bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Taking trust online: Digitalisation and the practice of information sharing in diplomatic negotiations
Authors: Eggeling Kristin Anabel , Versloot Larissa
Published: December 2022

Can trust – a core element of diplomacy – be taken online and if so, how? This article starts form the concern that trust is tied to face-to-face diplomacy, which is challenged in digitalising settings. We adopt a practice theoretical lens and study diplomatic information sharing in the Council of the European Union. Drawing on fieldwork from 2018–2021, we find that digital tools are indispensable for trust's enactment and, contrary to commonly held assumptions, do not negatively impede diplomatic trust, per se. Theorising from how diplomats handle digital tools, we find that this leads to a renegotiation of the place and boundaries of trust in diplomatic work. First, we show how digital tools create both new opportunities for and challenges to diplomatic trust, though these opportunities are more accessible to some than others. Second, whereas trust is taken online, it is not easily built digitally. Third, digital tools lead to a rearticulation of the place of transparency and confidentiality in diplomatic negotiations. It pushes diplomats to reconsider what it means to share information in an (un)trustworthy manner. Altogether, these findings further our understanding of contemporary diplomatic practice and offer a refined conception of diplomatic trust.
Alien technology, conjunction and ergodicity
Authors: Ćirković Milan M.
Published: December 2022

In a recent refreshing paper, Cowie (2022, The Philosophical Quarterly) analyses the hypothesis of artificial origin of the mysterious interstellar object 1I/2017 U1 ʻOumuamua, as well as the wider question of justification of the artefactual origin explanation for anomalous astronomical phenomena. This highly commendable philosophical project should be further developed in order to establish more general methodology for dealing with traces and manifestations of extraterrestrial intentional actors. In the present note, I demonstrate a couple of weaknesses of the standard account, mainly dealing with philosophy of technology, and suggest ways of improving upon it.
Working together when the problem is multi-faceted: understanding inter-agency working for the benefit of people with hoarding problems
Authors: French Sam G. , Lock Karen , Zortea Tiago , Hassall Elaine , Bream Victoria , Webb Kathryn , Salkovskis Paul M.
Published: December 2022

Hoarding disorder is a surprisingly common problem which impacts on most areas of life. People who hoard typically have multiple agencies involved in their care due to the complex health and safety impact and risks associated with hoarding. ‘Treatment’ involves finding ways of supporting discarding large amounts, typically underpinned by CBT principles. We evaluated the impact and outcomes of a conference designed to boost professionals’ confidence and understanding in working with hoarding problems, both individually and with other agencies with a view to improving inter-agency service provision. Changes in professionals’ confidence and understanding were evaluated immediately before and after the conference. Conference participants’ qualitative responses related to service improvements were analysed using content analysis. People with personal experience of hoarding issues subsequently participated in a focus group where the results of the conference were presented. These data were analysed using thematic analysis. Confidence and understanding in working with hoarding problems substantially increased from pre- to post-conference. Professionals identified a range of possible improvements, most commonly working more closely and improving communication with other agencies. People with personal experience suggested improvements across three over-arching themes: developing an improved understanding of hoarding, the need for improved resources, and improved multi-agency working. A multi-agency conference increased confidence and understanding in professionals working with hoarding problems, and improvements specified by both people with personal experience and professionals provide a useful guide to service improvement. Results provide a framework in which CBT approaches should be embedded.

Key learning aims

(1)

To assess the effectiveness of a multi-agency hoarding conference at improving understanding and confidence in working with hoarding problems.

(2)

To explore professionals’ perceptions of improvements to multi-agency service provision.

(3)

To explore perceptions of improvements that could be made to multi-agency service provision from people with personal experience of hoarding problems.
Executive Functions and Improvement of Thinking: An Intervention Program to Enhance Deductive Reasoning Abilities
Authors: García-Madruga Juan Antonio , Orenes Isabel , Vila Chaves José Óscar , Gómez-Veiga Isabel
Published: December 2022

Empirical and theoretical advances and application to society are moved at different speed. Application work is frequently developed later because it requires the integration of knowledge from different research areas. In the present paper, we integrate literature coming from diverse areas of research in order to design a deductive reasoning intervention, based on the involved executive functions. Executive functions include working memory (WM)’s online executive processes and other off-line functions such as task revising and planning. Deductive reasoning is a sequential thinking process driven by reasoners’ meta-deductive knowledge and goals that requires the construction and manipulation of representations. We present a new theoretical view about the relationship between executive function and higher-level thinking, a critical analysis of the possibilities and limitations of cognitive training, and a metacognitive training procedure on executive functions to improve deductive reasoning. This procedure integrates direct instruction on deduction and meta-deductive concepts (consistency, necessity) and strategies (search for counterexamples and exhaustivity), together with the simultaneous training of WM and executive functions involved: Focus and switch attention, update WM representations, inhibit and revise intuitive responses, and control the emotional stress yielded by tasks. Likewise, it includes direct training of some complex WM tasks that demands people to carry out similar cognitive assignment than deduction. Our training program would be included in the school curriculum and attempts not only to improve deductive reasoning in experimental tasks, but also to increase students’ ability to uncover fallacies in discourse, to automatize some basic logical skills, and to be able to use logical intuitions.
Response of quizalofop-resistant rice to sequential quizalofop applications under differential environmental conditions
Authors: Godara Navdeep , Norsworthy Jason K. , Butts Thomas R. , Roberts Trenton L. , Gbur Edward E.
Published: December 2022

