bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A 2,000‐Year Record of Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) Colonization Shows Substantial Gains in Blue Carbon Storage and Nutrient Retention
Authors: Dahl Martin , Gullström Martin , Bernabeu Irene , Serrano Oscar , Leiva‐Dueñas Carmen , Linderholm Hans W. , Asplund Maria E. , Björk Mats , Ou Tinghai , Svensson J. Robin , Andrén Elinor , Andrén Thomas , Bergman Sanne , Braun Sara , Eklöf Anneli , Ežerinskis Zilvinas , Garbaras Andrius , Hällberg Petter , Löfgren Elin , Kylander Malin E. , Masqué Pere , Šapolaitė Justina , Smittenberg Rienk , Mateo Miguel A. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAssessing historical environmental conditions linked to habitat colonization is important for understanding long‐term resilience and improving conservation and restoration efforts. Such information is lacking for the seagrass Zostera marina, an important foundation species across cold‐temperate coastal areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Here, we reconstructed environmental conditions during the last 14,000 years from sediment cores in two eelgrass (Z. marina) meadows along the Swedish west coast, with the main aims to identify the time frame of seagrass colonization and describe subsequent biogeochemical changes following establishment. Based on vegetation proxies (lipid biomarkers), eelgrass colonization occurred about 2,000 years ago after geomorphological changes that resulted in a shallow, sheltered environment favoring seagrass growth. Seagrass establishment led to up to 20‐ and 24‐fold increases in sedimentary carbon and nitrogen accumulation rates, respectively. This demonstrates the capacity of seagrasses as efficient ecosystem engineers and their role in global change mitigation and adaptation through CO2 removal, and nutrient and sediment retention. By combining regional climate projections and landscape models, we assessed potential climate change effects on seagrass growth, productivity and distribution until 2100. These predictions showed that seagrass meadows are mostly at risk from increased sedimentation and hydrodynamic changes, while the impact from sea level rise alone might be of less importance in the studied area. This study showcases the positive feedback between seagrass colonization and environmental conditions, which holds promise for successful conservation and restoration efforts aimed at supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the provision of several other crucial ecosystem services.
Effects of Pollen on Hydrometeors and Precipitation in a Convective System
Authors: Zhang Yingxiao , Subba Tamanna , Matthews Brianna H. , Pettersen Claire , Brooks Sarah D. , Steiner Allison L. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAnemophilous (wind‐driven) pollen is one type of primary biological aerosol particle, which can rupture under high humidity conditions and form smaller sub‐pollen particles (SPPs). Both pollen and SPPs can reach the upper troposphere under convective conditions, acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and ice nucleating particles (INPs), thus influencing cloud formation and precipitation. However, the impacts of these biological aerosols on cold cloud formation and local climate remain unclear as there are large uncertainties on their emission flux and ice nucleating abilities. Here, we incorporate pollen emission and rupture processes in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with Chemistry (WRF‐Chem) simulations and update the Morrison microphysics scheme within WRF‐Chem using aerosol‐aware INP parameterizations to account for pollen in addition to other anthropogenic and biogenic aerosol. INP parameterizations for pollen and SPP are derived from laboratory experiments. When including pollen rupture rates as observed in a series of chamber studies, SPP concentrations increase, leading to an increase of cloud ice and water by up to 50% and potentially extending the duration of the convective system. Among all simulated hydrometeors, graupel and raindrops exhibit the largest enhancements from the inclusion of SPPs, with intensifying precipitation at the backside of the convective system and a greater spatial extent. Sensitivity simulations indicate that SPPs have a greater effect on cloud microphysical processes than whole pollen grains, and further observational evidence is needed to constrain these processes.
