bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extended review of multi-agent solutions to Advanced Public Transportation Systems challenges
Authors: Balbo Flavien , Mandiau René , Zargayouna Mahdi
Published: November 2023

Over the past few decades, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) have emerged as an effective way to improve the performance of transportation systems. ITS provide innovative services, enhance travel safety, provide travellers with more choices, and make transportation systems more efficient. Multi-agent systems (MAS), which define autonomous interacting entities, are suitable for modelling distributed and intelligent systems in general and ITS in particular. This paper provides an in-depth review of multi-agent systems applied to Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS), a subclass of ITS dedicated to managing public transportation networks. We carefully analysed 38 papers in this study, published in 19 journals during 31 years (1990–2020). We perform a synthetic analysis of the trends in this domain and a qualitative analysis focused on multi-agent systems’ dimensions and properties. We show that the MAS approach is well suited to the real-time management of disturbances thanks to their delegation process, and their pro-activeness and autonomy properties.
Efficacy and Implementation of Stress-Reduction Interventions for Underserved Families of Autistic Preschoolers Across In-Person and Virtual Modalities
Authors: Fenning Rachel M. , Neece Cameron L. , Sanner Catherine M. , Morrell Holly E. R.
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Parents of autistic children experience elevated stress relative to parents of children with neurotypical development and children with other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Adverse effects of parenting stress on parent, child, and family functioning may be especially heightened for marginalized families. We conducted a randomized controlled trial that demonstrated the efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) relative to psychoeducational support (PE) for reducing stress in diverse and underserved parents of autistic preschoolers. This paper presents implementation data, and examines efficacy across in-person and virtual intervention modalities.

Method

Primary caregivers (n = 117; 91% female, 51% Latinx, 44% income < US $50,000) of 3- to 5-year-old autistic children (80% male, 68% with intellectual disability) were randomly assigned to MBSR (n = 59, 46% virtual) or PE (n = 58, 41% virtual). Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 6 and 12 months post-intervention.

Results

Both MBSR and PE demonstrated strong feasibility, acceptability, and utility for our diverse families. Comparable efficacy was observed across modalities. However, attendance was significantly better for virtual groups than for in-person groups. Parents participating in virtual MBSR also reported less difficulty completing homework and utilizing learned skills in everyday life than did in-person MBSR participants.

Conclusions

MBSR and PE appear feasible, acceptable, and efficacious for diverse and underserved parents of young autistic children. Preliminary evidence of comparable efficacy across virtual and in-person modalities indicates the potential to expand access to vital stress-reduction interventions through use of telehealth technology.

Preregistration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03459625.
Impact of climate change-induced warming on groundwater temperatures and quality
Authors: Neidhardt Harald , Shao Wen
Published: November 2023

The impacts of climate change-induced warming on our ecosystems can no longer be neglected, but our understanding of consequences for groundwater ecosystems in general and groundwater quality in particular is alarmingly incomplete. In this review, we therefore provide an overview of the current state of knowledge related to the impact of global warming on our precious groundwater resources. Groundwater warming in shallow aquifers is closely associated with increasing average land surface temperatures and has already reached + 1 K compared to pe-industrial times. Until the end of the twenty-first century, temperature increases in local groundwater of up to + 10 K are possible. Monitoring data, laboratory and field experiments all provide evidence that such temperature increases are sufficient to substantially modify groundwater quality through numerous and interlinked biogeochemical processes, which we have summarized in a conceptual overview. Warming impacts on groundwater are highly site-specific and spatially heterogeneous, which complicates their assessment and prediction. Locally, shallow unconfined and nutrient-rich floodplain aquifers are most susceptible to warming-induced changes. Importantly, processes affecting water quality are not only modified by a long-term rise in groundwater temperatures, but also in the short-term during weather extremes, which is of great relevance for riverbank filtration. At the regional scale, aquifers in cold regions impacted by permafrost thawing are especially vulnerable to warming. As the majority of temperature-sensitive processes affecting groundwater quality are not or only very slowly reversable, we pressingly require comprehensive mechanistic understanding before it is too late to develop suitable countermeasures and management strategies.
Data Augmentation for Mask-Based Leaf Segmentation of UAV-Images as a Basis to Extract Leaf-Based Phenotyping Parameters
Authors: Barreto Abel , Reifenrath Lasse , Vogg Richard , Sinz Fabian , Mahlein Anne-Katrin
Published: November 2023

