bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solving the puzzle of copper trafficking in Trypanosoma cruzi: candidate genes that can balance uptake and toxicity
Authors: Merli Marcelo L. , Mediavilla María G. , Zhu Xinyu , Cobine Paul A. , Cricco Julia A.
Published: December 2024

Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, depends on acquiring nutrients and cofactors, such as copper (Cu), from different hosts. Cu is essential for aerobic organisms, but it can also be toxic, and so its transport and storage must be regulated. In the present study, we characterized the effects of changes in Cu availability on growth behavior, intracellular ion content and oxygen consumption. Our results show that copper is essential for epimastigote proliferation and for the metacyclogenesis process. On the other hand, intracellular amastigotes suffered copper stress during infection. In addition, we identify gene products potentially involved in copper metabolism. Orthologs of the highly conserved P‐type Cu ATPases involved in copper export and loading of secreted enzymes were identified and named T. cruzi Cu P‐type ATPase (TcCuATPase). TcCuATPase transcription is upregulated during infective stages and following exposure to copper chelators in the epimastigote stage. Homolog sequences for the high affinity import protein CTR1 were not found. Instead, we propose that the T. cruzi iron transporter (TcIT), a ZIP family transporter, could be involved in copper uptake based on transcriptional response to copper availability. Further canonical copper targets (based on homology to yeast and mammals) such as the T. cruzi ferric reductase (TcFR) and the cupro‐oxidase TcFet3 are upregulated during infective stages and under conditions of intracellular copper deficiency. In sum, copper metabolism is essential for the life cycle of T. cruzi. Even though cytosolic copper chaperons were not identified, we propose a previously undescribed model for copper transport and intracellular distribution in T. cruzi, including some conserved factors such as TcCuATPase, as well as others such as TcFR and TcIT, playing novel functions.
Rational engineering of a highly active and resilient α‐carbonic anhydrase from the hydrothermal vent species Persephonella hydrogeniphila
Authors: Manyumwa Colleen Varaidzo , Zhang Chenxi , Jers Carsten , Mijakovic Ivan
Published: December 2024

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are ideal catalysts for carbon dioxide sequestration in efforts to alleviate climate change. Here, we report the characterisation of three α‐CAs that originate from the thermophilic bacteria Persephonella hydrogeniphila (PhyCA), Persephonella atlantica (PaCA), and Persephonella sp. KM09‐Lau‐8 (PlauCA) isolated from hydrothermal vents. The three α‐Cas, showing high sequence similarities, were produced in Escherichia coli, purified and characterised. Surprisingly, they revealed very different behaviours with regards to their thermostability profiles. PhyCA presented a more stable thermostability profile amongst the three, thus we chose it for rational engineering to improve it further. PhyCA's residue K88, a proton transfer residue in α‐CAs, was mutated to His, Ala, Gln and Tyr. A 4‐fold activity improvement was noted for variants K88H and K88Q at 30 °C, owing to the higher proton transfer efficiency of the replacement proton transfer residues. K88Q also proved more stable than PhyCA. K88Y did not increase activity, but notably increased thermal stability, with this enzyme variant retaining 50% of its initial activity after incubation for 1 h at 90 °C. Removal of the two main proton shuttles (variant H85A_K88A) resulted in diminished activity of the enzyme. Molecular dynamics simulations performed for PhyCA and all its variants revealed differences in residue fluctuations, with K88A resulting in a general reduction in root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) of active site residues as well as most of the CA's residues. Its specific activity and stability in turn increased compared to the wild type.
Crack Propagation Behavior of Single‐Crystal Titanium Under Cyclic Loading: A Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Chang Le , Zheng Dalin , Xie Hongpeng , Liu Xinran , Zhao Jinling , Zhou Changyu
Published: December 2024

In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the crack propagation behavior of single‐crystal titanium with various crystal orientations under cyclic loading. The analysis demonstrates that each crack model displays temporary cyclic hardening and predominant cyclic softening characteristics. The orientation of crack propagation primarily impacts the characteristics of the softening stage, with less influence on the initial hardening stage. A notable orientation correlation is evident in the mechanism of crack propagation, characterized by the presence of various slip modes and deformation twinning (DT) systems. The crack tip deformation behavior obtained from the simulation aligns with the theoretical predictions of linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). The crack growth rate (CGR) and ΔJ for different crack models show good correlation, and both the crack propagation direction and crack plane orientation affect the characteristics of the ΔJ–da/dN curves.
Long‐Term Declines in Body Size of the Invasive Rusty Crayfish (Faxonius rusticus) in Temperate Lakes
Authors: Sawyer Elle K. , Kreps Timothy A. , Lodge David M. , Larson Eric R.
Published: December 2024

Invasive species often experience phenotypic change during the invasion process. For example, many invasive species are larger in their non‐native than native ranges, but some invasive species experience body size declines with time since invasion. Mechanisms of these phenotypic changes are poorly known, likely due to a paucity of long‐term datasets and complex interactions among abiotic and biotic factors that affect body size over time.

We use a long‐term dataset (1980–2020) in 17 lakes of Wisconsin, United States to investigate trends in body size for an invasive species, the rusty crayfish (Faxonius rusticus). We relate F. rusticus body size to crayfish relative abundance as catch‐per‐unit effort (CPUE) from baited trapping, as well as modelled lake temperatures and pelagic primary productivity, using a structural equation model (SEM). Our use of an SEM allowed us to investigate the direct effect of time on F. rusticus on body size, as well as indirect effects through factors like warming of lakes due to climate change.

