bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on the synergistic effects of urbanization and ecological environment in the Chengdu–Chongqing urban agglomeration based on the Haken model
Authors: Wu Weilong , Huang Ying , Zhang Yuzhou , Zhou Bo
Published: January 2024

The development of urbanization and the protection of the ecological environment are important aspects of sustainable development in urban agglomerations; thus, their coordination and synergy are crucial. Scholars in both China and other countries have conducted extensive research on the relationship between urbanization and the ecological environment from the perspective of coordinated development. However, there is a lack of research on the synergistic effects of urbanization and the ecological environment. Taking the Chengdu–Chongqing urban agglomeration as an example, this study uses the Haken model to analyze the synergistic evolution mechanism, development patterns, and future trends of urbanization and the ecological environment. This study draws the following conclusions: (1) while a synergistic development mechanism has been established between urbanization and the ecological environment, the current system is still in a stage of low-level synergy, and the control system’s parameter for the direction and path of evolution is urbanization. (2) From 2001 to 2020, the level of synergistic development between urbanization and the ecological environment was relatively low, mainly moving from low-level synergy to medium–low-level synergy to medium-level synergy. (3) There is a significant spatial disparity in the levels of synergistic development, for which the leading region centers on Chengdu and Chongqing in the northwest and southeast, respectively, and the lagging region comprises the eastern part of the urban agglomeration, mainly represented by Dazhou, Kaizhou, and Yunyang. (4) The future trend of synergistic development between urbanization and the ecological environment in the Chengdu–Chongqing urban agglomeration is promising but requires increased infrastructure construction in mountainous urban areas, enhanced cooperation and circulation in transportation, logistics, information and other aspects, and balanced improvements in the level of synergistic development between urbanization and the ecological environment. The study of the synergistic development effect of urbanization and the ecological environment in urban agglomerations is of great significance for reducing the negative impact of urbanization on the ecological environment, increasing the positive interaction between the two, and promoting sustainable development in urban agglomerations.
Modelling bronchial epithelial-fibroblast cross-talk in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) using a human-derived in vitro air liquid interface (ALI) culture
Authors: Barron Sarah L. , Wyatt Owen , O’Connor Andy , Mansfield David , Suzanne Cohen E. , Witkos Tomasz M. , Strickson Sam , Owens Róisín M.
Published: January 2024

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating form of respiratory disease with a life expectancy of 3–4 years. Inflammation, epithelial injury and myofibroblast proliferation have been implicated in disease initiation and, recently, epithelial-fibroblastic crosstalk has been identified as a central driver. However, the ability to interrogate this crosstalk is limited due to the absence of in vitro models that mimic physiological conditions. To investigate IPF dysregulated cross-talk, primary normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells and primary normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLF) or diseased human lung fibroblasts (DHLF) from IPF patients, were co-cultured in direct contact at the air–liquid interface (ALI). Intercellular crosstalk was assessed by comparing cellular phenotypes of co-cultures to respective monocultures, through optical, biomolecular and electrical methods. A co-culture-dependent decrease in epithelium thickness, basal cell mRNA (P63, KRT5) and an increase in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) was observed. This effect was significantly enhanced in DHLF co-cultures and lead to the induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and increased mRNA expression of TGFβ-2, ZO-1 and DN12. When stimulated with exogenous TGFβ, NHBE and NHLF monocultures showed a significant upregulation of EMT (COL1A1, FN1, VIM, ASMA) and senescence (P21) markers, respectively. In contrast, direct NHLF/NHBE co-culture indicated a protective role of epithelial-fibroblastic cross-talk against TGFβ-induced EMT, fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition (FMT) and inflammatory cytokine release (IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, IL-1β, TNF-α). DHLF co-cultures showed no significant phenotypic transition upon stimulation, likely due to the constitutively high expression of TGFβ isoforms prior to any exogenous stimulation. The model developed provides an alternative method to generate IPF-related bronchial epithelial phenotypes in vitro, through the direct co-culture of human lung fibroblasts with NHBEs. These findings highlight the importance of fibroblast TGFβ signaling in EMT but that monocultures give rise to differential responses compared to co-cultures, when exposed to this pro-inflammatory stimulus. This holds implications for any translation conclusions drawn from monoculture studies and is an important step in development of more biomimetic models of IPF. In summary, we believe this in vitro system to study fibroblast-epithelial crosstalk, within the context of IPF, provides a platform which will aid in the identification and validation of novel targets.
On the robustness of democratic electoral processes to computational propaganda
Authors: Givi Glory M. , Delabays Robin , Jacquemet Matthieu , Jacquod Philippe
Published: January 2024

There is growing evidence of systematic attempts to influence democratic elections by controlled and digitally organized dissemination of fake news. This raises the question of the intrinsic robustness of democratic electoral processes against external influences. Particularly interesting is to identify the social characteristics of a voter population that renders it more resilient against opinion manipulation. Equally important is to determine which of the existing democratic electoral systems is more robust to external influences. Here we construct a mathematical electoral model to address these two questions. We find that, not unexpectedly, biased electorates with clear-cut elections are overall quite resilient against opinion manipulations, because inverting the election outcome requires to change the opinion of many voters. More interesting are unbiased or weakly biased electorates with close elections. We find that such populations are more resilient against opinion manipulations (i) if they are less polarized and (ii) when voters interact more with each other, regardless of their opinion differences, and that (iii) electoral systems based on proportional representation are generally the most robust. Our model qualitatively captures the volatility of the US House of Representatives elections. We take this as a solid validation of our approach.
Numerical analysis of the porous structure of spherical activated carbons obtained from ion-exchange resins
Authors: Kwiatkowski Mirosław , He Ping , Valtchev Valentin
Published: January 2024

