bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EXPONENTIAL REALIZED GARCH-ITÔ VOLATILITY MODELS
Authors: Kim Donggyu
Published: November 2022

This paper introduces a novel Itô diffusion process to model high-frequency financial data that can accommodate low-frequency volatility dynamics by embedding the discrete-time nonlinear exponential generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) structure with log-integrated volatility in a continuous instantaneous volatility process. The key feature of the proposed model is that, unlike existing GARCH-Itô models, the instantaneous volatility process has a nonlinear structure, which ensures that the log-integrated volatilities have the realized GARCH structure. We call this the exponential realized GARCH-Itô model. Given the autoregressive structure of the log-integrated volatility, we propose a quasi-likelihood estimation procedure for parameter estimation and establish its asymptotic properties. We conduct a simulation study to check the finite-sample performance of the proposed model and an empirical study with 50 assets among the S&P 500 compositions. Numerical studies show the advantages of the proposed model.
Business and the Planetary History of International Environmental Governance in the 1970s
Authors: Huf Ben , Sluga Glenda , Selchow Sabine
Published: November 2022

The role of business and multinational corporations (MNCs) in early international environmental governance is not well understood. Typically, historians accord business growing influence after the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, coincident with the rise of a market-oriented sustainable development paradigm. In this article, we highlight the considerable involvement of self-styled business actors in the formative 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment and subsequent establishment of the UN Environment Programme. Tracing the interconnected networks of British economist Barbara Ward, Italian industrialist Aurelio Peccei and Canadian oilman-turned-UNEP boss Maurice Strong, we identify business actors as key in the passage from ‘planetary’ to ‘global’ environmental rationales characteristic of environmental politics between the 1970s and 1990s. However, we also show that business was a sought-after (even if often ambiguous) partner in the 1970s’ moment of innovative ‘planetary’ environmental thinking and institution making. The contested status of MNCs in 1970s internationalism shaped this early business involvement in the history of environmental governance.
Making Job Candidates More Honest With a Theory-Based Form
Authors: Srour Camille , Py Jacques
Published: November 2022

Abstract: In collaboration with recruiting and background check firms, we gave a customized application form designed to both deter and enhance detection of deception to 27 real-life candidates. A total of 269 elements common to both the customized form and their usual free-form resumes were verified. Inaccuracies were reduced from 23% on the resumes to 11% on the customized forms ( p < .001). Furthermore, candidates who did not provide contact information for past professional experiences to facilitate our verifications were less likely to submit fully accurate information about the experience, compared to those who did provide contact information (39% and 77%, respectively, p = .007). This novel method thus appears to be a cost-effective way to address resume fraud.
Expansion and Intensification of the North American Monsoon During the Pliocene
Authors: Bhattacharya Tripti , Feng Ran , Tierney Jessica E. , Rubbelke Claire , Burls Natalie , Knapp Scott , Fu Minmin
Published: November 2022

Southwestern North America (SWNA), like many subtropical regions, is predicted to become drier in response to anthropogenic warming. However, during the Pliocene, when carbon dioxide was above pre‐industrial levels, multiple lines of evidence suggest that SWNA was much wetter. While existing explanations for a wet Pliocene invoke increases in winter rain, recent modeling studies hypothesize that summer rain may have also played an important role. Here, we present the first direct evidence for an intensified mid‐Pliocene monsoon in SWNA using leaf wax hydrogen isotopes. These new records provide evidence that the mid‐Pliocene featured an intensified and expanded North American Monsoon. Using proxies and isotope‐enabled model simulations, we show that monsoon intensification is linked to amplified warming on the southern California margin relative to the tropical Pacific. This mechanism has clear relevance for understanding present‐day monsoon variations, since we show that intervals of amplified subtropical warming on the California margin, as are seen during modern California margin heat waves, are associated with a stronger monsoon. Because marine heat waves are predicted to increase in frequency, the future may bring intervals of “Pliocene‐like” rainfall that co‐exist with intensifying megadrought in SWNA, with implications for ecosystems, human infrastructure, and water resources.
Density Staircases Are Disappearing in the Canada Basin of the Arctic Ocean
Authors: Ménesguen Claire , Lique Camille , Caspar‐Cohen Zoé
Published: November 2022

In the Canada Basin of the Arctic Ocean, warm and salty Atlantic‐origin Water (AW) lies in the intermediate layer (250–800 m) below a colder and fresher surface layer. It results in a depth range where vertical thermohaline gradients are propitious to double‐diffusion. Indeed, thermohaline staircases are commonly observed and associated with double‐diffusive processes. Using observations from the Beaufort Gyre Exploration Project large database and Ice‐Tethered Profilers, we document the presence of density staircases in the 300–700 m depth range with a striking strong spatial and temporal coherence. However, since 2007, a progressive smoothing of these staircases has occurred, beginning from the western half of the basin. Quantifying this evolution, we find that a general pattern is a clear evolution over time from numerous thick steps (≃40 m) with sharp interfaces to fewer and thinner steps (≃30 m) with smoother interfaces. After 2014, marked density staircases have almost disappeared in most of the Canada Basin. The vanishing of staircases occurs over a few years and coincides with modifications of the large scale circulation and thermohaline large scale horizontal gradients. As the small scale thermohaline structures are thought to play an important role for the vertical and horizontal exchanges of heat within the Canada Basin, the disappearance of the steps may impact the heat distribution at depth, with potential consequences for the evolution of the sea ice cover.
Practice Patterns for Addressing Developmental-Behavioral Concerns in Sickle Cell Specialty Care
Authors: Schlenz Alyssa M. , Phillips Shannon , Mueller Martina , Kanter Julie
Published: November 2022

Objective:

Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at elevated risk for neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders. This article describes developmental-behavioral practice patterns among sites who were part of the Dissemination and Implementation of Stroke Prevention Looking at the Care Environment (DISPLACE) consortium in the context of current guidelines for addressing these concerns.

