bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mani’s Metivta: Manichaean Pedagogy in its Late Antique Mesopotamian Context
Authors: Han Jae
Published: August 2021

This article investigates the nature of Manichaean pedagogy as expressed through the late antique codices known as the Kephalaia of the Teacher and the Kephalaia of the Wisdom of my Lord Mani. By paying attention to a range of contextual cues that frame each moment of instruction, it first argues that much like their rabbinic and Christian neighbors, Mesopotamian Manichaeans did not study in academic institutions. Rather, instruction took place on an ad-hoc, individual basis, often based on happenstance events; there is no mention of a building dedicated to learning, a standard curriculum, or a semester schedule. This article then contextualizes this form of non-institutionalized Manichaean instruction by comparing three formulae found in the Kephalaia codices that have parallels in the Babylonian Talmud: the formula of Mani “sitting among” his disciples (or of his disciples “sitting before” Mani), of Mani’s disciples “standing before” Mani, and of various people “coming before” Mani. In so doing, this article ultimately argues that the Babylonian Rabbis and Syro-Mesopotamian Manichaeans shared a common pedagogical habitus, one expressed through bodily comportment and hierarchy rather than through the imposition of institutional norms.
Maimonides’s Rationalization of the Incest Taboo, Its Reception in Thirteenth-Century Kabbalah, and Their Affinity to Aquinas
Authors: Sachs-Shmueli Leore
Published: August 2021

This article discusses Maimonides’s rationale for the incest taboo and traces its reception in Christian and kabbalistic traditions in the thirteenth century. Tracing the reception of Maimonides’s view enables recognition of the resemblance between Maimonides and Aquinas, the ambivalent stance toward Maimonides’s explanation expressed by Nahmanides, and the incorporation of Maimonides’s reasoning in one of the most systematic and enigmatic works of kabbalistic rationalization of the commandments, the Castilian Kabbalist Joseph of Hamadan’s The Book of the Rationales of the Negative Commandments. R. Joseph’s acceptance of Maimonidean principles and his integration of them in the theurgic Kabbalah reveal a conflict in the heart of its system and teach us about an important aspect of the theory of sexuality in Kabbalah. The inquiry offered here examines the inter-relations between divergent medieval religious trends in constructing the role of sexuality. Instead of the common presentation of Kabbalah as diverging from the ascetic positions of Jewish philosophy and Christianity, this analysis will elucidate Kabbalah’s continuity with them.
Uncensored: Recovering Anti-Christian Animosity in Contemporary Rabbinic Literature
Authors: Ben Johanan Karma
Published: August 2021

This article focuses on the recovery of censored Jewish texts in contemporary Orthodox rabbinic literature. I show that contemporary Orthodox scholars make use of critical methods which are close to those of the historical, philological, and biblical sciences, in order to reconstruct those portions of the Jewish tradition which were omitted or transformed in the early-modern period by Christian censorship or by Jews with an “eye” to the censor. As the censored texts were mostly omitted or changed because they were recognized as offensive to Christian sensitivities, their current recovery entails also a renewed discussion of Judaism’s attitude to Christianity. I argue that the “uncensoring” of Jewish traditions is closely connected with expressions of animosity towards Christianity. The combination of this animosity with the use of modern scientific methods brings the common cultural assumptions which relate resistance to inter-faith rapprochement with “traditionalism,” and a reactionary approach to modernism, into question.
Angioarchitecture of the coeliac sympathetic ganglion
complex in the common tree shrew (Tupaia glis)
Authors: PROMWIKORN WARAPORN , THONGPILA SAKPORN , PRADIDARCHEEP WISUIT , MINGSAKUL THAWORN , CHUNHABUNDIT PANJIT , SOMANA REON
Published: August 2021

The angioarchitecture of the coeliac sympathetic ganglion complex
(CGC) of the common tree shrew
(Tupaia glis) was studied by the vascular corrosion cast technique
in conjunction with scanning electron
microscopy. The CGC of the tree shrew was found to be a highly vascularised
organ. It normally received
arterial blood supply from branches of the inferior phrenic, superior suprarenal
and inferior suprarenal
arteries and of the abdominal aorta. In some animals, its blood supply
was also derived from branches of
the middle suprarenal arteries, coeliac artery, superior mesenteric artery
and lumbar arteries. These arteries
penetrated the ganglion at variable points and in slightly different patterns.
They gave off peripheral
branches to form a subcapsular capillary plexus while their main trunks
traversed deeply into the inner part
before branching into the densely packed intraganglionic capillary networks.
The capillaries merged to form
venules before draining into collecting veins at the peripheral region
of the ganglion complex. Finally, the
veins coursed to the dorsal aspect of the ganglion to drain into the renal
and inferior phrenic veins and the
inferior vena cava. The capillaries on the coeliac ganglion complex do
not possess fenestrations.
Fibrocartilage in tendons and ligaments — an adaptation to
compressive load
Authors: BENJAMIN M. , RALPHS J. R.
Published: August 2021

