Video-microscopy-based automated trajectory determination

We present a method for tracking densely clustered, high-velocity, indistinguishable objects being spawned at a high rate and moving in a directed force field using only object centroids as inputs and no other image information. The algorithm places minimal restrictions on the velocities or accelerations of the objects being tracked and uses a methodology based on a scoring function and a backtracking refinement process. This combination leads to successful tracking of hundreds of particles in challenging environments even when the displacement of the individual objects at successive times approaches the separation between neighboring objects in any one frame. We note that these cases can be particularly difficult to handle by existing methods. The performance of the algorithm is methodically examined by comparison to simulated trajectories, which vary the temporal and spatial densities, velocities, and accelerations of the objects in motion, as well as the signal/noise ratio. Also, we demonstrate its capability by analyzing data from experiments with superparamagnetic microspheres moving in an inhomogeneous magnetic field in aqueous buffer at room temperature. Our method should be widely applicable since trajectory determination problems are ubiquitous in video microscopy applications in biology, materials science, physics, and engineering.

Selective refueling of CAR T cells using ADA1 and CD26 boosts antitumor immunity

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is hindered in solid tumor treatment due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and suboptimal T cell persistence. Current strategies do not address nutrient competition in the microenvironment. Hence, we present a metabolic refueling approach using inosine as an alternative fuel. CAR T cells were engineered to express membrane-bound CD26 and cytoplasmic adenosine deaminase 1 (ADA1), converting adenosine to inosine. Autocrine secretion of ADA1 upon CD3/CD26 stimulation activates CAR T cells, improving migration and resistance to transforming growth factor β1 suppression. Fusion of ADA1 with anti-CD3 scFv further boosts inosine production and minimizes tumor cell feeding. In mouse models of hepatocellular carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer, metabolically refueled CAR T cells exhibit superior tumor reduction compared to unmodified CAR T cells. Overall, our study highlights the potential of selective inosine refueling to enhance CAR T therapy efficacy against solid tumors.

Comprehensive Assessment of Artificial Intelligence Tools for Driver Monitoring and Analyzing Safety Critical Events in Vehicles

Human factors are a primary cause of vehicle accidents. Driver monitoring systems, utilizing a range of sensors and techniques, offer an effective method to monitor and alert drivers to minimize driver error and reduce risky driving behaviors, thus helping to avoid Safety Critical Events (SCEs) and enhance overall driving safety. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, in particular, have been widely investigated to improve the efficiency and accuracy of driver monitoring or analysis of SCEs. To better understand the state-of-the-art practices and potential directions for AI tools in this domain, this work is an inaugural attempt to consolidate AI-related tools from academic and industry perspectives. We include an extensive review of AI models and sensors used in driver gaze analysis, driver state monitoring, and analyzing SCEs. Furthermore, researchers identified essential AI tools, both in academia and industry, utilized for camera-based driver monitoring and SCE analysis, in the market. Recommendations for future research directions are presented based on the identified tools and the discrepancies between academia and industry in previous studies. This effort provides a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners seeking a deeper understanding of leveraging AI tools to minimize driver errors, avoid SCEs, and increase driving safety.

Food waste-based bio-fertilizers production by bio-based fermenters and their potential impact on the environment

Increasing food waste is creating a global waste (and management) crisis. Globally, ∼1.6 billion tons of food is wasted annually, worth ∼$1.2 trillion. By reducing this waste or by turning it into valuable products, numerous economic advantages can be realized, including improved food security, lower production costs, biodegradable products, environmental sustainability, and cleaner solutions to the growing world's waste and garbage management. The appropriate handling of these detrimental materials can significantly reduce the risks to human health. Food waste is available in biodegradable forms and, with the potential to speed up microbial metabolism effectively, has immense potential in improving bio-based fertilizer generation. Synthetic inorganic fertilizers severely affect human health, the environment, and soil fertility, thus requiring immediate consideration. To address these problems, agricultural farming is moving towards manufacturing bio-based fertilizers via utilizing natural bioresources. Food waste-based bio-fertilizers could help increase yields, nutrients, and organic matter and mitigate synthetic fertilizers' adverse effects. These are presented and discussed in the review.

The cellular consequences of particulate matter pollutants in plants: Safeguarding the harmonious integration of structure and function

Particulate matter (PM) pollution is one of the pressing environmental concerns confronting human civilization in the face of the Anthropocene era. Plants are continuously exposed to an accelerating PM, threatening their growth and productivity. Although plants and plant-based infrastructures can potentially reduce ambient air pollutants, PM still affects them morphologically, anatomically, and physiologically. This review comprehensively summarizes an up-to-date review of plant-PM interaction among different functional plant groups, PM deposition and penetration through aboveground and belowground plant parts, and plants' cellular strategies. Upon exposure, PM represses lipid desaturases, eventually leading to modification of cell wall and membrane and altering cell fluidity; consequently, plants can sense the pollutants and, thus, adapt different cellular strategies. The PM also causes a reduction in the photosynthetically active radiation. The study demonstrated that plants reduce stomatal density to avoid PM uptake and increase stomatal index to compensate for decreased gaseous exchange efficiency and transpiration rates. Furthermore, genes and gene sets associated with photosynthesis, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and the TCA cycle were dramatically lowered by PM stress. Several transcription factors, including MYB, C2H2, C3H, G2-like, and WRKY were induced, and metabolites such as proline and soluble sugar were accumulated to increase resistance against stressors. In addition, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants were also accumulated to scavenge the PM-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). Taken together, this review provides an insight into plants' underlying cellular mechanisms and gene regulatory networks in response to the PM to determine strategies to preserve their structural and functional blend in the face of particulate pollution. The study concludes by recommending that future research should precisely focus on plants' response to short- and long-term PM exposure.