Methods:

An internal survey was developed for the principal investigators of the DISPLACE study to identify developmental-behavioral clinical practices across the 28-site consortium, including methods for identification, referral practices, access to psychologists, and barriers to services. Descriptive data were pulled from the survey to describe practice patterns.

Results:

Most sites used informal methods to detect developmental-behavioral concerns, though over one third of sites were using a structured protocol. The most common referral indications for further developmental and neuropsychological evaluation were parent, provider, or school concerns or stroke. Evaluations were predominantly completed by pediatric neuropsychologists and pediatric psychologists. Despite most sites reporting access to a psychologist within the SCD clinic, sites also reported long waitlists and difficulty accessing providers for evaluation and treatment services. Insurance difficulties were also a common barrier. A range of additional barriers were reported at the patient, provider, organizational, and policy/socioenvironmental levels.

Conclusions:

Many sites in the DISPLACE consortium were adhering to existing care guidelines for pediatric SCD; however, there was also wide variation in practices for which guidelines are absent or unclear. Additional work is needed to inform guidelines, to specify the role of psychology within specialty SCD care, and to overcome barriers to care.

Implications for Impact Statement

Optimal developmental-behavioral care for children with sickle cell disease involves collaboration among specialty care providers and pediatric psychologists; however, these efforts may be hampered by dispersed or unclear guidelines and several barriers to care. Future studies and guidelines have the potential to improve care by providing clear, consistent, and unified care recommendations specific to psychologists and related care professionals who are supporting children with sickle cell disease.
Light-induced tumor theranostics based on chemical-exfoliated borophene
Authors: Xie Zhongjian , Duo Yanhong , Fan Taojian , Zhu Yao , Feng Shuai , Li Chuanbo , Guo Honglian , Ge Yanqi , Ahmed Shakeel , Huang Weichun , Liu Huiling , Qi Ling , Guo Rui , Li Defa , Prasad Paras N. , Zhang Han
Published: November 2022

Among 2D materials (Xenes) which are at the forefront of research activities, borophene, is an exciting new entry due to its uniquely varied optical, electronic, and chemical properties in many polymorphic forms with widely varying band gaps including the lightest 2D metallic phase. In this paper, we used a simple selective chemical etching to prepare borophene with a strong near IR light-induced photothermal effect. The photothermal efficiency is similar to plasmonic Au nanoparticles, with the added benefit of borophene being degradable due to electron deficiency of boron. We introduce this selective chemical etching process to obtain ultrathin and large borophene nanosheets (thickness of ~4 nm and lateral size up to ~600 nm) from the precursor of AlB2. We also report first-time observation of a selective Acid etching behavior showing HCl etching of Al to form a residual B lattice, while HF selectively etches B to yield an Al lattice. We demonstrate that through surface modification with polydopamine (PDA), a biocompatible smart delivery nanoplatform of B@PDA can respond to a tumor environment, exhibiting an enhanced cellular uptake efficiency. We demonstrate that borophene can be more suitable for safe photothermal theranostic of thick tumor using deep penetrating near IR light compared to gold nanoparticles which are not degradable, thus posing long-term toxicity concerns. With about 40 kinds of borides, we hope that our work will open door to more discoveries of this top-down selective etching approach for generating borophene structures with rich unexplored thermal, electronic, and optical properties for many other technological applications.
Deubiquitinase USP35 stabilizes BRPF1 to activate mevalonate (MVA) metabolism during prostate tumorigenesis
Authors: Lin Guowen , Huang Tianrun , Zhang Xiaobo , Wang Gangmin
Published: November 2022

The mutual interplay between epigenetic modifications and metabolic rewiring contributes to malignant features of prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD). This study aimed to uncover the biological roles of deubiquitylase USP35 in PRAD and find effective epigenetic or metabolic targets. Bioinformatic tools or methods revealed that USP35 is upregulated in PRAD samples and correlates with inferior prognosis. The in vitro and in vivo assays suggested that USP35 could enhance malignant features of PRAD cells. Mechanistically, we found that USP35 could directly deubiquitinate and stabilize BRPF1 proteins. USP35 depends on accumulated BRPF1 proteins to accelerate cell growth, stem-like properties, and migration in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, high BRPF1 could bind to promoter of SREBP2 and activate the SREBP2 transcriptional capacity. Therefore, USP35/BRPF1 aixs could promote expressions of mevalonate (MVA) metabolism signature in a SREBP2-dependent manner. USP35 depends on BRPF1 to maintain the activity of mevalonate metabolism in PRAD cells. Last of all, we observed that targeting BRPF1 or using MVA inhibitor (atorvastatin) are effective to suppress USP35highPRAD in vivo tumor growth. USP35 is an indicator of MVA metabolic signature in PRAD. Collectively, our study highlighted the USP35/BRPF1/SREBP2 axis in modulating MVA metabolism in PRAD, suggesting the significance of BRPF1 or MVA as the potential therapeutic targets for PRAD treatment.
Vascular endothelium deploys caveolin-1 to regulate oligodendrogenesis after chronic cerebral ischemia in mice
Authors: Zhao Ying , Zhu Wusheng , Wan Ting , Zhang Xiaohao , Li Yunzi , Huang Zhenqian , Xu Pengfei , Huang Kangmo , Ye Ruidong , Xie Yi , Liu Xinfeng
Published: November 2022

