bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Light‐Induced Living Polymer Networks with Adaptive Functional Properties
Authors: Wei Shixuan , Smith‐Jones Julian , Lalisse Remy F. , Hestenes Julia C. , Chen Danyang , Danielsen Scott P. O. , Bell Rowina C. , Churchill Emily M. , Munich Naiara A. , Marbella Lauren E. , Gutierrez Osvaldo , Rubinstein Michael , Nelson Alshakim , Campos Luis M.
Published: April 2024

The advent of covalent adaptable networks (CANs) through the incorporation of dynamic covalent bonds has led to unprecedented properties of macromolecular systems, which can be engineered at the molecular level. Among the various types of stimuli that can be used to trigger chemical changes within polymer networks, light stands out for its remote and spatiotemporal control under ambient conditions. However, most examples of photoactive CANs need to be transparent and they exhibit slow response, side reactions, and limited light penetration. In this vein, it is interesting to understand how molecular engineering of optically active dynamic linkages that offer fast response to visible light can impart “living” characteristics to CANs, especially in opaque systems. Here, the use of carbazole‐based thiuram disulfides (CTDs) that offer dual reactivity as photoactivated reshuffling linkages and iniferters under visible light irradiation is reported. The fast response to visible light activation of the CTDs leads to temporal control of shape manipulation, healing, and chain extension in the polymer networks, despite the lack of optical transparency. This strategy charts a promising avenue for manipulating multifunctional photoactivated CANs in a controlled manner.
3D Woven Liquid Metals for Radio‐Frequency Stretchable Circuits
Authors: Rahman Md Saifur , Tiwari Anand P. , Agnew Simon A. , Scheideler William J.
Published: April 2024

Mechanically flexible and stretchable inductive coils are critical for enabling communication, sensing, and wireless power transfer capabilities in wearable electronics that conform to the body for healthcare and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Leading stretchable conductors such as liquid metals (LMs) offer conformability but sacrifice electromagnetic performance compared with Cu wires, leading to lossy radio‐frequency (RF) characteristics. Here, a strategy leveraging multistranded 3D woven ‘litz’ transmission lines is presented to amplify the resonant RF performance of LM inductors. Through comprehensive simulations and experiments, it is discovered that interwoven LM litz wires boost the Quality Factor (Q) by 80% compared to standard liquid metal wires. A fabrication methodology is also demonstrated for stretchable coils that retain high Q (>30), outperforming the previously reported LM coils and maintaining 98% of their wireless transmission efficiency under up to 30% biaxial strain. Moreover, the versatility of this approach is showcased by 3D printing four‐terminal ‘choke’ inductors optimized for RF filtering and inductance tunability, overcoming the fabrication limitations of traditional planar printed electronics. These results offer valuable insights into the design and implementation of 3D‐printed inductors for a diverse suite of electromagnetic device applications.
Coupling Exponential to Linear Amplification for Endpoint Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Kieffer Coline , Rondelez Yannick , Gines Guillaume
Published: April 2024

Exponential DNA amplification techniques are fundamental in ultrasensitive molecular diagnostics. These systems offer a wide dynamic range, but the quantification requires real‐time monitoring of the amplification reaction. Linear amplification schemes, despite their limited sensitivity, can achieve quantitative measurement from a single end‐point readout, suitable for low‐cost, point‐of‐care, or massive testing. Reconciling the sensitivity of exponential amplification with the simplicity of end‐point readout would thus break through a major design dilemma and open a route to a new generation of massively scalable quantitative bioassays. Here a hybrid nucleic acid‐based circuit design is introduced to compute a logarithmic function, therefore providing a wide dynamic range based on a single end‐point measurement. CELIA (Coupling Exponential amplification reaction to LInear Amplification) exploits a versatile biochemical circuit architecture to couple a tunable linear amplification stage – optionally embedding an inverter function – downstream of an exponential module in a one‐pot format. Applied to the detection of microRNAs, CELIA provides a limit of detection in the femtomolar range and a dynamic range of six decades. This isothermal approach bypasses thermocyclers without compromising sensitivity, thereby opening the way to applications in various diagnostic assays, and providing a simplified, cost‐efficient, and high throughput solution for quantitative nucleic acid analysis.
The aggregation effect of offshore mussel farming on pelagic fishes
Authors: Bridger Danielle , Attrill Martin J. , Rees Siân E. , Sheehan Emma V.
Published: April 2024

The increase in hard artificial structures in the marine environment is contributing to ocean sprawl. As well as adding hard structure to the seabed, mussel aquaculture adds rope droppers and anchor lines to the water column, where such structure would otherwise be absent. This paper aims to monitor the effects of mussel headlines on the pelagic fish community over time, as well as to investigate whether there is an interaction between the age of cultivated mussels with the number of epibiota species and the abundance of pelagic fishes. Two surveys were carried out: a time series monitoring survey to assess whether the mussel headlines change the surrounding fish species relative to control areas over time, and a fish aggregation device effect survey to investigate whether older and larger mussels support greater abundances of pelagic fishes and epibiota. The most abundant fish species was Atlantic horse mackerel, Trachurus trachurus, with significantly greater numbers recorded around ropes growing older mussels. Results from the surveys show that the physical farm infrastructure has provided a substrate for colonisation by a variety of epibiota: A total of 21 species were recorded growing on the mussel ropes. Furthermore, the older and larger the mussels become, the greater the numbers of epibiota taxa that can colonise, coupled with a greater abundance of pelagic fish recorded around the ropes. The sustainable development of offshore Blue Industries is essential to produce renewable resources. This study brings essential evidence for marine managers and regulators that offshore mussel farming can provide benefits for pelagic and benthic species of both conservation and commercial importance while producing sustainable protein to feed a growing population.
Data‐Driven Cz–Si Scale‐Up under Conditions of Partial Similarity
Authors: Dropka Natasha , Böttcher Klaus , Chappa Gagan Kumar , Holena Martin
Published: April 2024

