bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic epigenome editing captures the context-dependent instructive function of chromatin modifications
Authors: Policarpi Cristina , Munafò Marzia , Tsagkris Stylianos , Carlini Valentina , Hackett Jamie A.
Published: May 2024

Chromatin modifications are linked with regulating patterns of gene expression, but their causal role and context-dependent impact on transcription remains unresolved. Here we develop a modular epigenome editing platform that programs nine key chromatin modifications, or combinations thereof, to precise loci in living cells. We couple this with single-cell readouts to systematically quantitate the magnitude and heterogeneity of transcriptional responses elicited by each specific chromatin modification. Among these, we show that installing histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) at promoters can causally instruct transcription by hierarchically remodeling the chromatin landscape. We further dissect how DNA sequence motifs influence the transcriptional impact of chromatin marks, identifying switch-like and attenuative effects within distinct cis contexts. Finally, we examine the interplay of combinatorial modifications, revealing that co-targeted H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and H2AK119 monoubiquitination (H2AK119ub) maximizes silencing penetrance across single cells. Our precision-perturbation strategy unveils the causal principles of how chromatin modification(s) influence transcription and dissects how quantitative responses are calibrated by contextual interactions.
q-Rung orthopair fuzzy 2-tuple linguistic WASPAS algorithm for patients’ prioritization based on prioritized Maclaurin symmetric mean aggregation operators
Authors: Abbas Fatima , Ali Jawad , Mashwani Wali Khan , Gündüz Necla , Syam Muhammad I.
Published: May 2024

Due to the fuzziness of the medical field, q-rung orthopair fuzzy 2-tuple linguistic (q-RF2L) set is the privileged way to aid medical professionals in conveying their assessments in the patient prioritization problem. The theme of the present study is to put forward a novel approach centered around the merging of prioritized averaging (PA) and the Maclaurin symmetric mean (MSM) operator within q-RF2L context. According to the prioritization of the professionals and the correlation among the defined criteria, we apply both PA and MSM to assess priority degrees and relationships, respectively. Keeping the pluses of the PA and MSM operators in mind, we introduce two aggregation operators (AOs), namely q-RF2L prioritized Maclaurin symmetric mean and q-RF2L prioritized dual Maclaurin symmetric mean operators. Meanwhile, some essential features and remarks of the proposed AOs are discussed at length. Based on the formulated AOs, we extend the weighted aggregated sum product assessment methodology to cope with q-RF2L decision-making problems. Ultimately, to illustrate the practicality and effectiveness of the stated methodology, a real-world example of patients’ prioritization problem is addressed, and an in-depth analysis with prevailing methods is performed.
Towards optimal model evaluation: enhancing active testing with actively improved estimators
Authors: Lee JooChul , Kolla Likhitha , Chen Jinbo
Published: May 2024

With rapid advancements in machine learning and statistical models, ensuring the reliability of these models through accurate evaluation has become imperative. Traditional evaluation methods often rely on fully labeled test data, a requirement that is becoming increasingly impractical due to the growing size of datasets. In this work, we address this issue by extending existing work on active testing (AT) methods which are designed to sequentially sample and label data for evaluating pre-trained models. We propose two novel estimators: the Actively Improved Levelled Unbiased Risk (AILUR) and the Actively Improved Inverse Probability Weighting (AIIPW) estimators which are derived from nonparametric smoothing estimation. In addition, a model recalibration process is designed for the AIIPW estimator to optimize the sampling probability within the AT framework. We evaluate the proposed estimators on four real-world datasets and demonstrate that they consistently outperform existing AT methods. Our study also shows that the proposed methods are robust to changes in subsample sizes, and effective at reducing labeling costs.
Genomic characterization of Influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 and SARS-CoV-2 from Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases reported between July–December, 2022
Authors: Singh Pushpendra , Sharma Kuldeep , Bhargava Anudita , Negi Sanjay Singh
Published: May 2024

Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases are more prone to Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Accordingly, we genetically characterized Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 in 633 ILI and SARI cases by rRT-PCR and WGS. ILI and SARI cases showed H1N1pdm09 prevalence of 20.9% and 23.2% respectively. 135 (21.3%) H1N1pdm09 and 23 (3.6%) H3N2 and 5 coinfection (0.78%) of H1N1pdm09 and SARS-CoV-2 were detected. Phylogenetic analysis revealed H1N1pdm09 resemblance to clade 6B.1A.5a.2 and their genetic relatedness to InfA/Perth/34/2020, InfA/Victoria/88/2020 and InfA/Victoria/2570/2019. Pan 24 HA and 26 NA nonsynonymous mutations and novel HA (G6D, Y7F, Y78H, P212L, G339R, T508K and S523T) and NA (S229A) mutations were observed. S74R, N129D, N156K, S162N, K163Q and S164T alter HA Cb and Sa antibody recognizing site. Similarly, M19T, V13T substitution and multiple mutations in transmembrane and NA head domain drive antigenic drift. SARS-CoV-2 strains genetically characterized to Omicron BA.2.75 lineage containing thirty nonsynonymous spike mutations exhibited enhanced virulence and transmission rates. Coinfection although detected very minimal, the mutational changes in H1N1pdm09 and SARS-CoV-2 virus infected individuals could alter antibody receptor binding sites, allowing the viruses to escape immune response resulting in better adaptability and transmission. Thus continuous genomic surveillance is required to tackle any future outbreak.
Ultrasmall Fe3O4 nanoparticles self-assembly induced dual-mode T1/T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and enhanced tumor synergetic theranostics
Authors: Xie Qinghua , Wang Xuemei , Zhang Gaorui , Zhou Dawei , Zhao Yuxuan , Liu Hong , Duan Jiazhi , Yu Dexin , Sang Yuanhua
Published: May 2024