Where tendons and ligaments are subject to compression, they are
frequently fibrocartilaginous. This occurs
at 2 principal sites: where tendons (and sometimes ligaments) wrap around
bony or fibrous pulleys, and in
the region where they attach to bone, i.e. at their entheses. Wrap-around
tendons are most characteristic of
the limbs and are commonly wider at their point of bony contact so that
the pressure is reduced. The most
fibrocartilaginous tendons are heavily loaded and permanently bent around
their pulleys. There is often
pronounced interweaving of collagen fibres that prevents the tendons from
splaying apart under
compression. The fibrocartilage can be located within fascicles, or in
endo- or epitenon (where it may
protect blood vessels from compression or allow fascicles to slide). Fibrocartilage
cells are commonly packed
with intermediate filaments which could be involved in transducing mechanical
load. The ECM often
contains aggrecan which allows the tendon to imbibe water and withstand
compression. Type II collagen
may also be present, particularly in tendons that are heavily loaded. Fibrocartilage
is a dynamic tissue that
disappears when the tendons are rerouted surgically and can be maintained
in vitro when discs of tendon
are compressed. Finite element analyses provide a good correlation between
its distribution and levels of
compressive stress, but at some locations fibrocartilage is a sign of pathology.
Enthesis fibrocartilage is most
typical of tendons or ligaments that attach to the epiphyses of long bones
where it may also be accompanied
by sesamoid and periosteal fibrocartilages. It is characteristic of sites
where the angle of attachment changes
throughout the range of joint movement and it reduces wear and tear by
dissipating stress concentration at
the bony interface. There is a good correlation between the distribution
of fibrocartilage within an enthesis
and the levels of compressive stress. The complex interlocking between
calcified fibrocartilage and bone
contributes to the mechanical strength of the enthesis and cartilage-like
molecules (e.g. aggrecan and type II
collagen) in the ECM contribute to its ability to withstand compression.
Pathological changes are common
and are known as enthesopathies.
Expression of tissue type and urokinase type plasminogen
activators as well as plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1
and type-2 in human and rhesus monkey placenta
Authors: HU ZHAO-YUAN , LIU YI-XUN , LIU KUI , BYRNE SIMON , NY TOR , FENG QIANG , OCKLEFORD COLIN D.
Published: August 2021

The distribution of mRNAs and antigens of tissue type (t) and urokinase type (u) plasminogen activators
(PA) plus their corresponding inhibitors, type-1 (PAI-1) and type-2 (PAI-2) were studied in human and
rhesus monkey placentae by in situ hybridisation and immunocytochemistry. Specific monkey cRNA and
antibodies against human tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 were used as probes. The following results were
obtained. (1) All the molecules tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 and their mRNAs were identified in the
majority of the extravillous cytotrophoblast cells of the decidual layer between Rohr's and Nitabuch's striae
and in cytotrophoblast cells of the chorionic plate, basal plate, intercotyledonary septae and cytotrophoblast
cells of the chorionic villous tree. (2) Expression of uPA and PAI-2 was noted in villous trophoblast whereas
tPA and PAI-1 were mainly concentrated where detachment from maternal tissue occurs. (3) No expression
of tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 was observed in the basal plate endometrial stromal cells, chorionic plate
connective tissue cells, septal endometrial stromal cells or villous core mesenchyme. (4) The distribution of
probes observed following in situ hybridisation is generally consistent with the immunofluorescence pattern
of the corresponding antigens and no significant interspecies differences were noted. It is possible that both
decidual and extravillous trophoblast cells of placentae of human and rhesus monkey are capable of
producing tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 to differing extents. Coordinated expression of these genes in the
tissue may play an essential role in the maintenance of normal placentation and parturition. The differences
in distribution we observed are consistent with the suggestion that coordinated expression of tPA and its
inhibitor PAI-1 may play a key role in fibrinolytic activity in the early stages of placentation and separation
of placenta from maternal tissue at term. On the other hand, uPA with its inhibitor PAI-2 appears mainly
to play a role in degradation of trophoblast cell-associated extracellular matrix, and thus may be of greatest
importance during early stages of placentation.
CT examination of the head of the Baikal seal (Phoca sibirica)
Authors: ENDO HIDEKI , SASAKI HIROYUKI , HAYASHI YOSHIHIRO , PETROV EVAGENY A. , AMANO MASAO , SUZUKI NAOKI , MIYAZAKI NOBUYUKI
Published: August 2021

We carried out a computerised tomographic (CT) examination to elucidate
the modifications in the head
related to orbital enlargement in the Baikal seal. Transverse CT images
showed that (1) the external frontal
contours and the frontal sinuses are compressed medially and ventrally
by the orbital enlargement; (2) the
caudal part of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx are compacted ventrally;
and (3) the cranial cavity is
displaced caudally. The neurocranium is obviously separated from the facial
part in the transverse plane at
the caudal region of the orbit. The disposition of the mandible, zygomatic
arch, temporal bone, and the
masseter, temporal, digastric and pterygoid muscles is changed by the enlarged
orbit in the 3-dimensional
reorganisation of the head in this species. It is suggested that adaptation
for the Lake Baikal environment
primarily resulted in orbital enlargement, and that the altered orbital
design may subsequently have
influenced the form and function of the masticatory and respiratory system.
Organisation of the chondrocyte cytoskeleton and its response
to changing mechanical conditions in organ culture
Authors: DURRANT L. A. , ARCHER C. W. , BENJAMIN M. , RALPHS J. R.
Published: August 2021

