bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Liming and Nitrogen Input in Determining Low Nitrogen Leaching Losses in Volcanic Soils
Authors: Alfaro Marta A. , Cardenas Laura , Salazar Francisco , Hatch David , Ramírez Luis
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Livestock production based on grazing is the most important productive activity in southern Chile. Most grasslands are located on volcanic soils with unexplained low nitrogen (N) leaching losses.

Methods

A cutting field experiment was carried out between February 2008 and March 2010 on an Andisol of the Osorno soil series, testing liming (0 or 2 t CaCO3 ha− 1 yr− 1) and N rate applied as inorganic fertiliser applied in two equal dressings (0, 200, 400 kg N ha− 1 yr− 1). Measurements of pasture yield, N uptake and N leaching losses were complemented with mineralization studies under field and laboratory conditions, and soil N abiotic retention.

Results

Total N leaching losses were greater in the 400 kg N treatments (90 kg N ha− 1, on average), with no differences between the liming treatments (10 kg N ha− 1, on average; P > 0.05). Nitrogen addition resulted in 50% and 92% more dry matter yield in treatments receiving 200 and 400 kg N than the control (N-0) treatment. Potential N mineralization varied between 206 and 282 mg N kg− 1 dry soil. The mineralization of more recalcitrant components of soil organic matter increased with both N and lime addition. Soil had a greater capacity to retain added N as ammonium (74% on average).

Conclusions

The natural acidic soil conditions did not prevent nitrification, neither N leaching losses, probably associated to occurrence of N abiotic immobilization processes. Lime addition could influence N mineralization in the long term, while N addition would influence it in both short and long term.
Demography and the Making of the Modern World
Authors: Short John Rennie
Published: December 2024

John Rennie Short critically explores the implications of demographic change from a social and economic perspective and considers what this means for public policy. He shows how events as varied and important as the Arab Spring, migration from Africa to Europe, budget negotiations in the United States, and economic growth in India and Brazil - all seemingly diverse issues from around the world - are shaped by forces of demography.

Using the demographic transition model as a framework, the book examines the demographic forces that underlie major social and economic issues, and in particular, the range of public policies that have been developed, adopted and rejected to meet these population challenges. The book outlines the varied impacts of these demographic changes on society at different times and draws on a wide range of contemporary case studies from the Global North and South.

The book offers students of geography and the social sciences a clear and authoritative introduction to the role population change plays in public policy.
What constitutes the health subject?
Authors: Inkpen S. Andrew
Published: December 2024

According to many philosophical accounts, health is related to the functions and capacities of biological parts. But how do we decide what constitutes the health subject (that is, the bearer of health and disease states) and its biological parts whose functions are relevant for assessing its health? Current science, especially microbiome science, complicating the boundaries between organisms and their environments undermines any straightforward answer. This article explains why this question matters, delineates a few broad options, offers arguments against one option, and draws some modest implications for philosophical accounts of human health.
When the states led wage enforcement: Can the Commonwealth match them?
Authors: Schofield-Georgeson Eugene
Published: December 2024

This longitudinal and empirical study compares Australian labour enforcement, predominantly between the New South Wales (NSW) and Commonwealth jurisdictions. It documents the volume of enforcement litigation, inspection and arrears recovery within an Australian state for the first time. These enforcement activities are then compared to equivalent Commonwealth labour enforcement over time, with a particular focus on the activities of the federal inspectorate since the Commonwealth takeover of industrial relations in 2005. This comparison enables three significant claims. First, that contemporary labour enforcement activities have not kept pace with those conducted by inspectorates in the early to mid-twentieth century, most of which were performed by the States. Second, that enforcement has always been a significant part of the Australian industrial relations landscape, reinforcing the conciliation and arbitration system, particularly within the States. And third, those high levels of regulation and labour enforcement played a role in reducing social inequality throughout the mid-twentieth century.
Rapid whole genome characterization of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens using long-read sequencing to identify potential healthcare transmission
Authors: Wu Chin-Ting , Shropshire William C. , Bhatti Micah M , Cantu Sherry , Glover Israel K , Anand Selvalakshmi Selvaraj , Liu Xiaojun , Kalia Awdhesh , Treangen Todd J. , Chemaly Roy F , Spallone Amy , Shelburne Samuel
Published: December 2024

Objective:

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) can help identify transmission of pathogens causing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). However, the current gold standard of short-read, Illumina-based WGS is labor and time intensive. Given recent improvements in long-read Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing, we sought to establish a low resource approach providing accurate WGS-pathogen comparison within a time frame allowing for infection prevention and control (IPC) interventions.

Methods:

WGS was prospectively performed on pathogens at increased risk of potential healthcare transmission using the ONT MinION sequencer with R10.4.1 flow cells and Dorado basecaller. Potential transmission was assessed via Ridom SeqSphere+ for core genome multilocus sequence typing and MINTyper for reference-based core genome single nucleotide polymorphisms using previously published cutoff values. The accuracy of our ONT pipeline was determined relative to Illumina.

