bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FloodGNN-GRU: a spatio-temporal graph neural network for flood prediction
Authors: Kazadi Arnold , Doss-Gollin James , Sebastian Antonia , Silva Arlei
Published: November 2024

Classical approaches for flood prediction apply numerical methods for the solution of partial differential equations that capture the physics of inundation processes (e.g., the 2D Shallow Water equations). However, traditional inundation models are still unable to satisfy the requirements of many relevant applications, including early-warning systems, high-resolution (or large spatial domain) simulations, and robust inference over distributions of inputs (e.g., rainfall events). Machine learning (ML) approaches are a promising alternative to physics-based models due to their ability to efficiently capture correlations between relevant inputs and outputs in a data-driven fashion. In particular, once trained, ML models can be tested/deployed much more efficiently than classical approaches. Yet, few ML-based solutions for spatio-temporal flood prediction have been developed, and their reliability/accuracy is poorly understood. In this paper, we propose FloodGNN-GRU, a spatio-temporal flood prediction model that combines a graph neural network (GNN) and a gated recurrent unit (GRU) architecture. Compared to existing approaches, FloodGNN-GRU (i) employs a graph-based model (GNN); (ii) operates on both spatial and temporal dimensions; and (iii) processes the water flow velocities as vector features, instead of scalar features. We evaluate FloodGNN-GRU using a LISFLOOD-FP simulation of Hurricane Harvey (2017) in Houston, Texas. Our results, based on several metrics, show that FloodGNN-GRU outperforms several data-driven alternatives in terms of accuracy. Moreover, our approach can be trained 100x faster and tested 1000x faster than the time required to run a comparable simulation. These findings illustrate the potential of ML-based methods to efficiently emulate physics-based inundation models, especially for short-term predictions.
An extension of Thwaites’ method for turbulent boundary layers
Authors: Agrawal Rahul , Bose Sanjeeb T. , Griffin Kevin P. , Moin Parviz
Published: November 2024

Thwaites (Aeronaut. Q., vol. 1, 1949, pp. 245–280) developed an approximate method for determining the evolution of laminar boundary layers. The approximation follows from an assumption that the growth of a laminar boundary layer in the presence of pressure gradients could be parameterized solely as a function of the Holstein–Bohlen flow parameter, thus reducing the von Kármán momentum integral to a first-order ordinary differential equation. This method is useful for the analysis of laminar flows, and in computational potential flow solvers to account for the viscous effects. In this work, an approximate method for determining the momentum thickness of a two-dimensional, turbulent boundary layer is proposed following Thwaites’ work. It is shown that the method provides good estimates of the momentum thickness for multiple boundary layers, including both favourable and adverse pressure gradient effects, up to the point of separation. In the limit of high Reynolds numbers, it is possible to derive a criterion for the onset of separation from the proposed model, which is shown to be in agreement with prior empirical observations (Alber, 9th Aerospace Sciences Meeting, 1971). The sensitivity of the separation location with respect to upstream perturbations is also analysed through this model for the NASA/Boeing speed bump and the transonic Bachalo–Johnson bump.
Combining a guided self-help and brief alcohol intervention to improve mental health and reduce substance use among refugee men in Uganda: a cluster-randomized feasibility trial
Authors: Greene M. Claire , Andersen Lena S. , Leku Marx R. , Au Teresa , Akellot Josephine , Upadhaya Nawaraj , Odokonyero Raymond , White Ross , Ventevogel Peter , Garcia-Moreno Claudia , Tol Wietse A.
Published: November 2024

Evidence on the effectiveness and implementation of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions for men in humanitarian settings is limited. Moreover, engagement and retention of men in such interventions has been challenging. Adaptations may therefore be required to improve the appropriateness and acceptability of these interventions for men. This study conducted formative research and examined the feasibility of combining an MHPSS intervention, Self-Help Plus, with a brief intervention to reduce harmful alcohol use among refugee men in Uganda. We conducted a cluster randomized feasibility trial comparing the combined alcohol intervention and Self-Help Plus, Self-Help Plus alone and enhanced usual care. Participants were 168 South Sudanese refugee men in Rhino Settlement who reported moderate or high levels of psychological distress. Session attendance was adequate: all sessions had at least 69% of participants present. Participant outcome measures, including symptoms of psychological distress, functional impairment, self-defined problems, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress symptoms, overall substance use risk, substance specific risk (alcohol, cannabis, stimulants and sedatives) and well-being, were sensitive to change. A combined approach to addressing mental health and alcohol use appears feasible among men in refugee settings, but further research is needed to examine the effectiveness of combined interventions among men.
Effects of liquid fraction and contact angle on structure and coarsening in two-dimensional foams
Authors: Morgan Jacob , Cox Simon
Published: November 2024

Aqueous foams coarsen with time due to gas diffusion through the liquid between the bubbles. The mean bubble size grows, and small bubbles vanish. However, coarsening is little understood for foams with an intermediate liquid content, particularly in the presence of surfactant-induced attractive forces between the bubbles, measured by the interface contact angle where thin films meet the bulk liquid. Rigorous bubble growth laws have yet to be developed, and the evolution of bulk foam properties is unclear. We present a quasistatic numerical model for coarsening in two-dimensional wet foams, focusing on growth laws and related bubble properties. The deformation of bubble interfaces is modelled using a finite-element approach, and the gas flow through both films and Plateau borders is approximated. We give results for disordered two-dimensional wet foams with

