bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
De novo gene synthesis by an antiviral reverse transcriptase
Authors: Tang Stephen , Conte Valentin , Zhang Dennis J. , Žedaveinytė Rimantė , Lampe George D. , Wiegand Tanner , Tang Lauren C. , Wang Megan , Walker Matt W. G. , George Jerrin Thomas , Berchowitz Luke E. , Jovanovic Marko , Sternberg Samuel H.
Published: August 2024

Defense-associated reverse transcriptase (DRT) systems perform DNA synthesis to protect bacteria against viral infection, but the identities and functions of their DNA products remain largely unknown. We show that DRT2 systems encode an unprecedented immune pathway that involves de novo gene synthesis through rolling circle reverse transcription of a noncoding RNA (ncRNA). Programmed template jumping on the ncRNA generates a concatemeric cDNA, which becomes double-stranded upon viral infection. This DNA product constitutes a protein-coding, nearly endless open reading frame (
neo
) gene whose expression leads to potent cell growth arrest, restricting the viral infection. Our work highlights an elegant expansion of genome coding potential through RNA-templated gene creation and challenges conventional paradigms of genetic information encoded along the one-dimensional axis of genomic DNA.
Clash of the physicists
Quantum Drama: From the Bohr-Einstein Debate to the Riddle of Entanglement
Jim Baggott and John L. Heilbron
Oxford University Press, 2024. 352 pp.
Authors: Sauer Tilman
Published: August 2024

Contentious early debates about quantum mechanics come to life in a new history
Mind the COVID-19 gap
Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality and Students Pay the Price
Anthony Abraham Jack
Princeton University Press, 2024. 312 pp.
Authors: Wai Jonathan
Published: August 2024

Elite universities failed to grasp the pandemic needs of minority and lower-income students, finds a sociologist
The lasting effects of famine
Authors: Klimek Peter , Thurner Stefan
Published: August 2024

Early exposure to food scarcity in Ukraine increases diabetes risk in later life
In Science Journals
Authors: Smith Jesse , Szuromi Phil , Stajic Jelena , Suleymanov Yury , Funk Michael A. , Ash Caroline , Grocholski Brent , Norton Melissa L. , Ross Sarah H. , Ray L. Bryan , Stern Peter , Lavine Marc S. , Nusinovich Yevgeniya , Ferrarelli Leslie K. , Olingy Claire
Published: August 2024

Highlights from the
Science
family of journals
Rich countries drain ‘shocking’ amount of labor
Authors: Jacobs Phie
Published: August 2024

Workers in the Global South power the world economy but face a yawning wage gap
Quaternary volcanism in southeastern Tibetan Plateau: A record of Neo-Tethyan oceanic slab stagnant in the mantle transition zone
Authors: Kang Huan , Zhao Yongwei , Zhang Xiaoran , Zhang Liyun , Zhang Huiping , Zou Haibo
Published: August 2024

Tibetan lateral mantle flow could help to decipher the material movement mechanisms within global plate convergence zones. However, the front edge of this mantle flow is unclear. We conducted petrological, geochronological, mineralogical, geochemical, and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic investigations of Quaternary intracontinental alkali basalts from southwestern Yunnan (south of 27°N) to determine the petrogenesis of the Quaternary alkali basalts in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau in particular and to trace the recent Tibetan lateral mantle flow. Alkali basalts in the region are mainly basanite and trachybasalt that erupted during the Pleistocene epoch. They possess highly incompatible elemental and radiogenic Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions similar to those of the oceanic-island basalts, consistent with melts derived from asthenospheric mantle with a low degree of partial melting. Calculated magma water contents of regional alkali basalts range from 1.32 ± 0.48 wt% to 2.23 ± 0.18 wt%, which corresponds to water content of their mantle source comprising 269 ppm to 3591 ppm, which is significantly higher than that of the normal upper mantle (i.e., 50–250 ppm). Quantitative trace-element modeling and dramatic variations in oceanic crust–sensitive indicators such as Eu/Eu*, Sr/Sr*, Ce/Pb, (Nb/Th)N-PM, and (Ta/U)N-PM indicate variable contributions of upper and lower oceanic crust to magma sources. Systematic examinations of petrological, geochemical, and geophysical evidence reveal that the temporary small-volume Quaternary volcanism in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau is unrelated to Tibetan southeastward mantle flow but is primarily attributed to stagnant Neo-Tethyan slab in the mantle transition zone. Our study offers a distinctive perspective for reconciling the geochemical features of intracontinental alkali basalts and highlights the potential role of alkali basalts in tracing the front edge of recent Tibetan lateral mantle flow.
Glycaemia and ischaemia-reperfusion brain injury in patients with ischaemic stroke treated with mechanical thrombectomy (GLIAS-MT): an observational, unicentric, prospective study protocol
Authors: Hervás Carlos , Peirotén Irene , González Laura , Alonso de Leciñana María , Alonso-López Elisa , Casado Laura , De Celis-Ruíz Elena , Fernández Prieto Andrés Francisco , Frutos Remedios , Gallego-Ruiz Rebeca , González Pérez de Villar Noemí , Gutiérrez-Fernández María , Navia Pedro , Otero-Ortega Laura , Pozo-Novoa Javier , Rigual Ricardo , Rodríguez-Pardo Jorge , Ruiz Gerardo , Fuentes Blanca
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Poststroke hyperglycaemia is an independent risk factor for poorer outcomes in patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy (MT) and is associated with a lower probability of functional recovery and higher mortality at 3 months. This study aims to evaluate the association between glucose levels during cerebral reperfusion with MT and functional recovery at 3 months, measured by subcutaneous continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices.

