bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A perspective on boron-based multiple resonance narrowband emitters and devices
Authors: Du Mingxu , Zhou Jianping , Luo Xiaofeng , Duan Lian , Zhang Dongdong
Published: July 2024

Boron-based multiple resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescent (MR-TADF) emitters have shown great promises for applications in high-definition displays. This class of heteroatom-doped nanographene materials typically show very narrow-band emission, small singlet–triplet split (ΔEST) values, high Photoluminescence quantum yield, quality chemical and thermal stabilities. Undoubtedly, boron-based MR-TADF emitters hold a leading position in satisfying the wide-color gamut standard of BT. 2020 (The International Telecommunication Union announced a new color gamut standard of broadcast service television for ultra-high-definition TV in 2012). Thus, the development of novel boron-based MR-TADF emitters attracted a great deal of attention from both academia and industry. Here, a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in boron-based MR-TADF emitters is presented, therein, rational strategies for molecular designs, as well as the consequent optical behavior and efficiency and lifetime improvement in organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) devices are discussed. Finally, the challenges as well as some future research directions to unlock the full potential of this fascinating class of materials are provided.
The evolution of China’s opening-up policy and the measurement of the opening-up level of major coastal cities
Authors: Xing Wenxiu , Lv Bojun , Liu Tao , Jiang Linqi
Published: July 2024

By analyzing the evolution of China’s opening-up policy after the reform and opening up, we revealed the spatial layout and opening-up goals of different stages, as well as the leading position of coastal cities in China’s reform and opening up. On this basis, a comprehensive index evaluation method was used to construct indicators in the fields of economy, society, science and technology, and policy to measure the opening-up level of 22 major coastal cities in China from 2008 to 2020. The results showed that since 2008, the overall opening-up level of all 22 major coastal cities has generally shown a fluctuating upward trend, hugely contributing to improving the overall level of China’s opening-up. Among them, Shanghai is located in the first echelon of opening-up, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Tianjin are in the second echelon, Ningbo, Qingdao, Xiamen, Dalian, Fuzhou, and Zhuhai are in the third echelon, and other research cities are in the fourth echelon. The opening-up level of China’s major coastal cities has characteristics in the four fields of economy, society, science and technology, and policy. In addition to the overall downward trend of the economic opening-up due to domestic economic structural adjustment and international conditions, the opening level in society, science and technology, and policy has steadily advanced. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrated a significant heterogeneity in the opening level among different coastal regions and cities within different regions.
Advances in 3D pre-training and downstream tasks: a survey
Authors: Hou Yuenan , Huang Xiaoshui , Tang Shixiang , He Tong , Ouyang Wanli
Published: July 2024

Recent years have witnessed a signifcant breakthrough in the 3D domain. To track the most recent advances in the 3D field, in this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey of recent advances in the 3D feld, which encompasses a wide collection of topics, including diverse pre-training strategies, backbone designs and downstream tasks. Compared to the previous literature review on point cloud, our survey is more comprehensive. Our survey consists of the 3D pre-training methods, various downstream tasks, popular benchmarks, evaluation metrics as well as several promising future directions. We hope the survey can serve as the cornerstone for both academia and industry.
Observations and Numerical Simulations of the Effects of the Gamma Ray Burst 221009A on the Lower Ionosphere
Authors: Kerrache F. , Ammar A. , Ikhlef R. , NaitAmor S. , Bouyahiaoui Z. , Daiffallah K. , M. Shehata SH. , Shimeis A.
Published: July 2024

This paper investigates the impact of a powerful gamma ray burst (GRB) that occurred on 9 October 2022, on the Earth's environment using a very low frequency receiver (VLF) to probe the lower ionospheric region (the D region). In addition to the VLF data analysis, we employ numerical simulation through the Long Wavelength Propagation Capability code (LWPC) to derive the increase in the D− region electron density. Our results revealed discernible perturbations in amplitude and phase across all transmitter paths (NAA, DHO, ICV, and NSC) to the Algiers receiver persisting for 40 min. At the maximum of the signal perturbation, the LWPC simulation results showed a decrease in the mean new reference height h′ from 74 to 65.71 km, along with an increase in the sharpness factor β from 0.3 to 0.4875 km−1. Under these new conditions, the electron density increased from its ambient value (216.10 cm−3) to 33.7 103 cm−3.
Mean Summer Land Temperatures in the Southern California Coastal Zone: Connections With Ocean Processes
Authors: Hale M. L. , Merrifield M. A. , Clemesha R. E. S. , Gershunov A. , Guirguis K. , Benmarhnia T. , Dorman C. , Iacobellis S. F.
Published: July 2024

The cooling effect of the ocean on the Southern California coastal zone is investigated using a high‐resolution (4‐km) gridded surface meteorological data set (gridMET) of daily maximum temperature (Tmax), with focus on summer mean conditions, taken as the July–August–September (JAS) average. An empirical orthogonal function analysis reveals a coastal mode of JAS temperature covariability, distinct from a more energetic inland mode, that captures Tmax averaged across the Southern California coastal plain. The coastal mode temperature correlates significantly with, and has similar amplitude to, regional sea surface temperature (SST). High (low) summer land and sea surface temperatures, as well as inversion layer temperature differences, are associated with decreases (increases) of northerly coastal wind speeds and coastal cloudiness. The number of extreme heat days on land increases as regional SST increases (4.3 days °C−1), with heat wave days 10 times more likely during peak warm versus cool coastal mode years. The coastal zone was notably warmer and heat wave days peaked during the well documented marine heat wave events of 2014/15 and 2018 off Southern California. The marine variability associated with the coastal mode also has strong expression off the Baja California peninsula, presumably due to strong covarying winds in that area. As in previous studies, higher ocean temperatures are attributed to weaker summer winds, with associated reductions in ocean surface heat loss, coastal upwelling, and cloudiness.
Propagation Effects of Slanted Narrow Bipolar Events: A Rebounding‐Wave Model Study
Authors: Li Dongshuai , Luque Alejandro , Rachidi Farhad , Rubinstein Marcos , Neubert Torsten , Zhu Yanan , Chanrion Olivier , da Silva Caitano , Krehbiel Paul R.
Published: July 2024

