bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the effect of psychosocial intervention on the improvement of students’ cognitive function of depression
Authors: Jiang Zunguo , Jiang Lifeng
Published: March 2023

Background

At present, college students all have psychological problems of varying degrees, the most serious of which is depression. Serious depression will affect students’ life and learning order, cause depression cognitive function, and have a significant impact on students’ future development. In the context of COVID-19, college students’ depression is particularly obvious. Therefore, the treatment of depression is urgent. As ideological, political, and mental health education have the same goals, the study will combine them with psychosocial intervention therapy to explore effective treatment methods for depression.

Subjects and Methods

The study selected 24 patients with depression from each of the four colleges and universities as the research objects. They participated in the experiment of ideological and political education combined with psychosocial intervention to improve the cognitive function of depression. In the experiment, 96 college students were divided into the research group and observation group, with 48 students in each. The observation group was given conventional psychosocial intervention therapy, and the research group was given ideological and political education combined with psychosocial intervention therapy. The difference between the two groups of patients was compared using the Self Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and body mass index.

Results

The SDS scores and body mass index results of the two groups of patients before and after treatment are shown in Table 1. Before the experiment, the difference between the body mass index and SDS scores of the two groups was small. After the experiment, the body mass index score of the study group increased significantly, and the SDS score decreased significantly; The observation group has the same performance, but the effect is not as good as the study group.Table 1.

Comparison results of two groups of patients

IndexResearch GroupObservation groupPBody mass indexBefore treatment15.19±1.8515.16±1.89>0.05After treatment19.90±2.6817.19±2.44<0.05SDSBefore treatment68.21±3.4064.58±3.29>0.05After treatment53.73±2.7857.21±3.92<0.05

Conclusions

In the context of COVID-19, we studied how to employ the ideas conveyed by ideological and political education to help students develop correct awareness, and how to apply the treatment method of ideological and political education in colleges and universities combined with psychosocial intervention to help students significantly improve cognitive function of depression.

Acknowledgements

The research is supported by: Foshan Research Project on the Construction of Youth Development City, “Research on Strengthening the Ideological Guidance of Youth in the Context of Epidemic Situation”, project No. 10.
Examining the relation between bilingualism and age of symptom onset in frontotemporal dementia
Authors: de Leon Jessica , Grasso Stephanie M. , Allen Isabel Elaine , Escueta Danielle P. , Vega Yvette , Eshghavi Malihe , Watson Christa , Dronkers Nina , Gorno-Tempini Maria Luisa , Henry Maya L.
Published: March 2023

Bilingualism is thought to confer advantages in executive functioning, thereby contributing to cognitive reserve and a later age of dementia symptom onset. While the relation between bilingualism and age of onset has been explored in Alzheimer's dementia, there are few studies examining bilingualism as a contributor to cognitive reserve in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). In line with previous findings, we hypothesized that bilinguals with behavioral variant FTD would be older at symptom onset compared to monolinguals, but that no such effect would be found in patients with nonfluent/agrammatic variant primary progressive aphasia (PPA) or semantic variant PPA. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no significant difference in age at symptom onset between monolingual and bilingual speakers within any of the FTD variants, and there were no notable differences on neuropsychological measures. Overall, our results do not support a protective effect of bilingualism in patients with FTD-spectrum disease in a U.S. based cohort.
Tackling Ethnic Minority Disadvantage: The Differential Impact of Short-term and Long-term-Oriented Strategies on Subsequent Job Matches and Sustainable Employment
Authors: Peijen Roy , Wilthagen Ton
Published: March 2023

In the Netherlands, the generic work-first support seems unable to mitigate the scarring effects of prior unemployment on ethnic minorities’ careers. This study compares the impact of vulnerable ethnic minorities participating in an alternative employer-based employment programme with a control group entitled to work-first support on employment up to ten years later. We look at how both labour market interventions with different time horizon strategies may close the employment gap with the regular labour force. Results indicate that programme participants from (non-)western groups achieve higher levels of (competitive) employment than the control group, but the programme’s impact is negligible for the most established ethnic groups. The improved short-term wage match can partially explain the additional programme effect when considering the different time horizon strategies. Our results call for more employer-based programmes providing vulnerable ethnic minorities with the desired skills for better employment prospects, e.g. skill-shortage jobs.
Pathological Demand Avoidance – aktueller Forschungsstand und kritische Diskussion
Authors: Kamp-Becker Inge , Schu Ulrich , Stroth Sanna
Published: March 2023

