bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“It's Kind of My Job to Post Perfect Stuff, But Kind of Not “ – How Influencers with Borderline Personality Organisation Become Activists for a Salutogenic Personal Recovery in the Instagram Stories
Authors: Beckmann Julia
Published: June 2024

This study examines the communication strategies of individuals with Borderline Personality Organisation (BPO) using Instagram stories, a platform commonly used by this population. BPO, the most common personality disorder in clinical settings, results from childhood neglect and abuse and for example leads to problems with emotion regulation, relationship maintenance and identity stability. This study takes a psychoanalytic perspective and analyses Instagram stories to understand how individuals with BPO communicate their lives with this disorder and how Instagram co-constitutes this communication. Using sociological-hermeneutic video analysis and grounded theory methodology, the study breaks down Instagram stories into formal and content dimensions and uncovers conflicts between the communicated content and the technological functions of Instagram in order to hypothesise about incorporated conflicts of the influencers. This provides access to their dialectical mediation between inner experience and external conditions which is disturbed in people with BPO. The study is only the second to examine the personal recovery process of people with BPO through narratives on a social media platform. It builds on previous research by providing a detailed description of the stages of recovery, describing the intertwining nature of recovery dimensions, and identifying a communicated meaning of life. The study addresses the affective turn in a salutogenic way and offers insights into how Instagram as a medium can symbolise societal pathogenic structures and at the same time be used by protagonists to develop a salutogenic attitude towards mental health.
Scattered M3–4 Slip Bursts Within Creep Events on the San Andreas Fault
Authors: Gittins Daniel B. , Hawthorne Jessica C.
Published: June 2024

Scientists have observed the surface expression of creep events along the San Andreas Fault since the 1960s. However, the evolution of slip at depth has been examined relatively little. So here we probe that deep slip by analyzing strain observations just before and during hours‐ to day‐long creep events at the northern end of the creeping section of the San Andreas Fault. We identify 71 strain offsets that are likely produced by few‐hour bursts of slip at depth. Then, we grid search to determine the location, depth, and magnitude of these slip bursts. We find that the slip bursts occur at a range of along‐strike locations, from 0 to 7 km away from the surface slip observations. Slip occurs at depths from 0 to 10 km; 42%–55% of the bursts are likely below 4 km depth. The bursts typically have moments equivalent to Mw 3.2–4.1 earthquakes. These findings suggest that creep events are not just small shallow events; they are relatively large events that nucleate at significant depths and could play a prominent role in the slip dynamics of the creeping section.
Variations of Whole–Adria Microplate Motion During the Interseismic Phase Preceding the MW 6.3, 6 April 2009 L’Aquila (Italy) Earthquake
Authors: Iaffaldano Giampiero , Kalum William K.
Published: June 2024

Tectonic plate motions feed the earthquake cycle—a process whereby stress along crustal faults slowly increases over decade– or century–long periods, to then suddenly drop during earthquakes. Steadiness of plate motions during such cycles has long been a central tenet in models of earthquake genesis and of faults seismic potential, and can be tested against measurements of contemporary plate motions available from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Here we present analyses of GNSS data from Central and Northern Italy that illuminate the motion of the Adria microplate over a period of 6 years preceding the MW 6.3, 6 April 2009 L’Aquila (Italy) earthquake. We show that the motion of the whole Adria microplate changed before the 2009 earthquake, and slowed down by around 20%. We demonstrate with quantitative models that the torque required upon Adria in order to drive such a kinematic change is consistent with what is imparted to Adria by temporal stress variations occurring during the late interseismic phase of the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake cycle. The inference that plate motions can be influenced by, and thus sensitive to, earthquake cycles offers an additional perspective to assessing the seismic potential of tectonic margins.
Deciphering the Ages of Saline Water in the Baltic Sea by Anthropogenic Radiotracers
Authors: Lin Mu , Qiao Jixin , Hou Xiaolin , She Jun , Murawski Jens
Published: June 2024

The slow water renewal endows the Baltic Sea a strong retention of pollutants/nutrients. Constraining water age is a practical way to depict the transport timescales for water masses and accompanying soluble substances. Although the water ages in the Baltic Sea have been resolved by 3D ocean models 20 year ago, the simulated results have not been verified. In this work, we exploited two anthropogenic radionuclides (129I and 236U) to constrain the ages of inflowing North Sea saline waters into the Baltic Sea by using the Tracer Age and Transit Time Distribution approaches. Our results indicate that the Baltic Sea has a highly stratified structure with a more diffusive bottom circulation and a more advective surface circulation. The circulation timescale for the saline water in the Baltic Sea was estimated to be >30 years from the bottom of Arkona Basin to the surface of central Baltic Sea. This work demonstrates the power of anthropogenic radiotracers in investigating circulation timescale and mixing processes in the Baltic Sea and provides the first observation‐based proof for the multi‐decadal retention of (radioactive) pollutants within the Baltic Sea.
Unraveling the Role of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation in Recent Tropical Expansion via Large‐Ensemble Simulations
Authors: Wu Mingna , Zhou Tianjun , Li Chao , Wu Bo , Jiang Jie
Published: June 2024