$256$

to

$1024$

bubbles, at liquid fractions from

$2\,\%$

to

$25\,\%$

, beyond the zero-contact-angle unjamming transition, and with contact angles up to

$10^\circ$

. Simple analytical models for the bubble pressures, film lengths and coarsening growth rates are developed to aid interpretation. If the contact angle is non-zero, we find that a prediction of the coarsening rate approaches a non-zero value as the liquid fraction is increased. We also find that an individual bubble's effective number of neighbours determines whether it grows or shrinks to a good approximation.
Direct numerical simulation of bubble rising in turbulence
Authors: Liu Zehua , Farsoiya Palas Kumar , Perrard Stéphane , Deike Luc
Published: November 2024

We describe the rising trajectory of bubbles in isotropic turbulence and quantify the slowdown of the mean rise velocity of bubbles with sizes within the inertial subrange. We perform direct numerical simulations of bubbles, for a wide range of turbulence intensity, bubble inertia and deformability, with systematic comparison with the corresponding quiescent case, with Reynolds number at the Taylor microscale from 38 to 77. Turbulent fluctuations randomise the rising trajectory and cause a reduction of the mean rise velocity

$\tilde {w}_b$

compared with the rise velocity in quiescent flow

$w_b$

. The decrease in mean rise velocity of bubbles

$\tilde {w}_b/w_b$

is shown to be primarily a function of the ratio of the turbulence intensity and the buoyancy forces, described by the Froude number

$Fr=u'/\sqrt {gd}$

, where

$u'$

is the root-mean-square velocity fluctuations,

$g$

is gravity and

$d$

is the bubble diameter. The bubble inertia, characterised by the ratio of inertial to viscous forces (Galileo number), and the bubble deformability, characterised by the ratio of buoyancy forces to surface tension (Bond number), modulate the rise trajectory and velocity in quiescent fluid. The slowdown of these bubbles in the inertial subrange is not due to preferential sampling, as is the case with sub-Kolmogorov bubbles. Instead, it is caused by the nonlinear drag–velocity relationship, where velocity fluctuations lead to an increased average drag. For

$Fr > 0.5$

, we confirm the scaling

$\tilde {w}_b / w_b \propto 1 / Fr$

, as proposed previously by Ruth et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 924, 2021, p. A2), over a wide range of bubble inertia and deformability.
Particle transport and deposition in wall-sheared thermal turbulence
Authors: Xu Ao , Xu Ben-Rui , Xi Heng-Dong
Published: November 2024

We studied the transport and deposition behaviour of point particles in Rayleigh–Bénard convection cells subjected to Couette-type wall shear. Direct numerical simulations (DNSs) are performed for Rayleigh number (

$Ra$

) in the range

$10^{7} \leq Ra \leq ~10^9$

with a fixed Prandtl number

$Pr = 0.71$

, while the wall-shear Reynolds number (

$Re_w$

) is in the range

$0 \leq Re_w \leq ~12\,000$

. With the increase of

$Re_w$

, the large-scale rolls expanded horizontally, evolving into zonal flow in two-dimensional simulations or streamwise-oriented rolls in three-dimensional simulations. We observed that, for particles with a small Stokes number (

$St$

), they either circulated within the large-scale rolls when buoyancy dominated or drifted near the walls when shear dominated. For medium

$St$

particles, pronounced spatial inhomogeneity and preferential concentration were observed regardless of the prevailing flow state. For large

$St$

particles, the turbulent flow structure had a minor influence on the particles’ motion; although clustering still occurred, wall shear had a negligible influence compared with that for medium

$St$

particles. We then presented the settling curves to quantify the particle deposition ratio on the walls. Our DNS results aligned well with previous theoretical predictions, which state that small

$St$

particles settle with an exponential deposition ratio and large

$St$

particles settle with a linear deposition ratio. For medium

$St$

particles, where complex particle–turbulence interaction emerges, we developed a new model describing the settling process with an initial linear stage followed by a nonlinear stage. Unknown parameters in our model can be determined either by fitting the settling curves or using empirical relations. Compared with DNS results, our model also accurately predicts the average residence time across a wide range of

$St$

for various

$Re_w$

.
The burden and distribution of cystic echinococcosis in Bhutan: a retrospective study
Authors: Tenzin Chador , Dendup Tashi , Torgerson P. R. , Deplazes Peter , Zangmo Sonam , Wangmo Chador , Tsheten Tsheten , Zangpo Tandin
Published: November 2024