Methods

This prospective observational study aims to recruit 100 patients with ischaemic stroke and large anterior circulation vessel occlusion, in whom MT is indicated. CGM will be performed using a Freestyle Libre ProIQ device (FSL-CGM, Abbott Diabetes Care, Alameda, California, USA), which will be implanted on admission to the emergency department, to monitor glucose levels before, during and after reperfusion. The study’s primary endpoint will be the functional status at 3 months, as measured by the dichotomised modified Rankin Scale (0–2 indicating good recovery and 3–6 indicating dependency or death). We will analyse expression profiles of microRNA (miRNA) at the time of reperfusion and 24 hours later, as potential biomarkers of ischaemic-reperfusion injury. The most promising miRNAs include miR-100, miR-29b, miR-339, miR-15a and miR-424. All patients will undergo treatment according to current international recommendations and local protocols for the treatment of stroke, including intravenous thrombolysis if indicated.

Ethics and dissemination

This study (protocol V.1.1, dated 29 October 2021, code 6017) has been approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of La Paz University Hospital (Madrid, Spain) and has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT 05871502). Study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications in Open Access format and at conference presentations.

Trial registration number

NCT05871502.
Patient safety reporting and learning system of Catalonia (SNiSP Cat): a health policy initiative to enhance culture, leadership and professional engagement
Authors: Pareja-Rossell Clara , Rabanal-Tornero Manel , Oliva-Oliva Gloria , Gens-Barberà Montserrat , Hospital-Guardiola Inmaculada , Hernandez-Vidal Nuria , Capella-Gonzalez Jordina , Ayala-Villuendas David , Vidal-Melgosa Eusebi , Mansergas-Collado Nuria , López-Sanz Eva , Astier-Peña María-Pilar
Published: August 2024

Patient safety reporting and learning systems (PSRLS) are tools to promote patient safety culture in healthcare organisations (HCO). Many PRSLS are locally developed. WHO Global Action Plan on Patient Safety 2021–2030 urges governments to deploy policies for healthcare risk management including PSRLS. The Ministry of Health of Catalonia (MHC) faced challenges in addressing quality and patient safety (Q&PS) issues due to disparate information systems. To address these challenges, the MHC developed a territorial PSRLS and embedded it in the Quality and Patient Safety Strategic Plan of Catalonia 2023–2027 (QPSS Plan Cat).

Methods

Four-step process: (1) creation of a governance model, a web platform and reporting forms for a PSRLS in Catalonia (SNiSP Cat); (2) SNiSP Cat roll out; (3) embed SNiSP Cat information in the accreditation model for HCO and the PS scorecard; (4) Development of SNiSP Cat within the QPSS Plan Cat 2023–2027.

Results

The SNiSP Cat is in use by 63/64 acute care hospital (ACH), 376/376 primary healthcare teams (PCT) and 17/98 long-term care facilities (LTCF). 1335/109 273 professionals were trained. Until 2022, 127 051 incidents have been migrated and reported (2013–2022). The system has generated three comprehensive risk maps for HCO: one for ACH, including patients’ falls, medication, clinical process and procedures; second for PCT, including clinical process and procedures, clinical administration and medication; and a third for LTCF, included patients’ falls, medication, digital/analogical documentation. SNiSP Cat provided information to support 53 standards out of 1312 of the ACH accreditation model and 14 standards out of 379 of PCT one. Regarding the MHC patient safety scorecard, 14 indicators out of 147 of ACH and 4 out of 41 of PCT are supported by SNiSP Cat data.

Conclusions

The availability of a territorial PSRLS (SNiSP Cat) allows MHC leads the Q&PS policy with direct information, risk maps and data support to the standards for the Catalan accreditation models and PS scorecard linked to incentivisation, turning the SNiSP Cat into a driven tool to implement the Quality and Patient Safety Strategic Plan of Catalonia 2023–2027.
Implementing virtual primary care: experiences, perspectives and identification of improvement opportunities in an academic primary care setting
Authors: Walji Sakina , O’Brien Patricia , Loi Anna , Rozmovits Linda , Bhattacharyya Onil
Published: August 2024

Background

One of the biggest changes to primary care triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic was the rapid integration of virtual care (VC). VC offers benefits to patients and providers but implementation presents challenges.

Methods

This study is a secondary analysis of a 2021 quality improvement (QI) driven environmental scan comprising a survey and 1:1 interviews, at the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. The scan aimed to understand the current and desired future use of VC at the 14 sites.

