bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive potential of Coffea canephora from Uganda in response to climate change
Authors: de Aquino Sinara Oliveira , Kiwuka Catherine , Tournebize Rémi , Gain Clément , Marraccini Pierre , Mariac Cédric , Bethune Kévin , Couderc Marie , Cubry Philippe , Andrade Alan C. , Lepelley Maud , Darracq Olivier , Crouzillat Dominique , Anten Niels , Musoli Pascal , Vigouroux Yves , de Kochko Alexandre , Manel Stéphanie , François Olivier , Poncet Valérie
Published: January 2022

Understanding vulnerabilities of plant populations to climate change could help preserve their biodiversity and reveal new elite parents for future breeding programmes. To this end, landscape genomics is a useful approach for assessing putative adaptations to future climatic conditions, especially in long‐lived species such as trees. We conducted a population genomics study of 207 Coffea canephora trees from seven forests along different climate gradients in Uganda. For this, we sequenced 323 candidate genes involved in key metabolic and defence pathways in coffee. Seventy‐one single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found to be significantly associated with bioclimatic variables, and were thereby considered as putatively adaptive loci. These SNPs were linked to key candidate genes, including transcription factors, like DREB‐like and MYB family genes controlling plant responses to abiotic stresses, as well as other genes of organoleptic interest, such as the DXMT gene involved in caffeine biosynthesis and a putative pest repellent. These climate‐associated genetic markers were used to compute genetic offsets, predicting population responses to future climatic conditions based on local climate change forecasts. Using these measures of maladaptation to future conditions, substantial levels of genetic differentiation between present and future diversity were estimated for all populations and scenarios considered. The populations from the forests Zoka and Budongo, in the northernmost zone of Uganda, appeared to have the lowest genetic offsets under all predicted climate change patterns, while populations from Kalangala and Mabira, in the Lake Victoria region, exhibited the highest genetic offsets. The potential of these findings in terms of ex situ conservation strategies are discussed.
The future of public administration research: An editor's perspective
Authors: McDonald Bruce D. , Hall Jeremy L. , O'Flynn Janine , van Thiel Sandra
Published: January 2022

Research in the field of public administration has changed and advanced significantly in recent years. These advancements concern both how we engage in research—such as the methods we apply, the interdisciplinary nature of the theories we use, and the research questions we ask. Increasingly, we are witnessing a shift in public‐sector values away from efficiency and effectiveness and toward a paradigm that highlights equity. In this article, we reflect on these changes from our position as editors‐in‐chief of some of the leading journals in the field. In addition to describing the progress of this discipline, we explore emerging windows of opportunity for new research. One such window is research on ways to incorporate interdisciplinary perspectives and methods. We also see the need for work in such areas as social equity, comparative administration, artificial intelligence, and climate change. Finally, we argue for a more proactive approach in disseminating research to those involved in the day‐to‐day decision‐making processes of public organizations.
Positive selection of immune repertoires: A short further history
Authors: Forsdyke Donald R.
Published: January 2022

The importance of the negative selection of self‐reacting cells from immune repertoires was easily recognized since it would militate against autoimmune disease. However, while the existence of positive selection in the auditioning of newly formed immune cells is now recognized, it is taking longer to understand its role. With the removal or suppression by negative selection of a subset of immune cells that self‐react, would the specificities of remaining immune cells range widely to confront the universe of ‘non‐self’ antigens, including some borne by potential microbial pathogens? Alternatively, from among those remaining immune cells, could some be picked out (positively selected) based on ‘advanced knowledge’ of some character likely to be common to those pathogens? To exploit ‘holes’ created by negative selection, it was predicted that pathogens would attempt to mimic their hosts by progressive stepwise mutation towards host ‘self’—a process entailing passage through a host anti‐‘near‐self‐reactivity’ arena. Anticipating this, those hosts that over evolutionary time ‘learned’ to positively select from developing immune repertoires, cells with reactivities against ‘near‐self’, would be advantaged by natural selection. The benefits of this narrowing of the range of host immune reactivities are now clearer and may solve Burnet's paradox, which concerns the ability of an organism's immune cells to attack its own cancer cells. However, while supporting this in the context of T cell immunity, Manczinger and his colleagues now suggest that some wily pathogens may be exploiting their hosts' narrow defence foci by ‘seeking’, through mutation, dissimilarity from host ‘self’.
The last resort: Workplace bullying and the consequences of changing jobs
Authors: Rosander Michael , Salin Denise , Blomberg Stefan
Published: January 2022

