bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Greening, climatizing, and decarbonizing: an inquiry into the transformation of productive sectors and activities
Authors: Granjou Céline , Banos Vincent , Le Berre Sylvain , Sergent Arnaud
Published: April 2024

The new post-COP21 climate regime is ushering in a range of reorientations and transformations of productive activities and economic sectors, based on their place in the global carbon cycle and carbon flows. This introductory article to the special issue on “The Politics of Decarbonization” explores how a focus on the promises of decarbonization observed in various productive sectors can contribute to our understanding of the current transformations of these sectors, their practices, and their production models in the face of climate change. We begin by (I) situating the special issue’s project in relation to the works on greening and ecological modernization published since the 1990s and particularly in relation to the critique of climate capitalism, so as to emphasize the continuities as well as the specificities that a focus on decarbonization policies entails. We then outline (II) the aims of the special issue in relation to the recent literature on climatization: far from seeking to standardize the treatment of the climate issue within a specific social science discipline, we feel it is important to contribute to a multidisciplinary and critical approach to the revival of productivism and the depoliticization of change often associated with decarbonization policies. This issue develops a range of perspectives anchored in different social science fields and disciplines, particularly looking at the forestry, energy, mining, agriculture, research, and bio-economy sectors.
Provincial income convergence in Vietnam: spatio-temporal dynamics and conditioning factors
Authors: Nguyen Minh-Thu Thi
Published: April 2024

In this article, we use a three-step procedure that combines the log t convergence test, Explanatory Spatial Data Analysis, and ordered logit regression to determine the spatio-temporal dynamics and determinants of provincial income clustering in Vietnam during the 2010–2020 period. Our findings are three-fold. First, provincial income clustering in Vietnam follows patterns of club convergence towards multiple equilibria. Seven convergence clubs encompassing 61 provinces are identified. Second, spatial autocorrelation encourages neighboring provinces to converge toward shared income equilibria. High-income clusters are observed in the Northern and Southern Key Economic Regions, while low-income clusters are concentrated in the mountainous areas of Northern Vietnam. Finally, both internal and external factors significantly affect the formation of convergence clubs. Vital internal factors include localities’ initial conditions of physical capital and structural change. Meanwhile, external factors refer to spatial externalities among neighboring provinces. We highlight spatial complementarity in physical capital accumulation and spatial competition in industrial intensification among neighboring provinces.
Effect of multiwall carbon nanotubes and surfactants characteristics on immobilization of heavy metals in contaminated soils
Authors: Correia Antonio A. S. , Rasteiro Maria G.
Published: April 2024

Soil is a vital resource to humans and soil health is a concern of modern societies. One of the problems is the existence of heavy metals (HMs) pollution, which can affect food, water sources and biodiversity. This experimental work studies the effect of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and surfactants characteristics on HMs immobilization in a contaminated soil. The testing program comprises the characterization of the MWCNTs and surfactants, followed by two distinct adsorption tests: suspension tests designed to supply preliminary information regarding the adsorption capacity of soil particles towards the different HMs, and percolation tests to evaluate the HMs immobilization in conditions mimicking a real in-situ scenario. The different HMs exhibit different affinities order to the soil studied: Pb > Cu > Ni > Zn. Results indicated that the inherent soil particles can immobilize significant quantities of HMs (especially Pb and Cu) due to their fine size and the existence of a substantial amount of organic matter content in the soil matrix. Molecular weight and charge density of the surfactant are characteristics with an impact on the MWCNTs dispersion and also on the adsorption capacity of the different HMs, namely in the case of Ni2+ and even in the case of Zn2+ possessing lower electronegativity and higher mobility. The findings of the study allow concluding that MWCNTs possess the potential to reduce the mobility of heavy metals in soil, even when employed at very low concentration (0.01% w/w), which is an important feature considering their cost.
From applied ethics and ethical principles to virtue and narrative in AI practices
Authors: Hayes Paul , Fitzpatrick Noel , Ferrández José Manuel
Published: April 2024

The question of how we can use ethics and ethical frameworks to avert the negative consequences of AI through guidance on human behaviour and the design of technological systems has recently been receiving increasing attention. The appropriate response to an ethics of AI has certainly been contentious. For some years the wisdom of deontology and utilitarianism in the ethics of technology has been questioned. Today, a kind of AI ethics principlism has gained a degree of widespread acceptance, yet it still invites harsh rejections in recent scholarship. In this paper, we wish to explore the contribution to an ethics of AI made by a narrative philosophy and ethics of technology inspired by the ‘little ethics’ of Paul Ricoeur, and virtue ethics of Alasdair MacIntyre, most recently and promisingly built upon by Wessel Reijers and Mark Coeckelbergh. The objective of this paper is to examine the extent to which a narrative and virtue based ethics (or, VPD, i.e., virtuous practice design) might be a plausible candidate for the foundation of an ethics of AI, or rather ethical AI practice. This will be achieved by exploring the ways in which this approach can respond to some of the significant faults with or critiques of applied and principles and guidelines based ethical approaches to AI ethics.
Evaluating approaches for reducing catastrophic risks from AI
Authors: Dung Leonard
Published: April 2024

