bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Blending the Evaporation Precipitation Ratio With the Complementary Principle Function for the Prediction of Evaporation
Authors: Zhang Lu , Brutsaert Wilfried 
Published: June 2021

AbstractOne class of descriptions of landscape evaporation is based on the principle that actual evaporation E and atmospheric evaporative demand exhibit complementary behavior. A feature of some recent implementations of this approach is the need for the estimation of a free parameter, usually by calibration. In a different class of representations of landscape evaporation, several functional forms have been proposed in the past for the dependency of the mean annual evaporation precipitation ratio (E/P) on the mean annual aridity index —the Schreiber‐Oldekop hypothesis, also known as the Budyko framework. While there is no general agreement in the literature on the optimal formulation of the “maximum possible evaporation” the functional forms of appear to be quite insensitive to its exact nature. This observation allows to be equated with the atmospheric evaporative demand and this immediately leads to a blending of the mean annual evaporation precipitation ratio (E/P) with the complementary evaporation principle, and the prediction of its unknown free parameter. As this free parameter is found to be relatively insensitive to time scale, the complementary functions become not only calibration‐free at the mean annual time scale, but also applicable even at daily time scales. The results are shown to be applicable worldwide with experimental data from 524 catchment water balance set‐ups and 156 high quality eddy covariance flux stations. The present approach offers a practical tool for the prediction of daily evaporation using only routine meteorological inputs including air temperature, humidity, wind speed, net radiation, and long‐term average precipitation.
Chromatin-directed proteomics-identified network of endogenous androgen receptor in prostate cancer cells
Authors: Launonen Kaisa-Mari , Paakinaho Ville , Sigismondo Gianluca , Malinen Marjo , Sironen Reijo , Hartikainen Jaana M. , Laakso Hanna , Visakorpi Tapio , Krijgsveld Jeroen , Niskanen Einari A. , Palvimo Jorma J. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractTreatment of prostate cancer confronts resistance to androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapies. AR-associated coregulators and chromatin proteins hold a great potential for novel therapy targets. Here, we employed a powerful chromatin-directed proteomics approach termed ChIP-SICAP to uncover the composition of chromatin protein network, the chromatome, around endogenous AR in castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells. In addition to several expected AR coregulators, the chromatome contained many nuclear proteins not previously associated with the AR. In the context of androgen signaling in CRPC cells, we further investigated the role of a known AR-associated protein, a chromatin remodeler SMARCA4 and that of SIM2, a transcription factor without a previous association with AR. To understand their role in chromatin accessibility and AR target gene expression, we integrated data from ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq and functional experiments. Despite the wide co-occurrence of SMARCA4 and AR on chromatin, depletion of SMARCA4 influenced chromatin accessibility and expression of a restricted set of AR target genes, especially those involved in cell morphogenetic changes in epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The depletion also inhibited the CRPC cell growth, validating SMARCA4’s functional role in CRPC cells. Although silencing of SIM2 reduced chromatin accessibility similarly, it affected the expression of a much larger group of androgen-regulated genes, including those involved in cellular responses to external stimuli and steroid hormone stimulus. The silencing also reduced proliferation of CRPC cells and tumor size in chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay, further emphasizing the importance of SIM2 in CRPC cells and pointing to the functional relevance of this potential prostate cancer biomarker in CRPC cells. Overall, the chromatome of AR identified in this work is an important resource for the field focusing on this important drug target.
Mammographic microcalcifications and risk of breast cancer
Authors: Azam Shadi , Eriksson Mikael , Sjölander Arvid , Gabrielson Marike , Hellgren Roxanna , Czene Kamila , Hall Per 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Background
Mammographic microcalcifications are considered early signs of breast cancer (BC). We examined the association between microcalcification clusters and the risk of overall and subtype-specific BC. Furthermore, we studied how mammographic density (MD) influences the association between microcalcification clusters and BC risk.

Methods
We used a prospective cohort (n = 53,273) of Swedish women with comprehensive information on BC risk factors and mammograms. The total number of microcalcification clusters and MD were measured using a computer-aided detection system and the STRATUS method, respectively. Cox regressions and logistic regressions were used to analyse the data.