This study investigated the consequences of changing jobs for employees subjected to workplace bullying. First, we hypothesized that bullied employees would be more likely to change jobs than non‐bullied employees. Moreover, we hypothesized that changing jobs would result in a reduction of exposure to bullying behaviors and an alleviation of mental health problems for those bullied at baseline. The study was based on a longitudinal probability sample of the whole Swedish workforce (n = 1,095). The time lag was 18 months. The results supported all hypotheses except one. Those employees who were bullied at baseline were more likely to have changed jobs at follow‐up. Also, for the changers there was a reduction in exposure to subsequent bullying. The actual drop in exposure to bullying behaviors was significant and substantial. This gives further support for the work environment hypothesis, suggesting the work context may be a more important cause than individual characteristics. As for mental health problems, the association between bullying and subsequent anxiety was not significant for those changing jobs, suggesting that leaving a toxic workplace may reduce anxiety relatively quickly. However, depression symptoms were not affected by the change of jobs, and the association between bullying and subsequent depression was the same 18 months later. The conclusion is that changing jobs can be a useful, last resort on an individual level, improving the situation for the victim of bullying. However, it is important to note that it does not solve any underlying organizational problems and risk factors.
Conscientiousness moderates the relationship between neuroticism and health‐risk behaviors among adolescents
Authors: Singh Parwinder
Published: January 2022

Health‐Risk‐Behaviors (HRBs) are considered significant antecedent conditions of adolescents' poor health and mortality. Prevention of any adverse health outcome requires an in‐depth understanding of the risk and protective factors associated with its development and maintenance. Among other potential causal pathways, the “neuroticism‐ HRBs‐adverse health” link has been supported in previous studies. Trait neuroticism has been associated with poor health and HRBs, but several moderators were also observed, which might transform neuroticism into a desirable phenomenon, that is, healthy neuroticism, that leads to better health. Conscientiousness is one such potential moderator; however, the moderating effect of conscientiousness in the neuroticism‐HRBs link has not been explored extensively among adolescents, especially in India; therefore, no conclusive evidence is available. Thus, the present study was planned to explore the moderating effect of conscientiousness in the relationship between neuroticism and HRBs among adolescents. The study was conducted in India and its cross‐sectional sample, procured through a multi‐stage stratified random sampling, consists of 648 (364 males) adolescents (Mage = 16.08). Participants provided relevant information on standardized questionnaires. Moderated regression analysis was applied to test the stated hypotheses. Individuals high on neuroticism and low on conscientiousness reported more indulgence in health‐risk behaviors than individuals high on both neuroticism and conscientiousness. It indicates that a higher level of conscientiousness may reduce the negative impact that neuroticism has on HRBs. The findings imply that the assessment of conscientiousness and strategies to increase the same should be part of interventional programs to achieve adolescents' wellbeing.
Biden’s Administration Policies towards the Middle East: Initial Appraisal and Potential Prospect
Authors: AlAlkim Hassan Hamdan
Published: January 2022

In light of the challenges, difficulties, and risks facing the United States, and the inherited pitfalls at the local and global levels, this research aims to examine the credibility of Joe Biden’s foreign policy campaign promises towards the region after one- year in office. The aim is to analyze the U.S. behavior towards the Middle East based on Hans Morgenthau’s approach to the pursuance of the national interest at all cost. The hypothesis is that Biden’s Administration will follow a permanent interest approach towards the Middle East which has been constant over long periods of time. The U.S. policy towards the Arab world has remained remarkably consistent across administrations ever since the discovery of the region’s energy resources. This analysis suggests that the desire to shift U.S. foreign policy emphasis from the troubled Middle East to south Asia[i] is a persisting foreign policy objective under Biden. However, the new focus on Asia Pacific and de-prioritization of the Middle East in U.S. foreign policy does not negate the assumption that the region, due to its geopolitical importance, will continue to enjoy and attract significant U.S. attention. Joe Biden’s Administration has been pragmatic in its approach towards the region abandoning the “American values” of democratization and human rights in pursuance of national interest.[i] The U.S.- UK nuclear submarines deal with Australia is an example of Biden’s administration policy to contain the Chinese threat in South Asia. The announcement on September 24th of the Washington Declaration forming a quadrant military alliance consisting of the U.S., India, Japan and Australia to maintain peace and security in the Indian and Pacific oceans is another manifestation of the U.S. new policy to deter Chinese threat in the south Asia region.
Lithium Battery Remaining Useful Life Prediction Based on Multi-Kernel Support Vector Regression With Hybrid Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Li Hao , Fu Lijun , Zhang Yan
Published: January 2022

Accurately and reliably predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of lithium battery is very important for the lithium battery health management system. However, most of the existing methods rely on complex multidimensional input features, which require a large number of sensors, increase the application cost and introduce redundant measurement errors. Therefore, this paper, only based on the battery capacity curve itself, proposes a method to construct a prediction model of support vector regression (SVR) by fusing multiple kernel functions. The linear equation coefficients of multiple kernel function combinations are optimized by the hybrid optimization algorithm. It is found that the hybrid kernel function can effectively overcome the problem that the single-kernel function is not capable of mapping the capacity fading trend of lithium battery. Hybrid optimization algorithm can avoid the problems of local optimization and global search ability deficiency. The proposed method is validated by experiments using the battery attenuation datasets from NASA, the University of Maryland, and a high-rate lithium battery in the laboratory stage. It can be seen from the experimental results that the prediction accuracy of this method is high. The mean prediction error, mean RMSE, and mean MAE are 2%, 0.0198, and 0.0157.
Fasting improves therapeutic response in hepatocellular carcinoma through p53-dependent metabolic synergism
Authors: Krstic Jelena , Reinisch Isabel , Schindlmaier Katharina , Galhuber Markus , Riahi Zina , Berger Natascha , Kupper Nadja , Moyschewitz Elisabeth , Auer Martina , Michenthaler Helene , Nössing Christoph , Depaoli Maria R. , Ramadani-Muja Jeta , Usluer Sinem , Stryeck Sarah , Pichler Martin , Rinner Beate , Deutsch Alexander J. A. , Reinisch Andreas , Madl Tobias , Chiozzi Riccardo Zenezini , Heck Albert J. R. , Huch Meritxell , Malli Roland , Prokesch Andreas
Published: January 2022