Observational evidence has shown that the Earth's tropics have widened since 1980. However, climate models underestimate the observed tropical expansion rate, with a large spread among individual models. The proposal of internal variability to account for model–observation differences is hindered by the limited availability of sufficient realizations from models in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), restricting the accuracy of quantitative contribution estimation. The emergence of a single model initial‐condition large ensemble provides a new opportunity to quantify the role of internal variability. Here, using large‐ensemble simulations from two individual models complemented with CMIP Phase 6 (CMIP6) simulations, we show evidence that the recent widening of the tropics is mainly caused by internal variability related to the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO). The positive‐to‐negative phase transition of the IPO from 1980 to 2014 reduced the meridional tropospheric temperature gradient, resulting in poleward shifts in tropical edges. After adjusting the IPO trends simulated by individual realizations to ensure consistency with the observations, the IPO phase transition can account for at least 73% (66%) of the observed tropical expansion rate in the Northern Hemisphere based on the metric of the meridional stream function (surface zonal wind). The IPO is also essential for shaping tropical expansion‐related precipitation changes. Our results underscore the significance of considering internal variability when explaining model–observation differences and understanding intermodel uncertainty.
Distinguishing Density and Wind Perturbations in the Equatorial Thermosphere Anomaly
Authors: Buynovskiy A. , Thayer J. P. , Sutton E. K.
Published: June 2024

In this paper, the equatorial thermosphere anomaly (ETA) is investigated using accelerometer measurements to determine whether the feature is density‐dominated, wind‐dominated, or some combination of the two. An ascending‐descending accelerometry (ADA) technique is introduced to address the density‐wind ambiguity that appears when interpreting the ETA in atmospheric drag acceleration analyses. This technique separates ascending and descending acceleration measurements to determine if a wind's directionality influences the interpretation of the observed ETA feature. The ADA technique is applied to accelerometer measurements taken from the Challenging Minisatellite Payload mission and has revealed that the ETA is primarily density‐dominated from 9:00 to 16:00 local time (LT) near 400 km altitude, with the acceleration perturbations behaving similarly between 2003 and 2004 across all seasons. This finding suggests that the perturbations in the acceleration due to in‐track wind perturbations are small compared to the perturbations due to mass density, while indicating that the formation mechanisms across these local times are similar and persistent. The results also revealed that in the terminator region at 18:00 LT the acceleration perturbations deviate appreciably between ascending and descending passes, indicating different or multiple processes occurring at this local time compared to the 9:00–16:00 LT ascribed to the ETA. These results help constrain ETA formation theories to specific local times and thermospheric property responses without the use of supplemental wind measurements, while also indicating regions where in‐track winds cannot always be neglected.
Estimation of Ionospheric Field‐Aligned Currents Using SuperDARN Radar and DMSP Observations
Authors: Qu B. H. , Lu J. Y. , Wang Z. W. , Liu J. J. , Wang M. , Li J. Y. , Zhang H.
Published: June 2024

Studies commonly assumed that variations in ionospheric conductance were insignificant and proposed that vorticities can be a reliable proxy or diagnostic for ionospheric field‐aligned currents (FACs). We propose a complete method for measuring FACs using data from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network radar and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. In our method, the FACs are determined by three terms. The first term is referred to as magnetospheric‐origin FACs, while the second and third terms are known as ionospheric‐origin FACs. This method incorporates height‐integrated conductances based on observational data, thereby addressing the limitation of assuming uniform conductances. Different from previous works, we can calculate FACs at a low altitude of 250 km and obtain high‐resolution measurements within observable areas. Another advantage of this method lies in its ability to directly calculate and analyze the impact of ionospheric vorticity and conductance on FACs. We apply this method to obtain FACs in the Northern Hemisphere from 2010 to 2016 and analyze the distributions of height‐integrated conductances and total FACs. Our analysis reveals that the average FACs clearly exhibit the large‐scale R1 and R2 FAC systems. We conduct statistical analysis on magnetospheric‐origin FACs and ionospheric‐origin FACs. Our findings show that within the auroral oval, ionospheric‐origin FACs reach a comparable level to magnetospheric‐origin FACs. However, ionospheric‐origin FACs are significantly minor and almost negligible in other regions. This implies that height‐integrated conductance gradients and vorticities play equally significant roles within the auroral oval, whereas vorticities dominate in other regions.
MicroRNAs: circulating biomarkers for the early detection of imperceptible cancers via biosensor and machine-learning advances
Authors: Metcalf Gavin A. D.
Published: June 2024