Results:

Over a six-month period, 242 bacterial isolates from 216 patients were sequenced by a single operator. Compared to the Illumina gold standard, our ONT pipeline achieved a mean identity score of Q60 for assembled genomes, even with a coverage rate as low as 40×. The mean time from initiating DNA extraction to complete analysis was 2 days (IQR 2–3.25 days). We identified five potential transmission clusters comprising 21 isolates (8.7% of sequenced strains). Integrating ONT with epidemiological data, >70% (15/21) of putative transmission cluster isolates originated from patients with potential healthcare transmission links.

Conclusions:

Via a stand-alone ONT pipeline, we detected potentially transmitted HAI pathogens rapidly and accurately, aligning closely with epidemiological data. Our low-resource method has the potential to assist in IPC efforts.
Private funding, party politics and regulatory change: how the British Conservative Party prospered under Labour's political finance reforms
Authors: Wilks-Heeg Stuart , Hopkin Jonathan
Published: December 2024

Before 2000, the UK operated one of the most liberal political finance regimes of any established democracy. Parties were highly dependent on private financing, state funding was minimal, limited transparency requirements existed with respect to party income or expenditure, and no limits applied to national election spending. Far-reaching reforms introduced by Labour in 2000 changed this regulatory environment radically, establishing donation disclosure requirements and capping election spending. However, Labour's reforms did not include significant increases in state funding, leaving the UK as a continued outlier in Western Europe in assuming political parties should predominantly be funded through private means. In this paper, we show how the Conservatives ultimately prospered under Labour's reforms, enabling them to greatly outspend Labour at four general elections from 2010 to 2019. Using the public registers created by Labour's reforms, we document how the party's financial re-stabilisation while in opposition was assisted to a surprising degree by state funding and how the party's donor base has shifted towards wealthy individuals and privately owned companies since its return to government in 2010. We conclude with a number of observations about how the apparently exceptional UK case can help generate important insights for the comparative study of political finance.
Signposting the Meschita: Palermo's medieval Jewish quarter as a site of memory
Authors: Wyer Sean Christian
Published: December 2024

Street signs in Italian, Hebrew and Arabic, installed in the twenty-first century, mark Palermo's former Jewish quarter, over half a millennium since Sicily last had a substantial Jewish population. They recall a medieval Jewish minority, but also symbolise what some consider to be Palermo's essentially pluralistic character. What motivates this inchoate revival of ‘Jewish space’, and what does it mean for contemporary Palermo? ‘Rebranding’ Palermo as a crossroads of civilisations encourages tourism, but this alone does not explain the re-evaluation of its multi-religious heritage. Palermo is an often-overlooked case study for the contemporary emergence of Jewish ‘sites of memory’. Using a micro-scale ethnographic study to analyse a narrative rooted in history, I show how the ‘rediscovery’ of Jewish history can have multiple catalysts. In Palermo, these include a Europe-wide interest in ‘things Jewish’, and Sicily's increasing religious diversity in the present.
BIGNESS OF THE TANGENT BUNDLE OF A FANO THREEFOLD WITH PICARD NUMBER TWO
Authors: KIM HOSUNG , KIM JEONG-SEOP , LEE YONGNAM
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we study the positivity property of the tangent bundle

$T_X$

of a Fano threefold X with Picard number

$2$

. We determine the bigness of the tangent bundle of the whole

$36$

deformation types. Our result shows that

$T_X$

is big if and only if

$(-K_X)^3\ge 34$

. As a corollary, we prove that the tangent bundle is not big when X has a standard conic bundle structure with non-empty discriminant. Our main methods are to produce irreducible effective divisors on

${\mathbb {P}}(T_X)$

constructed from the total dual VMRT associated to a family of rational curves. Additionally, we present some criteria to determine the bigness of

$T_X$

.
THE DECOMPOSITION OF PERMUTATION MODULE FOR INFINITE CHEVALLEY GROUPS, II
Authors: DONG JUNBIN
Published: December 2024

Let

$\mathbf {G}$

be a connected reductive algebraic group over an algebraically closed field

$\Bbbk $

and

${\mathbf B}$

be a Borel subgroup of

${\mathbf G}$

. In this paper, we completely determine the composition factors of the permutation module

$\mathbb {F}[{\mathbf G}/{\mathbf B}]$

for any field

$\mathbb {F}$

.
Multilanguage Word Embeddings for Social Scientists: Estimation, Inference, and Validation Resources for 157 Languages
Authors: Wirsching Elisa M. , Rodriguez Pedro L. , Spirling Arthur , Stewart Brandon M.
Published: December 2024

Word embeddings are now a vital resource for social science research. However, obtaining high-quality training data for non-English languages can be difficult, and fitting embeddings therein may be computationally expensive. In addition, social scientists typically want to make statistical comparisons and do hypothesis tests on embeddings, yet this is nontrivial with current approaches. We provide three new data resources designed to ameliorate the union of these issues: (1) a new version of fastText model embeddings, (2) a multilanguage “a la carte” (ALC) embedding version of the fastText model, and (3) a multilanguage ALC embedding version of the well-known GloVe model. All three are fit to Wikipedia corpora. These materials are aimed at “low-resource” settings where the analysts lack access to large corpora in their language of interest or to the computational resources required to produce high-quality vector representations. We make these resources available for 40 languages, along with a code pipeline for another 117 languages available from Wikipedia corpora. We extensively validate the materials via reconstruction tests and other proofs-of-concept. We also conduct human crowdworker tests for our embeddings for Arabic, French, (traditional Mandarin) Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish. Finally, we offer some advice to practitioners using our resources.
The Irish in England
Authors: Cummins Neil J. , Ó Gráda Cormac
Published: December 2024

