bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Late Ottoman Gaza
Authors: Ben-Bassat Yuval , Buessow Johann
Published: November 2024

In contemporary public discourse, Gaza tends to be characterized solely as a theatre of the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. However, little is known about Gaza's society, politics, economy, and culture during the Ottoman era. Drawing on a range of previously untapped local and imperial sources, Yuval Ben-Bassat and Johann Buessow explore the city's history from the mid-nineteenth century through WWI. They show that Gaza's historical importance extends far beyond the territory of the 'strip' since the city was an important hub for people, goods, and ideas in the Eastern Mediterranean from Antiquity until the twentieth century. Using new digital methodologies, Ben-Bassat and Buessow introduce readers to the world of Gazans from various walks of life, from the traditional Muslim elites to the commoners and minority communities of Christians and Jews. In so doing, they tell the lively story of this significant but frequently misunderstood city.
A machine learning assisted preliminary design methodology for bolted composite joints in large structures
Authors: Azeem O.A.I.
Published: November 2024

Damage initiation hotspots around features, such as bolts and ply drops, must be investigated during the preliminary design phase of large composite structures, such as composite airframes. A global-local modelling approach is commonly employed to perform this investigation, whereby a global low-fidelity model is used to drive high-fidelity local models around the features of interest. However, this methodology is slow, repetitive and expert-dependent. In this investigation, we address these issues by applying machine learning techniques to this global-local modelling framework and demonstrate the time-saving benefit when predicting damage initiation of bolted composite joints. Feature engineering of model inputs and outputs, and appropriate customisation of machine learning methods enables damage initiation prediction. Special consideration is given to the boundary conditions that must be varied to simulate the response of the bolted composite joints. Results show over three orders of magnitude time-saving benefit and satisfactory accuracy of the proposed methodology. This indicates its potential to be developed further into a rapid design and optimisation tool.
Multi-granularity onboard decision method for optical space surveillance satellite
Authors: Sun Y.J. , Dong Y.F.
Published: November 2024

Critical space assets require continuous monitoring to prevent potential losses. Auxiliary satellites protect these assets by observing and tracking approaching targets. Although observation satellites can make rapid autonomous onboard decisions, they face challenges due to limited computational capacity. The two mainstream command and control methods currently available do not meet the demands of onboard decision-making. Highly procedural decision-making methods require extended decision times, while rapid-response intuitive or heuristic methods carry significant error risks. To address this, this paper proposes a multi-granularity decision-making method for optical space surveillance satellites. First, multi-granularity relative orbit determination algorithm models and multi-granularity impulsive orbit manoeuver algorithm models were developed. Based on these models, a granularity selection method for sequential three-way decisions is proposed. In non-emergency situations, fine-granularity models are preferred to conserve fuel, while in emergency situations, coarse-granularity models are used to enhance decision-making speed and reduce positional deviations caused by the manoeuvering game. In random multi-scenario tests, the proposed method demonstrates lower average terminal positional deviations and fuel consumption compared to single-granularity (highly procedural or rapid-response) and random-granularity methods.
The need for climate data stewardship: 10 tensions and reflections regarding climate data governance
Authors: Verhulst Stefaan G.
Published: November 2024

Datafication—the increase in data generation and advancements in data analysis—offers new possibilities for governing and tackling worldwide challenges such as climate change. However, employing data in policymaking carries various risks, such as exacerbating inequalities, introducing biases, and creating gaps in access. This paper articulates 10 core tensions related to climate data and its implications for climate data governance, ranging from the diversity of data sources and stakeholders to issues of quality, access, and the balancing act between local needs and global imperatives. Through examining these tensions, the article advocates for a paradigm shift towards multi-stakeholder governance, data stewardship, and equitable data practices to harness the potential of climate data for the public good. It underscores the critical role of data stewards in navigating these challenges, fostering a responsible data ecology, and ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and just approach to climate action and broader social issues.
Weakly nonlinear behaviour of transonic buffet on airfoils
Authors: Crouch J.D. , Ahrabi B.R. , Kamenetskiy D.S.
Published: November 2024

In transonic flow conditions, buffeting associated with finite-amplitude lift fluctuations can limit the operational envelope of an aircraft. For both airfoils and wings, these oscillations have been linked to global flow instabilities that arise from a Hopf bifurcation. We employ a combination of numerical simulations and global stability analysis to investigate the near-critical behaviour of the oscillatory buffet-onset instability on airfoils. The flow is governed by the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, with a basic state provided by a steady-state solution. In the weakly nonlinear formulation, the disturbance amplitude is described by the Landau equation. The linear growth rate can be determined from either the simulations or the stability analysis, and the Landau constant is derived from simulations resulting in finite-amplitude equilibrium states. The results show that the Landau constant is nearly independent of Mach number and angle of attack for a given airfoil. Using the Landau constant derived from a small number of simulations, the stability analysis can be employed to efficiently capture the essential finite-amplitude behaviour needed to estimate the buffet-onset boundary. The stability analysis is shown to capture the envelope of lift oscillations during a continuous pitch of an airfoil, from pre-buffet through post-buffet lift levels.
Hydrodynamic performance and scaling laws for a modelled wave-induced flapping-foil propulsor
Authors: Raut Harshal S. , Seo Jung-Hee , Mittal Rajat
Published: November 2024

