bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microstructure formation in micron-scale thin-walled Hastelloy X samples fabricated with laser powder bed fusion
Authors: Wróbel R. , Scheel P. , Maeder X. , Hosseini E. , Leinenbach C.
Published: May 2023

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) has great potential for the fabricating complex geometries with improved functionality. In combination with nickel alloys such as Hastelloy X, parts produced with this technology find usage in high-temperature applications. Many studies have focused on the microstructure of Hastelloy X fabricated via LPBF technology, but most have been performed on simple cubic geometries. Considering the aforementioned applications, the parts are often characterized by fine features, like very thin-walled structured, often in the sub-1 mm range. However, little is known about the LPBF fabrication of such structures. The study presented in this paper shows that wall thickness plays an important role in microstructure formation. In situ temperature measurements and thermal simulations showed a difference in thermal history. Local heat accumulation in the vicinity of the scanned tracks was observed for the sample consisting of multiple tracks. Moreover, this effect was enhanced with the number of tracks, leading to different melt pool morphologies. Significantly, coarser solidification cells were found near the sample edges. In addition, larger grains oriented parallel to the build direction were observed for the samples consisting of 3 and more tracks, while for the thinner samples, a very fine microstructure with random orientation was found.
Examining Nineteenth-Century British Colonial-Built Ships HMS Buffalo and Edwin Fox: Two Case Studies from New Zealand
Authors: Bennett Kurt
Published: May 2023

This article examines the archaeological timber remains from HMS Buffalo (built 1813), held in the Mercury Bay Museum, New Zealand, and the preserved hull of Edwin Fox (built 1853), sitting in dry dock in Picton, New Zealand. Both ships were constructed near Calcutta (Kolkata), India. Archaeological recording methodologies included detailed timber recording, dendrochronology, archaeometallurgy, organic resinous analyses, and wood-species and fiber identification. The results are then presented to highlight differences and similarities in resource choices and technological development pertaining to ship-construction elements. This contributes to understanding how shipwrights were adapting to new environments while maintaining their learned knowledge in a 19th-century colonial context.
Improving a neural network model by explanation-guided training for glioma classification based on MRI data
Authors: Šefčík František , Benesova Wanda
Published: May 2023

In recent years, artificial intelligence systems have come to the forefront. These systems, mostly based on deep learning, achieve excellent results in areas such as image processing, natural language processing and speech recognition. Despite the statistically high accuracy of deep learning models, their output is often based on ”black box” decisions. Thus, interpretability methods (Reyes et al. in Radiol Artif Intell 2(3):e190043, 2020) have become a popular way to gain insight into the decision-making process of deep learning models (Miller in Artif Intell 267:1–38, 2019). Explanation of deep learning models is desirable in the medical domain since experts have to justify their judgments to the patients. In this work, we proposed a method for explanation-guided training that uses a layer-wise relevance propagation technique to force the model to focus only on the relevant part of the image. We experimentally verified our method on a convolutional neural network model for low-grade and high-grade glioma classification problems. Our experiments produced promising results in the way where we use interpretation techniques in the training process.
Expansion and adaptive evolution of the WRKY transcription factor family in Avicennia mangrove trees
Authors: Feng Xiao , Li Guohong , Wu Weihong , Lyu Haomin , Wang Jiexin , Liu Cong , Zhong Cairong , Shi Suhua , He Ziwen
Published: May 2023

Mangroves are adapted to intertidal zones, which present extreme environmental conditions. WRKYs are among the most prominent transcription factors (TFs) in higher plants and act through various interconnected networks to regulate responses to multiple abiotic stressors. Here, based on omic data, we investigated the landscape and evolutionary patterns of WRKYs in the main mangrove genus Avicennia. We found that both the number and the proportion of TFs and WRKYs in Avicennia species exceeded their inland relatives, indicating a significant expansion of WRKYs in Avicennia. We identified 109 WRKY genes in the representative species Avicennia marina. Comparative genomic analysis showed that two recent whole-genome duplication (WGD) events played a critical role in the expansion of WRKYs, and 88% of Avicennia marina WRKYs (AmWRKYs) have been retained following these WGDs. Applying comparative transcriptomics on roots under experimental salt gradients, we inferred that there is high divergence in the expression of WGD-retained AmWRKYs. Moreover, we found that the expression of 16 AmWRKYs was stable between freshwater and moderately saline water but increased when the trees were exposed to high salinity. In particular, 14 duplicates were retained following the two recent WGD events, indicating potential neo- and sub-functionalization. We also found that WRKYs could interact with other upregulated genes involved in signalling pathways and natural antioxidant biosynthesis to enhance salt tolerance, contributing to the adaptation to intertidal zones. Our omic data of the WRKY family in A. marina broadens the understanding of how a TF family relates to the adaptive evolution of mangroves.
On the Geometric Sensitivity of the MEG Inversion Algorithm
Authors: Pasiou Niovi-Paraskevi , Dassios George
Published: May 2023

