bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Turbulent processing of PAHs in protoplanetary discs
Authors: Lange K. , Dominik C. , Tielens A. G. G. M.
Published: March 2023

Context. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been detected in numerous circumstellar discs. Despite the correlation between stellar temperature and low PAH detections rates, the diversity of PAH detections and non-detections at similar stellar properties is not well understood.

Aims. We propose the continuous processing of PAHs through clustering, adsorption on dust grains, and their reverse-processes as key mechanisms to reduce the emission-capable PAH abundance in protoplanetary discs. This cycle of processing is driven by vertical turbulence in the disc mixing PAHs between the disc midplane and the photosphere.

Methods. We used a theoretical Monte Carlo model for photodesorption in the photosphere and a coagulation code in the disc midplane to estimate the relevance and timescale of these processes in a Herbig Ae/Be disc environment. By combining these components in a 1D vertical model, we calculated the gas-phase depletion of PAHs that stick as clusters on dust grains.

Results. Our results show that the clustering of gas-phase PAHs is very efficient, and that clusters with more than 100 monomers can grow for years before they are able to freeze out in the disc midplane. Once a PAH cluster is frozen on the dust grain surface, the large heat capacity of these clusters prevents them from evaporating off the grains in UV-rich environments such as the photosphere. Therefore, the clustering of PAHs followed by freeze-out can lead to a depletion of gas-phase PAHs in protoplanetary discs. We find that this mechanism is more efficient when the PAH species has fewer carbon atoms. In contrast, PAH monomers and very small clusters consisting of a few monomers can easily detach from the grain by absorption of a single UV photon. Evaluated over the lifetime of protoplanetary discs, we find a depletion of PAHs by a factor that ranges between 50 and 1000 compared to the standard ISM abundance of PAHs in the inner disc through turbulent processing.

Conclusions. Through these processes, we favour PAHs smaller than circumovalene (C66H20) as the major gas-phase emitters of the disc photosphere as larger PAH monomers cannot photodesorb from the grain surface. These gas-phase PAHs co-exist with large PAH clusters sticking on dust grains. We find a close relation between the amount of PAHs frozen out on dust grains and the dust population, as well as the strength of the vertical turbulence.
Solar center-to-limb variation in Rossiter-McLaughlin and exoplanet transmission spectroscopy
Authors: Reiners A. , Yan F. , Ellwarth M. , Ludwig H.-G. , Nortmann L.
Published: March 2023

Line profiles from spatially unresolved stellar observations consist of a superposition of local line profiles that result from observing the stellar atmosphere under specific viewing angles. Line profile variability caused by stellar magnetic activity or planetary transit selectively varies the weight and/or shape of profiles at individual surface positions. The effect is usually modeled with radiative transfer calculations because observations of spatially resolved stellar surfaces are not available. For the Sun, we recently obtained a broadband spectroscopic atlas of the solar center-to-limb variation (CLV). We use the atlas to study systematic differences between largely used radiative transfer calculations and solar observations. We concentrate on four strong lines useful for exoplanet transmission analysis, and we investigate the impact of CLV on transmission and Rossiter-McLaughlin (RM) curves. Solar models used to calculate synthetic spectra tend to underestimate line core depths but overestimate the effect of CLV. Our study shows that CLV can lead to significant systematic offsets in transmission curves and particularly in RM curves; transmission curves centered on individual lines are overestimated by up to a factor of two by the models, and simulations of RM curves yield amplitudes that are off by up to 5−10 m s−1 depending on the line. For the interpretation of transit observations, it is crucial for model spectra that accurately reproduce the solar CLV to become available which, for now, is the only calibration point available.
Liebe Leserinnen, liebe Leser…
Authors: Purucker Edmund A.
Published: March 2023

„Ich bin ein Hungerkünstler!“, antwortete mir ein Patient auf
meine allgemeine Frage nach seinem Befinden. Im Rahmen einer fortgeschrittenen
Tumorerkrankung und der damit verbundenen Therapien hatte er nur noch wenig Nahrung
zu sich nehmen können und befand sich in einer Kachexie. Er spielt damit
direkt auf eine Erzählung von Franz Kafka an mit dem Titel „Ein
Hungerkünstler“. Kafka persifliert in seiner Erzählung eine
in den Jahrzehnten um die Wende zum 20. Jahrhundert in Europa aufgekommene
„Kunstform“, die großes mediales Echo hervorrief. Die
Hungerkünstler nahmen über mehrere Wochen keine Nahrung zu sich und
konnten währenddessen vom zahlenden Publikum beobachtet werden. Diese
Veranstaltungen waren häufig ein großer kommerzieller Erfolg
für die Hungerkünstler.
Der Cimino-Shunt
Authors: Sander Ullrich
Published: March 2023

Nur 6 Jahre nach der bahnbrechenden Erfindung des Scribner-Shunts (1960) 1 wurde das Verfahren von James Cimino 1966 dahingehend verfeinert, dass der Shunt (hier auch Fistel genannt) komplett unter die Haut verlegt wurde. Hierdurch wird die Gefahr einer Infektion erheblich vermindert.
Förderpreis Nephrologische Pflege 2023
Authors: Schäfer Christian
Published: March 2023

