bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Ion Transport Through Organized Cadmium Carbonate Nanocrystals in Collagen Fibrils for Efficient Biological Memristors
Authors: Zheng Zhuozhi , Jiang Minghao , Lv Ziyu , Liu Yin , Zhang Huanhuan , Fang Weijian , Xie Hao , Wang Hao , Wang Weimin , Ping Hang , Li Bin , Fu Zhengyi
Published: February 2025

Owing to the unique assembly of collagen molecules, collagen fibrils have a confined structure that can effectively guide the intrafibrillar‐oriented growth of inorganic crystals, such as hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate. However, utilizing this organized structure of mineralized collagen fibrils for rapid ion transport remains challenging. Herein, the oriented growth of functional cadmium carbonate (CdCO3) nanocrystals is reported within collagen fibrils and demonstrates that different areas within a single mineralized collagen fibril exhibit a uniform orientation. The results show that the precursor phase infiltrates the collagen through the gap zones owing to collagen confinement, gradually transforming into well‐oriented crystalline nanocrystals within the collagen. Adopting the principles of intrafibrillar mineralization with CdCO3, the mineralization process of collagen matrices can be regulated, such as collagen films and tendon slices, by adjusting the mineralization temperature, thereby modulating the stress generated in the collagen matrices, thus highlighting new possibilities for using organized biominerals in rapid ion transport. Additionally, the use of mineralized collagen fibrils are demonstrated in biological memristors. The fabricated memristor device exhibits a low set voltage (0.65 V) and high on/off ratio (≈106), highlighting the potential of mineralized collagen in advanced electronic applications.
Programmable Buckling of Liquid Crystal Elastomer Microtubes via Topology in Molecular Orientations
Authors: Zhu Youyang , Yi Shengzhu , Jiang Miao , Tian Yanqing , Zhang Rui , Wei Qi‐Huo
Published: February 2025

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are highly stimuli‐responsive materials with programmable shape morphing via engineering molecular orientations. This study explores the buckling behavior of 3D‐printed LCE microtubes featuring topological defect profiles, revealing both wrinkled and unwrinkled buckling. The interplay between the director field topology and the height‐radius ratio regulates the buckling mode. For microtubes with a +1 defect profile, the number of wrinkles correlates inversely with the height‐radius ratio, with a threshold set by soft elasticity. For microtubes with defect charges other than +1, the number of wrinkles is determined by the balance between defect symmetry and height‐radius ratio, and the wrinkles locate primarily in areas where directors align with the circumferential direction. These findings highlight the potential to program buckling behavior by optimizing dimensions and director topologies of LCEs, paving a way for new responsive and adaptive structures and devices.
N‐Type Self‐Assembled Monolayers (SAMs): The Next Star Materials in the Perovskite Photovoltaic Field
Authors: Chen Xiaoyi , Yue Ziyao , Yang Haoran , Xu Bo , Cheng Yuanhang
Published: February 2025

Self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) play a critical role in modifying the buried interface of perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) by modulating the crystallization dynamics of perovskites and adjusting energy level alignment between perovskite layer and electrode. The integration of p‐type SAMs has driven the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of inverted p‐i‐n structured PVSCs to a world record efficiency of 26.7%. However, in PVSCs with traditional n‐i‐p structures, n‐type SAMs have not yet achieved comparable breakthroughs. Therefore, to unlock the full potential of n‐type SAMs, this review provides a comprehensive summary of their molecular structures, deposition methods, and passivation mechanisms. Recent advances in various n‐type SAMs, including fullerene‐based, naphthalene imide‐based, benzene‐based SAMs, and SAMs with other structures have been discussed in detail. Finally, future research directions and their associated challenges are outlined to guide efforts toward realizing the full potential of n‐type SAMs in PVSCs.
Enhanced Microwave Absorption of Multi‐Interface Core–Shell FeSiAl@MnOx@C Composites by Morphology Engineering
Authors: Luo Hui , Kong Lingxin , Lv Sihai , Li Qifan , Tang Mi , Ge Xujin , Chen Fu , Cheng Yongzhi , Li Xiangcheng
Published: February 2025

The rational manipulation of interfacial properties, composition, and morphology of materials has emerged as an effective strategy for enhancing their microwave absorption performance. The crystal phase composition, microstructure, and electromagnetic properties can be regulated by varying the thermal treatment temperature. The synergistic integration of heterogeneous interfaces, magnetic materials, microstructures, and defect engineering helps optimize impedance matching and enhance polarization and magnetic losses. Herein, multi‐interface core–shell FeSiAl@MnOx@C composites with various morphologies demonstrated superior microwave absorption performance. A minimum reflection loss of −56.3 dB is achieved at an absorber thickness of 1.41 mm, and effective absorption bandwidth of 5.0 GHz is obtained at a thickness of 1.59 mm. The radar cross‐section reduction value reached 19.448 at an incidence angle of 0°. The excellent microwave absorption performance is due to the synergistic effect of the significant magnetic and dielectric losses and improved impedance matching. This study establishes a foundation for designing next‐generation high‐performance microwave‐absorbing materials with high magnetic losses.
Harnessing the Power of Photosynthesis: from Current Engineering Strategies to Cell Factory Applications
Authors: Shi Yujie , Wang Zefeng , Zhao Xiaowei , Li Zhaoxin , Zheng Jing , Liu Jianbo
Published: February 2025