Horizontal magnetic tweezers and its applications in single molecule micromanipulation experiments

Magnetic tweezers (MTs) have become indispensable tools for gaining mechanistic insights into the behavior of DNA-processing enzymes and acquiring detailed, high-resolution data on the mechanical properties of DNA. Currently, MTs have two distinct designs: vertical and horizontal (or transverse) configurations. While the vertical design and its applications have been extensively documented, there is a noticeable gap in comprehensive information pertaining to the design details, experimental procedures, and types of studies conducted with horizontal MTs. This article aims to address this gap by providing a concise overview of the fundamental principles underlying transverse MTs. It will explore the multifaceted applications of this technique as an exceptional instrument for scrutinizing DNA and its interactions with DNA-binding proteins at the single-molecule level.

Recent advances in microbial engineering approaches for wastewater treatment: a review

In the present era of global climate change, the scarcity of potable water is increasing both due to natural and anthropogenic causes. Water is the elixir of life, and its usage has risen significantly due to escalating economic activities, widespread urbanization, and industrialization. The increasing water scarcity and rising contamination have compelled, scientists and researchers, to adopt feasible and sustainable wastewater treatment methods in meeting the growing demand for freshwater. Presently, various waste treatment technologies are adopted across the globe, such as physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes. There is a need to replace these technologies with sustainable and green technology that encourages the use of microorganisms since they have proven to be more effective in water treatment processes. The present review article is focused on demonstrating how effectively various microbes can be used in wastewater treatment to achieve environmental sustainability and economic feasibility. The microbial consortium used for water treatment offers many advantages over pure culture. There is an urgent need to develop hybrid treatment technology for the effective remediation of various organic and inorganic pollutants from wastewater.

Towards inoculant development for Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verdc) pulse crop production in Namibia

Introduction

The globally expanding population, together with climate change, poses a risk to the availability of food for humankind. Bambara groundnut (BGN) (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) is a neglected, relatively drought-tolerant native legume of Sub-Saharan Africa that has the potential to become a successful food crop because of its nutritional quality and climate-smart features. Nitrogen fixation from root nodule symbiosis with climate-adapted rhizobial symbionts can contribute nitrogen and organic material in nutrient-poor soil and improve yields. However, high soil temperature and drought often reduce the abundance of native rhizobia in such soil. Therefore, the formulation of climate-smart biofertilizers has the potential to improve the farming of BGN at a low cost in a sustainable manner.

Method

The effect of seven Bradyrhizobium spp. strains native to Namibia, including B. vignae and B. subterraneum, were tested on three Namibian BGN varieties (red, brown, cream) in greenhouse pot experiments in Namibia, using soil from the target region of Kavango. Each variety was treated with a mixed inoculant consisting of seven preselected strains ("MK") as well as with one promising single inoculant strain.

Results

The results revealed that in all three varieties, the two inoculants (mixed or single) outperformed the non-inoculated cultivars in terms of shoot dry weight by up to 70%; the mixed inoculant treatment performed significantly better (p < 0.05) in all cases compared to the single inoculant used. To test whether the inoculant strains were established in root nodules, they were identified by sequence analysis. In many cases, the indigenous strains of Kavango soil outcompeted the inoculant strains of the mix for nodule occupancy, depending on the BGN variety. As a further preselection, each of the individual strains of the mix was used to inoculate the three varieties under sterile conditions in a phytotron. The agronomic trait and root nodulation response of the host plant inoculations strongly differed with the BGN variety. Even competitiveness in nodule occupancy without involving any indigenous strains from soil differed and depended strictly on the variety.

Discussion

Severe differences in symbiont-plant interactions appear to occur in BGN depending on the plant variety, demanding for coupling of breeding efforts with selecting efficient inoculant strains.

Treatment of infected predators under the influence of fear-induced refuge

In this research, we delve into the dynamics of an infected predator-prey system in the presence of fear and refuge, presenting a novel inclusion of treatment for infected individuals in this type of model. Through our analytical efforts, we establish a significant reproduction number that holds a pivotal role in determining disease extinction or persistence within the system. A noteworthy threshold value for this reproduction number delineates a boundary below which the infected population cannot endure in the system. It's important to note that a range of reproduction numbers leads to both disease-free and endemic scenarios, yet the stability of these situations is contingent upon the initial population sizes. Furthermore, our investigation extends to the exploration of various types of bifurcation-namely, Backward, Saddle-node, and Hopf bifurcations. These findings unravel the intricate and diverse dynamics of the system. Of particular significance is the derivation of an optimal control policy for treatment, augmenting the practical utility of our work. The robustness of our analytical findings is fortified through meticulous verification via numerical simulations. These simulations not only bolster the credibility of our analytical results but also enhance their accessibility. Our study unveils that fear, refuge, and treatment possess individual capabilities to eradicate the disease from the system. Notably, increasing levels of fear and refuge exert a passive influence on the elimination of the infected population, whereas treatment wields an active influence-a crucial insight that bolsters the foundation of our model. Furthermore, our investigation uncovers a spectrum of system dynamics including bistability, one-period, two-period, and multi-period/chaotic behavior. These discoveries contribute to a profound enrichment of the system's dynamic landscape.

No association of the common Asian mitochondrial DNA haplogroups with lung cancer in East Indian population

OBJECTIVES

Mitochondrial dysfunction has long been associated with the pathogenesis of lung cancer (LC). Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups have been reported to modify the risk of LC in a few different populations; however, no study has been done among the Indians. Here, we explore the relationship between mtDNA haplogroups and LC in a representative eastern Indian sample set.

METHODS

Different combinations of six mtDNA SNPs, which define the major Asian mtDNA haplogroups M and N, and their sub-haplogroups D, G, M7, R, and F were genotyped via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) - sequencing approach in 94 smoker LC patients and 100 healthy smoker controls from an eastern Indian cohort.

RESULTS

The distribution of 7 mtDNA haplogroups did not show any significant differences between patients and controls (p<0.05). We did not find sub-haplogroup M7 in our study population.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study is the first to indicate that the major Asian mtDNA haplogroups have no significant (p<0.05) association with LC in East Indian population.

