bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Infant gut microbiota and negative and fear reactivity
Authors: Huovinen Venla , Aatsinki Anna-Katariina , Kataja Eeva-Leena , Munukka Eveliina , Keskitalo Anniina , Lamichhane Santosh , Raunioniemi Peppi , Bridgett David J. , Lahti Leo , O’Mahony Siobhain M. , Dickens Alex , Korja Riikka , Karlsson Hasse , Nolvi Saara , Karlsson Linnea
Published: November 2023

Background:

Studies indicate that gut microbiota is related to neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes. Accordingly, early gut microbiota composition (GMC) has been linked to child temperament, but research is still scarce. The aim of this study was to examine how early GMC at 2.5 months is associated with child negative and fear reactivity at 8 and 12 months since they are potentially important intermediate phenotypes of later child psychiatric disorders.

Methods:

Our study population was 330 infants enrolled in the longitudinal FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed using stool sample 16s rRNA sequencing. Negative and fear reactivity were assessed using the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery (Lab-TAB) at child’s age of 8 months (n =150) and the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised Short Form (IBQ-R SF) at child’s age of 12 months (n = 276).

Conclusions:

We found a positive association between alpha diversity and reported fear reactivity and differing microbial community composition based on negative reactivity for boys. Isobutyric acid correlated with observed negative reactivity, however, this association attenuated in the linear model. Several genera were associated with the selected infant temperament traits. This study adds to the growing literature on links between infant gut microbiota and temperament informing future mechanistic studies.
Game or Supernovel? Playing and Reading Massive Game Novels
Authors: Aarseth Espen
Published: November 2023

For half a century, digital machines have lent their computational power to mediate text-based, diegetic worlds, in the shape of software that we call games, video games, or sometimes interactive fiction. Perhaps the first such was Gregory Yob’s simple labyrinth-monster game Hunt the Wumpus (1973), but ever since then the games (if that is what they should be called) have become larger and far more complex, and, in recent decades, a single such work can contain more text than, say, Shakespeare’s collected plays. Given this massive textual content, as well as the often experimental and innovative nature of these works, they can also be considered a new form of novel; a kind of text that has much more in common with literature than with other digital games such as Candy Crush Saga, Age of Empires or Counterstrike. In these ‘games’, we find complex characters, difficult ethical choices (left to the player), imaginative landscapes and mythologies, and thousands if not millions of lines of carefully crafted prose. Teams of writers work collectively to stich these textual universes together, under production conditions that might remind us of multi-season TV series, but which are structured and consumed very differently – in fact, more like literature than TV. The claim made in this article is that the perspective of the novel (or supernovel) is a productive one for understanding the nature of these artistic works of ludic software. Should they be considered Literature? Through a discussion of the notions of literature, novel, and fiction and through a close ludic reading of Fallout: New Vegas (2010) I will argue that these textual games are in fact Literature, a new kind of novelistic genre, and discuss the wider cultural implications of this assessment.
Raiders of the Lost Archive
Authors: Breslin Mike , Breslin Jas
Published: November 2023

In the third in our series of regular articles reviewing archived issues of Legal Information Management and The Law Librarian – as the journal was once known – the LIM editors leaf through the issues of 1993.
Demographics of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) in annual and perennial cover crops
Authors: Weisberger David A. , Leon Ramon G. , Gruner Chandler E. , Levi Matthew , Gaur Nandita , Morgan Gaylon , Basinger Nicholas T.
Published: November 2023

Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) is the most problematic weed of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)-cropping systems in the U.S. Southeast. Heavy reliance on herbicides has selected for resistance to multiple herbicide mechanisms of action. Effective management of this weed may require the integration of cultural practices that limit germination, establishment, and growth. Cover crops have been promoted as a cultural practice that targets these processes. We conducted a 2-yr study in Georgia, USA, to measure the effects of two annual cover crops (cereal rye [Secale cereale L.] and crimson clover [Trifolium incarnatum L.]), a perennial living mulch (‘Durana®’ white clover [Trifolium repens L.]), and a bare ground control on A. palmeri population dynamics. The study was conducted in the absence of herbicides. Growth stages were integrated into a basic demographic model to evaluate differences in population trajectories. Cereal rye and living mulch treatments suppressed weed seedling recruitment (seedlings seed−1) 19.2 and 13 times and 12 and 25 times more than the bare ground control, respectively. Low recruitment was correlated positively with low light transmission (photosynthetic active radiation: above canopy photosynthetically active radiation [PAR]/below cover crop PAR) at the soil surface. Low recruitment rates were also negatively correlated with high survival rates. Greater survival rates and reduced adult plant densities resulted in greater biomass (g plant−1) and fecundity (seeds plant−1) in cereal rye and living mulch treatments in both years. The annual rate of population change (seeds seed−1) was equivalent across all treatments in the first year but was greater in the living mulch treatment in the second year. Our results highlight the potential of annual cover crops and living mulches for suppressing A. palmeri seedling recruitment and would be valuable tools as part of an integrated weed management strategy.
A hydrothermal model to predict Russian thistle (Salsola tragus) seedling emergence in the dryland of the Pacific Northwest (USA)
Authors: Oreja Fernando H. , Genna Nicholas G. , Gonzalez-Andujar Jose L. , Wuest Stewart B. , Barroso Judit
Published: November 2023

