bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Scarus spinus, crustose coralline algae and cyanobacteria: an example of dietary specialization in the parrotfishes
Authors: Nicholson Georgina M. , Clements Kendall D.
Published: August 2022

Niche differentiation is a key stabilizing mechanism in the maintenance of biodiversity and species coexistence. Recent work shows that trophic niche partitioning between parrotfishes (Labridae: Scarini) is more extensive than previously described. One Indo-Pacific species,Scarus spinus, appears highly specialized, scraping crustose coralline algae (CCA) with powerful oral jaws. CCA are of low nutritional value, suggesting that the dietary targets of this parrotfish are protein-rich microphotoautotrophs associated with CCA, particularly filamentous cyanobacteria. We collected feeding substrata samples at mid-shelf and outer-shelf sites near Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, in 2018 and 2019, respectively.Scarus spinuswere followed on snorkel. When biting was observed, bite substrata were photographed and then a 22-mm-diameter core extracted around the bite site. Density of biota including filamentous cyanobacteria and diatoms was quantified microscopically on photographs of the bite cores (up to 630 × magnification). The taxonomy of cyanobacteria and CCA was refined using next-generation sequencing of 16S and 18S rRNA genes, respectively. CCA and filamentous cyanobacteria were present on all bite cores and the density of filamentous cyanobacteria whereS. spinusfed did not vary between mid-shelf and outer-reef samples. Epiphytic and shallow endophytic cyanobacteria were consistently associated with the CCA whereS. spinusfed, includingCalothrixspp.,Mastigocoleus testarum,Leptolyngbyaspp.,Hyella patelloidesand Oscillatoriales. Our results emphasize the importance of high-resolution species-specific dietary data for parrotfishes. We conclude that polyphasic methods are essential both for diet tracing and to develop our understanding of the cyanobacteria that are integral to coral reef functioning.
Longitudinal associations of sedentary behavior and physical activity with body composition in colorectal cancer survivors up to 2 years post treatment
Authors: Kenkhuis Marlou-Floor , Klingestijn Mo , Fanshawe Anne-Marie , Breukink Stéphanie O. , Janssen-Heijnen Maryska L. G. , Keulen Eric T. P. , Rinaldi Sabina , Vineis Paolo , Gunter Marc J. , Leitzmann Michael F. , Scalbert Augustin , Weijenberg Matty P. , Bours Martijn J. L. , van Roekel Eline H.
Published: August 2022

Purpose

We investigated longitudinal associations of sedentary behavior, light-intensity physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with body composition in colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors, between 6 weeks and 24 months post treatment. In addition, we explored whether body composition mediated associations of sedentary behavior and MVPA with fatigue.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was conducted in 459 stage I–III CRC patients recruited at diagnosis. Measurements were performed of accelerometer-assessed sedentary time (hours/day), self-reported LPA and MVPA (hours/week), anthropometric assessment of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and fat percentage (measures of adiposity), and muscle circumference and handgrip strength (measures of muscle mass/function) repeated at 6 weeks, and 6, 12 and 24 months post treatment. Longitudinal associations of sedentary time and physical activity with body composition were analyzed using confounder-adjusted linear mixed models. Mediation analyses were performed to explore the role of body mass index (BMI) and handgrip strength as mediators in associations of sedentary time and MVPA with fatigue.

Results

Less sedentary time and LPA were, independent of MVPA, longitudinally associated with increased handgrip strength, but not with measures of adiposity. More MVPA was associated with increased adiposity and increased handgrip strength. Higher BMI partly mediated associations between higher sedentary time and more fatigue.

Conclusion

Within the first two years after CRC treatment, changes in sedentary behavior, physical activity and body composition are interrelated and associated with fatigue. Intervention studies are warranted to investigate causality.

Trial registration

The EnCoRe study is registered at trialregister.nl as NL6904 (former ID: NTR7099).
Classification of surgical causes of and approaches to the chronically failing ileoanal pouch
Authors: Meima-van Praag E. M. , Reijntjes M. A. , Hompes R. , Buskens C. J. , Duijvestein M. , Bemelman W. A.
Published: August 2022

Background

Although there are various surgical causes of and therapeutic approaches to the chronically failing ileoanal pouch (PF), cases are often detailed without distinguishing the exact cause and corresponding treatment. The aim of our study was to classify causes of PF and corresponding surgical treatment options, and to establish efficacy of surgical approach per cause.

Methods

This retrospective study included all consecutive adult patients with chronic PF surgically treated at our tertiary hospital between July 2014 and March 2021. Patients were classified according to a proposed sub-classification for surgical related chronic PF. Results were reported accordingly.

Results

 A total of 59 procedures were completed in 50 patients (64% male, median age 45 years [IQR 34.5–54.3]) for chronic PF. Most patients had refractory ulcerative colitis as indication for their restorative proctocolectomy (68%). All patients could be categorized according to the sub-classification. Reasons for chronic PF were septic complications (n = 25), pouch body complications (n = 12), outlet problems (n = 11), cuff problems (n = 8), retained rectum (n = 2), and inlet problems (n = 1). For these indications, 17 pouches were excised, 10 pouch reconstructions were performed, and 32 pouch revision procedures were performed. The various procedures had different complication rates. Technical success rates of redo surgery for the different causes varied from 0 to 100%, with a 75% success rate for septic causes.