In Cz–Si growth, the shape of the solid–liquid interface and the v/G ratio significantly impact crystal quality. This study utilizes a data‐driven approach, employing multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural networks and Bayesian optimization, to investigate the scale‐up process of Cz–Si under conditions of partial similarity. The focus is on exploring the influence of various process and furnace geometry parameters, as well as radiation shield material properties, on the critical measures of crystal quality. Axisymmetric CFD modeling produces 340 sets of 18D raw data, from which 14‐dimensionless derived data tuples are generated for the design and training of the MLP. The best MLP obtained demonstrates the ability to accurately assess the complex nonlinear dependencies among dimensionless numbers derived from CFD data and, on the output side, interface deflection and v/G. These relationships, crucial for scale‐up, are successfully generalized across a wide range of parameters.
Vision and hearing difficulty and effects of cognitive training in older adults
Authors: Huang Alison R. , Rebok George W. , Swenor Bonnielin K. , Deal Jennifer A.
Published: April 2024

BACKGROUND

Cognitive training is delivered visually and aurally. It is unknown whether self‐reported sensory difficulty modifies the effects of cognitive training on cognition.

METHODS

Participants (N = 2788) in the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly Study were randomized to training in memory, reasoning, speed of processing, or control. Differences in the 10‐year effect of cognitive training on cognition by self‐reported vision and hearing difficulty were assessed using linear mixed effect models.

RESULTS

Benefit (intervention vs. control) of reasoning training was smaller among participants with versus without vision difficulty (difficulty: –0.25, 95% confidence interval: [–0.88, 0.39], no difficulty: 0.58 [0.28, 0.89]). Benefit of memory training was greater for participants with versus without hearing difficulty (difficulty: 0.17 [–0.37, 0.72], no difficulty: –0.20 [–0.65, 0.24]).

DISCUSSION

Older adults with sensory loss have increased risk for cognitive decline; benefits of cognitive training may be greater for these individuals. Sensory loss should be considered in training design.

Highlights

Memory training was more beneficial for participants with hearing loss.

Participants with vision difficulties did not benefit as much from reasoning training.

Low accessibility in design and learned compensation strategies may contribute.

Consideration of sensory impairment in study design is needed.

Inclusion of older adults with sensory impairment in cognitive training is needed.
Exploring anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant‐related quality markers of Artemisia absinthium L. based on spectrum–effect relationship
Authors: Wubuli Ayixiamuguli , Abdulla Rahima , Zhao Jiangyu , Wu Tao , Aisa Haji Akber
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Artemisia absinthium L. is a well‐known medicinal, aromatic, and edible plant with important medicinal and economic properties and a long history of use in treating liver inflammation and other diseases; however, there has been insufficient progress in quality control.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the quality markers for the anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities of A. absinthium based on spectrum–effect relationship analysis.

Materials and methods

Eighteen batches of A. absinthium from different origins were used. Chemical fingerprints were obtained by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). The chemical compositions were identified by quadrupole‐Orbitrap high‐resolution mass spectrometry. Anti‐inflammatory activity was assessed by inhibition of cyclooxygenase‐2 and 15‐lipoxygenase in vitro and inhibition of nitric oxide release in lipopolysaccharide‐induced BV‐2 cells. Antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. The relationship between bioactivity and chemical fingerprints was then analyzed using chemometrics including gray relational analysis, bivariate correlation analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares analysis.

Results

Different batches of A. absinthium extracts possessed significant anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities to varying degrees. Eighty compounds were identified from A. absinthium, and 12 main common peaks were obtained from the UPLC fingerprints. P3 (chlorogenic acid), P5 (isochlorogenic acid A), and P6 (isochlorogenic acid C) were screened as the most promising active compounds by correlation analysis and further validated for their remarkable anti‐inflammatory effects.

