bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Online Simulator-Based Experimental Design for Cognitive Model Selection
Authors: Aushev Alexander , Putkonen Aini , Clarté Grégoire , Chandramouli Suyog , Acerbi Luigi , Kaski Samuel , Howes Andrew
Published: September 2023

The problem of model selection with a limited number of experimental trials has received considerable attention in cognitive science, where the role of experiments is to discriminate between theories expressed as computational models. Research on this subject has mostly been restricted to optimal experiment design with analytically tractable models. However, cognitive models of increasing complexity with intractable likelihoods are becoming more commonplace. In this paper, we propose BOSMOS, an approach to experimental design that can select between computational models without tractable likelihoods. It does so in a data-efficient manner by sequentially and adaptively generating informative experiments. In contrast to previous approaches, we introduce a novel simulator-based utility objective for design selection and a new approximation of the model likelihood for model selection. In simulated experiments, we demonstrate that the proposed BOSMOS technique can accurately select models in up to two orders of magnitude less time than existing LFI alternatives for three cognitive science tasks: memory retention, sequential signal detection, and risky choice.
An Assessment of Trends in Parenting and Child Outcomes in a Rural South African Community and Consequent Intervention Design
Authors: Ward Catherine L. , Gould Chandré , Lake Marilyn T. , Mufamadi-Mathebula Diketso , Kleyn Lisa M. , Parker Warren , Dippenaar Wilmi
Published: September 2023

The high prevalence of child maltreatment requires innovative, scaleable solutions. Three community-wide surveys (2012, 2013, and 2016) in Touwsranten, South Africa, assessed parents’ positive parenting and corporal punishment; their mental health, substance misuse, parenting stress and intimate partner violence; children’s mental health; and interest in parenting support, in preparation for an intervention to support positive parenting. The first two surveys followed parents longitudinally. Focus group discussions were also held in 2017. Across surveys one and two, corporal punishment and positive parenting were reported as frequent. Child and parent mental health problems, parenting stress, intimate partner violence, and risky alcohol use increased across surveys 1 and 2 and remained steady at the third survey. Survey 3 revealed no change in corporal punishment, parent or child mental health, or intimate partner violence; reports of risky alcohol use and parenting stress increased; and there was a small increase in use of positive parenting strategies. Qualitative data suggested that corporal punishment, alcohol use, and intimate partner violence may have been under-reported. Parents indicated a desire for parenting support. The consequent intervention design included the delivery of four parenting programs alongside a social activation process intended to amplify the message of parenting programs, with the intention of increasing positive parenting and reducing corporal punishment community-wide.
Fermented milk supplemented with water-soluble curcumin ameliorates survival rate, selected biochemical parameters and fecal microbiota of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma-bearing mice
Authors: Abdelrazik Tay E. , Badr Abeer M. , Elshaghabee Fouad M. F.
Published: September 2023

This study assessed the impact of fermented cow and soy milk supplemented with curcumin on enhancement the health status of female Swiss mice under Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) condition. Both types of milk were fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum EMCC 1027. Ninety-five grams of basal diet mixed with five grams of either fermented cow or soy milk supplemented with curcumin. Induction of Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice synergized by intraperitoneal injection with 1 × 106 Ehrlich ascites tumor cells after one week of the adaptation period. Our results showed that levels of survival rate were increased to 117% in mice that were fed fermented cow and soy milk while supplementation of fermented soy milk with curcumin improved the survival rate to 150%. The concentration of glutathione and superoxide dismutase in Ehrlich tumor-bearing was increased after feeding with both types of fermented milk. Fermented soy milk supplemented with curcumin showed the highest reduction levels of plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin-6. The relative gene expression TNF-α was also significantly (P < 0.05) down-regulated in mice that were fed fermented soy milk with curcumin. The viable count of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in feces samples was increased when mice fed both types of fermented milk. Dietary feeding with fermented cow or soy milk supplemented with curcumin has an ameliorative impact on the survival rate, antioxidant capacity, inflammation, fecal microbiota in EAC mouse model. Further research is still needed to investigate the molecular mechanisms in this tumor.
Ethics by design for artificial intelligence
Authors: Brey Philip , Dainow Brandt
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we present an approach for the systematic and comprehensive inclusion of ethical considerations in the design and development process of artificial intelligence systems, called Ethics by Design for AI (EbD-AI). The approach is the result of a three-year long research effort, and has recently be adopted by the European Commission as part of its ethics review procedure for AI projects. We describe and explain the approach and its different components and its application to the development of AI software and systems. We also compare it to other approaches in AI ethics, and we consider limitations of the approach as well as potential criticisms.
The relative importance of carbon markets to the waste management sector’s future contribution to climate change commitments under the Paris Agreement: insights from Australia
Authors: Rossetto Daniel
Published: September 2023

This paper presents research that analyses the relative importance of carbon markets to sustainable waste management projects in Australia. It identifies that a large proportion of carbon credits issued have been generated by landfill to electricity projects, which effectively rely on the continuation of landfilling practices. More ambition is needed to realise the potential of circular solutions that reduce, recover and utilise waste before disposal.

