bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometrische Evaluation der deutschen Version des Substance Use Recovery Evaluator (SURE)
Authors: Reichl Daniela , Enewoldsen Niklas , Berking Matthias , Fuhrmann Lukas , Lang Catharina , Saur Sebastian , Weisel Kiona K. , Steins-Loeber Sabine
Published: September 2022

Zusammenfassung: Konsumvariablen und Abstinenz scheinen unzureichend zur Erfassung der Genesung bei Personen mit einer Alkoholkonsumstörung. Stattdessen rücken patientenzentrierte Indikatoren wie die Lebensqualität zunehmend in den Vordergrund. Um den Forderungen adäquater Messinstrumente gerecht zu werden, wurde der Substance Use Recovery Evaluator von Neale et al. (2016 ) übersetzt und in verschiedenen Stichproben mit Alkoholkonsumstörung nach Entzugsbehandlung psychometrisch evaluiert. In der ersten Teilstichprobe ( n = 135) wurde explorativ die Faktorenstruktur identifiziert sowie Reliabilitäts- und Validitätsmaße (Zusammenhänge mit Alkoholkonsum, Craving und gesundheitsbezogener Lebensqualität) berechnet. In der zweiten Stichprobe ( n = 120) wurde die gefundene Struktur konfirmatorisch geprüft. Das Verfahren erwies sich als reliabel und valide. Die im Original vorgeschlagene fünffaktorielle Struktur zeigte einen guten Fit, wenn auch in der vorliegenden Studie eine dreifaktorielle Struktur etwas geeigneter erschien. Diese Ergebnisse wurden in einer dritten Stichprobe ( n = 224) größtenteils gestützt. Trotz Limitationen (z. B. kleine Stichprobe) erwies sich der deutsche SURE als psychometrisch abgesicherter Indikator der Genesung von einer Alkoholkonsumstörung.
Psychometrische Überprüfung des Berufswahl- und Laufbahnplanungsinstruments Explorix
Authors: Hell Benedikt , Buri Fabian
Published: September 2022

Zusammenfassung. Das Instrument Explorix, eine Adaptation des Testverfahrens Self-Directed Search (SDS) von John Holland für den deutschsprachigen Raum, wird in einer Serie von Analysen psychometrisch evaluiert. Grundlage ist ein Datensatz mit N = 40 053 (56 % weiblich) Personen. Aufbauend auf Item- und Skalenanalysen werden eine Multitrait-Multimethod-Analyse, konfirmatorische Faktorenanalysen sowie weitere Methoden zur Prüfung der zugrundeliegenden Strukturhypothese angewendet. Die Item- und Skalenqualität erfüllt oder übertrifft in weiten Teilen die Anforderungen an die Qualität psychometrischer Verfahren. Die MTMM-Analyse und auch die Faktorenanalysen untermauern überdies die konvergente und divergente Validität der verschiedenen Testabschnitte. Schwächen zeigt Explorix im Hinblick auf die zugrundeliegende Strukturhypothese sowie in der Berücksichtigung neuer Berufs- und Interessenfelder.
Measuring and Attributing Sedimentary and Geomorphic Responses to Modern Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: East Amy E. , Warrick Jonathan A. , Li Dongfeng , Sankey Joel B. , Redsteer Margaret H. , Gibbs Ann E. , Coe Jeffrey A. , Barnard Patrick L.
Published: September 2022

Today, climate change is affecting virtually all terrestrial and nearshore settings. This commentary discusses the challenges of measuring climate‐driven physical landscape responses to modern global warming: short and incomplete data records, land use and seismicity masking climatic effects, biases in data availability and resolution, and signal attenuation in sedimentary systems. We identify opportunities to learn from historical and paleo data, select especially sensitive study sites, and report null results to better characterize the extent and nuances of climate‐change effects. We then discuss efforts to improve attribution practices, which will lead to better predictive capabilities. We encourage the Earth‐science community to prioritize scientific research on climate‐driven physical landscape changes so that societies will be better prepared to manage the effects on health and safety, infrastructure, water–food–energy security, economics, and ecosystems that follow from climate‐driven physical landscape change.
Exploring Carbon Emissions in Peatland Restoration
Authors: Derouin Sarah
Published: September 2022

Rewetting bogs can increase methane emissions in the short term, but ultimately the approach helps restore peatlands and create larger carbon sinks.
Tiny “Pancakes” Suggest Some Asteroids May Stay Active
Authors: Benningfield Damond
Published: September 2022

Analysis of a meteorite that fell in Costa Rica shows that its parent body may resemble the asteroid Bennu.
Sensitivity of Sea Ice Growth to Snow Properties in Opposing Regions of the Weddell Sea in Late Summer
Authors: Arndt Stefanie
Published: September 2022