We found that F. rusticus body size has declined by 10% over the past four decades in our study lakes, from a mean of 36.6 mm total carapace length in 1980 to 32.8 mm in 2020. Faxonius rusticus individuals were larger when lakes were warmer, but the overall effect of time on declining F. rusticus body size was stronger than this predictor. Relative abundance as CPUE had no effect on F. rusticus body size, rejecting a role for density dependence in explaining adult body size of this invasive crayfish.

Declining F. rusticus body sizes have accompanied population declines of this invasive crayfish in some Wisconsin lakes, and both trends provide potential for post‐invasion ecosystem recovery. As one example, smaller F. rusticus individuals may be less effective or active predators on fish nests. By contrast, declining F. rusticus body size may also create opportunities for serial or over‐invasion by future crayfish invaders, sustaining a need to discourage crayfish introductions to this region.
Living in Their Heyday: Iron‐Oxidizing Bacteria Bloomed in Shallow‐Marine, Subtidal Environments at ca. 1.88 Ga
Authors: Kovalick Alex , Heard Andy W. , Johnson Aleisha C. , Chan Clara S. , Ootes Luke , Nielsen Sune G. , Dauphas Nicolas , Weber Bodo , Bekker Andrey
Published: December 2024

The majority of large iron formations (IFs) were deposited leading up to Earth's great oxidation episode (GOE). Following the GOE, IF deposition decreased for almost 500 Myr. Subsequently, around 1.88 Ga, there was widespread deposition of shallow‐water granular iron formations (GIF) within a geologically short time interval, which has been linked to enhanced iron (Fe) supply to seawater from submarine hydrothermal venting associated with the emplacement of large igneous provinces. Previous studies of Fe‐rich, microfossil‐bearing stromatolites from the ca. 1.88 Ga Gunflint Formation on the Superior craton suggested direct microbial oxidation of seawater Fe2+(aq) by microaerophilic, Fe‐oxidizing bacteria (FeOB), as a driver of GIF deposition. Although Fe‐rich, microfossil‐bearing stromatolites are common in 1.88 Ga GIF deposits on several cratons, combined paleontological and geochemical studies have been applied only to the Gunflint Formation. Here, we present new paleontological and geochemical observations for the ca. 1.89 Ga Gibraltar Formation GIFs from the East Arm of the Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada. Fossil morphology, Rare Earth element (REE) concentrations, and Fe isotopic compositions support Fe oxidation by FeOB at a redoxcline poised above the fair‐weather wave base. Small positive Eu anomalies and positive εNd (1.89 Ga) values suggest upwelling of deep, Fe‐rich, hydrothermally influenced seawater. While high [Fe2+(aq)] combined with low atmospheric pO2 in the late Paleoproterozoic would have provided optimal conditions in shallow oceans for FeOB to precipitate Fe oxyhydroxide, these redox conditions were likely toxic to cyanobacteria. As long as local O2 production by cyanobacteria was strongly diminished, FeOB would have had to rely on an atmospheric O2 supply by diffusion to shallow seawater to oxidize Fe2+(aq). Using a 1‐D reaction dispersion model, we calculate [O2(aq)] sufficient to deplete an upwelling Fe2+(aq) source. Our results for GIF deposition are consistent with late Paleoproterozoic pO2 estimates of ~1%–10% PAL and constraints for metabolic [O2(aq)] requirements for modern FeOB. Widespread GIF deposition at ca. 1.88 Ga appears to mark a temporally restricted episode of optimal biogeochemical conditions in Earth's history when increased hydrothermal Fe2+(aq) sourced from the deep oceans, in combination with low mid‐Paleoproterozoic atmospheric pO2, globally satisfied FeOB metabolic Fe2+(aq) and O2(aq) requirements in shallow‐marine subtidal environments above the fair‐weather wave base.
Venue‐Making
Authors: Breunig Christian , Klüser K. Jonathan
Published: December 2024

