bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolution of tensile strength and cracking in granite containing prefabricated holes under high temperature and loading rate
Authors: Zhong Xia , Xu Jiangbo , Sun Haohui , Hou Xinmin , Wu Faquan , Sha Peng
Published: September 2023

For present applications in deep significant rock engineering, including underground repositories of high-level nuclear waste, an exhaustive comprehension of the impacts of high temperature and loading rate effects on the mechanical characteristics of granite emerges as an imperative necessity. Based on the Brazilian splitting test, Brazilian disc specimens with prefabricated holes were meticulously employed to guarantee the occurrence of radial compression failure. Combining microscopic experiments such as scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, the indirect tensile strength and damage mechanism of granite from the Yueyang area under the action of different temperatures and loading rates were thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, a nonlinear fitting equation between the two factors and tensile strength is suggested. At the same time, a simplified surface crack density based on pixel processing was defined. This allowed for a comparative assessment of how variations in temperature and loading rates induce varying degrees of macroscopic crack development and damage to the specimens. The findings suggest a direct proportionality between the tensile strength of granite and the loading rate, while an inverse proportionality is observed concerning temperature above 400 °C. However, a transient "gain effect" phenomenon manifests at temperatures below 400 °C. However, the impact of temperature on tensile strength is significantly greater than that of the loading rate, exhibiting a difference of approximately 8.7 times. Furthermore, the temperature is more prone to lead to the occurrence of secondary tensile cracks in specimens. The results of this research provide valuable guidance for ensuring the security of deep major rock engineering during construction.
Investigating determinants of pro-environmental behaviors amongst UAE university students through Q-methodology
Authors: Takshe Aseel A. , Hennawi Maram , Jebril Sa’eda , Alawi Shaikha , AlZaidan Shahad , Okasha Ahmad
Published: September 2023

Numerous high-tech advancements have established a healthy environment, reduced consumer consumption of non-renewable resources, and reduced the total ecological impact on the environment. Despite this technology, many people still do not have sustainable behavior ingrained in them. Environmental sustainability is threatened by human behaviors, and environmental choices made by individuals are correlated with pro-environmental behaviors. This research focuses on the relationship between people and the environment, the difficulties that have arisen as a result, and the factors that influence university students' pro-environmental behaviors. It explores the factors influencing university students in the United Arab Emirates to have positive environmental attitudes and behaviors using the Q methodology. The results elucidate several discourses, including connections between knowledge and attitude, the importance of formal and informal education, and necessary economic policies and incentives. The results of this research are consistent with those of other recent studies that place more emphasis on attitude than motivation when it comes to changing behavior towards the environment.
A History of Economic Policy in India
Authors: De Rahul
Published: September 2023

Economic Policy in Independent India provides an immersive, accessible yet rigorous understanding of the Indian economy through a political economy analysis of economic policies. It provides a birds-eye view of the politics, context, and ideas that shaped major economic policies in independent India and argues that they are the product of crisis, coalitions, and contingency - not necessarily choice. Each chapter focuses on specific political regimes: Colonial Rule, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, liberalisation under coalition governments, the UPA Government, and the NDA Government. The book evaluates how well a government executed its policies based on the economic and political constraints it faced, rather than economic outcomes. Using theories to make sense of the economy, political ideology, historical conditions, and international context, the book's framework provides multiple perspectives and analyses economic policies as an outcome of interactions between dynamics in the economy.
Mystery and History: Revisiting “A Letter to My Husband” by Yunzhen
Authors: Lu Weijing
Published: September 2023

In the late 18th century, the discovery of “A Letter to My Husband” (Jiwai shu), attributed to a woman named Yunzhen, caused great excitement in Beijing. Focusing on the question of how the mysterious letter captured the imagination of the literati, this article employs the strategy of contextualized reading to tease out social and cultural milieus and the textures of sentimentality of its readers. It suggests that the letter's resonating power rests on its dual nature: a self-expression of a talented and exemplary wife and a chronicle of the time when the entanglement of female talent, wifely virtue, marital love, and family tension became integral to the lives of the literati.
Horses of Cyrenaica: breeding and charioteers in the Greek and Roman periods (literary, epigraphical and visual data)
Authors: Abdelhamed Muna H. H.
Published: September 2023

Our knowledge about Cyrenaican horses during the Greek and Roman periods is mainly derived from ancient literary sources. They tell us that horses were bred with distinctive skills in this region and report interesting stories highlighting the participation of Cyrenaican horses in athletic games. The literary data suggests Cyrene is a horse-breeding centre and this paper examines whether these assertions represent a reality, or simply a convention. This study investigates and analyses other locally related archaeological data, including epigraphy documents published by the digital corpora ofIGCyrandIRCyr. Although most of the inscriptions in these corpora are published, little attention has been given to horses. The adapted approach here aims to build up a picture about horses using local evidence, with a focus on the linguistic indications of equestrian practice at Cyrenaica and the use of horse-related terms in nomenclature. Interestingly, the regional textual and archaeological data provide us with a similar picture to that presented by the literary references regarding horse breeding in Cyrenaica, charioteer training and their contribution to overseas Greek and Roman sport.
A Right Restricted: Racial Threat and the Sponsorship of Restrictive Voting Laws
Authors: Morris Kevin T.
Published: September 2023