Regulation of ethylene metabolism in tomato under salinity stress involving linkages with important physiological signaling pathways

The tomato is well-known for its anti-oxidative and anti-cancer properties, and with a wide range of health benefits is an important cash crop for human well-being. However, environmental stresses (especially abiotic) are having a deleterious effect on plant growth and productivity, including tomato. In this review, authors describe how salinity stress imposes risk consequences on growth and developmental processes of tomato through toxicity by ethylene (ET) and cyanide (HCN), and ionic, oxidative, and osmotic stresses. Recent research has clarified how salinity stress induced-ACS and - β-CAS expressions stimulate the accumulation of ET and HCN, wherein the action of salicylic acid (SA),compatible solutes (CSs), polyamines (PAs) and ET inhibitors (ETIs) regulate ET and HCN metabolism. Here we emphasize how ET, SA and PA cooperates with mitochondrial alternating oxidase (AOX), salt overly sensitive (SOS) pathways and the antioxidants (ANTOX) system to better understand the salinity stress resistance mechanism. The current literature evaluated in this paper provides an overview of salinity stress resistance mechanism involving synchronized routes of ET metabolism by SA and PAs, connecting regulated network of central physiological processes governing through the action of AOX, β-CAS, SOS and ANTOX pathways, which might be crucial for the development of tomato.

Azimuthal Correlations within Exclusive Dijets with Large Momentum Transfer in Photon-Lead Collisions

The structure of nucleons is multidimensional and depends on the transverse momenta, spatial geometry, and polarization of the constituent partons. Such a structure can be studied using high-energy photons produced in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions. The first measurement of the azimuthal angular correlations of exclusively produced events with two jets in photon-lead interactions at large momentum transfer is presented, a process that is considered to be sensitive to the underlying nuclear gluon polarization. This study uses a data sample of ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.38  nb^{-1}, collected with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measured second harmonic of the correlation between the sum and difference of the two jet transverse momentum vectors is found to be positive, and rising, as the dijet transverse momentum increases. A well-tuned model that has been successful at describing a wide range of proton scattering data from the HERA experiments fails to describe the observed correlations, suggesting the presence of gluon polarization effects.

Exploring the benefits of inoculated cowpeas under different climatic conditions in Namibia

Cowpeas (Vigna uniculata L. Walp) are grown by many smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa for food and their ability to fix nitrogen even under stress. Their performance depends on the indigenous rhizobial strains that live in symbiotic association with the roots; it can be enhanced if the seeds are inoculated with more effective ones. Data of the effectiveness of the technique under a variety of climatic conditions is rare. Here, we thus use a model to upscale two field experiments conducted in Namibia to include different climate change scenarios. The simulations show that non-inoculated cowpeas have mean yields of 0.5 t/ha and inoculated cowpeas 1 t/ha. If climatic conditions are favorable (cool and wet), estimated yield differences increase to over 1 t/ha. In dry years (< 200 mm), the average yield difference is only 0.1 t/ha. In the far future (2080-2100), instances of dry and hot years will increase. Using inoculated cowpea seeds instead of non-inoculated ones thus does not benefit farmers as much then as in the near future (2030-2050). In conclusion, using cowpea seeds inoculated with an efficient rhizobial strain can significantly increase yields under varying climatic conditions, but yield advantages decrease markedly in very dry and hot years.

Scalable computational algorithms for geospatial COVID-19 spread using high performance computing

A nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE) based compartmental model of COVID-19 provides a continuous trace of infection over space and time. Finer resolutions in the spatial discretization, the inclusion of additional model compartments and model stratifications based on clinically relevant categories contribute to an increase in the number of unknowns to the order of millions. We adopt a parallel scalable solver that permits faster solutions for these high fidelity models. The solver combines domain decomposition and algebraic multigrid preconditioners at multiple levels to achieve the desired strong and weak scalabilities. As a numerical illustration of this general methodology, a five-compartment susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered-deceased (SEIRD) model of COVID-19 is used to demonstrate the scalability and effectiveness of the proposed solver for a large geographical domain (Southern Ontario). It is possible to predict the infections for a period of three months for a system size of 186 million (using 3200 processes) within 12 hours saving months of computational effort needed for the conventional solvers.

Interactive relations between plants, phyllosphere microbial community, and particulate matter pollution

Particulate matter (PM) pollution poses a significant risk to many ecosystems; as sessile organisms, plants are at particular risk from PM pollution since they cannot move away from it. Microorganisms are essential components of ecosystems that can help macro-organisms to cope with pollutants (such as PM). In the phyllosphere (the aerial/above-ground parts of plants colonized by microbial communities), plant-microbe associations have been found to promote plant development while also increasing host resilience to biotic and abiotic stressors. This review discusses how plant-microbe symbiosis in the phyllosphere potentially affects host survivability and efficiency in the face of pollution and factors such as climate change. Evidence is presented that plant-microbe associations can be beneficial, such as by degrading pollutants, yet also bring disadvantages, such as causing the loss of symbiotic organisms and/or inducing disease. It is suggested that plant genetics is a fundamental driver of the phyllosphere microbiome assembly, connecting phyllosphere microbiota to plant health management in adverse conditions. Finally, potential ways that essential community ecological processes might influence plant-microbe partnerships in the face of Anthropocene-linked changes and what this might mean for environmental management are discussed.

Bayesian approaches to include real-world data in clinical studies

Randomized clinical trials have been the mainstay of clinical research, but are prohibitively expensive and subject to increasingly difficult patient recruitment. Recently, there is a movement to use real-world data (RWD) from electronic health records, patient registries, claims data and other sources in lieu of or supplementing controlled clinical trials. This process of combining information from diverse sources calls for inference under a Bayesian paradigm. We review some of the currently used methods and a novel non-parametric Bayesian (BNP) method. Carrying out the desired adjustment for differences in patient populations is naturally done with BNP priors that facilitate understanding of and adjustment for population heterogeneities across different data sources. We discuss the particular problem of using RWD to create a synthetic control arm to supplement single-arm treatment only studies. At the core of the proposed approach is the model-based adjustment to achieve equivalent patient populations in the current study and the (adjusted) RWD. This is implemented using common atoms mixture models. The structure of such models greatly simplifies inference. The adjustment for differences in the populations can be reduced to ratios of weights in such mixtures. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bayesian inference: challenges, perspectives, and prospects'.