According to a growing number of researchers, AI may pose catastrophic – or even existential – risks to humanity. Catastrophic risks may be taken to be risks of 100 million human deaths, or a similarly bad outcome. I argue that such risks – while contested – are sufficiently likely to demand rigorous discussion of potential societal responses. Subsequently, I propose four desiderata for approaches to the reduction of catastrophic risks from AI. The quality of such approaches can be assessed by their chance of success, degree of beneficence, degree of non-maleficence, and beneficent side effects. Then, I employ these desiderata to evaluate the promises, limitations and risks of alignment research, timelines research, policy research, halting or slowing down AI research, and compute governance for tackling catastrophic AI risks. While more research is needed, this investigation shows that several approaches for dealing with catastrophic AI risks are available, and where their respective strengths and weaknesses lie. It turns out that many approaches are complementary and that the approaches have a nuanced relationship to approaches to present AI harms. While some approaches are similarly useful for addressing catastrophic risks and present harms, this is not always the case.
A maximal overlap discrete wavelet packet transform coupled with an LSTM deep learning model for improving multilevel groundwater level forecasts
Authors: Roy Dilip Kumar , Hashem Ahmed A. , Reba Michele L. , Leslie Deborah L. , Nowlin John
Published: April 2024

Developing precise groundwater level (GWL) forecast models is essential for the optimal usage of limited groundwater resources and sustainable planning and management of water resources. In this study, an improved forecasting accuracy for up to 3 weeks ahead of GWLs in Bangladesh was achieved by employing a coupled Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) network-based deep learning algorithm and Maximal Overlap Discrete Wavelet Packet Transform (MODWPT) data preprocessing. The coupled LSTM-MODWPT model’s performance was compared with that of the LSTM model. For both standalone LSTM and LSTM-MODWPT models, the Random Forest feature selection approach was employed to select the ideal inputs from the candidate GWL lags. In the LSTM-MODWPT model, input GWL time series were decomposed using MODWPT. The ‘Fejér-Korovkin’ mother wavelet with a filter length of 18 was used to obtain a collection of scaling coefficients and wavelets for every single input time series. Model performance was assessed using five performance indices: Root Mean Squared Error; Scatter Index; Maximum Absolute Error; Median Absolute Deviation; and an a-20 index. The LSTM-MODWPT model outperformed standalone LSTM models for all time horizons in GWL forecasting. The percentage improvements in the forecasting accuracies were 36.28%, 32.97%, and 30.77%, respectively, for 1-, 2-, and 3-weeks ahead forecasts at the observation well GT3330001. Accordingly, the coupled LSTM-MODWPT model could potentially be used to enhance multiscale GWL forecasts. This research demonstrates that the coupled LSTM-MODWPT model could generate more precise GWL forecasts at the Bangladesh study site, with potential applications in other geographic locations globally.
Voting protocols on the star graph
Authors: Kátai-Urbán Kamilla , Pongrácz András , Szabó Csaba
Published: April 2024

Let $$G=(V,E)$$

G
=
(
V
,
E
)

be a finite graph together with an initial assignment $$V\rightarrow \{0,1\}$$

V
→
{
0
,
1
}

that represents the opinion of each vertex. Then discordant push voting is a discrete, non-deterministic protocol that alters the opinion of one vertex at a time until a consensus is reached. More precisely, at each round a discordant vertex u (i.e., one that has a neighbor with a different opinion) is chosen uniformly at random, and then we choose a neighbor v with different vote uniformly at random, and force v to change its opinion to that of u. In case of the discordant pull protocol we simply choose a discordant vertex uniformly at random and change its opinion. In this paper, we give asymptotically sharp estimations for the worst expected runtime of the discordant push and pull protocols on the star graph.
Properties and Applications of A New Attractive Distribution
Authors: Al-Shomrani Ali A. , Al-Arfaj Ahmed
Published: April 2024

We provide a new, flexible model called the Odd Kappa-Exponential (OK-E) distribution. The shape of its hazard rate function (hrf) might be constant, declining, growing, inverted-J, bathtub, or inverted-bathtub. The probability density function (pdf) and the cumulative distribution function (cdf) have both been expressed as linear expansions. Bonferroni and Lorenz curves, ordinary and incomplete moments, the quantile function, the mean residual life, the mean waiting time, and the entropy are all defined. The maximum likelihood method is used to estimate the values of the model’s unknown parameters. To verify the precision of the estimate, we ran a simulation study. The attractiveness and adaptability of the Odd Kappa-Exponential model were shown using four real-world examples from the fields of economics, engineering, and the environment.
Can you have it both ways? Attribution and plausible deniability in unclaimed coercion
Authors: Pischedda Costantino , Cheon Andrew , Moller Sara B.
Published: April 2024

