bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Legal Pluralism, Arbitration, and State Formation: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia's Quaker Court, 1682–1772
Authors: Sahle Esther
Published: October 2023

Legal centralization in British America was characterized by the passing of arbitration from the community level to the colonial courts. As a consequence, when the 1765 Stamp Act raised the cost of court business, colonists were at a loss for alternatives. This paper addresses the question of why, at this point, colonists did not return to earlier, non-state forms of arbitration. It offers an explanation by providing a detailed empirical study of an alternative American legal forum: the Philadelphia Quaker monthly meeting. While busy arbitrating disputes in the early colonial period, it declined from around 1720. Contrary to what might be expected, this decline was not the consequence of state efforts to marginalize competing institutions. Rather, the local Quaker population abandoned their community legal forum in favor of the public courts. This was likely due to the Quaker court's reliance on reputation-based instruments for enforcement. As Philadelphia's population grew, the meeting's practice of pressuring culprits into compliance through public shaming lost its edge. Accordingly, Friends moved their legal business to the public courts. The paper contributes to the debates on the legal pluralism of empires, the history of arbitration, and state formation in the Atlantic.
Communicating the best available science to inform Antarctic policy and management: a practical introduction for researchers
Authors: Hughes Kevin A. , Lowther Andrew , Gilbert Neil , Waluda Claire M. , Lee Jasmine R.
Published: October 2023

Communication at the science-policy interface can be bewildering not only for early-career researchers, but also for many within the research community. In the context of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, decision-makers operating within the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) aspire to use the best available science as a basis for their decision-making. Therefore, to maximize the impact of Antarctic Treaty Parties' substantial investment in southern polar research, researchers wishing to contribute to policy and management must understand 1) how their work relates to and can potentially inform Antarctic and/or global policy and 2) the available mechanisms by which their research can be communicated to decision-makers. Recognizing these needs, we describe the main legal instruments relevant to Antarctic governance (primarily the ATS) and the associated meetings and stakeholders that contribute to policy development for the region. We highlight effective mechanisms by which Antarctic researchers may communicate their science into the policy realm, including through National Delegations or the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and we detail the key contemporary topics of interest to decision-makers, including those issues where further research is needed. Finally, we describe challenges at the Antarctic science-policy interface that may potentially slow or halt policy development.
Patterns of resilient functioning in early life: Identifying distinct groups and associated factors
Authors: Cahill Stephanie , Hager Reinmar , Shryane Nick
Published: October 2023

Resilience, the capacity to maintain or regain functionality in the face of adversity, is a dynamic process influenced by individual, familial, and community factors. Despite its variability, distinct resilience trajectories can be identified within populations, yet the predictors defining these distinct groups remains largely unclear. Here, using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ages 0-18), we quantify resilience as the remaining variance in psychosocial functioning after taking into account the exposure to adversity. Growth mixture modeling identified seven distinct resilience trajectories, with over half of the study population maintaining resilience throughout early life. Factors increasing the likelihood of resilient trajectory membership included a less emotional temperament, high cognitive abilities, high self-esteem, low levels of autistic social traits, strong sibling relationships, high maternal care, and positive school experiences. Among the socioeconomic factors considered, maternal education – a significant indicator of socioeconomic status – and birth-order were associated with resilient trajectories. Our findings underscore the importance of fostering cognitive abilities, self-esteem, social relationships, positive school experiences, and extracurricular engagement to bolster resilience in adversity-exposed individuals and communities. This research informs resilience-focused interventions in mental health, education, and social policy sectors, and prompts further exploration of socioeconomic influences on resilience trajectories.
Percutaneous treatment of an iatrogenic femoral arteriovenous fistula from an accessory arterial branch: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Srivatsav Ashwin , Eilers Lindsay , Montero Miguel , Stapleton Gary
Published: October 2023

Vascular access-related complications are an important consideration in patients undergoing cardiac catheterisation. Patients with CHD are increasingly undergoing percutaneous treatment for suitable procedures as an alternative, less invasive option to surgical intervention. As such, recognition and treatment of these complications are becoming increasingly important. We present a case of a patient with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot who developed a femoral arteriovenous fistula and femoral artery pseudoaneurysm arising from an accessory arterial branch following percutaneous Harmony valve implantation, both of which were treated endovascularly with placement of a stent.
Emotion effects in second language processing: Evidence from eye movements in natural sentence reading
Authors: Tang Enze , Ding Hongwei
Published: October 2023

There exists insufficient eye-tracking evidence on the differences in emotional word processing between the first language (L1) and second language (L2) readers. This study conducted an eye-tracking experiment to investigate the emotional effects in L2 sentence reading, and to explore the modulation of L2 proficiency and individual emotional states. Adapted from Knickerbocker et al. (2015), the current study recorded eye movements at both early and late processing stages when late Chinese–English bilinguals read emotion-label and neutral target words in natural L2 sentences. Results indicated that L2 readers did not show the facilitation effects of lexical affective connotations during sentence reading, and they even demonstrated processing disadvantages for L2 emotional words. Additionally, the interaction effect between L2 proficiency and emotion was consistently significant for the measure of total reading time in positive words. Measurements of participants’ depressive and anxious states were not robustly correlated with eye movement measures. Our findings supplemented new evidence to existing sparse eye-tracking experiments on L2 emotion processing, and lent support to several theoretical frameworks in the bilingual research field, including the Emotional Contexts of Learning Theory, Lexical Quality Hypothesis and Revised Hierarchical Model.
TORIC REFLECTION GROUPS
Authors: GOBET THOMAS
Published: October 2023

