bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Web-Based Decision Aid to Support Cervical Cancer Screening Decision Among Young Working Women: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Chan Dorothy Ngo Sheung , Choi Kai Chow , So Winnie Kwok Wei
Published: December 2024

Background

Young working women who devote most of their time to jobs and household chores may experience conflicts when faced with a cervical cancer screening decision. This study aimed to assess the acceptability and feasibility of a Web-based decision aid on cervical cancer screening by young working women, and to preliminarily examine the effects of the decision aid on the knowledge level, risk perception, decisional conflicts, screening decision and screening uptake.

Method

This was a pilot randomised controlled trial. A total of 158 working women aged 25–44 years who had not undergone cervical cancer screening in the past 3 years were recruited. The recruited women allocated to the intervention group received a Web-based decision aid with information about the Papanicolaou test and HPV test, whereas the control group received usual care, i.e. a fact sheet about a healthy living.

Results

A total of 138 of them (72 in the intervention group and 66 in the control group) completed the study and the screening uptake assessment. The intervention group showed greater improvement in the subscale scores and the overall scores for decisional conflicts (effect size, 0.71–0.90), and a statistical significantly larger proportion of the intervention group had undergone cervical cancer screening when compared to the control group (31.9% vs 6.1%). Most interviewees were satisfied with the intervention.

Conclusion

It was feasible and acceptable to implement the Web-based decision aid to young working women. The preliminary findings suggest that the decision aid could help to reduce decisional conflicts and encourage uptake of screening. Full-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Trial Registration

This study was registered at the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Registry (ISRCTN59163820) on 4 August 2022.
Generating fair, reliable, and accurate neuropsychological test norms for people with HIV in a low- or middle-income country
Authors: Gouse H. , Thomas K. G. F. , Masson C. J. , Henry M. , Joska J. A. , Cysique L. A. , Ling S. , Ye X. , Liu J. , Robbins R. N.
Published: December 2024

Effective neuropsychological assessment of people with HIV (PWH) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is hampered by the unavailability of adequate test norms. We aimed to: (1) develop demographically-corrected (regression-based) South African (SA) normative data for an HIV appropriate neuropsychological test battery for Xhosa home-language speakers; (2) compare the utility of those norms to that of (i) internal standardization norms and (ii) US test publisher norms; and (3) determine the criterion validity of the newly-developed norms. 114 controls and 102 demographically comparable Xhosa home-language people living with HIV completed a well-establised, standard HIV neuropsychological test battery assessing seven cognitive domains. Using a common performance metric (z-score), we compared control and PWH test performance and examined the extent to which the three different normative datasets embedded demographic effects e.g., education. Using internal standardization norms, analyses detected medium-sized correlations of overall test performance with age and education. Correlations were fully corrected for by the newly-developed demographically-corrected norms. Using demographically-corrected norms, PWH performed significantly more poorly than controls in five cognitive domains, whereas using internal standardization norms and test-publisher norms, PWH performed significantly more poorly than controls in one and two domains, respectively. Demographically-corrected norms estimated 43.1% of PWH were cognitively impaired; these estimates were 22.5% using test-publisher norms and 19.6% using internal standardization norms. Demographically-corrected SA norms were more sensitive to cognitive impairment in PWH than the other sets of norms. Expansion of this regression-based method to create population-appropriate norms will benefit research and clinical practice in LMICs.
Translating and Validating the Japanese Version of the Tolerance for Ambiguity Scale
Authors: Fujikawa Hirohisa , Ando Takayuki , Kondo Kayo , Hayashi Mikio
Published: December 2024

Background

Ambiguity is inherent in medicine, and tolerance for ambiguity (TFA) has recently been of substantial interest. Effective medical education for TFA requires a validated inventory; one validated measure in wide use is the seven-item TFA scale. In Japan, however, a tool for measuring TFA in undergraduate medical education has not been available. Here, we aimed to develop and validate the Japanese version of the TFA scale (J-TFA scale).

Methods

We translated the original English scale into Japanese following an international guideline. We then conducted a validation survey by distributing an online anonymous self-administered questionnaire to medical students at three medical schools in Japan. We assessed the structural validity and internal reliability of consistency of the scale.

Results

A total of 399 participants were included in our analysis. We used a split-half validation approach, with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the first half and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the second. EFA indicated a two-factor structure. CFA showed that the two-factor structure suggested by EFA had acceptable model fitness indices. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.72, exceeding the satisfactory internal reliability consistency criteria.

Conclusions

The J-TFA scale was developed and its psychometric properties were confirmed. This instrument may be useful for future educational interventions and research on TFA.
Global Insights on Insecticide Use in Forest Systems: Current Use, Impacts and Perspectives in a Changing World
Authors: Leroy Benjamin M. L.
Published: December 2024

Purpose of Review

The perception of forests has evolved from mere timber sources to multifunctional ecosystems that support biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem services. Nevertheless, insecticides remain crucial in many forestry systems facing intensifying insect outbreaks and invasions. This review examines recent literature on insecticide use in forestry worldwide, aiming to identify major use patterns, environmental impacts, and emerging alternatives to foster sustainable pest management.

