bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MST1R Gene Variants Predispose Individuals to Tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Feng Zhiyu , Huang Xianghui , Gao Yuan , Gao Han , Na Weilan , Tan Chaozhong , Min Shaojie , Lu Yuquan , Zhuang Quannan , Lin Siyi , Ma Xiaojing , Chen Weicheng , Yan Weili , Sheng Wei , Huang Guoying
Published: January 2025

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common cyanotic congenital heart malformation. While a few susceptibility genes for TOF have been identified, research on the genetic basis of TOF is limited. The Macrophage stimulating 1 receptor (MST1R) gene encodes the macrophage-stimulating protein receptor with tyrosine phosphatase activity that is involved in immune defense. In this study, we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) on 10 TOF families and 50 sporadic TOF patients and identified a recessive homozygous missense mutation in MST1R, c.T2009G: p.V670G, in two offspring with TOF in a single family. Targeted sequencing of the MST1R gene showed enrichment for rare variants in 417 TOF patients compared with East Asians in Genome Aggregation Database Version 2 (gnomADv2_EAS). MST1R-deficient human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) maintained normal pluripotency but differentiated into non-functional cardiomyocytes (CMs). Taken together, our findings indicate that MST1R may play a critical role in cardiac differentiation and genetic variations in MST1R may be associated with the pathogenesis of TOF.
Exploring the relationship between mental health issues and academic performance of undergraduate students in a Ghanaian tertiary institution: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Arthur Andrew Nketsia , Fraikue Joanne , Adu-Amankwah Bijoux , Ofori Richard , Sekyi Dorcas , Boateng Abena Afrakomah , Asamoah Elsie , Appiah Seth Christopher Yaw
Published: January 2025

Background

Mental health associations with students’ academic outcomes are critical for students’ well-being and excellent performance, particularly among tertiary students in their educational trajectory. This study investigated the relationship between mental health incidence and academic performance among university students in a public university in Ghana. Additionally, we study students’ level of mental health awareness.

Methods

The study adopted a quantitative study with an analytical cross-sectional design. Through the multistage sampling technique, structured questionnaires were administered to 384 undergraduate students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Data management and analysis were performed using SPSS v.27. Descriptive data are presented in tables and reported as frequencies. Inferential analysis was conducted using a multilevel logistic regression model and a p-value of 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.

Results

Severe depression (p = 0.016, ϰ2 = 0.784) was significantly associated with students’ academic performance. Severe anxiety (p = 0.020, ϰ2 = 11.700), gender (p = 0.014, ϰ2 = 5.999) and self-efficacy (p = 0.015, ϰ2 = 5.939), were found to have a statistically significant association with academic performance (p < 0.05). According the multilevel analysis, females experiencing mental health had reduced likelihood of achieving high academic performance compared to male students (AOR = 0.343, 95% CI 0.144–0.813, p = 0.015). Severely depressed students (AOR = 0.264, 95% CI 0.084-0.830, p = 0.23) are significantly less likely to increase their Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA). Self-efficacious students (AOR = 3.325, 95% CI 1.421-7.784, p = 0.06) were three times more likely to increase their CWA.

Conclusion

Severe depression causes a reduction in students’ academic performance, while high academic self-efficacy among students serves as a protective factor by facilitating an increase in students’ CWA when they encounter mental health issues.
Mitigating Structural Inequities in U.S. Agricultural Risk Management
Authors: Hagerman Amy D. , Schaefer K. Aleks , Van Leuven Andrew J. , Tsiboe Francis , Young Alicia M. , Zereyesus Yacob Abrehe
Published: January 2025

The USDA has implemented policies to address inequities for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. This research examines agricultural risk inequities and the impact of 2018 Farm Bill programs on crop insurance use among minority and veteran farmers. Results indicate that minority and veteran farmers are disproportionately located in regions of the U.S. with higher risks of drought and excess precipitation. Yet, these producer groups had lower use of crop insurance prior to the implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill. However, the incentive programs created under the 2018 Farm Bill have increased use of federal crop insurance among these vulnerable populations.
Capacity assessment of vertiports with a scheduling algorithm considering quality of service
Authors: Li J. , Zhang H. , Yi J. , Deng C. , Zhou J.
Published: January 2025

Urban air mobility (UAM) utilising novel transportation tools is gradually being recognised as a significant means to alleviate ground transportation pressures, vertiports which serve as pivotal nodes in UAM require efficient methods for assessing its operational capacity to develop an appropriate operational strategy and help to design vertiport ground infrastructure scientifically. This study proposes a multi-dimensional assessment method for the capacity of vertiports considering throughput and quality of service based on genetic algorithm (CEGA). The method comprehensively considers constraints such as unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) safety separation, battery endurance, number of landing vertipads and UAV speed. The experimental results indicate that the vertiport with the scheduling algorithm proposed by this study has a larger capacity and experiences fewer delay than the vertiport with first-come-first-served (FCFS) algorithm when the vertiport has the same limited number of vertipads. Different proportions of UAVs significantly affect the quality of service and the degree of operation delays. The weights of vertiport throughput and customer satisfaction are the parameters that represent the importance of throughput and customer satisfaction in the objective function of the capacity assessment model. When the weights of throughput and customer satisfaction are set to 0.8 and 0.2 respectively, the performance of this optimisation model is optimal. This study provides a novel solution for capacity assessment and operation scheduling of vertiports, laying the foundation for improving the efficiency of UAM operations.
On trusting chatbots
Authors: Magnus P.D.
Published: January 2025