Articular cartilage undergoes cycles of compressive loading during joint movement, leading to its cyclical
deformation and recovery. This loading is essential for chondrocytes to perform their normal function of
maintenance of the extracellular matrix. Various lines of evidence suggest the involvement of the
cytoskeleton in load sensing and response. The purpose of the present study is to describe the 3-dimensional
(3D) architecture of the cytoskeleton of chondrocytes within their extracellular matrix, and to examine
cytoskeletal responses to experimentally varied mechanical conditions. Uniformly sized explants of articular
cartilage were dissected from adult rat femoral heads. Some were immediately frozen, cryosectioned and
labelled for filamentous actin using phalloidin, and for the focal contact component vinculin or for vimentin
by indirect immunofluorescence. Sections were examined by confocal microscopy and 3D modelling. Actin
occurred in all chondrocytes, appearing as bright foci at the cell surface linked to an irregular network
beneath the surface. Cell surface foci colocalised with vinculin, suggesting the presence of focal contacts
between the chondrocyte and its pericellular matrix. Vimentin label occurred mainly in cells of the deep
zone. It had a complex intracellular distribution, with linked networks of fibres surrounding the nucleus and
beneath the plasma membrane. When cartilage explants were placed into organ culture, where in the absence
of further treatments cartilage imbibes fluid from the culture medium and swells, cytoskeletal changes were
observed. After 1 h in culture the vimentin cytoskeleton was disassembled, leading to diffuse labelling of
cells. After a further hour in culture filamentous vimentin label reappeared in deep zone chondrocytes, and
then over the next 48 h became more widespread in cells of the explants. Actin distribution was unaffected
by culture. Further experiments were performed to test the effects of load on the cytoskeleton. Explants were
placed in culture and immediately subjected to static uniaxial radially unconfined compressive loads of 0.5,
1, 2 or 4 MPa for 1 h using a pneumatic loading device. Loads greater than 0.5 MPa maintained the
vimentin organisation over the culture period. At 0.5 MPa, the chondrocytes within the explant behaved as
in free-swelling culture. The rapid change in vimentin organisation probably relates to rapid swelling of the
explants—under free-swelling conditions, these reached their maximum swollen size in just 15 min of culture.
The chondrocytes' response to change in tissue dimensions, and thus to their relationship to their immediate
environment, was to disassemble their vimentin networks. Loading probably counteracts the swelling
pressure of the tissue. Overall, this work suggests that chondrocytes maintain their actin cytoskeleton and
modify their vimentin cytoskeleton in response to changing mechanical conditions.
The effect of the timing of ethanol exposure during early
postnatal life on total number of Purkinje cells in rat
cerebellum
Authors: MIKI TAKANORI , HARRIS SIMON , WILCE PETER , TAKEUCHI YOSHIKI , BEDI KULDIP S.
Published: August 2021

We have previously shown that exposing rats to a high dose of ethanol on postnatal d 5 can affect Purkinje
cell numbers in the cerebellum whilst similar exposure on d 10 had no such effect. The question arose
whether a longer period of ethanol exposure after d 10 could produce loss of Purkinje cells. We have
examined this question by exposing young rats to a relatively high dose (∼420–430 mg/dl) of ethanol for
6 d periods between the ages of either 4 and 9 d or 10 and 15 d of age. Exposure was carried out by placing
the rats in an ethanol vapour chamber for 3 h per day during the exposure period. Groups of ethanol-treated (ET), separation controls (SC) and mother-reared controls (MRC) were anaesthetised and killed
when aged 30 d by perfusion with buffered 2.5% glutaraldehyde. Stereological methods were used to
determine the numbers of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum of each rat. MRC, SC and rats treated with
ethanol between 10–15 d of age each had, on average, about 254–258 thousand cerebellar Purkinje cells; the
differences between these various groups were not statistically significant. However, the rats treated with
ethanol vapour between 4–9 d of age had an average of only about 128000±20000 Purkinje cells per
cerebellum. This value was significantly different from both the MRC and group-matched SC animals. It is
concluded that the period between 4 and 9 d of age is an extremely vulnerable period during which the rat
cerebellar Purkinje cells are particularly susceptible to the effects of a high dose of ethanol. However, a
similar level and duration of ethanol exposure commencing after 10 d of age has no significant effect on
Purkinje cell numbers.
The Purity of Agent-Regret
Authors: Wojtowicz Jake
Published: August 2021

I argue for a novel understanding of the nature of agent-regret. On the standard picture, agent-regret involves regretting the result of one's action and thus regretting one's action. I argue that the standard picture is a flawed analysis of agent-regret. I offer several cases of agent-regret where the agent feels agent-regret but does not regret the result itself. I appeal to other cases where an agent's attitude towards something depends upon whether or not they are involved in that thing. I argue that the same applies to actions: sometimes an agent's attitude towards a result differs from their attitude to their involvement in bringing about that result. Agent-regret is regret about my own action, but it need not involve regret about something in the world. I end by considering how this picture of agent-regret allows us to respond to a particular criticism of agent-regret.
Wang Chong and the Theatre of Immediacy: Technology, Performance, and Intimacy in Crisis
Authors: Chun Tarryn Li-Min
Published: August 2021