States and non-state actors conduct unclaimed coercive attacks, inflicting costs on adversaries to signal resolve to prevail in a dispute while refraining from claiming or denying responsibility. Analysts argue that targets often know who is responsible, which enables coercive communication, and that the lack of claims of responsibility grants coercers plausible deniability in the eyes of third parties. The puzzle of different audiences holding different beliefs about who is behind an unclaimed attack, even when they may have the same information, has been neglected. We address this puzzle by theorising that targets and third parties tend to reach different conclusions due to distinct emotional reactions: targets are more likely to experience anger, which induces certainty and a desire to blame someone, as well as heuristic and biased information processing, prompting confident attribution despite the limited evidence. A vignette-based experiment depicting a terrorist attack lends empirical plausibility to our argument.
Beyond the law-in-the-books: Labour enforcement in Senegal
Authors: Diallo Thierno Malick , Ronconi Lucas
Published: April 2024

Extant research often assumes that the letter of labour codes is an adequate proxy for effective regulation. This paper empirically shows that such an assumption makes little sense for Senegal. We collect new objective measures of private and public labour enforcement, including workers’ awareness of their rights, access to the judiciary, penalties, and labour inspection resources and activities. We document that Senegal, as well as other countries in Francophone West Africa, is characterised by a combination of protective/stringent in-form labour codes and little enforcement efforts. Furthermore, we show that labour inspections target large and registered firms, while labour violations are more prevalent in small and unregistered firms, implying that the problem is substantially more complex than a lack of public inspection funding. We speculate it is mostly about the lack of effective representation of vulnerable workers in the policymaking process.
Whey protein dynamics in goat mammary secretions during colostrum and early lactation periods
Authors: Raimondo Raquel F. S. , Miyashiro Samantha I. , Birgel Junior Eduardo H.
Published: April 2024

The protein composition in goat milk undergoes changes throughout the different lactation periods, displaying distinct characteristics that are influenced by the dynamic nature of protein composition and concentration during the transition from colostrum secretion to mature milk. To evaluate the dynamics of whey proteins of Saanen goats during the colostral phase and the first month of lactation, 110 milk samples from 11 healthy mammary halves of seven Saanen goats were selected through a clinical evaluation. Whey was obtained by rennet coagulation of the mammary secretion. The biuret method determined total protein concentration, and their fractions were identified by 12% dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Maximum concentrations of all protein fractions were observed in the first 12 h of lactation, reducing throughout the study. Modification of the protein predominance was also observed. The transition from colostrum secretion to milk occurred 5 or 7 d postpartum.
Closing the knowledge gap: Helminth parasites of freshwater turtles from the Chaco-Pampa Plain, Southern South America
Authors: Palumbo Ezequiel Oscar , Alcalde Leandro , Bonino Marcelo , Lescano Julián , Montes Martín , Solari Agustín , Inés Diaz Julia
Published: April 2024

Six species of freshwater turtles dominate the Chaco-Pampa Plain in southern South America and their parasites have been relatively understudied, with most records concentrated in Brazil. Particularly in Argentina, there are only scattered records of parasites for most of the turtles that inhabit the region, leaving a large knowledge gap. The purpose of the present contribution is to increase the knowledge of the internal parasites of six species of freshwater turtles from Argentina, after 15 years of fieldwork, by providing new hosts and additional geographic records for many host-parasite relationships. Some molecular sequences of the studied parasites were provided as a tool for better species identification. We processed 433 stomach and fecal samples from live individuals and visceral and soft tissue samples from 54 dissected turtles collected from a wide range and different ecoregions. We found 6230 helminths belonging to 18 taxa (one cestode, 11 digeneans and six nematodes). Fourteen new parasite-host associations are reported here, and for the first time parasites are recorded for Phrynops williamsi. This work contributes significantly to the knowledge of the parasitofauna in freshwater turtles in Argentina, providing a detailed list of parasites present in each turtle species and reporting molecular characters for future studies.
Ageing of the Australian LGBQ population: estimates and projections to mid-century
Authors: Temple Jeromey , Wilson Tom
Published: April 2024

Although evidence on aspects of individual ageing of LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or intersex) people is mounting, there is a poor understanding of the macro aspects of population ageing within the LGBTQI population itself. This paper seeks to address this lacuna through an examination of structural and numerical ageing of the Australian LGBQ population. Drawing upon new data sources, alongside recent advances in demographic modelling, we utilised a modified multi-state cohort-component projection model to produce estimates and projections of the ageing of the Australian LGBQ population from 2016 to 2041. Our results indicate that the LGBQ population is significantly younger than the heterosexual population and is ageing structurally (in relative terms) at a slower rate. However, the LGBQ population is ageing considerably faster numerically (in absolute percentage growth terms) relative to the heterosexual population. We show the LGBQ population aged 65+ is projected to grow between 150 and 170 per cent between 2016 and 2041, under relatively conservative assumptions. This strong numerical ageing counters traditional assumptions about ageing of the LGBQ population and provides data to improve visibility of this population and to ameliorate future planning for health, care and social service provision that is appropriate and well-funded. The methods and materials we develop in this paper provide new opportunities for other countries to improve planning for LGBQ populations similarly.
Ageing with spinal cord injury: a longitudinal study
Authors: Zhao Haoai , Cole Shu , Omodior Karo , Valdivia Dubravka Svetina
Published: April 2024

