bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plant ontogeny as a driver of elevational patterns of entomopathogenic nematode activity in Mediterranean oaks
Authors: Blanco-Pérez Rubén , Galmán Andrea , Pou Alicia , Moreira Xoaquín
Published: February 2025

Background and aims

A long-standing ecological assumption posits that insect herbivory increases in warmer, more stable climates at lower elevations. However, this paradigm has been called into question in recent decades. Some studies suggest that differences in tri-trophic interactions, particularly the diversity, abundance, and activity of herbivore natural enemies, may explain inconsistent patterns in herbivory. Additionally, plant ontogeny significantly influences herbivore susceptibility, with adult plants being more apparent and thus more susceptible to herbivore attacks than saplings. These ontogenetic differences in herbivory might, in turn, determine changes in herbivore predation across elevations. Unfortunately, most research addressing these ecological assumptions has focused on aboveground tri-trophic interactions.

Methods

Here, we investigated elevational differences in the activity of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), known killers of soil-dwelling insects, and compared these patterns between young and adult oak (Quercus, Fagaceae) trees. We collected soil samples from rhizospheres of adult trees and saplings throughout the optimal elevational range (low, mid, and high) of 10 Mediterranean oak species in the Iberian Peninsula, estimating EPN activity through insect baiting with wax moth larvae.

Results

Our results showed higher larval mortality and EPN activity at lower elevations, with this effect being influenced by plant ontogeny; therefore, elevation-related variations were observed only in rhizospheres of mature trees. Additionally, we found that soil characteristics did not significantly affect these outcomes.

Conclusions

Our study provides evidence that plant ontogeny influences belowground tri-trophic interactions along elevational gradients in oak species, emphasizing the minimal impact of abiotic soil factors on these processes.
Tracer distribution in legume roots and soluble rhizodeposits over a few weeks after a triple isotope (13C, 15N, 33P) labeling
Authors: Stevenel Pierre , Abiven Samuel , Frossard Emmanuel , Rao Idupulapati M. , Tamburini Federica , Oberson Astrid
Published: February 2025

Background and aims

Belowground carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs by plants via roots and rhizodeposition are key drivers of these elements cycling in soils. Tracing and quantification of rhizodeposition using isotope enrichment techniques is based on assumptions that have not simultaneously been tested for C, N and P. Our objectives were: (i) to compare the elemental and isotopic composition (IC) of roots and soluble rhizodeposits for C, N and P; and (ii) to compare the IC of root segments of different ages to assess the homogeneity of root system labeling.

Methods

The legume Canavalia brasiliensis was grown in sand and labeled with 13C, 15N and 33P by using a novel tri-isotope method in two different experiments lasting two (percolate collection) and three weeks (root observation) after labeling.

Results

Soluble rhizodeposits were less isotope enriched than roots at each time point, and each element showed a different course over time. The 13C:15N and 13C:33P ratios of rhizodeposits were higher shortly after labeling than at later samplings, highlighting faster transfer of 13C than 15N and 33P into rhizodeposits. Phosphorus fertilizer increased the difference between IC of P in roots and rhizodeposits. Youngest root segments were more isotopically enriched than older segments, again with element specific time course, showing that root segments of different ages differ in IC.

Conclusion

Assumptions underlying the quantification of rhizodeposition are not met. Temporal and spatial differences in IC of roots and soluble rhizodeposits are element specific, which needs to be considered in stoichiometric studies.
Sprouting Control Treatment with LED Lights Does Not Affect the Biochemical Aspects of ‘Asterix’ Potatoes
Authors: Pedrosa Vanessa Maria Dantas , Izidoro Maiqui , da Silva Maryelle Barros , da Silva Francisco Ronaldo Cardoso , Cecilio Filho Arthur Bernardes , Carvalho Rogério Falleiros , Bacha Allan Lopes , Teixeira Gustavo Henrique de Almeida
Published: February 2025

Recently, it was observed that red, blue and far-red lights and different intensities (0.1 and 1.0 μmol m−2 s−1) of light-emitting diode (LED) reduced potato sprout growth but did not effectively inhibit sprouting in physiologically aged tubers. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the physiological and biochemical changes and sprout development in potatoes treated with LED lights or with 3-chlorophenyl carbamate (CIPC). To achieve this, ‘Asterix’ potatoes were harvested, cured at 15 °C (90–93% RH) for 15 days and treated with red (5 µmol m−2 s−1), far-red (5 µmol m−2 s−1) and blue (1 µmol m−2 s−1) LED lights, in addition to the negative control (dark) and positive control (0.022 g L−1 of CIPC) treatments. Potatoes from the light treatments were exposed to LED lights 24 h a day throughout the storage period, under optimal conditions for sprout development (16.7 ± 1 °C and 91.5 ± 1% RH). Tubers treated with blue and far-red LED light exhibited longer dormancy, fewer sprouts and smaller sprouts over the storage period. The carbohydrate content (starch and reducing sugars) was not affected by light treatments; however, total soluble sugar content was lower in tubers kept in the dark and higher in those treated with far-red LED light, which was not related to sprouting control. Therefore, it is suggested that other signalling mechanisms may be involved in sprout control using LED lights.
Post-fire Quercus mycorrhizal associations are dominated by Russulaceae, Thelephoraceae, and Laccaria in the southern Appalachian Mountains
Authors: Hughes Karen W. , Franklin Jennifer A. , Schweitzer Jennifer , Kivlin Stephanie N. , Case Alexis , Aldrovandi Matthew , Matheny P. Brandon , Miller Andrew N.
Published: February 2025

