bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The complete assembly of human LAT1-4F2hc complex provides insights into its regulation, function and localisation
Authors: Wu Di , Yan Renhong , Song Siyuan , Swansiger Andrew K. , Li Yaning , Prell James S. , Zhou Qiang , Robinson Carol V.
Published: May 2024

The LAT1-4F2hc complex (SLC7A5-SLC3A2) facilitates uptake of essential amino acids, hormones and drugs. Its dysfunction is associated with many cancers and immune/neurological disorders. Here, we apply native mass spectrometry (MS)-based approaches to provide evidence of super-dimer formation (LAT1-4F2hc)2. When combined with lipidomics, and site-directed mutagenesis, we discover four endogenous phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) molecules at the interface and C-terminus of both LAT1 subunits. We find that interfacial PE binding is regulated by 4F2hc-R183 and is critical for regulation of palmitoylation on neighbouring LAT1-C187. Combining native MS with mass photometry (MP), we reveal that super-dimerization is sensitive to pH, and modulated by complex N-glycans on the 4F2hc subunit. We further validate the dynamic assemblies of LAT1-4F2hc on plasma membrane and in the lysosome. Together our results link PTM and lipid binding with regulation and localisation of the LAT1-4F2hc super-dimer.
Transition role of entangled data in quantum machine learning
Authors: Wang Xinbiao , Du Yuxuan , Tu Zhuozhuo , Luo Yong , Yuan Xiao , Tao Dacheng
Published: May 2024

Entanglement serves as the resource to empower quantum computing. Recent progress has highlighted its positive impact on learning quantum dynamics, wherein the integration of entanglement into quantum operations or measurements of quantum machine learning (QML) models leads to substantial reductions in training data size, surpassing a specified prediction error threshold. However, an analytical understanding of how the entanglement degree in data affects model performance remains elusive. In this study, we address this knowledge gap by establishing a quantum no-free-lunch (NFL) theorem for learning quantum dynamics using entangled data. Contrary to previous findings, we prove that the impact of entangled data on prediction error exhibits a dual effect, depending on the number of permitted measurements. With a sufficient number of measurements, increasing the entanglement of training data consistently reduces the prediction error or decreases the required size of the training data to achieve the same prediction error. Conversely, when few measurements are allowed, employing highly entangled data could lead to an increased prediction error. The achieved results provide critical guidance for designing advanced QML protocols, especially for those tailored for execution on early-stage quantum computers with limited access to quantum resources.
High-resolution impact-based early warning system for riverine flooding
Authors: Najafi Husain , Shrestha Pallav Kumar , Rakovec Oldrich , Apel Heiko , Vorogushyn Sergiy , Kumar Rohini , Thober Stephan , Merz Bruno , Samaniego Luis
Published: May 2024

Despite considerable advances in flood forecasting during recent decades, state-of-the-art, operational flood early warning systems (FEWS) need to be equipped with near-real-time inundation and impact forecasts and their associated uncertainties. High-resolution, impact-based flood forecasts provide insightful information for better-informed decisions and tailored emergency actions. Valuable information can now be provided to local authorities for risk-based decision-making by utilising high-resolution lead-time maps and potential impacts to buildings and infrastructures. Here, we demonstrate a comprehensive floodplain inundation hindcast of the 2021 European Summer Flood illustrating these possibilities for better disaster preparedness, offering a 17-hour lead time for informed and advisable actions.
Dinuclear gold-catalyzed divergent dechlorinative radical borylation of gem-dichloroalkanes
Authors: Ji Cheng-Long , Chen Hongliang , Gao Qi , Han Jie , Li Weipeng , Xie Jin
Published: May 2024

The enormous and widespread use of organoboronic acids has prompted the development of innovative synthetic methodologies to meet the demands on structural diversity and functional group tolerance. The existing photoinduced defunctionalization radical borylation, typically focused on the conversion of one C-X bond (X= Br, I, or other leaving group) into only one C-B bond. Herein, we disclose a divergent radical dechloroborylation reaction enabled by dinuclear gold catalysis with visible light irradiation. A wide range of structurally diverse alkyl boronic, α-chloroboronic, and gem-diboronic esters can be synthesized in moderate to good yields (up to 92%). Its synthetic robustness is further demonstrated on a preparative scale and applied to late-stage diversification of complex molecules. The process hinges on a C-Cl bond relay activation in readily available gem-dichloroalkanes through inner-sphere electron transfer, overcoming the redox potential limits of unreactive alkyl chlorides.
Progression subtypes in Parkinson’s disease identified by a data-driven multi cohort analysis
Authors: Hähnel Tom , Raschka Tamara , Sapienza Stefano , Klucken Jochen , Glaab Enrico , Corvol Jean-Christophe , Falkenburger Björn H. , Fröhlich Holger
Published: May 2024

The progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is heterogeneous across patients, affecting counseling and inflating the number of patients needed to test potential neuroprotective treatments. Moreover, disease subtypes might require different therapies. This work uses a data-driven approach to investigate how observed heterogeneity in PD can be explained by the existence of distinct PD progression subtypes. To derive stable PD progression subtypes in an unbiased manner, we analyzed multimodal longitudinal data from three large PD cohorts and performed extensive cross-cohort validation. A latent time joint mixed-effects model (LTJMM) was used to align patients on a common disease timescale. Progression subtypes were identified by variational deep embedding with recurrence (VaDER). In each cohort, we identified a fast-progressing and a slow-progressing subtype, reflected by different patterns of motor and non-motor symptoms progression, survival rates, treatment response, features extracted from DaTSCAN imaging and digital gait assessments, education, and Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Progression subtypes could be predicted with ROC-AUC up to 0.79 for individual patients when a one-year observation period was used for model training. Simulations demonstrated that enriching clinical trials with fast-progressing patients based on these predictions can reduce the required cohort size by 43%. Our results show that heterogeneity in PD can be explained by two distinct subtypes of PD progression that are stable across cohorts. These subtypes align with the brain-first vs. body-first concept, which potentially provides a biological explanation for subtype differences. Our predictive models will enable clinical trials with significantly lower sample sizes by enriching fast-progressing patients.
Numbers of articles in the three Japanese national newspapers, 1872–2021
Authors: Ogihara Yuji
Published: May 2024

Newspapers have been analyzed in many disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. However, previous research using Japanese newspapers investigated the absolute frequency (number) of articles of interest and did not examine the relative frequency (rate) of articles, restricting a deeper understanding of humans, society, and nature. The absolute frequency and the relative frequency of articles can show different patterns of results, which leads to different conclusions. Thus, investigating only the absolute frequency of articles is insufficient, or sometimes misleading. Therefore, it is necessary to examine not only the absolute frequency of articles but also their relative frequency. For this purpose, I conducted a series of systematic searches and provided the yearly numbers of articles in the three databases of Japanese national newspapers over the 150 years between 1872 and 2021. This paper enables researchers to calculate the relative frequency of articles, contributing to research in many disciplines.
Chromosome-level genome assembly of the bethylid ectoparasitoid wasp Sclerodermus sp. ‘alternatusi’
Authors: Wan Yi , Wu Hui-Jie , Yang Jia-Peng , Zhang Jin-Li , Shen Zhi-Cheng , Xu Hai-Jun , Ye Yu-Xuan
Published: May 2024

The Bethylidae are the most diverse of Hymenoptera chrysidoid families. As external parasitoids, the bethylids have been widely adopted as biocontrol agents to control insect pests worldwide. Thus far, the genomic information of the family Bethylidae has not been reported yet. In this study, we crystallized into a high-quality chromosome-level genome of ant-like bethylid wasps Sclerodermus sp. ‘alternatusi’ (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) using PacBio sequencing as well as Hi-C technology. The assembled S. alternatusi genome was 162.30 Mb in size with a contig N50 size of 3.83 Mb and scaffold N50 size of 11.10 Mb. Totally, 92.85% assembled sequences anchored to 15 pseudo-chromosomes. A total of 10,204 protein-coding genes were annotated, and 23.01 Mb repetitive sequences occupying 14.17% of genome were pinpointed. The BUSCO results showed that 97.9% of the complete core Insecta genes were identified in the genome, while 97.1% in the gene sets. The high-quality genome of S. alternatusi will not only provide valuable genomic information, but also show insights into parasitoid wasp evolution and bio-control application in future studies.
Unveiling allelopathic dynamics and impacts of invasive Erigeron bonariensis and Bidens pilosa on plant communities and soil parameters
Authors: Balah Mohamed A. , Al-Andal Abeer , Radwan Asmaa M. , Donia Abd ElRaheim M.
Published: May 2024

Invasive alien species are becoming more and more prevalent worldwide,Erigeron bonariensisandBidens pilosaare two invasive species of Asteraceae in Egypt. To mitigate their detrimental effects and understand their differences in invasiveness, we compared the allelopathic potentials ofE. bonariensisandB. pilosausing leachates, decaying residues, and volatilization processes. Notably, the allelopathic variances in leachates were significant, influenced by plant types, concentrations, and response patterns of target plant traits, as indicated by EC50. The relative phytotoxicity of the invasive species decayed residues peaked between 20 and 25 days in the soil, with a positive correlation with concentrations and soil properties. The highest quantities of phenolic acids were chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid reaching (5.41 and 4.39 µg g−1)E. bonariensisand (4.53 and 4.46 µg g−1)B. pilosa, in leachates extracts respectively, while in the soil extract of decayed residues were coumaric acid and ferulic acid measuring (1.66 and 1.67 µg g−1)E. bonariensisand (1.47 and 1.57 µg g−1)B. pilosa, respectively. Using GC/MS analysis, the main volatile components inE. bonariensiswere 1, 8 cineole (5.62%), and α-terpinene (5.43%) and iso-Caryophyllene (5.2%) which showed the greatest inhibitory effects. While B. pilosamain constituents were trans-sabinene (5.39%) and Camphene (5.11%), respectively. Finally, the high invasion level displayed fromE. bonariensis(0.221) compared withB. pilosa(0.094) which correlated with the stronger allelopathic activities against plant species, and soil properties. Therefore, the allelopathic potentialities of these species are critically relevant to their invasion success.
Dynamics of somatostatin 4 receptor expression during chronic-stress loading and its potential as a chronic-stress marker
Authors: Abe Yuki , Murase Takehiko , Mitsuma Masahide , Shinba Yoriko , Yamashita Hiromi , Ikematsu Kazuya
Published: May 2024