In crop protection, disease quantification parameters such as disease incidence (DI) and disease severity (DS) are the principal indicators for decision making, aimed at ensuring the safety and productivity of crop yield. The quantification is standardized with leaf organs, defined as individual scoring units. This study focuses on identifying and segmenting individual leaves in agricultural fields using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), multispectral imagery of sugar beet fields, and deep instance segmentation networks (Mask R-CNN). Five strategies for achieving network robustness with limited labeled images are tested and compared, employing simple and copy-paste image augmentation techniques. The study also evaluates the impact of environmental conditions on network performance. Metrics of performance show that multispectral UAV images recorded under sunny conditions lead to a performance drop. Focusing on the practical application, we employ Mask R-CNN models in an image-processing pipeline to calculate leaf-based parameters including DS and DI. The pipeline was applied in time-series in an experimental trial with five varieties and two fungicide strategies to illustrate epidemiological development. Disease severity calculated with the model with highest Average Precision (AP) shows the strongest correlation with the same parameter assessed by experts. The time-series development of disease severity and disease incidence demonstrates the advantages of multispectral UAV-imagery in contrasting varieties for resistance, as well as the limits for disease control measurements. This study identifies key components for automatic leaf segmentation of diseased plants using UAV imagery, such as illumination and disease condition. It also provides a tool for delivering leaf-based parameters relevant to optimize crop production through automated disease quantification by imaging tools.
The improvement of the in vitro plant regeneration in barley with the epigenetic modifier of histone acetylation, trichostatin A
Authors: Nowak Katarzyna , Wójcikowska Barbara , Gajecka Monika , Elżbieciak Anna , Morończyk Joanna , Wójcik Anna M. , Żemła Przemysław , Citerne Sylvie , Kiwior-Wesołowska Agnieszka , Zbieszczyk Justyna , Gaj Małgorzata D.
Published: November 2023

Genotype-limited plant regeneration is one of the main obstacles to the broader use of genetic transformation in barley breeding. Thus, developing new approaches that might improve responses of in vitro recalcitrant genotypes remains at the center of barley biotechnology. Here, we analyzed different barley genotypes, including “Golden Promise,” a genotype commonly used in the genetic transformation, and four malting barley cultivars of poor regenerative potential. The expression of hormone-related transcription factor (TF) genes with documented roles in plant regeneration was analyzed in genotypes with various plant-regenerating capacities. The results indicated differential expression of auxin-related TF genes between the barley genotypes in both the explants and the derived cultures. In support of the role of auxin in barley regeneration, distinct differences in the accumulation of free and oxidized auxin were observed in explants and explant-derived callus cultures of barley genotypes. Following the assumption that modifying gene expression might improve plant regeneration in barley, we treated the barley explants with trichostatin A (TSA), which affects histone acetylation. The effects of TSA were genotype-dependent as TSA treatment improved plant regeneration in two barley cultivars. TSA-induced changes in plant regeneration were associated with the increased expression of auxin biosynthesis-involved TFs. The study demonstrated that explant treatment with chromatin modifiers such as TSA might provide a new and effective epigenetic approach to improving plant regeneration in recalcitrant barley genotypes.
Enhancement of the Hygrothermoelastic Performance of Rotating Cylindrical Smart Sensors
Authors: Eldeeb A. M. , Shabana Y. M. , Elsawaf A.
Published: November 2023

The goal of this research article is to investigate the effects of using two-dimensional functionally graded materials on the performance of piezoelectric sensors/actuators when subjected to simultaneous complex loading conditions. The considered disc-shaped sensors/actuators have nonuniform thicknesses and undergo asymmetric hygro-thermo-electro-mechanical loading. A power-law model is used to grade the materials radially, whereas the cosine function, which includes two independent parameters, describes the pattern along the circumferential direction. Comparing the results obtained by using the finite element method with those of one-dimensional graded structures leads to promising outcomes. For example, the radial displacement exhibits vital changes that varied between $$-13$$

-
13

and $$31\%$$

31
%

. This is beneficial for such structures in terms of enhancing their sensing/actuating abilities. Also, the tangential stress can be reduced substantially by about $$39.5\%$$

39.5
%

through the proper selection of the corresponding material parameters. In addition, this reduction of the tangential stress has a positive effect on the von Mises stress that can be decreased by nearly $$33\%$$

33
%

. Accordingly, the structure would have improved durability and sustain higher loads. These findings would revolutionize the manufacturing of smart structures and enhance their behaviors under severe conditions.
Torque effect on vibration behavior of high-speed train gearbox under internal and external excitations
Authors: Zhou Yue , Wang Xi , Que Hongbo , Guo Rubing , Lin Xinhai , Jin Siqin , Wu Chengpan , Hou Yu
Published: November 2023

The high-speed train transmission system, experiencing both the internal excitation originating from gear meshing and the external excitation originating from the wheel–rail interaction, exhibits complex dynamic behavior in the actual service environment. This paper focuses on the gearbox in the high-speed train to carry out the bench test, in which various operating conditions (torques and rotation speeds) were set up and the excitation condition covering both internal and external was created. Acceleration responses on multiple positions of the gearbox were acquired in the test and the vibration behavior of the gearbox was studied. Meanwhile, a stochastic excitation modal test was also carried out on the test bench under different torques, and the modal parameter of the gearbox was identified. Finally, the sweep frequency response of the gearbox under gear meshing excitation was analyzed through dynamic modeling. The results showed that the torque has an attenuating effect on the amplitude of gear meshing frequency on the gearbox, and the effect of external excitation on the gearbox vibration cannot be ignored, especially under the rated operating condition. It was also found that the torque affects the modal parameter of the gearbox significantly. The torque has a great effect on both the gear meshing stiffness and the bearing stiffness in the transmission system, which is the inherent reason for the changed modal characteristics observed in the modal test and affects the vibration behavior of the gearbox consequently.
Theoretical analysis of anchorage-seepage coupling effect of the surrounding rock stability in deep buried abandoned chambers
Authors: Zhao Zenghui , Li Canlin , Meng Zhe , Liu Hao
Published: November 2023