The research also shows that, through modelling the financial performance of two theoretical waste to energy projects that would result in diversion of waste from landfill, simultaneous use of revenue support mechanisms (carbon markets and renewable energy certificate programs), cost of capital support programs (like concessional finance) and avoided landfilling levies in the deployment of waste management projects can be justified. The paper illustrates the significant contribution carbon revenues can make to project additionality at the investment-decision stage, adding between 2–10% to ex-ante estimates of pre-tax equity returns. This shows that a project’s additionality is not invalidated in cases where it accesses more than one support mechanism.

There are many policy and practice applications for these findings in Australia and globally. They include within ongoing international efforts to define modalities for the new Article 6.4 mechanism under the Paris Agreement, reforms to how developing countries access to climate finance (including, but not limited to, the Bridgetown Initiative 2.0 (The Bridgetown Initiative 2.0: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2023/04/press-release-with-clock-ticking-for-the-sdgs-un-chief-and-barbados-prime-minister-call-for-urgent-action-to-transform-broken-global-financial-system/)); and through the domestic policies and mechanisms countries adopt so they are fit-for-purpose to support implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
From the Operating Room to the Cave: Ultrasound-Guided Locoregional Anesthesia in the Setting of Cave Rescue—A Description of 2 Cases
Authors: Moser Alexandre , Wagner Sarah , Habegger Katrin , Cioccari Luca , Tosetti Sylvain
Published: September 2023

Caving accidents are rare, but when they occur, they represent a unique logistical and medical challenge. Retrieving the patient to the surface often means navigating stretchers through narrow corridors with limited options for monitoring and interventions. Because the patient is usually not fasting, opioids and sedatives should be used with extreme caution. Therefore, alternative analgesic techniques such as locoregional nerve blocks are a promising strategy to improve patient comfort and safety during cave rescues. In this article, we describe 2 cases in which portable point-of-care ultrasound equipment was used to supplement clinical assessment and provide locoregional anesthesia to facilitate patient evacuation and transport. In this context, we discuss the role of portable ultrasound-guided locoregional anesthesia in cave rescue and in the global preclinical context. In summary, our cases demonstrated that the administration of ultrasound-guided prehospital locoregional anesthesia is a safe, rapid, and effective procedure even in extreme situations such as cave rescues. The advent of portable, high-quality ultrasound equipment may open the door for more widespread application of this technique in the global preclinical setting.
Insufferable: Beckett, Gender and Sexuality
Authors: Caselli Daniela
Published: September 2023

Insufferable: Beckett, Gender and Sexuality rethinks the role of gender politics in the oeuvre, demonstrates Beckett's historical importance in the development of the 'antisocial thesis' in queer theory, and shows the work's attachment to sexuality as temporarily consolatory but ultimately unbearable. The Beckett oeuvre might seem unpromising material for gender and sexuality studies, but this is exactly what makes it worth considering. This Element brings to Beckett questions that have emerged from gender, queer, and trans theory, engages with the history of feminism and sexuality studies, and develops a theoretical framework able to account for what we have previously overlooked, underplayed, and misinterpreted in Beckett. In the spirit of being 'on the lookout for an elsewhere', it makes a case for a queerly generative de-idealisation of Beckett as an object of critical study.
The Ottoman Ibadis of Cairo
Authors: Love, Jr Paul M.
Published: September 2023

Ibadi Muslims, a minority religious community, historically inhabited pockets throughout North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the East African coast. Yet less is known about the community of Ibadi Muslims that relocated to Egypt. Focusing on the history of an Ibadi-run trade depot, school and library that operated in Cairo for over three hundred years, this book shows how the Ibadi Muslims operated in and adapted to the legal, religious, commercial, and political realms of the Ottoman Empire from the seventeenth to early twentieth centuries. Using a unique range of sources, including manuscript notes, family histories and archival correspondence, Paul M. Love, Jr. presents an original history of this Muslim majority told from the bottom up. Whilst illuminating the events that shaped the history of Egypt during these centuries, he also brings to life the lived reality of a Muslim minority community in the Ottoman world.
Private Criminal Justice
Authors: Simmons Ric
Published: September 2023

The United States is in the midst of a significant re-evaluation of its criminal justice system, with increasing calls for reforming or defunding the police and efforts to curb mass incarceration. But focusing on the public criminal justice system paints an incomplete picture of how we address criminal activity. In Private Criminal Justice, Ric Simmons shows how significant amounts of criminal activity are detected by private police and how many disputes are settled, not in public courts, but through informal agreements between the victim and the accused or through adjudicative procedures run by private institutions. In this timely and eye-opening book, Simmons examines the vast, diverse, and under-appreciated private criminal justice system, suggesting reforms that can make these private responses more fair and revealing lessons the private criminal justice system can teach reformers of the public criminal justice system.
Poetry and the Limits of Modernity in Depression America
Authors: Parks Justin
Published: September 2023

