bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding catalytic synergy in dinuclear polymerization catalysts for sustainable polymers
Authors: Fiorentini Francesca , Diment Wilfred T. , Deacy Arron C. , Kerr Ryan W. F. , Faulkner Stephen , Williams Charlotte K.
Published: August 2023

Understanding the chemistry underpinning intermetallic synergy and the discovery of generally applicable structure-performances relationships are major challenges in catalysis. Additionally, high-performance catalysts using earth-abundant, non-toxic and inexpensive elements must be prioritised. Here, a series of heterodinuclear catalysts of the form Co(III)M(I/II), where M(I/II) = Na(I), K(I), Ca(II), Sr(II), Ba(II) are evaluated for three different polymerizations, by assessment of rate constants, turn over frequencies, polymer selectivity and control. This allows for comparisons of performances both within and between catalysts containing Group I and II metals for CO2/propene oxide ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP), propene oxide/phthalic anhydride ROCOP and lactide ring-opening polymerization (ROP). The data reveal new structure-performance correlations that apply across all the different polymerizations: catalysts featuring s-block metals of lower Lewis acidity show higher rates and selectivity. The epoxide/heterocumulene ROCOPs both show exponential activity increases (vs. Lewis acidity, measured by the pKa of [M(OH2)m]n+), whilst the lactide ROP activity and CO2/epoxide selectivity show linear increases. Such clear structure-activity/selectivity correlations are very unusual, yet are fully rationalised by the polymerization mechanisms and the chemistry of the catalytic intermediates. The general applicability across three different polymerizations is significant for future exploitation of catalytic synergy and provides a framework to improve other catalysts.
Physical state of water controls friction of gabbro-built faults
Authors: Feng Wei , Yao Lu , Cornelio Chiara , Gomila Rodrigo , Ma Shengli , Yang Chaoqun , Germinario Luigi , Mazzoli Claudio , Di Toro Giulio
Published: August 2023

Earthquakes often occur along faults in the presence of hot, pressurized water. Here we exploit a new experimental device to study friction in gabbro faults with water in vapor, liquid and supercritical states (water temperature and pressure up to 400 °C and 30 MPa, respectively). The experimental faults are sheared over slip velocities from 1 μm/s to 100 mm/s and slip distances up to 3 m (seismic deformation conditions). Here, we show with water in the vapor state, fault friction decreases with increasing slip distance and velocity. However, when water is in the liquid or supercritical state, friction decreases with slip distance, regardless of slip velocity. We propose that the formation of weak minerals, the chemical bonding properties of water and (elasto)hydrodynamic lubrication may explain the weakening behavior of the experimental faults. In nature, the transition of water from liquid or supercritical to vapor state can cause an abrupt increase in fault friction that can stop or delay the nucleation phase of an earthquake.
Spatial transcriptomics analysis of esophageal squamous precancerous lesions and their progression to esophageal cancer
Authors: Liu Xuejiao , Zhao Simin , Wang Keke , Zhou Liting , Jiang Ming , Gao Yunfeng , Yang Ran , Yan Shiwen , Zhang Wen , Lu Bingbing , Liu Feifei , Zhao Ran , Liu Wenting , Zhang Zihan , Liu Kangdong , Li Xiang , Dong Zigang
Published: August 2023

Esophageal squamous precancerous lesions (ESPL) are the precursors of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) including low-grade and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Due to the absence of molecular indicators, which ESPL will eventually develop into ESCC and thus should be treated is not well defined. Indicators, for predicting risks of ESCC at ESPL stages, are an urgent need. We perform spatial whole-transcriptome atlas analysis, which can eliminate other tissue interference by sequencing the specific ESPL regions. In this study, the expression of TAGLN2 significantly increases, while CRNN expression level decreases along the progression of ESCC. Additionally, TAGLN2 protein level significantly increases in paired after-progression tissues compared with before-progression samples, while CRNN expression decreases. Functional studies suggest that TAGLN2 promotes ESCC progression, while CRNN inhibits it by regulating cell proliferation. Taken together, TAGLN2 and CRNN are suggested as candidate indicators for the risk of ESCC at ESPL stages.
Intradermal but not intramuscular modified vaccinia Ankara immunizations protect against intravaginal tier2 simian-human immunodeficiency virus challenges in female macaques
Authors: Bollimpelli Venkata S. , Reddy Pradeep B. J , Gangadhara Sailaja , Charles Tysheena P. , Burton Samantha L. , Tharp Gregory K. , Styles Tiffany M. , Labranche Celia C. , Smith Justin C. , Upadhyay Amit A. , Sahoo Anusmita , Legere Traci , Shiferaw Ayalnesh , Velu Vijayakumar , Yu Tianwei , Tomai Mark , Vasilakos John , Kasturi Sudhir P. , Shaw George M. , Montefiori David , Bosinger Steven E. , Kozlowski Pamela A. , Pulendran Bali , Derdeyn Cynthia A. , Hunter Eric , Amara Rama R.
Published: August 2023

