bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soil Moisture Satellite Data Under Scrutiny: Assessing Accuracy Through Environmental Proxies and Extended Triple Collocation Analysis
Authors: Pataki Angelika , Bertalan László , Pásztor László , Nagy Loránd Attila , Abriha Dávid , Liang Shunlin , Singh Sudhir Kumar , Szabó Szilárd
Published: February 2025

16 different satellite soil moisture (SM) datasets (passive, active, combined, and model data) were compared at the European scale. We hypothesized that SM should be reflected by a variety of environmental factors, such as topography, hydroclimatology, soil characteristics, and biomass. Robust correlation was used to explore the relationship among the satellite data products, and the Recursive Feature Elimination method combined with the Random Forest Regression (RFR) algorithm was used to find the most important variables. Variations in SM-values were analyzed using extended triple collocation analysis (ETC), while the accuracy metrics of the RFR models were summarized through UMAP dimension reduction. The result showed that generally, correlations among the SM products were low (r < 0.5) with some exceptions. GLDAS had the weakest correlation with the other SM products. Using SM as the dependent variable in regression models, model testing showed that GLDAS’s SM was explained with the highest accuracy based on the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (0.631), followed by the SMOPS (0.624). SSM demonstrated the lowest environmental influence (NSE: 0.288). Using UMAP, ETC, it was determined that SMOPS exhibited superior performance in terms of error variance and model accuracy; however, based on the ETC results, GRD.P was deemed the most suitable option. Results called the attention of varying SM values by products, being biased by various environmental factors and the applied technology of the satellites.
Glutamic acid-loaded separable microneedle composite for long-acting hair regeneration treatment
Authors: Mbituyimana Bricard , Fu Lina , Wang Hao , Qi Fuyu , Jiang Yuchi , Meng Fanbo , Wu Min , Shi Zhijun , Yang Guang
Published: February 2025

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of hair loss frequently observed in clinics. Right now, there are no effective treatments for AGA. Here, we developed a biodegradable microneedle (MN) patch made of polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) loaded with glutamic acid (GA) that improves sustainable drug release and effective hair regeneration treatment. Once the patch has penetrated the skin, the GA-loaded MNs (GA-MNs) are quickly separated from their base and enter the skin. These MNs then serve as drug storage tanks inside the skin, releasing the therapeutics gradually for over 4 weeks. The sustained release of GA from long-acting biodegradable needles could lead to endocytosis by dermal papilla cells (DPCs), promoting the proliferation of cells. Compared with topical minoxidil, which requires daily treatment, animal studies have shown that GA-MNs can increase hair regeneration more effectively with lower dose frequency; the number of hair follicles in the GA-MNs group reached 83.68 ± 4.52%, which was significantly higher than that of the minoxidil group (56.93 ± 3.21%). This transdermal technology of biodegradable MNs shows considerable promise in clinical applications and offers a straightforward, safe, and effective therapy approach for clinical hair regeneration treatment.
Designing a Patient Preference Study on Subcutaneous Medical Devices: Incorporating Health Authority Scientific Advice and Patient Perspectives
Authors: Picci Marie , Cook Nigel S. , Jones Byron , Zhou Mo , Berlin Conny , Sturchler Christine , Martinez Clemence , Garcia Baena Irene , Ziegler Lauren , Gaunt Harriet , Mason Brad , Hamerlijnck Dominique , Majima Yoshiyuki
Published: February 2025

This paper describes the planning of a patient preference study for evaluating device features for the subcutaneous (SC) delivery of high dose/large volume (e.g., > 2 ml) of drugs. Multiple sources, including qualitative patient interviews, the involvement of patient partners, and solicitation of advice from the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), were used to refine the attributes and levels in the development of a preference study protocol to investigate what Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients consider important regarding medical device features for high dose SC administration.
Integrating Circular Economy Principles in Business Strategies: a Policy-Driven Approach
Authors: Munonye Williams Chibueze
Published: February 2025

Integrating circular economy principles into business strategies is facilitated by supportive policies. Drawing from various insights and contexts, this analysis discusses the role of regulatory frameworks, such as the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan and Extended Producer Responsibility, in guiding sustainable practices. Green taxation, including carbon and landfill taxes, incentivizes circular business models by internalizing environmental costs and offering tax breaks. Effective implementation relies on consistent enforcement and global policy alignment, enabling businesses to enhance sustainability and drive innovation for long-term benefits.
What is the patient re-identification risk from using de-identified clinical free text data for health research?
Authors: Ford Elizabeth , Pillinger Simon , Stewart Robert , Jones Kerina , Roberts Angus , Casey Arlene , Goddard Katie , Nenadic Goran
Published: February 2025

Important clinical information is recorded in free text in patients’ records, notes, letters and reports in healthcare settings. This information is currently under-used for health research and innovation. Free text requires more processing for analysis than structured data, but processing natural language at scale has recently advanced, using large language models. However, data controllers are often concerned about patient privacy risks if clinical text is allowed to be used in research. Text can be de-identified, yet it is challenging to quantify the residual risk of patient re-identification. This paper presents a comprehensive review and discussion of elements for consideration when evaluating the risk of patient re-identification from free text. We consider (1) the reasons researchers want access to free text; (2) the accuracy of automated de-identification processes, identifying best practice; (3) methods previously used for re-identifying health data and their success; (4) additional protections put in place around health data, particularly focussing on the UK where “Five Safes” secure data environments are used; (5) risks of harm to patients from potential re-identification and (6) public views on free text being used for research. We present a model to conceptualise and evaluate risk of re-identification, accompanied by case studies of successful governance of free text for research in the UK. When de-identified and stored in secure data environments, the risk of patient re-identification from clinical free text is very low. More health research should be enabled by routinely storing and giving access to de-identified clinical text data.
Citizenship as Legal Infrastructure
Authors: Prener Christian Brown , Gammeltoft-Hansen Thomas
Published: February 2025

