bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Small-scale layered structures at the inner core boundary
Authors: Zhang Baolong , Ni Sidao , Wu Wenbo , Shen Zhichao , Wang Wenzhong , Sun Daoyuan , Wu Zhongqing
Published: October 2023

The fine-scale seismic features near the inner core boundary (ICB) provide critical insights into the thermal, chemical, and geodynamical interactions between liquid and solid cores, and may shed light on the evolution mechanism of the Earth’s core. Here, we utilize a dataset of pre-critical PKiKP waveforms to constrain the fine structure at the ICB, considering the influence of various factors such as source complexity, structural anomalies in the mantle, and properties at the ICB. Our modeling suggests a sharp ICB beneath Mongolia and most of Northeast Asia, but a locally laminated ICB structure beneath Central Asia, Siberia, and part of Northeast Asia. The complex ICB structure might be explained by either the existence of a kilometer-scale thickness of mushy zone, or the localized coexistence of bcc and hcp iron phase at the ICB. We infer that there may be considerable lateral variations in the dendrites growing process at ICB, probably due to the complicated thermochemical and geodynamical interaction between the outer and inner core.
Technical aspects of a new approach to intraoperative pelvic neuromonitoring during robotic rectal surgery
Authors: Schuler Ramona , Marquardt Christoph , Kalev Georgi , Langer Andreas , Konschake Marko , Schiedeck Thomas , Bandura Julia , Goos Matthias
Published: October 2023

It has been found that rectal surgery still leads to high rates of postoperative urinary, fecal, or sexual dysfunction, which is why nerve-sparing surgery has gained increasing importance. To improve functional outcomes, techniques to preserve pelvic autonomic nerves by identifying anatomic landmarks and implementing intraoperative neuromonitoring methods have been investigated. The objective of this study was to transfer a new approach to intraoperative pelvic neuromonitoring based on bioimpedance measurement to a clinical setting. Thirty patients (16 male, 14 female) involved in a prospective clinical investigation (German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00017437, date of first registration 31/03/2020) underwent nerve-sparing rectal surgery using a new approach to intraoperative pelvic neuromonitoring based on direct nerve stimulation and impedance measurement on target organs. Clinical feasibility of the method was outlined in 93.3% of the cases. Smooth muscle contraction of the urinary bladder and/ or the rectum in response to direct stimulation of innervating functional nerves correlated with a change in tissue impedance compared with the pre-contraction state. The mean amplitude (Amax) of positive signal responses was Amax = 3.8%, negative signal responses from a control tissue portion with no stimulation-induced impedance change had an amplitude variation of 0.4% on average. The amplitudes of positive and negative signal responses differed significantly (statistical analysis using two-sided t-test), allowing the nerves to be identified and preserved. The results indicate a reliable identification of pelvic autonomic nerves during rectal surgery.
Effect of (poly)phenol-rich ‘Daux Belan’ apple supplementation on diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance in C57BL/6NCrl mice
Authors: Yu Cindy H. J. , Kienesberger Petra C. , Pulinilkunnil Thomas , Rupasinghe H. P. Vasantha
Published: October 2023

Obesity is a state of metabolic dysfunction that can lead to dyslipidemia and impaired glucose homeostasis. Apple polyphenols have been shown to ameliorate dyslipidemia/metabolic dysfunction in humans. The influence of apple (poly)phenols on energy metabolism in high-fat (HF) diet-induced obese mice remains controversial. This study examined the effect of dietary supplementation of (poly)phenol-rich ‘Daux Belan’ apple (DB; 6.2 mg gallic acid equivalence (GAE)/mouse/day; 0.15% (poly)phenol) in the form of freeze-dried powder on glucose and lipid metabolism in male HF-fed C57BL/6NCrl mice, in comparison to low-(poly)phenol-containing ‘Zestar’ apple (Z; 0.4 mg GAE/mouse/day). Obesity, glucose intolerance, hypertriglyceridemia, and hepatic lipid vacuolation were induced by HF feeding while circulating cholesterol levels remained unchanged. DB apple supplementation did not protect against HF-induced body weight gain, hyperglycemia, hepatic triglyceride level elevation, and hepatic lipid vacuolation at the tested dosage. Future studies should be conducted with increased DB dosage and employ apple (poly)phenols supplemented in the form of extracts or sugar-free powder.
Trimetallic CuO/Ag/NiO supported with silica nanoparticles based composite materials for green hydrogen production
Authors: Naikoo Gowhar A. , Bano Mustri , Hassan Israr U. , Ayyub Mohd Monis , Zamani Pedram Mona
Published: October 2023

Production and utilization of grey and blue hydrogen is responsible for emission of millions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) across the globe. This increased emission of CO2 has severe repercussions on the planet earth and in particular on climate change. Here in, we explored advance bimetallic (BM) CuO/Ag and trimetallic (TM) CuO/Ag/NiO based nanoporous materials supported with silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) via sol–gel route. The explored nanocatalysts were characterized by Powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmittance electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Raman spectroscopic techniques. These advance nanocatalysts were evaluated for the green hydrogen production through electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. The catalysts exhibited an exceptional catalytic performance, the onset potential for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was determined to be − 0.9 V BMSiNPs-GCE and − 0.7 V (vs Ag/AgCl) for TMSiNPs-GCE, whereas η@10 for BMSiNPs-GCE and TMSiNPs-GCE is − 1.26 and − 1.00 V respectively. Significantly, the TMSiNPs composite and the BMSiNPs composite exhibited superior photochemical H2 evolution rates of 1970.72 mmol h−1 g−1 and 1513.97 mmol h−1 g−1, respectively. The TMSiNPs catalyst presents a highly promising material for HER. This study reveals a cost-effective approach to develop sustainable and resourceful electrocatalysts for HER.
Development of scalable and generalizable machine learned force field for polymers
Authors: Mohanty Shaswat , Stevenson James , Browning Andrea R. , Jacobson Leif , Leswing Karl , Halls Mathew D. , Afzal Mohammad Atif Faiz
Published: October 2023