Route of immunization can markedly influence the quality of immune response. Here, we show that intradermal (ID) but not intramuscular (IM) modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccinations provide protection from acquisition of intravaginal tier2 simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) challenges in female macaques. Both routes of vaccination induce comparable levels of serum IgG with neutralizing and non-neutralizing activities. The protection in MVA-ID group correlates positively with serum neutralizing and antibody-dependent phagocytic activities, and envelope-specific vaginal IgA; while the limited protection in MVA-IM group correlates only with serum neutralizing activity. MVA-ID immunizations induce greater germinal center Tfh and B cell responses, reduced the ratio of Th1 to Tfh cells in blood and showed lower activation of intermediate monocytes and inflammasome compared to MVA-IM immunizations. This lower innate activation correlates negatively with induction of Tfh responses. These data demonstrate that the MVA-ID vaccinations protect against intravaginal SHIV challenges by modulating the innate and T helper responses.
Comparative study of Co3O4(111), CoFe2O4(111), and Fe3O4(111) thin film electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Davis Earl Matthew , Bergmann Arno , Zhan Chao , Kuhlenbeck Helmut , Cuenya Beatriz Roldan
Published: August 2023

Water electrolysis to produce ‘green H2’ with renewable energy is a promising option for the upcoming green economy. However, the slow and complex oxygen evolution reaction at the anode limits the efficiency. Co3O4 with added iron is a capable catalyst for this reaction, but the role of iron is presently unclear. To investigate this topic, we compare epitaxial Co3O4(111), CoFe2O4(111), and Fe3O4(111) thin film model electrocatalysts, combining quasi in-situ preparation and characterization in ultra-high vacuum with electrochemistry experiments. The well-defined composition and structure of the thin epitaxial films permits the obtention of quantitatively comparable results. CoFe2O4(111) is found to be up to about four times more active than Co3O4(111) and about nine times more than Fe3O4(111), with the activity depending acutely on the Co/Fe concentration ratio. Under reaction conditions, all three oxides are covered by oxyhydroxide. For CoFe2O4(111), the oxyhydroxide’s Fe/Co concentration ratio is stabilized by partial iron dissolution.
Autophagy promotes jasmonate-mediated defense against nematodes
Authors: Zou Jinping , Chen Xinlin , Liu Chenxu , Guo Mingyue , Kanwar Mukesh Kumar , Qi Zhenyu , Yang Ping , Wang Guanghui , Bao Yan , Bassham Diane C. , Yu Jingquan , Zhou Jie
Published: August 2023

Autophagy, as an intracellular degradation system, plays a critical role in plant immunity. However, the involvement of autophagy in the plant immune system and its function in plant nematode resistance are largely unknown. Here, we show that root-knot nematode (RKN; Meloidogyne incognita) infection induces autophagy in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and different atg mutants exhibit high sensitivity to RKNs. The jasmonate (JA) signaling negative regulators JASMONATE-ASSOCIATED MYC2-LIKE 1 (JAM1), JAM2 and JAM3 interact with ATG8s via an ATG8-interacting motif (AIM), and JAM1 is degraded by autophagy during RKN infection. JAM1 impairs the formation of a transcriptional activation complex between ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 1 (ERF1) and MEDIATOR 25 (MED25) and interferes with transcriptional regulation of JA-mediated defense-related genes by ERF1. Furthermore, ERF1 acts in a positive feedback loop and regulates autophagy activity by transcriptionally activating ATG expression in response to RKN infection. Therefore, autophagy promotes JA-mediated defense against RKNs via forming a positive feedback circuit in the degradation of JAMs and transcriptional activation by ERF1.
Safety and immunogenicity of Ad5-nCoV immunization after three-dose priming with inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in Chinese adults
Authors: Zhang Hangjie , Xu Nani , Xu Yu , Qin Pan , Dai Rongrong , Xu Bicheng , Wang Shenyu , Ding Linling , Fu Jian , Zhang Shupeng , Hua Qianhui , Liao Yuting , Yang Juan , Hu Xiaowei , Jiang Jianmin , Lv Huakun
Published: August 2023

Data on the safety and immunity of a heterologous booster (fourth dose) after three-doses of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in Chinese adults are limited. We evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of Ad5-nCoV in a randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled phase 4 clinical trial in Zhejiang, China (NCT05373030). Participants aged 18–80 years (100 per group), administered three doses of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine ≥6 months earlier, are enrolled and randomized 1:1 into two groups, which are administered intramuscular Ad5-nCoV or inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CoronaVac or Covilo). All observed adverse reactions are predictable and manageable. Ad5-nCoV elicits significantly higher RBD-specific IgG levels, with a geometric mean concentration of 2924.0 on day 14 post-booster, 7.8-fold that of the inactivated vaccine. Pseudovirus-neutralizing antibodies to Omicron BA.4/5 show a similar pattern, with geometric mean titers of 228.9 in Ad5-nCoV group and 65.5 in inactivated vaccine group. Ad5-nCoV booster maintains high antibody levels on day 90, with seroconversion of 71.4%, while that of inactivated vaccine is 5.2%, almost pre-booster levels. A fourth Ad5-nCoV vaccination following three-doses of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is immunogenic, tolerable, and more efficient than inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Ad5-nCoV elicits a stronger humoral response against Omicron BA.4/5 and maintains antibody levels for longer than homologous boosting.
Non-reciprocal and non-Newtonian mechanical metamaterials
Authors: Wang Lianchao , Martínez Julio A. Iglesias , Ulliac Gwenn , Wang Bing , Laude Vincent , Kadic Muamer
Published: August 2023

