bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Competing-risks model for predicting the prognosis of patients with angiosarcoma based on the SEER database of 3905 cases
Authors: Huang Chaodi , Huang Jianguo , He Yong , Zhao Qiqi , Ming Wai-Kit , Duan Xi , Jiang Yuzhen , Sun Lak Yau , Gao Yunfei , Lyu Jun , Deng Liehua
Published: March 2024

Purpose

To establish a competing-risks model and compare it with traditional survival analysis, aiming to identify more precise prognostic factors for angiosarcoma. The presence of competing risks suggests that prognostic factors derived from the conventional Cox regression model may exhibit bias.

Methods

Patient data pertaining to angiosarcoma cases diagnosed from 2000 to 2019 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Multivariate analysis employed both the Cox regression model and the Fine-Gray model, while univariate analysis utilized the cumulative incidence function and Gray’s test.

Results

A total of 3,905 enrolled patients diagnosed with angiosarcoma were included, out of which 2,781 succumbed to their condition: 1,888 fatalities resulted from angiosarcoma itself, and 893 were attributed to other causes. The Fine-Gray model, through multivariable analysis, identified SEER stage, gender, race, surgical status, chemotherapy status, radiotherapy status, and marital status as independent prognostic factors for angiosarcoma. The Cox regression model, due to the occurrence of competing-risk events, could not accurately estimate the effect values and yielded false-negative outcomes. Clearly, when analyzing clinical survival data with multiple endpoints, the competing-risks model demonstrates superior performance.

Conclusion

This current investigation may enhance clinicians’ comprehension of angiosarcoma and furnish reference data for making clinical decisions.
Ignorance
Authors: Tomlinson Sally
Published: March 2024

As a universal experience school provokes strongly-held opinions. The views of teachers, parents, pupils compete with those of educational theorists, social engineers and ideologues. Although undoubtedly much improved since the time of Beveridge, the provision of education remains beset with challenges. Sally Tomlinson's engaging, and at times personal, journey through Britain's postwar experience of schooling and education reform draws on her many years of working in the sector. She explains how legacies of different systems and countless policy initiatives have led to the persistence of social inequalities, entrenching them in society and perpetuated by the power dynamics that they create between class, race and gender. Furthermore, she shows how the increasing mania for testing, targets, choice and competition, which has made schools into a marketplace and young people into consumers, threatens to undermine schools as a place where citizens can share learning and the democratic values that are needed as much today as they were in Beveridge's time.
Owning the City
Authors: McGraw Olive Marsha
Published: March 2024

Competition between democratic and authoritarian systems is playing out in global cities, where real property rights influence regime legitimacy and economic performance. Two questions inspire debate. Why does the property-owning middle class, which was integral to democratic development in the West, support illiberal governments? Do differences between political systems affect the success of global cities?

Marsha McGraw Olive unravels these questions by comparing urban land governance in Europe and Eurasia. Democracies largely, but not exclusively, perform better than hybrid or authoritarian regimes on real property rights, land-related regulations, and citizen engagement in urban planning. Case studies of Moscow and Istanbul show that urban real property is fundamental to regime stability, bringing wealth to average citizens and favoured elites. This formula, perfected by President Putin, bestows economic but not political benefits to middle-class property owners.

The book argues that all cities need to improve land governance to cope with twenty-first century urban challenges. Cities that respect property rights and put citizens at the centre of urban planning achieve better outcomes. In contrast, illiberal leaders who rely on opaque property deals are inciting public backlash and slowing economic growth. In the global political competition, real property rights are a chink in the authoritarian armour.
The effects of a universal income transfer on food insecurity within households
Authors: Sarker Prianka Maria , Daley Angela , Malacarne J.G.
Published: March 2024

Using the public-use files of the Canadian Community Health Survey and a difference-in-differences methodology, we estimate the impact of a universal income transfer (the Universal Child Care Benefit) on food insecurity, separately for adults and children within households. The income transfer reduced the risk of overall food insecurity by 20% at the child level, and the effect was larger in households with lower education or income. The transfer also reduced the likelihood of moderate/severe food insecurity among adults in single-parent families, as well as adults and children in households with secondary education or less. These findings withstand several robustness checks.
A Snapshot of Academic Job Placements in Linguistics in the US and Canada
Authors: Haugen Jason D. , Margaris Amy V. , Calvo Sarah E.
Published: March 2024

Most people working in the field of linguistics in the US and Canada have an intuitive sense of who the “major players” are among PhD-granting linguistics departments. Our analysis demonstrates that the frequently-perceived hierarchy of linguistics programs is indeed correct. Drawing on publicly available information from Winter/Spring, 2019 on faculty at all PhD-granting linguistics programs across the US and Canada, we use social network and heat map visualizations to demonstrate the existence of an extraordinarily strong and relatively stable hierarchy of programs whose graduates dominate the linguistics academic job market. A secondary finding is that many of the top programs are characterized by gender imbalances. We argue that the top programs’ tremendous influence on the job market as a whole affords these programs the ability – indeed, the responsibility – to take the lead in effecting positive change in the field's hiring patterns more broadly.
Open or robotic? Radical cystectomies for patients with non-metastatic bladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ohene-Agyei Jada , Madhira Marisha , Smith Holly , Sardiu Mihaela E. , Lee Eugene K.
Published: March 2024

Background:

This systematic review and meta-analysis will review randomized control trials for localized bladder cancer, evaluating surgical and pathologic outcomes of ORC versus RARC.