Furnishing a novel take on the poetry of the 1930s within the context of the cultural history of the Depression, this book argues that the period's economic and cultural crisis was accompanied by an epistemological crisis in which cultural producers increasingly cast doubt on language in its ability to represent society. Poetry and the Limits of Modernity in Depression America pursues this guiding premise through six chapters, each framing the problem of the ongoing vitality of language as a social medium with respect to a particular poet: Louis Zukofsky and the commodification of language; Muriel Rukeyser and documentary photography; Charles Reznikoff and Depression-era historiography; Sterling A. Brown and the blues as both an ethnographic phenomenon and a marketable cultural product; Norman Macleod and Southwest regionalism; and Lorine Niedecker and ethnographic surrealism. The book closes by examining the shifting status of the poet as society transitioned from a focus on production to an emphasis on consumption in the Post-war period.
Freud's Thinking
Authors: Borch-Jacobsen Mikkel
Published: September 2023

In this brief but comprehensive introduction to Freud's theories, Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen provides a step-by-step overview of his ideas regarding the unconscious, the cure, sexuality, drives, and culture, highlighting their indebtedness to contemporary neurophysiological and biological assumptions. The picture of Freud that emerges is very different from that of the fact-finding scientist he claimed to be. Bold conceptual innovations – repression, infantile sexuality, the Oedipus complex, narcissism, the death drive – were not discoveries made by Freud, but speculative constructs placed on clinical material to satisfy the requirements of the general theory of the mind and culture that he was building. Freud's Thinking provides a final accounting of this mirage of the mind that was psychoanalysis.
A Functional Analysis of Human Deception
Authors: KRSTIĆ VLADIMIR
Published: September 2023

A satisfactory analysis of human deception must rule out cases where it is a mistake or an accident that person B was misled by person A's behavior. Therefore, most scholars think that deceivers must intend to deceive. This article argues that there is a better solution: rather than appealing to the deceiver's intentions, we should appeal to the function of their behavior. After all, animals and plants engage in deception, and most of them are not capable of forming intentions. Accordingly, certain human behavior is deceptive if and only if its function is to mislead. This solves our problem because if the function of A's behavior was to mislead, B's ending up misled was not an accident or a mere mistake even if A did not intend to deceive B.
Content-based image retrieval for industrial material images with deep learning and encoded physical properties
Authors: Shim Myung Seok , Thiele Christopher , Vila Jeremy , Saxena Nishank , Hohl Detlef
Published: September 2023

Industrial materials images are an important application domain for content-based image retrieval. Users need to quickly search databases for images that exhibit similar appearance, properties, and/or features to reduce analysis turnaround time and cost. The images in this study are 2D images of millimeter-scale rock samples acquired at micrometer resolution with light microscopy or extracted from 3D micro-CT scans. Labeled rock images are expensive and time-consuming to acquire and thus are typically only available in the tens of thousands. Training a high-capacity deep learning (DL) model from scratch is therefore not practicable due to data paucity. To overcome this “few-shot learning” challenge, we propose leveraging pretrained common DL models in conjunction with transfer learning. The “similarity” of industrial materials images is subjective and assessed by human experts based on both visual appearance and physical qualities. We have emulated this human-driven assessment process via a physics-informed neural network including metadata and physical measurements in the loss function. We present a novel DL architecture that combines Siamese neural networks with a loss function that integrates classification and regression terms. The networks are trained with both image and metadata similarity (classification), and with metadata prediction (regression). For efficient inference, we use a highly compressed image feature representation, computed offline once, to search the database for images similar to a query image. Numerical experiments demonstrate superior retrieval performance of our new architecture compared with other DL and custom-feature-based approaches.
Mode selection in concentric jets: the steady–steady 1 : 2 resonant mode interaction with O(2) symmetry
Authors: Corrochano A. , Sierra-Ausín J. , Martin J.A. , Fabre D. , Le Clainche S.
Published: September 2023

The linear and nonlinear stability of two concentric jets separated by a duct wall is analysed by means of global linear stability and weakly nonlinear analysis. Three governing parameters are considered, the Reynolds number based on the inner jet, the inner-to-outer jet velocity ratio (

$\delta _u$

) and the length of the duct wall (

$L$

) separating the jet streams. Global linear stability analysis demonstrates the existence of unsteady modes of inherent convective nature, and symmetry-breaking modes that lead to a new non-axisymmetric steady state with a single or double helix. Additionally, we highlight the existence of multiple steady states, as a result of a series of saddle-node bifurcations and its connection to the changes in the topology of the flow. The neutral lines of stability have been computed for inner-to-outer velocity ratios within the range

$0 < \delta _u < 2$

and duct wall distances in the interval

$0.5 < L < 4$

. They reveal the existence of hysteresis, and mode switching between two symmetry-breaking modes with azimuthal wavenumbers

$1:2$

. Finally, the mode interaction is analysed, highlighting the presence of travelling waves emerging from the resonant interaction of the two steady states, and the existence of robust heteroclinic cycles that are asymptotically stable.
Simulating the processes controlling ice-shelf rift paths using damage mechanics
Authors: Huth Alex , Duddu Ravindra , Smith Benjamin , Sergienko Olga
Published: September 2023