Recent Findings

The need for alternatives to chemical control is globally recognized, driven by environmental impacts and increasingly strict regulatory frameworks. Recent studies using next-generation sequencing suggest that insecticides can have complex, indirect effects on animal community structures, underscoring the importance of in situ community-wide assessments. Bioinsecticides have been extensively tested, but their effectiveness is strongly dependent on environmental conditions. Advances in functional genomics, nanomaterials, and application technologies suggest that direct control tactics compatible with conservation goals may become achievable.

Four major use patterns were identified: (1) aerial applications against defoliators; (2) tree-level prophylactic applications against endophagous insects; (3) toxic baits against eusocial pests; and (4) seedling protection in nurseries and reforestation sites. Although insecticide use is influenced by management intensity, integrated pest management (IPM) is widely implemented across forestry systems. Insecticides are generally used sparingly but still play a critical role as last-resort suppression tactics against severe outbreaks. This complicates the search for alternatives, as reduced-risk compounds often lack the efficacy needed for this niche. The scope of ecological impact assessments vary, focusing on natural enemies in intensive systems, and increasingly including wider communities in multifunctional forests. There is a pressing need for protocols that assess both economic and ecological trade-offs at the community level to integrate future technologies, such as molecular control and nanoinsecticides, into IPM strategies.
Spatial-temporal initialization dilemma: towards realistic visual tracking
Authors: Liu Chang , Yuan Yongsheng , Chen Xin , Lu Huchuan , Wang Dong
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we first investigate the phenomenon of the spatial-temporal initialization dilemma towards realistic visual tracking, which may adversely affect tracking performance. We summarize the aforementioned phenomenon by comparing differences of the initialization manners in existing tracking benchmarks and in real-world applications. The existing tracking benchmarks provide offline sequences and the expert annotations in the initial frame for trackers. However, in real-world applications, a tracker is often initialized by user annotations or an object detector, which may provide rough and inaccurate initialization. Moreover, annotation from the external feedback also introduces extra time costs while the video stream will not pause for waiting. We select four representative trackers and conduct full performance comparison on popular datasets with simulated initialization to intuitively describe the initialization dilemma of the task. Then, we propose a simple compensation framework to address this dilemma. The framework contains spatial-refine and temporal-chasing modules to mitigate performance degradation caused by the initialization dilemma. Furthermore, the proposed framework can be compatible with various popular trackers without retraining. Extensive experiments verify the effectiveness of our compensation framework.
Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra: Is There a Violation of the Article II Appointments Clause?
Authors: Curfman Gregory , Boumil Marcia M.
Published: December 2024

Since 1984, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued recommendations to the public regarding preventive health services. The recommendations have substantially benefited public health. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, recommendations assigned the highest ratings (A and B) must be covered by most private health insurers without consumer cost-sharing. This statutory requirement has been challenged in Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra, a case centered on the plaintiffs’ argument that USPSTF members are officers of the United States but were not appointed in accordance with the Appointments Clause of the Constitution. The Appointments Clause requires that principal officers of the United States must be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. This article contends that members of the USPSTF are not principal officers of the United States, but instead serve as advisors to Congress in making preventive health recommendations. Congress established the coverage policy, not the USPSTF members. On this basis, the defendants should prevail in the case, but if they do not, the court should apply severability to permit the Secretary of Health and Human Services to directly oversee the USPSTF in the assignment of ratings for preventive health recommendations. The important work of the USPSTF should not be abridged.
Don’t Forget About Adolescence: How the Braidwood Litigation Can Shape Access to Mental Health Services and Adolescent Development
Authors: Singh Sabrina
Published: December 2024

Currently, the Affordable Care Act helps to provide inexpensive preventive care services to adolescents (10–19 years old) by preventing insurance companies from implementing cost-sharing measures. Some of these services can fall under the realm of mental health preventive care such as anxiety and depression testing. The lack of cost to a patient and their family encourages doctors to offer these services to their young patients. Furthermore, this Affordable Care Act provision - fosters doctor-patient communication because it normalizes mental health services as part of well-being. However, Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra threatens to have far reaching implications for preventive care policy and to disrupt health communication efforts to promote positive mental health. This Article uses structuration theory and a conceptual framework of adolescent development to examine the potential ramifications of cost-sharing on adolescent health. The implications of this change in cost-sharing include constraining doctors’ communication behavior in primary care settings and stunting healthy adolescent development. Ultimately, if the Braidwood decision is upheld, it may pose a challenge to a doctor’s ability to communicate with their young patient about mental health.
Factors associated with inappropriate urine culture orders in hospitalized patients with indwelling urinary catheters
Authors: Azzam Ramez , Nicolsen Nicole C. , Pierce Jacob W.
Published: December 2024

Urine cultures ordered for patients with indwelling urinary catheters might lead to reporting of non-clinically significant catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) or asymptomatic bacteriuria to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). We examined factors associated with inappropriate urine cultures orders leading to reporting of non-clinically significant CAUTIs to NHSN.
Quantifying the Impact of Climate Change and Forest Management on Swedish Forest Ecosystems Using the Dynamic Vegetation Model LPJ‐GUESS
Authors: Bergkvist John , Lagergren Fredrik , Islam Md. Rafikul , Wårlind David , Miller Paul A. , Finnander Linderson Maj‐Lena , Lindeskog Mats , Jönsson Anna Maria
Published: December 2024