Zusammenfassung: Bei der „Pathological Demand Avoidance“ (PDA) handelt es sich um ein kontrovers diskutiertes Konzept zur Beschreibung von Kindern, die durch ein zwanghaftes Vermeiden jeglicher Anforderungen klinisch auffällig werden. PDA wird als extremes und angstgetriebenes Bedürfnis nach Kontrolle der Umwelt, der Verweigerung von alltäglichen Anforderungen und Erwartungen beschrieben. Die Symptomatik wird mit der Autismus-Spektrum-Störung in Zusammenhang gebracht. Unter Berücksichtigung des aktuellen Forschungsstandes diskutiert die vorliegende Arbeit die Frage, ob PDA als eigenständige diagnostische Entität einzuordnen ist, stellt den Zusammenhang zu Autismus sowie anderen psychischen Störungen und die Relevanz dieses Verhaltensprofils für Verlauf und Behandlung dar. Es wird geschlussfolgert, dass PDA weder eine eigenständige diagnostische Entität noch einen Subtyp des Autismus darstellt, sondern als ein Verhaltensprofil zu begreifen ist, das sich ungünstig auf den Verlauf bei verschiedenen Störungsbildern auswirken kann. Es wird deutlich gemacht, dass PDA eine Facette in einem komplexen Störungsmodell darstellen kann, in dem nicht nur Charakteristika der betroffenen Person selbst, sondern auch Erziehungspersonen sowie deren eigene Psychopathologie eine zentrale Rolle einnehmen. Entscheidend sind die Reaktionen der Interaktionspartner_innen auf das Verhaltensprofil sowie die individuellen Behandlungsentscheidungen. Substanzielle Forschung hinsichtlich des Verlaufs verschiedener Störungen bei Vorliegen des Verhaltensprofils PDA sowie im Hinblick auf das Ansprechen auf therapeutische Interventionen ist erforderlich.
Meridional‐Width Variability of Near‐Equatorial Zonal Currents Along 80.5°E on Seasonal to Interannual Timescales in the Indian Ocean
Authors: Huang Ke , Wang Dongxiao , Qiu Yun , Wu Ying , Liu Kexiu , Huang Bohua , Sui Dandan
Published: March 2023

Near‐equatorial zonal currents along 80.5°E in the upper Indian Ocean are key to tropical inter‐basin hydrographic exchanges. However, their meridional‐width variability and underlying causes have remained elusive. In this study, we use satellite‐derived ocean current data to reexamine the latitudinal structure of Wyrtki jets (WJs), Monsoon Circulation (MC), and South Equatorial Countercurrent (SECC) along 80.5°E on seasonal to interannual timescales. The WJs are characterized by a transient semiannual feature within the latitudinal range of 2.5°S–3°N, whereas the MC and the SECC have a dominant annual period within the latitudinal range of 3°–5.5°N and 2.5°–6°S, respectively. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis separates the seasonal latitudinal boundaries of the WJs, the MC, and the SECC, and reveals their interannual variability in response to anomalous wind forcing. EOFs1–3 represent the WJ, MC, and SECC modes accounting for 54%, 19%, and 14% of the total variance, respectively. The near‐equatorial zonal currents are asymmetrically responsive to the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), with an abnormally strong westward current resulting from the latitudinal superposition of the WJ and SECC modes in the autumn of 1997, 2006, and 2015 during strong positive IOD events. However, the abnormally enhanced eastward WJs occurred only during weak IOD events in the autumn of 1995, 1999, and 2005, accompanied by latitudinal destructive interference of strong westward SECC. Model sensitivity experiments show that the asymmetric response of near‐equatorial zonal currents to climate modes is closely related to the spatial differences in large‐scale wind anomalies associated with wind‐driven and eastern‐boundary‐generated waves.
Predicting Subsurface Architecture From Surface Channel Networks in the Bengal Delta
Authors: Xu Zhongyuan , Khan Mahfuzur R. , Ahmed Kazi Matin , Zahid Anwar , Hariharan Jayaram , Passalacqua Paola , Steel Elisabeth , Chadwick Austin , Paola Chris , Goodbred Steven L. , Paldor Anner , Michael Holly A.
Published: March 2023

Groundwater is the primary source of water in the Bengal Delta but contamination threatens this vital resource. In deltaic environments, heterogeneous sedimentary architecture controls groundwater flow; therefore, characterizing subsurface structure is a critical step in predicting groundwater contamination. Here, we show that surface information can improve the characterization of the nature and geometry of subsurface features, thus improving the predictions of groundwater flow. We selected three locations in the Bengal Delta with distinct surface river network characteristics—the lower delta with straighter tidal channels, the mid‐delta with meandering and braided channels, and the inactive delta with transitional sinuous channels. We used surface information, including channel widths, depths, and sinuosity, to create models of the subsurface with object‐based geostatistical simulations. We collected an extensive set of lithologic data and filled in gaps with newly drilled boreholes. Our results show that densely distributed lithologic data from active lower and mid‐delta are consistent with the object‐based models generated from surface information. In the inactive delta, metrics from object‐based models derived from surface geometries are not consistent with subsurface data. We further simulated groundwater flow and solute transport through the object‐based models and compared these with simulated flow through lithologic models based only on variograms. Substantial differences in flow and transport through the different geologic models show that geometric structure derived from surface information strongly influences groundwater flow and solute transport. Land surface features in active deltas are therefore a valuable source of information for improving the evaluation of groundwater vulnerability to contamination.
Multi‐Isotope Based Identification and Quantification of Oxygen Consuming Processes in Uranium Hosting Aquifers With CO2 + O2 In Situ Leaching
Authors: Lu Chongsheng , Xiu Wei , Guo Huaming , Lian Guoxi , Yang Bing , Zhang Tianjing , Bi Erping , Shi Zheming
Published: March 2023