Detecting the Non‐Separable Causality in Soil Moisture‐Precipitation Coupling With Convergent Cross‐Mapping
Authors: Zhao Yiyang , Ma Enze , Zhou Zhaoqiang , Zou Yiguang , Cao Zhaodan , Cai Hejiang , Li Ci , Yan Yuhan , Chen Yan 
Published: March 2024

AbstractSoil moisture‐Precipitation (SM‐P) coupling, especially the causality from SM to P (SM → P), is an important and highly debated topic. The causal inference from observational data provides a statistical approach for this issue, where the experimental research is infeasible. Various causal inference methods exist, each assuming distinct underlying systems for the targeted variables: pure stochastic or deterministic dynamic system (DDS), which means that these methods detect different types of causality: separable or non‐separable. Acknowledging the inherent deterministic dynamic nature of SM‐P coupling, this study employs a DDS‐based method: Convergent Cross‐mapping (CCM), to detect their non‐separable causality. Centering around SM‐P coupling, we also detect the causality between SMs in shallow and deeper layers, and the causality between evapotranspiration (ET) and SMs in all layers. Notably, before applying CCM, a preconditional procedure is required: verifying the DDS nature of targeted variables P, SM, and ET. Key findings of this research include: (a) In SM‐P coupling, only SMs in shallow layers but not deeper layers could render causalities toward P, while P renders causalities toward SMs in all layers. (b) The time‐delay of causality from SM1 to P in spring/summer is around 4–6 days, and that from P to SM1 is around 2–4 days. (c) Inside SMs, shallow SMs have obvious causalities downwards to deeper SMs, but deeper SMs seem harder to render causalities upwards to shallow SMs, explaining why they hardly render causalities to P. In summary, this study furnishes an indispensable DDS‐based complement to stochastic‐based methodologies for SM‐P coupling.
Canopy Randomness, Scale, and Stem Size Effects on the Interfacial Transfer Process in Vegetated Flows
Authors: Tseng Chien‐Yung , Tinoco Rafael O. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAquatic vegetation plays an important role in natural water environments by interacting with the flow and generating turbulence that affects the air‐water and sediment‐water interfacial transfer. Regular and staggered arrays are often set as simplified layouts for vegetation canopy to study both mean flow and turbulence statistics in vegetated flows, which creates uniform spacing between vegetation elements, resulting in preferential flow paths within the array. Such preferential paths can produce local high velocity and strong turbulence, which do not necessarily happen in natural environments where vegetation is randomly distributed. How the randomness of the canopy affects interfacial processes by altering spatial turbulence distribution, which can potentially lead to different turbulence feedback on the interfacial transfer process, remains an open question. This study conducted a series of laboratory experiments in a race‐track flume using rigid cylinders as plant surrogates. Mean and turbulent flow statistics were characterized by horizontal‐ and vertical‐sliced PIV. Based on the measured flow characteristics under different stem diameters and array configurations, we propose a method to quantify the randomness of the vegetation array and update a sediment‐water‐air interfacial gas transfer model with the randomness parameter to improve its accuracy. The updated model agrees well with the dissolved oxygen experimental data from our study and data from existing literature at various scales. The study provides critical insight into water quality management in vegetated channels with improved dissolved oxygen predictions considering vegetation layout as part of the interfacial transfer model.
Global‐Scale Groundwater Recharge Modeling Is Improved by Tuning Against Ground‐Based Estimates for Karst and Non‐Karst Areas
Authors: Wan Wenhua , Döll Petra , Müller Schmied Hannes 
Published: March 2024

AbstractQuantification of groundwater recharge is highly important for understanding freshwater systems and sustainable management of both groundwater and surface water bodies, but it is very uncertain. To improve the global‐scale simulation of diffuse groundwater recharge (GWR), we developed, for the first time in global hydrological modeling, an approach for explicitly simulating GWR in karst areas, based on the World Karst Aquifer Map and ground‐based estimates of karst GWR. Ground‐based estimates of both karst and non‐karst GWR from 5,600 locations were aggregated to produce estimates for 816 globally distributed 0.5° grid cells, including 64 representing karst GWR. Applying WaterGAP2.2e, we found that karst GWR is best approximated by total runoff from land (without soil overflow and urban runoff). The GWR algorithm for non‐karst GWR was tuned against ground‐based estimates for 422 non‐karst grid cells outside of Australia. While simulated GWR tends to underestimate GWR in non‐karst areas with mean annual ground‐based GWR > 200 mm/yr, it overestimates national GWR in six out of seven European countries. With an increase in the coefficient for the discharge from groundwater to surface water bodies, the updated GWR algorithm results in an improved fit of simulated streamflow to observations, including low flows. Global mean annual GWR and thus renewable groundwater resources (without Greenland and Antarctica) are estimated to be about one‐half of the total renewable water resources, or 21,000 km3/yr, which is over 50% higher than the standard model estimate. 20% of global GWR is generated in karst areas, which cover about 11% of the world's land surface.