Cancer cells voraciously consume nutrients to support their growth, exposing metabolic vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically exploited. Here, we show in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, xenografts, and patient-derived organoids that fasting improves sorafenib efficacy and acts synergistically to sensitize sorafenib-resistant HCC. Mechanistically, sorafenib acts noncanonically as an inhibitor of mitochondrial respiration, causing resistant cells to depend on glycolysis for survival. Fasting, through reduction in glucose and impeded AKT/mTOR signaling, prevents this Warburg shift. Regulating glucose transporter and proapoptotic protein expression, p53 is necessary and sufficient for the sorafenib-sensitizing effect of fasting. p53 is also crucial for fasting-mediated improvement of sorafenib efficacy in an orthotopic HCC mouse model. Together, our data suggest fasting and sorafenib as rational combination therapy for HCC with intact p53 signaling. As HCC therapy is currently severely limited by resistance, these results should instigate clinical studies aimed at improving therapy response in advanced-stage HCC.
Electroluminescence of atoms in a graphene nanogap
Authors: Kim Hyungsik , Kim Young Duck , Wu Tong , Cao Qingrui , Herman Irving P. , Hone James , Guo Jing , Shepard Kenneth L.
Published: January 2022

Here, we report light emission from single atoms bridging a graphene nanogap that emit bright visible light based on fluorescence of ionized atoms. Oxygen atoms in the gap shows a peak emission wavelength of 569 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 208 nm. The energy states produced by these ionized oxygen atoms bridging carbon atoms in the gap also produce a large negative differential resistance (NDR) in the transport across the gap with the highest peak-to-valley current ratio (PVR = 45) and highest peak current density (~90 kA/cm
2
) ever reported in a solid-state tunneling device. While tunneling transport has been previously observed in graphene nanogaps, the bridging of ionized oxygen observed here shows a low excess current, leading to the observed PVR. On the basis of the highly reproducible light emission and NDR from these structures, we demonstrate a 65,536-pixel light-emitting nanogap array.
Reliable multilevel memristive neuromorphic devices based on amorphous matrix via quasi-1D filament confinement and buffer layer
Authors: Choi Sang Hyun , Park See-On , Seo Seokho , Choi Shinhyun
Published: January 2022

Conductive-bridging random access memory (CBRAM) has garnered attention as a building block of non–von Neumann architectures because of scalability and parallel processing on the crossbar array. To integrate CBRAM into the back-end-of-line (BEOL) process, amorphous switching materials have been investigated for practical usage. However, both the inherent randomness of filaments and disorders of amorphous material lead to poor reliability. In this study, a highly reliable nanoporous–defective bottom layer (NP–DBL) structure based on amorphous TiO
2
is demonstrated (Ag/a-TiO
2
/a-TiO

x

/p-Si). The stoichiometries of DBL and the pore size can be manipulated to achieve the analog conductance updates and multilevel conductance by 300 states with 1.3% variation, and 10 levels, respectively. Compared with nonporous TiO
2
CBRAM, endurance, retention, and uniformity can be improved by 10
6
pulses, 28 days at 85°C, and 6.7 times, respectively. These results suggest even amorphous-based systems, elaborately tuned structural variables, can help design more reliable CBRAMs.
SF3B1 homeostasis is critical for survival and therapeutic response in T cell leukemia
Authors: Han Cuijuan , Khodadadi-Jamayran Alireza , Lorch Adam H. , Jin Qi , Serafin Valentina , Zhu Ping , Politanska Yuliya , Sun Limin , Gutierrez-Diaz Blanca T. , Pryzhkova Marina V. , Abdala-Valencia Hiam , Bartom Elizabeth Thomas , Buldini Barbara , Basso Giuseppe , Velu Sadanandan E. , Sarma Kavitha , Mattamana Basil B. , Cho Byoung-Kyu , Obeng Rebecca C. , Goo Young Ah , Jordan Philip W. , Tsirigos Aristotelis , Zhou Yalu , Ntziachristos Panagiotis
Published: January 2022

