bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inter‐subject correlation of electroencephalographic and behavioural responses reflects time‐varying engagement with natural music
Authors: Kaneshiro Blair , Nguyen Duc T. , Norcia Anthony M. , Dmochowski Jacek P. , Berger Jonathan
Published: April 2024

Musical engagement can be conceptualized through various activities, modes of listening and listener states. Recent research has reported that a state of focused engagement can be indexed by the inter‐subject correlation (ISC) of audience responses to a shared naturalistic stimulus. While statistically significant ISC has been reported during music listening, we lack insight into the temporal dynamics of engagement over the course of musical works—such as those composed in the Western classical style—which involve the formulation of expectations that are realized or derailed at subsequent points of arrival. Here, we use the ISC of electroencephalographic (EEG) and continuous behavioural (CB) responses to investigate the time‐varying dynamics of engagement with functional tonal music. From a sample of adult musicians who listened to a complete cello concerto movement, we found that ISC varied throughout the excerpt for both measures. In particular, significant EEG ISC was observed during periods of musical tension that built to climactic highpoints, while significant CB ISC corresponded more to declarative entrances and points of arrival. Moreover, we found that a control stimulus retaining envelope characteristics of the intact music, but little other temporal structure, also elicited significantly correlated EEG and CB responses, though to lesser extents than the original version. In sum, these findings shed light on the temporal dynamics of engagement during music listening and clarify specific aspects of musical engagement that may be indexed by each measure.
Browsing impacts on seedling survival of Black Box (Eucalyptus largiflorens)
Authors: Moxham Claire , Kenny Sally A.
Published: April 2024

Black Box (Eucalyptus largiflorens F. Muell) is a dominant floodplain tree across the Murray‐Darling Basin. At Hattah‐Kulkyne National Park (northwest Victoria), historical changes in the hydrological regime and land use have degraded Black Box populations, with the majority of trees in poor health and with limited recruitment. To mitigate this threat, environmental watering has been implemented to improve condition, but successful regeneration has been limited. A 17‐month trial (April 2021 to September 2022) was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of different management techniques in promoting Black Box regeneration (natural regeneration, seed‐scattering, tube stock and browsing control: guarded and unguarded tube stock). At the end of the trial, only four of the initial 63 seedlings remained alive (two guarded tube stock and two natural regeneration). Most seedling death was attributed to browsing (likely kangaroos), which was evident in the first three months, with unguarded plants heavily impacted. No germinants were recorded in the seed—scattering plots. Our findings of high browsing impacts on Black Box seedling survival, corroborates existing data on browsers (abundance levels and management thresholds) and emphasises the importance of incorporating herbivore browsing management in floodplain vegetation management strategies that aim to promote regeneration within Hattah‐Kulkyne National Park.
Genetic analyses verify sexually mature escaped farmed Atlantic cod and farmed cod eggs in the natural environment
Authors: Jorde Per Erik , van der Meeren Terje , Quintela María , Dahle Geir , Mateos‐Rivera Alejandro , Aase Marit , Norberg Birgitta , Sævik Pål Næverlid , Bjørn Pål Arne , Glover Kevin Alan
Published: April 2024

Elucidating the effects of domesticated organisms escaping into the natural environment represents a topic of importance in both evolutionary and conservation biology. However, when excluding the abundant data on salmonids, there is a lack of knowledge on this topic for marine fish aquaculture, which continues to expand globally. In order to bridge this empirical gap, we investigated a suspected escape of sexually mature domesticated Atlantic cod from a commercial marine fish farm in northern Norway. This involved genotyping samples of fish from cages on the farm, putatively identified escapees and wild cod captured in the region and samples of recently spawned eggs collected in the sea. Genetic analyses confirmed a farmed ancestry of the suspected escapees, and significantly, 27% of the sampled cod eggs. Furthermore, statistical analyses revealed a strong reduction in genetic variation in all samples of the farmed cod, including low effective population size and high degree of siblingship. These results thus document the escape of sexually mature adult cod and the release of fertilized domesticated cod eggs into the natural environment. Although it is possible that some of the mature escapees spawned post‐escape, the fact that only a single egg of potential hybrid farmed × wild origin was identified, together with the high number of mature cod in the farm, points to within cage spawning as the primary source of these eggs. This suggestion is supported by oceanic particle‐drift modelling, verifying that transport of eggs between the farm and the egg sampling locations was plausible. This study represents a rare documentation of interaction between domesticated and wild populations for a marine fish, pointing towards potential impacts on the local wild population.
Groundwater Contamination in Arid Coastal Areas: Qatar as a Case Study
Authors: Shomar Basem , Sankaran Rajendran
Published: April 2024