Oligovascular coupling contributes to white matter vascular homeostasis. However, little is known about the effects of oligovascular interaction on oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) changes in chronic cerebral ischemia. Here, using a mouse of bilateral carotid artery stenosis, we show a gradual accumulation of OPCs on vasculature with impaired oligodendrogenesis. Mechanistically, chronic ischemia induces a substantial loss of endothelial caveolin-1 (Cav-1), leading to vascular secretion of heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α). Endothelial-specific over-expression of Cav-1 or genetic knockdown of vascular HSP90α restores normal vascular-OPC interaction, promotes oligodendrogenesis and attenuates ischemic myelin damage. miR-3074(−1)−3p is identified as a direct inducer of Cav-1 reduction in mice and humans. Endothelial uptake of nanoparticle-antagomir improves myelin damage and cognitive deficits dependent on Cav-1. In summary, our findings demonstrate that vascular abnormality may compromise oligodendrogenesis and myelin regeneration through endothelial Cav-1, which may provide an intercellular mechanism in ischemic demyelination.
Biochemical and structural basis for differential inhibitor sensitivity of EGFR with distinct exon 19 mutations
Authors: van Alderwerelt van Rosenburgh Iris K. , Lu David M. , Grant Michael J. , Stayrook Steven E. , Phadke Manali , Walther Zenta , Goldberg Sarah B. , Politi Katerina , Lemmon Mark A. , Ashtekar Kumar D. , Tsutsui Yuko
Published: November 2022

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are used to treat non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) driven by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain (TKD). TKI responses vary across tumors driven by the heterogeneous group of exon 19 deletions and mutations, but the molecular basis for these differences is not understood. Using purified TKDs, we compared kinetic properties of several exon 19 variants. Although unaltered for the second generation TKI afatinib, sensitivity varied significantly for both the first and third generation TKIs erlotinib and osimertinib. The most sensitive variants showed reduced ATP-binding affinity, whereas those associated with primary resistance retained wild type ATP-binding characteristics (and lowKM, ATP). Through crystallographic and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) studies, we identify possible origins for the altered ATP-binding affinity underlying TKI sensitivity and resistance, and propose a basis for classifying uncommon exon 19 variants that may have predictive clinical value.
Faecal microbiome-based machine learning for multi-class disease diagnosis
Authors: Su Qi , Liu Qin , Lau Raphaela Iris , Zhang Jingwan , Xu Zhilu , Yeoh Yun Kit , Leung Thomas W. H. , Tang Whitney , Zhang Lin , Liang Jessie Q. Y. , Yau Yuk Kam , Zheng Jiaying , Liu Chengyu , Zhang Mengjing , Cheung Chun Pan , Ching Jessica Y. L. , Tun Hein M. , Yu Jun , Chan Francis K. L. , Ng Siew C.
Published: November 2022

Systemic characterisation of the human faecal microbiome provides the opportunity to develop non-invasive approaches in the diagnosis of a major human disease. However, shared microbial signatures across different diseases make accurate diagnosis challenging in single-disease models. Herein, we present a machine-learning multi-class model using faecal metagenomic dataset of 2,320 individuals with nine well-characterised phenotypes, including colorectal cancer, colorectal adenomas, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular disease, post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and healthy individuals. Our processed data covers 325 microbial species derived from 14.3 terabytes of sequence. The trained model achieves an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.90 to 0.99 (Interquartile range, IQR, 0.91–0.94) in predicting different diseases in the independent test set, with a sensitivity of 0.81 to 0.95 (IQR, 0.87–0.93) at a specificity of 0.76 to 0.98 (IQR 0.83–0.95). Metagenomic analysis from public datasets of 1,597 samples across different populations observes comparable predictions with AUROC of 0.69 to 0.91 (IQR 0.79–0.87). Correlation of the top 50 microbial species with disease phenotypes identifies 363 significant associations (FDR < 0.05). This microbiome-based multi-disease model has potential clinical application in disease diagnostics and treatment response monitoring and warrants further exploration.
Transfer learning enhanced water-enabled electricity generation in highly oriented graphene oxide nanochannels
Authors: Yang Ce , Wang Haiyan , Bai Jiaxin , He Tiancheng , Cheng Huhu , Guang Tianlei , Yao Houze , Qu Liangti
Published: November 2022

