bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a Long-Term Operational Optimization Model for a Building Energy System Supplied by a Geothermal Field
Authors: Kümpel Alexander , Stoffel Phillip , Müller Dirk
Published: June 2022

In order to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the building sector, more and more renewable energy sources are integrated into energy systems. Especially geothermal fields combined with heat pumps are able to supply buildings with heat and cold at low carbon emissions. However, using geothermal fields as heat and cold source influences the ground temperature. Consequently, the ground temperature can change dramatically over a building’s lifetime, leading to less efficient operation of the energy system. Therefore, a sustainable operation is required to ensure the long-term efficiency of geothermal fields. In this paper, we develop an optimization model to derive operating strategies for an efficient long-term operation of a building energy system coupled to a geothermal field. The investigated energy system is the main building of the E.ON Energy Research Center in Aachen, Germany, which includes a heat pump, two boilers, a combined heat, and power unit, a glycol cooler, and a geothermal field with 41 probes. For each component, we develop energy-based sub-models, which are connected to form the overall system. The geothermal field is modeled by using a g-functions approach as well as a simplified resistance-capacitance approach. To achieve short computing times and realize an optimization horizon of several years, the optimization problem is formulated as mixed-integer linear programming (MILP). The developed model is optimized regarding two different objectives: the minimization of energy costs and the minimization of long-term temperature changes in the ground. Conclusions for an efficient and sustainable operation of the field, especially for the cooling supply, can be derived from the optimization results. It is shown that a state of equilibrium should be aimed to achieve an energy-efficient operation, in which the temperature of the field is close to the initial ground temperature.
Cyber-bullying among university students: Concurrent relations to belief in a just world and to empathy
Authors: Donat Matthias , Willisch Anna , Wolgast Anett
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate concurrent relations of belief in a just world (BJW), justice experiences, and empathy to cyber-bullying perpetration and victimization. Our theoretical framework contained a distinction between personal and general BJW and between affective and cognitive empathy. Due to theory and recent research, we expected students’ BJW, lecturer and fellow student justice, and empathy to relate negatively to cyber-bullying perpetration. Furthermore, BJW and academic justice experiences are also expected to negatively relate to cyber-bullying victimization. In order to test our hypotheses, we conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire study with N = 663 German university students (Mage = 22.6, SDage = 3.5; 68% female). Gender, internet use, and social desirability were considered as control variables. A structural equation model showed that students’ personal BJW, academic justice experiences, and both empathy dimensions but not general BJW negatively related to cyber-bullying perpetration. Additionally, students’ personal BJW and academic justice experiences but not general BJW or empathy were associated with cyber-bullying victimization. Male students and those with a low social desirability were more likely to report cyber-bullying perpetration and victimization. Altogether, not only university students’ personal BJW and empathy but also their academic justice experiences related to cyber-bullying perpetration or victimization. Thus, researchers should develop strategies aiming to prevent or reduce cyber-bullying. Those should simultaneously foster students’ personal BJW and empathy as well as an academic environment characterized by just behavior of lecturers and students.
Mountain sheep grazing systems provide multiple ecological, socio-economic, and food quality benefits
Authors: Garmendia Eneko , Aldezabal Arantza , Galan Elena , Andonegi Aitor , del Prado Agustín , Gamboa Gonzalo , Garcia Oihana , Pardo Guillermo , Aldai Noelia , Barron Luis Javier R.
Published: June 2022

Pastoral systems face increasing pressure from competing global markets, food sector industrialization, and new policies such as Europe’s post-2020 Common Agriculture Policy. This pressure threatens the use of extensive sheep-grazing systems in mountain areas of low productivity but high natural value. Using information gathered at a long-term research setting in a mountainous area of the Basque Country (northern Spain), we assessed the multiple benefits of extensive dairy sheep grazing systems from multiple perspectives using indicators pertaining to ecological, socio-economic, and food quality domains. In this way, we address the benefits that would be lost if sheep grazing abandonment persists in mountain regions. Our results show that the benefits of extensive dairy sheep grazing in the research area include the production of healthy and high-quality foods and multiple ecological benefits including biodiversity conservation. Extensive dairy sheep grazing also contributes to rural development by generating employment and income in marginal, low-productivity lands that can support few economic alternatives. In particular, we found that sheep farmers who produce high-value products, such as cheese, have enhanced their economic profitability and are less dependent on public subsidies. However, careful attention to sustainable practices, support for new generations of farmers, and streamlined supply chains are required. These would contribute to ensure socio-economic benefits for farmers, avoid the ecological costs associated with grazing abandonment, and enhance ecosystem services for the whole society.
Tracking the adsorptive effect of nano silicate–ginkgo residue composite for Sr(II) and Cd(II) removal from aqueous solutions
Authors: Attia L. A. , Hassan H. S.
Published: June 2022

Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo)/calcium silicate nanocomposite (NG-CSA) was prepared as a novel sorbent. Nanomaterial was characterized using different techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis and thermal gravimetric analysis (DTA and TG). Adsorption of Sr(II) and Cd(II) ions was performed taking into account significant parameters such as initial pH of the solution, shaking time and initial concentration of metal ions as well as temperature. The acquired results were disclosed that the adsorption of both ions is notably improved using NG-CSA composite. The monolayer capacity of NG-CSA for Sr(II) and Cd(II) from binary system is 122.45 and 64.68 mg/g for Sr(II) and Cd(II), respectively. The kinetic studies exposed that the adsorption process followed nonlinear pseudo-first-order model. The isotherm studies show that the extended Langmuir model is more applicable than Freundlich model for binary system adsorption process. The value of diffusion coefficient for the Sr(II) and Cd(II) is in range 10−10 m2/s which indicates the chemisorption nature of the process. The maximum value of desorption for the Sr(II) and Cd(II) is 98.41% and 97.66 utilized 0.3 M of nitric acid. This indicated that NG-CSA composite can be regenerated and reused for further adsorption of Sr(II) and Cd(II) from wastewater.
Multidisciplinary residential program for the treatment of obesity: how body composition assessed by DXA and blood chemistry parameters change during hospitalization and which variations in body composition occur from discharge up to 1-year follow-up
Authors: Gasparri Clara , Perna Simone , Peroni Gabriella , Riva Antonella , Petrangolini Giovanna , Faliva Milena Anna , Naso Maurizio , Rondanelli Mariangela
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Obesity is a chronic disease characterized by a complex variable clinical presentation with comorbidities. A multidisciplinary residential program (MRP) represents one of the best options for treating obesity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 8-week MRP on weight loss, body composition assessed by DXA, and metabolic blood parameters between entry (T0) and discharge (T1). The secondary endpoint was the evaluation of the patients' adherence to diet during the check-up outpatient visits, at 2 (T2), 6 (T3), and 12 (T4) months after discharge.

Methods

168 subjects were enrolled (61 males and 117 females, aged 58.5 ± 13 years, BMI 41.3 ± 6 kg/m2) in the study. The difference in values ​​(end of hospitalization compared to baseline) was calculated through the univariate analysis procedure, which provides regression analysis and analysis of variance for a variable dependent on one or more variables.

Results

There was a statistically significant improvement of all parameters investigated: total mass (− 5.68 kg), fat mass (− 4416.85 g), fat mass index (− 1724.56), visceral adipose tissue (− 332.76 g), arm circumference (− 1.63 cm) and calf circumference (− 1.16 cm). As it is reasonable to expect, even the fat free mass has been reduced (− 1236.03 g); however, the skeletal muscle index was not affected. Statistically significant improvement in glycaemic and lipid profile were reported. The BMI average reduction continued from discharge until T4. No statistically significant changes in fat free mass and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were reported during a year of follow-up.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrated the clinical benefits of 8-week MRP, which includes hypocaloric diet, physical exercise, and psychological support.

Level of evidence

III, evidence obtained from cohort or case–control analytic studies.
System reliability evaluation of long railway subgrade slopes considering discrete instability
Authors: Zhang Wensheng , Luo Qiang , Wang Tengfei , Wang Qi , Jiang Liangwei , Kong Dehui
Published: June 2022

This paper develops a dual-indicator discrete method (DDM) for evaluating the system reliability performance of long soil subgrade slopes. First, they are segmented into many slope sections using the random finite element method, to ensure each section statistically contains one potential local instability. Then, the $$k$$
k
-out-of-$$n$$
n
system model is used to describe the relationship between the total number of sections $$n$$
n
, the acceptable number of failure sections $$m$$
m
, the reliability of sections $$R_{{{\text{sec}}}}$$

R
sec

, and the system reliability $$R_{{{\text{sys}}}}$$

R
sys

. Finally, $$m$$
m
and $$R_{{{\text{sys}}}}$$

R
sys

are jointly used to assess the system reliability performance. For cases lacking spatial data of soil properties, a simplified DDM is provided in which long subgrade slopes are segmented by the empirical value of section length and $$R_{{{\text{sec}}}}$$

R
sec

is substituted by that of cross-sections taken from them. The results show that (1) DDM can provide the probability that the actual number of local instabilities does not exceed a desired threshold. (2) $$R_{{{\text{sys}}}}$$

R
sys

decreases with increasing $$n$$
n
or decreasing $$R_{{{\text{sec}}}}$$

R
sec

; that is, it is likely to encounter more local instabilities for longer or weaker subgrade slopes. $$n$$
n
is negatively related to the horizontal scale of fluctuation of soil properties and positively related to the total length of subgrade slopes $$L$$
L
. (3) When $$L$$
L
is sufficiently large, there is a considerable opportunity to meet local instabilities even if $$R_{{{\text{sec}}}}$$

R
sec

is large enough.
Cohort Profile: Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods and Its Additions (PHDCN+)
Authors: Sampson Robert J. , Kirk David S. , Bucci Rebecca
Published: June 2022

The Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) began in the mid-1990s, using an accelerated longitudinal design and drawing a representative sample of over 6200 children from a total of seven birth cohorts (ages 0 to 18) living in Chicago. Participants were followed for a second and third wave of data collection ending in 1998 and 2002, respectively. Independent surveys and observations on Chicago neighborhoods were also conducted. In 2012, a random subsample from cohorts 0, 9, 12, and 15 was selected for further follow-up, resulting in 1057 wave 4 interviews. In 2021, a fifth wave was launched to locate and survey wave 4 respondents, resulting in 682 responses. The extension to waves 4 and 5, termed the PHDCN+, is the main focus of this cohort profile. Survey data were collected from many domains including, but not limited to, family relationships, exposure to violence and guns, neighborhood context, self-reported crime, encounters with the police, attitudes toward the law, health, and civic engagement. In addition, official criminal records were collected for 1995–2020. The resulting PHDCN+ data includes five waves of comprehensive survey data, residential histories, neighborhood contextual data, and criminal histories extending over 25 years for four cohorts differing in age by up to 15 years. The research design, measures, key findings from the cohort sequential design, and data access opportunities are discussed.
A Review of Vascular Traits and Assessment Techniques, and Their Heritability
Authors: Craig Antonia , Delles Christian , Murray Eleanor C.
Published: June 2022

Various tools are available to assess atherosclerosis, arterial stiffening, and endothelial function. They offer utility in the assessment of hypertensive phenotypes, in cardiovascular risk prediction, and as surrogate endpoints in clinical trials. We explore the relative influence of participant genetics, with reference to large-scale genomic studies, population-based cohorts, and candidate gene studies. We find heritability estimates highest for carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT 35–65%), followed by pulse wave velocity as a measure of arterial stiffness (26–43%), and flow mediated dilatation as a surrogate for endothelial function (14–39%); data were lacking for peripheral artery tonometry. We furthermore examine genes and polymorphisms relevant to each technique. We conclude that CIMT and pulse wave velocity dominate the existing evidence base, with fewer published genomic linkages for measures of endothelial function. We finally make recommendations regarding planning and reporting of data relating to vascular assessment techniques, particularly when genomic data are also available, to facilitate integration of these tools into cardiovascular disease research.
Cambrian (Stage 4 to Wuliuan) brachiopods from Sonora, Mexico
Authors: Holmer Lars E. , Clausen Sébastien , Popov Leonid E. , Ghobadi Pour Mansoureh , Liang Yue , Zhang Zhifei , Palafox Reyes Juan José , Sosa-Leon Jesùs Porfirio , Buitrón-Sánchez Blanca Estela
Published: June 2022

The Cambrian successions at the Chihuarruita Hill outcrop, Sonora, Mexico, have yielded two successive linguliform brachiopod assemblages that are transitional between Cambrian Stage 4 and the newly recognized global Wuliuan Stage. The lowermost assemblage includesDictyoninasp.,Paterinasp.,Eothelesp.,Hadrotreta rara? (Cooper), andLinnarssonia arellanoi? (Cooper), coming from the upper part of the Buelna Formation. The younger, recently named El Gavilán Formation contains a more diverse linguliform brachiopod assemblage, includingAcrothele concavaCooper,Batenevotreta?mexicanan. sp.,Dictyonina minutipunctaCooper,Eothelesp.,Eoobolussp.,Hadrotreta rara? (Cooper),Linnarssonia arellanoi? (Cooper),Micromitrasp.,Paterinasp., andPrototretasp. The El Gavilán Formation contains a diverse trilobite fauna suggesting Delamaran age in terms of the Laurentian regional stratigraphical scheme. The base of the global Wuliuan Stage and Miaolingian Series is defined by the first occurrence ofOryctocephalus indicus; in the absence of the index species, the base should be provisionally placed at the base of the El Gavilán Formation. The Wuliuan age of the brachiopod assemblage recovered from the El Gavilán Formation is supported by the occurrence ofAcrothelein the Cambrian biostratigraphical succession of Himalaya, where the genus makes its first appearance in theKaotaia prachinaZone. In addition, the co-occurrences ofAcrotheleandEothelecan be taken as an indication of the Wuliuan age of the fauna. A new biogeographic analysis confirms that theEotheleFauna first appeared at the end of Cambrian Stage 4, as a result of increased faunal migration within the southern tropical latitudes directed from Australasian Gondwana to Laurentia.

UUID:http://zoobank.org/6598f51f-cb07-4df3-bd1f-025a13e64edf
Networked territoriality: A processual–relational view on the making (and makings) of regions in world politics
Authors: Paes Lucas de Oliveira
Published: June 2022

This article proposes a processual–relational perspective on region-making and its effects in world politics. It revisits the concepts of regionalism and regionalisation to unearth the relational mechanisms underlying these archetypical pathways of regional emergence. Regionalism refers to the bounding of regions – the definition of its inside and outside, and of which actors fall on either side. Regionalisation denotes the binding of regions, the amalgamations of relations around a shared territoriality. I argue that regions affect world politics in their making through the boundaries raised and relations produced in the process. I then mobilise network theory and analysis to propose a framework for studying the making and makings of regions. Regions’ binding and bounding are rooted in brokerage dynamics that sustain clusters of relations denser inside a regional boundary, rather than outside, and allow some actors to control interactions across that boundary. I illustrate this framework with a case study on the emergence of the Amazon as a region in world politics. I analyse interaction networks in UN-level environmental negotiations involving the ecosystem. The analysis shows how the making of the Amazon has been tied to preserving the position of Amazonian states as the main brokers, speaking for and acting on behalf of the region.
What are the mechanisms and contexts by which care groups achieve social and behavioural change in low- and middle-income countries? Group motivation findings from a realist synthesis
Authors: Pieterse Pieternella , Walsh Aisling , Chirwa Ellen , Matthews Anne
Published: June 2022

Objective:

Infant and under-five mortality rates in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) can be reduced by encouraging behaviours such as sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets, exclusive breast-feeding for the first 6 months, regular handwashing, etc. Community-based volunteer or peer-to-peer mechanisms are cost-effective ways of promoting these lifesaving practices. However, the sustainability and reach of community-based behaviour change promotion remains a challenge. Our inquiry focuses on the utilisation, by non-governmental organisations (NGO), of Care Groups, a peer-to-peer behaviour change intervention. We asked: What are the mechanisms and contexts by which Care Groups achieve social and behavioural change in nutrition, health and other sectors?

