bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular identification of Borrelia and SFG Rickettsia spp. in hard ticks parasitizing domestic and wild animals in southeastern Spain
Authors: Ortega N. , Arcenillas-Hernández I. , Villa MI , González MD , Caro MR
Published: January 2024

Lyme disease and the spotted fever group rickettsiosis, involve bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia and Rickettsia, respectively. These infections are the most important tick-borne zoonotic diseases involving ticks as vectors. Descriptive and epidemiological studies are essential to determine the animal hosts involved in the maintenance of these diseases. In the present study, 94 tick pool samples from 15 different host species located in the Region of Murcia (southeastern, Spain) were analysed. Ticks were morphologically identified as: Dermacentor marginatus, Hyalomma lusitanicum, Ixodes Ricinus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Our results showed that 5.3% of the tick pool samples carried Borrelia spp. DNA, and 20.2% carried SFG Rickettsia DNA. In every hard tick pool Spot Fever Group (SFG) Rickettsia spp. DNA were detected, except for H. lusitanicum. Likewise, D. marginatum was the only species in which Borrelia spp. DNA was not detected. Barbary sheep and wild boar were the host species in which tick pools showed DNA presence of both pathogens. This study increases the knowledge about the presence of Borrelia spp. DNA and SFG Rickettsia spp. DNA in different hard tick species from this geographical area.
Interventions to improve oral endocrine therapy adherence in breast cancer patients
Authors: Ganna Sourab , Rahimi Sama , Lu Anh , Laborde Krista , Trivedi Meghana
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Oral endocrine therapy (OET) is recommended in prevention and treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (HR+ BC). Despite the reduced incidence, recurrence, and mortality, OET adherence is poor in this patient population. The aim of this study was to review the latest literature to identify effective interventions to improve medication adherence in patients taking OET for prevention or treatment of HR+ BC.

Methods

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) framework was used to perform this review. We utilized PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science to acquire articles using search terms including breast cancer, adherence, persistence, and acceptability. Inclusion criteria included publication in peer-reviewed journal, primary data source, longitudinal, patients on OET such as aromatase inhibitors (AIs) or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), measuring adherence, persistence, or acceptability.

Results

Out of 895 articles identified, 10 articles were included. Majority of patients had early-stage HR+ BC. Two out of two studies incorporating technological intervention, two out of three studies with text communication-based intervention, and three out of five studies with verbal communication-based intervention reported significant improvement in OET adherence and/or persistence.

Conclusions

While the interventions tested so far have shown to improve OET adherence in HR+ BC patients in some studies, there is a need to design combination interventions addressing multiple barriers in this population.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

This study showcases effectiveness of novel interventions to improve OET adherence and the need to further develop patient-centered strategies to benefit all patients with HR+ BC.
Evolutions in Combined Heart-Kidney Transplant
Authors: Jain Rashmi , Kittleson Michelle M.
Published: January 2024

Purpose of Review

This review describes management practices, outcomes, and allocation policies in candidates for simultaneous heart-kidney transplantation (SHKT).

Recent Findings

In patients with heart failure and concomitant kidney disease, SHKT confers a survival advantage over heart transplantation (HT) alone in patients with dialysis dependence or an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 40 mL/min/1.73 m2. However, when compared to kidney transplantation (KT) alone, SHKT is associated with worse patient and kidney allograft survival. In September 2023, the United Network of Organ Sharing adopted a new organ allocation policy, with strict eligibility criteria for SHKT and a safety net for patients requiring KT after HT alone.

While the impact of the policy change on SHKT outcomes remains to be seen, strategies to prevent and slow development of kidney disease in patients with heart failure and to prevent kidney dysfunction after HT and SHKT are necessary.
Żurek v Poland – when judges become rule of law actors. Challenges and achievements of judicial mobilisation in Poland
Authors: Grabowska-Moroz Barbara
Published: January 2024

The article analyses the main consequences of Żurek v Poland, decided by the European Court of Human Rights in June 2022. The Court developed its interpretation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights with regard to judges’ public speech in dealing with judicial independence and the rule of law. In this context, the article discusses judicial mobilisation regarding the undermining of judicial independence in Poland and judges becoming ‘rule of law actors’ when rule of law backsliding threatens constitutional principles such as judicial independence or the separation of powers. It also discusses the role of judicial associations in coordinating such mobilisation.
Explanatory factors for problematic cybersex behaviour: the importance of negative emotions
Authors: Cervero Antonio , Castro-Lopez Adrian , Alvarez-Blanco Lucia , Tuero Ellian
Published: January 2024

Cybersex encompasses a wide range of behaviors that use information and communication technologies as a means of access to obtain sexual gratification, a phenomenon that can take on problematic patterns. The main objective of the study is to propose a model that explains the extent to which online sexual activities and the negative emotionality associated with them can generate a tolerance phenomenon characterized by an increase in the frequency and intensity of cybersex behaviors. To this end, the Cybersex Behavioral Assessment Questionnaire was administered to a sample of 369 individuals. The results show that online sexual behavior and the presence of negative emotions during the performance of these activities influence the occurrence of tolerance, which is characterized by an increase and variety of activities with increasingly extreme typology. These findings may have implications for education and healthcare.
A generalized model for the population dynamics of a two stage species with recruitment and capture using a nonstandard finite difference scheme
Authors: Hoang Manh T. , Valverde Jose C.
Published: January 2024

