bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward the quantification of the climate co-benefits of invasive mammal eradication on islands: a scalable framework for restoration monitoring
Authors: Honzák Miroslav , Roberts Geoffrey , Cosentino Bradley J , Sexton Joseph O , McKenzie-McHarg Harrison , Wilson John W , Feng Min , Thieme Alison , Hunka Neha , Will David J
Published: October 2024

Islands are hotspots of biological and cultural diversity that face growing threats from invasive species and climate change. Invasive mammal eradication on islands is a proven conservation intervention that prevents biodiversity loss and is a foundational activity for restoring degraded island-ocean ecosystems. However, these interventions are prioritized and evaluated primarily on biodiversity-based objectives despite growing evidence that invasive species removal may also serve as an effective nature-based solution to increase climate resilience of island-ocean ecosystems and contribute to climate change solution by protecting and restoring unique carbon stocks of native woody vegetation. To assess the effectiveness of interventions at the global scale, we developed a consistent and scalable framework for the long-term monitoring of tree cover, forest extent, forest carbon, and vegetation productivity in 1078 islands across 17 ecozones. Time-series of satellite-derived estimates of tree cover and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index over 36 yr (1984–2020) were used to establish annual baselines and changes in forest extent, carbon stocks, and vegetation productivity. The analysis revealed significant and sustained positive trends in all the indices on islands with eradication. The magnitude and potential biological relevance of these effects was highly variable across ecozones, but the overall sustained effects provide strong evidence of a positive ecosystem response to invasive mammal removal. We also found that, collectively, these islands sustain more than 940 000 ha of forest and 53 million MgC of forest carbon. This novel framework enables measuring the climate co-benefits of island restoration interventions in relevant policy terms using a low cost and globally consistent methodology that is applicable across the range of spatial and temporal scales pertinent to ecosystem recovery dynamics on islands.
Assessing the complex influences of water management on hydrological drought characteristics in Texas
Authors: Yao Lili , Ferencz Stephen B , Sun Ning , Yan Hongxiang
Published: October 2024

The state of Texas in the United States is highly susceptible to drought. Its major rivers are subject to extensive water management (WM) activities in order to sustain multisectoral water demands, particularly during drought conditions. However, the impact of WM on the propagation dynamics and characteristics of hydrological drought (HD) in Texas remains unclear. To fill this gap, this study quantifies the influence of WM across 32 streamflow gauges along the mainstems of seven major rivers in Texas by comparing a variety of drought metrics under natural and managed conditions. Notably, we leveraged an extensive, naturalized streamflow dataset constructed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, paired with gauge observations of managed conditions. Results indicate that at the multi-decadal scale, WM significantly reduced HD frequency across all seven rivers and at 81% of the gauges analyzed. Additionally, it increased the response timescale of HD across Texas’ major rivers by a median of 2.5 months. Conversely, the average-event duration and severity increased in most locations. Temporal analysis reveals that the WM impact on HD varied seasonally, with attenuation effects during mid-summer and early fall and intensification effects during late winter and spring. Additionally, WM was found to greatly increase the spatial variability of HD characteristics across the region. These findings emphasize the complexity of WM effects on HD and the necessity for nuanced strategies in managing HD under WM influences.
Electrochemical in-situ probing of heterocatalytic green reduction of 4-nitroaniline by novel non-noble CuO/Co3O4 nanocomposites
Authors: Javalekar Damini , Mahajan Abha , Sharma Sharoni , Dhanorkar Manikprabhu , Nagar Rupali
Published: October 2024

Nobel metals are commonly used catalysts in reactions due to their excellent catalytic activities. Transition metals, too, possess good catalytic activity due to the availability of vacant d-orbitals that provide avenues for electron exchange during reactions. In this work, the performance of CuO/Co3O4 (CCO) catalyst is evaluated. The catalyst is prepared by a facile coprecipitation method. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, HRTEM, Ultraviolet spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques were used to study the material properties. XRD analysis confirms the formation of CCO heterostructure with supporting evidence from FTIR, HRTEM and XPS. The catalyst shows optical bandgap contributions of CuO and Co3O4 at 1.6 eV and 2.4 eV, respectively. The SEM analysis shows the presence of agglomerates with a mean length of 111 ± 3 nm. The prepared catalyst is employed for the 4-nitroaniline reduction using sodium borohydride. The kinetics of the reduction reaction were studied, and an apparent rate constant of 0.323 min−1 was estimated. The catalyst shows a turnover frequency of 1.44 min−1 and 100% recyclability up to 5 cycles that are competitive with noble metal and rare-earth-based catalysts. The fast reduction of 4-NA is attributed to the novel p-p type isojunction formed by the heterostructure of CCO. Additionally, extensive electrochemical analysis has been used as an in situ probe to monitor the reduction reaction. Accordingly, the study shows the different intermediary reduction species formed in the process of reduction, adding evidence to the proposed mechanism.
Performance evaluation of p-type Cr2O3 thin films grown by reactive DC magnetron sputtering for Schottky diode applications
Authors: Prathiksha  , Jagadish K A , Kekuda Dhananjaya
Published: October 2024

