bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of wind turbine blade recycling baselines in the United States
Authors: Korey Matthew , Sproul Evan , Rencheck Mitchell L. , Ennis Brandon L.
Published: November 2023

Over the past several years, the wind energy industry has received scrutiny regarding wind turbine blade (WTB) recycling due to the landfilling of WTBs caused by a lack of industrially viable recycling solutions. The amount of WTBs that will need to be recycled is set to increase in the United States as the deployment of wind energy is expected to rapidly grow to meet the nation’s energy goals by 2035. While significant progress has been made worldwide, it is still unclear which WTB recycling solutions would be the most cost and energy effective within the United States for the existing fleet of wind turbines. To guide researchers and industry with a clear path forward, a range of options for WTB recycling in the United States are modeled through development of baseline scenarios and the use of formal life cycle assessment (LCA). Model data have been collected through literature review, industry engagement, and expert opinion regarding current end of life practices and considerations surrounding equipment, labor, and logistics. A detailed baseline for WTB decommissioning processes has been developed and used to assess alternative approaches, such as on-site shredding to compare the impacts on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The developed LCA model and baseline scenarios for WTB recycling is used to assess the current WTB decommissioning practices in the United States along with emerging recycling pathways, including cement kiln co-processing and pyrolysis. Initial findings indicate that there are different approaches to decommissioning WTBs in the United States, each of which has unique implications for recycling. In light of this finding, additional results from the modeling will be used to better understand decommissioning practices and assist in making educated decisions on recycling pathways for the future. Throughout the analysis, focus was given to where international efforts might differ from the United States. WTB recycling is occurring worldwide, and different countries have different drivers for creating markets for recycled WTB materials. The contrasts and similarities between the United States and other countries offer insight to areas of opportunity that the United States could investigate and areas that can be readily transferred from existing solutions. By modeling and characterizing the current decommissioning practices and potential recycling solutions for the United States, a clearer vision will be created for pathways forward as to how to handle end of life WTBs to enable more efficient and cost-effective opportunities for material recovery from end-of-life WTBs.
Fatigue S-N curve approach for impact loading of hyper- and visco-elastic leading edge protection systems of wind turbine blades
Authors: Hamers T W , Jespersen K M , Mikkelsen L P , Bech J I , Johansen N F-J
Published: November 2023

Computational evaluation of leading edge erosion remains challenging due to the high-strain rate loading conditions caused by impact of the wind turbine blade leading edge with rain droplets and other environmental particles. Here, a methodology is proposed for obtaining an S-N curve which can be used for impact fatigue evaluation of hyper- and viscoelastic leading edge protection systems for wind turbine blades, in the relevant strain rate domain. Two material systems (hard and soft polyurethane (PU)) are characterised experimentally by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and static tensile tests. Time-temperature superposition is applied to the raw DMA data in order to obtain the material’s mastercurve, describing its visco-elastic behaviour in an expanded strain rate domain. The Yeoh (hyperelastic) and prony series (vis-coelastic) material model parameters are calibrated and form the input for a 2D-axisymmetric finite element model, in which Single Point Impact Fatigue Test (SPIFT) testing conditions are simulated. The stress field experienced by the coating during SPIFT testing is obtained and combined with the experimental measurements, allowing the determination of the material systems S-N curve, in the relevant strain rate domain. Results for a hard and soft PU coating system are compared with rain erosion test (RET) data. The RET data shows higher lifetime for the hard PU systems, a tendency that can be predicted when comparing the S-N curve for the hard and soft PU system. This methodology can be utilised in computational lifetime evaluation of leading edge coating systems. Furthermore, the methodology has the potential to partly alleviate the need of RET in the development and comparison of next-generation leading edge protection systems.
How epoxy cure profiles (may) impact performance of non-crimp fabric composites
Authors: Mortensen Ulrich A. , Andersen Tom L. , Mikkelsen Lars P.
Published: November 2023

Glass fibre reinforced polymers made from quasi uni-directional non-crimp fabrics have recently been shown to suffer from a specific damage mechanism. This damage mechanism is dominated by off-axis cracks in the off-axis backing bundles of the fabrics. In addition, research results have indicated that the onset and propagation of such off-axis cracks may be influenced by the residual stresses that arising from the manufacturing process used to produce the Glass fibre reinforced composites. The current article investigates the potential effect of residual stresses on the fatigue life through an experimental set-up that involves tailored cure profiles and image based evaluation of tensile test experiments.
J integral strain-curvature approach for multilayer fracture specimens with unknown thickness and stiffness of layers
Authors: Sørensen B F , Toftegaard H L
Published: November 2023

