bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Socioeconomic Status and Demographic Composition on Disaster Mortality: Community-Level Analysis for the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami
Authors: Miyazaki Takeshi
Published: December 2022

On 11 March 2011, the Tohoku tsunami hit the northeastern region of Japan, causing massive damage to people and property. The tsunami was bigger than any other in Japan’s recorded history, but the damage varied by community. This research addressed the effects of socioeconomic status and demographic composition on mortality in the 2011 Tohoku tsunami using community-level data. These effects were estimated using regression analysis, taking into account a variety of potential contributing aspects at the community level, including strength of the tsunami, population characteristics, gender, age, education, household composition, evacuation methods, and occupation. It was found that the height of the tsunami and the shares of three-generation households and employees in the manufacturing industry are all positively correlated with tsunami mortality. The impacts of these factors on mortality are particularly large for the older adults.
Social norms in digital spaces: Conflict reports and implications for technology design in the teleworking context
Authors: Diefenbach Sarah
Published: December 2022

With the increase of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, employees’ interactions with colleagues have shifted almost exclusively to digital channels. Hence, it is critical to understand the underpinnings of successful collaboration and individual wellbeing in digital working structures. Combining qualitative experience reports and quantitative surveys from 145 teleworkers, this study sheds light on teleworking from a psychological perspective, taking social norms as a conceptual frame. The qualitative reports revealed five types of typical conflicts related to communication in the telework context, including both (1) technical problems (e.g., a bad connection) and psychological aspects such as (2) uncertainty or a lack of social feedback, (3) norm violations, (4) a lack of rules or meta-communication about appropriate behavior, and (5) digital communication barriers. Respondents’ quantitative ratings of qualities of telework versus working on-site revealed benefits of telework regarding task fulfillment and efficiency, but lower levels of motivation, conflict management, leadership, team spirit, inspiration and creativity. Participants qualitative reports on perceived challenges in remote work conditions included feelings of loneliness and increased demands related to self-management, creating boundaries between private and working life, motivation and self-regulation. This paper connects these findings with theoretical concepts from psychology and human-computer interaction and discusses implications for leadership and technology design.

Practical Relevance: This article discusses practical implications for leadership and technology design, e.g., interventions against conflicts in the context of digital work.
Editorial Introduction: Migration und Religion
Authors: Müssig Stefanie , Pickel Gert
Published: December 2022

Trotz starker Säkularisierungsbewegungen behält das Thema Religion seit Jahren auch in Europa eine hohe Anziehungskraft und Öffentlichkeit. Diese resultiert vor allem aus dem Blick auf religiöse Pluralisierung und die Zunahme von Muslim:innen im Zusammenhang mit Migration. Dabei wird schnell deutlich, dass die Forschung zum Verhältnis von Migration und Religion noch genauso Lücken aufweist, wie die Bestimmung des Verhältnisses von Religion und Integration. Speziell die Reaktionen auf Migrationsprozesse, gesellschaftliche und politische, besitzen eine beachtliche Bedeutung für die Offenheit von Gesellschaften. Dieses näher zu erforschen hat sich die vorgelegte Special Section Religion und Migration vorgenommen, für die dieser Beitrag eine Einführung darstellt.
Approximation of rigid obstacle by highly viscous fluid
Authors: Malikova Sadokat
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we study the problem concerning the approximation of a rigid obstacle for flows governed by the stationary Navier–Stokes equations in the two-dimensional case. The idea is to consider a highly viscous fluid in the place of the obstacle. Formally, as the fluid viscosity goes to infinity inside the region occupied by the obstacle, we obtain the original problem in the limit. The main goal is to establish a better regularity of approximate solutions. In particular, the pointwise estimate for the gradient of the velocity is proved. We give numerical evidence that the penalized solution can reasonably approximate the problem, even for relatively small values of the penalty parameter.
How can Quality of Life be Achieved in a Sustainable Way? Perceptions of Swiss Rural Inhabitants
Authors: Wiesli Thea Xenia , Hammer Thomas
Published: December 2022

Rural regions in Europe are often structurally weaker than urban areas and are subject to strong socio-economic development. At the same time, they offer opportunities for a high quality of life and sustainability. The key question of this article is how quality of life in high-income countries can be achieved more sustainably. Little is known about the perception of the rural population itself on the reconciling of high quality of life with sustainability. Thus, based on a concept of sustainable quality of life, qualitative interviews with 90 rural residents were conducted to ask them which factors benefit sustainable quality of life. In the perception of the interview participants, a change in attitudes and values would be a starting point for shaping many other areas to enhance sustainable quality of life; social and legal norms should provide reference points for individuals and economic actors; infrastructure should support individuals in their ecological behaviour; and the economy should serve the common good. We derive four strands of recommendations for decision-makers from these results: the enhancement of education on applicable environmental behaviours, equal access to renewable energies and local productions and services.
Periostin promotes EMT via inhibition of RIN1-mediated endocytosis of EGFR in gliomas
Authors: Zhou Fengqi , Yu Tianfu , Xiao Fan , Wang Binbin , Tian Wei , Xu Ran , Zhao Xiaochun , Zeng Ailiang , Liu Ning , Wang Yingyi , You Yongping , Zhang Junxia
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Approximately 1/3 of brain tumors are gliomas. Previous glioma-related studies have reported increased expression of periostin (POSTN) in these cancerous tissues, but the role and mechanism of POSTN in glioma development remain unclear.