This paper presents the results of an analysis of the porous structure of spherical activated carbons obtained from cation-exchange resin beads subjected to ion exchange prior to activation. The study investigated the effects of the type of cation exchange resin, the concentration of potassium cations in the resin beads and the temperature of the activation process on the adsorption properties of the resulting spherical activated carbons. The numerical clustering-based adsorption analysis method and the quenched solid density functional theory were used to analyse the porous structure of spherical activated carbons. Based on original calculations and unique analyses, complex relationships between preparation conditions and the porous structure properties of the obtained spherical activated carbons were demonstrated. The results of the study indicated the need for simultaneous analyses using advanced methods for the analysis of porous structures, i.e., the numerical clustering-based adsorption analysis method and the quenched solid density functional theory. This approach allows a reliable and precise determination of the adsorption properties of the materials analysed, including, among other things, surface heterogeneities, and thus an appropriate selection of production conditions to obtain materials with the expected adsorption properties required for a given industrial process.
Semantic and episodic processes differently predict false memories in the DRM task
Authors: Gatti Daniele , Rinaldi Luca , Mazzoni Giuliana , Vecchi Tomaso
Published: January 2024

There is a fervent debate about the processes underpinning false memories formation. Seminal theories have suggested that semantic memory would be involved in false memories production, while episodic memory would counter their formation. Yet, direct evidence corroborating such view is still lacking. Here, we tested this possibility by asking participants to perform the Deese–Roediger–McDermott (DRM) task, a typical false memory paradigm, in which they had to study lists of words and subsequently to recognize and distinguish them from new words (i.e., the false memory items). The same participants were also required to perform a semantic task and an episodic-source memory task. Our results showed that a higher number of false memories in the DRM task occurred for those participants with better semantic memory abilities, while a lower number of false memories occurred for participants with better episodic abilities. These findings support a key role of semantic processes in false memory formation and, more generally, help clarify the specific contribution of different memory systems to false recognitions.
Identification of key pyroptosis-related genes and microimmune environment among peripheral arterial beds in atherosclerotic arteries
Authors: Liu Jing-Wen , Zhang Zhao-Hua , Lv Xiao-Shuo , Xu Ming-Yuan , Ni Bin , He Bin , Wang Feng , Chen Jie , Zhang Jian-Bin , Ye Zhi-Dong , Liu Peng , Wen Jian-Yan
Published: January 2024

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized with innate and adaptive immunity but also involves pyroptosis. Few studies have explored the role of pyroptosis in advanced atherosclerotic plaques from different vascular beds. Here we try to identify the different underlying function of pyroptosis in the progression of atherosclerosis between carotid arteries and femoral. arteries. We extracted gene expression levels from 55 advanced carotid or femoral atherosclerotic plaques. The pyroptosis score of each sample was calculated by single-sample-gene-set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). We then divided the samples into two clusters: high pyroptosis scores cluster (PyroptosisScoreH cluster) and low pyroptosis scores cluster (PyroptosisScoreL cluster), and assessed functional enrichment and immune cell infiltration in the two clusters. Key pyroptosis related genes were identified by the intersection between results of Cytoscape and LASSO (Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator) regression analysis. Finally, all key pyroptosis related genes were validated in vitro. We found all but one of the 29 carotid plaque samples belonged to the PyroptosisScoreH cluster and the majority (19 out of 26) of femoral plaques were part of the PyroptosisScoreL cluster. Atheromatous plaque samples in the PyroptosisScoreL cluster had higher proportions of gamma delta T cells, M2 macrophages, myeloid dendritic cells (DCs), and cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs), but lower proportions of endothelial cells (ECs). Immune full-activation pathways (e.g., NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and NF-kappa B signaling pathway) were highly enriched in the PyroptosisScoreH cluster. The key pyroptosis related genes GSDMD, CASP1, NLRC4, AIM2, and IL18 were upregulated in advanced carotid atherosclerotic plaques. We concluded that compared to advanced femoral atheromatous plaques, advanced carotid atheromatous plaques were of higher grade of pyroptosis. GSDMD, CASP1, NLRC4, AIM2, and IL18 were the key pyroptosis related genes, which might provide a new sight in the prevention of fatal strokes in advanced carotid atherosclerosis.
A robust deep learning detector for sleep spindles and K-complexes: towards population norms
Authors: Tapia-Rivas Nicolás I. , Estévez Pablo A. , Cortes-Briones José A.
Published: January 2024

