bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Belief Polarization to Echo Chambers: A Rationalizing Account
Authors: Begby Endre
Published: June 2022

Belief polarization (BP) is widely seen to threaten havoc on our shared political lives. It is often assumed that BP is the product of epistemically irrational behaviors at the individual level. After distinguishing between BP as it occurs in intra-group and inter-group settings, this paper argues that neither process necessarily reflects individual epistemic irrationality. It is true that these processes can work in tandem to produce so-called “echo chambers.” But while echo chambers are often problematic from the point of view of collective rationality, it doesn't follow that individuals are doing anything wrong, epistemically speaking, in seeking them out. In non-ideal socio-epistemic contexts, echo chamber construction might provide one's best defense against systematic misinformation and deception.
Derbforgaill: twelfth-century abductee, patron and wife
Authors: Hoireabhárd Seán Ó
Published: June 2022

This paper explores the themes of abduction, patronage, female wealth and marital relationships through their intersection in the life of Derbforgaill (d. 1193), whose abduction in 1152 sparked a chain of events that contributed to the English invasion of Ireland. Derbforgaill is also remembered for her donations to Mellifont in 1157, during the consecration of its ‘church of the monks’, and to the construction of a nuns’ church in Clonmacnoise in 1167. Focusing on the broader political context of these donations offers strong grounds for reconsideration of both Derbforgaill's and other women's experiences. Among the wider implications of this study must be the reconceptualisation of female political importance as functional through or in concert with marriage partners, rather than the natal family.
Towards a ‘world-wide empire of the Gael’: nationalism, identity, and the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society, 1912–22
Authors: Mannion Patrick
Published: June 2022

In the early twentieth century, Irish ethnic, benevolent and mutual benefit associations around the world became part of the transnational fight for Irish freedom, utilising large, widespread memberships to raise funds and lobby for Irish independence. In Australia and New Zealand the largest such group was the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society (H.A.C.B.S.), which boasted some 41,000 members spread across almost 600 branches in 1920. The society's engagement with the home rule movement and the subsequent Irish Revolution provides a fascinating example of how the expansive spatial and intergenerational networks of Irish-Catholic benevolent associations were mobilised in full support of Irish self-determination, particularly after 1919. Members of the H.A.C.B.S. in Australia had to negotiate complex and sometimes competing identities and loyalties: to Ireland, Australia and the British Empire, and the evolution of these tensions reflects the variety and complexity of global Irish nationalism. Reflecting patterns observed elsewhere, within a context of increasing sectarian tensions, labour militancy and broad Catholic disillusionment with their political and economic place in Australasian society, the H.A.C.B.S. moved from devout imperial loyalty in 1916 to total support for a fully independent Irish republic by 1922.
Belonging in the Land and the Law: A Reading of Joseph David on Nahmanides’s Territorial Exegesis - Reviewed: Kinship, Law and Politics: An Anatomy of Belonging. By Joseph E. David. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020. Pp. 156. $110.00 (cloth); $88.00 (digital). ISBN: 9781108499682.
Authors: Caputo Nina
Published: June 2022

Joseph E. David’s Kinship, Law and Politics: An Anatomy of Belonging provides an erudite demonstration of how an analytical approach that directs attention to negotiations of belonging in exegetical and legal thinking can yield crucial insight into how social boundaries are defined and defended in throughout human history in a broad array of contexts. Among the examples he brings to illustrate premodern efforts to delineate belonging is Nahmanides’s interpretation of territory based commandments. David shows that Nahmanides made the radical claim that the covenant was firmly linked to the land, so that any people inhabiting the land were obliged to follow it, and complete compliance with divine law could be achieved only in the Land of Israel. This essay examines David’s discussion of Nahmanides’s interpretation of law in the Land of Israel and considers the implications of extending an analysis of conceptions of belonging into other corners of Nahmanides’s career as a commentator, community leader, and teacher.
Leader–follower interpersonal behaviors, emotional regulation and LMX quality
Authors: Ayoko Oluremi B. , Tan Pao P. , Li Yiqiong
Published: June 2022

We investigate how a leader's perception of a follower's behaviours may impact the follower's perception of a leader's behaviours which in turn may relate to a leader's rating of the LMX quality. Multilevel multisource data were collected from 315 leader–member dyads in 27 military teams. At the dyadic level, a leader's perception of a follower was related to the follower's assessment of a leader's behaviours, which in turn, was positively related to how the leader rated their LMX quality. Finally, the leaders' emotional reappraisal moderated the link between a follower's perception of the leader's behaviours and leader rated LMX quality. LMX research continues to interrogate the role of the follower in the leader–follower process. The study sheds further light on how followers contribute to the leadership process.
Contested Territories in the Short Twentieth Century: Sarah Wambaugh (1882–1955), Plebiscites, and Gender
Authors: Wernitznig Dagmar
Published: June 2022

This article deals with Sarah Wambaugh’s life and work concerning global territorial questions of border disputes and nationalities as well as minorities issues. Trained at Radcliffe College in the disciplines of international law and political science, Wambaugh engineered a somewhat unprecedented career for herself in diplomatic circles after the First World War, achieving a worldwide reputation as the foremost expert on plebiscites, especially in areas of post-war conflicts. By looking at three case studies, this contribution particularly emphasizes Wambaugh’s role as an extra-governmental analyst of these referenda at the intersections of gender and universal suffrage. Within the context of geographic demarcations, aspects of citizenship, national belonging or affiliation, and minority rights, palpably, were paramount. While integrating these parameters into her theoretical discourses, Wambaugh went a step further by also adding the element of the franchise for women as an imperative coefficient regarding the drawing of borderlines. Hence, the female voting corpus – in most cases of quantitative significance during the aftermaths of wars, due to the substantial decimation of the male population on battle fields – attained a pertinent part in referenda-based rights to self-determination, and Wambaugh paid credit to this fact in her activism and writings.
A search for annihilating dark matter in 47 Tucanae and Omega Centauri
Authors: Staveley-Smith Lister , Bond Emma , Bekki Kenji , Westmeier Tobias
Published: June 2022

