bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solar “brightening” impact on summer surface ozone between 1990 and 2010 in Europe – a model sensitivity study of the influence of the aerosol–radiation interactions
Authors: Oikonomakis Emmanouil , Aksoyoglu Sebnem , Wild Martin , Ciarelli Giancarlo , Baltensperger Urs , Prévôt André Stephan Henry
Published: July 2018

Abstract. Surface solar radiation (SSR) observations have indicated an increasing trend
in Europe since the mid-1980s, referred to as solar “brightening”. In this
study, we used the regional air quality model, CAMx (Comprehensive Air
Quality Model with Extensions) to simulate and quantify, with various
sensitivity runs (where the year 2010 served as the base case), the effects
of increased radiation between 1990 and 2010 on photolysis rates (with the
PHOT1, PHOT2 and PHOT3 scenarios, which represented the radiation in 1990)
and biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions (with the BIO
scenario, which represented the biogenic emissions in 1990), and their
consequent impacts on summer surface ozone concentrations over Europe between
1990 and 2010. The PHOT1 and PHOT2 scenarios examined the effect of doubling
and tripling the anthropogenic PM2.5 concentrations, respectively, while
the PHOT3 investigated the impact of an increase in just the sulfate
concentrations by a factor of 3.4 (as in 1990), applied only to the
calculation of photolysis rates. In the BIO scenario, we reduced the 2010 SSR
by 3 % (keeping plant cover and temperature the same), recalculated the
biogenic emissions and repeated the base case simulations with the new
biogenic emissions. The impact on photolysis rates for all three scenarios
was an increase (in 2010 compared to 1990) of 3–6 % which resulted in
daytime (10:00–18:00 Local Mean Time – LMT) mean surface ozone differences
of 0.2–0.7 ppb (0.5–1.5 %), with the largest hourly difference rising
as high as 4–8 ppb (10–16 %). The effect of changes in BVOC emissions
on daytime mean surface ozone was much smaller (up to 0.08 ppb,
∼ 0.2 %), as isoprene and terpene (monoterpene and sesquiterpene)
emissions increased only by 2.5–3 and 0.7 %, respectively. Overall, the
impact of the SSR changes on surface ozone was greater via the effects on
photolysis rates compared to the effects on BVOC emissions, and the
sensitivity test of their combined impact (the combination of PHOT3 and BIO
is denoted as the COMBO scenario) showed nearly additive effects. In addition, all
the sensitivity runs were repeated on a second base case with increased
NOx emissions to account for any potential underestimation
of modeled ozone production; the results did not change significantly in
magnitude, but the spatial coverage of the effects was profoundly extended.
Finally, the role of the aerosol–radiation interaction (ARI) changes in the
European summer surface ozone trends was suggested to be more important when
comparing to the order of magnitude of the ozone trends instead of the total
ozone concentrations, indicating a potential partial damping of the effects
of ozone precursor emissions' reduction.
Observations and source investigations of the boundary layer bromine monoxide (BrO) in the Ny-Ålesund Arctic
Authors: Luo Yuhan , Si Fuqi , Zhou Haijin , Dou Ke , Liu Yi , Liu Wenqing
Published: July 2018

Abstract. During polar spring, the presence of reactive bromine in the polar boundary
layer is considered to be the main cause of ozone depletion and mercury
deposition. However, many uncertainties still remain regarding understanding the
mechanisms of the chemical process and source of the bromine. As Arctic
sea ice has recently been dramatically reduced, it is critical to investigate
the mechanisms using more accurate measurements with higher temporal and
spatial resolution. In this study, a typical process of enhanced bromine and
depleted ozone in the Ny-Ålesund boundary layer in late April 2015 was
observed by applying ground-based multi-axis differential optical absorption
spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) technique. The results showed that there were bromine monoxide
(BrO) slant columns as high as 5.6 × 1014 molec cm−2 above the
Kings Bay area on 26 April. Meanwhile, the boundary layer ozone and gaseous
elemental mercury (GEM) were synchronously reduced by 85 and 90 %,
respectively. Based on the meteorology, sea ice distribution and air mass
history, the sea ice in the Kings Bay area, which emerged for only a very
short period of time when the enhanced BrO was observed, was considered to be
the major source of this bromine enhancement event. The oxidized GEM may be
directly deposited onto snow/ice and thereby influence the polar ecosystem.
Technical note: Application of geophysical tools for tree root studies in forest ecosystems in complex soils
Authors: Rodríguez-Robles Ulises , Arredondo Tulio , Huber-Sannwald Elisabeth , Ramos-Leal José Alfredo , Yépez Enrico A.
Published: July 2018

Abstract. While semiarid forests frequently colonize rocky substrates, knowledge is scarce on how roots garner resources in these extreme habitats. The Sierra San Miguelito Volcanic Complex in central Mexico exhibits shallow soils and impermeable rhyolitic-rock outcrops, which impede water movement and root placement beyond the soil matrix. However, rock fractures, exfoliated rocks and soil pockets potentially permit downward water percolation and root growth. With ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), two geophysical methods advocated by Jayawickreme et al. (2014) to advance root ecology, we advanced in the method development studying root and water distribution in shallow rocky soils and rock fractures in a semiarid forest. We calibrated geophysical images with in situ root measurements, and then extrapolated root distribution over larger areas. Using GPR shielded antennas, we identified both fine and coarse pine and oak roots from 0.6 to 7.5 cm diameter at different depths into either soil or rock fractures. We also detected, trees anchoring their trunks using coarse roots underneath rock outcroppings. With ERT, we tracked monthly changes in humidity at the soil–bedrock interface, which clearly explained spatial root distribution of both tree species. Geophysical methods have enormous potential in elucidating root ecology. More interdisciplinary research could advance our understanding in belowground ecological niche functions and their role in forest ecohydrology and productivity.
Episodic Neoglacial expansion and rapid 20th century retreat of a small ice cap on Baffin Island, Arctic Canada, and modeled temperature change
Authors: Pendleton Simon L. , Miller Gifford H. , Anderson Robert A. , Crump Sarah E. , Zhong Yafang , Jahn Alexandra , Geirsdottir Áslaug
Published: July 2018

