bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Eye-Tracking Devices for Virtual and Augmented Reality Metaverse Environments and Their Compatibility with the European Union General Data Protection Regulation
Authors: Menéndez González Natalia , Bozkir Efe 
Published: July 2024

AbstractEven though the Metaverse from science fiction is not a reality yet, it is possible to take a glimpse into how it might look like. However, the current vision of the Metaverse does not only encompass software. A great deal of companies is complementing their Metaverse projects with Virtual and Augmented Reality devices such as headsets and glasses. In this line, one of the last technological advancements in virtual and augmented reality devices included the introduction of eye-tracking technology. However, when new and additional kinds of data are processed, emerging risks for data protection might arise. This paper will, therefore, discuss the compatibility of eye-tracking devices for virtual and augmented reality environments with the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Being the GDPR considered a worldwide role model in terms of fundamental rights protection, the compatibility of such devices with one of the most severe data protection regimes will be put to the hardest test. The paper will do so by analyzing the state of the art of the technology, its use in headsets and glasses for virtual and augmented reality Metaverse environments, and the potential risks that such use might entail for data protection. After that, such risks will be confronted with the relevant applicable provisions of the GDPR. Finally, the paper will issue policy recommendations.
Microstructure Design of Multiphase Compositionally Complex Alloys I: Effects of Strength Contrast and Strain Hardening
Authors: Bhattacharyya Jishnu J. , Agnew Sean R. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis work addresses the question, “Which microstructure yields the highest “toughness” for a two phase, compositionally complex alloy (CCA) composed of a ductile, face centered cubic (FCC) matrix phase and a stronger, intermetallic reinforcing phase?” A polycrystal plasticity model is used, which takes as input the phase fraction, grain sizes, and parameters describing the mechanical properties (stiffness, strength and strain hardening behavior) of each phase. In addition to assuming an elasto-viscoplastic matrix, the reinforcing phase is also assumed to be elasto-viscoplastic, albeit with a higher strength and lower strain hardening rate. The results reveal that, if the reinforcement remains elastic, the addition of such a reinforcement leads to an increase in strain hardening rate, in addition to the obvious increase in yield strength. If the reinforcement yields, the hardening rate sharply decreases, leading to earlier tensile instability. Therefore, when the strength contrast between the phases is high, addition of reinforcement is beneficial to toughness as well as strength. For lower contrast cases, the optimal toughness case may be the unreinforced matrix material. More specifically, only if the FCC matrix exhibits sustained linear hardening-type behavior typical of TWIP or TRIP effects (which correlate with very low stacking fault energies achievable in CCAs), will it exhibit an increase in toughness, as well as an increase in strength. Finally, the hard reinforcement is under a lower stress triaxiality due to pressure imposed by the ductile matrix, and this causes it to yield at a lower uniaxial stress than it would in isolation. The findings of this work provide a mechanistic understanding of the dependence of toughness on the microstructure of two-phase aggregates, and the approach is equally applicable to multiphase alloys.
Synergistic impact of Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on lentil plant tolerance to heavy metal-rich fly ash amended soil
Authors: Shaher Hina , Naushin Fauzia , Hasan Mudassara , Bagyaraj D. J. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of microbes [symbiotic bacteria viz. Rhizobium (Frank) and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) viz. Funneliformis caledonius (Nicolson & Gerd.) and Glomus bagyarajii Mehrotra] on the growth and physiology of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) cultivated in soil alone and soil amended with fly ash. The experiment had twenty-four treatments, twelve in sterilized soil and twelve in unsterilized soil (with six treatments in soil alone and six in soil amended with fly ash in both the sets). Amendment of soil with 25% fly ash significantly increased plant growth. Microbial inoculation further increased the plant growth and physiological parameters studied (plant length, fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll and protein content, and nitrate reductase activity). Microbial parameters like nodule number and fresh weight, mycorrhizal root colonization and spore numbers were also significantly higher in plants inoculated with Rhizobium + AMF. Soil amendment with 25% fly ash together with inoculation of Rhizobium + AMF further improved the growth of lentil. Plant heavy metal (Cd, Pb, Zn) content was significantly more in soil amended with fly ash, but microbial inoculation significantly decreased heavy metal uptake. Of the two AM fungus studied F. caledonius proved to be better, resulting in higher plant growth and physiological parameters studied with reduced heavy metal uptake.
A Comprehensive Evaluation of Black Carbon in Snow and Its Radiative Forcing in CMIP5 and CMIP6 Models Based on Global Field Observations
Authors: Chen Yang , Xing Yuxuan , Yan Shirui , Hou Yaliang , Li Xuejing , Shi Tenglong , Cui Jiecan , Wu Dongyou , Zhou Yue , Hao Dalei , Pu Wei , Wang Xin 
Published: July 2024

