bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magmatic, Metamorphic and Structural History of the Variscan Lizard Ophiolite and Metamorphic Sole, Cornwall, UK
Authors: Mackay‐Champion Tobermory C. , Searle Michael P. , Tapster Simon , Roberts Nick M. W. , Shail Robin K. , Palin Richard M. , Willment George H. , Evans Josh T.
Published: April 2024

The Lizard ophiolite, Cornwall, South‐West England, is the largest and best‐preserved ophiolite within the Variscan orogenic belt. It forms part of the Rheic‐Rhenohercynian suture zone, and was obducted northwestward onto the passive continental margin of Avalonia (Laurussia) during the Middle Devonian. It comprises an almost complete thrust slice of oceanic crust with sheeted dykes, gabbros, Moho transition sequence, and upper‐mantle peridotites, underlain by a metamorphic sole. Despite the importance of the Lizard ophiolite in understanding Variscan tectonics, the origin and age of the Lizard ophiolite are debated. We present new field observations, structural maps and cross‐sections of the Lizard ophiolite from extensive re‐mapping, integrated with U–Pb geochronology, petrology, thermobarometry, and whole rock geochemistry. We report new U–Pb zircon (CA‐ID‐TIMS and LA‐ICPMS) ages of 386.80 ± 0.25/0.31/0.52 Ma (Givetian) from a plagiogranite dyke intruding the Crousa Gabbros at Porthoustock, and 395.08 ± 0.14/0.22/0.47 Ma (Emsian) from partial melts of the metamorphic sole Landewednack Amphibolites at Mullion Cove. These ages, respectively, precisely date the formation of the Lizard ophiolite oceanic crust, and the age of cooling post peak‐metamorphism of the sole. Petrological modeling on the Landewednack Amphibolites suggests peak metamorphic conditions of 10 ± 2 kbar and 600 ± 75°C. We demonstrate that the Lizard ophiolite formed as a supra‐subduction zone ophiolite overlying an inverted metamorphic sole, and we combine our observations and data into a new geodynamic model for the formation and obduction of the ophiolite. The current data supports an induced subduction initiation model.
The demineralization resistance and mechanical assessments of different bioactive restorative materials for primary and permanent teeth: an in vitro study
Authors: Ibrahim Maria Salem , Aldhafeeri Fahad Rakad , Banaemah Abdullah Sami , Alhaider Mana S. , Al-Dulaijan Yousif A. , Balhaddad Abdulrahman A.
Published: April 2024

Objectives

This article examines the efficacy of two bioactive dental composites in preventing demineralization while preserving their mechanical and physical properties.

Materials and methods

The study compares Beautifil Kids and Predicta® Bioactive Bulk-Fill (Predicta) composites with conventional dental composite. Flexural strength and elastic modulus were evaluated using a universal testing machine. A pH-cycling model assessed the composites’ ability to prevent dentin demineralization. Color stability and surface roughness were measured using a spectrophotometer and non-contact profilometer, respectively, before and after pH-cycling, brushing simulation, and thermocycling aging.

Results

Beautifil Kids exhibited the highest flexural strength and elastic modulus among the materials (p < 0.05). Predicta demonstrated the highest increase in dentin surface microhardness following the pH-cycling model (p < 0.05). All groups showed clinically significant color changes after pH-cycling, with no significant differences between them (p > 0.05). Predicta exhibited greater color change after brushing and increased surface roughness after thermocycling aging (p < 0.05). While Beautifil Kids had higher surface roughness after pH-cycling (p < 0.05).

Discussion/Conclusion

Bioactive restorative materials with ion-releasing properties demonstrate excellent resistance to demineralization while maintaining mechanical and physical properties comparable to the control group.
Addition of ruxolitinib to standard graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis for allogeneic stem cell transplantation in aplastic anemia patients
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyu , Zhao Xiaoli , Chen Shulian , Hao Mengze , Zhang Lining , Gong Ming , Shi Yuanyuan , Wei Jialin , Zhang Ping , Feng Sizhou , He Yi , Jiang Erlie , Han Mingzhe
Published: April 2024

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) offers rapid hematopoietic and immune reconstitution for aplastic anemia (AA). As a non-malignant disorder, attenuation of GVHD remains a clinical priority in AA patients. Our study sought to investigate the safety and efficacy of the prophylactic use of ruxolitinib in allogeneic HSCT. A total of 35 AA patients were retrospectively consecutively treated with allo-HSCT whereby ruxolitinib was added to the standard GVHD prophylaxis regimen (rux group). The addition of peri-transplant ruxolitinib did not impact the engraftment and graft function, while better recovery of CD4+ Tregs in the rux group was observed. Interestingly, the rux group demonstrated significantly lower incidence of bacterial/fungal infections (17.14% vs 45.71%). Compared to the control group, the rux group exhibited significantly lower incidence of moderate to severe aGVHD (17.1% vs 48.6%) with a trend toward lower severe aGVHD (8.6% vs 20%) and cGVHD (26.2 vs 38.3). The rux group also demonstrated a trend toward higher GVHD and failure-free survival (GFFS: 85.7% vs 68.6%) and lower TRM (2.9% vs 14.3%). Addition of ruxolitinib to standard GVHD prophylaxis regimen, thus, represents a safe and highly efficient method for the attenuation of GVHD with better outcome of allo-HSCT.
Optical and clinical simulated performance of a new refractive extended depth of focus intraocular lens
Authors: Alarcon Aixa , del Aguila Carrasco Antonio , Gounou Franck , Weeber Henk , Cánovas Carmen , Piers Patricia
Published: April 2024

Abstracts

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the optical and expected clinical performance of a new refractive Extended Depth of Focus (EDF) intraocular lens (IOL), TECNIS PureSee™ IOL, designed to maintain a monofocal-like dysphotopsia profile.