Abstract. Records of Neoglacial glacier activity in the Arctic constructed from moraines are often incomplete due to a preservation bias toward the most extensive advance, often the Little Ice Age. Recent warming in the Arctic has caused extensive retreat of glaciers over the past several decades, exposing preserved landscapes complete with in situ tundra plants previously entombed by ice. The radiocarbon ages of these plants define the timing of snowline depression and glacier advance across the site, in response to local summer cooling. Erosion rapidly removes most dead plants that have been recently exposed by ice retreat, but where erosive processes are unusually weak, dead plants may remain preserved on the landscape for decades. In such settings, a transect of plant radiocarbon ages can be used to construct a near-continuous chronology of past ice margin advance. Here we present radiocarbon dates from the first such transect on Baffin Island, which directly dates the advance of a small ice cap over the past two millennia. The nature of ice expansion between 20 BCE and ∼ 1000 CE is still uncertain, but episodic advances at ∼ 1000 CE, ∼ 1200, and  ∼ 1500 led to the maximum Neoglacial dimensions ~ 1900 CE. We employ a two-dimensional numerical glacier model calibrated using the plant radiocarbon ages ice margin chronology to assess the sensitivity of the ice cap to temperature change. Model experiments show that at least ∼ 0.44 °C of cooling over the past 2 kyr is required for the ice cap to reach its 1900 CE margin, and that the period from ∼ 1000 to 1900 CE must have been at least 0.25° C cooler than the previous millennium, results that agree with regional temperature reconstructions and climate model simulations. However, significant warming since 1900 CE is required to explain retreat to its present position, and, at the same rate of warming, the ice cap will disappear before 2100 CE.
Weak-constraint inverse modeling using HYSPLIT Lagrangian
dispersion model and Cross Appalachian Tracer Experiment
(CAPTEX) observations – Effect of including model uncertainties
on source term estimation
Authors: Chai Tianfeng , Stein Ariel , Ngan Fong
Published: July 2018

Abstract. A HYSPLIT inverse system that is based on variational data assimilation and a Lagrangian dispersion transfer coefficient matrix (TCM) is evaluated using the Cross Appalachian Tracer Experiment (CAPTEX) data collected from six controlled releases. For simplicity, the initial tests are applied to release 2 for which the HYSPLIT has the best performance. Before introducing model uncertainty terms, the tests using concentration differences in the cost function results in severe underestimation while those using logarithm concentrations differences results in overestimation of the release rate. Adding model uncertainty terms improves results for both choices of the metric variables in the cost function. A cost function normalization scheme is later introduced to avoid spurious minimal source term solutions when using logarithm concentration differences. The scheme is effective in eliminating the spurious solutions and it also helps to improve the release estimates for both choices of the metric variables. The tests also show that calculating logarithm concentration differences generally yield better results than calculating concentration differences and the estimates are more robust for a reasonable range of model uncertainty parameters. This is further confirmed with nine ensemble HYSPLIT runs in which meteorological fields were generated with varying planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes. In addition, it is found that the emission estimate using a combined TCM by taking the average or median values of the nine TCMs is similar to the median of the nine estimates using each of the TCMs individually. The inverse system is then applied to the other CAPTEX releases with a fixed set of observational and model uncertainty parameters and the largest relative error among the six releases is 53.3 %. At last, the system is tested for its capability to find a single source location as well as its source strength. In these tests, the location and strength that yield the best match between the predicted and the observed concentrations are considered as the inverse modeling results. The estimated release rates are mostly not as good as the cases in which the exact release locations are assumed known, but they are all within a factor of 3 for all the six releases. However, the estimated location may have large errors.
The Mediterranean Ocean Colour Level 3 Operational Multi-Sensor Processing
Authors: Volpe Gianluca , Colella Simone , Brando Vittorio , Forneris Vega , La Padula Flavio , Di Cicco Annalisa , Sammartino Michela , Bracaglia Marco , Artuso Florinda , Santoleri Rosalia
Published: July 2018

Abstract. This work describes the main processing steps operationally performed to enable single ocean colour sensors to enter the multi-sensor chain for the Mediterranean Sea of Ocean Colour Thematic Assembling Centre. Here, the multi-sensor chain takes care of reducing the inter-sensor bias before data from different sensors are merged together. The basin-scale in situ bio-optical dataset is used both to fine-tuning the algorithms for the retrieval of phytoplankton chlorophyll and attenuation coefficient of light, Kd, and to assess the uncertainty associated with them. The satellite multi-sensor remote sensing Reflectance spectra better agree with the in situ observations than that of the single sensors, and are comparable with the ESA-OC-CCI multi-sensor product, highlighting the importance of reducing the inter-sensor bias. The Mediterranean near-real-time multi-sensor processing chain has been set up and is operational in the framework of the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service.
National Dementia Strategies: What Should Canada Learn?
Authors: Chow Selina , Chow Ronald , Wan Angela , Lam Helen R. , Taylor Kate , Bonin Katija , Rowbottom Leigha , Lam Henry , DeAngelis Carlo , Herrmann Nathan
Published: July 2018

