bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The application of THz-TDS in the characterization of Bayan Obo magnetite ore composition
Authors: Zhang Siqi , Zheng Zhiyuan , Zhang Mingrui , Zhang Tong , Zhang Zili , Huang Haochong
Published: July 2024

The application of terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) in the quantitative analysis of major minerals in Bayan Obo magnetite ore was explored. The positive correlation between the optical parameters of the original ore and its iron content is confirmed. The detections of three main iron containing minerals, including magnetite, pyrite, and hematite, were simulated using corresponding reagents. The random forest algorithm is used for quantitative analysis, and FeS2 is detected with precision of R2 = 0.7686 and MAE = 0.6307% in ternary mixtures. The experimental results demonstrate that THz-TDS can distinguish specific iron containing minerals and reveal the potential application value of this testing method in exploration and mineral processing fields.
Rapamycin-encapsulated nanoparticle delivery in polycystic kidney disease mice
Authors: Yamaguchi Shinobu , Sedaka Randee , Kapadia Chintan , Huang Jifeng , Hsu Jung-Shan , Berryhill Taylor F. , Wilson Landon , Barnes Stephen , Lovelady Caleb , Oduk Yasin , Williams Ryan M. , Jaimes Edgar A. , Heller Daniel A. , Saigusa Takamitsu
Published: July 2024

Rapamycin slows cystogenesis in murine models of polycystic kidney disease (PKD) but failed in clinical trials, potentially due to insufficient drug dosing. To improve drug efficiency without increasing dose, kidney-specific drug delivery may be used. Mesoscale nanoparticles (MNP) selectively target the proximal tubules in rodents. We explored whether MNPs can target cystic kidney tubules and whether rapamycin-encapsulated-MNPs (RapaMNPs) can slow cyst growth in Pkd1 knockout (KO) mice. MNP was intravenously administered in adult Pkd1KO mice. Serum and organs were harvested after 8, 24, 48 or 72 h to measure MNP localization, mTOR levels, and rapamycin concentration. Pkd1KO mice were then injected bi-weekly for 6 weeks with RapaMNP, rapamycin, or vehicle to determine drug efficacy on kidney cyst growth. Single MNP injections lead to kidney-preferential accumulation over other organs, specifically in tubules and cysts. Likewise, one RapaMNP injection resulted in higher drug delivery to the kidney compared to the liver, and displayed sustained mTOR inhibition. Bi-weekly injections with RapaMNP, rapamycin or vehicle for 6 weeks resulted in inconsistent mTOR inhibition and little change in cyst index, however. MNPs serve as an effective short-term, kidney-specific delivery system, but long-term RapaMNP failed to slow cyst progression in Pkd1KO mice.
Behavioral and neural responses to social exclusion in women: the role of facial attractiveness and friendliness
Authors: Vaillancourt Tracy , van Noordt Stefon , Krygsman Amanda , Brittain Heather , Davis Adam C. , Palamarchuk Iryna S. , Arnocky Steven , Segalowitz Sidney J. , Crowley Michael J. , Schmidt Louis A.
Published: July 2024

The behavioral and neural responses to social exclusion were examined in women randomized to four conditions, varying in levels of attractiveness and friendliness. Informed by evolutionary theory, we predicted that being socially excluded by attractive unfriendly women would be more distressing than being excluded by unattractive women, irrespective of their friendliness level. Our results contradicted most of our predictions but provide important insights into women’s responses to interpersonal conflict. Accounting for rejection sensitivity, P300 event-related potential amplitudes were largest when women were excluded by unattractive unfriendly women. This may be due to an expectancy violation or an annoyance with being excluded by women low on social desirability. An examination of anger rumination rates by condition suggests the latter. Only attractive women’s attractiveness ratings were lowered in the unfriendly condition, indicating they were specifically punished for their exclusionary behavior. Women were more likely to select attractive women to compete against with one exception—they selected the Black attractive opponent less often than the White attractive opponent when presented as unfriendly. Finally, consistent with studies on retaliation in relation to social exclusion, women tended to rate competitors who rejected them as being more rude, more competitive, less attractive, less nice, and less happy than non-competitors. The ubiquity of social exclusion and its pointed emotional and physiological impact on women demands more research on this topic.
A real-world study of foreign body aspiration in children with 4227 cases in Western China
Authors: Wang Quan , Kong Xiangpan , Wang Gang , Dai Jiangtao , Li Yonggang , Wu Chun , Pan Zhengxia , He Ling , Li Hongbo
Published: July 2024