The production of noncanonical mRNA transcripts is associated with cell transformation. Driven by our previous findings on the sensitivity of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells to SF3B1 inhibitors, we identified that SF3B1 inhibition blocks T-ALL growth in vivo with no notable associated toxicity. We also revealed protein stabilization of the U2 complex component SF3B1 via deubiquitination. Our studies showed that SF3B1 inhibition perturbs exon skipping, leading to nonsense-mediated decay and diminished levels of DNA damage response–related transcripts, such as the serine/threonine kinase
CHEK2
, and impaired DNA damage response. We also identified that SF3B1 inhibition leads to a general decrease in R-loop formation. We further demonstrate that clinically used SF3B1 inhibitors synergize with CHEK2 inhibitors and chemotherapeutic drugs to block leukemia growth. Our study provides the proof of principle for posttranslational regulation of splicing components and associated roles and therapeutic implications for the U2 complex in T cell leukemia.
Atypical structural snapshots of human cytomegalovirus GPCR interactions with host G proteins
Authors: Tsutsumi Naotaka , Maeda Shoji , Qu Qianhui , Vögele Martin , Jude Kevin M. , Suomivuori Carl-Mikael , Panova Ouliana , Waghray Deepa , Kato Hideaki E. , Velasco Andrew , Dror Ron O. , Skiniotis Georgios , Kobilka Brian K. , Garcia K. Christopher
Published: January 2022

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs)
US28
and
US27
, which facilitate viral pathogenesis through engagement of host G proteins. Here we report cryo–electron microscopy structures of US28 and US27 forming nonproductive and productive complexes with Gi and Gq, respectively, exhibiting unusual features with functional implications. The “orphan” GPCR US27 lacks a ligand-binding pocket and has captured a guanosine diphosphate–bound inactive Gi through a tenuous interaction. The docking modes of CX3CL1-US28 and US27 to Gi favor localization to endosome-like curved membranes, where US28 and US27 can function as nonproductive Gi sinks to attenuate host chemokine-dependent Gi signaling. The CX3CL1-US28-Gq/11 complex likely represents a trapped intermediate during productive signaling, providing a view of a transition state in GPCR–G protein coupling for signaling. Our collective results shed new insight into unique G protein–mediated HCMV GPCR structural mechanisms, compared to mammalian GPCR counterparts, for subversion of host immunity.
Supplemental Material: Tibetan Plateau growth linked to crustal thermal transitions since the Miocene
Authors: Zhang Xiu-Zheng , WANG QIANG , al. et
Published: January 2022

Analytical methods, Figures S1–S5, and Tables S1–S5.
Supplemental Material: Orbital forcing of late Early Devonian storm events on a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic shelf, Longmenshan area, Sichuan Province, China
Authors: Li Fengjie , Chen Zheng’an , Ogg James G , al. et
Published: January 2022

Table S1: Storm frequency and abundance.
Attitudes of medical professionals towards patient-centredness: a cross-sectional study in H City, China
Authors: Song Weijian , Hao Yanhua , Cui Yu , Zhao Xiaowen , Liu Wei , Tao Siyi , Xue Yuxin , Liu Chaojie , Zhang Qiao , Jiao Mingli , Xu Weilan , Sun Hong , Li Ye , Shan Linghan , Zhao Juan , Liang Libo , Wu Qunhong
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Patient-centred communication improves patient experiences and patient care outcomes. This study aimed to assess the preference of medical professionals in China towards patient-centred communication under the context of the deteriorating doctor–patient relationship.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of medical professionals was conducted in January and February 2018 in H City of Heilongjiang province, the northeast of China. The Chinese-Revised Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale (CR-PPOS) was adopted to measure the individual preference of respondents towards patient-centredness in clinical communication. Multivariate logistic regression models were established to identify the sociodemographic (gender, age, marital status and educational attainment) and work experience (years of working, seniority, satisfaction with income, daily workload and perceived doctor–patient relationship) predictors of the preference towards patient-centredness.

Patient and public involvement

Not applicable.

Results

A total of 618 valid questionnaires were returned. The CR-PPOS demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity. Overall, a low level of preference towards patient-centredness in clinical communication was found. Relatively higher scores on ‘caring for patients’ (20.42±4.42) was found compared with those on ‘information/responsibility sharing’ (15.26±4.21). Younger age, higher educational attainment, lower daily workload and a perception of harmonious doctor–patient relationship were associated with a higher preference towards patient-centredness in clinical communication.

Conclusions

A low level of preference towards patient-centredness in clinical communication was found in medical professionals in the northeast of China, which may further jeopardise the efforts to improve doctor–patient relationship.
Alcohol use recording in adults with depression in English primary care: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Adesanya Elizabeth , Cook Sarah , Crellin Elizabeth , Langan Sinead , Mansfield Kathryn , Smeeth Liam , Herrett Emily
Published: January 2022

Objectives

To investigate alcohol use recording in people with newly diagnosed depression in English primary care and individual characteristics associated with the recording of alcohol use.

Design

A population-based cross-sectional study.

Setting

Primary care data from English practices contributing to the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink.