Russian thistle (Salsola tragusL.) is among the most troublesome weeds in cropland and ruderal semiarid areas of the Pacific Northwest (PNW). PredictingS. tragusemergence timing plays a critical role in scheduling weed management measures. The objective of this research was to develop and validate a predictive model of the seedling emergence pattern ofS. tragusunder field conditions in the PNW to increase the efficacy of control measures targeting this species. The relationship between cumulative seedling emergence and cumulative hydrothermal time under field conditions was modeled using the Weibull function. This model is the first to use hydrothermal time units (HTT) to predictS. tragusemergence and showed a very good fit to the experimental data. According to this model, seedling emergence starts at 5 HTT, and 50% and 90% emergence is completed at 56 HTT and 177 HTT, respectively. For model validation, independent field experiments were carried out. Cumulative seedling emergence was accurately predicted by the model, supporting the idea that this model is robust enough to be used as a predictive tool forS. tragusseedling emergence. Our model can serve as the basis for the development of decision support systems, helping farmers make the best decisions to controlS. traguspopulations in no-till fallow and spring wheat systems.
There is No JOIDES in Mudville
Authors: Benningfield Damond
Published: November 2023

After almost 4 decades of research, the JOIDES Resolution will retire in 2024, leaving the ocean floor in peace (for now).
A Scaling Relation for Cryoconite Holes
Authors: Banerjee Argha , Sarangi Chandan , Rashid Irfan , Vijay Saurabh , Najar Nadeem Ahmad , Chandel Amit Singh
Published: November 2023

Tiny cryoconite holes are commonly found on glacier surfaces. Despite a long history of research on them, their influence on glacier‐scale mass balance and runoff are not well understood. We model the absorption of solar radiation at the bottom of cylindrical cryoconite holes, incorporating the three‐dimensional geometry. The simulated holes achieve a limiting steady‐state depth, where the daily melt rate at the bottom of the holes matches that at the glacier surface. This implies a feedback loop restricting the excess ice melt due to the presence of dark supraglacial impurities. The modeled steady‐state depth scales approximately linearly with the radius, consistent with in situ observations at several glaciers across the world. Given the areal coverage and radius distribution of cryoconite holes on a glacier, this scaling yields first‐order estimates of their melt contribution.
Enhanced Cloud Top Longwave Radiative Cooling Due To the Effect of Horizontal Radiative Transfer in the Stratocumulus to Trade Cumulus Transition Regime
Authors: Ren Tong , Yang Ping , Huang Xianglei , Chen Xiuhong , Shen Zhaoyi
Published: November 2023

Recent studies develop the SPeedy Algorithm for Radiative TrAnsfer through CloUd Sides (SPARTACUS) to handle the influence of horizontal RT on vertical radiative fluxes within an atmospheric column. The present study applies SPARTACUS to large eddy simulation (LES)‐generated cloud fields across the stratocumulus to trade cumulus transition (STCT) regime with coarse and fine vertical resolutions. The results show that, as the vertical resolution increases, radiation simulations show increasingly stronger cloud‐top longwave (LW) radiative cooling. Consequently, the sharp radiative heating gradient across the cloud layer in the LES‐like resolution simulations cannot be resolved with the coarse resolution simulations. Including the horizontal RT typically enhances cloud LW radiative cooling rate by less than 10% for all the cloud fields but more significantly in the cloud fields during the STCT. The enhanced cloud LW radiative cooling also occurs in the lower cloud layer in the decoupled cumulus cloud regime.
Multiscale Observation of Magnetotail Reconnection Onset: 1. Macroscopic Dynamics
Authors: Genestreti Kevin J. , Farrugia Charles J. , Lu San , Vines Sarah K. , Reiff Patricia H. , Phan Tai , Baker Daniel N. , Leonard Trevor W. , Burch James L. , Bingham Samuel T. , Cohen Ian J. , Shuster Jason R. , Gershman Daniel J. , Mouikis Christopher G. , Rogers Anthony J. , Torbert Roy B. , Trattner Karlheinz J. , Webster James M. , Chen Li‐Jen , Giles Barbara L. , Ahmadi Narges , Ergun Robert E. , Russell Christopher T. , Strangeway Robert J. , Nakamura Rumi
Published: November 2023

We analyze a magnetotail reconnection onset event on 3 July 2017 that was observed under otherwise quiescent magnetospheric conditions by a fortuitous conjunction of six space and ground‐based observatories. The study investigates the large‐scale coupling of the solar wind–magnetosphere system that precipitated the onset of the magnetotail reconnection, focusing on the processes that thinned and stretched the cross‐tail current layer in the absence of significant flux loading during a 2‐hr‐long preconditioning phase. It is demonstrated with data in the (a) upstream solar wind, (b) at the low‐latitude magnetopause, (c) in the high‐latitude polar cap, and (d) in the magnetotail that the typical picture of solar wind‐driven current sheet thinning via flux loading does not appear relevant for this particular event. We find that the current sheet thinning was, instead, initiated by a transient solar wind pressure pulse and that the current sheet thinning continued even as the magnetotail and solar wind pressures decreased. We suggest that field line curvature‐induced scattering (observed by magnetospheric multiscale) and precipitation (observed by Defense Meteorological Satellite Program) of high‐energy thermal protons may have evacuated plasma sheet thermal energy, which may require a thinning of the plasma sheet to preserve pressure equilibrium with the solar wind.
Integrating Tracers and Soft Data Into Multi‐Criteria Calibration: Implications From Distributed Modeling in a Riparian Wetland
Authors: Wu Songjun , Tetzlaff Doerthe , Yang Xiaoqiang , Smith Aaron , Soulsby Chris
Published: November 2023