Design:

Realist synthesis reviewing forty-two texts that contained empirical evidence about Care Group interventions.

Setting:

LMIC.

Participants:

We held consultations with a research reference group, which included Care Group and nutrition experts, and Care Group – implementing NGO staff in Malawi.

Results:

Different types of motivation drive the establishment and the sustainability of peer group interventions. A certain amount of motivation was derived from the resources provided by the NGO establishing the Care Groups. Subsequently, both volunteers and neighbourhood group members were motivated by the group dynamics and mutual support, as well as support from the wider community. Finally, volunteers and group members alike became self-motivated by their experience of being involved in group activities.

Conclusions:

When designing and implementing community-based behaviour change interventions, awareness of the multi-directional nature of the motivating drivers that are experienced by peer- or community group members is important, to optimise these groups’ reach and sustainability.
The Amazon and La Plata River Basins as Moisture Sources of South America: Climatology and Intraseasonal Variability
Authors: Chug Divyansh , Dominguez Francina , Yang Zhao
Published: June 2022

Land‐atmosphere interactions are critical for precipitation (PPT) over South America where terrestrial evapotranspiration (ET) constitutes a significant fraction of moisture for rainfall over the ecologically and socio‐economically vital Amazon (AMZ) and La Plata (LPB) river basins. We quantify the contribution of ET from AMZ and LPB to PPT over the continent with a focus on the intraseasonal time scale. Using numerical water tracers embedded in the Weather Research and Forecasting model we track the moisture originating from the two basins. Our findings indicate that approximately 40% of annual rainfall over the eastern foothills of the Andes originates as AMZ ET, and nearly 30% of rainfall over northern Argentina originates as LPB ET. Analysis of moisture transport during both phases of the dominant intraseasonal oscillation pattern over South America reveals an intraseasonal “sloshing” of LPB moisture between the South Atlantic convergence zone (SACZ) and southeastern South America (SESA) regions. AMZ and LPB each supply approximately 6% of moisture for SACZ PPT during periods of intraseasonal enhancement (positive anomalies), highlighting the importance of moisture from the Atlantic Ocean. For the SESA region, LPB supplies 26% of the moisture for PPT during periods of intraseasonal enhancement while AMZ supplies 5%.
Three‐Dimensional Structure of the Corona During WHPI Campaign Rotations CR‐2219 and CR‐2223
Authors: Lloveras D. G. , Vásquez A. M. , Nuevo F. A. , Frazin R. A. , Manchester W. , Sachdeva N. , Van der Holst B. , Lamy P. , Gilardy H.
Published: June 2022

Differential emission measure tomography (DEMT) and white light (WL) tomography were applied to study the three‐dimensional (3D) structure of the global solar corona for two Whole Heliosphere and Planetary Interactions campaign periods, Carrington rotations 2219 and 2223. With DEMT, Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly images were used to reconstruct the 3D coronal electron density and temperature in the range of heliocentric distance 1.02–1.25 R⊙. With WL tomography, Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Large Angle and Spectrometric COronagraph‐C2 images were used to reconstruct the 3D electron density in the range of heliocentric distance 2.5–6.0 R⊙. The two periods were also simulated with the 3D‐magneto‐hydrodynamic Alfvén Wave Solar Model (AWSoM), and its results compared in detail with the reconstructions. The DEMT analysis reveals a 20% less dense and 20% hotter corona than for rotations corresponding to the solar cycle 23/24 deep minimum. The electron density and temperature of the AWSoM model agree with DEMT results within 10% and 20%, respectively, while its electron density overestimates results of WL tomography up to 75%. The slow (fast) component of the terminal wind speed of the model is found to be associated with field lines characterized by larger (smaller) values of the tomographic density and temperature at the coronal base. DEMT reconstructions reveal the coronal plasma to be ubiquitously characterized by temperature variability of up to ≈45% over spatial scales of order ∼104 km. Taking into account this level of fine‐structure by global models may be consequential for their predictions on wave propagation in the corona.
On the Nature of Intense Sub‐Relativistic Electron Precipitation
Authors: Artemyev A. V. , Zhang X.‐J. , Zou Y. , Mourenas D. , Angelopoulos V. , Vainchtein D. , Tsai E. , Wilkins C.
Published: June 2022