Harvesting energy from spontaneous water flow within artificial nanochannels is a promising route to meet sustainable power requirements of the fast-growing human society. However, large-scale nanochannel integration and the multi-parameter coupling restrictive influence on electric generation are still big challenges for macroscale applications. In this regard, long-range (1 to 20 cm) ordered graphene oxide assembled framework with integrated 2D nanochannels have been fabricated by a rotational freeze-casting method. The structure can promote spontaneous absorption and directional transmission of water inside the channels to generate considerable electric energy. A transfer learning strategy is implemented to address the complicated multi-parameters coupling problem under limited experimental data, which provides highly accurate performance optimization and efficiently guides the design of 2D water flow enabled generators. A generator unit can produce ~2.9 V voltage or ~16.8 μA current in a controllable manner. High electric output of ~12 V or ~83 μA is realized by connecting several devices in series or parallel. Different water enabled electricity generation systems have been developed to directly power commercial electronics like LED arrays and display screens, demonstrating the material’s potential for development of water enabled clean energy.
The 3D structure of lipidic fibrils of α-synuclein
Authors: Frieg Benedikt , Antonschmidt Leif , Dienemann Christian , Geraets James A. , Najbauer Eszter E. , Matthes Dirk , de Groot Bert L. , Andreas Loren B. , Becker Stefan , Griesinger Christian , Schröder Gunnar F.
Published: November 2022

α-synuclein misfolding and aggregation into fibrils is a common feature of α-synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson’s disease, in which α-synuclein fibrils are a characteristic hallmark of neuronal inclusions called Lewy bodies. Studies on the composition of Lewy bodies extracted postmortem from brain tissue of Parkinson’s patients revealed that lipids and membranous organelles are also a significant component. Interactions between α-synuclein and lipids have been previously identified as relevant for Parkinson’s disease pathology, however molecular insights into their interactions have remained elusive. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of six α-synuclein fibrils in complex with lipids, revealing specific lipid-fibril interactions. We observe that phospholipids promote an alternative protofilament fold, mediate an unusual arrangement of protofilaments, and fill the central cavities of the fibrils. Together with our previous studies, these structures also indicate a mechanism for fibril-induced lipid extraction, which is likely to be involved in the development of α-synucleinopathies. Specifically, one potential mechanism for the cellular toxicity is the disruption of intracellular vesicles mediated by fibrils and oligomers, and therefore the modulation of these interactions may provide a promising strategy for future therapeutic interventions.
Single cell profiling of primary and paired metastatic lymph node tumors in breast cancer patients
Authors: Liu Tong , Liu Cheng , Yan Meisi , Zhang Lei , Zhang Jing , Xiao Min , Li Zhigao , Wei Xiaofan , Zhang Hongquan
Published: November 2022

The microenvironment of lymph node metastasized tumors (LNMT) determines tumor progression and response to therapy, but a systematic study of LNMT is lacking. Here, we generate single-cell maps of primary tumors (PTs) and paired LNMTs in 8 breast cancer patients. We demonstrate that the activation, cytotoxicity, and proliferation of T cells are suppressed in LNMT compared with PT.CD4+CXCL13+T cells in LNMT are more likely to differentiate into an exhausted state. Interestingly,LAMP3+dendritic cells in LNMT display lower T cell priming and activating ability than in PT. Additionally, we identify a subtype ofPLA2G2A+cancer-associated fibroblasts enriched in HER2+breast cancer patients that promotes immune infiltration. We also show that the antigen-presentation pathway is downregulated in malignant cells of the metastatic lymph node. Altogether, we characterize the microenvironment of LNMT and PT, which may shed light on the individualized therapeutic strategies for breast cancer patients with lymph node metastasis.
Human infection with a reassortment avian influenza A H3N8 virus: an epidemiological investigation study
Authors: Bao Pengtao , Liu Yang , Zhang Xiaoai , Fan Hang , Zhao Jie , Mu Mi , Li Haiyang , Wang Yanhe , Ge Honghan , Li Shuang , Yang Xin , Cui Qianqian , Chen Rui , Gao Liang , Sun Zhihua , Gao Lizhen , Qiu Shuang , Liu Xuchun , Horby Peter W. , Li Xiubin , Fang Liqun , Liu Wei
Published: November 2022

A four-year-old boy developed recurrent fever and severe pneumonia in April, 2022. High-throughput sequencing revealed a reassortant avian influenza A-H3N8 virus (A/Henan/ZMD-22-2/2022(H3N8) with avian-origin HA and NA genes. The six internal genes were acquired from Eurasian lineage H9N2 viruses. Molecular substitutions analysis revealed the haemagglutin retained avian-like receptor binding specificity but that PB2 genes possessed sequence changes (E627K) associated with increased virulence and transmissibility in mammalian animal models. The patient developed respiratory failure, liver, renal, coagulation dysfunction and sepsis. Endotracheal intubation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were administered. H3N8 RNA was detected from nasopharyngeal swab of a dog, anal swab of a cat, and environmental samples collected in the patient’s house. The full-length HA sequences from the dog and cat were identical to the sequence from the patient. No influenza-like illness was developed and no H3N8 RNA was identified in family members. Serological testing revealed neutralizing antibody response against ZMD-22-2 virus in the patient and three family members. Our results suggest that a triple reassortant H3N8 caused severe human disease. There is some evidence of mammalian adaptation, possible via an intermediary mammalian species, but no evidence of person-to-person transmission. The potential threat from avian influenza viruses warrants continuous evaluation and mitigation.
Fertilization mode differentially impacts the evolution of vertebrate sperm components
Authors: Kahrl Ariel F. , Snook Rhonda R. , Fitzpatrick John L.
Published: November 2022

