bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Parameters optimization and trajectory planning of a novel 3-UPU parallel mechanism for ankle rehabilitation
Authors: Chen Xuechan , Guo Yu , Xin Chao , Ji Chaoyang , Fan Jianxun , Chen Ziming 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAnkle rehabilitation robots are widely used due to nerve injuries and sports injuries leading to decreased mobility of the ankle joint. However, the motion of most ankle rehabilitation robots has distinctions with human ankle physiological structure. In order to achieve more accurate rehabilitation training of the ankle joint, this paper proposes a novel 3-UPU parallel rehabilitation mechanism. In a certain range, the mechanism can perform rotation around any axis within the midplane, which means that the mechanism can achieve non-fixed-point rotation around the instantaneous axis of the ankle joint. The mechanism has three degrees of freedom and can perform ankle pronation/supination and inversion/eversion movements. Taking into account the structural differences of different human bodies, the rotating axis of the mechanism can be adjusted in both height and angle. Then, the workspace of the mechanism was solved, and the size parameters of the mechanism are analyzed based on the characteristics of the size parameters of the mechanism and the motion range of the ankle. A genetic algorithm was employed to optimize the mechanism’s parameters. Next, the motion trajectory of the mechanism was planned, and the length change of the mechanism driving pair during the motion planning of the angle was obtained through kinematics simulation. Finally, experimental verification of the above rehabilitation training methods indicates that the mechanism meets the requirements of ankle rehabilitation.
Deadly mushrooms of the genus Galerina found in Antarctica colonized the continent as early as the Pleistocene
Authors: Garrido-Benavent Isaac , Blanchette Robert A. , De Los Ríos Asunción 
Published: August 2023

AbstractFungi are probably the most diverse group of eukaryotic organisms in the Antarctic continent and nearby archipelagos, and they dominate communities in either mild or harsh habitats. However, our knowledge of their global distribution ranges and the temporal origins of their Antarctic populations is rather limited or almost absent, especially for species that do not lichenize. We focused for the first time on elucidating the taxonomic identity and phylogenetic relationships of several Antarctic collections of the deadly fungal Basidiomycota genus Galerina. By using molecular sequence data from the universal fungal barcode and a dataset encompassing 178 specimens, the inferred phylogeny showed that the Antarctic specimens corresponded with the sub-cosmopolitan species Galerina marginata, Galerina badipes and Galerina fallax, and their most closely related intraspecific genetic lineages were from northern Europe and North America. We found that these species probably host Antarctic-endemic intraspecific lineages. Furthermore, our dating analyses indicated that their Antarctic populations originated in the Pleistocene, a temporal frame that agrees with that proposed for the Antarctic colonization of plants such as the grass Deschampsia antarctica, mosses and some amphitropical lichens. Altogether, these findings converge on the same temporal scenario for the assembly of the most conspicuous terrestrial Antarctic plant and fungal communities.
A nonconservative kinetic framework under the action of an external force field: Theoretical results with application inspired to ecology
Authors: Carbonaro Bruno , Menale Marco 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe present paper deals with the kinetic-theoretic description of the evolution of systems consisting of many particles interacting not only with each other but also with the external world, so that the equation governing their evolution contains an additional term representing such interaction, called the ‘forcing term’. Firstly, the interactions between pairs of particles are both conservative and nonconservative; the latter represents, among others, birth/death rates. The ‘forcing term’ does not express a ‘classical’ force exerted by the external world on the particles, but a more general influence on the effects of mutual interactions of particles, for instance, climate changes, that increase or decrease the different agricultural productions at different times, thus altering the economic relationships between different subsystems, that in turn can be also perturbed by stock market fluctuations, sudden wars, periodic epidemics, and so on. Thus, the interest towards these problems moves the mathematical analysis of the effects of different kinds of forcing terms on solutions to equations governing the collective (that is statistical) behaviour of such nonconservative many-particle systems. In the present paper, we offer a study of the basic mathematical properties of such solutions, along with some numerical simulations to show the effects of forcing terms for a classical prey–predator model in ecology.
