bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simmering Tensions and Emerging Conflicts Among Key Group Actors Amid Capitalist Transformation in Northern Ghana
Authors: Wahab Ibrahim , Yaro Joseph A. , Afful‐Mensah Gloria , Awen‐Naam Michael B.
Published: December 2024

A capitalist agrarian transformation is unfolding in northern Ghana, marked by shifts in crop types, rapid increases in farm sizes and deepening rural social differentiation. This paper investigates these dynamics through a mixed‐methods approach across six farming communities in two districts, focusing on how social differentiation, accumulation, dispossession and exploitation reshape the region. Urban male capitalists, in collusion with local chiefs, drive mutual enrichment, while women and landless youth are disproportionately disadvantaged. Their land rights are increasingly eroded as powerful elites and traditional ruling families appropriate and accumulate capital at their expense. This transformation, rooted in patriarchal structures, is fuelling tensions and pockets of resistance among affected groups. The paper highlights how powerful individuals and groups can thwart often well‐intentioned state‐led agriculture modernization initiatives for their parochial interests. It shows how predominantly urban‐based elites and power brokers frequently hijack the state's effort to reform the rural sector in the context of neoliberal capitalist economies in the Global South. It offers broader insights into social differentiation and the tensions that arise between and among the various competing group interests. Finally, it raises questions of justice across generations and gender which have broader implications for the political economy of agrarian change and structural transformation in rural northern Ghana. The implications extend beyond social cohesion, with potential impacts on biodiversity loss and climate change.
Commentary on “Complications of Collagen Biostimulators in Brazil: Description of Products, Treatments, and Evolution of 55 Cases”
Authors: Magacho‐Vieira Fabiano Nadson
Published: December 2024

Background

A recent study highlighted variability in complication rates among polylactic acid (PLA)‐based collagen stimulator fillers, with notably high rate of complications linked to PLLA‐Elleva. The study suggested that product‐specific characteristics might have greater impact on outcomes than injection techniques.

Methods/Results

Through a critical analysis of pertinent literature, this commentary explores how PLLA‐Elleva's unique physicochemical properties, particularly its bimodal degradation process, may contribute to the increased nodule formation observed.

Conclusion

Although PLLA‐Elleva's degradation pattern does not inherently compromise safety, it introduces variability that requires careful attention to dosage, injection technique, and patient selection.
Framing Effect in Sugar‐Free Labels: Evidence From Laboratory Experiments and Eye‐Tracking Techniques
Authors: Zou Huan , Wang Hong , Li Jing , Hua Haiyan
Published: December 2024

Framing elements frequently appear in food labels, but research papers have paid too much attention to the framing effect of food brand logo, and the interaction between framing elements and food labels has not been explored by academics. Therefore, this paper focuses on sugar‐free labels and demonstrates the framing effect of sugar‐free labels through a laboratory study and an eye‐tracking study. The results show that consumers have higher taste perceptions of sugar‐free foods that do not have a framing element in the sugar‐free label, and that this effect is driven by the psychological mechanism of association of indulgence and is limited to hedonic foods. Finally, eye‐tracking experimental data from participants who were native English speakers further validated this effect. These findings suggest that visual cues in the packaging of sugar‐free foods may contribute to consumers' taste perception of such foods, and that the framing elements of sugar‐free labels are one of them.
Melatonin Affects Peucedanum praeruptorum Vegetative Growth and Coumarin Synthesis by Modulating the Antioxidant System, Photosynthesis, and Endogenous Hormones
Authors: Wan Xiaoting , Zhang Yingyu , Wang Guoyu , Liao Ranran , Pan Haoyu , Chen Cunwu , Han Bangxing , Deng Hui , Song Cheng
Published: December 2024

The dried root of Peucedanum praeruptorum is often used medicinally and has high pyran‐ and furanocoumarin content. Although exogenous melatonin (MT) impacts the regulation of plant growth, stress responses, secondary metabolism, etc., it remains unclear whether MT regulates the vegetative growth and development of P. praeruptorum. Thus, the aim of the current study is to characterize the effects of different exogenous MT concentrations on the physiological functions, photosynthesis, antioxidant systems, hormone induction, and coumarin synthesis of P. praeruptorum. Different MT concentrations exert distinct regulatory effects on P. praeruptorum growth and the expression of genes related to coumarin synthesis. Treatment of P. praeruptorum with low concentrations of MT increases photosynthesis and leaf growth compared to the control, while high concentrations reduce root vitality and elongation and decrease the expression of photosynthetic system genes. Low concentrations of MT also significantly increase antioxidant enzyme activity and photosynthetic pigment content and modulate the levels of IAA, gibberellic acid, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, and endogenous MT. Moreover, MT increases the activity of the MT synthesis enzymes tryptophan decarboxylase, tryptophan hydroxylase, tryptamine‐5‐hydroxylase, serotonin N‐acetyltransferase, acetylserotonin O‐methyltransferase, and caffeic acid O‐methyltransferase, and promotes the accumulation of isoscopoletin, scopoletin, peucedanocoumarin II, praeruptorin A, praeruptorin B, and praeruptorin E. MT also upregulates most genes associated with coumarin synthesis, including PAL1, C4H, 4CL‐3, C3H‐1, F6H‐1, CCoAMT, OMT‐1, CYP71AJ1, CYP84A1‐1, S8H‐1, PT‐1, and COSY‐1. These findings demonstrate that MT may improve P. praeruptorum growth and development while promoting the synthesis of coumarin components.
Melatonin Inhibits Endometriosis Growth via Specific Binding and Inhibition of EGFR Phosphorylation
Authors: Li Yiran , Hung Sze‐Wan , Zheng Xu , Ding Yang , Zhang Tao , Tan Zhouyurong , Zhang Ruizhe , Lin Yuezhen , Song Yi , Wang Yao , Wang Chi‐Chiu
Published: December 2024