The Arab region is located in an arid environment and suffers from water scarcity and poor water quality which are expected to become more severe in coming years due to global warming. In this study, the groundwater quality of 205 wells in Qatar was investigated. The physical parameters of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, inorganic carbon (IC), and organic carbon (OC) were determined. The study characterized the concentrations of major anions of Cl, F, Br, NO3, PO4, and SO4, and major cations of Ca, K, Mg, and Na. Importantly, metals and metalloids including V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Ba, Pb, and U were determined. The results revealed that the groundwater of all wells is not drinkable due to high salinity (average TDS 4598 mg/L and salinity 0.4%, respectively). Additionally, average concentrations of major anions Cl, SO4, and F were 1472, 1064, and 1.9 mg/L, respectively, and all exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water. However, NO3 concentration in 11 out of 205 wells was above the WHO guidelines of 50 mg/L due to intensive agriculture and fertilizer applications. Major cations of Ca, K, Mg, and Na were higher than WHO guidelines with average concentrations of 345, 63, 127, and 923 mg/L, respectively. All trace metals were much lower than the WHO guidelines for drinking water; however, the vanadium (V) average concentration in groundwater of all wells was 31 μg/L, which is five times higher than the Dutch guidelines (whereas the WHO has no guidelines for V). The groundwater of Qatar is dominated by Ca and Mg sulfates in Sabkha environments and dominated by NaCl in the coastal zones from evaporate environments consisting of coastal salt flats, salt pans, estuaries, and lagoons supersaturated by salts and the influence of sea water intrusion.
Microstructural evolution and thermal shock resistance mechanism of calcium magnesium aluminate (CMA) aggregate in alumina castables
Authors: Chen Yichen , Pan Liping , Li Yawei , Zhu Qingyou , Liao Ning , Zhu Tianbin
Published: April 2024

The microstructural evolution and thermal shock resistance mechanism of calcium magnesium aluminate (CMA) aggregate after its introduction into alumina castables remain unclear. The hydration behavior of alumina castables containing CMA aggregates with various particle sizes under 25°C curing conditions is investigated. Additionally, the microstructural evolution and the interfacial properties of CMA‐containing castables with temperatures, as well as the recovery of castable strength of CMA‐containing aggregates after resintering, are comprehensively examined. The results indicate that CMA aggregate enhances early strength and promotes CAC hydration of castables, forming a “core–shell” structure with spinel–calcium aluminate (CA)–calcium dialuminate (CA2) as the “core” and hydration phase as the “shell.” Sintering at 1600°C causes different overflow behavior in CMA aggregates, affecting the castable strength. Following resintering at 1700°C, the recovery ratio of flexural strength of castables containing CMA aggregate exceeds 15%, attributed to the overflow of CA/CA2 in the CMA aggregate, which repairs microcracks and enhances thermal shock resistance.
Antidiabetic potential of ethanolic crude extract of Garcinia atroviridis fruits: in vitro, in ovo, and in silico analysis
Authors: Shahid Muhammad , Fazry Shazrul , Najm Ahmed AbdulKareem , Law Douglas , Hoong Cheah Yew , Joe Lim Seng , Jiun Chang Shu , Mackeen Mukram M.
Published: April 2024

Various parts of Garcinia atroviridis have long been used to address various health issues and as a seasoning. Past research has highlighted the leaf extracts' diverse medicinal properties, including antioxidant, antihyperlipidaemic, antibacterial, antitumor, anti‐inflammatory, and antifungal effects. No research has explored the therapeutic effects of the ethanolic crude extract of G. atroviridis fruits (GAECE) for diabetes. This study aims to assess GAECE's antidiabetic potential using various methods, including in vitro and in ovo assays, cytotoxicity testing, phytochemical profiling, and in silico analysis to identify active compounds. The GAECE was prepared using the maceration method and evaluated for its inhibitory effect against DPP‐4, α‐glucosidase, and α‐amylase enzyme activities. The glucose uptake potential and the kinetic study of glucose uptake were performed to determine the time required to exert its glucose uptake potential. Moreover, the antihyperglycaemic effect was evaluated in diabetes induced in ovo model. Q‐TOF LCMS was performed to identify the phytochemical, which was then subjected to molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was conducted for 100 nanoseconds to validate the ligand–receptor complexes. GAECE exhibited promising antidiabetic potential, with half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 0.129 ± 0.002 mg mL−1 for α‐amylase and 0.593 ± 0.01 mg mL−1 for α‐glucosidase; and showed an inhibition of 70.07 ± 0.96% for DPP‐4 enzymes at 0.5 mg mL−1. The 50% cell viability was found to be 0.87 ± 0.08 mg mL−1, 0.76 ± 0.04 mg mL−1, and 0.66 ± 0.03 mg mL−1 for 24, 48, and 72 h of treatment, respectively. Furthermore, GAECE showed potential for glucose uptake in differentiated L6 cells, resulting in a 136.7 ± 1.2% increase in glucose uptake. Kinetic analysis revealed peak potential at 10 min at the concentration of 0.4 mg mL−1. In in ovo diabetes induced model, GAECE reduced blood plasma glucose levels (152.4 ± 0.52 mg dL−1), which was similar to the effect of insulin.
Metabolic programming of organ‐specific natural killer cell responses
Authors: Delconte Rebecca B. , Sun Joseph C.
Published: April 2024