Conclusion

This is the first study to screen the quality markers of A. absinthium by establishing the spectrum–effect relationship, which can provide a reference for the development of quality standards and further research on A. absinthium.
Adaptive neural network fault‐tolerant control for uncertain non‐strict feedback nonlinear system with actuator faults and state constraints
Authors: Ma Lei , Wang Zhanshan , Huang Chao
Published: April 2024

This article studies a neural network (NN)‐based adaptive fault‐tolerant control (FTC) scheme for uncertain non‐strict feedback systems with time‐varying state constraints and actuator faults. The introduction of asymmetric Barrier‐Lyapunov function (BLF) makes controller design more difficult due to the emergence of actuator faults and state constraints. Therefore, this article designs a fault‐tolerant controller with constraint compensation information under the backstepping control design framework to solve the state constraint asymmetry problem caused by actuator failure. By designing an improved asymmetric time‐varying BLF, the design of the state‐constrained controller will become more realistic and the constraints will be weakened. In the design process, the characteristics of the radial basis function neural network are used to avoid the algebraic ring problem. Actuator failure in this article considers deviation failure and loss of effectiveness. Based on the properties of the exponential function, the improved BLF can make the bounds of the state constraints smaller and smaller, and the bounds of the constraints can change with the desired trajectory. Simulation verified the feasibility of this control method.
Multi‐Objective Optimization for Rapid Identification of Novel Compound Metals for Interconnect Applications
Authors: Ramdas Akash , Zhou Guanyu , Li Yansong , Lu Ping‐Lien , Antoniuk Evan R. , Reed Evan J. , Hinkle Christopher L. , da Jornada Felipe H.
Published: April 2024

Interconnect materials play the critical role of routing energy and information in integrated circuits. However, established bulk conductors, such as copper, perform poorly when scaled down beyond 10 nm, limiting the scalability of logic devices. Here, a multi‐objective search is developed, combined with first‐principles calculations, to rapidly screen over 15,000 materials and discover new interconnect candidates. This approach simultaneously optimizes the bulk electronic conductivity, surface scattering time, and chemical stability using physically motivated surrogate properties accessible from materials databases. Promising local interconnects are identified that have the potential to outperform ruthenium, the current state‐of‐the‐art post‐Cu material, and also semi‐global interconnects with potentially large skin depths at the GHz operation frequency. The approach is validated on one of the identified candidates, CoPt, using both ab initio and experimental transport studies, showcasing its potential to supplant Ru and Cu for future local interconnects.
4D Printed Soft Microactuator for Particle Manipulation via Surrounding Medium Variation
Authors: Zheng Jianchen , Yu Haibo , Zhang Yuzhao , Wang Jingang , Guo Hongji , Luo Hao , Wang Xiaoduo , Qiu Ye , Liu Lianqing , Li Wen Jung
Published: April 2024

Soft actuators have assumed vital roles in a diverse number of research and application fields, driving innovation and transformative advancements. Using 3D molding of smart materials and combining these materials through structural design strategies, a single soft actuator can achieve multiple functions. However, it is still challenging to realize soft actuators that possess high environmental adaptability while capable of different tasks. Here, the response threshold of a soft actuator is modulated by precisely tuning the ratio of stimulus‐responsive groups in hydrogels. By combining a heterogeneous bilayer membrane structure and in situ multimaterial printing, the obtained soft actuator deformed in response to changes in the surrounding medium. The response medium is suitable for both biotic and abiotic environments, and the response rate is fast. By changing the surrounding medium, the precise capture, manipulation, and release of micron‐sized particles of different diameters in 3D are realized. In addition, static capture of a single red blood cell is realized using biologically responsive medium changes. Finally, the experimental results are well predicted using finite element analysis. It is believed that with further optimization of the structure size and autonomous navigation platform, the proposed soft microactuator has significant potential to function as an easy‐to‐manipulate multifunctional robot.
Introduction
Authors: Cappello Gianna , Siino Marianna , Fernandes Natália , Arciniega-Cáceres Mittzy
Published: April 2024

This book presents the empirical findings collected during the case studies developed withing the Horizon 2020 research project SMOOTH—Educational Spaces. Passing through Enclosures and Reversing Inequalities through Educational Commons. The project involved a partnership of 12 entities (11 universities and one museum) located in 8 European countries: Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Sweden. Third Parties (schools, NGOs, and local authorities) were also included in the research fieldwork. The overarching goal of the SMOOTH project was to comprehend, foster, and expedite the potential influence of education in addressing and reversing inequalities, especially those experienced by people (young and adults) belonging to vulnerable groups at risk, hence preventing and reducing social isolation, marginalisation, political frustration, fundamentalism and extremism, insecurity, and fear among these groups. This was achieved by introducing the emerging concept of the commons as an alternative framework of values and actions within preschools, schools, and afterschool programs, focusing on the interactions among children and youth, as well as between children and youth and adults, within an utterly relational context.
Pulicaria gnaphalodes-assisted green synthesis of NiFe2O4@ZnO nanocomposites for sustainable remediation of an antibiotic from aqueous solution
Authors: Derakhshani Elham , Naghizadeh Ali , Mortazavi-Derazkola Sobhan , Yousefinia Ali
Published: April 2024

In this study, the NiFe2O4@ZnO nanocomposite was synthesized in a simple, accessible and affordable method using Pulicaria gnaphalodes plant extract as a reducing agent. The structural characteristics of this nanocomposite were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, X-ray energy diffraction spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. TEM micrograph confirmed the formation of spherical and cubic spinel ferrite with average dimensions of 75–85 nm. Some parameters such as pH, dose of NiFe2O4@ZnO nanocomposite, concentration of penicillin G and reaction time to reach optimal conditions were investigated. According to the results of the present research, the photocatalyst process along with the use of NiFe2O4@ZnO nanocomposite as an oxidizing agent is an effective method in degradation of the penicillin G antibiotic from aqueous solutions.
Wastewater treatment from a science faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic by using ammonium-oxidising and heterotrophic bacteria
Authors: Pedroza-Camacho Lucas D. , Ospina-Sánchez Paula A. , Romero-Perdomo Felipe A. , Infante-González Nury G. , Paredes-Céspedes Diana M. , Quevedo-Hidalgo Balkys , Gutiérrez-Romero Viviana , Rivera-Hoyos Claudia M. , Pedroza-Rodríguez Aura M.
Published: April 2024