As a chronic gynecological disease, endometriosis is defined as the implantation of endometrial glands as well as stroma outside the uterine cavity. Proliferation is a major pathophysiology in endometriosis. Previous studies demonstrated a hormone named melatonin, which is mainly produced by the pineal gland, exerts a therapeutic impact on endometriosis. Despite that, the direct binding targets and underlying molecular mechanism have remained unknown. Our study revealed that melatonin treatment might be effective in inhibiting the growth of lesions in endometriotic mouse model as well as in human endometriotic cell lines. Additionally, the drug–disease protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was built, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was identified as a new binding target of melatonin treatment in endometriosis. Computational simulation together with BioLayer interferometry was further applied to confirm the binding affinity. Our result also showed melatonin inhibited the phosphorylation level of EGFR not only in endometriotic cell lines but also in mouse models. Furthermore, melatonin inhibited the phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate 3‐kinase (PI3K)—protein kinase B (Akt) pathway and arrested the cell cycle via inhibiting CyclinD1 (CCND1). In vitro and in vivo knockdown/restore assays further demonstrated the involvement of the binding target and signaling pathway that we found. Thus, melatonin can be applied as a novel therapy for the management of endometriosis.
The Effect of Emotion Regulation Training on Nurses: A Quasi‐Experimental Study
Authors: Erkayiran Orkun , Demirkiran Fatma
Published: December 2024

This study investigated the impact of emotion regulation training on nurses, which is crucial for enhancing their emotional well‐being and job performance. We implemented a psychoeducation program to help nurses effectively manage emotional distress and examined how this training affected their use of cognitive reappraisal and suppression strategies. The quasi‐experimental study was conducted from January to June 2020, involving 72 nurses (36 in the training group and 36 in the control group) from a university hospital. We used descriptive statistics and repeated measures ANOVA for data analysis. The results indicate that the training group had significantly higher cognitive reappraisal scores than the control group, with scores increasing significantly at post‐test, 1 month, and 3 months after training (F = 24.41; p < 0.001). Additionally, suppression scores decreased significantly for the training group compared to the control group. Our findings demonstrate that emotion regulation training is more effective than the control condition for cognitive reappraisal and suppression strategies in the training group. Future research should explore additional strategies to further enhance emotion regulation skills, potentially improving job performance and patient care.
Effects of Biological Factors and Temperature Elevation on Stigmatic Receptivity and Pollen Tube Growth in Diploid and Hexaploid Plum Genotypes [Prunus salicina and Prunus insititia]
Authors: Abdallah Donia , Ben Mustapha Sana , Salhi‐Hannachi Amel , Baraket Ghada
Published: December 2024

Premise of the study. Biological factors and environmental stresses are predominant elements affecting the progamic phase of sexual plant reproduction. Thus, new knowledge is needed to select and develop cultivars adapted to these changes. This work was conducted to evaluate the pollen growth dynamics and the stigmatic receptivity at normal and elevated temperatures, in 12 Tunisian plum genotypes selected based on six different biological factors. Methods. The pistils were hand‐pollinated using their own pollen, and then the dynamics of pollen tube growth and stigma receptivity of Tunisian plum genotypes were surveyed under ambient temperature and under 35 °C. Key results. Results showed that the differences in flower size, geographical origin and drought tolerance did neither affect pollen growth dynamics nor stigma receptivity. However, the polyploidization enlarged the stigmatic receptivity but does not affect the pollen dynamics. Flowering time and wild plantation fasten the pollen growth and enlarge the stigmatic receptivity. We assume that, in particular case, the flowering plants seem to opt for an enlarged stigmatic receptivity and a rapid pollen growth as reproductive strategies to ‘hold on for dear life’. Experiments conducted at 35 °C showed that the temperature elevation accelerates pollen growth dynamics, while it shortens the stigmatic receptivity period. In particular, two accessions: the wild plum ‘Sauvage’ and the late flowering ‘Tasstour Hamra Tardive’ showed faster pollen growth and enlarged stigmatic receptivity, compared to other accessions. Conclusion. The main relevant conclusion of this work resides in the identification of the best adapted Tunisian genotypes that could be selected as pollen sources to extend the pollination period. Especially, accessions presenting a tolerance to high‐temperature deserve serious attention.
Mechanical properties and cuticle organisation in mandibles are related to the task specialisation in leafcutter ants (Atta laevigata, Attini, Formicidae)
Authors: Krings Wencke , Birkenfeld Valentin , Gorb Stanislav N.
Published: December 2024