In this study, we present a comprehensive investigation into the impact of combined oxygen and argon flow rates on the physical properties of Cr2O3 thin films produced via reactive DC magnetron sputtering. Additionally, we explore the influence of oxygen flow rate on various aspects, including structural, morphological, optical, chemical, and electrical characteristics of the sputtered Cr2O3 thin films. Our analysis, based on XRD results, reveals the polycrystalline nature of the films. Surface morphology was examined through scanning electron microscopy. Optical analysis indicates a band gap ranging from 2.70 eV to 2.99 eV for the films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis shows the splitting of Cr 2p core spectra into Cr 2p3/2 and Cr 2p1/2 domains within the range of 573 eV to 585 eV, alongside the presence of satellite peaks. Moreover, extracted electrical properties reveal the p-type conductivity of the deposited Cr2O3 thin film under various oxygen flow rates. Furthermore, we fabricate and characterize an ITO/p-Cr2O3/Al Schottky diode to provide additional insights into p-Cr2O3/Al Schottky diodes. Overall, this study contributes valuable insights and enhances our understanding of Cr2O3 thin film properties, particularly in the context of semiconductor devices like Schottky diodes.
Study of austenite grain growth and recrystallization behavior in pipeline steels containing niobium
Authors: Tan Fengliang , Cui Jinbiao , Liu Ning , Wang Li , Chen Jiansheng , Tian Shiwei , Li Yantao
Published: October 2024

The austenite grain growth and recrystallization behaviors of three pipeline steels with different Nb contents were investigated through reheating and thermal simulation compression experiments. The initiation conditions for dynamic and sub-dynamic recrystallization of austenite were analyzed, and sub-dynamic recrystallization equations in Avrami form were established. The influences of Nb content and deformation conditions on the evolution of grain size during austenite recrystallization was examined. The findings indicate that the austenite grain size of the three steels increases gradually with higher reheating temperatures, while the average grain size decreases with increasing Nb content. Sub-dynamic recrystallization initiation temperatures for the B150-steel, B145-steel, and 73-steel were found to be 920 °C for 10 s, 940 °C for 30 s, and 960 °C for 30 s, respectively. During high-temperature deformation, Nb in solid solution hindered recrystallization by impeding grain boundary and dislocation movement. At lower deformation temperatures, Nb(C, N) precipitation pinned grain boundaries and dislocations and consumed substantial free energy, thus competing with recrystallization. As Nb content increased, strain-induced precipitation became more pronounced, resulting in more effective inhibition of recrystallized grain growth.
Synthesis and characterization of boiled linseed oil integrated with and without reduced graphene oxide nanosheets blended microcapsules
Authors: John Prathap Singh P , Vasanthanathan A
Published: October 2024

The synthesis and characterization of reduced graphene oxide, boiled linseed oil(BLO), and reduced graphene oxide(rGO)—boiled linseed oil microcapsules (BLO-rGO MCs) are effectuated. The synthesis of reduced graphene oxide involved the reduction of graphene oxide using a reducing agent, resulting in the formation of reduced graphene oxide sheets with a high degree of reduction. Characterization techniques such as XRD and FTIR confirmed the successful reduction of graphene oxide to reduced graphene oxide. Boiled linseed oil was characterized using FTIR and SEM techniques, which revealed the molecular structure and surface morphology of the BLO. These microcapsules were synthesized using a simple and scalable method that involves the encapsulation of reduced graphene oxide and boiled linseed oil within a protective shell. The microcapsules were characterized using various techniques such as SEM, FTIR, and XRD, which evidently demonstrated the successful encapsulation of reduced graphene oxide and boiled linseed oil as microcapsules. The combination of reduced graphene oxide and boiled linseed oil as microcapsules offers unique properties such as improved stability, controlled release, as well as increased functionality. These microcapsules have potential applications in numerous fields such as coatings, composites, and drug delivery. The overall output of this study demonstrates the high possibility for the development of novel materials with unique properties and potential applications in numerous fields via the synthesis and characterization of reduced graphene oxide, boiled linseed oil, and reduced graphene oxide-boiled linseed oil microcapsules.
Comparative investigation of friction stir welds reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets and copper in AA6082-T6 alloy
Authors: Biradar Rahul , Patil Sachinkumar , Sharma Priyaranjan , Fernandes Filipe
Published: October 2024

Friction stir welding (FSW) represents a solid-state welding method renowned for producing high-quality joints, particularly in aluminum alloys. This study focuses on enhancing weld strength in the aerospace alloy AA6082-T6. The research involved conducting experiments to create FSW joints in AA6082-T6 by incorporating graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and copper as filler materials. Various characteristics of the joints, including microhardness, tensile strength, wear resistance, and corrosion behavior, were meticulously investigated. The experimental findings demonstrated that AA6082-T6 joints reinforced with GNPs exhibited significantly higher weld strength than conventional joints. This improvement can be attributed to the superior bonding and reinforcing effects of GNPs within the aluminum matrix. Furthermore, the GNPs incorporated joints displayed enhanced electrochemical and wear properties. This innovative approach in FSW presents a promising avenue for enhancing weld strength across diverse alloys through the integration of different reinforcement materials.
Enhanced degradation of diclofenac via H2O2-assisted photocatalysis in a submerged membrane reactor using N-doped TiO2
Authors: Van Tung Tra , Tuan Nguyen Quang , Van Huu Tap , Thanh Huong Hoang , Tran Quoc Ba
Published: October 2024