How to ensure the safety of abandoned mine resources, scientifically develop and utilize abandoned mine resources, and promote the transformation of resource-exhausted mining areas have become an important issue in the field of energy and environment in the world today. Aiming at the stability of the surrounding rock in deep closed/abandoned mine chamber, the mechanical model of the surrounding rock under the coupling effect of anchorage and seepage field was proposed. Considering the elastic brittleness degradation and plastic dilatancy effect of rock mass, the analytical solutions of stress and displacement of rockbolt-seepage-surrounding rock coupling system were respectively deduced, and the accuracy of the results were verified. Based on the analytical results, the evolution law of stress and displacement of the surrounding rock under the combined action of seepage field and anchorage effect were further revealed, and a new quantitative design method of rockbolt parameters was proposed. Results show that the influence of rockbolt spacing and rod diameter on the mechanical field is obvious, while the rockbolt length and pre-tension load is small. Dense, short rockbolt with larger diameter should be used in the surrounding rock of deep chamber. The influence of seepage on the displacement of the surrounding rock is very significant. The more serious the seepage is, the more obvious the control effect of rockbolt on the displacement is. Appropriately increasing the density and diameter of rockbolt can effectively reduce the displacement of the surrounding rock.
Understanding the ability of Pachycrepoideus vindemiae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) to find and parasitize buried Diptera pupae in southwestern Colombia
Authors: Manzano Maria R. , Moreno Carlos A. , Melo-Cerón Clara , Richard Freddie-Jeanne
Published: November 2023

Pachycrepoideus vindemiae is a generalist wasp parasitoid released for biological control of the pupal stage for several species of Tephritoidea and Muscoidea flies that limit production of fruits and poultry commodities, respectively, worldwide. The parasitoid wasp must find buried host pupae to oviposit on them, and several factors may influence this outcome. The objectives of this study were to determine the capacity of first, host larvae to burrow to pupate according to substrate humidity and second, the parasitoid wasp to burrow and parasitize buried host pupae according to different conditions (substrate type, host species and parasitization time exposure). Moreover, comparison of chemical profiles between host’s pupae potentially involved for host location by the parasitoid was realized by GC-FID. Peat humidity significantly affected the burrowing depth of Dasiops inedulis and Anastrepha striata and both species buried significantly deeper in peat with 50% humidity than in dry conditions. The number of emerged parasitoids is not different between the two tested host species. P. vindemiae performance was better in peat than in crop soil. In peat wasps’ parasitism is similar between buried pupae located at 0 mm or 10 mm depth regardless of the time of exposure to the parasitoid. Cuticular chemical profiles showed that the four-host pupa species studied did not share compounds. However, A. striata shared some compounds with D. inedulis and, M. domestica shared some with C. capitata. Common compounds were found in the extracts of parasitized and non-parasitized pupae of C. capitata, D. inedulis and M. domestica.
Cancer Stem Cell Markers and Properties Across Gastrointestinal Cancers
Authors: Jahangiri Leila
Published: November 2023

Purpose of Review

Gastrointestinal cancers are a major health concern worldwide and include oesophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers that may have unfavourable patient prognoses and frequently lead to death due to cancer. The function of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in tumour growth, propagation, migration, metastasis, and recurrence has been reported in the literature, and finding effective markers for these cells is highly desirable.

Recent Findings

These cells may display properties such as self-renewal, symmetric and asymmetric divisions, low reactive oxygen species, efflux of compounds and toxins, heightened capacity for DNA damage repair, and tumour growth and propagation in immunodeficient mouse models. Furthermore, CSCs dynamically interact with the tumour microenvironment and, in addition, may impact processes like tumour progression, aggressive behaviour, migration, disease relapse, and recurrence, hence becoming clinically important.

Based on this background, this review aimed to obtain a deeper understanding of the properties of CSCs across five gastrointestinal cancers and to discuss their specific characteristics and markers. A better understanding of CSCs may ultimately contribute to improving patient prognoses and treatment outcomes and ultimately enhance the quality of life of gastrointestinal cancer sufferers.
A Novel Deep Kernel Incremental Extreme Learning Machine Based on Artificial Transgender Longicorn Algorithm and Multiple Population Gray Wolf Optimization Methods
Authors: Wu Di , Xiao Yan
Published: November 2023