Quizalofop-resistant rice allows for over-the-top applications of quizalofop, a herbicide that inhibits acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase. However, previous reports have indicated that quizalofop applied postemergence may cause significant injury to quizalofop-resistant rice. Therefore, field experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of quizalofop-resistant rice cultivars to quizalofop applications across different planting dates. Under controlled conditions, the effects of soil moisture content, air temperature, and light intensity on quizalofop-resistant rice sensitivity to quizalofop were investigated. In the planting date experiment, injury of more than 11 percentage points was observed on early-planted rice compared with late-planted rice at the 5-leaf stage, with higher injury observed under saturated soil conditions. However, quizalofop applications at the labeled rate caused ≤16% reduction in yield regardless of planting environment. Quizalofop-resistant cultivars exhibited more injury by at least 25 percentage points when soil was maintained at 90% or 100% of field capacity because rice cultivars ‘PVL01’, ‘PVL02’, and ‘RTv7231 MA’ exhibited ≥42%, 30%, and ≥54% injury, respectively, compared with ≤10%, ≤5%, and ≤22% injury, respectively, at 40% or 50% of field capacity, pooled over rating timing. Greater injury ranging from 18% to 31% was observed on quizalofop-resistant rice grown under low light intensity (600 µmol m−2s−1) compared with 5% to 14% injury under high light intensity (1,150 µmol m−2s−1). The injury persisted from 7 to 28 d after 5-leaf stage application (DAFT), averaged over quizalofop-resistant cultivars and air temperatures (20/15 C and 30/25 C day/night, respectively). At 7 DAFT, greater injury (by 5 to 21 percentage points) was observed on quizalofop-resistant cultivars; PVL01, PVL02, and RTv7231 MA exhibited 33%, 9%, and 58% injury, respectively, under 20/15 C temperature conditions compared with 13%, 4%, and 37% injury, respectively, under 30/25 C day/night conditions averaged over light intensities. Overall, quizalofop is likely to cause a greater risk for injury to quizalofop-resistant rice if it is applied under cool, cloudy, and moist soil conditions.
Identification and extraction of herbicidal compounds from metabolites of Trichoderma polysporum HZ-31
Authors: Zhu Haixia , Chen Hongyu , Ma Yongqiang , Guo Qingyun
Published: December 2022

Trichoderma polysporum (Link) Rifai HZ-31 fermentation broth was separated and purified by extraction, column chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Four monomer compounds with strong herbicidal activity were obtained: p-hydroxyphenyl-2,3-dihydroxypropyl ether, o-hydroxy-3-carbonyl-1-phenylpropanol, 1,8-propanediol o-xylene, and 2-3-dihydroxypropyl propionate. The biological activity verification test indicated that the four monomer compounds could inhibit the germination of wild oat (Avena fatua L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.) seeds. Of the four, compound 3 (1,8-propanediol o-xylene) had obvious inhibitory effects on the germination of A. fatua and B. napus seeds, with inhibition rates of 83.33% and 86.67%, respectively. Therefore, the identification of this monomer compound lays a foundation for the further development of a novel microbial herbicide by directly utilizing it and developing new derivatives with herbicidal functions as lead compounds.
CXCR4 – a possible serum marker for risk stratification of abdominal aortic aneurysms
Authors: Reutersberg Benedikt , Metschl Susanne , Salvermoser Michael , Eckstein Hans-Henning , Knappich Christoph , Maegdefessel Lars , Jaroslav Pelisek , Busch Albert
Published: December 2022

Summary: Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture is still associated with a mortality rate of 80–90%. Imaging techniques or molecular fingerprinting for patient-specific risk stratification to identify pending rupture are still lacking. The chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor (CXCR4) activation by CXCL12 ligand has been identified as a marker of inflammation and atherosclerosis, associated with AAA. Both are highly expressed in the aortic aneurysm wall. However, it is still unclear whether different expression levels of CXCR4 and CXCL12 can distinguish ruptured AAAs (rAAA) from intact AAAs (iAAA). Patients and methods: Abdominal aortic tissue samples (rAAA: n=29; iAAA: n=54) were excised during open aortic repair. Corresponding serum samples from these patients (n=9 from rAAAs; n=47 from iAAA) were drawn pre-surgery. Healthy aortic tissue samples (n=8) obtained from adult kidney donors during transplantation and serum samples from healthy adult volunteers were used as controls (n=5 each). Results: CXCR4 was mainly expressed in the media of the aneurysmatic tissue. Focal positive staining was also observed in areas of inflammatory infiltrates within the adventitia. In tissue lysates, no significant differences between iAAA, rAAA, and healthy controls were observed upon ELISA analysis. In serum samples, the level of CXCR4 was significantly increased in rAAA by 4-fold compared to healthy controls ( p=0.011) and 3.0-fold for rAAA compared to iAAA ( p<0.001). Furthermore a significant positive correlation between aortic diameter and serum CXCR4 concentration was found for both, iAAA and rAAA ( p=0.042). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased CXCR4 serum concentrations were associated with AAA rupture (OR: 4.28, 95% CI: 1.95–12.1, p=0.001). Conclusions: CXCR4 concentration was significantly increased in serum of rAAA patients and showed a significant correlation with an increased aortic diameter. The level of CXCR4 in serum was associated with a more than 4-fold risk increase for rAAA and thus could possibly serve as a biomarker in the future. However, further validation in larger studies is required.
Rapid Remeasure of Dense Civilian Networks as a Game‐Changer Tool for Surface Deformation Monitoring: The Case Study of the Mw 6.4 2020 Petrinja Earthquake, Croatia
Authors: Henriquet M. , Kordic B. , Métois M. , Lasserre C. , Baize S. , Benedetti L. , Spelić M. , Vukovski M.
Published: December 2022