This study presents an in-depth investigation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-assisted photocatalytic degradation of diclofenac (DCF) using N-doped TiO2 (N-TiO2) in a submerged membrane photocatalytic reactor (SMPR) under visible light. The technical achievements of this work include optimizing critical parameters such as solution pH, catalyst concentration, DCF concentration, and H2O2 concentration to maximize degradation efficiency. The results indicate that the optimal conditions for DCF removal were achieved at pH 6.5, [N-TiO2] of 1.0 g l−1, DCF concentration of 20 mg l−1, and H2O2 concentration of 21.75 mg l−1. Under these conditions, DCF removal efficiency significantly improved from 42.21% in the absence of H2O2 to 79.55% with the addition of H2O2. This demonstrates the crucial role of H2O2 in enhancing photocatalytic degradation performance. Comparative analysis with other studies using UV light further emphasizes the efficacy of this visible light-driven process, which achieved competitive removal rates, demonstrating the potential of visible light and N-TiO2 as a sustainable solution for DCF degradation in wastewater. This research provides valuable insights into optimizing conditions for DCF degradation using N-TiO2 under visible light, offering potential applications for this photocatalytic process.
TRU-IMP: techniques for reliable use of images in medical physics; a graphical user interface to analyze and compare segmentations in nuclear medicine
Authors: Laporte Philippe , Carrier Jean-François
Published: October 2024

Background. In the context of pharmacokinetic analyses, the segmentation method one uses has a large impact on the results obtained, thus the importance of transparency. Innovation. This paper introduces a graphical user interface (GUI), TRU-IMP, that analyzes time-activity curves and segmentations in dynamic nuclear medicine. This GUI fills a gap in the current technological tools available for the analysis of quantitative dynamic nuclear medicine image acquisitions. The GUI includes various techniques of segmentations, with possibilities to compute related uncertainties. Results. The GUI was tested on image acquisitions made on a dynamic nuclear medicine phantom. This allows the comparison of segmentations via their time-activity curves and the extracted pharmacokinetic parameters. Implications. The flexibility and user-friendliness allowed by the proposed interface make the analyses both easy to perform and adjustable to any specific case. This GUI permits researchers to better show and understand the reproducibility, precision, and accuracy of their work in quantitative dynamic nuclear medicine. Availability and Implementation. Source code freely available on GitHub: https://github.com/ArGilfea/TRU-IMP and location of the interface available from there. The GUI is fully compatible with iOS and Windows operating systems (not tested on Linux). A phantom acquisition is also available to test the GUI easily.
Producer services agglomeration and low-carbon economic transition: the role of economic growth target constraint
Authors: Yang Yuping , Wang Yixuan , Gong Dinglin , Lam Johnny F I , Feng Linjie , Chen Huangxin , Zhan Weipeng
Published: October 2024

Objective. Producer services are an intermediate input factor that permeates every link in the industrial production chain and is essential to the growth of a low-carbon economy. This study aims to elucidate the connection between producer services agglomeration (PSA) and low-carbon economic transition. Methods. Based on China’s provincial panel data from 2004 to 2021, we empirically test the influence of PSA on low-carbon economic transition using a two-way fixed effects model, and utilize government work reports to construct an indicator of economic growth target constraints and its characteristics to further explore its moderating effect. Results. PSA contributes to enhancing low-carbon economic transition. The heterogeneity test finds that PSA significantly helps low-carbon economic transition in the east and west regions, but not in the central region. The quantile regression findings demonstrate that PSA is more effective at raising the level of low-carbon economic transition at the 10th and 90th quantiles, which indicates that the carbon reduction and efficiency enhancement effects of PSA play a greater role in regions with lower and higher low-carbon economic transition levels. Further research presents that the economic growth target constraint negatively moderates PSA’s impact on low-carbon economic transition, but this constraint characterized by soft constraints strengthens the positive effect of PSA on low-carbon economic transition. Implications. In view of this, the government can foster PSA in accordance with local conditions, optimize agglomeration area layout, and establish a scientific and reasonable government target management system to strengthen low-carbon and high-quality economic development.
Analysis of mechanical properties and stress distribution in self-healing microcapsules using micro-compressive test, nanoindentation test, and finite element analysis
Authors: Kim Hyeon Ji , Yoon Sung Ho
Published: October 2024