A plausible formation scenario for the Galactic globular clusters 47 Tucanae (47 Tuc) and Omega Centauri

$(\omega$

Cen) is that they are tidally stripped remnants of dwarf galaxies, in which case they are likely to have retained a fraction of their dark matter cores. In this study, we have used the ultra-wide band receiver on the Parkes telescope (Murriyang) to place upper limits on the annihilation rate of exotic Light Dark Matter particles

$(\chi)$

via the

$\chi\chi\rightarrow e^+e^-$

channel using measurements of the recombination rate of positronium (Ps). This is an extension of a technique previously used to search for Ps in the Galactic Centre. However, by stacking of spectral data at multiple line frequencies, we have been able to improve sensitivity. Our measurements have resulted in

$3-\sigma$

flux density (recombination rate) upper limits of 1.7 mJy

$\left(1.4\times 10^{43}\, \mathrm{s}^{-1}\right)$

and 0.8 mJy

$\left(1.1 \times 10^{43} \mathrm{s}^{-1}\right)$

for 47 Tuc and

$\omega$

Cen, respectively. Within the Parkes beam at the cluster distances, which varies from 10–23 pc depending on the frequency of the recombination line, and for an assumed annihilation cross-section

$\langle\sigma v\rangle = 3\times 10^{-29} \mathrm{cm}^3\, \mathrm{s}^{-1}$

, we calculate upper limits to the dark matter mass and rms dark matter density of

${\lesssim} 1.2-1.3\times 10^5 f_n^{-0.5}$

$\left(m_\chi/\mathrm{MeV\, c}^{-2}\right)$

$\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$

and

${\lesssim} 48-54 f_n^{-0.5}$

$\left(m_\chi/\mathrm{MeV\, c}^{-2}\right)$

$\mathrm{M}_{\odot} \mathrm{pc}^{-3}$

for the clusters, where

$f_n=R_n/R_p$

is the ratio of Ps recombination transitions to annihilations, estimated to be

${\sim}0.01$

. The radio limits for

$\omega$

Cen suggest that, for a fiducial dark/luminous mass ratio of

${\sim}0.05$

, any contribution from Light Dark Matter is small unless

$\langle\sigma v\rangle < 7.9\times 10^{-28}\ \left(m_\chi/\mathrm{MeV\, c}^{-2}\right)^2 \mathrm{cm}^3 \mathrm{s}^{-1}$

. Owing to the compactness and proximity of the clusters, archival 511-keV measurements suggest even tighter limits than permitted by CMB anisotropies,

$\langle\sigma v\rangle < 8.6\times 10^{-31}\ (m_\chi/\mathrm{MeV\, c}^{-2})^2 \mathrm{cm}^3 \mathrm{s}^{-1}$

. Due to the very low synchrotron radiation background, our recombination rate limits substantially improve on previous radio limits for the Milky Way.
Eight new records of marine fishes (Teleostei: Perciformes and Tetraodontiformes) from the Philippines
Authors: Gumanao Girley S. , Gumanao Kristine Joy S. , Bos Arthur R.
Published: June 2022

Thirty-one individuals of seven Perciform and one Tetraodontiform fish species were reported from the Davao Gulf constituting new records for the Philippines: from the Labridae, Bodianus leucosticticus (9 individuals) and Bodianus masudai (3); Nemipteridae, Parascolopsis melanophrys (2); Priacanthidae, Pristigenys meyeri (2); Serranidae, Odontanthias chrysostictus (6), Odontanthias randalli (5) and Liopropoma latifasciatum (3); Monacanthidae, Thamnaconus multilineatus (1). Large range extensions were found for P. melanophrys, O. chrysostictus, O. randalli and T. multilineatus. The individuals of P. melanophrys are the third and fourth ever-reported individuals of this extremely rare dwarf monocle bream. A new maximum SL of 126 mm was reported for O. chrysostictus. We also encountered one individual of the rare wrasse Bodianus rubrisos recently observed at a more northern location. The current observations extend our knowledge of marine fishes in the Philippines and the unusually high marine biodiversity in this region. As all recorded species are considered inhabitants of mesophotic coral ecosystems, these observations also confirm that fishing pressure has increased in these deeper habitats.
A Climatology of Merged Daytime Planetary Boundary Layer Height Over China From Radiosonde Measurements
Authors: Zhang Jian , Guo Jianping , Li Jian , Zhang Shaodong , Tong Bing , Shao Jia , Li Haiyan , Zhang Yehui , Cao Lijuan , Zhai Panmao , Xu Xiaofeng , Wang Minghuai
Published: June 2022