Methods:

Randomized studies evaluating adults with non-metastatic bladder cancer who underwent a radical cystectomy. Randomized trials were selected for final review. Data was extracted and analyzed with Revman 5 software. The primary outcome was complication rates within 90 days. Secondary outcomes included postoperative quality of life, estimated intraoperative blood loss, and other perioperative outcomes. Continuous variables were reported using mean difference with 95% confidence intervals, and dichotomous variables were reported using risk difference with 95% confidence intervals with RARC as the experimental group and ORC as the reference group.

Results:

Of 134 articles screened, six unique randomized studies were selected. For Grade I-II complications, the risk ratio (RR) was 0.92 (95% CI [0.79,1.08], p = 0.33), and for Grade III-V complications, RR 0.93 (95% CI [0.73,1.18], p = 0.59). RARC resulted in decreased blood loss (95% CI [−438.08, −158.44], p < 0.00001) and longer operative time (95% CI [55.23, 133.13], p < 0.00001). Quality of life using the EORTC-QLQ-30 global health score at 3 months post-op appeared to favor RARC with a mean difference of 4.46 points (95% CI [1.78, 7.15], p = 0.001). Pathologic outcomes neither statistically nor clinically favored one modality, as there was no significant difference between mean lymph node yield (p = 0.49), positive lymph nodes (p = 1.00), and positive surgical margins (p = 0.85) between the surgical modalities.

Conclusions:

Although one surgical modality is not overtly superior, the choice may be decided by mitigating individual operative risk factors like intraoperative blood loss, operative time, post-operative quality of life, as well as institutional costs and learning curve among surgeons.
Unraveling the influence of environmental factors on fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis) germination and its management implications
Authors: Hooda Virender Singh , Chauhan Bhagirath Singh
Published: March 2024

Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis Poir.) has invaded and colonized numerous habitats in the coastal areas of southeastern Australia and is a major weed in cultivated lands as well as in poorly grassed, neglected, and highly grazed pastures. To examine the seed germination ecology of two populations (Felton and Gatton) of S. madagascariensis, experiments were conducted in the laboratory and screen house. The germination of both populations increased as the alternating temperatures increased from the coolest temperatures (15/5 C) to warmer temperatures (25/15 C). However, the highest temperature regime (35/25 C) resulted in the lowest germination rates. The Gatton population exhibited greater tolerance to higher temperatures, resulting in significantly higher germination (2.4 times) than the Felton population at the highest alternating temperature of 35/25 C. Compared with the Felton population, the Gatton population demonstrated higher tolerance to salt and water stress. In comparison to alternating light and dark periods (12 h each) (97% to 98%), the germination of both populations of S. madagascariensis was significantly reduced under complete darkness (24 h) (33% to 39%). A screen house seed burial depth experiment revealed similar emergence of S. madagascariensis seedlings between the populations. The maximum emergence (60%) was observed for seeds placed at the soil surface, followed by a dramatic decline in seedling emergence with an increase in depth. No seedlings emerged from a burial depth of 4 cm. With the addition of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop residue to the soil surface at rates comparable to 4,000 to 8,000 kg ha−1, seedling emergence of S. madagascariensis decreased significantly. Information acquired from this study could be utilized to manage and develop effective weed management strategies for controlling S. madagascariensis in different agroecological conditions.
Structure and role of the pressure Hessian in regions of strong vorticity in turbulence
Authors: Yang P.-F. , Xu H. , Pumir A. , He G.W.
Published: March 2024

Amplification of velocity gradients, a key feature of turbulent flows, is affected by the non-local character of the incompressible fluid equations expressed by the second derivative (Hessian) of the pressure field. By analysing the structure of the flow in regions where the vorticity is the highest, we propose an approximate expression for the pressure Hessian in terms of the local vorticity, consistent with the existence of intense vortex tubes. Contrary to the often used simplification of an isotropic form for the pressure Hessian, which in effect inhibits vortex stretching, the proposed approximate form of the pressure Hessian enables much stronger vortex stretching. The prediction of the approximation proposed here is validated with results of direct numerical simulations of turbulent flows.
Covariable changes of septal spacing and conch shape during early ontogeny: a common characteristic between Perisphinctina and Ancyloceratina (Ammonoidea, Cephalopoda)
Authors: Nishino Yutaro , Komazaki Keisuke , Arai Masaki , Hattori Ai , Uoya Yuji , Iida Takahiro , Wani Ryoji
Published: March 2024

