bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of table sugar and non-caloric sweeteners in Brazil: associated factors and changes across a decade
Authors: Alves Iuna Arruda , Monteiro Luana Silva , Araújo Marina Campos , Souza Amanda de Moura , Hassan Bruna Kulik , Rodrigues Paulo Rogério Melo , Yokoo Edna Massae , Sichieri Rosely , Pereira Rosangela Alves
Published: January 2024

This study evaluated changes in the use of sweeteners over one decade and the relationship between socio-demographics, diet and weight status with the type of sweetener. Data came from the Brazilian National Dietary Surveys of 2008–2009 and 2017–2018, including ≥ 10-year-old individuals (n 32 749; n 44 744, respectively, after excluding pregnant and lactating women). The use of table sugar, non-caloric sweeteners (NCS), both or none was reported through a specific question. Food consumption was assessed using two non-consecutive food records (2008–2009) and 24-h recalls (2017–2018). For the last survey, means of energy, macro and micronutrient intake, food groups’ contribution (%) to daily energy intake and age- and energy-adjusted nutrient intake were estimated according to the type of sweetener used. Differences in means and proportions across the categories of sweeteners used were evaluated based on the 95 % CI. All analyses were stratified by sex and considered sample design and weights. Over 10 years, the use of table sugar decreased by 8 %, while the habit of not using any sweetener increased almost three times, and the use of NCS remained stable. Larger reductions in the use of table sugar were observed in the highest income level and among men. Regardless of sex, compared with NCS users, table sugar users had greater mean intake of energy, carbohydrates and added sugar and lower micronutrient intake means. Although table sugar is still the most used sweetener, the increased choice of ‘no sweetener’ is noteworthy in Brazil.
Assessing social cognition in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls using the reading the mind in the eyes test (RMET): a systematic review and meta-regression
Authors: Deng Fei , Bueber Marlys A. , Cao Yourong , Tang Jeff , Bai Xinyu , Cho Young , Lee Jiwon , Lin Zhuozhi , Yang Qi , Keshavan Matcheri S. , Stone William S. , Qian Min , Yang Lawrence H. , Phillips Michael R.
Published: January 2024

The reading the mind in the eyes test (RMET) – which assesses the theory of mind component of social cognition – is often used to compare social cognition between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. There is, however, no systematic review integrating the results of these studies. We identified 198 studies published before July 2020 that administered RMET to patients with schizophrenia or healthy controls from three English-language and two Chinese-language databases. These studies included 41 separate samples of patients with schizophrenia (total n = 1836) and 197 separate samples of healthy controls (total n = 23 675). The pooled RMET score was 19.76 (95% CI 18.91–20.60) in patients and 25.53 (95% CI 25.19–25.87) in controls (z = 12.41, p < 0.001). After excluding small-sample outlier studies, this difference in RMET performance was greater in studies using non-English v. English versions of RMET (Chi [Q] = 8.54, p < 0.001). Meta-regression analyses found a negative association of age with RMET score and a positive association of years of schooling with RMET score in both patients and controls. A secondary meta-analysis using a spline construction of 180 healthy control samples identified a non-monotonic relationship between age and RMET score – RMET scores increased with age before 31 and decreased with age after 31. These results indicate that patients with schizophrenia have substantial deficits in theory of mind compared with healthy controls, supporting the construct validity of RMET as a measure of social cognition. The different results for English versus non-English versions of RMET and the non-monotonic relationship between age and RMET score highlight the importance of the language of administration of RMET and the possibility that the relationship of aging with theory of mind is different from the relationship of aging with other types of cognitive functioning.
Neural response to monetary and social rewards and familial risk for psychopathology in adolescent females
Authors: Beatty Clare C. , Gair Kelly , Anatala Joy , Klein Daniel N. , Hajcak Greg , Nelson Brady D.
Published: January 2024

Background

Adolescence is a key developmental period for the emergence of psychopathology. Reward-related brain activity increases across adolescence and has been identified as a potential neurobiological mechanism of risk for different forms of psychopathology. The reward positivity (RewP) is an event-related potential component that indexes reward system activation and has been associated with both concurrent and family history of psychopathology. However, it is unclear whether the RewP is also associated with higher-order psychopathology subfactors and whether this relationship is present across different types of reward.

Methods

In a sample of 193 adolescent females and a biological parent, the present study examined the association between adolescent and parental psychopathology subfactors and adolescent RewP to monetary and social reward.

Results

Results indicated that the adolescent and parental distress subfactors were negatively associated with the adolescent domain-general RewP. The adolescent and parental positive mood subfactors were negatively associated with the adolescent domain-general and domain-specific monetary RewP, respectively. Conversely, the adolescent and parental fear/obsessions subfactors were positively associated with the adolescent domain-general RewP. The associations between parental and adolescent psychopathology subfactors and the adolescent RewP were independent of each other.