BackgroundIn order to provide appropriate care for the aging population, many countries are adopting a National Dementia Strategy (NDS). On June 22, 2017, Canada announced it will become the 30th country to launch a NDS. In light of this announcement and as Canada prepares to develop its own NDS, we conducted this review to examine and compare the NDSs of the other previous 29 countries with Canadian government’s policies to date.MethodsNDSs were compared according to their major priorities. The primary endpoints were the framework conditions and key actions outlined in the strategies. Secondary endpoints included the years active, involvement of stakeholders, funding, and implementation.ResultsWe were able to review and compare 25 of the 29 published NDSs. While the NDSs of each country varied, several major priorities were common among the strategies—increasing awareness of dementia, reducing its stigma, identifying support services, improving the quality of care, as well as improving training and education and promoting research.ConclusionsThis review comprehensively lists and compares the NDSs of different countries. The results should be of great interest to policy-makers, health-care professionals and other key stakeholders involved in developing Canada’s forthcoming NDS. We hope that policy-makers in Canada can review other NDSs, learn from their example, and develop an effective NDS for our country.
Representation of wind power generation in economic models for long-term energy planning
Authors: Neniškis Eimantas , Galinis Arvydas
Published: July 2018

The representation of wind power plants electricity generation in economic models for energy planning is problematic, since generation in wind power plants is variable and it is not possible to predict accurately enough wind fluctuations for more than a few days. Often, wind power plants generation patterns from a single historical year are repeated throughout the modelled time period. Typically, this method is used when analysing power system operation in hourly time intervals for all days in a year for each year. However, hourly time resolution is not feasible in large-scale models, which tend to require considerable amounts of computing power. Thus, some kind of time aggregation is needed. On the other hand, currently used methods for models with less than hourly temporal resolution are becoming inadequate because of increasing share of fluctuating electricity production from wind in total power generation.
In this article, a methodology for evaluation of wind power plants stochastic electricity generation in power system development models is described. The methodology is based on evaluation of how much time single or multiple wind power plants generate a certain output range during a season or some time period within a year, modelling of output distribution for a typical day of the selected time period, and preparation of electricity output curves. These electricity output curves when modelling wind power plants in models with aggregated time allow to assess fluctuations in generation, observable regularities and enhance the objectivity of balancing power demand assessment, also ensure that electricity generated during a typical day corresponds to electricity generated during the selected time period. This methodology will help to determine the rational perspective power generation mix more accurately and make a better assessment of cost-effectiveness of wind power plants in economic models for energy planning, without significantly increasing the size of already large-scale models.
Klimatinės paplūdimių turizmo sąlygos Lietuvos jūros krante
Authors: Dalinkevičiūtė Simona , Kažys Justas
Published: July 2018

Turizmas daugeliui žmonių yra neatsiejama gyvenimo dalis. Kartu su turizmu svarbus ir klimatas, tiksliau, kokios sąlygos būdingos regione, kuriame planuojama praleisti atostogas ar pailsėti. Ypač žmones traukia vandens telkiniai, prie kurių paplūdimiuose galima pasideginti saulėje, pažaisti tinklinį ar kitaip praleisti laiką. Šio darbo tikslas – naudojantis turizmo klimato indeksu (TCI), jo modifikuota versija (TCIM), klimato indeksu turizmui (CIT) ir remiantis daugiamečiais 1993–2016 m. duomenimis nustatyti paplūdimių turizmo sąlygas trims Lietuvos pajūrio miestams – Klaipėdai, Palangai ir Nidai – gegužės–rugsėjo mėn. Rezultatai parodė, kad vidutiniškai tiriamuoju laikotarpiu vyrauja nuo gerų iki puikių sąlygų pagal TCI, nuo ribinių iki priimtinų pagal TCIM ir nuo netinkamų iki ribinių, bet priimtinų pagal CIT.
Go’zallik ¿y dónde están los hombres?: Vestidos de flores y género en Uzbekistan.
Authors: Abarca Martínez Inmaculada
Published: July 2018

Este artículo expone los resultados de una estancia de investigación realizada durante el mes de agosto de 2016, en la Universidad de Samarcanda (Uzbekistán) que dio como resultado una investigación visual que se concretó en una pieza mural fotográfico-escultórica, basada en la captación de imágenes de los hábitos y las costumbres de los ciudadanos de dicho país, en particular de las mujeres. Dicha investigación se materializó en una intervención fotográfica que fue presentada por la artista e investigadora Inmaculada Abarca, en el ámbito de la Facultad de Ingeniería Agrónoma de la mencionada ciudad. El estudio que aquí se presenta describe cómo la concepción del conjunto de la obra, fruto de la investigación, permite acercarse, desde un punto de vista crítico, creativo y no solo como espectador, a una cultura profundamente latente en el imaginario cultural occidental debido a la trascendencia histórica de la Ruta de la Seda. El título de este artículo hace referencia a la pregunta que expresaron algunos observadores, profesores y alumnos del centro donde fue instalada la obra, al advertir que en las imágenes expuestas que componían la intervención fotográfica realizada, únicamente aparecían mujeres, decoraciones florales, y flores o elementos vegetales naturales. Esta Facultad es un espacio cercano al medio rural y no relacionado directamente con el arte, pero el procedimiento expositivo llevado a cabo propició una toma de conciencia entre los espectadores en torno a la identidad de las mujeres uzbecas y su lugar en la sociedad a través de los usos de la vestimenta de las mujeres, y los enseres domésticos presentes en la vida cotidiana de los uzbekos.
CATALYTIC INFLUENCE OF PYRIDINE ON COMPLEX-FORMING ABILITY OF OCTA(m-THREEFLUOROMETHYLPHENYL)PORPHYRAZINE AND HEXA(m-THREEFLUOROMETHYLPHENYL)BENZOPORPHYRASINE WITH ZINC ACETATE IN BENZENE
Authors: Osipova Galina V. , Petrov Oleg A.
Published: July 2018