Cells of the mammalian innate immune system have evolved to protect the host from various environmental or internal insults and injuries which perturb the homeostatic state of the organism. Among the lymphocytes of the innate immune system are natural killer (NK) cells, which circulate and survey host tissues for signs of stress, including infection or transformation. NK cells rapidly eliminate damaged cells in the blood or within tissues through secretion of cytolytic machinery and production of proinflammatory cytokines. To perform these effector functions while traversing between the blood and tissues, patrolling NK cells require sufficient fuel to meet their energetic demands. Here, we highlight the ability of NK cells to metabolically adapt across tissues, during times of nutrient deprivation and within tumor microenvironments. Whether at steady state, or during viral infection and cancer, NK cells readily shift their nutrient uptake and usage in order to maintain metabolism, survival, and function.
Geopolitical EU? The EU's Wartime Assistance to Ukraine
Authors: Johansson‐Nogués Elisabeth , Leso Francesca
Published: April 2024

This article explores the European Union's (EU's) assistance to Ukraine through the lens of critical geopolitics with a view to ascertaining whether the EU has become more geopolitical in its thinking and actions towards Eastern Europe. Our findings point to a mixed picture. Whilst the EU ‘mindscape’ appears to have shifted in relation to Eastern Europe, Ukraine and itself as an actor in the region, it is less apparent that the EU's foreign and security policy action has become geopoliticised. The 2022 Russian invasion has certainly seen a step change from the hesitant and self‐conscious approach that characterised the EU's engagement with Eastern Europe prior to 2022. However, declarations such as that by the High Representative and Vice President of the European Commission (HRVP) around the ‘birth of geopolitical Europe’ appear to be somewhat premature, as there is limited evidence at this stage that the EU is willing to provide leadership on the geospatial (re)ordering of the region.
Development of building stock model for an emerging city in India: Learnings for enabling circular economy in the built environment
Authors: Sharma Namya , Kalbar Pradip P. , Salman Muhammad
Published: April 2024

This study explores the prospects of urban mining for a steadily developing city “Thane,” located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region of India, through building material stock accounting (BMSA). A novel bottom‐up approach for stock accounting was developed for the cities with limited data availability, through the integration of geodata spatial analysis, archetype identification through statistical modeling, and regional building design assessment for material intensity calculation. This study is the first of its kind in the Indian context and focuses on the stock estimation of the most common building materials: concrete, reinforcement steel, and masonry bricks within the boundaries of a typical Indian urban area. The results showed that the total built‐up stock in Thane city in 2018 amounts to 84.7 million metric ton (MT) by weight; concrete 57.7%, bricks 40.4%, steel 1.9%. Such reservoirs of raw material can be harnessed to fulfill the future material requirements of the construction industry through proposed circular economy interventions such as material bank creation, local recycling facilities, and development of a secondary material market. The material stock estimated in this study was 46.1 MT/capita for permanent building dwellers and with potential infrastructural developments underway, urban mining application can be ensured by redefining design and demolition strategies and multi‐level collaboration for generating alternative material sources for the construction sector. This work of BMSA intends to provide meaningful insights into exploring the potentials of urban mining and help chart the future roadmaps of sustainable construction in India.
Protective effect of chlorogenic acid on liver injury in heat‐stressed meat rabbits
Authors: Ji Rongmei , Chen Jiali , Xu Jian , Zhang Lirui , Liu Lei , Li Fuchang
Published: April 2024

This study investigated the protective effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on production performance and liver function of rabbits under heat stress (HS) condition. A total of 120 healthy New Zealand weaned rabbits with similar initial body weight, were randomly divided into 3 treatments with 20 replicates per treatment and 2 weaned rabbits per replicate: control (CON) group (rabbits were housed at 25 ± 1°C and fed a basal diet), HS group (rabbits were housed at 35 ± 1°C and fed a basal diet), and HS + CGA group (rabbits were housed at 35 ± 1°C and fed a basal diet supplemented with 800 mg/kg CGA). The trial lasted for 28 days. The results showed that HS challenge decreased (p < 0.05) growth performance, induced oxidative stress and hepatic apoptosis, and caused liver damage in rabbits. However, dietary CGA supplementation increased (p < 0.05) body weight gain and feed efficiency, and enhanced (p < 0.05) antioxidative capacity in serum and liver in HS‐challenged rabbits; attenuated HS‐induced increases in urea nitrogen (p = 0.03), alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.03), aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.01), caspase‐8 (p = 0.02), and caspase‐3 (p = 0.04) as well as decrease albumin (p = 0.04). Moreover, supplementation with CGA upregulated Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway‐related genes expressions, including Nrf2 (p = 0.009), HO‐1 (p = 0.03) and SOD1 (p = 0.04) in HS‐challenged rabbits. Our findings demonstrated that dietary CGA supplementation could alleviate HS‐induced decline in growth performance, and protect against HS‐induced liver damage partially through enhancing antioxidant capacity via acting Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway and inhibiting hepatic apoptosis in rabbits.
The woman is the active agent: General practitioners and the agentive displacement of abortion in Ireland
Authors: McCaffrey Brenna
Published: April 2024

