bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Processing of molybdenum industrial waste into sustainable and efficient nanocatalysts for water electrolysis reactions
Authors: Ursino Federico , Mineo Giacometta , Scandurra Antonino , Scuderi Mario , Forestan Angelo , Alba Catya , Reitano Riccardo , Terrasi Antonio , Mirabella Salvo
Published: September 2024

The increasing need for sustainable energy and the transition from a linear to a circular economy pose great challenges to the materials science community. In this view, the chance of producing efficient nanocatalysts for water splitting using industrial waste as starting material is attractive. Here, we report low-cost processes to convert Mo-based industrial waste powder into efficient catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). pH controlled hydrothermal processing of Mo-based industrial waste powder leads to pure orthorhombic MoO3 nanobelts (50–200 nm wide, 10 µm long) with promising OER performances at 10 mA·cm−2 with an overpotential of 324 mV and Tafel slope of 45 mV·dec−1 in alkaline electrolyte. Indeed, MoS2/MoO3 nanostructures were obtained after sulfurization during hydrothermal processes of the MoO3 nanobelts. HER tests in acidic environment show a promising overpotential of 208 mV at 10 mA·cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 94 mV·dec−1. OER and HER performances of nanocatalysts obtained from Mo industrial waste powder are comparable or better than Mo-based nanocatalysts obtained from pure commercial Mo reagent. This work shows the great potential of reusing industrial waste for energy applications, opening a promising road to join waste management and efficient and sustainable nanocatalysts for water splitting.
Leadership at the Intersection of Statistics & Genomics: A COPSS-NISS Leadership Webinar with Drs. Rafael Irizarry and Mingyao Li
Authors: Li Jingyi Jessica
Published: September 2024

In a COPSS-NISS webinar focused on leadership at the intersection of statistics and genomics, esteemed panelists Drs. Rafael Irizarry and Mingyao Li shared their leadership journeys and provided insights into this interdisciplinary field to inspire future leaders. They discussed the value of statistics in distinguishing signal from noise in the artificial intelligence (AI) era, the strengths of statisticians in ensuring rigor and robustness in genomics research, and the trade-offs between model expressiveness and interpretability. Additionally, they offered advice on how junior faculty can seek collaborations and increase their visibility, balance staying current with technological advancements, while developing methods carefully and thoroughly, and best practices for collaborating with domain experts. The recording of the webinar is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6SsAoh95ig.
The Broad Spectrum of Sustainability and the Social Economy: Perspectives from Bibliometric Data
Authors: Vaquero García Alberto , Bastida Maria , Vazquez Taín Miguel Á. , Del Río Marisa
Published: September 2024

Researchers have recently focused attention on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) because of their social impact and the imperative to combine economic growth with sustainability. At the same time, academics have emphasised the key role played by social economy (SE) organisations in achieving the SDGs, a recognition that has been echoed by numerous institutions. This study, which runs from 2015 to 2021, uses bibliometric analysis to measure the extent of research on the alignment of SE organisations with the SDGs, providing information on its evolution. The analysis is based on the Web of Science (WoS) citation database and uses VOSviewer version 1.6.17 and RStudio version 3.6.3. It assesses the current status, challenges and opportunities of the synergy between SE and the SDGs. The results reveal that this is a burgeoning area of research, predominantly focused on Europe, which lacks a clearly defined focus on the role of SE organisations as catalysts for the SDGs. As a result, SE researchers are missing the opportunity to demonstrate that SE attributes and strategies legitimise SE organisations as pioneers in achieving the SDGs. The findings of this analysis can advance the understanding of the role of SE organisations in achieving the SDGs, potentially steering future research initiatives.
Teacher produced video tours of classrooms: what matters for their teaching of writing?
Authors: Mantei Jessica , Kervin Lisa , Weber Lauren A. , Ryan Mary
Published: September 2024

Australian literacy classrooms are shaped by an unprecedented time of national curriculum reform. Australian teachers follow a national English curriculum with the pressures of national standardised assessment, state interpretation (state-based syllabus and support documents) and localised system requirements influencing their pedagogical practices. It is timely to consider how teachers recontextualise these external pressures in their teaching of writing. This paper uses reflexivity theory to investigate the interplay between social, cultural and individual influences on the materiality of writing classrooms. Through our conceptual framing of reflexive materiality, we analyse video tours created by elementary teachers (Grades 3–6) to highlight classroom components pertinent to their writing pedagogy and practices. Our analysis focused on theoretically-based instruction practices, teacher professional knowledge, opportunities for students to write, and the impact of the external context on the materiality of the classroom environment. Findings demonstrate a reflexive relationship between teachers’ system-based contexts and the substance of classroom objects, spaces, and teachers’ ideas and philosophies regarding writing.
Controlling systems and controlling legacies: Barbara McClintock’s 1961 conversation with two bacterial geneticists
Authors: Wu Qinyan
Published: September 2024