Static in vitro digestion model adapted to the general older adult population: an INFOGEST international consensus

Understanding the mechanisms of food digestion is of paramount importance to determine the effect foods have on human health. Significant knowledge on the fate of food during digestion has been generated in healthy adults due to the development of physiologically-relevant in vitro digestion models. However, it appears that the performance of the oro-gastrointestinal tract is affected by ageing and that a model simulating the digestive conditions found in a younger adult (<65 years) is not relevant for an older adult (>65 years). The objectives of the present paper were: (1) to conduct an exhaustive literature search to find data on the physiological parameters of the older adult oro-gastrointestinal tract, (2) to define the parameters of an in vitro digestion model adapted to the older adult. International experts have discussed all the parameters during a dedicated workshop organized within the INFOGEST network. Data on food bolus properties collected in the older adult were gathered, including food particle size found in older adult boluses. In the stomach and small intestine, data suggest that significant physiological changes are observed between younger and older adults. In the latter, the rate of gastric emptying is slowed down, the pH of the stomach content is higher, the amount of secretions and thus the hydrolytic activities of gastric and intestinal digestive enzymes are reduced and the concentration of bile salts lower. The consensus in vitro digestion model of the older adult proposed here will allow significant progress to be made in understanding the fate of food in this specific population, facilitating the development of foods adapted to their nutritional needs. Nevertheless, better foundational data when available and further refinement of the parameters will be needed to implement the proposed model in the future.

Abstract 4092: Development of nucleotide metabolic reprogrammed CAR T cell therapy suitable for solid tumors

CAR T cell therapy has represented an exciting breakthrough in the treatment of patients with hematologic malignancies. In contrast, the antitumor activity of CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors has been modest so far in clinical studies. The suboptimal clinical efficacy is a result of multiple factors including limited T cell trafficking, persistence, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). While current strategies utilize costimulatory molecules and cytokines to activate CAR T cells, a key but largely overlooked problem of CAR T cell therapy is nutrient competition between tumor cells and T cells in the nutrient-poor TME. In our previous studies, a metabolic screen identified inosine as an alternative fuel for T cells which can support T cell growth and function in the absence of glucose. T cells could metabolize inosine into hypoxanthine and phosphorylated ribose by purine nucleoside phosphorylase. Moreover, we demonstrated that T cells have advantage over cancer cells in utilizing inosine, and supplementation with inosine enhances the antitumor efficacy of PD-1 mAb and adoptive T cell transfer in mouse models. In this study, we therefore engineered CAR T cells to express CD26 on the cell surface and a secreted adenosine deaminase (ADA) fused with an anchor. These metabolic reprogrammed CAR (designated as MRCAR) T cells exerts their activities through different mechanisms. ADA irreversibly converts adenosine to inosine, overcoming adenosine-mediated immunosuppression and providing inosine for CAR T cell growth, while CD26 induces a rich chemokine receptor profile enabling CAR T cells to traffic to solid tumors. We demonstrated that CD26-overexpressed CAR T cells displayed superior migration capacity and resisted TGF-beta suppression, while the CD26 expression on unmodified CAR T cells was significantly down-regulated by TGF-beta. We further proved that ADA is conditionally secreted in stress condition (i.e., low pH, lack of nutrient and oxygen) based on ADA’s biological characteristics, suggesting that ADA activates CAR T cells as a trans-signaling to the CAR construct in a tumor specific manner. Remarkably, we observed that the MRCAR T cells inhibit tumor growth more effectively than unmodified CAR T cells in both Huh7 human hepatocellular carcinoma (GPC3-MRCAR) and A549 human non-small cell lung cancer (HER2-MRCAR) mouse models. Thus, MR-CAR T cell therapy represents a promising approach to improve CAR T cell therapy against solid tumors.

Citation Format: Yue Hu, Abhijit Sarkar, Kevin Song, Magnus Hook, Andras Heczey, Xiaotong Song. Development of nucleotide metabolic reprogrammed CAR T cell therapy suitable for solid tumors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 4092.

Breathing Fresh Air in the City: Implementing Avenue Trees as a Sustainable Solution to Reduce Particulate Pollution in Urban Agglomerations

The issue of air pollution from particulate matter (PM) is getting worse as more and more people move into urban areas around the globe. Due to the complexity and diversity of pollution sources, it has long been hard to rely on source control techniques to manage this issue. Due to the fact that urban trees may provide a variety of ecosystem services, there is an urgent need to investigate alternative strategies for dramatically improving air quality. PM has always been a significant concern due to its adverse effects on humans and the entire ecosystem. The severity of this issue has risen in the current global environmental context. Numerous studies on respiratory and other human disorders have revealed a statistical relationship between human exposure to outdoor levels of particles or dust and harmful health effects. These risks are undeniably close to industrial areas where these airborne, inhalable particles are produced. The combined and individual effects of the particle and gaseous contaminants on plants' general physiology can be detrimental. According to research, plant leaves, the primary receptors of PM pollution, can function as biological filters to remove significant amounts of particles from the atmosphere of urban areas. This study showed that vegetation could provide a promising green infrastructure (GI) for better air quality through the canopy and leaf-level processes, going beyond its traditional role as a passive target and sink for air pollutants. Opportunities exist for urban GI as a natural remedy for urban pollution caused by PMs.