Wave-assisted propulsion (WAP) systems directly convert wave energy into thrust using elastically mounted hydrofoils. The wave conditions as well as the design of the hydrofoil drive the fluid–structure interaction of the hydrofoil and, consequently, its performance. We employ simulations using a sharp-interface immersed boundary method to examine the effect of three key parameters on the flow physics, the fluid–structure interaction as well as thrust performance of these systems – the stiffness of the torsional spring, the location of the pitch axis and the Strouhal number. We demonstrate the utility of ‘maps’ of energy exchange between the flow and the hydrofoil system, as a way to understand and predict these characteristics. The force-partitioning method (FPM) is used to decompose the pressure forces into interpretable components and to quantify the mechanisms associated with thrust generation. Based on the results from FPM, a phenomenological model for the thrust generated by the WAP foil is presented. The parameters associated with this model are estimated based on data from over 450 distinct simulations. The predictions of the model are compared with the simulations and the use of this model for guiding WAP design is discussed.
Pressure-driven viscoelastic flow in axisymmetric geometries with application to the hyperbolic pipe
Authors: Housiadas Kostas D. , Beris Antony N.
Published: November 2024

We investigate theoretically the steady incompressible viscoelastic flow in a rigid axisymmetric cylindrical pipe with varying cross-section. We use the Oldroyd-B viscoelastic constitutive equation to model the fluid viscoelasticity. First, we derive exact general formulae: for the total average pressure-drop as a function of the wall shear rate and the viscoelastic axial normal extra-stress; for the viscoelastic extra-stress tensor and the Trouton ratio as functions of the fluid velocity on the axis of symmetry; and for the viscoelastic extra-stress tensor along the wall in terms of the shear rate at the wall. Then we exploit the classic lubrication approximation, valid for small values of the square of the aspect ratio of the pipe, to simplify the original governing equations. The final equations are solved analytically using a regular perturbation scheme in terms of the Deborah number, De, up to eighth order in De. For a hyperbolically shaped pipe, we reveal that the reduced pressure-drop and the Trouton ratio can be recast in terms of a modified Deborah number, Dem, and the polymer viscosity ratio, η, only. Furthermore, we enhance the convergence and accuracy of the eighth-order solutions by deriving transformed analytical formulae using Padé diagonal approximants. The results show the decrease of the pressure drop and the enhancement of the Trouton ratio with increasing Dem and/or increasing η. Comparison of the transformed solutions with numerical simulations of the lubrication equations using pseudospectral methods shows excellent agreement between the results, even for high values of Dem and all values of η, revealing the robustness, validity and efficiency of the theoretical methods and techniques developed in this work. Last, it is shown that the exact solution for the Trouton ratio gives a well-defined and finite solution for any value of Dem and reveals the reason for the failure of the corresponding high-order perturbation series for Dem > 1/2.
Morphology in action: Diminutives in Brazilian obstetric and gynecological consultations
Authors: Ostermann Ana Cristina , Raymond Chase Wesley , Drew Paul
Published: November 2024

While scholars have long been interested in the formation, meaning, and uses of diminutive morphology across languages, the present study illustrates a novel approach to their examination. Drawing upon a corpus of recordings of Brazilian obstetric and gynecological consultations conducted in Portuguese, our analytic points of departure are action and the sequential progression of interaction. We address these by investigating moments where diminutive forms and base forms of a lexical item are used in close proximity. This approach allows us to unpack and particularize the generic, overarching function of ‘mitigation’ in terms of the specific actions being constituted by the participants—here, offering reassurance, attenuating intrusiveness, pursuing acquiescence, and launching activity transitions. We conclude by discussing some of the implications of this analysis and suggesting some potential avenues for future comparative research. (Portuguese, Brazil, gynecology, obstetrics, healthcare, morphology, pragmatics, granularity, methodology, conversation analysis)*
What's in a Name? Through Comic Titles to Caecilius Statius
Authors: Barbiero Emilia A.
Published: November 2024

This article takes a novel approach to fragmentary Roman comic playwright Caecilius Statius by exploring the titles attested for his comedies. Informed by Genette's theory on the title qua paratext, it argues that titles are distinct artifacts of Caecilius’ dramatic production designed to circulate without the texts they label and, consequently, it treats them as legitimate objects of interpretation in and of themselves. Analysis of ten titles in both Greek and Latin reveals that Caecilius Statius’ titles are polysemous, bilingual and profoundly meaningful in their engagement with the genre of New Comedy and with translation as a social and cultural phenomenon of middle republican Rome. But given that the titles of Roman comedy are largely uninvestigated by scholarship, this piece begins by arguing for their author-ity, setting forth the evidence for comic titles’ origins, function and transmission. In so doing, it demonstrates the palliata's textuality and challenges the communis opinio regarding comic scripts’ passage from stage to page. A Supplementary Appendix available online (10.1017/S0075435824000285) presents the evidence for the titles of Caecilius’ plays.
Better safe than sorry: Why great powers accommodate high-value hedgers
Authors: Simón Luis , Figiaconi Fabio
Published: November 2024