Non-Newtonian liquids are characterized by stress and velocity-dependent dynamical response. In elasticity, and in particular, in the field of phononics, reciprocity in the equations acts against obtaining a directional response for passive media. Active stimuli-responsive materials have been conceived to overcome it. Significantly, Milton and Willis have shown theoretically in 2007 that quasi-rigid bodies containing masses at resonance can display a very rich dynamical behavior, hence opening a route toward the design of non-reciprocal and non-Newtonian metamaterials. In this paper, we design a solid structure that displays unidirectional shock resistance, thus going beyond Newton’s second law in analogy to non-Newtonian fluids. We design the mechanical metamaterial with finite element analysis and fabricate it using three-dimensional printing at the centimetric scale (with fused deposition modeling) and at the micrometric scale (with two-photon lithography). The non-Newtonian elastic response is measured via dynamical velocity-dependent experiments. Reversing the direction of the impact, we further highlight the intrinsic non-reciprocal response.
Cryo-EM structures of human zinc transporter ZnT7 reveal the mechanism of Zn2+ uptake into the Golgi apparatus
Authors: Bui Han Ba , Watanabe Satoshi , Nomura Norimichi , Liu Kehong , Uemura Tomoko , Inoue Michio , Tsutsumi Akihisa , Fujita Hiroyuki , Kinoshita Kengo , Kato Yukinari , Iwata So , Kikkawa Masahide , Inaba Kenji
Published: August 2023

Zinc ions (Zn2+) are vital to most cells, with the intracellular concentrations of Zn2+ being tightly regulated by multiple zinc transporters located at the plasma and organelle membranes. We herein present the 2.2-3.1 Å-resolution cryo-EM structures of a Golgi-localized human Zn2+/H+ antiporter ZnT7 (hZnT7) in Zn2+-bound and unbound forms. Cryo-EM analyses show that hZnT7 exists as a dimer via tight interactions in both the cytosolic and transmembrane (TM) domains of two protomers, each of which contains a single Zn2+-binding site in its TM domain. hZnT7 undergoes a TM-helix rearrangement to create a negatively charged cytosolic cavity for Zn2+ entry in the inward-facing conformation and widens the luminal cavity for Zn2+ release in the outward-facing conformation. An exceptionally long cytosolic histidine-rich loop characteristic of hZnT7 binds two Zn2+ ions, seemingly facilitating Zn2+ recruitment to the TM metal transport pathway. These structures permit mechanisms of hZnT7-mediated Zn2+ uptake into the Golgi to be proposed.
Spying on parahydrogen-induced polarization transfer using a half-tesla benchtop MRI and hyperpolarized imaging enabled by automation
Authors: Ellermann Frowin , Sirbu Aidan , Brahms Arne , Assaf Charbel , Herges Rainer , Hövener Jan-Bernd , Pravdivtsev Andrey N.
Published: August 2023

Nuclear spin hyperpolarization is a quantum effect that enhances the nuclear magnetic resonance signal by several orders of magnitude and has enabled real-time metabolic imaging in humans. However, the translation of hyperpolarization technology into routine use in laboratories and medical centers is hampered by the lack of portable, cost-effective polarizers that are not commercially available. Here, we present a portable, automated polarizer based on parahydrogen-induced hyperpolarization (PHIP) at an intermediate magnetic field of 0.5 T (achieved by permanent magnets). With a footprint of 1 m2, we demonstrate semi-continuous, fully automated 1H hyperpolarization of ethyl acetate-d6 and ethyl pyruvate-d6 to P = 14.4% and 16.2%, respectively, and a 13C polarization of 1-13C-ethyl pyruvate-d6 of P = 7%. The duty cycle for preparing a dose is no more than 1 min. To reveal the full potential of 1H hyperpolarization in an inhomogeneous magnetic field, we convert the anti-phase PHIP signals into in-phase peaks, thereby increasing the SNR by a factor of 5. Using a spin-echo approach allowed us to observe the evolution of spin order distribution in real time while conserving the expensive reagents for reaction monitoring, imaging and potential in vivo usage. This compact polarizer will allow us to pursue the translation of hyperpolarized MRI towards in vivo applications further.
Self-assembling SARS-CoV-2 spike-HBsAg nanoparticles elicit potent and durable neutralizing antibody responses via genetic delivery
Authors: Liu Cuiping , Wang Lingshu , Merriam Jonah S. , Shi Wei , Yang Eun Sung , Zhang Yi , Chen Man , Kong Wing-Pui , Cheng Cheng , Tsybovsky Yaroslav , Stephens Tyler , Verardi Raffaello , Leung Kwanyee , Stein Cody , Olia Adam S. , Harris Darcy R. , Choe Misook , Zhang Baoshan , Graham Barney S. , Kwong Peter D. , Koup Richard A. , Pegu Amarendra , Mascola John R.
Published: August 2023

While several COVID-19 vaccines have been in use, more effective and durable vaccines are needed to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we report highly immunogenic self-assembling SARS-CoV-2 spike-HBsAg nanoparticles displaying a six-proline-stabilized WA1 (wild type, WT) spike S6P on a HBsAg core. These S6P-HBsAgs bound diverse domain-specific SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies. In mice with and without a HBV pre-vaccination, DNA immunization with S6P-HBsAgs elicited significantly more potent and durable neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses against diverse SARS-CoV-2 strains than that of soluble S2P or S6P, or full-length S2P with its coding sequence matching mRNA-1273. The nAb responses elicited by S6P-HBsAgs persisted substantially longer than by soluble S2P or S6P and appeared to be enhanced by HBsAg pre-exposure. These data show that genetic delivery of SARS-CoV-2 S6P-HBsAg nanoparticles can elicit greater and more durable nAb responses than non-nanoparticle forms of stabilized spike. Our findings highlight the potential of S6P-HBsAgs as next generation genetic vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2.
A cardiotoxicity dataset for breast cancer patients
Authors: Piñeiro-Lamas Beatriz , López-Cheda Ana , Cao Ricardo , Ramos-Alonso Laura , González-Barbeito Gabriel , Barbeito-Caamaño Cayetana , Bouzas-Mosquera Alberto
Published: August 2023