Rifts are full-thickness fractures that propagate laterally across an ice shelf. They cause ice-shelf weakening and calving of tabular icebergs, and control the initial size of calved icebergs. Here, we present a joint inverse and forward computational modeling framework to capture rifting by combining the vertically integrated momentum balance and anisotropic continuum damage mechanics formulations. We incorporate rift–flank boundary processes to investigate how the rift path is influenced by the pressure on rift–flank walls from seawater, contact between flanks, and ice mélange that may also transmit stress between flanks. To illustrate the viability of the framework, we simulate the final 2 years of rift propagation associated with the calving of tabular iceberg A68 in 2017. We find that the rift path can change with varying ice mélange conditions and the extent of contact between rift flanks. Combinations of parameters associated with slower rift widening rates yield simulated rift paths that best match observations. Our modeling framework lays the foundation for robust simulation of rifting and tabular calving processes, which can enable future studies on ice-sheet–climate interactions, and the effects of ice-shelf buttressing on land ice flow.
On a class of special Euler–Lagrange equations
Authors: Yan Baisheng
Published: September 2023

We make some remarks on the Euler–Lagrange equation of energy functional

$I(u)=\int _\Omega f(\det Du)\,{\rm d}x,$

where

$f\in C^1(\mathbb {R}).$

For certain weak solutions

$u$

we show that the function

$f'(\det Du)$

must be a constant over the domain

$\Omega$

and thus, when

$f$

is convex, all such solutions are an energy minimizer of

$I(u).$

However, other weak solutions exist such that

$f'(\det Du)$

is not constant on

$\Omega.$

We also prove some results concerning the homeomorphism solutions, non-quasimonotonicity and radial solutions, and finally we prove some stability results and discuss some related questions concerning certain approximate solutions in the 2-Dimensional cases.
White Racial Identity, Racial Attitudes, and Latino Partisanship
Authors: Cuevas-Molina Ivelisse
Published: September 2023

While partisanship in American politics has been historically tied to racial identity and racial attitudes, most studies of Latino partisanship do not incorporate these factors into understanding their partisan attachments. I argue that the concepts of race, color, and mestizaje as they are understood within Latino communities in the United States can influence political attitudes and partisanship among Latinos themselves. Using six consecutive Cooperative Election Study (formerly Cooperative Congressional Election Study) surveys I examine how self-identification as white, racial resentment, and color-blind attitudes influence Latino partisanship. I find that white racial identity has a small but significant positive association with Republican partisanship among Latinos, and a negative association with Democratic partisanship. Additionally, negative racial attitudes among Latinos are strongly related to identification as Republican, even when controlling for ideology and other factors like immigrant generation and religion. These results have important implications for understanding current and future Latino voting patterns.
Expression patterns and antifungal function study of KaSPI in Mythimna separata
Authors: Chen Ya-Ru , Yang Hong-Jia , Cha Jin-Myong , Zhang Xin-Xin , Fan Dong
Published: September 2023

Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors (KaSPI) play important roles in insect growth, development, digestion, metabolism and immune defence. In this study, based on the transcriptome of Mythimna separata, the cDNA sequence of MsKaSPI with Kazal domain was uploaded to GenBank (MN931651). Spatial and temporal expression analysis showed that MsKaSPI was expressed at different developmental stages and different tissues, and it was induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone in third-instar larvae of M. separata. After 24 h infection by Beauveria bassiana, the expression level of MsKaSPI and the corresponding MsKaSPI content were significantly up-regulated, being 6.42-fold and 1.91-fold to the control group, respectively, while the activities of serine protease, trypsin and chymotrypsin were inhibited. After RNA interference interfered with MsKaSPI for 6 h, the expression decreased by 73.44%, the corresponding content of MsKaSPI protein decreased by 55.66% after 12 h, and the activities of serine protease and trypsin were significantly enhanced. Meanwhile, both the larval and pupal stages of M. separata were prolonged, the weights were reduced and the number of eggs per female decreased by 181. Beauveria bassiana infection also increased the mortality of MsKaSPI-silenced M. separata by 18.96%. These prove MsKaSPI can not only result in slow growth and low fecundity of M. separata by regulating the activity of related protease, but also participate in the resistance to pathogenic fungi by regulating the serine protease inhibitor content and the activities of related serine protease.
Jesus’s Secret Journey in John 7: A Symbol of the Ascension
Authors: Méndez Hugo
Published: September 2023

In John 7:8–9, Jesus tells his brothers he will not “go up” to Jerusalem, but in the very next scene, he makes the ascent in secret. This essay interprets Jesus’s unusual, and seemingly deceptive, behavior in the episode as a symbolic action akin to others structuring the first half of the Gospel. The episode immediately precedes a dialogue in which Jesus predicts his imminent departure from the world. Jesus insists that he will soon “go” to God so that unbelievers “will seek” him “but … not find” him (7:33–34; cf. 20:17). Foreshadowing this future, Jesus “goes up” to Judea but in such a way that leaves unbelievers unaware of his whereabouts, leaving them to ask, “Where is he?” (7:10–11). The article highlights half-truth as an important speech device in the episode and dialogue that follows. It also concludes that the episode is key to interpreting other scenes sharing a motif of misdirection, delay, and secret reversal.
Seasonal dietary niche changes in Neotropical bats
Authors: Genelhú Sebastião Maximiano Corrêa , Laurindo Rafael de Souza , Tahara Arthur Setsuo , Oliveira Letícia Langsdorff , Gregorin Renato
Published: September 2023