Understanding and predicting the properties of polymers is vital to developing tailored polymer molecules for desired applications. Classical force fields may fail to capture key properties, for example, the transport properties of certain polymer systems such as polyethylene glycol. As a solution, we present an alternative potential energy surface, a charge recursive neural network (QRNN) model trained on DFT calculations made on smaller atomic clusters that generalizes well to oligomers comprising larger atomic clusters or longer chains. We demonstrate the validity of the polymer QRNN workflow by modeling the oligomers of ethylene glycol. We apply two rounds of active learning (addition of new training clusters based on current model performance) and implement a novel model training approach that uses partial charges from a semi-empirical method. Our developed QRNN model for polymers produces stable molecular dynamics (MD) simulation trajectory and captures the dynamics of polymer chains as indicated by the striking agreement with experimental values. Our model allows working on much larger systems than allowed by DFT simulations, at the same time providing a more accurate force field than classical force fields which provides a promising avenue for large-scale molecular simulations of polymeric systems.
Blood biomarker-based classification study for neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Kelly Jack , Moyeed Rana , Carroll Camille , Luo Shouqing , Li Xinzhong
Published: October 2023

As the population ages, neurodegenerative diseases are becoming more prevalent, making it crucial to comprehend the underlying disease mechanisms and identify biomarkers to allow for early diagnosis and effective screening for clinical trials. Thanks to advancements in gene expression profiling, it is now possible to search for disease biomarkers on an unprecedented scale.Here we applied a selection of five machine learning (ML) approaches to identify blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) with the application of multiple feature selection methods. Based on ROC AUC performance, one optimal random forest (RF) model was discovered for AD with 159 gene markers (ROC-AUC = 0.886), while one optimal RF model was discovered for PD (ROC-AUC = 0.743). Additionally, in comparison to traditional ML approaches, deep learning approaches were applied to evaluate their potential applications in future works. We demonstrated that convolutional neural networks perform consistently well across both the Alzheimer's (ROC AUC = 0.810) and Parkinson's (ROC AUC = 0.715) datasets, suggesting its potential in gene expression biomarker detection with increased tuning of their architecture.
A novel monoclonal antibody reveals the enrichment of NADPH oxidase 5 in human splenic endothelial cells
Authors: Szeles Zsolt , Petheő Gábor L. , Szikora Bence , Kacskovics Imre , Geiszt Miklós
Published: October 2023

Members of the NOX/DUOX family of NADPH oxidases are responsible for regulated ROS production in diverse cells and tissues. Detection of NOX/DUOX proteins at the protein level remains an important challenge in the field. Here we report the development and characterization of a novel anti-NOX5 monoclonal antibody, which recognizes the human NOX5 protein in both Western blot, immunocytochemistry, and histochemistry applications. With the help of the antibody we could successfully detect both heterologously and endogenously expressed NOX5 in mammalian cells. Furthermore, we could also detect NOX5 protein in the human spleen, testis, and ovary. Immunohistochemical studies on human testis revealed that NOX5 localized to spermatogenic cells. This expression pattern was also supported by the result of in silico analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data that indicated that NOX5 protein is present in developing spermatids and spermatocytes. Mature spermatozoa, however, did not contain detectable NOX5. In the human ovary, both immunostaining and single-cell RNA sequencing suggest that NOX5 is expressed in interstitial fibroblasts and theca cells. We also analyzed vascular cells for the presence of NOX5 and we found that NOX5 expression is a fairly specific feature of splenic endothelial cells.
Immunoglobulin superfamily member 3 is required for the vagal neural crest cell migration and enteric neuronal network organization
Authors: Tanjore Ramanathan Jayendrakishore , Zárybnický Tomáš , Filppu Pauliina , Monzo Hector J , Monni Outi , Tervonen Topi A , Klefström Juha , Kerosuo Laura , Kuure Satu , Laakkonen Pirjo
Published: October 2023

The immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily members are involved in cell adhesion and migration, complex multistep processes that play critical roles in embryogenesis, wound healing, tissue formation, and many other processes, but their specific functions during embryonic development remain unclear. Here, we have studied the function of the immunoglobulin superfamily member 3 (IGSF3) by generating an Igsf3 knockout (KO) mouse model with CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering. By combining RNA and protein detection methodology, we show that during development, IGSF3 localizes to the neural crest and a subset of its derivatives, suggesting a role in normal embryonic and early postnatal development. Indeed, inactivation of Igsf3 impairs the ability of the vagal neural crest cells to migrate and normally innervate the intestine. The small intestine of Igsf3 KO mice shows reduced thickness of the muscularis externa and diminished number of enteric neurons. Also, misalignment of neurons and smooth muscle cells in the developing intestinal villi is detected. Taken together, our results suggest that IGSF3 functions contribute to the formation of the enteric nervous system. Given the essential role of the enteric nervous system in maintaining normal gastrointestinal function, our study adds to the pool of information required for further understanding the mechanisms of gut innervation and etiology behind bowel motility disorders.
Comparison of adjuvant capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPOX) versus S-1 after gastrectomy: a population-based cohort study using a nationwide claims database
Authors: Maeng Chi Hoon , Kim Hoseob , Kim Mina
Published: October 2023