Calibrating distributed hydrological models often leads to equifinality due to complex model structures, which can be further exacerbated in wetlands due to spatio‐temporal heterogeneity in ecohydrological processes. Here, step‐wise calibrations of the physically‐based distributed model EcH2O‐iso was conducted in a data‐rich wetland by minimizing a weighted average of the errors on discharge, stream isotopes, groundwater (GW) isotopes, and soil moisture. Results showed multi‐criteria calibration outperformed single‐criterion calibration as it strongly increased the overall performance, yet only marginally degraded performance of each calibration target. Isotopes were highlighted as appropriate auxiliary data as they effectively constrained the model with relatively small weights (0.1). However, those parameter sets that minimize the errors could still lead to physically implausible simulations of uncalibrated internal states or fluxes. This was further demonstrated by an approach developed to check internal fluxes based on soft data (transpiration and lateral flow), suggesting 54% of optimized models gave “right answers for the wrong reasons.” By excluding those models against soft data, such an approach further constrained equifinality, and unraveled potential inconsistencies between observations and calibration. Modeling represented the wetland as a slow‐draining system mainly fed by GW, but also influenced by near‐surface flow during winter or summer convectional events. Further, heterogeneity in hydrological functioning was partly attributed to distinct evapotranspiration patterns between contrasting vegetation communities. Therefore, this study not only provided insights into wetland functioning, but also revealed potential equifinality even with abundant data for calibration, and potential solutions based on the integration of isotopes and soft data.
Exploring the potential and safety of quantum dots in allergy diagnostics
Authors: Mohkam Milad , Sadraeian Mohammad , Lauto Antonio , Gholami Ahmad , Nabavizadeh Seyed Hesamodin , Esmaeilzadeh Hossein , Alyasin Soheila
Published: November 2023

Biomedical investigations in nanotherapeutics and nanomedicine have recently intensified in pursuit of new therapies with improved efficacy. Quantum dots (QDs) are promising nanomaterials that possess a wide array of advantageous properties, including electronic properties, optical properties, and engineered biocompatibility under physiological conditions. Due to these characteristics, QDs are mainly used for biomedical labeling and theranostic (therapeutic-diagnostic) agents. QDs can be functionalized with ligands to facilitate their interaction with the immune system, specific IgE, and effector cell receptors. However, undesirable side effects such as hypersensitivity and toxicity may occur, requiring further assessment. This review systematically summarizes the potential uses of QDs in the allergy field. An overview of the definition and development of QDs is provided, along with the applications of QDs in allergy studies, including the detection of allergen-specific IgE (sIgE), food allergens, and sIgE in cellular tests. The potential treatment of allergies with QDs is also described, highlighting the toxicity and biocompatibility of these nanodevices. Finally, we discuss the current findings on the immunotoxicity of QDs. Several favorable points regarding the use of QDs for allergy diagnosis and treatment are noted.
Room-temperature super-elongation in high-entropy alloy nanopillars
Authors: Zhang Qian , Niu Ranming , Liu Ying , Jiang Jiaxi , Xu Fan , Zhang Xuan , Cairney Julie M. , An Xianghai , Liao Xiaozhou , Gao Huajian , Li Xiaoyan
Published: November 2023

Nanoscale small-volume metallic materials typically exhibit high strengths but often suffer from a lack of tensile ductility due to undesirable premature failure. Here, we report unusual room-temperature uniform elongation up to ~110% at a high flow stress of 0.6–1.0 GPa in single-crystalline <110>-oriented CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy nanopillars with well-defined geometries. By combining high-resolution microscopy and large-scale atomistic simulations, we reveal that this ultrahigh uniform tensile ductility is attributed to spatial and synergistic coordination of deformation twinning and dislocation slip, which effectively promote deformation delocalization and delay necking failure. These joint and/or sequential activations of the underlying displacive deformation mechanisms originate from chemical compositional heterogeneities at the atomic level and resulting wide variations in generalized stacking fault energy and associated dislocation activities. Our work provides mechanistic insights into superplastic deformations of multiple-principal element alloys at the nanoscale and opens routes for designing nanodevices with high mechanical reliability.
Simultaneous selection of nanobodies for accessible epitopes on immune cells in the tumor microenvironment
Authors: Sekar Thillai V. , Elghonaimy Eslam A. , Swancutt Katy L. , Diegeler Sebastian , Gonzalez Isaac , Hamilton Cassandra , Leung Peter Q. , Meiler Jens , Martina Cristina E. , Whitney Michael , Aguilera Todd A.
Published: November 2023

In the rapidly advancing field of synthetic biology, there exists a critical need for technology to discover targeting moieties for therapeutic biologics. Here we present INSPIRE-seq, an approach that utilizes a nanobody library and next-generation sequencing to identify nanobodies selected for complex environments. INSPIRE-seq enables the parallel enrichment of immune cell-binding nanobodies that penetrate the tumor microenvironment. Clone enrichment and specificity vary across immune cell subtypes in the tumor, lymph node, and spleen. INSPIRE-seq identifies a dendritic cell binding clone that binds PHB2. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals a connection with cDC1s, and immunofluorescence confirms nanobody-PHB2 colocalization along cell membranes. Structural modeling and docking studies assist binding predictions and will guide nanobody selection. In this work, we demonstrate that INSPIRE-seq offers an unbiased approach to examine complex microenvironments and assist in the development of nanobodies, which could serve as active drugs, modified to become drugs, or used as targeting moieties.
Minimal residual disease detection by next-generation sequencing of different immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in pediatric B-ALL
Authors: Chen Haipin , Gu Miner , Liang Juan , Song Hua , Zhang Jingying , Xu Weiqun , Zhao Fenying , Shen Diying , Shen Heping , Liao Chan , Tang Yongmin , Xu Xiaojun
Published: November 2023

