bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A step towards sustainability: life cycle assessment of coffee produced in the indigenous community of Ocotepec, Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: Calvillo-Arriola Atzin E. , Sotelo-Navarro Perla X.
Published: February 2024

Coffee is one of the tropical crops of great relevance. Mexico occupies one of the first places to produce it. Chiapas is the state that contributes the most significant amount of grain to the national and international market, harvested by organized groups such as cooperatives of origin indigenous. In these regions, cultivation is divided into five stages: cultivation, harvest, wet processing, dry processing and roasting. Thus, the agroecological approach based on the agroforestry system of coffee in the community of Ocotepec allowed generating an intercultural dialogue with a Zoque indigenous cooperative, where its members expressed the need to develop information regarding their production process and thus take the relevant decisions. Concerning environmental impacts. The life cycle analysis was applied as a methodological tool to evaluate the process of producing a kilogram of ground coffee in its honey and specialty varieties offered to the national market, showing the most significant impacts for both types of coffee. Cultivation level (water consumption around 80% and land use with effects close to 98%), wet processing (impacting the ecotoxicity of water sources close to 99% followed by marine ecotoxicity with 73%) and in its distribution stage affecting at least 15 environmental categories, likewise, comparative tests were carried out to calculate the carbon footprint and the water footprint, with shade-grown honey coffee being the type of coffee that has the most negligible environmental impact and contributes the most profits to the cooperative.
Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics Associated with COVID-19 Severity Among Hospitalized Patients in the United Arab Emirates: A Retrospective Multicentre Study
Authors: Al-Bluwi Najlaa , Agha Razan , Shukla Ankita , Zeidan Rouba Karen , AlZubaidi Hamzah , Awad Manal , Hussein Amal , Abdelbagi Muzan , AlSayed Khaled , Alebaji Mohamad B. , Shaheen Mahasin , Salameh Laila , Mahboub Bassam , Elkhodary Hady , Bendardaf Riyad , Mohammed Ghada , Wardat Dima , Al-Hano Zahraa , Amara Hajir I. , Alhajjaj Mohamed Saleh , Hamid Qutayba , Halwani Rabih , Saddik Basema
Published: February 2024

Objectives

To investigate the clinical and epidemiological factors associated with severe COVID-19 cases in hospitalized patients across two emirates within the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods

A retrospective observational analytical study analysed data from 738 medical records and conducted 573 in-depth interviews with patients hospitalized across multiple healthcare centers in the UAE, between 29 January 2020 and 14 October 2021. Regression analysis predicted risk factors for COVID-19 severity.

Results

Main risk factors identified were crowding (aOR 1.919; 95%CI 1.144, 3.221), obesity (aOR 2.383; 95%CI 1.332, 4.263), diabetes (aOR 11.14; 95%CI 2.653–46.797), severe dehydration (aOR 3.219; 95%CI 2.161, 4.795), cough or sore throat (aOR 1.607; 95%CI 1.032, 2.502), shortness of breath (aOR 1.921; 95%CI 1.294, 2.853), increased days from symptom onset to admission (aOR 1.055; 95%CI 1.006, 1.105), elevated ANC (aOR 1.263, 95%CI 1.121, 1.424), and AST/SGOT (aOR 1.055, 95% CI 1.016, 1.095). Protective factors included smoking (aOR 0.367; 95%CI 0.182, 0.740), first dose of COVID-19 vaccination (aOR 0.595; 95%CI 0.377, 0.93), higher oxygen saturation (aOR 0.853; 95%CI: 0.801, 0.907) and elevated ALC (aOR 0.540; 95%CI 0.323, 0.905).

Conclusion

Identifying risk factors is crucial for high-risk individuals who may require closer monitoring to improve their outcomes. This can provide guidance for surveillance systems and early detection strategies to mitigate the impact of future outbreaks.
Infection risk assessment due to contaminant leakage in biological laboratories in different scenarios - the case of COVID-19 virus
Authors: Gao Hu , Liu Jing , Qiu Liping , Wu Weiwei , Qian Weixin
Published: February 2024

