bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing Environmental Quality in a Historically Polluted Fjord: A Comparison of Benthic Foraminiferal eDNA and Morphospecies Approaches
Authors: O'Brien Phoebe , Barrenechea Angeles Inés , Cermakova Kristina , Pawlowski Jan , Alve Elisabeth , Nordberg Kjell , Polovodova Asteman Irina
Published: November 2024

This study is the first assessment of a fjord Ecological Quality Status (EcoQS) by comparing both the traditional morphology‐based and emerging metabarcoding techniques in benthic foraminifera. For this, we focus on historically polluted Idefjord on the Swedish Norwegian border, which has experienced high effluent load from pulp and paper mill for almost a century. Based on our results, the morphological data was more sensitive to “naturally stressed” conditions, like course sediments and cascading water inflows at fjord sills. Generally, both data sets report congruous responses in the EcoQS and benthic foraminiferal assemblages to environmental stress factors, showing highest diversity at the coastal reference station and the outer fjord, with a diversity decline in proximity of industrial facilities and at the most oxygen depleted sites in the inner fjord. Genetic methods tend to overestimate EcoQS at highly anoxic sites probably due to a presence of dormant propagules or extraorganismal DNA, emphasizing a need for cross‐correlation with morphological methods to validate EcoQS assessment in such conditions.
Characteristics of the Spatiotemporal Distribution of Influenza Incidence and Its Driving Factors Among Residents in Mainland China From 2004 to 2018
Authors: Yao Y. R. , Ma K. , Li Y. S. , Tan H. R. , Zhang J. Y. , Zhang Z. M. , Lin Y. S. , Fang F. M.
Published: November 2024

Influenza is an acute respiratory infection that spreads rapidly and widely in densely populated areas with low vaccination coverage. The trends and drivers of the spatial and temporal dynamics of influenza incidence among residents of mainland China have not been systematically studied. This study comprehensively analyses the dynamics and spatial correlation of influenza using long‐term scale data and spatial panel data. It then identifies the interactive process of socio‐economic and natural elements on the incidence of influenza. The highest prevalence of influenza was found in the 0–4 years age group in mainland China (mean prevalence, 67.56/100,000). In addition, influenza in mainland China shows seasonality, with fall and winter being the periods of high incidence. Between 2014 and 2017, influenza incidence was clustered in Hubei and Anhui provinces, and the spatial clustering was statistically significant (Z value > 1.96, P < 0.05). Moreover, the directionality of influenza onset continued to increase each year. Specifically, the clustering of influenza onset was stronger in the northwest‐southeast direction than in the southwest‐northeast direction between 2014 and 2018. The significant role of socioeconomic factors as a primary influence on influenza incidence, while their interaction with natural factors, such as air quality (NOx and PM2.5) and climatic conditions can exacerbate regional outbreaks. This study provides a novel perspective for better prevention and control of influenza disease among mainland Chinese residents.
Simultaneous Infrared Observations of the Jovian Auroral Ionosphere and Thermosphere
Authors: Wang Ruoyan , Stallard Tom S. , Melin Henrik , Baines Kevin H. , Moore Luke , O’Donoghue James , Johnson Rosie E. , Thomas Emma M. , Knowles Katie L. , Tiranti Paola I. , Miller Steve
Published: November 2024

Simultaneous observations of and in Jupiter's northern infrared aurora were conducted on 02 June 2017 using Keck‐NIRSPEC to produce polar projection maps of radiance, rotational temperature, column density, and radiance. The temperature variations within the auroral region are K, generally consistent with previous studies, albeit with some structural differences. Known auroral heating sources including particle precipitation, Joule heating, and ion drag have been examined by studying the correlations between each derived quantity, yet no single dominant mechanism can be identified as the main driver for the energetics in Jupiter's northern auroral region. It appears that a complex interaction exists between the heating driven by various mechanisms and the cooling from the thermostat effect. Comparisons between the temperature and the line‐of‐sight ion velocity in the reference frame of (a) the planetary rotation and (b) the neutral atmosphere further suggest that the local thermodynamic equilibrium effect may play an important role in thermospheric heating at Jupiter. Along with previously reported heating events that occurred in both the lower and upper atmosphere, it is speculated that the heating source may originate from an altitude above Jupiter's stratosphere but below the peak altitude of overtone and quadrupole emissions.
Automated Mineralogy Analysis of the Apollo 17 73002 Continuous Core Thin Sections Using QEMSCAN Mapping Techniques
Authors: Bell S. K. , Joy K. H. , Nottingham M. , Tartèse R. , Jones R. H. , Kent J. J. , Shearer C. K. ,   the ANGSA science team
Published: November 2024