Several finite complex reflection groups have a braid group that is isomorphic to a torus knot group. The reflection group is obtained from the torus knot group by declaring meridians to have order k for some
$k\geq 2$
, and meridians are mapped to reflections. We study all possible quotients of torus knot groups obtained by requiring meridians to have finite order. Using the theory of J-groups of Achar and Aubert [‘On rank 2 complex reflection groups’, Comm. Algebra36(6) (2008), 2092–2132], we show that these groups behave like (in general, infinite) complex reflection groups of rank two. The large family of ‘toric reflection groups’ that we obtain includes, among others, all finite complex reflection groups of rank two with a single conjugacy class of reflecting hyperplanes, as well as Coxeter’s truncations of the
$3$
-strand braid group. We classify these toric reflection groups and explain why the corresponding torus knot group can be naturally considered as its braid group. In particular, this yields a new infinite family of reflection-like groups admitting braid groups that are Garside groups. Moreover, we show that a toric reflection group has cyclic center by showing that the quotient by the center is isomorphic to the alternating subgroup of a Coxeter group of rank three. To this end we use the fact that the center of the alternating subgroup of an irreducible, infinite Coxeter group of rank at least three is trivial. Several ingredients of the proofs are purely Coxeter-theoretic, and might be of independent interest.
– MULTIPLIERS ON COMMUTATIVE HYPERGROUPS
Authors: KUMAR VISHVESH , RUZHANSKY MICHAEL
Published: October 2023

The main purpose of this paper is to prove Hörmander’s$L^p$–$L^q$boundedness of Fourier multipliers on commutative hypergroups. We carry out this objective by establishing the Paley inequality and Hausdorff–Young–Paley inequality for commutative hypergroups. We show the$L^p$–$L^q$boundedness of the spectral multipliers for the generalised radial Laplacian by examining our results on Chébli–Trimèche hypergroups. As a consequence, we obtain embedding theorems and time asymptotics for the$L^p$–$L^q$norms of the heat kernel for generalised radial Laplacian.
Explaining the allocation of legislative specialization
Authors: Ponce Aldo F.
Published: October 2023

This article explains why there is important variation in the degree of concentration of legislative specialization across legislative parties. Greater concentration of legislative specialization leads parties to concentrate their legislative efforts on a smaller set of policy jurisdictions. Through enhancing their concentration of legislative specialization in certain policy areas, parties might more clearly signal their policy concerns and interests to voters. This study argues and shows that party size alters the concentration of legislative specialization. In particular, I find that a U-shaped curve defines the relationship between party size and the degree of concentration of legislative specialization: niche parties and the largest parties choose higher levels of concentration of legislative specialization.
Psychiatrische Pflege zur Geltung bringen
Authors: Klie Thomas , Witzmann Markus
Published: October 2023

Das Pflegeberufegesetz (PflBG), das erstmals Vorbehaltsaufgaben zugesteht, stellt professionell Pflegende vor eine Aufgabe. Thomas Klie und Markus Witzmann haben grundlegende Informationen in einem ersten Beitrag geliefert. Mit dem vorliegenden Artikel geht es um die Bedeutung der Vorbehaltsaufgaben in der psychiatrischen Pflege im Speziellen.
Pervasive Permafrost Thaw Exacerbates Future Risk of Water Shortage Across the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Wang Taihua , Yang Dawen , Yang Yuting , Zheng Guanheng , Jin Huijun , Li Xin , Yao Tandong , Cheng Guodong
Published: October 2023

Rivers originating from the Tibetan Plateau (TP) provide water to more than 1 billion people living downstream. Almost 40% of the TP is currently underlain by permafrost, which serves as both an ice reserve and a flow barrier and is expected to degrade drastically in a warming climate. The hydrological impacts of permafrost thaw across the TP, however, remain poorly understood. Here, we quantify the permafrost change on the TP over 1980–2100 and evaluate its hydrological impacts using a physically‐based cryospheric‐hydrological model at a high spatial resolution. Using the ensemble mean of 38 models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), the near‐surface permafrost area and the total ground ice storage are projected to decrease by 86.4% and 61.6% during 2020–2100 under a high‐emission scenario, respectively. The lowering of the permafrost table and removal of permafrost as a flow barrier would enhance infiltration and raise subsurface storage capacity. The diminished water supply from ground ice melt and enhanced subsurface storage capacity could jointly reduce annual runoff and lead to exacerbated regional water shortage when facing future droughts. If the most severe 10‐year drought in the historical period occurs again in the future, the annual river runoff will further decrease by 9.7% and 11.3% compared with the historical dry period due to vanishing cryosphere in the source area of Yellow and Yangtze River. Our findings highlight the importance to get prepared for the additional water shortage risks caused by pervasive permafrost thaw in future water resources management across the TP.
Pitch Angle Distributions of Energetic Particles Near Callisto
Authors: Krupp N. , Roussos E. , Fränz M. , Kollmann P. , Paranicas C. , Clark G. , Khurana K. , Galli A.
Published: October 2023