Venue‐making describes the process of turning political issues into political institutions. Both public policy and institutionalist scholars have addressed the puzzle of when and how new political institutions arise. We draw on both perspectives, arguing that the interaction between interest groups and government ultimately determines whether an issue remains within the existing institutional setting or if a new venue is made. A repeated stag hunt game illuminates the challenges of this interaction: interest groups and government need to coordinate the move from an old to a new venue by amplifying the issue and creating new institutional structures simultaneously. Because the switch from subsystem politics to venue‐making is rewarding but also risky, several mechanisms, including signaling, sustained interaction, and inspection, encourage cooperation. Our research design provides an analysis of three case studies in a fixed institutional context of unified Germany. A first case process‐traces how political issues about digitalization emerged and became institutionalized. A second, off‐path case shows the short‐lived attempt to centralize administrative competences in the domain of energy policy underscores the crucial role of interest groups. The third case explains the ultimately futile attempt to create a new Ministry of Immigration.
International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis Clinical Practice Guideline for Treatment of Congenital Haemophilia—A Critical Appraisal
Authors: Albisetti Manuela , Ardila Jesús , Astermark Jan , Blatny Jan , Carcao Manuel , Chowdary Pratima , Connell Nathan T. , Crato Miguel , Dargaud Yesim , d'Oiron Roseline , Dunn Amy L. , Escobar Miguel A. , Ettingshausen Carmen Escuriola , Fischer Kathelijn , Gouider Emna , Harroche Annie , Hermans Cedric , Jimenez‐Yuste Victor , Kaczmarek Radoslaw , Kenet Gili , Khoo Liane , Klamroth Robert , Langer Florian , Lillicrap David , Mahlangu Johnny , Male Christoph , Mancuso Maria Elisa , Matsushita Tadashi , Meunier Sandrine , Miesbach Wolfgang , Nolan Beatrice , Oldenburg Johannes , O'Mahony Brian , Ozelo Margareth , Pierce Glenn F. , Ramos Gloria , Recht Michael , Romero‐Lux Olivia , Rotellini Dawn , Santoro Rita C. , Singleton Tammuella C. , Skinner Mark W. , Srivastava Alok , Susen Sophie , Talks Kate , Tran Huyen , Valentino Leonard A. , Windyga Jerzy , Yang Renchi ,   also on behalf of AICE, AHAD‐AP, AHCDC, ATHN, CLAHT, EHC, French CRH & MHEMO, GTH, HTCCNC, NBDF, PEDNET, UKHCDO, WFH
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Evidence‐based clinical practice guidelines drive optimal patient care and facilitate access to high‐quality treatment. Creating guidelines for rare diseases such as haemophilia, where evidence does not often come from randomized controlled trials but from non‐randomized and well‐designed observational studies and real‐world data, is challenging. The methodology used for assessing available evidence should consider this critical fact. In formulating guidelines, it is essential to include treatment goals and patient preference.

Aim

This paper comprehensively critiques, against this background, the recommendations of the ISTH clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of haemophilia.

Methods

Each recommendation was critically reviewed against available evidence as well as existing guidelines and commented upon for its scientific validity, impact on clinical practice and access to care globally. The validity of the way in which the GRADE methodology was applied to existing evidence was also assessed.

Results

The critique provided shows that these recommendations have major limitations: they did not state treatment goals and contradict existing guidelines; opportunities for providing access to innovation were missed when the therapeutic benefits of the products approved in the last decades were not included. A major reason for this is the inappropriate adoption of the GRADE methodology without adaptations and without considering treatment goals and patient‐relevant outcomes.

Conclusion

These recommendations may mislead healthcare professionals, payers and governments and therefore cannot serve the patient community well. They setback the advances made in haemophilia care because they overlook important available evidence and do not guide clinical practice to contemporary standards.
How to Protect the Taste for Science? Working Conditions in European Higher Education Systems
Authors: Civera Alice , Lehmann Erik , Meoli Michele , Paleari Stefano , Brioschi Maria Sole
Published: December 2024

When a pronounced taste for science leads researchers to self‐select themselves in academia, higher education systems must be able to protect it. By relying on the economic theory of higher education, the international mobility and the sociology of science literature, we compare the working condition in the four major European higher education systems: the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy. Remuneration level especially its variable component is of paramount importance for all researchers. Job security in terms of tenure‐track positions and habilitation process as well as the career length are relevant for early‐career scholars, whereas the institutional prestige and the funding availability together with the disciplinary‐centre approach as well as the language biases are significant conditions for international researchers specifically. According to the target, policymakers should rely on specific leverages to increase a country competitiveness.
Platelet Reactivity to Zika and Dengue Non‐Structural Protein 1 (NS1) Assessed by Flow Cytometry, Atomic Force Microscopy, and Quartz Crystal Microbalance
Authors: Cano‐Méndez Alan , Espinosa Gabriel , García‐Larragoiti Nallely , Maciel‐García Pedro Antonio , Menchaca‐Arredondo Jorge Luis , Chan‐Kim Young , Reyes‐Sandoval Arturo , Viveros‐Sandoval Martha Eva
Published: December 2024

Background

Platelets, besides being traditionally associated with hemostasis, have been recently positioned as immune cells. Alterations in platelet number and function have been reported in some viral infections. Zika virus (ZIKV) and Dengue virus (DENV) are arboviruses that encode for a non‐structural protein 1 (NS1). NS1 is mainly involved in the viral replication process and can also be secreted by infected cells and has been associated with immune response evasion. The assessment of platelet reactivity against these viral agents and their proteins, through the use of different innovative technologies such as flow cytometry (FC), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), will allow further study of the pathophysiology of these emerging diseases.

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess platelet reactivity to ZIKV and DENV NS1 protein through the use of FC, AFM, and QCM.

Methods

Platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) was stimulated with ZIKV and DENV NS1 protein in individual assays. The expression of P‐selectin and the activity of the glycoprotein IIb‐IIIa, platelet activation markers, were assessed by FC, morphological changes were assessed by AFM, and interaction between NS1 protein and platelet were evaluated by QCM.