The planetary boundary layer is crucial for the turbulence mixing and exchange of heat flux, momentum, and atmospheric pollutants between the atmosphere and Earth's surface. Nevertheless, the estimated boundary layer height (BLH) varies greatly by data sources and algorithms. This paper seeks to characterize the convective BLHs from 1‐s radiosonde measurements of China Radiosonde Network (CRN) for the 2012–2020 period at 1400 Beijing time, by using eight well‐known algorithms, wherein the newly established Thorpe method is theoretically fundamental on turbulence analysis and is in remarkable agreement with the parcel and bulk Richardson number methods. BLHs obtained by eight methods, ranging from 1.2 to 2.5 km, strongly vary with methods based on different kinetic or thermodynamic theories. The significant offsets among methods motivate the present study to propose a merged algorithm, to minimize the spread of BLH estimate. The merged BLH contains more physical information than that retrieved from a single method and can significantly lower the uncertainty. The BLH climatology exhibits a spatial pattern of “Southwest‐High Southeast‐Low,” ascending from 0.6 km over southeastern China to 2.3 km over southwestern China, which could be largely attributed to the variations in the integrated surface sensible heat flux, soil moisture, total cloud cover, land cover, synoptic forcing, and terrain‐induced flow. Of interest is that land surface properties could be the major driver for the development of CBL. Also noteworthy is that the smallest BLH is expected under the strongest synoptic forcing condition.
Multifactorial Principal‐Monotonicity Inference for Macro‐Scale Distributed Hydrologic Modeling
Authors: Cheng Guanhui , Huang Guohe (Gordon) , Dong Cong
Published: June 2022

Macro‐scale distributed hydrologic modeling advanced hydro‐system understandings and scientized relevant human activities. However, it faces challenges of hydrometeorological heterogeneities, parametric interactions, data uncertainty, computational expensiveness, and other complexities, especially over cold regions with intense climatic changes. As an effort to address them, a multifactorial principal‐monotonicity inference (MFPMI) method is developed through integrating, extending, or improving climate classification, hydrologic modeling, and sensitivity analysis. MFPMI is applied to an undammed macro‐scale high‐latitude cold‐region watershed, Athabasca River Basin (ARB) in Canada. MFPMI mitigates the underestimation of climatic impacts on streamflows in process‐based models, hydrologic classification, large‐scale hydroclimatic data deconstruction, parametric‐interaction neglection, and climatic homogenization; its superiority is particularly evident for highly heterogeneous climates. Dominant climatic impacts on ARB streamflows of various regimes increase from tributaries to the mainstem and decrease from up‐ through down‐ to mid‐stream catchments, possibly due to the offset effects of non‐climatic factors (e.g., vegetation and soil). The impacts also decline with streamflow magnitudes, and vary with seasons, spatial scales and lead months rather than temporal resolutions. Streamflow magnitudes, catchments and metrics differ compositions of the climate conditions explaining cross‐scale uppermost discharge variations. In spite of this, streamflow increases with temperature and precipitation, and headwater climates play part of dominant roles in forcing discharges throughout ARB. Accuracy metrics differentiate parameters and accordingly structures of MFPMI models, and hydroclimatic data uncertainty is high for high flows, fine temporal scales or low climatic impacts, increasing uncertainty in hydrologic simulations and climatic‐impact estimates. This study helps advance modeling and understandings of macro‐scale cold‐region hydrology.
Groundwater Flow Rate Prediction From Geo‐Electrical Features Using Support Vector Machines
Authors: Kouadio Kouao Laurent , Kouame Loukou Nicolas , Drissa Coulibaly , Mi Binbin , Kouamelan Kouamelan Serge , Gnoleba Serge Pacôme Déguine , Zhang Hongyu , Xia Jianghai
Published: June 2022

Unsuccessful drillings are issues in groundwater exploration using electrical resistivity profiling (ERP) and vertical electrical sounding (VES). Many geophysical companies spend a lot of money without obtaining the flow rate (FR) required during the campaigns for drinking water supply (CDWS). To solve this problem, we applied the support vector machines (SVMs) to real‐world data to predict the FRs before any drilling operations. First, from the ERP and VES, the features such as shape, type, power, magnitude, pseudo‐fracturing index, and ohmic‐area were defined including the geology of the survey area. Second, the FRs were categorized into four classes (dry: FR0 (FR = 0), unsustainable: FR1 (0 < FR ≤ 1), and productive boreholes: FR2 (1 < FR ≤ 3) and FR3 (FR > 3 m3/hr)) and associated with the features to compose two separated data sets: a multiclass data set () for common prediction during the CDWS and a binary data set (FR < FR2, FR ≥ FR2) addressed to the population living in a rural area. Features were vectorized and data were transformed before feeding to the SVM algorithms. As a result, the SVM models performed 77% of good predictions on and 83% on . Better performances with the optimal hyper‐parameters in (81.61%) and (87.36%) were achieved using the polynomial and radial basis function kernels respectively. Furthermore, the learning curves have shown that the performance scores on can be improved if larger training data becomes available (275 test samples at least) while it is not necessarily so for . As a benefit, the proposed approach could minimize the rate of unsuccessful drillings during future CDWS.
Coronal Dimmings Shine Light on Stellar CMEs
Authors: Duncombe Jenessa
Published: June 2022

Coronal mass ejections from stars have eluded easy observation, so scientists are looking at what’s left behind.
Reconstruction of Violent Tornado Environments in Europe: High‐Resolution Dynamical Downscaling of ERA5
Authors: Pilguj Natalia , Taszarek Mateusz , Kryza Maciej , Brooks Harold E.
Published: June 2022

