bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and modeling of a novel bi-directional piezoelectric damping unit
Authors: Xu Penghang , Chen Weifang , Zhu Rupeng
Published: January 2025

This article focuses on the study of a piezoelectric shunt damping unit used in the vibration damping device of the gear transmission system. The existing butterfly and diamond shaped damping units have a single mode of operation and are inefficient in terms of vibration energy consumption. Therefore, in order to improve the performance of the damping ring, a bi-directional compression piezoelectric shunt damping unit is proposed in this paper. Firstly, a high accuracy finite element model of the bi-directional piezoelectric damping unit was established on the basis of the piezoelectric stack equivalent model. Second, a test prototype was fabricated. The open-circuit voltage and displacement of this unit under bi-directional loading were verified on a high-precision test bench. The experimental results show that the model errors are all within 15%, indicating the high accuracy of the finite element model. It is also confirmed that the proposed bi-directional structure can realize the transfer of tensile and compressive loads. On this basis, the effects of the structural parameters on the open-circuit voltage, deformation displacement, and Mises stress are revealed by the finite element model. The results show that increasing the thickness of the connecting rod will reduce the open-circuit voltage output, but can effectively improve the deformation and stress of the structure. Increasing the connecting rod length increases the open-circuit voltage output to some extent, however, can be detrimental to the deformation and stress of the structure. Increasing the connecting rod spacing has a minimal effect on the open-circuit voltage and deformation displacement, but can effectively reduce the structural stress. This research work has beneficial effect on the design of vibration damping ring for gear transmission system.
Detecting memberships in multiplex networks via nonnegative matrix factorization and tensor decomposition
Authors: Tang Fengqin , Wang Xiaozong , Zhao Xuejing , Wang Chunning
Published: January 2025

Multiplex networks provide a powerful data structure for capturing diverse relationships among nodes, and the challenge of community detection within these networks has recently attracted considerable attention. We propose a general and flexible generative model-the mixed membership multilayer stochastic block model, in which layers with meaningful similarities are grouped together. Within each layer group, the layers share the same mixed membership assignments of nodes to communities, but with distinct community link probability matrices. To address this, we developed non-negative matrix factorization and tensor decomposition (NMFTD), a joint clustering approach, to identify cohesive layer groups and determine the mixed memberships of nodes within them. Our method first clusters the layers using matrix factorization with graph regularization, followed by a tensor decomposition strategy enhanced by a corner-finding algorithm to uncover the nodes’ mixed memberships in each group. The proposed method is asymptotically consistent, and its effectiveness is validated through experiments on synthetic and real-world multilayer networks. The results show that NMFTD exhibits robustness across various parameter settings, outperforming or competing closely with other methods.
Electron thermalization and ion acceleration in XUV-produced plasma from nanoparticles in He gas environment
Authors: Klimešová Eva , Kulyk Olena , Martin Lucas J , Schütte Bernd , Frühling Ulrike , Drescher Markus , Pan Rui , Stojanovic Nikola , Bermudez Macias Ivette J , Düsterer Stefan , Andreasson Jakob , Wieland Marek , Krikunova Maria
Published: January 2025

We use intense femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses with a photon energy of 92 eV from the FLASH free electron laser to irradiate substrate-free CsCl nanoparticles surrounded by a He gas with a number density of around 1015  cm−3. By simultaneously detecting electrons and energetic ions from the laser-irradiated micron-size target we study the acceleration mechanism of light ions at the microplasma-vacuum boundary as well as at the layer close to the nanoparticle surface. When the XUV pulse interacts with the gas alone, helium ions are accelerated to energies exceeding 100 eV. In the presence of the nanoparticle, light ions gain additional energy in the electric field around the ionized nanoparticle and their energy spectrum changes considerably. We present an electrostatic model to explain the ion acceleration mechanisms both with and without the nanoparticle and discuss the role of the gas environment in experiments.
VELM: a voting based ensemble learning model for breast cancer prediction
Authors: Singh Archana , Kaswan Kuldeep Singh , Rajani
Published: January 2025

Today breast cancer (BC) is the most common and dangerous type of cancer in women. The increasing numbers of cancer cases have been realized in the recent past all over the world. Based on the World Cancer Survey Report, in 2022; the global incidence of cancer is 2.3 million new cases of breast cancer and 670,000 deaths all over the world. Breast cancer screening and timely diagnosis greatly affect the life expectancy since current interventions cannot adequately treat individuals in the later stages. Nonetheless, the development of various expert systems has been initiated for the early diagnosis of breast cancer, wherein a major concern is that many of these systems often fail to localize potential causes such as class imbalance, appropriate methods for data pre-processing, and systematic feature selection appropriately. Therefore, this work develops a model named ‘Voting-based Ensemble Learning Model for Breast Cancer Prediction’ (VELM) to improve BC prediction based on machine learning. In the present work, the class imbalance problem is solved using the ‘SMOTE’ method, while ‘SelectKBest’ is used to determine the most appropriate features of the breast cancer set. In order to compare the proposed VELM and analyse its performance, the results of the various models including all individual classifiers, ensemble models and models proposed in literature have been computed based on accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score and AUC ROC. The outcome shows that our proposed model VELM has the highest, accuracy of 0. 9912 and other metrices in comparison with other models discussed in the literature.
Quantum neural network-inspired variational quantum circuit for simulating diamond 14NV center Hamiltonian with a proximal 13C isotope
Authors: Daka Chisomo , Bhattacharyya Somnath
Published: January 2025