Environmental change frequently drives morphological diversification, including at the cellular level. Transitions in the environment where fertilization occurs (i.e., fertilization mode) are hypothesized to be a driver of the extreme diversity in sperm morphology observed in animals. Yet how fertilization mode impacts the evolution of sperm components—head, midpiece, and flagellum—each with different functional roles that must act as an integrated unit remains unclear. Here, we test this hypothesis by examining the evolution of sperm component lengths across 1103 species of vertebrates varying in fertilization mode (external vs. internal fertilization). Sperm component length is explained in part by fertilization mode across vertebrates, but how fertilization mode influences sperm evolution varies among sperm components and vertebrate clades. We also identify evolutionary responses not influenced by fertilization mode: midpieces evolve rapidly in both external and internal fertilizers. Fertilization mode thus influences vertebrate sperm evolution through complex component- and clade-specific evolutionary responses.
Hole-doping induced ferromagnetism in 2D materials
Authors: Meng Ruishen , da Costa Pereira Lino , Locquet Jean-Pierre , Afanas’ev Valeri , Pourtois Geoffrey , Houssa Michel
Published: November 2022

Two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic materials are considered as promising candidates for the future generations of spintronic devices. Yet, 2D materials with intrinsic ferromagnetism are scarce. Hereby, high-throughput first-principles simulations are performed to screen 2D materials that present a non-magnetic to a ferromagnetic transition upon hole doping. A global evolutionary search is subsequently performed to identify alternative possible atomic structures of the eligible candidates, and 122 materials exhibiting a hole-doping induced ferromagnetism are identified. Their energetic and dynamic stability, as well as magnetic properties under hole doping are investigated systematically. Half of these 2D materials are metal halides, followed by chalcogenides, oxides, and nitrides, some of them having predicted Curie temperatures above 300 K. The exchange interactions responsible for the ferromagnetic order are also discussed. This work not only provides theoretical insights into hole-doped 2D ferromagnetic materials, but also enriches the family of 2D magnetic materials for possible spintronic applications.
Crystal twins: self-supervised learning for crystalline material property prediction
Authors: Magar Rishikesh , Wang Yuyang , Barati Farimani Amir
Published: November 2022

Machine learning (ML) models have been widely successful in the prediction of material properties. However, large labeled datasets required for training accurate ML models are elusive and computationally expensive to generate. Recent advances in Self-Supervised Learning (SSL) frameworks capable of training ML models on unlabeled data mitigate this problem and demonstrate superior performance in computer vision and natural language processing. Drawing inspiration from the developments in SSL, we introduce Crystal Twins (CT): a generic SSL method for crystalline materials property prediction that can leverage large unlabeled datasets. CT adapts a twin Graph Neural Network (GNN) and learns representations by forcing graph latent embeddings of augmented instances obtained from the same crystalline system to be similar. We implement Barlow Twins and SimSiam frameworks in CT. By sharing the pre-trained weights when fine-tuning the GNN for downstream tasks, we significantly improve the performance of GNN on 14 challenging material property prediction benchmarks.
Computational screening of transition metal-doped CdS for photocatalytic hydrogen production
Authors: Li Yuting , Bahamon Daniel , Sinnokrot Mutasem , Vega Lourdes F.
Published: November 2022

A novel computational screening study of single transition metal (TM), TM-doped, and dual TMs-doped on CdS (110) surfaces via DFT calculations is presented, focusing on their stability and catalytic activity, searching for efficient photocatalysts for hydrogen production. Criteria based on key performance descriptors allowed to fine-tune the selection. Results indicate that TM dopants can reduce the energy band gap and enhance impurity d-states. Pt, Rh, and Pd were found to be the best dopants in TM-doped CdS, since their $$\left| {\Delta G_H} \right|$$

Δ

G

H

is 80% smaller compared to the pristine CdS surface. Moreover, TM1-TM2-co-doped CdS catalysts show better performance for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to synergistic effects of the two TMs, where Co-Pt, Pd-Pt and Co-Rh co-doping CdS significantly reduced $$\left| {\Delta G_H} \right|$$

Δ

G

H

to less than 0.1 eV. Results point out four promising novel co-catalysts (i.e., Co, Co-Pt, Co-Rh, Rh-Ag) with very good performance in HER, to be further explored in experimental studies.
Highly sensitive active-powering pressure sensor enabled by integration of double-rough surface hydrogel and flexible batteries
Authors: Huang Yuan , Liu Binbin , Zhang Wenyue , Qu Gangrui , Jin Shunyu , Li Xianbo , Nie Zanxiang , Zhou Hang
Published: November 2022

A conductive, elastic, and biocompatible hybrid network hydrogel was prepared by cross-linking of locust bean gum, polyvinyl alcohol, and carbon nanotubes, yielding a rough top surface and smooth bottom surface. The merging of the two pieces of hydrogel flat face to flat face forms a highly elastic hydrogel with double-rough surfaces. A piezoresistive sensor assembled with the double-rough surface hydrogel sandwiched between two carbon cloth electrodes exhibits a high sensitivity (20.5 kPa-1, 0-1kPa), a broad detection range (0.1–100 kPa) and a reliable response for 1000 cycles. The rough contact area between the hydrogels and the carbon cloth is found critical in achieving ultra-high sensitivities in the low-pressure range. Moreover, further monolithic integration of the sensor with a flexible solid-state zinc ion battery ensures the self-powering of the sensor for various human motions detection applications.
Stress-assisted corrosion behaviour of Hastelloy N in FLiNaK molten salt environment
Authors: Gu Yufen , Zhang Wenzhu , Xu Youwei , Shi Yu , Volodymyr Korzhyk
Published: November 2022

