bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Barriers for exiting sex work: an exploration on female sex workers (FSW) in Puducherry, India
Authors: Swathisha P. , Deb Sibnath
Published: April 2024

Exit is not an easy task for a sex worker. Academic investigations of the reasons and barriers to exit from the sex industry are lacking heavily. Sex work is a stigmatised profession, even though the workers find it difficult to exit the same. The current study attempted to understand the barriers faced by female sex workers in Puducherry, a union territory in the southeast part of India, to exit from sex work. The participants comprise 19 female sex workers (FSW) who work in Puducherry. The data were collected through in-depth interviews. All of the participants had thoughts about quitting. The barriers to exit were identified. The barriers were recognised at the individual, interpersonal (microsystem), and structural (macro system) levels within the framework of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, which are discussed in detail in the paper. The study also identified a lack of support systems for the targeted population.
LATIN LVPVS ‘WOLF’ AS A GREEK LOANWORD
Authors: Esposito Simon
Published: April 2024

The Latin word lupus ‘wolf’ uniquely shares with Greek λύκος a metathesized form of Proto-Indo-European *u̯l̥kʷos, and it is unlikely that they could have arisen independently. But an early borrowing from Greek into the Italic languages can be justified, after metathesis took place, but before the changes to labiovelar consonants in each language that would exclude the possibility.
Behavioural interventions to increase adherence to palivizumab prophylaxis in children with CHD
Authors: Erolu Elif , Kıbrıs Özgür , Tosun Yasemin , Yildirim Ayse , Pamukcu Ozge , Basar Evic Zeynep , Babaoglu Kadir , Epcacan Serdar , Donmez Yasemin , Giray Dilek , Dervisoglu Pınar , Tascı Onur
Published: April 2024

Objectives:

Adherence to palivizumab prophylaxis programmes is crucial to protect infants with CHD against respiratory syncytial virus infections. We analysed the effectiveness of two nudge interventions in increasing adherence.

Methods:

Our study included 229 infants, and their caregivers, from five centers in Turkey in the 2020–2021 respiratory syncytial virus season. We randomly allocated caregivers to a control and two intervention groups. Caregivers in all groups were informed about the prophylaxis programme and provided a schedule. Additionally, caregivers in Intervention 1 were called two days before appointments (default bias) and were asked to plan the appointment day (implementation intention), whereas caregivers in Intervention 2 received biweekly text messages informing them about the programme’s benefits (availability bias) and current adherence rate (social norm).

Results:

Caregivers in Intervention 1 had a significantly higher adherence rate than Control (97.3% versus 90.9%) (p = 0.014). Both interventions had a significant effect on participants in their first prophylaxis season (p = 0.031, p = 0.037). Families where the father was employed had a 14.2% higher adherence rate (p = 0.001). Every additional child was associated with a 2.2% decrease in adherence rate (p = 0.02). In control, ICU admission history was associated with an 18.8% lower adherence rate (p = 0.0001), but this association disappeared in intervention groups.

Conclusion:

This is the first prospective interventional study which, in the context of palivizumab prophylaxis, analyses the effectiveness of nudge interventions based on established cognitive biases by comparing randomly generated intervention and control groups. We found that default bias and implementation intention have significant effects on adherence.

Clinical trial, in the name and number “Adherence of palivizumab prophylaxis, NCT05778240” registered retrospectively. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05778240.
Exploring the Role of Resilience as a Mediator in Selective Preventive Transdiagnostic Intervention (PROCARE+) for Adolescents at Risk of Emotional Disorders
Authors: Vivas-Fernandez Manuel , Garcia-Lopez Luis-Joaquin , Muela-Martinez Jose Antonio , Piqueras Jose A. , Espinosa-Fernandez Lourdes , Jimenez-Vazquez David , del Mar Diaz-Castela Maria
Published: April 2024

Abstract: Introduction: Psychological treatments are becoming an increasingly important component of medical healthcare, as a growing number of people seek treatment for a wide range of mental health problems. While these treatments are known to be effective, much remains to be understood about their mechanisms and reasons for effectiveness. The study of statistical mediators is crucial in psychological research, as it is fundamental to understanding how psychological factors influence health, well-being, and human behavior, and thus to designing effective psychological interventions. Aim: This study investigates the role of resilience as a treatment mediator in PROCARE+, a brief transdiagnostic, personalized protocol for the selective prevention of emotional disorders in adolescents. This approach has proven effective for young people at risk of developing emotional issues. Method: We used simple mediation models in a sample of 153 adolescents to assess the impact of interventions on resilience. Outcome variables included self-reported and parent-reported emotional risk, mood, anxiety symptoms, and quality of life. Discussion: The results of this study provide valuable information on how PROCARE+ works and how to improve its effectiveness, pointing to resilience as a key mediator in reducing the risk of developing emotional disorders and improving quality of life.
Validation of Satellite‐Based Cloud Phase Distributions Using Global‐Scale In Situ Airborne Observations
Authors: Wang Dao , Yang Ching An , Diao Minghui
Published: April 2024