Ethics of Pediatric Gender-Affirming Care: A Case Study Comparison
Authors: Jackson Grayson R. , Chen Diane , Coyne Claire , Donahue Kelly , Campo-Engelstein Lisa 
Published: March 2024

Objective: This article aims to explore ethical tensions in pediatric gender-affirming care and illustrate how these tensions arise in the clinical setting. Method: This article utilizes two de-identified cases of transgender youth—Emma and Jayden—as a framework for discussing ethical principles in pediatric gender-affirming care. Case summaries detail the medical history of these two patients, their familial context, and their encounters with healthcare providers. Subsequently, the ethics of both cases are synthesized. As represented in this work, these cases do not constitute Institutional Review Board-regulated human subjects research. Results: Emma’s parents want to forgo pubertal suppression and pursue hormone therapy, effectively skipping a step in the gender-affirming care standard for youth presenting in early puberty. Jayden’s parents, on the other hand, are skeptical of their son’s identity and resistant to pursuing treatment. Both cases reflect disparate health goals between youth and parents and offer insight into the ethical tensions of gender-affirming care for pediatric patients. Conclusions: Key ethical discussions center on the standard of care, treatment reversibility, and pediatric decision-making. Jayden’s parents resist the standard of care for pediatric transgender patients. In contrast, Emma’s parents seek an acceleration of the staged progression recommended in the standard-of-care guidelines. The degree of reversibility of the treatment option in question influences the deliberation of these cases because it is the provider’s ethical obligation to preserve the future rights and autonomy of pediatric patients. Finally, while capacity in children is not presumed, providers should actively involve pediatric patients in treatment decisions that are increasingly subjective. Implications for Impact Statement The standard of care, treatment reversibility, and pediatric decision-making are three important considerations in the ethical provision of gender-affirming care for pediatric patients. Clinicians and decision-makers, including parents, ought to weigh the impact of each consideration on patient autonomy. Although the autonomy of pediatric patients is necessarily limited, steps should be taken to safeguard these patients’ future decision-making capacity and align with their healthcare goals and values to the fullest extent possible.
Efficacy and safety of PD-1 blockade plus long-course chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer (NECTAR): a multi-center phase 2 study
Authors: Yang Zhengyang , Gao Jiale , Zheng Jianyong , Han Jiagang , Li Ang , Liu Gang , Sun Yi , Zhang Jie , Chen Guangyong , Xu Rui , Zhang Xiao , Liu Yishan , Bai Zhigang , Deng Wei , He Wei , Yao Hongwei , Zhang Zhongtao 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAdding PD-1 blockade in the neoadjuvant regimens for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) / mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) tumors is an attractive, but debatable strategy. This phase 2, multicenter, prospective, single-arm study enrolled patients from 6 centers from June 2021 to November 2022. Locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC, cT3-4aN0M0 and cT1-4aN1-2M0) patients aged ≥18 years with the distance from distal border of tumor to anal verge ≤10 cm (identified by Magnetic Resonance Imaging) were qualified for inclusion. The patients received long-course radiotherapy (50 Gy/25 fractions, 2 Gy/fraction, 5 days/week) and three 21-day cycles capecitabine (850–1000 mg/m2, bid, po, day1–14) and three 21-day cycles tislelizumab (200 mg, iv.gtt, day8) as neoadjuvant. Total mesorectal excision (TME) was 6–12 weeks after the end of radiotherapy to achieve radical resection. A total of 50 patients were enrolled in this study. The pathological complete response rate was 40.0% [20/50, 95% confidence interval (CI): 27.61–53.82%], while 15 (30.0%, 95% CI: 19.1–43.75%), 9 (18.0%, 95% CI: 9.77–30.8%), 2 (4.0%, 95% CI: 1.10–13.46%) patients respectively achieved grade 1, 2, and 3 tumor regression. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 28 (56.0%) LARC patients, including 26(52.0%) with grade I-II and 2 (4.0%) with grade III (1 with grade 3 immune-related colitis and 1 with grade 3 rash). PD-1 blockade plus long-course chemoradiotherapy (CRT) showed promising therapeutic effects according to pathological complete response rate and is well-tolerated in LARC patients. A larger randomized controlled study is desired to further validate the above findings.