The early diagnosis and treatment of foreign body aspiration (FBA) can significantly improve the overall prognosis of children. There are significant differences in the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of FBA in different regions. Therefore, we conducted a real-world study in the western region of China with over 4000 patients. The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of FBA in terms of its types, the specific months of its occurrence, and the distribution of primary caregiver characteristics in western China. We collected the clinical and epidemiological data of children who were diagnosed with FBA in our hospital over the past 20 years through a big data centre. We matched the data of healthy children who underwent routine physical examinations at the paediatric health clinic during the same period to analyse the differences in the data of actual guardians. A total of 4227 patients from five provinces were included in this study. Foreign bodies were removed by rigid bronchoscopy in 99.4% (4202/4227) of patients, with a median age of 19 months and a median surgical duration 16 min. January was the most common month of onset for 1725 patients, followed by February, with 1027 patients. The most common types of foreign objects were melon peanuts, seeds and walnuts, accounting for 47.2%, 15.3%, and 10.2%, respectively. In the FBA group, the proportion of grandparents who were primary caregivers was 70.33% (2973/4227), which was significantly greater than the 63.05% in the healthy group (2665/4227) (P < 0.01). FBA most commonly occurs in January and February. More than 60% of FBAs occur between the ages of 1 and 2 years, and the incidence of FBA may be greater in children who are cared for by grandparents. A rigid bronchoscope can be used to remove most aspirated foreign bodies in a median of 16 min.
Structure-based chemical ontology improves chemometric prediction of antibacterial essential oils
Authors: Yabuuchi Hiroaki , Fujiwara Makiko , Shigemoto Akihiko , Hayashi Kazuhito , Nomura Yuhei , Nakashima Mayumi , Ogusu Takeshi , Mori Megumi , Tokumoto Shin-ichi , Miyai Kazuyuki
Published: July 2024

Plants are valuable resources for drug discovery as they produce diverse bioactive compounds. However, the chemical diversity makes it difficult to predict the biological activity of plant extracts via conventional chemometric methods. In this research, we propose a new computational model that integrates chemical composition data with structure-based chemical ontology. For a model validation, two training datasets were prepared from literature on antibacterial essential oils to classify active/inactive oils. Random forest classifiers constructed from the data showed improved prediction performance in both test datasets. Prior feature selection using hierarchical information criterion further improved the performance. Furthermore, an antibacterial assay using a standard strain of Staphylococcus aureus revealed that the classifier correctly predicted the activity of commercially available oils with an accuracy of 83% (= 10/12). The results of this study indicate that machine learning of chemical composition data integrated with chemical ontology can be a highly efficient approach for exploring bioactive plant extracts.
“How” web searches change under stress
Authors: Kelly Christopher A. , Blain Bastien , Sharot Tali
Published: July 2024

To adjust to stressful environments, people seek information. Here, we show that in response to stressful public and private events the high-level features of information people seek online alter, reflecting their motives for seeking knowledge. We first show that when people want information to guide action they selectively ask “How” questions. Next, we reveal that “How” searches submitted to Google increased dramatically during the pandemic (controlling for search volume). Strikingly, the proportion of these searches predicted weekly self-reported stress of ~ 17K individuals. To rule out third factors we manipulate stress and find that “How” searches increase in response to stressful, personal, events. The findings suggest that under stress people ask questions to guide action, and mental state is reflected in features that tap into why people seek information rather than the topics they search for. Tracking such features may provide clues regrading population stress levels.
Indigenous people doing citizen science to assess water quality using the BMWP in rivers of an arid semi-arid biosphere reserve in Mexico
Authors: López-López Eugenia , Sedeño-Díaz Jacinto Elías , Rico-Sánchez Axel E. , Zariñana-Andrade Edgar Andres , Reyes-Flores Fernando , Soriana-Flores Leticia
Published: July 2024

Arid and semi-arid areas are among the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. The Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (TCBR), in southeastern Mexico, is an arid and semi-arid area with high biological diversity and human settlements of eight ethnic groups. Two rivers drain the reserve, Río Grande (RG) and Río Salado (RS), which are not subject to water quality monitoring by government agencies; however, measures of water quality of these rivers are needed to focus conservation actions on this resource. This work aimed to test the effectiveness of participatory water quality monitoring with the participation of three actors: Reserve management leaders, local communities, and academics, to monitoring water quality in the rivers of the TCBR. Ninety-two residents were trained to carry out water quality biomonitoring using the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) index calibrated for the reserve. The BMWP uses macroinvertebrate families to display numerical and categorical water quality scores. Additionally, the Water Quality Index (WQI) was assessed and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of the riparian zones was estimated in each study site. The mean WQI scores were 69.24 for RS (no treatment necessary for most crops and necessary treatment for public water supply) and 75.16 for RG (minor purification for crops requiring high-quality water and necessary treatment for public water supply). The BMWP showed five water quality categories (Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor), showing higher water quality scores in the upper portion of the basins and capable of discriminating study sites with lower scores close to human settlements. At one study site, data from participatory monitoring impelled actions taken to address a pollution source and influenced policy focus, reaching the maximum level of participatory-based monitoring. This led to avoid the discharge of wastewater into the river to conserve and protect the water resource. WQI is closely related to BMWP; however, the latter was far more sensitive to detecting areas affected by domestic water discharges. The NDVI presented low values for the TCBR, being lower in RS (the driest area). Although the NDVI showed a weak relationship with BMWP values, areas with higher NDVI values generally achieved higher BMWP values. The results of this study highlight the high sensitivity of the BMWP to detect several water quality conditions in the rivers running through the TCBR when compared to WQI. In addition, the usefulness of biomonitoring using the BMWP index was evident, as well as the importance of the participation of local inhabitants contributing to the knowledge of water quality in biosphere reserves and carrying out timely measures that allow the rivers in these reserves to be maintained in good condition.
Pursuit and escape drive fine-scale movement variation during migration in a temperate alpine ungulate
Authors: John Christian , Avgar Tal , Rittger Karl , Smith Justine A. , Stephenson Logan W. , Stephenson Thomas R. , Post Eric
Published: July 2024