Following disturbances such as wildfires, oak seedlings must form a symbiotic association with mycorrhizal fungi to survive. Wildfires, however, reduce available mycorrhizal fungal propagules in the soil. Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi on oak seedlings sampled in severely burned (7 sites), moderately burned (7 sites), and unburned areas (8 sites) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park were evaluated 21 months after the 2016 Chimney Tops 2 Wildfire by Sanger sequencing of the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region (nrITS; fungal barcode). Sequences were aligned and grouped into Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) based on well-supported phylogenetic clades and 98–100% nrITS sequence homology with sequences in GenBank. One hundred seventy-nine root-associated fungi comprising 124 OTUs were recovered after removing duplicates (the same fungus on two or more roots of the same plant). The ECM genus Russula was the most diverse genus (25 OTUs), followed by the Thelephora/Tomentella clade (18 OTUs), Lactifluus (8 OTUs), Lactarius (4 OTUs), and Laccaria aff. laccata (2 OTUs). Russula OTUs were identified more frequently on oak roots from burned areas and in burned soils, suggesting that some Russula taxa may have a selective advantage in burned areas. High alpha diversity occurred within each of the burn categories, but little overlap of taxa occurred between burn categories (high beta diversity). Approximately half of the recovered OTUs (100/179 total root-associated fungi = 55.9%) were found on a single plant. Oak seedlings growing in moderately and severely burned areas 21 months after a fire were capable of forming root associations with available fungi. In contrast to the expectation that root-associated fungal diversity would be reduced after a wildfire, diversity 1 year after the Chimney Tops 2 Fire was high with ectomycorrhizal Laccaria, Russulaceae, and Thelephoraceae dominating. This study suggests that the availability of ECM fungi post-fire is not a barrier to oak re-establishment.
Angiographic Anatomy of the Left Coronary Veins: Beyond Conventional Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Authors: Zehan Iulia-Georgiana , Eötvös Csilla-Andrea , Moldovan Mădălina Patricia , Andrei Mihai-Gabriel , Șchiop-Țentea Călina-Patricia , Lazar Roxana Daiana , Sârb Adriana Daniela , Coșeriu Giorgia , Avram Teodora , Șerban Adela , Gușetu Gabriel , Mocan-Hognogi Larisa Diana , Chiorescu Roxana , Pop Sorin , Heist Edwin Kevin , Blendea Dan
Published: February 2025

Purpose of Review

This review aims to synthesize current knowledge on the angiographic anatomy of the coronary sinus and its tributaries veins, with focus on venous branches other than classical ones used in cardiac resynchronization therapy. It also presents common anatomical aspects that could impact the clinical outcome.

Recent Findings

Recent advancements in the electrophysiology field, like epicardial arrhythmia mapping and ablation through coronary sinus or cardiac pacing from atypical veins requires a detailed angiographic assessment of cardiac veins. There is an increased interest for the veins coursing in the left ventricular summit (LVS) area and could potentially provide a pathway to reach the LVS arrhythmogenic foci. However, there is no consensus regarding the nomenclature and classification of these veins.

This review could offer a better understanding of the coronary sinus and its tributary veins distribution, dimensions and relationship with nearby structures that could help the development of new ablation and pacing tools and strategies, with higher success rates.
Kritik von Kindern und Jugendlichen im Kontext Schulsozialarbeit
Authors: Baier Florian
Published: February 2025

In diesem Beitrag wird auf der Grundlage empirischer Befunde aufgezeigt und diskutiert, wie im Kontext der Schulsozialarbeit mit kritischen Meinungen von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Bezug auf Schulsozialarbeit und Schule umgegangen wird. Es zeigt sich, dass kritischen Stimmen von Kindern und Jugendlichen mitunter wenig Gehör geschenkt wird, obwohl diese nicht nur für das Wohlergehen der Kinder und Jugendlichen, sondern auch für die Weiterentwicklung von Schulsozialarbeit und Schule sehr relevant sein können.
A population-based study of incidence trends of head and neck epithelial cancers in northeastern Spain, 1994–2018
Authors: Rubió-Casadevall Jordi , Trallero Jan , Calvo Carla , Puigdemont Montse , Carulla Marià , Sanvisens Arantza , Ameijide Alberto , Vidal Anna , Pla Clàudia , Marruecos Jordi , Marcos-Gragera Rafael , Galceran Jaume
Published: February 2025

Background

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most common cancer worldwide. Incidence rates of these tumors vary between countries and change over time depending on the prevalence of risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, betel nut chewing habits or human papillomavirus infection. This makes it necessary to periodically study HNC incidence trends in each geographic area.

Methods

To determine trends in the incidence of HNC, all cancer cases diagnosed in Girona and Tarragona (northeastern Spain) between 1994 and 2018, except mesenchymal and hematological neoplasms, were included. Crude and standardized incidence rates and the annual percentage change (APC) were calculated.

