bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variability in Disease Severity in Siblings With Homozygous Missense Variant of ADSSL1: Clinical Genetic Study and Review of Literatures
Authors: Wang Hui , Zhang Ting , Xu Yanming , Fan Wenhui
Published: November 2024

Background

Distal myopathies are genetic muscle disorders caused by mutations in various genes. A study found that mutations in adenylosuccinate synthetase‐like 1 (ADSSL1) are associated with distal myopathy in nine patients from six unrelated families in South Korea. Previous research showed that affected individuals experienced distal muscle weakness starting in adolescence, along with mild facial muscle weakness, slightly elevated or normal serum creatine kinase (CK) levels, and the presence of a few rimmed vacuoles in muscle fibers or minimal chronic myopathic damage. Previously reported patients in this category exhibited an early age of symptom onset and severe muscle weakness. In this study, we present a case of two sisters who share the same mutation locus but display distinct disease phenotypes.

Methods

A literature review was conducted on distal myopathies in patients with ADSSL1 mutations, alongside a retrospective analysis of disease severity variability among siblings with a homozygous missense variant of ADSSL1.

Results

The study focuses on two sisters with differing disease manifestations despite carrying the same genetic mutation. The older sister showed lower ability in running and jumping compared to her peers at age 7 and experienced notable muscle weakness and atrophy by age 27, whereas the younger sister remained free of symptoms at age 30.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that mutations at the same locus can result in varying disease outcomes, emphasizing the complexity of predicting disease progression based solely on genetic mutations.
Systematic Review of Studies Investigating Hospital Readmissions in Pediatric Oncology
Authors: Hassan Hadeel , Chen Yujie , Lu Amy Duoli , Arciniegas Santiago Eduardo , Yan Adam Paul , Guo Lin Lawrence , Sung Lillian
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesize evidence on hospital readmissions among pediatric oncology patients, focusing on the indications, risk factors, and proposed strategies to prevent readmissions.

Method

The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Databases including Embase, Medline, Scopus, Mendeley, and Google Scholar were searched. Studies examining hospital readmission as a main outcome in pediatric cancer patients, including those undergoing surgical oncology procedures or receiving hematopoietic cell transplantation, were included. Quality assessment was undertaken using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and PROBAST tool.

Results

A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies spanned from 2008 to 2023, with an increase in publications from 2020 onward (61%). Fever and infection were the most common readmission indications. Statistically significant risk factors reported included younger age, specific cancer types (e.g., acute lymphoblastic leukemia), and socioeconomic factors. Prevention strategies proposed included early follow‐up, tailored anticipatory guidance, discharge education, and specialized care at pediatric oncology centers.

Conclusions

This systematic review highlights the multifaceted nature of hospital readmissions in pediatric oncology patients and the need for standardized definitions, additional studies, and comprehensive interventions. Future research should focus on high‐quality prospective studies, integration of predictive analytics, and addressing socioeconomic disparities to improve patient outcomes.
Distinct substrate specificities of the three catalytic subunits of the Trichomonas vaginalis proteasome
Authors: Fajtova Pavla , Hurysz Brianna M. , Miyamoto Yukiko , Serafim Mateus Sá M. , Jiang Zhenze , Vazquez Julia M. , Trujillo Diego F. , Liu Lawrence J. , Somani Urvashi , Almaliti Jehad , Myers Samuel A. , Caffrey Conor R. , Gerwick William H. , McMinn Dustin L. , Kirk Christopher J. , Boura Evzen , Eckmann Lars , O'Donoghue Anthony J.
Published: November 2024

The protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv) causes trichomoniasis, the most common non‐viral sexually transmitted infection in the world. Although Tv has been linked to significant health complications, only two closely related 5‐nitroimidazole drugs are approved for its treatment. The emergence of resistance to these drugs and lack of alternative treatment options poses an increasing threat to public health, making development of novel anti‐Trichomonas compounds an urgent need. The proteasome, a critical enzyme complex found in all eukaryotes has three catalytic subunits, β1, β2, and β5 and has been validated as a drug target to treat trichomoniasis. With the goal of developing tools to study the Tv proteasome, we isolated the enzyme complex and identified inhibitors that preferentially inactivate either one or two of the three catalytic subunits. Using a mass spectrometry‐based peptide digestion assay, these inhibitors were used to define the substrate preferences of the β1, β2 and β5 subunits. Subsequently, three model fluorogenic substrates were designed, each specific for one of the catalytic subunits. This novel substrate profiling methodology will allow for individual subunit characterization of other proteasomes of interest. Using the new substrates, we screened a library of 284 peptide epoxyketone inhibitors against Tv and determined the subunits targeted by the most active compounds. The data show that inhibition of the Tv β5 subunit alone is toxic to the parasite. Taken together, the optimized proteasome subunit substrates will be instrumental for understanding the molecular determinants of proteasome specificity and for accelerating drug development against trichomoniasis.
Evolutionary model of repeat insertions in Ataxin‐3 traces the origin of the polyglutamine stretch to an ancestral ubiquitin binding module
Authors: Felício Daniela , Martins Sandra , Alves Guilherme Pimenta , Amorim António , Macedo‐Ribeiro Sandra , Merski Matthew
Published: November 2024