We present a variational quantum circuit (VQC) that utilizes the architecture of a quantum neural network (QNN) to simulate hyperfine interactions in diamond nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers, which is typically a challenging task for traditional computation methods. Isotopes of 13C, though naturally rare, possess a nuclear spin (

l
=

1

2

) which anisotropically interacts with the NV center’s electron spin, resulting in distinct hyperfine structure and coherence properties. The VQC’s ansatz unitary was implemented stepwise (through optimization Trotter steps) to mimic a multi-layered QNN configuration. The dynamical evolution of the 14NV-13C Hamiltonian was simulated while maintaining flexibility for optimization on noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) platforms. Qiskit SDK was used to design and execute the circuit on 127-qubit IBM quantum hardware. Ansatz parameters were optimized using six classical optimization algorithms initialized with pseudo-random parameter vectors. We successfully determined optimal ansatz parameters for estimating the minimum energy eigenvalues of the 14NV-13C observable using the VQC’s cost function, enabling us to model the system’s ground state dynamics. Our findings show that gradient-free optimizers are efficient for the designed Hardware Efficient SU(2) 2-local circuit (ESU2) ansatz, characterized by a barren plateau landscape. We further established that a maximally entangled VQC initialization (i.e., GHZ3) retains its entanglement scheme irrespective of the optimization pathway. Hence, this approach highlights the effectiveness of QNN-inspired VQC circuits for accurately simulating NV centers coupled with strongly interacting nearest-neighbor nuclear spins. Our work lays down a foundational step for realizing precise control on near-term quantum hardware that utilizes NV centers, leading to high fidelities.
Exploiting multi-scroll hyperchaotic system and heap-queue cross-block permutation for visually meaningful medical image encryption
Authors: Zhang Yiming , Chai Xiuli , Lu Yang , Xie Xiaodong , Sun Junwei , Wang Binjie
Published: January 2025

Medical images contain patients’ private health information, which is crucial to protect their security. Chaotic systems are frequently used in medical image encryption owing to their advantages, including unpredictability and sensitivity to initial conditions. However, existing low-dimensional, small-scroll chaotic systems exhibit limitations, leading to poor security of relevant medical image encryption schemes due to insufficient complexity and randomness. To tackle these issues, a novel 6-scroll Jerk hyperchaotic system (6-SJHS) is constructed and we investigate its application in securing medical images. The 6-SJHS is developed by extending the classical Jerk chaotic system (JCS), and its performance is evaluated comprehensively using the Lyapunov exponent (LE), phase diagram (PD), and the NIST randomness test, demonstrating excellent chaotic robustness and randomness. To reduce the adjacent pixels’ strong correlation in medical images, a cross-block permutation method based on the max heap and queue (CPMHQ) is introduced. Compared with the traditional method, the CPMHQ introduces a dynamic sorting mechanism and efficient block-level disorder, which can better reduce the strong correlation between pixels in medical images. Additionally, to improve the diffusion process, an extended RNA coding scheme is proposed, enabling a cross-plane diffusion method with extended RNA coding (CDERC) that propagates minor alterations across the entire image. The diffused ciphertext image is then subjected to secret image sharing (SIS), generating shadow images (SDIs) that are embedded into carrier images based on their features, resulting in visually meaningful ciphertext images. The analysis of simulation results and experiments confirms that our proposed encryption system offers significant improvements in security and robustness, can achieve more than 49 dB visual quality of steganographic images, and is applicable to encrypt images of different types and sizes, providing an effective solution for protecting medical image confidentiality.
A thermodynamically complete multiphase equation of state for dense and porous metals at wide ranges of temperature and pressure
Authors: Zhao Yanhong , Wang Li-Fang , Zhang Qili , Zhang Le , Song Hongzhou , Gao Xingyu , Sun Bo , Liu Haifeng , Song Haifeng
Published: January 2025