In early January 2020, when Chinese theatre director Wang Chong (b. 1982) arrived in New York to remount his production of Nick Payne'sConstellationsfor the Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival, he couldn't have predicted that this would be the last time for months that he would watch his actors from the middle of a full house. By the time his work-in-progress solo show,Made in China 2.0,opened at the Asia TOPA Festival in Melbourne, Australia, at the end of that February, it was clear that there would be no live theatre in Wang's hometown of Beijing for some time. All of China was on lockdown as the disease now tragically familiar as COVID-19 swept the country. Then, as Wang returned to Beijing in early March, businesses around the globe were shuttering, theatres were going dark, and theatre artists were confronting an unprecedented challenge to their personal safety, livelihoods, and ability to make meaningful art. In short order, some well-resourced theatre institutions began to stream performance recordings and reconfigure their seasons for online platforms. Only a month after returning home, Wang Chong joined this mass online movement with his production of Samuel Beckett'sWaiting for Godot, streamed live on 5–6 April 2020 asDengdai Geduo.
The Composition and Transmission of the Homeric Poems: A Summary
Authors: Moran Jerome
Published: August 2021

If the modern oral hypothesis, beginning in the 1920s (see 17 below), about the composition of early Greek epic poetry is correct (a ‘paradigm shift’ in Homeric studies according to Casey Dué), there were many poets who over centuries, beginning perhaps in the middle-to-late Bronze Age, composed in performance many different versions of epic poems, including poems about the Trojan War, and including the subject matter of the Iliad and the Odyssey, vestiges of which survive on papyrus fragments and in the manuscripts of later authors. But the versions of the Iliad and the Odyssey that we have were not the work of many poets but, for the most part, of a single poet. The overall unity of the poems cannot be explained, or explained away, by any theory that posits multiple, successive authorship spanning many years.
In a Twist, a Greek Volcano Ruled by the Sea
Authors: Duncombe Jenessa
Published: August 2021

Move over Hephaestus, Poseidon’s got this one.
Months‐Long Crustal Deformation Driven by Aseismic Slips and Pore Pressure Transients Triggered by Local and Regional Earthquakes
Authors: Lu Zhou , Wen Lianxing
Published: August 2021

Strong strain and pore pressure changes are observed after three Mw 4.5+ local and one Mw 7.2 regional earthquake during 2010–2017 in borehole strainmeters near Anza, California. The strain change emerges immediately after the earthquakes and lasts 40–100 days with amplitudes up to 10−7, larger than the coseismic strain offsets. The pore pressure exhibits change immediately after the earthquakes at some boreholes and with a delay of 4–10 days at the others. A joint analysis of the observed postseismic strain and pore pressure change suggests that the postseismic strains could be explained by combined effects of poroelastic deformation due to earthquake‐induced pore pressure change and elastic deformation due to an earthquake‐triggered aseismic slip on a local fault. Our study indicates that, in addition to possible aseismic fault slips triggered by an earthquake, pore pressure changes after the earthquake could be even more important in producing postseismic deformation.
Small‐Scale Topographic Effects on the Generation of Along‐Shelf Propagating Internal Solitary Waves on the Amazon Shelf
Authors: Bai Xiaolin , Lamb Kevin G. , da Silva José C. B.
Published: August 2021

This study investigates along‐shelf propagating internal solitary waves (ISWs) on the Amazon Shelf using satellite observations and numerical modeling. These ISWs appear as streak‐like patterns in satellite images along a narrow path within the North Brazilian Current (NBC), propagating against the current. The streak‐like patterns of the along‐shelf propagating ISWs are a result of the quasi‐two‐dimensional bathymetry below, suggesting the possibility of using sea surface imprints to detect the topographic features beneath. In this study, both the effects of the NBC and tidal current on ISW generation are considered over irregular seafloor. Near‐critical conditions (internal Froude number close to 1) created by the joint effects of the NBC and the tides result in ISW generation, while the dominant subcritical conditions result in the upstream propagation of these ISWs. Both the NBC and tidal currents are needed to continuously generate ISWs. This study demonstrates that small‐scale topographic features can result in the generation of large numbers of ISWs, which are expected to significantly contribute to ocean mixing and, potentially, sediment resuspension. The ISW‐induced current also contributes to sea surface wave breaking as observed by satellites.
Winter Climate and Lake Morphology Control Ice Phenology and Under‐Ice Temperature and Oxygen Regimes in Mountain Lakes
Authors: Smits Adrianne P. , Gomez Nicholas W. , Dozier Jeff , Sadro Steven
Published: August 2021

Warming winters will reduce ice cover and change under‐ice conditions in temperate mountain lakes, where snow contributes most of winter cover on lakes. Snow‐dominated mountain lakes are abundant and highly susceptible to climate warming, yet we lack an understanding of how climate variation and local attributes influence winter processes. We investigated climatic and intrinsic controls on ice phenology, water temperature, and bottom‐water dissolved oxygen (DO) in 15 morphologically diverse lakes in the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains of California, USA, using high‐frequency measurements from multiple (2–5) winters. We found that ice phenology was determined by winter climate variables (snowfall and air temperature) that influence ice‐off timing, whereas ice‐on timing was relatively invariant among years. Lake size and morphology mediated the effect of climate on lake temperature and DO dynamics in early and late winter. Rates of hypolimnetic DO decline were highest in small, shallow lakes, and were unrelated to water temperature. Temperature and oxygen dynamics were more variable in small lakes because heavy snowfall caused ice submergence, mixing, and DO replenishment that affected the entire water column. As the persistence of snow declines in temperate mountain regions, autumn, and spring climatic conditions are expected to gain importance in regulating lake ice phenology. Water temperature and DO will likely increase in most lakes during winter as snowpack declines, but morphological attributes such as lake size will determine the sensitivity of ice phenology and under‐ice processes to climate change.
Charge of clustered microparticles measured in spatial plasma afterglows follows the smallest enclosing sphere model
Authors: van Minderhout B. , van Huijstee J. C. A. , Rompelberg R. M. H. , Post A. , Peijnenburg A. T. A. , Blom P. , Beckers J.
Published: August 2021