The sensitivity of sea ice to the contrasting seasonal and perennial snow properties in the southeastern and northwestern Weddell Sea is not yet considered in sea ice model and satellite remote sensing applications. However, the analysis of physical snowpack properties in late summer in recent years reveals a high fraction of melt‐freeze forms resulting in significant higher snow densities in the northwestern than in the eastern Weddell Sea. The resulting lower thermal conductivity of the snowpack, which is only half of what has been previously assumed in models in the eastern Weddell Sea, reduces the sea ice bottom growth by 18 cm during winter. In the northwest, however, the potentially formed snow ice thickness of 22 cm at the snow/ice interface contributes to additional 7 cm of thermodynamic ice growth at the bottom. This sensitivity study emphasizes the enormous impact of unappreciated regional differences in snowpack properties on the thermodynamic ice growth.
Quantifying Seasonal Particulate Organic Carbon Concentrations and Export Potential in the Southwestern Ross Sea Using Autonomous Gliders
Authors: Meyer Meredith G. , Jones Randolph M. , Smith Walker O.
Published: September 2022

To assess the temporal biological and hydrographic features of the southwestern Ross Sea, we deployed a glider in a spatially restricted, ice‐free area during the austral summer (1 December–6 February), and quantified from sensor measurements the particulate organic carbon (POC; via particulate backscatter) concentrations, their changes through time, and net community production (NCP; via dissolved O2 concentrations). The POC levels could be divided into three distinct phases (I, II, and III, respectively) characterized by changes in NCP, surface‐layer POC concentrations, remineralization, and export. Surface POC concentrations increased from 215 mg C m−3 in early December to a peak of >400 mg C m−3 by mid‐December, before decreasing to 227 mg C m−3 in late January–early February. NCP was highly variable throughout the summer, becoming maximal in mid‐December. By constructing a carbon budget, we estimated rates of change of POC and export potential to the mesopelagic in each phase. Changes in euphotic zone POC concentrations and NCP suggested that the system is slightly net autotrophic during the observational period (average NCP is 0.05 g C m−2 d−1), and POC removal from the top 240 m of the water column averaged 0.22 g C m−2 d−1. Our data confirm that the southern Ross Sea during the ice‐free season is a high productivity, low export system while providing high‐resolution POC dynamics that had not been previously observed. Although the Ross Sea is a site of substantial carbon fixation, there remains an incomplete understanding both of the processes involved in export and the rates and controls of remineralization.
Evaluation of Ocean Biogeochemistry and Carbon Cycling in CMIP Earth System Models With the International Ocean Model Benchmarking (IOMB) Software System
Authors: Fu Weiwei , Moore J. Keith , Primeau Francois , Collier Nathan , Ogunro Oluwaseun O. , Hoffman Forrest M. , Randerson James T.
Published: September 2022

The International Ocean Model Benchmarking (IOMB) software package is a new community resource that we use here to evaluate surface and upper ocean biogeochemical variables and integrated anthropogenic carbon uptake from earth system models (ESMs) contributing to the 5th and 6th phases of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5 and CMIP6). IOMB generates graphics and tables for systematically comparing model predictions against multiple datasets. Our analysis reveals some improvement in the multi‐model mean from CMIP5 to CMIP6 for most of the variables we examined. Compared to data‐constrained estimates of ocean anthropogenic carbon uptake for the 1994–2007 period, negative biases exist for many models between 30 and 50°S. Global model estimates of anthropogenic carbon uptake for the same period do not change significantly from CMIP5 to CMIP6, with the combined ensemble mean estimate of 27.8 ± 0.5 Pg C lower than a data‐constrained estimate of 33.0 ± 4.0 Pg C. At the same time, the change in the natural carbon inventory from CMIP is estimated to be a source of 0.7 ± 0.3 Pg C, which is considerably smaller in magnitude than a data‐constrained estimate of 5.0 ± 3.0 Pg C. With chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) predictions available for several models, we demonstrate that negative anthropogenic dissolved inorganic carbon biases coincide with negative biases in CFC concentration, highlighting the importance of weak exchange between the surface and interior ocean in regulating rates of anthropogenic carbon uptake. To examine the robustness of this attribution across the CMIP models, we calculate the global vertical temperature gradient between 200 and 1,000 m as a metric for global stratification and exchange between the surface and deeper waters. We find a linear relationship between the bias of the vertical temperature gradients and the bias in global anthropogenic carbon uptake, consistent with the hypothesis that model biases in anthropogenic carbon uptake are related to biases in surface‐to‐interior exchange by physical processes.
Systematic Investigation of Corner Flow Impact in Forced Imbibition
Authors: Liu Yang , Berg Steffen , Ju Yang , Wei Wei , Kou Jisheng , Cai Jianchao
Published: September 2022