Methods

Simulated visual acuity (sVA) with varying defocus was calculated using the area under the Modulation Transfer Function measured in an average eye model and from computer simulations in eye models with corneal higher-order aberrations. Tolerance to defocus was evaluated using computer simulations of the uncorrected distance sVA under defocus. To evaluate the dysphotopsia profile, halo pictures obtained using an IOL-telescope, as well as simulated images in a realistic eye model under defocus were assessed. The results of the refractive EDF, TECNIS PureSee™ IOL, were compared to those of a diffractive EDF, TECNIS Symfony™ IOL, of the same platform.

Results

The refractive EDF IOL provides similar range of vision to the diffractive EDF IOL with the same distance, and similar intermediate and near sVA. The refractive EDF IOL provides the same tolerance to hyperopia as the diffractive EDF but more tolerance to myopia. Halo pictures and simulations showed that the refractive EDF provides comparable dysphotopsia profile to the monofocal IOL and better than the diffractive EDF.

Conclusions

The results of this preclinical study in clinically relevant conditions show that the new refractive EDF IOL is expected to provide similar range of vision to the diffractive IOL of the same platform and higher tolerance to refractive errors. The refractive EDF provides a dysphotopsia profile that is better than the diffractive EDF and comparable to that of the monofocal IOL, also in the presence of residual refractive errors.
Oxidative damage in the gastrocnemius predicts long-term survival in patients with peripheral artery disease
Authors: Koutakis Panagiotis , Hernandez Hernan , Miserlis Dimitrios , Thompson Jonathan R. , Papoutsi Evlampia , Mietus Constance J. , Haynatzki Gleb , Kim Julian K. , Casale George P. , Pipinos Iraklis I.
Published: April 2024

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have increased mortality rates and a myopathy in their affected legs which is characterized by increased oxidative damage, reduced antioxidant enzymatic activity and defective mitochondrial bioenergetics. This study evaluated the hypothesis that increased levels of oxidative damage in gastrocnemius biopsies from patients with PAD predict long-term mortality rates. Oxidative damage was quantified as carbonyl adducts in myofibers of the gastrocnemius of PAD patients. The oxidative stress data were grouped into tertiles and the 5-year, all-cause mortality for each tertile was determined by Kaplan-Meier curves and compared by the Modified Peto test. A Cox-regression model was used to control the effects of clinical characteristics. Results were adjusted for age, sex, race, body mass index, ankle-brachial index, smoking, physical activity, and comorbidities. Of the 240 study participants, 99 died during a mean follow up of 37.8 months. Patients in the highest tertile of oxidative damage demonstrated the highest 5-year mortality rate. The mortality hazard ratios (HR) from the Cox analysis were statistically significant for oxidative damage (lowest vs middle tertile; HR = 6.33; p = 0.0001 and lowest vs highest; HR = 8.37; p < 0.0001). Survival analysis of a contemporaneous population of PAD patients identifies abundance of carbonyl adducts in myofibers of their gastrocnemius as a predictor of mortality rate independently of ankle-brachial index, disease stage and other clinical and myopathy-related covariates.
Metacell-based differential expression analysis identifies cell type specific temporal gene response programs in COVID-19 patient PBMCs
Authors: O’Leary Kevin , Zheng Deyou
Published: April 2024

By profiling gene expression in individual cells, single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) can resolve cellular heterogeneity and cell-type gene expression dynamics. Its application to time-series samples can identify temporal gene programs active in different cell types, for example, immune cells’ responses to viral infection. However, current scRNA-seq analysis has limitations. One is the low number of genes detected per cell. The second is insufficient replicates (often 1-2) due to high experimental cost. The third lies in the data analysis—treating individual cells as independent measurements leads to inflated statistics. To address these, we explore a new computational framework, specifically whether “metacells” constructed to maintain cellular heterogeneity within individual cell types (or clusters) can be used as “replicates” for increasing statistical rigor. Toward this, we applied SEACells to a time-series scRNA-seq dataset from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after SARS-CoV-2 infection to construct metacells, and used them in maSigPro for quadratic regression to find significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) over time, followed by clustering expression velocity trends. We showed that such metacells retained greater expression variances and produced more biologically meaningful DEGs compared to either metacells generated randomly or from simple pseudobulk methods. More specifically, this approach correctly identified the known ISG15 interferon response program in almost all PBMC cell types and many DEGs enriched in the previously defined SARS-CoV-2 infection response pathway. It also uncovered additional and more cell type-specific temporal gene expression programs. Overall, our results demonstrate that the metacell-pseudoreplicate strategy could potentially overcome the limitation of 1-2 replicates.
Exploring the correlation and causation between alpha oscillations and one-second time perception through EEG and tACS
Authors: Mokhtarinejad Ehsan , Tavakoli Mahgol , Ghaderi Amir Hossein
Published: April 2024