This dataset is a result of the collaboration between the University of A Coruña and the University Hospital of A Coruña. It contains information about 531 women diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer, treated with potentially cardiotoxic oncologic therapies. These treatments can cause cardiovascular adverse events, including cardiac systolic dysfunction, the development of which has important clinical and prognostic implications. The availability of good predictors may enable early detection of these cardiac problems. Variables such as age, weight and height are available for each patient, as well as some measures obtained from echocardiography, a technique used prior and during the treatment to check the structure and function of the heart. Among them, there is a functional variable that measures the myocardial velocity during the cardiac cycle. For patients that experienced cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction during the treatment period, time until its appearance is known. This dataset aims to enable the scientific community in conducting new research on this cardiovascular side effect.
Whole-genome resequencing of common bean elite breeding lines
Authors: de Souza Isabela Pavanelli , de Azevedo Beatriz Rosa , Coelho Alexandre Siqueira Guedes , de Souza Thiago Lívio Pessoa Oliveira , Valdisser Paula Arielle Mendes Ribeiro , Gomes-Messias Lucas Matias , Funicheli Breno Osvaldo , Brondani Claudio , Vianello Rosana Pereira
Published: August 2023

The expansion of bean genome technologies has prompted new perspectives on generating resources and knowledge essential to research and implementing biotechnological tools for the practical operations of plant breeding programs. This study aimed to resequence the entire genome (whole genome sequencing—WGS) of 40 bean genotypes selected based on their significance in breeding programs worldwide, with the objective of generating an extensive database for the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Over 6 million SNPs were identified, distributed across the 11 bean chromosomes. After quality variant filtering, 420,509 high-quality SNPs were established, with an average of 38,228 SNPs per chromosome. These variants were categorized based on their predicted effects, revealing that the majority exerted a modifier impact on non-coding genome regions (94.68%). Notably, a significant proportion of SNPs occurred in intergenic regions (62.89%) and at least one SNP was identified in 58.63% of the genes annotated in the bean genome. Of particular interest, 7841 SNPs were identified in 85% of the putative plant disease defense-related genes, presenting a valuable resource for crop breeding efforts. These findings provide a foundation for the development of innovative and broadly applicable technologies for the routine selection of superior genotypes in global bean improvement and germplasm characterization programs.
Corrosion behavior and microstructure of Al–10Zn alloy with nano CuO addition
Authors: AbdElRhiem Eman , Mohamed Saad G. , Barakat Yosry F. , Mostafa M. M. , Nada R. H. , Abdelaziz Shereen M.
Published: August 2023

The present study explores the preparation of Al–10wt.%Zn alloy by the casting process. Nano CuO was prepared by the Co-precipitation method. The effect of adding nanostructure of (1wt.% CuO) to Al–10Zn alloy was studied the corrosion effects as-cast and with different aging temperatures (423, 443, and 463 K) for 2 h in 3.5% NaCl aqueous solution after homogenized for 2 h at 500 K at room temperature. Electrochemical measurements (OCP, Tafel, and EIS) were performed to determine the corrosion rate (C.R.) and corrosion current density (Icorr.) to find out corrosion behavior. In addition, microstructures of Al–10Zn and Al–10Zn–1CuO were observed using a scanning electron microscope, EDX mapping, and the optical microscope to investigate the effect of the nanoparticle’s addition before and after aging and the corrosion test. The average crystal size and the dislocation density were calculated from the XRD pattern. The results show that the appropriate addition of CuO nanoparticles can refine the Al–10Zn alloy and shift the Al–10Zn alloy to a more noble direction.
Regional differences in water beetle communities networks settling in dystrophic lakes in northern Poland
Authors: Pakulnicka Joanna , Kruk Marek
Published: August 2023

The relationships between the species that form the networks in small dystrophic lakes remain poorly recognised. To investigate and better understand the functioning of beetle communities in different ecosystems, we created three network models that we subjected to graph network analysis. This approach displays correlation–based networks of connections (edges) between objects (nodes) by evaluating the features of the whole network and the attributes of nodes and edges in the context of their roles, expressed by centrality metrics. We used this method to determine the importance of specific species in the networks and the interspecific relationships. Our analyses are based on faunal material collected from 25 dystrophic lakes in three regions of northern Poland. We found a total of 104 species representing different ecological elements and functional trophic groups. We have shown that the network of relationships between the biomass of species differs considerably in the three study regions. The Kashubian Lakeland had the highest cohesion and density, while the network in the Suwalki Lakeland was the thinnest and most heterogeneous, which might be related to the fractal structure and the degree of development of the studied lakes. Small–bodied predators that congregated in different clusters with species with similar ecological preferences dominated all networks. We found the highest correlations in the Masurian Lakeland, where we obtained the highest centralisation of the network. Small tyrphophiles typically occupied the central places in the network, while the periphery of the network consisted of clusters with different habitat preferences, including large predators. The species that were most important for network cohesion and density were mainly tyrphophilous species, such as Anacaena lutescens, Hygrotus decoratus, Enochrus melanocephalus and Hydroporus neglectus. The values of attributes determining the role of species in community networks were influenced by both biotic and environmental factors.
Oleic acid as potential immunostimulant in metabolism pathways of hybrid grouper fingerlings (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × Epinephelus lanceolatus) infected with Vibrio vulnificus
Authors: Natnan Maya Erna , Low Chen-Fei , Chong Chou-Min , Bunawan Hamidun , Baharum Syarul Nataqain
Published: August 2023