Sleep spindles (SSs) and K-complexes (KCs) are brain patterns involved in cognitive functions that appear during sleep. Large-scale sleep studies would benefit from precise and robust automatic sleep event detectors, capable of adapting the variability in both electroencephalography (EEG) signals and expert annotation rules. We introduce the Sleep EEG Event Detector (SEED), a deep learning system that outperforms existing approaches in SS and KC detection, reaching an F1-score of 80.5% and 83.7%, respectively, on the MASS2 dataset. SEED transfers well and requires minimal fine-tuning for new datasets and annotation styles. Remarkably, SEED substantially reduces the required amount of annotated data by using a novel pretraining approach that leverages the rule-based detector A7. An analysis of 11,224 subjects revealed that SEED's detections provide better estimates of SS population statistics than existing approaches. SEED is a powerful resource for obtaining sleep-event statistics that could be useful for establishing population norms.
Potential diagnostic application of a novel deep learning- based approach for COVID-19
Authors: Sadeghi Alireza , Sadeghi Mahdieh , Sharifpour Ali , Fakhar Mahdi , Zakariaei Zakaria , Sadeghi Mohammadreza , Rokni Mojtaba , Zakariaei Atousa , Banimostafavi Elham Sadat , Hajati Farshid
Published: January 2024

COVID-19 is a highly communicable respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which has had a significant impact on global public health and the economy. Detecting COVID-19 patients during a pandemic with limited medical facilities can be challenging, resulting in errors and further complications. Therefore, this study aims to develop deep learning models to facilitate automated diagnosis of COVID-19 from CT scan records of patients. The study also introduced COVID-MAH-CT, a new dataset that contains 4442 CT scan images from 133 COVID-19 patients, as well as 133 CT scan 3D volumes. We proposed and evaluated six different transfer learning models for slide-level analysis that are responsible for detecting COVID-19 in multi-slice spiral CT. Additionally, multi-head attention squeeze and excitation residual (MASERes) neural network, a novel 3D deep model was developed for patient-level analysis, which analyzes all the CT slides of a given patient as a whole and can accurately diagnose COVID-19. The codes and dataset developed in this study are available athttps://github.com/alrzsdgh/COVID. The proposed transfer learning models for slide-level analysis were able to detect COVID-19 CT slides with an accuracy of more than 99%, while MASERes was able to detect COVID-19 patients from 3D CT volumes with an accuracy of 100%. These achievements demonstrate that the proposed models in this study can be useful for automatically detecting COVID-19 in both slide-level and patient-level from patients’ CT scan records, and can be applied for real-world utilization, particularly in diagnosing COVID-19 cases in areas with limited medical facilities.
MAD2L2, a key regulator in ovarian cancer and promoting tumor progression
Authors: Xu Kejun , Zheng Xiaojiao , Shi Hongyan , Ou Jilan , Ding Huiqing
Published: January 2024

Ovarian cancer (OVCA), a prevalent gynecological malignancy, ranks as the fourth most common cancer among women. Mitotic Arrest Deficient 2 Like 2 (MAD2L2), a chromatin-binding protein and a component of DNA polymerase ζ, has been previously identified as an inhibitor of tumor growth in colorectal cancer. However, the roles of MAD2L2 in OVCA, including its expression, impact, and prognostic significance, remain unclear. We employed bioinformatics tools, Cox Regression analysis, and in vitro cell experiments to investigate its biological functions. Our findings reveal that MAD2L2 typically undergoes genomic alterations, such as amplifications and deep deletions. Moreover, we observed an overexpression of MAD2L2 mRNA in OVCA patients, correlating with reduced survival rates, particularly in those with Grade IV tumors. Furthermore, analysis of mRNA biofunctions indicated that MAD2L2 is predominantly localized in the organellar ribosome, engaging mainly in NADH dehydrogenase activity. This was deduced from the results of gene ontology enrichment analysis, which also identified its role as a structural constituent in mitochondrial translation elongation. These findings were corroborated by KEGG pathway analysis, further revealing MAD2L2’s involvement in tumor metabolism and the cell death process. Notably, MAD2L2 protein expression showed significant associations with various immune cells, including CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, and Myeloid dendritic cells. Additionally, elevated levels of MAD2L2 were found to enhance cell proliferation and migration in OVCA cells. The upregulation of MAD2L2 also appears to inhibit the ferroptosis process, coinciding with increased mTOR signaling activity in these cells. Our study identifies MAD2L2 as a novel regulator in ovarian tumor progression and offers new insights for treating OVCA.
White matter microstructure alterations in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its correlation with cerebral small vessel disease and cognitive performance
Authors: Liu Yangyingqiu , Jiang Yuhan , Du Wei , Gao Bingbing , Gao Jie , Hu Shuai , Song Qingwei , Wang Weiwei , Miao Yanwei
Published: January 2024

Microstructural abnormalities of white matter fiber tracts are considered as one of the etiology of diabetes-induced neurological disorders. We explored the cerebral white matter microstructure alteration accurately, and to analyze its correlation between cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) burden and cognitive performance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The clinical-laboratory data, cognitive scores [including mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), California verbal learning test (CVLT), and symbol digit modalities test (SDMT)], CSVD burden scores of the T2DM group (n = 34) and healthy control (HC) group (n = 21) were collected prospectively. Automatic fiber quantification (AFQ) was applied to generate bundle profiles along primary white matter fiber tracts. Diffusion tensor images (DTI) metrics and 100 nodes of white matter fiber tracts between groups were compared. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between DTI metrics and cognitive scores and CSVD burden scores. For fiber-wise and node-wise, DTI metrics in some commissural and association fibers were increased in T2DM. Some white matter fiber tracts DTI metrics were independent predictors of cognitive scores and CSVD burden scores. White matter fiber tracts damage in patients with T2DM may be characterized in specific location, especially commissural and association fibers. Aberrational specific white matter fiber tracts are associated with visuospatial function and CSVD burden.
Translational enhancement of target endogenous mRNA in mammalian cells using programmable RNA-binding pentatricopeptide repeat proteins
Authors: Ping Ning , Hara-Kuge Sayuri , Yagi Yusuke , Kazama Tomohiko , Nakamura Takahiro
Published: January 2024

