bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The utility and sustainability of US Ebola treatment centers during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
Authors: Herstein Jocelyn J. , Biddinger Paul D. , Gibbs Shawn G. , Hewlett Angela L. , Le Aurora B. , Schwedhelm Michelle M. , Lowe John J.
Published: February 2022

Objective:

In response to the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) designated 56 US hospitals as Ebola treatment centers (ETCs) with high-level isolation capabilities. We sought to determine the ongoing sustainability of ETCs and to identify how ETC capabilities have affected hospital, local, and regional coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) readiness and response.

Design:

An electronic survey included both qualitative and quantitative questions and was structured into 2 sections: operational sustainability and role in the COVID-19 response.

Setting and participants:

The survey was distributed to site representatives from the 56 originally designated ETCs, and 37 (66%) responded.

Methods:

Data were coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results:

Of the 37 responding ETCs, 33 (89%) reported that they were still operating, and 4 had decommissioned. ETCs that maintain high-level isolation capabilities incurred a mean of $234,367 in expenses per year. All but 1 ETC reported that existing capabilities (eg, trained staff, infrastructure) before COVID-19 positively affected their hospital, local, and regional COVID-19 readiness and response (eg, ETC trained staff, donated supplies, and shared developed protocols).

Conclusions:

Existing high-level isolation capabilities and expertise developed following the 2014–2016 EVD epidemic were leveraged by ETCs to assist hospital-wide readiness for COVID-19 and to support responses by other local and regional hospitals However, ETCs face continued challenges in sustaining those capabilities for high-consequence infectious diseases.
Petrological implications of element redistribution during metamorphism: insights from meta-granite of the South Delhi Fold Belt, Rajasthan, India
Authors: Dutta Upama , Sarkar Ayan Kumar , Chatterjee Sadhana M. , Manna Anirban , Roy Alip , Das Subhrajyoti
Published: February 2022

Meta-granites of the South Delhi Fold Belt, northwestern India, contain spectacular reaction textures formed during the metamorphic replacement of primary minerals. Textural relationships imply that amphibole was replaced sequentially in two stages. Epidote + titanite + quartz symplectite formed syn-tectonically on amphibole grain boundaries/fractures, followed by post-deformational growth of euhedral garnet overprinting amphibole grains. Besides occurring as symplectite grown during deformation, titanite in this rock also developed as a post-tectonic corona around magnetite. Parent magnetite contains exsolutions of ilmenite and/or ultrafine lamellae of Ti-rich oxide (Ti-oxd). Textures involving coronal titanite suggest their formation through a magnetite + ilmenite(/Ti-oxd) + plagioclase → titanite reaction. Compositional attributes and the calculation of the gain versus loss of components during the reaction suggest that the Mn2+for garnet (XSpss= 0.23–0.29) that grew replacing amphibole was supplied by ilmenite (Mn2+is 0.118–0.128 apfu) as it disintegrated to form coronal titanite. The redistribution of components between the metamorphic reaction sites connects the texturally unrelated domains and suggests that these zones were in chemical equilibrium during metamorphism. We estimated theP–Tconditions of metamorphism for these post-tectonic assemblages as ∼650–700 °C from pseudosection modelling and conventional thermometry. Zircon data from this study suggest that the granitic rock crystallized at 988.8 ± 8.8 Ma. We propose that the metamorphic phases replaced the primary minerals during the mid Neoproterozoic tectonic activity reported from this terrane. The syn-tectonic symplectitic assemblage formed as the temperature increased during prograde metamorphism, and the post-tectonic minerals developed at peak conditions following the cessation of deformation.
Relationship between the concentration of anti-Müllerian hormone and antral follicle count in pasture-managed Holstein cows in the high tropics
Authors: Ayala Guanga Luis , Astiz Susana , Dutan Sanango Jorge , Samaniego Jorge Xavier , López Cabrera Rodrigo Xavier , Perea Fernando , Hernandez-Fonseca Hugo J. , Pesántez Pacheco José Luis
Published: February 2022

We evaluated the relationship between plasma levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and the number of antral follicles at the restart of the follicular wave in crossbred Holstein cows reared under extensive grazing systems over 2500 m above sea level. The study included 140 cows from 15 farms that were in average at the 75.3 ± 2.10 d post partum. Animals were synchronized according to the following regime: day 0 = intravaginal progesterone releasing device (IPD) + estradiol benzoate (EB); day 7: withdrawal of IPD + prostaglandin; and day 8: EB, for restart of the follicular wave on day 11. On this day 11, antral follicle counts (AFCs) were made by transrectal ultrasound, and a plasma sample was taken for the determination of AMH. The mean AMH plasma level was 0.06 ± 0.03 ng/ml and the mean AFC was 17.26 ± 0.38 follicles. A strong positive linear correlation was found between these two variables (r = 0.783, r = 0.613, P < 0.0001). Cows were categorized according to AMH concentration as high (>0.09 ng/ml), intermediate (0.09–0.05 ng/ml) or low (<0.05 ng/ml). Cows with high AMH presented a higher AFC (25.0 ± 2.21 follicles) than those with low AMH (14.08 ± 2.68 follicles; P < 0.001. Our results suggest that the cut-off value of AMH = 0.09 ng/ml may be useful for selecting donors in multiple ovulation embryo transfer programs involving cows with these characteristics. Our data further suggest that AMH plasma concentration correlates with AFC and can be used as an endocrine biomarker of the number of antral follicles present at a given moment of the estrous cycle in crossbred Holstein cows raised at altitudes above 2500 m.
Noun class agreement in Kafire (Senufo): A Lexical-Functional Grammar account
Authors: NIKITINA TATIANA , SILUÉ SONGFOLO LACINA
Published: February 2022