Individual theranostic agents with dual-mode MRI responses and therapeutic efficacy have attracted extensive interest due to the real-time monitor and high effective treatment, which endow the providential treatment and avoid the repeated medication with side effects. However, it is difficult to achieve the integrated strategy of MRI and therapeutic drug due to complicated synthesis route, low efficiency and potential biosafety issues. In this study, novel self-assembled ultrasmall Fe3O4 nanoclusters were developed for tumor-targeted dual-mode T1/T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided synergetic chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and chemotherapy. The self-assembled ultrasmall Fe3O4 nanoclusters synthesized by facilely modifying ultrasmall Fe3O4 nanoparticles with 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) molecule possess long-term stability and mass production ability. The proposed ultrasmall Fe3O4 nanoclusters shows excellent dual-mode T1 and T2 MRI capacities as well as favorable CDT ability due to the appropriate size effect and the abundant Fe ion on the surface of ultrasmall Fe3O4 nanoclusters. After conjugation with the tumor targeting ligand Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) and chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (Dox), the functionalized Fe3O4 nanoclusters achieve enhanced tumor accumulation and retention effects and synergetic CDT and chemotherapy function, which serve as a powerful integrated theranostic platform for cancer treatment.
LRBA, a BEACH protein mutated in human immune deficiency, is widely expressed in epithelia, exocrine and endocrine glands, and neurons
Authors: Roussa Eleni , Juda Pavel , Laue Michael , Mai-Kolerus Oliver , Meyerhof Wolfgang , Sjöblom Markus , Nikolovska Katerina , Seidler Ursula , Kilimann Manfred W.
Published: May 2024

Mutations in LRBA, a BEACH domain protein, cause severe immune deficiency in humans. LRBA is expressed in many tissues and organs according to biochemical analysis, but little is known about its cellular and subcellular localization, and its deficiency phenotype outside the immune system. By LacZ histochemistry of Lrba gene-trap mice, we performed a comprehensive survey of LRBA expression in numerous tissues, detecting it in many if not all epithelia, in exocrine and endocrine cells, and in subpopulations of neurons. Immunofluorescence microscopy of the exocrine and endocrine pancreas, salivary glands, and intestinal segments, confirmed these patterns of cellular expression and provided information on the subcellular localizations of the LRBA protein. Immuno-electron microscopy demonstrated that in neurons and endocrine cells, which co-express LRBA and its closest relative, neurobeachin, both proteins display partial association with endomembranes in complementary, rather than overlapping, subcellular distributions. Prominent manifestations of human LRBA deficiency, such as inflammatory bowel disease or endocrinopathies, are believed to be primarily due to immune dysregulation. However, as essentially all affected tissues also express LRBA, it is possible that LRBA deficiency enhances their vulnerability and contributes to the pathogenesis.
Anti-fatigue activity of methyl dihydrojasmonate and linalool in a rat model evaluated by a novel index for neuro-immune and oxidative stress interactions
Authors: Nishimura Yasumitsu , Nomiyama Kenta , Okamoto Shuichiro , Igarashi Mika , Sato Yukino , Okamoto Hikaru , Kamezaki Ayasa , Itadani Masumi , Kuribayashi Futoshi , Yamauchi Akira
Published: May 2024

Avoiding fatigue is a long-standing challenge in both healthy and diseased individuals. Establishing objective standard markers of fatigue is essential to evaluate conditions in spatiotemporally different locations and individuals and identify agents to fight against fatigue. Herein, we introduced a novel method for evaluating fatigue using nervous system markers (including dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline), various cytokine levels (such as interleukin [IL]-1β, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, IL-10, IL-2, IL-5 and IL-17A), and oxidative stress markers (such as diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites [d-ROMs] and biological antioxidant potential [BAP]) in a rat fatigue model. Using this method, the anti-fatigue effects of methyl dihydrojasmonate (MDJ) and linalool, the fragrance/flavor compounds used in various products, were assessed. Our method evaluated the anti-fatigue effects of the aforementioned compounds based on the changes in levels of the nerves system markers, cytokines, and oxidative stress markers. MDJ exerted more potent anti-fatigue effects than linalool. In conclusion, the reported method could serve as a useful tool for fatigue studies and these compounds may act as effective therapeutic agents for abrogating fatigue symptoms.
Preparation of orodispersible tablets of bosentan using xylitol and menthol as dissolution enhancers
Authors: Sakr Rania Mohamed , Abdelaziz Abdelaziz El Sayed , Mazyed Eman Ahmed , El Maghraby Gamal Mohamed
Published: May 2024