Quantification of Lightning‐Induced Electron Precipitation Events on Electron Fluxes in the Radiation Belts
Authors: Pailoor Nikhil , Cohen Morris , Richardson David , Harid Vijay , Gołkowski Mark 
Published: August 2023

AbstractLightning‐induced Electron Precipitation (LEP) is a known process of electron loss in the Earth's radiation belts. An LEP event progresses with Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio wave radiation from lightning, trans‐ionospheric propagation, and wave‐particle gyroresonance interaction with energetic radiation belt electrons. Pitch angle scattered electrons then precipitate onto the ionosphere, allowing detection using VLF remote sensing using high power transmitters. The relative importance of LEP events as a radiation belt electron lifetime driver has heretofore been unclear. We build off a massive database of LEP events observed within the continental US (CONUS) by a network of VLF receivers. For each observed LEP event, based on the characteristics of the ionospheric disturbance, we apply a suite of models to estimate the total number of precipitating electrons, which we can then sum up over all LEP events to quantify lightning's contribution within CONUS. We find that LEP events within CONUS appear to be capable of removing a substantial fraction (up to 0.1%–1%) of radiation belt electrons between 33 and 1,000 keV, and may have stronger contributions to radiation belt losses than earlier estimates.
A Method for Estimating Global Subgrid‐Scale Orographic Gravity‐Wave Temperature Perturbations in Chemistry‐Climate Models
Authors: Weimer M. , Wilka C. , Kinnison D. E. , Garcia R. R. , Bacmeister J. T. , Alexander M. J. , Dörnbrack A. , Solomon S. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractMany chemical processes depend non‐linearly on temperature. Gravity‐wave‐induced temperature perturbations have been shown to affect atmospheric chemistry, but accounting for this process in chemistry‐climate models has been a challenge because many gravity waves have scales smaller than the typical model resolution. Here, we present a method to account for subgrid‐scale orographic gravity‐wave‐induced temperature perturbations on the global scale for the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model. Temperature perturbation amplitudes consistent with the model's subgrid‐scale gravity wave parameterization are derived and then used as a sinusoidal temperature perturbation in the model's chemistry solver. Because of limitations in the parameterization, we explore scaling of between 0.6 and 1 based on comparisons to altitude‐dependent distributions of satellite and reanalysis data, where we discuss uncertainties. We probe the impact on the chemistry from the grid‐point to global scales, and show that the parameterization is able to represent mountain wave events as reported by previous literature. The gravity waves for example, lead to increased surface area densities of stratospheric aerosols. This increases chlorine activation, with impacts on the associated chemical composition. We obtain large local changes in some chemical species (e.g., active chlorine, NOx, N2O5) which are likely to be important for comparisons to airborne or satellite observations, but the changes to ozone loss are more modest. This approach enables the chemistry‐climate modeling community to account for subgrid‐scale gravity wave temperature perturbations interactively, consistent with the internal parameterizations and are expected to yield more realistic interactions and better representation of the chemistry.
Effects of Cold Plasma on the Excitation of Internally Driven ULF Waves by Ring Current Ions Based On the Magnetosphere‐Ionosphere Coupled Model
Authors: Yamakawa Tomotsugu , Seki Kanako , Amano Takanobu , Miyoshi Yoshizumi , Takahashi Naoko , Nakamizo Aoi , Yamamoto Kazuhiro 
Published: August 2023

AbstractInternally driven Pc4‐5 waves are excited in the plasmaspheric drainage plume (PDP) and near the plasmapause. The excitation of ultralow frequency (ULF) waves was investigated by using the magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupled model between Geospace Environment Modeling System for Integrated Studies‐Ring Current (GEMSIS‐RC) and GEMSIS‐POTential solver (GEMSIS‐POT). In order to investigate the effects of cold plasma on the wave excitation, the simulation code to describe the dynamics of cold plasma was included in the model. The model can reproduce the shrink of the plasmasphere on the nightside and the formation of the PDP on the dayside. First, fundamental Pc5 waves are excited through the drift resonance on the dayside. The waves are caused by positive energy gradient of ion phase space density (PSD) at 50–130 keV. Second harmonic waves (drift‐bounce resonance) are generated outside the plasmapause. These two types of ULF waves are also seen in the case of constant density. Unlike the case of constant density, localized eastward propagating Pc4 waves (drift resonance) are seen on the dawnside associated with the azimuthal density gradient. The azimuthal wave number of Pc4 waves is about 70 and anti‐earthward gradient of PSD about 10 keV contributes to wave growth. We also detect fundamental Pc4‐5 waves near the plasmapause on the nightside in the drift resonance with 100–150 keV ions. Simulation results suggest that the plasmapause has an effect to sustain the excitation of Pc4‐5 ULF wave through the drift resonance.