Barbara McClintock (1902–1992), the renowned American maize geneticist, received the 1983 Nobel Prize “for her discovery of mobile genetic elements,” becoming the seventh woman scientist to receive a Nobel Prize. However, Nathaniel Comfort points out that McClintock viewed her primary contribution as the elucidation of control systems, rather than the discovery of mobile elements. McClintock’s interest in control systems dates back to the 1940s, and this paper investigates her 1961 conversation with François Jacob and Jacques Monod, where she sought to shape the interpretation of her work by drawing parallels between maize control systems and a bacterial system they had recently discovered. Despite McClintock’s efforts, Jacob and Monod rejected her parallels and suggested that her contribution was limited to mobile elements. Through an examination of their published papers, I argue that Jacob and Monod’s rejection stemmed from their failure to fully comprehend maize control systems. Disciplinary discrepancy helps explain Jacob and Monod’s lack of comprehension: they were molecular geneticists working on bacteria, while McClintock was a classical geneticist studying maize. I further argue that gender played a role, as McClintock experienced the Matilda effect—the under-recognition of her contribution, reinforced by the reactions of two male geneticists, and ironically, by the award of the Nobel Prize. Control systems, stemming from McClintock’s reverence for organisms, embodied what Evelyn Fox Keller defines as “gender-neutral science.” This divergent view of science provides insight into why Jacob and Monod failed to grasp McClintock’s work in 1961.
Enhancing Myocardial Infarction Diagnosis: LSTM-based Deep Learning Approach Integrating Echocardiographic Wall Motion Analysis
Authors: Soe Hsu Thiri , Iwata Hiroyasu
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Owing to the increased mortality of heart diseases worldwide, especially myocardial infarction (MI), early detection is essential for improved diagnosis and treatment. The main purpose of this study is to develop a myocardial infarction detection method that combines deep learning and image processing, focusing on abnormalities in left ventricular (LV) wall motion.

Methods

The proposed method primarily uses the LV wall motion movement as a feature to train an LSTM network for MI detection. LV wall motion annotated by expert cardiologists was used as the ground truth. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate model performance. The proposed method primarily uses LV wall motion as a feature, combined with LV size and image pixels, to improve diagnostic accuracy over existing computer-aided design (CAD) systems.

Results

The LSTM model achieved the highest diagnostic performance when trained on a combination of LV wall motion, LV size, and image pixel features with an accuracy of 95%, sensitivity of 96%, specificity of 94%, and an AUC value of 0.98. The LSTM model significantly outperformed models trained on individual feature sets or conventional machine learning algorithms. The inclusion of LV wall motion analysis improved accuracy by 10% compared to using only LV size and pixel data.

Conclusion

Our MI diagnosis system uses echocardiographic image analysis and LSTM-based deep learning to accurately detect LV wall motion issues related to MI. Compared with current CAD systems, the inclusion of LV wall motion analysis significantly improves diagnosis accuracy. The proposed system can help physicians detect MI early, thereby accelerating treatment and improving patient outcomes.
The effect of the initial administration of suvorexant on severe sleep apnea syndrome
Authors: Mieno Yuki , Hayashi Masamichi , Souma Tomohide , Horiguchi Tomoya , Niwa Yoshikazu , Fujita Shiho , Fukumoto Jyunichi , Hosoda Nami , Imaizumi Kazuyoshi
Published: September 2024

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how the first oral administration of suvorexant affects PSG results in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Single-center, prospective study conducted in a nonrandomized, uncontrolled, unblinded fashion. Undiagnosed 64 patients with suspected OSA underwent first-night PSG, and 30 patients with severe OSA (Apnea Hypopnea Index [AHI] ≥ 30 events/h) underwent second-night PSG testing after administration of 15 mg suvorexant. The change in AHI between the first and second nights was not significant, although the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for the mean difference in AHI was high at 5.987.The mean duration of apnea on the second night was significantly prolonged compared to that on the first night, but there were no significant differences n 3% oxygen desaturation index, saturation of percutaneous oxygen<90% time. On the second night, total sleep time was significantly prolonged, mid-night awakenings decreased, REM sleep percentage increased, and REM latency was shorter. Because the environment for PSG testing is very different from the patient's home and many patients have difficulty sleeping, there are clinical cases in which PSG is performed with sleep medication. In this study, PSG after oral administration of 15 mg of suvorexant on the second night showed no significant difference or clear trend in AHI. However, the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for the mean difference in AHI was greater than 5, suggesting that suvorexant may exacerbate AHI, even with the first administration.
Are C-reactive protein and procalcitonin safe and useful for antimicrobial stewardship purposes in patients with COVID-19? A scoping review
Authors: Williams Anita , Repetto Ernestina , Lebbie Ishmael , Khalife Mohamad , Jensen Tomas Oestergaard
Published: September 2024

Objective:

The primary objectives of this study were to assess the usefulness of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) in the diagnosis of bacterial co-infections in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and if their incorporation in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs is safe and useful, stratified by severity of disease as level of care, intensive care unit (ICU) or non-ICU. Our secondary objectives were to identify cut-off values for antibiotic decision-making and identify reported results from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Design:

A scoping review of published literature, adhering to the PRISMA statement for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. The last search was performed in January 2024.

