bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preclinical evaluation of tissue-selective gene therapies for congenital generalised lipodystrophy
Authors: Tiwari Mansi , Roumane Ahlima , Sommer Nadine , Han Weiping , Delibegović Mirela , Rochford Justin J. , Mcilroy George D.
Published: July 2024

Lipodystrophy is a rare disorder which can be life-threatening. Here individuals fail to develop or maintain appropriate adipose tissue stores. This typically causes severe metabolic complications, including hepatic steatosis and lipoatrophic diabetes. There is no cure for lipodystrophy, and treatment options remain very limited. Here we evaluate whether tissue-selective adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors can provide a targeted form of gene therapy for lipodystrophy, using a preclinical lipodystrophic mouse model of Bscl2 deficiency. We designed AAV vectors containing the mini/aP2 or thyroxine-binding globulin promoter to selectively target adipose or liver respectively. The AAV-aP2 vectors also contained the liver-specific microRNA-122 target sequence, restricting hepatic transgene expression. Systemic delivery of AAV-aP2 vectors overexpressing human BSCL2 restored adipose tissue development and metabolic health in lipodystrophic mice without detectable expression in the liver. High doses (1 × 1012 GCs) of liver-selective vectors led to off target expression and adipose tissue development, whilst low doses (1 × 1010 GCs) expressed selectively and robustly in the liver but did not improve metabolic health. This reveals that adipose tissue-selective, but not liver directed, AAV-mediated gene therapy is sufficient to substantially recover metabolic health in generalised lipodystrophy. This provides an exciting potential new avenue for an effective, targeted, and thereby safer therapeutic intervention.
Optimization of fluorinated phenyl azides as universal photocrosslinkers for semiconducting polymers
Authors: Tan Zhao-Siu , Jamal Zaini , Teo Desmond W. Y. , Ko Hor-Cheng , Seah Zong-Long , Phua Hao-Yu , Ho Peter K. H. , Png Rui-Qi , Chua Lay-Lay
Published: July 2024

Fluorinated phenyl azides (FPA) enable photo-structuring of π-conjugated polymer films for electronic device applications. Despite their potential, FPAs have faced limitations regarding their crosslinking efficiency, and more importantly, their impact on critical semiconductor properties, such as charge-carrier mobility. Here, we report that azide photolysis and photocrosslinking can achieve unity quantum efficiencies for specific FPAs. This suggests preferential nitrene insertion into unactivated C‒H bonds over benzazirine and ketenimine reactions, which we attribute to rapid interconversion between the initially formed hot states. Furthermore, we establish a structure‒activity relationship for carrier mobility quenching. The binding affinity of FPA crosslinker to polymer π-stacks governs its propensity for mobility quenching in both PM6 and PBDB-T used as model conjugated polymers. This binding affinity can be suppressed by FPA ring substitution, but varies in a non-trivial way with π-stack order. Utilizing the optimal FPA, photocrosslinking enables the fabrication of morphology-stabilized, acceptor-infiltrated donor polymer networks (that is, PBDB-T: ITIC and PM6: Y6) for solar cells. Our findings demonstrate the exceptional potential of the FPA photochemistry and offer a promising approach to address the challenges of modelling realistic molecular interactions in complex polymer morphologies, moving beyond the limitations of Flory‒Huggins mean field theory.
Confinement of excited states in two-dimensional, in-plane, quantum heterostructures
Authors: Kim Gwangwoo , Huet Benjamin , Stevens Christopher E. , Jo Kiyoung , Tsai Jeng-Yuan , Bachu Saiphaneendra , Leger Meghan , Song Seunguk , Rahaman Mahfujur , Ma Kyung Yeol , Glavin Nicholas R. , Shin Hyeon Suk , Alem Nasim , Yan Qimin , Hendrickson Joshua R. , Redwing Joan M. , Jariwala Deep
Published: July 2024

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are promising candidates for optoelectronic application and quantum information processes due to their inherent out-of-plane 2D confinement. In addition, they offer the possibility of achieving low-dimensional in-plane exciton confinement, similar to zero-dimensional quantum dots, with intriguing optical and electronic properties via strain or composition engineering. However, realizing such laterally confined 2D monolayers and systematically controlling size-dependent optical properties remain significant challenges. Here, we report the observation of lateral confinement of excitons in epitaxially grown in-plane MoSe2 quantum dots (~15-60 nm wide) inside a continuous matrix of WSe2 monolayer film via a sequential epitaxial growth process. Various optical spectroscopy techniques reveal the size-dependent exciton confinement in the MoSe2 monolayer quantum dots with exciton blue shift (12-40 meV) at a low temperature as compared to continuous monolayer MoSe2. Finally, single-photon emission (g2(0) ~ 0.4) was also observed from the smallest dots at 1.6 K. Our study opens the door to compositionally engineered, tunable, in-plane quantum light sources in 2D semiconductors.
Large scale exploration reveals rare taxa crucially shape microbial assembly in alkaline lake sediments
Authors: Qiu Zhiguang , He Shuhang , Lian Chun-Ang , Qiao Xuejiao , Zhang Qing , Yao Ciqin , Mu Rong , Wang Li , Cao Xiao-Ai , Yan Yan , Yu Ke
Published: July 2024