Collective Behavior of Asperities Before Large Stick‐Slip Events
Authors: Shu Weiwei , Lengliné Olivier , Schmittbuhl Jean 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe multi‐scale roughness of a fault interface is responsible for multiple asperities that establish a complex and discrete set of real contacts. Since asperities control the initiation and evolution of the fault slip, it is important to explore the intrinsic relationships between the collective behavior of local asperities and the frictional stability of the global fault. Here we propose a novel analog experimental approach, which allows us to capture the temporal evolution of the slip of each asperity on a faulting interface. We find that many destabilizing events at the local asperity scale occurred in the slip‐strengthening stage which is conventionally considered as the stable regime of a fault. We compute the interseismic coupling to evaluate the slipping behaviors of asperities during the slip‐strengthening stage. We evidence that the interseismic coupling can be affected by the elastic interactions between asperities through the embedding soft matrix. Scaling laws of natural slow slip events are reproduced by our setup in particular the moment‐duration scaling. We also evidence an unexpected persistency of a disordering of the asperities through the seismic cycles despite the relaxation effects of the large slip events.
Anthropogenic and environmental factors associated with koala deaths due to dog attacks and vehicle collisions in South-East Queensland, Australia, 2009–2013
Authors: Dissanayake Ravi Bandara , Stevenson Mark , Astudillo Viviana Gonzalez , Allavena Rachel , Henning Joerg 
Published: August 2023

AbstractPopulations of the iconic Australian koala are under constant decline. Their deaths are associated with rapid and extensive urbanization and the fragmentation of habitat areas. Using citizen science data on reported koala mortalities, we quantified the association between anthropogenic and environmental factors and the two leading causes of koala deaths, dog attacks and vehicle collisions. We achieved this objective using a case–control study design to compare the odds of exposure to a given risk factor for cases (a given cause of death) with the odds of exposure to a given risk factor for controls (all other causes of death). Koala deaths due to dog attacks were positively associated with registered dog population density and negatively associated with lot density whereas koala deaths due to vehicle collisions were positively associated with road density (road length per square kilometer) and negatively associated with human population density and distance to primary and secondary roads. The results of this research can be used to develop strategies to mitigate the risk of deaths due to dog attacks, for example by conducting educational awareness programs, promoting registration of dogs and discouraging free roaming of dogs. In a similar manner, in high-risk areas for vehicle collisions, over- or underpasses can be built to facilitate safe movement of koalas for road crossings or speed limits could be introduced to reduce the likelihood of premature koala deaths due to vehicle collisions.
Mendelian randomization analysis revealed potential metabolic causal factors for breast cancer
Authors: Zhou Mengshi , Henricks Mason , Loch Valerie , Zhang Gloria , Lu Yong , Li Xiaoyin 
Published: August 2023

AbstractObservational studies showed that metabolic phenotypes were associated with the risk of developing breast cancer (BC). However, those results are inconsistent regarding the magnitude of the association, particularly by subtypes of breast cancer. Furthermore, the mechanisms of the association remain unclear. We performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to evaluate the causal effect of metabolic risk factors on breast cancer in the European population. Assessed individually using MR, body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio [OR] 0.94, 95% Confidence interval [CI] 0.90–0.98, P = 0.007), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.07–1.13, P = 6.10 × 10–11) and triglycerides (TG) (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.90–0.96, P = 1.58 × 10–6) were causally related to breast cancer risk. In multivariable MR, only HDL-C (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.02–1.14; P = 0.02) retained a robust effect, suggesting that the genetic association between BMI, HDL-C and TG with breast cancer risk in univariable analysis was explained via HDL-C. These findings suggest a possible causal role of HDL-C in breast cancer etiology.