Chronic stress has been implicated in mental illnesses and depressive behaviors. Somatostatin 4 receptor (SSTR4) has been shown to mediate anxiolytic and depression-like effects. Here, we aimed to explore the potential of SSTR4 as a diagnostic marker for chronic stress in mice. The mice were divided into single stress, chronic restraint stress, and control groups, and Sstr4 mRNA expression in the pituitary, lungs, and thymus, its protein expression in the thymus, were analyzed. Compared to controls, Sstr4 mRNA expression decreased significantly in the pituitary gland of the chronic and single-stress groups (P = 0.0181 and 0.0022, respectively) and lungs of the single-stress group (P = 0.0124), whereas it significantly increased in the thymus of the chronic-stress group (P = 0.0313). Thymic SSTR4 expression did not decrease significantly in stress groups compared to that in the control group (P = 0.0963). These results suggest that SSTR4 expression fluctuates in response to stress. Furthermore, Sstr4 mRNA expression dynamics in each organ differed based on single or chronic restraint stress-loading periods. In conclusion, this study suggests that investigating SSTR4 expression in each organ could allow for its use as a stress marker to estimate the stress-loading period and aid in diagnosing chronic stress.
Active self-treatment of a facial wound with a biologically active plant by a male Sumatran orangutan
Authors: Laumer Isabelle B. , Rahman Arif , Rahmaeti Tri , Azhari Ulil , Hermansyah  , Atmoko Sri Suci Utami , Schuppli Caroline
Published: May 2024

Although self-medication in non-human animals is often difficult to document systematically due to the difficulty of predicting its occurrence, there is widespread evidence of such behaviors as whole leaf swallowing, bitter pith chewing, and fur rubbing in African great apes, orangutans, white handed gibbons, and several other species of monkeys in Africa, Central and South America and Madagascar. To the best of our knowledge, there is only one report of active wound treatment in non-human animals, namely in chimpanzees. We observed a male Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) who sustained a facial wound. Three days after the injury he selectively ripped off leaves of a liana with the common name Akar Kuning (Fibraurea tinctoria), chewed on them, and then repeatedly applied the resulting juice onto the facial wound. As a last step, he fully covered the wound with the chewed leaves. Found in tropical forests of Southeast Asia, this and related liana species are known for their analgesic, antipyretic, and diuretic effects and are used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases, such as dysentery, diabetes, and malaria. Previous analyses of plant chemical compounds show the presence of furanoditerpenoids and protoberberine alkaloids, which are known to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antioxidant, and other biological activities of relevance to wound healing. This possibly innovative behavior presents the first systematically documented case of active wound treatment with a plant species know to contain biologically active substances by a wild animal and provides new insights into the origins of human wound care.
Atmosphere particulate matter and respiratory diseases during COVID-19 in Korea
Authors: Hong Ji Young , Bang Taemo , Kim Sun Bean , Hong Minwoo , Jung Jaehun
Published: May 2024

We aimed to examine the impact of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on the relationship between air pollutants and hospital admissions for respiratory and non-respiratory diseases in six metropolitan cities in South Korea. This study compared the associations between particulate matter (PM10and PM2.5) and hospital admission for respiratory and non-respiratory diseases before (2016–2019) and during (2020) the implementation of COVID-19 NPIs by using distributed lag non-linear models. In the Pre-COVID-19 period, the association between PM10and admission risk for asthma and COPD showed an inverted U-shaped pattern. For PM2.5, S-shaped and inverted U-shaped changes were observed in asthma and COPD, respectively. Extremely high and low levels of PM10and extremely low levels of PM2.5significantly decreased the risk of admission for asthma and COPD. In the Post-COVID-19 outbreak period, the overall cumulative relationship between PM10and PM2.5and respiratory diseases and the effects of extreme levels of PM10and PM2.5on respiratory diseases were completely changed. For non-respiratory diseases, PM10and PM2.5were statistically insignificant for admission risk during both periods. Our study may provide evidence that implementing NPIs and reducing PM10and PM2.5exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to reducing hospital admissions for environment-based respiratory diseases.
Expression of Fascin-1 and its diagnostic value in liver cancer
Authors: Lu Shi-Ping , Jiang Li-Jing , Wang Yan , Shao Jun-Kang , Du Zhi-Qun , Huang Bi-Fei , Wang Chao-Qun
Published: May 2024