The human ataxin‐3 protein contains an N‐terminal Josephin domain, composed of a papain‐like cysteine protease with a helical hairpin insertion, and a C‐terminal region with two or three ubiquitin interacting motifs and a polyglutamine tract. Expansion of the polyglutamine tract leading to protein aggregation and neuronal degradation has been linked to Machado‐Joseph disease/spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, the most common form of dominantly inherited ataxia. In this study, we performed sequence self‐homology dot plot analysis and compared orthologous proteins to analyze the architecture of ataxin‐3 during the evolution of Filozoa. This analysis uncovered up to three additional repetitions of the ubiquitin binding motif in ataxin‐3, including the helical hairpin insertion in the Josephin domain, and revealed a highly conserved multimodular architecture that is broadly preserved throughout the Filozoa. Overall, a set of 78 putative ubiquitin binding repeats from 18 exemplar proteins were identified. Apparent neofunctionalization events could also be recognized, including modification of repeat 5 which gave rise to the disease‐linked polyglutamine tract, just before the Sarcopterygian divergence. This model provides a unifying principle for the ataxin‐3 protein architecture and can potentially provide new insights into the role of molecular interactions in ataxin‐3 function and Machado‐Joseph disease/spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 disease mechanisms.
Stephen Perez brings optimism, answers to California State University, Chico
Authors: D’Orio Wayne
Published: November 2024

Stephen Perez is an optimistic person. But even the President of California State University, Chico, admits there are dark clouds threatening the future of not just his university but all of higher education. “We’re combating a very political environment,” Perez said. Some conservative critics charge universities with indoctrinating students in liberal policies, while others question whether higher education is worth the cost.
An Efficient Tri‐Conductive Electrode for Ethane Direct Electrochemical Dehydrogenation on Proton Ceramic Electrolysis Cells
Authors: Zhang Shixian , Sun Wang , Xu Chunming , Ren Rongzheng , Qiao Jinshuo , Wang Zhenhua , Sun Kening
Published: November 2024

The preparation of ethylene from ethane, a main component of shale gas, has become an important process of the petrochemical industry, using ethane steam cracking at high temperatures (>900 °C), which is a highly energy intensive industry. Here, direct dehydrogenation of ethane is engineered electrochemically to produce ethylene and hydrogen in a proton‐conducting electrolysis cell, achieving over 50% ethane conversion and 90.42% ethylene selectivity at 700 °C. On the basis of constructing NiCu bimetallic alloy nano‐catalyst on the surface of perovskite Sr3Fe2O7, Hafnium (Hf) element is doped in the bulk phase to improve proton conductivity, establish triple conductivity, and achieve efficient directional conversion of ethane. The carbon dioxide reduction reaction at the cathode is further coupled, resulting in a higher conversion of ethane on the anode side and the production of syngas on the cathode side. This electrochemical reaction process provides a choice for the clean production of high value‐added small molecule chemical products.
Accommodation and critique: A necessary tension
Authors: Smith Alistair J. , Midgley Gerald
Published: November 2024

A dilemma in critical systems thinking is how to balance a desire for critique to inspire far‐reaching transformations in society with the requirement for people to reach accommodations to enable on‐the‐ground change. Both critique and accommodation are necessary to realise transformations, yet they are often in tension. If critique is undertaken by lone researchers and prioritised over accommodation, then the lack of stakeholder buy‐in can lead to a failure of implementation. Conversely, if accommodation is prioritised over critique, then implementation is more likely, but it may be less than transformative due to the need to keep more conservative stakeholders engaged. A strategy to address this problem is offered by Gillian Rose. This paper discusses how her strategy can inform critical systems thinking. It then ends with more general reflections on the value of the work of Gillian Rose for systemic intervention.
Spatial Shifting of Biocondensate Assembly Zone in a Microfluidic Gradient of Dissipative Condition
Authors: Juneja Sakshi , Sivoria Neetu , Maiti Subhabrata
Published: November 2024

Pursuing non‐equilibrium chemistry with (bio)molecules is of utmost importance for the design of life‐like dynamic materials that emerge in a constant flux of energy. Herein, we explore spatial localization of dissipative self‐assembly of biocondensate (DNA‐histone) via passing chemical fuel (histone) and one fuel‐degrading agent (trypsin) through two arms of the Y‐shaped microfluidic chip. In this case, a continuous supply of fuel and fuel‐degrading agent results self‐assembly of biocondensate, maintaining a non‐equilibrium steady state (NESS). We find in the presence of gradient of dissipating conditions, the formation zone of biocondensate drifts towards fuel‐rich zone (away from dissipating zone). In absence of fuel‐degrading agent, diffusive transport of free DNA towards histone channel (perpendicular to advection) is restricted as it formed much larger micron‐sized biocondensate at the center of the channel (the meeting point of two flows). However, this sidewise DNA diffusion is operative in the presence of fuel‐degrading agent and therefore, the formation zone shifted to histone‐rich zone. Furthermore, we demonstrate that in the presence of trypsin, catalytic DNA's peroxidase reactivity can be moved to histone‐rich region. Transposition of self‐assembly process in a gradient of dissipative conditions will be of importance in the development of spatially‐controlled chemistry, reaction‐diffusion processes.
Growth and Mortality of Zoo‐Reared Ozark Hellbenders, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi (Grobman 1943)
Authors: Macklem D. Cristina , Augustine Lauren , Wanner Mark D. , Ettling Jeffery A. , Crabill Trisha , Pedigo Amanda S. , Schuette Chawna , Ihrig‐Bueckendorf Patty L. , Martin Aja J. , Noble Katie R. , Elden Justin M. , Briggler Jeffrey T.
Published: November 2024