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a non-invasive technique that measures the magnetic fields produced by brain's electrical currents. The basic inverse problem of magnetoencephalography (MEG) consists in estimating the neuronal current in the brain from the measurement of the magnetic field outside the head. The relative inversion algorithms, existing in medical devices, for the identification of excitation sources inside the brain using MEG data, are based on the assumption that the geometry of the brain-head system is spherical. Here, we present the error of identification of the dipole$${({\varvec{r}}}_{0}, {\varvec{Q}})$$(r0,Q)using the inversion algorithm of spherical geometry. In particular, taking magnetoencephalographic measurements from realistic ellipsoidal model and using these data in a spherical model lead to a structural error. For the purpose of this paper, we make numerical investigation for different positions of the source, especially, locating sources at different depths and see how the error depends on depth. These results may have useful implications for the interpretation of the reconstructions obtained via the existing approaches.
Establishment and application of ecological health evaluation system for urban and rural rivers in Yangtze Estuary
Authors: Peng Biaobiao , Shi Benwei , Wang Ya Ping , Li Jingjing , Zhang Xinmiao , Liu Xiaoyu , Mo Lei , Shen Anglu , Ding Yifan
Published: May 2023

The assessment of river ecosystem health is crucial for improving river resilience, achieving ecological protection and rational utilization in the Yangtze Estuary region where there is high utilization of rivers and a high demand for quality rivers by Shanghai, the world's largest modern city. To assess the ecological health status of Yangtze Estuary rivers, this study established a river health assessment model consisting of five dimensions: water quality, river landscape, aquatic organisms, river hydrology, and human interference, and a total of ten indicators based on the ecological survey results in the summer and autumn of six river channels in Chongming Island in the Yangtze Estuary. The evaluation results reveal that the health status of rural rivers in the northwest and east of Chongming Island (S2, S3) is the best, reaching an excellent level, while the small river in the central part of Chongming Island (S6) is the worst, reaching a somewhat inferior level. Compared with rural rivers, the comprehensive evaluation results of urban rivers are good or ordinary level. The high proportion of building area on both sides of the river and the low vegetation cover are the main factors that restrict their scoring results. In contrast, rural rivers need to focus on the area of buffer zones such as forests and vegetation on both sides of the river, river connectivity, appropriate widening of narrow rivers, regular cleaning and dredging of rivers, as well as reducing human interference with the rivers. Regarding seasonal changes, the health assessment results of Chongming Island rivers in summer are better than those in autumn, and the differences between sites in summer are slightly greater than those in autumn. The seasonal differences between sites are mainly due to changes in indicators of the diversity of zooplankton, phytoplankton, and macrobenthos. To further improve the ecological health of rivers, measures of ecological restoration could be adjusted based on regular health assessment and health weakness analysis.
The Story of Cambridge
Authors: Boyd Stephanie
Published: May 2023

How did a small market town on the edge of the Fens become famous throughout the world? And how do Cambridge's two communities – 'town' and 'gown' – get along? This engaging history explains how Cambridge has developed from its prehistoric roots to become a thriving modern city and a world centre for science, technology and artificial intelligence. Many local residents seldom stray into the University quarter, whilst students often do not explore beyond Mill Road. This accessible and attractively illustrated history gives equal prominence to both communities, demonstrating that the story of the town is just as rich as that of the University. Stephanie Boyd brings to life both the institutions and the individuals associated with this celebrated seat of learning, looking at the colleges, laboratories and (increasingly) companies that have grown up in Cambridge, as well as the many colourful individuals particularly associated with the city. The Story of Cambridge is an essential guide for anyone who wants to make sense of the University that dominates the city centre, and how it fits with Cambridge's broader identity as a riverside port, market town and modern city.
The financial implications of specialization, diversification, or alternative enterprises on small farms: Evidence from Tennessee
Authors: Khanal Aditya R. , Ojha Renu
Published: May 2023

In response to survival challenges, small farms in the United States undertake decisions to minimize downside risk or maximize gross revenue. Using primary survey data of small farms in Tennessee, we examined farmers’ strategic decisions on specialization or other forms of diversification and estimated the impacts of these decisions on farm financial performance. We found that farmer’s age, farmland holdings, use of a smartphone in farm-related activities, and off-farm work significantly influenced these strategic decisions. Our multinomial endogenous switching regression estimates suggested that small farms could attain significantly higher performance, around 45% higher gross farm income and a 30% higher return on assets, by adding alternative on-farm enterprises.
The Challenge of Mass Casualty Incident Response Simulation Exercise Design and Creation: A Modified Delphi Study
Authors: Weinstein Eric S , Bortolin Michelangelo , Lamine Hamdi , Herbert Teri Lynn , Hubloue Ives , Pauwels Sofie , Burke Rita V , Cicero Mark X , Dugas Phoebe O Toups , Oduwole Elizabeth O , Ragazzoni Luca , Della Corte Francesco
Published: May 2023

Background:

A Mass Casualty Incident response (MCI) full scale exercise (FSEx) assures MCI first responder (FR) competencies. Simulation and serious gaming platforms (Simulation) have been considered to achieve and maintain FR competencies. The translational science (TS) T0 question was asked: how can FRs achieve similar MCI competencies as a FSEx through the use of MCI simulation exercises?

Methods:

T1 stage (Scoping Review): PRISMA-ScR was conducted to develop statements for the T2 stage modified Delphi (mD) study. 1320 reference titles and abstracts were reviewed with 215 full articles progressing for full review leading to 97 undergoing data extraction.