Alkaline lakes are extreme environments inhabited by diverse microbial extremophiles. However, large-scale distribution patterns, environmental adaptations, community assembly, and evolutionary dynamics of microbial communities remain largely underexplored. This study investigated the characteristics of microbial communities on rare and abundant taxa in alkaline lake sediments in west and northwest China. We observed that abundant taxa varied significantly with geographical distance, while rare taxa remained unaffected by regional differences. The assembly process of abundant taxa was influenced by dispersal limitation, whilst rare taxa were predominantly driven by heterogeneous selection. Network analysis indicated that rare taxa as core species for community interactions and community stability. Rare taxa exhibited higher speciation and transition rate than abundant taxa, serving as a genetic reservoir and potential candidates to become abundance taxa, highlighting their crucial role in maintaining microbial diversity. These insights underscore the significant influence of rare taxa on ecosystem biodiversity and stability in alkaline lakes.
Novel nano composites from Citrus limon and Citrullus colocynthis agricultural wastes for biomedical applications
Authors: Kamel Nagwa A. , Wissa D. A. , Abd-El-Messieh Salwa L.
Published: July 2024

In recent years, academic and industrial research has focused on using agro-waste for energy and new material production to promote sustainable development and lessen environmental issues. In this study, new nanocomposites based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-Starch using two affordable agricultural wastes, Citrus limon peels (LP) and Citrullus colocynthis (Cc) shells and seeds powders with different concentrations (2, 5, 10, and 15 wt%) as bio-fillers were prepared. The nanocomposites were characterized by Dielectric Spectroscopy, Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and water swelling ratio. The antimicrobial properties of the nanocomposites against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans were examined to investigate the possibility of using such composites in biomedical applications. Additionally, the biocompatibility of the composites on human normal fibroblast cell lines (HSF) was tested using MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. The results demonstrate that the filler type and concentration strongly affect the film's properties. The permittivity ε′, dielectric loss ε″ and conductivity σdc increased by increasing filler content but still in the insulators range that recommend such composites to be used in the insulation purposes. Both bio fillers control the water uptake, and the samples filled with LP were more water resistant. The polyvinyl alcohol/starch incorporated with 5 wt% LP and Cc have antimicrobial effects against all the tested microorganisms. Increasing the filler content has a negative impact on cell viability.
Pathologic complete response to KEYNOTE522 and HER2-directed therapy for synchronous TNBC and HER2+ breast cancer
Authors: Mai Nicholas , Chen Jie-Fu , Rana Satshil , Robson Mark , Chandarlapaty Sarat , Rosen Ezra Y.
Published: July 2024

Simultaneous presentation of two separate primary breast cancers of differing histology at initial diagnosis is an uncommon phenomenon; it is even rarer to find these pathologically distinct populations within the same biopsy. Here we report the case of a patient diagnosed with clearly demarcated, pathologically heterogenous triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and HER2+ breast cancer that was treated with a hybrid chemoimmunotherapy regimen combining elements of Keynote-522 and a standard HER2-directed neoadjuvant regimen, yielding apathologic complete response by the time of surgery with no notable adverse events. Molecular analysis of the histologically distinct tumor populations confirmed molecular evidence of differential HER2 expression but also suggested clonal relatedness of the two tumor populations based upon mutational profile, with phenotypic divergence potentially resulting from copy number alterations in NF1. Overall, this case highlights a rare histologic phenomenon that was successfully treated by combining both TNBC and HER2 directed neoadjuvant therapies.
Unveiling errors in soil microbial community sequencing: a case for reference soils and improved diagnostics for nanopore sequencing
Authors: Manter Daniel K. , Reardon Catherine L. , Ashworth Amanda J. , Ibekwe Abasiofiok M. , Lehman R. Michael , Maul Jude E. , Miller Daniel N. , Creed Timothy , Ewing Patrick M. , Park Stanley , Ducey Thomas F. , Tyler Heather L. , Veum Kristen S. , Weyers Sharon L. , Knaebel David B.
Published: July 2024

The sequencing platform and workflow strongly influence microbial community analyses through potential errors at each step. Effective diagnostics and experimental controls are needed to validate data and improve reproducibility. This cross-laboratory study evaluates sources of variability and error at three main steps of a standardized amplicon sequencing workflow (DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction [PCR], and sequencing) using Oxford Nanopore MinION to analyze agricultural soils and a simple mock community. Variability in sequence results occurs at each step in the workflow with PCR errors and differences in library size greatly influencing diversity estimates. Common bioinformatic diagnostics and the mock community are ineffective at detecting PCR abnormalities. This work outlines several diagnostic checks and techniques to account for sequencing depth and ensure accuracy and reproducibility in soil community analyses. These diagnostics and the inclusion of a reference soil can help ensure data validity and facilitate the comparison of multiple sequencing runs within and between laboratories.
Structural polymorphism and luminescence properties of zinc(ii) and cobalt(ii) MOFs with rigid and flexible ligands
Authors: Burlak Pavel V. , Samsonenko Denis G. , Kovalenko Konstantin A. , Fedin Vladimir P.
Published: July 2024

