bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electoral Responsiveness in Closed Autocracies: Evidence from Petitions in the former German Democratic Republic
Authors: LUEDERS HANS
Published: December 2021

Contested elections are usually seen as precondition for constituent responsiveness. By contrast, I show that even uncontested elections can create incentives for autocratic regimes to address citizen demands. I propose that closed autocracies engage in cycles of responsiveness before uncontested elections to assure citizens of their competence and raise popular support. They do so to mitigate the short-term destabilizing effects of elections. Analyzing a unique dataset of petitions to the government of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), I calculate that response times to petitions were up to 31% shorter before the GDR’s uncontested elections. Moreover, I introduce the concept of “substantive responsiveness,” which focuses on the material consequences of responsiveness for petitioners, and show that petitions were 64% more likely to be successful. The paper advances our understanding of electoral mobilization in closed regimes and contributes to an emerging research agenda on responsiveness and accountability in autocracies.
Changes in microbiological parameters, pH and titratable acidity during the refrigerated and room temperature storage of dahi prepared from the milk of Vechur cows: an indigenous cattle breed of Kerala
Authors: Krishna Ammiti Murali , James Ligimol , Beena Athrayil Kalathil , Rajakumar Sujjalur Nagesha Rao , Mercey Kollannur Aippunny
Published: December 2021

Vechur cow is an indigenous cattle breed of Kerala listed as a critical breed by FAO. This research communication is related to the hypothesis that the changes occurring in microbiological quality parameters of Vechur cow milk dahi (VCMD) during storage will be superior to other milk and reflective of the traditional concepts of therapeutic properties attributed to Vechur milk. Microbiological quality of the VCMD stored at room (30 ± 1°C) and refrigerated (4 ± 1°C) temperatures in terms of total viable, coliform, yeast and mold and lactococcal counts is reported in this study, together with titratable acidity and pH. Results are compared with cross-bred cow milk dahi (CCMD) as control. On refrigerated storage, despite the comparable initial microbiological quality, VCMD exhibited significantly lower total viable, lactic acid bacteria, yeast and mold counts than CCMD, from the fifth day onwards for the first two parameters and the tenth day onwards for the last parameter. VCMD exhibited significantly higher pH values than CCMD from the fifth day onwards whereas the titratable acidity was significantly lower from the tenth day onwards. Though this study does not delineate the factors contributing towards the lower microbial population observed in VCMD, it provides an impetus to further researches for scientifically validating its traditionally-reported medicinal properties.
Rising early warning signals in affect associated with future changes in depression: a dynamical systems approach
Authors: Curtiss Joshua E. , Mischoulon David , Fisher Lauren B. , Cusin Cristina , Fedor Szymon , Picard Rosalind W. , Pedrelli Paola
Published: December 2021

Background

Predicting future states of psychopathology such as depressive episodes has been a hallmark initiative in mental health research. Dynamical systems theory has proposed that rises in certain ‘early warning signals’ (EWSs) in time-series data (e.g. auto-correlation, temporal variance, network connectivity) may precede impending changes in disorder severity. The current study investigates whether rises in these EWSs over time are associated with future changes in disorder severity among a group of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods

Thirty-one patients with MDD completed the study, which consisted of daily smartphone-delivered surveys over 8 weeks. Daily positive and negative affect were collected for the time-series analyses. A rolling window approach was used to determine whether rises in auto-correlation of total affect, temporal standard deviation of total affect, and overall network connectivity in individual affect items were predictive of increases in depression symptoms.

Results

Results suggested that rises in auto-correlation were significantly associated with worsening in depression symptoms (r = 0.41, p = 0.02). Results indicated that neither rises in temporal standard deviation (r = −0.23, p = 0.23) nor in network connectivity (r = −0.12, p = 0.59) were associated with changes in depression symptoms.

Conclusions

This study more rigorously examines whether rises in EWSs were associated with future depression symptoms in a larger group of patients with MDD. Results indicated that rises in auto-correlation were the only EWS that was associated with worsening future changes in depression.
Homophony avoidance in the grammar: Russian nominal allomorphy
Authors: Munteanu Andrei
Published: December 2021

It has long been observed that languages tend to preserve contrast, either by introducing sound changes or by inhibiting them. However, it is not clear if any instances of so-called homophony avoidance reported to date constitute an active synchronic restriction in the grammar. This paper presents an instance of homophony avoidance in Russian masculine nouns. A perception experiment shows that the trends observed in the corpus are only partially extended to nonce words. I argue that the asymmetry observed in the experimental results can only be attributed to a synchronic restriction against homophonous forms in the same paradigm. Thus this paper presents strong evidence in favour of a synchronic anti-homophony constraint.
Understanding the association between spirituality and mental health outcomes in adolescents in two non-Western countries: Exploring self-control as a potential mediator
Authors: Shroff Delshad M. , Breaux Rosanna , von Suchodoletz Antje
Published: December 2021