Results

An increased expression of P‐selectin and GP IIb‐IIIa activity (p < 0.001) was observed when PRP was stimulated with ZIKV and DENV NS1 proteins. AFM images showed an increase in cell size and the appearance of pseudopods upon stimulation with the viral proteins. QCM results showed a significant increase in the oscillation frequency of the quartz precoated with ZIKV or DENV NS1 when PRP was injected (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

FC, AFM, and QCM are techniques that can be used in the study of platelet response to viral structures such as NS1 protein, broadening the range of existing methodologies in the study of these cells. It is imperative to study platelets in arboviral infections to better understand their involvement in these diseases.
Morphological and ecological approaches in reproduction of the endemic catfish of the eastern Amazon
Authors: Molica Juliana R. , Mendes Yanne A. , Prudente Bruno S. , Oliveira Renata S. , Pantoja Juliana Caroline D. , Torres Marcelo F. , Ferreira Maria Auxiliadora P. , Rocha Rossineide M.
Published: December 2024

This study aimed to describe reproductive ecology based on morphological aspects of Peckoltia oligospila in stream rapids, eastern Amazon. A total of 186 fish (75 males and 111 females) were collected. The sex and gonadal maturity stage of these specimens were obtained based on histological characteristics of the gonads. The sex ratio, gonado‐somatic index (GSI), relative frequency of the different maturity stages, size at first sexual maturation, condition factor of the population, and fluviometry were evaluated during the study. There was a significant female frequency during the study. The population exhibited positive allometric growth without differences between sexes. GSI and relative frequency showing a reproductive period synchronized in February, and the species exhibited parcelated spawning. L50 was estimated at 5.85 and 7.39 cm for females and males, respectively. There were significant differences in the condition factor only in females that showed a highest value in August. Thus, based on the results P. oligospila has an intermediate strategy between the opportunistic and equilibrium strategies.
A Stochastic Tree for Bubble Asset Modelling and Pricing
Authors: Gourieroux Christian , Jasiak Joann
Published: December 2024

We introduce a new stochastic tree representation of a strictly stationary submartingale process for modelling, forecasting, and pricing speculative bubbles on commodity and cryptocurrency markets. The model is compared to other trees proposed in the literature on bubble asset modelling and stochastic volatility approximation. We show that the proposed model is an extension of the well‐known Blanchard‐Watson bubble. The model provides (quasi) closed‐form pricing formulas for European options, which are derived and illustrated.
Cointegrating Polynomial Regressions With Power Law Trends
Authors: Lin Yicong , Reuvers Hanno
Published: December 2024

The common practice in cointegrating polynomial regressions (CPRs) often confines nonlinearities in the variable of interest to stochastic trends, thereby overlooking the possibility that they may be caused by deterministic components. As an extension, we propose univariate and multivariate CPRs that incorporate power law deterministic trends. Conventional fully modified estimation is demonstrated to be inadequate for valid asymptotic inference. As a solution, we employ simulation‐based methods. Building on this concept, we also introduce a simulation‐based procedure to combine subsampling KPSS tests. This approach significantly improves empirical power compared to the existing Bonferroni procedure. Applying our framework to the environmental Kuznets curve, we find reduced evidence that recent environmental improvement can be attributed solely to economic growth.
Use of thymidine kinase 1 autoantibody, thymidine kinase antigen, extracellular protein kinase A autoantibody, and C‐reactive protein for early detection of malignant tumors in dogs
Authors: Kim Yoonhee , Lee Wonhee , Kim Byunggak , Jang Bonghwan , Yu Kyung‐Rok , Kim Hong Sook , Ryu Minok , Oh Yein , Seo Kyoungwon , Park Chul , Choi Ulsoo , Bhang Dongha , Youn Hwayoung
Published: December 2024

Background

Although the importance of early diagnosis of malignant tumors is a major concern, an easily accessible in‐house method has not been established.

Objectives

To investigate the most optimal model by combining thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) autoantibody, extracellular protein kinase A (ECPKA) autoantibody, TK1 antigen, C‐reactive protein (CRP), age, breed, and sex.

Animals

Serum samples from 1702 dogs were collected from local animal hospitals and referral animal medical centers in Korea.

Methods

TK1 autoantibody, ECPKA autoantibody, and CRP were measured using LFIA methods in serum samples of dog to design a new neoplastic index (NI) for early detection of malignant tumors in dogs.

Results

AUC of TK1 autoantibody model with TK1 antigen, CRP, age, and breed in multiple logistic regression analysis was 0.966 (TK1 autoantibody, P = .0005; TK1 antigen, P = .0003), and when the cutoff value was 0.417, the specificity was 87.1%, and sensitivity was 96.4%. Regression coefficients were 24.4, 20.5, 24.8, 10.6, respectively in TK1 autoantibody, TK1 antigen, CRP, and age, and the effect by breed (regression coefficient 2.1, 3.0) was the lowest. The same multiple logistic regression analysis on dogs with lymphoma, and AUC of TK1 autoantibody model was 0.981 (all P < .0001, TK1 antigen P = .09), when the cutoff value was 0.352, the specificity was 92.9%, and sensitivity was 93.7%.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The NI including TK1 autoantibody could be useful in the screening test for both lymphoma and other tumors.
Shanghai Astronomy Museum and its meteorite collections
Authors: Zhimao Du , Shaolin Li , Xingmei Shan , Qing Lin
Published: December 2024