T2 stage (mD study): Selected experts were presented with 27 statements derived from T1 data with instruction to rank each statement on a 7-point linear numeric scale, where 1 = disagree and 7 = agree. Consensus amongst experts was defined as a standard deviation ≤ 1.0.

Results:

After 3 mD rounds, 19 statements attained consensus and 8 did not attain consensus.

Conclusions:

MCI simulation exercises can be developed to achieve similar competencies as FSEx by incorporating the 19 statements that attained consensus through the TS stages of a scoping review (T1) and mD study (T2), and continuing to T3 implementation, and then T4 evaluation stages.
Steady and unsteady coupling in twin weakly underexpanded round jets
Authors: Wong Tsz Y.M. , Stavropoulos Michael N. , Beekman Jayson R. , Towne Aaron , Nogueira Petrônio A.S. , Weightman Joel , Edgington-Mitchell Daniel
Published: May 2023

We investigate the intermittency of the coupling behaviour in screeching twin round supersonic jets at low Mach numbers across a range of nozzle spacings. Application of proper orthogonal decomposition combined with time-frequency wavelet analysis and spectral proper orthogonal decomposition shows that intermittency can manifest in twin jets as either a competition between the two symmetries, or the jets uncoupling and recoupling. The time scales on which symmetry switching occurs can vary strongly, ranging from

$O(10^2)$

to

$O(10^3)$

screech cycles. A transition from one symmetry to another is accompanied by a slight change in the screech frequency ranging from 0.30 % to 0.63 %. It was observed that complete uncoupling occurred only at the largest nozzle spacing of

$s/D=6$

and at Mach numbers close to modal staging. When the jets are uncoupled they screech at slightly different frequencies, with a disparity of approximately 0.6 %. The coupling is particularly intermittent in the transition from the A1 to A2 branch, where the A2 mode is first observed, and tends toward steady coupling with increasing Mach number.
The Milky Way: Mobility and Economy at the Turn of the 3rd Millennium in Southern Central Europe
Authors: DUNNE JULIE , SZILÁGYI MÁRTON , CASANOVA EMMANUELLE , GRIFFITHS SEREN , KNOWLES TIMOTHY T.J. , EVERSHED RICHARD P. , HOFMANN DANIELA
Published: May 2023

In the light of discussions surrounding the social changes attributed to the arrival of the Corded Ware culture in central Europe, here we investigate the economic strategies of one of the cultural complexes of the immediately preceding Late Neolithic. The Cham culture of southern Bavaria is characterised by a variety of economic choices but problems remain in synthesising and combining archaeozoological and archaeobotanical evidence. Using lipid residue analysis from Cham culture pottery excavated at the unenclosed settlement of Riedling, Lower Bavaria, we succeed in identifying a dairying economy at this time. Compound-specific lipid radiocarbon dates are then combined with other samples to provide a formal estimate for the duration of activity at Riedling and the first Bayesian chronological model for the Cham culture as a whole. Although data are currently not fine-grained enough to distinguish between competing models for site permanence, we suggest that the Cham culture pattern fits into a wider central European trend of greater mobility and economic flexibility in the pre-Corded Ware horizon, concluding that key economic strategies previously associated with ‘steppe invasions’ were already present in the preceding centuries. Finally, the demonstrated use of cups for milk-based products, as opposed to alcoholic drinks as previously suggested, leads us to propose possible alternative uses and users for these items.
RADIOCARBON AND TRITIUM MEASUREMENTS AT THE GXNU-AMS FACILITY
Authors: Shen Hongtao , Chen Dingxiong , Tang Junsen , Zhang Guofeng , Wang Li , Qi Linjie , Wu Kaiyong , Han Xinyi , Ouyang He , Wang Ning , Sun Xiaojun , He Ming , Sasa Kimikazu , Jiang Shan
Published: May 2023

A single-stage accelerator mass spectrometer (GXNU-AMS) developed for radiocarbon and tritium measurements was installed and commissioned at Guangxi Normal University in 2017. After several years of operational and methodological upgrades, its performance has been continuously improved and applied in multidisciplinary fields. Currently, the measurement sensitivity for radiocarbon and tritium is 14C/12C ∼ (3.14 ± 0.05) ×10–15 and 3H/1H ∼ (1.23 ± 0.17)×10–16, respectively, and the measurement accuracy is ∼0.6%, which can meet the measurement requirements in the nuclear, earth, environmental and life science fields. This study presents the performance characteristics of GXNU-AMS and several interesting application studies.
The Gender Politics of Physical Beauty and Racial Integration: Comments on D. C. Matthew's “Racial Integration and the Problem of Relational Devaluation”
Authors: Basevich Elvira
Published: May 2023

In response to D. C. Matthew's article “Racial Integration and the Problem of Relational Devaluation,” I assess the politics of physical beauty in the intersection between the categories of race and gender. I scrutinize Matthew's contention that being perceived to be physically attractive reliably results in either good treatment or high self-esteem. I argue that, on the contrary, gender can function as a means of social control, in which the appraisal of women's bodies yields neither good treatment nor improves their self-esteem. This problem can persist among self-segregated intra-group racial communities.
Racial Integration and Devaluation: Reply to Stanley, Valls, Basevich, Merry, and Sundstrom
Authors: Matthew D. C.
Published: May 2023