This paper focuses on the epistemic situation one faces when using a Large Language Model based chatbot like ChatGPT: When reading the output of the chatbot, how should one decide whether or not to believe it? By surveying strategies we use with other, more familiar sources of information, I argue that chatbots present a novel challenge. This makes the question of how one could trust a chatbot especially vexing.
Monsoon-regulated marine carbon reservoir effect in the northern South China Sea
Authors: Yang Ling , Zhou Weijian , Cheng Peng , Zhang Luyuan , Wei Gangjian , Ma Xiaolin , Zhou Jie , Yan Hong , Chen Ning , Hou Yaoyao
Published: January 2025

The ubiquitous marine radiocarbon reservoir effect (MRE) constrains the construction of reliable chronologies for marine sediments and the further comparison of paleoclimate records. Different reference values were suggested from various archives. However, it remains unclear how climate and MREs interact. Here we studied two pre-bomb corals from the Hainan Island and Xisha Island in the northern South China Sea (SCS), to examine the relationship between MRE and regional climate change. We find that the MRE from east of Hainan Island is mainly modulated by the Southern Asian Summer Monsoon-induced precipitation (with 11.4% contributed to seawater), rather than wind induced upwelling. In contrast, in the relatively open seawater of Xisha Island, the MRE is dominated by the East Asian Winter Monsoon, with relatively more negative (lower) ΔR values associated with high wind speeds, implying horizontal transport of seawater. The average SCS ΔR value relative to the Marine20 curve is –161±39 14C years. Our finding highlights the essential role of monsoon in regulating the MRE in the northern SCS, in particularly the tight bond between east Asian winter monsoon and regional MRE.
Accessing old carbon influence on TOC 14C age and environmental change from the recent sediments in Lake Shira, Russia
Authors: Misra Satabdi , Kuzina Dilyara , Shen Tzu-Tsen , Chou Chun-Yen , Yusupova Anastasiya , Krylov Pavel , Nurgaliev Danis , Li Hong-Chun
Published: January 2025

We present 35 AMS 14C dates from 26 horizons on a 30-cm gravity core from Shira Lake in the republic of Khakassia, Central Russia. The chronology of the core is determined by 210Pb/137Cs dating results and interpretation of elemental geochemistry with historic documents, covering deposition since ca. 1870 CE. This study assesses the old carbon influence (OCI) on organic carbon 14C by comparison with the 210Pb/137Cs dates, sources of carbon, and lake conditions interpreted from elemental proxies. These include elemental concentrations in 0.5N HCl leaches and Aqua Regia dissolution fractions, as well as organic C, N and C/N measurements. From these data we establish a succession of the following six zones: I) (1870∼1900 CE) relatively fresh lake with high lake level, low productivity and high surface runoff (wet conditions); II) (1900∼1940 CE) a “white zone” reflected by high carbonate and low magnetic signal formed in a saline, oxidizing and holomictic lake stage; III) (1940∼1963 CE) reduced carbonate with elevated organic C, N, C/N, Mo and magnetic signal, indicating a stratified and anaerobic lake; IV) (1963∼1994 CE) increased salinity and productivity with the highest observed magnetic signal and elevated heavy metal and Mo contents, implying enhanced anoxic conditions and human impact; V) (1994∼2003 CE) high C/N, organic and carbonate contents suggesting meromictic and anaerobic lake conditions; VI) (2003∼2020 CE) decreased carbonate content with increased organic C and N, and heavy metals showing a deteriorating lake environment under human impact.
Evaluating sulfur-impurity removal and modern carbon contamination in different preparation methods for radiocarbon dating of soil samples by accelerator mass spectrometry
Authors: Koarashi Jun , Takeuchi Erina , Saito-Kokubu Yoko , Atarashi-Andoh Mariko
Published: January 2025

Radiocarbon (14C) dating of soil samples by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) has been proven useful for studying carbon (C) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. However, this application has two primary difficulties in sample preparation: inhibition of graphite formation due to sulfur (S)-containing impurities and contamination of samples with modern C (MC). Herein, we evaluated these effects using three sample preparation methods (silver foil, silver wire, and Sulfix) by conducting AMS-14C measurements of a 14C-dead charred wood and S-rich soil samples. The preparation methods were all successful in graphite formation and AMS-14C measurement for soil samples with an organic S content <6.9 wt%. The methods showed different percent modern carbon (pMC) values from 0.16% to 0.64% for the 14C-dead sample. The results also revealed that across different methods, MC contamination can be significantly reduced by applying two-step procedure (combustion and subsequent reaction to remove S-containing impurities) during sample preparation. The three methods had a negligible influence on determining the 14C age for samples that were at least younger than 12,000 yr BP. As the 14C ages of the soil samples are typically younger than 12,000 yr BP, any method explored in this study can be employed for 14C dating with sufficient accuracy for application to C cycle studies.
Lethal Violence and the Racialized Failure of the American State
Authors: Jones Rebekah , Miller Lisa L.
Published: January 2025