Alpha oscillations have been implicated in time perception, yet a consensus on their precise role remains elusive. This study directly investigates this relationship by examining the impact of alpha oscillations on time perception. Resting-state EEG recordings were used to extract peak alpha frequency (PAF) and peak alpha power (PAP) characteristics. Participants then performed a time generalization task under transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at frequencies of PAF−2, PAF, and PAF+2, as well as a sham condition. Results revealed a significant correlation between PAP and accuracy, and between PAF and precision of one-second time perception in the sham condition. This suggests that alpha oscillations may influence one-second time perception by modulating their frequency and power. Interestingly, these correlations weakened with real tACS stimulations, particularly at higher frequencies. A second analysis aimed to establish a causal relationship between alpha peak modulation by tACS and time perception using repeated measures ANOVAs, but no significant effect was observed. Results were interpreted according to the state-dependent networks and internal clock model.
Use of artificial intelligence to develop predictive algorithms of cough and PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infections based on inputs from clinical-grade wearable sensors
Authors: Walter Jessica R. , Lee Jong Yoon , Yu Lian , Kim Brandon , Martell Knute , Opdycke Anita , Scheffel Jenny , Felsl Ingrid , Patel Soham , Rangel Stephanie , Serao Alexa , Edel Claire , Bharat Ankit , Xu Shuai
Published: April 2024

There have been over 769 million cases of COVID-19, and up to 50% of infected individuals are asymptomatic. The purpose of this study aimed to assess the use of a clinical-grade physiological wearable monitoring system, ANNE One, to develop an artificial intelligence algorithm for (1) cough detection and (2) early detection of COVID-19, through the retrospective analysis of prospectively collected physiological data from longitudinal wear of ANNE sensors in a multicenter single arm study of subjects at high risk for COVID-19 due to occupational or home exposures. The study employed a two-fold approach: cough detection algorithm development and COVID-19 detection algorithm development. For cough detection, healthy individuals wore an ANNE One chest sensor during scripted activity. The final performance of the algorithm achieved an F-1 score of 83.3% in twenty-seven healthy subjects during biomarker validation. In the COVID-19 detection algorithm, individuals at high-risk for developing COVID-19 because of recent exposures received ANNE One sensors and completed daily symptom surveys. An algorithm analyzing vital parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, cough count, etc.) for early COVID-19 detection was developed. The COVID-19 detection algorithm exhibited a sensitivity of 0.47 and specificity of 0.72 for detecting COVID-19 in 325 individuals with recent exposures. Participants demonstrated high adherence (≥ 4 days of wear per week). ANNE One shows promise for detection of COVID-19. Inclusion of respiratory biomarkers (e.g., cough count) enhanced the algorithm's predictive ability. These findings highlight the potential value of wearable devices in early disease detection and monitoring.
An enhanced real-time human pose estimation method based on modified YOLOv8 framework
Authors: Dong Chengang , Du Guodong
Published: April 2024

The objective of human pose estimation (HPE) derived from deep learning aims to accurately estimate and predict the human body posture in images or videos via the utilization of deep neural networks. However, the accuracy of real-time HPE tasks is still to be improved due to factors such as partial occlusion of body parts and limited receptive field of the model. To alleviate the accuracy loss caused by these issues, this paper proposes a real-time HPE model called $${\textbf {CCAM-Person}}$$

CCAM
-
Person

based on the YOLOv8 framework. Specifically, we have improved the backbone and neck of the YOLOv8x-pose real-time HPE model to alleviate the feature loss and receptive field constraints. Secondly, we introduce the context coordinate attention module (CCAM) to augment the model’s focus on salient features, reduce background noise interference, alleviate key point regression failure caused by limb occlusion, and improve the accuracy of pose estimation. Our approach attains competitive results on multiple metrics of two open-source datasets, MS COCO 2017 and CrowdPose. Compared with the baseline model YOLOv8x-pose, CCAM-Person improves the average precision by 2.8% and 3.5% on the two datasets, respectively.
ALBI score combined with FIB-4 index to predict post-hepatectomy liver failure in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Tian Yi-Bo , Niu Hong , Xu Feng , Shang-Guan Peng-Wei , Song Wei-Wei
Published: April 2024

Post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is a potentially life-threatening complication following liver resection. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often occurs in patients with chronic liver disease, which increases the risk of PHLF. This study aimed to investigate the ability of the combination of liver function and fibrosis markers (ALBI score and FIB-4 index) to predict PHLF in patients with HCC. Patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC between August 2012 and September 2022 were considered for inclusion. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with PHLF, and ALBI score and FIB-4 index were combined based on their regression coefficients. The performance of the combined ALBI-FIB4 score in predicting PHLF and postoperative mortality was compared with Child–Pugh score, MELD score, ALBI score, and FIB-4 index. A total of 215 patients were enrolled in this study. PHLF occurred in 35 patients (16.3%). The incidence of severe PHLF (grade B and grade C PHLF) was 9.3%. Postoperative 90‐d mortality was 2.8%. ALBI score, FIB-4 index, prothrombin time, and extent of liver resection were identified as independent factors for predicting PHLF. The AUC of the ALBI-FIB4 score in predicting PHLF was 0.783(95%CI: 0.694–0.872), higher than other models. The ALBI-FIB4 score could divide patients into two risk groups based on a cut-off value of − 1.82. High-risk patients had a high incidence of PHLF of 39.1%, while PHLF just occurred in 6.6% of low-risk patients. Similarly, the AUCs of the ALBI-FIB4 score in predicting severe PHLF and postoperative 90-d mortality were also higher than other models. Preoperative ALBI-FIB4 score showed good performance in predicting PHLF and postoperative mortality in patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC, superior to the currently commonly used liver function and fibrosis scoring systems.
Advanced disk herniation computer aided diagnosis system
Authors: Ebrahim Maad , Alsmirat Mohammad , Al-Ayyoub Mahmoud
Published: April 2024

