bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Severe influenza A viral pneumonia in a hemodialysis patient: successful treatment with steroid pulse therapy
Authors: Ito Hiroki , Ito Sadatoshi , Hirose Takuo , Kimura Tomoyoshi , Mori Takefumi , Ito Sadayoshi
Published: December 2024

Seasonal influenza is prevalent globally, particularly during winter months. It is well documented that this disease causes severe, often fatal complications in hemodialysis patients. While numerous reports have focused on novel influenza viruses, there is a paucity of case reports detailing seasonal influenza viral infections in this patient population. This case presents a 71-year-old male undergoing hemodialysis who developed severe seasonal influenza A pneumonia despite receiving the influenza vaccine and early antiviral treatment. Initially presenting with fever, cough, and myalgia, the patient was diagnosed with influenza A virus infection and hospitalized due to heightened risk associated with dialysis and an elevated inflammatory response. Despite treatment with two different antiviral medications, his condition deteriorated, leading to ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome). The administration of steroid pulse therapy resulted in significant clinical improvement. This case underscores the severe nature of influenza virus-related illnesses in dialysis patients, even with vaccination and early antiviral intervention. It also suggests the potential benefit of early steroid pulse therapy in managing severe influenza pneumonia in high-risk individuals.
Causes of COVID-19 Outbreaks During Sports and Exercise: A Systematic Review
Authors: Machida Masaki , Dai Koichi , Nakamura Itaru , Inoue Shigeru
Published: December 2024

Background

Physical activity is beneficial for preventing non-communicable and infectious diseases, such as pneumonia. Physical activity is also a potential protective factor for reducing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity. Conversely, outbreaks of respiratory viral infections are more likely to occur owing to group activities, opportunities for contact with individuals and vocalisations. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, several cases of COVID-19 outbreaks during various sports and exercise have been reported. However, the common causes underlying these outbreaks remain unclear.

Objective

The objective of this study is to identify the causes of COVID-19 outbreaks during sports and exercise using systematic review approach.

Methods

Our eligibility criteria were published articles reporting case investigation on COVID-19 outbreaks and the cause during sports and exercise. Studies such as reviews and observational studies without case investigations were excluded. PubMed, CINAHL, WHO COVID-19 Research Database and Ichushi Web were searched on 28 August 2023. The quality of included studies was rated using a quality criteria checklist adapted from a previous systematic review of influenza outbreaks. Vote counting of outbreak causes was performed by type of sports (team or individual).

Results

Twenty-one articles reporting 22 outbreaks were identified (quality: high, 9; medium, 9; and low, 3). The outbreaks were most frequently reported in fitness classes, followed by soccer. Most studies listed multiple causes of the outbreaks. The most common suspected cause of outbreaks in individual exercise, mostly from fitness classes, was poor ventilation and not wearing masks, followed by not maintaining physical distance and participation of individuals with some symptoms. In team sports, the most common cause was interaction outside the game, such as social events.

Conclusions

This systematic review found a limited number of case investigations suggesting that COVID-19 outbreaks during sports and exercise may be associated with the inhalation of aerosols in indoor settings, interactions outside of team sports games and participation of individuals with some symptoms. Prevention strategies that focus on mitigating these issues may be effective at preventing sports and exercise-associated respiratory infectious diseases outbreaks.

PROSPERO Registration Number

CRD42023443158.
Material Flow Cost Accounting with Multiple Inefficiency Factors and Recycling
Authors: Dierkes Stefan , Siepelmeyer David
Published: December 2024

Sustainability management requires differentiated information on the environmental and economic consequences of material demand’s increasing and decreasing factors. Material flow cost accounting fails to provide this information due to the common undifferentiated determination of realized costs of material and product losses and, therefore, the lack of a production theoretical basis for cost planning. We develop a material flow model considering the impacts of waste and reject as material demand increasing factors and reworking and recycling as material demand decreasing factors at the company, quantity center, and product unit levels. This enables designing a material flow cost accounting system with specific cost information on the different factors at each level. We also analyze the consequences of the material distribution key and possible alternatives for allocating costs in material flow cost accounting. Finally, we discuss further development opportunities for this accounting system.
Opposite effects of a reaction-driven viscosity decrease on miscible viscous fingering depending on the injection flow rate
Authors: Suzuki R.X. , Arai S. , Masumo T. , Nagatsu Y. , De Wit A.
Published: December 2024