Programmable protein scaffolds are invaluable in the development of genome engineering tools. The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein is an attractive platform for RNA manipulation because of its programmable RNA-binding selectivity, which is determined by the combination of amino acid species at three specific sites in the PPR motif. Translation is a key RNA regulatory step that determines the final gene expression level and is involved in various human diseases. In this study, designer PPR protein was used to develop a translational enhancement technique by fusion with the translation initiation factor eIF4G. The results showed that the PPR-eIF4G fusion protein could activate the translation of endogenous c-Myc and p53 mRNAs and control cell fate, indicating that PPR-based translational enhancement is a versatile technique applicable to various endogenous mRNAs in mammalian cells. In addition, the translational enhancement was dependent on both the target position and presence of eIF4G, suggesting the presence of an unknown translation activation mechanism.
Parametric investigation of W-EDM factors for machining AM60B conductive biomaterial
Authors: Diviya M. , Joel J. Jebin , Subramanian M. , Balasubramanian T. , Madhusuthan A. V. , Monish N. , Hasan Nasim
Published: January 2024

Wire—electrical discharge machining (W-EDM) is a precise and efficient non-traditional technology employed to cut intricate shapes in conductive biomaterials. These biomaterials are challenging to machine using traditional methods. This present study delves into the impact of various process parameters, namely discharge duration (Ddur), spark gap time (Stime), discharge voltage (Dvolt), and wire advance rate rate (Wadv). This research evaluates the impact of several factors on response variables, namely the machining rate (MR) and surface irregularity (SR), during the machining process of the AM60B magnesium alloy. The confirmation of the material used in the machining process is achieved via the utilisation of a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image in conjunction with an energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) image. The experiment is designed as L9 orthogonal array by using Taguchi's approach, taking into account 4 factors with 3 levels. The objective of this experiment is to ascertain the most favourable values for machining parameters while working with AM60B magnesium alloy using brass wire. Through analysis of variance (ANOVA), the study confirms that wire advance rate (43.10%) is the most influencing parameter for machining rate and surface irregularity followed by spark gap time (33.91%) and discharge duration (11.48%). Additionally, The TOPSIS-CRITIC and the desirability approach were used in order to determine the optimum parameter combinations that provide the most favourable combined output. Confirmatory testing is used to evaluate the efficiency of the stated ideal conditions. The maximum improvement in Desirability approach is obtained at 4.56% and 4.193% for MR and SR respectively. The maximum improvement in TOPSIS approach is obtained at 1.77% and 2.78% for MR and SR respectively.
High left ventricular mass associated with increased risk of incident diabetes
Authors: Chuang Shih-Ming , Liu Sung-Chen , Leung Ching-Hsiang , Lee Yuan-Teh , Chien Kuo-Liong
Published: January 2024

Evidence for the role of electrocardiography or echocardiography in determining left ventricular hypertrophy for the risk of diabetes is still controversial. We aimed to explore whether left ventricular mass, as measured by these methods, is associated with the risk of diabetes in a community population. We recruited 2696 participants aged 35 years or older without diabetes who had undergone screening with electrocardiography and echocardiography. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was calculated using a formula, and participants were divided into tertiles based on their LVMI tertiles. During a median follow-up period of median, 8.9 years, a total of 405 participants developed diabetes. The incidence and risk of diabetes significantly increased with higher LVMI tertiles. Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that individuals in the highest LVMI tertile had a greater likelihood of developing incident diabetes, with a hazard ratio of 1.40 (95% CI 1.06–1.91), even after adjusting related covariates. The highest risk of diabetes was observed in the presence of both the uppermost LVMI tertile and electrocardiographically determined left ventricular hypertrophy for the Chinese population. Left ventricular hypertrophy identified by either electrocardiography or echo may serve as a surrogate marker for identifying the risk of diabetes in clinical practice.
Stochastic lithofacies and petrophysical property modeling for fast history matching in heterogeneous clastic reservoir applications
Authors: Al-Mudhafar Watheq J. , Vo Thanh Hung , Wood David A. , Min Baehyun
Published: January 2024

For complex and multi-layered clastic oil reservoir formations, modeling lithofacies and petrophysical parameters is essential for reservoir characterization, history matching, and uncertainty quantification. This study introduces a real oilfield case study that conducted high-resolution geostatistical modeling of 3D lithofacies and petrophysical properties for rapid and reliable history matching of the Luhais oil reservoir in southern Iraq. For capturing the reservoir's tidal depositional setting using data collected from 47 wells, the lithofacies distribution (sand, shaly sand, and shale) of a 3D geomodel was constructed using sequential indicator simulation (SISIM). Based on the lithofacies modeling results, 50 sets of porosity and permeability distributions were generated using sequential Gaussian simulation (SGSIM) to provide insight into the spatial geological uncertainty and stochastic history matching. For each rock type, distinct variograms were created in the 0° azimuth direction, representing the shoreface line. The standard deviation between every pair of spatial realizations justified the number of variograms employed. An upscaled version of the geomodel, incorporating the lithofacies, permeability, and porosity, was used to construct a reservoir-flow model capable of providing rapid, accurate, and reliable production history matching, including well and field production rates.
Bio-augmentation and bio-stimulation with kenaf core enhanced bacterial enzyme activities during bio-degradation of petroleum hydrocarbon in polluted soil
Authors: Omenna Emmanuel Chukwuma , Omage Kingsley , Ezaka Emmanuel , Azeke Marshall Arebojie
Published: January 2024