Results

We identify 7,966 cases of HNC, 83.7% in men. A significant decrease in incidence, with an APC of  – 1.83, was observed in all HNC as a whole and in cancers of the lip (APC =  – 5.34), salivary glands (APC =  – 2.22), nasopharynx (APC =  – 2.01), hypopharynx (APC =  – 3.15), and larynx (APC =  – 1.97). In men, a significant decline in incidence was observed in overall HNC and in cancers of the lip, oral cavity, salivary glands, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. In women, a significant increase was identified in overall HNC and in cancers of oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx.

Conclusion

A decline in the overall incidence of HNC has been observed in this area of southern Europe, mainly based on a decrease in men of cancers of the lip, oral cavity, salivary glands, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx.
Discriminant of tautological bundles on symmetric products of curves
Authors: Krug Andreas
Published: February 2025

We compute a formula for the discriminant of tautological bundles on symmetric powers of a complex smooth projective curve. It follows that the Bogomolov inequality does not give a new restriction to stability of these tautological bundles. It only rules out tautological bundles which are already known to have the structure sheaf as a destabilising subbundle.
Characterization of agr-like Loci in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and L. paraplantarum and Their Role in Quorum Sensing and Virulence Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Wang Weizhe , Kyrkou Ifigeneia , Bojer Martin S. , Kalloubi Dina , Kali Abdul Jabbar , Alena-Rodriguez Miguel , Leisner Jørgen J. , Fulaz Stephanie , Ingmer Hanne
Published: February 2025

The pathogenicity of Staphylococcus aureus is largely regulated by the agr quorum sensing (QS) system encoded by agrBDCA, which coordinates virulence factor production through secretion and sensing of auto-inducing peptides (AIPs). agr-like systems are also present in coagulase-negative staphylococci, and several of these encode AIPs that inhibit S. aureus QS. In lactic acid bacteria, a similar locus was previously identified in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WCSF1 termed lamBDCA. Here, we characterized the lamBDCA locus in L. plantarum LMG 13556 and L. paraplantarum CIRM-BIA 1870, and explored the effects on S. aureus QS. Notably, we found that co-cultivation with L. paraplantarum significantly inhibits S. aureus QS and hemolysin production, while less so for L. plantarum. The inhibition by L. paraplantarum was lost upon disruption of its lamBDCA locus, suggesting that the L. paraplantarum AIP mediates cross-species interference with S. aureus agr activation. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that lamBDCA in L. paraplantarum controls the expression of genes belonging to various functional categories, including stress response and metabolism. The latter includes genes encoding riboflavin (B2 vitamin) biosynthesis, which enabled the growth of the L. paraplantarum lamB mutant in the presence of roseoflavin, a toxic riboflavin analogue. Collectively, our results show that L. paraplantarum CIRM-BIA 1870 interferes with S. aureus virulence gene expression through QS suppression, and they implicate QS in the probiotic properties of L. paraplantarum.
Genetically predicted vitamins supplementation and risk of skin cancers: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Qi Ping , Chen Liyun , Ma Aiwei , Zhang Yiwen , Lin Hai , Shi Wenqi , Huang Zijian , Tang Zixuan , Jiang Wenshi , Xu Mengjing , Zhang Wancong , Tang Shijie
Published: February 2025

Background

The causal relationship between vitamins supplementation and the risk of skin cancers remains unclear. We conducted a Mendelian randomization study to assess the associations between vitamins supplementation and skin cancers in the general population.

Objective

We aimed to investigate the causal relationship of vitamins (A-E) supplementation with skin cancers using and utilizing the linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) Mendelian randomization (MR).

Materials and methods

We selected genome-wide significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) linked to vitamin supplements (A-E). Summary-level data for melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma were obtained from large-scale genome-wide association studies. We applied the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method within a random effects model, alongside weighted median, MR-Egger, simple median, sensitivity analyses, and MRlap methods to ensure robustness. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the causal relationship between vitamins supplementation and melanoma. The STROBE-MR checklist was followed throughout.

Results

Folate supplementation was associated with a reduced melanoma risk (IVW OR = 0.88; 95% CI 0.80–0.96; P = 0.006). The MR analysis indicated a significant inverse causal relationship. Heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses confirmed minimal impact from individual SNPs. MRlap corrected for potential estimation bias due to sample overlap, which was not significant, reinforcing the IVW findings. The meta-analysis ensured robust and stable results. LDSC regression analysis suggests a weak causal relationship between folate supplementation and melanoma. Yet no association was found between genetically predicted vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and skin cancers.