Although neutral in situ leaching through CO2 + O2 is employed to extract uranium (U) in sandstone by in situ leaching (ISL), mechanisms of U mobilization and O2 consumption remained unclear. To address this gap, 18 groundwater samples were taken from the Qianjiadian sandstone U ore field, including seven samples from production wells in mining area M1 (mining for 5 years), six samples from production wells in mining area M2 (mining for 4 years), and five samples from monitoring wells (GC), to quantify U‐mobilizing processes in the mining aquifer by employing hydrogeochemical compositions and multi‐isotopes. The introduction of O2 and CO2 efficiently stimulated U mobilization in the mining aquifer. The injected CO2 critically promoted the dissolution of carbonate minerals, which enhanced the formation of uranyl carbonate (predominantly CaUO2(CO3)22− and Ca2UO2(CO3)3(aq)) and thus facilitated U mobility. Generally, δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4 in M2 and M1 were significantly lower than those in GC (p < 0.01). A Bayesian isotope mixing model of δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4 showed that the contribution of pyrite oxidation to SO42− concentration increased from 1.7% in GC to 13.6% in M2 and to 15.0% in M1. During ISL, pyrite, ammonium, and dissolved organic carbon were major compounds competing with U(IV) for introduced O2 in the ore‐bearing aquifer. Most of the consumed O2 was used for pyrite oxidation (56.2%) and U(IV) oxidation (39.3%), following the thermodynamic sequence of those redox reactions. The current results highlighted the significance of increasing O2 utilization efficiency in improving the performance of ISL operations.
Mechanisms of Salt Overspill at Estuarine Network Junctions Explained With an Idealized Model
Authors: Biemond Bouke , de Swart Huib E. , Dijkstra Henk A.
Published: March 2023

Salt overspill, defined as the net salt transport from a channel of an estuarine network through a junction to another channel, can be a major contributor to salt intrusion. Here, an idealized subtidal model is constructed of a network consisting of one river channel and two sea channels, and used to investigate the sensitivity of overspill to different values of river discharge, tidal current, width, and depth of the channels. Two prototype systems are considered: the North and South Passage of the Yangtze Estuary and the Modaomen and Hongwan Channel of the Pearl River Estuary. Model results indicate that in both systems, increasing river discharge decreases the amount of salt overspill, except in the regime of weak river discharge in the Yangtze Estuary. Increasing the strength of the tidal current increases the overspill in the Yangtze Estuary, but it decreases the overspill in the Modaomen Estuary. Analysis of the model results shows that salt overspill is linearly related to the salinity difference at the upstream boundary of the two seaward channels, when they are considered as single channel estuaries. This salinity difference occurs because conditions in the channels are not identical, which results in different net water transports (causing export of salt), exchange flows, and horizontal diffusion (causing import of salt). An analytical expression is derived, which explains the dependency of salt overspill to the factors mentioned above.
3D-assembled microneedle ion sensor-based wearable system for the transdermal monitoring of physiological ion fluctuations
Authors: Huang Xinshuo , Zheng Shantao , Liang Baoming , He Mengyi , Wu Feifei , Yang Jingbo , Chen Hui-jiuan , Xie Xi
Published: March 2023

Monitoring human health is of considerable significance in biomedicine. In particular, the ion concentrations in blood are important reference indicators related to many diseases. Microneedle array-based sensors have enabled promising breakthroughs in continuous health monitoring due to their minimally invasive nature. In this study, we developed a microneedle sensing-array integrated system to continuously detect subcutaneous ions to monitor human health status in real time based on a fabrication strategy for assembling planar microneedle sheets to form 3D microneedle arrays. The limitations of preparing 3D microneedle structures with multiple electrode channels were addressed by assembling planar microneedle sheets fabricated via laser micromachining; the challenges of modifying closely spaced microneedle tips into different functionalized types of electrodes were avoided. The microneedle sensing system was sufficiently sensitive for detecting real-time changes in Ca2+, K+, and Na+ concentrations, and it exhibited good detection performance. The in vivo results showed that the ion-sensing microneedle array successfully monitored the fluctuations in Ca2+, K+, and Na+ in the interstitial fluids of rats in real time. By using an integrated circuit design, we constructed the proposed microneedle sensor into a wearable integrated monitoring system. The integrated system could potentially provide information feedback for diseases related to physiological ion changes.
Self-synchronization of reinjected droplets for high-efficiency droplet pairing and merging
Authors: Nan Lang , Mao Tianjiao , Shum Ho Cheung
Published: March 2023

Droplet merging serves as a powerful tool to add reagents to moving droplets for biological and chemical reactions. However, unsynchronized droplet pairing impedes high-efficiency merging. Here, we develop a microfluidic design for the self-synchronization of reinjected droplets. A periodic increase in the hydrodynamic resistance caused by droplet blocking a T-junction enables automatic pairing of droplets. After inducing spacing, the paired droplets merge downstream under an electric field. The blockage-based design can achieve a 100% synchronization efficiency even when the mismatch rate of droplet frequencies reaches 10%. Over 98% of the droplets can still be synchronized at nonuniform droplet sizes and fluctuating reinjection flow rates. Moreover, the droplet pairing ratio can be adjusted flexibly for on-demand sample addition. Using this system, we merge two groups of droplets encapsulating enzyme/substrate, demonstrating its capacity to conduct multi-step reactions. We also combine droplet sorting and merging to coencapsulate single cells and single beads, providing a basis for high-efficiency single-cell sequencing. We expect that this system can be integrated with other droplet manipulation systems for a broad range of chemical and biological applications.
Electromechanically reconfigurable plasmonic photodetector with a distinct shift in resonant wavelength
Authors: Oshita Masaaki , Saito Shiro , Kan Tetsuo
Published: March 2023