In the coming years, many wind turbines will reach their planned design life, and it is of great interest to investigate if their service life can be extended so that the turbines can produce a larger amount of electricity before decommissioning. Such an assessment can include the measurement of the fracture mechanics properties of materials interfaces, e.g., for trailing edge bondlines, web foot bondlines and interfaces between layers in the load-carrying main spars. It would then be preferable to conduct the fracture mechanics testing and data analysis by approaches that give accurate results with the smallest amount of testing. In the present work we propose an approach for measurement of mixed mode fracture resistance (and mixed cohesive laws) that does not require knowledge of the stiffness properties and the elastic centre of the laminates of the test specimens. This is advantageous since the layer stiffness, layer thickness and the lay-up of a laminate cut from an old blade may not be known. Furthermore, the elastic properties of polymer resins of bondlines and matrix materials in fibre composites can have changed (aging) due to the blades long-time environmental exposure.
Non-metallic lightning strike protection coating for wind-turbine blades
Authors: Kumar V , Saha S , Millen S , Murphy A , Seta B , Spangenberg J , Tobin J , Knouff B , Hassen A , Kunc V
Published: November 2023

The increasing use of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites in the wind energy industry presents a challenge concerning lightning strike protection (LSP). Due to their low electrical conductivity, these materials are inferior to metals in dissipating electrical currents generated by lightning strikes, potentially leading to catastrophic damage. The current LSP system for wind turbine blades involves metallic lightning arrestors, which may only sometimes be effective due to the accumulation of debris and salt on other parts of the blade. Other commercially available products, such as diverter strips and nano-filler coatings, are expensive and impractical for use throughout the entire blade. Recently, researchers have proposed using electrically conductive polymeric coatings as a potential solution. These coatings are easy to apply and can be spray-coated, painted, or manufactured via automation. In this study, newly developed polymeric coating solutions were experimentally tested and compared to traditional metallic-based LSP systems. The experiments showed promising results in dissipating the current generated by lightning strikes. In addition, the thicker coatings reduced catastrophic damage, including puncture, fiber breakage, and resin evaporation, compared to thinner coatings. Overall, the study highlights the potential of polymeric coatings as a viable solution for lightning strike protection in the wind energy industry.
Material aspects of wooden towers for offshore wind turbines
Authors: Gamstedt E. Kristofer , Bengtsson Rhodel , Florisson Sara , Bernhoff Hans
Published: November 2023

Possible new innovative materials for Counter Rotating Axis Floating Tilted Turbines are studied and discussed. The 40 MW version of the Counter Rotating Axis Floating Tilted Turbine (CRAFTT) will reach as far as 80 m below sea surface and up to 400 m above. The CRAFTT is an integrated design for floating offshore wind with two turbines on the same tilted shaft where the lower turbine is mounted directly on a rotating mast integrated with floater. The upper turbine will reach altitudes of 400 m. The system is designed to be a direct drive system, eliminating need for gearbox, taking advantage of the double air-gap speed of generator. With the generator placed at lower end as ballast the incentive to reduce weight for wings, tower and blades increase. Furthermore, wood is an attractive option as it enables both low CO2 impact production and higher degree of reusability. However, fatigue properties from both mechanical and thermal cycling needs to be addressed in order to evaluate new structural materials in the context of floating wind turbines. Starting from scratch without any preconceived notions, one could consider timber as a potential option for the tower. In such a preliminary and qualitative deliberation, one can consider that the use of wood as the main load-carrying material in large structures has been proven during the last decade by the development of new high-rise wooden buildings, with even higher buildings with timber as the main structural component expected in the future, The tall wooden buildings have been made possible since wood has the advantage of having high specific mechanical properties, i.e. high strength and stiffness with respect to density in the grain direction, in addition to being renewable. Another advantage is that wood is less sensitive to fatigue than many metallic materials, since its hierarchical microstructure prevents the propagation dominant cracks when loaded in the longitudinal direction. Design against fatigue is crucial in wind turbine structures given the inevitable cyclic loading. As all materials, wood certainly has its drawbacks, the foremost being its sensitivity to moisture, which is of obvious concern in off-shore applications. Moisture has a softening effect, resulting in creep, and moisture may trigger chemical or microbial degradation. The development of barrier coatings of aluminium has shown to be very efficient in e.g. high-voltage cables and food packaging, making them impermeable to moisture and air. Such techniques should be applicable also in wood constructions. This presentation highlights the main points specific for wood as a construction material in the design of wood towers for wind turbines in offshore locations, which need to be addressed in design.
Stretch broken carbon fiber for primary wind turbine structure
Authors: Cairns D.S , Booth E. , Ridgard C.
Published: November 2023

