bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Small-scale heterogeneities at the bottom of the lower mantle beneath the northern Bay of Bengal and the northern Gulf of Mexico by the analysis of PKP precursors
Authors: Guan Yurui , Zhang Baolong , Lü Yan , Hao Jinlai , Li Juan , Ai Yinshuang 
Published: November 2023

SUMMARYThe bottom of the lower mantle is a key region for material circulation and energy exchange within the Earth, with extremely high heterogeneity and complex dynamics processes. Although tomography models have revealed the large-scale velocity structure at the bottom of the lower mantle, the nature of the small-scale lateral heterogeneity structure remains controversial due to resolution limitations. The scattering observations of PKP precursors have been widely used to constrain the small-scale structures at the bottom of the lower mantle due to their special sampling paths and arrival time characteristics. This study cross-validates the presence of scatterers at the bottom of the lower mantle in the northern Bay of Bengal and the northern Gulf of Mexico through migration and array analysis of PKP precursors sampled from seismic arrays in the Sichuan–Yunnan and adjacent areas in China. The forward modelling of the envelope of PKP precursors using the Monte Carlo seismic phonon method reveals that their P-wave velocity perturbations are 0.3 and 0.55 per cent in each area, respectively. Based on the distribution range of the small-scale scatterers, we infer that the northern Bay of Bengal scatterer lies within 200 km above the core–mantle boundary, whereas the thickness of the scattering layer in the northern Gulf of Mexico is approximately 250 km. We propose that the small-scale lateral heterogeneities observed in both regions originate from subducted slabs and may have been transitioned into post-perovskite.
Disparities in property insurance relief among socially vulnerable Texas communities after Winter Storm Uri
Authors: Hedquist Aaron , Salas Renee N , Soto Mark , Orav Endel John , Figueroa Jose F 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Property insurance is an important tool for resiliency from the accelerating impacts of climate-intensified extreme weather events. However, disparities in property insurance payouts may reduce their potential protective effects. The objective of this study was to quantify disparities in insurance payouts by Texas’ insurers after the 2021 Winter Storm Uri, and to understand if any socioeconomic factors were associated with higher rates of declined relief. We extracted data from the Texas Department of Insurance on rates of denied insurance claims by zip code and county at 1 month and 13 months into the recovery period. We then linked these data to community-level socioeconomic information. Finally, we produced separate linear regressions for each predictor and covariate. Across both time points, communities with a higher proportion of Hispanic people, primary Spanish speakers, people who did not graduate high school, and people living below the federal poverty line were significantly more likely to experience denied claims. Communities with higher social vulnerability scores also experienced more denied claims. While financial security is a critical social determinant of health, findings suggest that insurers may be engaging in structurally discriminatory practices and failing to provide relief for people from socially vulnerable communities in the wake of climate-intensified events.
Characterization of PetM cytochrome b6f subunit 7 domain-containing protein in tomato
Authors: Bulut Mustafa , Nunes-Nesi Adriano , Fernie Alisdair R , Alseekh Saleh 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
In recent years, multiple advances have been made in understanding the photosynthetic machinery in model organisms. Knowledge transfer to horticultural important fruit crops is challenging and time-consuming due to restrictions in gene editing tools and prolonged life cycles. Here, we characterize a gene encoding a PetM domain-containing protein in tomato. The CRISPR/Cas9 knockout lines of the PetM showed impairment in the chloroplastic electron transport rate (ETR), reduced CO2 assimilation, and reduction of carotenoids and chlorophylls (Chl) under several light conditions. Further, growth-condition-dependent elevation or repression of Chl a/b ratios and de-epoxidation states were identified, underlining possible impairment compensation mechanisms. However, under low light and glasshouse conditions, there were basal levels in CO2 assimilation and ETR, indicating a potential role of the PetM domain in stabilizing the cytochrome b6f complex (Cb6f) under higher light irradiance and increasing its quantum efficiency. This suggests a potential evolutionary role in which this domain might stabilize the site of the Cb6f regulating ratios of cyclic and linear electron transport and its potential importance during the conquest of terrestrial ecosystems during which plants were exposed to higher irradiance. Finally, the results are discussed with regard to metabolism and their implication to photosynthesis from an agronomic perspective.
Signalling in European Rule of Law Cases: Hungary and Poland as Case Studies
Authors: Kos Ula Aleksandra 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
The paper explores Hungary and Poland’s compliance signals conveyed during the European rule of law enforcement process and the responses to these signals by the Court of Justice of the EU and the European Court of Human Rights as judicial organs and the European Commission and the Committee of Ministers as organs supervising compliance. After both states turned illiberal European institutions began condemning the condition of rule of law in both states. Yet, their endeavour—as evident from measures imposed upon Poland, but not Hungary—appears inconsistent. The paper ascribes this to states' differing expressions of commitment to comply with rule-of-law-related rulings as signalled during supervision. It argues that Hungary’s signalled conciliatory attitude compared to Poland’s overt defiance invites more deference from the European institutions and concludes that conveying conciliatory signals in the process of compliance may be used to influence the course and, ultimately, the success of rule of law enforcement.
Delayed coronary artery stenosis: a rare complication of the left atrial clipping device
Authors: Imamura Yuki , Kowatari Ryosuke , Kawamura Tomonori , Ichikawa Hiroaki 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
A clipping device may impinge on the coronary artery following left atrial appendage occlusion during cardiac surgery, causing rare cardiac ischaemia perioperatively. This report highlights a case of delayed severe coronary artery stenosis resulting in ventricular fibrillation 2 months after cardiac surgery with the implantation of a left atrial clipping device. Following a percutaneous coronary intervention, the patient underwent clip removal surgery. Postoperative three-dimensional heart model verification revealed that the base of the left atrial appendage was more dorsal than usual, thereby increasing the potential risk of the clip impinging on the coronary artery. We should remember that this rare complication can occur after left atrial clipping, either in the early postoperative period or later.
Higher Levels of C-reactive Protein Are Associated With Higher Cortical Surface Area and Lower Cortical Thickness in Youth With Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Shao Suyi , Zou Yi , Kennedy Kody G , Dimick Mikaela K , MacIntosh Bradley J , Goldstein Benjamin I 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Background
Inflammation is implicated in the neuropathology of bipolar disorder (BD). The association of C-reactive protein (CRP) with brain structure has been examined in relation to BD among adults but not youth.