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by Echinococcus granulosus s.l. is a neglected zoonosis posing a significant public health challenge. Little is known about human CE in Bhutan. This study was conducted to gain an understanding of the burden, distribution, and potential risk factors of CE in Bhutan. From January 2015 to December 2019 data from Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) and 6 other district-level hospitals were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. DALYs and Poisson regression models were used to estimate the burden and explore the relationship between cases and possible risk factors. A total of 159 cases were recorded. Most cases (145) were admitted to the surgical ward and 14 cases were referred to India. The average annual incidence was 4.4 cases per 100 000 population. The burden of disease was estimated to be approximately 39 DALYs per year for treatment-seeking cases, or possibly 80 DALYs per year including non-treatment seeking cases. This translates to approximately to 5.2 DALYs and 10.2 per 100 000 per year respectively. The commonest sites of infection were the liver (78%) and lungs (13%). Most cases were treated with surgery (>82%), and more than 47% were admitted to the hospital for >4 days. Policy interventions targeting community engagement, awareness, education, high risk occupational groups, females, and those living in the endemic districts of the central and western regions may yield larger gains. More studies and the institution of a surveillance system can help better guide policy interventions.
Argument ordering in simple sentences is affected by age of first language acquisition: Evidence from late first language signers of ASL
Authors: Miles Rachel , Hatrak Marla , İlkbaşaran Deniz , Mayberry Rachel
Published: November 2024

Research on the language acquisition of deaf individuals who are exposed to accessible linguistic input at a variety of ages has provided evidence for a sensitive period of first language acquisition. Recent studies have shown that deaf individuals who first learn language after early childhood, late first-language learners (LL1), do not comprehend reversible Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) sentences. The present study analyzed 478 signed productions elicited with pictures depicting simple events with one or two arguments by 28 signers. The argument order patterns of native signers converged with one another and the word order patterns of American Sign Language (ASL). By contrast, the ordering patterns of the LL1 signers did not converge with one another or with the patterns of the native signers. This indicates that early childhood is a period of heightened sensitivity to basic word order and may help explain why complex structures are difficult for LL1 signers to learn.
Compatibilism and Truly Minimal Morality
Authors: Quigley Travis
Published: November 2024

I formulate a compatibilism that is distinctively responsive to skeptical worries about the justification of punishment and other moral responsibility practices. I begin with an evolutionary story explaining why backward-looking reactive attitudes are “given” in human society. Cooperative society plausibly could not be sustained without such practices. The necessary accountability practices have complex internal standards. These internal standards may fully ground the appropriateness of reactive attitudes. Following a recent analogy, we can similarly hold that there are no external standards for what is funny; the norms of comedy are complex, but funny is funny. However, this is compatible with moral reasons to change the practices themselves, and therefore change what is fitting within them: in the first instance, a moralistic “that's not funny” is ill-fitting, but “that shouldn't be funny” can be apt. The analogous reformist position prescribes practices constituting the minimal responsibility norms necessary for cooperative society.
Airborne lidar at Guiengola, Oaxaca: Mapping a Late Postclassic Zapotec city
Authors: Ramón Celis Pedro Guillermo
Published: November 2024

The site of Guiengola is an example of one of the settlements built by the Zapotecs during their fourteenth- to fifteenth-century migration to the Southern Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Although Guiengola is well known in the ethnohistorical record as being the place where the Mexica armies were defeated by Zapotec forces during the late fifteenth century, the full extension of the site was previously unknown. Despite evidence of a dense population at the site, it has been mistakenly characterized as a fortress for housing soldiers and troops from the nearby town of Tehuantepec. Here, I present the research of the Guiengola Archeological Project, which conducted a lidar scan and archaeological surveys between 2018 and 2023. In this article, I share a comprehensive map of Guiengola, a Postclassic Mesoamerican city. My analysis identifies a large settlement that covered 360 ha and included a walled system of fortifications, an internal road network, and a hierarchically organized city. The findings of this project expand our understanding of the variations and social divisions in the city's internal urban organization, which in turn, allow us to deepen our comprehension of the transition to the Early Colonial barrio organization of Tehuantepec.
Groupoidal realizability for intensional type theory
Authors: Speight Samuel L.
Published: November 2024

We develop realizability models of intensional type theory, based on groupoids, wherein realizers themselves carry non-trivial (non-discrete) homotopical structure. In the spirit of realizability, this is intended to formalize a homotopical BHK interpretation, whereby evidence for an identification is a path. Specifically, we study partitioned groupoidal assemblies. Categories of such are parameterized by “realizer categories” (instead of the usual partial combinatory algebras) that come equipped with an interval qua internal cogroupoid. The interval furnishes a notion of homotopy as well as a fundamental groupoid construction. Objects in a base groupoid are realized by points in the fundamental groupoid of some object from the realizer category; isomorphisms in the base groupoid are realized by paths in said fundamental groupoid. The main result is that, under mild conditions on the realizer category, the ensuing category of partitioned groupoidal assemblies models intensional (1-truncated) type theory without function extensionality. Moreover, when the underlying realizer category is “untyped,” there exists an impredicative universe of 1-types (the modest fibrations). This is a groupoidal analog of the traditional situation.
Expansion of the critical intensity for the random connection model
Authors: Dickson Matthew , Heydenreich Markus
Published: November 2024

We derive an asymptotic expansion for the critical percolation density of the random connection model as the dimension of the encapsulating space tends to infinity. We calculate rigorously the first expansion terms for the Gilbert disk model, the hyper-cubic model, the Gaussian connection kernel, and a coordinate-wise Cauchy kernel.
Adaptation and validation of the Turkish version of the Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators scale among nursing students: A psychometric analysis
Authors: Ercan Feride , Kızılırmak Tatu Merve , Demir Satı
Published: November 2024

Objectives

The study used a methodological design to adapt a Turkish translation and validate the Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators scale.

