bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An experimental study of off-centred rotating thermal convection: a laboratory model for the tidal effects
Authors: Hu Yun-Bing , Xia Ke-Qing
Published: June 2023

A novel experiment was performed in rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection (RRBC), wherein the convection cell with radius

$R$

was shifted away from the rotation axis by a distance

$d$

. In this case, the centrifugal force felt by a fluid parcel (characterized by the Froude number

$Fr$

) can be decomposed into an axisymmetrical part

$Fr_R$

and a directed one

$Fr_d$

. It has been reported that the global heat transport enhances at

$Fr_{d,c}$

and then reaches an optimal state at

$Fr_{d,max}$

(Hu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 127, 2021, 244501). In this paper, the local properties after the offset effects set in are investigated further, which show different features before and after

$Fr_{d,max}$

. The local temperature measurements at the cell centre reveal that the bulk flow turns from a turbulent state into a laminar state at

$Fr_{d,max}$

, which is consistent with the particle image velocimetry results. This transition can be qualitatively understood by an equivalent tilted RRBC system. As for the hot and cold coherent structures near the sidewall, their vertical temperature variations reach a minimum at

$Fr_{d,max}$

, implying that these structures are mostly uniform in the vertical direction at

$Fr_{d,max}$

. Their temperature contrasts show a linear dependence on

$Fr_d$

and start to deviate from this linear behaviour when

$Fr_d>Fr_{d,max}$

. Besides the dominant effects of

$Fr_d$

, the secondary effects of

$Fr_R$

are also investigated. Due to the positive effect of

$+Fr_R$

on the cold structure and the negative effect of

$-Fr_R$

on the hot one, the cold structure is more coherent than the hot one, but its size is smaller. The shift of the cold cluster centre from the farthest point is also larger than the shift of the hot one from the nearest point.
Particle orbiting constrained by elastic filament as a model cilium for fluid pumping
Authors: Hu Shiyuan , Meng Fanlong
Published: June 2023

Many microorganisms use cilia to propel themselves in low Reynolds number (

$Re$

) environments. In this work, we study the dynamics of a composite cilium consisting of an elastic filament and a spherical particle attached at the filament tip driven by an external time-periodic force acting on the particle. The elastic filament is modelled numerically using a slender body theory with hydrodynamic interactions. When tilted at a large angle from the normal direction of the wall, the filament buckles, and the induced velocity field by the cilium shows a large net flux. By varying the tilt angle or the force amplitude, the particle trajectory and the net flux display abrupt changes along with a reversal of the buckling direction. We further demonstrate through a segmental model that the abrupt changes arise from the deviation of the cilium orientation at the start of the recovery stroke from the natural orientation. Our results suggest a simple approach to engineering particle motions and designing artificial cilia for fluid pumping in low

$Re$

environments.
Bathymetry and bed conditions of Lago Subglacial CECs, West Antarctica
Authors: Brisbourne A. M. , Smith A. M. , Rivera A. , Zamora R. , Napoleoni F. , Uribe J. A. , Ortega M.
Published: June 2023

Although over 600 Antarctic subglacial lakes have been identified using radar and satellite observations, the bathymetry and bed properties, which are key to understanding conditions within the lake, have been determined in very few localities. We present measurements of water column thickness and lakebed properties from Lago Subglacial CECs (SLC), located beneath 2653 m of ice at the Rutford-Institute-Minnesota divide in Antarctica. Seismic profiles indicate a maximum water column thickness of 301.3 ± 1.5 m, at the widest part of the lake, with an estimated lake volume of 2.5 ± 0.3 km3. Seismic imaging and measurements of the reflection strength at the ice base and lakebed indicate >15 m of high-porosity fine-grained sediment in the central section of the lakebed, consistent with a depositional sequence with an age of up to 0.5 Ma. These observations, along with previous radar measurements and modelling, indicate a low-energy sedimentary environment with a long water-residence time. As such, SLC is a suitable target for exploration via direct access to recover sediment records of ice sheet and climate history and investigate microbial life with long periods of isolation.
B-SYSTEMS AND C-SYSTEMS ARE EQUIVALENT
Authors: AHRENS BENEDIKT , EMMENEGGER JACOPO , NORTH PAIGE RANDALL , RIJKE EGBERT
Published: June 2023

C-systems were defined by Cartmell as models of generalized algebraic theories. B-systems were defined by Voevodsky in his quest to formulate and prove an initiality conjecture for type theories. They play a crucial role in Voevodsky’s construction of a syntactic C-system from a term monad. In this work, we construct an equivalence between the category of C-systems and the category of B-systems, thus proving a conjecture by Voevodsky.
Estudio del nicho isotópico de cazadores-recolectores del centro-oeste de Santa Cruz, Argentina, durante el Holoceno tardío
Authors: Chaile Cecilia , Tessone Augusto
Published: June 2023