In this work, a thermodynamically complete multi-phase equation of state (EOS) applicable to both dense and porous metals at wide ranges of temperature and pressure is constructed. A standard three-term decomposition of the Helmholtz free energy as a function of specific volume and temperature is presented, where the cold component models both compression and expansion states, the thermal ion component introduces Debye approximation and melting entropy, and the thermal electron component employes the TFK model. The porosity of materials is considered by introducing the dynamic porosity coefficient α and the constitutive P-α relation, connecting the thermodynamic properties between dense and porous systems, allowing for an accurate description of the volume decrease caused by void collapse while maintaining the quasi-static thermodynamic properties of porous systems identical to dense ones. These models enable the EOS applicable and robust at wide ranges of temperature, pressure and porosity. A systematic evaluation of the new EOS is conducted with Aluminum (Al) as an example. 300 K isotherm, shock Hugoniot, as well as melting curves of both dense and porous Al are calculated, which shows great agreements with experimental data and validates the effectiveness of models and the accuracy of parameterizations. Notably, it is for the first time Hugoniot P-σ curves up to 106 GPa and shock melting behaviors of porous Al are derived from analytical EOS models, which predict much lower compression limit and shock melting temperatures than those of dense Al.
Incorporating climate data with machine learning can improve rice phenology estimation
Authors: Liu Yiqing , Liu Weihang , Ye Tao , Chen Shuo , Chen Xuehong , Li Zitong , Zhan Ning , Sun Ran
Published: January 2025

Crop phenology provides essential information for crop management and production. Satellite-based methods are commonly used for phenology estimation but still struggle to capture interannual variations of phenological events. The importance of climate variation in crop phenology has been well acknowledged, but the potential of incorporating climate data to improve phenology estimation remains unclear. Here, we developed a hybrid model by incorporating the growth-specific climate predictors and satellite-derived phenology using random forest approach. Results showed that our hybrid model successfully reduced errors by over 60% compared to traditional satellite-based methods. The inclusion of climate data provided additional contributions beyond what was offered by satellite data, resulting in a 13% average improvement in R
2. Among climate predictors, temperature-related indicators contributed the most to accuracy enhancement. Additionally, CSIF outperformed LAI in the hybrid model in terms of absolute error, due to its finer temporal resolution. Our hybrid model highlights the importance of considering the diverse climatic information to further improve crop phenology estimation, rather than relying solely on satellite data. We expect our proposed model can offer new insights into improving crop phenology estimation and understanding the effects of climate variations on crop phenology.
One-pot synthesis and characterization of a BSA-Cu2S/CuS quantum dots drug delivery system based on biuret’s reaction
Authors: Estrada-Rojas Porfirio , Hernández-Paz Juan Francisco , Rodríguez-González Claudia Alejandra , Mendoza-Duarte Mónica Elvira , Martel-Estrada Santos Adriana , Valencia-Gómez Laura Elizabeth , Camacho-Montes Héctor , Olivas-Armendáriz Imelda
Published: January 2025

Research on chalcogenide-based quantum dots (QDs) has advanced significantly over recent decades, largely due to their excellent optical properties, particularly photoluminescence, and relatively low toxicity. Among these, Cu2S and CuS quantum dots have demonstrated notable photothermal effects and antibacterial activity, making them promising candidates for various biomedical applications, including cancer treatment. This study focuses on the synthesis of CuS and Cu2S quantum dots functionalized with bovine serum albumin (BSA), marking an important step toward their potential biomedical use. The functionalization was achieved through a one-pot synthesis method, characterized by its ability to offer higher chemical yield, elimination of toxic solvents, and provide a method that is simple, economical, and well-controlled. This synthesis produced four samples with varying BSA concentrations. Due to the lower protein concentration, which provides fewer nucleation sites, sample A (BSA concentration 5 mg ml−1) showed a particle size distribution over 100 nm and low stability over time. Sample B (25 mg ml−1 BSA) and C (50 mg ml−1 BSA) showed excellent stability and particle sizes within the expected range for Cu2S and CuS quantum dots (<2.4 nm). Sample D was synthesized with lower BSA concentration (2.5 mg ml−1) and was used only for comparison in few analyses. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the structural integrity of BSA after functionalization, while x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis verified the formation of CuS and Cu2S crystals. Additional tests, including fluorescence and UV–vis spectroscopy, validated the optical properties of the quantum dots. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed crystalline structure of the CuS and Cu2S quantum dots, with particle size measurements aligning with expectations. Finally, MTT assays confirmed that the synthesized quantum dots are non-toxic, further supporting their potential for biomedical applications.
DFT + U study of structural, electronic, optical and magnetic properties of LiFePO4 Cathode materials for Lithium-Ion batteries
Authors: Wabeto A K , Nigussa K N , Deja L D
Published: January 2025