Redundant nodes in a kernel incremental extreme learning machine (KI-ELM) increase ineffective iterations and reduce learning efficiency. To address this problem, this study established a novel improved hybrid intelligent deep kernel incremental extreme learning machine (HI-DKIELM), which is based on a hybrid intelligent algorithm and a KI-ELM. First, a hybrid intelligent algorithm was established based on the artificial transgender longicorn algorithm and multiple population gray wolf optimization methods to reduce the parameters of hidden layer neurons and then to determine the effective number of hidden layer neurons. The learning efficiency of the algorithm was improved through the reduction of network complexity. Then, to improve the classification accuracy and generalization performance of the algorithm, a deep network structure was introduced to the KI-ELM to gradually extract the original input data layer by layer and realize high-dimensional mapping of data. The experimental results show that the number of network nodes of HI-DKIELM algorithm is obviously reduced, which reduces the network complexity of ELM and greatly improves the learning efficiency of the algorithm. From the regression and classification experiments, its CCPP can be seen that the training error and test error of the HI-DKIELM algorithm proposed in this paper are 0.0417 and 0.0435, which are 0.0103 and 0.0078 lower than the suboptimal algorithm, respectively. On the Boston Housing database, the average and standard deviation of this algorithm are 98.21 and 0.0038, which are 6.2 and 0.0003 higher than the suboptimal algorithm, respectively.
Semantic Segmentation of High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images with Improved U-Net Based on Transfer Learning
Authors: Zhang Hua , Jiang Zhengang , Zheng Guoxun , Yao Xuekun
Published: November 2023

Semantic segmentation of high-resolution remote sensing images has emerged as one of the foci of research in the remote sensing field, which can accurately identify objects on the ground and determine their localization. In contrast, the traditional deep learning-based semantic segmentation, on the other hand, requires a large amount of annotated data, which is unsuitable for high-resolution remote sensing tasks with limited resources. It is therefore important to build a semantic segmentation method for high-resolution remote sensing images. In this paper, it is proposed an improved U-Net model based on transfer learning to solve the semantic segmentation problem of high-resolution remote sensing images. The model is based on the symmetric encoder–decoder structure of U-Net. For the encoder, transfer learning is applied and VGG16 is used as the backbone of the feature extraction network, and in the decoder, after upsampling using bilinear interpolation, it is performed multiscale fusion with the feature maps of the corresponding layers of the encoder in turn and is finally obtained the predicted value of each pixel to achieve precise localization. To verify the efficacy of the proposed network, experiments are performed on the ISPRS Vaihingen dataset. The experiments show that the applied method has achieved high-quality semantic segmentation results on the high-resolution remote sensing dataset, and the MIoU is 1.70%, 2.20%, and 2.33% higher on the training, validation, and test sets, respectively, and the IoU is 4.26%, 6.89%, and 5.44% higher for the automotive category compared to the traditional U-Net.
Rethinking Cultural Heritage in the International Finance Corporation Performance Standards
Authors: Mason Andrew R. , Martindale Andrew
Published: November 2023

In 2006, the World Bank's private sector lending arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), introduced eight Environmental and Social Performance Standards (PSs) to define IFC clients’ responsibilities for managing their environmental and social risks, including those related to cultural heritage. Since their introduction, the PSs have evolved into a de facto global standard that other development banks and many private sector banks, insurers, and development proponents have voluntarily adopted to help manage their own risk exposure. Although the widespread adoption of such policies can be viewed positively as a reflection of good governance, the PSs were never designed with this purpose in mind. This article traces the development of cultural heritage policy within the World Bank Group, then critically examines the IFC PSs as they relate to cultural heritage, drawing attention to the elements in need of revision to better reflect internationally recognized good practice for the management of cultural heritage. Equally important, we recommend the development and implementation of a bespoke cultural heritage framework for the private sector.
The N3C governance ecosystem: A model socio-technical partnership for the future of collaborative analytics at scale
Authors: Suver Christine , Harper Jeremy , Loomba Johanna , Saltz Mary , Solway Julian , Anzalone Alfred Jerrod , Walters Kellie , Pfaff Emily , Walden Anita , McMurry Julie , Chute Christopher G. , Haendel Melissa
Published: November 2023

The National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) is a public–private–government partnership established during the Coronavirus pandemic to create a centralized data resource called the “N3C data enclave.” This resource contains individual-level health data from participating healthcare sites nationwide to support rapid collaborative analytics. N3C has enabled analytics within a cloud-based enclave of data from electronic health records from over 17 million people (with and without COVID-19) in the USA. To achieve this goal of a shared data resource, N3C implemented a shared governance strategy involving stakeholders in decision-making. The approach leveraged best practices in data stewardship and team science to rapidly enable COVID-19-related research at scale while respecting the privacy of data subjects and participating institutions. N3C balanced equitable access to data, team-based scientific productivity, and individual professional recognition – a key incentive for academic researchers. This governance approach makes N3C research sustainable and effective beyond the initial days of the pandemic. N3C demonstrated that shared governance can overcome traditional barriers to data sharing without compromising data security and trust. The governance innovations described herein are a helpful framework for other privacy-preserving data infrastructure programs and provide a working model for effective team science beyond COVID-19.
The Emergence of Regional Industrial Policy in Britain: The Case of Wales, 1939 to 1947
Authors: Gooberman Leon
Published: November 2023