In the aftermath of the United States’ 2020 presidential election, state legislatures have introduced and passed an unprecedented number of restrictive voting bills. While past research has looked at the state-level drivers of restrictive voting legislation, this project explores what factors predict which legislators within states push for these laws. Specifically, I ask whether district-level characteristics predict when lawmakers use bill sponsorship to send messages about their positions beyond those sent by simple roll-call votes. I use theories of geographical threat and racial resentment to predict where sponsorship of these bills is most likely. My results tie these theoretical expectations to observed legislative activity: the whitest state legislative districts in the least-white states were the most likely to be represented by lawmakers who sponsored restrictive bills, as were districts with the most racially resentful white residents. I conclude that, despite lawmakers justifying these restrictive laws by claiming that fraud is a major problem, race and racism are inherently tied to the introduction and passage of these bills. This raises important questions about commitments to multiracial democracy.
Molecular confirmation of pearl formation in arctic mussels (Mytilus edulis) caused by Gymnophallus bursicola (Odhner 1900) metacercariae
Authors: Benito Denis , Izagirre Urtzi , Lekube Xabier , Zaldibar Beñat , Villalba Antonio , De Montaudouin Xavier , Daffe Guillemine , Soto Manu , Diaz de Cerio Oihane
Published: September 2023

In recent field studies, suspected gymnophallid metacercariae were histologically located in the mantle of mussels from the Norwegian Sea. Mussels from the sites in which that infection was detected also presented abnormally high pearl numbers. It has been previously described that gymnophallid metacercariae could cause pearl formation processes in mussels, as a host reaction to encapsulate these metacercariae. Given the pathological host reaction these parasites elicit, a study was performed to identify gymnophallid metacercariae found in mussels collected from Tromsø at morphological and molecular level and to assess, by the use of molecular tools, the relationship between the parasite and the biological material inside the pearls. As a result, Gymnophallus bursicola metacercariae infecting Norwegian Mytilus edulis were identified according to morphological characters, along with the first 18S rDNA and COI sequences for this trematode species. In addition, parasite DNA from the core of the pearls was extracted and amplified for the first time, confirming the parasitological origin of these pearls. This procedure could allow identifying different parasitic organisms responsible for the generation of pearls in bivalves.
Patterns, predictors, and patient-reported reasons for antidepressant discontinuation in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys
Authors: Kazdin Alan E. , Harris Meredith G. , Hwang Irving , Sampson Nancy A. , Stein Dan J. , Viana Maria Carmen , Vigo Daniel V. , Wu Chi-Shin , Aguilar-Gaxiola Sergio , Alonso Jordi , Benjet Corina , Bruffaerts Ronny , Caldas-Almeida José Miguel , Cardoso Graça , Caselani Elisa , Chardoul Stephanie , Cía Alfredo , de Jonge Peter , Gureje Oye , Haro Josep Maria , Karam Elie G. , Kovess-Masfety Viviane , Navarro-Mateu Fernando , Piazza Marina , Posada-Villa José , Scott Kate M. , Stagnaro Juan Carlos , ten Have Margreet , Torres Yolanda , Vladescu Cristian , Kessler Ronald C.
Published: September 2023

Background

Despite their documented efficacy, substantial proportions of patients discontinue antidepressant medication (ADM) without a doctor's recommendation. The current report integrates data on patient-reported reasons into an investigation of patterns and predictors of ADM discontinuation.

Methods

Face-to-face interviews with community samples from 13 countries (n = 30 697) in the World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys included n = 1890 respondents who used ADMs within the past 12 months.

Results

10.9% of 12-month ADM users reported discontinuation-based on recommendation of the prescriber while 15.7% discontinued in the absence of prescriber recommendation. The main patient-reported reason for discontinuation was feeling better (46.6%), which was reported by a higher proportion of patients who discontinued within the first 2 weeks of treatment than later. Perceived ineffectiveness (18.5%), predisposing factors (e.g. fear of dependence) (20.0%), and enabling factors (e.g. inability to afford treatment cost) (5.0%) were much less commonly reported reasons. Discontinuation in the absence of prescriber recommendation was associated with low country income level, being employed, and having above average personal income. Age, prior history of psychotropic medication use, and being prescribed treatment from a psychiatrist rather than from a general medical practitioner, in comparison, were associated with a lower probability of this type of discontinuation. However, these predictors varied substantially depending on patient-reported reasons for discontinuation.

Conclusion

Dropping out early is not necessarily negative with almost half of individuals noting they felt better. The study underscores the diverse reasons given for dropping out and the need to evaluate how and whether dropping out influences short- or long-term functioning.
Mental illness and cardiovascular health: observational and polygenic score analyses in a population-based cohort study
Authors: Veeneman R. R. , Vermeulen J. M. , Bialas M. , Bhamidipati A. K. , Abdellaoui A. , Munafò M. R. , Denys D. , Bezzina C. R. , Verweij K. J. H. , Tadros R. , Treur J. L.
Published: September 2023

Background

Individuals with serious mental illness have a markedly shorter life expectancy. A major contributor to premature death is cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated associations of (genetic liability for) depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia with a range of CVD traits and examined to what degree these were driven by important confounders.