Narrow bipolar events (NBEs) are impulsive and powerful intracloud discharges. Recent observations indicate that some NBEs exhibit a slanted orientation rather than strictly vertical. This paper investigates the effect of the slanted NBEs using a newly developed rebounding‐wave model. The modeling results are validated against the full‐wave Finite‐ Difference Time‐Domain method and compared with measurements for both vertical and slanted NBE cases. It is found that the inclination of the NBEs affects both the waveforms and amplitudes of the electrostatic, induction and radiation components of the electric fields at close distances (≤10 km). However, it primarily influences the amplitudes of the fields for distances beyond 50 km, where the radiation component dominates, resulting in changes of ≥30% when the slant angle exceeds 30°. The slanted rebounding‐wave model improves the agreement with respect to a purely vertical channel and can be extended to any discharge geometry at arbitrary observation distances.
Multiphase Buffering by Ammonia Sustains Sulfate Production in Atmospheric Aerosols
Authors: Zheng Guangjie , Su Hang , Andreae Meinrat O. , Pöschl Ulrich , Cheng Yafang
Published: July 2024

Multiphase oxidation of sulfur dioxide (SO2) is an important source of sulfate in the atmosphere. There are, however, concerns that protons produced during SO2 oxidation may cause rapid acidification of aerosol water and thereby quickly shut down the fast reactions favored at high pH. Here, we show that the sustainability of sulfate production is controlled by the competing effects of multiphase buffering and acidification, which can be well described by a characteristic buffering time, τbuff. Both GEOS‐Chem simulations and observations show that globally, τbuff is long enough (days) to sustain sulfate production over most populated regions, where the acidification of aerosol water is counteracted by the strong buffering effect of NH4+/NH3. Our results highlight the importance of anthropogenic ammonia emissions and pervasive human influences in shaping the chemical environment of the atmosphere.
ICESat‐2 Onboard Flight Receiver Algorithms: On‐Orbit Parameter Updates the Impact on Science Driven Observations
Authors: Magruder Lori , Reese Ann Rackley , Gibbons Aimée , Dietrich James , Neumann Tom
Published: July 2024

The ICESat‐2 (Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite‐2) photon‐counting laser altimeter technology required the design and development of very sophisticated onboard algorithms to collect, store and downlink the observations. These algorithms utilize both software and hardware solutions for meeting data volume requirements and optimizing the science achievable via ICESat‐2 measurements. Careful planning and dedicated development were accomplished during the pre‐launch phase of the mission in preparation for the 2018 launch. Once on‐orbit all of the systems and subsystems were evaluated for performance, including the receiver algorithms, to ensure compliance with mission standards and satisfy the mission science objectives. As the mission has progressed and the instrument performance and data volumes were better understood, there have been several opportunities to enhance ICESat‐2's contributions to Earth observation science initiated by NASA and the ICESat‐2 science community. We highlight multiple updates to the flight receiver algorithms, the onboard software for signal processing, that have extended ICESat‐2's data capabilities and allowed for advanced science applications beyond the original mission objectives.
Evidence for Glaciovolcanic, Phreatomagmatic Tuff Dominated Ridges at Pavonis Mons, Mars
Authors: Scanlon Kathleen E. , Garry W. Brent , Head James W.
Published: July 2024

HiRISE images and digital elevation models (DEMs) of outcrops in candidate Martian glaciovolcanoes provide more detailed evidence for glaciovolcanic processes than has previously been available for Mars. A group of ridges in the Pavonis Mons fan‐shaped glacial deposit features pervasive layering, evidence for local collapse and slumping, and steeper faces in the direction of paleoglacier flow inferred from other features in the deposit. After comparison with terrestrial analogs, we conclude that these ridges are excellent candidates for tephra‐dominated tindar, formed in phreatomagmatic subglacial eruptions. The englacial meltwater lakes required for a phreatomagmatic origin represent a rare example of voluminous surface water bodies in the Late Amazonian of Mars.
Imaging the Garlock Fault Zone With a Fiber: A Limited Damage Zone and Hidden Bimaterial Contrast
Authors: Atterholt James , Zhan Zhongwen , Yang Yan , Zhu Weiqiang
Published: July 2024

The structure of fault zones and the ruptures they host are inextricably linked. Fault zones are narrow, which has made imaging their structure at seismogenic depths a persistent problem. Fiber‐optic seismology allows for low‐maintenance, long‐term deployments of dense seismic arrays, which present new opportunities to address this problem. We use a fiber array that crosses the Garlock Fault to explore its structure. With a multifaceted imaging approach, we peel back the shallow structure around the fault to see how the fault changes with depth in the crust. We first generate a shallow velocity model across the fault with a joint inversion of active source and ambient noise data. Subsequently, we investigate the fault at deeper depths using travel‐time observations from local earthquakes. By comparing the shallow velocity model and the earthquake travel‐time observations, we find that the fault's low‐velocity zone below the top few hundred meters is at most unexpectedly narrow, potentially indicating fault zone healing. Using differential travel‐time measurements from earthquake pairs, we resolve a sharp bimaterial contrast at depth that suggests preferred westward rupture directivity.
Nonlinear encoding in diffractive information processing using linear optical materials
Authors: Li Yuhang , Li Jingxi , Ozcan Aydogan
Published: July 2024