Leafcutter ants show a high degree of task division among the workers of different castes. For example, the smallest workers, the minims, care for the brood and the symbiotic fungus, whereas the larger mediae cut and transport plant material. This is reflected in the size and morphology of the mandibles, but also in their mechanical properties as mediae possess the hardest and stiffest cuticle and the minims—the softest and most flexible one. This is directly related to the content of the cross‐linking transition metal zinc (Zn). The cuticle microstructure, which can be more or less anisotropic depending on the orientation of cuticle layers, is known to determine the resistance to loads and stresses and thus contributes to the biomechanical behaviour of the structure. To study how the mandible tasks are related to the cuticular organisation, we here documented the microstructure of the mandibles from the mediae and the minims by scanning electron microscopy. Afterwards, the mechanical properties (Youngs' modulus, E, and hardness, H) of the exo‐, meso‐ and endocuticle were identified by nanoindentation. Tests were performed along the longitudinal and the circumferential axes of the mandibles. We found, that the minims possess mandibles, which are more isotropic, whereas the mandibles of the mediae are rather anisotropic. This difference was never determined within one species before and is probably linked to the task of the individual ant. To gain insight into the origins of these properties, we characterized the elemental composition of the different cuticle layers along the circumferential axis, revealing that only the exocuticle of the mandible cutting edge contains Zn. All other mechanical property gradients thus must be the result of the chitin fibre bundle architecture or the properties of the protein matrix, which awaits further investigation.
Depression status and risk factors analysis based on the ‘individual‐social‐health system’ dimension: evidence from middle‐aged and elderly people in China
Authors: Yi Bin , Liu Chao , Li Hongyu , Zhang Zhiming , Xu Hong , Li Yue , Li Ye , Chen Jin
Published: December 2024

Background

Depression, as a common mental illness, is harmful and burdensome. As a country with a large elderly population, China has a heavy burden of depression going in the future. The study aims to portray the current situation of depression occurrence in middle‐aged and elderly people in China and capture the risk triggers, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the improvement of the mental health status of middle‐aged and elderly people, and the development of depression prevention, control and intervention strategies.

Method

The study used 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) data and 18 950 respondents aged >45 years as the study sample. Depression status was calculated according to the simplified version of the Depression Scale (CES‐D10) and logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors affecting depression.

Result

There were 34.14% of the 18 950 respondents who were depressed. The results of logistic regression showed that factors such as being under 65 years of age, female, living in rural areas, having low education, and poor health status were risk factors for depression.

Conclusion

The mental health of the middle‐aged and elderly population is poor and affected by multidimensional factors. The Chinese government should continue to strengthen its efforts to prevent and treat depression in the middle‐aged and elderly population, and establish individualised and comprehensive strategies and measures to enhance the operational effectiveness of the policy.
Delirium‐like symptomatology in community‐dwelling older adults with dementia
Authors: Vickers Jasmine K. , Wang Danny , Yefimova Maria , Armah Henrietta , Flood Kellie , Pickering Carolyn E.Z.
Published: December 2024

Background

Delirium, a sudden and acute state of confusion, is known to be more prevalent in hospitalised older adults with dementia and is associated with lower levels of functioning after the delirium episode; yet, the literature on estimates of delirium prevalence in community‐dwelling older adults with dementia is scarce. The aim of this study was to define and determine the frequency of delirium‐like symptoms in two different samples of community‐dwelling persons living with dementia, as reported by their family caregivers. ‘Delirium‐like symptoms’ is a concept that specifies an occurrence of cognitive and behavioural symptoms, provoking suspicion of delirium, that represent a sudden and unusual deleterious change in a community‐dwelling person living with dementia that can be identified by family caregivers and prompt healthcare seeking behaviours.

Methods

The frequencies of delirium‐like symptoms were assessed from two intensive longitudinal 21‐day diary studies. Caregivers reported on presence of sudden and unusual cognition and behaviours each day. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the number of caregivers who reported delirium‐like symptoms.

Results

Family caregivers (n = 50, n = 102) were predominately non‐Hispanic White (75%, 61%), female (94%, 85%), and a child (60%, 59%) of the care‐recipient and completed 1389 and 1739 diaries from the first and second study respectively. Caregivers reported delirium‐like symptoms for 12 (24%) and 27 (27%) of care‐recipients.

