bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health policy evaluation in rural and remote Australia: a qualitative exploration and lessons from the Northern Territory
Authors: Raymond Kate , Nathan Sally , Harrison Reema , Meyer Lois
Published: February 2023

Objective This study explored approaches of government policymakers to health policy evaluation (HPE) in Australian rural and remote settings. Methods Semi-structured interviews captured experiences and insights of 25 policymakers in the Northern Territory Department of Health. Data were thematically analysed using an inductive approach to coding and theme development. Results We identified five main themes about HPE in rural and remote settings: (1) centring the rural and remote context; (2) balancing ideology, power and evidence; (3) working with community; (4) strengthening policy workforce capabilities in monitoring and evaluation; and (5) valuing evaluation through leadership. Conclusion HPE is complex in any setting, however, policymakers navigate unique complexities in rural and remote health contexts. HPE can be enabled by developing policymaker and leadership capabilities in rural and remote settings and supporting co-design with communities.
Efficient catalysts of surface hydrophobic Cu-BTC with coordinatively unsaturated Cu(I) sites for the direct oxidation of methane
Authors: Li Wencui , Li Zhi , Zhang Hang , Liu Pengxiao , Xie Zean , Song Weiyu , Liu Baijun , Zhao Zhen
Published: February 2023

Selective oxidation of methane to organic oxygenates over metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) catalysts at low temperature is a challenging topic in the field of C1 chemistry because of the inferior stability of MOFs. Modifying the surface of Cu-BTC via hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) at 235 °C under vacuum not only can dramatically improve its catalytic cycle stability in a liquid phase but also generate coordinatively unsaturated Cu(I) sites, which significantly enhances the catalytic activity of Cu-BTC catalyst. The results of spectroscopy characterizations and theoretical calculation proved that the coordinatively unsaturated Cu(I) sites made H
2
O
2
dissociative into •OH, which formed Cu(II)-O active species by combining with coordinatively unsaturated Cu(I) sites for activating the C−H bond of methane. The high productivity of C1 oxygenates (CH
3
OH and CH
3
OOH) of 10.67 mmol g
cat.
−1
h
−1
with super high selectivity of 99.6% to C1 oxygenates was achieved over Cu-BTC-P-235 catalyst, and the catalyst possessed excellent reusability.
Rab3 mediates a pathway for endocytic sorting and plasma membrane recycling of ordered microdomains
Authors: Diaz-Rohrer Barbara , Castello-Serrano Ivan , Chan Sze Ham , Wang Hong-Yin , Shurer Carolyn R. , Levental Kandice R. , Levental Ilya
Published: February 2023

The composition of the plasma membrane (PM) must be tightly controlled despite constant, rapid endocytosis, which requires active, selective recycling of endocytosed membrane components. For many proteins, the mechanisms, pathways, and determinants of this PM recycling remain unknown. We report that association with ordered, lipid-driven membrane microdomains (known as rafts) is sufficient for PM localization of a subset of transmembrane proteins and that abrogation of raft association disrupts their trafficking and leads to degradation in lysosomes. Using orthogonal, genetically encoded probes with tunable raft partitioning, we screened for the trafficking machinery required for efficient recycling of engineered microdomain-associated cargo from endosomes to the PM. Using this screen, we identified the Rab3 family as an important mediator of PM localization of microdomain-associated proteins. Disruption of Rab3 reduced PM localization of raft probes and led to their accumulation in Rab7-positive endosomes, suggesting inefficient recycling. Abrogation of Rab3 function also mislocalized the endogenous raft-associated protein Linker for Activation of T cells (LAT), leading to its intracellular accumulation and reduced T cell activation. These findings reveal a key role for lipid-driven microdomains in endocytic traffic and suggest Rab3 as a mediator of microdomain recycling and PM composition.
Data-driven electrolyte design for lithium metal anodes
Authors: Kim Sang Cheol , Oyakhire Solomon T. , Athanitis Constantine , Wang Jingyang , Zhang Zewen , Zhang Wenbo , Boyle David T. , Kim Mun Sek , Yu Zhiao , Gao Xin , Sogade Tomi , Wu Esther , Qin Jian , Bao Zhenan , Bent Stacey F. , Cui Yi
Published: February 2023

Improving Coulombic efficiency (CE) is key to the adoption of high energy density lithium metal batteries. Liquid electrolyte engineering has emerged as a promising strategy for improving the CE of lithium metal batteries, but its complexity renders the performance prediction and design of electrolytes challenging. Here, we develop machine learning (ML) models that assist and accelerate the design of high-performance electrolytes. Using the elemental composition of electrolytes as the features of our models, we apply linear regression, random forest, and bagging models to identify the critical features for predicting CE. Our models reveal that a reduction in the solvent oxygen content is critical for superior CE. We use the ML models to design electrolyte formulations with fluorine-free solvents that achieve a high CE of 99.70%. This work highlights the promise of data-driven approaches that can accelerate the design of high-performance electrolytes for lithium metal batteries.
A soil fungus confers plant resistance against a phytophagous insect by disrupting the symbiotic role of its gut microbiota
Authors: Di Lelio Ilaria , Forni Giobbe , Magoga Giulia , Brunetti Matteo , Bruno Daniele , Becchimanzi Andrea , De Luca Maria G. , Sinno Martina , Barra Eleonora , Bonelli Marco , Frusciante Sarah , Diretto Gianfranco , Digilio Maria C. , Woo Sheridan L. , Tettamanti Gianluca , Rao Rosa , Lorito Matteo , Casartelli Morena , Montagna Matteo , Pennacchio Francesco
Published: February 2023