Plasmonic photodetectors have received increasing attention because their detection properties can be designed by tailoring their metal structures on surfaces without using any additional components. Reconfiguration of the plasmonic resonant state in a photodetector is relevant for various applications, including investigating in situ adaptive detection property changes, depending on the situation, and performing single-pixel spectroscopy in geometrically limited regions. However, the spectral responsivity change with conventional reconfiguration methods is relatively small. Here, we propose a plasmonic photodetector that reconfigures its spectral responsivity with electromechanical deformation instead of bias tuning. The photodetector consists of a gold plasmonic grating formed on an n-type silicon cantilever, and the spectral responsivity is reconfigured by electromechanically scanning at an incident angle to the grating on the cantilever. The photodetector exhibits peak shifts in spectral responsivity in a wavelength range from 1250 to 1310 nm after electromechanical reconfiguration. Finally, for potential future applications, we demonstrate near-infrared spectroscopy using the photodetector. This photodetector has the potential to be adopted as a near-infrared spectrometer in industrial silicon imaging systems because its structure enables subbandgap photodetection on silicon by a Schottky junction.
From a microscopic inertial active matter model to the Schrödinger equation
Authors: te Vrugt Michael , Frohoff-Hülsmann Tobias , Heifetz Eyal , Thiele Uwe , Wittkowski Raphael
Published: March 2023

Active field theories, such as the paradigmatic model known as ‘active model B+’, are simple yet very powerful tools for describing phenomena such as motility-induced phase separation. No comparable theory has been derived yet for the underdamped case. In this work, we introduce active model I+, an extension of active model B+ to particles with inertia. The governing equations of active model I+ are systematically derived from the microscopic Langevin equations. We show that, for underdamped active particles, thermodynamic and mechanical definitions of the velocity field no longer coincide and that the density-dependent swimming speed plays the role of an effective viscosity. Moreover, active model I+ contains an analog of the Schrödinger equation in Madelung form as a limiting case, allowing one to find analoga of the quantum-mechanical tunnel effect and of fuzzy dark matter in active fluids. We investigate the active tunnel effect analytically and via numerical continuation.
High-efficiency gold recovery by additive-induced supramolecular polymerization of β-cyclodextrin
Authors: Wu Huang , Wang Yu , Tang Chun , Jones Leighton O. , Song Bo , Chen Xiao-Yang , Zhang Long , Wu Yong , Stern Charlotte L. , Schatz George C. , Liu Wenqi , Stoddart J. Fraser
Published: March 2023

Developing an eco-friendly, efficient, and highly selective gold-recovery technology is urgently needed in order to maintain sustainable environments and improve the utilization of resources. Here we report an additive-induced gold recovery paradigm based on precisely controlling the reciprocal transformation and instantaneous assembly of the second-sphere coordinated adducts formed between β-cyclodextrin and tetrabromoaurate anions. The additives initiate a rapid assembly process by co-occupying the binding cavity of β-cyclodextrin along with the tetrabromoaurate anions, leading to the formation of supramolecular polymers that precipitate from aqueous solutions as cocrystals. The efficiency of gold recovery reaches 99.8% when dibutyl carbitol is deployed as the additive. This cocrystallization is highly selective for square-planar tetrabromoaurate anions. In a laboratory-scale gold-recovery protocol, over 94% of gold in electronic waste was recovered at gold concentrations as low as 9.3 ppm. This simple protocol constitutes a promising paradigm for the sustainable recovery of gold, featuring reduced energy consumption, low cost inputs, and the avoidance of environmental pollution.
Understanding the evolution of lithium dendrites at Li6.25Al0.25La3Zr2O12 grain boundaries via operando microscopy techniques
Authors: Zhu Chao , Fuchs Till , Weber Stefan A. L. , Richter Felix. H. , Glasser Gunnar , Weber Franjo , Butt Hans-Jürgen , Janek Jürgen , Berger Rüdiger
Published: March 2023

The growth of lithium dendrites in inorganic solid electrolytes is an essential drawback that hinders the development of reliable all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. Generally, ex situ post mortem measurements of battery components show the presence of lithium dendrites at the grain boundaries of the solid electrolyte. However, the role of grain boundaries in the nucleation and dendritic growth of metallic lithium is not yet fully understood. Here, to shed light on these crucial aspects, we report the use of operando Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements to map locally time-dependent electric potential changes in the Li6.25Al0.25La3Zr2O12 garnet-type solid electrolyte. We find that the Galvani potential drops at grain boundaries near the lithium metal electrode during plating as a response to the preferential accumulation of electrons. Time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy measurements and quantitative analyses of lithium metal formed at the grain boundaries under electron beam irradiation support this finding. Based on these results, we propose a mechanistic model to explain the preferential growth of lithium dendrites at grain boundaries and their penetration in inorganic solid electrolytes.
A general highly efficient synthesis of biocompatible rhodamine dyes and probes for live-cell multicolor nanoscopy
Authors: Bucevičius Jonas , Gerasimaitė Rūta , Kiszka Kamila A. , Pradhan Shalini , Kostiuk Georgij , Koenen Tanja , Lukinavičius Gražvydas
Published: March 2023