Climate change reduces snowpack, advances snowmelt phenology, drives summer warming, alters growing season precipitation regimes, and consequently modifies vegetation phenology in mountain systems. Elevational migrants track spatial variation in seasonal plant growth by moving between ranges at different elevations during spring, so climate-driven vegetation change may disrupt historic benefits of migration. Elevational migrants can furthermore cope with short-term environmental variability by undertaking brief vertical movements to refugia when sudden adverse conditions arise. We uncover drivers of fine-scale vertical movement variation during upland migration in an endangered alpine specialist, Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae) using a 20-year study of GPS collar data collected from 311 unique individuals. We used integrated step-selection analysis to determine factors that promote vertical movements and drive selection of destinations following vertical movements. Our results reveal that relatively high temperatures consistently drive uphill movements, while precipitation likely drives downhill movements. Furthermore, bighorn select destinations at their peak annual biomass and maximal time since snowmelt. These results indicate that although Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep seek out foraging opportunities related to landscape phenology, they compensate for short-term environmental stressors by undertaking brief up- and downslope vertical movements. Migrants may therefore be impacted by future warming and increased storm frequency or intensity, with shifts in annual migration timing, and fine-scale vertical movement responses to environmental variability.
The inverted U-shaped association between blood fibrinogen and rehospitalization risk in patients with heart failure
Authors: Xu Zhenyan , Liu Hualong , Zhu Meilan , Huang Ying
Published: July 2024

Fibrinogen, a biomarker of thrombosis and inflammation, is related to a high risk for cardiovascular diseases. However, studies on the prognostic value of blood fibrinogen concentrations for heart failure (HF) patients are few and controversial. We performed a retrospective analysis among acute or deteriorating chronic HF patients admitted to a hospital in Sichuan, China, between 2016 and 2019, integrating electronic health care records and external outcome data (N = 1532). During 6 months of follow-up, 579 HF patients were readmitted within 6 months, and 46 of them died. Surprisingly, we found an inverted U-shaped association of blood fibrinogen levels with risk of readmission within 6 months but not with risk of death within 6 months. It was found that HF patients had the highest risk for readmission within 6 months after reaching the turning point for blood fibrinogen (2.4 g/L). In HF patients with low fibrinogen levels < 2.4 g/L, elevated fibrinogen concentrations were still significantly associated with a higher risk for readmission within 6 months [OR = 2.3, 95% CI (1.2, 4.6); P = 0.014] after controlling for relevant covariates. There was no significant association between blood fibrinogen and readmission within 6 months [(OR = 1.0, 95% CI (0.9, 1.1); P = 0.675] in HF patients with high fibrinogen (> 2.4 g/L). The effect difference for the two subgroups was significant (P = 0.014). However, we did not observe any association between blood fibrinogen and death within 6 months stratified by the turning point, and the effect difference for the stratification was not significant (P = 0.380). We observed an inverted U-shaped association between blood fibrinogen and rehospitalization risk in HF patients for the first time. Additionally, our results did not support that elevated blood fibrinogen was related to increased death risk after discharge.
Improving load frequency controller tuning with rat swarm optimization and porpoising feature detection for enhanced power system stability
Authors: Gopi Pasala , Alluraiah N. Chinna , Kumar Pujari Harish , Bajaj Mohit , Blazek Vojtech , Prokop Lukas
Published: July 2024

Load frequency control (LFC) plays a critical role in ensuring the reliable and stable operation of power plants and maintaining a quality power supply to consumers. In control engineering, an oscillatory behavior exhibited by a system in response to control actions is referred to as “Porpoising”. This article focused on investigating the causes of the porpoising phenomenon in the context of LFC. This paper introduces a novel methodology for enhancing the performance of load frequency controllers in power systems by employing rat swarm optimization (RSO) for tuning and detecting the porpoising feature to ensure stability. The study focuses on a single-area thermal power generating station (TPGS) subjected to a 1% load demand change, employing MATLAB simulations for analysis. The proposed RSO-based PID controller is compared against traditional methods such as the firefly algorithm (FFA) and Ziegler-Nichols (ZN) technique. Results indicate that the RSO-based PID controller exhibits superior performance, achieving zero frequency error, reduced negative peak overshoot, and faster settling time compared to other methods. Furthermore, the paper investigates the porpoising phenomenon in PID controllers, analyzing the location of poles in the s-plane, damping ratio, and control actions. The RSO-based PID controller demonstrates enhanced stability and resistance to porpoising, making it a promising solution for power system control. Future research will focus on real-time implementation and broader applications across different control systems.
Intersexual patterns of the digestive tract and body size are opposed in a large bird
Authors: Kwieciński Zbigniew , Tryjanowski Piotr , Zduniak Piotr
Published: July 2024

The appropriate structure of the digestive tract is crucial for individual adaptation to ecological conditions. In birds, the length of the small intestine, responsible for food absorption, is generally believed to be positively correlated with body size. In this study, we investigated the variation in small intestine length in the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia), a monomorphic species without visible sexual dimorphism, but characterized by differing parental efforts, which can be reflected by the small intestine lengths between the sexes. We examined the relationship between small intestine length and body size within the sexes. Our findings show that male White Storks have significantly shorter small intestines than females, despite having larger body sizes than the latter. Furthermore, we found a significant relationship between body size and small intestine length, but it was of a different nature in the two sexes. Males exhibited a previously unreported phenomenon, whereby increasing body size was associated with shortening small intestines, whereas females exhibited the opposite pattern. These novel findings shed light on the anatomical adaptations of the digestive tract in birds.
High-efficiency terahertz-wave generation based on extended interaction oscillator with strongly-coupled 2π mode operation
Authors: Xu Che , Lu Jiani , Tang Yongliang , Tang Xianfeng
Published: July 2024