Methods

Nanoscale liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (nano LC–MS/MS) and RNA sequencing were used to identify differential protein and mRNA expression in clinical glioma samples. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT–PCR) was used to measure the expression of POSTN in tissues and cells. The effects of POSTN on glioma cell migration and invasion were examined using wound healing, Transwell, and three-dimensional spheroid assays in vitro and a nude mouse xenograft model in vivo. The effects of POSTN on the stability, endocytosis, and degradation of EGFR were examined by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence staining. Truncation mutation analysis was performed to investigate direct interactions between POSTN and EGFR. Immunohistochemical staining was carried out to confirm the clinical significance of POSTN.

Results

Overexpression of POSTN induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in glioma cells in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, POSTN downregulation inhibited EGFR signaling by promoting EGFR endocytosis and degradation. In addition, POSTN was found to bind to EGFR and RIN1, inhibiting EGFR endocytosis and degradation and thus activating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.

Conclusion

These findings indicate the mechanism by which the POSTN/EGFR/RIN1 axis inhibits EGFR endocytosis and degradation, resulting in glioma cell EMT through the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Targeting POSTN/EGFR/RIN1 interactions may guarantee beneficial outcomes of glioma treatment.
Decreased Heart Rate Variability in COVID-19
Authors: Yin Chengfen , Li Jianguo , Wang Zhiyong , Zhi Yongle , Xu Lei
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which primarily infects the lower airways and binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on alveolar epithelial cells. ACE2 is widely expressed not only in the lungs but also in the cardiovascular system. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 can also damage the myocardium. This report aimed to highlight decreased heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiac injury caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Materials and Methods

We evaluated three COVID-19 patients who died. Patients’ data were collected from electronic medical records. We collected patient’s information, including baseline information, lab results, body temperature, heart rate (HR), clinical outcome and other related data. We calculated the HRV and the difference between the expected and actual heart rate changes as the body temperature increased.

Results

As of March 14, 2020, 3 (2.2%) of 136 patients with COVID-19 in Tianjin died in the early stage of the COVID-19 epidemic. The immediate cause of death for Case 1, Case 2, and Case 3 was cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest and cardiac arrest, respectively. The HRV were substantially decreased in the whole course of all three cases. The actual increases in heart rate were 5 beats/min, 13 beats/min, and 4 beats/min, respectively, less than expected as their temperature increased. Troponin I and Creatine Kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) were substantially increased only in Case 3, for whom the diagnosis of virus-related cardiac injury could not be made until day 7. In all three cases, decreased in HRV and HR changes occurred earlier than increases in cardiac biomarkers (e.g., troponin I and CK-MB).

Conclusions

In conclusion, COVID-19 could affect HRV and counteract tachycardia in response to increases in body temperature. The decreases of HRV and HR changes happened earlier than the increases of myocardial markers (troponin I and CK-MB). It suggested the decreases of HRV and HR changes might help predict cardiac injury earlier than myocardial markers in COVID-19, thus its early identification might help improve patient prognosis.
The Death Penalty's Denial of Fundamental Human Rights
Authors: Bessler John
Published: December 2022

The Death Penalty's Denial of Fundamental Human Rights details how capital punishment violates universal human rights-to life; to be free from torture and other forms of cruelty; to be treated in a non-arbitrary, non-discriminatory manner; and to dignity. In tracing the evolution of the world's understanding of torture, which now absolutely prohibits physical and psychological torture, the book argues that an immutable characteristic of capital punishment-already outlawed in many countries and American states-is that it makes use of death threats. Mock executions and other credible death threats, in fact, have long been treated as torturous acts. When crime victims are threatened with death and are helpless to prevent their deaths, for example, courts routinely find such threats inflict psychological torture. With simulated executions and non-lethal corporal punishments already prohibited as torturous acts, death sentences and real executions, the book contends, must be classified as torturous acts, too.
A defined benefit pension plan model with stochastic salary and heterogeneous discounting
Authors: Josa-Fombellida Ricardo , López-Casado Paula , Navas Jorge
Published: December 2022

We study the time-consistent investment and contribution policies in a defined benefit stochastic pension fund where the manager discounts the instantaneous utility over a finite planning horizon and the final function at constant but different instantaneous rates of time preference. This difference, which can be motivated for some uncertainties affecting payoffs at the end of the planning horizon, will induce a variable bias between the relative valuation of the final function and the previous payoffs and will lead the manager to show time-inconsistent preferences. Both the benefits and the contribution rate are proportional to the total wage of the workers that we suppose is stochastic. The aim is to maximize a CRRA utility function of the net benefit relative to salary in a bounded horizon and to maximize a CRRA final utility of the fund level relative to the salary. The problem is solved by means of dynamic programming techniques, and main results are illustrated numerically.
Michael Jones-Lee and the value of statistical life, health and safety
Authors: Loomes Graham , Sugden Robert
Published: December 2022

