bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A method to estimate the contribution of rare coding variants to complex trait heritability
Authors: Pathan Nazia , Deng Wei Q. , Di Scipio Matteo , Khan Mohammad , Mao Shihong , Morton Robert W. , Lali Ricky , Pigeyre Marie , Chong Michael R. , Paré Guillaume
Published: February 2024

It has been postulated that rare coding variants (RVs; MAF < 0.01) contribute to the “missing” heritability of complex traits. We developed a framework, the Rare variant heritability (RARity) estimator, to assess RV heritability (h2RV) without assuming a particular genetic architecture. We applied RARity to 31 complex traits in the UK Biobank (n = 167,348) and showed that gene-level RV aggregation suffers from 79% (95% CI: 68-93%) loss of h2RV. Using unaggregated variants, 27 traits had h2RV > 5%, with height having the highest h2RV at 21.9% (95% CI: 19.0-24.8%). The total heritability, including common and rare variants, recovered pedigree-based estimates for 11 traits. RARity can estimate gene-level h2RV, enabling the assessment of gene-level characteristics and revealing 11, previously unreported, gene-phenotype relationships. Finally, we demonstrated that in silico pathogenicity prediction (variant-level) and gene-level annotations do not generally enrich for RVs that over-contribute to complex trait variance, and thus, innovative methods are needed to predict RV functionality.
Mechanistic characterization of a Drosophila model of paraneoplastic nephrotic syndrome
Authors: Xu Jun , Liu Ying , Yang Fangying , Cao Yurou , Chen Weihang , Li Joshua Shing Shun , Zhang Shuai , Comjean Aram , Hu Yanhui , Perrimon Norbert
Published: February 2024

Paraneoplastic syndromes occur in cancer patients and originate from dysfunction of organs at a distance from the tumor or its metastasis. A wide range of organs can be affected in paraneoplastic syndromes; however, the pathological mechanisms by which tumors influence host organs are poorly understood. Recent studies in the fly uncovered that tumor secreted factors target host organs, leading to pathological effects. In this study, using a Drosophila gut tumor model, we characterize a mechanism of tumor-induced kidney dysfunction. Specifically, we find that Pvf1, a PDGF/VEGF signaling ligand, secreted by gut tumors activates the PvR/JNK/Jra signaling pathway in the principal cells of the kidney, leading to mis-expression of renal genes and paraneoplastic renal syndrome-like phenotypes. Our study describes an important mechanism by which gut tumors perturb the function of the kidney, which might be of clinical relevance for the treatment of paraneoplastic syndromes.
Acidic media enables oxygen-tolerant electrosynthesis of multicarbon products from simulated flue gas
Authors: Wang Meng , Wang Bingqing , Zhang Jiguang , Xi Shibo , Ling Ning , Mi Ziyu , Yang Qin , Zhang Mingsheng , Leow Wan Ru , Zhang Jia , Lum Yanwei
Published: February 2024

Renewable electricity powered electrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2R) offers a valuable method to close the carbon cycle and reduce our overreliance on fossil fuels. However, high purity CO2 is usually required as feedstock, which potentially decreases the feasibility and economic viability of the process. Direct conversion of flue gas is an attractive option but is challenging due to the low CO2 concentration and the presence of O2 impurities. As a result, up to 99% of the applied current can be lost towards the undesired oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Here, we show that acidic electrolyte can significantly suppress ORR on Cu, enabling generation of multicarbon products from simulated flue gas. Using a composite Cu and carbon supported single-atom Ni tandem electrocatalyst, we achieved a multicarbon Faradaic efficiency of 46.5% at 200 mA cm-2, which is ~20 times higher than bare Cu under alkaline conditions. We also demonstrate stable performance for 24 h with a multicarbon product full-cell energy efficiency of 14.6%. Strikingly, this result is comparable to previously reported acidic CO2R systems using pure CO2. Our findings demonstrate a potential pathway towards designing efficient electrolyzers for direct conversion of flue gas to value-added chemicals and fuels.
Reaction engineering blocks ether cleavage for synthesizing chiral cyclic hemiacetals catalyzed by unspecific peroxygenase
Authors: Han Xiaofeng , Chen Fuqiang , Li Huanhuan , Ge Ran , Shen Qianqian , Duan Peigao , Sheng Xiang , Zhang Wuyuan
Published: February 2024

Hemiacetal compounds are valuable building blocks in synthetic chemistry, but their enzymatic synthesis is limited and often hindered by the instability of hemiacetals in aqueous environments. Here, we show that this challenge can be addressed through reaction engineering by using immobilized peroxygenase from Agrocybe aegerita (AaeUPO) under neat reaction conditions, which allows for the selective C-H bond oxyfunctionalization of environmentally significant cyclic ethers to cyclic hemiacetals. A wide range of chiral cyclic hemiacetal products are prepared in >99% enantiomeric excess and 95170 turnover numbers of AaeUPO. Furthermore, by changing the reaction medium from pure organic solvent to alkaline aqueous conditions, cyclic hemiacetals are in situ transformed into lactones. Lactams are obtained under the applied conditions, albeit with low enzyme activity. These findings showcase the synthetic potential of AaeUPO and offer a practical enzymatic approach to produce chiral cyclic hemiacetals through C-H oxyfunctionalization under mild conditions.
Phosphorylation of Arabidopsis UVR8 photoreceptor modulates protein interactions and responses to UV-B radiation
Authors: Liu Wei , Giuriani Giovanni , Havlikova Anezka , Li Dezhi , Lamont Douglas J. , Neugart Susanne , Velanis Christos N. , Petersen Jan , Hoecker Ute , Christie John M. , Jenkins Gareth I.
Published: February 2024