Understanding distributions of cloud thermodynamic phases is important for accurately representing cloud radiative effects and cloud feedback in a changing climate. Satellite‐based cloud phase data have been frequently used to compare with climate models, yet few studies validated them against in situ observations at a near‐global scale. This study aims to validate three satellite‐based cloud phase products using a compositive in situ airborne data set developed from 11 flight campaigns. Latitudinal‐altitudinal cross sections of cloud phase occurrence frequencies are examined. The Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) show the most similar vertical profiles of ice phase frequencies compared with in situ observations. The CloudSat data overestimate mixed‐phase frequencies up to 15 km but provide better sampling through cloud layers than lidar data. The DARDAR (raDAR/liDAR) data show a sharp transition between ice and liquid phase and overestimate ice phase frequency at most altitudes and latitudes. The satellite data are further evaluated for various latitudes, longitudes, and seasons, which show higher ice phase frequency in the extratropics in their respective wintertime and smaller impacts from longitudinal variations. The Southern Ocean shows a thicker mixing region where liquid and ice phases have similar frequencies compared with tropics and Northern Hemisphere (NH) extratropics. Two comparison methods with different spatiotemporal windows show similar results, which demonstrates the statistical robustness of these comparisons. Overall, this study develops a near global‐scale in situ observational data set to assess the accuracy of satellite‐based cloud phase products and investigates the key factors affecting the distributions of cloud phases.
Conflicting Changes of Vegetation Greenness Interannual Variability on Half of the Global Vegetated Surface
Authors: Tian Jiaqi , Luo Xiangzhong
Published: April 2024

Changes in the interannual variability (IAV) of vegetation greenness and carbon sequestration are key indicators of the stability and climate sensitivities of terrestrial ecosystems. Recent studies have examined the changes in the vegetation IAV using atmospheric CO2 observations and dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs), however, reported different and even contradictory IAV trends. Here, we investigate the changes in the IAV of vegetation greenness, quantified as coefficient of variability (CV), over the past few decades based on multiple satellite remote sensing products and DGVMs. Our results suggested that, on half of the global vegetated surface (mostly in the tropics), the CV trends detected by different satellite remote sensing products are conflicting. We found that 22.20% and 28.20% of the global vegetated surface (mostly in the non‐tropical land surface) show significant positive and negative CV trends (p ≤ 0.1), respectively. Regions with higher air temperature and greater aridity tend to have increasing CV trends, whereas greater vegetation greening trend and higher nitrogen deposition lead to smaller CV trends. DGVMs generally cannot capture the CV trends obtained from satellite remote sensing products, while the inconsistency among satellite remote sensing products is likely caused by their process algorithms rather than the sensors utilized. Our study closely examines the changes in the IAV of global vegetation greenness, and highlights substantial uncertainty when using satellite remote sensing to study the response of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change.
Characterization of Southern Peru Hydrothermal Systems: New Perspectives for Geothermal Exploration Along the Andean Forearc
Authors: Taillefer Audrey , Truche Laurent , Audin Laurence , Donzé Frédéric‐Victor , Tisserand Delphine , Denti Simona , Manrique Llerena Nelida , Masías Alvarez Pablo Jorge , Braucher Régis , Zerathe Swann , Monnin Christophe , Dutoit Hugo , Taipe Maquerhua Edu , Apaza Choquehuayta Fredy Erlingtton
Published: April 2024

This study provides a comprehensive characterization of various hydrothermal systems in Southern Peru ranging from the faulted Precordillera's steep topography up to the volcanic High Cordillera (>4,000 m asl). The objective is to investigate thermal anomalies that may potentially serve as new geothermal resources. Our integrated approach combines: (a) geochemistry from 14 hot springs sampled throughout the Tacna region, and (b) 3D numerical modeling of coupled groundwater and heat transfer considering topography and faults embedded in homogeneous permeability. Water and gas analysis indicates that the springs located near volcanoes discharge Na‐K‐Cl waters with high temperatures (>87°C), high Total Dissolved Solid concentrations (TDS >3,452 mg/L), and free gases dominated by CO2 (>90 vol%). Springs located along the regional faults in the Precordillera discharge Ca‐SO4 and Na‐K‐Cl waters with moderate temperatures (27–53°C), intermediate TDS concentrations (464–2,458 mg/L), radiocarbon ages between 1.4 and 7.9 kyr, and free gases dominated by N2 (>95 vol%). The Aruma springs, which are located at the transition between the High and the Precordillera, display intermediate characteristics. Numerical models accurately replicate the locations and temperatures of the fault‐related springs only for permeable faults (>10−14 m2), revealing the creation of 100‐km long thermal plumes along faults, locally rising up the 150°C‐isotherm to about ∼1,000 m below the surface. This approach clearly distinguishes the spring origins, which are volcanic in High Cordillera and tectonic in Precordillera. Moreover, we highlight that steep topographic gradient and permeable reverse faults in the Andean forearc may generate considerable thermal anomalies, opening perspectives for the geothermal exploration.
Storm‐Driven pCO2 Feedback Weakens the Response of Air‐Sea CO2 Fluxes in the Sub‐Antarctic Southern Ocean
Authors: Toolsee Tesha , Nicholson Sarah‐Anne , Monteiro Pedro M. S.
Published: April 2024