A major challenge presented by noun class systems of Senufo languages is the non-trivial interaction between the agreement features of the noun phrase and the noun class specification on the head noun. In Kafire (Senufo, Côte d’Ivoire), demonstratives normally agree with the head noun independent of whether or not the head noun is modified by adjectives. Some adjectives, however, are exceptions to the general rule: in their presence the demonstrative appears in Class 2 or 3 (depending on the adjective), and fails to agree with the head noun. We present an account of the exceptional behavior of such adjectives within the framework of Lexical-Functional Grammar. We show that agreement in Kafire is a heterogeneous phenomenon that is best viewed as transitional between a system of semantically motivated agreement and a system of noun classes that is no longer dependent on meaning. Vestiges of the old system have been preserved in a variety of phenomena that have to be addressed individually using different kinds of formal tools provided by the framework. The variety of formal devices required to describe the functioning of the agreement system reflects the complex diachrony and the cross-modal (lexico-syntactic) synchronic nature of agreement phenomena.
Error-space-oriented tolerance design for a deployable mechanism with multiple clearances
Authors: Ding Jianzhong , Dong Yang , Liu Xueao , Wang Chunjie
Published: February 2022

This paper presents a geometrical alternative to estimate the accuracy of a deployable mechanism equipped on the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) space satellite. The deployable mechanism is simplified into a planar mechanism, and the error space of the outer panel in its deployed state is modeled concerning multiple revolute joint clearances and link length tolerances. Compared with the existing methods, the advance of the proposed geometrical approach lies in that it gives expressions of the complete error mobility that the outer panel may have. After deducing the expressions, the final error space is visualized and evaluated numerically with discrete sampling points. Finally, based on the error space and the computed maximum errors, effects of tolerances on accuracy are studied and the optimal accuracy design of tolerances is obtained. The result reveals that, for the deployable mechanism discussed in this paper, effects of tolerances on the final accuracy can be eliminated without increasing the manufacturing cost.
Commensalism, Imaginaries and Early Urbanism: A Mezcala Sculpture in the Mixteca Alta, Mexico
Authors: Blomster Jeffrey P.
Published: February 2022

Early urban societies feature specialized processes that integrate disparate populations as part of their social construction. One such process is commensalism and the associated display of exotica from interregional interaction. Hosts of a feast between 400 and 300 bce at the early urban centre of Etlatongo, in the Mixteca Alta of Oaxaca, Mexico, displayed pottery that manifested relationships with urban elites at Monte Albán and other regions of Oaxaca, but also expressed connections with something fundamentally different. The hosts sacrificed a greenstone sculpture in the Mezcala style from Guerrero state, located to the west and previously unknown in Oaxaca aesthetics. The discovery of this figure contributes to reassessing the extent of interaction during a time often marked by regionalism in Oaxaca as well as providing information on the little-known Mezcala civilization. A relational ontology explores how the discovery of this agentive object and the alterity of its aesthetics facilitates understanding perceptions of distant others or imaginaries, and how such entanglements facilitated processes of status differentiation for nascent urban elites, particularly their role as mediators.
The cloverleaf model of cognitive behaviour therapy as experiential learning: implications for case formulation, therapeutic practice and practitioner development
Authors: Grimmer Andrew
Published: February 2022

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy for a wide variety of psychological problems. While the exact working mechanisms of CBT remain unknown, its mode of action might usefully be conceptualised as facilitated experiential learning. An adapted ‘cloverleaf’ version of Borton’s ‘what, so what, now what’ learning model is presented to elaborate some of the potential benefits of taking an experiential learning perspective on CBT. These include conceptualising the maintenance of client problems as inhibited experiential learning and the CBT therapeutic process as the cultivation of more effective experiential learning. An experiential learning perspective might also provide an accessible way for trainee and early-career CBT therapists to understand more clearly the learning methodology that underlies CBT’s distinctive approach to psychotherapy. The model is also intended to create an overarching conceptual bridge between reflective practice, the therapist’s experiential learning in the client role, and the client’s experience of CBT as facilitated experiential learning.

Key learning aims

(1)

To introduce a modified ‘cloverleaf’ experiential learning process model that can be applied to the conceptualisation of client difficulties, CBT therapeutic processes, and practitioner development.

(2)

To demonstrate how the model can be used to develop cross-sectional and descriptive maintenance formulations of client problems and client wellbeing.

(3)

To show how the model can be used as a conceptual and practical tool to help formulate both the therapeutic process and challenges and obstacles to that process.