Here, we present a series of Zn(ii) and Co(ii) coordination polymers containing two types of ligands: sterically rigid terephthalate derivatives (bdc-NO22− and bdc-Br2−) and flexible bis(2-methylimidazolyl)propane (bmip).
Functionalized pyridyl diazole iridium complex catalyzed FA dehydrogenation: synergistic effect of adjacent versus long-range interaction
Authors: Ge Shun , Liu Yipei , Mo Xiufang , Yi Pingping , Yi Xiao-Yi , He Piao
Published: July 2024

New Cp*Ir complexes with nitrogen-rich N^N ligands were developed for catalytic FA dehydrogenation in water. This study unveils the triumph of the synergistic effect of an adjacent proton over long-range interaction.
A Multiphysical Field Dynamic Behavioral Model of Perpendicular STT‐MTJ
Authors: Jianyu Wu , Yifei Zheng , Hongli Zhang
Published: August 2024

The spin transfer tunnel magnetic tunnel junction (STT‐MTJ) has been widely used in computers, memory, and other fields because of its nonvolatility, low power consumption, and high capacity for integration, attracting significant attention in recent years. Building an accurate and efficient magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) behavior model is necessary to accurately describe the physical changes caused by variations in external excitation and guide the design and optimization of magnetic random access memory (MRAM). In this paper, we construct a multiphysical field dynamic behavior model of a perpendicular STT‐MTJ, introducing temperature and frequency effects based on the Landau–Lifshitiz–Gilbert–Slinbczewski (LLGS) equation and a macro model. Compared with the LLGS model, our model simplifies the calculation of the tunneling current and shortens the simulation time by ~40%. Compared with the macro model, ours model can more accurately reflect the dynamic physical changes in magnetoresistance under a small signal and transient excitation. Simulation modeling and experimental comparison verify the temperature and frequency dependencies of the model. Our model provides guiding significance for the design, application, and research of MTJ devices’ electromagnetic compatibility characteristics.
A decade of translational engineering biology: Measuring success
Authors: Bell David
Published: August 2024

Since joining SynbiCITE, the national centre for translating synthetic biology, a decade ago as the lone analytical chemist, the centre has gone from limited lab space to playing its part in securing funding, growth and development of more than 50 companies focused on engineering biology. Synthetic biology has proved to be viable technology, with the number of sustainable companies continuing to grow in this field. This communication provides a personal perspective of 10 years in translational engineering of biology, as seen from the experimental analytics position and working with the companies contributing to the growth of the UK bioeconomy.
A load classification method based on data augmentation and few‐shot machine learning
Authors: Liu Haoran , Li Huaqiang , Yu Xueying , Wang Ziyao , Chen Yipeng
Published: August 2024

The volatility of renewable energy generation impacts the safe and stable operation of power systems. Moreover, load uncertainty complicates renewable energy consumption. Therefore, accurately extracting load patterns using artificial intelligence (AI) technology is crucial. Load classification is an effective way to master load behaviour. However, issues in the collected load data, such as data class imbalance, significantly affect the accuracy of traditional load classification. To address this problem, this study proposes a novel classification method based on data augmentation and few‐shot learning, significantly enhancing the training efficiency of algorithm recognition. This addresses the challenge of real‐data recognition in power systems. First, time‐series load data are converted into images based on the Gramian angular field method to extract time‐series data features using a convolutional neural network. Subsequently, the data are augmented based on variational autoencoder generative adversarial network to generate samples with distributions similar to those of the original data. Finally, the augmented few‐shot data are classified using the embedding and relation modules of the relation network. A comparison of the experimental results reveals that the proposed method effectively improves power load classification accuracy, even with insufficient data.
LINC00963 Represses Osteogenic Differentiation of hBMSCs via the
miR-10b-5p/RAP2A/AKT Axis
Authors: Wu Zhixin , Shi Mingjuan , Zhao Xuan , Wu Guifu , Zheng Huiyuan , Cui Yuanyuan , Shang Yu
Published: July 2024

Osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells
(hBMSCs) is important for human bone formation. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs)
are critical regulators in osteogenic differentiation. This study aimed to
explore the function and mechanisms of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA
963 (LINC00963) in affecting osteogenesis. Cell differentiation was assessed by
alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity detection and ALP staining assay. Meanwhile,
levels of osteogenic marker genes, including RUNX family transcription factor 2
(RUNX2), osteocalcin (OCN), and osteopontin (OPN), were detected by RT-qPCR and
western blot. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured using CCK-8 assay
and flow cytometry analysis. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down and
luciferase reporter assays were used to investigate the interaction between
genes. LINC00963 expression was down-regulated in hBMSCs treated with osteogenic
induction. LINC00963 overexpression inhibited hBMSCs differentiation,
proliferation, and elevated apoptosis. LINC00963 acted as a competing endogenous
RNA (ceRNA) to interact with miR-10b-5p and thereby regulated the expression
level of Ras-related protein Rap-2a (RAP2A). LINC00963 regulated RAP2A to
inhibit the level of phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT). LINC00963 inhibited hBMSCs
differentiation, proliferation, and elevated apoptosis via the
miR-10b-5p/RAP2A/AKT signaling, which might help improve the treatment of
osteoporosis.
Optimal Minimum-Velocity Threshold to Predict One-repetition Maximum
for the Back Squat
Authors: Fitas Afonso , Gomes Miguel , Santos Paulo , Gonçalves André D , Pezarat-Correia Pedro , Mendonca Goncalo V
Published: July 2024