A slow-wave structure improvement for enhancing the 2π-mode electronic efficiency is embodied in the validation of an extended interaction oscillator (EIO), which has an electronic efficiency of 6.52% at 0.22 THz from particle-in-cell (PIC) calculations. A 2π-mode bi-periodic slow-wave structure (BPSWS) with staggered long and short slots is utilized for optimizing the circuit performance. The proposed BPSWS has the capability of combining the respective advantages for both π and 2π-mode in terms of coupling performance and output performance, thus supporting a strongly-coupled 2π-mode with higher coupling capability. Compared with the typical mono-periodic SWS (MPSWS), the adopted strongly-coupled 2π-mode effectively improves the characteristic impedance M2R/Q by 103% to 66.79 Ω, the coupling coefficient by 66% to 0.497, and the normalized wave-amplitude by 22%. Accordingly, 503 W of average output power can be derived for the BPSWS-EIO with a 25.7 kV and 0.3 A sheet beam injected. Cold-test experiments were conducted, confirming that the 0.22 THz structure exhibits commendable fabrication precision and consistency and thus demonstrates the expected frequency response.
Aperiodic component of EEG power spectrum and cognitive performance are modulated by education in aging
Authors: Montemurro Sonia , Borek Daniel , Marinazzo Daniele , Zago Sara , Masina Fabio , Napoli Ettore , Filippini Nicola , Arcara Giorgio
Published: July 2024

Recent studies have shown a growing interest in the so-called “aperiodic” component of the EEG power spectrum, which describes the overall trend of the whole spectrum with a linear or exponential function. In the field of brain aging, this aperiodic component is associated both with age-related changes and performance on cognitive tasks. This study aims to elucidate the potential role of education in moderating the relationship between resting-state EEG features (including aperiodic component) and cognitive performance in aging. N = 179 healthy participants of the “Leipzig Study for Mind–Body-Emotion Interactions” (LEMON) dataset were divided into three groups based on age and education. Older adults exhibited lower exponent, offset (i.e. measures of aperiodic component), and Individual Alpha Peak Frequency (IAPF) as compared to younger adults. Moreover, visual attention and working memory were differently associated with the aperiodic component depending on education: in older adults with high education, higher exponent predicted slower processing speed and less working memory capacity, while an opposite trend was found in those with low education. While further investigation is needed, this study shows the potential modulatory role of education in the relationship between the aperiodic component of the EEG power spectrum and aging cognition.
Effects of IL-6, JAK, TNF inhibitors, and CTLA4-Ig on knee symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Murata Koichi , Uozumi Ryuji , Fujii Takayuki , Onishi Akira , Murakami Kosaku , Onizawa Hideo , Tanaka Masao , Morinobu Akio , Matsuda Shuichi
Published: July 2024

This study aims to identify factors influencing the alleviation of knee joint symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with biologic or target synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs). Among 2321 patients who started b/tsDMARDs between 2010 and 2023, we focused on 295 patients who had knee swelling or tenderness at the initiation of b/tsDMARDs and continued b/tsDMARDs at least 3 months, with recorded knee symptoms 6 months later. Symptom relief after 6 months was 78.2% for interleukin 6 (IL-6) inhibitors, 68.6% for Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, 65.8% for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, and 57.6% for cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4-Ig (CTLA4-Ig). The initial use of b/tsDMARDs and the use of IL-6 inhibitors in comparison to CTLA4-Ig emerged as a significant factor associated with the improvement of knee joint symptoms. Among 141 patients who underwent knee radiography at baseline and two years later, the deterioration in knee joint radiographs was 7.7% for IL-6 inhibitors, 6.3% for JAK inhibitors, 21.9% for TNF inhibitors, and 25.9% for CTLA4-Ig. The use of IL-6 inhibitors was a significant factor associated with the improvement of knee joint symptoms and the inhibition of joint destruction compared to CTLA4-Ig.
Strain distribution in WS2 monolayers detected through polarization-resolved second harmonic generation
Authors: Kourmoulakis George , Psilodimitrakopoulos Sotiris , Maragkakis George Miltos , Mouchliadis Leonidas , Michail Antonios , Christodoulides Joseph A. , Tripathi Manoj , Dalton Alan B. , Parthenios John , Papagelis Konstantinos , Stratakis Emmanuel , Kioseoglou George
Published: July 2024

Two-dimensional (2D) graphene and graphene-related materials (GRMs) show great promise for future electronic devices. GRMs exhibit distinct properties under the influence of the substrate that serves as support through uneven compression/ elongation of GRMs surface atoms. Strain in GRM monolayers is the most common feature that alters the interatomic distances and band structure, providing a new degree of freedom that allows regulation of their electronic properties and introducing the field of straintronics. Having an all-optical and minimally invasive detection tool that rapidly probes strain in large areas of GRM monolayers, would be of great importance in the research and development of novel 2D devices. Here, we use Polarization-resolved Second Harmonic Generation (P-SHG) optical imaging to identify strain distribution, induced in a single layer of WS2 placed on a pre-patterned Si/SiO2 substrate with cylindrical wells. By fitting the P-SHG data pixel-by-pixel, we produce spatially resolved images of the crystal armchair direction. In regions where the WS2 monolayer conforms to the pattern topography, a distinct cross-shaped pattern is evident in the armchair image owing to strain. The presence of strain in these regions is independently confirmed using a combination of atomic force microscopy and Raman mapping.
Boiling histotripsy exhibits anti-fibrotic effects in animal models of liver fibrosis
Authors: Joung Chanmin , Heo Jeongmin , Pahk Ki Joo , Pahk Kisoo
Published: July 2024