(4)

To help practitioners make links between the process of personal and professional development and client change processes.
Positive Priming Effects Induced by Allochthonous and Autochthonous Organic Matter Input in the Lake Sediments With Different Salinity
Authors: Yang Jian , Han Mingxian , Zhao Zhuoli , Jiang Hongchen
Published: February 2022

Ecological consequences of the increased input of allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter (OM) remains unknown in saline lakes. Here, we reported microbial mineralization of algal and grass OM (represented by autochthonous and allochthonous OM, respectively) in lake sediments with different salinity (1, 40, and 120 g L−1). The addition of algal and grass OM significantly increased the CO2 production rates in the studied sediments. Algal and grass OM input can induce positive priming effect (PE). PE intensity induced by grass OM input was significantly higher than that by algal OM input. PE intensity induced by algal and grass OM input decreased with increasing salinity. Bacterial taxa affiliated with Actinomycetia, Alphaproteobacteria, Bacilli, Bacteroidia, Clostridia, and Gammaproteobacteria played important roles in driving PE generation in the studied sediments. Our finding suggested that the PEs induced by allochthonous and autochthonous OM should be considered in saline lakes that are intensively influenced by climate change.
Human Impacts Overwhelmed Hydroclimate Control of Soil Erosion in China 5,000 Years Ago
Authors: Zhang Fan , Li Shehong , Sun Chengpeng , Li Wenpeng , Zhao Xin , Chen Zhiyan , Nie Tianyi , Chen Yongshun , Li Xinxin
Published: February 2022

Deforestation and intensive land use have accelerated soil erosion, reshaped topography, and altered carbon reservoirs for thousands of years. The timing, scope, and magnitude of long‐term anthropogenic soil erosion across China are especially important to understand the global scale of this process. Here, sediment accumulation rates (SARs) from 191 sediment archives are found to be temporally correlated with monsoon intensity during 6–40 ka BP, indicating that hydroclimate was the main driver of soil erosion in this time interval. The rapid increase in SARs after ca. 5 ka BP is decoupled from persistently weakened hydroclimate but instead follows the trend of increasing population and related agricultural activities in China, implying a change in the primary controlling factor since then. Early human activities in China therefore appear to have had profound implications on Earth's surface at a continental scale.
Variability in High Wave Energy Events Around the Southern African Coast
Authors: Oliver Benjamin , Veitch Jennifer , Reason Chris J.C.
Published: February 2022

The wave energy flux along the southern African coastline often reaches extreme levels, seriously impacting coastal communities, infrastructure, as well as near‐coast and offshore marine operations. Understanding the drivers behind past high wave energy events and their frequency is key to forecasting future events. Using in‐situ wave buoy data recorded by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the ERA5 and CACWR global wave model products are evaluated. The better‐performing ERA5 product is used to assess long‐term variability and trends around the coastline between 1979 and 2020. There are significant increasing trends in offshore flux for all seasons, with spring having the strongest coastal trends. Substantial interannual variability exists in wave energy flux and direction. Possible drivers, the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the semi‐annual oscillation (SAO), were assessed to find that SAM appears to show the strongest relationship overall. Negative (positive) SAM is associated with above (below) average and westerly (easterly) anomalies in both flux and direction. ENSO directly impacts the summer wave climate while the SAO indirectly impacts the wave energy flux over spring and winter. During many seasons, more than one climate mode is active. It is found the strongest significant near‐coast positive westerly anomalies occurred under negative SAM and negative SAO, with more intense offshore anomalies under El Niño, whereas the strongest significant negative east‐northeasterly anomalies occurred under a combination of La Niña with positive SAM and SAO phases.
Deep learning in optical metrology: a review
Authors: Zuo Chao , Qian Jiaming , Feng Shijie , Yin Wei , Li Yixuan , Fan Pengfei , Han Jing , Qian Kemao , Chen Qian
Published: February 2022

With the advances in scientific foundations and technological implementations, optical metrology has become versatile problem-solving backbones in manufacturing, fundamental research, and engineering applications, such as quality control, nondestructive testing, experimental mechanics, and biomedicine. In recent years, deep learning, a subfield of machine learning, is emerging as a powerful tool to address problems by learning from data, largely driven by the availability of massive datasets, enhanced computational power, fast data storage, and novel training algorithms for the deep neural network. It is currently promoting increased interests and gaining extensive attention for its utilization in the field of optical metrology. Unlike the traditional “physics-based” approach, deep-learning-enabled optical metrology is a kind of “data-driven” approach, which has already provided numerous alternative solutions to many challenging problems in this field with better performances. In this review, we present an overview of the current status and the latest progress of deep-learning technologies in the field of optical metrology. We first briefly introduce both traditional image-processing algorithms in optical metrology and the basic concepts of deep learning, followed by a comprehensive review of its applications in various optical metrology tasks, such as fringe denoising, phase retrieval, phase unwrapping, subset correlation, and error compensation. The open challenges faced by the current deep-learning approach in optical metrology are then discussed. Finally, the directions for future research are outlined.
Implementation of CYP2D6 copy-number imputation panel and frequency of key pharmacogenetic variants in Finnish individuals with a psychotic disorder
Authors: Häkkinen Katja , Kiiski Johanna I. , Lähteenvuo Markku , Jukuri Tuomas , Suokas Kimmo , Niemi-Pynttäri Jussi , Kieseppä Tuula , Männynsalo Teemu , Wegelius Asko , Haaki Willehard , Lahdensuo Kaisla , Kajanne Risto , Kaunisto Mari A. , Tuulio-Henriksson Annamari , Kampman Olli , Hietala Jarmo , Veijola Juha , Lönnqvist Jouko , Isometsä Erkki , Paunio Tiina , Suvisaari Jaana , Kalso Eija , Niemi Mikko , Tiihonen Jari , Daly Mark , Palotie Aarno , Ahola-Olli Ari V.
Published: February 2022