Approximately 1–3 violent tornadoes hit Europe each decade. We use the ERA5 reanalysis and WRF model to reconstruct environments for 12 cases between 1957 and 2021. Violent tornadoes in Europe occur in a variety of synoptic and mesoscale patterns, but they share environmental similarities with significant tornadoes from the United States. Downscaling simulations to 3 km grid‐spacing showed the added value of improved resolution in representing local convective environments. In 8 out of 12 simulations, the model indicated updraft helicity (UH) tracks in a favorable convective environment in spatial (+/−50 km) and temporal (+/−3 hr) proximity to the tornado report. Tornadoes were accompanied by a mean 0–6 km wind shear of 24.3 m s−1 and mean convective available potential energy of 1678 J kg−1. The combination of UH tracks with convective environments offers promising results for operational forecasting in Europe, and should be explored in future studies.
Ice‐Marginal Proglacial Lakes Across Greenland: Present Status and a Possible Future
Authors: Carrivick Jonathan L. , How Penelope , Lea James M. , Sutherland Jenna L. , Grimes Michael , Tweed Fiona S. , Cornford Stephen , Quincey Duncan J. , Mallalieu Joseph
Published: June 2022

Ice‐marginal lakes can affect glacier dynamics but are ignored in studies of the evolution of the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) and of peripheral mountain glaciers and ice caps (PGICs). Here we show that lakes occupy 10% of the GrIS ice margin and occur on 5% of PGICs. Ice velocity at the GrIS margin is enhanced by ∼ 25% at lakes versus on land. Mean ice discharge into lakes is ∼4.9 Gt.yr, which is ∼1% of ice discharged through marine termini. We locate thousands of subglacial overdeepenings within which 7,404 km2 of future lakes could form, all of which will be ice‐marginal at some time. Future lakes in the west and east will be restricted to the margin of the GrIS and within alpine valleys, respectively. This status and possible future leads us to contend that lakes should be incorporated into projections of Greenland ice loss.
A Travel‐Time Path Calibration Strategy for Back‐Projection of Large Earthquakes and Its Application and Validation Through the Segmented Super‐Shear Rupture Imaging of the 2002 Mw 7.9 Denali Earthquake
Authors: Zeng Hongyu , Wei Shengji , Rosakis Ares
Published: June 2022

We investigate the impact of source‐side 3D velocity structure on teleseismic travel‐time in back projection (BP) analysis of large earthquakes. We use travel‐time data of teleseismic events recorded by the Hi‐Net array to reveal how travel‐time errors vary with source location. In a source area of a few hundred km, where travel‐time error varies dominantly linearly, we propose a new interpolation scheme using earthquakes located around the mainshock rupture to calibrate the travel‐time error, and validate it by relocating inland M > 5.0 earthquakes in central Japan. We then apply it to image the rupture of the 2002 Denali earthquake. The calibrated BP result shows that most of the high‐frequency radiators are <15 km away from the surface rupture trace. The new result reveals that the rupture started on the Susitna Glacier Fault with a speed of ∼1.4 km/s, then propagated onto the Denali Fault and accelerated to a super‐shear speed approaching the crustal P‐wave velocity at approximately 30 km. The location of super‐shear transition and rupture speed in BP are highly consistent with that inferred from the timing and amplitude ratio of the super‐shear and trailing Rayleigh pulses observed on the near fault PS‐10 station. Subsequently, the rupture stagnated for ∼15 s before penetrating through the largest asperity, re‐accelerated to a speed of ∼5.2 km/s and continued on the last 60 km of the Denali fault and part of Totschunda Fault. This application shows the great potential of the new BP calibration strategy to refine the rupture imaging of other mega‐earthquakes.
pH- and concentration-dependent supramolecular assembly of a fungal defensin plectasin variant into helical non-amyloid fibrils
Authors: Pohl Christin , Effantin Gregory , Kandiah Eaazhisai , Meier Sebastian , Zeng Guanghong , Streicher Werner , Segura Dorotea Raventos , Mygind Per H. , Sandvang Dorthe , Nielsen Line Anker , Peters Günther H. J. , Schoehn Guy , Mueller-Dieckmann Christoph , Noergaard Allan , Harris Pernille
Published: June 2022

Self-assembly and fibril formation play important roles in protein behaviour. Amyloid fibril formation is well-studied due to its role in neurodegenerative diseases and characterized by refolding of the protein into predominantly β-sheet form. However, much less is known about the assembly of proteins into other types of supramolecular structures. Using cryo-electron microscopy at a resolution of 1.97 Å, we show that a triple-mutant of the anti-microbial peptide plectasin, PPI42, assembles into helical non-amyloid fibrils. The in vitro anti-microbial activity was determined and shown to be enhanced compared to the wildtype. Plectasin contains a cysteine-stabilised α-helix-β-sheet structure, which remains intact upon fibril formation. Two protofilaments form a right-handed protein fibril. The fibril formation is reversible and follows sigmoidal kinetics with a pH- and concentration dependent equilibrium between soluble monomer and protein fibril. This high-resolution structure reveals that α/β proteins can natively assemble into fibrils.
Temporal changes in gastrointestinal fungi and the risk of autoimmunity during early childhood: the TEDDY study
Authors: Auchtung Thomas A. , Stewart Christopher J. , Smith Daniel P. , Triplett Eric W. , Agardh Daniel , Hagopian William A. , Ziegler Anette G. , Rewers Marian J. , She Jin-Xiong , Toppari Jorma , Lernmark Åke , Akolkar Beena , Krischer Jeffrey P. , Vehik Kendra , Auchtung Jennifer M. , Ajami Nadim J. , Petrosino Joseph F.
Published: June 2022

