bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recovery effect of self‐myofascial release treatment using different type of a foam rollers
Authors: Michalak Bartłomiej , Kopiczko Anna , Gajda Robert , Adamczyk Jakub Grzegorz
Published: July 2024

Among athletes, foam rolling is popular technique of myofascial release aimed to support recovery processes and counteract delayed onset muscle soreness. However, there is no consensus on the optimal parameters of the roller texture used in the procedure. The study aimed to determine whether using rollers with different textures and hardness (smooth/soft, grooved/mid, serrated/hard) in myofascial release affects post-exertional restitution rate and the level of perceived DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) after intense anaerobic exercise. The study involved 60 healthy and physically active men randomly divided into three experimental groups and one control group (passive rest)—each consisting of 15 individuals: STH—rolling with a smooth roller; G—rolling with a grooved roller; TP—rolling with a serrated roller; Pass—passive rest group. After performing a exercise test (one-minute high-intensity squat), blood lactate (LA), creatine kinase (CK) and pain perception (VAS Scale) were monitored. The analysis of the average LA concentration in the blood 30 min post-exercise showed a statistical difference for all rolling groups compared to the passive rest group: STH (p < 0.001), G (p < 0.001), TP (p = 0.035). No statistically significant differences were found between the CK measurement results in individual assessments. Statistically significant differences in VAS values were observed between G (p = 0.013) and TP (p = 0.006) groups and the Pass group at 48 h, as well as between STH (p = 0.003); G (p = 0.001); TP (p < 0.001) groups and the Pass group at 72 h. Based on statistical data, a strong influence (η2 = 0.578) of time on the quadriceps VAS variable was noted. The research results confirm the effectiveness of rolling in supporting immediate and prolonged recovery. The conducted studies indicate a significantly better pace of post-exertional recovery after a rolling procedure lasting at least 120 s. The texture and hardness of the tool used did not matter with such a duration of the treatment.
Two Paenibacillus spp. strains promote grapevine wood degradation by the fungus Fomitiporia mediterranea: from degradation experiments to genome analyses
Authors: Haidar Rana , Compant Stéphane , Robert Coralie , Antonielli Livio , Yacoub Amira , Grélard Axelle , Loquet Antoine , Brader Günter , Guyoneaud Rémy , Attard Eléonore , Rey Patrice
Published: July 2024

Ascomycetes, basidiomycetes and deuteromycetes can degrade wood, but less attention has been paid to basidiomycetes involved in Esca, a major Grapevine Trunk Disease. Using a wood sawdust microcosm system, we compared the wood degradation of three grapevine cultivars inoculated with Fomitiporia mediterranea M. Fisch, a basidiomycete responsible for white-rot development and involved in Esca disease. The grapevine cultivar Ugni blanc was more susceptible to wood degradation caused by F. mediterranea than the cultivars Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy showed that F. mediterranea preferentially degrades lignin and hemicellulose over cellulose (preferential, successive or sequential white-rot). In addition, co-inoculation of sawdust with two cellulolytic and xylanolytic bacterial strains of Paenibacillus (Nakamura) Ash (Paenibacillus sp. (S231-2) and P. amylolyticus (S293)), enhanced F. mediterranea ability to degrade Ugni blanc. The NMR data further showed that the increase in Ugni blanc sawdust degradation products was greater when bacteria and fungi were inoculated together. We also demonstrated that these two bacterial strains could degrade the wood components of Ugni blanc sawdust. Genome analysis of these bacterial strains revealed numerous genes predicted to be involved in cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin degradation, as well as several other genes related to bacteria-fungi interactions and endophytism inside the plant. The occurrence of this type of bacteria-fungus interaction could explain, at least in part, why necrosis develops extensively in certain grapevine varieties such as Ugni blanc.
Quantitative evaluation of acid flow behavior in fractures and optimization of design parameters based on acid wormhole filtration losses
Authors: Yang Sen , Zheng Kaige , Zhang Jian , Dai Nan , Wang Lintao , Wang Zeyang , Wang Haojie , Kong Xiangwei
Published: July 2024

The technique of matrix acidification or acid fracturing is commonly utilized to establish communication with natural fractures during reservoir reconstruction. However, this process often encounters limitations due to filtration, which restricts the expansion of the primary acid-etching fracture. To address this issue, a computational model has been developed to simulate the expansion of an acid-etching wormhole by considering various factors such as formation process, injection duration, pressure build-up, and time-varying acid percolation rate. By analyzing the pumping displacement of acid-etching wormholes, this model provides valuable insights into the time-dependent quantities of acid percolation. It has been revealed that the filtration rate of acid-etching wormholes is strongly influenced by pumping displacement, viscosity, and concentration of the acid fluid used in stimulation as well as physical properties of the reservoir itself. Notably, viscosity plays a significant role in determining the effectiveness of acid fracturing especially in low-viscosity conditions. Acid concentration within 15% to 20% exhibits maximum impact on successful acid fracturing while concentrations below 15% or above 20% show no obvious effect. Furthermore, it was found that pumping displacement has a major influence on effective fracturing. However, beyond a certain threshold (> 5.0 m3/min), increased pumping displacement leads to slower etching distance for acids used in construction purposes. The simulation also provides real-time distribution analysis for acidity levels within eroded fractures during matrix-acidification processes and quantifies extent of chemical reactions between acids and rocks within these fractures thereby facilitating optimization efforts for design parameters related to matrix-acidification.
Prevalence and associated risk factors for men being paid for sex in Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis of 2016 Ethiopian demographic health survey data
Authors: Misanew Ambachew , Dessalegn Behailu , Ashuro Zemachu
Published: July 2024