We demonstrate that CYP2D6 copy-number variation (CNV) can be imputed using existing imputation algorithms. Additionally, we report frequencies of key pharmacogenetic variants in individuals with a psychotic disorder from the genetically bottle-necked population of Finland. We combined GWAS chip and CYP2D6 CNV data from the Breast Cancer Pain Genetics study to construct an imputation panel (n = 902) for CYP2D6 CNV. The resulting data set was used as a CYP2D6 CNV imputation panel in 9262 non-related individuals from the SUPER-Finland study. Based on imputation of 9262 individuals we confirm the higher frequency of CYP2D6 ultrarapid metabolizers and a 22-fold enrichment of the UGT1A1 decreased function variant rs4148323 (UGT1A1*6) in Finland compared with non-Finnish Europeans. Similarly, the NUDT15 variant rs116855232 was highly enriched in Finland. We demonstrate that imputation of CYP2D6 CNV is possible and the methodology enables studying CYP2D6 in large biobanks with genome-wide data.
Association of cumulative early medical factors with autism and autistic symptoms in a population-based twin sample
Authors: Carlsson Torkel , Rosenqvist Mina , Butwicka Agnieszka , Larsson Henrik , Lundström Sebastian , Pan Pei-Yin , Lundin Remnélius Karl , Taylor Mark J. , Bölte Sven
Published: February 2022

Although highly heritable, environment also contributes to the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with several specific environmental factors previously suggested. A registry-linked population-based twin cohort of 15,701 pairs (586 individuals with an ASD diagnosis), was established within the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden. Participants were evaluated for autistic symptoms at age 9 using the Autism-Tics, ADHD and other Comorbidities parental interview. A series of binary cut-offs indicated whether participants scored over various ASD symptom percentiles. Three early medical factors previously associated with ASD, beyond familial confounding (low birth weight, congenital malformations and perinatal hypoxia), were summed up creating an individual cumulative exposure load. A series of unconditional logistic regressions between all individuals and conditional regressions within twin pairs were performed for each outcome and exposure level. Between all individuals increasing cumulative early exposure loads were associated with increasing risk of ASD diagnosis (OR 3.33 (95%CI 1.79–6.20) for three exposures) and autistic symptoms (ranging from OR 2.12 (1.57–2.86) for three exposures at the 55th symptom percentile cut-off to OR 3.39 (2.2–5.24) at the 95th). Within twin pairs, the association between three exposures and an ASD diagnosis remained similar, but not statistically significant (OR 2.39 (0.62–9.24)). Having a higher load of early cumulative exposure was consistently associated with autistic symptoms after adjusting for familial confounding and sex (OR 3.45 (1.66–7.15) to OR 7.36 (1.99–27.18)). This study gives support to the cumulative stress hypothesis of ASD, and the dimensional model regarding environmental exposures, after adjustment for familial confounding.
Cryo-EM structures of human p97 double hexamer capture potentiated ATPase-competent state
Authors: Gao Haishan , Li Faxiang , Ji Zhejian , Shi Zhubing , Li Yang , Yu Hongtao
Published: February 2022

The conserved ATPase p97 (Cdc48 in yeast) and adaptors mediate diverse cellular processes through unfolding polyubiquitinated proteins and extracting them from macromolecular assemblies and membranes for disaggregation and degradation. The tandem ATPase domains (D1 and D2) of the p97/Cdc48 hexamer form stacked rings. p97/Cdc48 can unfold substrates by threading them through the central pore. The pore loops critical for substrate unfolding are, however, not well-ordered in substrate-free p97/Cdc48 conformations. How p97/Cdc48 organizes its pore loops for substrate engagement is unclear. Here we show that p97/Cdc48 can form double hexamers (DH) connected through the D2 ring. Cryo-EM structures of p97 DH reveal an ATPase-competent conformation with ordered pore loops. The C-terminal extension (CTE) links neighboring D2s in each hexamer and expands the central pore of the D2 ring. Mutations of Cdc48 CTE abolish substrate unfolding. We propose that the p97/Cdc48 DH captures a potentiated state poised for substrate engagement.
Evidence for a trap-and-flip mechanism in a proton-dependent lipid transporter
Authors: Lambert Elisabeth , Mehdipour Ahmad Reza , Schmidt Alexander , Hummer Gerhard , Perez Camilo
Published: February 2022

Transport of lipids across membranes is fundamental for diverse biological pathways in cells. Multiple ion-coupled transporters take part in lipid translocation, but their mechanisms remain largely unknown. Major facilitator superfamily (MFS) lipid transporters play central roles in cell wall synthesis, brain development and function, lipids recycling, and cell signaling. Recent structures of MFS lipid transporters revealed overlapping architectural features pointing towards a common mechanism. Here we used cysteine disulfide trapping, molecular dynamics simulations, mutagenesis analysis, and transport assays in vitro and in vivo, to investigate the mechanism of LtaA, a proton-dependent MFS lipid transporter essential for lipoteichoic acid synthesis in the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. We reveal that LtaA displays asymmetric lateral openings with distinct functional relevance and that cycling through outward- and inward-facing conformations is essential for transport activity. We demonstrate that while the entire amphipathic central cavity of LtaA contributes to lipid binding, its hydrophilic pocket dictates substrate specificity. We propose that LtaA catalyzes lipid translocation by a ‘trap-and-flip’ mechanism that might be shared among MFS lipid transporters.
A self-driving laboratory advances the Pareto front for material properties
Authors: MacLeod Benjamin P. , Parlane Fraser G. L. , Rupnow Connor C. , Dettelbach Kevan E. , Elliott Michael S. , Morrissey Thomas D. , Haley Ted H. , Proskurin Oleksii , Rooney Michael B. , Taherimakhsousi Nina , Dvorak David J. , Chiu Hsi N. , Waizenegger Christopher E. B. , Ocean Karry , Mokhtari Mehrdad , Berlinguette Curtis P.
Published: February 2022