Photosynthesis has garnered significant interest due to its potential for retrofitting and its intrinsic enzyme‐mediated metabolic processes, which can convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into biomass powered by solar energy. However, natural photosynthesis is limited by factors such as low photosynthetic efficiency and constraints on the range of output products. To address these issues, researchers have developed various strategies for designing and engineering photosynthetic systems. These strategies include nanomaterial‐assisted approaches to enhance light absorption and accelerate electron transfer, microfluidic technologies for precise manipulation of enzyme modules, synthetic biology techniques to optimize metabolic pathways, and photo‐bioelectrochemical systems (PBESs) for efficient utilization of photosynthetic electrons. Inspired by these, numerous applications have emerged in the fields of artificial organelles, promotion of hypoxic tissue healing, bioproduction, and environmental production and sustainability. This review provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles of photosynthesis, encompassing light and carbon reactions. Additionally, it offers an overview of recent strategies for the design, structuring, and engineering of photosynthetic systems, while discussing several applications of photosynthesis. Finally, this review highlights the potential of engineered photosynthetic systems to address challenges in energy and matter conversion across various fields, offering insights into the future of sustainable, photosynthesis‐based technologies.
Numerical Simulation of Fluid Flow and Initial Solidification in Slab Continuous Casting Mold with FC Mold G3
Authors: Wei Chunxin , Lv Gaolin , Luo Sen , Ren Bingzhi , Wang Xiaohua , Wang Weiling , Zhu Miaoyong
Published: February 2025

With the increasing demand for high‐quality continuous casting slab, electromagnetic devices are widely used to control the flow field in the mold. The new generation electromagnetic device FC Mold G3 with the combined function of electromagnetic braking (EMBr) and electromagnetic stirring (EMS) has received extensive attention. Herein, a 3D multiphysics numerical model coupling the electromagnetic, turbulence, heat transfer in the continuously cast slab mold with the FC Mold G3 is established, and the effects of different electromagnetic flow control methods of the FC Mold G3 on the flow and initial solidification behavior in the mold are investigated. The simulation results indicate that the velocity and temperature distribution at the top surface are more uniform when the EMS current is 150 A, but it does not improve the uniformity of the solidified shell. The initial solidified shell growth becomes more uniform after the EMBr is applied, but the local velocity of the steel–slag interface increases. When the current intensities of EMS and EMBr of FC Mold G3 are, respectively, 150 and 600 A, the velocity near the meniscus and the uniformity of the solidified shell become more reasonable and the impact depth is suppressed.
Experimental behavior of shear deficient RC beams strengthened with CFRP strips againts reversible cylic earthquake load
Authors: Mercimek Ömer , Anıl Özgür , Akkaya Sercan Tuna , Erdem R. Tuğrul , Çelik Alper , Kopraman Yağmur , Abukan Ahmet
Published: February 2025

This study aims to prevent sudden and brittle shear failures in reinforced concrete beams, which are frequently caused by deficiencies in shear reinforcement. Following the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Turkey on February 6, 2023, inspections revealed that many reinforced concrete beams suffered severe damage due to design errors, high shear forces, and secondary effects. These issues are often a result of inadequate shear reinforcement and improper placement. The objective of this study is to enhance the overall load–displacement behavior of reinforced concrete beams with insufficient shear strength under cyclic loading conditions, transforming their failure mechanisms to exhibit ductile flexural failure. The developed strengthening method involves the use of CFRP strips with fan‐type anchors at their ends. This method has been applied to beams with both low and normal concrete compressive strength. The study investigates the maximum load capacity, initial stiffness, displacement ductility ratios, energy dissipation capacities, and overall load–displacement behavior of the tested beams under cyclic loading conditions. The impact of the strengthening method on beam performance is thoroughly evaluated. Additionally, the experimental results are compared with nonlinear finite element analyses conducted using ABAQUS software. The agreement between numerical analysis and experimental results is assessed, evaluating the reliability and accuracy of the finite element model. The findings of this study indicate that the proposed strengthening method is effective in enhancing the performance of reinforced concrete beams.
Study on Mechanical Performance of Built‐In Octagonal Encase Steel Core Tube Fully Bolted Assembly CFSST Column Connection Joint
Authors: Zhang Yanxia , Liu Jiahui , Zhang Ailin , Li Yanglong , Shen Sen
Published: February 2025