From the 1940s to the 1970s, British governments steered manufacturing businesses to peripheral regions designated as needing more employment. This approach was delivered through a Regional Policy that deployed industrial location controls and financial incentives. Effectiveness varied over time but was dramatic in the mid-1940s, when it boosted the regional stock of secondary manufacturing to the extent that its legacy remains visible today. The literature describes how this Regional Policy was a peacetime policy, albeit one formulated during the war. This article, however, proposes that the most successful phase of Regional Policy was an extension of wartime policies governing regional manufacturing businesses producing munitions. It uses a case study of Wales to make two arguments. One is that the Regional Policy associated with the postwar period began to be implemented before the war had ended. The other is that the Board of Trade pursued the policy through repurposed wartime governance mechanisms within an economy that remained subject to onerous state controls. The case outlines a short but consequential burst of assertive state involvement that shaped business activity throughout much of regional Britain, echoing Philip Scranton and Patrick Fridenson’s arguments concerning “the state always being in” given its role in shaping markets, business behavior, and regulations.
Evaluating barriers and potential solutions to speaking up about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms: A survey among nursing home workers
Authors: Gussin Gabrielle M. , Singh Raveena D. , Tjoa Thomas T. , Saavedra Raheeb , Kaplan Sherrie H. , Huang Susan S.
Published: November 2023

Objective:

Quantify the frequency and drivers of unreported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms among nursing home (NH) staff.

Design:

Confidential telephone survey.

Setting:

The study was conducted in 70 NHs in Orange County, California, December 2020–February 2022.

Participants:

The study included 120 NH staff with COVID-19.

Methods:

We designed a 40-item telephone survey of NH staff to assess COVID-19 symptom reporting behavior and types of barriers [monetary, logistic, and emotional (fear or stigma)] and facilitators of symptom reporting using 5-point Likert scales. Summary statistics, reliability of survey constructs, and construct and discriminant validity were assessed.

Results:

Overall, 49% of surveys were completed during the 2020–2021 COVID-19 winter wave and 51% were completed during severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) δ (delta)/ (omicron) waves, with a relatively even distribution of certified nursing assistants, licensed vocational or registered nurses, and nonfrontline staff. Most COVID-19 cases (71%) were detected during mandated weekly NH surveillance testing and most staff (67%) had ≥1 symptom prior to their test. Only 34% of those with symptoms disclosed their symptom to a supervisor. Responses were consistent across 8 discrete survey constructs with Cronbach α > 0.70. In the first wave of the pandemic, fear and lack of knowledge were drivers of symptom reporting. In later waves, adequate staffing and sick days were drivers of symptom reporting. COVID-19 help lines and encouragement from supervisors facilitated symptom reporting and testing.

Conclusions:

Mandatory COVID-19 testing for NH staff is key to identifying staff COVID-19 cases due to reluctance to speak up about existing symptoms. Active encouragement from supervisors to report symptoms and stay home when ill was a major driver of symptom reporting and resultant infection prevention and worker safety measures.
From L.A. to Boise: How Migration Has Changed During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Haslag Peter , Weagley Daniel
Published: November 2023

We examine how broad changes in work arrangements and lifestyles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have affected households’ location decisions. Using data on over 360,000 residential, interstate moves over the last 5 years, we find that more than 12% of moves were directly influenced by the pandemic. Among pandemic-influenced movers, over 15% of households cite that remote work influenced their move. Lifestyle-related (job-related) migration increased (decreased) significantly, particularly for the set of households who are likely to have access to remote work. We further find that these changes in migration patterns are positively related to post-pandemic economic growth.
Involuntary autobiographical memories and déjà vu: When and why attention makes a difference
Authors: Vannucci Manila , Hanczakowski Maciej
Published: November 2023

The target article claims that involuntary autobiographical memories and déjà vu are based on the same retrieval processes, although they result in different phenomenological states. Here we argue that the differential engagement of attention at various stages of memory may be one of the determinants of when common retrieval processes give rise to such different experiences.
The double-helix entanglements of transnational advocacy: Moral conservative resistance to LGBTI rights
Authors: Ayoub Phillip M. , Stoeckl Kristina
Published: November 2023

The rights of people who are marginalised by their sexual orientation and gender identity (LGBTI) have improved in many countries. Largely, these achievements can be traced back to the ‘spiral model’ of factors including transnational mobilisation by the LGBTI rights movement, the actions of a few pioneering governments, and advances in the human rights frameworks of some international organisations (IOs). Yet a rising and increasingly globally connected resistance works against LGBTI rights. It rests predominantly in the hands of a transnational advocacy network (TAN) that attempts to lay claim to international human rights law by reinterpreting it. Drawing on a decade of fieldwork and 240 interviews with LGBTI, anti-LGBTI, and state and IO actors, this article explores how the conservative TAN functions, in terms of who comprises it and how its agenda is constructed. We argue that this TAN has employed many of the same transnational tools that garnered LGBTIQ people their widespread recognition. It also conforms to the spiral model of rights diffusion, but in a process we call a double helix. As the double-helix metaphor suggests, rival TANs have a reciprocal relationship, having to navigate each other’s presence in an interactive space and thus using related strategies and instruments for mutually exclusive ends.
Variation in the Impact of ENSO on the Western Pacific Pattern Influenced by ENSO Amplitude in CMIP6 Simulations
Authors: Aru Hasi , Chen Wen , Chen Shangfeng , Garfinkel Chaim I. , Ma Tianjiao , Dong Zizhen , Hu Peng
Published: November 2023