Results
Overall, 676 women were diagnosed with BC. Women with ≥3 microcalcification clusters had a hazard ratio [HR] of 2.17 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.57–3.01) compared to women with no clusters. The estimated risk was more pronounced in premenopausal women (HR = 2.93; 95% CI = 1.67–5.16). For postmenopausal women, microcalcification clusters and MD had a similar influence on BC risk. No interaction was observed between microcalcification clusters and MD. Microcalcification clusters were significantly associated with in situ breast cancer (odds ratio: 2.03; 95% CI = 1.13–3.63).

Conclusions
Microcalcification clusters are an independent risk factor for BC, with a higher estimated risk in premenopausal women. In postmenopausal women, microcalcification clusters have a similar association with BC as baseline MD.
Gasdermin D in peripheral nerves: the pyroptotic microenvironment inhibits nerve regeneration
Authors: Tao Ye , Wang Fang , Xu Zhaohui , Lu Xianfu , Yang Yanqing , Wu Jing , Yao Changyu , Yi Fangzheng , Li Jiajia , Huang Zhigang , Liu Yehai 
Published: June 2021

AbstractWallerian degeneration (WD) involves the recruitment of macrophages for debris clearance and nerve regeneration, and the cause of the foamy macrophages that are frequently observed in peripheral transection injuries is unknown. Recent studies indicated that these foamy cells are generated by gasdermin D (GSDMD) via membrane perforation. However, whether these foamy cells are pyroptotic macrophages and whether their cell death elicits immunogenicity in peripheral nerve regeneration (PNR) remain unknown. Therefore, we used GSDMD-deficient mice and mice with deficiencies in other canonical inflammasomes to establish a C57BL/6 J mouse model of sciatic nerve transection and microanastomosis (SNTM) and evaluate the role of GSDMD-executed pyroptosis in PNR. In our study, the GSDMD−/− mice with SNTM showed a significantly diminished number of foamy cells, better axon regeneration, and a favorable functional recovery, whereas irregular axons or gaps in the fibers were found in the wild-type (WT) mice with SNTM. Furthermore, GSDMD activation in the SNTM model was dependent on the NLRP3 inflammasome and caspase-1 activation, and GSDMD-executed pyroptosis resulted in a proinflammatory environment that polarized monocytes/macrophages toward the M1 (detrimental) but not the M2 (beneficial) phenotype. In contrast, depletion of GSDMD reversed the proinflammatory microenvironment and facilitated M2 polarization. Our results suggested that inhibition of GSDMD may be a potential treatment option to promote PNR.
Stem cell-based therapy for hirschsprung disease, do we have the guts to treat?
Authors: Alhawaj Ali Fouad 
Published: June 2021

AbstractHirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a congenital anomaly of the colon that results from failure of enteric nervous system formation, leading to a constricted dysfunctional segment of the colon with variable lengths, and necessitating surgical intervention. The underlying pathophysiology includes a defect in neural crest cells migration, proliferation and differentiation, which are partially explained by identified genetic and epigenetic alterations. Despite the high success rate of the curative surgeries, they are associated with significant adverse outcomes such as enterocolitis, fecal soiling, and chronic constipation. In addition, some patients suffer from extensive lethal variants of the disease, all of which justify the need for an alternative cure. During the last 5 years, there has been considerable progress in HSCR stem cell-based therapy research. However, many major issues remain unsolved. This review will provide concise background information on HSCR, outline the future approaches of stem cell-based HSCR therapy, review recent key publications, discuss technical and ethical challenges the field faces prior to clinical translation, and tackle such challenges by proposing solutions and evaluating existing approaches to progress further.
Laser-excited elastic guided waves reveal the complex mechanics of nanoporous silicon
Authors: Thelen Marc , Bochud Nicolas , Brinker Manuel , Prada Claire , Huber Patrick 
Published: June 2021