Energetic electron precipitation into Earth's atmosphere is an important process for radiation belt dynamics and magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling. The most intense form of such precipitation is microbursts—short‐lived bursts of precipitating fluxes detected on low‐altitude spacecraft. Due to the wide energy range of microbursts (from sub‐relativistic to relativistic energies) and their transient nature, they are thought to be predominantly associated with energetic electron scattering into the loss cone via cyclotron resonance with field‐aligned intense whistler‐mode chorus waves. In this study, we show that intense sub‐relativistic microbursts may be generated via electron nonlinear Landau resonance with very oblique whistler‐mode waves. We combine a theoretical model of nonlinear Landau resonance, equatorial observations of intense very oblique whistler‐mode waves, and conjugate low‐altitude observations of <200 keV electron precipitation. Based on model comparison with observed precipitation, we suggest that such sub‐relativistic microbursts occur by plasma sheet (0.1 − 10 keV) electron trapping in nonlinear Landau resonance, resulting in acceleration to ≲200 keV energies and simultaneous transport into the loss cone. The proposed scenario of intense sub‐relativistic (≲200 keV) microbursts demonstrates the importance of very oblique whistler‐mode waves for radiation belt dynamics.
Leveraging the Historical Landsat Catalog for a Remote Sensing Model of Wetland Accretion in Coastal Louisiana
Authors: Jensen D. J. , Cavanaugh K. C. , Thompson D. R. , Fagherazzi S. , Cortese L. , Simard M.
Published: June 2022

A wetland's ability to vertically accrete—capturing sediment and biological matter for soil accumulation—is key for maintaining elevation to counter soil subsidence and sea level rise. Wetland soil accretion is comprised of organic and inorganic components largely governed by net primary productivity and sedimentation. Sea level, land elevation, primary productivity, and sediment accretion are all changing across Louisiana's coastline, destabilizing much of its wetland ecosystems. In coastal Louisiana, analysis from 1984 to 2020 shows an estimated 1940.858 km2 of total loss at an average rate of 53.913 km2/year. Here we hypothesize that remote sensing timeseries data can provide suitable proxies for organic and inorganic accretionary components to estimate local accretion rates. The Landsat catalog offers decades of imagery applicable to tracking land extent changes across coastal Louisiana. This dataset's expansiveness allows it to be combined with the Coastwide Reference Monitoring System's point‐based accretion data. We exported normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and red‐band surface reflectance data for every available Landsat 4–8 scene across the coast using Google Earth Engine. Water pixels from the red‐band were transformed into estimates of total suspended solids to represent sediment deposition—the inorganic accretionary component. NDVI values over land pixels were used to estimate bioproductivity—representing accretion's organic component. We then developed a Random Forest regression model that predicts wetland accretion rates (R2 = 0.586, MAE = 0.333 cm/year). This model can inform wetland vulnerability assessments and loss predictions, and is to our knowledge the first remote sensing‐based model that directly estimates accretion rates in coastal wetlands.
Genetics of Alzheimer’s disease: an East Asian perspective
Authors: Miyashita Akinori , Kikuchi Masataka , Hara Norikazu , Ikeuchi Takeshi
Published: June 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder. Advances in genome technology, including next generation sequencing have uncovered complex genetic effects in AD by analyzing both common and rare functional variants. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the pathogenesis of AD is influenced by multiple genetic components rather than single genetic factor. Previous genetic studies on AD have predominantly included European ancestry cohorts; hence, the non-European population may be underrepresented, potentially leading to reduced diversity in AD genetic research. Additionally, ethnic diversity may result in dissimilar effects of genetic determinants in AD.APOEgenotypes are a well-established genetic risk factor in AD, with the East Asian population having a higher risk of AD associated with theAPOEε4 allele. To date, seven genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been conducted in East Asians, which report a total of 26 AD-associated loci. Several rare variants, including the p.H157Y variant inTREM2, and the p.G186R and p.R274W variants inSHARPINare associated with risk of AD in East Asians. Extending genetic studies to diverse populations, including East Asians is necessary, which could yield more comprehensive insights into AD, and here we review the recent findings regarding the genetic determinants of AD from an East Asian perspective.
Context-dependent amygdala–prefrontal connectivity during the dot-probe task varies by irritability and attention bias to angry faces
Authors: Naim Reut , Haller Simone P. , Linke Julia O. , Jaffe Allison , Stoddard Joel , Jones Matt , Harrewijn Anita , Kircanski Katharina , Bar-Haim Yair , Brotman Melissa A.
Published: June 2022

Irritability, defined as proneness to anger, is among the most common reasons youth are seen for psychiatric care. Youth with irritability demonstrate aberrant processing of anger-related stimuli; however, the neural mechanisms remain unknown. We applied a drift-diffusion model (DDM), a computational tool, to derive a latent behavioral metric of attentional bias to angry faces in youth with varying levels of irritability during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We examined associations among irritability, task behavior using a DDM-based index for preferential allocation of attention to angry faces (i.e., extra-decisional time bias; Δt0), and amygdala context-dependent connectivity during the dot-probe task. Our transdiagnostic sample, enriched for irritability, included 351 youth (ages 8–18; M = 12.92 years, 51% male, with primary diagnoses of either attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], disruptive mood dysregulation disorder [DMDD], an anxiety disorder, or healthy controls). Models accounted for age, sex, in-scanner motion, and co-occurring symptoms of anxiety. Youth and parents rated youth’s irritability using the Affective Reactivity Index. An fMRI dot-probe task was used to assess attention orienting to angry faces. In the angry-incongruent vs. angry-congruent contrast, amygdala connectivity with the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), insula, caudate, and thalamus/pulvinar was modulated by irritability level and attention bias to angry faces, Δt0, all ts350 > 4.46, ps < 0.001. In youth with high irritability, elevated Δt0 was associated with a weaker amygdala connectivity. In contrast, in youth with low irritability, elevated Δt0 was associated with stronger connectivity in those regions. No main effect emerged for irritability. As irritability is associated with reactive aggression, these results suggest a potential neural regulatory deficit in irritable youth who have elevated attention bias to angry cues.
Epigenome-wide DNA methylation in obsessive-compulsive disorder
Authors: Schiele Miriam A. , Lipovsek Jan , Schlosser Pascal , Soutschek Michael , Schratt Gerhard , Zaudig Michael , Berberich Götz , Köttgen Anna , Domschke Katharina
Published: June 2022