Imbibition in porous media plays a crucial role in many engineering and industrial processes, such as enhanced oil recovery and groundwater contamination remediation. Due to the instabilities at the two‐phase interface, the defending fluids in these processes are often not effectively displaced. Therefore, it is of great significance to study imbibition in natural rocks at the pore scale, especially under the completely wetting and viscously unfavorable conditions due to their contribution to interfacial instability. In this work, numerical simulations of forced imbibition in three natural rocks are carried out at four different injection rates based on the color lattice Boltzmann model. The interfacial evolution and in situ fluid distribution are analyzed from several perspectives. Results show that as the capillary number, expressed in logarithms, varies from −2.5 to −4.0, the flow characteristics of the invading fluid change from leading films on the solid surface of large pores to corner flow along the pore corners of pores with different sizes, the dominant pore filling event changes from ganglion dynamics to snap‐off trapping, and the morphology of the displacement front changes from viscous fingering to a rough but uniform characteristic. These changes at the two‐phase interface determine the fluid distribution and fluid structure, controlling the microscopic displacement efficiency, interface area and fluid connectivity. This work systematically investigates for imbibition of the local and global flow physics and dynamics, the mechanical nature and the resulting effects of interfacial instability under unfavorable conditions, which help to deepen our understanding of the microscopic mechanism of forced imbibition.
Pulsed Demand Modeling for the Optimal Placement of Water Quality Sensors in Water Distribution Networks
Authors: Giudicianni C. , Campisano A. , Di Nardo A. , Creaco E.
Published: September 2022

This paper deals with the issue of the consistency of water distribution network (WDN) modeling concerning the nature of demand for the optimal water quality sensor placement. In this regard, a biobjective optimization for the sensor placement is carried out by minimizing the contamination extension or the contaminated population in the trade‐off with the number of sensors installed, by considering two alternative demand modeling conditions, that is, smooth and pulsed demand, respectively. The real layout of the two Italian WDNs is considered for the application of the methodology. The results show that for a given placement of sensors, the contamination extension always increases when the pulsed demand is considered. Furthermore, optimal sensor positions are affected by the pulsed demand especially in the case of highly looped WDN layouts and when the extent of contamination is used as objective function.
In situ electrosynthetic bacterial growth using electricity generated by a deep-sea hydrothermal vent
Authors: Yamamoto Masahiro , Takaki Yoshihiro , Kashima Hiroyuki , Tsuda Miwako , Tanizaki Akiko , Nakamura Ryuhei , Takai Ken
Published: September 2022

Electroautotrophic microorganisms have attracted great attention since they exhibit a new type of primary production. Here, in situ electrochemical cultivation was conducted using the naturally occurring electromotive forces at a deep-sea hydrothermal vent. The voltage and current generation originating from the resulting microbial activity was observed for 12 days of deployment, with fluctuation in response to tidal cycles. A novel bacterium belonging to the genus Thiomicrorhabdus dominated the microbial community specifically enriched on the cathode. Metagenomic analysis provided the draft genome of the bacterium and the gene repertoire indicated that the bacterium has the potential for thio-autotrophic growth, which is a typical physiological feature of the members of the genus, while the bacterium had a unique gene cluster encoding multi-heme cytochrome c proteins responsible for extracellular electron transfer. Herein, we propose this bacterium as a new species, specifically enriched during electricity generation, as ‘Candidatus Thiomicrorhabdus electrophagus’. This finding suggests the natural occurrence of electrosynthetic microbial populations using the geoelectricity in deep-sea hydrothermal environments.
Is there clinical evidence to support alveolar ridge preservation over extraction alone? A review of recent literature and case reports of late graft failure
Authors: Adams Robert J.
Published: September 2022

Since its introduction in 1998, alveolar ridge preservation has become a popular technique, currently accounting for approximately 29% of all procedures involving bone substitute materials. The global cost of bone substitute materials for alveolar ridge preservation is estimated at $190 million annually and is expected to rise by approximately 11.4% per year.

Numerous randomised controlled trials have compared alveolar ridge preservation to extraction alone. A recent Cochrane review reported that, in terms of socket dimensional change, the mean difference between alveolar ridge preservation and extraction alone is 1.18 mm horizontally and 1.35 mm vertically. The clinical impact of this is uncertain, for there is no significant difference in the need for graft procedures at implant placement between ridge preservation and extraction alone. There are no randomised controlled trials comparing aesthetic or functional outcomes.

A systematic review of the histological outcomes of ridge preservation demonstrates that, compared to extraction alone, many bone substitute materials can significantly delay the bone healing process. No bone substitute material achieves statistically more new bone formation than extraction alone and many commonly used materials achieve significantly less bone formation. Grafted sites can demonstrate high levels of residual graft and granulation tissue.

In the absence of good-quality clinical evidence to support alveolar ridge preservation, the technique must be questioned as the treatment of choice at extraction sites. This paper assesses recent systematic reviews and presents two case reports of late graft failure.
Aberrant paracrine signalling for bone remodelling underlies the mutant histone-driven giant cell tumour of bone
Authors: Cottone Lucia , Ligammari Lorena , Lee Hang-Mao , Knowles Helen J. , Henderson Stephen , Bianco Sara , Davies Christopher , Strauss Sandra , Amary Fernanda , Leite Ana Paula , Tirabosco Roberto , Haendler Kristian , Schultze Joachim L. , Herrero Javier , O’Donnell Paul , Grigoriadis Agamemnon E. , Salomoni Paolo , Flanagan Adrienne M.
Published: September 2022