Liver fibrosis is a hallmark of chronic liver disease which could lead to liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. However, there is currently lack of a direct treatment for liver fibrosis. Boiling histotripsy (BH) is an emerging non-invasive high-intensity focused ultrasound technique that can be employed to mechanically destruct solid tumour at the focus via acoustic cavitation without significant adverse effect on surrounding tissue. Here, we investigated whether BH can mechanically fractionate liver fibrotic tissue thereby exhibiting an anti-fibrotic effect in an animal model of liver fibrosis. BH-treated penumbra and its identical lobe showed reduced liver fibrosis, accompanied by increased hepatocyte specific marker expression, compared to the BH-untreated lobe. Furthermore, BH treatment improved serological liver function markers without notable adverse effects. The ability of BH to reduce fibrosis and promote liver regeneration in liver fibrotic tissue suggests that BH could potentially be an effective and reliable therapeutic approach against liver fibrosis.
Proposed simplified methodological approach for designing geopolymer concrete mixtures
Authors: Alaneme George Uwadiegwu , Olonade Kolawole Adisa , Esenogho Ebenezer , Lawan Mustapha Muhammad
Published: July 2024

The development of geopolymer concrete offers promising prospects for sustainable construction practices due to its reduced environmental impact compared to conventional Portland cement concrete. However, the complexity involved in geopolymer concrete mix design often poses challenges for engineers and practitioners. In response, this study proposes a simplified approach for designing geopolymer concrete mixtures, drawing upon principles from Portland cement concrete mix design standards and recommended molar ratios of oxides involved in geopolymer synthesis. The proposed methodology aims to streamline the mix design process while optimizing key factors such as chemical composition, alkali activation solution, water content, and curing conditions to achieve desired compressive strength and workability. By leveraging commonalities between Portland cement concrete and geopolymer concrete, this approach seeks to facilitate the adoption of geopolymer concrete in practical construction applications. The proposed mix design guidelines have been validated through examples for concrete cured under different conditions, including outdoor and oven curing. Future research should focus on validating the proposed methodology through experimental studies and exploring cost-effective alternatives for alkali activation solutions to enhance the feasibility and scalability of geopolymer concrete production. Overall, the proposed simplified approach holds promise for advancing the utilization of geopolymer concrete as a sustainable alternative in the construction industry.
Matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression and glioblastoma survival prediction using machine learning on digital pathological images
Authors: Wu Zijun , Yang Yuan , Chen Maojuan , Zha Yunfei
Published: July 2024

This study aimed to apply pathomics to predict Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) expression in glioblastoma (GBM) and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with pathomics. Here, we included 127 GBM patients, 78 of whom were randomly allocated to the training and test cohorts for pathomics modeling. The prognostic significance of MMP9 was assessed using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses. PyRadiomics was used to extract the features of H&E-stained whole slide images. Feature selection was performed using the maximum relevance and minimum redundancy (mRMR) and recursive feature elimination (RFE) algorithms. Prediction models were created using support vector machines (SVM) and logistic regression (LR). The performance was assessed using ROC analysis, calibration curve assessment, and decision curve analysis. MMP9 expression was elevated in patients with GBM. This was an independent prognostic factor for GBM. Six features were selected for the pathomics model. The area under the curves (AUCs) of the training and test subsets were 0.828 and 0.808, respectively, for the SVM model and 0.778 and 0.754, respectively, for the LR model. The C-index and calibration plots exhibited effective estimation abilities. The pathomics score calculated using the SVM model was highly correlated with overall survival time. These findings indicate that MMP9 plays a crucial role in GBM development and prognosis. Our pathomics model demonstrated high efficacy for predicting MMP9 expression levels and prognosis of patients with GBM.
Passively harmonic dissipative soliton generation in normal dispersion erbium-doped fiber laser using SMS fiber as artificial saturable absorber
Authors: Chen Yu , Tiu Zian Cheak , Tan Sin Jin , Dimyati Kaharudin , Harun Sulaiman Wadi
Published: July 2024

Passively harmonic mode-locking has been experimentally demonstrated in an erbium-doped fiber laser with large normal dispersion using single-multi-single mode structure as artificial saturable absorber. By increasing the pump power under the same polarization setting, the mode-locking operation can switch from fundamental mode-locked to 5th order harmonic mode-locked. Highest repetition rate of 4.26 MHz (5th order harmonic) is observed, with pulse width and pulse energy ascertained at 290 fs and 3.0 nJ, respectively. Excellent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of above 50 dB is observed for all harmonic orders. The findings validated that SMS structure can be used to generate stable and switchable high order of harmonic mode-locked. The low-cost SMS fiber for harmonic mode-locked generation technique could lay the groundwork for future sustainable industrial growth.
Anxiety, eating disorders and menstrual disturbances risk in Spanish elite female paddlers
Authors: Aquino-Llinares N. , Gavala- González J. , Porras-García M. E.
Published: July 2024