Empirical knowledge on what specific aspects of mental health are associated with spirituality is limited, and explanations for the mechanisms underlying this association is scarce. Furthermore, there is limited research on this association among individuals from non-Christian religious backgrounds and non-Western countries. The current study examined relations between spirituality and aspects of mental health in 1,544 adolescents from diverse religious backgrounds in two Eastern countries, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Additionally, we examined mediating and moderating factors. Adolescents (58% female) ages 11–15 years completed a questionnaire on aspects of their mental health, spirituality, and self-control abilities. Results showed that spirituality had a significant positive association with life satisfaction and a significant negative association with internalizing problems, but a non-significant relation with externalizing problems, controlling for age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Self-control completely mediated the association between spirituality and life satisfaction, and this mediational relation was only present for adolescents from the UAE. Results support prior research suggesting positive associations between spirituality and adaptive mental health outcomes and extend these findings to adolescents from diverse religious backgrounds in non-Western countries. These findings have important clinical and policy implications for supporting the role of spirituality in an adolescent’s life.
Functional connectivity based brain signatures of behavioral regulation in children with ADHD, DCD, and ADHD-DCD
Authors: Rohr Christiane S. , Bray Signe L. , Dewey Deborah M.
Published: December 2021

Behavioral regulation problems have been associated with daily-life and mental health challenges in children with neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Here, we investigated transdiagnostic brain signatures associated with behavioral regulation. Resting-state fMRI data were collected from 115 children (31 typically developing (TD), 35 ADHD, 21 DCD, 28 ADHD-DCD) aged 7–17 years. Behavioral regulation was measured using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and was found to differ between children with ADHD (i.e., children with ADHD and ADHD-DCD) and without ADHD (i.e., TD children and children with DCD). Functional connectivity (FC) maps were computed for 10 regions of interest and FC maps were tested for correlations with behavioral regulation scores. Across the entire sample, greater behavioral regulation problems were associated with stronger negative FC within prefrontal pathways and visual reward pathways, as well as with weaker positive FC in frontostriatal reward pathways. These findings significantly increase our knowledge on FC in children with and without ADHD and highlight the potential of FC as brain-based signatures of behavioral regulation across children with differing neurodevelopmental conditions.
The influence of harshness and unpredictability on female sexual development: Addressing gene–environment interplay using a polygenic score
Authors: Schlomer Gabriel L. , Sun Qi
Published: December 2021

Recent developments in the application life history theory to human development indicate two fundamental dimension of the early environment – harshness and unpredictability – are key regulators life history strategies. Few studies have examined the manner with which these dimensions influence development, though age at menarche (AAM) and age at first sexual intercourse have been proposed as possible mechanisms among women. Data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N = 3,645) were used to examine direct and indirect effects of harshness (financial difficulties) and unpredictability (paternal transitions) on lifetime and past year sexual partners during adolescence and young adulthood. Genetic confounding was addressed using an AAM polygenic score (PGS) and potential gene-by-environment interactions were also evaluated using the PGS. Path model results showed only harshness was directly related to AAM. Harshness, unpredictability, and AAM were indirectly related to lifetime and past year sexual partner number via age at first sexual intercourse. The PGS did not account for any of the associations and no significant interactions were detected. Implications of these results for developmental models derived from life history theory are discussed as well as the role of PGSs in gene–environment interplay research.
COVID-19 and Asian Americans: How Elite Messaging and Social Exclusion Shape Partisan Attitudes
Authors: Chan Nathan Kar Ming , Kim Jae Yeon , Leung Vivien
Published: December 2021

Extending theories of social exclusion and elite messaging, we argue that Trump’s targeted rhetoric toward Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic pushes the racial group, largely “Independent” or nonpartisan affiliated, to lean more towards the Democratic Party. We support this claim by combining social media (Study 1) and survey data (Study 2) analysis. Tracing 1.4 million tweets, we find that Trump’s rhetoric has popularized racially charged coronavirus-related terms and that exclusionary, anti-Asian attitudes have increased in the United States since the pandemic began. Next, by analyzing repeated cross-sectional weekly surveys of Asian Americans from July 2019 to May 2020 (n=12,907), we find that the group has leaned more towards the Democratic Party since Trump first made inflammatory remarks towards Asian Americans. Whites, Blacks, and Latina/os, on the other hand, exhibited fewer and less consistent changes in Democratic Party-related attitudes. Our findings suggest that experiences with social exclusion that are driven by elite sources further cement Asian Americans as Democrats.
Processing methods and approaches for the analysis of images of the eclipsed solar corona taken during campaigns with the participation of amateur astronomers
Authors: Stoev A. , Stoeva P. , Kuzin S. , Kostov M. , Pertsov A.
Published: December 2021

The increase in the amount of scientific information in heliophysics is related to both quantitative – increasing the number of high-power telescopes and the size of light receivers coupled to them, and qualitative reasons – new modes of observation, large-scale and multiple studies of the solar corona in different ranges, large-scale numerical experiments to simulate the evolution of various processes and formations, etc. The paper discusses the role and importance of methods for processing images of the solar corona, the store of obtained “raw” data and the need to access high-performance computing systems in order to obtain scientific results from the observational experiments, the need of international collaboration and access to the data in the era of increase in the amount of scientific information in heliophysics.
Astronomy Data, Virtual Observatory and Education
Authors: Hasan Priya , Hasan S N
Published: December 2021

We shall present with examples how analysis of astronomy data can be used for an educational purpose to train users in methods of data analysis, statistics, programming skills and research problems. Special reference will be made to our IAU-OAD project ‘Astronomy from Archival Data’ where we are in the process of building a repository of instructional videos and reading material for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as interested participants. Virtual Observatory tools will also be discussed and applied. As this is an ongoing project, by the time of the conference we will have the projects and work done by students included in our presentation. The material produced can be freely used by the community.
Armenian Astronomical Heritage and Big Data
Authors: Mikayelyan Gor A. , Farmanyan Sona. V. , Mickaelian Areg M.
Published: December 2021