Methods

The sample of the study consisted of 500 nursing students. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyze the construct and internal validiy. The values of average variance explained were analyzed for convergent validity. Tukey’s test of additivity examined the additivity, and Hotelling’s T2 test examined the mean difference between items. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were ensured for reliability. Test and retest scores were compared by applying the paired samples t-test and Wilcoxon test, and the fit was analyzed through the intra-class correlation coefficient.

Results

The Turkish version of the scale consisted of 34 items and 8 subscales. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the overall scale was 0.954. The scale was highly reliable and displayed psychometric solid properties.

Significance of results

It has been determined that the Turkish version of the Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators scale is a comprehensive, easy-to-understand measurement tool with a broad perspective that can be safely applied to future nurse candidate students. The scale has been evaluated as a reliable measurement tool that can provide cross-cultural measurement.
The public health significance of prior homelessness: findings on multimorbidity and mental health from a nationally representative survey
Authors: Chilman N. , Schofield P. , McManus S. , Ronaldson A. , Stagg A. , Das-Munshi J.
Published: November 2024

Aims

The associations of prior homelessness with current health are unknown. Using nationally representative data collected in private households in England, this study aimed to examine Common Mental Disorders (CMDs), physical health, alcohol/substance dependence, and multimorbidities in people who formerly experienced homelessness compared to people who never experienced homelessness.

Methods

This cross-sectional study utilised data from the 2007 and 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys. Former homelessness and current physical health problems were self-reported. Current CMDs, alcohol dependence and substance dependence were ascertained using structured validated scales. Survey-weighted logistic regression was used to compare multimorbidities (conditions in combination) for participants who formerly experienced homelessness with those who had never experienced homelessness, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, smoking status and adverse experiences. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated.

Results

Of 13,859 people in the sample, 535 formerly experienced homelessness (3.6%, 95% CI 3.2–4.0). 44.8% of people who formerly experienced homelessness had CMDs (95% CI 40.2–49.5), compared to 15.0% (95% CI 14.3–15.7) for those who had never experienced homelessness. There were substantial associations between prior homelessness and physical multimorbidity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.98, 95% CI 1.53–2.57), CMD–physical multimorbidity (aOR 3.43, 95% CI 2.77–4.25), CMD–alcohol/substance multimorbidity (aOR 3.53, 95% CI 2.49–5.01) and trimorbidity (CMD–alcohol/substance–physical multimorbidity) (aOR 3.26, 95% CI 2.20–4.83), in models adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and smoking. After further adjustment for adverse experiences, associations attenuated but persisted for physical multimorbidity (aOR 1.40, 95% CI 1.10–1.79) and CMD–physical multimorbidity (aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.20–2.00). The largest PAFs were observed for CMD–alcohol/substance multimorbidity (17%) and trimorbidity (16%).

Conclusions

Even in people currently rehoused, marked inequities across multimorbidities remained evident, highlighting the need for longer-term integrated support for people who have previously experienced homelessness.
Exploring Comorbidity Between Anxiety and Depression in Spanish-Speaking School-Aged Children: A Network Analysis Approach
Authors: Fernández-Martínez Iván , Idrobo Gutiérrez Angélica , Orgilés Amorós Mireia
Published: November 2024

Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent and comorbid problems in childhood, which deserve greater understanding for effective prevention and treatment. The main aim of the present study was to explore the comorbidity between anxiety and depression symptoms using a novel and valuable approach to study comorbidity, such as network analysis. Specifically, the connectivity between symptoms and possible relevant symptoms was examined through comorbidity estimation and shortest pathway networks, as well as bridge symptoms. This study comprised 281 Spanish-speaking children aged 8–12 years (45.2% girls), whose anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed through specific brief parent-report measures. Analyses revealed that in the comorbidity network, the most central symptoms were related to depression (“No good anymore,” “Could never be as good,” “Hated self,” “Did everything wrong,” “Nobody loved him/her”) or anxiety (“Suddenly feels really scared”). Furthermore, it was found that the most central bridge symptoms, whose activation would play a key role in the activation of other domain symptoms, were anxiety symptoms such as “Trouble going to school” and “Suddenly feels really scared” and depression symptoms, such as “Could never be as good” and “Hated self.” Additionally, the shortest path network suggested the existence of different possible pathways of connection between anxiety and depression symptoms. Overall, these findings help to understand the complexity of the anxiety-depression comorbidity. It suggests the existence of central and bridge symptoms that complement previous studies, which may be potential targets for interventions to prevent and treat childhood anxiety and depression.
Rapid Down‐Slope Transport of Fresh Dissolved Organic Matter to the Deep Ocean in the Eastern North Atlantic
Authors: Wei Bingbing , Seidel Michael , Mollenhauer Gesine , Lefebvre Alice , Miramontes Elda , Grotheer Hendrik , Elvert Marcus , Wendt Jenny , Dittmar Thorsten , Holtappels Moritz
Published: November 2024