During and after the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the use of personal care products and disinfectants increased in universities worldwide. Among these, quaternary ammonium-based products stand out; these compounds and their intermediates caused substantial changes in the chemical composition of the wastewater produced by these institutions. For this reason, improvements and environmentally sustainable biological alternatives were introduced in the existing treatment systems so that these institutions could continue their research and teaching activities. For this reason, the objective of this study was to develop an improved culture medium to cultivate ammonium oxidising bacteria (AOB) to increase the biomass and use them in the treatment of wastewater produced in a faculty of sciences in Bogotá, D.C., Colombia. A Plackett Burman Experimental Design (PBED) and growth curves served for oligotrophic culture medium, and production conditions improved for the AOB. Finally, these bacteria were used with total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) for wastewater treatment in a pilot plant. Modification of base ammonium broth and culture conditions (6607 mg L−1 of (NH4)2SO4, 84 mg L−1 CaCO3, 40 mg L−1 MgSO4·7H2O, 40 mg L−1 CaCl2·2H2O and 200 mg L−1 KH2PO4, 10% (w/v) inoculum, no copper addition, pH 7.0 ± 0.2, 200 r.p.m., 30 days) favoured the growth of Nitrosomonas europea, Nitrosococcus oceani, and Nitrosospira multiformis with values of 8.23 ± 1.9, 7.56 ± 0.7 and 4.2 ± 0.4 Log10 CFU mL−1, respectively. NO2− production was 0.396 ± 0.0264, 0.247 ± 0.013 and 0.185 ± 0.003 mg L−1 for Nitrosomonas europea, Nitrosococcus oceani and Nitrosospira multiformis. After the 5-day wastewater treatment (WW) by co-inoculating the three studied bacteria in the wastewater (with their self-microorganisms), the concentrations of AOB and THB were 5.92 and 9.3 Log10 CFU mL−1, respectively. These values were related to the oxidative decrease of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), (39.5 mg L−1), Ammonium ion (NH4+), (6.5 mg L−1) Nitrite (NO2−), (2.0 mg L−1) and Nitrate (NO3−), (1.5 mg L−1), respectively in the five days of treatment. It was concluded, with the improvement of a culture medium and production conditions for three AOB through biotechnological strategies at the laboratory scale, being a promising alternative to bio-augment of the biomass of the studied bacteria under controlled conditions that allow the aerobic removal of COD and nitrogen cycle intermediates present in the studied wastewater.
Malaria parasitic detection using a new Deep Boosted and Ensemble Learning framework
Authors: Asif Hafiz M. , Khan Saddam Hussain , Alahmadi Tahani Jaser , Alsahfi Tariq , Mahmoud Amena
Published: April 2024

Malaria is a potentially fatal plasmodium parasite injected by female anopheles mosquitoes that infect red blood cells and cause millions of lifelong disability worldwide yearly. However, specialists’ manual screening in clinical practice is laborious and prone to error. Therefore, a novel Deep Boosted and Ensemble Learning (DBEL) framework, comprising the stacking of new Boosted-BR-STM convolutional neural networks (CNN) and the ensemble ML classifiers, is developed to screen malaria parasite images. The proposed Boosted-BR-STM is based on a new dilated-convolutional block-based Split Transform Merge (STM) and feature-map Squeezing–Boosting (SB) ideas. Moreover, the new STM block uses regional and boundary operations to learn the malaria parasite’s homogeneity, heterogeneity, and boundary with patterns. Furthermore, the diverse boosted channels are attained by employing Transfer Learning-based new feature-map SB in STM blocks at the abstract, medium, and conclusion levels to learn minute intensity and texture variation of the parasitic pattern. Additionally, to enhance the learning capacity of Boosted-BR-STM and foster a more diverse representation of features, boosting at the final stage is achieved through TL by utilizing multipath residual learning. The proposed DBEL framework implicates the stacking of prominent and diverse boosted channels and provides the generated discriminative features of the developed Boosted-BR-STM to the ensemble of ML classifiers. The proposed framework improves the discrimination ability and generalization of ensemble learning. Moreover, the deep feature spaces of the developed Boosted-BR-STM and customized CNNs are fed into ML classifiers for comparative analysis. The proposed DBEL framework outperforms the existing techniques on the NIH malaria dataset that are enhanced using discrete wavelet transform to enrich feature space. The proposed DBEL framework achieved Accuracy (98.50%), Sensitivity (0.9920), F-score (0.9850), and AUC (0.9960), which suggests it to be utilized for malaria parasite screening.
A novel pressure transient analysis model for fracturing wells in fracture–cavity carbonate reservoirs
Authors: Liu Jianyi , Liu Zhibin , Gu Congyue , Zou Ning , Yuan Hua , Jiang Lu , Wen Yimin
Published: April 2024