Conclusions

Our sub-classification for chronic PF and corresponding treatments is suitable for all included patients. Outcomes varied between causes and subsequent management. Chronic PF was predominantly caused by septic complications with redo surgery achieving a 75% technical success rate.
Estimating surface optical properties and thermal thrust for Galileo satellite body and solar panels
Authors: Duan Bingbing , Hugentobler Urs
Published: August 2022

Precise orbit determination of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites requires accurate models of perturbing forces acting on the spacecraft, i.e., solar radiation pressure (SRP) and thermal radiation forces. With the officially published satellite metadata, the analytical box-wing model is usually used to describe most of the SRP accelerations and the rest is assumed to be compensated by estimating ECOM/ECOM2 (Empirical CODE Orbit Model) parameters. However, we find that the precision of Galileo satellite orbits shows notable degradation inside eclipse seasons for 3-day-arc solutions and 24-h predictions. For instance, the RMS (root-mean-square) of orbit misclosures increases by about a factor of two in the eclipse season when using the box-wing model as the a priori and the 5-parameter ECOM model on top. The reason is proven to be mostly due to ignoring imbalanced thermal radiation forces (i.e., radiator emission and thermal radiation of solar panels) as satellite thermal properties are unknown. These imbalanced thermal effects cannot be fully absorbed by the ECOM/ECOM2 parameters inside eclipse seasons because the earth’s shadowing of a satellite in orbit causes periodic changes of the thermal environment. To cope with this problem, we first estimate satellite optical and thermal parameters as part of orbit determination based on Galileo tracking data covering 1 year. Then, we add physical thermal radiation models for radiators and solar panels as part of the a priori model and evaluate the performance of different ECOM models in Galileo satellite orbit determination. As shown by orbit misclosures, 24-h orbit predictions and SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging) residuals, the 7-parameter ECOM2 model performs better than the 5-parameter ECOM and the 9-parameter ECOM2 model for Galileo satellites. When using the 7-parameter ECOM2 model on top, the impact of the radiator emission and the thermal radiation of solar panels on Galileo satellite orbits is about 1 and 2 cm, respectively, inside eclipse seasons for 3-day-arc solutions.
A comparison of regularization models for few-view CT image reconstruction
Authors: Loli Piccolomini Elena
Published: August 2022

In this paper I analyse some regularization models for the reconstruction of X-rays Computed Tomography images from few-view projections. It is well known that the widely used low-cost Filtered Back Projection method is not suitable in case of low-dose data, since it produces images with noise and artifacts. Iterative reconstruction methods based on the model discretization are preferred in this case. However, since the problem has infinite possible solutions and is ill-posed, regularization is necessary to obtain a good solution. Different iterative regularization methods have been proposed in literature, but an organized comparison among them is not available. We compare some regularization approaches in the case of few-view tomography by means of simulated projections from both a phantom and a real image.
On an Application of Jack’s Lemma, Starlikeness and k-Fold Symmetry in $${\mathbb {C}}^{n}$$
Authors: Długosz Renata , Liczberski Piotr
Published: August 2022

It is known that the starlikeness plays a central role in complex analysis, similarly as the convexity in functional analysis. However, if we consider the biholomorphisms between domains in$${\mathbb {C}}^{n},$$Cn,apart from starlikeness of domains, various symmetries are also important. This follows from the Poincaré theorem showing that the Euclidean unit ball is not biholomorphically equivalent to a polydisc in$${\mathbb {C}}^{n},n>1$$Cn,n>1. From this reason the second author in 2003 considered some families of locally biholomorphic mappings defined in the Euclidean open unit ball using starlikeness factorization and a notion ofk-fold symmetry. The 2017 paper of both authors contains some results on the absorption by a family$$S(k),k\ge 2,$$S(k),k≥2,of the above kind, the families of mappings biholomorphic starlike (convex) and vice versa. In the present paper there is given a new sufficient criterion for a locally biholomorphic mappingf,  from the Euclidean ball$${\mathbb {B}}^{n}$$Bninto$${\mathbb {C}}^{n},$$Cn,to belong to the family$$S(k),k\ge 2.$$S(k),k≥2.The result is obtained using ann-dimensional version of Jack’s Lemma.
A Hippocratic Oath for Mathematicians? Mapping the Landscape of Ethics in Mathematics
Authors: Müller Dennis , Chiodo Maurice , Franklin James
Published: August 2022