The Galileo spacecraft performed close flybys of the moon Callisto between 1996 and 2001. We reanalyzed particle data of the energetic particles detector onboard Galileo and derived pitch angle distributions in the energy range of several keV to MeV during Callisto flybys C3, C9, C10, and C30. We establish that field‐aligned beams observed during the flyby periods are more likely to originate from Callisto's magnetospheric interaction rather than by independent magnetospheric processes. These beams are prominent only during flyby C3, they come mainly from the North, and connect the moon and the ionosphere of Jupiter. For short intervals they have also been observed propagating from the South. The beams are regularly unidirectional and typically extend to 300 keV in energy, occasionally reaching above 600 keV. Energetic particle depletions in Callisto's wake during the downstream flybys are not at all obvious, even at low altitudes and in the wake center. The signature of the wake becomes more apparent when energetic particle observations are organized in pitch angle. In that case, pitch angle distribution minima at 90 deg can be discerned in some flybys, however, not always associated with a profound drop in the absolute signal intensity. They instead indicate that field‐aligned particle flux within the wake is higher. Outside the wake these minima continue in an energy‐dependent disturbed region toward Jupiter which seems to be at least partially collocated with Alfvén‐wing structures as predicted from magnetohydrodynamic simulation results or simple flyby geometry considerations.
GaAs-chip-based mid-infrared supercontinuum generation
Authors: Granger Geoffroy , Bailly Myriam , Delahaye Hugo , Jimenez Cristian , Tiliouine Idris , Leventoux Yann , Orlianges Jean-Christophe , Couderc Vincent , Gérard Bruno , Becheker Rezki , Idlahcen Said , Godin Thomas , Hideur Ammar , Grisard Arnaud , Lallier Eric , Février Sébastien
Published: October 2023

The mid-infrared spectral region opens up new possibilities for applications such as molecular spectroscopy with high spatial and frequency resolution. For example, the mid-infrared light provided by synchrotron sources has helped for early diagnosis of several pathologies. However, alternative light sources at the table-top scale would enable better access to these state-of-the-art characterizations, eventually speeding up research in biology and medicine. Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in highly nonlinear waveguides pumped by compact fiber lasers represents an appealing alternative to synchrotrons. Here, we introduce orientation-patterned gallium arsenide waveguides as a new versatile platform for mid-infrared supercontinuum generation. Waveguides and fiber-based pump lasers are optimized in tandem to allow for the group velocities of the signal and the idler waves to match near the degeneracy point. This configuration exacerbates supercontinuum generation from 4 to 9 µm when waveguides are pumped at 2750 nm with few-nanojoule energy pulses. The brightness of the novel mid-infrared source exceeds that of the third-generation synchrotron source by a factor of 20. We also show that the nonlinear dynamics is strongly influenced by the choice of waveguide and laser parameters, thus offering an additional degree of freedom in tailoring the spectral profile of the generated light. Such an approach then opens new paths for high-brightness mid-infrared laser sources development for high-resolution spectroscopy and imaging. Furthermore, thanks to the excellent mechanical and thermal properties of the waveguide material, further power scaling seems feasible, allowing for the generation of watt-level ultra-broad frequency combs in the mid-infrared.
Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus viral protein kinase augments cell survival
Authors: Wu Xin-Jun , Zhang Zhigang , Wong Jason P. , Rivera-Soto Ricardo , White Maria C. , Rai Aryan A. , Damania Blossom
Published: October 2023

Oncogenic viruses have developed various strategies to antagonize cell death and maintain lifelong persistence in their host, a relationship that may contribute to cancer development. Understanding how viruses inhibit cell death is essential for understanding viral oncogenesis. Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is associated with three different cancers in the human population, including Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), the most common cancer in HIV patients. Previous studies have indicated that the KSHV-encoded viral protein kinase (vPK) impacts many processes dysregulated in tumorigenesis. Here, we report that vPK protects cells from apoptosis mediated by Caspase-3. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) expressing vPK (HUVEC-vPK) have a survival advantage over control HUVEC under conditions of extrinsic- and intrinsic-mediated apoptosis. Abolishing the catalytic activity of vPK attenuated this survival advantage. We found that KSHV vPK-expressing HUVECs exhibited increased activation of cellular AKT kinase, a cell survival kinase, compared to control cells without vPK. In addition, we report that vPK directly binds the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of AKT1 but not AKT2 or AKT3. Treatment of HUVEC-vPK cells with a pan-AKT inhibitor Miransertib (ARQ 092) reduced the overall phosphorylation of AKT, resulting in the cleavage of Caspase-3 and the induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, vPK expression activated VEGF/VEGFR2 in HUVECs and promoted angiogenesis through the AKT pathway. vPK expression also inhibited the cytotoxicity of cisplatin in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that vPK’s ability to augment cell survival and promote angiogenesis is critically dependent on AKT signaling, which is relevant for future therapies for treating KSHV-associated cancers.
MacroH2A1.1 as a crossroad between epigenetics, inflammation and metabolism of mesenchymal stromal cells in myelodysplastic syndromes
Authors: Giallongo C. , Dulcamare I. , Giallongo S. , Duminuco A. , Pieragostino D. , Cufaro M. C. , Amorini A. M. , Lazzarino G. , Romano A. , Parrinello N. , Di Rosa M. , Broggi G. , Caltabiano R. , Caraglia M. , Scrima M. , Pasquale L. S. , Tathode M. S. , Li Volti G. , Motterlini R. , Di Raimondo F. , Tibullo D. , Palumbo G. A.
Published: October 2023