Micromechanical Study of Hyperacetylated Nucleosomes Using Single Molecule Transverse Magnetic Tweezers

Nucleosomes are stable complexes of DNA and histone proteins that are essential for the proper functioning of the genome. These structures must be unwrapped and disassembled for processes such as gene expression, replication, and repair. Histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) are known to play a significant role in regulating the structural changes of nucleosomes. However, the underlying mechanisms by which these modifications function remain unclear. In this study, we report the results of single molecule micromanipulation experiments on DNA–protein complexes composed of hyperacetylated histone proteins using transverse magnetic tweezers. The experiments were conducted by pre-extending λ-DNA with a force less than 4 pN before introducing hyperacetylated histones into the sample chamber. The DNA shortened as the histones formed complexes with it and the nucleosome arrays were then exposed to increasing tension, resulting in quantized changes in the DNA’s extension with step sizes of (integral multiples of) ~50 nm. We also compared results of experiments using PTM histones and native histones with data collected for both types of histones for the same force ranges (2–80 pN) and loading rates. Our data show that hyperacetylated nucleosomes require an unbinding force of around ~2.5 pN, which is similar to that required for native histones. Moreover, we identified clear differences between the step-size distributions of native and hyperacetylated histones and found that in contrast to tethers reconstituted with native histones, the majority of nucleosomes in tethers compacted with hyperacetylated histones underwent disassembly at forces significantly lower than 6 pN.

Measurements of the associated production of a W boson and a charm quark in proton-proton collisions at s = 8 TeV

Measurements of the associated production of a W boson and a charm ( c ) quark in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV are reported. The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb - 1 collected by the CMS detector at the LHC. The W bosons are identified through their leptonic decays to an electron or a muon, and a neutrino. Charm quark jets are selected using distinctive signatures of charm hadron decays. The product of the cross section and branching fraction σ ( pp → W + c + X ) B ( W → ℓ ν ) , where ℓ = e or μ , and the cross section ratio σ ( pp → W + + c ¯ + X ) / σ ( pp → W - + c + X ) are measured in a fiducial volume and differentially as functions of the pseudorapidity and of the transverse momentum of the lepton from the W boson decay. The results are compared with theoretical predictions. The impact of these measurements on the determination of the strange quark distribution is assessed.

Unravelling the Complexity of Irregular Shiftwork, Fatigue and Sleep Health for Commercial Drivers and the Associated Implications for Roadway Safety

Fatigue can be a significant problem for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The lifestyle of a long-haul CMV driver may include long and irregular work hours, inconsistent sleep schedules, poor eating and exercise habits, and mental and physical stress, all contributors to fatigue. Shiftwork is associated with lacking, restricted, and poor-quality sleep and variations in circadian rhythms, all shown to negatively affect driving performance through impaired in judgment and coordination, longer reaction times, and cognitive impairment. Overweight and obesity may be as high as 90% in CMV drivers, and are associated with prevalent comorbidities, including obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. As cognitive and motor processing declines with fatigue, driver performance decreases, and the risk of errors, near crashes, and crashes increases. Tools and assessments to determine and quantify the nature, severity, and impact of fatigue and sleep disorders across a variety of environments and populations have been developed and should be critically examined before being employed with CMV drivers. Strategies to mitigate fatigue in CMV operations include addressing the numerous personal, health, and work factors contributing to fatigue and sleepiness. Further research is needed across these areas to better understand implications for roadway safety.

Recycling of silicon-rich agro-wastes by their combined application with phosphate solubilizing microbe to solubilize the native soil phosphorus in a sub-tropical Alfisol

It is imperative to find suitable strategies to utilize the native soil phosphorus (P), as natural rock phosphate deposits are at a verge of depletion. We explored two such cost-effective and eco-friendly strategies for native soil P solubilization: silicon (Si)-rich agro-wastes (as Si source) and phosphate solubilizing microorganism (PSM). An incubation study was conducted in a sub-tropical Alfisol for 90 days at 25 °C under field capacity moisture. A factorial completely randomized design with 3 factors, namely: Si sources (three levels: sugarcane bagasse ash, rice husk ash, and corn cob ash), PSM (two levels: without PSM, and with PSM); and Si doses [three levels: no Si (Si₀), 125 (Si₁₂₅) and 250 (Si₂₅₀) mg Si kg^-1 soil] was followed. The PSM increased solution P and soluble Si level by ∼22.2 and 1.88%, respectively, over no PSM; whereas, Si₁₂₅ and Si₂₅₀ increased solution P by ∼60.4 and 77.1%, as well as soluble Si by ∼41.5 and 55.5%, respectively, over Si₀. Also, interaction of PSM × Si doses was found significant (P<0.05). Activities of soil enzymes (dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase) and microbial biomass P also increased significantly both with PSM and Si application. Overall, PSM solubilized ∼4.18 mg kg^-1 of inorganic P and mineralized ∼5.92 mg kg^-1 of organic P; whereas, Si₁₂₅ and Si₂₅₀ solubilized ∼3.85 and 5.72 mg kg^-1 of inorganic P, and mineralized ∼4.15 and 5.37 mg kg^-1 of organic P, respectively. Path analysis revealed that inorganic P majorly contributed to total P solubilization; whereas, soluble and loosely bound, iron bound and aluminium bound P significantly influenced the inorganic P solubilization. Thus, utilization of such wastes as Si sources will not only complement the costly P fertilizers, but also address the waste disposal issue in a sustainable manner.

Effect of seasonally forced noisy environment on aquatic prey-predator model with water level fluctuations

In this paper, the impact of environmental noise on prey-predator interactions with seasonal fluctuations in water levels has been studied. Both intensity of noise and water level variations together play a significant role in the dynamics of an aquatic prey-predator system. Analytically, we have shown the existence of a positive solution and its uniqueness, the ultimate bound of the system's solutions, and the global attractivity of the solution. Moreover, parametric conditions for which model species either persist (strongly or weakly) in the system or go into extinction are derived and their biological significance is also discussed. The sufficient condition of stochastic permanence is also analyzed. To justify the analytical results, we have performed numerical simulations of both deterministic and stochastic systems and observed some significant dynamics in the considered system.