Although both capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPOX) and S-1 are accepted as adjuvant chemotherapy following gastrectomy for gastric cancer, the better option between the two is still controversial. We conducted a retrospective nationwide cohort study using data from the National Health Insurance Service of Korea. We included patients who underwent gastrectomy for a primary diagnosis of gastric cancer between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2018. The study compared the survival outcomes of patients who received postoperative chemotherapy based on S-1 (Arm S) vs. CAPOX (Arm C), as well as other relevant clinical variables such as comorbidity and completion of planned treatment. A total of 6602 patients were included in the analysis, with 4199 in Arm S and 2403 in Arm C. After propensity score matching, the final study population consisted of 2067 patients in each arm. Arm C showed statistically inferior 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates compared to Arm S (84.0% vs. 90.0%; p < 0.0001; and 78.4% vs. 86.1%; p < 0.0001). Age (65 ≥ vs. < 65) and the incomplete planned treatment also had a significant negative effect on both OS and DFS. In the multivariable analysis, Arm C still showed worse OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.609; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.339–1.934; p < 0.0001) and DFS (HR, 1.552; 95% CI 1.333–1.807; p < 0.0001) than Arm S. Both S-1 and CAPOX showed excellent efficacy, but this nationwide cohort study suggests that S-1 may be a better option in certain clinical situations.
Influence of high porous sponges for improving the interfacial evaporation from hemispherical solar distillers
Authors: Sathyamurthy Ravishankar , Kabeel A. E. , El Hadi Attia Mohammed , Abdelgaied Mohamed , Abdullah A. S. , Erko Kuma Gowwomsa
Published: October 2023

The present study aims to improve the palatable water production from the hemispherical cover solar distiller (HSD). To augment the palatable water produced from the hemispherical cover, a black sponge was utilized as a porous medium using different thicknesses, which augments the interfacial evaporation through the capillary effect of the water through the sponge. The rate of condensation of the hemispherical cover depends on the higher interaction of air from the ambient through wind velocity as the exposure area of the hemispherical cover is relatively higher as compared to the other traditional distillers. The rate of evaporation from the distillers depends on the interfacial materials used in the distillation unit, and this is achieved by using a highly porous black sponge to attain a higher evaporation rate. The thickness of the black porous sponge was optimized (1 to 4 cm), which was the operating parameter for better interfacial evaporation through the sponge, and the same has been compared to the conventional HSD without a porous sponge medium. Results showed a significant improvement in the evaporation rate using a porous medium as the palatable water produced from the HSD was improved by 72.29% using 3 cm as sponge thickness inside compared to the conventional HSD without the porous medium. The cumulative palatable water produced from the HSD using 3 cm as sponge thickness was found as 7150 mL/m2, whereas the conventional HSD without sponge, it was found as 4150 mL/m2. Moreover, using a porous sponge layer as an interfacial evaporation medium, the exergy and energy efficiencies were improved by about 512.87 and 70.53%, respectively. Similarly, with the influence of a porous sponge as an interfacial evaporation medium, the distilled water cost decreased by 41.67% more than the conventional HSD.
Differences in configural processing for human versus android dynamic facial expressions
Authors: Diel Alexander , Sato Wataru , Hsu Chun-Ting , Minato Takashi
Published: October 2023

Humanlike androids can function as social agents in social situations and in experimental research. While some androids can imitate facial emotion expressions, it is unclear whether their expressions tap the same processing mechanisms utilized in human expression processing, for example configural processing. In this study, the effects of global inversion and asynchrony between facial features as configuration manipulations were compared in android and human dynamic emotion expressions. Seventy-five participants rated (1) angry and happy emotion recognition and (2) arousal and valence ratings of upright or inverted, synchronous or asynchronous, android or human agent dynamic emotion expressions. Asynchrony in dynamic expressions significantly decreased all ratings (except valence in angry expressions) in all human expressions, but did not affect android expressions. Inversion did not affect any measures regardless of agent type. These results suggest that dynamic facial expressions are processed in a synchrony-based configural manner for humans, but not for androids.
Global transcriptome analysis reveals fungal disease responsive core gene regulatory landscape in tea
Authors: Hazra Anjan , Ghosh Sanatan , Naskar Sudipta , Rahaman Piya , Roy Chitralekha , Kundu Anirban , Chaudhuri Rituparna Kundu , Chakraborti Dipankar
Published: October 2023