Exposure of plants to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation initiates transcriptional responses that modify metabolism, physiology and development to enhance viability in sunlight. Many of these regulatory responses to UV-B radiation are mediated by the photoreceptor UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8). Following photoreception, UVR8 interacts directly with multiple proteins to regulate gene expression, but the mechanisms that control differential protein binding to initiate distinct responses are unknown. Here we show that UVR8 is phosphorylated at several sites and that UV-B stimulates phosphorylation at Serine 402. Site-directed mutagenesis to mimic Serine 402 phosphorylation promotes binding of UVR8 to REPRESSOR OF UV-B PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS (RUP) proteins, which negatively regulate UVR8 action. Complementation of the uvr8 mutant with phosphonull or phosphomimetic variants suggests that phosphorylation of Serine 402 modifies UVR8 activity and promotes flavonoid biosynthesis, a key UV-B-stimulated response that enhances plant protection and crop nutritional quality. This research provides a basis to understand how UVR8 interacts differentially with effector proteins to regulate plant responses to UV-B radiation.
Large-area, untethered, metamorphic, and omnidirectionally stretchable multiplexing self-powered triboelectric skins
Authors: Shao Beibei , Lu Ming-Han , Wu Tai-Chen , Peng Wei-Chen , Ko Tien-Yu , Hsiao Yung-Chi , Chen Jiann-Yeu , Sun Baoquan , Liu Ruiyuan , Lai Ying-Chih
Published: February 2024

Large-area metamorphic stretchable sensor networks are desirable in haptic sensing and next-generation electronics. Triboelectric nanogenerator-based self-powered tactile sensors in single-electrode mode constitute one of the best solutions with ideal attributes. However, their large-area multiplexing utilizations are restricted by severe misrecognition between sensing nodes and high-density internal circuits. Here, we provide an electrical signal shielding strategy delivering a large-area multiplexing self-powered untethered triboelectric electronic skin (UTE-skin) with an ultralow misrecognition rate (0.20%). An omnidirectionally stretchable carbon black-Ecoflex composite-based shielding layer is developed to effectively attenuate electrostatic interference from wirings, guaranteeing low-level noise in sensing matrices. UTE-skin operates reliably under 100% uniaxial, 100% biaxial, and 400% isotropic strains, achieving high-quality pressure imaging and multi-touch real-time visualization. Smart gloves for tactile recognition, intelligent insoles for gait analysis, and deformable human-machine interfaces are demonstrated. This work signifies a substantial breakthrough in haptic sensing, offering solutions for the previously challenging issue of large-area multiplexing sensing arrays.
A radius valley between migrated steam worlds and evaporated rocky cores
Authors: Burn Remo , Mordasini Christoph , Mishra Lokesh , Haldemann Jonas , Venturini Julia , Emsenhuber Alexandre , Henning Thomas
Published: February 2024

The radius valley (or gap) in the observed distribution of exoplanet radii, which separates smaller super-Earths from larger sub-Neptunes, is a key feature that theoretical models must explain. Conventionally, it is interpreted as the result of the loss of primordial hydrogen and helium (H/He) envelopes atop rocky cores. However, planet formation models predict that water-rich planets migrate from cold regions outside the snowline towards the star. Assuming water to be in the form of solid ice in their interior, many of these planets would be located in the radius gap contradicting observations. Here we use an advanced coupled formation and evolution model that describes the planets’ growth and evolution starting from solid, moon-sized bodies in the protoplanetary disk to mature Gyr-old planetary systems. Employing new equations of state and interior structure models to treat water as vapour mixed with H/He, we naturally reproduce the valley at the observed location. The model results demonstrate that the observed radius valley can be interpreted as the separation of less massive, rocky super-Earths formed in situ from more massive, ex situ, water-rich sub-Neptunes. Furthermore, the occurrence drop at larger radii, the so-called radius cliff, is matched by planets with water-dominated envelopes. Our statistical approach shows that the synthetic distribution of radii quantitatively agrees with observations for close-in planets, but only if low-mass planets initially containing H/He lose their atmosphere due to photoevaporation, which populates the super-Earth peak with evaporated rocky cores. Therefore, we provide a hybrid theoretical explanation of the radius gap and cliff caused by both planet formation (orbital migration) as well as evolution (atmospheric escape).
Newly formed dust within the circumstellar environment of SN Ia-CSM 2018evt
Authors: Wang王 Lingzhi 灵芝 , Hu Maokai , Wang Lifan , Yang 杨 Yi 轶 , Yang Jiawen , Gomez Haley , Chen Sijie , Hu Lei , Chen Ting-Wan , Mo Jun , Wang Xiaofeng , Baade Dietrich , Hoeflich Peter , Wheeler J. Craig , Pignata Giuliano , Burke Jamison , Hiramatsu Daichi , Howell D. Andrew , McCully Curtis , Pellegrino Craig , Galbany Lluís , Hsiao Eric Y. , Sand David J. , Zhang Jujia , Uddin Syed A. , Anderson J. P. , Ashall Chris , Cheng Cheng , Gromadzki Mariusz , Inserra Cosimo , Lin Han , Morrell N. , Morales-Garoffolo Antonia , Müller-Bravo T. E. , Nicholl Matt , Gonzalez Estefania Padilla , Phillips M. M. , Pineda-García J. , Sai Hanna , Smith Mathew , Shahbandeh M. , Srivastav Shubham , Stritzinger M. D. , Yang Sheng , Young D. R. , Yu Lixin , Zhang Xinghan
Published: February 2024