Oncohistones represent compelling evidence for a causative role of epigenetic perturbations in cancer. Giant cell tumours of bone (GCTs) are characterised by a mutated histone H3.3 as the sole genetic driver present in bone-forming osteoprogenitor cells but absent from abnormally large bone-resorbing osteoclasts which represent the hallmark of these neoplasms. While these striking features imply a pathogenic interaction between mesenchymal and myelomonocytic lineages during GCT development, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We show that the changes in the transcriptome and epigenome in the mesenchymal cells caused by the H3.3-G34W mutation contribute to increase osteoclast recruitment in part via reduced expression of the TGFβ-like soluble factor, SCUBE3. Transcriptional changes in SCUBE3 are associated with altered histone marks and H3.3G34W enrichment at its enhancer regions. In turn, osteoclasts secrete unregulated amounts of SEMA4D which enhances proliferation of mutated osteoprogenitors arresting their maturation. These findings provide a mechanism by which GCTs undergo differentiation in response to denosumab, a drug that depletes the tumour of osteoclasts. In contrast, hTERT alterations, commonly found in malignant GCT, result in the histone-mutated neoplastic cells being independent of osteoclasts for their proliferation, predicting unresponsiveness to denosumab. We provide a mechanism for the initiation of GCT, the basis of which is dysfunctional cross-talk between bone-forming and bone-resorbing cells. The findings highlight the role of tumour/microenvironment bidirectional interactions in tumorigenesis and how this is exploited in the treatment of GCT.
miR-138-5p-mediated HOXD11 promotes cell invasion and metastasis by activating the FN1/MMP2/MMP9 pathway and predicts poor prognosis in penile squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Tan Xingliang , Liu Zhenhua , Wang Yanjun , Wu Zhiming , Zou Yuantao , Luo Sihao , Tang Yi , Chen Dong , Yuan Gangjun , Yao Kai
Published: September 2022

The presence and extent of regional lymph node and distant metastasis are the most fatal prognostic factors in penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC). However, the available biomarkers and detailed mechanisms underlying the metastasis of PSCC remain elusive. Here, we explored the expression landscape of HOX genes in twelve paired PSCC tissues, including primary tumors, metastatic lymph nodes and corresponding normal tissues, and highlighted that HOXD11 was indispensable in the progression of PSCC. HOXD11 was upregulated in PSCC cell lines and tumors, especially in metastatic lymph nodes. High HOXD11 expression was associated with aggressive features, such as advanced pN stages, extranodal extension, pelvic lymph node and distant metastasis, and predicted poor survival. Furthermore, tumorigenesis assays demonstrated that knockdown of HOXD11 not only inhibited the capability of cell proliferation, invasion and tumor growth but also reduced the burden of metastatic lymph nodes. Further mechanistic studies indicated that miR-138-5p was a tumor suppressor in PSCC by inhibiting the translation of HOXD11 post-transcriptionally through binding to the 3′ untranslated region. Furthermore, HOXD11 activated the transcription of FN1 to decompose the extracellular matrix and to promote epithelial mesenchymal transition-like phenotype metastasis via FN1/MMP2/MMP9 pathways. Our study revealed that HOXD11 is a promising prognostic biomarker and predicts advanced disease with poor outcomes, which could serve as a potential therapeutic target for PSCC.
Intracellular energy controls dynamics of stress-induced ribonucleoprotein granules
Authors: Wang Tao , Tian Xibin , Kim Han Byeol , Jang Yura , Huang Zhiyuan , Na Chan Hyun , Wang Jiou
Published: September 2022

Energy metabolism and membraneless organelles have been implicated in human diseases including neurodegeneration. How energy deficiency regulates ribonucleoprotein particles such as stress granules (SGs) is still unclear. Here we identified a unique type of granules induced by energy deficiency under physiological conditions and uncovered the mechanisms by which the dynamics of diverse stress-induced granules are regulated. Severe energy deficiency induced the rapid formation of energy deficiency-induced stress granules (eSGs) independently of eIF2α phosphorylation, whereas moderate energy deficiency delayed the clearance of conventional SGs. The formation of eSGs or the clearance of SGs was regulated by the mTOR-4EBP1-eIF4E pathway or eIF4A1, involving assembly of the eIF4F complex or RNA condensation, respectively. In neurons or brain organoids derived from patients carrying the C9orf72 repeat expansion associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the eSG formation was enhanced, and the clearance of conventional SGs was impaired. These results reveal a critical role for intracellular energy in the regulation of diverse granules and suggest that disruptions in energy-controlled granule dynamics may contribute to the pathogenesis of relevant diseases.
Payload distribution and capacity of mRNA lipid nanoparticles
Authors: Li Sixuan , Hu Yizong , Li Andrew , Lin Jinghan , Hsieh Kuangwen , Schneiderman Zachary , Zhang Pengfei , Zhu Yining , Qiu Chenhu , Kokkoli Efrosini , Wang Tza-Huei , Mao Hai-Quan
Published: September 2022