Fungal infections are the inevitable limiting factor for productivity of tea. Transcriptome reprogramming recruits multiple regulatory pathways during pathogen infection. A comprehensive meta-analysis was performed utilizing previously reported, well-replicated transcriptomic datasets from seven fungal diseases of tea. The study identified a cumulative set of 18,517 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in tea, implicated in several functional clusters, including the MAPK signaling pathway, transcriptional regulation, and the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids. Gene set enrichment analyses under each pathogen stress elucidated that DEGs were involved in ethylene metabolism, secondary metabolism, receptor kinase activity, and various reactive oxygen species detoxification enzyme activities. Expressional fold change of combined datasets highlighting 2258 meta-DEGs shared a common transcriptomic response upon fungal stress in tea. Pervasive duplication events caused biotic stress-responsive core DEGs to appear in multiple copies throughout the tea genome. The co-expression network of meta-DEGs in multiple modules demonstrated the coordination of appropriate pathways, most of which involved cell wall organization. The functional coordination was controlled by a number of hub genes and miRNAs, leading to pathogenic resistance or susceptibility. This first-of-its-kind meta-analysis of host–pathogen interaction generated consensus candidate loci as molecular signatures, which can be associated with future resistance breeding programs in tea.
Combining clinical and imaging data for predicting functional outcomes after acute ischemic stroke: an automated machine learning approach
Authors: Jo Hongju , Kim Changi , Gwon Dowan , Lee Jaeho , Lee Joonwon , Park Kang Min , Park Seongho
Published: October 2023

This study aimed to develop and validate an automated machine learning (ML) system that predicts 3-month functional outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients by combining clinical and neuroimaging features. Functional outcomes were categorized as unfavorable (modified Rankin Scale ≥ 3) or not. A clinical model employing optimal clinical features (Model_A), a convolutional neural network model incorporating imaging data (Model_B), and an integrated model combining both imaging and clinical features (Model_C) were developed and tested to predict unfavorable outcomes. The developed models were compared with each other and with traditional risk-scoring models. The dataset comprised 4147 patients from a multicenter stroke registry, with 1268 (30.6%) experiencing unfavorable outcomes. Age, initial NIHSS, and early neurologic deterioration were identified as the most important clinical features. The ML model prediction achieved an area under the curves of 0.757 (95% CI 0.726–0.789) for Model_A, 0.725 (95% CI 0.693–0.755) for Model_B, and 0.786 (95% CI 0.757–0.814) for Model_C in the test set. The integrated models outperformed traditional risk-scoring models by 0.21 (95% CI 0.16–0.25) for HIAT and 0.15 (95% CI 0.11–0.19) for THRIVE. In conclusion, the integrated ML system enhanced stroke outcome prediction by combining imaging data and clinical features, outperforming traditional risk-scoring models.
l-β-aminoisobutyric acid, L-BAIBA, a marker of bone mineral density and body mass index, and D-BAIBA of physical performance and age
Authors: Lyssikatos Charalampos , Wang Zhiying , Liu Ziyue , Warden Stuart J. , Brotto Marco , Bonewald Lynda
Published: October 2023

As both L- and D-BAIBA are increased with exercise, we sought to determine if circulating levels would be associated with physical performance. Serum levels of L- and D-BAIBA were quantified in 120 individuals (50% female) aged 20–85 years and categorized as either a “low” (LP), “average” (AP) or “high” performing (HP). Association analysis was performed using Spearman (S) and Pearson (P) correlation. Using Spearman correlation, L-BAIBA positively associated with (1) body mass index BMI (0.23) and total fat mass (0.19) in the 120 participants, (2) total fat mass in the 60 males (0.26), and (3) bone mineral density, BMD, (0.28) in addition to BMI (0.26) in the 60 females. In HP females, L-BAIBA positively associated with BMD (0.50) and lean mass (0.47). D-BAIBA was positively associated with (1) age (P 0.20) in the 120 participants, (2) age (P 0.49) in the LP females and (3) with gait speed (S 0.20) in the 120 participants. However, in HP males, this enantiomer had a negative association with appendicular lean/height (S − 0.52) and in the AP males a negative correlation with BMD (S − 0.47). No associations were observed in HP or AP females, whereas, in LP females, a positive association was observed with grip strength (S 0.45), but a negative with BMD (P − 0.52, S − 0.63) and chair stands (P − 0.47, S − 0.51). L-BAIBA may play a role in BMI and BMD in females, not males, whereas D-BAIBA may be a marker for aging and physical performance. The association of L-BAIBA with BMI and fat mass may reveal novel, not previously described functions for this enantiomer.
Stroke metrics during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a tale of two comprehensive stroke centers
Authors: de Oliveira Lara Carvalho , Ponciano Ana , Kashani Nima , Guarda Suzete N. F. , Hill Michael D. , Smith Eric E. , Stang Jillian M. , Viswanathan Anand , Turner Ashby C. , Ganesh Aravind
Published: October 2023

Although a decrease in stroke admissions during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been observed, detailed analyses of the evolution of stroke metrics during the pandemic are lacking. We analyzed changes in stroke presentation, in-hospital systems-of-care, and treatment time metrics at two representative Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSCs) during the first year of Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. From January 2018 to May 2021, data from stroke presentations to two CSCs were obtained. The study duration was split into: period 0 (prepandemic), period 1 (Wave 1), period 2 (Lull), and period 3 (Wave 2). Acute stroke therapies rates and workflow times were compared among pandemic and prepandemic periods. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, and pre-morbid care needs. There was a significant decrease in monthly hospital presentations of stroke during Wave 1. Both centers reported declines in reperfusion therapies during Wave 1, slowly catching up but never to pre pandemic numbers, and dropping again in Wave 2. Both CSCs experienced in-hospital workflow delays during Waves 1 and 2, and even during the Lull period. Our results highlight the need for proactive strategies to reduce barriers to workflow and hospital avoidance for stroke patients during crisis periods.
An economic effect assessment of extension services of Agricultural Extension Model Sites for the irrigated wheat production in Iran
Authors: Shokati Amghani Mohammad , Mojtahedi Mehrdad , Savari Moslem
Published: October 2023