When a less-viscous solution of a reactant

$A$

displaces a more-viscous solution of another reactant

$B$

, a fast bimolecular

$A + B \rightarrow C$

reaction decreasing locally the viscosity can influence the viscous fingering (VF) instability taking place between the two miscible solutions. We show both experimentally and numerically that, for monotonic viscosity profiles, this decrease in viscosity has opposite effects on the fingering pattern depending on the injection flow rate. For high flow rates, the reaction enhances the shielding effect, creating VF patterns with a lower surface density, i.e. thinner fingers covering a smaller area. In contrast, for lower flow rates, the reaction stabilises the VF dynamics, i.e. delays the instability and gives a less-deformed displacement, reaching in some cases an almost-stable displacement. Nonlinear simulations of reactive VF show that these opposite effects at low or high flow rates can only be reproduced if the diffusivity of

$A$

is larger than that of

$B$

, which favours a larger production of the product

$C$

and, hence, a larger viscosity decrease. The analysis of one-dimensional viscosity profiles reconstructed on the basis of a one-dimensional reaction–diffusion–advection model confirms that the VF stabilisation at low Péclet number and in the presence of differential diffusion of reactants originates from an optimum reaction-driven decrease in the gradient of the monotonic viscosity profile.
Exposure to Mass Shootings and Voting Directly on Gun Policy
Authors: MARKARIAN G. AGUSTIN , NEWMAN BENJAMIN J.
Published: December 2024

Recent scholarship finds that exposure to mass shootings has no effect on Democratic vote shares. While arguably a reasonable proxy for public demand for heightened gun control, this outcome nonetheless reflects myriad issue concerns, with guns being just one issue typically dwarfed in importance by the attention given in electoral campaigns to jobs, the economy, and other social issues. Our research improves the issue-domain correspondence between treatment and outcome by analyzing voting directly on gun policy. We leverage a mass shooting that occurred in Washington state shortly before residents voted on a ballot measure to regulate firearms. Critically, a previous measure on firearms appeared on the ballot in Washington 2 years prior, enabling our analysis to control for pretreatment support for gun control. Across various model specifications, we find that proximity to the shooting was associated with increased support for gun control. We replicate this finding with three additional shootings.
Kente Weaving Among Akan and Ewe Peoples of Ghana: A Gender-Based Insight into Embedded Intangible Cultural Heritage and Implications for the Implementation of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention
Authors: Oguamanam Chidi , Yeboah-Appiah Angela
Published: December 2024

The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is designed to secure the protection of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) worldwide.1 The Convention aims to safeguard and ensure respect for ICH of communities, groups, and persons and promote awareness of their significance and international protection in that regard.2 The Convention outlines intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in terms of oral traditions and expressions, including, but not limited to, epics, tales, and stories, and performing arts categories such as music, song, dance, puppetry, and theatre. Other forms of ICH under the Convention include social practices, rituals, and festive events. In its inherently nuanced nature, ICH also includes knowledge and practices relating to nature and the universe. In these categories are folk medicines, folk astronomy, and various natural phenomena. ICH’s wide and nuanced ambit encompasses traditional craftsmanship as well as the sites and spaces in which culturally significant activities and events occur.3 ICH forms part of the daily life and lived realities of people in virtually all parts of the world. It is the beliefs and perspectives, ephemeral performances, and events that are not tangible objects of culture, such as monuments or paintings. ICH is often described as the underlying “spirit” of a cultural group,4 which cannot be detailed in all subtleties.
An Evaluation of Dynamical Downscaling Methods Used to Project Regional Climate Change
Authors: Hall Alex , Rahimi Stefan , Norris Jesse , Ban Nikolina , Siler Nicholas , Leung L. Ruby , Ullrich Paul , Reed Kevin A. , Prein Andreas F. , Qian Yun
Published: December 2024

