bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Rising Threat of Terrorist Attacks Against Hospitals
Authors: McNeilly Bryan , Jasani Gregory , Cavaliere Garrett , Alfalasi Reem , Lawner Benjamin
Published: March 2022

Introduction:

Hospitals are vulnerable to terrorist attacks, as they must remain easily accessible to the general public. Hospitals are also occupied with both staff and patients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, meaning that any attack is almost guaranteed to inflict a multitude of casualties. In addition to the immediate effects of attacking a hospital, there are also uniquely devastating second- and third-order effects when hospitals are attacked.

Methods:

A focused search of the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) was performed to identify terrorist attacks against hospitals throughout the world. Data between the years 1970-2018 were selected, which included 191,465 entries in total. These entries were then searched for incidents containing the term “hospital” and the results were manually searched to identify trends in the number of incidents occurring per year, as well as the armament that was employed, and the regions of the world where the attacks occurred.

Results:

A total of 430 terrorist attacks on hospitals were identified in the GTD, resulting in 1,291 deaths and an additional 1,921 wounded. The frequency of terrorist attacks against hospitals has been steadily increasing over the last two decades and is disproportionate to the overall increase in terrorist attacks against all target types. Attacks have been carried out against hospitals in 61 different countries. The most common method used in these attacks was “bombing/explosion,” which accounted for 299 attacks. Of the known terrorist groups identified in the GTD, “Houthi extremists (Anshar Allah)” and “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)” carried out the greatest number of attacks on hospitals.

Conclusion:

There has been a disproportionate rise in the frequency of terrorist attacks on hospitals when compared to other target types, highlighting the vulnerability of these key structures. Unsurprisingly, these attacks have inflicted large casualty counts in addition to disrupting community health care and disaster response. Attacks against hospitals have been reported on every inhabited continent except Australia, making their protection a matter of international security. The rate of terrorist attacks on hospitals has increased dramatically over the last two decades, creating an urgent need to develop improved defense strategies that will better ensure their protection.
The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities
Authors: Cole Richard W. , Kubow Kristopher E. , Ngila Jane Catherine
Published: March 2022

The Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) members typically work in cores (shared resources) or in support of them. ABRF's mission is to define excellence for shared resources worldwide. While our vision is to accelerate breakthroughs in scientific discovery, ABRF is committed to advancing the integration of technologies, education, communication, and reproducible research in the operations of shared scientific resources worldwide. Our members support best practices, research excellence, and reproducibility in scientific discovery. ABRF promotes a collaborative community that cultivates professional development and technological innovation. This document outlines a number of things about ABRF, including ABRF's mission and value statements, examples of its research groups and activities, an example of an ABRF outreach program to inform and guide the scientific community about optimization of shared resources nationwide, and an example of an international outreach and collaborative program with like-minded colleagues and organizations in Africa.
Depressive symptoms, but not anxiety, predict subsequent diagnosis of Coronavirus disease 19: a national cohort study
Authors: Meinlschmidt G. , Guemghar S. , Roemmel N. , Battegay E. , Hunziker S. , Schaefert R.
Published: March 2022

Aims

Several diseases are linked to increased risk of Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Our aim was to investigate whether depressive and anxiety symptoms predict subsequent risk of COVID-19, as has been shown for other respiratory infections.

Methods

We based our analysis on UK Biobank participants providing prospective data to estimate temporal association between depressive and anxiety symptoms and COVID-19. We estimated whether the magnitude of these symptoms predicts subsequent diagnosis of COVID-19 in this sample. Further, we evaluated whether depressive and anxiety symptoms predicted (i) being tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and (ii) COVID-19 in those tested.

Results

Based on data from N = 135 102 participants, depressive symptoms (odds ratio (OR) = 1.052; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.017–1.086; absolute case risk: (moderately) severe depression: 493 per 100 000 v. minimal depression: 231 per 100 000) but not anxiety (OR = 1.009; 95% CI 0.97–1.047) predicted COVID-19. While depressive symptoms but not anxiety predicted (i) being tested for SARS-CoV-2 (OR = 1.039; 95% CI 1.029–1.05 and OR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.978–1.002), (ii) neither predicted COVID-19 in those tested (OR = 1.015; 95% CI 0.981–1.05 and OR = 1.021; 95% CI 0.981–1.061). Results remained stable after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, multimorbidity and behavioural factors.

Conclusions

Depressive symptoms were associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 diagnosis, irrespective of multimorbidities. Potential underlying mechanisms to be elucidated include risk behaviour, symptom perception, healthcare use, testing likelihood, viral exposure, immune function and disease progress. Our findings highlight the relevance of mental processes in the context of COVID-19.
Nitrogen Speciation in Silicate Melts at Mantle Conditions From Ab Initio Simulations
Authors: Huang D. , Brodholt J. , Sossi P. , Li Y. , Murakami M.
Published: March 2022