Useful materials must satisfy multiple objectives, where the optimization of one objective is often at the expense of another. The Pareto front reports the optimal trade-offs between these conflicting objectives. Here we use a self-driving laboratory, Ada, to define the Pareto front of conductivities and processing temperatures for palladium films formed by combustion synthesis. Ada discovers new synthesis conditions that yield metallic films at lower processing temperatures (below 200 °C) relative to the prior art for this technique (250 °C). This temperature difference makes possible the coating of different commodity plastic materials (e.g., Nafion, polyethersulfone). These combustion synthesis conditions enable us to to spray coat uniform palladium films with moderate conductivity (1.1 × 105 S m−1) at 191 °C. Spray coating at 226 °C yields films with conductivities (2.0 × 106 S m−1) comparable to those of sputtered films (2.0 to 5.8 × 106 S m−1). This work shows how a self-driving laboratoy can discover materials that provide optimal trade-offs between conflicting objectives.
Air quality and health co-benefits of China’s carbon dioxide emissions peaking before 2030
Authors: Tang Rong , Zhao Jing , Liu Yifan , Huang Xin , Zhang Yanxu , Zhou Derong , Ding Aijun , Nielsen Chris P. , Wang Haikun
Published: February 2022

Recent evidence shows that carbon emissions in China are likely to peak ahead of 2030. However, the social and economic impacts of such an early carbon peak have rarely been assessed. Here we focus on the economic costs and health benefits of different carbon mitigation pathways, considering both possible socio-economic futures and varying ambitions of climate policies. We find that an early peak before 2030 in line with the 1.5 °C target could avoid ~118,000 and ~614,000 PM2.5 attributable deaths under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 1, in 2030 and 2050, respectively. Under the 2 °C target, carbon mitigation costs could be more than offset by health co-benefits in 2050, bringing a net benefit of $393–$3,017 billion (in 2017 USD value). This study not only provides insight into potential health benefits of an early peak in China, but also suggests that similar benefits may result from more ambitious climate targets in other countries.
Quantum sensing for gravity cartography
Authors: Stray Ben , Lamb Andrew , Kaushik Aisha , Vovrosh Jamie , Rodgers Anthony , Winch Jonathan , Hayati Farzad , Boddice Daniel , Stabrawa Artur , Niggebaum Alexander , Langlois Mehdi , Lien Yu-Hung , Lellouch Samuel , Roshanmanesh Sanaz , Ridley Kevin , de Villiers Geoffrey , Brown Gareth , Cross Trevor , Tuckwell George , Faramarzi Asaad , Metje Nicole , Bongs Kai , Holynski Michael
Published: February 2022

The sensing of gravity has emerged as a tool in geophysics applications such as engineering and climate research1–3, including the monitoring of temporal variations in aquifers4 and geodesy5. However, it is impractical to use gravity cartography to resolve metre-scale underground features because of the long measurement times needed for the removal of vibrational noise6. Here we overcome this limitation by realizing a practical quantum gravity gradient sensor. Our design suppresses the effects of micro-seismic and laser noise, thermal and magnetic field variations, and instrument tilt. The instrument achieves a statistical uncertainty of 20 E (1 E = 10−9 s−2) and is used to perform a 0.5-metre-spatial-resolution survey across an 8.5-metre-long line, detecting a 2-metre tunnel with a signal-to-noise ratio of 8. Using a Bayesian inference method, we determine the centre to ±0.19 metres horizontally and the centre depth as (1.89 −0.59/+2.3) metres. The removal of vibrational noise enables improvements in instrument performance to directly translate into reduced measurement time in mapping. The sensor parameters are compatible with applications in mapping aquifers and evaluating impacts on the water table7, archaeology8–11, determination of soil properties12 and water content13, and reducing the risk of unforeseen ground conditions in the construction of critical energy, transport and utilities infrastructure14, providing a new window into the underground.
The Mesozoic terminated in boreal spring
Authors: During Melanie A. D. , Smit Jan , Voeten Dennis F. A. E. , Berruyer Camille , Tafforeau Paul , Sanchez Sophie , Stein Koen H. W. , Verdegaal-Warmerdam Suzan J. A. , van der Lubbe Jeroen H. J. L.
Published: February 2022

The Cretaceous–Palaeogene mass extinction around 66 million years ago was triggered by the Chicxulub asteroid impact on the present-day Yucatán Peninsula1,2. This event caused the highly selective extinction that eliminated about 76% of species3,4, including all non-avian dinosaurs, pterosaurs, ammonites, rudists and most marine reptiles. The timing of the impact and its aftermath have been studied mainly on millennial timescales, leaving the season of the impact unconstrained. Here, by studying fishes that died on the day the Mesozoic era ended, we demonstrate that the impact that caused the Cretaceous–Palaeogene mass extinction took place during boreal spring. Osteohistology together with stable isotope records of exceptionally preserved perichondral and dermal bones in acipenseriform fishes from the Tanis impact-induced seiche deposits5 reveal annual cyclicity across the final years of the Cretaceous period. Annual life cycles, including seasonal timing and duration of reproduction, feeding, hibernation and aestivation, vary strongly across latest Cretaceous biotic clades. We postulate that the timing of the Chicxulub impact in boreal spring and austral autumn was a major influence on selective biotic survival across the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary.
Influences of summer warming and nutrient availability on Salix glauca L. growth in Greenland along an ice to sea gradient
Authors: Prendin Angela Luisa , Normand Signe , Carrer Marco , Bjerregaard Pedersen Nanna , Matthiesen Henning , Westergaard‐Nielsen Andreas , Elberling Bo , Treier Urs Albert , Hollesen Jørgen
Published: February 2022