Paying for sex is considered a high-risk sexual behavior, especially among men. Men who pay for sex are perceived to be a bridge group for sexually transmitted illnesses. In sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of paid sex among men is approximately 4.3%. Men paid for sex are not studied in Ethiopia. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify factors associated with men paying for sex in Ethiopia. We analyzed data from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey. In the analysis, 9070 men were included. To identify factors associated with paid-for sex among men, we used a multilevel logistic regression model. A p value less than 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance at the 95% confidence interval (CI). In this study, 509 (5.6%) men were ever paid for sex. Men who paid for sex were significantly more likely to be rich [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 1.70; 95% CI 1.287, 2.246], widowed or separated (AOR = 1.97; 95% CI 1.142, 3.396), had more sexual partners [AOR = 1.03; 95% CI 1.005, 1.063], had ever been tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (AOR = 1.50; 95% CI 1.173, 1.916), drank alcohol (AOR = 4.15; 95% CI 3.086, 5.576), and chewing khat (AOR = 2.28; 95% CI 1.822, 2.85); men who had ever paid for sex were significantly less likely to have higher education (AOR = .63; 95% CI .438, .898) and the lowest age at first sex (AOR = .90; 95% CI .870, .924). In conclusion, educational level, wealth status, province, marital status, age at first sexual intercourse, number of sexual partners, HIV status, alcohol consumption status, and chewing khat were significantly associated with men’s paid-for sex. From a public and sexual health perspective, more education is needed for illiterate, widowed, separated, and rich men. Additionally, preventive measures should be taken against men’s behavior through the use of alcohol or khat, having many sexual partners, and having young men.
Prediction of isometric forces from combined epidural spinal cord and neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the rat lower limb
Authors: Song Daniel , Tresch Matthew C.
Published: July 2024

Although epidural spinal cord and muscle stimulation have each been separately used for restoration of movement after spinal cord injury, their combined use has not been widely explored. Using both approaches in combination could provide more flexible control compared to using either approach alone, but whether responses evoked from such combined stimulation can be easily predicted is unknown. We evaluate whether responses evoked by combined spinal and muscle stimulation can be predicted simply, as the linear summation of responses produced by each type of stimulation individually. Should this be true, it would simplify the prediction of co-stimulation responses and the development of control schemes for spinal cord injury rehabilitation. In healthy anesthetized rats, we measured hindlimb isometric forces in response to spinal and muscle stimulation. Force prediction errors were calculated as the difference between predicted and observed co-stimulation forces. We found that spinal and muscle co-stimulation could be closely predicted as the linear summation of the individual spinal and muscle responses and that the errors were relatively low. We discuss the implications of these results to the use of combined muscle and spinal stimulation for the restoration of movement following spinal cord injury.
The association of the persecutory ideation questionnaire with clinically-relevant and other outcomes: the moderating role of confidence
Authors: Díaz Darío , Briñol Pablo , Bajo Miriam , Stavraki Maria , Beato-Fernández Luis , Petty Richard E.
Published: July 2024

One of the most used self-administered instruments to assess persecutory delusions is the Persecutory Ideation Questionnaire (PIQ). Individual differences in PIQ scores are important because they predict the severity of symptoms associated with psychosis-related disorders. The current research demonstrates that PIQ is associated with two new outcomes: Satisfaction with life (Studies 1 and 2) and therapy length needed for hospital discharge (Study 2). Most relevant, we introduce meta-cognitive confidence in one’s scale responses as a construct capable of improving the predictive validity of the PIQ. Across two studies, participants from the general population (Study 1) and from a clinical sample (Study 2) completed the PIQ and then reported the confidence in their responses. As expected, the PIQ was associated with satisfaction with life in both cases and duration of therapy required to receive hospital discharge for the clinical sample. Most importantly, confidence further moderated the extent to which the PIQ scores were linked with both outcomes, with greater consistency between the PIQ and the dependent measures obtained for those with higher confidence. Therefore, asking a single item about the confidence associated with responses to the PIQ enhances the association of PIQ scores and relevant consequences across domains.
Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles remove donor-specific antibodies (DSA) from patient blood in a first ex vivo proof of principle study
Authors: Lauener Francis , Schläpfer Martin , Mueller Thomas F. , Von Moos Seraina , Janker Stefanie , Doswald Simon , Stark Wendelin J. , Beck-Schimmer Beatrice
Published: July 2024