We use the universe of probate and vital registers from England between 1838 and 2018 to document the status of the Irish in England. We identify the “Irish” in the records as those individuals with distinctively Irish surnames. From at least the mid-nineteenth century to 2018, we find that the Irish in England have persisted as an underclass, being on average 50 percent poorer than the English. Infant mortality was about 25 percent higher for the Irish between the 1830s and the mid-twentieth century but has subsequently equalized. Sorting, both to urban areas and to the North of England, are important elements in the Irish experience. We discuss the potential roles of selective migration, social mobility, and discrimination in this and signpost directions for future research.
Using decision analysis to develop a framework for nest protection for threatened birds
Authors: Tripovich Joy. S. , Walshe Terry , Elphinstone Andrew , Ingwersen Dean , Roderick Mick , Pitcher Benjamin J.
Published: December 2024

The regent honeyeater Anthochaera phrygia is a Critically Endangered Australian songbird, with current population estimates of < 300 individuals remaining in the wild. Low nest success is a factor preventing the recovery of the population, and management remedies are needed. However, a lack of data on intervention success raises uncertainty and impedes planning. To identify management priorities under uncertainty, we engaged with conservation practitioners and key stakeholders to develop and evaluate potential nest protection interventions. Four categories of threats were considered: avian predators, mammalian predators, extreme weather events and avian competitors. The interventions with the highest predicted probabilities of nest success under each threat category were, respectively: lethal control of avian predators, the use of tree collars to control arboreal mammalian predators, the provisioning of supplementary food and nesting resources during extreme weather events, and control of the noisy miner Manorina melanocephala, a competitor species. Our analysis shows that by applying a combination of conservation actions alongside improvements in nest detection, it is possible, based on the opinion of experts, to provide a pathway for the recovery of the regent honeyeater.
THEORY OF LOW FREQUENCY CONTAMINATION FROM NONSTATIONARITY AND MISSPECIFICATION: CONSEQUENCES FOR HAR INFERENCE
Authors: Casini Alessandro , Deng Taosong , Perron Pierre
Published: December 2024

We establish theoretical results about the low frequency contamination (i.e., long memory effects) induced by general nonstationarity for estimates such as the sample autocovariance and the periodogram, and deduce consequences for heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation robust (HAR) inference. We present explicit expressions for the asymptotic bias of these estimates. We show theoretically that nonparametric smoothing over time is robust to low frequency contamination. Nonstationarity can have consequences for both the size and power of HAR tests. Under the null hypothesis there are larger size distortions than when data are stationary. Under the alternative hypothesis, existing LRV estimators tend to be inflated and HAR tests can exhibit dramatic power losses. Our theory indicates that long bandwidths or fixed-b HAR tests suffer more from low frequency contamination relative to HAR tests based on HAC estimators, whereas recently introduced double kernel HAC estimators do not suffer from this problem. We present second-order Edgeworth expansions under nonstationarity about the distribution of HAC and DK-HAC estimators and about the corresponding t-test in the regression model. The results show that the distortions in the rejection rates can be induced by time variation in the second moments even when there is no break in the mean.
FASTER UNIFORM CONVERGENCE RATES FOR DECONVOLUTION ESTIMATORS FROM REPEATED MEASUREMENTS
Authors: Chen Liang , Zhang Minyuan
Published: December 2024

Recently, Kurisu and Otsu (2022b, Econometric Theory 38(1), 172–193) derived the uniform convergence rates for the nonparametric deconvolution estimators proposed by Li and Vuong (1998, Journal of Multivariate Analysis 65(2), 139–165). This article shows that faster uniform convergence rates can be established for their estimators under the same assumptions. In addition, a new class of deconvolution estimators based on a variant of Kotlarski’s identity is also proposed. It is shown that in some cases, these new estimators can have faster uniform convergence rates than the existing estimators.
Cognitive skills differentially influence narrative macrostructure in bilinguals’ L1 and L2
Authors: Tselekidou Freideriki , Stadtmiller Elizabeth , Süss Assunta , Lindner Katrin , Gagarina Natalia
Published: December 2024

This study explored cognitive effects on narrative macrostructure in both languages of 38 Russian-German bilinguals aged 4;6 to 5;1‚ while controlling for demographic factors (sex, socioeconomic status) and language proficiency. Macrostructure was operationalised as story structure (SS) and story complexity (SC) using the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives. Nonverbal cognitive subtasks assessing shifting (Figure Ground), visual memory (Form Completion), and inhibition (Attention Divided) were administered. None of the cognitive skills influenced SS; however, they differentially impacted SC: Figure Ground affected Russian SC, while Form Completion affected German SC. Findings advance our understanding of how cognition affects oral narratives in bilingual preschoolers.
Profiling local chroniclers in the early modern Low Countries
Authors: Kuijpers Erika , Lenarduzzi Carolina , Pollmann Judith , Dekker Theo , Lassche Alie
Published: December 2024