The sub‐seasonal CO2 flux (FCO2) variability across the Southern Ocean is poorly understood due to sparse observations at the required temporal and spatial scales. Twinned surface and profiling gliders experiments were used to investigate how storms influence FCO2 through the air‐sea gradient in partial pressure of CO2 (ΔpCO2) in the sub‐Antarctic zone. Winter‐spring storms caused ΔpCO2 to weaken (by 22–37 μatm) due to mixing/entrainment and weaker stratification. This weakening in ΔpCO2 was in phase with the increase in wind stress resulting in a reduction of the storm‐driven CO2 uptake by 6%–27%. During summer, stronger stratification explained the weaker sensitivity of ΔpCO2 to storms, instead temperature changes dominated the ΔpCO2 variability. These results highlight the importance of observing synoptic‐scale variability in ΔpCO2, the absence of which may propagate significant biases to the mean annual FCO2 estimates from large‐scale observing programmes and reconstructions.
Ventilation of the Arabian Sea Oxygen Minimum Zone by Persian Gulf Water
Authors: Font Estel , Swart Sebastiaan , Bruss Gerd , Sheehan Peter M. F. , Heywood Karen J. , Queste Bastien Y.
Published: April 2024

Dense overflows from marginal seas are critical pathways of oxygen supply to the Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), yet these remain inadequately understood. Climate models struggle to accurately reproduce the observed extent and intensity of the Arabian Sea OMZ due to their limited ability to capture processes smaller than their grid scale, such as dense overflows. Multi‐month repeated sections by underwater gliders off the coast of Oman resolve the contribution of dense Persian Gulf Water (PGW) outflow to oxygen supply within the Arabian Sea OMZ. We characterize PGW properties, seasonality, transport and mixing mechanisms to explain local processes influencing water mass transformation and oxygen fluxes into the OMZ. Atmospheric forcing at the source region and eddy mesoscale activity in the Gulf of Oman control spatiotemporal variability of PGW as it flows along‐shelf off the northern Omani coast. Subseasonally, it is modulated by stirring and shear‐driven mixing driven by eddy‐topography interactions. The oxygen transport from PGW to the OMZ is estimated to be 1.3 Tmol yr−1 over the observational period, with dramatic inter‐ and intra‐annual variability (±1.6 Tmol yr−1). We show that this oxygen is supplied to the interior of the OMZ through the combined action of double‐diffusive and shear‐driven mixing. Intermittent shear‐driven mixing enhances double‐diffusive processes, with mechanical shear conditions (Ri < 0.25) prevailing 14% of the time at the oxycline. These findings enhance our understanding of fine‐scale processes influencing oxygen dynamics within the OMZ that can provide insights for improved modeling and prediction efforts.
Emergent Constraints on Future Projections of Tibetan Plateau Warming in Winter
Authors: Hu Shuzhen , Wang Lu , Chen Xiaolong , Zhou Tianjun , Hsu Pang‐Chi
Published: April 2024

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is an area highly sensitive to climate change and is warming faster than the global average. The TP temperature change has a significant impact on the local ecological environment and the downstream weather and climate. The TP will undoubtedly warm in the future, but the warming extent is uncertain. Using the Coupled Model Inter‐comparison Project Phase 6 multi‐model ensemble, we found that models simulating smaller TP temperature increases in recent decades tend to project weaker warming in the future. This relationship is driven by the simulation of snowmelt response to greenhouse gas increases, as snow‐related albedo feedback dominates the TP temperature changes in both historical and future periods. Based on a two‐step emergent constraint approach, the rectified TP warming magnitude increases by about 0.3°C compared to the unconstrained result under both the medium and high emission scenarios, and the inter‐model uncertainty is reduced by about 60%.
EZH2-dependent epigenetic reprogramming in the central nucleus of amygdala regulates adult anxiety in both sexes after adolescent alcohol exposure
Authors: Bohnsack John Peyton , Zhang Huaibo , Pandey Subhash C.
Published: April 2024

Alcohol use and anxiety disorders occur in both males and females, but despite sharing similar presentation and classical symptoms, the prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) is lower in females. While anxiety is a symptom and comorbidity shared by both sexes, the common underlying mechanism that leads to AUD and the subsequent development of anxiety is still understudied. Using a rodent model of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure in both sexes, we investigated the epigenetic mechanism mediated by enhancer of zeste 2 (EZH2), a histone methyltransferase, in regulating both the expression of activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) and an anxiety-like phenotype in adulthood. Here, we report that EZH2 protein levels were significantly higher in PKC-δ positive GABAergic neurons in the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) of adult male and female rats after AIE. Reducing protein and mRNA levels of EZH2 using siRNA infusion in the CeA prevented AIE-induced anxiety-like behavior, increased H3K27me3, decreased H3K27ac at the Arc synaptic activity response element (SARE) site, and restored deficits in Arc mRNA and protein expression in both male and female adult rats. Our data indicate that an EZH2-mediated epigenetic mechanism in the CeA plays an important role in regulating anxiety-like behavior and Arc expression after AIE in both male and female rats in adulthood. This study suggests that EZH2 may serve as a tractable drug target for the treatment of adult psychopathology after adolescent alcohol exposure.
ACAT2 suppresses the ubiquitination of YAP1 to enhance the proliferation and metastasis ability of gastric cancer via the upregulation of SETD7
Authors: Zhang Mengmeng , Cai Fenglin , Guo Jiamei , Liu Siya , Ma Gang , Cai Mingzhi , Zhang Rupeng , Deng Jingyu
Published: April 2024