After the legalization of abortion in 2018, Ireland needed clinicians to become abortion providers and make this political win a medical reality. Yet Irish doctors had next‐to‐no training in abortion care, and barriers ranging from stigma to economic pressures in the healthcare system impacted doctors’ desire to volunteer. How did hundreds of Irish doctors make the shift from family doctor to abortion provider? Drawing on ethnographic research conducted between 2017 and 2020, this article explores the process by which Irish general practitioners became abortion providers, attending to the material impact of medical technologies on that journey. Drawing from medical anthropologists who have examined similar themes of agency, pharmaceuticals, and medico‐legal frameworks within the topic of assisted dying, I build on Anita Hannig's idea of “agentive displacement” to frame the productive impact of abortion pills on this transition.
Material augmented semantic segmentation of point clouds for building elements
Authors: Liang Houhao , Yeoh Justin K. W. , Chua David K. H.
Published: April 2024

Point clouds are utilized to enable automated engineering applications for their ability to represent spatial geometry. However, they inherently lack detailed surface textures, posing challenges in differentiating objects at the texture level. Hence, this study introduces a 2D–3D fusing approach, leveraging material properties recognized from registered images as an augmented feature to enhance deep learning methods for the segmentation of building elements within point clouds. The proposed method was evaluated quantitatively on a 3D indoor data set with an implementation in an office room. The results are promising, showing improvement in recognition performance, particularly for objects with similar geometry but having different material properties. For instance, the segmentation of boards increased by 70.87%, and doors improved by 41.06% using the PointNet architecture. This enhanced segmentation not only reduces the time for interpreting point clouds but also has the potential to benefit downstream applications such as Scan‐to‐building information modeling (BIM), as defining regions for objects is essential.
The impact of peritoneal dialysis on oxypurinol and urate elimination in people with gout
Authors: Wilson Luke C. , Ward Jacob , Wright Daniel F. B. , Green Suetonia C. , Stocker Sophie L. , Putt Tracey L. , Schollum John B. W. , Walker Robert J.
Published: April 2024

Gout affects 15%–30% of individuals with advanced kidney disease. Allopurinol which is rapidly and extensively metabolised to an active metabolite, oxypurinol, is the most commonly prescribed urate‐lowering therapy. Oxypurinol is almost entirely eliminated by the kidneys (>95%) and has an elimination half‐life of 18–30 h in those with normal kidney function. However, oxypurinol pharmacokinetics are poorly understood in individuals with kidney failure on peritoneal dialysis. This study characterised the elimination of oxypurinol and urate in people with gout receiving peritoneal dialysis. Oxypurinol steady‐state oral clearance (CL/F), elimination half‐life as well as kidney (CLk) and peritoneal (CLpd) clearances for oxypurinol and urate were calculated from the plasma, urine and dialysate concentration data for each individual. Our results demonstrate that oxypurinol and urate are removed by peritoneal dialysis, accounting for more than 50% of oxypurinol and urate clearances. An allopurinol dose about 50%–60% lower than the usual dose used for a patient with normal kidney function will provide adequate urate‐lowering therapy.
Incidence, severity, and risk factors for white spot lesions in adolescent patients treated with clear aligners
Authors: Liu Qian , Song Zhixin
Published: April 2024

Objectives

This study was aimed to clarify the incidence, severity, and clinical risk factors for white spot lesions (WSLs) in adolescent patients treated with clear aligners.

Methods

Pre‐treatment and post‐treatment intraoral photographs of 203 adolescent patients undergoing clear aligner therapy were retrospectively evaluated to assess the occurrence and severity of WSLs. Information on patients' general oral condition and orthodontic treatment was collected from clinical medical documents, retrospective questionnaires, and ClinCheck® software. Independent risk factors and model performance were determined by multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Results

Thirty‐five percent of adolescent patients developed WSLs during clear aligner treatment. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the presence of WSLs before treatment (OR 2.484, 95% CI 1.245‐4.957), frequency of drinking carbonated beverages (OR 1.508, 95% CI 1.045‐2.177), and number of anterior attachments (OR 2.192, 95% CI 1.502‐3.198) were risk factors for the occurrence of WSLs in adolescent patients treated with clear aligners (P < .05), whereas the number of times they brushed each day (OR 0.656, 95% CI 0.454‐0.947) and frequency of aligner cleaning after eating while wearing them (OR 0.611, 95% CI 0.433‐0.861) were protective factors against WSLs (P < .05).

Conclusions

The incidence of WSLs was high in adolescent patients treated with clear aligners. Few brushings each day, pre‐treatment WSLs, a high frequency of drinking carbonated beverages, a low frequency of aligner cleaning after eating while wearing them, and a high number of anterior attachments are strongly associated with the development of WSLs in adolescent patients treated with clear aligners.
Regimen for accelerated propranolol initial dosing (RAPID)
Authors: Huang Charles Y. , Perman Marissa J. , Yan Albert C.
Published: April 2024

Background

Infantile hemangiomas are common vascular tumors in children. Propranolol has proven effective in treating infantile hemangiomas and while generally safe, has potential risk for more serious side effects of hypoglycemia, hypotension, bradycardia, bronchospasm, and cardiovascular or respiratory compromise. Current prescribing guidelines recommend initiating propranolol doses at 1 mg/kg/day, with up‐titration to 2 mg/kg/day. This study aims to compare the incidence of adverse events in infants and children treated with propranolol initiated at 1 mg/kg/day versus being initiated directly at 2 mg/kg/day.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using medical records of patients receiving propranolol therapy for infantile hemangiomas between October 2018–March 2021 at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Patients were categorized by initial propranolol dosage: 1 or 2 mg/kg/day. The primary outcome measures included parent‐reported adverse events, hypotension (defined by the Pediatric Advanced Life Support criteria), and bradycardia (defined as <1st percentile for age) following propranolol initiation.