Boreal and temperate forests are undergoing structural, compositional and functional changes in response to increasing temperatures, changes in precipitation, and rising CO2, but the extent of the changes in forests will also depend on current and future forest management. This study utilized the dynamic vegetation model LPJ‐GUESS enabled with forest management (version 4.1.2, rev11016) to simulate changes in forest ecosystem functioning and supply of ecosystem services in Sweden. We compared three alternative forest policy scenarios: Business As Usual, with no change in the proportion of forest types within landscapes; Adaptation and Resistance, with an increased area of mixed stands; and EU‐Policy, with a focus on conservation and reduced management intensity. LPJ‐GUESS was forced with climate data derived from an ensemble of three earth system models to study long‐term implications of a low (SSP1‐2.6), a high (SSP3‐7.0), and a very high (SSP5‐8.5) emissions scenario. Increases in net primary production varied between 4% and 8% in SSP1‐2.6, 21%–25% in SSP3‐7.0 and 25%–29% in SSP5‐8.5 across all three forest policy scenarios, when comparing 2081–2100 to 2001–2020. Increased net primary production was mediated by a higher soil nitrogen availability and increased water use efficiency in the higher emission scenarios SSP3‐7.0 and SSP5‐8.5. Soil carbon storage showed small but significant decreases in SSP3‐7.0 and in SSP5‐8.5. Our results highlight differences in the predisposition to storm damage among forest policy scenarios, which were most pronounced in southern Sweden, with increases of 61%–76% in Business‐As‐Usual, 4%–11% in Adaptation and Resistance, and decreases of 7%–12% in EU‐Policy when comparing 2081–2100 to 2001–2020.
Impacts of Antarctic Sea Ice Change on Global Warming Pattern Inferred From CMIP6 Intermodel Spread
Authors: Luo Fengyun , Xie Shang‐Ping , Ying Jun , Geng Yu‐Fan , Chen Dake
Published: December 2024

Global climate models generally project a robust decline in Antarctic sea ice (ASI) under increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) while an ASI expansion has been observed over the recent four decades. Motivated by the apparent model‐observation discrepancy, this study investigates the influences of ASI change on global warming pattern by exploiting the spread across models from Phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). The results indicate a close intermodel relationship between ASI change and global sea surface warming pattern. Models with less ASI loss tend to produce a weaker warming globally, especially in the Southern Ocean, subtropical southeastern Pacific Ocean, and tropical Pacific Ocean. This extratropical teleconnection to the tropics agrees with the theory of cross‐equator energy transport. By correcting the modeled ASI change with observations, we can bring the SST warming pattern closer to observations, especially in the Southern Hemisphere and tropics.
Influence of Vortex Couplets Following Cold Fronts Related to the Lateral Friction by Mountains on Elevated Thunderstorm Initiation
Authors: Luo Xinyue , Huang Xiaogang , Fei Jianfang , Wang Ju , Li Chao , Cheng Xiaoping
Published: December 2024

Convective initiation (CI) over complex terrain poses a difficult problem. By conducting numerical simulations and surface friction experiments, this study investigated the dynamic mechanism of elevated thunderstorm initiation on the eastern side of Dalou Mountain. The evolution characteristics of vortices before and after CI, as well as the impact of lateral friction of the mountain on the formation of vortices, were assessed. Simulation results showed that a pair of vortex couplets following the cold front (CFVs) were associated with lateral friction of the terrain, where the northern and southern sides experienced anticyclonic and cyclonic vortices, respectively. Easterly winds between CFVs could be an indication for CI. CFVs had an unsymmetrical structure in the vertical direction, which had a high depth in the south and low depth in the north, and exhibited nocturnal intensification. In the sensitivity experiments, lateral friction showed the positive impact on the low‐level easterlies from afternoon to evening, following the rule that the greater the surface lateral friction, the stronger the easterly. The promotion of positive vorticity in the southern vortex by lateral friction was obviously above 1,500 m, while the enhancement of negative vorticity in the northern vortex was mainly reflected in the low‐level layer. The variation of the latter was not as large as that of the former due to the difference of the south and the north terrain. These results provide an important perspective on the qualitative relationship between the lateral friction, vortex couplets, and airflow intensity.
Eurasian Snow Anomaly Amplifying the Effect of North Atlantic SST on Interannual Occurrences of Spring Frosts Over Northeast China
Authors: Lang Xinyao , Chen Huopo
Published: December 2024

The spring frost over northeast China significantly affects local socioeconomic development; however, the variations and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The present study explored the spatiotemporal attributes of spring frost days (FD) over northeast China in recent decades, and the potential mechanisms underlying their interannual variations. The results indicated an evident decline in spring FD over northeast China, accompanied by substantial interannual variation. Further analyses suggested that anomalous springtime North Atlantic tripole sea surface temperature (SST) and Eurasian snow depth are critical factors controlling the interannual variations of spring FD in northeast China. Rossby wave trains can be stimulated by the anomalous North Atlantic tripole SST (NAT), which propagates eastward through the Eurasian continent to northeast China, significantly affecting the atmospheric circulation along the pathways. This results in anomalous negative geopotential heights and cyclonic circulation over northeast China, causing low‐temperature anomalies by moderating wind‐induced alterations in surface heat fluxes and cloud‐induced modifications in surface radiation. Meanwhile, Eurasian snow depth anomalies represent a consistent effect with NAT. The anomalous Eurasian snow depth may modify the atmosphere thickness by regulating surface heat flux, promoting the propagation of wave trains as a snow‐atmosphere bridge, which enhances the impact of NAT on FD. In addition, it also triggers the Rossby wave trains to spread from high‐latitude Siberia to northeast China. Both of these processes have a considerable impact on the local atmospheric circulation. Consequently, these two factors contribute to local surface cooling, thereby increasing the spring frost occurrence over northeast China.
Warming and Carbon Injection at the Paleocene‐Eocene Boundary: Bayesian Modeling Supports Synchroneity
Authors: Makarova Maria , Schmelz William J. , Miller Kenneth G. , Herbert Timothy D. , Podrecca Luca G. , Browning James V. , Mortlock Richard A. , Godfrey Linda V. , Wright James D.
Published: December 2024