Methods

We included participants of the Dutch Lifelines cohort (N = 147 337) with information on self-reported lifetime diagnosis of depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia and CVD traits. Employing linear mixed-effects models, we examined associations between mental illness diagnoses and CVD, correcting for psychotropic medication, demographic and lifestyle factors. In a subsample (N = 73 965), we repeated these analyses using polygenic scores (PGSs) for the three mental illnesses.

Results

There was strong evidence that depressive disorder diagnosis is associated with increased arrhythmia and atherosclerosis risk and lower heart rate variability, even after confounder adjustment. Positive associations were also found for the depression PGSs with arrhythmia and atherosclerosis. Bipolar disorder was associated with a higher risk of nearly all CVD traits, though most diminished after adjustment. The bipolar disorder PGSs did not show any associations. While the schizophrenia PGSs was associated with increased arrhythmia risk and lower heart rate variability, schizophrenia diagnosis was not. All mental illness diagnoses were associated with lower blood pressure and a lower risk of hypertension.

Conclusions

Our study shows widespread associations of (genetic liability to) mental illness (primarily depressive disorder) with CVD, even after confounder adjustment. Future research should focus on clarifying potential causal pathways between mental illness and CVD.
Introduction: Recent research on iron-ore mirrors in Mesoamerica and Central America
Authors: Ménager Matthieu , Salgado Silvia , Freidel David
Published: September 2023

This Special Section focuses on recent research centered on iron-ore mirrors in Mesoamerica and Central America. Iron-ore mirrors are rare and esoteric artifacts, mainly crafted by specialized centers in the Maya, central Mexico, and Zapotec areas from the Early Preclassic to the Postclassic. They were found in numerous archaeological sites and cultures, from the Gila River in the United States to the isthmus of Panama.

In this introduction, we present a temporal, geographical, and contextual framework for the actual knowledge on mirrors, in order to fully understand the complexity and importance of the research on these prestigious artifacts. Indeed, the mirrors combine spiritual and political power in a portable and material way, giving a great insight into Mesoamerican beliefs and leading to important information on the relation between rulers of different political centers from different cultural areas.

Finally, we present the articles of the Special Section and give an overview of their content and relevance to the topic.
Mesoamerican iron-ore mirrors found in Costa Rica: unraveling the interaction between the Chibcha and Maya regions
Authors: Salgado Silvia , Ménager Matthieu , Arroyo Bárbara , Freidel David
Published: September 2023

Nearly 60 complete or fragmentary slate backings from iron-ore mirrors have been found in pre-Columbian funerary contexts in northern Costa Rica, including a couple that bear Maya hieroglyphic inscriptions. With the exception of a single example dating between a.d. 800 and 1550, these slate objects typically occur in contexts dating from 300 b.c. to a.d. 500–600. Recent geochemical analyses indicate foreign production of these artifacts, likely in the Maya area, where slate-backed iron-ore mirrors were related to power, shamanism, and divination, and were manufactured by highly specialized artisans working under the patronage of members of the elite, particularly in the Classic period. In this article we address the question of when, how, and why mirrors from Mesoamerica made their way to Costa Rica and, ultimately, into the funerary contexts from which they have been recovered. To that end, we analyze the regions, contexts, style, and chronology of these Costa Rican examples and compare them with contemporary styles and contexts in the Maya area, including a reinterpretation of one mirror-back presenting hieroglyphic inscriptions. Finally, we explore potential distribution routes and the potential mechanisms of exchange that existed between these distant, yet somehow related areas.
Surgical management of a giant pulmonary artery aneurysm in a patient with ischaemic heart disease – a case report
Authors: Munshi Sayar Kumar , Faraz Fahmi , Guerrero Rafael
Published: September 2023

Association of Pulmonary Artery Aneurysm with Ischemic Heart Disease is uncommon, and its surgical management has been rarely described in the literature. Surgical intervention should be individualised according to the coexisting diseases and comorbidities to achieve optimal outcome. We report a case of a 76-year-old man with background history of coronary artery stenting due to ischaemic heart disease. The patient presented with features of coronary compression due to giant pulmonary artery aneurysm. He was operated with replacement of aneurysmal pulmonary trunk with 25 mm Hancock conduit.
Artificial intelligence is set to transform mental health services
Authors: Pandi-Perumal Seithikurippu R. , Narasimhan Meera , Seeman Mary V. , Jahrami Haitham
Published: September 2023

