bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plunging Flow and Coherent Turbulent Structures in a Straight Pool‐Riffle
Authors: Dashtpeyma H. , MacVicar B. J.
Published: May 2023

Pool‐riffle units are naturally occurring topographical elements of rivers. Various hypotheses have been proposed to describe how the hydrodynamics in pool‐riffle units may lead to scour and sediment transport. However, most hypotheses have focused on time averaged properties, and a physical mechanism for observations of high near‐bed velocities has not been proposed. In this study, we apply Large Eddy Simulations to examine the dynamics of flow over straight riffles. We show that a high velocity core of fluid can alternately skim or plunge toward the bed as a function of the Froude number (Fr) at the crest of the riffle, even within a subcritical flow regime. Coherent turbulent structures are generated in the pool and induce high magnitude fluctuations of shear stress and bed pressure. Four different turbulent structures are described and the concept of vortex resistance is used to discuss how turbulence can induce the observed bifurcation in pool hydrodynamics. Despite the simple geometry, the hydraulic scaling means that the results provide a novel physical explanation of near‐bed high velocity flow observations in natural pool‐riffles. The results are also significant because turbulent shear stresses in the head of a pool exceed what occurs elsewhere in the channel, including the riffles. Further research should examine the conditions under which plunging flow may occur and turbulence may lead to sediment entrainment in other riffle pool geometries.
Influence of a Rapidly Uplifting Orogen on the Preservation of Climate Oscillations
Authors: Hsieh Amy I. , Vaucher Romain , Löwemark Ludvig , Dashtgard Shahin E. , Horng Chorng‐Shern , Lin Andrew T. , Zeeden Christian
Published: May 2023

Climate oscillations preserved in sedimentary archives tend to decrease in resolution further back in Earth's history. High‐frequency climate cycles (e.g., ∼20‐Kyr precession cycles) are especially prone to poor preservation due to sediment reworking. Recent studies have shown, however, that given sufficient basin accommodation space and sedimentation rate, shallow‐marine paleoclimate archives record precession‐driven hydroclimate change in mid‐low latitude regions. Our study evaluates how the evolution of a rapidly uplifting orogen influences the recording of astronomical climate forcing in shallow‐marine sedimentary strata in the Taiwan Western Foreland Basin (WFB). Time‐series analysis of gamma‐ray records through the late Miocene–Pliocene Kueichulin Formation shows that during early stages of Taiwan orogenesis (before 5.4 Ma), preservation of precession‐driven East Asian Summer Monsoon variability is low despite increasing monsoon intensities between 8 and 3 Ma. The Taiwan Strait had not formed, and the southeast margin of Eurasia was open to the Pacific Ocean. Consequently, depositional environments in the WFB were susceptible to reworking by large waves, resulting in the obscuration of higher‐frequency precession cycles. From 5.4 to 4.92 Ma, during early stages of emergence of Taiwan, basin subsidence increased while sedimentation rates remained low, resulting in poor preservation of orbital oscillations. After 4.92 Ma and up to 3.15 Ma, Taiwan became a major sediment source to the WFB, and sheltered the WFB from erosive waves with the development of Taiwan Strait. The elevated sediment influx, increased basin accommodation as the WFB developed, and formation of a semi‐sheltered strait, resulted in enhanced preservation of precession‐driven East Asian Summer Monsoon variability.
Magnetospheric Line Radiation Observed Close to the Source: Properties and Propagation
Authors: Němec F. , Manninen J. , Santolík O. , Hospodarsky G. B. , Kurth W. S.
Published: May 2023

Magnetospheric Line Radiation (MLR) is a type of whistler mode electromagnetic wave phenomenon observed in the inner magnetosphere at frequencies of a few kilohertz, that is characterized by a frequency modulation of the wave intensity. Although such events are quite regularly observed by ground‐based stations and low‐altitude spacecraft, their observations in the equatorial region at larger radial distances (i.e., close to tentative source regions) are extremely limited, likely due to the generally low frequency resolution of available measurements. A systematic search for MLR in continuous intervals of high‐resolution multicomponent wave data obtained by the Van Allen Probes spacecraft detects 15 events. They occur primarily on the dayside at frequencies between about 1 and 5 kHz, propagating with oblique wave normals away from the geomagnetic equator. For one event, simultaneous ground‐based observations are available, providing limits on the spatial extent of the event: it does not extend beyond the high‐density plasmasphere region. An electrostatic wave at a frequency corresponding to the modulation frequency of MLR is observed in three events. This is likely linked to the event formation mechanism and has not been observed before. Our results can lead to an understanding of the formation mechanism of MLR.
Integrated analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing data reveals an immunostimulatory microenvironment in tumor thrombus of osteosarcoma
Authors: Ji Tao , Shi Qianyu , Mei Song , Xu Jiuhui , Liang Haijie , Xie Lu , Ren Tingting , Sun Kunkun , Li Dasen , Tang Xiaodong , Zhang Peng , Guo Wei
Published: May 2023