Fungal infections are a major health problem that often begin in the gastrointestinal tract. Gut microbe interactions in early childhood are critical for proper immune responses, yet there is little known about the development of the fungal population from infancy into childhood. Here, as part of the TEDDY (The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young) study, we examine stool samples of 888 children from 3 to 48 months and find considerable differences between fungi and bacteria. The metagenomic relative abundance of fungi was extremely low but increased while weaning from milk and formula. Overall fungal diversity remained constant over time, in contrast with the increase in bacterial diversity. Fungal profiles had high temporal variation, but there was less variation from month-to-month in an individual than among different children of the same age. Fungal composition varied with geography, diet, and the use of probiotics. MultipleCandidaspp. were at higher relative abundance in children than adults, whileMalasseziaand certain food-associated fungi were lower in children. There were only subtle fungal differences associated with the subset of children that developed islet autoimmunity or type 1 diabetes. Having proper fungal exposures may be crucial for children to establish appropriate responses to fungi and limit the risk of infection: the data here suggests those gastrointestinal exposures are limited and variable.
Experimental realization of one dimensional helium
Authors: Del Maestro Adrian , Nichols Nathan S. , Prisk Timothy R. , Warren Garfield , Sokol Paul E.
Published: June 2022

As the spatial dimension is lowered, locally stabilizing interactions are reduced, leading to the emergence of strongly fluctuating phases of matter without classical analogues. Here we report on the experimental observation of a one dimensional quantum liquid of 4He using nanoengineering by confining it within a porous material preplated with a noble gas to enhance dimensional reduction. The resulting excitations of the confined 4He are qualitatively different than bulk superfluid helium, and can be analyzed in terms of a mobile impurity allowing for the characterization of the emergent quantum liquid beyond the Luttinger liquid paradigm. The low dimensional helium system offers the possibility of tuning via pressure—from weakly interacting, all the way to the super Tonks-Girardeau gas of strongly interacting hard-core particles.
A functionally conserved STORR gene fusion in Papaver species that diverged 16.8 million years ago
Authors: Catania Theresa , Li Yi , Winzer Thilo , Harvey David , Meade Fergus , Caridi Anna , Leech Andrew , Larson Tony R. , Ning Zemin , Chang Jiyang , Van de Peer Yves , Graham Ian A.
Published: June 2022

The STORR gene fusion event is considered essential for the evolution of the promorphinan/morphinan subclass of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) in opium poppy as the resulting bi-modular protein performs the isomerization of (S)- to (R)-reticuline essential for their biosynthesis. Here, we show that of the 12 Papaver species analysed those containing the STORR gene fusion also contain promorphinans/morphinans with one important exception. P. californicum encodes a functionally conserved STORR but does not produce promorphinans/morphinans. We also show that the gene fusion event occurred only once, between 16.8-24.1 million years ago before the separation of P. californicum from other Clade 2 Papaver species. The most abundant BIA in P. californicum is (R)-glaucine, a member of the aporphine subclass of BIAs, raising the possibility that STORR, once evolved, contributes to the biosynthesis of more than just the promorphinan/morphinan subclass of BIAs in the Papaveraceae.
Molecular basis of mEAK7-mediated human V-ATPase regulation
Authors: Wang Rong , Qin Yu , Xie Xiao-Song , Li Xiaochun
Published: June 2022

The activity of V-ATPase is well-known to be regulated by reversible dissociation of its V1 and Vo domains in response to growth factor stimulation, nutrient sensing, and cellular differentiation. The molecular basis of its regulation by an endogenous modulator without affecting V-ATPase assembly remains unclear. Here, we discover that a lysosome-anchored protein termed (mammalian Enhancer-of-Akt-1-7 (mEAK7)) binds to intact V-ATPase. We determine cryo-EM structure of human mEAK7 in complex with human V-ATPase in native lipid-containing nanodiscs. The structure reveals that the TLDc domain of mEAK7 engages with subunits A, B, and E, while its C-terminal domain binds to subunit D, presumably blocking V1–Vo torque transmission. Our functional studies suggest that mEAK7, which may act as a V-ATPase inhibitor, does not affect the activity of V-ATPase in vitro. However, overexpression of mEAK7 in HCT116 cells that stably express subunit a4 of V-ATPase represses the phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6. Thus, this finding suggests that mEAK7 potentially links mTOR signaling with V-ATPase activity.
Paramagnons and high-temperature superconductivity in a model family of cuprates
Authors: Wang Lichen , He Guanhong , Yang Zichen , Garcia-Fernandez Mirian , Nag Abhishek , Zhou Kejin , Minola Matteo , Tacon Matthieu Le , Keimer Bernhard , Peng Yingying , Li Yuan
Published: June 2022

Cuprate superconductors have the highest critical temperatures (Tc) at ambient pressure, yet a consensus on the superconducting mechanism remains to be established. Finding an empirical parameter that limits the highest reachable Tc can provide crucial insight into this outstanding problem. Here, in the first two Ruddlesden-Popper members of the model Hg-family of cuprates, which are chemically nearly identical and have the highest Tc among all cuprate families, we use inelastic photon scattering to reveal that the energy of magnetic fluctuations may play such a role. In particular, we observe the single-paramagnon spectra to be nearly identical between the two compounds, apart from an energy scale difference of ~30% which matches their difference in Tc. The empirical correlation between paramagnon energy and maximal Tc is further found to extend to other cuprate families with relatively high Tc’s, hinting at a fundamental connection between them.
The molecular mechanism of constructive remodeling of a mechanically-loaded polymer
Authors: Wang Chenxu , Akbulatov Sergey , Chen Qihan , Tian Yancong , Sun Cai-Li , Couty Marc , Boulatov Roman
Published: June 2022