In the vast Neotropic seasonal environment, the most diverse family of bats, the Phyllostomidae (leaf-nosed bats), includes up to 93 species. As the quality and quantity of food resources fluctuate in the habitats, diet heterogeneity is observed among bat species and regions of the Neotropics. In this study, we investigated by faecal analyses, how the dietary niche (DN) of eight Phyllostomidae bat species (Artibeus planirostris, A. fimbriatus, Carollia brevicauda, C. perspicillata, Chiroderma villosum, Glossophaga soricina, Platyrrhinus lineatus, and Sturnira lilium) that occur in a karstic area in the Midwest region of Minas Gerais, Brazil, change in response to seasonal food availability. We recorded the consumption of insects and nine plant families. Moraceae was the most frequent, followed by Piperaceae. Given that seasonal dietary changes can be subtle and hardly noticeable along with fluctuating habitat conditions, we performed the DN decomposition of the eight bats species into subniches, by analysing the data with the WitOMI, which is a decomposition of the niche into temporal subniches. By improving the accuracy and details of the results, we assessed the effects of abiotic (precipitation and environmental temperature) and biotic (quantity and quality of food resources) interactions within the phyllostomid bat community. For each species, we compared niche breadth and overlap and found higher values for the dry season among morphologically similar species. The results of our study suggest that ecologically similar bat species coexist occupying different DNs.
Hydrocarbons on Mars
Authors: Klokočník Jaroslav , Kostelecký Jan , Bezděk Aleš , Cílek Václav
Published: September 2023

Providing evidence for possible oil-type occurrences on Mars means providing an indication for the past life on Mars. We do this via analysis of the combed (aligned) gravity strike angles, one of the gravity (gravitational) aspects (descriptors) derived from one of the recent gravitational field models of Mars, currently having the highest accessible precision and resolution. After intensive testing for features on the Earth and the Moon, the gravity aspects are applied for Mars. We detect candidates for the groundwater/hydrocarbon/mud/petroleum-bearing sites in the largest areas with as many as possible combed gravity strike angles, uniformly ordered into ‘plates’. They appear mainly but not only in the hypothetical northern Martian palaeo-ocean (the northern lowlands). It turns out that the combed strike angles are sensitive not only to uniformly ordered sediments of the basins, but also to supposed lahars.
Global Surface Winds and Aeolian Sediment Pathways on Mars From the Morphology of Barchan Dunes
Authors: Rubanenko L. , Gunn A. , Pérez‐López S. , Fenton L. K. , Ewing R. C. , Soto A. , Lapôtre M. G. A.
Published: September 2023

In the absence of consistent meteorological data on Mars, the morphology of dunes can be employed to study its atmosphere. Specifically, barchan dunes, which form under approximately unimodal winds, are reliable proxies for the dominant wind directions. Here, we characterize near‐surface winds on Mars from the morphology of >700,000 barchans mapped globally on the planet by a convolutional neural network. Barchan migration is predominantly aligned with known southern‐summer atmospheric circulation patterns—northerly at mid‐latitudes and cyclonic near the north pole—with the addition of an anti‐cyclonic north‐polar component that likely originates from winds emerging from the ice cap. Locally, migration directions deviate from regional trends in areas with high topographic roughness. Notably, obstacles <100 km such as impact craters are efficient at deflecting surface winds. Our database, which provides insights into planetary‐scale aeolian processes on modern‐day Mars, can be used to constrain global circulation models to assist with predictions for future missions.
Reply to “Comment on ‘Advanced Testing of Low, Medium, and High ECS CMIP6 GCM Simulations Versus ERA5‐T2m’ by N. Scafetta (2022)” by Schmidt et al. (2023)
Authors: Scafetta Nicola
Published: September 2023

Schmidt, Jones, and Kennedy’s (SJK) (2023, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102530) critique of Scafetta (2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL097716) is flawed. Their assessment of the error of the ERA‐T2m 2011–2021 mean (≈0.10°C) is 5–10 times overestimated and contradicts published literature. SJK confused natural variability with random noise and mistook the error of the mean of a temperature chronology for the stochastic error of the regression parameter M of a nonphysical isothermal climate model (T(t) = M). SJK's allegations regarding the internal variability of the models, the role of the global climate model ensemble members, and other issues were partially addressed in Scafetta (2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL097716) and, later, more extensively in Scafetta (2023a, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-022-06493-w) where Scafetta's (2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL097716) conclusions were confirmed.
Groundwater Flooding on Atolls Caused by Storm Surges: Effects of the Dual‐Aquifer Configuration
Authors: Tajima Satoshi , Brunner Philip , Liu Jiaqi , Delottier Hugo , Tokunaga Tomochika
Published: September 2023