The aim of this work is to formulate and analyze a new and generalized discrete-time population dynamics model for a two-stage species with recruitment and capture factors. This model is derived from a well-known continuous-time population dynamics model of a two-stage species with recruitment and capture developed by Ladino and Valverde and the nonstandard finite difference (NSFD) methodology proposed by Mickens. We establish positivity and asymptotic stability of the proposed discrete-time population dynamics model. As an important consequence, the population dynamics of the new discrete-time model is determined fully. Also, a set of numerical examples is conducted to illustrate the theoretical results and to demonstrate advantages of the new model. The theoretical results and numerical examples show that the proposed discrete-time model not only preserves correctly the population dynamics of the continuous one but is also easy to be implemented. However, some discrete-time models based on the standard Runge–Kutta methods fail to preserve the population dynamics of the continuous-time model. As a result, they generate numerical approximations which are not only non-negative but also unstable.
Fracture propagation and evolution law of indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams
Authors: Zhao Haifeng , Li Pengyue , Li Xuejiao , Yao Wenjie
Published: January 2024

Indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams has been demonstrated to be a feasible technology. In this work, the No. 5 coal seam in the Hancheng block was taken as the research object. Based on the findings of true triaxial hydraulic fracturing experiments and field pilot under this technology and the cohesive element method, a 3D numerical model of indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams was established, the fracture morphology propagation and evolution law under different conditions was investigated, and analysis of main controlling factors of fracture parameters was conducted with the combination weight method, which was based on grey incidence, analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight method. The results show that “士”-shaped fractures, T-shaped fractures, cross fractures, H-shaped fractures, and “干”-shaped fractures dominated by horizontal fractures were formed. Different parameter combinations can form different fracture morphologies. When the coal seam permeability is lower and the minimum horizontal principal stress difference between layers and fracturing fluid injection rate are both larger, it tends to form “士”-shaped fractures. When the coal seam permeability and minimum horizontal principal stress between layers and perforation position are moderate, cross fractures are easily generated. Different fracture parameters have different main controlling factors. Engineering factors of perforation location, fracturing fluid injection rate and viscosity are the dominant factors of hydraulic fracture shape parameters. This study can provide a reference for the design of indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams.
Shock train response to pulse backpressure forcing
Authors: Ma (马晓敏) X. , Zhang (张永辉) Y. , Yuan (袁菁涛) J. , Fan (范玮) W.
Published: January 2024

Transient numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the influence of large amplitude and fast impact backpressure on a shock train. The fundamental problem consists of a shock train within a constant-area channel with a Ma=1.61 inflow and a pulse backpressure applied to the outlet. The pressure disturbance in the isolator has an intense forcing-response lag. From the moment of the backpressure peak appearance, it takes 36 times the backpressure duration for the pressure disturbance to reach the upstream end. It moves upstream with time in the form of a normal shock wave. As time progresses, the normal shock degenerates into a

$\lambda $

shock and a compression wave behind due to the action of viscous dissipation in the boundary layer. Eventually, a multi-stage shock train is formed. The maximum backpropagation distance is a quadratic function of both the pulse backpressure peak and duration, and the relationship between these variables was determined by fitting. When the integral value of backpressure to time is fixed, reducing the backpressure peak while increasing the duration will reduce the backpressure pulsation at the isolator outlet, which will be more conducive to shortening the maximum backpropagation distance than reducing the duration and increasing the backpressure peak. The values of backpressure peak and duration are obtained from the detonation combustion case, which ensures the authenticity of backpressure characteristics. The relevant research conclusions can provide a reference for the design of the isolator of pulse detonation ramjet.
Finite presentability of twisted Brin–Thompson groups
Authors: Zaremsky Matt C. B.
Published: January 2024

Given a group G acting faithfully on a set S, we characterize precisely when the twisted Brin–Thompson group SVG is finitely presented. The answer is that SVG is finitely presented if and only if we have the following: G is finitely presented, the action of G on S has finitely many orbits of two-element subsets of S, and the stabilizer in G of any element of S is finitely generated. Since twisted Brin–Thompson groups are simple, a consequence is that any subgroup of a group admitting an action as above satisfies the Boone–Higman conjecture. In the course of proving this, we also establish a sufficient condition for a group acting cocompactly on a simply connected complex to be finitely presented, even if certain edge stabilizers are not finitely generated, which may be of independent interest.
The effect of injection of 1:100 000 adrenaline solution in the pterygopalatine fossa on intra-operative bleeding during endoscopic sinonasal surgical procedures in chronic sinusitis: a blinded clinical trial
Authors: Nasirmohtaram Sevil , Jalali Mir Mohammad , Faghih Habibi Ali , Akbarpour Maliheh
Published: January 2024

Objective

Rhinosinusitis is one of the most common reasons for a visit to otolaryngology clinics. Some patients are candidates for sinus surgery. Infiltration of 1:100 000 adrenaline in the pterygopalatine fossa was studied, with the aim of evaluating the effect on bleeding in the surgical field.