In the past decade, dynamical downscaling using “pseudo‐global‐warming” (PGW) techniques has been applied frequently to project regional climate change. Such techniques generate signals by adding mean global climate model (GCM)‐simulated climate change signals in temperature, moisture, and circulation to lateral and surface boundary conditions derived from reanalysis. An alternative to PGW is to downscale GCM data directly. This technique should be advantageous, especially for simulation of extremes, since it incorporates the GCM's full spectrum of changing synoptic‐scale dynamics in the regional solution. Here, we test this assumption, by comparing simulations in Europe and Western North America. We find that for warming and changes in temperature extremes, PGW often produces similar results to direct downscaling in both regions. For mean and extreme precipitation changes, PGW generally also performs surprisingly well in many cases. Moisture budget analysis in the Western North America domain reveals why. Large fractions of the downscaled hydroclimate changes arise from mean changes in large‐scale thermodynamics and circulation, that is, increases in temperature, moisture, and winds, included in PGW by design. The one component PGW may have difficulty with is the contribution from changes in synoptic‐scale variability. When this component is large, PGW performance could be degraded. Global analysis of GCM data shows there are regions where it is large or dominant. Hence, our results provide a road map to identify, through GCM analyses, the circumstances when PGW would not be expected to accurately regionalize GCM climate signals.
Fusion of Probabilistic Projections of Sea‐Level Rise
Authors: Grandey Benjamin S. , Dauwels Justin , Koh Zhi Yang , Horton Benjamin P. , Chew Lock Yue
Published: December 2024

A probabilistic projection of sea‐level rise uses a probability distribution to represent scientific uncertainty. However, alternative probabilistic projections of sea‐level rise differ markedly, revealing ambiguity, which poses a challenge to scientific assessment and decision‐making. To address the challenge of ambiguity, we propose a new approach to quantify a best estimate of the scientific uncertainty associated with sea‐level rise. Our proposed fusion combines the complementary strengths of the ice sheet models and expert elicitations that were used in the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Under a low‐emissions scenario, the fusion's very likely range (5th–95th percentiles) of global mean sea‐level rise is 0.3–1.0 m by 2100. Under a high‐emissions scenario, the very likely range is 0.5–1.9 m. The 95th percentile projection of 1.9 m can inform a high‐end storyline, supporting decision‐making for activities with low uncertainty tolerance. By quantifying a best estimate of scientific uncertainty, the fusion caters to diverse users.
Meridional Wind in the Upper Stratosphere: A Source of Winter NAO Predictability
Authors: Collingwood Elizabeth , Scaife Adam A. , Lu Hua , Sinha Bablu , King John , Marsh Robert , Marshall Gareth
Published: December 2024

Improvement of subseasonal to seasonal North Atlantic winter forecasting requires better prediction of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the dominant mode of variability in the Northern Hemisphere. Despite recent research demonstrating the importance of stratosphere‐troposphere coupling for NAO predictability, the driving mechanisms and implications are not fully understood. This study reveals that the October upper stratosphere is highly relevant to polar vortex development and predictability of winter NAO. We derive a simple index based on the strength of meridional wind in the upper stratospheric surf zone and find that anomalously poleward motion is associated with a significantly stronger polar vortex, which predicts the subsequent winter surface NAO with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.40.
Rapid Response of Martian Magnetotail to Solar Wind Disturbance: Tianwen‐1 and MAVEN Joint Observations
Authors: Guo Z. Z. , Fu H. S. , Cao J. B. , Wang Y. M. , Ge M. , Zhou T. Y. , Fu W. D. , Wang Z.
Published: December 2024

The Martian magnetotail is largely controlled by the solar wind (SW) and is modulated by variations in the upstream drivers. However, due to the limitations of single‐spacecraft observations, the effects of SW variations on the Martian magnetotail have not been fully understood so far. Here, using Tianwen‐1 and MAVEN data, we report for the first time the rapid response of Martian magnetotail to the SW disturbance. In our study, Tianwen‐1 detected the flapping of Martian magnetotail, while MAVEN monitored disturbances in the upstream SW. The results indicate that a 20% increase (or decrease) in SW dynamic pressure and a 30° (or 50°) rotation of interplanetary magnetic field clock angle could cause the Martian magnetotail to swing rapidly. These two SW disturbances could lead to oscillations of the Martian magnetotail. This study reveals the importance of joint observations for studying the interaction between the SW and Mars.
Impact of Upward Propagating Migrating Diurnal and Semidiurnal Tides on the Ionosphere‐Thermosphere Seasonal Variation
Authors: Pedatella N. M. , Wu K. , Qian L. , Gan Q.
Published: December 2024