This review explores the topic of microRNAs (miRNAs) for improved early detection of imperceptible cancers, with potential to advance precision medicine and improve patient outcomes. Historical research exploring miRNA’s role in cancer detection collectively revealed initial hurdles in identifying specific miRNA signatures for early-stage and difficult-to-detect cancers. Early studies faced challenges in establishing robust biomarker panels and overcoming the heterogeneity of cancer types. Despite this, recent developments have supported the potential of miRNAs as sensitive and specific biomarkers for early cancer detection as well as having demonstrated remarkable potential as diagnostic tools for imperceptible cancers, such as those with elusive symptoms or challenging diagnostic criteria. This review discusses the advent of high-throughput technologies that have enabled comprehensive detection and profiling of unique miRNA signatures associated with early-stage cancers. Furthermore, advancements in bioinformatics and machine-learning techniques are considered, exploring the integration of multi-omics data which have potential to enhance both the accuracy and reliability of miRNA-based cancer detection assays. Finally, perspectives on the continuing development on technologies as well as discussion around challenges that remain, such as the need for standardised protocols and addressing the complex interplay of miRNAs in cancer biology are conferred.
Optimising the use of electronic medical records for large scale research in psychiatry
Authors: Newby Danielle , Taylor Niall , Joyce Dan W. , Winchester Laura M.
Published: June 2024

The explosion and abundance of digital data could facilitate large-scale research for psychiatry and mental health. Research using so-called “real world data”—such as electronic medical/health records—can be resource-efficient, facilitate rapid hypothesis generation and testing, complement existing evidence (e.g. from trials and evidence-synthesis) and may enable a route to translate evidence into clinically effective, outcomes-driven care for patient populations that may be under-represented. However, the interpretation and processing of real-world data sources is complex because the clinically important ‘signal’ is often contained in both structured and unstructured (narrative or “free-text”) data. Techniques for extracting meaningful information (signal) from unstructured text exist and have advanced the re-use of routinely collected clinical data, but these techniques require cautious evaluation. In this paper, we survey the opportunities, risks and progress made in the use of electronic medical record (real-world) data for psychiatric research.
PGC-1α repression dysregulates lipid metabolism and induces lipid droplet accumulation in the retinal pigment epithelium
Authors: Zhou Shuyan , Taskintuna Kaan , Hum Jacob , Gulati Jasmine , Olaya Stephanie , Steinman Jeremy , Golestaneh Nady
Published: June 2024

Drusen, the yellow deposits under the retina, are composed of lipids and proteins, and represent a hallmark of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Lipid droplets are also reported in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) from AMD donor eyes. However, the mechanisms underlying these disease phenotypes remain elusive. Previously, we showed that Pgc-1α repression, combined with a high-fat diet (HFD), induce drastic AMD-like phenotypes in mice. We also reported increased PGC-1α acetylation and subsequent deactivation in the RPE derived from AMD donor eyes. Here, through a series of in vivo and in vitro experiments, we sought to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which PGC-1α repression could influence RPE and retinal function. We show that PGC-1α plays an important role in RPE and retinal lipid metabolism and function. In mice, repression of Pgc-1α alone induced RPE and retinal degeneration and drusen-like deposits. In vitro inhibition of PGC1A by CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in human RPE (ARPE19- PGC1A KO) affected the expression of genes responsible for lipid metabolism, fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO), fatty acid transport, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake, cholesterol esterification, cholesterol biosynthesis, and cholesterol efflux. Moreover, inhibition of PGC1A in RPE cells caused lipid droplet accumulation and lipid peroxidation. ARPE19-PGC1A KO cells also showed reduced mitochondrial biosynthesis, impaired mitochondrial dynamics and activity, reduced antioxidant enzymes, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, loss of cardiolipin, and increased susceptibility to oxidative stress. Our data demonstrate the crucial role of PGC-1α in regulating lipid metabolism. They provide new insights into the mechanisms involved in lipid and drusen accumulation in the RPE and retina during aging and AMD, which may pave the way for developing novel therapeutic strategies targeting PGC-1α.
Obesity-driven mitochondrial dysfunction in human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells involves epigenetic changes
Authors: Eirin Alfonso , Thaler Roman , Glasstetter Logan M. , Xing Li , Zhu Xiang-Yang , Osborne Andrew C. , Mondesir Ronscardy , Bhagwate Aditya V. , Lerman Amir , van Wijnen Andre J. , Lerman Lilach O.
Published: June 2024

Obesity exacerbates tissue degeneration and compromises the integrity and reparative potential of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), but the underlying mechanisms have not been sufficiently elucidated. Mitochondria modulate the viability, plasticity, proliferative capacity, and differentiation potential of MSCs. We hypothesized that alterations in the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) profile of mitochondria-related genes may mediate obesity-driven dysfunction of human adipose-derived MSCs. MSCs were harvested from abdominal subcutaneous fat of obese and age/sex-matched non-obese subjects (n = 5 each). The 5hmC profile and expression of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes were examined by hydroxymethylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (h MeDIP-seq) and mRNA-seq, respectively. MSC mitochondrial structure (electron microscopy) and function, metabolomics, proliferation, and neurogenic differentiation were evaluated in vitro, before and after epigenetic modulation. hMeDIP-seq identified 99 peaks of hyper-hydroxymethylation and 150 peaks of hypo-hydroxymethylation in nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes from Obese- versus Non-obese-MSCs. Integrated hMeDIP-seq/mRNA-seq analysis identified a select group of overlapping (altered levels of both 5hmC and mRNA) nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes involved in ATP production, redox activity, cell proliferation, migration, fatty acid metabolism, and neuronal development. Furthermore, Obese-MSCs exhibited decreased mitochondrial matrix density, membrane potential, and levels of fatty acid metabolites, increased superoxide production, and impaired neuronal differentiation, which improved with epigenetic modulation. Obesity elicits epigenetic changes in mitochondria-related genes in human adipose-derived MSCs, accompanied by structural and functional changes in their mitochondria and impaired fatty acid metabolism and neurogenic differentiation capacity. These observations may assist in developing novel therapies to preserve the potential of MSCs for tissue repair and regeneration in obese individuals.
Modeling the potential effects of rooftop solar on household energy burden in the United States
Authors: Forrester Sydney P. , Montañés Cristina Crespo , O’Shaughnessy Eric , Barbose Galen
Published: June 2024