Large or repeated mechanical loads usually degrade polymers by accelerating fragmentation of their backbones but rarely, they can cause new backbone bonds to form. When these new bonds form faster than the original bonds break, mechanical degradation may be arrested or reversed in real time. Exploiting such constructive remodeling has proven challenging because we lack an understanding of the competition between bond-forming and bond-breaking reactions in mechanically-stressed polymers. Here we report the molecular mechanism and analysis of constructive remodeling driven by the macroradical products of mechanochemical fragmentation of a hydrocarbon backbone. By studying the changing compositions of a random copolymer of styrene and butadiene sheared at 10 °C in the presence of different additives we developed an approach to characterizing this growth/fracture competition, which is generalizable to other underlying chemistries. Our results demonstrate that constructive remodeling is achievable under practically relevant conditions, requires neither complex chemistries, elaborate macromolecular architectures or free monomers, and is amenable to detailed mechanistic interrogation and simulation. These findings constitute a quantitative framework for systematic studies of polymers capable of autonomously counteracting mechanical degradation at the molecular level.
Isospin competitions and valley polarized correlated insulators in twisted double bilayer graphene
Authors: Liu Le , Zhang Shihao , Chu Yanbang , Shen Cheng , Huang Yuan , Yuan Yalong , Tian Jinpeng , Tang Jian , Ji Yiru , Yang Rong , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Shi Dongxia , Liu Jianpeng , Yang Wei , Zhang Guangyu
Published: June 2022

New phase of matter usually emerges when a given symmetry breaks spontaneously, which can involve charge, spin, and valley degree of freedoms. Here, we report an observation of new correlated insulators evolved from spin-polarized states to valley-polarized states in twisted double bilayer graphene (TDBG) driven by the displacement field (D). At a high field |D | > 0.7 V/nm, we observe valley polarized correlated insulators with a big Zeeman g factor of ~10, both at v = 2 in the moiré conduction band and more surprisingly at v = −2 in the moiré valence band. Moreover, we observe a valley polarized Chern insulator with C = 2 emanating at v = 2 in the electron side and a valley polarized Fermi surface around v = −2 in the hole side. Our results demonstrate a feasible way to realize isospin control and to obtain new phases of matter in TDBG by the displacement field, and might benefit other twisted or non-twisted multilayer systems.
Pixel-level Bayer-type colour router based on metasurfaces
Authors: Zou Xiujuan , Zhang Youming , Lin Ruoyu , Gong Guangxing , Wang Shuming , Zhu Shining , Wang Zhenlin
Published: June 2022

The three primary colour model, i.e., red, green, and blue model, based on the colour perception of the human eye, has been widely used in colour imaging. The most common approach for obtaining colour information is to use a Bayer colour filter, which filters colour light with four pixels of an imaging sensor to form an effective colour pixel. However, its energy utilization efficiency and colour collection efficiency are limited to a low level due to the three-channel filtering nature. Here, by employing an inverse-design method, we demonstrate a pixel-level metasurface-based Bayer-type colour router that presents peak colour collection efficiencies of 58%, 59%, and 49% for red, green and blue light, and an average energy utilization efficiency as high as 84% over the visible region (400 nm–700 nm), which is twice as high as that of a commercial Bayer colour filter. Furthermore, by using a 200 µm × 200 µm metasurface-based colour router sample working with a monochromatic imaging sensor, colour imaging is further realized, obtaining an image intensity twice that achieved by a commercial Bayer colour filter. Our work innovates the mechanism of high-efficiency spectrum information acquisition, which is expected to have promising applications in the development of next-generation imaging systems.
A fully inkjet-printed disposable gas sensor matrix with molecularly imprinted gas-selective materials
Authors: Ge Lingpu , Ye Xiao , Yu Zeping , Chen Bin , Liu Chuanjun , Guo Hao , Zhang Shiyi , Sassa Fumihiro , Hayashi Kenshi
Published: June 2022

A method was used to fabricate a fully inkjet-printed gas sensor matrix on photographic paper. An electrode matrix comprising 36 interdigital electrodes in a high-density layout that is easy to integrate has been fabricated using a combination of insulating ink and commercial silver ink. Molecular-imprinted polymer (MIP) inks were then made using a simple solution mixing method, and these inks were printed together with carbon black ink on the electrode matrix to complete production of the sensor. Finally, experimental dynamic sensing of volatile organic compounds verifies that for detection of gases corresponding to the MIP template molecules, the MIP layer offers improvements in both sensitivity and selectivity when compared with non-imprinted polymer layers. The matrix can produce a response of more than 20% to 3 ppm propenoic acid gas through adjustment of the printing times for the carbon black layer and the MIP layer.
A large-scale multi-label 12-lead electrocardiogram database with standardized diagnostic statements
Authors: Liu Hui , Chen Dan , Chen Da , Zhang Xiyu , Li Huijie , Bian Lipan , Shu Minglei , Wang Yinglong
Published: June 2022