Stretch broken carbon fiber (SBCF) composites offer significant benefits over conventional continuous fiber composites. These include the greatly enhanced formability of unidirectional tape form products prior to cure without any compromise on the mechanical performance after curing. The recent work performed under the US Army funded Stretch Broken Carbon Fiber for Primary Aircraft Structure program by Montana State University (MSU) is reviewed, along with the results achieved by previous efforts to develop this technology. The achievement of shorter stretch break lengths to improve formability is a principal objective of the work and a successful achievement of the recent efforts. In addition, alternate means of manufacturing SBCF prepregs are discussed, including conventional spooled fiber presentation suitable for running on current prepregging equipment, as well as a newly developed direct to prepreg approach, where the stretch breaking of the fibers is done in-line with the prepregging process. While aerospace primary structure has been the focus of current research efforts, applications in other industries such as wind turbine blades are also obvious areas of applications for SBCF technology.
Exposure to airborne mycotoxins: the riskiest working environments and tasks
Authors: Marcelloni Anna Maria , Pigini Daniela , Chiominto Alessandra , Gioffrè Angela , Paba Emilia
Published: November 2023

Objectives

There is growing interest in the role of airborne mycotoxins in occupational environments, however, their impact on human health still remains poorly investigated. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature on the occurrence of inhalable mycotoxins in working environments to investigate which sectors and tasks are at greater risk of exposure.

Methods

We have performed a systematic search in the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases from 2010 to date, without limitation of geographic location.

Results

Database searches yielded 350 articles. After the removal of duplicates and applying our inclusion and exclusion criteria, 31 papers remained. Results show that the most exposed workers are those engaged in activities related to animal care and management and, in particular, in feeding tasks, while harvester cleaning seems to be the activity with the highest levels of exposure in agriculture. In healthcare settings mycotoxin concentrations are low but HVAC systems can be a source of contamination and this reinforces the relevance of further studies in this sector. The most common scenario is the exposure to multiple mycotoxins with variable concentrations depending on the working environment, the products handled or the tasks performed by workers. Some authors emphasize the importance of multi-approach sampling and analysis protocols to achieve an accurate and more realistic risk characterization.

Conclusions

Results brought forward by this review can be utilized by health and safety professionals to recognize activities in which workers may be potentially exposed to airborne mycotoxins and thus undertake suitable preventive and protective measures.
Exogenous spike-in mouse RNAs for accurate differential gene expression analysis in barley using RT-qPCR
Authors: Vinje Marcus A , Friedman David A
Published: November 2023

Reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) followed by the 2−ΔΔCt method is the most common way to measure transcript levels for relative gene expression assays. The quality of an RT-qPCR assay is dependent upon the identification and validation of reference genes to normalize gene expression data. The so-called housekeeping genes are commonly used as internal reference genes because they are assumed to be ubiquitously expressed at stable levels. Commonly, researchers do not validate their reference genes but rely on historical reference genes or previously validated genes from an unrelated experiment. Using previously validated reference genes to assess gene expression changes occurring during malting resulted in extensive variability. Therefore, a new method was tested and validated to circumvent the use of internal reference genes. Total mouse RNA was chosen as the external reference RNA and a suite of primer sets to putatively stable mouse genes was created to identify stably expressed genes for use as an external reference gene. cDNA was created by co-amplifying total mouse RNA, as an RNA spike-in, and barley RNA. When using the external reference genes to normalize malting gene expression data, standard deviations were significantly reduced and significant differences in transcript abundance were observed, whereas when using the internal reference genes, standard deviations were larger with no significant differences seen. Furthermore, external reference genes were more accurate at assessing expression levels in malting and developing grains, whereas the internal reference genes overestimated abundance in developing grains and underestimated abundance in malting grains.
Improving Quality in Social Work: The Role of Peer Challenge
Authors: Mahesh Sharanya , Lowther Jason , Miller Robin
Published: November 2023

Network-based approaches to improvement and specifically, peer challenges have become an integral part of quality assurance in adult social work in England. Whilst the national regulation change in 2011 placed greater weight on local accountability, very few studies have examined the contribution of peer challenges towards improving the quality of adult social work practice. Peer challenge is a process of engaging a wide range of people and experienced peers in relevant service areas to offer a review from the perspective of a critical friend. This article considers how a regional peer challenge process in the West Midlands of England contributed to improving social work practice and processes, which supported this contribution. Drawing on data from fifteen interviews and forty-four survey responses, findings suggest that peer challenges in the short term can have positive impacts including, an understanding of the internal practice conditions and external context, strengths and limitations of social work practice, and the perspectives of local stakeholders and external peers on opportunities to improve practice. The design, commitment to transparency and trust by all parties enable honest reflection and a shared learning experience. To understand long-term impacts, we suggest establishing formal follow-up processes together with developing key baseline indicators to track impacts.
Forging lesbians: Sappho and The Songs of Bilitis
Authors: Lambert Cat
Published: November 2023