The Shanghai Astronomy Museum (SAM) has opened its meteorite collections to the planetary science community. Inaugurated in July 2021, SAM is recognized as the world's largest astronomical museum and currently houses a collection of 97 meteorites weighing a total of 469 kg. These meteorites come from over 40 nations and encompass a diverse array of 37 different groups. Among them, 70 meteorites are displayed in the museum. The museum also features a series of interactive exhibition areas showcasing the internal structure of meteorites, engaging games introducing meteorite identification, and simulating the formation process of asteroid impact craters. This comprehensive range of offerings enables public access to extensive scientific knowledge about meteorites, making the museum a pivotal platform for disseminating meteoritics to the public.
Metamorphosis of a unicellular green alga in the presence of acetate and a spatially structured three‐dimensional environment
Authors: Vuong Trang , Shetty Prateek , Kurtoglu Ece , Schultz Constanze , Schrader Laura , Then Patrick , Petersen Jan , Westermann Martin , Rredhi Anxhela , Chowdhury Somak , Mukherji Ruchira , Schmitt Michael , Popp Jürgen , Stallforth Pierre , Mittag Maria
Published: December 2024

Photosynthetic protists, named microalgae, are key players in global primary production. The green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a well‐studied model organism. In nature, it dwells in acetate‐rich paddy rice soil, which is not mimicked by standard liquid laboratory conditions. Here, we maintained the algae in a liquid environment with spatially structured 3‐D components (S3‐D) and acetate recreating natural conditions.

We perform transcriptome sequencing, immunoblotting, fluorescence and electron microscopy, and Raman microspectroscopy to characterize the algae in S3‐D vs homogeneous conditions.

The algae undergo a metamorphosis‐like process when transitioned from homogeneous aquatic to a lifestyle simulating acetate‐rich rice soil. These conditions result in reduced cell size and cilia length, an enlarged eyespot and many cells with double‐layered cell walls. RNA‐Seq reveals alterations in c. 2400 transcripts. Four key photoreceptors including CRY‐DASH1 and phototropin governing plastid metabolism along with its eyespot are altered in their protein expression. Consequently, photosynthetic pigments, lipids and starch levels vary as do starch distribution patterns. Fitness against antagonistic bacteria is enhanced concurrently with the downregulation of an involved Ca2+ channel transcript.

This study highlights the profound impact of S3‐D initiating processes inaccessible under homogeneous laboratory conditions. Thus, overexpression lines for certain photoreceptors and starch are naturally created.
A (new) defense of self‐forgiveness
Authors: Baehni Agnès
Published: December 2024

In this article, I try to resolve a contradiction arising from the combination of two theses: (1) self‐forgiveness is sometimes morally justified and (2) only victims can rightly forgive. As has been pointed out by other philosophers, both are plausible, but the two taken together are inconsistent. In the literature, self‐forgiveness is painted as an “imperfect” form of forgiveness or as a “second‐best option” because it entails a violation of the victim's prerogative to forgive. So far, this view has not directly been challenged. Instead, philosophers have focused on the task of giving a plausible account of self‐forgiveness while leaving the claim according to which forgiveness is among the victim's prerogative unchallenged. In this paper, I argue that self‐forgiveness is largely independent from the victim's forgiveness both morally and conceptually.
On the regularity number of a finite group and other base‐related invariants
Authors: Anagnostopoulou‐Merkouri Marina , Burness Timothy C.
Published: December 2024

A ‐tuple of core‐free subgroups of a finite group is said to be regular if has a regular orbit on the Cartesian product . The regularity number of , denoted by , is the smallest positive integer with the property that every such ‐tuple is regular. In this paper, we develop some general methods for studying the regularity of subgroup tuples in arbitrary finite groups, and we determine the precise regularity number of all almost simple groups with an alternating or sporadic socle. For example, we prove that and . We also formulate and investigate natural generalisations of several well‐studied problems on base sizes for finite permutation groups, including conjectures due to Cameron, Pyber and Vdovin. For instance, we extend earlier work of Burness, O'Brien and Wilson by proving that for every almost simple sporadic group, with equality if and only if is the Mathieu group . We also show that every triple of soluble subgroups in an almost simple sporadic group is regular, which generalises recent work of Burness on base sizes for transitive actions of sporadic groups with soluble point stabilisers.
Manufacturing Feature Recognition With a Sparse Voxel-Based Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Vatandoust Farzad , Yan Xiaoliang , Rosen David , Melkote Shreyes N.
Published: December 2024

Automated manufacturing feature recognition is a crucial link between computer-aided design and manufacturing, facilitating process selection and other downstream tasks in computer-aided process planning. While various methods such as graph-based, rule-based, and neural networks have been proposed for automatic feature recognition, they suffer from poor scalability or computational inefficiency. Recently, voxel-based convolutional neural networks have shown promise in solving these challenges but incur a tradeoff between computational cost and feature resolution. This paper investigates a computationally efficient sparse voxel-based convolutional neural network for manufacturing feature recognition, specifically, an octree-based sparse voxel convolutional neural network. This model is trained on a large-scale manufacturing feature dataset, and its performance is compared to a voxel-based feature recognition model (FeatureNet). The results indicate that the octree-based model yields higher feature recognition accuracy (99.5% on the test dataset) with 44% lower graphics processing unit (GPU) memory consumption than a voxel-based model of comparable resolution. In addition, increasing the resolution of the octree-based model enables recognition of finer manufacturing features. These results indicate that a sparse voxel-based convolutional neural network is a computationally efficient deep learning model for manufacturing feature recognition to enable process planning automation. Moreover, the sparse voxel-based neural network demonstrated comparable performance to a boundary representation-based feature recognition neural network, achieving similar accuracy in single-feature recognition without having access to the exact 3D shape descriptors.
A Differentiable Physics-Informed Machine Learning Approach to Model Laser-Based Micro-Manufacturing Process
Authors: Oddiraju Manaswin , Cleeman Jeremy , Malhotra Rajiv , Chowdhury Souma
Published: December 2024