While the consequences of mathematically-based software, algorithms and strategies have become ever wider and better appreciated, ethical reflection on mathematics has remained primitive. We review the somewhat disconnected suggestions of commentators in recent decades with a view to piecing together a coherent approach to ethics in mathematics. Calls for a Hippocratic Oath for mathematicians are examined and it is concluded that while lessons can be learned from the medical profession, the relation of mathematicians to those affected by their work is significantly different. There is something to be learned also from the codes of conduct of cognate but professionalised quantitative disciplines such as engineering and accountancy, as well as from legal principles bearing on professional work. We conclude with recommendations that professional societies in mathematics should sponsor an (international) code of ethics, institutional mission statements for mathematicians and syllabuses of ethics courses for incorporation into mathematics degrees.
Towards a Design Toolkit of Informed Consent Models Across Fields: A Systematic Review
Authors: Loosman Iris , Nickel Philip J.
Published: August 2022

In the 60+ years that the modern concept of informed consent has been around, researchers in various fields of practice, especially medical ethics, have developed new models to overcome theoretical and practical problems. While (systematic) literature reviews of such models exist within given fields (e.g., genetic screening), this article breaks ground by analyzing academic literature on consent models across fields. Three electronic research databases (Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) were searched for publications mentioning informed consent models. The titles, abstracts, and if applicable, full publications were screened and coded. The resulting data on fields, models, and themes were then analyzed. We scanned 300 sources from three databases to find 207 uniquely named consent models, and created a network visualization displaying which models occur primarily in one field, and which models overlap between fields. This analysis identifies trends in the consent debate in different fields, as well as common goals of consent models. The most frequently occurring consent models are identified and defined. The analysis contributes toward a cross-disciplinary “consent design toolkit” and highlights that there are more interrelationships between models and fields than are acknowledged in the literature. Where some models are designed to solve distinctively field-specific issues and are specific to biomedical ethics, some may be adaptable and applicable for other fields including engineering and design.
DRAXIN as a Novel Diagnostic Marker to Predict the Poor Prognosis of Glioma Patients
Authors: Jia Yulong , Liu Zhendong , Cheng Xingbo , Liu Runze , Li Pengxu , Kong Defu , Liang Wenjia , Liu Binfeng , Wang Hongbo , Bu Xingyao , Gao Yanzheng
Published: August 2022

An increasing number of evidences have shown that the carcinogenic effect of DRAXIN plays an important role in the malignant process of tumors, but the mechanism of its involvement in glioma has not yet been revealed. The main aim of this study is to explore the relationship between DRAXIN and the prognosis and pathogenesis of glioma through a large quality of data analysis. Firstly, thousands of tissue samples with clinical information were collected based on various public databases. Then, a series of bioinformatics analyses were performed to mine data from information of glioma samples extracted from several reputable databases to reveal the key role of DRAXIN in glioma development and progression, with the confirmation of basic experiments. Our results showed that high expression of the oncogene DRAXIN in tumor tissue and cells could be used as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in glioma patients and was strongly associated with clinical risk features. The reverse transcription-quantitative PCR technique was then utilized to validate the DRAXIN expression results we obtained. In addition, co-expression analysis identified, respectively, top 10 genes that were closely associated with DRAXIN positively or negatively. Finally, in vitro experiments demonstrated that knockdown of DRAXIN significantly inhibited proliferation and invasion of glioma cell. To sum up, this is the first report of DRAXIN being highly expressed in gliomas and leading to poor prognosis of glioma patients. DRAXIN may not only benefit to explore the pathogenesis of gliomas, but also serve as a novel biological target for the treatment of glioma.
Lichtgetriebene in vitro-Katalyse mit photosynthetischen Biohybriden
Authors: Frank Anna , Conzuelo Felipe , Schuhmann Wolfgang , Nowaczyk Marc M.
Published: August 2022

The use of photosynthetic biohybrids to drive redox reactions in vitro is a promising strategy due to the natural abundance and high quantum efficiency of the bio-components. Here, we present different tools for the fabrication of photosystem I-based biohybrid devices by using redox-active polymers, 3D-structured electrodes as well as additional light-harvesting antennae modules.
Towards a Comparative Study of Animal Consciousness
Authors: Veit Walter
Published: August 2022

In order to develop a true biological science of consciousness, we have to remove humans from the center of reference and develop a bottom-up comparative study of animal minds, as Donald Griffin intended with his call for a “cognitive ethology.” In this article, I make use of the pathological complexity thesis (Veit 2022a, b, c) to show that we can firmly ground a comparative study of animal consciousness by drawing on the resources of state-based behavioral life history theory. By comparing the different life histories of gastropods and arthropods, we will be able to make better sense of the possible origins of consciousness and its function for organisms in their natural environments.
Early Modern Europe, 1450–1789
Authors: Wiesner-Hanks Merry E.
Published: August 2022

Covering European history from the invention of the printing press to the French Revolution, the third edition of this best-selling textbook is thoroughly updated with new scholarship and an emphasis on environmental history, travel and migration, race and cultural blending, and the circulation of goods and knowledge. Summaries, timelines, maps, illustrations, and discussion questions illuminate the narrative and support the student. Enhanced online content and sections on sources and methodology give students the tools they need to study early modern European history. Leading historian Merry Wiesner-Hanks skillfully balances breadth and depth of coverage to create a strong narrative, paying particular attention to the global context of European developments. She integrates discussion of gender, class, regional, and ethnic differences across the entirety of Europe and its overseas colonies as well as the economic, political, religious, and cultural history of the period.
Forms of Interreligious Encounter in Contemporary Nigerian Fiction
Authors: Suhr-Sytsma Nathan
Published: August 2022