Policymakers at the federal and state level have begun to incorporate energy burden into equity goals and program evaluations, aiming to reduce energy burden below a high level of 6% for lower income households in the United States. Pairing an empirical household-level dataset spanning United States geographies together with modeled hourly energy demand curves, we show that rooftop solar reduces energy burden across a majority of adopters during our study period from a median of 3.3% to 2.6%. For low- and moderate-income adopters (at or below 80% and 120% of area median income, respectively), solar reduces median 2021 energy burden from 7.7% to 6.2%, and 4.1% to 3.3%, respectively. Importantly, solar reduces the rate of high or severe energy burden from 67% of all low-income households before adoption to 52% of households following adoption, and correspondingly from 21% to 13% for moderate-income households. Here, we show rooftop solar can support policy goals to reduce energy burden along with strategies such as weatherization and bill assistance.
Area postrema neurons mediate interleukin-6 function in cancer cachexia
Authors: Sun Qingtao , van de Lisdonk Daniëlle , Ferrer Miriam , Gegenhuber Bruno , Wu Melody , Park Youngkyu , Tuveson David A. , Tollkuhn Jessica , Janowitz Tobias , Li Bo
Published: June 2024

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been long considered a key player in cancer cachexia. It is believed that sustained elevation of IL-6 production during cancer progression causes brain dysfunctions, which ultimately result in cachexia. However, how peripheral IL-6 influences the brain remains poorly understood. Here we show that neurons in the area postrema (AP), a circumventricular structure in the hindbrain, is a critical mediator of IL-6 function in cancer cachexia in male mice. We find that circulating IL-6 can rapidly enter the AP and activate neurons in the AP and its associated network. Peripheral tumor, known to increase circulating IL-6, leads to elevated IL-6 in the AP, and causes potentiated excitatory synaptic transmission onto AP neurons and AP network hyperactivity. Remarkably, neutralization of IL-6 in the brain of tumor-bearing mice with an anti-IL-6 antibody attenuates cachexia and the hyperactivity in the AP network, and markedly prolongs lifespan. Furthermore, suppression ofIl6ra, the gene encoding IL-6 receptor, specifically in AP neurons with CRISPR/dCas9 interference achieves similar effects. Silencing Gfral-expressing AP neurons also attenuates cancer cachectic phenotypes and AP network hyperactivity. Our study identifies a central mechanism underlying the function of peripheral IL-6, which may serve as a target for treating cancer cachexia.
Inherited C-terminal TREX1 variants disrupt homology-directed repair to cause senescence and DNA damage phenotypes in Drosophila, mice, and humans
Authors: Chauvin Samuel D. , Ando Shoichiro , Holley Joe A. , Sugie Atsushi , Zhao Fang R. , Poddar Subhajit , Kato Rei , Miner Cathrine A. , Nitta Yohei , Krishnamurthy Siddharth R. , Saito Rie , Ning Yue , Hatano Yuya , Kitahara Sho , Koide Shin , Stinson W. Alexander , Fu Jiayuan , Surve Nehalee , Kumble Lindsay , Qian Wei , Polishchuk Oleksiy , Andhey Prabhakar S. , Chiang Cindy , Liu Guanqun , Colombeau Ludovic , Rodriguez Raphaël , Manel Nicolas , Kakita Akiyoshi , Artyomov Maxim N. , Schultz David C. , Coates P. Toby , Roberson Elisha D. O. , Belkaid Yasmine , Greenberg Roger A. , Cherry Sara , Gack Michaela U. , Hardy Tristan , Onodera Osamu , Kato Taisuke , Miner Jonathan J.
Published: June 2024

Age-related microangiopathy, also known as small vessel disease (SVD), causes damage to the brain, retina, liver, and kidney. Based on the DNA damage theory of aging, we reasoned that genomic instability may underlie an SVD caused by dominant C-terminal variants in TREX1, the most abundant 3′−5′ DNA exonuclease in mammals. C-terminal TREX1 variants cause an adult-onset SVD known as retinal vasculopathy with cerebral leukoencephalopathy (RVCL or RVCL-S). In RVCL, an aberrant, C-terminally truncated TREX1 mislocalizes to the nucleus due to deletion of its ER-anchoring domain. Since RVCL pathology mimics that of radiation injury, we reasoned that nuclear TREX1 would cause DNA damage. Here, we show that RVCL-associated TREX1 variants trigger DNA damage in humans, mice, and Drosophila, and that cells expressing RVCL mutant TREX1 are more vulnerable to DNA damage induced by chemotherapy and cytokines that up-regulate TREX1, leading to depletion of TREX1-high cells in RVCL mice. RVCL-associated TREX1 mutants inhibit homology-directed repair (HDR), causing DNA deletions and vulnerablility to PARP inhibitors. In women with RVCL, we observe early-onset breast cancer, similar to patients with BRCA1/2 variants. Our results provide a mechanistic basis linking aberrant TREX1 activity to the DNA damage theory of aging, premature senescence, and microvascular disease.
Highly biased agonism for GPCR ligands via nanobody tethering
Authors: Sachdev Shivani , Creemer Brendan A. , Gardella Thomas J. , Cheloha Ross W.
Published: June 2024