Indigenous micro-organisms often possess the ability to degrade petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) in polluted soil. However, this process can be improved by supplementing with nutrients or the addition of more potent microbes. In this study, the ability of kenaf-core to stimulate the PHC degradation capability of microbial isolates from PHC polluted soil samples was evaluated. The standard experimental methods used in this study include: the digestion and analysis of the physico-chemical properties of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated and non-contaminated soil samples; evaluation of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation using bio-augmentation and bio-stimulation (with kenaf-core) treatments; and, determination of soil microbial enzyme activities. Results from this study show that K, Na, total nitrogen, organic carbon, exchangeable cations, and heavy metals were found to be significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the polluted soil than in the non-polluted soil. Also, the polluted samples had pH values ranging from 5.5 to 6.0 while the non-polluted samples had a pH of 7.6. The microbial enzyme activities were comparatively lower in the polluted soils as compared to the non-polluted soil. The percentage degradation in the kenaf-core treated samples (AZ1T2—78.38; BN3T2—70.69; OL1T2—71.06; OT1T2—70.10) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of the untreated (AZ1T1—13.50; BN3T1—12.50; OL1T1—10.55; OT1T1—9.50). The degradation of petroleum hydrocarbon in the bio-augmented and bio-stimulated treatments increased with increasing time of incubation, and were higher than that of the untreated sample. Comparatively, the treatment with a combination of kenaf-core and rhamnolipid exhibited a significantly (P < 0.05) higher degradation rate than that of the treatment with only kenaf core or rhamnolipid. While, the bio-stimulated and bio-augmented treatments had appreciable microbial counts that are higher than that of the untreated. In conclusion, the nutrient-supplement with kenaf-core significantly enhanced microbial growth and activities in the soil, thus improving their ability to biodegrade petroleum hydrocarbons in the polluted soils. Thus, supplementing with Kenaf core to encourage microbiological degradation of petroleum hydrocarbon is recommended.
Enhanced activations in the dorsal inferior frontal gyrus specifying the who, when, and what for successful building of sentence structures in a new language
Authors: Umejima Keita , Flynn Suzanne , Sakai Kuniyoshi L.
Published: January 2024

It has been argued that the principles constraining first language acquisition also constrain second language acquisition; however, neuroscientific evidence for this is scant, and even less for third and subsequent languages. We conducted fMRI experiments to evaluate this claim by focusing on the building of complex sentence structures in Kazakh, a new language for participants having acquired at least two languages. The participants performed grammaticality judgment and subject-verb matching tasks with spoken sentences. We divided the participants into two groups based on the performance levels attained in one of the experimental tasks: High in Group I and Low in Group II. A direct comparison of the two groups, which examined those participants who parsed the structures, indicated significantly stronger activations for Group I in the dorsal left inferior frontal gyrus (L. IFG). Focusing on Group I, we tested the contrast between the initial and final phases in our testing, which examined when the structures were parsed, as well as the contrast which examined what structures were parsed. These analyses further demonstrated focal activations in the dorsal L. IFG alone. Among the individual participants, stronger activation in the dorsal L. IFG, measured during the sentence presentations, predicted higher accuracy rates and shorter response times for executing the tasks that followed. These results cannot be explained by task difficulty or memory loads, and they, instead, indicate a critical and consistent role of the dorsal L. IFG during the initial to intermediate stages of grammar acquisition in a new target language. Such functional specificity of the dorsal L. IFG provides neuroscientific evidence consistent with the claims made by the Cumulative-Enhancement model in investigating language acquisition beyond target second and third languages.
Transcriptomic comparison between populations selected for higher and lower mobility in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum
Authors: Matsumura Kentarou , Onuma Takafumi , Kondo Shinji , Noguchi Hideki , Uchiyama Hironobu , Yajima Shunsuke , Sasaki Ken , Miyatake Takahisa
Published: January 2024

Movement is an important behavior observed in a wide range of taxa. Previous studies have examined genes controlling movement using wing polymorphic insects and genes controlling wing size. However, few studies have investigated genes controlling movement activity rather than morphological traits. In the present study, we conducted RNA sequencing using populations with higher (WL) and lower (WS) mobility established by artificial selection in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum and compared gene expression levels between selected populations with two replicate lines. As a result, we found significant differences between the selected populations in 677 genes expressed in one replicate line and 1198 genes expressed in another replicate line, of which 311 genes were common to the two replicate lines. Furthermore, quantitative PCR focusing on 6 of these genes revealed that neuropeptide F receptor gene (NpF) was significantly more highly expressed in the WL population than in the WS population, which was common to the two replicate lines. We discuss differences in genes controlling movement between walking activity and wing polymorphism.
Association between total cholesterol levels and all-cause mortality among newly diagnosed patients with cancer
Authors: Kim Seohyun , Kim Gyuri , Cho So Hyun , Oh Rosa , Kim Ji Yoon , Lee You-Bin , Jin Sang-Man , Hur Kyu Yeon , Kim Jae Hyeon
Published: January 2024

