bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advancing green finance: a review of climate change and decarbonization
Authors: Fu Chengbo , Lu Lei , Pirabi Mansoor
Published: January 2024

This paper comprehensively reviews the interconnections between climate change, decarbonization, and green finance. The urgency of addressing climate change and its catastrophic consequences needs to focus on green finance as a vital tool in the global struggle against environmental damage. Green finance involves supplying investments, loans, or capital to support environmentally friendly activities, facilitating the transition to a more sustainable future. This review explores the theoretical frame of reference for green finance, including its impacts on climate change, decarbonization of economies, carbon-stranded assets, risk management, renewable energy, and sustainable economic growth. Additionally, it examines regional focuses in Asia, such as the importance of green finance in China and the beliefs and challenges of green finance in Bangladesh. The review also discusses future directions and recommendations for advancing green finance. The review examines the current research in green finance and how it can address environmental challenges and promote sustainable development. More research needs to be conducted in mainstream economics and finance journals to bridge the knowledge gap and foster broader scholarly engagement in green finance. Researchers, policymakers, investors, and stakeholders will receive help from the study's reliable and robust insights into combating climate change and promoting sustainable development.
Within digital collaborative teams, how can leaders promote productive knowledge sharing among members with diverse settings?
Authors: Huang Haidi , Wang Qiang
Published: January 2024

Although value networks and virtual cross-functional teams, which serve as examples of digital collaborative organizations in the digital economy, have grown in popularity, few studies have looked at knowledge sharing in these teams. Yet lack of knowledge sharing can hurt teamwork and value creation.

So, this study integrates transactional theory of stress and coping and self-determination theory into the stimulus-organism-response model to better understand the mechanisms. We conducted an empirical analysis after surveying of 386 participants from 49 digital collaboration teams in 27 service and industrial firms.

The results indicate that the basic psychological needs and both coping strategies together mediate the correlation between diversity-oriented leadership and organizational knowledge sharing. Surprisingly, competence and autonomy needs satisfaction are necessary for organizational knowledge sharing, while perceived relatedness needs satisfaction is the icebreaker for organizational knowledge sharing.
Todo se supedita al aprendizaje
Authors: Lifshitz Alberto
Published: January 2024

Lo que verdaderamente legitima el acto educativo es el aprendizaje. Aristóteles decía que «enseñar no es una función vital porque no tiene el fin en sí misma; la función vital es aprender». Por más brillante que haya sido la enseñanza se tiene que reconocer que fracasó si los alumnos no aprendieron.
Big data y analítica del aprendizaje en aplicaciones de salud y educación médica
Authors: Peñaloza Báez Marcela Juliana
Published: January 2024

Big data y la analítica del aprendizaje son herramientas que permiten aprovechar enormes cantidades de datos que hoy existen en formato digital, y que se generan durante la prestación de servicios de salud y cuando se incorporan plataformas digitales al proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje en la formación de médicos. El objetivo es diseñar proyectos que exploten las ventajas de las capacidades técnicas actuales para el procesamiento automatizado de datos en grandes volúmenes y distintos formatos, para buscar su entendimiento y mejorar la toma de decisiones. Las asociaciones, los patrones y las tendencias que pueden emerger del análisis de datos generados en la educación médica pueden facilitar el seguimiento e incluso modelar la conducta de los estudiantes, y perfilar su desempeño. Con Big data y la analítica del aprendizaje es posible transformar grandes cantidades de datos en información de muy alta calidad. Lo anterior es un área que puede ser aprovechada por el educador médico, quien conoce la información que tiene disponible y la que puede obtener mediante alianzas y acuerdos legales, a partir de un problema que se requiera resolver; se necesita apoyo de expertos técnicos pero, en todo momento, el rumbo del proyecto le corresponde a quien ha definido el problema, pues es quien conoce el marco de referencia y las posibles acciones a tomar con los hallazgos y las ideas que surjan. Ciertamente se requiere infraestructura, pero con las posibilidades para el trabajo en la nube, y los recursos disponibles en las instituciones médicas y de educación superior, se puede partir de un primer nivel de hardware y software, y escalar a plataformas más sofisticadas cuando la combinación de hallazgos en los datos y de los volúmenes a procesar lo justifique. Sin duda, Big data y analítica del aprendizaje son herramientas en las que el educador médico debe poner atención.
Social and environmental protection: the effects of social insurance generosity on the acceptance of material sacrifices for the sake of environmental protection
Authors: Sjöstrand Sverker
Published: January 2024

Studies on climate change mitigation and environmental degradation suggest that lifestyle changes in high-income countries can help promote environmental sustainability. Such changes may include material sacrifices on the part of the individual. Yet, accepting material sacrifices can be a challenging task for both individuals and countries. Can publicly provided economic protection facilitate the acceptance of such sacrifices? This study examines whether social insurance generosity is likely to make people more willing to accept material sacrifices for the sake of environmental protection. Using multilevel regression modelling to analyse data on social insurance programmes and attitudes towards material sacrifices in nineteen high-income countries, the results of the study suggest that social insurance generosity has a positive effect on attitudes towards accepting material sacrifices, with some variation across programmes and social groups.
Tantalum pentoxide: a new material platform for high-performance dielectric metasurface optics in the ultraviolet and visible region
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Chen Lu , Lin Zhelin , Song Junyeob , Wang Danyan , Li Moxin , Koksal Okan , Wang Zi , Spektor Grisha , Carlson David , Lezec Henri J. , Zhu Wenqi , Papp Scott , Agrawal Amit
Published: January 2024