The complexation of octa(m-threefluoromethylphenyl)porphyrazine and hexa(m-three-fluoromethylphenyl)benzoporphyrazine with zinc acetate in the pyridine-benzene system was studied. It was preliminary established that the electron absorption spectrum of octa(m-threefluoromethylphenyl)porphyrazine and hexa(m-threefluoromethylphenyl)benzoporphyrazine in benzene contains a split Q-line in the visible spectrum, which is typical for the D2h symmetry of the π-chromophore of the molecule. The kinetically controlled reaction of formation of the zinc complex with the studied porphyrazines is observed only at a pyridine concentration in benzene of more than 0.09 mol/l. The reaction proceeds in the concentration range from 0.09 to 0.25 mol / l in benzene. Complexation is accompanied by an increase in the molecule symmetry from D2h to D4h, which indicates the formation of a zinc complex with octa(m-threefluoromethylphenyl)porphyrazine and hexa(m-threefluoromethylphenyl)benzoporphyrasine. It was found that the complexation is observed in a fairly narrow range of concentrations of pyridine in benzene, which made it impossible to determine the reaction order on the base. Considering the pronounced proton acceptor ability of the studied porphyrazines, a possible scheme of the mechanism includes the initial stage of the acid-base interaction of the macrocyclic molecule with pyridine to form the H-complex, followed by the entry of the zinc cation into the coordination region of the porphyrazine macrocycle. It was found that the rate of complexation of octa(m-threefluoromethylphenyl)porphyrazine and hexa(m-threefluoromethylphenyl)benzoporphyrasine with zinc acetate increases with an increase in the concentration of pyridine in benzene at sufficiently low values of the activation energy of the process. This is due not only to the electron-acceptor influence of the nitrogen meso-atoms and substituents in the pyrrole rings of porphyrazine, which increase the polarity of the NH-bonds, but also to the proton-acceptor ability of pyridine, which supports the removal of NH-groups protons from the macrocycle region. It was found that benzo-substitution in octa(m-threefluoromethylphenyl)porphyrazine does not affect the rate and activation parameters of zinc complex formation, which indicates a close protonisation of intra-cyclic NH-bonds of porphyrazine molecules.Forcitation:Osipova G.V., Petrov O.A. Catalytic influence of pyridine on complex-forming ability of octa(m-threefluoromethylphenyl)porphyrazine and hexa(m-threefluoromethylphenyl)benzoporphyrasine with zinc acetate in benzene. Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved. Khim. Khim. Tekhnol. 2018. V. 61. N 7. P. 31-36
Comparison of natural language processing tools for automatic gene ontology annotation of scientific literature
Authors: Beasley Lucas , Manda Prashanti
Published: July 2018

Manual curation of scientific literature for ontology-based knowledge representation has proven infeasible and unscalable to the large and growing volume of scientific literature. Automated annotation solutions that leverage text mining and Natural Language Processing (NLP) have been developed to ameliorate the problem of literature curation. These NLP approaches use parsing, syntactical, and lexical analysis of text to recognize and annotate pieces of text with ontology concepts. Here, we conduct a comparison of four state of the art NLP tools at the task of recognizing Gene Ontology concepts from biomedical literature using the Colorado Richly Annotated Full-Text (CRAFT) corpus as a gold standard reference. We demonstrate the use of semantic similarity metrics to compare NLP tool annotations to the gold standard.
What Is Chronic Pruritus?
Authors: Voelker Rebecca
Published: November 2024

This JAMA Patient Page describes the types of chronic pruritus and its symptoms and signs and treatment strategies.
Long-Term Adverse Effects and Complications After Prostate Cancer Treatment
Authors: Unger Joseph M. , Till Cathee , Tangen Catherine M. , Hershman Dawn L. , Goodman Phyllis J. , LeBlanc Michael , Barlow William E. , Vaidya Riha , Minasian Lori M. , Parnes Howard L. , Thompson Ian M.
Published: November 2024

Importance

Due to the often indolent nature of prostate cancer (PCA), treatment decisions must weigh the risks and benefits of cancer control with those of treatment-associated morbidities.

Objective

To characterize long-term treatment-related adverse effects and complications in patients treated for PCA compared to a general population of older males.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study used a novel approach linking data from 2 large PCA prevention clinical trials (the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial and the Selenium and Vitamin-E Cancer Prevention Trial) with Medicare claims records. This analysis included patients with PCA who had been treated with prostatectomy or radiotherapy compared with an untreated control group. Multivariable Cox regression was used, with a time-varying covariate for the occurrence of PCA treatment, adjusted for age, race, and year of time-at-risk initiation, and stratified by study and intervention arm. Data analyses were performed from September 21, 2022, to March 18, 2024.