Die Thieme Gruppe schreibt im Jahr 2023 wieder den Förderpreis Nephrologische Pflege aus und stiftet das Preisgeld von 1500 Euro.
Three techniques for measuring the transverse relaxation time of cesium atoms
Authors: Wei Mengmeng , Yu Wenbin , Zhou Min , Huang Wei , Liu Yuanxing , Xu Xinye
Published: March 2023

The transverse relaxation time (T2) is an important indicator to determine the fundamental sensitivity limit of alkali-metal atomic magnetometers. We propose a method based on the principle of longitudinal field modulation that obtains T2 by scanning the transverse static magnetic field. The previous technique of extracting T2 from the linewidth of the modulation frequency and the traditional magnetic-resonance-broadening-fitting method are also described. The T2 measurements of Cesium (Cs) atoms are carried out through these three methods, whose operating environments are applicable to different atomic magnetometers, respectively. The method that we propose can be used for obtaining the T2 of Cs atoms as well as detecting the transverse static magnetic field and is customized for the study of the Cs–Xenon ensemble for the construction of nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscopes. Moreover, the relationship between the limit sensitivities and cell temperatures is further studied in the experiment.
Autler–Townes splitting in the trap-loss fluorescence spectroscopy due to single-step direct Rydberg excitation of cesium cold atomic ensemble
Authors: Wang Xin , Hou Xiaokai , Lu Feifei , Chang Rui , Hao Lili , Su Wenjing , Bai Jiandong , He Jun , Wang Junmin
Published: March 2023

We experimentally investigate trap-loss spectra of the cesium 6S1/2(F = 4) → 71P3/2 Rydberg transition by combining the cesium atomic magneto-optical trap with the narrow-linewidth, continuously tunable 318.6 nm ultraviolet laser. Specifically, the atoms in the magneto-optical trap are excited to the Rydberg state due to the ultraviolet laser single-step Rydberg excitation, which leads to the reduction of atomic fluorescence. Based on the trap-loss spectroscopy technology, the Autler–Townes (AT) splitting due to a strong cooling laser is observed, and the parameter dependence of the AT splitting interval of trap-loss spectroscopy is investigated. The effective temperature of cold atoms is measured by using simplified time-of-flight fluorescence imaging. In addition, closed-loop feedback power stabilization of 318.6 nm ultraviolet laser is carried out. This lays the foundation for further experimental research related to the Rydberg atoms using ultraviolet lasers, which is of great significance for the development of quantum computing and quantum information.
On the channel flow of yield stress fluids with an internal microstructure
Authors: Fedorowicz Kamil , Prosser Robert
Published: March 2023

Thin films consisting of polymer solutions are typically produced through a combination of extrusion and shearing processes, where the anisotropic, non-Newtonian solution is deformed and subjected to thermal treatment. This paper investigates the shearing of polymeric thin films by studying the channel flow rheology of polymer solutions that experience yield stress. The material rheology is described by the transversely isotropic fluid (TIF) model, which contains a yield behavior term related to microstructure distortion. Our results show that this distortional stress is able to resist the pressure gradient, and non-trivial stress distributions can exist in the absence of a flow. This represents a significant improvement over existing viscosity-based yield stress models (e.g., the Heschel–Bulkley model). The unyielded state is achieved as the end result of a transient process, where a pressure gradient produces a short-lived flow that ceases when opposing stresses from microstructure distortion are produced. Predictions of the TIF model are compared with the phenomenological Saramito model. Both models are found to predict yielding when a threshold stress is exceeded. In both cases, the velocity profile is Newtonian near the wall, while plug flows are encountered close to the centerline.
Life in a Hollow
Authors: Gullan David , Houghton Suzanne
Published: March 2023

Who is home in the hollow?

Tree hollows are very special places that provide animals, both big and small, with a space to nest and feel safe.

Explore life in a tree hollow in the Australian bush and meet the native creatures who come to call a hollow a home. You’ll be surprised just how many choose to move in!

You’ll also discover the important role tree hollows play in the environment and how we can help protect them.

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 5 to 9.
Interim position statement on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (Doxy-PEP) for the prevention of bacterial sexually transmissible infections in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand – the Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM)
Authors: Cornelisse Vincent J. , Ong Jason J. , Ryder Nathan , Ooi Catriona , Wong Arthur , Kenchington Penny , Giola Massimo , Donovan Basil , Dean Judith A. , Molina Jean-Michel , Medland Nicholas A.
Published: March 2023

Recent studies have provided evidence for the effectiveness of using doxycycline (Doxy-PEP) to prevent bacterial sexually transmissible infections (STI), namely chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis, among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men who have experienced multiple STIs. However, there remain several unanswered questions around potential adverse outcomes from Doxy-PEP, including the possibility of inducing antimicrobial resistance in STIs and other organisms, and the possibility of disrupting the microbiome of people who choose to use Doxy-PEP. This interim position statement from the Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine aims to outline the current evidence for Doxy-PEP, and to highlight potential adverse outcomes, to enable clinicians to conduct evidence-based conversations with patients in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand who intend to use Doxy-PEP.
Democracy, separatist agitation and militarised state response in South East Nigeria
Authors: Amadi Luke A. , Allen Fidelis , Mai-Bornu Zainab L.
Published: March 2023