Despite the growing interest in secondary state efforts to avoid choosing sides in great power competition, International Relations scholars have paid scant attention to the question of how great powers respond to secondary state ‘hedging’. We offer a first approximation for this important question by focusing on ‘high-value’ hedgers, i.e. secondary states whose location or capabilities afford them the potential to tip the scales in a great power war. We posit that great powers are likely to accommodate high-value hedgers and refrain from trying to manipulate their alignment choice. This is because the likelihood and costs of losing a high-value hedger are such that competing great powers would rather be safe than sorry. Concretely, we expect established and rising great powers to (re)assure high-value hedgers: the former by demonstrating their commitment to a regional balance of power, and the latter by showing they harbour no ill intent towards the hedging secondary state. To probe our argument, we examine how Great Britain and Germany responded to Dutch hedging in the early 20th century, and how the United States and China are responding to Singapore’s hedging today.
FUNCTIONAL INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLE REGRESSION WITH AN APPLICATION TO ESTIMATING THE IMPACT OF IMMIGRATION ON NATIVE WAGES
Authors: Seong Dakyung , Seo Won-Ki
Published: November 2024

Functional linear regression has gained popularity as a statistical tool for studying the relationship between function-valued variables. However, in practice, it is hard to expect that the explanatory variables of interest are strictly exogenous, due to, for example, the presence of omitted variables and measurement error. This issue of endogeneity remains insufficiently explored, in spite of its empirical importance. To fill this gap, this article proposes new consistent FPCA-based instrumental variable estimators and develops their asymptotic properties in detail. Simulation experiments under a wide range of settings show that the proposed estimators perform considerably well. We apply our methodology to estimate the impact of immigration on native labor market outcomes in the US.
Evaluating the roles of food matrix, lipid micronutrients and bioactives in controlling postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia and inflammation
Authors: Bravo-Núñez Ángela , Valéro René , Reboul Emmanuelle
Published: November 2024

Lipids play an important role in human nutrition. Although adequate lipid consumption is necessary for an optimal functioning of the human body, overconsumption of saturated fatty acids can lead to postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia, which triggers the development of atherosclerosis. Important parameters that impact postprandial lipaemia and inflammation are related to the matrix structure and the fat-soluble micronutrient profile of ingested foods/lipids, but the specific effect of these parameters should be further studied, as most of the available studies evaluate their effect at fasting state. This review specifically explores the effects of food structure and fat-soluble micronutrients, from either micronutrient-rich foods or supplements, on postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia and inflammation. The review also highlights the potential of emerging biomarkers such as miRNAs or circulating microvesicles, as an alternative to the widely use biomarkers (e.g. low-density lipoproteins or blood concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines), to identify inflammation associated with postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia at early stages.
In Defense of “Physician-Assisted Suicide”: Toward (and Back to) a Transparent, Destigmatizing Debate
Authors: Fox Brandy M. , Braswell Harold
Published: November 2024

Many bioethicists have recently shifted from using “physician-assisted suicide” (PAS) to “medical aid-in-dying” (MAID) to refer to the act of voluntarily hastening one’s death with the assistance of a medical provider. This shift was made to obscure the practice’s connection to “suicide.” However, as the charge of “suicide” is fundamental to arguments against the practice, “MAID” can only be used by its proponents. The result has been the fragmentation of the bioethical debate. By highlighting the role of human agency—as opposed to natural processes—in causing death, the term “PAS” makes it easier both to perceive potential risks to vulnerable populations and to affirm suicide as a potentially autonomous choice. As such, “PAS” thus more transparently expresses the arguments of both supporters and opponents of the “right to die,” while avoiding the unnecessary stigmatization of suicide and suicidal people which is a result of the usage of “MAID.”
Listening “At the Bedside”: Podcasts as an Emerging Tool for Medical Ethics Education
Authors: Schiff Tamar , Hedlin Margot , Al-Mondhiry Jafar
Published: November 2024

Medical ethics education is crucial for medical students and trainees, helping to shape attitudes, beliefs, values, and professional identities. Exploration of ethical dilemmas and approaches to resolving them provides a broader understanding of the social and cultural contexts in which medicine is practiced, as well as the ethical implications of medical decisions, fostering critical thinking and self-reflection skills imperative to providing patient-centered care. However, exposure to medical ethics topics and their clinical applications can be limited by curricular constraints and the availability of institutional resources and expertise. Podcasts, among other Free Open Access Medical Education (FOAMed) resources, are a novel educational tool that offers particular advantages for self-directed learning, a process by which learners engage in asynchronous educational opportunities outside of traditional academic or clinical settings. Podcasts can be readily distributed to wide audiences and played at any time, reducing barriers to access and offering a level of flexibility that is not possible with traditional forms of education and is well-suited to busy schedules. Podcasts can also use real voices and storytelling to make the content memorable and eminently human. This paper describes the development, production process, and impact of Core IM’s “At the Bedside,” a podcast focusing on issues in medical ethics and the medical humanities, intending to supplement standard bioethics curricula in an accessible, relevant, and engaging way. The authors advocate for broad incorporation of podcasts into medical ethics education.
Do anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery patients have higher risk of myocardial ischaemia and adverse cardiac events during aortic and mitral valve replacements?
Authors: McCloskey Olivia , Vaidya Kiran , Jiang Michael , Iyer Meghana , Marshall Mayme , Ghobrial Joanna , Firth Austin , Rajeswaran Jeevanantham , Anabila Moses , Pettersson Gosta , Blackstone Eugene , Karamlou Tara
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