Nitrogen (N) is a major ingredient of the atmosphere, but a trace component in the silicate Earth. Its initial inventory in these reservoirs during Earth's early differentiation requires knowledge of N speciation in magmas, for example, whether it outgasses as N2 or is sequestered in silicate melts as N3−, which remains largely unconstrained over the entire mantle regime. Here we examine N species in anhydrous and hydrous pyrolitic melts at varying P‐T‐redox conditions by ab‐initio calculations, and find N‐N bonding under oxidizing conditions from ambient to lower mantle pressures. Under reducing conditions, N interacts with the silicate network or forms N‐H bonds, depending on the availability of hydrogen. Redox control of N speciation is demonstrated valid over a P‐T space encompassing probable magma ocean depths. Finally, if the Earth accreted from increasingly oxidized materials toward the end of its accretion, an N‐enriched secondary atmosphere might be produced and persist until later impacts.
Seismic Anisotropy Within the Subducting Northern Philippine Sea Plate, SW Japan, Using DONET Seafloor Observation Network
Authors: Liu Yuan , Xue Mei , Guo Zhen , Zhu Ailan
Published: March 2022

Anisotropy within subducted slabs carries important information about the deformation history of the slabs. Seismic waves propagating a long distance within a subducted slab can be utilized to invert for the slab anisotropy. The Dense Ocean Floor Network System (DONET) deployed near the Nankai trough are located in a suitable position to record seismic waves guided along the subducted northern Philippine Sea plate (nPSP). In this study, we perform the shear wave splitting analysis on local event data recorded by ocean bottom seismometers from DONET to measure the anisotropy within the subducting nPSP. The obtained fast axis is sub‐trench‐parallel with inferred strength of 1%–3% anisotropy, arising likely from the fossilized fabric formed during the seafloor spreading period and strengthened by trench‐parallel serpentinized hydrated faults. This result shows that the fossilized anisotropy of nPSP is preserved during the subduction.
The Circum‐Isidis Capping Unit: An Extensive Regional Ashfall Deposit Exposed in Jezero Crater
Authors: Hundal C. B. , Mustard J. F. , Kremer C. H. , Tarnas J. D. , Pascuzzo A. C.
Published: March 2022

Several mineralogically diverse regions across Mars are capped by dark‐toned rock formations emplaced during the Noachian‐Hesperian transition, an era encompassing a shift in volcanism from dominantly explosive to effusive. However, these caprocks' origins are uncertain, limiting insight into the nature of this shift. We explore the potential volcanic ash origin of a widespread (∼50,000 km2) mafic caprock in the Circum‐Isidis region via an integrated photogeologic and remote‐compositional analysis. We also investigate whether this unit is genetically equivalent to a mafic rock formation exposed in the floor of Jezero Crater. We find: (a) the Jezero Floor and Capping Units are morphologically, stratigraphically, and compositionally similar, suggesting a shared formation mechanism, and (b) the tonal layering and draping characteristics of the Capping Unit are most consistent with a volcanic ash origin atop the ultramafic Olivine‐Rich Unit, also an ash. Our hypotheses can be tested by the Perseverance rover and studies of returned samples.
Model Spread in the Tropical Cyclone Frequency and Seed Propensity Index Across Global Warming and ENSO‐Like Perturbations
Authors: Hsieh Tsung‐Lin , Yang Wenchang , Vecchi Gabriel A. , Zhao Ming
Published: March 2022

The future projection of tropical cyclone frequency is highly uncertain. Recent multi‐model studies showed that the model spread in tropical cyclones is correlated with the model spread in seeds, which are defined as convective weak vortices. However, it was unclear how the model spread is related to the large‐scale circulation. Here we apply a downscaling theory recently developed using aquaplanet experiments to explain the seed frequency across four global atmospheric models having different parameterizations of convection and resolutions. The seed frequency has a larger model spread in response to uniform warming than to CO2 doubling or El Niño/La Niña‐like sea surface temperature perturbations. Across all climate perturbations, the seed frequency is captured by the downscaling theory, expressed as a seed propensity index. The index highlights the connection between the tropical cyclone seeds and the climatological mean ascent pattern.
How Does Antarctic Bottom Water Cross the Southern Ocean?
Authors: Solodoch A. , Stewart A. L. , Hogg A. McC. , Morrison A. K. , Kiss A. E. , Thompson A. F. , Purkey S. G. , Cimoli L.
Published: March 2022

Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), which fills the global ocean abyss, is derived from dense water that forms in several distinct Antarctic shelf regions. Previous modeling studies have reached conflicting conclusions regarding export pathways of AABW across the Southern Ocean and the degree to which AABW originating from distinct source regions are blended during their export. This study addresses these questions using passive tracer deployments in a 61‐year global high‐resolution (0.1°) ocean/sea‐ice simulation. Two distinct export “conduits” are identified: Weddell Sea‐ and Prydz Bay‐sourced AABW are blended together and exported mainly to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, while Ross Sea‐ and Adelie Land‐sourced AABW are exported mainly to the Pacific Ocean. Northward transport of each tracer occurs almost exclusively (>90%) within a single conduit. These findings imply that regional changes in AABW production may impact the three‐dimensional structure of the global overturning circulation.
Increase of Future Summer Rainfall in the Middle and Lower Reach of the Yangtze River Basin Projected With a Nonhomogeneous Hidden Markov Model
Authors: Guo Lianyi , Jiang Zhihong , Li Laurent , Wang Huijun
Published: March 2022