Over recent years, researchers and practitioners have encountered massive and continuous improvements in the computational resources available for their use. This allowed the use of resource-hungry Machine learning (ML) algorithms to become feasible and practical. Moreover, several advanced techniques are being used to boost the performance of such algorithms even further, which include various transfer learning techniques, data augmentation, and feature concatenation. Normally, the use of these advanced techniques highly depends on the size and nature of the dataset being used. In the case of fine-grained medical image sets, which have subcategories within the main categories in the image set, there is a need to find the combination of the techniques that work the best on these types of images. In this work, we utilize these advanced techniques to find the best combinations to build a state-of-the-art lumber disc herniation computer-aided diagnosis system. We have evaluated the system extensively and the results show that the diagnosis system achieves an accuracy of 98% when it is compared with human diagnosis.
Association and mediation analyses among multiple metal exposure, mineralocorticoid levels, and serum ion balance in residents of northwest China
Authors: Zhang Honglong , Yan Jun , Nie Guole , Xie Danna , Zhu Xingwang , Niu Jingping , Li Xun
Published: April 2024

Toxic metals are vital risk factors affecting serum ion balance; however, the effect of their co-exposure on serum ions and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. We assessed the correlations of single metal and mixed metals with serum ion levels, and the mediating effects of mineralocorticoids by investigating toxic metal concentrations in the blood, as well as the levels of representative mineralocorticoids, such as deoxycorticosterone (DOC), and serum ions in 471 participants from the Dongdagou–Xinglong cohort. In the single-exposure model, sodium and chloride levels were positively correlated with arsenic, selenium, cadmium, and lead levels and negatively correlated with zinc levels, whereas potassium and iron levels and the anion gap were positively correlated with zinc levels and negatively correlated with selenium, cadmium and lead levels (all P < 0.05). Similar results were obtained in the mixed exposure models considering all metals, and the major contributions of cadmium, lead, arsenic, and selenium were highlighted. Significant dose–response relationships were detected between levels of serum DOC and toxic metals and serum ions. Mediation analysis showed that serum DOC partially mediated the relationship of metals (especially mixed metals) with serum iron and anion gap by 8.3% and 8.6%, respectively. These findings suggest that single and mixed metal exposure interferes with the homeostasis of serum mineralocorticoids, which is also related to altered serum ion levels. Furthermore, serum DOC may remarkably affect toxic metal-related serum ion disturbances, providing clues for further study of health risks associated with these toxic metals.
Effect of a nutraceutical combination on sleep quality among people with impaired sleep: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Gutiérrez-Romero Sebastián Antonio , Torres-Narváez Erika Sofía , Zamora-Gómez Adrián Camilo , Castillo-Castillo Silvana , Latorre-Velásquez Angela Liliana , Betancourt-Villamizar Carolina , Mendivil Carlos O.
Published: April 2024

In this randomised, placebo-controlled trial, adults with impaired sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ≥ 5) were randomly assigned using a minimization algorithm to receive a formulation containing l-theanine plus lemon balm, valerian, and saffron extracts, or placebo, during 6 weeks. Objective sleep quality parameters were measured using an actigraphy device. We enrolled and randomised 64 individuals, 31 from the active group and 27 from the placebo group completed the 6 week follow-up. Mean sleep efficiency remained unmodified in the active group, and increased by 3% in the placebo group, the between-group difference in the change was not statistically significant (p = 0.49). Total sleep time also improved more with placebo (13.0 vs. 1.33 min, p = 0.66). Time wake after sleep onset (WASO) decreased more in the active group (4.6% vs. 2.4%), but the difference was not significant (p = 0.33). Mean PSQI decreased by 3.11 points (32.3%) in the active group, and by 3.86 points (39.5%) in the placebo group (p = 0.41). SF-36 increased more with placebo (+ 18.3 in active, + 32.1 in placebo, p = 0.68). Salivary cortisol remained unchanged in both groups. No serious adverse events were reported. Among adults with impaired sleep, a nutraceutical combination did not improve objective or subjective sleep parameters more than a placebo infusion.
Development of a metasurface-based slot antenna for 5G MIMO applications with minimized cross-polarization and stable radiation patterns through mode manipulation
Authors: Hamlbar Gerami Hamed , Kazemi Robab , Fathy Aly E.
Published: April 2024

This paper presents an approach for designing metasurface antennas using the characteristic mode analysis method for 5G mm-wave multiple input–multiple output (MIMO) systems. The proposed metasurface antenna consists of a 3 × 3 array of modified patches with additional slits and stubs, which are fed by a coupling slot. This configuration reshapes surface currents and improves the radiation performance across a broad frequency range. The design offers significant advantages such as reduced antenna size, minimized influence of higher-order modes, and maintained low cross-polarization (XP) level. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed metasurface-based slot antenna provides a bandwidth of 29.6% (23–31 GHz) with a return loss better than 10 dB. It achieves a peak gain of 9.43 dB and exhibits an XP level below − 26 dB and − 48 dB at $$\varphi = 0^{ \circ }$$