Whenever a person intends to cross a border, citizenship de facto determines—more than any other status—whether that person can enter the territory of another state. Yet, despite its ubiquity and centrality within global mobility infrastructures, the exact mechanisms through which citizenship shapes human movement on the planetary scale remain surprisingly ambiguous. This Article examines the multifaceted ways in which citizenship operates as an organizing principle within the complex of rules and norms governing transnational human mobility, including how the increasing acceptance of dual nationality status and the emergence of citizenship-by-investment schemes reverberate throughout the legal infrastructure and create new pathways for elite mobility. Using citizenship as an exploratory lens, the Article thereby seeks to theoretically complement and nuance existing scholarship in migration and mobility studies, arguing that physical space remains the dominant structure for human mobility. As we show, legal infrastructures reconfigure access to human mobility in ways that simultaneously fragment and compress physical space as it pertains to transnational movement.
“Is Humanism Molesting Your Child?” Lottie Beth Hobbs, the Death of the ERA, and the Birth of the Religious Right
Authors: Anthony Paul A.
Published: February 2025

This article tells the story of Lottie Beth Hobbs, one of the most important figures of the anti-ERA movement – and therefore a founding mother of the Religious Right. Although opposition of fundamentalist women to the ERA increasingly has been recognized in the founding of the Religious Right, Hobbs’s role remains underexplored. Relying on a moral and political framework indebted to her lifelong commitment to the Churches of Christ, Hobbs spearheaded a rhetorical and ideological shift that first united disparate conservative causes under a “pro-family” banner, then focused their attention on the threat of a tentacular secular humanism. By focusing on Hobbs’s career, this article bridges two scholarly foci on modern American conservatism, one highlighting anti-ERA organizing in the 1970s and the other focused on “family values” activism during the Reagan administration.
Are free groups of different ranks bi-invariantly quasi-isometric?
Authors: Kędra Jarek , Libman Assaf
Published: February 2025

We prove that a homomorphism between free groups of finite rank equipped with the bi-invariant word metrics associated with finite generating sets is a quasi-isometry if and only if it is an isomorphism.
Extropy-based dynamic cumulative residual inaccuracy measure: properties and applications
Authors: Hashempour M , Mohammadi M , Jahanshahi S M A , Khammar A H
Published: February 2025

The cumulative residual extropy has been proposed recently as an alternative measure of extropy to the cumulative distribution function of a random variable. In this paper, the concept of cumulative residual extropy has been extended to cumulative residual extropy inaccuracy (CREI) and dynamic cumulative residual extropy inaccuracy (DCREI). Some lower and upper bounds for these measures are provided. A characterization problem for the DCREI measure under the proportional hazard rate model is studied. Nonparametric estimators for CREI and DCREI measures based on kernel and empirical methods are suggested. Also, a simulation study is presented to evaluate the performance of the suggested measures. Simulation results show that the kernel-based estimator performs better than the empirical-based estimator. Finally, applications of the DCREI measure for model selection are provided using two real data sets.
From Chronogenetics to Phenogenesis
Authors: Gedda Luigi
Published: February 2025

Allow me to start by observing that, in the word “reproduction”, the initial syllable, Re, has a remarkable importance, at least to the geneticist. In fact, when we say “reproduction”, we do not merely mean that a living being is produced, but we also mean that the production of such a living being implies the repetition of a model that is present in the species, in the population, in the family.

Moreover, the model that is reproduced is not only that of an embryo, of a fetus, of a neonate, but is also that of a child, of an adolescent, of an adult, of an old man.

Reproduction is therefore the repetition of a model that is not limited to the amphimixis, to gestation or birth, but that dominates throughout the entire cycle of life with a continuous variability, that is, through a dynamic and individualized phenogenesis. Such an extension of the concept of reproduction from the stage of conception to the standards of the successive ages, requires that a view based on immediate times be substituted with a view based on long times. This means, in other words, that a new parameter should be explicitly considered as part of the zygote's blueprint: the chronologic parameter.
Some Genetic Problems in Physical Growth and Development — A Longitudinal Study on Children Aged 0-7 Years
Authors: Chrzastek-Spruch Hanna M.
Published: February 2025

Aiming at determining the influence of some genetic factors on growth and development, a longitudinal study of 180 children (90 M and 90 F) from the city of Lublin was carried out, with periodical medical examinations and anthropometric measurements from birth to 7 years of age. The parents of each child were also examined.

The correlation coefficients between parents and children show that, as regards height, the greatest similarity occurs between mothers and daughters, and a lesser one between fathers and sons. As regards weight, sons are more similar to fathers than daughters to mothers.

The relationship between the growth and development of children and the mating type of parents, parental age, and birth order, was also investigated. In negative assortative mating, the children are taller than the children of middle-height parents from positive assortative mating couples. Children (especially daughters) of tall mothers and short fathers grow taller than children of tall fathers and short mothers.