This is an appreciation of the life and work of Michael Jones-Lee. It describes his pioneering role in establishing and developing the theory and practice of the elicitation of monetary values for changes in risks to life, health and safety, using stated preference methods.
The Presence of Christ in the Eucharist κατ' οὐσίαν. On the interpretation and the source of a fragment from the Homily of George Scholarios and its impact on the Eucharistic doctrine of the Greek Orthodox Church
Authors: Bernatsky Mikhail
Published: December 2022

The Homily On the mystical body of our Lord Jesus Christ by George Gennadios II — Scholarios (ca. 1400 — paulo post 1472) was the first original Orthodox theological text to use the word μετουσίωσις (transubstantiatio) as an ex professo Eucharistic term and to adopt the doctrine associated with it. In this paper I propose a new reading of the fragment, in which Scholarios writes that God communicates with the faithful in the Eucharist by substance (κατ’ οὐσίαν). I argue that this fragment was a paraphrase of the third paragraph of chapter 61, book four of Thomas Aquinas’ Summa contra gentiles and should not be interpreted in the context of Palamite theology as has been proposed hitherto. I find support for my case in the manuscript Taurinensis XXIII (C-II-16), a compilation encouraged by Scholarios in 1432 and which contained the translation of the Summa contra gentiles by Demetrios Kydones. In addition, I outline the post Scholarium history of the expression κατ’οὐσίαν (secundum substantiam), which played a key role for the later development of the Eucharistic doctrine of the Orthodox Church in the post-Byzantine period.
Comparison of bibliometrics for predoctoral Translational Science Training (TST) TL1 Program participants and nonparticipants, male and female participants, and participants from underrepresented and well-represented backgrounds
Authors: Frei Christopher R. , Chun Yong-Hee P. , McManus Linda M. , Barker Julie , Moore Amanda M.
Published: December 2022

Research education and training in Translational Science develops and sustains a workforce to efficiently advance studies designed to improve human health. We evaluated the effectiveness of a Translational Science Training (TST) TL1 Program. Participants had significantly better publications/year, citations/year, h-index, and m-quotient than nonparticipants. Female and male participants, and participants from underrepresented and well-represented backgrounds, performed similarly on all bibliometric assessments. Finally, TST/TL1 Program participants outperformed students from other PhD programs at our institution. This analysis suggests that the TST/TL1 Program has been effective for participants, including those who are female and from underrepresented backgrounds.
Modeling the relationship between vertical temperature profiles and acute surface-level ozone events in the US Southwest by spatially smoothing a functional quantile regression estimator
Authors: Russell Brook T. , Porter William C.
Published: December 2022

With the proliferation of gridded data products, modeling the relationship between a scalar response and a functional covariate over the points on a regular lattice is becoming increasingly important. In this work, our overall aim is to better understand the relationship between high quantiles of surface-level ozone and the vertical temperature profile (VTP), a functional covariate, over the US Southwest in the summer. We develop our penalized functional quantile regression based approach within the framework provided by functional data analysis. As we assume that coefficient functions at points on the lattice exhibit spatial similarity, we obtain improved estimates by penalizing dissimilarity between nearby coefficient function estimates. In order to better account for the high degree of diversity of this region, we more strongly weight differences between coefficient function estimates at cells that exhibit a higher degree of geographical and climatological similarity. Our analysis suggests that the VTP is associated with acute surface-level ozone events during the summertime over this region, and the nature of this relationship differs spatially.
Mixing and rigidity along asymptotically linearly independent sequences
Authors: ZELADA RIGOBERTO
Published: December 2022

We use Gaussian measure-preserving systems to prove the existence and genericity of Lebesgue measure-preserving transformations
$T:[0,1]\rightarrow [0,1]$
which exhibit both mixing and rigidity behavior along families of asymptotically linearly independent sequences. Let
$\unicode{x3bb} _1,\ldots ,\unicode{x3bb} _N\in [0,1]$
and let
$\phi _1,\ldots ,\phi _N:\mathbb N\rightarrow \mathbb Z$
be asymptotically linearly independent (that is, for any
$(a_1,\ldots ,a_N)\in \mathbb Z^N\setminus \{\vec 0\}$
,
$\lim _{k\rightarrow \infty }|\sum _{j=1}^Na_j\phi _j(k)|=\infty $
). Then the class of invertible Lebesgue measure-preserving transformations
$T:[0,1]\rightarrow [0,1]$
for which there exists a sequence
$(n_k)_{k\in \mathbb {N}}$
in
$\mathbb {N}$
with for any measurable
$A,B\subseteq [0,1]$
and any
$j\in \{1,\ldots ,N\}$
, is generic. This result is a refinement of a result due to Stëpin (Theorem 2 in [Spectral properties of generic dynamical systems. Math. USSR-Izv.29(1) (1987), 159–192]) and a generalization of a result due to Bergelson, Kasjan, and Lemańczyk (Corollary F in [Polynomial actions of unitary operators and idempotent ultrafilters. Preprint, 2014, arXiv:1401.7869]).
ON THE MILNOR FIBRATION OF CERTAIN NEWTON DEGENERATE FUNCTIONS
Authors: EYRAL CHRISTOPHE , OKA MUTSUO
Published: December 2022