In this study, we have investigated the structural, electronic, optical, and magnetic properties of LiFePO4 (LFP), which is a prominent cathode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In order to analyse the properties of LFP, we have carried out the calculations using Density Functional Theory (DFT) combined with the Hubbard (U) correction (i.e., DFT + U), as implemented in the quantum-espresso (QE) code. We performed the structural optimization and found that LFP has a stable olivine structure with equilibrium parameters of a = 4.64 Å, b = 5.98 Å, and c = 10.34 Å. It is shown that LFP has a direct band gap value of 3.82 eV, which is very close to experiment values of 3.6-4.0 eV. The projected density of states (PDOS) of the LFP closely matches with experimental reports of the electronic structure of the material, where the Fe 3d states form tight bands above the O 2p band. The analysis of optical properties shows a significant absorption property in the visible spectrum, reflecting its additional potential for photoactive application. We have also examined the magnetic properties, which reveal that LFP exhibits antiferromagnetic ordering, which plays a critical role in the stability of the material during lithium cycling. The investigated properties of LFP in this work, thus, highlight its viability as an effective cathode material for the next-generation battery technologies with a multifaced applications.
Effect of pretreatment type on the physico-chemical properties of activated carbons derived from an invasive weed Prosopis juliflora: potential applications
Authors: Sivaraman Subramaniyasharma , Shanmugam Saravanan Ramiah , Venkatachalam Ponnusami , Shanmugam Ratheeshkumar , Chan Basha Arul , Saady Noori M Cata
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the effects of various pretreatment methods on the physico-chemical properties of activated carbons produced from the biochar of an invasive weed species, Prosopis juliflora. Utilizing a thermochemical conversion technique such as pyrolysis, followed by chemical and physical activation processes, we aimed to assess the functional characteristics of the resulting biochar for potential industrial applications. The pretreatments involved acidic (H2SO4, H3PO4, and ZnCl2), basic (KOH and NH4OH) and oxidizing agents (H2O2), and physical methods like air activation. Comprehensive characterization techniques, namely BET analysis, x-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Ultimate Analysis, and pHpzc, were utilized to assess the influence of activation conditions. Principal component analysis was employed to elucidate the relationships between different activation methods and the physico-chemical properties of the activated carbons. Results from this study revealed that the choice of activation agent significantly influences the material’s structure and chemistry. The activation process of activated carbon (AC) is significantly influenced by temperature and the agent used. KOH-AC exhibited bulk oxygen content (5.96%) with a high bulk carbon content (91.73%), while Air-AC has a comparatively high bulk oxygen content (40.71%). The XPS data shows variations in carbon content and oxygen functional groups, influenced by the activation agent and temperature used during the process. The ranking of surface oxygen content was Air-AC (39.93%) > H2O2-AC (22.77%) > NH4OH-AC (17.61%). This study highlights the potential of Prosopis juliflora-derived biochar in diverse applications by tailoring its physico-chemical properties through specific activation processes, thereby also contributing to the upcycling of this invasive species.
Tropical tree species with high wood specific gravity have higher concentrations of wood phosphorus and are more efficient at resorbing it
Authors: González-Melo Andrés , Posada Juan Manuel , Beauchêne Jacques , Lehnebach Romain , Clair Bruno
Published: January 2025

Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) play important roles in plant metabolism and hydraulic balance, respectively, while calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) are important components of cell walls. Although significant amounts of these nutrients are found in wood, relatively little is known on how the wood concentrations of these nutrients are related to other wood traits, or on the factors driving the resorption of these nutrients within stems. We measured wood nutrient (i.e. P, K, Ca, and Mg) concentrations, wood specific gravity (WSG), as well as wood fibre and parenchyma fractions, in both inner (i.e. close to the pith) and outer (i.e. close to the bark) wood, for 22 tree species from a rainforest of eastern Amazonia. We first examined the associations of wood nutrient concentrations with WSG, fibre fractions, and parenchyma fractions. Then, we assessed whether resorption rates (i.e. difference between heartwood and sapwood nutrient contents) differed among nutrients, and whether nutrient resorption rates were related to species ecological strategies. WSG was unrelated to wood Ca, positively related to wood P in outer wood, and negatively related to inner wood Mg, as well as to both inner and outer wood K. Overall, nutrients were unrelated or negatively related to fibre and parenchyma fractions, except for wood Ca and wood P, which were positively related to fibre and axial parenchyma fractions in outer wood, respectively. We found that resorption rates did not differ among nutrients, and that P resorption rates were higher in high WSG, while K, Ca, and Mg resorption rates were unrelated to WSG. This study illustrates that the relationships of wood nutrient concentration with WSG and cell type fractions can be nutrient-specific. Our results indicate that, excluding a positive association between wood Ca and fibre fractions, and between wood P and axial parenchyma fractions, wood nutrients were mostly unrelated to anatomical traits. Our findings also suggest that high-WSG (i.e. shade-tolerant) species store higher amounts of wood P, and are more efficient at resorbing wood P, than low-WSG (i.e. fast-growing) species. These insights are important to increase our understanding on wood nutrient allocation, nutrient resorption, and tree ecological strategies in lowland tropical forests.
The Colombian Santurbán Páramo saga and its contribution to the development of international investment law and arbitration
Authors: Andreotti Nicolò
Published: January 2025