Large-scale karst caves are the principal storage spaces for hydrocarbon resources in fracture–cavity carbonate reservoirs. Drilling directly into these caves is considered the ideal mode of development, but many wells do not effectively penetrate karst caves. Therefore, acid fracturing is employed to generate artificial fractures that can connect with these caves. However, there are no appropriate well test methods for fracturing wells in fracture–cavity reservoirs. This study establishes a novel pressure transient analysis model for such wells. A new mathematical model is proposed that couples linear flow in acid fracturing cracks with radial flow in the oil drainage area. The Laplace transform and Stehfest numerical inversion provided analytical solutions for the bottomhole pressure. Typical log–log well testing curves were plotted to analyze oil flow, which occurs in ten stages. During the flow stage in fracturing cracks, the pressure and pressure derivative curves are parallel lines with a slope of 0.5. In the stage of karst cave storage, the pressure derivative curve is a straight line with a slope of 1. A comparison with previous models confirmed the validity of the proposed model. The influence of key parameters on the behavior of typical curves is analyzed. A field case study of the proposed model was carried out. Parameters related to fracturing cracks and karst caves, such as the crack length and cave radius, were successfully estimated. The proposed model has great potential for determining formation parameters of fracture–cavity reservoirs.
Examining the impact of managers’ network size on SME performance: a case study of Interurban and local road freight transport in the Paris department
Authors: Capoani Luigi , Izzo Andrea
Published: April 2024

This study focuses on the interplay between managers’ personalities, relationships, and company performance. We investigate the influence of managers on a sample of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), specifically examining the size of their networks. Our focus is on enterprises working in the sector of interurban road freight transport and local road freight transport within the Paris department. The model we propose aims to understand the advantages of a well-established and interconnected network for SME performance. We analyse how the different characteristics of a company as well as its manager’s personality and network ties can affect company performance. By drawing upon the dependency network approach, the Resource Dependency Theory, and network theory, we investigate the connection between resource and network dependencies, and how these influence firms’ behavior and long-term growth. Through our theoretical review and by analyzing a database of selected companies through the multiple linear regression and the Principal Component Analysis, we find that networking plays a vital role and significantly impacts a company’s revenues and costs, although not to the extent that we predicted. The results of our research provide evidence of the correlation between networking and performance ratios, but only partially confirm our hypotheses.
Immunocompromisation of wheat host by L-BSO and 2,4-DPA induces susceptibility to the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum
Authors: Sahu Abhaya Kumar , Kumari Punam , Mittra Bhabatosh
Published: April 2024

Susceptibility is defined as the disruption of host defence systems that promotes infection or limits pathogenicity. Glutathione (GSH) is a major component of defence signalling pathways that maintain redox status and is synthesised by γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase (γ-ECS). On the other hand, lignin acts as a barrier in the primary cell wall of vascular bundles (VBs) synthesised by phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) in the intracellular system of plants. In this study, we used two inhibitors, such as L-Buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO), which irreversibly inhibits γ-ECS, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (DPA), which reduces PAL activity and leads to the induction of oxidative stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum) seedlings after exposure to Fusarium oxysporum. Seedlings treated with 1 mM L-BSO and 2,4-DPA showed high levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl (CO) content, and low activity of antioxidative enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR)] as compared to wild-type (WT) seedlings under F. oxysporum infection. Further, the content of reduced glutathione (RGSH), ascorbate (ASC), and lignin was decreased in BSO and DPA treated seedlings as compared to WT seedlings during Fusarium infection. Moreover, treatment with BSO and DPA significantly inhibited the relative activity of γ-ECS and PAL (P ≤ 0.001) in WT seedlings during Fusarium infection, which led to disintegrated VBs and, finally, cell death. Our results demonstrate that inhibition of γ-ECS and PAL by BSO and DPA, respectively, disrupts the defence mechanisms of wheat seedlings and induces susceptibility to F. oxysporum.
Unravelling vulnerabilities: mapping key hazards in the Gori Ganga watershed of Kumaon Himalaya for communication, conservation and management
Authors: Chatterjee Debaleena , Adhikari Bhupendra Singh
Published: April 2024

The present study investigates the susceptibility of the Kailash Sacred Landscape in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district, focusing on regional-level disaster risk assessment in the Gori Ganga watershed as a case study and aims to prepare foundation maps for recurrent disasters like landslides, floods and forest fires. The techniques of remote sensing & geographic information systems, frequency ratio and correlation analytics were employed to perceive hazard-prone areas in the valley, using a variety of geographical, environmental and anthropogenic predictors. The accuracy of the maps generated by the modelling procedure was assessed using validation data and a receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) with the area under the curve (AUC). The analysis revealed 83.5 km2 was extremely susceptible to flood incidents, 133.1 km2 was susceptible to landslides and 147 km2 was severely vulnerable to wildfires. The determined area under the curve value for flood susceptibility was 88.6%, followed by landslides at 89.5% and wildfires at 90.9%, showing that the model performed exceptionally well. The findings reveal that precipitation, lithology and elevation were the most significant variables in inducing floods. Precipitation, profile curvature, elevation and distance to thrust are the primary determinants of landslides, while closeness to the road and settlements, as well as vegetation indices, were significant predictors of fire events. The Lower Kumaon Himalayan valley region was recognized as highly vulnerable to all three major catastrophes. This study identifies potentially hazardous regions for adaptive sustainable conservation activities, involving local communities in decision-making to mitigate impacts and aid in preventing and managing impending landscape-level threats.
Comparison of potential evapotranspiration methods in Ethiopia
Authors: Mekoya Antensay , Workneh Mulatu
Published: April 2024