Conclusions

The RewP in adolescent females is associated with both concurrent and parental psychopathology symptoms, suggesting that it indexes both severity and risk for higher-order subfactors.
BA-LIOM: tightly coupled laser-inertial odometry and mapping with bundle adjustment
Authors: Li Ruyi , Zhang Xuebo , Zhang Shiyong , Yuan Jing , Liu Hui , Wu Songyang
Published: January 2024

We design a scheme for laser-inertial odometry and mapping with bundle adjustment (BA-LIOM), which can greatly mitigate the problem of undesired ground warping due to sparsity of laser scans and significantly reduce odometry drift. Specifically, an Inertial measurement unit (IMU)-assisted adaptive voxel map initialization algorithm is proposed and elaborately integrated with the existing framework LIO-SAM, allowing for accurate registration in the beginning of the localization and mapping process. In addition, to accommodate to fast-moving and structure-less scenarios, we design a tightly coupled odometry, which jointly optimizes both the IMU preintegration constraints and scan matching with adaptive voxel maps. The voxels (edge and plane, respectively) are updated with BA optimization. And then the accurate mapping result is obtained by performing local BA. The proposed BA-LIOM is thoroughly assessed using datasets collected from multiple platforms over a variety of environments. Experimental results show the superiority of BA-LIOM over the state-of-the-art methods in robustness and precision, especially for large-scale scenarios. BA-LIOM improves the accuracy of localization by
$61\%$
and
$73\%$
on the buildings and lawn datasets, respectively, and has a
$29\%$
accuracy improvement over LIO-SAM on the KITTI datasets. A supplementary video can be accessed at https://youtu.be/5l4ZFhTc2sw.
Collision avoidance trajectory planning for a dual-robot system: using a modified APF method
Authors: Yang Dong , Dong Li , Dai Jun Kang
Published: January 2024

Dual-robot system has been widely applied to the field of handling and palletizing for its high efficiency and large workspace. It is one of the key problems of the trajectory planning to determine the collision avoidance method of the dual-robot system. In the present study, a collision avoidance trajectory planning method for the dual-robot system was proposed on the basis of a modified artificial potential field (APF) algorithm. The interference and collision criterion of the dual-robot system was given firstly, which was established based on the method of kinematic analysis in robotics. And then, in consideration of the problem of excessive virtual potential field force induced by using the traditional APF algorithm in the process of dual-robot trajectory planning, a modified APF algorithm was proposed. Finally, the modified APF algorithm was used for motion control of a dual-robot palletizing process, and the collision avoidance performance of the proposed collision avoidance algorithm was studied through a dual-robot palletizing simulation and experiment. The results have shown that with the proposed collision avoidance trajectory planning algorithm, the two robots in dual-robot system can maintain a safe distance at all times during palletizing process. Compared with the traditional APF and rapidly-exploring random tree (RRT) algorithm, the trajectory solution time of the modified APF algorithm is greatly reduced. And the modified APF algorithm’s convergence time is 14.2% shorter than that of the traditional APF algorithm.
POV: me, an empath, sensing the linguistic urge . . . to study the forms and functions of text-memes
Authors: Greene Jacqueline Hirsh , Schmid Hans–Jörg
Published: January 2024

A catapult into the world of social media, the title of our paper may be incoherent to some readers. What on earth does POV: me, an empath, sensing the linguistic urge ( . . . ) mean, and when and why would speakers say it? The title contains a jumble of three so-called text-memes – (1) POV, (2) me, an empath, VERB-ing X, and (3) the X urge to Y – all of which will be encountered in this paper. What we are calling ‘text-memes’ are memes that, in fairly neutral terms, have a purely textual form, as opposed to a pictorial one. Similar phenomena, which differ regarding their forms and functions, however, have been labelled ‘snowclones’ or ‘phrasal templates’ (cf. Pullum & Whitman, 2004; Know Your Meme, 2007–).
Upside-down behaviour of certain ribbon worms (phylum Nemertea)
Authors: Kajihara Hiroshi , Falconer Audrey , Chernyshev Alexei Viktorovich
Published: January 2024

Ribbon worms in the genus Balionemertes from Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia, and Guam—as well as Cephalothrix suni from Vietnam—were examined. Our observations indicate that the worms crawl mostly with their ventral surface upwards (the ventral surface being where the mouth opens), a behaviour that has not been documented in previous literature. Like many other worm species with colour patterns, they have a darker-coloured and/or more intensely patterned behavioural dorsal surface (= anatomical ventral surface in Balionemertes and C. suni) than the other side. This type of behavioural dorsoventral body-axis inversion among vermiform benthos seems to be rare—not having hitherto been known at least in the phylum Nemertea—and may be related to their feeding strategy, which should be observed in future studies.
Variability in heritage and second language writers’ linguistic complexity: Roles of proficiency and motivational beliefs
Authors: Zalbidea Janire
Published: January 2024

This study investigates the extent to which (a) Spanish heritage (HL) and second language (L2) writers’ linguistic complexity differs across register contexts and (b) Spanish proficiency and writing motivational beliefs differentially affect HL and L2 writers’ performance. Participants were 58 HL and 54 L2 Spanish learners who completed two persuasive writing tasks—the Email to Friend and Letter to Dean tasks—designed to be topically similar while eliciting different registers. Proficiency measures included an elicited imitation task (EIT) and a cloze test. Mixed-effects models indicated that both HL and L2 writers evidenced greater lexico-syntactic complexity in the Letter to Dean task; nonetheless, HL writers demonstrated more robust cross-register distinctions in syntactic complexity. The EIT and cloze test positively predicted syntactic and lexical complexity, respectively, although differential patterns were also observed by group. Intrinsic/interest and cognitive/linguistic value beliefs about Spanish writing emerged as positive and negative predictors of linguistic complexity, respectively.
Globalization of the history of philosophy and the idea of a transformative phenomenology
Authors: Elberfeld Rolf
Published: January 2024