In Les Chansons de Bilitis (‘The Songs of Bilitis’, 1894), Pierre Louÿs purports to have translated into French for the first time the long-lost Greek poems of Bilitis, a contemporary of Sappho. Classicists have often heralded Bilitis as a watershed moment for reclaiming the lesbian Sappho from the clutches of homophobic, misogynist philologists. This paper complicates this narrative by reframing Bilitis as an object that participates in a broader cultural — and potentially queer — history of forgery. Rather than categorizing Bilitis as a forgery per se, I use forgery (and related textual practices) as a lens for illuminating how Louÿs ‘plays’ the forger and how this performance relates to readers’ divergent desires and reactions. This lens also brings into focus the queer dynamics and effects of this text in relation to Sappho’s corpus. At the same time, following Kadji Amin’s cue to ‘deidealize queerness’ (2017), I show how such queer dynamics are inextricable from colonialist and patriarchal relations of power, in particular an Orientalizing tradition of forgeries by white European and American men. This framework illuminates the affective and political ramifications of forging queer narratives and identifications through the medium of this curious artefact.
‘A series of unfortunate events’: a case report of infective endocarditis resulting from ventricular arrhythmia ablation
Authors: Stec Maria , Dziadosz Dominika , Mizia-Stec Katarzyna
Published: November 2023

Background

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the most effective non-pharmacological approach in the reduction of ventricular tachycardia (VT) recurrence. However, it is crucial to thoroughly screen every patient for contraindications for RFA and provide appropriate pharmacological prophylaxis, if needed, since adverse effects may be fatal.

Case summary

A 77-year-old male with multi-vessel coronary artery disease, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III), with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was admitted to our clinic due to recurrent life-threatening VT. The patient presented several concomitant diseases: dyslipidaemia, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease in Stage IIIB. He had a history of two myocardial infarctions and coronary artery bypass grafts complicated by mediastinitis and dehiscence of a sternotomy scar (2013). Radiofrequency ablation and pace mapping of VT were performed in sterile conditions, but no pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis was administered. There were no local or general complications in the post-operative period. The patient was discharged from the clinic in good condition. A week later, the patient suffered from septic shock and infective endocarditis of mitral valve complicated with infiltration of the ventricular septum, wall dissection of the left ventricle (LV), pseudoaneurysm, and abscess of the LV. At the time of the second hospitalization extensive dental carries were found and oral cavity sanitation was performed. Due to the severity of the condition, patient did not survive.

Conclusion

Oral cavity infections are common but often overlooked, mainly when the RFA procedure is urgent. A thorough physical examination, including a dental check-up, is crucial to minimize the risk of potential infection of the endocardial tissue and maximize the benefits of the therapy. Still, it is possible that the myocardial infection was not a result of oral cavity infection but a result of other undiagnosed and untreated infection. Contamination of the procedure site with patients’ own microbiota or foreign microorganisms by the medical personnel is also a likely and unfortunate scenario. The presented case highlights the significance of not only prophylaxis, screening, and treatment of possible inflammation sites before RFA but also the need for sustaining sanitary standards and sterile conditions.
Confounding clinical picture in the diagnosis of left ventricular and valvular masses: a case report
Authors: Kharawala Amrin , Chen Yi-Yun , Christian Timothy , Thachil Rosy
Published: November 2023

Background

Masses in the heart and valves have a broad differential diagnosis including infective and rheumatic causes as well as primary or metastatic tumours. Diagnosis involves delineating the location, shape, and origin of the mass/masses and considering the clinical context. This case outlines the work-up and approach to diagnosing a cardiac mass along with imaging findings of a unique secondary metastatic mass in the left ventricle (LV).

Case summary

A 69-year-old female with past medical history of metastatic lung cancer treated with radiotherapy and breast cancer treated with mastectomy presented with dyspnoea and fever. Due to concern for infective endocarditis, transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) was performed revealing 2 cm × 0.72 cm finger-like, echo-lucent, mobile mass, appearing to originate from LV lateral wall, protruding into the LV cavity, along with valvular masses on mitral and tricuspid valves. Initial differential diagnosis included benign pathologies, but due to the clinical suspicion of malignancy, cardiac MRI was performed which revealed a broad-based mass with invasion into the LV lateral wall and delayed gadolinium enhancement, suggestive of metastatic tumour. The patient was given Aspirin to prevent embolization and eventually underwent hospice care.

Discussion

Atypical appearing cardiac masses can be seen on TTE. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be used for definite diagnosis in cases where clinical features do not match the echocardiographic findings.
Cardiac Timeless Trans-Organically Regulated by miR-276 in Adipose Tissue Modulates Cardiac Function
Authors: Tang Chao , Li Qiufang , Wang Xiaoya , Yu Zhengwen , Ping Xu , Qin yi , Liu Yang , Zheng Lan
Published: November 2023