The prediction of one-repetition maximum (1RM) is highly relevant for strength
and conditioning. The optimal minimum-velocity threshold (MVT) was recently
proposed to increase the accuracy of 1RM predictions. Individual load-velocity
profiles (LVP) were obtained in 18 athletes enrolled in recreational soccer.
Reliability analyses were computed for all LVP-derived variables. Estimations of
1RM were made based on general (0.3 m.s− 1), pre-individual (mean
velocity at 1RM obtained in a preliminary session) and optimal MVT (velocity
that eliminates the difference between actual and predicted 1RM, determined in a
preliminary session). The accuracy of 1RM predictions was examined using
absolute-percent error and Bland-Altman plots. Between-day reliability of the
LVP and 1RM was good (intraclass-correlation coefficients – ICCs>0.9 and
coefficients of variation – CVs<5%). The individual and optimal MVT reached
moderate-to-good reliability (ICCs>0.9 and CVs<10%, respectively). The
predictions based on the optimal MVT displayed greater accuracy than those
obtained with the individual and general MVT (absolute percent error: 2.8 vs.
5.5 vs. 4.9%, respectively). However, wide limits of agreement (LoA) were found
between actual and estimated 1RM using this approach (~15 kg). Data indicate
that the optimal MVT provides better estimations of 1RM for the free-weight back
squat than the general and the individual MVT.
Acute Inflammatory Response to Eccentric Exercise in Young and Master
Resistance-trained Athletes
Authors: Minuzzi Luciele Guerra , Ferrauti Alexander , Chupel Matheus Uba , Hacker Sebastian , Weyh Christopher , Valenzuela Pedro L. , Lucia Alejandro , Krüger Karsten , Reichel Thomas
Published: July 2024

This study aimed to compare the acute inflammatory response following
high-intensity eccentric exercise between resistance-trained young and master
athletes with similar performance levels. Resistance-trained young (n=8; 22±2
years) and master (n=8; 52±4 years) male athletes of a similar performance level
performed a standardized high-intensity eccentric squat exercise protocol (10
sets of half-squats at 70% of 1-repetition maximum). The serum concentration of
20 biomarkers related to tissue damage, inflammation, remodeling, and repair was
measured at baseline, immediately after exercise, and over a 72 h recovery
period. Both groups experienced similar muscle damage as evidenced by a
comparable increase in creatine kinase activity 24 h after exercise
(p<0.001). Interleukin-6 (p=0.009) and growth hormone (p<0.001) increased
immediately post-exercise in both groups. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1
increased immediately post-exercise only in young athletes (p=0.003) and then
decreased 24 h later. There were no significant differences for the remaining
variables, including cell markers related to neutrophil/macrophage activation or
pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines. Resistance-trained young and master athletes,
matched for performance level, showed an overall similar inflammatory response
to eccentric exercise, possibly reflecting regulatory mechanisms or
immunological adaptations to chronic stimulation in master athletes.
Modeling price-sensitive demand in turbulent times: an application to continuous pricing
Authors: Meyer Felix , Kauermann Göran , Alder Christopher , Cleophas Catherine
Published: July 2024

Pricing drives demand for service industries such as air transport, hotels, and car rentals. To optimise the price, firms have to predict real-time customer demand at the micro level and optimise the price. This paper contributes to revenue management by introducing a nonparametric statistical approach to predict price-sensitive demand and its application to continuous pricing. Continuous pricing lets service companies maximise revenue by using customers’ willingness to pay. However, it requires accurate demand estimations, particularly of customers’ price sensitivity. This paper introduces an augmented generalised additive model to estimate price sensitivity, which identifies substantial variations in price sensitivity, exceeds the predictive performance of state-of-the-art alternatives, and controls for price endogeneity. In addition, the demand model has variable price derivatives enabling continuous pricing. The proposed approach offers a simple and efficient way to implement continuous pricing with a closed-form solution. Our research also highlights the relevance of considering the problem of price endogeneity when estimating price-sensitive demand based on observations from prior pricing decisions. We demonstrate how continuous pricing is applied using empirical airline ticket data. We document a field study, which shows a revenue increase of 6% on average, and outline how the approach applies to turbulent market conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge in inflation since mid-2021, and the start of the Ukraine war in April 2022.
Harnessing energy from laser fusion
Authors: Atzeni Stefano , Callahan Debra
Published: August 2024

A new goal for nuclear fusion is underway: Commercialize the nascent technology that first demonstrated net energy gain in 2022 at the National Ignition Facility.
Evolutionary analysis of genes from WOX family and their expression profile in grape (Vitis vinifera) under different stresses
Authors: Gong Meishuang , Lu Xu , Zhang Congcong , Ma Lei , Yan Haokai , Nai Guojie , Lai Ying , Li Yuanyuan , Pu Zhihui , Chen Baihong , Ma Shaoying , Li Sheng
Published: July 2024

The WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factor family plays critical roles in plant growth, development, and stress adaptation, but the biological functions in response to various stress of the WOX gene family have not been extensively researched in grapevine (Vitis vinifera). In this study, 12 grapevine WOXs were identified from the grapevine genome. Quantitative PCR and microarray expression profiling found that the expression of WOXs had an obvious tissue-specific pattern. Conjoint analysis between various tissues and treated materials indicated VvWUS1 expression is associated with expression of genes from grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus; and VvWOX3 with grapevine fanleaf virus. The gene expression patterns of the WOXs in grape were different under salt stress, with VvWOX8/9, VvWUS1, and VvWOX3 responding more strongly to salt stress than control by 18.20-, 9.50-, and 9.19-fold. This study further improves understanding of the evolution and function of the WOX gene family, and offers a theoretical framework and reference for breeding grapevine to better tolerate adversity and permit cultivation of seedlings free of viruses.
Ladybug-inspired hierarchical composite adhesives for enhanced surface adaptability
Authors: Wang Tao , Gu Ping , Gao Tianyan , Li Haoyu , Meng Ting , Zhang Peng , Zhao Yang
Published: July 2024

Enhanced adhesion on rough surfaces is highly desired for a wide range of applications. On the other hand, surface roughness compatibility and structure stability are two critical but competing factors for biologically-inspired dry adhesives in the real world. Inspired by ladybug, a hierarchical structural composite dry adhesive (denoted as PP-M) with enhanced robustness on surface roughness is developed, which is composed of a thin compliant contact layer (a thin soft polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film supported discretely by PDMS micropillars) and a rigid bottom layer magnetorheological elastomers (MREs). The PP-M shows a high pull-off strength of 8.2 N cm−2 on a smooth surface and nano-scale rough surface at a mild preload (2 N cm−2). For micro-scale rough surfaces, the PP-M exhibits better surface adaptability compared to the double-layered adhesive (PDMS on MRE) without micropillar support. The increased compliance of the contact layer also leads to a 2.11 fold superior pull-off strength at a wider range of roughness (Sq > 2.23 μm). Element analysis confirms PP-M’s enhanced adaptability, attributed to deeper indentation and lower contact stress. This hierarchical composite structure in PP-M, characterized by a ‘soft on top and hard on bottom’ stiffness distribution, synergizes the flexible contact layer with the stiff MRE bottom layer, leading to superior adhesive properties. The results provide a new reference for achieving enhanced adhesion on rough surfaces.
A piezoelectric-electromagnetic hybrid energy harvester for rotational motion driven by magnetic repulsion
Authors: Wang Chensheng , Lv Xingqian , Liu Zhenxin , Li Xiaotao , Yang Bowen , He Lipeng
Published: July 2024

Harvesting energy from rotational motion is an efficient and widely used technology that provides power support for various electronic devices and systems by converting mechanical kinetic energy into electrical energy. This energy harvesting method shows great potential and advantages in industrial automation, transportation, wind power generation, and smart homes. This study proposes a piezoelectric-electromagnetic hybrid energy harvester (HEH) for rotational motion driven by magnetic repulsion. HEH comprises of two parts: a piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) and an electromagnetic energy harvester (EMH). HEH utilizes the magnetic drive reciprocating motion to enhance the energy collection efficiency of PEH and EMH. Additionally, by adding the magnetic effect to the ends of bimorph piezoelectric sheets, the spectrum of energy harvesting is expanded. Its parameters are analyzed using theoretical analysis and simulation, and an experimental testbed is established to explore the influence of HEH output performance. The results indicate that the output power reaches its maximum when there are 2 circular magnets on the rotor, the gap distance of magnets is 15 mm, and 2 mass blocks at the end of the bimorph piezoelectric sheet. The PEH and EMH outputs are 173.36 V and 4.81 V, respectively. The maximum output power of HEH is 53.45 mW. The power density can reach 6.818 mW cm−3. Compared with PEH and EMH, the output performance is improved by 46.94% and 174.95%, respectively. When the rotation speed is 500 r min−1, HEH can effortlessly light up 80 LEDs. The experimental results all demonstrate the potential of HEH to power low-power sensors.
The Politics of Social Protection in Latin America
Authors: Barrientos Armando
Published: August 2024

Inequality is the salient feature of social protection in Latin America. Existing social protection institutions neatly segment the population in Latin American countries. Occupational insurance funds and/or individual retirement savings plans are accessible to skilled workers in large firms and the public sector. Social assistance targets less skilled workers and their families. How and why have countries in Latin America constructed dual social protection institutions? What political conditions explain this stratification? This chapter argues that an understanding of the politics of stratified social protection emerges from connecting these institutions to political realignments that impact on the political incorporation of wage earners.
Conclusion
Authors: Pellissery Sony
Published: August 2024

Over the past 70 years, both the state and industrialized capitalism have undergone significant changes. The singular idea that citizenship is associated with the boundaries of a nation-state has undergone transformation, and claims for new modalities of citizenship have become more vocal. These developments have facilitated novel ways of thinking about the interface between social policy in the Global North and South. The developmental approaches taken by states to address the postwar or postcolonial situations in the Global South emphasized economic transformation. By the 1980s, although this developmental approach coupled with market penetration reduced absolute poverty measurably, inequality rose significantly. This new unintended consequence has invited resistance from the bottom of the pyramid. Politics of welfare is primarily in the form of its ideations. These ideations further influence actors, institutions, and resource allocation. In this chapter, a distinction is made between welfare ideations for the South and from the South through a periodization approach. Since decolonization, the development approach, as given to the Global South, has been the road for welfare. This chapter identifies a set of propositions for welfare as demanded by social movements from the Global South.
VQCNN: variational quantum convolutional neural networks based on quantum filters and fully connected layers
Authors: Qi Han , Wang Jingtong , Cui Yufan
Published: July 2024