Biosafety laboratories are specialized in handling dangerous microorganisms, but there are cases where contaminants are leaked due to improper handling and other reasons. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the pattern of infection after a laboratory spill can help laboratory personnel get out of danger as soon as possible and avoid the occurrence of infection events. In this paper, we take the COVID-19 virus outbreak in recent years as an example to explore the probability of infection of laboratory personnel under different circumstances. The study used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to predict the change of contaminant concentration over time in a typical laboratory, and then analyzed the relationship between contaminant concentration and infection probability by using a metrological response model, and calculated the infection probability of indoor personnel over time in the presence or absence of obstacles in the laboratory and the different locations of contaminant leakage, respectively. The results showed that the probability of personnel infection remained basically stable after 8 min of contaminant leakage; at the same time, the probability of infection was higher when the contaminant source was located below the exhaust vent than in other locations; and the probability of illness was lower in laboratories with obstacles than in laboratories without obstacles under the same conditions. This finding is helpful for laboratory layout design.
Analysis of the educational and cultural activity of the Spanish government in social media: a comparison between pandemic and post-pandemic times
Authors: Alonso-Ferreiro Almudena , Zabalza-Cerdeiriña María-Ainoa , Da-Vila Sergio
Published: February 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged education systems as a whole, which had to act on emergency and without previous experience. The aim of this study is to examine the Spanish Government's response to the lockdown scenario through social media and the current (post-pandemic) activity. We collected the Twitter output of the 11 accounts linked to educational and cultural bodies and institutions of the Spanish Government and the interaction of citizens with them. We undertook analyses of social media output in pandemic and post-pandemic times. At the same time, we conducted a content analysis of the 126 tweets posted during the pandemic that had the greatest impact. The results point to increased production during the pandemic and a peak in interactions during the period of strict lockdown. The qualitative analysis reveals that Twitter is mainly used as an information and unidirectional communication board, where the Spanish Government's commitment to resources and tools based on open licences stands out, offering alternatives for Education in times of COVID-19, mainly to teachers. Finally, the analysis has allowed us to identify elements of success in social media communication.
Evaluation of external vibratory stimulation as a treatment for chronic scrotal pain in adult men: A single center open label pilot study
Authors: Khandwala Yash S. , Serrano Fernando , Eisenberg Michael L.
Published: February 2024

Background and aims

Chronic scrotal pain is a common yet poorly understood urologic disease. Current treatment paradigms are sub-optimal and include anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids as well as invasive surgical management such as microdenervation of the spermatic cord. In this study, the efficacy of external vibratory stimulation (EVS) was evaluated as an alternative treatment option for idiopathic scrotal pain.

Materials and methods

Ten consecutive patients presenting to an academic urology clinic between December 2016 and April 2017 with scrotal pain were prospectively enrolled. After a comprehensive history and physical exam, patients were presented with and oriented to a spherical vibratory device that they were instructed to use topically each day for four weeks. Average and maximum pain severity, frequency, and bother scores were tracked at 2-week intervals using a visual analog scale (0-10) via survey. Descriptive statistics facilitated interpretation of individual changes in pain.

Results

Nine men, with a median age of 46 years, completed at least 2 weeks of the study intervention. 78% (7/9) of men achieved some improvement in daily scrotal pain levels. Overall, average pain decreased from 4.9 to 2.7 (p = 0.009) while maximum pain severity decreased from 6.3 to 4.0 (p = 0.013). The frequency of pain also decreased for 55.6% (5/9) of men. No severe side effects were noted by any of the participants though several patients reported mild paresthesia only during application of the device. The majority of men expressed interest in continuing treatment after conclusion of the study.

Conclusion

External vibratory stimulation has been suggested as a promising non-invasive tool to alleviate chronic pain. As a proof-of-concept, we implemented EVS to treat men with idiopathic orchialgia. The majority of patients noted benefit in both severity and frequency of pain. Given its low risk profile, EVS deserves further evaluation and inclusion in treatment guidelines as a promising experimental therapy for a disease with few conservative treatment options available to providers.

Implications

In this longitudinal study, external vibratory stimulation was found to decrease chronic scrotal pain without any adverse effects. The use of this non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical therapy to treat chronic scrotal pain has the potential to decrease physician and patient dependence on surgical procedures and opioid prescriptions. Future randomized, double blind clinical trials with a placebo arm are required to corroborate these findings and establish the true efficacy of EVS.
African Philosophy of Religion and Western Monotheism
Authors: Lougheed Kirk , Molefe Motsamai , Metz Thaddeus
Published: February 2024

The Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are typically recognized as the world's major monotheistic religions. However, African Traditional Religion is, despite often including lesser spirits and gods, a monotheistic religion with numerous adherents in sub-Saharan Africa; it includes the idea of a single most powerful God responsible for the creation and sustenance of everything else. This Element focuses on drawing attention to this major world religion that has been much neglected by scholars around the globe, particularly those working in the West or Northern Hemisphere. It accomplishes this primarily by bringing it into conversation with topics in the Anglo-American philosophy of religion.
Poverty and the World Order
Authors: Walker Robert
Published: February 2024

Robert Walker provides a critical examination of the promise and reality of SDG1, the United Nations' Social Development Goal designed, among other things, to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030. The author's message is stark: there is little chance of success. Although the need for a collective and coordinated response is clear, global and national systems of governance are currently incapable of an adequate response.