Dust associated with various stellar sources in galaxies at all cosmic epochs remains a controversial topic, particularly whether supernovae play an important role in dust production. We report evidence of dust formation in the cold, dense shell behind the ejecta–circumstellar medium (CSM) interaction in the Type Ia-CSM supernova (SN) 2018evt three years after the explosion, characterized by a rise in mid-infrared emission accompanied by an accelerated decline in the optical radiation of the SN. Such a dust-formation picture is also corroborated by the concurrent evolution of the profiles of the Hα emission line. Our model suggests enhanced CSM dust concentration at increasing distances from the SN as compared to what can be expected from the density profile of the mass loss from a steady stellar wind. By the time of the last mid-infrared observations at day +1,041, a total amount of 1.2 ± 0.2 × 10−2 M⊙ of new dust has been formed by SN 2018evt, making SN 2018evt one of the most prolific dust factories among supernovae with evidence of dust formation. The unprecedented witness of the intense production procedure of dust may shed light on the perceptions of dust formation in cosmic history.
VertXNet: an ensemble method for vertebral body segmentation and identification from cervical and lumbar spinal X-rays
Authors: Chen Yao , Mo Yuanhan , Readie Aimee , Ligozio Gregory , Mandal Indrajeet , Jabbar Faiz , Coroller Thibaud , Papież Bartłomiej W.
Published: February 2024

Accurate annotation of vertebral bodies is crucial for automating the analysis of spinal X-ray images. However, manual annotation of these structures is a laborious and costly process due to their complex nature, including small sizes and varying shapes. To address this challenge and expedite the annotation process, we propose an ensemble pipeline called VertXNet. This pipeline currently combines two segmentation mechanisms, semantic segmentation using U-Net, and instance segmentation using Mask R-CNN, to automatically segment and label vertebral bodies in lateral cervical and lumbar spinal X-ray images. VertXNet enhances its effectiveness by adopting a rule-based strategy (termed the ensemble rule) for effectively combining segmentation outcomes from U-Net and Mask R-CNN. It determines vertebral body labels by recognizing specific reference vertebral instances, such as cervical vertebra 2 (‘C2’) in cervical spine X-rays and sacral vertebra 1 (‘S1’) in lumbar spine X-rays. Those references are commonly relatively easy to identify at the edge of the spine. To assess the performance of our proposed pipeline, we conducted evaluations on three spinal X-ray datasets, including two in-house datasets and one publicly available dataset. The ground truth annotations were provided by radiologists for comparison. Our experimental results have shown that the proposed pipeline outperformed two state-of-the-art (SOTA) segmentation models on our test dataset with a mean Dice of 0.90, vs. a mean Dice of 0.73 for Mask R-CNN and 0.72 for U-Net. We also demonstrated that VertXNet is a modular pipeline that enables using other SOTA model, like nnU-Net to further improve its performance. Furthermore, to evaluate the generalization ability of VertXNet on spinal X-rays, we directly tested the pre-trained pipeline on two additional datasets. A consistently strong performance was observed, with mean Dice coefficients of 0.89 and 0.88, respectively. In summary, VertXNet demonstrated significantly improved performance in vertebral body segmentation and labeling for spinal X-ray imaging. Its robustness and generalization were presented through the evaluation of both in-house clinical trial data and publicly available datasets.
Study of summer microclimate and PM2.5 concentration in campus plant communities
Authors: Jiang Yuan , Liu Congzhe , Wen Chenjie , Long Yuelin
Published: February 2024

Understanding the influencing effect of meteorological factors and air pollutants in the campus plot and the relationship between them is an important topic in the planning and design of campus green space. The changes of pollutant concentrations and meteorological factors in campus green space have certain patterns and specific influencing factors. In this study, we selected four sample plots in Nanjing Forestry University as the research objects, and collected various environmental parameters of the four plots on July 25, 2022. The results showed that the main influences of meteorological factors are the type of the underlying surface of the site, the degree of plant canopy density and the shade coverage area of the building. These factors mainly have a great influence on the value of temperature and humidity. The comprehensive influencing factors can be concluded that the cooling and humidifying effect of the site is ranked as follows: forest > lawn > asphalt road > concrete Square. The main influencing factors of pollutants are: illumination, wind speed, temperature and relative humidity. Among them, illumination and temperature have a negative correlation with PM2.5, wind speed and relative humidity have a positive correlation with PM2.5. Our research shows that the adjustment of campus green space factors can reduce the concentration of pollutants by changing the meteorological factors.
Allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell implantation versus microdrilling combined with high tibial osteotomy for cartilage regeneration
Authors: Jung Se-Han , Nam Bum-Joon , Choi Chong-Hyuk , Kim Sungjun , Jung Min , Chung Kwangho , Park Jisoo , Jung Youngsu , Kim Sung-Hwan
Published: February 2024