The presence of donor-specific antibodies (DSA) such as antibodies directed against donor class I human leucocyte antigen (e.g., HLA-A) is a major barrier to kidney transplant success. As a proof of concept, functionalized magnetic nanoparticles have been designed to eliminate DSA from saline, blood and plasma of healthy donors and sensitized patients. Specific HLA-A1 protein was covalently bound to functionalized cobalt nanoparticles (fNP), human serum albumin (HSA) as control. fNP were added to anti-HLA class I-spiked saline, spiked volunteers’ whole blood, and to whole blood and plasma of sensitized patients ex vivo. Anti-HLA-A1 antibody levels were determined with Luminex technology. Antibodies' median fluorescent intensity (MFI) was defined as the primary outcome. Furthermore, the impact of fNP treatment on blood coagulation and cellular uptake was determined. Treatment with fNP reduced MFI by 97 ± 2% and by 94 ± 4% (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001) in spiked saline and whole blood, respectively. In six known sensitized anti-HLA-A1 positive patients, a reduction of 65 ± 26% (p = 0.002) in plasma and 65 ± 33% (p = 0.012) in whole blood was achieved. No impact on coagulation was observed. A minimal number of nanoparticles was detected in peripheral mononuclear blood cells. The study demonstrates—in a first step—the feasibility of anti-HLA antibody removal using fNP. These pilot data might pave the way for a new personalized DSA removal technology in the future.
Preparation of a benziodazole-type iodine(III) compound and its application as a nitrating reagent for synthesis of furazans via a copper-catalyzed cascade process
Authors: Yang Zhifang , Xu Jun , Sun Yuli , Li Xuemin , Jia Bohan , Du Yunfei
Published: July 2024

The existing hypervalent I(III) reagents bearing ONO2 group are limited in types and their applications primarily focused on the nitrooxylation reactions featuring a fully-exo fashion. Herein, a benziodazole-type O2NO-I(III) compound was prepared and its reaction with β-monosubstituted enamines in the presence of CuI could trigger a radical nitration/cyclization/dehydration cascade to provide a series of less explored but biologically interesting furazan heterocycles. Mechanistically, the benziodazole-type O2NO-I(III) compound acts as a nitrating reagent and incorporates its NO moiety into the final furazan product in a fully-endo model, a process of which was proposed to involve nitration, cyclization and dehydration.
Iridium-catalysed synthesis of C,N,N-cyclic azomethine imines enables entry to unexplored nitrogen-rich 3D chemical space
Authors: Almehmadi Yaseen A. , McGeehan Jack , Guzman Nandini J. , Christensen Kirsten E. , Yamazaki Ken , Dixon Darren J.
Published: July 2024

Three-dimensional nitrogen-rich bridged ring systems are of great interest in drug discovery owing to their distinctive physicochemical and structural properties. However, synthetic approaches towards N–N-bond-containing bridged heterocycles are often inefficient and require tedious synthetic strategies. Here we delineate an iridium-catalysed reductive approach to such architectures from C,N,N-cyclic hydrazide substrates using IrCl(CO)[P(OPh)3]2 and 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane (TMDS), which provided efficient access to the unstabilized and highly reactive C,N,N-cyclic azomethine imine dipoles. These species were stable and isolable in their dimeric form, but, upon dissociation in solution, reacted with a broad range of dipolarophiles in [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions with high yields and good diastereoselectivities, enabling the direct synthesis of nitrogen-rich sp3-hybridized pyrazoline polycyclic ring systems. Density functional theory calculations were performed to elucidate the origin of the diastereoselectivity of the cycloaddition reaction, and principal moment of inertia (PMI) analysis was conducted to enable visualization of the topological information of the dipolar cycloadducts.
Evolution at Spike protein position 519 in SARS-CoV-2 facilitated adaptation to humans
Authors: Cereghino C. , Michalak K. , DiGiuseppe S. , Guerra J. , Yu D. , Faraji A. , Sharp A. K. , Brown A. M. , Kang L. , Weger-Lucarelli J. , Michalak P.
Published: July 2024

As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its fourth year, the pursuit of identifying a progenitor virus to SARS-CoV-2 and understanding the mechanism of its emergence persists, albeit against the backdrop of intensified efforts to monitor the ongoing evolution of the virus and the influx of new mutations. Surprisingly, few residues hypothesized to be essential for SARS-CoV-2 emergence and adaptation to humans have been validated experimentally, despite the importance that these mutations could contribute to the development of effective antivirals. To remedy this, we searched for genomic regions in the SARS-CoV-2 genome that show evidence of past selection around residues unique to SARS-CoV-2 compared with closely related coronaviruses. In doing so, we identified a residue at position 519 in Spike within the receptor binding domain that holds a static histidine in human-derived SARS-CoV-2 sequences but an asparagine in SARS-related coronaviruses from bats and pangolins. In experimental validation, the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein mutant carrying the putatively ancestral H519N substitution showed reduced replication in human lung cells, suggesting that the histidine residue contributes to viral fitness in the human host. Structural analyses revealed a potential role of Spike residue 519 in mediating conformational transitions necessary for Spike prior to binding with ACE2. Pseudotyped viruses bearing the putatively ancestral N519 also demonstrated significantly reduced infectivity in cells expressing the human ACE2 receptor compared to H519. ELISA data corroborated that H519 enhances Spike binding affinity to the human ACE2 receptor compared to the putatively ancestral N519. Collectively, these findings suggest that the evolutionary transition at position 519 of the Spike protein played a critical role in SARS-CoV-2 emergence and adaptation to the human host. Additionally, this residue presents as a potential drug target for designing small molecule inhibitors tailored to this site.
In chemico methodology for engineered nanomaterial categorization according to number, nature and oxidative potential of reactive surface sites
Authors: Alcolea-Rodriguez V. , Portela R. , Calvino-Casilda V. , Bañares M. A.
Published: July 2024