The Apollo 17 73001/73002 double drive tube, collected at the base of the South Massif in the Taurus‐Littrow Valley, was opened in 2019 as part of the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis program (ANGSA). A series of continuous thin sections were prepared capturing the full length of the upper portion of the double drive tube (73002). The aim of this study was to use Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by SCANing electron microscopy (QEMSCAN), to search for clasts of non‐lunar meteoritic origin and to analyze the mineralogy and textures within the core. By highlighting mineral groups associated with meteoritic origins, we identified 232 clasts of interest. The elemental composition of 33 clasts was analyzed using electron microprobe analysis that revealed that all clasts were of lunar origin, suggesting that any meteoritic component in the regolith material we studied is not present in the form of lithic clasts. In the process of searching for meteorite fragments, we also identified a number of clast types including a group with highly magnesian olivine compositions (Fo92.2‐96.5). We extracted raw pixel data to investigate changes in mineralogy with depth, used QEMSCAN processors to separate and group individual clasts based on mineralogy, and determined variations in particle size with depth. Our results show a decreasing abundance of glass and agglutinate clasts with depth, associated with a higher soil maturity in the upper portion of the core. The lack of stratigraphy and dominance of non‐mare clasts is consistent with the landslide origin of the material from the South Massif.
BioRT‐HBV 1.0: A Biogeochemical Reactive Transport Model at the Watershed Scale
Authors: Sadayappan Kayalvizhi , Stewart Bryn , Kerins Devon , Vierbicher Andrew , Zhi Wei , Smykalov Valerie Diana , Shi Yuning , Vis Marc , Seibert Jan , Li Li
Published: November 2024

Reactive Transport Models (RTMs) are essential tools for understanding and predicting intertwined ecohydrological and biogeochemical processes on land and in rivers. While traditional RTMs have focused primarily on subsurface processes, recent watershed‐scale RTMs have integrated ecohydrological and biogeochemical interactions between surface and subsurface. These emergent, watershed‐scale RTMs are often spatially explicit and require extensive data, computational power, and computational expertise. There is however a pressing need to create parsimonious models that require minimal data and are accessible to scientists with limited computational background. To that end, we have developed BioRT‐HBV 1.0, a watershed‐scale, hydro‐biogeochemical RTM that builds upon the widely used, bucket‐type HBV model known for its simplicity and minimal data requirements. BioRT‐HBV uses the conceptual structure and hydrology output of HBV to simulate processes including advective solute transport and biogeochemical reactions that depend on reaction thermodynamics and kinetics. These reactions include, for example, chemical weathering, soil respiration, and nutrient transformation. The model uses time series of weather (air temperature, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration) and initial biogeochemical conditions of subsurface water, soils, and rocks as input, and output times series of reaction rates and solute concentrations in subsurface waters and rivers. This paper presents the model structure and governing equations and demonstrates its utility with examples simulating carbon and nitrogen processes in a headwater catchment. As shown in the examples, BioRT‐HBV can be used to illuminate the dynamics of biogeochemical reactions in the invisible, arduous‐to‐measure subsurface, and their influence on the observed stream or river chemistry and solute export. With its parsimonious structure and easy‐to‐use graphical user interface, BioRT‐HBV can be a useful research tool for users without in‐depth computational training. It can additionally serve as an educational tool that promotes pollination of ideas across disciplines and foster a diverse, equal, and inclusive user community.
Impacts of Offline Nonlinear Bias Correction Schemes Using the Machine Learning Technology on the All‐Sky Assimilation of Cloud‐Affected Infrared Radiances
Authors: Zhang Xuewei , Xu Dongmei , Shen Feifei , Min Jinzhong
Published: November 2024

Bias correction (BC) of the cloud‐affected infrared (IR) radiances is one of the most difficult challenges in the all‐sky data assimilation. This study introduces an offline nonlinear bias correction model based on the machine learning (ML) technology of Random Forest to enhance the impacts of Fengyun‐4A Advanced Geostationary Radiation Imager (AGRI) all‐sky radiance data assimilation. The effects of the developed model were comprehensively evaluated through sensitivity experiments based on the NoBC, BC and modified BC schemes for two super typhoon cases. Among them, the modified BC scheme is designed to extract the features of cloud‐affected systematic biases, which are more prevalent in the all‐sky IR radiance assimilation. Results showed that the modified BC scheme outperforms other schemes in terms of removing the cloud‐impacted systematic bias while retaining the useful meteorological signal. Whereas, those biases were improperly corrected by the original BC scheme when the inputs of a grid point were handled by the ML model site by site without the feature extraction, leading to a non‐Gaussian error distribution. Assimilating those better‐corrected IR radiances in the modified BC experiments would lead to a greater improvement in the analysis of the humidity and cloud ice. Based on the improved initial condition, the positive effects of the modified BC scheme are also evident in the forecasts of atmospheric variables and typhoon systems.
A blood glucose fluctuation-responsive delivery system promotes bone regeneration and the repair function of Smpd3-reprogrammed BMSC-derived exosomes
Authors: Wang Lingxiao , Yang Haoqing , Zhang Chen , Zhang Yue , He Yilin , Liu Yang , Ma Pan , Li Jun , Fan Zhipeng
Published: November 2024