Ligand-induced activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) can initiate signaling through multiple distinct pathways with differing biological and physiological outcomes. There is intense interest in understanding how variation in GPCR ligand structure can be used to promote pathway selective signaling (“biased agonism”) with the goal of promoting desirable responses and avoiding deleterious side effects. Here we present an approach in which a conventional peptide ligand for the type 1 parathyroid hormone receptor (PTHR1) is converted from an agonist which induces signaling through all relevant pathways to a compound that is highly selective for a single pathway. This is achieved not through variation in the core structure of the agonist, but rather by linking it to a nanobody tethering agent that binds with high affinity to a separate site on the receptor not involved in signal transduction. The resulting conjugate represents the most biased agonist of PTHR1 reported to date. This approach holds promise for facile generation of pathway selective ligands for other GPCRs.
Structural basis for human mitochondrial tRNA maturation
Authors: Meynier Vincent , Hardwick Steven W. , Catala Marjorie , Roske Johann J. , Oerum Stephanie , Chirgadze Dimitri Y. , Barraud Pierre , Yue Wyatt W. , Luisi Ben F. , Tisné Carine
Published: June 2024

The human mitochondrial genome is transcribed into two RNAs, containing mRNAs, rRNAs and tRNAs, all dedicated to produce essential proteins of the respiratory chain. The precise excision of tRNAs by the mitochondrial endoribonucleases (mt-RNase), P and Z, releases all RNA species from the two RNA transcripts. The tRNAs then undergo 3′-CCA addition. In metazoan mitochondria, RNase P is a multi-enzyme assembly that comprises the endoribonuclease PRORP and a tRNA methyltransferase subcomplex. The requirement for this tRNA methyltransferase subcomplex for mt-RNase P cleavage activity, as well as the mechanisms of pre-tRNA 3′-cleavage and 3′-CCA addition, are still poorly understood. Here, we report cryo-EM structures that visualise four steps of mitochondrial tRNA maturation: 5′ and 3′ tRNA-end processing, methylation and 3′-CCA addition, and explain the defined sequential order of the tRNA processing steps. The methyltransferase subcomplex recognises the pre-tRNA in a distinct mode that can support tRNA-end processing and 3′-CCA addition, likely resulting from an evolutionary adaptation of mitochondrial tRNA maturation complexes to the structurally-fragile mitochondrial tRNAs. This subcomplex can also ensure a tRNA-folding quality-control checkpoint before the sequential docking of the maturation enzymes. Altogether, our study provides detailed molecular insight into RNA-transcript processing and tRNA maturation in human mitochondria.
Comparing costs and climate impacts of various electric vehicle charging systems across the United States
Authors: Horesh Noah , Trinko David A. , Quinn Jason C.
Published: June 2024

The seamless adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States necessitates the development of extensive and effective charging infrastructure. Various charging systems have been proposed, including Direct Current Fast Charging, Battery Swapping, and Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer. While many studies have evaluated the charging costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of EVs, a comprehensive analysis comparing these systems and their implications across vehicle categories remains unexplored. This study compares the total cost of ownership (TCO) and GHG-intensity of EVs using these charging systems. Based on nationwide infrastructure deployment simulations, the change to TCO from adopting EVs varies by scenario, vehicle category, and location, with local fuel prices, electricity prices, and traffic volumes dramatically impacting results. Further, EV GHG-intensity depends on local electricity mixes and infrastructure utilizations. This research highlights the responsiveness of EV benefits resulting from technology advancements, deployment decisions, and policymaking.
Revealing the structural evolution of CuAg composites during electrochemical carbon monoxide reduction
Authors: Wang Di , Jung Hyun Dong , Liu Shikai , Chen Jiayi , Yang Haozhou , He Qian , Xi Shibo , Back Seoin , Wang Lei
Published: June 2024