Among the statistical downscaling tools available for regional climate simulation, the nonhomogeneous hidden Markov model (NHMM) is a powerful and efficient algorithm. It consists of establishing statistical relations between predictand and predictors through a hidden layer of Markov process and a covariate nonhomogeneous term as external forcing. Here, it is used to simulate summer daily precipitation in the middle and lower reach of the Yangtze River basin (MLYRB), including future projection. Results show that NHMM well identifies large‐scale circulation features that are physically consistent with regional rainfall patterns. MLYRB exhibits a general wetness for 1.5°C and 2°C global warming targets, with smaller (larger) increase for the west (east). Such changes correspond to increases in the occurrence frequency of synoptic weather patterns with stronger and more westward Western Pacific Subtropical High and stronger westerly jet. This contributes to moistening MLYRB with increasing occurrence frequency for those wetter rainfall patterns.
Estimation of Vs30 at the EarthScope Transportable Array Stations by Inversion of Low‐Frequency Seismic Noise
Authors: Wang J. , Tanimoto T.
Published: March 2022

One of the main sources of seismic noise below 0.05 Hz is the atmospheric pressure variation, especially when surface pressure variations are large. When surface broadband seismic stations are equipped with pressure sensors, there is high coherence between pressure and seismic signals at low frequencies. The amount of ground deformation under surface pressure variations reflects the characteristics of near‐surface elastic structure and allows us to estimate near‐surface shear‐modulus structure using an inversion method. In the inversion method, we have the surface observable η(f) = Sz/Sp, where f is a frequency between 0.01 and 0.05 Hz, and Sz and Sp are the power spectral densities of vertical seismic data and of surface pressure data. We derive depth sensitivity kernels for η(f) with which we invert for elastic moduli of the shallow structure. Between 0.01 and 0.05 Hz, sensitivity kernels typically have peaks at depths within the uppermost 100 m. Based on vertically heterogeneous 1‐D structures, we estimate Vs30 at 744 USArray Transportable Array stations. Vs30 is the time‐averaged shear‐wave velocity from the surface to the 30‐m depth. We compare our results with various surficial geology maps. Although Vs30 has high horizontal variability over a short distance on the scale of hundreds of meters, we find correlations between Vs30 and large‐scale geological structures, such as mapped units and surficial materials. We find good agreement between estimated Vs30 and mapped Quaternary sediment depths, where stations with thicker underlying sediment tend to have slower Vs30.
Iron‐Carbon Alloy Under Shock Compression: Implications for the Carbon Concentration in Earth’s Inner Core
Authors: Huang Yuqian , Hou Mingqiang , Gan Bo , Li Xiaohong , He Duanwei , Jiang Gang , Zhang Youjun , Liu Yun
Published: March 2022

Carbon has been proposed to be a potential light element in the Earth’s solid inner core. However, its presence and concentration in the core remain limited constrained. In this study, we measured the equation of state of an iron‐carbon alloy with ∼1.5 wt.% (∼6.64 at.%) carbon up to ∼185 GPa and ∼3,750 K via shock compression. The Hugoniot equation of state of the Fe‐1.5wt.%C alloy was determined to be Us (km/s) = 3.94 (0.15) + 1.62 (0.08) Up with an initial density of 7.77 (0.03) g/cm3, where Us and Up are the shock wave velocity and particle velocity, respectively. Hugoniot data combined with the Mie‐Grüneisen equation of state allow us to build the thermal equations of state of the Fe‐C alloy at high pressure‐temperature (P‐T) conditions. Investigations on the pressure‐density relation of Fe‐C alloys by the shock experiments and synchrotron X‐ray diffraction measurements by Pamato et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.1029/2020jb020159 have indicated that carbon should occupy interstitial sites of iron lattice at high P‐T conditions. The thermal equation of state of the Fe‐1.5wt.%C alloy provided here shows that Fe‐1.5wt.%C is ∼1.65% denser than the inner core under conditions relevant to the inner‐core boundary. This study indicates that iron alloyed with an upper bound of ∼2.2 (0.3) wt.% (∼10.7 [1.6] at.%) carbon may match with the Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM) in the Earth’s inner core. Thus, interstitial carbon in iron helps to explain the observed density deficit of the inner core, although other light elements are also expected.
Simultaneous Characterization of Wildfire Smoke and Surface Properties With Imaging Spectroscopy During the FIREX‐AQ Field Campaign
Authors: Brodrick Philip G. , Thompson David R. , Garay Michael J. , Giles David M. , Holben Brent N. , Kalashnikova Olga V.
Published: March 2022

We introduce and evaluate an approach for the simultaneous retrieval of aerosol and surface properties from Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Classic (AVIRIS‐C) data collected during wildfires. The joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality field campaign took place in August 2019, and involved two aircraft and coordinated ground‐based observations. The AVIRIS‐C instrument acquired data from onboard NASA's high altitude ER‐2 research aircraft, coincident in space and time with aerosol observations obtained from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) DRAGON mobile platform in the smoke plume downwind of the Williams Flats Fire in northern Washington in August 2019. Observations in this smoke plume were used to assess the capacity of optimal‐estimation based retrievals to simultaneously estimate aerosol optical depth (AOD) and surface reflectance from Visible Shortwave Infrared (VSWIR) imaging spectroscopy. Radiative transfer modeling of the sensitivities in spectral information collected over smoke reveal the potential capacity of high spectral resolution retrievals to distinguish between sulfate and smoke aerosol models, as well as sensitivity to the aerosol size distribution. Comparison with ground‐based AERONET observations demonstrates that AVIRIS‐C retrievals of AOD compare favorably with direct sun AOD measurements. Our analyses suggest that spectral information collected from the full VSWIR spectral interval, not just the shortest wavelengths, enables accurate retrievals. We use this approach to continuously map both aerosols and surface reflectance at high spatial resolution across heterogeneous terrain, even under relatively high AOD conditions associated with wildfire smoke.
Primary Emissions and Secondary Aerosol Processing During Wintertime in Rural Area of North China Plain
Authors: Chen Chun , Qiu Yanmei , Xu Weiqi , He Yao , Li Zhijie , Sun Jiaxing , Ma Nan , Xu Wanyun , Pan Xiaole , Fu Pingqing , Wang Zifa , Sun Yele
Published: March 2022