Participants

We included adults (18+ years) diagnosed with depression between 1 January 2011 and 1 January 2017 without previous antidepressant use and at least 1 year of registration before diagnosis.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

We described the proportion of individuals with alcohol use and level of alcohol use recorded at four time points (the date of depression diagnosis, 3 months before or after depression diagnosis, 12 months before or after depression diagnosis and any point pre or postdepression diagnosis). We used logistic regression to investigate individual characteristics associated with alcohol use recording in the 3 months before or after depression diagnosis.

Results

We identified 36 424 adults with depression. 538 (2%) had alcohol use recorded in the 3 months before or after depression diagnosis using formal validated methods such as the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and its abbreviated versions. At each time point, most individuals with alcohol use recorded were low risk drinkers. Alcohol use recording in the 3 months before or after depression diagnosis was associated with male sex (OR=1.38, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.48) and several other individual-level factors.

Conclusions

Our study shows low levels of alcohol use recording in the 3 months before or after depression diagnosis. Levels of alcohol use recording varied depending on individual characteristics. Incentivised recording of alcohol use will increase completeness, which could improve clinical management and reduce missed opportunities for care in people with depression.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a respiratory physiology department and the patient’s perception of rapid service change
Authors: Cliff Ian , Mustfa Naveed , Hussain Imran , Munro Emma , Bishop Hayley , Stone Helen
Published: January 2022

Background

Originating as a cluster of unexplained cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, a novel coronavirus disease, officially named as COVID-19 by WHO, has now reached a pandemic level. In the wake of this global health crisis, stringent public health measures were implemented to curtail the spread of COVID-19. At a local level, the University Hospitals of North Midlands National Health Service Trust suspended all elective and outpatient activity, primarily to address the current potential implications of the COVID-19 outbreak. Within respiratory physiology, all but urgent and emergency work was suspended.

Methods

In June 2020, the service commenced its restoration/recovery plan, which was based on national and international guidelines to ensure safe practice for patients and staff alike. The plan was a roadmap developed to upscale the respiratory physiology service to deliver urgent and routine care and to assist the service to undertake the essential task of managing the patient backlog as a consequence of the interruption of service. Patient concerns and anxieties due to the pandemic was a key aspect of the restoration/recovery plan. The service developed numerous initiatives along with a questionnaire to assess patient experience following attendance for investigations or assessment.

Results

The questionnaire confirmed that the initiatives put in place as part of the restoration/recovery plan achieve high levels of satisfaction in terms of communication, interaction within the service, professionalism and importantly patient safety.

Conclusion

COVID-19 had a significant impact on routine clinical care and out-patient activity. This brought about significant change in service delivery that required a strict regimen to ensure COVID-19 free status and minimise cross-contamination of service users. The systems and processes introduced demonstrated positive responses and confirmed the objective of patient safety, which translated to the service users.
Modelling river flow in cold and ungauged regions: a review of the purposes, methods, and challenges
Authors: Belvederesi Chiara , Zaghloul Mohamed S. , Achari Gopal , Gupta Anil , Hassan Quazi K.
Published: January 2022

River flow forecasting models assist in the understanding, predicting, monitoring, and managing of issues related to surface-water resources, such as water quality deterioration and flooding, or developing adaptation strategies to cope with climate change and increasing water demand. This review presents an overview of the current research status and progress in river-flow forecasting, focusing on cold climates and ungauged locations. River-flow forecasting in cold regions represents a challenge because the natural processes that occur within catchments vary greatly both seasonally and annually. This variability, which highly depends on climatic and topo-geomorphological characteristics within a basin, translates into increased model uncertainty and a substantial limitation when attempting to forecast river flow in cold regions, which are often poorly gauged or ungauged. To address this limitation, the “Predictions in Ungauged Basins” initiative offers a variety of studies to improve forecasting performance by adopting regionalization, spatial calibration, interpolation, and regression approaches. Process-based models demonstrate significant improvement by including remote-sensing data to replicate and derive complex hydrological processes. Empirical models, which utilize observed data to formulate a graphical solution, unlike mathematical models that require formulating the relationships between the processes, are also implemented with the most recent developments in machine learning, showing exceptional forecasting accuracy. Although process-based models provide a wide understanding of a watershed hydrology, data are often unavailable, expensive, and time-consuming to collect. They also generate numerous calibration parameters, resulting in complex and computationally demanding methods to operate. River-flow forecasting using empirical models reduces the number of calibration parameters but could produce biased results when insufficient variables are available to explain the physical mechanisms of a watershed’s hydrology. Moreover, empirical models could be potentially sensitive to calibration and validation dataset selection. In this review, Canadian studies are primarily selected to highlight some of the efforts that may be necessary in other similar cold and ungauged regions, including: (i) coping with limited data availability through regionalization methods; (ii) providing user-friendly interfaces; (iii) advancing model structure; (iv) developing a universal method for transferring regionalization parameters; (v) standardizing calibration and validation dataset selection; (vi) integrating process-based and empirical models.
Search for rare alpha and double beta decays of Yb isotopes to excited levels of daughter nuclei
Authors: Laubenstein M. , Lehnert B. , Nagorny S. S. , Schönert S.
Published: January 2022