Intense convective mixing in the central North Atlantic is a major gateway for dissolved organic matter (DOM) into the deep ocean, sustaining elevated dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. Rapid down‐slope transport on adjacent Irish and Hebrides Margins represents another, less‐explored mechanism contributing to the deep‐sea DOM reservoir. Our analyses of solid‐phase extractable DOM (SPE‐DOM) in bottom waters in this region showed 7–11 μM higher DOC concentration and 190–330 years youngerSPE‐DOM radiocarbon ages compared to similar depths in the open eastern North Atlantic. We estimated a down‐slope DOC flux of 43 Tg C yr−1 from the Irish and Hebrides shelves. During transport, conservative mixing, dominated by physical rather than biological/chemical processes, determined the molecular DOM composition, while minor particulate organic matter degradation introduced less‐refractory DOM with terrigenous characteristics. Thus, rapid down‐slope transport emerges as an efficient conduit for delivering fresh DOM into the deep ocean.
The inflammasome-activating poxvirus peptide IAMP29 promotes antimicrobial and anticancer responses
Authors: Roh Taylor , Seo Wonhyoung , Won Minho , Yang Woo Seok , Sapkota Asmita , Park Eun-Jin , Yun Sung-Ho , Jeon Sang Min , Kim Kyung Tae , Lee Bomi , Ryu Gyoungah , Lee Sang-Hee , Shin Jung-Min , Shin Hyo Jung , Kim Young Jae , Lee Young , Chung Chaeuk , Song Ik-Chan , Song Hyun Kyu , Jo Eun-Kyeong
Published: November 2024

Poxviruses are implicated in a variety of infectious diseases; however, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that underlie the immune response during poxvirus infection. We investigated the function and mechanisms of the monkeypox virus envelope protein (A30L) and its core peptide (IAMP29) during the activation of innate immune responses. The A30L protein and its core peptide, IAMP29 (a 29-amino-acid inflammasome-activating peptide encompassing His40 to Asp69 of A30L), strongly activated the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome by inducing the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in human monocytes. Specifically, IAMP29 triggered metabolic reprogramming toward glycolysis and interacted with pyruvate kinase M isoforms (PKM1 and PKM2), thus activating the NLRP3 inflammasome and interleukin (IL)-1β production in human monocytes and murine macrophages. In human primary monocyte-derived macrophages, IAMP29-induced inflammasome activation promoted an antimicrobial response to rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Furthermore, IAMP29 exhibited cytotoxic activity against leukemia cells, which was mediated by pyroptosis and apoptosis. These findings provide insights into the immunological function of the poxvirus envelope peptide and suggest its therapeutic potential.
Sorcin can trigger pancreatic cancer-associated new-onset diabetes through the secretion of inflammatory cytokines such as serpin E1 and CCL5
Authors: Gong Jiali , Li Xiawei , Feng Zengyu , Lou Jianyao , Pu Kaiyue , Sun Yongji , Hu Sien , Zhou Yizhao , Song Tianyu , Shangguan Meihua , Zhang Kai , Lu Wenjie , Dong Xin , Wu Jian , Zhu Hong , He Qiaojun , Xu Hongxia , Wu Yulian
Published: November 2024

A rise in blood glucose is an early warning sign of underlying pancreatic cancer (PC) and may be an indicator of genetic events in PC progression. However, there is still a lack of mechanistic research on pancreatic cancer-associated new-onset diabetes (PCAND). In the present study, we identified a gene SRI, which possesses a SNP with the potential to distinguish PCAND and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), by machine learning on the basis of the UK Biobank database. In vitro and in vivo, sorcin overexpression induced pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Sorcin can form a positive feedback loop with STAT3 to increase the transcription of serpin E1 and CCL5, which may directly induce β-cell dysfunction. In 88 biopsies, the expression of sorcin was elevated in PC tissues, especially in PCAND samples. Furthermore, plasma serpin E1 levels are higher in peripheral blood samples from PCAND patients than in those from T2DM patients. In conclusion, sorcin may be the key driver in PCAND, and further study on the sorcin-STAT3-serpin E1/CCL5 signaling axis may help us better understand the pathogenesis of PCAND and identify potential biomarkers.
Quantitative phase imaging endoscopy with a metalens
Authors: Shanker Aamod , Fröch Johannes E. , Mukherjee Saswata , Zhelyeznyakov Maksym , Brunton Steven L. , Seibel Eric J. , Majumdar Arka
Published: November 2024

Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) recovers the exact wavefront of light from intensity measurements. Topographical and optical density maps of translucent microscopic bodies can be extracted from these quantified phase shifts. We demonstrate quantitative phase imaging at the tip of a coherent fiber bundle using chromatic aberrations inherent in a silicon nitride hyperboloid metalens. Our method leverages spectral multiplexing to recover phase from multiple defocus planes in a single capture using a color camera. Our 0.5 mm aperture metalens shows robust quantitative phase imaging capability with a $${28}^{\circ}$$

28

∘

field of view and 0.$${2}{\pi}$$

2
π

phase resolution ( ~ 0.$${1}{\lambda}$$

1
λ

in air) for experiments with an endoscopic fiber bundle. Since the spectral functionality is encoded directly in the imaging lens, the metalens acts both as a focusing element and a spectral filter. The use of a simple computational backend will enable real-time operation. Key limitations in the adoption of phase imaging methods for endoscopy such as multiple acquisition, interferometric alignment or mechanical scanning are completely mitigated in the reported metalens based QPI.
Piezoelectric MEMS microphones based on rib structures and single crystal PZT thin film
Authors: You Zhiwei , Gan Jinghan , Yang Chong , Tuerhong Renati , Zhao Lei , Lu Yipeng
Published: November 2024