Results

The survey was completed by all sites between July and October 2021 and 1:1 interviews were conducted between October and November 2021 with 12 of the 14 site/QI leads. VC was seen as convenient and flexible, and as enabling continuity of care for patients who could not easily attend in-person. Factors enabling implementation of VC included leadership at both the system and local level; a shared understanding of VC on the part of providers, patients and clinical staff; and technological and administrative readiness. Challenges included the need for triage algorithms; incongruent expectations of VC by patients and providers; technology issues; increased administrative burden; and impacts on medical education. All anticipated that some degree of VC would continue in future.

Conclusions

VC offered benefits but it also impacted clinical routines and administrative processes creating new forms of work for clinicians and staff. Patient education is needed to ensure that their expectations of VC align with those of providers. Research and QI efforts are required to optimise the use of VC in primary care.
Urban metabolic and airway immune profiles increase the risk of infections in early childhood
Authors: Brustad Nicklas , Thorsen Jonathan , Pedersen Casper Emil Tingskov , Ali Mina , Kyvsgaard Julie , Brandt Sarah , Lehtimäki Jenni , Prince Nicole , Følsgaard Nilofar V , Lasky-Su Jessica , Stokholm Jakob , Bønnelykke Klaus , Chawes Bo
Published: August 2024

Background

Infections in childhood remain a leading global cause of child mortality and environmental exposures seem crucial. We investigated whether urbanicity at birth was associated with the risk of infections and explored underlying mechanisms.

Methods

Children (n=633) from the COPSAC2010mother–child cohort were monitored daily with symptom diaries of infection episodes during the first 3 years and prospectively diagnosed with asthma until age 6 years. Rural and urban environments were based on the CORINE land cover database. Child airway immune profile was measured at age 4 weeks. Maternal and child metabolomics profiling were assessed at pregnancy week 24 and at birth, respectively.

Results

We observed a mean (SD) total number of infections of 16.3 (8.4) consisting mainly of upper respiratory infections until age 3 years. Urban versus rural living increased infection risk (17.1 (8.7) vs 15.2 (7.9), adjusted incidence rate ratio; 1.15 (1.05–1.26), p=0.002) and altered the child airway immune profile, which increased infection risk (principal component 1 (PC1): 1.03 (1.00–1.06), p=0.038 and PC2: 1.04 (1.01–1.07), p=0.022). Urban living also altered the maternal and child metabolomic profiles, which also increased infection risk. The association between urbanicity and infection risk was partly mediated through the maternal metabolomic and child airway immune profiles. Finally, urbanicity increased the risk of asthma by age 6 years, which was mediated through early infection load (pACME<0.001).

Conclusion

This study suggests urbanicity as an independent risk factor for early infections partly explained by changes in the early metabolic and immunological development with implications for later risk of asthma.
CD38 deficiency prevents diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting lipid accumulation and oxidative stress through activation of the SIRT3 pathway
Authors: Wang Ling-Fang , Li Qian , Le Zhao Jia , Wen Ke , Zhang Ya-Ting , Zhao Qi-Hang , Ding Qi , Li Jia-Hui , Guan Xiao-Hui , Xiao Yun-Fei , Deng Ke-Yu , Xin Hong-Bo
Published: August 2024

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common complications of diabetes. Our previous study showed that CD38 knockout (CD38KO) mice had protective effects on many diseases. However, the roles and mechanisms of CD38 in DN remain unknown. Here, DN mice were generated by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding plus streptozotocin (STZ) injection in male CD38KO and CD38flox mice. Mesangial cells (SV40 MES 13 cells) were used to mimic the injury of DN with palPagination Donemitic acid (PA) treatment in vitro. Our results showed that CD38 expression was significantly increased in kidney of diabetic CD38flox mice and SV40 MES 13 cells treated with PA. CD38KO mice were significantly resistant to diabetes-induced renal injury. Moreover, CD38 deficiency markedly decreased HFD/STZ-induced lipid accumulation, fibrosis, and oxidative stress in kidney tissue. In contrast, overexpression of CD38 aggravated PA-induced lipid accumulation and oxidative stress. CD38 deficiency increased expression of SIRT3, while overexpression of CD38 decreased its expression. More importantly, 3-TYP, an inhibitor of SIRT3, significantly enhanced PA-induced lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in CD38 overexpressing cell lines. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that CD38 deficiency prevented DN by inhibiting lipid accumulation and oxidative stress through activation of the SIRT3 pathway.
Numerical investigation on the pullout capacity of suction caissons in silty sand-over-clay deposit
Authors: Yang Ningxin , Zhou Mi , Tian Yinghui , Zhang Xihong
Published: August 2024

This research offers an in-depth numerical analysis on the pullout capacity of suction caissons in sand-over-clay deposits. A validated finite element (FE) model is employed and cross-referenced with existing centrifuge tests and numerical data. A parametric analysis is conducted to examine the variables affecting the pullout capacity of suction caissons, including caisson’s length, pad-eye position, and layered deposits. The FE analysis yields some insights into the following key design components: (i) the optimal pad-eye locations; (ii) the ultimate horizontal and vertical bearing capacities; and (iii) the horizontal load estimation at various pad-eyes attachments. A straightforward guideline for calculating the caisson’s pullout capacities is then established for preliminary estimations for suction caissons in silty sand-over-clay deposit.
Increasing microplastic exposure had minimal effects on fatty acid composition in zooplankton and yellow perch in a large, in-lake mesocosm experiment
Authors: Covernton Garth A. , Metherel Adam H. , McMeans Bailey C. , Bucci Kennedy , Langenfeld Desiree , McNamee Rachel , Veneruzzo Cody , Hoffman Matthew J. , Orihel Diane M. , Paterson Michael J. , Provencher Jennifer F. , Rennie Michael D. , Rochman Chelsea M.
Published: August 2024

