bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Piezoelectric properties of PZT by an ethylene glycol-based chemical solution synthesis
Authors: van der Veer Ewout , Noheda Beatriz , Acuautla Mónica
Published: October 2021

We have investigated a water-stable sol–gel method based on ethylene glycol as a solvent and bridging ligand for the synthesis of ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate in bulk and thin film forms. This method offers lower toxicity of the solvent, higher stability toward atmospheric moisture and a simplified synthetic procedure compared to traditional sol–gel methods. However, the piezoelectric properties of products produced using this method have yet to be systematically studied. We have measured the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties and compared them to existing literature using different synthesis techniques. Ceramic pellets of Nb-doped lead zirconate titanate (PNZT) in the tetragonal phase were produced with high density and good piezoelectric properties, comparable to those reported in the literature and those found in commercial piezoelectric elements. In addition, a nine-layer thin film stack was fabricated by spin coating onto platinized silicon substrates. The films were crack-free and showed a perovskite grain structure with a weak (111) orientation. Piezoelectric measurements of the film showed a piezoelectric coefficient comparable to literature values and good stability toward fatigue.
Unrestricted permutation forces extrapolation: variable importance requires at least one more model, or there is no free variable importance
Authors: Hooker Giles , Mentch Lucas , Zhou Siyu
Published: October 2021

This paper reviews and advocates against the use of permute-and-predict (PaP) methods for interpreting black box functions. Methods such as the variable importance measures proposed for random forests, partial dependence plots, and individual conditional expectation plots remain popular because they are both model-agnostic and depend only on the pre-trained model output, making them computationally efficient and widely available in software. However, numerous studies have found that these tools can produce diagnostics that are highly misleading, particularly when there is strong dependence among features. The purpose of our work here is to (i) review this growing body of literature, (ii) provide further demonstrations of these drawbacks along with a detailed explanation as to why they occur, and (iii) advocate for alternative measures that involve additional modeling. In particular, we describe how breaking dependencies between features in hold-out data places undue emphasis on sparse regions of the feature space by forcing the original model to extrapolate to regions where there is little to no data. We explore these effects across various model setups and find support for previous claims in the literature that PaP metrics can vastly over-emphasize correlated features in both variable importance measures and partial dependence plots. As an alternative, we discuss and recommend more direct approaches that involve measuring the change in model performance after muting the effects of the features under investigation.
Stacked T-Shaped Strips Compact Antenna for WLAN and WiMAX Applications
Authors: Karthikeyan M. , Sitharthan R. , Ali Tanweer , Pathan Sameena , Anguera Jaume , Shanmuga Sundar D.
Published: October 2021

A compact triple band antenna with stacked T-shaped strips inside a rectangular ring monopole has been proposed. This novel structure with a slot in the defected ground achieves triple band opration i.e. 2.47–2.77 GHz, 3.3–3.7 GHz and 5.10–6.62 GHz. These bands find application in important wireless communication standards like WiMAX (3.3–3.8 GHz, and 5.25–5.85 GHz, WLAN (2.4 G-2.5 GHz, 5.1–5.3 GHz, and 5.72–5.85 GHz). The antenna is printed on a FR-4 substrate with an overall dimension of $$33 \times 17 \times 1.6 \;{\text{mm}}^{3}$$

33
×
17
×
1.6

mm

3

. An impedance bandwidth of 11% (2.47–2.77 GHz), 11% (3.3–3.7 GHz) and 25% (5.10–6.62 GHz) is obtained. A good conjunction between the simulated and measured results is inferred from the antenna design analysis.
Effect of Stress on Spinodal Decomposition in Binary Alloys: Atomistic Modeling and Atom Probe Tomography
Authors: Dahlström Alexander , Danoix Frederic , Hedström Peter , Odqvist Joakim , Zapolsky Helena
Published: October 2021

Self-organizing nanostructure evolution through spinodal decomposition is a critical phenomenon determining the properties of many materials. Here, we study the influence of stress on the morphology of the nanostructure in binary alloys using atomistic modeling and atom probe tomography. The atomistic modeling is based on the quasi-particle approach, and it is compared to quantitative three-dimensional (3-D) atom mapping results. It is found that the magnitude of the stress and the crystallographic direction of the applied stress directly affect the development of spinodal decomposition and the nanostructure morphology. The modulated nanostructure of the binary bcc alloy system is quantified by a characteristic wavelength,

$$ \lambda $$

λ

. From modeling the tensile stress effect on the A-35 at. pct B system, we find that

$$ \lambda _{001}< \, \lambda _{111}< \, \lambda _{101}< \, \lambda _{112}$$

λ
001

<

λ
111

<

λ
101

<

λ
112

and the same trend are observed in the experimental measurements on an Fe-35 at. pct Cr alloy. Furthermore, the effect of applied compressive and shear stress states differs from the effect of the applied tensile stress regarding morphological anisotropy.
Evaluating the Accumulation of Antioxidant and Macro- and Trace Elements in Vaccinium myrtillus L.
Authors: Kandziora-Ciupa Marta , Dabioch Marzena , Nadgórska-Socha Aleksandra
Published: October 2021