Astronomy in Armenia was popular since ancient times and Armenia is rich in its astronomical heritage, such as ancient and medieval Armenian calendars, records of astronomical events by ancient Armenians, the astronomical heritage of the Armenian medieval great thinker Anania Shirakatsi, etc. Armenian astronomical archives have accumulated vast number of photographic plates, films and other careers of observational data. The Digitized Markarian Survey or the First Byurakan Survey, is the most important low-dispersion spectroscopic database. It is one of the rare science items included in UNESCO “Memory of the World” Documentary Heritage list. The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) Plate Archive Project (2015–2021) will result in digitization and storage of some 37,000 astronomical plates and films and in creation of an Electronic Database for further research projects. Based on these data and archives and development of their interoperability, the Armenian Virtual Observatory was created and joined the International Virtual Observatory Alliance.
Volcanic Origin of a Long‐Lived Swarm in the Central Bransfield Basin, Antarctica
Authors: Poli P. , Cabrera L. , Flores M. C. , Báez J. C. , Ammirati J. B. , Vásquez J. , Ruiz S.
Published: December 2021

Understanding the extensional processes in tectonic context at the transition from continental to oceanic spreading is fundamental to obtain new insights about formations of new oceans. To that scope, we study a large and long‐lived earthquake swarm occurring in 2020–2021 in a back‐arc rift (the Bransfield Basin) south of the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. We make use of one local seismological station to detect more than 36,000 small earthquakes, occurring from August 2020 to June 2021. Together with the occurrence of earthquakes, we observe a significant, geodetic deformation at a nearby GPS station. By joint interpretation of b‐value, spatiotemporal evolution of seismicity and geodetic deformation, we infer a volcanic origin for this swarm that takes place close to the ridge axis. Our study suggests that beyond the 7 mm/yr deformation reported at the Bransfield Basin ridge, transient deformation episodes localized at the ridge axial volcanic structure also modulate the extension.
Making Waves: Mirror Mode Structures Around Mars Observed by the MAVEN Spacecraft
Authors: Simon Wedlund Cyril , Volwerk Martin , Mazelle Christian , Halekas Jasper , Rojas‐Castillo Diana , Espley Jared , Möstl Christian
Published: December 2021

We present an in‐depth analysis of a time interval when quasi‐linear mirror mode structures were detected by magnetic field and plasma measurements as observed by the NASA/Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft. We employ ion and electron spectrometers in tandem to support the magnetic field measurements and confirm that the signatures are indeed mirror modes. Wedged against the magnetic pile‐up boundary, the low‐frequency signatures last on average  s with corresponding sizes of the order of 15–30 upstream solar wind proton thermal gyroradii, or 10–20 proton gyroradii in the immediate wake of the quasi‐perpendicular bow shock. Their peak‐to‐peak amplitudes are of the order of 30–35 nT with respect to the background field, and appear as a mixture of dips and peaks, suggesting that they may have been at different stages in their evolution. Situated in a marginally stable plasma with β‖ ∼ 1, we hypothesize that these so‐called magnetic bottles, containing a relatively higher energy and denser ion population with respect to the background plasma, are formed upstream of the spacecraft behind the quasi‐perpendicular shock. These signatures are very reminiscent of magnetic bottles found at other unmagnetized objects such as Venus and comets, also interpreted as mirror modes. Our case study constitutes the first unmistakable identification and characterization of mirror modes at Mars from the joint points of view of magnetic field, electron and ion measurements. Up until now, the lack of high‐temporal resolution plasma measurements has prevented such an in‐depth study.
Depth and Thickness of Tectonic Tremor in the Northeastern Olympic Peninsula
Authors: Ducellier A. , Creager K. C.
Published: December 2021

Tectonic tremor has been explained as a swarm of low‐frequency earthquakes (LFEs), which are located on a narrow fault at the plate boundary. However, due to the lack of clear impulsive phases in the tremor signal, it is difficult to determine the depth of the tremor source with great precision. The thickness of the tremor region is also not well constrained. The tremor may be located on a narrow fault as the LFEs appear to be, or distributed over a few kilometers wide low shear‐wave velocity layer in the upper oceanic crust, which is thought to be a region with high pore‐fluid pressure. Lag times of peaks in the cross‐correlation of the horizontal and vertical components of tremor seismograms, recorded by small‐aperture arrays in the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, are interpreted to be S minus P times. Tremor depths are estimated from these S minus P times using epicenters from a previous study computed with a multibeam backprojection method. The tremor is located close to the plate boundary in a region no more than 2–3 km thick and is very close to the depths of LFEs. The tremor is distributed over a wider depth range than the LFEs. However, due to the uncertainty on the depth, it is difficult to conclude whether the source of the tremor is located at the top of the subducting oceanic crust, in the lower continental crust just above the plate boundary, or in a narrow zone at the plate boundary.
Updated Surge‐Type Glacier Inventory in the West Kunlun Mountains, Tibetan Plateau, and Implications for Glacier Change
Authors: Guan Weijin , Cao Bo , Pan Baotian , Chen Ran , Shi Menghan , Li Kaiji , Zhao Xuanru , Sun Xiaodong
Published: December 2021