Grouper culture has been expanding in Malaysia due to the huge demand locally and globally. However, due to infectious diseases such as vibriosis, the fish mortality rate increased, which has affected the production of grouper. Therefore, this study focuses on the metabolic profiling of surviving infected grouper fed with different formulations of fatty acid diets that acted as immunostimulants for the fish to achieve desirable growth and health performance. After a six-week feeding trial and one-week post-bacterial challenge, the surviving infected grouper was sampled for GC–MS analysis. For metabolite extraction, a methanol/chloroform/water (2:2:1.8) extraction method was applied to the immune organs (spleen and liver) of surviving infected grouper. The distribution patterns of metabolites between experimental groups were then analyzed using a metabolomics platform. A total of 50 and 81 metabolites were putatively identified from the spleen and liver samples, respectively. Our further analysis identified glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, and alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism had the most impacted pathways, respectively, in spleen and liver samples from surviving infected grouper. The metabolites that were highly abundant in the spleen found in these pathways were glycine (20.9%), l-threonine (1.0%) and l-serine (0.8%). Meanwhile, in the liver l-glutamine (1.8%) and aspartic acid (0.6%) were found to be highly abundant. Interestingly, among the fish diet groups, grouper fed with oleic acid diet produced more metabolites with a higher percent area compared to the control diets. The results obtained from this study elucidate the use of oleic acid as an immunostimulant in fish feed formulation affects more various immune-related metabolites than other formulated feed diets for vibriosis infected grouper.
Formation of Australasian tektites from gravity and magnetic indicators
Authors: Karimi Kurosh , Kletetschka Gunther , Mizera Jiří , Meier Verena , Strunga Vladimír
Published: August 2023

The parent impact crater of Australasian tektites has not been discovered so far, but a consensus has been accepted on its location in a wider area of Indochina. Recently, an alternative location has been suggested in the Badain Jaran Desert (BJD), Northwest China. Employing gravity and magnetic data derived from satellites, possible presence of an impact structure in BJD is investigated. The gravity parameters include the free air gravity disturbance, its vertical derivative component and total horizontal gradient (THG), strike alignment (SA), and Bouguer anomaly with its first vertical derivative and tilt angle. The magnetic parameters include the anomalous total magnetic field (TMF), its reduced to the pole transformation (RTP), the first vertical derivative of the TMF vertical component (Bzz), tilt angle (TA), and logistic total horizontal gradient (LTHG). Both the gravity and magnetic indicators support the presence of the impact structure. Gravity parameters display typical annular gravity highs circumscribing a gravity low. SA analysis reveals preferred parallel directions, implying the susceptibility of special zones to the impact shock waves, both within and beyond the rim. TMF reveals a large magnetic anomaly in the southern part of the proposed crater, and RTP displaces and restricts it further into the rim. Bzz weakens the long wavelength anomalies, amplifies the superficial ones, and separates them horizontally. TA and LTHG delineate the deep-seated and shallow magnetic signals related to the peak and border magnetization, respectively.
Bmp8a deletion leads to obesity through regulation of lipid metabolism and adipocyte differentiation
Authors: Zhong Shenjie , Chen Lihui , Li Xinyi , Wang Xinyuan , Ji Guangdong , Sun Chen , Liu Zhenhui
Published: August 2023

The role of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) in regulating adipose has recently become a field of interest. However, the underlying mechanism of this effect has not been elucidated. Here we show that the anti-fat effect of Bmp8a is mediated by promoting fatty acid oxidation and inhibiting adipocyte differentiation. Knocking out the bmp8a gene in zebrafish results in weight gain, fatty liver, and increased fat production. The bmp8a-/- zebrafish exhibits decreased phosphorylation levels of AMPK and ACC in the liver and adipose tissues, indicating reduced fatty acid oxidation. Also, Bmp8a inhibits the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into mature adipocytes by activating the Smad2/3 signaling pathway, in which Smad2/3 binds to the central adipogenic factor PPARγ promoter to inhibit its transcription. In addition, lentivirus-mediated overexpression of Bmp8a in 3T3-L1 cells significantly increases NOD-like receptor, TNF, and NF-κB signaling pathways. Furthermore, NF-κB interacts with PPARγ, blocking PPARγ’s activation of its target gene Fabp4, thereby inhibiting adipocyte differentiation. These data bring a signal bridge between immune regulation and adipocyte differentiation. Collectively, our findings indicate that Bmp8a plays a critical role in regulating lipid metabolism and adipogenesis, potentially providing a therapeutic approach for obesity and its comorbidities.
Underwater surveys reveal deep-sea corals in newly explored regions of the southwest Atlantic
Authors: Carvalho Nayara F. , Waters Linda G. , Arantes Renata C. M. , Couto Daniel M. , Cavalcanti Guarani H. , Güth Arthur Z. , Falcão Ana Paula C. , Nagata Paula D. , Hercos Cízia M. , Sasaki Dalton K. , Dottori Marcelo , Cordes Erik E. , Sumida Paulo Y. G.
Published: August 2023