The development of live-cell fluorescence nanoscopy is powered by the availability of suitable fluorescent probes. Rhodamines are among the best fluorophores for labeling intracellular structures. Isomeric tuning is a powerful method for optimizing the biocompatibility of rhodamine-containing probes without affecting their spectral properties. An efficient synthesis pathway for 4-carboxyrhodamines is still lacking. We present a facile protecting-group-free 4-carboxyrhodamines’ synthesis based on the nucleophilic addition of lithium dicarboxybenzenide to the corresponding xanthone. This approach drastically reduces the number of synthesis steps, expands the achievable structural diversity, increases overall yields and permits gram-scale synthesis of the dyes. We synthesize a wide range of symmetrical and unsymmetrical 4-carboxyrhodamines covering the whole visible spectrum and target them to multiple structures in living cells – microtubules, DNA, actin, mitochondria, lysosomes, Halo-tagged and SNAP-tagged proteins. The enhanced permeability fluorescent probes operate at submicromolar concentrations, allowing high-contrast STED and confocal microscopy of living cells and tissues.
Quantum enhanced radio detection and ranging with solid spins
Authors: Chen Xiang-Dong , Wang En-Hui , Shan Long-Kun , Zhang Shao-Chun , Feng Ce , Zheng Yu , Dong Yang , Guo Guang-Can , Sun Fang-Wen
Published: March 2023

The accurate radio frequency (RF) ranging and localizing of objects has benefited the researches including autonomous driving, the Internet of Things, and manufacturing. Quantum receivers have been proposed to detect the radio signal with ability that can outperform conventional measurement. As one of the most promising candidates, solid spin shows superior robustness, high spatial resolution and miniaturization. However, challenges arise from the moderate response to a high frequency RF signal. Here, by exploiting the coherent interaction between quantum sensor and RF field, we demonstrate quantum enhanced radio detection and ranging. The RF magnetic sensitivity is improved by three orders to 21 $${{{{{{{\rm{pT}}}}}}}}/\sqrt{{{{{{{{\rm{Hz}}}}}}}}}$$
pT
/

Hz

, based on nanoscale quantum sensing and RF focusing. Further enhancing the response of spins to the target’s position through multi-photon excitation, a ranging accuracy of 16 μm is realized with a GHz RF signal. The results pave the way for exploring quantum enhanced radar and communications with solid spins.
Interaction-driven spontaneous ferromagnetic insulating states with odd Chern numbers
Authors: Mai Peizhi , Huang Edwin W. , Yu Jiachen , Feldman Benjamin E. , Phillips Philip W.
Published: March 2023

Motivated by recent experimental work on moiré systems in a strong magnetic field, we compute the compressibility as well as the spin correlations and Hofstadter spectrum of spinful electrons on a honeycomb lattice with Hubbard interactions using the determinantal quantum Monte Carlo method. While the interactions in general preserve quantum and anomalous Hall states, emergent features arise corresponding to an antiferromagnetic insulator at half-filling and other incompressible states following the Chern sequence ± (2N + 1). These odd integer Chern states exhibit strong ferromagnetic correlations and arise spontaneously without any external mechanism for breaking the spin-rotation symmetry. Analogs of these magnetic states should be observable in general interacting quantum Hall systems. In addition, the interacting Hofstadter spectrum is qualitatively similar to the experimental data at intermediate values of the on-site interaction.
Cytoplasmic contractile injection systems mediate cell death in Streptomyces
Authors: Casu Bastien , Sallmen Joseph W. , Schlimpert Susan , Pilhofer Martin
Published: March 2023

Contractile injection systems (CIS) are bacteriophage tail-like structures that mediate bacterial cell–cell interactions. While CIS are highly abundant across diverse bacterial phyla, representative gene clusters in Gram-positive organisms remain poorly studied. Here we characterize a CIS in the Gram-positive multicellular model organismStreptomyces coelicolorand show that, in contrast to most other CIS,S. coelicolorCIS (CISSc) mediate cell death in response to stress and impact cellular development. CISScare expressed in the cytoplasm of vegetative hyphae and are not released into the medium. Our cryo-electron microscopy structure enabled the engineering of non-contractile and fluorescently tagged CISScassemblies. Cryo-electron tomography showed that CISSccontraction is linked to reduced cellular integrity. Fluorescence light microscopy furthermore revealed that functional CISScmediate cell death upon encountering different types of stress. The absence of functional CISSchad an impact on hyphal differentiation and secondary metabolite production. Finally, we identified three putative effector proteins, which when absent, phenocopied other CISScmutants. Our results provide new functional insights into CIS in Gram-positive organisms and a framework for studying novel intracellular roles, including regulated cell death and life-cycle progression in multicellular bacteria.
Mesoscopic Klein-Schwinger effect in graphene
Authors: Schmitt A. , Vallet P. , Mele D. , Rosticher M. , Taniguchi T. , Watanabe K. , Bocquillon E. , Fève G. , Berroir J. M. , Voisin C. , Cayssol J. , Goerbig M. O. , Troost J. , Baudin E. , Plaçais B.
Published: March 2023

Strong electric field annihilation by particle–antiparticle pair creation, also known as the Schwinger effect, is a non-perturbative prediction of quantum electrodynamics. Its experimental demonstration remains elusive, as threshold electric fields are extremely strong and beyond current reach. Here, we propose a mesoscopic variant of the Schwinger effect in graphene, which hosts Dirac fermions with an approximate electron–hole symmetry. Using transport measurements, we report on universal one-dimensional Schwinger conductance at the pinchoff of ballistic graphene transistors. Strong pinchoff electric fields are concentrated within approximately 1 μm of the transistor’s drain and induce Schwinger electron–hole pair creation at saturation. This effect precedes a collective instability towards an ohmic Zener regime, which is rejected at twice the pinchoff voltage in long devices. These observations advance our understanding of current saturation limits in ballistic graphene and provide a direction for further quantum electrodynamic experiments in the laboratory.
COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions: data annotation for rapidly changing local policy information
Authors: Hurt Benjamin , Hoque Oishee Bintey , Mokrzycki Finn , Mathew Anjali , Xue Maryann , Gabitsinashvili Luka , Mokrzycki Haile , Fischer Ranya , Telesca Nicholas , Xue Lauren Aurelia , Ritchie Jacob , Zamfirescu-Pereira J. D. , Bernstein Michael , Whiting Mark , Marathe Madhav
Published: March 2023