Glacier surging is a dynamic instability that affects the flow of some glaciers, modifying the glacier area, surface velocity, and surface elevation. It is also among the major causes of ice dams and glacier lake floods. Previous studies have shown that in the West Kunlun Mountains| (WKM) where a cluster of surge‐type glaciers had been found, the glaciers were relatively stable in recent years. Nevertheless, the surge cycle and its impact on glacier changes on a regional scale are poorly understood. In this study, we updated the surge‐type glacier inventory of the WKM using the detailed changes in glacier length, surface velocity, and surface elevation during the 1972–2020 period using 78 Landsat optical images, 86 Sentinel‐1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, and three digital elevation models of the WKM. The updated results show that among the 423 glaciers in the WKM, 10 are confirmed as surge‐type glaciers, three are likely surge‐type glaciers, and five are possible surge‐type glaciers. Furthermore, these 18 glaciers account for 63% of the total glacier area. During the period analyzed, there were marked changes in the lengths, areas and surface elevations of all surge‐type glaciers, while those of the non‐surge‐type glaciers were relatively stable. These results appear to indicate that the observed regional trends of glaciers in the WKM recently may be related to the existence of surge‐type glaciers. Furthermore, the surge‐type glacier underwent advance after accelerating for 3–4 years, which could be used to forecast when glacier termini may advance and avoid the possible catastrophic damages.
Effects of Reversal of Water Flow in an Arctic Floodplain River on Fluvial Emissions of CO2 and CH4
Authors: Castro‐Morales K. , Canning A. , Körtzinger A. , Göckede M. , Küsel K. , Overholt W. A. , Wichard T. , Redlich S. , Arzberger S. , Kolle O. , Zimov N.
Published: December 2021

When organic matter from thawed permafrost is released, the sources and sinks of greenhouse gases (GHGs), like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) in Arctic rivers will be influenced in the future. However, the temporal variation, environmental controls, and magnitude of the Arctic riverine GHGs are largely unknown. We measured in situ high temporal resolution concentrations of CO2, CH4, and oxygen (O2) in the Ambolikha River in northeast Siberia between late June and early August 2019. During this period, the largely supersaturated riverine CO2 and CH4 concentrations decreased steadily by 90% and 78%, respectively, while the O2 concentrations increased by 22% and were driven by the decreasing water temperature. Estimated gas fluxes indicate that during late June 2019, significant emissions of CO2 and CH4 were sustained, possibly by external terrestrial sources during flooding, or due to lateral exchange with gas‐rich downstream‐flowing water. In July and early August, the river reversed its flow constantly and limited the water exchange at the site. The composition of dissolved organic matter and microbial communities analyzed in discrete samples also revealed a temporal shift. Furthermore, the cumulative total riverine CO2 emissions (36.8 gC‐CO2 m−2) were nearly five times lower than the CO2 uptake at the adjacent floodplain. Emissions of riverine CH4 (0.21 gC‐CH4 m−2) were 16 times lower than the floodplain CH4 emissions. Our study revealed that the hydraulic connectivity with the land in the late freshet, and reversing flow directions in Arctic streams in summer, regulate riverine carbon replenishment and emissions.
CDH1 germline variants are enriched in patients with colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and breast cancer
Authors: Adib Elio , El Zarif Talal , Nassar Amin H. , Akl Elie W. , Abou Alaiwi Sarah , Mouhieddine Tarek H. , Esplin Edward D. , Hatchell Kathryn , Nielsen Sarah M. , Rana Huma Q. , Choueiri Toni K. , Kwiatkowski David J. , Sonpavde Guru
Published: December 2021

Background and aims

CDH1 germline variants have been linked to heritability in diffuse gastric (DGC) and lobular breast cancer (LBC). Studies have not yet assessed whether CDH1 is a cancer-susceptibility gene in other cancers. Herein, we mapped the landscape of pathogenic and likely pathogenic (P/LP) germline variants in CDH1 across various cancers and ethnicities.

Methods

We evaluated CDH1 germline P/LP variants in 212,944 patients at one CLIA-certified laboratory (Invitae) and described their frequency in 7 cancer types. We screened for CDH1 variant enrichment in each cancer relative to a cancer-free population from The Genome Aggregation Database version 3 (gnomADv3).

Results

CDH1 P/LP variants were identified in 141 patients, most commonly in patients with DGC (27/408, 6.6%) followed by colorectal signet-ring cell cancer (CSRCC; 3/79, 3.8%), gastric cancer (56/2756, 2%), and LBC (22/6809, 0.3%). CDH1 P/LP variants were enriched in specific ethnic populations with breast cancer, gastric cancer, CRC, LBC, DGC, and CSRCC compared to matched ethnicities from gnomADv3.

Conclusion

We report for the first time the prevalence of P/LP CDH1 variants across several cancers and show significant enrichment in CDH1 P/LP variants for patients with CSRCC, DGC, and LBC across various ethnicities. Future prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings.
A summary-statistics-based approach to examine the role of serotonin transporter promoter tandem repeat polymorphism in psychiatric phenotypes
Authors: Majumdar Arunabha , Patel Preksha , Pasaniuc Bogdan , Ophoff Roel A.
Published: December 2021