Africanist scholars continue to debate how best to frame Christian-Muslim encounters. Examining literary fiction that portrays interreligious conflict and dialogue in northern Nigeria, Suhr-Sytsma opens up an exchange between social scientists and Nigerian writers including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Uwem Akpan, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, and E. E. Sule. Suhr-Sytsma argues that, as social thinkers, Nigerian writers explore interreligious solidarity through forms of doubling and critique forms of sacrifice that authorize scapegoating. Consequently, contemporary Nigerian fiction raises fundamental questions not only about the relation of text to reality but also about the making and crossing of boundaries identified as religious.
A mixed-methods evaluation of the national implementation of the Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia Prevention by Engaging Nurses (HAPPEN) initiative
Authors: Stevenson Lauren D. , Munro Shannon , Klocko Robert , Sayre George
Published: August 2022

Objective:

To describe healthcare provider, veteran, and organizational barriers to, challenges to, and facilitators of implementation of the oral care Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia Prevention by Engaging Nurses (HAPPEN) initiative to prevent non–ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP).

Design:

Concurrent mixed methods. Qualitative interviews of staff and patients were conducted in addition to a larger survey of VA employees regarding implementation.

Setting:

Medical surgical or extended care units in 6 high-complexity (01a–c) VA hospitals.

Participants:

Between January 2020 and February 2021, we interviewed 7 staff and 7 veterans, and we received survey responses from 91 staff.

Intervention:

Provide education, support, and oral care supplies to prevent NV-HAP.

Results:

Barriers to HAPPEN implementation and tracking at the pilot sites included maintaining oral care supplies and completion of oral care documentation. Facilitators for HAPPEN implementation included development of supportive formal and informal nurse leaders, staff engagement, and shared beliefs in the importance of care quality and infection prevention. Nurses worked together as a team to provide consistent oral care. Oral care was viewed as an essential infection control practice (not just “a task”) and was considered part of the “culture” and “mission” in caring for veterans.

Conclusions:

Nurse leaders and direct-care staff were engaged throughout HAPPEN implementation, and most reported feeling supported and well prepared as they walked through the steps. Veterans reported positive experiences and increased knowledge about prevention of pneumonia. Lessons learned included building a community of practice and sharing expertise, which led to the successful replication of the HAPPEN initiative nationwide, improving patient safety and care quality and influencing health policy.
The state space and travelling-wave solutions in two-scale wall-bounded turbulence
Authors: Doohan Patrick , Bengana Yacine , Yang Qiang , Willis Ashley P. , Hwang Yongyun
Published: August 2022

The computation of invariant solutions and the visualisation of the associated state space have played a key role in the understanding of transition and the self-sustaining process in wall-bounded shear flows. In this study, an extension of this approach is sought for a turbulent flow which explicitly exhibits multi-scale behaviour. The minimal unit of multi-scale near-wall turbulence, which resolves two adjacent spanwise integral length scales of motion, is considered using a shear stress-driven flow model (Doohan, Willis & Hwang J. Fluid Mech., vol. 913, 2021, A8). The edge state, 26 travelling waves and two periodic orbits are computed, which represent either the large- or small-scale self-sustaining processes. Given that the spanwise length scales are not widely separated here, it could be envisaged that turbulent trajectories visit these solutions in the state space. Considering the intra- and inter-scale dynamics of the flow, numerous phase portraits are examined, but the turbulent state is not found to approach any of these solutions. A detailed analysis reveals that this is due to the lack of scale interaction processes captured by the invariant solutions, including the mean–fluctuation interaction, the energy cascade in the streamwise wavenumber space and the cascade-driven energy production discovered recently. There is a single solution that resembles turbulence much more than the others, which captures two-scale energetics and a scale interaction process involving energy feeding from small to large spanwise scales through the subharmonic sinuous streak instability mode. Based on these observations, it is conjectured that the state space view of turbulent trajectories wandering between solutions would need suitable refinement to model multi-scale turbulence, when each solution does not represent multi-scale processes of turbulence. In particular, invariant solutions that are inherently multi-scale would be required.
Political Solutions to Discriminatory Behavior
Authors: GUUL THORBJØRN SEJR
Published: August 2022

Discriminatory treatment of minorities by public authorities remains a serious challenge and breaks with the central principles of impartiality. However, little research examines how discrimination can be reduced through political means. This article argues that discrimination occurs when the perceived marginal cost of serving a minority citizen exceeds the funding per user and/or when excess of demand forces the provider to prioritize which citizens to serve. This also suggests that increasing the funding per user and increasing supply to meet demand might reduce differential treatment. These predictions are tested in a high school enrollment system where the funding is linked to the number of students enrolled. Unique, fine-grained administrative data show that minority applicants are 9 percentage points less likely to be enrolled in their preferred high school. More importantly, an administrative reform shows how increasing the supply-side flexibility and pay per user cuts the difference in half.
The lives and work of Bob Dylan
Authors: Frith Simon
Published: August 2022