The current development in the field of artificial intelligence and its applications has advantages and disadvantages in the digital age that we now live in. The state of the use of AI for mental health has to be assessed by stakeholders, which includes all of us. We must comprehend the trends, gaps, opportunities, challenges, and shortcomings of this new technology. As the field evolves, rules, regulatory frameworks, guidelines, standards, and policies will develop and will progressively scale upwards. To advance the field, mental health professionals must be prepared to meet obstacles and seize possibilities presented by creative and disruptive technologies like AI. Therefore, a collaborative strategy must include multi-stakeholder participation in basic, translational, and clinical aspects of AI. Mental health practitioners need to be ready to face challenges and embrace and harness the power of innovative and disruptive technology such as AI that could offer to move the field forward.
A way with words: Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan (1832–1890) and the unexpected power of print
Authors: Metcalf Barbara
Published: September 2023

The writings of Muhammad Siddiq Hasan well exemplify the argument of Francis Robinson's influential article on vernacular print publications that furthered a Protestant Reformation-like democratising of sacred knowledge. Both the number of his publications, and the personal empowerment enjoined by his Ahl-i Hadith jurisprudence, make him, in fact, an ideal exemplar of this kind of publication. He also, however, stands apart. First, his ‘vernacular’ included not only Urdu, but also Arabic and Persian. Second, beyond democratisation, print simultaneously enhanced scholarly authority, and it did so to an unusual extent for Siddiq Hasan because of his pioneering reach beyond India to the Ottoman lands, with Arabic works published and distributed from cities like Istanbul and Cairo. Third, Siddiq Hasan's publications served a diversity of purposes, like Persian publications that enhanced his princely status, and Arabic publications that not only forged transnational networks of like-minded scholars but also, in other hands, served modernist theologians and innovative literary scholars. Finally, in the end, the potential of print turned on him as officials used his publications to allege seditious intent. That denouement aside, the life of Siddiq Hasan's print publication points to a moment of rich intellectual life in the context of colonial rule, taking Robinson's insights on the potential of publication in unexpected directions.
Somnath Mandir in a play of mirrors: heritage, history, and the search for identity of the new nation (1842–1951)
Authors: Bobbio Tommaso
Published: September 2023

The story of the Somnath temple, in the northwestern Saurashtra peninsula, has often been taken as an example of the contentious legacies of the penetration, settlement, and political establishment of Muslims in India. Its history testifies to the complex relationship between history, heritage, and the consolidation of collective memories of past events and processes.

This article focuses on two key moments in the temple's recent history: the retrieval of the Somnath gates by Lord Ellenborough in 1842 and the reconstruction of the temple between 1947 and 1951. At these two moments—one during colonial times and the other at the creation of the independent state—Somnath became the battlefield for questioning how the state should be positioned with regard to religious places, histories, symbols, and practices.

While the temple was apparently dealt with as a tangible place of heritage, both episodes show how the value endowed upon the temple had far more complex meanings. The analysis proposed in this article ends with the reconstruction of the temple. This shows the way in which architects of independent India addressed the country's history, directly or indirectly engaging with the construction of a heritage for the new state. Their efforts aimed to strengthen a shared memory of the past, which could in turn consolidate membership and a sense of belonging to the new nation. Advocates and promoters of the temple's reconstruction, among whom were Vallabhbhai Patel and K. M. Munshi, envisioned that the reconstruction would embody the long-awaited liberation of India from centuries of continuous domination by ‘foreign’ powers. In contrast, secular politicians, with Nehru at the helm, opposed the reconstruction, fearing that Somnath might become the symbol of a sectarian vision of the nation and, in the wake of partition, derail efforts to characterise independent India as an inclusive country. While the reconstruction did eventually take place, the entire episode invites us to question the relationship between the framing of Indian nationalism and the heritagisation of Indian history. Following a critical theoretical approach to Heritage studies, where heritage has less to do with the item that is preserved than with the value with which it is endowed, this article proposes to investigate the meanings that heritage preservation, conservation, and reconstruction acquired as part of the project of nation- and state-building.
Maulana Azad and his memory of the Islamic past: a study of his early writings
Authors: Alam Muzaffar
Published: September 2023

The article is concerned primarily with Maulana Azad's early political and theological writings with a view to understanding his positions on Islam and the non-Islamic religions. It opens with a brief description of his discussion of Mughal history and religious culture, and then notes his portrayal of Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1624) as an exemplary political figure, who raised his voice against Akbar's heresy. This portrayal has had a significant historiographical afterlife. Several modern scholars followed Azad's reading. The article asks whether Azad was truly the first to have such a view of the saint, and thereby influenced the modern writings on Mughal India. We will notice that Sirhindi was already portrayed as a political figure in the Mughal-era historical accounts devoted to him. Azad only chose to work within a certain memory of Sirhindi—but why did he choose to use an earlier tradition and not a purely religious interpretive framework of his own for analysing and presenting the saint's position? The article examines Azad's rationale for such a portrayal in light of his political concerns. It then discusses in some depth the theological discourses in his Tazkira and the early issues of Al-Hilāl.
Meanings, norms, and social constitution: revisiting ASEAN centrality in East Asian regionalism
Authors: Yoshimatsu Hidetaka
Published: September 2023