In “Racial Integration and the Problem of Relational Devaluation,” I argue that blacks should reject racial integration on self-protective and solidarity grounds. Integration will intensify the self-worth harms of stigmatization and phenotypic devaluation by leading blacks to more fully internalize their devaluation, and while the integrating process itself might reduce the former, it may well leave in place the latter. In this paper, I reply to the challenges to these arguments presented by Sharon Stanley, Andrew Valls, Elvira Basevich, Michael Merry, and Ronald Sundstrom.
Plot extraction and the visualization of narrative flow
Authors: DeBuse Michael A. , Warnick Sean
Published: May 2023

This article discusses the development of an automated plot extraction system for narrative texts. Acknowledging the distinction between plot, as an object of study with its own rich history and literature, and features of a text that may be automatically extractable, we begin by characterizing a text’s scatter plot of entities. This visualization of a text reveals entity density patterns characterizing the particular telling of the story under investigation and leads to effective scene partitioning. We then introduce the concept of narrative flow, a graph representation of the narrative ordering of scenes (the syuzhet) that includes how entities move through scenes from the text, and investigate the degree to which narrative flow can be automatically extracted given a glossary of plot-important objects, actors, and locations. Our subsequent analysis then explores the correlation between subjective notions of plot and the information extracted through these visualizations. In particular, we discuss narrative structures commonly found within the graphs and make comparisons with ground truth narrative flow graphs, showing mixed results highlighting the difficulty of plot extraction. However, the visual artifacts and common structural relationships seen in the graphs provide insight into narrative and its underlying plot.
Hostile Sexism and Abortion Attitudes in Contemporary American Public Opinion
Authors: Cizmar Anne , Kalkan Kerem Ozan
Published: May 2023

Abortion is a divisive issue in American politics. Studies analyzing attitudes toward abortion have found that abortion attitudes are relatively stable over time compared with attitudes on other issues and that religiosity and partisanship are key factors influencing abortion attitudes. Recent research has also found a role for benevolent sexism in abortion attitudes. This article expands on the literature and examines the role of hostile sexism—dislike toward women who are seen as usurping men’s authority—in attitudes about abortion in the United States. Using data from the 2012, 2016, and 2020 American National Election Studies, we find that hostile sexism is significantly related to abortion attitudes, even after controlling for theoretically relevant covariates such as partisanship, ideology, religiosity, and sociodemographic variables. As hostile sexism increases, people are more likely to express pro-life attitudes rather than pro-choice attitudes.
Consistency of the Structural Properties of the BFI-10 Across 16 Samples From Eight Large-Scale Surveys in Germany
Authors: Rammstedt Beatrice , Roemer Lena , Lechner Clemens M.
Published: May 2023

Abstract: The assessment of the Big Five personality domains is standard practice in most large-scale social surveys nowadays. The instrument most widely used for this purpose is the BFI-10, an ultra-short measure assessing each Big Five domain with two items. Recent studies have identified issues with the structural properties of the BFI-10, especially its factorial validity. To investigate whether these issues arise from the instrument itself or biases due to translation or sampling, we examined the extent to which the structural properties of the BFI-10 in terms of descriptive statistics, intercorrelations, reliability, and factorial validity vary when keeping the target population and language constant. Results revealed that, across 16 independent samples (total N ~ 60,000) from eight large-scale surveys representative of the adult population in Germany, the structural properties of the BFI-10 were (a) largely consistent and (b) mostly adequate. Most importantly, in nearly all samples, patterns of loading were congruent with an idealized Big Five structure, thereby supporting factorial validity. These results demonstrate that the structural properties of the BFI-10 are highly stable and replicable in large-scale samples. Especially given its brevity, the BFI-10 can thus be regarded as adequate for use in large-scale survey settings.
Characteristics of the Oceanic Ambient Seismic Noise Around Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic From OBS Data
Authors: Zhang Hao , Schmidt‐Aursch Mechita C. , Geissler Wolfram H. , Xing Junhui
Published: May 2023

It has long been recognized that specific ambient seismic noise is generated within the ocean. Therefore, ocean bottom seismometers have advantages to reveal the noise characteristics directly in the deep sea. We use the seismic recordings around Tristan da Cunha collected by 20 OBSs and two island stations to investigate the ambient noise sources in the middle of the South Atlantic. We analyzed the power spectral density, ambient noise cross‐correlations, and correlations with wave heights model. While primary microseisms (∼10–20 s) in this region are deficient, the secondary microseisms are strong and dominate the ambient noise at periods of ∼1–10 s, with the peak broadening to shorter periods (1–3 s). The secondary microseisms are strongly correlated with the local wave heights, especially at shorter periods (∼1–3 s), suggesting that the microseisms are affected mostly by local wave interactions. We observed clear Empirical Green's functions at periods of ∼3–10 s, indicating the existence of distant sources of secondary microseisms. Results of asymmetry analysis of cross‐correlations suggest the prominent direction of the distant source should be located to the Southwest and show barely seasonal variations. The correlations with wave heights indicate a possible source region in the southeast Pacific Ocean. Therefore, besides the dominating local wave‐wave interactions, the secondary microseisms around Tristan region are affected simultaneously by persistent distant sources from the deep basin in the Southeast Pacific Ocean, which might be related to the intense wave‐wave interactions caused by the blocking effect of the Drake Passage on ocean currents and waves.
Potential Impact of Battery Electric Vehicle Penetration and Changes in Upstream Process Emissions Assuming Night‐Charging on Summer O3 Concentrations in Japan
Authors: Kayaba Satoko , Kajino Mizuo
Published: May 2023