Since the beginning of the 21st century, globalization has become a central theme in the humanities. The increasing globalization of discourses in the humanities can already be observed in the 20th century. Within philosophy, the globalization of the thematic framework has been promoted in particular by the World Congresses of Philosophy since 1900. Stimulated by these developments, histories of different philosophies have emerged worldwide in many different languages. In addition, global histories of philosophy have increasingly been written since the beginning of the 21st century. This paper concludes by presenting the approach of a transformative phenomenology as a way of dealing with this thematic diversity in philosophy today.
Ethical Justifications of Friendship in Xunzian Perspectives
Authors: Yao Xinzhong
Published: January 2024

Taking as the background the discourses on friendship initiated by ancient Confucian and Greek philosophers, this article is focused on Xunzi’s perspective on friends by examining where and how he engages effectively ethical justifications of friendship. It will be argued that although Xunzi shows a kind of consistency with Confucius and Mencius, he comes to justify friendship through his own deliberations on human nature, on learning and education, and on the nature and function of human community. We will then proceed to examine the three perspectives Xunzi takes to highlight the ethical value of friends: friendship can be justified as it is needed in overcoming the inborn tendencies towards competition and strife; friendship can be justified because it is taken as supplementary to learning and education where friends are made equivalent to teachers in terms of moral influence and exemplary models; friendship can be justified because it is necessary for communities to function well and for individuals to lead a good life. We will finally come to the conclusion that these justifications constitute a unique ethics of friendship, which is not only significantly divergent from Greek propositions on friends but also differentiable, one way or another, from those proposed or presumed by Confucius and Mencius, and that the Xunzian philosophy of friendship is still an invaluable resource for us to draw on in the age of globalisation and de-globalisation.
Friendship and filial piety in Ming Neo-Confucianism
Authors: Lu Miaw-Fen
Published: January 2024

This article discusses friendship and filial piety in Ming Neo-Confucianism, particularly the Yangming learning. I argue that the Yangming jianghui provided important social settings for elevating the value of friendship. True friendship was considered as a means for moral improvement, and to prevent the risk of moral subjectivism in the Yangming philosophy.

I also revisit the question of whether Ming Neo-Confucians did challenge the order of the five cardinal relationships by elevating friendship as the most important one. Through the investigation of filial piety in imperial culture and the Yangming learning, I emphasize that filial piety was not only the basis of socio-political order, but also the essence of the true self. The importance of friendship lies in its capacity to aid moral cultivation and to become a better self. It could never surpass that of filial piety. It remained a supplement to familial ethics.
Birth: A radically new meditation for philosophy
Authors: Villarmea Stella
Published: January 2024

This paper explains why and how we should introduce birth into the canon of subjects explored by philosophy. It focuses on the epistemology of birth, namely, on the nature, origin, and limits of the knowledge produced by and/or related to giving birth. The paper provides a view on the philosophy of birth, i.e., an approach to construct a new logos for genos.
Genetic relatedness of rice landraces in North East India with wild relatives using chloroplast markers
Authors: Parida Madhuchhanda , Gouda Gayatri , Chidambaranathan Parameswaran , Umakanta Ngangkham , Katara Jawahar Lal , Balasubramania Sai Cayalvizhi , Samantaray Sanghamitra , Patra Bhaskar Chandra , Mohapatra Trilochan
Published: January 2024

The evolutionary relationship between domesticated Oryza species and their wild relatives in North East India is not well understood. To improve the understanding of the evolutionary relationship, this study investigates the genetic diversity of 68 indigenous rice landraces from North East India, ten O. rufipogon genotypes, and nine O. nivara genotypes using chloroplast variable repeat markers which, due to non-recombination and uniparental inheritance, enable better phylogenetic inference. Reference genotypes IR64 (indica) and Nipponbare (japonica) were included to characterize various phylogenetic clusters. Using distance-based hierarchical clustering, model-based structuring and principal component analysis, selected landraces from the three North Eastern Indian states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh were grouped into two phylogenetically different clusters that represented the IR64 and Nipponbare groupings. Interestingly, despite the fact that a cluster analysis combining North East landraces and wild relatives likewise produced two separate clusters (cluster I: Nipponbare, cluster II: IR64), the majority of the wild relatives were only clustered in the IR64 cluster. This suggests that the two distinct evolutionary histories of the rice landraces in North East India are distinguished by their genetic affinity for wild relatives and their variation in the indica and japonica pools. These results highlight chloroplast divergence influencing the genetic diversity of North East landraces with wild relatives. Further, these findings will enable in-depth studies on the functional significance of chloroplast diversity on trait adaptation in rice landraces.
Design and implementation of hybrid fed array antennae for Sub-6 GHz and 5G mm-wave communication and wireless applications
Authors: Raj Arun , Mandal Durbadal
Published: January 2024