The interconnection between cardiac function and circadian rhythms is of great importance. While the role of the biological clock gene Timeless (Tim) in circadian rhythm has been extensively studied, its impact on cardiac function remains largely been unexplored. Previous research has provided experimental evidence for the regulation of the heart by adipose tissue and the targeting of miR-276a/b on Timeless. However, the extent to which adipose tissue regulates cardiac Timeless genes trans-organically through miR-276a/b, and subsequently affects cardiac function, remains uncertain. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the potential trans-organ modulation of the Timeless gene in the heart by adipose tissue through miR-276a/b. We found that cardiac-specific Timeless knockdown and overexpression resulted in a significant increase in heart rate (HR) and a significant decrease in Heart period (HP), diastolic intervals (DI), systolic intervals (SI), diastolic diameter (DD), and systolic diameter (SD). miR-276b systemic knockdown resulted in a significant increase in DI, arrhythmia index (AI), and fractional shortening (FS) significantly increased and SI, DD and SD significantly decreased. Adipose tissue-specific miR-276a/b knockdown and miR-276a overexpression resulted in a significant increase in HR and a significant decrease in DI and SI, which were improved by exercise intervention. This study presents a novel finding that highlights the significance of the heart circadian clock gene Timeless in heart function. Additionally, it demonstrates that adipose tissue exerts trans-organ modulation on the expression of the heart Timeless gene via miR-276a/b.
The effect of developmental variation on expression QTLs in a multi parental Caenorhabditis elegans population
Authors: van Eijnatten Abraham L , Sterken Mark G , Kammenga Jan E , Nijveen Harm , Snoek Basten L
Published: November 2023

Regulation of gene expression plays a crucial role in developmental processes and adaptation to changing environments. expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping is a technique used to study the genetic regulation of gene expression using the transcriptomes of recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Typically, the age of the inbred lines at the time of RNA sampling is carefully controlled. This is necessary because the developmental process causes changes in gene expression, complicating the interpretation of eQTL mapping experiments. However, due to genetics and variation in ambient micro-environments, organisms can differ in their “developmental age,” even if they are of the same chronological age. As a result, eQTL patterns are affected by developmental variation in gene expression. The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans is particularly suited for studying the effect of developmental variation on eQTL mapping patterns. In a span of days, C. elegans transitions from embryo through 4 larval stages to adult while undergoing massive changes to its transcriptome. Here, we use C. elegans to investigate the effect of developmental age variation on eQTL patterns and present a normalization procedure. We used dynamical eQTL mapping, which includes the developmental age as a cofactor, to separate the variation in development from genotypic variation and explain variation in gene expression levels. We compare classical single marker eQTL mapping and dynamical eQTL mapping using RNA-seq data of ∼200 multi-parental RILs of C. elegans. The results show that (1) many eQTLs are caused by developmental variation, (2) most trans-bands are developmental QTLs, and (3) dynamical eQTL mapping detects additional eQTLs not found with classical eQTL mapping. We recommend that correction for variation in developmental age should be strongly considered in eQTL mapping studies given the large impact of processes like development on the transcriptome.
Return Migration and Disability by Life Course Stage of Return: Evidence Against the Salmon Bias
Authors: Sheftel Mara Getz
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Life course theory points to unique characteristics among older immigrants that may differentiate older age return migration from return at younger ages in terms of health. To investigate how the health of returnees may differ by age-at-return, this analysis compares disability between 3 groups of Mexican adults with a history of migration to the United States: those who return to Mexico before age 50, those who return at 50 and older, and those who remain in the United States at age 50 and older.

Methods

Data from two nationally representative data sets, the U.S. Health and Retirement Study and the Mexican Health and Aging Study, are combined to create a data set representing Mexicans 50 and older with a history of migration to the United States. Adopting a life course perspective, activity of daily living (ADL) difficulty is compared by return status and age-at-return to account for differential selection into return by life stage.

Results

Mexican immigrants who remain in the United States past age 50 have a higher probability of at least 1 ADL compared to those who return to Mexico, regardless of life course timing of return. The immigrant disadvantage persists after adjusting for differences in demographic, childhood, and adult characteristics between groups.

Discussion

These findings are noteworthy because they stand in opposition to hypotheses based on life course and health-selective return migration theories and because they mean that Mexican immigrants remaining in the United States into midlife and older adulthood may be vulnerable to heightened prevalence of disability.
Glycans modulate lipid binding in Lili-Mip lipocalin protein: insights from molecular simulations and protein network analyses
Authors: SureshKumar Harini , Appadurai Rajeswari , Srivastava Anand
Published: November 2023