φ
=

0
∘

and $$\varphi = 90^{ \circ }$$

φ
=

90
∘

planes, respectively. The physical dimensions of the antenna are 0.9λ0 × 0.9λ0 × 0.08λ0, where λ0 is the free space wavelength at 27 GHz, resulting in an approximately 41% reduction compared to the conventional metasurface patch antenna. Moreover, the design proves to be well-suited for MIMO systems, enabling close placement of antenna elements without degrading their radiation patterns. The experimental results in 1 × 2 and 2 × 2 MIMO configurations represent that the isolation between antenna elements are better than 18 dB and 21 dB, respectively. The performance of the antennas remains stable in both configurations, effectively addressing concerns such as beam squint and eliminating the common issue of beam splitting observed in conventional metasurface MIMO antennas. Moreover, the envelope correlation coefficient value in both MIMO configurations is lower than 0.003. This significant advancement offers a promising solution for compact 5G mm-wave massive MIMO applications.
Microcrack monitoring and fracture evolution of coal and rock using integrated acoustic emission and digital image correlation techniques
Authors: Zhao Zhihui , Yang Jinhu , Kang Yueming , Xiao Yong
Published: April 2024

The mechanical properties of a coal–rock body were examined through uniaxial compression tests, and the rupture process of the coal–rock body was monitored in real time using a combined acoustic emission (AE) monitoring system and a digital image correlation (DIC) full-field strain measurement system. From a comparison of the mechanical properties of coal and sandstone, clear differences are apparent regarding the uniaxial compressive strength, deformation characteristics, and damage mode; the brittle failure characteristics of the coal samples are also more evident. The change in AE energy reflects the accumulation and release of elastic energy during the rupture process, and the evolution of AE localization points under different stress levels can effectively reflect rupture propagation. Further, the DIC full-field strain measurement method can quantitatively monitor the evolution of the displacement and strain fields at the marking point and surface simultaneously, thereby overcoming the limitations of traditional empirical and qualitative rupture processes. During monitoring, the AE focuses on the internal rupture of the specimen and the DIC focuses on the surface deformation. These complement each other and reflect the rupture process more comprehensively.
Scientific figures interpreted by ChatGPT: strengths in plot recognition and limits in color perception
Authors: Wang Jinge , Ye Qing , Liu Li , Guo Nancy Lan , Hu Gangqing
Published: April 2024

Emerging studies underscore the promising capabilities of large language model-based chatbots in conducting basic bioinformatics data analyses. The recent feature of accepting image inputs by ChatGPT, also known as GPT-4V(ision), motivated us to explore its efficacy in deciphering bioinformatics scientific figures. Our evaluation with examples in cancer research, including sequencing data analysis, multimodal network-based drug repositioning, and tumor clonal evolution, revealed that ChatGPT can proficiently explain different plot types and apply biological knowledge to enrich interpretations. However, it struggled to provide accurate interpretations when color perception and quantitative analysis of visual elements were involved. Furthermore, while the chatbot can draft figure legends and summarize findings from the figures, stringent proofreading is imperative to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the content.
Deterministic entangling gates with nonlinear quantum photonic interferometers
Authors: Scala Francesco , Nigro Davide , Gerace Dario
Published: April 2024

The single-photon quantum computing paradigm currently relies on the multi-port interference in linear optical devices, which is intrinsically based on probabilistic measurements outcome, and thus non-deterministic. Devising a fully deterministic, universal, and practically achievable quantum computing platform based on single-photon encoding and integrated photonic circuits is still an open challenge. Here we propose to exploit the interplay of distributed self-Kerr nonlinearity and localized hopping in quantum photonic interferometers to implement deterministic entangling quantum gates with dual rail photonic qubits. It is shown that a universal set of single- and two-qubit gates can be designed by a suitable concatenation of few optical interferometric elements, reaching optimal fidelities arbitrarily close to 100% that are theoretically demonstrated through a bound constrained optimization algorithm. The actual realization would require the concatenation of a few tens of elementary operations, as well as on-chip optical nonlinearities that are compatible with some of the existing quantum photonic platforms, as it is finally discussed.
Reproducibility in research into metal-organic frameworks in nanomedicine
Authors: Forgan Ross S.
Published: April 2024

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are currently widely investigated for a number of potential biomedicinal applications, with particular focus on nanoscale drug delivery. Nanomedicine in general comes with specific challenges to ensure reproducibility of results, including batch-to-batch variations in ostensibly the same nanomaterial, differences in synthetic and analytical practices, intrinsic issues with in vitro culturing and assaying, and a lack of availability of raw data for comparative analysis. This perspective provides an overview of reproducibility issues in the context of MOFs in nanomedicine, covering their preparation and in vitro analysis. The commonly studied UiO-66 is used as an exemplar to highlight variability in synthetic and characterisation practices, as well as in the publication and availability of data. Some common roadblocks to reproducibility are highlighted, alongside suggestions and resources for best practice.
Multi-modal Neuroimaging Phenotyping of Mnemonic Anosognosia in the Aging Brain
Authors: Bueichekú Elisenda , Diez Ibai , Gagliardi Geoffroy , Kim Chan-Mi , Mimmack Kayden , Sepulcre Jorge , Vannini Patrizia
Published: April 2024

Background

Unawareness is a behavioral condition characterized by a lack of self-awareness of objective memory decline. In the context of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), unawareness may develop in predementia stages and contributes to disease severity and progression. Here, we use in-vivo multi-modal neuroimaging to profile the brain phenotype of individuals presenting altered self-awareness of memory during aging.