Induction of Iron Stress in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines by Siderophore of Aspergillus nidulans Towards Promising Anticancer Effect

Hepatocellular carcinoma is among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide and needs efficient and feasible approach of treatment. Present study focuses on exploring the anticancer activity of a secondary metabolite called siderophore of Aspergillus nidulans against hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. These small peptides are produced by microorganisms including fungi for scavenging iron from its surroundings. Fungi including Aspergillus spp. are known to produce siderophores under iron-limited conditions. Siderophores have high affinity towards iron and are classified into various types. In the present study, siderophore isolated and purified from fungal cultures was confirmed to be of hydroxamate type by chrome azurol sulfonate and Atkin's assay. HPLC analysis confirmed purity while LC-ESI-MS revealed that the siderophore is triacetyl fusigen. Cancerous cells, HepG2, grown under siderophore treatment showed inhibition in growth and proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Reduction in viability and metabolic activity was evident upon treatment as seen in trypan blue, MTT and WST assay. Fluorescent staining using PI and DAPI confirmed the same while DCFDA staining revealed increased reactive oxygen species production which might have led to cell death and deterioration. Such increase in ROS has been correlated with iron accumulation by assessing intracellular iron level through ICP-MS. To assess the effect of siderophore treatment on normal cells, WRL-68, same assays were carried out but the effect was mostly non-significant up to 48 h. Thus, present work suggests that an optimum dose of siderophore purified from A. nidulans culture might prove a useful anticancer agent.

Search for Resonances Decaying to Three W Bosons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for resonances decaying into a W boson and a radion, where the radion decays into two W bosons, is presented. The data analyzed correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} recorded in proton-proton collisions with the CMS detector at sqrt[s]=13  TeV. One isolated charged lepton is required, together with missing transverse momentum and one or two massive large-radius jets, containing the decay products of either two or one W bosons, respectively. No excess over the background estimation is observed. The results are combined with those from a complementary channel with an all-hadronic final state, described in an accompanying paper. Limits are set on parameters of an extended warped extra-dimensional model. These searches are the first of their kind at the LHC.

Probing Charm Quark Dynamics via Multiparticle Correlations in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

Multiparticle azimuthal correlations of prompt D^{0} mesons are measured in Pb-Pb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. For the first time, a four-particle cumulant method is used to extract the second Fourier coefficient of the azimuthal distribution (v_{2}) of D^{0} mesons as a function of event centrality and the D^{0} transverse momentum. The ratios of the four-particle v_{2} values to previously measured two-particle cumulant results provide direct experimental access to event-by-event fluctuations of charm quark azimuthal anisotropies. These ratios are also found to be comparable to those of inclusive charged particles in the event. However, hints of deviations are seen in the most central and peripheral collisions. To investigate the origin of flow fluctuations in the charm sector, these measurements are compared to a model implementing fluctuations of charm quark energy loss via collisional or radiative processes in the quark-gluon plasma. These models cannot quantitatively describe the data over the full transverse momentum and centrality ranges, although the calculations with collisional energy loss provide a better description of the data.

First Search for Exclusive Diphoton Production at High Mass with Tagged Protons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for exclusive two-photon production via photon exchange in proton-proton collisions, pp→pγγp with intact protons, is presented. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 9.4  fb^{-1} collected in 2016 using the CMS and TOTEM detectors at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC. Events are selected with a diphoton invariant mass above 350 GeV and with both protons intact in the final state, to reduce backgrounds from strong interactions. The events of interest are those where the invariant mass and rapidity calculated from the momentum losses of the forward-moving protons match the mass and rapidity of the central, two-photon system. No events are found that satisfy this condition. Interpreting this result in an effective dimension-8 extension of the standard model, the first limits are set on the two anomalous four-photon coupling parameters. If the other parameter is constrained to its standard model value, the limits at 95% confidence level are |ζ_{1}|<2.9×10^{-13}  GeV^{-4} and |ζ_{2}|<6.0×10^{-13}  GeV^{-4}.

Revamping highly weathered soils in the tropics with biochar application: What we know and what is needed

Fast weathering of parent materials and rapid mineralization of organic matter because of prevalent climatic conditions, and subsequent development of acidity and loss/exhaustion of nutrient elements due to intensive agricultural practices have resulted in the degradation of soil fertility and productivity in the vast tropical areas of the world. There is an urgent need for rejuvenation of weathered tropical soils to improve crop productivity and sustainability. For this purpose, biochar has been found to be more effective than other organic soil amendments due to biochar's stability in soil, and thus can extend the benefits over long duration. This review synthesizes information concerning the present status of biochar application in highly weathered tropical soils highlighting promising application strategies for improving resource use efficiency in terms of economic feasibility. In this respect, biochar has been found to improve crop productivity and soil quality consistently through liming and fertilization effects in low pH and infertile soils under low-input conditions typical of weathered tropical soils. This paper identifies several advance strategies that can maximize the effectiveness of biochar application in weathered tropical soils. However, strategies for the reduction of costs of biochar production and application to increase the material's use efficiency need future development. At the same time, policy decision by linking economic benefits with social and environmental issues is necessary for successful implementation of biochar technology in weathered tropical soils. This review recommends that advanced biochar strategies hold potential for sustaining soil quality and agricultural productivity in tropical soils.

CURRENT THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES AND CHALLENGES IN NSCLC TREATMENT: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most lethal malignancies accountings for nearly 80% of all lung cancer cases diagnosed and causing over one million deaths annually worldwide. The discovery of molecular alterations including driver mutations and gene fusions has led to innovation of numerous targeted therapies, which certainly provided an edge over the classical chemotherapeutic treatment regimens and improved survival of the patients. Despite all the breakthrough innovations, the five-year survival statistics has not improved the way it was expected, pointing the challenges and limitations of currently approved diagnostic methods and therapies. This review summarizes various innovative therapies, treatment regimens developed over the last two decades for NSCLC treatment and the current challenges and limitations in the NSCLC treatment landscape.

Search for low-mass dilepton resonances in Higgs boson decays to four-lepton final states in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV

A search for low-mass dilepton resonances in Higgs boson decays is conducted in the four-lepton final state. The decay is assumed to proceed via a pair of beyond the standard model particles, or one such particle and a Z boson. The search uses proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb - 1 , at a center-of-mass energy s = 13 TeV . No significant deviation from the standard model expectation is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on model-independent Higgs boson decay branching fractions. Additionally, limits on dark photon and axion-like particle production, based on two specific models, are reported.