Bosentan is a drug used to treat pulmonary hypertension via dual endothelial receptor antagonism. Bosentan has a restricted oral bioavailability, a problem that's mostly due to poor solubility and hepatic metabolism. It is extensively used for the elderly and children who require a friendly dosage form like orodispersible tablets. So, the goal of this research work was to hasten the dissolution rate of bosentan to produce an orodispersible tablet with immediate drug release. Bosentan was exposed to ethanol-assisted kneading with a rise of xylitol or menthol concentrations (1:1 and 1:2 molar ratio of bosentan with excipient). In addition to observing the dissolution behavior, the resulting dry products were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The FTIR reflected possible hydrogen bonding with xylitol and menthol. DSC studies reflected a reduction in the enthalpy and Tm. These results with XRD data reflected partial co-amorphization in the case of xylitol and eutaxia in the case of menthol. These modifications were related to an accelerated dissolving rate. The developed systems were fabricated as orodispersible tablets which exhibited immediate release of bosentan. Thus, the current study offered simple co-processing for the preparation of orodispersible bosentan tablets.
Assessment of modified chitosan composite in acidic reservoirs through pilot and field-scale simulation studies
Authors: Khattab Hamid , Gawish Ahmed A. , Gomaa Sayed , Hamdy Abdelnaser , El-hoshoudy A. N.
Published: May 2024

Chemical flooding through biopolymers acquires higher attention, especially in acidic reservoirs. This research focuses on the application of biopolymers in chemical flooding for enhanced oil recovery in acidic reservoirs, with a particular emphasis on modified chitosan. The modification process involved combining chitosan with vinyl/silane monomers via emulsion polymerization, followed by an assessment of its rheological behavior under simulated reservoir conditions, including salinity, temperature, pressure, and medium pH. Laboratory-scale flooding experiments were carried out using both the original and modified chitosan at conditions of 2200 psi, 135,000 ppm salinity, and 196° temperature. The study evaluated the impact of pressure on the rheological properties of both chitosan forms, finding that the modified composite was better suited to acidic environments, showing enhanced resistance to pressure effects with a significant increase in viscosity and an 11% improvement in oil recovery over the 5% achieved with the unmodified chitosan. Advanced modeling and simulation techniques, particularly using the tNavigator Simulator on the Bahariya formations in the Western Desert, were employed to further understand the polymer solution dynamics in reservoir contexts and to predict key petroleum engineering metrics. The simulation results underscored the effectiveness of the chitosan composite in increasing oil recovery rates, with the composite outperforming both its native counterpart and traditional water flooding, achieving a recovery factor of 48%, compared to 39% and 37% for native chitosan and water flooding, thereby demonstrating the potential benefits of chitosan composites in enhancing oil recovery operations.
Silver and gold nanoparticles as a novel approach to fight Sarcoptic mange in rabbits
Authors: Hassanen Eman I. , Morsy Eman A. , Abuowarda Mai , Ibrahim Marwa A. , Shaalan Mohamed
Published: May 2024

Various kinds of pets have been known to contract the ectoparasite Sarcoptes scabiei. Current acaricides are becoming less effective because of the resistance developed by the mite besides their adverse effects on the general activity and reproductive performance of domestic pets. For this reason, the present study aims to discover a novel and safe approach using silver and gold nanoparticles to fight Sarcoptic mange in rabbits as well as to explain their mechanism of action. 15 pet rabbits with clinical signs of Sarcoptic mange that were confirmed by the microscopic examination were used in our study. All rabbits used in this study were assessed positive for the presence of different developing stages of S. scabiei. Three groups of rabbits (n = 5) were used as follows: group (1) didn’t receive any treatment, and group (2 and 3) was treated with either AgNPs or GNPs, respectively. Both nanoparticles were applied daily on the affected skin areas via a dressing and injected subcutaneously once a week for 2 weeks at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg bwt. Our results revealed that all rabbits were severely infested and took a mean score = 3. The skin lesions in rabbits that didn’t receive any treatments progressed extensively and took a mean score = of 4. On the other hand, all nanoparticle-treated groups displayed marked improvement in the skin lesion and took an average score of 0–1. All NPs treated groups showed remarkable improvement in the microscopic pictures along with mild iNOS, TNF-α, and Cox-2 expression. Both nanoparticles could downregulate the m-RNA levels of IL-6 and IFγ and upregulate IL-10 and TGF-1β genes to promote skin healing. Dressing rabbits with both NPs didn’t affect either liver and kidney biomarkers or serum Ig levels indicating their safety. Our residual analysis detected AgNPs in the liver of rabbits but did not detect any residues of GNPs in such organs. We recommend using GNPs as an alternative acaricide to fight rabbit mange.
Generating an organ-deficient animal model using a multi-targeted CRISPR-Cas9 system
Authors: Lim Jonathan Jun-Yong , Murata Yamato , Yuri Shunsuke , Kitamuro Kohei , Kawai Taro , Isotani Ayako
Published: May 2024

Gene-knockout animal models with organ-deficient phenotypes used for blastocyst complementation are generally not viable. Animals need to be maintained as heterozygous mutants, and homozygous mutant embryos yield only one-fourth of all embryos. In this study, we generated organ-deficient embryos using the CRISPR-Cas9-sgRNAms system that induces cell death with a single-guide RNA (sgRNAms) targeting multiple sites in the genome. The Cas9-sgRNAms system interrupted cell proliferation and induced cell ablation in vitro. The mouse model had Cas9 driven by the Foxn1 promoter with a ubiquitous expression cassette of sgRNAms at the Rosa26 locus (Foxn1Cas9; Rosa26_ms). It showed an athymic phenotype similar to that of nude mice but was not hairless. Eventually, a rat cell-derived thymus in an interspecies chimera was generated by blastocyst complementation of Foxn1Cas9; Rosa26_ms mouse embryos with rat embryonic stem cells. Theoretically, a half of the total embryos has the Cas9-sgRNAms system because Rosa26_ms could be maintained as homozygous.
Reducing childhood mortality extends mothers’ lives
Authors: Zipple Matthew N.
Published: May 2024