This paper proposes a built‐in octagonal encase steel core tube fully bolted assembly CFSST column connection joint (OCFSST). The proposed static test study was carried out on this connection joint and the welded CFSST column connection joint (WCFSST), and the data were processed, analyzed, and compared in terms of hysteresis curves, skeleton curves, stiffness degradation, displacement ductility, bolt preload, strain changes, and the joint core area displacement angle. The average value of the horizontal bearing capacity of this joint is 5.60% higher than that of the welded CFSST column connection joint, which proves that this joint has better mechanical performance. The average difference of the hysteresis curves, skeleton curves, and stiffness degradation curves derived from finite element and test data is not more than 8.13%, which proves that the finite element simulation method is effective. In addition, octagonal encase steel core tube, self‐tapping bolts, and concrete have a good deformation co‐ordination property, which can ensure the safety and stability of the structure. The OCFSST meets the performance design goal of “strong joints, weak components” and can improve the site construction efficiency, which has a good prospect for application.
Characterization of a new Lr52 allele for leaf rust resistance in the Iranian wheat landrace PI 622111
Authors: Xu Xiangyang , Li Genqiao , Bai Guihua , Kolmer Jim , Xu Yuzhou , Bernardo Amy , Carver Brett F. , Tan Chengcheng
Published: February 2025

Leaf rust, caused by Puccinia triticina (Pt), poses a constant threat to global wheat production, and novel leaf rust resistance genes are needed to combat the disease. A previous genome‐wide association study (GWAS) identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker associated with leaf rust resistance in the terminal region of chromosome arm 5BS in the Iranian landrace PI 622111. An F2 population and 175 F2:3 families from cross PI 622111 × Yuanyu 3 were evaluated for response to Pt isolate Pt52‐2 (MMPSD). Genotyping‐by‐sequencing analysis and genotyping of a subset of the F2 plants identified 32 SNPs closely associated with leaf rust resistance in the target region. Some of these SNPs were converted into kompetitive allele‐specific polymorphic (KASP) markers and used to genotype the F2 population together with a set of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers also located in the target genomic region. Linkage analysis delimited the leaf rust resistance gene in PI 622111, designated Lr622111, to a 0.4 Mb interval flanked by Xstars700 (7.22 Mb) and Xstars678 (7.62 Mb) in IWGSC RefSeq v.2.1. An allelism test involving 811 F2 plants indicated that Lr622111 was allelic to Lr52. Since PI 622111 reacted differently from the Lr52 donor to Pt races in the GWAS, Lr622111 is considered a new Lr52 allele conferring a wide spectrum of resistance to current US Pt races. KASP marker Xstars‐KASP239, which is 0.9 cM distal to Lr622111, can be widely used to tag Lr622111 in breeding populations.
Revealing the Hidden Potential of Ultraviolet (UV)‐C Irradiation for Controlling Aquatic Toxicity Caused by Harmful Algal Blooms
Authors: Bisht Lekhani , Mitra Debasis , Joshi Naveen Chandra , Joshi Harish Chandra , Gururani Prateek
Published: February 2025

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose a significant threat to freshwater, brackish, and marine habitats. HABs have numerous harmful impacts, such as the creation of odorous compounds, disinfection byproducts, and the release of toxic substances. Various physical, biological, and chemical techniques have been attempted to prevent blooms. However, the bulk of HABs management methods currently in use concentrate on emergent removals; as a result, these methods are usually less effective because they are immobile. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation has gained lots of attention lately as a possible remedy for lowering HABs. In this review paper, we have combined the recent information about various toxic effects of algal blooms, UV‐C irradiation (UV‐C irradiation), starting from the other methods used for the removal of HABs, continuing with the UV‐C facilities, particularly flow‐through reactors, enabling the development of shipborne UV‐C facilities, and the practical way through which the UV‐C irradiation technique was made in use to remove HABs. Further, including the mechanism, suppression factors, application of the UV‐C technique, and algal growth recovery. The effects of UV‐induced damage on nucleic acid, the photosynthesis system, settleability, cell integrity, and oxidative pressure were responsible for the suppression effects on algal cell density. The suppression factors to which attention needs to be paid are humic acid, salinity, turbidity, nitrate, and pH.
Theoretical Underpinnings of Snow Interception and Canopy Snow Ablation Parameterisations
Authors: Cebulski A. C. , Pomeroy J. W.
Published: February 2025

