bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interpretation of geotechnical risk maps for Malatya province in terms of earthquake sequence on February 6, 2023
Authors: Sarici Talha , Ozcan Rumeysa Tugba
Published: January 2025

The earthquake sequence that occurred on February 6, 2023, centered in Türkiye caused extensive loss of life and significant damage. In this study, the geotechnical properties of the central districts of Malatya province, one of the provinces affected by these earthquakes, were calculated using data obtained. In the calculations, the correlations suggested by the Turkish Building Earthquake Code (TBEC) and internationally recommended correlations were used. Thus, the difference between the methods proposed by TBEC and internationally recommended correlations was interpreted. Using 1890 drilling data, 1765 seismic data, and 1764 microtremor data, calculations were made to determine bearing capacity values for 3 m x 3 m pad foundation, liquefaction potentials of the soil and soil classifications around this region. The results obtained from the calculations were mapped with geographical information systems-based software. Results of the study revealed that 2.9% of the study area in Battalgazi district and 1.71% for Yeşilyurt district had liquefaction potential. Almost 80% of each district was found to have a soil class of ZD (medium dense gravel and sand or clay layers) according to TBEC. The findings of the study were compared with previous studies, satellite images of the study area and post-earthquake observations. In areas where damage caused by the earthquake sequence was observed intensively, bearing capacity values were relatively low. It was concluded that building on poor soil conditions poses a profoundly serious risk in terms of earthquakes and very serious precautions should be taken by gathering several disciplines during the construction of these structures.
Investigation of resistance to gaseous hydrogen of a longitudinal weld seam in a X65 pipeline using the hollow specimen technique
Authors: Konert Florian , Nietzke Jonathan , Freitas Tomás , Rhode Michael , Sobol Oded , Böllinghaus Thomas
Published: January 2025

The constantly increasing demand for renewable energy sources leads to the necessity of transporting large amounts of hydrogen. Since pipelines enable a cost-effective way for the distribution of gaseous hydrogen, the interaction of hydrogen and the pipeline materials must be carefully investigated as hydrogen can cause a degradation of the mechanical properties under certain conditions. Especially welds, which are assumed to be more susceptible to the degradation enhanced by hydrogen, are of great interest. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of gaseous hydrogen on the mechanical properties of an X65 pipeline, and the longitudinal submerged arc welding (SAW) welded joint. The tests are conducted using the hollow specimen technique on two types of specimens: one extracted from the base material (BM) and the other extracted as a cross-weld (CW) specimen consisting of BM and weld seam. The specimens are charged in situ under a pressure of 60 bar and tested using slow strain rate (SSR) tensile tests with a nominal strain rate of 10−5 s−1. The properties obtained of specimens tested in hydrogen atmosphere are compared to the properties of comparable specimen in inert argon atmosphere as a reference. The performed tests showed a decrease of the reduction of area (RA) from 72% in inert atmosphere to 52% in hydrogen atmosphere for the CW specimen and a decrease from 73% in inert atmosphere to 51% for the BM. Metallographic analyses showed the crack initiation between fine-grained heat-affected zone (FGHAZ) and BM for the specimens tested in hydrogen atmosphere as well as for the reference specimens. This leads to the conclusion that the location of the crack initiation does not change due to the presence of gaseous hydrogen.
Multifunctional Graphdiyne Enables Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells via Anti-Solvent Additive Engineering
Authors: Shao Cong , He Jingyi , Ma Jiaxin , Wang Yirong , Niu Guosheng , Zhang Pengfei , Yang Kaiyi , Zhao Yao , Wang Fuyi , Li Yongjun , Wang Jizheng
Published: January 2025

Finding ways to produce dense and smooth perovskite films with negligible defects is vital for achieving high-efficiency perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, we aim to enhance the quality of the perovskite films through the utilization of a multifunctional additive in the perovskite anti-solvent, a strategy referred to as anti-solvent additive engineering. Specifically, we introduce ortho-substituted-4′-(4,4″-di-tert-butyl-1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl)-graphdiyne (o-TB-GDY) as an AAE additive, characterized by its sp/sp
2-cohybridized and highly π-conjugated structure, into the anti-solvent. o-TB-GDY not only significantly passivates undercoordinated lead defects (through potent coordination originating from specific high π–electron conjugation), but also serves as nucleation seeds to effectively enhance the nucleation and growth of perovskite crystals. This markedly reduces defects and non-radiative recombination, thereby increasing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 25.62% (certified as 25.01%). Meanwhile, the PSCs exhibit largely enhanced stability, maintaining 92.6% of their initial PCEs after 500 h continuous 1-sun illumination at ~ 23 °C in a nitrogen-filled glove box.
Processability of water atomized 410L steel with laser powder bed fusion
Authors: Toenjes Anastasiya , Schmidt Jonas , Hesselmann Marcel
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the influence of non-spherical water atomized powder on laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process parameters and microstructure of 410L steel. It was demonstrated that samples with a relative density of 99.99% can be produced with LPBF using water atomized powder with a relatively high particle size (51.51 ± 0.10 μm) and good flowability (flow angle < 41°). This density was achieved with a layer thickness of 30 µm as well as 50 µm. The results demonstrate the importance of sufficient powder flowability for successful layer application and highlight the need for increased energy input to achieve high densities due to irregular particle shape. In this work, the microstructure of additively manufactured components made of water atomized 410L is investigated and the possible applications of water atomized powder are discussed. Overall, the results show that water atomized 410L powder can be used as a cost-efficient alternative to gas atomized powder for LPBF processing as long as the powder flowability is sufficient and the LPBF process parameters are adapted accordingly.
Study of Yaw Moment Control Strategy of Four Wheel Independent
Drive Electric Vehicle
Authors: Lian Yubo , Chen Gongda , Liu Peng
Published: January 2025