In genetic studies of psychiatric disorders in the pre-genome-wide association study (GWAS) era, one of the most commonly studied loci is the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) promoter polymorphism, a 43-base-pair insertion/deletion polymorphism in the promoter region (5-HTTLPR). The genetic association signals between 5-HTTLPR and psychiatric phenotypes, however, have been inconsistent across many studies. Since the polymorphism cannot be tested via available SNP arrays, we had previously proposed an efficient machine learning algorithm to predict the genotypes of 5-HTTLPR based on the genotypes of eight nearby SNPs, which requires access to individual-level genotype and phenotype data. To utilize the advantage of publicly available GWAS summary statistics obtained from studies with very large sample sizes, we develop a GWAS summary-statistics-based approach for testing the variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) associations with various phenotypes. We first cross-verify the accuracy of the summary-statistics-based approach for 61 phenotypes in the UK Biobank. Since we observed a strong similarity between the predicted individual-level 5-HTTLPR genotype-based approach and the summary-statistics-based approach, we applied our method to the available neurobehavioral GWAS summary statistics data obtained from large-scale GWAS. We found no genome-wide significant evidence for association between 5-HTTLPR and any of the neurobehavioral traits. We did observe, however, genome-wide significant evidence for association between this locus and human adult height, BMI, and total cholesterol. Our summary-statistics-based approach provides a systematic way to examine the role of VNTRs and related types of genetic polymorphisms in disease risk and trait susceptibility of phenotypes for which large-scale GWAS summary statistics data are available.
Comparative evaluation of a new frugal binocular indirect ophthalmoscope
Authors: Kousha Obaid , Ganesananthan Sharma , Shahin Bayan , Ellis John , Blaikie Andrew
Published: December 2021

Objectives

We compare the optical quality and design characteristic a new low cost solar powered binocular indirect ophthalmoscope (BIO), Holo, to Keeler BIO.

Methods

Twenty-four participants each examined 10 simulation eyes using both the Holo and the Keeler BIO with a 30-diopter condensing lens. Number of Lea symbols printed on the retina of simulation eyes seen and time taken to identify them was recorded. Stereoacuity of 12 participants was tested while using the BIOs. Using 7-point Likert scale, participants gave feedback on design characteristic of both BIOs.

Results

There was no statistical difference in number of Lea symbols correctly identified (15.63/20 for Holo vs. 15/20 for Keeler BIO, p = 0.366, paired t test) or time taken to correctly identify each symbol (Holo 0.39 s faster; 95% confidence interval −2.24 to 3.03 s, p = 0.763) using each device. 12 out of 12 participants achieved stereoacuity of 60 arcsec using the Holo while with the Keeler BIO 11 achieved 60 arcsec and one 90 arcsec. There was no statistically significant difference in the scores for clarity of view, quality of illumination, field of view, binocularity, eye strain and robustness between the two devices. The Holo, scored higher for ease of use (6.5 vs. 6, p = 0.00488, Wilcoxon signed-rank test), comfort of wear (6 vs. 5, p = 0.000337) and portability (7 vs. 6, p = 0.000148).

Conclusion

The Holo has the potential to be a clinically useful yet affordable diagnostic tool suitable for the first time of equipping eye care workers in low resource settings with a BIO at volume.
Broadly neutralizing antibodies target a haemagglutinin anchor epitope
Authors: Guthmiller Jenna J. , Han Julianna , Utset Henry A. , Li Lei , Lan Linda Yu-Ling , Henry Carole , Stamper Christopher T. , McMahon Meagan , O’Dell George , Fernández-Quintero Monica L. , Freyn Alec W. , Amanat Fatima , Stovicek Olivia , Gentles Lauren , Richey Sara T. , de la Peña Alba Torrents , Rosado Victoria , Dugan Haley L. , Zheng Nai-Ying , Tepora Micah E. , Bitar Dalia J. , Changrob Siriruk , Strohmeier Shirin , Huang Min , García-Sastre Adolfo , Liedl Klaus R. , Bloom Jesse D. , Nachbagauer Raffael , Palese Peter , Krammer Florian , Coughlan Lynda , Ward Andrew B. , Wilson Patrick C.
Published: December 2021

Broadly neutralizing antibodies that target epitopes of haemagglutinin on the influenza virus have the potential to provide near universal protection against influenza virus infection1. However, viral mutants that escape broadly neutralizing antibodies have been reported2,3. The identification of broadly neutralizing antibody classes that can neutralize viral escape mutants is critical for universal influenza virus vaccine design. Here we report a distinct class of broadly neutralizing antibodies that target a discrete membrane-proximal anchor epitope of the haemagglutinin stalk domain. Anchor epitope-targeting antibodies are broadly neutralizing across H1 viruses and can cross-react with H2 and H5 viruses that are a pandemic threat. Antibodies that target this anchor epitope utilize a highly restricted repertoire, which encodes two public binding motifs that make extensive contacts with conserved residues in the fusion peptide. Moreover, anchor epitope-targeting B cells are common in the human memory B cell repertoire and were recalled in humans by an oil-in-water adjuvanted chimeric haemagglutinin vaccine4,5, which is a potential universal influenza virus vaccine. To maximize protection against seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses, vaccines should aim to boost this previously untapped source of broadly neutralizing antibodies that are widespread in the human memory B cell pool.
Identification and mechanism of G protein-biased ligands for chemokine receptor CCR1
Authors: Shao Zhehua , Shen Qingya , Yao Bingpeng , Mao Chunyou , Chen Li-Nan , Zhang Huibing , Shen Dan-Dan , Zhang Chao , Li Weijie , Du Xufei , Li Fei , Ma Honglei , Chen Zhi-Hua , Xu H. Eric , Ying Songmin , Zhang Yan , Shen Huahao
Published: December 2021