Este estudio contribuye al entendimiento de la interrelación entre cambio ambiental, modificaciones en las estrategias de subsistencia y movilidad de grupos cazadores-recolectores, y la incorporación de nuevas tecnologías de captura y procesamiento de recursos durante el Holoceno tardío en el centro-oeste de Santa Cruz, Patagonia meridional, Argentina. Se presentan valores inéditos de δ13C sobre apatita y valores de δ15N y δ13C sobre colágeno de 42 individuos recuperados en estructuras de entierros con diferentes cronologías. Se utilizó el concepto de nicho isotópico para entender las continuidades y/o cambios de la dieta cazadora-recolectora. Se evaluó si hubo variaciones temporales y sexuales entre los nichos isotópicos de los individuos con patrones diferentes de organización social y económica en momentos previos y posteriores a los 900 años aP. Los resultados indican cambios en la dieta en los últimos 1.000 años, lo que se plasmó en valores más bajos en δ13Capa de los individuos enterrados en los chenques tardíos y, en particular, en las mujeres. De esta manera, la información paleodietaria apoya la hipótesis de modificaciones en el nicho isotópico a través del tiempo.
Cardiovascular precision medicine – A pharmacogenomic perspective
Authors: Padmanabhan Sandosh , du Toit Clea , Dominiczak Anna F.
Published: June 2023

Precision medicine envisages the integration of an individual’s clinical and biological features obtained from laboratory tests, imaging, high-throughput omics and health records, to drive a personalised approach to diagnosis and treatment with a higher chance of success. As only up to half of patients respond to medication prescribed following the current one-size-fits-all treatment strategy, the need for a more personalised approach is evident. One of the routes to transforming healthcare through precision medicine is pharmacogenomics (PGx). Around 95% of the population is estimated to carry one or more actionable pharmacogenetic variants and over 75% of adults over 50 years old are on a prescription with a known PGx association. Whilst there are compelling examples of pharmacogenomic implementation in clinical practice, the case for cardiovascular PGx is still evolving. In this review, we shall summarise the current status of PGx in cardiovascular diseases and look at the key enablers and barriers to PGx implementation in clinical practice.
LOCALLY FINITE SIMPLE GROUPS WHOSE NONNILPOTENT SUBGROUPS ARE PRONORMAL
Authors: FERRARA M. , TROMBETTI M.
Published: June 2023

A subgroup H of a group G is said to be pronormal in G if each of its conjugates
$H^g$
in G is already conjugate to it in the subgroup
$\langle H,H^g\rangle $
. The aim of this paper is to classify those (locally) finite simple groups which have only nilpotent or pronormal subgroups.
PREVENTING THE ANTI-CIRCUMVENTION INSTRUMENT FROM UNDERMINING DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INVESTMENT
Authors: Crochet Victor , Zhou Weihuan
Published: June 2023

Companies from emerging economies have started internationalizing their production operations; they are following the same path as American, European and East Asian corporations before them, setting up factories in third countries to serve their export markets from closer locations and produce more efficiently. Thus, it is no longer only developed countries’ multinationals which are moving their operations to developing countries, but emerging market companies that are increasingly engaging in production abroad. This is having beneficial effects in countries where these companies invest and might help them start their own industrialization process. This has attracted the ire of developed countries, which are now targeting these downstream production plants abroad by using the so-called anti-circumvention instrument, resulting in trade defence duties imposed on the parent companies being extended to their foreign subsidiaries. This application of the anti-circumvention instrument departs from its historic rationale and might hinder the development of countries in need of foreign investment. Therefore, affected governments should consider taking international legal action to bring developed countries to the negotiating table to put a halt to this abuse of the anti-circumvention instrument.
Comparison of the welfare of beef cattle in housed and grazing systems: hormones, health and behaviour
Authors: Cooke Andrew S. , Mullan Siobhan , Morten Charlie , Hockenhull Joanna , Le-Grice Phil , Le Cocq Kate , Lee Michael R. F. , Cardenas Laura M. , Rivero M. Jordana
Published: June 2023

Animal welfare encompasses all aspects of an animal's life and the interactions between animals. Consequently, welfare must be measured across a variety of factors that consider aspects such as health, behaviour and mental state. Decisions regarding housing and grazing are central to farm management. In this study, two beef cattle systems and their herds were compared from weaning to slaughter across numerous indicators. One herd (‘HH’) were continuously housed, the other (‘HG’) were housed only during winter. Inspections of animals were conducted to assess body condition, cleanliness, diarrhoea, hairlessness, nasal discharge and ocular discharge. Hair and nasal mucus samples were taken for quantification of cortisol and serotonin. Qualitative behaviour assessments (QBA) were also conducted and performance monitored. Physical health indicators were similar between herds with the exception of nasal discharge which was more prevalent in HH (P < 0.001). During winter, QBA yielded differences between herds over PC1 (arousal) (P = 0.032), but not PC2 (mood) (P = 0.139). Through summer, there was a strong difference across both PC1 (P < 0.001) and PC2 (P = 0.002), with HG exhibiting more positive behaviour. A difference was found in hair cortisol levels, with the greatest concentrations observed in HG (P = 0.011), however such a pattern was not seen for nasal mucus cortisol or for serotonin. Overall, providing summer grazing (HG) appeared to afford welfare benefits to the cattle as shown with more positive QBA assessments, but also slightly better health indicators, notwithstanding the higher levels of cortisol in that group.
Wages, Work, and the Industrial Past in Three Contemporary Labor Market Narratives
Authors: GONZALEZ JEFFREY
Published: June 2023