This study analyzed self-healing microcapsules composed of melamine, urea, and formaldehyde (MUF). The thin shell’s mechanical properties were predicted using various techniques to gain a comprehensive understanding of their behavior. The compressive behavior of the microcapsules was assessed through micro-compression testing. The elastic modulus of the thin shell was precisely determined using nanoindentation, a method known for its accuracy in measuring material properties. Finite element analysis (FEA) was then applied, modeling the microcapsule between two plates and treating the core, which contains the healing agent, as an incompressible liquid. The mechanical properties of the thin shell, based on the elastic modulus derived from the nanoindentation test, were incorporated into the FEA, and the results were compared with those from the micro-compression test. Additionally, we analyzed the von Mises stress distribution to evaluate stress concentration within the spherical core–shell structure, ensuring the reliability of our conclusions. The test methods and analysis techniques presented in this study provide guidelines for improving the stiffness of MUF microcapsules. They can be further applied to predict the properties of materials with a spherical core–shell structure.
First principle atomistic modelling of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) to enhance its tunnel magneto-resistance (TMR) ratio
Authors: Asif Akhtar Shagufta Parveen , Prasad Santashraya , Islam Aminul
Published: October 2024

This paper investigates the impact of electrode materials on the Tunnel Magneto-Resistance (TMR) ratio of Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) device. Four different structures of MTJ have been simulated by using cobalt (Co), Nickel (Ni), Iron (Fe) and two alloy materials of nickel-iron (NiFe) and cobalt-iron (CoFe). These materials have been used as ferromagnetic electrodes. Mulliken population and transmission spectrum observed in both parallel and antiparallel configurations of these devices to understand the spin transport properties and Tunnel Magneto-Resistance (TMR) ratio has been estimated. The first principal study was performed based on density function theory (DFT) and Non-equilibrium Green’s Function (NEGF) computational methods using the QuantumATK simulation tool to study properties such as band structure, the density of states (DOS), Spin Transfer Torque (STT), I-V characteristics and TMR. This study explores how different electrode materials affect the Tunnel Magneto-Resistance (TMR) ratio in Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) devices. With these results, it is observed that cobalt-based MTJ devices (that is Co-MgO-Fe and CoFe-MgO-CoFe) exhibit higher TMR ratio as compared to Nickel- and Iron-based MTJ devices (that is NiFe-MgO-NiFe and Ni-MgO-Fe). As Cobalt has a high spin polarization this property makes it suitable for use in spintronics devices like MTJs, where the manipulation of electron spins is essential for data storage and information processing. These findings can be employed to improve the performance characteristics of the MTJ-based Random Access Memory (MRAM) in the field of spintronics.
Equitable stormwater utility fees: an integrated analysis of environmental, socioeconomic and infrastructure factors at the community scale
Authors: Garcia Hannah , Techapinyawat Lapone , Lee Jim , Zhang Hua
Published: October 2024

Municipalities worldwide implement stormwater management programs to mitigate the hydrological and water quality impacts of stormwater runoff. Stormwater utility fees (SWUF) are often used to fund such important programs by collecting revenue from residential and commercial properties. However, existing SWUFs often solely rely on the estimate of impervious surfaces and do not consider other environmental, infrastructure, and socioeconomic factors in the generation and effects of stormwater runoff. This study is the first attempt to propose a reconstruction of SWUFs from the perspectives of social equity and environmental justice. The method aims to address disparities in fee rates among residential parcels, focusing on helping economically disadvantaged communities. It integrates drainage service, potential contribution to non-point source pollution, and socioeconomic status through two alternative schemes. The two schemes allocate fees based on combined rankings of the three factors at the level of census block groups. The proposed method was applied to 88 180 residential parcels in Corpus Christi, Texas, a mid-sized coastal community. The results suggest that over 70% of the disadvantaged communities would benefit from the reconstructed SWUFs without affecting the targeted funding for stormwater infrastructure. This method builds on publicly available datasets and offers an adaptive framework for other municipalities to incorporate additional factors or datasets, representing an exploratory step toward achieving more equitable stormwater management practices.
Canopy height damage by Typhoon Songda in Northern Hokkaido, Japan, in 2004
Authors: Kwon TaeOh , Shibata Hideaki , Takemi Tetsuya , Takagi Kentaro
Published: October 2024

The increasing need for the risk assessment of disastrous wind disturbance, especially by tropical cyclones (TCs), has been emphasized because the number of intense TCs is projected to increase due to global warming, though there are some discrepancies across oceanic basins. There is also an agreement of the northward migration of TC disturbance in Far East Asia in the future, when meteorological changes accompanying global warming are considered together. This study assessed the canopy height damage caused by the historic Typhoon Songda in 2004 from the perspective of the relations with topography, wind traits, and forest canopy types in northern Hokkaido, Japan. We found that the order of canopy height damage was consistent along every single aspect and every canopy height class with conifer-canopied forest > mixed-canopied forest > hardwood-canopied forest and higher damage on windward aspects than on leeward aspects. It was noted that the canopy height damage to hardwood and mixed forests showed a threshold pattern at around 14 m in canopy height, whereas for conifer forests, this was not the case. Strong causal relations were not observed between canopy damage (outcomes) and wind severity, inclination of slope, or canopy height (causes), though the causal relations were highly significant between wind severity or canopy height (mediators) and altitude or inclination of slope (causes) for all the studied canopy types. Given typhoon-induced forest damage is the consequence of the interactions among various intermingled biotic and abiotic causes and that areas affected by intense typhoons are anticipated to extend northward, more case studies in regions such as Hokkaido in Japan and the further north, which have rarely been visited by typhoons but are projected to be more affected by increasing number of intense typhoons, should be regarded as a high priority from this time forward for sustainable forest management.
Is There An “Ideal Instagram Face” for Caucasian Female Influencers? A Cross-Sectional Observational Study of Facial Proportions in 100 Top Beauty Influencers
Authors: Loucas Rafael , Sauter Bruno , Loucas Marios , Leitsch Sebastian , Haroon Omar , Macek Aljosa , Graul Silke , Kobler Alexander , Holzbach Thomas
Published: October 2024