Agricultural extension is a key policy to accomplish sustainable agricultural development by improving farmers’ knowledge. Agricultural Extension Model Sites (AEMSs) is a new agricultural extension approach for empowering farmers in Iran. Therefore, the purpose of this research is the economic effect assessment of extension services of AEMSs for irrigated wheat production in Iran. Surveys were conducted with 180 people of the main farmers from irrigated wheat AEMSs throughout Iran. The research tool was a questionnaire, the validity of which was examined using the opinions of a group of experts from the Agricultural Education and Extension Institute in Iran. Data analysis was done using econometric analysis and One-way ANOVA analysis through SHAZAM11 and SPSS27 software. Results showed that the extension services significantly affected irrigated wheat yield with an average increase of 0.66 t/ha. Based on the results, out of the Marginal product value ($69 USD) of the extension services provided to the main farmers, 13.3% ($9 USD) had been spent as the cost of extension services and 86.7% ($60 USD) had been net profit gained by farmers. Farmers’ behaviors changed as a result of the AEMs with reduced input costs for growing the crop and increased production and profit from the crop.
Gut microbiota of the critically endangered Saiga antelope across two wild populations in a year without mass mortality
Authors: Hanski Eveliina , Khanyari Munib , Li Jingdi , Bates Kieran A. , Zuther Steffen , Maiden Martin C. J. , Kock Richard , Knowles Sarah C. L.
Published: October 2023

The Saiga are migratory antelopes inhabiting the grasslands of Eurasia. Over the last century, Saiga have been pushed to the brink of extinction by mass mortality events and intense poaching. Yet, despite the high profile of the Saiga as an animal of conservation concern, little is known of its biology. In particular, the gut microbiota of Saiga has not been studied, despite its potential importance in health. Here, we characterise the gut microbiota of Saiga from two geographically distinct populations in Kazakhstan and compare it with that of other antelope species. We identified a consistent gut microbial diversity and composition among individuals and across two Saiga populations during a year without die-offs, with over 85% of bacterial genera being common to both populations despite vast geographic separation. We further show that the Saiga gut microbiota resembled that of five other antelopes. The putative causative agent of Saiga mass die-offs, Pasteurella multocida, was not detected in the Saiga microbiota. Our findings provide the first description of the Saiga gut microbiota, generating a baseline for future work investigating the microbiota’s role in health and mass die-offs, and supporting the conservation of this critically endangered species.
Assessing effect of best management practices in unmonitored watersheds using the coupled SWAT-BiLSTM approach
Authors: Zhang Xianqi , Qi Yu , Li Haiyang , Sun Shifeng , Yin Qiuwen
Published: October 2023

In order to enhance the simulation of BMPs (Best Management Practices) reduction effects in unmonitored watersheds, in this study, we combined the physically-based hydrological model Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and the data-driven model Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM), using the very-high-resolution (VHR) Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) dataset SinoLC-1 as data input, to evaluate the feasibility of constructing a water environment model for the Ba-River Basin (BRB) in central China and improving streamflow prediction performance. In the SWAT-BiLSTM model, we calibrated the top five SWAT parameters sorted by P-Value, allowing SWAT to act as a transfer function to convert meteorological data into base flow and storm flow, serving as the data input for the Bi-LSTM model. This optimization improved the Bi-LSTM's learning process for the relationship between the target and explanatory variables. The daily streamflow prediction results showed that the hybrid model had 9 regions rated as "Very good," 2 as "Good," 2 as "Satisfactory," and 1 as "Unsatisfactory" among the 14 regions. The model achieved an NSE of 0.86, R2 of 0.85, and PBIAS of −2.71% for the overall daily streamflow prediction performance during the verification period of the BRB. This indicates that the hybrid model has high predictive accuracy and no significant systematic bias, providing a sound hydrodynamic environment for water quality simulation. The simulation results of different BMPs scenarios showed that in the scenarios with only one BMP measure, stubble mulch had the best reduction effect, with average reductions of 17.83% for TN and 36.17% for TP. In the scenarios with a combination of multiple BMP measures, the combination of stubble mulch, soil testing and formula fertilization, and vegetative filter strip performed the best, achieving average reductions of 42.71% for TN and 50.40% for TP. The hybrid model provides a novel approach to simulate BMPs' reduction effects in regions without measured hydrological data and has the potential for wide application in BMP-related decision-making.
Rhabdopleurid epibionts from the Ordovician Fezouata Shale biota and the longevity of cross-phylum interactions
Authors: Nanglu Karma , Waskom Madeleine E. , Richards Jared C. , Ortega-Hernández Javier
Published: October 2023