Dielectric metasurfaces, composed of planar arrays of subwavelength dielectric structures that collectively mimic the operation of conventional bulk optical elements, have revolutionized the field of optics by their potential in constructing high-efficiency and multi-functional optoelectronic systems on chip. The performance of a dielectric metasurface is largely determined by its constituent material, which is highly desired to have a high refractive index, low optical loss and wide bandgap, and at the same time, be fabrication friendly. Here, we present a new material platform based on tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) for implementing high-performance dielectric metasurface optics over the ultraviolet and visible spectral region. This wide-bandgap dielectric, exhibiting a high refractive index exceeding 2.1 and negligible extinction coefficient across a broad spectrum, can be easily deposited over large areas with good quality using straightforward physical vapor deposition, and patterned into high-aspect-ratio subwavelength nanostructures through commonly-available fluorine-gas-based reactive ion etching. We implement a series of high-efficiency ultraviolet and visible metasurfaces with representative light-field modulation functionalities including polarization-independent high-numerical-aperture lensing, spin-selective hologram projection, and vivid structural color generation, and the devices exhibit operational efficiencies up to 80%. Our work overcomes limitations faced by scalability of commonly-employed metasurface dielectrics and their operation into the visible and ultraviolet spectral range, and provides a novel route towards realization of high-performance, robust and foundry-manufacturable metasurface optics.
Operando monitoring of dendrite formation in lithium metal batteries via ultrasensitive tilted fiber Bragg grating sensors
Authors: Han Xile , Zhong Hai , Li Kaiwei , Xue Xiaobin , Wu Wen , Hu Nan , Lu Xihong , Huang Jiaqiang , Xiao Gaozhi , Mai Yaohua , Guo Tuan
Published: January 2024

Lithium (Li) dendrite growth significantly deteriorates the performance and shortens the operation life of lithium metal batteries. Capturing the intricate dynamics of surface localized and rapid mass transport at the electrolyte–electrode interface of lithium metal is essential for the understanding of the dendrite growth process, and the evaluation of the solutions mitigating the dendrite growth issue. Here we demonstrate an approach based on an ultrasensitive tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) sensor which is inserted close to the electrode surface in a working lithium metal battery, without disturbing its operation. Thanks to the superfine optical resonances of the TFBG, in situ and rapid monitoring of mass transport kinetics and lithium dendrite growth at the nanoscale interface of lithium anodes have been achieved. Reliable correlations between the performance of different natural/artificial solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs) and the time-resolved optical responses have been observed and quantified, enabling us to link the nanoscale ion and SEI behavior with the macroscopic battery performance. This new operando tool will provide additional capabilities for parametrization of the batteries’ electrochemistry and help identify the optimal interphases of lithium metal batteries to enhance battery performance and its safety.
A compact multi-pixel superconducting nanowire single-photon detector array supporting gigabit space-to-ground communications
Authors: Hao Hao , Zhao Qing-Yuan , Huang Yang-Hui , Deng Jie , Yang Fan , Ru Sai-Ying , Liu Zhen , Wan Chao , Liu Hao , Li Zhi-Jian , Wang Hua-Bing , Tu Xue-Cou , Zhang La-Bao , Jia Xiao-Qing , Wu Xing-Long , Chen Jian , Kang Lin , Wu Pei-Heng
Published: January 2024

Classical and quantum space-to-ground communications necessitate highly sensitive receivers capable of extracting information from modulated photons to extend the communication distance from near-earth orbits to deep space explorations. To achieve gigabit data rates while mitigating strong background noise photons and beam drift in a highly attenuated free-space channel, a comprehensive design of a multi-functional detector is indispensable. In this study, we present an innovative compact multi-pixel superconducting nanowire single-photon detector array that integrates near-unity detection efficiency (91.6%), high photon counting rate (1.61 Gcps), large dynamic range for resolving different photon numbers (1–24), and four-quadrant position sensing function all within one device. Furthermore, we have constructed a communication testbed to validate the advantages offered by such an architecture. Through 8-PPM (pulse position modulation) format communication experiments, we have achieved an impressive maximum data rate of 1.5 Gbps, demonstrating sensitivities surpassing previous benchmarks at respective speeds. By incorporating photon number information into error correction codes, the receiver can tolerate maximum background noise levels equivalent to 0.8 photons/slot at a data rate of 120 Mbps—showcasing a great potential for daylight operation scenarios. Additionally, preliminary beam tracking tests were conducted through open-loop scanning techniques, which revealed clear quantitative dependence indicating sensitivity variations based on beam location. Based on the device characterizations and communication results, we anticipate that this device architecture, along with its corresponding signal processing and coding techniques, will be applicable in future space-to-ground communication tasks.
Hydroxynorketamine, but not ketamine, acts via α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor to control presynaptic function and gene expression
Authors: Guhathakurta Debarpan , Petrušková Aneta , Akdaş Enes Yağız , Perelló-Amorós Bartomeu , Frischknecht Renato , Anni Daniela , Weiss Eva-Maria , Walter Martin , Fejtová Anna
Published: January 2024