This paper proposes fractal-inspired array antennae for wideband applications. The proposed antennae have a resonance frequency range of 20–40 GHz. The modified fractal antennae are fabricated with a height of 1.6 mm, substrate width, and length of 100, 50, 25, and 18.75 mm2, and a simulated result shows that the gain is increased to 11.04, 11.9, 8.4, and 6 dBi, and the designed antennae radiate power with directivity of 11.3, 13.4, 9.29, and 7.17 dBi concerning proposed designs A, B, C, and D, respectively. The proposed antennae with 5G New Radio (NR) bands have more radiation concerning resonate frequencies in the 20–40 GHz range with Φ = 0°, Φ = 90°, and θ = 90°. Moreover, the bandwidths for applications covered in the 5G NR and sub-6G are 1.92, 0.73, 0.7, 2.4, 1.3, 5.3, and 1.26 GHz, and 3.4, 3.7, 2.67, and 4.65 GHz, and 2, 3.5, and 1.57 GHz, and 2.5, 1.5, and 1.0 GHz with the maximum return loss of 37 dB, 32.8 dB, 31.2 dB, and 23 dB with corresponding resonate frequencies as 21.5, 27.6, 33, and 27.6 GHz concerning designs A, B, C, and D, respectively. The proposed antennae have been implemented and validated using Computer Simulation Technology (CST), Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), spectrum analyzer, and power sensor.
Secondary Brown Carbon Formation From Photooxidation of Furans From Biomass Burning
Authors: Joo T. , Machesky J. E. , Zeng L. , Hass‐Mitchell T. , Weber R. J. , Gentner D. R. , Ng N. L.
Published: January 2024

Furans are a major class of volatile organic compounds emitted from biomass burning. Their high reactivity with atmospheric oxidants leads to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA), including secondary brown carbon (BrC) that can affect global climate via interactions with solar radiation. Here, we investigate the optical properties and chemical composition of SOA generated via photooxidation of furfural, 2‐methylfuran, and 3‐methylfuran under dry (RH < 5%) and humid (RH ∼ 50%) conditions in the presence of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ammonium sulfate seed aerosol. Dry furfural oxidation has the greatest BrC formation, including reduced nitrogen‐containing organic compounds (NOCs) in SOA, which are dominated by amines and amides formed from reactions between carbonyls and ammonia/ammonium. Based on the products detected, we propose novel formation pathways of NOCs in furfural photooxidation, which can contribute to BrC via accretion reactions during the photochemical aging of biomass burning plumes.
Seismic Evidence for a Transcrustal Magmatic Pathway Contributing to Critical Metal Deposits
Authors: Bi Hao , Fang Hongjian , Zhang Ping , Sudholz Zachary , Miller Meghan S. , Yu Pengpeng , Gao Rui
Published: January 2024

The Nanling metallogenic belt in South China hosts ∼50 percent of the world's tungsten (W), ∼20 percent tin (Sn), and other critical metals. However, the factors controlling ore distribution and types are still debated, due partly to the lack of high‐resolution crustal models. We apply an array‐based receiver function imaging method to resolve the fine‐scale crustal structure using a newly deployed dense nodal array across the belt. We find weak Moho converting phases in the northern belt, indicating a gradual crust‐mantle transition distinct from the sharp transitions observed elsewhere. The weak Moho spatially correlates with a major fault zone, A‐type granite distribution, and Sn ore deposits. Combining with geochemical and petrological evidence, we propose that the gradual crust‐mantle transition is attributed to, and likely facilitated, the mixing of mantle materials with the crust, thus contributing to Sn and other Mesozoic ore formations in the northern Nanling belt.
The Fate of Simple Organics on Titan's Surface: A Theoretical Perspective
Authors: Yu Xinting , Yu Yue , Garver Julia , Zhang Xi , McGuiggan Patricia
Published: January 2024

Atmospheric photochemistry on Titan continuously transforms methane and nitrogen gases into various organic compounds. This study explores the fate of these molecules when they land on Titan's surface. Our analytical exploration reveals that most simple organics found in Titan's atmosphere, including all nitriles, triple‐bonded hydrocarbons, and benzene, land as solids. Only a few compounds are in the liquid phase, while only ethylene remains gaseous. For the simple organics that land as solids, we further examine their interactions with Titan's lake liquids. Utilizing principles of buoyancy, we found that flotation can be achieved via porosity‐induced (25%–60% porosity) or capillary force‐induced buoyancy for hydrogen cyanide ices on ethane‐rich lakes. Otherwise, these ices would sink and become lakebed sediments. By evaluating the timescale of flotation, our findings suggest that porosity‐induced flotation of millimeter‐sized and larger sediments is the only plausible mechanism for floating solids to explain the transient “magic islands” phenomena on Titan's lakes.
The Energy Decay of Warm‐Core Eddies in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Meunier Thomas , Bower Amy , Pérez‐Brunius Paula , Graef Federico , Mahadevan Amala
Published: January 2024

The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is home to some of the most energetic eddies in the ocean. Warm‐core rings detach from the Loop‐Current and drift through the basin, transporting large amounts of heat and salt. These eddies, known as Loop Current rings (LCRs) have a crucial role in the GoM's dynamics and in the weather of the eastern US, and this role is largely conditioned by their longevity and decay properties. Here, we use an empirical method to estimate the energy evolution of all LCRs detached since 1993. We found that, contrary to the commonly accepted idea that LCRs conserve their energy as they drift through the GoM and decay suddenly against the western platform, LCRs' energy decay is faster in the eastern basin, and they typically lose three‐quarter of their energy before encountering the continental shelf. We also show that wind‐current feedback contributes to the energy decay and conversion.
Reconnection Inside a Dipolarization Front of a Diverging Earthward Fast Flow
Authors: Hosner M. , Nakamura R. , Schmid D. , Nakamura T. K. M. , Panov E. V. , Volwerk M. , Vörös Z. , Roberts O. W. , Blasl K. A. , Settino A. , Korovinskiy D. , Marshall A. T. , Denton R. E. , Burch J. L. , Giles B. L. , Torbert R. B. , Le Contel O. , Escoubet C. P. , Dandouras I. S. , Carr C. , Fazakerley A. N.
Published: January 2024