The contributions of aberrantly expressed metabolic enzymes to gastric cancer (GC) initiation and progression have been widely appreciated in recent years. Acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase 2 (ACAT2) is one member of the acetyl- CoA thiolase family. Previous studies demonstrated that ACAT2 either promotes or suppresses tumor progression in different conditions. However, the function and mechanisms of ACAT2 in GC remain unknown. We found that the expression of this enzyme was significantly increased in GC tissues compared with normal counterparts, which prompted us to further investigate the roles of this protein in GC biology. In vitro functional studies showed that ACAT2 knockdown markedly halted the proliferation and the motility of GC cells; these functions favoring malignant phenotypes of GC cells were further validated in animal experiments. Mechanistically, ACAT2 depletion significantly reduced the transcription of SETD7, which is a histone methyltransferase and plays critical roles in GC cells. We found that the pro-tumoral functions of ACAT2 were largely dependent on SETD7. Moreover, SETD7 decreased the ubiquitination level of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), thereby protecting YAP1 from proteasome degradation. Increased YAP1 protein expression remarkably activated the YAP1/TAZ-TEAD1 signaling pathway, which further boosted the malignant phenotypes in GC cells. In conclusion, these findings highlight the pro-tumoral functions and molecular underpinnings of ACAT2 in GC cells, and suggest that ACAT2 could be a promising target in GC treatment.
LINC317.5 as a novel biomarker for hypertriglyceridemia in abnormal glucose metabolism
Authors: Yang Yixue , Sun Mengzi , Yan Shoumeng , Yao Nan , Li Xiaotong , Wu Caihong , Wu Zibo , Wang Fengdan , Cui Weiwei , Li Bo
Published: April 2024

The global rise in prediabetes and diabetes, with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) being predominant, highlights the association between T2DM and hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). Patients with both abnormal glucose levels and HTG require increased attention due to higher risks of complications and mortality. Therefore, this study aimed to find the key long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) of HTG in the abnormal glucose metabolism patients. We collected blood samples for RNA sequencing experiments and blood samples for validation in population. We have conducted RNA sequencing, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in a 82-vs-82-sample-size population and insulin induced HepG2, RNA- Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). We also explored lipid metabolism related transcription factor and the related protein expression and processed key lncRNA by both interference expression and overexpression, and the related consequences were rescued by its target mRNA. ENST00000540317.5 (LINC317.5) was lower in HTG with abnormal glucose metabolism and was found in both cytoplasm and nucleus in HepG2, inversely regulating the accumulation of TG and its target mRNA TKFC. Relative expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) were decreasing, and SREBP-1c (sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c) was increasing of the interference expression of LINC317.5. Interference expression of LINC317.5 significantly decreased the protein expression of ACADM and CPT1A, whereas increased the protein expression of FAS and ACC1. TKFC partly reduced the triglyceride (TG) accumulation of LINC317.5. In conclusion, we suggested LINC317.5-TKFC as a key for TG accumulation in the HepG2-insulin resistant (IR). These might provide information of non-invasive biomarkers for the HTG with abnormal glucose.
Investigation on mussel periostracum, a viscoelastic-to-poro-gel graded material, as an interface between soft tissue and rigid materials
Authors: Kim Hyungbin , Lim Heejin , Kim Sangsik , Koo Jun Mo , Lim Chanoong , Kwak Hojung , Oh Dongyeop X. , Hwang Dong Soo
Published: April 2024

Mussel periostracum, a nonliving multifunctional gel that covers the rigid inorganic shells of mussels, provides protection against mechanical impacts, biofouling, and corrosion in harsh ocean environments. The inner part of the periostracum, which emerges from biological tissues, functions as a natural interface between tissue and inorganic materials. The periostracum shows significant potential for application in implantable devices that provide interfaces; however, this system remains unexplored. In this study, we revealed that the inner periostracum performs graded mechanical functions and efficiently dissipates energy to accommodate differences in stiffness and stress types on both sides. On the tissue end, the lightly pigmented periostracum exhibits extensibility and energy dissipation under repetitive tension. This process was facilitated by the slipping and reassembly of β-strands in the discovered major proteins, which we named periostracin proteins. On the shell end, the highly pigmented, mineralized, and porous segment of the periostracum provided stiffness and cushioned against compressive stresses exerted by the shell valves during closure. These findings offer a novel possibilities for the design of interfaces that bridge human tissue and devices.
Suppressing dipolar relaxation in thin layers of dysprosium atoms
Authors: Barral Pierre , Cantara Michael , Du Li , Lunden William , de Hond Julius , Jamison Alan O. , Ketterle Wolfgang
Published: April 2024

The dipolar interaction can be attractive or repulsive, depending on the position and orientation of the dipoles. Constraining atoms to a plane with their magnetic moment aligned perpendicularly leads to a largely side-by-side repulsion and generates a dipolar barrier which prevents atoms from approaching each other. We show experimentally and theoretically how this can suppress dipolar relaxation, the dominant loss process in spin mixtures of highly magnetic atoms. Using dysprosium, we observe an order of magnitude reduction in the relaxation rate constant, and another factor of ten is within reach based on the models which we have validated with our experimental study. The loss suppression opens up many new possibilities for quantum simulations with spin mixtures of highly magnetic atoms.
Imaging 3D chemistry at 1 nm resolution with fused multi-modal electron tomography
Authors: Schwartz Jonathan , Di Zichao Wendy , Jiang Yi , Manassa Jason , Pietryga Jacob , Qian Yiwen , Cho Min Gee , Rowell Jonathan L. , Zheng Huihuo , Robinson Richard D. , Gu Junsi , Kirilin Alexey , Rozeveld Steve , Ercius Peter , Fessler Jeffrey A. , Xu Ting , Scott Mary , Hovden Robert
Published: April 2024