Using 10 m diameter mesocosms in a Canadian boreal lake, we investigated the effects of microplastic (MP) exposure on the body weight and diet of yellow perch ( Perca flavescens) and the fatty acid composition of yellow perch and zooplankton. We exposed the aquatic ecosystem within seven mesocosms for 10 weeks to a mixture of polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate fragments, ranging in nominal addition concentrations from 6 to 29 240 particles L−1 (although realized water column concentrations were lower), as well as two negative controls. Increasing MP exposure did not affect yellow perch body weight (growth) or diet, or the overall fatty acid composition of yellow perch muscle or zooplankton. Results were highly variable across mesocosms. Despite high levels of MP ingestion by yellow perch, we did not find evidence of MPs leading to food dilution or any other effect where we could anticipate impacts on food web structure.
The generalized second law formulated from the variable equation of state parameter
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Tanwi
Published: August 2024

The generalized second law of thermodynamics (GSLT) is examined in the current work in the backdrop of Friedmann–Robertson–Walker universe. A digression from the standard Bekenstein–Hawking entropy formulation is considered. Two different modified forms of the entropy functions are studied. For the matter component, five well-known parameterizations of the equation of state parameter are taken into consideration. The diagrammatic representations of the rate of change of the entropy functions in the different models are presented. The outcomes suggest that the GSLT is valid in these models for certain choices of the parameters involved.
The SKARAB Board in the Framework of Single-Dish Radio Astronomy
Authors: Melis A. , Cabras A. , Comoretto G. , Concu R. , Fiorentini M. , Ladu A. , Maccaferri A. , Migoni C. , Murgia M. , Pilia M. , Teague G. , Dyk C. van
Published: August 2024

The Square Kilometer Array Reconfigurable Application Board (SKARAB) is a Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA-based platform designed for the MeerKAT array, to be used for both F- and X/B-engines. The MeerKAT F-engine receives digitized data, thus no samplers are required on the SKARAB-based platform. Among the alternative options available, a high-performing ADC mezzanine board can be used in conjunction with the SKARAB, which allows four 1.4-GHz-wide input channels to be digitized and processed. In this paper, we outline how the SKARAB has been successfully used for single-dish applications including imaging, spectroscopy, and spectro-polarimetry.
Whole rock lithogeochemical analysis of the Mount Read Volcanics: a new tool for geochemical exploration
Authors: Zivkovic Zebedee , Halley Scott , Vicary Mike , Baker Michael , Cracknell Matthew J. , Barker Shaun
Published: August 2024

The Mount Read Volcanics (MRV) of western Tasmania is a belt of Middle to Late Cambrian submarine volcanics and volcaniclastics and one of the major base and precious metal provinces within Australia. Exploration success in the MRV has been in decline in recent years due to a variety of challenges including intensely altered rocks with complex stratigraphy and lithofacies variation, and a lack of accessible outcrop. As a result, local and regional mapping of the MRV is often restricted to Group-level stratigraphy, rendering geological mapping ineffective for identifying decametre-scale mine stratigraphy.

Surface rock chip and drill hole samples were collected and analysed using commercially available geochemical assays to create a regional geochemical dataset of the MRV, covering the entire province and all major stratigraphic units. From these data, a lithogeochemical methodology was developed, utilizing Ti/Nb and V/Sc systematics that effectively characterizes the samples according to composition and magmatic processes. This method is shown to be robust to biases due to alteration and lithofacies, eliminating the need for highly selective sampling or extensive data filtering.

To demonstrate the utility of this method in an exploration context, data from the K-lens of the Rosebery polymetallic volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposit was used as a case study. Using Ti/Nb–V/Sc systematics, a rock composition classification was developed that allowed for discrimination of the footwall, hanging wall and host stratigraphy of the Rosebery mine sequence. A geochemical fingerprint for the footwall stratigraphy to mineralization was developed, and by correlating this signature to the regional unclassified samples, geochemical analogues for the Rosebery footwall were readily identified. This approach rapidly reduces the exploration search space and provides valuable information for future mineral exploration. The methodology is applicable in other terrains; however, appropriate orientation studies are required to investigate potential biases due to lithofacies, alteration and mineralogical variability.
Coupling of X-ray fluorescence and strontium isotopes to track the influence of brine in continental deposits: study of Oligocene sediments in the Digne area (SE basin, France)
Authors: Hamon Alexandre , Huyghe Damien , Mehl Caroline , Pichat Alexandre , Revillon Sidonie , Callot Jean-Paul
Published: August 2024