While the prognostic role of immunoglobulin heavy chain locus (IGH) rearrangement in minimal residual disease (MRD) in pediatric B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) has been reported, the contribution of light chain loci (IGK/IGL) remains elusive. This study is to evaluate the prognosis of IGH and IGK/IGL rearrangement-based MRD detected by next-generation sequencing in B-ALL at the end of induction (EOI) and end of consolidation (EOC). IGK/IGL rearrangements identify 5.5% of patients without trackable IGH clones. Concordance rates for IGH and IGK/IGL are 79.9% (cutoff 0.01%) at EOI and 81.0% (cutoff 0.0001%) at EOC, respectively. Patients with NGS-MRD < 0.01% at EOI or <0.0001% at EOC present excellent outcome, with 3-year event-free survival rates higher than 95%. IGH-MRD is prognostic at EOI/EOC, while IGK-MRD at EOI/EOC and IGL-MRD at EOI are not. At EOI, NGS identifies 26.2% of higher risk patients whose MRD < 0.01% by flow cytometry. However, analyzing IGK/IGL along with IGH fails to identify additional higher risk patients both at EOI and at EOC. In conclusion, IGH is crucial for MRD monitoring while IGK and IGL have relatively limited value.
Patterning and dynamics of membrane adhesion under hydraulic stress
Authors: Dinet Céline , Torres-Sánchez Alejandro , Lanfranco Roberta , Di Michele Lorenzo , Arroyo Marino , Staykova Margarita
Published: November 2023

Hydraulic fracturing plays a major role in cavity formation during embryonic development, when pressurized fluid opens microlumens at cell-cell contacts, which evolve to form a single large lumen. However, the fundamental physical mechanisms behind these processes remain masked by the complexity and specificity of biological systems. Here, we show that adhered lipid vesicles subjected to osmotic stress form hydraulic microlumens similar to those in cells. Combining vesicle experiments with theoretical modelling and numerical simulations, we provide a physical framework for the hydraulic reconfiguration of cell-cell adhesions. We map the conditions for microlumen formation from a pristine adhesion, the emerging dynamical patterns and their subsequent maturation. We demonstrate control of the fracturing process depending on the applied pressure gradients and the type and density of membrane bonds. Our experiments further reveal an unexpected, passive transition of microlumens to closed buds that suggests a physical route to adhesion remodeling by endocytosis.
GDF11 slows excitatory neuronal senescence and brain ageing by repressing p21
Authors: Wang Di-Xian , Dong Zhao-Jun , Deng Sui-Xin , Tian Ying-Ming , Xiao Yu-Jie , Li Xinran , Ma Xiao-Ru , Li Liang , Li Pengxiao , Chang Hui-Zhong , Liu Longqi , Wang Fan , Wu Yang , Gao Xiang , Zheng Shuang-Shuang , Gu Hui-Min , Zhang Ya-Nan , Wu Jian-Bin , Wu Fan , Peng Yonglin , Zhang Xiao-Wen , Zhan Ren-Ya , Gao Li-Xia , Sun Qiming , Guo Xing , Zhao Xiao-Dong , Luo Jian-Hong , Zhou Ruhong , Han Lei , Shu Yousheng , Zhao Jing-Wei
Published: November 2023

As a major neuron type in the brain, the excitatory neuron (EN) regulates the lifespan in C. elegans. How the EN acquires senescence, however, is unknown. Here, we show that growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is predominantly expressed in the EN in the adult mouse, marmoset and human brain. In mice, selective knock-out of GDF11 in the post-mitotic EN shapes the brain ageing-related transcriptional profile, induces EN senescence and hyperexcitability, prunes their dendrites, impedes their synaptic input, impairs object recognition memory and shortens the lifespan, establishing a functional link between GDF11, brain ageing and cognition. In vitro GDF11 deletion causes cellular senescence in Neuro-2a cells. Mechanistically, GDF11 deletion induces neuronal senescence via Smad2-induced transcription of the pro-senescence factor p21. This work indicates that endogenous GDF11 acts as a brake on EN senescence and brain ageing.
Enhanced copper anticorrosion from Janus-doped bilayer graphene
Authors: Zhao Mengze , Zhang Zhibin , Shi Wujun , Li Yiwei , Xue Chaowu , Hu Yuxiong , Ding Mingchao , Zhang Zhiqun , Liu Zhi , Fu Ying , Liu Can , Wu Muhong , Liu Zhongkai , Li Xin-Zheng , Wang Zhu-Jun , Liu Kaihui
Published: November 2023

The atomic-thick anticorrosion coating for copper (Cu) electrodes is essential for the miniaturisation in the semiconductor industry. Graphene has long been expected to be the ultimate anticorrosion material, however, its real anticorrosion performance is still under great controversy. Specifically, strong electronic couplings can limit the interfacial diffusion of corrosive molecules, whereas they can also promote the surficial galvanic corrosion. Here, we report the enhanced anticorrosion for Cu simply via a bilayer graphene coating, which provides protection for more than 5 years at room temperature and 1000 h at 200 °C. Such excellent anticorrosion is attributed to a nontrivial Janus-doping effect in bilayer graphene, where the heavily doped bottom layer forms a strong interaction with Cu to limit the interfacial diffusion, while the nearly charge neutral top layer behaves inertly to alleviate the galvanic corrosion. Our study will likely expand the application scenarios of Cu under various extreme operating conditions.
Clinical subtypes in patients with isolated REM sleep behaviour disorder
Authors: Seger Aline , Ophey Anja , Doppler Christopher E. J. , Kickartz Johanna , Lindner Marie-Sophie , Hommelsen Maximilian , Fink Gereon R. , Sommerauer Michael
Published: November 2023