Results

Out of the 244 patients identified, 123 were initiated at the 1 mg/kg/day dose, and 121 at the 2 mg/kg/day dose. There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups (p = .057). Additionally, among patients initiated at 2 mg/kg/day, there were no significant differences in the incidence of age‐related or weight‐related adverse events for those younger than 2 months or those in the 1st or 2nd quartile for weight (p = .53).

Conclusion

Infants and children initiated at 2 mg/kg/day did not demonstrate an increased incidence of adverse events associated with propranolol compared to those initiated at 1 mg/kg/day. These findings provide clinical evidence for the practice of accelerated propranolol initiation dosing.
A wild rice CSSL population facilitated identification of salt tolerance genes and rice germplasm innovation
Authors: Xing Meng , Nie Yamin , Huang Jingfen , Li Yapeng , Zhao Mingchao , Wang Shizhuang , Wang Yanyan , Chen Wenxi , Chen Ziyi , Zhang Lifang , Cheng Yunlian , Yang Qingwen , Sun Jiaqiang , Qiao Weihua
Published: April 2024

Salt stress is one of the major factors that limits rice production. Therefore, identification of salt‐tolerant alleles from wild rice is important for rice breeding. In this study, we constructed a set of chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) using wild rice as the donor parent and cultivated rice Nipponbare (Nip) as the recurrent parent. Salt tolerance germinability (STG) was evaluated, and its association with genotypes was determined using this CSSL population. We identified 17 QTLs related to STG. By integrating the transcriptome and genome data, four candidate genes were identified, including the previously reported AGO2 and WRKY53. Compared with Nip, wild rice AGO2 has a structure variation in its promoter region and the expression levels were upregulated under salt treatments; wild rice WRKY53 also has natural variation in its promoter region, and the expression levels were downregulated under salt treatments. Wild rice AGO2 and WRKY53 alleles have combined effects for improving salt tolerance at the germination stage. One CSSL line, CSSL118 that harbors these two alleles was selected. Compared with the background parent Nip, CSSL118 showed comprehensive salt tolerance and higher yield, with improved transcript levels of reactive oxygen species scavenging genes. Our results provided promising genes and germplasm resources for future rice salt tolerance breeding.
A scientometric analysis and visualisation of elderly suicide research from 1951 to 2022
Authors: Palanbek Yavaş Seher , Baysan Caner
Published: April 2024

Background

There are still many gaps in both national and international literature on elderly suicide. This study aimed to identify the most influential journals in elderly suicide, the countries and authors that contribute the most to the field, and the trends in the field.

Material and Methods

Studies published on elderly suicide between 1951 and 2022 were retrieved utilising the Web of Science Core Collection. Co‐authorship analysis of countries and authors, as well as co‐occurrence analysis of keywords, were conducted using VOSviewer 1.6.18.

Results

There were 2864 articles retrieved, including 95 countries, 889 academic journals, 9162 authors and 4160 keywords. The number of publications in this field has significantly increased after the 2000s, and the United States is the most productive country (996). The most prolific author is Yeates Conwell, while the journal with the highest number of publications in this field is the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Other than ‘suicide’ and ‘elderly’, the most trending keywords are ‘depression’, ‘primary care’, ‘treatment’, ‘antidepressant’, ‘loneliness’, ‘quality of life’ and ‘COVID‐19’.

Conclusion

There has been an increase in both the thematic diversity and quantity of studies on elderly suicide over time. However, these publications predominantly originate from socioeconomically affluent countries with relatively low suicide rates. While the increasing numbers of publications from developing countries in recent years are promising, there is a greater need for publications from countries with lower socioeconomic status for the prevention or intervention of elderly suicides.
Determinants of exercise adherence in sedentary middle‐aged and older adults
Authors: Cabral Danylo F. , Fried Peter J. , Bigliassi Marcelo , Cahalin Lawrence P. , Gomes‐Osman Joyce
Published: April 2024