During the twentieth century, childhood mortality was dramatically reduced globally, falling by more than 90% in the United States and much of Europe. Total fertility also fell, with the combined result that many parents who otherwise would have experienced the loss of a child were spared the trauma and negative health consequences that accompany such a loss. Here I use mathematical modeling to argue that the reduction in the frequency of child death that occurred in the twentieth century indirectly led to a substantial reduction in female mortality, resulting in an extension of female lifespan. I estimate that the reduction in maternal bereavement in the US during the twentieth century indirectly increased mean female lifespan after age 15 by approximately 1 year. I discuss implications for our understanding of the persistence of the sex gap in longevity and approaches to improving maternal health outcomes in countries that still face high levels of childhood mortality.
Association of fat-to-muscle mass ratio with physical activity and dietary protein, carbohydrate, sodium, and fiber intake in a cross-sectional study
Authors: Nishikori Shu , Fujita Satoshi
Published: May 2024

Higher fat-to-muscle mass ratio (FMR) is reported to be a risk factor for various diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and mortality. Although this association suggests that reducing FMR may help to prevent certain diseases and mortality, the relationship between FMR and lifestyle factors is unclear. Therefore, we performed a cross-sectional study with the aim to elucidate this relationship. This cross-sectional study included 1518 healthy Japanese adults aged 30 to 64 years. We measured FMR in the whole body, arms, legs, and trunk and assessed various lifestyle factors. Then, we performed forced entry multiple regression analyses for FMR with the following variables: sex, age, physical activity, dietary intake, sleep quality, cigarette smoking, stress levels, and body mass index. As a result, whole-body and regional FMRs were correlated with female sex (β = 0.71); age (β = 0.06); physical activity (β = − 0.07); dietary intake of protein (β = − 0.12), carbohydrate (β = 0.04), sodium (β = 0.13), and fiber (β = − 0.16); and body mass index (β = 0.70). The results suggest that in the Japanese middle-aged population, low FMR is associated with certain lifestyle factors, i.e. higher physical activity and a diet with higher protein and fiber and lower carbohydrate and sodium, independent of age, sex, and body mass index.
A dual-branch selective attention capsule network for classifying kiwifruit soft rot with hyperspectral images
Authors: Guo Zhiqiang , Ni Yingfang , Gao Hongsheng , Ding Gang , Zeng Yunliu
Published: May 2024

Kiwifruit soft rot is highly contagious and causes serious economic loss. Therefore, early detection and elimination of soft rot are important for postharvest treatment and storage of kiwifruit. This study aims to accurately detect kiwifruit soft rot based on hyperspectral images by using a deep learning approach for image classification. A dual-branch selective attention capsule network (DBSACaps) was proposed to improve the classification accuracy. The network uses two branches to separately extract the spectral and spatial features so as to reduce their mutual interference, followed by fusion of the two features through the attention mechanism. Capsule network was used instead of convolutional neural networks to extract the features and complete the classification. Compared with existing methods, the proposed method exhibited the best classification performance on the kiwifruit soft rot dataset, with an overall accuracy of 97.08% and a 97.83% accuracy for soft rot. Our results confirm that potential soft rot of kiwifruit can be detected using hyperspectral images, which may contribute to the construction of smart agriculture.
A combined observational and Mendelian randomization investigation reveals NMR-measured analytes to be risk factors of major cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Zheng Rui , Lind Lars
Published: May 2024

Dyslipidaemias is the leading risk factor of several major cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), but there is still a lack of sufficient evidence supporting a causal role of lipoprotein subspecies in CVDs. In this study, we comprehensively investigated several lipoproteins and their subspecies, as well as other metabolites, in relation to coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure (HF) and ischemic stroke (IS) longitudinally and by Mendelian randomization (MR) leveraging NMR-measured metabolomic data from 118,012 UK Biobank participants. We found that 123, 110 and 36 analytes were longitudinally associated with myocardial infarction, HF and IS (FDR < 0.05), respectively, and 25 of those were associated with all three outcomes. MR analysis suggested that genetically predicted levels of 70, 58 and 7 analytes were associated with CHD, HF and IS (FDR < 0.05), respectively. Two analytes, ApoB/ApoA1 and M-HDL-C were associated with all three CVD outcomes in the MR analyses, and the results for M-HDL-C were concordant in both observational and MR analyses. Our results implied that the apoB/apoA1 ratio and cholesterol in medium size HDL were particularly of importance to understand the shared pathophysiology of CHD, HF and IS and thus should be further investigated for the prevention of all three CVDs.
Prevalence and factors associated with diabetes-related distress in type 2 diabetes patients: a study in Hong Kong primary care setting
Authors: Wong Man Ho , Kwan Sin Man , Dao Man Chi , Fu Sau Nga , Luk Wan
Published: May 2024