While the critique is formidable, the book seeks to identify reforms necessary to meaningfully increase the likelihood of meeting SDG1's goals. These include reshaping international institutions so that they give greater voice to governments in the developing world, facilitating enhanced modes of participatory governance, and increasing democratic accountability at a global level. Evidence is drawn throughout from a systematic review of international best practice supplemented by more detailed strategic case-studies, including from China.
Ethical Considerations for Open-Source Investigations into International Crimes
Authors: Koenig Alexa
Published: February 2024

Over the past decade, the field of digital open-source investigations has both expanded and matured. Open source investigations rely on information that anyone can access from the Internet, and have been increasingly deployed by legal investigators, human rights researchers, and journalists. The investigatory methods include Boolean searches; sourcing videos, photographs, and other data from social media; determining locations of events by comparing photos and videos to satellite images; mining the deep web for government records; determining time of day by analyzing shadows in photos; and more. In this essay, I argue that digital open-source investigators can (and should) rely on a three-step process when faced with an investigations-related dilemma: (1) identifying what the law says they can or cannot do according to their professional identity, intended purpose, and relevant jurisdiction; (2) soliciting guidance from their professional code of ethics (if they have one); and (3) weighing their options against the values of safety, accuracy, and dignity. Given space constraints and prior coverage of the first two steps, I focus here on step three. The values of safety, accuracy, and dignity arguably apply to all open-source investigations and investigators, regardless of jurisdiction or professional identity, and their application reflects a relatively novel attempt to help set ethics-based boundaries around investigation-related activities.
Digital Evidence in Disputes Involving States
Authors: Brantes Ferreira Daniel , Gromova Elizaveta A.
Published: February 2024

The use of digital evidence increases concurrently with increased digitalization of the larger world and of justice processes. This essay aims to address the use of digital evidence in interstate disputes and other disputes involving states. It focuses on the case law of two international arbitral bodies—the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)—and of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The analysis discloses three main concerns when dealing with digital evidence: authorship, authenticity, and chain of custody. We propose that courts create permanent and ad hoc digital forensic expert committees to draft guidelines and perform a preliminary admissibility evaluation of digital evidence.
Challenges of Using Digital Evidence for War Crimes Prosecutions: Availability, Reliability, Admissibility
Authors: Peake Jessica
Published: February 2024

Digital evidence has the potential to transform the accountability landscape. However, several obstacles must be overcome to use it effectively for war crimes prosecutions. The availability of digital evidence can be impacted by a range of factors, from Internet connectivity to removal of content by platforms to the difficulty of identifying relevant content through the fast pace of social media. The reliability of digital information is increasingly being called into question because of deliberate disinformation campaigns by parties to conflicts, as well as the fear of media manipulated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). And questions around chain of custody and admissibility of digital evidence have not fully been resolved by international courts. This essay unpacks some of these challenges. It suggests some ways in which governments and big tech should seek to ensure access to digital spaces and put in place measures to increase the integrity of online content, and how investigators and lawyers can gather, authenticate, archive, and establish chain of custody to ensure it can be used in accountability processes.
Légitimités conflictuelles: le droit international humanitaire entre légitimité du statut et légitimité de la cause
Authors: Fuhrmann Rémi
Published: February 2024

Le présent article se propose de concevoir l’influence de la notion de légitimité au-delà du rôle lui étant communément attribué en droit international humanitaire (DIH), en s’intéressant particulièrement à la relation entre ce dernier et les causes de la guerre, la nature des acteurs impliqués dans les conflits armés ainsi que les motivations des parties. En remettant notamment en question de l’idée d’une stricte séparation entre jus in bello et jus ad bellum, il est soutenu que les tentatives visant à isoler le DIH de ces questions de légitimité sont à la fois vaines, mais également à rebours de l’évolution et des logiques du régime. Il est en revanche défendu que la notion de légitimité en DIH se manifeste à travers deux modes de légitimation — l’un dérivant du statut, l’autre de la cause — à partir desquels la distribution de droits, devoirs, immunités, privilèges ou encore statuts s’opère et se voit justifiée au sein du régime. Ce faisant, de nombreux discours empruntant au second registre, souvent qualifiés d’aberrations du point de vue du DIH, ou dont la nature juridique est contestée, s’avèrent finalement être des arguments juridiques parfaitement valides et ancrés dans l’évolution et les logiques du DIH.
Qualitative properties of solutions for system involving the fractional Laplacian
Authors: Zhuo Ran , Lü Yingshu
Published: February 2024

In this paper, we consider the following non-linear system involving the fractional Laplacian

0.1

\begin{equation} \left\{\begin{array}{@{}ll} (-\Delta)^{s} u (x)= f(u,\,v), \\ (-\Delta)^{s} v (x)= g(u,\,v), \end{array} \right. \end{equation}

in two different types of domains, one is bounded, and the other is an infinite cylinder, where

$0< s<1$

. We employ the direct sliding method for fractional Laplacian, different from the conventional extension and moving planes methods, to derive the monotonicity of solutions for (0.1) in

$x_n$

variable. Meanwhile, we develop a new iteration method for systems in the proofs. Hopefully, the iteration method can also be applied to solve other problems.
Scenography of the Unimaginable: Exploring Trauma of Others in 872 days. Voices of the besieged city
Authors: NIKOLAEVA OLGA
Published: February 2024