Conclusion

Other studies of delirium in community‐dwelling persons living with dementia have reported similar rates. More research is needed to understand the dynamic context of delirium in community settings to improve the care provided to them by their family caregivers and clinicians in services such as home, primary, and specialty healthcare.
The effects of risk preferences on consumers’ reference‐dependent choices for autonomous vehicles
Authors: Liang Ya , Qian Lixian , Lu Yang , Bektaş Tolga
Published: December 2024

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping mobility through autonomous vehicles (AVs), which may introduce risks such as technical malfunctions, cybersecurity threats, and ethical dilemmas in decision‐making. Despite these complexities, the influence of consumers’ risk preferences on AV acceptance remains poorly understood. This study explores how individuals’ risk preferences affect their choices among private AVs (PAVs), shared AVs (SAVs), and private conventional vehicles (PCVs). Employing a lottery experiment and a self‐reported survey, we first derive four parameters to capture individuals’ risk preferences. Based on a stated preference experiment and the error component logit model, we analyze reference‐dependent preferences for key attributes of PAVs and SAVs, using PCVs as the reference. Our analysis reveals that risk‐tolerant consumers are more inclined toward PAVs or SAVs. Further, consumers exhibit a greater sensitivity to losses, such as higher purchasing prices and running costs, than to gains, such as reduced egress time. Specifically, for buying a PAV, consumers are willing to pay 3582 CNY more for 1000 CNY saving on annual running cost, 3470 CNY for a 1‐min reduction in egress time, 28,880 CNY for removing driver liability for crashes, and 30,710 CNY for the improved privacy data security. For adopting SAVs, consumers are willing to pay 0.096 CNY extra per kilometer for a 1‐min reduction in access time and 0.033 CNY extra per kilometer for a 1% increase in SAV availability. Therefore, this study enhances the understanding on risk preferences in AV acceptance and offers important implications for stakeholders in the AI‐empowered mobility context.
Identifying the vulnerable: Concepts and measurement
Authors: Dutta Indranil , Foster James , Mishra Ajit , Nandeibam Shasi
Published: December 2024

Vulnerability to poverty, which broadly captures the susceptibility to becoming poor in the future, has become an integral part of any deprivation assessment. In this paper, we provide axiomatic foundations to much of the empirical literature on vulnerability measurement, which often relies on ad hoc rules to identify the vulnerable. Recognizing the formidable informational challenges in vulnerability measurement, we propose and axiomatically characterize a class of identification rules based on the future probability of falling into poverty. Additionally, we axiomatically characterize the Foster–Greer–Thorbecke class of vulnerability measures for those who are identified as vulnerable. Using this framework, we construct the societal vulnerability measure and demonstrate that societal vulnerability can be decomposed into vulnerabilities arising from the different shocks. Finally, we provide an empirical illustration of the identification and measurement rules proposed in this paper using real‐world data from Bangladesh.
HLA EPLET Frequencies Are Similar in Six Population Groups and Are Expressed by the Most Common HLA Alleles
Authors: Mangiola Massimo , Ellison Mitchell , Marrari Marilyn , Xu Qingyong , Mankowski Michal , Sese Doreen , Lonze Bonnie E. , Montgomery Robert A. , Zeevi Adriana
Published: December 2024

The degree of immunological compatibility between donors and recipients greatly impacts allograft survival. In the United States kidney allocation system, HLA antigen‐level matching has been shown to cause ethnic disparities and thus, has been de‐emphasised. However, priority points are still awarded for antigen‐level zero‐ABDR matching, zero‐DR matching and one‐DR matching. Recently, the degree of HLA molecular (eplet) mismatch has emerged as a more accurate measure of immunological risk, and eplet mismatch load has gained attention as a possible biomarker to improve HLA compatibility. However, little is known about the frequency of eplets in population groups, which is a necessary step to ensure that candidates from any ethnical background can have similar chances at a well‐matched organ. Eplet frequencies were estimated using HLA alleles in the Common, Intermediate and Well‐Documented (CIWD) 3.0.0 catalogue for six population groups: African‐American (AFA), Asian‐Pacific Islander (API), European/European descent (EURO), Middle East/North Coast of Africa (MENA), Hispanic/Latino (HIS) and Native‐American (NAM). We determined that 98.6% (484 out of 491) of HLA eplets are expressed by the common HLA alleles in all population groups. Of the seven eplets that were expressed by less common HLA alleles, six were Class I eplets and one was expressed by HLA‐DQB1 alleles and most were expressed by HLA alleles that were more commonly observed in European/European descent populations. Our observations indicate that HLA eplets will not cause any significant disparity if applied to HLA molecular compatibility, regardless of the ethnic origin of both recipients and donors.
Student Medical Education Masterclasses: Diversifying the Academic Pipeline
Authors: Collin Victoria , Brown Megan , Alsafi Zaid , Sylvan Nicholas , Parekh Ravi , Kumar Sonia
Published: December 2024

Background

There remains a lack of diversity among those pursuing clinical academic careers. Structural inequalities, discrimination and a paucity of relatable role models can disadvantage minoritised students, hindering their educational experiences and career opportunities. Innovative and effective approaches are needed at an undergraduate level to address this problem, ensuring the pipeline is representative, diverse and inclusive.

Approach

To help address this challenge, in 2021, we developed a free online ‘medical education masterclass series’ for 250 UK medical students, with students from minoritised backgrounds particularly encouraged to apply. The masterclasses explored topical themes in medical education through seminars and workshops featuring diverse guest speakers.