We analyzed the ontogenetic trajectories of conch morphology and septal spacing between successive chambers in Cretaceous ammonoids (suborders Perisphinctina and Ancyloceratina) collected from southern India, Madagascar, and Japan. All examined species, except for the family Collignoniceratidae, exhibited similar characteristics during early ontogeny. The common ontogenetic trajectories of septal spacing show a cycle comprising an increase and a subsequent decrease in septal spacing during early ontogeny. The conch diameters at the end of the cycle were estimated to be 1–4 mm. The conch shape (aperture height and whorl expansion rate) covariably changed at this conch diameter. Such covariable changes are commonly recognized in the suborders Perisphinctina and Ancyloceratina. The similarity in the ontogenetic trajectories of conch morphology implies a closer phylogenetic relationship between these suborders compared to Lytoceratina or Phylloceratina.
TILTING COMPLEXES AND CODIMENSION FUNCTIONS OVER COMMUTATIVE NOETHERIAN RINGS
Authors: HRBEK MICHAL , NAKAMURA TSUTOMU , ŠŤOVÍČEK JAN
Published: March 2024

In the derived category of a commutative noetherian ring, we explicitly construct a silting object associated with each sp-filtration of the Zariski spectrum satisfying the “slice” condition. Our new construction is based on local cohomology and it allows us to study when the silting object is tilting. For a ring admitting a dualizing complex, this occurs precisely when the sp-filtration arises from a codimension function on the spectrum. In the absence of a dualizing complex, the situation is more delicate and the tilting property is closely related to the condition that the ring is a homomorphic image of a Cohen–Macaulay ring. We also provide dual versions of our results in the cosilting case.
Welfare Elites and State Reconfiguration Evidence from the Transformation of French Social Security
Authors: Genieys William , Darviche Mohammad-Saïd
Published: March 2024

Studying the transformation of France’s social security system between 1970 and 2020 reveals a recomposition of the power of unelected governmental elites. The institutionalization of a group of “welfare elites” characterized by a new sociological profile (social background and career paths) has led to a reshaping of policy governance (“Iron Triangle”). These High civil servants have carried out a program of “sustainable social welfare,” reinforcing state interventionism in health and social insurance policies. In the context of this program’s implementation, they have developed the role of custodians of state policies. This strengthening of the French state’s capacity sheds new light on the question of its reconfiguration.
Loss-cone stabilization in rotating mirrors: thresholds and thermodynamics
Authors: Kolmes E.J. , Ochs I.E. , Fisch N.J.
Published: March 2024

In the limit of sufficiently fast rotation, rotating mirror traps are known to be stable against the loss-cone modes associated with conventional (non-rotating) mirrors. This paper calculates how quickly a mirror configuration must rotate in order for several of these modes to be stabilized (in particular, the high-frequency convective loss cone, drift cyclotron loss cone and Dory–Guest–Harris modes). Commonalities in the stabilization conditions for these modes then motivate a modified formulation of the Gardner free energy and diffusively accessible free energy to be used for systems in which the important modes have wavevectors that are orthogonal or nearly orthogonal to the magnetic field, as well as a modification to include the effects of a loss region in phase space.
Africans in China, Western/White Supremacy and the Ambivalence of Chinese Racial Identity
Authors: Zhang Binxin
Published: March 2024

This article seeks to provide further insights into understanding the construction of Chinese identity by bringing the West/white into the picture of Afro-Sino racial relationships. It contends that the Chinese have internalized Western/white superiority through a long historical process, starting with the Western invasion in the 19th century and continuing with the construction of the contemporary historical narrative of the “century of humiliation.” This internalization and its ramifications can be observed in Chinese public discourses as well as diplomatic practices. Together with Western/white superiority, the Chinese also adopted a social Darwinist, competitive world view, using Western modernity as the yardstick by which to rank different peoples and societies in a racial hierarchy. Chinese racism against Africans is thus a projection of a harsh self-judgement. Unlike white supremacy in Western racial thinking, “Chinese supremacy” is often coupled with an inferiority complex.
Barriers to vaccine acceptance in the adult population of mainland Finland, 2021
Authors: Lasander Mervi , Elo Kimmo , Joronen Katja , Dub Timothée
Published: March 2024

There has been a lack of information on vaccine acceptance for Finnish adults. We conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data collected through the Finnish Medicines Agency Medicine Barometer 2021 survey (response rate: 20.6%). We described and explained vaccine acceptance by investigating the associations between socio-demographic factors and statements using logistic regression and conducted a factor analysis. The majority of respondents (n = 2081) considered vaccines to be safe (93%), effective (97%), and important (95%). However, 20% and 14% felt they did not have enough information about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), respectively. Respondents aged 18–39 were 2.8 times more likely to disagree that they had enough information about VPDs compared to respondents aged 60–79 (p < 0.001), while respondents with poorer self-perceived health were 1.8 times more likely to declare not having enough information about vaccines (p < 0.001). We generated three-factor dimensions from the eight statements. They were related to ‘Confidence and attitudes towards vaccines’, ‘Access to information on vaccines and VPDs’, and ‘Debate on vaccine issues’, which may reflect the underlying thinking patterns. Access to and understanding of information about vaccines and VPDs need to be improved for Finnish adults to increase vaccine acceptance and uptake, thus preventing the spread of VPDs.
Weightless Infrastructures
Authors: Raasted Kristoffer
Published: March 2024