We assessed the effect of anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery on the risk of early and late postoperative events after aortic or mitral valve replacement in adults.

Methods:

Between 2005 and 2022, 29,579 adults underwent surgical aortic or mitral valve replacement at Cleveland Clinic. Among these, 29 had an unrepaired coronary artery rising anomalously from the aorta that was not intervened upon during valve surgery, 19 (65%) an anomalous circumflex, and 9 (31%) an anomalous right. Operative outcomes were compared between the 29 patients with anomalous coronary arteries and 87 balancing score (1:3) matched patients with normal coronary origin. Median follow-up was 6.5 years.

Results:

Among matched groups, major morbidity and mortality 24% (n = 7) in patients with anomalous coronaries and 20% (n = 17) among patients with normal coronary origin (P = .7). Ten-year freedom from coronary reintervention was 83% versus 100% (P[log-rank] = .005), and 10-year survival was 59% versus 53% (P[log-rank] = .8). One patient experienced a coronary injury from valve surgery, in which the incidentally found anomalous retroaortic circumflex was immediately repaired without further complication. There was no coronary reintervention after discharge in the normal coronary origin group and three in the anomalous coronary group; however, only one of these patients required intervention on the anomalous coronary.

Conclusions:

Anomalous coronaries were uncommon in surgical valve replacement patients at a high-volume centre. The origin and course of each coronary should be assessed before valve replacement. With careful planning, valve replacement does not result in a significantly higher prevalence of postoperative ischaemia, mortality, or reintervention.
The mediating role of COVID-19 anxiety on the relationship between quality of life and spiritual well-being, and hopelessness: A study on cancer patients
Authors: Dığrak Ebru , Akkoç Irfan
Published: November 2024

Objectives

The coronavirus pandemic has caused concern in the community, especially in patients. Spirituality, hopelessness, and quality of life have an impact on the management of the process in cancer patients during these crisis periods. To investigate COVID-19 anxiety’s mediating role in hopelessness’ relationships with the quality of life and spiritual well-being among cancer patients.

Methods

This study used a cross-sectional design to collect data from cancer patients using self-administered questionnaires. The study recruited 176 cancer patients receiving treatment at a university hospital. The participants completed measures of spiritual well-being, COVID-19 anxiety, hopelessness, and quality of life. Following preliminary analyses, a mediation model was analyzed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS, with the bootstrap method applied (model 4).

Results

The results showed that spiritual well-being was negatively associated with COVID-19 anxiety and hopelessness, and positively associated with the quality of life. COVID-19 anxiety was associated positively with hopelessness, and negatively with the quality of life. Moreover, COVID-19 anxiety mediated the relationship between hopelessness, spiritual well-being, and quality of life.

Significance of results

This study provides evidence for COVID-19 anxiety’s mediating role in the relationship between spiritual well-being and quality of life and hopelessness among cancer patients. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at reducing COVID-19 anxiety may be effective in reducing hopelessness among cancer patients, by promoting higher levels of spiritual well-being and improving quality of life.
Lactate utilization in Lace1 knockout mice promotes browning of inguinal white adipose tissue
Authors: Kim Youn Ju , Lee Sang Gyu , Jang Su In , Kim Won Kon , Oh Kyoung-Jin , Bae Kwang-Hee , Kim Hye Jin , Seong Je Kyung
Published: November 2024

Recent studies have focused on identifying novel genes involved in the browning process of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT). In this context, we propose that the mitochondrial ATPase gene lactation elevated 1 (Lace1) utilizes lactate to regulate the browning capacity of iWAT, specifically in response to challenge with CL-316,243 (CL), a beta3-adrenergic receptor (β3-AR) agonist. The mice were injected with CL over a span of 3 days and exposed to cold temperatures (4–6 °C) for 1 week. The results revealed a significant increase in Lace1 expression levels during beige adipogenesis. Additionally, a strong positive correlation was observed between Lace1 and Ucp1 mRNA expression in iWAT under browning stimulation. To further explore this phenomenon, we subjected engineered Lace1 KO mice to CL and cold challenges to validate their browning potential. Surprisingly, Lace1 KO mice presented increased oxygen consumption and heat generation upon CL challenge and cold exposure, along with increased expression of genes related to brown adipogenesis. Notably, deletion of Lace1 led to increased lactate uptake and browning in iWAT under CL challenge compared with those of the controls. These unique phenomena stem from increased lactate release due to the inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) in the hearts of Lace1 KO mice.
Estimated human intake of endogenous and exogenous hormones from beef in the United States
Authors: Thilakaratne Ruwan , Castorina Rosemary , Solomon Gina , Mosburg Mary M. , Moeller Benjamin C. , Trott Josephine F. , Falt Tara D. , Villegas-Gomez Ariadne , Dodd Kevin W. , Thomsen Catherine , English Paul , Yang Xiang , Khan Annika , Bradman Asa , Hovey Russell C.
Published: November 2024

Background

Endogenous and exogenous hormones may be present in beef. Human consumption of hormones has been linked to adverse health effects.