Comprehending the catalyst structural evolution during the electrocatalytic process is crucial for establishing robust structure/performance correlations for future catalysts design. Herein, we interrogate the structural evolution of a promising Cu-Ag oxide catalyst precursor during electrochemical carbon monoxide reduction. By using extensive in situ and ex situ characterization techniques, we reveal that the homogenous oxide precursors undergo a transformation to a bimetallic composite consisting of small Ag nanoparticles enveloped by thin layers of amorphous Cu. We believe that the amorphous Cu layer with undercoordinated nature is responsible for the enhanced catalytic performance of the current catalyst composite. By tuning the Cu/Ag ratio in the oxide precursor, we find that increasing the Ag concentration greatly promotes liquid products formation while suppressing the byproduct hydrogen. CO2/CO co-feeding electrolysis and isotopic labelling experiments suggest that high CO concentrations in the feed favor the formation of multi-carbon products. Overall, we anticipate the insights obtained for Cu-Ag bimetallic systems for CO electroreduction in this study may guide future catalyst design with improved performance.
Large-area, self-healing block copolymer membranes for energy conversion
Authors: Sproncken Christian C. M. , Liu Peng , Monney Justin , Fall William S. , Pierucci Carolina , Scholten Philip B. V. , Van Bueren Brian , Penedo Marcos , Fantner Georg Ernest , Wensink Henricus H. , Steiner Ullrich , Weder Christoph , Bruns Nico , Mayer Michael , Ianiro Alessandro
Published: June 2024

Membranes are widely used for separation processes in applications such as water desalination, batteries and dialysis, and are crucial in key sectors of our economy and society1. The majority of technologically exploited membranes are based on solid polymers and function as passive barriers, whose transport characteristics are governed by their chemical composition and nanostructure. Although such membranes are ubiquitous, it has proved challenging to maximize selectivity and permeability independently, leading to trade-offs between these pertinent characteristics2. Self-assembled biological membranes, in which barrier and transport functions are decoupled3,4, provide the inspiration to address this problem5,6. Here we introduce a self-assembly strategy that uses the interface of an aqueous two-phase system to template and stabilize molecularly thin (approximately 35 nm) biomimetic block copolymer bilayers of scalable area that can exceed 10 cm2 without defects. These membranes are self-healing, and their barrier function against the passage of ions (specific resistance of approximately 1 MΩ cm2) approaches that of phospholipid membranes. The fluidity of these membranes enables straightforward functionalization with molecular carriers that shuttle potassium ions down a concentration gradient with exquisite selectivity over sodium ions. This ion selectivity enables the generation of electric power from equimolar solutions of NaCl and KCl in devices that mimic the electric organ of electric rays.
Early stages of covalent organic framework formation imaged in operando
Authors: Gruber Christoph G. , Frey Laura , Guntermann Roman , Medina Dana D. , Cortés Emiliano
Published: June 2024

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a functional material class able to harness, convert and store energy. However, after almost 20 years of research, there are no coherent prediction rules for their synthesis conditions. This is partly because of an incomplete picture of nucleation and growth at the early stages of formation. Here we use the optical technique interferometric scattering microscopy (iSCAT)1–3 for in operando studies of COF polymerization and framework formation. We observe liquid–liquid phase separation, pointing to the existence of structured solvents in the form of surfactant-free (micro)emulsions in conventional COF synthesis. Our findings show that the role of solvents extends beyond solubility to being kinetic modulators by compartmentation of reactants and catalyst. Taking advantage of these observations, we develop a synthesis protocol for COFs using room temperature instead of elevated temperatures. This work connects framework synthesis with liquid phase diagrams and thereby enables an active design of the reaction environment, emphasizing that visualization of chemical reactions by means of light-scattering-based techniques can be a powerful approach for advancing rational materials synthesis.
Descending networks transform command signals into population motor control
Authors: Braun Jonas , Hurtak Femke , Wang-Chen Sibo , Ramdya Pavan
Published: June 2024

To convert intentions into actions, movement instructions must pass from the brain to downstream motor circuits through descending neurons (DNs). These include small sets of command-like neurons that are sufficient to drive behaviours1—the circuit mechanisms for which remain unclear. Here we show that command-like DNs inDrosophiladirectly recruit networks of additional DNs to orchestrate behaviours that require the active control of numerous body parts. Specifically, we found that command-like DNs previously thought to drive behaviours alone2–4in fact co-activate larger populations of DNs. Connectome analyses and experimental manipulations revealed that this functional recruitment can be explained by direct excitatory connections between command-like DNs and networks of interconnected DNs in the brain. Descending population recruitment is necessary for behavioural control: DNs with many downstream descending partners require network co-activation to drive complete behaviours and drive only simple stereotyped movements in their absence. These DN networks reside within behaviour-specific clusters that inhibit one another. These results support a mechanism for command-like descending control in which behaviours are generated through the recruitment of increasingly large DN networks that compose behaviours by combining multiple motor subroutines.
Protein family annotation for the Unified Human Gastrointestinal Proteome by DPCfam clustering
Authors: Barone Federico , Russo Elena Tea , Villegas Garcia Edith Natalia , Punta Marco , Cozzini Stefano , Ansuini Alessio , Cazzaniga Alberto
Published: June 2024