Tumor thrombus of bone sarcomas represents a unique reservoir for various types of cancer and immune cells, however, the investigation of tumor thrombus at a single-cell level is very limited. And it is still an open question to identify the thrombus-specific tumor microenvironment that is associated with the tumor-adaptive immune response. Here, by analyzing bulk tissue and single-cell level transcriptome from the paired thrombus and primary tumor samples of osteosarcoma (OS) patients, we define the immunostimulatory microenvironment in tumor thrombus of OS with a higher proportion of tumor-associated macrophages with M1-like states (TAM-M1) and TAM-M1 with high expression of CCL4. OS tumor thrombus is found to have upregulated IFN-γ and TGF-β signalings that are related to immune surveillance of circulating tumor cells in blood circulation. Further multiplexed immunofluorescence staining of the CD3/CD4/CD8A/CD68/CCL4 markers validates the immune-activated state in the tumor thrombus samples. Our study first reports the transcriptome differences at a single-cell level between tumor thrombus and primary tumor in sarcoma.
A biodegradable, flexible photonic patch for in vivo phototherapy
Authors: Deng Kaicheng , Tang Yao , Xiao Yan , Zhong Danni , Zhang Hua , Fang Wen , Shen Liyin , Wang Zhaochuang , Pan Jiazhen , Lu Yuwen , Chen Changming , Gao Yun , Jin Qiao , Zhuang Lenan , Wan Hao , Zhuang Liujing , Wang Ping , Zhai Junfeng , Ren Tanchen , Hu Qiaoling , Lang Meidong , Zhang Yue , Wang Huanan , Zhou Min , Gao Changyou , Zhang Lei , Zhu Yang
Published: May 2023

Diagnostic and therapeutic illumination on internal organs and tissues with high controllability and adaptability in terms of spectrum, area, depth, and intensity remains a major challenge. Here, we present a flexible, biodegradable photonic device called iCarP with a micrometer scale air gap between a refractive polyester patch and the embedded removable tapered optical fiber. ICarP combines the advantages of light diffraction by the tapered optical fiber, dual refractions in the air gap, and reflection inside the patch to obtain a bulb-like illumination, guiding light towards target tissue. We show that iCarP achieves large area, high intensity, wide spectrum, continuous or pulsatile, deeply penetrating illumination without puncturing the target tissues and demonstrate that it supports phototherapies with different photosensitizers. We find that the photonic device is compatible with thoracoscopy-based minimally invasive implantation onto beating hearts. These initial results show that iCarP could be a safe, precise and widely applicable device suitable for internal organs and tissue illumination and associated diagnosis and therapy.
Dual-site catalysts featuring platinum-group-metal atoms on copper shapes boost hydrocarbon formations in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction
Authors: Chhetri Manjeet , Wan Mingyu , Jin Zehua , Yeager John , Sandor Case , Rapp Conner , Wang Hui , Lee Sungsik , Bodenschatz Cameron J. , Zachman Michael J. , Che Fanglin , Yang Ming
Published: May 2023

Copper-based catalyst is uniquely positioned to catalyze the hydrocarbon formations through electrochemical CO2 reduction. The catalyst design freedom is limited for alloying copper with H-affinitive elements represented by platinum group metals because the latter would easily drive the hydrogen evolution reaction to override CO2 reduction. We report an adept design of anchoring atomically dispersed platinum group metal species on both polycrystalline and shape-controlled Cu catalysts, which now promote targeted CO2 reduction reaction while frustrating the undesired hydrogen evolution reaction. Notably, alloys with similar metal formulations but comprising small platinum or palladium clusters would fail this objective. With an appreciable amount of CO-Pd1 moieties on copper surfaces, facile CO* hydrogenation to CHO* or CO-CHO* coupling is now viable as one of the main pathways on Cu(111) or Cu(100) to selectively produce CH4 or C2H4 through Pd-Cu dual-site pathways. The work broadens copper alloying choices for CO2 reduction in aqueous phases.
Bioinspired design of Na-ion conduction channels in covalent organic frameworks for quasi-solid-state sodium batteries
Authors: Yan Yingchun , Liu Zheng , Wan Ting , Li Weining , Qiu Zhipeng , Chi Chunlei , Huangfu Chao , Wang Guanwen , Qi Bin , Yan Youguo , Wei Tong , Fan Zhuangjun
Published: May 2023

Solid polymer electrolytes are considered among the most promising candidates for developing practical solid-state sodium batteries. However, moderate ionic conductivity and narrow electrochemical windows hinder their further application. Herein, inspired by the Na+/K+ conduction in biological membranes, we report a (–COO–)-modified covalent organic framework (COF) as a Na-ion quasi-solid-state electrolyte with sub-nanometre-sized Na+ transport zones (6.7–11.6 Å) created by adjacent –COO– groups and COF inwalls. The quasi-solid-state electrolyte enables selective Na+ transport along specific areas that are electronegative with sub-nanometre dimensions, resulting in a Na+ conductivity of 1.30×10–4 S cm–1 and oxidative stability of up to 5.32 V (versus Na+/Na) at 25 ± 1 °C. Testing the quasi-solid-state electrolyte in Na||Na3V2(PO4)3 coin cell configuration demonstrates fast reaction dynamics, low polarization voltages, and a stable cycling performance over 1000 cycles at 60 mA g–1 and 25 ± 1 °C with a 0.0048% capacity decay per cycle and a final discharge capacity of 83.5 mAh g−1.
Scalable-produced 3D elastic thermoelectric network for body heat harvesting
Authors: Liu Yijie , Wang Xiaodong , Hou Shuaihang , Wu Zuoxu , Wang Jian , Mao Jun , Zhang Qian , Liu Zhiguo , Cao Feng
Published: May 2023