Scholarly work in American politics has yet to confront one of the nation’s starkest inequalities: lethal violence. The risk falls disproportionately on Black Americans, but much like poverty and inequality, lethal violence is a broadly American problem that African Americans are disproportionately likely to experience. The lack of attention to life-threatening violence has limited our understanding of race, criminal justice, and the nature of the American state. We draw on work in American political development and racial politics to extend a racialized state failure framework for understanding the United States as a high-violence society. Life-threatening violence declined dramatically in the nineteenth century in countries where state building involved the integrated consolidation of centralized violence monopolization and universal male suffrage. Such efforts faltered in the US, however, and violence thrived. We argue that this racialized state failure is the result of two reinforcing features of American politics: anti-transformative racial orders and institutional fragmentation. Fragmentation has long provided opportunities for anti-transformative racial orders to limit national intervention in violence control and enfranchisement, even during critical junctures when institutions are less determinate, and actions by decision makers are more likely to generate change. We illustrate the disruption of state building by racial orders, which minimized the state’s capacity to delegitimize violent self-help during two critical junctures in the US: Reconstruction and the crime wave of the mid- to late twentieth century. The resulting institutional configuration, which we refer to as forced localism, reinforces the jurisdictional authority of highly constrained state and local institutions in violence attenuation. The consequence is exceptionally high rates of serious violence and a harsh and exclusionary criminal justice system, with Black Americans exceptionally vulnerable to both.
Political Theory within and without Political Science
Authors: Feldman Nathan H.
Published: January 2025

A schism between political theory and the broader discipline frequently shapes political science. How, when, and why did this occur? Deploying new archival evidence, I show how a cadre of leading political theorists between the 1940s and 1970s identified their vocation with humanism, presenting it as eternally opposed to the practices of “positivists” and “methodists.” To tell this story, I focus on key figures, Leo Strauss and Sheldon Wolin, and critical institutions—the Conference for the Study of Political Thought and the journal Political Theory—to recount how political theory went its own way and the consequences of it doing so.
The Similarity Between the Seasonal Predictability and Persistence Barrier of ENSO Phenomenon
Authors: Yu Dakuan , Zhou Meng
Published: January 2025

The seasonal Predictability Barrier (PRB) and Persistence Barrier (PEB) in the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon are of recent interest, yet the distinction between the PRB in observations and PEB in ensemble forecast models remains unexplored. Using observational and North American Multimodel Ensemble data since the 1980s, we examined the seasonal PRB and PEB, focusing on intensity, timing, decadal variations, and spatial patterns. Although the intensity of the ENSO spring PRB in dynamic models is notably lower than the spring PEB intensity, the temporal variations, spatial patterns and barrier timing of the PRB and PEB are similar. The chaotic nature of ENSO systems exhibits comparable decadal variations and spatial patterns to the seasonal PEB and PRB, suggesting potential control by chaotic behavior for both seasonal PRB and PEB. Hence, the seasonal PEB of ENSO can still provide useful benchmarks for the predictability study of ENSO in dynamic models.
A Quantitative Assessment of Vertical Wave Energy Flux and Global Wave Power Due To Upward Propagating Tides Based on TIMED Observations
Authors: Neogi Mukta , Oberheide Jens
Published: January 2025

We quantify the vertical wave energy flux and global wave power due to upward propagating tides in the 80–200 km altitude range, based on observations. Our approach utilizes fluid dynamical equations, and Hough Mode Extension (HME) fits to tidal wind and temperatures observed by the TIDI and SABER instruments on board the Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite. The global annual mean vertical energy flux due to diurnal and semidiurnal migrating and non‐migrating tides for the year 2009 (solar minimum conditions) is about  W/m2 or equivalent to 5 GW of global wave power at 100 km. Observation‐based wave energy flux values for the migrating diurnal and semidiurnal tidal components DW1 and SW2 for spring 2009 equinox conditions compare well with SD‐WACCM‐X predicted values but are somewhat smaller than early theoretical results. We find that SW2 is the most dominant tidal component contributing to wave energy throughout the thermosphere.
Two Decades of Fire‐Induced Albedo Change and Associated Short‐Wave Radiative Effect Over Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Flegrová Michaela , Brindley Helen
Published: January 2025

We present an analysis of 20 years of fire and albedo data in Africa. We show that, in the mean, the sub‐Saharan Africa post‐fire surface albedo anomaly can be parameterized using an exponential recovery function, recovering from a decrease of immediately after a fire with a time constant of days. Although the magnitude of albedo changes shows large spatial and temporal variations and a strong land cover type (LCT) dependency, exponential recovery is observed in the majority of LCTs. We show that fires cause long‐term surface brightening, with an Africa‐wide albedo increase of 10 months after a fire, but we find this is driven almost exclusively by slow vegetation recovery in the Kalahari region, confirming previous findings. Using downward surface shortwave flux (DSSF) estimates, we calculate the fire‐induced surface radiative forcing (RF), peaking at  Wm−2 in the burn areas, albeit with a significantly smaller effect when averaged temporally and spatially. We find that the long‐term RF in months 5–10 after a burn averaged over the continent is negative because of the brightening observed. Despite a well‐documented reduction in burning in Africa in the recent decades, our temporal analysis does not indicate a decrease in the overall fire‐induced RF likely due to large interannual variability in albedo anomaly and DSSF data. However, we observe a decline in the short‐term RF in southern hemisphere Africa, driven by both a reduction in fires and changes in LCT distributions.
Dynamics and Mechanisms of South Indian Ocean Teleconnection on the West Antarctic Sea Ice in the Cold Season
Authors: Hou Hongyi , Zhang Li , Cai Wenju , Wu Lixin
Published: January 2025