Plants generate energy flows through natural food webs, driven by competition for resources among organisms, which are part of a complex network of multitrophic interactions. Here, we demonstrate that the interaction between tomato plants and a phytophagous insect is driven by a hidden interplay between their respective microbiotas. Tomato plants colonized by the soil fungus
Trichoderma afroharzianum
, a beneficial microorganism widely used in agriculture as a biocontrol agent, negatively affects the development and survival of the lepidopteran pest
Spodoptera littoralis
by altering the larval gut microbiota and its nutritional support to the host. Indeed, experiments aimed to restore the functional microbial community in the gut allow a complete rescue. Our results shed light on a novel role played by a soil microorganism in the modulation of plant–insect interaction, setting the stage for a more comprehensive analysis of the impact that biocontrol agents may have on ecological sustainability of agricultural systems.
Structure-guided approach to modulate small molecule binding to a promiscuous ligand-activated protein
Authors: Lin Wenwei , Huber Andrew D. , Poudel Shyaron , Li Yongtao , Seetharaman Jayaraman , Miller Darcie J. , Chen Taosheng
Published: February 2023

Ligand-binding promiscuity in detoxification systems protects the body from toxicological harm but is a roadblock to drug development due to the difficulty in optimizing small molecules to both retain target potency and avoid metabolic events. Immense effort is invested in evaluating metabolism of molecules to develop safer, more effective treatments, but engineering specificity into or out of promiscuous proteins and their ligands is a challenging task. To better understand the promiscuous nature of detoxification networks, we have used X-ray crystallography to characterize a structural feature of pregnane X receptor (PXR), a nuclear receptor that is activated by diverse molecules (with different structures and sizes) to up-regulate transcription of drug metabolism genes. We found that large ligands expand PXR’s ligand-binding pocket, and the ligand-induced expansion occurs through a specific unfavorable compound-protein clash that likely contributes to reduced binding affinity. Removing the clash by compound modification resulted in more favorable binding modes with significantly enhanced binding affinity. We then engineered the unfavorable ligand-protein clash into a potent, small PXR ligand, resulting in marked reduction in PXR binding and activation. Structural analysis showed that PXR is remodeled, and the modified ligands reposition in the binding pocket to avoid clashes, but the conformational changes result in less favorable binding modes. Thus, ligand-induced binding pocket expansion increases ligand-binding potential of PXR but is an unfavorable event; therefore, drug candidates can be engineered to expand PXR’s ligand-binding pocket and reduce their safety liability due to PXR binding.
Aerosol-into-liquid capture and detection of atmospheric soluble metals across the gas–liquid interface using Janus-membrane electrodes
Authors: Zhao Yi-Bo , Cen Tianyu , Jiang Fuze , He Weidong , Zhang Xiaole , Feng Xiaoxiao , Gao Min , Ludwig Christian , Bakker Eric , Wang Jing
Published: February 2023

The soluble fraction of atmospheric transition metals is particularly associated with health effects such as reactive oxygen species compared to total metals. However, direct measurements of the soluble fraction are restricted to sampling and detection units in sequence burdened with a compromise between time resolution and system bulkiness. Here, we propose the concept of aerosol-into-liquid capture and detection, which allowed one-step particle capture and detection via the Janus-membrane electrode at the gas–liquid interface, enabling active enrichment and enhanced mass transport of metal ions. The integrated aerodynamic/electrochemical system was capable of capturing airborne particles with a cutoff size down to 50 nm and detecting Pb(II) with a limit of detection of 95.7 ng. The proposed concept can pave the way for cost-effective and miniaturized systems, for the capture and detection of airborne soluble metals in air quality monitoring, especially for abrupt air pollution events with high airborne metal concentrations (e.g., wildfires and fireworks).
Leishmania
allelic selection during experimental sand fly infection correlates with mutational signatures of oxidative DNA damage
Authors: Bussotti Giovanni , Li Blaise , Pescher Pascale , Vojtkova Barbora , Louradour Isabelle , Pruzinova Katerina , Sadlova Jovana , Volf Petr , Späth Gerald F.
Published: February 2023

Trypanosomatid pathogens are transmitted by blood-feeding insects, causing devastating human infections. These parasites show important phenotypic shifts that often impact parasite pathogenicity, tissue tropism, or drug susceptibility. The evolutionary mechanisms that allow for the selection of such adaptive phenotypes remain only poorly investigated. Here, we use
Leishmania donovani
as a trypanosomatid model pathogen to assess parasite evolutionary adaptation during experimental sand fly infection. Comparing the genome of the parasites before and after sand fly infection revealed a strong population bottleneck effect as judged by allele frequency analysis. Apart from random genetic drift caused by the bottleneck effect, our analyses revealed haplotype and allelic changes during sand fly infection that seem under natural selection given their convergence between independent biological replicates. Our analyses further uncovered signature mutations of oxidative DNA damage in the parasite genomes after sand fly infection, suggesting that
Leishmania
suffers from oxidative stress inside the insect digestive tract. Our results propose a model of
Leishmania
genomic adaptation during sand fly infection, with oxidative DNA damage and DNA repair processes likely driving haplotype and allelic selection. The experimental and computational framework presented here provides a useful blueprint to assess evolutionary adaptation of other eukaryotic pathogens inside their insect vectors, such as
Plasmodium
spp,
Trypanosoma brucei
, and
Trypanosoma cruzi
.
Polarization-multiplexed metaholograms with erasable functionality
Authors: Zhou Shaolin , Liu Liang , Chen Zhijian , Ansari Muhammad Afnan , Chen Xianzhong , Chan Mansun
Published: February 2023