Technological advances in massively parallel sequencing have led to an exponential growth in the number of known protein sequences. Much of this growth originates from metagenomic projects producing new sequences from environmental and clinical samples. The Unified Human Gastrointestinal Proteome (UHGP) catalogue is one of the most relevant metagenomic datasets with applications ranging from medicine to biology. However, the low levels of sequence annotation may impair its usability. This work aims to produce a family classification of UHGP sequences to facilitate downstream structural and functional annotation. This is achieved through the release of the DPCfam-UHGP50 dataset containing 10,778 putative protein families generated using DPCfam clustering, an unsupervised pipeline grouping sequences into single or multi-domain architectures. DPCfam-UHGP50 considerably improves family coverage at protein and residue levels compared to the manually curated repository Pfam. In the hope that DPCfam-UHGP50 will foster future discoveries in the field of metagenomics of the human gut, we release a FAIR-compliant database of our results that is easily accessible via a searchable web server and Zenodo repository.
Visibility forecast in Jiangsu province based on the GCN-GRU model
Authors: Chen Huansang , Xu Yihang , Gao Zhiqiu , Kang Jia , Jiang Yuncong , Li Zheng , Shen Huan
Published: June 2024

Low visibility weather easily leads to traffic accidents, posing threats to human life and property. To accurately forecast visibility, we conduct an empirical study focusing on Jiangsu Province. Firstly, we collect the monitoring data from meteorological stations and environmental stations for 2017-2018. Secondly, we analyze the changes in visibility from both spatial and temporal perspectives. Next, the maximum Relevance Minimum Redundancy (mRMR) algorithm is employed to select factors affecting visibility, finding that humidity and $$PM_{2.5}$$

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concentrations are the primary factors. Finally, we propose GCN-GRU (Graph Convolutional Network and Gated Recurrent Unit) model for short-term visibility forecasting, which employs GCN to capture the interactions between stations and uses GRU to learn the interactions between times. Experimental results indicate that GCN-GRU outperforms the standalone GRU model and three machine learning models regarding 6-hour visibility forecasting. Compared to the best competitor, GCN-GRU achieves an average increase of 3.32% in Correlation Coefficient (CORR), a decrease of 17.52% in Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), a reduction of 26.62% in Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), and a decline of 16.53% in Mean Absolute Error (MAE).
Investigating the confinement effects on masonry behavior based on friction interface
Authors: Ahmed Hafiz Asfandyar , Tanoli Waqas Arshad
Published: June 2024

As a material masonry is anisotropic in nature as it is constituted of various components that differ each other in many ways. Though, the ideas of modeling of concrete are also valid for masonry, still there are difficulties in determining the exact behavior of masonry. The micro modeling (simplified) approach has been adopted in this study for modeling masonry samples subjected to various nature of loadings. The brick masonry units were modeled as discrete elements and linked together by interface element. The coulomb friction model was used to describe the interface element as mortar joint. Damage was assumed to be governed by the compressive strength of both the constituents i.e., mortar and brick. The mechanical properties of the masonry samples were determined by means of variety of tests and those properties then served as input parameters in the constitutive model. The results clearly indicate that numerical model predicted the behavior of the experimentally tested samples, in compression as well as tension prims for both unconfined and confined cases. The proposed model is suitable for modeling any type of brick masonry walls.
Design and analysis of 2D one-way splitter waveguide based on topological photonics
Authors: Mehdipoura Mohammadreza , Moeini Mohammadreza , Ahmadi Vahid , Poursalehi Reza
Published: June 2024

We present a new high-efficiency splitter waveguide design based on photonic topological insulators. The system’s robust edge states allow electromagnetic waves to propagate in the 2D waveguide without backscattering, resulting in almost 100% transmission in the outputs. We also study resonating modes in the structure and show that introducing specific defects can create such modes. We consider four domains with rods of varying magneto-optical properties to provide edge modes in the system. By eliminating rows and columns of rods, we calculate the transmission at the outputs, revealing resonating modes in the middle of the structure with spatial symmetry. Our calculations indicate that the most promising resonating mode occurs when two rods and two columns are eliminated, with a quality factor Q = 1.02 × 106 at frequency f = 8.23 GHz and almost zero transmission at this frequency to the outputs. We further confirm our results using the transmission line resonator model as a semi-analytical model, which agrees well with our findings.
VCA supercooling in a swine partial hindlimb model
Authors: Berkane Yanis , Filz von Reiterdank Irina , Tawa Pierre , Charlès Laura , Goutard Marion , Dinicu Antonia T. , Toner Mehmet , Bertheuil Nicolas , Mink van der Molen Aebele B. , Coert J. Henk , Lellouch Alexandre G. , Randolph Mark A. , Cetrulo Curtis L. , Uygun Korkut
Published: June 2024

Vascularized composite allotransplantations are complex procedures with substantial functional impact on patients. Extended preservation of VCAs is of major importance in advancing this field. It would result in improved donor-recipient matching as well as the potential for ex vivo manipulation with gene and cell therapies. Moreover, it would make logistically feasible immune tolerance induction protocols through mixed chimerism. Supercooling techniques have shown promising results in multi-day liver preservation. It consists of reaching sub-zero temperatures while preventing ice formation within the graft by using various cryoprotective agents. By drastically decreasing the cell metabolism and need for oxygen and nutrients, supercooling allows extended preservation and recovery with lower ischemia–reperfusion injuries. This study is the first to demonstrate the supercooling of a large animal model of VCA. Porcine hindlimbs underwent 48 h of preservation at − 5 °C followed by recovery and normothermic machine perfusion assessment, with no issues in ice formation and favorable levels of injury markers. Our findings provide valuable preliminary results, suggesting a promising future for extended VCA preservation.
Rapid detection of fetal compromise using input length invariant deep learning on fetal heart rate signals
Authors: Mendis Lochana , Palaniswami Marimuthu , Keenan Emerson , Brownfoot Fiona
Published: June 2024