The plasma-induced charge of non-spherical microparticles is a crucial parameter in complex plasma physics, aerosol science and astrophysics. Yet, the literature describes this charge by two competing models, neither of which has been experimentally verified or refuted. Here we offer experimental proof that the charge on a two-particle cluster (doublet) in the spatial afterglow of a low-pressure plasma equals the charge that would be obtained by the smallest enclosing sphere and that it should therefore not be based on its geometrical capacitance but rather on the capacitance of its smallest enclosing sphere. To support this conclusion, the size, mass and charge of single particles (singlets) and doublets are measured with high precision. The measured ratio between the plasma-afterglow-induced charges on doublets and singlets is compared to both models and shows perfect agreement with the predicted ratio using the capacitance of the smallest enclosing sphere, while being significantly dissimilar to the predicted ratio based on the particle’s geometrical capacitance.
Haploinsufficiency of SF3B2 causes craniofacial microsomia
Authors: Timberlake Andrew T. , Griffin Casey , Heike Carrie L. , Hing Anne V. , Cunningham Michael L. , Chitayat David , Davis Mark R. , Doust Soghra J. , Drake Amelia F. , Duenas-Roque Milagros M. , Goldblatt Jack , Gustafson Jonas A. , Hurtado-Villa Paula , Johns Alexis , Karp Natalya , Laing Nigel G. , Magee Leanne ,   University of Washington Center for Mendelian Genomics, Mullegama Sureni V. , Pachajoa Harry , Porras-Hurtado Gloria L. , Schnur Rhonda E. , Slee Jennie , Singer Steven L. , Staffenberg David A. , Timms Andrew E. , Wise Cheryl A. , Zarante Ignacio , Saint-Jeannet Jean-Pierre , Luquetti Daniela V.
Published: August 2021

Craniofacial microsomia (CFM) is the second most common congenital facial anomaly, yet its genetic etiology remains unknown. We perform whole-exome or genome sequencing of 146 kindreds with sporadic (n = 138) or familial (n = 8) CFM, identifying a highly significant burden of loss of function variants in SF3B2 (P = 3.8 × 10−10), a component of the U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein complex, in probands. We describe twenty individuals from seven kindreds harboring de novo or transmitted haploinsufficient variants in SF3B2. Probands display mandibular hypoplasia, microtia, facial and preauricular tags, epibulbar dermoids, lateral oral clefts in addition to skeletal and cardiac abnormalities. Targeted morpholino knockdown of SF3B2 in Xenopus results in disruption of cranial neural crest precursor formation and subsequent craniofacial cartilage defects, supporting a link between spliceosome mutations and impaired neural crest development in congenital craniofacial disease. The results establish haploinsufficient variants in SF3B2 as the most prevalent genetic cause of CFM, explaining ~3% of sporadic and ~25% of familial cases.
Visible light photonic integrated Brillouin laser
Authors: Chauhan Nitesh , Isichenko Andrei , Liu Kaikai , Wang Jiawei , Zhao Qiancheng , Behunin Ryan O. , Rakich Peter T. , Jayich Andrew M. , Fertig C. , Hoyt C. W. , Blumenthal Daniel J.
Published: August 2021

Narrow linewidth visible light lasers are critical for atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) physics including atomic clocks, quantum computing, atomic and molecular spectroscopy, and sensing. Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is a promising approach to realize highly coherent on-chip visible light laser emission. Here we report demonstration of a visible light photonic integrated Brillouin laser, with emission at 674 nm, a 14.7 mW optical threshold, corresponding to a threshold density of 4.92 mW μm−2, and a 269 Hz linewidth. Significant advances in visible light silicon nitride/silica all-waveguide resonators are achieved to overcome barriers to SBS in the visible, including 1 dB/meter waveguide losses, 55.4 million quality factor (Q), and measurement of the 25.110 GHz Stokes frequency shift and 290 MHz gain bandwidth. This advancement in integrated ultra-narrow linewidth visible wavelength SBS lasers opens the door to compact quantum and atomic systems and implementation of increasingly complex AMO based physics and experiments.
No COVID-19 climate silver lining in the US power sector
Authors: Luke Max , Somani Priyanshi , Cotterman Turner , Suri Dhruv , Lee Stephen J.
Published: August 2021