Diabetes-related distress (DRD) refers to the psychological distress specific to living with diabetes. DRD can lead to negative clinical consequences such as poor self-management. By knowing the local prevalence and severity of DRD, primary care teams can improve the DRD evaluation in our daily practice. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 3 General Out-patient Clinics (GOPCs) from 1 December 2021 to 31 May 2022. A random sample of adult Chinese subjects with T2DM, who regularly followed up in the selected clinic in the past 12 months, were included. DRD was measured by the validated 15-item Chinese version of the Diabetes Distress Scale (CDDS-15). An overall mean score ≥ 2.0 was considered clinically significant. The association of DRD with selected clinical and personal factors was investigated. The study recruited 362 subjects (mean age 64.2 years old, S.D. 9.5) with a variable duration of living with T2DM (median duration 7.0 years, IQR 10.0). The response rate was 90.6%. The median HbA1c was 6.9% (IQR 0.9). More than half (59.4%) of the subjects reported a clinically significant DRD. Younger subjects were more likely to have DRD (odds ratio of 0.965, 95% CI 0.937–0.994, p = 0.017). Patients with T2DM in GOPCs commonly experience clinically significant DRD, particularly in the younger age group. The primary care clinicians could consider integrating the evaluation of DRD as a part of comprehensive diabetes care.
Computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging to detect myocardial ischemia in patients with anxiety and obstructive coronary heart disease post-exposure to mental stressors
Authors: Sun Weihang , Mei Lingjun , Zhang Aodan , Lai Shengyuan , Qu Xiaofeng
Published: May 2024

This study aims to measure myocardial blood flow (MBF) using dynamic CT- myocardial perfusion imaging (CT-MPI) combined with mental stressors in patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (OCAD) and in patients with anxiety and no obstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCAD). A total of 30 patients with OCAD with 30 patients with ANOCAD were included in this analysis. Using the 17-segment model, the rest and stress phase MBF of major coronary arteries in participants were recorded respectively. Compared with ANOCAD patients, OCAD patients were more likely to have localized reduction of MBF (p < 0.05). For patients with ANOCAD, both global MBF and MBF of the main coronary arteries in the stress phase were lower than those in the rest phase (all p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in MBF among the main coronary arteries in the rest or stress phase (p = 0.25, p = 0.15). For patients with OCAD, the MBF of the target area was lower than that of the non-target area in both the rest and stress phase, and the MBF of the target area in the stress phase was lower than that in the rest phase (all p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in MBF between the rest or stress phase in the non-target area (p = 0.73). Under mental stress, the decrease in MBF in ANOCAD patients was diffuse, while the decrease in MBF in OCAD patients was localized. Dynamic CT-MPI combined with mental stressors can be used to detect MBF changes in anxiety patients.
Quantifying the stochastic component of epigenetic aging
Authors: Tong Huige , Dwaraka Varun B. , Chen Qingwen , Luo Qi , Lasky-Su Jessica A. , Smith Ryan , Teschendorff Andrew E.
Published: May 2024

DNA methylation clocks can accurately estimate chronological age and, to some extent, also biological age, yet the process by which age-associated DNA methylation (DNAm) changes are acquired appears to be quasi-stochastic, raising a fundamental question: how much of an epigenetic clock’s predictive accuracy could be explained by a stochastic process of DNAm change? Here, using DNAm data from sorted immune cells, we build realistic simulation models, subsequently demonstrating in over 22,770 sorted and whole-blood samples from 25 independent cohorts that approximately 66–75% of the accuracy underpinning Horvath’s clock could be driven by a stochastic process. This fraction increases to 90% for the more accurate Zhang’s clock, but is lower (63%) for the PhenoAge clock, suggesting that biological aging is reflected by nonstochastic processes. Confirming this, we demonstrate that Horvath’s age acceleration in males and PhenoAge’s age acceleration in severe coronavirus disease 2019 cases and smokers are not driven by an increased rate of stochastic change but by nonstochastic processes. These results significantly deepen our understanding and interpretation of epigenetic clocks.
An exploration into the causal relationships between educational attainment, intelligence, and wellbeing: an observational and two-sample Mendelian randomisation study
Authors: Armitage J. M. , Wootton R. E. , Davis O. S. P. , Haworth C. M. A.
Published: May 2024

Educational attainment is associated with a range of positive outcomes, yet its impact on wellbeing is unclear, and complicated by high correlations with intelligence. We use genetic and observational data to investigate for the first time, whether educational attainment and intelligence are causally and independently related to wellbeing. Results from our multivariable Mendelian randomisation demonstrated a positive causal impact of a genetic predisposition to higher educational attainment on wellbeing that remained after accounting for intelligence, and a negative impact of intelligence that was independent of educational attainment. Observational analyses suggested that these associations may be subject to sex differences, with benefits to wellbeing greater for females who attend higher education compared to males. For intelligence, males scoring more highly on measures related to happiness were those with lower intelligence. Our findings demonstrate a unique benefit for wellbeing of staying in school, over and above improving cognitive abilities, with benefits likely to be greater for females compared to males.
Electrochemical ring-opening carboxylation of cyclic carbonate with carbon dioxide
Authors: Tao Li , Wang He , Liu Xiao-Fei , Ren Wei-Min , Lu Xiao-Bing , Zhang Wen-Zhen
Published: May 2024

Electroreductive ring-opening carboxylation of styrene carbonates with carbon dioxide to achieve dicarboxylic acids and/or β-hydroxy acids has been developed via the selective cleavage of the C(sp3)–O bond in cyclic carbonates.
Cage-rearranged and cage-intact syntheses of azido-functionalized larger T10 and T12 POSSs
Authors: Wang Hui , Nie Ming-Xi , Lin Xiong , Li Xiang-Qian , Liu Hao , Guo Qing-Yun , Han Di , Fu Qiang
Published: May 2024