In needleleaf forests, up to half of annual snowfall may be returned to the atmosphere through sublimation of snow intercepted in the canopy. However, limited and sparse observations of snow interception and ablation processes have hindered the development of fundamental theories underpinning current estimates of snow accumulation in forests. Existing parameterisations for snow interception and ablation have been developed in locations with distinctive climate, tree species and forest structures, resulting in inconsistent and non‐comprehensive process representations. This variability limits the transferability of these parameterisations across diverse landscapes and climates. Moreover, difficulties in isolating individual processes in field‐based measurements has led to parameterisations that inadvertently coupled multiple processes, adding to uncertainty. Many studies have also simplified original parameterisations and do not include recent advances from observational studies. This review article aims to elucidate the theoretical foundations and assumptions underlying the current snow interception and ablation parameterisations to provide a better understanding of uncertainties in existing methods and identify priorities for future field‐based observational studies. The methods behind snow interception and ablation studies are also reviewed to provide necessary context for examining current parameterisations. Specific gaps in the literature include determining the canopy snow storage capacity, challenges in distinguishing snow throughfall measurements from canopy snow ablation, partitioning unloading rates and canopy snowmelt drainage, the assumption of vertical falling hydrometeor trajectories, the absence of wind resuspension parameterisations, and the limited testing of parameterisations in varied forests and climates.
Virtual Monochromatic Image Guided Denoising Algorithm Based on Expectation Maximization Global Self‐Similarity for Dual‐Energy CT
Authors: Fang Xiongmin , Zou Jing
Published: February 2025

Dual energy computed tomography (DECT) provides superior material distinguish ability than conventional single energy CT. However, a key challenge in DECT is the noise amplification during material decomposition, which severely degrades the quality of the basis material images. In this study, a virtual monochromatic (VM) image guided denoising algorithm based on Expectation Maximization (EM) Global Self‐Similarity is proposed. The algorithm extracts the structural features of the VM image and employs a computationally efficient approach to calculate global self‐similarity for the denoising of material images. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate its denoising performance in DECT material decomposition. Compared to other competitive methods, the algorithm achieves higher Peak Signal‐to‐Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) values, and shows remarkable capability in handling artifacts caused by non‐uniform noise.
The low FODMAP diet in adolescents functional abdominal in a non-guided setting: a prospective multicenter cohort study
Authors: Rexwinkel Robyn , Vermeijden Nicolaas Koen , Zeevenhooven Judith , Kelder Johannes , Groeneweg Michael , Hummel Thalia , Goede Joery , van Wering Herbert , Stapelbroek Janneke , Benninga Marc , Vlieger Arine
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a diet low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) in adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional abdominal pain-not otherwise specified (FAP-NOS) in a non-guided setting, resembling clinical practice. This prospective multicenter cohort study conducted in 13 centers included patients aged 12–18 years diagnosed with IBS or FAP-NOS. Patients received educational material on FODMAPs, including extensive lists of high and low FODMAP foods and additional online information. They were instructed to replace high FODMAP foods with low FODMAP alternatives for the duration of 4 weeks. No dietician was consulted. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with treatment success (≥ 30% reduction of abdominal pain intensity) at 4 weeks. The key secondary outcome was adequate relief of IBS/FAP-NOS symptoms. Of the 325 included patients, 81 patients (24.9%) achieved treatment success (≥ 30% reduction of abdominal pain intensity) after 4 weeks, with higher rates in patients with IBS (29.3%) than FAP-NOS (16.8%, OR 2.16 (1.04–4.48)). Adequate relief was reported in 51 patients (15.7%). There was a significant decrease in abdominal pain intensity (2.2 (1.1) vs. 2.5 (1.0), P < 0.001), daily bloating (2.4 (2.1) vs. 2.8 (2.3), P < 0.001), and flatulence (2.4 (2.1) vs. 2.8 (2.3), P = 0.001). Adverse events were mild and infrequent.

Conclusion: The low FODMAP diet in a non-guided setting, mimicking clinical practice, yielded treatment success in almost 30% adolescents with IBS and 17% in FAP-NOS, suggesting it may not be the first treatment option for these patients.

Trial registration: EUCTR2015-003293–32-NL.

What is Known:• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional abdominal pain-not otherwise specified (FAP-NOS) are common disorders in children which negatively impact quality of life.• While a diet low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) has demonstrated effectiveness in adult IBS, its efficacy in pediatric IBS and FAP-NOS remains uncertain.• Clinical application of the low FODMAP diet often occurs without dietician consultation, contrary to controlled trial settings.
What is New:
• The low FODMAP diet, without dietician guidance, resulted in treatment success in almost 30% of adolescents with IBS and only 17% with FAP-NOS.
• With only 15.7% of participants achieving adequate relief of IBS/FAP-NOS symptoms, the non-guided low FODMAP diet may not be the first treatment option for pediatric IBS and FAP-NOS.
Evidence certainty in neonatology—a meta-epidemiological analysis of Cochrane reviews
Authors: Varrio Tuomas , De Luca Daniele , Kuitunen Ilari
Published: February 2025

We hypothesized that certainty of the available evidence is relatively low in neonatology. Thus, we designed a meta-epidemiological review to examine what is the certainty of evidence in the latest Cochrane neonatal reviews and investigate if the number of trials and enrolled patients is associated with the certainty of evidence. We searched Cochrane neonatal reviews published between January 2022 and May 2024. We included all reviews on interventions concerning neonates that had at least one meta-analysis performed with GRADE-rated evidence certainty. From those reviews, we extracted the presented certainty of evidence and analyzed its association with the number of trials and participants by ANOVA. We screened 55 Cochrane reviews and included 49 of them. In these 49 reviews, there were 443 reported outcomes with graded certainty of evidence. The certainty was reported to be high in 8 (1.8%), moderate in 89 (20.2%), low in 195 (44.0%), and very low in 151 (34%) of the outcomes. Reviews reporting outcomes with higher certainty of evidence had significantly more trials and patients (approximately 3 and 1.5 times more, respectively) than those with only low certainty of evidence.