A search for alpha and double beta decays of ytterbium isotopes was performed with an ultra low-background high purity germanium detector at Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory (Italy). A 194.7 g Yb$$_2$$

2

(C$$_2$$

2

O$$_4$$

4

)$$_3$$

3

powder sample was measured for 11.3 days with a total Yb exposure of 1.25 kg$$\times $$
×
day. Half-life limits for $$\alpha $$
α
-decay modes of $$^{168}\mathrm Yb$$

168

Y
b

, $$^{170}\mathrm Yb$$

170

Y
b

, $$^{171}\mathrm Yb$$

171

Y
b

, $$^{172}\mathrm Yb$$

172

Y
b

, $$^{173}\mathrm Yb$$

173

Y
b

, $$^{174}\mathrm Yb$$

174

Y
b

and $$^{176}\mathrm Yb$$

176

Y
b

into the first excited states have been obtained between $$6\times 10^{14}$$

6
×

10
14

 years and $$2\times 10^{16}$$

2
×

10
16

 years. These are the first experimental constraints of these decay modes. Double electron capture of $$^{168}\mathrm Yb$$

168

Y
b

and double beta decay of $$^{176}\mathrm Yb$$

176

Y
b

into the first excited 2$$^+$$

+

and 0$$^+$$

+

states could be excluded with limits between $$1\times 10^{14}$$

1
×

10
14

 years to $$8\times 10^{16}$$

8
×

10
16

 years. This improves the experimental information on some of the decay modes compared to previous constraints.
Key4hep, a framework for future HEP experiments and its use in FCC
Authors: Ganis Gerardo , Helsens Clément , Völkl Valentin
Published: January 2022

The road map to the FCC Feasibility Study Report, for submission to the next Update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics, will require detailed simulation and advanced reconstruction algorithms to explore and maximise the physics reach of proposed detector solutions. The optimisation process will require maximal flexibility in changing detector geometries, materials and sensitive areas, and efficient tools to quantify the overall performance. To synergise such developments, the CEPC, CLIC, FCC, ILC and SCT communities have engaged in the commissioning of a ‘Turnkey Software Stack’ (), which would provide all the necessary ingredients, from simulation to analysis, for future experiments. This approach is based on the positive experience of the linear collider projects ILC and CLIC, which have developed and used a common software stack () over the last decade. aims to cover most, if not all, future linear and circular machines colliding leptons (electrons, muons) and hadrons. The common software ecosystem will facilitate writing specific components for experiments ensuring coherency and maximising the re-use of established solutions. Project-specific software frameworks will require adaptation to fully profit from the common software base. In this essay, we present the status and plans for re-framing the FCC software framework, , around and discuss the challenges associated with the transition.
RB1, Cancer Lineage Plasticity, and Therapeutic Resistance
Authors: Zhang Letian , Goodrich David W.
Published: January 2022

Lineage plasticity, a cell's capacity to switch lineage-restricted gene expression states, is required for normal tissue homeostasis. Cancer lineage plasticity is increasingly observed as a mechanism of resistance to therapy, particularly molecularly targeted therapies. These therapies often owe their superior efficacy to the lineage-restricted nature of their therapeutic target, so cancers can evade such therapies by changing lineage states. As increasingly effective molecularly targeted therapies are deployed, cancer lineage plasticity is likely to be a growing clinical problem. Lineage plasticity reflects a nongenetic, potentially reversible transcriptional adaptation, but oncogenic genetic mutations likely drive elevated lineage plasticity that is typical of cancer cells. Here key concepts relevant to cancer lineage plasticity are presented, evidence implicating loss of the RB1 tumor-suppressor gene in driving cancer lineage plasticity is reviewed, and possible therapeutic approaches to counter cancer lineage plasticity are discussed.
Molar-Tooth Structure as a Window into the Deposition and Diagenesis of Precambrian Carbonate
Authors: Kriscautzky Agustin , Kah Linda C. , Bartley Julie K.
Published: January 2022

Molar-tooth structure (MTS) is an unusual carbonate fabric that is composed of variously shaped cracks and voids filled with calcite microspar. Despite a century of study, MTS remains enigmatic because it juxtaposes void formation within a cohesive yet unlithified substrate with the penecontemporaneous precipitation and lithification of void-filling carbonate microspar. MTS is broadly restricted to shallow marine carbonate strata of the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic, suggesting a fundamental link between the formation of MTS and the biogeochemical evolution of marine environments. Despite uncertainties in the origin of MTS, molar-tooth (MT) microspar remains a popular target for geochemical analysis and the reconstruction of Precambrian marine chemistry. Here we review models for the formation of MTS and show how detailed petrographic analysis of MT microspar permits identification of a complex process of precipitation and diagenesis that must be considered when the microspar phase is used as a geochemical proxy. ▪ Molar-tooth fabric is an enigmatic structure in Precambrian sedimentary rocks that is composed of variously shaped cracks and voids filled with carbonate microspar. ▪ Time restriction of this fabric suggests a link between this unusual structure and the biogeochemical evolution of marine environments. ▪ Petrographic analysis of molar-tooth fabric provides insight into fundamental processes of crystallization.
Carbonatites: Classification, Sources, Evolution, and Emplacement
Authors: Yaxley Gregory M. , Anenburg Michael , Tappe Sebastian , Decree Sophie , Guzmics Tibor
Published: January 2022