Nonlinear encoding of optical information can be achieved using various forms of data representation. Here, we analyze the performances of different nonlinear information encoding strategies that can be employed in diffractive optical processors based on linear materials and shed light on their utility and performance gaps compared to the state-of-the-art digital deep neural networks. For a comprehensive evaluation, we used different datasets to compare the statistical inference performance of simpler-to-implement nonlinear encoding strategies that involve, e.g., phase encoding, against data repetition-based nonlinear encoding strategies. We show that data repetition within a diffractive volume (e.g., through an optical cavity or cascaded introduction of the input data) causes the loss of the universal linear transformation capability of a diffractive optical processor. Therefore, data repetition-based diffractive blocks cannot provide optical analogs to fully connected or convolutional layers commonly employed in digital neural networks. However, they can still be effectively trained for specific inference tasks and achieve enhanced accuracy, benefiting from the nonlinear encoding of the input information. Our results also reveal that phase encoding of input information without data repetition provides a simpler nonlinear encoding strategy with comparable statistical inference accuracy to data repetition-based diffractive processors. Our analyses and conclusions would be of broad interest to explore the push-pull relationship between linear material-based diffractive optical systems and nonlinear encoding strategies in visual information processors.
The recruitment of CD8+ T cells through YBX1 stabilization abrogates tumor intrinsic oncogenic role of MIR155HG in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Li Rutao , Zhang Yijian , Wang Anpeng , Feng Yipeng , Zhang Te , Wang Hui , Chen Yuzhong , Yu Xinnian , Song Xuming , Ding HanLin , Xu Lin , Dong Gaochao , Jiang Feng
Published: July 2024

Previous studies revealed that MIR155HG possessed an oncogenic role in many types of tumors including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), along with higher expression in tumors. However, in our study, we observed a positive correlation between MIR155HG expression and overall survival across different cohorts. The transferred PBMC on the NCG mouse model abrogated the tumor intrinsic oncogenic role of MIR155HG in LUAD. Upregulation of MIR155HG positively correlated with CD8+ T cell infiltration both in vitro and in vivo, as well as LUAD tissues. Mechanistically, we revealed that MIR155HG increased the cytokine CCL5 expression at the transcriptional level, which depended on the interaction between MIR155HG and YBX1 protein, a novel transcription factor of CCL5, resulting in the more protein stability of YBX1 through dampening ubiquitination. Additionally, we also observed that MIR155 could increase PD-L1 expression to hamper the activity of recruited CD8+ T cells, which could be rescued through PD-L1 mAb addition. Finally, we uncovered that patients with high MIR155HG expression had a higher response rate to immunotherapy, and the combination of MIR155HG overexpression and PD-L1 mAb increased the efficacy of PD-L1 mAb. Together, our study provides a novel biomarker and potential combination treatment strategy for patients who received immunotherapy.
Stability Oracle: a structure-based graph-transformer framework for identifying stabilizing mutations
Authors: Diaz Daniel J. , Gong Chengyue , Ouyang-Zhang Jeffrey , Loy James M. , Wells Jordan , Yang David , Ellington Andrew D. , Dimakis Alexandros G. , Klivans Adam R.
Published: July 2024

Engineering stabilized proteins is a fundamental challenge in the development of industrial and pharmaceutical biotechnologies. We present Stability Oracle: a structure-based graph-transformer framework that achieves SOTA performance on accurately identifying thermodynamically stabilizing mutations. Our framework introduces several innovations to overcome well-known challenges in data scarcity and bias, generalization, and computation time, such as: Thermodynamic Permutations for data augmentation, structural amino acid embeddings to model a mutation with a single structure, a protein structure-specific attention-bias mechanism that makes transformers a viable alternative to graph neural networks. We provide training/test splits that mitigate data leakage and ensure proper model evaluation. Furthermore, to examine our data engineering contributions, we fine-tune ESM2 representations (Prostata-IFML) and achieve SOTA for sequence-based models. Notably, Stability Oracle outperforms Prostata-IFML even though it was pretrained on 2000X less proteins and has 548X less parameters. Our framework establishes a path for fine-tuning structure-based transformers to virtually any phenotype, a necessary task for accelerating the development of protein-based biotechnologies.
Mutant mice with rod-specific VPS35 deletion exhibit retinal α-synuclein pathology-associated degeneration
Authors: Fu Cheng , Yang Nan , Chuang Jen-Zen , Nakajima Nobuyuki , Iraha Satoshi , Roy Neeta , Wu Zhenquan , Jiang Zhichun , Otsu Wataru , Radu Roxana A. , Yang Howard Hua , Lee Maxwell Ping , Worgall Tilla S. , Xiong Wen-Cheng , Sung Ching-Hwa
Published: July 2024