Ketamine is clinically used fast-acting antidepressant. Its metabolite hydroxynorketamine (HNK) shows a robust antidepressant effect in animal studies. It is unclear, how these chemically distinct compounds converge on similar neuronal effects. While KET acts mostly as N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, the molecular target of HNK remains enigmatic. Here, we show that KET and HNK converge on rapid inhibition of glutamate release by reducing the release competence of synaptic vesicles and induce nuclear translocation of pCREB that controls expression of neuroplasticity genes connected to KET- and HNK-mediated antidepressant action. Ro25-6981, a selective antagonist of GluN2B, mimics effect of KET indicating that GluN2B-containing NMDAR might mediate the presynaptic effect of KET. Selective antagonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) or genetic deletion of Chrna7, its pore-forming subunit, fully abolishes HNK-induced synaptic and nuclear regulations, but leaves KET-dependent cellular effects unaffected. Thus, KET or HNK-induced modulation of synaptic transmission and nuclear translocation of pCREB can be mediated by selective signaling via NMDAR or α7nAChRs, respectively. Due to the rapid metabolism of KET to HNK, it is conceivable that subsequent modulation of glutamatergic and cholinergic neurotransmission affects circuits in a cell-type-specific manner and contributes to the therapeutic potency of KET. This finding promotes further exploration of new combined medications for mood disorders.
Development of an individualized risk calculator of treatment resistance in patients with first-episode psychosis (TRipCal) using automated machine learning: a 12-year follow-up study with clozapine prescription as a proxy indicator
Authors: Wong Ting Yat , Luo Hao , Tang Jennifer , Moore Tyler M. , Gur Ruben C. , Suen Yi Nam , Hui Christy Lai Ming , Lee Edwin Ho Ming , Chang Wing Chung , Yan Wai Ching , Chui Eileena , Poon Lap Tak , Lo Alison , Cheung Koi-Man , Kan Chui Kwan , Chen Eric Yu Hai , Chan Sherry Kit Wa
Published: January 2024

About 15–40% of patients with schizophrenia are treatment resistance (TR) and require clozapine. Identifying individuals who have higher risk of development of TR early in the course of illness is important to provide personalized intervention. A total of 1400 patients with FEP enrolled in the early intervention for psychosis service or receiving the standard psychiatric service between July 1, 1998, and June 30, 2003, for the first time were included. Clozapine prescriptions until June 2015, as a proxy of TR, were obtained. Premorbid information, baseline characteristics, and monthly clinical information were retrieved systematically from the electronic clinical management system (CMS). Training and testing samples were established with random subsampling. An automated machine learning (autoML) approach was used to optimize the ML algorithm and hyperparameters selection to establish four probabilistic classification models (baseline, 12-month, 24-month, and 36-month information) of TR development. This study found 191 FEP patients (13.7%) who had ever been prescribed clozapine over the follow-up periods. The ML pipelines identified with autoML had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranging from 0.676 (baseline information) to 0.774 (36-month information) in predicting future TR. Features of baseline information, including schizophrenia diagnosis and age of onset, and longitudinal clinical information including symptoms variability, relapse, and use of antipsychotics and anticholinergic medications were important predictors and were included in the risk calculator. The risk calculator for future TR development in FEP patients (TRipCal) developed in this study could support the continuous development of data-driven clinical tools to assist personalized interventions to prevent or postpone TR development in the early course of illness and reduce delay in clozapine initiation.
RBL2 represses the transcriptional activity of Multicilin to inhibit multiciliogenesis
Authors: Quiroz Erik J. , Kim Seongjae , Gautam Lalit K. , Borok Zea , Kintner Christopher , Ryan Amy L.
Published: January 2024

A core pathophysiologic feature underlying many respiratory diseases is multiciliated cell dysfunction, leading to inadequate mucociliary clearance. Due to the prevalence and highly variable etiology of mucociliary dysfunction in respiratory diseases, it is critical to understand the mechanisms controlling multiciliogenesis that may be targeted to restore functional mucociliary clearance. Multicilin, in a complex with E2F4, is necessary and sufficient to drive multiciliogenesis in airway epithelia, however this does not apply to all cell types, nor does it occur evenly across all cells in the same cell population. In this study we further investigated how co-factors regulate the ability of Multicilin to drive multiciliogenesis. Combining data in mouse embryonic fibroblasts and human bronchial epithelial cells, we identify RBL2 as a repressor of the transcriptional activity of Multicilin. Knockdown of RBL2 in submerged cultures or phosphorylation of RBL2 in response to apical air exposure, in the presence of Multicilin, allows multiciliogenesis to progress. These data demonstrate a dynamic interaction between RBL2 and Multicilin that regulates the capacity of cells to differentiate and multiciliate. Identification of this mechanism has important implications for facilitating MCC differentiation in diseases with impaired mucociliary clearance.
Novel nanocomposite-superlattices for low energy and high stability nanoscale phase-change memory
Authors: Wu Xiangjin , Khan Asir Intisar , Lee Hengyuan , Hsu Chen-Feng , Zhang Huairuo , Yu Heshan , Roy Neel , Davydov Albert V. , Takeuchi Ichiro , Bao Xinyu , Wong H.-S. Philip , Pop Eric
Published: January 2024