The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere‐ionosphere eXtension (WACCM‐X) is used to investigate the impact of the upward propagating migrating diurnal (DW1) and semidiurnal (SW2) tides on the seasonal variability in the ionosphere and thermosphere. In the lower thermosphere, the tides induce a westward acceleration that obtains maximum values of 10–20 around solstice. The tidal dissipation also changes the meridional circulation and leads to a 5 K cooling of the lower thermosphere. These changes result in a decrease in atomic oxygen in the lower thermosphere that maximizes during local winter. In the lower thermosphere, the DW1 has a greater impact around December solstice, while the SW2 has a greater impact around June solstice. The DW1 and SW2 induced changes in the lower thermosphere composition lead to changes in the thermosphere column integrated atomic oxygen to molecular nitrogen ratio (O/). This leads to a reduction in the thermosphere annual variation at middle to high latitudes. The DW1 and SW2 also reduce the thermosphere neutral mass density. In the ionosphere, the DW1 and SW2 decrease the zonal and diurnal mean total electron content by 20% globally, which is primarily attributed to the reduction in thermosphere O/. The SW2 is found to have a greater influence on the low latitude ionosphere compared to the DW1 due to the SW2 having a greater impact on the equatorial electrodynamics. The results demonstrate that the upward propagating DW1 and SW2 both have significant effects on the ionosphere and thermosphere, including influencing the seasonal variability.
Association between 5-minute oxygen saturation and neonatal death and intraventricular hemorrhage among extremely preterm infants
Authors: Jiang Siyuan , Cui Xin , Katheria Anup , Finer Neil N. , Bennett Mihoko V. , Profit Jochen , Lee Henry C.
Published: December 2024

Objective

To assess the relationship between 5-min oxygen saturation (SpO2) and outcomes in extremely preterm infants.

Study design

This cohort study included infants ≤28 weeks’ gestation across nine hospitals from 2020 to 2022. Death and / or severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) were compared between infants with 5-min SpO2 < 80% and 80–100% using Poisson regression models. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve and optimal breakpoint analysis were used to estimate the optimal breakpoint of 5-min SpO2 in relation to outcomes.

Result

Of 390 infants, 184 (47.2%) had 5-min SpO2 < 80%. A 5-min SpO2 < 80% was independently associated with increased risks of death and / or severe IVH, early death, and severe IVH. ROC analysis of 5-min SpO2 identified optimal breakpoint at 81–85%, above which no additional benefit in outcomes was observed.

Conclusion

Our findings support the current recommendation of 5-min SpO2 target of ≥80% for extremely preterm infants.
Compositional engineering of phase-stable and highly efficient deep-red emitting phosphor for advanced plant lighting systems
Authors: Qiao Jianwei , Li Dehong , Shi Qiufeng , Guo Haijie , Huang Ping , Wang Lei
Published: December 2024

Inorganic luminescent materials hold great promise for optoelectronic device applications, yet the limited efficiency and poor thermal stability of oxide-based deep-red emitting phosphors hinder the advancement of plant lighting technologies. Herein, a simple compositional engineering strategy is proposed to stabilize the phase, boost external quantum efficiency (EQE) and enhance thermal stability. The chemical modification of the PO4 tetrahedron in NaMgPO4:Eu by incorporating SiO4 lowers the formation energy, leading to the generation of pure olivine phase and increasing the EQE from 27% to 52%, setting a record for oxide deep-red phosphors. In parallel, the introduced deep defect level improves thermal stability at 150 °C from 62.5% to 85.4%. Besides, the excitation and emission peaks shifted to 440 nm and 675 nm, respectively, aligning precisely with the specific spectral absorption requirements of plant phytochromes. Moreover, the luminescent intensity showed nearly no decay after being exposed to 80% relative humidity and 80 oC for 6 h, and the pc-LED utilizing Na1.06MgP0.94Si0.06O4:Eu achieves a high output power of 780 mW at 300 mA. Our research demonstrates a facile method for optimizing the performance of inorganic luminescent materials and provides alternative solutions for low-cost plant lighting.
Treatment effect and safety of seltorexant as monotherapy for patients with major depressive disorder: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Authors: Mesens Sofie , Kezic Iva , Van Der Ark Peter , Etropolski Mila , Pandina Gahan , Benes Heike , Savitz Adam , Drevets Wayne C.
Published: December 2024