Storm surges associated with tropical cyclones endanger atolls through groundwater flooding, where groundwater is discharged from the land surface as the sea level rises. Atolls are characterized by a “dual‐aquifer” configuration, where recent Holocene sediments unconformably overlie highly permeable Pleistocene limestone, creating an interface called a “Thurber discontinuity.” This study aimed to quantitatively analyze how the dual‐aquifer configuration of atolls controls the temporal dynamics of groundwater flooding caused by storm surge. To this end, we ran surface‐subsurface coupled synthetic numerical simulations using HydroGeoSphere and compared 12 scenarios with different Thurber discontinuity elevations and hydraulic conductivities of the Pleistocene aquifer (KP). The results showed that the shallower the Thurber discontinuity and the higher the KP value, the higher the maximum water depth in the freshwater swamp on the atoll during the storm surge and the longer the flooding duration. Despite the effects of the different dual‐aquifer configurations, the initial water table elevation and salinity distribution were almost identical in all the simulation cases. These findings suggest that accurate information on the dual‐aquifer configuration is necessary to evaluate the potential risk of groundwater flooding on atolls accompanying storm surges. Furthermore, the results indicate that groundwater flooding caused by storm surges substantially contributes to cyclone‐driven flooding on atolls, and hence, it should not be neglected in flood predictions to avoid underestimation.
Targeting ferroptosis opens new avenues for the development of novel therapeutics
Authors: Sun Shumin , Shen Jie , Jiang Jianwei , Wang Fudi , Min Junxia
Published: September 2023

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death with distinct characteristics, including altered iron homeostasis, reduced defense against oxidative stress, and abnormal lipid peroxidation. Recent studies have provided compelling evidence supporting the notion that ferroptosis plays a key pathogenic role in many diseases such as various cancer types, neurodegenerative disease, diseases involving tissue and/or organ injury, and inflammatory and infectious diseases. Although the precise regulatory networks that underlie ferroptosis are largely unknown, particularly with respect to the initiation and progression of various diseases, ferroptosis is recognized as a bona fide target for the further development of treatment and prevention strategies. Over the past decade, considerable progress has been made in developing pharmacological agonists and antagonists for the treatment of these ferroptosis-related conditions. Here, we provide a detailed overview of our current knowledge regarding ferroptosis, its pathological roles, and its regulation during disease progression. Focusing on the use of chemical tools that target ferroptosis in preclinical studies, we also summarize recent advances in targeting ferroptosis across the growing spectrum of ferroptosis-associated pathogenic conditions. Finally, we discuss new challenges and opportunities for targeting ferroptosis as a potential strategy for treating ferroptosis-related diseases.
Spatiotemporal, optogenetic control of gene expression in organoids
Authors: Legnini Ivano , Emmenegger Lisa , Zappulo Alessandra , Rybak-Wolf Agnieszka , Wurmus Ricardo , Martinez Anna Oliveras , Jara Cledi Cerda , Boltengagen Anastasiya , Hessler Talé , Mastrobuoni Guido , Kempa Stefan , Zinzen Robert , Woehler Andrew , Rajewsky Nikolaus
Published: September 2023

Organoids derived from stem cells have become an increasingly important tool for studying human development and modeling disease. However, methods are still needed to control and study spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression in organoids. Here we combined optogenetics and gene perturbation technologies to activate or knock-down RNA of target genes in programmable spatiotemporal patterns. To illustrate the usefulness of our approach, we locally activated Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling in an organoid model for human neurodevelopment. Spatial and single-cell transcriptomic analyses showed that this local induction was sufficient to generate stereotypically patterned organoids and revealed new insights into SHH’s contribution to gene regulation in neurodevelopment. With this study, we propose optogenetic perturbations in combination with spatial transcriptomics as a powerful technology to reprogram and study cell fates and tissue patterning in organoids.
Fast and robust metagenomic sequence comparison through sparse chaining with skani
Authors: Shaw Jim , Yu Yun William
Published: September 2023

Sequence comparison tools for metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) struggle with high-volume or low-quality data. We present skani (https://github.com/bluenote-1577/skani), a method for determining average nucleotide identity (ANI) via sparse approximate alignments. skani outperforms FastANI in accuracy and speed (>20× faster) for fragmented, incomplete MAGs. skani can query genomes against >65,000 prokaryotic genomes in seconds and 6 GB memory. skani unlocks higher-resolution insights for extensive, noisy metagenomic datasets.
Aberrant gene activation in synovial sarcoma relies on SSX specificity and increased PRC1.1 stability
Authors: Benabdallah Nezha S. , Dalal Vineet , Scott R. Wilder , Marcous Fady , Sotiriou Afroditi , Kommoss Felix K. F. , Pejkovska Anastasija , Gaspar Ludmila , Wagner Lena , Sánchez-Rivera Francisco J. , Ta Monica , Thornton Shelby , Nielsen Torsten O. , Underhill T. Michael , Banito Ana
Published: September 2023