According to the website Come writers and critics, which keeps a running list of all ‘documents related to Bob Dylan printed on paper’, by the end of 2021 (Dylan's 80th year), there were 829 books about him in English and 723 in 36 other languages (from 175 in German to one each in Bulgarian and Vietnamese).1 The list is indiscriminate in terms of the various books’ quality, originality or readability, but looking at the bibliographies of the various works I'm reviewing here, it seems that there are at least 50 Dylan books that academic Dylanologists take seriously (and many more journal articles).2 From this perspective, my four titles provide a useful cross-section of the most common academic Dylan studies in disciplinary terms: biography, literary criticism, musicology and cultural studies. I should also note that in March 2016 the George Kaiser Family Foundation bought Bob Dylan's personal archive (for $22 million according to Heylin) and gave it a permanent home in Tulsa. This has opened up significant new research possibilities. In its own words:

The Bob Dylan Archive® highlights the unique artistry and worldwide cultural significance of Bob Dylan. Housed at the University of Tulsa's Helmerich Center for American Research at Gilcrease Museum, the archive includes decades of never-before-seen handwritten manuscripts, notebooks and correspondence; films, videos, photographs and artwork; memorabilia; personal documents; unrecorded song lyrics and chords.

Like the writer and composer archives to be found in many university libraries, the Bob Dylan collection is accessible onsite (and by appointment) to ‘individuals with qualified research projects’, and The World of Bob Dylan is, in effect, a celebration of a new era for Dylan scholarship. Its editor, Sean Latham, is the Director of the related Institute for Bob Dylan Studies.3 However, the first book to draw on the Bob Dylan Archive systematically is Clinton Heylin's The Double Life.
Long-term results of biventricular correction for patients with double outlet right ventricle
Authors: Wang Zhangwei , Li Zhiqiang
Published: August 2022

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to report outcomes of double outlet right ventricle biventricular repair at a single institution in developing countries and to investigate post-operatively determined risk factors for mortality and late intervention.

Methods:

Patients with double outlet right ventricle who underwent biventricular repair in our centre from January 2009 to December 2021 were included.

Results:

A total of 96 patients (male/female = 61/35) with biventricular repair were included. According to its specific anatomical type, the appropriate individual surgical plan was selected. Multivariate analysis indicated that prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass time(OR = 1.044; p = 0.012) and pre-operative moderate or above pulmonary hypertension(OR = 24.558; p = 0.023) were independent risk factors for early mortality. Univariate analysis showed that different anatomical types and different surgical methods had similar late intervention and late mortality. Concomitant coarctation of the aorta(OR = 40; p = 0.020) and concomitant ventricular septal defect enlargement(OR = 26.667; p = 0.005) were independent risk factors for late intervention by multivariate analysis.

Conclusion:

Selection of appropriate surgical techniques based on different anatomical types often results in similar late outcomes. For patients with concomitant ventricular septal defect enlargement during the operation, it is necessary to fully expand and avoid damage to the conduction bundle. We should timely intervention in patients with coarctation of the aorta and pay attention to the occurrence of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction during follow-up.
Patent ductus arteriosus ligation under high-frequency oscillatory ventilation in two critically ill pre-mature newborns
Authors: Rzayev Turkay , Karakurt Yakup , Ugurlucan Murat , Tastekin Ayhan , Demirel Gamze
Published: August 2022

Information on the use of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation in neonatal surgeries is very rare. In this report, we discuss two pre-term infants who had to receive high-frequency oscillatory ventilation as a rescue treatment due to severe pre-maturity. These two cases underwent successful bedside patent ductus arteriosus ligation under high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, and this shows us that patent ductus arteriosus ligation can be performed successfully in neonates even under high-frequency oscillatory ventilation.
Erosion Behavior of Sand‐Silt Mixtures: Revisiting the Erosion Threshold
Authors: Yao Peng , Su Min , Wang Zhengbing , van Rijn Leo C. , Stive Marcel J. F. , Xu Chunyang , Chen Yongping
Published: August 2022

The erosion threshold, beyond which bed sediments start to move, is a key parameter describing sediment transport processes. For silt‐dominated mixtures, in which the grain size is between sand and clay, existing experimental studies exhibit contradictory observations. That is, the erosion was either sand‐like or clay‐like, suggesting transitional erosion behavior. To explore the underlying mechanism of the transitional erosion behavior of silt‐sized sediment, we revisited the topic of the erosion threshold of sand‐silt mixtures by carrying out a series of erosion experiments for different bed compositions. The results suggest that there exists a critical silt content of approximately 35%, separating two domains. Below this critical value, the critical bed shear stress follows the Shields criterion, whereas above this value, the erosion threshold of a mixed bed increases abruptly and remains relatively constant with a further increase in silt content. By combining with existing data, we found that the proposed critical silt content acts as a tipping point, beyond which the mixed bed shifts from a sand‐dominated to a silt‐dominated domain. For the silt‐dominated domain, a stable silt skeleton can be formed by attraction forces that resist erosion. However, the attraction forces are too weak to form a stable silt skeleton when the silt content is too small. Based on this finding, a modified critical bed shear stress formula is proposed for silt‐dominated mixtures, which results in a better agreement with experimental data (an averaged bias of 10%), performing better than existing formulas (larger than 30%).
Urban Soil Safety Policies: The Next Frontier for Mitigating Lead Exposures and Promoting Sustainable Food Production
Authors: Lupolt Sara N. , Santo Raychel E. , Kim Brent F. , Burke Thomas A. , Nachman Keeve E.
Published: August 2022