Deep-sea coral distribution and composition are unknown in much of the global ocean, but repurposing ocean industry surveys can fill that gap. In Santos Basin, southeast Brazil, areas (241–963 m depth) were surveyed during seven Petrobras cruises, mapping bottom topography with multibeam sonar, then collecting video with remotely operated vehicles. Here, we defined deep-sea coral species distribution and richness, using these surveys, correlating them to physical oceanographic properties. Solenosmilia variabilis was the most prevalent colonial species in coral mounds. Overall, 67% of species were Octocorallia. Coral assemblage structure, abundance, and richness varied among sites both within and among depths, with higher density and richness in the northernmost Santos basin. Depth was the strongest predictor for scleractinian coral distribution, with depth ranges varying by species. Assemblage differences corresponded to changes in water mass. Desmophyllum pertusum was more abundant in South Atlantic Central Water and S. variabilis in Antarctic Intermediate Water influenced areas.
Electrochemical and electrical characteristics of ball milled Cs2Ti6O13 modified by the surface-to-bulk migration of hydroxyl groups
Authors: Maluangnont Tosapol , Pulphol Phieraya , Klangvijit Kanisorn , Bowornthommatadsana Khemjiranee , Chanlek Narong , Ogawa Makoto , Wongwiriyapan Winadda
Published: August 2023

Soft vibratory ball milling induces the surface-to-bulk migration of hydroxyl groups in Cs2Ti6O13, modifying its electrochemical and eletrical properties.
Sensing and extraction of hazardous metals by di-phosphonates of heterocycles: a combined experimental and theoretical study
Authors: Konopkina Ekaterina A. , Pozdeev Anton S. , Kalle Paulina , Kirsanov Dmitry O. , Smol'yanov Nikolai A. , Kirsanova Anna A. , Kalmykov Stepan N. , Petrov Vladimir G. , Borisova Nataliya E. , Matveev Petr I.
Published: August 2023

In this study, pyridine and phenanthroline diphosphonate ligands were investigated for the first time from the context of solvent extraction and potentiometric sensing of Co(ii), Ni(ii), Cu(ii), Zn(ii), Cd(ii), and Pb(ii) cations.
Tetracopper(i) thiolate- and amido-(SNS) complexes and copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition in water
Authors: Khanzadeh Atousa , Ataie Saeed , Baker R. Tom
Published: August 2023

A tetranuclear Cu(I) complex bearing thiolate-SNS ligands catalyzes the azide-alkyne cyclization in water at 70 °C.
Interface roughness effects and relaxation dynamics of an amorphous semiconductor oxide-based analog resistance switching memory
Authors: Haripriya G. R. , Noh Hee Yeon , Lee Chan-Kang , Kim June-Seo , Lee Myoung-Jae , Lee Hyeon-Jun
Published: August 2023

Al/a-InGaZnOx/AlOx/Al devices exhibiting gradual memristive switching, facilitated by oxygen vacancies within the active and interfacial layers, with long current level retentions are potential candidates for neuromorphic computing applications.
Luminescent hexagonal microtubes prepared through water-induced self-assembly of a polymorphic organoboron compound: formation mechanism and waveguide behaviour
Authors: Gaikwad Pradip A. , Samadder Prodipta , Som Shubham , Chopra Deepak , Neelakandan Prakash P. , Srivastava Aasheesh
Published: August 2023

Strong blue fluorescent HNBI-B, its polymorphic behavior and water-induced self-assembly (WISA) into nanodiscoids and fluorescent hexagonal microtubes with efficient waveguide behavior are described.
Efficient conversion of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) into covalent adaptable networks via a chain breaking–crosslinking strategy
Authors: Wang Binbo , Du Shuai , Wang Yi , Li Falin , Ding Yu , Zhu Jin , Ma Songqi
Published: August 2023

Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) was efficiently converted into performance-enhanced covalent adaptable networks via a chain breaking–crosslinking strategy while maintaining degradability and processability.
Why surface hydrophobicity promotes CO2 electroreduction: a case study of hydrophobic polymer N-heterocyclic carbenes
Authors: Luo Qiang , Duan Hanyi , McLaughlin Michael C. , Wei Kecheng , Tapia Joseph , Adewuyi Joseph A. , Shuster Seth , Liaqat Maham , Suib Steven L. , Ung Gaël , Bai Peng , Sun Shouheng , He Jie
Published: August 2023

Polymer NHCs as a strong binding motif together with hydrophobicity control the accessibility of substrates at catalyst–electrolyte interface and enhance CO2 electroreduction on metal catalysts.
Triplet sensitization enables bidirectional isomerization of diazocine with 130 nm redshift in excitation wavelengths
Authors: Isokuortti Jussi , Griebenow Thomas , Glasenapp Jan-Simon von , Raeker Tim , Filatov Mikhail A. , Laaksonen Timo , Herges Rainer , Durandin Nikita A.
Published: August 2023

Diazocine (bridged azobenzene) can be switched in both directions upon selective excitation of two different coexisting triplet sensitizers. Compared to direct irradiation, both switching wavelengths are strongly (≥130 nm) bathochromically shifted.
3D printing for flow biocatalysis
Authors: Gkantzou Elena , Weinhart Marie , Kara Selin
Published: August 2023

3D printing has been elaborated in all stages of a continuous flow biocatalytic process, from the reactor to the support material for biocatalyst confinement or the peripheral accessories that can establish a highly controlled process.
Prioritizing toxic shock threats to sewage treatment plants from down-the-drain industrial chemical spills: the RAVEN STREAM online tool
Authors: Hader John D. , Frenzel Marcus , Scullin Jerome , Plaza Elzbieta , MacLeod Matthew
Published: August 2023