The antidepressant efficacy and safety of seltorexant monotherapy in major depressive disorder (MDD) was investigated in a placebo-controlled, placebo lead-in, randomized, double-blind, phase 1b study. Participants were randomized to receive seltorexant (20 mg or 40 mg) or placebo. The treatment effect was assessed by changes in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-17 item (HDRS17) from treatment-period baseline to week 5 in lead-in placebo non-responders (“enriched” intent-to-treat analysis set). As a secondary outcome, the effect of seltorexant on HDRS17 was assessed in patients with and without subjective insomnia. Seltorexant’s effects on polysomnography, serum cortisol, and cortisol waking response were also measured. In total, 128 participants were enrolled, including 86 in the enriched sample (lead-in placebo non-responders). The mean changes from baseline (SD) in HDRS17 score at week 5 differed significantly across arms: −7.0 (5.04) for seltorexant 20 mg, −5.5 (4.34) for seltorexant 40 mg, and −4.4 (3.67) for placebo (p = 0.0456), which was attributable to the difference between the 20 mg and placebo arms (p = 0.0049). Improvement in depression severity at week 5 for seltorexant 20 mg was greater in patients with higher baseline insomnia severity (nominal p = 0.0059). The treatment benefit in the 20 mg arm remained significant when HDRS scores were adjusted by removing the sleep items (nominal p = 0.0289). The mean HDRS17 change versus placebo was numerically larger in the 20 mg than the 40 mg arm, consistent with data from a previous study in which seltorexant was administered adjunctively to conventional antidepressants. In secondary analyses, the waking cortisol response decreased in the 20 mg arm but not the 40 mg or placebo arms, and while total sleep increased more in the 40 mg arm, this arm also showed reduced REM onset latency and increased stage N1 sleep, which were not evident in the 20 mg arm. These biomarker data suggest mechanistic hypotheses that may account for the apparent curvilinear dose-response relationship of seltorexant. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03374475.
Genetic and environment influences on childhood victimization: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Dahoun Tarik , Peel Alicia , Baldwin Jessie , Coleman Oonagh , Lewis Stephanie J. , Wertz Jasmin , Rijsdijk Frühling , Danese Andrea
Published: December 2024

Childhood victimization is a key risk factor for poor mental and physical health. In order to prevent childhood victimization, it is important to better understand its underlying etiological factors. Childhood victimization is not randomly distributed in the population but occurs more often in the context of certain characteristics of the child, the family, and the broader environment. These characteristics may be both genetically and environmentally influenced, making genetically informative designs valuable to disentangle the etiological factors. Here we performed meta-analyses of the genetic and environmental influences on childhood victimization based on twin studies. We also tested whether genetic and environmental influences on childhood victimization vary depending on key features of victimization experiences including the reporter of victimization experiences, the type of victimization, and the age at exposure. Following PRISMA guidelines, a search for relevant literature was conducted using MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, and Embase databases until September 2023. A meta-analysis based on 21 studies with 62,794 participants showed that genetic influences accounted for 40% of the variance in childhood victimization, shared environmental influences for 20%, and non-shared environmental influences for 40%. In addition, we found that genetic and environmental influences on victimization varied based on the reporter and the type of victimization, and the age at victimization. The quantitative summary of genetic and environmental influences provided by this study advances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying risk for childhood victimization and points to prevention targets for victimization and its health effects.
Socioeconomic and environmental factors associated with glaucoma in an African Ancestry Population: findings from the Primary Open-Angle African American Glaucoma Genetics (POAAGG) study
Authors: Mamidipaka Anusha , Shi Amy , Lee Roy , Zhu Yan , Chen Yineng , Di Rosa Isabel , Salowe Rebecca , Ying Gui-Shuang , O’Brien Joan M.
Published: December 2024

Background/Objectives

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness, disproportionately affecting individuals of African ancestry. Limited research has examined the impact of neighbourhood quality and socioeconomic factors on primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) risk in this population. This study aims to address these gaps by evaluating associations between ocular health and neighbourhood characteristics using geospatial data.

Subjects/Methods

We conducted a case-control study with 5192 African ancestry individuals from the Philadelphia area using data from the Primary Open-Angle African American Glaucoma Genetics (POAAGG) study. Geocoded U.S. Census data were merged with individual-level demographics and neighbourhood-level measures, including air quality, food accessibility, and socioeconomic indicators, to assess their association with glaucoma risk and severity.