Measuring the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of chemistry in nanoscale matter is a longstanding challenge for metrological science. The inelastic scattering events required for 3D chemical imaging are too rare, requiring high beam exposure that destroys the specimen before an experiment is completed. Even larger doses are required to achieve high resolution. Thus, chemical mapping in 3D has been unachievable except at lower resolution with the most radiation-hard materials. Here, high-resolution 3D chemical imaging is achieved near or below one-nanometer resolution in an Au-Fe3O4 metamaterial within an organic ligand matrix, Co3O4-Mn3O4 core-shell nanocrystals, and ZnS-Cu0.64S0.36 nanomaterial using fused multi-modal electron tomography. Multi-modal data fusion enables high-resolution chemical tomography often with 99% less dose by linking information encoded within both elastic (HAADF) and inelastic (EDX/EELS) signals. We thus demonstrate that sub-nanometer 3D resolution of chemistry is measurable for a broad class of geometrically and compositionally complex materials.
High-entropy engineering of the crystal and electronic structures in a Dirac material
Authors: Laha Antu , Yoshida Suguru , Marques dos Santos Vieira Francisco , Yi Hemian , Lee Seng Huat , Ayyagari Sai Venkata Gayathri , Guan Yingdong , Min Lujin , Gonzalez Jimenez Jose , Miao Leixin , Graf David , Sarker Saugata , Xie Weiwei , Alem Nasim , Gopalan Venkatraman , Chang Cui-Zu , Dabo Ismaila , Mao Zhiqiang
Published: April 2024

Dirac and Weyl semimetals are a central topic of contemporary condensed matter physics, and the discovery of new compounds with Dirac/Weyl electronic states is crucial to the advancement of topological materials and quantum technologies. Here we show a widely applicable strategy that uses high configuration entropy to engineer relativistic electronic states. We take the AMnSb2 (A = Ba, Sr, Ca, Eu, and Yb) Dirac material family as an example and demonstrate that mixing of Ba, Sr, Ca, Eu and Yb at the A site generates the compound (Ba0.38Sr0.14Ca0.16Eu0.16Yb0.16)MnSb2 (denoted as A5MnSb2), giving access to a polar structure with a space group that is not present in any of the parent compounds. A5MnSb2 is an entropy-stabilized phase that preserves its linear band dispersion despite considerable lattice disorder. Although both A5MnSb2 and AMnSb2 have quasi-two-dimensional crystal structures, the two-dimensional Dirac states in the pristine AMnSb2 evolve into a highly anisotropic quasi-three-dimensional Dirac state triggered by local structure distortions in the high-entropy phase, which is revealed by Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations measurements.
Predicting maximum strain hardening factor in elongational flow of branched pom-pom polymers from polymer architecture
Authors: Schußmann Max G. , Wilhelm Manfred , Hirschberg Valerian
Published: April 2024

We present a model-driven predictive scheme for the uniaxial extensional viscosity and strain hardening of branched polymer melts, specifically for the pom-pom architecture, using the small amplitude oscillatory shear mastercurve and the polymer architecture. A pom-pom shaped polymer is the simplest architecture with at least two branching points, needed to induce strain hardening. It consists of two stars, each with $$q$$
q
arms of the molecular weight $${M}_{w,a}$$

M

w
,
a

, connected by a backbone of $${M}_{w,b}$$

M

w
,
b

. Despite the pom-pom constitutive model, experimental data of systematic investigations lack due to synthetic complexity. With an optimized approach, we synthesized polystyrene pom-pom model systems with systematically varied $${M}_{w,a}$$

M

w
,
a

and $${M}_{w,b}$$

M

w
,
b

. Experimentally, we identify four characteristic strain rate dependent regimes of the extensional viscosity, which can be predicted from the rheological mastercurve. Furthermore, we find that the industrially important maximum strain hardening factor depends only on the arm number by $$[{q}^{2}/{{{{{\mathrm{ln}}}}}}({\sqrt{3}}q)]$$

[

q

2

/
ln

(

3

q

)

]

. This framework offers a model-based design of branched polymers with predictable melt flow behavior.
Mucosal prime-boost immunization with live murine pneumonia virus-vectored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is protective in macaques
Authors: Kaiser Jaclyn A. , Nelson Christine E. , Liu Xueqiao , Park Hong-Su , Matsuoka Yumiko , Luongo Cindy , Santos Celia , Ahlers Laura R. H. , Herbert Richard , Moore Ian N. , Wilder-Kofie Temeri , Moore Rashida , Walker April , Yang Lijuan , Munir Shirin , Teng I-Ting , Kwong Peter D. , Dowdell Kennichi , Nguyen Hanh , Kim JungHyun , Cohen Jeffrey I. , Johnson Reed F. , Garza Nicole L. , Via Laura E. , Barber Daniel L. , Buchholz Ursula J. , Le Nouën Cyril
Published: April 2024