Methanol probe chemisorption quantifies the number of reactive surface sites of engineered nanomaterials, enabling normalization per reactive site in reactivity and toxicity tests, rather than per mass or physical surface area.
Crystallographic insight into the binding modes of group 12 metal cations with N7-alkylated purines
Authors: Panda Subhra Jyoti , Agrawalla Suraj Kumar , Purohit Chandra Shekhar
Published: July 2024

This study explores the complexation behaviour of N7-alkylated 6-chloropurine derivatives with Zn(ii), Cd(ii), and Hg(ii) ions. Predictable coordination preferences of metal towards the purine derivative are observed.
Construction of a high-performance flexible hybrid capacitor at extreme working temperature (−20 °C)
Authors: Sun Xingjie , Wu Xiang , Sun Lixian
Published: July 2024

Designing electrode materials with special core–shell structures is of great significance in improving the performance of supercapacitors.
Suppressing on-stream deactivation of CuSiO2 catalysts in the dehydrogenation of bioethanol to acetaldehyde
Authors: Pampararo Giovanni , Hlavenková Zuzana , Styskalik Ales , Debecker Damien P.
Published: July 2024

Deactivation in ethanol dehydrogenation with Cu-SiO2 catalysts can be supressed by injecting just a small O2 dope in the feed, to prevent the accumulation of a thermally stable non-oxygenated carbonaceous deposit that plugs the pores of the catalyst.
Reaction mechanism and regioselectivity of uridine diphosphate glucosyltransferase RrUGT3: a combined experimental and computational study
Authors: Li Mengsha , You Cai , Guo Fei , Han Qingfang , Xie Xixian , Ma Lijuan , Li Shengying , Du Lei , Sheng Xiang , Su Hao
Published: July 2024

A substrate binding induced conformational change was found to be essential for the occurrence of RrUGT3 catalyzed transglycosylation reactions.
Towards automated inclusion of autoxidation chemistry in models: from precursors to atmospheric implications
Authors: Pichelstorfer Lukas , Roldin Pontus , Rissanen Matti , Hyttinen Noora , Garmash Olga , Xavier Carlton , Zhou Putian , Clusius Petri , Foreback Benjamin , Golin Almeida Thomas , Deng Chenjuan , Baykara Metin , Kurten Theo , Boy Michael
Published: July 2024

Demonstration of a novel framework producing autoxidation chemistry reaction schemes: an exemplary application for benzene.
Simultaneously improved stretchability, stability, and output power in solar cells via entanglement control
Authors: Zhou Kangkang , Han Dexia , Xian Kaihu , Li Saimeng , Gao Mengyuan , Zhang Kai , Zhao Bin , Li Xin , Chen Yu , Geng Yanhou , Ye Long
Published: July 2024

Intrinsically stretchable all-polymer solar cells with exceptional stability, stretchability, mechanical robustness (1000 cycles at 50% strain) and improved output power were developed via entangled polymer additive, which is widely applicable.
Emerging investigator series: preferential adsorption and coprecipitation of permafrost organic matter with poorly crystalline iron minerals
Authors: Voggenreiter Eva , Schmitt-Kopplin Philippe , ThomasArrigo Laurel , Bryce Casey , Kappler Andreas , Joshi Prachi
Published: July 2024

This study reports the decrease in iron-bound organic carbon quantity and change in its composition in thawing permafrost soils, with implications for the bioavailability of the dissolved organic carbon pool.
Synergistic bimetallic MOF-integrated MXene nanosheets for enhanced catalytic degradation of carbamazepine and hydrogen production: a dual-function approach for water remediation and energy applications
Authors: Thai Van-Anh , Nguyen Thanh-Binh , Chen Chiu-Wen , Bui Xuan-Thanh , Doong Ruey-an , Dong Cheng-Di
Published: July 2024

The MIL-100@ZIF-67@MXene composite was synthesized for the enhanced degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) and activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS).
Luminescent carbon dots versus quantum dots and gold nanoclusters as sensors
Authors: Anjali Devi J. S. , Madanan Anju S. , Lekha G. M. , Aparna R. S. , George Sony
Published: July 2024

This review focuses on recent developments in understanding the fluorescence mechanism of ultra-small nanoparticles sensors, including quantum dots, gold nanoclusters, and carbon dots.
One-pot synthesis of silicon carbide from a non-formalin iminosilane-resorcinol composite
Authors: Mohanapriya N. , Chandrasekaran Naveen
Published: July 2024

We synthesized β-SiC via carbothermal reduction of an iminosilane resorcinol composite, avoiding formaldehyde and orthosilicate. 3C–SiC formed at 1500 °C, yielding 3C–SiC and SiC–C composites (surface area: 126 m2 g−1), suitable for catalyst support.
Zirconium-based metal–organic frameworks: the relation between linker connectivity, structure stability, and catalytic activity towards organophosphates
Authors: Bůžek Daniel , Hynek Jan , Kloda Matouš , Zlámalová Veronika , Bezdička Petr , Adamec Slavomír , Lang Kamil , Demel Jan
Published: July 2024

The stability of MOFs in aqueous environments is influenced by the linker topicity rather than by the connectivity. Only MIP-200 survives the alkaline environment.
Effects of the temperature, strain rate, and loading conditions on the deformation behaviors and mechanical properties of the Ni/Ni3Al superalloy
Authors: Qin Xinmao , Yan Wanjun , Liang Yilong , Li Fei
Published: July 2024