Blood glucose fluctuation leads to poor bone defect repair in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Strategies to safely and efficiently improve the bone regeneration disorder caused by blood glucose fluctuation are still a challenge. Neutral sphingophospholipase 2 (Smpd3) is downregulated in jawbone-derived bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) from T2DM patients. Here, we investigated the effect of Smpd3 on the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and utilized exosomes from stem cells overexpressing Smpd3 as the main treatment based on the glucose responsiveness of phenylboronic acid-based polyvinyl alcohol crosslinkers and the protease degradability of gelatin nanoparticles. The combined loading of Smpd3-overexpressing stem cell-derived exosomes (Exos-Smpd3) and nanosilver ions (Ns) to construct a hydrogel delivery system (Exos-Smpd3@Ns) promoted osteogenesis and differentiation of BMSCs in a glucose-fluctuating environment, ectopic osteogenesis of BMSCs in a glucose-fluctuating environment and jawbone regeneration of diabetic dogs in vitro. Mechanistically, Smpd3 promoted the osteogenesis and differentiation of jawbone-derived BMSCs by activating autophagy in the jawbone and inhibiting macrophage polarization and oxidative stress caused by blood glucose fluctuations. These results reveal the role and mechanism of Smpd3 and the Smpd3 overexpression exosome delivery system in promoting BMSC function and bone regeneration under blood glucose fluctuations, providing a theoretical basis and candidate methods for the treatment of bone defects in T2DM patients.
OPA1 and disease-causing mutants perturb mitochondrial nucleoid distribution
Authors: Macuada J. , Molina-Riquelme I. , Vidal G. , Pérez-Bravo N. , Vásquez-Trincado C. , Aedo G. , Lagos D. , Yu-Wai-Man P. , Horvath R. , Rudge T. J. , Cartes-Saavedra B. , Eisner V.
Published: November 2024

Optic atrophy protein 1 (OPA1) mediates inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) fusion and cristae organization. Mutations in OPA1 cause autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA), a leading cause of blindness. Cells from ADOA patients show impaired mitochondrial fusion, cristae structure, bioenergetic function, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) integrity. The mtDNA encodes electron transport chain subunits and is packaged into nucleoids spread within the mitochondrial population. Nucleoids interact with the IMM, and their distribution is tightly linked to mitochondrial fusion and cristae shaping. Yet, little is known about the physio-pathological relevance of nucleoid distribution. We studied the effect of OPA1 and ADOA-associated mutants on nucleoid distribution using high-resolution confocal microscopy. We applied a novel model incorporating the mitochondrial context, separating nucleoid distribution into the array in the mitochondrial population and intramitochondrial longitudinal distribution. Opa1-null cells showed decreased mtDNA levels and nucleoid abundance. Also, loss of Opa1 led to an altered distribution of nucleoids in the mitochondrial population, loss of cristae periodicity, and altered nucleoids to cristae proximity partly rescued by OPA1 isoform 1. Overexpression of WT OPA1 or ADOA-causing mutants c.870+5 G > A or c.2713 C > T in WT cells, showed perturbed nucleoid array in the mitochondria population associated with cristae disorganization, which was partly reproduced in Skeletal muscle-derived fibroblasts from ADOA patients harboring the same mutants. Opa1-null and cells overexpressing ADOA mutants accumulated mitochondria without nucleoids. Interestingly, intramitochondrial nucleoid distribution was only altered in Opa1-null cells. Altogether, our results highlight the relevance of OPA1 in nucleoid distribution in the mitochondrial landscape and at a single-organelle level and shed light on new components of ADOA etiology.
GEFT inhibits the GSDM-mediated proptosis signalling pathway, promoting the progression and drug resistance of rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: Yang Fan , Xia Tian , Zhao Zhijuan , Lin Jinyang , Zhong Ling , Tang Tian , Liao Degui , Lai Miaoling , Ceng Jiamin , Meng Lian , Li Feng , Liu Chunxia
Published: November 2024

The metastasis or recurrence of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the primary cause of tumour-related deaths. Patients with high-risk RMS have poor prognosis with a 5-year overall survival rate of 20–30%. The lack of specific drug-targeted therapy and chemotherapy resistance are the main reasons for treatment failure. Drugs or molecular target inhibitors can induce the pyroptosis of tumour cells or increase their sensitivity to chemotherapy, making pyroptosis an effective strategy for antitumour therapies. Pyroptosis is mediated by gasdermin (GSDM) family members. Here, we found that the expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, caspase-3, GSDMD and GSDME in RMS was remarkably lower than that in skeletal muscle tissues. Nigericin and dactinomycin in RMS cells achieved their regulatory effect on pyroptosis through the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway and caspase-3/GSDME pathway, respectively. Necrosulfonamide reversed the pyroptosis-related changes induced by nigericin, and siGSDME converted the dactinomycin-induced pyroptosis into apoptosis. Additionally, GEFT inhibited the GSDMD and GSDME pyroptosis pathways, thereby promoting the progression and drug resistance of RMS. Mouse xenograft and tumour analysis confirmed that nigericin and dactinomycin can effectively improve the therapeutic effect of RMS by activating the pyroptosis pathway. To the best of our knowledge, this study was the first to focus on pyroptosis in RMS. Overall, our investigation demonstrated that nigericin and dactinomycin play therapeutic roles in tumours by promoting RMS cell pyroptosis. Interference with GEFT and drug combination can exert a great inhibitory effect on tumours.
Iron’s role in soil organic carbon (de)stabilization in mangroves under land use change
Authors: Ruiz Francisco , Bernardino Angelo Fraga , Queiroz Hermano Melo , Otero Xosé Luis , Rumpel Cornelia , Ferreira Tiago Osório
Published: November 2024