In adult patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), altered DNA methylation has been discerned in several candidate genes, while DNA methylation on an epigenome-wide level has been investigated in only one Chinese study so far. Here, an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) was performed in a sample of 76 OCD patients of European ancestry (37 women, age ± SD: 33.51 ± 10.92 years) and 76 sex- and age-matched healthy controls for the first time using the Illumina MethylationEPIC BeadChip. After quality control, nine epigenome-wide significant quantitative trait methylation sites (QTMs) and 21 suggestive hits were discerned in the final sample of 68 patients and 68 controls. The top hit (cg24159721) and four other significant QTMs (cg11894324, cg01070250, cg11330075, cg15174812) map to the region of the microRNA 12136 gene (MIR12136). Two additional significant CpG sites (cg05740793, cg20450977) are located in the flanking region of the MT-RNR2 (humanin) like 8 gene (MT-RNRL8), while two further QTMs (cg16267121, cg15890734) map to the regions of the MT-RNR2 (humanin) like 3 (MT-RNRL3) and MT-RNR2 (humanin) like 2 (MT-RNRL2) genes. Provided replication of the present findings in larger samples, the identified QTMs might provide more biological insight into the pathogenesis of OCD and thereby could in the future serve as peripheral epigenetic markers of OCD risk with the potential to inform targeted preventive and therapeutic efforts.
The Scottish RD survey 10 years on: the increasing incidence of retinal detachments
Authors: El-Abiary Mariam , Shams Fatemah , Goudie Colin , Yorston David
Published: June 2022

Background

The Scottish RD Survey reported an incidence of 12.05/100,000/yr in 2009. Data published from Denmark recently confirmed a 50% increase in RD presentations over the last 16 years. We set out to repeat the Scottish RD survey to determine if a similar trend has been observed in Scotland.

Methods

All 16 Scottish VR surgeons, who make up the collaboration of Scottish VR Surgeons (SCVRs) were asked to prospectively record all primary RDs presenting from 12th August 2019 to 11th August 2020. For consistency, the case definitions were the same as for the 2009 Scottish RD Survey. Basic demographic and clinical features were recorded. Age specific incidence was calculated from mid-year population estimates for 2019 obtained from the National Records of Scotland.

Results

There were 875 RRDs recorded, which gives an updated incidence of 16.02/100,000/year in Scotland. 62.8% occurred in males and the greatest increases were seen in males aged 50–59 (p = 0.0094), 60–69 (p = 0.0395) and females aged 40–49 (p = 0.0312) and 50–59 (p = 0.0024). The proportion of pseudophakic RRDs in this study is 29.4% (253/860). Compared to the 21.6% in the 2010 study, this represents a 28% increase (χ2 = 11.03, p = 0.0009). The proportion of macula-off RRDs remained generally stable at 58%.

Conclusion

Our study confirms that RRD is becoming more common in the UK, reflecting almost identical findings from Denmark. This trend is in part due to increasing myopia, increasing pseudophakia, and possibly other factors. This should be considered when planning VR services and allocating resources in the future.
Characterisation of a nucleo-adhesome
Authors: Byron Adam , Griffith Billie G. C. , Herrero Ana , Loftus Alexander E. P. , Koeleman Emma S. , Kogerman Linda , Dawson John C. , McGivern Niamh , Culley Jayne , Grimes Graeme R. , Serrels Bryan , von Kriegsheim Alex , Brunton Valerie G. , Frame Margaret C.
Published: June 2022

In addition to central functions in cell adhesion signalling, integrin-associated proteins have wider roles at sites distal to adhesion receptors. In experimentally defined adhesomes, we noticed that there is clear enrichment of proteins that localise to the nucleus, and conversely, we now report that nuclear proteomes contain a class of adhesome components that localise to the nucleus. We here define a nucleo-adhesome, providing experimental evidence for a remarkable scale of nuclear localisation of adhesion proteins, establishing a framework for interrogating nuclear adhesion protein functions. Adding to nuclear FAK’s known roles in regulating transcription, we now show that nuclear FAK regulates expression of many adhesion-related proteins that localise to the nucleus and that nuclear FAK binds to the adhesome component and nuclear protein Hic-5. FAK and Hic-5 work together in the nucleus, co-regulating a subset of genes transcriptionally. We demonstrate the principle that there are subcomplexes of nuclear adhesion proteins that cooperate to control transcription.
Mechanical forces couple bone matrix mineralization with inhibition of angiogenesis to limit adolescent bone growth
Authors: Dzamukova Maria , Brunner Tobias M. , Miotla-Zarebska Jadwiga , Heinrich Frederik , Brylka Laura , Mashreghi Mir-Farzin , Kusumbe Anjali , Kühn Ralf , Schinke Thorsten , Vincent Tonia L. , Löhning Max
Published: June 2022