This study compared cartilage regeneration outcomes in knee osteoarthritis (OA) using allogeneic human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hUCB-MSC) implantation and microdrilling with high tibial osteotomy (HTO). Fifty-four patients (60 knees) were included: 24 (27 knees) in the hUCB-MSC group and 30 (33 knees) in the microdrilling group. Both groups showed significant improvements in pain and functional scores at 6, 12, and 24 months compared to baseline. At 24 months, the hUCB-MSC group had significantly improved scores. Arthroscopic assessment at 12 months revealed better cartilage healing in the hUCB-MSC group. In subgroup analysis according to the defect site, hUCB-MSC implantation showed superior cartilage healing for anterior lesions. In conclusion, both treatments demonstrated effectiveness for medial OA. However, hUCB-MSC implantation had better patient-reported outcomes and cartilage regeneration than microdrilling. The study suggests promising approaches for cartilage restoration in large knee defects due to OA.
Viewing angle, skill level and task representativeness affect response times in basketball defence
Authors: Vater Christian
Published: February 2024

In basketball defence, it is impossible to keep track of all players without peripheral vision. This is the first study to investigate peripheral vision usage in an experimentally controlled setup, with sport-specific basketball stimuli from a first-person perspective, large viewing eccentricities (up to 90° to the left and right), and natural action responses. A CAVE and a motion-tracking system was used to project the scenarios and capture movement responses of high- and low-skilled basketball players, respectively. Four video conditions were created: (1) a simple reaction time task without crowding (only attackers), (2) a simple reaction time task with crowding (with attackers and defenders), (3) a choice-reaction time task where the player cutting to the basket eventually passed the ball to another player and (4) a game simulation. The results indicated eccentricity effects in all tests, a crowding effect in condition 2, and expertise differences in conditions 3 and 4 only. These findings suggest that viewing eccentricity has an impact on response times, that crowding is a limiting factor for peripheral perception in sports games, and that high-skilled but not low-skilled players can compensate for eccentricity effects in real game situations, indicating their superior positioning and perceptual strategies.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Enhancing MPPT performance for partially shaded photovoltaic arrays through backstepping control with Genetic Algorithm-optimized gains
Authors: Naoussi Serge Raoul Dzonde , Saatong Kenfack Tsobze , Molu Reagan Jean Jacques , Mbasso Wulfran Fendzi , Bajaj Mohit , Louzazni Mohamed , Berhanu Milkias , Kamel Salah
Published: February 2024

As the significance and complexity of solar panel performance, particularly at their maximum power point (MPP), continue to grow, there is a demand for improved monitoring systems. The presence of variable weather conditions in Maroua, including potential partial shadowing caused by cloud cover or urban buildings, poses challenges to the efficiency of solar systems. This study introduces a new approach to tracking the Global Maximum Power Point (GMPP) in photovoltaic systems within the context of solar research conducted in Cameroon. The system utilizes Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Backstepping Controller (BSC) methodologies. The Backstepping Controller (BSC) dynamically adjusts the duty cycle of the Single Ended Primary Inductor Converter (SEPIC) to align with the reference voltage of the Genetic Algorithm (GA) in Maroua’s dynamic environment. This environment, characterized by intermittent sunlight and the impact of local factors and urban shadowing, affects the production of energy. The Genetic Algorithm is employed to enhance the efficiency of BSC gains in Maroua’s solar environment. This optimization technique expedites the tracking process and minimizes oscillations in the GMPP. The adaptability of the learning algorithm to specific conditions improves energy generation, even in the challenging environment of Maroua. This study introduces a novel approach to enhance the efficiency of photovoltaic systems in Maroua, Cameroon, by tailoring them to the specific solar dynamics of the region. In terms of performance, our approach surpasses the INC-BSC, P&O-BSC, GA-BSC, and PSO-BSC methodologies. In practice, the stabilization period following shadowing typically requires fewer than three iterations. Additionally, our Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technology is based on the Global Maximum Power Point (GMPP) methodology, contrasting with alternative technologies that prioritize the Local Maximum Power Point (LMPP). This differentiation is particularly relevant in areas with partial shading, such as Maroua, where the use of LMPP-based technologies can result in power losses. The proposed method demonstrates significant performance by achieving a minimum 33% reduction in power losses.
Skin-effect-mediated magnetoionic control of charge transport in thick layers
Authors: Barough V. , Jamilpanah L. , Zare M. , Ghanaatshoar M. , Mohseni S. M.
Published: February 2024

In the rapidly developing area of magnetoionics (MI), which combines electrochemistry and magnetism, changes in the surface chemistry of magnetic materials in response to gate voltages cause dramatic modifications in the magnetic characteristics, resulting in low power-consuming charge transport tuning. Due to the surficial character, only magnetic thin films have been addressed for the MI effect’s role in controlling charge transfer. Here, we show how it can be used to regulate the transit of charges in bulk magnetic materials. This is accomplished by combining high-permeability magnetic materials with a high-frequency passing current, allowing the skin effect and the MI effect to control the magnetic materials’ impedance due to the impedance’s high sensitivity to magnetic permeability. Our in-situ impedance measurement and magneto-optical characterization show the role of redox reactions at the surface in controlling impedance in magnetic materials. This research paves the way for using the MI effect in high-permeability bulk magnetic materials.
The parieto-occipital cortex is a candidate neural substrate for the human ability to approximate Bayesian inference
Authors: Singletary Nicholas M. , Gottlieb Jacqueline , Horga Guillermo
Published: February 2024