The combined effects of climate change and nutrient availability on Arctic vegetation growth are poorly understood. Archaeological sites in the Arctic could represent unique nutrient hotspots for studying the long-term effect of nutrient enrichment. In this study, we analysed a time-series of ring widths of Salix glauca L. collected at nine archaeological sites and in their natural surroundings along a climate gradient in the Nuuk fjord region, Southwest Greenland, stretching from the edge of the Greenlandic Ice Sheet in the east to the open sea in the west. We assessed the temperature-growth relationship for the last four decades distinguishing between soils with past anthropogenic nutrient enrichment (PANE) and without (controls). Along the East–West gradient, the inner fjord sites showed a stronger temperature signal compared to the outermost ones. Individuals growing in PANE soils had wider ring widths than individuals growing in the control soils and a stronger climate-growth relation, especially in the inner fjord sites. Thereby, the individuals growing on the archaeological sites seem to have benefited more from the climate warming in recent decades. Our results suggest that higher nutrient availability due to past human activities plays a role in Arctic vegetation growth and should be considered when assessing both the future impact of plants on archaeological sites and the general greening in landscapes with contrasting nutrient availability.
Phylogenetic diversity and spatiotemporal dynamics of bacterial and microeukaryotic plankton communities in Gwangyang Bay of the Korean Peninsula
Authors: Han Dukki , Shin Hanseob , Lee Ji-Hoon , Kang Chang-Keun , Kim Dong-Gyun , Hur Hor-Gil
Published: February 2022

Nutrient dynamics function globally, flowing from rivers to the ocean (estuarine–coastal zone), and are vulnerable to climate change. Microbial habitats can be affected by marine nutrient dynamics and may provide a clue to predict microbial responses to environmental heterogeneity in estuarine–coastal zones. We surveyed surface seawater in Gwangyang Bay, a semi-enclosed estuary in Korea, from 2016 to 2018 using a metabarcoding approach with prokaryotic 16S and eukaryotic 18S rRNA genes. Bacterial and microeukaryotic communities in these waters showed distinct local communities in response to environmental heterogeneity and community transition at spatiotemporal scales in the estuarine–coastal zone. The relative abundance of prokaryotic and eukaryotic operational taxonomic units suggested a microbial trophic interaction in the Gwangyang Bay waters. We found that the community assembly process in prokaryotic communities was primarily influenced by biological interaction (immigration–emigration), whereas that in eukaryotic communities was more affected by environmental stress (habitat specificity) rather than by biotic factors. Our findings in the Gwangyang Bay waters may provide information on underlying (biotic or abiotic) factors of the assembly process in microbial communities in the estuarine–coastal zone.
Simulation of heat transfer in a landfill with layered new and old municipal solid waste
Authors: Zhang Tao , Shi Jianyong , Wu Xun , Shu Shi , Lin Hai
Published: February 2022

Due to rapid degradation of the newly filled municipal solid waste (MSW), the local temperature of the waste layer increases greatly. The mechanical parameters related to waste degradation and the deformation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes in the waste body will be affected by the elevated temperature. To predict the temperature distribution in the anaerobic landfill, a one-dimensional heat transfer model is established in this study. This model considers the stratification of the saturated and unsaturated zones, and the layering of new and old waste. Furthermore, a single peak model for heat production is applied as the source term of heat production. The stratification of the unsaturated and saturated zones is considered by distinguishing the difference in heat conductivity and specific heat capacity. The layering of the new and old waste layers is considered by distinguishing the difference in the length of time that waste has been degraded to produce heat. Based on the numerical calculation method, the temperature distribution in a landfill with layered new and old MSW is well simulated. The position where the maximum temperature occurs and the variation in the temperature at the edge of new and old waste are elucidated. The sensitivity analysis shows that the influence of the density on the temperature distribution is more significant. Besides, the stratification of saturated–unsaturated waste should also be considered in landfills.
Tunable band gaps and optical absorption properties of bent MoS2 nanoribbons
Authors: Tang Hong , Neupane Bimal , Neupane Santosh , Ruan Shiqi , Nepal Niraj K. , Ruzsinszky Adrienn
Published: February 2022

The large tunability of band gaps and optical absorptions of armchair MoS2 nanoribbons of different widths under bending is studied using density functional theory and many-body perturbation GW and Bethe–Salpeter equation approaches. We find that there are three critical bending curvatures, and the non-edge and edge band gaps generally show a non-monotonic trend with bending. The non-degenerate edge gap splits show an oscillating feature with ribbon width n, with a period $$\Delta n=3$$