The vast rural areas often experience more severe haze pollution than megacities during wintertime in North China Plain (NCP), yet the sources and evolution processes of aerosol particles, particularly organic aerosol (OA) remain poorly understood. Here we conducted real‐time measurements of submicron aerosol (PM1) species using a high‐resolution aerosol mass spectrometer at a representative rural site in NCP in winter 2019. Our results showed the dominance of organics (36%) and nitrate in PM1 (22%) in 2019. Positive matrix factorization analysis illustrated similarly important primary sources from traffic emissions, coal combustion, and biomass burning, yet secondary OA (SOA) from photochemical and aqueous‐phase related processing exceeded primary OA (53% vs. 47%). Substantial decreases in primary species and considerable increases in nitrate and sulphate were observed since winter 2018, demonstrating enhanced secondary formation in winter 2019. OA composition changed significantly from clean period to fog events with the contribution of aqueous phase‐related oxygenated OA increasing from 6% to 44%, while the photochemical SOA decreased correspondingly from 51% to 19%. The size distributions of aerosol species also changed by shifting toward large sizes during fog events. Elemental analysis of OA and the Van Krevelen diagram (H/C vs. O/C) illustrated the different roles of photochemical and aqueous‐phase processing during daytime and nighttime, respectively, and aqueous‐phase processing is subject to the formation of organic compounds with high H/C and O/C ratios. The large differences in fog processing of submicron aerosol species between 2018 and 2019 due to different temperatures were also elucidated.
Toward a Closure of Catchment Mass Balance: Insight on the Missing Link From a Vegetated Lysimeter
Authors: Asadollahi Mitra , Nehemy Magali F. , McDonnell Jeffrey J. , Rinaldo Andrea , Benettin Paolo
Published: March 2022

Plant transpiration plays a significant role in the terrestrial cycles, but the spatiotemporal origins of water used by plant remains highly uncertain. Therefore, the missing link to fully characterize the water mass balance, for any control volume including significant vegetated surfaces, is identifying and quantifying the key factors that control the age of water used by plants. Here, we bring together an age‐based (tran‐SAS) and a physically based (HYDRUS‐1D) model contrasting information gleaned from soil, drainage, and xylem samples at stand scale. In particular, we focus on the relative role of advection, dispersion, and root distribution on the age of water uptake and drainage. We suggest that the interplay of advective and dispersive forces, subsumed by the local Péclet number, drives the age composition of drainage even in the case of extreme uptake rates. The vegetation influence on the age of drainage is mainly exerted by diversifying the subsurface transport pathways resulting in large dispersivity and spatial heterogeneity of soil hydraulic parameters. We introduce a uniform‐equivalent root length for vegetation and show that its ratio to the effective size of the subsurface water storage controls the age selection of water uptakes. Our results are suggestive of a route forward toward a general toolbox to upscale mass balance closures for catchments embedding large and diverse plant assemblages.
Titan’s Prevailing Circulation Might Drive Highly Intermittent, Yet Significant Sediment Transport
Authors: Comola F. , Kok J. F. , Lora J. M. , Cohanim K. , Yu X. , He C. , McGuiggan P. , Hörst S. M. , Turney F.
Published: March 2022

Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is characterized by gigantic linear dunes and an active dust cycle. Much like on Earth, these aeolian processes are caused by the wind‐driven saltation of surface grains. It is still unclear, however, how saltation on Titan can occur despite the typically weak surface winds and the potentially cohesive surface grains. Here, we explore the hypothesis that saltation on Titan may be sustained at lower wind speeds than previously thought, primarily through granular splash rather than aerodynamic lifting of surface grains. We propose a saltation mass flux parameterization for Titan and use it to quantify sediment transport with a general circulation model. The results suggest that Titan's prevailing circulation can generate highly intermittent yet significant saltation, with mass fluxes of the order of 104 kg m−1 year−1, and that Titan dunes may be formed primarily by fine grains, approximately 0.1 mm in size.
Isotopic Constraints on the Formation Mechanisms of Sulfate Aerosols in the Summer Arctic Marine Boundary Layer
Authors: He Pengzhen , Alexander Becky , Kang Hui , Jiang Bei , Yu Xiawei , Yue Fange , Xie Zhouqing
Published: March 2022