Background

In the digital arena, wherein younger generations predominantly spend their time, social media continues to determine what is considered beautiful. Social media, particularly Instagram (Meta, Menlo Park, CA), is becoming a prominent aspect of the plastic surgeon–patient relationship. Therefore, the beauty ideal escalates without any barriers and breaks. The majority of influencers look alike. This sets a new trend for a beauty ideal.

Objectives

In this study, the authors aimed to analyze the facial proportions of 100 top female beauty influencers, to evaluate them for identifying the “ideal Instagram face,” and to determine whether there existed a deviation from the standard golden ratio.

Methods

The authors identified the top 100 beauty influencers, according to the latest rankings of November 2022. A detailed facial analysis has been conducted using the Fiji biomedical image analysis software. The primary outcome parameters included facial proportions such as lip ratio, Ricketts’ line, and nasal dimensions. Secondary outcomes comprised BMI, age, and ethnicity. The results were collected and analyzed descriptively using graphs and statistics.

Results

Complete datasets were obtained from the top 100 female beauty influencers with a mean age of 31.3 ± 6.3 years (range, 24-38 years). The majority of influencers were Americans, followed by Germans and British. Based upon the mean of the aforementioned parameters, we could design the ideal Instagram face. There was no significant difference between the golden ratio and the new trend of the ideal Instagram face.

Conclusions

Despite the existence of varied ethnic population groups and nonstandard measurements, the ideal Instagram face represents today's ideal trending face. The ideal Instagram face is symmetrical, matching the golden ratios, with a small and neat nose, full and lush lips, high cheekbones, as also a sharp and chiseled jawline. Further studies on this topic, involving a greater number of influencers with standardized measurements, should be advocated to identify the ideal facial proportions. This will lead to improvements in invasive and noninvasive cosmetic treatments.

Level of Evidence: 5 (Diagnostic)
Intracranial vasculopathy with MR vessel wall imaging: a case series
Authors: Sin Long Hin , Lee Yat Sing , Chan Wai Tat Victor , Siu Chi Wai , Tan Chong Boon
Published: October 2024

Conventional luminal imaging, often the first line investigation, has helped physicians in diagnosing countless patients with cerebrovascular disease but regrettably, it offers little diagnostic clues in patients with challenging vasculopathy, which the latter often requires invasive histopathological diagnosis. In past decade, MR vessel wall imaging has quickly emerged as a non-invasive modality that greatly enhances radiologists’ capability of differentiating underlying aetiology. Not only it minimizes surgical trauma to patients, but also provide timely and accurate diagnosis for physicians to offer prompt appropriate treatment and avoid devastating outcomes. Tuen Mun Hospital, the neuroscience centre serving more than 1.3 million population in New Territories, Hong Kong, has been the pioneer in optimizing this novel modality within the district. In this article, we hope to share few interesting cases in our centre on how we utilize its advantage in solving some challenging cases. We would also discuss some common imaging pitfalls and tips on interpretation.
Pannus formation: a rare culprit of early bioprosthetic valve dysfunction—a case report
Authors: Takemoto Sho , Kumano Hiroshi , Shimamura Junichi , Shiose Akira
Published: October 2024

Background

Early bioprosthetic valve dysfunction (BVD) due to pannus formation is uncommon in elderly patients, and only a limited number of cases have been reported.

Case summary

An 84-year-old man presented with exertional dyspnoea 3 years after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with a 19 mm Epic™ valve (Abbott, Santa Clara, CA, USA). Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated progressive BVD, and cardiac computed tomography (CT) revealed sub-aortic pannus formation. Re-operative SAVR was performed using a 19 mm INSPIRIS RESILIA® valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA), and pathological examination confirmed valve leaflet deformation caused by pannus overgrowth. At the 18-month follow-up, the patient exhibited favourable progress, with no indications of BVD or pannus recurrence.