The article explores the scenographic rendering of trauma in the theatre performance 872 days. Voices of the besieged city staged by a small theatre, Subbota, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The performance delves into the complex issues of private narratives of traumatic experiences, which, for decades, were deemed unimportant and even disruptive within the context of victory and glory of The Great Patriotic War. The production is based on memoirs and diaries of witnesses of the Leningrad siege. This study explores the connection between the scenographic ecology and empathic unsettlement, which is understood as a tool of approaching trauma through the experience of the audience. The article analyses how the scenographic rendering of trauma allows for potential representation and understanding of traumatic experience. It further looks at a theatre space as a place for mourning and reflexivity that allows the possibility of working through past trauma to better understand the present.
‘Looking at the Wider World’: Global Engagement, Political Activism and Polemical Storytelling in Watchlist, Prima Facie and Myth, Propaganda and Disaster in Nazi Germany and Contemporary America
Authors: VICKERY-HOWE ALEX , CAMPBELL LISA HARPER
Published: February 2024

This article focuses on Watchlist, a new play written by Alex Vickery-Howe, placing it in a context of contemporary Australian political writing for the stage which sees playwrights, such as Stephen Sewell and Suzie Miller, adopt an international outlook in order to tell stories of activism. By creating nuanced characters and engaging with the popular, these playwrights are inspiring activism in their audiences in engaging and challenging ways, arguing that what is deemed off-limits should not be left off-stage.
Reclaiming Public Spaces in Post-pandemic India (Kolkata): Activist Theatre, Gender and a Resurgence of the Marginal
Authors: PAUL AHVANA , ROY TAMALIKA , MONDAL SUMIT , BISWAS SHRINJITA
Published: February 2024

The politics of our post-Covid times are expressed through various registers. In Kolkata, one especially powerful artistic medium for such expressions was the revival of street theatre as young and senior theatre practitioners plunged into exploring critical issues that have been all-pervasive since the beginning of the pandemic. As people finally started to venture out, content to be amidst human congregations, street plays, being located in open-air spaces, proved both economical and safe. The issues these street performances highlighted and their modes of presentations could be described as what Tony Fisher calls ‘activist theatre’ – which mobilizes the people by interpellating its audience around a specific grievance or issue that possesses an emotional appeal.1 These performances are a form of artistic activism, or ‘artivism’ as termed by Chantal Mouffe: the use of aesthetic means for political activism, ‘as a counter-hegemonic move against the capitalist appropriation of aesthetics’.2
A bibliometric analysis of artificial intelligence in L2 teaching and applied linguistics between 1995 and 2022
Authors: Kartal Galip , Yeşilyurt Yusuf Emre
Published: February 2024

This study offers a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in the field of second language (L2) teaching and applied linguistics, spanning from the early developments in 1995 to 2022. It aims to uncover current trends, prominent themes, and influential authors, documents, and sources. A total of 185 relevant articles published in Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) indexed journals were analyzed using the VOSviewer bibliometric software tool. Our investigation reveals a highly multidisciplinary and interconnected field, with four main clusters identified: AI, natural language processing (NLP), robot-assisted language learning, and chatbots. Notable themes include the increasing use of intelligent tutoring systems, the importance of syntactic complexity and vocabulary in L2 learning, and the exploration of robots and gamification in language education. The study also highlights the potential of NLP and AI technologies to enhance personalized feedback and instruction for language learners. The findings emphasize the growing interest in AI applications in L2 teaching and applied linguistics, as well as the need for continued research to advance the field and improve language instruction and assessment. By providing a quantitative and rigorous overview of the literature, this study contributes valuable insights into the current state of research in AI-assisted L2 teaching and applied linguistics and identifies key areas for future exploration and development.
Evaluation of a long day care intervention targeting the mealtime environment and curriculum to increase children’s vegetable intake: a cluster randomised controlled trial using the multiphase optimisation strategy framework
Authors: Morgillo Samantha , Bell Lucinda K , Gardner Claire , Kashef Shabnam , Stafford Karen , Zarnowiecki Dorota , Poelman Astrid AM , Cochet-Broch Maeva O , Johnson Brittany J , Gulyani Aarti , Cox David N , Golley Rebecca K
Published: February 2024

Objective:

To determine the reach, adoption, implementation and effectiveness of an intervention to increase children’s vegetable intake in long day care (LDC).

Design:

A 12-week pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial, informed by the multiphase optimisation strategy (MOST), targeting the mealtime environment and curriculum. Children’s vegetable intake and variety was measured at follow-up using a modified Short Food Survey for early childhood education and care and analysed using a two-part mixed model for non-vegetable and vegetable consumers. Outcome measures were based on the RE-AIM framework.

Setting:

Australian LDC centres.

Participants:

Thirty-nine centres, 120 educators and 719 children at follow-up.

Results:

There was no difference between intervention and waitlist control groups in the likelihood of consuming any vegetables when compared with non-vegetable consumers for intake (OR = 0·70, (95 % CI 0·34–1·43), P = 0·32) or variety (OR = 0·73 (95 % CI 0·40–1·32), P = 0·29). Among vegetable consumers (n 652), there was no difference between groups in vegetable variety (exp(b): 1·07 (95 % CI:0·88–1·32, P = 0·49) or vegetable intake (exp(b): 1·06 (95 % CI: 0·78, 1·43)), P = 0·71) with an average of 1·51 (95 % CI 1·20–1·82) and 1·40 (95 % CI 1·08–1·72) serves of vegetables per day in the intervention and control group, respectively. Intervention educators reported higher skills for promoting vegetables at mealtimes, and knowledge and skills for teaching the curriculum, than control (all P < 0·001). Intervention fidelity was moderate (n 16/20 and n 15/16 centres used the Mealtime environment and Curriculum, respectively) with good acceptability among educators. The intervention reached 307/8556 centres nationally and was adopted by 22 % eligible centres.