Results:

Fifty-nine studies were included in this scoping review: 20 studies reporting predictive values and/or sensitivity/specificity results for PCT, 8 reporting clear objectives on AMS, and 3 studies from LMICs.

Conclusion:

In the context of non-ICU hospitalized COVID-19 patients in high-income countries, a PCT value below 0.25 mg/L can be a useful tool to rule out bacterial co-infection. The wide range of reported negative predictive values suggests that PCT should be interpreted in the context of other clinical findings. Our results do not support the use of CRP in the same manner as PCT. There is a clear need for more studies in LMICs.
Investigation of an outbreak of metallo-β-lactamase producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa linked to the water distribution system in a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Unit
Authors: Santonato Daniela , Martinelli Ivana , Quevedo Alejandra , Sadorin Roxana , Novau Andrea , Fabbro Leonardo , Cuello Mena María de los Ángeles , Araoz Sanchez Vanessa , Cornistein Wanda
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an opportunistic pathogen. Metallo-β-lactamase producing PA (MBL-PA) poses a problematic issue given limited available treatments. In Argentina, it accounts for less than one percent of healthcare-associated infections.

Objectives:

To describe an outbreak of verona integron-encoded metallo-β-lactamase (VIM) Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Unit (HSCTU), and the strategies implemented to control it.

Materials and methods:

Investigation of an outbreak by MBL-PA in an HSCTU in May 2023. Active case search, environmental sampling, identification and susceptibility pattern of strains, mitigation strategies. Case: patient admitted to the HSCTU with positive sample for MBL-PA after 48 hours of admission. Mitigation strategies: biweekly rectal swabbing, contact precautions, dedicated nursing staff, waterless patient care, and disinfection of bacterial reservoirs.

Results:

In May 2023 two cases were identified. A retrospective search determined an additional case. One (10%) of the environmental samples was positive for VIM type MBL-PA in the drain of the hand hygiene station in the nurse’s office. Strains were susceptible to colistin and fosfomycin and intermediate to aztreonam. Incidence density (ID) of colonization and infection by MBL-PA in the HSCTU were .68/1,000 patient-days (pd) and 0, respectively, in the second semester of 2022. In the first semester of 2023, ID rose to 2.93/1,000 pd for colonization and .73/1,000 pd for infection.

Mitigation strategies aimed at reducing exposure of immunocompromised hosts to water. No new cases have been identified since.

Conclusions:

We report an MBL-PA outbreak probably linked to the water distribution system in an HSCTU, and mitigation strategies put in place.
Head metonymies and metaphors in Jordanian and Tunisian Arabic: an extended conceptual metaphor theory perspective
Authors: Zibin Aseel , Altakhaineh Abdel Rahman Mitib , Musmar Ola
Published: September 2024

This study aims to explore the target concepts of metonymical and metaphorical uses of ‘head’ in Jordanian Arabic (JA) compared to those used in Tunisian Arabic (TA). Extended conceptual metaphor theory (ECMT) as envisaged by Kövecses (2020, Review of Cognitive Linguistics, 18, 112–-130) is adopted as the theoretical framework. Data analysis reveals that through metonymic metaphors, the head in JA is used to profile character traits, mental faculty, cultural values and emotions. The head in JA is also capitalized upon to provide explanations of several daily life experiences. The primacy of head in JA was clear in the informants’ comprehension of the means by which embodiment provides the grounding for cognition, perception and language, which supports Gibbs’ (2014, The Bloomsbury companion to cognitive linguistics, pp. 167–184) ‘embodied metaphorical imagination’. Similarities in the cultural model of head between the two dialects were found, yet differences were also detected. In contrast to TA, the head is more productive in JA in profiling character traits and emotions. These differences were attributed to the existence of a cultural filter that has the ability to function between two cultures that belong to one matrix Arab culture and differences in experiential focus between the two examined speech communities.
Optimizing soil and plant functions: combinatory design of fertilizing resources assemblage for rainfed rice in Madagascar
Authors: Raminoarison Manoa , Jaillard Benoît , Razafimbelo Tantely , Rahajaharilaza Koloina , Blanchart Eric , Trap Jean
Published: September 2024

The lack of affordable mineral fertilizers and scarcity of organic materials cause decline in soil fertility for smallholder farmers and producers in the highlands of Madagascar, challenging crop productivity. To fulfill plant growth and nutrition, we explored the effect of 132 combinations of 17 different fertilizing resources, both organic and mineral, on rice growth and nutrition using a greenhouse experiment. Two clustering approaches were used to evaluate the effects of fertilizing resources: elemental clustering and functional clustering. Elemental clustering grouped resources based on their elemental intrinsic composition, while functional clustering grouped resources based on their effect in improving plant growth and nutrition when combined in soil. We found that some resources closely grouped based on their elemental composition exhibited different effects on plant growth and nutrition when combined in soil. Zebu horn emerged as a particular organic resource in elemental clustering, and a key resource in functional clustering by promoting plant growth and nutrition when combined with other resources in soil. Its unique elemental composition played a significant role in driving positive interactions with other resources. We proposed to extend the concept of ‘assembly motif’ within soil fertilization strategy, suggesting that the combination of functional groups of resources determines better their fertilizing effect than their elemental composition. Resources inducing high interaction effects should be combined with those having high elemental composition to optimize crop productivity.
The Portrait of an Alla Franca Shaykh: Sufism, Modernity, and Class in Turkey
Authors: Burak-Adli Feyza
Published: September 2024