AbstractNanoporosity in silicon leads to completely new functionalities of this mainstream semiconductor. A difficult to assess mechanics has however significantly limited its application in fields ranging from nanofluidics and biosensorics to drug delivery, energy storage and photonics. Here, we present a study on laser-excited elastic guided waves detected contactless and non-destructively in dry and liquid-infused single-crystalline porous silicon. These experiments reveal that the self-organised formation of 100 billions of parallel nanopores per square centimetre cross section results in a nearly isotropic elasticity perpendicular to the pore axes and an 80% effective stiffness reduction, altogether leading to significant deviations from the cubic anisotropy observed in bulk silicon. Our thorough assessment of the wafer-scale mechanics of nanoporous silicon provides the base for predictive applications in robust on-chip devices and evidences that recent breakthroughs in laser ultrasonics open up entirely new frontiers for in-situ, non-destructive mechanical characterisation of dry and liquid-functionalised porous materials.
Children’s exploratory play tracks the discriminability of hypotheses
Authors: Siegel Max H. , Magid Rachel W. , Pelz Madeline , Tenenbaum Joshua B. , Schulz Laura E. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractEffective curiosity-driven learning requires recognizing that the value of evidence for testing hypotheses depends on what other hypotheses are under consideration. Do we intuitively represent the discriminability of hypotheses? Here we show children alternative hypotheses for the contents of a box and then shake the box (or allow children to shake it themselves) so they can hear the sound of the contents. We find that children are able to compare the evidence they hear with imagined evidence they do not hear but might have heard under alternative hypotheses. Children (N = 160; mean: 5 years and 4 months) prefer easier discriminations (Experiments 1-3) and explore longer given harder ones (Experiments 4-7). Across 16 contrasts, children’s exploration time quantitatively tracks the discriminability of heard evidence from an unheard alternative. The results are consistent with the idea that children have an “intuitive psychophysics”: children represent their own perceptual abilities and explore longer when hypotheses are harder to distinguish.
Design of metastable oxychalcogenide phases by topochemical (de)intercalation of sulfur in La2O2S2
Authors: Sasaki Shunsuke , Caldes Maria Teresa , Guillot-Deudon Catherine , Braems Isabelle , Steciuk Gwladys , Palatinus Lukáš , Gautron Eric , Frapper Gilles , Janod Etienne , Corraze Benoît , Jobic Stéphane , Cario Laurent 
Published: June 2021

AbstractDesigning and synthesising new metastable compounds is a major challenge of today’s material science. While exploration of metastable oxides has seen decades-long advancement thanks to the topochemical deintercalation of oxygen as recently spotlighted with the discovery of nickelate superconductor, such unique synthetic pathway has not yet been found for chalcogenide compounds. Here we combine an original soft chemistry approach, structure prediction calculations and advanced electron microscopy techniques to demonstrate the topochemical deintercalation/reintercalation of sulfur in a layered oxychalcogenide leading to the design of novel metastable phases. We demonstrate that La2O2S2 may react with monovalent metals to produce sulfur-deintercalated metastable phases La2O2S1.5 and oA-La2O2S whose lamellar structures were predicted thanks to an evolutionary structure-prediction algorithm. This study paves the way to unexplored topochemistry of mobile chalcogen anions.
Source sector and fuel contributions to ambient PM2.5 and attributable mortality across multiple spatial scales
Authors: McDuffie Erin E. , Martin Randall V. , Spadaro Joseph V. , Burnett Richard , Smith Steven J. , O’Rourke Patrick , Hammer Melanie S. , van Donkelaar Aaron , Bindle Liam , Shah Viral , Jaeglé Lyatt , Luo Gan , Yu Fangqun , Adeniran Jamiu A. , Lin Jintai , Brauer Michael 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAmbient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the world’s leading environmental health risk factor. Reducing the PM2.5 disease burden requires specific strategies that target dominant sources across multiple spatial scales. We provide a contemporary and comprehensive evaluation of sector- and fuel-specific contributions to this disease burden across 21 regions, 204 countries, and 200 sub-national areas by integrating 24 global atmospheric chemistry-transport model sensitivity simulations, high-resolution satellite-derived PM2.5 exposure estimates, and disease-specific concentration response relationships. Globally, 1.05 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.74–1.36) million deaths were avoidable in 2017 by eliminating fossil-fuel combustion (27.3% of the total PM2.5 burden), with coal contributing to over half. Other dominant global sources included residential (0.74 [0.52–0.95] million deaths; 19.2%), industrial (0.45 [0.32–0.58] million deaths; 11.7%), and energy (0.39 [0.28–0.51] million deaths; 10.2%) sectors. Our results show that regions with large anthropogenic contributions generally had the highest attributable deaths, suggesting substantial health benefits from replacing traditional energy sources.
Role of meteorological factors in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the United States
Authors: Ma Yiqun , Pei Sen , Shaman Jeffrey , Dubrow Robert , Chen Kai 
Published: June 2021