Tropical‐polar teleconnections are believed to play a key role in the observed changes in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, which have been widely studied. Here we identify a fingerprint of the South Indian Ocean (SIO) in Antarctic sea ice concentration (SIC) in the cold season, detectable as early as May. Specifically, sea surface temperature (SST) warming in the central SIO excites a downstream wave train, inducing an anomalous cyclonic circulation over the Amundsen Sea. This, in turn, leads to increased SIC in the Amundsen Sea and decreased SIC in the eastern Bellingshausen Sea and the northern Weddell Sea via anomalous wind‐driven forcing and air advection. We further reveal the dynamical processes that establish the atmospheric bridge between the SIO and polar regions. On the one hand, anomalous Rossby wave sources appear over the SIO, attributed to anomalous divergent flows induced by convective and diabatic heating anomalies. On the other hand, the equivalent barotropic response of atmospheric circulation is reinforced by the feedback of storm activities, dominated by eddy vorticity forcing. In a warming climate, climate models project SST warming in the SIO, accompanied by an increasing meridional SST gradient, suggesting that the strengthened impact of the SIO on Antarctic sea ice is likely to continue.
Energetic Particles Produced by Thunderstorm Electric Fields
Authors: Dwyer Joseph R.
Published: January 2025

In this work, detailed Monte Carlo simulations were performed to test whether terrestrial gamma‐ray flashes (TGFs) may be produced by thunderstorm electrification alone, without the presence of lightning, by the relativistic feedback mechanism. TGFs are powerful bursts of gamma rays produced by thunderstorms, often in association with lightning. They are produced by bremsstrahlung interactions of relativistic runaway electrons with air, typically requiring >1017 energetic electrons to account for the gamma‐ray emissions. These energetic electrons may be produced in the high‐field regions near lightning leaders, or they may be produced by the self‐sustained production of runaway electrons by relativistic feedback involving backward propagating runaway positrons and backscattered x‐rays. It has been challenging to tell which mechanism is correct when lightning is present, since both may occur in the fields generated by the propagating leaders. Prior to 2023, the gamma‐ray emissions from thunderstorms were broadly classified as either long‐lasting gamma‐ray glows or TGFs. However, recent aircraft observations by ALOFT are upending this distinction, showing that gamma‐ray glows are highly dynamic and often morph into intense pulses that resemble TGFs observed from space. It is shown here that rapid thunderstorm charging produces strong gamma‐ray glows with oscillating gamma‐ray rates. These oscillations develop into intense pulse trains that closely resemble the multi‐pulsed TGFs observed by CGRO/BATSE and ALOFT. Furthermore, the ionization produced by the high‐energy particles partially discharges the electric field in some regions while strongly amplifying it in other regions, potentially leading to the initiation of narrow bipolar events and/or lightning.
Pharmacodynamics of interspecies interactions in polymicrobial infections
Authors: Herzberg C. , van Hasselt J. G. C.
Published: January 2025

The pharmacodynamic response of bacterial pathogens to antibiotics can be influenced by interactions with other bacterial species in polymicrobial infections (PMIs). Understanding the complex eco-evolutionary dynamics of PMIs and their impact on antimicrobial treatment response represents a step towards developing improved treatment strategies for PMIs. Here, we investigated how interspecies interactions in a multi-species bacterial community affect the pharmacodynamic response to antimicrobial treatment. To this end, we developed an in silico model which combined agent-based modeling with ordinary differential equations. Our analyses suggest that both interspecies interactions, modifying either drug sensitivity or bacterial growth rate, and drug-specific pharmacological properties drive the bacterial pharmacodynamic response. Furthermore, lifestyle of the bacterial population and the range of interactions can influence the impact of species interactions. In conclusion, this study provides a foundation for the design of antimicrobial treatment strategies for PMIs which leverage the effects of interspecies interactions.
BMI gain and dietary characteristics are risk factors of MASLD in non-obese individuals
Authors: Taniguchi Hirokazu , Ueda Miho , Kobayashi Yukiko , Shima Takatomo
Published: January 2025

This longitudinal observational study aimed to evaluate whether cardiometabolic factors and dietary characteristics are determinants of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in non-obese individuals (body mass index [BMI] < 25 kg/m²). The study was conducted at the Japanese Red Cross Society Kyoto Daiichi Hospital. Clinical data were longitudinally recorded at annual health checks. The diagnosis of MASLD was based on the results of abdominal ultrasonography and cardiometabolic criteria. Lifestyle behaviors and dietary characteristics were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 4,100 non-obese middle-aged and older participants (1,636 men and 2,464 women) were followed up for an average of 6.44 ± 4.16 years. During the follow-up period, there were 410 new cases of MASLD in men (25.1%) and 484 in women (19.6%). The incidence rate was higher for men (39.7 per 1,000 person-years) than for women (30.1 per 1,000 person-years). Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses using the rate of change per year with standardized values found that BMI gain was strongly associated with the onset of MASLD for both men (OR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.64–2.19) and women (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.72–2.21). Increased waist circumference and triglycerides were also associated with MASLD onset for both men and women. Lowering of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was identified as a risk factor for MASLD in both men and women. Regarding dietary characteristics, the onset of MASLD was significantly and negatively associated with “often eating vegetables” for men (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57–0.93) and “often eating soy products” for women (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.58–0.88), even after adjusting for BMI change and other covariates. These findings suggest that maintaining body weight and favorable dietary characteristics are key factors in the prevention of MASLD in non-obese individuals.
Causal analysis of dietary preferences and the risk of endometriosis using large-scale population data
Authors: Cheng Xin , Ma Dan , Wang Xiuhong , Li Meiling , Jiang Jinpeng
Published: January 2025