Flexible thermoelectric generators can power wearable electronics by harvesting body heat. However, existing thermoelectric materials rarely realize high flexibility and output properties simultaneously. Here we present a facile, cost-effective, and scalable two-step impregnation method for fabricating a three-dimensional thermoelectric network with excellent elasticity and superior thermoelectric performance. The reticular construction endows this material with ultra-light weight (0.28 g cm−3), ultra-low thermal conductivity (0.04 W m−1 K−1), moderate softness (0.03 MPa), and high elongation (>100%). The obtained network-based flexible thermoelectric generator achieves a pretty high output power of 4 μW cm−2, even comparable to state-of-the-art bulk-based flexible thermoelectric generators.
Single-cell transcriptomics reveals immune suppression and cell states predictive of patient outcomes in rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: DeMartino Jeff , Meister Michael T. , Visser Lindy L. , Brok Mariël , Groot Koerkamp Marian J. A. , Wezenaar Amber K. L. , Hiemcke-Jiwa Laura S. , de Souza Terezinha , Merks Johannes H. M. , Rios Anne C. , Holstege Frank C. P. , Margaritis Thanasis , Drost Jarno
Published: May 2023

Paediatric rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a soft tissue malignancy of mesenchymal origin that is thought to arise as a consequence of derailed myogenic differentiation. Despite intensive treatment regimens, the prognosis for high-risk patients remains dismal. The cellular differentiation states underlying RMS and how these relate to patient outcomes remain largely elusive. Here, we use single-cell mRNA sequencing to generate a transcriptomic atlas of RMS. Analysis of the RMS tumour niche reveals evidence of an immunosuppressive microenvironment. We also identify a putative interaction between NECTIN3 and TIGIT, specific to the more aggressive fusion-positive (FP) RMS subtype, as a potential cause of tumour-induced T-cell dysfunction. In malignant RMS cells, we define transcriptional programs reflective of normal myogenic differentiation and show that these cellular differentiation states are predictive of patient outcomes in both FP RMS and the less aggressive fusion-negative subtype. Our study reveals the potential of therapies targeting the immune microenvironment of RMS and suggests that assessing tumour differentiation states may enable a more refined risk stratification.
An interpretable deep learning approach for designing nanoporous silicon nitride membranes with tunable mechanical properties
Authors: Shargh Ali K. , Abdolrahim Niaz
Published: May 2023

The high permeability and strong selectivity of nanoporous silicon nitride (NPN) membranes make them attractive in a broad range of applications. Despite their growing use, the strength of NPN membranes needs to be improved for further extending their biomedical applications. In this work, we implement a deep learning framework to design NPN membranes with improved or prescribed strength values. We examine the predictions of our framework using physics-based simulations. Our results confirm that the proposed framework is not only able to predict the strength of NPN membranes with a wide range of microstructures, but also can design NPN membranes with prescribed or improved strength. Our simulations further demonstrate that the microstructural heterogeneity that our framework suggests for the optimized design, lowers the stress concentration around the pores and leads to the strength improvement of NPN membranes as compared to conventional membranes with homogenous microstructures.
Extracting functionally accurate context-specific models of Atlantic salmon metabolism
Authors: Molversmyr Håvard , Øyås Ove , Rotnes Filip , Vik Jon Olav
Published: May 2023

Constraint-based models (CBMs) are used to study metabolic network structure and function in organisms ranging from microbes to multicellular eukaryotes. Published CBMs are usually generic rather than context-specific, meaning that they do not capture differences in reaction activities, which, in turn, determine metabolic capabilities, between cell types, tissues, environments, or other conditions. Only a subset of a CBM’s metabolic reactions and capabilities are likely to be active in any given context, and several methods have therefore been developed to extract context-specific models from generic CBMs through integration of omics data. We tested the ability of six model extraction methods (MEMs) to create functionally accurate context-specific models of Atlantic salmon using a generic CBM (SALARECON) and liver transcriptomics data from contexts differing in water salinity (life stage) and dietary lipids. Three MEMs (iMAT, INIT, and GIMME) outperformed the others in terms of functional accuracy, which we defined as the extracted models’ ability to perform context-specific metabolic tasks inferred directly from the data, and one MEM (GIMME) was faster than the others. Context-specific versions of SALARECON consistently outperformed the generic version, showing that context-specific modeling better captures salmon metabolism. Thus, we demonstrate that results from human studies also hold for a non-mammalian animal and major livestock species.
De novo transcriptome assembly and annotation for gene discovery in Salamandra salamandra at the larval stage
Authors: Libro Pietro , Chiocchio Andrea , De Rysky Erika , Di Martino Jessica , Bisconti Roberta , Castrignanò Tiziana , Canestrelli Daniele
Published: May 2023