Vacuolar protein sorting 35 (VPS35), the core component of the retromer complex which regulates endosomal trafficking, is genetically linked with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Impaired vision is a common non-motor manifestation of PD. Here, we show mouse retinas with VPS35-deficient rods exhibit synapse loss and visual deficit, followed by progressive degeneration concomitant with the emergence of Lewy body-like inclusions and phospho-α-synuclein (P-αSyn) aggregation. Ultrastructural analyses reveal VPS35-deficient rods accumulate aggregates in late endosomes, deposited as lipofuscins bound to P-αSyn. Mechanistically, we uncover a protein network of VPS35 and its interaction with HSC70. VPS35 deficiency promotes sequestration of HSC70 and P-αSyn aggregation in late endosomes. Microglia which engulf lipofuscins and P-αSyn aggregates are activated, displaying autofluorescence, observed as bright dots in fundus imaging of live animals, coinciding with pathology onset and progression. The Rod∆Vps35 mouse line is a valuable tool for further mechanistic investigation of αSyn lesions and retinal degenerative diseases.
Determinants of transthyretin levels and their association with adverse clinical outcomes among UK Biobank participants
Authors: Shetty Naman S. , Gaonkar Mokshad , Patel Nirav , Pampana Akhil , Vekariya Nehal , Li Peng , Arora Garima , Arora Pankaj
Published: July 2024

Transthyretin is a transport protein whose misfolding has been implicated in the development of cardiac amyloidosis. Here, we examine the clinical correlates of transthyretin levels, the differences in transthyretin levels according to the pathogenic V142I TTR variant carrier status, and the association of transthyretin levels with outcomes among 35,206 UK Biobank participants who underwent plasma profiling and were free from prevalent cardiovascular disease and chronic renal disease. Transthyretin levels are lower in females, decrease with increasing C-reactive protein levels, and increase with body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, albumin levels, triglyceride levels, and creatinine levels. V142I non-carriers [n = 35,167, mean: −0.1 (0.3)] have higher adjusted transthyretin levels compared with the carriers [n = 39, mean: −0.5 (0.3)] (p:<0.001). A standard deviation decrease in transthyretin levels increases the risk of heart failure [HRadj: 1.17 (95% Confidence Interval = 1.08–1.26)] and all-cause mortality [HRadj: 1.18 (95% Confidence Interval = 1.14–1.24)]. This study shows that individuals with low transthyretin levels, such as those carrying the V142I variant, are at a higher risk of heart failure and mortality.
CAR T-cells targeting FGFR4 and CD276 simultaneously show potent antitumor effect against childhood rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: Tian Meijie , Wei Jun S. , Cheuk Adam Tai-Chi , Milewski David , Zhang Zhongmei , Kim Yong Yean , Chou Hsien-Chao , Liu Can , Badr Sherif , Pope Eleanor G. , Rahmy Abdelrahman , Wu Jerry T. , Kelly Michael C. , Wen Xinyu , Khan Javed
Published: July 2024

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells targeting Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 4 (FGFR4), a highly expressed surface tyrosine receptor in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), are already in the clinical phase of development, but tumour heterogeneity and suboptimal activation might hamper their potency. Here we report an optimization strategy of the co-stimulatory and targeting properties of a FGFR4 CAR. We replace the CD8 hinge and transmembrane domain and the 4-1BB co-stimulatory domain with those of CD28. The resulting CARs display enhanced anti-tumor activity in several RMS xenograft models except for an aggressive tumour cell line, RMS559. By searching for a direct target of the RMS core-regulatory transcription factor MYOD1, we identify another surface protein, CD276, as a potential target. Bicistronic CARs (BiCisCAR) targeting both FGFR4 and CD276, containing two distinct co-stimulatory domains, have superior prolonged persistent and invigorated anti-tumor activities compared to the optimized FGFR4-specific CAR and the other BiCisCAR with the same 4-1BB co-stimulatory domain. Our study thus lays down the proof-of-principle for a CAR T-cell therapy targeting both FGFR4 and CD276 in RMS.
Large oscillatory thermal hall effect in kagome metals
Authors: Zhang Dechen , Chen Kuan-Wen , Zheng Guoxin , Yu Fanghang , Shi Mengzhu , Zhu Yuan , Chan Aaron , Jenkins Kaila , Ying Jianjun , Xiang Ziji , Chen Xianhui , Li Lu
Published: July 2024

The thermal Hall effect recently provided intriguing probes to the ground state of exotic quantum matters. These observations of transverse thermal Hall signals lead to the debate on the fermionic versus bosonic origins of these phenomena. The recent report of quantum oscillations (QOs) in Kitaev spin liquid points to a possible resolution. The Landau level quantization would most likely capture only the fermionic thermal transport effect. However, the QOs in the thermal Hall effect are generally hard to detect. In this work, we report the observation of a large oscillatory thermal Hall effect of correlated Kagome metals. We detect a 180-degree phase change of the oscillation and demonstrate the phase flip as an essential feature for QOs in the thermal transport properties. More importantly, the QOs in the thermal Hall channel are more profound than those in the electrical Hall channel, which strongly violates the Wiedemann–Franz (WF) law for QOs. This result presents the oscillatory thermal Hall effect as a powerful probe to the correlated quantum materials.
A multi-classifier system integrated by clinico-histology-genomic analysis for predicting recurrence of papillary renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Huang Kang-Bo , Gui Cheng-Peng , Xu Yun-Ze , Li Xue-Song , Zhao Hong-Wei , Cao Jia-Zheng , Chen Yu-Hang , Pan Yi-Hui , Liao Bing , Cao Yun , Zhang Xin-Ke , Han Hui , Zhou Fang-Jian , Liu Ran-Yi , Chen Wen-Fang , Jiang Ze-Ying , Feng Zi-Hao , Jiang Fu-Neng , Yu Yan-Fei , Xiong Sheng-Wei , Han Guan-Peng , Tang Qi , Ouyang Kui , Qu Gui-Mei , Wu Ji-Tao , Cao Ming , Dong Bai-Jun , Huang Yi-Ran , Zhang Jin , Li Cai-Xia , Li Pei-Xing , Chen Wei , Zhong Wei-De , Guo Jian-Ping , Liu Zhi-Ping , Hsieh Jer-Tsong , Xie Dan , Cai Mu-Yan , Xue Wei , Wei Jin-Huan , Luo Jun-Hang
Published: July 2024