A regional meteorology–chemistry model was used to evaluate the impact of battery electric vehicles (BEV) penetration on summer O3 concentrations in Kanto (Japan's most populous region). When all passenger cars shifted to BEVs, daytime ozone (O3) concentrations decreased over a wide area. The reduction of vehicle exhaust reduced O3 in inland suburban areas (NOx‐limited) and the reduction of gasoline fuel evaporation from vehicles and gas stations reduced O3 in urban areas (volatile organic compound (VOC)‐limited). The maximum location of maximum daily 8‐hr average O3 (MDA8hO3) sensitivity (−5%; −5 ppb) was at midway between urban and suburban areas, to which the reduction of exhaust and fuel evaporation contributed equally, respectively. The additional emissions from thermal power plants due to BEV's night‐charging could cause up to ±5% sensitivity to next‐day surface O3 concentrations topically. Depending on the O3 sensitivity regime (NOx‐ or VOC‐limited), additional NOx‐rich plumes from rural (urban) power plants tended to increase (decrease) the next day's O3. However, the spatial distribution of the regime varies temporally depending on such as NOx/VOC emission ratios and meteorological conditions. This study indicated that the distribution of negative (positive) O3 sensitivity by NOx‐rich plume is consistent with that of small (large) H2O2/HNO3 concentration ratios, indicating that H2O2/HNO3 works well as an indicator to discriminate O3 sensitivity regimes. Utilization of the H2O2/HNO3 indicator would enable regime distribution predictions without sensitivity simulations with varying NOx and VOC emissions, which would contribute to reducing computational costs.
The Potential Use of Global Evapotranspiration Products and Models to Estimate Lake Residence Time at Large Scale
Authors: Ding Kan , Deng Jianming , Qin Boqiang
Published: May 2023

Water residence time (WRT) is an important lake attribute that influences almost all in‐lake nutrient processes. However, information on WRT is often missing or outdated, especially in regions lacking lake inflow or outflow observations. Recent advances in global precipitation and evapotranspiration (ET) products and calibration‐free ET models provide the possibility of estimating lake WRT at large scales using estimated runoff from the water balance over the lake catchment. Here, we tested four global ET products and two calibration‐free ET models for estimating the mean annual lake outflow and WRT of 67 globally distributed lakes using precipitation inputs from four global precipitation products. The results show that the WRT estimated using the water balance method and global ET estimates generally correlates well with reference WRT (R = 0.90 ∼ 0.99) when using reliable precipitation inputs and is slightly more accurate than the estimates from the existing global WRT dataset and methods (R = 0.79 ∼ 0.94). Despite the large relative error (RE) in the estimates of the WRT, the RE of the phosphorus retention derived from the estimated WRT is acceptable (RE < ±30%). The simplicity and versatility of this approach underline its potential applications to large‐scale studies that require a fair estimation of WRT.
A Mission to Uranus Could Help Find Planet 9
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: May 2023

Narrowing down the search is essential for gaining time on a high-powered telescope that could spot the hypothesized planet directly.
Transformation From NHx to NOy Deposition Aggravated China's Forest Soil Acidification
Authors: Zhang Qiongyu , Zhu Jianxing , Wang Qiufeng , Mulder Jan , Liu Congqiang , He Nianpeng
Published: May 2023

Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition and changes in reduced or oxidized component contribution greatly affect soil acidification. China has experienced a significant transformation of N deposition components from NHx to NOy over the past 40 years, but the effects of component transformation on soil acidification are poorly understood. Therefore, long‐term monitoring data and literature on N deposition, combined with the results of isotope experiments, were used to explore the contributions of different N forms on soil acidification in China's forests. Here, all processes related to NHx and NOy, including the transformation to NH4+ and NO3− and subsequent N cycling in the soil, were considered. We found that N‐induced soil acidification in 80% area of China’s forests was dominated by NHx deposition, and the other areas (South China) were dominated by NOy deposition in 2010s. From 1980 to 2019, the average contribution of NHx was higher than that of NOy but the latter contribution continued to increase. Meanwhile, the results showed that soil acidification increased with the decrease of the ratio of NHx to NOy (RNHx/NOy), which is mainly because NOy is more easily leached in the form of NO3− than that of NHx under the influence of different plant preferences and soil retention rates, resulting in a higher net proton production of NOy. Our research has powerful implications for policymaking, provides a theoretical basis for formulating different N reduction policies in different regions, and points out that the synergistic effect of RNHx/NOy changes should be considered to alleviate soil acidification.
Phase Shift of the Winter South China Sea Western Boundary Current Over the Past Two Decades and Its Drivers
Authors: Wang Qiang , Zeng Lili , Chen Ju , He Yunkai , Liu Qinyan , Sui Dandan , Wang Dongxiao
Published: May 2023