Although some studies have reported on the expression and clinical significance of Fascin-1 (FSCN1) in liver cancer, the clinical application and differential diagnosis value of FSCN1 in liver cancer are still unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression level of FSCN1 protein in liver cancer tissues and explore its diagnostic and application value in differentiating between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). The immunehistochemical analysis was used to detect the expression of FSCN1 in 108 cases of HCC, 26 cases of ICC, 23 cases of liver cirrhosis, and 11 cases of normal liver tissues. The differences in the positive expression rate and strong positive expression rate of FSCN1 among different groups were analyzed. The positive rate of FSCN1 in normal liver tissues, liver cirrhosis, HCC, and ICC tissues was 0.0% (0/11), 0.0% (0/23), 13.9% (15/108), and 92.3% (24/26), respectively, while the strong positive rate was 0.0% (0/11), 0.0% (0/23), 0.9% (1/108), and 69.2% (18/26), respectively. Both the positive rate and strong positive rate of FSCN1 in ICC tissues were significantly higher than those in HCC, liver cirrhosis, and normal liver tissues. Additionally, the positive rate of FSCN1 in moderately to poorly differentiated HCC tissues was 18.8% (15/80), significantly higher than in well-differentiated HCC (0.0%, 0/28) (P = 0.031). In liver cancer, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of FSCN1 positive prediction for ICC were 92.3%, 86.1%, 61.5%, and 97.9%, respectively, whereas the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of FSCN1 strong positive prediction for ICC were 69.2%, 99.1%, 94.7%, and 93.0%, respectively. These results suggest that FSCN1 may play an important role in the occurrence and progression of liver cancer, and it can be used as a novel diagnostic marker for ICC.
Epidemiology, treatment and outcomes of primary renal sarcomas in adult patients
Authors: Uhlig Johannes , Uhlig Annemarie , Deshpande Hari , Ströbel Philipp , Trojan Lutz , Lotz Joachim , Hurwitz Michael , Hafez Omeed , Humphrey Peter , Grünwald Viktor , Kim Hyun S.
Published: May 2024

To assess epidemiology, clinical presentation, treatment and overall survival of adult patients with renal sarcomas, the 2004–2016 SEER and NCDB databases were queried for adult patients diagnosed with renal sarcoma, calculating average annual age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIR) and average annual percentage change (AAPC) as well as overall survival (OS). In n = 1279 included renal sarcoma patients, AAIR remained constant over the study period (average 0.53 cases/1million; AAPC = 0.7, p = 0.6). Leiomyosarcoma (AAIR 0.14 cases/1 million) and malignant rhabdoid tumors (0.06 cases/1 million) were most common. Sarcoma histiotypes demonstrated considerable heterogeneity regarding demographic and cancer-related variables. Patients presented with advanced local extent (T3 33.3%; T4 14.2%) or distant metastases (29.1%) and commonly underwent surgical resection (81.6%). Longer OS was independently associated with younger age, female sex, lower comorbidity index, low T stage, negative surgical margins, absence of tumor necrosis or distant metastases and leiomyosarcoma histiotype (multivariable p < 0.05 each). Treatment efficacy varied according to sarcoma histiotype (interaction p < 0.001). Accounting for 0.25% of renal malignancies, renal sarcomas include 43 histiotypes with distinct epidemiology, clinical presentation, outcomes and sensitivity to systemic therapy, thereby reflecting soft-tissue sarcoma behavior. Renal sarcoma treatment patterns follow recommendations by renal cancer guidelines with surgical resection as the cornerstone of therapy.
Copper-based grape pest management has impacted wine aroma
Authors: De Guidi Irene , Galeote Virginie , Blondin Bruno , Legras Jean-Luc
Published: May 2024

Despite the high energetic cost of the reduction of sulfate to H2S, required for the synthesis of sulfur-containing amino acids, some wine Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains have been reported to produce excessive amounts of H2S during alcoholic fermentation, which is detrimental to wine quality. Surprisingly, in the presence of sulfite, used as a preservative, wine strains produce more H2S than wild (oak) or wine velum (flor) isolates during fermentation. Since copper resistance caused by the amplification of the sulfur rich protein Cup1p is a specific adaptation trait of wine strains, we analyzed the link between copper resistance mechanism, sulfur metabolism and H2S production. We show that a higher content of copper in the must increases the production of H2S, and that SO2 increases the resistance to copper. Using a set of 51 strains we observed a positive and then negative relation between the number of copies of CUP1 and H2S production during fermentation. This complex pattern could be mimicked using a multicopy plasmid carrying CUP1, confirming the relation between copper resistance and H2S production. The massive use of copper for vine sanitary management has led to the selection of resistant strains at the cost of a metabolic tradeoff: the overproduction of H2S, resulting in a decrease in wine quality.
A new suite of reporter vectors and a novel landing site survey system to study cis-regulatory elements in diverse insect species
Authors: Deem Kevin D. , Halfon Marc S. , Tomoyasu Yoshinori
Published: May 2024