The SS18-SSX fusion drives oncogenic transformation in synovial sarcoma by bridging SS18, a member of the mSWI/SNF (BAF) complex, to Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) target genes. Here we show that the ability of SS18-SSX to occupy H2AK119ub1-rich regions is an intrinsic property of its SSX C terminus, which can be exploited by fusion to transcriptional regulators beyond SS18. Accordingly, SS18-SSX recruitment occurs in a manner that is independent of the core components and catalytic activity of BAF. Alternative SSX fusions are also recruited to H2AK119ub1-rich chromatin and reproduce the expression signatures of SS18-SSX by engaging with transcriptional activators. Variant Polycomb repressive complex 1.1 (PRC1.1) acts as the main depositor of H2AK119ub1 and is therefore required for SS18-SSX occupancy. Importantly, the SSX C terminus not only depends on H2AK119ub1 for localization, but also further increases it by promoting PRC1.1 complex stability. Consequently, high H2AK119ub1 levels are a feature of murine and human synovial sarcomas. These results uncover a critical role for SSX-C in mediating gene deregulation in synovial sarcoma by providing specificity to chromatin and further enabling oncofusion binding by enhancing PRC1.1 stability and H2AK119ub1 deposition.
Condition optimization of eco-friendly RP-HPLC and MCR methods via Box–Behnken design and six sigma approach for detecting antibiotic residues
Authors: Y. A. Alanazi Tahani , Adel Pashameah Rami , Y. Binsaleh Ammena , A. Mohamed Mahmoud , A. Ahmed Hoda , F. Nassar Hossam
Published: September 2023

A precise, Eco-friendly, and highly sensitive RP-HPLC method was employed using quality-by-design principles to concurrently identify cephalexin and cefixime residues in the manufacturing machines using a hypersil BDS C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) at wavelength 254 nm. The Box–Behnken design was applied to obtain the best chromatographic conditions with the fewest possible trials. Three independent factors viz organic composition, flow rate, and pH were used to assess their effects on the responses' resolution and retention time. Overlay plot and desirability functions were implemented to predict responses of the high resolution and relatively short retention time using a mobile phase composed of acidic water: acetonitrile (85:15, v/v) at pH 4.5 adjusted by phosphoric acid with a flow rate of 2.0 mL/min. The spectral overlapping of the drugs was successfully resolved by the mean centering ratio (MCR) spectra approach at 261 nm and 298 nm for cephalexin and cefixime, respectively. Good linearity results were obtained for the suggested HPLC and MCR methods over the concentration range of (0.05–10 ppm) and (5–30 ppm) with a detection limit of 0.003, 0.004, 0.26, and 0.23 ppm, and quantitation limits of 0.008, 0.013, 0.79, and 0.68 ppm for cephalexin and cefixime, respectively, with a correlation coefficient of ≥ 0.9998 and good swab recovery results of 99–99.5%. A process capability index was accomplished for chemical and micro results, illustrating that both are extremely capable. The suggested method was effectively validated using ICH recommendations.
Behavior of non-prismatic RC beams with conventional steel and green GFRP rebars for sustainable infrastructure
Authors: Suparp Suniti , Khan Inamullah , Ejaz Ali , Khan Kaffayatullah , Weesakul Uruya , Hussain Qudeer , Saingam Panumas
Published: September 2023

This study presents an experimental and finite element analysis of reinforced concrete beams with solid, hollow, prismatic, or non-prismatic sections. In the first part, a total of six beams were tested under four-point monotonic bending. The test matrix was designed to provide a comparison of structural behavior between prismatic solid and hollow section beams, prismatic solid and non-prismatic solid section beams, and prismatic hollow and non-prismatic hollow section beams. The intensity of shear was maximum in the case of prismatic section beams. The inclusion of a tapered section lowered the demand for shear. In the second part, Nonlinear Finite Element Modeling was performed by using ATENA. The adopted modeling strategy resulted in close agreement with experimental crack patterns at ultimate failure. However, the ultimate failure loads predicted by nonlinear modeling were generally higher than their corresponding experimental results. Whereas in the last part, the developed models were further extended to investigate the effect of the strength of concrete and ratio of longitudinal steel bars on the ultimate load-carrying capacity and cracking behavior of the reinforced concrete beams with solid, hollow, prismatic, or non-prismatic sections. The ultimate loads for each beam predicted by the model were found to be in close agreement with experimental results. Nonlinear modeling was further extended to assess the effects of concrete strength and longitudinal reinforcement ratio on failure patterns and ultimate loads. The parametric study involved beams reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars against shear and flexural failure. In terms of ultimate load capacities, diagonal cracking, and flexural cracking, beams strengthened with GFRP bars demonstrated comparable performance to the beams strengthened with steel bars.
First report of environmental isolation of Cryptococcus and Cryptococcus-like yeasts from Boyacá, Colombia
Authors: Serna-Espinosa Briggith-Nathalia , Forero-Castro Maribel , Morales-Puentes María Eugenia , Parra-Giraldo Claudia Marcela , Escandón Patricia , Sánchez-Quitian Zilpa Adriana
Published: September 2023