Objective

To estimate daily intake of hormonal growth promotants (HGP) from beef consumed by the US population.

Methods

We combined self-reported beef consumption information from a nationally-representative survey with concentrations of 12 HGP measured in 397 samples of retail beef/fat purchased in California. We defined typical, high, and maximum intake scenarios assuming self-reported consumed beef contained the mean, 95thpercentile, and maximum concentrations of each HGP, respectively. We estimated distributions of usual (i.e., long-term) daily intake and short-term daily intake (µg/kg/day). We calculated the hazard quotient (HQ), or ratio of estimated intake to the World Health Organization’s acceptable daily intake (ADI) for the HGP.

Results

The highest estimated HQs were found for melengestrol acetate (MGA). For usual daily intake under the typical intake scenario, no HQ exceeded 0.02 (0.00047 µg MGA/kg/day). Under the maximum intake scenario, the highest HQ was 0.29 (0.0087 µg MGA/kg/day), corresponding to the 99thpercentile of intake among young boys (ages 1–5). The highest short-term intake estimates for MGA under the maximum intake scenario were the 99thpercentile of intake among young girls and boys, which equaled (HQ = 1.00) or exceeded (HQ = 1.29) the ADI for MGA, respectively.

Impact

Hormonal growth promotants (HGP) are used to increase beef production and have been linked to adverse reproductive effects. We estimated daily intake of MGA and several other HGP using US nationally-representative beef consumption data collected between 2015–2018 and HGP concentrations in retail beef. Estimated intake was highest for young children, but estimates were generally very low compared to current health-based intake limits. However, these limits are typically based on studies in adult animals, and further study of potential adverse effects during sensitive developmental periods, such as in early life, may be warranted to ensure recommended intake limits are health-protective.
Profiling the cancer-prone microenvironment in a zebrafish model for MPNST
Authors: Cero Cheryl , House John S. , Verdi Vincenzo , Ferguson Jordan L. , Jima Dereje D. , Selmek Aubrie A. , Patania Olivia M. , Dwyer Jennifer E. , Wei Bih-Rong , Lloyd Dillon T. , Shive Heather R.
Published: November 2024

Microenvironmental contributions to soft tissue sarcoma progression are relatively undefined, particularly during sarcoma onset. Use of animal models to reveal these contributions is impeded by difficulties in discriminating between microenvironmental, precancerous, and cancer cells, and challenges in defining a precancerous microenvironment. We developed a zebrafish model that allows segregation of microenvironmental, precancerous, and cancerous cell populations by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. This model has high predilection for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), a type of soft tissue sarcoma that exhibits rapid, aggressive growth. Using RNA-seq, we profiled the transcriptomes of microenvironmental, precancerous, and cancer cells from our zebrafish MPNST model. We show broad activation of inflammation/immune-associated signaling networks, describe gene expression patterns that uniquely characterize the transition from precancerous to cancer ME, and identify macrophages as potential contributors to microenvironmental phenotypes. We identify conserved gene expression changes and candidate genes of interest by comparative genomics analysis of MPNST versus benign lesions in both humans and zebrafish. Finally, we functionally validate a candidate extracellular matrix protein, periostin (POSTN), in human MPNST. This work provides insight into how the microenvironment may regulate MPNST initiation and progression.
An exploratory study of metabolomics in endogenous and cannabis-use-associated psychotic-like experiences in adolescence
Authors: Kurkinen Karoliina , Kärkkäinen Olli , Lehto Soili M. , Luoma Ilona , Kraav Siiri-Liisi , Kivimäki Petri , Therman Sebastian , Tolmunen Tommi
Published: November 2024