This paper illustrates the heterogeneity of Islamic publics in early 20th-century Turkey by examining the life and thought of Ken'an Rifai, a Sufi shaykh and high-ranking bureaucrat in the Ottoman Ministry of Education. It argues that Shaykh Rifai endorsed state secularization reforms on religious grounds and shows how he reformulated Sufi Islam by imbricating Sufi ethics with other social imaginaries of the time through the lens of an upper-class bureaucrat. This paper contributes to Turkish studies by highlighting the previously overlooked role of elite Islamic groups who collaborated with the early republic. It also challenges the dominant paradigm of a binary opposition between the secular ruling elite and pious masses. Additionally, this paper offers insight into broader anthropological and historical Islamic studies by demonstrating the diverse ways Sufi traditions adapted to modern governance.
‘Etched into the Soul’: The Education of Shorthand-Writers in Late Antiquity
Authors: Kirsh Ella
Published: September 2024

Surviving in excellent condition on papyri and wax tablets, the Commentary and other late antique shorthand manuals offer a new way to investigate the complexity and diversity of non-elite intellectual culture in the later Roman Empire. Stenographical skill and obedience were hymned by elite authors, but the methods used to inculcate that skill and extract that compliance have rarely been examined. This article, the first to subject shorthand pedagogy to social historical analysis, argues that the difficulty of the shorthand system increased the potency of the ideological lessons it delivered to its (predominantly non-elite, often enslaved) students. It finds that, in addition to technical instruction, the Commentary communicated a coherent, if troubling, vision of late ancient society and of the proper dispensation of power within it. Student-authored marginalia point to the successes and limits of the Commentary's moral pedagogy and raise fresh questions about how non-elite communities developed their own intellectual identities and traditions.
Emergency, narratives, and pandemic governance
Authors: Sharma Panch Rishi Dev
Published: September 2024

Pandemics present opportunities for states to acquire emergency powers by narrativizing pandemics as “acts of God,” “acts of war,” “acts of outsiders,” “sanitation-hygiene,” or “acts of the invisible enemy.” These narratives conveniently justify the imposition of undefined and often unrestrained constitutional or extra-constitutional emergency powers to reshape individual, social, and governance modalities. These narratives conveniently establish the setting for states to justify the imposition of broad emergency powers by determining the plot of pandemic-appropriate modalities for individuals, society, and governance mechanisms and classifying the characters of pandemic as protagonists and antagonists as per the plot and settings of the preferred narrative. This article attempts to reveal the theoretical and applicational interconnections between state-sponsored narratives and exercise of emergency powers during the pandemic governance in plague, cholera, influenza, and Covid-19 pandemics.
Legal Boundaries, Organizational Fields, and Trade Union Politics: The Development of Railway Unions in the US and the UK
Authors: Adereth Maya
Published: September 2024

Throughout the nineteenth century, powerful railway unions in the USA and the UK cultivated an expansive system of voluntary sickness, death, unemployment, and superannuation benefits. By the early twentieth century, the movements had diverged: while the British Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants relinquished its commitment to voluntarism in favor of state healthcare and pensions, the American Railway Brotherhoods persisted along voluntarist lines, resisting social insurance in favor of exclusive schemes for their white male membership. What accounts for these diverging orientations? I highlight the importance of organizational forms as a lens for understanding comparative trade union strategy, emphasizing the role of law in designating legitimate forms of working-class association. I demonstrate that governing elites in both countries promoted voluntarism as a benign form of working-class organization throughout much of the nineteenth century. Consequently, I argue, early American and British trade unions adopted benefits in part because they enabled them to mimic the far more respected and legitimate friendly and fraternal mutual benefit societies. Toward the end of the century, the context had changed: while alternative organizational avenues were opened for trade unions in the UK, benefits presented an ongoing organizational lifeline for American unions. In defining and redefining the boundaries of legitimate forms of workers’ associations, legal decisions in both countries shaped not only trade union organizing strategies in the short run but also their positioning in broader social struggles.
Primary nursing in the intensive care unit
Authors: Krüger Lars , Mannebach Thomas , Wefer Franziska , Langer Gero , Schramm René , Luderer Christiane
Published: September 2024