Urban soils bear the persistent legacy of leaded gasoline and past industrial practices. Soil safety policies (SSPs) are an important public health tool with the potential to inform, identify, and mitigate potential health risks faced by urban growers, but little is known about how these policies may protect growers from exposures to lead and other soil contaminants. We reviewed and evaluated 43 urban agriculture (UA) policies in 40 US cities pertaining to soil safety. About half of these cities had a least one SSP that offered recommendations or provided services for soil testing. Eight cities had at least one SSP containing a requirement pertaining to any topic (e.g., soil testing, a specific best practice for growing). We found notable inconsistencies across SSPs for “acceptable” levels of lead in soils and the activities and behaviors recommended at each level. We specify research needed to inform revisions to US Environmental Protection Agency guidance for lead in soils specific to UA. We conclude with a series of recommendations to guide the development or revision of SSPs.
Whistler‐Mode Waves in the Magnetospheric Ducts: Statistical Study
Authors: Williams Daniel D. , Streltsov Anatoly V.
Published: August 2022

The paper presents results from the statistical study of very low frequency (VLF) whistler‐mode waves observed inside field‐aligned density inhomogeneities by the NASA Van Allen Probe satellites. These observations were conducted in the night‐side equatorial magnetosphere during April 2013 and in the dusk‐side magnetosphere during August 2015. The total number of analyzed events is 225. The events include wave ducting in the so‐called “narrow” high‐density (HDD) ducts, where the variation of the background magnetic field over the duct width is insignificant compared to the change in the density, and “wide” ducts; where the variation of the magnetic field needs to be taken into account. Of the 225 total events, 176 of them were “narrow” events. The analysis revealed that the most common size of narrow, HDD ducts are 100–200 km. These ducts are characterized by the increase in the amplitude of the density of 161%. The background magnetic field in these ducts is in the range of 100–300 nT. The wide ducts are formed by the broader regions, consisting of large‐scale gradients in the density and the magnetic field. We analyzed 49 wide ducts observed in the dusk magnetosphere during August 2015. Frequency of the waves trapped in these ducts is commonly in the range of 400–500 Hz. Our results demonstrate that ducting of the VLF waves by the HDD narrow and wide ducts is a common phenomenon and it may significantly contribute to the VLF energy propagation and distribution in the magnetosphere.
Hydrological Droughts of 2017–2018 Explained by the Bayesian Reconstruction of GRACE(‐FO) Fields
Authors: Mo Shaoxing , Zhong Yulong , Forootan Ehsan , Shi Xiaoqing , Feng Wei , Yin Xin , Wu Jichun
Published: August 2022

Hydrological droughts are events of prolonged water scarcity and cause many devastating impacts. It is, therefore, extremely crucial to understand their spatiotemporal evolution to guide prevention and mitigation policies. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE, April 2002–June 2017) and GRACE Follow‐On (GRACE‐FO, June 2018 until the present) missions have been used to study large‐scale droughts of almost two decades. But characterizing droughts during the between missions gap period of 2017 and 2018 has not been well addressed and will be covered here. To bridge the gap, an innovative Bayesian convolutional neural network is developed to reconstruct the missing signals from hydroclimatic inputs. The reconstruction fields and existing signals are then used to explore regions that have experienced consecutive water storage deficits during the 2017–2018 gap. We found many regions of the northern midlatitudes exhibiting moderate to exceptional droughts in terms of water storage deficits, among which parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and Iberian Peninsula experienced exceptional droughts lasting for more than 1 year with the maximum deficits (−4.4 ± 0.8 and −7.2 ± 1.1 cm, respectively) being over 50% of the seasonal storage variations. Comparisons with climate indicators show that the identified droughts are predominantly caused by continuous below‐normal precipitation. The recovery process correlates generally well with the accumulation rate of precipitation surpluses (the correlation coefficient (R) can be up to 0.92). Besides, the reconstructed signals, which have R > 0.7 with the testing GRACE(‐FO) data in over 90% of the globe, reliably maintain the data continuity and therefore they are recommended for hydro‐climatological studies.
Genomic diversity and biosynthetic capabilities of sponge-associated chlamydiae
Authors: Dharamshi Jennah E , Gaarslev Natalia , Steffen Karin , Martin Tom , Sipkema Detmer , Ettema Thijs J G
Published: August 2022