Adaptive decision-making often requires one to infer unobservable states based on incomplete information. Bayesian logic prescribes that individuals should do so by estimating the posterior probability by integrating the prior probability with new information, but the neural basis of this integration is incompletely understood. We record fMRI during a task in which participants infer the posterior probability of a hidden state while we independently modulate the prior probability and likelihood of evidence regarding the state; the task incentivizes participants to make accurate inferences and dissociates expected value from posterior probability. Here we show that activation in a region of left parieto-occipital cortex independently tracks the subjective posterior probability, combining its subcomponents of prior probability and evidence likelihood, and reflecting the individual participants’ systematic deviations from objective probabilities. The parieto-occipital cortex is thus a candidate neural substrate for humans’ ability to approximate Bayesian inference by integrating prior beliefs with new information.
Snowprint: a predictive tool for genetic biosensor discovery
Authors: d’Oelsnitz Simon , Stofel Sarah K. , Love Joshua D. , Ellington Andrew D.
Published: February 2024

Bioengineers increasingly rely on ligand-inducible transcription regulators for chemical-responsive control of gene expression, yet the number of regulators available is limited. Novel regulators can be mined from genomes, but an inadequate understanding of their DNA specificity complicates genetic design. Here we present Snowprint, a simple yet powerful bioinformatic tool for predicting regulator:operator interactions. Benchmarking results demonstrate that Snowprint predictions are significantly similar for >45% of experimentally validated regulator:operator pairs from organisms across nine phyla and for regulators that span five distinct structural families. We then use Snowprint to design promoters for 33 previously uncharacterized regulators sourced from diverse phylogenies, of which 28 are shown to influence gene expression and 24 produce a >20-fold dynamic range. A panel of the newly repurposed regulators are then screened for response to biomanufacturing-relevant compounds, yielding new sensors for a polyketide (olivetolic acid), terpene (geraniol), steroid (ursodiol), and alkaloid (tetrahydropapaverine) with induction ratios up to 10.7-fold. Snowprint represents a unique, protein-agnostic tool that greatly facilitates the discovery of ligand-inducible transcriptional regulators for bioengineering applications. A web-accessible version of Snowprint is available at https://snowprint.groov.bio.
Spatial functional mapping of hypoxia inducible factor heterodimerisation and immune checkpoint regulators in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Safrygina Elena , Applebee Christopher , McIntyre Alan , Padget Julian , Larijani Banafshé
Published: February 2024

Background

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a highly malignant subtype of kidney cancer. Ninety percent of ccRCC have inactivating mutations of VHL that stabilise transcription factors, HIF1α and HIF2α, only stabilised in hypoxia. The varied response to HIF2 inhibition, in the preclinical and clinical settings, suggests that assessment of HIF2α activation state, not just expression levels is required as a biomarker of sensitivity to enable optimal clinical use.

Methods

Two-site amplified time-resolved Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (aiFRET), with FRET-Efficiency, $$Ef$$
E
f
, as its read out, provides functional proteomics quantification, a precise step forward from protein expression as a tool for patient stratification.

To enhance the clinical accessibility of $$Ef$$
E
f
, we have devised a new computational approach, Functional Oncology map (FuncOmap).

Results

FuncOmap directly maps functional states of oncoproteins and allows functional states quantification at an enhanced spatial resolution. The innovative contributions in FuncOmap are the means to co-analyse and map expressional and functional state images and the enhancement of spatial resolution to facilitate clinical application. We show the spatial interactive states HIF2α and HIF1β in ccRCC patient samples.

Conclusion

FuncOmap can be used to quantify heterogeneity in patient response and improve accurate patient stratification, thus enhancing the power of precision.
Advances in solar-driven, electro/photoelectrochemical, and microwave-assisted upcycling of waste polyesters
Authors: Lou Xiangxi , Liu Fangyue , Li Qingye , Chu Mingyu , Wang Guiling , Chen Jinxing , Cao Muhan
Published: February 2024

This Feature Article systematically elaborates on various emerging technologies for the upcycling of polyesters, while also anticipating future development directions.
Electronic and optical properties of core–shell InAlN nanorods: a comparative study via LDA, LDA-1/2, mBJ, HSE06, G0W0 and BSE methods
Authors: Pela Ronaldo Rodrigues , Hsiao Ching-Lien , Hultman Lars , Birch Jens , Gueorguiev Gueorgui Kostov
Published: February 2024

The DFT-based approaches LDA-1/2, mBJ, and HSE06 are valuable tools for investigating the electronic and optical properties of core–shell InAlN nanorods. They can approximate the state-of-the-art methods GW and BSE with much lower computational cost.
Ni clusters immobilized on oxygen-rich siloxene nanosheets for efficient electrocatalytic oxygen reduction toward H2O2 synthesis
Authors: Hu Haihui , Ma Ke , Yang Yuandong , Jin Na , Zhang Linjie , Qian Jinjie , Han Lili
Published: February 2024