Considered as an artistic medium, airwaves are not neutral, nor are they immaterial. The decision to broadcast is linked to the decision to activate electronic circuits. Radio holds both propagandistic and subversive potentials. But even the most experimental broad- or webcasts rely on electronic or digital technologies. Thus, responsible radio productions cannot shy away from a self-critical, and political positioning in this regard. What political implications does it have for radio art that transmission rests on a system of energy-consuming technologies? This question calls for a theorization that nuances the idea of podcasting as an ephemeral and intimate medium. This article proposes the term weightless infrastructures in rethinking satellites as atmospheric, free-floating and free-falling technological infrastructures. This notion is abbreviated and used interchangeably with the following terms: weightless technology, weightless hardware and free-floating infrastructure.
Multi Satellite Observation of a Foreshock Bubble Causing an Extreme Magnetopause Expansion
Authors: Grimmich Niklas , Prencipe Fabio , Turner Drew L. , Liu Terry Z. , Plaschke Ferdinand , Archer Martin O. , Nakamura Rumi , Sibeck David G. , Mieth Johannes Z. D. , Auster Hans‐Ulrich , Constantinescu O. Dragos , Fischer David , Magnes Werner
Published: March 2024

The interaction of a solar wind discontinuity with the backstreaming particles of the Earth’s ion foreshock can generate hot, tenuous plasma transients such as foreshock bubbles (FB) and hot flow anomalies (HFA). These transients are known to have strong effects on the magnetosphere, distorting the magnetopause (MP), either locally during HFAs or globally during FBs. However, previous studies on the global impact of FBs have not been able to determine whether the response stems directly from the transverse scale size of the phenomenon or its fast motion over the magnetosphere. Here we present the observation of an FB and its impact on the magnetosphere from different spacecraft scattered over the dayside magnetosphere. We are able to constrain the size of the transverse scale of an FB from direct observations to be about 10 RE. We go on to discuss how the magnetosphere responds to this transient, which seems to have a similar scale across the dayside.
Assessment of Global Ocean Biogeochemistry Models for Ocean Carbon Sink Estimates in RECCAP2 and Recommendations for Future Studies
Authors: Terhaar Jens , Goris Nadine , Müller Jens D. , DeVries Tim , Gruber Nicolas , Hauck Judith , Perez Fiz F. , Séférian Roland
Published: March 2024

The ocean is a major carbon sink and takes up 25%–30% of the anthropogenically emitted CO2. A state‐of‐the‐art method to quantify this sink are global ocean biogeochemistry models (GOBMs), but their simulated CO2 uptake differs between models and is systematically lower than estimates based on statistical methods using surface ocean pCO2 and interior ocean measurements. Here, we provide an in‐depth evaluation of ocean carbon sink estimates from 1980 to 2018 from a GOBM ensemble. As sources of inter‐model differences and ensemble‐mean biases our study identifies (a) the model setup, such as the length of the spin‐up, the starting date of the simulation, and carbon fluxes from rivers and into sediments, (b) the simulated ocean circulation, such as Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and Southern Ocean mode and intermediate water formation, and (c) the simulated oceanic buffer capacity. Our analysis suggests that a late starting date and biases in the ocean circulation cause a too low anthropogenic CO2 uptake across the GOBM ensemble. Surface ocean biogeochemistry biases might also cause simulated anthropogenic fluxes to be too low, but the current setup prevents a robust assessment. For simulations of the ocean carbon sink, we recommend in the short‐term to (a) start simulations at a common date before the industrialization and the associated atmospheric CO2 increase, (b) conduct a sufficiently long spin‐up such that the GOBMs reach steady‐state, and (c) provide key metrics for circulation, biogeochemistry, and the land‐ocean interface. In the long‐term, we recommend improving the representation of these metrics in the GOBMs.
Identification of circulating apolipoprotein M as a new determinant of insulin sensitivity and relationship with adiponectin
Authors: Frances Laurie , Croyal Mikaël , Ruidavets Jean-Bernard , Maraninchi Marie , Combes Guillaume , Raffin Jérémy , de Souto Barreto Philippe , Ferrières Jean , Blaak Ellen E. , Perret Bertrand , Moro Cédric , Valéro René , Martinez Laurent O. , Viguerie Nathalie
Published: March 2024

Background

The adiponectin is one of the rare adipokines down-regulated with obesity and protects against obesity-related disorders. Similarly, the apolipoprotein M (apoM) is expressed in adipocytes and its expression in adipose tissue is associated with metabolic health. We compared circulating apoM with adiponectin regarding their relationship with metabolic parameters and insulin sensitivity and examined their gene expression patterns in adipocytes and in the adipose tissue.

Methods

Circulating apoM and adiponectin were examined in 169 men with overweight in a cross-sectional study, and 13 patients with obesity during a surgery-induced slimming program. Correlations with clinical parameters including the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were analyzed. Multiple regression analyses were performed on HOMA-IR. The APOM and ADIPOQ gene expression were measured in the adipose tissue from 267 individuals with obesity and a human adipocyte cell line.