Sulfate is a major aerosol species offsetting the Arctic warming. Quantifying sulfate formation mechanisms is conducive to assess its climatic effects and sulfur budget. However, relevant observations are sparse over the Arctic Ocean. Here, we present observations of surface sulfate and its Δ17O (=δ17O–0.52δ18O) over the latitude of 63.3–87.7°N in the Arctic Ocean in July–September 2012 to estimate sulfate production mechanisms. Potential contamination from ship plume on the observed sulfate was corrected based on black carbon. The corrected non‐sea‐salt sulfate (nss‐SO42−cor) varied from 0.0 to 1.3 μg m−3 with the mean of 0.3 ± 0.3(1σ) μg m−3. Samples with high contributions (≥80%) from sea‐salt sulfate and anthropogenic sulfate from ship plume possess Δ17O(SO42−) at ∼0‰. Δ17O of nss‐SO42−cor ranged from 0.0 to 0.9‰ with the mean of 0.5 ± 0.3‰. The low Δ17O values directly suggest the contribution from O3 oxidation to sulfate production is minor in summer Arctic due to this mechanism resulting in Δ17O(SO42−) = 9.8‰. Further calculations constrained by Δ17O indicate sulfate production was dominated by H2O2 oxidation with the possible contribution of 37%–66%, higher than the estimated fraction of 29% from OH oxidation. The role of HOBr oxidation is related to its abundance, which can reach a maximum contribution of 24% at assumption of [HOBr] = 1 ppt in summer Arctic. Future model studies with the constraint of sulfate and Δ17O observations in this study will further improve our knowledge of global sulfur budget and sulfate formation mechanisms in the Arctic.
The miR-98-3p/JAG1/Notch1 axis mediates the multigenerational inheritance of osteopenia caused by maternal dexamethasone exposure in female rat offspring
Authors: Han Hui , Xiao Hao , Wu Zhixin , Liu Liang , Chen Ming , Gu Hanwen , Wang Hui , Chen Liaobin
Published: March 2022

As a synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone is widely used to treat potential premature delivery and related diseases. Our previous studies have shown that prenatal dexamethasone exposure (PDE) can cause bone dysplasia and susceptibility to osteoporosis in female rat offspring. However, whether the effect of PDE on bone development can be extended to the third generation (F3 generation) and its multigenerational mechanism of inheritance have not been reported. In this study, we found that PDE delayed fetal bone development and reduced adult bone mass in female rat offspring of the F1 generation, and this effect of low bone mass caused by PDE even continued to the F2 and F3 generations. Furthermore, we found that PDE increases the expression of miR-98-3p but decreases JAG1/Notch1 signaling in the bone tissue of female fetal rats. Moreover, the expression changes of miR-98-3p/JAG1/Notch1 caused by PDE continued from the F1 to F3 adult offspring. Furthermore, the expression levels of miR-98-3p in oocytes of the F1 and F2 generations were increased. We also confirmed that dexamethasone upregulates the expression of miR-98-3p in vitro and shows targeted inhibition of JAG1/Notch1 signaling, leading to poor osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. In conclusion, maternal dexamethasone exposure caused low bone mass in female rat offspring with a multigenerational inheritance effect, the mechanism of which is related to the inhibition of JAG1/Notch1 signaling caused by the continuous upregulation of miR-98-3p expression in bone tissues transmitted by F2 and F3 oocytes.
Evaluation of kidney dysfunction in childhood cancer survivors
Authors: Mahmoud Asmaa Abdel Sameea , Elsalam Heba Badawy Abd , El-Deeb Sara Mahmoud , Zanaty Fouad Mohamed , Aboelghar Hesham Mohamed , Elharoun Mohamed Shokry
Published: March 2022

Background

The major increase in the survival rate among children with cancer is due to improvement in the diagnosis and treatment. Despite this increase, childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at high risk of developing late complications such as nephrotoxicity due to chemotherapy. So, we aimed to detect early subclinical kidney dysfunction among CCS.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was implemented on 52 survivors of childhood cancer recruited from Pediatric Oncology Unit, Menoufia University. Laboratory evaluations for each participant, including complete blood count, serum urea, creatinine, urinary protein, urinary calcium, uric acid, and serum cystatin C and urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (UrNGAL) by ELISA were obtained.

Results

Estimated GFR was decreased in 23.1% of cases, with elevated serum cystatin C, UrNGAL and UrNGAL/Cr. There was a significant increase of Uprotein/Cr, UCa/Cr, UACR (p = 0.02), UrNGAL and UrNGAL/Cr (P < 0.001) in patients with tubular dysfunction compared without tubular dysfunction. There was a significant difference between two groups regarding cisplatin (P = 0.03) and high-dose methotrexate chemotherapy (p = 0.04). The AUCs for detecting kidney tubular dysfunction by UrNGAL and UrNGAL/Cr were 0.807 and 0.747.

Conclusion

A significant tubular dysfunction among childhood cancer survivors receiving chemotherapy as cisplatin and high-dose methotrexate.

Impact

Detection of kidney dysfunction mainly tubular in childhood cancer survivors after finishing chemotherapy.

Urinary NGAL is a good predictor for detection of tubular dysfunction in childhood cancer survivors after finishing chemotherapy.
Meta-omics-aided isolation of an elusive anaerobic arsenic-methylating soil bacterium
Authors: Viacava Karen , Qiao Jiangtao , Janowczyk Andrew , Poudel Suresh , Jacquemin Nicolas , Meibom Karin Lederballe , Shrestha Him K , Reid Matthew C , Hettich Robert L , Bernier-Latmani Rizlan
Published: March 2022