Dietary factors have recently been recognized as potentially influential in the pathogenesis of endometriosis (EM), yet studies on the causal relationship between dietary preferences and EM are limited. The present study aimed to explore the causal relationships between 187 dietary preferences and EM using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods. This study utilised genome-wide association study data from over 500,000 European participants for dietary preferences and 64,658 EM patients from Finland. Dietary preferences with potential causal relationships to EM were identified using two-sample MR methods. P-values from the inverse variance weighted (IVW) analysis were corrected using the false discovery rate (FDR) method to ensure accuracy. Additionally, heterogeneity analysis, pleiotropy assessment, leave-one-out analysis, and reverse MR analysis were conducted to further validate and solidify the findings of the study. After FDR correction, IVW analysis revealed that asparagus preference was significantly protective against EM, including in American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) stages 1–2 and 3–4. Conversely, preferences for different types of coffee and orange juice were associated with an increased likelihood of EM across these stages. Subgroup analysis indicated that asparagus preference had a protective effect against deep EM, ovarian EM, pelvic peritoneal EM, and rectovaginal septum and vaginal EM. In contrast, coffee preference increased the risk of pelvic peritoneal EM, fallopian tube EM, and unspecified EM, whereas orange juice preference increased the risk of deep EM, rectovaginal septum and vaginal EM, pelvic peritoneal EM, and unspecified EM. Reverse MR analysis did not identify causal relationships between EM and the specific dietary preferences that were analysed in this study. These findings suggest that asparagus preference significantly reduces the risk of developing EM, whereas preferences for orange juice and different types of coffee may increase the risk, offering new insights into EM management through dietary modifications.
Comparison of nanoLC-MALDI-MS/MS with nanoLC-TIMS-MS/MS in the proteomic analysis of extracellular vesicles of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
Authors: Kasprzyk-Pochopień Joanna , Kamińska Agnieszka , Mielczarek Przemysław , Piekoszewski Wojciech , Klimkowska Agnieszka , Sładek Krzysztof , Soja Jerzy , Adamek Dariusz , Stępień Ewa
Published: January 2025

This study compares nanoLC-MALDI-MS/MS and nanoLC-TIMS-MS/MS in analyzing EVs from BALF of asthma and IPF patients, emphasizing EVs' roles in inflammation, signaling pathways, and their potential as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
A comprehensive evaluation of the quality of Bu Shen Jian Gu oral liquid based on multi-indicator component quantification and chemical pattern recognition
Authors: Qing Liting , Xie Xianli , Deng Qingmei , Liang Jianli , Wu Yongmei , Wei Yuyan , Li Fangchan , Pan Zhenzhen , Li Yaohua
Published: January 2025

Establishment of fingerprint of Bushen Jiangu oral liquid and determination of multi-index content.
Analysis of the contractile work of a single cardiomyocyte by atomic force microscopy
Authors: Dong Jianjun , Wang Bowei , Wang Junxi , Wang Xia , Wang Xingyue , Wang Rui , Yu Tianzhu , Wang Zuobin
Published: January 2025

A method for the analysis of the contractile work of a single cardiomyocyte using improved AFM is proposed. The contraction force and contractile work of cardiomyocytes were recorded using two different methods.
Accurate lamb origin identification and molecular differentiation analysis using rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Gao Haiyan , Lv Yueguang , Zhao Wenjing , Wang Songying , Zhao Jiayu , Xu Yisheng , Shang Yuhan , Zhang Renyu , Ma Qiang
Published: January 2025

A precise traceability method for identifying the origin of lamb based on rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry and multivariate statistical analysis.
Coculture to vascularization transition in bioengineered skin grafts through VEGF-associated pathways tracked by exosomal biomarkers
Authors: Dasgupta Shalini , Barui Ananya
Published: January 2025

The schematic demonstrates MSC seeded-Chitosan-Collagen-Fibrinogen-D3(CCF-D3) scaffold with HADF seeded-dextran beads-coculture for vascular sprouting via VEGF-associated pathway and inhibited by 100 μM dexamethasone, with exosomal spectra analysis.
A PEDOT:PSS-based flexible bimodal resonant sensor with independently controllable modes
Authors: Feng Jiayang , Li Tianyu , Ji Yan , Gu Yuzhe , Liu Baoguang , Li Yang
Published: January 2025

This work presents a flexible, low-cost dual-mode sensor for simultaneous strain and humidity detection with signal anti-interference and wireless transmission.
Histidine-directed synthesis and optical properties of two indium phosphite–oxalates with three-dimensional structures
Authors: Wen Xuemei , Li Ying , Zhao Yan , Li Jing , Zeng Hongmei , Zou Guohong , Lin Zhien
Published: January 2025