Conclusion

Both observational meta-analysis and MR analysis based on genetic variation provide robust evidence indicat that folate supplementation decreases the risk of melanoma, suggesting that interventions targeting folate supplementation may contribute to the primary prevention of melanoma. Further studies are needed to explore the potential association between other vitamins supplementation and the risk of skin cancers.
Mapping and assessing impacts of land use land cover and climate conditions on groundwater quality using RS & GIS
Authors: Ghoto Sher Muhammad , Abbasi Habibullah , Memon Sheeraz Ahmed , Brohi Khan Muhammad , Chhachhar Rabia , Ghanghlo Asad Ali
Published: February 2025

Groundwater is an essential source for drinking purposes; hence, a qualitative analysis is necessary for groundwater resources. This study aims to assess the impacts of dynamic land use land cover (LULC) and climatic conditions on groundwater quality for drinking purposes. The investigative analysis of research used the water quality index (WQI) to analyze the groundwater quality and the source identified using the LULC map and climatic conditions. It extends an integrated and combined approach of different aspects. It provides a comprehensive understanding of how the various factors influence groundwater quality. The total area is classified as excellent, good, poor, very poor, and unfit for consumption based on the WQI. The results concluded that only 10.17% of the area has excellent drinking water quality, 19.97% has good water quality, 9.013% and 5.73% have poor and very poor water quality, respectively, and 55% of the water is unfit for consumption. The results indicated that the areas with agricultural expansion, urban development, and some natural conditions such as topographic features and high soil erodibility led to high total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity levels, and heavy metals. The main factors of LULC that lead to groundwater contamination include agricultural expansion and urban development. On the other hand, climatic conditions, such as variations in temperature and precipitation, also influenced groundwater quality. The research aids in examining different perspectives, which will lend a hand to water and land managers to make suitable decisions for sustainable development plans to conserve an economically important region.
Serotransferrin enhances transferrin receptor-mediated brain uptake of antibodies
Authors: Morrison Jamie I. , Metzendorf Nicole G. , Liu Jielu , Hultqvist Greta
Published: February 2025

The propensity of antibody-based therapies to systemically enter the brain interstitium and ameliorate pathology associated with numerous neurological maladies is precluded by the presence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Through distinct mechanisms, the BBB has evolved to regulate transport of essential ions, minerals, certain peptides and cells between the blood and the brain, but very restrictive otherwise. Hijacking receptor-mediated transport pathways of the BBB has proved fruitful in developing “Trojan Horse” therapeutic approaches to deliver antibody-based therapies to the brain milieu. The transferrin receptor (TfR)-mediated transcytosis pathway (RMT) is one such example where large recombinant molecules have been designed to bind to the TfR, which in turn activates the RMT pathway, resulting in delivery across the BBB into the brain milieu. Based on these findings, we here investigated whether the addition of serotransferrin could trigger the endogenous TfR-mediated RMT pathway and hence be used to enhance the uptake of TfR binding antibodies. By using an in vitro model of a mouse BBB we could test whether co-administration of mouse serotransferrin with mouse and human-based monoclonal antibodies enhanced brain uptake. In all cases tested, no matter if the monoclonal antibodies were designed to bind the TfR in a monovalent, partially monovalent/bivalent or entirely bivalent fashion, with high or low affinity or avidity, the addition of mouse serotransferrin significantly improved transport across the artificial BBB. This was also true for TfR binding antibodies that on their own passes the BBB poorly. These results were subsequently confirmed using a human in vitro BBB model, along with human serotransferrin and human TfR-binding antibody. To corroborate the in vitro results further, we conducted two pilot in vivo brain uptake study in wildtype mice, by intravenously co-administering a monoclonal TfR-binding antibody in the presence or absence of mouse serotransferrin as a proof-of-concept. In a similar outcome to the in vitro studies, we observed a significant almost two-fold increase in uptake of two different TfR binding antibodies in the brain when it was co-administered with mouse serotransferrin. These findings show for the first time that serotransferrin supplementation can significantly improve the ability of TfR-binding antibodies to traverse the BBB, which provides a realistic therapeutic opportunity for improving the delivery of therapeutic antibodies to the brain.

Graphical Abstract
When Clarity Clouds the View: Introducing a Decision Style Framework for Assessing Task-Related Effectiveness in Analysis and Intuition
Authors: Julmi Christian
Published: February 2025

Recent scholarly discussions suggest the potential superiority of intuition over analysis in tasks with high equivocality. However, it remains unclear when and whether intuition is preferable when both uncertainty and equivocality are considered. Addressing this gap, the article introduces a framework linking the effectiveness of individual decision styles with configurations of uncertainty and equivocality, adopting an information processing perspective. Within this framework, intuitiveness and adaptiveness are treated as independent dimensions of decision styles, associating intuitiveness with equivocality and adaptiveness with uncertainty in terms of effectiveness. To demonstrate the value of the framework, the article discusses implications for research.
Aircraft takeoff speed prediction with machine learning: parameter analysis and model development
Authors: Karaburun N.N. , Arık Hatipoğlu S. , Konar M.
Published: February 2025

With developing technology, the usage areas of aircraft are constantly expanded. In aircraft designed for different missions, it is an important issue to evaluate many design possibilities and make optimum designs by taking into account many parameters that are not directly connected to each other with equal importance. In this context, issues such as safety and performance come to the fore in aircraft designs. One of the critical situations affecting flight safety is the takeoff and landing phases of the aircraft. The speed changes that occur in these stages are an important issue. In this study, takeoff speed was predicted with different machine learning algorithms using takeoff speed data of the Boeing B-737-300 type aircraft. Linear regression, support vector regression, classification and regression trees, random forest regression, Extreme Gradient Boosting algorithms were selected from machine learning algorithms for takeoff speed prediction. Base models were created with these selected algorithms and the takeoff speed was predicted by training the data. Considering the obtained results, feature engineered was applied to minimise the error values of the proposed base models. In models developed by applying feature engineered, error values were reduced and better performance was observed in takeoff speed prediction. Takeoff speed values obtained with the developed models and actual flight speed values are presented comparatively for the first time in the literature. The simulation results emphasise that the developed models can be used as an effective and alternative method for takeoff speed prediction.
“A Kind of Literary Archeology”: Excavating Morocco’s Slave Past under the Protectorate (1912–1956)
Authors: Calhoun Doyle D.
Published: February 2025