Understanding the scope, prevalence, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic response will be a rich ground for research for many years. Key to the response to COVID-19 was the non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) measures, such as mask mandates or stay-in-place orders. For future pandemic preparedness, it is critical to understand the impact and scope of these interventions. Given the ongoing nature of the pandemic, existing NPI studies covering only the initial portion provide only a narrow view of the impact of NPI measures. This paper describes a dataset of NPI measures taken by counties in the U.S. state of Virginia that include measures taken over the first two years of the pandemic beginning in March 2020. This data enables analyses of NPI measures over a long time period that can produce impact analyses on both the individual NPI effectiveness in slowing the pandemic spread, and the impact of various NPI measures on the behavior and conditions of the different counties and state.
A putative cytotoxic serine protease from Salmonella typhimurium UcB5 recovered from undercooked burger
Authors: Kotb Essam , El-Nogoumy Baher A. , Alqahtani Haifa A. , Ahmed Asmaa A. , Al-shwyeh Hussah A. , Algarudi Sakina M. , Almahasheer Hanan
Published: March 2023

A putative virulence exoprotease designated as UcB5 was successfully purified from the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium to the electrophoretic homogeneity with 13.2-fold and 17.1% recovery by hydrophobic, ion-exchange, and gel permeation chromatography using Phenyl-Sepharose 6FF, DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, and Sephadex G-75, respectively. By applying SDS-PAGE, the molecular weight was confirmed at 35 kDa. The optimal temperature, pH, and isoelectric point were 35 °C, 8.0, 5.6 ± 0.2, respectively. UcB5 was found to have a broad substrate specificity against almost all the tested chromogenic substrates with maximal affinity against N-Succ-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-pNA achieving Km of 0.16 mM, Kcat/Km of 3.01 × 105 S−1 M−1, and amidolytic activity of 28.9 µmol min−1 L−1. It was drastically inhibited by TLCK, PMSF, SBTI, and aprotinin while, DTT, β-mercaptoethanol, 2,2′-bipyridine, o-phenanthroline, EDTA, and EGTA had no effect, which suggested a serine protease-type. Also, it has shown a broad substrate specificity against a broad range of natural proteins including serum proteins. A cytotoxicity and electron microscopy study revealed that UcB5 could cause subcellular proteolysis that finally led to liver necrosis. For this, future research should focus on using a combination of external antiproteases and antimicrobial agents for the treatment of microbial diseases instead of using drugs alone.
Non-optimal ambient temperatures aggravate insecticide toxicity and affect honey bees Apis mellifera L. gene regulation
Authors: Alburaki Mohamed , Madella Shayne , Cook Steven C.
Published: March 2023

In this study, we conducted a transcriptional analysis of five honey bee genes to examine their functional involvement vis-à-vis ambient temperatures and exposure to imidacloprid. In a 15-day cage experiment, three cohorts of one-day-old sister bees emerged in incubators, were distributed into cages, and maintained at three different temperatures (26 °C, 32 °C, 38 °C). Each cohort was fed a protein patty and three concentrations of imidacloprid-tainted sugar (0 ppb, 5 ppb and 20 ppb) ad libitum. Honey bee mortality, syrup and patty consumption were monitored daily over 15 days. Bees were sampled every three days for a total of five time points. RT-qPCR was used to longitudinally assess gene regulation of Vg, mrjp1, Rsod, AChE-2 and Trx-1 using RNA extracted from whole bee bodies. Kaplan–Meier models show that bees kept at both non-optimal temperatures (26 °C and 38 °C) were more susceptible to imidacloprid, with significantly higher mortality (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively) compared to the control. At 32 °C, no differences in mortality (P = 0.3) were recorded among treatments. In both imidacloprid treatment groups and the control, the expression of Vg and mrjp1 was significantly downregulated at 26 °C and 38 °C compared to the optimal temperature of 32 °C, indicating major influence of ambient temperature on the regulation of these genes. Within the ambient temperature groups, both imidacloprid treatments exclusively downregulated Vg and mrjp1 at 26 °C. AChE-2 and the poorly characterized Rsod gene were both consistently upregulated at the highest temperature (38 °C) compared to the ideal temperature (32 °C) in all treatment groups. Trx-1 showed no effect to both temperature and imidacloprid treatments and was regulated in an age-related manner. Overall, our results indicate that ambient temperatures amplify imidacloprid toxicity and affect honey bee gene regulation.
Machine learning accelerated approach to infer nuclear magnetic resonance porosity for a middle eastern carbonate reservoir
Authors: Mustafa Ayyaz , Tariq Zeeshan , Mahmoud Mohamed , Abdulraheem Abdulazeez
Published: March 2023