This briefing revisits the dynamics of post-civil-war agitation for a separate state arising from Nigerian state repression in Africa’s largest democracy. It analyses uncertainties among many Nigerians in the south-east of the country and focuses on the recent experience of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group agitating for a republic of Biafra. It argues for a more democratic order that legitimises equality and social justice as organising principles of democracy.
Cappin’ or formin’: Formin and capping protein competition for filament ends shapes actin networks
Authors: Sirotkin Vladimir
Published: March 2023

How cells assemble distinct actin networks from shared cytoplasmic components remains an important unresolved question. In this issue, Wirshing et al. (2023. J. Cell Biol.https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202209105) demonstrate how capping protein and formin competition for actin filament barbed ends controls the assembly of branched and linear actin networks.
Secreted mammalian DNases protect against systemic bacterial infection by digesting biofilms
Authors: Lacey Keenan A. , Serpas Lee , Makita Sohei , Wang Yueyang , Rashidfarrokhi Ali , Soni Chetna , Gonzalez Sandra , Moreira Andre , Torres Victor J. , Reizis Boris
Published: March 2023

Extracellular DNase DNASE1L3 maintains tolerance to self-DNA in humans and mice, whereas the role of its homolog DNASE1 remains controversial, and the overall function of secreted DNases in immunity is unclear. We report that deletion of murine DNASE1 neither caused autoreactivity in isolation nor exacerbated lupus-like disease in DNASE1L3-deficient mice. However, combined deficiency of DNASE1 and DNASE1L3 rendered mice susceptible to bloodstream infection with Staphylococcus aureus. DNASE1/DNASE1L3 double-deficient mice mounted a normal innate response to S. aureus and did not accumulate neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). However, their kidneys manifested severe pathology, increased bacterial burden, and biofilm-like bacterial lesions that contained bacterial DNA and excluded neutrophils. Furthermore, systemic administration of recombinant DNASE1 protein during S. aureus infection rescued the mortality of DNase-deficient mice and ameliorated the disease in wild-type mice. Thus, DNASE1 and DNASE1L3 jointly facilitate the control of bacterial infection by digesting extracellular microbial DNA in biofilms, suggesting the original evolutionary function of secreted DNases as antimicrobial agents.
Black hole information recovery from gravitational waves
Authors: Hamaide Louis , Torres Theo
Published: March 2023

We study the classical and quantum black hole information in gravitational waves from a black hole’s history. We review the necessary concepts regarding quantum information in many-body systems to motivate information retrieval and content in gravitational waves. We then show the first step in an optimal information retrieval strategy is to search for information in gravitational waves, compared to searching for correlations in Hawking radiation. We argue a large portion of the information of the initial collapsing state may be in the gravitational waves. Using the Zerilli equation for particles falling radially into Schwarzschild black holes, we then describe a method to retrieve full classical information about infalling sources, including masses, infall times and angles.
Multi-dimensional functionally graded insulator for HVDC compact gas insulated apparatus
Authors: Dong Jianan , Du Boxue , Liang Hucheng , Yao Hang
Published: March 2023

Gas insulated switchgear may be exposed to AC-DC mixed voltages in bipolar high voltage direct current (HVDC) systems. To improve the insulation performance of the epoxy insulator, this paper develops the multi-dimensional functionally graded materials (MFGM), which combines the bulk permittivity graded materials (ϵ-FGM) and the surface nonlinear conductivity materials (SNCM). The ϵ-FGM bulk and the SNCM layer of the MFGM insulator were prepared by the layer-by-layer pouring method and the air spraying technology. Results show that the electric field strength of the MFGM insulator around the HV triple junction is reduced by over 37% and 39% under AC and DC voltages. Compared with the uniform insulator, the AC and the DC flashover voltages of the MFGM insulator are raised by 17.5% and 27.5%, respectively. The MFGM insulator can adapt to both stationary and transient conditions, and thus has a promising application in HVDC compact gas-insulated apparatuses.
High critical current STAR® wires with REBCO tapes by advanced MOCVD
Authors: Galstyan Eduard , Kadiyala Janakiram , Paidpilli Mahesh , Goel Chirag , Sandra Jithin Sai , Yerraguravagari Vamsi , Majkic Goran , Jain Rohit , Chen Siwei , Li Yi , Schmidt Robert , Jaroszynski Jan , Bradford Griffin , Abraimov Dmytro , Chaud Xavier , Song Jungbin , Selvamanickam Venkat
Published: March 2023