Two open-framework indium phosphite–oxalates have been prepared under the structure-directing effect of histidine, showing wide optical band gaps, moderate birefringence, and blue luminescence.
Magnetization of immobilized multi-core particles with varying internal structures
Authors: Solovyova Anna Yu. , Grohotova Elena V. , Ivanov Alexey O. , Elfimova Ekaterina A.
Published: January 2025

This work is devoted to the study of the static magnetization of immobilized multi-core particles (MCPs) and their ensembles.
Negative linear compressibility and structural stability of the energetic material trans-hexanitrostilbene under pressure
Authors: Deng Xinglong , Li Dong , Fu Boyang , Liu Yu , He Weilong , Li Shourui , Cai Weizhao
Published: January 2025

The trans-HNS compound with herringbone-type structure exhibits negative linear compressibility and its structural stability under different hydrostatic environments is demonstrated.
Gas-phase and water-mediated mechanisms for the OCS + OH reaction
Authors: Nascimento Joel Leitão , Alves Tiago Vinicius
Published: January 2025

The water molecules slowed the reaction rate compared with the gas-phase mechanism.
Heteroleptic “open ruthenocene” for deposition of Ru films from the gas phase
Authors: Kultyshev Roman , Harkness Ian , Berry Daniel B. G. , Jobson Hoi , Marchbank Huw , Eralp Erden Tugce , Ashfield Laura
Published: January 2025

A volatile heteroleptic open ruthenocene has been synthesised and characterised by NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Enhanced reactivity and sufficient thermal stability make it a viable precursor for deposition of Ru films from the gas phase.
The microbiome- and metabolome-modulating activity of dietary cholesterol: insights from the small and large intestines
Authors: Liu Yan , Zhao Tian , Wang Zhangtie , Zhang Yansong , Shen Jianfu , Lu Baiyi
Published: January 2025

Dietary cholesterol alters the composition, metabolites, and pro-inflammatory capacity of both large and small intestinal microbiota.
Easy preparation of TiO2/TCPP/CS nanoparticles for effective antibacterial photodynamic therapy
Authors: Yue Penghan , Li Ling , Li Hao , Gao Jiahui , Xie Dayang , Liu Chong , Liu Cong , Li Yanwei , Li Yanhui , Tian Huayu
Published: January 2025

TiO2/TCPP/CS nanocomposites were sensitized by TCPP and then further modified by CS, exhibiting excellent antimicrobial effect and good biosafety.
Hyperbranched polyester amide/polyethersulphone mixed matrix nanofiltration membranes for contaminant rejection
Authors: El-Gendi Ayman , Abdel Rehim Mona H.
Published: January 2025

Nanofiltration (NF) separation technology is a low-pressure filtration process, which is highly efficient and environmentally friendly.
A multi-body finite element model for hydrogel packings: linear response to shear
Authors: Elgailani Ahmed , Maloney Craig E.
Published: January 2025

We study a multi-body finite element model of a packing of hydrogel particles using the Flory–Rehner constitutive law to model the deformation of the swollen polymer network.
Combination of adenosine blockade and ferroptosis for photo-immunotherapy of triple negative breast cancer with aptamer-modified copper sulfide
Authors: Zhang Xingyu , Shi Chengyu , Liu Qiao , Zhong Yuting , Zhu Lipeng , Zhao Yuetao
Published: January 2025

A novel nanodrug based on copper sulfide and adenosine aptamer was developed to potentially suppress TNBC via the combination of PTT, immune activation and ferroptosis.
Electrostatic interaction-enhanced chromophore reaction: a cationic pyridinium-functionalized pyrrolopyrrole aza-BODIPY fluorophore for highly efficient H2S detection
Authors: Jiang Xiaomei , Ran Xueguang , Cao Derong , Wang Lingyun
Published: January 2025

Fluorescence detection of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has received more attention owing to its vital role in food safety and environmental pollution.
Speechreading Ability Affects Mandarin Tone Perception in Young Adults With Prelingual Hearing Impairment in China
Authors: Zhang Fen , Wei Xuehan , Jiang Xiangyu , Chen Liang , Wang Haifen , Lei Jianghua
Published: January 2025

Purpose:

This cross-sectional study explored how the speechreading ability of adults with hearing impairment (HI) in China would affect their perception of the four Mandarin Chinese lexical tones: high (Tone 1), rising (Tone 2), falling–rising (Tone 3), and falling (Tone 4). We predicted that higher speechreading ability would result in better tone performance and that accuracy would vary among individual tones.

Method:

A total of 136 young adults with HI (ages 18–25 years) in China participated in the study and completed Chinese speechreading and tone awareness tests. The participants were divided into three groups on their basis of their speechreading performance (HIGH, MIDDLE, and LOW speechreading ability), and their ability to recognize the four Mandarin tones was compared.