Mangroves are coastal hotspots for carbon storage and yet face multiple threats from anthropogenic activities. Here we explore the role of iron-mediated organomineral interactions (FeOMIs) in soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization and their sensitivity to land use change (LUC) in Amazonian mangroves. We show that Fe oxides protect more labile SOC fractions, which would otherwise be vulnerable to biological degradation, with poorly crystalline Fe oxides being the most effective phase for SOC retention. Despite the fragile equilibrium of FeOMI under dynamic redox conditions in mangroves, this balance sustains approximately 8% of total SOC. The studied LUC scenario led to massive loss of FeOMIs as less crystalline phases were either degraded or transformed into more crystalline ones, losing the efficiency in retaining SOC. The conversion of mangroves to pastures and shrimp ponds, which are pervasive globally, triggers important biogeochemical changes, with major implications for the carbon sequestration potential of mangrove soils.
Roles of SNORD115 and SNORD116 ncRNA clusters during neuronal differentiation
Authors: Helwak Aleksandra , Turowski Tomasz , Spanos Christos , Tollervey David
Published: November 2024

In the snoRNA host gene SNHG14, 29 consecutive introns each generate SNORD116, and 48 tandem introns encode SNORD115. Loss of SNORD116 expression, but not of SNORD115, is linked to the neurodevelopmental disease Prader-Willi syndrome. SNORD116 and SNORD115 resemble box C/D small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) but lack known targets. Both were strongly accumulated during neuronal differentiation, but with distinct mechanisms: Increased host-gene expression for SNORD115 and apparent stabilization for SNORD116. For functional characterization we created cell lines specifically lacking the expressed, paternally inherited, SNORD115 or SNORD116 cluster. Analyses during neuronal development indicates changes in RNA stability and protein synthesis. These data suggest that the loss of SNORD116 enhances some aspects of developmental timing of neuronal cells. Altered mRNAs include MAGEL2, causal in the PWS-like disorder Schaaf-Yang syndrome. Comparison of SNORD115 and SNORD116 mutants identifies small numbers of altered mRNAs and ncRNAs. These are enriched for functions potentially linked to PWS phenotypes and include protocadherins, which are key cell signalling factors during neurodevelopment.
Programmable spatial magnetization stereolithographic printing of biomimetic soft machines with thin-walled structures
Authors: Meng Xianghe , Li Shishi , Shen Xingjian , Tian Chenyao , Mao Liyang , Xie Hui
Published: November 2024

Soft machines respond to external magnetic stimuli with targeted shape changes and motions due to anisotropic magnetization, showing great potential in biomimetic applications. However, mimicking biological functionalities, particularly the complex hollow structures of organs and their dynamic behaviors, remains challenging. Here, we develop a printing method based on three-dimensional uniform magnetic field-assisted stereolithography to fabricate thin-walled soft machines with internal cavities and programmable magnetization. This printing technique employs Halbach arrays and an electromagnetic solenoid to generate an adjustable uniform magnetic field (up to 80 millitesla), efficiently orienting ferromagnetic particles, followed by solidification with patterned ultraviolet light. A support strategy and optimized material composition enhance printing stability and success rates. Our developed method enables fabrication of magnetic-driven soft machines capable of peristaltic propulsion, unidirectional fluid transport, periodic pumping action, and intake-expulsion deformation. These structures, achieving hollow ratios as high as 0.92 and enabling parallel manufacturing, highlight this technique’s considerable potential for biomedical applications by emulating complex biological behaviors and functions.
First principles methodology for studying magnetotransport in narrow gap semiconductors with ZrTe5 example
Authors: Pi Hanqi , Zhang Shengnan , Xu Yang , Fang Zhong , Weng Hongming , Wu Quansheng
Published: November 2024

The origin of resistivity peak and sign reversal of Hall resistivity in ZrTe5 has long been debated. Despite various theories proposed to explain these unique transport properties, there’s a lack of comprehensive first principles studies. In this work, we employ first principles calculations and Boltzmann transport theory to explore transport properties of narrow-gap semiconductors across varying temperatures and doping levels within the relaxation time approximation. We simulate the temperature-sensitive chemical potential and relaxation time in semiconductors through proper approximations, then extensively analyze ZrTe5’s transport behaviors with and without an applied magnetic field. Our results reproduce crucial experimental observations such as the zero-field resistivity anomaly, nonlinear Hall resistivity with sign reversal, and non-saturating magnetoresistance at high temperatures, without introducing topological phases and/or correlation interactions. Our approach provides a systematic understanding based on multi-carrier contributions and Fermi surface geometry, and could be extended to other narrow-gap semiconductors to explore novel transport properties.
Predictive model for abdominal liposuction volume in patients with obesity using machine learning in a longitudinal multi-center study in Korea
Authors: Sang Hyunji , Park Jaeyu , Kim Soeun , Lee Myeongcheol , Lee Hojae , Lee Sun-Ho , Yon Dong Keon , Rhee Sang Youl
Published: November 2024

This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning (ML)-based model for predicting liposuction volumes in patients with obesity. This study used longitudinal cohort data from 2018 to 2023 from five nationwide centers affiliated with 365MC Liposuction Hospital, the largest liposuction hospitals in Korea. Fifteen variables related to patient profiles were integrated and applied to various ML algorithms, including random forest, support vector, XGBoost, decision tree, and AdaBoost regressors. Performance evaluation employed mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and R-squared (R2) score. Feature importance and RMSE importance analyses were performed to compare the influence of each feature on prediction performance. A total of 9,856 were included in the final analysis. The random forest regressor model best predicted the liposuction volume (MAE, 0.197, RMSE, 0.249, R2, 0.792). Body fat mass and waist circumference were the most important features of the random forest regressor model (feature importance 71.55 and 13.21, RMSE importance 0.201 and 0.221, respectively). Leveraging this model, a web-based application was developed to suggest ideal liposuction volumes. These findings could be used in clinical practice to enhance decision-making and tailor surgical interventions to individual patient needs, thereby improving overall surgical efficacy and patient satisfaction.
Integrative multi-omics analysis to gain new insights into COVID-19
Authors: Eshetie Setegn , Choi Karmel W. , Hyppönen Elina , Benyamin Beben , Lee S. Hong
Published: November 2024