Soil microbiomes harbour unparalleled functional and phylogenetic diversity. However, extracting isolates with a targeted function from complex microbiomes is not straightforward, particularly if the associated phenotype does not lend itself to high-throughput screening. Here, we tackle the methylation of arsenic (As) in anoxic soils. As methylation was proposed to be catalysed by sulfate-reducing bacteria. However, to date, there are no available anaerobic isolates capable of As methylation, whether sulfate-reducing or otherwise. The isolation of such a microorganism has been thwarted by the fact that the anaerobic bacteria harbouring a functional arsenite S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase (ArsM) tested to date did not methylate As in pure culture. Additionally, fortuitous As methylation can result from the release of non-specific methyltransferases upon lysis. Thus, we combined metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metaproteomics to identify the microorganisms actively methylating As in anoxic soil-derived microbial cultures. Based on the metagenome-assembled genomes of microorganisms expressing ArsM, we isolated Paraclostridium sp. strain EML, which was confirmed to actively methylate As anaerobically. This work is an example of the application of meta-omics to the isolation of elusive microorganisms.
Abnormal oligodendrocyte function in schizophrenia explains the long latent interval in some patients
Authors: Fessel Jeffrey
Published: March 2022

A puzzling feature of schizophrenia, is the long latency between the beginning of neuropathological changes and the clinical presentation that may be two decades later. Abnormalities in oligodendrocyte function may explain this latency, because mature oligodendrocytes produce myelination, and if myelination were abnormal from the outset, it would cause the synaptic dysfunction and abnormal neural tracts that are underpinning features of schizophrenia. The hypothesis is that latency is caused by events that occur in some patients as early as in-utero or infancy, because clones of abnormal, myelinating oligodendrocytes may arise at that time; their number doubles every ~2 years, so their geometric increase between birth and age twenty, when clinical presentation occurs, is about 1000-fold plus the effect of compounding. For those patients in particular, the long latency is because of a small but ongoing increase in volume of the resulting, abnormally myelinated neural tracts until, after a long latent interval, a critical mass is reached that allows the full clinical features of schizophrenia. During latency, there may be behavioral aberrancies because of abnormally myelinated neural tracts but they are insufficiently numerous for the clinical syndrome. The occurrence of behavioral symptoms during the long latent period, substantiates the hypothesis that abnormal oligodendrocytes explain the latency in some patients. Treatment with fingolimod or siponimod benefits both oligodendrocytes and neural tracts. Clinical trial would validate their potential benefit in appropriate patients with schizophrenia and, concurrently, would validate the hypothesis.
Dentistry as a professional career: the views of London's secondary school pupils (2011-2017)
Authors: Niven Victoria , Cabot Lyndon B. , Scambler Sasha , Gallagher Jennifer E.
Published: March 2022

Aim To explore young people's perceptions of dentistry as a potential future career, including features which would attract or deter them from wanting to become dentists and the perceived influences on these views.

Methods Purposive sampling of London schools was undertaken. Exploration of academically-able, science-minded young people's (aged 14-18 years) perceptions of dentistry as a potential career was achieved through a series of focus groups conducted at various types of school in the Greater London region (13 focus groups and 91 students). A topic guide, informed by the literature and previous research, explored the perceived motivating and demotivating factors and associated influences, identified by these pupils, on studying dentistry at university. Data were analysed using framework methodology.

Results Multiple factors were identified by London secondary school pupils that would attract them to dentistry. Pull factors were: 1) science-based; 2) status and security - extrinsic rewards; 3) structure of service provision; 4) career opportunities; 5) social interactions; 6) personal skills and care - intrinsic rewards; and 7) being a vocational degree. Push factors away from the career included lack of diversity within the job and the 'negative image' of dentists, with medicine having greater social status and more varied career options. Individual and wider influences on pupils' perceptions included their personal experience with dentistry, social and community networks, the school environment, as well as system and societal level influencers.

Conclusions These findings suggest that a wide range of influences determine teenagers' perceptions of a dental career. Pupils in London schools report similar features of dentistry as being attractive as dental students, as well as its importance as a vocational degree, and although dentistry appears to lack status and profile when compared with medicine, it may be more acceptable in relation to its lifestyle. Individual sociodemographic characteristics and wider environmental factors may influence the relative importance of these features.
Targeting myeloid derived suppressor cells reverts immune suppression and sensitizes BRAF-mutant papillary thyroid cancer to MAPK inhibitors
Authors: Zhang Peitao , Guan Haixia , Yuan Shukai , Cheng Huili , Zheng Jian , Zhang Zhenlei , Liu Yifan , Yu Yang , Meng Zhaowei , Zheng Xiangqian , Zhao Li
Published: March 2022

MAPK signaling inhibitor (MAPKi) therapies show limited efficacy for advanced thyroid cancers despite constitutive activation of the signaling correlates with disease recurrence and persistence. Understanding how BRAF pathway stimulates tumorigenesis could lead to new therapeutic targets. Here, through genetic and pathological approaches, we demonstrate that BRAFV600E promotes thyroid cancer development by increasing myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) penetrance. This BRAFV600E-induced immune suppression involves re-activation of the developmental factor TBX3, which in turn up-regulates CXCR2 ligands in a TLR2-NFκB dependent manner, leading to MDSCs recruitment into the tumor microenvironment. CXCR2 inhibition or MDSCs repression improves MAPKi therapy effect. Clinically, high TBX3 expression correlates with BRAFV600E mutation and increased CXCR2 ligands, along with abundant MDSCs infiltration. Thus, our study uncovers a BRAFV600E-TBX3-CXCLs-MDSCs axis that guides patient stratification and could be targeted to improve the efficacy of MAPKi therapy in advanced thyroid cancer patients.
Ultrasound-controllable engineered bacteria for cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Abedi Mohamad H. , Yao Michael S. , Mittelstein David R. , Bar-Zion Avinoam , Swift Margaret B. , Lee-Gosselin Audrey , Barturen-Larrea Pierina , Buss Marjorie T. , Shapiro Mikhail G.
Published: March 2022