We examine a Dipolarization Front (DF) event with an embedded electron diffusion region (EDR), observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft on 08 September 2018 at 14:51:30 UT in the Earth's magnetotail by applying multi‐scale multipoint analysis methods. In order to study the large‐scale context of this DF, we use conjunction observations of the Cluster spacecraft together with MMS. A polynomial magnetic field reconstruction technique is applied to MMS data to characterize the embedded electron current sheet including its velocity and the X‐line exhaust opening angle. Our results show that the MMS and Cluster spacecraft were located in two counter‐rotating vortex flows, and such flows may distort a flux tube in a way that the local magnetic shear angle is increased and localized magnetic reconnection may be triggered. Using multi‐point data from MMS we further show that the local normalized reconnection rate is in the range of R ∼ 0.16 to 0.18. We find a highly asymmetric electron in‐ and outflow structure, consistent with previous simulations on strong guide‐field reconnection events. This study shows that magnetic reconnection may not only take place at large‐scale stable magnetopause or magnetotail current sheets but also in transient localized current sheets, produced as a consequence of the interaction between the fast Earthward flows and the Earth's dipole field.
Quiet Time Thermospheric Gravity Waves Observed by GOCE and CHAMP
Authors: Xu Shuang , Vadas Sharon L. , Yue Jia
Published: January 2024

The Gravity Field and Steady‐State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) and CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) satellites measure in‐situ thermospheric density and cross‐track wind. When propagating obliquely to the satellite track in a horizontal plane (i.e., not purely along‐track or cross‐track), gravity waves (GWs) can be observed both in the density and cross‐track wind perturbations. We employ the Wavelet Analysis, red noise model, dissipative dispersion and polarization relations for thermospheric GWs, and specific criteria to determine whether a quiet‐time (Kp < 3) thermospheric traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs) event is a GW or not. The first global morphology of thermospheric GWs instead of TADs is reported. The fast intrinsic horizontal phase speed (cIH > 600 m/s) of most GWs suggests that they are not generated in the lower/middle atmosphere (where cIH < 300 m/s). A second population of GWs with slower speeds (cIH = 50–250 m/s) in GOCE are likely from the lower/middle atmosphere, but they occur much less frequently in CHAMP. GW hotspots occur during the high‐latitude and the winter midlatitude regions. GW amplitudes exhibit semi‐annual and annual variations. These findings suggest that most GOCE and CHAMP GWs are higher‐order GWs from primary GW sources in the lower/middle atmosphere. Finally, the average propagation direction of the CHAMP GWs exhibits a clear diurnal cycle, with clockwise (counterclockwise) occurring in the northern (southern) hemisphere and equatorward propagation occurring at ∼13 LST. This suggests that the predominant GW propagation direction is opposite to the background wind direction.
EBSD Analysis of Iron‐Nickel Metal in L Type Ordinary Chondrites: 2. Formation of Net, Acicular, Duplex, and Pearlitic Plessite
Authors: Luo Yexin , Chen Hongyi , Beard Sky , Zeng Xiaojia , Hu Sen , Jin Lei , Liu Jiahui , Li Shaolin , Zhang Xiaoping
Published: January 2024

The microstructure of plessite, which is composed of kamacite (α) and taenite (γ), exhibits diverse formation mechanisms and is highly complex. In this study, four types of plessite, namely net, acicular, duplex, and pearlitic plessite, were investigated in L group chondrites using the Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) technique. This enabled comprehensive determination of their orientation relationships, evolution paths, and formation mechanisms. The findings from this study demonstrate that net plessite is formed due to shock reheating and is characterized by partial austenitization of kamacite with taenite filling between residual kamacite grains. Acicular plessite forms during cooling prior to reaching the α + γ region where silicate inclusions within taenite serve as intergranular nucleation sites for kamacite. Duplex plessite forms during the quenching event after shock reheating when the homogenous taenite becomes thermodynamically unstable, leading to either spinodal decomposition or nucleation and growth; meanwhile, duplex plessite is also formed through brittle fracture of kamacite. Pearlitic plessite forms upon reaching the eutectoid point where kamacite nucleates on grain boundaries and grows into surrounding taenite grains. The formation mechanism behind these four distinct forms of plessite provides valuable insights not only into the thermal evolution of L chondrites but also into other meteorites containing Fe‐Ni metal.
Similarities in Storage and Transport of Sulfate in Forested and Suburban Watersheds, Despite Anthropogenically Elevated Suburban Sulfate
Authors: Cosans C. L. , Gomes M. L. , Marsh M. J. , Moore J. , Harman C. J.
Published: January 2024