Multidimensional host and viral factors determine the clinical course of COVID-19. While the virology of the disease is well studied, investigating host-related factors, including genome, transcriptome, metabolome, and exposome, can provide valuable insights into the underlying pathophysiology. We conducted integrative omics analyses to explore their intricate interplay in COVID-19. We used data from the UK Biobank (UKB), and employed single-omics, pairwise-omics, and multi-omics models to illustrate the effects of different omics layers. The dataset included COVID-19 phenotypic data as well as genome, imputed-transcriptome, metabolome and exposome data. We examined the main, interaction effects and correlations between omics layers underlying COVID-19. Single-omics analyses showed that the transcriptome (derived from the coronary artery tissue) and exposome captured 3–4% of the variation in COVID-19 susceptibility, while the genome and metabolome contributed 2–2.5% of the phenotypic variation. In the omics-exposome model, where individual omics layers were simultaneously fitted with exposome data, the contributions of genome and metabolome were diminished and considered negligible, whereas the effects of the transcriptome showed minimal change. Through mediation analysis, the findings revealed that exposomic factors mediated about 60% of the genome and metabolome’s effects, while having a relatively minor impact on the transcriptome, mediating only 7% of its effects. In conclusion, our integrative-omics analyses shed light on the contribution of omics layers to the variance of COVID-19.
Modified neuroimmune processes and emotional behaviour in weaned and late adolescent male and female mice born via caesarean section
Authors: Di Miceli Mathieu , Rossitto Moïra , Martinat Maud , Marchaland Flore , Kharbouche Sarah , Graland Marion , Younes Farah , Séré Alexandra , Aubert Agnès , Khabbaz Lydia Rabbaa , Madore Charlotte , Delpech Jean-Christophe , Martín Rebeca , Layé Sophie
Published: November 2024

Elective and emergency Caesarean section (C-section) procedures are on the rise, exceeding the recommended guidelines by the World Health Organization. Higher morbidities and long-term health conditions are correlated to C-section deliveries, including neurodevelopmental disorders. During C-section delivery, newborns are not exposed to the vaginal commensal flora, which impedes the early establishment of the gut microbiota. The latter is essential for adequate neuro-immune processes to take place during infancy. In this study, we used a validated model of mice born by C-section (CSD), which mimics clinical observations of dysregulated gut microbiota. Animals were either born naturally or by CSD, before being adopted by dams who underwent delivery within the 12 preceding hours. Behavioural analyses were conducted at post-natal day (PND) 21 and 55. Our results indicate that animals born by C-section present significantly higher body weight in late (PND40-P53) but not early adolescence (PND21-P27), compared to animals born by vaginal delivery (VD). Male animals delivered by C-section presented significantly lower exploration time of the novel arm in the Y Maze test at PND55. However, at PND21, abnormal social interaction was witnessed in male and female animals born by CSD, with significantly decreased time spent interacting during the social interaction test. At both PND21 and PND55, animals from both sexes born by C-section presented significantly decreased time spent in the open arm of the Elevated Plus Maze test, compared to control animals. We then measured the expression of genes associated to neuroimmune interactions (microglia phenotype), inflammatory mediators and lipids in several brain structures of VD and CSD mice at PND21 and PND55. At weaning, animals born by CSD presented altered microglia, inflammatory and lipid metabolism signatures, with increased expression of Cd36, Csf1r and Tnfα in different brain regions of males, but not in females. At PND64, Csf1r, Tmem119 as well as C3ar1 were significantly increased in males born by C-section, but not in females. In males born by vaginal delivery, the expression of Cd36 at PND64 was correlated to anxiety at PND55, whilst a correlation between the expression of Clec7a and the number of head dippings in the elevated plus maze was also noted in males born by CSD. Altogether, our study shows altered emotional behaviour in animals delivered by CSD, which is likely explained by underlying neuro-inflammatory processes in different brain regions. Our work further supports the long-term consequences of CSD on brain health.
Screening great ape museum specimens for DNA viruses
Authors: Hämmerle Michelle , Guellil Meriam , Trgovec-Greif Lovro , Cheronet Olivia , Sawyer Susanna , Ruiz-Gartzia Irune , Lizano Esther , Rymbekova Aigerim , Gelabert Pere , Bernardi Paolo , Han Sojung , Rattei Thomas , Schuenemann Verena J. , Marques-Bonet Tomas , Guschanski Katerina , Calvignac-Spencer Sebastien , Pinhasi Ron , Kuhlwilm Martin
Published: November 2024