Exposure

Prostatectomy and radiotherapy occurring after a PCA diagnosis, identified from trial data or Medicare claims records.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Ten potential PCA treatment-related complications identified from Medicare claims data.

Results

The study sample comprised 29 196 participants (mean [SD] age at time-at-risk initiation, 68.7 [4.8] years). Of these, 3946 participants had PCA, among whom 655 were treated with prostatectomy and 1056 with radiotherapy. The 12-year hazard risk of urinary or sexual complications was 7.23 times greater for those with prostatectomy (95% CI, 5.96-8.78; P < .001) and 2.76 times greater for radiotherapy (95% CI, 2.26-3.37; P < .001) compared to untreated participants. Moreover, among participants treated with radiotherapy, there was a nearly 3-fold greater hazard risk of bladder cancer than in the untreated (hazard ratio [HR], 2.78; 95% CI, 1.92-4.02; P < .001), as well as an approximately 100-fold increased hazard risk of radiation-specific outcomes including radiation cystitis (HR, 131.47; 95% CI, 52.48-329.35; P < .001) and radiation proctitis (HR, 87.91; 95% CI, 48.12-160.61; P < .001). The incidence per 1000 person-years of any 1 of the 10 treatment-related complications was 124.26 for prostatectomy, 62.15 for radiotherapy, and 23.61 for untreated participants.

Conclusions and Relevance

This cohort study found that, even after accounting for age-related symptoms and disease, PCA treatment was associated with higher rates of complications in the 12 years after treatment. Given the uncertain benefit of PCA treatment for most patients, these findings highlight the importance of patient counseling before PCA screening and treatment and provide a rationale for pursuing opportunities for cancer prevention.
Cordycepin generally inhibits growth factor signal transduction in a systems pharmacology study
Authors: Lawrence Steven , Lin Jialiang , Khurshid Asma , Utami Wahyu , Singhania Richa , Ashraf Sadaf , Thorn Graeme J. , Mangangcha Irengbam Rocky , Spriggs Keith , Kim Dong‐Hyun , Barrett David , de Moor Cornelia H.
Published: November 2024

Cordycepin (3′ deoxyadenosine) has been widely researched as a potential cancer therapy, but many diverse mechanisms of action have been proposed. Here, we confirm that cordycepin triphosphate is likely to be the active metabolite of cordycepin and that it consistently represses growth factor‐induced gene expression. Bioinformatic analysis, quantitative PCR and western blotting confirmed that cordycepin blocks the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and/or MEK/ERK pathways in six cell lines and that AMPK activation is not required. The effects of cordycepin on translation through mTOR pathway repression were detectable within 30 min, indicating a rapid process. These data therefore indicate that cordycepin has a universal mechanism of action, acting as cordycepin triphosphate on an as yet unknown target molecule involved in growth factor signalling.
Large language models as a diagnostic support tool in neuropathology
Authors: Hewitt Katherine J , Wiest Isabella C , Carrero Zunamys I , Bejan Laura , Millner Thomas O , Brandner Sebastian , Kather Jakob Nikolas
Published: November 2024

The WHO guidelines for classifying central nervous system (CNS) tumours are changing considerably with each release. The classification of CNS tumours is uniquely complex among most other solid tumours as it incorporates not just morphology, but also genetic and epigenetic features. Keeping current with these changes across medical fields can be challenging, even for clinical specialists. Large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated their ability to parse and process complex medical text, but their utility in neuro‐oncology has not been systematically tested. We hypothesised that LLMs can effectively diagnose neuro‐oncology cases from free‐text histopathology reports according to the latest WHO guidelines. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the performance of ChatGPT‐4o, Claude‐3.5‐sonnet, and Llama3 across 30 challenging neuropathology cases, which each presented a complex mix of morphological and genetic information relevant to the diagnosis. Furthermore, we integrated these models with the latest WHO guidelines through Retrieval‐Augmented Generation (RAG) and again assessed their diagnostic accuracy. Our data show that LLMs equipped with RAG, but not without RAG, can accurately diagnose the neuropathological tumour subtype in 90% of the tested cases. This study lays the groundwork for a new generation of computational tools that can assist neuropathologists in their daily reporting practice.
Humidity‐Induced Decolorization of 1D Photonic Multilayers for Anti‐Counterfeiting Applications
Authors: Kim Yejin , Kim Jihyun , Lee Jong Hun , Jung Yu Jin , Na Hanah , Hwang Gaeun , Hwang Do‐Hoon , Lee Hyung‐il , Jung Seo‐Hyun
Published: November 2024

Herein, a new concept is proposed for the humidity‐induced disappearance of the photonic stop band (PSB) in multilayer films of 1D photonic crystals (PCs). These films are fabricated via alternating spin‐coating of photo‐cross‐linkable high and low‐refractive‐index polymers onto a black polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate, followed by surface immobilization using UV light irradiation. The sensitivity to humidity is adjusted by varying the degree of quaternization (DQ) of the P(4VP‐co‐BPA) layers. The resulting films initially display vivid colors; however, as the humidity gradually increases, the PSB undergoes a red shift accompanied by a decrease in reflectivity, thus leading to the disappearance of the color. The reduction in reflectivity of the PSB can be attributed to the infiltration of water molecules (n = 1.33) into the quaternized high‐refractive‐index layers, thus resulting in a decrease in the refractive index and an increase in layer thickness. This leads to a diminished contrast between the refractive indices of the high‐ and low‐refractive‐index layers, ultimately causing the simultaneous disappearance of the PSB and the reflection color. Additionally, two patterned films are fabricated with high humidity responsiveness for application as anti‐counterfeiting labels. These findings advance photonic crystal research and offer innovative solutions for security and authentication.
Emerging Materials in Cultivated Meat: Engineering Sustainable Food Solutions – A Review
Authors: Wang Lingxiao , Li Gang , Li Xinxin , Zhang Ying , Liu Guo , Xie Maobin , Zheng Zhaozhu , Wang Xiaoqin , Chen Ying , Kaplan David L.
Published: November 2024