The unprecedented capability of metasurfaces in pixel-wise-level accurate light manipulation has enabled the realization of polarization-multiplexed metasurface holograms in a single or multiple channel. However, most metasurfaces are static and unable to realize active or tunable wave control in many scenarios. We introduce an erasable functionality for multi-channel metasurface holograms based on active phase tuning, which is realized using the nonvolatile chalcogenide phase change alloy of GeSbSeTe (GSST). Upon the incidence of linearly or circularly polarized waves, polarization-dependent holograms constructed using amorphous GSST (a-GSST) elliptical pillars are achieved because of the complete phase control. The a-GSST holograms feature a subwavelength spatial resolution for all elliptical pillars, with local transmittances ranging from 66% to 90%. Benefiting from the amorphous-to-crystalline phase transition of GSST, the hologram functionality can be completely erased because the crystallized pillars cannot provide the effective propagation modes required by the anisotropic phase modulations in the operating wavelength range. The unique properties of the proposed polarization-multiplexed holograms with erasable functionality offer more degrees of freedom and have potential applications in many fields, such as anti-counterfeiting, encryption, and holographic sources.
Asymmetric transmission modular design via direction-dependent absorption of spoof surface plasmon polaritons
Authors: Qiu Tianshuo , Li Weihan , Wang Jiafu , Wang Jianqi , An Qiang , Liu Bingyang , Hou Yangfan , Jiang Juanna , Tang Wenxuan , Cheng Ziru , Qu Shaobo
Published: February 2023

A method of achieving asymmetric transmission is proposed by means of the propagation direction-dependent absorption of spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPPs). In this letter, trapezoidal wire arrays which act as absorbers have been combined with cutting metal wires which act as polarization rotators. By combining trapezoidal wire arrays with polarization rotators, the metamaterial can exhibit different properties according to the direction of the incident wave, thereby achieving asymmetric transmission. Incident waves can be efficiently converted to the SSPPs by trapezoidal wire arrays, and their propagation and/or absorption can be controlled by engineering the spatial dispersion of k-vector. Moreover, polarization rotators based on cutting metal wires can customize the polarization rotation performance by changing the length of the metal wire. The simulated and measured results verify the asymmetric transmission effect and design method. The proposed asymmetric transmission structure can be applied in electromagnetic devices for linearly polarized wave or polarization control. Compared with chiral metamaterial structures, this work improves the design customizability and efficiency as well as provides an alternative method of designing asymmetric transmission. In addition, the framework expands the application prospect of asymmetric transmission and builds a bridge from SSPPs to asymmetric transmission, facilitating the asymmetric transmission integrated with other SSPPs devices.
Modeling multi-loop atom interferometers with Co-moving Reference Theory
Authors: Wang Ya-Jie , Zhang Jiao , Hu Qiu-Bo , Wang Ke-Xin , Su Jian-Feng , Tang Chun-Juan , Lu Xiao-Yu
Published: February 2023

With the rapid development of atom interferometry, atom interferometers have been widely used in inertial navigation, resource exploration, basic physics and other fields. For precise measurement experiments with multi-loop atom interferometer configuration, it is urgent to establish a high-precision theoretical model charactering the relationship between target measurement quantities and measurement results. Based on this, we adopt the idea of co-moving reference frame, so as to transfer the gravity, gravity gradient and Earth’s rotation effects to the laser light field interacting with atoms by translating, rotating and stretching the background spacetime. With this method, we not only can simplify the analysis process of the experimental principle, but also give the analytical results of the high-order interference phase of the multi-loop atom interferometer containing the gravity gradient and Earth’s rotation. This work will lay a certain theoretical foundation for higher-precision experiment, and will also help to clearly guide the implementation of the experiment.
The trapping problem on horizontal partitioned level-3 sierpinski gasket networks
Authors: Hu Zhongren , Chen Yun
Published: February 2023

Random walk on complex networks is a research hotspot nowadays. The average trapping time (ATT) is an important property related to the trapping problem, which is a variant of random walk, because it can be used to measure the transmission efficiency of particles randomly walking on the network. In this paper, we consider the trapping problem on the horizontal partitioned level-3 Sierpinski gasket network which is determined by the cutting linelk, that is, by the partition coefficientk. Then through the structure of this research model, we derive the exact analytical expression of theATT. Furthermore, we draw two kinds of numerical simulation diagrams to simulate the relationship between theATTand the iteration number and the partition coefficient, and compare them with theATTon the original graph (uncut). The obtained solution shows that theATTis affected by thek, specifically, the larger thek, the shorter theATT, that is the higher the transmission efficiency.
Density functional theory study of Br doped CsPbI3 perovskite for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications
Authors: Maleka P M , Dima R S , Ntwaeaborwa O M , Maphanga R R
Published: February 2023