Results

Participants with type 2 diabetes had lower circulating adiponectin and apoM, while apoM was higher in individuals with dyslipidemia. Similar to adiponectin, apoM showed negative associations with HOMA-IR and hs-CRP (r < −0.2), and positive correlations with HDL markers (HDL-C and apoA-I, r > 0.3). Unlike adiponectin, apoM was positively associated with LDL markers (LDL-C and apoB100, r < 0.20) and negatively correlated with insulin and age (r < −0.2). The apoM was the sole negative determinant of HOMA-IR in multiple regression models, while adiponectin not contributing significantly. After surgery, the change in HOMA-IR was negatively associated with the change in circulating apoM (r = −0.71), but not with the change in adiponectin. The APOM and ADIPOQ gene expression positively correlated in adipose tissue (r > 0.44) as well as in adipocytes (r > 0.81). In adipocytes, APOM was downregulated by inflammatory factors and upregulated by adiponectin.

Conclusions

The apoM rises as a new partner of adiponectin regarding insulin sensitivity. At the adipose tissue level, the adiponectin may be supported by apoM to promote a healthy adipose tissue.

Trial registration

NCT01277068, registered 13 January 2011; NCT02332434, registered 5 January 2015; and NCT00390637, registered 20 October 2006.
Ultra-high-Q free-space coupling to microtoroid resonators
Authors: Suebka Sartanee , McLeod Euan , Su Judith
Published: March 2024

Whispering gallery mode (WGM) microtoroid resonators are one of the most sensitive biochemical sensors in existence, capable of detecting single molecules. The main barrier for translating these devices out of the laboratory is that light is evanescently coupled into these devices though a tapered optical fiber. This hinders translation of these devices as the taper is fragile, suffers from mechanical vibration, and requires precise positioning. Here, we eliminate the need for an optical fiber by coupling light into and out from a toroid via free-space coupling and monitoring the scattered resonant light. A single long working distance objective lens combined with a digital micromirror device (DMD) was used for light injection, scattered light collection, and imaging. We obtain Q-factors as high as $$1.6\times {10}^{8}$$

1.6
×

10

8

with this approach. Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT)-like and Fano resonances were observed in a single cavity due to indirect coupling in free space. This enables improved sensing sensitivity. The large effective coupling area (~10 μm in diameter for numerical aperture = 0.14) removes the need for precise positioning. Sensing performance was verified by combining the system with the frequency locked whispering evanescent resonator (FLOWER) approach to perform temperature sensing experiments. A thermal nonlinear optical effect was examined by tracking the resonance through FLOWER while adjusting the input power. We believe that this work will be a foundation for expanding the implementation of WGM microtoroid resonators to real-world applications.
A resonant high-pressure microsensor based on a composite pressure-sensitive mechanism of diaphragm bending and volume compression
Authors: Qian Pan , Yu Zongze , Yu Jie , Lu Yulan , Xie Bo , Chen Jian , Chen Deyong , Wang Junbo
Published: March 2024

In this paper, a composite pressure-sensitive mechanism combining diaphragm bending and volume compression was developed for resonant pressure microsensors to achieve high-pressure measurements with excellent accuracy. The composite mechanism was explained, and the sensor structure was designed based on theoretical analysis and finite element simulation. An all-silicon resonant high-pressure microsensor with multiple miniaturized cavities and dual resonators was developed, where dual resonators positioned in two resonant cavities with suitably different widths are used to perform opposite characteristics in pressure and the same characteristics at different temperatures, which can improve pressure sensitivities and realize temperature self-compensation by differential frequency output. The microsensor was fabricated by microfabrication, and the experimental results showed that the sensor had an accuracy of ±0.015% full scale (FS) in a pressure range of 0.1~100 MPa and a temperature range of −10~50 °C. The pressure sensitivity of the differential frequency was 261.10 Hz/MPa (~2523 ppm/MPa) at a temperature of 20 °C, and the temperature sensitivities of the dual resonators were −1.54 Hz/°C (~−14.5 ppm/°C) and −1.57 Hz/°C (~−15.6 ppm/°C) at a pressure of 2 MPa. The differential output had an outstanding stability within ±0.02 Hz under constant temperature and pressure. Thus, this research provides a convenient solution for high-pressure measurements because of its advantages, namely, large range, excellent accuracy and stability.
Dual inhibitors of DNMT and HDAC induce viral mimicry to induce antitumour immunity in breast cancer
Authors: Huang Wenjun , Zhu Qingyun , Shi Zhichao , Tu Yao , Li Qinyuan , Zheng Wenwen , Yuan Zigao , Li Lulu , Zu Xuyu , Hao Yue , Chu Bizhu , Jiang Yuyang
Published: March 2024