As the global population grows, the demand for protein‐enriched foods like meats is rising rapidly. Traditional farming practices face challenges including animal welfare, waste management, and carbon emissions, harming the environment. Consequently, meat substitutes have emerged as a promising area of research and as an alternative to traditional livestock‐sourced meats. Cultivated meat, produced through cell culture techniques, is a key area in cellular agriculture and offers a safe and well‐controlled production process for such future foods. The manufacturing of cultivated meat involves several disciplines, including cell culture, media optimization, scaffold design, and advanced manufacturing, along with nutrition, taste and safety topics to meet consumer acceptance and regulatory approvals. Although several review articles have addressed various aspects of cultivated meat, they tend to focus on specific domains rather than a comprehensive analysis of this transformative technology. This review highlights innovative and applied research findings in the field of cultivated meat, with a focus on critical aspects such as nutrition, cells, materials, and scaffold manufacturing technologies. Furthermore, the socio‐political and economic impacts of cultivated meat are explored, and practical recommendations for low‐cost and large‐scale production. Finally, the review also addresses existing challenges and outlines future directions for the development of cultivated meat.
Organic NIR‐II Nanofluorophore with Ultrahigh Quantum Yield for Vessels Imaging and Fluorescence Image‐Guided Surgery
Authors: Zhang Xinyi , Li Ling , Ren Yuxin , Li Meiqi , Tang Yanli
Published: November 2024

The second near‐infrared window (NIR‐II) fluorescence imaging has aroused more and more interest in biomedical applications due to negligible autofluorescence and deep penetration ability. However, the fluorescence quantum yield of NIR‐II fluorophores with more than 1100 nm emission wavelength is typically less than 1%, thus limiting the imaging quality of deep tissues. In this study, a novel NIR‐II organic small molecule CTB1125 is designed and synthesized. Due to an efficient intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) facilitated by a high donor‐acceptor‐donor (D‐A‐D) strength structure, CTB1125 exhibits a maximum emission wavelength of 1125 nm. Additionally, branched alkyl chains are modified on the conjugated fused ring backbone to reduce intermolecular stacking. CTB1125 is encapsulated in the amphiphilic copolymer PS2000‐PEG2000 to form CTB1125‐NPs, which exhibit ultrahigh fluorescence quantum yield up to 4.84% in aqueous solution, excellent photostability, and high signal‐to‐noise rate. Due to these outstanding properties, CTB1125‐NPs have been successfully used for clear and long‐duration NIR‐II vessel imaging with small amounts of CTB1125‐NPs, low laser power and short exposure time, and precisely guiding the surgical resection of tumors in mice through fluorescence imaging. This work provides a promising NIR‐II fluorophore with ultrahigh brightness for deep‐tissue imaging and imaging‐guided surgery.
High‐Density Ionic Skin via Direct Microlithography of Photosensitive Ionogel
Authors: Bi Shuxin , Si Haonan , Gao Fangfang , Xun Xiaochen , Xu Liangxu , Gao Lusen , Fan Liubing , Zhao Xuan , Liao Qingliang , Zhang Yue
Published: November 2024

Ionic skin with ionic mechanotransduction similar to human skin can perceive stimuli by ionic conduction, holding great potential in novel human‐machine interactions. However, the high‐density integration of ionic skins still faces significant challenges due to the difficulty in fabricating high‐density patterned ionogel arrays with simple manufacturing processes. Herein, the study reports a high‐density ionic skin (HI‐Skin) based on ionogel array patterned by direct microlithography. The photosensitive ionogel (PIG) is synthesized by rapid ultraviolet‐induced in situ photopolymerization process. The direct microlithography of PIG is developed, which allows to directly pattern ionogel precursors by selective exposure to ultraviolet light and development. Simple and low‐cost preparation of PIG array with the minimum line width of 200 µm is realized. Furthermore, HI‐Skin is constructed by integrating patterned PIG arrays with row and column electrodes, and the density is up to 49/cm2. The HI‐Skin demonstrates high sensitivity of 126.8 kPa−1 and low crosstalk of −8.93 dB. By integrating the HI‐Skin and a microcontroller, a multichannel signal acquisition system is built to achieve detection of multiple motion trajectories. This work opens an avenue for the simple construction of high‐density ionic skin.
Nitric‐Oxide‐Enhanced Positively Charged Semiconductor Conjugated Polymer Composite Nanomaterials for Antibiofilm In Vivo
Authors: Li Jiguang , Zhang Guoyang , Zyryanov Grigory V. , Shabunina Olga V. , Guo Xuefan , Zhu Mingguang , Jin Yulong , Wang Zhuo
Published: November 2024