Biased signaling of G protein-coupled receptors describes an ability of different ligands that preferentially activate an alternative downstream signaling pathway. In this work, we identified and characterized different N-terminal truncations of endogenous chemokine CCL15 as balanced or biased agonists targeting CCR1, and presented three cryogenic-electron microscopy structures of the CCR1–Gi complex in the ligand-free form or bound to different CCL15 truncations with a resolution of 2.6–2.9 Å, illustrating the structural basis of natural biased signaling that initiates an inflammation response. Complemented with pharmacological and computational studies, these structures revealed it was the conformational change of Tyr291 (Y2917.43) in CCR1 that triggered its polar network rearrangement in the orthosteric binding pocket and allosterically regulated the activation of β-arrestin signaling. Our structure of CCL15-bound CCR1 also exhibited a critical site for ligand binding distinct from many other chemokine–receptor complexes, providing new insights into the mode of chemokine recognition.
Temporal single-cell tracing reveals clonal revival and expansion of precursor exhausted T cells during anti-PD-1 therapy in lung cancer
Authors: Liu Baolin , Hu Xueda , Feng Kaichao , Gao Ranran , Xue Zhiqiang , Zhang Sujie , Zhang Yuanyuan , Corse Emily , Hu Yi , Han Weidong , Zhang Zemin
Published: December 2021

Anti-PD-1 treatment has shown unprecedented clinical success in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we performed temporal single-cell RNA and paired T-cell receptor sequencing on 47 tumor biopsies from 36 patients with NSCLC following PD-1-based therapies. We observed increased levels of precursor exhausted T (Texp) cells in responsive tumors after treatment, characterized by low expression of coinhibitory molecules and high expression of GZMK. By contrast, nonresponsive tumors failed to accumulate Texp cells. Our data suggested that Texp cells were unlikely to be derived from the reinvigoration of terminally exhausted cells; instead, they were accumulated by (1) local expansion and (2) replenishment by peripheral T cells with both new and pre-existing clonotypes, a phenomenon we named clonal revival. Our study provides insights into mechanisms underlying PD-1-based therapies, implicating clonal revival and expansion of Texp cells as steps to improve NSCLC treatment.
DNA methylation clocks tick in naked mole rats but queens age more slowly than nonbreeders
Authors: Horvath Steve , Haghani Amin , Macoretta Nicholas , Ablaeva Julia , Zoller Joseph A. , Li Caesar Z. , Zhang Joshua , Takasugi Masaki , Zhao Yang , Rydkina Elena , Zhang Zhihui , Emmrich Stephan , Raj Ken , Seluanov Andrei , Faulkes Chris G. , Gorbunova Vera
Published: December 2021

Naked mole rats (NMRs) live an exceptionally long life, appear not to exhibit age-related decline in physiological capacity and are resistant to age-related diseases. However, it has been unknown whether NMRs also evade aging according to a primary hallmark of aging: epigenetic changes. To address this question, we profiled n = 385 samples from 11 tissue types at loci that are highly conserved between mammalian species using a custom array (HorvathMammalMethylChip40). We observed strong epigenetic aging effects and developed seven highly accurate epigenetic clocks for several tissues (pan-tissue, blood, kidney, liver, skin clocks) and two dual-species (human–NMR) clocks. The skin clock correctly estimated induced pluripotent stem cells derived from NMR fibroblasts to be of prenatal age. The NMR epigenetic clocks revealed that breeding NMR queens age more slowly than nonbreeders, a feature that is also observed in some eusocial insects. Our results show that despite a phenotype of negligible senescence, the NMR ages epigenetically.
Secondary-sphere modification in proline catalysis: old friend, new connection
Authors: Domb Ido , Lustosa Danilo M. , Milo Anat
Published: December 2021

Proline catalysis sparked not only the golden age of organocatalysis, but also the design of elaborate proline derivatives; instead, we propose to modify organocatalysts in situ under reaction conditions.
Rocking-chair proton battery based on a low-cost “water in salt” electrolyte
Authors: Yang Beibei , Qin Tian , Du Yanyan , Zhang Yulin , Wang Jin , Chen Tingting , Ge Ming , Bin Duan , Ge Cunwang , Lu Hongbin
Published: December 2021

A novel “water in salt” electrolyte is reported for the design of a rocking-chair proton battery, which involves a MoO3-based anode and Ni-PBA cathode with an acid electrolyte containing Zn2+ (1 M HCl + 20 M ZnCl2).
Carbodiimide-fueled catalytic reaction cycles to regulate supramolecular processes
Authors: Schwarz Patrick S. , Tena-Solsona Marta , Dai Kun , Boekhoven Job
Published: December 2021

A challenge in supramolecular chemistry is to control self-assembly out-of-equilibrium. Towards that goal, chemically fueled self-assembly has emerged as a powerful tool. We review the progress in assembly fueled by the hydration of carbodiimides.
Cobalt-catalyzed direct α-hydroxymethylation of amides with methanol as a C1 source
Authors: Ma Ben , Sun Rongxia , Yang Jingya
Published: December 2021

A cobalt-catalyzed α-hydroxymethylation of amides with methanol as the C1 source has been developed.
Correction: Co-self-assembly of multiple DNA origami nanostructures in a single pot
Authors: Johnson Joshua A. , Kolliopoulos Vasiliki , Castro Carlos E.
Published: December 2021