Classical machine learning is more susceptible to adversarial examples due to its linear and non-robust nature, which results in a severe degradation of the recognition accuracy of classical machine learning models. Quantum techniques are shown to have a higher robustness advantage and are more resistant to attacks from adversarial examples than classical machine learning. Inspired by the robustness advantage of quantum computing and the feature extraction advantage of convolutional neural networks, this paper proposes a novel variational quantum convolutional neural network model (VQCNN), whose quantum fully connected layer consists of a combination of a quantum filter and a variational quantum neural network to increase the model’s adversarial robustness. The network intrusion detection model based on VQCNN is verified on KDD CUP99 and UNSW-NB datasets. The results show that under the attack of Fast Gradient Sign Method, the decline values of accuracy, precision, and recall rate of the intrusion detection model based on VQCNN are less than those of the other four models, and it has higher adversarial robustness.
Pornographic video detection based on semantic and image enhancement
Authors: Zeng Junhao , Liang Gang , Ma Yixin , Yang Xinyan , Chen Cheng
Published: July 2024

Pornographic video detection is of significant importance in curbing the proliferation of pornographic information on online video platforms. However, existing works often employ generic frame extraction methods that ignore the low-latency requirements of detection scenarios and the characteristics of pornographic videos. Additionally, existing detection methods have difficulties in detail characterization and semantic understanding, resulting in low accuracy. Therefore, this paper proposes an efficient pornographic video detection framework based on semantic and image enhancement. Firstly, a keyframe extraction method tailored for pornographic video detection is proposed to select representative frames. Secondly, a light enhancement method is introduced to facilitate accurate capture of pornographic visual cues. Moreover, a compression-reconstruction network is employed to eliminate adversarial perturbations, enabling models to obtain reliable features. Subsequently, YOLOv5 is introduced to locate and crop human targets in keyframes, reducing background interference and enhancing the expression of human semantic information. Finally, MobileNetV3 is employed to determine if the human targets contain pornographic content. The proposed framework is validated on the publicly available NPDI dataset, achieving an accuracy of 95.9%, surpassing existing baseline methods.
K-Nearest neighbor smart contract classification with semantic feature enhancement
Authors: Tian Gang , Zhao Guangxin , Wang Rui , Wang Jiachang , He Cheng
Published: July 2024

How to quickly and accurately retrieve relevant smart contracts from a huge amount of smart contracts has become an urgent need for users. The classification of smart contracts offers a solution by narrowing down the search space. Existing smart contract classification methods suffer from incomplete semantic feature extraction and a lack of consideration of the existence of rich semantics in existing smart contracts of the same class. To address the above problems, we propose a contrast learning and semantic feature embedding approach to enhance K-Nearest Neighbor (CL-SFE-IKNN). Our method fuses local features, global features, and account transaction features of the smart contract source code to perfect the semantics of the contract. Our method adopts KNN to retrieve multiple instances of contracts in the same class and assigns weights to the model output based on their labels. Meanwhile, we introduce contrastive learning and semantic feature embedding to enhance KNN retrieval to high-quality nearest neighbors of the same class. Experimental results show that by combining a KNN classifier with a traditional linear classifier, our model achieves the best performance compared with other baseline models.
Discordant Effects of Janus Kinase Inhibition Ex Vivo on Inflammatory Responses in Colonic Compared to Ileal Mucosa
Authors: Kaboub Kawsar , Abu-Taha Hanan , Arrouasse Jessica , Shaham-Barda Efrat , Wasserberg Nir , Hayman-Manzur Lucille , Friedenberg Adi , Levy-Barda Adva , Goren Idan , Levi Zohar , Banai-Eran Hagar , Avni-Biron Irit , Ollech Jacob E , Sharar-Fischler Tali , Yanai Henit , Cohen-Kedar Sarit , Dotan Iris , Rabinowitz Keren M
Published: July 2024

Background and Aims

Janus kinase [JAK] inhibitors are used for treating inflammatory bowel diseases [IBD]. We aimed to identify the molecular effects of JAK inhibition in human intestinal mucosa, considering IBD location and phenotype.

Methods

Colonic and ileal explants from patients with ulcerative colitis [UC], Crohn’s disease [CD], and non-IBD controls [NC] were assessed for levels of phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription [p-STAT] and expression of inflammatory genes in response to an ex vivo JAK inhibitor [tofacitinib]. Cytokine production by lamina propria lymphocytes in response to tofacitinib was assessed. Human intestinal organoids were used to investigate the effects of JAK inhibitors on inducible nitric oxide synthase [iNOS] expression.