This study was conducted in order to characterise the accumulation ability of Vaccinium myrtillus L for trace elements such as Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn and selected macroelements Ca, K, Mg, Na and P. The accumulation of nutrient elements and trace elements (ANE and ATE) and changes in the ecophysiological responses in bilberry in differently polluted areas were compared. The accumulation of the elements in the roots, stems and leaves of bilberry from four sites (in the nearest vicinity of a zinc smelter, a Mining and Metallurgical Plant, a main road with a high traffic volume and an unprotected natural forest community) were measured using optical emission spectrometry with excitation using inductively coupled argon plasma after wet acid digestion. The highest Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations were found in the V. myrtillus samples that were growing under the influence of the emissions from the zinc smelter. Moreover, the level of the total accumulated trace metals (ATE—17.09 mmolc kg−1) was also highest for the bilberry at this site. However, in the same area, the sum of the accumulated macronutrients (ANE—296.92 mmolc kg−1) was lower than at the other sampling sites. An EF > 2 was found for Cd, Pb, Zn and Mn, which suggests that bilberries may be enriched in these metals. According to the translocation factor, V. myrtillus was an accumulator of Cd, Zn and Mn. An analysis of the ecophysiological responses showed that the greatest concentration of ascorbic acid was found in the leaves of V. myrtillus at the most contaminated site (3.32 mg g−1 fresh weight). There were no significant differences in the total phenols between the contaminated and non-contaminated sites. However, the lowest value of the total phenolic content (490.77 mg g−1 dry weight) was recorded at the site where the highest Fe concentration was detected in the leaves. A significantly positive correlation between the Cd, Pb and Zn concentrations and a strong negative correlation between the Mn concentration and ascorbic acid content in the leaves of bilberry was also observed. The results provide evidence that the ANE method, which is used to interpret the chemical composition of bilberry has made determining the impact of toxic trace metals on the mineral composition of V. myrtillus significantly easier and also that a non-enzymatic antioxidant such as ascorbic acid can be a good biomarker for determining the oxidative stress that is caused by toxic trace metals.
„Data Engineering“ in der Hochschullehre
Authors: Schenkel Ralf , Scherzinger Stefanie , Tropmann-Frick Marina
Published: October 2021

Das Themenheft zu „Data Engineering for Data Science“ gibt uns Anlass, die Rolle dieses Themas in der akademischen Datenbanklehre im Rahmen einer kleinen Umfrage zu erfassen. In diesem Artikel geben wir die Ergebnisse gesammelt wieder. Uns haben 17 Rückmeldungen aus der GI-Fachgruppe Datenbanksysteme erreicht. Im Vergleich zu einer früheren Umfrage zur Lehre im Bereich „Cloud“, 2014 im Datenbankspektrum vorgestellt, zeichnet sich ab, dass Data-Engineering-Inhalte zunehmend auch in grundständigen Lehrveranstaltungen gelehrt werden, sowie außerhalb der Kerninformatik. Data Engineering scheint sich als ein Querschnittsthema zu etablieren, das nicht nur den Masterstudiengängen vorbehalten ist.
Electrospinning Fabrication Methods to Incorporate Laminin in Polycaprolactone for Kidney Tissue Engineering
Authors: Baskapan Büsra , Callanan Anthony
Published: October 2021

BACKGROUND:

Today’s treatment options for renal diseases fall behind the need, as the number of patients has increased considerably over the last few decades. Tissue engineering (TE) is one avenue which may provide a new approach for renal disease treatment. This involves creating a niche where seeded cells can function in an intended way. One approach to TE is combining natural extracellular matrix proteins with synthetic polymers, which has been shown to have many positives, yet a little is understood in kidney. Herein, we investigate the incorporation of laminin into polycaprolactone electrospun scaffolds.

METHOD:

The scaffolds were enriched with laminin via either direct blending with polymer solution or in a form of emulsion with a surfactant. Renal epithelial cells (RC-124) were cultured on scaffolds up to 21 days.

RESULTS:

Mechanical characterization demonstrated that the addition of the protein changed Young’s modulus of polymeric fibres. Cell viability and DNA quantification tests revealed the capability of the scaffolds to maintain cell survival up to 3 weeks in culture. Gene expression analysis indicated healthy cells via three key markers.

CONCLUSION:

Our results show the importance of hybrid scaffolds for kidney tissue engineering.
Khinchin Families and Hayman Class
Authors: Cantón Alicia , Fernández José L. , Fernández Pablo , Maciá Víctor J.
Published: October 2021

We give criteria, following Hayman and Báez-Duarte, for non-vanishing functions with non-negative coefficients to be Gaussian and strongly Gaussian. We use these criteria to show in a simple and unified manner asymptotics for a number of combinatorial objects, and, particularly, for a variety of partition questions like Ingham’s theorem on partitions with parts in an arithmetic sequence, or Wright’s theorem on plane partitions and, of course, Hardy–Ramanujan’s partition theorem.
Dissolving the Dichotomies Between Online and Campus-Based Teaching: a Collective Response to The Manifesto for Teaching Online (Bayne et al. 2020)
Authors: MacKenzie Alison , Bacalja Alexander , Annamali Devisakti , Panaretou Argyro , Girme Prajakta , Cutajar Maria , Abegglen Sandra , Evens Marshall , Neuhaus Fabian , Wilson Kylie , Psarikidou Katerina , Koole Marguerite , Hrastinski Stefan , Sturm Sean , Adachi Chie , Schnaider Karoline , Bozkurt Aras , Rapanta Chrysi , Themelis Chryssa , Thestrup Klaus , Gislev Tom , Örtegren Alex , Costello Eamon , Dishon Gideon , Hoechsmann Michael , Bucio Jackeline , Vadillo Guadalupe , Sánchez-Mendiola Melchor , Goetz Greta , Gusso Helder Lima , Arantes Janine Aldous , Kishore Pallavi , Lodahl Mikkel , Suoranta Juha , Markauskaite Lina , Mörtsell Sara , O’Reilly Tanya , Reed Jack , Bhatt Ibrar , Brown Cheryl , MacCallum Kathryn , Ackermann Cecile , Alexander Carolyn , Payne Ameena Leah , Bennett Rebecca , Stone Cathy , Collier Amy , Lohnes Watulak Sarah , Jandrić Petar , Peters Michael , Gourlay Lesley
Published: October 2021