Evidence of interspecific interactions in the fossil record is rare but offers valuable insights into ancient ecologies. Exceptional fossiliferous sites can preserve complex ecological interactions involving non-biomineralized organisms, but most of these examples are restricted to Cambrian Lagerstätten. Here we report an exceptionally preserved cross-phylum interspecific interaction from the Tremadocian-aged Lower Fezouata Shale Formation of Morocco, which consists of the phragmocone of an orthocone cephalopod that has been extensively populated post-mortem by tubicolous epibionts. Well-preserved transverse bands in a zig-zag pattern and crenulations along the margin of the unbranched tubes indicate that they correspond to pterobranch hemichordates, with a close morphological similarity to rhabdopleurids based on the bush-like growth of the dense tubarium. The discovery of rhabdopleurid epibionts in the Fezouata Shale highlights the paucity of benthic graptolites, which also includes the rooted dendroids Didymograptus and Dictyonema, relative to the substantially more diverse and abundant planktic forms known from this biota. We propose that the rarity of Paleozoic rhabdopleurid epibionts is likely a consequence of their ecological requirement for hard substrates for initial settlement and growth. The Fezouata rhabdopleurid also reveals a 480-million-year-old association of pterobranchs as epibionts of molluscs that persist to the present day.
Widow spiders alter web architecture and attractiveness in response to same-sex competition for prey and mates, and predation risk
Authors: Fischer Andreas , Fernando Yasasi , Preston April , Moniz-de-Sa Sarah , Gries Gerhard
Published: October 2023

Female-female competition in animals has rarely been studied. Responses of females that compete context-dependently for mates and prey, and seek safety from predators, are ideally studied with web-building spiders. Cobwebs possess unique sections for prey capture and safety, which can be quantified. We worked with Steaoda grossa females because their pheromone is known, and adjustments in response to mate competition could be measured. Females exposed to synthetic sex pheromone adjusted their webs, indicating a perception of intra-sexual competition via their sex pheromone. When females sequentially built their webs in settings of low and high intra-sexual competition, they adjusted their webs to increase prey capture and lower predation risk. In settings with strong mate competition, females deposited more contact pheromone components on their webs and accelerated their breakdown to mate-attractant pheromone components, essentially increasing their webs’ attractiveness. We show that females respond to sexual, social and natural selection pressures originating from intra-sexual competition.
Dynamic zero-COVID policy and healthcare utilization patterns in China during the Shanghai COVID-19 Omicron outbreak
Authors: Xiao Hong , Liu Fang , Unger Joseph M.
Published: October 2023

Background

In April 2022, an outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus Omicron variant in Shanghai precipitated an extensive lockdown. We assessed changes in healthcare utilization during this outbreak and investigated the relationship between the stringency of mitigation strategies and disruptions in healthcare utilization.

Methods

Using provincial-level data from routine health information systems covering all hospitals across Mainland China, we conducted an interrupted time series analysis to examine changes in healthcare utilization during the Shanghai outbreak. Linear regression was used to evaluate the direction and magnitude of the association between the relative changes in the move-out movement index, a proxy for the stringency in population-level mitigation strategies, and the estimated relative changes in healthcare utilization.

Results

Overall, there were 22.9 billion outpatient visits and 1.2 billion discharged inpatients during the study period from January 2016 to May 2022, including 9.1 billion (39.7%) and 0.46 billion (38.2%) in the post-COVID-19 period (January 2020–May 2022), respectively. From March through May 2022, the outbreak resulted in an accumulative loss of 23.5 million (47%) outpatient visits and 0.6 million (55%) discharged inpatients in Shanghai, and a loss of 150.3 million (14%) outpatient visits and 3.6 million (7%) discharged inpatients in other regions. We find that for every 10-percentage point reduction in the relative change of move-out index, a 2.7 (95% CI: 2.0–3.4) percentage point decline in the relative change of outpatient visits, and a 4.3 (95% CI: 3.5–5.2) percentage points decline in the relative change of inpatient discharges.

Conclusions

The Shanghai COVID-19 Omicron outbreak associates with a substantial reduction in outpatient visits and inpatient discharges within Shanghai and other regions in China. The stringency of the COVID-19 lockdown policies associates with more profound reductions in healthcare utilization.
Development of a cell-free toehold switch for hepatitis A virus type I on-site detection
Authors: Kang Xiaodan , Zhao Chen , Chen Shuting , Zhang Xi , Xue Bin , Li Chenyu , Wang Shang , Yang Xiaobo , Xia Zhiqiang , Xu Yongchun , Huang Yongliang , Qiu Zhigang , Li Chao , Wang Jingfeng , Pang Jian , Shen Zhiqiang
Published: October 2023

Application of the cell-free synthesis based on toehold switch in hepatitis A virus type I detection.
Engineered baicalein-decorated zinc phosphates for synergistic alleviation of inflammatory bowel disease by repairing the mucosal barrier and relieving oxidative stress
Authors: Liu Limei , Wu Weisong , Li Siqi , Ma Li , Liu Yunting , Wang Xiaoli , Jiang Yanjun
Published: October 2023

Baicalein-decorated zinc phosphates were designed to synergize their bioactivities to nicely restore the mucosal barrier and relieve oxidative stress, thus exhibiting obvious therapeutic effects on acute and chronic colitis as well as good biosecurity.
Dy3+ and Tb3+ codoped mixed garnet crystals with a high-disorder structure for promising efficient InGaN laser-diode pumped yellow lasers
Authors: Ding Shoujun , Zhang Chuancheng , Ren Hao , Wang Miaomiao , Huang Xianshan , Zou Yong , Tang Xubing , Liu Wenpeng , Zhang Qingli
Published: October 2023

Dy3+ and Tb3+ codoped mixed garnet crystals with a high-disorder structure were grown by the Cz method. These mixed crystals exhibit distinct advantages for the development of blue laser diode pumped one-step solid-state yellow lasers.
The metal atomic substitution induced half-metallic properties, metallic properties and semiconducting properties in X–N4 nanoribbons
Authors: Fan Dong , Wang Zhihao , Yin Maoye , Li Hengshuai , Hu Haiquan , Guo Feng , Feng Zhenbao , Li Jun , Zhang Dong , Li Zhi , Zhu Minghui
Published: October 2023