AbstractBlack carbon in snow (BCS) is a crucial parameter in Earth System modeling, as it influences global radiative balance. Here, simulated BCS from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 and 6 (CMIP5 and CMIP6) that provided BCS as a model output were evaluated. In comparison with global BCS observations, CMIP5/6 models successfully reproduced long‐term historical trends linked to human activities, but struggled capturing decadal variability caused by natural climate variability. CMIP6 models NorESM2‐MM, NorESM2‐LM, and TaiESM1 yielded the most accurate simulations of BCS concentration with modest overestimation of <50%, while the four CESM2 models underestimated concentrations by up to ∼80%. These errors effectively balanced for the CMIP6 multi‐model ensemble mean (MME), which had a relative error (RE) of −37%. However, the CMIP5 MME was less reliable due to extreme overestimation by up to 8,000% in the three MIROC models. The significant BCS concentration errors in the MIROC and CESM2 models were linked mainly to errors in handling of BC in snow processes. Conversely, marked improvements in NorESM, the only common to both CMIP5 and CMIP6, were due to improved simulation of black carbon deposition. BCS errors significantly impacted radiative forcing estimates, particularly at the poles, where model errors reached several thousandfold. CMIP6 exhibited superior results compared to CMIP5, achieving global MME RE of −33% in radiative forcing estimates. However, it's worth noting BCS output is currently limited, with only seven models available for each of CMIP5 and CMIP6 here. Additional models simulating BCS are desirable in the next CMIP generations.
Influence of Western Pacific Madden–Julian Oscillation on New York City's Record‐Breaking Air Pollution in Early June 2023
Authors: Zhu Yan , Hsu Pang‐chi , Qian Yitian 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn early June 2023, New York City (NYC) and other cities in the northeastern US experienced a severe air pollution event. Although reports associated this hazardous pollution event with the smoke from Canadian wildfires, the factors triggering the southward waft of the smoke remain unclear. We found the northerly anomaly that transported the smoke was linked to the Rossby wave train excited by the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) over the Philippine Sea, which led to the formation of an enhanced northerly at the western edge of the cyclonic anomaly over the East Coast–North Atlantic. When the MJO convection left the western Pacific, the disorganized teleconnection caused the pollution to dissipate. Observational findings were further supported by model simulations and predictions. These results suggest that monitoring and predictions of MJO activity may help mitigate air pollution events over the northeastern US during Canadian wildfire seasons.
Contribution of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diversity to Low‐Frequency Changes in ENSO Variance
Authors: Schlör Jakob , Strnad Felix , Capotondi Antonietta , Goswami Bedartha 
Published: July 2024

AbstractEl Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) diversity is characterized based on the longitudinal location of maximum sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) and amplitude in the tropical Pacific, as Central Pacific events are typically weaker than Eastern Pacific events. SSTA pattern and intensity undergo low‐frequency modulations, affecting ENSO prediction skill and remote impacts, and resulting in low‐frequency changes in ENSO variance. Yet, how different ENSO types contribute to these decadal variance changes remains unclear. Here, we decompose the low‐frequency changes of ENSO variance into contributions from ENSO diversity categories. We propose a fuzzy clustering of monthly SSTA to allow for non‐binary event category memberships, where each event can belong to different clusters. Our approach identifies two La Niña and three El Niño categories and shows that the major shift of ENSO variance in the mid‐1970s was associated with an increasing likelihood of strong La Niña and extreme El Niño events.
Shape-position perceptive fusion electronic skin with autonomous learning for gesture interaction
Authors: Wang Qian , Li Mingming , Guo Pingping , Gao Liang , Weng Ling , Huang Wenmei 
Published: July 2024