Using Z Boson Events to Study Parton-Medium Interactions in Pb-Pb Collisions

The spectra measurements of charged hadrons produced in the shower of a parton originating in the same hard scattering with a leptonically decaying Z boson are reported in lead-lead nuclei (Pb-Pb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV. Both Pb-Pb and pp data sets are recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 1.7  nb^{-1} and 320  pb^{-1}, respectively. Hadronic collision data with one reconstructed Z boson candidate with the transverse momentum p_{T}>30  GeV/c are analyzed. The Z boson constrains the initial energy and direction of the associated parton. In heavy ion events, azimuthal angular distributions of charged hadrons with respect to the direction of a Z boson are sensitive to modifications of the in-medium parton shower and medium response. compared to reference data from pp interactions, the results for central Pb-Pb collisions indicate a modification of the angular correlations. The measurements of the fragmentation functions and p_{T} spectra of charged particles in Z boson events, which are sensitive to medium modifications of the parton shower longitudinal structure, are also reported. Significant modifications in central Pb-Pb events compared to the pp reference data are also found for these observables.

Search for strongly interacting massive particles generating trackless jets in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV

A search for dark matter in the form of strongly interacting massive particles (SIMPs) using the CMS detector at the LHC is presented. The SIMPs would be produced in pairs that manifest themselves as pairs of jets without tracks. The energy fraction of jets carried by charged particles is used as a key discriminator to suppress efficiently the large multijet background, and the remaining background is estimated directly from data. The search is performed using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 16.1 fb - 1 , collected with the CMS detector in 2016. No significant excess of events is observed above the expected background. For the simplified dark matter model under consideration, SIMPs with masses up to 100 GeV are excluded and further sensitivity is explored towards higher masses.

Comprehensive compartmental model and calibration algorithm for the study of clinical implications of the population-level spread of COVID-19: a study protocol

INTRODUCTION

The complex dynamics of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has made obtaining reliable long-term forecasts of the disease progression difficult. Simple mechanistic models with deterministic parameters are useful for short-term predictions but have ultimately been unsuccessful in extrapolating the trajectory of the pandemic because of unmodelled dynamics and the unrealistic level of certainty that is assumed in the predictions.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We propose a 22-compartment epidemiological model that includes compartments not previously considered concurrently, to account for the effects of vaccination, asymptomatic individuals, inadequate access to hospital care, post-acute COVID-19 and recovery with long-term health complications. Additionally, new connections between compartments introduce new dynamics to the system and provide a framework to study the sensitivity of model outputs to several concurrent effects, including temporary immunity, vaccination rate and vaccine effectiveness. Subject to data availability for a given region, we discuss a means by which population demographics (age, comorbidity, socioeconomic status, sex and geographical location) and clinically relevant information (different variants, different vaccines) can be incorporated within the 22-compartment framework. Considering a probabilistic interpretation of the parameters allows the model's predictions to reflect the current state of uncertainty about the model parameters and model states. We propose the use of a sparse Bayesian learning algorithm for parameter calibration and model selection. This methodology considers a combination of prescribed parameter prior distributions for parameters that are known to be essential to the modelled dynamics and automatic relevance determination priors for parameters whose relevance is questionable. This is useful as it helps prevent overfitting the available epidemiological data when calibrating the parameters of the proposed model. Population-level administrative health data will serve as partial observations of the model states.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Approved by Carleton University's Research Ethics Board-B (clearance ID: 114596). Results will be made available through future publication.

Wastewater irrigation in India: Current status, impacts and response options

Wastewater generated from urban agglomerations in India is estimated to be 26.4 km³ annually and 28% of it is treated. This has a potential to irrigate about 2.1 million-ha agricultural land, contribute 4 million Mg of plant nutrients, generate 2.8 million person-days of employment and reduce green house gas (GHG) emission by 73.7 million Mg CO₂-e. Farmers in peri-urban areas depend largely on raw and partially treated wastewater for livelihood via raising high value crops such as vegetable, fodders and fruits. Both controlled and uncontrolled disposal of waste waters leads to progressive and irreversible contamination of soils, surface and ground waters with pathogens, heavy metals and organic micro-contaminants and consequently their bio-transfer through the chain: sewage-soil-vegetation-animal-humans. This has led to the development of a considerable assortment of regulatory measures and guidelines aimed at reducing or eliminating wastewater related health risks. Because conventional treatment technologies are cost prohibitive, alternate methods based on biological and land treatment systems are being advocated. Since soils are the most logical sinks for wastewater, efforts are to optimise rates and methods of water application, quantify the sink capacity of soils to immobilise contaminants and protect the quality of produce. Reuse of diluted or undiluted wastewaters improves crop productivity by 10-36% though production sustainability depends on soil type, climatic conditions, crop grown, irrigation techniques and socio-political factors. Disposal of wastewater in tree plantations and constructed wetlands with consequent removal of toxic metals/compounds using hyper-accumulators/accumulators plants provide for a possible alternative. Ignoring the associated risks, using pisciculture for sewage disposal is quite popular in high rainfall areas. With growing water scarcities, it is utmost important to recognise wastewaters as a valuable resource and formulate appropriate policy initiatives considering the health and livelihood issues of the per-urban farmers and consumers of food as well as risks to environment.

Changes in tropospheric ozone concentration over Indo-Gangetic Plains: the role of meteorological parameters

This study seeks to understand and quantify the changes in tropospheric ozone (O3) in lower troposphere (LT), middle troposphere (MT) and upper middle troposphere (UMT) over the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGPs), India during the COVID-19 lockdown 2020 with that of pre-lockdown 2019. The gridded datasets of ozone from the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis product, ERA5 in combination with statistical interpolated (IDWs) surface NO2 observations, present a consistent picture and indicate a significant tropospheric ozone enhancement over IGP during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in May 2020. The Paper also examines the influencing role of meteorological parameters on increasing ozone concentration. Over LT, an increase in O3 concentration (23%) is observed and in MT to UMT an enhancement of about 9–18% in O3 concentration have been seen during May 2020 with respect to May 2019. An investigation on causes of increasing  ozone concentration (35–85 ppbv) from MT to UMT during May 2020 reveals that there was significant rise (by 1–6%) in low cloud cover (LCC). Notably, higher LCC increases the backscattering of upward solar radiation from the top of the atmosphere. A positive difference of 5–25 W/m2 in upward solar radiation (USR) is observed across the entire study region. The result suggests that higher LCC significantly contributed to the enhanced USR. Thereby, resulting in higher photolysis rate that lead to an increase in mid tropospheric ozone concentration during May 2020. The results highlight the importance of LCC as an important pathway in ozone formation and aid in scientific understanding of it.