Limited studies have evaluated the impact of recreation on successful ageing (SA) for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) in a longitudinal manner. Most existing SA models emphasise biomedical-based dimensions of physical functioning, which has been criticised as unrealistic and limited, especially for people with disabilities. Various researchers and organisations have proposed that SA needs to be reassessed using more self-perceived, self-reported measurements. Understanding long-term life satisfaction predictors for individuals ageing with SCI is still limited, particularly when including longitudinal recreation participation data. This study, based on Rowe and Kahn's SA model and utilising self-reported measurements, observes the long-term changes in self-reported health status, recreation participation time and social integration levels, and evaluates the long-term impacts of these predictors on life satisfaction among individuals with SCI. The sample comprises individuals with SCI (N = 11,450) who are at least 45 years old at the time of injury or have lived with their injury for over 15 years. Results indicate that when ageing with SCI, life satisfaction increases over time, but their recreation time, social interactions and self-perceived health status decline. Moreover, regular participation in recreational activities, engagement in and maintenance of certain levels of social relationships, and high self-evaluation of health can positively impact life satisfaction during ageing. The study explores the feasibility of using self-perceived measurements to replace biomedical-based variables in Rowe and Kahn's SA model and examines their impacts on life satisfaction among people ageing with disabilities. In the future development of SA models, researchers can incorporate more self-reported, self-evaluated assessment variables to better capture the ageing experience, especially for people with disabilities.
Decreased risk of non-influenza respiratory infection after influenza B virus infection in children
Authors: Tsang Tim K. , Du Richael Q. R. , Fang Vicky J. , Lau Eric H. Y. , Chan Kwok Hung , Chu Daniel K. W. , Ip Dennis K. M. , Peiris J. S. Malik , Leung Gabriel M. , Cauchemez Simon , Cowling Benjamin J.
Published: April 2024

Previous studies suggest that influenza virus infection may provide temporary non-specific immunity and hence lower the risk of non-influenza respiratory virus infection. In a randomized controlled trial of influenza vaccination, 1 330 children were followed-up in 2009–2011. Respiratory swabs were collected when they reported acute respiratory illness and tested against influenza and other respiratory viruses. We used Poisson regression to compare the incidence of non-influenza respiratory virus infection before and after influenza virus infection. Based on 52 children with influenza B virus infection, the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of non-influenza respiratory virus infection after influenza virus infection was 0.47 (95% confidence interval: 0.27–0.82) compared with before infection. Simulation suggested that this IRR was 0.87 if the temporary protection did not exist. We identified a decreased risk of non-influenza respiratory virus infection after influenza B virus infection in children. Further investigation is needed to determine if this decreased risk could be attributed to temporary non-specific immunity acquired from influenza virus infection.
A Generalized Townsend's Theory for Paschen Curves in Planar, Cylindrical, and Spherical Geometries in Planetary Atmospheres
Authors: Riousset Jeremy A. , Méndez Harper Joshua S. , Dufek Josef , Nelson Jared P. , Esparza Annelisa B.
Published: April 2024

In this work, we focus on plasma discharges produced between two electrodes with a high potential difference, resulting in the ionization of the neutral particles supporting a current in a gaseous medium. At low currents and low temperatures, this process can create luminescent emissions: glow and corona discharges. The parallel plate geometry used in Townsend's theory lets us develop a theoretical formalism, with explicit solutions for the critical voltage effectively reproducing experimental Paschen curves. However, most discharge processes occur in non‐parallel plate geometries, such as discharges between particles in multiphase systems and between cylindrical conductors. Here, we propose a generalization of the classic parallel plate configurations to concentric spherical and coaxial cylindrical geometries in Earth, Mars, Titan, and Venus atmospheres. In a spherical case, a small radius effectively represents a sharp tip rod, while larger, centimeter‐scale radii represent blunted tips. In cylindrical geometries, small radii resemble thin wires. We solve continuity equations in the gap and estimate a critical radius and minimum breakdown voltage that allows the formation of a glow discharge. We show that glow coronæ form more easily in Mars's low‐pressure, CO2‐rich atmosphere than in Earth's high‐pressure, N2‐rich atmosphere. Additionally, we present breakdown criteria for Titan and Venus, two planets where discharge processes have been postulated. We further demonstrate that critical voltage minima occur at 0.5 cm⋅Torr for all three investigated geometries, suggesting easier initiation around millimeter‐size particles in dust and water clouds. This approach could be readily extended to examine other multiphase flows with inertial particles.
Long‐Term Trends in the Distribution of Ocean Chlorophyll
Authors: Zhai Dongran , Beaulieu Claudie , Kudela Raphael M.
Published: April 2024

The concentration of chlorophyll‐a (CHL) is an important proxy for autotrophic biomass and primary production in the ocean. Quantifying trends and variability in CHL are essential to understanding how marine ecosystems are affected by climate change. Previous analyses have focused on assessing trends in CHL mean, but little is known about observed changes in CHL extremes and variance. Here we apply a quantile regression model to detect trends in CHL distribution over the period of 1997–2022 for several quantiles. We find that the magnitude of trends in upper quantiles of global CHL (>90th) are larger than those in lower quantiles (≤50th) and in the mean, suggesting a growing asymmetry in CHL distribution. On a regional scale, trends in different quantiles are statistically significant at high latitude, equatorial, and oligotrophic regions. Assessing changes in CHL distribution has potential to yield a more comprehensive understanding of climate change impacts on CHL.
The Location of Large‐Scale Soil Moisture Anomalies Affects Moisture Transport and Precipitation Over Southeastern South America
Authors: Chen Chu‐Chun , Dominguez Francina
Published: April 2024