This article examines the implications of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) centrality in East Asian regionalism. It seeks to address the question of how ASEAN created and maintained its central position in East Asian regionalism by managing regional cooperation in general and institution-building in particular. This article addresses the question by relying on the theoretical concept of productive power and tangible attributes associated with the concept. This article makes three arguments. First, ASEAN maintained its central position in East Asian regionalism by exerting productive power that works in generalized and diffuse social processes and through constitutive social relations. Second, the Association developed and employed specific meanings and norms that constituted the foundation for regional cooperation. Third, ASEAN maintained its central position in the complicated Sino–Japanese rivalry by embedding them in constitutive social relations and avoiding exclusive links with each of the two states.
Saving for retirement in Europe: the long-term risk-return tradeoff
Authors: Berardi Andrea , Tebaldi Claudio
Published: September 2023

A comparison of the performances of pension products that ignores long-term trends might significantly overestimate the long-term impact of volatility risks while underestimating the impact of persistent, low-frequency trends. This paper proposes a comparison making use of projection models based on the long-term risk–return tradeoff proposed by Campbell and Viceira (2005) to explicitly take into account slow-moving economic trends. In order to illustrate the approach and its implications, we discuss the capital protection provided by life-cycle target-date fund strategies and minimum guarantee strategies.
It Matters What and Where We Measure: Education and Ideology in a Swedish Twin Design
Authors: Ahlskog Rafael
Published: September 2023

Research on the link between education and political ideology is likely affected by biases common in conventional observational methods. A study by Rasmussen et al. (2021) addresses this problem by examining social and economic ideology in a Danish discordant twin design, finding that education shows positive causal effects on economic, but not social, conservatism. In this paper, I provide a set of replications of these results using a dataset of genotyped Swedish twins. I complement this by using random variation within fraternal twin pairs in a polygenic index of education. Results differ markedly from the original study, but are also shown to be sensitive to precise definitions of the ideological dimensions and which sub-dimensions or items are included. Overall, more care may be warranted when empirically defining ideology. Additionally, educational effects on ideology are likely to be sensitive to particular characteristics of the educational experience across time and space.
A Novel Analytical Solution for Ponded Infiltration With Consideration of a Developing Saturated Zone
Authors: Ma DongHao , Wu SiCong , Liu ZhiPeng , Zhang JiaBao
Published: September 2023

Ponding at the soil surface exerts profound impacts on infiltration. However, the effects of ponding depth on infiltration, especially the development of a saturated zone below the soil surface, have yet to be considered in present infiltration models. A new general Green‐Ampt model solution (GAMS) was derived for a one‐dimensional vertical infiltration problem under a uniform initial moisture distribution with ponding on its surface. An expression was included in the new solution for simulating the saturated layer developed below the soil surface as long as the pressure head at the surface is sufficiently high to saturate the soil. The GAMS simulates the infiltration processes closer to the numerical solution by HYDRUS‐1D than the traditional and the recently improved Green‐Ampt model. Moreover, an inversion method to improve the estimates of soil hydraulic parameters from one‐dimensional vertical infiltration experiments that is based on the GAMS was suggested. The effect of ponding depth (hp), initial soil moisture content, soil texture, and hydraulic soil properties (saturated hydraulic conductivity Ks, water‐entry suction hd and shape coefficient n of soil water retention curve) in the saturated zone was also evaluated. The results indicate that the saturated zone length increased at a comparable rate with the unsaturated wetted zone length during infiltration. Generally, a larger saturated zone was found for soils with higher initial soil moisture contents, coarser texture, higher Ks values, greater n, and lower −hd. Our findings reveal that including the saturated zone in the infiltration model yields a better estimate of the soil hydraulic parameters. The proposed GAMS model can improve irrigation design and rainfall‐runoff simulations.
Impact of Time‐Dependent Velocity Fields on the Continuum‐Scale Transport of Conservative Chemicals
Authors: Elhanati Dan , Dror Ishai , Berkowitz Brian
Published: September 2023

Groundwater input in natural systems can vary over a wide range of time scales due to different natural phenomena and anthropogenic activities. These variations give rise to time‐dependent velocity fields, which in turn may influence the dynamics of a migrating chemical plume relative to migration in a constant‐velocity domain. Anomalous transport, which is ubiquitous in many groundwater systems and generally yields longer (non‐Fickian) tails of migrating chemical plumes relative to those subject to Fickian dispersive processes, is of particular interest in this context. Herein, transport of conservative chemical species in macroscopically 1D columns and 2D flow cells was analyzed via laboratory experiments and corresponding numerical simulations. Different time‐dependent velocity field magnitude conditions were compared to study how the transient water input affects the resulting tracer breakthrough curves. A stochastic‐based numerical model was employed to interpret the results and simulate conditions that extend beyond the laboratory scale. The laboratory measurements show that different time‐dependent velocity magnitude conditions, which preserve the average discharge of a comparable constant‐velocity system, yield similar, long‐tailed breakthrough curves compared to those of the constant‐velocity case. The breakthrough curves are then shown to be quantified with the continuous time random walk (CTRW) framework. Appropriate choice of particle transition times and distances at the moment of velocity change enables matching of the CTRW results to the experimental results obtained in the experiments. The negligible impact of time‐dependent velocity field magnitudes is shown to be consistent for 1D and 2D flow fields, homogeneous and heterogeneous media, and different flow scenarios.
Optimized virtual optical waveguides enhance light throughput in scattering media
Authors: Pediredla Adithya , Scopelliti Matteo Giuseppe , Narasimhan Srinivasa , Chamanzar Maysamreza , Gkioulekas Ioannis
Published: September 2023