Conclusions:

The pragmatic self-delivered online intervention positively impacted educator’s knowledge and skills and was considered acceptable and feasible. Intervention adaptations, using the MOST cyclic approach, could improve intervention impact on children’ vegetable intake.
Now you saw it, now you didn't: the perception and reception of word order in ancient Greek and Latin texts
Authors: Moran Jerome
Published: February 2024

Not many of us ever get to see an actual papyrus roll, codex, or manuscript of a Greek or Latin literary text, though increasingly we are able to see digital copies of them online. The differences of format between any of the above and the texts we are accustomed to seeing are striking. This article is concerned with the effect that the format of a text had on the reception, written or aural, of word order as a literary device in the ancient world. We pay great attention to word order, but our reception of it is based on the format of the modern text, not on the format of the text as it was experienced in the ancient world.
Tracking Centimeter‐Scale Water Level Changes in Swedish Lakes Using D‐InSAR
Authors: Aminjafari S. , Brown I. , Mayamey F. V. , Jaramillo F.
Published: February 2024

Lakes are valuable water resources that support aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and supply fresh water for the agricultural, industrial, and urban sectors worldwide. Although water levels should be tracked to monitor these services, conventional gauging is unfeasible in most lakes. This study applies Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (D‐InSAR) to estimate small water level changes, less than 2 cm, in Swedish lakes over 6‐day intervals. We validated the method across the shores of 30 Swedish lakes with gauged observations in 2019. We used Sentinel‐1A/B images with a 6‐day temporal separation to construct consecutive interferograms and accumulated the phase changes in pixels of high coherence to build a time series of water levels. We find that the accumulated phase change obtained by D‐InSAR replicates the magnitude of water levels in seven lakes in Southern Sweden, where water levels change slowly, less than 2 cm per 6‐day period, as validated by in‐situ gauges. In addition, this study demonstrates the application of D‐InSAR to estimate the long‐term direction of water level change (i.e., increase or decrease) in all 30 lakes. This work reveals the utility of high temporal resolution water level observations in support of other satellite water level instruments such as conventional altimeters and the recently launched Surface Water and Ocean Topography Mission.
Structure of the Bottom Boundary Current South of Iceland and Spreading of Deep Waters by Submesoscale Processes
Authors: de Marez Charly , Ruiz‐Angulo Angel , Le Corre Mathieu
Published: February 2024

The northeastern part of the North Atlantic subpolar gyre is a key passage for the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation upper cell. To this day, the precise pathway and intensity of bottom currents in this area is not clear. In this study, we make use of regional high resolution numerical modeling to suggest that the main bottom current flowing south of Iceland originates from both the Faroe‐Banks Channel and the Iceland‐Faroe Ridge and then flows along the topographic slope. When flowing over the rough topography, this bottom current generates a 200 m large bottom mixed layer. We further demonstrate that many submesoscale structures are generated at the southernmost tip of the Icelandic shelf, which subsequently spread water masses in the Iceland Basin. These findings have major implication for the understanding of the water masses transport in the North Atlantic, and also for the distribution of benthic species along the Icelandic shelf.
Conjugate Observations of Magnetospheric and Ionospheric Phenomena During a Substorm Event
Authors: Teng S. , Zhang Q. , Zhou Su , Wang Z. , Han Desheng
Published: February 2024

This study investigates the comprehensive magnetospheric and ionospheric phenomena during a substorm event on 14 December 2013. The methodology involves analyzing data from satellites located within the plasmasphere at dusk‐side of the Earth, as well as data from ionospheric satellites mapped in the subauroral region. Magnetospheric data were analyzed to identify key features during the substorm event. Proton injection into the ring current, presence of proton and helium band electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves with different polarization characteristics, and harmonic structures in these EMIC waves were identified. These harmonic structures coincided with the appearance of magnetosonic waves characterized by rising tone structures and heating of low‐energy protons (<100 eV). Ionospheric satellites (DMSP F17 and POES 15) recorded enhanced proton precipitation contributing to the intensification of subauroral proton arcs. The analysis revealed that these enhanced proton fluxes were associated with variations in field‐aligned currents (FACs) and drove dynamics within the Sub‐Auroral Polarization Streams (SAPS). By combining and analyzing the magnetospheric and ionospheric data sets, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling during substorms, particularly on the duskside. The complex interdependence and causal relationships among EMIC waves, proton precipitation, subauroral proton arcs, FAC variations, and SAPS dynamics were highlighted.
Light People: Prof. Eric Mazur speaks about ultrafast optics and education
Authors: Guo Chenzi , Li Yang
Published: February 2024