Ozark hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi, Grobman 1943) populations in Missouri and Arkansas have been federally listed as endangered since 2011. As part of the comprehensive recovery plan for the subspecies, the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute's Ron and Karen Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation, in collaboration with the Missouri Department of Conservation, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, established a conservation breeding and head‐starting program to augment and create self‐sustaining wild populations. We examined how the river of origin and egg origin (i.e., Zoo‐bred or wild‐bred) influenced various growth and mortality responses of Zoo‐reared Ozark hellbenders. River of origin significantly predicted most larval and long‐term Zoo‐reared Ozark hellbender growth responses, with our results concurring with observed differences in wild populations and known genetic relationships between Ozark hellbender populations. Mortality of Zoo‐reared Ozark hellbenders was often predicted by river of origin and egg origin with Zoo‐bred hellbenders having significantly higher proportional mortality responses relative to wild‐bred hellbenders. Further exploration of this egg origin relationship revealed differences between the Zoo breeding group generations with higher proportional mortality rates for hellbenders from the less mature second‐generation breeding group relative to hellbenders from the first‐generation breeding group and wild‐bred hellbenders. Ultimately, our results provide baseline data on Zoo‐bred and wild‐bred Ozark hellbenders in the program, help identify differences in growth and mortality responses between Ozark hellbender populations, and contribute to existing evidence supporting distinct populations of Ozark hellbenders in Missouri to aid in targeted conservation strategies.
Using Social Media in NVivo
Authors: Mortelmans Dimitri
Published: November 2024

The chapter examines the challenges and techniques for incorporating social media data into NVivo. NVivo allows three types of social media data to be used in the program: Twitter, Facebook and YouTube data. The chapter shows how this data can be imported into the program using the add-on NCapture. This tool facilitates the import to either textual formats (PDF) or database formats (matrices). Next, the chapter illustrates how the social media data can be coded and queried.
Doing a Literature Review with NVivo
Authors: Mortelmans Dimitri
Published: November 2024

This chapter does not introduce any new tools. Instead, it reviews the tools already discussed in this book and applies them when a researcher wants to use NVivo for literature reviews. The chapter describes methods for importing bibliographic data, coding literature, and synthesising findings from the literature. The chapter introduces a double coding strategy with structure and content coding, making literature coding more efficient. NVivo’s visualisation tools are re-introduced and applied to coded literature. The chapter discusses the differences in using these tools when not relying on interview data but summarising literature content.
Heart Health, Climate Change and the UNSDGs
Authors: Stewart Simon
Published: November 2024

Before introducing the specific topic of climate change and how it might (and does) influence heart disease-related events on a global scale, this brief chapter frames this book within the bigger picture of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in Sustainable development (the 17 goals); 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/goals. Accessed June 2024). It should become clear to the reader that the intersection between heart health and climatic conditions spans from the individual to the population level. Throughout, the concept of climatic vulnerability versus resilience will be mainly discussed from an individual perspective. However, the broader picture (in the face of a global threat that extends to every horizon) demands we first consider vulnerability and priorities within the global population. In specific terms, who stands to lose most from climate change and, more pertinently, who is able to respond to the health issues that arise?
The Synergistic Threat of Pollution and Climate Change
Authors: Stewart Simon
Published: November 2024

While it might be tempting to simplify our interactions with weather and longer-term climatic conditions as a simple byproduct of varying atmospheric conditions, this would be a mistake. As will be outlined in this chapter, air pollution (a nasty consequence of the mainly human activities and technology driving climate change!) by itself, is likely cardio-toxic. Moreover, concentrations of outdoor air pollution and its impact on the cardiovascular system varies according to the prevailing climatic conditions, topography and human structures/activity. Other forms of pollution, including indoor air pollution, metal pollutants, microplastics and noise pollution are also important factors in eroding the capacity of an individual’s cardiovascular (and broader cardiopulmonary) system to maintain homeostasis when confronted with provocative climatic conditions. It is for this reason that ‘pollution’ has been elevated to the status of being a “non-traditional, major risk factor” for cardiovascular disease. But how much does climate and climate change influence it’s impact on our heart health? To answer this question, in this chapter the synergistic threat of pollution as both a consequence and cause of climate change will be explored.
Developing Application Profiles for Enhancing Data and Workflows in Cultural Heritage Digitisation Processes
Authors: Barzaghi Sebastian , Heibi Ivan , Moretti Arianna , Peroni Silvio
Published: November 2024