Immunization via the respiratory route is predicted to increase the effectiveness of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Here, we evaluate the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of one or two doses of a live-attenuated murine pneumonia virus vector expressing SARS-CoV-2 prefusion-stabilized spike protein (MPV/S-2P), delivered intranasally/intratracheally to male rhesus macaques. A single dose of MPV/S-2P is highly immunogenic, and a second dose increases the magnitude and breadth of the mucosal and systemic anti-S antibody responses and increases levels of dimeric anti-S IgA in the airways. MPV/S-2P also induces S-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in the airways that differentiate into large populations of tissue-resident memory cells within a month after the boost. One dose induces substantial protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge, and two doses of MPV/S-2P are fully protective against SARS-CoV-2 challenge virus replication in the airways. A prime/boost immunization with a mucosally-administered live-attenuated MPV vector could thus be highly effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication.
Mechanism of Ψ-Pro/C-degron recognition by the CRL2FEM1B ubiquitin ligase
Authors: Chen Xinyan , Raiff Anat , Li Shanshan , Guo Qiong , Zhang Jiahai , Zhou Hualin , Timms Richard T. , Yao Xuebiao , Elledge Stephen J. , Koren Itay , Zhang Kaiming , Xu Chao
Published: April 2024

The E3 ligase-degron interaction determines the specificity of the ubiquitin‒proteasome system. We recently discovered that FEM1B, a substrate receptor of Cullin 2-RING ligase (CRL2), recognizes C-degrons containing a C-terminal proline. By solving several cryo-EM structures of CRL2FEM1B bound to different C-degrons, we elucidate the dimeric assembly of the complex. Furthermore, we reveal distinct dimerization states of unmodified and neddylated CRL2FEM1B to uncover the NEDD8-mediated activation mechanism of CRL2FEM1B. Our research also indicates that, FEM1B utilizes a bipartite mechanism to recognize both the C-terminal proline and an upstream aromatic residue within the substrate. These structural findings, complemented by in vitro ubiquitination and in vivo cell-based assays, demonstrate that CRL2FEM1B-mediated polyubiquitination and subsequent protein turnover depend on both FEM1B-degron interactions and the dimerization state of the E3 ligase complex. Overall, this study deepens our molecular understanding of how Cullin-RING E3 ligase substrate selection mediates protein turnover.
Metabolomics facilitates differential diagnosis in common inherited retinal degenerations by exploring their profiles of serum metabolites
Authors: Wang Wei-Chieh , Huang Chu-Hsuan , Chung Hsin-Hsiang , Chen Pei-Lung , Hu Fung-Rong , Yang Chang-Hao , Yang Chung-May , Lin Chao-Wen , Hsu Cheng-Chih , Chen Ta-Ching
Published: April 2024

The diagnosis of inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) is challenging owing to its phenotypic and genotypic complexity. Clinical information is important before a genetic diagnosis is made. Metabolomics studies the entire picture of bioproducts, which are determined using genetic codes and biological reactions. We demonstrated that the common diagnoses of IRD, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP), cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), Stargardt disease (STGD), and Bietti’s crystalline dystrophy (BCD), could be differentiated based on their metabolite heatmaps. Hundreds of metabolites were identified in the volcano plot compared with that of the control group in every IRD except BCD, considered as potential diagnosing markers. The phenotypes of CRD and STGD overlapped but could be differentiated by their metabolomic features with the assistance of a machine learning model with 100% accuracy. Moreover, EYS-, USH2A-associated, and other RP, sharing considerable similar characteristics in clinical findings, could also be diagnosed using the machine learning model with 85.7% accuracy. Further study would be needed to validate the results in an external dataset. By incorporating mass spectrometry and machine learning, a metabolomics-based diagnostic workflow for the clinical and molecular diagnoses of IRD was proposed in our study.
The airborne transmission of viruses causes tight transmission bottlenecks
Authors: Sinclair Patrick , Zhao Lei , Beggs Clive B. , Illingworth Christopher J. R.
Published: April 2024

The transmission bottleneck describes the number of viral particles that initiate an infection in a new host. Previous studies have used genome sequence data to suggest that transmission bottlenecks for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 involve few viral particles, but the general principles of virus transmission are not fully understood. Here we show that, across a broad range of circumstances, tight transmission bottlenecks are a simple consequence of the physical process of airborne viral transmission. We use mathematical modelling to describe the physical process of the emission and inhalation of infectious particles, deriving the result that that the great majority of transmission bottlenecks involve few viral particles. While exceptions to this rule exist, the circumstances needed to create these exceptions are likely very rare. We thus provide a physical explanation for previous inferences of bottleneck size, while predicting that tight transmission bottlenecks prevail more generally in respiratory virus transmission.
An individualized protein-based prognostic model to stratify pediatric patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Wang Zhihong , Wang He , Zhou Yan , Li Lu , Lyu Mengge , Wu Chunlong , He Tianen , Tan Lingling , Zhu Yi , Guo Tiannan , Wu Hongkun , Zhang Hao , Sun Yaoting
Published: April 2024

Pediatric papillary thyroid carcinomas (PPTCs) exhibit high inter-tumor heterogeneity and currently lack widely adopted recurrence risk stratification criteria. Hence, we propose a machine learning-based objective method to individually predict their recurrence risk. We retrospectively collect and evaluate the clinical factors and proteomes of 83 pediatric benign (PB), 85 pediatric malignant (PM) and 66 adult malignant (AM) nodules, and quantify 10,426 proteins by mass spectrometry. We find 243 and 121 significantly dysregulated proteins from PM vs. PB and PM vs. AM, respectively. Function and pathway analyses show the enhanced activation of the inflammatory and immune system in PM patients compared with the others. Nineteen proteins are selected to predict recurrence using a machine learning model with an accuracy of 88.24%. Our study generates a protein-based personalized prognostic prediction model that can stratify PPTC patients into high- or low-recurrence risk groups, providing a reference for clinical decision-making and individualized treatment.
Identification of triacylglycerol remodeling mechanism to synthesize unusual fatty acid containing oils
Authors: Parchuri Prasad , Bhandari Sajina , Azeez Abdul , Chen Grace , Johnson Kumiko , Shockey Jay , Smertenko Andrei , Bates Philip D.
Published: April 2024