Conclusion: In the past 2 years, Cochrane neonatal reviews have generally had low or very low certainty of evidence for most outcomes. Only 2% of the reviewed outcomes had high certainty. The number of included patients and trials significantly affected the certainty. These findings highlight the continuous need for better quality and larger trials.

What Is Known:
• Neonatology is among the largest specialities and the evidence certainties of interventions have been varying.
• Neonatal patients and studies need to consider the uniqueness of the patients and the acute situations in the study designs.
What Is New:
• The included 49 reviews consisted of 443 outcomes and of these only 1.8% were classified as high certainty of evidence.
• Higher evidence certainties were associated with higher number of included trials and participants.
Association between early radiographic chest findings and clinical outcomes in pediatric drowning: a retrospective study in a tertiary Italian hospital
Authors: Bellini Tommaso , Brisca Giacomo , D’Alessandro Matteo , Tibaldi Jessica , Andreottola Valentina , Conti Chiara , Casabona Federica , Lampugnani Elisabetta , Piccotti Emanuela , Moscatelli Andrea
Published: February 2025

Pediatric drowning incidents, both fatal and non-fatal, represent a significant challenge in emergency medicine, particularly for children under 14 years of age. Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths, with children aged one to four years being especially vulnerable. Accurate and timely assessment, particularly through chest imaging, such as chest radiography (CXR) and lung point-of-care ultrasound (LUS), is crucial for evaluating pulmonary complications and guiding treatment decisions. This retrospective study analyzed 64 pediatric drowning cases in Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Italy, from 2012 to 2023. For all patients, demographic data, vital parameters, blood tests upon PED admission and at 24 h, need for intensive care unit admission, length of stay, therapies administered, ventilatory support in the PED and in the hospital ward, and mortality were recorded. The patients were subsequently divided into two groups based on the chest X-ray result. The results indicated that pathological CXR findings upon admission were associated with a higher likelihood of hospital admission, prolonged hospital stay, and more severe clinical outcomes, including the need for oxygen supplementation and antibiotic therapy. Patients with abnormal CXR findings also exhibited lower oxygen saturation, Glasgow Coma Scale scores, and body temperature upon admission, reflecting a more significant physiological compromise, and higher RCP values at 24 h.

Conclusion: Although the majority of non-fatal drowning patients recovered without lasting neurological deficits, the findings suggest that CXR plays a critical role in early management, assisting in the identification of those at greater risk for complications.

What is Known:
• Fatal and non-fatal pediatric drowning incidents may represent a critical issue in pediatric emergency medicine, requiring prompt assessment and accurate management upon admission, even if standardized protocols are lacking.

What is New:
• Chest imaging in the initial assessment of pediatric drowning cases may serve as a fundamental tool to support early clinical decision-making, particularly when integrated with other key parameters such as neurological status, vital signs, and blood exams.
Exploring the interplay of glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and neurodegenerative pathologies: insights from streptozotocin and hypoglycaemic in vitro models
Authors: Grünblatt Edna , Yde Ohki Cristine Marie , Schmitt-Böhrer G. Angelika , Riederer Peter , Walitza Susanne
Published: February 2025

Neurodegenerative diseases raise public health concerns. Recent evidence indicates that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) sufferers will triple by 2050. The rising incidence of dementia diagnoses raises concerns about the socio-economical and emotional impact of this uncurable illness, which reduces quality of life through cognitive decline. Although genetic and environmental factors may contribute to its aetiology, neuropathological mechanisms underlying these disorders are still under investigation. One is brain insulin resistance (BIR), which has been associated with clinical cognitive dysfunction and linked to mitochondrial dysfunction, neurogenesis deficits, and cell death. Not limited to neurodegeneration, these phenotypes have been associated with other neuropsychiatric disorders. Streptozotocin (STZ), a diabetes-causing drug that targets pancreatic β-cells, may imitate BIR in suitable models. From patients’ neuroimaging to in vitro approaches, scientists have been striving to understand the pathophysiology of such disorders at the behavioural, molecular, and cellular levels. Although animal models are useful for studying insulin resistance’s systemic effects, in vitro phenotypic research represents an alternative to study molecular and cellular aspects. STZ and hypoglycaemia-like scenarios have been successful for studying neurodegenerative disorders in primary cell culture (e.g., neuroblastoma cells) and patient-specific neural cell lines derived from pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Intriguingly, STZ treatment or hypoglycaemia-like conditions in a dish were able to induce AD pathological characteristics such Aβ plaque deposition and Tau protein hyperphosphorylation. Such approaches have shown potential in understanding molecular and cellular implications of metabolic changes in neuropsychiatric disorders, according to this review. Furthermore, these models may help identify novel treatment targets.
miR-451a and IL18 can differentiate familial Mediterranean fever patients in attack and remission periods: a prospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Terzi Menderes Yusuf , Özcan Oğuzhan , Kimyon Gezmiş , Okuyan Hamza Malik , Arpacı Abdullah , Doğan Serdar
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a multifaceted autoimmune disease and requires a diligent strategical approach considering disease periods and mutation subtypes. We aimed to investigate serum levels of autoimmunity-related cell-free miRNAs and inflammatory and apoptotic markers in FMF patients.