First-principle calculations were used to investigate the structural, optoelectronic, elastic and thermodynamic properties of Br-doped CsPbI3 perovskite material using GGA-PBE, SCAN, and LDA functionals. The computed lattice parameters are consistent with the experimental and theoretical calculations, reported in the literature. The band structure along with the electronic density of states indicated that CsPbI3−xBrx (x = 0, 1, 2, 3) materials are semiconductors with direct band gaps, as projected using the three functionals. The energy band gap of CsPbI3 was tuned by replacing I ions with Br ions, resulting in CsPbI2Br, CsPbBr2I, and CsPbBr3 materials. These perovskite materials were found to be mechanically stable, ductile in nature and elastically anisotropic. The results of optical parameters such as absorption coefficients, refractive index, optical conductivity, optical reflectivity, electron energy loss, and extinction coefficients were calculated and analysed. The thermodynamic parameters including heat capacity, and Debye temperature were calculated. The direct band gap and energy-dependent optical parameters especially the absorption coefficient in the infrared and visible region of these perovskite materials suggest that they might be candidates for potential use in photovoltaic solar cells and optoelectronic applications.
A transient magneto-mechanical numerical model of a tank based on improved jiles-atherton theory
Authors: Zhang Haipeng , Long Jiajie , Ren Li , Xu Ying , Li Xianhao , Tang Yuejin
Published: February 2023

Magnetic field generated by the ferromagnetic material of underwater detectors varies with seawater pressure, which may affect the accuracy of deep-sea resource exploration. The effect of stress on magnetization is cumulative. In order to accurately simulate the influence of deep-sea pressure on the magnetic field around underwater detectors, it is very important to develop a transient magneto-mechanical numerical model. In this paper, a transient magneto-mechanical coupling model of a tank was developed to obtain the magnetic signal deviation caused by the magneto-mechanical coupling effect. By improving the Jiles-Atherton theory for complex stress and calculating the variation in magnetic field with pressure, the hysteresis effect between magnetization and stress was verified. Under different background magnetic fields, the effect of stress on magnetic field was determined by calculating the magnetic field distribution under different pressures.
CosmoGridV1: a simulated 𝗐CDM theory prediction for map-level cosmological inference
Authors: Kacprzak Tomasz , Fluri Janis , Schneider Aurel , Refregier Alexandre , Stadel Joachim
Published: February 2023

We present CosmoGridV1: a large set of lightcone simulations for map-level cosmological inference with probes of large scale structure.
It is designed for cosmological parameter measurement based on Stage-III photometric surveys with non-Gaussian statistics and machine learning.
CosmoGridV1 spans the wCDM model by varying Ωm, σ
8, w
0, H
0, n
s, Ω
b
, and assumes three degenerate neutrinos with fixed ∑ mν
= 0.06 eV.
This space is covered by 2500 grid points on a Sobol sequence.
At each grid point, we run 7 simulations with PkdGrav3 and store 69 particle maps at nside = 2048 up to z = 3.5, as well as halo catalog snapshots.
The fiducial cosmology has 200 independent simulations, along with their stencil derivatives.
An important part of CosmoGridV1 is the benchmark set of 28 simulations, which include larger boxes, higher particle counts, and higher redshift resolution of shells.
They allow for testing if new types of analyses are sensitive to choices made in CosmoGridV1.
We add baryon feedback effects on the map level, using shell-based baryon correction model.
The shells are used to create maps of weak gravitational lensing, intrinsic alignment, and galaxy clustering, using the UFalcon code.
The main part of CosmoGridV1 are the raw particle count shells that can be used to create full-sky maps for a given n(z).
We also release projected maps for a Stage-III forecast, as well as maps used previously in KiDS-1000 deep learning constraints with CosmoGridV1.
The data is available at http://www.cosmogrid.ai/.
Velocity reconstruction with the cosmic microwave background and galaxy surveys
Authors: Cayuso Juan , Bloch Richard , Hotinli Selim C. , Johnson Matthew C. , McCarthy Fiona
Published: February 2023

The kinetic Sunyaev Zel'dovich (kSZ) and moving lens effects, secondary contributions to
the cosmic microwave background (CMB), carry significant cosmological information due to their
dependence on the large-scale peculiar velocity field. Previous work identified a promising means
of extracting this cosmological information using a set of quadratic estimators for the radial and
transverse components of the velocity field. These estimators are based on the statistically
anisotropic components of the cross-correlation between the CMB and a tracer of large scale
structure, such as a galaxy redshift survey. In this work, we assess the challenges to the program
of velocity reconstruction posed by various foregrounds and systematics in the CMB and galaxy
surveys, as well as biases in the quadratic estimators. To do so, we further develop the quadratic
estimator formalism and implement a numerical code for computing properly correlated spectra for
all the components of the CMB (primary/secondary blackbody components and foregrounds) and a
photometric redshift survey, with associated redshift errors, to allow for accurate
forecasting. We create a simulation framework for generating realizations of properly correlated
CMB maps and redshift binned galaxy number counts, assuming the underlying fields are Gaussian,
and use this to validate a velocity reconstruction pipeline and assess map-based systematics such
as masking. We highlight the most significant challenges for velocity reconstruction, which
include biases associated with: modelling errors, characterization of redshift errors, and coarse
graining of cosmological fields on our past light cone. Despite these challenges, the outlook for
velocity reconstruction is quite optimistic, and we use our reconstruction pipeline to confirm
that these techniques will be feasible with near-term CMB experiments and photometric galaxy
redshift surveys.
Boltzmann equations for astrophysical Stochastic Gravitational Wave Backgrounds scattering off of massive objects
Authors: Pizzuti Lorenzo , Tomella Alessandro , Carbone Carmelita , Calabrese Matteo , Baccigalupi Carlo
Published: February 2023