Southeastern South America (SESA) is a highly productive agricultural region and a hot spot for land‐atmosphere interactions. To evaluate the impact of dry soil moisture anomalies (SMAs) on SESA climate and the sensitivity of the regional climate response to the location of SMAs, we perform three experimental simulations using the Community Earth System Model (CESM) with prescribed dry SMAs over (a) SESA, (b) western SESA, and (c) eastern SESA. The dry SESA and eastern SESA simulations show widespread negative precipitation anomalies. In contrast, the dry western SESA simulation shows positive precipitation anomalies over northeastern Argentina, which are associated with the enhanced southward moisture flux co‐located with the South American low‐level jet exit region. A composite analysis of extremely dry cases over western SESA using reanalysis data agrees with the findings from our CESM experiment. These findings have potential implications for subseasonal forecasting in this region.
Dual-channel mechano-phosphorescence: a combined locking effect with twisted molecular structures and robust interactions
Authors: Xie Zongliang , Mao Zhu , Wang Hailan , Xiao Yuxin , Zhang Xiayu , Yu Tao , An Zhongfu , Huang Wei
Published: April 2024

Organic mechanoluminescence materials, featuring dual emission and ultralong phosphorescence characteristics, exhibit significant potential for applications in real-time stress sensing, pressure-sensitive lighting, advanced security marking techniques, and material breakage monitoring. However, due to immature molecular design strategies and unclear luminescence mechanisms, these materials remain rarely reported. In this study, we propose a valuable molecular design strategy to achieve dual-channel mechano-phosphorescence. By introducing the arylphosphine oxide group into a highly twisted molecular framework, enhanced intra- and intermolecular interactions could be achieved within rigid structures, leading to dual-channel mechanoluminescence with greatly promoted ultralong phosphorescence. Further investigations reveal the substantial boosting effect of intra- and intermolecular interactions on mechanoluminescence and ultralong phosphorescence properties by locking the highly twisted molecular skeleton. This work provides a concise and guiding route to develop novel smart responsive luminescence materials for widespread applications in material science.
A near-zero quiescent power breeze wake-up anemometer based on a rolling-bearing triboelectric nanogenerator
Authors: Fu Xianpeng , Jiang Zhichao , Cao Jie , Dong Zefang , Liu Guoxu , Zhu Meiling , Zhang Chi
Published: April 2024

Wind sensors have always played an irreplaceable role in environmental information monitoring and are expected to operate with lower power consumption to extend service lifetime. Here, we propose a breeze wake-up anemometer (B-WA) based on a rolling-bearing triboelectric nanogenerator (RB-TENG) with extremely low static power. The B-WA consists of two RB-TENGs, a self-waking-up module (SWM), a signal processing module (SPM), and a wireless transmission unit. The two RB-TENGs are employed for system activation and wind-speed sensing. Once the ambient wind-speed exceeds 2 m/s, the wake TENG (W-TENG) and the SWM can wake up the system within 0.96 s. At the same time, the SPM starts to calculate the signal frequency from the measured TENG (M-TENG) to monitor the wind speed with a sensitivity of 9.45 Hz/(m/s). After the wind stops, the SWM can switch off the B-WA within 0.52 s to decrease the system energy loss. In quiescent on-duty mode, the operating power of the B-WA is less than 30 nW, which can greatly extend the service lifetime of the B-WA. By integrating triboelectric devices and rolling bearings, this work has realized an ultralow quiescent power and self-waked-up wireless wind-speed monitoring system, which has foreseeable applications in remote weather monitoring, IoT nodes, and so on.
Thrombomodulin reduces α-synuclein generation and ameliorates neuropathology in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Niu Xiao-yun , Xie Xi-xiu , Tuo Hou-zhen , Lv Cui-ping , Huang Ya-ru , Zhu Jie , Liang Shi-yu , Du Xiao-yu , Yang Cheng-gang , Hou Sheng-jie , Sun Xiao-ying , Li Ling-jie , Cui Fang , Huang Qi-xin , Jia Ying-bo , Wang Yu-jiong , Liu Rui-tian
Published: April 2024