The unique viviparous Pacific Beetle cockroaches provide nutrition to their embryo by secreting milk proteins Lili-Mip, a lipid-binding glycoprotein that crystallises in-vivo. The resolved in-vivo crystal structure of variably glycosylated Lili-Mip shows a classical Lipocalin fold with an eight-stranded antiparallel beta-barrel enclosing a fatty acid. The availability of physiologically unaltered glycoprotein structure makes Lili-Mip a very attractive model system to investigate the role of glycans on protein structure, dynamics, and function. Towards that end, we have employed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations on various glycosylated stages of a bound and free Lili-Mip protein and characterised the impact of glycans and the bound lipid on the dynamics of this glycoconjugate. Our work provides important molecular-level mechanistic insights into the role of glycans in the nutrient storage function of the Lili-Mip protein. Our analyses show that the glycans stabilise spatially proximal residues and regulate the low amplitude opening motions of the residues at the entrance of the binding pocket. Glycans also preserve the native orientation and conformational flexibility of the ligand. However, we find that either deglycosylation or glycosylation with high-mannose and paucimannose on the core glycans, which better mimic the natural insect glycosylation state, significantly affects the conformation and dynamics. A simple but effective distance- and correlation-based network analysis of the protein also reveals the key residues regulating the barrel’s architecture and ligand binding characteristics in response to glycosylation.
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccines Induce Greater Complement Activation and Decreased Viremia and Nef Antibodies in Men With HIV-1
Authors: Tuttle Dylan J , Castanha Priscila M S , Nasser Amro , Wilkins Maris S , Galarza Tamara García , Alaoui-El-Azher Mounia , Cuff Deirdre E , Chhibbar Prabal , Das Jishnu , Li Yijia , Barratt-Boyes Simon M , Mailliard Robbie B , Sluis-Cremer Nicolas , Rinaldo Charles R , Marques Ernesto T A
Published: November 2023

Background

Immune dysregulation in people with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (PWH) persists despite potent antiretroviral therapy and, consequently, PWH tend to have lower immune responses to licensed vaccines. However, limited information is available about the impact of mRNA vaccines in PWH. This study details the immunologic responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccines in PWH and their impact on HIV-1.

Methods

We quantified anti-S immunoglobulin G (IgG) binding and neutralization of 3 SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and complement activation in blood from virally suppressed men with HIV-1 (MWH) and men without HIV-1 (MWOH), and the characteristics that may impact the vaccine immune responses. We also studied antibody levels against HIV-1 proteins and HIV-1 plasma RNA.

Results

MWH had lower anti-S IgG binding and neutralizing antibodies against the 3 variants compared to MWOH. MWH also produced anti-S1 antibodies with a 10-fold greater ability to activate complement and exhibited higher C3a blood levels than MWOH. MWH had decreased residual HIV-1 plasma viremia and anti-Nef IgG approximately 100 days after immunization.

Conclusions

MWH respond to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines with lower antibody titers and with greater activation of complement, while exhibiting a decrease in HIV-1 viremia and anti-Nef antibodies. These results suggest an important role of complement activation mediating protection in MWH.
Curating Spaces of Hope: A New Paradigm of Postsecular Partnership for Uncertain Times
Authors: Barber-Rowell Matthew
Published: November 2023

In this paper, Curating Spaces of Hope is offered as a new paradigm for postsecular partnership for uncertain times. The need for a new paradigm is set out intially using literatures from faith based organisations. The case is made that the understanding of faith or the ‘F’ is inadequate, and that in order to make sense of the role it plays in social policy, a fresh framing is needed. For this, literatures from political philosophy, sociology or religion and social policy are engaged. These set out the space for mapping different worldviews, as part of the diversifying beleif landscape in the UK, and the policy context into which they are speaking. The paper then turns to empircal data to make the case for the new paradigm of postsecualr partnership, Curating Spaces of Hope. This case is made in three phases. First auto-ethnographic data is used as the basis for a social movement in the north west of England which takes place over 3 years. This is used as the premise for ethnographic research which maps postsecular contexts and informs the production of Curating Spaces of Hope. The paper then turns to the COVID-19 pandemic, as a lens through which to view current contexts of uncertainty. Three case studies are then offered which point to early applications of Curating Spaces of Hope and opportunities for building postsecular partnerships in the north west England.
Schumpeter Lecture 2023: Rationality and Zero Risk
Authors: Gilboa ⓡ Itzhak , Minardi ⓡ Stefania , Wang Fan
Published: November 2023

We adopt a definition of “rationality” as robustness to analysis: A mode of behavior is rational for a decision maker if she feels comfortable with it once it has been analyzed and explained to her. With this definition in mind, is it irrational to violate continuity axioms in one’s stated preferences? Specifically, does it make sense to avoid any positive probability of a negative outcome, no matter how small? Or, if a decision maker states such a “zero risk” policy, does she mean what she says? We propose to study this question axiomatically, asking which modes of behavior correspond to such statements. The baseline model evaluates a lottery by its expected utility and an extra additive term that measures the cost of deviating from a “zero risk” choice. A generalized version allows for multiple sets of principles, where the cost of risking a set of principles is added to the expected utility of a lottery. Stronger assumptions imply that the cost of violating a set of principles is additive in the individual costs. We develop a comparative behavioral analysis that allows making interpersonal comparisons about the relative importance of principles.
Actigraphy-derived measures of sleep and risk of prostate cancer in the UK Biobank
Authors: Freeman Joshua R , Saint-Maurice Pedro F , Watts Eleanor L , Moore Steven C , Shams-White Marissa M , Wolff-Hughes Dana L , Russ Daniel E , Almeida Jonas S , Caporaso Neil E , Hong Hyokyoung G , Loftfield Erikka , Matthews Charles E
Published: November 2023

Background

Studies of sleep and prostate cancer are almost entirely based on self-report, with limited research using actigraphy. Our goal was to evaluate actigraphy-measured sleep and prostate cancer and to expand on findings from prior studies of self-reported sleep.