Rapid advances in synthetic biology are driving the development of genetically engineered microbes as therapeutic agents for a multitude of human diseases, including cancer. The immunosuppressive microenvironment of solid tumors, in particular, creates a favorable niche for systemically administered bacteria to engraft and release therapeutic payloads. However, such payloads can be harmful if released outside the tumor in healthy tissues where the bacteria also engraft in smaller numbers. To address this limitation, we engineer therapeutic bacteria to be controlled by focused ultrasound, a form of energy that can be applied noninvasively to specific anatomical sites such as solid tumors. This control is provided by a temperature-actuated genetic state switch that produces lasting therapeutic output in response to briefly applied focused ultrasound hyperthermia. Using a combination of rational design and high-throughput screening we optimize the switching circuits of engineered cells and connect their activity to the release of immune checkpoint inhibitors. In a clinically relevant cancer model, ultrasound-activated therapeutic microbes successfully turn on in situ and induce a marked suppression of tumor growth. This technology provides a critical tool for the spatiotemporal targeting of potent bacterial therapeutics in a variety of biological and clinical scenarios.
Aegilops sharonensis genome-assisted identification of stem rust resistance gene Sr62
Authors: Yu Guotai , Matny Oadi , Champouret Nicolas , Steuernagel Burkhard , Moscou Matthew J. , Hernández-Pinzón Inmaculada , Green Phon , Hayta Sadiye , Smedley Mark , Harwood Wendy , Kangara Ngonidzashe , Yue Yajuan , Gardener Catherine , Banfield Mark J. , Olivera Pablo D. , Welchin Cole , Simmons Jamie , Millet Eitan , Minz-Dub Anna , Ronen Moshe , Avni Raz , Sharon Amir , Patpour Mehran , Justesen Annemarie F. , Jayakodi Murukarthick , Himmelbach Axel , Stein Nils , Wu Shuangye , Poland Jesse , Ens Jennifer , Pozniak Curtis , Karafiátová Miroslava , Molnár István , Doležel Jaroslav , Ward Eric R. , Reuber T. Lynne , Jones Jonathan D. G. , Mascher Martin , Steffenson Brian J. , Wulff Brande B. H.
Published: March 2022

The wild relatives and progenitors of wheat have been widely used as sources of disease resistance (R) genes. Molecular identification and characterization of these R genes facilitates their manipulation and tracking in breeding programmes. Here, we develop a reference-quality genome assembly of the wild diploid wheat relative Aegilops sharonensis and use positional mapping, mutagenesis, RNA-Seq and transgenesis to identify the stem rust resistance gene Sr62, which has also been transferred to common wheat. This gene encodes a tandem kinase, homologues of which exist across multiple taxa in the plant kingdom. Stable Sr62 transgenic wheat lines show high levels of resistance against diverse isolates of the stem rust pathogen, highlighting the utility of Sr62 for deployment as part of a polygenic stack to maximize the durability of stem rust resistance.
Acquiring new memories in neocortex of hippocampal-lesioned mice
Authors: Luo Wenhan , Yun Di , Hu Yi , Tian Miaomiao , Yang Jiajun , Xu Yifan , Tang Yong , Zhan Yang , Xie Hong , Guan Ji-Song
Published: March 2022

The hippocampus interacts with the neocortical network for memory retrieval and consolidation. Here, we found the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) modulates learning-induced cortical long-range gamma synchrony (20–40 Hz) in a hippocampal-dependent manner. The long-range gamma synchrony, which was coupled to the theta (7–10 Hz) rhythm and enhanced upon learning and recall, was mediated by inter-cortical projections from layer 5 neurons of the LEC to layer 2 neurons of the sensory and association cortices. Artificially induced cortical gamma synchrony across cortical areas improved memory encoding in hippocampal lesioned mice for originally hippocampal-dependent tasks. Mechanistically, we found that activities of cortical c-Fos labeled neurons, which showed egocentric map properties, were modulated by LEC-mediated gamma synchrony during memory recall, implicating a role of cortical synchrony to generate an integrative memory representation from disperse features. Our findings reveal the hippocampal mediated organization of cortical memories and suggest brain-machine interface approaches to improve cognitive function.
UBR4/POE facilitates secretory trafficking to maintain circadian clock synchrony
Authors: Hegazi Sara , Cheng Arthur H. , Krupp Joshua J. , Tasaki Takafumi , Liu Jiashu , Szulc Daniel A. , Ling Harrod H. , Rios Garcia Julian , Seecharran Shavanie , Basiri Tayebeh , Amiri Mehdi , Anwar Zobia , Ahmad Safa , Nayal Kamar , Sonenberg Nahum , Liu Bao-Hua , Cheng Hai-Ling Margaret , Levine Joel D. , Cheng Hai-Ying Mary
Published: March 2022