Sulfate is a potential pollutant and important nutrient linked with the nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus cycles. The importance of different anthropogenic sulfate sources in suburban streams (septic systems, fertilizer, road salt, and infrastructure) is uncertain, and the temporal dynamics of stream export sparsely documented. We study sources and export dynamics of sulfate in suburban and forested headwater catchments. Stream baseflow discharge and sulfate concentrations were strongly positively correlated in both watersheds with the highest values in spring. Suburban concentrations and fluxes (2.48–7.5 mg/L or 25.8–78.1 μM, 16.6 kg/ha/yr) were consistently higher than forested (0.56–2.78 mg/L or 5.8–28.9 μM, 5 kg/ha/yr). Following precipitation, sulfate concentrations in both forested and suburban streams increased to concentrations above pre‐storm values and remained high after peak discharge. These dynamics suggest that both catchments have a large pool of sulfate that can be mobilized under wet conditions. Ridge‐top forest soil samples contained 210 kg/ha stored, extractable sulfate. Current atmospheric sulfate deposition rates (5–7 kg/ha/yr) are approximately in balance with sulfate export in the forested stream. In the suburban watershed, we estimated septic fields contribute up to 11 kg/ha/yr (about half from surfactants) and lawn care up to 4.3 kg/ha/yr and are the most likely sources of elevated stream sulfate. Sulfate sulfur (4.9–5.8‰ forested; 6.1–7.0‰ suburban) and oxygen isotope values (0.7–2.0‰ forested; −0.1–4.1‰ suburban) are consistent with this interpretation, but do not provide strong corroboration due to large variation and overlap in estimated source values.
Mitochondria as secretory organelles and therapeutic cargos
Authors: Suh Joonho , Lee Yun-Sil
Published: January 2024

Mitochondria have been primarily considered intracellular organelles that are responsible for generating energy for cell survival. However, accumulating evidence suggests that mitochondria are secreted into the extracellular space under physiological and pathological conditions, and these secreted mitochondria play diverse roles by regulating metabolism, the immune response, or the differentiation/maturation in target cells. Furthermore, increasing amount of research shows the therapeutic effects of local or systemic administration of mitochondria in various disease models. These findings have led to growing interest in exploring mitochondria as potential therapeutic agents. Here, we discuss the emerging roles of mitochondria as extracellularly secreted organelles to shed light on their functions beyond energy production. Additionally, we provide information on therapeutic outcomes of mitochondrial transplantation in animal models of diseases and an update on ongoing clinical trials, underscoring the potential of using mitochondria as a novel therapeutic intervention.
A C-shaped hinge for displacement magnification in MEMS rotational structures
Authors: Kommanaboina Naga Manikanta , Yallew Teferi Sitotaw , Bagolini Alvise , Pantano Maria F.
Published: January 2024

The design, analysis, fabrication, and characterization of two distinct MEMS rotational structures are provided; these structures include a classical symmetrical lancet structure and a novel symmetrical C-shaped structure provided with a tilted arm, and both are actuated by thermal actuators. Our proposed C-shaped structure implemented a curved beam mechanism to enhance the movement delivered by the thermal actuators. The geometrical parameters of our proposed device were optimized using the design of experiment (DOE) method. Furthermore, the analytical modeling based on Castigliano’s second theorem and the simulations based on the finite element method (FEM) were used to predict the behavior of the symmetrical C-shaped structure; the results were in good agreement with each other. The MEMS-based rotational structures were fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers using bulk micromachining technology and deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) processes. The fabricated devices underwent experimental characterization; our results showed that our proposed MEMS rotational structure exhibited a 28% improvement in the delivered displacement compared to the symmetrical lancet structure. Furthermore, the experimental results showed good agreement with those obtained from numerical analysis. Our proposed structures have potential applications in a variety of MEMS devices, including accelerometers, gyroscopes, and resonators, due to their ability to maximize displacement and thus enhance sensitivity.
Genetic factors associated with suicidal behaviors and alcohol use disorders in an American Indian population
Authors: Peng Qian , Gilder David A. , Bernert Rebecca A. , Karriker-Jaffe Katherine J. , Ehlers Cindy L.
Published: January 2024

American Indians (AI) demonstrate the highest rates of both suicidal behaviors (SB) and alcohol use disorders (AUD) among all ethnic groups in the US. Rates of suicide and AUD vary substantially between tribal groups and across different geographical regions, underscoring a need to delineate more specific risk and resilience factors. Using data from over 740 AI living within eight contiguous reservations, we assessed genetic risk factors for SB by investigating: (1) possible genetic overlap with AUD, and (2) impacts of rare and low-frequency genomic variants. Suicidal behaviors included lifetime history of suicidal thoughts and acts, including verified suicide deaths, scored using a ranking variable for the SB phenotype (range 0–4). We identified five loci significantly associated with SB and AUD, two of which are intergenic and three intronic on genes AACSP1, ANK1, and FBXO11. Nonsynonymous rare and low-frequency mutations in four genes including SERPINF1 (PEDF), ZNF30, CD34, and SLC5A9, and non-intronic rare and low-frequency mutations in genes OPRD1, HSD17B3 and one lincRNA were significantly associated with SB. One identified pathway related to hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) regulation, whose 83 nonsynonymous rare and low-frequency variants on 10 genes were significantly linked to SB as well. Four additional genes, and two pathways related to vasopressin-regulated water metabolism and cellular hexose transport, also were strongly associated with SB. This study represents the first investigation of genetic factors for SB in an American Indian population that has high risk for suicide. Our study suggests that bivariate association analysis between comorbid disorders can increase statistical power; and rare and low-frequency variant analysis in a high-risk population enabled by whole-genome sequencing has the potential to identify novel genetic factors. Although such findings may be population specific, rare functional mutations relating to PEDF and HIF regulation align with past reports and suggest a biological mechanism for suicide risk and a potential therapeutic target for intervention.
Loss of LECT2 promotes ovarian cancer progression by inducing cancer invasiveness and facilitating an immunosuppressive environment
Authors: Wu Chin-Jui , Pan Ke-Fan , Chen Ji-Qing , Tao Yu -Chen , Liu Yu-Cheng , Chen Bo-Rong , Hsu Ching , Wang Ming-Yang , Sheu Bor-Ching , Hsiao Michael , Hua Kuo-Tai , Wei Lin-Hung
Published: January 2024

Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) is a multifunctional cytokine that can bind to several receptors and mediate distinct molecular pathways in various cell settings. Changing levels of LECT2 have been implicated in multiple human disease states, including cancers. Here, we have demonstrated reduced serum levels of LECT2 in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and down-regulated circulating Lect2 as the disease progresses in a syngeneic mouse ID8 EOC model. Using the murine EOC model, we discovered that loss of Lect2 promotes EOC progression by modulating both tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. Lect2 inhibited EOC cells’ invasive phenotype and suppressed EOC’s transcoelomic metastasis by targeting c-Met signaling. In addition, Lect2 downregulation induced the accumulation and activation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). This fostered an immunosuppressive microenvironment in EOC by inhibiting T-cell activation and skewing macrophages toward an M2 phenotype. The therapeutic efficacy of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 pathway blockade for the ID8 model was significantly hindered. Overall, our data highlight multiple functions of Lect2 during EOC progression and reveal a rationale for synergistic immunotherapeutic strategies by targeting Lect2.
Predicting low cognitive ability at age 5 years using perinatal data and machine learning
Authors: Bowe Andrea K. , Lightbody Gordon , O’Boyle Daragh S. , Staines Anthony , Murray Deirdre M.
Published: January 2024

Background

There are no early, accurate, scalable methods for identifying infants at high risk of poor cognitive outcomes in childhood. We aim to develop an explainable predictive model, using machine learning and population-based cohort data, for this purpose.

Methods

Data were from 8858 participants in the Growing Up in Ireland cohort, a nationally representative study of infants and their primary caregivers (PCGs). Maternal, infant, and socioeconomic characteristics were collected at 9-months and cognitive ability measured at age 5 years. Data preprocessing, synthetic minority oversampling, and feature selection were performed prior to training a variety of machine learning models using ten-fold cross validated grid search to tune hyperparameters. Final models were tested on an unseen test set.

Results

A random forest (RF) model containing 15 participant-reported features in the first year of infant life, achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.77 for predicting low cognitive ability at age 5. This model could detect 72% of infants with low cognitive ability, with a specificity of 66%.

Conclusions

Model performance would need to be improved before consideration as a population-level screening tool. However, this is a first step towards early, individual, risk stratification to allow targeted childhood screening.

Impact

This study is among the first to investigate whether machine learning methods can be used at a population-level to predict which infants are at high risk of low cognitive ability in childhood.

A random forest model using 15 features which could be easily collected in the perinatal period achieved an AUROC of 0.77 for predicting low cognitive ability.

Improved predictive performance would be required to implement this model at a population level but this may be a first step towards early, individual, risk stratification.
Long-term outcomes of patients with large B-cell lymphoma treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel and prophylactic corticosteroids
Authors: Oluwole Olalekan O. , Forcade Edouard , Muñoz Javier , de Guibert Sophie , Vose Julie M. , Bartlett Nancy L. , Lin Yi , Deol Abhinav , McSweeney Peter , Goy Andre H. , Kersten Marie José , Jacobson Caron A. , Farooq Umar , Minnema Monique C. , Thieblemont Catherine , Timmerman John M. , Stiff Patrick , Avivi Irit , Tzachanis Dimitrios , Zheng Yan , Vardhanabhuti Saran , Nater Jenny , Shen Rhine R. , Miao Harry , Kim Jenny J. , van Meerten Tom
Published: January 2024

ZUMA-1 safety management cohort 6 investigated the impact of prophylactic corticosteroids and earlier corticosteroids and/or tocilizumab on the incidence and severity of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurologic events (NEs) following axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) in patients with relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (R/R LBCL). Prior analyses of cohort 6 with limited follow-up demonstrated no Grade ≥3 CRS, a low rate of NEs, and high response rates, without negatively impacting axi-cel pharmacokinetics. Herein, long-term outcomes of cohort 6 (N = 40) are reported (median follow-up, 26.9 months). Since the 1-year analysis (Oluwole, et al.Blood. 2022;138[suppl 1]:2832), no new CRS was reported. Two new NEs occurred in two patients (Grade 2 dementia unrelated to axi-cel; Grade 5 axi-cel–related leukoencephalopathy). Six new infections and eight deaths (five progressive disease; one leukoencephalopathy; two COVID-19) occurred. Objective and complete response rates remained at 95% and 80%, respectively. Median duration of response and progression-free survival were reached at 25.9 and 26.8 months, respectively. Median overall survival has not yet been reached. Eighteen patients (45%) remained in ongoing response at data cutoff. With ≥2 years of follow-up, prophylactic corticosteroids and earlier corticosteroids and/or tocilizumab continued to demonstrate CRS improvement without compromising efficacy outcomes, which remained high and durable.
Mechanisms of immune checkpoint inhibitors: insights into the regulation of circular RNAS involved in cancer hallmarks
Authors: Meng Lingjiao , Wu Haotian , Wu Jiaxiang , Ding Ping’an , He Jinchen , Sang Meixiang , Liu Lihua
Published: January 2024

