bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observational Characteristics of High‐Latitude Ionization Trough Seen by Swarm
Authors: Kim Su‐In , Kwak Young‐Sil , Kil Hyosub , Park Jaeheung , Kim Khan‐Hyuk
Published: May 2024

This study investigates the distribution and formation mechanisms of ionization troughs inside an auroral oval (referred to as high‐latitude troughs) by analyzing Swarm observations from May–August 2014. Simultaneous measurements of plasma density, 3‐dimensional ion velocity, ionospheric radial current (IRC), and electron temperature are available during this period. Because high‐latitude troughs appear within an auroral oval while mid‐latitude troughs appear at the equatorward edge of the auroral oval, the positioning of troughs relative to the equatorward auroral boundary becomes critical for distinguishing between the two types of troughs. We ascertain the auroral boundary and the orientation of field‐aligned currents using IRC data derived from magnetic field measurements. The principal features of high‐latitude troughs identified from Swarm data include: (a) enhancements in ion velocity and electron temperature, (b) the presence of downward or absent field‐aligned current (FAC), and (c) a more frequent occurrence in the Northern (summer) Hemisphere than in the Southern (winter) Hemisphere and in the dawn and dusk sectors than in the noon and midnight sectors. The alignment of the density minimum with the velocity maximum underscores the role of high‐speed plasma convection in the formation of high‐latitude troughs; atmospheric frictional heating promotes the O+ loss through dissociative recombination. The prevailing appearance of high‐latitude troughs at dawn and dusk sectors, coupled with downward field‐aligned currents, indicates the involvement of outward electron evacuation in trough formation.
Freezing Nucleus Spectra for Hailstone Samples in China From Droplet Freezing Experiments
Authors: Ren Yangze , Fu Shizuo , Bi Kai , Zhang Haifan , Lin Xiangyu , Cao Ke , Zhang Qinghong , Xue Huiwen
Published: May 2024

Ice nucleating particles (INPs) can be important for deep convective storms through affecting microphysical, thermodynamical, and radiative properties and precipitation. Since the mass of a hailstone is predominantly contributed by supercooled cloud droplets, INPs in supercooled cloud droplets during deep convective storms can be indicated from INPs in hailstones. In this study, hailstones are collected from eight deep convective cases in three regions of China, and immersion freezing INPs in hailstones are measured using droplet freezing experiments over a wide temperature range from −27.5°C to −4.0°C. INP concentrations can vary by 2–3 orders of magnitude, which is consistent with the result in a previous study on hailstones for the same eight cases that insoluble aerosol number concentrations in hailstones also have a variability of 2–3 orders of magnitude. Using the fitting method, three INP modes are suggested to be included for most hailstone samples, while one to two INP modes can be good enough for a couple of hailstone samples. Furthermore, the INPs for warmer mode are more heat‐sensitive, indicating possible existence of proteinaceous biological species.
Lava Delta Formation: Mathematical Modeling and Laboratory Experiments
Authors: Taylor‐West J. J. , Balmforth N. J. , Hogg A. J.
Published: May 2024

We analyze the dynamics of evolving lava‐fed deltas through the use of shallow‐layer mathematical models and analog laboratory experiments. Numerical and asymptotic solutions are calculated for the cases of planar and three‐dimensional flows fed by a point source upstream of the shoreline. We consider several modes of delta formation: a reduction in the driving buoyancy force; an enhanced viscosity of the submerged material; and the production of a granular subaqueous platform, over which a subaerial current can propagate. These modes of delta formation result in different behaviors. Under a steady supply of fluid upstream, the buoyancy‐driven case develops a solution with a steady subaerial delta and a subaqueous current which propagates at a constant speed, while the granular platform model extends the delta indefinitely. We determine a late‐time power‐law relation for the shoreline extent with time in this case. When the viscosity contrast is large, the model with an enhanced subaqueous viscosity is shown to mimic the initial dynamics of the granular platform model, but ultimately reaches a steady shoreline extent at sufficiently late times, as for the buoyancy‐driven model. The distinct behaviors of these models are further illustrated through laboratory experiments, utilizing the gelling reaction of sodium alginate solution in the presence of calcium ions as a novel analog for the abrupt rheological changes that occur when lava makes contact with water. These experiments provide quantitative verification of the buoyancy‐driven model in the absence of the reaction, and demonstrate the effects of a subaqueous platform qualitatively in its presence.
Magnetically controllable multimode interference in topological photonic crystals
Authors: Tang Weiyuan , Wang Mudi , Ma Shaojie , Chan Che Ting , Zhang Shuang
Published: May 2024

Topological photonic insulators show promise for applications in compact integrated photonic circuits due to their ability to transport light robustly through sharp bendings. The number of topological edge states relies on the difference between the bulk Chern numbers across the boundary, as dictated by the bulk edge correspondence. The interference among multiple topological edge modes in topological photonics systems may allow for controllable functionalities that are particularly desirable for constructing reconfigurable photonic devices. In this work, we demonstrate magnetically controllable multimode interference based on gyromagnetic topological photonic insulators that support two unidirectional edge modes with different dispersions. We successfully achieve controllable power splitting in experiments by engineering multimode interference with the magnetic field intensity or the frequency of wave. Our work demonstrates that manipulating the interference among multiple chiral edge modes can facilitate the advancement of highly efficient and adaptable microwave devices.
Global projections of heat exposure of older adults
Authors: Falchetta Giacomo , De Cian Enrica , Sue Wing Ian , Carr Deborah
Published: May 2024