Finally, the dependence of growth on parental age and birth order was analysed and the conclusions reached were quite interesting.
Palmar Creases and Diseases: Cancer and Tuberculosis
Authors: Chaube Ramesh
Published: February 2025

The palmar flexion creases of fully diagnosed patients of throat cancer (n = 120) and tuberculosis (n = 80) have been compared with a control group (n = 150) of the same stock. The palmar flexion creases of cancer and tuberculosis patients ate significantly different from those of the control population.
Compound Minor Floods and the Role of Discharge in the Delaware River Estuary
Authors: McKeon Kelly , Piecuch Christopher G.
Published: February 2025

Compound floods are often thought of as large, infrequent floods during which extremes of coastal sea level and/or river flow combine with each other or additional factors (e.g., tides and rainfall) to induce major flooding. However, little is known about the potentially compound nature of more frequent, lower‐level floods. Here, we introduce the term “compound minor floods” to define minor floods composed of two or more water‐level sources. We use the Delaware River Estuary as a case study to investigate the prevalence and composition of these minor compound floods along the extent of a tidal river. We apply multiple linear regression to a 22‐year time series of coastal water levels and river discharge to establish the contributions of tides, nontidal open‐ocean effects, and river discharge to minor flood events at eight locations along the tidal Delaware River. We find that most minor flood events are compound in nature, requiring at least two components (e.g., tides and river discharge) to initiate flooding. We identify spatial structure in the relative importance of oceanographic and riverine contributions to minor flooding along the tidal reach of the estuary. These results suggest that incorporating fluvial components into minor flooding assessments is important to fully characterize flood risk along tidal rivers and estuaries.
Improved Understanding of Multicentury Greenland Ice Sheet Response to Strong Warming in the Coupled CESM2‐CISM2 With Regional Grid Refinement
Authors: Yin Ziqi , Herrington Adam R. , Datta Rajashree Tri , Subramanian Aneesh C. , Lenaerts Jan T. M. , Gettelman Andrew
Published: February 2025

The simulation of ice sheet‐climate interactions, such as surface mass balance fluxes, is sensitive to model grid resolution. Here we simulate the multi‐century evolution of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and its interaction with the climate using the Community Earth System Model version 2.2 (CESM2.2) including an interactive GrIS component (the Community Ice Sheet Model v2.1 [CISM2.1]) under an idealized warming scenario (atmospheric increases by 1% until quadrupling the pre‐industrial level and then is held fixed). A variable‐resolution (VR) grid with 1/ regional refinement over the broader Arctic and resolution elsewhere is applied to the atmosphere and land components, and the results are compared with conventional lat‐lon grid simulations to investigate the impact of grid refinement. Compared with the runs, the VR run features a slower rate of surface melt, especially over the western and northern GrIS, where the ice surface slopes gently toward the periphery. This difference pattern originates primarily from higher snow albedo and, thus, weaker albedo feedback in the VR run. The VR grid better captures the CISM ice sheet topography by reducing elevation discrepancies between CAM and CISM and is, therefore, less reliant on the downscaling algorithm, which is known to underestimate albedo gradients. The sea level rise contribution from the GrIS in the VR run is 53 mm by year 150 and 831 mm by year 350, approximately 40% and 20% less than that of the runs, respectively.
Accurately adjusted phenothiazine conformations: reversible conformation transformation at room temperature and self-recoverable stimuli-responsive phosphorescence
Authors: Gao Yuan , Yuan Wentao , Li Yuexin , Huang Arui , Fang Yuanyuan , Li Aisen , Wang Kai , Zou Bo , Li Qianqian , Li Zhen
Published: February 2025

Conformational flexibility is essential to the stimuli-responsive property of organic materials, but achieving the reversible molecular transformation is still challenging in functional materials for the high energy barriers and restriction by intermolecular interactions. Herein, through the incorporation of various steric hindrances into phenothiazine derivatives with different positions and quantities to tune the molecular conformations by adjustable repulsive forces, the folded angles gradually changed from 180° to 90° in 17 compounds. When the angle located at 112° with moderated steric effect, dynamic and reversible transformation of conformations under mechanical force has been achieved for the low energy barriers and mutually regulated molecular motions, resulting in both self-recoverable and stimuli-responsive phosphorescence properties for the first time. It opened up a new way to realize the self-recovery property of organic materials, which can facilitate the multi-functional property of smart materials with the opened avenue for other fields with inspiration.
Sleep and mood in central serous chorioretinopathy
Authors: Yang Yunfei , Foster Victoria S. , Marlowe Sophie , Stevenson Sarah R. , Alexander Iona ,   SOMNUS Study Group, Downes Susan , Safa Rukhsana , Wulff Katharina , Alexander Iona , Marlowe Sophie , Andrews Colm , Justice Caroline , Fantato Alexina , Foster Russell , Sheth Hiten , Abrams Judith , Manso Katarina , Bourne Rupert , Turnbull Paula , Moore Anthony , Hykin Phil , Summers Emily , Tahir Muhammed , Nuth Sue , Craig Emma , Churchill Amanda , Hiscott Eleanor , Black Graeme , Kirwan James , David Mini , Votruba Marcela , Menon Geeta , Pathinayake Ganga , Mistersky Nora , Foster Russell G. , Downes Susan M.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

To investigate the impact of central serous chorioretinopathy on sleep and mood in patients with acute and chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.