Nanoribbons with different edge structures have different properties. Substitution of transition metal atoms in the nanoribbons can manipulate their electronic properties and induce different electronic characteristics.
Unusual cleavage of phosphaalkynes triple bond in the coordination sphere of transition metals
Authors: Elsayed Moussa Mehdi , Rummel Eva-Maria , Eckhardt Maria , Riesinger Christoph , Scheer Manfred
Published: October 2023

The reaction of phosphaalkynes RCP (R = tBu, Me, iPr) with an excess of Co2(CO)8 and Fe2(CO)9 leads to unpredictable fragmentations of the CP triple bond with subsequent formation of novel Co and Fe clusters.
L-shaped association between dietary coenzyme Q10 intake and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in Chinese adults: a national cross-sectional study
Authors: Zhao Mingzhu , Tian Zezhong , Zhao Dan , Liang Ying , Dai Suming , Xu Yixuan , Hou Shanshan , Yang Yan
Published: October 2023

This national cross-sectional study suggested that there is an L-shaped association between the intake of CoQ10 from dietary sources and hsCRP in Chinese adults.
Effect of dietary supplementation with multinutrient soy flour on body composition and cognitive function in elderly individuals at the risk of low protein: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Authors: Liu Yajun , Yuan Yanlei , Yang Yingcai , Gao Tianlin , Cai Jing , Wen Haichao , Wu Xiaoqing , Zhou Ying , Ma Aiguo , Ma Yan , Zhong Feng
Published: October 2023

Insufficient protein intake and cognitive decline are common in older adults; however, there have been few studies on low protein risk screening and complex nutrient interventions for elderly individuals in rural communities.
Chiraltube, rolling 2D materials into chiral nanotubes
Authors: de Albornoz-Caratozzolo José M. , Cervantes-Sodi Felipe
Published: October 2023

Chiraltube, an accessible Python code, generates atomic coordinates of chiral nanotubes derived from the unit cell of any 2D material. These structures can then be used for further study using other visualization, simulation or calculation software.
Efficient skin interactions of graphene derivatives: challenge, opportunity or both?
Authors: Zabihi Fatemeh , Tu Zhaoxu , Kaessmeyer Sabine , Schumacher Fabian , Rancan Fiorenza , Kleuser Burkhard , Boettcher Christoph , Ludwig Kai , Plendl Johanna , Hedtrich Sarah , Vogt Annika , Haag Rainer
Published: October 2023

Positively and negatively charged graphene sheets interacted with human skin and enhanced penetration of Nile red-loaded into the epidermal and dermal layers of the skin. Moreover, graphene's cargo was released more efficiently into the skin layers after laser exposure.
Enhancing the inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in H22 hepatoma cells through biotransformation of notoginsenoside R1 by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum S165 into 20(S/R)-notoginsenoside R2
Authors: Wang Penghui , Gao Yansong , Yang Ge , Zhao Yujuan , Zhao Zijian , Gao Ge , Zhao Lei , Li Shengyu
Published: October 2023

The biotransformation method employed yielded 20(S)-notoginsenoside R2 and 20(R)-notoginsenoside R2 from notoginsenoside R1, and the anti-tumor activity of the transformed compound markly improved.
Unlocking mild-condition benzene ring contraction using nonheme diiron N-oxygenase
Authors: Guo Yuan-Yang , Tian Ze-Hua , Ma ChunHua , Han Yu-Chen , Bai DaChang , Jiang ZhiYong
Published: October 2023

Benzene ring contractions are thermodynamically challenging and are typically performed under harsh conditions. This study reports a broad scope, enzymatic, one-step and one-pot reaction for benzene ring contraction under mild conditions.
Unsynchronous conformational transitions induced by the asymmetric adsorption-response of an active diblock copolymer in an inert brush
Authors: Qi Shuanhu , Zhao Shuli , Lian Zengju
Published: October 2023

A diblock copolymer chain composed of two chemically different blocks, which respond to external adsorption in a different way, would result in unsynchronous three-state transitions involving two separate processes.
Self-organization of metallo-supramolecular polymer networks by free formation of pyridine–phenanthroline heteroleptic complexes
Authors: Ahmadi Mostafa , Sprenger Cora , Pareras Gerard , Poater Albert , Seiffert Sebastian
Published: October 2023

Polymer networks made by combination of tetraPEG chains functionalized either with pyridine or phenanthroline can organize in various network structures depending on the coordination geometry preference of the utilized metal ion.
Enhancing photodetection efficiency of CMOS SiPMs using virtual guard rings in a standard 0.35 µm process
Authors: Preitnacher Jonathan , Ageev Sergei , Hansch Walter
Published: October 2023

In this letter, a design of virtual guarded SiPMs fabricated in a standard 0.35μm standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process is introduced. The performance of these virtual guarded cells (VGC) is compared to that of conventional cells with real guard rings, referred to as physical guarded cells (PGC). Specifically, the photon detection efficiency (PDE) of both types of SiPMs is evaluated. For this, PDE calculations are conducted at different overvoltages (OVs) and the PDE is compared depending on the wavelength before conducting measurements. The results demonstrate that the VGC SiPM outperforms the PGC SiPM, exhibiting a true PDE of (22.5 ± 0.5)%, which is significantly higher than the PDE of (10.9 ± 0.3)% obtained for the PGC SiPM. The superior PDE of the VGC SiPM is attributed to a larger active or photosensitive area due to the virtual guard rings and a thinner n‐layer in the photosensitive region.
The ellipticity parameterization for an NFW profile: An overlooked angular structure in strong lens modeling
Authors: Gomer Matthew R. , Sluse Dominique , Van de Vyvere Lyne , Birrer Simon , Shajib Anowar J. , Courbin Frederic
Published: October 2023