Correction for ‘Co-self-assembly of multiple DNA origami nanostructures in a single pot’ by Joshua A. Johnson et al., Chem. Commun., 2021, 57, 4795–4798, DOI: 10.1039/D1CC00049G.
Dynamics of molecular associates in methanol/water mixtures
Authors: Zhai Yanqin , Luo Peng , Waller Jackson , Self Jeffrey L. , Harriger Leland W. , Z Y , Faraone Antonio
Published: December 2021

The nanoscopic mutual diffusion coefficient, DMn, of a methanol/water mixture is smaller than the single particle diffusion coefficient of either methanol or water, indicating the existence of dynamic associates of water and methanol molecules.
A casting combined quenching strategy to prepare PdAg single atom alloys designed using the cluster expansion combined Monte Carlo method
Authors: Hua Minghao , Tian Xuelei , Li Shuo , Zhang Xiaofu , Shao Anchen , Song Lin , Lin Xiaohang
Published: December 2021

Both cluster expansion based Monte Carlo simulations and experiments show the presence of Ag on the surfaces of PdAg alloys prepared using casting combined quenching processes; Pd atoms are uniformly dispersed to form single atom alloys.
Photoluminescence enhancement study in a Bi-doped Cs2AgInCl6 double perovskite by pressure and temperature-dependent self-trapped exciton emission
Authors: Dave Kashyap , Huang Wen-Tse , Leśniewski Tadeusz , Lazarowska Agata , Jankowski Dawid , Mahlik Sebastian , Liu Ru-Shi
Published: December 2021

We have used a halide precursor acid precipitation method to synthesize Cs2AgIn1−xBixCl6 microcrystals and achieved internal quantum efficiency of 52.4% via self-trapped exciton emission.
Two-step demineralization of shrimp (Pandalus Borealis) shells using citric acid: an environmentally friendly, safe and cost-effective alternative to the traditional approach
Authors: Pohling Julia , Dave Deepika , Liu Yi , Murphy Wade , Trenholm Sheila
Published: December 2021

An environmentally friendly and economically viable process for demineralization of shrimp shells for production of high-quality chitin and chitosan.
Dynamic generation of power function gradient profiles in a universal microfluidic gradient generator by controlling the inlet flow rates
Authors: Paduthol Gauri , Korma Teji Shenne , Agrawal Amit , Paul Debjani
Published: December 2021

We developed a model for a universal gradient generator to obtain gradients of different functional forms by changing only the inlet flow rates.
Metal-free C5N2 doped with a boron atom as an efficient electrocatalyst for the nitrogen reduction reaction
Authors: Zhao Tingting , Tian Yu , Yan Likai , Su Zhongmin
Published: December 2021

Metal–free C5N2 doped with boron atom as an efficient electrocatalyst for nitrogen reduction reaction.
Synthesis of active, robust and cationic Au25 cluster catalysts on double metal hydroxide by long-term oxidative aging of Au25(SR)18
Authors: Masuda Shinya , Takano Shinjiro , Yamazoe Seiji , Tsukuda Tatsuya
Published: December 2021

Atomically precise Au25 cluster catalyst obtained by long-term aging of Au25(SR)18 on double metal hydroxide at 150 °C showed significant activity in benzyl alcohol oxidation in basic water.
Recent advances in the 3D printing of ionic electroactive polymers and core ionomeric materials
Authors: Engel Kyle Edward , Kilmartin Paul A. , Diegel Olaf
Published: December 2021

The recent advances in the 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, of ionic electroactive polymers (EAP) and their future applications.
Enhancing interfacial charge transfer in mesoporous MoS2/CdS nanojunction architectures for highly efficient visible-light photocatalytic water splitting
Authors: Patriarchea Chrysanthi , Vamvasakis Ioannis , Koutsouroubi Eirini D. , Armatas Gerasimos S.
Published: December 2021

Mesoporous MoS2-modified CdS nanojunction networks possessing advantageous electronic connectivity and charge transfer behavior at the interfaces deliver highly efficient visible-light photocatalytic H2 production activity from water splitting.
Palladium-catalyzed tandem Heck/carbonylation/aminocarbonylation en route to chiral heterocyclic α-ketoamides
Authors: Hu Huaanzi , Yu Ting , Cheng Sidi , Li Jing , Gan Chunfang , Luo Shuang , Zhu Qiang
Published: December 2021

An unprecedented tandem carbonylation/aminocarbonylation triggered by palladium-catalyzed enantioselective Heck-type exocyclopalladation delivering chiral heterocyclic α-ketoamides has been developed.
A phase conversion method to anchor ZIF-8 onto a PAN nanofiber surface for CO2 capture
Authors: Li Zeyu , Cao Zhejian , Grande Carlos , Zhang Wenjing , Dou Yibo , Li Xiaosen , Fu Juan , Shezad Nasir , Akhtar Farid , Kaiser Andreas
Published: December 2021

Poly acryl nitrile (PAN) nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning and coated with zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) by a phase conversion growth method and investigated for CO2 capture.
Temperature-dependent reentrant phase transition of RNA–polycation mixtures
Authors: Pullara Paul , Alshareedah Ibraheem , Banerjee Priya R.
Published: December 2021

In this letter, we report that RNA–polycation mixtures display a temperature-controlled dual-response phase behavior with concurrent UCST and LCST transitions.
Kinetics of high density functional polymer nanocomposite formation by tuning enthalpic and entropic barriers
Authors: Swain Aparna , Das A Nimmi , Chandran Sivasurender , Basu J. K.
Published: December 2021