It is often difficult to decipher past salt tectonics events in orogenic domains. The southwestern Alpine foreland in France presents a long and extensive salt tectonics history in the Mesozoic, which was later inverted during the Cenozoic Alpine Orogeny. Synorogenic Cenozoic salt-related deformations are difficult to identify due to the contemporaneous shortening experienced by the foreland. This study is based on sedimentological and geochemical (Sr concentrations and
87
Sr/
86
Sr ratios) analyses of the Oligocene non-marine succession of St-Geniez (Digne region, France). Oligocene salt influences are highlighted by (1) high Sr concentrations (>1000 ppm) in most of the series, (2) the occurrence of halophytic gastropods and (3) the deposition of two gypsum beds. The
87
Sr/
86
Sr ratios measured in the limestones and the gypsum beds confirm a Triassic origin for the Sr, originating from the Sorine diapir located to the SW, for the first part of the series and from the Authon thrust, located to the north, for the upper part of the series. The geochemistry also suggests the occurrence of two Triassic evaporite levels: one already known and attributed to the Carnian–Norian (Late Triassic) and one attributed to the Olenekian–Anisian (Early to Mid-Triassic). These results show that the combined use of field geology and geochemistry can provide information about previously erased salt tectonics events.
Gaps, Ambiguity, and Establishing Complexity-Class Containments via Iterative Constant-Setting
Authors: Hemaspaandra Lane A. , Juvekar Mandar , Nadjimzadah Arian , Phillips Patrick A.
Published: August 2024

Cai and Hemachandra used iterative constant-setting to prove that Few ⊆ ⊕ P (and thus that Few P ⊆ ⊕P). In this article, we note that there is a tension between the nondeterministic ambiguity of the class one is seeking to capture, and the density (or, to be more precise, the needed “nongappiness”) of the easy-to-find “targets” used in iterative constant-setting. In particular, we show that even less restrictive gap-size upper bounds regarding the targets allow one to capture ambiguity-limited classes. Through a flexible, metatheorem-based approach, we do so for a wide range of classes including the logarithmic-ambiguity version of Valiant’s unambiguous nondeterminism class UP. Our work lowers the bar for what advances regarding the existence of infinite, P-printable sets of primes would suffice to show that restricted counting classes based on the primes have the power to accept superconstant-ambiguity analogues of UP. As an application of our work, we prove that the Lenstra–Pomerance–Wagstaff Conjecture implies that all

\((\mathcal {O}(1) + \log \log n)\)

-ambiguity NP sets are in the restricted counting class RC
PRIMES
.
How to Improve Video Analytics with Action Recognition: A Survey
Authors: T Gayathri , HR Mamatha
Published: August 2024

Action recognition refers to the process of categorizing a video by identifying and classifying the specific actions it encompasses. Videos originate from several domains, and within each domain of video analysis, comprehending actions holds paramount significance. The primary aim of this research is to assist scholars in understanding, comparing, and using action recognition models within the several fields of video analysis. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of action recognition models, comparing their performance and computational requirements. Additionally, it presents a detailed overview of benchmark datasets, which can aid in selecting the most suitable action recognition model. This review additionally examines the diverse applications of action recognition, the datasets available, the research that has been undertaken, potential future prospects, and the challenges encountered.
MITRE ATT&CK: State of the Art and Way Forward
Authors: Al-Sada Bader , Sadighian Alireza , Oligeri Gabriele
Published: August 2024

MITRE ATT&CK is a comprehensive framework of adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures based on real-world observations. It has been used as a foundation for threat modeling in different sectors, such as government, academia, and industry. To the best of our knowledge, no previous work has been devoted to the comprehensive collection, study, and investigation of the current state of the art leveraging the MITRE ATT&CK framework. We select and inspect more than 50 major research contributions, while conducting a detailed analysis of their methodology and objectives in relation to the MITRE ATT&CK framework. We provide a categorization of the identified papers according to different criteria such as use cases, application scenarios, adopted methodologies, and the use of additional data. Finally, we discuss open issues and future research directions involving not only the MITRE ATT&CK framework but also the fields of threat analysis, threat modeling, and in general cyber-threat intelligence.
High Performance and Predictable Shared Last-level Cache for Safety-Critical Systems
Authors: Wu Zhuanhao , Kaushik Anirudh , Patel Hiren
Published: August 2024

We propose ZeroCost-LLC (ZCLLC), a novel shared inclusive last-level cache (LLC) design for timing predictable multi-core platforms that offers lower worst-case latency (WCL) when compared with a traditional shared inclusive LLC design. ZCLLC achieves low WCL by eliminating certain memory operations in the form of cache line invalidations across the cache hierarchy that are a consequence of a core’s memory request that misses in the cache hierarchy and when there is no vacant entry in the LLC to accommodate the fetched data for this request. In addition to low WCL, ZCLLC offers performance benefits in the form of additional caching capacity and unlike state-of-the-art approaches, ZCLLC does not impose any constraints on its usage across multiple cores. In this work, we describe the impact of LLC cache line invalidations on the WCL and systematically build solutions to eliminate these invalidations resulting in ZCLLC. We also present ZCLLC-OPT, an optimized variant of ZCLLC that offers lower WCL and improved average-case performance over ZCLLC. We apply optimizations to the shared bus arbitration mechanism and extend the micro-architecture of ZCLLC to allow for overlapping memory requests to the main memory. Our analysis reveals that the analytical WCL of a memory request under ZCLLC-OPT is 87.0%, 93.8%, and 97.1% lower than that under state-of-the-art LLC partition sharing techniques for 2, 4, and 8 cores, respectively. ZCLLC-OPT shows average-case performance speedups of 1.89×, 3.36×, and 6.24× compared with the state-of-the-art LLC partition sharing techniques for 2, 4, and 8 cores, respectively. When compared with the original ZCLLC that does not have any optimizations, ZCLLC-OPT shows lower analytical WCLs that are 76.5%, 82.6%, and 86.2% lower compared with ZCLLC-NORMAL for 2, 4, and 8 cores, respectively.
Efficient Attacks on Strong PUFs via Covariance and Boolean Modeling
Authors: Wang Hongfei , Liu Wei , Cai Wenjie , Lu Yunxiao , Wan Caixue
Published: August 2024