Methods

This cross-sectional study compared sleep and mood differences between central serous chorioretinopathy and control patients recruited from Ophthalmology clinics at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford between 2012 and 2020. Data including visual acuity, type of central serous chorioretinopathy (acute or chronic; aCSC/cCSC), sex, and chronotype were obtained. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to evaluate anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D).

Results

A total of 247 age matched controls and 109 patients with central serous chorioretinopathy participated. There were no significant differences in PSQI or HADs (P > 0.05) between the two groups. Females exhibited significantly higher PSQI scores than males both for control and central serous chorioretinopathy groups (P < 0.05). Within the central serous chorioretinopathy group, 88 (81%) had chronic central serous chorioretinopathy and 21 (19%) had acute central serous chorioretinopathy, and an increase in daytime dysfunction was seen in the acute phenotype compared to chronic (P = 0.018).

Conclusion

In our study, no significant differences in sleep quality or mood scores were identified in central serous chorioretinopathy patients, when compared to controls. Worsened sleep for females was present when compared to males, both in central serous chorioretinopathy and control groups. Within central serous chorioretinopathy groups, worsened daytime function was observed in acute versus chronic – a larger study would help distinguish the effect of chronicity on sleep.
Broadly neutralizing antibodies isolated from HEV convalescents confer protective effects in human liver-chimeric mice
Authors: Ssebyatika George , Dinkelborg Katja , Ströh Luisa J. , Hinte Florian , Corneillie Laura , Hueffner Lucas , Guzman Elina M. , Nankya Prossie L. , Plückebaum Nina , Fehlau Lukas , Garn Jonathan , Meyer Nele , Prallet Sarah , Mehnert Ann-Kathrin , Kraft Anke R. M. , Verhoye Lieven , Jacobsen Carina , Steinmann Eike , Wedemeyer Heiner , Viejo-Borbolla Abel , Dao Thi Viet Loan , Pietschmann Thomas , Lütgehetmann Marc , Meuleman Philip , Dandri Maura , Krey Thomas , Behrendt Patrick
Published: February 2025

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes 3.3 million symptomatic cases and 44,000 deaths per year. Chronic infections can arise in immunocompromised individuals, and pregnant women may suffer from fulminant disease as a consequence of HEV infection. Despite these important implications for public health, no specific antiviral treatment has been approved to date. Here, we report combined functional, biochemical, and X-ray crystallographic studies that characterize the human antibody response in convalescent HEV patients. We identified a class of potent and broadly neutralizing human antibodies (bnAbs), targeting a quaternary epitope located at the tip of the HEV capsid protein pORF2 that contains an N-glycosylation motif and is conserved across members of the Hepeviridae. These glycan-sensitive bnAbs specifically recognize the non-glycosylated pORF2 present in infectious particles but not the secreted glycosylated form acting as antibody decoy. Our most potent bnAb protects human liver-chimeric mice from intraperitoneal HEV challenge and co-housing exposure. These results provide insights into the bnAb response to this important emerging pathogen and support the development of glycan-sensitive antibodies to combat HEV infection.
The global distribution patterns of alien vertebrate richness in mountains
Authors: García-Rodríguez Adrián , Lenzner Bernd , Velasco Julián A. , Schertler Anna , Omer Ali , Seebens Hanno , Capinha César , Gallardo Belinda , Dullinger Stefan , Essl Franz
Published: February 2025

The diverse biotas of the world’s mountains face a challenging future due to increasing threats like climate change, land-use change, and biological invasions, the last being particularly understudied in these regions. Here we compile occurrence records for 717 alien vertebrate species distributed in 2984 mountains worldwide. We analyze their distribution, biogeographic origin, presence in protected areas, and the drivers’ explaining alien vertebrate richness in mountains. We find that the alien vertebrates most frequently recorded are birds (318 species) and mammals (161 species) reported in 2595 and 1518 mountains globally, respectively. The Palearctic, Nearctic, and Australasian realms are the most common recipients; the Nearctic, Indo-Malay, and Afrotropic realms are the most frequent donors. Almost 50% of the alien species studied also occur in protected areas. Proxies of anthropogenic impacts (e.g., higher road density or lower biodiversity intactness) and mountains’ physical characteristics (e.g., elevation range and roughness) explain the distribution of alien vertebrates in mountains. Importantly, the magnitude of invasions in tropical mountains could be underestimated due to sampling bias towards the Northern Hemisphere and Australia. Our large-scale assessment reveals the advance of alien vertebrates in mountains worldwide and urges attention to minimize the impacts of biological invasions on the exceptional mountain biotas.
PBRM1 directs PBAF to pericentromeres and protects centromere integrity
Authors: Lane Karen A. , Harrod Alison , Wu Lillian , Roumeliotis Theodoros I. , Feng Hugang , Foo Shane , Begg Katheryn A. G. , Schiavoni Federica , Amin Noa , Zenke Frank T. , Melcher Alan A. , Choudhary Jyoti S. , Downs Jessica A.
Published: February 2025

The specialised structure of the centromere is critical for effective chromosome segregation, but its repetitive nature makes it vulnerable to rearrangements. Centromere fragility can drive tumorigenesis, but protective mechanisms preventing fragility are still not fully understood. The PBAF chromatin remodelling complex is frequently misregulated in cancer, but its role in cancer is incompletely characterized. Here, we identify PBAF as a protector of centromere and pericentromere structure with profound consequences for genome stability. A conserved feature of isogenic cell lines lacking PBRM1, a subunit of PBAF, is compromised centromere and pericentromere integrity. PBAF is present at these regions, and binding patterns of PBAF and H3K9 methylation change when PBRM1 is absent. PBRM1 loss creates a dependence on the spindle assembly checkpoint, which represents a therapeutic vulnerability. Importantly, we find that even in the absence of any perturbations, PBRM1 loss leads to centromere fragility, thus identifying a key player in centromere protection.
Thermokarst lake drainage halves the temperature sensitivity of CH4 release on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Mu Mei , Mu Cuicui , Liu Hebin , Lei Pengsi , Ge Yongqi , Zhou Zhensong , Peng Xiaoqing , Ma Tian
Published: February 2025