As a result of the proliferation of 3D digitisation in the context of cultural heritage projects, digital assets and digitisation processes – being considered as proper research objects – must prioritise adherence to FAIR principles. Existing standards and ontologies, such as CIDOC-CRM, play a crucial role in this regard, but they are often over-engineered for the need of a particular application context, thus making their understanding and adoption difficult. Application profiles of a given standard – defined as sets of ontological entities drawn from one or more semantic artefacts for a particular context or application – are usually proposed as tools for promoting interoperability and reuse while being tied entirely to the particular application context they refer to. In this paper, we present an adaptation and application of an ontology development methodology, i.e. SAMOD, to guide the creation of robust, semantically sound application profiles of large standard models. Using an existing pilot study we have developed in a project dedicated to leveraging virtual technologies to preserve and valorise cultural heritage, we introduce an application profile named CHAD-AP, that we have developed following our customised version of SAMOD. We reflect on the use of SAMOD and similar ontology development methodologies for this purpose, highlighting its strengths and current limitations, future developments, and possible adoption in other similar projects.
Bildung in Zeiten der Klimakrise und sozial-ökologischer Transformation
Authors: Jansen Annegret
Published: November 2024

In diesem Kapitel werden die Entwicklung, Zielsetzung und bildungspolitische Implementierung des Konzeptes Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung im internationalen und nationalen Zusammenhang nachgezeichnet (2.1). Am Beispiel zweier im bundesdeutschen Bildungskontext relevanter Kompetenzmodelle – das Modell der Gestaltungskompetenz (de Haan, 2008) und das des Orientierungsrahmens des Lernbereichs Globale Entwicklung (KMK & BMZ, 2016) – wird aufgezeigt, welche Bildungsziele, Fähigkeiten und Fertigkeiten als in schulischen Bildungsprozessen zu fördernd bestimmt werden, um Schüler*innen aller Altersgruppen Orientierung in einer globalisierten Welt zu ermöglichen. Die Kompetenzmodelle werden im Hinblick auf das politikdidaktische Bildungsziel der politischen Urteilsbildung diskutiert (2.2), wobei sich zeigen wird, dass der im Lernbereich angestrebte kritische und engagierte Umgang mit den politischen, ökologischen, ökonomischen und sozialen Herausforderungen relativ vage adressiert wird.
Ziele und Fragestellungen
Authors: Jansen Annegret
Published: November 2024

In den vorangegangenen Kapiteln konnte ein Forschungs- und Entwicklungsbedarf hinsichtlich einer pluralistisch orientierten und damit politischen Nachhaltigkeitsbildung identifiziert werden. Sowohl theoretische Überlegungen als auch empirische Befunde zum Umgang mit komplexen Problemstellungen einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung haben dies verdeutlicht. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass bisher kaum theoretisch-konzeptionelle Überlegungen sowie empirische Untersuchungen an der Schnittstelle zwischen der Politischen Bildung und einer Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung vorhanden sind.

Das vorliegende Forschungsvorhaben untersucht die Förderung nachhaltigkeitsbezogener Urteilsbildung durch einen Unterrichtsansatz, in dem problem-, konflikt- und erfahrungsorientierte
Zugänge kombiniert werden.
City Command and Control Centers as Think Tanks for Organization of Big Events
Authors: Martins Pedro , Hojda Alexandre , de Moraes Batista Simão Marcela
Published: November 2024

The city command and control center (C4) can be considered as the heart of a smart city. In this sense, the big picture is that the C4 integrates local urban services and teams to make the city run smoothly and efficiently for residents, businesses, and visitors, guaranteeing people’s safety and security, by providing prompt responses to risks and occurrences (unexpected or expected). To achieve this, three major roles need to be well covered by C4: to identify risks and problems; to integrate planning and operations; and to communicate with citizens and city teams. Big events in venues—or having urban open spaces as venues—gather in specific regions more people, risks and, consequently, more complexities, forcing the C4 to adapt its operational arrangement to deal with these temporary scenarios. Based on Rio de Janeiro’s experiences such as the annual carnival parades and the 2016 Olympic Games, this chapter aims to highlight lessons learned and best practices regarding city command and control for big events as key element to deliver, as results, higher levels of city operational governance for events and minimizing its impacts in citizens’ daily routines. The topics covered includes communication strategies with citizens and operational teams; integrated operational planning within the C4; real-time monitoring; risks and contingencies assessments, via exercises; and rearrangement of C4 for street events. Authors utilized participant observation as methodology to develop this chapter, as they gathered information from direct participation in the working processes in Rio, and organized it in knowledge that can be used as reference for Sure project and other cities’ initiatives worldwide
Archeology Expanded—a Multidisciplinary Approach for Natural Disaster Response
Authors: Bermúdez Víctor Andrés Pérez , Ariza Daniela Vargas
Published: November 2024