Affiliated athletes are frequently subject to higher levels of anxiety due to the intensity of training, competition and many other factors. This anxiety can cause alterations in their health, both physically and mentally, such as menstrual irregularities, eating disorders, etc. In this work we have analysed the anxiety levels of a population of female affiliated paddlers and the possible consequences for their health. The results showed that a third of the female paddlers analysed have a moderate/high risk of suffering from anxiety; and within this group, the less sporting experience the athlete has, the greater the probability is of suffering from anxiety. Moreover, almost half the total of the female paddlers suffers from menstrual dysfunction before an important competition, with this number rising among high performance athletes, even though three out of every four adjust their training schedule to their menstrual cycle. Less-experienced female athletes, who show higher anxiety levels, also present a greater risk of suffering from eating disorders.
Activation of hTREK-1 by polyunsaturated fatty acids involves direct interaction
Authors: Bechard Emilie , Arel Elodie , Bride Jamie , Louradour Julien , Bussy Xavier , Elloumi Anis , Vigor Claire , Soule Pierre , Oger Camille , Galano Jean-Marie , Durand Thierry , Le Guennec Jean-Yves , Moha-Ou-Maati Hamid , Demion Marie
Published: July 2024

TREK-1 is a mechanosensitive channel activated by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Its activation is supposed to be linked to changes in membrane tension following PUFAs insertion. Here, we compared the effect of 11 fatty acids and ML402 on TREK-1 channel activation using the whole cell and the inside-out configurations of the patch-clamp technique. Firstly, TREK-1 activation by PUFAs is variable and related to the variable constitutive activity of TREK-1. We observed no correlation between TREK-1 activation and acyl chain length or number of double bonds suggesting that the bilayer-couple hypothesis cannot explain by itself the activation of TREK-1 by PUFAs. The membrane fluidity measurement is not modified by PUFAs at 10 µM. The spectral shift analysis in TREK-1-enriched microsomes indicates a KD,TREK1 at 44 µM of C22:6 n-3. PUFAs display the same activation and reversible kinetics than the direct activator ML402 and activate TREK-1 in both whole-cell and inside-out configurations of patch-clamp suggesting that the binding site of PUFAs is accessible from both sides of the membrane, as for ML402. Finally, we proposed a two steps mechanism: first, insertion into the membrane, with no fluidity or curvature modifications at 10 µM, and then interaction with TREK-1 channel to open it.
Can climate change signals be detected from the terrestrial water storage at daily timescale?
Authors: Huo Fei , Xu Li , Li Zhenhua , Li Yanping , Famiglietti James S. , Chandanpurkar Hrishi A.
Published: July 2024

The global terrestrial water storage (TWS), the most accessible component in the hydrological cycle, is a general indicator of freshwater availability on Earth. The global TWS trend caused by climate change is harder to detect than global mean temperature due to the highly uneven hydrological responses across the globe, the brevity of global freshwater observations, and large noises of internal climate variability. To overcome the climate noise and small sample size of observations, we leverage the vast amount of observed and simulated meteorological fields at daily scales to project global TWS through its fingerprints in weather patterns. The novel method identifies the relationship between annual global mean TWS and daily surface air temperature and humidity fields using multi-model hydrological simulations. We found that globally, approximately 50% of days for most years since 2016 have climate change signals emerged above the noise of internal variability. Climate change signals in global mean TWS have been consistently increasing over the last few decades, and in the future, are expected to emerge from the natural climate variability. Our research indicates the urgency to limit carbon emission to not only avoid risks associated with warming but also sustain water security in the future.
Efficient and markerless gene integration with SlugCas9-HF in Kluyveromyces marxianus
Authors: Zhou Huanyu , Tian Tian , Liu Jingtong , Lu Hong , Yu Yao , Wang Yongming
Published: July 2024

The nonconventional yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus has potential for industrial production, but the lack of advanced synthetic biology tools for precise engineering hinders its rapid development. Here, we introduce a CRISPR-Cas9-mediated multilocus integration method for assembling multiple exogenous genes. Using SlugCas9-HF, a high-fidelity Cas9 nuclease, we enhance gene editing precision. Specific genomic loci predisposed to efficient integration and expression of heterologous genes are identified and combined with a set of paired CRISPR-Cas9 expression plasmids and donor plasmids to establish a CRISPR-based biosynthesis toolkit. This toolkit enables genome integration of large gene modules over 12 kb and achieves simultaneous quadruple-locus integration in a single step with 20% efficiency. As a proof-of-concept, we apply the toolkit to screen for gene combinations that promote heme production, revealing the importance of HEM4Km and HEM12Sc. This CRISPR-based toolkit simplifies the reconstruction of complex pathways in K. marxianus, broadening its application in synthetic biology.
Flexible adaptation of task-positive brain networks predicts efficiency of evidence accumulation
Authors: Weigard Alexander , Angstadt Mike , Taxali Aman , Heathcote Andrew , Heitzeg Mary M. , Sripada Chandra
Published: July 2024