Discussion

This case highlights the importance of recognizing early pannus formation as a cause of BVD, even in elderly patients. Early detection of BVD based on clinical symptoms and echocardiography is vital to allow timely surgical intervention before the deterioration of cardiac function. Cardiac CT helps to differentiate pannus from thrombus formation and guide treatment decisions.
The topoisomerase II/condensin II axis silences transcription during germline specification in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Belew Mezmur D , Chien Emilie , Wong Matthew , Michael W Matthew
Published: October 2024

In Caenorhabditis elegans, the germline is specified via a preformation mechanism that relies on the PIE-1 protein's ability to globally silence mRNA transcription in germline precursor cells, also known as the P lineage. Recent work from our group has identified additional genome silencing events in C. elegans during oogenesis and in starved L1 larvae, and these require the condensin II complex, topoisomerase II, and components of the H3K9me/heterochromatin pathway. Interestingly, silencing in oocytes also requires PIE-1, but this is not the case in starved L1s. Here, we ask if additional genome silencing components besides PIE-1 are required to repress gene expression in the P lineage of early embryos, and we find that condensin II and topoisomerase II are required and the H3K9me/heterochromatin pathway is not. We show that depletion of topoisomerase II/condensin II activates the normally suppressed RNA polymerase II to inappropriately transcribe somatic genes in the P lineage. We also present evidence that while both PIE-1 and topoisomerase II/condensin II are required for genome silencing in the P lineage, PIE-1 can silence transcription independently of topoisomerase II/condensin II when misexpressed in somatic cells. Thus, in oocytes, all three genome silencing systems (topoisomerase II/condensin II, H3K9me, and PIE-1) are operational, while in both early embryos and starved L1s two of the three are active. Our data show that multiple, redundantly acting genome silencing mechanisms act in a mix-and-match manner to repress transcription at different developmental stages in the C. elegans germline.
Palaeognaths Reveal Evolutionary Ancestry of the Avian Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II
Authors: Minias Piotr , Babik Wiesław
Published: October 2024

The multigene family of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) codes for the key antigen-presenting molecules of the vertebrate immune system. In birds, duplicated MHC class II (MHC-II) genes are highly homogenized by concerted evolution, and thus, identification of their orthologous relationships across long evolutionary timescales remains challenging. Relatively low evolutionary rate of avian MHC class IIA genes has been expected to provide a promising avenue to allow such inferences, but availability of MHC-IIA sequences in nonmodel bird species has been limited until recently. Here, taking advantage from accumulating genomic resources, we identified and analyzed MHC-IIA sequences from the most basal lineage of extant birds (Palaeognathae). Conserved region of the MHC-IIA membrane-proximal domain was used to search for orthologous relationships between palaeognath birds and nonavian reptiles. First, analyses of palaeognath sequences revealed the presence of a separate MHC-IIA gene lineage (DAA3) in kiwis, which did not cluster with previously described avian MHC-IIA lineages (DAA1 and DAA2). Next, phylogenetic reconstruction showed that kiwi DAA3 sequences form a single well-supported cluster with turtle MHC-IIA. High similarity of these sequences most likely reflects their remarkable evolutionary conservation and retention of ancient orthologous relationships, which can be traced back to basal archosauromorphs ca. 250 million years ago. Our analyses offer novel insights into macroevolutionary history of the MHC and reinforce the view that rapid accumulation of high-quality genome assemblies across divergent nonmodel species can substantially advance our understanding of gene evolution.
Stability of L2-Invariants on Stratified Spaces
Authors: Bei Francesco , Piazza Paolo , Vertman Boris
Published: October 2024

Let $\overline{M}$ be a compact smoothly stratified pseudo-manifold endowed with a wedge metric $g$. Let $\overline{M}_{\Gamma }$ be a Galois $\Gamma $-covering. Under additional assumptions on $\overline{M}$, satisfied for example by Witt pseudo-manifolds, we show that the $L^{2}$-Betti numbers and the Novikov–Shubin invariants are well defined. We then establish their invariance under a smoothly stratified codimension-preserving homotopy equivalence, thus extending results of Dodziuk, Gromov, and Shubin to these pseudo-manifolds.
Objects at Work: Cybersecurity Certificates Making Topological Expertise
Authors: Leander Anna
Published: October 2024

Objects do work creating expertise. This article parses how. It works with, revisits, and develops the notion of “boundary-work” located at the core of science and technology studies by Thomas Gieryn, Susan Leigh Star, and others and adds to it the notion of “orienting work” borrowing from the work of materialist feminists such as Sarah Ahmed and Maria do Mar Pereira. Working with these concepts, it shows that cybersecurity certificates make expertise topological. They demarcate, connect, create affective attachments to, and prefigure shapeshifting boundaries of cybersecurity expertise. They orient toward a maze of routes to cybersecurity expertise, a multiplicity of shifting locations in it, and toward fences that are stretched and straddled. Departing from conventional assumptions about the role of certificates in the formation of expertise, I show that rather than close off and stabilize expertise, the work of cybersecurity certificates opens and unsettles it. The cybersecurity expertise they make is preserved in continuous deformation. I also show that rather than fragment and fracture expertise, the work of certificates stretches, bends, and twists an expertise that remains connected. The work makes expertise of a distinctly topological quality. Engaging this moving, shapeshifting terrain politically is both exceptionally challenging and fundamentally important. The shifting expert terrain is generating a steadily expanding range of cybersecurity concerns that are inscribed ever more firmly in the socio-technical infrastructures of cybersecurity with ramifications for everyday life.
High-sugar diet leads to loss of beneficial probiotics in housefly larvae guts
Authors: Voulgari-Kokota Anna , Boatta Francesco , Rijkers Ruud , Wertheim Bregje , Beukeboom Leo W , Ellers Jacintha , Salles Joana Falcao
Published: October 2024