RE–Ba–Cu–O (REBCO, RE = rare earth) symmetric tape round (STAR®) wires of 1.5–2.5 mm diameter have been fabricated with 4–12 strands of symmetric REBCO tape made by advanced metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). 1.5 mm diameter STAR® wires made with just four advanced MOCVD tape strands are able to sustain nearly the same critical current (I
c) as 2.5 mm diameter wires made with 12 commercial-grade tape strands. An I
c of 1070 A, corresponding to an engineering current density (J
e) of 597 A mm−2, has been demonstrated at 4.2 K, 30 T in 1.5 mm diameter, four-strand wire at a bend radius of 15 mm. This I
c value exactly matches the I
c expected from the lift factor of the tape strands used in the wire. The 2.5 mm diameter STAR® wires made with 12 advanced MOCVD tape strands exhibit an I
c of 1075 A at 77 K, self-field and sustained currents of 2500–2750 A at 4.2 K, 30 T before burnout, corresponding to a J
e greater than 500 A mm−2. These results show that the cost of STAR® wires can be substantially reduced using fewer tape strands of high-performance advanced MOCVD tapes and that the superior bend performance of STAR® wires can be maintained, even using 12 strands of advanced MOCVD tapes with 4 μm thick REBCO films.
ICRF heating schemes for the HL-2M tokamak
Authors: Lu L.F. , Lu B. , Zhang X.J. , Colas L. , Urbanczyk G. , Wang Z. , Li Z.J. , Hao B.L. , Xue L. , Xue M. , Wang S. , Sun A.P.
Published: March 2023

The HL-2M tokamak is a new medium-sized tokamak at SouthWestern Institute of Physics. Two of its key missions are to achieve 10 keV ion temperature and investigate the behavior of energetic particles relevant to burning plasmas. A 6 MW ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) heating power is embedded in the next upgrade program of HL-2M. In order to facilitate the engineering design of the ICRF system, this paper analyses the main ICRF heating schemes for HL-2M, in terms of ion heating and energetic ion generation in particular. D(H) minority heating and the 2nd harmonic D will act as the main ion heating schemes, for which the optimal RF frequency range 27–33 MHz, antenna parallel wavenumber k
// ∼ 8 m−1 are proposed and strong single pass absorption is expected under typical HL-2M plasma parameters. Full wave simulations carried out via TORIC/steady-state Fokker–Planck quasilinear solver and TRANSP codes suggest that by adopting three ion scheme or synergetic heating on neutral beam injection D ions by the 2nd harmonic D, energetic ions with energy at MeV level can be produced. This study shows that ICRF heating could play significant roles in ion heating, energetic ion generation in HL-2M.
Propagating quantum microwaves: towards applications in communication and sensing
Authors: Casariego Mateo , Zambrini Cruzeiro Emmanuel , Gherardini Stefano , Gonzalez-Raya Tasio , André Rui , Frazão Gonçalo , Catto Giacomo , Möttönen Mikko , Datta Debopam , Viisanen Klaara , Govenius Joonas , Prunnila Mika , Tuominen Kimmo , Reichert Maximilian , Renger Michael , Fedorov Kirill G , Deppe Frank , van der Vliet Harriet , Matthews A J , Fernández Yolanda , Assouly R , Dassonneville R , Huard B , Sanz Mikel , Omar Yasser
Published: March 2023

The field of propagating quantum microwaves is a relatively new area of research that is receiving increased attention due to its promising technological applications, both in communication and sensing. While formally similar to quantum optics, some key elements required by the aim of having a controllable quantum microwave interface are still on an early stage of development. Here, we argue where and why a fully operative toolbox for propagating quantum microwaves will be needed, pointing to novel directions of research along the way: from microwave quantum key distribution to quantum radar, bath-system learning, or direct dark matter detection. The article therefore functions both as a review of the state-of-the-art, and as an illustration of the wide reach of applications the future of quantum microwaves will open.
A 90 nm area and power efficient Carry Select Adder using 2–1 multiplexer based Excess-1 block
Authors: Jeevan B , Bikshalu K , Sivani K
Published: March 2023

This paper proposes a novel architecture of excess-1 adder-based Carry Select Adder (M2CSA) using single leaf cell i.e., 2–1 Multiplexer. M2CSA is designed using a new type of Excess-1 block. The Excess-1 block is designed in a distinct way using 2–1 multiplexers. The architectures of the proposed carry select adder and its internal excess-1 blocks are completely distinct when compared to existing carry select adders. The proposed 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, and 64-bit M2CSAs use a 2–1 multiplexer only. The complex gates such as XOR gates are eliminated which exist in existing Carry Select Adders (CaSeAs). A 64-bit M2CSA that utilises one kind of 2-1 Mux cell is clearly decomposed to retain outstanding cell regularity. In previous designs, ripple carry adder blocks are substituted with half adders by limiting carry propagation to a particular degree. By avoiding carry propagation over adder blocks, particularly in 32- and 64-bit adders, the performance of M2CSA is initially increased. For CaSeAs, the area is of primary significance; for M2CSAs, it is also diminished by preserving cell regularity. Verilog HDL is utilised in the design of the M2CSA and current CaSeAs. Using Cadence NCLaunch, all of the designs are functionally tested. At a 90nm technology node, all of the designs are generated and executed using Genus and Innovus tools, respectively. As a comparison to prior designs, the 64-bit M2CSA final ASIC architecture is on average 17% less in terms of space. The comparison and result analysis show that 64-bit M2CSA performs 20% and 19% faster than 64-bit SQCSC in terms of performance and power dissipation, respectively.. The proposed 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, 64- bit M2CSA exhibits less PDP (Power-Delay Product) ranging from 25%–30% concerning SQCSCs. Similarly, EDP (Energy- Delay Product) values for all the designs are calculated. The improvement in EDP for the 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, 64- bit M2CSA is 41, 38, 42, 43, and 45 percentages compared to 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, 64- bit SQCSC respectively. Therefore, the M2CSAs outperform the existing designs in terms of EDP by 38%–45%.
A modified hyperbola based baseline free approach using Lamb wave mode conversion for detection of multiple structural damages: a simulation based study
Authors: Kumar Naresh , Kumar Sachin , Sunny Mohammed Rabius
Published: March 2023