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) show a broad heterogeneity in clinical presentation, and subtypes may already arise in prodromal disease stages. Isolated REM sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD) is the most specific marker of prodromal PD, but data on clinical subtyping of patients with iRBD remain scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to identify iRBD subtypes. We conducted comprehensive clinical assessments in 66 patients with polysomnography-proven iRBD, including motor and non-motor evaluations, and applied a two-step cluster analysis. Besides, we compared iRBD clusters to matched healthy controls and related the resulting cluster solution to cortical and subcortical grey matter volumes by voxel-based morphometry analysis. We identified two distinct subtypes of patients based on olfactory function, dominant electroencephalography frequency, amount of REM sleep without atonia, depressive symptoms, disease duration, and motor functions. One iRBD cluster (Cluster I, late onset—aggressive) was characterised by higher non-motor symptom burden despite shorter disease duration than the more benign subtype (Cluster II, early onset—benign). Motor functions were comparable between the clusters. Patients from Cluster I were significantly older at iRBD onset and exhibited a widespread reduction of cortical grey matter volume compared to patients from Cluster II. In conclusion, our findings suggest the existence of clinical subtypes already in the prodromal stage of PD. Future longitudinal studies are warranted that replicate these findings and investigate the risk of the more aggressive phenotype for earlier phenoconversion and dementia development.
A non-singular fractional-order logistic growth model with multi-scaling effects to analyze and forecast population growth in Bangladesh
Authors: Ullah Mohammad Sharif , Kabir K. M. Ariful , Khan Md. Abdul Hakim
Published: November 2023

This paper is primarily concerned with data analysis employing the nonlinear least squares curve fitting method and the mathematical prediction of future population growth in Bangladesh. Available actual and adjusted census data (1974–2022) of the Bangladesh population were applied in the well-known autonomous logistic population growth model and found that all data sets of the logistic (exact), Atangana-Baleanu-Caputo (ABC) fractional-order derivative approach, and logistic multi-scaling approximation fit with good agreement. Again, the existence and uniqueness of the solution for fractional-order and Hyers-Ulam stability have been studied. Generally, the growth rate and maximum environmental support of the population of any country slowly fluctuate with time. Including an approximate closed-form solution in this analysis confers several advantages in assessing population models for single species. Prior studies predominantly employed constant growth rates and carrying capacity, neglecting the investigation of fractional-order methods. Thus, the current study fills a crucial gap in the literature by introducing a more formal approach to analyzing population dynamics. Therefore, we bank on the findings of this article to contribute to accurate population forecasting and planning, national development, and national progress.
PMCA screening of retropharyngeal lymph nodes in white-tailed deer and comparisons with ELISA and IHC
Authors: Benavente Rebeca , Reed J. Hunter , Lockwood Mitch , Morales Rodrigo
Published: November 2023

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease affecting cervids. CWD diagnosis is conducted through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in retropharyngeal lymph nodes. Unfortunately, these techniques have limited sensitivity against the biomarker (CWD-prions). Two in vitro prion amplification techniques, real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) and protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), have shown promise in detecting CWD-prions in tissues and bodily fluids. Recent studies have demonstrated that RT-QuIC yields similar results compared to ELISA and IHC. Here, we analyzed 1003 retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLNs) from Texas white-tailed deer. PMCA detected CWD at a higher rate compared to ELISA/IHC, identified different prion strains, and revealed the presence of CWD-prions in places with no previous history. These findings suggest that PMCA exhibits greater sensitivity than current standard techniques and could be valuable for rapid and strain-specific CWD detection.
Effects of different levels of Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus by-products fermented feed on growth performance, serum biochemical, and intestinal health of cyan-shank partridge birds
Authors: Zhou Xinhong , Zhang Huaidan , Li Shiyi , Jiang Yilong , Deng Jicheng , Yang Chuanpeng , Chen Xianxin , Jiang Li
Published: November 2023