Natural history museum collections harbour a record of wild species from the past centuries, providing a unique opportunity to study animals as well as their infectious agents. Thousands of great ape specimens are kept in these collections, and could become an important resource for studying the evolution of DNA viruses. Their genetic material is likely to be preserved in dry museum specimens, as reported previously for monkeypox virus genomes from historical orangutan specimens. Here, we screened 209 great ape museum specimens for 99 different DNA viruses, using hybridization capture coupled with short-read high-throughput sequencing. We determined the presence of multiple viruses within this dataset from historical specimens and obtained several near-complete viral genomes. In particular, we report high-coverage (> 18-fold) hepatitis B virus genomes from one gorilla and two chimpanzee individuals, which are phylogenetically placed within clades infecting the respective host species.
A technical survey on practical applications and guidelines for IoT sensors in precision agriculture and viticulture
Authors: Pascoal David , Silva Nuno , Adão Telmo , Lopes Rui Diogo , Peres Emanuel , Morais Raul
Published: November 2024

Climate change pose significant challenges to modern agriculture management systems, threatening food production and security. Therefore, tackling its effects has never been so imperative to attain sustainable food access and nutrition worldwide. In the case of viticulture, besides jeopardizing grape production, climate change has severe impact in quality, which has becoming more challenging to manage, due to the increasingly frequent fungal contamination, with consequences for relevant quality parameters such as the aromatic profiles of grapes and wines and their phenolic compounds. This has been leading to a reconfiguration of the wine industry geostrategic landscape and economy dynamics, particularly in Southern Europe. To address these and other emerging challenges, in-field deployable proximity-based precision technologies have been enabling real-time monitoring of crops ecosystems, including climate, soil and plants, by performing relevant data gathering and storage, paving the way for advanced decision support under the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm. This paper explores the integration of agronomic and technological knowledge, emphasizing the proper selection of IoT-capable sensors for viticulture, while considering more general ones from agriculture to fill gaps when specialized options are unavailable. Moreover, advisable practices for sensor installation are provided, according to respective types, data acquisition capabilities and applicability.
Evaluation of the advanced air mobility potential for organ transplantation in Austria and Germany
Authors: Karpstein Robin , Brolli Jakob , Stiegler Philipp , Sucher Robert , Holzapfel Florian , Biberthaler Peter
Published: November 2024

Solid organ transplantation continues to be the only or most efficient therapeutic solution for several end-stage diseases. The success of such transplantation is largely dependent on the swift transportation of organs from donors to recipients, as Cold Ischemia Time (CIT) plays a critical role in determining the recipient’s medical outcome. This study explores the potential of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in the context of organ transplantation in Austria and Germany. AAM, in the healthcare sector, is associated with potential overall process time savings via air transportation, thereby reducing CIT. However, the application of AAM for organ transplantation has not yet been implemented in Europe. This study employs a Monte Carlo simulation to derive the trip length distributions for organ transplantation in Austria and Germany. By utilizing data from Eurotransplant (2018–2021) and ÖBIG (2017–2021), it was found that 48% of organ transports within Germany, and 80% of organ transports within Austria, fall within a trip length of less than 150 km. This distance is within the capabilities of today’s AAM technology. Anticipated time benefits of up to 30 min compared to ground-based transport can be expected. Furthermore, the optimization of the organ transport process, facilitated by AAM, promises greater potential for CIT reduction.
Comparative analysis of amino acid sequence level in plant GATA transcription factors
Authors: Kim Mangi
Published: November 2024

Transcription factors (TFs) are essential regulators of gene expression, influencing numerous biological processes such as development, growth, and cellular responses in plants. Among these, GATA TFs are distinguished by their highly conserved DNA-binding domain, characterized by a class IV zinc finger motif (CX2CX18-20CX2C). This study investigates the amino acid sequence patterns of 5,335 GATA TFs across 165 plant species sourced from the PlantTFDB database (http://planttfdb.gao-lab.org/), encompassing diverse taxonomic groups. Through comparative sequence analysis, I identify conserved domains and structural features that enhance the understanding functional roles, evolutionary conservation, and lineage-specific adaptations of GATA TFs. These findings provide valuable insights into the diversification and functional specialization of GATA TFs, with implications for improving stress tolerance and adaptability in crops. This study contributes to the broader knowledge of transcriptional regulation in plant biology.
Experimental and numerical investigation of a cold-formed steel system used to restore old buildings floor
Authors: Fahmy Ahmed Shamel , Swelem Sherine Mostafa , Farrag Rowida Saad , Mobarak Wael F. M.
Published: November 2024

This paper presents a novel configuration of built-up cold-formed steel (CFS) flooring system in the shape of a box section. A new technique is applied to produce the components of the flooring system, which are fastened by self-drilling screws. This box section consists of a cast-in-situ concrete slab, trapezoidal steel decking, two sigma section, steel plate and stiffening equal angles. The main objectives of this system is to enable rapid construction and decrease the time, requirements, and cost. As a result, the proposed system is designed to use the decking in a longitudinal direction. Many old buildings have sturdy structures but their floors were ruined due to being fabricated from timber. This flooring system will be implemented to increase their quality of life and be reused. The loading experiments of four specimens were carried out. The failure modes of the CFS flooring system, load-deflection relation curves, longitudinal strain distribution at different heights were obtained. The experimental results show that the flooring system has high stiffness and flexural performance and can reach ultimate strength without local buckling failure. The failure occurs due to distortion at the end supports. Then, the capacity of the flooring system was calculated theoretically. Then, the practical and theoretical results were compared. The calculated results agree well with the test results. A three-dimensional finite element model is also established to investigate structural performance of the proposed system.
Seasonal hotspots of beach litter in the North-East Atlantic linked to aquaculture and river runoff
Authors: Rieger Niclas , Olmedo Estrella , Thiel Martin , Salvo Vanessa Sarah , Honorato-Zimmer Daniela , Vásquez Nelson , Turiel Antonio , Piera Jaume
Published: November 2024