Evaluation

To evaluate the programme, students were invited to submit an anonymised reflection and complete a semi‐structured interview exploring how their perceptions of medical education may have changed following attendance of the masterclasses. A total of 18% responded, and data were thematically analysed.

Results

Students reflected on how the sessions broadened their understanding of medical education beyond their own curriculum experiences. Students described acquiring skills and building networks to further develop their interest in medical education. The desire to make medical education more inclusive was identified as a key priority for students, and students felt empowered to advocate for positive change within their own institutions.

Implications

Providing students with opportunities to explore medical education through such masterclasses has the potential to raise awareness and address some of the barriers experienced by minoritised students. We would advocate for similar initiatives to be developed in other clinical academic areas to increase diversity.
An LLM‐Based Method for Quality Information Extraction From Web Text for Crowed‐Sensing Spatiotemporal Data
Authors: Huang Zongcai , Peng Peng , Lu Feng , Zhang He
Published: December 2024

Knowledge‐driven GIS increasingly requires multi‐source, multi‐type, and multi‐model crowd‐sensing spatiotemporal data, whose data quality is difficult to guarantee and determine. Hence, extracting quality indicator information, widely present in various unstructured web texts, is crucial to providing supplementary quality information for crowd‐sensing spatiotemporal data. Recent advances in large language models show potential in extracting quality indicator information. However, it is still hard to get accurate results from large language models that use different quality indicators for crowd‐sensing spatiotemporal data. Therefore, we have designed a large language model that is fine‐tuned for the extraction of spatiotemporal quality information from quality description text (LLMFT‐STQIE). Firstly, we establish a quality indicator vocabulary to determine whether the text includes quality indicator information from the spatiotemporal data. Then, we create a two‐stage prompt model with QILE and QIVE prompts that include input text, task type, instructions, the quality indicator vocabulary, output format, and a reference case. This model is based on the fine‐tuning technology of large language models. The results show that our LLMFT‐STQIE achieves an accuracy of 91% and a recall rate of 80%, respectively, representing improvements of 23% and 38% compared to untuned large language models. These results further show that the suggested method easily and accurately extracts quality indicator information from web texts for crowd‐sensing spatiotemporal data. The study helps investigate strategies for optimizing huge language models for specific scenarios or task specifications.
Precision in Parsing: Evaluation of an Open‐Source Named Entity Recognizer (NER) in Veterinary Oncology
Authors: Pinard Christopher J. , Poon Andrew C. , Lagree Andrew , Wu Kuan‐Chuen , Li Jiaxu , Tran William T.
Published: December 2024

Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) through Natural Language Processing (NLP) can improve veterinary medical oncology clinical record analytics. Named Entity Recognition (NER), a critical component of NLP, can facilitate efficient data extraction and automated labelling for research and clinical decision‐making. This study assesses the efficacy of the Bio‐Epidemiology‐NER (BioEN), an open‐source NER developed using human epidemiological and medical data, on veterinary medical oncology records. The NER's performance was compared with manual annotations by a veterinary medical oncologist and a veterinary intern. Evaluation metrics included Jaccard similarity, intra‐rater reliability, ROUGE scores, and standard NER performance metrics (precision, recall, F1‐score). Results indicate poor direct translatability to veterinary medical oncology record text and room for improvement in the NER's performance, with precision, recall, and F1‐score suggesting a marginally better alignment with the oncologist than the intern. While challenges remain, these insights contribute to the ongoing development of AI tools tailored for veterinary healthcare and highlight the need for veterinary‐specific models.
Root of unity quantum cluster algebras and discriminants
Authors: Nguyen Bach , Trampel Kurt , Yakimov Milen
Published: December 2024

We describe a connection between the subjects of cluster algebras, polynomial identity algebras, and discriminants. For this, we define the notion of root of unity quantum cluster algebras and prove that they are polynomial identity algebras. Inside each such algebra we construct a (large) canonical central subalgebra, which can be viewed as a far reaching generalization of the central subalgebras of big quantum groups constructed by De Concini, Kac, and Procesi and used in representation theory. Each such central subalgebra is proved to be isomorphic to the underlying classical cluster algebra of geometric type. When the root of unity quantum cluster algebra is free over its central subalgebra, we prove that the discriminant of the pair is a product of powers of the frozen variables times an integer. An extension of this result is also proved for the discriminants of all subalgebras generated by the cluster variables of nerves in the exchange graph. These results can be used for the effective computation of discriminants. As an application we obtain an explicit formula for the discriminant of the integral form over of each quantum unipotent cell of De Concini, Kac, and Procesi for arbitrary symmetrizable Kac–Moody algebras, where is a root of unity.
High Effectiveness Tip Cooling Using Inclined Slots
Authors: Mutekwa Macdonald , Vieira Joao , Farfaras Maximilian G. , Coull John D. , Bacic Marko , Ireland Peter T.
Published: December 2024