This work investigates the product type and distribution by utilizing 3-chloropropyl- and chloromethyldimethylsilylethyl-functionalized T8, T10, and T12 POSSs as precursors to synthesize azido-functionalized larger POSSs.
Intestinal absorption of bioactive oligopeptides: paracellular transport and tight junction modulation
Authors: Yu Zhipeng , Liu Di , Wu Chunjian , Zhao Wenzhu
Published: May 2024

Bioactive oligopeptides have gained increasing attention due to their diverse physiological functions, and these can be transported into the vasculature via transcellular and paracellular pathways.
Microfluidic device for the high-throughput and selective encapsulation of single target cells
Authors: Nakamura Masahiko , Matsumoto Masahiro , Ito Tatsumi , Hidaka Isao , Tatsuta Hirokazu , Katsumoto Yoichi
Published: May 2024

The proposed microfluidic system with a cell-sorting function enables high-throughput and high-precision active encapsulation of only the single target cells.
Synergistic effect of modified anhydrous magnesium carbonate and hexaphenoxycyclotriphosphazene on flame retardancy of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer
Authors: Liu Yuan , Xu Shiai , Chen Qinghua , Xu Jie , Sun Beibei
Published: May 2024

Anhydrous magnesium carbonate (AMC) is successfully modified by KH570. KH570 can improve the interfacial interaction between AMC and EVA. AMC@KH570 and HPCTP generate a synergistic effect on the flame retardancy of EVA.
Determining fatigue threshold of elastomers through an elastic limit strain point
Authors: Li Xinglinmao , Li Wen , Cheng Jia , Sun Xiao , Zhang Yue , Xiang Chunping , Chen Shougang
Published: May 2024

The elastic limit strain point obtained from continuous Mullins testing to calculate the fatigue threshold of elastomers. The use of elastic limit strain to obtain fatigue threshold is applicable at 0 °C and RT.
Metal–organic complex coating for enhanced corrosion control and biocompatibility on biodegradable magnesium alloy for orthopaedic implants
Authors: Wang Jiacheng , Dou Zhenglong , Xia Li , Huang Nan
Published: May 2024

Metal–organic complex coating with Ca2+, TA, and SA for enhanced corrosion control and biocompatibility on biodegradable magnesium alloy.
Copper-based carbon dots modified hydrogel with osteoimmunomodulatory and osteogenesis for bone regeneration
Authors: Wei Xu , Wan Chang , Peng Xu , Luo Yihao , Hu Mengyue , Cheng Can , Feng Shaoxiong , Yu Xixun
Published: May 2024

Biomaterials with dual functions of osteoimmunomodulation and bone repair are very promising in the field of orthopedic materials.
Efficient transparent blue-emitted perovskite light-emitting diodes based on multilayer transparent top electrodes
Authors: He Zhenghao , Bao Zhiqiang , Guo Xiaoyang , Lv Ying , Wang Tienan , Ma Yuejia , Liu Xingyuan
Published: May 2024

A blue emitted transparent perovskite light-emitting diode was prepared by using quasi two-dimensional perovskite materials and multilayer transparent top electrodes.
High-performance flexible thermoelectric devices with a copper foam heatsink for personal thermal management
Authors: Zhou Wenjie , Pang Kaikai , Zhang Yuyou , Zhou Chuandong , Zhang Zongwei , Yang Hao , Zhang Qiang , Li Yanan , Hu Haoyang , Tan Xiaojian , Sun Peng , Wu Jiehua , Liu Guoqiang , Jiang Jun
Published: May 2024

A Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric device with high thermoelectric performance and flexibility for human body waste heat recovery and temperature management.
Stability assessment of inverter‐based renewable energy sources integrated to weak grids
Authors: Saleem M. I. , Saha S. , Izhar U. , Ang L.
Published: May 2024

The worldwide electricity network is undergoing a crucial transformation, shifting from traditional synchronous generators to inverter‐based renewable energy sources (IRESs). This shift is expected to reduce the grid's available fault level (AFL), potentially impacting grid functionality, particularly during the integration of IRESs into weak grids. This paper examines the challenges associated with weak grids, focusing on the steady‐state and dynamic stability of IRES when integrated into these systems. In the steady‐state analysis, the effects of AFL, injected power volume, and grid characteristics on the steady‐state voltage at the point of interconnection were explored. For dynamic stability, eigenvalue and H2 norm analyses are used for evaluation. Sensitivity analysis is conducted to assess the impact of these factors on the stability of IRESs connected to weak grids. A detailed case study using the IEEE 39 bus test power system is included to demonstrate our findings, where the steady‐state and dynamic stability of IRES connected to the test system are assessed using the proposed methods. The accuracy of these analyses is confirmed by extensive simulation studies on the OPAL‐RT real‐time digital simulator platform.
Research on vibration pattern recognition based on phase‐sensitive optical time domain reflectometry and voting fully convolution neural networks
Authors: Liao Yunhong , Li Ke , Gong Yandong
Published: May 2024