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are effective vehicles to deliver mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. It has been challenging to assess mRNA packaging characteristics in LNPs, including payload distribution and capacity, which are critical to understanding structure-property-function relationships for further carrier development. Here, we report a method based on the multi-laser cylindrical illumination confocal spectroscopy (CICS) technique to examine mRNA and lipid contents in LNP formulations at the single-nanoparticle level. By differentiating unencapsulated mRNAs, empty LNPs and mRNA-loaded LNPs via coincidence analysis of fluorescent tags on different LNP components, and quantitatively resolving single-mRNA fluorescence, we reveal that a commonly referenced benchmark formulation using DLin-MC3 as the ionizable lipid contains mostly 2 mRNAs per loaded LNP with a presence of 40%–80% empty LNPs depending on the assembly conditions. Systematic analysis of different formulations with control variables reveals a kinetically controlled assembly mechanism that governs the payload distribution and capacity in LNPs. These results form the foundation for a holistic understanding of the molecular assembly of mRNA LNPs.
Simultaneous macroscale and microscale wave–ion interaction in near-earth space plasmas
Authors: Liu Z.-Y. , Zong Q.-G. , Rankin R. , Zhang H. , Wang Y. F. , Zhou X.-Z. , Fu S.-Y. , Yue C. , Zhu X.-Y. , Pollock C. J. , Fuselier S. A. , Le G.
Published: September 2022

Identifying how energy transfer proceeds from macroscales down to microscales in collisionless plasmas is at the forefront of astrophysics and space physics. It provides information on the evolution of involved plasma systems and the generation of high-energy particles in the universe. Here we report two cross-scale energy-transfer events observed by NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft in Earth’s magnetosphere. In these events, hot ions simultaneously undergo interactions with macroscale (~$${10}^{5}$$105km) ultra-low-frequency waves and microscale ($$\sim {10}^{3}$$~103km) electromagnetic-ion-cyclotron (EMIC) waves. The cross-scale interactions cause energy to directly transfer from macroscales to microscales, and finally dissipate at microscales via EMIC-wave-induced ion energization. The direct measurements of the energy transfer rate in the second event confirm the efficiency of this cross-scale transfer process, whose timescale is estimated to be roughly ten EMIC-wave periods about (1 min). Therefore, these observations experimentally demonstrate that simultaneous macroscale and microscale wave-ion interactions provide an efficient mechanism for cross-scale energy transfer and plasma energization in astrophysical and space plasmas.
Live imaging and conditional disruption of native PCP activity using endogenously tagged zebrafish sfGFP-Vangl2
Authors: Jussila Maria , Boswell Curtis W. , Griffiths Nigel W. , Pumputis Patrick G. , Ciruna Brian
Published: September 2022

Tissue-wide coordination of polarized cytoskeletal organization and cell behaviour, critical for normal development, is controlled by asymmetric membrane localization of non-canonical Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) signalling components. Understanding the dynamic regulation of PCP thus requires visualization of these polarity proteins in vivo. Here we utilize CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to introduce a fluorescent reporter onto the core PCP component, Vangl2, in zebrafish. Through live imaging of endogenous sfGFP-Vangl2 expression, we report on the authentic regulation of vertebrate PCP during embryogenesis. Furthermore, we couple sfGFP-Vangl2 with conditional zGrad GFP-nanobody degradation methodologies to interrogate tissue-specific functions for PCP. Remarkably, loss of Vangl2 in foxj1a-positive cell lineages causes ependymal cell cilia and Reissner fiber formation defects as well as idiopathic-like scoliosis. Together, our studies provide crucial insights into the establishment and maintenance of vertebrate PCP and create a powerful experimental paradigm for investigating post-embryonic and tissue-specific functions for Vangl2 in development and disease.
Rethinking the complexity and uncertainty of spatial networks applied to forest ecology
Authors: Wu Hao-Ran , Peng Chen , Chen Ming
Published: September 2022

Characterizing tree spatial patterns and interactions are helpful to reveal underlying processes assembling forest communities. Spatial networks, despite their complexity, are powerful to examine spatial interactions at an individual level using well-defined patterns. However, complex forestation networks introduce uncertainties. Validation methods are needed to assess whether network-based metrics can identify different processes. Here, we constructed three types of networks, which reflect various aspects of tree competition. Based on five spatial null models and 199 Monte-Carlo simulations, we were able to select network-based metrics that exhibited well performance in distinguishing different processes. This technique was then applied to a tropical forest dataset in Costa Rica. We found that the average node degree and the clustering coefficient are good metrics like the paired correlation function. In addition, the network approach can identify fine-scale spatial variations of tree competition and its underlying causes. Our analyzes also indicate that a bit of caution is needed when defining the network structure as well as designing network-based metrics. We suggested that validation techniques using corresponding spatial null models are critically important to reduce the negative effects caused by uncertainties of the network.
Human activity and mobility data reveal disparities in exposure risk reduction indicators among socially vulnerable populations during COVID-19 for five U.S. metropolitan cities
Authors: Coleman Natalie , Gao Xinyu , DeLeon Jared , Mostafavi Ali
Published: September 2022