A feasibility study of applying two-dimensional photogrammetry for screening and monitoring of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in clinical practice
Authors: Zheng Qian , Xie Lingfeng , Xu Jiang , Xia Nan , Ma Christina Zong-Hao 
Published: August 2023

AbstractStanding posteroanterior radiographs have been the golden standard to quantify the severity of scoliosis deformity. However, it exposes ionizing radiation to scoliosis patients, and cannot be used for routine screening and monitoring. This study aimed to develop a protocol of measuring postural indexes by using the noninvasive and radiation-free two-dimensional (2D) photogrammetry method and identify its clinical value in scoliosis screening and monitoring. The five postural indexes were measured from the posterior view of 110 participants. One-way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey HSD/Games–Howell analysis was used to compare the differences between the participants in the scoliosis group and the non-scoliosis group. Pearson coefficients of correlation were analyzed to identify the relationships between Cobb angles and each of the five quantitative postural indexes. Based on 2D photogrammetry, the postural indexes of C7 deviation (p = 0.02), shoulder alignment (p < 0.001), scapula alignment (p < 0.001), waist angle discrepancy (p < 0.001), and PSIS alignment (p < 0.001) could significantly differentiate scoliosis and non-scoliosis patients during screening. The waist angle discrepancy (r = 0.4, p = 0.01; r = 0.8, p = 0.03; r = 0.7, p = 0.01) and shoulder alignment (r = 0.6, p = 0.03) had moderate to strong positive correlations with the Cobb angles, which supported their clinical values in monitoring scoliotic curvature changes of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients.
Beyond the effects of HIV infection and integrase inhibitors-based therapies on oral bacteriome
Authors: Villoslada-Blanco Pablo , Pérez-Matute Patricia , Recio-Fernández Emma , Íñiguez María , Blanco-Navarrete Pilar , Metola Luis , Ibarra Valvanera , Alba Jorge , de Toro María , Oteo José A. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractOral microbiome is the second largest microbial community in humans after gut. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection triggers an impairment of the immune system which could favour the growth and the colonization of pathogens in the oral cavity, and this dysbiosis has been associated with oral manifestations that worsen the quality of life of these patients. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) could also drive changes in specific oral bacterial taxa associated with such periodontal diseases. Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs), therapy of choice in the treatment of naive HIV-patients, are able to reverse the impact of HIV infection on systemic inflammation, gut permeability, and gut bacterial diversity/richness. The objective of this study was to analyse the effects of HIV infection per se and INSTIs on salivary bacteriome composition, taking into consideration other factors such as smoking, that could also have a significant impact on oral microbiome. To accomplish this objective, 26 non-HIV-infected volunteers and 30 HIV-infected patients (15 naive and 15 under INSTIs-regimen) were recruited. Salivary samples were collected to measure lysozyme levels. Oral bacteriome composition was analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Naive HIV-infected patients showed statistically higher levels of lysozyme compared to controls (p < 0.001) and INSTIs-treated patients (p < 0.05). Our study was unable to detect differences in α nor β-diversity among the three groups analysed, although significant differences in the abundance of some bacterial taxonomical orders were detected (higher abundance in the phylum Pseudomonadota, in the order Acholeplasmatales, and in the genera Ezakiella and Acholeplasma in the naive group compared to controls; and higher abundance in the phylum Mycoplasmatota, in the order Acholeplasmatales, and in the genera Acholeplasma and uncultured Eubacteriaceae bacterium in the INTIs-treated HIV-infected patients compared to controls). These differences seem to be partially independent of smoking habit. HIV infection and INSTIs effects on oral microbiota seem not to be very potent, probably due to the modulation of other factors such as smoking and the greatest outward exposure of the oral cavity.