Ubiquitin ligases control the degradation of core clock proteins to govern the speed and resetting properties of the circadian pacemaker. However, few studies have addressed their potential to regulate other cellular events within clock neurons beyond clock protein turnover. Here, we report that the ubiquitin ligase, UBR4/POE, strengthens the central pacemaker by facilitating neuropeptide trafficking in clock neurons and promoting network synchrony. Ubr4-deficient mice are resistant to jetlag, whereas poe knockdown flies are prone to arrhythmicity, behaviors reflective of the reduced axonal trafficking of circadian neuropeptides. At the cellular level, Ubr4 ablation impairs the export of secreted proteins from the Golgi apparatus by reducing the expression of Coronin 7, which is required for budding of Golgi-derived transport vesicles. In summary, UBR4/POE fulfills a conserved and unexpected role in the vesicular trafficking of neuropeptides, a function that has important implications for circadian clock synchrony and circuit-level signal processing.
Atomic-precision Pt6 nanoclusters for enhanced hydrogen electro-oxidation
Authors: Wang Xiaoning , Zhao Lianming , Li Xuejin , Liu Yong , Wang Yesheng , Yao Qiaofeng , Xie Jianping , Xue Qingzhong , Yan Zifeng , Yuan Xun , Xing Wei
Published: March 2022

The discord between the insufficient abundance and the excellent electrocatalytic activity of Pt urgently requires its atomic-level engineering for minimal Pt dosage yet maximized electrocatalytic performance. Here we report the design of ultrasmall triphenylphosphine-stabilized Pt6 nanoclusters for electrocatalytic hydrogen oxidation reaction in alkaline solution. Benefiting from the self-optimized ligand effect and atomic-precision structure, the nanocluster electrocatalyst demonstrates a high mass activity, a high stability, and outperforms both Pt single atoms and Pt nanoparticle analogues, uncovering an unexpected size optimization principle for designing Pt electrocatalysts. Moreover, the nanocluster electrocatalyst delivers a high CO-tolerant ability that conventional Pt/C catalyst lacks. Theoretical calculations confirm that the enhanced electrocatalytic performance is attributable to the bifold effects of the triphenylphosphine ligand, which can not only tune the formation of atomically precise platinum nanoclusters, but also shift the d-band center of Pt atoms for favorable adsorption kinetics of *H, *OH, and CO.
High-speed 4D neutron computed tomography for quantifying water dynamics in polymer electrolyte fuel cells
Authors: Ziesche Ralf F. , Hack Jennifer , Rasha Lara , Maier Maximilian , Tan Chun , Heenan Thomas M. M. , Markötter Henning , Kardjilov Nikolay , Manke Ingo , Kockelmann Winfried , Brett Dan J. L. , Shearing Paul R.
Published: March 2022

In recent years, low-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells have become an increasingly important pillar in a zero-carbon strategy for curbing climate change, with their potential to power multiscale stationary and mobile applications. The performance improvement is a particular focus of research and engineering roadmaps, with water management being one of the major areas of interest for development. Appropriate characterisation tools for mapping the evolution, motion and removal of water are of high importance to tackle shortcomings. This article demonstrates the development of a 4D high-speed neutron imaging technique, which enables a quantitative analysis of the local water evolution. 4D visualisation allows the time-resolved studies of droplet formation in the flow fields and water quantification in various cell parts. Performance parameters for water management are identified that offer a method of cell classification, which will, in turn, support computer modelling and the engineering of next-generation flow field designs.
Kinetic resolution of cyclic benzylic azides enabled by site- and enantioselective C(sp3)–H oxidation
Authors: Ye Pengbo , Feng Aili , Wang Lin , Cao Min , Zhu Rongxiu , Liu Lei
Published: March 2022

Catalytic nonenzymatic kinetic resolution (KR) of racemates remains one of the most powerful tools to prepare enantiopure compounds, which dominantly relies on the manipulation of reactive functional groups. Moreover, catalytic KR of organic azides represents a formidable challenge due to the small size and instability of the azido group. Here, an effective KR of cyclic benzylic azides through site- and enantioselective C(sp3)–H oxidation is described. The manganese catalyzed oxidative KR reaction exhibits good functional group tolerance, and is applicable to a range of tetrahydroquinoline- and indoline-based organic azides with excellent site- and enantio-discrimination. Computational studies elucidate that the effective chiral recognition is derived from hydrogen bonding interaction between substrate and catalyst.
Non-specific adhesive forces between filaments and membraneless organelles
Authors: Böddeker Thomas J. , Rosowski Kathryn A. , Berchtold Doris , Emmanouilidis Leonidas , Han Yaning , Allain Frédéric H. T. , Style Robert W. , Pelkmans Lucas , Dufresne Eric R.
Published: March 2022

Many membraneless organelles are liquid-like domains that form inside the active, viscoelastic environment of living cells through phase separation. To investigate the potential coupling of phase separation with the cytoskeleton, we quantify the structural correlations of membraneless organelles (stress granules) and cytoskeletal filaments (microtubules) in a human-derived epithelial cell line. We find that microtubule networks are substantially denser in the vicinity of stress granules. When microtubules are depolymerized, the sub-units localize near the surface of the stress granules. We interpret these data using a thermodynamic model of partitioning of particles to the surface and bulk of the droplets. In this framework, our data are consistent with a weak (≲kBT) affinity of the microtubule sub-units for stress granule interfaces. As microtubules polymerize, their interfacial affinity increases, providing sufficient adhesion to deform droplets and/or the network. Our work suggests that proteins and other objects in the cell have a non-specific affinity for droplet interfaces that increases with the contact area and becomes most apparent when they have no preference for the interior of a droplet over the rest of the cytoplasm. We validate this basic physical phenomenon in vitro through the interaction of a simple protein–RNA condensate with microtubules.