We aimed to determine the association between cholesterol values and the risk of all-cause mortality in newly diagnosed patients with cancer in a large-scale longitudinal cohort. Newly diagnosed patients with cancer were reviewed retrospectively. Cox proportional hazards regression models determined the association between baseline levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and the risk of all-cause mortality. A restricted cubic spline curve was used to identify the association between total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol with the risk of death on a continuous scale and to present the lowest values of lipid measurements associated with death. The median follow-up duration of the study was 5.77 years. Of the 59,217 patients with cancer, 12,624 patients were expired. The multivariable adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for all-cause mortality in patients with cancer with 1st–5th (≤ 97 mg/dL) and 96th–100th (> 233 mg/dL) in TC levels was 1.54 (95% CI 1.43–1.66) and 1.28 (95% CI 1.16–1.41), respectively, compared to 61st–80th (172–196 mg/dL). The TC level associated with the lowest mortality risk in the multivariable model was 181 mg/dL. In comparison with LDL-C levels in the 61st–80th (115–136 mg/dL), the multivariable aHR for all-cause mortality in cancer patients with LDL-C levels in the 1st-5th (≤ 57 mg/dL) and 96th–100th (> 167 mg/dL) was 1.38 (95% CI 1.14–1.68) and 0.94 (95% CI 0.69–1.28), respectively. The 142 mg/dL of LDL cholesterol showed the lowest mortality risk. We demonstrated a U-shaped relationship between TC levels at baseline and risk of mortality in newly diagnosed patients with cancer. Low LDL levels corresponded to an increased risk of all-cause death.
Unraveling the impact of microwave-assisted techniques in the fabrication of yttrium-doped TiO2 photocatalyst
Authors: Kubiak Adam , Cegłowski Michał
Published: January 2024

In this study, we investigate the role of microwave technology in the fabrication of yttrium-doped TiO2through a comparative analysis of hydrothermal techniques. Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis offers advantages, but a comprehensive comparison between microwave-assisted and conventional methods is lacking. Therefore, in our investigation, we systematically evaluate and compare the morphological, structural, and optical properties of yttrium-doped TiO2samples synthesized using both techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirm the anatase tetragonal structure of the synthesized TiO2-Y systems, while the larger ion radius of yttrium (Y3+) compared to titanium (Ti4+) presents challenges for yttrium to incorporate into the TiO2lattice. The X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) revealed a significant difference in the atomic content of yttrium between the TiO2-Y systems synthesized using microwave-assisted and conventional methods. This finding suggests that the rapid microwave method is more effective in successfully doping TiO2with rare earth metals such as yttrium. The photo-oxidation of carbamazepine (CBZ) using TiO2-Y systems demonstrated high efficiency under UV-LED light. Microwave-synthesized TiO2-Y demonstrates improved photo-oxidation efficiency of CBZ, attributed to enhanced absorption, charge transfer, surface area, and crystallite size. Overall, the microwave-synthesized TiO2-Y systems showed promising performance for the photo-oxidation of CBZ, with improved efficiency compared to conventional synthesis methods.
Synthesis of CuxCo3−xO4 nanoparticles by a sonochemical method and characterization of structural and optical properties and photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue
Authors: Muradov M. B. , Mammadyarova S. J. , Eyvazova G. M. , Balayeva O. O. , Aliyeva G. , Hasanova I. , Melikova S. Z. , Musayeva N. , Sadigov N. , Abdullayev M. I.
Published: January 2024

Schematic representation of the experimental work for synthesis of CuxCo3−xO4 nanoparticles.
Two highly stable isoreticular M8-pyrazolate (M = Co, Ni) metal–organic frameworks for CO2 conversion
Authors: Ma Fa-Xue , Lyu Lei-Yan , Chen Jiawei , Huang Tao , Zhang Teng , Cao Rong
Published: January 2024

Isoreticular metal–organic frameworks with Ni8 or Co8 nodes are synthesized and found to be highly stable in a wide pH and temperature range as well as active, recyclable catalysts for CO2 cycloaddition.
Targeting misfolding and aggregation of the amyloid-β peptide and mutant p53 protein using multifunctional molecules
Authors: Grcic Lauryn , Leech Grace , Kwan Kalvin , Storr Tim
Published: January 2024

We highlight recent advances in the development of multifunctional molecules designed to limit misfolding and aggregation of intrinsically disordered biomolecules, with a focus on the amyloid-beta peptide in AD and the mutant p53 protein in cancer.
Co-factor prosthesis facilitates biosynthesis of azido-pseudaminic acid probes for use as glycosyltransferase reporters
Authors: Keenan Tessa , Chidwick Harriet S. , Best Matthew , Flack Emily K. P. , Yates Nicholas D. J. , Hatton Natasha E. , Warnes Matthew E. , Fascione Martin A.
Published: January 2024

PseH “co-factor prothesis” strategy with N-acetyl-S-azidocysteamine, in the biosynthesis of N7-azido-functionalised pseudaminic acid, a reporter of pseudaminyltransferase activity.
Sustainable valorisation of food waste into engineered biochars for CO2 capture towards a circular economy
Authors: Jia Wenhui , Li Shuangjun , Wang Junyao , Lee Jonathan T. E. , Lin Carol Sze Ki , Mašek Ondřej , Zhang Huiyan , Yuan Xiangzhou
Published: January 2024