Dispersal is a key process in ecology and evolutionary biology, as it shapes biodiversity patterns over space and time. Attitude to disperse is unevenly distributed among individuals within populations, and that individual personality can have pivotal roles in the shaping of this attitude. Here, we assembled and annotated the first de novo transcriptome of the head tissues of Salamandra salamandra from individuals, representative of distinct behavioral profiles. We obtained 1,153,432,918 reads, which were successfully assembled and annotated. The high-quality of the assembly was confirmed by three assembly validators. The alignment of contigs against the de novo transcriptome led to a mapping percentage higher than 94%. The homology annotation with DIAMOND led to 153,048 (blastx) and 95,942 (blastp) shared contigs, annotated on NR, Swiss-Prot and TrEMBL. The domain and site protein prediction led to 9850 GO-annotated contigs. This de novo transcriptome represents reliable reference for comparative gene expression studies between alternative behavioral types, for comparative gene expression studies within Salamandra, and for whole transcriptome and proteome studies in amphibians.
Global trends and forecasts of breast cancer incidence and deaths
Authors: Xu Yuyan , Gong Maoyuan , Wang Yue , Yang Yang , Liu Shu , Zeng Qibing
Published: May 2023

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the major public health challenges worldwide. Studies that address the new evidence on trends of BC are of great importance for preventing and controlling the occurrence and development of diseases and improving health. The aim of this study was to analyze the outcomes for the global burden of disease (GBD), incidence, deaths, and risk factors for BC from 1990 to 2019, and predict the GBD of BC until 2050 to inform global BC control planning efforts. In this study, the results show that the regions with low levels of socio-demographic index (SDI) will have the largest disease burden of BC in the future. The leading global risk factor for death attributable to BC in 2019 was metabolic risks, followed by behavioral risks. This study supports the worldwide urgent need for comprehensive cancer prevention and control strategies to reduce exposure, early screening, and improve treatment to effectively reduce the GBD of BC.
Dual synergistic inhibition of COX and LOX by potential chemicals from Indian daily spices investigated through detailed computational studies
Authors: Rudrapal Mithun , Eltayeb Wafa Ali , Rakshit Gourav , El-Arabey Amr Ahmed , Khan Johra , Aldosari Sahar M. , Alshehri Bader , Abdalla Mohnad
Published: May 2023

Cyclooxygenase (COX) and Lipoxygenase (LOX) are essential enzymes for arachidonic acid (AA) to eicosanoids conversion. These AA-derived eicosanoids are essential for initiating immunological responses, causing inflammation, and resolving inflammation. Dual COX/5-LOX inhibitors are believed to be promising novel anti-inflammatory agents. They inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs) and leukotrienes (LTs), but have no effect on lipoxin formation. This mechanism of combined inhibition circumvents certain limitations for selective COX-2 inhibitors and spares the gastrointestinal mucosa. Natural products, i.e. spice chemicals and herbs, offer an excellent opportunity for drug discovery. They have proven anti-inflammatory properties. However, the potential of a molecule to be a lead/ drug candidate can be much more enhanced if it has the property of inhibition in a dual mechanism. Synergistic activity is always a better option than the molecule's normal biological activity. Herein, we have explored the dual COX/5-LOX inhibition property of the three major potent phytoconsituents (curcumin, capsaicin, and gingerol) from Indian spices using in silico tools and biophysical techniques in a quest to identify their probable inhibitory role as anti-inflammatory agents. Results revealed the dual COX/5-LOX inhibitory potential of curcumin. Gingerol and capsaicin also revealed favorable results as dual COX/5-LOX inhibitors. Our results are substantiated by target similarity studies, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, energy calculations, DFT, and QSAR studies. In experimental inhibitory (in vitro) studies, curcumin exhibited the best dual inhibitory activities against COX-1/2 and 5-LOX enzymes. Capsaicin and gingerol also showed inhibitory potential against both COX and LOX enzymes. In view of the anti-inflammatory potential these spice chemicals, this research could pave the way for more scientific exploration in this area for drug discovery.
Protease-inhibitors added to saliva in vitro influence the erosion protective effect of enamel pellicles
Authors: Baumann Tommy , Niemeyer Samira Helena , Buzalaf Marília Afonso Rabelo , Carvalho Thiago Saads
Published: May 2023

In contrast to pellicles formed in vivo, pellicles formed in vitro provide little to no erosion protection for enamel, possibly due to protein degradation from proteases during pellicle formation. With the objective to achieve a more similar effect as observed for in vivo pellicles, the effects of adding protease inhibitors (PI) to saliva in vitro, and/or exchanging saliva repeatedly during pellicle formation were investigated in a cyclic model of pellicle formation and erosion with human enamel specimens. We repeatedly assessed surface microhardness (SMH), measured initial and final surface reflection intensity (SRI), and determined calcium released during erosion. For all the parameters tested, we observed a clear positive effect on erosion protection when adding PI to saliva for pellicle formation: SMH remained harder, SRI remained higher, and less calcium was released. Additionally, exchanging saliva with fresh one during pellicle formation led to a protective effect, but not as strong as the addition of PI. We conclude that adding protease inhibitors to saliva in vitro for pellicle formation leads to an erosion protective effect, which was further increased by repeatedly exchanging the saliva. Whether the pellicle itself more closely resembles in vivo pellicles remains to be investigated.
A decision analysis model for material selection using simple ranking process
Authors: Zakeri Shervin , Chatterjee Prasenjit , Konstantas Dimitri , Ecer Fatih
Published: May 2023