The Cryptococcus genus comprises more than 100 species, of which C. neoformans and C. gattii are the leading cause of cryptococcosis. The distribution of C. gattii and C. neoformans species complexes has been extensively studied and widely reported globally. Other species such as Naganishia albida, Papiliotrema laurentii, and Papiliotrema flavescens have been reported as pathogenic yeasts. Since there are no reports of environmental isolation in the Boyacá region (Colombia), this study aimed to isolate and characterize Cryptococcus and Cryptococcus-like yeasts from pigeon feces, Eucalyptus, and olive trees distributed in the municipalities of Tunja and Ricaute Alto. The environmental data was recovered, and the isolations obtained were identified by microscopy, biochemical test, MALDI-TOF MS, URA5-RFLP, and sequencing of the ITS and LSU loci. For the 93 pigeon dropping samples collected in Tunja, 23 yielded to C. neoformans, 3 to N. globosa, 2 N. albida and 1 to P. laurentii. Of the 1188 samples collected from olive trees, 17 (1.43%) positive samples were identified as C. gattii species complex (4), C. neoformans species complex (2), P. laurentii (3), N. albida (2), N. globosa (5) and P. flavescens (1). Likewise, specimens of C. neoformans presented molecular type VNI and molecular type VNII; for C. gattii the molecular types found were VGIII and one VGIV by URA5-RFLP but VGIII by MALDI-TOF and sequencing of the ITS and LSU. Therefore, it can be concluded that the species of Cryptococcus, Naganishia and Papiliotrema genera, are present in the environment of Boyacá, and show a predilection for climate conditions that are typical of this region.
Qualitative study of the association between psychosocial health and physical activity/sleep quality in toddlers
Authors: Tsuyuki Chisa , Suzuki Koya , Seo Kanako , Ke Dandan , Tsuge Kyoko , Deng Pengyu , Lu Dajiang , Naito Hisashi
Published: September 2023

Physical activity and sleep are important factors of mental and physical health in children, with some reports indicating that their effects can persist into adulthood. However, there is limited research on the qualitative aspects of physical activity and sleep in preschool children, particularly in those aged < 3 years. Therefore, to elucidate the association between psychosocial health and physical activity/sleep in early childhood in terms of qualitative aspects, we conducted a retrospective cohort study in 2985 3-year-old children (37.2 ± 0.75 months) in Shanghai, China. An analysis using structural equation modeling indicated that current physical activity had a direct and moderate impact on current psychosocial health evaluated using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. In particular, past physical activity had an indirect and mild effect on current psychosocial health via current physical activity in girls. However, regardless of sex, past sleep quality had slight impact on current psychosocial health, not only indirectly via current sleep quality, but also directly. These findings highlight the importance of considering the qualitative aspects of physical activity and sleep quality as significant factors influencing the current and future psychosocial health of children, even at a very early age (< 3 years).
Imidazo[1,2-c]quinazolines as a novel and potent scaffold of α-glucosidase inhibitors: design, synthesis, biological evaluations, and in silico studies
Authors: Peytam Fariba , Hosseini Faezeh sadat , Hekmati Malak , Bayati Bahareh , Moghadam Mahdis Sadeghi , Emamgholipour Zahra , Firoozpour Loghman , Mojtabavi Somayeh , Faramarzi Mohammad Ali , Sadat-Ebrahimi Seyed Esmaeil , Tehrani Maliheh Barazandeh , Foroumadi Alireza
Published: September 2023

α-Glucosidase inhibition is an approved treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In an attempt to develop novel anti-α-glucosidase agents, two series of substituted imidazo[1,2-c]quinazolines, namely 6a–c and 11a–o, were synthesized using a simple, straightforward synthetic routes. These compounds were thoroughly characterized by IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, as well as mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. Subsequently, the inhibitory activities of these compounds were evaluated against Saccharomyces cerevisiae α-glucosidase. In present study, acarbose was utilized as a positive control. These imidazoquinazolines exhibited excellent to great inhibitory potencies with IC50 values ranging from 12.44 ± 0.38 μM to 308.33 ± 0.06 μM, which were several times more potent than standard drug with IC50 value of 750.0 ± 1.5 μM. Representatively, compound 11j showed remarkable anti-α-glucosidase potency with IC50 = 12.44 ± 0.38 μM, which was 60.3 times more potent than positive control acarbose. To explore the potential inhibition mechanism, further evaluations including kinetic analysis, circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and thermodynamic profile were carried out for the most potent compound 11j. Moreover, molecular docking studies and in silico ADME prediction for all imidazoquinazolines 6a–c and 11a–o were performed to reveal their important binding interactions, as well as their physicochemical and drug-likeness properties, respectively.
Modern synergetic neural network for imbalanced small data classification
Authors: Wang Zihao , Li Haifeng , Ma Lin
Published: September 2023

Deep learning’s performance on the imbalanced small data is substantially degraded by overfitting. Recurrent neural networks retain better performance in such tasks by constructing dynamical systems for robustness. Synergetic neural network (SNN), a synergetic-based recurrent neural network, has superiorities in eliminating recall errors and pseudo memories, but is subject to frequent association errors. Since the cause remains unclear, most subsequent studies use genetic algorithms to adjust parameters for better accuracy, which occupies the parameter optimization space and hinders task-oriented tuning. To solve the problem and promote SNN’s application capability, we propose the modern synergetic neural network (MSNN) model. MSNN solves the association error by correcting the state initialization method in the working process, liberating the parameter optimization space. In addition, MSNN optimizes the attention parameter of the network with the error backpropagation algorithm and the gradient bypass technique to allow the network to be trained jointly with other network layers. The self-learning of the attention parameter empowers the adaptation to the imbalanced sample size, further improving the classification performance. In 75 classification tasks of small UC Irvine Machine Learning Datasets, the average rank of the MSNN achieves the best result compared to 187 neural and non-neural network machine learning methods.