Methods

We prospectively examined 34 260 men without a history of prostate cancer in the UK Biobank. Sleep characteristics were measured over 7 days using actigraphy. We calculated sleep duration, onset, midpoint, wake-up time, social jetlag (difference in weekend-weekday sleep midpoints), sleep efficiency (percentage of time spent asleep between onset and wake-up time), and wakefulness after sleep onset. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate covariate-adjusted hazards ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Over 7.6 years, 1152 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Sleep duration was not associated with prostate cancer risk. Sleep midpoint earlier than 4:00 am was not associated with prostate cancer risk, though sleep midpoint of 5:00 am or later was suggestively associated with lower prostate cancer risk but had limited precision (earlier than 4:00 am vs 4:00-4:59 am HR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.87 to 1.16; 5:00 am or later vs 4:00-4:59 am HR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.57 to 1.10). Social jetlag was not associated with greater prostate cancer risk (1 to <2 hours vs <1 hour HR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.89 to 1.25; ≥2 hours vs <1 hour HR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.65 to 1.26). Compared with men who averaged less than 30 minutes of wakefulness after sleep onset per day, men with 60 minutes or more had a higher risk of prostate cancer (HR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.43).

Conclusions

Of the sleep characteristics studied, higher wakefulness after sleep onset—a measure of poor sleep quality—was associated with greater prostate cancer risk. Replication of our findings between wakefulness after sleep onset and prostate cancer are warranted.
Epistemic injustice: complicity and promise in education
Authors: Nikolaidis A C , Thompson Winston C
Published: November 2023

The 2007 publication of Miranda Fricker’s celebrated book Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing gave way to a burgeoning area of study in philosophy of education. The book’s arguments create a context for expanding the scope of work on epistemic issues in education by moving beyond direct explorations of the distribution of epistemic goods and the role of power in curriculum development. Since that time, the rich scholarship on epistemic injustice in philosophy of education examines a variety of topics, including the impact of epistemic injustice on the experiences of teachers and learners more broadly (focussing mostly on students who are marginalized along lines of race, gender, class, and ability, amongst others) and the implications of epistemic injustice for educational research, policy, and practice. This special issue extends this line of work by compiling a set of articles that address a broad range of topics, some of which are well established in the literature and some of which open new lines of inquiry in the field. In doing so, the issue aims to establish the intersection of epistemic injustice and education as a distinct area of study that holds great significance and potential. In this paper, A. C. Nikolaidis and Winston C. Thompson introduce the issue by discussing these contributions, explaining why education is central to the study of epistemic injustice (and vice versa), and exploring the complex nature of epistemic injustice and education as revealed in the articles that comprise this collection—namely, education’s simultaneous complicity as a perpetrator and promise as a disruptor of epistemic injustice.
Transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches elucidate the systemic response of wheat plants under waterlogging
Authors: Cid Geeisy Angela , Francioli Davide , Kolb Steffen , Tandron Moya Yudelsy Antonia , von Wirén Nicolaus , Hajirezaei Mohammad-Reza
Published: November 2023

Extreme weather conditions lead to significant imbalances in crop productivity, which in turn affect food security. Flooding events cause serious problems for many crop species such as wheat. Although metabolic readjustments under flooding are important for plant regeneration, underlying processes remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the systemic response of wheat to waterlogging using metabolomics and transcriptomics. A 12 d exposure to excess water triggered nutritional imbalances and disruption of metabolite synthesis and translocation, reflected by reductions in plant biomass and growth performance. Metabolic and transcriptomic profiling in roots, xylem sap, and leaves indicated anaerobic fermentation processes as a local response in roots. Differentially expressed genes and ontological categories revealed that carbohydrate metabolism plays an important role in the systemic response. Analysis of the composition of xylem exudates revealed decreased root-to-shoot translocation of nutrients, hormones, and amino acids. Interestingly, among all metabolites measured in xylem exudates, alanine was the most abundant. Immersion of excised leaves derived from waterlogged plants in alanine solution led to increased leaf glucose concentration. Our results suggest an important role of alanine not only as an amino-nitrogen donor but also as a vehicle for carbon skeletons to produce glucose de novo and meet the energy demand during waterlogging.
The scent of roses, a bouquet of fragrance diversity
Authors: Noh Yuo-Myoung , Ait Hida Amal , Raymond Olivier , Comte Gilles , Bendahmane Mohammed
Published: November 2023