It is well known that the diffeomorphism type of the Milnor fibration of a (Newton) nondegenerate polynomial function f is uniquely determined by the Newton boundary of f. In the present paper, we generalize this result to certain degenerate functions, namely we show that the diffeomorphism type of the Milnor fibration of a (possibly degenerate) polynomial function of the form
$f=f^1\cdots f^{k_0}$
is uniquely determined by the Newton boundaries of
$f^1,\ldots , f^{k_0}$
if
$\{f^{k_1}=\cdots =f^{k_m}=0\}$
is a nondegenerate complete intersection variety for any
$k_1,\ldots ,k_m\in \{1,\ldots , k_0\}$
.
Laboratories of Democratic Backsliding
Authors: GRUMBACH JACOB M.
Published: December 2022

The Trump presidency generated concern about democratic backsliding and renewed interest in measuring the national democratic performance of the United States. However, the US has a decentralized form of federalism that administers democratic institutions at the state level. Using 51 indicators of electoral democracy from 2000 to 2018, I develop a measure of subnational democratic performance, the State Democracy Index. I then test theories of democratic expansion and backsliding based in party competition, polarization, demographic change, and the group interests of national party coalitions. Difference-in-differences results suggest a minimal role for all factors except Republican control of state government, which dramatically reduces states’ democratic performance during this period. This result calls into question theories focused on changes within states. The racial, geographic, and economic incentives of groups innationalparty coalitions may instead determine the health of democracy in the states.
Crafting literary Urdu: Mirza Hatim’s engagement with Vali Dakhani
Authors: Dhavan Purnima , Pauwels Heidi
Published: December 2022

The emergence in eighteenth-century India of literary compositions that used the elite registers of what was, at the time, called ‘Rekhtah’, and later defined as Urdu, is poorly understood. Conventionally, after an initial infatuation in Delhi with the works of Vali Dakhani,1 a mid-century break is assumed, exemplified by the revision of Zuhur ud-Din Hatim’s Divan as Divanzadah in the 1750s. Scholars have viewed this as a radical intervention in the creation of Urdu, which excised old vernacular models and embraced further Persianization. This article re-examines the evidence, combining methodologies from literary and historical studies. It points to the continuities present in Hatim’s revision, including sustained engagement with Vali, even as Hatim attempted to appeal to new audiences, incorporating new trends alongside older literary models. Foregrounding literary networks and arenas of poetic practice shows the limited impact of the proscriptions and literary criticisms voiced by Hatim’s critics. In studying the contested space of literary aesthetics and linguistic shifts against self-fashioning within changing networks, this article demonstrates that the relationship between the Persianate and vernacular sphere continued to be generative, rather than oppositional or hierarchical.
Mobile animals and immobile protected areas: improving the coverage of nature reserves for Asian elephant conservation in China
Authors: Li Li-Li , Wang Qiao-Yan , Yang Hong-Pei , Tao Yong-Xiang , Wang Lan-Xin , Yang Zheng-Bin , Campos-Arceiz Ahimsa , Quan Rui-Chang
Published: December 2022

Many protected areas worldwide have been established to protect the last natural refuges of flagship animal species. However, long-established protected areas do not always match the current distributions of target species under changing environmental conditions. Here we present a case study of the Asian elephant Elephas maximus in Xishuangbanna, south-west China, to evaluate whether the established protected areas match the species’ current distribution and to identify key habitat patches for Asian elephant conservation. Our results show that currently only 24.5% of the predicted Asian elephant distribution in Xishuangbanna is located within Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, which was established for elephant conservation. Based on the predicted Asian elephant distribution, we identified the most important habitat patches for elephant conservation in Xishuangbanna. The three most important patches were outside Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve and together they contained 43.3% of the estimated food resources for Asian elephants in all patches in Xishuangbanna. Thus, we identified a spatial mismatch between immobile protected areas and mobile animals. We recommend the inclusion of the three identified key habitat patches in a new national park currently being planned by the Chinese authorities for the conservation of the Asian elephant.
Food insufficiency, adverse childhood experiences and mental health: results of the Singapore Mental Health Study 2016
Authors: Subramaniam Mythily , Koh Yen Sin , Vaingankar Janhavi Ajit , Abdin Edimansyah , Shafie Saleha , Chang Sherilyn , Kwok Kian Woon , Chow Wai Leng , Chong Siow Ann
Published: December 2022

Objective:

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of food insufficiency and its association with mental disorders and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in Singapore.

Design:

This analysis utilised data from the Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS 2016).

Setting:

SMHS 2016 was a population-based, psychiatric epidemiological study conducted among Singapore residents.

Participants:

Interviews were conducted with 6126 respondents. Respondents were included if they were aged 18 years and above, Singapore citizens or permanent residents and able to speak in English, Chinese or Malay.

Results:

The prevalence of food insufficiency was 2·0 % (95 % CI (1·6, 2·5)) among adult Singapore residents. Relative to respondents who did not endorse any ACE, those with ACE (OR: 2·9, 95 % CI (1·2, 6·6)) had higher odds of food insufficiency. In addition, there were significant associations between lifetime mental disorders and food insufficiency. Bipolar disorder (OR: 2·7, 95 % CI (1·2, 6·0)), generalised anxiety disorder (OR: 4·5, 95 % CI (1·5, 13·5)) and suicidal behaviour (OR: 2·37, 95 % CI (1·04, 5·41)) were shown to be significantly associated with higher odds of food insufficiency.