A method that combines phase‐sensitive optical time domain reflectometry with deep learning to construct new voting fully convolution neural networks (VoteFCNs) is proposed. Compared to the traditional convolutional network, the VoteFCN can be input with data of random size and requires less parameters so that the training speed can be improved greatly. The recognition results can be more accurate and more reliable if we use classification voting count and average recognition rate as the criteria to judge network training quality. At last, the training and identification were conducted by simulating such several disturbance events: walking, raining, climbing fence, hammering the ground optical fibre and normal outdoor environments. The results show that the average test accuracy of this method is about 93.4%.
Switching‐angle‐based hybrid modulation method of full wind speed and low carrier wave ratio for direct‐drive permanent‐magnet wind power generation system
Authors: Cheng Zhun , Xu Mai , Yi Wenjing , Li Dan , Luo Bing , Zhang Yang
Published: May 2024

A switching‐angle‐based hybrid modulation method of full wind speed and low carrier wave ratio for direct‐drive permanent‐magnet wind power generation system is proposed here, which order to improve the control performance of wind turbines in the full wind speed range. The combination manner of the proposed method is based on the harmonic distortion rate of the stator current, a modulation mode with a higher carrier wave ratio is adopted within the maximum switching frequency allowed by the system, the switching angle from optimized synchronous modulation also is introduced. In order to solve the problem of current impact caused by switching different modulation modes, the switching strategy between different modulation modes is developed from the perspective of harmonic current. And the sectors are redivided for the problem of sudden change in carrier wave ratio during switching, which improve the control effect of permanent‐magnet synchronous wind generator when changing the modulations modes. Finally, the feasibility and correctness of the proposed method are verified by theoretical analysis and simulation.
Multi‐object road waste detection and classification based on binocular vision
Authors: Guo He , Chen Lumin
Published: May 2024

A road multi‐object detection algorithm is one of the core algorithms for intelligent road cleaning robots relying on machine vision. Most existing object detection algorithms analyse all image regions and finally calculate the category and location of each object. However, it is not necessary to analyse all areas of the image when detecting objects on the road surface where the background changes little, and the number of objects is small because there will be a lot of invalid calculations. If we can perform targeted local analysis on images instead of analysing all image regions, it will improve the detection efficiency. Therefore, this paper proposes a multi‐object detection method using a binocular camera and a convolutional neural network (CNN) that effectively reduces invalid calculations during the detection and improves detection efficiency. In the developed method, the binocular vision image acquired by the binocular camera is stereo matched and equalized, while linear regression and coordinate transformation eliminate the angle of the camera pair concerning the road surface. Then, the coordinates of the regions of interest (ROI) is calculated in the left vision image and the features within the ROI is extracted from the corresponding CNN's feature map. Next, ROI pooling resizes the extracted feature maps of different sizes to the same size, which are then input to the fully connected layers to output the results. The proposed binocular network and faster R‐CNN (VGG16) are trained and tested on a dataset involving 1000 road waste images. The experimental results demonstrate that the developed binocular network improves the detection accuracy and speed by 28.56% and 78.39%, respectively, compared with faster R‐CNN (VGG16), providing a reliable basis for a machine vision‐based intelligent road cleaning robot.
Cardio-Oncology: A New Discipline in Medicine and Its Relevance to Hematology
Authors: Spannbauer Andreas , Bergler-Klein Jutta
Published: May 2024

Cardio-oncology, a burgeoning subspecialty, addresses the complex interplay between cardiology and oncology, particularly in light of increased cardiovascular (CV) disease mortality in cancer patients. This review provides a comprehensive overview of cardio-oncology with a focus on the therapies used in hematological malignancies. We explore the bidirectional relationship between heart failure and cancer, emphasizing the need for collaborative care. The review discusses risk stratification, highlighting the importance of baseline CV risk assessment and personalized surveillance regimens. Primary and secondary prevention strategies, including pharmacological interventions, are outlined. The review also delves into the cardiotoxicity associated with hematological cancer therapies, focusing on anthracyclines, Bruton kinase inhibitors, BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors, CAR-T cell therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, multiple myeloma treatments, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We then highlight the high risk of venous and arterial thromboembolisms in cancer patients and the challenges of anticoagulation management in cardio-oncology. Finally, the review touches on the importance of long-term follow-up and appropriate screening in cancer survivors at high risk of CV morbidity and mortality, based on their CV risk profile and the type and dose of cardiotoxic therapies they received such as anthracyclines or high radiation doses.
Microneurosurgery for Ruptured Aneurysm of Distal Intracranial Vertebral Artery: A Case Report
Authors: Soni Tushar V. , Patel Shreyansh , Shah Varshesh , Singh Sandip , Shah Nirav
Published: May 2024

The International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial led to a shift from clipping to endovascular coiling as the primary therapy for cerebral aneurysm particularly in the management of posterior circulation aneurysm. However, endovascular therapy is often unavailable in low-resource settings, emphasizing the importance of maintaining surgical skill sets in resource-poor countries. This article presents a detailed case report on the successful microneurosurgical management of a 65-year-old female with a history of headache and weakness with past history of hypertension and a right posterior cerebral artery territory infarct who was diagnosed with a ruptured aneurysm situated within the intracranial vertebral artery. Patient was operated with the far lateral approach and clipping of the aneurysm. This case report elucidates the intricate surgical techniques employed, and the challenges neurosurgeons encountered in treating posterior circulation intracranial aneurysms, particularly those with ruptured complications. The aneurysms' intricate anatomy and increased rupture risk necessitate a meticulous microneurosurgical approach. The severity of subarachnoid hemorrhage from ruptured aneurysms increases morbidity and mortality rates.
Dosimetric Analysis of Computed Tomography-Based Brachytherapy Planning in Carcinoma Cervix
Authors: Valiyaveettil Deepthi , Jilla Swapna , Ketham Ramakrishna , Reddy P. Shivaram , Nadendla Beulah Elizabeth , Manchala Himani , Malik Monica
Published: May 2024