Roses have been domesticated since antiquity for their therapeutic, cosmetic, and ornamental properties. Their floral fragrance has great economic value, which has influenced the production of rose varieties. The production of rose water and essential oil is one of the most lucrative activities, supplying bioactive molecules to the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and therapeutic industries. In recent years, major advances in molecular genetics, genomic, and biochemical tools have paved the way for the identification of molecules that make up the specific fragrance of various rose cultivars. The aim of this review is to highlight current knowledge on metabolite profiles, and more specifically on fragrance compounds, as well as the specificities and differences between rose species and cultivars belonging to different rose sections and how they contribute to modern roses fragrance.
The Domestic Music Market and Musical Circulation in Two Late-Georgian Binders’ Volumes from the North-East of England
Authors: Gibson Kirsten , Southey Roz
Published: November 2023

This article introduces two late-Georgian binders’ volumes of printed vocal and keyboard sheet music held at Newcastle upon Tyne’s Literary and Philosophical Society. Both volumes display connections with the north-east of England, and, as we argue, were most likely compiled in the region in the last decades of the eighteenth century and the opening decades of the nineteenth. These volumes have not received scholarly attention, yet a close examination enables us to expand the scope of previous studies on musical circulation and the music trade, and to contribute new insights to the emerging national picture. They shed light on patterns of the acquisition, circulation, and consumption of music alongside mapping the nexus of print centres—in this case, London, Edinburgh, and Newcastle—on which consumers of domestic sheet music in the north-east of England might have drawn to access the latest musical materials. We begin by examining the physical, bibliographical, and musical features of the volumes to explore questions of dating, ownership, and their connections with the north-east of England, and go on to consider the routes through which the music they contain might have been obtained by music consumers in the region. Finally, we explore the contents of these volumes, setting them against the national picture of domestic music consumption, and consider their contents from the perspective of gendered modes of consumption, local politics and identity, and national polite music culture. In so doing, we elucidate how two domestic musicians in the north-east of England engaged with local and national musical culture in the composition of their personal music books and the fashioning of their social and musical identities.
Future trajectories of the Solar System: dynamical simulations of stellar encounters within 100 au
Authors: Raymond Sean N , Kaib Nathan A , Selsis Franck , Bouy Herve
Published: November 2023

Given the inexorable increase in the Sun’s luminosity, Earth will exit the habitable zone in ∼1 Gyr. There is a negligible chance that Earth’s orbit will change during that time through internal Solar System dynamics. However, there is a ∼ 1 per cent chance per Gyr that a star will pass within 100 au of the Sun. Here, we use N-body simulations to evaluate the possible evolutionary pathways of the planets under the perturbation from a close stellar passage. We find a ∼ 92 per cent chance that all eight planets will survive on orbits similar to their current ones if a star passes within 100 au of the Sun. Yet a passing star may disrupt the Solar System, by directly perturbing the planets’ orbits or by triggering a dynamical instability. Mercury is the most fragile, with a destruction rate (usually via collision with the Sun) higher than that of the four giant planets combined. The most probable destructive pathways for Earth are to undergo a giant impact (with the Moon or Venus) or to collide with the Sun. Each planet may find itself on a very different orbit than its present-day one, in some cases with high eccentricities or inclinations. There is a small chance that Earth could end up on a more distant (colder) orbit, through re-shuffling of the system’s orbital architecture, ejection into interstellar space (or into the Oort cloud), or capture by the passing star. We quantify plausible outcomes for the post-flyby Solar System.
The influence of black holes on the binary population of the globular cluster Palomar 5
Authors: Wang Long , Gieles Mark , Baumgardt Holger , Li Chengyuan , Pang Xiaoying , Tang Baitian
Published: November 2023

The discovery of stellar-mass black holes (BHs) in globular clusters (GCs) raises the possibility of long-term retention of BHs within GCs. These BHs influence various astrophysical processes, including merger-driven gravitational waves and the formation of X-ray binaries. They also impact cluster dynamics by heating and creating low-density cores. Previous N-body models suggested that Palomar 5, a low-density GC with long tidal tails, may contain more than 100 BHs. To test this scenario, we conduct N-body simulations of Palomar 5 with primordial binaries to explore the influence of BHs on binary populations and the stellar mass function. Our results show that primordial binaries have minimal effect on the long-term evolution. In dense clusters with BHs, the fraction of wide binaries with periods >105 d decreases, and the disruption rate is independent of the initial period distribution. Multi-epoch spectroscopic observations of line-of-sight velocity changes can detect most bright binaries with periods below 104 d, significantly improving velocity dispersion measurements. Four BH-MS binaries in the model with BHs suggests their possible detection through the same observation method. Including primordial binaries leads to a flatter inferred mass function because of spatially unresolved binaries, leading to a better match of the observations than models without binaries, particularly in Palomar 5’s inner region. Future observations should focus on the cluster velocity dispersion and binaries with periods of 104–105 d in Palomar 5’s inner and tail regions to constrain BH existence.