The winter South China Sea (SCS) western boundary current (WBC) has presented a significant weak–strong–weak phase shift in the last two decades, as revealed by observations and model products. Its phase shift has mainly been attributed to the joint effect of wind stress curl over the SCS and Luzon Strait transport (LST). Changes in the wind stress curl and planetary vorticity input through the Luzon Strait are the two major sources maintaining the winter SCS WBC state in different phases. The LST is closely related to the Kuroshio strength and thus the Pacific North Equatorial Current (NEC) bifurcation. Therefore, the winter SCS WBC phase shift is attributed to phase shifts of the winter monsoon and the NEC bifurcation, which are mostly related to those of the Indian Ocean Dipole Mode and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, respectively. Understanding the SCS circulation low‐frequency variability is essential to forecast its thermodynamic state and regional climate effect.
The Rainfall Intensity‐Duration Control of Debris Flows After Wildfire
Authors: Thomas Matthew A. , Lindsay Donald N. , Cavagnaro David B. , Kean Jason W. , McCoy Scott W. , Graber Andrew P.
Published: May 2023

Increased wildfire activity in the western United States has exposed regional gaps in our understanding of postfire debris‐flow generation. To address this problem, we characterized flows in an unstudied area to test the rainfall intensity‐duration control of the hazard. Our rainfall measurements and field observations from the northern Sierra Nevada (California, USA) show that debris flows resulted from a short burst rainfall during a low‐accumulation storm. In contrast, a much higher accumulation storm (∼10 times more rainfall) with lower short‐duration rainfall rates only produced low‐hazard flooding. We conclude that total storm rainfall is not an ideal metric for identifying the rainfall conditions that initiate runoff‐generated debris flows in the first year after wildfire. Rather, a focus on short‐duration (<1 hr), high‐intensity rainfall that can occur during localized thunderstorms, or bands of intense rainfall during prolonged rainstorms, is more beneficial for the purposes of hazard assessment and warning.
Water Ages Explain Tradeoffs Between Long‐Term Evapotranspiration and Ecosystem Drought Resilience
Authors: Knighton J. , Berghuijs W. R.
Published: May 2023

The partitioning of terrestrial precipitation into evapotranspiration and river flow shapes ecosystems and water resources. Using observed precipitation, discharge, and satellite‐derived soil moisture and vegetation indices for watersheds located throughout the contiguous United States, we demonstrate that ecosystems maximize long‐term average evapotranspiration when plants transpire older water (i.e., longer time since precipitation or snowmelt). However, ecosystems that transpire older water do so at the expense of decreased drought resilience and maintain higher stem water resilience than those that use younger water, suggesting a growth versus drought resilience tradeoff that is well predicted by water age. These findings indicate that the role of water age integrates processes whereby the relevance of age extends beyond its previously studied effects on biochemical and transport processes, as we reveal it shapes long‐term terrestrial evaporation rates and ecosystem plant functioning under drought stress.
Unsupervised full-color cellular image reconstruction through disordered optical fiber
Authors: Hu Xiaowen , Zhao Jian , Antonio-Lopez Jose Enrique , Correa Rodrigo Amezcua , Schülzgen Axel
Published: May 2023

Recent years have witnessed the tremendous development of fusing fiber-optic imaging with supervised deep learning to enable high-quality imaging of hard-to-reach areas. Nevertheless, the supervised deep learning method imposes strict constraints on fiber-optic imaging systems, where the input objects and the fiber outputs have to be collected in pairs. To unleash the full potential of fiber-optic imaging, unsupervised image reconstruction is in demand. Unfortunately, neither optical fiber bundles nor multimode fibers can achieve a point-to-point transmission of the object with a high sampling density, as is a prerequisite for unsupervised image reconstruction. The recently proposed disordered fibers offer a new solution based on the transverse Anderson localization. Here, we demonstrate unsupervised full-color imaging with a cellular resolution through a meter-long disordered fiber in both transmission and reflection modes. The unsupervised image reconstruction consists of two stages. In the first stage, we perform a pixel-wise standardization on the fiber outputs using the statistics of the objects. In the second stage, we recover the fine details of the reconstructions through a generative adversarial network. Unsupervised image reconstruction does not need paired images, enabling a much more flexible calibration under various conditions. Our new solution achieves full-color high-fidelity cell imaging within a working distance of at least 4 mm by only collecting the fiber outputs after an initial calibration. High imaging robustness is also demonstrated when the disordered fiber is bent with a central angle of 60°. Moreover, the cross-domain generality on unseen objects is shown to be enhanced with a diversified object set.
RNA alternative splicing impacts the risk for alcohol use disorder
Authors: Li Rudong , Reiter Jill L. , Chen Andy B. , Chen Steven X. , Foroud Tatiana , Edenberg Howard J. , Lai Dongbing , Liu Yunlong
Published: May 2023