This research aimed to investigate the effects of supplements containing fermented feed made from Citri Sarcodactylis Fructus by-products (CSFBP-Fermented feed) on the growth performance, immunological function, and gut health of broilers. 1080 cyan-shank partridge birds aged 47 days were chosen and casually distributed to four groups, each with 6 replicates and 45 birds per replicate. The experimental groups were provided with 1% (group T2), 3% (group T3) and 5% (group T4) of CSFBP-fermented feed in the basic diet, while the control group (group T1) received the basic diet. The findings revealed that supplementation with CSFBP-Fermented feed reduced ADFI and FCR and improved ADG in birds (P < 0.05). MDA levels in the serum of birds fed CSFBP-fermented feed were lower than in the control group (P < 0.05). The CAT activity in the serum of broilers increased after supplementation with 3% CSFBP-Fermented feed (P < 0.05). Supplementing broilers with CSFBP-fermented feed enhanced VH in the ileum, jejunum, and duodenum (P < 0.05). The addition of 3% CSFBP-Fermented feed decreased CD in the jejunum (P < 0.05). The addition of 3% and 5% CSFBP-Fermented feed increased the mRNA expression of ZO-1 and Occludin in the jejunum of broiler chickens and reduced the mRNA expression of IL-6 (P < 0.05). The addition of 3% CSFBP-Fermented feed increased the mRNA expression of Claudin in the jejunum of broiler chickens and reduced IL-1β mRNA expression (P < 0.05). Compared to the control group, all experimental groups exhibited decreased mRNA expression of TNF-α and INF-γ in the jejunal mucosa of the birds (P < 0.05). According to research using high-throughput sequencing of microorganisms' 16S rDNA, and an analysis of α-diversity found that supplementing broilers with 3% CSFBP-Fermented feed decreased the number of bacteria in their cecum (P < 0.05). Bacteroidota was higher in all groups after supplementation with CSFBP-Fermented feed. At the genus level, after addition with 3% CSFBP-Fermented feed, the abundance of Bacteroide and Prevotellaceae_Ga6A1_group were higher than the control group (33.36% vs 29.95%, 4.35% vs 2.94%). The abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Fusobacterium were lower than the control group (5.52% vs. 7.17%,0.38% vs. 1.33%). In summary, supplementing the diet with CSFBP-Fermented feed can promote the growth of performance by enhancing intestinal morphology, and barrier function, as well as modulating intestinal inflammatory factors and microbial composition in broilers.
Keypoint regression strategy and angle loss based YOLO for object detection
Authors: Wang Xiuling , Kong Lingkun , Zhang Zhiguo , Wang Haixia , Lu Xiao
Published: November 2023

The YOLOv4 approach has gained significant popularity in industrial object detection due to its impressive real-time processing speed and relatively favorable accuracy. However, it has been observed that YOLOv4 faces challenges in accurately detecting small objects. Its bounding box regression strategy is rigid and fails to effectively leverage the asymmetric characteristics of objects, limiting its ability to enhance object detection accuracy. This paper proposes an enhanced version of YOLOv4 called KR–AL–YOLO (keypoint regression strategy and angle loss based YOLOv4). The KR–AL–YOLO approach introduces two customized modules: an keypoint regression strategy and an angle-loss function. These modules contribute to improving the algorithm’s detection accuracy by enabling more precise localization of objects. Additionally, KR–AL–YOLO adopts an improved feature fusion technique, which facilitates enhanced information flow within the network, thereby further enhancing accuracy performance. Experimental evaluations conducted on the COCO2017 dataset demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. KR–AL–YOLO achieves an average precision of 45.6%, surpassing both YOLOv4 and certain previously developed one-stage detectors. The utilization of keypoint regression strategy and the incorporation of robust feature fusion contribute to superior object detection accuracy in KR–AL–YOLO compared to YOLOv4.
Analysis of the relationship between urban dynamics and prevalence of remote work based on population data generated from cellular networks
Authors: Akatsuka Hiroto , Toyoda Masashi
Published: November 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the introduction of remote work as one way to ensure employee safety and reduce the amount of interpersonal contact while continuing business operations. Knowing the degree of prevalence of remote work and its establishment are considered to be important factors in future policies and urban planning. We applied non-negative matrix factorization to population-change data obtained from a mobile phone network to extract the component of working people, and analyzed the changes pre- and post-pandemic. Using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, we confirmed that the number of people working in office and residential districts has significantly changed at a significance level of 1% in urban areas centered around Tokyo and Osaka, the two largest cities in Japan. Time-series data show that the number of workers is decreasing in office districts and increasing in residential districts, suggesting increased prevalence of remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that it has become established. In addition, in urban areas centered around Tokyo, we confirmed that there is a moderate correlation between the changes in the number of people working in office districts and the capital size of corporations in the same area.
Accessibility inequality across Europe: a comparison of 15-minute pedestrian accessibility in cities with 100,000 or more inhabitants
Authors: Vale David , Lopes André Soares
Published: November 2023

Active accessibility is a paramount objective of current sustainable urban development policies. Recently, the 15-minute city concept emphasized this framework by stressing proximity as a key urban feature. In this paper, we use two accessibility indicators—cumulative opportunities (total destinations) and Variety (number of different types of opportunities)—to evaluate pedestrian accessibility, using a 15-minute threshold, in a sample of European cities with 100,000 or more inhabitants, and measure within-city and between-city inequality, by calculating pseudo-Gini coefficients. Our results show not only that European cities are not 15-minute cities yet, but also that there is significant inequality within them, although less so in cities with high Variety. Our cross-city comparison found diminishing returns between both total destinations and population density and between Variety and density. Our findings suggest that European cities can increase pedestrian accessibility and reduce internal inequality by increasing the Variety of opportunities accessible by foot, along with improvements to pedestrian infrastructure.
Carbon Dot-based Sensing Strategy and Mechanism
Authors: Hu Shengqiang , Zhao Shulin
Published: November 2023

Carbon dots (CDs) have garnered extreme interest owing to their fascinating optical, catalytic and electrochemical properties. For example, CDs can emit fluorescence, phosphorescence, and chemiluminescence upon irradiation with an appropriate light or being subject to a chemical reaction. In addition, CDs possess peroxidase-like catalytic activities and extremely high conductivity. These superior properties render them appealing for designing various sensors with wide-ranging applications. The emerging optical sensing mechanisms focus on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), inner filter effect (IFE), photo-induced electron transfer (PIET), static quenching effect (SQE), and dynamic quenching effect (DQE), while most of the sensing strategies rely on the turn-off response mode. Novel sensing mechanisms such as aggregation induced emission (AIE) may provide a promising candidate for improving the signal-to-noise ratios through designing a turn-on response mode.
Applications of Carbon Dots in Drugs, Antibiotics and Toxin Sensing
Authors: Gong Xiaojuan , Dong Chuan
Published: November 2023