Background The standard of care for locally advanced cervical cancer is concurrent chemoradiation followed by intracavitary brachytherapy (BT). BT forms an integral part of management as it improves local control and overall survival. In recent times, image-guided BT (IGBT) has been recommended as the standard of care. Computed tomography (CT) scan-based BT is a cost-effective and easily available modality for IGBT. The aim of the study was to do a dosimetric analysis of CT scan-based BT for patients with cervical cancer.

Methods This was a retrospective study and included patients with cervical cancer treated with radical chemoradiation followed by BT. CT scan was done before every fraction after applicator placement, and CT-based planning was done for all fractions. Clinical details were abstracted from the case records, and dosimetric details were collected from the treatment planning systems. Total equivalent dose in 2 Gy per fraction (EQD2) was calculated for external beam radiation therapy and BT target volumes and organs at risk (OARs).

Results This study included 50 patients. The mean age was 45 years. The majority of the cases were stage III. The mean high-risk clinical target volume (HRCTV) for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fraction was 53.1, 52.1, and 51.3 mL, respectively. Mean D90 HRCTV (dose received by 90% of the HRCTV) dose was 81.4 Gy (EQD2 10 Gy) and D2cc was 75.8 Gy (EQD2 3 Gy) for the rectum and sigmoid and 86.2 Gy (EQD2 3 Gy) for the bladder.

Conclusion CT-based BT is a reasonable option in high-volume and low-resource settings where the availability of magnetic resonance imaging is limited. CT-based BT at every fraction can ensure proper applicator placement and aid in optimizing the dose to the target volumes and OARs.
A francophone political culture? Similarities and differences among French speakers in Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and France
Authors: Mueller Sean , Dardanelli Paolo , Reuchamps Min , Bundi Pirmin , Lecours André , Niessen Christoph
Published: May 2024

This paper explores whether language shapes political culture by examining the case of French and a possible transnational francophone political culture. Using original survey data from Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and France collected in autumn 2020, we find only small within-country differences between francophones and non-francophones and limited transnational alignment. National patterns dominate even in multilingual federations with divided media landscapes and centrifugal politics. Only regarding feminism and drug policy do we find evidence of a common francophone orientation. In both domains, French mother tongue is correlated with the same distinct attitude regarding the role of the state compared to non-French speakers. These findings suggest that language is indeed related to political culture, albeit in a circumscribed manner. We thus contribute to scholarship on political behaviour and multicultural federalism by exploring how language shapes attitudes for individuals and groups alike.
On the number of closed gaps of discrete periodic one-dimensional operators
Authors: Arroyo Andrew , Castro Faye , Fillman Jake
Published: May 2024

From the general inverse theory of periodic Jacobi matrices, it is known that a periodic Jacobi matrix of minimal period p≥2 may have at most p−2 closed spectral gaps. We discuss the maximal number of closed gaps for one-dimensional periodic discrete Schrödinger operators of period p. We prove nontrivial upper and lower bounds on this quantity for large p and compute it exactly for p≤6. Among our results, we show that a discrete Schrödinger operator of period four or five may have at most a single closed gap, and we characterize exactly which potentials may exhibit a closed gap. For period six, we show that at most two gaps may close. In all cases in which the maximal number of closed gaps is computed, it is seen to be strictly smaller than p−2, the bound guaranteed by the inverse theory. We also discuss similar results for purely off-diagonal Jacobi matrices.
The enhancement of low-temperature excitation of magnons via interlayer exchange coupling in perpendicularly magnetized [Co/Pd] multilayers
Authors: Kasiuk Julia , Wu Wen-Bin , Przewoźnik Janusz , Kapusta Czesław , Svito Ivan , Nguyen Thanh Huong , Do Khanh Tung , Tran Dang Thanh , Do Hung Manh , Åkerman Johan , Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh
Published: May 2024

In this study, we analyze the correlation between magnetization and magnetoresistance of perpendicularly anisotropic [Co/Pd] multilayered films with different thicknesses of Pd layers tPd = 0.6–2.0 nm in a wide range of temperatures, T = 4–300 K. We revealed that electron scattering by magnons makes a significant contribution to the magnetoresistance of the multilayers regardless of the layer thickness. Contrary to expectations, the effect of magnon magnetoresistance (MMR) increases with decreasing temperature below T = 50 K in the films with tPd = 0.8 and 1.0 nm. The revealed low-temperature MMR increase, which is most pronounced in the [Co0.5/Pd1.0] multilayers, is associated with the enhanced magnon excitation due to antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between the Co layers. The latter ensures an atypical shape of the magnetization curves of the [Co0.5/Pd1.0] multilayers at low temperatures in a perpendicular magnetic field, which combine a quadratic hysteresis loop of a perpendicularly anisotropic ferromagnet and an anomalous magnetization drop resulting from a violation of the ordering of magnetic moments and their amplified oscillations initiated by the interlayer exchange coupling.