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex genetic disorder characterized by problems arising from excessive alcohol consumption. Identifying functional genetic variations that contribute to risk for AUD is a major goal. Alternative splicing of RNA mediates the flow of genetic information from DNA to gene expression and expands proteome diversity. We asked whether alternative splicing could be a risk factor for AUD. Herein, we used a Mendelian randomization (MR)-based approach to identify skipped exons (the predominant splicing event in brain) that contribute to AUD risk. Genotypes and RNA-seq data from the CommonMind Consortium were used as the training dataset to develop predictive models linking individual genotypes to exon skipping in the prefrontal cortex. We applied these models to data from the Collaborative Studies on Genetics of Alcoholism to examine the association between the imputed cis-regulated splicing outcome and the AUD-related traits. We identified 27 exon skipping events that were predicted to affect AUD risk; six of these were replicated in the Australian Twin-family Study of Alcohol Use Disorder. Their host genes are DRC1, ELOVL7, LINC00665, NSUN4, SRRM2 and TBC1D5. The genes downstream of these splicing events are enriched in neuroimmune pathways. The MR-inferred impacts of the ELOVL7 skipped exon on AUD risk was further supported in four additional large-scale genome-wide association studies. Additionally, this exon contributed to changes of gray matter volumes in multiple brain regions, including the visual cortex known to be involved in AUD. In conclusion, this study provides strong evidence that RNA alternative splicing impacts the susceptibility to AUD and adds new information on AUD-relevant genes and pathways. Our framework is also applicable to other types of splicing events and to other complex genetic disorders.
TMTC1 promotes invasiveness of ovarian cancer cells through integrins β1 and β4
Authors: Yeh Ting-Chih , Lin Neng-Yu , Chiu Chin-Yu , Hsu Tzu-Wen , Wu Hsin-Yi , Lin Hsuan-Yu , Chen Chi-Hau , Huang Min-Chuan
Published: May 2023

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy and is characterized by peritoneal disseminated metastasis. Although O-mannosyltransferase TMTC1 is highly expressed by ovarian cancer, its pathophysiological role in ovarian cancer remains unclear. Here, immunohistochemistry showed that TMTC1 was overexpressed in ovarian cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal ovarian tissues, and high TMTC1 expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer. Silencing TMTC1 reduced ovarian cancer cell viability, migration, and invasion in vitro, as well as suppressed peritoneal tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Moreover, TMTC1 knockdown reduced cell-laminin adhesion, which was associated with the decreased phosphorylation of FAK at pY397. Conversely, TMTC1 overexpression promoted these malignant properties in ovarian cancer cells. Glycoproteomic analysis and Concanavalin A (ConA) pull-down assays showed that integrins β1 and β4 were novel O-mannosylated protein substrates of TMTC1. Furthermore, TMTC1-mediated cell migration and invasion were significantly reversed by siRNA-mediated knockdown of integrin β1 or β4. Collectively, these results suggest that TMTC1-mediated invasive behaviors are primarily through integrins β1 and β4 and that TMTC1 is a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.
A novel frameshift variant in UBA2 causing split-hand/foot malformations in a Pakistani family
Authors: Parveen Asia , Tariq Muhammad , Khan Sher Alam , Kakar Naseebullah , Arif Amina , Wasif Naveed
Published: May 2023

Split-hand/foot malformation (SHFM) shows diverse heterogeneity and manifests with reduced penetrance and variable expressivity. This study investigated the underlying genetic cause of a family segregating SHFM. Exome sequencing followed by Sanger sequencing identified a novel single nucleotide heterozygous variant (NC_000019.9 (NM_005499.3):c.1118del) in UBA2 cosegregating in the family in an autosomal dominant manner. Our findings conclude that reduced penetrance and variable expressivity are the two remarkable and unusual features of SHFM.
Identification of Probucol as a candidate for combination therapy with Metformin for Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Guttapadu Ranjitha , Korla Kalyani , UK Safnaz , Annam Vamseedhar , Ashok Purnima , Chandra Nagasuma
Published: May 2023

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is often managed with metformin as the drug of choice. While it is effective overall, many patients progress to exhibit complications. Strategic drug combinations to tackle this problem would be useful. We constructed a genome-wide protein-protein interaction network capturing a global perspective of perturbations in diabetes by integrating T2D subjects’ transcriptomic data. We computed a ‘frequently perturbed subnetwork’ in T2D that captures common perturbations across tissue types and mapped the possible effects of Metformin onto it. We then identified a set of remaining T2D perturbations and potential drug targets among them, related to oxidative stress and hypercholesterolemia. We then identified Probucol as the potential co-drug for adjunct therapy with Metformin and evaluated the efficacy of the combination in a rat model of diabetes. We find Metformin-Probucol at 5:0.5 mg/kg effective in restoring near-normal serum glucose, lipid, and cholesterol levels.
Effective dose window for containing tumor burden under tolerable level
Authors: Masud M. A. , Kim Jae-Young , Kim Eunjung
Published: May 2023

A maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) reduces the drug-sensitive cell population, though it may result in the competitive release of drug resistance. Alternative treatment strategies such as adaptive therapy (AT) or dose modulation aim to impose competitive stress on drug-resistant cell populations by maintaining a sufficient number of drug-sensitive cells. However, given the heterogeneous treatment response and tolerable tumor burden level of individual patients, determining an effective dose that can fine-tune competitive stress remains challenging. This study presents a mathematical model-driven approach that determines the plausible existence of an effective dose window (EDW) as a range of doses that conserve sufficient sensitive cells while maintaining the tumor volume below a threshold tolerable tumor volume (TTV). We use a mathematical model that explains intratumor cell competition. Analyzing the model, we derive an EDW determined by TTV and the competitive strength. By applying a fixed endpoint optimal control model, we determine the minimal dose to contain cancer at a TTV. As a proof of concept, we study the existence of EDW for a small cohort of melanoma patients by fitting the model to longitudinal tumor response data. We performed identifiability analysis, and for the patients with uniquely identifiable parameters, we deduced patient-specific EDW and minimal dose. The tumor volume for a patient could be theoretically contained at the TTV either using continuous dose or AT strategy with doses belonging to EDW. Further, we conclude that the lower bound of the EDW approximates the minimum effective dose (MED) for containing tumor volume at the TTV.
Learning from Alfred Wegener’s pioneering field observations in West Greenland after a century of climate change
Authors: Abermann J. , Vandecrux B. , Scher S. , Löffler K. , Schalamon F. , Trügler A. , Fausto R. , Schöner W.
Published: May 2023

The cryosphere in Greenland is currently undergoing strong changes. While remote sensing improves our understanding of spatial and temporal changes across scales, particularly our knowledge of conditions during the pre-satellite era is fragmented. Therefore, high-quality field data from that period can be particularly valuable to better understand changes of the cryosphere in Greenland at climate time scales. At Graz University, the last work-place of Alfred Wegener we have access to the extensive expedition results from their epic 1929–1931 expedition to Greenland. The expedition coincides with the warmest phase of the Arctic early twentieth century warm period. We present an overview of the main findings of the Wegener expedition archive and set it into context with further monitoring activities that occurred since, as well as the results from reanalysis products and satellite imagery. We find that firn temperatures have increased significantly, while snow and firn densities and have remained similar or decreased since. Local conditions at the Qaamarujup Sermia have changed strongly, with a reduction in length of more than 2 km, in thickness by up to 120 m and a rise in terminus position of approximately 300 m. The elevation of the snow line of the years 1929 and 1930 was similar to the one from the extreme years 2012 and 2019. Compared to the satellite era, we find that during the time of the Wegener expedition fjord ice extent was smaller in early spring and larger in late spring. We demonstrate that a well-documented snapshot of archival data can provide a local and regional context for contemporary climate change and that it can serve as the basis for process-based studies on the atmospheric drivers of glacier changes.
Elevated risk of cervical cancer in elderly women with incident ulcerative colitis in South Korea
Authors: Kim Jihoon , Jo Halim , Ha Min Chul , Kim Hyunil , Lee Jung Kuk , Han Jae Hun , Lee San-Hui , Kang Dae Ryong , Kim Su Young , Kim Hyun-Soo , Kim Hee Man
Published: May 2023

The association between ulcerative colitis (UC) and uterine cervical cancer is still unclear. To investigate cervical cancer risk in South Korean women with UC, we analyzed the Korean National Health Insurance claims data. UC was defined using both ICD-10 codes and UC-specific prescriptions. We analyzed incident cases of UC diagnosed between 2006 and 2015. Age-matched women without UC (control group) were randomly selected from the general population (1:3 ratio). Hazard ratios were calculated using multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression, and the event was defined as occurrence of cervical cancer. A total of 12,632 women with UC and 36,797 women without UC were enrolled. The incidence of cervical cancer was 38.8 per 100,000 women per year in UC patients and 25.7 per 100,000 women per year in controls, respectively. The adjusted HR for cervical cancer was 1.56 (95% CI 0.97–2.50) in the UC group with reference to the control group. When stratified by age, the adjusted HR for cervical cancer was 3.65 (95% CI 1.54–8.66) in elderly UC patients (≥ 60 years) compared to elderly control group (≥ 60 years). Within UC patients, increased age (≥ 40 years) and low socioeconomic status were associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer. The incidence of cervical cancer was found to be higher among elderly patients (≥ 60 years) with newly diagnosed UC in South Korea, compared to age-matched controls. Therefore, regular cervical cancer screening is recommended for elderly patients who have recently been diagnosed with UC.
On modeling the correlates of conspiracy thinking
Authors: Enders Adam M. , Diekman Amanda , Klofstad Casey , Murthi Manohar , Verdear Daniel , Wuchty Stefan , Uscinski Joseph
Published: May 2023

While a robust literature on the psychology of conspiracy theories has identified dozens of characteristics correlated with conspiracy theory beliefs, much less attention has been paid to understanding the generalized predisposition towards interpreting events and circumstances as the product of supposed conspiracies. Using a unique national survey of 2015 U.S. adults from October 2020, we investigate the relationship between this predisposition—conspiracy thinking—and 34 different psychological, political, and social correlates. Using conditional inference tree modeling—a machine learning-based approach designed to facilitate prediction using a flexible modeling methodology—we identify the characteristics that are most useful for orienting individuals along the conspiracy thinking continuum, including (but not limited to): anomie, Manicheanism, support for political violence, a tendency to share false information online, populism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Altogether, psychological characteristics are much more useful in predicting conspiracy thinking than are political and social characteristics, though even our robust set of correlates only partially accounts for variance in conspiracy thinking.