High density functional polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) with a high degree of dispersion have recently emerged as novel materials for various thermo-mechanical, optical and electrical applications.
One-pot solvothermal synthesis of lotus-leaf like Ni7S6/CoNi2S4 hybrid on carbon fabric toward comprehensive high-performance flexible non-enzymatic glucose sensor and supercapacitor
Authors: Zhao Hong , Tang Liping , Zhou Man , Li Kai , Hu Jinguang , Zhao Yaping , Cai Zaisheng
Published: December 2021

The collaboration of two sulphur sources produces a hybrid of Ni7S6/CoNi2S4 with a hierarchical and strong nanostructure, which makes it excellent in two applications of flexible supercapacitor and non-enzymatic glucose sensor.
Improvement of electric insulation in dielectric layered perovskite nickelate films via fluorination
Authors: Nishimura Takuma , Katayama Tsukasa , Mo Shishin , Chikamatsu Akira , Hasegawa Tetsuya
Published: December 2021

Epitaxial films of La3/2Sr1/2NiOxFy with a wide range of fluorine content (y), 0.4–3, were prepared. The fluorinated film exhibited high electric insulation due to the large and random bond distortions provided by the fluorination.
A tunable band gap of the layered semiconductor Zn3In2S6 under pressure
Authors: Susilo Resta A. , Liu Yu , Sheng Hongwei , Dong Hongliang , Sereika Raimundas , Kim Bongjae , Hu Zhixiang , Li Shujia , Yuan Mingzhi , Petrovic Cedomir , Chen Bin
Published: December 2021

A highly tunable band gap of the layered semiconductor Zn3In2S6 under pressure is reported. The change in the band gap is strongly coupled to the variation and transformation of the crystal structure.
Benzannulation of a ditopic ligand to afford mononuclear and dinuclear Ir(iii) complexes with intense phosphorescence: applications in singlet oxygen generation and bioimaging
Authors: Shafikov Marsel Z. , Hodgson Craig , Gorski Aleksander , Kowalczyk Aleksandra , Gapińska Magdalena , Kowalski Konrad , Czerwieniec Rafał , Kozhevnikov Valery N.
Published: December 2021

Benzannulation of a ditopic ligand affords a significant phosphorescence blue-shift and enhanced emission quantum yield of mono- and dinuclear Ir(iii) complexes. The complexes are excellent oxygen photosensitizers. A use in bioimaging is reported.
H-NOX proteins in the virulence of pathogenic bacteria
Authors: Lee-Lopez Cameron , Yukl Erik
Published: December 2021

Nitric oxide (NO) is a toxic gas encountered by bacteria as a product of their own metabolism or as a result of a host immune response. Non-toxic concentrations of NO have been shown to initiate changes in bacterial behaviors such as the transition between planktonic and biofilm-associated lifestyles. The heme nitric oxide/oxygen binding proteins (H-NOX) are a widespread family of bacterial heme-based NO sensors that regulate biofilm formation in response to NO. The presence of H-NOX in several human pathogens combined with the importance of planktonic–biofilm transitions to virulence suggests that H-NOX sensing may be an important virulence factor in these organisms. Here we review the recent data on H-NOX NO signaling pathways with an emphasis on H-NOX homologs from pathogens and commensal organisms. The current state of the field is somewhat ambiguous regarding the role of H-NOX in pathogenesis. However, it is clear that H-NOX regulates biofilm in response to environmental factors and may promote persistence in the environments that serve as reservoirs for these pathogens. Finally, the evidence that large subgroups of H-NOX proteins may sense environmental signals besides NO is discussed within the context of a phylogenetic analysis of this large and diverse family.
N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and adverse outcomes in Chinese patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Zhang Zeng-Lei , Xu Yan-Yan , Qin Zhen , Lu Yong-Zheng , Liu Tian-Ding , Zhang Li , Shangguan Jia-Hong , Wang Wei , Tang Jun-Nan , Zhang Jin-Ying
Published: December 2021

Background: Although numerous studies have suggested that elevated N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is positively correlated with cardiovascular events, especially the heart failure and heart failure-related death (HFRD), evidence of the association between NT-proBNP and the adverse outcomes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is still relatively limited. The present study was performed to evaluate the relationship between NT-proBNP and outcomes in patients with HCM.

Methods: Observational cohort methodology was used in the present study, and a total of 227 patients were included. And the patients were followed for 44.97 ± 16.37 months. Patients were categorized into three groups according to these NT-proBNP tertiles: first tertile (≤910 pg/ml, n=68), second tertile (913–2141 pg/ml, n=68), and third tertile (≥2151 pg/ml, n=69). The adverse outcomes of the present study were all-cause death (ACD) and cardiac death (CD).

Results: According to the risk category of NT-proBNP, the incidence of ACD (P=0.005) and CD (P=0.032) among the three groups showed significant differences. Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that the ACD and CD in the third tertile have 7.022 folds (hazard risk [HR] = 7.022 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.397–35.282], P=0.018) and 7.129 folds (HR = 7.129 [95% CI: 1.329–38.237], P=0.022) increased risks as compared with those in the first tertile. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses showed that the cumulative risks of ACD and CD in patients with HCM tended to increase.

Conclusion: The present study indicated NT-proBNP was a novel biomarker suitable for predicting adverse prognosis in patients with HCM, which may be used for early recognition and risk stratification.