In adolescence, psychotic-like experiences (PLE) may indicate potential prodromal symptoms preceding the onset of psychosis. Metabolomic studies have shown promise in providing valuable insights into predicting psychosis with enhanced precision compared to conventional clinical features. This study investigated metabolomic alterations associated with PLE in 76 depressed adolescents aged 14–20 years. Serum concentrations of 92 metabolites were analyzed with liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. PLE were assessed using the Youth Experiences and Health (YEAH) questionnaire. The associations between PLE symptom dimensions (delusions, paranoia, hallucinations, negative symptoms, thought disorder, and dissociation) and metabolite concentrations were analyzed in linear regression models adjusted for different covariates. The symptom dimensions consistently correlated with the metabolome in different models, except those adjusted for cannabis use. Specifically, the hallucination dimension was associated with 13 metabolites (acetoacetic acid, allantoin, asparagine, decanoylcarnitine, D-glucuronic acid, guanidinoacetic acid, hexanoylcarnitine, homogentisic acid, leucine, NAD+, octanoylcarnitine, trimethylamine-N-oxide, and valine) in the various linear models. However, when adjusting for cannabis use, eight metabolites were associated with hallucinations (adenine, AMP, cAMP, chenodeoxycholic acid, cholic acid, L-kynurenine, neopterin, and D-ribose-5-phosphate). The results suggest diverse mechanisms underlying PLE in adolescence; hallucinatory experiences may be linked to inflammatory functions, while cannabis use may engage an alternative metabolic pathway related to increased energy demand and ketogenesis in inducing PLE. The limited sample of individuals with depression restricts the generalizability of these findings. Future research should explore whether various experiences and related metabolomic changes jointly predict the onset of psychoses and related disorders.
Localized release of muscle-generated BDNF regulates the initial formation of postsynaptic apparatus at neuromuscular synapses
Authors: Zhang Jinkai , Kwan Hiu-Lam Rachel , Chan Chi Bun , Lee Chi Wai
Published: November 2024

Growing evidence indicates that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is produced in contracting skeletal muscles and is secreted as a myokine that plays an important role in muscle metabolism. However, the involvement of muscle-generated BDNF and the regulation of its vesicular trafficking, localization, proteolytic processing, and spatially restricted release during the development of vertebrate neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) remain largely unknown. In this study, we first reported that BDNF is spatially associated with the actin-rich core domain of podosome-like structures (PLSs) at topologically complex acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clusters in cultured Xenopus muscle cells. The release of spatially localized BDNF is tightly controlled by activity-regulated mechanisms in a calcium-dependent manner. Live-cell time-lapse imaging further showed that BDNF-containing vesicles are transported to and captured at PLSs in both aneural and synaptic AChR clusters for spatially restricted release. Functionally, BDNF knockdown or furin-mediated endoproteolytic activity inhibition significantly suppresses aneural AChR cluster formation, which in turn affects synaptic AChR clustering induced by nerve innervation or agrin-coated beads. Lastly, skeletal muscle-specific BDNF knockout (MBKO) mice exhibit structural defects in the formation of aneural AChR clusters and their subsequent recruitment to nerve-induced synaptic AChR clusters during the initial stages of NMJ development in vivo. Together, this study demonstrated the regulatory roles of PLSs in the intracellular trafficking, spatial localization, and activity-dependent release of BDNF in muscle cells and revealed the involvement of muscle-generated BDNF and its proteolytic conversion in regulating the initial formation of aneural and synaptic AChR clusters during early NMJ development in vitro and in vivo.
Ultrafast complete dechlorination enabled by ferrous oxide/graphene oxide catalytic membranes via nanoconfinement advanced reduction
Authors: Xiao Qian , Li Wanbin , Xie Shujie , Wang Li , Tang Chuyang Y.
Published: November 2024

Chlorinated organic pollutants widely exist in aquatic environments and threaten human health. Catalytic approaches are proposed for their elimination, but sluggish degradation, incomplete dechlorination, and catalyst recovery remain extremely challenging. Here we show efficient dechlorination using ferrous oxide/graphene oxide catalytic membranes with strong nanoconfinement effects. Catalytic membranes are constructed by graphene oxide nanosheets with integrated ultrafine and monodisperse sub-5 nm nanoparticles through simple in-situ growth and filtration assembly. Density function theory simulation reveals that nanoconfinement effects remarkably reduce energy barriers of rate-limiting steps for iron (III)-sulfite complex dissociation to sulfite radicals and dichloroacetic acid degradation to monochloroacetic acid. Combining with nanoconfinement effects of enhancing reactants accessibility to catalysts and increasing catalyst-to-reactant ratios, the membrane achieves ultrafast and complete dechlorination of 180 µg L−1 dichloroacetic acid to chloride, with nearly 100% reduction efficiency within a record-breaking 3.9 ms, accompanied by six to seven orders of magnitude greater first-order rate constant of 51,000 min−1 than current catalysis. Meanwhile, the membranes exhibit quadrupled permeance of 48.6 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 as GO ones, because nanoparticles adjust membrane structure, chemical composition, and interlayer space. Moreover, the membranes show excellent stability over 20 cycles and universality for chlorinated organic pollutants at environmental concentrations.
α-MnO2 catalysts with efficient ozone-catalyzed decomposition under high humidity conditions
Authors: Ji Jiafan , Yan Qianqian , Chen Yi , Zhao Gaosheng , Jia Bin , Xu Li , Cheng Ping
Published: November 2024

Ground-level ozone pollution poses significant risks to ecosystems and human health and requires effective control measures.
Deamidation analysis of therapeutic drugs using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry and a novel algorithm QuanDA
Authors: Zhang Han , Xiong Yinran , Shi Xiaonan , Zhu Lijia , Wu Qiong , Wu Ting , Du Yiping
Published: November 2024