A yaw moment control strategy for four wheel independent drive electrics vehicle is proposed in this paper. The control strategy is a hierarchical architecture which containing a yaw motion generation layer and a longitudinal force distribution layer. The yaw motion generation layer consists of feedforward control and feedback control. Unlike previous strategy, in this paper, yaw rate is considered as the only control variable which is feasible to be detected in practice. The feedforward control is used to enhance overshoot in transient condition while the feedback control is to change vehicle steady state steering characteristic and extend its lateral limit. The longitudinal force distribution layer is designed based on vehicle wheel load transfer model. It makes each tire fully utilized its lateral force limits. Based on these two layers, a control model is built accordingly. Both steady state and transient state experiments are conducted in Carsim simulation associated with the built Simulink control model. The simulation results show that proposed control strategy can enhance vehicle handling performance in steady state and transient state. Experiments were conducted on an electric vehicle which evaluated the accuracy of the established model and the effect of the proposed yaw moment control strategy.
Investigation of the Critical Buckling Temperatures and Free Vibration Response of Porous Functionally Graded Magneto-Electro-Elastic Sandwich Higher-Order Nanoplates with Temperature-Dependent Material Properties
Authors: Esen Ismail , Aktaş Kerim Gökhan , Pehlivan Fatih
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This article aims to determine the critical buckling temperature and thermomechanical free vibration response of a porous functionally graded material (FGM) nanoplate sandwiched between porous magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) plate layers, taking into account temperature-dependent material properties.

Methods

The upper surface of the FGM host structure is considered zirconia (ZrO ), and the lower surface is stainless steel (SUS304). In addition, the MEE face layers are considered to be homogenous volumetric mixtures of cobalt-ferrite (CoFe O ) and barium-titanate (BaTiO ). It is assumed that the host structure’s effective mechanical and thermal material properties are graded in the thickness direction according to the power law distribution. The effective mechanical, electrical, thermal, and magnetic properties of the face plates are obtained by the rule of mixture. This study was conducted using sinusoidal higher-order shear deformation theory (SHSDT) and nonlocal strain gradient elasticity theory (NSGT). Hamilton's theory is utilized to derive the equations of motion of sandwich nanoplates. Closed-form solutions are obtained by the use of Navier's method.

Results

Parametric simulations are carried out to examine the effects of the power law index, nonlocal parameters, electric, magnetic, and thermal loads, porosity volume fraction, porosity distribution and volume ratio of CoFe O and BaTiO on the free vibration and buckling behavior of the nanoplate. The results of the simulations are compared with published works to verify the accuracy of the proposed method.

Conclusion

According to the analysis results, it is determined that the power law index, porosity ratio, porosity distribution function, temperature dependent properties, magneto-electro-thermo-mechanical loads and nonlocal factors significantly affect the thermomechanical behavior of the nanoplate.
Adaptive neural network for quantum error mitigation
Authors: Adeniyi Temitope Bolaji , Kumar Sathish A. P.
Published: January 2025

Quantum computing holds transformative promise, but its realization is hindered by the inherent susceptibility of quantum computers to errors. Quantum error mitigation has proved to be an enabling way to reduce computational error in present noisy intermediate scale quantum computers. This research introduces an innovative approach to quantum error mitigation by leveraging machine learning, specifically employing adaptive neural networks. With experiment and simulations done on 127-qubit IBM superconducting quantum computer, we were able to develop and train a neural network architecture to dynamically adjust output expectation values based on error characteristics. The model leverages a prior classifier module outcome on simulated quantum circuits with errors, and the antecedent neural network regression module adapts its parameters and response to each error characteristics. Results demonstrate the adaptive neural network’s efficacy in mitigating errors across diverse quantum circuits and noise models, showcasing its potential to surpass traditional error mitigation techniques with an accuracy of 99% using the fully adaptive neural network for quantum error mitigation. This work presents a significant application of classical machine learning methods towards enhancing the robustness and reliability of quantum computations, providing a pathway for the practical realization of quantum computing technologies.
Application of quantum-inspired tensor networks to optimize federated learning systems
Authors: Bhatia Amandeep Singh , Saggi Mandeep Kaur , Kais Sabre
Published: January 2025

Federated learning (FL) has gained significant traction across diverse industries, which allows multiple clients or institutions to enhance model performance and outcomes while preserving data privacy collaboratively. In recent years, tensor networks (TNs) have become important in machine learning because they allow the compact representation of high-dimensional tensors by decomposing them into lower-dimensional components with polynomial complexity. The application of TNs in FL is a natural extension because of its flexible framework for representing and optimizing models. Inspired by quantum computing principles, we have integrated a quantum-inspired tensor network into the FL framework. This framework focuses on a one-dimensional matrix product state (MPS) tensor network (TN) in a federated setting (FedTN), with data distributed across homogeneous and heterogeneous partitions among clients. Our experiments demonstrate that tensor network-based federated learning can be made practical, as FedTN is robust to the unbalanced and non-IID data distributions typically encountered in such settings. Our research assessed the effectiveness and feasibility of comparing quantum-inspired TN and conventional methods, evaluating their performance, and exploring the benefits of incorporating quantum principles in FL settings. Furthermore, we have investigated its performance when training for many local epochs (large E) between the averaging steps.
Fifty Years of Early Medieval History
Authors: Smith Julia M. H.
Published: January 2025