Thermokarst lakes as hot spots of methane (CH4) release are crucial for predicting permafrost carbon feedback to global warming. These lakes are suffering from serious drainage events, however, the impacts of lake drainage on CH4 release remain unclear. Here, synthesizing field drilling, incubation experiments, and carbon composition and microbial communities, we reveal the temperature sensitivities (Q10) and drivers of CH4 release from drainage-affected lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We find that cumulative CH4 release decreases with depth, where 0–30 cm-depth sediment accounts for 97% of the whole release. The Q10 of surface sediment is 2 to 4 times higher than deep layers, but roughly 56% lower than the non-drainage lakes. The response of CH4 release to warming is mainly driven by microbial communities (49.3%) and substrate availability (30.3%). Our study implies that drainage mitigates CH4 release from thermokarst lakes and sheds light on crucial processes for understanding permafrost carbon projections.
A glycan foldamer that uses carbohydrate–aromatic interactions to perform catalysis
Authors: Liu Kaimeng , Delbianco Martina
Published: February 2025

In nature, the ability to catalyse reactions is primarily associated with proteins and ribozymes. Inspired by these systems, peptide-based catalysts have been designed to accelerate chemical reactions and/or ensure regio- and stereoselective transformations. We wondered whether other biomolecules (such as glycans) could be designed to perform catalytic functions, expanding the portfolio of synthetic functional oligomers. Here we report a glycan foldamer inspired by the natural Sialyl Lewis X antigen that acts as catalyst in a chemical reaction. This glycan-based catalyst benefits from structural rigidity and modular adaptability, incorporating a substrate-recognition motif alongside a catalytic active site. Leveraging the inherent ability of carbohydrates to engage in CH–π interactions with aromatic substrates, we demonstrate the recruitment and functionalization of a tryptophan via a Pictet–Spengler transformation. Our modular glycan catalyst accelerates the reaction kinetics, enabling the modification of tryptophan-containing peptides in aqueous environments. Our findings pave the way for the development of glycan-based catalysts and suggest the possibility of catalytic capabilities of glycans in biological contexts.
A travelling-wave strategy for plant–fungal trade
Authors: Oyarte Galvez Loreto , Bisot Corentin , Bourrianne Philippe , Cargill Rachael , Klein Malin , van Son Marije , van Krugten Jaap , Caldas Victor , Clerc Thomas , Lin Kai-Kai , Kahane Félix , van Staalduine Simon , Stewart Justin D. , Terry Victoria , Turcu Bianca , van Otterdijk Sander , Babu Antoine , Kamp Marko , Seynen Marco , Steenbeek Bas , Zomerdijk Jan , Tutucci Evelina , Sheldrake Merlin , Godin Christophe , Kokkoris Vasilis , Stone Howard A. , Kiers E. Toby , Shimizu Thomas S.
Published: February 2025

For nearly 450 million years, mycorrhizal fungi have constructed networks to collect and trade nutrient resources with plant roots1,2. Owing to their dependence on host-derived carbon, these fungi face conflicting trade-offs in building networks that balance construction costs against geographical coverage and long-distance resource transport to and from roots3. How they navigate these design challenges is unclear4. Here, to monitor the construction of living trade networks, we built a custom-designed robot for high-throughput time-lapse imaging that could track over 500,000 fungal nodes simultaneously. We then measured around 100,000 cytoplasmic flow trajectories inside the networks. We found that mycorrhizal fungi build networks as self-regulating travelling waves—pulses of growing tips pull an expanding wave of nutrient-absorbing mycelium, the density of which is self-regulated by fusion. This design offers a solution to conflicting trade demands because relatively small carbon investments fuel fungal range expansions beyond nutrient-depletion zones, fostering exploration for plant partners and nutrients. Over time, networks maintained highly constant transport efficiencies back to roots, while simultaneously adding loops that shorten paths to potential new trade partners. Fungi further enhance transport flux by both widening hyphal tubes and driving faster flows along ‘trunk routes’ of the network5. Our findings provide evidence that symbiotic fungi control network-level structure and flows to meet trade demands, and illuminate the design principles of a symbiotic supply-chain network shaped by millions of years of natural selection.
Rare disease gene association discovery in the 100,000 Genomes Project
Authors: Cipriani Valentina , Vestito Letizia , Magavern Emma F. , Jacobsen Julius O. B. , Arno Gavin , Behr Elijah R. , Benson Katherine A. , Bertoli Marta , Bockenhauer Detlef , Bowl Michael R. , Burley Kate , Chan Li F. , Chinnery Patrick , Conlon Peter J. , Costa Marcos A. , Davidson Alice E. , Dawson Sally J. , Elhassan Elhussein A. E. , Flanagan Sarah E. , Futema Marta , Gale Daniel P. , García-Ruiz Sonia , Corcia Cecilia Gonzalez , Griffin Helen R. , Hambleton Sophie , Hicks Amy R. , Houlden Henry , Houlston Richard S. , Howles Sarah A. , Kleta Robert , Lekkerkerker Iris , Lin Siying , Liskova Petra , Mitchison Hannah H. , Morsy Heba , Mumford Andrew D. , Newman William G. , Neatu Ruxandra , O’Toole Edel A. , Ong Albert C. M. , Pagnamenta Alistair T. , Rahman Shamima , Rajan Neil , Robinson Peter N. , Ryten Mina , Sadeghi-Alavijeh Omid , Sayer John A. , Shovlin Claire L. , Taylor Jenny C. , Teltsh Omri , Tomlinson Ian , Tucci Arianna , Turnbull Clare , van Eerde Albertien M. , Ware James S. , Watts Laura M. , Webster Andrew R. , Westbury Sarah K. , Zheng Sean L. , Caulfield Mark , Smedley Damian
Published: February 2025