Methods

This double-blind clinical trial was conducted in 2021–2022 on 40 candidates for endoscopic sinus surgery. For each patient, one side of the pterygopalatine fossa was randomly selected to be infiltrated with a vasoconstrictor. Surgical field bleeding on each side was evaluated.

Results

Blood loss was 35.8 ± 20.9 ml in the study group and 38.4 ± 23.7 ml for the control group, with no statistically significant difference between groups (p = 0.49). In addition, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of the surgical field based on Boezaart scores.

Conclusion

Although there are some recommendations on the usage of vasoconstrictors via the pterygopalatine foramen, debate remains.
Older people enacting resilience in stories about living alone and receiving home care
Authors: Voie Kristin S. , Wiles Janine , Blix Bodil H. , Kristiansen Margrethe , Helgesen Ann Karin , Mæhre Kjersti Sunde
Published: January 2024

Although older people who live alone might be in a vulnerable situation, they have often managed their everyday life for a long time, frequently with health challenges. In this article, we explore how nine older persons who live alone, who receive home care and are identified by home care professionals as being frail, manage their everyday lives by inquiring into their stories about living alone and receiving home care. We conducted three qualitative interviews with each of the nine participants over a period of eight months and analysed the data using thematic analysis and a narrative positioning analysis. Using the concept of resilience as our analytic lens, we identified three thematic threads: continuity, adaptation and resistance. In the narrative positioning analysis of three participants' stories, we identified that the participants used the processes of continuity, adaptation and resistance strategically and interchangeably. The study thus provides insight into how older people who live alone and use home care services narrate their balancing of strengths and vulnerabilities, and engage in the construction and maintenance of a sense of self through positioning in relation to master narratives. Older people's narrations are nuanced and complex, and this study indicates that encouraging storytelling and engaging with older people's narrations might support how older people enact resilience and thus their management of everyday life when living alone and ageing in place.
Enhancement of humanoid robot locomotion on slippery floors using an adaptive controller
Authors: Almeida Luís , Santos Vítor , Ferreira João
Published: January 2024

This paper presents a comprehensive strategy to improve the locomotion performance of humanoid robots on various slippery floors. The strategy involves the implementation and adaptation of a divergent component of motion (DCM) based control architecture for the humanoid NAO, and the introduction of an embedded yaw controller (EYC), which is based on a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control algorithm. The EYC is designed not only to address the slip behavior of the robot on low-friction floors but also to tackle the issue of non-straight walking patterns that we observed in this humanoid, even on non-slippery floors. To fine-tune the PID gains for the EYC, a systematic trial-and-error approach is employed. We iteratively adjusted the P (Proportional), I (Integral), and D (Derivative) parameters while keeping the others fixed. This process allowed us to optimize the PID controller’s response to different walking conditions and floor types. A series of locomotion experiments are conducted in a simulated environment, where the humanoid step frequency and PID gains are varied for each type of floor. The effectiveness of the strategy is evaluated using metrics such as robot stability, energy consumption, and task duration. The results of the study demonstrate that the proposed approach significantly improves humanoid locomotion on different slippery floors, by enhancing stability and reducing energy consumption. The study has practical implications for designing more versatile and effective solutions for humanoid locomotion on challenging surfaces and highlights the adaptability of the existing controller for different humanoid robots.
Membership in a stigmatized religious minority and political support: nonreligious individuals running for office in the United States
Authors: Golebiowska Ewa
Published: January 2024

Atheists can expect discrimination when running for office. We know less about political appraisal of other types of nonreligious candidates or how the influence of nonreligion compares to other factors. Using a conjoint experiment, I examine how the impact of nonreligion on vote choice depends on (1) the label describing nonreligion; (2) the electoral scenario in which voters face the candidate; and (3) voters' partisanship and religiosity. I find that atheists and nonbelievers are at a substantial disadvantage but secular candidates suffer a smaller penalty. While nonreligion reduces political support, it is not the most important influence, plays a smaller role in lower than in higher level elections, and is generally not a factor for Democratic and nonreligious voters. In contrast, it is a major liability for Republican, Independent, and religious voters, especially when Republicans vote in nominating contests and when they face atheists or nonbelievers as opposed to secular candidates.
A constitutional reflector? Assessing societal and digital constitutionalism in Meta’s Oversight Board
Authors: Muniz Da Conceição Lucas Henrique
Published: January 2024