Data-centric applications are pushing the limits of energy-efficiency in today’s computing systems, including those based on phase-change memory (PCM). This technology must achieve low-power and stable operation at nanoscale dimensions to succeed in high-density memory arrays. Here we use a novel combination of phase-change material superlattices and nanocomposites (based on Ge4Sb6Te7), to achieve record-low power density ≈ 5 MW/cm2 and ≈ 0.7 V switching voltage (compatible with modern logic processors) in PCM devices with the smallest dimensions to date (≈ 40 nm) for a superlattice technology on a CMOS-compatible substrate. These devices also simultaneously exhibit low resistance drift with 8 resistance states, good endurance (≈ 2 × 108 cycles), and fast switching (≈ 40 ns). The efficient switching is enabled by strong heat confinement within the superlattice materials and the nanoscale device dimensions. The microstructural properties of the Ge4Sb6Te7 nanocomposite and its high crystallization temperature ensure the fast-switching speed and stability in our superlattice PCM devices. These results re-establish PCM technology as one of the frontrunners for energy-efficient data storage and computing.
Quantifying coastal freshwater extremes during unprecedented rainfall using long timeseries multi-platform salinity observations
Authors: Malan Neil , Roughan Moninya , Hemming Michael , Ingleton Tim
Published: January 2024

During 2022, extreme rainfall occurred across southeast Australia, making it the wettest year on record. The oceanic impact of extreme rainfall events in normally ‘dry’ regions is not well understood, as their effects are challenging to observe. Here, we use unique multi-platform timeseries and spatial data from 36 autonomous ocean glider missions over 13 years, and we define an extreme salinity threshold inshore of the East Australian Current. We show that the freshwater plume extended fivefold further than previously thought. The compound effect of multiple large rainfall events resulted in a newly observed stratification (‘double-stacking’) dynamic, with the stratification being largely controlled by salinity. Extreme salinity events are known to be important for species composition of local fisheries as well as detrimental for coastal water quality. Such events and their impacts may become more common as extreme rainfall events are projected to become more frequent in a changing climate. Hence, comprehensive observing strategies facilitating identification of salinity extremes are essential.
MARS an improved de novo peptide candidate selection method for non-canonical antigen target discovery in cancer
Authors: Liao Hanqing , Barra Carolina , Zhou Zhicheng , Peng Xu , Woodhouse Isaac , Tailor Arun , Parker Robert , Carré Alexia , Borrow Persephone , Hogan Michael J. , Paes Wayne , Eisenlohr Laurence C. , Mallone Roberto , Nielsen Morten , Ternette Nicola
Published: January 2024

Understanding the nature and extent of non-canonical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) presentation in tumour cells is a priority for target antigen discovery for the development of next generation immunotherapies in cancer. We here employ a de novo mass spectrometric sequencing approach with a refined, MHC-centric analysis strategy to detect non-canonical MHC-associated peptides specific to cancer without any prior knowledge of the target sequence from genomic or RNA sequencing data. Our strategy integrates MHC binding rank, Average local confidence scores, and peptide Retention time prediction for improved de novo candidate Selection; culminating in the machine learning model MARS. We benchmark our model on a large synthetic peptide library dataset and reanalysis of a published dataset of high-quality non-canonical MHC-associated peptide identifications in human cancer. We achieve almost 2-fold improvement for high quality spectral assignments in comparison to de novo sequencing alone with an estimated accuracy of above 85.7% when integrated with a stepwise peptide sequence mapping strategy. Finally, we utilize MARS to detect and validate lncRNA-derived peptides in human cervical tumour resections, demonstrating its suitability to discover novel, immunogenic, non-canonical peptide sequences in primary tumour tissue.
The UBP5 histone H2A deubiquitinase counteracts PRCs-mediated repression to regulate Arabidopsis development
Authors: Godwin James , Govindasamy Mohan , Nedounsejian Kiruba , March Eduardo , Halton Ronan , Bourbousse Clara , Wolff Léa , Fort Antoine , Krzyszton Michal , López Corrales Jesús , Swiezewski Szymon , Barneche Fredy , Schubert Daniel , Farrona Sara
Published: January 2024

Polycomb Repressive Complexes (PRCs) control gene expression through the incorporation of H2Aub and H3K27me3. In recent years, there is increasing evidence of the complexity of PRCs’ interaction networks and the interplay of these interactors with PRCs in epigenome reshaping, which is fundamental to understand gene regulatory mechanisms. Here, we identified UBIQUITIN SPECIFIC PROTEASE 5 (UBP5) as a chromatin player able to counteract the deposition of the two PRCs’ epigenetic hallmarks in Arabidopsis thaliana. We demonstrated that UBP5 is a plant developmental regulator based on functional analyses of ubp5-CRISPR Cas9 mutant plants. UBP5 promotes H2A monoubiquitination erasure, leading to transcriptional de-repression. Furthermore, preferential association of UBP5 at PRC2 recruiting motifs and local H3K27me3 gaining in ubp5 mutant plants suggest the existence of functional interplays between UBP5 and PRC2 in regulating epigenome dynamics. In summary, acting as an antagonist of the pivotal epigenetic repressive marks H2Aub and H3K27me3, UBP5 provides novel insights to disentangle the complex regulation of PRCs’ activities.
LOX-1 acts as an N6-methyladenosine-regulated receptor for Helicobacter pylori by binding to the bacterial catalase
Authors: Zeng Judeng , Xie Chuan , Huang Ziheng , Cho Chi H. , Chan Hung , Li Qing , Ashktorab Hassan , Smoot Duane T. , Wong Sunny H. , Yu Jun , Gong Wei , Liang Cong , Xu Hongzhi , Chen Huarong , Liu Xiaodong , Wu Justin C. Y. , Ip Margaret , Gin Tony , Zhang Lin , Chan Matthew T. V. , Hu Wei , Wu William K. K.
Published: January 2024