Fabrication of a uniform chromate conversion coating on Zn alloy for improved corrosion resistance in humid environments
Authors: Ha Seonghye , Eun Jakyung , Choi Changhoon , Cho Soohyoun , Jeon Sangmin 
Published: August 2023

AbstractWe developed a facile method to produce a uniform chromate conversion (CC) coating on zinc alloy-plated steel substrates (ZS). When an acidic CC solution is applied to ZS (C-ZS), zinc is dissolved and chromium ions are reduced to form a chromate coating. In localized areas where zinc is excessively dissolved, zinc hydroxide particles are formed, which hinders the formation of a uniform chromate film, leaving the areas vulnerable to further corrosion (i.e., the formation of dark spots) when exposed to high humidity conditions. To suppress the excessive dissolution of zinc, the ZS surface was pretreated with thiolated polyethylene oxide to form a hydrophilic self-assembled monolayer. A more uniform protective CC coating was obtained on the pretreated ZS, resulting in superior corrosion resistance under high humidity conditions.
Extracellular vesicle-mediated targeting strategies for long-term health benefits in gestational diabetes
Authors: Nair Soumyalekshmi , Ormazabal Valeska , Carrion Flavio , Handberg Aase , McIntyre H David , Salomon Carlos 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are critical mediators of cell communication, playing important roles in regulating molecular cross-talk between different metabolic tissues and influencing insulin sensitivity in both healthy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pregnancies. The ability of EVs to transfer molecular cargo between cells imbues them with potential as therapeutic agents. During pregnancy, the placenta assumes a vital role in metabolic regulation, with multiple mechanisms of placenta-mediated EV cross-talk serving as central components in GDM pathophysiology. This review focuses on the role of the placenta in the pathophysiology of GDM and explores the possibilities and prospects of targeting the placenta to address insulin resistance and placental dysfunction in GDM. Additionally, we propose the use of EVs as a novel method for targeted therapeutics in treating the dysfunctional placenta. The primary aim of this review is to comprehend the current status of EV targeting approaches and assess the potential application of these strategies in placental therapeutics, thereby delivering molecular cargo and improving maternal and fetal outcomes in GDM. We propose that EVs have the potential to revolutionize GDM management, offering hope for enhanced maternal–fetal health outcomes and more effective treatments.
Metallicity ceiling in quasars from recycled stellar winds
Authors: Cheng Shelley J. , Loeb Abraham 
Published: August 2023

Context.Optically luminous quasars are metal rich across all redshifts. Surprisingly, there is no significant trend in the broad line region (BLR) metallicity with different star formation rates (SFR), and the average N V/C IV metallicity does not appear to exceed 9.5 Z⊙. Combined, these observations may suggest a metallicity ceiling.Aims.Here, we conduct an exploratory study on scenarios relating to the evolution of embedded stars that may lead to a metallicity ceiling in quasar disks.Methods.We developed a simple model that starts with gas in a “closed box,” which is enriched by cycles of stellar evolution until eventually newly formed stars may undergo significant mass loss before they reach the supernova stage and further enrichment is halted. Using theMESAcode, we created a grid over a parameter space of masses (> 8 M⊙) and metallicities (1 − 10 Z⊙), and located portions of the parameter space where mass loss via winds occurs on a timescale shorter than the lifetime of the stars.Results.Based upon reasonable assumptions about stellar winds, we found that sufficiently massive (8 − 22 M⊙) and metal-rich (∼9 Z⊙) stars lose significant mass via winds and may no longer evolve to the supernovae stage, thereby failing to enrich and increase the metallicity of their surroundings. This suggests that a metallicity ceiling is the final state of a closed-box system of gas and stars.