The physical unclonable function (PUF) is a widely used hardware security primitive. Before hacking into a PUF-protected system, intruders typically initiate attacks on the PUF as the first step. Many strong PUF designs have been proposed to thwart non-invasive attacks that exploit acquired CRPs. In this work, we propose a general framework for efficient attacks on strong PUFs by investigating from two perspectives, namely, statistical covariances in the challenge space and the design dependency among PUF compositions. The framework consists of two novel attack methods against a wide range of PUF families, including XOR APUFs, interpose PUFs, and bistable ring (BR)-PUFs. It can also exploit the knowledge of reliability information to improve attack efficiency with gradient optimization. We evaluate our proposed attacks through extensive experiments, running both software-based simulation and hardware implementations on FPGAs to compare with corresponding SOTA works. Considerable effort has been made in ensuring identical software/hardware conditions for a fair comparison. The results demonstrate that our framework significantly outperforms SOTA results. Moreover, we show that our framework can efficiently attack diverse PUF families built from entirely different types, while almost all existing works solely focused on attacking one or very limited number of PUF designs.
Organizational Humor: A Foundation for Future Scholarship, a Review, and a Call to Action
Authors: Cooper Cecily D. , Schweitzer Maurice E.
Published: August 2024

Humor is a fundamental managerial tool that can help managers communicate, build trust, and promote cooperation. Humor, however, is complex, and humor scholarship has identified both benefits and risks of using humor for leaders, employees, and organizations. Although humor is both pervasive and impactful in organizations, humor scholarship is vastly under-represented relative to its managerial relevance and impact in leading management journals. In this review, we build on scholarship in the psychology, communication, and management literatures to define humor, introduce a framework and nomenclature for studying humor, and distinguish organizational humor from social humor. We identify open questions worthy of scholarly attention and barriers that have likely limited the publication of humor scholarship in management journals. We conclude with a call to action to guide future research in organizational humor.
PROTACs as Therapeutic Modalities for Drug Discovery in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Wang Ling-Yu , Hung Chiu-Lien , Wang Tsan-Chun , Hsu Hung-Chih , Kung Hsing-Jien , Lin Kwang-Huei
Published: August 2024

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) presents significant challenges in clinical management due to its resistance to conventional androgen receptor (AR)-targeting therapies. The advent of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) has revolutionized cancer therapy by enabling the targeted degradation of key molecular players implicated in CRPC progression. In this review we discuss the developments of PROTACs for CRPC treatment, focusing on AR and other CRPC-associated regulators. We provide an overview of the strategic trends in AR PROTAC development from the aspect of targeting site selection and preclinical antitumor evaluation, as well as updates on AR degraders in clinical applications. Additionally, we briefly address the current status of selective AR degrader development. Furthermore, we review new developments in PROTACs as potential CRPC treatment paradigms, highlighting those targeting chromatin modulators BRD4, EZH2, and SWI/SNF; transcription regulator SMAD3; and kinases CDK9 and PIM1. Given the molecular targets shared between CRPC and neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), we also discuss the potential of PROTACs in addressing NEPC.
VO2-C Cathode Material Prepared from Reduction of V2O5 by Citric Acid for Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries
Authors: Hu Xinxin , Zhang Fan , Zhong Junyuan , Wang Xucheng , Tong Xiangling
Published: August 2024

Designing and synthesizing cathode materials with high specific capacity and stability for aqueous zinc ion battery remains a significant challenge. In this study, citric acid was selected as the reducing agent for converting V2O5 to VO2 with a carbon matrix using the hydrothermal method. The introduction of citric acid not only created a distinct microstructure in V4+ materials but also provided carbon matrix, which resulted in a fast diffusion of zinc ion and a good conductivity. This carbon containing vanadium-oxide material exhibited excellent electrochemical performance as a cathode material for aqueous zinc ion batteries, showing a high specific capacity of 399.33 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1, and a capacity retention rate up to 98.3% after cycling for 1000 cycles at a high current density of 5 A g−1.
Play your way to an “A”: helping students engage during the social isolation of remote learning
Authors: Brainard Robert E. , Shaffer Amy L. , Watson Lewis J. , Terson de Paleville Daniela G. L. , Falcone Jeff C.
Published: August 2024