The role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of host mRNA during bacterial infection is unclear. Here, we show that Helicobacter pylori infection upregulates host m6A methylases and increases m6A levels in gastric epithelial cells. Reducing m6A methylase activity via hemizygotic deletion of methylase-encoding gene Mettl3 in mice, or via small interfering RNAs targeting m6A methylases, enhances H. pylori colonization. We identify LOX-1 mRNA as a key m6A-regulated target during H. pylori infection. m6A modification destabilizes LOX-1 mRNA and reduces LOX-1 protein levels. LOX-1 acts as a membrane receptor for H. pylori catalase and contributes to bacterial adhesion. Pharmacological inhibition of LOX-1, or genetic ablation of Lox-1, reduces H. pylori colonization. Moreover, deletion of the bacterial catalase gene decreases adhesion of H. pylori to human gastric sections. Our results indicate that m6A modification of host LOX-1 mRNA contributes to protection against H. pylori infection by downregulating LOX-1 and thus reducing H. pylori adhesion.
Connectome-based reservoir computing with the conn2res toolbox
Authors: Suárez Laura E. , Mihalik Agoston , Milisav Filip , Marshall Kenji , Li Mingze , Vértes Petra E. , Lajoie Guillaume , Misic Bratislav
Published: January 2024

The connection patterns of neural circuits form a complex network. How signaling in these circuits manifests as complex cognition and adaptive behaviour remains the central question in neuroscience. Concomitant advances in connectomics and artificial intelligence open fundamentally new opportunities to understand how connection patterns shape computational capacity in biological brain networks. Reservoir computing is a versatile paradigm that uses high-dimensional, nonlinear dynamical systems to perform computations and approximate cognitive functions. Here we present : an open-source Python toolbox for implementing biological neural networks as artificial neural networks. is modular, allowing arbitrary network architecture and dynamics to be imposed. The toolbox allows researchers to input connectomes reconstructed using multiple techniques, from tract tracing to noninvasive diffusion imaging, and to impose multiple dynamical systems, from spiking neurons to memristive dynamics. The versatility of the toolbox allows us to ask new questions at the confluence of neuroscience and artificial intelligence. By reconceptualizing function as computation, sets the stage for a more mechanistic understanding of structure-function relationships in brain networks.
Self-similar chiral organic molecular cages
Authors: Wang Zhen , Zhang Qing-Pu , Guo Fei , Ma Hui , Liang Zi-Hui , Yi Chang-Hai , Zhang Chun , Chen Chuan-Feng
Published: January 2024

The endeavor to enhance utility of organic molecular cages involves the evolution of them into higher-level chiral superstructures with self-similar, presenting a meaningful yet challenging. In this work, 2D tri-bladed propeller-shaped triphenylbenzene serves as building blocks to synthesize a racemic 3D tri-bladed propeller-shaped helical molecular cage. This cage, in turn, acts as a building block for a pair of higher-level 3D tri-bladed chiral helical molecular cages, featuring multilayer sandwich structures and displaying elegant characteristics with self-similarity in discrete superstructures at different levels. The evolutionary procession of higher-level cages reveals intramolecular self-shielding effects and exclusive chiral narcissistic self-sorting behaviors. Enantiomers higher-level cages can be interconverted by introducing an excess of corresponding chiral cyclohexanediamine. In the solid state, higher-level cages self-assemble into supramolecular architectures of L-helical or D-helical nanofibers, achieving the scale transformation of chiral characteristics from chiral atoms to microscopic and then to mesoscopic levels.
Self-renewing human naïve pluripotent stem cells dedifferentiate in 3D culture and form blastoids spontaneously
Authors: Guo Mingyue , Wu Jinyi , Chen Chuanxin , Wang Xinggu , Gong An , Guan Wei , Karvas Rowan M. , Wang Kexin , Min Mingwei , Wang Yixuan , Theunissen Thorold W. , Gao Shaorong , Silva José C. R.
Published: January 2024

Human naïve pluripotent stem cells (hnPSCs) can generate integrated models of blastocysts termed blastoids upon switch to inductive medium. However, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Here we report that self-renewing hnPSCs spontaneously and efficiently give rise to blastoids upon three dimensional (3D) suspension culture. The spontaneous blastoids mimic early stage human blastocysts in terms of structure, size, and transcriptome characteristics and are capable of progressing to post-implantation stages. This property is conferred by the glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) signalling inhibitor IM-12 present in 5iLAF self-renewing medium. IM-12 upregulates oxidative phosphorylation-associated genes that underly the capacity of hnPSCs to generate blastoids spontaneously. Starting from day one of self-organization, hnPSCs at the boundary of all 3D aggregates dedifferentiate into E5 embryo-like intermediates. Intermediates co-express SOX2/OCT4 and GATA6 and by day 3 specify trophoblast fate, which coincides with cavity and blastoid formation. In summary, spontaneous blastoid formation results from 3D culture triggering dedifferentiation of hnPSCs into earlier embryo-like intermediates which are then competent to segregate blastocyst fates.
Towards an increasingly biased view on Arctic change
Authors: López-Blanco Efrén , Topp-Jørgensen Elmer , Christensen Torben R. , Rasch Morten , Skov Henrik , Arndal Marie F. , Bret-Harte M. Syndonia , Callaghan Terry V. , Schmidt Niels M.
Published: January 2024