Guided wave based techniques are among the promising techniques for structural health monitoring due to their ability to detect damage with high precision, ability to scan large area and low power consumption. However, practical implementation of these techniques to structures with relatively complex geometries such as stiffened plates demand further research due to several challenges. Some of such challenges include the presence of stiffeners and edges in close vicinity causing multiple reflections of waves, possibility of multiple damages and lack of baseline data. To address all these issues, a modified hyperbola based approach using mode converted signal and a data based matching scheme has been proposed in this paper. A stiffened plate is taken as the example structure. Corrosion like defects have been considered as the damages. Each panel of the stiffened plate has been scanned separately through phased array actuation. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed approach have been shown through a case study using 3D finite element simulation data.
Dimensions of modular irreducible representations of semisimple Lie algebras
Authors: Bezrukavnikov Roman , Losev Ivan
Published: March 2023

In this paper we classify and give Kazhdan-Lusztig type character formulas for equivariantly irreducible representations of Lie algebras of reductive algebraic groups over a field of large positive characteristic. The equivariance is with respect to a group whose connected component is a torus. Character computation is done in two steps. First, we treat the case of distinguished

p
p

-characters: those that are not contained in a proper Levi. Here we essentially show that the category of equivariant modules we consider is a cell quotient of an affine parabolic category

O

\mathcal {O}

. For this, we prove an equivalence between two categorifications of a parabolically induced module over the affine Hecke algebra conjectured by the first named author. For the general nilpotent

p
p

-character, we get character formulas by explicitly computing the duality operator on a suitable equivariant K-group.
A locally constrained mean curvature type flow with free boundary in a hyperbolic ball
Authors: Qiang Tao , Weng Liangjun , Xia Chao
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we study a locally constrained mean curvature flow with free boundary in a hyperbolic ball. Under the flow, the enclosed volume is preserved and the area is decreasing. We prove the long time existence and smooth convergence for such flow under certain star-shaped condition. As an application, we give a flow proof of the isoperimetric problem for the star-shaped free boundary hypersurfaces in a hyperbolic ball.
Cadmium does not affect post-hatching maternal care or early offspring development in earwigs
Authors: Honorio Romain , Moreau Sarah , Lécureuil Charlotte , Meunier Joël
Published: March 2023

Anthropogenic pollution is steadily increasing and has a major impact on biodiversity. Chemical pollutants in particular affect many reproductive, physiological, and survival traits in a wide range of organisms. However, the effects on behavioral traits have been less studied, although they could have wide-ranging negative effects from the individual to the community level. Here, we attempted to fill this knowledge gap by investigating the effect of a common heavy metal pollutant, cadmium, on post-hatching maternal care and juvenile development in the European earwig Forficula auricularia. We fed 108 earwig families with five different cadmium concentrations (0, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg.L−1), and measured ten parameters related to offspring care, non-care maternal behaviors, investment in maternal care and two parameters of offspring development (offspring weight gain and survival). Somewhat surprisingly, we found no effect of cadmium ingestion on any of the parameters measured, except for maternal self-grooming behavior. In particular, the ingestion of cadmium by group members did not result in an overall decrease in the expression of care by the contaminated mothers or in an overall higher level of care received by the contaminated offspring. By contrast, mothers fed the highest dose of cadmium showed an increase in self-grooming, probably due to the stress of toxic ingestion. Overall, our study raises questions about whether and how parent–offspring interactions can alter the negative effects of contaminated environments in social species.
Violence is Islam, Violence is Not Islam: Meaning-Making Among Muslim Men in Norway
Authors: Ahmed Uzair
Published: March 2023

This article employs cultural repertoire theory to investigate how 84 Muslim men in Norway make meaning of adopting or rejecting political violence. Previous studies have addressed political violence among Muslims, but little attention has been paid to how its adoption and rejection involve self-ascription and ascriptions by others. The participants made meaning by drawing on stories about their past, exclusion and belonging, in addition to religious worldviews and political knowledge, including boundaries of class, crime, violence, race, religion and gender. Muslims are informed by mainstream ascriptions of them as extreme others and inherently radicalized in their meaning-making. This finding has important implications for how Muslim radicalization should be understood and countered.
Crossing the valley of non-intimidating conspicuousness: evolution of warning coloration through the lens of fitness landscapes
Authors: Topper Akiva , Kolodny Oren
Published: March 2023