Slavery persisted in Morocco well into the twentieth century and throughout the French Protectorate (1912–56), long after it was abolished in other French-occupied territories (1848). While work by historians has illuminated a previously shadowy history of race and slavery in Morocco, less attention has been paid to the growing corpus of literary texts representing enslaved subjectivities under the Protectorate. Through their literary excavations of the slave past, such works retell the history of Moroccan slavery from the perspective of those most affected. This essay takes translator Nouzha Fassi Fihri’s Dada l’Yakout (2010) as a case in point. Although marketed as a novel, the text is also a dense oral history that channels the voice of an enslaved woman who really existed: Jmia, who was abducted as a child at the beginning of the twentieth century and died in 1975. Considered as “Moroccan other-archive” (El Guabli 2023) and imaginative archeology, literary works chart a way forward for reckoning with the enduring legacies of slavery and the slave trade in Morocco.
Development of the Disaster Risk Perception Scale: Evaluation of Its Impact on Disaster Preparedness
Authors: Kiymis Ibrahim , Kaya Afsin Ahmet
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Developing a disaster risk perception scale is a critical component of Disaster Risk Management (DRM), enabling the assessment and evaluation of the reactions, behaviors, and risk culture characteristics of individuals living under disaster risk. The objective of this study is to develop a disaster risk perception scale and to assess its effect on disaster preparedness.

Methods

A pilot study was conducted with 359 participants, followed by a main study involving 786 participants. All participants resided in Giresun and Elazig, Turkey, the regions recently affected by earthquakes, floods, and landslides.

Results

A reliable and valid disaster risk perception scale with 25 items and 5 dimensions (exposure/impact, probability, uncontrollable, worry/fear, and vulnerability) was developed. The disaster risk perception of the participants differed significantly according to their educational level, income level, city of residence, and disaster education. As per the multiple regression analysis, the exposure/impact and worry/fear variables had positive and significant effects on disaster preparedness.

Conclusions

For future studies, it is recommended to implement the disaster risk perception scale across diverse disaster types to assess and evaluate the outcomes effectively.
Are There Demographic Objections to Democracy?
Authors: Gibbons Adam F.
Published: February 2025

Proponents of epistocracy claim that amplifying the political power of politically knowledgeable citizens can mitigate some of the harmful effects of widespread political ignorance, since being politically knowledgeable improves one’s ability to make sound political decisions. But many critics of epistocracy suggest that we have no reason to expect it to make better decisions than democracy, for those who are politically knowledgeable can also possess other attributes that compromise their ability to make sound political decisions. This is one version of the Demographic Objection to epistocracy, and in this paper I argue that the reasoning which underlies it generalizes in such a way that it applies not only to epistocracy but also to democracy. Thus, there are demographic objections to both epistocracy and democracy. I argue that such demographic objections to democracy have important and overlooked implications. Among other things, they imply that we should be skeptical about the arguments of epistemic democrats; they count against proposals to democratize extant epistocratic practices and institutions; and they even count against certain democratic reforms taking place within a wholly democratic framework.
How to Lead an Academic Social Network
Authors: Davidson Cathy N.
Published: February 2025

Dubbed “the world’s first and oldest academic social network” by a grant reviewer at the National Science Foundation, HASTAC (Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Alliance and Collaboratory or “Haystack”) built its first interactive website in 2002. Now, 22 years later, HASTAC has some 18,000 network members, over 400 institutional members, and a thriving graduate-student-led HASTAC Scholars program that selects 100 new student members each year. Co-Director Cathy N. Davidson co-founded HASTAC with David Theo Goldberg and numerous other scholars in the humanities and social sciences working in tandem with computer scientists and programmers. Before Wikipedia, Facebook, or Twitter (now X), HASTAC created an open-access, public network with the purpose of making full use of evolving affordances of technology while also critiquing and seeking to improve issues of access, ethics, gender and racial bias, and social and environmental impact. This essay details what it takes to lead and sustain a dues-free, participatory social network with community standards and collaborative decision-making, and where any network member is invited to blog, post, start dialogues, and lead research initiatives, across institutional and other boundaries.
From Sojourner to National Icon: Chua Boon Hean
Authors: Chung Stephanie Po-Yin
Published: February 2025