Ultrasonically-sculpted gradient-index optical waveguides enable non-invasive light confinement inside scattering media. The confinement level strongly depends on ultrasound parameters (e.g., amplitude, frequency), and medium optical properties (e.g., extinction coefficient). We develop a physically-accurate simulator, and use it to quantify these dependencies for a radially-symmetric virtual optical waveguide. Our analysis provides insights for optimizing virtual optical waveguides for given applications. We leverage these insights to configure virtual optical waveguides that improve light confinement fourfold compared to previous configurations at five mean free paths. We show that virtual optical waveguides enhance light throughput by 50% compared to an ideal external lens, in a medium with bladder-like optical properties at one transport mean free path. We corroborate these simulation findings with real experiments: we demonstrate, for the first time, that virtual optical waveguides recycle scattered light, and enhance light throughput by 15% compared to an external lens at five transport mean free paths.
A biocatalytic platform for asymmetric alkylation of α-keto acids by mining and engineering of methyltransferases
Authors: Ju Shuyun , Kuzelka Kaylee P. , Guo Rui , Krohn-Hansen Benjamin , Wu Jianping , Nair Satish K. , Yang Yang
Published: September 2023

Catalytic asymmetric α-alkylation of carbonyl compounds represents a long-standing challenge in synthetic organic chemistry. Herein, we advance a dual biocatalytic platform for the efficient asymmetric alkylation of α-keto acids. First, guided by our recently obtained crystal structures, we develop SgvMVAV as a general biocatalyst for the enantioselective methylation, ethylation, allylation and propargylation of a range of α-keto acids with total turnover numbers (TTNs) up to 4,600. Second, we mine a family of bacterial HMTs from Pseudomonas species sharing less than 50% sequence identities with known HMTs and evaluated their activities in SAM regeneration. Our best performing HMT from P. aeruginosa, PaHMT, displays the highest SAM regeneration efficiencies (TTN up to 7,700) among HMTs characterized to date. Together, the synergistic use of SgvMVAV and PaHMT affords a fully biocatalytic protocol for asymmetric methylation featuring a record turnover efficiency, providing a solution to the notorious problem of asymmetric alkylation.
Real-space observation of ergodicity transitions in artificial spin ice
Authors: Saccone Michael , Caravelli Francesco , Hofhuis Kevin , Dhuey Scott , Scholl Andreas , Nisoli Cristiano , Farhan Alan
Published: September 2023

Ever since its introduction by Ludwig Boltzmann, the ergodic hypothesis became a cornerstone analytical concept of equilibrium thermodynamics and complex dynamic processes. Examples of its relevance range from modeling decision-making processes in brain science to economic predictions. In condensed matter physics, ergodicity remains a concept largely investigated via theoretical and computational models. Here, we demonstrate the direct real-space observation of ergodicity transitions in a vertex-frustrated artificial spin ice. Using synchrotron-based photoemission electron microscopy we record thermally-driven moment fluctuations as a function of temperature, allowing us to directly observe transitions between ergodicity-breaking dynamics to system freezing, standing in contrast to simple trends observed for the temperature-dependent vertex populations, all while the entropy features arise as a function of temperature. These results highlight how a geometrically frustrated system, with thermodynamics strictly adhering to local ice-rule constraints, runs back-and-forth through periods of ergodicity-breaking dynamics. Ergodicity breaking and the emergence of memory is important for emergent computation, particularly in physical reservoir computing. Our work serves as further evidence of how fundamental laws of thermodynamics can be experimentally explored via real-space imaging.
Estimating the burden of severe malarial anaemia and access to hospital care in East Africa
Authors: Winskill Peter , Dhabangi Aggrey , Kwambai Titus K. , Mori Amani Thomas , Mousa Andria , Okell Lucy C.
Published: September 2023

Severe malarial anaemia can be fatal if not promptly treated. Hospital studies may under-represent the true burden because cases often occur in settings with poor access to healthcare. We estimate the relationship of community prevalence of malaria infection and severe malarial anaemia with the incidence of severe malarial anaemia cases in hospital, using survey data from 21 countries and hospital data from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The estimated percentage of severe malarial anaemia cases that were hospitalised is low and consistent for Kenya (21% (95% CrI: 7%, 47%)), Tanzania (18% (95% CrI: 5%, 52%)) and Uganda (23% (95% CrI: 9%, 48%)). The majority of severe malarial anaemia cases remain in the community, with the consequent public health burden being contingent upon the severity of these cases. Alongside health system strengthening, research to better understand the spectrum of disease associated with severe malarial anaemia cases in the community is a priority.
A CO2 electrolyzer tandem cell system for CO2-CO co-feed valorization in a Ni-N-C/Cu-catalyzed reaction cascade
Authors: Möller Tim , Filippi Michael , Brückner Sven , Ju Wen , Strasser Peter
Published: September 2023