Methods

Amyloid- and tau-PET (N = 335) and resting-state functional MRI (N = 713) imaging data of individuals from the Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer’s Disease (A4)/Longitudinal Evaluation of Amyloid Risk and Neurodegeneration (LEARN) Study were used in this research. We applied whole-brain voxel-wise and region-of-interest analyses to characterize the cortical intersections of tau, amyloid, and functional connectivity networks underlying unawareness in the aging brain compared to aware, complainer and control groups.

Results

Individuals with unawareness present elevated amyloid and tau burden in midline core regions of the default mode network compared to aware, complainer or control individuals. Unawareness is characterized by an altered network connectivity pattern featuring hyperconnectivity in the medial anterior prefrontal cortex and posterior occipito-parietal regions co-locating with amyloid and tau deposition.

Conclusions

Unawareness is an early behavioral biomarker of AD pathology. Failure of the self-referential system in unawareness of memory decline can be linked to amyloid and tau burden, along with functional network connectivity disruptions, in several medial frontal and parieto-occipital areas of the human brain.
Kinetic isotope effect offers selectivity in CO2 reduction
Authors: Patra Suman , Atta Sayan , Ghosh Soumili , Majumdar Amit , Dey Abhishek
Published: April 2024

A binuclear Ni complex with N,O donors catalyzes CO2 reduction via its Ni(i) state.
SadNet: a novel multimodal fusion network for protein–ligand binding affinity prediction
Authors: Hong Qiansen , Zhou Guoqiang , Qin Yuke , Shen Jun , Li Haoran
Published: April 2024

We propose a new graph neural network model, SadNet, to predict protein ligand affinity. The pocket information and the global amino acid sequence information are complementary, expanding the receptive field of the ligand to the entire protein.
Exploring the ultrafast and isomer-dependent photodissociation of iodothiophenes via site-selective ionization
Authors: Razmus Weronika O. , Allum Felix , Harries James , Kumagai Yoshiaki , Nagaya Kiyonobu , Bhattacharyya Surjendu , Britton Mathew , Brouard Mark , Bucksbaum Philip H. , Cheung Kieran , Crane Stuart W. , Fushitani Mizuho , Gabalski Ian , Gejo Tatsuo , Ghrist Aaron , Heathcote David , Hikosaka Yasumasa , Hishikawa Akiyoshi , Hockett Paul , Jones Ellen , Kukk Edwin , Iwayama Hiroshi , Lam Huynh V. S. , McManus Joseph W. , Milesevic Dennis , Mikosch Jochen , Minemoto Shinichirou , Niozu Akinobu , Orr-Ewing Andrew J. , Owada Shigeki , Rolles Daniel , Rudenko Artem , Townsend Dave , Ueda Kiyoshi , Unwin James , Vallance Claire , Venkatachalam Anbu , Wada Shin-ichi , Walmsley Tiffany , Warne Emily M. , Woodhouse Joanne L. , Burt Michael , Ashfold Michael N. R. , Minns Russell S. , Forbes Ruaridh
Published: April 2024

The dissociation dynamics of UV pumped iodothiophene molecules are investigated using velocity map ion imaging, in combination with site-selective extreme ultraviolet ionization of the iodine atom.
Excited state properties of an A–D–A non-fullerene electron acceptor: a LC-TD-DFTB study
Authors: Ribeiro R. B. , Varella M. T. do N.
Published: April 2024

Benchmark of LC-TD-DFTB to investigate the excited state properties of a non-fullerene electron acceptor. The tight-binding method is highly dependent on the long-range parameter but reproduced LC-TD-DFT results and experimental absorption spectra.
A review of modified and hybrid anaerobic baffled reactors for municipal wastewater treatment with a focus on emerging contaminants
Authors: Lin Lau Poh , Trzcinski Antoine P.
Published: April 2024

This review discusses municipal wastewater treatment using anaerobic baffled reactors (ABRs) and modified ABRs to remove C, N, P and emerging contaminants.
Synthesis of a sustainable marine oleogel and its application as a fat substitute in a sponge cake system
Authors: Ramadhan Wahyu , Firdaos Anita Nurul , Krisnawan William Vito , Suseno Sugeng Heri , Riyanto Bambang , Trilaksani Wini , Santoso Joko
Published: April 2024

Sustainable oleogel technology offers a solution for using fish oil biowaste by solidifying it and harnessing it in sponge cake as a food model system.
Sustainable biodegradable coatings for food packaging: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Jahangiri Fatemeh , Mohanty Amar K. , Misra Manjusri
Published: April 2024

Bio-based and petroleum-based biodegradable coatings: materials, methods, and modifications to improve the performance of polymeric substrates for plastic and paper-based food packaging applications.
Piezoelectric and microfluidic tuning of an infrared cavity for vibrational polariton studies
Authors: Wang Wei , de la Fuente Diez Jaime , Delsuc Nicolas , Peng Juan , Spezia Riccardo , Vuilleumier Rodolphe , Chen Yong
Published: April 2024

A new method uses piezoelectric and microfluidic tuning to study vibrational polaritons in liquids under flow. This enables modifying cavity length adjustments and flexibility in experimental setups.
Bioinspired graphene-based metal oxide nanocomposites for photocatalytic and electrochemical performances: an updated review
Authors: Potbhare Ajay K. , Aziz S. K. Tarik , Ayyub Mohd. Monis , Kahate Aniket , Madankar Rohit , Wankar Sneha , Dutta Arnab , Abdala Ahmed , Mohmood Sami H. , Adhikari Rameshwar , Chaudhary Ratiram G.
Published: April 2024