This article analyzes Alex Rivera's Sleep Dealer (2008), John Wells's Company Men (2011), and Lynn Nottage's Sweat (2015) to limn the place of manufacturing labor in recent US cultural memory. Timelines that focus on labor forms (i.e. “postindustrial”) often reproduce elements of the persistent US mythologizing of industrial labor's virtues. Nottage's and Rivera's works puncture this ideological figuration by showing the dangers and precarity of industrial work, while Company Men presents industrial labor as a means for masculine, moral renewal. I compare these takes on economic restructuring across the last several decades to scrutinize a crucial element of American self-mythologizing.
In search of Paulus Vladimiri: Canon, reception, and the (in)conceivability of an Eastern European ‘founding father’ of international law
Authors: Loefflad Eric
Published: June 2023

While many international lawyers are familiar with Francisco de Vitoria (1483–1546), very few have even heard of Paulus Vladimiri (1370–1435) – a Polish priest and jurist who made striking similar arguments to Vitoria on legal universality and the rights of non-Christians a full century before Vitoria. This divergence of consciousness, I argue, provides a unique opportunity to explore questions of canon, reception, and the role of ‘founding fathers’ within international legal thought. Centring Vladimiri as an ‘Eastern European’ figure, I argue that his non-reception is largely the result of how Eastern Europe implicitly functions as a distinctly liminal space within international legal thought that makes any possible ‘founding father’ from this region immensely difficult to imagine. I examine this dynamic through the differing postwar efforts of the Polish jurists Kazimierz Grzybowski and C. H. Alexandrowicz to include Vladimiri within the international legal canon. In examining the background structures of twentieth-century international law, I conclude that, in a manner directly connected to the liminality of Eastern Europe, neither Soviet nor Third World nor Western imaginations could easily receive Vladimiri within their fundamentally political narratives of normative order that shaped their international legal approaches. However, despite this historic non-reception, I argue that Vladimiri, and the question of Eastern Europe more generally, holds great promise in our current global moment. Particularly, engaging Eastern Europe’s liminal character offers a more sociologically grounded alternative to the reductionist Schmittian view of international law as a product of inescapable conflict in a world of exclusionary ‘greater spaces’.
The impact of HBV infection on clinical outcomes of COVID‐19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Guo Yifan , Zeng Xueling , Li Li , Wang Linghang
Published: June 2023

The impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unclear. The aim of this study is to explore this impact. For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CKNI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and Wan Fang database for articles between 1 January 2020 and 1 February 2023. We used the Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment to evaluate the study’s quality. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed utilising the rates of severe/critical illness and death in COVID-19 patients with and without HBV infection. Eighteen studies with a total of 40,502 participants met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that compared to those without HBV infection, COVID-19 patients with HBV were at increased risk of mortality (OR = 1.65, I2 = 58%, and 95% CI 1.08–2.53) and severity (OR = 1.90, I2 = 44%, and 95% CI 1.62–2.24). The region and gender may influence the outcomes of COVID-19 patients with HBV infection, but it requires more global data to confirm. In conclusion, HBV infection is significantly linked to an increased risk of severity and mortality in COVID-19.
Virtue Ethics
Authors: Zagzebski Linda
Published: June 2023

Is ethics all about rights and duties, or is it about living a happy, flourishing life? For millennia in the West, ethics was about the way to flourish as an individual and a community. The qualities that enable people to live that way are the virtues, and that style of ethics is called Virtue Ethics. In the early modern period, Virtue Ethics went out of fashion and ethics began to focus on right and duties, where rights and duties are demands made against others. In this article I argue that the language of rights and duties has made it almost impossible for people on opposing sides of public policy issues to come to agreement. I defend the return of Virtue Ethics in philosophy, and propose that if it can be adopted by ordinary people, we will have a better chance at overcoming our deep divisions.
IS CANTOR’S THEOREM A DIALETHEIA? VARIATIONS ON A PARACONSISTENT APPROACH TO CANTOR’S THEOREM
Authors: PETERSEN UWE
Published: June 2023

The present note was prompted by Weber’s approach to proving Cantor’s theorem, i.e., the claim that the cardinality of the power set of a set is always greater than that of the set itself. While I do not contest that his proof succeeds, my point is that he neglects the possibility that by similar methods it can be shown also that no non-empty set satisfies Cantor’s theorem. In this paper unrestricted abstraction based on a cut free Gentzen type sequential calculus will be employed to prove both results. In view of the connection between Priest’s three-valued logic of paradox and cut free Gentzen calculi this, a fortiori, has an impact on any paraconsistent set theory built on Priest’s logic of paradox.
Compact wideband filtering Balun Based on SISL Technology
Authors: Zhang Yongliang , Zhou Huan , Feng Linping , Zhang Xianfang , Zhang Xiaoping , Shi Weimin
Published: June 2023