Results

Explants were collected from 68 patients [UC = 20, CD = 20, NC = 28]. p-STAT1/3/5 inhibition rates varied, being higher in colonic compared to ileal explants. p-STAT1/3 inhibition rates negatively correlated with levels of C-reactive protein [CRP]. While significant alterations in 120 of 255 inflammatory genes were observed in colonic explants, only 30 were observed in ileal NC explants. In colonic explants from UC, significant alterations were observed in five genes, including NOS2. JAK inhibition significantly decreased Th1/Th2/Th17-related cytokine production from lamina propria lymphocytes. Various JAK inhibitors reduced the interferon-γ-induced increase in iNOS expression in organoids.

Conclusions

A site-specific anti-inflammatory effect of JAK inhibition by tofacitinib was noted, whereby the colon was more robustly affected than the ileum. The ex vivo response to tofacitinib is individual. JAK inhibition may attenuate inflammation by decreasing iNOS expression. Ex vivo mucosal platforms may be a valuable resource for studying personalized drug effects in patients with IBD.
Orphan gene BR2 positively regulates bolting resistance through the vernalization pathway in Chinese cabbage
Authors: Zu Ye , Jiang Mingliang , Zhan Zongxiang , Li Xiaonan , Piao Zhongyun
Published: July 2024

Orphan genes (OGs) are unique to the specific species or lineage, and whose homologous sequences cannot be found in other species or lineages. Furthermore, these genes lack recognizable domains or functional motifs, which make their characterization difficult. Here, we identified a Brassica rapa  OG named BOLTING RESISTANCE 2 (BR2) that could positively modulate bolting resistance. The expression of BR2 was developmentally regulated and the BR2 protein was localized to the cell membrane. BR2 overexpression not only markedly delayed flowering time in Arabidopsis transgenic plants, but substantially affected the development of leaves and flower organs. Flowering repressor AtFLC gene was significantly up-regulated transcribed in Arabidopsis BR2 overexpression lines, while AtFT and AtSOC1 expression was decreased. In addition, the BR2 expression was enhanced in bolting-resistant type Chinese cabbage and was reduced in non-resistant type. Moreover, chilling stress inhibited the BR2 expression levels. Overexpression of BR2 also delayed flowering time in Chinese cabbage. In vernalized Chinese cabbage BR2 overexpression plants, BrVIN3.b and BrFRI were significantly down-regulated, while BrFLC5 was substantially up-regulated. Key floral factors, including three BrSOC1s, two BrLFYs, and four BrFTs were down-regulated. The expression changes of these key genes were consistent with the delayed flowering phenotype of Chinese cabbage BR2 overexpressing plants. Thus, we predicted that BR2 may predominantly function via the vernalization pathway. Our findings propose that the OG  BR2 acts as a novel modulator of flowering time in Chinese cabbage, which provides a new insight on the breeding of varieties that are resistant to bolting.
Ibuprofen as an adjuvant to conventional antimicrobials and essential oil compounds against skin pathogens
Authors: Simbu Shivar , Orchard Ané , van de Venter Maryna , van Vuuren Sandy
Published: July 2024

Aims

Antimicrobial resistance continues to be a growing concern, resulting in increased use of drug combinations. Antibiotic adjuvants are an emerging strategy that may potentiate an antibiotics efficacy. Ibuprofen’s polypharmacological properties have been investigated for their antimicrobial and host-modulating potential. This study aimed to investigate the potential of a novel multidrug combination involving ibuprofen, essential oil compounds (EOCs), and conventional antimicrobials against skin pathogens.

Methods and Results

The minimum inhibitory concentrations of ibuprofen, conventional antimicrobials, and EOCs were determined and then combined and tested against 14 (reference and clinical) skin pathogens. The cytotoxicity was analysed using the MTT assay, whilst the anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated using lipopolysaccharide activated RAW264.7 murine macrophages. Four pairwise (Ibuprofen and antibiotic) (ΣFIC 0.33–0.50) and three triple (Ibuprofen and antibiotic with EOC) (ΣFIC 0.44–0.47) synergistic antimicrobial interactions were identified. These combinations demonstrated cell viability of 77.59%–100%. No combination significantly reduced nitric oxide production.

Conclusion

The results from this study provide insight into the potential of a multidrug combination involving ibuprofen with conventional antimicrobials and EOCs against common skin pathogens.
A rare presentation of inguinal mass in postmenopausal women: leiomyoma of round ligament mimicking an irreducible inguinal hernia
Authors: Alshuqayfi Hind A , Alotaibi Abdulaziz F , Alkhaldi May S , Alghazwi Abdulaziz A , Alghazwi Mohammed A , Ibrahim Arwa H , Alsolami Sana S
Published: July 2024

Tumors of the round ligament rarely happen; leiomyomas are considered the most common. Round ligament leiomyomas are benign tumors mimicking inguinal hernia, lymph nodes, or other inguinal masses. They are usually asymptomatic and take place in premenopausal female patients. This paper will present a case of a postmenopausal female patient who presented to our outpatient surgical clinic complaining of a right groin mass for 3 months. She was clinically diagnosed as a case of an irreducible inguinal hernia. After investigations, it turned out to be a round ligament leiomyoma, confirmed by the histopathological examination. There are broad differential diagnoses of inguinal masses. Although imaging exams could help diagnose leiomyomas, surgical excision followed by histopathological assessment is the best to confirm the diagnoses.
Classical computation over quantum architectures
Authors: Della Schiava Alex , Piazza Carla , Romanello Riccardo
Published: August 2024