Regular exercise positively impacts neurocognitive health, particularly in aging individuals. However, low adherence, particularly among older adults, hinders the adoption of exercise routines. While brain plasticity mechanisms largely support the cognitive benefits of exercise, the link between physiological and behavioral factors influencing exercise adherence remains unclear. This study aimed to explore this association in sedentary middle‐aged and older adults. Thirty‐one participants underwent an evaluation of cortico‐motor plasticity using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure changes in motor‐evoked potentials following intermittent theta‐burst stimulation (iTBS). Health history, cardiorespiratory fitness, and exercise‐related behavioral factors were also assessed. The participants engaged in a 2‐month supervised aerobic exercise program, attending sessions three times a week for 60 min each, totaling 24 sessions at a moderate‐to‐vigorous intensity. They were divided into Completers (n = 19), who attended all sessions, and Dropouts (n = 12), who withdrew early. Completers exhibited lower smoking rates, exercise barriers, and resting heart rates compared to Dropouts. For Completers, TMS/iTBS cortico‐motor plasticity was associated with better exercise adherence (r = −.53, corrected p = .019). Exploratory hypothesis‐generating regression analysis suggested that post‐iTBS changes (β = −7.78, p = .013) and self‐efficacy (β = −.51, p = .019) may predict exercise adherence (adjusted‐R2 = .44). In conclusion, this study highlights the significance of TMS/iTBS cortico‐motor plasticity, self‐efficacy, and cardiovascular health in exercise adherence. Given the well‐established cognitive benefits of exercise, addressing sedentary behavior and enhancing self‐efficacy are crucial for promoting adherence and optimizing brain health. Clinicians and researchers should prioritize assessing these variables to improve the effectiveness of exercise programs.
Effects of Performance‐Based Financing on Availability, Quality, and Use of Family Planning Services in the Democratic Republic of Congo: An Impact Evaluation
Authors: Drouard Salomé Henriette Paulette , Brenner Stephan , Antwisi Delphin , Toure Ndeye Khady , Madhavan Supriya , Fink Günther , Shapira Gil
Published: April 2024

Access to high‐quality family planning services remains limited in many low‐ and middle‐income countries, resulting in a high burden of unintended pregnancies and adverse health outcomes. We used data from a large randomized controlled trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo to test whether performance‐based financing (PBF) can increase the availability, quality, and use of family planning services. Starting at the end of 2016, 30 health zones were randomly assigned to a PBF program, in which health facilities received financing conditional on the quantity and quality of offered services. Twenty‐eight health zones were assigned to a control group in which health facilities received unconditional financing of a similar magnitude. Follow‐up data collection took place in 2021–2022 and included 346 health facility assessments, 476 direct clinical observations of family planning consultations, and 9,585 household surveys. Findings from multivariable regression models show that the PBF program had strong positive impacts on the availability and quality of family planning services. Specifically, the program increased the likelihood that health facilities offered any family planning services by 20 percentage points and increased the likelihood that health facilities had contraceptive pills, injectables, and implants available by 23, 24, and 20 percentage points, respectively. The program also improved the process quality of family planning consultations by 0.59 standard deviations. Despite these improvements, and in addition to reductions in service fees, the program had a modest impact on contraceptive use, increasing the modern method use among sexually active women of reproductive age by 4 percentage points (equivalent to a 37 percent increase), with no significant impact on adolescent contraceptive use. These results suggest that although PBF can be an effective approach for improving the supply of family planning services, complementary demand‐side interventions are likely needed in a setting with very low baseline utilization.
Beyond the ‘tyranny of metrics’? Indicator literacy in sustainable finance
Authors: Eyre Ben , Bonilla Oiara , Brightman Marc , Voicu Stefan
Published: April 2024

Sustainable finance ‘thought leaders’ call for metrics as the key to aligning investment with sustainability objectives and harnessing the market for ‘good’. In this article, we consider how measurement is used in sustainable finance through three case studies of financial instruments described as bonds (green, forest, and impact) and develop Sally Engle Merry's concept of ‘indicator literacy’ as a contribution to critical geographies of sustainable finance. Through ethnography, we explore how labelling financial products as sustainable (and therefore moral) increasingly relies on claims to achieve measurable outcomes and how attention to spatial and scalar dynamics illuminates what this leaves out.
Genome‐wide methylation landscape during somatic embryogenesis in Medicago truncatula reveals correlation between Tnt1 retrotransposition and hyperactive methylation regions
Authors: Nandety Raja Sekhar , Oh Sunhee , Lee Hee‐Kyung , Krom Nick , Gupta Rajeev , Mysore Kirankumar S.
Published: April 2024

Medicago truncatula is a model legume for fundamental research on legume biology and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Tnt1, a retrotransposon from tobacco, was used to generate insertion mutants in M. truncatula R108. Approximately 21 000 insertion lines have been generated and publicly available. Tnt1 retro‐transposition event occurs during somatic embryogenesis (SE), a pivotal process that triggers massive methylation changes. We studied the SE of M. truncatula R108 using leaf explants and explored the dynamic shifts in the methylation landscape from leaf explants to callus formation and finally embryogenesis. Higher cytosine methylation in all three contexts of CG, CHG, and CHH patterns was observed during SE compared to the controls. Higher methylation patterns were observed in assumed promoter regions (~2‐kb upstream regions of transcription start site) of the genes, while lowest was recorded in the untranslated regions. Differentially methylated promoter region analysis showed a higher CHH methylation in embryogenesis tissue samples when compared to CG and CHG methylation. Strong correlation (89.71%) was identified between the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and the site of Tnt1 insertions in M. truncatula R108 and stronger hypermethylation of genes correlated with higher number of Tnt1 insertions in all contexts of CG, CHG, and CHH methylation. Gene ontology enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified genes and pathways enriched in the signal peptide processing, ATP hydrolysis, RNA polymerase activity, transport, secondary metabolites, and nitrogen metabolism pathways. Combined gene expression analysis and methylation profiling showed an inverse relationship between methylation in the DMRs (regions spanning genes) and the expression of genes. Our results show that a dynamic shift in methylation happens during the SE process in the context of CG, CHH and CHG methylation, and the Tnt1 retrotransposition correlates with the hyperactive methylation regions.
Early heart and skeletal muscle mitochondrial response to a moderate hypobaric hypoxia environment
Authors: Aragón‐Vela Jerónimo , Casuso Rafael A. , Aparisi Ana Sagrera , Plaza‐Díaz Julio , Rueda‐Robles Ascensión , Hidalgo‐Gutiérrez Agustín , López Luis Carlos , Rodríguez‐Carrillo Andrea , Enriquez José Antonio , Cogliati Sara , Huertas Jesús R.
Published: April 2024