The Mw 6.4 right‐lateral Petrinja earthquake (2020, Croatia) is one of the largest continental earthquakes of central Europe for decades. The slip pattern of such events is usually difficult to retrieve with terrestrial geodesy due to limited monitoring means. This study takes advantage of a unique data set of dense measurements of coseismic displacement in the epicentral area, obtained by repeated measurements of benchmark networks designed for civilian purposes, and supplemented by far‐field continuous GNSS measurements. Elastic modeling of these data shows two coseismic slip patches that extend over a 15 × 10 km rupture plane, locally reaching the surface, and that a right‐lateral sub‐parallel secondary fault in the central part of the rupture likely accommodated part of the coseismic deformation. This study demonstrates that rapid re‐measurement of pre‐existing civilian networks offers unique coseismic constrains in the near‐field where InSAR or optical image correlation may decorrelate.
Identifying the Structure and Propagation of Dawnside Pc5 ULF Waves Using Space‐Ground Conjunctions
Authors: Zhang W. , Nishimura Y. , Wang B. , Hwang K.‐J. , Hartinger M. D. , Donovan E. F. , Angelopoulos V. , Hampton D.
Published: December 2022

Pc5 ultralow frequency waves are important for transferring energy between the magnetosphere and ionosphere. While many observations have been performed on Pc5 waves properties, it has been difficult to determine the source region, signal propagation path, and the two‐dimensional structure of Pc5 waves beyond coverage by a small number of satellites. Pc5 waves often show a dawn‐dusk asymmetry, but the cause of the asymmetry is under debate. To address these issues, we used conjunction events between the THEMIS satellites and all‐sky imagers and analyzed two Pc5 wave events that were stronger on the dawnside. For both events, the Pc5 waves propagated from dawnside magnetopause toward the nightside magnetosphere. The Pc5 waves were also associated with dawnside magnetopause surface waves, which were probably induced by the Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability. The ionospheric equivalent currents identified multiple vortices on the dawnside associated with quasi‐periodic auroral arcs and much weaker perturbations on the duskside. Global auroral imaging also presented a similar dawn‐dusk asymmetry with multiple arcs on the dawnside, while only one or two major arcs existed on the duskside. Pc5 waves in the magnetosphere had an anti‐phase relation between the total magnetic field and thermal pressure, with a slower propagation velocity compared with magnetohydrodynamic waves. The Poynting flux was anti‐sunward with an oscillating field‐aligned component. These properties suggest that Pc5 waves were slow or drift mirror mode waves coupled with standing Alfven waves. The ground‐based and multi‐satellite observations provide crucial information for determining the Pc5 waves properties, possible source region, and signal propagation path.
Energy Deposition by Mesoscale High‐Latitude Electric Fields Into the Thermosphere During the 26 October 2019 Geomagnetic Storm
Authors: Meng Xing , Ozturk Dogacan S. , Verkhoglyadova Olga P. , Varney Roger H. , Reimer Ashton S. , Semeter Joshua L. , Kaeppler Stephen R. , Zhan Weijia
Published: December 2022

Mesoscale high‐latitude electric fields are known to deposit energy into the ionospheric and thermospheric system, yet the energy deposition process is not fully understood. We conduct a case study to quantify the energy deposition from mesoscale high‐latitude electric fields to the thermosphere. For the investigation, we obtain the high‐latitude electric field with mesoscale variabilities from Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar measurements during a moderate geomagnetic storm, providing the driver for the Global Ionosphere and Thermosphere Model (GITM) via the High‐latitude Input for Mesoscale Electrodynamics framework. The HIME‐GITM simulation is compared with GITM simulations driven by the large‐scale electric field from the Weimer model. Our modeling results indicate that the mesoscale electric field modifies the thermospheric energy budget primarily through enhancing the Joule heating. Specifically, in the local high‐latitude region of interest, the mesoscale electric field enhances the Joule heating by up to five times. The resulting neutral temperature enhancement can reach up to 50 K above 200 km altitude. Significant increase in the neutral density above 250 km altitude and in the neutral wind speed are found in the local region as well, lagging a few minutes after the Joule heating enhancement. We demonstrate that the energy deposited by the mesoscale electric field transfers primarily to the gravitational potential energy in the thermosphere.
Finding Magnetopause Standoff Distance Using a Soft X‐ray Imager: 2. Methods to Analyze 2‐D X‐ray Images
Authors: Samsonov Andrey , Sembay Steven , Read Andrew , Carter Jennifer Alyson , Branduardi‐Raymont Graziella , Sibeck David , Escoubet Philippe
Published: December 2022