Abstract: Background: Primary nursing (Process Responsible Nursing; PRN) is a nursing organization model, practiced in intensive care units (ICUs), but implementation is challenging. This paper focuses on the qualitative process analysis of the development and implementation of PRN in an ICU at a German university hospital. Aims: Aim was to record the perception of changes in nursing practice due to the introduction of PRN and obtain information on implementation and further optimization perceived by nurses. Method: A qualitative process analysis was done. Data collection took place at three defined times (immediately before implementation and 6 and 12 months after) and each included a focus group interview (FG) and a 5-day ICU ward process analysis (WA) in the form of participant observation. The analysis of FG and WA was carried out according to Kuckartz’s content-structuring qualitative content analysis. Findings: The main categories communication, care planning and integration of patients and relatives in care and 13 subcategories with a cross-sectional category could be identified. Positive effects of PRN were found, particularly concerning relatives. The optimization potential included handover, visit appointments, the documentation system and adjustments to the visiting times. Conclusion: The qualitative analysis was able to show changes during the introduction of PRN, e.g. in communication and care planning, but also challenges like visit appointments or the documentation system in nursing practice.
Personality and Motives for Self-Employment
Authors: Ayob Abu H. , Izuan Shahiri Hazrul , Abd Hamid Hamizah , Kamal Mujani Wan
Published: September 2024

Abstract: Introduction: Personality is one of the dominant intrinsic determinants in understanding human behavior, including the economic actors. Although considerable research has examined the typical characteristics of entrepreneurs, scholars have mostly neglected the binary motives for self-employment. This research examines the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and opportunity-versus-necessity entrepreneurship. In particular, we study how Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism are related to the propensity for being opportunity (creative) entrepreneurs as opposed to necessity (routine) entrepreneurs. Methods: This study employed probit regression to examine the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and opportunity versus necessity entrepreneurship. Specifically, we test the hypotheses using World Values Survey Wave 6 data among 3,859 individuals in 20 countries. Results: After controlling for other demographic and institutional factors, we found that opportunity entrepreneurs are more open but less conscientious and less agreeable than necessity entrepreneurs. Conclusion: From this, we learn that entrepreneurs’ personalities are heterogeneous based on their motive for self-employment.
Dynamics of the Summer Counter‐Wind Current Along South Sri Lanka Coast: 2. Relative Contributions of Local and Remote Forcing on the Intra‐Seasonal Timescale
Authors: Xin Hongyu , Wang Weiqiang , Xie Qiang , Han Weiqing , Huang Ke , Xu Kang , Arulananthan K. , Tennakoon Kamal
Published: September 2024

It is well known that the intra‐seasonal component is critical for the occurrence of the westward south Sri Lanka coastal current (SSLCC) during summer. In this study, the relative contributions and physical processes that determine the westward SSLCC during summer on the intra‐seasonal timescale are quantified using the reanalysis data and a simple linear, continuously stratified (LCS) ocean model. A comprehensive analysis of the westward SSLCC events reveals that the wind forcing from south Sri Lanka coast, equatorial Indian Ocean, and southern Bay of Bengal (BoB) is responsible for the westward SSLCC (on the intra‐seasonal timescale), contributing 53%, 30%, and 17%, respectively. The local wind forcing along the southern Sri Lanka is linked to the boreal summer intra‐seasonal oscillation (BSISO). Specifically, the negative phase of the BSISO, characterized by active atmospheric convection, induces cyclonic wind stress curl along the south coast of Sri Lanka, and directly promoting the westward SSLCC. The equatorial forcing plays a secondary role in the westward SSLCC via mixing behavior of the first and second baroclinic modes upwelling Rossby waves (0.64 m s−1), propagating westward along the 5°N section as the cyclonic vortices. On the contrast, influenced by the modulation of the BSISO signal, the forcing from the southern BoB excites the rapid westward propagation of the first baroclinic mode upwelling Rossby waves (0.85 m s−1) near 90°E, contributing the westward SSLCC.
DASEventNet: AI‐Based Microseismic Detection on Distributed Acoustic Sensing Data From the Utah FORGE Well 16A (78)‐32 Hydraulic Stimulation
Authors: Yu Pengliang , Zhu Tieyuan , Marone Chris , Elsworth Derek , Yu Mingzhao
Published: September 2024

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has emerged as a promising seismic technology for monitoring microearthquakes (MEQs) with high spatial resolution. Efficient algorithms are needed for processing large DAS data volumes. This study introduces a deep learning (DL) model based on a Residual Convolutional Neural Network (ResNet) for detecting MEQs using DAS data, named as DASEventNet. The test data were collected from the Utah FORGE 16A (78)‐32 hydraulic stimulation experiments conducted in April 2022. The DASEventNet model achieves a remarkable accuracy of 100% when discriminating MEQs from noise in the raw test set of 260 examples. Surprisingly, the model identified weak MEQ signatures that have been manually categorized as noise. The decision‐making process with the model is decoded by the classic activation map, which illuminates learning features of the DASEventNet model. These features provide clear illustrations of weak MEQs and varied noise types. Finally, we apply the trained model to the entire period (∼7 days) of continuous DAS recordings and find that it discovers >5,700 new MEQs, previously unregistered in the public Silixa DAS catalog. The DASEventNet model significantly outperforms the traditional seismic method Short‐Term Average/Long‐Term Average (STA/LTA), which detected only 1,307 MEQs. The DASEventNet detection threshold is Mw−1.80 compared to the minimum magnitude of Mw−1.14 detected by STA/LTA. The spatiotemporal distribution of the newly identified MEQs defines an extensive stimulation zone and more accurately characterizes fracture geometry. Our results highlight the potential of DL for long‐term, real‐time microseismic monitoring that can improve enhanced geothermal systems and other activities that include subsurface hydraulic fracturing.
Quantifying Relative Contribution of Submerged Macrophytes to Sedimentary Organic Matter Using Concentrations and δ13C of n‐Alkanes With the Bayesian Multi‐Source Mixing Model: A Case Study From the Yangtze Floodplain
Authors: Zeng Linghan , Huang Xianyu , Yang Deming , Yang Guang , Zhang Yiming , Chen Xu
Published: September 2024