A new compact wideband filtering balun based on substrate-integrated suspended line technology is presented in this brief. The proposed device is composed of a λg/4 suspended stripline open-circuited stub, a λg/2 suspended stripline resonator, and a λg/2 suspended slotline resonator. These striplines and slotline are encapsulated in an electromagnetic (EM) shielding box consisting of air cavity, surrounding substrate layers, and metal layers to achieve EM shielding performance. By properly exciting the suspended stripline and slotline resonators, three transmission poles are generated to achieve high frequency selectively. The intrinsic 180∘ phase difference between the two output ports can be obtained by using the electric field distribution caused by the perpendicular coupling between the suspension stripline and the slotline resonator. The wideband passband is achieved with magnitude balance and out-of-phase properties. To validate our proposal, a wideband filtering balun operating at 2.56 GHz with fractional bandwidth of 65.6% is designed and fabricated.
Scipion3: A workflow engine for cryo-electron microscopy image processing and structural biology
Authors: Conesa Pablo , Fonseca Yunior C. , Jiménez de la Morena Jorge , Sharov Grigory , de la Rosa-Trevín Jose Miguel , Cuervo Ana , García Mena Alberto , Rodríguez de Francisco Borja , del Hoyo Daniel , Herreros David , Marchan Daniel , Strelak David , Fernández-Giménez Estrella , Ramírez-Aportela Erney , de Isidro-Gómez Federico Pedro , Sánchez Irene , Krieger James , Vilas José Luis , del Cano Laura , Gragera Marcos , Iceta Mikel , Martínez Marta , Losana Patricia , Melero Roberto , Marabini Roberto , Carazo José María , Sorzano Carlos Oscar Sánchez
Published: June 2023

Image-processing pipelines require the design of complex workflows combining many different steps that bring the raw acquired data to a final result with biological meaning. In the image-processing domain of cryo-electron microscopy single-particle analysis (cryo-EM SPA), hundreds of steps must be performed to obtain the three-dimensional structure of a biological macromolecule by integrating data spread over thousands of micrographs containing millions of copies of allegedly the same macromolecule. The execution of such complicated workflows demands a specific tool to keep track of all these steps performed. Additionally, due to the extremely low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the estimation of any image parameter is heavily affected by noise resulting in a significant fraction of incorrect estimates. Although low SNR and processing millions of images by hundreds of sequential steps requiring substantial computational resources are specific to cryo-EM, these characteristics may be shared by other biological imaging domains. Here, we present Scipion, a Python generic open-source workflow engine specifically adapted for image processing. Its main characteristics are: (a) interoperability, (b) smart object model, (c) gluing operations, (d) comparison operations, (e) wide set of domain-specific operations, (f) execution in streaming, (g) smooth integration in high-performance computing environments, (h) execution with and without graphical capabilities, (i) flexible visualization, (j) user authentication and private access to private data, (k) scripting capabilities, (l) high performance, (m) traceability, (n) reproducibility, (o) self-reporting, (p) reusability, (q) extensibility, (r) software updates, and (s) non-restrictive software licensing.
Causes and Predictions of 2022 Extremely Hot Summer in East Asia
Authors: Li Xiaofan , Hu Zeng‐Zhen , Liu Yunyun , Liang Ping , Jha Bhaskar
Published: June 2023

In the background of long‐term global warming, the northern hemisphere experienced an extremely hot summer in 2022 with the hottest on record for Europe and China, and the second‐hottest for North America and Asia. The hot summer concurred with a triple‐dip La Niña in the tropical Pacific. Given the extremity of the hot summer in East Asia in 2022, in this work, we examine the associated atmospheric circulation and assess the real‐time predictions from the North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME). Also, we identify the contributions of long‐term warming trends, sea surface temperature (SST) forcing, and an atmospheric feedback to the hot summer. The hot summer in East Asia in 2022 is due to the extremely strong and westward expanded western Pacific subtropical high. That leads to cloud cover reduction and increases in net downward shortwave radiation at the surface, and further strengthens the positive surface air temperature (SAT) anomalies. In contrast, the seasonal‐interannual variation of SST has a minor impact. Thus, the hot summer is mainly associated with the long‐term trend and amplified by the positive feedback among the SAT, cloud cover, and net downward shortwave radiation. NMME with the initial conditions in May 2022 predicts positive SAT anomalies in most regions of East Asia, but does not capture the observed spatial distribution pattern and amplitudes. The failure implies the challenge of state‐of‐the‐art climate models in predicting such extreme events.
Wfs1E864K knock-in mice illuminate the fundamental role of Wfs1 in endocochlear potential production
Authors: Richard Elodie M. , Brun Emilie , Korchagina Julia , Crouzier Lucie , Affortit Corentin , Alves Stacy , Cazevieille Chantal , Mausset-Bonnefont Anne-Laure , Lenoir Marc , Puel Jean-Luc , Maurice Tangui , Thiry Marc , Wang Jing , Delprat Benjamin
Published: June 2023

Wolfram syndrome (WS) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder encompassing diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, optic atrophy, hearing loss (HL) as well as neurological disorders. None of the animal models of the pathology are presenting with an early onset HL, impeding the understanding of the role of Wolframin (WFS1), the protein responsible for WS, in the auditory pathway. We generated a knock-in mouse, the Wfs1E864K line, presenting a human mutation leading to severe deafness in affected individuals. The homozygous mice showed a profound post-natal HL and vestibular syndrome, a collapse of the endocochlear potential (EP) and a devastating alteration of the stria vascularis and neurosensory epithelium. The mutant protein prevented the localization to the cell surface of the Na+/K+ATPase β1 subunit, a key protein for the maintenance of the EP. Overall, our data support a key role of WFS1 in the maintenance of the EP and the stria vascularis, via its binding partner, the Na+/K+ATPase β1 subunit.
Down-regulation of peptidylarginine deiminase type 1 in reconstructed human epidermis disturbs nucleophagy in the granular layer and affects barrier function
Authors: Alioli Adebayo Candide , Briot Julie , Pons Carole , Yang Hang , Gairin Marie , Goudounèche Dominique , Cau Laura , Simon Michel , Méchin Marie-Claire
Published: June 2023