We evaluate lead‐lag relationships between warming associated with the Paleocene‐Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) and the attendant carbon isotope excursion (CIE) recorded in sedimentary archives from the mid‐Atlantic continental margin. Cores from the New Jersey coastal plain (NJCP) provide thick (up to 15 m), rapidly deposited shelf PETM sections recording a 6–8°C warming based on the TEX86 paleothermometer. Updip cores from Medford, NJ provide the most expanded CIE onset, associated with a gradual lithologic change from uppermost Paleocene glauconitic sands to the lowermost Eocene kaolinitic Marlboro Clay. The relative thickness of these transitional sediments and the CIE onset allow for high‐resolution stable isotopic (bulk sediment, foraminifera, and organic carbon) and lipid biomarker analyses. The TEXH86‐derived temperature records from Medford cores show no warming prior to the CIE onset, with the carbon isotopic decrease in phase with temperature. Previous studies of more downdip PETM sections on the NJCP suggested that warming preceded the CIE, consistent with a thermal trigger for carbon release. Re‐evaluation of published records and Bayesian analysis of TEXH86‐derived temperature and δ13C from five NJCP sites do not indicate a statistically discernible lead or lag of carbon injection and warming. Though we can not preclude that a lead or lag exists, our analysis suggests that a synchronous CIE onset and warming is the most likely scenario on the NJ paleoshelf.
Malate initiates a proton-sensing pathway essential for pH regulation of inflammation
Authors: Chen Yu-jia-nan , Shi Rong-chen , Xiang Yuan-cai , Fan Li , Tang Hong , He Gang , Zhou Mei , Feng Xin-zhe , Tan Jin-dong , Huang Pan , Ye Xiao , Zhao Kun , Fu Wen-yu , Li Liu-li , Bian Xu-ting , Chen Huan , Wang Feng , Wang Teng , Zhang Chen-ke , Zhou Bing-hua , Chen Wan , Liang Tao-tao , Lv Jing-tong , Kang Xia , Shi You-xing , Kim Ellen , Qin Yin-hua , Hettinghouse Aubryanna , Wang Kai-di , Zhao Xiang-li , Yang Ming-yu , Tang Yu-zhen , Piao Hai-long , Guo Lin , Liu Chuan-ju , Miao Hong-ming , Tang Kang-lai
Published: December 2024

Metabolites can double as a signaling modality that initiates physiological adaptations. Metabolism, a chemical language encoding biological information, has been recognized as a powerful principle directing inflammatory responses. Cytosolic pH is a regulator of inflammatory response in macrophages. Here, we found that L-malate exerts anti-inflammatory effect via BiP-IRF2BP2 signaling, which is a sensor of cytosolic pH in macrophages. First, L-malate, a TCA intermediate upregulated in pro-inflammatory macrophages, was identified as a potent anti-inflammatory metabolite through initial screening. Subsequent screening with DARTS and MS led to the isolation of L-malate-BiP binding. Further screening through protein‒protein interaction microarrays identified a L-malate-restrained coupling of BiP with IRF2BP2, a known anti-inflammatory protein. Interestingly, pH reduction, which promotes carboxyl protonation of L-malate, facilitates L-malate and carboxylate analogues such as succinate to bind BiP, and disrupt BiP-IRF2BP2 interaction in a carboxyl-dependent manner. Both L-malate and acidification inhibit BiP-IRF2BP2 interaction, and protect IRF2BP2 from BiP-driven degradation in macrophages. Furthermore, both in vitro and in vivo, BiP-IRF2BP2 signal is required for effects of both L-malate and pH on inflammatory responses. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized, proton/carboxylate dual sensing pathway wherein pH and L-malate regulate inflammatory responses, indicating the role of certain carboxylate metabolites as adaptors in the proton biosensing by interactions between macromolecules.
Structural insights into GrpEL1-mediated nucleotide and substrate release of human mitochondrial Hsp70
Authors: Morizono Marc A. , McGuire Kelly L. , Birouty Natalie I. , Herzik Mark A.
Published: December 2024