Ineffective hematopoiesis is a hallmark of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Hematopoietic alterations in MDS patients strictly correlate with microenvironment dysfunctions, eventually affecting also the mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) compartment. Stromal cells are indeed epigenetically reprogrammed to cooperate with leukemic cells and propagate the disease as “tumor unit”; therefore, changes in MSC epigenetic profile might contribute to the hematopoietic perturbations typical of MDS. Here, we unveil that the histone variant macroH2A1 (mH2A1) regulates the crosstalk between epigenetics and inflammation in MDS-MSCs, potentially affecting their hematopoietic support ability. We show that the mH2A1 splicing isoform mH2A1.1 accumulates in MDS-MSCs, correlating with the expression of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), an important pro-tumor activator of MSC phenotype associated to a pro-inflammatory behavior. MH2A1.1-TLR4 axis was further investigated in HS-5 stromal cells after ectopic mH2A1.1 overexpression (mH2A1.1-OE). Proteomic data confirmed the activation of a pro-inflammatory signature associated to TLR4 and nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) activation. Moreover, mH2A1.1-OE proteomic profile identified several upregulated proteins associated to DNA and histones hypermethylation, including S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, a strong inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase and of the methyl donor S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM). HPLC analysis confirmed higher SAM/SAH ratio along with a metabolic reprogramming. Interestingly, an increased LDHA nuclear localization was detected both in mH2A1.1-OE cells and MDS-MSCs, probably depending on MSC inflammatory phenotype. Finally, coculturing healthy mH2A1.1-OE MSCs with CD34+cells, we found a significant reduction in the number of CD34+cells, which was reflected in a decreased number of colony forming units (CFU-Cs). These results suggest a key role of mH2A1.1 in driving the crosstalk between epigenetic signaling, inflammation, and cell metabolism networks in MDS-MSCs.
Autonomous self-healing organic crystals for nonlinear optics
Authors: Mondal Saikat , Tanari Pratap , Roy Samrat , Bhunia Surojit , Chowdhury Rituparno , Pal Arun K. , Datta Ayan , Pal Bipul , Reddy C. Malla
Published: October 2023

Non-centrosymmetric molecular crystals have a plethora of applications, such as piezoelectric transducers, energy storage and nonlinear optical materials owing to their unique structural order which is absent in other synthetic materials. As most crystals are brittle, their efficiency declines upon prolonged usage due to fatigue or catastrophic failure, limiting their utilities. Some natural substances, like bone, enamel, leaf and skin, function efficiently, last a life-time, thanks to their inherent self-healing nature. Therefore, incorporating self-healing ability in crystalline materials will greatly broaden their scope. Here, we report single crystals of a dibenzoate derivative, capable of self-healing within milliseconds via autonomous actuation. Systematic quantitative experiments reveal the limit of mechanical forces that the self-healing crystals can withstand. As a proof-of-concept, we also demonstrate that our self-healed crystals can retain their second harmonic generation (SHG) with high efficiency. Kinematic analysis of the actuation in our system also revealed its impressive performance parameters, and shows actuation response times in the millisecond range.
Unveiling the spatially confined oxidation processes in reactive electrochemical membranes
Authors: Kang Yuyang , Gu Zhenao , Ma Baiwen , Zhang Wei , Sun Jingqiu , Huang Xiaoyang , Hu Chengzhi , Choi Wonyong , Qu Jiuhui
Published: October 2023

Electrocatalytic oxidation offers opportunities for sustainable environmental remediation, but it is often hampered by the slow mass transfer and short lives of electro-generated radicals. Here, we achieve a four times higher kinetic constant (18.9 min−1) for the oxidation of 4-chlorophenol on the reactive electrochemical membrane by reducing the pore size from 105 to 7 μm, with the predominate mechanism shifting from hydroxyl radical oxidation to direct electron transfer. More interestingly, such an enhancement effect is largely dependent on the molecular structure and its sensitivity to the direct electron transfer process. The spatial distributions of reactant and hydroxyl radicals are visualized via multiphysics simulation, revealing the compressed diffusion layer and restricted hydroxyl radical generation in the microchannels. This study demonstrates that both the reaction kinetics and the electron transfer pathway can be effectively regulated by the spatial confinement effect, which sheds light on the design of cost-effective electrochemical platforms for water purification and chemical synthesis.
Reprogramming of cis-regulatory networks during skeletal muscle atrophy in male mice
Authors: Lin Hongchun , Peng Hui , Sun Yuxiang , Si Meijun , Wu Jiao , Wang Yanlin , Thomas Sandhya S. , Sun Zheng , Hu Zhaoyong
Published: October 2023