This article reflects on the phrase ‘early medieval’ as applied to European history between the end of Roman political rule in the West and some indeterminate point in the tenth or eleventh centuries. It is framed with reference to Michael Wallace-Hadrill’s 1974 lecture entitled ‘Early Medieval History’, which serves as a foil for a discussion of the evolving historiographical landscape from 1974 to 2024. The origins and the chronology of the term’s adoption into English usage are reviewed and, with an eye to discourses of modernity, the elements of middle-ness and early-ness are dissected. Points of comparison and contrast with the notion of ‘early modernity’ are noted, while an emphasis on the entanglement of middle-ness with European-ness leads into a discussion of whether the term has any applicability to extra-European history. The article concludes by highlighting the value of the weak relationship of ‘early medieval’ to modernity.
Neopatrimonial Rule through Formal Institutions: The Case of Turkey
Authors: Bektas Eda
Published: January 2025

This study examines how formal institutions in hybrid regimes, particularly presidentialism, party organization and electoral rules, actively foster and sustain clientelistic networks, leading to particularistic outcomes. While existing literature highlights the weakening of formal institutions and pervasive clientelism as drivers of democratic breakdown, this study uses the concept of neopatrimonialism to analyse how formal institutions themselves consolidate patron–client relationships to maintain power and stability. Focusing on Turkey, the analysis demonstrates that the institutional incentive structure consolidates the president's role as the central ‘patron’, controlling resources and offices, and encourages clientelistic networks to coalesce around the presidency. The discretionary allocation of resources through patron–client relationships sustains neopatrimonial authority as long as clients' loyalty is rewarded. However, this governance increases clients' dependence on the patron, binding them at the expense of representation and responsiveness. The analysis offers insights into how such institutional configurations contribute to authoritarianism and particularistic governance in hybrid regimes.
Suppression of the Segré–Silberberg effect by polymer additives
Authors: Jin Daekwon , Park Jee In , You Jae Bem , Kim Younghun , Lee Hyomin , Kim Ju Min
Published: January 2025

Particle-laden flow through conduits is ubiquitous in both natural and industrial systems. In such flows, particles often migrate across the main fluid stream, resulting in non-uniform spatial distribution owing to particle–fluid and particle–particle interactions. The most relevant lateral particle migration mechanism by particle–fluid interaction is the Segré–Silberberg effect, which is induced by the inertial forces exerted on a particle, as the flow rate increases. However, methods to suppress it have not been suggested yet. Here, we demonstrate that adding a small amount of polymer to the particle-suspending solvent effectively suppresses the Segré–Silberberg effect in a square channel. To accurately determine the position of the particles within the channel cross-sections, we devised a dual-view imaging system applicable to microfluidic systems. Our analyses show that the Segré–Silberberg effect is effectively suppressed in a square microchannel due to the balance between the inertial and elastic forces at an optimal polymer concentration while maintaining nearly constant shear viscosity.
“The heart of the city, where the accent’s the strongest”: localizing perceptions of the “strong Boston accent” in a changing city
Authors: Fisher Sabriya
Published: January 2025

This paper examines folk perceptions of language in the Greater Boston Area. In particular, it seeks to understand which areas are associated with a “Boston” accent, and whether associations are changing given recent shifts in ethnic and economic demographics. A total of 111 Greater Boston residents completed a survey and map task asking what constitutes a “Boston” accent, who has one, and in which areas one can be heard. Results show that the majority of participants perceive the neighborhood of South Boston to be the geographic epicenter of the “Boston” accent, and generally associate accents with historically White working-class areas, despite sometimes changing demographics within them. There is also evidence that participant ethnic background may play a role in perceptions of speech in some areas, with White men less likely to choose South Boston, widely viewed as gentrifying, as accented, and Black and Asian participants less likely to choose the increasingly ethnically diverse neighborhood of North Dorchester. These results demonstrate the importance of eliciting folk perceptions from residents of color to obtain a fuller picture of the language attitudes in a given community.
IPA Illustration of Kua’nsi
Authors: Huang Huade
Published: January 2025

This Illustration focuses on Kua’nsi (kʰwa33n̩21si33, ISO639: ykn), a Central Ngwi (or Yi) language of the Sino-Tibetan family (Bradley 1997; Fan et al., 2017). It is spoken by approximately 5000 people in Liuhe Township (六合乡, Liùhé Xiāng), Heqing County (鹤庆县, Hèqìng Xiàn), Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China (see the map in Figure 1). Kua’nsi people refer to themselves as Kua’eshi (夸萼氏 Kuà’èshì) in Chinese and other ethnic groups, Bai (白 Bái) and Han (汉 Hàn) people living in the county, call them as Baiyi people (白依人 Báiyīrén) in Chinese because of their white traditional clothes.
Did Women's Rights Have a Place in Eastern European Human Rights Dissent? The Case of Charter 77 and Czechoslovakia, 1977–1992
Authors: Pehe Veronika
Published: January 2025