Maintenance of protein homeostasis is necessary for cell viability and depends on a complex network of chaperones and co-chaperones, including the heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70) system. In human mitochondria, mitochondrial Hsp70 (mortalin) and the nucleotide exchange factor (GrpEL1) work synergistically to stabilize proteins, assemble protein complexes, and facilitate protein import. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms guiding these processes is hampered by limited structural information. To elucidate these mechanistic details, we used cryoEM to determine structures of full-length human mortalin-GrpEL1 complexes in previously unobserved states. Our structures and molecular dynamics simulations allow us to delineate specific roles for mortalin-GrpEL1 interfaces and to identify steps in GrpEL1-mediated nucleotide and substrate release by mortalin. Subsequent analyses reveal conserved mechanisms across bacteria and mammals and facilitate a complete understanding of sequential nucleotide and substrate release for the Hsp70 chaperone system.
Catalytic oxidation upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate to commodity carboxylic acids
Authors: Chen Qinghai , Yan Hao , Zhao Kai , Wang Shuai , Zhang Dongrui , Li Yaqian , Fan Rong , Li Jie , Chen Xiaobo , Zhou Xin , Liu Yibin , Feng Xiang , Chen De , Yang Chaohe
Published: December 2024

Catalytic upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into high-value oxygenated products is a fascinating process, yet it remains challenging. Here, we present a one-step tandem strategy to realize the thermal catalytic oxidation upcycling of PET to terephthalic acid (TPA) and high-value glycolic acid (GA) instead of ethylene glycol (EG). By using the Au/NiO with rich oxygen vacancies as catalyst, we successfully accelerate the hydrolysis of PET, accompanied by obtaining 99% TPA yield and 87.6% GA yield. The results reveal that the oxygen vacancies in NiO (NiO-Ov) support tend to adsorb hydrolysis product TPA, preferentially ensuring the strong adsorption of EG at the Au-NiO interface. Moreover, during the EG oxidation process, the Au-NiO interface, composed of two types of structures, quasi “AuNi alloy” and NiO-Ov, simultaneously promote the C-H bond activation, where Ni in “AuNi alloy” exhibits an oxytropism effect to anchor the C = O bond of the intermediate, while the residual O in NiO-Ov pillages the H in the C-H bond. Such Au/NiO catalyst is further extended to promote the thermal catalytic oxidation upcycling of other polyethylene glycol esters to GA with excellent catalytic performance.
Host dispersal relaxes selective pressures in rafting microbiomes and triggers successional changes
Authors: Pearman William S. , Duffy Grant A. , Smith Robert O. , Currie Kim I. , Gemmell Neil J. , Morales Sergio E. , Fraser Ceridwen I.
Published: December 2024

What little we know about how microbiomes change over the course of host dispersal has been gleaned from simulations or snapshot sampling of microbiomes of hosts undertaking regular, cyclical migrations. These studies suggest that major changes in both microbiome richness and turnover occur in response to long-distance movements, but we do not yet know how rare or sporadic dispersal events for non-migratory organisms might affect the microbiomes of their hosts. Here we directly examine the microbiomes of rafting seaweed, leveraging host genomic analyses, amplicon sequencing, and oceanographic modelling to study the impacts of ecological dispersal of hosts on their microbiomes. We find that once dislodged from coastal shores and adrift, kelp-associated microbial communities change profoundly—the core microbes found on attached kelp give way to a few abundant taxa and many rare taxa. Changes in microbial species richness and composition are strongly linked to variability in sea surface temperature rather than length of time spent rafting. These changes are associated with increased contributions of neutral processes shaping community assembly. These findings highlight the role of environmental predictability in triggering major community successional changes and challenge the importance of host selection in determining the microbiome.
Molecular characterization of the sea lamprey retina illuminates the evolutionary origin of retinal cell types
Authors: Wang Junqiang , Zhang Lin , Cavallini Martina , Pahlevan Ali , Sun Junwei , Morshedian Ala , Fain Gordon L. , Sampath Alapakkam P. , Peng Yi-Rong
Published: December 2024

The lamprey, a primitive jawless vertebrate whose ancestors diverged from all other vertebrates over 500 million years ago, offers a unique window into the ancient formation of the retina. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing, we characterize retinal cell types in the lamprey and compare them to those in mouse, chicken, and zebrafish. We find six cell classes and 74 distinct cell types, many shared with other vertebrate species. The conservation of cell types indicates their emergence early in vertebrate evolution, highlighting primordial designs of retinal circuits for the rod pathway, ON-OFF discrimination, and direction selectivity. The diversification of amacrine and some ganglion cell types appears, however, to be distinct in the lamprey. We further infer genetic regulators in specifying retinal cell classes and identify ancestral regulatory elements across species, noting decreased conservation in specifying amacrine cells. Altogether, our characterization of the lamprey retina illuminates the evolutionary origin of visual processing in the retina.
Ultrafast silicon photonic reservoir computing engine delivering over 200 TOPS
Authors: Wang Dongliang , Nie Yikun , Hu Gaolei , Tsang Hon Ki , Huang Chaoran
Published: December 2024