Integrating genomics and histology for cancer prognosis demonstrates promise. Here, we develop a multi-classifier system integrating a lncRNA-based classifier, a deep learning whole-slide-image-based classifier, and a clinicopathological classifier to accurately predict post-surgery localized (stage I–III) papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) recurrence. The multi-classifier system demonstrates significantly higher predictive accuracy for recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared to the three single classifiers alone in the training set and in both validation sets (C-index 0.831-0.858 vs. 0.642-0.777, p < 0.05). The RFS in our multi-classifier-defined high-risk stage I/II and grade 1/2 groups is significantly worse than in the low-risk stage III and grade 3/4 groups (p < 0.05). Our multi-classifier system is a practical and reliable predictor for recurrence of localized pRCC after surgery that can be used with the current staging system to more accurately predict disease course and inform strategies for individualized adjuvant therapy.
Dissemination of pathogenic bacteria is reinforced by a MARTX toxin effector duet
Authors: Choi Sanghyeon , Lee Youngjin , Park Shinhye , Jang Song Yee , Park Jongbin , Oh Do Won , Kim Su-Man , Kim Tae-Hwan , Lee Ga Seul , Cho Changyi , Kim Byoung Sik , Lee Donghan , Kim Eun-Hee , Cheong Hae-Kap , Moon Jeong Hee , Song Ji-Joon , Hwang Jungwon , Kim Myung Hee
Published: July 2024

Multiple bacterial genera take advantage of the multifunctional autoprocessing repeats-in-toxin (MARTX) toxin to invade host cells. Secretion of the MARTX toxin by Vibrio vulnificus, a deadly opportunistic pathogen that causes primary septicemia, the precursor of sepsis, is a major driver of infection; however, the molecular mechanism via which the toxin contributes to septicemia remains unclear. Here, we report the crystal and cryo-electron microscopy (EM) structures of a toxin effector duet comprising the domain of unknown function in the first position (DUF1)/Rho inactivation domain (RID) complexed with human targets. These structures reveal how the duet is used by bacteria as a potent weapon. The data show that DUF1 acts as a RID-dependent transforming NADase domain (RDTND) that disrupts NAD+ homeostasis by hijacking calmodulin. The cryo-EM structure of the RDTND-RID duet complexed with calmodulin and Rac1, together with immunological analyses in vitro and in mice, provide mechanistic insight into how V. vulnificus uses the duet to suppress ROS generation by depleting NAD(P)+ and modifying Rac1 in a mutually-reinforcing manner that ultimately paralyzes first line immune responses, promotes dissemination of invaders, and induces sepsis. These data may allow development of tools or strategies to combat MARTX toxin-related human diseases.
Fundamental causal bounds of quantum random access memories
Authors: Wang Yunfei , Alexeev Yuri , Jiang Liang , Chong Frederic T. , Liu Junyu
Published: July 2024

Our study evaluates the limitations and potentials of Quantum Random Access Memory (QRAM) within the principles of quantum physics and relativity. QRAM is crucial for advancing quantum algorithms in fields like linear algebra and machine learning, purported to efficiently manage large data sets with $${{{\mathcal{O}}}}(\log N)$$

O

(

log
N

)

circuit depth. However, its scalability is questioned when considering the relativistic constraints on qubits interacting locally. Utilizing relativistic quantum field theory and Lieb–Robinson bounds, we delve into the causality-based limits of QRAM. Our investigation introduces a feasible QRAM model in hybrid quantum acoustic systems, capable of supporting a significant number of logical qubits across different dimensions-up to ~107 in 1D, ~1015 to ~1020 in 2D, and ~1024 in 3D, within practical operation parameters. This analysis suggests that relativistic causality principles could universally influence quantum computing hardware, underscoring the need for innovative quantum memory solutions to navigate these foundational barriers, thereby enhancing future quantum computing endeavors in data science.
Expanding access to water quality monitoring with the open-source WaterScope testing platform
Authors: Dabrowska Alicja , Lewis George R. , Atlabachew Minaleshewa , Salter Susannah J. , Henderson Cassi , Ji Chang , Ehlers Annike , Stirling Julian , Mower Sophie , Allen Lara , Lay Elizabeth , Stuart Kara , Appavou Lisa , Bowman Richard , Zhao Tianheng , Patel Nalin , Patto Alexander , Holmes Mark A. , Baumberg Jeremy J. , Mahdi Sammy
Published: July 2024