The initial evolution of conspicuous aposematism is a longstanding evolutionary paradox: while the benefits of conspicuousness in aposematic signals have been demonstrated, they rely on predators being familiar with the conspicuous signals and avoiding them. In a system dominated by naïve predators, the appearance of conspicuousness would be expected to increase detection and attack rate by the predators. Hence, it is unclear how such signals could become established in a naïve community. We suggest that this problem may usefully be framed in the terms of fitness landscapes, an idea used for conceptualizing the mapping between genotype/phenotype and fitness. The evolution of conspicuousness can be thought of as a special case of valley crossing, which concerns the transition of populations between fitness peaks, when such a transition imposes an initial decrease in fitness. Crypsis may be regarded as a local fitness peak, hindering predators’ ability to detect prey; for an unpalatable species, conspicuous aposematism may constitute a higher-still fitness peak, preventing predation attempts altogether and allowing access to niches unavailable to species encumbered by the necessity to remain concealed from predators. However, in order to reach this higher peak, the population must first cross the valley of non-intimidating conspicuousness, in which the prey is conspicuous but the predators are not yet deterred. Using terms borrowed from the concept of fitness landscapes, we categorize several solutions suggested previously in the literature as either concerning changes in the fitness landscape or as illuminating possible ridges connecting the two peaks, which emerge from unconsidered dimensions of the fitness landscape. We suggest that considering this question through the lens of fitness landscapes not only facilitates useful categorization of previously suggested solutions but may also prove useful for thinking about novel ones.
GWAS meta-analyses clarify the genetics of cervical phenotypes and inform risk stratification for cervical cancer
Authors: Koel Mariann , Võsa Urmo , Jõeloo Maarja , Läll Kristi , Gualdo Natàlia P , Laivuori Hannele , Lemmelä Susanna ,   Estonian Biobank Research Team; FinnGen, Daly Mark , Palta Priit , Mägi Reedik , Laisk Triin
Published: March 2023

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified associations for cervical cancer, but the underlying mechanisms of cervical biology and pathology remain uncharacterised. Our GWAS meta-analyses fill this gap, as we characterise the genetic architecture of cervical phenotypes, including cervical ectropion, cervicitis, cervical dysplasia, as well as up to 9229 cases and 490 304 controls for cervical cancer from diverse ancestries. Leveraging the latest computational methods and gene expression data, we refine the association signals for cervical cancer and propose potential causal variants and genes at each locus. We prioritise PAX8/PAX8-AS1, LINC00339, CDC42, CLPTM1L, HLA-DRB1 and GSDMB as the most likely candidate genes for cervical cancer signals, providing insights into cervical cancer pathogenesis and supporting the involvement of reproductive tract development, immune response and cellular proliferation/apoptosis. We construct a genetic risk score (GRS) that is associated with cervical cancer [hazard ratios (HR) = 3.1 (1.7–5.6) for the top 15% vs lowest 15% of individuals], and with other HPV- and immune-system-related diagnoses in a phenome-wide association study analysis. Our results propose valuable leads for further functional studies and present a GRS for cervical cancer that allows additional risk stratification and could potentially be used to personalise the conventional screening strategies for groups more susceptible to cervical cancer.
Pressed to Prolong: Conscription, the Costs of Military Labor, and Civil War Duration
Authors: Anderson Noel , Bagozzi Benjamin E , Koren Ore
Published: March 2023

Existing research has identified numerous explanations for why some civil wars last longer than others. Yet, the type of labor that state militaries recruit has remained unexplored in this context. We consider how a state's military personnel system affects its ex post decision to keep fighting. We argue that conscription renders access to military labor relatively easy and, thus, less expensive. As military wages fall, war becomes less costly, the production of military power becomes more labor intensive, and the hazard of conflict termination declines. In a volunteer force, in contrast, military labor is relatively scarce and, therefore, more expensive. Accordingly, war becomes more costly, the production of military power becomes more capital intensive, and the hazard of conflict termination rises. These effects are reinforced as a conflict persists, leading to an increased divergence in duration across conscripted and volunteer militaries. We test these contentions using a global sample of civil wars, finding robust support for each expectation. We also validate the underlying mechanisms linking conscription to protracted conflict in two illustrative cases. Our results highlight the importance of labor-side determinants of war duration and contribute to a growing literature that explores how the composition of military forces affects conflict dynamics.
Metallic and polymeric green nanoplatforms in oncology
Authors: Jadhav Mrunal , Prabhu Arati
Published: March 2023