Reservoir computing (RC) is a powerful machine learning algorithm for information processing. Despite numerous optical implementations, its speed and scalability remain limited by the need to establish recurrent connections and achieve efficient optical nonlinearities. This work proposes a streamlined photonic RC design based on a new paradigm, called next-generation RC, which overcomes these limitations. Our design leads to a compact silicon photonic computing engine with an experimentally demonstrated processing speed of over 60 GHz. Experimental results demonstrate state-of-the-art performance in prediction, emulation, and classification tasks across various machine learning applications. Compared to traditional RC systems, our silicon photonic RC engine offers several key advantages, including no speed limitations, a compact footprint, and a high tolerance to fabrication errors. This work lays the foundation for ultrafast on-chip photonic RC, representing significant progress toward developing next-generation high-speed photonic computing and signal processing.
Parallel single-cell metabolic analysis and extracellular vesicle profiling reveal vulnerabilities with prognostic significance in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Forte Dorian , Pellegrino Roberto Maria , Falvo Paolo , Garcia-Gonzalez Paulina , Alabed Husam B. R. , Maltoni Filippo , Lombardi Davide , Bruno Samantha , Barone Martina , Pasini Federico , Fabbri Francesco , Vannini Ivan , Donati Benedetta , Cristiano Gianluca , Sartor Chiara , Ronzoni Simona , Ciarrocchi Alessia , Buratta Sandra , Urbanelli Lorena , Emiliani Carla , Soverini Simona , Catani Lucia , Bertolini Francesco , Argüello Rafael José , Cavo Michele , Curti Antonio
Published: December 2024

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive disease with a high relapse rate. In this study, we map the metabolic profile of CD34+(CD38low/-) AML cells and the extracellular vesicle signatures in circulation from AML patients at diagnosis. CD34+ AML cells display high antioxidant glutathione levels and enhanced mitochondrial functionality, both associated with poor clinical outcomes. Although CD34+ AML cells are highly dependent on glucose oxidation and glycolysis for energy, those from intermediate- and adverse-risk patients reveal increased mitochondrial dependence. Extracellular vesicles from AML are mainly enriched in stem cell markers and express antioxidant GPX3, with their profiles showing potential prognostic value. Extracellular vesicles enhance mitochondrial functionality and dependence on CD34+ AML cells via the glutathione/GPX4 axis. Notably, extracellular vesicles from adverse-risk patients enhance leukemia cell engraftment in vivo. Here, we show a potential noninvasive approach based on liquid ‘cell-extracellular vesicle’ biopsy toward a redefined metabolic stratification in AML.
Communication between DNA polymerases and Replication Protein A within the archaeal replisome
Authors: Martínez-Carranza Markel , Vialle Léa , Madru Clément , Cordier Florence , Tekpinar Ayten Dizkirici , Haouz Ahmed , Legrand Pierre , Le Meur Rémy A. , England Patrick , Dulermo Rémi , Guijarro J. Iñaki , Henneke Ghislaine , Sauguet Ludovic
Published: December 2024

Replication Protein A (RPA) plays a pivotal role in DNA replication by coating and protecting exposed single-stranded DNA, and acting as a molecular hub that recruits additional replication factors. We demonstrate that archaeal RPA hosts a winged-helix domain (WH) that interacts with two key actors of the replisome: the DNA primase (PriSL) and the replicative DNA polymerase (PolD). Using an integrative structural biology approach, combining nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, we unveil how RPA interacts with PriSL and PolD through two distinct surfaces of the WH domain: an evolutionarily conserved interface and a novel binding site. Finally, RPA is shown to stimulate the activity of PriSL in a WH-dependent manner. This study provides a molecular understanding of the WH-mediated regulatory activity in central replication factors such as RPA, which regulate genome maintenance in Archaea and Eukaryotes.
Nano-second pulsed laser ablation of inconel 718 and MMPCD for simultaneous optimal ablation rate and surface quality
Authors: Elkaseer Ahmed , Abdelgaliel Islam H. , Lambarri Jon , Quintana Iban , Scholz Steffen , Aly Mohamed F.
Published: December 2024

This study investigates the ablation performance of Inconel 718, a nickel-based superalloy, and metal matrix polycrystalline diamond (MMPCD), a super composite, using a nano-second (ns) pulsed laser across a range of ablation conditions. Single trenches varying in energy fluence and scanning speeds were created, analyzing the experimental responses in terms of ablation rate and surface roughness. Using regression techniques, models were developed to understand these relationships. Four multi-objective optimization algorithms, weighted value grey wolf optimizer (WVGWO), multi-objective Pareto search (MOPS), multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA), and multi-objective sunflower optimization (MOSFO), were employed to optimize these models. Key findings include MMPCD achieving the highest ablation rates at maximum fluence and lower speeds with negligible recast, resulting in smoother surfaces, whereas Inconel 718 reached its peak rates at similar conditions but exhibited significant surface recast. This research provides valuable insights into ns-pulsed laser machining for advanced materials, emphasizing the impact of fluence and scanning speed on achieving high ablation rates and minimal surface roughness.
Microbial alpha diversity in the intestine negatively correlated with disease duration in patients with Meniere’s disease
Authors: Mochizuki Fumihiro , Komori Manabu , Shimizu Jun , Sasano Yoshiyuki , Ito Yusuke , Hoffer Michael E. , Miyabe Yoshishige , Koizuka Izumi
Published: December 2024