The goal of this work is to present a set of coupled Boltzmann equations describing the intensity and polarisation Stokes parameters of the SGWB. Collision terms (as discussed e.g. in ref. [1]) which account for gravitational Compton scattering off of massive objects, are also included. This set resembles that for the CMB Stokes parameters, but the different spin nature of the gravitational radiation and the physics involved in the scattering process determine crucial differences. In the case of gravitational Compton scattering, due to the Rutherford angular dependence of the cross section, all the SGWB intensity multipoles of order ℓ are scattered out, therefore producing outgoing intensity anisotropies of any order ℓ if they are present in the incoming radiation. On the other hand, as already outlined in [1], SGWB linear polarisation modes can be expanded in a basis of spherical harmonics with m = ±4 and ℓ ≥ 4. This means that SGWB polarisation modes can be generated from unpolarised anisotropic radiation only with m = ±4, therefore requiring at least a hexadecapole anisotropy (ℓ ≥ 4) in the incoming intensity. Assuming a simplified toy model where scattering targets are localised in a small redshift range, we solve analytically the set of coupled Boltzmann equations to get explicit expressions for the intensity and polarisation angular power spectra. We confirm the contribution of the gravitational Compton scattering to the SGWB anisoptropies is extremely small for collisions with massive compact objects (BH and SMBH) in the frequency range of current and upcoming surveys. The system of coupled Boltzmann equations presented here provides a way to accurate estimate the total amount of anisotropies generated by multiple SGWB scattering processes off of massive objects, as well as the interplay between polarisation and intensity, during the GW propagation across the LSS of the universe. These results will be useful for the full treatment of the astrophysical SWGB anisotropies in view of upcoming gravitational waves observatories.
Triaxially deformed relativistic Hartree–Bogoliubov theory in Woods–Saxon basis
Authors: Xia X W , Shi Z
Published: February 2023

A triaxially deformed relativistic Hartree–Bogoliubov theory in the Woods–Saxon basis is developed with the aim of treating the triaxial deformation, pairing correlations and continuum in a unified way. In order to consider the triaxial deformation, the deformed potentials are expanded in terms of spherical harmonic functions in the coordinate space. In order to take the pairing correlations into account and treat the continuum properly, by using the Dirac Woods–Saxon basis, which has correct asymptotic behavior, the relativistic Hartree–Bogoliubov equation with triaxial deformation is solved. The formalism of triaxially deformed relativistic Hartree–Bogoliubov theory in Woods–Saxon basis is presented. Taking an axially deformed nucleus 24Ne and a triaxially deformed nucleus 76Ge as examples, the numerical checks are performed. A weakly bound nucleus 112Ge is taken as an example to carry out the necessary converge checks for the numerical parameters. In addition, the ground-state properties of even–even germanium isotopes are investigated. The evolutions of two-neutron separation energy, deformation, root-mean-square radii and density distribution with mass number are analyzed. The comparison between the calculations from the relativistic Hartree–Bogoliubov theory based on harmonic-oscillator basis and the triaxially deformed relativistic Hartree–Bogoliubov theory in Woods–Saxon basis is performed. It is found that the neutron drip line is extended from 114Ge to 118Ge in the triaxially deformed relativistic Hartree–Bogoliubov theory in Woods–Saxon basis.
Theoretical investigations on a variable-coefficient generalized forced–perturbed Korteweg–de Vries–Burgers model for a dilated artery, blood vessel or circulatory system with experimental support
Authors: Gao Xin-Yi , Guo Yong-Jiang , Shan Wen-Rui
Published: February 2023

Recent theoretical physics efforts have been focused on the probes for nonlinear pulse waves in, for example, variable-radius arteries. With respect to the nonlinear waves in an artery full of blood with certain aneurysm, pulses in a blood vessel, or features in a circulatory system, this paper symbolically computes out an auto-Bäcklund transformation via a noncharacteristic movable singular manifold, certain families of the solitonic solutions, as well as a family of the similarity reductions for a variable-coefficient generalized forced–perturbed Korteweg–de Vries–Burgers equation. Aiming, e.g., at the dynamical radial displacement superimposed on the original static deformation from an arterial wall, our results rely on the axial stretch of the injured artery, blood as an incompressible Newtonian fluid, radius variation along the axial direction or aneurysmal geometry, viscosity of the fluid, thickness of the artery, mass density of the membrane material, mass density of the fluid, strain energy density of the artery, shear modulus, stretch ratio, etc. We also highlight that the shock-wave structures from our solutions agree well with those dusty-plasma-experimentally reported.
Post-explant profiling of subcellular-scale carbon fiber intracortical electrodes and surrounding neurons enables modeling of recorded electrophysiology
Authors: Letner Joseph G , Patel Paras R , Hsieh Jung-Chien , Smith Flores Israel M , della Valle Elena , Walker Logan A , Weiland James D , Chestek Cynthia A , Cai Dawen
Published: February 2023