This article explores the use of constitutional narratives in social media platform governance, addressing the concept of digital constitutionalism. It aims to elucidate how digital constitutionalism manifests in platforms and the implications for democratizing these governance environments. It argues that digital constitutionalism exposes three goals toward platform governance: (1) an analogous application of constitutional values in private landscapes; (2) an ideological framework permeating multiple normativity levels; and (3) a policy consideration framing the symmetry of regulatory efforts with fundamental values. These three objectives hinge on a liberal and normative approach to constitutionalism, detaching from the political and social considerations at the centre of constitutional democracy. The article argues that this leads to extensive legitimacy issues when considering the transnational character of social media platforms and the localized issues of its users, as explored through an analysis of Meta’s Oversight Board. It is argued that a societal perspective of (digital) constitutionalism must guide the institution’s goals and procedures to promote legitimacy and accountability. This societal approach exposes the reliability issues of the established self-referencing system. It also allows an analysis of the hybridization of traditional constitutional principles in the emerging societal constitution developed by the corporation.
When Smaller Sooner Depletes a Pool of Resources Faster
Authors: Young Michael E. , Howatt Brian C.
Published: January 2024

Abstract: Behavior has short-term (proximal) and long-term (distal) consequences, and these consequences often involve different commodities. In particular, a commonly encountered distal consequence involves running out of resources – energy to respond, available food, ammunition, or money in the bank – that must be replenished before continuing a rewarding task. The current project examines proximal behavioral consequences in a video game (the amount of damage done to a clicked-on target as a function of waiting) and distal behavioral consequences (running out of the resources that allow the player to click on a target). When depleted, the resource replenished after a fixed amount of time. Thus, participants sometimes faced a tradeoff between behaviors that maximized their short-term reward rate and those that maximized their long-term reward rate. When the proximal contingency did not affect the short-term reward rate, the mere presence of limitations resulted in the slower use of resources, but the slowdown did not evidence strong sensitivity to the size of the resource pool nor the delay to its replenishment (Experiment 1). However, when the proximal contingency rewarded faster use of resources, participants did show sensitivity to the duration of the replenishment delay and the size of the resource pool (Experiment 2).
Focused Mantle Upwelling Beneath the Southeastern Asian Basalt Province Revealed by Seismic Surface Wave Tomography
Authors: Fan Xingli , Guo Zhen , Chen Ling , Chen Qi‐Fu , Yang Ting , Liang Chuntao
Published: January 2024

Following the termination of seafloor spreading in the South China Sea (SCS) basin, abundant intraplate volcanism widely spreads in the Indochina block, SCS basin, and Leiqiong area, forming the Southeastern Asian Basalt Province (SABP). The geodynamic origin of the SABP has long been enigmatic and debated. Here, we present a high‐resolution 3‐D upper mantle S‐wave velocity model in the region by conducting earthquake‐based surface wave tomography with seismic data collected across Southeast Asia. The resultant images depict a plume‐like structure beneath the central area of the SABP, characterized by a continuous, sub‐vertical low‐velocity column in the upper mantle. Our new findings, combined with previous geochemical and geodynamic evidence, suggest that the extensive post‐spreading intraplate volcanism within the SABP is likely induced by this focused mantle upwelling, which could be further traced down to the core‐mantle boundary as inferred by existing global velocity models.
Long‐Term Alpine Precipitation Reconstruction (LAPrec): A Gridded Monthly Data Set Dating Back to 1871
Authors: Isotta F. A. , Chimani B. , Hiebl J. , Frei C.
Published: January 2024

Spatial climate data sets that extend back in time over many decades are an important resource for climate monitoring. The long‐term consistency of such data sets is, however, compromised by changes in the measurement systems over time. In this paper, we introduce a data set of monthly precipitation on a 5‐km grid over the European Alps that extends back to the late 19th century. In deriving the “long‐term Alpine precipitation reconstruction” (LAPrec), special care is taken of variations in the station network, in order for the data set to satisfy high standards in long‐term consistency. LAPrec builds on a reconstruction method that integrates the available information in two portions: The first is a set of high‐quality homogenized station series, taken from the HISTALP data archive, covering the entire period almost continuously. The second is a high‐resolution gridded precipitation analysis, taken from the “Alpine Precipitation Grid Data Set,” constructed from thousands of rain‐gauges but covering a few decades only. We demonstrate how the reconstruction approach successfully introduces mesoscale structures that are not resolved by the available long‐term station series, more plausibly so than a predecessor data set using conventional interpolation. We also illustrate that LAPrec reveals long‐term precipitation trends that are spatially more consistent and more detailed than the trends in popular climate monitoring data sets. Over the period 1871–2017 a statistically significant increase is found in winter over the northern parts of the Alps (1%–2% per 10 years). LAPrec is available in two versions (back until 1871 and 1901 respectively) from the Copernicus climate data store.
Mars Hot Oxygen Density and Effective Temperature Derived From the MAVEN IUVS Observations
Authors: Qin Jianqi , Liu Hang , Xu Zhen
Published: January 2024