Early modern local chronicles are a largely neglected, yet stable genre of texts that can be used for comparative research over time and space. The NWO-funded research project Chronicling Novelty (2018–24) investigated the reception of new media and new knowledge among early modern chroniclers in the Low Countries. For this purpose, we created a digitized corpus of 204 Dutch-language chronicles from the period 1500–1850. This article presents the methodological decisions made in creating this corpus and their implications for its representativeness. The second part examines the social, religious and political profile of the chroniclers: who wrote chronicles and what does this reveal about chronicling as a cultural and social practice? Particularly interesting in this respect is how the chroniclers’ strong involvement in local public affairs authorized their chronicling practices, and vice versa.
A novel microfluidic device for human sperm separation based on rheotaxis
Authors: Heidarnejad Alireza , Sadeghi Mohammadreza , Arasteh Saeid , Ghiass Mohammad Adel
Published: December 2024

This study explores the efficacy of a novel microfluidic device in isolating rheotactic sperm and assesses their advantages compared with other motile sperm. Two microfluidic devices were used in this study: the microfluidic device we designed to separate sperm based on rheotaxis and a simple passive microfluidic device. We compared the results with the density gradient centrifugation technique. Sperm attributes including concentration, morphology, viability and motility were assessed using related procedures. Statistical analyses were conducted using one-way analysis of variance. Results showed differences in sperm concentration, motility, morphology and vitality using different sperm separation techniques. The sperms separated using our microfluidic device demonstrated the highest motilities, normal morphology percentages and higher sperm vitality but significantly lower sperm concentrations. These findings suggest the potential of our microfluidic design in enhancing sperm quality. Our findings are in agreement with previous research, emphasizing the capability of microfluidics in enhancing sperm quality. Specifically, our designed microfluidic device exhibited exceptional efficacy in isolating highly motile sperm, a critical factor for successful fertilization.
Assessment of the expression levels of two long non-coding RNAs, lnc-CYP11A1-1 and RP11573D15.8, in human aneuploid and euploid embryos
Authors: Marshall Benedict , Aytacoglu Hakan , Coban Onder , Tulay Pinar
Published: December 2024

Introduction: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a subset of RNA molecules that have been shown to be involved in gene regulation. A lot of different pathways are involved during gametogenesis and any disturbance to these pathways may have a derogatory impact on producing a haploid gamete and thus a euploid embryo. Steroidogenesis pathway plays a crucial role in gametogenesis. The purpose of this work was to quantify the levels of lnc-CYP11A1-1 and RP11573D15.8 expression levels in aneuploid and euploid embryos. Materials and methods: A total of 20 surplus human embryos, of which 10 euploid and ten aneuploid embryos, were collected from an IVF centre. The expression levels of two lncRNAs, which have been hypothesized to regulate expression of CYP11A1, were evaluated in these embryos. RNA was extracted and used to synthesize cDNA for the experiments. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to evaluate the expression levels of each lncRNA in aneuploid and euploid embryos, respectively. Results and discussion: This study shows that lnc-CYP11A1-1 was more expressed in aneuploid than in euploid embryos. RP11-573D15.8 is expressed more in aneuploid embryos than in euploid ones. The results for RP11-573D15.8 were statistically significant with a p-value of 0.02 (less than the standard threshold of p 0.05), whereas the results for lnc-CYP11A1-1 were not statistically significant with a p-value of 0.07 (greater than the standard threshold of p 0.05). Thus, the result of this study demonstrates that lncRNAs may have a role in gametogenesis and formation of aneuploid gametes.
Gender disparities in the prevalence of undernutrition in India: the unexplored effects of drinking contaminated water
Authors: Aggarwal Khushboo , Barua Rashmi
Published: December 2024

Stunting, a manifestation of chronic malnutrition, is widespread in India. This, coupled with biased preferences of parents towards their eldest sons, has led to stunting and underweight among girls that grows sharply with increasing birth order. We study the impact of an environmental water pollutant on child growth outcomes in arsenic contaminated regions of India. Using a large, nationally representative household survey and exploiting variation in soil textures across districts as an instrument for arsenic, we find that arsenic exposure beyond the safe threshold level is negatively associated with height-for-age and weight-for-age. Negative effects are larger for girls who are born at higher birth orders relative to the eldest. This, we argue, suggests that the lack of adequate nutrition and health care during early childhood can make girls more vulnerable to external environmental hazards due to their lower immunity and underdeveloped bodies.
Brotherly diplomacy: on the Kitan–Mongol model of pseudo-kinship and the origins of the Kitan emperors’ fictive kinship with Chinese rulers
Authors: Dupuis Adrien
Published: December 2024

Evidence shows that tenth- and eleventh-century Kitan (Liao) emperors used pseudo-kinship to cement diplomatic relations with foreign powers as well as for internal affairs. Similarities between this practice and twelfth- and thirteenth-century Mongol anda (sworn friendship) were previously highlighted by Wang Guowei but have yet to be the focus of further study. Kitan emperors used pseudo-kinship as a preferred political tool to establish alliances and reinforce their position in both external and domestic policies. A comparison of Kitan and Mongol traditions also shows a high degree of similarity. However, although they share concepts of sworn friendship and common oath rituals, the establishment of pseudo-kinship occurred in different contexts and often for different purposes. This article attempts to show that Kitan rulers successfully continued the pseudo-kinship diplomacy that existed since the Tang between the hegemons of the steppe and the Central Plain. They achieved this by making regular use of pseudo-kinship diplomacy, in addition to seeking ways to make the practice more acceptable to the Chinese court. These adaptations included a progressive estrangement of diplomatic pseudo-kinship from its original form, casting away oath rituals and adopting a new system of kinship terms.
Rights-informed mass grave mapping
Authors: Klinkner Melanie , Smith Ellie , Harris Rebecca
Published: December 2024