Editorial

Prof. Eric Mazur is a great influencer over and beyond the optics community. As a physicist, he is a pioneer of ultrafast optics and was one of the inventors of colliding-pulse mode-locked laser. As an educator, he not only gave talks to thousands, but also revolutionized teaching with his globally renowned methodology “Peer Instruction”. As a leader and entrepreneur, he co-founded several companies and was President of Optica (formerly the Optical Society) and currently is the Chair of the Optica Foundation. Here, Light: Science & Applications talked with Prof. Eric Mazur about his opinions on research, education and industry. The full interview video can be found in the Supplementary File.
Aging impairs the osteocytic regulation of collagen integrity and bone quality
Authors: Schurman Charles A. , Kaya Serra , Dole Neha , Luna Nadja M. Maldonado , Castillo Natalia , Potter Ryan , Rose Jacob P. , Bons Joanna , King Christina D. , Burton Jordan B. , Schilling Birgit , Melov Simon , Tang Simon , Schaible Eric , Alliston Tamara
Published: February 2024

Poor bone quality is a major factor in skeletal fragility in elderly individuals. The molecular mechanisms that establish and maintain bone quality, independent of bone mass, are unknown but are thought to be primarily determined by osteocytes. We hypothesize that the age-related decline in bone quality results from the suppression of osteocyte perilacunar/canalicular remodeling (PLR), which maintains bone material properties. We examined bones from young and aged mice with osteocyte-intrinsic repression of TGFβ signaling (TβRIIocy−/−) that suppresses PLR. The control aged bone displayed decreased TGFβ signaling and PLR, but aging did not worsen the existing PLR suppression in male TβRIIocy−/− bone. This relationship impacted the behavior of collagen material at the nanoscale and tissue scale in macromechanical tests. The effects of age on bone mass, density, and mineral material behavior were independent of osteocytic TGFβ. We determined that the decline in bone quality with age arises from the loss of osteocyte function and the loss of TGFβ-dependent maintenance of collagen integrity.
Concurrent inhibition of pBADS99 synergistically improves MEK inhibitor efficacy in KRASG12D-mutant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Tan Yan Qin , Sun Bowen , Zhang Xi , Zhang Shuwei , Guo Hui , Basappa Basappa , Zhu Tao , Sethi Gautam , Lobie Peter E. , Pandey Vijay
Published: February 2024

Therapeutic targeting of KRAS-mutant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has remained a significant challenge in clinical oncology. Direct targeting of KRAS has proven difficult, and inhibition of the KRAS effectors have shown limited success due to compensatory activation of survival pathways. Being a core downstream effector of the KRAS-driven p44/42 MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways governing intrinsic apoptosis, BAD phosphorylation emerges as a promising therapeutic target. Herein, a positive association of the pBADS99/BAD ratio with higher disease stage and worse overall survival of PDAC was observed. Homology-directed repair of BAD to BADS99A or small molecule inhibition of BADS99 phosphorylation by NCK significantly reduced PDAC cell viability by promoting cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. NCK also abrogated the growth of preformed colonies of PDAC cells in 3D culture. Furthermore, high-throughput screening with an oncology drug library to identify potential combinations revealed a strong synergistic effect between NCK and MEK inhibitors in PDAC cells harboring either wild-type or mutant-KRAS. Mechanistically, both mutant-KRAS and MEK inhibition increased the phosphorylation of BADS99 in PDAC cells, an effect abrogated by NCK. Combined pBADS99-MEK inhibition demonstrated strong synergy in reducing cell viability, enhancing apoptosis, and achieving xenograft stasis in KRAS-mutant PDAC. In conclusion, the inhibition of BADS99 phosphorylation enhances the efficacy of MEK inhibition, and their combined inhibition represents a mechanistically based and potentially effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of KRAS-mutant PDAC.
The regulated cell death at the maternal-fetal interface: beneficial or detrimental?
Authors: Chen Huan , Chen Yin , Zheng Qingliang
Published: February 2024

Regulated cell death (RCD) plays a fundamental role in placental development and tissue homeostasis. Placental development relies upon effective implantation and invasion of the maternal decidua by the trophoblast and an immune tolerant environment maintained by various cells at the maternal-fetal interface. Although cell death in the placenta can affect fetal development and even cause pregnancy-related diseases, accumulating evidence has revealed that several regulated cell death were found at the maternal-fetal interface under physiological or pathological conditions, the exact types of cell death and the precise molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this review, we summarized the apoptosis, necroptosis and autophagy play both promoting and inhibiting roles in the differentiation, invasion of trophoblast, remodeling of the uterine spiral artery and decidualization, whereas ferroptosis and pyroptosis have adverse effects. RCD serves as a mode of communication between different cells to better maintain the maternal-fetal interface microenvironment. Maintaining the balance of RCD at the maternal-fetal interface is of utmost importance for the development of the placenta, establishment of an immune microenvironment, and prevention of pregnancy disorders. In addition, we also revealed an association between abnormal expression of key molecules in different types of RCD and pregnancy-related diseases, which may yield significant insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of pregnancy-related complications.
In situ copper faceting enables efficient CO2/CO electrolysis
Authors: Yao Kaili , Li Jun , Ozden Adnan , Wang Haibin , Sun Ning , Liu Pengyu , Zhong Wen , Zhou Wei , Zhou Jieshu , Wang Xi , Liu Hanqi , Liu Yongchang , Chen Songhua , Hu Yongfeng , Wang Ziyun , Sinton David , Liang Hongyan
Published: February 2024