This article is a collective response to the 2020 iteration ofThe Manifesto for Teaching Online. Originally published in 2011 as 20 simple but provocative statements, the aim was, and continues to be, to critically challenge the normalization of education as techno-corporate enterprise and the failure to properly account for digital methods in teaching in Higher Education. The 2020Manifestocontinues in the same critically provocative fashion, and, as the response collected here demonstrates, its publication could not be timelier. Though theManifestowas written before the Covid-19 pandemic, many of the responses gathered here inevitably reflect on the experiences of moving to digital, distant, online teaching under unprecedented conditions. As these contributions reveal, the challenges were many and varied, ranging from the positive, breakthrough opportunities that digital learning offered to many students, including the disabled, to the problematic, such as poor digital networks and access, and simple digital poverty. Regardless of the nature of each response, taken together, what they show is thatThe Manifesto for Teaching Onlineoffers welcome insights into and practical advice on how to teach online, and creatively confront the supremacy of face-to-face teaching.
Armoured bush cricket, Acanthoplus discoidalis (Walker) (Orthoptera: tettigoniidae) outbreak prediction using rainfall patterns in three zones of Botswana
Authors: Mviha P. J. Z. , Holt J. , Green S. V.
Published: October 2021

Based on a quantitative understanding of the environmental factors effecting armoured bush cricket, Acanthoplus discoidalis population dynamics, a hypothesis was formulated to explain the occurrence of outbreaks in some years and locations. The principles, expressed using a rule-based or qualitative model, were that nymph and adult survival and fecundity were reduced in years with uneven rainfall and that egg survival was reduced in years with a wet late-season as this is associated with increased egg predation and/or water-logging. The implication was that large egg banks resulted either when a large number of adults were present or when neither low fecundity nor high egg mortality were constraints. Such large egg banks were however predicted only to lead to outbreaks when there was an adequate amount of food for nymph and adult survival in the following season. Model predictions were compared with observed outbreaks of A. discoidalis between 1988 to 2002 for the three climatic zones of the east, central and western parts of southern Botswana. There was significant agreement between model predictions and observed outbreaks in two of the three zones (95% confidence interval of the kappa coefficient of agreement > 0). Taking the data for all three zones together and compared to the average outbreak frequency, an outbreak was three times more likely to occur when the model predicted an outbreak and six times less likely to occur when it predicted no outbreak.
African Interventions
Authors: Kisangani Emizet F. , Pickering Jeffrey
Published: October 2021

Foreign military intervention has had a profound impact on post-colonial African history and politics. Interventions have destabilized borderlands, overthrown governments, and taken a devastating toll on populations. Emizet F. Kisangani and Jeffrey Pickering advance a new theoretical framework and combine quantitative, qualitative, and historical methods to shed fresh light on these important but understudied events. Their detailed analysis brings understanding to supportive and hostile interventions and to interventions by former colonial states, non-colonial foreign actors, and African countries. Kisangani and Pickering also analyse military incursions into ungoverned territories and lands engulfed in civil war. Showcasing a variety of examples from the Second Congo War to the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict, the book offers a rich and accessible examination of military intervention on the continent.
State and Family in China
Authors: Du Yue
Published: October 2021

In Imperial China, the idea of filial piety not only shaped family relations but was also the official ideology by which Qing China was governed. In State and Family in China, Yue Du examines the relationship between politics and intergenerational family relations in China from the Qing period to 1949, focusing on changes in family law, parent-child relationships, and the changing nature of the Chinese state during this period. This book highlights how the Qing dynasty treated the state-sponsored parent-child hierarchy as the axis around which Chinese family and political power relations were constructed and maintained. It shows how following the fall of the Qing in 1911, reform of filial piety law in the Republic of China became the basis of state-directed family reform, playing a central role in China's transition from empire to nation-state.
Adverse childhood experiences and adult diet quality
Authors: Aquilina Sydney R. , Shrubsole Martha J. , Butt Julia , Sanderson Maureen , Schlundt David G. , Cook Mekeila C. , Epplein Meira
Published: October 2021