Can the nation-wide COVID-19 lockdown help India identify region-specific strategies for air pollution?

Air pollution is a serious concern with the developing economics in India and gets more severe when it has major cities ranked among the top 30 polluted cities worldwide. To find a solution, different programs and/or policies have been launched for air quality management country-wide. Unfortunately, no such plan could effectively solve the purpose rather than an unexpected COVID-19 pandemic situation in India. Our study focused on the air pollution status and air quality index (AQI) in 42 cities (that includes 6 metros) representing North, South, East, West, Central, and North-East region of India during the pre-lockdown, four lockdowns and unlock phases. The results depict most of the pollutants except ozone (O3) were significantly reduced in the lockdown-1, and marginally increased in subsequent lockdown phases. Regarding the average AQI, its value was highest in North Indian cities (227), followed by East India (172), Central India (141), North-East India (130), West India (124), and South India (83) during the pre-lockdown. Due to COVID-19 induced lockdown, North Indian cities observed the highest dip in average AQI (108), followed by Central India (113), East India (82), West India (73), South India (55), and North-East India (49) in the lockdown and unlock phases. Thus, the study gave a conspicuous vision on mitigation of air pollution under this pandemic; and, if strategic centralized policies are sensibly implemented and by involving the participation of people of India, then there is a feasibility of air pollution issue management.

Investigation of the interaction mechanism of 3-allyl-2-hydantoin anti-cancer on the pristine and functionalized BC2N nanotubes as an effective drug delivery nanocarriers

One of the exciting aspects of different nanomaterials in biomedical applications is the delivery of a wide range of anti-cancer drugs to mitigate their negative side effects via precise targeting of the tumor cells. In the present study, the DFT B3LYP/6-31G (d, p) level of theory was used to evaluate the capabilities of raw BC₂N nanotubes (BC₂NNTs) and functionalized BC₂NNTs nanostructures as a carrier for an anti-cancer drug (i.e., 3-allyl-2-hydantoin (3-ASH)). It was specified that the existing interaction between 3-ASH and BC₂N nanotubes is weak (-10.97kcalmol^-1). Therefore, the functionalized BC₂NNTs were investigated for 3-ASH interaction. According to our computations, compared with raw BC₂NNTs, the role of hydrogen bonds between 3-ASH molecules' active sites and carboxyl-functionalized BC₂NNTs in the complexes' fixation, adsorption, and thermodynamic energy is of great importance. A considerable transfer of charge between 3-ASH molecule to the functionalized BC₂NNTs was detected via MEP, NBO, and fractional charge transfer analysis. Also, it was found that these nanostructures have high stability on the water medium while their solvation energies have negative values. This negative value is beneficial for the applications of 3-ASH drug delivery. The present work proposes a new method to load 3-ASH drugs with a high density on BC₂NNTs' surfaces.

Antifungal Activity of Siderophore Isolated From Escherichia coli Against Aspergillus nidulans via Iron-Mediated Oxidative Stress

Microorganisms produce various secondary metabolites for growth and survival. During iron stress, they produce secondary metabolites termed siderophores. In the current investigation, antifungal activity of catecholate siderophore produced by Escherichia coli has been assessed against Aspergillus nidulans. Exogenous application of the bacterial siderophore to fungal cultures resulted in decreased colony size, increased filament length, and changes in hyphal branching pattern. Growth inhibition was accompanied with increased intracellular iron content. Scanning electron microscopy revealed dose-dependent alteration in fungal morphology. Fluorescent staining by propidium iodide revealed cell death in concert with growth inhibition with increasing siderophore concentration. Antioxidative enzyme activity was also compromised with significant increase in catalase activity and decrease in ascorbate peroxidase activity. Siderophore-treated cultures showed increased accumulation of reactive oxygen species as observed by fluorescence microscopy and enhanced membrane damage in terms of malondialdehyde content. Antifungal property might thus be attributed to xenosiderophore-mediated iron uptake leading to cell death. STRING analysis showed interaction of MirB (involved in transport of hydroxamate siderophore) and MirA (involved in transport of catecholate siderophore), confirming the possibility of uptake of iron-xenosiderophore complex through fungal transporters. MirA structure was modeled and validated with 95% residues occurring in the allowed region. In silico analysis revealed MirA-Enterobactin-Fe³⁺ complex formation. Thus, the present study reveals a promising antifungal agent in the form of catecholate siderophore and supports involvement of MirA fungal receptors in xenosiderophore uptake.

Measurements of the Electroweak Diboson Production Cross Sections in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=5.02 TeV Using Leptonic Decays

The first measurements of diboson production cross sections in proton-proton interactions at a center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV are reported. They are based on data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 302  pb^{-1}. Events with two, three, or four charged light leptons (electrons or muons) in the final state are analyzed. The WW, WZ, and ZZ total cross sections are measured as σ_{WW}=37.0_{-5.2}^{+5.5}(stat)_{-2.6}^{+2.7}(syst)  pb, σ_{WZ}=6.4_{-2.1}^{+2.5}(stat)_{-0.3}^{+0.5}(syst)  pb, and σ_{ZZ}=5.3_{-2.1}^{+2.5}(stat)_{-0.4}^{+0.5}(syst)  pb. All measurements are in good agreement with theoretical calculations at combined next-to-next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics and next-to-leading order electroweak accuracy.