The housefly (Musca domestica) is a common insect species with only a few recurrent bacterial taxa in its gut microbiota, because the numerous microbial acquisition routes in its septic habitats can favor transient microbes. Here, we investigated the role of the diet on the microbiota and the developmental success of a housefly strain reared on three substrates. We used a control wheat bran-based substrate, and added clotted cream and sucrose to make a high-fat, and a high-sugar substrate, respectively. The conducted survey revealed that, in contrast to the high-fat diet, the high-sugar diet caused lower developmental success and less diverse microbiota, in which several lactobacilli were replaced with Weissella bacterial phylotypes. Cultures with sucrose as the sole carbon source confirmed that a Weissella confusa strain, isolated from larvae, could utilize sucrose more efficiently than other tested lactic acid bacteria; a result also supported by gene function prediction analysis. Enhancing the rearing substrate with Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains, which were isolated from control larvae, could not only revert the negative effect of the high-sucrose diet on development, but also increase the gut bacterial diversity. In our study, we show that the microbiota shifts in response to the high-sucrose diet did not benefit the host, that showed lower developmental success. In contrast, high-sucrose favored specific components of the microbiota, that continued to be enriched even after multiple generations, outcompeting beneficial bacteria. Also, microbiome manipulation showed the potential of probiotics to rescue host performance and restore the microbiome.
More than Foodsaving Machines: Insights from Communities Fighting Food Waste in the Digital Age
Authors: Ntouros Vasilis , Vlachokyriakos Vasilis , Engelbutzeder Philip
Published: October 2024

Grassroots initiatives promoting sharing-for-community are viewed as contributing to the transition towards a more socially equitable and environmentally sustainable world. However, along with other challenges, they often encounter technological barriers. In this article we report on our engagement with a number of self-organised foodsaving and sharing communities active in Europe which use the open-source platform Karrot to coordinate their activities. Our aim has been to explore the use of Karrot, across various contexts. We have also been interested in understanding Karrot’s impact on community-led foodsaving and sharing daily practices, as well as on community governance and organising; aspects which distinguish grassroots initiatives from more top-down anti-food waste models. We found that while Karrot facilitates certain processes, it does not fully meet the needs of the researched communities, which in turn have been configuring Karrot and have been developing unique digital ecologies, combining Karrot with off-the-shelf commercial tools. By recognising foodsaving and sharing communities as elements of a larger transformational ecosystem, we broaden our discussion to include the role of technology beyond just community-led foodsaving and sharing initiatives. Reflecting on the process of developing digital ecologies, we explore interoperability as a design element that can enhance sharing-for-community practices. Next, we propose strategies to strengthen community governance and organisation. Finally, we seed Community-Supported Software as an evolving framework that can facilitate the collaboration between grassroots place-based and software communities.
“Nerves Need Nourishment”: Advertising Phospho-Energon Pills in Early Twentieth-Century Sweden
Authors: O’Hagan Lauren Alex , Runefelt Leif
Published: October 2024

This paper offers the first case study of Phospho-Energon — an early twentieth-century Swedish patent medicine believed to cure nervousness. Using a large dataset of newspaper advertisements, it explores how the product was presented through scientific and medical language, which drew upon a range of visual and verbal rhetoric to convince consumers of its benefits. It finds that pseudoscientific discourse focusing on self-help was regularly used to sell Phospho-Energon, with consumers warned that their nerves were “not allowed to fail” and required “protection” in order to remain healthy. Furthermore, the “science” supporting this discourse gradually shifted over time as neurosis replaced neurasthenia as a diagnostic category and the concept of spring lethargy became popularised. Overall, this study argues that Phospho-Energon stands as an important example of how partial scientific/medical claims can be used as a rhetorical device to sell products to consumers looking for a quick-fix cure for their perceived mental health conditions.
Pharmaceutical industry promotional activities on social media: a scoping review
Authors: Mor Jessica , Kaur Tina , Menkes David B , Peter Elizabeth , Grundy Quinn
Published: October 2024

Objectives

The rise of social media has broadened the reach and impact of pharmaceutical promotion across countries. This scoping review synthesizes available literature on the nature, extent, and impacts of such promotion, with a particular focus on public health implications.

Methods

Using a systematic strategy, we searched six multidisciplinary scholarly databases for empirical studies, both peer-reviewed and grey, published since 2004, which had collected data on pharmaceutical promotion via social media. Data were synthesized qualitatively into outcome domains.