Childhood trauma is strongly associated with poor health outcomes. Although many studies have found associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), a well-established indicator of childhood trauma and diet-related health outcomes, few have explored the relationship between ACEs and diet quality, despite growing literature in epidemiology and neurobiology suggesting that childhood trauma has an important but poorly understood relationship with diet. Thus, we performed a cross-sectional study of the association of ACEs and adult diet quality in the Southern Community Cohort Study, a largely low-income and racially diverse population in the southeastern United States. We used ordinal logistic regression to estimate the association of ACEs with the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-10) score among 30 854 adults aged 40–79 enrolled from 2002 to 2009. Having experienced any ACE was associated with higher odds of worse HEI-10 among all (odds ratio (OR) 1⋅22; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1⋅17, 1⋅27), and for all race–sex groups, and remained significant after adjustment for adult income. The increasing number of ACEs was also associated with increasing odds of a worse HEI-10 (OR for 4+ ACEs: 1⋅34; 95 % CI 1⋅27, 1⋅42). The association with worse HEI-10 score was especially strong for ACEs in the household dysfunction category, including having a family member in prison (OR 1⋅34; 95 % CI 1⋅25, 1⋅42) and parents divorced (OR 1⋅25; 95 % CI 1⋅20, 1⋅31). In summary, ACEs are associated with poor adult diet quality, independent of race, sex and adult income. Research is needed to explore whether trauma intervention strategies can impact adult diet quality.
STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATIONS OF RAMSEY ALGEBRAS
Authors: TEOH ZU YAO
Published: October 2021

Ramsey algebras are an attempt to investigate Ramsey spaces generated by algebras in a purely combinatorial fashion. Previous studies have focused on the basic properties of Ramsey algebras and a few specific examples. In this article, we study the properties of Ramsey algebras from a structural point of view. For instance, we will see that isomorphic algebras have the same Ramsey algebraic properties, but elementarily equivalent algebras need not be so, as expected. We also answer an open question about Cartesian products of Ramsey algebras.
Maritime navigational assistance by visual augmentation
Authors: Leite Bruno G. , Sinohara Helio T. , Maruyama Newton , Tannuri Eduardo A.
Published: October 2021

Several types of equipment have been developed over the years to assist ship operators with their tasks. Nowadays, navigational equipment typically provides an enormous volume of information. Thus, there is a corresponding need for efficiency in how such information is presented to ship operators. Augmented reality (AR) systems are being investigated for such efficient presentation of typical navigational information. The present work is particularly interested in an AR architecture commonly referred as monitor augmented reality (MAR).

In this context, the development of MAR systems is briefly summarised. The projection of three-dimensional elements into a camera scene is presented. Potential visual assets are proposed and exemplified with videos from a ship manoeuvring simulator and a real experiment. Enhanced scenes combining pertinent virtual elements are shown exemplifying potential assistance applications. The authors mean to contribute to the popularisation of MAR systems in maritime environments. Further research is suggested to define optimal combinations of visual elements for alternative maritime navigation scenarios. Note that there are still many challenges for the deployment of MAR tools in typical maritime operations.
How Will COVID-19 Alter the Politics of Long-Term Care? A Comparative Policy Analysis of Popular Reform Options
Authors: Marier Patrik
Published: October 2021

This policy analysis reviews three popular proposals with significant political endorsement to enhance long-term care (LTC), here defined broadly to include residential care facilities, home care, and community care, in the wake of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis: national standards, provincial autonomy, and de-privatization. The proposals are summarized succinctly followed by a neo-institutionalist analysis of the obstacles to enact them based upon a series of interviews conducted prior to COVID-19 with senior civil servants in Canadian provinces for a newly published book (Marier, 2021) and political considerations. While the federal government has pursued the avenue of instituting national standards, the provinces have clearly expressed a desire to secure higher federal health transfers and pursue LTC reforms on their own. Considering the diversity of LTC arrangements across the provinces, which impact the politics of LTC within each jurisdiction, and the presence of many Conservative governments in provincial capitals, Ottawa faces an uphill battle to transform profoundly the LTC landscape.
The School Strike for Climate as people’s engagement in the transnational legal process and global constitutionalism
Authors: Perera Binendri
Published: October 2021

What is the significance of the School Strike for Climate from an international constitutional perspective? In this article, I compare the School Strike for Climate with the Hong Kong protests of 2019–20. Both these movements became necessary because of gaps in their countries’ respective domestic and international legal frameworks – what I term constitutionalism gaps. The immediate cause of each protest was how state and non-state actors exploited these constitutionalism gaps in the existing legal framework. Protests in Hong Kong were triggered by the attempt to enact an Extradition Law that threatened people’s autonomy, whereas the School Strike for Climate is a response to the failure of the state to deliver climate justice. Both these movements use similar strategies of advocacy and they have relied extensively on new technology. Based on this comparison, I argue that the School Strike for Climate promotes procedural and substantive values of constitutionalism at the international level, similar to the Hong Kong Protests at the domestic level. Through the School Strike for Climate, people seek to engage directly in the transnational legal process. In attempting to bridge the constitutionalism gap at the international level, the School Strike for Climate promotes values of global constitutionalism.
The Nicaraguan Question: Contadora and the Latin American Response to US Intervention Against the Sandinistas, 1982–86
Authors: Jarquín Mateo
Published: October 2021

While much has been written about the United States’ efforts to undermine Nicaragua's Sandinista government (1979–90), historians have paid little attention to Latin American state perspectives on the only successful armed revolution in the region since Cuba. In fact, the war that subsequently emerged between Sandinista armed forces and US-backed contras was a thoroughly regionalized affair: at least 12 Latin American countries—including the five largest—became directly involved in efforts to broker peace by the mid 1980s. How and why did they become involved? What can Latin American diplomacy vis-à-vis the Sandinista Revolution tell us about the shape of inter-American relations in the twilight years of the Cold War?