The Russian invasion of Ukraine hampers the ability to adequately describe conditions across the Arctic, thus biasing the view on Arctic change. Here we benchmark the pan-Arctic representativeness of the largest high-latitude research station network, INTERACT, with or without Russian stations. Excluding Russian stations lowers representativeness markedly, with some biases being of the same magnitude as the expected shifts caused by climate change by the end of the century.
A database of computed Raman spectra of inorganic compounds with accurate hybrid functionals
Authors: Li Yuheng , Lee Damien K. J. , Cai Pengfei , Zhang Ziyi , Gorai Prashun , Canepa Pieremanuele
Published: January 2024

Raman spectroscopy is widely applied in identifying local structures in materials, but the interpretation of Raman spectra is non-trivial. An accurate computational database of reference spectra calculated with a consistent level of theory can significantly aid in interpreting measured Raman spectra. Here, we present a database of Raman spectra of inorganic compounds calculated with accurate hybrid functionals in density functional theory. Raman spectra were obtained by calculating dynamical matrices and polarizability tensors for structures from the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database. The calculated Raman spectra and other phonon properties (e.g., infrared spectra) are stored in a MongoDB database publicly shared through a web application. We assess the accuracy of our Raman calculations by statistically comparing ~80 calculated spectra with an existing experimental Raman database. To date, the database contains 161 compounds and is continuously growing as we add more materials computed with our automated workflow.
An open dataset on individual perceptions of transport policies
Authors: Kieu Minh , Comber Alexis , Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang , Bui Quang Thanh , Hoang Huu Phe , Malleson Nick
Published: January 2024

Many cities are facing challenges caused by the increasing use of motorised transport and Hanoi, Vietnam, is no exception. The proliferation of petrol powered motorbikes has caused serious problems of congestion, pollution, and road safety. This paper reports on a new survey dataset that was created as part of the Urban Transport Modelling for Sustainable Well-Being in Hanoi (UTM-Hanoi) project. The survey of nearly 30,000 respondents gathers data on households’ demographics, perceptions, opinions and stated behaviours. The data are informative in their own right and have also been used to experiment with multi-scale spatial statistics, synthetic population generation and machine learning approaches to predicting an individual’s perceptions of potential government policies. The paper reports on the key findings from the survey and conducts a technical validation to contrast the outcomes to similar datasets that are available.
A multicellular brain spheroid model for studying the mechanisms and bioeffects of ultrasound-enhanced drug penetration beyond the blood‒brain barrier
Authors: Paranjape Anurag N. , D’Aiuto Leonardo , Zheng Wenxiao , Chen Xucai , Villanueva Flordeliza S.
Published: January 2024

The blood‒brain barrier (BBB) acts as a hindrance to drug therapy reaching the brain. With an increasing incidence of neurovascular diseases and brain cancer metastases, there is a need for an ideal in vitro model to develop novel methodologies for enhancing drug delivery to the brain. Here, we established a multicellular human brain spheroid model that mimics the BBB both architecturally and functionally. Within the spheroids, endothelial cells and pericytes localized to the periphery, while neurons, astrocytes, and microglia were distributed throughout. Ultrasound-targeted microbubble cavitation (UTMC) is a novel noninvasive technology for enhancing endothelial drug permeability. We utilized our three-dimensional (3D) model to study the feasibility and mechanisms regulating UTMC-induced hyperpermeability. UTMC caused a significant increase in the penetration of 10 kDa Texas red dextran (TRD) into the spheroids, 100 µm beyond the BBB, without compromising cell viability. This hyperpermeability was dependent on UTMC-induced calcium (Ca2+) influx and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation. Our 3D brain spheroid model, with its intact and functional BBB, offers a valuable platform for studying the bioeffects of UTMC, including effects occurring spatially distant from the endothelial barrier.
Investigating school absenteeism and refusal among Australian children and adolescents using Apriori association rule mining
Authors: Haque Umme Marzia , Kabir Enamul , Khanam Rasheda
Published: January 2024

Identifying and determining the multitude of reasons behind school absences of students is often challenging. This study aims to uncover the hidden reasons for school absence in children and adolescents. The analysis is conducted on a national survey that includes 2967 Australian children and adolescents aged 11–17. The Apriori association rule generator of machine learning techniques and binary logistic regression are used to identify the significant predictors of school absences. Out of 2484, 83.7% (n = 2079) aged (11–17) years children and adolescents have missed school for various reasons, 42.28% (n = 879) are (11–15) years old, 24.52% (n = 609) and 16.9% (n = 420) are 16- and 17-years old adolescents respectively. A considerable proportion of adolescents, specifically 16.4% (n = 407) and 23.4% (n = 486) of 16 and 17 years old, respectively, have selected ‘refused to say’ as their reason for not attending school. It also highlights the negative outcomes associated with undisclosed reasons for school absence, such as bullying, excessive internet/gaming, reduced family involvement, suicide attempts, and existential hopelessness. The findings of the national survey underscore the importance of addressing these undisclosed reasons for school absence to improve the overall well-being and educational outcomes of children and adolescents.
Sexual dimorphism in NLR transcripts and its downstream signaling protein IL-1ꞵ in teleost Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793)
Authors: Chuphal Bhawna , Sathoria Priyanka , Rai Umesh , Roy Brototi
Published: January 2024