The large amount of food waste generated globally has significant adverse environmental impacts, highlighting the need for a historic resolution to achieve sustainable managment of food waste as well as its circular economy.
Microfluidic-assisted single-cell RNA sequencing facilitates the development of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Wang Ziwei , Huang Amelia Siqi , Tang Lingfang , Wang Jianbin , Wang Guanbo
Published: January 2024

We explore how microfluidic-based high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing facilitates neutralizing monoclonal antibody development against SARS-CoV-2, and the potential improvement of therapeutic antibody discovery strategies.
Bacteriophages as nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery and enhanced therapeutic effects
Authors: Emencheta Stephen C. , Onugwu Adaeze L. , Kalu Chisom F. , Ezinkwo Patience N. , Eze Osita C. , Vila Marta M. D. C. , Balcão Victor M. , Attama Anthony A. , Onuigbo Ebele B.
Published: January 2024

The bioengineering of phages to display ligands leads to specific targeting, reduced toxicity, enhanced cellular uptake of an incorporated drug/gene and, ultimately, increased therapeutic efficacy.
Comprehensive characterization of polyproline tri-helix macrocyclic nanoscaffolds for predictive ligand positioning
Authors: Tsai Chia-Lung , Chang Je-Wei , Cheng Kum-Yi , Lan Yu-Jing , Hsu Yi-Cheng , Lin Qun-Da , Chen Tzu-Yuan , Shih Orion , Lin Chih-Hsun , Chiang Po-Hsun , Simenas Mantas , Kalendra Vidmantas , Chiang Yun-Wei , Chen Chun-hsien , Jeng U-Ser , Wang Sheng-Kai
Published: January 2024

We expand the synthesis and structural characterization of polyproline tri-helix macrocycle nanoscaffolds. The proposed structural model predicts the ligand locations against the target protein for nanomedicine development.
X-ray-triggered through-space charge transfer and photochromism in silver nanoclusters
Authors: Ren Zhen , Sun Jun-Jun , Xu Long , Luo Peng , Ma Zi-Wei , Li Si , Si Yu-Bing , Dong Xi-Yan , Pan Fangfang
Published: January 2024

This work reports the first instance of X-ray-induced photochromism in core-shell silver nanoclusters induced by spatial charge transfer between halogen atoms and silver shell.
A multifunctional protective layer filled with 2D anionic nanosheets enabling a dendrite-free zinc anode
Authors: Liu Sangsang , Yu Qin , Liu Haitao , Chen Wenlong , Qi Fugang , Dai Yilong , Liang Yaru , Lai Weihong , Ouyang Xiaoping
Published: January 2024

Metallic zinc (Zn) has been considered as an ideal anode material for aqueous batteries, but its development is hampered by the growth of Zn dendrites and side reactions with aqueous electrolytes.
Intermolecular interactions in mixed dye systems and the effects on dye wastewater treatment processes
Authors: Cai Daniu , Zhang Yingwu , Li Jianyang , Hu Dongliang , Wang Minggong , Zhang Guangcai , Yuan Junsheng
Published: January 2024

The graphic abstract illustrates how interactions between different dyes affect treatment effectiveness, highlighting the improved removal efficiency of opposite-charged dye mixtures in addressing challenging industrial wastewater.
Preparation of novel S-allyl cysteine chitosan based nanoparticles for use in ischemic brain treatment
Authors: Khan Mohd Faiyaz , Ahmad Niyaz , Alkholifi Faisal K. , Ullah Zabih , Khalid Mohammed Saifuddin , Akhtar Sultan , Farooqui Sadaf , Khan Nazia , Chaudhary Anis Ahmad , Alawam Abdullah S. , Ali Mohamed A. M.
Published: January 2024

Enhancing the brain bioavailability of S-allyl-l-cysteine (SC) by developing novel S-allyl-l-cysteine chitosan nanoparticles and examining the quantity of SC by developing a novel method of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in ischemic rat brain treatment.
Peroxymonosulfate activation by Fe–Mn Co-doped biochar for carbamazepine degradation
Authors: He Xinze , Luo Yunxia , Yi Yang , Su Shuping , Qin Wenzhen
Published: January 2024

Biochar (BC) modified by Fe@Mn was employed to activate PMS to degrade CBZ in water. The surface of Fe@Mn–BC presented a dense, stalactite-like morphology. The catalyst Fe@Mn–BC had an optimal degradation effect (99%) on CBZ at 100 min.
Post-synthetic modified luminescent metal–organic framework for the detection of berberine hydrochloride in a traditional Chinese herb
Authors: Liu Wei , Wu Shuang , Sun Tian-Xia , Bai Jing , Yang Ying , Lian Wen-Hui , Zhao Yu
Published: January 2024

The fluorescence sensor UiO-66-PSM was prepared by post-synthetic modification. Fluorescence properties of UiO-66-PSM confirmed that the prepared sensor can be applied to the detection of berberine hydrochloride the in traditional Chinese herb Coptis.
Fe3O4@WO3-E-SMTU-NiII: as an environmentally-friendly, recoverable, durable and noble-free nanostructured catalyst for C–C bond formation reaction in green media
Authors: Nayamadi Mahmoodabadi Malihe , Akhlaghinia Batool , Ein Afshar Sima , Safarzadeh Mostafa
Published: January 2024