Recent studies conclude that the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic decreased power sector CO2 emissions globally and in the United States. In this paper, we analyze the statistical significance of CO2 emissions reductions in the U.S. power sector from March through December 2020. We use Gaussian process (GP) regression to assess whether CO2 emissions reductions would have occurred with reasonable probability in the absence of COVID-19 considering uncertainty due to factors unrelated to the pandemic and adjusting for weather, seasonality, and recent emissions trends. We find that monthly CO2 emissions reductions are only statistically significant in April and May 2020 considering hypothesis tests at 5% significance levels. Separately, we consider the potential impact of COVID-19 on coal-fired power plant retirements through 2022. We find that only a small percentage of U.S. coal power plants are at risk of retirement due to a possible COVID-19-related sustained reduction in electricity demand and prices. We observe and anticipate a return to pre-COVID-19 CO2 emissions in the U.S. power sector.
Potent neutralizing nanobodies resist convergent circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2 by targeting diverse and conserved epitopes
Authors: Sun Dapeng , Sang Zhe , Kim Yong Joon , Xiang Yufei , Cohen Tomer , Belford Anna K. , Huet Alexis , Conway James F. , Sun Ji , Taylor Derek J. , Schneidman-Duhovny Dina , Zhang Cheng , Huang Wei , Shi Yi
Published: August 2021

Interventions against variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are urgently needed. Stable and potent nanobodies (Nbs) that target the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike are promising therapeutics. However, it is unknown if Nbs broadly neutralize circulating variants. We found that RBD Nbs are highly resistant to variants of concern (VOCs). High-resolution cryoelectron microscopy determination of eight Nb-bound structures reveals multiple potent neutralizing epitopes clustered into three classes: Class I targets ACE2-binding sites and disrupts host receptor binding. Class II binds highly conserved epitopes and retains activity against VOCs and RBDSARS-CoV. Cass III recognizes unique epitopes that are likely inaccessible to antibodies. Systematic comparisons of neutralizing antibodies and Nbs provided insights into how Nbs target the spike to achieve high-affinity and broadly neutralizing activity. Structure-function analysis of Nbs indicates a variety of antiviral mechanisms. Our study may guide the rational design of pan-coronavirus vaccines and therapeutics.
Mechanism of LolCDE as a molecular extruder of bacterial triacylated lipoproteins
Authors: Sharma Stuti , Zhou Ruoyu , Wan Li , Feng Shan , Song KangKang , Xu Chen , Li Yanyan , Liao Maofu
Published: August 2021

Lipoproteins are important for bacterial growth and antibiotic resistance. These proteins use lipid acyl chains attached to the N-terminal cysteine residue to anchor on the outer surface of cytoplasmic membrane. In Gram-negative bacteria, many lipoproteins are transported to the outer membrane (OM), a process dependent on the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter LolCDE which extracts the OM-targeted lipoproteins from the cytoplasmic membrane. Lipid-anchored proteins pose a unique challenge for transport machinery as they have both hydrophobic lipid moieties and soluble protein component, and the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Here we determined the cryo-EM structures of nanodisc-embedded LolCDE in the nucleotide-free and nucleotide-bound states at 3.8-Å and 3.5-Å resolution, respectively. The structural analyses, together with biochemical and mutagenesis studies, uncover how LolCDE recognizes its substrate by interacting with the lipid and N-terminal peptide moieties of the lipoprotein, and identify the amide-linked acyl chain as the key element for LolCDE interaction. Upon nucleotide binding, the transmembrane helices and the periplasmic domains of LolCDE undergo large-scale, asymmetric movements, resulting in extrusion of the captured lipoprotein. Comparison of LolCDE and MacB reveals the conserved mechanism of type VII ABC transporters and emphasizes the unique properties of LolCDE as a molecule extruder of triacylated lipoproteins.
Discovery of a dual Ras and ARF6 inhibitor from a GPCR endocytosis screen
Authors: Giubilaro Jenna , Schuetz Doris A. , Stepniewski Tomasz M. , Namkung Yoon , Khoury Etienne , Lara-Márquez Mónica , Campbell Shirley , Beautrait Alexandre , Armando Sylvain , Radresa Olivier , Duchaine Jean , Lamarche-Vane Nathalie , Claing Audrey , Selent Jana , Bouvier Michel , Marinier Anne , Laporte Stéphane A.
Published: August 2021

Internalization and intracellular trafficking of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play pivotal roles in cell responsiveness. Dysregulation in receptor trafficking can lead to aberrant signaling and cell behavior. Here, using an endosomal BRET-based assay in a high-throughput screen with the prototypical GPCR angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), we sought to identify receptor trafficking inhibitors from a library of ~115,000 small molecules. We identified a novel dual Ras and ARF6 inhibitor, which we named Rasarfin, that blocks agonist-mediated internalization of AT1R and other GPCRs. Rasarfin also potently inhibits agonist-induced ERK1/2 signaling by GPCRs, and MAPK and Akt signaling by EGFR, as well as prevents cancer cell proliferation. In silico modeling and in vitro studies reveal a unique binding modality of Rasarfin within the SOS-binding domain of Ras. Our findings unveil a class of dual small G protein inhibitors for receptor trafficking and signaling, useful for the inhibition of oncogenic cellular responses.
Reversible polymer-gel transition for ultra-stretchable chip-integrated circuits through self-soldering and self-coating and self-healing
Authors: Lopes Pedro Alhais , Santos Bruno C. , de Almeida Anibal T. , Tavakoli Mahmoud
Published: August 2021