Increasing access to water quality tests in low-income communities is a crucial strategy toward achieving global water equality. Recent studies in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector underscore the importance of addressing practical concerns in water testing, such as robustness and results communication. In response, we present the WaterScope testing kit; an open-source, validated platform for drinking water quality assessment. It modernises the testing process with the inclusion of a unique cartridge/slider mechanism, machine-learning-enhanced classification and full digitalisation of results. WaterScope’s equivalency to conventional methods for quantifying E. coli is established through extensive validation experiments in both laboratory and field environments. This versatile platform provides potential to expand its applications to test other bacteria, perform colorimetric assays, and analyse clinical samples such as blood/urine samples. We anticipate that the system’s ease-of-use, portability, affordability, robustness, and digital nature will accelerate progress toward global water equality.
Retinal Image Dataset of Infants and Retinopathy of Prematurity
Authors: Timkovič Juraj , Nowaková Jana , Kubíček Jan , Hasal Martin , Varyšová Alice , Kolarčík Lukáš , Maršolková Kristýna , Augustynek Martin , Snášel Václav
Published: July 2024

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) represents a vasoproliferative disease, especially in newborns and infants, which can potentially affect and damage the vision. Despite recent advances in neonatal care and medical guidelines, ROP still remains one of the leading causes of worldwide childhood blindness. The paper presents a unique dataset of 6,004 retinal images of 188 newborns, most of whom are premature infants. The dataset is accompanied by the anonymized patients’ information from the ROP screening acquired at the University Hospital Ostrava, Czech Republic. Three digital retinal imaging camera systems are used in the study: Clarity RetCam 3, Natus RetCam Envision, and Phoenix ICON. The study is enriched by the software tool ReLeSeT which is aimed at automatic retinal lesion segmentation and extraction from retinal images. Consequently, this tool enables computing geometric and intensity features of retinal lesions. Also, we publish a set of pre-processing tools for feature boosting of retinal lesions and retinal blood vessels for building classification and segmentation models in ROP analysis.
3D meshes dataset of sagittal otoliths from red mullet in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Andrialovanirina Nicolas , Poloni Lauriane , Laffont Rémi , Poisson Caillault Émilie , Couette Sébastien , Mahé Kélig
Published: July 2024

This paper presents a dataset of 3D sagittal left otolith meshes from 339 individual red mullet (Mullus barbatus). These immature specimens were collected from 17 geographical areas covering the entire Mediterranean Sea. Measured biological parameters were: fish total length (TL ± 1 mm, range from 125 to 238 mm), total weight (W ± 0.1 g, range from 14.9 to 168.0 g), sex (S), sexual maturity staging (Mat). The 3D otolith dataset comprises high-resolution meshes of otoliths obtained using microtomography (29.2 μm voxel size). The data offer valuable insights into the morphological variability and population structure of red mullet populations in the Mediterranean Sea. Potential applications of the dataset include age determination, stock identification, and population connectivity analysis. These applications aim to enhance the understanding of red mullet populations and contribute to the sustainable management of marine resources in the Mediterranean Sea.
Molecular detection and characterization of Anaplasma marginale and Babesia canis vogeli infecting dogs in Luxor, Egypt
Authors: Mahmoud Hassan Y. A. H. , Shahat Moshera S. , Fereig Ragab M. , Ali Alsagher O. , Emeish Walaa F. A. , Soliman Ahmed M. , Khalifa Fatma A. , Tanaka Tetsuya
Published: July 2024

Tick-borne diseases in animals are increasing rapidly worldwide, but there is insufficient information about tick-borne diseases infecting dogs in southern Egypt. Thus, in the current study, we detected the presence of Anaplasma marginale (A. marginale) and Babesia canis vogeli (B. canis vogeli) in the blood of dogs. The results revealed that 4/100 (4%) were positive, and a higher infection rate was found in males (75%), than females (25%). The phylogenetic analysis for the major surface protein 4 (msp4) gene in this study was compared with amplicons separate from other reported isolates with alignment by identity 100% with cattle and camels from Egypt, and the phylogenetic analysis for the B. canis vogeli small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene in this study identified identity by 99.89% with dogs from Egypt. This report is considered the first report in southern Egypt about A. marginale in dogs based on the sequence analysis of the msp4 gene, providing new data for the classification and identification of A. marginale in dogs compared to A. marginale isolated from other animals in southern Egypt.
A novel methodology utilizing microchip implants to monitor individual activity and body temperature for assessing knee pain in group-housed rats
Authors: Hasegawa Shoichi , Yamashita Riko , Nakagawa Yusuke , Miyatake Kazumasa , Katagiri Hiroki , Nakamura Tomomasa , Koga Hideyuki , Sekiya Ichiro , Yoshii Toshitaka , Rosen Vicki , Tsuji Kunikazu
Published: July 2024

The pain assessment in animals is challenging as they cannot verbally express the site and severity of pain. In this study, we tried a small implantable actimeter, “Nanotag”, to monitor spontaneous locomotor activity and body temperature in animals suffering from a chemical-induced rat knee arthritis as compared to naïve and steroid-treated rats. Nanotag could detect the decrease in locomotor activity quickly after the arthritis induction and anti-inflammation analgesic treatment by intra-articular injection of steroid significantly improved locomotor activity. These changes were in the same line with those of a conventional knee pain evaluation method (incapacitance test). Nanotag can be utilized as the non-interventional, continuous, and completely objective monitoring the amount of pain in rat knee arthritis model. This traditional yet innovative method may be universally applicable to various pain models and species, making it a worthwhile device for research across diverse fields.
Artificial lightweight aggregate made from alternative and waste raw materials, hardened using the hybrid method
Authors: Stempkowska Agata , Gawenda Tomasz
Published: July 2024