The Colombian Santurbán Páramo saga is a series of three arbitral proceedings initiated by Canadian companies claiming that Colombia’s actions with regard to the protection of the Santurbán Páramo area, a high-altitude wetland ecosystem on the Colombian Andes, had negatively impacted their mining activities. The three proceedings, which concluded with three awards in 2024, were characterized by the presence of different interests at stake. In fact, while markets represent the Santurbán Páramo as a source of gold to feed the global economy, local communities see the area as a key source of water as well as a fragile ecosystem deserving protection. From an international investment law’s standpoint, the analysis of the Colombian Santurbán Páramo saga offers the possibility to reflect on several key aspects of investment treaty provisions as well as customary international law. In this light, the findings of the three tribunals on expropriation, minimum standard of treatment, and exception clauses will likely be considered by future investment tribunals which have to adjudicate environmental-related disputes. This holds a fortiori true if one considers that more and more disputes will be based on new-generation investment agreements, which generally contain provisions like those of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Area.
The Linear Retrograde Infiltration (LiRi) Technique for Buttock Fat Infiltration: A Cohort Evolution
Authors: Durán Vega Héctor César , Sieber David , Magallanes Sofia , Manzaneda Raul , Flores Emanuel , Viaro Mauricio , Uribe Humberto , Echaury Alejandro Lopez
Published: January 2025

Background

Autologous fat grafting in the buttocks has gained great popularity However, one of the main risks is infiltration of fat into the systemic venous system, leading to potential complications such as macroscopic fatty embolism, which can be fatal.

Objectives

This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of linear retrograde infiltration (LiRi) for autologous fat grafting in the buttocks, and its evolution over a 6-month follow-up period.

Methods

The procedure was performed in 114 patients. The technique used strict ultrasound guidance with a 4- to 5-mm basket cannula or a cannula with 4 crosshead holes. The cannula was placed in the deep subcutaneous space, and its path was confirmed with ultrasound to avoid penetrating the deep gluteal fascia. Once confirmed, the ultrasound was removed, and fat was infiltrated retrogradely.

Results

A minor complication rate of 7% was observed, consisting of fat cysts (7%), asymmetries (5%), contour irregularities (2%), and fat necrosis in 1 case, with no infections or fat embolisms. Statistical analysis showed no significant correlation between complications and variables such as BMI or the total volume of infiltration.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the LiRi technique is safe and effective for gluteal augmentation, demonstrating consistent fat integration and minimal complications, although further long-term research is recommended to confirm these findings.

Level of Evidence: 4 (Therapeutic)
ProteinF3S: boosting enzyme function prediction by fusing protein sequence, structure, and surface
Authors: Yuan Mingzhi , Shen Ao , Ma Yingfan , Du Jie , An Bohan , Wang Manning
Published: January 2025

Proteins can be represented in different data forms, including sequence, structure, and surface, each of which has unique advantages and certain limitations. It is promising to fuse the complementary information among them. In this work, we propose a framework called ProteinF3S for enzyme function prediction that fuses the complementary information across protein sequence, structure, and surface. To achieve more effective fusion, we propose a multi-scale bidirectional fusion strategy between protein structure and surface, in which the hierarchical features of a surface encoder and a structure encoder interact with each other bidirectionally. Based on these interactions, more distinctive features can be obtained. After that, we achieve further fusion by concatenating the sequence features with the features containing structure and surface information, so that better performance can be achieved. To validate our method, we conduct extensive experiments on tasks including enzyme reaction classification and enzyme commission number prediction. Our method achieves new state-of-the-art performance and shows that fusing different forms of data is effective in enzyme function prediction.
Quantitative analysis of the dexamethasone side effect on human-derived young and aged skeletal muscle by myotube and nuclei segmentation using deep learning
Authors: Park Seonghwan , Kim Min Young , Jeong Jaewon , Yang Sohae , Kim Minseok S , Moon Inkyu
Published: January 2025

Motivation

Skeletal muscle cells (skMCs) combine together to create long, multi-nucleated structures called myotubes. By studying the size, length, and number of nuclei in these myotubes, we can gain a deeper understanding of skeletal muscle development. However, human experimenters may often derive unreliable results owing to the unusual shape of the myotube, which causes significant measurement variability.

Results

We propose a new method for quantitative analysis of the dexamethasone side effect on human-derived young and aged skeletal muscle by simultaneous myotube and nuclei segmentation using deep learning combined with post-processing techniques. The deep learning model outputs myotube semantic segmentation, nuclei semantic segmentation, and nuclei center, and post-processing applies a watershed algorithm to accurately distinguish overlapped nuclei and identify myotube branches through skeletonization. To evaluate the performance of the model, the myotube diameter and the number of nuclei were calculated from the generated segmented images and compared with the results calculated by human experimenters. In particular, the proposed model produced outstanding outcomes when comparing human-derived primary young and aged skMCs treated with dexamethasone. The proposed standardized and consistent automated image segmentation system for myotubes is expected to help streamline the drug-development process for skeletal muscle diseases.