A comprehensive atlas of cis-regulatory elements and their dynamic activity is necessary to understand the transcriptional basis of cellular structure maintenance, metabolism, and responses to the environment. Here we show, using matched single-nucleus chromatin accessibility and RNA-sequencing from juvenile male C57BL6 mice, an atlas of accessible chromatin regions in both normal and denervated skeletal muscles. We identified cell-type-specific cis-regulatory networks, highlighting the dynamic regulatory circuits mediating transitions between myonuclear types. Through comparison of normal and perturbed muscle, we delineated the reprogramming of cis-regulatory networks in response to denervation, described the interplay of promoters/enhancers and target genes. We further unveil a hierarchical structure of transcription factors that delineate a regulatory network in atrophic muscle, identifying ELK4 as a key atrophy-related transcription factor that instigates muscle atrophy through TGF-β1 regulation. This study furnishes a rich genomic resource, essential for decoding the regulatory dynamics of skeletal muscle in both physiological and pathological states.
A DEAD-box helicase drives the partitioning of a pro-differentiation NAB protein into nuclear foci
Authors: Doi Akiko , Suarez Gianmarco D. , Droste Rita , Horvitz H. Robert
Published: October 2023

How cells regulate gene expression in a precise spatiotemporal manner during organismal development is a fundamental question in biology. Although the role of transcriptional condensates in gene regulation has been established, little is known about the function and regulation of these molecular assemblies in the context of animal development and physiology. Here we show that the evolutionarily conserved DEAD-box helicase DDX-23 controls cell fate inCaenorhabditis elegansby binding to and facilitating the condensation of MAB-10, theC. eleganshomolog of mammalian NGFI-A-binding (NAB) protein. MAB-10 is a transcriptional cofactor that functions with the early growth response (EGR) protein LIN-29 to regulate the transcription of genes required for exiting the cell cycle, terminal differentiation, and the larval-to-adult transition. We suggest that DEAD-box helicase proteins function more generally during animal development to control the condensation of NAB proteins important in cell identity and that this mechanism is evolutionarily conserved. In mammals, such a mechanism might underlie terminal cell differentiation and when dysregulated might promote cancerous growth.
Non-invasive current collectors for improved current-density distribution during CO2 electrolysis on super-hydrophobic electrodes
Authors: Iglesias van Montfort Hugo-Pieter , Li Mengran , Irtem Erdem , Abdinejad Maryam , Wu Yuming , Pal Santosh K. , Sassenburg Mark , Ripepi Davide , Subramanian Siddhartha , Biemolt Jasper , Rufford Thomas E. , Burdyny Thomas
Published: October 2023

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 presents an attractive way to store renewable energy in chemical bonds in a potentially carbon-neutral way. However, the available electrolyzers suffer from intrinsic problems, like flooding and salt accumulation, that must be overcome to industrialize the technology. To mitigate flooding and salt precipitation issues, researchers have used super-hydrophobic electrodes based on either expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) gas-diffusion layers (GDL’s), or carbon-based GDL’s with added PTFE. While the PTFE backbone is highly resistant to flooding, the non-conductive nature of PTFE means that without additional current collection the catalyst layer itself is responsible for electron-dispersion, which penalizes system efficiency and stability. In this work, we present operando results that illustrate that the current distribution and electrical potential distribution is far from a uniform distribution in thin catalyst layers (~50 nm) deposited onto ePTFE GDL’s. We then compare the effects of thicker catalyst layers (~500 nm) and a newly developed non-invasive current collector (NICC). The NICC can maintain more uniform current distributions with 10-fold thinner catalyst layers while improving stability towards ethylene (≥ 30%) by approximately two-fold.
Exploring the evidence of Middle Amazonian aquifer sedimentary outburst residues in a Martian chaotic terrain
Authors: Rodriguez J. Alexis P. , Wilhelm Mary Beth , Travis Bryan , Kargel Jeffrey S. , Zarroca Mario , Berman Daniel C. , Cohen Jacob , Baker Victor , Lopez Anthony , Buckner Denise
Published: October 2023