The Czechoslovak oppositional initiative Charter 77 produced dozens of documents on human rights between 1977 and 1992. Yet it never dedicated a separate document to women's rights, even if the issue of women's equality was well represented in global human rights discourse at the time. This article explores this absence in Charter 77's intellectual production. It analyses in detail several Charter documents and samizdat publications that touched upon issues of women's equality, showing that some Charter signatories were ready to acknowledge that the socialist state granted women formal equality, while suggesting that neither material conditions nor cultural norms provided full emancipation. However, a more prevalent critique marked the socialist agenda of women's emancipation as something that restricted women's individual freedom in their personal lives. I argue that in their legalistic approach, the Charter milieu largely lacked the conceptual tools to explore discrimination against women as the manifestation of the broader imbalance of power between men and women beyond the law.
Device-assisted transcatheter closure of large secundum atrial septal defects: a novel approach
Authors: Singhi Anil Kumar , Mohapatra Soumya Kanti , De Arnab
Published: January 2025

Background:

Transcatheter closure of large and complex atrial septal defect can pose challenges and complications during device placement. To improve stability, several assistive techniques have been developed.

Methods:

This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy of the device-assisted device closure technique for large secundum atrial septal defects. Patients who underwent device-assisted device closure of atrial septal defect between December 2023 and August 2024 were analysed.

Results:

Twenty patients (mean age 38.69 years) underwent device closure of large secundum atrial septal defect with device-assisted device closure technique. The mean atrial septal defect diameter was 31.9 mm. The average thick-to-thick measurement was 38.3 mm, which determined the device size. The majority (18 cases) had thin, floppy margins and two had deficient inferior rim. Successful closure was achieved in 18 patients (90%), while two patients (10%) required other methods of assistance. Based on fluoroscopic guidance, patients were divided into two groups: Group A (8 patients) used anteroposterior projection, and Group B (12 patients) used left anterior oblique-cranial view. After initial two failures with anteroposterior view, all cases were successfully closed using left anterior oblique-cranial projection. Device sizes ranged from 36 to 50 mm (median 40 mm). Cocoon devices were used for sizes up to 42 mm, and Occlunix for larger devices. No significant procedural complications occurred, although two patients had minor post-procedural events.

Conclusions:

Device-assisted device closure technique offers a promising and safe dynamic assistance approach for transcatheter closure of large and challenging atrial septal defects. The left anterior oblique-cranial view showed promising results, though without statistical significance. While results are encouraging, larger prospective studies are needed to validate its effectiveness.
Selection criteria and yield stability in a large collection of African yam bean [Sphenostylis stenocarpa (Hochst ex. A. Rich) Harms] accessions
Authors: Olomitutu Oluwaseyi E. , Abe Ayodeji , Paliwal Rajneesh , Abberton Michael T. , Oyatomi Olaniyi A.
Published: January 2025

African yam bean (AYB) is an underutilized legume with significant potential for food security in sub-Saharan Africa, yet limited research exists on optimizing its seed yield through selective breeding. In this study, the seed yield (SY) performance and relative importance of some yield-related traits on SY in AYB were assessed. One hundred and ninety-six accessions of AYB were evaluated for 2 years in three agro-ecologies of Nigeria. The experimental design was a 14 × 14 lattice design with three replicates. Data were recorded on SY and 13 SY-related traits. Positive significant genotypic correlations were found between SY and 11 of these traits. Pod length (PL) had a negative significant relationship (rg = −0.44**) with SY. Path coefficient analysis identified days to maturity (DM), pod weight (PW), shelling percentage (SP), number of seeds per pod (NSPD), 100-seed weight (HSW) and seed thickness (ST) as traits with positive direct effects on SY. The additive main effect and multiplicative interaction analysis revealed highly significant accession, environment, accession × environment interaction and interaction principal components effects for SY. Accessions TSs-119, TSs-101, 138A, TSs-4, TSs-157A and TSs-61 were identified as superior and stable, and should be considered for further breeding purposes. Selection criteria for improved SY in AYB should include DM, PW, SP, NSPD, HSW and ST. The identified stable, high-yielding accessions and key yield-related traits provide a framework for accelerating AYB improvement across diverse agro-ecologies.
Identität Pflege
Authors: Ems Ursina
Published: January 2025

Was ist zu diesem Thema bereits bekannt?

Die Rolle der Advanced Practice Nurse (APN), insbesondere der Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), ist in der psychiatrischen Pflege international etabliert.

Wie wird eine neue Perspektive eingebracht?

Der Artikel beleuchtet die Arbeit von PMHNP in der Schweiz in der ambulanten psychiatrischen Versorgung und verdeutlicht, wie sie durch erweiterte Kompetenzen patientenzentrierte, alltagsnahe Interventionen durchführen, Diagnosen stellen und Therapiepläne entwickeln.

Was sind die Auswirkungen für die Praxis?