Availability and implementation

The code and the data are available at https://github.com/tdn02007/QA-skMCs-Seg
Masters of puppets: could the ecdysteroid route be a common pathway for behavioural manipulation in spiders by different parasites?
Authors: Delazari Ítalo M , Mendes-Pereira Thairine , Saltamachia Stephen J , Kloss Thiago G
Published: January 2025

Certain parasites improve their fitness by manipulating their host’s behaviour. Some evidence suggests that parasites exploit innate pathways in the host to manipulate their behaviour. Furthermore, phylogenetically unrelated parasites can generate similar behavioural changes in hosts from the same taxonomic group. Spiders are hosts for several parasites that appear to induce behavioural changes, such as building modified webs that may benefit the parasites. Additionally, some observations on spiders parasitized by Ichneumonidae wasps suggest that the construction of modified webs may merely result from activating the innate ecdysis process. Considering that different parasites may use similar manipulation pathways, we review and examine evidence in the literature that phylogenetically distant parasites (wasps, dipterans, and fungi) may converge on the manipulation mechanism of host spiders through activation of the preexisting mechanism of ecdysis. Also, we suggest that webs built by fungus-infected spiders represent an extended phenotype of these parasites. We conclude that the strategy of behavioural manipulation through activation of innate ecdysis in hosts may have converged in the different spider parasites, which have been favoured over evolutionary time. Therefore, we propose possible pathways for activating this mechanism, and provisions for future investigations to test these hypotheses.
Hydrogen as a clean energy carrier: advancements, challenges, and its role in a sustainable energy future
Authors: Akpasi Stephen Okiemute , Smarte Anekwe Ifeanyi Michael , Tetteh Emmanuel Kweinor , Amune Ubani Oluwaseun , Mustapha Sherif Ishola , Kiambi Sammy Lewis
Published: January 2025

This comprehensive review examines hydrogen’s potential as a pivotal clean energy carrier, focusing on its role in replacing fossil fuels across various industries. This study also examines recent advancements in hydrogen production technologies, including electrolysis, steam methane reforming, and biomass gasification, emphasizing their economic and environmental impacts. Special attention is given to hydrogen produced from renewable sources like solar and wind energy, emphasizing its benefits in reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a sustainable energy future. The review discusses technological challenges, cost factors, and the necessary infrastructure for hydrogen production and storage, particularly in relation to achieving global energy transition goals. Furthermore, the study stresses the importance of government policies and international collaboration to drive the adoption of hydrogen technologies. The study concludes by outlining the transformative potential of hydrogen in decarbonizing key sectors such as transportation and heavy industry. It demonstrates the significant contribution of hydrogen to a low-carbon global energy system and provides valuable insights into its role in improving grid stability, energy security, and supporting sustainable industrial practices.
Impact of Higher Cell-Free DNA Yields on Liquid Biopsy Testing in Glioblastoma Patients
Authors: Iorgulescu J Bryan , Blewett Timothy , Xiong Kan , Crnjac Andjela , Liu Ruolin , Sridhar Sainetra , Braun David A , Sellars MacLean C , Cheng Ju , Rhoades Justin , Reardon David A , Makrigiorgos G Mike , Wu Catherine J , Adalsteinsson Viktor A
Published: January 2025

Background

Minimally invasive molecular profiling using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is increasingly important to the management of cancer patients; however, low sensitivity remains a major limitation, particularly for brain tumor patients. Transiently attenuating cfDNA clearance from the body—thereby, allowing more cfDNA to be sampled—has been proposed to improve the performance of liquid biopsy diagnostics. However, there is a paucity of clinical data on the effect of higher cfDNA recovery. Here, we investigated the impact of collecting greater quantities of cfDNA on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) sensitivity in the “low-shedding” cancer type glioblastoma by analyzing up to approximately 15-fold more plasma than routinely obtained clinically.

Methods

We tested 70 plasma samples (median 17.0 mL, range 2.5–66.5) from 8 IDH-wild-type glioblastoma patients using an optimized version of the MAESTRO-Pool ctDNA assay. Results were compared with simulated single-blood-tube equivalents of cfDNA. ctDNA results were then compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and pathology assessments of true progression vs pseudoprogression in glioblastoma patients.

Results

Larger cfDNA yields exhibited a doubling in ctDNA-positivity while achieving a median specificity of 99% and more precise ctDNA quantification. In 8 glioblastoma patients, ctDNA was detected in 88%, including at multiple timepoints in 6/7. In the setting of indeterminate progression by MRI, our data suggested that MAESTRO-Pool with large plasma volumes can help distinguish true glioblastoma progression from pseudoprogression.

Conclusions

Our findings provide a proof-of-principle that most glioblastomas shed ctDNA into plasma and that greater ctDNA yields could help improve liquid biopsies for “low-shedding” cancer types such as glioblastoma.
Routine Prenatal cfDNA Screening for Autosomal Dominant Single-Gene Conditions
Authors: Adams Sophie , Trocki Olivia Maher , Miller Christina , Studwell Courtney , Bombalicki Meghan , Dobson Lori , Horan Sofia , Sargent Jordan , Duyzend Michael , Gray Kathryn J , Guseh Stephanie , Wilkins-Haug Louise
Published: January 2025

Background

Genetic screening has advanced from prenatal cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening for aneuploidies (cfDNA-ANP) to single-gene disorders (cfDNA-SGD). Clinical validation studies have been promising in pregnancies with anomalies but are limited in the general population.