The global population is aging at the same time as heat exposures are increasing due to climate change. Age structure, and its biological and socio-economic drivers, determine populations’ vulnerability to high temperatures. Here we combine age-stratified demographic projections with downscaled temperature projections to mid-century and find that chronic exposure to heat doubles across all warming scenarios. Moreover, >23% of the global population aged 69+ will inhabit climates whose 95th percentile of daily maximum temperature exceeds the critical threshold of 37.5 °C, compared with 14% today, exposing an additional 177–246 million older adults to dangerous acute heat. Effects are most severe in Asia and Africa, which also have the lowest adaptive capacity. Our results facilitate regional heat risk assessments and inform public health decision-making.
Ultrastrong magnon-magnon coupling and chiral spin-texture control in a dipolar 3D multilayered artificial spin-vortex ice
Authors: Dion Troy , Stenning Kilian D. , Vanstone Alex , Holder Holly H. , Sultana Rawnak , Alatteili Ghanem , Martinez Victoria , Kaffash Mojtaba Taghipour , Kimura Takashi , Oulton Rupert F. , Branford Will R. , Kurebayashi Hidekazu , Iacocca Ezio , Jungfleisch M. Benjamin , Gartside Jack C.
Published: May 2024

Strongly-interacting nanomagnetic arrays are ideal systems for exploring reconfigurable magnonics. They provide huge microstate spaces and integrated solutions for storage and neuromorphic computing alongside GHz functionality. These systems may be broadly assessed by their range of reliably accessible states and the strength of magnon coupling phenomena and nonlinearities. Increasingly, nanomagnetic systems are expanding into three-dimensional architectures. This has enhanced the range of available magnetic microstates and functional behaviours, but engineering control over 3D states and dynamics remains challenging. Here, we introduce a 3D magnonic metamaterial composed from multilayered artificial spin ice nanoarrays. Comprising two magnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic spacer, each nanoisland may assume four macrospin or vortex states per magnetic layer. This creates a system with a rich 16N microstate space and intense static and dynamic dipolar magnetic coupling. The system exhibits a broad range of emergent phenomena driven by the strong inter-layer dipolar interaction, including ultrastrong magnon-magnon coupling with normalised coupling rates of $$\frac{\Delta f}{\nu }=0.57$$

Δ
f

ν

=
0.57
, GHz mode shifts in zero applied field and chirality-control of magnetic vortex microstates with corresponding magnonic spectra.
Dysfunctional adipocytes promote tumor progression through YAP/TAZ-dependent cancer-associated adipocyte transformation
Authors: Song Yaechan , Na Heeju , Lee Seung Eon , Kim You Min , Moon Jihyun , Nam Tae Wook , Ji Yul , Jin Young , Park Jae Hyung , Cho Seok Chan , Lee Jaehoon , Hwang Daehee , Ha Sang-Jun , Park Hyun Woo , Kim Jae Bum , Lee Han-Woong
Published: May 2024

Obesity has emerged as a prominent risk factor for the development of malignant tumors. However, the existing literature on the role of adipocytes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) to elucidate the correlation between obesity and cancer remains insufficient. Here, we aim to investigate the formation of cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs) and their contribution to tumor growth using mouse models harboring dysfunctional adipocytes. Specifically, we employ adipocyte-specific BECN1 KO (BaKO) mice, which exhibit lipodystrophy due to dysfunctional adipocytes. Our results reveal the activation of YAP/TAZ signaling in both CAAs and BECN1-deficient adipocytes, inducing adipocyte dedifferentiation and formation of a malignant TME. The additional deletion of YAP/TAZ from BaKO mice significantly restores the lipodystrophy and inflammatory phenotypes, leading to tumor regression. Furthermore, mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) exhibit decreased BECN1 and increased YAP/TAZ expression in their adipose tissues. Treatment with the YAP/TAZ inhibitor, verteporfin, suppresses tumor progression in BaKO and HFD-fed mice, highlighting its efficacy against mice with metabolic dysregulation. Overall, our findings provide insights into the key mediators of CAA and their significance in developing a TME, thereby suggesting a viable approach targeting adipocyte homeostasis to suppress cancer growth.
Quantifying 3′UTR length from scRNA-seq data reveals changes independent of gene expression
Authors: Fansler Mervin M. , Mitschka Sibylle , Mayr Christine
Published: May 2024