The Earth's magnetosheath and cusps are the sources of soft X‐rays. In the accompanying paper (Part 1) and this paper, we discuss the methods of finding the magnetopause position by analyzing the X‐ray images. We use the software developed for the Soft X‐ray Imager (SXI) on board the forthcoming Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission. We show how to find the maximum SXI count rate in noisy count maps. We verify the assumption that the maximum of the X‐ray emissivity integrated along the Line‐of‐Sight (Ix) is tangent to the magnetopause. We consider two cases using two MHD models and apply different methods of magnetospheric masking. Overall, the magnetopause is located close to the maximum Ix gradient or between the maximum Ix gradient and the maximum Ix depending on the method used. But since the angular distance between the maximum Ix gradient and the maximum Ix is relatively small (about 3°), the maximum Ix might be used as an indicator of the outer boundary of a wide magnetopause layer usually obtained in MHD simulations.
Effects of Future Increases in Tidal Flooding on Salinity and Groundwater Dynamics in Coastal Aquifers
Authors: Heiss James W. , Mase Bryce , Shen Chengji
Published: December 2022

Future increases in the frequency of tidal flooding due to sea level rise (SLR) are likely to affect pore water salinities in coastal aquifers. In this study, we investigate the impact of increased tidal flooding frequency on salinity and flow dynamics in coastal aquifers using numerical variable‐density variably‐saturated groundwater flow and salt transport models. Short (sub‐daily) and long (decadal) period tides are combined with SLR projections to drive continuous 80‐year models of flow and salt transport. Results show that encroaching intertidal zones lead to both periodic and long‐term vertical salinization of the upper aquifer. Salinization of the upper aquifer due to tidal flooding forces the lower interface seaward, even under SLR. System dynamics are controlled by the interplay between SLR and long period tidal forcing associated with perigean spring tides and the 18.6‐year lunar nodal cycle. Periodic tidal flooding substantially enhances intertidal saltwater‐freshwater mixing, resulting in a 6‐ to 10‐fold expansion of the intertidal saltwater‐freshwater mixing area across SLR scenarios. The onset of the expansion coincides with extreme high water levels resulting from lunar nodal cycling of tidal constituent amplitudes. The findings are the first to demonstrate the combined effects of gradual SLR and short and long period tides on aquifer salinity distributions, and reveal competing influences of SLR on saltwater intrusion. The results are likely to have important implications for coastal ocean chemical fluxes and groundwater resources as tidal flooding intensifies worldwide.
Representing Indian Agricultural Practices and Paddy Cultivation in the Variable Infiltration Capacity Model
Authors: Joseph Jisha , Ghosh Subimal
Published: December 2022

Increased irrigation due to agricultural intensification has profound impacts on the surface water and energy balance at regional to local scales. Recent updates of the state‐of‐the‐art Land Surface Models (LSMs) include the impacts of irrigation on surface hydrology. The Indo‐Gangetic Plain (IGP) is one of the global hotspots of irrigation water applications. However, the direct application of these models to Indian basins has certain limitations. The commonly employed flood irrigation technique is often indiscriminate and unmanaged, unlike the state‐of‐the‐art models' estimation of crop water use based on soil moisture (SM) conditions. The primary crop in the IGP is paddy, cultivated in inundated fields with quite distinct water and energy partitioning mechanisms represented in very few models. Here, we developed an improved irrigation module to simulate the Indian agricultural practices for the widely used Variable Infiltration Capacity model. We incorporated the crop‐specific water use for flood irrigation, calculated based on previously reported field studies. The water and energy balance processes are modified by incorporating the ponded paddy fields with proper parameterization. We achieved moderate improvement in the simulated evapotranspiration (ET) and SM of the IGP, particularly in the non‐monsoon seasons with the updated model. We found that ET and SM are more sensitive to the irrigation techniques than the interval of irrigation application. Runoff strongly responded to irrigation technique as well as the interval of application. We emphasize accurate representation of irrigation practices in the LSMs, specifically when applied to the human‐natural hydrological system.
Matrix protein Tenascin-C promotes kidney fibrosis via STAT3 activation in response to tubular injury
Authors: Xie Qionghong , Zhang Min , Mao Xiaoyi , Xu Mingyue , Liu Shaojun , Shang Da , Xu Yunyu , Chen Ruiying , Guan Yi , Huang Xinzhong , Zent Roy , Pozzi Ambra , Hao Chuan-Ming
Published: December 2022