Standard clinical practice to assess fetal well-being during labour utilises monitoring of the fetal heart rate (FHR) using cardiotocography. However, visual evaluation of FHR signals can result in subjective interpretations leading to inter and intra-observer disagreement. Therefore, recent studies have proposed deep-learning-based methods to interpret FHR signals and detect fetal compromise. These methods have typically focused on evaluating fixed-length FHR segments at the conclusion of labour, leaving little time for clinicians to intervene. In this study, we propose a novel FHR evaluation method using an input length invariant deep learning model (FHR-LINet) to progressively evaluate FHR as labour progresses and achieve rapid detection of fetal compromise. Using our FHR-LINet model, we obtained approximately 25% reduction in the time taken to detect fetal compromise compared to the state-of-the-art multimodal convolutional neural network while achieving 27.5%, 45.0%, 56.5% and 65.0% mean true positive rate at 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% false positive rate respectively. A diagnostic system based on our approach could potentially enable earlier intervention for fetal compromise and improve clinical outcomes.
Quantum scaling for the metal–insulator transition in a two-dimensional electron system
Authors: Kagalovsky V. , Kravchenko S. V. , Nemirovsky D.
Published: June 2024

The quantum phase transition observed experimentally in two-dimensional (2D) electron systems has been a subject of theoretical and experimental studies for almost 30 years. We suggest Gaussian approximation to the mean-field theory of the second-order phase transition to explain the experimental data. Our approach explains self-consistently the universal value of the critical exponent 3/2 (found after scaling measured resistivities on both sides of the transition as a function of temperature) as the result of the divergence of the correlation length when the electron density approaches the critical value. We also provide numerical evidence for the stretched exponential temperature dependence of the metallic phase’s resistivities in a wide range of temperatures and show that it leads to correct qualitative results. Finally, we interpret the phase diagram on the density-temperature plane exhibiting the quantum critical point, quantum critical trajectory and two crossover lines. Our research presents a theoretical description of the seminal experimental results.
Healthy tissue metabolism assessed by [18F]FDG PET/CT as a marker of prognosis and adverse events in advanced Hodgkin lymphoma patients
Authors: Malaih Afnan A. , Kirkwood Amy A. , Johnson Peter , Radhakrishnan Vivek , Fischer Barbara M. , Barrington Sally F.
Published: June 2024

The aim of the study was to assess healthy tissue metabolism (HTM) using 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) during chemotherapy in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and the association of HTM with baseline metabolic tumour volume (MTV), haematological parameters, adverse events (AEs), early response and progression-free survival (PFS). We retrospectively identified 200 patients with advanced HL from the RATHL trial with [18F]FDG-PET/CT before (PET0) and following 2 cycles of chemotherapy (PET2). [18F]FDG-uptake was measured in bone marrow (BM), spleen, liver and mediastinal blood pool (MBP). Deauville score (DS) 1–3 was used to classify responders and DS 4–5, non-responders. [18F]FDG-uptake decreased significantly in BM and spleen and increased in liver and MBP at PET2 (all p < 0.0001), but was not associated with MTV. Higher BM uptake at PET0 was associated with lower baseline haemoglobin and higher absolute neutrophil counts, platelets, and white blood cells. High BM, spleen, and liver uptake at PET0 was associated with neutropenia after cycles 1–2. BM uptake at PET0 was associated with treatment failure at PET2 and non-responders with higher BM uptake at PET2 had significantly inferior PFS (p = 0.023; hazard ratio = 2.31). Based on these results, we concluded that the change in HTM during chemotherapy was most likely a direct impact of chemotherapy rather than a change in MTV. BM uptake has prognostic value in HL.
Local feature acquisition and global context understanding network for very high-resolution land cover classification
Authors: Li Zhengpeng , Hu Jun , Wu Kunyang , Miao Jiawei , Zhao Zixue , Wu Jiansheng
Published: June 2024

Very high-resolution remote sensing images hold promising applications in ground observation tasks, paving the way for highly competitive solutions using image processing techniques for land cover classification. To address the challenges faced by convolutional neural network (CNNs) in exploring contextual information in remote sensing image land cover classification and the limitations of vision transformer (ViT) series in effectively capturing local details and spatial information, we propose a local feature acquisition and global context understanding network (LFAGCU). Specifically, we design a multidimensional and multichannel convolutional module to construct a local feature extractor aimed at capturing local information and spatial relationships within images. Simultaneously, we introduce a global feature learning module that utilizes multiple sets of multi-head attention mechanisms for modeling global semantic information, abstracting the overall feature representation of remote sensing images. Validation, comparative analyses, and ablation experiments conducted on three different scales of publicly available datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and generalization capability of the LFAGCU method. Results show its effectiveness in locating category attribute information related to remote sensing areas and its exceptional generalization capability. Code is available at https://github.com/lzp-lkd/LFAGCU.