Deimination is a post-translational modification catalyzed by a family of enzymes named peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs). PADs transform arginine residues of protein substrates into citrulline. Deimination has been associated with numerous physiological and pathological processes. In human skin, three PADs are expressed (PAD1-3). While PAD3 is important for hair shape formation, the role of PAD1 is less clear. To decipher the main role(s) of PAD1 in epidermal differentiation, its expression was down-regulated using lentivirus-mediated shRNA interference in primary keratinocytes and in three-dimensional reconstructed human epidermis (RHE). Compared to normal RHEs, down-regulation of PAD1 caused a drastic reduction in deiminated proteins. Whereas proliferation of keratinocytes was not affected, their differentiation was disturbed at molecular, cellular and functional levels. The number of corneocyte layers was significantly reduced, expression of filaggrin and cornified cell envelope components, such as loricrin and transglutaminases, was down-regulated, epidermal permeability increased and trans-epidermal-electric resistance diminished drastically. Keratohyalin granule density decreased and nucleophagy in the granular layer was disturbed. These results demonstrate that PAD1 is the main regulator of protein deimination in RHE. Its deficiency alters epidermal homeostasis, affecting the differentiation of keratinocytes, especially the cornification process, a special kind of programmed cell death.
Ferroptosis and the bidirectional regulatory factor p53
Authors: Xu Ren , Wang Wanning , Zhang Wenlong
Published: June 2023

Ferroptosis is a type of regulated cell death characterized by iron-mediated lipid peroxidation, in contrast with apoptosis, autophagy, and necrosis. It can be triggered by many pathological processes, including cellular metabolism, tumors, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and ischemia–reperfusion injuries. In recent years, ferroptosis has been discovered to be associated with p53. P53 is a tumor suppressor protein with multiple and powerful functions in cell cycle arrest, senescence, cell death, repair of DNA damage, and mitophagy. Emerging evidence shows that ferroptosis plays a crucial role in tumor suppression by p53. P53 functions as a key bidirectional regulator of ferroptosis by adjusting metabolism of iron, lipids, glutathione peroxidase 4, reactive oxygen species, and amino acids via a canonical pathway. In addition, a noncanonical pathway of p53 that regulates ferroptosis has been discovered in recent years. The specific details require to be further clarified. These mechanisms provide new ideas for clinical applications, and translational studies of ferroptosis have been performed to treat various diseases.
Using mortuary and burial data to place COVID-19 in Lusaka, Zambia within a global context
Authors: Sheppard Richard J. , Watson Oliver J. , Pieciak Rachel , Lungu James , Kwenda Geoffrey , Moyo Crispin , Chanda Stephen Longa , Barnsley Gregory , Brazeau Nicholas F. , Gerard-Ursin Ines C. G. , Olivera Mesa Daniela , Whittaker Charles , Gregson Simon , Okell Lucy C. , Ghani Azra C. , MacLeod William B. , Del Fava Emanuele , Melegaro Alessia , Hines Jonas Z. , Mulenga Lloyd B. , Walker Patrick G. T. , Mwananyanda Lawrence , Gill Christopher J.
Published: June 2023

Reported COVID-19 cases and associated mortality remain low in many sub-Saharan countries relative to global averages, but true impact is difficult to estimate given limitations around surveillance and mortality registration. In Lusaka, Zambia, burial registration and SARS-CoV-2 prevalence data during 2020 allow estimation of excess mortality and transmission. Relative to pre-pandemic patterns, we estimate age-dependent mortality increases, totalling 3212 excess deaths (95% CrI: 2104–4591), representing an 18.5% (95% CrI: 13.0–25.2%) increase relative to pre-pandemic levels. Using a dynamical model-based inferential framework, we find that these mortality patterns and SARS-CoV-2 prevalence data are in agreement with established COVID-19 severity estimates. Our results support hypotheses that COVID-19 impact in Lusaka during 2020 was consistent with COVID-19 epidemics elsewhere, without requiring exceptional explanations for low reported figures. For more equitable decision-making during future pandemics, barriers to ascertaining attributable mortality in low-income settings must be addressed and factored into discourse around reported impact differences.
Demonstration of quantum-digital payments
Authors: Schiansky Peter , Kalb Julia , Sztatecsny Esther , Roehsner Marie-Christine , Guggemos Tobias , Trenti Alessandro , Bozzio Mathieu , Walther Philip
Published: June 2023

Digital payments have replaced physical banknotes in many aspects of our daily lives. Similarly to banknotes, they should be easy to use, unique, tamper-resistant and untraceable, but additionally withstand digital attackers and data breaches. Current technology substitutes customers’ sensitive data by randomized tokens, and secures the payment’s uniqueness with a cryptographic function, called a cryptogram. However, computationally powerful attacks violate the security of these functions. Quantum technology comes with the potential to protect even against infinite computational power. Here, we show how quantum light can secure daily digital payments by generating inherently unforgeable quantum cryptograms. We implement the scheme over an urban optical fiber link, and show its robustness to noise and loss-dependent attacks. Unlike previously proposed protocols, our solution does not depend on long-term quantum storage or trusted agents and authenticated channels. It is practical with near-term technology and may herald an era of quantum-enabled security.
Direct measurements of the colloidal Debye force
Authors: Lee Hyang Mi , Kim Yong Woo , Go Eun Min , Revadekar Chetan , Choi Kyu Hwan , Cho Yumi , Kwak Sang Kyu , Park Bum Jun
Published: June 2023