The escape of hot oxygen atoms from Mars is important for the evolution of the planet's H2O and CO2 inventories. Owing to the lack of data constraints prior to the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission, previous understanding of this key loss channel of the Mars atmosphere relied mostly on physics‐based models. Using the optical observations from the MAVEN Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS) during 2014–2018, we perform the first inversion analysis of the coronal scans at 130.4 nm to quantify the density and effective temperature of the Mars hot oxygen corona. Our results indicate that the exobase densities of the hot oxygen atoms are ∼6.3–8.0 × 103 and ∼1.2 × 104 cm−3 during low and moderate solar activities, respectively, which agree well with recent empirical estimates using MAVEN's in situ measurements and, however, are about a factor of two higher than previous model predictions. The effective temperature varies only slightly between ∼4100–4500 K. The temperature and density variations with solar, seasonal, and dust conditions are consistent with previous models. Comparison with inversion results from IUVS limb scans indicates that the cold and the hot oxygen populations dominate below ∼200 and above ∼600 km, respectively, between which the kinetic distribution depends on both populations. Our results demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of extracting information about the Mars hot oxygen corona directly from optical observations, opening up a powerful means for monitoring the Mars oxygen escape on a global scale in future missions.
A Parameterization for Cloud Organization and Propagation by Evaporation‐Driven Cold Pool Edges
Authors: Freitas Saulo R. , Grell Georg A. , Chovert Angel D. , Silva Dias Maria Assunção F. , de Lima Nascimento Ernani
Published: January 2024

When the negatively buoyant air in the cloud downdrafts reaches the surface, it spreads out horizontally, producing cold pools. A cold pool can trigger new convective cells. However, when combined with the ambient vertical wind shear, it can also connect and upscale them into large mesoscale convective systems (MCS). Given the broad spectrum of scales of the atmospheric phenomenon involving the interaction between cold pools and the MCS, a parameterization was designed here. Then, it is coupled with a classical convection parameterization to be applied in an atmospheric model with an insufficient spatial resolution to explicitly resolve convection and the sub‐cloud layer. A new scalar quantity related to the deficit of moist static energy detrained by the downdrafts mass flux is proposed. This quantity is subject to grid‐scale advection, mixing, and a sink term representing dissipation processes. The model is then applied to simulate moist convection development over a large portion of tropical land in the Amazon Basin in a wet and dry‐to‐wet 10‐days period. Our results show that the cold pool edge parameterization improves the organization, longevity, propagation, and severity of simulated MCS over the Amazon and other different continental areas.
F10.7 Daily Forecast Using LSTM Combined With VMD Method
Authors: Hao Yuhang , Lu Jianyong , Peng Guangshuai , Wang Ming , Li Jingyuan , Wei Guanchun
Published: January 2024

The F10.7 solar radiation flux is a well‐known parameter that is closely linked to solar activity, serving as a key index for measuring the level of solar activity. In this study, the Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) and Long Short‐term Memory (LSTM) network are combined to construct a VMD‐LSTM model for predicting F10.7 values. The F10.7 sequence is decomposed into several intrinsic mode functions (IMF) by VMD, then the LSTM neural network is utilized to forecast each IMF. All IMF prediction results are aggregated to obtain the final F10.7 value. The data sets from 1957 to 2008 are used for training and the data sets from 2009 to 2019 are used for testing. The results show that the VMD‐LSTM model achieves an annual average root mean square error of only 4.47 sfu and an annual average correlation coefficient (R) of 0.99 during solar cycle 24, which is significantly better than the accuracy of the LSTM model (W. Zhang et al., 2022, https://doi.org/10.3390/universe8010030), the AR model (Du, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-020-01689-x), and the BP model (Xiao et al., 2017, https://doi.org/10.11728/cjss2017.01.001). The VMD‐LSTM model exhibits strong predictive capability for the F10.7 index during solar cycle 24.
Can Submerging Seaweed Cool the Climate?
Authors: Sidik Saima
Published: January 2024

Submerged seaweed can store carbon at the bottom of the ocean, but how effective the strategy will be—and how it will affect ocean health—remains unclear.
Sex-specific interactions between stress axis and redox balance are associated with internalizing symptoms and brain white matter microstructure in adolescents
Authors: Schilliger Zoé , Alemán-Gómez Yasser , Magnus Smith Mariana , Celen Zeynep , Meuleman Ben , Binz Pierre-Alain , Steullet Pascal , Do Kim Q. , Conus Philippe , Merglen Arnaud , Piguet Camille , Dwir Daniella , Klauser Paul
Published: January 2024