Macroplastic pollution is a pervasive global environmental challenge, adversely affecting marine ecosystems, wildlife and human health. Understanding temporal variations is crucial for identifying pollution sources and developing effective mitigation policies. However, in-situ data from beach surveys are often irregular, both spatially and temporally, and highly variable, complicating robust statistical conclusions. Here we employ a Bayesian machine learning framework to investigate seasonal variations, identify regional hotspots and elucidate their anthropogenic drivers. Using data from 3866 surveys across 168 western European beaches, we leverage a spatial log-Gaussian Cox Process to enhance statistical inference by integrating information from nearby beaches. Distinct seasonal patterns emerge, with winter and spring exhibiting the highest pollution levels, while pronounced regional differences highlight seasonal pollution hotspots in the western Iberian Peninsula, French coastline, Irish Sea and Skagerrak region. These peaks are attributed to riverine emissions and aquaculture activities, highlighting the potential impact of these sources on beach pollution. Our findings advocate for enhanced, time-specific monitoring to effectively manage litter hotspots, emphasizing the importance of aquaculture-related plastic emissions.
Biofouling changes the settling dynamics of macroplastic plates
Authors: Lofty James , Wilson Catherine , Ouro Pablo
Published: November 2024

Plastic pollution transported in rivers remains poorly understood due to the diversity of shapes, sizes, and densities of plastics, as well as their complex interactions with biofilms. While previous studies have explored the settling velocities of plastics and their interactions with biofilms, they often overlook how biofouling alters plastic dynamics and settling behaviour. To address this, over 800 settling experiments were conducted to demonstrate that the dynamics and falling velocities of isotropic (spheres) and anisotropic (square and rectangle plates) macroplastics of different densities (1050 to 2200 kg/m3) are significantly impacted by biofouling. Three-dimensional tracking of plastic trajectories revealed that biofilm colonisation on the surface of anisotropic plastic plates triggered them to exhibit more chaotic trajectories, larger horizontal dispersion and higher oscillatory frequencies. These dynamics reduced the average vertical settling velocity of anisotropic biofouled plates by up to 12%—despite greater plastic densities and considering the multimodal distribution of a plate’s fall velocity—compared to their pristine counterparts. Results highlight the necessity of accounting for the intricate multimodal settling dynamics of plastics, including their interactions with biofilms, to provide more reliable predictions of plastic transport and fate in aquatic environments.
Achieving at-scale seascape restoration by optimising cross-habitat facilitative processes
Authors: Vozzo Maria L. , Buelow Christina A. , Sievers Michael , Adame M. Fernanda , Branson Paul , Brown Maddison , Crosswell Joseph R. , Doropoulos Christopher , Gilby Ben L. , Martinez-Baena Francisco , Reeves Simon , Rullens Vera , Steven Andy , Xiao Ziyu , Dahle Kirk , Silliman Brian , ter Hofstede Remment , van Koningsveld Mark , Saunders Megan I.
Published: November 2024

Cross-habitat facilitative processes can enhance seascape restoration outcomes but there is uncertainty around the spatial dependencies of these processes across habitats. We synthesised the influence of environmental parameters on six processes underpinning cross-habitat facilitation and identified the linear distances over which they operate between habitats. All six process types occur at distances commonly used in seascape restoration demonstrating how harnessing facilitation can scale-up restoration to meet national and international goals.
NiS2 nanoboxes wrapped in carbon with a core–shell structure for high-performance sodium storage
Authors: Wang Li , Zhu Ying , Yan Dong , Wang Jingjing , Wu Rui , Jiang Jinxia , Niu Xiaobin , Chen Chia-Yun , Li Hanchao , Chen Jun Song
Published: November 2024

One-dimensional nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube wrapped NiS2 core–shell nanoboxes have been developed.
A versatile energy-level-tunable hole-transport layer for multi-composition inverted perovskite solar cells
Authors: Peng Wenbo , Zhang Yong , Zhou Xianyong , Wu Jiawen , Wang Deng , Qu Geping , Zeng Jie , Xu Yintai , Jiang Bo , Zhu Peide , Du Yifan , Li Zhitong , Lei Xia , Liu Zhixin , Yan Lei , Wang Xingzhu , Xu Baomin
Published: November 2024

Through a bimolecular energy-level-tunable design, an ET-HTL reaches optimal energy level alignment with three different perovskite compositions, providing balanced interface defect passivation, charge extraction, and transition loss suppression.
Deciphering the dynamic solid–liquid interphase for energetic high-mass-loading energy storage
Authors: Wang Jinxin , Guo Wei , Sun Mingming , Zhang Geng , Meng Yang , Zhang Qiuyu
Published: November 2024