The lack of purely Quantum Programming Languages constitutes a hurdle in the general description of quantum computational processes; the implementation is heavily dependent on the considered quantum computational model. To bypass the obstacle, this paper pursues a new direction, investigating the compilation of classical programming paradigms over different quantum computational models: Gate-Based, Measurement-Based and Adiabatic Quantum Computation. Since graphs can be exploited to describe both classical and quantum computations, the problem of graph encoding on quantum hardware is tightly connected to our purposes. As such, it holds a major relevance in our quest for quantum compilation. While studying these topics through the lenses of Graph Theory, declarative programming emerges as the ideal candidate for such endeavour. In this paper we consider some existing quantum computational models and for each of them we identify the main subtleties in the compilation of classical languages. In turn, we break these complexities down into easier problems to stimulate further developments in this area of research. As it turns out, the observations for each model differ widely. Nevertheless, as for the tasks here considered, no model seems to claim supremacy over the others. In contrast, declarative programming maintains the spot as the ideal candidate for quantum compilation, independently of the model.
Hyperfine structure of the methanol molecule as traced by Class I methanol masers
Authors: Agafonova I I , Bayandina O S , Gong Y , Henkel C , Kim Kee-Tae , Kozlov M G , Lankhaar B , Levshakov S A , Menten K M , Ubachs W , Val’tts I E , Yang W
Published: July 2024

We present results on simultaneous observations of Class I methanol masers at 25, 36, and 44 GHz towards 22 Galactic targets carried out with the Effelsberg 100-m telescope. The study investigates relations between the hyperfine (HF) structure of the torsion–rotation transitions in CH$_3$OH and maser activity. By analysing the radial velocity shifts between different maser lines together with the patterns of the HF structure based on laboratory measurements and quantum-chemical calculations, we find that in any source only one specific HF transition forms the maser emission and that this transition changes from source to source. The physical conditions leading to this selective behaviour are still unclear. Using accurate laboratory rest frequencies for the 25 GHz transitions, we have refined the centre frequencies for the HF multiplets at 36, 44, and 95 GHz: $f_{\scriptscriptstyle 36} = (36169.2488\pm 0.0002_{\scriptscriptstyle \rm stat} \pm 0.0004_{\scriptscriptstyle \rm sys})$ MHz. $f_{\scriptscriptstyle 44} = (44069.4176\pm 0.0002_{\scriptscriptstyle \rm stat} \pm 0.0004_{\scriptscriptstyle \rm sys})$ MHz, and $f_{\scriptscriptstyle 95} = (95169.4414\pm 0.0003_{\scriptscriptstyle \rm stat} \pm 0.0004_{\scriptscriptstyle \rm sys})$ MHz. Comparison with previous observations of 44 GHz masers performed 6–10 yr ago with a Korean 21-m Korean Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network telescope towards the same targets confirms the kinematic stability of Class I maser line profiles during this time interval and reveals a systematic radial velocity shift of $0.013\pm 0.005$ km s$^{-1}$ between the two telescopes.
Growth of high-redshift supermassive black holes from heavy seeds in the BRAHMA cosmological simulations: implications of overmassive black holes
Authors: Bhowmick Aklant K , Blecha Laura , Torrey Paul , Somerville Rachel S , Kelley Luke Zoltan , Vogelsberger Mark , Weinberger Rainer , Hernquist Lars , Sivasankaran Aneesh
Published: July 2024

JWST has revealed a large population of accreting black holes (BHs) in the early Universe. Recent work has shown that even after accounting for possible systematic biases, the high-z$M_*{\!-\!}M_{\rm \rm bh}$ relation can be above the local scaling relation by $\gt 3\sigma$. To understand the implications of these overmassive high-z BHs, we study the BH growth at $z\sim 4{\!-\!}7$ using the $[18~\mathrm{Mpc}]^3$BRAHMA cosmological simulations with systematic variations of heavy seed models that emulate direct collapse black hole (DCBH) formation. In our least restrictive seed model, we place $\sim 10^5~{\rm M}_{\odot }$ seeds in haloes with sufficient dense and metal-poor gas. To model conditions for direct collapse, we impose additional criteria based on a minimum Lyman Werner flux (LW flux $=10~J_{21}$), maximum gas spin, and an environmental richness criterion. The high-z BH growth in our simulations is merger dominated, with a relatively small contribution from gas accretion. The simulation that includes all the above seeding criteria fails to reproduce an overmassive high-z$M_*{\!-\!}M_{\rm bh}$ relation consistent with observations (by factor of $\sim 10$ at $z\sim 4$). However, more optimistic models that exclude the spin and environment based criteria are able to reproduce the observed relations if we assume $\lesssim 750~\mathrm{Myr}$ delay times between host galaxy mergers and subsequent BH mergers. Overall, our results suggest that current JWST observations may be explained with heavy seeding channels if their formation is more efficient than currently assumed DCBH conditions. Alternatively, we may need higher initial seed masses, additional contributions from lighter seeds to BH mergers, and / or more efficient modes for BH accretion.