AbstractImproved understanding of the effects of meteorological conditions on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent for COVID-19 disease, is needed. Here, we estimate the relationship between air temperature, specific humidity, and ultraviolet radiation and SARS-CoV-2 transmission in 2669 U.S. counties with abundant reported cases from March 15 to December 31, 2020. Specifically, we quantify the associations of daily mean temperature, specific humidity, and ultraviolet radiation with daily estimates of the SARS-CoV-2 reproduction number (Rt) and calculate the fraction of Rt attributable to these meteorological conditions. Lower air temperature (within the 20–40 °C range), lower specific humidity, and lower ultraviolet radiation were significantly associated with increased Rt. The fraction of Rt attributable to temperature, specific humidity, and ultraviolet radiation were 3.73% (95% empirical confidence interval [eCI]: 3.66–3.76%), 9.35% (95% eCI: 9.27–9.39%), and 4.44% (95% eCI: 4.38–4.47%), respectively. In total, 17.5% of Rt was attributable to meteorological factors. The fractions attributable to meteorological factors generally were higher in northern counties than in southern counties. Our findings indicate that cold and dry weather and low levels of ultraviolet radiation are moderately associated with increased SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility, with humidity playing the largest role.
The insulo-opercular cortex encodes food-specific content under controlled and naturalistic conditions
Authors: Huang Yuhao , Kakusa Bina W. , Feng Austin , Gattas Sandra , Shivacharan Rajat S. , Lee Eric B. , Parker Jonathon J. , Kuijper Fiene M. , Barbosa Daniel A. N. , Keller Corey J. , Bohon Cara , Mikhail Abanoub , Halpern Casey H. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe insulo-opercular network functions critically not only in encoding taste, but also in guiding behavior based on anticipated food availability. However, there remains no direct measurement of insulo-opercular activity when humans anticipate taste. Here, we collect direct, intracranial recordings during a food task that elicits anticipatory and consummatory taste responses, and during ad libitum consumption of meals. While cue-specific high-frequency broadband (70–170 Hz) activity predominant in the left posterior insula is selective for taste-neutral cues, sparse cue-specific regions in the anterior insula are selective for palatable cues. Latency analysis reveals this insular activity is preceded by non-discriminatory activity in the frontal operculum. During ad libitum meal consumption, time-locked high-frequency broadband activity at the time of food intake discriminates food types and is associated with cue-specific activity during the task. These findings reveal spatiotemporally-specific activity in the human insulo-opercular cortex that underlies anticipatory evaluation of food across both controlled and naturalistic settings.
Materials information and mechanical response of TRIP/TWIP Ti alloys
Authors: Zhao Guohua , Li Xiaoqing , Petrinic Nik 
Published: June 2021