Accumulating evidence indicates that the extracellular matrix (ECM) is not only a consequence of fibrosis, but also contributes to the progression of fibrosis, by creating a profibrotic microenvironment. Tenascin-C (TNC) is an ECM glycoprotein that contains multiple functional domains. We showed that following kidney injury, TNC was markedly induced in fibrotic areas in the kidney from both mouse models and humans with kidney diseases. Genetically deletion of TNC in mice significantly attenuated unilateral ureteral obstruction-induced kidney fibrosis. Further studies showed that TNC promoted the proliferation of kidney interstitial cells via STAT3 activation. TNC-expressing cells in fibrotic kidney were activated fibroblast 2 (Act.Fib2) subpopulation, according to a previously generated single nucleus RNA-seq dataset profiling kidney of mouse UUO model at day 14. To identify and characterize TNC-expressing cells, we generated a TNC-promoter-driven CreER2-IRES-eGFP knock-in mouse line and found that the TNC reporter eGFP was markedly induced in cells around injured tubules that had lost epithelial markers, suggesting TNC was induced in response to epithelium injury. Most of the eGFP-positive cells were both NG2 and PDGFRβ positive. These cells did not carry markers of progenitor cells or macrophages. In conclusion, this study provides strong evidence that matrix protein TNC contributes to kidney fibrosis. TNC pathway may serve as a potential therapeutic target for interstitial fibrosis and the progression of chronic kidney disease.
AKAP8L enhances the stemness and chemoresistance of gastric cancer cells by stabilizing SCD1 mRNA
Authors: Zhang Ruihong , Liu Luguang , Wang Fengqin , Zhao Weizhu , Liu Kai , Yu Hang , Zhao Siwei , Xu Botao , Zhang Xiaoli , Chai Jie , Hao Jing
Published: December 2022

Gastric cancer (GC) remains the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Chemoresistance is the major determinant of GC treatment failure. To explore the molecular mechanisms of GC chemoresistance, mass spectrometry was performed to detect the genes altered in expression between chemoresistant and chemosensitive GC. PRKA kinase anchor protein 8L (AKAP-8L) was identified as one of the top upregulated genes in chemoresistant GC tissues. Moreover, the higher AKAP-8L expression was associated with the lower survival rate in GC patients. Overexpression of AKAP-8L enhanced the GC cell stemness and chemoresistance of oxaliplatin in vivo and in vitro. AKAP-8L deficiency obtained the opposite results. Mechanistically, AKAP-8L interacted with Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) mRNA and IGF2BP1 protein, and regulated SCD1 mRNA stability via IGF2BP1-dependent manner. SCD1 played a critical role in mediating the function of AKAP-8L in GC cell stemness and chemoresistance. Clinically, AKAP-8L and SCD1 protein levels was positively associated with human GC chemoresistance. Taken together, our results demonstrated that AKAP-8L facilitates GC chemoresistance via regulating SCD1-mediated stemness of GC cells. AKAP8L may represent a novel therapeutic target to overcome GC chemoresistance.
Weighted kernels improve multi-environment genomic prediction
Authors: Hu Xiaowei , Carver Brett F. , El-Kassaby Yousry A. , Zhu Lan , Chen Charles
Published: December 2022

Crucial to variety improvement programs is the reliable and accurate prediction of genotype’s performance across environments. However, due to the impactful presence of genotype by environment (G×E) interaction that dictates how changes in expression and function of genes influence target traits in different environments, prediction performance of genomic selection (GS) using single-environment models often falls short. Furthermore, despite the successes of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), the genetic insights derived from genome-to-phenome mapping have not yet been incorporated in predictive analytics, making GS models that use Gaussian kernel primarily an estimator of genomic similarity, instead of the underlying genetics characteristics of the populations. Here, we developed a GS framework that, in addition to capturing the overall genomic relationship, can capitalize on the signal of genetic associations of the phenotypic variation as well as the genetic characteristics of the populations. The capacity of predicting the performance of populations across environments was demonstrated by an overall gain in predictability up to 31% for the winter wheat DH population. Compared to Gaussian kernels, we showed that our multi-environment weighted kernels could better leverage the significance of genetic associations and yielded a marked improvement of 4–33% in prediction accuracy for half-sib families. Furthermore, the flexibility incorporated in our Bayesian implementation provides the generalizable capacity required for predicting multiple highly genetic heterogeneous populations across environments, allowing reliable GS for genetic improvement programs that have no access to genetically uniform material.
Sleep-like unsupervised replay reduces catastrophic forgetting in artificial neural networks
Authors: Tadros Timothy , Krishnan Giri P. , Ramyaa Ramyaa , Bazhenov Maxim
Published: December 2022

Artificial neural networks are known to suffer from catastrophic forgetting: when learning multiple tasks sequentially, they perform well on the most recent task at the expense of previously learned tasks. In the brain, sleep is known to play an important role in incremental learning by replaying recent and old conflicting memory traces. Here we tested the hypothesis that implementing a sleep-like phase in artificial neural networks can protect old memories during new training and alleviate catastrophic forgetting. Sleep was implemented as off-line training with local unsupervised Hebbian plasticity rules and noisy input. In an incremental learning framework, sleep was able to recover old tasks that were otherwise forgotten. Previously learned memories were replayed spontaneously during sleep, forming unique representations for each class of inputs. Representational sparseness and neuronal activity corresponding to the old tasks increased while new task related activity decreased. The study suggests that spontaneous replay simulating sleep-like dynamics can alleviate catastrophic forgetting in artificial neural networks.
Bond-selective intensity diffraction tomography
Authors: Zhao Jian , Matlock Alex , Zhu Hongbo , Song Ziqi , Zhu Jiabei , Wang Biao , Chen Fukai , Zhan Yuewei , Chen Zhicong , Xu Yihong , Lin Xingchen , Tian Lei , Cheng Ji-Xin
Published: December 2022