Conclusions:

The prevalence of food insufficiency is low in Singapore. However, this study identifies a vulnerable group of food-insufficient adults that is significantly associated with mental disorders, including suicidality. Government-funded food assistance programmes and multi-agency efforts to deal with the social determinants of food insufficiency, such as income sufficiency and early detection and intervention of mental distress, are key to ensuring a sustainable and equitable food system.
Radiation-induced reactions in comet analogues
Authors: López-Islas A. , Negrón-Mendoza A.
Published: December 2022

Comets are a source of prebiotic molecules that likely enriched the early Earth during the Late Heavy Bombardment period. Laboratory experiments that replicate cometary conditions may facilitate understanding of the chemical reactions and supplement observational studies of these icy bodies. Prebiotic compounds, such as formic acid and formaldehyde, have been observed in comets. Furthermore, these compounds can easily be formed in experimental models using a variety of gas combinations and energy sources. We conducted experimental cometary simulations using radiation chemistry tools to obtain insight into the possible fate of formic acid and formaldehyde. The main results suggest a redundant system, signifying that the irradiation of formic acid forms formaldehyde molecules and vice versa. This phenomenon ensures the permanence of prebiotic molecules in high-radiation environments. Additionally, the potential role of forsterite and graphite was explored in cometary simulations. Our experimental results show the differential formation of aldehydes and other carbonyl-containing compounds dependent on the mineral phase present.
From the Stage to the High Seas: Concluding Thoughts on the Present and Future of EU Legal Studies
Authors: Bailleux Antoine
Published: December 2022

Difference between social science analyses of law and legal analyses – Theatre metaphor to understand the difference – Internal and external points of view – Necessity for legal analysis to use materials lying outside the classical pyramid of formal sources – Overview of the spectrum of legal research – Legally relevant texts and practices – Interdisciplinary approaches to law and lawyers’ disciplinary edge.
mRNA-LNP expressing PfCSP and Pfs25 vaccine candidates targeting infection and transmission of Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Hayashi Clifford T. H. , Cao Yi , Clark Leor C. , Tripathi Abhai K. , Zavala Fidel , Dwivedi Garima , Knox James , Alameh Mohamad-Gabriel , Lin Paulo J. C. , Tam Ying K. , Weissman Drew , Kumar Nirbhay
Published: December 2022

Malaria is a deadly disease responsible for between 550,000 and 627,000 deaths annually. There is a pressing need to develop vaccines focused on malaria elimination. The complex lifecycle of Plasmodium falciparum provides opportunities not only to target the infectious sporozoite stage, introduced by anopheline mosquitoes, but also the sexual stages, which are ingested by mosquitoes during blood feeding, leading to parasite transmission. It is widely recognized that a vaccine targeting multiple stages would induce efficacious transmission reducing immunity. Technological advancements offer new vaccine platforms, such as mRNA-LNPs, which can be used to develop highly effective malarial vaccines. We evaluated the immunogenicity of two leading P. falciparum vaccine candidates, Pfs25 and PfCSP, delivered as mRNA-LNP vaccines. Both vaccines induced extremely potent immune responses when administered alone or in combination, which were superior to Pfs25 and PfCSP DNA vaccine formulations. Purified IgGs from Pfs25 mRNA-LNPs immunized mice were highly potent in reducing malaria transmission to mosquitoes. Additionally, mice after three and four immunizations with PfCSP mRNA-LNP provided evidence for varying degrees of protection against sporozoite challenge. The comparison of immune responses and stage-specific functional activity induced by each mRNA-LNP vaccine, administered alone or in combination, also supports the development of an effective combination vaccine without any risk of immune interference for targeting malaria parasites at various life cycle stages. A combination of vaccines targeting both the infective stage and sexual/midgut stages is expected to interrupt malaria transmission, which is critical for achieving elimination goals.
Dimeric and trimeric catenation of giant chiral [8 + 12] imine cubes driven by weak supramolecular interactions
Authors: Benke Bahiru Punja , Kirschbaum Tobias , Graf Jürgen , Gross Jürgen H. , Mastalerz Michael
Published: December 2022

Mechanically interlocked structures, such as catenanes and rotaxanes, are fascinating synthetic targets and some are used for molecular switches and machines. Today, the vast majority of catenated structures are built upon macrocycles and only a very few examples of three-dimensional shape-persistent organic cages forming such structures have been reported. However, the catenation in all these cases was based on a thermodynamically favoured π–π-stacking under certain reaction conditions. Here, we show that catenane formation can be induced by adding methoxy or thiomethyl groups to one of the precursors during the synthesis of chiral [8 + 12] imine cubes, giving dimeric and trimeric catenated organic cages. To elucidate the underlying driving forces, we reacted 11 differently 1,4-disubstituted terephthaldehydes with a chiral triamino tribenzotriquinacene under various conditions to study whether monomeric cages or catenated cage dimers are the preferred products. We find that catenation is mainly directed by weak interactions derived from the substituents rather than by π-stacking.
Evidence of an oceanic impact and megatsunami sedimentation in Chryse Planitia, Mars
Authors: Rodriguez J. Alexis P. , Robertson Darrel K. , Kargel Jeffrey S. , Baker Victor R. , Berman Daniel C. , Cohen Jacob , Costard Francois , Komatsu Goro , Lopez Anthony , Miyamoto Hideaki , Zarroca Mario
Published: December 2022