The existing conventional treatments for breast cancer, including immune checkpoint blockade, exhibit limited effects in some cancers, particularly triple-negative breast cancer. Epigenetic alterations, specifically DNMT and HDAC alterations, are implicated in breast cancer pathogenesis. We demonstrated that DNMTs and HDACs are overexpressed and positively correlated in breast cancer. The combination of DNMT and HDAC inhibitors has shown synergistic antitumour effects, and our previously designed dual DNMT and HDAC inhibitor (termed DNMT/HDACi) 15a potently inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and induces apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, 15a induces a viral mimicry response by promoting the expression of endogenous retroviral elements in breast cancer cells, thus increasing the intracellular level of double-stranded RNA to activate the RIG-I–MAVS pathway. This in turn promotes the production of interferons and chemokines and augments the expression of interferon-stimulated genes and PD-L1. The combination of 15a and an anti-PD-L1 antibody had an additive effect in vivo. These findings indicate that this DNMT/HDACi has immunomodulatory functions and enhances the effectiveness of immune checkpoint blockade therapy.
piRNA loading triggers MIWI translocation from the intermitochondrial cement to chromatoid body during mouse spermatogenesis
Authors: Wei Huan , Gao Jie , Lin Di-Hang , Geng Ruirong , Liao Jiaoyang , Huang Tian-Yu , Shang Guanyi , Jing Jiongjie , Fan Zong-Wei , Pan Duo , Yin Zi-Qi , Li Tianming , Liu Xinyu , Zhao Shuang , Chen Chen , Li Jinsong , Wang Xin , Ding Deqiang , Liu Mo-Fang
Published: March 2024

The intermitochondrial cement (IMC) and chromatoid body (CB) are posited as central sites for piRNA activity in mice, with MIWI initially assembling in the IMC for piRNA processing before translocating to the CB for functional deployment. The regulatory mechanism underpinning MIWI translocation, however, has remained elusive. We unveil that piRNA loading is the trigger for MIWI translocation from the IMC to CB. Mechanistically, piRNA loading facilitates MIWI release from the IMC by weakening its ties with the mitochondria-anchored TDRKH. This, in turn, enables arginine methylation of MIWI, augmenting its binding affinity for TDRD6 and ensuring its integration within the CB. Notably, loss of piRNA-loading ability causes MIWI entrapment in the IMC and its destabilization in male germ cells, leading to defective spermatogenesis and male infertility in mice. Collectively, our findings establish the critical role of piRNA loading in MIWI translocation during spermatogenesis, offering new insights into piRNA biology in mammals.
Large-scale modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired adaptable and load-carrying structures
Authors: Zhu Yi , Filipov Evgueni T.
Published: March 2024

Existing Civil Engineering structures have limited capability to adapt their configurations for new functions, non-stationary environments, or future reuse. Although origami principles provide capabilities of dense packaging and reconfiguration, existing origami systems have not achieved deployable metre-scale structures that can support large loads. Here, we established modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired structures that can deploy into metre-scale structures, adapt into different shapes, and carry remarkably large loads. This work first derives general conditions for degree-N origami vertices to be flat foldable, developable, and uniformly thick, and uses these conditions to create the proposed origami-inspired structures. We then show that these origami-inspired structures can utilize high modularity for rapid repair and adaptability of shapes and functions; can harness multi-path folding motions to reconfigure between storage and structural states; and can exploit uniform thickness to carry large loads. We believe concepts of modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired structures will challenge traditional practice in Civil Engineering by enabling large-scale, adaptable, deployable, and load-carrying structures, and offer broader applications in aerospace systems, space habitats, robotics, and more.
Photooxidation triggered ultralong afterglow in carbon nanodots
Authors: Zheng Guang-Song , Shen Cheng-Long , Niu Chun-Yao , Lou Qing , Jiang Tian-Ci , Li Peng-Fei , Shi Xiao-Jing , Song Run-Wei , Deng Yuan , Lv Chao-Fan , Liu Kai-Kai , Zang Jin-Hao , Cheng Zhe , Dong Lin , Shan Chong-Xin
Published: March 2024

It remains a challenge to obtain biocompatible afterglow materials with long emission wavelengths, durable lifetimes, and good water solubility. Herein we develop a photooxidation strategy to construct near-infrared afterglow carbon nanodots with an extra-long lifetime of up to 5.9 h, comparable to that of the well-known rare-earth or organic long-persistent luminescent materials. Intriguingly, size-dependent afterglow lifetime evolution from 3.4 to 5.9 h has been observed from the carbon nanodots systems in aqueous solution. With structural/ultrafast dynamics analysis and density functional theory simulations, we reveal that the persistent luminescence in carbon nanodots is activated by a photooxidation-induced dioxetane intermediate, which can slowly release and convert energy into luminous emission via the steric hindrance effect of nanoparticles. With the persistent near-infrared luminescence, tissue penetration depth of 20 mm can be achieved. Thanks to the high signal-to-background ratio, biological safety and cancer-specific targeting ability of carbon nanodots, ultralong-afterglow guided surgery has been successfully performed on mice model to remove tumor tissues accurately, demonstrating potential clinical applications. These results may facilitate the development of long-lasting luminescent materials for precision tumor resection.
Associations between handedness and brain functional connectivity patterns in children
Authors: Tomasi Dardo , Volkow Nora D.
Published: March 2024