Methods

Sixty FMF patients, of which 30 were in attack (FMF-A) and 30 were in remission (FMF-R) periods, and 25 age-, sex-, and BMI-matched healthy controls were included in our study. The expression levels of miR-26a-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-155–2-5p, and miR-451a were analyzed with reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and protein levels of interleukin-18 (IL18) and soluble Fas cell surface death receptor (sFAS) were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum CRP levels were analyzed by nephelometry, ferritin levels by chemiluminescence, and routine biochemical parameters by spectrophotometry. Correlation analyses were performed to seek potential associations of miRNAs with serum markers and biochemical parameters. Potential biomarkers were tested with receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results

We observed elevated serum IL18 levels but not sFAS, in FMF patients, particularly during attack period. IL18 demonstrated diagnostic value and was significantly correlated with acute-phase markers namely CRP, fibrinogen, and ferritin. Altered levels of IL18 and miR-451a could distinguish FMF patients in the attack period from the ones in remission. miR-26a-5p, miR-146a-5p, and miR-155–2-5p were downregulated in FMF patients carrying M694V mutations.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that IL18 and specific miRNAs can serve as potential biomarkers for FMF pathogenesis. Discovering promising targets for FMF-related miRNAs using mechanistic strategies will enhance our understanding of FMF disease management and therapy.

Key Points

• miR-451a and IL18 can serve as an indicator in distinguishing familial Mediterranean fever patients in attack and remission periods.• miR-26a-5p, miR-146a-5p, and miR-155–2-5p were dysregulated in FMF patients carrying M694V mutation.
A probabilistic procedure to define multidimensional rainfall thresholds for territorial landslide warning models
Authors: Zhang Sen , Pecoraro Gaetano , Jiang Qigang , Calvello Michele
Published: February 2025

A procedure designed to develop probabilistic thresholds for rainfall-induced landslides adopting novel rainfall variables is proposed and tested in an area of Campania region, southern Italy. The dataset used comprises 180 rainfall-induced landslides in the period 2010–2020, derived from the FraneItalia catalogue (https://franeitalia.wordpress.com/), and rainfall records retrieved from a network of 22 regional rain gauges active in the area. The procedure starts by reconstructing rainfall events responsible and not responsible for landslides in the period of analysis. Subsequently, a large number of rainfall variables are derived automatically, adopting a time series feature extraction tool, and their significance in identifying landslide-triggering events is evaluated. Then, adopting a Bayesian approach, the most significant rainfall variables are used to define a set of probabilistic thresholds in one, two, and three dimensions. Finally, the most effective thresholds are identified by means of standard performance indicators. The probabilistic thresholds developed using novel rainfall variables outperform those employing conventional variables. Specifically, looking at the minimum distance from the perfect classification point (δ), thresholds employing novel variables yield a minimum δ of 0.230, while those adopting conventional variables lead to a minimum δ of 0.292. The results achieved herein demonstrate that the use of novel rainfall variables within territorial landslide warning models can represent a promising option for improving the performance of these models.
The outer gravitational potential of an inhomogeneous torus with an elliptical cross-section
Authors: Bannikova Elena , Skolota Serhii , Capaccioli Massimo
Published: February 2025