Coupled tandem electrolyzer concepts have been predicted to offer kinetic benefits to sluggish catalytic reactions thanks to their flexibility of reaction environments in each cell. Here we design, assemble, test, and analyze the first complete low-temperature, neutral-pH, cathode precious metal-free tandem CO2 electrolyzer cell chain. The tandem system couples an Ag-free CO2-to-CO2/CO electrolyzer (cell-1) to a CO2/CO-to-C2+ product electrolyzer (cell-2). Cell-1 and cell-2 incorporate selective Ni-N-C-based and Cu-based Gas Diffusion Cathodes, respectively, and operate at sustainable neutral pH conditions. Using our tandem cell system, we report strongly enhanced rates for the production of ethylene (by 50%) and alcohols (by 100%) and a sharply increased C2+ energy efficiency (by 100%) at current densities of up to 700 mA cm−2 compared to the single CO2-to-C2+ electrolyzer cell system approach. This study demonstrates that coupled tandem electrolyzer cell systems can offer kinetic and practical energetic benefits over single-cell designs for the production of value-added C2+ chemicals and fuels directly from CO2 feeds without intermediate separation or purification.
Multimodal spatiotemporal transcriptomic resolution of embryonic palate osteogenesis
Authors: Piña Jeremie Oliver , Raju Resmi , Roth Daniela M. , Winchester Emma Wentworth , Chattaraj Parna , Kidwai Fahad , Faucz Fabio R. , Iben James , Mitra Apratim , Campbell Kiersten , Fridell Gus , Esnault Caroline , Cotney Justin L. , Dale Ryan K. , D’Souza Rena N.
Published: September 2023

The terminal differentiation of osteoblasts and subsequent formation of bone marks an important phase in palate development that leads to the separation of the oral and nasal cavities. While the morphogenetic events preceding palatal osteogenesis are well explored, major gaps remain in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving the formation of this bony union of the fusing palate. Through bulk, single-nucleus, and spatially resolved RNA-sequencing analyses of the developing secondary palate, we identify a shift in transcriptional programming between embryonic days 14.5 and 15.5 pinpointing the onset of osteogenesis. We define spatially restricted expression patterns of key osteogenic marker genes that are differentially expressed between these developmental timepoints. Finally, we identify genes in the palate highly expressed by palate nasal epithelial cells, also enriched within palatal osteogenic mesenchymal cells. This investigation provides a relevant framework to advance palate-specific diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker discovery.
Chemical inhomogeneity–induced profuse nanotwinning and phase transformation in AuCu nanowires
Authors: Yang Chengpeng , Zhang Bozhao , Fu Libo , Wang Zhanxin , Teng Jiao , Shao Ruiwen , Wu Ziqi , Chang Xiaoxue , Ding Jun , Wang Lihua , Han Xiaodong
Published: September 2023

Nanosized metals usually exhibit ultrahigh strength but suffer from low homogeneous plasticity. The origin of a strength–ductility trade-off has been well studied for pure metals, but not for random solid solution (RSS) alloys. How RSS alloys accommodate plasticity and whether they can achieve synergy between high strength and superplasticity has remained unresolved. Here, we show that face-centered cubic (FCC) RSS AuCu alloy nanowires (NWs) exhibit superplasticity of ~260% and ultrahigh strength of ~6 GPa, overcoming the trade-off between strength and ductility. These excellent properties originate from profuse hexagonal close-packed (HCP) phase generation (2H and 4H phases), recurrence of reversible FCC-HCP phase transition, and zigzag-like nanotwin generation, which has rarely been reported before. Such a mechanism stems from the inherent chemical inhomogeneity, which leads to widely distributed and overlapping energy barriers for the concurrent activation of multiple plasticity mechanisms. This naturally implies a similar deformation behavior for other highly concentrated solid-solution alloys with multiple principal elements, such as high/medium-entropy alloys. Our findings shed light on the effect of chemical inhomogeneity on the plastic deformation mechanism of solid-solution alloys.
Interfacial friction enabling ≤ 20 μm thin free-standing lithium strips for lithium metal batteries
Authors: Huang Shaozhen , Wu Zhibin , Johannessen Bernt , Long Kecheng , Qing Piao , He Pan , Ji Xiaobo , Wei Weifeng , Chen Yuejiao , Chen Libao
Published: September 2023