Methods

Chart review and laboratory data identified pregnancies with cfDNA-SGD screening for 25 autosomal dominant conditions at our academic center. Screening was identified as routine by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10 codes and chart review. Ultrasound anomalies or known family history of a condition on the panel were excluded. Retrospective chart review investigated test concordance, outcomes, and phenotypes.

Results

cfDNA-SGD was completed for 3480/37 050 (9.4%) pregnancies, of which 2745 (78.9%) were for routine screening. Fourteen (0.51%, 14/2745) had high-risk results defined as pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants: 6 (0.22%) likely fetal variants, and 8 (0.29%) maternal variants with 50% risk for fetal inheritance. Diagnostic testing detected 6/6 fetal and 6/8 maternal cfDNA-SGD variants (2/8 pregnant individuals declined testing but had clinical features on physical exam). Variants were detected in 11/14 pregnancies/newborns and in 9/14 (64.3%) parents/gamete donors. There were no false positives identified by cfDNA-SGD; however, 2 variants were discrepantly classified between the cfDNA-SGD and diagnostic testing laboratories. All pregnancies had normal imaging and 9 had mild postnatal phenotypes. Three terminated pregnancy following diagnostic testing.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that 0.51% of routine cfDNA-SGD was high risk, prompting comprehensive evaluation for pregnancies and parents. Routine cfDNA-SGD allowed for early identification and intervention, but raises counseling challenges due to variable expressivity, limited genotype–phenotype correlations, and discrepant variant classification.
Newborn Screening for Deafness/Hard of Hearing in the Genomic Era
Authors: Giersch Anne B S , Morton Cynthia C
Published: January 2025

Background

Newborn hearing screening is a physiologic screen to identify infants who may be deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and would benefit from early intervention. Typically, an infant who does not pass the newborn hearing screen is referred for clinical audiology testing, which may be followed by genetic testing to identify the etiology of an infant’s DHH.

Content

The current newborn hearing screening paradigm can miss mild cases of DHH or later-onset DHH, leaving a child at risk for unrecognized DHH, which could impact long-term language, communication, and social development. Genomic technologies are improving the diagnosis of DHH in newborns who fail their newborn hearing screen, and a case is being made for genomic screening for DHH in all newborns.

The genomic era brings a wealth of opportunities to screen newborns for genetic causes of hearing loss on a population wide basis, some of which are already being implemented in a clinical setting.
Describing the use of remote dielectric sensing and handheld ultrasound in assessing lung congestion in heart failure patients within a primary care setting
Authors: Kato Naoko P , Mattisson Marie , Grahn Pernilla , Liljeroos Maria , Johansson Peter , Strömberg Anna , Jaarsma Tiny
Published: January 2025

Thorough consideration of user experiences and the weighing of advantages and disadvantages are essential when implementing new technology in clinical practice. This article describes a primary care nurse’s experience using two technologies to monitor lung congestion in six patient cases: a remote dielectric sensing device for non-invasive lung fluid measurement and a portable handheld ultrasound device. Both can support decision-making when assessing lung congestion in heart failure patients. However, technical difficulties and interpretational complexities are inherent in their use. Balancing these advantages and disadvantages and finding effective strategies to address challenges is crucial for successful clinical implementation.
Competition between AI foundation models: dynamics and policy recommendations
Authors: Schrepel Thibault , Pentland Alex ‘Sandy’
Published: January 2025

Generative AI is set to become a critical technology for our modern economies. If we are currently experiencing a strong, dynamic competition between the underlying foundation models, legal institutions have an important role to play in ensuring that the spring of foundation models does not turn into a winter with an ecosystem frozen by a handful of players.
A Quantum H*(T)-Module via Quasimap Invariants
Authors: Hwang Lee Jae
Published: January 2025

For $X$ a smooth projective variety, the quantum cohomology ring $QH^{*}(X)$ is a deformation of the usual cohomology ring $H^{*}(X)$, where the product structure is modified to incorporate quantum corrections. These correction terms are defined using Gromov–Witten invariants. When $X$ is toric with geometric quotient description $V/\!/ T$, the cohomology ring $H^{*}(V/\!/ T)$ also has the structure of a $H^{*}(T)$-module. In this paper, we introduce a new deformation of the cohomology of $X$ using quasimap invariants with a light point. This defines a quantum $H^{*}(T)$-module structure on $H^{*}(X)$ through a modified version of the WDVV equations. We explicitly compute this structure for the Hirzebruch surface of type 2. We conjecture that this new quantum module structure is isomorphic to the natural module structure of the Batyrev ring for a semipositive toric variety.
A Surrogate Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay to Select High-Titer Human Convalescent Plasma for Treating Immunocompromised Patients Infected With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants of Concern
Authors: Dolange Victoria , Slamanig Stefan , Abdeljawad Adam , Lai Tsoi Ying , Lemus Nicholas , Singh Gagandeep , Carreño Juan Manuel , Abbad Anass , Srivastava Komal , Simon Viviana , Sachithanandham Jaiprasath , Pekosz Andrew , Sullivan David , Krammer Florian , Sun Weina , Palese Peter , González-Domínguez Irene
Published: January 2025

Background

The emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants challenges the treatment of immunocompromised patients against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). High-titer COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) remains one of the few available therapeutics for these patients. We have revisited the selection of CCP samples and evaluated their efficacy against the Omicron XBB.1.5 variant, the dominant strain in 2023.