Toroidal/ring structures are a common feature in a wide variety of astrophysical objects, including dusty tori in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), rings in galaxies, protoplanetary disks, and others. The matter distribution in such structures is not homogeneous and can be flattened by self-gravity or become elongated in the vertical direction, as is the case with obscuring tori in AGNs. This led us to consider the more general case of the gravitational potential of an inhomogeneous torus with an elliptical cross-section. We begin by showing that the outer potential of a homogeneous elliptical torus can be effectively approximated with less than 1% error by the potentials of two infinitely thin rings with a minor correction term. These two rings have masses each equal to half the total mass of the torus. The most notable feature is that each such infinitely thin ring is positioned at precisely the halfway point between the center and the focus of the elliptical cross-section, regardless of the torus’ other parameters. The result, which holds for both oblate and prolate geometries, allows us to find a new expression to handle the outer potential of an inhomogeneous torus with an elliptical cross-section. The confocal density distribution is a special case. We have found that the outer potential of such a torus is only weakly dependent on the density distribution law. Consequently, even for the confocal inhomogeneous case, the outer potential is well represented by two infinitely thin rings. This approach simplifies problems of dynamics and allows for the analysis of the results of N-body simulations for the systems consisting of toroidal structures. For completeness, we have derived the expressions for the components of the external force exerted by a homogeneous torus with an elliptical cross-section, both for the exact form of the potential and for our approximation by two infinitely thin rings. Comparison of the two shows that our model fits the true trend of the force well.
Outstanding Questions and Future Research on Magnetic Reconnection
Authors: Nakamura R. , Burch J. L. , Birn J. , Chen L.-J. , Graham D. B. , Guo F. , Hwang K.-J. , Ji H. , Khotyaintsev Y. V. , Liu Y.-H. , Oka M. , Payne D. , Sitnov M. I. , Swisdak M. , Zenitani S. , Drake J. F. , Fuselier S. A. , Genestreti K. J. , Gershman D. J. , Hasegawa H. , Hoshino M. , Norgren C. , Shay M. A. , Shuster J. R. , Stawarz J. E.
Published: February 2025

This short article highlights unsolved problems of magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasma. Advanced in-situ plasma measurements and simulations have enabled scientists to gain a novel understanding of magnetic reconnection. Nevertheless, outstanding questions remain concerning the complex dynamics and structures in the diffusion region, cross-scale and regional couplings, the onset of magnetic reconnection, and the details of particle energization. We discuss future directions for magnetic reconnection research, including new observations, new simulations, and interdisciplinary approaches.
Prioritization Blue-Green Infrastructure Strategies: Developing a Hybrid Quantitative Approach Model for Sustainable Urban Water Management
Authors: Demir Sara , Dilman Gokkaya Merve , Ersoz Nazlı Deniz
Published: February 2025

Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) is critical in protecting natural and cultural landscapes, managing urban water resources, and mitigating agricultural, urban, and industrial pressures. BGI aims to implement nature-based solutions across various scales, from planning to design, to reduce surface runoff and enable rainwater collection and reuse. This study focuses on Ayvali Creek in Bursa, a significant urban stream impacted by agricultural, residential, and industrial activities, along with inadequate technical infrastructure, degrading water quality and the natural landscape. This study aims to identify BGI solutions suitable for Ayvali Creek and formulate planning and design strategies for sustainable and effective rainfall management. The methodology of this study included a SWOT (Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats) analysis for identifying the current conditions of the study area and a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method known as the best and worst method (BWM) conducted with experts and stakeholders to rank BGI strategies according to their priority. Among the main criteria and sub-criteria, the “water/soil” (0.41) and “land-use/land-cover” (0.32) criteria, which contribute to the overarching ecological protection criterion (0.71), emerged as the highest priority strategies for effective BGI solutions. This finding underscores the paramount importance of ecological protection for Ayvali Creek. The methods and results of this quantitative research can serve as a framework for BGI, offering insight into successful strategies for sustainable water resource and rainfall management, not only for the region under study but also for other developing countries facing similar challenges with their water resources.
Lactobacillomics as a new notion in lactic acid bacteria research through omics integration
Authors: Kahraman Ilıkkan Özge
Published: February 2025

Omics technologies are a set of disciplines that analyze large-scale molecular data to understand biological systems in a holistic way. These technologies aim to reveal the structure, functions and interactions of organisms by studying processes at many levels of biomolecules, from the genome to metabolism. Lactobacillomics is introduced as an interdisciplinary field that integrates multiple “omics” technologies—including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and metagenomics— to provide a comprehensive insight into “lactic acid bacteria” species. Lactobacillomics aims to elucidate the genetic, metabolic, and functional characteristics of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species, providing insights into the mechanisms underlying their probiotic effects and contributions to the host microbiome. By analyzing genomes and metabolic pathways, researchers can identify specific genes responsible for health-promoting functions and desirable fermentation characteristics, which can guide the development of targeted probiotic strains with optimized health benefits. The integration of these omics data allows facilitating the discovery of biomarkers for health and disease states, the development of new probiotics tailored to specific populations or health conditions, and the optimization of fermentation processes to enhance the safety, flavor, and nutritional profile of fermented foods. A comprehensive review and bibliometric analysis were conducted to provide an overview of this promising field between 2005 and 2025 by examining Web of Science Core Collection data. Research results reveal trending topics, future perspectives, and key areas of growth within lactic acid bacteria (LAB) studies, particularly as they intersect with omics technologies.
Double-mix pseudo-label framework: enhancing semi-supervised segmentation on category-imbalanced CT volumes
Authors: Zhang Luyang , Hayashi Yuichiro , Oda Masahiro , Mori Kensaku
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Deep-learning-based supervised CT segmentation relies on fully and densely labeled data, the labeling process of which is time-consuming. In this study, our proposed method aims to improve segmentation performance on CT volumes with limited annotated data by considering category-wise difficulties and distribution.