Integration of solid-state microchips into soft-matter, and stretchable printed electronics has been the biggest challenge against their scalable fabrication. We introduce, Pol-Gel, a simple technique for self-soldering, self-encapsulation, and self-healing, that allows low cost, scalable, and rapid fabrication of hybrid microchip-integrated ultra-stretchable circuits. After digitally printing the circuit, and placing the microchips, we trigger a Polymer-Gel transition in physically cross-linked block copolymers substrate, and silver liquid metal composite ink, by exposing the circuits to the solvent vapor. Once in the gel state, microchips penetrate to the ink and the substrate (Self-Soldering), and the ink penetrates to the substrate (Self-encapsulation). Maximum strain tolerance of ~1200% for printed stretchable traces, and >500% for chip-integrated soft circuits is achieved, which is 5x higher than the previous works. We demonstrate condensed soft-matter patches and e-textiles with integrated sensors, processors, and wireless communication, and repairing of a fully cut circuits through Pol-Gel.
Selection rules of triboelectric materials for direct-current triboelectric nanogenerator
Authors: Zhao Zhihao , Zhou Linglin , Li Shaoxin , Liu Di , Li Yanhong , Gao Yikui , Liu Yuebo , Dai Yejing , Wang Jie , Wang Zhong Lin
Published: August 2021

The rapid development of Internet of Things and artificial intelligence brings increasing attention on the harvesting of distributed energy by using triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), especially the direct current TENG (DC-TENG). It is essential to select appropriate triboelectric materials for obtaining a high performance TENG. In this work, we provide a set of rules for selecting the triboelectric materials for DC-TENG based on several basic parameters, including surface charge density, friction coefficient, polarization, utilization rate of charges, and stability. On the basis of the selection rules, polyvinyl chloride, used widely in industry rather than in TENG, is selected as the triboelectric layer. Its effective charge density can reach up to ~8.80 mC m−2 in a microstructure-designed DC-TENG, which is a new record for all kinds of TENGs. This work can offer a basic guideline for the triboelectric materials selection and promote the practical applications of DC-TENG.
Elevated risk thresholds predict endocrine risk-reducing medication use in the Athena screening registry
Authors: Huilgol Yash S. , Keane Holly , Shieh Yiwey , Hiatt Robert A. , Tice Jeffrey A. , Madlensky Lisa , Sabacan Leah , Fiscalini Allison Stover , Ziv Elad , Acerbi Irene , Che Mandy , Anton-Culver Hoda , Borowsky Alexander D. , Hunt Sharon , Naeim Arash , Parker Barbara A. , van ‘T Veer Laura J. ,   Athena Breast Health Network Investigators and Advocate Partners, Esserman Laura J.
Published: August 2021

Risk-reducing endocrine therapy use, though the benefit is validated, is extremely low. The FDA has approved tamoxifen and raloxifene for a 5-year Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT) risk ≥ 1.67%. We examined the threshold at which high-risk women are likely to be using endocrine risk-reducing therapies among Athena Breast Health Network participants from 2011–2018. We identified high-risk women by a 5-year BCRAT risk ≥ 1.67% and those in the top 10% and 2.5% risk thresholds by age. We estimated the odds ratio (OR) of current medication use based on these thresholds using logistic regression. One thousand two hundred and one (1.2%) of 104,223 total participants used medication. Of the 33,082 participants with 5-year BCRAT risk ≥ 1.67%, 772 (2.3%) used medication. Of 2445 in the top 2.5% threshold, 209 (8.6%) used medication. Participants whose 5-year risk exceeded 1.67% were more likely to use medication than those whose risk was below this threshold, OR 3.94 (95% CI = 3.50–4.43). The top 2.5% was most strongly associated with medication usage, OR 9.50 (8.13–11.09) compared to the bottom 97.5%. Women exceeding a 5-year BCRAT ≥ 1.67% had modest medication use. We demonstrate that women in the top 2.5% have higher odds of medication use than those in the bottom 97.5% and compared to a risk of 1.67%. The top 2.5% threshold would more effectively target medication use and is being tested prospectively in a randomized control clinical trial.
An ALE meta-analytical review of the neural correlates of abstract and concrete words
Authors: Bucur Madalina , Papagno Costanza
Published: August 2021

Several clinical studies have reported a double dissociation between abstract and concrete concepts, suggesting that they are processed by at least partly different networks in the brain. However, neuroimaging data seem not in line with neuropsychological reports. Using the ALE method, we run a meta-analysis on 32 brain-activation imaging studies that considered only nouns and verbs. Five clusters were associated with concrete words, four clusters with abstract words. When only nouns were selected three left activation clusters were found to be associated with concrete stimuli and only one with abstract nouns (left IFG). These results confirm that concrete and abstract words processing involves at least partially segregated brain areas, the IFG being relevant for abstract nouns and verbs while more posterior temporoparietal-occipital regions seem to be crucial for processing concrete words, in contrast with the neuropsychological literature that suggests a temporal anterior involvement for concrete words. We investigated the possible reasons that produce different outcomes in neuroimaging and clinical studies.
Evaluation of a novel, multi-functional inhibitor compound for prevention of biofilm formation on carbon steel in marine environments
Authors: Tuck Benjamin , Watkin Elizabeth , Forsyth Maria , Somers Anthony , Ghorbani Mahdi , Machuca Laura L.
Published: August 2021