This article evaluates the vulnerability index of three elements associated with the historical and fortified heritage of Santa Catalina Island, a volcanic promontory located in the northwest of the Colombian Caribbean. The extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season intensified the loss of valuable heritage assets of the Raizal community. Taking into account their intangible and historical values, the analysis focuses on the impacts of climate change on these elements over time, with the aim of contributing to scientific debate on the awareness and protection of cultural heritage for future generations.
Taking Seaflower to the Classroom: A Proposal to Bring Sustainability Education to High Schools in an Oceanic Archipelago (Western Caribbean, Colombia)
Authors: Blanco-Libreros Juan F. , López-Rodríguez Sara R. , Lasso-Zapata Jairo , Méndez Beatriz , De Armas Nairo , Mitchell-Bent Margareth
Published: November 2024

Geographic understanding is an important ability to be developed in learning communities in islands, since, as previously established, they have unique interactions with natural and human systems. In the case of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina, the curriculum standards, guidelines, and textbooks are designed mostly considering mainland learning communities of white/mestizo ancestry and overlooking the different backgrounds and needs of ethnic minority students, resulting in a total absence of a culturally responsive approach. In this chapter, we propose the geo-literacy umbrella as a tool to improve teacher training and institutional capabilities, previously proposed by academics as points of intervention to close the educational breach by 2030. The seascapes and landscapes protected by the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve offer a rich spatial template for context-based teaching and learning, particularly in local high schools where Geo-literacy might be also useful for introducing general knowledge about sustainability in islands. The General Law for Education in Colombia, provides guidelines that could be used by teachers as anchor points to integrate concepts and methods about sustainability in islands that challenge students to think about real-world problems.
Chemometrically driven multiplexed metal ion detection using a triple emitting quantum dots–based nanoprobe
Authors: Castro Rafael C. , Páscoa Ricardo N. M. J. , Saraiva M. Lúcia M. F. S. , Santos João L. M. , Ribeiro David S. M.
Published: November 2024

Metal ion pollution poses a global concern due to its significant risks to both human health and environmental well-being. The toxicity of these ions can increase when they coexist, interacting with each other and with other harmful substances, even at low concentrations. Therefore, an accurate, rapid, and cost-effective methodology is urgently needed for the simultaneous quantification of multiple metal ions. This study presents a new approach for the multiplexed detection of various metal ions (Ag+, Cu2+, Hg2+, Al3+, Pb2+, Fe3+, Fe2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, and Ca2+) using a triple-emission nanoprobe comprising carbon dots and distinctly capped CdTe quantum dots, specifically green-emitting glutathione -quantum dots and red-emitting 3-mercaptopropionic acid-quantum dots. The method achieved high accuracy by analysing first- and second-order photoluminescence data with distinct advanced chemometric tools. R2P values for partial least squares and unfolded partial least square models exceeding 0.9 for several metal ions at low concentrations (mmol L−1) were obtained. Additionally, PL second-order data yielded significantly better results than PL first-order data, attributed to the distinct behaviour of the metal ions over time. Interestingly, it was also noted for the first time the significant contribution of the molar ratio between the metal ions on the models’ accuracy. This novel method provides a highly accurate and efficient way to detect multiple metal ions simultaneously, paving the way for improved environmental monitoring and pollution assessment. The utilization of the proposed method contributes to a better understanding of the complex interactions in mixed metal ion systems, allowing for earlier detection and mitigation of metal ion contamination threats.

Graphical Abstract
Journeys of change towards the blue economy: evaluating process in transformational change
Authors: Evans Tegan , Fletcher Stephen , Failler Pierre , March Antaya , Potts Jonathan
Published: November 2024

Transformation is idealised as a solution to multiple ocean crises, and the blue economy has emerged as a paradigm to facilitate transformation towards a sustainable ocean future. Conceptualisations of transformation differ and processes of change to achieve transformation remain under-explored in literature, representing a significant gap in understanding how transformation is achieved. By exploring the process of blue economy governance transformations in Seychelles and Bangladesh, key attributes of transformation as a process are identified and contextualised. Connectivity of events and actions that addressed a range of different depths and parts of the governance system were identified as enablers of progress towards the blue economy. Strong, centralised leadership was identified as important at an early stage of change, but this must evolve to a distributed form of leadership to continue direction and flexibility. The role and importance of external agencies in creating and catalysing change is complex, presenting challenges to sovereignty but also acts as an independent driver of movement. From a national government perspective, the need to be ‘constantly seen as doing something’ hinders deeper changes and interventions, and instead promotes more superficial outcomes. These results demonstrate the challenges in creating transformative change, and suggest a need to explore evolutionary processes of change over time.
Expression of alpha smooth muscle actin decreases with ageing and increases upon lumen obstruction in mouse brain pericytes
Authors: Győri Fanni , Mészáros Ádám , Krecsmarik Mónika , Molnár Kinga , Balta Cornel , Hermenean Anca , Farkas Attila E. , Krizbai István A. , Wilhelm Imola
Published: November 2024