Although more than half of all genes generate transcripts that differ in 3′UTR length, current analysis pipelines only quantify the amount but not the length of mRNA transcripts. 3′UTR length is determined by 3′ end cleavage sites (CS). We map CS in more than 200 primary human and mouse cell types and increase CS annotations relative to the GENCODE database by 40%. Approximately half of all CS are used in few cell types, revealing that most genes only have one or two major 3′ ends. We incorporate the CS annotations into a computational pipeline, called scUTRquant, for rapid, accurate, and simultaneous quantification of gene and 3′UTR isoform expression from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. When applying scUTRquant to data from 474 cell types and 2134 perturbations, we discover extensive 3′UTR length changes across cell types that are as widespread and coordinately regulated as gene expression changes but affect mostly different genes. Our data indicate that mRNA abundance and mRNA length are two largely independent axes of gene regulation that together determine the amount and spatial organization of protein synthesis.
Asymmetric C–H Dehydrogenative Alkenylation via a Photo-induced Chiral α‑Imino Radical Intermediate
Authors: Jia Zongbin , Cheng Liang , Zhang Long , Luo Sanzhong
Published: May 2024

The direct alkenylation with simple alkenes stands out as the most ideal yet challenging strategy for obtaining high-valued desaturated alkanes. Here we present a direct asymmetric dehydrogenative α-C(sp3)-H alkenylation of carbonyls based on synergistic photoredox-cobalt-chiral primary amine catalysis under visible light. The ternary catalytic system enables the direct coupling of β-keto-carbonyls and alkenes through a cooperative radical addition-dehydrogenation process involving a chiral α-imino radical and Co(II)-metalloradical intermediate. A catalytic H-transfer process involving nitrobenzene is engaged to quench in situ generated cobalt hydride species, ensuring a chemoselective alkenylation in good yields and high enantioselectivities.
Reusable and effective polyacrylic membranes for mecoprop and bentazon extractions
Authors: Utzeri Gianluca , Guirado-Moreno José Carlos , Cova Tânia F. G. G. , Pais Alberto A. A. C. , Batista De Carvalho Luis A. E. , Ibeas Saturnino , García José M. , Valente Artur J. M. , Vallejos Saúl
Published: May 2024

This study introduces reusable polyacrylic membranes, fabricated from commercially available monomers (1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and methylmethacrylate), as a promising approach for pesticide extraction. These membranes effectively remove the commonly used herbicides mecoprop (RE ≈ 99%) and bentazon (RE ≈ 95%) at low concentrations, which pose water contamination risks due to their water-soluble properties and leaf-level sorption. The membranes exhibit excellent manageability and resistance, allowing for safe handling without personal protective equipment. Additionally, the material is environmentally friendly and can be washed and reused for at least 4 cycles without a significant decrease in performance. Characterization techniques, including NMR, TGA, DSC, mechanical testing, N2 adsorption, and FTIR analysis, were used to investigate properties and assess the influence of the polymeric composition. The study focused on examining the lateral charged aminoethyl groups, which play a crucial role in sorbent-sorbate interactions. Sorption kinetics, isotherms, and permeation studies provided insights into the removal mechanism, efficiency, and permeability coefficients, revealing hydrophobic–hydrophobic interactions between the pesticides and the polymer. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed a scorpion-like conformation of the macromolecular chains surrounding the pesticides. These findings support the hydrophobic nature of the extraction mechanism and highlight the significant role of charged aminoethyl groups in facilitating this process.
Structural basis of the Meinwald rearrangement catalysed by styrene oxide isomerase
Authors: Khanppnavar Basavraj , Choo Joel P. S. , Hagedoorn Peter-Leon , Smolentsev Grigory , Štefanić Saša , Kumaran Selvapravin , Tischler Dirk , Winkler Fritz K. , Korkhov Volodymyr M. , Li Zhi , Kammerer Richard A. , Li Xiaodan
Published: May 2024

Membrane-bound styrene oxide isomerase (SOI) catalyses the Meinwald rearrangement—a Lewis-acid-catalysed isomerization of an epoxide to a carbonyl compound—and has been used in single and cascade reactions. However, the structural information that explains its reaction mechanism has remained elusive. Here we determine cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of SOI bound to a single-domain antibody with and without the competitive inhibitor benzylamine, and elucidate the catalytic mechanism using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, functional assays, biophysical methods and docking experiments. We find ferric haem b bound at the subunit interface of the trimeric enzyme through H58, where Fe(III) acts as the Lewis acid by binding to the epoxide oxygen. Y103 and N64 and a hydrophobic pocket binding the oxygen of the epoxide and the aryl group, respectively, position substrates in a manner that explains the high regio-selectivity and stereo-specificity of SOI. Our findings can support extending the range of epoxide substrates and be used to potentially repurpose SOI for the catalysis of new-to-nature Fe-based chemical reactions.
Trastuzumab deruxtecan in HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer: exploratory biomarker analysis of the randomized, phase 2 DESTINY-Gastric01 trial
Authors: Shitara Kohei , Bang Yung-Jue , Iwasa Satoru , Sugimoto Naotoshi , Ryu Min-Hee , Sakai Daisuke , Chung Hyun Cheol , Kawakami Hisato , Yabusaki Hiroshi , Sakamoto Yasuhiro , Nishina Tomohiro , Inaki Koichiro , Kuwahara Yusuke , Wada Naoya , Suto Fumitaka , Arita Takeo , Sugihara Masahiro , Tsuchihashi Zenta , Saito Kaku , Kojima Akihito , Yamaguchi Kensei
Published: May 2024

Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) showed statistically significant clinical improvement in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) gastric cancer in the DESTINY-Gastric01 trial. Exploratory results from DESTINY-Gastric01 suggested a potential benefit in patients with HER2-low gastric cancer. Spatial and temporal heterogeneity in HER2 expression or gene alteration, an inherent characteristic of gastric cancer tumors, presents a challenge in identifying patients who may respond to T-DXd. Specific biomarkers related to therapeutic response have not been explored extensively. Exploratory analyses were conducted to assess baseline HER2-associated biomarkers in circulating tumor DNA and tissue samples, and to investigate mechanisms of resistance to T-DXd. Baseline HER2-associated biomarkers were correlated with objective response rate (ORR) in the primary cohort of patients with HER2+ gastric cancer. The primary cohort had 64% concordance between HER2 positivity and HER2 (ERBB2) plasma gene amplification. Other key driver gene amplifications, specifically MET, EGFR and FGFR2, in circulating tumor DNA were associated with numerically lower ORR. Among 12 patients with HER2 gain-of-function mutations, ORR was 58.3% (7 of 12). ORR was consistent regardless of timing of immunohistochemistry sample collection. Further investigations are required in larger studies.
Transient dataset of household appliances with Intensive switching events
Authors: Zhang Dongyang , Zhang Xiaohu , Hua Lei , Di Jian , Zhao Wenqing , Ma Yumei
Published: May 2024

With the development of Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM), it has become feasible to perform device identification, energy consumption decomposition, and load switching detection using Deep Learning (DL) methods. Similar to other machine learning problems, the research and validation of NILM necessitate substantial data support. Moreover, different regions exhibit distinct characteristics in their electricity environments. Therefore, there is a need to provide open datasets tailored to different regions. In this paper, we introduce the Transient Dataset of Household Appliances with Intensive Switching Events (TDHA25). This dataset comprises switch instantaneous data from 10 typical household appliances in China. The TDHA dataset features a high sampling rate, accurate labelling, and realistic representation of actual appliance start-up waveforms. Additionally, appliance switching is achieved through precise control of relay switches, thus mitigating interference caused by mechanical switches. By furnishing such a dataset, we aim not only to enhance the recognition accuracy of existing NILM algorithms but also to facilitate the application of NILM algorithms in regions sharing similar electricity consumption characteristics to those of China.
Miniaturized double-wing ∆E-effect magnetic field sensors
Authors: Ilgaz Fatih , Spetzler Elizaveta , Wiegand Patrick , Faupel Franz , Rieger Robert , McCord Jeffrey , Spetzler Benjamin
Published: May 2024

Magnetoelastic micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) are integral elements of sensors, actuators, and other devices utilizing magnetostriction for their functionality. Their sensitivity typically scales with the saturation magnetostriction and inversely with magnetic anisotropy. However, large saturation magnetostriction and small magnetic anisotropy make the magnetoelastic layer highly susceptible to minuscule anisotropic stress. It is inevitably introduced during the release of the mechanical structure during fabrication and severely impairs the device’s reproducibility, performance, and yield. To avoid the transfer of residual stress to the magnetic layer, we use a shadow mask deposition technology. It is combined with a free-free magnetoelectric microresonator design to minimize the influence of magnetic inhomogeneity on device performance. Magnetoelectric resonators are experimentally and theoretically analyzed regarding local stress anisotropy, magnetic anisotropy, and the ΔE-effect sensitivity in several resonance modes. The results demonstrate an exceptionally small device-to-device variation of the resonance frequency < 0.2% with large sensitivities comparable with macroscopic ΔE-effect magnetic field sensors. This development marks a promising step towards highly reproducible magnetoelastic devices and the feasibility of large-scale, integrated arrays.
Associations between alcohol consumption and empathy in a non-clinical sample: drinking motives as a moderator
Authors: Baltariu Isabelle C. , Enea Violeta , de Jong Peter J. , aan het Rot Marije
Published: May 2024

People consume alcohol for multiple reasons. Negative motives are often associated with alcohol-related problems. These problems might be explained by negative effects of high alcohol consumption on empathy. Past studies have associated alcohol use disorder (AUD) with reduced cognitive and affective empathy. Few studies have focused on non-clinical samples and considered behavioral empathy. We examined the links between alcohol consumption and multiple aspects of empathy, and if these links were moderated by negative drinking motives. We collected online data of 520 unselected individuals. All completed the AUD Identification Test (AUDIT) and a Drinking Motives Questionnaire. Affective and cognitive empathy were assessed using the Empathy Quotient. Behavioral empathy was assessed by asking participants how likely they would help the person in each of 24 scenarios involving pain. Helping others in pain was positively predicted by affective and cognitive empathy. Higher AUDIT scores were associated with helping others less, particularly among participants who scored higher on drinking to cope with negative affect. People who drink more and do so to cope with negative affect appear to have less behavioral empathy. This supports the view that negative drinking motives contribute to AUD risk.
Biodegradable polylactic acid emulsion ink based on carbon nanotubes and silver for printed pressure sensors
Authors: Najafi Maedeh , Forestier Emilie , Safarpour Milad , Ceseracciu Luca , Zych Arkadiusz , Bagheri Ahmad , Bertolacci Laura , Athanassiou Athanassia , Bayer Ilker
Published: May 2024