In eukaryotic cells, aerobic energy is produced by mitochondria through oxygen uptake. However, little is known about the early mitochondrial responses to moderate hypobaric hypoxia (MHH) in highly metabolic active tissues. Here, we describe the mitochondrial responses to acute MHH in the heart and skeletal muscle. Rats were randomly allocated into a normoxia control group (n = 10) and a hypoxia group (n = 30), divided into three groups (0, 6, and 24 h post‐MHH). The normoxia situation was recapitulated at the University of Granada, at 662 m above sea level. The MHH situation was performed at the High‐Performance Altitude Training Centre of Sierra Nevada located in Granada at 2320 m above sea level. We found a significant increase in mitochondrial supercomplex assembly in the heart as soon as the animals reached 2320 m above sea level and their levels are maintained 24 h post‐exposure, but not in skeletal muscle. Furthermore, in skeletal muscle, at 0 and 6 h, there was increased dynamin‐related protein 1 (Drp1) expression and a significant reduction in Mitofusin 2. In conclusion, mitochondria from the muscle and heart respond differently to MHH: mitochondrial supercomplexes increase in the heart, whereas, in skeletal muscle, the mitochondrial pro‐fission response is trigged. Considering that skeletal muscle was not actively involved in the ascent when the heart was beating faster to compensate for the hypobaric, hypoxic conditions, we speculate that the different responses to MHH are a result of the different energetic requirements of the tissues upon MHH.

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Key points

The heart and the skeletal muscle showed different mitochondrial responses to moderate hypobaric hypoxia.

Moderate hypobaric hypoxia increases the assembly of the electron transport chain complexes into supercomplexes in the heart.

Skeletal muscle shows an early mitochondrial pro‐fission response following exposure to moderate hypobaric hypoxia.
A High Energy Density Pulsed Power Supply for Micro Electrical Discharge Machining of High Aspect Ratio Holes
Authors: Cao Peiyao , Tong Hao , Li Yong , Zhu Yulan
Published: April 2024

In micro-electrical discharge machining (EDM), it is difficult to guarantee machining efficiency and accuracy when further increasing the aspect ratio of microholes due to poor circulation of working fluid and removal of debris. In order to increase the ratio of material vaporization erosion and reduce the ejection of large debris caused by material melting, this study proposes a high energy density pulsed power supply that increases the peak discharge current by adding energy-storage inductors with designed charging and discharging control. Machining microholes of diameters from 100 μm to 200 μm with aspect ratios of 10:1, 20:1, and 30:1 show that when the inductance increases from 4.7 μH to 20 μH, the peak current increases by more than two times and the machining efficiency improves by approximately 30%, and the accuracy of the aperture consistency is enhanced, while the occurrence of microcracks on the machined surface is significantly reduced.
The Dissolvable Alginate Fiber Network Produced Via the Immersed Microfluidic Spinning
Authors: Rajestari Zarya , Kalaus Joseph , Kulinsky Lawrence
Published: April 2024

Pore size and pore interconnectivity that characterize the topology of the vascular networks in tissue constructs are critical to healthy cell behavior and tissue formation. While scaffolds with hollow channel structures (that precede vascularization of tissue engineering constructs) have gained significant attention, still creating the hollow channel networks within various cellular matrices such as cell-laden hydrogels, remain a slow process limited by the speed of material extrusion of 3D printing techniques for the deposition of sacrificial fibers. To address the issue of low throughput for sacrificial fiber production and placement, we propose to utilize the micromanufacturing technique of the immersed microfluidic spinning. This study discusses the optimization of the topology of the sacrificial calcium alginate microfibers as a function of alginate concentration and the gauge of the needle used in the immersed fluidic spinning. An important parameter of the fabricated fiber network is the size of the loops produced via the immersed fluidic spinning. The nutrients should diffuse from the fluidic channel to the center of the loop. We demonstrate that the loops with radii between approximately 1600 and 3200 μm can be produced with needle of 30 gauge for alginate concentrations between 1% and 8%. Fiber diameters are also characterized as a function of needle gauge and alginate concentration. We demonstrate the creation of a hollow channel in a Methacrylate gelatin (GelMA) sample by dissolving the alginate fibers produced via the immersed fluidic spinning method. Finally, viability of the fibroblast cells in GelMA is qualitatively studied as a function of the distance of the cells from the outside boundary of the gel (where the cell media is located). As expected, the cell viability falls as the distance from the outer boundary of the gel increases.
Power measurement analysis of moderate pressure capacitively coupled discharges
Authors: Hussain Shadhin , Verma Abhishek , Bera Kallol , Rauf Shahid , Goeckner Matthew
Published: April 2024