The neurotoxic α-synuclein (α-syn) oligomers play an important role in the occurrence and development of Parkinson’s disease (PD), but the factors affecting α-syn generation and neurotoxicity remain unclear. We here first found that thrombomodulin (TM) significantly decreased in the plasma of PD patients and brains of A53T α-syn mice, and the increased TM in primary neurons reduced α-syn generation by inhibiting transcription factor p-c-jun production through Erk1/2 signaling pathway. Moreover, TM decreased α-syn neurotoxicity by reducing the levels of oxidative stress and inhibiting PAR1-p53-Bax signaling pathway. In contrast, TM downregulation increased the expression and neurotoxicity of α-syn in primary neurons. When TM plasmids were specifically delivered to neurons in the brains of A53T α-syn mice by adeno-associated virus (AAV), TM significantly reduced α-syn expression and deposition, and ameliorated the neuronal apoptosis, oxidative stress, gliosis and motor deficits in the mouse models, whereas TM knockdown exacerbated these neuropathology and motor dysfunction. Our present findings demonstrate that TM plays a neuroprotective role in PD pathology and symptoms, and it could be a novel therapeutic target in efforts to combat PD.
Efficacy and safety of a four-drug, quarter-dose treatment for hypertension: the QUARTET USA randomized trial
Authors: Huffman Mark D. , Baldridge Abigail S. , Lazar Danielle , Abbas Hiba , Mejia Jairo , Flowers Fallon M. , Quintana Adriana , Jackson Alema , Kandula Namratha R. , Lloyd-Jones Donald M. , Persell Stephen D. , Khan Sadiya S. , Paparello James J. , Chopra Aashima , Tripathi Priya , Vu My H. , Chow Clara K. , Ciolino Jody D.
Published: April 2024

New approaches are needed to lower blood pressure (BP) given persistently low control rates. QUARTET USA sought to evaluate the effect of four-drug, quarter-dose BP lowering combination in patients with hypertension. QUARTET USA was a randomized (1:1), double-blinded trial conducted in federally qualified health centers among adults with hypertension. Participants received either a quadpill of candesartan 2 mg, amlodipine 1.25 mg, indapamide 0.625 mg, and bisoprolol 2.5 mg or candesartan 8 mg for 12 weeks. If BP was >130/>80 mm Hg at 6 weeks in either arm, then participants received open label add-on amlodipine 5 mg. The primary outcome was mean change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) at 12 weeks, controlling for baseline BP. Secondary outcomes included mean change in diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and safety included serious adverse events, relevant adverse drug effects, and electrolyte abnormalities. Among 62 participants randomized between August 2019-May 2022 (n = 32 intervention, n = 30 control), mean (SD) age was 52 (11.5) years, 45% were female, 73% identified as Hispanic, and 18% identified as Black. Baseline mean (SD) SBP was 138.1 (11.2) mmHg, and baseline mean (SD) DBP was 84.3 (10.5) mmHg. In a modified intention-to-treat analysis, there was no significant difference in SBP (−4.8 mm Hg [95% CI: −10.8, 1.3, p = 0.123] and a −4.9 mmHg (95% CI: −8.6, −1.3, p = 0.009) greater mean DBP change in the intervention arm compared with the control arm at 12 weeks. Adverse events did not differ significantly between arms. The quadpill had a similar SBP and greater DBP lowering effect compared with candesartan 8 mg. Trial registration number: NCT03640312.
Spatial co-transcriptomics reveals discrete stages of the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis
Authors: Serrano Karen , Bezrutczyk Margaret , Goudeau Danielle , Dao Thai , O’Malley Ronan , Malmstrom Rex R. , Visel Axel , Scheller Henrik V. , Cole Benjamin
Published: April 2024

The symbiotic interaction of plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is ancient and widespread. Plants provide AM fungi with carbon in exchange for nutrients and water, making this interaction a prime target for crop improvement. However, plant–fungal interactions are restricted to a small subset of root cells, precluding the application of most conventional functional genomic techniques to study the molecular bases of these interactions. Here we used single-nucleus and spatial RNA sequencing to explore both Medicago truncatula and Rhizophagus irregularis transcriptomes in AM symbiosis at cellular and spatial resolution. Integrated, spatially registered single-cell maps revealed infected and uninfected plant root cell types. We observed that cortex cells exhibit distinct transcriptome profiles during different stages of colonization by AM fungi, indicating dynamic interplay between both organisms during establishment of the cellular interface enabling successful symbiosis. Our study provides insight into a symbiotic relationship of major agricultural and environmental importance and demonstrates a paradigm combining single-cell and spatial transcriptomics for the analysis of complex organismal interactions.
Histopathological biomarkers for predicting the tumour accumulation of nanomedicines
Authors: May Jan-Niklas , Moss Jennifer I. , Mueller Florian , Golombek Susanne K. , Biancacci Ilaria , Rizzo Larissa , Elshafei Asmaa Said , Gremse Felix , Pola Robert , Pechar Michal , Etrych Tomáš , Becker Svea , Trautwein Christian , Bülow Roman D. , Boor Peter , Knuechel Ruth , von Stillfried Saskia , Storm Gert , Puri Sanyogitta , Barry Simon T. , Schulz Volkmar , Kiessling Fabian , Ashford Marianne B. , Lammers Twan
Published: April 2024