Mapping of human rights abuses and international crimes is an increasingly common tool to evidence, preserve and visualise information. This paper asks, what does rights-informed mapping in the context of mass graves look like? What are the rights concerned and allied goals, and how might these practicably apply during a pilot study? The study offers an analysis of the goals and benefits espoused to accrue to mapping and documentation efforts, as well as an explication of rights arising when engaging with mass graves. Our findings underscore the imperative of understanding the full ramifications of the applicable context, in our case the life-cycle of mass graves. This will bring to the fore the rights engaged with the subject as well as the challenges with data points, collation and reporting as experienced in a pilot (Ukraine) where realities on the ground are not static but remain in flux.
The Semidiurnal Tidal Response of the Low Latitude Ionosphere to Northern Hemisphere Polar Vortex Strength (2020–2023) From COSMIC‐2 Global Ionospheric Specification
Authors: Aggarwal Deepali , Oberheide Jens , Pedatella Nicholas , Martinez Benjamin C.
Published: December 2024

This paper investigates the day‐to‐day global tidal variability in the ionosphere/thermosphere system due to fluctuations in the strength of the northern hemisphere stratospheric polar vortex. Using COSMIC‐2 (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate‐2) Global Ionospheric Specification data, ionospheric tides are derived, with the Northern Annular Mode (NAM) index indicating polar vortex variability. The semidiurnal migrating solar tide shows the largest response, with relative electron density in the F‐region significantly higher ( 60%) under a weak vortex and lower ( 20%) under a strong vortex, correlated at −0.58 with the NAM index. The study compares solar/geomagnetic forcing and vortex impacts using SD‐WACCM‐X (Specified Dynamics Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere and ionosphere extension) model runs. Findings suggest tidal modulation of the E‐region dynamo as the coupling mechanism. Our study can potentially improve ionospheric space weather predictability because the NAM index can be known a few days in advance.
Seasonal and Altitude Dependence of Thermospheric Metastable Helium Densities Measured by Fluorescence Lidar
Authors: Geach C. , Kaifler B.
Published: December 2024

Airglow originating from metastable helium He(S) at 1,083 nm has been used to study the upper thermosphere since its discovery in 1959, yielding insights into, for example, solar EUV intensities and thermospheric photoelectron densities. For over 6 decades, these measurements were made passively, relying on solar illumination of the He(S) layer to produce a detectable signal, resulting in a column integration of the He(S) layer. Recently, the first height‐resolved measurements of He(S) density were made by fluorescence lidar, opening a new window for studying the upper thermosphere. We report on a series of 51 measurements by this instrument spanning an entire winter season and extending to an altitude of 1,000 km, revealing a broad He(S) layer that peaks at higher altitudes than previously expected.
Simulation for the Calibration of Radiation Housekeeping Monitor Onboard BepiColombo/MMO and Application to the Inner Heliosphere Exploration
Authors: Kinoshita G. , Ueno H. , Murakami G. , Pinto M. , Yoshioka K. , Miyoshi Y.
Published: December 2024

Although primarily a housekeeping instrument for measuring ambient radiation, the Solar Particle Monitor (SPM) onboard BepiColombo can measure high‐energy particles, making it useful for observing phenomena such as galactic cosmic rays and Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs). However, it only records time‐series data of particle energy loss and counts, which requires characterization by radiation simulation for scientific analysis. In this study, a physical model of the SPM was constructed using the “Geant4” radiation simulation toolkit to investigate its response to charged particles. The probability density functions were derived from the response functions to indicate the proportion of particles in each energy range among the SPM counts. Finally, we inverse‐calculated the flux from the counts in the corresponding energy ranges. We applied this method to data from the terrestrial radiation belt and SEPs in March 2022. The results agreed with the empirical radiation belt model and another instrument onboard BepiColombo, demonstrating the validity of the method. This study highlights the potential for scientific applications of housekeeping instruments and suggests the broader use of similar methods on other missions for expanding inner heliosphere multi‐point exploration.
Observations of a Throat Aurora Directly Driven by Magnetosheath High‐Speed Jet
Authors: Wang Zhiwei , Han Desheng , Chen Xiangcai , Shi Run , Teng Shangchun , Zhang Jian , Liu Jianjun , Zhang Qiang , Qiu Huixuan
Published: December 2024