Comparative analyses between traditional model organisms, such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, and more recent model organisms, such as the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, have provided a wealth of insight into conserved and diverged aspects of gene regulation. While the study of trans-regulatory components is relatively straightforward, the study of cis-regulatory elements (CREs, or enhancers) remains challenging outside of Drosophila. A central component of this challenge has been finding a core promoter suitable for enhancer-reporter assays in diverse insect species. Previously, we demonstrated that a Drosophila Synthetic Core Promoter (DSCP) functions in a cross-species manner in Drosophila and Tribolium. Given the over 300 million years of divergence between the Diptera and Coleoptera, we reasoned that DSCP-based reporter constructs will be useful when studying cis-regulation in a variety of insect models across the holometabola and possibly beyond. To this end, we sought to create a suite of new DSCP-based reporter vectors, leveraging dual compatibility with piggyBac and PhiC31-integration, the 3xP3 universal eye marker, GATEWAY cloning, different colors of reporters and markers, as well as Gal4-UAS binary expression. While all constructs functioned properly with a Tc-nub enhancer in Drosophila, complications arose with tissue-specific Gal4-UAS binary expression in Tribolium. Nevertheless, the functionality of these constructs across multiple holometabolous orders suggests a high potential compatibility with a variety of other insects. In addition, we present the piggyLANDR (piggyBac-LoxP AttP Neutralizable Destination Reporter) platform for the establishment of proper PhiC31 landing sites free from position effects. As a proof-of-principle, we demonstrated the workflow for piggyLANDR in Drosophila. The potential utility of these tools ranges from molecular biology research to pest and disease-vector management, and will help advance the study of gene regulation beyond traditional insect models.
Mitochondrial SIRT3 as a protective factor against cyclosporine A-induced nephrotoxicity
Authors: Kim Ji Eun , Jo Min Jee , Bae So Yeon , Ahn Shin Young , Ko Gang Jee , Kwon Young Joo
Published: May 2024

Sirtuin3 (SIRT3), a mitochondrial deacetylase, has been shown to be involved in various kidney diseases. In this study, we aimed to clarify the role of SIRT3 in cyclosporine-induced nephrotoxicity and the associated mitochondrial dysfunction. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells were transfected with Flag-tagged SIRT3 for SIRT3 overexpression or SIRT3 siRNA for the inhibition of SIRT3. Subsequently, the cells were treated with cyclosporine A (CsA) or vehicle. Wild-type and SIRT3 knockout (KO) mice were randomly assigned to receive cyclosporine A or olive oil. Furthermore, SIRT3 activator, honokiol, was treated alongside CsA to wild type mice. Our results revealed that CsA treatment inhibited mitochondrial SIRT3 expression in MDCK cells. Inhibition of SIRT3 through siRNA transfection exacerbated apoptosis, impaired the expression of the AMP-activated protein kinase-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (AMPK-PGC1α) pathway, and worsened mitochondrial dysfunction induced by CsA treatment. Conversely, overexpression of SIRT3 through Flag-tagged SIRT3 transfection ameliorated apoptosis, increased the expression of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase 2, and restored the mitochondrial regulator pathway, AMPK-PGC1α. In SIRT3 KO mice, CsA treatment led to aggravated kidney dysfunction, increased kidney tubular injury, and accumulation of oxidative end products indicative of oxidative stress injury. Meanwhile, SIRT3 activation in vivo significantly mitigated these adverse effects, improving kidney function, reducing oxidative stress markers, and enhancing mitochondrial health following CsA treatment. Overall, our findings suggest that SIRT3 plays a protective role in alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction caused by CsA through the activation of the AMPK-PGC1α pathway, thereby preventing further kidney injury.
Predictors of social risk for post-ischemic stroke reintegration
Authors: Cisek Katryna K. , Nguyen Thi Nguyet Que , Garcia-Rudolph Alejandro , Saurí Joan , Becerra Martinez Helard , Hines Andrew , Kelleher John D.
Published: May 2024

After stroke rehabilitation, patients need to reintegrate back into their daily life, workplace and society. Reintegration involves complex processes depending on age, sex, stroke severity, cognitive, physical, as well as socioeconomic factors that impact long-term outcomes post-stroke. Moreover, post-stroke quality of life can be impacted by social risks of inadequate family, social, economic, housing and other supports needed by the patients. Social risks and barriers to successful reintegration are poorly understood yet critical for informing clinical or social interventions. Therefore, the aim of this work is to predict social risk at rehabilitation discharge using sociodemographic and clinical variables at rehabilitation admission and identify factors that contribute to this risk. A Gradient Boosting modelling methodology based on decision trees was applied to a Catalan 217-patient cohort of mostly young (mean age 52.7), male (66.4%), ischemic stroke survivors. The modelling task was to predict an individual’s social risk upon discharge from rehabilitation based on 16 different demographic, diagnostic and social risk variables (family support, social support, economic status, cohabitation and home accessibility at admission). To correct for imbalance in patient sample numbers with high and low-risk levels (prediction target), five different datasets were prepared by varying the data subsampling methodology. For each of the five datasets a prediction model was trained and the analysis involves a comparison across these models. The training and validation results indicated that the models corrected for prediction target imbalance have similarly good performance (AUC 0.831–0.843) and validation (AUC 0.881 - 0.909). Furthermore, predictor variable importance ranked social support and economic status as the most important variables with the greatest contribution to social risk prediction, however, sex and age had a lesser, but still important, contribution. Due to the complex and multifactorial nature of social risk, factors in combination, including social support and economic status, drive social risk for individuals.
Parameter design and effectiveness evaluation of wide strip mining of extra thick coal seams under dense buildings
Authors: Lei Wulin , Yu Lan , Bai Shangyu , Chen Yanfeng , Zhao Feng , Zheng Chao , Huang Xu , He Jiangyi , Zhou Hualong
Published: May 2024