Bacterial biofilms often lead to persistent infections because they provide a protective barrier and reproductive microenvironment for bacteria. Biofilms reduce the therapeutic effects of antibiotics and can easily lead to the emergence of multidrug‐resistant bacteria. Therefore, development of new materials for antibiofilm with synergistic effects is crucial. In this study, positively charged near‐infrared‐responsive nanoparticles (TDPPB) are synthesized to control the release and delivery of nitric oxide (NO) gas. A combination of NO and photothermal therapy (PTT) is used to enhance the antibiofilm performance of TDPPB. The positive charge of TDPPB induces the nanoparticles to adhere to the surface of the bacteria. Through 808 nm laser irradiation, the local high temperature triggers the efficient release of NO from the NO donor (BNN 6) in TDPPB. TDPPB integrates the release of NO, and PTT presents good antibiofilm activity against MRSA and Escherichia coli (E. coli) biofilms. TDPPB demonstrates excellent biosafety both in vivo and in vitro, shows good antibiofilm properties in biofilm‐infected mice, and promotes the healing of surface‐infected sites in vivo. Because of these advantages, TDPPB can be used as a potential therapeutic agent against biofilm infections in the biomedical field.
3‐Hydrazinylpyridine Hydrochloride Regulating Crystallization Kinetics of Tin‐Lead Perovskite Prepared by Two‐Step Method
Authors: Zheng Fei , Yang Na , Li Shiqi , Xue Xiangyu , Ren Jingkun , Hao Yuying
Published: November 2024

Sn/Pb perovskite is an  attractive photovoltaic material due to its low toxicity and ideal bandgap. However, the performance of Sn/Pb perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is lower than its Pb‐based counterpart. The main reason originates from the poor crystallinity of Sn/Pb perovskite film. To solve this problem, the crystallization kinetics of Sn/Pb perovskite prepared by the two‐step method is deeply explored and proposed an effective additive of 3‐Hydrazinylpyridine Hydrochloride (3‐HH) to regulate the crystallization process of Sn/Pb perovskite. The results indicate 3‐HH additive promotes fast nucleation, delays the formation and growth of perovskite microcrystals, balances the crystallization rate of Sn/Pb phase perovskite in the initial stage, and then accelerates perovskite microcrystal coalescence in the later stage. Furthermore, the perovskite surface is ameliorated by 3‐HH post‐treatment and a more matched energy level arrangement is attained. Simultaneously, 3‐HH doping and/or post‐treatment passivates perovskite defects and suppresses the oxidation of Sn2+. Benefiting from these effects of 3‐HH, the device with 3‐HH doping and post‐treatment obtains a PCE of 18.329%, which is higher than that of the control device (16.362%). The unencapsulated PSCs with 3‐HH‐modification retain 85% PCE after stored in the glove box for 1500 h, while the control device keeps only 66% PCE.
Lattice Distortion Enhanced Hardness in High‐Entropy Borides
Authors: Liu Yiwen , Ma Mengdong , Wang Wu , Tang Haifeng , Yu Hulei , Zhuang Lei , Xie Pingbo , Chu Yanhui
Published: November 2024

Revealing the hardening mechanisms is crucial for facilitating the design of superhard high‐entropy borides. Taking high‐entropy diborides (HEB2) as the prototype, the hardening mechanisms of high‐entropy borides are thoroughly investigated. Specifically, the equiatomic 4—9‐cation single‐phase HEB2 ceramics (4—9HEB2) are fabricated by an ultra‐fast high‐temperature sintering method. The experimental results show that the hardness of the as‐fabricated 4—9HEB2 samples has an increasing tendency with the increase of metal components. With a combination of first‐principles calculations, machine‐learning‐potential‐based molecular dynamics simulations, and scanning transmission electron microscopy characterizations, lattice distortion is explicitly identified to be essential in hardening HEB2 by increasing strain field fluctuation, enlarging atomic strain energy, and strengthening B─B bonds. The results unravel the hardening mechanisms of HEB2 by intensifying lattice distortion, providing fascinating guidance for developing superhard high‐entropy borides.
Engineered Cardiac Tissues as a Platform for CRISPR‐Based Mitogen Discovery
Authors: DeLuca Sophia , Strash Nicholas , Chen Yifan , Patsy Marisa , Myers Ashley , Tejeda Libertad , Broders Sarah , Miranda Amber , Jiang Xixian , Bursac Nenad
Published: November 2024

Improved understanding of cardiomyocyte (CM) cell cycle regulation may allow researchers to stimulate pro‐regenerative effects in injured hearts or promote maturation of human stem cell‐derived CMs. Gene therapies, in particular, hold promise to induce controlled proliferation of endogenous or transplanted CMs via transient activation of mitogenic processes. Methods to identify and characterize candidate cardiac mitogens in vitro can accelerate translational efforts and contribute to the understanding of the complex regulatory landscape of CM proliferation and postnatal maturation. In this study, A CRISPR knockout‐based screening strategy using in vitro neonatal rat ventricular myocyte (NRVM) monolayers is established, followed by candidate mitogen validation in mature 3‐D engineered cardiac tissues (ECTs). This screen identified knockout of the purine metabolism enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA‐KO) as an effective pro‐mitogenic stimulus. RNA‐sequencing of ECTs further reveals increased pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) activity as the primary driver of ADA‐KO‐induced CM cycling. Inhibition of the pathway's rate limiting enzyme, glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), prevented ADA‐KO induced CM cycling, while increasing PPP activity via G6PD overexpression increased CM cycling. Together, this study demonstrates the development and application of a genetic/tissue engineering platform for in vitro discovery and validation of new candidate mitogens affecting regenerative or maturation states of cardiomyocytes.
Ether‐Modified Nonflammable Phosphate Enabling Anion‐Rich Electrolyte for High‐Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries
Authors: Wang Yuankun , Zheng Chunyu , Xie Weiwei , Liu Xiaomeng , Lu Yong , Hou Yunpeng , Ma Tao , Yan Zhenhua , Chen Jun
Published: November 2024