Investigating biodegradable and biocompatible materials for electronic applications can lead to tangible outcomes such as developing green-electronic devices and reducing the amount of e-waste. The proposed emulsion-based conducting ink formulation takes into consideration circular economy and green principles throughout the entire process, from the selection of materials to the production process. The ink is formulated using the biopolymer polylactic acid dissolved in a sustainable solvent mixed with water, along with conductive carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and silver flakes as fillers. Hybrid conductive fillers can lower the percolation threshold of the ink and the production costs, while maintaining excellent electrical properties. The coating formed after the deposition of the ink, undergoes isothermal treatment at different temperatures and durations to improve its adhesion and electrical properties. The coating’s performance was evaluated by creating an eight-finger interdigitated sensor using a Voltera PCB printer. The sensor demonstrates exceptional performance when exposed to various loading and unloading pressures within the 0.2–500.0 kPa range. The results show a consistent correlation between the change in electrical resistance and the stress caused by the applied load. The ink is biodegradable in marine environments, which helps avoiding its accumulation in the ecosystem over time.
Adolescents’ attitudes, habits, identity and social support in relation to physical activity after the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Matteucci Ivana , Corsi Mario
Published: May 2024

This study focuses on adolescents’ cognitive processes, behaviors and social support (SS) as they relate to physical activity (PA) before and after the pandemic. The aims of the study were: (1) to investigate the changes in adolescents’ engagement in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and examine the changes in PA-related attitudes and behaviors before and after the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) to analyze the correlations between the significant changes that were found, PA engagement, and SS. The survey targeted third-year middle school students of Italian nationality, attending male and female mixed classes, residents in urban, periphery and sub-urban areas, living in families with different incomes, and different habits of engaging in PA. A longitudinal study was developed using a standardized questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered in April–May 2023 to a sample of 952 students aged 11/14 residing in the Marche region in Central Italy. Increasing values were found in the post-COVID-19 phase for all the cognitive processes and attitudes, in particular, those regarding habits (0.66 vs 0.50, + 32%) and identity (0.70 vs 0.55, + 27%) related to PA. Significant correlations were found between these values and VPA engagement and between the values of the same indicators and SS (p < 0.01). The strongest relationship was found with the dimension of identity (r = 0.51; r = 054).
Synthesis and characterization of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles from calcium hydroxide fouled with gases evolved from smokestack of glass industry
Authors: Abdelmoaty Alaa , Mousa Sahar
Published: May 2024

In glass industry, the evolved gases and fumes from burning the gas fuel absorbed in calcium hydroxide to minimize the pollution of environment. After a period of time, the calcium hydroxide fouled with sulphate and carbonate as action of the absorbed SO3 and CO2 gases. Based on our interest to treatment the solid waste materials, this study intended to convert the obtained waste of calcium hydroxide fouled with gases to valuable products. Firstly, this waste was treated with water, caustic soda and acids. The results confirmed the conversion of waste to pure calcium sulfate by treatment with 6 v/v% sulfuric acid. Secondly, the obtained calcium sulfate was reacted with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate solution for preparation of calcium hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles. The produced HAp sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and N2 adsorption measurements. The obtained findings confirmed that the HAp can be produced after calcination at 700 °C, nanorods-like of sizes ranged from 11 to 15 nm and with main surface functional groups of hydroxyapatite. TGA and DTA data indicated that HAp is thermally stable up to 700 °C. Also, the obtained HAp has Ca/P molar ratio of 1.60 and exhibited high total surface area of 146 m2/g with mesoporous structure which make this material can be used in medical and water purification applications.
Stellae-123 gene expression signature improved risk stratification in Taiwanese acute myeloid leukemia patients
Authors: Wang Yu-Hung , Orgueira Adrián Mosquera , Lin Chien-Chin , Yao Chi-Yuan , Lo Min-Yen , Tsai Cheng-Hong , de la Fuente Burguera Adolfo , Hou Hsin-An , Chou Wen-Chien , Tien Hwei-Fang
Published: May 2024

The European Leukemia Net recommendations provide valuable guidance in treatment decisions of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the genetic complexity and heterogeneity of AML are not fully covered, notwithstanding that gene expression analysis is crucial in the risk stratification of AML. The Stellae-123 score, an AI-based model that captures gene expression patterns, has demonstrated robust survival predictions in AML patients across four western-population cohorts. This study aims to evaluate the applicability of Stellae-123 in a Taiwanese cohort. The Stellae-123 model was applied to 304 de novo AML patients diagnosed and treated at the National Taiwan University Hospital. We find that the pretrained (BeatAML-based) model achieved c-indexes of 0.631 and 0.632 for the prediction of overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS), respectively. Model retraining within our cohort further improve the cross-validated c-indexes to 0.667 and 0.667 for OS and RFS prediction, respectively. Multivariable analysis identify both pretrained and retrained models as independent prognostic biomarkers. We further show that incorporating age, Stellae-123, and ELN classification remarkably improves risk stratification, revealing c-indices of 0.73 and 0.728 for OS and RFS, respectively. In summary, the Stellae-123 gene expression signature is a valuable prognostic tool for AML patients and model retraining can improve the accuracy and applicability of the model in different populations.
Diffusive coupling facilitates and impedes noise-induced escape in interacting bistable elements
Authors: Ishii Hidemasa , Kori Hiroshi
Published: May 2024