Methods
Participants included 101 youth (BD, n = 55; control group [CG], n = 46; aged 13–20 years). Blood samples were assayed for levels of CRP. T1-weighted brain images were acquired to obtain cortical surface area (SA), volume, and thickness for 3 regions of interest (ROI; whole-brain cortical gray matter, prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex [OFC]) and for vertex-wise analyses. Analyses included CRP main effects and interaction effects controlling for age, sex, and intracranial volume.

Results
In ROI analyses, higher CRP was associated with higher whole-brain SA (β = 0.16; P = .03) and lower whole-brain (β = −0.31; P = .03) and OFC cortical thickness (β = −0.29; P = .04) within the BD group and was associated with higher OFC SA (β = 0.17; P = .03) within the CG. In vertex-wise analyses, higher CRP was associated with higher SA and lower cortical thickness in frontal and parietal regions within BD. A significant CRP-by-diagnosis interaction was found in frontal and temporal regions, whereby higher CRP was associated with lower neurostructural metrics in the BD group but higher neurostructural metrics in CG.

Conclusions
This study found that higher CRP among youth with BD is associated with higher SA but lower cortical thickness in ROI and vertex-wise analyses. The study identified 2 regions in which the association of CRP with brain structure differs between youth with BD and the CG. Future longitudinal, repeated-measures studies incorporating additional inflammatory markers are warranted.
Automatic segmentation of atrial fibrillation and flutter in single-lead electrocardiograms by self-supervised learning and Transformer architecture
Authors: Yun Donghwan , Yang Hyun-Lim , Kwon Soonil , Lee So-Ryoung , Kim Kyungju , Kim Kwangsoo , Lee Hyung-Chul , Jung Chul-Woo , Kim Yon Su , Han Seung Seok 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Objectives
Automatic detection of atrial fibrillation and flutter (AF/AFL) is a significant concern in preventing stroke and mitigating hemodynamic instability. Herein, we developed a Transformer-based deep learning model for AF/AFL segmentation in single-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) by self-supervised learning with masked signal modeling (MSM).

Materials and Methods
We retrieved data from 11 open-source databases on PhysioNet; 7 of these databases included labeled ECGs, while the other 4 were without labels. Each database contained ECG recordings with durations of ≥30 s. A total of 24 intradialytic ECGs with paroxysmal AF/AFL during 4 h of hemodialysis sessions at Seoul National University Hospital were used for external validation. The model was pretrained by predicting masked areas of ECG signals and fine-tuned by predicting AF/AFL areas. Cross-database validation was used for evaluation, and the intersection over union (IOU) was used as a main performance metric in external database validation.