Recovering molecular information remains a grand challenge in the widely used holographic and computational imaging technologies. To address this challenge, we developed a computational mid-infrared photothermal microscope, termed Bond-selective Intensity Diffraction Tomography (BS-IDT). Based on a low-cost brightfield microscope with an add-on pulsed light source, BS-IDT recovers both infrared spectra and bond-selective 3D refractive index maps from intensity-only measurements. High-fidelity infrared fingerprint spectra extraction is validated. Volumetric chemical imaging of biological cells is demonstrated at a speed of ~20 s per volume, with a lateral and axial resolution of ~350 nm and ~1.1 µm, respectively. BS-IDT’s application potential is investigated by chemically quantifying lipids stored in cancer cells and volumetric chemical imaging on Caenorhabditis elegans with a large field of view (~100 µm x 100 µm).
Sequence-specific capture and concentration of viral RNA by type III CRISPR system enhances diagnostic
Authors: Nemudraia Anna , Nemudryi Artem , Buyukyoruk Murat , Scherffius Andrew M. , Zahl Trevor , Wiegand Tanner , Pandey Shishir , Nichols Joseph E. , Hall Laina N. , McVey Aidan , Lee Helen H. , Wilkinson Royce A. , Snyder Laura R. , Jones Joshua D. , Koutmou Kristin S. , Santiago-Frangos Andrew , Wiedenheft Blake
Published: December 2022

Type-III CRISPR-Cas systems have recently been adopted for sequence-specific detection of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we repurpose the type III-A CRISPR complex from Thermus thermophilus (TtCsm) for programmable capture and concentration of specific RNAs from complex mixtures. The target bound TtCsm complex generates two cyclic oligoadenylates (i.e., cA3 and cA4) that allosterically activate ancillary nucleases. We show that both Can1 and Can2 nucleases cleave single-stranded RNA, single-stranded DNA, and double-stranded DNA in the presence of cA4. We integrate the Can2 nuclease with type III-A RNA capture and concentration for direct detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in nasopharyngeal swabs with 15 fM sensitivity. Collectively, this work demonstrates how type-III CRISPR-based RNA capture and concentration simultaneously increases sensitivity, limits time to result, lowers cost of the assay, eliminates solvents used for RNA extraction, and reduces sample handling.
A photoacoustic patch for three-dimensional imaging of hemoglobin and core temperature
Authors: Gao Xiaoxiang , Chen Xiangjun , Hu Hongjie , Wang Xinyu , Yue Wentong , Mu Jing , Lou Zhiyuan , Zhang Ruiqi , Shi Keren , Chen Xue , Lin Muyang , Qi Baiyan , Zhou Sai , Lu Chengchangfeng , Gu Yue , Yang Xinyi , Ding Hong , Zhu Yangzhi , Huang Hao , Ma Yuxiang , Li Mohan , Mishra Aditya , Wang Joseph , Xu Sheng
Published: December 2022

Electronic patches, based on various mechanisms, allow continuous and noninvasive monitoring of biomolecules on the skin surface. However, to date, such devices are unable to sense biomolecules in deep tissues, which have a stronger and faster correlation with the human physiological status than those on the skin surface. Here, we demonstrate a photoacoustic patch for three-dimensional (3D) mapping of hemoglobin in deep tissues. This photoacoustic patch integrates an array of ultrasonic transducers and vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) diodes on a common soft substrate. The high-power VCSEL diodes can generate laser pulses that penetrate >2 cm into biological tissues and activate hemoglobin molecules to generate acoustic waves, which can be collected by the transducers for 3D imaging of the hemoglobin with a high spatial resolution. Additionally, the photoacoustic signal amplitude and temperature have a linear relationship, which allows 3D mapping of core temperatures with high accuracy and fast response. With access to biomolecules in deep tissues, this technology adds unprecedented capabilities to wearable electronics and thus holds significant implications for various applications in both basic research and clinical practice.
Selective and rapid extraction of trace amount of gold from complex liquids with silver(I)-organic frameworks
Authors: Luo Jie , Luo Xiao , Xie Mo , Li Hao-Zhen , Duan Haiyan , Zhou Hou-Gan , Wei Rong-Jia , Ning Guo-Hong , Li Dan
Published: December 2022

The design of adsorbents for rapid, selective extraction of ultra-trace amounts of gold from complex liquids is desirable from both an environmental and economical point of view. However, the development of such materials remains challenging. Herein, we report the fabrication of two vinylene-linked two-dimensional silver(I)-organic frameworks prepared via Knoevenagel condensation. This material enables selective sensing of gold with a low limit of detection of 60 ppb, as well as selective uptake of ultra-trace gold from complex aqueous mixtures including distilled water with 15 competing metal ions, leaching solution of electronic waste (e-waste), wastewater, and seawater. The present adsorbent delivers a gold adsorption capacity of 954 mg g−1, excellent selectivity and reusability, and can rapidly and selectively extract ultra-trace gold from seawater down to ~20 ppb (94% removal in 10 minutes). In addition, the purity of recovered gold from e-waste reaches 23.8 Karat (99.17% pure).
A nigro–subthalamo–parabrachial pathway modulates pain-like behaviors
Authors: Jia Tao , Wang Ying-Di , Chen Jing , Zhang Xue , Cao Jun-Li , Xiao Cheng , Zhou Chunyi
Published: December 2022