A newly developed algorithm based on isotope pattern changes and non-negative least squares calculation was developed for quantitative analysis of deamidation in peptides with no reference standards.
Monolayer vermiculite membranes for efficient hydrogen isotope separation
Authors: Xu Yihan , Zhang Xiangrui , Yan Tianxiang , Liu Wei , Lin Jianlong , Zhang Tianying , Li Kai , Chen Xiaoyi , Wang Xiao , Cui Wenquan , Zhang Sheng
Published: November 2024

This study presents the fabrication of vermiculite monolayer membranes of centimeter scales via a modified Langmuir–Blodgett technique to prompt the practical application of H/D separation.
Optimization of preparation conditions and design of device configurations for Cu3AsS4 solar cells: a combined study of first-principles calculations and SCAPS-1D device simulations
Authors: Huang Yi , Lin Changqing , Xue Yang , Huang Binyuan , Huang Dan
Published: November 2024

By optimising the experimental growth environment of the absorber and the device configuration design of solar cells, the PCE of solar cells with the configuration of FTO/WO3/Cu3AsS4/Mo can reach an optimal value of 17.82%.
Synthesis of organo-uranium(ii) species in the gas-phase using reactions between [UH]+ and nitriles
Authors: Terhorst Justin G. , Corcovilos Theodore A. , Lenze Samuel J. , van Stipdonk Michael J.
Published: November 2024

A series of gas-phase, σ-bonded [U–R]+ species (R = CH3, C2H3, C2H5, C3H7, or C5H6) can be generated by using preparative tandem mass spectrometry (PTMSn) via ion-molecule reactions between [UH]+ and neutral nitriles.
Removal of residual contaminants by minute-level washing facilitates the direct regeneration of spent cathodes from retired EV Li-ion batteries
Authors: Guo Yi , Li Yang , Qiu Kai , Li Yan , Yuan Weijing , Li Chenxi , Rui Xinyu , Shi Lewei , Hou Yukun , Liu Saiyue , Ren Dongsheng , Tan Tiening , Zhu Gaolong , Lu Languang , Xu Shengming , Deng Biao , Liu Xiang , Ouyang Minggao
Published: November 2024

Our study presents a minute-level water-based pretreatment that purifies degraded cathodes, enhancing lithium diffusivity and capacity retention in rejuvenated cathodes compared to contaminated ones.
Goat milk derived small extracellular vesicles ameliorate LPS-induced intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis by inhibiting the MAPK signaling pathway
Authors: Gao Feng , Zhang Xin , Xu Zhiming , Zhang Kang , Quan Fusheng
Published: November 2024

Intestinal injury is often accompanied by epithelial barrier dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.
Magneto-electrical fusion enhancement of LIBS signals: a case of Al and Fe emission lines' characteristic analysis in soil
Authors: Yang Zihan , Pang Mengyu , Ma Jincheng , Zhao Yanru , Yu Keqiang , He Yong
Published: November 2024

Soil is a vital resource for human survival. In particular, aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) metal elements in soil play significant roles in stabilizing soil organic matter.
Synthesis of Co- and V-doped Ta1.1O1.05 electrode material using tryptophan- and aspartic-acid-functionalized boron-doped graphene quantum dots with excellent supercapacitor performance
Authors: Jinming Xia , Ruiyi Li , Zaijun Li , Mingjie Gao
Published: November 2024

The study reports one Co and V-doped Ta1.1O1.05-graphene quantum dot composite electrode material with good supercapacitor behavior.
Ab initio calculations of vibrational fingerprints in the photoluminescence of graphene quantum dots
Authors: Wu Ruoyu , Han Peng , Dittmann Tobias , Wang Fuhe , Zhang Yan , Bester Gabriel
Published: November 2024

We used a computational method based on ab initio (constrained) density functional theory to obtain the photoluminescence spectrum of graphene quantum dots with up to 240 carbon atoms, including the effect of multiphonons.
Facile synthesis of defective ZnS–ZnO composite nanosheets for efficient piezocatalytic H2 production
Authors: Lu Xiaoxiao , Zhao Xiaojing , Chen Xiangyu , Xu Miaoqiong , Huang Miaoling , Chen Wen-Jie , Liu Yubin , Pan Xiaoyang
Published: November 2024

Heterojunction-structured ZnO–ZnS composites with sulfur vacancies have been developed for efficient piezocatalytic H2 production.
Enantioselective synthesis of α-(3-pyrrolyl)methanamines with an aza-tetrasubstituted center under metal-free conditions
Authors: Dolas Atul Jankiram , Yadav Jyothi , Nagare Yadav Kacharu , Rangan Krishnan , Iype Eldhose , Kumar Indresh
Published: November 2024

A direct asymmetric synthesis of α-(3-pyrrolyl)methanamines has been developed for the first time with good yields and excellent enantioselectivity under mild conditions by avoiding protection–deprotection chemistry.
Alternating radical copolymerization of α-styrylboronic acid pinacol ester with electron-deficient olefins
Authors: Xiao Yiyang , Zhang Zepeng , Xu Yan , Wang Jianbo
Published: November 2024