Submerged macrophytes are important indicators of the state of shallow freshwater ecosystems. Reconstruction long‐term changes in submerged macrophytes remains a challenge in paleoecology. Here, the relative biomass (mass weight) of different plants to sedimentary organic matter in a shallow lake in central China was estimated using a Bayesian multi‐source mixing model with concentrations and δ13C of n‐alkanes extracted from surface lake sediments. The spatial distribution of submerged macrophytes biomass estimated by the model correlates with water transparency, water depth, and total nitrogen. The correlation patterns are consistent with previously established patterns of submerged macrophyte growth and water conditions, which supports the utility of the Bayesian approach in shallow freshwater lakes. In comparison, Paq, proportion of mid‐chain length (C23, C25) to long‐chain length (C29, C31) homologs, underestimated the contribution of submerged macrophytes, especially in samples with moderate Paq values (0.3 < Paq < 0.4). On the other hand, some discrepancies between the model output and the satellite imagery estimated macrophyte coverage are present, which suggests that ground‐truthing is needed to further evaluate this approach. Our study demonstrates that the Bayesian mixing model combining the abundance and isotopes of n‐alkanes makes a reasonable estimation of the relative biomass of submerged macrophytes in the sediments. This approach provides new insights into reconstructing long‐term variations in submerged macrophytes for paleoecological studies, which is valuable for the restoration and conservation of shallow freshwater lakes when long‐term limnological monitoring is lacking.
IKKε-deficient macrophages impede cardiac repair after myocardial infarction by enhancing the macrophage–myofibroblast transition
Authors: Cho Hyang Hee , Rhee Siyeon , Cho Dong Im , Jun Ju Hee , Heo HyoJung , Cho Su Han , Kim Dohyup , Wang Mingqiang , Kang Bo Gyeong , Yoo Soo Ji , Cho Meeyoung , Lim Soo yeon , Cho Jae Yeong , Jeong In Seok , Kim Yong Sook , Ahn Youngkeun
Published: September 2024

The regulatory role of the inhibitor of NF-kB kinase ε (IKKε) in postmyocardial infarction (MI) inflammation remains uncertain. Using an MI mouse model, we examined the cardiac outcomes of IKKε knockout (KO) mice and wild-type mice. We employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and phosphorylated protein array techniques to profile cardiac macrophages. IKKε KO mice exhibited compromised survival, heightened inflammation, pronounced cardiac fibrosis, and a reduced ejection fraction. A distinct cardiac macrophage subset in IKKε KO mice exhibited increased fibrotic marker expression and decreased phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) levels, indicating an enhanced macrophage–myofibroblast transition (MMT) post-MI. While cardiac inflammation is crucial for initiating compensatory pathways, the timely resolution of inflammation was impaired in the IKKε KO group, while the MMT in macrophages accelerated post-MI, leading to cardiac failure. Additionally, our study highlighted the potential of 5-azacytidine (5-Aza), known for its anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects, in restoring p-p38 levels in stimulated macrophages. The administration of 5-Aza significantly reduced the MMT in cardiac macrophages from the IKKε KO group. These findings underscore the regulation of the inflammatory response and macrophage transition by the IKKε-p38 axis, indicating that the MMT is a promising therapeutic target for ischemic heart disease.
Live birth and maternity outcome in childhood and adolescent cancer survivors under 18 years at diagnosis: a 40-year population-based cohort study
Authors: Wallace W. H. , Kelsey T. W. , Morrison D. , Anderson R. A.
Published: September 2024

Background

Survival from childhood and adolescent cancer has increased, but the chance of a livebirth in female survivors under 18 years at diagnosis may be reduced.

Methods

We performed a national population-based analysis, including all female cancer survivors diagnosed in Scotland before the age of 18 years between 1981 and 2012. Scottish Cancer Registry records were linked to Scottish maternity records. Females from the exposed group with no pregnancies before cancer diagnosis (n = 2118) were compared with three general population controls matched for age and year of diagnosis.

Findings

The cumulative incidence of a livebirth for all diagnoses was reduced to 37% (95% CI 33–40%) for cancer survivors at 30 years of age vs 58% (57–60%) for controls. The deficit varying by diagnosis: for lymphoid leukaemia, the cumulative incidence at 30 years was 29% (23–36%) vs 57% (52–61%) for controls with similar deficits in CNS tumours and retinoblastoma. There was a steady improvement in the chance of livebirth in those diagnosed more recently.