AbstractWearable devices, such as data gloves and electronic skins, can perceive human instructions, behaviors and even emotions by tracking a hand's motion, with the help of knowledge learning. The shape or position single-mode sensor in such devices often lacks comprehensive information to perceive interactive gestures. Meanwhile, the limited computing power of wearable applications restricts the multimode fusion of different sensing data and the deployment of deep learning networks. We propose a perceptive fusion electronic skin (PFES) with a bioinspired hierarchical structure that utilizes the magnetization state of a magnetostrictive alloy film to be sensitive to external strain or magnetic field. Installed at the joints of a hand, the PFES realizes perception of curvature (joint shape) and magnetism (joint position) information by mapping corresponding signals to the two-directional continuous distribution such that the two edges represent the contributions of curvature radius and magnetic field, respectively. By autonomously selecting knowledge closer to the user's hand movement characteristics, the reinforced knowledge distillation method is developed to learn and compress a teacher model for rapid deployment on wearable devices. The PFES integrating the autonomous learning algorithm can fuse curvature-magnetism dual information, ultimately achieving human machine interaction with gesture recognition and haptic feedback for cross-space perception and manipulation.
Prognostic value of quantitative EEG in early hours of life for neonatal encephalopathy and neurodevelopmental outcomes
Authors: Kota Srinivas , Kang Shu , Liu Yu-Lun , Liu Hanli , Montazeri Saeed , Vanhatalo Sampsa , Chalak Lina F. 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Background
The ability to determine severity of encephalopathy is crucial for early neuroprotective therapies and for predicting neurodevelopmental outcome. The objective of this study was to assess a novel brain state of newborn (BSN) trend to distinguish newborns with presence of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) within hours after birth and predict neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years of age.

Method
This is a prospective cohort study of newborns at 36 weeks’ gestation or later with and without HIE at birth. The Total Sanart Score (TSS) was calculated based on a modified Sarnat exam within 6 h of life. BSN was calculated from electroencephalogram (EEG) measurements initiated after birth. The primary outcome at 2 year of age was a diagnosis of death or disability using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III.

Results
BSN differentiated between normal and abnormal neurodevelopmental outcomes throughout the entire recording period from 6 h of life. Additionally, infants with lower BSN values had higher odds of neurodevelopmental impairment and HIE. BSN distinguished between normal (n = 86) and HIE (n = 46) and showed a significant correlation with the concomitant TSS.

Conclusion
BSN is a sensitive real-time marker for monitoring dynamic progression of encephalopathy and predicting neurodevelopmental impairment.

Impact

This is a prospective cohort study to investigate the ability of brain state of newborn (BSN) trend to predict neurodevelopmental outcome within the first day of life and identify severity of encephalopathy.

BSN predicts neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years of age and the severity of encephalopathy severity. It also correlates with the Total Sarnat Score from the modified Sarnat exam.