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors (NOD-like receptors or NLRs) are a family of intracellular pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that initiates as well as regulate inflammatory responses. NLRs are characterized by a centrally located nucleotide binding domain and a leucine rich repeat domain at the C-terminal responsible for the recognition of intracellular microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) and danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). In the present study in adult spotted snakehead we have investigated the sex-dependent tissue distribution of NLRs known to be associated with inflammation in teleost namely NOD1, NOD2, NLRC3, NLRC5, and NLRX1. Further, the sexual dimorphism in the expression of NLR transcript as well as the pro-inflammatory protein IL-1β was explored in fish under normal conditions, and in fish exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The NLRs show ubiquitous and constitutive expression in all the tissues. Moreover, a prominent disparity between males and females was observed in the basal expression of these genes in various tissues. The sexual dimorphism in NLR expression was also prominent when fish were exposed to LPS. Similarly, IL-1β exhibited sexual dimorphism in both normal as well as LPS-exposed fish.
Bipolar disorder and the risk of cardiometabolic diseases, heart failure, and all-cause mortality: a population-based matched cohort study in South Korea
Authors: Lee You-Bin , Kim Hyewon , Lee Jungkuk , Kang Dongwoo , Kim Gyuri , Jin Sang-Man , Kim Jae Hyeon , Jeon Hong Jin , Hur Kyu Yeon
Published: January 2024

The association of bipolar disorder (BD) with the risk of cardiometabolic diseases and premature death in Asians needs to be further determined. Relatively less attention has been paid to heart failure (HF) among cardiometabolic outcomes. We analyzed the Korean National Health Insurance Service database (2002–2018) for this population-based, matched cohort study. The hazards of ischemic stroke, ischemic heart disease (IHD), hospitalization for HF (hHF), composite cardiometabolic diseases, and all-cause mortality during follow-up were compared between individuals with BD (n = 11,329) and 1:1-matched controls without psychiatric disorders among adults without cardiometabolic disease before or within 3 months of baseline. Hazards of outcomes were higher in individuals with BD than in matched controls (adjusted hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals]: 1.971 [1.414–2.746] for ischemic stroke, 1.553 [1.401–1.721] for IHD, 2.526 [1.788–3.567] for hHF, 1.939 [1.860–2.022] for composite cardiometabolic diseases, and 2.175 [1.875–2.523] for all-cause mortality) during follow-up. Associations between BD and outcome hazards were more prominent in younger individuals (p for interaction < 0.02, except for ischemic stroke) and women (p for interaction < 0.04, except for hHF). Screening and preventive measures for cardiometabolic deterioration and early mortality may need to be intensified in individuals with BD, even in young adults, especially women.
Subtle variation in sepsis-III definitions markedly influences predictive performance within and across methods
Authors: Cohen Samuel N. , Foster James , Foster Peter , Lou Hang , Lyons Terry , Morley Sam , Morrill James , Ni Hao , Palmer Edward , Wang Bo , Wu Yue , Yang Lingyi , Yang Weixin
Published: January 2024

Early detection of sepsis is key to ensure timely clinical intervention. Since very few end-to-end pipelines are publicly available, fair comparisons between methodologies are difficult if not impossible. Progress is further limited by discrepancies in the reconstruction of sepsis onset time. This retrospective cohort study highlights the variation in performance of predictive models under three subtly different interpretations of sepsis onset from the sepsis-III definition and compares this against inter-model differences. The models are chosen to cover tree-based, deep learning, and survival analysis methods. Using the MIMIC-III database, between 867 and 2178 intensive care unit admissions with sepsis were identified, depending on the onset definition. We show that model performance can be more sensitive to differences in the definition of sepsis onset than to the model itself. Given a fixed sepsis definition, the best performing method had a gain of 1–5% in the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC). However, the choice of onset time can cause a greater effect, with variation of 0–6% in AUROC. We illustrate that misleading conclusions can be drawn if models are compared without consideration of the sepsis definition used which emphasizes the need for a standardized definition for sepsis onset.
Tuning the superconducting performance of YBa2Cu3O7−δ films through field-induced oxygen doping
Authors: Alcalà Jordi , Fernández-Rodríguez Alejandro , Günkel Thomas , Barrera Aleix , Cabero Mariona , Gazquez Jaume , Balcells Lluis , Mestres Narcís , Palau Anna
Published: January 2024

The exploration of metal–insulator transitions to produce field-induced reversible resistive switching effects has been a longstanding pursuit in materials science. Although the resistive switching effect in strongly correlated oxides is often associated with the creation or annihilation of oxygen vacancies, the underlying mechanisms behind this phenomenon are complex and, in many cases, still not clear. This study focuses on the analysis of the superconducting performance of cuprate YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) devices switched to different resistive states through gate voltage pulses. The goal is to evaluate the effect of field-induced oxygen diffusion on the magnetic field and angular dependence of the critical current density and identify the role of induced defects in the switching performance. Transition electron microscopy measurements indicate that field-induced transition to high resistance states occurs through the generation of YBa2Cu4O7 (Y124) intergrowths with a large amount of oxygen vacancies, in agreement with the obtained critical current density dependences. These results have significant implications for better understanding the mechanisms of field-induced oxygen doping in cuprate superconductors and their role on the superconducting performance.
Bifunctional of Fe3O4@chitosan nanocomposite as a clarifying agent and cationic flocculant on different sugar solutions as a comprehensive semi industrial application
Authors: Dardeer Hemat M. , Ibrahim Ahmed S. , Gad Ahmed N. , Gaber Abdel-Aal M.
Published: January 2024