Dynamic similarity and the peculiar allometry of maximum running speed
Authors: Labonte David , Bishop Peter J. , Dick Taylor J. M. , Clemente Christofer J. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAnimal performance fundamentally influences behaviour, ecology, and evolution. It typically varies monotonously with size. A notable exception is maximum running speed; the fastest animals are of intermediate size. Here we show that this peculiar allometry results from the competition between two musculoskeletal constraints: the kinetic energy capacity, which dominates in small animals, and the work capacity, which reigns supreme in large animals. The ratio of both capacities defines the physiological similarity index Γ, a dimensionless number akin to the Reynolds number in fluid mechanics. The scaling of Γ indicates a transition from a dominance of muscle forces to a dominance of inertial forces as animals grow in size; its magnitude defines conditions of “dynamic similarity“ that enable comparison and estimates of locomotor performance across extant and extinct animals; and the physical parameters that define it highlight opportunities for adaptations in musculoskeletal “design” that depart from the eternal null hypothesis of geometric similarity. The physiological similarity index challenges the Froude number as prevailing dynamic similarity condition, reveals that the differential growth of muscle and weight forces central to classic scaling theory is of secondary importance for the majority of terrestrial animals, and suggests avenues for comparative analyses of locomotor systems.
Three-dimensional magnetic nanotextures with high-order vorticity in soft magnetic wireframes
Authors: Volkov Oleksii M. , Pylypovskyi Oleksandr V. , Porrati Fabrizio , Kronast Florian , Fernandez-Roldan Jose A. , Kákay Attila , Kuprava Alexander , Barth Sven , Rybakov Filipp N. , Eriksson Olle , Lamb-Camarena Sebastian , Makushko Pavlo , Mawass Mohamad-Assaad , Shakeel Shahrukh , Dobrovolskiy Oleksandr V. , Huth Michael , Makarov Denys 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAdditive nanotechnology enable curvilinear and three-dimensional (3D) magnetic architectures with tunable topology and functionalities surpassing their planar counterparts. Here, we experimentally reveal that 3D soft magnetic wireframe structures resemble compact manifolds and accommodate magnetic textures of high order vorticity determined by the Euler characteristic, χ. We demonstrate that self-standing magnetic tetrapods (homeomorphic to a sphere; χ = + 2) support six surface topological solitons, namely four vortices and two antivortices, with a total vorticity of + 2 equal to its Euler characteristic. Alternatively, wireframe structures with one loop (homeomorphic to a torus; χ = 0) possess equal number of vortices and antivortices, which is relevant for spin-wave splitters and 3D magnonics. Subsequent introduction of n holes into the wireframe geometry (homeomorphic to an n-torus; χ < 0) enables the accommodation of a virtually unlimited number of antivortices, which suggests their usefulness for non-conventional (e.g., reservoir) computation. Furthermore, complex stray-field topologies around these objects are of interest for superconducting electronics, particle trapping and biomedical applications.