BSN could serve as a promising bedside trend aiding in accurate assessment and identification of newborns who may benefit from additional neuroprotection therapies.
The evolution of organic material on Asteroid 162173 Ryugu and its delivery to Earth
Authors: Changela H. G. , Kebukawa Y. , Petera L. , Ferus M. , Chatzitheodoridis E. , Nejdl L. , Nebel R. , Protiva V. , Krepelka P. , Moravcova J. , Holbova R. , Hlavenkova Z. , Samoril T. , Bridges J. C. , Yamashita S. , Takahashi Y. , Yada T. , Nakato A. , Sobotkova K. , Tesarova H. , Zapotok D. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe recent return of samples from asteroid 162173 Ryugu provides a first insight into early Solar System prebiotic evolution from known planetary bodies. Ryugu’s samples are CI chondrite-like, rich in water and organic material, and primarily composed of phyllosilicate. This phyllosilicate surrounds micron to submicron macromolecular organic particles known as insoluble organic matter. Using advanced microscopy techniques on Hayabusa-2 samples, we find that aqueous alteration on Ryugu produced organic particles richer in aromatics compared to less altered carbonaceous chondrites. This challenges the view that aromatic-rich organic matter formed pre-accretion. Additionally, widespread diffuse organic material occurs in phyllosilicate more aliphatic-, carboxylic-rich, and aromatic-poor than the discrete organic particles, likely preserving the soluble organic material. Some organic particles evolved to encapsulate phyllosilicate, indicating that aqueous alteration on Ryugu led to the containment of soluble organic matter within these particles. Earth therefore has been, and continues to be, delivered micron-sized polymeric organic objects containing biologically relevant molecules.
Targeted degradation of extracellular mitochondrial aspartyl-tRNA synthetase modulates immune responses
Authors: Johnson Benjamin S. , Farkas Daniela , El-Mergawy Rabab , Adair Jessica A. , Elhance Ajit , Eltobgy Moemen , Coan Francesca M. , Chafin Lexie , Joseph Jessica A. , Cornwell Alex , Johns Finny J. , Rosas Lorena , Rojas Mauricio , Farkas Laszlo , Bednash Joseph S. , Londino James D. , Ray Prabir , Ray Anuradha , Kagan Valerian , Lee Janet S. , Chen Bill B. , Mallampalli Rama K. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe severity of bacterial pneumonia can be worsened by impaired innate immunity resulting in ineffective pathogen clearance. We describe a mitochondrial protein, aspartyl-tRNA synthetase (DARS2), which is released in circulation during bacterial pneumonia in humans and displays intrinsic innate immune properties and cellular repair properties. DARS2 interacts with a bacterial-induced ubiquitin E3 ligase subunit, FBXO24, which targets the synthetase for ubiquitylation and degradation, a process that is inhibited by DARS2 acetylation. During experimental pneumonia, Fbxo24 knockout mice exhibit elevated DARS2 levels with an increase in pulmonary cellular and cytokine levels. In silico modeling identified an FBXO24 inhibitory compound with immunostimulatory properties which extended DARS2 lifespan in cells. Here, we show a unique biological role for an extracellular, mitochondrially derived enzyme and its molecular control by the ubiquitin apparatus, which may serve as a mechanistic platform to enhance protective host immunity through small molecule discovery.
Tetrapod sperm length evolution in relation to body mass is shaped by multiple trade-offs
Authors: Koçillari Loren , Cattelan Silvia , Rasotto Maria Berica , Seno Flavio , Maritan Amos , Pilastro Andrea 
Published: July 2024

AbstractSperm length is highly variable across species and many questions about its variation remain open. Although variation in body mass may affect sperm length evolution through its influence on multiple factors, the extent to which sperm length variation is linked to body mass remains elusive. Here, we use the Pareto multi-task evolution framework to investigate the relationship between sperm length and body mass across tetrapods. We find that tetrapods occupy a triangular Pareto front, indicating that trade-offs shape the evolution of sperm length in relation to body mass. By exploring the factors predicted to influence sperm length evolution, we find that sperm length evolution is mainly driven by sperm competition and clutch size, rather than by genome size. Moreover, the triangular Pareto front is maintained within endotherms, internal fertilizers, mammals and birds, suggesting similar evolutionary trade-offs within tetrapods. Finally, we demonstrate that the Pareto front is robust to phylogenetic dependencies and finite sampling bias. Our findings provide insights into the evolutionary mechanisms driving interspecific sperm length variation and highlight the importance of considering multiple trade-offs in optimizing reproductive traits.
Optical vortex-antivortex crystallization in free space
Authors: Lin Haolin , Liao Yixuan , Liu Guohua , Ren Jianbin , Li Zhen , Chen Zhenqiang , Malomed Boris A. , Fu Shenhe 
Published: July 2024