Adolescence is marked by the maturation of systems involved in emotional regulation and by an increased risk for internalizing disorders (anxiety/depression), especially in females. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis function and redox homeostasis (balance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants) have both been associated with internalizing disorders and may represent critical factors for the development of brain networks of emotional regulation. However, sex-specific interactions between these factors and internalizing symptoms and their link with brain maturation remain unexplored. We investigated in a cohort of adolescents aged 13–15 from the general population (n = 69) whether sex-differences in internalizing symptoms were associated with the glutathione (GSH)-redox cycle homeostasis and HPA-axis function and if these parameters were associated with brain white matter microstructure development. Female adolescents displayed higher levels of internalizing symptoms, GSH-peroxidase (GPx) activity and cortisol/11-deoxycortisol ratio than males. There was a strong correlation between GPx and GSH-reductase (Gred) activities in females only. The cortisol/11-deoxycortisol ratio, related to the HPA-axis activity, was associated with internalizing symptoms in both sexes, whereas GPx activity was associated with internalizing symptoms in females specifically. The cortisol/11-deoxycortisol ratio mediated sex-differences in internalizing symptoms and the association between anxiety and GPx activity in females specifically. In females, GPx activity was positively associated with generalized fractional anisotropy in widespread white matter brain regions. We found that higher levels of internalizing symptoms in female adolescents than in males relate to sex-differences in HPA-axis function. In females, our results suggest an important interplay between HPA-axis function and GSH-homeostasis, a parameter strongly associated with brain white matter microstructure.
DDRGK1-mediated ER-phagy attenuates acute kidney injury through ER-stress and apoptosis
Authors: Jin Haijiao , Yang Yuanting , Zhu Xuying , Zhou Yin , Xu Yao , Li Jialin , Qi Chaojun , Shao Xinghua , Wu Jingkui , Wu Shan , Cai Hong , Gu Leyi , Mou Shan , Ni Zhaohui , Li Shu , Lin Qisheng
Published: January 2024

Acute kidney injury (AKI) constitutes a prevalent clinical syndrome characterized by elevated morbidity and mortality rates, emerging as a significant public health issue. This study investigates the interplay between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, unfolded protein response (UPR), and ER-associated degradation (ER-phagy) in the pathogenesis of AKI. We employed four distinct murine models of AKI—induced by contrast media, ischemia–reperfusion injury, cisplatin, and folic acid—to elucidate the relationship between ER-phagy, ER stress, and apoptosis. Our findings reveal a marked decrease in ER-phagy coinciding with an accumulation of damaged ER, elevated ER stress, and increased apoptosis across all AKI models. Importantly, overexpression of DDRGK1 in HK-2 cells enhanced ER-phagy levels, ameliorating contrast-induced ER stress and apoptosis. These findings unveil a novel protective mechanism in AKI, wherein DDRGK1–UFL1-mediated ER-phagy mitigates ER stress and apoptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells. Our results thereby contribute to understanding the molecular underpinnings of AKI and offer potential therapeutic targets for its treatment.
An environmental justice analysis of air pollution emissions in the United States from 1970 to 2010
Authors: Nunez Yanelli , Benavides Jaime , Shearston Jenni A. , Krieger Elena M. , Daouda Misbath , Henneman Lucas R. F. , McDuffie Erin E. , Goldsmith Jeff , Casey Joan A. , Kioumourtzoglou Marianthi-Anna
Published: January 2024

Over the last decades, air pollution emissions have decreased substantially; however, inequities in air pollution persist. We evaluate county-level racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in emissions changes from six air pollution source sectors (industry [SO2], energy [SO2, NOx], agriculture [NH3], commercial [NOx], residential [particulate organic carbon], and on-road transportation [NOx]) in the contiguous United States during the 40 years following the Clean Air Act (CAA) enactment (1970-2010). We calculate relative emission changes and examine the differential changes given county demographics using hierarchical nested models. The results show racial/ethnic disparities, particularly in the industry and energy generation source sectors. We also find that median family income is a driver of variation in relative emissions changes in all sectors—counties with median family income >$75 K vs. less generally experience larger relative declines in industry, energy, transportation, residential, and commercial-related emissions. Emissions from most air pollution source sectors have, on a national level, decreased following the United States CAA. In this work, we show that the relative reductions in emissions varied across racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
Flexible, scalable, high channel count stereo-electrode for recording in the human brain
Authors: Lee Keundong , Paulk Angelique C. , Ro Yun Goo , Cleary Daniel R. , Tonsfeldt Karen J. , Kfir Yoav , Pezaris John S. , Tchoe Youngbin , Lee Jihwan , Bourhis Andrew M. , Vatsyayan Ritwik , Martin Joel R. , Russman Samantha M. , Yang Jimmy C. , Baohan Amy , Richardson R. Mark , Williams Ziv M. , Fried Shelley I. , Hoi Sang U. , Raslan Ahmed M. , Ben-Haim Sharona , Halgren Eric , Cash Sydney S. , Dayeh Shadi. A.
Published: January 2024

Over the past decade, stereotactically placed electrodes have become the gold standard for deep brain recording and stimulation for a wide variety of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Current electrodes, however, are limited in their spatial resolution and ability to record from small populations of neurons, let alone individual neurons. Here, we report on an innovative, customizable, monolithically integrated human-grade flexible depth electrode capable of recording from up to 128 channels and able to record at a depth of 10 cm in brain tissue. This thin, stylet-guided depth electrode is capable of recording local field potentials and single unit neuronal activity (action potentials), validated across species. This device represents an advance in manufacturing and design approaches which extends the capabilities of a mainstay technology in clinical neurology.
Reconfiguring nucleation for CVD growth of twisted bilayer MoS2 with a wide range of twist angles
Authors: Xu Manzhang , Ji Hongjia , Zheng Lu , Li Weiwei , Wang Jing , Wang Hanxin , Luo Lei , Lu Qianbo , Gan Xuetao , Liu Zheng , Wang Xuewen , Huang Wei
Published: January 2024