Δ
n
=
3

, due to quantum confinement effects. The complex strain patterns on the bent nanoribbons control the varying features of band structures and band gaps that result in varying exciton formations and optical properties. The binding energy and the spin singlet–triplet split of the exciton forming the lowest absorption peak generally decrease with bending curvatures. The large tunability of optical properties of bent MoS2 nanoribbons is promising and will find applications in tunable optoelectronic nanodevices.
Time fractional analysis of channel flow of couple stress Casson fluid using Fick’s and Fourier’s Laws
Authors: Ahmad Shafiq , Haq Sami Ul , Ali Farhad , Khan Ilyas , Nisar Kottakkaran Sooppy
Published: February 2022

This study aim to examine the channel flow of a couple stress Casson fluid. The flow is generated due to the motion of the plate at $$y=0$$

y
=
0

, while the plate at $$y=d$$

y
=
d

is at rest. This physical phenomenon is derived in terms of partial differential equations. The subjected governing PDE’s are non-dimensionalized with the help of dimensionless variables. The dimensionless classical model is generalized by transforming it to the time fractional model using Fick’s and Fourier’s Laws. The general fractional model is solved by applying the Laplace and Fourier integral transformation. Furthermore, the parametric influence of various physical parameters like Casson parameter, couple stress parameter, Grashof number, Schmidt number and Prandtl number on velocity, temperature, and concentration distributions is shown graphically and discussed. The heat transfer rate, skin friction, and Sherwood number are calculated and presented in tabular form. It is worth noting that the increasing values of the couple stress parameter $$\lambda$$
λ
deaccelerate the velocity of Couple stress Casson fluid.
Evaluation of Swab-Seq as a scalable, sensitive assay for community surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Kang HyunJin , Allison Sheilah , Spangenberg Amber , Carr Tara , Sprissler Ryan , Halonen Marilyn , Cusanovich Darren A.
Published: February 2022

The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and subsequent demand for viral testing has led to issues in scaling diagnostic lab efforts and in securing basic supplies for collection and processing of samples. This has motivated efforts by the scientific community to establish improved protocols that are more scalable, less resource intensive, and less expensive. One such developmental effort has resulted in an assay called “Swab-Seq”, so named because it was originally developed to work with dry nasal swab samples. The existing gold standard test consists of RNA extracted from a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab that is subjected to quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Swab-Seq adapts this method to a next-generation sequencing readout. By pairing this modification with extraction-free sampling techniques, Swab-Seq achieves high scalability, low cost per sample, and a reasonable turnaround time. We evaluated the effectiveness of this assay in a community surveillance setting by testing samples collected from both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals using the traditional NP swab. In addition, we evaluated extraction-free sampling techniques (both saliva and saline mouth gargle samples). We found the assay to be as clinically sensitive as the qRT-PCR assay, adaptable to multiple sample types, and able to easily accommodate hundreds of samples at a time. We thus provide independent validation of Swab-Seq and extend its utility regarding sample type and sample stability. Assays of this type greatly expand the possibility of routine, noninvasive, repeated testing of asymptomatic individuals suitable for current and potential future needs.
An ex vivo organ culture screening model revealed that low temperature conditions prevent side effects of anticancer drugs
Authors: Tian Tian , Miyazaki Kanako , Chiba Yuta , Funada Keita , Yuta Tomomi , Mizuta Kanji , Fu Yao , Kawahara Jumpei , Han Xue , Ando Yuna , Funada Ami , Yamada Aya , Iwamoto Tsutomu , Nakamura Seiji , Takahashi Ichiro , Fukumoto Satoshi , Yoshizaki Keigo
Published: February 2022

Development of chemotherapy has led to a high survival rate of cancer patients; however, the severe side effects of anticancer drugs, including organ hypoplasia, persist. To assume the side effect of anticancer drugs, we established a new ex vivo screening model and described a method for suppressing side effects. Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is a commonly used anticancer drug and causes severe side effects in developing organs with intensive proliferation, including the teeth and hair. Using the organ culture model, we found that treatment with CPA disturbed the growth of tooth germs by inducing DNA damage, apoptosis and suppressing cellular proliferation and differentiation. Furthermore, low temperature suppressed CPA-mediated inhibition of organ development. Our ex vivo and in vitro analysis revealed that low temperature impeded Rb phosphorylation and caused cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase during CPA treatment. This can prevent the CPA-mediated cell damage of DNA replication caused by the cross-linking reaction of CPA. Our findings suggest that the side effects of anticancer drugs on organ development can be avoided by maintaining the internal environment under low temperature.
Pneumococcal meningitis in adults in 2014–2018 after introduction of pediatric 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Japan
Authors: Chang Bin , Tamura Kosuke , Fujikura Hiroyuki , Watanabe Hiroshi , Tanabe Yoshinari , Kuronuma Koji , Fujita Jiro , Oshima Kengo , Maruyama Takaya , Abe Shuichi , Kasahara Kei , Nishi Junichiro , Kubota Tetsuya , Kinjo Yuki , Serizawa Yusuke , Shimbashi Reiko , Fukusumi Munehisa , Shimada Tomoe , Sunagawa Tomimasa , Suzuki Motoi , Oishi Kazunori ,   the Adult IPD Study Group, Chang Bin , Tamura Kosuke , Fujikura Hiroyuki , Watanabe Hiroshi , Tanabe Yoshinari , Kuronuma Koji , Fujita Jiro , Oshima Kengo , Maruyama Takaya , Abe Shuichi , Kasahara Kei , Nishi Junichiro , Kubota Tetsuya , Kinjo Yuki , Serizawa Yusuke , Shimbashi Reiko , Fukusumi Munehisa , Shimada Tomoe , Sunagawa Tomimasa , Suzuki Motoi , Oishi Kazunori , Gotoh Kenji , Tsubata Chikako , Takahashi Hiroki , Aoyagi Tetsuji , Nakamatsu Masashi , Imuta Naoko , Yokoyama Akihito , Takeda Hiroaki , Ishida Masayuki
Published: February 2022