This paper takes a transregional approach to examine primary historical sources that reveal the significance of the experiential and professional meanderings of Chua Boon Hean (1905-1995) for Southeast Asian studies. Chua was a writer and artist who emigrated from Chaozhou in southern China to Malaya in the 1920s. He became a prominent figure in the film industry and is recognised as a cultural icon of post-independence Singapore. Chua’s story calls for a careful re-examination of the ambiguities and connections between ‘diaspora’, ‘ethnicity’ and ‘borders’. While policymakers had reasons to adopt such labels to manage a diverse population in a colonial and post-colonial setting, researchers must recognise the limits and implications of such efforts. Experiences of social belonging and ethnic identity – more malleable than categories might allow – repudiate this approach of rigid labelling. By adding new dimensions and fresh primary sources from Chua’s archive to ongoing discussions in Southeast Asian studies, this paper illuminates the fluidity of Chinese diasporic networks and ethnic identity overseas. By examining Chua’s story through a transregional historical lens, this paper lays the groundwork for a more imaginative approach to understanding the elastic and fluid process of identity formation in modern Asia. Such a perspective can contribute significantly to the current climate of heightened mobilities and politicised exchanges in Southeast Asia.
Early Career Perspectives to Broaden the Scope of Critical Zone Science
Authors: Warix Sara , Johnson Keira , Adamchak Clifford , Dumont Marc , Kerins Devon , Knapp Abigail , Sarup Ojas , Miller Hannah , Newman Connor , D'Arcy Sophie , Graup Louis , Swift Bird Kenneth , Yilangai Rahila
Published: February 2025

Critical Zone (CZ) scientists have advanced understanding of Earth's surface through process‐based research that quantifies water, energy, and mass fluxes in predominantly undisturbed systems. However, the CZ is being increasingly altered by humans through climate and land use change. Expanding the scope of CZ science to include both human‐ and non‐human controls on the CZ is important for understanding anthropogenic impacts to Earth's surface processes and ecosystem services. Here, we share perspectives from predominantly U.S.‐based, early career CZ scientists centered around broadening the scope of CZ science to focus on societally relevant science through a transdisciplinary science framework. We call for increased training on transdisciplinary methods and collaboration opportunities across disciplines and with stakeholders to foster a scientific community that values transdisciplinary science alongside physical science. Here, we build on existing transdisciplinary research frameworks by highlighting the need for institutional support to include and educate graduate students throughout the research processes. We also call for graduate‐student‐led initiatives to increase their own exposure to transdisciplinary science through activities such as transdisciplinary‐focused seminars and symposiums, volunteering with local conservation groups, and participating in internships outside academia.
Metal‐Silicate Partitioning of Si, O, and Mg at High Pressures and High Temperatures: Implications to the Compositional Evolution of Core‐Forming Metallic Melts
Authors: Pu Chang , Gao Xiujin , Wu Zhengyang , Du Zhixue , Jing Zhicheng
Published: February 2025

High‐pressure and high‐temperature experiments were conducted to investigate the partitioning behaviors of Si, O, and Mg between molten Fe‐alloys and silicate melts in the Fe‐Si‐O‐Mg system under conditions of 2–72 GPa and 2000–5500 K, using both laser‐heated diamond anvil cells and a multi‐anvil press. Combing our new experimental results with previously published data, we evaluated the effects of pressure, temperature, and metallic compositions on the partitioning behaviors of Si, O, and Mg. A set of internally consistent interaction parameters between Si, O, and Mg were obtained by the simultaneous fitting of distribution coefficients for all three elements in the Fe‐Si‐O‐Mg system. The composition‐dependent distribution coefficients were applied in calculating the compositional evolution of metallic melts during multi‐stage core formation. Our results suggest that the core‐forming metallic melts would contain more Si and O than previously estimated due to the attractive interactions of light elements in the metal. Compared to the geophysically constrained core composition, these findings imply the exsolution of light elements, likely in the form of SiO2, from the outer core upon cooling.
Mantle Dynamics of the Long‐Lived Middle Yangtze Basaltic Field: Insight From a Combined Geochemical and Numerical Modeling Approach
Authors: Dai Hong‐Kun , Xiong Qing , Zheng Jian‐Ping
Published: February 2025

Melting for the generation of intracontinental diffuse basaltic fields is generally ascribed to the effects from lithospheric dynamic processes, but how the asthenospheric dynamics influence the overlying lithosphere remains poorly known. Here, this is explored via a combined geochemical and numerical modeling study on the long‐lived Middle Yangtze basaltic field adjacent to the Dabie orogenic belt, central China. This basaltic field with a southwestard younging trend consists of 110–40 Ma basaltic rocks that show alkaline to sub‐alkaline major‐oxide compositions, oceanic island basalt‐like trace‐element patterns and MORB‐like Sr‐Nd‐Pb isotopic ratios. The elemental and isotopic signatures show that the basaltic episodes generally underwent fractionation in the crust‐mantle transition zone from sub‐alkaline parental melts, which were produced by decompression melting of asthenosphere under a thinned (<2 GPa) lithosphere. Thermodynamic‐based Bayesian probabilistic inversions on rare‐earth element data further show that the melting for different basaltic episodes occurred at consistently shallow depths (40–60 km) and ambient mantle‐like potential temperatures (1350–1400°C). Together with regional lithospheric seismic imaging and the orogenic evolution nearby, the southwestard younging trend likely records progressive erosion of the basal lithosphere from the northern margin of the Yangtze block to its interior; the lithospheric thinning was likely triggered by an inland propagating chain of mantle instabilities at lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary initiated by the delamination of the Dabie orogenic root. We suggest that the proposed model should have general relevance to many other intraplate diffuse basaltic fields with similar spatiotemporal features.
Recent Decline in Global Ocean Evaporation Due To Wind Stilling
Authors: Ma Ning , Zhang Yongqiang , Yang Yuting
Published: February 2025