A large number of materials and various criteria fashion material selection problems as complex multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems. This paper proposes a new decision-making method called the simple ranking process (SRP) to solve complex material selection problems. The accuracy of the criteria weights has a direct impact on the outcomes of the new method. In contrast to current MCDM methods, the normalization step has been eliminated from the SRP method as a potential source of producing incorrect results. The application of the method is appropriate for situations with high levels of complexity in material selection because it only considers the ranks of alternatives in each criterion. The first scenario of vital-immaterial mediocre method (VIMM) is used as a tool to derive criteria weights based on expert assessment. The result of SRP is compared with a number of MCDM methods. In order to evaluate the findings of analytical comparison, a novel statistical measure known as compromise decision index (CDI) is proposed in this paper. CDI revealed that the MCDM methods’ outputs for solving the material selection could not be theoretically proven and requires to be evaluated through practice. As a result, the dependency analysis-an additional innovative statistical measure is introduced to demonstrate the reliability of MCDM methods by assessing its dependency on criteria weights. The findings demonstrated that SRP is extremely reliant on criteria weights and its reliability rises with the number of criteria, making it a perfect tool for solving challenging MCDM problems.
Tuning of the band gap and dielectric loss factor by Mn doping of Zn1-xMnxO nanoparticles
Authors: Shah Wiqar Hussain , Alam Azeema , Javed Hafsa , Rashid Khadija , Ali Akhtar , Ali Liaqat , Safeen Akif , Ali Muhammad R. , Imran Naveed , Sohail Muhammad , Chambashi Gilbert
Published: May 2023

This study explored the structural, optical, and dielectric properties of Pure and Mn+2 doped ZnO nano-particles (Zn1−xMnxO) with x ≥ 20%, synthesized by co-precipitation method followed by annealing at 4500C. Different characterization techniques were conducted to characterize the as-prepared nano-particles. X-ray Diffraction analysis of the pure and Mn+2 doped presented a hexagonal wurtzite structure and a decreased crystallite size with increasing doping concentration. Morphological analysis from SEM revealed finely dispersed spherical nanoparticles with particle size of 40–50 nm. Compositional analysis from EDX confirmed the incorporation of Mn+2ions in ZnO structure. The Results of UV spectroscopy showed that changing the doping concentration affects the band gap, and a red shift is observed as the doping concentration is increased. The band gap changes from 3.3 to 2.75 eV. Dielectric measurements exhibited decrease in the relative permittivity, dielectric loss factor and ac conductivity by increasing Mn concentration.
Genomic variation in the genus Beta based on 656 sequenced beet genomes
Authors: Felkel Sabine , Dohm Juliane C. , Himmelbauer Heinz
Published: May 2023

Cultivated beets (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris) constitute important crop plants, in particular sugar beet as an indispensable source of sucrose. Several species of wild beets of the genus Beta with distribution along the European Atlantic coast, Macaronesia, and throughout the Mediterranean area exist. Thorough characterization of beet genomes is required for straightforward access to genes promoting genetic resistance against biotic and abiotic stress. Analysing short-read data of 656 sequenced beet genomes, we identified 10 million variant positions in comparison to the sugar beet reference genome RefBeet-1.2. The main groups of species and subspecies were distinguishable based on shared variation, and the separation of sea beets (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima) into a Mediterranean and an Atlantic subgroup as suggested by previous studies could be confirmed. Complementary approaches of variant-based clustering were employed based on PCA, genotype likelihoods, tree calculations, and admixture analysis. Outliers suggested the occurrence of inter(sub)specific hybridisation, independently confirmed by different analyses. Screens for regions under artificial selection in the sugar beet genome identified 15 Mbp of the genome as variation-poor, enriched for genes involved in shoot system development, stress response, and carbohydrate metabolism. The resources presented herein will be valuable for crop improvement and wild species monitoring and conservation efforts, and for studies on beet genealogy, population structure and population dynamics. Our study provides a wealth of data for in-depth analyses of further aspects of the beet genome towards a thorough understanding of the biology of this important complex of a crop species and its wild relatives.
A novel framework for the evaluation of coastal protection schemes through integration of numerical modelling and artificial intelligence into the Sand Engine App
Authors: Kumar Pavitra , Leonardi Nicoletta
Published: May 2023

There is growing interest in the adoption of Engineering with Nature or Nature Based Solutions for coastal protection including large mega-nourishment interventions. However, there are still many unknowns on the variables and design features influencing their functionalities. There are also challenges in the optimization of coastal modelling outputs or information usage in support of decision-making. In this study, more than five hundred numerical simulations with different sandengine designs and different locations along Morecambe Bay (UK) were conducted in Delft3D. Twelve Artificial Neural Networking ensemble models structures were trained on the simulated data to predict the influence of different sand engines on water depth, wave height and sediment transports with good performance. The ensemble models were then packed into a Sand Engine App developed in MATLAB and designed to calculate the impact of different sand engine features on the above variables based on users’ inputs of sandengine designs.
Optical trapping of sub-millimeter sized particles and microorganisms
Authors: Lialys Laurynas , Lialys Justinas , Salandrino Alessandro , Ackley Brian D. , Fardad Shima
Published: May 2023