A dynamic PEI layer was tailored over MnO2 by refining the cation environment and reconstruction. The unique host-guest coupling restrains Mn species loss and unlocks an energetic “multi-processing” energy storage mechanism.
An accurate quantitative method for NdFeB magnetism based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Authors: Chen Guanyu , Chen Jing , Qu Dongming , Yang Guang , Sun Huihui
Published: November 2024

GA-ELM method was used to quantify four kinds of magnetic properties, and according to the RMSE evaluation results, Br reaches 0.0001526, Hcj reaches 0.0001937, Hcb reaches 0.00197, and (BH)max reaches 0.00785.
Multi-stimuli actuation of a photoresponsive azobenzene based molecular switch
Authors: Li Jianbo , Liu Chang , Wang Jinyan , Liu Chenguang , Zhao Chun , Ren Jiawei , Huang Hailian , Wang Yijia , Zhang Qian , Dappe Yannick J. , Nichols Richard J. , Yang Li
Published: November 2024

This study involves building two high photo-efficiency azobenzene based molecular memory devices and subjecting them to dual stimuli. According to the truth table, simple azobenzene molecular layers exhibit the behaviour of an ‘AND’ logic gate.
Near-infrared circularly polarized luminescence enabled by chiral inorganic nanomaterials
Authors: Huang Yanji , Zhou Yajie , Guo Xueru , Tong Zhi , Zhuang Taotao
Published: November 2024

We summarize the latest developments in NIR-CPL generated by chiral inorganic nanomaterials and provide new perspectives for constructing NIR-CPL materials and developing new applications for chiral nanomaterials.
TBN-promoted regioselective C–C bond cleavage: a new strategy for the synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted N-aryl oxalamides
Authors: Liu Guiqin , Zhang Zheyan , Wang Huifeng , Chen Ruiling , Tian Haiying , Chen Xiuling
Published: November 2024

The intermolecular regioselective C–C and C–O bond cleavage and amination was accomplished by CuCl2-TBN system under mild reaction conditions for the synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted N-aryl oxalamides.
Proanthocyanidin-enhanced wettability and adhesion in liquid metal inks for multi-substrate patterning in soft electronics
Authors: Liu Haoran , Peng Yidong , Sun Jiahui , Zhang Yuxi , Long Jiayan , Gu Yanqing , Park Steve , Liu Tianxi , Dong Jiancheng , Huang Yunpeng
Published: November 2024

Multi-surface-wettable and adhesive liquid metal inks are prepared and patterned on elastic fibrous membranes as super-conformal and flexible epidermal bioelectrodes.
Enhancing PARP inhibitor efficacy using reduction-responsive nanoparticles encapsulating NADP+
Authors: Chen Hao , Tan Fan , Zhang Yukui , Xie Bingteng , Luo Aiqin
Published: November 2024

Reduction-responsive nanoparticles encapsulating NADP+ and olaparib enhance cellular NADP+ levels, inhibit DNA damage repair, and synergistically suppress tumor cell growth, offering a promising cancer therapy strategy.
Reducing overfitting in vehicle recognition by decorrelated sparse representation regularisation
Authors: Wei Wanyu , Fu Xinsha , Ma Siqi , Zhu Yaqiao , Lu Ning
Published: November 2024

Most state‐of‐the‐art vehicle recognition methods benefit from the excellent feature extraction capabilities of convolutional neural networks (CNNs), which allow the models to perform well on the intra‐dataset. However, they often show poor generalisation when facing cross‐datasets due to the overfitting problem. For this issue, numerous studies have shown that models do not generalise well in new scenarios due to the high correlation between the representations in CNNs. Furthermore, over‐parameterised CNNs have a large number of redundant representations. Therefore, we propose a novel Decorrelated Sparse Representation (DSR) regularisation. (1) It tries to minimise the correlation between feature maps to obtain decorrelated representations. (2) It forces the convolution kernels to extract meaningful features by allowing the sparse kernels to have additional optimisation. The DSR regularisation encourages diverse representations to reduce overfitting. Meanwhile, DSR can be applied to a wide range of vehicle recognition methods based on CNNs, and it does not require additional computation in the testing phase. In the experiments, DSR performs better than the original model on the intra‐dataset and cross‐dataset. Through ablation analysis, we find that DSR can drive the model to focus on the essential differences among all kinds of vehicles.
280–300 GHz SiGe‐InP hybrid‐integrated transmitter with 21.9 dBm EIRP and 10 Gbps data rate
Authors: Lu Haiyan , Chen Jixin , Yan Pinpin , Tang Si‐Yuan , Zheng Yu , Zheng Sidou , Cheng Wei , Sun Yan , Zhou Peigen , Chang Long , Cai Longzhu , Jiang Zhi Hao , Tao Hongqi , Chen Tangsheng , Hong Wei
Published: November 2024

In this paper, a 280–300 GHz hybrid‐integrated transmitter is proposed. The advantages of the SiGe and InP chips are fully made use by integrating these two chips. For low cost and high integration, the local oscillator chain and mixer are based on chips in SiGe technology, and the 300‐GHz power amplifier and on‐chip antenna are realised in InP technology for high output power and small die size. The low‐cost bonding wires are introduced for the interconnection between these two chips, and the lens are attached above the on‐chip antenna for further EIRP enhancement. Finally, the proposed transmitter is fabricated and measured, which shows comparable performances with 21.9 dBm EIRP (equivalent isotropic radiated power) and 10 Gbps data rate.