Ocean evaporation (Eo) is the major source of atmospheric water vapor and precipitation. While it is widely recognized that Eo may increase in a warming climate, recent studies have reported a diminished increase in the global water vapor since ∼2000s, raising doubts about recent changes in Eo. Using satellite observations, here we show that while global Eo strongly increased from 1988 to 2017, the upward trend reversed in the late 2000s. Since then, two‐thirds of the ocean have experienced weakened evaporation, leading to a slight decreasing trend in global‐averaged Eo during 2008–2017. This suggests that even with saturated surface, a warmer climate does not always result in increased evaporation. The reversal in Eo trend is primarily attributed to wind stilling, which is likely tied to the Northern Oscillation Index shifting from positive to negative phases. These findings offer crucial insights into diverse responses of global hydrological cycle to climate change.
Modulation of Inverse Kinetic Energy Transfer by Eddy Current Feedback and Its Underlying Dynamics in the Kuroshio Extension
Authors: Zhang Xiangyu , Yang Peiran , Jing Zhao
Published: February 2025

The eddy current feedback (ECFB), an important sink for eddy kinetic energy (EKE), deflects the oceanic EKE to the atmosphere and is also found to influence the oceanic cross‐scale kinetic energy (KE) transfer. However, the underlying dynamics of ECFB modulating KE transfer still lack thorough investigation. In this study, the ECFB is found to substantially reduce the inverse KE transfer, with this reduction extending to a depth of 500 m in the Kuroshio Extension. Within the surface boundary layer (SBL), the weakened inverse KE transfer is attributed to the enhanced EKE loss to the atmosphere and reduced conversion from eddy available potential energy (EAPE) to EKE. Below the SBL, conversion from EAPE to EKE becomes the sole dominant driver of the reduced inverse KE transfer. On the one hand, the negative wind work induced by ECFB enhances EKE loss within the SBL. On the other hand, the weakened meander fronts and the consequent suppressed baroclinic instability are responsible for the weakened conversion from EAPE to EKE under ECFB. Under ECFB, the growth rate of the baroclinic instability decreases by 12%. The reduction in meander fronts is caused by the diminished meander KE and the associated weakening of the strain rate, which is due to the pressure work divergence resulting from Ekman pumping under ECFB.
Improved Ship Emission Model Considering Load Factor‐Based Power and Hull Shape: Implication in a Chinese Port Cluster
Authors: Yun Unhyok , Fan Zhaoyang , Ho Chung Song , Peng Jianfei , Wu Lin , Yang Lei , Mao Hongjun
Published: February 2025

Shipping emissions are a major source of atmospheric pollutants globally. Accurate ship emission inventories are the key for developing pollution control strategies, but simulating the operating power of a ship under different navigational conditions is a challenge in ship emission estimation. Here, to improve the accuracy of the traditional power model and to establish framework for ship emissions in the port area, an improved load factor‐based power model considering the impact of hull shape on the ship's resistance was proposed and applied to estimate the ship pollutant emissions. A series of data preprocessing methods were constructed based on automated identification system (AIS) high‐precision measured data, including filling gaps and outliers, identifying vessel's operating mode with geofencing, and assigning fuel information by navigation area. The proposed power model and the AIS data preprocessing method were applied to estimate the ship pollutant emissions within Qingdao Port, China, in 2020. The total ship emissions were 1.27 × 104, 6.33 × 104, 1.91 × 103, 1.76 × 103, 3.11 × 103, and 7.52 × 103 tone for SO2, NOX, PM10, PM2.5, HC, and CO, respectively. As for emissions from ocean‐going vessels, the proposed power model estimation was 3.9% lower than the propeller law power model and 2.4% higher than the admiralty law power model. We highlight that the proposed power model could be of large benefit in accurately evaluating regional ship emissions in the future, which can provide scientific assurance for ship emission inventory construction and green port development.
Novel Isotopic Evidence Unveils Greater Contributions of Waste Incineration to PM2.5‐Bound Antimony in Two Mega‐Cities
Authors: Zhang Chao , Sun Guangyi , Wu Yunjie , Li Xinyu , Guan Dong‐Xing , Liu Jinling , Ma Lena Q. , Feng Xinbin
Published: February 2025

PM2.5‐bound antimony (Sb) may threaten human health and sustainable development, necessitating accurate source identification for its effective control. This study pioneered the application of Sb isotope signatures to trace PM2.5‐bound Sb sources, presenting the first isotopic fingerprints of Sb in urban PM2.5. We selected two mega‐cities with contrasting profiles: more developed Wuhan in central and less developed Guiyang in southwest China. Urban PM2.5 in both cities exhibited an ε123Sb value of 1.84 ± 0.79‱, with a distinct seasonal pattern, that is, heavier isotopes in spring/winter and lighter in summer/autumn. Isotopic source apportionment revealed waste incineration as the predominant anthropogenic Sb source in PM2.5 for both cites at 34.0–39.1%, despite their massive economic and industrial differences. Brake wear emerged as the second major anthropogenic source, especially in Wuhan, where vehicle ownership is greater, accounting for 21.2%. Complementary analyses using enrichment factor, elemental ratios, positive matrix factorization modeling, and backward trajectory analysis corroborated the isotopic findings. This study offers a novel isotopic approach to identify PM2.5‐bound Sb sources, unveiling waste incineration and brake wear as major anthropogenic contributors from a new isotopic perspective.
Topographical Analysis of Libya Linea on Europa: Geologic Evolution and Identification of a New Putative Cryovolcanic or Diapir Field
Authors: Matteoni Pietro , Chiarolanza Gianluca , Mitri Giuseppe , Jaumann Ralf , Hillier Jon , Postberg Frank
Published: February 2025