Advanced manufacturing processes are often based on complex multiphysics phenomena that are either poorly understood or are computationally too expensive to simulate in the context of process design, control, or planning. Traditionally, simplified physics models with prescribed heuristics or purely data-driven surrogate models are used as alternatives in such applications. The concept of physics-informed machine learning (PIML) has been shown to have unique advantages over both of these alternatives in various fields of complex system analysis. In this paper, a new PIML approach is presented to model the geometry of the cut produced by a magnetically assisted laser-induced plasma micro-machining (M-LIPMM) process. This PIML architecture uses a neural network to auto-adapt the parametric boundary condition and physical properties used in a simplified finite difference-based physics model (of 2D heat conduction), as a function of the inputs namely the laser settings. This network also estimates the scaling and shifting parameters used by a convolutional neural network that takes the temperature profile predicted by the simplified heat conduction model to predict the width and depth of the machined cut. Trained on physical experiment data, the PIML approach compares favorably to a pure data-driven neural network model in extrapolation tests, while also providing physical insights (that the latter cannot). The PIML approach also provides an 85% better accuracy overall compared to the simplified physics model with heuristic settings.
Reducing Uncertainty in Energy Hub Operation: A Demand Response Approach for Improved Cost-Efficiency
Authors: Zhang Lanyue , Liu Yongjiu
Published: December 2024

In this article, a daily programming was performed for an energy hub (EH). This EH has a typical electricity generation unit, a boiler, a combined heat and power (CHP), two hectares of solar farm, three wind turbines with different capacities, a battery, and a heat storage unit. This hub can obtain electricity from the upstream grid and is also responsible for fully supplying the electrical and thermal loads. Herein, power generation uncertainty by renewable energy sources (RESs), the consumer’s electrical and thermal demands, as well as the upstream grid electricity market price are modeled by appropriate probability functions. In addition, the combined thermal and electrical energies to consumer are optimized. Moreover, the effect of uncertainty of uncertain parameters is reduced using a demand response program (DRP) by the load shifting method. The DRP is applied to both energy forms (electrical and thermal), which reduces hub costs by shifting the load from the hours when energy is expensive and unavailable to the hours when energy is cheap and available. Energy storage devices also shift energy from expensive to cheap hours. The integration of a demand response program effectively minimizes operational costs and enhances the efficiency of the energy hub by optimizing energy usage in response to fluctuating prices and availability.
Insights on the Tribological Characteristics of Titanium Alloys in Demanding Environments
Authors: Rivadeneira Francisco R. , Patel Payank , Wusatowska-Sarnek Agnieszka , Makowiec Mary , Stoyanov Pantcho
Published: December 2024

Titanium alloys are widely used in demanding applications due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, high-temperature resilience, and excellent corrosion resistance. Understanding their tribological behavior is critical, as the performance and durability of several mechanical systems, particularly in gas turbine engines, are often constrained by friction and wear in complex contacting and mobile assemblies. This study investigates the tribological behavior of two widely used titanium alloys, Ti–6–4 and Ti–6–2–4–2, focusing on their interfacial phenomena under varied operational conditions. Tribological testing was conducted using a reciprocating tribometer at different temperatures and loading conditions. Ex situ analyses revealed that wear mechanisms were heavily influenced by the properties of the oxide layer formed during sliding. Under higher loads, the oxide layer on the alloy surface fractured, resulting in the generation of flake-like debris, which contributed to third-body abrasion. Additionally, the study examined the transfer film formation on the alumina counterface under various conditions, correlating friction, and wear behavior with interfacial processes, particularly the oxide formation on the worn surfaces. This study enhances the understanding of the tribological behavior of titanium alloys, paving the way for improved performance in demanding applications through advanced surface modification techniques.
Study on the Friction and Wear Performance of Graphene/Porous Bronze Composites
Authors: Xu Jin , Zhang Zheyuan , Qiao Zhijun , Zhang Xiaofeng , Zhu Fuan
Published: December 2024

The porous surface of air bearings may suffer from surface scratching and wear issues during the start–stop processes or under extreme working conditions. To improve the lubrication performance and service life of the porous restrictors, this study combined powder metallurgy and chemical vapor deposition to fabricate graphene/porous bronze composites. On this basis, the friction and wear properties of porous composites were investigated. The prepared porous composites and the friction surfaces were described by various means such as coefficient of friction (COF), morphology scanning, surface roughness, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Moreover, during the composite fabrication, the flowrates of carbon sources were set to be 3, 6, 9, and 12 sccm, respectively, to investigate the effect of graphene content on the lubrication performance of the original porous matrix. In the experiments, the lubricating performance of the composite was optimized at a flowrate of 12 sccm. Compared to the original porous bronze, the COF was decreased by 8.4% and the wear-rate by 10.5%. Furthermore, the research findings indicated that the grown graphene also affects the sintering process of the porous matrix, leading to weak connections between powders and differences in the final pore structure. Thus, the final pore structure, along with the presence of graphene, jointly influences the lubrication performance of the porous composites.
Comparisons of atomic layer etching of silicon in Cl2 and HBr-containing plasmas
Authors: Elgarhy Mahmoud A. I. , Hao Qinzhen , Kim Heejung , Nam Sang Ki , Kang Song-Yun , Donnelly Vincent M.
Published: December 2024