Interpretation

We have shown a reduced chance of livebirth in female survivors of cancer diagnosed before age 18. The deficit is present for all diagnoses.
CD36-mediated ferroptosis destabilizes CD4+ T cell homeostasis in acute Stanford type-A aortic dissection
Authors: Li Hui , Wang Peng-Fei , Luo Wei , Fu Di , Shen Wei-Yun , Zhang Yan-Ling , Zhao Shuai , Dai Ru-Ping
Published: September 2024

Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a lethal pathological process within the aorta with high mortality and morbidity. T lymphocytes are perturbed and implicated in the clinical outcome of ATAAD, but the exact characteristics of T cell phenotype and its underlying mechanisms in ATAAD remain poorly understood. Here we report that CD4+ T cells from ATAAD patients presented with a hypofunctional phenotype that was correlated with poor outcomes. Whole transcriptome profiles showed that ferroptosis and lipid binding pathways were enriched in CD4+ T cells. Inhibiting ferroptosis or reducing intrinsic reactive oxygen species limited CD4+ T cell dysfunction. Mechanistically, CD36 was elevated in CD4+ T cells, whose blockade effectively alleviated palmitic acid-induced ferroptosis and CD4+ T cell hypofunction. Therefore, targeting the CD36-ferroptosis pathway to restore the functions of CD4+ T cells is a promising therapeutic strategy to improve clinical outcomes in ATAAD patients.
Pervasive heteroplasmy in an invasive ambrosia beetle (Scolytinae) in southern California
Authors: Rugman-Jones Paul F. , Dodge Christine E. , Stouthamer Richard
Published: September 2024

Heteroplasmy, the presence of multiple mitochondrial genotypes (mitotypes) within an individual, has long been thought to be a rare aberrance that is quickly removed by selection or drift. However, heteroplasmy is being reported in natural populations of eukaryotes with increasing frequency, in part due to improved diagnostic methods. Here, we report a seemingly stable heteroplasmic state in California populations of the polyphagous shothole borer (PSHB), Euwallacea fornicatus; an invasive ambrosia beetle that is causing significant tree dieback. We develop and validate a qPCR assay utilizing locked nucleic acid probes to detect different mitotypes, and qualitatively assess heteroplasmy in individual PSHB. We prove the utility of this assay by: (1) mitotyping field-collected PSHB, documenting the prevalence of heteroplasmy across its range in California; and, (2) measuring relative titers of each mitotype across multiple generations of heteroplasmic laboratory colonies to assess the stability of transmission through the maternal germline. We show that our findings are unlikely to be explained by the existence of NUMTs by next generation sequencing of contiguous sections of mitochondrial DNA, where each of the observed heteroplasmic sites are found within fully functional coding regions of mtDNA. Subsequently, we find heteroplasmic individuals are common in Californian field populations, and that heteroplasmy persists for at least 10 generations in experimental colonies. We also looked for evidence of the common occurrence of paternal leakage, but found none. In light of our results, we discuss competing hypotheses as to how heteroplasmy may have arisen, and continues to perpetuate, in Californian PSHB populations.
Adipocyte inflammation is the primary driver of hepatic insulin resistance in a human iPSC-based microphysiological system
Authors: Qi Lin , Groeger Marko , Sharma Aditi , Goswami Ishan , Chen Erzhen , Zhong Fenmiao , Ram Apsara , Healy Kevin , Hsiao Edward C. , Willenbring Holger , Stahl Andreas
Published: September 2024

Interactions between adipose tissue, liver and immune system are at the center of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and type 2 diabetes. To address the need for an accurate in vitro model, we establish an interconnected microphysiological system (MPS) containing white adipocytes, hepatocytes and proinflammatory macrophages derived from isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cells. Using this MPS, we find that increasing the adipocyte-to-hepatocyte ratio moderately affects hepatocyte function, whereas macrophage-induced adipocyte inflammation causes lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and MPS-wide insulin resistance, corresponding to initiation of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. We also use our MPS to identify and characterize pharmacological intervention strategies for hepatic steatosis and systemic insulin resistance and find that the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist semaglutide improves hepatocyte function by acting specifically on adipocytes. These results establish our MPS modeling the adipose tissue-liver axis as an alternative to animal models for mechanistic studies or drug discovery in metabolic diseases.
Virtual birefringence imaging and histological staining of amyloid deposits in label-free tissue using autofluorescence microscopy and deep learning
Authors: Yang Xilin , Bai Bijie , Zhang Yijie , Aydin Musa , Li Yuzhu , Selcuk Sahan Yoruc , Casteleiro Costa Paloma , Guo Zhen , Fishbein Gregory A. , Atlan Karine , Wallace William Dean , Pillar Nir , Ozcan Aydogan
Published: September 2024