Durch die erweiterten Kompetenzen fördern PMHNP die psychische Gesundheit, verbessern die Patientenversorgung und tragen durch enge Zusammenarbeit und Netzwerkbildung zu einer ganzheitlichen und effektiven Behandlung bei.
Short‐Term Memory and Regional Climate Drive City‐Scale Water Demand in the Contiguous US
Authors: Hao Wenjin , Cominola Andrea , Castelletti Andrea
Published: January 2025

Gaining insights into current and future urban water demand patterns and their determinants is paramount for water utilities and policymakers to formulate water demand management strategies targeted to high water‐using groups and infrastructure planning strategies. In this paper, we explore the complex web of causality between climatic and socio‐demographic determinants, and urban water demand patterns across the Contiguous United States (CONUS). We develop a causal discovery framework based on a Neural Granger Causal (NGC) model, a machine learning approach that identifies nonlinear causal relationships between determinants and water demand, enabling comprehensive water demand determinants discovery and water demand forecasting across the CONUS. We train our convolutional NGC model using large‐scale open water demand data collected with a monthly resolution from 2010 to 2017 for 86 cities across the CONUS and three Köppen climate regions—Arid, Temperate, and Continental—utilizing this globally recognized climate classification system to ensure a robust analysis across varied environmental conditions. We discover that city‐scale urban water demand is primarily driven by short‐term memory effects. Climatic variables, particularly vapor pressure deficit and temperature, also stand out as primary determinants across all regions, and more evidently in Arid regions as they capture aridity and drought conditions. Our model achieves an average higher than 0.8 for one‐month‐ahead prediction of water demand across various cities, leveraging the Granger causal relationships in different spatial contexts. Finally, the exploration of temporal dynamics among determinants and water demand amplifies the interpretability of the model results. This enhanced interpretability facilitates discovery of urban water demand determinants and generalization of water demand forecasting.
A Statistical Analysis of Auroral‐Enhanced Plasma Lines Observed by EISCAT During One Solar Cycle
Authors: Feng Ting , Liu Moran , Feng Huiting , Han Desheng , Zhou Chen , Xu Bin , Xu Tong , Ding Zonghua , Zhao Zhengyu
Published: January 2025

Enhanced plasma lines (PLs) obtained from incoherent scatter radars can be utilized to estimate multiple parameters of the ionosphere. The occurrence rates of these PLs, intensified by auroral precipitations, depend on the magnetic local time (MLT) according to the source regions of the precipitated electrons. To comprehensively understand how both nightside and dayside PLs respond to the solar‐wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling interactions, we present the first‐ever 11‐year statistical analysis of PLs data. This analysis is based on the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association (EISCAT) incoherent scatter radar data set, spanning from 2009 to 2019. Our statistical analysis reveals distinctive characteristics in the behavior of enhanced PLs. The occurrence rates of PL enhancements in the E‐region peak during nighttime (19:00–07:00 MLT), aligning with the activity of secondary electrons from the magnetotail, while in the F‐region peaks occur during daytime (07:00–19:00 MLT), consistent with electron beams from the cusp. A clear seasonal preference emerges, with higher occurrence rates of PL enhancements in the E‐region during winter and in the F‐region during summer. This observation may be attributed to heightened auroral activity during equinoctial months. Additionally, the PL enhancements demonstrate a correlation with intervals of heightened solar‐geomagnetic activity, providing further evidence for a robust connection to auroral precipitation. These findings offer valuable insights into the excitation mechanisms of enhanced PLs and present a novel tool for advancing research in particle precipitation.
Alteration's Control on Frictional Behavior and the Depth of the Ductile Shear Zone in Geothermal Reservoirs in Volcanic Arcs
Authors: Fryer Barnaby , Jermann Florian , Patrier Patricia , Lanson Bruno , Jelavic Stanislav , Meyer Gabriel , Grasby Stephen E. , Violay Marie
Published: January 2025

The majority of geothermal energy is produced in tectonically active volcanic‐arc regions due to their high geothermal gradients. Reservoirs in these settings are often stratified with smectite/kaolinite‐, illite‐, and chlorite‐rich zones, in order of increasing depth and temperature. Eighteen andesitic core and surface samples were taken from five geothermal fields in the Lesser‐Antilles and Cascade volcanic arcs. The collected samples have experienced various degrees of alteration and can be considered, in their ensemble, to be representative of the previously mentioned alteration zones. The influence of the alteration was assessed through biaxial rate‐and‐state friction experiments on prepared gouge. The samples were each tested at 10, 30, and 50 MPa normal stress in both nominally dry and nominally wet conditions. While significant water‐induced frictional‐strength reduction was observed, phyllosilicate content dominates frictional behavior, with increased phyllosilicate content reducing frictional strength, promoting velocity‐strengthening behavior, and reducing frictional healing. Negative frictional healing is observed and likely related to the presence of expandable clays, leading to frictional weakness over long time periods. It is suggested that, by controlling frictional strength, phyllosilicate content influences the depth of onset of ductile shear zones, which often underlie these reservoirs and are critical for the horizontal advection and vertical sealing of geothermal fluid. Further, as these types of reservoirs are likely critically stressed, varying degrees of alteration within different reservoir zones can give rise to the formation of stress jumps. Overall, the frictional behavior depended to a first order on overall phyllosilicate content, potentially simplifying engineering studies.
YAP/TEAD4/SP1-induced VISTA expression as a tumor cell-intrinsic mechanism of immunosuppression in colorectal cancer
Authors: Zhu Zhehui , Ding Rui , Yu Wei , Liu Yun , Zhou Zhaocai , Liu Chen-Ying
Published: January 2025