The basal ganglia including the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) are involved in pain-related responses, but how they regulate pain processing remains unknown. Here, we identify a pathway, consisting of GABAergic neurons in the SNr (SNrGABA) and glutamatergic neurons in the STN (STNGlu) and the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBGlu), that modulates acute and persistent pain states in both male and female mice. The activity of STN neurons was enhanced in acute and persistent pain states. This enhancement was accompanied by hypoactivity in SNrGABA neurons and strengthening of the STN–LPB glutamatergic projection. Reversing the dysfunction in the SNrGABA-STNGlu-LPBGlu pathway attenuated activity of LPBGlu neurons and mitigated pain-like behaviors. Therefore, the SNrGABA-STNGlu-LPBGlu pathway regulates pathological pain and is a potential target for pain management.
SiGe quantum wells with oscillating Ge concentrations for quantum dot qubits
Authors: McJunkin Thomas , Harpt Benjamin , Feng Yi , Losert Merritt P. , Rahman Rajib , Dodson J. P. , Wolfe M. A. , Savage D. E. , Lagally M. G. , Coppersmith S. N. , Friesen Mark , Joynt Robert , Eriksson M. A.
Published: December 2022

Large-scale arrays of quantum-dot spin qubits in Si/SiGe quantum wells require large or tunable energy splittings of the valley states associated with degenerate conduction band minima. Existing proposals to deterministically enhance the valley splitting rely on sharp interfaces or modifications in the quantum well barriers that can be difficult to grow. Here, we propose and demonstrate a new heterostructure, the “Wiggle Well”, whose key feature is Ge concentration oscillations inside the quantum well. Experimentally, we show that placing Ge in the quantum well does not significantly impact our ability to form and manipulate single-electron quantum dots. We further observe large and widely tunable valley splittings, from 54 to 239 μeV. Tight-binding calculations, and the tunability of the valley splitting, indicate that these results can mainly be attributed to random concentration fluctuations that are amplified by the presence of Ge alloy in the heterostructure, as opposed to a deterministic enhancement due to the concentration oscillations. Quantitative predictions for several other heterostructures point to the Wiggle Well as a robust method for reliably enhancing the valley splitting in future qubit devices.
Dynamic chromatin accessibility deploys heterotypic cis/trans-acting factors driving stomatal cell-fate commitment
Authors: Kim Eun-Deok , Dorrity Michael W. , Fitzgerald Bridget A. , Seo Hyemin , Sepuru Krishna Mohan , Queitsch Christine , Mitsuda Nobutaka , Han Soon-Ki , Torii Keiko U.
Published: December 2022

Chromatin architecture and transcription factor (TF) binding underpin cell-fate specification during development, but their mutual regulatory relationships remain unclear. Here we report an atlas of dynamic chromatin landscapes during stomatal cell-lineage progression, in which sequential cell-state transitions are governed by lineage-specific bHLH TFs. Major reprogramming of chromatin accessibility occurs at the proliferation-to-differentiation transition. We discover novel co-cis regulatory elements (CREs) signifying the early precursor stage, BBR/BPC (GAGA) and bHLH (E-box) motifs, where master-regulatory bHLH TFs, SPEECHLESS and MUTE, consecutively bind to initiate and terminate the proliferative state, respectively. BPC TFs complex with MUTE to repress SPEECHLESS expression through a local deposition of repressive histone marks. We elucidate the mechanism by which cell-state-specific heterotypic TF complexes facilitate cell-fate commitment by recruiting chromatin modifiers via key co-CREs.
Adaptable physics-based super-resolution for electron backscatter diffraction maps
Authors: Jangid Devendra K. , Brodnik Neal R. , Goebel Michael G. , Khan Amil , Majeti SaiSidharth , Echlin McLean P. , Daly Samantha H. , Pollock Tresa M. , Manjunath B. S.
Published: December 2022

In computer vision, single-image super-resolution (SISR) has been extensively explored using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) on optical images, but images outside this domain, such as those from scientific experiments, are not well investigated. Experimental data is often gathered using non-optical methods, which alters the metrics for image quality. One such example is electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), a materials characterization technique that maps crystal arrangement in solid materials, which provides insight into processing, structure, and property relationships. We present a broadly adaptable approach for applying state-of-art SISR networks to generate super-resolved EBSD orientation maps. This approach includes quaternion-based orientation recognition, loss functions that consider rotational effects and crystallographic symmetry, and an inference pipeline to convert network output into established visualization formats for EBSD maps. The ability to generate physically accurate, high-resolution EBSD maps with super-resolution enables high-throughput characterization and broadens the capture capabilities for three-dimensional experimental EBSD datasets.
Ultrastrong conductive in situ composite composed of nanodiamond incoherently embedded in disordered multilayer graphene
Authors: Li Zihe , Wang Yujia , Ma Mengdong , Ma Huachun , Hu Wentao , Zhang Xiang , Zhuge Zewen , Zhang Shuangshuang , Luo Kun , Gao Yufei , Sun Lei , Soldatov Alexander V. , Wu Yingju , Liu Bing , Li Baozhong , Ying Pan , Zhang Yang , Xu Bo , He Julong , Yu Dongli , Liu Zhongyuan , Zhao Zhisheng , Yue Yuanzheng , Tian Yongjun , Li Xiaoyan
Published: December 2022