Results:

HI adults with high speechreading ability identified tones more accurately than HI adults with low speechreading ability. The overall performance for Tone 2 was the lowest across all the groups. We found a significant interaction between speechreading ability groups and tone levels; the high speechreading ability group performed significantly better than the low ability group when identifying Tones 1 and 4, and performance on Tone 3 also differed by speechreading ability.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that speechreading ability affects Mandarin tone perception in adults with HI in China. Higher speechreading ability was associated with better overall tone perception. Tone 2 was the most difficult tone to identify, while identification of the other three lexical tones depended on speechreading ability. In visual language processing, adults with HI must reconstitute phonological units from visual and auditory fragments. To determine the generalizability of these results, they should be examined in languages beyond Mandarin Chinese.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.28207784
Cross- and Within-Language Associations Between Phonological, Lexical, and Grammatical Domains in Mandarin–English Bilingual Preschoolers in Singapore
Authors: Zhou Jiangling , Mai Ziyin , Lau Elaine , Lum Connie , Thian Ai Ling , Yip Virginia
Published: January 2025

Purpose:

This study aims to examine the associations of phonological, lexical, and grammatical skills within and between languages in Mandarin–English bilingual preschoolers.

Method:

Sixty-three Singaporean Mandarin–English bilingual children aged 3–5 years were assessed for articulation, receptive vocabulary, and receptive grammar using standardized instruments in English and compatible tools in Mandarin. Regression analyses were performed on each language outcome, with other language variables as predictors, controlling for age, nonverbal working memory, and home language environment.

Results:

Phonological and grammatical skills in one language predicted corresponding skills in the other. Phonemes shared across languages showed higher accuracy rates compared to unshared phonemes, while accuracy varied across grammatical structures. Vocabulary did not correlate between languages. It was influenced by household language distribution, with Mandarin vocabulary also correlating with nonverbal working memory. Mandarin grammar positively correlated with the number of native Mandarin speakers at home. Within each language, phonological skills were predicted by vocabulary, while vocabulary and grammar were reciprocally predictive. Cross-language, cross-domain relationships were weak.

Conclusions:

This study shows domain-specific cross-language associations and language-specific cross-domain associations in Mandarin–English bilingual children, indicating both interdependent and autonomous development. Our findings call for approaches that value the child's full linguistic repertoire and utilize interconnectedness between languages and language domains to enhance bi/multilingual competence. They also highlight the importance of assessing each of the child's languages and considering individual bilingual profiles in research on bilingual language development.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.28200128
Robust style injection for person image synthesis
Authors: Huang Yan , Qian Jianjun , Zhu Shumin , Li Jun , Yang Jian
Published: January 2025

Person Image Synthesis has been widely used in fashion with extensive application scenarios. The point of this task is how to synthesise person image from a single source image under arbitrary poses. Prior methods generate the person image with target pose well; however, they fail to preserve the fine style details of the source image. To address this problem, a robust style injection (RSI) model is proposed, which is a coarse‐to‐fine framework to synthesise target the person image. RSI develops a simple and efficient cross‐attention based module to fuse the features of both source semantic styles and target pose for achieving the coarse aligned features. The adaptive instance normalisation is employed to enhance the aligned features in conjunction with source semantic styles. Subsequently, source semantic styles are further injected into the positional normalisation scheme to avoid the fine style details erosion caused by massive convolution. In training losses, optimal transport theory in the form of energy distance is introduced to constrain data distribution to refine the texture style details. Additionally, the authors’ model is capable of editing the shape and texture of garments to the target style separately. The experiments demonstrate that the authors’ RSI achieves better performance over the state‐of‐art methods.
A Fast Search Method for 3‐Share Second‐Order Masking Schemes for Lightweight S‐Boxes
Authors: Fan Yanhong , Wang Chaoran , Wu Lixuan , Wang Meiqin
Published: January 2025

Masking schemes are widely adopted strategies for countering side‐channel analysis (SCA) attacks. The initial hardware masking strategy, threshold implementation (TI), provides robust security against glitches in hardware platforms. The minimum number of shares required for a TI scheme depends not only on the desired security order but also on the algebraic degree of the target function. For instance, implementing a second‐order TI scheme for quadratic nonlinear functions requires at least five shares to ensure security, leading to substantially high implementation costs for higher order TI schemes. To address this issue, Shahmirzadi et al. proposed a method in CHES 2021 for constructing a 3‐share second‐order masking scheme. Despite its advancements, their search method is complex and time consuming. Our study presents a more efficient search method for a 3‐share second‐order masking scheme, ensuring both uniformity and second‐order probing security. Our approach can find a valid second‐order scheme in under a minute, making it tens to over a 1000 times faster than the method described in CHES 2021. Utilizing our methodology, we have effectively constructed second‐order secure implementations for several cryptographic primitives (e.g., Keccak, SKINNY, Midori, PRESENT, PRINCE, GIFT, and RECTANGLE) and evaluated their implementation costs and security.
Extragalactic globular cluster near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Eftekhari E. , Vazdekis A. , Riffel R. , Dahmer-Hahn L. G. , Chies-Santos A. L. , Beasley M. A. , Villaume A. , Zanatta E.
Published: January 2025