Throat aurora, characterized as an auroral structure bulging out from equatorward boundary of the auroral oval, has been confirmed to correspond to magnetopause crack. Previous studies suggested that the occurrence of throat aurora is influenced by both magnetospheric internal and external factors. It remains unclear if a single external factor, like a magnetosheath high‐speed jet (HSJ), can directly drive throat aurora or not. Through coordinated magnetosheath and ground‐based observations, we have established a reliable connection between throat auroras observed on the ground and successive HSJs observed in the magnetosheath, suggesting that HSJ can indeed directly induce throat aurora. Upon further investigation, we found that this HSJ‐induced throat aurora exhibited highly dynamic properties with a shorter duration compared to previously reported convection‐aligned long‐duration throat auroras. These findings suggest the involvement of distinct mechanisms in throat aurora generation, emphasizing the necessity for a comprehensive classification to better comprehend this phenomenon.
New Insights Into Active Tectonics and Landscape Evolution of the Northernmost Chilean Central Depression
Authors: Vega‐Ruiz A. , Victor P. , Reicherter K. , Binnie A. , Evenstar L. , González G. , Binnie S. A.
Published: December 2024

Active deformation and landscape evolution in North Chilean forearc involve multiscale tectonic processes, such as crustal thickening causing orogenic‐scale uplift and faulting modulating the mountain‐front landscape. In the Central Depression, faults redirecting Quaternary drainages are poorly understood due to their subtle surface expressions and limited structural data acquisition. To address this, we combined remote‐sensing analysis of high‐resolution DEMs, satellite and UAV imagery, new geomorphic mapping, structural data, and morphometric analysis with available surface age dating to identify and give temporal constraints on previously unmapped faults impacting drainages across this region. Our findings reveal the reactivation of east‐vergent NNW‐SSE reverse to transpressive and NW‐SE strike‐slip faults over approximately 100 km of latitude. Faults movement can be summarized into two main stages (a) A Late Miocene‐Pliocene stage, dominated by east‐vergent reverse faults inverting the Andean piedmont in the northern study area. (b) A Pliocene‐Quaternary stage, characterized by transpressive activity of these east‐vergent faults extending southward, alongside structures of the West Vergent Thrust System. The tectonic evolution of the east‐vergent structures relates to the ongoing deformation of the coastal forearc, encroaching into the Central Depression. Minimum vertical and strike‐slip displacement rates since the Quaternary are 12 m/Ma and 90 m/Ma, respectively, with the potential for higher rates depending on the onset of displacement. Drainage pattern modification, driven by incremental vertical displacement rates, provides insights to qualitatively evaluate individual fault activity rates. Numerous recently detected structures represent previously unknown sources of seismic hazard, requiring further dating of geomorphic markers and high‐resolution monitoring.
Structural and functional determination of peptide versus small molecule ligand binding at the apelin receptor
Authors: Williams Thomas L. , Verdon Grégory , Kuc Rhoda E. , Currinn Heather , Bender Brian , Solcan Nicolae , Schlenker Oliver , Macrae Robyn G. C. , Brown Jason , Schütz Marco , Zhukov Andrei , Sinha Sanjay , de Graaf Chris , Gräf Stefan , Maguire Janet J. , Brown Alastair J. H. , Davenport Anthony P.
Published: December 2024

We describe a structural and functional study of the G protein-coupled apelin receptor, which binds two endogenous peptide ligands, apelin and Elabela/Toddler (ELA), to regulate cardiovascular development and function. Characterisation of naturally occurring apelin receptor variants from the UK Genomics England 100,000 Genomes Project, and AlphaFold2 modelling, identifies T892.64 as important in the ELA binding site, and R1684.64 as forming extensive interactions with the C-termini of both peptides. Base editing to introduce an R/H1684.64 variant into human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes demonstrates that this residue is critical for receptor binding and function. Additionally, we present an apelin receptor crystal structure bound to the G protein-biased, small molecule agonist, CMF-019, which reveals a deeper binding mode versus the endogenous peptides at lipophilic pockets between transmembrane helices associated with GPCR activation. Overall, the data provide proof-of-principle for using genetic variation to identify key sites regulating receptor-ligand engagement.
Principal component analysis of the Serological response to Plasmodium Falciparum using a Multiplex bead-based assay in Nigeria
Authors: Schultz Jonathan S. , Okoli Mary , Lee Scott , Leonard Colleen M. , Sayre Dean , Heilig Charles M. , Uhomoibhi Perpetua , Ogunniyi Abiodun , Ndodo Nnaemeka , Mba Nwando , Abubakar Ado G. , Akinmulero Oluwaseun , Dawurung Ayuba B. , Okoye McPaul , Iriemenam Nnaemeka C. , Plucinski Mateusz , Steinhardt Laura , Rogier Eric , Ihekweazu Chickwe
Published: December 2024

Characterization of serological responses to Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) is of interest to understand disease burden and transmission dynamics; however, their interpretation is challenging. Dried blood spots from 30,815 participants aged 6 months to 15 years from the 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey were analyzed by multiplex bead-based assay to measure immunoglobulin G (IgG) to Pf-stage-specific MSP-1, AMA-1, GLURPR0, LSA-1, and CSP. These IgG levels were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). PC1 and PC2 scores explained 41% and 17% of the total variance, respectively. PC1 unit vectors represented seropositivity. PC2 unit vectors for blood-stage antigens were in opposite directions to liver-stage and sporozoite antigens. PC2 scores were correlated with MSP-1 positively (R = 0.52, P < 0.001) and CSP negatively (R=-0.65, P < 0.001) and may help identify areas with prior exposure but higher risk for increased infections or epidemics. PCA of Pf serology can provide summary scores to possibly inform future programmatic interventions.
Identification of Anoikis-related potential biomarkers and therapeutic drugs in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension via bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experiment
Authors: Yu Haijia , Song Huihui , Li Jingchao , Cui Luqian , Dong Shujuan , Chu Yingjie , Qin Lijie
Published: December 2024