Handedness develops early in life, but the structural and functional brain connectivity patterns associated with it remains unknown. Here we investigate associations between handedness and the asymmetry of brain connectivity in 9- to 10-years old children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Compared to right-handers, left-handers had increased global functional connectivity density in the left-hand motor area and decreased it in the right-hand motor area. A connectivity-based index of handedness provided a sharper differentiation between right- and left-handers. The laterality of hand-motor connectivity varied as a function of handedness in unimodal sensorimotor cortices, heteromodal areas, and cerebellum (P < 0.001) and reproduced across all regions of interest in Discovery and Replication subsamples. Here we show a strong association between handedness and the laterality of the functional connectivity patterns in the absence of differences in structural connectivity, brain morphometrics, and cortical myelin between left, right, and mixed handed children.
Lanthanide luminescence nanothermometer with working wavelength beyond 1500 nm for cerebrovascular temperature imaging in vivo
Authors: Wu Yukai , Li Fang , Wu Yanan , Wang Hao , Gu Liangtao , Zhang Jieying , Qi Yukun , Meng Lingkai , Kong Na , Chai Yingjie , Hu Qian , Xing Zhenyu , Ren Wuwei , Li Fuyou , Zhu Xingjun
Published: March 2024

Nanothermometers enable the detection of temperature changes at the microscopic scale, which is crucial for elucidating biological mechanisms and guiding treatment strategies. However, temperature monitoring of micron-scale structures in vivo using luminescent nanothermometers remains challenging, primarily due to the severe scattering effect of biological tissue that compromises the imaging resolution. Herein, a lanthanide luminescence nanothermometer with a working wavelength beyond 1500 nm is developed to achieve high-resolution temperature imaging in vivo. The energy transfer between lanthanide ions (Er3+ and Yb3+) and H2O molecules, called the environment quenching assisted downshifting process, is utilized to establish temperature-sensitive emissions at 1550 and 980 nm. Using an optimized thin active shell doped with Yb3+ ions, the nanothermometer’s thermal sensitivity and the 1550 nm emission intensity are enhanced by modulating the environment quenching assisted downshifting process. Consequently, minimally invasive temperature imaging of the cerebrovascular system in mice with an imaging resolution of nearly 200 μm is achieved using the nanothermometer. This work points to a method for high-resolution temperature imaging of micron-level structures in vivo, potentially giving insights into research in temperature sensing, disease diagnosis, and treatment development.
Automated all-functionals infrared and Raman spectra
Authors: Bastonero Lorenzo , Marzari Nicola
Published: March 2024

Infrared and Raman spectroscopies are ubiquitous techniques employed in many experimental laboratories, thanks to their fast and non-destructive nature able to capture materials’ features as spectroscopic fingerprints. Nevertheless, these measurements frequently need theoretical and computational support in order to unambiguously decipher and assign complex spectra. Linear-response theory provides an effective way to obtain the higher-order derivatives needed, but its applicability to modern exchange-correlation functionals and pseudopotential formalism remains limited. Here, we devise an automated, open-source, user-friendly approach based on density-functional theory and the electric-enthalpy functional to allow seamless calculation from first principles of infrared absorption and reflectivity, together with zone-center phonons, static dielectric tensor, and Raman spectra. By employing a finite-displacement and finite-field approach, we allow for the use of any functional, as well as an efficient treatment of large low-symmetry structures. Additionally, we propose a simple scheme for efficiently sampling the Brillouin zone at different electric fields. To demonstrate the capabilities of the present approach, we study ferroelectric LiNbO3 crystal as a paradigmatic example, and predict infrared and Raman spectra using various (semi)local, Hubbard corrected, and hybrid functionals. Our results also show how PBE0 and extended Hubbard functionals (PBEsol+U+V) yield for this case the best match in term of peak positions and intensities, respectively.
A deep learning approach for quantum dots sizing from wide-angle X-ray scattering data
Authors: Allara Lucia , Bertolotti Federica , Guagliardi Antonietta
Published: March 2024

Disclosing the full potential of functional nanomaterials requires the optimization of synthetic protocols and an effective size screening tool, aiming at triggering their size-dependent properties. Here we demonstrate the successful combination of a wide-angle X-ray total scattering approach with a deep learning classifier for quantum dots sizing in both colloidal and dry states. This work offers a compelling alternative to the lengthy process of deriving sizing curves from transmission electron microscopy coupled with spectroscopic measurements, especially in the ultra-small size regime, where empirical functions exhibit larger discrepancies. The core of our algorithm is an all-convolutional neural network trained on Debye scattering equation simulations, incorporating atomistic models to capture structural and morphological features, and augmented with physics-informed perturbations to account for different predictable experimental conditions. The model performances are evaluated using both wide-angle X-ray total scattering simulations and experimental datasets collected on lead sulfide quantum dots, resulting in size classification accuracies surpassing 97%. With the developed deep learning size classifier, we overcome the need for calibration curves for quantum dots sizing and thanks to the unified modeling approach at the basis of the total scattering method implemented, we include simultaneously structural and microstructural aspects in the classification process. This algorithm can be complemented by incorporating input information from other experimental observations (e.g., small angle X-ray scattering data) and, after proper training with the pertinent simulations, can be extended to other classes of quantum dots, providing the nanoscience community with a powerful and broad tool to accelerate the development of functional (nano)materials.
Mapping the landscape: a bibliometric analysis of resting-state fMRI research on schizophrenia over the past 25 years
Authors: Fu Linhan , Aximu Remilai , Zhao Guoshu , Chen Yayuan , Sun Zuhao , Xue Hui , Wang Shaoying , Zhang Nannan , Zhang Zhihui , Lei Minghuan , Zhai Ying , Xu Jinglei , Sun Jie , Ma Juanwei , Liu Feng
Published: March 2024