The use of molten-salt–based energy production and storage systems requires high-temperature corrosion- and creep-resistant structural materials. This study investigated the microstructure evolution and corrosion characteristics of Hastelloy N under working stress in a molten salt environment. Selective diffusion of Cr at the grain boundaries (GBs) of the Hastelloy N degraded the properties of the GBs, making them preferred locations for corrosion crack invasion. Stress further promoted Cr diffusion and accelerated GB carbide precipitation, thereby forming a corrosion couple between the carbide and matrix that facilitated the expansion of intergranular corrosion cracks into the grains. These findings are useful for providing advances in the design of novel structural alloys with extraordinary property-microstructure stability combinations for resistant to complex molten salt environments.
Al2O3-modified 7YSZ thermal barrier coatings for protection against volcanic ash corrosion
Authors: Zhang Xiaofeng , Zhuo Xueshi , Fan Zhengjie , Mao Jie , Deng Chunming , Deng Changguang , Mei Xuesong , Cui Jianlei , Zhou Kesong , Liu Min
Published: November 2022

To prevent volcanic ash corrosion using thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), a novel method using Al2O3-modification was proposed to reduce molten CMAS wettability on TBCs surface through a lotus effect. Plasma spray-physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD), a third-generation method for TBCs fabrication, was adopted to deposit 7YSZ TBCs with a feather-like microstructure. Then, Al2O3 modification was introduced to fabricate a dense Al2O3 overlay with nano/micro-sized grains on the TBCs surface. The wetting ability of CMAS on APS/EB-PVD/PS-PVD 7YSZ TBCs was comparatively in situ observed at 1250 °C for 3600 s. The results indicated that the dense Al2O3 overlay inhibited penetration of molten CMAS. Additionally, the micro/nano dual-sized structure, which is similar to the papillary structure of a lotus leaf, reduced molten CMAS wettability on the TBCs surface. The results demonstrated that the Al2O3-modified TBCs had better CMAS corrosion resistance than the as-deposited APS/EB-PVD/PS-PVD TBCs.
Attempts to quit smoking, use of smoking cessation methods, and associated characteristics among COPD patients
Authors: Pashutina Yekaterina , Kotz Daniel , Kastaun Sabrina
Published: November 2022

We explored past-year quit attempts, cessation methods used, and associations with sociodemographic, smoking, and health-related characteristics among smoking patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Germany. Cross-sectional survey data of 509 past-year smokers (current smokers and ≤12 months abstinent) with COPD (ICD-10 code J44.x and FEV1/FVC <0.70) from 19 pulmonary primary care practices were used. Associations were explored between age, sex, educational qualification, lung function, urges to smoke, psychological distress, and (a) ≥1 past-year quit attempt (yes/no), (b) use of ≥1 evidence-based smoking cessation method (yes/no). Of all patients, 48.5% (n = 247, 95% confidence interval (CI) 44.2–52.9) reported ≥1 past-year quit attempt. Such an attempt was positively associated with the male sex (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.50, 95% CI 1.01–2.24) and negatively associated with time spent with urges to smoke (OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.52–0.91). During the most recent past-year quit attempt, one-third of the patients used ≥1 evidence-based smoking cessation method (31.2%, 95% CI 25.4–37.0), which was positively associated with the strength of urges to smoke (OR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.09–2.41). Combined behavioural and pharmacological treatments were used by 4.0% (n = 10, 95% CI 1.6–6.5). Electronic cigarettes were used most frequently (21.5%, 95% CI 16.3–26.6). Although a high proportion of COPD patients in German pulmonary primary care attempt to quit smoking, only a few of them use evidence-based methods as assistance for quitting.
Bordetella pertussis whole cell immunization protects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections
Authors: Blackwood Catherine B. , Mateu-Borrás Margalida , Sen-Kilic Emel , Pyles Gage M. , Miller Sarah Jo , Weaver Kelly L. , Witt William T. , Huckaby Annalisa B. , Kang Jason , Chandler Courtney E. , Ernst Robert K. , Heath Damron F. , Barbier Mariette
Published: November 2022

Whole cell vaccines are complex mixtures of antigens, immunogens, and sometimes adjuvants that can trigger potent and protective immune responses. In some instances, such as whole cell Bordetella pertussis vaccination, the immune response to vaccination extends beyond the pathogen the vaccine was intended for and contributes to protection against other clinically significant pathogens. In this study, we describe how B. pertussis whole cell vaccination protects mice against acute pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using ELISA and western blot, we identified that B. pertussis whole cell vaccination induces production of antibodies that bind to lab-adapted and clinical strains of P. aeruginosa, regardless of immunization route or adjuvant used. The cross-reactive antigens were identified using immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, and subsequent immunoblotting. We determined that B. pertussis GroEL and OmpA present in the B. pertussis whole cell vaccine led to production of antibodies against P. aeruginosa GroEL and OprF, respectively. Finally, we showed that recombinant B. pertussis OmpA was sufficient to induce protection against P. aeruginosa acute murine pneumonia. This study highlights the potential for use of B. pertussis OmpA as a vaccine antigen for prevention of P. aeruginosa infection, and the potential of broadly protective antigens for vaccine development.
Coevolution of religious and political authority in Austronesian societies
Authors: Sheehan Oliver , Watts Joseph , Gray Russell D. , Bulbulia Joseph , Claessens Scott , Ringen Erik J. , Atkinson Quentin D.
Published: November 2022