Carbonate rocks present a complicated pore system owing to the existence of intra-particle and interparticle porosities. Therefore, characterization of carbonate rocks using petrophysical data is a challenging task. Conventional neutron, sonic, and neutron-density porosities are proven to be less accurate as compared to the NMR porosity. This study aims to predict the NMR porosity by implementing three different machine learning (ML) algorithms using conventional well logs including neutron-porosity, sonic, resistivity, gamma ray, and photoelectric factor. Data, comprising 3500 data points, was acquired from a vast carbonate petroleum reservoir in the Middle East. The input parameters were selected based on their relative importance with respect to output parameter. Three ML techniques such as adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), artificial neural network (ANN), and functional network (FN) were implemented for the development of prediction models. The model’s accuracy was evaluated by correlation coefficient (R), root mean square error (RMSE), and average absolute percentage error (AAPE). The results demonstrated that all three prediction models are reliable and consistent exhibiting low errors and high ‘R’ values for both training and testing prediction when related to actual dataset. However, the performance of ANN model was better as compared to other two studied ML techniques based on minimum AAPE and RMSE errors (5.12 and 0.39) and highest R (0.95) for testing and validation outcome. The AAPE and RMSE for the testing and validation results were found to be 5.38 and 0.41 for ANFIS and 6.06 and 0.48 for FN model, respectively. The ANFIS and FN models exhibited ‘R’ 0.937 and 0.942, for testing and validation dataset, respectively. Based on testing and validation results, ANFIS and FN models have been ranked second and third after ANN. Further, optimized ANN and FN models were used to extract explicit correlations to compute the NMR porosity. Hence, this study reveals the successful applications of ML techniques for the accurate prediction of NMR porosity.
Analysis of sequence diversity in Plasmodium falciparum glutamic acid-rich protein (PfGARP), an asexual blood stage vaccine candidate
Authors: Rojrung Rattanaporn , Kuamsab Napaporn , Putaporntip Chaturong , Jongwutiwes Somchai
Published: March 2023

Glutamic acid-rich protein of Plasmodium falciparum (PfGARP) binds to erythrocyte band 3 and may enhance cytoadherence of infected erythrocytes. Naturally acquired anti-PfGARP antibodies could confer protection against high parasitemia and severe symptoms. While whole genome sequencing analysis has suggested high conservation in this locus, little is known about repeat polymorphism in this vaccine candidate antigen. Direct sequencing was performed from the PCR-amplified complete PfGARP gene of 80 clinical isolates from four malaria endemic provinces in Thailand and an isolate from a Guinean patient. Publicly available complete coding sequences of this locus were included for comparative analysis. Six complex repeat (RI-RVI) and two homopolymeric glutamic acid repeat (E1 and E2) domains were identified in PfGARP. The erythrocyte band 3-binding ligand in domain RIV and the epitope for mAB7899 antibody eliciting in vitro parasite killing property were perfectly conserved across isolates. Repeat lengths in domains RIII and E1-RVI-E2 seemed to be correlated with parasite density of the patients. Sequence variation in PfGARP exhibited genetic differentiation across most endemic areas of Thailand. Phylogenetic tree inferred from this locus has shown that most Thai isolates formed closely related lineages, suggesting local expansion/contractions of repeat-encoding regions. Positive selection was observed in non-repeat region preceding domain RII which corresponded to a helper T cell epitope predicted to be recognized by a common HLA class II among Thai population. Predicted linear B cell epitopes were identified in both repeat and non-repeat domains. Besides length variation in some repeat domains, sequence conservation in non-repeat regions and almost all predicted immunogenic epitopes have suggested that PfGARP-derived vaccine may largely elicit strain-transcending immunity.
Preparation of Fe3O4/vine shoots derived activated carbon nanocomposite for improved removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions
Authors: Bagherzadeh Maryam , Aslibeiki Bagher , Arsalani Nasser
Published: March 2023

In this study, Fe3O4/activated carbon nanocomposite was successfully synthesized for removal of Chromium from aqueous solutions. The Fe3O4nanoparticles were decorated on vine shoots-derived activated carbon using co-precipitation method. The atomic absorption spectrometer was used to evaluate the removal of Chromium ions by the prepared adsorbent. The effect of various parameters such as adsorbent dose, pH, contact time, reusability, electric field, and initial Chromium concentration were examined to find the optimum conditions. According to the results, the synthesized nanocomposite showed a high ability to remove Chromium at an optimized pH of 3. At optimum conditions, a high removal efficiency of 90% and an excellent adsorption capacity of 305.30 mg/g was obtained. In addition, adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics were studied in this research. The results showed that the data are well fitted with the Freundlich isotherm and the adsorption process is spontaneous and follows the pseudo-second-order model.
Diversity of life history and population connectivity of threadfin fish Eleutheronema tetradactylum along the coastal waters of Southern China
Authors: Xuan Zhongya , Wang Wen-Xiong
Published: March 2023