Bone growth requires a specialised, highly angiogenic blood vessel subtype, so-called type H vessels, which pave the way for osteoblasts surrounding these vessels. At the end of adolescence, type H vessels differentiate into quiescent type L endothelium lacking the capacity to promote bone growth. Until now, the signals that switch off type H vessel identity and thus limit adolescent bone growth have remained ill defined. Here we show that mechanical forces, associated with increased body weight at the end of adolescence, trigger the mechanoreceptor PIEZO1 and thereby mediate enhanced production of the kinase FAM20C in osteoblasts. FAM20C, the major kinase of the secreted phosphoproteome, phosphorylates dentin matrix protein 1, previously identified as a key factor in bone mineralization. Thereupon, dentin matrix protein 1 is secreted from osteoblasts in a burst-like manner. Extracellular dentin matrix protein 1 inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor signalling by preventing phosphorylation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2. Hence, secreted dentin matrix protein 1 transforms type H vessels into type L to limit bone growth activity and enhance bone mineralization. The discovered mechanism may suggest new options for the treatment of diseases characterised by aberrant activity of bone and vessels such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and osteosarcoma.
Nuclear Vav3 is required for polycomb repression complex-1 activity in B-cell lymphoblastic leukemogenesis
Authors: Nayak R. C. , Chang K. H. , Singh A. K. , Kotliar M. , Desai M. , Wellendorf A. M. , Wunderlich M. , Bartram J. , Mizukawa B. , Cuadrado M. , Dexheimer P. , Barski A. , Bustelo X. R. , Nassar N. N. , Cancelas J. A.
Published: June 2022

Acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) results from oligo-clonal evolution of B-cell progenitors endowed with initiating and propagating leukemia properties. The activation of both the Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor (Rac GEF) Vav3 and Rac GTPases is required for leukemogenesis mediated by the oncogenic fusion protein BCR-ABL. Vav3 expression becomes predominantly nuclear upon expression of BCR-ABL signature. In the nucleus, Vav3 interacts with BCR-ABL, Rac, and the polycomb repression complex (PRC) proteins Bmi1, Ring1b and Ezh2. The GEF activity of Vav3 is required for the proliferation, Bmi1-dependent B-cell progenitor self-renewal, nuclear Rac activation, protein interaction with Bmi1, mono-ubiquitination of H2A(K119) (H2AK119Ub) and repression of PRC-1 (PRC1) downstream target loci, of leukemic B-cell progenitors. Vav3 deficiency results in de-repression of negative regulators of cell proliferation and repression of oncogenic transcriptional factors. Mechanistically, we show that Vav3 prevents the Phlpp2-sensitive and Akt (S473)-dependent phosphorylation of Bmi1 on the regulatory residue S314 that, in turn, promotes the transcriptional factor reprogramming of leukemic B-cell progenitors. These results highlight the importance of non-canonical nuclear Rho GTPase signaling in leukemogenesis.
From subcritical behavior to a correlation-induced transition in rumor models
Authors: Ferraz de Arruda Guilherme , Jeub Lucas G. S. , Mata Angélica S. , Rodrigues Francisco A. , Moreno Yamir
Published: June 2022

Rumors and information spreading emerge naturally from human-to-human interactions and have a growing impact on our everyday life due to increasing and faster access to information, whether trustworthy or not. A popular mathematical model for spreading rumors, data, or news is the Maki–Thompson model. Mean-field approximations suggested that this model does not have a phase transition, with rumors always reaching a fraction of the population. Conversely, here, we show that a continuous phase transition is present in this model. Moreover, we explore a modified version of the Maki–Thompson model that includes a forgetting mechanism, changing the Markov chain’s nature and allowing us to use a plethora of analytic and numeric methods. Particularly, we characterize the subcritical behavior, where the lifespan of a rumor increases as the spreading rate drops, following a power-law relationship. Our findings show that the dynamic behavior of rumor models is much richer than shown in previous investigations.
De novo biosynthesis of rubusoside and rebaudiosides in engineered yeasts
Authors: Xu Yameng , Wang Xinglong , Zhang Chenyang , Zhou Xuan , Xu Xianhao , Han Luyao , Lv Xueqin , Liu Yanfeng , Liu Song , Li Jianghua , Du Guocheng , Chen Jian , Ledesma-Amaro Rodrigo , Liu Long
Published: June 2022

High-sugar diet causes health problems, many of which can be addressed with the use of sugar substitutes. Rubusoside and rebaudiosides are interesting molecules, considered the next generation of sugar substitutes due to their low-calorie, superior sweetness and organoleptic properties. However, their low abundance in nature makes the traditional plant extraction process neither economical nor environmental-friendly. Here we engineer baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a chassis for the de novo production of rubusoside and rebaudiosides. In this process, we identify multiple issues that limit the production, including rate-liming steps, product stress on cellular fitness and unbalanced metabolic networks. We carry out a systematic engineering strategy to solve these issues, which produces rubusoside and rebaudiosides at titers of 1368.6 mg/L and 132.7 mg/L, respectively. The rubusoside chassis strain here constructed paves the way towards a sustainable, large-scale fermentation-based manufacturing of diverse rebaudiosides.
Droplets in underlying chemical communication recreate cell interaction behaviors
Authors: Pizarro Agustin D. , Berli Claudio L. A. , Soler-Illia Galo J. A. A. , Bellino Martín G.
Published: June 2022