Nickel cluster-immobilized siloxene nanosheets demonstrate a remarkable H2O2 selectivity exceeding 95% across a wide potential range in alkaline oxygen reduction electrolysis.
Ferrocene-labelled surfactants enhance the supercapacitor performance in PANI-PSS/nanocarbon layer-by-layer nanoarchitectonics electrodes
Authors: Mártire Ana Paula , Fenoy Gonzalo E. , Azzaroni Omar , Rafti Matías , Marmisollé Waldemar A.
Published: February 2024

We introduce a neutral-aqueous supercapacitor material, leveraging PANI, carbon nanomaterials, and a redox-active surfactant. The hybrid coatings exhibit enhanced electrochemical capacitance, demonstrating potential for secure energy storage.
A heparan sulfate proteoglycan-mimicking AIE fluorescent probe for SARS-CoV-2 detection
Authors: Liu Fang , Huang Yue , Li Yutong , Chen Yongcheng , Jin Qiao , Ji Jian
Published: February 2024

A heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG)-mimicking fluorescent probe, tetrasulfonated tetraphenylethene (TPES), with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics is developed for fast SARS-CoV-2 detection.
Solid-state photochromic properties of indole thiosemicarbazones with aggregation-induced emission
Authors: Cao Ying , Che Yuanyuan , Liu Lang , Tang Yakun , Yu Yuming
Published: February 2024

Four indole thiosemicarbazones have solid-state photochromism and AIE properties. Based on the single crystal structure, FT-IR spectra and theoretical calculations, the structure–activity relationship and the photochromic mechanism were revealed.
POPs to COFs by post-modification: CO2 chemisorption and dissolution
Authors: Aladwan Ayham A. , Qaroush Abdussalam K. , Eftaiha Ala'a F. , Hammad Suhad B. , Al-Qaisi Feda M. , Assaf Khaleel I. , Repo Timo
Published: February 2024

Post-modification of POPs was done in the presence of ethylenediamine (EDA) and monoethanolamine (MEA). Complete dissolution of MEA-based POP (M-POP) was facilitated by DBU and atmospheric H2O/CO2. While EDA-based COF (E-COF) chemisorbed CO2.
Crystalline porous materials in perovskite solar cells: a mutually beneficial marriage
Authors: Li Chi , Gao Peng
Published: February 2024

Utilization of CPMs across diverse functional layers within Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs) are systematically classified and analyzed. We scrutinize the correlation between the incorporation of CPMs and the resulting performance of PSC devices.
Hydrogen-bonded organic framework-derived, flower-on-fiber-like, carbon nanofiber electrodes for supercapacitors
Authors: Mun Woo Jin , Kim Bomi , Moon Seung Jae , Kim Jong Hak
Published: February 2024

Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are a new type of porous material and have great potential as electrode material precursors because of their high porosity.
H2O2-triggered controllable carbon monoxide delivery for photothermally augmented gas therapy
Authors: Chang Kaiwen , Sun Xiaolin , Fu Mingying , Han Bing , Jiang Xiaopeng , Qi Qiaofang , Zhang Yang , Ni Tianjun , Ge Chunpo , Yang Zhijun
Published: February 2024

Nanotheranostics (IN-DPPCO NPs) based on a conjugated polymer IN-DPP and a carbon monoxide (CO) carrier polymer mPEG(CO) are reported for H2O2-triggered controllable carbon monoxide delivery for photothermal augmented gas therapy.
Unusual cysteine modifications in natural product biosynthesis
Authors: Gao Yaojie , Zhu Yuhao , Awakawa Takayoshi , Abe Ikuro
Published: February 2024

l-Cysteine metabolism is one of the most important modifications not only in human metabolism but also in cysteine-derived natural products. This review focuses on the catalytic mechanisms of metalloenzymes involved in unusual cysteine modifications.
Oxygen vacancies of NiMoO4 nanoneedles on Ni foam for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors
Authors: Xu Ruixiang , Zhang Limei , Ji Zhengyang , Liu Ying , Guo Rui , Jiang Yi
Published: February 2024

Although bimetallic oxide electrodes have excellent physical and chemical properties, as well as a high theoretical capacity, their current low energy density and poor cycling stability restrict their application in supercapacitors (SCs).
Simultaneous enhancement of piezoelectric properties and Curie temperature in BiFeO3–BaTiO3 lead-free ferroelectrics via simple B-site modification
Authors: Chen Jinyu , Chen Chao , Jiang Fulan , Zhao Chong , Tu Na , Chen Yunjing , Nie Xin , Huang Xiaokun , Jiang Xiangping
Published: February 2024

The simultaneous enhancement of d33 and Tc was achieved in BF–BT by simple B-site doping.
Epigenetic changes induced by parasitic worms and their excretory-secretory products
Authors: Harnett William , Harnett Margaret M.
Published: February 2024

Parasitic worms are pathogens of major medical and veterinary importance. They have evolved highly effective and sophisticated strategies of immune system manipulation, typically involving actively excreted/secreted (E–S) products. These molecules dampen and regulate the host immune responses that would otherwise result in parasite expulsion, thereby enabling the worms to survive in the host for many years, and they can also help prevent the potentially serious tissue damage that the worms can induce. Reflecting these E–S product-associated anti-inflammatory activities, there is also increasing evidence that parasitic worms and their products may serendipitously protect against allergic and autoimmune conditions and in addition, comorbidities of ageing that are associated with inflammatory responses, like type 2 diabetes and obesity. Research in this area has to date generally focused on identifying the cellular and effector targets of immunomodulation induced by the worm E–S products. However, increasing evidence that they can induce stably imprinted phenotypes of haematopoietic and stromal cells which promote their long-lasting survival has recently ignited interest in the ability of the molecules to epigenetically rewire cells to ‘resolve and repair’ phenotypes. Here, we review and discuss these new data in the context of their potential for exploitation in identifying novel gene signatures for the development of advanced and safe therapeutics for chronic inflammatory diseases.
CRISPR-controlled proteases
Authors: van Beljouw Sam P. B. , Brouns Stan J. J.
Published: February 2024