The deformation temperature, strain rate, and loading conditions have a significant effect on the deformation behavior and mechanical properties of the Ni/Ni3Al superalloy.
Improving the electronegativity of N-doped carbon by encapsulating CoFe alloy clusters with a chainmail-like structure for high-energy sodium-ion capacitors
Authors: Li Zhao , Wu Rui , Zhu Zhaozhao , Zhu Ying , Wang Yamei , Xu Shilong , Kong Qingquan , Chen Jun Song
Published: July 2024

In this work, CoFe nanoalloy clusters embedded into N-doped carbon nanofibers with hollow porous structures demonstrate superior electrochemical performance in sodium-ion capacitors, realizing excellent energy density and power density.
Modulating electrolyte solvation for high-performance aqueous zinc–sulfur batteries
Authors: Thomas Tino S. , Sinha Aayushi Prakash , Mandal Debaprasad
Published: July 2024

The designed dimethylacetamide-based hybrid electrolyte exhibits 2.5 times lower zinc corrosion and improved sulfur cathode wettability, thus enabling a high-performance aqueous Zn/S battery.
Enhanced oxide ion conductivity in sodium niobate-based ceramics
Authors: Ren Pengrong , Lu Luting , Li Ming , Wang Xin
Published: July 2024

Doping of Mg2+ and Ga3+ leads to the transition of electrical conduction mechanism of NaNbO3 from mixed oxide ion and electron conduction to oxide ion dominated conduction.
Glass modified Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-based energy-storage ceramics for high-temperature applications at low/moderate electric fields
Authors: Wu Chunhui , Pu Yongping , Lu Xiang , Ning Yating , Chen Zhemin , Zhang Lei , Yang Yongqiang
Published: July 2024

An innovative optimizing strategy via glass addition is proposed to lower sintering temperature through liquid sintering, which in turn triggers refined grains and boosts breakdown strength.
Well-balanced hole and electron charge transport in an organic p-type-insulator-n-type layered sandwich structure
Authors: Song Jaechan , Han Youngmin , Yoo Hocheon
Published: July 2024

The proper functioning of p/n stacked ambipolar transistors relies on a harmonized flow of current through both holes and electrons.
Laboratory success 101: how to excel in your first lab project
Authors: Gicgier Adam
Published: July 2024

The majority of biochemistry research is based on wet laboratory experiments, yet undergraduate degrees strongly focus on the theoretical aspects of this discipline. The first lab project can be a significant learning curve for students, involving challenges in laboratory techniques, research reproducibility, consistency, resilience, and practical skills. Drawing from my experience in two research internships, a master’s project, and completing three rotations in a PhD program, I have outlined here valuable tips and advice to help undergraduates navigate this transition smoothly, enabling them to excel in their first lab project.
KRIT1 in vascular biology and beyond
Authors: Glading Angela J.
Published: July 2024

KRIT1 is a 75 kDa scaffolding protein which regulates endothelial cell phenotype by limiting the response to inflammatory stimuli and maintaining a quiescent and stable endothelial barrier. Loss-of-function mutations in KRIT1 lead to the development of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM), a disease marked by the formation of abnormal blood vessels which exhibit a loss of barrier function, increased endothelial proliferation, and altered gene expression. While many advances have been made in our understanding of how KRIT1, and the functionally related proteins CCM2 and PDCD10, contribute to the regulation of blood vessels and the vascular barrier, some important open questions remain. In addition, KRIT1 is widely expressed and KRIT1 and the other CCM proteins have been shown to play important roles in non-endothelial cell types and tissues, which may or may not be related to their role as pathogenic originators of CCM. In this review, we discuss some of the unsettled questions regarding the role of KRIT1 in vascular physiology and discuss recent advances that suggest this ubiquitously expressed protein may have a role beyond the endothelial cell.
Multi‐scale skeleton simplification graph convolutional network for skeleton‐based action recognition
Authors: Zhang Fan , Chongyang Ding , Liu Kai , Hongjin Liu
Published: July 2024

Human action recognition based on graph convolutional networks (GCNs) is one of the hotspots in computer vision. However, previous methods generally rely on handcrafted graph, which limits the effectiveness of the model in characterising the connections between indirectly connected joints. The limitation leads to weakened connections when joints are separated by long distances. To address the above issue, the authors propose a skeleton simplification method which aims to reduce the number of joints and the distance between joints by merging adjacent joints into simplified joints. Group convolutional block is devised to extract the internal features of the simplified joints. Additionally, the authors enhance the method by introducing multi‐scale modelling, which maps inputs into sequences across various levels of simplification. Combining with spatial temporal graph convolution, a multi‐scale skeleton simplification GCN for skeleton‐based action recognition (M3S‐GCN) is proposed for fusing multi‐scale skeleton sequences and modelling the connections between joints. Finally, M3S‐GCN is evaluated on five benchmarks of NTU RGB+D 60 (C‐Sub, C‐View), NTU RGB+D 120 (X‐Sub, X‐Set) and NW‐UCLA datasets. Experimental results show that the authors’ M3S‐GCN achieves state‐of‐the‐art performance with the accuracies of 93.0%, 97.0% and 91.2% on C‐Sub, C‐View and X‐Set benchmarks, which validates the effectiveness of the method.
Automating psychological hypothesis generation with AI: when large language models meet causal graph
Authors: Tong Song , Mao Kai , Huang Zhen , Zhao Yukun , Peng Kaiping
Published: July 2024