Diverse complex systems often undergo sudden changes in their states, such as epileptic seizures, climate changes, and social uprisings. Such behavior has been modeled by noise-induced escape of bistable elements, which is the escape from an attracting state driven by a fluctuation in the system’s state. We consider a system of interacting bistable elements and investigate the effect of diffusive coupling among elements on the process of noise-induced escape. We focus on the influence of the coupling strength over the escape time, which is the time it takes for noise-induced escape to occur. We performed numerical simulations and observed that weak coupling reduced the mean escape time, whereas strong coupling impeded escape. We argue that, although diffusive coupling both facilitates and impedes escape, the facilitating effect is dominant when coupling is weak. For weak coupling cases, we develop an approximate theory that can predict the mean and variance of escape times. In contrast, strong coupling reduces the effective noise intensity to impede escape. Our results suggest that diffusive coupling among multistable elements contributes to regulating the rate of transitions among attracting states.
Association between household size and risk of incident dementia in the UK Biobank study
Authors: Cong Chao-Hua , Li Pan-Long , Qiao Yuan , Li Yu-Na , Yang Jun-Ting , Zhao Lei , Zhu Xi-Rui , Tian Shan , Cao Shan-Shan , Liu Jian-Ren , Su Jing-Jing
Published: May 2024

Currently, the relationship between household size and incident dementia, along with the underlying neurobiological mechanisms, remains unclear. This prospective cohort study was based on UK Biobank participants aged ≥ 50 years without a history of dementia. The linear and non-linear longitudinal association was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression and restricted cubic spline models. Additionally, the potential mechanisms driven by brain structures were investigated by linear regression models. We included 275,629 participants (mean age at baseline 60.45 years [SD 5.39]). Over a mean follow-up of 9.5 years, 6031 individuals developed all-cause dementia. Multivariable analyses revealed that smaller household size was associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia (HR, 1.06; 95% CI 1.02–1.09), vascular dementia (HR, 1.08; 95% CI 1.01–1.15), and non-Alzheimer’s disease non-vascular dementia (HR, 1.09; 95% CI 1.03–1.14). No significant association was observed for Alzheimer’s disease. Restricted cubic splines demonstrated a reversed J-shaped relationship between household size and all-cause and cause-specific dementia. Additionally, substantial associations existed between household size and brain structures. Our findings suggest that small household size is a risk factor for dementia. Additionally, brain structural differences related to household size support these associations. Household size may thus be a potential modifiable risk factor for dementia.
Photobiomodulation on isolated mitochondria at 810 nm: first results on the efficiency of the energy conversion process
Authors: Amaroli Andrea , Clemente Vargas Mario Rene , Pasquale Claudio , Raffetto Mirco , Ravera Silvia
Published: May 2024

In this paper the photobiomodulation on isolated mitochondria of bovine liver is studied as a thermodynamic process of conversion of energy. This analysis is conducted by considering a particular set-up for the photobiomodulation experiments of interest. It allows, in particular, the computation of the electromagnetic field and the related energetic quantities in the stimulated organelles. The measurements of the excess of biochemical power density produced by the illuminated mitochondria are performed at regular time intervals after the experiments. The calculations and the measurements finally allow us to obtain the first results on the efficiency of the process of conversion of electromagnetic energy into excess of biochemical energy released by the isolated organelles.
Differential gene expression analysis of spatial transcriptomic experiments using spatial mixed models
Authors: Ospina Oscar E. , Soupir Alex C. , Manjarres-Betancur Roberto , Gonzalez-Calderon Guillermo , Yu Xiaoqing , Fridley Brooke L.
Published: May 2024

Spatial transcriptomics (ST) assays represent a revolution in how the architecture of tissues is studied by allowing for the exploration of cells in their spatial context. A common element in the analysis is delineating tissue domains or “niches” followed by detecting differentially expressed genes to infer the biological identity of the tissue domains or cell types. However, many studies approach differential expression analysis by using statistical approaches often applied in the analysis of non-spatial scRNA data (e.g., two-sample t-tests, Wilcoxon’s rank sum test), hence neglecting the spatial dependency observed in ST data. In this study, we show that applying linear mixed models with spatial correlation structures using spatial random effects effectively accounts for the spatial autocorrelation and reduces inflation of type-I error rate observed in non-spatial based differential expression testing. We also show that spatial linear models with an exponential correlation structure provide a better fit to the ST data as compared to non-spatial models, particularly for spatially resolved technologies that quantify expression at finer scales (i.e., single-cell resolution).
Unravelling social status in the first medieval military order of the Iberian Peninsula using isotope analysis
Authors: Pérez-Ramallo Patxi , Rissech Carme , Lloveras Lluis , Lucas Mary , Urbina Dionisio , Urquijo Catalina , Roberts Patrick
Published: May 2024