Carbonatites are igneous rocks formed in the crust by fractional crystallization of carbonate-rich parental melts that are mostly mantle derived. They dominantly consist of carbonate minerals such as calcite, dolomite, and ankerite, as well as minor phosphates, oxides, and silicates. They are emplaced in continental intraplate settings such as cratonic interiors and margins, as well as rift zones, and rarely on oceanic islands. Carbonatites are cumulate rocks, which are formed by physical separation and accumulation of crystals that crystallize from a melt, and their parental melts form by either ( a) direct partial melting of carbonate-bearing, metasomatized, lithospheric mantle producing alkali-bearing calciodolomitic melts or ( b) silicate-carbonate liquid immiscibility following fractional crystallization of carbonate-bearing, silica-undersaturated magmas such as nephelinites, melilitites, or lamprophyres. Their emplacement into the crust is usually accompanied by fenitization, alkali metasomatism of wallrock caused by fluids expelled from the crystallizing carbonatite.Carbonatites are major hosts of deposits of the rare earth elements and niobium, and the vast majority of the global production of these commodities is from carbonatites. ▪ Carbonatites are igneous rocks formed from carbonate-rich magmas, which ultimately formed in Earth's upper mantle. ▪ Carbonatites are associated with economic deposits of metals such as the rare earth elements and niobium, which are essential in high-tech applications. ▪ There are more than 600 carbonatites in the geological record but only one currently active carbonatite volcano, Oldoinyo Lengai in Tanzania.
Calculating Multidimensional Optical Spectra from Classical Trajectories
Authors: Loring Roger F.
Published: January 2022

Multidimensional optical spectra are measured from the response of a material system to a sequence of laser pulses and have the capacity to elucidate specific molecular interactions and dynamics whose influences are absent or obscured in a conventional linear absorption spectrum. Interpretation of complex spectra is supported by theoretical modeling of the spectroscopic observable, requiring implementation of quantum dynamics for coupled electrons and nuclei. Performing numerically correct quantum dynamics in this context may pose computational challenges, particularly in the condensed phase. Semiclassical methods based on calculating classical trajectories offer a practical alternative. Here I review the recent application of some semiclassical, trajectory-based methods to nonlinear molecular vibrational and electronic spectra.
Unraveling the Roles of Morphology and Steric Hindrance on Electrochemical Analytical Performance of α-Fe2O3 Nanostructures-Based Nanosensors towards Chloramphenicol Antibiotic in Shrimp Samples
Authors: Huyen Nguyen Ngoc , Dinh Ngo Xuan , Doan Mai Quan , Vu Ngoc Phan , Das Raja , Le Minh Tung , Thang Pham Duc , Le Anh-Tuan
Published: January 2022

In this work, we investigated the effect of morphology on the analytical performance of α-Fe2O3 nanostructures-based electrochemical sensors toward chloramphenicol (CAP) antibiotic using three designed morphologies including α-Fe2O3 nano-tube (α-Fe2O3-T), α-Fe2O3 nano-rice (α-Fe2O3-R), and α-Fe2O3 nano-plate (α-Fe2O3-P). Among these morphologies, α-Fe2O3-T displayed an outstanding electrochemical activity owing to the unique hollow structure and large specific surface area. However, due to the small pores size, α-Fe2O3-T showed the high steric hindrance (SD) effect towards an antibiotic with complex molecular structure, as CAP, leading to a significant decrease of their CAP electrochemical sensing performance. The CAP analytical performance of α-Fe2O3-R was highest in investigated morphologies owing to a high density of exposed Fe3+ as well as less SD effect towards CAP molecules. Under optimized conditions, α-Fe2O3-R-based CAP electrochemical sensor reached an electrochemical sensitivity of 0.92 μA μM−1 cm−2 with a LOD of 0.11 μM in the detection range from 2.5–50 μM. In addition, all these α-Fe2O3 nanostructures-based electrochemical sensors had excellent stability and high anti-interference ability for CAP analysis in a complex food matrix, as shrimp sample. This study provides valuable insights into the morphology-dependent sensing properties of α-Fe2O3 nanostructures towards antibiotics, which is helpful to the design of novel α-Fe2O3-based electrochemical nanosensors.
The Imbalance Expression of DLX3 May Perform Critical Function in the Occurrence and Progression of Preeclampsia
Authors: Hou Fei , Jin Hua , Cao Luquan , Jiao Xinlin , Wang Bingyu , Liu Haiying , Cui Baoxia
Published: January 2022