Traditional ceramics or metals cannot simultaneously achieve ultrahigh strength and high electrical conductivity. The elemental carbon can form a variety of allotropes with entirely different physical properties, providing versatility for tuning mechanical and electrical properties in a wide range. Here, by precisely controlling the extent of transformation of amorphous carbon into diamond within a narrow temperature–pressure range, we synthesize an in situ composite consisting of ultrafine nanodiamond homogeneously dispersed in disordered multilayer graphene with incoherent interfaces, which demonstrates a Knoop hardness of up to ~53 GPa, a compressive strength of up to ~54 GPa and an electrical conductivity of 670–1,240 S m–1 at room temperature. With atomically resolving interface structures and molecular dynamics simulations, we reveal that amorphous carbon transforms into diamond through a nucleation process via a local rearrangement of carbon atoms and diffusion-driven growth, different from the transformation of graphite into diamond. The complex bonding between the diamond-like and graphite-like components greatly improves the mechanical properties of the composite. This superhard, ultrastrong, conductive elemental carbon composite has comprehensive properties that are superior to those of the known conductive ceramics and C/C composites. The intermediate hybridization state at the interfaces also provides insights into the amorphous-to-crystalline phase transition of carbon.
Structure of a volume-regulated heteromeric LRRC8A/C channel
Authors: Rutz Sonja , Deneka Dawid , Dittmann Antje , Sawicka Marta , Dutzler Raimund
Published: December 2022

Volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) participate in the cellular response to osmotic swelling. These membrane proteins consist of heteromeric assemblies of LRRC8 subunits, whose compositions determine permeation properties. Although structures of the obligatory LRRC8A, also referred to as SWELL1, have previously defined the architecture of VRACs, the organization of heteromeric channels has remained elusive. Here we have addressed this question by the structural characterization of murine LRRC8A/C channels. Like LRRC8A, these proteins assemble as hexamers. Despite 12 possible arrangements, we find a predominant organization with an A:C ratio of two. In this assembly, four LRRC8A subunits cluster in their preferred conformation observed in homomers, as pairs of closely interacting proteins that stabilize a closed state of the channel. In contrast, the two interacting LRRC8C subunits show a larger flexibility, underlining their role in the destabilization of the tightly packed A subunits, thereby enhancing the activation properties of the protein.
A data set of global river networks and corresponding water resources zones divisions v2
Authors: Yan Denghua , Li Chenhao , Zhang Xin , Wang Jianwei , Feng Jianming , Dong Biqiong , Fan Jingjing , Wang Kun , Zhang Cheng , Wang Hao , Zhang Jianyun , Qin Tianling
Published: December 2022

The scale and topological relationship of river networks (RN) and water resources zones (WRZ) directly affect the simulation results of global multi-scale hydrological cycle and the accuracy of water resource refined evaluation. However, few existing global hydrological data sets take account of both aspects simultaneously. Here, we constructed a new hydrologic data set with a spatial resolution of 90 m as an upgraded version of the GRNWRZ V1.0. This data set had proper grading and partitioning thresholds and clear coding of topological relationships. Based on maintaining the accuracy of river networks in the GRNWRZ V1.0, we determined the more refined thresholds and created a new coding rule, which made the grading RN and partitioning WRZ more precise and the topological relationship more intuitive. Supported by this data set, the accuracy and efficiency of the large-scale hydrological simulation can be guaranteed. This data set provides fundamental data support for global water resources governance and global hydrological modeling under climate change.
Impact of diet on human nutrition, immune response, gut microbiome, and cognition in an isolated and confined mission environment
Authors: Douglas Grace L. , DeKerlegand Diane , Dlouhy Holly , Dumont-Leblond Nathan , Fields Eden , Heer Martina , Krieger Stephanie , Mehta Satish , Rooney Bridgette V. , Torralba Manolito G. , Whiting Sara E. , Crucian Brian , Lorenzi Hernan , Smith Scott M. , Young Millennia , Zwart Sara R.
Published: December 2022

Long-duration spaceflight impacts human physiology, including well documented immune system dysregulation. The space food system has the potential to serve as a countermeasure to maladaptive physiological changes during spaceflight. However, the relationship between dietary requirements, the food system, and spaceflight adaptation requires further investigation to adequately define countermeasures and prioritize resources on future spaceflight missions. We evaluated the impact of an enhanced spaceflight diet, with increased quantity and variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, and other foods rich in flavonoids and omega-3 fatty acids, compared to a standard spaceflight diet on multiple health and performance outcomes in 16 subjects over four 45-day closed chamber missions in the NASA Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA). Subjects consuming the enhanced spaceflight diet had lower cholesterol levels, lower stress (i.e. cortisol levels), better cognitive speed, accuracy, and attention, and a more stable microbiome and metatranscriptome than subjects consuming the standard diet. Although no substantial changes were observed in the immune response, there were also no immune challenges, such as illness or infection, so the full benefits of the diet may not have been apparent in these analog missions. These results indicate that a spaceflight diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids produces significant health and performance benefits even over short durations. Further investigation is required to fully develop dietary countermeasures to physiological decrements observed during spaceflight. These results will have implications for food resource prioritization on spaceflight missions.