Colloids often behave in a manner similar to their counterparts in molecular space and are used as model systems to understand molecular behavior. Here, we study like-charged colloidal attractions between a permanent dipole on an interfacial particle and its induced dipole on a water-immersed particle caused by diffuse layer polarization. We find that the scaling behavior of the measured dipole-induced dipole (D‒I) interaction via optical laser tweezers is in good agreement with that predicted from the molecular Debye interaction. The dipole character propagates to form aggregate chains. Using coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations, we identify the separate roles of the D‒I attraction and the van der Waals attraction on aggregate formation. The D‒I attraction should be universal in a broad range of soft matter, such as colloids, polymers, clays, and biological materials, motivating researchers to further conduct in-depth research on these materials.
Increased vaccine sensitivity of an emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant
Authors: Lewnard Joseph A. , Hong Vennis , Kim Jeniffer S. , Shaw Sally F. , Lewin Bruno , Takhar Harpreet , Lipsitch Marc , Tartof Sara Y.
Published: June 2023

Host immune responses are a key source of selective pressure driving pathogen evolution. Emergence of many SARS-CoV-2 lineages has been associated with enhancements in their ability to evade population immunity resulting from both vaccination and infection. Here we show diverging trends of escape from vaccine-derived and infection-derived immunity for the emerging XBB/XBB.1.5 Omicron lineage. Among 31,739 patients tested in ambulatory settings in Southern California from December, 2022 to February, 2023, adjusted odds of prior receipt of 2, 3, 4, and ≥5 COVID-19 vaccine doses were 10% (95% confidence interval: 1–18%), 11% (3–19%), 13% (3–21%), and 25% (15–34%) lower, respectively, among cases infected with XBB/XBB.1.5 than among cases infected with other co-circulating lineages. Similarly, prior vaccination was associated with greater point estimates of protection against progression to hospitalization among cases with XBB/XBB.1.5 than among non-XBB/XBB.1.5 cases (70% [30–87%] and 48% [7–71%], respectively, for recipients of ≥4 doses). In contrast, cases infected with XBB/XBB.1.5 had 17% (11–24%) and 40% (19–65%) higher adjusted odds of having experienced 1 and ≥2 prior documented infections, respectively, including with pre-Omicron variants. As immunity acquired from SARS-CoV-2 infection becomes increasingly widespread, fitness costs associated with enhanced vaccine sensitivity in XBB/XBB.1.5 may be offset by increased ability to evade infection-derived host responses.
Parallel and convergent genomic changes underlie independent subterranean colonization across beetles
Authors: Balart-García Pau , Aristide Leandro , Bradford Tessa M. , Beasley-Hall Perry G. , Polak Slavko , Cooper Steven J. B. , Fernández Rosa
Published: June 2023

Adaptation to life in caves is often accompanied by dramatically convergent changes across distantly related taxa, epitomized by the loss or reduction of eyes and pigmentation. Nevertheless, the genomic underpinnings underlying cave-related phenotypes are largely unexplored from a macroevolutionary perspective. Here we investigate genome-wide gene evolutionary dynamics in three distantly related beetle tribes with at least six instances of independent colonization of subterranean habitats, inhabiting both aquatic and terrestrial underground systems. Our results indicate that remarkable gene repertoire changes mainly driven by gene family expansions occurred prior to underground colonization in the three tribes, suggesting that genomic exaptation may have facilitated a strict subterranean lifestyle parallelly across beetle lineages. The three tribes experienced both parallel and convergent changes in the evolutionary dynamics of their gene repertoires. These findings pave the way towards a deeper understanding of the evolution of the genomic toolkit in hypogean fauna.
A hydrate-based zero liquid discharge method for high-concentration organic wastewater: resource recovery and water reclamation
Authors: Sun Lingjie , Dong Hongsheng , Lu Yi , Zhang Lunxiang , Yang Lei , Zhao Jiafei , Song Yongchen
Published: June 2023

High-concentration organic wastewater has become a great challenge for wastewater treatment due to its toxicity and non-biodegradability. Traditional water treatment methods focus on removing or destroying organic pollutants rather than considering the high-concentration organic wastewater as a resource. As an ambitious sustainability goal, resource recovery from wastewater to achieve zero liquid discharge (ZLD) has attracted widespread attention. Here, a hydrate-based method is proposed to treat textile wastewater to facilitate the reuse of dyes and enhance water reclamation. The mechanism of interaction between hydrate and organic pollutants was invested. The results show that organic pollutants are rejected from the growing hydrate lattice and concentrated in the residual solution. This method can achieve a max removal efficiency of 93.6% and a water production rate of 80%. In the range of 0–2000 mg/L, the concentration of organic pollutants does not affect the removal effect and water production rate. The concentrated dye can be reused again. The proposed method exhibits potential for recovering resource and clean water from wastewater while achieving ZLD.
Precise measurements of self-absorbed rising reverse shock emission from gamma-ray burst 221009A
Authors: Bright Joe S. , Rhodes Lauren , Farah Wael , Fender Rob , van der Horst Alexander J. , Leung James K. , Williams David R. A. , Anderson Gemma E. , Atri Pikky , DeBoer David R. , Giarratana Stefano , Green David A. , Heywood Ian , Lenc Emil , Murphy Tara , Pollak Alexander W. , Premnath Pranav H. , Scott Paul F. , Sheikh Sofia Z. , Siemion Andrew , Titterington David J.
Published: June 2023