In order to safeguard the surface structures from mining damage while optimizing the liberation of coal resources under the dense surface buildings of the Cedi River coal mine. Considering that the analysis of the structure and type of surface buildings and the geological mining conditions of the mine, a wide strip mining design with a retention width of 70 m and a mining width of 50 m was finally determined by using the pressure arch theory and Wilson’s theory, combined with the actual layout of working faces 51,002, 51,004 and 51,006 at the site.The strip mining design is verified by probability integral method and FLAC3D numerical simulation calculation respectively, The findings indicate that the highest value of earth surface subsidence created by the mining of the wide strip is 210 mm, the surface horizontal deformation value is 1.0 to − 1.4 mm/m, the damage to surface buildings is less than Level I, which satisfying the prerequisites of the surface building protection level, and can realize the continuous advancement of mine 51,002, 51,004 and 51,006 working faces, The coal pillars of the retained strip have sufficient support strength and long-term consistency, and the movement and deformation of the overburden after mining will not cause undulating subsidence of the surface, which effectively solve the mine's technical difficulties in safely coal mining under surface buildings.
Experimental detection of the diamino-pentazolium cation and theoretical exploration of derived high energy materials
Authors: Hou Tianyang , Yuan Xiaofeng , Jiang Shuaijie , Xu Ze , Zhang Xiaopeng , Lu Ming , Xu Yuangang
Published: May 2024

In this work, we realized the detection of diamino-pentazolium cation (DAPZ+) in the reaction solution experimentally and proved it to be meta-diamino-pentazole based on the transition state theory. Quantum chemical methods were used to predict its spectral properties, charge distribution, stability and aromaticity. Considering that DAPZ+ has excellent detonation properties, it was further explored by assembling it with N5−, N3− and C(NO2)3− anions, respectively. The results show a strong interaction between DAPZ+ and the three anions, which will have a positive effect on its stability. Thanks to the high enthalpy of formation and density, the calculated detonation properties of the three systems are exciting, especially [DAPZ+][N5−] (D: 10,016 m·s−1; P: 37.94 GPa), whose actual detonation velocity may very likely exceed CL-20 (D: 9773 m·s−1). There is no doubt that this work will become the precursor for the theoretical exploration of new polynitrogen ionic compounds.
Computational drug repositioning with attention walking
Authors: Park Jong-Hoon , Cho Young-Rae
Published: May 2024

Drug repositioning aims to identify new therapeutic indications for approved medications. Recently, the importance of computational drug repositioning has been highlighted because it can reduce the costs, development time, and risks compared to traditional drug discovery. Most approaches in this area use networks for systematic analysis. Inferring drug-disease associations is then defined as a link prediction problem in a heterogeneous network composed of drugs and diseases. In this article, we present a novel method of computational drug repositioning, named drug repositioning with attention walking (DRAW). DRAW proceeds as follows: first, a subgraph enclosing the target link for prediction is extracted. Second, a graph convolutional network captures the structural features of the labeled nodes in the subgraph. Third, the transition probabilities are computed using attention mechanisms and converted into random walk profiles. Finally, a multi-layer perceptron takes random walk profiles and predicts whether a target link exists. As an experiment, we constructed two heterogeneous networks with drug-drug similarities based on chemical structures and anatomical therapeutic chemical classification (ATC) codes. Using 10-fold cross-validation, DRAW achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.903 and outperformed state-of-the-art methods. Moreover, we demonstrated the results of case studies for selected drugs and diseases to further confirm the capability of DRAW to predict drug-disease associations.
Modeling and simulation of biodiesel synthesis in fixed bed and packed bed membrane reactors using heterogeneous catalyst: a comparative study
Authors: Omranpour Sajad , Larimi Afsanehsadat
Published: May 2024

In this study, modeling and simulation of biodiesel synthesis through transesterification of triglyceride (TG) over a heterogeneous catalyst in a packed bed membrane reactor (PBMR) was performed using a solid catalyst and compared with a fixed bed reactor (FBR). The kinetic data for the transesterification reaction of canola oil and methanol in the presence of solid tungstophosphoric acid catalyst was extracted from the published open literature. The effect of reaction temperature, feed flow rate, disproportionation of the reactants, and reactor length on the product performance was investigated. Two-dimensional and heterogeneous modeling was applied to PBMR and the resultant equations were solved by the Matlab software. Moreover, the velocity profile in the membrane reactor was obtained. The results showed the best conditions for this reaction are 180 °C, the molar ratio of methanol to oil equal 15:1, and the input flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. In this condition, a conversion of 99.94% for the TG can be achieved in the PBMR with a length of 86 cm while a length of 2.75 m is required to achieve this conversion of the FBR. Finally, the energy consumption for the production of 8000 ton/y biodiesel in a production plant using the PBMR and the FBR was obtained as is 1313.24 and 1352.44 kW, respectively.
Prefrontal tDCS modulates risk-taking in male violent offenders
Authors: Kuhn Leandra , Choy Olivia , Keller Lara , Habel Ute , Wagels Lisa
Published: May 2024