The Food and Agricultural Organization method for estimating reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo), FAO56, is the standard method across the globe. Daily ETo estimated using seventeen potential evapotranspiration (PET) methods that has less data requirments were compared with FAO56 at five sites in Ethiopia (Bahir Dar, Bale Robe, Hawassa, Metehara, and Nazareth). The average rank of five model validation metrics namely standard deviation, RMSE, MAPE, NSE, and correlation were used to compare the methods. By taking the areal average ETo and PET, ten methods, Wen, Ant, Pen, Mak, PT, Ha5, Ha4, Tho, Rad, and Enk, having correlation > 0.57 and MAPE < 28% were ranked 1st to 10th, respectively. Also, at each site, the above ten PET methods were compared. By taking the average ranks of the five sites, Wen, Pen, Ant, PT, and Mak & Ha5 ranked 1st to 5th, respectively. Wen & Ant methods which are applied in Ethiopia for the first time had shown the best performance.
Anti-Black Political Violence and the Historical Legacy of the Great Replacement Conspiracy
Authors: Thompson Andrew Ifedapo , Beveridge Maxwell , McCabe Stefan , Ahern Molly , Cortes Fryda , Axford Noah , Franks Jacqueline Martinez
Published: April 2024

Racial violence is central to the American polity. We argue that support for violence, specifically anti-Black violence, has a long historical arc in American politics dating back to chattel slavery. In this paper, we argue that the racial violence associated with the “great replacement” conspiracy is much more pervasive among the white American public because of the historical legacy of anti-Black violent sentiment. To investigate the prevalence of this idea, we conducted a preregistered simple priming experiment aimed to tap into top-of-mind ideas about racial demographic change. Our experimental design spans multiple data sources, including two probability samples, over the course of a year. We ultimately find that simply priming attitudes about racial demographic change through a single open-ended question consistently leads to increased support for political violence, increasing racial resentment, and expressed anti-Black views. Our approach allows us to test this question through variant methodological means, all of which confirm strong associations Americans have between racial demographic change, anti-Blackness, and violence. Our findings demonstrate that Black threat is an important driver of democratic backsliding in the realm of political violence that requires further attention.
Immunological aspects of central neurodegeneration
Authors: Niso-Santano Mireia , Fuentes José M. , Galluzzi Lorenzo
Published: April 2024

The etiology of various neurodegenerative disorders that mainly affect the central nervous system including (but not limited to) Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease has classically been attributed to neuronal defects that culminate with the loss of specific neuronal populations. However, accumulating evidence suggests that numerous immune effector cells and the products thereof (including cytokines and other soluble mediators) have a major impact on the pathogenesis and/or severity of these and other neurodegenerative syndromes. These observations not only add to our understanding of neurodegenerative conditions but also imply that (at least in some cases) therapeutic strategies targeting immune cells or their products may mediate clinically relevant neuroprotective effects. Here, we critically discuss immunological mechanisms of central neurodegeneration and propose potential strategies to correct neurodegeneration-associated immunological dysfunction with therapeutic purposes.
Worldwide divergence of values
Authors: Jackson Joshua Conrad , Medvedev Danila
Published: April 2024

Social scientists have long debated the nature of cultural change in a modernizing and globalizing world. Some scholars predicted that national cultures would converge by adopting social values typical of Western democracies. Others predicted that cultural differences in values would persist or even increase over time. We test these competing predictions by analyzing survey data from 1981 to 2022 (n = 406,185) from 76 national cultures. We find evidence of global value divergence. Values emphasizing tolerance and self-expression have diverged most sharply, especially between high-income Western countries and the rest of the world. We also find that countries with similar per-capita GDP levels have held similar values over the last 40 years. Over time, however, geographic proximity has emerged as an increasingly strong correlate of value similarity, indicating that values have diverged globally but converged regionally.
Teacher-student collaborated multiple instance learning for pan-cancer PDL1 expression prediction from histopathology slides
Authors: Jin Darui , Liang Shangying , Shmatko Artem , Arnold Alexander , Horst David , Grünewald Thomas G. P. , Gerstung Moritz , Bai Xiangzhi
Published: April 2024

Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PDL1), as an important biomarker, is quantified by immunohistochemistry (IHC) with few established histopathological patterns. Deep learning aids in histopathological assessment, yet heterogeneity and lacking spatially resolved annotations challenge precise analysis. Here, we present a weakly supervised learning approach using bulk RNA sequencing for PDL1 expression prediction from hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) slides. Our method extends the multiple instance learning paradigm with the teacher-student framework, which assigns dynamic pseudo-labels for intra-slide heterogeneity and retrieves unlabeled instances using temporal ensemble model distillation. The approach, evaluated on 12,299 slides across 20 solid tumor types, achieves a weighted average area under the curve of 0.83 on fresh-frozen and 0.74 on formalin-fixed specimens for 9 tumors with PDL1 as an established biomarker. Our method predicts PDL1 expression patterns, validated by IHC on 20 slides, offering insights into histologies relevant to PDL1. This demonstrates the potential of deep learning in identifying diverse histological patterns for molecular changes from H&E images.
Quantum simulation of the bosonic Kitaev chain
Authors: Busnaina Jamal H. , Shi Zheng , McDonald Alexander , Dubyna Dmytro , Nsanzineza Ibrahim , Hung Jimmy S. C. , Chang C. W. Sandbo , Clerk Aashish A. , Wilson Christopher M.
Published: April 2024

Superconducting quantum circuits are a natural platform for quantum simulations of a wide variety of important lattice models describing topological phenomena, spanning condensed matter and high-energy physics. One such model is the bosonic analog of the well-known fermionic Kitaev chain, a 1D tight-binding model with both nearest-neighbor hopping and pairing terms. Despite being fully Hermitian, the bosonic Kitaev chain exhibits a number of striking features associated with non-Hermitian systems, including chiral transport and a dramatic sensitivity to boundary conditions known as the non-Hermitian skin effect. Here, using a multimode superconducting parametric cavity, we implement the bosonic Kitaev chain in synthetic dimensions. The lattice sites are mapped to frequency modes of the cavity, and the in situ tunable complex hopping and pairing terms are created by parametric pumping at the mode-difference and mode-sum frequencies, respectively. We experimentally demonstrate important precursors of nontrivial topology and the non-Hermitian skin effect in the bosonic Kitaev chain, including chiral transport, quadrature wavefunction localization, and sensitivity to boundary conditions. Our experiment is an important first step towards exploring genuine many-body non-Hermitian quantum dynamics.
Highly robust supramolecular polymer networks crosslinked by a tiny amount of metallacycles
Authors: He Lang , Jiang Yu , Wei Jialin , Zhang Zibin , Hong Tao , Ren Zhiqiang , Huang Jianying , Huang Feihe , Stang Peter J. , Li Shijun
Published: April 2024

Supramolecular polymeric materials have exhibited attractive features such as self-healing, reversibility, and stimuli-responsiveness. However, on account of the weak bonding nature of most noncovalent interactions, it remains a great challenge to construct supramolecular polymeric materials with high robustness. Moreover, high usage of supramolecular units is usually necessary to promote the formation of robust supramolecular polymeric materials, which restrains their applications. Herein, we describe the construction of highly robust supramolecular polymer networks by using only a tiny amount of metallacycles as the supramolecular crosslinkers. A norbornene ring-opening metathesis copolymer with a 120° dipyridine ligand is prepared and self-assembled with a 60° or 120° Pt(II) acceptor to fabricate the metallacycle-crosslinked polymer networks. With only 0.28 mol% or less pendant dipyridine units to form the metallacycle crosslinkers, the mechanical properties of the polymers are significantly enhanced. The tensile strengths, Young’s moduli, and toughness of the reinforced polymers reach up to more than 20 MPa, 600 MPa, and 150 MJ/m3, respectively. Controllable destruction and reconstruction of the metallacycle-crosslinked polymer networks are further demonstrated by the sequential addition of tetrabutylammonium bromide and silver triflate, indicative of good stimuli-responsiveness of the networks. These remarkable performances are attributed to the thermodynamically stable, but dynamic metallacycle-based supramolecular coordination complexes that offer strong linkages with good adaptive characteristics.
Multilevel design and construction in nanomembrane rolling for three-dimensional angle-sensitive photodetection
Authors: Zhang Ziyu , Wu Binmin , Wang Yang , Cai Tianjun , Ma Mingze , You Chunyu , Liu Chang , Jiang Guobang , Hu Yuhang , Li Xing , Chen Xiang-Zhong , Song Enming , Cui Jizhai , Huang Gaoshan , Kiravittaya Suwit , Mei Yongfeng
Published: April 2024

Releasing pre-strained two-dimensional nanomembranes to assemble on-chip three-dimensional devices is crucial for upcoming advanced electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, the release process is affected by many unclear factors, hindering the transition from laboratory to industrial applications. Here, we propose a quasistatic multilevel finite element modeling to assemble three-dimensional structures from two-dimensional nanomembranes and offer verification results by various bilayer nanomembranes. Take Si/Cr nanomembrane as an example, we confirm that the three-dimensional structural formation is governed by both the minimum energy state and the geometric constraints imposed by the edges of the sacrificial layer. Large-scale, high-yield fabrication of three-dimensional structures is achieved, and two distinct three-dimensional structures are assembled from the same precursor. Six types of three-dimensional Si/Cr photodetectors are then prepared to resolve the incident angle of light with a deep neural network model, opening up possibilities for the design and manufacturing methods of More-than-Moore-era devices.
SARS-CoV-2-specific cellular and humoral immunity after bivalent BA.4/5 COVID-19-vaccination in previously infected and non-infected individuals
Authors: Urschel Rebecca , Bronder Saskia , Klemis Verena , Marx Stefanie , Hielscher Franziska , Abu-Omar Amina , Guckelmus Candida , Schneitler Sophie , Baum Christina , Becker Sören L. , Gärtner Barbara C. , Sester Urban , Martinez Leonardo , Widera Marek , Schmidt Tina , Sester Martina
Published: April 2024