Up to 80% of rare disease patients remain undiagnosed after genomic sequencing1, with many probably involving pathogenic variants in yet to be discovered disease–gene associations. To search for such associations, we developed a rare variant gene burden analytical framework for Mendelian diseases, and applied it to protein-coding variants from whole-genome sequencing of 34,851 cases and their family members recruited to the 100,000 Genomes Project2. A total of 141 new associations were identified, including five for which independent disease–gene evidence was recently published. Following in silico triaging and clinical expert review, 69 associations were prioritized, of which 30 could be linked to existing experimental evidence. The five associations with strongest overall genetic and experimental evidence were monogenic diabetes with the known β cell regulator3,4
UNC13A, schizophrenia with GPR17, epilepsy with RBFOX3, Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease with ARPC3 and anterior segment ocular abnormalities with POMK. Further confirmation of these and other associations could lead to numerous diagnoses, highlighting the clinical impact of large-scale statistical approaches to rare disease–gene association discovery.
Cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation improves quality of life in individuals with chronic poststroke aphasia
Authors: Zheng Zhong Sheng , Wang Jing , Lee Sharon , Wang Kevin Xing-Long , Zhang Ben , Howard Melissa , Rosario Emily , Schnakers Caroline
Published: February 2025

The cerebellum has emerged as a potential target for transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in post-stroke aphasia (PSA) due to its role in language processing and relative preservation compared to supratentorial lesions. Recent evidence also highlights the cerebellum’s involvement in affective and social processes, suggesting potential broader effects of cerebellar modulation. This study investigated the efficacy of anodal tDCS over the right cerebellum paired with speech and language therapy in enhancing language functions and quality of life in individuals with PSA. Twenty-two participants with chronic PSA received cerebellar tDCS, while historical sham control data from 25 participants were obtained. Language outcomes were assessed using the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised (WAB-R), and secondary outcomes included patient-reported measures of communication effectiveness and quality of life. Mixed-design analyses of variance were conducted to examine treatment effects. No significant Group x Time interaction was found for WAB-R scores, indicating that tDCS did not provide additional language benefits over speech therapy. However, a significant Group x Time interaction was observed for the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39 scores, driven by improvements in the Psychosocial, Physical, and Energy subdomains in the tDCS group. Cerebellar tDCS did not significantly improve language outcomes in PSA individuals but enhanced specific aspects of quality of life. These findings highlight the cerebellum’s multifaceted role in cognitive, affective, and sensorimotor processes. Future research should focus on conducting well-powered, randomized, double-blind, and concurrent trials to validate these findings and explore optimal stimulation parameters in PSA rehabilitation.

Trial registration: The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with the registration number NCT03699930. The date of registration is 10/05/2018.
Diagnostic limitations in advanced stage peripheral arterial disease in a cadaveric study comparing photon-counting and energy-integrating CT detectors
Authors: Hartung Viktor , Huflage Henner , Augustin Anne Marie , Lichthardt Sven , Peter Dominik , Kleefeldt Florian , Ergün Süleyman , Bley Thorsten Alexander , Grunz Jan-Peter , Gruschwitz Philipp
Published: February 2025

To evaluate the limits of 1st-generation dual-source photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) and 3rd-generation dual-source energy-integrating-detector (EID-CT) regarding imaging of advanced stage peripheral arterial disease (ASPAD) of the femoral runoff. One human cadaver with ASPAD of the superficial femoral arteries was surgically prepared to establish continuous extracorporeal perfusion of the right upper leg. In addition to one stent already in place, three more stents were deployed in positions with severe calcification and stenosis to create thirteen different scenarios of ASPAD. CT angiographies with different radiation dose (CTDIvol 10, 5, 3 mGy) and matching convolution kernels were performed with PCD-CT and EID-CT. In-stent lumen visibility, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and luminal attenuation were assessed quantitatively. Results were compared using analyses of variance with a PCD-CT maximum dose and resolution scan (96 mGy, BV89) serving as standard of reference. Highest and lowest stent lumen visibility was observed with PCD-CT BV76 (97 ± 2%) and EID BV40 (77 ± 5%), respectively. Severe stent underexpansion in conjunction with heavy calcification resulted in the worst lumen visibility. PCD-CT displayed superior dose efficiency, yielding comparable SNR at 3 mGy to EID-CT at 10 mGy (p = 0.27). Luminal attenuation was higher for PCD-CT regardless of dose and reconstruction settings (max. 369 ± 19 HU, BV76, 5 mGy vs. 329 ± 12 HU for EID, BV59, 5 mGy; p < 0.001). PCD-CT realises substantially higher image quality than EID-CT, thereby enhancing assessment of the femoral vasculature in ASPAD. Furthermore, this indicates substantial radiation dose and contrast agent volume saving potential. Both scanners show limitations in very low luminal diameters.
Acute effects of footwear and surface condition on sport specific performance in athletes
Authors: Siegel Stanislav Dimitri , Sproll Mareike , Zech Astrid
Published: February 2025