AbstractStable vortex lattices are basic dynamical patterns which have been demonstrated in physical systems including superconductor physics, Bose-Einstein condensates, hydrodynamics and optics. Vortex-antivortex (VAV) ensembles can be produced, self-organizing into the respective polar lattices. However, these structures are in general highly unstable due to the strong VAV attraction. Here, we demonstrate that multiple optical VAV clusters nested in the propagating coherent field can crystallize into patterns which preserve their lattice structures over distance up to several Rayleigh lengths. To explain this phenomenon, we present a model for effective interactions between the vortices and antivortices at different lattice sites. The observed VAV crystallization is a consequence of the globally balanced VAV couplings. As the crystallization does not require the presence of nonlinearities and appears in free space, it may find applications to high-capacity optical communications and multiparticle manipulations. Our findings suggest possibilities for constructing VAV complexes through the orbit-orbit couplings, which differs from the extensively studied spin-orbit couplings.
Molecular insights into degron recognition by CRL5ASB7 ubiquitin ligase
Authors: Zhou Mengyu , Wang Xiaolu , Li Jiangtao , Ma Jinfeng , Bao Ziyu , Yan Xiaojie , Zhang Bing , Liu Tong , Yu Ying , Mi Wenyi , Dong Cheng 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe ankyrin (ANK) SOCS box (ASB) family, encompassing ASB1–18, is the largest group of substrate receptors of cullin 5 Ring E3 ubiquitin ligase. Nonetheless, the mechanism of substrate recognition by ASB family proteins has remained largely elusive. Here we present the crystal structure of ASB7-Elongin B-Elongin C ternary complex bound to a conserved helical degron. ASB7 employs its ANK3-6 to form an extended groove, effectively interacting with the internal α-helix-degron through a network of side-chain-mediated electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Our structural findings, combined with biochemical and cellular analyses, identify the key residues of the degron motif and ASB7 required for their recognition. This will facilitate the identification of additional physiological substrates of ASB7 by providing a defined degron motif for screening. Furthermore, the structural insights provide a basis for the rational design of compounds that can specifically target ASB7 by disrupting its interaction with its cognate degron.
Understanding and tuning negative longitudinal piezoelectricity in hafnia
Authors: Jing Huirong , Guan Chaohong , Zhu Hong 
Published: July 2024

AbstractMost piezoelectric materials exhibit a positive longitudinal piezoelectric effect (PLPE), while a negative longitudinal piezoelectric effect (NLPE) is rarely reported or paid much attention. Here, utilizing first-principles calculations, we unveil the origin of negative longitudinal piezoelectricity in ferroelectric hafnia by introducing the concept of weighted projected bond strength around cation in the c direction (WPBc), which is proposed to quantitatively characterize the asymmetric bonding stiffness along the strain direction. When the WPBc is anti-parallel to the direction of bulk spontaneous polarization, the polarization decreases with respect to tensile strain and leads to a negative piezoelectricity. Furthermore, to confirm the influence of WPBc on the piezoelectric effect and understand how the value of WPBc influences the piezoelectric coefficient e33, we acquire both the piezoelectric coefficient of doped hafnia and the corresponding bonding environment around each cation. The finding reveals that the more negative piezoelectric coefficient can be achieved through a concurrent achievement of the more negative average WPBc and the lower standard deviation (STD) of WPBc. In addition, the Sn-doped hafnia with the lowest average WPBc and smaller STD-WPBc is identified to have the highest piezoelectric coefficient (−2.04 C/m2) compared to other dopants, showing great potential in next-generation electromechanical devices.
A trivalent protein-based pan-Betacoronavirus vaccine elicits cross-neutralizing antibodies against a panel of coronavirus pseudoviruses
Authors: Thimmiraju Syamala Rani , Adhikari Rakesh , Redd JeAnna R. , Villar Maria Jose , Lee Jungsoon , Liu Zhuyun , Chen Yi-Lin , Sharma Suman , Kaur Amandeep , Uzcategui Nestor L. , Ronca Shannon E. , Chen Wen-Hsiang , Kimata Jason T. , Zhan Bin , Strych Ulrich , Bottazzi Maria Elena , Hotez Peter J. , Pollet Jeroen 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe development of broad-spectrum coronavirus vaccines is essential to prepare for future respiratory virus pandemics. We demonstrated broad neutralization by a trivalent subunit vaccine, formulating the receptor-binding domains of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 XBB.1.5 with Alum and CpG55.2. Vaccinated mice produced cross-neutralizing antibodies against all three human Betacoronaviruses and others currently exclusive to bats, indicating the epitope preservation of the individual antigens during co-formulation and the potential for epitope broadening.