While optical tweezers (OT) are mostly used for confining smaller size particles, the counter-propagating (CP) dual-beam traps have been a versatile method for confining both small and larger size particles including biological specimen. However, CP traps are complex sensitive systems, requiring tedious alignment to achieve perfect symmetry with rather low trapping stiffness values compared to OT. Moreover, due to their relatively weak forces, CP traps are limited in the size of particles they can confine which is about 100 μm. In this paper, a new class of counter-propagating optical tweezers with a broken symmetry is discussed and experimentally demonstrated to trap and manipulate larger than 100 μm particles inside liquid media. Our technique exploits a single Gaussian beam folding back on itself in an asymmetrical fashion forming a CP trap capable of confining small and significantly larger particles (up to 250 μm in diameter) based on optical forces only. Such optical trapping of large-size specimen to the best of our knowledge has not been demonstrated before. The broken symmetry of the trap combined with the retro-reflection of the beam has not only significantly simplified the alignment of the system, but also made it robust to slight misalignments and enhances the trapping stiffness as shown later. Moreover, our proposed trapping method is quite versatile as it allows for trapping and translating of a wide variety of particle sizes and shapes, ranging from one micron up to a few hundred of microns including microorganisms, using very low laser powers and numerical aperture optics. This in turn, permits the integration of a wide range of spectroscopy techniques for imaging and studying the optically trapped specimen. As an example, we will demonstrate how this novel technique enables simultaneous 3D trapping and light-sheet microscopy ofC. elegansworms with up to 450 µm length.
Development and verification of a combined diagnostic model for primary Sjögren's syndrome by integrated bioinformatics analysis and machine learning
Authors: Yang Kun , Wang Qi , Wu Li , Gao Qi-Chao , Tang Shan
Published: May 2023

Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease mostly affecting the exocrine glands. This debilitating condition is complex and specific treatments remain unavailable. There is a need for the development of novel diagnostic models for early screening. Four gene profiling datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The ‘limma’ software package was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). A random forest-supervised classification algorithm was used to screen disease-specific genes, and three machine learning algorithms, including artificial neural networks (ANN), random forest (RF), and support vector machines (SVM), were used to build a pSS diagnostic model. The performance of the model was measured using its area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Immune cell infiltration was investigated using the CIBERSORT algorithm. A total of 96 DEGs were identified. By utilizing a RF classifier, a set of 14 signature genes that are pivotal in transcription regulation and disease progression in pSS were identified. Through the utilization of training and testing datasets, diagnostic models for pSS were successfully designed using ANN, RF, and SVM, resulting in AUCs of 0.972, 1.00, and 0.9742, respectively. The validation set yielded AUCs of 0.766, 0.8321, and 0.8223. It was the RF model that produced the best prediction performance out of the three models tested. As a result, an early predictive model for pSS was successfully developed with high diagnostic performance, providing a valuable resource for the screening and early diagnosis of pSS.
Outdoor activities foster local plant knowledge in Karelia, NE Europe
Authors: Mattalia G. , Svanberg I. , Ståhlberg S. , Kuznetsova N. , Prūse B. , Kolosova V. , Aziz M. A. , Kalle R. , Sõukand R.
Published: May 2023

Wild edible plants, particularly berries, are relevant nutritional elements in the Nordic countries. In contrast to decreasing global trends, approximately 60% of the Finnish population is actively involved in (berry) foraging. We conducted 67 interviews with Finns and Karelians living in Finnish Karelia to: (a) detect the use of wild edible plants, (b) compare those results with the published data about neighbouring Russian Karelians, and (c) document the sources of local plant knowledge. The results revealed three main findings. First, we observed a similarity in wild food plant knowledge among Karelians and Finns from Karelia. Second, we detected divergences in wild food plant knowledge among Karelians living on both sides of the Finnish–Russian border. Third, the sources of local plant knowledge include vertical transmission, acquisition through literary sources, acquisition from “green” nature shops promoting healthy lifestyles, childhood foraging activities performed during the famine period following WWII, and outdoor recreational activities. We argue that the last two types of activities in particular may have influenced knowledge and connectedness with the surrounding environment and its resources at a stage of life that is crucial for shaping adult environmental behaviours. Future research should address the role of outdoor activities in maintaining (and possibly enhancing) local ecological knowledge in the Nordic countries.
Alternating behavior in furan-acetylene macrocycles reveals the size-dependency of Hückel’s rule in neutral molecules
Authors: Rahav Yuval , Rajagopal Shinaj K. , Dishi Or , Bogoslavsky Benny , Gidron Ori
Published: May 2023

Aromaticity can be assigned by Hückel’s rule, which predicts that planar rings with delocalized (4n + 2) π-electrons are aromatic, whereas those with 4n π-electrons are antiaromatic. However, for neutral rings, the maximal value of “n” to which Hückel’s rule applies remains unknown. Large macrocycles exhibiting global ring current can serve as models for addressing this question, but the global ring current are often overshadowed in these molecules by the local ring current of the constituent units. Here, we present a series of furan-acetylene macrocycles, ranging from the pentamer to octamer, whose neutral states display alternating contributions from global aromatic and antiaromatic ring currents. We find that the odd-membered macrocycles display global aromatic characteristics, whereas the even-membered macrocycles display contributions from globally antiaromatic ring current. These factors are expressed electronically (oxidation potentials), optically (emission spectra), and magnetically (chemical shifts), and DFT calculations predict global ring current alternations up to 54 π-electrons.
Extreme stratospheric wave activity as harbingers of cold events over North America
Authors: Ding Xiuyuan , Chen Gang , Zhang Pengfei , Domeisen Daniela I. V. , Orbe Clara
Published: May 2023