Methods

We propose a novel confidence-difficulty weight (CDifW) allocation method that considers confidence levels, balancing the training across different categories, influencing the loss function and volume-mixing process for pseudo-label generation. Additionally, we introduce a novel Double-Mix Pseudo-label Framework (DMPF), which strategically selects categories for image blending based on the distribution of voxel-counts per category and the weight of segmentation difficulty. DMPF is designed to enhance the segmentation performance of categories that are challenging to segment.

Result

Our approach was tested on two commonly used datasets: a Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) dataset and a Beyond-the-Cranial-Vault (BTCV) Abdomen dataset. Compared to the SOTA methods, our approach achieved an improvement of 5.1% and 7.0% in Dice score for the segmentation of difficult-to-segment categories on 5% of the labeled data in CHD and 40% of the labeled data in BTCV, respectively.

Conclusion

Our method improves segmentation performance in difficult categories within CT volumes by category-wise weights and weight-based mixture augmentation. Our method was validated across multiple datasets and is significant for advancing semi-supervised segmentation tasks in health care. The code is available at https://github.com/MoriLabNU/Double-Mix.
Improving Home Insurance Ratemaking with Geographically Weighted Poisson Regression (GWPR) Model: Assessing Water Damage Risk
Authors: Rivas-Lopez Maria-Victoria , Matilla-García Mariano , Minguez-Salido Roman , Bravo-Ovalle Miguel Angel
Published: February 2025

This study examines the consideration of spatial heterogeneity in the development of Home Insurance rates, specifically focusing on water damage throughout Spain. This focus arises from the need to establish a methodology that not only improves ratemaking procedures for water damage but also acknowledges the potential impacts of climate change, allowing differentiation in the effect of variables such as rainfall depending on the location and frequency of water claims. By using the GWPR model, spatial heterogeneity is taken into account and the ratemaking process is enhanced by identifying spatial clusters related to the frequency of water damage claims. Moreover, an empirical development has been carried out employing a database of home insurance data for water coverage in the Spanish territory. The variables selected in this process are not only associated with weather, but also with characteristics of the policies, housing, and socio-economic conditions of the policyholders.
Three-Dimensional Reconstruction Method Based on Infrared Deflectometry
Authors: Xiong Ping , Zhao Jing , Chen Jinping , Hu Hao , Cao Jiangping
Published: February 2025

Deflectometry is a non-contact and rapid detection method with high sensitivity, which can be utilized in the areas of three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction, surface quality detection, and defect location. It has important applications in the automotive industry, optical parts manufacturing, and other fields. Classical deflectometry methods require the integration of slope data to reconstruct the absolute surface shape. However, the integration procedure is error-prone due to the accumulation of random errors into large shape deviations, resulting in inaccurate measurement results. In this paper, we extract the position of the centerline of the bright fringe from the stripe image and find the center of the fringe line point by point. Using the principle of triangulation, the 3D data for the object’s shaped surface can be obtained. In addition, infrared light enhances specular reflection, resulting in better deflectometry performance than that of visible light. Experiments show that the proposed method is sensitive to the changes in height and can roughly restore the surface topography of the object without calibration.
Automated survival monitoring system: exploring starvation resistance in newly hatched larvae
Authors: Ohki Hiroto , Seong Ki-Hyeon , Suzuki Takahiro , Shimoda Masami
Published: February 2025

The mechanisms underlying prolonged survival under starvation condition—after animals have depleted their energy reserves from food—remain poorly understood. For accurate measurement of survival durations, we developed a novel automated survival monitoring system for newly hatched larvae under starvation conditions. This system integrates a CCD flatbed scanner with the automated image analysis software, AutoCircaS. Unlike conventional methods, which are often limited to Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae), our system enables the analysis of the newly hatched larval stage under starvation conditions in other species, such as the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) and the silkworm Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). Newly hatched larvae of these three species were subjected to starvation conditions, and survival times were recorded in the absence of dietary nutrients. The system achieved an accuracy of 88.5% for D. melanogaster, 79.2% for H. illucens, and 95.0% for B. mori in detecting survival times within 4 h. The median starvation survival times were 1.42 days for D. melanogaster, 6.08 days for H. illucens, and 2.92 days for B. mori, highlighting the particularly long survival of H. illucens compared to the other species. These findings reveal interspecific differences and suggest that variations in ecological backgrounds and adaptive strategies contribute to their starvation tolerance. This system also provides novel insights into the intrinsic starvation responses of insects and offers significant potential for practical applications, such as developing long-term insect preservation techniques through developmental arrest.