The Western Pacific pattern (WP) is one of the most consequential atmospheric teleconnections during boreal winter, as it profoundly influences weather extremes and climate variability across Eurasia and North America. The El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is suggested to be a crucial external forcing of WP variability. In this study, we meticulously evaluated the capability of 56 coupled climate models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6th phase (CMIP6) in replicating the winter ENSO‐WP connection. Our results reveal notable diversities in the portrayal of the winter ENSO‐WP relation across CMIP6 models. This model diversity in the ENSO‐WP connections primarily stems from the spread of the models' simulated ENSO amplitude. Specifically, models with enhanced ENSO amplitudes exhibit intensified sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the equatorial central‐eastern Pacific. This enhancement of SST anomalies faciliates stronger atmospheric convective anomalies, especially in the extratropical eastern Pacific and the tropical western North Pacific. Of particular note is the intensified atmospheric convective anomalies in the tropical western North Pacific, which exert a pivotal role in shaping the WP through initiating a distinct atmospheric teleconnection pattern.
Equatorial Pacific Sea‐Air CO2 Exchange Modulated by Upper Ocean Circulation During the Last Deglaciation
Authors: Jian Zhimin , Yu Jimin , Wang Yue , Dang Haowen , Dai Minhan , Li Chen , Ji Xuan , Wang Xingxing , Chen Yue
Published: November 2023

The eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) is a source of atmospheric CO2 during the last deglaciation, but the associated oceanic dynamics in the broader low‐latitude Pacific is not fully understood. Here, we report 30,000‐year‐long surface and subsurface pCO2 records for the western equatorial Pacific (WEP), based on boron isotopes in two planktonic foraminiferal species from core MD10‐3340. Our results show that the WEP surface became a significant atmospheric CO2 sink despite that its subsurface waters were enriched by CO2 during the last deglaciation to early Holocene. Combined with EEP proxy data and model results, we suggest that a deglacial‐early Holocene zonal seesaw of sea‐air CO2 exchange across the equatorial Pacific led to a net CO2 outgassing much greater than the modern situation. This can be ascribed to strengthened Subtropical‐Tropical Circulation, resulting in stronger upper ocean stratification in the WEP concurrent with enhanced upwelling of CO2‐rich subsurface waters in the EEP.
Large Divergence of Satellite Monitoring of Diffuse Radiation Effect on Ecosystem Water‐Use Efficiency
Authors: Zhang Zhaoyang , Fan Meng , Tao Minghui , Tan Yunhui , Wang Quan
Published: November 2023

Water‐use efficiency (WUE), defined as the ratio of gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET), is a key indicator of the coupling of carbon and water cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. Diffuse radiation significantly affects WUE as diffuse radiation has stronger fertilization effects on GPP than ET. Remote sensing data‐driven (RS) models were widely used to estimate WUE. However, the performance of RS models in simulating diffuse radiation effect on WUE is poorly understood. We used GPP and ET products from MODIS, PML, BESS, and GLASS to explore the response of WUE to diffuse radiation across different vegetation types. We found that there was a large divergence among the RS models in estimating the response of WUE to FDP. PML model performed better than other RS models in simulating diffuse radiation effect on WUE. This research has significant implications for improving model simulations and understanding global carbon and water cycles.
High‐Precision and Fast Prediction of Regional Wind Fields in Near Space Using Neural‐Network Approximation of Operators
Authors: Chen Biao , Sheng Zheng , He Yang
Published: November 2023

Fine modeling and fast prediction of regional wind field in the middle and upper atmosphere has always been a difficult problem. We designed a neural operator method to solve this problem. We combine the idea of data assimilation with deep learning method to design a regional wind field operator suitable for near space. The annual Root mean square error of the zonal wind and meridional wind of the operator model at the height of 30 km are 0.903 and 0.881, respectively, which is three times that of ConvLSTM. Moreover, we validate the sparse spatio‐temporal modeling method of regional wind field operator at 20/30/40/50 km altitude. The result shows that the model is mesh‐free, and can get high‐precision modeling of different spatio‐temporal resolutions, multiple regions and arbitrary positions at one time, which lays an foundation for fine regional modeling and rapid utilization of near space.
Unique Combinations of Differently Shaped Equatorial Plasma Bubbles Occurring Within a Small Longitude Range
Authors: Karan Deepak Kumar , Eastes Richard W. , Martinis Carlos R. , Daniell Robert E. , Solomon Stanley C. , McClintock William E.
Published: November 2023