Authority, an institutionalized form of social power, is one of the defining features of the large-scale societies that evolved during the Holocene. Religious and political authority have deep histories in human societies and are clearly interdependent, but the nature of their relationship and its evolution over time is contested. We purpose-built an ethnographic dataset of 97 Austronesian societies and used phylogenetic methods to address two long-standing questions about the evolution of religious and political authority: first, how these two institutions have coevolved, and second, whether religious and political authority have tended to become more or less differentiated. We found evidence for mutual interdependence between religious and political authority but no evidence for or against a long-term pattern of differentiation or unification in systems of religious and political authority. Our results provide insight into how political and religious authority have worked synergistically over millennia during the evolution of large-scale societies.
Divergent SARS-CoV-2 variant emerges in white-tailed deer with deer-to-human transmission
Authors: Pickering Bradley , Lung Oliver , Maguire Finlay , Kruczkiewicz Peter , Kotwa Jonathon D. , Buchanan Tore , Gagnier Marianne , Guthrie Jennifer L. , Jardine Claire M. , Marchand-Austin Alex , Massé Ariane , McClinchey Heather , Nirmalarajah Kuganya , Aftanas Patryk , Blais-Savoie Juliette , Chee Hsien-Yao , Chien Emily , Yim Winfield , Banete Andra , Griffin Bryan D. , Yip Lily , Goolia Melissa , Suderman Matthew , Pinette Mathieu , Smith Greg , Sullivan Daniel , Rudar Josip , Vernygora Oksana , Adey Elizabeth , Nebroski Michelle , Goyette Guillaume , Finzi Andrés , Laroche Geneviève , Ariana Ardeshir , Vahkal Brett , Côté Marceline , McGeer Allison J. , Nituch Larissa , Mubareka Samira , Bowman Jeff
Published: November 2022

Wildlife reservoirs of broad-host-range viruses have the potential to enable evolution of viral variants that can emerge to infect humans. In North America, there is phylogenomic evidence of continual transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from humans to white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) through unknown means, but no evidence of transmission from deer to humans. We carried out an observational surveillance study in Ontario, Canada during November and December 2021 (n = 300 deer) and identified a highly divergent lineage of SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer (B.1.641). This lineage is one of the most divergent SARS-CoV-2 lineages identified so far, with 76 mutations (including 37 previously associated with non-human mammalian hosts). From a set of five complete and two partial deer-derived viral genomes we applied phylogenomic, recombination, selection and mutation spectrum analyses, which provided evidence for evolution and transmission in deer and a shared ancestry with mink-derived virus. Our analysis also revealed an epidemiologically linked human infection. Taken together, our findings provide evidence for sustained evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer and of deer-to-human transmission.
Near-real-time daily estimates of fossil fuel CO2 emissions from major high-emission cities in China
Authors: Huo Da , Liu Kai , Liu Jianwu , Huang Yingjian , Sun Taochun , Sun Yun , Si Caomingzhe , Liu Jinjie , Huang Xiaoting , Qiu Jian , Wang Haijin , Cui Duo , Zhu Biqing , Deng Zhu , Ke Piyu , Shan Yuli , Boucher Olivier , Dannet Grégoire , Liang Gaoqi , Zhao Junhua , Chen Lei , Zhang Qian , Ciais Philippe , Zhou Wenwen , Liu Zhu
Published: November 2022

Cities in China are on the frontline of low-carbon transition which requires monitoring city-level emissions with low-latency to support timely climate actions. Most existing CO2emission inventories lag reality by more than one year and only provide annual totals. To improve the timeliness and temporal resolution of city-level emission inventories, we present Carbon Monitor Cities-China (CMCC), a near-real-time dataset of daily CO2emissions from fossil fuel and cement production for 48 major high-emission cities in China. This dataset provides territory-based emission estimates from 2020-01-01 to 2021-12-31 for five sectors: power generation, residential (buildings and services), industry, ground transportation, and aviation. CMCC is developed based on an innovative framework that integrates bottom-up inventory construction and daily emission estimates from sectoral activities and models. Annual emissions show reasonable agreement with other datasets, and uncertainty ranges are estimated for each city and sector. CMCC provides valuable daily emission estimates that enable low-latency mitigation monitoring for cities in China.
Chitosan oligosaccharide alleviates renal fibrosis through reducing oxidative stress damage and regulating TGF-β1/Smads pathway
Authors: Wu Jun , Xu Yingtao , Geng Zikai , Zhou Jianqing , Xiong Qingping , Xu Zhimeng , Li Hailun , Han Yun
Published: November 2022