Leveraging the synergy between causal knowledge graphs and a large language model (LLM), our study introduces a groundbreaking approach for computational hypothesis generation in psychology. We analyzed 43,312 psychology articles using a LLM to extract causal relation pairs. This analysis produced a specialized causal graph for psychology. Applying link prediction algorithms, we generated 130 potential psychological hypotheses focusing on “well-being”, then compared them against research ideas conceived by doctoral scholars and those produced solely by the LLM. Interestingly, our combined approach of a LLM and causal graphs mirrored the expert-level insights in terms of novelty, clearly surpassing the LLM-only hypotheses (t(59) = 3.34,p = 0.007 andt(59) = 4.32,p < 0.001, respectively). This alignment was further corroborated using deep semantic analysis. Our results show that combining LLM with machine learning techniques such as causal knowledge graphs can revolutionize automated discovery in psychology, extracting novel insights from the extensive literature. This work stands at the crossroads of psychology and artificial intelligence, championing a new enriched paradigm for data-driven hypothesis generation in psychological research.
Modeling quantum optical phenomena using transition currents
Authors: Karnieli Aviv , Rivera Nicholas , Di Giulio Valerio , Arie Ady , García de Abajo F. Javier , Kaminer Ido
Published: July 2024

Spontaneous light emission is central to a vast range of physical systems and is a founding pillar for the theory of light–matter interactions. In the presence of complex photonic media, the description of spontaneous light emission usually requires advanced theoretical quantum optics tools such as macroscopic quantum electrodynamics, involving quantized electromagnetic fields. Although rigorous and comprehensive, the complexity of such models can obscure the intuitive understanding of many quantum-optical phenomena. Here, we review a method for calculating spontaneous emission and other quantum-optical processes without making explicit use of quantized electromagnetic fields. Instead, we introduce the concept of transition currents, comprising charges in matter that undergo transitions between initial and final quantum states. We show how predictions that usually demand advanced methods in quantum electrodynamics or quantum optics can be reproduced by feeding these transition currents as sources to the classical Maxwell equations. One then obtains the relevant quantum observables from the resulting classical field amplitudes, without washing out quantum optical effects. We show that this procedure allows for a straightforward description of quantum phenomena, even when going beyond the dipole approximation and single emitters. As illustrative examples, we calculate emission patterns and Purcell-enhanced emission rates in both bound-electron and free-electron systems. For the latter, we derive cathodoluminescence emission and energy-loss probabilities of free electrons interacting with nanostructured samples. In addition, we calculate quantum-beat phenomena in bound-electron systems and wave function-dependent optical coherence in free-electron systems. Remarkably, the transition-current formalism captures more complex phenomena, such as many-body interference effects and super-radiance of both bound- and free-electron systems, second-order processes such as two-photon emission, and quantum recoil corrections to free-electron radiation. We review a variety of light–matter interactions in fields ranging from electron microscopy to nanophotonics and quantum optics, for which the transition-current theoretical formalism facilitates practical simulations and a deeper understanding of novel applications.
Dipole–dipole-interaction-induced entanglement between two-dimensional ferromagnets
Authors: Wuhrer D. , Rohling N. , Belzig W.
Published: July 2024

We investigate the viability of dipole–dipole interaction as a means of entangling two distant ferromagnets. To this end, we make use of the Bogoliubov transformation as a symplectic transformation. We show that the coupling of the uniform magnon modes can be expressed using four squeezing parameters, which we interpret in terms of hybridization, one-mode, and two-mode squeezing. We utilize the expansion in terms of the squeezing parameters to obtain an analytic formula for the entanglement in the magnon ground state using the logarithmic negativity as entanglement measure. Our investigation predicts that for infinitely large two-dimensional ferromagnets, the dipole–dipole interaction does not lead to significant long-range entanglement. However, in the case of finite ferromagnets, finite entanglement can be expected.
Effect of the deformation temperature and strain on the strain rate sensitivity of fcc medium-entropy alloys
Authors: Mahato Swati , Jha Saumya R. , Sonkusare Reshma , Biswas Krishanu , Gurao Nilesh P.
Published: July 2024

The primary objective of the present investigation is to elucidate the operative micromechanisms influencing the strain rate sensitivity and activation volume in (FeCrNi)99Si1 and FeMnNi medium-entropy alloys. Room-temperature nanoindentation experiments at different loading rates were performed to study the evolution of the strain rate sensitivity and activation volume in (FeCrNi)99Si1 and FeMnNi medium-entropy alloys. The (FeCrNi)99Si1 samples were subjected to plane strain deformation by rolling at 77 and 300 K to study the effect of temperature on the strain rate sensitivity, while the FeMnNi and (FeCrNi)99Si1 samples were subjected to simple shear deformation by high-pressure torsion at 300 K to examine the effect of strains. Contrary to the well-documented trend observed in fcc metals and alloys, where the strain rate sensitivity typically increases with decreasing grain size, the present study reveals a distinct behavior for the current alloys. Similarly, these alloys are characterized by extremely low activation volumes of a few tens of b3 compared to 100–1000 b3 for conventional fcc metals and alloys in the microcrystalline grain size regime. Unlike conventional fcc metals and alloys, there is an insignificant change in the activation volume of the current high-/medium-entropy alloy (H/MEA) with decreasing grain size from the microcrystalline to nanocrystalline regime. The unique evolution of strain rate sensitivity and activation volume in H/MEAs is explained in terms of the evolution of distinct dislocation structures as well as synergistic operation of additional mechanisms such as twinning, phase transformation from fcc to hcp phases, cluster strengthening, and short-range ordering due to the aperiodic energy landscape existing in MEAs.
Perfluoroaryl⋯aryl interaction: The most important subset of
π
-hole⋯
π
bonding
Authors: Wang Weizhou , Wu Wen Xin , Zhang Yu , Jin Wei Jun
Published: July 2024