This study examines the transition of 13.56 MHz, capacitively coupled plasmas (CCP) from low to intermediate pressure regimes. Here, we investigate power deposition/plasma production in argon, nitrogen, and oxygen discharges as a function of pressure. These three feed gases were chosen as they provide a set of electropositive and electronegative gases and they are widely discussed in the existing literature. Experiments were conducted for all combinations of pressures: 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 Torr, and nominal power density between 0.1 and 0.7 W/cm2 for each feed gas at a fixed electrode gap of 24 mm, a commonly employed gap in many industrial processes. Our study shows that increasing pressure results in an increase in current at a given electrode bias in argon and oxygen discharges, while there is no discernible pressure-induced change in nitrogen discharges. We attribute this increase to an increase in plasma density, which might result from a change in power deposition or ionization processes. It is likely that heating via secondary electrons becomes more important at intermediate pressures, resulting in increased plasma density and current. Specifically, based on our measurements, it appears that the mechanisms through which power is deposited into the plasma change with increasing pressure for both argon and oxygen discharges but not for nitrogen discharges. Our experimental results align with the outcomes of our simulations and the simulation results of CCP discharges conducted by other researchers under similar conditions.
Method to reconstruct three-dimensional profile based on top-view SEM images
Authors: Liu Shuang , Liu Ge , Shen Hao , Rui Dinghai , Zhang Libin , Wei Yayi
Published: April 2024

In the field of integrated circuits, electron beam images can provide process parameter information such as linewidth and line spacing. However, this size information only accounts for a small proportion of the information that the image can provide. To maximize the information obtained from electron beam images, this paper proposes a three-dimensional reconstruction method based on the electron beam imaging model. This method reveals the relationship between the top-view scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image and the actual three-dimensional structure. And then, an iterative optimization method is used to optimize the model and structure parameters for 3D reconstructions. During optimization flow, the correlation between the real SEM image and the reconstructed image is used to build the cost function. Two-micrometer silicon structures, vertical edge, and rounded sidewall structures are applied to model verification. Results show that the proposed model, with a fitting correlation over 99.3% and edge-angle mismatch within 1°, does well in rebuilding both structures. Our method makes it possible for high-precision 3D profile metrology and defect inspection.
Effects of high-temperature annealing on vacancy complexes and luminescence properties in multilayer periodic structures with elastically strained GeSiSn layers
Authors: Timofeev Vyacheslav , Skvortsov Ilya , Mashanov Vladimir , Nikiforov Alexandr , Kolyada Dmitry , Firsov Dmitry , Komkov Oleg , Samadov Samir , Sidorin Alexey , Orlov Oleg
Published: April 2024

Effects of postgrowth high-temperature annealing on vacancy complexes and photoluminescence (PL) from GeSiSn/Si multiple quantum wells (MQWs) are studied. The series of PL peaks related to the vacancy-tin complexes was observed for as-grown samples including different structures, such as GeSiSn/Si MQWs, multilayer periodic structure with GeSiSn quantum dots (QDs), GeSn cross-structures upon GeSiSn/Si MQWs, and thick GeSiSn layers. The PL band intensity is significantly reduced after annealing at 700 °C corresponding to the reduction in vacancy density, as demonstrated by the positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) data. Such annealing also results in the appearance of the PL signal related to the interband optical transitions in GeSiSn/Si MQWs. However, the high temperature could negatively impact the sharpness of heterointerfaces due to Sn diffusion, thus limiting the PL efficiency. To improve the luminescence properties of GeSiSn/Si structures, we proposed a two-stage technique combining both the annealing and subsequent treatment of samples in a hydrogen plasma at 200 °C. The plasma treatment significantly reduces the PL band of vacancy-related defects, whereas annealing at a moderate temperature of ∼600 °C prevents the blurring of heterointerfaces. As a result, we demonstrate an increase in the relative efficiency of interband PL of type II GeSiSn/Si MQW structures emitting in the range of 1.5–2 μm.
From sub-Saharan Africa to China: Evolutionary history and adaptation of
Drosophila melanogaster
revealed by population genomics
Authors: Chen Junhao , Liu Chenlu , Li Weixuan , Zhang Wenxia , Wang Yirong , Clark Andrew G. , Lu Jian
Published: April 2024

Drosophila melanogaster
is a widely used model organism for studying environmental adaptation. However, the genetic diversity of populations in Asia is poorly understood, leaving a notable gap in our knowledge of the global evolution and adaptation of this species. We sequenced genomes of 292
D. melanogaster
strains from various ecological settings in China and analyzed them along with previously published genome sequences. We have identified six global genetic ancestry groups, despite the presence of widespread genetic admixture. The strains from China represent a unique ancestry group, although detectable differentiation exists among populations within China. We deciphered the global migration and demography of
D. melanogaster
, and identified widespread signals of adaptation, including genetic changes in response to insecticides. We validated the effects of insecticide resistance variants using population cage trials and deep sequencing. This work highlights the importance of population genomics in understanding the genetic underpinnings of adaptation, an effort that is particularly relevant given the deterioration of ecosystems.