Ménière’s disease (MD) is characterized by loss of balance and hearing disorders. Although there is known to be endolymphatic hydrops involved in the pathological process, the pathogenesis of the disease is still largely unclear. Approximately half of patients with MD suffer from depressive symptoms and high levels of several stress hormones were observed in MD and depression, simultaneously. Recently, gut microbes have been shown to influence the function of the central nervous system in humans through their metabolites. We studied the intestinal microbiota of 10 patients with MD and 11 healthy donors (HD). Significant negative correlations were found between disease duration and alpha diversity indexes of gut microbes in patients with MD. The relative abundance of the species Butyricicoccus ambiguous taxa was increased in patients with MD compared with that of HD. In contrast, Oscillospiraceae UCG-002/UCG-005 ambiguous taxa and Anaerovoracaceae (Eubacterium) brachy group uncultured bacterium were increased in the relative abundance of HD than that of patients with MD. The relative abundance of the Butyricicoccus species was positively correlated with disease duration. Thus, these compositional alterations of gut microbes in patients with MD are associated with inner ear pathologies, such as endolymphatic hydrops, by changing the metabolite profiles in the intestine.
New structure of step-up DC-DC converter based on three winding coupled inductor with high gain capability featuring integrated renewable energy applications
Authors: Aghakhanlou Pouneh , Falahi Fatemeh , Nadermohammadi Ali , Sarikhan Hasan , Hosseini Seyed Hossein , Rostami Naghi , Sabahi Mehran
Published: December 2024

This research presents an innovative design for a non-isolated DC-DC converter, which utilizes a single switch in a high step-up configuration. The key element of this design is a three-winding coupled inductor (TWCI), which plays a crucial role in achieving a substantial voltage increase. By utilizing a low duty cycle, the converter minimizes conduction losses in the power switch, resulting in enhanced efficiency. The converter offers several benefits, including reduced voltage stress on both power switches and diodes, a common ground, high efficiency, a simple structure and control mechanism, and fewer components. The study thoroughly examines the converter’s operational modes and provides a comparison with other types of converters to highlight its distinctive characteristics. To validate the converter’s performance, a 400 W prototype was developed and tested in the lab, operating with a 20 V input, a 260 V output, and a switching frequency of 50 kHz.
Curiosity shapes spatial exploration and cognitive map formation in humans
Authors: Cen Danlu , Teichert Eva , Hodgetts Carl J. , Gruber Matthias J.
Published: December 2024

Cognitive maps are thought to arise, at least in part, from our intrinsic curiosity to explore unknown places. However, it remains untested how curiosity shapes aspects of spatial exploration in humans. Combining a virtual reality task with indices of exploration complexity, we found that pre-exploration curiosity states predicted how much individuals spatially explored environments, whereas markers of visual exploration determined post-exploration feelings of interest. Moreover, individual differences in curiosity traits, particularly Stress Tolerance, modulated the relationship between curiosity and spatial exploration, suggesting the capacity to cope with uncertainty enhances the curiosity-exploration link. Furthermore, both curiosity and spatial exploration predicted how precisely participants could recall spatial-relational details of the environment, as measured by a sketch map task. These results provide new evidence for a link between curiosity and exploratory behaviour, and how curiosity might shape cognitive map formation.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) internalization does not rely on DPP4 cytoplasmic tail signaling
Authors: Thankamani Karthika , Shubham Divakar , Kandpal Gayatri , Isaac Ann Mary , Kavitha Modenkattil Sethumadhavan , Raj V. Stalin
Published: December 2024

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infects respiratory epithelial cells in humans and camels by binding to dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) as its entry receptor. DPP4 is a multifunctional type II membrane protein with a long ectodomain and a short six-amino-acid (aa) cytoplasmic tail. MERS-CoV is known to bind to the ectodomain of DPP4 to gain entry into the host cell. However, the role of the cytoplasmic tail in the entry process remains unclear. Here, we show that mutating or deleting individual aa residues or the entire cytoplasmic tail of DPP4 (ΔcytDPP4) does not completely prevent DPP4 from being inserted into the membrane or from allowing the binding of the MERS-CoV spike protein and pseudovirus infection. Although two mutants, ΔcytDPP4, and a single aa deleted DPP4 (ΔK6DPP4) displayed less surface presentation than wtDPP4, the spike protein could still bind and localize on different DPP4 mutants. The reduced surface expression of ΔK6DPP4 might be due to the extended transmembrane domain, which is altered by the hydrophobic tryptophan (W) residue adjacent to the deleted K6. Furthermore, HEK293T cells transiently expressing DPP4 mutants were permeable to MERS-CoV pseudovirus infection. Not only transiently expressing cells but also cells stably expressing the ΔcytDPP4 mutant were susceptible to MERS-CoV pseudoviral infection, indicating that the DPP4 cytoplasmic tail is not required for MERS-CoV entry. Overall, these data suggest that, although MERS-CoV binds to DPP4, other host factors may need to interact with DPP4 or the spike protein to trigger internalization.
Automated and virus variant-programmable surrogate test qualitatively compares to the gold standard SARS-CoV-2 neutralization assay
Authors: Ali Danielle W. , Bartlett Maggie L. , Heger Christopher D. , Ramirez Francisco , Johnson Linwood , Schully Kevin L. , Laing Eric D. , Wang Wei , Weiss Carol D. , Goguet Emilie , Broder Christopher C. , Richard Stephanie A. , Epsi Nusrat J. , Agan Brian , Tribble David , Simons Mark P. , Burgess Timothy H. , Mitre Edward , Pollett Simon , Smith Darci R.
Published: December 2024