In this study, a controllable mass‒frequency tuning method is presented using the etching of rib structures on a single-crystal PZT membrane. The rib structures were optimized to reduce the membrane mass while maintaining the stiffness; therefore, the center frequency could be increased to improve the low-frequency bandwidth of microphones. Additionally, this methodology could reduce the modulus and improve the sensitivity for the same resonant frequency, which typically indicates the maximum acoustic overload point (AOP). The PZT film was chosen because of its greater density; the simulation results showed that PZT could provide a greater frequency tuning (24.9%) compared to that of the AlN film (5.8%), and its large dielectric constant enabled the optimal design to have small electrodes at the maximum stress location while mitigating the sacrificial capacitance effect on electrical gain. An analytical model of rib-structure microphones was established and greatly reduced the computing time. The experimental results of the impedance tests revealed that the center frequencies of the six microphones shifted from 74.6 kHz to 106.3 kHz with rib-structure inner radii ranging from 0 μm to 340 μm; this result was in good agreement with the those of the analytical analysis and finite element modeling. While the center frequency greatly varied, the measured sensitivities at 1 kHz only varied within a small range from 22.3 mV/Pa to 25.7 mV/Pa; thus, the membrane stiffness minimally changed. Moreover, a single-crystal PZT film with a (100) crystal orientation and 0.24-degree full width at half maximum (FWHM) was used to enable differential sensing and a low possibility of undesirable polarization. Paired with a two-stage differential charge amplifier, a differential sensing microphone was experimentally demonstrated to improve the sensitivity from 25.7 mV/Pa to 36.1 mV/Pa and reduce the noise from −68.2 dBV to −82.8 dBV.
Biomimetic hair-assisted GaN optical devices for bidirectional airflow detection
Authors: Ye Tianyu , Chen Jian , Tang Xinke , Li Kwai Hei
Published: November 2024

Airflow sensing plays a pivotal role in numerous fields, including medicine, industry, and environmental monitoring. However, detecting bidirectional airflow using a single sensing unit poses significant challenges. In this work, a miniature airflow sensing device is introduced, utilizing a GaN optical chip integrated with a biomimetic hair structure. The sensing device comprises a monolithic GaN chip that handles both light emission and detection. The biomimetic hairs, constructed from nylon fibers and PDMS film, undergo structural bending in converting airflow signals into optical changes, modulating the light captured by the on-chip detector. The intensity of the airflow directly correlates with the bending extent of the biomimetic hair, facilitating the precise detection of airflow rates through changes in the photocurrent. The integrated device can measure a wide range of airflow rates from −23.87 ms−1 to 21.29 ms−1, and exhibit a rapid response time of 13 ms and a detection limit of 0.1 ms−1. Characterized by its compact size, fast response time, and bidirectional detection ability, the developed device holds immense potential for applications in breath detection, speech recognition, encoding information, and the realization of logic operations.
The effect of fampridine on working memory: a randomized controlled trial based on a genome-guided repurposing approach
Authors: Papassotiropoulos Andreas , Freytag Virginie , Schicktanz Nathalie , Gerhards Christiane , Aerni Amanda , Faludi Tamás , Amini Ehssan , Müggler Elia , Harings-Kaim Annette , Schlitt Thomas , de Quervain Dominique J.-F.
Published: November 2024