The perfluoroaryl⋯aryl interaction, the most important subset of π-hole⋯π bonding, refers to the attractive stacking interaction between a perfluoroaryl group and an aryl group. In contrast to the aryl⋯aryl interaction with the same size, the much stronger perfluoroaryl⋯aryl interaction has its own characteristics and applications. A brief history of the development of the perfluoroaryl⋯aryl interaction was given first in this review, followed by an overview of the state-of-the-art of the nature of the perfluoroaryl⋯aryl interaction. Much attention was paid to the application of the perfluoroaryl⋯aryl interaction both in the traditional research fields such as crystal engineering and organic luminescent materials and in the hot research fields such as photovoltaics materials and biological engineering. It is believed that this timely and comprehensive review provides a foundation and guide for the future development and application of the perfluoroaryl⋯aryl interaction.
Radiatively cooled quantum microwave amplifiers
Authors: Xu Mingrui , Wu Yufeng , Dai Wei , Tang Hong X.
Published: July 2024

Superconducting microwave amplifiers are essential for sensitive signal readout in superconducting quantum processors. Typically based on Josephson junctions, these amplifiers require operation at milli-Kelvin temperatures to achieve quantum-limited performance. Here, we demonstrate a quantum microwave amplifier that employs radiative cooling to operate at elevated temperatures and maintain near quantum-limited added noise. This kinetic-inductance-based parametric amplifier, patterned from a single layer of relatively high-Tc NbN thin film, maintains a high gain and meanwhile enables low added noise of 1.3 quanta when operated at 1.5 K. Remarkably, this represents only a 0.2 quanta increase compared to the performance at a base temperature of 0.1 K. Based on our findings, we also discuss the practicality of such an operating scheme for various quantum applications. By uplifting the parametric amplifiers from the mixing chamber without compromising readout efficiency, this work represents an important step toward more scalable microwave quantum technologies.
Neural canonical transformations for vibrational spectra of molecules
Authors: Zhang Qi , Wang Rui-Si , Wang Lei
Published: July 2024

The behavior of polyatomic molecules around their equilibrium positions can be regarded as that of quantum-coupled anharmonic oscillators. Solving the corresponding Schrödinger equations enables the interpretation or prediction of the experimental spectra of molecules. In this study, we developed a novel approach for solving the excited states of anharmonic vibrational systems. The normal coordinates of the molecules are transformed into new coordinates through a normalizing flow parameterized by a neural network. This facilitates the construction of a set of orthogonal many-body variational wavefunctions. This methodology has been validated on an exactly solvable 64-dimensional coupled harmonic oscillator, yielding numerical results with a relative error of 10−6. The neural canonical transformations are also applied to calculate the energy levels of two specific molecules, acetonitrile (CH3CN) and ethylene oxide (C2H4O). These molecules involve 12 and 15 vibrational modes, respectively. A key advantage of this approach is its flexibility concerning the potential energy surface, as it requires no specific form. Furthermore, this method can be readily implemented on large-scale distributed computing platforms, making it easy to extend to investigating complex vibrational structures.
A machine learning-augmented aerodynamic database of rectangular cylinders
Authors: Li Yuerong , Yan Lei , Gao Huanxiang , Hu Gang
Published: July 2024

Rectangular cylinders submerged in a fluid encounter intricate aerodynamic forces, and the forces significantly influence the stability and safety of structures possessing a rectangular cross section. Although aerodynamic characteristics of these cylinders have been extensively studied, a comprehensive database cataloging these characteristics remains absent. This study conducted a large number of wind tunnel pressure testings to establish an aerodynamic database for rectangular cylinders with 2470 distinct configurations, including turbulent intensities ranging from 1% to 20%, side ratios ranging from 0.6 to 5, and wind attack angles ranging from 0° to 90°. The accuracy of the database was validated by data from the literature and wind tunnel force measurement experiments. More importantly, machine learning models were developed and have substantially expanded the experimental data, resulting in a comprehensive, continuous aerodynamic database for rectangular cylinders. By evaluating the model performance and verifying its generalization capability, the accuracy of the machine learning-augmented database is proved. This database is anticipated to serve as a critical reference for academic research and a practical reference for engineering applications.
Breakdown calculation of zoning tests by positive lightnings
Authors: Sun Guoqing , Duan Zemin
Published: July 2024