Cerebral pericytes are mural cells covering brain microvessels, organized as ensheathing, mesh and thin-strand pericytes. These latter two, together called capillary pericytes, have low levels of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), regulating basal vascular tone and applying a slow influence on cerebral blood flow. Pericytes are subject to alterations in ageing which may be even more pronounced in age-related pathologies, including microinfarcts, which usually affect a large number of vessels in the ageing brain. We modelled this condition by injecting 10 µm-size microspheres into the circulation of mice resulting in the occlusion of capillaries covered by ensheathing and mesh pericytes. We observed that α-SMA and Acta2, the gene encoding it, as well as TGF-β1/Tgfb1, the major regulator of α-SMA, decreased during ageing in cerebral microvessels. In the vicinity of the microspheres stalled in the capillaries, expression of α-SMA increased significantly in both ensheathing and especially in mesh pericytes, both in young (2 to 3 months of age) and old (24 months of age) mice. On the other hand, γ-actin was detected in endothelial cells, but not in pericytes, and decreased in microvessels of microsphere-containing hemispheres. Altogether, our data show that obstruction of cerebral microvessels increases α-SMA expression in pericytes in both age groups, but this does not compensate for the lower expression of the contractile protein in old animals. Increased α-SMA expression may lead to constriction of the obstructed vessels probably aggravating flow heterogeneity in the aged brain.
Urban Rail Transit in China: Progress Report and Analysis (2015–2023)
Authors: Lu Kai , Zhang Lei , Li Shen , Huang Yunping , Ding Xiang , Hao Jingnan , Huang Siqi , Li Xiaojuan , Lu Fang , Zhang Hongwei
Published: November 2024

The urban rail transit (URT) system in China has undergone development spanning over 50 years. In the period from 2008 to 2015, numerous URT lines were under construction. After 2015, an increasing number of cities have transitioned to multi-line network operations, with greater emphasis on system efficiency and passenger service. This transition has been accompanied by numerous successful innovations and applications aimed at enhancing system intelligence and automation. This paper provides a review of operational statistics based on annual reports, successful operational practices, and industry development characteristics over the past decade in mainland China. Additionally, suggestions and trends for the further development of URT in China are proposed.
Behavioral Strategy
Authors: Foss Nicolai J , Mazzelli Ambra , Weber Libby
Published: November 2024

Behavioral strategy has emerged as one of the most important currents in contemporary strategic management. But, what is it? Where does it come from? Why is it important? This Element provides a review of key streams in behavioral, interpreting behavioral strategy as a consistently microfoundational approach to strategy that is grounded in evidence-based insight in behaviors and interaction. We show that there is considerable room for furthering the microfoundations of behavioral strategy and point to research opportunities and methods that may realize this aim. The Element is of interest to strategy scholars in general, and to Ph.D. students in strategy research in particular.
Police talk in the jury room: the production of race-conscious reasonable doubt among racially diverse jury groups
Authors: Lynch Mona , Laguna Sofia
Published: November 2024

A central goal of Critical Race Theory (CRT) is to deconstruct the “jurisprudence of color-blindness” that is infused with the language of equality while operating to maintain racial hierarchies. Color-blind ideology extends to the procedures governing criminal juries, ensuring they are disproportionately white while constraining diversity of perspectives, especially regarding policing issues. In this paper, we merge CRT insights about color-blindness and race-consciousness in the criminal jury context and in the Fourth Amendment law governing policing, to advance empirical socio-legal scholarship on race and jury decision-making. We analyze deliberations data from mock jury groups that decided on verdict in a federal drug conspiracy trial, focusing on how groups talked about law enforcement testimony. We find that negative discussions of the law enforcement testimony is associated with shifts toward acquittal, there are more skeptical discussions about this testimony when the defendant is Black, and that the presence of at least one Black juror in any given group is associated with more skeptical discussions of law enforcement testimony. Our qualitative analysis illustrates how Black jurors, in particular, raised concerns about policing, including unjust treatment of Black citizens, then successfully tied those concerns to the specific legal considerations at issue in the case.
Equivariant parametrized topological complexity
Authors: Daundkar Navnath
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we define and study an equivariant analogue of Cohen, Farber and Weinberger’s parametrized topological complexity. We show that several results in the non-equivariant case can be extended to the equivariant case. For example, we establish the fibrewise equivariant homotopy invariance of the sequential equivariant parametrized topological complexity. We obtain several bounds on sequential equivariant topological complexity involving the equivariant category. We also obtain the cohomological lower bound and the dimension-connectivity upper bound on the sequential equivariant parametrized topological complexity. In the end, we use these results to compute the sequential equivariant parametrized topological complexity of equivariant Fadell–Neuwirth fibrations and some equivariant fibrations involving generalized projective product spaces.
Slab‐Plume Interactions Beneath Australia and New Zealand: New Insight From Whole‐Mantle Tomography
Authors: Toyokuni Genti , Zhao Dapeng
Published: November 2024