﻿The quest for past Martian life hinges on locating surface formations linked to ancient habitability. While Mars' surface is considered to have become cryogenic ~3.7 Ga, stable subsurface aquifers persisted long after this transition. Their extensive collapse triggered megafloods ~3.4 Ga, and the resulting outflow channel excavation generated voluminous sediment eroded from the highlands. These materials are considered to have extensively covered the northern lowlands. Here, we show evidence that a lacustrine sedimentary residue within Hydraotes Chaos formed due to regional aquifer upwelling and ponding into an interior basin. Unlike the northern lowland counterparts, its sedimentary makeup likely consists of aquifer-expelled materials, offering a potential window into the nature of Mars' subsurface habitability. Furthermore, the lake’s residue’s estimated age is ~1.1 Ga (~2.3 Ga post-peak aquifer drainage during the Late Hesperian), enhancing the prospects for organic matter preservation. This deposit’s inferred fine-grained composition, coupled with the presence of coexisting mud volcanoes and diapirs, suggest that its source aquifer existed within abundant subsurface mudstones, water ice, and evaporites, forming part of the region’s extremely ancient (~ 4 Ga) highland stratigraphy. Our numerical models suggest that magmatically induced phase segregation within these materials generated enormous water-filled chambers. The meltwater, originating from varying thermally affected mudstone depths, could have potentially harbored diverse biosignatures, which could have become concentrated within the lake’s sedimentary residue. Thus, we propose that Hydraotes Chaos merits priority consideration in future missions aiming to detect Martian biosignatures.
Screening obstructive sleep apnea patients via deep learning of knowledge distillation in the lateral cephalogram
Authors: Kim Min-Jung , Jeong Jiheon , Lee Jung-Wook , Kim In-Hwan , Park Jae-Woo , Roh Jae-Yon , Kim Namkug , Kim Su-Jung
Published: October 2023

The lateral cephalogram in orthodontics is a valuable screening tool on undetected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can lead to consequences of severe systematic disease. We hypothesized that a deep learning-based classifier might be able to differentiate OSA as anatomical features in lateral cephalogram. Moreover, since the imaging devices used by each hospital could be different, there is a need to overcome modality difference of radiography. Therefore, we proposed a deep learning model with knowledge distillation to classify patients into OSA and non-OSA groups using the lateral cephalogram and to overcome modality differences simultaneously. Lateral cephalograms of 500 OSA patients and 498 non-OSA patients from two different devices were included. ResNet-50 and ResNet-50 with a feature-based knowledge distillation models were trained and their performances of classification were compared. Through the knowledge distillation, area under receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and gradient-weighted class activation mapping of knowledge distillation model exhibits high performance without being deceived by features caused by modality differences. By checking the probability values predicting OSA, an improvement in overcoming the modality differences was observed, which could be applied in the actual clinical situation.
Synthesis, characterization and application of oligomeric proanthocyanidin-rich dual network hydrogels
Authors: Song Jie , Zhang Shuyu , Du Liuping , Gao Chong , Xie Longyue , Shi Yu , Su Ling , Ma Yanli , Ren Shixue
Published: October 2023

A structurally dense hydrogel, with strong hydrogen bonding networks, was formed from poly(vinyl alcohol), sodium alginate, and oligomeric proanthocyanidins, using a combination of freeze–thaw cycles and calcium ion cross-linking. The structure of the hydrogel was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Mechanical testing and thermogravimetric analysis showed that incorporation of proanthocyanidins enhanced both the mechanical properties and the thermal stability of the hydrogel. The hydrogel was also demonstrated to have excellent ultraviolet resistance and antioxidant properties. The hydrogel was further shown that this hydrogel is also capable of generating electrochemical reactions, which strongly suggests that this hydrogel has exciting potential in many fields.
Spinal afferent innervation in flat-mounts of the rat stomach: anterograde tracing
Authors: Ma Jichao , Nguyen Duyen , Madas Jazune , Kwiat Andrew M. , Toledo Zulema , Bizanti Ariege , Kogut Nicole , Mistareehi Anas , Bendowski Kohlton , Zhang Yuanyuan , Chen Jin , Li De-Pei , Powley Terry L. , Furness John B. , Cheng Zixi
Published: October 2023

The dorsal root ganglia (DRG) project spinal afferent axons to the stomach. However, the distribution and morphology of spinal afferent axons in the stomach have not been well characterized. In this study, we used a combination of state-of-the-art techniques, including anterograde tracer injection into the left DRG T7-T11, avidin–biotin and Cuprolinic Blue labeling, Zeiss M2 Imager, and Neurolucida to characterize spinal afferent axons in flat-mounts of the whole rat stomach muscular wall. We found that spinal afferent axons innervated all regions with a variety of distinct terminal structures innervating different gastric targets: (1) The ganglionic type: some axons formed varicose contacts with individual neurons within myenteric ganglia. (2) The muscle type: most axons ran in parallel with the longitudinal and circular muscles and expressed spherical varicosities. Complex terminal structures were observed within the circular muscle layer. (3) The ganglia-muscle mixed type: some individual varicose axons innervated both myenteric neurons and the circular muscle, exhibiting polymorphic terminal structures. (4) The vascular type: individual varicose axons ran along the blood vessels and occasionally traversed the vessel wall. This work provides a foundation for future topographical anatomical and functional mapping of spinal afferent axon innervation of the stomach under normal and pathophysiological conditions.
Concurrent and lagged physiological synchrony during mother–child interaction and their relationship to positive affect in 8- to 10-year-old children
Authors: Capraz Yasemin Zehra , Konrad Kerstin , Reindl Vanessa
Published: October 2023