Galaxy-scale gravitational lenses are often modeled with two-component mass profiles where one component represents the stellar mass and the second is a Navarro Frenk White (NFW) profile representing the dark matter. Outside of the spherical case, the NFW profile is costly to implement, and so it is approximated via two different methods; ellipticity can be introduced via the lensing potential (NFWp) or via the mass by approximating the NFW profile as a sum of analytical profiles (NFWm). While the NFWp method has been the default for lensing applications, it gives a different prescription of the azimuthal structure, which we show introduces ubiquitous gradients in ellipticity and boxiness in the mass distribution rather than having a constant elliptical shape. Because an unmodeled azimuthal structure has been shown to be able to bias lens model results, we explored the degree to which this azimuthal structure that was introduced can affect the model accuracy. We constructed input profiles using composite models using both the NFWp and NFWm methods and fit these mocks with a power-law elliptical mass distribution (PEMD) model with external shear. As a measure of the accuracy of the recovered lensing potential, we calculated the value of the Hubble parameterH0one would determine from the lensing fit. We found that the fits to the NFWp input returnH0values that are systematically biased by about 3% lower than the NFWm counterparts. We explored whether such an effect is attributable to the mass sheet transformation (MST) by using an MST-independent quantity,ξ2. We show that, as expected, the NFWm mocks are degenerate with PEMD through an MST. For the NFWp, an additional bias was found beyond the MST due to the azimuthal structure exterior to the Einstein radius. We recommend modelers use an NFWm prescription in the future, such that the azimuthal structure can be introduced explicitly rather than implicitly.
Enhanced energization of plume ions around Mars from interplanetary shocks
Authors: He Linxia , Guo Jianpeng , Zhang Fan , Lin Haibo , Chen Yan , Zhao Dan , Meng Weiduo , Wei Yong , Liu Libo
Published: October 2023

Heavy ions escaping Mars along the solar wind electric field direction are often referred to as an “ion plume”. This phenomenon represents one of the major ion escape channels on Mars. Spacecraft observations have indicated that the global average of escaping ion fluxes, derived with the aid of models, can be increased by an order of magnitude or more in response to strong solar events. In particular, it has been reported that interplanetary (IP) shocks produce high-energy escaping ion plumes. However, the ion acceleration mechanisms associated with the shock arrival have not yet been fully elucidated. During the passage of an IP shock on Mars on March 3, 2015, the plume O+ ions continuously entered the narrow field of view (FoV) of STATIC on board the MAVEN spacecraft, thanks to favorable FoV configurations. This event provides a unique opportunity to identify plume ion energization processes associated with the shock arrival. Our analysis suggests that the enhanced energization of the plume O+ ions is mainly due to the enhanced convection electric field caused by the IP shock compression. This finding provides a crucial clue towards the understanding of how IP shocks facilitate ion escape through the plume.
Transient and asymmetric dust structures in the TeV-bright nova RS Oph revealed by spectropolarimetry
Authors: Nikolov Y. , Luna G. J. M. , Stoyanov K. A. , Borisov G. , Mukai K. , Sokoloski J. L. , Avramova-Boncheva A.
Published: October 2023

A long-standing question related to nova eruptions is how these eruptions might lead to dust formation, despite the ostensibly inhospitable environment for dust within the hot, irradiated ejecta. In the novae of systems such as the symbiotic binary RS Ophiuchi (RS Oph), ejecta from the white dwarf collide with pre-existing circumstellar material fed by the wind from the red-giant companion, offering a particularly clear view of some nova shocks and any associated dust production. In this work, we use the spectropolarimetric monitoring of the recurrent nova RS Oph starting two days after its eruption in August 2021 to show that: 1) dust was present in the RS Oph system as early as two days into the 2021 eruption; 2) the spatial distribution of this early dust was asymmetric, with components both aligned with and perpendicular to the orbital plane of the binary; 3) between two and nine days after the start of the eruption, this early dust was gradually destroyed; and 4) dust was again created, aligned roughly with the orbital plane of the binary more than 80 days after the start of the outburst, most likely as a result of shocks that arose as the ejecta interacted with circumbinary material concentrated in the orbital plane. The modeling of X-rays and very-high-energy (GeV and TeV) emission from RS Oph days to months into the 2021 eruption suggests that collisions between the ejecta and the circumbinary material may have led to shock formation in two distinct regions: the polar regions perpendicular to the orbital plane, where collimated outflows have been observed after prior eruptions, and a circumbinary torus in the orbital plane. The observations described here indicate that dust formed in approximately the same two regions, supporting the connection between shocks and dust in novae and revealing a very early onset of asymmetry. The spectropolarimetric signatures of RS Oph in the first week into the 2021 outburst indicate: 1) polarized flux across the Hα emission line and 2) the position angle orientation relative to the radio axis is similar to what is seen from the spectropolarimetric signatures of active galactic nuclei (AGNs).