Extreme cold events over North America such as the February 2021 cold wave have been suggested to be linked to stratospheric polar vortex stretching. However, it is not resolved how robustly and on which timescales the stratosphere contributes to the surface anomalies. Here we introduce a simple measure of stratospheric wave activity for reanalyses and model outputs. In contrast to the well-known surface influences of sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) that increase the intraseasonal persistence of weather regimes, we show that extreme stratospheric wave events are accompanied by intraseasonal fluctuations between warm and cold spells over North America in observations and climate models. Particularly, strong stratospheric wave events are followed by an increased risk of cold extremes over North America 5–25 days later. Idealized simulations in an atmospheric model with a well-resolved stratosphere corroborate that strong stratospheric wave activity precedes North American cold spells through vertical wave coupling. These findings potentially benefit the predictability of high-impact winter cold extremes over North America.
Future trends in incidence and long-term survival of metastatic cancer in the United States
Authors: Hudock Nicholas L. , Mani Kyle , Khunsriraksakul Chachrit , Walter Vonn , Nekhlyudov Larissa , Wang Ming , Lehrer Eric J. , Hudock Maria R. , Liu Dajiang J. , Spratt Daniel E. , Zaorsky Nicholas G.
Published: May 2023

Background

Previous studies have demonstrated epidemiological trends in individual metastatic cancer subtypes; however, research forecasting long-term incidence trends and projected survivorship of metastatic cancers is lacking. We assess the burden of metastatic cancer to 2040 by (1) characterizing past, current, and forecasted incidence trends, and (2) estimating odds of long-term (5-year) survivorship.

Methods

This retrospective, serial cross-sectional, population-based study used registry data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER 9) database. Average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated to describe cancer incidence trends from 1988 to 2018. Autoregressive integrating moving average (ARIMA) models were used to forecast the distribution of primary metastatic cancer and metastatic cancer to specific sites from 2019 to 2040 and JoinPoint models were fitted to estimate mean projected annual percentage change (APC).

Results

The average annual percent change (AAPC) in incidence of metastatic cancer decreased by 0.80 per 100,000 individuals (1988–2018) and we forecast an APC decrease by 0.70 per 100,000 individuals (2018–2040). Analyses predict a decrease in metastases to liver (APC = −3.40, 95% CI [−3.50, −3.30]), lung (APC (2019–2030) = −1.90, 95% CI [−2.90, −1.00]); (2030–2040) = −3.70, 95% CI [−4.60, −2.80]), bone (APC = −4.00, 95% CI [−4.30, −3.70]), and brain (APC = −2.30, 95% CI [−2.60, −2.00]). By 2040, patients with metastatic cancer are predicted to have 46.7% greater odds of long-term survivorship, driven by increasing plurality of patients with more indolent forms of metastatic disease.

Conclusions

By 2040, the distribution of metastatic cancer patients is predicted to shift in predominance from invariably fatal to indolent cancers subtypes. Continued research on metastatic cancers is important to guide health policy and clinical intervention efforts, and direct allocations of healthcare resources.
Lignin-enhanced wet strength of cellulose-based materials: a sustainable approach
Authors: Huang Haohe , Xu Chenglong , Zhu Xuhao , Li Bo , Huang Chongxing
Published: May 2023

Cellulose is the most abundant renewable polymer resource in nature and cellulose-based materials are expected to serve as viable replacements to petroleum-based plastic products.
Efficient synthesis of quinolines through alkali-catalysed cascade Oppenauer oxidation/condensation of amino alcohols with ketones
Authors: Liu Yuan , Bai Peizhi , Hu Yue , Xie Yinjun
Published: May 2023

A transition metal- and ligand-free dehydrogenative coupling between amino alcohols and ketones was developed. Catalysed by base, a series of functional quinolines was synthesized in excellent yields through this easy-to-handle process.
Direct construction of biaryl-bridged 8–11 membered N-heterocycles via gold(i)-catalyzed intramolecular [4 + 2] benzannulation of N-tethered diynyl benzaldehydes
Authors: Bao Qing , Chen Jichao , Liu Zhen , Rao Weidong
Published: May 2023

A method for the expeditious assembly of a diverse range of biaryl-bridged 8–11 membered N-heterocycles that relies on gold(i)-catalyzed intramolecular [4 + 2] benzannulation of N-tethered diynyl benzaldehydes is described.
Metabolic engineering for 4-aminophenylalanine production from lignocellulosic biomass by recombinant Escherichia coli
Authors: Kawaguchi Hideo , Masuo Shunsuke , Wakai Keiko , Takaya Naoki , Hasunma Tomohisa , Kaneko Tatsuo , Okada Satoshi , Sazuka Takashi , Ogino Chiaki , Kondo Akihiko
Published: May 2023

4-Aminophenylalanine as a diamine monomer to synthesize unique biopolyimides was produced from lignocellulosic biomass by microbial fermentation. Fermentation inhibitors present in lignocellulosic hydrolysate of sorghum bagasse were identified.
A multiple sensitive attributes data publishing method with guaranteed information utility
Authors: Zhu Haibin , Yi Tong , Shang Songtao , Shi Minyong , Li Zhucheng , Shang Wenqian
Published: May 2023