Detrimental decision-making is a major problem among violent offenders. Non-invasive brain stimulation offers a promising method to directly influence decision-making and has already been shown to modulate risk-taking in non-violent controls. We hypothesize that anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex beneficially modulates the neural and behavioral correlates of risk-taking in a sample of violent offenders. We expect offenders to show more risky decision-making than non-violent controls and that prefrontal tDCS will induce stronger changes in the offender group. In the current study, 22 male violent offenders and 24 male non-violent controls took part in a randomized double-blind sham-controlled cross-over study applying tDCS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Subsequently, participants performed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Violent offenders showed significantly less optimal decision-making compared to non-violent controls. Active tDCS increased prefrontal activity and improved decision-making only in violent offenders but not in the control group. Also, in offenders only, prefrontal tDCS influenced functional connectivity between the stimulated area and other brain regions such as the thalamus. These results suggest baseline dependent effects of tDCS and pave the way for treatment options of disadvantageous decision-making behavior in this population.
Muscle mass as a modifier of stress response in acute ischemic stroke patients
Authors: Arsava Ethem Murat , Gungor Levent , Sirin Hadiye , Sorgun Mine Hayriye , Aykac Ozlem , Batur Caglayan Hale Zeynep , Kozak Hasan Huseyin , Ozturk Serefnur , Topcuoglu Mehmet Akif ,   Muscle Assessment in Stroke Study (MASS) investigators, Akpinar Erhan , Argın Mehmet , Aydingoz Ustun , Bugrul Ahmet , Eryildiz Ezgi Sezer , Guler Ayse , Kesen Sevcihan , Nazliel Bijen , Ozdemir Atilla Ozcan , Peynir Sehriban , Polat Ahmet Veysel , Poyraz Necdet , Togay Isikay Canan , Uzun Caglar
Published: May 2024

Stroke triggers a systemic inflammatory response over the ensuing days after the cerebral insult. The age and comorbidities of the stroke population make them a vulnerable population for low muscle mass and sarcopenia, the latter being another clinical condition that is closely associated with inflammation, as shown by increased levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). In this study, we evaluated the relationship between post-stroke NLR changes and muscle mass in a prospective cohort of acute ischemic stroke patients (n = 102) enrolled in the Muscle Assessment in Stroke Study Turkey (MASS-TR). Admission lumbar computed tomography images were used to determine the cross-sectional muscle area of skeletal muscles at L3 vertebra level and calculate the skeletal muscle index (SMI). The median (IQR) SMI was 44.7 (39.1–52.5) cm2/m2, and the NLR at admission and follow-up were 4.2 (3.0–10.5) and 9.4 (5.7–16.2), respectively. While there was no relationship between SMI and admission NLR, a significant inverse correlation was observed between SMI and follow-up NLR (r =  − 0.26; P = 0.007). Lower SMI remained significantly associated (P = 0.036) with higher follow-up NLR levels in multivariate analysis. Our findings highlight the importance of muscle mass as a novel factor related to the level of post-stroke stress response.
Revealing climatic and groundwater impacts on the spatiotemporal variations in vegetation coverage in marine sedimentary basins of the North China Plain, China
Authors: Liu Yang , Wu Guangdong , Ma Baiheng , Wu Tao , Wang Xinzhou , Wu Qinghua
Published: May 2024

The North China Plain (NCP) is one of the three great plains in China and also serves as a vital region for grain, cotton, and oil production. Under the influence of regional hydrothermal changes, groundwater overexploitation, and seawater intrusion, the vegetation coverage is undergoing continuous alterations. However, a comprehensive assessment of impacts of precipitation, temperature, and groundwater on vegetation in marine sedimentary regions of the NCP is lacking. Heilonggang Basin (HB) is located in the low-lying plain area in the east of NCP, which is part of the NCP. In this study, the HB was chosen as a typical area of interest. We collected a series of data, including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), precipitation, temperature, groundwater depth, and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) from 2001 to 2020. Then the spatiotemporal variation in vegetation was analyzed, and the underlying driving mechanisms of vegetation variation were explored in this paper. The results show that NDVI experiences a rapid increase from 2001 to 2004, followed by stable fluctuations from 2004 to 2020. The vegetation in the HB has achieved an overall improvement in the past two decades, with 76% showing improvement, mainly in the central and eastern areas, and 24% exhibiting deterioration in other areas. From 2001 to 2020, NDVI correlates positively with precipitation, whereas its relationship with temperature fluctuates between positive and negative, and is not statistically significant. There is a threshold for the synergistic change of NDVI and groundwater depth. When the groundwater depth is lower than 3.8 m, NDVI increases sharply with groundwater depth. However, beyond this threshold, NDVI tends to stabilize and fluctuate. In the eastern coastal areas, NDVI exhibits a strong positive correlation with groundwater depth, influenced by the surface soil TDS controlled by groundwater depth. In the central regions, a strong negative correlation is observed, where NDVI is primarily impacted by soil moisture under the control of groundwater. In the west and south, a strong positive correlation exists, with NDVI primarily influenced by the intensity of groundwater exploitation. Thus, precipitation and groundwater are the primary driving forces behind the spatiotemporal variability of vegetation in the HB, while in contrast, the influence of temperature is uncertain. This study has elucidated the mechanism of vegetation response, providing a theoretical basis for mitigating adverse factors affecting vegetation growth and formulating rational water usage regulations in the NCP.
One Health approach to Coxiella burnetii in Brazilian indigenous communities
Authors: Farinhas João Henrique , de França Danilo Alves , Serpa Maria Carolina , Biondo Leandro Meneguelli , Doline Fernando Rodrigo , Giuffrida Rogério , Santarém Vamilton Alvares , dos Santos Andrea Pires , Labruna Marcelo B. , Kmetiuk Louise Bach , Biondo Alexander Welker
Published: May 2024