Substrate recognition mechanism of the endoplasmic reticulum-associated ubiquitin ligase Doa10
Authors: Wu Kevin , Itskanov Samuel , Lynch Diane L. , Chen Yuanyuan , Turner Aasha , Gumbart James C. , Park Eunyong 
Published: March 2024

AbstractDoa10 (MARCHF6 in metazoans) is a large polytopic membrane-embedded E3 ubiquitin ligase in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that plays an important role in quality control of cytosolic and ER proteins. Although Doa10 is highly conserved across eukaryotes, it is not understood how Doa10 recognizes its substrates. Here, we define the substrate recognition mechanism of Doa10 by structural and functional analyses on Saccharomyces cerevisiae Doa10 and its model substrates. Cryo-EM analysis shows that Doa10 has unusual architecture with a large lipid-filled central cavity, and its conserved middle domain forms an additional water-filled lateral tunnel open to the cytosol. Our biochemical data and molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the entrance of the substrate’s degron peptide into the lateral tunnel is required for efficient polyubiquitination. The N- and C-terminal membrane domains of Doa10 seem to form fence-like features to restrict polyubiquitination to those proteins that can access the central cavity and lateral tunnel. Our study reveals how extended hydrophobic sequences at the termini of substrate proteins are recognized by Doa10 as a signal for quality control.
Intercellular communication atlas reveals Oprm1 as a neuroprotective factor for retinal ganglion cells
Authors: Qian Cheng , Xin Ying , Qi Cheng , Wang Hui , Dong Bryan C. , Zack Donald J. , Blackshaw Seth , Hattar Samer , Zhou Feng-Quan , Qian Jiang 
Published: March 2024

AbstractPrevious studies of neuronal survival have primarily focused on identifying intrinsic mechanisms controlling the process. This study explored how intercellular communication contributes to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival following optic nerve crush based on single-cell RNA-seq analysis. We observed transcriptomic changes in retinal cells in response to the injury, with astrocytes and Müller glia having the most interactions with RGCs. By comparing RGC subclasses characterized by distinct resilience to cell death, we found that the high-survival RGCs tend to have more ligand-receptor interactions with neighboring cells. We identified 47 interactions stronger in high-survival RGCs, likely mediating neuroprotective effects. We validated one identified target, the μ-opioid receptor (Oprm1), to be neuroprotective in three retinal injury models. Although the endogenous Oprm1 is preferentially expressed in intrinsically photosensitive RGCs, its neuroprotective effect can be transferred to other subclasses by pan-RGC overexpression of Oprm1. Lastly, manipulating the Oprm1 activity improved visual functions in mice.
Tissue engineered vascular grafts are resistant to the formation of dystrophic calcification
Authors: Turner Mackenzie E. , Blum Kevin M. , Watanabe Tatsuya , Schwarz Erica L. , Nabavinia Mahboubeh , Leland Joseph T. , Villarreal Delaney J. , Schwartzman William E. , Chou Ting-Heng , Baker Peter B. , Matsumura Goki , Krishnamurthy Rajesh , Yates Andrew R. , Hor Kan N. , Humphrey Jay D. , Marsden Alison L. , Stacy Mitchel R. , Shinoka Toshiharu , Breuer Christopher K. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAdvancements in congenital heart surgery have heightened the importance of durable biomaterials for adult survivors. Dystrophic calcification poses a significant risk to the long-term viability of prosthetic biomaterials in these procedures. Herein, we describe the natural history of calcification in the most frequently used vascular conduits, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. Through a retrospective clinical study and an ovine model, we compare the degree of calcification between tissue-engineered vascular grafts and polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. Results indicate superior durability in tissue-engineered vascular grafts, displaying reduced late-term calcification in both clinical studies (p < 0.001) and animal models (p < 0.0001). Further assessments of graft compliance reveal that tissue-engineered vascular grafts maintain greater compliance (p < 0.0001) and distensibility (p < 0.001) than polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. These properties improve graft hemodynamic performance, as validated through computational fluid dynamics simulations. We demonstrate the promise of tissue engineered vascular grafts, remaining compliant and distensible while resisting long-term calcification, to enhance the long-term success of congenital heart surgeries.