Objective. Characterizing the relationship between neuron spiking and the signals that electrodes record is vital to defining the neural circuits driving brain function and informing clinical brain-machine interface design. However, high electrode biocompatibility and precisely localizing neurons around the electrodes are critical to defining this relationship. Approach. Here, we demonstrate consistent localization of the recording site tips of subcellular-scale (6.8 µm diameter) carbon fiber electrodes and the positions of surrounding neurons. We implanted male rats with carbon fiber electrode arrays for 6 or 12+ weeks targeting layer V motor cortex. After explanting the arrays, we immunostained the implant site and localized putative recording site tips with subcellular-cellular resolution. We then 3D segmented neuron somata within a 50 µm radius from implanted tips to measure neuron positions and health and compare to healthy cortex with symmetric stereotaxic coordinates. Main results. Immunostaining of astrocyte, microglia, and neuron markers confirmed that overall tissue health was indicative of high biocompatibility near the tips. While neurons near implanted carbon fibers were stretched, their number and distribution were similar to hypothetical fibers placed in healthy contralateral brain. Such similar neuron distributions suggest that these minimally invasive electrodes demonstrate the potential to sample naturalistic neural populations. This motivated the prediction of spikes produced by nearby neurons using a simple point source model fit using recorded electrophysiology and the mean positions of the nearest neurons observed in histology. Comparing spike amplitudes suggests that the radius at which single units can be distinguished from others is near the fourth closest neuron (30.7 ± 4.6 µm,

X
ˉ

± S) in layer V motor cortex. Significance. Collectively, these data and simulations provide the first direct evidence that neuron placement in the immediate vicinity of the recording site influences how many spike clusters can be reliably identified by spike sorting.
Development and analysis of solid lubricant coating on M2 high-speed steel using the EDC process
Authors: Muralidharan B , Kumaran V , Barathsuriya R D
Published: February 2023

This paper reports solid lubricant coating on the M2 high-speed steel substrate with MoS2:Cu (50:50) green compact electrode by electric discharge coating (EDC) process. The influence of input parameters (peak current(I) and pulse duration(ton)) on the coating responses (thickness, microhardness, and surface roughness) have been investigated. The coated materials atomic weight percentage and chemical compounds are examined through EDS and XRD analysis. The maximum coating thickness (695.3μm) was reported at ton − 750 μs and I- 5 A. The coated samples microhardness exhibit between 217.8 HV—669.43 HV, which is lesser than the substrate (750 HV). The adhesive strength of the coating surface was examined using the scratch test with the progressive load. The result shows, adhesive strength increased at higher current level.
Preprint Highlight: Perforin-2 is a pore-forming effector of endocytic escape in cross-presenting dendritic cells
Authors: Mantegazza Adriana R.
Published: February 2023

Access of endocytosed cargo to the cytosol in dendritic cells (DCs) allows antigen cross-presentation, an essential mechanism for presenting exogenous viral and tumor antigens on MHC-I molecules to cytotoxic T-cells. However, the molecular facilitators of antigen release from endosomes have remained elusive. By coupling flow cytometry and luciferase-based readout to monitor endocytic escape in a CRISPR/Cas9 genetic screen, the authors identified perforin-2, a member of the perforin superfamily of pore-forming proteins, as a new effector required for antigen access to cytosol in murine cross-presenting DCs, in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, perforin-2 is cleaved in lysosomes or maturing phagosomes to release the pore-forming domain and allow antigen export. This study uncovers perforin-2 as a potential new target to modulate antigen cross-presentation in anti-viral and anti-tumor immunity.

This preprint has been assigned the following badges: New Methods, New Hypothesis, Cross-Validation, Open Data.

Read the preprint on bioRxiv ( Rodríguez-Silvestre et al., 2023 ): https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.01.31.525875 .
IBRAP: integrated benchmarking single-cell RNA-sequencing analytical pipeline
Authors: Knight Connor H , Khan Faraz , Patel Ankit , Gill Upkar S , Okosun Jessica , Wang Jun
Published: February 2023

Single-cell ribonucleic acid (RNA)-sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a powerful tool to study cellular heterogeneity. The high dimensional data generated from this technology are complex and require specialized expertise for analysis and interpretation. The core of scRNA-seq data analysis contains several key analytical steps, which include pre-processing, quality control, normalization, dimensionality reduction, integration and clustering. Each step often has many algorithms developed with varied underlying assumptions and implications. With such a diverse choice of tools available, benchmarking analyses have compared their performances and demonstrated that tools operate differentially according to the data types and complexity. Here, we present Integrated Benchmarking scRNA-seq Analytical Pipeline (IBRAP), which contains a suite of analytical components that can be interchanged throughout the pipeline alongside multiple benchmarking metrics that enable users to compare results and determine the optimal pipeline combinations for their data. We apply IBRAP to single- and multi-sample integration analysis using primary pancreatic tissue, cancer cell line and simulated data accompanied with ground truth cell labels, demonstrating the interchangeable and benchmarking functionality of IBRAP. Our results confirm that the optimal pipelines are dependent on individual samples and studies, further supporting the rationale and necessity of our tool. We then compare reference-based cell annotation with unsupervised analysis, both included in IBRAP, and demonstrate the superiority of the reference-based method in identifying robust major and minor cell types. Thus, IBRAP presents a valuable tool to integrate multiple samples and studies to create reference maps of normal and diseased tissues, facilitating novel biological discovery using the vast volume of scRNA-seq data available.
Collaborative deep learning improves disease-related circRNA prediction based on multi-source functional information
Authors: Wang Yongtian , Liu Xinmeng , Shen Yewei , Song Xuerui , Wang Tao , Shang Xuequn , Peng Jiajie
Published: February 2023