Sponge microbiomes contribute to host health, nutrition, and defense through the production of secondary metabolites. Chlamydiae, a phylum of obligate intracellular bacteria ranging from animal pathogens to endosymbionts of microbial eukaryotes, are frequently found associated with sponges. However, sponge-associated chlamydial diversity has not yet been investigated at the genomic level and host interactions thus far remain unexplored. Here, we sequenced the microbiomes of three sponge species and found high, though variable, Chlamydiae relative abundances of up to 18.7% of bacteria. Using genome-resolved metagenomics 18 high-quality sponge-associated chlamydial genomes were reconstructed, covering four chlamydial families. Among these, Candidatus Sororchlamydiaceae shares a common ancestor with Chlamydiaceae animal pathogens, suggesting long-term co-evolution with animals. Based on gene content, sponge-associated chlamydiae resemble members from the same family more than sponge-associated chlamydiae of other families, and have greater metabolic versatility than known chlamydial animal pathogens. Sponge-associated chlamydiae are also enriched in genes for degrading diverse compounds found in sponges. Unexpectedly, we identified widespread genetic potential for secondary metabolite biosynthesis across Chlamydiae, which may represent an unexplored source of novel natural products. This finding suggests that Chlamydiae members may partake in defensive symbioses and that secondary metabolites play a wider role in mediating intracellular interactions. Furthermore, sponge-associated chlamydiae relatives were found in other marine invertebrates, pointing towards wider impacts of the Chlamydiae phylum on marine ecosystems.
Elevated KIR expression and diminished intensity of CD7 on NK cell subsets among treatment naïve HIV infected Ethiopians
Authors: Andualem Henok , Lemma Mulualem , Keflie Amare , Workeneh Meseret , Ayelign Birhanu , Tassachew Yayehyirad , Hailu Lidya , Geteneh Alene , Mihret Adane , Zewdie Martha , Howe Rawleigh
Published: August 2022

Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial effector cells of the innate immune response to viral infections, including HIV, through cytolytic activity and the production of cytokines with anti-HIV activities. We recruited 15 treatment naïve HIV patients and 16 healthy controls (HC) to assess NK cell subsets or expression of multiple markers by flow cytometry. The frequency of circulating CD56brightCD16−veand CD56dimCD16brightNK cell subsets was significantly lower among the HIV group than in HC. The CD56−veCD16brightsubset was higher in HIV patients, but this was only apparent when gated among total NK cells, not total lymphocytes. NK cells among HIV participants also showed a lower and higher frequency of CD8 and HLA-DR expressing cells, respectively. In addition, CD7 median fluorescent intensity and CD2+CD7−frequencies were significantly lower in HIV patients. A distinct population of KIR3DL1/S1 cells was unexpectedly higher among CD56brightCD16−veNK cells in HIV patients. In conclusion, this study in the Ethiopian setting confirms many previous findings, but the down-regulation of CD7 and enhanced KIR3DL1/S1 within the CD56brightsubsets have not been widely reported among HIV patients and merit further research.
Clinical parameter-based prediction of DNA methylation classification generates a prediction model of prognosis in patients with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia
Authors: Imaizumi Takahiro , Meyer Julia , Wakamatsu Manabu , Kitazawa Hironobu , Murakami Norihiro , Okuno Yusuke , Yoshida Taro , Sajiki Daichi , Hama Asahito , Kojima Seiji , Takahashi Yoshiyuki , Loh Mignon , Stieglitz Elliot , Muramatsu Hideki
Published: August 2022

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a rare heterogeneous hematological malignancy of early childhood characterized by causative RAS pathway mutations. Classifying patients with JMML using global DNA methylation profiles is useful for risk stratification. We implemented machine learning algorithms (decision tree, support vector machine, and naïve Bayes) to produce a DNA methylation-based classification according to recent international consensus definitions using a well-characterized pooled cohort of patients with JMML (n = 128). DNA methylation was originally categorized into three subgroups: high methylation (HM), intermediate methylation (IM), and low methylation (LM), which is a trichotomized classification. We also dichotomized the subgroups as HM/IM and LM. The decision tree model showed high concordances with 450k-based methylation [82.3% (106/128) for the dichotomized and 83.6% (107/128) for the trichotomized subgroups, respectively]. With an independent cohort (n = 72), we confirmed that these models using both the dichotomized and trichotomized classifications were highly predictive of survival. Our study demonstrates that machine learning algorithms can generate clinical parameter-based models that predict the survival outcomes of patients with JMML and high accuracy. These models enabled us to rapidly and effectively identify candidates for augmented treatment following diagnosis.
A new method for estimating under-recruitment of a patient registry: a case study with the Ohio Registry of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Li Meifang , Shi Xun , Gui Jiang , Song Chao , Andrew Angeline S. , Pioro Erik P. , Stommel Elijah W. , Tischbein Maeve , Bradley Walter G.
Published: August 2022