Herein, a number of detection methods for drugs, antibiotics, and toxins have been developed using various strategies and applied in different real samples. Inner filter effect, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, photoinduced electron transfer, static quenching, and electron transfer are the major response mechanisms of the carbon dots (CDs) to various analytes. The surfaces of the CDs with plenty of functional groups, including NH2, COOH, OH, etc., can be modified by specific recognition moieties, such as antibodies, molecularly imprinted polymers, organic molecules, and aptamers, thereby to improve the selectivity of the detection methods toward drugs, antibiotics, and toxins.
PFAS-free Moisture Barriers in Household Product Packaging
Authors: Guan A. , Hazard K. G.
Published: November 2023

This chapter is a case study that focuses on the identification and evaluation of three methods for achieving a PFAS-free moisture barrier on paper-based packaging for household products. The scope of this project encompasses three different product categories, including laundry powders, detergents, and soaps, with a range of moisture barrier needs. The proposed strategies fall into three categories: biopolymer films derived from natural sources, such as chitosan, pectin, and gelatin; chemical additives to improve barrier and mechanical properties via cross-linking, including genipin and ferulic acid; and physical additives to reinforce film barrier and mechanical properties, including nanofillers like montmorillonite clays and cellulose nanofibers.
Ionic Liquids for Gas and Vapor Sensing Applications
Authors: Zeng Xiangqun , Mondal Sudeshna
Published: November 2023

Robust miniaturized low-cost and low-power gas sensors that can accurately detect and quantify important gaseous analytes in real-time and be in continuous use are needed for a broad range of applications. In this book chapter, we discuss the challenges and requirements for real-time gas sensing. We focus on elucidating ionic liquids (ILs), the non-volatile environmentally benign media, and their multiple benefits for real-time gas sensing applications. In particular, we demonstrate nanomaterials coupled with ILs, as electrolytes and solvents, which offer great opportunities in electrochemical gas sensors with high sensitivity and selectivity for real-time and continuous-use gas detection in real-world harsh conditions. We discuss various methods of immobilization of ILs on transducer electrodes to prepare IL thin films for chemical analysis (gas detection) in which ILs’ unique solvation properties, varying with the nature of the constituent ions, render them ideal for selective gas detection strategies in array-based piezoelectric mass sensors. We show examples of using ILs coupled with low-cost, low-power, and miniaturized mass sensors for high temperature gas sensing applications. In addition, we illustrate an example to show that the absorption of analytes and the redox behavior of electro-active analytes in IL sensing films allow simultaneous detection of two properties of the same target analyte, i.e., sorption/partition and redox activity via electrochemical and piezoelectric mass transducers in real-time allowing one to cross-validate the measurement results, enhancing selectivity and accuracy for gas detection.
Hydroxyl-rich branched polycations for nucleic acid delivery
Authors: Su Mengrui , Hu Zichen , Sun Yujie , Qi Yu , Yu Bingran , Xu Fu-Jian
Published: November 2023

Amine-epoxide ring-opening polymerization was carried out to construct a hydroxyl-rich branched polycation and based on a one-pot strategy for the flexible introduction and multifunctional modification of responsive molecules.
Multimode opto-magnetic dual-responsive actuating fibers and fabrics programmed via direct ink writing
Authors: Cai Bingyue , Li Xian , Wang Hui , Sun Hengda , Xiao Ru , Wang Hongzhi , Wang Gang
Published: November 2023

Opto-magnetic dual-responsive actuating fibers and fabrics with high output force and multimodal motion abilities programmed by direct ink writing.
A facile recrystallization strategy for fabrication of nanocrystalline microspheres of sulfatic sodalite with high thermal stability
Authors: Xie Xiu-Zhen , Pan Yuanming , Mi Jin-Xiao
Published: November 2023

Alkali-resistant rhombohedral sulfatic sodalite microspheres composed of nanocrystalline aggregates with high thermal stability were prepared by a new strategy of crystallization–digestion–gel–recrystallization.
Morphology and hygroscopicity of nanoplastics in sea spray
Authors: Petters Sarah Suda , Kjærgaard Eva Rosendal , Hasager Freja , Massling Andreas , Glasius Marianne , Bilde Merete
Published: November 2023

The role of airborne nanoparticles in atmospheric chemistry and public health is largely controlled by particle size, morphology, and surface composition. We report hygroscopicity, ionization efficiency, and sea salt coatings on nanoplastics.
Prediction of 2D group-11 chalcogenides: insights into novel auxetic M2X (M = Cu, Ag, Au; X = S, Se, Te) monolayers
Authors: Xue Yufei , Gao Lei , Ren Weina , Shai Xuxia , Wei Tingting , Zeng Chunhua , Wang Hua
Published: November 2023

The mechanical properties of 2D M2X (M = Cu, Ag, Au; X = S, Se, Te) monolayers are modulated from positive to negative Poisson's function via tensile strains, resulting from the changes in bond angle, thickness and orbital interactions between atoms.
Visible light-mediated halogenation of organic compounds
Authors: Festa Alexey A. , Storozhenko Olga A. , Voskressensky Leonid G. , Van der Eycken Erik V.
Published: November 2023