The RAVEN STREAM online tool aims to help sewage treatment plants (STPs) identify and manage industrial chemicals used upstream that, if spilled, could cause a toxic shock to the STP microorganisms utilized in the wastewater treatment process.
Liquid phase epitaxy of CuGaO2 on GaN: P–N heterostructure for photocatalytic water splitting
Authors: Sena Hadi , Kitano Sho , Habazaki Hiroki , Fuji Masayoshi
Published: August 2023

A P–N heterostructure composed of CuGaO2 and GaN shows outstanding photocatalytic water splitting.
ONX0914 inhibition of immunoproteasome subunit LMP7 ameliorates diabetic cardiomyopathy via restraining endothelial–mesenchymal transition
Authors: Wang Mengwen , Liu Yujian , Dai Lei , Zhong Xiaodan , Zhang Wenjun , Xie Yang , Zeng Hesong , Wang Hongjie
Published: August 2023

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a chronic metabolic disease with few effective therapeutic options. Immunoproteasome is an inducible proteasome that plays an important role in the regulation of many cardiovascular diseases, while its role in DCM remains under discussion. The present study aims to demonstrate whether inhibiting immunoproteasome subunit low molecular weight polypeptide 7 (LMP7) could alleviate DCM. Here, we established a type I diabetes mellitus mouse model by streptozotocin (STZ) in 8-week-old male wild-type C57BL/6J mice. We found that immunoproteasome subunit LMP7 was overexpressed in the heart of diabetic mice, while inhibiting LMP7 with pharmacological inhibitor ONX0914 significantly alleviated myocardial fibrosis and improved cardiac function. Besides, compared with diabetic mice, ONX0914 treatment reduced protein levels of mesenchymal markers (Vimentin, α-smooth muscle actin, and SM22α) and increased endothelial markers (VE-cadherin and CD31). In TGFβ1 stimulated HUVECs, we also observed that ONX0914 could inhibit endothelial–mesenchymal transition (EndMT). Mechanistically, we prove that ONX0914 could regulate autophagy activity both in vivo and vitro. Meanwhile, the protective effect of ONX0914 on TGFβ1 stimulated HUVECs could be abolished by 3-methyladenine (3MA) or hydroxychloroquine (CQ). All in all, our data highlight that inhibition of LMP7 with ONX0914 could ameliorate EndMT in diabetic mouse hearts at least in part via autophagy activation. Thus, LMP7 may be a potential therapeutic target for the DCM.
On‐chip all‐optical multicasting of mode‐division multiplexing QPSK signals
Authors: Chen Baobao , Zhao Yi , Tan Haoyang , Guan Xiaowei , Gao Shiming
Published: August 2023

The authors propose and experimentally demonstrate an on‐chip all‐optical multicasting (AOM) for 40 Gbit/s mode‐division‐multiplexed quadrature phase‐shift keying (MDM‐QPSK) signals based on a parallel dispersion‐engineered multimode non‐linear silicon waveguide. Five dual‐mode multicast wavelengths are successfully obtained on the generate idlers, and the power penalties of all the multicast channels are less than 1.1 dB at the bit error rate (BER) of 3.8 × 10−3. The dual‐mode AOM scheme has the potential to promote the ability of optical cross‐connect in practical hybrid multiplexed networks including MDM channels.
SaTransformer: Semantic‐aware transformer for breast cancer classification and segmentation
Authors: Zhang Jie , Zhang Zhichao , Liu Hua , Xu Shiqiang
Published: August 2023

Breast cancer classification and segmentation play an important role in identifying and detecting benign and malignant breast lesions. However, segmentation and classification still face many challenges: 1) The characteristics of cancer itself, such as fuzzy edges, complex backgrounds, and significant changes in size, shape, and intensity distribution make accurate segment and classification challenges. 2) Existing methods ignore the potential relationship between classification and segmentation tasks, due to the classification and segmentation being treated as two separate tasks. To overcome these challenges, in this paper, a novel Semantic‐aware transformer (SaTransformer) for breast cancer classification and segmentation is proposed. Specifically, the SaTransformer enables doing the two takes simultaneously through one unified framework. Unlike existing well‐known methods, the segmentation and classification information are semantically interactive, reinforcing each other during feature representation learning and improving the ability of feature representation learning while consuming less memory and computational complexity. The SaTransformer is validated on two publicly available breast cancer datasets – BUSI and UDIAT. Experimental results and quantitative evaluations (accuracy: 97.97%, precision: 98.20%, DSC: 86.34%) demonstrate that the SaTransformer outperforms other state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Cformer: An underwater image enhancement hybrid network combining convolution and transformer
Authors: Deng Ruhui , Zhao Lei , Li Heng , Liu Hui
Published: August 2023

Underwater images are the most direct and effective ways to obtain underwater information. However, underwater images typically suffer from contrast reduction and colour distortion due to the absorption and scattering of water by light, which seriously limits the further development of underwater visual tasks. Recently, the convolutional neural network has been extensively applied in underwater image enhancement for its powerful local information extraction capabilities, but due to the locality of convolution operation, it cannot capture the global context well. Although the recently emerging Transformer can capture global context, it cannot model local correlations. Cformer is proposed, which is an Unet‐like hybrid network structure. First, a Depth Self‐Calibrated block is proposed to extract the local features of the image effectively. Second, a novel Cross‐Shaped Enhanced Window Transformer block is proposed. It captures long‐range pixel interactions while dramatically reducing the computational complexity of feature maps. Finally, the depth self‐calibrated block and the cross‐shaped enhanced window Transformer block are ingeniously fused to build a global–local Transformer module. Extensive ablation studies are performed on public underwater datasets to demonstrate the effectiveness of individual components in the network. The qualitative and quantitative comparisons indicate that Cformer achieves superior performance compared to other competitive models.
Modular multilevel converter‐based voltage source converter high‐voltage direct current valve operating test circuit
Authors: Bae Chi‐Hwan , Kim Hak‐Soo , Nho Eui‐Cheol
Published: August 2023