Mother–child interaction has been characterized by a fine-tuning of behavior and physiological activity. Yet, little is known about the dynamics of mother–child physiological synchrony during early school age and their associations to positive affect. To investigate these processes, 42 mother–child dyads, with children aged 8 to 10 years, played an interactive game while their interbeat intervals (IBI) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were measured simultaneously. IBI/RSA synchrony was calculated using cross-correlations of the IBI/RSA second-by-second time series for lags − 3 to + 3 seconds. Mother’s and child’s individual and shared positive affect were microcoded. During the interactive tasks, IBI and RSA synchrony significantly increased compared to control conditions. RSA and affect synchrony were significantly stronger for negative compared to positive lags indicating a stronger child leads/mother follows covariation. Further, dyad’s IBI and RSA synchrony were significantly associated to mother’s and child’s individual positive affect. Our data suggest that in low-risk community samples, mothers may respond to their children’s positive affect by matching their own affect and physiology. Investigating these temporally precise, concurrent and lagged synchrony processes may open up new avenues for understanding the ways in which parent–child interactions contribute to child developmental outcomes.
A Markov-model simulation of IVF programs for PCOS patients indicates that coupling myo-Inositol with rFSH is cost-effective for the Italian Health System
Authors: Beresniak Ariel , Russo Michele , Forte Gianpiero , Laganà Antonio Simone , Oliva Mario Montanino , Aragona Cesare , Chiantera Vito , Unfer Vittorio
Published: October 2023

Accumulating evidence suggests that oral supplementation with myo-Inositol (myo-Ins) is able to reduce the amount of gonadotropins and days of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COS) necessary to achieve adequate oocyte maturation in assisted reproduction technology (ART) protocols, particularly in women affected by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We used computational calculations based on simulation modellings. We simulated in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures—with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)—with 100,000 virtual patients, accounting for all the stages of the entire IVF procedure. A Monte Carlo technique was used to account for data uncertainty and to generate the outcome distribution at each stage. We considered virtual patients with PCOS undergoing IVF cycles to achieve pregnancy. Computational data were retrieved from clinical experience and published data. We investigated three parameters related to ART protocols: cost of single procedure; efficacy to achieve ongoing pregnancy at 12 gestational weeks; overall cost per single pregnancy. The administration of oral myo-Ins during COH protocols, compared to the standard COH with recombinant Follicle Stimulating Hormone (rFSH) only, may be considered a potential strategy to reduce costs of ART for the Italian Health System.
Goodness-of-fit testing for meta-analysis of rare binary events
Authors: Zhang Ming , Xiao Olivia Y. , Lim Johan , Wang Xinlei
Published: October 2023

Random-effects (RE) meta-analysis is a crucial approach for combining results from multiple independent studies that exhibit heterogeneity. Recently, two frequentist goodness-of-fit (GOF) tests were proposed to assess the fit of RE model. However, they tend to perform poorly when assessing rare binary events. Under a general binomial-normal framework, we propose a novel GOF test for the meta-analysis of rare events. Our method is based on pivotal quantities that play an important role in Bayesian model assessment. It further adopts the Cauchy combination idea proposed in a 2019 JASA paper, to combine dependent p-values computed using posterior samples from Markov Chain Monte Carlo. The advantages of our method include clear conception and interpretation, incorporation of all data including double zeros without the need for artificial correction, well-controlled Type I error, and generally improved ability in detecting model misfits compared to previous GOF methods. We illustrate the proposed method via simulation and three real data applications.
Variational quantum metrology for multiparameter estimation under dephasing noise
Authors: Le Trung Kien , Nguyen Hung Q. , Ho Le Bin
Published: October 2023

We present a hybrid quantum-classical variational scheme to enhance precision in quantum metrology. In the scheme, both the initial state and the measurement basis in the quantum part are parameterized and optimized via the classical part. It enables the maximization of information gained about the measured quantity. We discuss specific applications to 3D magnetic field sensing under several dephasing noise models. Indeed, we demonstrate its ability to simultaneously estimate all parameters and surpass the standard quantum limit, making it a powerful tool for metrological applications.
Impact of GSM-EMW exposure on the markers of oxidative stress in fetal rat liver
Authors: Salameh Mariam , Zeitoun-Ghandour Sukaina , Sabra Lina , Daher Ahmad , Khalil Mahmoud , Joumaa Wissam H.
Published: October 2023

The current study investigated the effects of 24 h/day prenatal exposure to global system for mobile communication electromagnetic fields (GSM-EMFs), 900 MHZ-induced electromagnetic radiation (EMR), on oxidative stress (OS) status, apoptotic, and inflammatory changes in liver of rats during their fetal development period. Fifty-two Sprague–Dawley pregnant rats were equally divided into control and exposed groups. Whole embryos were removed at 7.5 dpc (days post coitus), while liver tissues were extracted from embryos at 11.5, 15.5, and 19.5 dpc. For exposed animals, results showed an increased OS reflected by high levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a decrease in cytosolic superoxide dismutase (cytoSOD) activity, in mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (mitoSOD) levels and catalase (CAT) mRNA expression but also in hepatic nuclear factor erythroïd 2-related Factor 2 (Nrf-2), protein kinase B (Akt1), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) mRNA expression at 15.5 dpc. Moreover, GSM-EMR exposure was shown to significantly decrease mitoSOD and CAT activities at almost all studied ages. Thus, rat embryos may be protected by their mothers from OS, apoptotic, and pro-inflammatory responses till a sensitive developmental stage, during a continuous prenatal EMR exposure. This protection could be then created from the embryos themselves.
Analysis of a non-integer order mathematical model for double strains of dengue and COVID-19 co-circulation using an efficient finite-difference method
Authors: Obiajulu Emeka F. , Omame Andrew , Inyama Simeon C. , Diala Uchenna H. , AlQahtani Salman A. , Al-Rakhami Mabrook S. , Alawwad Abdulaziz M. , Alotaibi Abdullilah A.
Published: October 2023