The radical copolymerization behavior of StBpin with a series of electron-deficient olefins was evaluated, which demonstrated that StBpin has a good alternating copolymerization propensity toward electron-deficient olefins.
Insights into the photoinduced anion translocation of donor–π–acceptor+ (ion)− molecules
Authors: Qu Hao-Ting , Partanen Iida , Chang Kai-Hsin , Lin Yan-Ding , Koshevoy Igor O. , Belyaev Andrey , Chou Pi-Tai
Published: November 2024

Compared to solvent relaxation in polar solvents, anion migration in toluene occurs at a much slower rate (C(t) analysis) and primarily involves translational motion of anion from the donor to the acceptor.
Postoperative Auditory Progress in Cochlear-Implanted Children With Auditory Neuropathy
Authors: Yildirim Gökay Nuriye , Gündüz Bülent , Karamert Recep , Tutar Hakan
Published: November 2024

Purpose:

This study aims to evaluate the effect of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) on postoperative auditory perception and listening difficulties in pediatric cochlear implant (CI) recipients.

Method:

The Children's Auditory Perception Test (CAPT) assesses auditory perception skills, and the Children's Home Inventory of Listening Difficulties (CHILD) Scale evaluates daily listening difficulties. The study involved pediatric CI recipients (
n
= 40) aged between 5 and 7 years, with and without diagnosis of ANSD. The research ensured homogeneity across various factors, including chronological age, age at diagnosis, age at initial implantation, bilateral simultaneous surgery, etiologies of hearing loss, and family education level.

Results:

The findings have demonstrated that children without ANSD exhibited better performance in integrating visual–auditory stimuli and overall listening performance, distant sound source scores, and noisy environment scores (respectively
p
= .047,
p
= .001,
p
= .028, and
p
= .010). Additionally, children with better speech perception also have a better ability to integrate audiovisual stimuli (
p
= .005,
r
= .438).

Conclusions:

There are significant differences in postoperative listening skills and auditory perceptions between children with and without an ANSD who have CIs. Accordingly, children without an ANSD perform better.
Hubble Space Telescope survey of Magellanic Cloud star clusters. Binaries among the split main sequences of NGC 1818, NGC 1850, and NGC 2164
Authors: Muratore F. , Milone A. P. , D’Antona F. , Nastasio E. J. , Cordoni G. , Legnardi M. V. , He C. , Ziliotto T. , Dondoglio E. , Bernizzoni M. , Tailo M. , Bortolan E. , Dell’Agli F. , Deng L. , Lagioia E. P. , Li C. , Marino A. F. , Ventura P.
Published: November 2024

Nearly all star clusters younger than ~600 Myr exhibit extended main sequence turnoffs and split main sequences (MSs) in their color-magnitude diagrams. Works based on both photometry and spectroscopy have clearly demonstrated that the red MS is composed of fast-rotating stars, whereas blue-MS stars are slow rotators. Nevertheless, the mechanism responsible for the formation of stellar populations with varying rotation rates remains a topic of debate. Potential mechanisms proposed for the split MS include binary interactions, the early evolution of pre-MS stars, and the merging of binary systems, but a general consensus has yet to be reached. These formation scenarios predict different fractions of binaries among blue- and red-MS stars. Therefore, studying the binary populations can provide valuable constraints that may help clarify the origins of the split MSs. We used high-precision photometry from the Hubble Space Telescope to study the binaries of three young Magellanic star clusters exhibiting split MSs, namely NGC 1818, NGC 1850, and NGC 2164. By analyzing the photometry in the F225W, F275W, F336W, and F814W filters for observed binaries and comparing it to a large sample of simulated binaries, we determined the fractions of binaries within the red and blue MS. We find that the fractions of binaries among the blue-MS stars are higher than those of red-MS stars by a factor of ~1.5, 4.6, and ~1.9 for NGC 1818, NGC 1850, and NGC 2164, respectively. We discuss these results in the context of the formation scenarios of the split MS.
Helium features are inconsistent with the spectral evolution of the kilonova AT2017gfo
Authors: Sneppen Albert , Damgaard Rasmus , Watson Darach , Collins Christine E. , Shingles Luke , Sim Stuart A.
Published: November 2024

The spectral features observed in kilonovae have revealed the elemental composition and the velocity structures of matter ejected from neutron star mergers. In the spectra of the kilonova AT2017gfo, a P Cygni line at about 1 μm has been linked to Sr II, providing the first direct evidence of freshly synthesised r-process material. An alternative interpretation of this feature has been proposed – He Iλ1083.3 nm under certain non-local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions. A key way to robustly discriminate between these identifications, and indeed other proposed identifications, is to analyse the temporal emergence and evolution of the feature. In this analysis, we trace the earliest appearance of the observed feature and detail its spectro-temporal evolution, which we compare with a collisional-radiative model of helium. We show that the 1 μm P Cygni line is inconsistent with a He I interpretation both in emergence time and in subsequent spectral evolution. Self-consistent helium masses cannot reproduce the observed feature due to the diminishing strength of radiative pathways out of triplet helium.