Medieval Iberia witnessed the complex negotiation of religious, social, and economic identities, including the formation of religious orders that played a major role in border disputes and conflicts. While archival records provide insights into the compositions of these orders, there have been few direct dietary or osteoarchaeological studies to date. Here, we analysed 25 individuals discovered at the Zorita de los Canes Castle church cemetery, Guadalajara, Spain, where members of one of the first religious orders, the Order of Calatrava knights, were buried between the 12th to 15th centuries CE. Stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analyses of bone collagen reveal dietary patterns typical of the Medieval social elite, with the Bayesian R model, ‘Simmr’ suggesting a diet rich in poultry and marine fish in this inland population. Social comparisons and statistical analyses further support the idea that the order predominantly comprised the lower nobility and urban elite in agreement with historical sources. Our study suggests that while the cemetery primarily served the order's elite, the presence of individuals with diverse dietary patterns may indicate complexities of temporal use or wider social interaction of the medieval military order.
Efficient enzyme-free method to assess the development and maturation of the innate and adaptive immune systems in the mouse colon
Authors: Lassoued Nejia , Yero Alexis , Jenabian Mohammad-Ali , Soret Rodolphe , Pilon Nicolas
Published: May 2024

Researchers who aim to globally analyze the gastrointestinal immune system via flow cytometry have many protocol options to choose from, with specifics generally tied to gut wall layers of interest. To get a clearer idea of the approach we should use on full-thickness colon samples from mice, we first undertook a systematic comparison of three tissue dissociation techniques: two based on enzymatic cocktails and the other one based on manual crushing. Using flow cytometry panels of general markers of lymphoid and myeloid cells, we found that the presence of cell-surface markers and relative cell population frequencies were more stable with the mechanical method. Both enzymatic approaches were associated with a marked decrease of several cell-surface markers. Using mechanical dissociation, we then developed two minimally overlapping panels, consisting of a total of 26 antibodies, for serial profiling of lymphoid and myeloid lineages from the mouse colon in greater detail. Here, we highlight how we accurately delineate these populations by manual gating, as well as the reproducibility of our panels on mouse spleen and whole blood. As a proof-of-principle of the usefulness of our general approach, we also report segment- and life stage-specific patterns of immune cell profiles in the colon. Overall, our data indicate that mechanical dissociation is more suitable and efficient than enzymatic methods for recovering immune cells from all colon layers at once. Additionally, our panels will provide researchers with a relatively simple tool for detailed immune cell profiling in the murine gastrointestinal tract, regardless of life stage or experimental conditions.
The causal relationship between serum metabolites and acne vulgaris: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wang Xiaoyun , Wu Yujia , Zhao Pengfei , Wang Xinren , Wu Wenjuan , Yang Jiankang
Published: May 2024

In individuals with acne vulgaris, alterations occur in serum metabolite composition, yet the exact causal link between these metabolites and acne development remains elusive. Using genome-wide association datasets, we performed bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the potential causal relationship between 309 serum metabolites and acne vulgaris. We performed sensitivity analysis to evaluate the presence of heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Forward MR analysis found 14 serum metabolites significantly associated with acne vulgaris, and reverse MR analysis found no significant association between acne vulgaris and these serum metabolites. Through validation using data from the FinnGen database of acne vulgaris studies, we found a conclusive and significant correlation between stearoylcarnitine and acne vulgaris. This provides new evidence in the search for new targets for the treatment of acne vulgaris.
Comparisons of stakeholders' influences, inter-relationships, and obstacles for circular economy implementation on existing building sectors
Authors: Kaewunruen Sakdirat , Teuffel Patrick , Donmez Cavdar Ayfer , Valta Otso , Tambovceva Tatjana , Bajare Diana
Published: May 2024

Buildings are energy- and resource-hungry: their construction and use account for around 39% of global carbon dioxide emissions; they consume around 40% of all the energy produced; they are responsible for over 35% of the EU's total waste generation; and account for about 50% of all extracted (fossil) materials. Therefore, they present a significant challenge to meeting national and international Net Zero targets of reducing greenhouse emissions and fossil resource use. The CircularB Project, is at the heart of this issue, which will underpin synergies of multi-scale circular perspectives (from materials, to components, to assets and built environments), digital transformation solutions, data-driven and complexity science, stakeholder behavioral science, and interdisciplinary capabilities towards achievable, affordable and marketable circular solutions for both new and existing buildings, for sustainable urban design, and for circular built environments across Europe. This paper contributes to the project by deriving new insights into the stakeholders’ influences, inter-relationships, and obstacles in the implementation of circular economy concepts on existing building stocks in Europe, which represent over 90% of whole building assets. In order to identify and derive the insights, our study is rigorously based on (i) a robust critical literature review of key documentations such as articles, standards, policy reports, strategic roadmaps and white papers; and (ii) interviews with relevant stakeholders and decision makers. Uniquely, our work spans across all scales of CE implementation from materials, to products and components, to existing building stocks, and to living built environments. The findings point out the current challenges and obstacles required to be tackled. Inadequacies of financial incentives and governmental enforcement (via policy, legislation, or directive) are commonly found to be the most critical obstacles found throughout Europe. Circular economy is the global challenge and not just a single country can resolve the climate issue without the cooperation of other countries. The insights thus highlight the essential need for harmonized actions and tactical/pragmatic policies promoted and regulated by the European Commission, national and local governments who can dominate the influence, promote inter-relationship, and overcome the barriers towards circular economy much more effectively.
Highly-integrable analogue reservoir circuits based on a simple cycle architecture
Authors: Abe Yuki , Nakada Kazuki , Hagiwara Naruki , Suzuki Eiji , Suda Keita , Mochizuki Shin-ichiro , Terasaki Yukio , Sasaki Tomoyuki , Asai Tetsuya
Published: May 2024