Non-pharmacologic interventions (NPIs) promote protective actions to lessen exposure risk to COVID-19 by reducing mobility patterns. However, there is a limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms associated with reducing mobility patterns especially for socially vulnerable populations. The research examines two datasets at a granular scale for five urban locations. Through exploratory analysis of networks, statistics, and spatial clustering, the research extensively investigates the exposure risk reduction after the implementation of NPIs to socially vulnerable populations, specifically lower income and non-white populations. The mobility dataset tracks population movement across ZIP codes for an origin–destination (O–D) network analysis. The population activity dataset uses the visits from census block groups (cbg) to points-of-interest (POIs) for network analysis of population-facilities interactions. The mobility dataset originates from a collaboration with StreetLight Data, a company focusing on transportation analytics, whereas the population activity dataset originates from a collaboration with SafeGraph, a company focusing on POI data. Both datasets indicated that low-income and non-white populations faced higher exposure risk. These findings can assist emergency planners and public health officials in comprehending how different populations are able to implement protective actions and it can inform more equitable and data-driven NPI policies for future epidemics.
Formation of chlorate and perchlorate during electrochemical oxidation by Magnéli phase Ti4O7 anode: inhibitory effects of coexisting constituents
Authors: Wang Lu , Wang Yaye , Sui Yufei , Lu Junhe , Hu Baowei , Huang Qingguo
Published: September 2022

Formation of chlorate (ClO3−) and perchlorate (ClO4−) as by-products in electrooxidation process has raised concern. In the present study, the formation of ClO3− and ClO4− in the presence of 1.0 mM Cl− on boron doped diamond (BDD) and Magneli phase titanium suboxide (Ti4O7) anodes were evaluated. The Cl− was transformed to ClO3− (temporal maximum 276.2 μM) in the first 0.5 h on BDD anodes with a constant current density of 10 mA cm2, while approximately 1000 μM ClO4− was formed after 4.0 h. The formation of ClO3− on the Ti4O7 anode was slower, reaching a temporary maximum of approximately 350.6 μM in 4.0 h, and the formation of ClO4− was also slower on the Ti4O7 anode, taking 8.0 h to reach 780.0 μM. Compared with the BDD anode, the rate of ClO3− and ClO4− formation on the Ti4O7 anode were always slower, regardless of the supporting electrolytes used in the experiments, including Na2SO4, NaNO3, Na2B4O7, and Na2HPO4. It is interesting that the formation of ClO4− during electrooxidation was largely mitigated or even eliminated, when methanol, KI, and H2O2 were included in the reaction solutions. The mechanism of the inhibition on Cl− transformation by electrooxidation was explored.
Estrogen regulation of myokines that enhance osteoclast differentiation and activity
Authors: Norton Andrew , Thieu Kathleen , Baumann Cory W. , Lowe Dawn A. , Mansky Kim C.
Published: September 2022

Osteoporosis and sarcopenia are maladies of aging that negatively affect more women than men. In recent years, it has become apparent that bone and muscle are coupled not only mechanically as muscle pulls on bone, but also at a higher level with myokines, biochemical and molecular signaling occurring between cells of the two tissues. However, how estrogen deficiency in females impacts the chemical crosstalk between bone and muscle cells is not understood. We hypothesize that changes in estrogen signaling alters myokine expression and intensifies bone loss in women. In our present study, we demonstrate that conditioned media from ovariectomized or skeletal muscle deficient in estrogen receptor α (ERα) expression enhances osteoclast differentiation and activity. Using a cytokine array, we identified myokines that have altered expressions in response to loss of estrogen signaling in muscle. Lastly, we demonstrate that conditional deletion of ERα in skeletal muscle results in osteopenia due to an increase in the osteoclast surface per bone surface. Our results suggest that estrogen signaling modulates expression of myokines that regulate osteoclast differentiation and activity.
Self-supervised graph neural network with pre-training generative learning for recommendation systems
Authors: Min Xin , Li Wei , Yang Jinzhao , Xie Weidong , Zhao Dazhe
Published: September 2022

The case assignment system is an essential system of case management and assignment within the procuratorate and is an important aspect of judicial fairness and efficiency. However, existing methods mostly use manual or random case assignment, which leads to unbalanced case distribution. Moreover, the relationship between prosecutors and case categories usually shows a power-law distribution in real-world data. Therefore, in this paper, we describe the case rationality assignment as a recommendation problem under the power-law distributed data. To solve the above problems, we propose an end-to-end Self-supervised Graph neural network model with Pre-training Generative learning for Recommendation (SGPGRec), the main idea of which is to capture self-supervised signals using intra-node features and inter-node correlations in the data, and generate the data representation by pre-training to improve the recommendation results. To be specific, we designed three auxiliary self-supervised tasks based on the prosecutor-case category interaction graph and the data distribution to obtain feature representations of prosecutors, case categories, and the interaction information between them. Then we constructed an end-to-end graph neural network recommendation model by the interaction information based on the data characteristics of the power-law distribution. Finally, extensive experimental consistency on a real-world dataset from three procuratorates shows that our method is effective compared to several yet competing baseline methods and further supports the development of an intelligent case assignment system with adequate performance.
Spontaneous attribution of underspecified belief of social partners facilitates processing shared information
Authors: Hegedüs Andrea Márta , Király Ildikó
Published: September 2022