It is very important to obtain high reliability in the high‐voltage direct current (HVDC) system operation because of extremely high and huge power capacity. To guarantee the reliability IEC‐62501 standard requires valve test for the voltage source converter (VSC) HVDC system. This paper proposes a test circuit for modular multilevel converter (MMC)‐based HVDC valve. The proposed scheme has good features of adequate test current generation, considerably reduced power supply voltage, simplified test circuit topology, etc., compared to the conventional test circuits. The validity of the proposed scheme is verified through experimental results.
Spatial variation of moisture content along the axial distance of corn at different superheated steam drying temperatures and various instantaneous times
Authors: Keter Charles Kiprono Sang , Kimwa Mercy Jepchirchir
Published: August 2023

Superheated steam acts as both a heat source and a drying medium. The study sought to predict the evolution of the moisture transport behaviour of the corn kernel at various axial distances at varying instantaneous time. The equations describing the drying phases were solved using numerical solutions with the Eulerian technique in ANSYS software. Cone geometry was used to simulate the corn kernel with initial moisture content at 20% w.b. Steam conditions were similar to what is encountered in industry, with temperatures ranging (from 120–200°C) at 1.5 m s−1 velocity. ANOVA was used to determine if there was difference between the conditions. The temporal change in moisture from the apex to the periphery varied at superheated steam temperatures 120, 160 and 200°C. At 10, 100 and 200 s the drying rate and effective moisture diffusivity of corn kernel from the centre towards the periphery differed. Post‐hoc analysis with Bonferroni adjustment revealed that moisture content (w.b.%) differed between 10 and 100 s, 10 and 200 s and 100 and 200 s. The mean difference was attributed to the drying being in the falling drying phase at 200 s and initial condensation at 10 s. Thus, at high superheated steam temperatures, dry zones can be seen as the axial distance from the apex increases toward the periphery.
Observational constraints on the origin of the elements
Authors: Eitner P. , Bergemann M. , Ruiter A. J. , Avril O. , Seitenzahl I. R. , Gent M. R. , Côté B.
Published: August 2023

Aims. We constrain the role of different Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) channels in the chemical enrichment of the Galaxy by studying the abundances of nickel in Galactic stars. We investigated four different SN Ia sub-classes, including the classical single-degenerate near-Chandrasekhar mass (Mch) SN Ia, the fainter SN Iax systems associated with He accretion from the companion, as well as two sub-Chandrasekhar mass (sub-Mch) SN Ia channels. The latter include the double detonation of a white dwarf accreting helium-rich matter and violent white dwarf mergers.

Methods. The chemical abundances in Galactic stars were determined using Gaia eDR3 astrometry and photometry and high-resolution optical spectra. Non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) models of Fe and Ni were used in the abundance analysis. We included new delay-time distributions arising from the different SN Ia channels in models of the Galactic chemical evolution, as well as recent yields for core-collapse supernovae and asymptotic giant branch stars. The data-model comparison was performed using a Markov chain Monte Carlo framework that allowed us to explore the entire parameter space allowed by the diversity of explosion mechanisms and the Galactic SN Ia rate, taking the uncertainties of the observed data into account.

Results. We show that NLTE effects have a non-negligible impact on the observed [Ni/Fe] ratios in the Galactic stars. The NLTE corrections to Ni abundances are not large, but strictly positive, lifting the [Ni/Fe] ratios by ∼ + 0.15 dex at [Fe/H] −2. We find that the distributions of [Ni/Fe] in LTE and in NLTE are very tight, with a scatter of ≲0.1 dex at all metallicities. This supports earlier work. In LTE, most stars have scaled solar Ni abundances, [Ni/Fe] ≈ 0, with a slight tendency for sub-solar [Ni/Fe] ratios at lower [Fe/H]. In NLTE, however, we find a mild anti-correlation between [Ni/Fe] and metallicity, and slightly elevated [Ni/Fe] ratios at [Fe/H] ≲ −1.0. The NLTE data can be explained by models of the Galactic chemical evolution that are calculated with a substantial fraction, ∼75%, of sub-Mch SN Ia.
Improving the spin-down limits of the continuous gravitational waves emitted from rotating triaxial pulsars
Authors: Pathak D. , Chatterjee D.
Published: August 2023

The spin-down limit of the continuous gravitational wave strain from pulsars assumed to be triaxial stars rotating about a principal moment of inertia axis depends upon the value of the intrinsic spin frequency derivative of the pulsar, among other parameters. In order to get more accurate intrinsic spin frequency derivative values, dynamical effects contributing to the measured spin frequency derivative values must be estimated via more realistic approaches. In this work, we calculated improved values for the spin-down limit of the continuous gravitational wave strain (assuming that pulsars are triaxial stars rotating about a principal moment of inertia axis) for a set of 237 pulsars for which a targeted search for continuous gravitational waves was recently carried out by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) Collaboration. We used ‘GalDynPsr’, a Python-based public package, to calculate more realistic values for the intrinsic spin frequency derivatives and, consequently, we get more realistic values of the spin-down limit. The realistic values that we obtain for the intrinsic spin frequency derivatives can also provide a valuable contribution to improving the sensitivity of searches for continuous gravitational waves from known pulsars.