Australia, New Zealand, and the surrounding regions have experienced complex plate interactions with significant seismic and volcanic activities. The Taupo volcano on the North Island of New Zealand has experienced multiple catastrophic eruptions. Although Australia is known as a stable landmass with low seismic and volcanic activity, intraplate volcanoes along its eastern coast are considered to be caused by hot mantle plumes. To better understand the seismic and volcanic activities in the region, it is necessary to study the detailed 3‐D structure of the crust and mantle. Here we apply a well‐established global tomography method to reveal the 3‐D P‐wave velocity () structure of the whole mantle beneath this region. We used ∼7 million P, pP, PP, PcP, and Pdiff wave arrival times of 23,666 earthquakes recorded at 14,181 seismograph stations worldwide. The resulting tomography clearly shows high‐ subducted slabs, and low‐ anomalies above and below the slabs, which may reflect corner flow in the mantle wedge and subslab hot mantle upwelling (SHMU), respectively. A slab window is revealed beneath the North Island of New Zealand. Given the development of SHMU beneath this region, the catastrophic eruptions of the Taupo volcano might be powered by a mixture of island arc magma and SHMU through the slab window. Beneath the intraplate volcanoes along the eastern coast of Australia and the Tasman Sea, a thin low‐ zone exists and extends down to the core‐mantle boundary, suggesting that the intraplate volcanoes might be, at least partially, fed by a plume rising from the lower mantle.
Early Season 2023 Wildfires Generated Record‐Breaking Surface Ozone Anomalies Across the U.S. Upper Midwest
Authors: Cooper Owen R. , Chang Kai‐Lan , Bates Kelvin , Brown Steven S. , Chace Wyndom S. , Coggon Matthew M. , Gorchov Negron Alan M. , Middlebrook Ann M. , Peischl Jeff , Piasecki Alison , Schafer Nell , Stockwell Chelsea E. , Wang Siyuan , Warneke Carsten , Zuraski Kristen , Miyazaki Kazuyuki , Payne Vivienne H. , Pennington Elyse A. , Worden John R. , Bowman Kevin W. , McDonald Brian C.
Published: November 2024

During summer 2023 Canada experienced its most intense wildfire season on record. Smoke plumes from these fires advected across the United States (U.S.) Upper Midwest, producing regional scale surface enhancements of PM2.5 and ozone, as recorded by the U.S. surface monitoring network. These events are notable because they occurred early in the fire season (May 15‐June 30), and they produced the highest regional‐scale surface ozone levels ever recorded across the northern tier of the U.S. during early (May–June) or late (July‐August) summer. Specifically, the Upper Midwest 50th ozone percentile was greater than in any other year since 1995, when the ozone monitoring network had sufficient coverage to assess regional‐scale ozone levels; the 90th percentile was the highest since 2002. Satellite and aircraft measurements demonstrate the availability of ozone precursors and ozone production within the smoke plumes.
Improving the Parameterization of Complex Subsurface Flow Properties With Style‐Based Generative Adversarial Network (StyleGAN)
Authors: Ling Wei , Jafarpour Behnam
Published: November 2024

Representing and preserving complex (non‐Gaussian) spatial patterns in aquifer flow properties during model calibration are challenging. Conventional parameterization methods that rely on linear/Gaussian assumptions are not suitable for representation of property maps with more complex spatial patterns. Deep learning techniques, such as Variational Autoencoders (VAE) and Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), have recently been proposed to address this difficulty by learning complex spatial patterns from prior training images and synthesizing similar realizations using low‐dimensional latent variables with Gaussian distributions. The resulting Gaussian latent variables lend themselves to calibration with the ensemble Kalman filter‐based updating schemes that are suitable for parameters with Gaussian distribution. Despite their superior performance in generating complex spatial patterns, these generative models may not provide desirable properties that are needed for parameterization of model calibration problems, including robustness, smoothness in the latent domain, and reconstruction fidelity. This paper introduces the second generation of style‐based Generative Adversarial Networks (StyleGAN) for parameterization of complex subsurface flow properties and compares its model calibration properties and performance with those of the convolutional VAE and GAN architectures. Numerical experiments involving model calibration with the Ensemble Smoother with Multiple Data Assimilation (ES‐MDA) in single‐phase and two‐phase fluid flow examples are used to assess the capabilities and limitations of these methods. The results show that parameterization with StyleGANs provides superior performance in terms of reconstruction fidelity and flexibility, underscoring its potential for improving the representation and reconstruction of complex spatial patterns in subsurface flow model calibration problems.
Microbubble-based fabrication of resilient porous ionogels for high-sensitivity pressure sensors
Authors: Yang Ziwei , Wang Jingxiao , Wan Xiao , Xu Hongcheng , Zhang Chuanyu , Lu Xiaoke , Jing Weixuan , Guo Chuanfei , Wei Xueyong
Published: November 2024

High-sensitivity flexible pressure sensors have obtained extensive attention because of their expanding applications in e-skins and wearable medical devices for various disease diagnoses. As the representative candidate for these sensors, the iontronic microstructure has been widely proven to enhance sensation behaviors such as the sensitivity and limits of detection. However, the fast and tunable fabrication of ionic-porous sensing elastomers remains challenging because of the current template-dissolved or 3D printing methods. Here, we report a microbubble-based fabrication process that enables microporous and resilient-compliance ionogels for high-sensitivity pressure sensors. Periodic motion sliding results in a relative velocity between the imported airflow and the fluid solution, converts the airflow to microbubbles in the high-viscosity ionic fluid and promptly solidifies the fluid into a porous ionogel under ultraviolet exposure. The ultrahigh porosity of up to 95% endows the porous ionogel with superelasticity and a Young’s modulus near 7 kPa. Due to the superelastic compliance and iontronic electrical double-layer effect, the porous ionogel packaged into two electrodes endows the pressure sensor with high sensitivity (684.4 kPa−1) over an ultrabroad range (~1 MPa) and a high-pressure resolution of 0.46%. Furthermore, the pressure sensor successfully captures high-yield broad-range signals from the fingertip low-pressure pulses (<1 kPa) to foot high-pressure activities (>500 kPa), even the grasping force of soft machine hands via an array-scanning circuit during object recognition. This microbubble-based fabrication process for porous ionogels paves the way for designing wearable sensors or permeable electronics to monitor and diagnose various diseases.
An Open Source Python Library for Anonymizing Sensitive Data
Authors: Sáinz-Pardo Díaz Judith , López García Álvaro
Published: November 2024