An efficient finite difference approach is adopted to analyze the solution of a novel fractional-order mathematical model to control the co-circulation of double strains of dengue and COVID-19. The model is primarily built on a non-integer Caputo fractional derivative. The famous fixed-point theorem developed by Banach is employed to ensure that the solution of the formulated model exists and is ultimately unique. The model is examined for stability around the infection-free equilibrium point analysis, and it was observed that it is stable (asymptotically) when the maximum reproduction number is strictly below unity. Furthermore, global stability analysis of the disease-present equilibrium is conducted via the direct Lyapunov method. The non-standard finite difference (NSFD) approach is adopted to solve the formulated model. Furthermore, numerical experiments on the model reveal that the trajectories of the infected compartments converge to the disease-present equilibrium when the basic reproduction number ($${\mathbb {R}}_0$$

R
0

) is greater than one and disease-free equilibrium when the basic reproduction number is less than one respectively. This convergence is independent of the fractional orders and assumed initial conditions. The paper equally emphasized the outcome of altering the fractional orders, infection and recovery rates on the disease patterns. Similarly, we also remarked the importance of some key control measures to curtail the co-spread of double strains of dengue and COVID-19.
Serious infection risk of tofacitinib compared to biologics in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated in routine clinical care
Authors: Riek Myriam , Scherer Almut , Möller Burkhard , Ciurea Adrian , von Mühlenen Ines , Gabay Cem , Kyburz Diego , Brulhart Laure , von Kempis Johannes , Mueller Ruediger B. , Hasler Paul , Strahm Tanja , von Känel Sabine , Zufferey Pascal , Dudler Jean , Finckh Axel
Published: October 2023

Recently, serious infections related to the use of tofacitinib (TOF) for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have raised considerable interest. This study aimed to compare the risk for serious infections in patients with RA upon receiving TOF versus biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) by age at treatment initiation. We identified adult RA patients exposed to TOF or bDMARDs using data collected by the Swiss registry for inflammatory rheumatic diseases (SCQM) from 2015 to 2018. The event of interest was the first non-fatal serious infection (SI) during drug exposure. Missing or incomplete SI dates were imputed as either the lower (left) or upper (right) limit of the known occurrence interval. The ratio of SI hazards (HR) of TOF versus bDMARDs was estimated as a function of age using covariate-adjusted Cox regression applied to each type of imputed time-to-SI. A total of 1687 patients provided time at risk for a first SI during study participation and drug exposure for 2238 different treatment courses, 345 for TOF and 1893 for bDMARDs. We identified 44 (left imputation) or 43 (right imputation), respectively, first SIs (12/12 on TOF versus 32/31 on bDMARDs). Left and right imputation produced similar results. For patients aged ≥ 69 years, the treatment HR started to be increased (lower limit of 95% confidence intervals (LLCIs) > 1). By the age of 76, the difference between TOF and bDMARDs started to be clinically relevant (LLCIs > 1.25). For patients aged < 65 years, the data were insufficient to draw conclusions. Our results suggest that we should expect an increased risk for SIs in older patients treated with TOF compared to bDMARDs supporting a cautious use of TOF in these patients.
The impact of the anthropause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on beach debris accumulation in Maui, Hawaiʻi
Authors: Currie Jens J. , Sullivan Florence A. , Beato Elizabeth , Machernis Abigail F. , Olson Grace L. , Stack Stephanie H.
Published: October 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions led to a considerable reduction in tourism and human activity on Maui, presenting a unique opportunity to study debris accumulation on local beaches during changing levels of human activities. Standardized daily debris accumulation surveys were completed at two beach sites in Maui, Hawai ‘i before (2017) as well as throughout the initial year of the pandemic (2020–2021) and allowed for the assessment of pandemic-related restrictions on marine debris accumulation trends. Throughout the pandemic, reduced beach use due to higher lockdown levels had significant impacts on debris accumulation at both sites, but only one of the two sites experienced a significant decrease (~ 90% reduction) in debris accumulation rates when compared to the same months in 2017. Daily accumulation rates across two sites increased from an average of 16 items/100 m during peak lockdown levels to 43 items/100 m when restrictions eased. The observed fluctuations in debris accumulation rates, driven by changes in tourism and travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic emphasize the importance of proactive measures to protect the natural environment, including source reduction and effective legislation for waste prevention. By addressing both local and remote sources of debris and focusing on reducing waste at its source, it is possible to mitigate the impacts of debris accumulation on coastal environments and marine life in Hawaiʻi.