In 1976, NASA's Viking 1 Lander (V1L) was the first spacecraft to operate successfully on the Martian surface. The V1L landed near the terminus of an enormous catastrophic flood channel, Maja Valles. However, instead of the expected megaflood record, its cameras imaged a boulder-strewn surface of elusive origin. We identified a 110-km-diameter impact crater (Pohl) ~ 900 km northeast of the landing site, stratigraphically positioned (a) above catastrophic flood-eroded surfaces formed ~ 3.4 Ga during a period of northern plains oceanic inundation and (b) below the younger of two previously hypothesized megatsunami deposits. These stratigraphic relationships suggest that a marine impact likely formed the crater. Our simulated impact-generated megatsunami run-ups closely match the mapped older megatsunami deposit's margins and predict fronts reaching the V1L site. The site's location along a highland-facing lobe aligned to erosional grooves supports a megatsunami origin. Our mapping also shows that Pohl's knobby rim regionally represents a broader history of megatsunami modification involving circum-oceanic glaciation and sedimentary extrusions extending beyond the recorded megatsunami emplacement in Chryse Planitia. Our findings allow that rocks and soil salts at the landing site are of marine origin, inviting the scientific reconsideration of information gathered from the first in-situ measurements on Mars.
UPRLIMET: UPstream Regional LiDAR Model for Extent of Trout in stream networks
Authors: Penaluna Brooke E. , Burnett Jonathan D. , Christiansen Kelly , Arismendi Ivan , Johnson Sherri L. , Griswold Kitty , Holycross Brett , Kolstoe Sonja H.
Published: December 2022

Predicting the edges of species distributions is fundamental for species conservation, ecosystem services, and management decisions. In North America, the location of the upstream limit of fish in forested streams receives special attention, because fish-bearing portions of streams have more protections during forest management activities than fishless portions. We present a novel model development and evaluation framework, wherein we compare 26 models to predict upper distribution limits of trout in streams. The models used machine learning, logistic regression, and a sophisticated nested spatial cross-validation routine to evaluate predictive performance while accounting for spatial autocorrelation. The model resulting in the best predictive performance, termed UPstream Regional LiDAR Model for Extent of Trout (UPRLIMET), is a two-stage model that uses a logistic regression algorithm calibrated to observations of Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) occurrence and variables representing hydro-topographic characteristics of the landscape. We predict trout presence along reaches throughout a stream network, and include a stopping rule to identify a discrete upper limit point above which all stream reaches are classified as fishless. Although there is no simple explanation for the upper distribution limit identified in UPRLIMET, four factors, including upstream channel length above the point of uppermost fish, drainage area, slope, and elevation, had highest importance. Across our study region of western Oregon, we found that more of the fish-bearing network is on private lands than on state, US Bureau of Land Mangement (BLM), or USDA Forest Service (USFS) lands, highlighting the importance of using spatially consistent maps across a region and working across land ownerships. Our research underscores the value of using occurrence data to develop simple, but powerful, prediction tools to capture complex ecological processes that contribute to distribution limits of species.
Quantifying the benefits of reducing synthetic nitrogen application policy on ecosystem carbon sequestration and biodiversity
Authors: Devaraju N. , Prudhomme Rémi , Lungarska Anna , Wang Xuhui , Yin Zun , de Noblet-Ducoudré Nathalie , Chakir Raja , Jayet Pierre-Alain , Brunelle Thierry , Viovy Nicolas , De Palma Adriana , Gonzalez Ricardo , Ciais Philippe
Published: December 2022

Synthetic Nitrogen (N) usage in agriculture has greatly increased food supply over the past century. However, the intensive use of N fertilizer is nevertheless the source of numerous environmental issues and remains a major challenge for policymakers to understand, measure, and quantify the interactions and trade-offs between ecosystem carbon and terrestrial biodiversity loss. In this study, we investigate the impacts of a public policy scenario that aims to halve N fertilizer application across European Union (EU) agriculture on both carbon (C) sequestration and biodiversity changes. We quantify the impacts by integrating two economic models with an agricultural land surface model and a terrestrial biodiversity model (that uses data from a range of taxonomic groups, including plants, fungi, vertebrates and invertebrates). Here, we show that the two economic scenarios lead to different outcomes in terms of C sequestration potential and biodiversity. Land abandonment associated with increased fertilizer price scenario facilitates higher C sequestration in soils (+ 1014 MtC) and similar species richness levels (+ 1.9%) at the EU scale. On the other hand, the more extensive crop production scenario is associated with lower C sequestration potential in soils (− 97 MtC) and similar species richness levels (− 0.4%) because of a lower area of grazing land. Our results therefore highlight the complexity of the environmental consequences of a nitrogen reduction policy, which will depend fundamentally on how the economic models used to project consequences.
Prediction of left lobe hypertrophy after right lobe radioembolization of the liver using a clinical data model with external validation
Authors: Theysohn Jens M. , Demircioglu Aydin , Kleditzsch Malte , Ludwig Johannes M. , Weber Manuel , Umutlu Lale , Li Yan , Kircher Malte , Lapa Constantin , Buck Andreas , Koehler Michael , Wildgruber Moritz , Lange Christian M. , Palard Xavier , Garin Etienne , Herrmann Ken , Forsting Michael , Nensa Felix
Published: December 2022

In cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), right-sided radioembolization (RE) with Yttrium-90-loaded microspheres is an established palliative therapy and can be considered a “curative intention” treatment when aiming for sequential tumor resection. To become surgical candidate, hypertrophy of the left liver lobe to > 40% (future liver remnant, FLR) is mandatory, which can develop after RE. The amount of radiation-induced shrinkage of the right lobe and compensatory hypertrophy of the left lobe is difficult for clinicians to predict. This study aimed to utilize machine learning to predict left lobe liver hypertrophy in patients with HCC and cirrhosis scheduled for right lobe RE, with external validation. The results revealed that machine learning can accurately predict relative and absolute volume changes of the left liver lobe after right lobe RE. This prediction algorithm could help to estimate the chances of conversion from palliative RE to curative major hepatectomy following significant FLR hypertrophy.
Utilizing AI to unveil the nonlinear interplay of convection, drift, and diffusion on galactic cosmic ray modulation in the inner heliosphere
Authors: Inceoglu Fadil , Pacini Alessandra Abe , Loto’aniu Paul T. M.
Published: December 2022

Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) are charged particles, originating from galactic and/or extra-galactic Supernova Remnants (SNR), that continuously permeate the Heliosphere. The GCRs are modulated in the heliosphere by convection by solar wind (SW), drift via gradients and curvatures in the Heliospheric Magnetic Field (HMF), diffusion from fluctuations in the HMF, and adiabatic cooling in the expanding SW. An improved understanding of their modulation is imperative as studies on the variations in solar activity levels and solar eruptions in the past rely heavily on the relationship between their modulation and formation of the secondary particles in the Earth’s atmosphere. Here, for the first time, we utilize an AI method, Light Gradient Boosting Machines (LightGBM), to investigate the nonlinear interplay among the modulation processes in different timescales. Our study indicates that the nonlinear interplay among the mechanisms responsible for the GCR modulation in the inner heliosphere are not limited to the scenario of “drift-dominated solar minimum” versus “diffusion-dominated solar maximum”, instead they have dynamic behavior displaying variations in time and in timescales. This study also demonstrates the value of using AI methods to investigate non-linear physical processes in Space Physics in the era of big data.
Pan-cancer landscape of AID-related mutations, composite mutations, and their potential role in the ICI response
Authors: Hernández-Verdin Isaias , Akdemir Kadir C. , Ramazzotti Daniele , Caravagna Giulio , Labreche Karim , Mokhtari Karima , Hoang-Xuan Khê , Peyre Matthieu , Bielle Franck , Touat Mehdi , Idbaih Ahmed , Duval Alex , Sanson Marc , Alentorn Agustí
Published: December 2022

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase, AICDA or AID, is a driver of somatic hypermutation and class-switch recombination in immunoglobulins. In addition, this deaminase belonging to the APOBEC family may have off-target effects genome-wide, but its effects at pan-cancer level are not well elucidated. Here, we used different pan-cancer datasets, totaling more than 50,000 samples analyzed by whole-genome, whole-exome, or targeted sequencing. AID mutations are present at pan-cancer level with higher frequency in hematological cancers and higher presence at transcriptionally active TAD domains. AID synergizes initial hotspot mutations by a second composite mutation. AID mutational load was found to be independently associated with a favorable outcome in immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) treated patients across cancers after analyzing 2000 samples. Finally, we found that AID-related neoepitopes, resulting from mutations at more frequent hotspots if compared to other mutational signatures, enhance CXCL13/CCR5 expression, immunogenicity, and T-cell exhaustion, which may increase ICI sensitivity.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis senses host Interferon-γ via the membrane protein MmpL10
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed , Mackenzie Jared , Tezera Liku , Krause Robert , Truebody Barry , Garay-Baquero Diana , Vallejo Andres , Govender Katya , Adamson John , Fisher Hayden , Essex Jonathan W. , Mansour Salah , Elkington Paul , Steyn Adrie J. C. , Leslie Alasdair
Published: December 2022

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is one of the most successful human pathogens. Several cytokines are known to increase virulence of bacterial pathogens, leading us to investigate whether Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), a central regulator of the immune defense against Mtb, has a direct effect on the bacteria. We found that recombinant and T-cell derived IFN-γ rapidly induced a dose-dependent increase in the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of Mtb, consistent with increased bacterial respiration. This was not observed in attenuated Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG), and did not occur for other cytokines tested, including TNF-α. IFN-γ binds to the cell surface of intact Mtb, but not BCG. Mass spectrometry identified mycobacterial membrane protein large 10 (MmpL10) as the transmembrane binding partner of IFN-γ, supported by molecular modelling studies. IFN-γ binding and the OCR response was absent in Mtb Δmmpl10 strain and restored by complementation with wildtype mmpl10. RNA-sequencing and RT-PCR of Mtb exposed to IFN-γ revealed a distinct transcriptional profile, including genes involved in virulence. In a 3D granuloma model, IFN-γ promoted Mtb growth, which was lost in the Mtb Δmmpl10 strain and restored by complementation, supporting the involvement of MmpL10 in the response to IFN-γ. Finally, IFN-γ addition resulted in sterilization of Mtb cultures treated with isoniazid, indicating clearance of phenotypically resistant bacteria that persist in the presence of drug alone. Together our data are the first description of a mechanism allowing Mtb to respond to host immune activation that may be important in the immunopathogenesis of TB and have use in novel eradication strategies.
DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation characterize the identity of D1 and D2 striatal projection neurons
Authors: Marion-Poll Lucile , Roussarie Jean-Pierre , Taing Lieng , Dard-Dascot Cloelia , Servant Nicolas , Jaszczyszyn Yan , Jordi Emmanuelle , Mulugeta Eskeatnaf , Hervé Denis , Bourc’his Déborah , Greengard Paul , Thermes Claude , Girault Jean-Antoine
Published: December 2022