Twisted bilayer (TB) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) beyond TB-graphene are considered an ideal platform for investigating condensed matter physics, due to the moiré superlattices-related peculiar band structures and distinct electronic properties. The growth of large-area and high-quality TB-TMDCs with wide twist angles would be significant for exploring twist angle-dependent physics and applications, but remains challenging to implement. Here, we propose a reconfiguring nucleation chemical vapor deposition (CVD) strategy for directly synthesizing TB-MoS2 with twist angles from 0° to 120°. The twist angles-dependent Moiré periodicity can be clearly observed, and the interlayer coupling shows a strong relationship to the twist angles. Moreover, the yield of TB-MoS2 in bilayer MoS2 and density of TB-MoS2 are significantly improved to 17.2% and 28.9 pieces/mm2 by tailoring gas flow rate and molar ratio of NaCl to MoO3. The proposed reconfiguring nucleation approach opens an avenue for the precise growth of TB-TMDCs for both fundamental research and practical applications.
Leveraging single-cell ATAC-seq and RNA-seq to identify disease-critical fetal and adult brain cell types
Authors: Kim Samuel S. , Truong Buu , Jagadeesh Karthik , Dey Kushal K. , Shen Amber Z. , Raychaudhuri Soumya , Kellis Manolis , Price Alkes L.
Published: January 2024

Prioritizing disease-critical cell types by integrating genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with functional data is a fundamental goal. Single-cell chromatin accessibility (scATAC-seq) and gene expression (scRNA-seq) have characterized cell types at high resolution, and studies integrating GWAS with scRNA-seq have shown promise, but studies integrating GWAS with scATAC-seq have been limited. Here, we identify disease-critical fetal and adult brain cell types by integrating GWAS summary statistics from 28 brain-related diseases/traits (average N = 298 K) with 3.2 million scATAC-seq and scRNA-seq profiles from 83 cell types. We identified disease-critical fetal (respectively adult) brain cell types for 22 (respectively 23) of 28 traits using scATAC-seq, and for 8 (respectively 17) of 28 traits using scRNA-seq. Significant scATAC-seq enrichments included fetal photoreceptor cells for major depressive disorder, fetal ganglion cells for BMI, fetal astrocytes for ADHD, and adult VGLUT2 excitatory neurons for schizophrenia. Our findings improve our understanding of brain-related diseases/traits and inform future analyses.
Anomalous localization in a kicked quasicrystal
Authors: Shimasaki Toshihiko , Prichard Max , Kondakci H. Esat , Pagett Jared E. , Bai Yifei , Dotti Peter , Cao Alec , Dardia Anna R. , Lu Tsung-Cheng , Grover Tarun , Weld David M.
Published: January 2024

Quantum transport can distinguish between dynamical phases of matter. For instance, ballistic propagation characterizes the absence of disorder, whereas in many-body localized phases, particles do not propagate for exponentially long times. Additional possibilities include states of matter exhibiting anomalous transport in which particles propagate with a non-trivial exponent. Here we report the experimental observation of anomalous transport across a broad range of the phase diagram of a kicked quasicrystal. The Hamiltonian of our system has been predicted to exhibit a rich phase diagram, including not only fully localized and fully delocalized phases but also an extended region comprising a nested pattern of localized, delocalized and multifractal states, which gives rise to anomalous transport. Our cold-atom realization is enabled by new Floquet engineering techniques, which expand the accessible phase diagram by five orders of magnitude. Mapping transport properties throughout the phase diagram, we observe disorder-driven re-entrant delocalization and sub-ballistic transport, and we present a theoretical explanation of these phenomena based on eigenstate multifractality.
Flexoelectric polarizing and control of a ferromagnetic metal
Authors: Peng Wei , Park Se Young , Roh Chang Jae , Mun Junsik , Ju Hwiin , Kim Jinkwon , Ko Eun Kyo , Liang Zhengguo , Hahn Sungsoo , Zhang Jinfeng , Sanchez Ana M. , Walker David , Hindmarsh Steven , Si Liang , Jo Yong Jin , Jo Yongjoo , Kim Tae Heon , Kim Changyoung , Wang Lingfei , Kim Miyoung , Lee Jong Seok , Noh Tae Won , Lee Daesu
Published: January 2024