Indigenous health has posted complex challenges worldwide, particularly due to historical economic, territorial, social and environmental processes, which may lead to emergence and reemergence of pathogens. In addition to few Coxiella burnetii serosurveys in vulnerable populations, especially in developing tropical countries, no comprehensive One Health approach has focused on human-animal infection along with potential environmental determinants. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of anti-C. burnetii antibodies in indigenous populations and their dogs from 10 indigenous communities distributed in southern and southeastern Brazil, along with the correspondent healthcare professionals. In overall, 8/893 (0.90%; 95% CI 0.45–1.76) indigenous and 1/406 (0.25%) dog samples were seropositive, with 7/343 (2.04%) individuals the 1/144 (0.69%) dog from the Ocoy community, located in the city of São Miguel do Iguaçu, bordering Argentina at south, and far 10 km at west from Paraguay. All 84 healthcare professionals tested seronegative.
Exploration of the application potential of serum multi-biomarker model in colorectal cancer screening
Authors: Xu Runhao , Shen Jianan , Song Yan , Lu Jingbo , Liu Yijing , Cao Yun , Wang Zhenhua , Zhang Jie
Published: May 2024

Analyzing blood lipid and bile acid profile changes in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Evaluating the integrated model's diagnostic significance for CRC. Ninety-one individuals with colorectal cancer (CRC group) and 120 healthy volunteers (HC group) were selected for comparison. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apolipoproteins (Apo) A1, ApoA2, ApoB, ApoC2, and ApoC3 were measured using immunoturbidimetric and colorimetric methods. Additionally, LC–MS/MS was employed to detect fifteen bile acids in the serum, along with six tumor markers: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigens (CA) 125, CA19-9, CA242, CA50, and CA72-4. Group comparisons utilized independent sample t-tests and Mann–Whitney U tests. A binary logistic regression algorithm was applied to fit the indicators and establish a screening model; the diagnostic accuracy of individual Indicators and the model was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The CRC group showed significantly lower levels in eight serum lipid indicators and eleven bile acids compared to the HC group (P < 0.05). Conversely, serum levels of TG, CA19-9, and CEA were elevated (P < 0.05). Among the measured parameters, ApoA2 stands out for its strong correlation with the presence of CRC, showcasing exceptional screening efficacy with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.957, a sensitivity of 85.71%, and a specificity of 93.33%. The screening model, integrating ApoA1, ApoA2, lithocholic acid (LCA), and CEA, attained an impressive AUC of 0.995, surpassing the diagnostic accuracy of individual lipids, bile acids, and tumor markers. CRC patients manifest noteworthy alterations in both blood lipids and bile acid profiles. A screening model incorporating ApoA1, ApoA2, LCA, and CEA provides valuable insights for detecting CRC.
Polarization-insensitive perfect absorption in van der waals hyper-structure
Authors: Imran Muhammad , Musa Muhyiddeen Yahya , Rauf Sajid , Lu Dajiang , Li Rujiang , Tian Yibin
Published: May 2024

Infrared perfect absorption has been widely investigated due to its potential applications in photodetectors, photovoltaics and medical diagnostics. In this report, we demonstrate that at particular infrared frequencies, a simple planar structure made up of graphene-hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN) hyper-structure is able to nearly perfectly absorb incident light irrespective of its polarization (Transverse-Magnetic TM, or Transverse-Electric TE). By using this interferenceless technique, the hyper-structure achieves nearly zero reflectance at a wide range of angles in a narrow frequency band. We analytically predict the condition of achieving such an important feature of perfect absorption for both TM and TE polarizations. Interestingly, the infrared perfect absorption can be redshifted by increasing the thickness of the hBN layers and blueshifted by increasing the graphene’s chemical potential. Such flexible control of infrared perfect absorption offers a new tool for controlling electromagnetic waves and has potential applications in photodetection and other light control applications.
A behavioral advantage for the face pareidolia illusion in peripheral vision
Authors: Saurels Blake W. , Peluso Natalie , Taubert Jessica
Published: May 2024

Investigation of visual illusions helps us understand how we process visual information. For example, face pareidolia, the misperception of illusory faces in objects, could be used to understand how we process real faces. However, it remains unclear whether this illusion emerges from errors in face detection or from slower, cognitive processes. Here, our logic is straightforward; if examples of face pareidolia activate the mechanisms that rapidly detect faces in visual environments, then participants will look at objects more quickly when the objects also contain illusory faces. To test this hypothesis, we sampled continuous eye movements during a fast saccadic choice task—participants were required to select either faces or food items. During this task, pairs of stimuli were positioned close to the initial fixation point or further away, in the periphery. As expected, the participants were faster to look at face targets than food targets. Importantly, we also discovered an advantage for food items with illusory faces but, this advantage was limited to the peripheral condition. These findings are among the first to demonstrate that the face pareidolia illusion persists in the periphery and, thus, it is likely to be a consequence of erroneous face detection.