We developed a disease registry to collect all incident amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases diagnosed during 2016–2018 in Ohio. Due to incomplete case ascertainment and limitations of the traditional capture-recapture method, we proposed a new method to estimate the number of cases not recruited by the Registry and their spatial distribution. Specifically, we employed three statistical methods to identify reference counties with normal case-population relationships to build a Poisson regression model for estimating case counts in target counties that potentially have unrecruited cases. Then, we conducted spatial smoothing to adjust outliers locally. We validated the estimates with ALS mortality data. We estimated that 119 total cases (95% CI [109, 130]) were not recruited, including 36 females (95% CI [31, 41]) and 83 males (95% CI [74, 99]), and were distributed unevenly across the state. For target counties, including estimated unrecruited cases increased the correlation between the case count and mortality count from r = 0.8494 to 0.9585 for the total, from 0.7573 to 0.8270 for females, and from 0.6862 to 0.9292 for males. The advantage of this method in the spatial perspective makes it an alternative to capture-recapture for estimating cases missed by disease registries.
Computing semantic similarity of texts based on deep graph learning with ability to use semantic role label information
Authors: Mohebbi Majid , Razavi Seyed Naser , Balafar Mohammad Ali
Published: August 2022

We propose a deep graph learning approach for computing semantic textual similarity (STS) by using semantic role labels generated by a Semantic Role Labeling (SRL) system. SRL system output has significant challenges in dealing with graph-neural networks because it doesn't have a graph structure. To address these challenges, we propose a novel SRL graph by using semantic role labels and dependency grammar. For processing the SRL graph, we proposed a Deep Graph Neural Network (DGNN) based graph-U-Net model that is placed on top of the transformers to use a variety of transformers to process representations obtained from them. We investigate the effect of using the proposed DGNN and SRL graph on the performance of some transformers in computing STS. For the evaluation of our approach, we use STS2017 and SICK datasets. Experimental evaluations show that using the SRL graph accompanied by applying the proposed DGNN increases the performance of the transformers used in the DGNN.
Improved H-adsorption ability of Cu in CuNi alloy nanodots toward the efficient photocatalytic H2-evolution activity of TiO2
Authors: Wang Meiya , Wang Ping , Long Haoyu , Wang Xuefei , Chen Feng , Yu Huogen
Published: August 2022

The CuNi alloy nanodots (2–3 nm) were photoreduced on the rGO/TiO2 surface and CuNi-rGO/TiO2 photocatalyst achieved the highest H2-production rate, which was 53.7, 38.7, and 1.8 times higher than that of TiO2, rGO/TiO2, and Cu-rGO/TiO2, respectively.
Novel electrochemically-mediated peptide dethiylation in processes relevant to native chemical ligation
Authors: Lamb Charles M. G. , Shi Jian , Wilden Jonathan D. , Macmillan Derek
Published: August 2022

Electricity is applied to native chemical ligation and related products. A 1 V potential applied to platinum electrodes in 0.15 M TCEP solution converts Cys to Ala in cyclic peptides, and cleaves the 2-mercapto-2-phenethyl acyl transfer auxiliary.
Facilitating DER participation in wholesale electricity market through TSO‐DSO coordination
Authors: Gupta Megha , Vaishya Shri Ram , Abhyankar Abhijit R.
Published: August 2022

In this study, a novel coordinated market scheme is proposed, enabling the participation of distributed energy resources (DERs) in the wholesale as well as local energy market (LEM). First, a day‐ahead energy market framework is proposed that is operated by a distribution system operator (DSO) in coordination with the transmission system operator (TSO). The DERs present in a distribution system have the freedom to select among the local or wholesale electricity markets (WEM) to offer their energy. The DSO aggregates all DERs' services and power demand to represent them in a WEM operated at the transmission level. The proposed model allows the DSO to select more economical ways of allocating the resources utilising the TSO‐DSO coordination strategy. The objective is to maximise social welfare in light of network constraints. Furthermore, a practical method is developed for DSOs to redistribute any monetary surplus among different DERs participating in the WEM. Numerical simulations indicate the proposed model's economic effectiveness compared to the scenario where DERs are allocated only at the local market level.
Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution‐based comprehensive health assessment of composite insulators for overhead transmission lines
Authors: Yuan Zhikang , Yang Zhouhang , Jin Lijun , Zhou Gangjie , Zhang Yingyao , Wang Hanqing , Wang Cong , Tu Youping
Published: August 2022

There are a lot of quantitative performance characterisation methods for composite insulators. However, how to apply the characterisation methods with different dimensions to comprehensively assess the health state of composite insulators remains a big problem for operators and researchers. A comprehensive health assessment model for composite insulators based on the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method is proposed in this study. Fourteen composite insulators from four regions in Yunnan Province, China, and five quantitative characterisation indicators of the insulators, namely hardness, hydrophobicity, loss of hydrophobicity, recovery of hydrophobicity, and trap charge, are selected to verify the model. The results show that the Pearson correlation coefficient of the TOPSIS‐based comprehensive health score with operating time is 0.72, which is better than the other single indicator. By introducing the operating time into the TOPSIS‐based model, we can also obtain the ageing resistance performance of the composite insulator. This work provides a new idea to assess the health state and ageing performance of composite insulators.