Results
In the 7 labeled databases, the areas marked as AF/AFL constituted 41.1% of the total ECG signals, ranging from 0.19% to 51.31%. In the evaluation per ECG segment, the model achieved IOU values of 0.9254 and 0.9477 for AF/AFL segmentation and other segmentation tasks, respectively. When applied to intradialytic ECGs with paroxysmal AF/AFL, the IOUs for the segmentation of AF/AFL and non-AF/AFL were 0.9896 and 0.9650, respectively. Model performance by different training procedure indicated that pretraining with MSM and the application of an appropriate masking ratio both contributed to the model performance. It also showed higher IOUs of AF/AFL labels than in previous studies when training and test databases were matched.

Conclusion
The present model with self-supervised learning by MSM performs robustly in segmenting AF/AFL.
Kaolin as a management alternative for insecticide-resistant navel orangeworm (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
Authors: Bush Daniel S , Demkovich Mark , Aldunate Moiravi , Siegel Joel , Berenbaum May R 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
The production of almonds and pistachios in California’s Central Valley employs insecticides for the management of their primary pest, navel orangeworm. The pyrethroid Bifenthrin is commonly used, and now a strain of Amyelois transitella Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) (R347) obtained from Kern County almond orchards with a history of Bifenthrin use has acquired &gt;110-fold resistance toward pyrethroids. One method to improve control is to use additives and spray adjuvants, which are applied simultaneously with an insecticide to increase coverage and/or duration of control. We tested 2 levels of the naturally occurring clay Kaolin as an additive, alone and in combination with either Bifenthrin or the diamide Chlorantraniliprole, to determine if it could reduce feeding damage and decrease survival of pyrethroid-resistant A. transitella on almonds in the laboratory and improve the efficacy of Chlorantraniliprole in the field. Larval performance was measured for the strains R347 and ALM (34.7-fold resistance compared to susceptible lab strain) reared on treated almonds. Strain R347 had 1.9-fold greater survival and caused 1.3-fold more feeding damage than strain ALM across all treatments, although both strains were susceptible to the combination of Kaolin + insecticide. Kaolin synergized Bifenthrin for R347, decreasing survival by 10.0%. Kaolin did not reduce feeding damage for either strain. When combined with insecticide, feeding damage was similar to insecticide alone, but the addition of Kaolin to the insecticide generally decreased survival more than the insecticide alone. In the field, the addition of Kaolin to Chlorantraniprole during application helped retain activity against this challenging pest.
An inside “beak”: Molecular analysis of swab samples reveals the seabird diet of invasive Barn Owls in Hawai’i
Authors: Elmore Joanna W , Wilcox Taylor M , Dutcher Alex E , Reiss Yuki , Schwartz Michael K 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Predation is an important species interaction to monitor when assessing an invasive species’ impact on a particular ecosystem, but it can be difficult to observe and thus, fully understand. On Kaua’i island, invasive Barn Owls (Tyto alba) predate native seabirds, but difficult terrain in this region and the cryptic nature of owl predation make traditional monitoring of predation quite challenging. Using Barn Owls collected as part of removal efforts on Kaua’i and Lehua islands, we conducted DNA metabarcoding of owl digestive tracts to detect and determine seabird species they predate. We used a seabird-targeted 12s marker to sequence 112 swabs from 55 owls and detected 6 seabird taxa, including 2 ESA-listed seabirds—Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis) and Newell’s Shearwater (Puffinus newelli), in 12 swabs from 11 owls (20% of sampled owls). Corresponding morphological assessment of owl stomach contents detected seabird species as prey items in only 2% (1/55) of sampled owls, highlighting the utility of molecular approaches for detecting diet items, especially degraded or visually absent items. Additionally, this approach has proven very useful in revealing cryptic trophic interactions in inaccessible seabird populations. For the most comprehensive analysis of diet, the use of both esophageal and cloacal swabs for metabarcoding is recommended. Supplementing metabarcoding with other methods that can provide complementary prey information, such as stable isotope analysis, would help to characterize trophic interactions more fully. The method described here has proven to be a reliable tool for investigating diet in invasive owls and may be used to investigate cryptic predation in living birds as a minimally invasive technique, as well.
Trait- and density-mediated effects of predation on fecundity and fertility of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes
Authors: Bellamy Shawna K , Paige Andrew , Alto Barry W 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Prey populations that encounter predators experience density-mediated effects through lethality and associated numerical changes in the population. Prey also exhibit trait-mediated effects through nonlethal alterations in phenotypic traits associated with exposure to predators. Immature stages of mosquitoes commonly co-occur in habitats along with predators, a natural source of mortality and potential biocontrol agent. Toxorhynchites rutilus Coquillett 1896 is a natural source of mortality with potential as a biological control agent. Previous studies have shown that predation and the mere presence of Tx. rutilus (predator cues) can alter the life-history traits of Aedes aegypti (L. 1762). In addition to observed reductions in recruitment of adults (lethality), exposure to Tx. rutilus without consumption resulted in adult Ae. aegypti females with altered growth and reduced lifespan. To determine the influence of predation on the reproductive biology of Ae. aegypti, we tested the hypothesis that predation, or exposure to predator cues, will compromise the reproduction of adult survivors through reductions in fecundity (egg batch size) and fertility (hatch rate). We observed that for both female and male Ae. aegypti, survival to adulthood was the lowest and development time the shortest in treatments containing prey removal effects, attributable to predation and treatment manipulations of density reduction. There were effects of Ae. aegypti weight, but not predation treatments, on fecundity and fertility. Results suggest that predator-mediated effects on Ae. aegypti derive from lethal effects due to consumption and alterations in other phenotypic traits of survivors, including development, weight, lifespan of adults, and population growth, but not reproductive parameters measured here.