With the discovery of CRISPR-controlled proteases, CRISPR–Cas has moved beyond mere nucleic acid targeting into the territory of targeted protein cleavage. Here, we review the understanding of Craspase, the best-studied member of the growing CRISPR RNA-guided protease family. We recollect the original bioinformatic prediction and early experimental characterizations; evaluate some of the mechanistic structural intricacies and emerging biotechnology; discuss open questions and unexplained mysteries; and indicate future directions for the rapidly moving field of the CRISPR proteases.
An Approach to Explaining Formants
Authors: Story Brad H.
Published: February 2024

Purpose:

This tutorial is a description of a possible approach to teaching the concept of formants to students in a speech science course, at either the undergraduate or graduate level. The approach is to explain formants as prominent regions of energy in the output spectrum envelope radiated at the lips, and how they arise as the superposition of vocal tract resonances on a source signal. Standing waves associated with vocal tract resonances are briefly explained and standing wave animations are provided. Animations of the temporal variation of the vocal tract, vocal tract resonances, spectra, and spectrograms, along with audio samples are included to provide dynamic demonstrations of the concept of formants.

Conclusions:

The explanations, accompanying demonstrations, and suggested activities are intended to provide a launching point for understanding formants and how they can be measured, analyzed, and interpreted. As a result, participants should be able to describe the meaning of the term “formant” as it relates to a spectrum and a spectrogram, explain the difference between formants and vocal tract resonances, explain how vocal tract resonances combined with the voice source generate formants, and identify formants in both narrow-band and wide-band spectrograms and track their time-varying patterns with a formant tracking algorithm.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25168202
Using multiobjective optimization to reconstruct interferometric data
Authors: Mus Alejandro , Müller Hendrik , Martí-Vidal Ivan , Lobanov Andrei
Published: February 2024

Context. In very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), signals recorded at multiple antennas are combined to form a sparsely sampled virtual aperture with an effective diameter set by the largest separation between the antennas. Due to the sparsity of the sampled aperture, VLBI imaging constitutes an ill-posed inverse problem. Various algorithms have been employed to deal with the VLBI imaging, including the recently proposed multiobjective evolutionary algorithm by decomposition (MOEA/D) described in the first paper of this series.

Aims. Among the approaches to the reconstruction of the image features in total intensity from sparsely sampled visibilities, extensions to the polarimetric and the temporal domain are of great interest for the VLBI community in general and the Event Horizon Telescope Collabroration (EHTC) in particular. Based on the success of MOEA/D in presenting an alternative claim of the image structure in a unique, fast, and largely unsupervised way, we study the extension of MOEA/D to polarimetric and time dynamic reconstructions in this paper.

Methods. To this end, we utilized the multiobjective, evolutionary framework introduced for MOEA/D, but added the various penalty terms specific to total intensity imaging time-variable and polarimetric variants, respectively. We computed the Pareto front (the sample of all non-dominated solutions) and identified clusters of close proximities.

Results. We tested MOEA/D with synthetic data sets that are representative for the main science targets and instrumental configuration of the EHTC and its possible successors. We successfully recovered the polarimetric and time-dynamic signature of the ground truth movie (even with relative sparsity) and a set of realistic data corruptions.

Conclusions. MOEA/D has been successfully extended to polarimetric and time-dynamic reconstructions and, specifically, in a setting that would be expected for the EHTC. It offers a unique alternative and independent claim to the already existing methods, along with a number of additional benefits, namely: it is the first method that effectively explores the problem globally and compared to regularized maximum likelihood (RML) methods. Thus, it waives the need for parameter surveys. Hence, MOEA/D is a novel, useful tool to characterize the polarimetric and dynamic signatures in a VLBI data set robustly with a minimal set of user-based choices. In a consecutive work, we will address the last remaining limitation for MOEA/D (the number of pixels and numerical performance), so that MOEA/D can firmly solidify its place within the VLBI data reduction pipeline.
Probing the physical properties of the intergalactic medium using SRG/eROSITA spectra from blazars
Authors: Gatuzz E. , Wilms J. , Hämmerich S. , Arcodia R.
Published: February 2024