Hyperactivation of the YAP/TEAD transcriptional complex in cancers facilitates the development of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Herein, we observed that the transcription factor SP1 physically interacts with and stabilizes the YAP/TEAD complex at regulatory genomic loci in colorectal cancer (CRC). In response to serum stimulation, PKCζ (protein kinase C ζ) was found to phosphorylate SP1 and enhance its interaction with TEAD4. As a result, SP1 enhanced the transcriptional activity of YAP/TEAD and coregulated the expression of a group of YAP/TEAD target genes. The immune checkpoint V-domain Ig suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) was identified as a direct target of the SP1-YAP/TEAD4 complex and found to be widely expressed in CRC cells. Importantly, YAP-induced VISTA upregulation in human CRC cells was found to strongly suppress the antitumor function of CD8+ T cells. Consistently, elevated VISTA expression was found to be correlated with hyperactivation of the SP1-YAP/TEAD axis and associated with poor prognosis of CRC patients. In addition, we found by serendipity that enzymatic deglycosylation significantly improved the anti-VISTA antibody signal intensity, resulting in more accurate detection of VISTA in clinical tumor samples. Overall, our study identified SP1 as a positive modulator of YAP/TEAD for the transcriptional regulation of VISTA and developed a protein deglycosylation strategy to better detect VISTA expression in clinical samples. These findings revealed a new tumor cell-intrinsic mechanism of YAP/TAZ-mediated cancer immune evasion.
The E3-ligase Siah2 activates mitochondrial quality control in neurons to maintain energy metabolism during ischemic brain tolerance
Authors: Sisalli Maria Josè , D’Apolito Elena , Cuomo Ornella , Lombardi Giovanna , Tufano Michele , Annunziato Lucio , Scorziello Antonella
Published: January 2025

Mitochondrial quality control is crucial for the homeostasis of the mitochondrial network. The balance between mitophagy and biogenesis is needed to reduce cerebral ischemia-induced cell death. Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) represents an adaptation mechanism of CNS that increases tolerance to lethal cerebral ischemia. It has been demonstrated that hypoxia-induced Seven in absentia Homolog 2 (Siah2) E3-ligase activation influences mitochondrial dynamics promoting the degradation of mitochondrial proteins. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the role of Siah2 in the IPC-induced neuroprotection in in vitro and in vivo models of IPC. To this aim, cortical neurons were exposed to 30-min oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD, sublethal insult) followed by 3 h OGD plus reoxygenation (lethal insult). Our results revealed that the mitochondrial depolarization induced by hypoxia activates Siah2 at the mitochondrial level and increases LC3-II protein expression, a marker of mitophagy, an effect counteracted by the reoxygenation phase. By contrast, hypoxia reduced the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α), a marker of mitochondrial biogenesis, whereas its expression was increased after reoxygenation thus improving mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial calcium content, and mitochondrial morphology, hence leading to neuroprotection in IPC. Furthermore, Siah2 silencing confirmed these results. Collectively, these findings indicate that the balance between mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis, due to the activation of the Siah2-E3-ligase, might play a role in IPC-induced neuroprotection.
Discovery of new topological insulators and semimetals using deep generative models
Authors: Hong Tao , Chen Taikang , Jin Dalong , Zhu Yu , Gao Heng , Zhao Kun , Zhang Tongyi , Ren Wei , Cao Guixin
Published: January 2025

Topological materials possess unique electronic properties and hold immense attraction to both fundamental physics research and practical applications. Over the past decades, the discovery of new topological materials has relied on the symmetry-based analysis of the quantum wave function. In this study, we propose an efficient inverse design method CTMT (CTMT: CDVAE, Topogivity, interatomic potentials (IAPs) as realized in M3GNet, and TQC) utilizing deep generative machine learning models to discover novel topological insulators and semimetals in a much-fast and low-cost manner. This method covers the entire process of new crystal structure generation, heuristic rule screening, fast stability estimation, and topology type diagnosis, resulting in 4 topological insulators and 16 topological semimetals. Especially, the newly discovered topological materials include several chiral Kramers-Weyl fermion semimetals and chiral materials with low symmetry, whose topology is previously considered challenging to discern. These findings demonstrate the capability of CTMT in discovering topological materials and its great potential for data-driven inverse design of advanced functional materials.
A structural health monitoring data reconstruction method based on VMD and SSA-optimized GRU model
Authors: Jia Xiaoliang , Zhang Guoyan , Wang Zhiqiang , Li Huacong , Hu Jing , Zhu Songlin , Liu Caiwei
Published: January 2025

In the field of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), complete datasets are fundamental for modal identification analysis and risk prediction. However, data loss due to sensor failures, transmission interruptions, or hardware issues is a common problem. To address this challenge, this study develops a method combining Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) and Sparrow Search Algorithm (SSA)-optimized Gate Recurrent Unit (GRU) for recovering structural response data. The methodology initially employs Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) to preprocess and decompose the existing data from the target sensor into Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs) and residuals. Subsequently, the Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) network utilizes data from other sensors to reconstruct the IMFs and residuals, ultimately producing the data reconstruction results. During this process, Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) is used to optimize the hyperparameters of the GRU network. To validate the effectiveness of this method, we utilized one month of monitoring data collected from a certain project and a publicly available dataset. On the public dataset, we tested performance at different data loss rates. Results show that, compared to a standalone GRU model and a VMD + GRU model, the VMD + SSA + GRU model’s reconstruction data root mean squared error is reduced by 46.61% and 32.57% on average, respectively, while the coefficient of determination increases by 38.74% and 18.50%. The data reconstruction method proposed in this study can accurately capture trends in missing data, without the need for manual hyperparameter tuning, and the reconstruction results are highly consistent with the real data.
Different keratoconus definitions can lead to substantial prevalence disparities in population-based studies
Authors: Shabani Hasan , van Dooren Bart T. H. , Meester-Smoor Magda A. , Geerards Annette A. J. M. , Klaver Caroline C. W. , Ramdas Wishal D.
Published: January 2025