Lightweight aggregates are a material used in many industries. A huge amount of this material is used in construction and architecture. For the most part, lightweight construction aggregates are obtained from natural resources such as clay raw materials that have the ability to swell at high temperatures. Resources of these clays are limited and not available everywhere. Therefore, opportunities are being sought to produce lightweight artificial aggregates that have interesting performance characteristics due to their properties. For example, special preparation techniques can reduce or increase the water absorption of such an aggregate depending on the needs and application. The production of artificial lightweight aggregate using various types of waste materials is environmentally friendly as it reduces the depletion of natural resources. Therefore, this article proposes a method of obtaining artificial lightweight aggregate consolidated using two methods: drum and dynamic granulation. Hardening was achieved using combined methods: sintering and hydration, trying to maintain the highest possible porosity. Waste materials were used, such as dust from construction rubble and residues from the processing of PET bottles, as well as clay from the Bełchatów mine as a raw material accompanying the lignite overburden. High open porosity of the aggregates was achieved, above 30%, low apparent density of 1.23 g/cm3, low leachability of approximately 250 µS. The produced lightweight aggregates could ultimately be used in green roofs.
Robust fisheries management strategies under deep uncertainty
Authors: Conradt Jan , Funk Steffen , Sguotti Camilla , Voss Rudi , Blenckner Thorsten , Möllmann Christian
Published: July 2024

Fisheries worldwide face uncertain futures as climate change manifests in environmental effects of hitherto unseen strengths. Developing climate-ready management strategies traditionally requires a good mechanistic understanding of stock response to climate change in order to build projection models for testing different exploitation levels. Unfortunately, model-based projections of fish stocks are severely limited by large uncertainties in the recruitment process, as the required stock-recruitment relationship is usually not well represented by data. An alternative is to shift focus to improving the decision-making process, as postulated by the decision-making under deep uncertainty (DMDU) framework. Robust Decision Making (RDM), a key DMDU concept, aims at identifying management decisions that are robust to a vast range of uncertain scenarios. Here we employ RDM to investigate the capability of North Sea cod to support a sustainable and economically viable fishery under future climate change. We projected the stock under 40,000 combinations of exploitation levels, emission scenarios and stock-recruitment parameterizations and found that model uncertainties and exploitation have similar importance for model outcomes. Our study revealed that no management strategy exists that is fully robust to the uncertainty in relation to model parameterization and future climate change. We instead propose a risk assessment that accounts for the trade-offs between stock conservation and profitability under deep uncertainty.
Contribution of anthropogenic influence to the 2022-like Yangtze River valley compound heatwave and drought event
Authors: Chen Dong , Qiao Shaobo , Yang Jie , Tang Shankai , Zuo Dongdong , Feng Guolin
Published: July 2024

In August 2022, an unprecedented compound heatwave and drought event (CHDE) lasting 24 days occurred in the Yangtze River valley (YRV), leading to a severe reduction of the crop, fresh water, and power supply. We constructed a joint cumulative probability distribution of heatwave and drought intensity, and found that the lowest probability-based index (PI) of 0.06 in 2022 was estimated as a 1-in-662-year event over the 1961–2022 climate. We then detected the fingerprint of greenhouse gas forcing to the observed PI in a generalized extreme value framework, but not the aerosol forcing, suggesting the leading contribution of greenhouse gas forcing on such extreme CHDE. Furthermore, anthropogenic influence had increased the probability of such CHDE by more than 10 times compared to the counterfactual climate. Also, the PI decreased from about 0.30 at the present climate to about 0.14 at the 3 °C global warming level, indicating that CHDE will become more extreme over YRV.
Hidden flaws behind expert-level accuracy of multimodal GPT-4 vision in medicine
Authors: Jin Qiao , Chen Fangyuan , Zhou Yiliang , Xu Ziyang , Cheung Justin M. , Chen Robert , Summers Ronald M. , Rousseau Justin F. , Ni Peiyun , Landsman Marc J. , Baxter Sally L. , Al’Aref Subhi J. , Li Yijia , Chen Alexander , Brejt Josef A. , Chiang Michael F. , Peng Yifan , Lu Zhiyong
Published: July 2024

Recent studies indicate that Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 with Vision (GPT-4V) outperforms human physicians in medical challenge tasks. However, these evaluations primarily focused on the accuracy of multi-choice questions alone. Our study extends the current scope by conducting a comprehensive analysis of GPT-4V’s rationales of image comprehension, recall of medical knowledge, and step-by-step multimodal reasoning when solving New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) Image Challenges—an imaging quiz designed to test the knowledge and diagnostic capabilities of medical professionals. Evaluation results confirmed that GPT-4V performs comparatively to human physicians regarding multi-choice accuracy (81.6% vs. 77.8%). GPT-4V also performs well in cases where physicians incorrectly answer, with over 78% accuracy. However, we discovered that GPT-4V frequently presents flawed rationales in cases where it makes the correct final choices (35.5%), most prominent in image comprehension (27.2%). Regardless of GPT-4V’s high accuracy in multi-choice questions, our findings emphasize the necessity for further in-depth evaluations of its rationales before integrating such multimodal AI models into clinical workflows.
Manipulating the crystallization kinetics of halide perovskites for large-area solar modules
Authors: Wang Zhaojin , Duan Xiao , Zhang Jing , Yuan Wenbin , Qu Dinghao , Chen You , He Lijuan , Wang Haoran , Yang Guang , Zhang Wei , Bai Yang , Cheng Hui-Ming
Published: July 2024