This article presents the effectiveness of the use of the “pub Trivia Night” to facilitate learning, deconstruct misconceptions, and increase engagement during remote teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Diamond Framework for team-based active learning for physiology courses
Authors: Terson de Paleville Daniela G. L. , Saner Staci W.
Published: August 2024

Team-based learning (TBL) has gained popularity as an educational framework that facilitates teaching conceptual and procedural subjects. However, this technique is less popular among physiology and biomedical sciences. Here, we describe a step-by-step guide for incorporating this learning approach for physiology. Further, we created the Diamond Framework for TBL, a visual taxonomy inspired by Bloom’s taxonomy, designed explicitly for TBL, in which the “application” component is at the core of the diamond.
Histone deacetylase expression following cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in male and female mice
Authors: Nguyen Huy , Gales Anabelle , Monteiro-Pai Sureena , Oliver Ariana S. , Harris Nicholas , Montgomery Anna D. , Franzén Stephanie , Kasztan Malgorzata , Hyndman Kelly A.
Published: August 2024

Kidney histone deacetylases (HDACs) are abundant in male and female mice, and the inner medulla has the greatest HDAC activity. A low dose of cisplatin caused acute kidney injury (AKI) in these mice, but there were few changes in kidney HDACs at the RNA/protein/activity level. A class I HDAC inhibitor failed to improve AKI outcomes. Defining the HDAC isoform, cellular source, and interventional timing is necessary to determine whether HDAC inhibition is a therapeutic strategy to prevent cisplatin-AKI in both sexes.
Dynamic cerebral autoregulation during repeated handgrip exercise: comparisons with spontaneous rest and sit-stand maneuvers
Authors: Qin Wenxing , Fukuie Marina , Hoshi Daisuke , Mori Shoya , Tomoto Tsubasa , Sugawara Jun , Tarumi Takashi
Published: August 2024

This is the first study investigating dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) during light-intensity repeated handgrip exercise (RHE) compared with rest and sit-stand maneuvers (SSM) using transfer function analysis (TFA). Compared with rest, RHE significantly increased oscillations of arterial blood pressure and cerebral blood velocity and coherence, whereas SSM exhibited the highest oscillations and coherence. These findings suggest that RHE may serve as an alternative method for assessing dCA in individuals unable to perform repeated postural changes.
Silence of the lungs: comparing measures of slow and noncommunicating lung units from pulmonary function tests with computed tomography
Authors: Short Christopher , Semple Thomas , Abkir Mary , Padley Simon , Rosenthal Mark , McNally Paul , Tiddens Harm , Caudri Daan , Bush Andrew , Davies Jane C.
Published: August 2024

We consider the term “trapped air” either in the use of imaging or pulmonary function testing, something of a misnomer that can lead to an inaccurate assessment of an important physiological feature. Instead, we propose the term underventilated lung units (UVLU). Of the many pulmonary function methods we used in this study, we found that the use of multiple breath washout with short extension (MBWShX) to be the best nonimaging method.
Nanodomain cAMP signaling in cardiac pathophysiology: potential for developing targeted therapeutic interventions
Authors: Zaccolo Manuela , Kovanich Duangnapa
Published: August 2024

The 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) mediates the effects of sympathetic stimulation on the rate and strength of cardiac contraction. Beyond this pivotal role, in cardiac myocytes cAMP also orchestrates a diverse array of reactions to various stimuli. To ensure specificity of response, the cAMP signaling pathway is intricately organized into multiple, spatially confined, subcellular domains, each governing a distinct cellular function. In this review, we describe the molecular components of the cAMP signaling pathway with a specific focus on adenylyl cyclases, A-kinase anchoring proteins, and phosphodiesterases. We discuss how they are organized inside the intracellular space and how they achieve exquisite regulation of signaling within nanometer-size domains. We delineate the key experimental findings that lead to the current model of compartmentalized cAMP signaling, and we offer an overview of our present understanding of how cAMP nanodomains are structured and regulated within cardiac myocytes. Furthermore, we discuss how compartmentalized cAMP signaling is affected in cardiac disease and consider the potential therapeutic opportunities arising from understanding such organization. By exploiting the nuances of compartmentalized cAMP signaling, novel and more effective therapeutic strategies for managing cardiac conditions may emerge. Finally, we highlight the unresolved questions and hurdles that must be addressed to translate these insights into interventions that may benefit patients.
The Healing Elements of an Eclectic Life Skills Programme: Clients’ Perspectives
Authors: Stone Alta , van Niekerk Lana
Published: August 2024

Introduction: The article reports the healing elements of an eclectic life skills programme (ELSP) from the perspective of group members. An ELSP utilising open groups was developed to manage clients with mixed diagnostic profiles and different stages of recovery simultaneously. The aim was to explore the healing elements of an ELSP.

Methods: Maximum variation purposive sampling was used to select six participants for the phenomenological inquiry. Data collection is comprised of observations, semistructured interviews, and reflective journals. Data analysis comprised an inductive thematic analysis.

Consumer Involvement: Participants all attended groups offered within the ELSP. They participated in two semistructured interviews: the first interview in the week following admission and the second just before discharge. In addition, they documented their experiences in reflective journals for the duration of their participation.