Emerging studies have shown that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in a variety of biological processes and play a key role in disease diagnosing, treating and inferring. Although many methods, including traditional machine learning and deep learning, have been developed to predict associations between circRNAs and diseases, the biological function of circRNAs has not been fully exploited. Some methods have explored disease-related circRNAs based on different views, but how to efficiently use the multi-view data about circRNA is still not well studied. Therefore, we propose a computational model to predict potential circRNA–disease associations based on collaborative learning with circRNA multi-view functional annotations. First, we extract circRNA multi-view functional annotations and build circRNA association networks, respectively, to enable effective network fusion. Then, a collaborative deep learning framework for multi-view information is designed to get circRNA multi-source information features, which can make full use of the internal relationship among circRNA multi-view information. We build a network consisting of circRNAs and diseases by their functional similarity and extract the consistency description information of circRNAs and diseases. Last, we predict potential associations between circRNAs and diseases based on graph auto encoder. Our computational model has better performance in predicting candidate disease-related circRNAs than the existing ones. Furthermore, it shows the high practicability of the method that we use several common diseases as case studies to find some unknown circRNAs related to them. The experiments show that CLCDA can efficiently predict disease-related circRNAs and are helpful for the diagnosis and treatment of human disease.
Socioeconomic inequalities in paediatric metabolic syndrome: mediation by parental health literacy
Authors: Lepe Alexander , de Kroon Marlou L A , Reijneveld Sijmen A , de Winter Andrea F
Published: February 2023

Background

Parental health literacy may explain the relationship between parental socioeconomic status (SES) and paediatric metabolic syndrome (MetS). For this reason, we assessed to what extent parental health literacy mediates the relationships between parental SES and paediatric MetS.

Methods

We used data from the prospective multigenerational Dutch Lifelines Cohort Study. Our sample consisted of 6683 children with an average follow-up of 36.2 months (SD 9.3) and a mean baseline age of 12.8 years (SD 2.6). We used natural effects models to assess the natural direct, natural indirect and total effects of parental SES on MetS.

Results

On average, an additional 4 years of parental education, e.g. university instead of secondary school, would lead to continuous MetS (cMetS) scores that were 0.499 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.364–0.635) units lower, which is a small effect (d: 0.18). If parental income and occupational level were 1 SD higher, on average cMetS scores were 0.136 (95% CI: 0.052–0.219) and 0.196 (95% CI: 0.108–0.284) units lower, respectively; these are both small effects (d: 0.05 and 0.07, respectively). Parental health literacy partially mediated these pathways; it accounted for 6.7% (education), 11.8% (income) and 8.3% (occupation) of the total effect of parental SES on paediatric MetS.

Conclusions

Socioeconomic differences in paediatric MetS are relatively small, the largest being by parental education. Improving parental health literacy may reduce these inequalities. Further research is needed into the mediating role of parental health literacy on other socioeconomic health inequalities in children.
Sex variation in colorectal cancer mortality: trends and implications for screening
Authors: Clark Gavin R C , Fraser Callum G , Strachan Judith A , Steele Robert J C
Published: February 2023

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening using faecal tests reduces disease-specific mortality. To investigate mortality and its association with sex, rates in women and men, and in different age ranges, were examined, before and after screening began in Scotland.

Methods

From 1990–99, no structured screening existed. Three pilots ran from 2000 to 2007 and subsequent full roll-out completed in 2009. Crude mortality rates for 1990–2020 were calculated relative to Scottish population estimates, and age–sex standardized rates calculated for all, pre-screening (<50 years), screening (5–74 years) and post-screening (>74 years) age ranges.

Results

CRC mortality declined from 1990 to 2020, but not linearly, and differed between sexes. In women, 1990–99 showed a steady decline [average annual percentage change (AAPC): −2.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI): −2.8% to −1.4%], but a less marked decline after 2000 (AAPC: −0.7%, 95% CI: −0.9% to −0.4%). In men, no clear decline was seen from 1990 to 1999 (AAPC: −0.4%, 95% CI: −1.1% to 0.4%), but mortality declined from 2000 to 2020 (AAPC: −1.7%, 95% CI: −1.9% to −1.5%). This pattern was exaggerated in the screening age ranges. For 2000–20, the overall reduction in mortality was less in women and in the screening age range. In the post-screening age range, reductions were smaller, but an increase was seen in the pre-screening age range, greater in women.