In the last decade, laboratory-scale single-junction perovskite solar cells have achieved a remarkable power conversion efficiency exceeding 26.1%. However, the transition to industrial-scale production has unveiled a significant efficiency gap. The central challenge lies in the difficulty of achieving uniform, high-quality perovskite films on a large scale. To tackle this issue, various innovative strategies for manipulating crystallization have emerged in recent years. Based on an in-depth fundamental understanding of the nucleation and growth mechanisms in large-area perovskite films prepared through blade/slot-die coating methods, this review offers a critical examination of crystallization manipulation strategies for large-area perovskite solar modules. Lastly, we explore future avenues aimed at enhancing the efficiency and stability of large-area PSMs, thereby steering the field toward commercially viable applications.
Aficamten is a small-molecule cardiac myosin inhibitor designed to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Hartman James J. , Hwee Darren T. , Robert-Paganin Julien , Chuang Chihyuan , Chin Eva R. , Edell Samantha , Lee Ken H. , Madhvani Roshni , Paliwal Preeti , Pernier Julien , Sarkar Saswata Sankar , Schaletzky Julia , Schauer Kristine , Taheri Khanha D. , Wang Jingying , Wehri Eddie , Wu Yangsong , Houdusse Anne , Morgan Bradley P. , Malik Fady I.
Published: July 2024

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an inherited disease of the sarcomere resulting in excessive cardiac contractility. The first-in-class cardiac myosin inhibitor, mavacamten, improves symptoms in obstructive HCM. Here we present aficamten, a selective small-molecule inhibitor of cardiac myosin that diminishes ATPase activity by strongly slowing phosphate release, stabilizing a weak actin-binding state. Binding to an allosteric site on the myosin catalytic domain distinct from mavacamten, aficamten prevents the conformational changes necessary to enter the strongly actin-bound force-generating state. In doing so, aficamten reduces the number of functional myosin heads driving sarcomere shortening. The crystal structure of aficamten bound to cardiac myosin in the pre-powerstroke state provides a basis for understanding its selectivity over smooth and fast skeletal muscle. Furthermore, in cardiac myocytes and in mice bearing the hypertrophic R403Q cardiac myosin mutation, aficamten reduces cardiac contractility. Our findings suggest aficamten holds promise as a therapy for HCM.
System transferability of Raman-based oesophageal tissue classification using modern machine learning to support multi-centre clinical diagnostics
Authors: Blake Nathan , Gaifulina Riana , Isabelle Martin , Dorney Jennifer , Rodriguez-Justo Manuel , Lau Katherine , Ohrel Stéphanie , Lloyd Gavin , Shepherd Neil , Lewis Aaran , Kendall Catherine A. , Stone Nick , Bell Ian , Thomas Geraint
Published: July 2024

Background

The clinical potential of Raman spectroscopy is well established but has yet to become established in routine oncology workflows. One barrier slowing clinical adoption is a lack of evidence demonstrating that data taken on one spectrometer transfers across to data taken on another spectrometer to provide consistent diagnoses.

Methods

We investigated multi-centre transferability using human oesophageal tissue. Raman spectra were taken across three different centres with different spectrometers of the same make and model. By using a common protocol, we aimed to minimise the difference in machine learning performance between centres.

Results

61 oesophageal samples from 51 patients were interrogated by Raman spectroscopy at each centre and classified into one of five pathologies. The overall accuracy and log-loss did not significantly vary when a model trained upon data from any one centre was applied to data taken at the other centres. Computational methods to correct for the data during pre-processing were not needed.

Conclusion

We have found that when using the same make and model of spectrometer, together with a common protocol, across different centres it is possible to achieve system transferability without the need for additional computational instrument correction.
Identification of amino acids restricting HBV receptor function in porcine NTCP
Authors: Jeske Samuel D. , Wettengel Jochen M. , Gegenfurtner Florian , Fischer Konrad , Moosmüller Judith , Chakraborty Anindita , Ko Chunkyu , Burwitz Benjamin J. , Schnieke Angelika , Protzer Ulrike
Published: July 2024

With 254 million chronically infected patients, hepatitis B virus (HBV) continues to be a severe health threat. While animal models play a crucial role in developing new therapies, the availability of preclinical HBV models is very limited. Therefore, novel in vivo infection models are urgently needed. The bona fide HBV receptor, sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP), determines HBV’s species and cell-type specificity. Recent studies have indicated that the expression of human NTCP is the only limiting factor for HBV infection in selected species, such as macaques or pigs. Here, we confirm HBV infection of pig hepatocytes expressing human NTCP and show that porcine NTCP does not support HBV binding. By gradually humanizing porcine NTCP and site-directed mutagenesis, we identified amino acids 158 and 167 in porcine NTCP, limiting HBV interaction. In a proof-of-concept experiment, we showed that the expression of porcine NTCP with humanized amino acids 157-167 renders primary porcine hepatocytes fully susceptible to HBV. These results pave the way for generating transgenic pigs with humanized porcine chimeric NTCP as a novel, fully immunocompetent infection model for developing and validating new curative HBV therapies.
Development of injectable colloidal solution forming an in situ hydrogel for tumor ablation
Authors: Choi Seong Jin , Lee Sanghee , Choi Hyunjun , Ko Min Jun , Kim Donghwan , Kim Dong-Hyun
Published: July 2024

We developed percutaneous intra-tumoral injectable tumor ablation colloidal solution that can be transformed to an MRI visible hydrogel drug depot in tumor tissues.