The tip of the high-pressure turbine blade is critical for gas turbine performance. Hot gas leaking through the tip gap tends to oxidize and erode the blade while generating significant aerodynamic loss. Squealer tips are often used to maximize efficiency, but the thin rims are thermally vulnerable and difficult to cool. The resultant degradation often limits engine life, turbine entry temperatures, and thermal efficiency. This work considers means to improve the cooling of squealer tips to minimize degradation. Compared to conventional, cylindrical-hole designs, a step-change improvement in cooling effectiveness can be achieved using near-tip slots. In this configuration, coolant is ejected in an approximately streamwise direction along the pressure side rim, cooling a large area with high effectiveness. Experiments characterizing cooling and aerodynamics are performed in a representative linear cascade on an inclined slot design developed to enhance manufacturability while retaining high cooling effectiveness. This design is shown to more than double the cooling effectiveness on the pressure side rim compared to a conventional discrete-hole baseline. Improved coolant shielding is retained for varying mass flowrates, tip clearances, and density ratios. Aerodynamic measurements show that the slot design can outperform the baseline provided the coolant mass fraction between the slots is suitably optimized.
Effect of nitrogen partial pressure on the structural and mechanical properties of (MoNbTaW)N thin films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering
Authors: Katta Saikumar , Bandla Bharath Kumar , Pardasaradhi Sudharshan Phani , Kotnur Venkata Girish
Published: December 2024

This study investigates the influence of nitrogen partial pressure on the microstructure, crystal structure, chemical bonding, and mechanical properties of (MoNbTaW)N films deposited on silicon substrates via DC reactive sputtering. The depositions were carried out at room temperature from a MoNbTaW alloy target at 0.6 Pa by varying nitrogen partial pressure between 0% and 50%. The surface morphology, crystal structure, bonding characteristics, and mechanical properties were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and nanoindentation. SEM and AFM findings reveal significant morphological changes from lenticularlike structures to fine-grain structures as nitrogen partial pressure increases from 0% to 50%, with feature size decreasing from 12 to 8 nm. XRD analysis confirms a crystalline structure in all films, transforming from body-centred cubic to face-centred cubic, occurring between 16% and 33% nitrogen partial pressure. XPS analysis confirms the formation of metal–nitrogen (Me–N) bonds through binding energy shifts. Despite these structural changes, no significant variations in hardness and film modulus were observed with changes in nitrogen partial pressure, which can be attributed to weaker p(N)-d(TM) interactions. The study underscores nitrogen's crucial role in altering microstructure and crystal structure, while the strength of the Me–N bond limits its effect on mechanical properties.
Effect of the buffer layer on the energy storage performance of Pb0.97La0.02Zr0.5Sn0.5O3 thin film
Authors: Liu Xin , Wang Jiawei , Liang Zhongshuai , Zhao Weidong , Wang Ruizhi , Tong Yiwei , Cheng Yonghong
Published: December 2024

Lead thin film capacitors with high energy storage performance have attracted increasing interest in their applications in modern devices. In this study, the energy storage performances of Pb0.95La0.02(Zr0.5Sn0.5)O3 antiferroelectric thin films were enhanced by incorporating Al2O3 and HfO2 buffer layers. The electrical properties and energy storage characteristics of antiferroelectric thin films with different buffer layers were analyzed to study the impact of buffer layers on energy storage performance. After the incorporation of Al2O3 and HfO2 buffer layers, the breakdown field strength (Eb) of the films were significantly increased and the leakage current densities were greatly reduced with the ohmic conduction range widened at low electric fields. As a result, the energy storage density of films with Al2O3 and HfO2 buffer layers increased significantly from 10.07 to 31.54 and 22.63 J/cm3, respectively. By analyzing the leakage current, it was found that the Poole–Frenkel emission was significantly suppressed by the Al2O3 buffer layer, while the HfO2 buffer layer had a limited effect on the conduction mechanisms, which resulted in the better energy storage performance of those films with Al2O3 buffer layers. The results demonstrate that the improvement of energy storage performance is attributed to the leakage current emission mechanism affected by the buffer layer.
The 1925 revolution of matrix mechanics and how to celebrate it in modern quantum mechanics classes
Authors: Tran J. , Doughty L. , Freericks J. K.
Published: December 2024

In 1925, Heisenberg, Born, and Jordan developed matrix mechanics as a strategy to solve quantum-mechanical problems. While finite-sized matrix formulations are commonly taught in quantum instruction, following the logic and detailed steps of the original matrix mechanics has become a lost art. In preparation for the 100th anniversary of the discovery of quantum mechanics, we present a modernized discussion of how matrix mechanics is formulated, how it is used to solve quantum-mechanical problems, and how it can be employed as the starting point for a postulate-based formulation of quantum-mechanics instruction. We focus on the harmonic oscillator to describe how quantum mechanics advanced from the Bohr–Sommerfeld quantization condition, to matrix mechanics, to the current abstract ladder-operator approach. We also describe a number of different activities that can be included in the quantum mechanics classroom to celebrate this centennial.
Introducing quantum computing to high school students with Grover's search algorithm
Authors: Hannum Mark S.
Published: December 2024

The noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era is progressing rapidly and giving both physics researchers and quantum computing companies (and their investors) strong indications that we could be on the cusp of the next quantum revolution. In addition to pushing science forward, we cannot ignore the development of the future workforce. This paper provides a detailed description of a quantum computing activity used in a high school physics course that applies Grover's algorithm to solve Boolean satisfiability problems. The details of the algorithm are first presented before the activity is described. Based on informal feedback from students, a case is made that the described activity is an effective means of introducing the field of quantum computing to high school students that builds interest in the field to support the development of a future workforce.
Engineering a live-attenuated porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus vaccine to prevent RNA recombination by rewiring transcriptional regulatory sequences
Authors: Li Liwei , Chen Jinxia , Cao Zhengda , Guo Ziqiang , Liu Jiachen , Zhou Yanjun , Tong Guangzhi , Gao Fei
Published: December 2024

Recombination is a significant factor driving the evolution of RNA viruses. The prevalence and variation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in China have been increasing in complexity due to extensive interlineage recombination. When this recombination phenomenon occurs in live vaccine strains, it becomes increasingly difficult to prevent and control PRRSV. Reverse genetic manipulation to engineer a different transcriptional regulatory sequence (TRS) circuit introduces genetic traps into the viral genome that are lethal to recombinant RNA progeny viruses. In this study, major interlineage recombination patterns were identified between lineage 1 (L1) PRRSVs and lineage 8 (L8) PRRSVs in China, from 2019 to 2023. The recombinant mutant virus, vA-TRSall, was constructed and successfully rescued by rewiring the entire TRS circuit without changing the amino acid-coding sequence in the genome of the PRRSV live vaccine strain vHuN4-F112. The vA-TRSall, with a brand new TRS circuit, provided effective immune protection against the highly pathogenic L8 PRRSV (vHuN4) and epidemic NADC30-like L1 PRRSV (vZJqz21). Recombination analysis
in vitro
and
in vivo
showed that, compared with the vHuN4-F112 and vZJqz21 co-infection groups, the incidence rates of mutation breakpoints and template-switching recombination in the vA-TRSall and vZJqz21 co-infected groups were effectively reduced. The results have enriched our understanding of the critical role of TRS circuits in PRRSV recombination mechanisms and indicate a successful redesign that can endow PRRSV live vaccines with recombination-resistant capabilities.

IMPORTANCE

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses (PRRSVs) are genetically diverse, and this is due in part to their extensive recombination. Live vaccines are widely used to prevent and control PRRS in China. However, owing to the wide variety of live vaccines, non-standard use, and the wild viruses prevalent on pig farms, new strains, generated via RNA recombination, are continuously emerging. Vaccine strains are also involved in PRRSV recombination, which leads to the emergence of new variants and alterations in virulence and pathogenesis. A recombination-resistant genome was engineered by rewiring the entire transcriptional regulatory sequence (TRS) circuit of the live PRRSV vaccine strain. Theoretically, after clinical application, once the virus recombines with the genome of the epidemic strain, the base pairing between the two sets of TRS circuits should be disrupted, resulting in a fatal genetic trap for the generation of an RNA recombinant progeny virus. Therefore, the remodeled PRRSV TRS mutant generated in this study can serve as a recombination-resistant platform for the rational design of safe PRRS vaccines in the future.
Autophagy protein Atg7 is essential for maintaining malaria parasite cellular homeostasis and organelle biogenesis
Authors: Mishra Akancha , Rajput Suryansh , Srivastava Pratik Narain , Shabeer Ali H. , Mishra Satish
Published: December 2024

Plasmodium
parasites have a complex life cycle that transitions between mosquito and mammalian hosts, and undergo continuous cellular remodeling to adapt to various drastic environments. Following hepatocyte invasion, the parasite discards superfluous organelles for intracellular replication, and the remnant organelles undergo extensive branching and mature into hepatic merozoites. Autophagy is a ubiquitous eukaryotic process that permits the recycling of intracellular components. Here, we show that the
Plasmodium berghei
autophagy-related E1-like enzyme Atg7 is expressed in the blood, sporozoites, and liver stages, localized to the parasite cytosol, and is essential for the localization of Atg8 on the membrane and the development of parasite blood and liver forms. We found that depleting Atg7 abolishes Atg8 lipidation, exocytosis of micronemes, organelle biogenesis, and the formation of merozoites during liver-stage development. Overall, this study establishes the essential functions of Atg7 in
Plasmodium
blood and liver stages, and highlights its role in maintaining the parasite’s cellular homeostasis and organelle biogenesis.