The impact of visible light-promoted chemistry on the halogenation of organic compounds is reviewed.
Intermetallic PdCu3 supported on nanodiamond–graphene for semi-hydrogenation of Phenylacetylene
Authors: Niu Xiaoran , Wang Ao , Tong Lei , Wang Lei , Kong Yuan , Su Chenliang , Liang Hai-Wei
Published: November 2023

The exceptional selectivity of styrene and high activity originate from the unique intermetallic structure of PdCu3 with abundant isolated Pd sites on its surface and the electron transfer from ND@G to PdCu3.
Betaine mediated enhancement of thermal stability and acidity tolerance of vanadium(v) solutions
Authors: Guglielmero Luca , Mezzetta Andrea , D'Andrea Felicia , Guazzelli Lorenzo , Pomelli Christian Silvio
Published: November 2023

A panel of novel vanadium(iv)–betaine complexes has been synthesized according to new and efficient methodologies and characterized through both spectroscopic techniques and thermal analyses.
Synthesis and characterization of trifluoromethylcarboxonium salts
Authors: Saal Thomas , Haiges Ralf , Christe Karl O
Published: November 2023

The low-temperature protonation of trifluoroacetic acid with the superacids HF/SbF5 and HF/AsF5 resulted in the syntheses of the first examples of trifluoromethylcarboxonium salts.
Quality evaluation and health risk assessment of drinking water in Minab County: hydrochemical analysis and artificial neural network modeling
Authors: Amiri Gharaghani Majid , Mohammadpour Amin , Keshtkar Mahsa , Azhdarpoor Abooalfazl , Khaksefidi Razieh
Published: November 2023

Hydrochemical characteristic, water quality, human health risk.
Targeting DSS-induced ulcerative colitis: evaluating the therapeutic potential of WPI–stachyose conjugates
Authors: Wang Zi-han , Zhang Guang-yao , Sun Cong , Ning Shu-xin , Zhou Da-yong , Song Liang
Published: November 2023

WPI–stachyose conjugates show great promise as novel dietary supplements for ulcerative colitis treatment.
Guanidinium iodide salts as single component catalysts for CO2 to epoxide fixation
Authors: Mesías-Salazar Ángela , Rojas René S. , Carrillo-Hermosilla Fernando , Martínez Javier , Antiñolo Antonio , Trofymchuk Oleksandra S. , Nachtigall Fabiane M. , Santos Leonardo S. , Daniliuc Constantin G.
Published: November 2023

In this study, we present the synthesis, characterization and catalytic reactions of a new family of one-component catalysts based on guanidinium salts.
Eco-friendly, in-water, and catalyst-free assembly of acylethenylpyrroloimidazoindoles from 3H-indoles and acylpyrrolylacetylenes
Authors: Oparina Ludmila A. , Belyaeva Kseniya V. , Kolyvanov Nikita A. , Ushakov Igor A. , Tomilin Denis N. , Sobenina Lyubov N. , Kuzmin Anton V. , Trofimov Boris A.
Published: November 2023

A new approach to prepare of dihydropyrrolo[1′,2′:3,4]imidazo[1,2-a]indoles through [2+3] cyclization of 3H-indoles with acylpyrrolylacetylenes was developed.
First-row transition metal carbide nanosheets as high-performance cathode materials for lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Muhammad Imran , Ahmed Shehzad , Yao Zhen , Khan Danish , Hussain Tanveer , Wang Yang-Gang
Published: November 2023

First-row two-dimensional transition metal carbides present colossal performance improvements for anchoring lithium-polysulfides, stimulating the active design of sulfur cathodes for practical Li–S batteries.
Antisense DNA loaded 2D nanosheets for combined photodynamic and antisense cancer therapy
Authors: Raj Gowtham , D. S Vasudev , Prasad Justin , Anbu Erai , Ram Soumakanya , Daniel Geoffrey Bellson , Narendradev Nikhil Dev , Srinivasula Srinivasa Murty , Varghese Reji
Published: November 2023

A supramolecular strategy for the design of a therapeutic nanosystem that consists of PDT active 2D nanosheets loaded with antisense DNA for the synergetic combination of PDT and antisense DNA therapy is reported.
A unique corrole-based metal–organic polymer for synergistic phototherapy
Authors: Deng Wenbo , Jia Meng , Shi Quan , Xu Yunhao , Feng Yaqing , Zhao Yanming , Gong Min , Zhang Bao
Published: November 2023

Corrole-based nanoscale metal–organic polymers (MOPs) have demonstrated great potentials in photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT).
Delocalization quantitatively mapped for prototypic organic nitroanions as well as azidoform anions
Authors: Belostotskii Anatoly M.
Published: November 2023

QM affords three new insights into chemical structure and reactivity of homoleptic organic anions: chemically telling delocalization maps, a hypothesis of the cause of instability of nitro compounds, discovered one-resonance structure azido groups.
Rapid, iterative syntheses of unsymmetrical di- and triarylboranes from crystalline aryldifluoroboranes
Authors: Turnbull Douglas , Légaré Marc-André
Published: November 2023

A facile synthesis of aryldifluoroboranes, ArBF2, is reported, which allows for their isolation and use as synthons for unsymmetrical boranes.
Determination of the ion-conduction properties of Na3OBr and its dominant defect species
Authors: Miyazaki Reona , Ito Shiori , Ishigami Kana , Miyazaki Hidetoshi , Hihara Takehiko
Published: November 2023

Na3OBr is fabricated using purified Na2O. The dominant lattice defects are the site mixing of Br− and O2− rather than the Schottky pairs. Conductivity of Na3OBr increases by doping excess Br− ions while Ca2+ doping results in the deterioration of the conductivity.