On 12 October 2020 and 26 December 2021, NASA's Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission observed differently shaped equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) simultaneously within ∼10° longitude, near the subsatellite point and over the Atlantic, respectively which is unusual. On 12 October 2020, three EPBs with differing curvatures were observed in a ∼12° longitude sector. The westside EPB was curved toward the east, in a C‐shape. The middle was straight. The eastside EPB was curved westward, in a reversed C‐shape. In the second case, 26 December 2021, in a smaller longitude range of ∼6° adjacent C‐shaped and reversed C‐shaped EPBs were observed. EPBs' zonal drift velocities at the magnetic equator and both equatorial ionization anomaly crests were compared. These occurrences of oppositely shaped EPBs simultaneously in a narrow longitude may indicate that small‐scale longitudinal variations in the E‐region density, electric field, neutral wind variations, or a combination of them were present.
Observations and Modeling of Gaseous Nitrated Phenols in Urban Beijing: Insights From Seasonal Comparison and Budget Analysis
Authors: Xia Men , Chen Xin , Ma Wei , Guo Yishuo , Yin Rujing , Zhan Junlei , Zhang Yusheng , Wang Zongcheng , Zheng Feixue , Xie Jiali , Wang Yuzheng , Hua Chenjie , Liu Yongchun , Yan Chao , Kulmala Markku
Published: November 2023

Nitrated phenols (NPs) are critical components of brown carbon with climate effects and threaten human health and ecosystems. Early studies mainly focus on particulate NPs, while the sources and impacts of gas‐phase NPs remain less known. This study observed 17 kinds of gaseous NPs in urban Beijing during winter and summer by nitrate‐based long‐time‐of‐flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (NO3−‐LToF‐CIMS). NPs have an apparent seasonal variation and various diurnal patterns among different species. Source apportionment indicates that secondary productions are the major sources of NPs, besides minor contributions from coal burning and regional industrial emissions. As shown by the observation and box modeling, NO3‐initiated nocturnal oxidation and OH‐driven photochemistry are the secondary sources of NPs. In both seasons, photolysis constitutes the dominating removal pathway of NPs. We determined the observation‐constrained photolysis frequency of typical NPs (i.e., C6H5NO3, C7H7NO3, C6H4N2O5, and C7H6N2O5), ranging from 1.75% to 7.5% of jNO2. Budget analysis reveals that benzaldehyde produced by styrene oxidation is a critical but overlooked precursor of C6H5NO3, and xylene is an essential precursor for C7H7NO3. Modeling results further show that the photolysis of total NPs produces significant amounts of HONO in summer, making noticeable contributions to atmospheric oxidation capacity. This study contributes to a better understanding of the budget of gaseous NPs in the urban atmosphere and provides insights into mitigating NPs‐induced secondary pollution.
Modeling gut neuro-epithelial connections in a novel microfluidic device
Authors: de Hoyos-Vega Jose M. , Yu Xi , Gonzalez-Suarez Alan M. , Chen Sisi , Mercado-Perez Arnaldo , Krueger Eugene , Hernandez Jeric , Fedyshyn Yaroslav , Druliner Brooke R. , Linden David R. , Beyder Arthur , Revzin Alexander
Published: November 2023

The intestinal lumen is filled with diverse chemical and physical stimuli. Intestinal epithelial cells sense these stimuli and signal to enteric neurons which coordinate a range of physiologic processes required for normal digestive tract function. Yet, the neuro-epithelial connections remain poorly resolved, in part because the tools for orchestrating interactions between these cellular compartments are lacking. We describe the development of a two-compartment microfluidic device for co-culturing enteric neurons with intestinal epithelial cells. The device contains epithelial and neuronal compartments connected by microgrooves. The epithelial compartment was designed for cell seeding via injection and confinement of intestinal epithelial cells derived from human intestinal organoids. We demonstrated that organoids planarized effectively and retained epithelial phenotype for over a week. In the second chamber we dissociated and cultured intestinal myenteric neurons including intrinsic primary afferent neurons (IPANs) from transgenic mice that expressed the fluorescent protein tdTomato. IPANs extended projections into microgrooves, surrounded and frequently made contacts with epithelial cells. The density and directionality of neuronal projections were enhanced by the presence of epithelial cells in the adjacent compartment. Our microfluidic device represents a platform that may, in the future, be used to dissect structure and function of neuro-epithelial connections in the gut and other organs (skin, lung, bladder, and others) in health and disease.
The hippocampal FTO-BDNF-TrkB pathway is required for novel object recognition memory reconsolidation in mice
Authors: Chang Rui , Zhu Shanshan , Peng Jionghong , Lang Zhenyi , Zhou Xinyu , Liao Hailin , Zou Ju , Zeng Peng , Tan Sijie
Published: November 2023