To answer these questions, this article uses diplomatic archival sources and oral history interviews from Nicaragua, the United States, Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Panama to trace Latin American state responses to US intervention against the Sandinista government between 1982 and 1986. While the Reagan administration viewed Nicaragua as the place where it would begin to roll back Soviet-sponsored communism in the Third World, a bloc of Latin American governments—especially those associated with the Contadora peace process—saw Central America as the site where they would push back against US unilateralism and the threat it posed to their real interests and shared hopes for regional sovereignty. In stark contrast with the earlier reaction to the Cuban Revolution, most Latin American states rejected US intervention and sought to legitimize Managua's left-wing government. The regional dimensions of Nicaragua's civil war therefore show how the political fault lines of Latin America's Cold War shifted over time.
Missed nursing care as experienced by undergraduate nursing students
Authors: Habermann Monika , Stemmer Renate , Suhonen Riitta
Published: October 2021

Abstract. Background: In clinical settings where missed nursing care prevails, nursing students’ instructions, supervision and the joint reflection on clinical practice with mentors are also affected and nursing students become involved in dealing with missed nursing care. Aim: To explore the experience of missed nursing care in clinical placements, its meaning for nursing students, and actions they considered or took. Methods: Qualitative study based on a content analysis of nursing students’ written reports. Nursing students in three universities in Germany with experience of at least one clinical practice placement were invited to participate. Online, they answered three open questions concerning missed nursing care focusing on: (1) experiences of the phenomenon, (2) its meaning and (3) actions that had been considered or taken when dealing with missed nursing care. A content analysis was performed. Results: The recruitment criteria were met by 69 nursing students. Four main themes and 20 sub-themes were identified. The reports covered all forms of missed nursing care. Becoming involved led to intrapersonal conflicts and, feelings of powerlessness but also to learning opportunities. It challenged professional and ethical standards. Students identified a broad spectrum of actions to answer the challenge. Conclusion: Dealing with missed nursing care creates opportunities and challenges for nursing students. To build up a well-trained and sustainable nursing workforce, learning environments for nursing students must reflect the challenges and counteract deficits.
Three‐Dimensional Electrical Resistivity Characterization of Mountain Pass, California and Surrounding Region
Authors: Peacock J. R. , Denton K. M. , Ponce D. A.
Published: October 2021

The Sulphide Queen carbonatite deposit at Mountain Pass in southeast California is a world class rare earth element (REE) resource. This study images electrical resistivity structure of the REE deposit and surrounding area to characterize resources under cover. An east‐west elongated grid (35 × 15 km) of 65 wideband magnetotelluric stations spanning from eastern Shadow Valley to eastern Ivanpah Valley were collected and modeled in three‐dimensions (3‐D). Gravity, aeromagnetic, and geologic data are used to inform interpretation of structures in the resistivity model, including the following observations. Shadow Valley is filled with conductive sediment that locally dips southward to a depth of 1 km. The Kingston Range‐Halloran Hills detachment fault dips westward at ∼15 degrees. The REE deposit is a moderate low resistivity zone dipping southwest to a possible depth of ∼1 km, and is bounded by the North and South faults and bisected by the Middle fault. Ivanpah Dry Lake is underlain by a north striking southward dipping sedimentary basin. Two possible zones of mineralization are observed in Ivanpah Valley, one along the western edge of Ivanpah Dry Lake and one on the western edge of valley along a new inferred fault. The brittle‐ductile transition is imaged at ∼10 km below mean sea level. No deep electrically conductive structures are imaged to be related to the REE deposit likely due to the complex geologic history of the Mojave terrane. Future studies should regional target Proterozoic rocks and search within for geophysical signatures similar to Mountain Pass.
Predictability of the Chile Niño/Niña
Authors: Xue Jiaqing , Doi Takeshi , Luo Jing‐Jia , Yuan Chaoxia , Yamagata Toshio
Published: October 2021

The recently discovered Chile Niño/Niña is an intrinsic coupled climate mode in the southeast Pacific, which influences both regional climate and marine ecosystem. Using Scale Interaction Experiment‐Frontier version 2 seasonal prediction system, it is shown that the Chile Niño/Niña can be skillfully predicted up to 3‐month lead. Although the occurrences and related climate impacts of the Chile Niño/Niña are captured by the prediction system, the predicted magnitudes are weaker than observations in the ensemble mean. Further analyses of the inter‐member relationships indicate that the Chile Niño/Niña predictability depends on how well the coastal ocean‐atmosphere‐land positive feedback among alongshore surface winds, coastal upwelling and the sea surface temperature anomalies is captured. The insufficient reproduction of this essential feedback is responsible for the underestimated magnitude. Therefore, accurately predicting the Chile Niño/Niña remains a challenge. Improving model resolution and ensemble size may be a key to enhancing prediction skills of the coastal climate modes along the eastern boundary upwelling systems.
Lunar Tidal Effect on Equatorial Ionization Anomaly Region in China Low Latitude
Authors: Mo Xiaohua , Zhang Donghe , Liu Jing , Hao Yongqiang , Xiao Zuo , Shi Jiankui , Wang Guojun
Published: October 2021

The equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) crest derived from GPS observations, F2‐layer peak height (hmF2), critical frequency (foF2), and equatorial electrojet (EEJ) in China low latitude are used to study the lunar tidal effect on EIA region for the years from 2006 to 2015. A predominant 14.76‐day periodic component in EIA crest, hmF2, and EEJ concurrently appears in some seasonal intervals, which coincides with the half of the lunar revolution period (29.53 days) and the lunar phase, indicating that the 14.76‐day periodic oscillation in EIA region is modulated by the lunar tide. This 14.76‐day periodic oscillation occurs in all Northern Hemisphere (NH) winter and corresponds to their respective sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) period from 2006 to 2015. In addition, this 14.76‐day periodic oscillation also occurs in other seasons for some years, for example, May and August, in which wave power is sometimes comparable to that in SSW period. The occurrence of the 14.76‐day periodic oscillation and its wave power during non‐SSW seasons in the solar maximum years (2012–2015) is more frequent and higher than that in the solar minimum years (2008–2010). Our results suggest that, besides the NH SSW condition, the solar activity and some other unclear factors are also responsible for the lunar tide enhancement in EIA region.
Multi-omic approach identifies a transcriptional network coupling innate immune response to proliferation in the blood of COVID-19 cancer patients
Authors: Sacconi Andrea , De Vitis Claudia , de Latouliere Luisa , di Martino Simona , De Nicola Francesca , Goeman Frauke , Mottini Carla , Paolini Francesca , D’Ascanio Michela , Ricci Alberto , Tafuri Agostino , Marchetti Paolo , Di Napoli Arianna , De Biase Luciano , Negro Andrea , Napoli Christian , Anibaldi Paolo , Salvati Valentina , Duffy Darragh , Terrier Benjamin , Fanciulli Maurizio , Capalbo Carlo , Sciacchitano Salvatore , Blandino Giovanni , Piaggio Giulia , Mancini Rita , Ciliberto Gennaro
Published: October 2021

Clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients are worsened by the presence of co-morbidities, especially cancer leading to elevated mortality rates. SARS-CoV-2 infection is known to alter immune system homeostasis. Whether cancer patients developing COVID-19 present alterations of immune functions which might contribute to worse outcomes have so far been poorly investigated. We conducted a multi-omic analysis of immunological parameters in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of COVID-19 patients with and without cancer. Healthy donors and SARS-CoV-2-negative cancer patients were also included as controls. At the infection peak, cytokine multiplex analysis of blood samples, cytometry by time of flight (CyTOF) cell population analyses, and Nanostring gene expression using Pancancer array on PBMCs were performed. We found that eight pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, IL-1ra, MIP-1a, IP-10) out of 27 analyzed serum cytokines were modulated in COVID-19 patients irrespective of cancer status. Diverse subpopulations of T lymphocytes such as CD8+T, CD4+T central memory, Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT), natural killer (NK), and γδ T cells were reduced, while B plasmablasts were expanded in COVID-19 cancer patients. Our findings illustrate a repertoire of aberrant alterations of gene expression in circulating immune cells of COVID-19 cancer patients. A 19-gene expression signature of PBMCs is able to discriminate COVID-19 patients with and without solid cancers. Gene set enrichment analysis highlights an increased gene expression linked to Interferon α, γ, α/β response and signaling which paired with aberrant cell cycle regulation in cancer patients. Ten out of the 19 genes, validated in a real-world consecutive cohort, were specific of COVID-19 cancer patients independently from different cancer types and stages of the diseases, and useful to stratify patients in a COVID-19 disease severity-manner. We also unveil a transcriptional network involving gene regulators of both inflammation response and proliferation in PBMCs of COVID-19 cancer patients.
A missense mutation in Pitx2 leads to early-onset glaucoma via NRF2-YAP1 axis
Authors: Yang Yeming , Li Xiao , Wang Jieping , Tan Junkai , Fitzmaurice Bernie , Nishina Patsy M. , Sun Kuanxiang , Tian Wanli , Liu Wenjing , Liu Xuyang , Chang Bo , Zhu Xianjun
Published: October 2021

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness, affecting 70 million people worldwide. Owing to the similarity in anatomy and physiology between human and mouse eyes and the ability to genetically manipulate mice, mouse models are an invaluable resource for studying mechanisms underlying disease phenotypes and for developing therapeutic strategies. Here, we report the discovery of a new mouse model of early-onset glaucoma that bears a transversion substitution c. G344T, which results in a missense mutation, p. R115L in PITX2. The mutation causes an elevation in intraocular pressure (IOP) and progressive death of retinal ganglion cells (RGC). These ocular phenotypes recapitulate features of pathologies observed in human glaucoma. Increased oxidative stress was evident in the inner retina. We demonstrate that the mutant PITX2 protein was not capable of binding to Nuclear factor-like 2 (NRF2), which regulates Pitx2 expression and nuclear localization, and to YAP1, which is necessary for co-initiation of transcription of downstream targets. PITX2-mediated transcription of several antioxidant genes were also impaired. Treatment with N-Acetyl-L-cysteine exerted a profound neuroprotective effect on glaucoma-associated neuropathies, presumably through inhibition of oxidative stress. Our study demonstrates that a disruption of PITX2 leads to glaucoma optic pathogenesis and provides a novel early-onset glaucoma model that will enable elucidation of mechanisms underlying the disease as well as to serve as a resource to test new therapeutic strategies.
NLRP3 associated with chronic kidney disease progression after ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury
Authors: Zheng Zhihuang , Xu Kexin , Li Chuanlei , Qi Chenyang , Fang Yili , Zhu Nan , Bao Jinfang , Zhao Zhonghua , Yu Qing , Wu Huijuan , Liu Jun
Published: October 2021

Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), as an inflammatory regulator, has been implicated in acute kidney injury (AKI). Failed recovery after AKI can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the role of NLRP3 in the AKI-CKD transition is still unknown. A mild or severe AKI mouse model was performed by using ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). We evaluated the renal NLRP3 expression in acute and chronic phases of ischemic AKI, respectively. Although serum creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels in AKI chronic phase were equivalent to normal baseline, histological analysis and fibrotic markers revealed that severe AKI-induced maladaptive tubular repair with immune cell infiltration and fibrosis. Tubular damage was restored completely in mild AKI rather than in severe AKI. Of note, persistent overexpression of NLRP3 was also found in severe AKI but not in mild AKI. In the severe AKI-induced chronic phase, there was a long-term high level of NLRP3 in serum or urine. Overt NLRP3 was mainly distributed in the abnormal tubules surrounded by inflammatory infiltrates and fibrosis, which indicated the maladaptive repair. Renal Nlrp3 overexpression was correlated with infiltrating macrophages and fibrosis. Renal NLRP3 signaling-associated genes were upregulated after severe AKI by RNA-sequencing. Furthermore, NLRP3 was found increased in renal tubular epitheliums from CKD biopsies. Together, persistent NLRP3 overexpression was associated with chronic pathological changes following AKI, which might be a new biomarker for evaluating the possibility of AKI-CKD transition.
A novel TAB2 mutation detected in a putative case of frontometaphyseal dysplasia
Authors: Hori Asuka , Migita Ohsuke , Kawaguchi-Kawata Rika , Narumi-Kishimoto Yoko , Takada Fumio , Hata Kenichiro
Published: October 2021

Frontometaphyseal dysplasia (FMD) type 2 is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by skeletal abnormalities and caused by MAP3K7 mutation. We identified a novel missense mutation in TAB2 associated with FMD in a child with multiple congenital malformations. This case was diagnosed as FMD due to joint contractures and bone deformities. This is the third report of FMD caused by a TAB2 mutation located in the TAK1-binding region.
The hereditary mutation G51D unlocks a distinct fibril strain transmissible to wild-type α-synuclein
Authors: Sun Yunpeng , Long Houfang , Xia Wencheng , Wang Kun , Zhang Xia , Sun Bo , Cao Qin , Zhang Yaoyang , Dai Bin , Li Dan , Liu Cong
Published: October 2021

α-Synuclein (α-Syn) can form different fibril strains with distinct polymorphs and neuropathologies, which is associated with the clinicopathological variability in synucleinopathies. How different α-syn fibril strains are produced and selected under disease conditions remains poorly understood. In this study, we show that the hereditary mutation G51D induces α-syn to form a distinct fibril strain in vitro. The cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the G51D fibril strain was determined at 2.96 Å resolution. The G51D fibril displays a relatively small and extended serpentine fold distinct from other α-syn fibril structures. Moreover, we show by cryo-EM that wild-type (WT) α-syn can assembly into the G51D fibril strain via cross-seeding with G51D fibrils. Our study reveals a distinct structure of G51D fibril strain triggered by G51D mutation but feasibly adopted by both WT and G51D α-syn, which suggests the cross-seeding and strain selection of WT and mutant α-syn in familial Parkinson’s disease (fPD).
Robust recognition and exploratory analysis of crystal structures via Bayesian deep learning
Authors: Leitherer Andreas , Ziletti Angelo , Ghiringhelli Luca M.
Published: October 2021

Due to their ability to recognize complex patterns, neural networks can drive a paradigm shift in the analysis of materials science data. Here, we introduce ARISE, a crystal-structure identification method based on Bayesian deep learning. As a major step forward, ARISE is robust to structural noise and can treat more than 100 crystal structures, a number that can be extended on demand. While being trained on ideal structures only, ARISE correctly characterizes strongly perturbed single- and polycrystalline systems, from both synthetic and experimental resources. The probabilistic nature of the Bayesian-deep-learning model allows to obtain principled uncertainty estimates, which are found to be correlated with crystalline order of metallic nanoparticles in electron tomography experiments. Applying unsupervised learning to the internal neural-network representations reveals grain boundaries and (unapparent) structural regions sharing easily interpretable geometrical properties. This work enables the hitherto hindered analysis of noisy atomic structural data from computations or experiments.
Clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in South Africa
Authors: Reddy Krishna P. , Fitzmaurice Kieran P. , Scott Justine A. , Harling Guy , Lessells Richard J. , Panella Christopher , Shebl Fatma M. , Freedberg Kenneth A. , Siedner Mark J.
Published: October 2021