The deaths of massive stars are sometimes accompanied by the launch of highly relativistic and collimated jets. If the jet is pointed towards Earth, we observe a ‘prompt’ gamma-ray burst due to internal shocks or magnetic reconnection events within the jet, followed by a long-lived broadband synchrotron afterglow as the jet interacts with the circumburst material. While there is solid observational evidence that emission from multiple shocks contributes to the afterglow signature, detailed studies of the reverse shock, which travels back into the explosion ejecta, are hampered by a lack of early-time observations, particularly in the radio band. We present rapid follow-up radio observations of the exceptionally bright gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A that reveal in detail, both temporally and in frequency space, an optically thick rising component from the reverse shock. From this, we are able to constrain the size, Lorentz factor and internal energy of the outflow while providing accurate predictions for the location of the peak frequency of the reverse shock in the first few hours after the burst. These observations challenge standard gamma-ray burst models describing reverse shock emission.
Magnetotail plasma eruptions driven by magnetic reconnection and kinetic instabilities
Authors: Palmroth Minna , Pulkkinen Tuija I. , Ganse Urs , Pfau-Kempf Yann , Koskela Tuomas , Zaitsev Ivan , Alho Markku , Cozzani Giulia , Turc Lucile , Battarbee Markus , Dubart Maxime , George Harriet , Gordeev Evgeniy , Grandin Maxime , Horaites Konstantinos , Osmane Adnane , Papadakis Konstantinos , Suni Jonas , Tarvus Vertti , Zhou Hongyang , Nakamura Rumi
Published: June 2023

Rapid plasma eruptions explosively release energy within Earth’s magnetosphere, at the Sun and at other planets. At Earth, these eruptions, termed plasmoids, occur in the magnetospheric nightside and are associated with sudden brightening of the aurora. The chain of events leading to the plasmoid is one of the longest-standing unresolved questions in space physics. Two competing paradigms have been proposed to explain the course of events. The first asserts that magnetic reconnection changes the magnetic topology in the tail, severing a part of the magnetosphere as plasmoid. The second employs kinetic instabilities that first disrupt the current sheet supporting the magnetotail and launch waves that trigger the topological change to eject the plasmoid. Here we numerically simulate Earth’s magnetosphere at realistic scales using a model that captures the physics underlying both paradigms. We show that both magnetic reconnection and kinetic instabilities are required to induce a global topological reconfiguration of the magnetotail, thereby combining the seemingly contradictory paradigms. Our results help to understand how plasma eruptions may take place, guide spacecraft constellation mission design to capture these ejections in observations and lead to improved understanding of space weather by improving the predictability of the plasmoids.
Noncoding variants alter GATA2 expression in rhombomere 4 motor neurons and cause dominant hereditary congenital facial paresis
Authors: Tenney Alan P. , Di Gioia Silvio Alessandro , Webb Bryn D. , Chan Wai-Man , de Boer Elke , Garnai Sarah J. , Barry Brenda J. , Ray Tammy , Kosicki Michael , Robson Caroline D. , Zhang Zhongyang , Collins Thomas E. , Gelber Alon , Pratt Brandon M. , Fujiwara Yuko , Varshney Arushi , Lek Monkol , Warburton Peter E. , Van Ryzin Carol , Lehky Tanya J. , Zalewski Christopher , King Kelly A. , Brewer Carmen C. , Thurm Audrey , Snow Joseph , Facio Flavia M. , Narisu Narisu , Bonnycastle Lori L. , Swift Amy , Chines Peter S. , Bell Jessica L. , Mohan Suresh , Whitman Mary C. , Staffieri Sandra E. , Elder James E. , Demer Joseph L. , Torres Alcy , Rachid Elza , Al-Haddad Christiane , Boustany Rose-Mary , Mackey David A. , Brady Angela F. , Fenollar-Cortés María , Fradin Melanie , Kleefstra Tjitske , Padberg George W. , Raskin Salmo , Sato Mario Teruo , Orkin Stuart H. , Parker Stephen C. J. , Hadlock Tessa A. , Vissers Lisenka E. L. M. , van Bokhoven Hans , Jabs Ethylin Wang , Collins Francis S. , Pennacchio Len A. , Manoli Irini , Engle Elizabeth C.
Published: June 2023

Hereditary congenital facial paresis type 1 (HCFP1) is an autosomal dominant disorder of absent or limited facial movement that maps to chromosome 3q21-q22 and is hypothesized to result from facial branchial motor neuron (FBMN) maldevelopment. In the present study, we report that HCFP1 results from heterozygous duplications within a neuron-specific GATA2 regulatory region that includes two enhancers and one silencer, and from noncoding single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) within the silencer. Some SNVs impair binding of NR2F1 to the silencer in vitro and in vivo and attenuate in vivo enhancer reporter expression in FBMNs. Gata2 and its effector Gata3 are essential for inner-ear efferent neuron (IEE) but not FBMN development. A humanized HCFP1 mouse model extends Gata2 expression, favors the formation of IEEs over FBMNs and is rescued by conditional loss of Gata3. These findings highlight the importance of temporal gene regulation in development and of noncoding variation in rare mendelian disease.
Machine learning for ECG diagnosis and risk stratification of occlusion myocardial infarction
Authors: Al-Zaiti Salah S. , Martin-Gill Christian , Zègre-Hemsey Jessica K. , Bouzid Zeineb , Faramand Ziad , Alrawashdeh Mohammad O. , Gregg Richard E. , Helman Stephanie , Riek Nathan T. , Kraevsky-Phillips Karina , Clermont Gilles , Akcakaya Murat , Sereika Susan M. , Van Dam Peter , Smith Stephen W. , Birnbaum Yochai , Saba Samir , Sejdic Ervin , Callaway Clifton W.
Published: June 2023