Electric polarization is well defined only in insulators not metals, and there is no general scheme to induce and control bulk polarity in metals. Here we circumvent this limitation by utilizing a pseudo-electric field generated by inhomogeneous lattice strain, namely a flexoelectric field, as a means of polarizing and controlling a metal. Using heteroepitaxy and atomic-scale imaging, we show that flexoelectric fields polarize the bulk of an otherwise centrosymmetric metal SrRuO3, with off-centre displacements of Ru ions. This further impacts the electronic bands and lattice anisotropy of the flexo-polar SrRuO3, potentially leading to an enhancement of electron correlation, ferromagnetism and its anisotropy. Beyond conventional electric fields, flexoelectric fields may be used to create and control electronic states through pure atomic displacements.
Observation of interband Berry phase in laser-driven crystals
Authors: Uzan-Narovlansky Ayelet J. , Faeyrman Lior , Brown Graham G. , Shames Sergei , Narovlansky Vladimir , Xiao Jiewen , Arusi-Parpar Talya , Kneller Omer , Bruner Barry D. , Smirnova Olga , Silva Rui E. F. , Yan Binghai , Jiménez-Galán Álvaro , Ivanov Misha , Dudovich Nirit
Published: January 2024

Ever since its discovery1, the notion of the Berry phase has permeated all branches of physics and plays an important part in a variety of quantum phenomena2. However, so far all its realizations have been based on a continuous evolution of the quantum state, following a cyclic path. Here we introduce and demonstrate a conceptually new manifestation of the Berry phase in light-driven crystals, in which the electronic wavefunction accumulates a geometric phase during a discrete evolution between different bands, while preserving the coherence of the process. We experimentally reveal this phase by using a strong laser field to engineer an internal interferometer, induced during less than one cycle of the driving field, which maps the phase onto the emission of higher-order harmonics. Our work provides an opportunity for the study of geometric phases, leading to a variety of observations in light-driven topological phenomena and attosecond solid-state physics.
Alternative splicing of latrophilin-3 controls synapse formation
Authors: Wang Shuai , DeLeon Chelsea , Sun Wenfei , Quake Stephen R. , Roth Bryan L. , Südhof Thomas C.
Published: January 2024

The assembly and specification of synapses in the brain is incompletely understood1–3. Latrophilin-3 (encoded by Adgrl3, also known as Lphn3)—a postsynaptic adhesion G-protein-coupled receptor—mediates synapse formation in the hippocampus4 but the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Here we show in mice that LPHN3 organizes synapses through a convergent dual-pathway mechanism: activation of Gαs signalling and recruitment of phase-separated postsynaptic protein scaffolds. We found that cell-type-specific alternative splicing of Lphn3 controls the LPHN3 G-protein-coupling mode, resulting in LPHN3 variants that predominantly signal through Gαs or Gα12/13. CRISPR-mediated manipulation of Lphn3 alternative splicing that shifts LPHN3 from a Gαs- to a Gα12/13-coupled mode impaired synaptic connectivity as severely as the overall deletion of Lphn3, suggesting that Gαs signalling by LPHN3 splice variants mediates synapse formation. Notably, Gαs-coupled, but not Gα12/13-coupled, splice variants of LPHN3 also recruit phase-transitioned postsynaptic protein scaffold condensates, such that these condensates are clustered by binding of presynaptic teneurin and FLRT ligands to LPHN3. Moreover, neuronal activity promotes alternative splicing of the synaptogenic Gαs-coupled variant of LPHN3. Together, these data suggest that activity-dependent alternative splicing of a key synaptic adhesion molecule controls synapse formation by parallel activation of two convergent pathways: Gαs signalling and clustered phase separation of postsynaptic protein scaffolds.
Autoreactive T cells target peripheral nerves in Guillain–Barré syndrome
Authors: Súkeníková L. , Mallone A. , Schreiner B. , Ripellino P. , Nilsson J. , Stoffel M. , Ulbrich S. E. , Sallusto F. , Latorre D.
Published: January 2024

Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare heterogenous disorder of the peripheral nervous system, which is usually triggered by a preceding infection, and causes a potentially life-threatening progressive muscle weakness1. Although GBS is considered an autoimmune disease, the mechanisms that underlie its distinct clinical subtypes remain largely unknown. Here, by combining in vitro T cell screening, single-cell RNA sequencing and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing, we identify autoreactive memory CD4+ cells, that show a cytotoxic T helper 1 (TH1)-like phenotype, and rare CD8+ T cells that target myelin antigens of the peripheral nerves in patients with the demyelinating disease variant. We characterized more than 1,000 autoreactive single T cell clones, which revealed a polyclonal TCR repertoire, short CDR3β lengths, preferential HLA-DR restrictions and recognition of immunodominant epitopes. We found that autoreactive TCRβ clonotypes were expanded in the blood of the same patient at distinct disease stages and, notably, that they were shared in the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid across different patients with GBS, but not in control individuals. Finally, we identified myelin-reactive T cells in the nerve biopsy from one patient, which indicates that these cells contribute directly to disease pathophysiology. Collectively, our data provide clear evidence of autoreactive T cell immunity in a subset of patients with GBS, and open new perspectives in the field of inflammatory peripheral neuropathies, with potential impact for biomedical applications.