Schizophrenia, a multifaceted mental disorder characterized by disturbances in thought, perception, and emotion, has been extensively investigated through resting-state fMRI, uncovering changes in spontaneous brain activity among those affected. However, a bibliometric examination regarding publication trends in resting-state fMRI studies related to schizophrenia is lacking. This study obtained relevant publications from the Web of Science Core Collection spanning the period from 1998 to 2022. Data extracted from these publications included information on countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords. The collected data underwent analysis and visualization using VOSviewer software. The primary analyses included examination of international and institutional collaborations, authorship patterns, co-citation analyses of authors and journals, as well as exploration of keyword co-occurrence and temporal trend networks. A total of 859 publications were retrieved, indicating an overall growth trend from 1998 to 2022. China and the United States emerged as the leading contributors in both publication outputs and citations, with Central South University and the University of New Mexico being identified as the most productive institutions. Vince D. Calhoun had the highest number of publications and citation counts, while Karl J. Friston was recognized as the most influential author based on co-citations. Key journals such as Neuroimage, Schizophrenia Research, Schizophrenia Bulletin, and Biological Psychiatry played pivotal roles in advancing this field. Recent popular keywords included support vector machine, antipsychotic medication, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and related terms. This study systematically synthesizes the historical development, current status, and future trends in resting-state fMRI research in schizophrenia, offering valuable insights for future research directions.
Experimental research on mechanical performance of grouting plugging material with large amount of fly ash
Authors: Pengshuai Wang , Zhengzheng Cao , Zhenhua Li , Feng Du , Wenqiang Wang , Minglei Zhai , Zijie Hong
Published: March 2024

In order to achieve the purpose of long-term stable mining of roadway, the strength and stability of rock mass are improved by means of grouting of fractured rock mass. In this paper, orthogonal test and numerical simulation methods were used to study the plugging performance of large amount of fly ash grouting slurry. The fluidity, water separation rate, compressive strength, setting time, stone rate and viscosity of the slurry were analyzed, and the optimal slurry ratio scheme was obtained. Under the optimal ratio scheme, the slurry transport process of the fractured rock mass was simulated, and the dynamic evolution law of the permeability of the slurry in the fractured rock mass was obtained. The study shows that the proportions of fly ash, ordinary Portland cement, loess, accelerant, expansion agent, bentonite water reducer and solidifying agent were 52.65%, 27.70%, 13.85%, 3%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.6% and 0.7% in the slurry ratio scheme, respectively. The slurry migration in the fractured rock mass experienced three stages, namely the filling and diffusion stage, the percolation and deposition stage and the sealing stage. The initial permeability was 971.9 mD and decreased to 45.79 mD after 1800 s, with a decrease of 95.3%. The slurry sealing performance was significantly improved, which has certain guiding significance for the application of underground grouting reinforcement engineering.
A filarial parasite potentially associated with the health burden on domestic chickens in Japan
Authors: Hayashi Naoki , Hosokawa Kumiko , Yamamoto Yu , Kodama Sachiko , Kurokawa Aoi , Nakao Ryo , Nonaka Nariaki
Published: March 2024

Chickens in free-range environments are at risk of exposure to various pathogens, such as filarioids transmitted via hematophagous vectors. However, the study of filarioids in poultry has been largely neglected compared to the extensive studies focused on viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. Here, we performed histological and molecular investigations of the filarioids detected in domestic chickens from two different flocks in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. In the first case, adult worms were present in the pulmonary artery and right ventricle, and microfilariae were present in multiple organs of deceased chickens. In the second case, similar filarioids were detected in the organs and blood of one necropsied layer. Phylogenetic analysis using 18S rRNA gene fragments positioned the filarioid in the same clade as that of Onchocercidae sp., previously identified in a deceased chicken from Chiba Prefecture, Japan, that is located 500 km away from Hiroshima Prefecture. Based on 28S rRNA and mitochondrial COI gene fragments, the filarioid was positioned distinctly from previously reported genera of avian filarioids. These results suggest that the filarioids are potentially associated with the health burden on domestic chickens and belong to the genus Paronchocerca. Furthermore, we developed a nested PCR assay targeting mitochondrial COI and detected the parasite DNA from the biting midge Culicoides arakawae captured near the flock, suggesting that it serves as a vector. Our findings fill the knowledge gap regarding avian filarioids, laying the groundwork for future studies examining the epidemiology, life cycle, and species diversity of this neglected parasite group.