Physical reservoir computing is a promising solution for accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) computations. Various physical systems that exhibit nonlinear and fading-memory properties have been proposed as physical reservoirs. Highly-integrable physical reservoirs, particularly for edge AI computing, has a strong demand. However, realizing a practical physical reservoir with high performance and integrability remains challenging. Herein, we present an analogue circuit reservoir with a simple cycle architecture suitable for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) chip integration. In several benchmarks and demonstrations using synthetic and real-world data, our developed hardware prototype and its simulator exhibit a high prediction performance and sufficient memory capacity for practical applications, showing promise for future applications in highly integrated AI accelerators.
Diagnosis of cervical lymphoma using a YOLO-v7-based model with transfer learning
Authors: Wang Yuegui , Yang Caiyun , Yang Qiuting , Zhong Rong , Wang Kangjian , Shen Haolin
Published: May 2024

To investigate the ability of an auxiliary diagnostic model based on the YOLO-v7-based model in the classification of cervical lymphadenopathy images and compare its performance against qualitative visual evaluation by experienced radiologists. Three types of lymph nodes were sampled randomly but not uniformly. The dataset was randomly divided into for training, validation, and testing. The model was constructed with PyTorch. It was trained and weighting parameters were tuned on the validation set. Diagnostic performance was compared with that of the radiologists on the testing set. The mAP of the model was 96.4% at the 50% intersection-over-union threshold. The accuracy values of it were 0.962 for benign lymph nodes, 0.982 for lymphomas, and 0.960 for metastatic lymph nodes. The precision values of it were 0.928 for benign lymph nodes, 0.975 for lymphomas, and 0.927 for metastatic lymph nodes. The accuracy values of radiologists were 0.659 for benign lymph nodes, 0.836 for lymphomas, and 0.580 for metastatic lymph nodes. The precision values of radiologists were 0.478 for benign lymph nodes, 0.329 for lymphomas, and 0.596 for metastatic lymph nodes. The model effectively classifies lymphadenopathies from ultrasound images and outperforms qualitative visual evaluation by experienced radiologists in differential diagnosis.
A resampling-based approach to share reference panels
Authors: Cavinato Théo , Rubinacci Simone , Malaspinas Anna-Sapfo , Delaneau Olivier
Published: May 2024

For many genome-wide association studies, imputing genotypes from a haplotype reference panel is a necessary step. Over the past 15 years, reference panels have become larger and more diverse, leading to improvements in imputation accuracy. However, the latest generation of reference panels is subject to restrictions on data sharing due to concerns about privacy, limiting their usefulness for genotype imputation. In this context, here we propose RESHAPE, a method that employs a recombination Poisson process on a reference panel to simulate the genomes of hypothetical descendants after multiple generations. This data transformation helps to protect against re-identification threats and preserves data attributes, such as linkage disequilibrium patterns and, to some degree, identity-by-descent sharing, allowing for genotype imputation. Our experiments on gold-standard datasets show that simulated descendants up to eight generations can serve as reference panels without substantially reducing genotype imputation accuracy.
α-Phenylthioaldehydes for the effective generation of acyl azolium and azolium enolate intermediates
Authors: Ewing Paul M. D. A. , Majhi Pankaj Kumar , Prentice Callum , Young Claire M. , van Rees Karlotta , Arnold Polly L. , Zysman-Colman Eli , Smith Andrew D.
Published: May 2024

Readily prepared α-phenylthioaldehydes are introduced as acyl azolium and azolium enolate precursors for a range of NHC-mediated catalytic processes incorporating redox rearrangements, redox esterifications and enantioselective [4 + 2]-cycloadditions.
One-pot reductive liquefaction of sawdust to renewables over MoOx–Al2O3 variants: insight into structure–activity relationships
Authors: Salam Muhammad Abdus , Tran Quoc Khanh , Ho Phuoc Hoang , Cheah You Wayne , Wojtasz-Mucha Joanna , Kugge Christian , Nejadmoghaddam Elham , Olsson Louise , Creaser Derek
Published: May 2024

Mo-species (Mo+5) formed over alumina surface promotes depolymerization and hydrodeoxygenation simultaneously in one-pot reductive liquefaction of sawdust.
A hybrid approach to oil structuring – combining wax oleogels and capillary suspensions
Authors: Simoes Selvyn , Rousseau Dérick
Published: May 2024

Combination of wax oleogelation and capillary suspension gels oil. With no water, dispersed particles prevent wax oleogel formation; water load is key. Capillary suspensions increase oleogel firmness; this depends on particle polarity.
Homologous-targeting biomimetic nanoparticles co-loaded with melittin and a photosensitizer for the combination therapy of triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Zhang Tao , Bai Liya , You Ran , Yang Meng , Chen Qian , Cheng Yuanyuan , Qian Zhanyin , Wang Yinsong , Liu Yuanyuan
Published: May 2024

Melittin (Mel) is considered a promising candidate drug for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) due to its various antitumor effects.