In the sugar industry, eliminating side impurities throughout the manufacturing process is the most significant obstacle to clarifying sugar solutions. Herein, magnetic chitosan (MCS) nanocomposite was Fabricated to be used as a biodegradable, environmentally friendly clarifying agent throughout the cane juice and sugar refining processes. Fe3O4 was synthesized using the coprecipitation procedure, and then MCS was combined using a cross-linking agent. Furthermore, 14.76 emu g−1 was the maximum saturation magnetization (Ms) value. Because MCS is magnetically saturated, it may be possible to employ an external magnetic field to separate the contaminant deposited on its surface. Additionally, zeta potential analysis showed outstanding findings for MCS with a maximum value of (+) 20.7 mV, with improvement in color removal % up to 44.8% using MCS with more than 24% in color removal % compared to the traditional clarification process. Moreover, utilizing MCS reduced turbidity from 167 to 1 IU. Overall, we determined that MCS nanocomposite exhibits considerable effectiveness in the clarifying process for different sugar solutions, performing as an eco-friendly bio-sorbent and flocculating material.
Exploratory study of cold hypersensitivity in Japanese women: genetic associations and somatic symptom burden
Authors: Wu Xuefeng , Yoshino Tetsuhiro , Maeda-Minami Ayako , Ishida Sachiko , Tanaka Masami , Nishi Akinori , Tahara Yoshio , Inami Ryohei , Sugiyama Aiko , Horiba Yuko , Watanabe Kenji , Mimura Masaru
Published: January 2024

Temperature perception is essential for humans to discern the environment and maintain homeostasis. However, some individuals experience cold hypersensitivity, characterized by a subjective feeling of coldness despite ambient environmental temperatures being normal, the underlying mechanisms of which are unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between subjective cold symptoms and somatic burden or single nucleotide polymorphisms to understand the causes of cold hypersensitivity. We conducted an online questionnaire survey [comprising 30 questions, including past medical history, subjective symptoms of cold hypersensitivity, and the Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8)]. Respondents were 1200 Japanese adult female volunteers (age: 20–59 years), recruited between April 21 and May 25, 2022, who were customers of MYCODE, a personal genome service in Japan. Among the 1111 participants, 599 (54%) reported cold hypersensitivity. Higher cold hypersensitivity severity was positively associated with the SSS-8 scores. Additionally, a genome-wide association study for cold hypersensitivity was conducted using array-based genomic data obtained from genetic testing. We identified 11 lead variants showing suggestive associations (P < 1 × 10–5) with cold hypersensitivity, some of which showed a reasonable change in expression in specific tissues in the Genotype-Tissue Expression database. The study findings shed light on the underlying causes of cold hypersensitivity.
Fluid chemistry alters faunal trophodynamics but not composition on the deep-sea Capelinhos hydrothermal edifice (Lucky Strike vent field, Mid-Atlantic Ridge)
Authors: Alfaro-Lucas Joan M. , Martin Daniel , Michel Loïc N. , Laes Agathe , Cathalot Cécile , Fuchs Sandra , Sarrazin Jozée
Published: January 2024

The recently discovered deep-sea Capelinhos hydrothermal edifice, ~ 1.5 km of the main Lucky Strike (LS) vent field (northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge), contrasts with the other LS edifices in having poorly-altered end-member hydrothermal fluids with low pH and chlorine, and high metal concentrations. Capelinhos unique chemistry and location offer the opportunity to test the effects of local abiotic filters on faunal community structure while avoiding the often-correlated influence of dispersal limitation and depth. In this paper, we characterize for the first time the distribution patterns of the Capelinhos faunal communities, and analyze the benthic invertebrates (> 250 µm) inhabiting diffusive-flow areas and their trophic structures (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S). We hypothesized that faunal communities would differ from those of the nearest LS vent edifices, showing an impoverished species subset due to the potential toxicity of the chemical environment. Conversely, our results show that: (1) community distribution resembles that of other LS edifices, with assemblages visually dominated by shrimps (close to high-temperature focused-fluid areas) and mussels (at low-temperature diffuse flow areas); (2) most species from diffuse flow areas are well-known LS inhabitants, including the bed-forming and chemosymbiotic mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus and (3) communities are as diverse as those of the most diverse LS edifices. On the contrary, stable isotopes suggest different trophodynamics at Capelinhos. The high δ15N and, especially, δ13C and δ34S values suggest an important role of methane oxidation (i.e., methanotrophy), rather than the sulfide oxidation (i.e., thiotrophy) that predominates at most LS edifices. Our results indicate that Capelinhos shows unique environmental conditions, trophic structure and trophodynamics, yet similar fauna, compared to other LS edifices, which suggest a great environmental and trophic plasticity of the vent faunal communities at the LS.