Working memory (WM), a key component of cognitive functions, is often impaired in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Through a genome-guided drug repurposing approach, we identified fampridine, a potassium channel blocker used to improve walking in multiple sclerosis, as a candidate for modulating WM. In a subsequent double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial in 43 healthy young adults (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04652557), we assessed fampridine’s impact on WM (3-back d-prime, primary outcome) after 3.5 days of repeated administration (10 mg twice daily). Independently of baseline cognitive performance, no significant main effect was observed (Wilcoxon P = 0.87, r = 0.026). However, lower baseline performance was associated with higher working memory performance after repeated intake of fampridine compared to placebo (rs = −0.37, P = 0.014, n = 43). Additionally, repeated intake of fampridine lowered resting motor threshold (F(1,37) = 5.31, P = 0.027, R2β = 0.01), the non-behavioral secondary outcome, indicating increased cortical excitability linked to cognitive function. Fampridine’s capacity to enhance WM in low-performing individuals and to increase brain excitability points to its potential value for treating WM deficits.
Inhibition of sympathetic tone via hypothalamic descending pathway propagates glucocorticoid-induced endothelial impairment and osteonecrosis of the femoral head
Authors: Shao Wenkai , Wang Bo , Wang Ping , Zhang Shuo , Gong Song , Guo Xiaodong , Duan Deyu , Shao Zengwu , Liu Weijian , He Lei , Gao Fei , Lv Xiao , Feng Yong
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a common complication of glucocorticoid (GC) therapy. Recent advances demonstrate that sympathetic nerves regulate bone homeostasis, and GCs lower the sympathetic tone. Here, we show that the dramatically decreased sympathetic tone is closely associated with the pathogenesis of GC-induced ONFH. GCs activate the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) but hinder the activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) on neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). This disrupts the balance of corticosteroid receptors (GR/MR) and subsequently reduces the sympathetic outflow in the PVN. Vascular endothelial cells rapidly react to inhibition of sympathetic tone by provoking endothelial apoptosis in adult male mice treated with methylprednisolone (MPS) daily for 3 days, and we find substantially reduced H-type vessels in the femoral heads of MPS-treated ONFH mice. Importantly, treatment with a GR inhibitor (RU486) in the PVN promotes the activation of MR and rebalances the ratio of GR and MR, thus effectively boosting sympathetic outflow, as shown by an increase in tyrosine hydroxylase expression in both the PVN and the sympathetic postganglionic neurons and an increase in norepinephrine levels in both the serum and bone marrow of the femoral head of MPS-treated mice. Rebalancing the corticosteroid receptors mitigates GC-induced endothelial impairment and ONFH and promotes angiogenesis coupled with osteogenesis in the femoral head, while these effects are abolished by chemical sympathectomy with 6-OHDA or adrenergic receptor-β2 (Adrb2) knockout. Furthermore, activating Adrb2 signaling in vivo is sufficient to rescue the GC-induced ONFH phenotype. Mechanistically, norepinephrine increases the expression of the key glycolytic gene 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) via Adrb2-cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling. Endothelial-specific overexpression of PFKFB3 attenuates endothelial impairment and prevents severe osteonecrosis in MPS-treated Adrb2 knockout mice. Thus, GC inhibits sympathetic tone via the hypothalamic descending pathway, which, in turn, acts as a mediator of GC-induced ONFH.
A systematic review of the implications of lipocalin-2 expression in periodontal disease
Authors: Solís-Suárez Diana L. , Cifuentes-Mendiola Saúl E. , García-Hernández Ana L.
Published: November 2024

Objective

Evidence suggests that lipocalin-2 (LCN-2), a bone-derived protein, is upregulated in periodontal diseases. This systematic review aimed to evaluate LCN-2 concentrations in individuals with periodontal diseases, identifying the most suitable body fluids for its detection, the type of periodontal disease with the highest LCN-2 expression, its association with other inflammatory markers and systemic diseases, and whether its expression can be modified by periodontal treatment.

Methods

A systematic search of Google Scholar, PubMed, and ProQuest up to August 2024 was conducted. The studies were screened and selected by the authors according to specific eligibility criteria. Quality assessment of the included studies was performed according to the study type using STROBE statement for observational studies or the modified Jadad scale for experimental studies. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023458565).

Results

In total, three thousand six hundred and thirty-eight reports were identified, of which twenty-seven were full-text assessed for eligibility, including eleven articles. Seven articles were observational, and four were experimental. Significantly elevated LCN-2 levels were reported in patients with periodontal disease across 9 studies, being higher in periodontitis rather than gingivitis. LCN-2 was mainly detected in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva. LCN-2 expression is related to the increment of inflammatory markers, and periodontal therapy decreases LCN-2 concentrations. LCN-2 levels were aggravated when periodontitis was accompanied by obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Conclusion

LCN-2 is implicated in periodontal diseases, probably through the inflammation process.
Current water contact and Schistosoma mansoni infection have distinct determinants: a data-driven population-based study in rural Uganda
Authors: Reitzug Fabian , Kabatereine Narcis B. , Byaruhanga Anatol M. , Besigye Fred , Nabatte Betty , Chami Goylette F.
Published: November 2024

Water contact is a key element of the system of human-environment interactions that determine individual exposure to schistosome parasites and, in turn, community transmission. Yet, there is a limited understanding of the complexity of water contact. We characterised patterns and determinants of water contact within the large-scale SchistoTrack study on 2867 individuals aged 5-90 years in Eastern and Western Uganda, employing Bayesian variable selection and advanced statistical modelling. We found a 15-year gap between the population-level peak in water contact (age 30) and infection (age 15) with practically no correlation (ρ = 0.03) between individual-level water contact and infection. Adults had higher water contact than children, and 80% of individuals with water contact lived within 0.43 km of water bodies. Domestic water contact was most common for children and women, while occupational water contact was most common for men. Water contact was positively associated with older age, fishing or fish mongering occupations, the number of water sites, and type (beach/pond/swamp), and lower village-level infection prevalence. Only older age and fishing were positively, though inconsistently, associated with infection status/intensity. By providing profiles of at-risk groups, and suitable water contact metrics, our research opens avenues for spatially-targeted interventions and exposure monitoring in endemic countries.
HURP regulates Kif18A recruitment and activity to synergistically control microtubule dynamics
Authors: Perez-Bertoldi Juan M. , Zhao Yuanchang , Thawani Akanksha , Yildiz Ahmet , Nogales Eva
Published: November 2024