Chemotherapy, the cornerstone of cancer treatment, although invaluable, is plagued with unbearable and occasionally life-threatening side effects due to its inability to discriminate between tumorous and healthy cells. Anticancer nanomedicines have gained prominence due to their site-specific delivery of chemotherapeutic agents. In comparison to traditional chemical and physical procedures, which add to the chemical burden of an already ailing body, biosynthesis of nanomaterials by plants and microorganisms has evolved as safer ‘green’ nano-manufacturing technology. While nanomedicines from plant extracts have been exhaustively researched, the use of microbes as potential nano factories for the production of metal nanoparticles has recently piqued interest. Many bacteria develop defence mechanisms to detoxify hazardous metal ions, which results in formation of nano scaled metals that can be used for numerous therapeutic applications. The intrinsic variability of microbiological systems, however, poses its own set of challenges, necessitating more stringent standardization protocols in order to create nanomaterials with reproducible attributes. In this paper, we review the emerging trends in the green biosynthesis of nanomaterials and their potential applicability in cancer therapeutics. We probe the microbial biosynthetic mechanistic pathways and the efforts taken to control the physicochemical characteristics of nanoparticles. The applications of metallic nanoparticles obtained from microbes as well as polymeric systems obtained from bacteria, fungi and seaweed in oncology are described in detail. The development of these nanomaterials as next-generation green anticancer drugs may result in a revolution in cancer therapeutics.
Oligofructose, 2’fucosyllactose and β-glucan in combination induce specific changes in microbial composition and short-chain fatty acid production compared to sole supplementation
Authors: Jackson Peter Philip James , Wijeyesekera Anisha , van Harsselaar Jessica , Theis Stephan , Rastall Robert Adrian
Published: March 2023

Aims

In this study, we explored the effects that the prebiotic inulin-type fructans, and prebiotic candidates: 2’fucosyllactose and β-glucan from barley, singular and in combination had on microbial load, microbiome profile, and short-chain fatty acid production. This was carried out as a prescreening tool to determine combinations that could be taken forward for use in a human intervention trial.

Methods and results

Effects of inulin-type fructans, 2’fucosyllactose and β-glucan from barley in singular and combination on microbial load and profile and short-chain fatty acid production (SCFA) was conducted using in vitro batch culture fermentation over 48 h. Changes in microbial load and profile were assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization flow cytometry (FISH-FLOW) and 16S rRNA sequencing, and changes in SCFA via gas chromatography. All substrates generated changes in microbial load and profile, achieving peak microbial load at 8 h fermentation with the largest changes in profile across all substrates in Bifidobacterium (Q < 0.05). This coincided with significant increases in acetate observed throughout fermentation (Q < 0.05). In comparison to sole supplementation combinations of oligofructose, β-glucan and 2’fuscosyllactose induced significant increases in both propionate and butyrate producing bacteria (Roseburia and Faecalibacterium praunitzii), and concentrations of propionate and butyrate, the latter being maintained until the end of fermentation (all Q < 0.05).

Conclusions

Combinations of oligofructose, with β-glucan and 2’fucosyllactose induced selective changes in microbial combination and SCFA namely Roseburia, F. praunitzii, propionate and butyrate compared to sole supplementation.
Potential uses of AI for perioperative nursing handoffs: a qualitative study
Authors: King Christopher Ryan , Shambe Ayanna , Abraham Joanna
Published: March 2023

Objective

Situational awareness and anticipatory guidance for nurses receiving a patient after surgery are keys to patient safety. Little work has defined the role of artificial intelligence (AI) to support these functions during nursing handoff communication or patient assessment. We used interviews to better understand how AI could work in this context.

Materials and Methods

Eleven nurses participated in semistructured interviews. Mixed inductive-deductive thematic analysis was used to extract major themes and subthemes around roles for AI supporting postoperative nursing.

Results

Five themes were generated from the interviews: (1) nurse understanding of patient condition guides care decisions, (2) handoffs are important to nurse situational awareness, but multiple barriers reduce their effectiveness, (3) AI may address barriers to handoff effectiveness, (4) AI may augment nurse care decision making and team communication outside of handoff, and (5) user experience in the electronic health record and information overload are likely barriers to using AI. Important subthemes included that AI-identified problems would be discussed at handoff and team communications, that AI-estimated elevated risks would trigger patient re-evaluation, and that AI-identified important data may be a valuable addition to nursing assessment.

Discussion and Conclusion

Most research on postoperative handoff communication relies on structured checklists. Our results suggest that properly designed AI tools might facilitate postoperative handoff communication for nurses by identifying specific elevated risks faced by a patient, triggering discussion on those topics. Limitations include a single center, many participants lacking of applied experience with AI, and limited participation rate.
TMPRSS2 and SARS-CoV-2 SPIKE interaction assay for uHTS
Authors: Cicka Danielle , Niu Qiankun , Qui Min , Qian Kun , Miller Eric , Fan Dacheng , Mo Xiulei , Ivanov Andrey A , Sarafianos Stefan G , Du Yuhong , Fu Haian
Published: March 2023

SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, has claimed millions of lives over the past 2 years. This demands rapid development of effective therapeutic agents that target various phases of the viral replication cycle. The interaction between host transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) and viral SPIKE protein is an important initial step in SARS-CoV-2 infection, offering an opportunity for therapeutic development of viral entry inhibitors. Here, we report the development of a time-resolved fluorescence/Förster resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) assay for monitoring the TMPRSS2–SPIKE interaction in lysate from cells co-expressing these proteins. The assay was configured in a 384-well-plate format for high-throughput screening with robust assay performance. To enable large-scale compound screening, we further miniaturized the assay into 1536-well ultrahigh-throughput screening (uHTS) format. A pilot screen demonstrated the utilization of the assay for uHTS. Our optimized TR-FRET uHTS assay provides an enabling platform for expanded screening campaigns to discover new classes of small-molecule inhibitors that target the SPIKE and TMPRSS2 protein–protein interaction.
Approximately linear INGARCH models for spatio-temporal counts
Authors: Jahn Malte , Weiß Christian H , Kim Hee-Young
Published: March 2023

Existing integer-valued generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (INGARCH) models for spatio-temporal counts do not allow for negative parameter and autocorrelation values. Using approximately linear INGARCH models, the unified and flexible spatio-temporal (B)INGARCH framework for modelling unbounded (bounded) counts is proposed. These models combine negative dependencies with kinds of a long memory. They are easily adapted to special marginal features or cross-dependencies: When modelling precipitation data (counts of rainy hours), we account for zero-inflation, while for cloud-coverage data (counts of okta), we deal with missing data and additional cross-correlation. A copula related to the spatial error model shows an appealing performance.
Mechanisms of theIn VivoAntitumor Activity ofPolyalthia longifoliaLeaf Extract Against HeLa Cell Xenograft Tumor: A Microscopic-Based Histological and Immunohistochemical Microanalyses
Authors: Cilwyn-Shalitha Braganza , Sasidharan Sreenivasan
Published: March 2023

The present study investigated the effects of Polyalthia longifolia leaf extract against the growth of HeLa cell xenograft tumor in nude mice and its underlying mechanism. The nude mice xenografted with HeLa cells were treated with 5% DMSO (vehicle control), 20 mg/kg/body weight of etoposide (positive control), and 500 and 1000 mg/kg/body weight of leaf extract, respectively. Antitumor activity was evaluated with apoptosis, proliferation, and angiogenesis using microscopic-based histological and immunohistochemical microanalyses. The tumor tissue histological and immunohistochemical analyses showed that the HeLa tumor cell death was associated with apoptosis and decreased (p < 0.05) expression of Ki-67 in tumor tissues. The extract also inhibits tumor angiogenesis by downregulating (p < 0.05) the expression of VEGF and CD31 in tumor tissues after treatment for 35 days. Conclusively, the P. longifolia leaf extract effectively inhibited HeLa cell xenograft growth in nude mice. The possible mechanism was related to induction of apoptosis, inhibition of tumor HeLa cell proliferation by decreasing the Ki-67 protein expression, and prevention of tumor angiogenesis by reducing VEGF and CD31 protein expression in HeLa cells.
Colonial Mobility and the Cultural Replication of British Music: Granville Bantock’s Australian Tour, 1938–1939
Authors: Watt Paul , Oates Jennifer
Published: March 2023

Legions of foreign musicians have toured Australia in an effort to transplant old musical cultures. One such tour was undertaken by Granville Bantock in late 1938 to further the examinations business of Trinity College of Music, London. As argued in this article, however, there was more to his visit than meets the eye: it was an attempt by Bantock to secure new audiences for his music. The press’s role in this tour was marked by fawning journalists reporting on the composer’s endorsement of local music-making as evidence of Australia’s musical maturity. Bantock’s music was celebrated by the press except for one journalist, who condemned his peddling of old-fashioned music in a modern Australia. Although Bantock’s visit to Australia in late 1938 was designed to promote Trinity College, it was in fact an exercise in cultural mobility, and the replication of a certain style of British music that invoked narratives concerning the cultural cringe in which Bantock, and most of the press, were complicit.
A rich molecular chemistry in the gas of the IC 348 star cluster of the Perseus Molecular Cloud
Authors: Iglesias-Groth Susana , Marin-Dobrincic Martina
Published: March 2023

We present Spitzer 10–34 $\mu{\rm m}$ spectroscopic observations of the diffuse gas in the inner region of the star-forming region IC 348 of the Perseus Molecular Cloud. We find evidence for the strongest mid-IR bands of common molecules as H2, OH, H2O, CO2, and NH3 and of several carbonaceous molecules which may play an important role in the production of more complex hydrocarbons: HCN, C2H2, C4H2, HC3N, HC5N, C2H6, C6H2, C6H6. The excitation diagram of H2 reveals the presence of warm gas (270 ± 30 K) at the observed locations. Assuming this temperature, the derived abundances of CO2 and NH3 relative to H2 are 10−8 and 10−7, respectively. From the water lines we obtain an abundance of order 10−6 and higher gas temperatures. The abundances derived for HCN and C2H2, key molecules in the development of prebiotic building blocks, are of order 10−7 and 10−9, respectively. More complex molecules such as PAHs and the fullerenes C60 and C70 are also present. IC 348 appears to be very rich and diverse in molecular content. The JWST spectroscopic capabilities may provide details on the spatial distribution of all these molecules and extend the present search to more complex hydrocarbons.