Key findings

We included 45 studies, primarily conducted in the USA (20/45, 44%) and multi-nationally (15/45, 33%), and published after 2013 (40/45, 89%). Studies used content analyses, surveys, and interviews to measure pharmaceutical industry presence or impacts on the following indicators: social media, social media strategy, consumer reach and engagement, health information quality, ethical and regulatory guideline adherence, and consumer attitudes and behaviours. Taken together, these studies indicate a gradual increase in industry use of social media, notably including the development of novel consumer engagement strategies, such as targeted promotion and influencer sponsorship. Studies also showed that, in some cases, health information provided on social media is of low quality, ethically and legally questionable, and potentially harmful to public health.

Conclusions

Appreciating the regulatory and reputational risks of consumer engagement on social media, the pharmaceutical industry has gradually increased promotional activities on social media since its inception. Evidence of harmful content and promotional activities that have become more covert and targeted suggests the need for regulatory development.
Games for hybrid logic from semantic games to analytic calculi
Authors: Freiman Robert
Published: October 2024

Game semantics and winning strategies offer a potential conceptual bridge between semantics and proof systems of logics. We illustrate this link for hybrid logic—an extension of modal logic that allows for explicit reference to worlds within the language. We lift a Hintikka-style semantic game to a disjunctive game. The disjunctive game adequately models entailment and validity over classes of frames characterizable in the hybrid language. The search for winning strategies in this game can be reformulated as a sequent-style proof system.
soibean: High-Resolution Taxonomic Identification of Ancient Environmental DNA Using Mitochondrial Pangenome Graphs
Authors: Vogel Nicola Alexandra , Rubin Joshua Daniel , Pedersen Anders Gorm , Sackett Peter Wad , Pedersen Mikkel Winther , Renaud Gabriel
Published: October 2024

Ancient environmental DNA (aeDNA) is becoming a powerful tool to gain insights about past ecosystems, overcoming the limitations of conventional fossil records. However, several methodological challenges remain, particularly for classifying the DNA to species level and conducting phylogenetic analysis. Current methods, primarily tailored for modern datasets, fail to capture several idiosyncrasies of aeDNA, including species mixtures from closely related species and ancestral divergence. We introduce soibean, a novel tool that utilizes mitochondrial pangenomic graphs for identifying species from aeDNA reads. It outperforms existing methods in accurately identifying species from multiple closely related sources within a sample, enhancing phylogenetic analysis for aeDNA. soibean employs a damage-aware likelihood model for precise identification at low coverage with a high damage rate. Additionally, we reconstructed ancestral sequences for soibean’s database to handle aeDNA that is highly diverged from modern references. soibean demonstrates effectiveness through simulated data tests and empirical validation. Notably, our method uncovered new empirical results in published datasets, including using porpoise whales as food in a Mesolithic community in Sweden, demonstrating its potential to reveal previously unrecognized findings in aeDNA studies.
Isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency presenting with arthritis: A case report
Authors: Yamashita Yuya , Sato Seidai , Nii Kaori , Mori Kensuke , Haji Keiko , Naito Nobuhito , Ogino Hirokazu , Kawawno Hiroshi , Hanibuchi Masaki , Endo Itsuro , Nishioka Yasuhiko
Published: October 2024

This case report describes a case of isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency that presented with arthritis. Initial investigations, including blood tests, imaging, and musculoskeletal ultrasonography, did not confirm any specific connective tissue disease, making it initially difficult to identify the cause of the arthritis. Subsequent adrenal crisis led to the diagnosis of isolated ACTH deficiency through comprehensive endocrine evaluation. The patient’s musculoskeletal symptoms, together with generalised symptoms, were resolved following corticosteroid replacement therapy. This report highlights isolated ACTH deficiency as a rare but one of the causes of polyarticular joint pain and underscores the importance of considering endocrine disorders in the differential diagnosis of unexplained arthritis, particularly when accompanied by systemic symptoms.
Exploring public cancer gene expression signatures across bulk, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics data with signifinder Bioconductor package
Authors: Pirrotta Stefania , Masatti Laura , Bortolato Anna , Corrà Anna , Pedrini Fabiola , Aere Martina , Esposito Giovanni , Martini Paolo , Risso Davide , Romualdi Chiara , Calura Enrica
Published: October 2024

Understanding cancer mechanisms, defining subtypes, predicting prognosis and assessing therapy efficacy are crucial aspects of cancer research. Gene-expression signatures derived from bulk gene expression data have played a significant role in these endeavors over the past decade. However, recent advancements in high-resolution transcriptomic technologies, such as single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, have revealed the complex cellular heterogeneity within tumors, necessitating the development of computational tools to characterize tumor mass heterogeneity accurately. Thus we implemented signifinder, a novel R Bioconductor package designed to streamline the collection and use of cancer transcriptional signatures across bulk, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics data. Leveraging publicly available signatures curated by signifinder, users can assess a wide range of tumor characteristics, including hallmark processes, therapy responses, and tumor microenvironment peculiarities. Through three case studies, we demonstrate the utility of transcriptional signatures in bulk, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomic data analyses, providing insights into cell-resolution transcriptional signatures in oncology. Signifinder represents a significant advancement in cancer transcriptomic data analysis, offering a comprehensive framework for interpreting high-resolution data and addressing tumor complexity.