Most baryonic matter resides in the intergalactic medium (IGM). This diffuse gas is primarily composed of ionized hydrogen and helium and fills the space between galaxies. Observations of this environment are crucial for better understanding the physical processes in it. We present an analysis of the IGM absorption using blazar spectra from the first eROSITA all-sky survey (eRASS1) performed onboard of the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma mission (SRG) and XMM-Newton X-ray observations. First, we fit the continuum spectra using a log-parabolic spectrum model and fixed the Galactic absorption. Then, we included a collisional ionization equilibrium model, namely IONeq, to account for the IGM absorption. The column density N(H) and metallicity (Z) were set as free parameters. At the same time, the redshift of the absorber was fixed to half the blazar redshift as an approximation of the full line-of-sight absorber. We measured IGM-N(H) for 147 sources for SRG and 10 sources for XMM-Newton. We found a clear trend between IGM-N(H) and the blazar redshifts that scales as (1 + z)1.63 ± 0.12. The mean hydrogen density at z = 0 is n0 = (2.75 ± 0.63)×10−7 cm−3. The mean temperature over the redshift range is log(T/K) = 5.6 ± 0.6, and the mean metallicity is Z = 0.16 ± 0.09. We found no acceptable fit using a power-law model for the temperatures or metallicities as a function of the redshift. These results indicate that the IGM contributes substantially to the total absorption seen in the blazar spectra.
A GIS based approach for assessing water body change in a mountain wetland: Case of Dayet Awwa, Morocco
Authors: Abdenour Assia , Sinan Mohamed , Lekhlif Brahim , Belloulid Oussama
Published: February 2024

According to the definition derived from the International Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar), wetlands are areas that cover a wide range of habitat types, including floodplains, marshes, streams, estuaries and offshore coastal areas. These natural habitats provide a variety of ecosystem services, for instance, they contribute to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Nevertheless, one of the most critical issues of our time is that mountain wetlands are particularly threatened by many changes, which have a profound impact on their ecosystem services. Hence, the main goal of this work in the Middle Atlas (Morocco), using a GIS based approach is to emphasize the threat to wetlands and their ecosystem services. In this study, Landsat satellite imagery is used to calculate the NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index) for the lake dayet Awwa. The calculation results show that the surface area of the lake has decreased significantly between the years 1985 and 2018. This decline can be explained by natural and anthropogenic factors.
Spatiotemporal Siltation Patterns in Moroccan Dam Reservoirs: A Geographic Information System Approach
Authors: Mohafid Said , Stour Laila , Benchara Ayoub , Agoumi Ali
Published: February 2024

Siltation of dams appears as an urgent global concern, especially in arid and semi-arid regions concerned by the challenges of managing their limited water resources. These challenges worsen by the increase in water demand driven by population growth, aggravated by the adverse effects of climate change, in particular the siltation of dam reservoirs. This article focuses on the spatiotemporal analysis of the accumulation of sediments in Moroccan dam reservoirs. The methodology involves the collection, verification, correction, and interpolation of bathymetric data, which are organized and visualized in temporal and spatial dimensions using a dedicated Geographic Information System (GIS). The spatial distribution maps generated facilitate the identification of the area most severely impacted by the siltation of dams. The analysis emphasizes that siltation affects all Moroccan watersheds, with a particular emphasis on the Moulouya watershed due to the characteristics of its soil and its arid climate, further aggravated by heavy rainfall and deforestation. This integrated approach, combining bathymetric data with GIS technologies, improves our understanding of dam siltation in Morocco. The results provide valuable information for decision-makers and water resource managers, providing essential information for strategic planning and the implementation of measures to mitigate the impact of siltation.
Assessment of Climate Change Impact on Precipitation Using Machine Learning Based Statistical Downscaling Method
Authors: Abdullahi Jazuli , Tahsin Ala , Yesilnacar Mehmet Irfan , Karabulut Abdullah İzzeddin , Daramola Oluwatoyin
Published: February 2024

Future predictions of precipitation are highly important for effective water resources management. The Global circulation models (GCMs) are commonly used to make such predictions. In this paper, the effect of climate change on precipitation was investigated for Damaturu station located in Yobe state, Nigeria from 2050-2080. For this purpose, the BNU-ESM GCMs under the emission scenario RCP 4.5 was used to downscale observed precipitation data via Artificial Neural Network (ANN). Various climatic predictors were considered and ranked according to their impact on precipitation using the mutual information (MI) method. A total of 5 ANN models were subsequently developed using different combinations of predictors as inputs to downscale the precipitation data. The Determination Coefficient (DC) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) performance indicators were then employed. M1 which used a combination of top 8 ranked predictors was found to have the best performance in both downscaling and projection phases. The final results from M1 showed that, over the specified period, the Damaturu region will generally experience a decrease in precipitation, which will be more prevalent in months that experience the most precipitation with the most decrease of 20% in monthly precipitation sum occurring during the wettest month of August, towards the end of the 21st century.
Meteorological drought forecasting via soft computing models in Gharb perimeter (Northwest Morocco)
Authors: Acharki Siham , Arjdal Youssef , El Mansouri Bouabid
Published: February 2024

Drought forecasting has implications for managing water and irrigation. Currently, with improved technology like artificial intelligence, forecasting can be more accurate. In this research, we chose standardized potential evapotranspiration index (SPEI) to characterize drought pattern. To achieve this, the data used was acquired from five meteorological stations in an irrigated Moroccan perimeter from 1976 to 2015. Besides, we predict SPEI at two scales (SPEI-3 and SPEI-6) with two inputs combination by exploring the capabilities of M5 pruned (M5P) and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), along with their hybrid model (LightGBM-M5P). To assess their effectiveness, we employed three statistical metrics (R2, MAE and RMSE). The findings indicated that using a larger time scale for analysis enhances the ability to forecast SPEI values more accurately. Moreover, the forecasting analysis revealed that M5P model demonstrated superior performance compared to the other studied models.