Low- and middle-income countries are implementing COVID-19 vaccination strategies in light of varying vaccine efficacies and costs, supply shortages, and resource constraints. Here, we use a microsimulation model to evaluate clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccination program in South Africa. We varied vaccination coverage, pace, acceptance, effectiveness, and cost as well as epidemic dynamics. Providing vaccines to at least 40% of the population and prioritizing vaccine rollout prevented >9 million infections and >73,000 deaths and reduced costs due to fewer hospitalizations. Model results were most sensitive to assumptions about epidemic growth and prevalence of prior immunity to SARS-CoV-2, though the vaccination program still provided high value and decreased both deaths and health care costs across a wide range of assumptions. Vaccination program implementation factors, including prompt procurement, distribution, and rollout, are likely more influential than characteristics of the vaccine itself in maximizing public health benefits and economic efficiency.
Effects of surface treatments on flux tunable transmon qubits
Authors: Mergenthaler M. , Müller C. , Ganzhorn M. , Paredes S. , Müller P. , Salis G. , Adiga V. P. , Brink M. , Sandberg M. , Hertzberg J. B. , Filipp S. , Fuhrer A.
Published: October 2021

One of the main limitations in state-of-the art solid-state quantum processors is qubit decoherence and relaxation due to noise from adsorbates on surfaces, impurities at interfaces, and material defects. For the field to advance towards full fault-tolerant quantum computing, a better understanding of these microscopic noise sources is therefore needed. Here, we use an ultra-high vacuum package to study the impact of vacuum loading, UV-light exposure, and ion irradiation treatments on relaxation and coherence times, as well as slow parameter fluctuations of flux tunable superconducting transmon qubits. The treatments studied do not significantly impact the relaxation rate Γ1 and the echo decay rate $${{{\Gamma }}}_{2,{{{\rm{SS}}}}}^{{{{\rm{e}}}}}$$

Γ

2
,
SS

e

at the sweet spot, except for Ne ion bombardment which reduces Γ1. In contrast, flux noise parameters are improved by removing magnetic adsorbates from the chip surfaces with UV-light and NH3 treatments. Additionally, we demonstrate that SF6 ion bombardment can be used to adjust qubit frequencies in situ and post-fabrication without affecting qubit relaxation and coherence times at the sweet spot.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical studies testing mesenchymal stromal cells for traumatic brain injury
Authors: Pischiutta Francesca , Caruso Enrico , Lugo Alessandra , Cavaleiro Helena , Stocchetti Nino , Citerio Giuseppe , Salgado António , Gallus Silvano , Zanier Elisa R.
Published: October 2021

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are widely used in preclinical models of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Results are promising in terms of neurological improvement but are hampered by wide variability in treatment responses. We made a systematic review and meta-analysis: (1) to assess the quality of evidence for MSC treatment in TBI rodent models; (2) to determine the effect size of MSCs on sensorimotor function, cognitive function, and anatomical damage; (3) to identify MSC-related and protocol-related variables associated with greater efficacy; (4) to understand whether MSC manipulations boost therapeutic efficacy. The meta-analysis included 80 studies. After TBI, MSCs improved sensorimotor and cognitive deficits and reduced anatomical damage. Stratified meta-analysis on sensorimotor outcome showed similar efficacy for different MSC sources and for syngeneic or xenogenic transplants. Efficacy was greater when MSCs were delivered in the first-week post-injury, and when implanted directly into the lesion cavity. The greatest effect size was for cells embedded in matrices or for MSC-derivatives. MSC therapy is effective in preclinical TBI models, improving sensorimotor, cognitive, and anatomical outcomes, with large effect sizes. These findings support clinical studies in TBI.
Low-dose in vivo protection and neutralization across SARS-CoV-2 variants by monoclonal antibody combinations
Authors: Dussupt Vincent , Sankhala Rajeshwer S. , Mendez-Rivera Letzibeth , Townsley Samantha M. , Schmidt Fabian , Wieczorek Lindsay , Lal Kerri G. , Donofrio Gina C. , Tran Ursula , Jackson Nathaniel D. , Zaky Weam I. , Zemil Michelle , Tritsch Sarah R. , Chen Wei-Hung , Martinez Elizabeth J. , Ahmed Aslaa , Choe Misook , Chang William C. , Hajduczki Agnes , Jian Ningbo , Peterson Caroline E. , Rees Phyllis A. , Rutkowska Magdalena , Slike Bonnie M. , Selverian Christopher N. , Swafford Isabella , Teng I-Ting , Thomas Paul V. , Zhou Tongqing , Smith Clayton J. , Currier Jeffrey R. , Kwong Peter D. , Rolland Morgane , Davidson Edgar , Doranz Benjamin J. , Mores Christopher N. , Hatziioannou Theodora , Reiley William W. , Bieniasz Paul D. , Paquin-Proulx Dominic , Gromowski Gregory D. , Polonis Victoria R. , Michael Nelson L. , Modjarrad Kayvon , Joyce M. Gordon , Krebs Shelly J.
Published: October 2021

Prevention of viral escape and increased coverage against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern require therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting multiple sites of vulnerability on the coronavirus spike glycoprotein. Here we identify several potent neutralizing antibodies directed against either the N-terminal domain (NTD) or the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. Administered in combinations, these mAbs provided low-dose protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in the K18-human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 mouse model, using both neutralization and Fc effector antibody functions. The RBD mAb WRAIR-2125, which targets residue F486 through a unique heavy-chain and light-chain pairing, demonstrated potent neutralizing activity against all major SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. In combination with NTD and other RBD mAbs, WRAIR-2125 also prevented viral escape. These data demonstrate that NTD/RBD mAb combinations confer potent protection, likely leveraging complementary mechanisms of viral inactivation and clearance.