A practical high-specific-energy Li metal battery requires thin (≤20 μm) and free-standing Li metal anodes, but the low melting point and strong diffusion creep of lithium metal impede their scalable processing towards thin-thickness and free-standing architecture. In this paper, thin (5 to 50 μm) and free-standing lithium strips were achieved by mechanical rolling, which is determined by the in situ tribochemical reaction between lithium and zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP). A friction-induced organic/inorganic hybrid interface (~450 nm) was formed on Li with an ultra-high hardness (0.84 GPa) and Young’s modulus (25.90 GPa), which not only enables the scalable process mechanics of thin lithium strips but also facilitates dendrite-free lithium metal anodes by inhibiting dendrite growth. The rolled lithium anode exhibits a prolonged cycle lifespan and high-rate cycle stability (in excess of more than 1700 cycles even at 18.0 mA cm−2 and 1.5 mA cm−2 at 25 °C). Meanwhile, the LiFePO4 (with single-sided load 10 mg/cm2) ||Li@ZDDP full cell can last over 350 cycles with a high-capacity retention of 82% after the formation cycles at 5 C (1 C = 170 mA/g) and 25 °C. This work provides a scalable approach concerning tribology design for producing practical thin free-standing lithium metal anodes.
A pan-sarcoma landscape of telomeric content shows that alterations in RAD51B and GID4 are associated with higher telomeric content
Authors: Sharaf Radwa , Jin Dexter X. , Grady John , Napier Christine , Ebot Ericka , Frampton Garrett M. , Albacker Lee A. , Thomas David M. , Montesion Meagan
Published: September 2023

Tumor cells need to activate a telomere maintenance mechanism, enabling limitless replication. The bulk of evidence supports that sarcomas predominantly use alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) mechanism, commonly associated with alterations in ATRX and DAXX. In our dataset, only 12.3% of sarcomas harbored alterations in these genes. Thus, we checked for the presence of other genomic determinants of high telomeric content in sarcomas. Our dataset consisted of 13555 sarcoma samples, sequenced as a part of routine clinical care on the FoundationOne®Heme platform. We observed a median telomeric content of 622.3 telomeric reads per GC-matched million reads (TRPM) across all samples. In agreement with previous studies, telomeric content was significantly higher in ATRX altered and POT1 altered sarcomas. We further observed that sarcomas with alterations in RAD51B or GID4 were enriched in samples with high telomeric content, specifically within uterus leiomyosarcoma for RAD51B and soft tissue sarcoma (not otherwise specified, nos) for GID4, Furthermore, RAD51B and POT1 alterations were mutually exclusive with ATRX and DAXX alterations, suggestive of functional redundancy. Our results propose a role played by RAD51B and GID4 in telomere elongation in sarcomas and open research opportunities for agents aimed at targeting this critical pathway in tumorigenesis.
Polyfunctional CD4 T-cells correlating with neutralising antibody is a hallmark of COVISHIELDTM and COVAXIN® induced immunity in COVID-19 exposed Indians
Authors: Rakshit Srabanti , Babji Sudhir , Parthiban Chaitra , Madhavan Ramya , Adiga Vasista , J Sharon Eveline , Chetan Kumar Nirutha , Ahmed Asma , Shivalingaiah Sudarshan , Shashikumar Nandini , V Mamatha , Johnson Avita Rose , Ramesh Naveen , B Ramkrishna Goud , Asokan Mangaiarkarasi , Mayor Satyajit , Kang Gagandeep , D’souza George , Dias Mary , Vyakarnam Annapurna
Published: September 2023

Detailed characterisation of immune responses induced by COVID-19 vaccines rolled out in India: COVISHIELDTM (CS) and COVAXIN® (CO) in a pre-exposed population is only recently being discovered. We addressed this issue in subjects who received their primary series of vaccination between November 2021 and January 2022. Both vaccines are capable of strongly boosting Wuhan Spike-specific neutralising antibody, polyfunctional Th1 cytokine producing CD4+ T-cells and single IFN-γ + CD8+ T-cells. Consistent with inherent differences in vaccine platform, the vector-based CS vaccine-induced immunity was of greater magnitude, breadth, targeting Delta and Omicron variants compared to the whole-virion inactivated vaccine CO, with CS vaccinees showing persistent CD8+ T-cells responses until 3 months post primary vaccination. This study provides detailed evidence on the magnitude and quality of CS and CO vaccine induced responses in subjects with pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 immunity in India, thereby mitigating vaccine hesitancy arguments in such a population, which remains a global health challenge.
DMRT1 regulates human germline commitment
Authors: Irie Naoko , Lee Sun-Min , Lorenzi Valentina , Xu Haiqi , Chen Jinfeng , Inoue Masato , Kobayashi Toshihiro , Sancho-Serra Carmen , Drousioti Elena , Dietmann Sabine , Vento-Tormo Roser , Song Chun-Xiao , Surani M. Azim
Published: September 2023

Germline commitment following primordial germ cell (PGC) specification during early human development establishes an epigenetic programme and competence for gametogenesis. Here we follow the progression of nascent PGC-like cells derived from human embryonic stem cells in vitro. We show that switching from BMP signalling for PGC specification to Activin A and retinoic acid resulted in DMRT1 and CDH5 expression, the indicators of migratory PGCs in vivo. Moreover, the induction of DMRT1 and SOX17 in PGC-like cells promoted epigenetic resetting with striking global enrichment of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and locus-specific loss of 5-methylcytosine at DMRT1 binding sites and the expression of DAZL representing DNA methylation-sensitive genes, a hallmark of the germline commitment programme. We provide insight into the unique role of DMRT1 in germline development for advances in human germ cell biology and in vitro gametogenesis.