Deep learning approaches have exhibited a great ability on automatic interpretation of the electrocardiogram (ECG). However, large-scale public 12-lead ECG data are still limited, and the diagnostic labels are not uniform, which increases the semantic gap between clinical practice. In this study, we present a large-scale multi-label 12-lead ECG database with standardized diagnostic statements. The dataset contains 25770 ECG records from 24666 patients, which were acquired from Shandong Provincial Hospital (SPH) between 2019/08 and 2020/08. The record length is between 10 and 60 seconds. The diagnostic statements of all ECG records are in full compliance with the AHA/ACC/HRS recommendations, which aims for the standardization and interpretation of the electrocardiogram, and consist of 44 primary statements and 15 modifiers as per the standard. 46.04% records in the dataset contain ECG abnormalities, and 14.45% records have multiple diagnostic statements. The dataset also contains additional patient demographics.
5-Azacytidine increases tanshinone production in Salvia miltiorrhiza hairy roots through epigenetic modulation
Authors: Yang Bo-Cheng , Lee Meng-Shiou , Lin Ming-Kuem , Chang Wen-Te
Published: June 2022

Recent studies have indicated strong connections between epigenetic modulation and secondary metabolites in plants. It is vital to understand the roles of epigenetics in the production of secondary metabolites. In this study, the inhibitor of DNA methylation 5-azacytidine (5-Az) was used on the hairy roots of the medicinal plant Salvia miltiorrhiza to investigate its effect on secondary metabolite production, gene expression, methylation levels in genomic DNA and promoter regions. Our results showed that the contents of tanshinones in S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots increased by 1.5–5 times, and some genes in the biosynthesis pathway showed an upward trend. According to our NGS analysis, the methylation pattern in the promotor of the gene encoding copalyl diphosphate synthase (CPS) was altered, and 51 out of 145 cytosines were demethylated during 5-Az treatment. A total of 36 putative transcription factors (TFs) binding cites were identified in these demethylation sites. Among these TFs binding cites, cis-regulatory elements for the binding of NF-Y and MYB were frequently found in our results. This is the first report to demonstrate a possible mechanism of DNA methylation participating in tanshinone biosynthesis in S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots by modulating the CPS promoter and TFs binding sites.
Asymmetric host movement reshapes local disease dynamics in metapopulations
Authors: Michalska-Smith Matthew , VanderWaal Kimberly , Craft Meggan E.
Published: June 2022

Understanding how the movement of individuals affects disease dynamics is critical to accurately predicting and responding to the spread of disease in an increasingly interconnected world. In particular, it is not yet known how movement between patches affects local disease dynamics (e.g., whether pathogen prevalence remains steady or oscillates through time). Considering a set of small, archetypal metapopulations, we find three surprisingly simple patterns emerge in local disease dynamics following the introduction of movement between patches: (1) movement between identical patches with cyclical pathogen prevalence dampens oscillations in the destination while increasing synchrony between patches; (2) when patches differ from one another in the absence of movement, adding movement allows dynamics to propagate between patches, alternatively stabilizing or destabilizing dynamics in the destination based on the dynamics at the origin; and (3) it is easier for movement to induce cyclical dynamics than to induce a steady-state. Considering these archetypal networks (and the patterns they exemplify) as building blocks of larger, more realistically complex metapopulations provides an avenue for novel insights into the role of host movement on disease dynamics. Moreover, this work demonstrates a framework for future predictive modelling of disease spread in real populations.
Hydrology, biogeochemistry and metabolism in a semi-arid mediterranean coastal wetland ecosystem
Authors: Béjaoui Béchir , Basti Leila , Canu Donata Melaku , Feki-Sahnoun Wafa , Salem Hatem , Dahmani Sana , Sahbani Sabrine , Benabdallah Sihem , Blake Reginald , Norouzi Hamidreza , Solidoro Cosimo
Published: June 2022

A LOICZ Budget Model is applied to the Ichkeul Lake, a wetland ecosystem of the South Mediterranean-North African region, to evaluate its functioning in order to boost water management. The Ichkeul Lake water and nutrient budget, net ecosystem metabolism (NEM), nutrient availability, and their seasonal changes are estimated using field data. A considerable anthropogenic-driven amount of nitrogen is transferred into N2/N2O to the atmosphere during the dry season with predominance of denitrification-anammox processes. The primary production is impacted by forcing the ecosystem respiration to reduce the NEM so that the system is functioning as heterotrophic. Climate change and anthropogenic pressures are expected to exacerbate the current trends of water quality degradation, with possible negative impacts on Palearctic birds’ population. Mitigation actions are possible, through the implementation of National Wetland Management Strategies that include nutrient load and water resources management.
Neuropeptide Neuromedin B does not alter body weight and glucose homeostasis nor does it act as an insulin-releasing peptide
Authors: Cikes Domagoj , Atanes Patricio , Cronin Shane J. F. , Hagelkrüys Astrid , Huang Guo-Cai , Persaud Shanta J. , Penninger Josef M.
Published: June 2022

Neuromedin B (NMB) is a member of the neuromedin family of neuropeptides with a high level of region-specific expression in the brain. Several GWAS studies on non-obese and obese patients suggested that polymorphisms in NMB predispose to obesity by affecting appetite control and feeding preference. Furthermore, several studies proposed that NMB can act as an insulin releasing peptide. Since the functional study has never been done, the in vivo role of NMB as modulator of weight gain or glucose metabolism remains unclear. Here, we generated Nmb conditional mice and nervous system deficient NmB mice. We then performed olfactory and food preference analysis, as well as metabolic analysis under standard and high fat diet. Additionally, in direct islet studies we evaluated the role of NMB on basal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in mouse and humans.
Overexpression of alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase 2 protects from asymmetric dimethylarginine-induced endothelial dysfunction and aortic remodeling
Authors: Rodionov Roman N. , Jarzebska Natalia , Burdin Dmitrii , Todorov Vladimir , Martens-Lobenhoffer Jens , Hofmann Anja , Kolouschek Anne , Cordasic Nada , Jacobi Johannes , Rubets Elena , Morawietz Henning , O’Sullivan John F. , Markov Alexander G. , Bornstein Stefan R. , Hilgers Karl , Maas Renke , Pfluecke Christian , Chen YingJie , Bode-Böger Stefanie M. , Hugo Christian P. M. , Hohenstein Bernd , Weiss Norbert
Published: June 2022