This paper reports an experimental investigation of Cl2 versus HBr for plasma atomic layer etching of silicon. An inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source with a constant flow of Ar carrier gases and HBr or Cl2 as a dosing gas was used for etching Si (100). Two modes of dosing were investigated: plasma gas dosing, in which pulsed flows of Cl2 or HBr are partially dissociated with the ICP with no substrate bias, and gas dosing, where the ICP is off during the dosing step. Following either dosing mode, a purge step of up to 5 s is followed by a 1 s period of ICP and substrate bias power, leading to etching of the halogenated surface layer. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to follow relative yields of SiCl, SiCl2, and SiBr, and scanning electron microscopy and profilometry were used to measure etching rates. Plasma gas dosing resulted in etching rates three to four times higher than gas dosing. Small differences were found between the two etchant feed gases, with Cl2 exhibiting about 3%–15% higher etching rate. Etched profiles for HBr plasma gas dosing produced little or no microtrench adjacent to the SiO2-masked line, while HBr gas dosing or Cl2 with either mode of dosing produced microtrenches at the bottom of the Si sidewall.
Chemical mechanism for nucleation enhancement in atomic layer deposition of Pt by surface functionalization
Authors: Kwon Sujin , Shong Bonggeun
Published: December 2024

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of metals on oxide substrates often yields islandlike growth, undesirable toward conductor applications. Thus, enhancement of initial nucleation of metal ALD is of great importance. One potential solution reported is to functionalize the substrate surface with small molecules, such as trimethylaluminum (TMA) and aluminum chloride (AlCl3) before metal ALD, so that nucleation delay is reduced, and the coverage and conformality are enhanced. In this study, density functional theory calculations are utilized to elucidate the chemical mechanism toward a change of the reactivity of the surface toward metal ALD upon functionalization by TMA or AlCl3. Surface adsorption of a typical Pt ALD precursor, trimethyl(methylcyclopentadienyl)platinum (MeCpPtMe3), on an OH-terminated SiO2 surface is compared to its adsorption on AlCH3-terminated and AlCl-terminated surfaces. Considering rate-limiting steps on each surface, greater rates for adsorption of Pt are found for the organometallic-functionalized surfaces than the bare SiO2 surface, confirming the chemical enhancement effect by functionalization.
Heat disproportionately kills young people: Evidence from wet-bulb temperature in Mexico
Authors: Wilson Andrew J. , Bressler R. Daniel , Ivanovich Catherine , Tuholske Cascade , Raymond Colin , Horton Radley M. , Sobel Adam , Kinney Patrick , Cavazos Tereza , Shrader Jeffrey G.
Published: December 2024

Recent studies project that temperature-related mortality will be the largest source of damage from climate change, with particular concern for the elderly whom it is believed bear the largest heat-related mortality risk. We study heat and mortality in Mexico, a country that exhibits a unique combination of universal mortality microdata and among the most extreme levels of humid heat. Combining detailed measurements of wet-bulb temperature with age-specific mortality data, we find that younger people are particularly vulnerable to heat: People under 35 years old account for 75% of recent heat-related deaths and 87% of heat-related lost life years, while those 50 and older account for 96% of cold-related deaths and 80% of cold-related lost life years. We develop high-resolution projections of humid heat and associated mortality and find that under the end-of-century SSP 3–7.0 emissions scenario, temperature-related deaths shift from older to younger people. Deaths among under-35-year-olds increase 32% while decreasing by 33% among other age groups.
Rapid virucidal activity of an air sanitizer against aerosolized MS2 and Phi6 phage surrogates for non-enveloped and enveloped vertebrate viruses, including SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Ijaz M. Khalid , Zargar Bahram , Nims Raymond W. , McKinney Julie , Sattar Syed A.
Published: December 2024

An air sanitizer was evaluated using an aerobiology protocol, compliant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Sanitizer Guidelines, for virucidal activity against bacteriophages Phi6 and MS2 (used as surrogates for enveloped and non-enveloped human pathogenic viruses). The phages were suspended in a medium containing a tripartite soil load simulating body fluids and aerosolized using a six-jet Collison nebulizer in an enclosed 25 m
3
aerobiology chamber at 22 ± 2°C and 50 ± 10% relative humidity. The air sanitizer was sprayed into the chamber for 30 s. Viable phages in the air were captured directly, in real time, on host bacterial lawns using a slit-to-agar sampler. Reductions in viable phage concentration ≥3.0 log
10
(99.9%) were observed after a mean exposure of 3.6 min for Phi6, suggesting efficacy against enveloped viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV), and ~10.6 min for MS2, suggesting virucidal efficacy for non-enveloped viruses (e.g., noroviruses and rhinoviruses). This targeted air sanitization approach represents an important non-pharmaceutical public health intervention with virucidal efficacy against airborne viral pathogens.