There is growing evidence that programmed cell death plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Anoikis is a newly discovered type of programmed death and has garnered great attention. However, the precise involvement of Anoikis in the progression of CTEPH remains poorly understood. The goal of this study was to identify Anoikis-related genes (ARGs) and explore potential therapeutic drugs for CTEPH. Differentially expressed genes were identified by limma and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) packages, and functional analyses were conducted based on the differentially expressed genes. Subsequently, a combination of protein–protein interaction (PPI), Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), and Support Vector Machine Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM-RFE) methodologies was employed to screen hub genes associated with CTEPH, which were further verified by dataset GSE188938, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. CIBERSORT was utilized to evaluate the infiltration of immune cells and the relationship between infiltration-related immune cells and ARGs. Finally, targeted drug analysis and molecular docking were used to predict drugs targeting Anoikis process to treat CTEPH. Thirty-two differentially expressed genes related to Anoikis and CTEPH were screened through WGCNA analysis. Then, the key ARGs FASN, PLAUR, BCL2L1, HMOX1 and RHOB were screened by PPI, Lasso and SVM-RFE machine learning. Validation through dataset GSE188938, qRT-PCR, and Western blot analyses confirmed HMOX1 and PLAUR as powerful and promising biomarkers in CTEPH. In addition, CIBERSORT immunoinfiltration revealed that Mast_cells_activated and Neutrophils were involved in the pathological regulation of CTEPH. Correlation analysis indicated that HMOX1 was positively correlated with Neutrophils, while PLAUR was negatively correlated with Mast_cells_activated. Finally we used targeted drug analysis and molecular docking to identify that STANNSOPORFIN as a potential drug targeting HMOX1 for the treatment of CTEPH. HMOX1 and PLAUR emerge as potential biomarkers for CTEPH and may influence the development of CTEPH by regulating Anoikis. Mast_cells_activated and Neutrophils may be involved in Anoikis resistance in CTEPH patients, presenting novel insights into CTEPH therapeutic targets. STANNSOPORFIN is a potential agents targeting Anoikis process therapy for CTEPH.
Uncovering the impact of outliers on clusters’ evolution in temporal data-sets: an empirical analysis
Authors: Atif Muhammad , Farooq Muhammad , Shafiq Muhammad , Alballa Tmader , Abdualziz Alhabeeb Somayah , Abd El-Wahed Khalifa Hamide
Published: December 2024

This study investigates the impact of outliers on the evolution of clusters in temporal data-sets. Monitoring and tracing cluster transitions of temporal data sets allow us to observe how clusters evolve and change over time. By tracking the movement of data points between clusters, we can gain insights into the underlying patterns, trends, and dynamics of the data. This understanding is essential for making informed decisions and drawing meaningful conclusions from the clustering results. Cluster evolution refers to the changes that occur in the clustering results over time due to the arrival of new data points. The changes in cluster solutions are classified as external and internal transitions. The study employs the survival ratio and history cost function to investigate the effects of outliers on changes experienced by the clusters at successive time points. The results demonstrate that outliers have a significant impact on cluster evolution, and appropriate outlier handling techniques are necessary to obtain reliable clustering results. The findings of this study provide useful insights for practitioners and researchers in the field of stream clustering and can help guide the development of more robust and accurate stream clustering algorithms.
Physics-regularized neural networks for predictive modeling of silicon carbide swelling with limited experimental data
Authors: Kobayashi Kazuma , Alam Syed Bahauddin
Published: December 2024

This study introduces a physics-regularized neural network (PRNN) as a computational approach to predict silicon carbide’s (SiC) swelling under irradiation, particularly at high temperatures. The PRNN model combines physics-based regularization with neural network methodologies to generalize the behavior of SiC, even in conditions beyond the traditional empirical model’s valid range. This approach ensures continuity and accuracy in SiC behavior predictions in extreme environments. A key aspect of this research is using nested cross-validation to ensure robustness and generalizability. The PRNN model effectively bridges empirical and sparse experimental data by integrating prior knowledge and refined tuning procedures. It demonstrates its SiC’s predictive power in high-irradiation conditions essential for nuclear and aerospace applications.
A cross-sectional study of physical activity and chronic diseases among middle-aged and elderly in China
Authors: Huang Yongyu , Lu Zuosheng
Published: December 2024