This report explores the prevalence of keratoconus in a population-based cohort of adults aged 40 or older according to ten different definitions. All Rotterdam Study participants with reliable Pentacam scans and no prior corneal refractive surgery were cross-sectionally analysed (n = 2660). First, we applied a novel evidence-based definition. Suspected keratoconus was defined as having at least one eye with a final D-index (BAD-D) ≥ 2.6. Manifest keratoconus was defined as having at least one eye with: (1) BAD-D ≥ 2.6; and (2) a score of at least 4/10 on the novel Rotterdam Keratoconus Scale (RKS); and (3) a confirming assessment of the relevant Pentacam maps; and (4) meeting Holladay’s criteria in case of recent contact lens usage. Using this proposed definition, 72 participants (2.71%, 95%CI: 2.16–3.40%) had suspected keratoconus, while 10 participants (0.38%, 95%CI: 0.20–0.69%) had manifest keratoconus. To assess reproducibility, two specialists independently applied the proposed definition, with a substantial inter-observer agreement (Kappa = 0.74). Interestingly, 6(60%) patients were unaware of having keratoconus. Applying nine alternative definitions from similar screening studies produced prevalence estimates ranging from 0.19 to 9.29% in the same cohort. Moreover, counting solely on a BAD-D cutoff of 2.6 to define keratoconus was unreliable, with a low positive predictive value of 14%. These findings explain partially the large heterogeneity in the reported keratoconus prevalences, underscoring the need for a standardized definition.
Analysis of the spatial distribution of metabolites in Aloe vera leaves by mass spectrometry imaging and UHPLC-UHRMS
Authors: Krupa Sumi , Ruman Tomasz , Szuberla Wiktoria , Nizioł Joanna
Published: January 2025

This study presents an investigation of the chemical composition of Aloe vera leaf tissue with a focus on the spatial distribution of compounds. The composition was studied using two mass spectrometry imaging techniques: silver-109 nanoparticles assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (109AgNPs-LDI-MSI) and laser ablation-remote atmospheric pressure photoionization/chemical ionization mass spectrometry imaging (LARAPPI/CI-MSI) and the identification was aided by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-UHRMS) analysis. The results showed an abundance of phenolic compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a beneficial food additive and food packaging material. Analysis of the results of mass spectrometry imaging provided information about the potential changes in metabolic pathway expression in different regions of the leaf.
Stalled disomes marked by Hel2-dependent ubiquitin chains undergo Ubp2/Ubp3-mediated deubiquitination upon translational run-off
Authors: Scazzari Mario , Zhang Ying , Moddemann Anna , Rospert Sabine
Published: January 2025

Stalled ribosomes cause collisions, impair protein synthesis, and generate potentially harmful truncated polypeptides. Eukaryotic cells utilize the ribosome-associated quality control (RQC) and no-go mRNA decay (NGD) pathways to resolve these problems. In yeast, the E3 ubiquitin ligase Hel2 recognizes and polyubiquitinates disomes and trisomes at the 40S ribosomal protein Rps20/uS10, thereby priming ribosomes for further steps in the RQC/NGD pathways. Recent studies have revealed high concentrations of disomes and trisomes in unstressed cells, raising the question of whether and how Hel2 selects long-term stalled disomes and trisomes. This study presents quantitative analysis of in vivo-formed Hel2•ribosome complexes and the dynamics of Hel2-dependent Rps20 ubiquitination and Ubp2/Ubp3-dependent deubiquitination. Our findings show that Hel2 occupancy progressively increases from translating monosomes to disomes and trisomes. We demonstrate that disomes and trisomes with mono- or di-ubiquitinated Rps20 resolve independently of the RQC component Slh1, while those with tri- and tetra-ubiquitinated Rps20 do not. Based on the results, we propose a model in which Hel2 translates the duration of ribosome stalling into polyubiquitin chain length. This mechanism allows for the distinction between transient and long-term stalling, providing the RQC machinery with a means to select fatally stalled ribosomes over transiently stalled ones.
Ultra-precise ruler for ammonia nitrogen quantification in electrochemical synthesis experiments
Authors: Hu Yao , Wang Donghui , Hu Bo , Lan Haihui , Zhong Wen , Wang Qi , Xia Huicong , Yao Mingde , Chen Mingqing , Du Mingliang
Published: January 2025

The field of electrochemical ammonia synthesis has made rapid advancements, attracting a large number of scientists to contribute to this area of research.
Living material-derived intelligent micro/nanorobots
Authors: Wang Shuhuai , Liu Ya , Sun Shuangjiao , Gui Qinyi , Liu Wei , Long Wei
Published: January 2025