Current treatment strategies for cancer, especially advanced cancer, are limited and unsatisfactory. One of the most substantial advances in cancer therapy, in the last decades, was the discovery of a new layer of immunotherapy approach, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which can specifically activate immune cells by targeting immune checkpoints. Immune checkpoints are a type of immunosuppressive molecules expressed on immune cells, which can regulate the degree of immune activation and avoid autoimmune responses. ICIs, such as anti-PD-1/PD-L1 drugs, has shown inspiring efficacy and broad applicability across various cancers. Unfortunately, not all cancer patients benefit remarkably from ICIs, and the overall response rates to ICIs remain relatively low for most cancer types. Moreover, the primary and acquired resistance to ICIs pose serious challenges to the clinical application of cancer immunotherapy. Thus, a deeper understanding of the molecular biological properties and regulatory mechanisms of immune checkpoints is urgently needed to improve clinical options for current therapies. Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have attracted increasing attention, not only due to their involvement in various aspects of cancer hallmarks, but also for their impact on immune checkpoints in shaping the tumor immune microenvironment. In this review, we systematically summarize the current status of immune checkpoints in cancer and the existing regulatory roles of circRNAs on immune checkpoints. Meanwhile, we also aim to settle the issue in an evidence-oriented manner that circRNAs involved in cancer hallmarks regulate the effects and resistance of ICIs by targeting immune checkpoints.
Hydrogenative degradation of PEG-functionalized lignin
Authors: Kusumoto Shuhei , Higashi Takuya , Matsumoto Yusuke , Yamada Tatsuhiko , Nozaki Kyoko
Published: January 2024

The valorization of lignin to value-added basic chemicals is one of the most important technologies for efficient carbon recycling. While many catalytic systems have been developed for cleavage of monolignol linkages, especially for β-O-4 structures, the low solubility of lignin, which originates from its complicated polymeric structure, often makes it difficult to apply these catalytic process to degradation of real lignin-derived materials. Here, we investigated the degradation of poly(ethylene glycol)-modified lignin with transition metal complexes. Monolignols (4-methyl, 4-ethyl- and 4-propyl-guaiacol) were obtained as the degradation products. Although low solubility after detachment of the PEG moiety hampered efficient degradation, the addition of PEG for in situ protection of the hydroxy group was effective in maintaining the lignin solubility and improving the monolignol yields.
DCAF1-based PROTACs with activity against clinically validated targets overcoming intrinsic- and acquired-degrader resistance
Authors: Schröder Martin , Renatus Martin , Liang Xiaoyou , Meili Fabian , Zoller Thomas , Ferrand Sandrine , Gauter Francois , Li Xiaoyan , Sigoillot Frederic , Gleim Scott , Stachyra Therese-Marie , Thomas Jason R. , Begue Damien , Khoshouei Maryam , Lefeuvre Peggy , Andraos-Rey Rita , Chung BoYee , Ma Renate , Pinch Benika , Hofmann Andreas , Schirle Markus , Schmiedeberg Niko , Imbach Patricia , Gorses Delphine , Calkins Keith , Bauer-Probst Beatrice , Maschlej Magdalena , Niederst Matt , Maher Rob , Henault Martin , Alford John , Ahrne Erik , Tordella Luca , Hollingworth Greg , Thomä Nicolas H. , Vulpetti Anna , Radimerski Thomas , Holzer Philipp , Carbonneau Seth , Thoma Claudio R.
Published: January 2024

Targeted protein degradation (TPD) mediates protein level through small molecule induced redirection of E3 ligases to ubiquitinate neo-substrates and mark them for proteasomal degradation. TPD has recently emerged as a key modality in drug discovery. So far only a few ligases have been utilized for TPD. Interestingly, the workhorse ligase CRBN has been observed to be downregulated in settings of resistance to immunomodulatory inhibitory drugs (IMiDs). Here we show that the essential E3 ligase receptor DCAF1 can be harnessed for TPD utilizing a selective, non-covalent DCAF1 binder. We confirm that this binder can be functionalized into an efficient DCAF1-BRD9 PROTAC. Chemical and genetic rescue experiments validate specific degradation via the CRL4DCAF1 E3 ligase. Additionally, a dasatinib-based DCAF1 PROTAC successfully degrades cytosolic and membrane-bound tyrosine kinases. A potent and selective DCAF1-BTK-PROTAC (DBt-10) degrades BTK in cells with acquired resistance to CRBN-BTK-PROTACs while the DCAF1-BRD9 PROTAC (DBr-1) provides an alternative strategy to tackle intrinsic resistance to VHL-degrader, highlighting DCAF1-PROTACS as a promising strategy to overcome ligase mediated resistance in clinical settings.