AbstractMaterials innovation calls for an integrated framework combining physics-based modelling and data-driven informatics. A dislocation-based constitutive model accounting for both transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) and twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) was built to interpret the mechanical characteristics of metastable titanium alloys. Particular attention was placed on quantitatively understanding the composition-sensitive phase stability and its influence on the underlying deformation mechanism. For this purpose, a pseudoelastic force balance incorporating thermodynamics and micromechanics was applied to calculate the energy landscapes of β → α″ martensitic transformation, {332}〈113〉 twinning and dislocation slip. Extensive material data were probed, computed and fed to the model. Our results revealed that TRIP and TWIP may operate simultaneously because of the presence of a noticeably overlapped energy domain, and confirmed {332}〈113〉 twinning is an energetically favourable deformation mechanism. The model validation further unveiled that the activation of β → α″ transition remarkably enhances the strain-hardening and plasticity, even though the dynamically formed α″ volume fraction is much less than that of deformation twinning. Our work suggests that the synchronised physical metallurgy and data-driven strategy allows to identify the compositional scenarios for developing high-performance engineering alloys.
First-year students’ math anxiety predicts STEM avoidance and underperformance throughout university, independently of math ability
Authors: Daker Richard J. , Gattas Sylvia U. , Sokolowski H. Moriah , Green Adam E. , Lyons Ian M. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractMath anxiety is widely considered a potential barrier to success in STEM. Current thinking holds that math anxiety is directly linked to avoidance of and underperformance in STEM domains. However, past evidence supporting these claims is limited in important ways. Perhaps most crucially, it is possible that math anxiety predicts STEM outcomes merely as a proxy for poor math skills. Here, we tested the link between math anxiety and subsequent STEM outcomes by measuring math anxiety, math ability, and several covariates in 183 first-semester university students. We then tracked students’ STEM avoidance and achievement through four years at university via official academic transcripts. Results showed that math anxiety predicted both a reduction in how many STEM courses students took and, separately (i.e., controlling for one another), lower STEM grades. Crucially, these associations held after controlling for math ability (and other covariates). That math anxiety predicts math-related academic achievement independently of Math Ability suggests that, contrary to current thinking, math anxiety’s effects on academic performance likely operate via mechanisms other than negatively affecting math ability. Beyond this, we show evidence that math anxiety can account for associations between math ability and STEM outcomes, suggesting that past links between math ability and real-world outcomes may, in fact, be at least partially explainable by attitudes toward math. These findings provide clear impetus for developing and testing interventions that target math anxiety specifically and suggest that focusing on math ability without additional attention to math anxiety may fail to optimally boost STEM outcomes.
Genomic insights into diverse bacterial taxa that degrade extracellular DNA in marine sediments
Authors: Wasmund Kenneth , Pelikan Claus , Schintlmeister Arno , Wagner Michael , Watzka Margarete , Richter Andreas , Bhatnagar Srijak , Noel Amy , Hubert Casey R. J. , Rattei Thomas , Hofmann Thilo , Hausmann Bela , Herbold Craig W. , Loy Alexander 
Published: June 2021

AbstractExtracellular DNA is a major macromolecule in global element cycles, and is a particularly crucial phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon source for microorganisms in the seafloor. Nevertheless, the identities, ecophysiology and genetic features of DNA-foraging microorganisms in marine sediments are largely unknown. Here, we combined microcosm experiments, DNA stable isotope probing (SIP), single-cell SIP using nano-scale secondary isotope mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) and genome-centric metagenomics to study microbial catabolism of DNA and its subcomponents in marine sediments.13C-DNA added to sediment microcosms was largely degraded within 10 d and mineralized to13CO2. SIP probing of DNA revealed diverse ‘CandidatusIzemoplasma’,Lutibacter,Shewanellaand Fusibacteraceae incorporated DNA-derived13C-carbon. NanoSIMS confirmed incorporation of13C into individual bacterial cells of Fusibacteraceae sorted from microcosms. Genomes of the13C-labelled taxa all encoded enzymatic repertoires for catabolism of DNA or subcomponents of DNA. Comparative genomics indicated that diverse ‘CandidatusIzemoplasmatales’ (former Tenericutes) are exceptional because they encode multiple (up to five) predicted extracellular nucleases and are probably specialized DNA-degraders. Analyses of additional sediment metagenomes revealed extracellular nuclease genes are prevalent among Bacteroidota at diverse sites. Together, our results reveal the identities and functional properties of microorganisms that may contribute to the key ecosystem function of degrading and recycling DNA in the seabed.