Elevated plasma concentrations of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) are associated with an increased risk of mortality and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. ADMA can be metabolized by dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolases (DDAHs) and by alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase 2 (AGXT2). Deletion of DDAH1 in mice leads to elevation of ADMA in plasma and increase in blood pressure, while overexpression of human DDAH1 is associated with a lower plasma ADMA concentration and protective cardiovascular effects. The possible role of alternative metabolism of ADMA by AGXT2 remains to be elucidated. The goal of the current study was to test the hypothesis that transgenic overexpression of AGXT2 leads to lowering of plasma levels of ADMA and protection from vascular damage in the setting of DDAH1 deficiency. We generated transgenic mice (TG) with ubiquitous overexpression of AGXT2. qPCR and Western Blot confirmed the expression of the transgene. Systemic ADMA levels were decreased by 15% in TG mice. In comparison with wild type animals plasma levels of asymmetric dimethylguanidino valeric acid (ADGV), the AGXT2 associated metabolite of ADMA, were six times higher. We crossed AGXT2 TG mice with DDAH1 knockout mice and observed that upregulation of AGXT2 lowers plasma ADMA and pulse pressure and protects the mice from endothelial dysfunction and adverse aortic remodeling. Upregulation of AGXT2 led to lowering of ADMA levels and protection from ADMA-induced vascular damage in the setting of DDAH1 deficiency. This is especially important, because all the efforts to develop pharmacological ADMA-lowering interventions by means of upregulation of DDAHs have been unsuccessful.
Inter-individual differences in laboratory rats as revealed by three behavioural tasks
Authors: Rudolfová Veronika , Petrásek Tomáš , Antošová Eliška , Frynta Daniel , Landová Eva , Valeš Karel , Nekovářová Tereza
Published: June 2022

Stable inter-individual differences in behaviour and personality have been studied for several decades now. The aim of this study was to test the repeatability of behaviour of the Long Evans strain of laboratory rats in order to assess their inter-individual differences. Male laboratory rats (n = 36) were tested in a series of tasks (Open field test, Elevated plus maze test, and modified T-maze test) repeated over time to assess their personality traits. To evaluate the temporal stability of the behaviour, we calculated repeatability estimates of the examined traits. We also checked for a link in behavioural traits across these experiments, which would suggest the existence of a behavioural syndrome. We found stable inter-individual differences in behaviour. Interestingly, no link emerged between the tasks we studied and therefore we did not find support for a behavioural syndrome. The lack of behavioural correlations between these experiments suggests that the results derived from these tasks should be interpreted carefully, as these experiments may measure various behavioural axes. Moreover, the animals habituate to the apparatus. Consequently, behaviour in the Open field test and Elevated plus maze test is not fully consistent and repeatable across subsequent trials.
Isolation, characterization and biological activities of betulin from Acacia nilotica bark
Authors: Kaur Prabhjit , Arora Saroj , Singh Rajbir
Published: June 2022

Medicinal plants are in use of humankind since ancient and still they are playing an important role in effective and safer natural drug delivery systems. Acacia nilotica (native of Egypt) commonly known as babul belongs to family Fabaceae, widely spread in India, Sri Lanka and Sudan. Being a common and important plant, using in many ways from fodder (shoots and leaves to animals) to dyeing (leather coloration) to medicine (root, bark, leaves, flower, gum, pods). The present study is focused on investigating the natural chemistry and important biological activities of the plant. Employing bioassay guided fractionation coupled with TLC and column chromatography, a pure fraction named AN-10 was isolated from ethyl acetate fraction of crude methanol extract which identified as “Betulin (Lupan-3ß,28-diol)” by Liebermann-Burchard test and structure elucidation by UV–Vis, NMR and MS techniques. A battery of in vitro biological assays for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer were performed and betulin showed excellent potential in all assays. It was found that the inhibitory potential in all assays were dose dependent manner and after a range of concentration, the activities get leveled off with no further increase in activity.
Modified natural kaolin clay as an active, selective, and stable catalyst for methanol dehydration to dimethyl ether
Authors: El-Aal Mohamed Abd , Said Abd El-Aziz Ahmed , Abdallah Mohamed H. , Goda Mohamed Nady
Published: June 2022

In this work, the production of dimethyl ether (DME) from methanol over natural kaolin clay modified through impregnation with various percentages of H2SO4, WO3, or ZrO2 catalysts was investigated. The prepared catalysts were characterized via X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and N2-sorption analysis. The acidity of these catalysts was determined through the dehydration of isopropyl alcohol and the chemisorption of pyridine. The catalytic activity performance revealed that the addition of modifiers into kaolin enhanced the latter’s activity toward DME production. In addition, the kaolin clay modified with 10 wt% ZrO2 exhibited excellent activity of 98% conversion with 100% selectivity at 275 °C. Moreover, this catalyst could proceed the reaction for a long time (6 days) without any noticeable deactivation. The remarkable improvement in the catalytic performance achievement was well correlated with the acidity and the structure of the catalysts.