Efficiency of evidence accumulation (EEA), an individual’s ability to selectively gather goal-relevant information to make adaptive choices, is thought to be a key neurocomputational mechanism associated with cognitive functioning and transdiagnostic risk for psychopathology. However, the neural basis of individual differences in EEA is poorly understood, especially regarding the role of largescale brain network dynamics. We leverage data from 5198 participants from the Human Connectome Project and Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study to demonstrate a strong association between EEA and flexible adaptation to cognitive demand in the “task-positive” frontoparietal and dorsal attention networks. Notably, individuals with higher EEA displayed divergent task-positive network activation across n-back task conditions: higher activation under high cognitive demand (2-back) and lower activation under low demand (0-back). These findings suggest that brain networks’ flexible adaptation to cognitive demands is a key neural underpinning of EEA.
Lrp10 suppresses IL7R limiting CD8 T cell homeostatic expansion and anti-tumor immunity
Authors: Russell Jamie , Chen Luming , Liu Aijie , Wang Jianhui , Ghosh Subarna , Zhong Xue , Shi Hexin , Beutler Bruce , Nair-Gill Evan
Published: July 2024

Signals emanating from the T-cell receptor (TCR), co-stimulatory receptors, and cytokine receptors each influence CD8 T-cell fate. Understanding how these signals respond to homeostatic and microenvironmental cues can reveal new ways to therapeutically direct T-cell function. Through forward genetic screening in mice, we discover that loss-of-function mutations in LDL receptor-related protein 10 (Lrp10) cause naive and central memory CD8 T cells to accumulate in peripheral lymphoid organs. Lrp10 encodes a conserved cell surface protein of unknown immunological function. T-cell activation induces Lrp10 expression, which post-translationally suppresses IL7 receptor (IL7R) levels. Accordingly, Lrp10 deletion enhances T-cell homeostatic expansion through IL7R signaling. Lrp10-deficient mice are also intrinsically resistant to syngeneic tumors. This phenotype depends on dense tumor infiltration of CD8 T cells, which display increased memory cell characteristics, reduced terminal exhaustion, and augmented responses to immune checkpoint inhibition. Here, we present Lrp10 as a new negative regulator of CD8 T-cell homeostasis and a host factor that controls tumor resistance with implications for immunotherapy.
Scalable preparation of macroporous collagen microgels by air bubble-induced breakup and ice templating
Authors: Singh Sushant , Chu Wing Yan , Ostadsharif Memar Rojin , De Carlo Andrew , Veres Teodor , Günther Axel
Published: July 2024

Collagen I, the most abundant protein of the extracellular matrix, has found widespread use in three-dimensional cell culture, and increasingly also in bioprinting and biofabrication applications.
Concise synthesis of chiral γ-butenolides via an allylation/lactonization cascade reaction
Authors: Tan Zheng , Yihuo Aying , Wu Zhao , Wang Fei , Dong Shunxi , Feng Xiaoming
Published: July 2024

An allylation/lactonization cascade reaction for the synthesis of γ-butenolides was developed. The reaction is featured with mild conditions with rapid completion within 10 minutes in most cases, achieving high regio- and enantioselectivity.
Highly proton-conducting lanthanide metal–organic frameworks featuring highly oxygenated ligands with slow magnetic relaxation or magnetocaloric effect
Authors: Yang Shun-Yi , Zhang Qian , Zhang Yang-Lu , Tan Tie-Shen , Zhu Junlun , Yang Xiaodong , Shi Le , Yang Jiong , Shao Dong
Published: July 2024

Two Tb(iii) and Gd(iii) MOFs synthesized through a hydroxy-functionalized dicarboxybenzene were reported to show conductivities up to the 10−2 S cm−1 level with slow magnetic relaxation and magnetocaloric effect.
A lead(ii)–N′-isonicotinoylpyrazine-2-carbohydrazonamide complex system as a converter of aerial carbon dioxide to carbonate under electrochemical conditions with the formation of a single-component white light-emitting phosphor
Authors: Mahmoudi Ghodrat , Garcia-Santos Isabel , Labisbal Elena , Castiñeiras Alfonso , Alizadeh Vali , Gomila Rosa M. , Frontera Antonio , Safin Damir A.
Published: July 2024

A novel complex [Pb2L2(CO3)]·2CH3CN·2MeOH (1·2CH3CN·2MeOH) is reported, which was fabricated by electrochemical oxidation of a lead anode under an ambient atmosphere in a CH3CN : MeOH solution of N′-isonicotinoylpyrazine-2-carbohydrazonamide (HL).
Methodological and force field effects in the molecular dynamics-based prediction of binding free energies of host–guest systems
Authors: Sun Zhaoxi , Procacci Piero
Published: July 2024

Using an alchemical simulation technique, we assess the impact of force fields, ionic strength and guest charge neutralization on the computed dissociation free energies in heavily charged macrocyclic hosts recently used in SAMPL challenges.
Optical trapping of nanoclusters formed in a temperature-responsive ionic liquid aqueous solution under focused near-infrared laser irradiation
Authors: Tanaka Maho , Kobayashi Rai , Tsuboi Yasuyuki , Yuyama Ken-ichi
Published: July 2024

A single microdroplet composed of highly concentrated ionic liquids is formed by formation and subsequent optical trapping of nanoclusters.
Are the metal identity and stoichiometry of metal complexes important for colchicine site binding and inhibition of tubulin polymerization?
Authors: Besleaga Iuliana , Raptová Renáta , Stoica Alexandru-Constantin , Milunovic Miljan N. M. , Zalibera Michal , Bai Ruoli , Igaz Nóra , Reynisson Jóhannes , Kiricsi Mónika , Enyedy Éva A. , Rapta Peter , Hamel Ernest , Arion Vladimir B.
Published: July 2024