Results

The study included 3039 controls (58.5%) and 2153 POAG cases (41.5%). Higher POAG risk was associated with older age (OR 1.72 per 10-year increase, p < 0.001), male gender (OR 2.04, p < 0.001), lower BMI (OR 0.87 per 10 kg/m2 increase, p = 0.003), and nonuse of alcohol (OR 0.56 for alcohol use, p < 0.001). Low food access was more common in controls (OR 0.86, p = 0.03), and severe POAG cases were associated with lower homeownership rates (OR 0.95 per 10% increase, p = 0.049). However, most socioeconomic and environmental factors (air quality, education, income, occupation, family structure) were not significantly linked to POAG risk or severity.

Conclusion

Socioeconomic status did not significantly protect against POAG in African ancestry individuals. Individual factors were more influential, suggesting neighbourhood and socioeconomic factors may have a lesser impact than previously hypothesised.
Mechanics of Drosophila wing deployment
Authors: Hadjaje Simon , Andrade-Silva Ignacio , Dalbe Marie-Julie , Clément Raphaël , Marthelot Joel
Published: December 2024

During their final transformation, insects emerge from the pupal case and deploy their wings within minutes. The wings deploy from a compact origami structure, to form a planar and rigid blade that allows the insect to fly. Deployment is powered by a rapid increase in internal pressure, and by the subsequent flow of hemolymph into the deployable wing structure. Using a combination of imaging techniques, we characterize the internal and external structure of the wing in Drosophila melanogaster, the unfolding kinematics at the organ scale, and the hemolymph flow during deployment. We find that, beyond the mere unfolding of the macroscopic folds, wing deployment also involves wing expansion, with the stretching of epithelial cells and the unwrinkling of the cuticle enveloping the wing. A quantitative computational model, incorporating mechanical measurements of the viscoelastic properties and microstructure of the wing, predicts the existence of an operating point for deployment and captures the dynamics of the process. This model shows that insects exploit material and geometric nonlinearities to achieve rapid and efficient reconfiguration of soft deployable structures.
Strong electron–phonon coupling in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene
Authors: Chen Cheng , Nuckolls Kevin P. , Ding Shuhan , Miao Wangqian , Wong Dillon , Oh Myungchul , Lee Ryan L. , He Shanmei , Peng Cheng , Pei Ding , Li Yiwei , Hao Chenyue , Yan Haoran , Xiao Hanbo , Gao Han , Li Qiao , Zhang Shihao , Liu Jianpeng , He Lin , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Jozwiak Chris , Bostwick Aaron , Rotenberg Eli , Li Chu , Han Xu , Pan Ding , Liu Zhongkai , Dai Xi , Liu Chaoxing , Bernevig B. Andrei , Wang Yao , Yazdani Ali , Chen Yulin
Published: December 2024

The unusual properties of superconductivity in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG) have sparked considerable research interest1–13. However, despite the dedication of intensive experimental efforts and the proposal of several possible pairing mechanisms14–24, the origin of its superconductivity remains elusive. Here, by utilizing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with micrometre spatial resolution, we reveal flat-band replicas in superconducting MATBG, where MATBG is unaligned with its hexagonal boron nitride substrate11. These replicas show uniform energy spacing, approximately 150 ± 15 meV apart, indicative of strong electron–boson coupling. Strikingly, these replicas are absent in non-superconducting twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) systems, either when MATBG is aligned to hexagonal boron nitride or when TBG deviates from the magic angle. Calculations suggest that the formation of these flat-band replicas in superconducting MATBG are attributed to the strong coupling between flat-band electrons and an optical phonon mode at the graphene K point, facilitated by intervalley scattering. These findings, although they do not necessarily put electron–phonon coupling as the main driving force for the superconductivity in MATBG, unravel the electronic structure inherent in superconducting MATBG, thereby providing crucial information for understanding the unusual electronic landscape from which its superconductivity is derived.
Nanoscale imaging and control of altermagnetism in MnTe
Authors: Amin O. J. , Dal Din A. , Golias E. , Niu Y. , Zakharov A. , Fromage S. C. , Fields C. J. B. , Heywood S. L. , Cousins R. B. , Maccherozzi F. , Krempaský J. , Dil J. H. , Kriegner D. , Kiraly B. , Campion R. P. , Rushforth A. W. , Edmonds K. W. , Dhesi S. S. , Šmejkal L. , Jungwirth T. , Wadley P.
Published: December 2024