The ongoing emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants underscores the need for rapid, adaptable, high-throughput testing. However, assays for neutralizing antibodies, which are a good measure of viral protection, usually require cell culture and either infectious SARS-CoV-2 or pseudotyped viral particles. To circumvent the challenges of cell-based assays, SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus neutralization tests (sVNTs) measure inhibition of the binding of the spike (S) protein receptor binding domain (RBD) to its receptor, human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) by neutralizing antibodies. Here we tested a prototype automated microfluidic cartridge-based sVNT platform using SARS-CoV-2 wild-type (WT) and B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant RBDs. This sVNT showed a high correlation with cell-based neutralization assays for biospecimens collected post-COVID-19 vaccination and post-SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as for pre-pandemic SARS-CoV-2 negative sera. Thus, this assay, which takes less than 80 min, is a relatively simple, safe, and accurate alternative to traditional VNTs.
Structure of the Nipah virus polymerase complex
Authors: Balıkçı Esra , Günl Franziska , Carrique Loïc , Keown Jeremy R , Fodor Ervin , Grimes Jonathan M
Published: December 2024

Nipah virus is a highly virulent zoonotic paramyxovirus causing severe respiratory and neurological disease. Despite its lethality, there is no approved treatment for Nipah virus infection. The viral polymerase complex, composed of the polymerase (L) and phosphoprotein (P), replicates and transcribes the viral RNA genome. Here, we describe structures of the Nipah virus L-P polymerase complex and the L-protein’s Connecting Domain (CD). The cryo-electron microscopy L-P complex structure reveals the organization of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and polyribonucleotidyl transferase (PRNTase) domains of the L-protein, and shows how the P-protein, which forms a tetramer, interacts with the RdRp-domain of the L-protein. The crystal structure of the CD-domain alone reveals binding of three Mg ions. Modelling of this domain onto an AlphaFold 3 model of an RNA-L-P complex suggests a catalytic role for one Mg ion in mRNA capping. These findings offer insights into the structural details of the L-P polymerase complex and the molecular interactions between L-protein and P-protein, shedding light on the mechanisms of the replication machinery. This work will underpin efforts to develop antiviral drugs that target the polymerase complex of Nipah virus.
Palladium-catalyzed distal γ- and ε-benzylation, allylation and allenylation of enones
Authors: Sah Pooja , Kapur Manmohan
Published: December 2024

We report herein a palladium-catalyzed distal alkylation of silyldienol and silyltrienol ethers of enones through coupling with activated halides to achieve new endo- and exo-alkylated motifs.
Alloying two-dimensional VSi2N4 to realize an ideal half-metal towards spintronic applications
Authors: Sun Jin-Lan , Zhang Wei-Kang , Dong Mi-Mi , Li Zong-Liang , Wang Chuan-Kui , Fu Xiao-Xiao
Published: December 2024

Modulating the electronic properties of VSi2N4 with high Curie temperature to realize an ideal half-metal is appealing towards spintronic applications.
Catalytic hydrodenitrogenation of primary, secondary, and tertiary C12-alkyl amines over a platinum on zirconia catalyst
Authors: Klingelhöfer Leoni-Franziska , Kattelus Joakim , Verkama Emma , Velasco Jorge A. , Iser Leonhard , Rose Marcus , Karinen Reetta , Puurunen Riikka L.
Published: December 2024

The Pt-catalyzed hydrotreatment of primary, secondary and tertiary amines proceeds via a shared reaction network. N-removal occurs through condensation or C–N hydrogenolysis steps involving the primary amine.
Chemical characterization of polymer and chloride content in waste plastic materials using pyrolysis – direct analysis in real time – high-resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Halpern Emily , Heirty Lauren , West Christopher , Li Yitao , Kim Won M. , Mennito Anthony S. , Laskin Alexander
Published: December 2024

This study presents an application of TPD-DART-HRMS for plastic, enabling rapid characterization of waste through Kendrick grouping and Tanimoto comparison.
Development of PROTACs targeting estrogen receptor: an emerging technique for combating endocrine resistance
Authors: Peng Rouming , Liu Xin , Chen Chun-Chi , Guo Rey-Ting , Min Jian
Published: December 2024

ER PROTACs emerge as a hopeful and innovative strategy for combating endocrine-resistant breast cancer.
High-porosity Pt–CeO2 nanosponges as oxidation catalyst
Authors: Falkner Simon , Maliakkal Carina B. , Liebertseder Mareike , Czechowsky Joachim , Casapu Maria , Grunwaldt Jan-Dierk , Kübel Christian , Feldmann Claus
Published: December 2024

A highly porous Pt–CeO2 nanosponge catalyst is obtained by thermal transformation from a cerium oxalate precursor, showing good thermal stability and promising activity for catalytic oxidation of CO, VOCs, NH3 with high selectivity for N2.
Innovative applications of MXenes in dialysis: enhancing filtration efficiency
Authors: Javaherchi Pouya , Zarepour Atefeh , Khosravi Arezoo , Heydari Parisa , Iravani Siavash , Zarrabi Ali
Published: December 2024

The purpose of this review is to comprehensively explore the multifaceted applications of MXenes and their composites in dialysis, highlighting challenges and future directions.
An unprecedented double photoexcitation mechanism for photoswitching in conjugated-dienes to trigger physiological processes for photopharmacology
Authors: Sangolkar Akanksha Ashok , Kadiyam Rama Krishna , Pawar Ravinder
Published: December 2024

A unique double photoexcitation mechanism has been devised to promote thermo-reversible photoswitching in larger cyclic conjugated-dienes, enabling access to four distinct isomers that have potential for photopharmacological applications.