During mitosis, microtubule dynamics are regulated to ensure proper alignment and segregation of chromosomes. The dynamics of kinetochore-attached microtubules are regulated by hepatoma-upregulated protein (HURP) and the mitotic kinesin-8 Kif18A, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Using single-molecule imaging in vitro, we demonstrate that Kif18A motility is regulated by HURP. While sparse decoration of HURP activates the motor, higher concentrations hinder processive motility. To shed light on this behavior, we determine the binding mode of HURP to microtubules using cryo-EM. The structure helps rationalize why HURP functions as a microtubule stabilizer. Additionally, HURP partially overlaps with the microtubule-binding site of the Kif18A motor domain, indicating that excess HURP inhibits Kif18A motility by steric exclusion. We also observe that HURP and Kif18A function together to suppress dynamics of the microtubule plus-end, providing a mechanistic basis for how they collectively serve in microtubule length control.
Learning properties of quantum states without the IID assumption
Authors: Fawzi Omar , Kueng Richard , Markham Damian , Oufkir Aadil
Published: November 2024

We develop a framework for learning properties of quantum states beyond the assumption of independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) input states. We prove that, given any learning problem (under reasonable assumptions), an algorithm designed for i.i.d. input states can be adapted to handle input states of any nature, albeit at the expense of a polynomial increase in training data size (aka sample complexity). Importantly, this polynomial increase in sample complexity can be substantially improved to polylogarithmic if the learning algorithm in question only requires non-adaptive, single-copy measurements. Among other applications, this allows us to generalize the classical shadow framework to the non-i.i.d. setting while only incurring a comparatively small loss in sample efficiency. We leverage permutation invariance and randomized single-copy measurements to derive a new quantum de Finetti theorem that mainly addresses measurement outcome statistics and, in turn, scales much more favorably in Hilbert space dimension.
Genetic potential for aerobic respiration and denitrification in globally distributed respiratory endosymbionts
Authors: Speth Daan R. , Zeller Linus M. , Graf Jon S. , Overholt Will A. , Küsel Kirsten , Milucka Jana
Published: November 2024

The endosymbiont Candidatus Azoamicus ciliaticola was proposed to generate ATP for its eukaryotic host, an anaerobic ciliate of the Plagiopylea class, fulfilling a function analogous to mitochondria in other eukaryotic cells. The discovery of this respiratory endosymbiosis has major implications for both evolutionary history and ecology of microbial eukaryotes. However, with only a single species described, knowledge of its environmental distribution and diversity is limited. Here we report four complete, circular metagenome assembled genomes (cMAGs) representing respiratory endosymbionts inhabiting groundwater in California, Ohio, and Germany. These cMAGs form two lineages comprising a monophyletic clade within the uncharacterized gammaproteobacterial order UBA6186, enabling evolutionary analysis of their key protein complexes. Strikingly, all four cMAGs encode a cytochrome cbb3 oxidase, which indicates that these endosymbionts have the capacity for aerobic respiration. Accordingly, we detect these respiratory endosymbionts in diverse habitats worldwide, thus further expanding the ecological scope of this respiratory symbiosis.
Molecular insights into substrate translocation in an elevator-type metal transporter
Authors: Zhang Yao , Jafari Majid , Zhang Tuo , Sui Dexin , Sagresti Luca , Merz Kenneth M. , Hu Jian
Published: November 2024

The Zrt/Irt-like protein (ZIP) metal transporters are key players in maintaining the homeostasis of a panel of essential microelements. The prototypical ZIP from Bordetella bronchiseptica (BbZIP) is an elevator transporter, but how the metal substrate moves along the transport pathway and how the transporter changes conformation to allow alternating access remain to be elucidated. Here, we combine structural, biochemical, and computational approaches to investigate the process of metal substrate translocation along with the global structural rearrangement. Our study reveals an upward hinge motion of the transport domain in a high-resolution crystal structure of a cross-linked variant, elucidates the mechanisms of metal release from the transport site into the cytoplasm and activity regulation by a cytoplasmic metal-binding loop, and unravels an unusual elevator mode in enhanced sampling simulations that distinguishes BbZIP from other elevator transporters. This work provides important insights into the metal transport mechanism of the ZIP family.
Coding and non-coding variants in the ciliopathy gene CFAP410 cause early-onset non-syndromic retinal degeneration
Authors: Sangermano Riccardo , Gupta Priya , Price Cherrell , Han Jinu , Navarro Julien , Condroyer Christel , Place Emily M. , Antonio Aline , Mukai Shizuo , Zanlonghi Xavier , Sahel José-Alain , DiTroia Stephanie , O’Heir Emily , Duncan Jacque L. , Pierce Eric A. , Zeitz Christina , Audo Isabelle , Huckfeldt Rachel M. , Bujakowska Kinga M.
Published: November 2024

Inherited retinal degenerations are blinding genetic disorders characterized by high genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity. In this retrospective study, we describe sixteen families with early-onset non-syndromic retinal degenerations in which affected probands carried rare bi-allelic variants in CFAP410, a ciliary gene previously associated with recessive Jeune syndrome. We detected twelve variants, eight of which were novel, including c.373+91A>G, which led to aberrant splicing. To our knowledge this is the first likely pathogenic deep-intronic variant identified in this gene. Analysis of all reported and novel CFAP410 variants revealed no clear correlation between the severity of the CFAP410-associated phenotypes and the identified causal variants. This is supported by the fact that the frequently encountered missense variant p.(Arg73Pro), often found in syndromic cases, was also associated with non-syndromic retinal degeneration. This study expands the current knowledge of CFAP410-associated ciliopathy by enriching its mutational landscape and supports its association with non-syndromic retinal degeneration.