Many recent studies have pointed out significant discrepancies between observations and models of stellar populations in the near-infrared (NIR). With current and future observing facilities being focused in this wavelength range, properly assessing and solving these issues is of utmost importance. Here, we present the first application of the extragalactic globular cluster (GC) near-infrared spectroscopy survey, and present evidence that these GCs reveal an age zero-point problem of stellar population synthesis (SPS) models. This problem has already been identified in the optical range for the GCs of the Milky Way. Such an issue arises when derived GC spectroscopic ages appear older than the Universe itself. We extend this discussion for the first time to the NIR, specifically using the Paβ line at 1.28 microns. We focus on the GCs of the nearby Centaurus A galaxy using their NIR spectra. This work broadens our understanding of the age zero-point problem and emphasises the necessity to revisit and refine SPS models, especially in the NIR domain.
TOI-5108 b and TOI 5786 b: Two transiting sub-Saturns detected and characterized with TESS, MaHPS, and SOPHIE
Authors: Thomas Luis , Hébrard Guillaume , Kellermann Hanna , Korth Judith , Heidari Neda , Forveille Thierry , Sousa Sérgio G. , Schöller Laura , Riffeser Arno , Gössl Claus , Serrano Bell Juan , Kiefer Flavien , Hara Nathan , Grupp Frank , Ehrhardt Juliana , Murgas Felipe , Collins Karen A. , Bieryla Allyson , Parviainen Hannu , Belinski Alexandr A. , Esparza-Borges Emma , Ciardi David R. , Clark Catherine A. , Fukui Akihiko , Gilbert Emily A. , Hopp Ulrich , Ikuta Kai , Jenkins Jon M. , Latham David W. , Narita Norio , Nielsen Louise D. , Quinn Samuel N. , Palle Enric , Pippert Jan-Niklas , Polanski Alex S. , Ries Christoph , Schmidt Michael , Schwarz Richard P. , Seager Sara , Strakhov Ivan A. , Striegel Stephanie , van Eyken Julian C. , Watanabe Noriharu , Watkins Cristilyn N. , Winn Joshua N. , Ziegler Carl , Zöller Raphael
Published: January 2025

We report the discovery and characterization of two sub-Saturns from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) using high- resolution spectroscopic observations from the MaHPS spectrograph at the Wendelstein Observatory and the SOPHIE spectrograph at the Haute-Provence Observatory. Combining photometry from TESS, KeplerCam, LCOGT, and MuSCAT2, along with the radial velocity measurements from MaHPS and SOPHIE, we measured precise radii and masses for both planets. TOI-5108 b is a sub-Saturn, with a radius of 6.6 ± 0.1 R⊕ and a mass of 32 ± 5 M⊕. TOI-5786 b is similar to Saturn, with a radius of 8.54 ± 0.13 R⊕ and a mass of 73 ± 9 M⊕. The host star for TOI-5108 b is a moderately bright (Vmag 9.75) G-type star. TOI-5786 is a slightly dimmer (Vmag 10.2) F-type star. Both planets are close to their host stars, with periods of 6.75 days and 12.78 days, respectively. This puts TOI-5108 b just within the bounds of the Neptune desert, while TOI-5786 b is right above the upper edge. We estimated hydrogen-helium (H/He) envelope mass fractions of 38% for TOI-5108 b and 74% for TOI-5786 b. However, when using a model for the interior structure that includes tidal effects, the envelope fraction of TOI-5108 b could be much lower (~20%), depending on the obliquity. We estimated mass-loss rates between 1.0 x 109 g/s and 9.8 x 109 g/s for TOI-5108 b and between 3.6 x 108 g/s and 3.5 x 109 g/s for TOI-5786 b. Given their masses, both planets could be stable against photoevaporation. Furthermore, at these mass-loss rates, there is likely no detectable signal in the metastable helium triplet with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). We also detected a transit signal for a second planet candidate in the TESS data of TOI-5786, with a period of 6.998 days and a radius of 3.83 ± 0.16 R⊕. Using our RV data and photodynamical modeling, we were able to provide a 3-σ upper limit of 26.5 M⊕ for the mass of the potential inner companion to TOI-5786 b.
Glitch-induced pulse profile change of PSR J0742−2822 observed from the IAR
Authors: Zubieta E. , García F. , del Palacio S. , Espinoza C. M. , Araujo Furlan S. B. , Gancio G. , Lousto C. O. , Combi J. A. , Gügercinoğlu E.
Published: January 2025

Context. The radio pulsar PSR J0742−2822 is known to exhibit rapid changes between different pulse profile states that correlate with changes in its spin-down rate. However, the connection between these variations and the glitch activity of the pulsar remains unclear.

Aims. We aim to study the evolution of the pulse profile and spin-down rate of PSR J0742−2822 in the period MJD 58810–60149 (November 2019 to July 2023), which includes the glitch on MJD 59839 (September 2022). In particular, we looked for pulse profile or spin-down changes associated with the 2022 glitch.

Methods. We observed PSR J0742−2822 with a high cadence from the Argentine Institute of Radioastronomy (IAR) between November 2019 and July 2023. We used standard timing tools to characterise the times of arrival of the pulses and to study the pulsar rotation and, particularly, the oscillations of ν̇. We also studied the evolution of the pulse profile. For both of them, we compared their behaviour before and after the 2022 glitch.

Results. With respect to ν̇, we find that oscillations diminished in amplitude after the glitch. We find four different components contributing to the pre-glitch ν̇ oscillations, and only one component after the glitch. With regard to the emission, we find the pulse profile has two main peaks. We detect an increase in the W50 of the total pulse profile of ∼12% after the glitch and we find the amplitude of the trailing peak increased with respect to the amplitude of the leading one after the glitch.

Conclusions. We find significant changes in the pulse profile and the spin-down rate of PSR J0742−2822 after its 2022 glitch. These results suggest that there is a strong coupling between the internal superfluid of the neutron star and its magnetosphere, and that pulse profile changes may be led by this coupling instead of being led purely by magnetospheric effects.