Typical plant membranes and storage lipids are comprised of five common fatty acids yet over 450 unusual fatty acids accumulate in seed oils of various plant species. Plant oils are important human and animal nutrients, while some unusual fatty acids such as hydroxylated fatty acids (HFA) are used in the chemical industry (lubricants, paints, polymers, cosmetics, etc.). Most unusual fatty acids are extracted from non-agronomic crops leading to high production costs. Attempts to engineer HFA into crops are unsuccessful due to bottlenecks in the overlapping pathways of oil and membrane lipid synthesis where HFA are not compatible. Physaria fendleri naturally overcomes these bottlenecks through a triacylglycerol (TAG) remodeling mechanism where HFA are incorporated into TAG after initial synthesis. TAG remodeling involves a unique TAG lipase and two diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGAT) that are selective for different stereochemical and acyl-containing species of diacylglycerol within a synthesis, partial degradation, and resynthesis cycle. The TAG lipase interacts with DGAT1, localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum (with the DGATs) and to puncta around the lipid droplet, likely forming a TAG remodeling metabolon near the lipid droplet-ER junction. Each characterized DGAT and TAG lipase can increase HFA accumulation in engineered seed oils.
Systematic improvements in transmon qubit coherence enabled by niobium surface encapsulation
Authors: Bal Mustafa , Murthy Akshay A. , Zhu Shaojiang , Crisa Francesco , You Xinyuan , Huang Ziwen , Roy Tanay , Lee Jaeyel , Zanten David van , Pilipenko Roman , Nekrashevich Ivan , Lunin Andrei , Bafia Daniel , Krasnikova Yulia , Kopas Cameron J. , Lachman Ella O. , Miller Duncan , Mutus Josh Y. , Reagor Matthew J. , Cansizoglu Hilal , Marshall Jayss , Pappas David P. , Vu Kim , Yadavalli Kameshwar , Oh Jin-Su , Zhou Lin , Kramer Matthew J. , Lecocq Florent , Goronzy Dominic P. , Torres-Castanedo Carlos G. , Pritchard P. Graham , Dravid Vinayak P. , Rondinelli James M. , Bedzyk Michael J. , Hersam Mark C. , Zasadzinski John , Koch Jens , Sauls James A. , Romanenko Alexander , Grassellino Anna
Published: April 2024

We present a transmon qubit fabrication technique that yields systematic improvements in T1 relaxation times. We encapsulate the surface of niobium and prevent the formation of its lossy surface oxide. By maintaining the same superconducting metal and only varying the surface, this comparative investigation examining different capping materials, such as tantalum, aluminum, titanium nitride, and gold, as well as substrates across different qubit foundries demonstrates the detrimental impact that niobium oxides have on coherence times of superconducting qubits, compared to native oxides of tantalum, aluminum or titanium nitride. Our surface-encapsulated niobium qubit devices exhibit T1 relaxation times 2–5 times longer than baseline qubit devices with native niobium oxides. When capping niobium with tantalum, we obtain median qubit lifetimes above 300 μs, with maximum values up to 600 μs. Our comparative structural and chemical analysis provides insight into why amorphous niobium oxides may induce higher losses compared to other amorphous oxides.
Turnkey locking of quantum-dot lasers directly grown on Si
Authors: Dong Bozhang , Wan Yating , Chow Weng W. , Shang Chen , Prokoshin Artem , Alkhazraji Emad , Koscica Rosalyn , Wang Heming , Bowers John E.
Published: April 2024

Ultralow-noise laser sources are crucial for a variety of applications, including microwave synthesizers, optical gyroscopes and the manipulation of quantum systems. Silicon photonics has emerged as a promising solution for high-coherence applications due to its ability to reduce the system size, weight, power consumption and cost. Semiconductor lasers based on self-injection locking have achieved fibre laser coherence, but typically require a high-quality-factor external cavity to suppress coherence collapse through frequency-selective feedback. Lasers based on external-cavity locking are a low-cost and turnkey operation option, but their coherence is generally inferior to self-injection locking lasers. In this work, we demonstrate quantum-dot lasers grown directly on Si that achieve self-injection-locking laser coherence under turnkey external-cavity locking. The high-performance quantum-dot laser offers a scalable and low-cost heteroepitaxial integration platform. Moreover, the chaos-free nature of the quantum-dot laser enables a 16 Hz Lorentzian linewidth under external-cavity locking using a low-quality-factor external cavity, and improves the frequency noise by an additional order of magnitude compared with conventional quantum-well lasers.
Functional mapping of the lower urinary tract by epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord in decerebrated cat model
Authors: Sysoev Yuriy , Bazhenova Elena , Shkorbatova Polina , Kovalev Gleb , Labetov Ivan , Merkulyeva Natalia , Shkarupa Dmitry , Musienko Pavel
Published: April 2024