Open science is a fundamental pillar to promote scientific progress and collaboration, based on the principles of open data, open source and open access. However, the requirements for publishing and sharing open data are in many cases difficult to meet in compliance with strict data protection regulations. Consequently, researchers need to rely on proven methods that allow them to anonymize their data without sharing it with third parties. To this end, this paper presents the implementation of a Python library for the anonymization of sensitive tabular data. This framework provides users with a wide range of anonymization methods that can be applied on the given dataset, including the set of identifiers, quasi-identifiers, generalization hierarchies and allowed level of suppression, along with the sensitive attribute and the level of anonymity required. The library has been implemented following best practices for integration and continuous development, as well as the use of workflows to test code coverage based on unit and functional tests.
Study on secondary collapse of the bottom frame masonry structure in semi-ruined state based on FEM–FDEM
Authors: Xu Defeng , Sun Feifei , Zhao Huaixiang , Qi Honghui , Chen Limei , Hu Tianyu
Published: November 2024

The bottom frame masonry structure (BFMS) in a semi-ruined state is vulnerable to secondary collapse under strong aftershocks, posing a significant risk to rescuers during post-earthquake operations. Therefore, investigating the mechanisms and characteristics of secondary collapse of BFMS in a semi-ruined state (BFMS-SR) under aftershocks is critical. This paper proposes a numerical modeling framework for BFMS under mainshock-aftershock conditions, utilizing a combination of the finite element method (FEM) and the finite discrete element method (FDEM). The validation demonstrates that FEM–FDEM can effectively reproduce the transition of BFMS from an intact state to a semi-ruined state, ultimately leading to a secondary collapse state. Subsequently, the mechanisms and structural response characteristics of BFMS-SR under aftershocks are analyzed. The secondary collapse of the BFMS-SR under aftershocks is primarily governed by column hinge development. Furthermore, according to the time-history curve of absolute vertical velocity, the secondary collapse of BFMS-SR exhibits four distinct stages: stabilization, structural response development, secondary collapse, and post-collapse. The end of the stabilization phase is proposed as the early-warning threshold for secondary collapse of BFMS-SR under aftershocks, aiding in post-earthquake rescue operations.
High-resolution biologging of an Atlantic bluefin tuna captured and eaten by a supposed orca
Authors: Rudd Jessica L. , Abel Ghalia , Baringo Francisco , Birch Samantha , Block Barbara A. , Collins Martin A. , de Stephanis Renaud , Exeter Owen M. , Garzon Francesco , Guinet Christophe , Horton Thomas W. , Righton David , van der Kooij Jeroen , Witt Matthew J. , Wright Serena , Hawkes Lucy A.
Published: November 2024

Biologging has been used on a range of wild animals to document spectacular feats of migration and behaviour. We describe the pursuit, capture, and ingestion of an adult Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) (175 cm, estimated weight: 81 kg), which was instrumented with a biologging tag, by a predator, most likely an orca (Orcinus orca). The predation event lasted over 19 min, with the tuna exhibiting elevated activity (max acceleration 3.12 g) and a rapid ascent from 126 m at 3.6 m.s− 1 followed by death and handling at the surface. Orca were separately recorded using video tags, capturing and handling tuna cooperatively in a manner consistent with the tuna data. We then present the longest orca accelerometry dataset from the ingested MiniPAT tag, with diel patterns of activity and 77 feeding events. These unique datasets provide insight into the energetic dynamics of two of the ocean’s fastest predators.
A novel Ce-doped hydrotalcite for the efficient removal of tetracycline hydrochloride in the photo-Fenton system: from properties to mechanisms
Authors: Chen Yanshu , Liu Xia , Wang Ximan , Sun Shuanghui , Wu Yunfeng , Bao Siqi , Xu Lei
Published: November 2024

A Ce-doped hydrotalcite was synthesized, which completely removed tetracycline hydrochloride in the photo-Fenton system within 60 min.
Study on the therapeutic effect and some immune factors by methotrexate modified superparamagnetic nanoparticles in rat mammary tumors
Authors: Huang Li , Zhao Xing , Zhang Jun , Zhang Jiquan , Liao Weike , Fan Yanhua , Tang Jintian , He Zhixu , Gao Fuping , Ouyang Weiwei
Published: November 2024

Objective: this study investigates the efficacy, immunological impact, and preliminary safety of methotrexate (MTX) modified magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles in thermochemotherapy for mammary tumors in rats.