Patients with occlusion myocardial infarction (OMI) and no ST-elevation on presenting electrocardiogram (ECG) are increasing in numbers. These patients have a poor prognosis and would benefit from immediate reperfusion therapy, but, currently, there are no accurate tools to identify them during initial triage. Here we report, to our knowledge, the first observational cohort study to develop machine learning models for the ECG diagnosis of OMI. Using 7,313 consecutive patients from multiple clinical sites, we derived and externally validated an intelligent model that outperformed practicing clinicians and other widely used commercial interpretation systems, substantially boosting both precision and sensitivity. Our derived OMI risk score provided enhanced rule-in and rule-out accuracy relevant to routine care, and, when combined with the clinical judgment of trained emergency personnel, it helped correctly reclassify one in three patients with chest pain. ECG features driving our models were validated by clinical experts, providing plausible mechanistic links to myocardial injury.
Resistant starches from dietary pulses modulate the gut metabolome in association with microbiome in a humanized murine model of ageing
Authors: Kadyan Saurabh , Park Gwoncheol , Wang Bo , Singh Prashant , Arjmandi Bahram , Nagpal Ravinder
Published: June 2023

Emerging evidence suggests that plant-based fiber-rich diets improve ageing-associated health by fostering a healthier gut microbiome and microbial metabolites. However, such effects and mechanisms of resistant starches from dietary pulses remain underexplored. Herein, we examine the prebiotic effects of dietary pulses-derived resistant starch (RS) on gut metabolome in older (60-week old) mice carrying a human microbiome. Gut metabolome and its association with microbiome are examined after 20-weeks feeding of a western-style diet (control; CTL) fortified (5% w/w) with RS from pinto beans (PTB), black-eyed-peas (BEP), lentils (LEN), chickpeas (CKP), or inulin (INU; reference control). NMR spectroscopy-based untargeted metabolomic analysis yield differential abundance linking phenotypic differences in specific metabolites among different RS groups. LEN and CKP increase butyrate, while INU promotes propionate. Conversely, bile acids and cholesterol are reduced in prebiotic groups along with suppressed choline-to-trimethylamine conversion by LEN and CKP, whereas amino acid metabolism is positively altered. Multi-omics microbiome-metabolome interactions reveal an association of beneficial metabolites with the Lactobacilli group, Bacteroides, Dubosiella, Parasutterella, and Parabacteroides, while harmful metabolites correlate with Butyricimonas, Faecalibaculum, Colidextribacter, Enterococcus, Akkermansia, Odoribacter, and Bilophila. These findings demonstrate the functional effects of pulses-derived RS on gut microbial metabolism and their beneficial physiologic responses in an aged host.
The effectiveness of optimal exercise-based strategy for patients with hip fracture: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis
Authors: Pan Rong-jia , Gui Si-jie , He Yu-Lian , Nian Fang , Ni Xiao-Yan , Zhou Yan-hui , Wang Man-yi , Wu Jing-jing , Zeng Gu-qing , Liang Jing-hong , Peng Dan
Published: June 2023

The implementation of exercise intervention (EI) presents a promising and economical way for patients with hip fracture. However, the optimal type of EI remains unclear. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of various EI approaches and identify the optimal intervention for improving the prognosis of patients with hip fracture. A comprehensive search of Medline (via PubMed), Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, CNKI, Wan Fang, VIP, and CBM was conducted from their earliest records to June 2022. The included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) included at least one type of exercise for patients with hip fracture. The methodological quality of these trials was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. All direct and indirect comparisons were analyzed by Stata 14.0 and OpenBUGS 3.2.3 software. The primary outcome was hip function, and the secondary outcomes were activity of daily living (ADL), walking capacity and balance ability of patients. Based on the ranking probabilities, resistance exercise (RE) was ranked as the most effective among all exercise interventions (surface under cumulative ranking curve values [SUCRA]: 94.8%, [MD]: − 11.07, [Crl]: − 15.07 to − 7.08) in improving the efficacy of patients' hip function, followed by balance exercise (BE) ([SUCRA]:81.1%, [MD]: − 8.79, [Crl]: − 13.41 to − 4.18) and muscle strength exercise ([SUCRA]:57.6%, [MD]: − 5.35, [Crl]: − 9.70 to − 0.95). For the improvement of ADL for patients with hip fracture, BE ([SUCRA]:98.4%, [MD]: − 17.38, [Crl]: − 23.77 to − 11.04) may be the best EI. The findings of this study indicate that RE and BE might be the best approach to improve prognosis for patients with hip fracture. However, further rigorous and meticulously planned RCTs are required to substantiate the conclusions drawn from this study.