This study examined the acute effects of minimalist shoes, standard sport shoes, and barefoot conditions on sports-specific performance in forty-eight team and racket sport athletes across three testing sessions. Biomechanical laboratory assessments included 90° cutting maneuvers (90°COD) and jump tests. Linear (LS) and multidirectional sprint (MS) performances were evaluated in a second session on an indoor sports floor. In the third session, LS and MS performance were tested exclusively in minimalist shoes on tartan and artificial turf. Performance was quantified as test completion time and jump height. Significant footwear effects were observed for 90°COD, MS, and LS, with minimalist shoes and barefoot conditions reducing performance by up to 9% compared to standard sport shoes. Jumping performance was unaffected by footwear. Surface conditions significantly influenced LS and MS, with tartan and artificial turf improving performance by up to 9% compared to indoor surfaces. Significant sex differences were observed in all tests except for 90°COD. These findings suggest that the effects of footwear are context-dependent and should not be generalized without considering specific surfaces, movements, and individual factors. Future research should investigate whether long-term habituation can alter these outcomes.
Ribosome phenotypes for rapid classification of antibiotic-susceptible and resistant strains of Escherichia coli
Authors: Farrar Alison , Turner Piers , El Sayyed Hafez , Feehily Conor , Chatzimichail Stelios , Ta Sammi , Crook Derrick , Andersson Monique , Oakley Sarah , Barrett Lucinda , Nellåker Christoffer , Stoesser Nicole , Kapanidis Achillefs
Published: February 2025

Rapid antibiotic susceptibility tests (ASTs) are an increasingly important part of clinical care as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) becomes more common in bacterial infections. Here, we use the spatial distribution of fluorescently labelled ribosomes to detect intracellular changes associated with antibiotic susceptibility in E. coli cells using a convolutional neural network (CNN). By using ribosome-targeting probes, one fluorescence image provides data for cell segmentation and susceptibility phenotyping. Using 60,382 cells from an antibiotic-susceptible laboratory strain of E. coli, we showed that antibiotics with different mechanisms of action result in distinct ribosome phenotypes, which can be identified by a CNN with high accuracy (99%, 98%, 95%, and 99% for ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, and carbenicillin). With 6 E. coli strains isolated from bloodstream infections, we used 34,205 images of ribosome phenotypes to train a CNN that could classify susceptible cells with 91% accuracy and resistant cells with 99% accuracy. Such accuracies correspond to the ability to differentiate susceptible and resistant samples with 99% confidence with just 2 cells, meaning that this method could eliminate lengthy culturing steps and could determine susceptibility with 30 min of antibiotic treatment. The ribosome phenotype method should also be able to identify phenotypes in other strains and species.
Phenylboronic acid-modified nanoparticles for cancer treatment
Authors: Zhou Siming , Dai Liqun , Pan Lili , Shen Guohua , Qian Zhiyong
Published: February 2025

Phenylboronic acid (PBA) has emerged as a promising component in the design of functional nanomaterials for cancer treatment. PBA possesses unique characteristics such as pH/reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsiveness, low cytotoxicity,...
Solvent-free fabrication of Ni2P/UiO-66 catalyst for the hydrogenation of furfural to cyclopentanone
Authors: Liu Fanglin , Li Luyao , Hu Hui , Yu Mengting , Zhao Dan , Deng Shengjun , Ding Shunmin , Xiao Weiming , Wang Shuhua , Chen Chao
Published: February 2025

Dispersing the metal phosphides on the supports with large surface areas would be a feasible way to boost the catalytic hydrogenation performance. However, as a kind of very promising porous...
On-chip near-infrared multi-gas sensing using chalcogenide anti-resonant hollow-core waveguides
Authors: Min Yuting , Pi Mingquan , Peng Zihang , Guan Gangyun , Liang Lei , Song Fang , Wang Yi-Ding , Zhang Yu , Bai Xue , Zheng Chuan-Tao
Published: February 2025

On-chip infrared spectroscopic gas sensing using hollow-core anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) with large external confinement factor (ECF) was rarely reported due to complex fabrication process and polarization dependence. Alternatively,...
Converting oligo(ethyleneglycol)s into non-toxic highly selective biocompatible antimicrobial poly(ethyleneglycol)s: synthesis, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity
Authors: Kumari Sulbha , Halder Arpita , Anand Aayush , Mukherjee Oindrilla , Chattopadhyay Subrata
Published: February 2025

Designing nontoxic, non-hemolytic selective antimicrobials remains an important and challenging research problem. Herein, we report an affordable synthetic route to prepare a series of ten multifunctional polyethylene glycols (PEG) via...
Identification of Metal-Centered Excited States in Cr(III) Complexes with Time-Resolved L-edge X-ray Spectroscopy
Authors: Ghodrati Nahid , Eckert Sebastian , Fondell Mattis , Scherz Andreas , Föhlisch Alexander , Van Kuiken Benjamin
Published: February 2025