Systemic amyloidosis involves the deposition of misfolded proteins in organs/tissues, leading to progressive organ dysfunction and failure. Congo red is the gold-standard chemical stain for visualizing amyloid deposits in tissue, showing birefringence under polarization microscopy. However, Congo red staining is tedious and costly to perform, and prone to false diagnoses due to variations in amyloid amount, staining quality and manual examination of tissue under a polarization microscope. We report virtual birefringence imaging and virtual Congo red staining of label-free human tissue to show that a single neural network can transform autofluorescence images of label-free tissue into brightfield and polarized microscopy images, matching their histochemically stained versions. Blind testing with quantitative metrics and pathologist evaluations on cardiac tissue showed that our virtually stained polarization and brightfield images highlight amyloid patterns in a consistent manner, mitigating challenges due to variations in chemical staining quality and manual imaging processes in the clinical workflow.
Context-aware single-cell multiomics approach identifies cell-type-specific lung cancer susceptibility genes
Authors: Long Erping , Yin Jinhu , Shin Ju Hye , Li Yuyan , Li Bolun , Kane Alexander , Patel Harsh , Sun Xinti , Wang Cong , Luong Thong , Xia Jun , Han Younghun , Byun Jinyoung , Zhang Tongwu , Zhao Wei , Landi Maria Teresa , Rothman Nathaniel , Lan Qing , Chang Yoon Soo , Yu Fulong , Amos Christopher I. , Shi Jianxin , Lee Jin Gu , Kim Eun Young , Choi Jiyeon
Published: September 2024

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified over fifty loci associated with lung cancer risk. However, underlying mechanisms and target genes are largely unknown, as most risk-associated variants might regulate gene expression in a context-specific manner. Here, we generate a barcode-shared transcriptome and chromatin accessibility map of 117,911 human lung cells from age/sex-matched ever- and never-smokers to profile context-specific gene regulation. Identified candidate cis-regulatory elements (cCREs) are largely cell type-specific, with 37% detected in one cell type. Colocalization of lung cancer candidate causal variants (CCVs) with these cCREs combined with transcription factor footprinting prioritize the variants for 68% of the GWAS loci. CCV-colocalization and trait relevance score indicate that epithelial and immune cell categories, including rare cell types, contribute to lung cancer susceptibility the most. A multi-level cCRE-gene linking system identifies candidate susceptibility genes from 57% of the loci, where most loci display cell-category-specific target genes, suggesting context-specific susceptibility gene function.
Highly-stable, injectable, conductive hydrogel for chronic neuromodulation
Authors: Yang Ming , Wang Lufang , Liu Wenliang , Li Wenlong , Huang Yewei , Jin Qiaofeng , Zhang Li , Jiang Yuanwen , Luo Zhiqiang
Published: September 2024

Electroceuticals, through the selective modulation of peripheral nerves near target organs, are promising for treating refractory diseases. However, the small sizes and the delicate nature of these nerves present challenges in simplifying the fixation and stabilizing the electrical-coupling interface for neural electrodes. Herein, we construct a robust neural interface for fine peripheral nerves using an injectable bio-adhesive hydrogel bioelectronics. By incorporating a multifunctional molecular regulator during network formation, we optimize the injectability and conductivity of the hydrogel through fine-tuning reaction kinetics and multi-scale interactions within the conductive network. Meanwhile, the mechanical and electrical stability of the hydrogel is achieved without compromising its injectability. Minimal tissue damage along with low and stable impedance of the injectable neural interface enables chronic vagus neuromodulation for myocardial infarction therapy in the male rat model. Our highly-stable, injectable, conductive hydrogel bioelectronics are readily available to target challenging anatomical locations, paving the way for future precision bioelectronic medicine.
Navigation performance in glaucoma: virtual-reality-based assessment of path integration
Authors: Andac Safa , Stolle Francie H. , Bernard Matthieu , Al-Nosairy Khaldoon O. , Wolbers Thomas , Hoffmann Michael B.
Published: September 2024

Navigation is essential for moving between locations in our daily lives. We investigated the relationship between visual impairment in glaucoma and path-integration-based navigation. Fourteen glaucoma and 15 controls underwent ophthalmological examination (including visual acuity (logMAR), visual field sensitivity (MD: mean deviation from matched reference cohort), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL)). Both groups navigated physically in virtual reality (VR) environments during daylight and dawn conditions. Briefly, the participants traversed a path marked by three targets, subsequently pointing back to the path’s origin. Outcome measures included (i) travel-time, (ii) pointing-time, and (iii) Euclidian-distance error between indicated and starting position. Robust linear regression was conducted between visual function outcomes of the better eye and VR outcome measures. Glaucoma patients showed increase in travel-time (by 8.2 ± 1.7 s; p = 0.002) and in pointing-time (by 5.3 ± 1.6 s; p = 0.016). Predictors were MD for all outcome measures (p < 0.01) and pRNFL for travel-time (p < 0.01). The results suggest that the effect of glaucoma on the elapsed time depends on disease progression, i.e. people with stronger visual impairment need more time. This uncertainty during everyday navigation tasks may adversely affect their quality of life.