The copper (Cu)-catalyzed electrochemical CO2 reduction provides a route for the synthesis of multicarbon (C2+) products. However, the thermodynamically favorable Cu surface (i.e. Cu(111)) energetically favors single-carbon production, leading to low energy efficiency and low production rates for C2+ products. Here we introduce in situ copper faceting from electrochemical reduction to enable preferential exposure of Cu(100) facets. During the precatalyst evolution, a phosphate ligand slows the reduction of Cu and assists the generation and co-adsorption of CO and hydroxide ions, steering the surface reconstruction to Cu (100). The resulting Cu catalyst enables current densities of > 500 mA cm−2 and Faradaic efficiencies of >83% towards C2+ products from both CO2 reduction and CO reduction. When run at 500 mA cm−2 for 150 hours, the catalyst maintains a 37% full-cell energy efficiency and a 95% single-pass carbon efficiency throughout.
Energy transfer driven brightening of MoS2 by ultrafast polariton relaxation in microcavity MoS2/hBN/WS2 heterostructures
Authors: Hu Zehua , Krisnanda Tanjung , Fieramosca Antonio , Zhao Jiaxin , Sun Qianlu , Chen Yuzhong , Liu Haiyun , Luo Yuan , Su Rui , Wang Junyong , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Eda Goki , Wang Xiao Renshaw , Ghosh Sanjib , Dini Kevin , Sanvitto Daniele , Liew Timothy C. H. , Xiong Qihua
Published: February 2024

Energy transfer is a ubiquitous phenomenon that delivers energy from a blue-shifted emitter to a red-shifted absorber, facilitating wide photonic applications. Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors provide unique opportunities for exploring novel energy transfer mechanisms in the atomic-scale limit. Herein, we have designed a planar optical microcavity-confined MoS2/hBN/WS2 heterojunction, which realizes the strong coupling among donor exciton, acceptor exciton, and cavity photon mode. This configuration demonstrates an unconventional energy transfer via polariton relaxation, brightening MoS2 with a record-high enhancement factor of ~440, i.e., two-order-of-magnitude higher than the data reported to date. The polariton relaxation features a short characteristic time of ~1.3 ps, resulting from the significantly enhanced intra- and inter-branch exciton-exciton scattering. The polariton relaxation dynamics is associated with Rabi energies in a phase diagram by combining experimental and theoretical results. This study opens a new direction of microcavity 2D semiconductor heterojunctions for high-brightness polaritonic light sources and ultrafast polariton carrier dynamics.
High-strength and crack-free welding of 2024 aluminium alloy via Zr-core-Al-shell wire
Authors: Jin Jun , Geng Shaoning , Shu Leshi , Jiang Ping , Shao Xinyu , Han Chu , Ren Liangyuan , Li Yuantai , Yang Lu , Wang Xiangqi
Published: February 2024

The 2000 series aluminium alloys are qualified for widespread use in lightweight structures, but solidification cracking during fusion welding has been a long-standing issue. Here, we create a zirconium (Zr)-core-aluminium (Al)-shell wire (ZCASW) and employ the oscillating laser-arc hybrid welding technique to control solidification during welding, and ultimately achieve reliable and crack-free welding of 2024 aluminium alloy. We select Zr wires with an ideal lattice match to Al based on crystallographic information and wind them by the Al wires with similar chemical components to the parent material. Crack-free, equiaxed (where the length, width and height of the grains are roughly equal), fine-grained microstructures are acquired, thereby considerably increasing the tensile strength over that of conventional fusion welding joints, and even comparable to that of friction stir welding joints. This work has important engineering application value in welding of high-strength aluminum alloys.
Femtosecond electron beam probe of ultrafast electronics
Authors: Mattes Maximilian , Volkov Mikhail , Baum Peter
Published: February 2024

The need for ever-faster information processing requires exceptionally small devices that operate at frequencies approaching the terahertz and petahertz regimes. For the diagnostics of such devices, researchers need a spatiotemporal tool that surpasses the device under test in speed and spatial resolution. Consequently, such a tool cannot be provided by electronics itself. Here we show how ultrafast electron beam probe with terahertz-compressed electron pulses can directly sense local electro-magnetic fields in electronic devices with femtosecond, micrometre and millivolt resolution under normal operation conditions. We analyse the dynamical response of a coplanar waveguide circuit and reveal the impulse response, signal reflections, attenuation and waveguide dispersion directly in the time domain. The demonstrated measurement bandwidth reaches 10 THz and the sensitivity to electric potentials is tens of millivolts or −20 dBm. Femtosecond time resolution and the capability to directly integrate our technique into existing electron-beam inspection devices in semiconductor industry makes our femtosecond electron beam probe a promising tool for research and development of next-generation electronics at unprecedented speed and size.
Engineering self-deliverable ribonucleoproteins for genome editing in the brain
Authors: Chen Kai , Stahl Elizabeth C. , Kang Min Hyung , Xu Bryant , Allen Ryan , Trinidad Marena , Doudna Jennifer A.
Published: February 2024