IMPORTANCE

The malaria life cycle involves two hosts, mosquitoes and vertebrates.
Plasmodium
parasites undergo complex intracellular and extracellular stages during this transition. Here, we report that an autophagy-related E1-like enzyme Atg7 is required to conjugate Atg8 on the apicoplast membrane. Atg7 depletion in
Plasmodium berghei
resulted in the loss of Atg8 lipidation and multiple defects like clearance of micronemes, organelle biogenesis, and maturation of hepatic schizonts during liver-stage development. The essentiality of
Plasmodium
Atg7 in blood and liver stages suggests it is a prospective target for developing autophagy-specific inhibitors. These results highlight the importance of autophagy in malaria parasite development.
Phage-mediated virulence loss and antimicrobial susceptibility in carbapenem-resistant
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Yu Yanshuang , Wang Mengzhu , Ju Liuying , Li Minchun , Zhao Mengshi , Deng Hui , Rensing Christopher , Yang Qiu E. , Zhou Shungui
Published: December 2024

Bacteriophages, known for their ability to kill bacteria, are hampered in their effectiveness because bacteria are able to rapidly develop resistance, thereby posing a significant challenge for the efficacy of phage therapy. The impact of evolutionary trajectories on the long-term success of phage therapy remains largely unclear. Herein, we conducted evolutionary experiments, genomic analysis, and CRISPR-mediated gene editing, to illustrate the evolutionary trajectory occurring between phages and their hosts. Our results illustrate the ongoing “arms race” between a lytic phage and its host, a carbapenem-resistant
Klebsiella pneumoniae
clinical strain Kp2092, suggesting their respective evolutionary adaptations that shape the efficacy of phage therapy. Specifically, Kp2092 rapidly developed resistance to phages through mutations in a key phage receptor (
galU
) and bacterial membrane defenses such as LPS synthesis, however, this evolution coincides with unexpected benefits. Evolved bacterial clones not only exhibited increased sensitivity to clinically important antibiotics but also displayed a loss of virulence in an
in-vivo
model. In contrast, phages evolved under the selection pressure against Kp2092 mutants and exhibited enhanced bacterial killing potency, targeting mutations in phage tail proteins gp12 and gp17. These parallel evolutionary trajectories suggest a common genetic mechanism driving adaptation, ultimately favoring the efficacy of phage therapy. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of phages not only as agents for combating bacterial resistance, but also a driver of evolution outcomes that could lead to more favorable clinical outcomes in the treatment of multidrug resistance pathogens.

IMPORTANCE

Carbapenem-resistant
Klebsiella pneumoniae
represents one of the leading pathogens for infectious diseases. With traditional antibiotics often being ineffective, phage therapy has emerged as a promising alternative. However, phage predation imposes a strong evolutionary pressure on the rapid evolution of bacteria, challenging treatment efficacy. Our findings illustrate how co-evolution enhances phage lytic capabilities through accumulated mutations in the tail proteins gp12 and gp17, while simultaneously reducing bacterial virulence and antibiotic resistance. These insights advance our understanding of phage-host interactions in clinical settings, potentially inspiring new approaches akin to an “arms race” model to combat multidrug-resistant crises effectively.
The protein structurome of Orthornavirae and its dark matter
Authors: Mutz Pascal , Camargo Antonio Pedro , Sahakyan Harutyun , Neri Uri , Butkovic Anamarija , Wolf Yuri I. , Krupovic Mart , Dolja Valerian V. , Koonin Eugene V.
Published: December 2024

Metatranscriptomics is uncovering more and more diverse families of viruses with RNA genomes comprising the viral kingdom Orthornavirae in the realm Riboviria. Thorough protein annotation and comparison are essential to get insights into the functions of viral proteins and virus evolution. In addition to sequence- and hmm profile‑based methods, protein structure comparison adds a powerful tool to uncover protein functions and relationships. We constructed an Orthornavirae “structurome” consisting of already annotated as well as unannotated (“dark matter”) proteins and domains encoded in viral genomes. We used protein structure modeling and similarity searches to illuminate the remaining dark matter in hundreds of thousands of orthornavirus genomes. The vast majority of the dark matter domains showed either “generic” folds, such as single α-helices, or no high confidence structure predictions. Nevertheless, a variety of lineage-specific globular domains that were new either to orthornaviruses in general or to particular virus families were identified within the proteomic dark matter of orthornaviruses, including several predicted nucleic acid-binding domains and nucleases. In addition, we identified a case of exaptation of a cellular nucleoside monophosphate kinase as an RNA-binding protein in several virus families. Notwithstanding the continuing discovery of numerous orthornaviruses, it appears that all the protein domains conserved in large groups of viruses have already been identified. The rest of the viral proteome seems to be dominated by poorly structured domains including intrinsically disordered ones that likely mediate specific virus-host interactions.

IMPORTANCE

Advanced methods for protein structure prediction, such as AlphaFold2, greatly expand our capability to identify protein domains and infer their likely functions and evolutionary relationships. This is particularly pertinent for proteins encoded by viruses that are known to evolve rapidly and as a result often cannot be adequately characterized by analysis of the protein sequences. We performed an exhaustive structure prediction and comparative analysis for uncharacterized proteins and domains (“dark matter”) encoded by viruses with RNA genomes. The results show the dark matter of RNA virus proteome consists mostly of disordered and all-α-helical domains that cannot be readily assigned a specific function and that likely mediate various interactions between viral proteins and between viral and host proteins. The great majority of globular proteins and domains of RNA viruses are already known although we identified several unexpected domains represented in individual viral families.