On Jupiter's icy moon Europa, bands played a crucial role in its geological evolution. Large‐scale bands such as Libya Linea (LL), which has previously not been studied with an applied method as other prominent Europan bands, offer insights into the icy moon's regional geologic history. To unravel the evolution of LL, our study employed a detailed topographic analysis, complementing a previous tectonic reconstruction (Collins et al., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JE007492). While said reconstruction provided a comprehensive view of western LL's tectonic evolution, our study introduces a critical topographic dimension, revealing nuanced differences and emphasizing the importance of an investigation that included LL's eastern portions. We identified distinctive topographic signatures indicative of different deformation stages. The analysis of eastern LL, previously not studied in detail, allowed us to define and characterize the topographic signatures of younger and older parts of LL. In western LL, the topographic characteristics of some branches of LL aligned with those of young branches in its eastern parts, while the topographic signatures in other LL branches supported their previous interpretation as formed during early and intermediate deformation stages. Furthermore, the identification of transpressive features in western LL partially challenged the previous reconstruction, suggesting reworking processes at late evolutionary stages. Overall, our integrated topographic and morpho‐stratigraphic analysis broadens the understanding of LL's evolution and bands on Europa in general. Additionally, the identification of a small area of putative cryovolcanic or diapiric activity adds intriguing elements for future exploration of this region with the Europa Clipper and JUICE spacecraft.
Effects of Vegetation on Runoff Hydrodynamics and Erosion Morphologies in Headcut Erosion Processes in the Loess Tableland Region
Authors: Lou Yibao , Zhu Yanan , Wei Jie , Wang Wenlong , Guo Mingming , Kang Hongliang , Feng Lanqian , Yang Hao
Published: February 2025

Vegetation significantly affects the soil properties and runoff processes of gully head systems, thereby affecting their development. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of vegetation on gully headcut erosion remain unclear. To explore these mechanisms, a series of simulation experiments were carried out on plots with four types of vegetation and bare land (BL). The results revealed that vegetation reduces the runoff velocity in the upstream area (Vup), gully head brink (Vbrink), and gully bed (Vbed) areas by 15%–70%, 3%–54%, and 1%–30%, respectively, and that vegetation type impacts Vup, with no obvious impacts on Vbrink, the jet flow velocity (Vjet) or Vbed. Vegetation reduced the jet flow shear stress (τjet) under low inflow discharge, but under high inflow discharge, it increased τjet. Different vegetation types exhibited different effects on the increase in the Darcy–Weisbach friction factor (f) and Manning roughness coefficient (n) in the upstream area, whereas the effect of vegetation on the f and n value of the gully bed was not obvious. Vegetation reduced the gully head retreat length. Compared with BL, vegetation reduced the rate of soil loss by 31%–95%. Vegetation significantly and directly affects soil characteristics, hydrodynamic parameters, and gully head morphology. The gully head morphology significantly and directly influences the soil loss rate, which ultimately affected the length of gully head retreat. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of vegetation in gully headcut erosion, offering a scientific foundation for the implementation of preventive measures against such erosion.
A novel identified epithelial ligand-receptor-associated gene signature highlights POPDC3 as a potential therapy target for non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zhu Xiao-Ren , Zhu Jia-Qi , Gu Qian-Hui , Liu Na , Lu Jing-Jing , Li Xiao-Hong , Liu Yuan-Yuan , Zheng Xian , Chen Min-Bin , Ji Yong
Published: February 2025

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is pivotal in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression, influencing drug resistance and immune cell behavior through complex ligand-receptor (LR) interactions. This study developed an epithelial LR-related prognostic risk score (LRrisk) to identify biomarkers and targets in NSCLC. We identified twenty epithelial LRs with significant prognostic implications and delineated three molecular NSCLC subtypes with distinct outcomes, pathological characteristics, biological pathways, and immune profiles. The LRrisk model was constructed using twelve differentially expressed ligand-receptor interaction-related genes (LRGs), with a focus on POPDC3 (popeye domain-containing protein 3), which was overexpressed in NSCLC cells. Functional assays revealed that POPDC3 knockdown reduced cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), while its overexpression promoted cancerous activities. In vivo, POPDC3 silencing hindered, and its overexpression accelerated the growth of NSCLC xenografts in nude mice. Additionally, high expression levels of POPDC3 in NSCLC tissues were associated with enhanced CD4+ T cell infiltration and increased PD-1 expression within the TME. Moreover, ectopic POPDC3 overexpression in C57BL/6 J mouse Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) xenografts enhanced CD4+ T cell infiltration and PD-1 expression in the TME. This research establishes a robust epithelial LR-related signature, highlighting POPDC3 as a critical facilitator of NSCLC progression and a potential therapeutic target.