The delivery of CRISPR ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) for genome editing in vitro and in vivo has important advantages over other delivery methods, including reduced off-target and immunogenic effects. However, effective delivery of RNPs remains challenging in certain cell types due to low efficiency and cell toxicity. To address these issues, we engineer self-deliverable RNPs that can promote efficient cellular uptake and carry out robust genome editing without the need for helper materials or biomolecules. Screening of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) fused to CRISPR-Cas9 protein identifies potent constructs capable of efficient genome editing of neural progenitor cells. Further engineering of these fusion proteins establishes a C-terminal Cas9 fusion with three copies of A22p, a peptide derived from human semaphorin-3a, that exhibits substantially improved editing efficacy compared to other constructs. We find that self-deliverable Cas9 RNPs generate robust genome edits in clinically relevant genes when injected directly into the mouse striatum. Overall, self-deliverable Cas9 proteins provide a facile and effective platform for genome editing in vitro and in vivo.
Monitoring the mass, eigenfrequency, and quality factor of mammalian cells
Authors: Herzog Sophie , Fläschner Gotthold , Incaviglia Ilaria , Arias Javier Casares , Ponti Aaron , Strohmeyer Nico , Nava Michele M. , Müller Daniel J.
Published: February 2024

The regulation of mass is essential for the development and homeostasis of cells and multicellular organisms. However, cell mass is also tightly linked to cell mechanical properties, which depend on the time scales at which they are measured and change drastically at the cellular eigenfrequency. So far, it has not been possible to determine cell mass and eigenfrequency together. Here, we introduce microcantilevers oscillating in the Ångström range to monitor both fundamental physical properties of the cell. If the oscillation frequency is far below the cellular eigenfrequency, all cell compartments follow the cantilever motion, and the cell mass measurements are accurate. Yet, if the oscillating frequency approaches or lies above the cellular eigenfrequency, the mechanical response of the cell changes, and not all cellular components can follow the cantilever motions in phase. This energy loss caused by mechanical damping within the cell is described by the quality factor. We use these observations to examine living cells across externally applied mechanical frequency ranges and to measure their total mass, eigenfrequency, and quality factor. The three parameters open the door to better understand the mechanobiology of the cell and stimulate biotechnological and medical innovations.
Interplay between coding and non-coding regulation drives the Arabidopsis seed-to-seedling transition
Authors: Tremblay Benjamin J. M. , Santini Cristina P. , Cheng Yajiao , Zhang Xue , Rosa Stefanie , Qüesta Julia I.
Published: February 2024

Translation of seed stored mRNAs is essential to trigger germination. However, when RNAPII re-engages RNA synthesis during the seed-to-seedling transition has remained in question. Combining csRNA-seq, ATAC-seq and smFISH in Arabidopsis thaliana we demonstrate that active transcription initiation is detectable during the entire germination process. Features of non-coding regulation such as dynamic changes in chromatin accessible regions, antisense transcription, as well as bidirectional non-coding promoters are widespread throughout the Arabidopsis genome. We show that sensitivity to exogenous ABSCISIC ACID (ABA) during germination depends on proximal promoter accessibility at ABA-responsive genes. Moreover, we provide genetic validation of the existence of divergent transcription in plants. Our results reveal that active enhancer elements are transcribed producing non-coding enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) as widely documented in metazoans. In sum, this study defining the extent and role of coding and non-coding transcription during key stages of germination expands our understanding of transcriptional mechanisms underlying plant developmental transitions.
SEMORE: SEgmentation and MORphological fingErprinting by machine learning automates super-resolution data analysis
Authors: Bender Steen W. B. , Dreisler Marcus W. , Zhang Min , Kæstel-Hansen Jacob , Hatzakis Nikos S.
Published: February 2024

The morphology of protein assemblies impacts their behaviour and contributes to beneficial and aberrant cellular responses. While single-molecule localization microscopy provides the required spatial resolution to investigate these assemblies, the lack of universal robust analytical tools to extract and quantify underlying structures limits this powerful technique. Here we present SEMORE, a semi-automatic machine learning framework for universal, system- and input-dependent, analysis of super-resolution data. SEMORE implements a multi-layered density-based clustering module to dissect biological assemblies and a morphology fingerprinting module for quantification by multiple geometric and kinetics-based descriptors. We demonstrate SEMORE on simulations and diverse raw super-resolution data: time-resolved insulin aggregates, and published data of dSTORM imaging of nuclear pore complexes, fibroblast growth receptor 1, sptPALM of Syntaxin 1a and dynamic live-cell PALM of ryanodine receptors. SEMORE extracts and quantifies all protein assemblies, their temporal morphology evolution and provides quantitative insights, e.g. classification of heterogeneous insulin aggregation pathways and NPC geometry in minutes. SEMORE is a general analysis platform for super-resolution data, and being a time-aware framework can also support the rise of 4D super-resolution data.