Considering the rapidly increasing population, the development of new resources, skills, and devices that can provide safe potable water and clean energy remains one of the vital research topics for the scientific community.
Implementation of Bayesian networks and Bayesian inference using a Cu0.1Te0.9/HfO2/Pt threshold switching memristor
Authors: Baek In Kyung , Lee Soo Hyung , Jang Yoon Ho , Park Hyungjun , Kim Jaehyun , Cheong Sunwoo , Shim Sung Keun , Han Janguk , Han Joon-Kyu , Jeon Gwang Sik , Shin Dong Hoon , Woo Kyung Seok , Hwang Cheol Seong
Published: April 2024

Implementation of Bayesian networks and Bayesian inference using a Cu0.1Te0.9/HfO2/Pt threshold switching memristor.
Advances in the joint profiling technologies of 5mC and 5hmC
Authors: He Bo , Yao Haojun , Yi Chengqi
Published: April 2024

Overview of the joint profiling technologies of 5mC and 5hmC.
New insights into aging in LiNiO2 cathodes from high resolution paramagnetic NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Nguyen H. , Kurzhals P. , Bianchini M. , Seidel K. , Clément R. J.
Published: April 2024

Heterogeneity develops in LiNiO2 upon long-term cycling. The structure and composition of partially electrochemically active (fatigued) phases formed in the bulk are determined by combining synchrotron XRD and high resolution 7Li solid-state NMR.
A one-pot telescopic synthesis of benzo[b]carbazoles and exploration of their liquid crystalline properties
Authors: Malik Nirmal , De Ritobrata , Pal Santanu Kumar , Ramasastry S. S. V.
Published: April 2024

A one-pot multistep strategy has been developed to synthesize benzo[b]carbazoles. We have applied this method to access the first benzo[b]carbazole-based room temperature nematic liquid crystalline materials.
Nitro group and K+-based secondary building units for the self-assembly of 3D coordination polymers built on dinuclear dianionic helicate connectors
Authors: Mendoza-Báez Raúl , Molina-Renteria Alan , Olguín Juan
Published: April 2024

Two dinuclear dianionic helicates, K2[MII2(L)3] M = MnII (1) and NiII (2), based on 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde, self-assemble into novel 3D coordination polymers due to nitro groups acting as secondary assembly instruction.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of the deprotonated tryptophan anion: the contribution of deprotomers to its photodetachment channels
Authors: Gibbard Jemma A. , Kellow Catherine S. , Verlet Jan. R. R.
Published: April 2024

The site of deprotonation in anionic tryptophan determines its photodetachment dynamics: distinct direct detachment channels and thermionic emission are observed.
Enhanced ferromagnetism, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and high Curie temperature in the van der Waals semiconductor CrSeBr through strain and doping
Authors: Han Ruilin , Xue Xiaomin , Li Peng
Published: April 2024

The pristine CrSeBr monolayer has an easy-plane magnetic anisotropy, although a tiny in-plane biaxial strain of 0.8% and a hole density of 5.31 × 1013 cm−2 could change the orientation of the easy-axis to out-of-plane.
Automated extraction of synthesis parameters of pulsed laser-deposited materials from scientific literature
Authors: Kumar Rajan , Joshi Ablokit , Khan Salman A. , Misra Shikhar
Published: April 2024

An efficient data-driven literature-based discovery approach is utilized, that is capable of extracting knowledge from materials science-related text, related to Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD), aiming to extract various processing parameters that are critical during the PLD process.
Self-constructing a lattice-oxygen-stabilized interface in Li-rich cathodes to enable high-energy all-solid-state batteries
Authors: Xu Xiangqun , Chu Shiyong , Xu Sheng , Guo Shaohua , Zhou Haoshen
Published: April 2024

A lattice-oxygen-stabilized interface is formed in situ by the interaction of indium and oxidized lattice oxygen in the interface of Li2RuO3 (LRO) and Li3InCl6 (LIC), mitigating the irreversible lattice oxygen loss and stabilizing the surface structure.
Chain-length dependent organisation in mixtures of hydrogenous and fluorous ionic liquids
Authors: Elstone Naomi S. , Shaw Emily V. , Shimizu Karina , Lai Joshua , Demé Bruno , Lane Paul D. , Costen Matthew L. , McKendrick Kenneth G. , Youngs Sarah , Rogers Sarah E. , Canongia Lopes Jose N. , Bruce Duncan W. , Slattery John M.
Published: April 2024

The ionic liquids [C10MIM][Tf2N] and [C10MIM-F17][Tf2N] are miscible in all proportions, but scattering studies and MD calculations show the formation of small aggregates. These data are discussed relative to hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon miscibility.
Ionic liquid-stabilized metal oxoclusters: from design to catalytic application
Authors: Qiao Yunxiang , Shi Enting , Wei Xinjia , Hou Zhenshan
Published: April 2024

This perspective provides the design, stability and unique properties regarding ionic liquid-stabilized metal oxoclusters and their application in catalysis, and also illustrates the future development of ionic liquid-stabilized metal oxoclusters.
Study on the hemodynamic effects of different pulsatile working modes of a rotary blood pump using a microfluidic platform that realizes in vitro cell culture effectively
Authors: Liang Lixue , Wang Xueying , Chen Dong , Sethu Palaniappan , Giridharan Guruprasad A. , Wang Yanxia , Wang Yu , Qin Kai-Rong
Published: April 2024