Methods

A surrogate enzyme-linked immunoassay was reviewed to select CCP samples that ensure a protective level of neutralizing antibodies as the main correlate of protection. Antibody titers were analyzed in 500 serum samples from a population-based serosurvey at Mount Sinai Hospital in early 2023, and the results were validated with CCP samples (collected in 2020–2023) using an immunosuppressed mouse model.

Results

Using logistic regression modeling, we have redefined high-titer CCP against the new variant in the postpandemic era, where over 97% of the population has natural or vaccine-induced antibodies against earlier SARS-CoV-2 strains. Treatment of immunocompromised mice with two doses (100 μL/dose) of CCP plasma via intraperitoneal injection reduced lung viral titers by 46-fold 3 days post-XBB.1.5 infection.

Conclusions

These findings will guide future efforts in selecting high-titer CCP for emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Emergence and Global Spread of Mpox Clade Ib: Challenges and the Role of Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance
Authors: Tiwari Ananda , Kalonji Thierry , Miller Taru , Van Den Bossche Tim , Krolicka Adriana , Muhindo-Mavoko Hypolite , Mitashi Patrick , Tahita Marc Christian , Lood Rolf , Pitkänen Tarja , Maketa Vivi
Published: January 2025

Several African countries, mainly the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Uganda, are facing highly transmissible mpox clade Ib epidemics, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. It has spread to key travel hubs like Kinshasa, Bujumbura, and Kampala, increasing international spread risks. Current mitigation efforts focus mainly on medical care, diagnostics, vaccination, and infection prevention, but overlook wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES). WES can be effective in detecting hotspots and enabling rapid response through enhanced data collection and genomic sequencing. This perspective article reviews the latest outbreak situation and advocates integrating WES into response strategies.
Taking Peace into Our Own Hands: Colombian Feminists Use Local Politics to Advance Their Agenda for Peace
Authors: Fal-Dutra Santos Agnieszka , Cardona Sonia , Jaramillo Piedrahita Francy L
Published: January 2025

Feminist activism was a key force that shaped the peace negotiations between the Colombian government and Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia—Ejercito Popular and the resulting 2016 peace agreement. Their efforts have resulted in a historic agreement that includes over 120 provisions related to issues of gender equality. However, as they advance a vision of sustainable and gender-equal peace, Colombian feminists have also faced a host of challenges. Important commitments made at the national level—for example, through the 2016 peace agreement or the recently drafted National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security—are often not translated to the local level, where gender inequality and different forms of insecurities faced by women remain rampant. In this article, the three coauthors build on their lived experiences of advancing the feminist agenda in Cauca, Colombia, to map out the ways in which Colombian feminists respond to the challenges they face. Bringing together a feminist institutionalist perspective with the norm localization framework, we trace how Colombian feminists have appropriated, adapted, and used global norms to influence local institutions through three processes: localization of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda; drafting of Local Development Plans; and the development of municipal Public Policy for Women in Puerto Tejada. We argue that norm localization can be effectively used as a strategy to influence institutions and gender dynamics within them. This adds to the ongoing discussions around the different strategies feminists can use to navigate in and change male-dominated and masculinized institutions.
Rethinking Failure: Feminist Peacebuilding and the Peace Continuum in Violent and Illiberal “Post-Conflict” Settings
Authors: Anderson Miriam J , Corredor Elizabeth S , Zulver Julia
Published: January 2025

This article introduces the special forum, “Feminism in the Face of Failure: Peacebuilding in Violent and Illiberal ‘Post-Conflict Settings,'” by exploring feminist responses to the shortcomings of both liberal and illiberal peacebuilding models in fragile post-conflict environments. We introduce the concept of a “peace continuum,” challenging traditional binary approaches to peace and conflict. Our framework highlights how grassroots feminist activists, often excluded from formal peace processes, persist in their peacebuilding efforts even amidst renewed violence, authoritarianism, and failed peace agreements. Drawing on examples from countries such as Colombia, Afghanistan, and Myanmar, the forum showcases how women are leading nonmilitarized, inclusive, and locally grounded peace efforts despite the collapse of formal peace processes. The articles collectively emphasize the resilience, intentionality, and ongoing activism of women in reshaping peace, advocating for gender equality, and addressing structural violence in their societies. The issue calls for broader recognition and support for these crucial, often overlooked, feminist peacebuilding efforts, even in situations deemed “failures.”