A health equity framework to support the next generation of cancer population simulation models
Authors: Chapman Christina , Jayasekera Jinani , Dash Chiranjeev , Sheppard Vanessa , Mandelblatt Jeanne 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Over the past 2 decades, population simulation modeling has evolved as an effective public health tool for surveillance of cancer trends and estimation of the impact of screening and treatment strategies on incidence and mortality, including documentation of persistent cancer inequities. The goal of this research was to provide a framework to support the next generation of cancer population simulation models to identify leverage points in the cancer control continuum to accelerate achievement of equity in cancer care for minoritized populations. In our framework, systemic racism is conceptualized as the root cause of inequity and an upstream influence acting on subsequent downstream events, which ultimately exert physiological effects on cancer incidence and mortality and competing comorbidities. To date, most simulation models investigating racial inequity have used individual-level race variables. Individual-level race is a proxy for exposure to systemic racism, not a biological construct. However, single-level race variables are suboptimal proxies for the multilevel systems, policies, and practices that perpetuate inequity. We recommend that future models designed to capture relationships between systemic racism and cancer outcomes replace or extend single-level race variables with multilevel measures that capture structural, interpersonal, and internalized racism. Models should investigate actionable levers, such as changes in health care, education, and economic structures and policies to increase equity and reductions in health-care–based interpersonal racism. This integrated approach could support novel research approaches, make explicit the effects of different structures and policies, highlight data gaps in interactions between model components mirroring how factors act in the real world, inform how we collect data to model cancer equity, and generate results that could inform policy.
Investment and Patent Licensing in the Value Chain
Authors: Llobet Gerard , Neven Damien 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
At which stage in the production chain should patent licensing take place? In this paper we show that under realistic circumstances a patent holder would be better off by licensing downstream. This occurs when the licensing revenue can depend on the downstream value of the product either directly or through the use of ad-valorem royalties. Downstream licensing is also preferred by the patent holder when, instead, we assume that the downstream licensee is less informed about the validity of the patent. In most cases, downstream licensing increases allocative efficiency. However, it might reduce the manufacturer’s incentives to invest and, thereby, decrease welfare. We characterize the circumstances under which a conflict arises between the stage at which patent holders prefer to license their technology and the stage at which it is optimal from a social standpoint that licensing takes place.
A Biomechanical Investigation of Cervical Spine Range of Motion for UH-60 Aviators in Real and Simulated Flight Environments
Authors: Williams S. Tyler , Madison Adrienne M , Chancey Valeta Carol 
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Military flight surgeons evaluating aviators for flight fitness based on the cervical spine range of motion (CROM) have no operationally relevant reference with which to make a reliable determination. The published physiological limits for the general population do not necessarily apply to military aviators. CROM requirements for rotary-wing aviators would ideally be defined by measurements taken directly within their operational environment.

Materials and Methods
Nine subjects performed the same predetermined 1-hour flight mission in a UH-60 aircraft and then, at least 2 days later, in the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) NUH-60 flight simulator. Head position was recorded using an optical-based inertial tracker attached to the night vision goggle mount of the subjects’ flight helmets. Matched-pair t-tests were implemented to compare the maximum CROM between aircraft and simulated flights and the published general population.

Results
The percent of flight time in severe flexion and lateral bending was not statistically different (P &gt; 0.05) between real and simulated flights but was statistically lower in the simulator for severe twist rotation (P &lt; 0.05). The maximum CROM for the advanced maneuvers was significantly lower than the norms for the general population (P &lt; 0.05).

Conclusions
The flight simulator could be a useful platform for flight surgeons determining CROM-related flight fitness if methods to increase the frequency of neck twist rotation movements during flight were implemented. The published maximum CROM values for the general population are not an appropriate reference for flight surgeons making flight fitness determinations related to CROM.