Phosphate‐based localized high‐concentration electrolytes (LHCE) feature high flame retardant and satisfactory cathodic stability for lithium metal batteries. However, stable cycling of those electrolytes at ultra‐high upper cut‐off voltages for long‐term stability remains challenging. Herein, an ether‐modified phosphate, diethyl (2‐methoxy ethoxy) methylphosphonate (DMEP), is designed for high‐voltage applications. The ether modification enhances the stability of the Li+‐DMEP‐FSI− coordination structure, promoting the formation of cation‐anion aggregates (AGG) dominated solvation structure, which favors the generation of LiF‐rich cathode electrolyte interphase layers compared to triethyl phosphate (TEP)‐based LHCE. Consequently, cathode degradation, including transition‐metal dissolution and electrode cracking, is well‐suppressed. The LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811)||Li full cells using DMEP‐based LHCEs show more than 90.7% capacity retention at an ultrahigh upper cut‐off voltage of 4.7 V after 100 cycles. Notably, DMEP‐LHCE exhibits enhanced safety than that of TEP‐LHCE, suggesting its versatility and potential for next‐generation lithium metal batteries.
Multifunctional Neural Probes Enable Bidirectional Electrical, Optical, and Chemical Recording and Stimulation In Vivo
Authors: Driscoll Nicolette , Antonini Marc‐Joseph , Cannon Taylor M. , Maretich Pema , Olaitan Greatness , Van Valerie Doan Phi , Nagao Keisuke , Sahasrabudhe Atharva , Paniagua Emmanuel Vargas , Frey Ethan J. , Kim Ye Ji , Hunt Sydney , Hummel Melissa , Mupparaju Sanju , Jasanoff Alan , Venton B. Jill , Anikeeva Polina
Published: November 2024

Recording and modulation of neuronal activity enables the study of brain function in health and disease. While translational neuroscience relies on electrical recording and modulation techniques, mechanistic studies in rodent models leverage genetic precision of optical methods, such as optogenetics and fluorescent indicator imaging. In addition to electrical signal transduction, neurons produce and receive diverse chemical signals which motivate tools to probe and modulate neurochemistry. Although the past decade has delivered a wealth of technologies for electrophysiology, optogenetics, chemical sensing, and optical recording, combining these modalities within a single platform remains challenging. This work leverages materials selection and convergence fiber drawing to permit neural recording, electrical stimulation, optogenetics, fiber photometry, drug and gene delivery, and voltammetric recording of neurotransmitters within individual fibers. Composed of polymers and non‐magnetic carbon‐based conductors, these fibers are compatible with magnetic resonance imaging, enabling concurrent stimulation and whole‐brain monitoring. Their utility is demonstrated in studies of the mesolimbic reward pathway by interfacing with the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens in mice and characterizing the neurophysiological effects of a stimulant drug. This study highlights the potential of these fibers to probe electrical, optical, and chemical signaling across multiple brain regions in both mechanistic and translational studies.
All‐In‐One Epoxy/MXene Nanocomposites with Bead‐Type Polymeric Imidazole Latent Curing Agent for Enhancing Storage Stability and Flame Retardancy
Authors: Jung Sungmin , Kim Yoon Sang , Kim Young Nam , Jeong Seunghwan , Naqvi Shabbir Madad , Hassan Tufail , Narayanasamy Mugilan , Cho Sooyeong , Jung Yong Chae , Kim Jaewoo , Koo Chong Min
Published: November 2024

Developing a single‐component epoxy system is challenging but crucial for advanced thermoset applications. Unfortunately, conventional latent curing agents using chemical or physical passivation do not provide satisfactory storage stability and the necessary property requirements. Here, it is demonstrated that all‐in‐one epoxy/MXene nanocomposite system, comprising epoxy resin, polymeric imidazole latent curing agent beads (PILCAB), and Ti3C2Tx MXene, exhibits excellent storage stability, improved flame retardancy, and enhanced mechanical strength. PILCABs, prepared through a Diels–Alder (DA) crosslinking reaction between furan groups of poly(imidazolyl methacrylate)‐random poly (furfuryl methacrylate) (PIm‐r‐PFu) copolymer and bismaleimide (BMI), exhibit excellent storage stability, as stable as under 60 °C storage due to the imidazole reactivity being suppressed synergistically by both physical and chemical passivation mechanisms. Ti3C2Tx MXene flakes, surface‐functionalized with alkylated 3,4‐dihydroxyl‐L‐phenylalanine, exhibit excellent compatibility with the epoxy matrix. Consequently, the enhanced storage stability, flame retardancy, and mechanical strength of the all‐in‐one epoxy/MXene nanocomposite are attributed to the strong DA bond formation in latent curing agent, efficient charring capability of MXene and BMI, and the catalytic effect of the MXene. This study opens new avenues for designing and developing single‐component epoxy systems that satisfy demanding requirements, including storage stability, mechanical strength, and flame retardancy, which are essential for practical applications.