The synthesized Fe3O4@WO3-E-SMTU-NiII represents a significant contribution in the field of heterogeneous nanocatalysts for C–C coupling reactions in green media.
Optimal density-functional theory method for zinc–amino acid complexes determined by analyzing structural and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy data
Authors: Yoon Unghwi , Kim Jongsik , Kim Sang Hoon , Jeong Keunhong
Published: January 2024

Metal–amino acid complexes, vital for health, pose computational analysis challenges. This study employs DFT to accurately analyze zinc–amino acid complexes, guiding future metal–organic complex research.
Understanding the role of solvents in bottom-up synthesis of multi-element hydroxides
Authors: Li Fei , Yoshida Kanako , Van Chuc Nguyen , Osada Minoru , Abe Hiroya
Published: January 2024

In bottom-up approaches, we show that ethylene glycol as solvent outperforms water for synthesizing uniform high-entropy hydroxide nanosheets containing four metal cations that have largely different solubility product constants.
Streamlining the biodesulfurization process: development of an integrated continuous system prototype using Gordonia alkanivorans strain 1B
Authors: Silva Tiago P. , Paixão Susana M. , Tavares João , Paradela Filipe , Crujeira Teresa , Roseiro José C. , Alves Luís
Published: January 2024

Continuous BDS process prototype: integration of three steps – (1) biocatalyst production; (2) BDS; and (3) separation of desulfurized fuel/spent biocatalyst.
Perfluoropolyether-incorporated polyurethane with enhanced antibacterial and anti-adhesive activities for combating catheter-induced infection
Authors: Zhang Yang , Song Guangbin , Hu Can , Liu Zixu , Liu Huansen , Wang Yilei , Wang Liang , Feng Xuequan
Published: January 2024

The as-synthesized PFPU polymers can facilely form films or coatings on the polyurethane substrate by simple solvent-casting or dip-coating method. The PFPU-modified surface can effectively prevent bacterial attachment over an 8 day exposure time.
Morphology and stability of droplets sliding on soft viscoelastic substrates
Authors: Oléron Mathieu , Limat Laurent , Dervaux Julien , Roché Matthieu
Published: January 2024

We provide experiments and a model to describe the dependence of the shape and dynamics of a droplet sliding on a soft gel.
The origins of formic acid electrooxidation on selected surfaces of Pt, Pd, and their alloys with Sn
Authors: ShyamYadav Radhey , Gebru Medhanie Gebremedhin , Teller Hanan , Schechter Alex , Kornweitz Haya
Published: January 2024

Pd-based trimetallic alloy enhances the catalytic process of formic acid oxidation (FAO) by selectively inhibiting the formation of adsorbed CO*.
Development of a rapid-shaping and user-friendly membrane with long-lasting space maintenance for guided bone regeneration
Authors: Wang Yuting , Zhang Xin , Zhang Shu , Yang Guangmei , Li Yuanyuan , Mao Yilin , Yang Linxin , Chen Junyu , Wang Jian
Published: January 2024

A photo-crosslinkable hydrogel, composed of PEGDA, GelMA, and nanosilicate was formulated. The resulting PLGA film-PGN exhibited remarkable plasticity, maintained its shape under external forces, and fostered bone regeneration in 5 mm rat calvarial defects over a 4-week period.
The lattice symmetrization worked, but with a plot twist: effects of methylhydrazinium doping of MAPbI3 on phase transitions, cation dynamics and photoluminescence
Authors: Mączka Mirosław , Ptak Maciej , Fedoruk Katarzyna , Stefańska Dagmara , Gągor Anna , Zaręba Jan K. , Sieradzki Adam
Published: January 2024

Doping of MAPbI3 with methylhydrazinium stabilizes the desirable cubic phase and leads to unprecedented increase of the tetragonal-orthorhombic phase transition while retaining efficient emission and extended absorption, suitable for applications.
In2Si2S3X3 (X = S, Se, Te) Janus monolayers: from magnetic element-free spin-Hall transistor to sustainable energy generation
Authors: Mohanta Manish Kumar , Jena Puru
Published: January 2024

In2Si2S3X3 (X = S, Se, Te) Janus monolayers: a multifunctional semiconductors,
Mobile detection of cataracts with an optimised lightweight deep Edge Intelligent technique
Authors: Neogi Dipta , Chowdhury Mahirul Alam , Akter Mst. Moriom , Hossain Md. Ishan Arefin
Published: January 2024

Testing the visual field is a valuable diagnostic tool for identifying eye conditions such as cataract, glaucoma, and retinal disease. Its quick and straightforward testing process has become an essential component in our efforts to prevent blindness. Still, the device must be accessible to the general masses. This research has developed a machine learning model that can work with Edge devices like smartphones. As a result, it is opening the opportunity to integrate the disease‐detecting model into multiple Edge devices to automate their operation. The authors intend to use convolutional neural network (CNN) and deep learning to deduce which optimisers have the best results when detecting cataracts from live photos of eyes. This is done by comparing different models and optimisers. Using these methods, a reliable model can be obtained that detects cataracts. The proposed TensorFlow Lite model constructed by combining CNN layers and Adam in this study is called Optimised Light Weight Sequential Deep Learning Model (SDLM). SDLM is trained using a smaller number of CNN layers and parameters, which gives SDLM its compatibility, fast execution time, and low memory requirements. The proposed Android app, I‐Scan, uses SDLM in the form of TensorFlow Lite for demonstration of the model in Edge devices.