IMPORTANCE

Airborne viruses are implicated in the transmission indoors of respiratory and enteric viral infections. Air sanitizers represent a non-pharmaceutical intervention to mitigate the risk of such viral transmission. We have developed a method that is now an ASTM International standard (ASTM E3273-21) as well as a test protocol approved by the U.S. EPA to evaluate the efficacy of air sanitizing sprays for inactivating airborne MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophage (used as surrogates for non-enveloped and enveloped human pathogenic viruses, respectively). The test phages were individually suspended in a soil load and aerosolized into a room-sized aerobiology chamber maintained at ambient temperature and relative humidity. Reductions in viable phage concentration ≥3.0 log
10
(99.9%) were observed after a mean exposure of 3.6 min for Phi6, suggesting efficacy against enveloped viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2; influenza; RSV), and ~10.6 min for MS2, suggesting virucidal efficacy for non-enveloped viruses (e.g., noroviruses and rhinoviruses). The data suggest the utility of the air sanitizer for mitigating the risk of indoor viral transmission during viral pandemics and outbreaks.
The measles virus matrix F50S mutation from a lethal case of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis promotes receptor-independent neuronal spread
Authors: Yousaf Iris , Domanico Luke , Nambara Toshihiko , Yadav Kalpana , Kelly Lauren K. , Trejo-Lopez Jorge , Shieh Wun-Ju , Rota Paul A. , Devaux Patricia , Kanekiyo Takahisa , Taylor Matthew P. , Cattaneo Roberto
Published: December 2024

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a lethal neurological disorder occurring several years after measles. Reconstruction of the evolution of the measles virus (MeV) genome in an SSPE case suggested that the matrix (M) protein mutation M-F50S, when added to other mutations, drove neuropathogenesis. However, whether and how M-F50S would promote spread independently from other mutations was in question. We investigated here the cell specificity of MeV spread in this brain and documented that both neurons and astrocytes were heavily infected. We then generated recombinant MeV with individual mutations in the three proteins of the viral membrane fusion apparatus, M, fusion (F), and hemagglutinin (H). These viruses reached similar titers as the parental wild-type virus, kept the respective mutations upon passage, and infected cells expressing the tissue-specific MeV receptors SLAM and nectin-4 with similar efficiencies. However, after inoculation of receptor-negative neurons and astrocytes differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells, only
MeV M-F50S
spread with moderate efficiency; the parental virus and its derivatives coding for a hyperfusogenic F protein, or for a cytoplasmic tail-mutated H protein, did not spread. When delivered to primary mouse neurons by cell-mediated neurite overlay,
MeV M-F50S
frequently reached the cell bodies and occasionally formed small infectious centers, while the other MeV reached the cell bodies only sporadically. These results demonstrate that, in neuronal cell cultures, M-F50S can enable receptor-independent spread in the absence of other mutations, and validate the inference that this single amino acid change initiated ubiquitous MeV brain spread.

IMPORTANCE

Measles virus (MeV), a non-integrating negative-strand RNA virus, rarely causes subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) several years after acute infection. During brain adaptation, the MeV genome acquires multiple mutations reducing the dependence of its membrane fusion apparatus (MFA) from an activating receptor. It was proposed that one of these mutations, matrix protein F50S, drove neuropathogenesis in an SSPE case. We report here that, in two types of neuronal cultures, a recombinant MeV with only this mutation gained receptor-independent spread, whereas viruses expressing MFA proteins with other mutations acquired during brain adaptation did not. Our results validate the inference that M-F50S initiated ubiquitous MeV brain spread resulting in lethal disease. They also prompt studies of the impact of analogous amino acid changes of the M proteins of other nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses on their interactions with membrane lipids and cytoskeletal components.
Supplemental Material: Late Paleozoic to Mesozoic tectonic transition in northeastern Eurasia: Constraints from two island arc magmatic belts in eastern NE China
Authors: Li Gong-Yu , Zhou Jian-Bo , al. et
Published: December 2024

Detailed analytical methods. Table S1: Major, REE and trace element analyses for the selected samples from the study area. Table S2: U–Pb isotopic data for zircons from selected samples in the study area.
Supplemental Material: Ediacaran magmatism and rifting along the northern margin of the Tarim craton: Implications for the late Neoproterozoic Rodinia configuration and breakup
Authors: Wu Hong-Xiang , Zhang Feng-Qi , al. et
Published: December 2024

Table S1: Detail analytical methods. Table S2: Analytical results of major- and trace-element compositions of the Lower Ediacaran Sugetbrak basalts in the northwest Tarim craton. Table S3: Analytical results of Sr-Nd-Hf-Pb isotope compositions of the Lower Ediacaran Sugetbrak basalts in the northwest Tarim craton. Table S4: Laser-ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U-Pb data for detrital zircons in the Sugetbrak Formation sandstones. Table S5: Compilation of zircon U-Pb dating data for the magmatic rocks from the Central Tianshan terrane. Figure S1: Cathodoluminescence (CL) images of representative zircons with analyzed spots and preferred ages (in Ma). Figure S2: Detrital zircon Th/U ratio vs. age plot for two sandstone samples in this study.
Supplemental Material: Fingerprinting the metal source and cycling of the world’s largest antimony deposit in Xikuangshan, China
Authors: Long Zheng-Yu , Qiu Kun-Feng , al. et
Published: December 2024

Table S1: Sulfur isotopic compositions of stibnite in the Xikuangshan deposit.