Background. The present research focuses on preeclampsia (PE), a clinically relevant pregnancy disease. To date, the majority of research on PE was centered on placental insufficiency. However, the genes that regulate these processes, and the exact molecular mechanisms modulating these processes, are still unclear. Methods. We obtained placentae from a clinically well-specified group of patients with preeclampsia and gestationally matched control pregnancies in order to evaluate the expression of homeobox gene DLX3 by immunohistochemical staining, real-time PCR, and Western immunoblotting and determine the function of DLX3 utilizing lentivirus transfection in HTR-8/SVneo cells. Results. In the present study, we detected DLX3 expression in a clinically well defined cohort of preeclampsia-affected and gestation-matched control pregnancies. As opposed to the controls, DLX3 was overexpressed in preeclampsia-affected placentae. Moreover, we found that the in vitro cell growth and invasive ability of HTR8/SVneo cells was enhanced by the exogenous overexpression of DLX3 (

P
<
0.05

). It can be seen that DLX3 influences the cell cycle of HTR-8/SVneo cells in vitro. Conclusions. DLX3 has been shown to be strongly related to normal placental growth as well as the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. The imbalanced expression of DLX3 may perform an integral function in the occurrence and progression of preeclampsia.
Antiviral Activity of Plantago asiatica Polysaccharide against Pseudorabies Virus In Vitro
Authors: Huan Changchao , Zhang Wei , Xu Yao , Ni Bo , Gao Song
Published: January 2022

Pseudorabies (PR) is an acute infectious disease of various domestic animals and wild animals caused by pseudorabies virus (PRV). It is mainly characterized by fever, itching, encephalomyelitis, and respiratory and neurological disorders. Plantago asiatica polysaccharide (PLP), extracted from the whole plant of Plantago asiatica L., showed immunomodulatory and antioxidation effects, but the antiviral activity had not been reported. In this study, the inhibitory effect of PLP on PRV infection was studied. Our study first revealed that PLP could inhibit PRV infection in a dose-dependent manner. By adding PLP at different stages of the virus’s life cycle, we revealed that PLP could reduce the attachment and penetration of PRV into PK15 cells. The inhibition of PRV attachment was better than inhibition of PRV penetration. However, PLP did not affect PRV replication and inactivation. In addition, PLP decreased the intracellular ROS levels in infected cells significantly, and ROS scavenger NAC decreased PRV infection. Therefore, our study provided preliminary data of anti-PRV activity of PLP, which was established to be a novel anti-PRV infection agent.
Integration Mechanism of Heterogeneous Foreign Language Education Resources Based on Time Series Analysis in IIoT
Authors: Jin Hongyue
Published: January 2022

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has attracted much attention from global researchers and has been applied into many fields, such as medical treatment, transportation, and education. This paper pays attention to an IIoT-oriented education problem and gives the corresponding solution. Heterogeneous educational resources have multisource target data, so it is necessary to integrate the repetitive data and data with the same attributes. However, due to the poor tracking effect of the model constructed by traditional methods, the mining technology loses a part of the data characteristics and affects the multisource foreign language education data integration. So this article studies the integration mechanism of foreign language heterogeneous educational resources based on time series analysis. The mechanism adopts a data cleaning and fusion method based on the time series similarity measurement. This method uses approximate symbol aggregation, European algorithm, and similar sequences with adjusted similarity weights to complete the data cleaning of foreign language heterogeneous educational resources. After that, it uses multiple heterogeneous data fusion algorithms to complete data integration. Experiments with foreign language education resources at all levels in a certain city show that the mechanism can detect abnormal data of foreign language education resources, fill in vacant data, reduce data redundancy, and integrate heterogeneous data. After the data are cleaned by multisource heterogeneous data fusion algorithm, the credibility of the measurement data is reflected, and the mean absolute percentage error is only 6.25%. The data quality is improved as a whole, and it provides reliable basic data for the application of foreign language education resources.
Baicalin Alleviates Thrombin‐Induced Inflammation in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Zheng Xiaolei , Wang Ping , Jia Mengqi , Li Qing , Zhang Anna , Zhou Qingbo
Published: January 2022

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial intima. As AS represents the most common type of vascular disease, it affects millions of individuals and is a source of high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Overwhelming evidence indicates that AS‐related inflammation is mediated by proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules and inflammatory signaling pathways, with each of these factors being shown to play critical roles during the entire progression of AS. While a number of drugs have been approved for use in the treatment of AS, their benefits are modest, which underscores the urgency for the development of new drug therapies. In part, these deficits in effective drugs can be attributable to the lack of a clear understanding of the molecular mechanisms of AS. In this study, we investigate the capacity for thrombin to trigger inflammation and induce cell proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We then assessed the effects of baicalin and its potential mechanisms on VSMC inflammation as induced by thrombin. Baicalin, which is a natural bioactive compound of S. baicalensis Georgi (SBG), exerted a protective effect against thrombin‐induced VSMC inflammation as resulting from the upregulation of PAR‐1. This protection as exerted by baicalin appears to reside in its capacity to produce an inhibitory effect on the thrombin‐induced activation of the ERK1/2 pathway. These findings suggest that baicalin may be a promising candidate for the treatment of atherosclerosis.