Data publishing methods can provide available information for analysis while preserving privacy. The multiple sensitive attributes data publishing, which preserves the relationship between sensitive attributes, may keep many records from being grouped and bring in a high record suppression ratio. Another category of multiple sensitive attributes data publishing, which reduces the possibility of record suppression by breaking the relationship between sensitive attributes, cannot provide the sensitive attributes association for analysis. Hence, the existing multiple sensitive attributes data publishing fails to fully account for the comprehensive information utility. To acquire a guaranteed information utility, this article defines comprehensive information loss that considers both the suppression of records and the relationship between sensitive attributes. A heuristic method is leveraged to discover the optimal anonymity scheme that has the lowest comprehensive information loss. The experimental results verify the practice of the proposed data publishing method with multiple sensitive attributes. The proposed method can guarantee information utility when compared with previous ones.
Ranging and multipath‐enhanced device‐free localisation with densely‐meshed ultra‐wideband devices
Authors: Gentner Christian , Schmidhammer Martin
Published: May 2023

Device‐free localisation (DFL) is a prominent example of radio sensing and radio frequency (RF)‐based passive localisation. RF‐based passive localisation approaches determine the position of a non‐cooperative user based on the user's impact on radio propagation. In this regard, DFL systems measure user‐induced changes in the properties of the received RF signals. With multipath‐enhanced device‐free localisation (MDFL), a novel passive localisation approach which is taking the advantage of user‐induced fading in the multipath signals, that is, reflected and scattered signals is introduced. In this work, the authors realise an MDFL system using low‐cost ultra‐wideband (UWB) devices. Specifically, the Qorvo (DecaWave) DW1000 module is used, for which how to access the channel impulse response is described in detail. Additionally, an overview of the required signal processing for MDFL is provided and a possible sequential Bayesian approach is introduced. Moreover, an efficient ranging scheme based on time‐division multiple access (TDMA) and message broadcasting is outlined, which allows the deployment of a large number of interconnected UWB devices. Using an exemplary network of interconnected UWB devices, the localisation performance of both DFL and MDFL for an indoor scenario is evaluated. Thereby, MDFL is shown to clearly outperform DFL in terms of robustness and accuracy. Furthermore, a TDMA‐based ranging scheme for active localisation is used, that is, for localising an UWB device carried by the user, allowing for a direct comparison between active and passive localisation. Achieving a sub‐decimetre accuracy, the active localisation outperforms both DFL and MDFL, and thus, shows the possibility of using an active localisation device to initialize MDFL.
The morphing of decay powered to interaction powered Type II supernova ejecta at nebular times
Authors: Dessart Luc , Gutiérrez Claudia P. , Kuncarayakti Hanindyo , Fox Ori D. , Filippenko Alexei V.
Published: May 2023

There is significant astronomical interest around the intense mass loss that appears to take place in some massive stars immediately before core collapse. However, because it occurs too late, it has a negligible impact on the star’s evolution or the final yields. These properties are then influenced instead by the longer term, quasi-steady, and relatively weak mass loss taking place during H and He burning. Late-time observations of core-collapse supernovae (SNe) interacting with the progenitor wind are one means of constraining this secular mass loss. Here, we present radiative transfer calculations for a Type II SN from a standard red-supergiant (RSG) star explosion. At first, a reference model was computed without interaction power. A second model was then taken to assume a constant interaction power of 1040erg s−1 associated with a typical RSG progenitor wind mass-loss rate of 10−6 M⊙yr−1. We focused on the phase between 350 and 1000 d after explosion. We find that without interaction power, the ejecta are powered through radioactive decay, whose exponential decline produces an ever-fading SN. Instead, with a constant interaction power of 1040 erg s−1, the spectrum morphs from decay powered at 350 d, with narrow lines forming in the inner metal-rich ejecta, to interaction powered at 1000 d, with broad boxy lines forming in the outer H-rich ejecta. Intermediate times are characterized by a hybrid and complex spectrum made of overlapping narrow and broad lines. While interaction boosts primarily the flux in the ultraviolet, which remains largely unobserved today, a knee in the R-band light curve or a U-band boost are clear signatures of interaction at late times. The model predictions offer a favorable comparison with a number of Type II SNe, including SN 2004et or SN 2017eaw at 500–1000 d after explosion.
Extreme ion acceleration at extragalactic jet termination shocks
Authors: Cerutti Benoît , Giacinti Gwenael
Published: May 2023

Context. Extragalactic plasma jets are some of the few astrophysical environments able to confine ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, but whether they are capable of accelerating these particles is unknown.

Aims. In this work, we revisit particle acceleration at relativistic magnetized shocks beyond the local uniform field approximation by considering the global transverse structure of the jet.

Methods. Using large two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of a relativistic electron-ion plasma jet, we show that the termination shock forming at the interface with the ambient medium accelerates particles up to the confinement limit.

Results. The radial structure of the jet magnetic field leads to a relativistic velocity shear that excites a von Kármán vortex street in the downstream medium trailing behind an over-pressured bubble filled with cosmic rays. Particles are efficiently accelerated at each crossing of the shear flow boundary layers.

Conclusions. These findings support the idea that extragalactic plasma jets may be capable of producing ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. This extreme particle acceleration mechanism may also apply to microquasar jets.