Several neurologic diseases including spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis are accompanied by disturbances of the lower urinary tract functions. Clinical data indicates that chronic spinal cord stimulation can improve not only motor function but also ability to store urine and control micturition. Decoding the spinal mechanisms that regulate the functioning of detrusor (Detr) and external urethral sphincter (EUS) muscles is essential for effective neuromodulation therapy in patients with disturbances of micturition. In the present work we performed a mapping of Detr and EUS activity by applying epidural electrical stimulation (EES) at different levels of the spinal cord in decerebrated cat model. The study was performed in 5 adult male cats, evoked potentials were generated by EES aiming to recruit various spinal pathways responsible for LUT and hindlimbs control. Recruitment of Detr occurred mainly with stimulation of the lower thoracic and upper lumbar spinal cord (T13-L1 spinal segments). Responses in the EUS, in general, occurred with stimulation of all the studied sites of the spinal cord, however, a pronounced specificity was noted for the lower lumbar/upper sacral sections (L7-S1 spinal segments). These features were confirmed by comparing the normalized values of the slope angles used to approximate the recruitment curve data by the linear regression method. Thus, these findings are in accordance with our previous data obtained in rats and could be used for development of novel site-specific neuromodulation therapeutic approaches.
Functional implication of the homotrimeric multidomain vacuolar sorting receptor 1 (VSR1) from Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Park HaJeung , Youn BuHyun , Park Daniel J. , Puthanveettil Sathyanarayanan V. , Kang ChulHee
Published: April 2024

The vacuolar sorting receptors (VSRs) are specific to plants and are responsible for sorting and transporting particular proteins from the trans-Golgi network to the vacuole. This process is critically important for various cellular functions, including storing nutrients during seed development. Despite many years of intense studies on VSRs, a complete relation between function and structure has not yet been revealed. Here, we present the crystal structure of the entire luminal region of glycosylated VSR1 from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtVSR1) for the first time. The structure provides insights into the tertiary and quaternary structures of VSR1, which are composed of an N-terminal protease-associated (PA) domain, a unique central region, and one epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domain followed by two disordered EGF-like domains. The structure of VSR1 exhibits unique characteristics, the significance of which is yet to be fully understood.
Frequency regulation in a hybrid renewable power grid: an effective strategy utilizing load frequency control and redox flow batteries
Authors: Elkasem Ahmed H. A. , Kamel Salah , Khamies Mohamed , Nasrat Loai
Published: April 2024

Renewable energy sources (RESs) have become integral components of power grids, yet their integration presents challenges such as system inertia losses and mismatches between load demand and generation capacity. These issues jeopardize grid stability. To address this, an effective approach is proposed, combining enhanced load frequency control (LFC) (i.e., fuzzy PID- T $${I}^{\lambda }{D}^{\mu }$$

I

λ

D

μ

) with controlled energy storage systems, specifically controlled redox flow batteries (CRFBs), to mitigate uncertainties arising from RES integration. The optimization of this strategy's parameters is achieved using the crayfish optimization algorithm (COA), known for its global optimization capabilities and balance between exploration and exploitation. Performance evaluation against conventional controllers (PID, FO-PID, FO-(PD-PI)) confirms the superiority of the proposed approach in LFC. Extensive testing under various load disturbances, high renewables penetration, and communication delays ensures its effectiveness in minimizing disruptions. Validation using a standardized IEEE 39-bus system further demonstrates its efficiency in power networks grappling with significant renewables penetration. In summary, this integrated strategy presents a robust solution for modern power systems adapting to increasing renewable energy utilization.
Distance mis-estimations can be reduced with specific shadow locations
Authors: Hornsey Rebecca L. , Hibbard Paul B.
Published: April 2024

Shadows in physical space are copious, yet the impact of specific shadow placement and their abundance is yet to be determined in virtual environments. This experiment aimed to identify whether a target’s shadow was used as a distance indicator in the presence of binocular distance cues. Six lighting conditions were created and presented in virtual reality for participants to perform a perceptual matching task. The task was repeated in a cluttered and sparse environment, where the number of cast shadows (and their placement) varied. Performance in this task was measured by the directional bias of distance estimates and variability of responses. No significant difference was found between the sparse and cluttered environments, however due to the large amount of variance, one explanation is that some participants utilised the clutter objects as anchors to aid them, while others found them distracting. Under-setting of distances was found in all conditions and environments, as predicted. Having an ambient light source produced the most variable and inaccurate estimates of distance, whereas lighting positioned above the target reduced the mis-estimation of distances perceived.
Approximate solutions of the spin and pseudospin symmetries under coshine Yukawa tensor interaction
Authors: Onate C. A. , Okon I. B. , Omugbe E. , Basem A. , Castillo Parra B. F. , Emeje K. O. , Owolabi J. A. , Obasuyi A. R.
Published: April 2024

The approximate solutions of the Dirac equation for spin symmetry and pseudospin symmetry are studied with a coshine Yukawa potential model via the traditional supersymmetric approach (SUSY). To remove the degeneracies in both the spin and pseudospin symmetries, a coshine Yukawa tensor potential is proposed and applied to both the spin symmetry and the pseudospin symmetry. The proposed coshine tensor potential removes the energy degenerate doublets in both the spin symmetry and pseudospin symmetry for a very small value of the tensor strength (H = 0.05). This shows that the coshine Yukawa tensor is more effective than the real Yukawa tensor. The non-relativistic limit of the spin symmetry is obtained by using certain transformations. The results obtained showed that the coshine Yukawa potential and the real Yukawa potential has the same variation with the angular momentum number but the variation of the screening parameter with the energy for the two potential models differs. However, the energy eigenvalues of the coshine Yukawa potential model, are more bounded compared to the energies of the real Yukawa potential model.