The metal-to-ligand stoichiometry and metal identity are of primary importance for the development of metal complexes of thiosemicarbazones as effective inhibitors of tubulin polymerization.
Influence of aluminum zoning toward external surfaces in MFI zeolites on propene oligomerization catalysis
Authors: Diaz Arroyo Ricem , Hur Young Gul , Gounder Rajamani
Published: July 2024

Growth of Al-rich shells on Si-rich zeolite cores can manipulate aluminum zoning, which influences the diffusion pathlength and thereby, alkene oligomerization selectivity.
Degradation and detection of tetracycline by a bifunctional Bi4Ti3O12/Ag heterojunction under light and piezoelectric effect
Authors: Wang Junzhuyan , Zhang Chenjie , Qi Zhao , Xu Minmin , Yuan Yaxian , Yao Jianlin
Published: July 2024

Herein, we combined Bi4Ti3O12 nanosheets with silver nanoparticles to obtain BiTO/Ag heterojunctions for efficient degradation by piezo-photocatalysis and detection by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
First report of components responsible for odor sensation from a vertical flow constructed wetland treating combined sewer overflow
Authors: Vera-Puerto Ismael L. , Sarkar Shrabana , Moris Gianfranco , Valdés Hugo , Quiroz Marco , López Juan , Encina Francisco , Molle Pascal , Arias Carlos A.
Published: July 2024

A VF CW exhibited low-level production of the components responsible for odor sensation and were similar whether or not VF was operational. VOCs are the only component related to some odor sensation and were higher in the morning.
Beneficial effects of a new probiotic formulation on adipocytokines, appetite-regulating hormones, and metabolic parameters in obese women
Authors: Okuka Nina , Milinkovic Neda , Velickovic Ksenija , Polovina Snezana , Sumarac-Dumanovic Mirjana , Minic Rajna , Korčok Davor , Djordjevic Brizita , Ivanovic Nevena Dj.
Published: July 2024

12-week supplementation with the new probiotic formulation containingLactiplantibacillus plantarum299v,Saccharomyces cerevisiaevar.boulardii, and octacosanol showed beneficial effects on certain metabolic parameters, proinflammatory proteins and appetite-regulating hormones in obese women.
Photochemical upcycling and recycling of plastics: achievements and future opportunities
Authors: Mountanea Olga G. , Skolia Elpida , Kokotos Christoforos G.
Published: July 2024

Recent developments in the photochemical upcycling and recycling of plastics.
Microfluidic finger-actuated mixer for ultrasensitive electrochemical measurements of protein biomarkers for point-of-care testing
Authors: Utzinger Benjamin , Dixit Desh Deepak , Lillehoj Peter B.
Published: July 2024

We report a microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor that employs a unique finger-actuated mixer for rapid (<25 min), ultrasensitive (∼5 pg mL−1) measurements of protein biomarkers in human plasma using a smartphone-based diagnostic device.
Effect of fullerene doping on electronic and photovoltaic properties of the cubic bicontinuous phase
Authors: Murad Ahmad , Alaasar Mohamed , Darweesh Ahmed F. , Eremin Alexey
Published: July 2024

Fullerene doping allows for tuning the conductivity and photovoltaic properties of cubic bithiophene-based liquid crystalline organic semiconductors.
Self-limiting material growth triggered and tunable by force through piezocharge-induced mineralization
Authors: Kitchen Grant , Sun Bohan , Omar Mostafa M. , Eisape Adebayo , Kang Sung Hoon
Published: July 2024

We report a self-limiting growth mechanism controllable by force based on an analytical model that is verfied experimentally using a piezoelectric substrate immersed in an electrolyte solution under cyclic loading.
Curcumin-loaded bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles: photoreactivity and photodynamic action against Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Pinto Juliana Guerra , Laneri Francesca , Brambilla Isabelle de Paula Ribeiro , Barbosa Silva de Azevedo Maria Clara , Ambrósio Jéssica A. R. , Simioni Andreza R. , Fraix Aurore , Sortino Salvatore , Ferreira-Strixino Juliana
Published: July 2024

CUR encapsulated within BSA-NPS does not generate singlet oxygen under light irradiation but produces ketyl radicals which, after oxidation by oxygen, are responsible for the antibacterial activity against A. baumannii and S. aureus.
Visible-light-induced self-catalyzed fluoroalkylation/cyclization of N-arylcinnamamides: synthesis of fluoroalkyl-containing 3,4-disubstituted dihydro-1,5-naphthyridin-2(1H)-ones and 7,8-disubstituted dihydropyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidin-6(5H)-ones
Authors: Yao Hongmiao , Zeng Qianding , Tang Yiqun , Yang Xiangqiao , Wang Shaodong , Ren Jiangmeng , Zeng Bu-Bing
Published: July 2024

A novel visible-light-mediated fluoroalkylation/cyclization tandem process for constructing fluoroalkyl-containing 3,4-disubstituted dihydro-1,5-naphthyridin-2(1H)-ones and 7,8-disubstituted dihydropyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidin-6(5H)-ones has been explored.
Carbon cladding boosts graphite-phase carbon nitride for lithium-ion battery negative electrode materials
Authors: Ye Houli
Published: July 2024

In this study, CSs-g-C3N4 carbon and nitrogen composites based on glucose carbon spheres were successfully synthesized.