To simulate a natural lightning strike, the breakdown should occur within 1–3 μs in an aircraft lightning zoning test. However, the breakdown voltage–time characteristic of the combined gap is hard to derive because of the complex breakdown process. In this paper, a series of positive lightning impulse discharge tests in a rod electrode–floating aircraft model–plate combined gap were conducted. The leader propagation processes in both sub-gaps were observed using a high-speed camera. The potential of the floating aircraft model was analyzed. We propose a potential calculation model for the floating aircraft during the leader propagation phase. After fitting test data, an empirical formula for the connected streamer plasma was given. Taking that model into account, the calculation result of the average breakdown time of the combined gap has an error of <5.7%.
Structural and optical properties of epitaxial ScxAl1−xN coherently grown on GaN bulk substrates by sputtering method
Authors: Maeda Takuya , Wakamoto Yusuke , Kaneki Shota , Fujikura Hajime , Kobayashi Atsushi
Published: July 2024

Three scandium aluminum nitride (ScAlN) thin films with different Sc compositions of 6%, 10%, and 14% were heteroepitaxially grown on n-type GaN bulk substrates by a low-temperature sputtering method. Atomically flat and smooth surfaces were observed by atomic force microscopy. The ScAlN films were coherently grown on GaN, and the c-axis lattice constants increased with increase in the Sc composition, confirmed by x-ray diffraction. The refractive index and the extinction coefficient of ScAlN were extracted by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry. The refractive index slightly increased and the extinction coefficient showed red shift with increase in the Sc composition. The optical bandgap of the ScAlN films was also extracted, which slightly shrunk with increase in the Sc composition.
MiR-155
-targeted IcosL controls tumor rejection
Authors: Tili Esmerina , Otsu Hajime , Commisso Teresa L. , Palamarchuk Alexey , Balatti Veronica , Michaille Jean-Jacques , Nuovo Gerard James , Croce Carlo M.
Published: July 2024

Elevated levels of
miR-155
in solid and liquid malignancies correlate with aggressiveness of the disease. In this manuscript, we show that
miR-155
targets transcripts encoding IcosL, the ligand for Inducible T-cell costimulator (Icos), thus impairing the ability of T cells to recognize and eliminate malignant cells. We specifically found that overexpression of
miR-155
in B cells of Eµ-
miR-155
mice causes loss of IcosL expression as they progress toward malignancy. Similarly, in mice where
miR-155
expression is controlled by a Cre-Tet-OFF system,
miR-155
induction led to malignant infiltrates lacking
IcosL
expression. Conversely, turning
miR-155
OFF led to tumor regression and emergence of infiltrates composed of IcosL-positive B cells and Icos-positive T cells forming immunological synapses. Therefore, we next engineered malignant cells to express IcosL, in order to determine whether
IcosL
expression would increase tumor infiltration by cytotoxic T cells and reduce tumor progression. Indeed, overexpressing an
IcosL
-encoding cDNA in MC38 murine colon cancer cells before injection into syngeneic C57BL6 mice reduced tumor size and increased intratumor CD8+ T cell infiltration, that formed synapses with IcosL-expressing MC38 cells. Our results underscore the fact that by targeting
IcosL
transcripts,
miR-155
impairs the infiltration of tumors by cytotoxic T cells, as well as the importance of IcosL on enhancing the immune response against malignant cells. These findings should lead to the development of more effective anticancer treatments based on maintaining, increasing, or restoring IcosL expression by malignant cells, along with impairing
miR-155
activity.
Synaptotagmin-1 undergoes phase separation to regulate its calcium-sensitive oligomerization
Authors: Zhu Min , Xu Han , Jin Yulei , Kong Xiaoxu , Xu Bingkuan , Liu Yinghui , Yu Haijia
Published: July 2024

Synaptotagmin-1 (Syt1) is a calcium sensor that regulates synaptic vesicle fusion in synchronous neurotransmitter release. Syt1 interacts with negatively charged lipids and the SNARE complex to control the fusion event. However, it remains incompletely understood how Syt1 mediates Ca2+-trigged synaptic vesicle fusion. Here, we discovered that Syt1 undergoes liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) to form condensates both in vitro and in living cells. Syt1 condensates play a role in vesicle attachment to the PM and efficiently recruit SNAREs and complexin, which may facilitate the downstream synaptic vesicle fusion. We observed that Syt1 condensates undergo a liquid-to-gel-like phase transition, reflecting the formation of Syt1 oligomers. The phase transition can be blocked or reversed by Ca2+, confirming the essential role of Ca2+ in Syt1 oligomer disassembly. Finally, we showed that the Syt1 mutations causing Syt1-associated neurodevelopmental disorder impair the Ca2+-driven phase transition. These findings reveal that Syt1 undergoes LLPS and a Ca2+-sensitive phase transition, providing new insights into Syt1-mediated vesicle fusion.
Adjusting to self in the thymus: CD4 versus CD8 lineage commitment and regulatory T cell development
Authors: Baldwin Isabel , Robey Ellen A.
Published: July 2024

During thymic development, thymocytes adjust their TCR response based on the strength of their reactivity to self-peptide MHC complexes. This tuning process allows thymocytes with a range of self-reactivities to survive positive selection and contribute to a diverse T cell pool. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in our understanding of how thymocytes tune their responsiveness during positive selection, and we present a “sequential selection” model to explain how MHC specificity influences lineage choice. We also discuss recent evidence for cell type diversity in the medulla and discuss how this heterogeneity may contribute to medullary niches for negative selection and regulatory T cell development.