The sensory-motor interaction is a hallmark of living systems. However, developing inanimate systems with “recognize and attack” abilities remains challenging. On the other hand, controlling the inter-droplet dynamics on surfaces is key in microengineering and biomedical applications. We show here that a pair of droplets can become intelligently interactive (chemospecific stimulus-response inter-droplet autonomous operation) when placed on a nanoporous thin film surface. We find an attacker-victim-like non-reciprocal interaction between spatially separated droplets leading to an only-in-one shape instability that triggers a drop projection to selectively couple, resembling cellular phenomenologies such as pseudopod emission and phagocytic-like functions. The nanopore-driven underlying communication and associated chemical activity are the main physical ingredients behind the observed behavior. Our results reveal that basic features found in many living cell types can emerge from a simple two-droplet framework. This work is a promising step towards the design of microfluidic smart robotics and for origin-of-life protocell models.
Magnetotactic bacteria and magnetofossils: ecology, evolution and environmental implications
Authors: Goswami Pranami , He Kuang , Li Jinhua , Pan Yongxin , Roberts Andrew P. , Lin Wei
Published: June 2022

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a group of phylogenetically diverse and morphologically varied microorganisms with a magnetoresponsive capability called magnetotaxis or microbial magnetoreception. MTB are a distinctive constituent of the microbiome of aquatic ecosystems because they use Earth’s magnetic field to align themselves in a north or south facing direction and efficiently navigate to their favored microenvironments. They have been identified worldwide from diverse aquatic and waterlogged microbiomes, including freshwater, saline, brackish and marine ecosystems, and some extreme environments. MTB play important roles in the biogeochemical cycling of iron, sulphur, phosphorus, carbon and nitrogen in nature and have been recognized from in vitro cultures to sequester heavy metals like selenium, cadmium, and tellurium, which makes them prospective candidate organisms for aquatic pollution bioremediation. The role of MTB in environmental systems is not limited to their lifespan; after death, fossil magnetosomal magnetic nanoparticles (known as magnetofossils) are a promising proxy for recording paleoenvironmental change and geomagnetic field history. Here, we summarize the ecology, evolution, and environmental function of MTB and the paleoenvironmental implications of magnetofossils in light of recent discoveries.
The sanitary indoor environment—a potential source for intact human-associated anaerobes
Authors: Pausan Manuela-Raluca , Blohs Marcus , Mahnert Alexander , Moissl-Eichinger Christine
Published: June 2022

A healthy human microbiome relies on the interaction with and exchange of microbes that takes place between the human body and its environment. People in high-income countries spend most of their time indoors and for this reason, the built environment (BE) might represent a potent source of commensal microbes. Anaerobic microbes are of particular interest, as researchers have not yet sufficiently clarified how the human microbiome acquires oxygen-sensitive microbes. We sampled the bathrooms in ten households and used propidium monoazide (PMA) to assess the viability of the collected prokaryotes. We compared the microbiome profiles based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and confirmed our results by genetic and cultivation-based analyses. Quantitative and qualitative analysis revealed that most of the microbial taxa in the BE samples are human-associated. Less than 25% of the prokaryotic signatures originate from intact cells, indicating that aerobic and stress resistant taxa display an apparent survival advantage. However, we also confirmed the presence of intact, strictly anaerobic taxa on bathroom floors, including methanogenic archaea. As methanogens are regarded as highly sensitive to aerobic conditions, oxygen-tolerance experiments were performed with human-associated isolates to validate their survival. These results show that human-associated methanogens can survive oxic conditions for at least 6 h. We collected strong evidence that supports the hypothesis that obligate anaerobic taxa can survive in the BE for a limited amount of time. This suggests that the BE serves as a potential source of anaerobic human commensals.
Unfolding the structural stability of nanoalloys via symmetry-constrained genetic algorithm and neural network potential
Authors: Han Shuang , Barcaro Giovanni , Fortunelli Alessandro , Lysgaard Steen , Vegge Tejs , Hansen Heine Anton
Published: June 2022

The structural stability of nanoalloys is a challenging research subject due to the complexity of size, shape, composition, and chemical ordering. The genetic algorithm is a popular global optimization method that can efficiently search for the ground-state nanoalloy structure. However, the algorithm suffers from three significant limitations: the efficiency and accuracy of the energy evaluator and the algorithm’s efficiency. Here we describe the construction of a neural network potential intended for rapid and accurate energy predictions of Pt-Ni nanoalloys of various sizes, shapes, and compositions. We further introduce a symmetry-constrained genetic algorithm that significantly improves the efficiency and viability of the algorithm for realistic size nanoalloys. The combination of the two allows us to explore the space of homotops and compositions of Pt-Ni nanoalloys consisting of up to 4033 atoms and quantitatively report the interplay of shape, size, and composition on the dominant chemical ordering patterns.