The clinical prospects of cancer nanomedicines depend on effective patient stratification. Here we report the identification of predictive biomarkers of the accumulation of nanomedicines in tumour tissue. By using supervised machine learning on data of the accumulation of nanomedicines in tumour models in mice, we identified the densities of blood vessels and of tumour-associated macrophages as key predictive features. On the basis of these two features, we derived a biomarker score correlating with the concentration of liposomal doxorubicin in tumours and validated it in three syngeneic tumour models in immunocompetent mice and in four cell-line-derived and six patient-derived tumour xenografts in mice. The score effectively discriminated tumours according to the accumulation of nanomedicines (high versus low), with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.91. Histopathological assessment of 30 tumour specimens from patients and of 28 corresponding primary tumour biopsies confirmed the score’s effectiveness in predicting the tumour accumulation of liposomal doxorubicin. Biomarkers of the tumour accumulation of nanomedicines may aid the stratification of patients in clinical trials of cancer nanomedicines.
CARM30: China annual rapeseed maps at 30 m spatial resolution from 2000 to 2022 using multi-source data
Authors: Liu Wenbin , Li Shu , Tao Jianbin , Liu Xiangyu , Yin Guoying , Xia Yu , Wang Ting , Zhang Hongyan
Published: April 2024

Rapeseed is a critical cash crop globally, and understanding its distribution can assist in refined agricultural management, ensuring a sustainable vegetable oil supply, and informing government decisions. China is the leading consumer and third-largest producer of rapeseed. However, there is a lack of widely available, long-term, and large-scale remotely sensed maps on rapeseed cultivation in China. Here this study utilizes multi-source data such as satellite images, GLDAS environmental variables, land cover maps, and terrain data to create the China annual rapeseed maps at 30 m spatial resolution from 2000 to 2022 (CARM30). Our product was validated using independent samples and showed average F1 scores of 0.869 and 0.971 for winter and spring rapeseed. The CARM30 has high spatial consistency with existing 10 m and 20 m rapeseed maps. Additionally, the CARM30-derived rapeseed planted area was significantly correlated with agricultural statistics (R2 = 0.65–0.86; p < 0.001). The obtained rapeseed distribution information can serve as a reference for stakeholders such as farmers, scientific communities, and decision-makers.
The chromosome-level genome assembly of the giant dobsonfly Acanthacorydalis orientalis (McLachlan, 1899)
Authors: Zou Mingming , Lin Aili , Wang Yuyu , Yang Ding , Liu Xingyue
Published: April 2024

Acanthacorydalis orientalis (McLachlan, 1899) (Megaloptera: Corydalidae) is an important freshwater-benthic invertebrate species that serves as an indicator for water-quality biomonitoring and is valuable for conservation from East Asia. Here, a high-quality reference genome for A. orientalis was constructed using Oxford Nanopore sequencing and High throughput Chromosome Conformation Capture (Hi-C) technology. The final genome size is 547.98 Mb, with the N50 values of contig and scaffold being 7.77 Mb and 50.53 Mb, respectively. The longest contig and scaffold are 20.57 Mb and 62.26 Mb in length, respectively. There are 99.75% contigs anchored onto 13 pseudo-chromosomes. Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) analysis showed that the completeness of the genome assembly is 99.01%. There are 10,977 protein-coding genes identified, of which 84.00% are functionally annotated. The genome contains 44.86% repeat sequences. This high-quality genome provides substantial data for future studies on population genetics, aquatic adaptation, and evolution of Megaloptera and other related insect groups.
People perceive parasocial relationships to be effective at fulfilling emotional needs
Authors: Lotun Shaaba , Lamarche Veronica M. , Matran-Fernandez Ana , Sandstrom Gillian M.
Published: April 2024

People regularly form one-sided, “parasocial” relationships (PSRs) with targets incapable of returning the sentiment. Past work has shown that people engage with PSRs to support complex psychological needs (e.g., feeling less lonely after watching a favorite movie). However, we do not know how people rate these relationships relative to traditional two-sided relationships in terms of their effectiveness in supporting psychological needs. The current research (Ntotal = 3085) examined how PSRs help people fulfil emotion regulation needs. In Studies 1 and 2, participants felt that both their YouTube creator and non-YouTube creator PSRs were more effective at fulfilling their emotional needs than in-person acquaintances, albeit less effective than close others. In Study 3, people with high self-esteem thought PSRs would be responsive to their needs when their sociometer was activated, just as they do with two-sided relationships.
Effect of borax-modified activator on mechanical properties and drying shrinkage of alkali-activated slag/metakaolin mortar
Authors: Chen Haiming , Qin Ziguang , Chen Jie , Zhang Yadong , Wu Peng
Published: April 2024

Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) possess several advantages, such as high strengths and low carbon emissions. However, their application is hindered due to their significant shrinkage. This study explored the effect of borax-modified sodium silicate activator and metakaolin (MK) on the mechanical properties and drying shrinkage (DS) of alkali-activated slag (AAS) and AAS/MK (AASM) mortars. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the hydration products. The results showed that the DS reduction of the AAS mortar was related to decreased Na2O content, a reduction in the proportion of mesopores, and the formation of moisture-retaining borate compounds. The DS reduction of the AASM mortar was attributed to the ultra-fine differential effect induced by MK, reducing the connected pores. The modified activator combined with MK increased the chemically bound water content in the matrix. Additionally, the B–O bond and highly active MK improved compactness of the AASM mortar. The use of borax-modified activators and MK provides a new solution to address the significant shrinkage issue in AAMs. This sets the stage for AAMs to potentially replace OPC, contributing to low-carbon emissions and promoting environmental protection.
A case study on the relationship between risk assessment of scientific research projects and related factors under the Naive Bayesian algorithm
Authors: Dong Xuying , Qiu Wanlin
Published: April 2024