Knowledge is limited as to how prior SARS-CoV-2 infection influences cellular and humoral immunity after booster-vaccination with bivalent BA.4/5-adapted mRNA-vaccines, and whether vaccine-induced immunity may indicate subsequent infection. In this observational study, individuals with prior infection (n = 64) showed higher vaccine-induced anti-spike IgG-antibodies and neutralizing titers, but the relative increase was significantly higher in non-infected individuals (n = 63). In general, both groups showed higher neutralizing activity towards the parental strain than towards Omicron-subvariants BA.1, BA.2 and BA.5. In contrast, CD4 or CD8 T cell levels towards spike from the parental strain and the Omicron-subvariants, and cytokine expression profiles were similar irrespective of prior infection. Breakthrough infections occurred more frequently among previously non-infected individuals, who had significantly lower vaccine-induced spike-specific neutralizing activity and CD4 T cell levels. In summary, we show that immunogenicity after BA.4/5-bivalent vaccination differs between individuals with and without prior infection. Moreover, our results may help to improve prediction of breakthrough infections.
Observation of spatiotemporal optical vortices enabled by symmetry-breaking slanted nanograting
Authors: Huo Pengcheng , Chen Wei , Zhang Zixuan , Zhang Yanzeng , Liu Mingze , Lin Peicheng , Zhang Hui , Chen Zhaoxian , Lezec Henri , Zhu Wenqi , Agrawal Amit , Peng Chao , Lu Yanqing , Xu Ting
Published: April 2024

Providing additional degrees of freedom to manipulate light, spatiotemporal optical vortex (STOV) beams carrying transverse orbital angular momentum are of fundamental importance for spatiotemporal control of light-matter interactions. Unfortunately, existing methods to generate STOV are plagued by various limitations such as inefficiency, bulkiness, and complexity. Here, we theoretically propose and experimentally demonstrate a microscale singlet platform composed of a slanted nanograting to generate STOV. Leveraging the intrinsic topological singularity induced by C2 symmetry and z-mirror symmetry breaking of the slanted nanograting, STOV is generated through the Fourier transform of the spiral phase in the momentum-frequency space to the spatiotemporal domain. In experiments, we observe the space-time evolution of STOV carried by femtosecond pulses using a time-resolved interferometry technique and achieve a generation efficiency exceeding 40%. Our work sheds light on a compact and versatile platform for light pulse shaping, and paves the way towards a fully integrated system for spatiotemporal light manipulation.
Neglecting students’ socio-emotional skills magnified learning losses during the pandemic
Authors: Lichand Guilherme , Christen Julien , Egeraat Eppie Van
Published: April 2024

Did the dramatic learning losses from remote learning in the context of COVID-19 stem at least partly from schools having overlooked students’ socio-emotional skills—such as their ability to self-regulate emotions, their mental models, motivation, and grit—during the emergency transition to remote learning? We study this question using a cluster-randomized control trial with 18,256 high-school students across 87 schools in the State of Goiás, Brazil. The intervention sent behavioral nudges through text messages to students or their caregivers, targeting their socio-emotional skills during remote learning. Here we show that these messages significantly increased standardized test scores relative to the control group, preventing 7.5% of learning losses in math and 24% in Portuguese, consistent with the hypothesis that neglecting students’ socio-emotional skills magnified learning losses during the pandemic.
Virtual reconstruction of the Canis arnensis type (Canidae, Mammalia) from the Upper Valdarno Basin (Italy, Early Pleistocene)
Authors: Bartolini-Lucenti S. , Cirilli O. , Melchionna M. , Raia P. , Tseng Z. J. , Flynn J. J. , Rook L.
Published: April 2024

Taphonomic deformation, whether it be brittle or plastic, is possibly the most influential process hindering the correct understanding of fossil species morphology. This is especially true if the deformation affects type specimens or applies to or obscures taxonomically diagnostic or functionally significant traits. Target Deformation, a recently developed virtual manipulation protocol, was implemented to address this issue by applying landmark-guided restoration of the original, deformed fossils, using undeformed specimens (or parts thereof) of the same species as a reference. The enigmatic Early Pleistocene canid Canis arnensis provides a typical example of a fossil species in dire need of virtual restoration. Its lectotype specimen is heavily deformed and none of the few known skulls are well preserved, obscuring the recognition of its systematic and phylogenetic position. Our results indicate that the algorithm effectively countered the lectotype skull’s laterolateral compression and its concomitant rostrocaudal elongation. Morphometrically, comparison of the retrodeformed cranium (IGF 867_W) with other specimens of the same species, and to other fossil and extant canid material, confirms IGF 867_W consistently clusters within C. arnensis variability. Overall, the evidence presented here confirms that Target Deformation provides a powerful tool to better characterize complex taxa like C. arnensis, whose knowledge is severely affected by the state of preservation of its fossil material.