A comprehensive review of the advancements in living material-derived intelligent micro/nanorobots (LMNRs) is presented, highlighting their special characteristics, various functions, and biomedical applications.
Two-photon absorption of BODIPY, BIDIPY, GADIPY, and SBDIPY
Authors: Elayan Ismael A. , Zhou Mingmin , Brown Alex
Published: January 2025

Two-photon absorption (2PA) properties of BODIPY, BIDIPY, GADIPY, and SBDIPY were investigated using TD-DFT and RI-CC2. Core substitution (Ga, Sb, Bi) has minimal impact on 2PA cross-sections, while extended conjugation significantly enhances them.
Synthesis of amino acids in intense laser-irradiated primary amine solutions
Authors: Ishikawa Wakako , Sato Shunichi
Published: January 2025

Molecules generated in primary amine solutions irradiated with high-intensity laser were identified. In mixed solutions of amine and formic acid, the formation of amino acids, such as glycine and alanine, was confirmed.
High-symmetry cage-like molecule N20(C2B2)30: computational insight into its bonding and reactivity
Authors: Zhang Miaorun , Zhang Lin , Cao Zexing , Zhao Yi
Published: January 2025

A novel Ih-symmetry cage-like molecule N20(C2B2)30, resembling fullerene C20, has been theoretically constructed. It exhibits significant chemical reactivity, particularly in cycloaddition reactions and the capture of small molecules.
Efficient Co and GO co-doped TiO2 catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia
Authors: Lin Peiyan , Chen Renhong , Xu Sheng , Xia Xia , Zhao Fang , Ren Xuefeng , Lu Yumeng , Gao Liguo , Bao Junjiang , Liu Anmin
Published: January 2025

The engineered Co–TiO2/GO exhibits superior NO3−RR electrochemical properties, achieving an NH3 yield of up to 7.424 mg h−1 cm−2 and a Faraday efficiency of up to 56.5% at −1.1 V vs. RHE potential.
Wastewater for public health: timely, sensitive, and reliable SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant monitoring in California
Authors: Burnor E. , Yu A. T. , Wolfe M. K. , Kantor R. S. , León T. M. , Ravuri S. , Rane M. S. , Panditrao M. V. , Naughton C. , Rabe A. , Harris-Lovett S. , Abram A. , Borthwick D. , White B. , Silva J. B. , Lang C. , Probert W. , Wadford D. , Bischel H. N. , Jain S. , Nelson K. , Boehm A. B. , Vugia D. J.
Published: January 2025

Wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1/BA.1.1 variant proportions align well with clinical surveillance-based proportions. In some California communities, wastewater-based estimates provided an early indicator of the spread of Omicron BA.1/BA.1.1.
Waste-minimized access to diarylamines and triarylamines via Csp2–N coupling under batch and flow conditions
Authors: Brufani Giulia , Chen Shaomin , Tiberi Maria Teresa , Campana Filippo , Paone Emilia , Gu Yanlong , Mauriello Francesco , Vaccaro Luigi
Published: January 2025

In this study, we present a waste-minimized strategy for synthesising diarylamines and triarylamines via Buchwald–Hartwig coupling.
Catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural using mechanically activated MgO as catalyst
Authors: Pérez-Merchán Antonio Manuel , Torres-Olea Benjamín , Scala Marcella , Dimitratos Nikolaos , Malpartida Irene , García-Sancho Cristina , Mérida-Robles Josefa M. , Maireles-Torres Pedro , Moreno-Tost Ramón , Cecilia Juan Antonio
Published: January 2025

Several MgO materials have been prepared throughout wet flow semi-continuous mechanochemical treatment of the Mg(OH)2 precursors and their subsequent calcination.
Deciphering the linear and non-linear biosorptive removal of the anti-inflammatory drug enrofloxacin
Authors: Das Sharma Debasish , Khan Priyanka , Biswas Rupsa , Show Sumona , Khan Anoar Ali , Halder Gopinath
Published: January 2025

Demonstration of the preparation of biosorbent from a sugarcane bagasse precursor and its utilisation towards the sorptive removal of the pharmaceutical micropollutant enrofloxacin from aqueous media.
Proton conductivity in the Gd2O3–HfO2 system
Authors: Lyskov Nikolay , Baldin Egor , Borunova Anna , Vorobieva Galina , Stolbov Dmitry , Shlyakhtina Anna
Published: January 2025

In the present work, extensive studies of ionic conductors with pyrochlore and fluorite structures in the Gd2O3–HfO2 system are carried out.
Magnetic nanoparticle-based hydrogels as reliable platforms to investigate magnetic interactions
Authors: Morales I. , Koch A. , Wesemann C. , Graf R. T. , Bigall N. C.
Published: January 2025

Systematic methodology to control dipolar interactions within magnetic nanoparticle-based hydrogels through an amphiphilic polymer coating with variable alkyl chain lengths, as robust platforms to investigate magnetic interactions.
Porous carbon-supported PtPdCu alloy heterostructures with a three-dimensional spatial network for efficient ethanol electro-oxidation
Authors: Chen Guanjun , Lei Yichu , Huang Zheming , Wang Tong , Hu Tingwei , Sun Lan , Qiao Yongpeng
Published: January 2025

Porous carbon-supported PtPdCu ternary alloy heterostructures derived from MOFs exhibit robust EOR performance.