The best pulsation frequency mode of the RBP would be one that changes every 2–3 times of the cardiac cycle. The proposed in vitro microfluidic model could provide an effective platform to select the best working mode of the RBP for heart failure.
A microphysiological system for handling graphene related materials under flow conditions
Authors: Lacueva-Aparicio Alodia , González Viviana Jehová , Remacha Ana Rosa , Woods Daniel , Prado Eduardo , Ochoa Ignacio , Oliván Sara , Vázquez Ester
Published: April 2024

A kidney-on-a-chip has been developed and optimised to evaluate the effects of exposure to graphene related materials under fluid flow conditions.
Protein–metal ion networks coated carbon matrix as a precursor: to construct carbon-supported Mo-based catalysts with highly exposed active sites for hydrogenation of nitro compounds
Authors: Lian Lizhen , Zhang Guangji , Zhao Xiaojun , Huang Jianhan , Wang Liqiang , Liu You-Nian
Published: April 2024

Protein–metal ion networks coated carbon matrices were employed as a precursor for preparing carbon-supported Mo-based catalysts with highly exposed active sites for nitro hydrogenation.
Oxazoline amino acid bioconjugates: one-pot synthesis and analysis of supramolecular interactions
Authors: Bakija Marija , Perić Berislav , Kirin Srećko I.
Published: April 2024

Oxazoline amino acid bioconjugates were synthesized; the relative stability of a supramolecular dimer of a tris-derivative was investigated using mean absolute error values (MAE), derived from 1H NMR experiments and DFT calculations.
Is receptor mediated active macrophage targeting of amphotericin B nanoformulations a promising approach?
Authors: Das Saugandha , Todke Pooja , Madkaikar Manisha , Devarajan Padma
Published: April 2024

We present an AmB-LIPOMER anchored with Acemannan (ACEM), a mannose ligand for active macrophage targeting, via mannose receptor mediated endocytosis (RME).
Novel turbulence and coarsening arrest in active-scalar fluids
Authors: Padhan Nadia Bihari , Kiran Kolluru Venkata , Pandit Rahul
Published: April 2024

We uncover a new type of turbulence – activity-induced homogeneous and isotropic turbulence – in a model that has been employed to investigate motility-induced phase separation (MIPS) in a system of microswimmers.
A brief review on the assessment of potential joint effects of complex mixtures of contaminants in the environment
Authors: Cheng Yu , Ding Jue , Davila Arenas Catherine Estefany , Brinkmann Markus , Ji Xiaowen
Published: April 2024

Many contaminants can have long-term effects on organisms when they are exposed to low concentrations for extended periods. This review presents new methods for identifying the effects of chemical mixtures.
Efficient and sustainable hydrogen evolution reaction: enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of ReO3-incorporated Cu2Te catalysts
Authors: Vijayan Aruna , Sandhyarani N.
Published: April 2024

ReO3–Cu2Te composite is reported as a promising candidate for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction.
Enabling a non-flammable methyl(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) carbonate electrolyte in NMC622–graphite Li-ion cells by electrode pre-passivation
Authors: Longhini Matilde , Gebert Florian , Conti Fosca , Naylor Andrew J.
Published: April 2024

Pre-passivation of lithium-ion battery graphite electrodes allows for safer non-flammable electrolytes to be used in long-term operation with high performance.
A Robust Sidelobe Cancellation Algorithm Based on Beamforming Vector Norm Constraint
Authors: Wang Qing , Qin Huanding , Yang Kai , Wu Hao , He Fangmin , Meng Jin
Published: April 2024

Sidelobe cancellation (SLC) is a well‐established beamforming technique for mitigating interference, particularly in the context of satellite communication (SATCOM). However, traditional SLC suffers from the issue of partially canceling the desired signal at high signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), primarily due to unconstrained beamforming processing. Extensive research has been conducted to address this problem; however, existing algorithms have limitations such as dependence on knowledge of signal array vectors or number of interferers and involve high computational complexity. In this paper, we propose a robust SLC algorithm based on beamforming vector norm constraint. Our proposal offers a practical solution by only requiring knowledge of the earth station antenna gain and maximum auxiliary array gain to the desired signal, both of which are fully known. Furthermore, compared to traditional SLC, our proposed method introduces additional computational complexity that only scales linearly with the size of the auxiliary array. Simulation results demonstrate comparable performance between our proposed method and existing techniques such as diagonal loading and spatial degrees‐of‐freedom control‐based algorithms.
Design an omnidirectional autonomous mobile robot based on non‐linear optimal control to track a specified path
Authors: Shahgholian Sajjad , Akhavan Mohammad , Kamrani Vahid , Ganjefar Soheil
Published: April 2024

This paper explores two non‐linear control techniques for designing an effective control system for an omnidirectional autonomous mobile robot with four Mecanum wheels. Due to the unique wheel structure and four separate wheels, the robot has non‐linear dynamics, multiple inputs and outputs. The first technique uses the state‐dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) to address optimal non‐linear control while considering energy and time constraints. The second technique, using an intermediate variable , has expanded the Hamilton‐Jacobi‐Belman equation in terms of the power series. Consequently, these equations are reduced to a set of recursive Lyapunov algebraic equations, leading to a closed‐form solution for solving the non‐linear optimal control problem. Finally, the maneuverability and path‐tracking capability of the robot are examined by highlighting the non‐linear term through numerical simulation.