We assessed the impact of the pediatric 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) on pneumococcal meningitis in adults in Japan in 2014–2018 by comparing epidemiological characteristics of adults with invasive pneumococcal disease with (n = 222) and without (n = 1258) meningitis. The annual incidence of pneumococcal meningitis in 2016–2018 was 0.20–0.26 cases/100,000 population. Age (p < 0.001) and case fatality rate (p = 0.003) were significantly lower in patients with meningitis than in those without meningitis. The odds of developing meningitis were higher in asplenic/hyposplenic or splenectomized patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.29, 95% CI 1.27–4.14), for serotypes 10A (aOR 3.26, 95% CI 2.10–5.06) or 23A (aOR 3.91, 95% CI 2.47–6.19), but lower for those aged ≥ 65 years (aOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.44–0.81). PCV13 had an indirect effect on nonmeningitis, but its impact on meningitis was limited because of an increase in non-PCV13 serotypes. Of meningitis isolates, 78 (35.1%) and 3 (1.4%) were penicillin G- or ceftriaxone-resistant, respectively. We also confirmed an association of the pbp1bA641C mutation with meningitis (aOR 2.92, 95% CI 1.51–5.65).
Microbotanical residues for the study of early hominin tools
Authors: Mercader Julio , Belev George , Bushozi Pastory , Clarke Siobhán , Favreau Julien , Itambu Makarius , Jianfeng Zhu , Koromo Samson , Larter Fergus , Lee Patrick , Maley Jason , Fernández-Marchena Juan Luis , Mohamed Abdallah , Mwambwiga Aloyce , Ngisaruni Benja , Kingi Meshack , Olesilau Lucas , Patalano Robert , Pedergnana Antonella , Sammynaiken Ramaswami , Siljedal Joakim , Soto María , Tucker Laura , Walde Dale , Ollé Andreu
Published: February 2022

More than 2 million years ago in East Africa, the earliest hominin stone tools evolved amidst changes in resource base, with pounding technology playing a key role in this adaptive process. Olduvai Gorge (now Oldupai) is a famed locality that remains paramount for the study of human evolution, also yielding some of the oldest battering tools in the world. However, direct evidence of the resources processed with these technologies is lacking entirely. One way to obtain this evidence is through the analysis of surviving residues. Yet, linking residues with past processing activities is not simple. In the case of plant exploitation, this link can only be established by assessing site-based reference collections inclusive of both anthropogenic and natural residues as a necessary first step and comparative starting point. In this paper, we assess microbotanical remains from rock clasts sourced at the same quarry utilized by Oldowan hominins at Oldupai Gorge. We mapped this signal and analysed it quantitatively to classify its spatial distribution objectively, extracting proxies for taxonomic identification and further comparison with freestanding soils. In addition, we used blanks to manufacture pounding tools for blind, controlled replication of plant processing. We discovered that stone blanks are in fact environmental reservoirs in which plant remains are trapped by lithobionts, preserved as hardened accretions. Tool use, on the other hand, creates residue clusters; however, their spatial distribution can be discriminated from purely natural assemblages by the georeferencing of residues and statistical analysis of resulting patterns. To conclude, we provide a protocol for best practice and a workflow that has the advantage of overcoming environmental noise, reducing the risk of false positive, delivering a firm understanding of residues as polygenic mixtures, a reliable use of controls, and most importantly, a stronger link between microbotanical remains and stone tool use.
KRAS gene mutation quantification in the resection or venous margins of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is not predictive of disease recurrence
Authors: Amintas Samuel , Fernandez Benjamin , Chauvet Alexandre , Chiche Laurence , Laurent Christophe , Belleannée Geneviève , Marty Marion , Buscail Etienne , Dabernat Sandrine
Published: February 2022

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients eligible for curative surgery undergo unpredictable disease relapse. Even patients with a good pathological response after neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) remain susceptible to recurrent PDAC. Molecular analysis of R0 margins may identify patients with a worse prognosis. The molecular status of mutant KRAS (exon 2, codon 12/13) was analysed retrospectively by digital droplet PCR in tumour areas, venous and resection margins of resected tumours, either undergoing up-front surgery (UFS) or after NAT with a good pathological response. Expectedly, tumour tissues or remnants from patients who underwent NAT presented lower KRAS mutant allele frequencies (MAF) than patients eligible for UFS. Similarly, ypT1 tumour MAFs were greater than the ypT0 tumour remnant MAFs in the NAT group. Mutant KRAS status in margins did not distinguish NAT subgroups. It was not predictive of shorter recurrence-free or overall survival within or between groups. KRAS-double negativity in both venous and resection margins did not identify patients with a better prognosis, regardless of the groups. The cohorts ‘sizes were small due to limited numbers of patients meeting the inclusion criteria, but KRAS-positivity or MAFs in resection and venous margins did not carry prognostic value. Comparison of margins from good versus bad responders receiving NAT may provide better clinical value.