Renal fibrosis (RF) is the common pathway for a variety of chronic kidney diseases that progress to end-stage renal disease. Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) has been identified as possessing many health functions. However, it is not clear whether COS can prevent RF. The purpose of this paper was to explore the action and mechanism of COS in alleviating RF. First, an acute unilateral ureteral obstruction operation (UUO) in male BALB/c mice was performed to induce RF, and COS or fosinopril (positive control drug) were administered for 7 consecutive days. Data from our experiments indicated that COS treatment can significantly alleviate kidney injury and decrease the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) in the UUO mouse model. More importantly, our results show that COS can reduce collagen deposition and decrease the expression of fibrosis proteins, such as collagen IV, fibronectin, collagen I, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and E-cadherin, ameliorating experimental renal fibrosis in vivo. In addition, we also found that COS suppressed oxidative stress and inflammation in RF model mice. Further studies indicated that the mechanism by which COS alleviates renal fibrosis is closely related to the regulation of the TGF-β1/Smad pathway. COS has a therapeutic effect on ameliorating renal fibrosis similar to that of the positive control drug fosinopril. Taken together, COS can alleviate renal fibrosis induced by UUO by reducing oxidative stress damage and regulating the TGF-β1/Smad pathway.
Green enhancement of wood plastic composite based on agriculture wastes compatibility via fungal enzymes
Authors: Hasanin Mohamed S. , Abd El-Aziz Mahmoud E. , El-Nagar Islam , Hassan Youssef R. , Youssef Ahmed M.
Published: November 2022

This study deals with the production of natural fiber plastic composites (NFPCs) to reduce environmental pollution with agricultural and plastic waste. Where the NFPCs were prepared from waste/pure polyethylene (WPE) (pure polyethylene (50%)/recycled polyethylene (50%)) and modified sunflower waste via an eco-friendly and economic biological process. The sunflower fibers (SF) were treated via whole selective fungal isolate, namely,Rhizopus oryzae(acc no. OM912662) using two different incubation conditions; submerged (Sub), and solid-state fermentation (SSF) to enhance the fibers' compatibility with WPE. The treated and untreated fibers were added to WPE with various concentrations (10 and 20 wt%). The morphology and structure of fibers were characterised by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR). Furthermore, the mechanical properties, morphology, biodegradation and water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) for the prepared NFPCs were investigated. The results showed that compatibility, mechanical properties and biodegradation of NFPCs were improved by the addition of sunflower fibers treated by SSF conditions.
The role of preoperative albumin and white blood cell count in surgical site infections following whipple surgery
Authors: Tfaily Mohamad Ali , Ghanem Paola , Farran Sarah H. , Dabdoub Fatema , Kanafani Zeina A.
Published: November 2022

Whipple surgery is associated with a high risk of surgical sites infections (SSIs). Nutritional deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of wound infections. This study aims at exploring the role of preoperative albumin levels in predicting the risk of SSIs following Whipple surgery. A total of 23,808 individuals were identified from the ACS-NSQIP database from years 2011 to 2017. The primary exposure was pre-operative albumin while the secondary exposure was white blood cell (WBC) count. The primary outcome was divided into superficial and deep surgical site infections (S/D SSI) and organ-space SSI. All statistical analyses were conducted using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 26. Levels of pre-operative serum albumin less than 3.73 g/L, dirty and contaminated wounds and longer operative time were associated with increased odds for developing S/D SSIs (OR = 1.14, OR = 1.17, OR = 1.06, respectively, p-value < 0.05). Pre-operative WBC level (/L) was associated with a risk of developing an organ-space SSI but not S/D SSI (OR = 1.02, p-value  0.003). This study demonstrates the predictive role of pre-operative albumin in developing S/D SSIs and highlights the need to develop therapeutic strategies to optimize the pre-operative nutritional health status of patients undergoing Whipple surgery.
Investigation of in vitro histone H3 glycosylation using H3 tail peptides
Authors: Merx Jona , Hintzen Jordi C. J. , Proietti Giordano , Elferink Hidde , Wang Yali , Porzberg Miriam R. B. , Sondag Daan , Bilgin Nurgül , Park Jin , Mecinović Jasmin , Boltje Thomas J.
Published: November 2022

Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) on histone tails regulate eukaryotic gene expression by impacting the chromatin structure and by modulating interactions with other cellular proteins. One such PTM has been identified as serine and threonine glycosylation, the introduction of the ß-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) moiety on histone H3 tail at position Ser10 and Thr32. The addition of the ß-O-GlcNAc moiety on serine or threonine residues is facilitated by the O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), and can be removed by the action of O-GlcNAcase (OGA). Conflicting reports on histone tail GlcNAc modification in vivo prompted us to investigate whether synthetic histone H3 tail peptides in conjunction with other PTMs are substrates for OGT and OGA in vitro. Our enzymatic assays with recombinantly expressed human OGT revealed that the unmodified and PTM-modified histone H3 tails are not substrates for OGT at both sites, Ser10 and Thr32. In addition, full length histone H3 was not a substrate for OGT. Conversely, our work demonstrates that synthetic peptides containing the GlcNAc functionality at Ser10 are substrates for recombinantly expressed human OGA, yielding deglycosylated histone H3 peptides. We also show that the catalytic domains of human histone lysine methyltransferases G9a, GLP and SETD7 and histone lysine acetyltransferases PCAF and GCN5 do somewhat tolerate glycosylated H3Ser10 close to lysine residues that undergo methylation and acetylation reactions, respectively. Overall, this work indicates that GlcNAcylation of histone H3 tail peptide in the presence of OGT does not occur in vitro.