Findings: The analogy of a kaleidoscope portrayed the four themes; three pertained to structural dynamics, namely, programme mirror, facilitator mirror, and mirror of other group members. The fourth theme, namely, the magical pattern, pertained to personal sense‐making by individual group members.

Conclusions: The dynamic interplay of healing factors, captured in the themes, facilitated healing. Self‐reflection was integral to the creation of a bespoke, facilitated self‐learning process with direct application in group members’ own lives.
Enhancing College Student Education and Management through Semisupervised Learning
Authors: Huang Jiqing , Zhao Hua , Jin Xiaojun
Published: August 2024

College student education and management can be enhanced through a data‐driven approach involving student surveys, academic records, and text analysis to understand student interests and concerns. Effective categorization of relevant topics enables universities to provide tailored support and educational content, thus improving the quality of education and fostering student success and well‐being by adapting to evolving student needs and aspirations. The primary contribution of this work is demonstrating the effectiveness of semisupervised learning methods in educational content classification, providing a robust solution for enhancing college student education and management with limited labeled data. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using semisupervised learning methods in educational content classification using the Yahoo Answers dataset. For the Yahoo_500 dataset, the supervised neural network achieved a best evaluation accuracy of 0.6565, an average precision of 0.6539, an average recall of 0.6565, and an average F1 score of 0.6547. In contrast, semisupervised approaches, Dash, FixMatch, and FreeMatch, consistently demonstrated superior performance. Among the evaluated semisupervised architectures, FreeMatch achieved the highest best evaluation accuracy (0.6759), average precision (0.6739), average recall (0.6759), and average F1 score (0.6744). The Yahoo_2000 dataset, which benefited from an increased labeled data pool, exhibited a similar trend with semisupervised approaches consistently surpassing the supervised approach. FreeMatch maintained its top performing position in several categories, including computers and Internet, consumer electronics, and business and finance, with impressive F1 score of ≥0.753. Overall, the semisupervised approaches prove highly effective in improving model performance, highlighting its practical advantages. These results underscore the robustness of semisupervised approaches and their capability to improve classification performance even with limited labeled data. Employing semisupervised learning on the Yahoo Answers dataset and additional data sources for college student management and education can be a powerful tool for gaining insights into students’ interests and concerns.
A Limited Number of Amino Acid Permeases Are Crucial for Cryptococcus neoformans Survival and Virulence
Authors: Folorunso Olufemi S. , Sebolai Olihile M.
Published: August 2024

One unique attribute of Cryptococcus neoformans is its ability to procure essential monomers from its surroundings to survive in diverse environments. Preferentially, sugars are the energy sources for this opportunistic pathogenic fungus under the carbon catabolite repression (CCR); however, sugar restriction induces alternative use of low molecular weight alcohol, organic acids, and amino acids. The expression of transmembrane amino acid permeases (Aaps) allows C. neoformans to utilize different amino acids and their conjugates, notwithstanding under the nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR). Being referred to as global permeases, there is a notion that all cryptococcal Aaps are important to survival and virulence. This functional divergence makes alternative drug targeting against Cryptococcus a challenge. We examine the functions and regulations of C. neoformans Aap variants with the aim of rationalizing their relevance to cryptococcal cell survival and virulence. Based on nutrient bioavailability, we linked the Cac1 pathway to Ras1 activation for thermotolerance that provides a temperature cushion for Aap activity under physiological conditions. Lastly, mutants of Aaps are examined for significant phenotypic deficiencies/advantages, which buttress the specific importance of limited numbers of Aaps involved in cryptococcal infections.
One‐Dimensional‐Convolutional Neural Network (1D‐CNN) Based Reliability Analysis of Foundation Over Cavity Incorporating the Effect of Simulated Noise
Authors: Shubham Kumar , Metya Subhadeep , Sinha Abdhesh Kumar , Gobinath Ravindran
Published: August 2024

This paper presents a thorough reliability assessment of cavity foundation systems involving the generation of 272 datasets using Plaxis 2D automation. The parameters were systematically varied across feasible ranges, and Sobol‐based sensitivity analysis identified the negligible influence of the soil modulus of elasticity (E) on subsequent reliability analyses. A robust 1D‐CNN surrogate model was developed to predict the critical foundation responses by integrating Gaussian white noise to simulate real‐world uncertainties. A log transformation with 1,000 bootstrap samples was chosen for resampling non‐normally distributed data. This study employed a novel approach utilising 1D‐CNN regressor models for bearing capacity (BC) prediction, achieving promising results with R2 values of 0.953 and 0.945 for BC in the training and testing phases, respectively. Bootstrapping resampling facilitates reliability analysis preparation and ensures robustness in handling complex data. Simulated noise varied with specific variance (p) from 0.01 to 0.5, allowing the examination of model efficacy under varying noise levels. Both the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) and first‐order reliability method (FORM) were employed, revealing a reliability index (β) of 2.046 for FORM and 2.066 for MCS. This indicates a 0.976% increase in β and a 75% increase in the probability of failure transitioning from FORM to MCS, underscoring the model’s sensitivity to analytical methods.