This paper delves into the nuanced dynamics influencing the outcomes of risk assessment (RA) in scientific research projects (SRPs), employing the Naive Bayes algorithm. The methodology involves the selection of diverse SRPs cases, gathering data encompassing project scale, budget investment, team experience, and other pertinent factors. The paper advances the application of the Naive Bayes algorithm by introducing enhancements, specifically integrating the Tree-augmented Naive Bayes (TANB) model. This augmentation serves to estimate risk probabilities for different research projects, shedding light on the intricate interplay and contributions of various factors to the RA process. The findings underscore the efficacy of the TANB algorithm, demonstrating commendable accuracy (average accuracy 89.2%) in RA for SRPs. Notably, budget investment (regression coefficient: 0.68, P < 0.05) and team experience (regression coefficient: 0.51, P < 0.05) emerge as significant determinants obviously influencing RA outcomes. Conversely, the impact of project size (regression coefficient: 0.31, P < 0.05) is relatively modest. This paper furnishes a concrete reference framework for project managers, facilitating informed decision-making in SRPs. By comprehensively analyzing the influence of various factors on RA, the paper not only contributes empirical insights to project decision-making but also elucidates the intricate relationships between different factors. The research advocates for heightened attention to budget investment and team experience when formulating risk management strategies. This strategic focus is posited to enhance the precision of RAs and the scientific foundation of decision-making processes.
Research on steel surface defect classification method based on deep learning
Authors: Gao Yang , Lv Gang , Xiao Dong , Han Xize , Sun Tao , Li Zhenni
Published: April 2024

Surface defects on steel, arising from factors like steel composition and manufacturing techniques, pose significant challenges to industrial production. Efficient and precise detection of these defects is crucial for enhancing production efficiency and product quality. In accordance with these requisites, this paper elects to undertake the detection task predicated on the you only look once (YOLO) algorithm. In this study, we propose a novel approach for surface flaw identification based on the YOLOv5 algorithm, called YOLOv5-KBS. This method integrates attention mechanism and weighted Bidirectional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN) into YOLOv5 architecture. Our method addresses issues of background interference and defect size variability in images. Experimental results show that the YOLOv5-KBS model achieves a notable 4.2% increase in mean Average Precision (mAP) and reaches a detection speed of 70 Frames Per Second (FPS), outperforming the baseline model. These findings underscore the effectiveness and potential applications of our proposed method in industrial settings.
Controlling behaviour of transparency and absorption in three-coupled multiple quantum wells via spontaneously generated coherence
Authors: Mukherjee Rohit , Hazra Rohit , Borgohain Nitu
Published: April 2024

This article presents a coherent phenomenon called spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) under the regime of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in a three-coupled multiple quantum wells. We demonstrate that the presence of SGC in these quantum wells lead to intriguing modifications in the transparency window within the absorption spectrum. At the same time, modification of the dispersive nature is also demonstrated which enables the feasibility of the system in diverse applications based on light propagation. The absorption and dispersion responses are found to be varied by the individual strength of the first and second control fields in presence as well as in absence of SGC in the EIT regime. The positional shifting of the transparency window and simultaneous modifications in the dispersive profiles by tuning the control field detunings of both the first and second control fields are also revealed. Some absorption and dispersion contours are illustrated for getting better insights into the modifications of the optical responses via SGC. Finally, by manipulating the strength of the SGC parameter, we observe the changes in the respective position of the transparency window and dispersion curve. It is expected that the current investigations will pave novel ways for innovative applications in quantum communications, and fabrication of advanced photonic devices.
Unfolding rotational tectonics and topographic evolution from localized verses diffuse plate boundary counterparts
Authors: Kundu Bhaskar , Zwaan Frank , Senapati Batakrushna
Published: April 2024

We present a kinematic model developed from geodetic observations, topography analysis and analogue tectonic modelling results, which reveals a striking similarity between the rotational tectonic settings of the Gakkel Ridge-Chersky Range system in the Arctic, and the Central Indian Tectonic Zone within the Indian subcontinent. A crucial aspect of large-scale extensional rift systems is the gradual variation of extension along the rift axis, due to plate rotation about a Euler pole, which may lead to contraction on the opposite side of the Euler pole to form a rotational tectonic system. Our geodetic and topographic analysis, combined with the reanalysis of analogue tectonic modelling results demonstrates such rotational tectonic plate motion in both the Arctic and Indian case. However, the plate boundary between the North American and Eurasian Plates as represented by the Arctic Gakkel Ridge-Chersky Range system is strongly localized, whereas the Central Indian Tectonic Zone that separates the North and South India Plates involves diffuse deformation instead. Furthermore, in both the Arctic and Central Indian we find that the relative Euler rotation pole is located near an indenter-like feature, which possibly controls the present-day rotational tectonics and contrasting topography on opposite sides of the Euler pole.