Understanding the diversity of life history, life stage connectivity and population is essential to determine the spatial scale over which fish populations operate. Otolith microchemistry analysis is a powerful tool to elucidate the life history and population connectivity of fish, providing important insights to the natal origin and population structure. In this study, we used laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to analyze the chemical composition of otoliths throughout the entire lifetime of endangered fourfinger threadfin species, Eleutheronema tetradactylum. We reconstructed the life history of E. tetradactylum from Southern China collected from different locations over a spatial scale of 1200 km. Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca ratios profiles from otolith core-to-edge analysis suggested two contrasting life history patterns. Based on the differences in early life stages, we identified some fish spending their first year in an estuarine environment with subsequent movement to marine coastal systems, while some fish remaining in the coastal systems throughout their entire early life history stages. The non-metric multi-dimensional scaling showed a strong overlap in otolith core elemental composition, indicating a large-scale connectivity in the life history of E. tetradactylum. The immature fish from different natal origins mixed to a large extent when they fed and overwintered in the extensive offshore waters. Clustering of near core chemistry pointed to three possible sources of nursery for the threadfin fish. This study demonstrated the diversity of life history patterns of E. tetradactylum in Southern Chinese waters. Restoration in egg and larvae densities in coastal waters and estuaries may enhance their population abundances.
Association between exercise habit changes and incident dementia after ischemic stroke
Authors: Cheon Dae Young , Han Kyung do , Kim Chi-hun , Oh Mi Sun , Lee Byung-Chul , Kim Yerim , Lee Sang-Hwa , Kim Chulho , Lim Jae-Sung , Lee Minwoo , Yu Kyung-Ho
Published: March 2023

We aimed to investigate the effects of exercise habit changes on the risk of incident dementia after ischemic stroke using the Korean National Health Insurance Services Database. This study included 223,426 patients with a new diagnosis of ischemic stroke between 2010 and 2016 who underwent two serial ambulatory health checkups. The participants were divided into four categories according to their habit change or regular exercise: persistent non-exercisers, new exercisers, exercise dropouts, and exercise maintainers. The primary outcome was new diagnosis of dementia. Multivariate Cox proportional models were used to assess the effects of changes in exercise habits on the risk of incident dementia. After a median of 4.02 years of follow-up, 22,554 (10.09%) dementia cases were observed. After adjusting for covariates, exercise dropouts, new exercisers, and exercise maintainers were significantly associated with a lower risk of incident dementia than persistent non-exercisers (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.937; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.905–0.970, aHR 0.876; 95% CI 0.843–0.909, aHR 0.705; 95% CI 0.677–0.734, respectively). The impact of changes in exercise habit was more prominent in the 40–65 years age group. An energy expenditure ≥ 1000 metabolic equivalents of task-min/wk post-stroke, regardless of pre-stroke physical activity status, was mostly associated with a lower risk of each outcome. In this retrospective cohort study, initiating or continuing moderate-to-vigorous exercise after ischemic stroke was associated with a lower risk of dementia development. Further, pre-stroke regular physical activity also reduced the risk of incident dementia. The promotion of exercise in ambulatory stroke patients may reduce their future risk of incident dementia.
Substantial role of check dams in sediment trapping and carbon sequestration on the Chinese Loess Plateau
Authors: Fang Nufang , Zeng Yi , Ran Lishan , Wang Zhen , Lu Xixi , Wang Zhengang , Yang Xiankun , Jian Jinshi , Yu Qiang , Ni Lingshan , Liu Chun , Yue Chao , Shi Zhihua
Published: March 2023

Understanding the processes governing lateral terrestrial organic carbon transfer is confounded by the fact that organic carbon deposits on land have not yet been fully explored. Despite recent advances in understanding organic carbon deposition in aquatic ecosystems, the burial of organic carbon in dry depositional environments remains unclear. Here, combining large-scale field surveys and remote sensing techniques, we provide a robust estimate for sediment retention and organic carbon burial of check dams on the Chinese Loess Plateau. We find that the 50,226 active check dams have intercepted 10.2 ± 0.6 Pg eroded sediment during 1970-2020, which equals to 46% of the sediment load of Yellow River. Based on 86 deep sediment cores, we estimate that 21.6 ± 9.9 Tg of organic carbon was buried over the past 50 years by check dams with a burial rate of 468 ± 204 g C m−2 yr−1, approximately one order of magnitude higher than that of global lakes/reservoirs. We also find that the organic carbon burial efficiency of check dams (~80%) is significantly higher than in other depositional environments. We argue that organic carbon burial by check dams represents a significant terrestrial carbon sink and must be accounted for in global carbon budget.
3D acceptors with multiple A–D–A architectures for highly efficient organic solar cells
Authors: Chen Hongbin , Zhang Zhe , Wang Peiran , Zhang Yunxin , Ma Kangqiao , Lin Yi , Duan Tainan , He Tengfei , Ma Zaifei , Long Guankui , Li Chenxi , Kan Bin , Yao Zhaoyang , Wan Xiangjian , Chen Yongsheng
Published: March 2023

Efficient 3D NFAs through central unit connection blaze a new trail in further molecular structural optimization of state-of-the-art NFAs.
Insights into headway in essential oil-based Pickering emulsions for food applications
Authors: Krishnan Reshma , Mohan Kavya , Ragavan K. V. , Nisha P.
Published: March 2023

Fabrication of Pickering emulsions and applications.
Recycling of a thermoresponsive “catalyst pill”: separation of a molecular catalyst in solid ethylene carbonate in various reactions
Authors: Vossen Jeroen T. , Hülsken Noah , Vorholt Andreas J. , Leitner Walter
Published: March 2023

A versatile way of recycling molecular catalysts is presented by using ethylene carbonate (EC) as a solvent in a multiphase system. EC is liquid at reaction temperature and solid at room temperature, trapping the catalyst to enable easy separation.
High-performance anodes for aqueous Zn–iodine batteries from spent Zn–air batteries
Authors: Shan Xiaofeng , Fu Yanqing , Zhang Dongdong , Li Pan , Yang Weiyou , Wei Qiliang
Published: March 2023

Zn anodes from spent alkaline Zn–air batteries can be re-used as high-performance anodes in neutral Zn–iodine batteries.