Memory reconsolidation refers to the process by which the consolidated memory was restored after reactivation (RA). Memory trace becomes labile after reactivation and inhibition of memory reconsolidation may disrupt or update the original memory trace, which provided a new strategy for the treatment of several psychiatric diseases, such as drug addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder. Fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) is a novel demethylase of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and it has been intensively involved in learning and memory. However, the role of FTO in memory reconsolidation has not been determined. In the present study, the function of FTO in memory reconsolidation was investigated in the novel object recognition (NOR) model in mice. The results showed that RA of NOR memory increased hippocampal FTO expression in a time-dependent manner, while FTO inhibitor meclofenamic acid (MA) injected immediately, but not 6 h after RA disrupted NOR memory reconsolidation. MA downregulated BDNF expression during NOR memory reconsolidation in the hippocampus, while the TrkB agonist 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF) reversed the disruptive effects of MA on NOR memory reconsolidation. Furthermore, overexpression of FTO increased BDNF expression via decreasing mRNA m6A in HT22 cells. Taken together, these results indicate that FTO may up-regulate the BDNF-TrkB pathway to promote NOR memory reconsolidation through m6A modification.
Schnurri-3 drives tumor growth and invasion in cancer cells expressing interleukin-13 receptor alpha 2
Authors: Bartolomé Rubén A. , Martín-Regalado Ángela , Pintado-Berninches Laura , Robles Javier , Ramírez-González Mª Ángeles , Boukich Issam , Sanchez-Gómez Pilar , Balyasnikova Irina V. , Casal J. Ignacio
Published: November 2023

Interleukin 13 receptor alpha 2 (IL13Rα2) is a relevant therapeutic target in glioblastoma (GBM) and other tumors associated with tumor growth and invasion. In a previous study, we demonstrated that protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a key mediator of the IL-13/IL13Rα2 signaling pathway. PTP1B regulates cancer cell invasion through Src activation. However, PTP1B/Src downstream signaling mechanisms that modulate the invasion process remain unclear. In the present research, we have characterized the PTP1B interactome and the PTP1B-associated phosphoproteome after IL-13 treatment, in different cellular contexts, using proteomic strategies. PTP1B was associated with proteins involved in signal transduction, vesicle transport, and with multiple proteins from the NF-κB signaling pathway, including Tenascin-C (TNC). PTP1B participated with NF-κB in TNC-mediated proliferation and invasion. Analysis of the phosphorylation patterns obtained after PTP1B activation with IL-13 showed increased phosphorylation of the transcription factor Schnurri-3 (SHN3), a reported competitor of NF-κB. SHN3 silencing caused a potent inhibition in cell invasion and proliferation, associated with a down-regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, an extensive decline of MMP9 expression and the subsequent inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis in mouse models. Regarding clinical value, high expression of SHN3 was associated with poor survival in GBM, showing a significant correlation with the classical and mesenchymal subtypes. In CRC, SHN3 expression showed a preferential association with the mesenchymal subtypes CMS4 and CRIS-B. Moreover, SHN3 expression strongly correlated with IL13Rα2 and MMP9-associated poor prognosis in different cancers. In conclusion, we have uncovered the participation of SNH3 in the IL-13/IL13Rα2/PTP1B pathway to promote tumor growth and invasion. These findings support a potential therapeutic value for SHN3.
The interplay of drug therapeutics and immune responses to SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Fumagalli Valeria , Iannacone Matteo
Published: November 2023

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has necessitated rapid therapeutic and preventative responses. While vaccines form the frontline of defense, antiviral treatments such as nirmatrelvir have emerged as vital adjunctive measures, particularly for those unable or unwilling to be vaccinated. This review delves into the potential influence of nirmatrelvir on enduring immunity. In parallel, the potential of drug repurposing is explored, with bisphosphonates being examined for their possible effects against COVID-19 due to their immunomodulatory properties. The importance of rigorous clinical trials and careful interpretation of preliminary data is emphasized.
Mechanical loading and hyperosmolarity as a daily resetting cue for skeletal circadian clocks
Authors: Dudek Michal , Pathiranage Dharshika R. J. , Bano-Otalora Beatriz , Paszek Anna , Rogers Natalie , Gonçalves Cátia F. , Lawless Craig , Wang Dong , Luo Zhuojing , Yang Liu , Guilak Farshid , Hoyland Judith A. , Meng Qing-Jun
Published: November 2023

Daily rhythms in mammalian behaviour and physiology are generated by a multi-oscillator circadian system entrained through environmental cues (e.g. light and feeding). The presence of tissue niche-dependent physiological time cues has been proposed, allowing tissues the ability of circadian phase adjustment based on local signals. However, to date, such stimuli have remained elusive. Here we show that daily patterns of mechanical loading and associated osmotic challenge within physiological ranges reset circadian clock phase and amplitude in cartilage and intervertebral disc tissues in vivo and in tissue explant cultures. Hyperosmolarity (but not hypo-osmolarity) resets clocks in young and ageing skeletal tissues and induce genome-wide expression of rhythmic genes in cells. Mechanistically, RNAseq and biochemical analysis revealed the PLD2-mTORC2-AKT-GSK3β axis as a convergent pathway for both in vivo loading and hyperosmolarity-induced clock changes. These results reveal diurnal patterns of mechanical loading and consequent daily oscillations in osmolarity as a bona fide tissue niche-specific time cue to maintain skeletal circadian rhythms in sync.