Conclusions

CRC mortality fell during 1990–2020, but the decline differed markedly between sexes, indicating a larger beneficial effect of screening on CRC mortality in men compared to women: use of different thresholds for the sexes might lead to equality.
101 years ago: Hermann Muller's remarkable insight
Authors: Haber James E
Published: February 2023

More than 20 years before DNA was identified as the hereditary material, the Drosophila geneticist, Hermann Muller, envisioned the fundamental principles that such a molecule must have: to be auto-assembling and to be mutable but then again stable. He followed his prescient review of these properties with a remarkable prediction: learning about the hereditary material and its properties would not come from studying Drosophila, but from studying bacteria and their bacteriophages.
The Donation of Constantine in John Whethamstede’s Granarium
Authors: Hiatt Alfred
Published: February 2023

This article analyses the discussion of the Donation of Constantine contained in the Granarium, an encyclopedia compiled by the abbot of St. Albans, John Whethamstede, in the 1430s. Particular attention is given to Whethamstede’s list of reasons to doubt the veracity of the Donation, which differ in certain ways from the contemporaneous and better known criticisms of the Donation made by Nicolas of Cusa, Lorenzo Valla and Reginald Pecock. The article considers the sources and motivations for Whethamstede’s discussion, which reveals that criticism of the Donation was more widespread and more deeply rooted at this time than has previously been appreciated.
The Congressional Leadership Dilemma
Authors: Fong Christian
Published: February 2023

Previous theories assume that congressional party leaders internalize the welfare of the parties they lead. Accordingly, existing work deemphasizes the role of agency problems in explaining the conditions under which parties grant more political resources to their leaders. To show how agency problems can still arise even when the party leader wants only to maximize collective goods and stay in office, I offer a model that borrows two ideas from models of political accountability: leaders vary in quality and giving the leader more resources makes it more difficult to remove her. The model implies that the party faces a tradeoff between maximizing the leader’s capacity to produce collective goods and preserving its ability to remove low-quality leaders from office. This theory offers novel predictions, integrates existing results as implications of a single theory, and explains why the leader’s resources sometimes change even as the political context remains the same (JEL D72: Political Processes: Rent-Seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior).
Metabolic regulation of NK cell antiviral functions during cytomegalovirus infection
Authors: Cimpean Maria , Cooper Megan A
Published: February 2023

Natural killer (NK) cells quickly mount cytotoxic responses, produce cytokines, and proliferate in response to infected or transformed cells. Moreover, they can develop memory, with enhanced effector responses following activation, in some cases with antigen specificity. To optimally execute these functions, NK cells undergo metabolic reprogramming. Here, we discuss the interplay between metabolism and NK cell function in the context of viral infections. We review findings supporting metabolic regulation of NK cell effector functions, with a focus on NK cell antiviral infection in the context of cytomegalovirus in the mouse (MCMV) and human (HCMV).
A comprehensive experimental test of the affective disposition theory of drama
Authors: Grizzard Matthew , Francemone C Joseph , Frazer Rebecca , Fitzgerald Kaitlin , Monge Charles K , Henry Christina
Published: February 2023

Using a three-act written narrative, a preregistered 2 (Act 1 Moral/Immoral Character Behavior) × 2 (Act 3 Moral/Immoral Character Behavior) × 2 (Positive/Negative Narrative Outcome) study provides a comprehensive test of affective disposition theory (ADT) that simultaneously manipulates disposition formation and outcome evaluation processes. We convert ADT’s conceptual hypotheses into testable path models. Consistent with theory, we find (a) moral behavior creates positive dispositions which predict hopes for positive outcomes and (b) dispositions interact with outcomes to predict affect, liking of ending, and narrative enjoyment/appreciation. Consistent with Raney’s ADT extension, participants wanted liked/moral characters to engage in immoral actions that increase the odds of a positive outcome for the character. Findings also indicate variance in ADT’s predictive power: ADT better explained immediate responses (liking of ending) as compared to holistic responses (narrative enjoyment/appreciation). Our results contribute to work on enjoyment/appreciation by identifying areas where enjoyment and appreciation are more/less distinguishable.
A rare case of intra-articular synovial sarcoma of the hip joint: a case report with intra-articular findings via hip arthroscopy
Authors: Saito Keiju , Kawabata Yusuke , Kobayashi Naomi , Iwashita Hiromichi , Kato Ikuma , Otani Masako , Hayashida Kenta , Fujita Shintaro , Yoshida Tomotaka , Choe Hyonmin , Takeyama Masanobu , Inaba Yutaka
Published: February 2023

Although synovial sarcoma is a relatively common soft tissue sarcoma, primary intra-articular cases are extremely rare. Herein, we report a case of primary intra-articular synovial sarcoma arising from the hip joint, that was initially treated with hip arthroscopy. A 42-year-old male presented with a history of pain in the left hip for 7 years. Radiography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed the primary intra-articular lesion and simple excision with an arthroscopy was performed. Histological findings revealed spindle cell proliferation with abundant psammoma bodies. SS18 gene rearrangement was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization, and the tumor was diagnosed as synovial sarcoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy were performed. Local control without metastasis was achieved 6 months after excision. This is the first case of intra-articular synovial sarcoma of the hip joint excised via hip arthroscopy. When an intra-articular lesion is identified, malignancies such as synovial sarcoma should be included in the differential diagnosis.