New coordination complexes of 3d metals that possess photoactive metal-centered (MC) excited states are promising targets for optical applications and photocatalysis. Ultrafast spectroscopy plays an important role in elucidating the...
Beyond scaling relations in electrocatalysis: unifying concepts from molecular systems and metallic surfaces
Authors: Kolding Kirstine N. , Torbensen Kristian , Rosas-Hernández Alonso
Published: February 2025

Transitioning the chemical industry away from fossil fuels is a critical goal that requires the adoption of alternative, non-fossil carbon feedstocks. The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction, driven via renewable-derived electricity,...
Artificial photosynthesis of H2O2 over a self-assembled two-dimensional g-C3N4 film
Authors: Liu Aoli , Zhou Jianwei
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we report a simple interfacial self-assembly approach for the fabrication of a g-C3N4 thin-film-structured photocatalyst.
Anti AIE single molecular fluorescent switch for detection of heavy metal ions
Authors: Peng Yi-Mei , Guan Yuming , Bai Qixia , Chen Gang , Lin Wei-Quan , Pang Jingxian , Xu Wen-Bo , Wang Pingshan , Xie Tingzheng
Published: February 2025

Fluorescent probes for heavy metal ions are an efficient, low-cost, on-site operable detection method, which have been widely applied in both environmental and biomedical monitoring. Herein, we present a single-molecule...
C–C and C–O Bond Formation Reactivity of Nickel Complexes Supported by the Pyridinophane MeN3C Ligand
Authors: Leung Joshua  Ji-Nung , Bae Dae Young , Moshood Yusuff , Mirica Liviu M.
Published: February 2025

The pyridinophane ligands RN3CX (X = H, Br) are well-established scaffolds that facilitate and stabilize nickel oxidative addition complexes to the proximal C(aryl)–X bond. In this study, we report the...
Ligand-directed top-down synthesis of trivacant lacunary polyoxomolybdates from plenary Keggin-type [α-XMo12O40]3− (X = P, As, V) in organic media
Authors: Jimbo Atsuhiro , Li Chifeng , Yonesato Kentaro , Yamaguchi Kazuya , Suzuki Kosuke
Published: February 2025

Lacunary polyoxometalates (POMs), featuring highly reactive vacant sites, serve as valuable building blocks and precursors for the rational design of functional materials with widespread applications in catalysis, analytical chemistry, energy...
From Lab-Scale to Industrialization: Atomically M-N-C Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Zhao Tianyou , Wang Jianjiang , Wei Yanrui , Zhuang Zechao , Dou Yuhai , Yang Jiarui , Li Wen-Hao , Wang Dingsheng
Published: February 2025

Atomically M-N-C catalysts have become a prominent research focus in new energy technologies due to their outstanding performance in oxygen reduction reaction. To date, various M-N-C catalysts have been developed...
Correction: In vitro vascularized liver tumor model based on a microfluidic inverse opal scaffold for immune cell recruitment investigation
Authors: Xu Pingwei , Chi Junjie , Wang Xiaochen , Zhu Meng , Chen Kai , Fan Qihui , Ye Fangfu , Shao Changmin
Published: February 2025

Correction for ‘In vitro vascularized liver tumor model based on a microfluidic inverse opal scaffold for immune cell recruitment investigation’ by Pingwei Xu et al., Lab Chip, 2024, 24, 3470–3479, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LC00341A
A refined dose metrics for nanotoxicology based on surface sites reactivity for oxidative potential of engineered nanomaterials
Authors: Alcolea-Rodriguez Victor , Coca-López Nicolás , Simeone Felice , Faccani Lara , Dumit Veronica , Haase Andrea , Portela Raquel , Bañares Miguel
Published: February 2025

The increasing production of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) raises significant concerns about human and environmental exposure, making it essential to understand the mechanisms of their interaction with biological systems to manage...
12th International Mesostructured Materials Symposium (IMMS12) Azadirachtin based formulation in combination with mesoporous silica materials as plague control agent
Authors: Benitez Miriam , El Haskouri Jamal , Montesinos Rodríguez Carlos , Amoros del Toro Pedro , Ros-Lis Jose Vicente
Published: February 2025

Azadirachtin is the most important active ingrediente of neem oil a standout product among essential oils. These substances are an interesting family of active products because of their non-toxicity to...
A dual-switch fluorescence biosensor with entropy-driven and DNA walker cascade amplification circuit for sensitive microRNA detection
Authors: Xie Zikang , Tang Zhaolong , Zhuang Xindie , Li Xinhao , Wang Baozheng , Wang Hong , Zhang Yingwei
Published: February 2025

To achieve precise diagnosis of tumor cells, designing nucleic acid amplification circuits with intelligent multi-switch responsiveness for the specific and sensitive detection of miRNA within tumor cells is an important...
A Macrocyclic Chalcogen Bonding Catalysis System
Authors: Wang Wei , Yu Baojie , Gu Yu-Cheng , Wang Yao
Published: February 2025

Chalcogen bonding has emeged as a new catalysis strategy capable of solving reactivity and selectivity problems in a diverse array of chemical reactions. Yet, a macrocyclic chalcogen bonding catalysis system...
Correction: AI molecular catalysis: where are we now?
Authors: Tan Zhenzhi , Yang Qi , Luo Sanzhong
Published: February 2025

Correction for ‘AI molecular catalysis: where are we now?’ by Zhenzhi Tan et al., Org. Chem. Front., 2025, https://doi.org/10.1039/d4qo02363c.