The main question of Theory of Mind research is not only how we represent others’ mental states, but also how these representations influence our first-person interaction with our surrounding environment. A novel theory of belief files proposes that we should think about belief tracking as an online, spontaneous, and effortless mechanism giving rise to structured representations, thus easing the use of beliefs in behavior selection. Beliefs are formed by two different sub mechanisms: (1) opening an empty placeholder belief file, for a particular intentional agent, and (2) filling it up with mental content attributed to the agent. This theory opens the possibility of exploiting theory of mind abilities even in situations when we can attribute only underspecified mental contents to others. The goal of the present study was to provide a proof of concept test: whether spontaneous belief tracking starts effortlessly even when we do not know a partner’s actual belief content. We created an object detection paradigm, where the visual access of a virtual agent to the object to be detected by the participant was manipulated. The agent getting access to the information for processing always preceded the participant getting access to it, resulting in the need of attributing belief without specified content in it. Our results have shown that participants detected the object with a reduced reaction time when the observed agent had visual access to the object’s expected place compared to when the participant watched the same scenario, but the object’s location remained occluded for the observed agent and thus was revealed only for the participant. This suggests that the information processing of humans speeds up when another agent has access to a piece of information as well. Thus, we do track agents’ potential beliefs without knowing its actual content. This study contributes to our understanding of the effect of spontaneous computation of others’ mental states on first-person information processing.
Three-dimensional visualization of cerebral blood vessels and neural changes in thick ischemic rat brain slices using tissue clearing
Authors: Lee Eun-Joo , Hong Sung-Kuk , Choi Dong-Hwa , Gum Sang-Il , Hwang Mee Yul , Kim Dong Sun , Oh Ji Won , Lee Eun-Shil
Published: September 2022

Blood vessels are three-dimensional (3D) in structure and precisely connected. Conventional histological methods are unsuitable for their analysis because of the destruction of functionally important topological 3D vascular structures. Tissue optical clearing techniques enable extensive volume imaging and data analysis without destroying tissue. This study therefore applied a tissue clearing technique to acquire high-resolution 3D images of rat brain vasculature using light-sheet and confocal microscopies. Rats underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion for 45 min followed by 24 h reperfusion with lectin injected directly into the heart for vascular staining. For acquiring 3D images of rat brain vasculature, 3-mm-thick brain slices were reconstructed using tissue clearing and light-sheet microscopy. Subsequently, after 3D rendering, the fitting of blood vessels to a filament model was used for analysis. The results revealed a significant reduction in vessel diameter and density in the ischemic region compared to those in contralesional non-ischemic regions. Immunostaining of 0.5-mm-thick brain slices revealed considerable neuronal loss and increased astrocyte fluorescence intensity in the ipsilateral region. Thus, these methods can provide more accurate data by broadening the scope of the analyzed regions of interest for examining the 3D cerebrovascular system and neuronal changes occurring in various brain disorders.
Combining synchrotron radiation techniques for the analysis of gold coins from the Roman Empire
Authors: Carlomagno I. , Zeller P. , Amati M. , Aquilanti G. , Prenesti E. , Marussi G. , Crosera M. , Adami G.
Published: September 2022

Four gold coins minted in the V century have been studied with non-destructive synchrotron radiation techniques, namely X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES). XRF data analyzed coupling standard and statistical methods were used to distinguish the composition of the alloy constituting the coins from that of successive deposits processes. Our analysis presents a quantification of the trace elements present in the metallic alloy providing interesting details for historical insight. Furthermore, on the basis of the XRF maps, some regions of interest were selected for XANES at the K-edge of Fe. Our analysis of the Fe spectra points out two main phases which can be related to Fe oxides naturally present in soil. From the relative abundance of these oxides, information on the site where the coins were found can be obtained, providing additional information on their fate across the centuries.
Peptidomimetics designed to bind to RAS effector domain are promising cancer therapeutic compounds
Authors: Pallara Chiara , Cabot Debora , Rivas Josep , Brun Sonia , Seco Jesús , Abuasaker Baraa , Tarragó Teresa , Jaumot Montserrat , Prades Roger , Agell Neus
Published: September 2022

Oncogenic RAS proteins are important for driving tumour formation, and for maintenance of the transformed phenotype, and thus their relevance as a cancer therapeutic target is undeniable. We focused here on obtaining peptidomimetics, which have good pharmacological properties, to block Ras–effector interaction. Computational analysis was used to identify hot spots of RAS relevant for these interactions and to screen a library of peptidomimetics. Nine compounds were synthesized and assayed for their activity as RAS inhibitors in cultured cells. Most of them induced a reduction in ERK and AKT activation by EGF, a marker of RAS activity. The most potent inhibitor disrupted Raf and PI3K interaction with oncogenic KRAS, corroborating its mechanism of action as an inhibitor of protein–protein interactions, and thus validating our computational methodology. Most interestingly, improvement of one of the compounds allowed us to obtain a peptidomimetic that decreased the survival of pancreatic cancer cell lines harbouring oncogenic KRAS.
A machine learning-based SNP-set analysis approach for identifying disease-associated susceptibility loci
Authors: Silva Princess P. , Gaudillo Joverlyn D. , Vilela Julianne A. , Roxas-Villanueva Ranzivelle Marianne L. , Tiangco Beatrice J. , Domingo Mario R. , Albia Jason R.
Published: September 2022