Chemical biocides remain the most effective mitigation strategy against microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), one of the costliest and most pervasive forms of corrosion in industry. However, toxicity and environmental concerns associated with these compounds are encouraging the development of more environmentally friendly MIC inhibitors. In this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial effect of a novel, multi-functional organic corrosion inhibitor (OCI) compound, cetrimonium trans-4-hydroxy-cinnamate (CTA-4OHcinn). Attachment of three bacterial strains, Shewanella chilikensis, Pseudomonas balearica and Klebsiella pneumoniae was evaluated on wet-ground (120 grit finish) and pre-oxidised carbon steel surfaces (AISI 1030), in the presence and absence of the new OCI compound. Our study revealed that all strains preferentially attached to pre-oxidised surfaces as indicated by confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and standard colony forming unit (CFU) quantification assays. The inhibitor compound at 10 mM demonstrated 100% reduction in S. chilikensis attachment independent of initial surface condition, while the other two strains were reduced by at least 99.7% of the original viable cell number. Our results demonstrate that CTA-4OHcinn is biocidal active and has promise as a multifunctional, environmentally sound MIC inhibitor for industrial applications.
Phylogeography and molecular species delimitation reveal cryptic diversity in Potamolithus (Caenogastropoda: Tateidae) of the southwest basin of the Andes
Authors: Collado Gonzalo A. , Torres-Díaz Cristian , Valladares Moisés A.
Published: August 2021

The species of the genus Potamolithus inhabiting the southwestern basin of the Andes are difficult to distinguish due to small size and similar shell morphology. Only Potamolithus australis and Potamolithus santiagensis have been traditionally recognized in this region, but the occurrence of several morphologically similar undescribed populations could increase the regional richness. Here we delimit described and potentially undescribed cryptic species of the genus using partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Network analysis and diversity indices inferred six highly differentiated haplogroups, many of them sympatric and widespread in the study area. Phylogeographic analyses suggest a scenario of recent diversification and the occurrence of multiple refuges during the successive Pleistocene glaciations. Phylogenetic analysis also recovered six major clades that showed no relationship with physiography. Species delimitation analyses consistently recognized three or four candidate species apart from P. australis and P. santiagensis. Divergence times indicate that speciation of Chilean Potamolithus began at the end of the Pliocene, probably driven by climatic rather than geographic events. Considering the high inter- and intra-basin genetic diversity, conservation efforts should be focused on protecting sympatric taxa in the basins with the highest species richness.
Narcissistic personality traits and prefrontal brain structure
Authors: Nenadić Igor , Lorenz Carsten , Gaser Christian
Published: August 2021

Narcissistic traits have been linked to structural and functional brain networks, including the insular cortex, however, with inconsistent findings. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that subclinical narcissism is associated with variations in regional brain volumes in insular and prefrontal areas. We studied 103 clinically healthy subjects, who were assessed for narcissistic traits using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI, 40-item version) and received high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging. Voxel-based morphometry was used to analyse MRI scans and multiple regression models were used for statistical analysis, with threshold-free cluster enhancement (TFCE). We found significant (p < 0.05, family-wise error FWE corrected) positive correlations of NPI scores with grey matter in multiple prefrontal cortical areas (including the medial and ventromedial, anterior/rostral dorsolateral prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices, subgenual and mid-anterior cingulate cortices, insula, and bilateral caudate nuclei). We did not observe reliable links to particular facets of NPI-narcissism. Our findings provide novel evidence for an association of narcissistic traits with variations in prefrontal and insular brain structure, which also overlap with previous functional studies of narcissism-related phenotypes including self-enhancement and social dominance. However, further studies are needed to clarify differential associations to entitlement vs. vulnerable facets of narcissism.
THC-induced behavioral stereotypy in zebrafish as a model of psychosis-like behavior
Authors: Dahlén Amelia , Zarei Mahdi , Melgoza Adam , Wagle Mahendra , Guo Su
Published: August 2021

High doses of the Cannabis constituent Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) increase the risk of psychosis in humans. Highly accessible animal models are needed to address underlying mechanisms. Using zebrafish with a conserved endocannabinoid system, this study investigates the acute effects of THC on adult zebrafish behavior and the mechanisms involved. A concentration-dependent THC-induced behavioral stereotypy akin to THC’s effect in rats and the psychotropics phencyclidine and ketamine in zebrafish was established. Distinctive circular swimming during THC-exposure was measured using a novel analytical method that we developed, which detected an elevated Repetition Index (RI) compared to vehicle controls. This was reduced upon co-administration of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonist NMDA, suggesting that THC exerts its effects via biochemical or neurobiological mechanisms associated with NMDA receptor antagonism. Co-treatment of γ‐aminobutyric acid receptor antagonist pentylenetetrazol also showed signs of reducing the RI. Since THC-induced repetitive behavior remained in co-administrations with cannabinoid receptor 1 inverse agonist AM251, the phenotype may be cannabinoid receptor 1-independent. Conversely, the inverse cannabinoid receptor 2 agonist AM630 significantly reduced THC-induced behavioral stereotypy, indicating cannabinoid receptor 2 as a possible mediator. A significant reduction of the THC-RI was also observed by the antipsychotic sulpiride. Together, these findings highlight this model’s potential for elucidating the mechanistic relationship between Cannabis and psychosis.