Regular physical activity is beneficial for both physical and mental health. However, studies on physical activity levels among middle-aged and elderly individuals in China are relatively scarce, and the association between different activity levels and certain chronic diseases remains unclear. Using cross-sectional data from the 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this study describes the prevalence of chronic diseases and examines their associations with physical activity (PA). Participants self-reported the presence of fifteen chronic health conditions: hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung diseases, liver disease, heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, stomach diseases, emotional and mental issues, memory-related diseases, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis or rheumatism, and asthma. Total physical activity was assessed through self-reports using instruments similar to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the association between chronic diseases and PA. In China, more than one-sixth of middle-aged and elderly individuals do not meet physical activity guidelines. Compared to those with low PA, individuals with moderate PA were associated with a lower prevalence of four chronic diseases (heart disease, stroke, emotional and mental issues, asthma), while those with high PA were associated with a lower prevalence of nine chronic diseases (hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, cancer, heart attack, stroke, emotional and mental issues, memory-related diseases, asthma). Higher physical activity levels are associated with lower odds of chronic diseases. These associations between physical activity and various chronic diseases are inconsistent. Future research should employ cohort or experimental studies to determine the causal relationships between physical activity and the prevalence of different chronic diseases.
Properties of the major Zn2+-binding site of human alpha-fetoprotein, a potential foetal plasma zinc carrier
Authors: Lu Jin , Hierons Stephen J. , Arya Swati , Fritzen Remi , Polepalli Sirilata , Khazaipoul Siavash , Stewart Alan J. , Blindauer Claudia A.
Published: December 2024

The foetal plasma protein alpha-fetoprotein harbours a strong Zn2+ binding site (KD = 1.9 × 10−8 M), supporting the hypothesis of a role in foetal zinc homeostasis.
Helical ammonium halide framework constituting polar conglomerate crystals of 2-ethylanilinium chloride
Authors: Tashiro Shohei
Published: December 2024

Crystallization of 2-ethylanilinium chloride produces chiral and polar fibrous crystals composed of a helical ammonium halide framework.
Benzoimidazole-2-one based macrocyclic arenes: synthesis, and solvent-induced structural changes
Authors: Zeng Fei , Tang Lin-Li , Wang Jian-Hao , Sun Bin , Ding Man-Hua , Li Qin-Chun
Published: December 2024

Benzoimidazole-2-one based macrocyclic arenes 1 and 2 were conveniently synthesized and their structural changes induced by the solvent were demonstrated.
On the rate constant for reactions between ions in solution: a simple unification of the Born and Debye–Hückel models
Authors: Henriksen Niels E.
Published: December 2024

The rate of reaction between ions in solution depends on solvent properties like permittivity and ionic strength.
Controllable spin rectification behavior of vertical and lateral VSe2/WSe2 heterojunction Schottky diodes
Authors: Liu Xianghe , Chen Hui , Li Yuxuan , Mao Yuliang
Published: December 2024

Heterojunctions (HJs) based on two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides are considered promising candidates for next-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Diverse reactivity of a cationic N-heterocyclic phosphenium complex towards anionic substrates – substitution vs. reduction
Authors: Feil Christoph M. , Goerigk Florian , Stöckl Yannick , Nieger Martin , Gudat Dietrich
Published: December 2024

A cationic NHP complex of iron exhibits a broader reactivity spectrum towards anions than its neutral analogues. Key reaction pathways include nucleophilic attack at P, reductive decarbonylation, or CH-bond metalation, respectively.
Interface design based on strain isolation theory with an optimized neutral mechanical plane enables highly ductile and flexible organic photovoltaics
Authors: Zeng Shumin , Li Haojie , Liu Siqi , Xue Tangyue , Zhang Kai , Hu Lin , Cai Zheren , Cui Yongting , Wang Hanlin , Zhang Meng , Hu Xiaotian , Ye Long , Song Yanlin , Chen Yiwang
Published: December 2024

The neutral mechanical plane design can improve the mechanical properties of PEDOT:PSS film and FOSCs. A twistable organic photovoltaic module that is the first to be evaluated for mechanical stability and has a PCE of more than 14%.
Enhanced power density in zero-vacuum-gap thermophotovoltaic devices
Authors: Habibi Mohammad , Yelishala Sai C. , Zhu Yunxuan , Tervo Eric J. , Steiner Myles A. , Cui Longji
Published: December 2024

Adding an infrared transparent spacer to far-field thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices boosts power density. This scalable zero-gap design surpasses vacuum blackbody limit and achieves performance comparable to near-field TPV with nanoscale gaps.
Nano zinc oxide activates MdCDF2 to promote DNA replication and cell proliferation in apple calli
Authors: Yi Yuxiao , Li Xiaowei , Wang Qing , Guo Tongtong , Xie Changjian , Yang Fengtang , Xu Jianing
Published: December 2024

The molecular mechanism of how ZnO NPs activate MdCDF2 to promote the growth of apple calli.
Removal of lithium from aqueous solutions by precipitation with sodium and choline alkanoate soaps
Authors: Raiguel Stijn , Avdibegović Dženita , Binnemans Koen
Published: December 2024

The possibilities and limitations of the use of sodium and choline soaps to remove lithium from wastewater were investigated. Very low residual concentrations are possible if conditions are met.
Probing hyperconjugative aromaticity of cyclopentadiene and pyrroliums containing groups 13, 15, and 16 substituents
Authors: Xu Fangzhou , Su Jiaying , Yan Jun , Qiu Zijie , Zhu Jun
Published: December 2024

Theoretical calculations demonstrate that group 13 substituents can induce hyperconjugative aromaticity whereas groups 15 and 16 substituents result in nonaromaticity due to their high electronegativity in most cases.