Identifying disease-associated susceptibility loci is one of the most pressing and crucial challenges in modeling complex diseases. Existing approaches to biomarker discovery are subject to several limitations including underpowered detection, neglect for variant interactions, and restrictive dependence on prior biological knowledge. Addressing these challenges necessitates more ingenious ways of approaching the “missing heritability” problem. This study aims to discover disease-associated susceptibility loci by augmenting previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) using the integration of random forest and cluster analysis. The proposed integrated framework is applied to a hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance GWAS data. Multiple cluster analyses were performed on (1) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) considered significant by GWAS and (2) SNPs with the highest feature importance scores obtained using random forest. The resulting SNP-sets from the cluster analyses were subsequently tested for trait-association. Three susceptibility loci possibly associated with HBsAg seroclearance were identified: (1) SNP rs2399971, (2) gene LINC00578, and (3) locus 11p15. SNP rs2399971 is a biomarker reported in the literature to be significantly associated with HBsAg seroclearance in patients who had received antiviral treatment. The latter two loci are linked with diseases influenced by the presence of hepatitis B virus infection. These findings demonstrate the potential of the proposed integrated framework in identifying disease-associated susceptibility loci. With further validation, results herein could aid in better understanding complex disease etiologies and provide inputs for a more advanced disease risk assessment for patients.
Differences in clinical characteristics of cervical spine injuries in older adults by external causes: a multicenter study of 1512 cases
Authors: Yokogawa Noriaki , Kato Satoshi , Sasagawa Takeshi , Hayashi Hiroyuki , Tsuchiya Hiroyuki , Ando Kei , Nakashima Hiroaki , Segi Naoki , Funayama Toru , Eto Fumihiko , Yamaji Akihiro , Nori Satoshi , Yamane Junichi , Furuya Takeo , Yunde Atsushi , Nakajima Hideaki , Yamada Tomohiro , Hasegawa Tomohiko , Terashima Yoshinori , Hirota Ryosuke , Suzuki Hidenori , Imajo Yasuaki , Ikegami Shota , Uehara Masashi , Tonomura Hitoshi , Sakata Munehiro , Hashimoto Ko , Onoda Yoshito , Kawaguchi Kenichi , Haruta Yohei , Suzuki Nobuyuki , Kato Kenji , Uei Hiroshi , Sawada Hirokatsu , Nakanishi Kazuo , Misaki Kosuke , Terai Hidetomi , Tamai Koji , Shirasawa Eiki , Inoue Gen , Kakutani Kenichiro , Kakiuchi Yuji , Kiyasu Katsuhito , Tominaga Hiroyuki , Tokumoto Hiroto , Iizuka Yoichi , Takasawa Eiji , Akeda Koji , Takegami Norihiko , Funao Haruki , Oshima Yasushi , Kaito Takashi , Sakai Daisuke , Yoshii Toshitaka , Ohba Tetsuro , Otsuki Bungo , Seki Shoji , Miyazaki Masashi , Ishihara Masayuki , Okada Seiji , Imagama Shiro , Watanabe Kota
Published: September 2022

Although traumatic cervical spine injuries in older adults are commonly caused by minor traumas, such as ground-level falls, their prognosis is often unfavorable. Studies examining the clinical characteristics of cervical spine injuries in older adults according to the external cause of injury are lacking. This study included 1512 patients of ≥ 65 years of age with traumatic cervical spine injuries registered in a Japanese nationwide multicenter database. The relationship between the external causes and clinical characteristics, as well as factors causing unfavorable outcomes at the ground-level falls, were retrospectively reviewed and examined. When fall-induced cervical spine injuries were categorized and compared based on fall height, the patients’ backgrounds and injury statuses differed significantly. Of note, patients injured from ground-level falls tended to have poorer pre-injury health conditions, such as medical comorbidities and frailty, compared with those who fell from higher heights. For ground-level falls, the mortality, walking independence, and home-discharge rates at 6 months post-injury were 9%, 67%, and 80%, respectively, with preexisting medical comorbidities and frailty associated with unfavorable outcomes, independent of age or severity of neurological impairment at the time of injury.
Geochemical variability as an indicator for large magnitude eruptions in volcanic arcs
Authors: Weber Gregor , Sheldrake Tom E.
Published: September 2022

Caldera-forming eruptions have the potential to induce drastic socioeconomic change. However, the criteria to identify volcanoes capable of producing large magnitude eruptions in the future are not well constrained. Here we compile and analyse data, revealing that volcanoes which have produced catastrophic caldera-forming eruptions in the past, show larger ranges of erupted magma geochemistry compared to those that have not. This suggests geochemical variability is related to the size of magmatic systems. Using heat transfer simulations, we show that differences in magma flux result in a dependency between chemical diversity and magma volume that is consistent with these observations. We conclude that compositional spread should be included in the catalogue of criteria to identify volcanoes with greater probability of producing future large eruptions. Importantly, this allows to identify stratovolcanoes with caldera-like geochemical signatures, which have not yet been recognized as systems with greater likelihood of producing large magnitude eruptions.