Neuronal DNA modifications differ from those in other cells, including methylation outside CpG context and abundant 5-hydroxymethylation whose relevance for neuronal identities are unclear. Striatal projection neurons expressing D1 or D2 dopamine receptors allow addressing this question, as they share many characteristics but differ in their gene expression profiles, connections, and functional roles. We compare translating mRNAs and DNA modifications in these two populations. DNA methylation differences occur predominantly in large genomic clusters including differentially expressed genes, potentially important for D1 and D2 neurons. Decreased gene body methylation is associated with higher gene expression. Hydroxymethylation differences are more scattered and affect transcription factor binding sites, which can influence gene expression. We also find a strong genome-wide hydroxymethylation asymmetry between the two DNA strands, particularly pronounced at expressed genes and retrotransposons. These results identify novel properties of neuronal DNA modifications and unveil epigenetic characteristics of striatal projection neurons heterogeneity.
Cr2+ solid solution in UO2 evidenced by advanced spectroscopy
Authors: Smith Hannah , Townsend Luke T. , Mohun Ritesh , Cordara Théo , Stennett Martin C. , Mosselmans J. Frederick W. , Kvashnina Kristina , Corkhill Claire L.
Published: December 2022

Advanced Cr-doped UO2 fuels are essential for driving safe and efficient generation of nuclear energy. Although widely deployed, little is known about their fundamental chemistry, which is a critical gap for development of new fuel materials and radioactive waste management strategies. Utilising an original approach, we directly evidence the chemistry of Cr(3+)2O3–doped U(4+)O2. Advanced high-flux, high-spectral purity X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), corroborated by diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and high energy resolved fluorescence detection-XAS, is used to establish that Cr2+ directly substitutes for U4+, accompanied by U5+ and oxygen vacancy charge compensation. Extension of the analysis to heat-treated simulant nuclear fuel reveals a mixed Cr2+/3+ oxidation state, with Cr in more than one physical form, explaining the substantial discrepancies that exist in the literature. Successful demonstration of this analytical advance, and the scientific underpinning it provides, opens opportunities for an expansion in the range of dopants utilised in advanced UO2 fuels.
Elongated skyrmion as spin torque nano-oscillator and magnonic waveguide
Authors: Liang Xue , Shen Laichuan , Xing Xiangjun , Zhou Yan
Published: December 2022

Spin torque nano-oscillator has been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally in recent decades due to its potential applications in future microwave communication technology and neuromorphic computing. In this work, we present a skyrmion-based spin torque nano-oscillator driven by a spatially uniform direct current, where an elongated skyrmion is confined by two pinning sites. Different from other skyrmion-based oscillators that arise from the circular motion or the breathing mode of a skyrmion, the steady-state oscillatory motion is produced by the periodic deformation of the elongated skyrmion, which originates from the oscillation of its partial domain walls under the joint action of spin torques, the damping and the boundary effect. Micromagnetic simulations are performed to demonstrate the dependence of the oscillation frequency on the driving current, the damping constant, the magnetic parameters as well as the characteristics of pinning sites. This nonlinear response to a direct current turns out to be universal and can also appear in the case of elongated antiskyrmions, skyrmioniums and domain walls. Furthermore, the elongated skyrmion possesses a rectangle-like domain wall, which could also serve as a magnonic waveguide. These findings will enrich the design options for future skyrmion-based devices in the information technology.
Comment on the “Discovery of high-performance thermoelectric copper chalcogenide using modified diffusion-couple high-throughput synthesis and automated histogram analysis technique” by T. Deng, T. Xing, M. K. Brod, Y. Sheng, P. Qiu, I. Veremchuk, Q. Song, T.-R. Wei, J. Yang, G. J. Snyder, Y. Grin, L. Chen and X. Shi, Energy Environ. Sci., 2020, 13, 3041
Authors: Lemoine P. , Raveau B. , Boullay P. , Guilmeau E.
Published: December 2022

Structural reinvestigations of the Cu7Sn3S10 sample prepared in the reported conditions show that the phase of interest is not tetragonal, but crystallizes in the cubic symmetry. This imposes a re-interpretation of the thermoelectric properties in this system.
A single-cell system of flow electrode capacitive mixing (F-CapMix) with a cross chamber for continuous energy production
Authors: Zou Zhi , Meng Shuo , Bian Xiaolei , Liu Longcheng
Published: December 2022

In this system, all the negative ions move toward to left and positive ions move toward to right. The ions movement can be converted into electricity.