Nanoscale detection and control of the magnetic order underpins a spectrum of condensed-matter research and device functionalities involving magnetism. The key principle involved is the breaking of time-reversal symmetry, which in ferromagnets is generated by an internal magnetization. However, the presence of a net magnetization limits device scalability and compatibility with phases, such as superconductors and topological insulators. Recently, altermagnetism has been proposed as a solution to these restrictions, as it shares the enabling time-reversal-symmetry-breaking characteristic of ferromagnetism, combined with the antiferromagnetic-like vanishing net magnetization1–4. So far, altermagnetic ordering has been inferred from spatially averaged probes4–19. Here we demonstrate nanoscale imaging of altermagnetic states from 100-nanometre-scale vortices and domain walls to 10-micrometre-scale single-domain states in manganese telluride (MnTe)2,7,9,14–16,18,20,21. We combine the time-reversal-symmetry-breaking sensitivity of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism12 with magnetic linear dichroism and photoemission electron microscopy to achieve maps of the local altermagnetic ordering vector. A variety of spin configurations are imposed using microstructure patterning and thermal cycling in magnetic fields. The demonstrated detection and controlled formation of altermagnetic spin configurations paves the way for future experimental studies across the theoretically predicted research landscape of altermagnetism, including unconventional spin-polarization phenomena, the interplay of altermagnetism with superconducting and topological phases, and highly scalable digital and neuromorphic spintronic devices3,14,22–24.
Self-organized patterning of crocodile head scales by compressive folding
Authors: Santos-Durán Gabriel N. , Cooper Rory L. , Jahanbakhsh Ebrahim , Timin Grigorii , Milinkovitch Michel C.
Published: December 2024

Amniote integumentary appendages constitute a diverse group of micro-organs, including feathers, hair and scales. These structures typically develop as genetically controlled units1, the spatial patterning of which emerges from a self-organized chemical Turing system2,3 with integrated mechanical feedback4,5. The seemingly purely mechanical patterning of polygonal crocodile head scales provides an exception to this paradigm6. However, the nature and origin of the mechanical stress field driving this patterning remain unclear. Here, using precise in ovo intravenous injections of epidermal growth factor protein, we generate Nile crocodile embryos with substantially convoluted head skin, as well as hatchlings with smaller polygonal head scales resembling those of caimans. We then use light-sheet fluorescence microscopy to quantify embryonic tissue-layer geometry, collagen architecture and the spatial distribution of proliferating cells. Using these data, we build a phenomenological three-dimensional mechanical growth model that recapitulates both normal and experimentally modified patterning of crocodile head scales. Our experiments and numerical simulations demonstrate that crocodile head scales self-organize through compressive folding, originating from near-homogeneous skin growth with differential stiffness of the dermis versus the epidermis. Our experiments and theoretical morphospace analyses indicate that variation in embryonic growth and material properties of skin layers provides a simple evolutionary mechanism that produces a diversity of head-scale patterns among crocodilian species.
In situ analysis reveals the TRiC duty cycle and PDCD5 as an open-state cofactor
Authors: Xing Huaipeng , Rosenkranz Remus R. E. , Rodriguez-Aliaga Piere , Lee Ting-Ting , Majtner Tomáš , Böhm Stefanie , Turoňová Beata , Frydman Judith , Beck Martin
Published: December 2024

The ring-shaped chaperonin T-complex protein ring complex (TRiC; also known as chaperonin containing TCP-1, CCT) is an ATP-driven protein-folding machine that is essential for maintenance of cellular homeostasis1,2. Its dysfunction is related to cancer and neurodegenerative disease3,4. Despite its importance, how TRiC works in the cell remains unclear. Here we structurally analysed the architecture, conformational dynamics and spatial organization of the chaperonin TRiC in human cells using cryo-electron tomography. We resolved distinctive open, closed, substrate-bound and prefoldin-associated states of TRiC, and reconstructed its duty cycle in situ. The substrate-bound open and symmetrically closed TRiC states were equally abundant. Closed TRiC containing substrate forms distinctive clusters, indicative of spatial organization. Translation inhibition did not fundamentally change the distribution of duty cycle intermediates, but reduced substrate binding for all states as well as cluster formation. From our in-cell structures, we identified the programmed cell death protein 5 (PDCD5) as an interactor that specifically binds to almost all open but not closed TRiC, in a position that is compatible with both substrate and prefoldin binding. Our data support a model in which TRiC functions at near full occupancy to fold newly synthesized proteins inside cells. Defining the TRiC cycle and function inside cells lays the foundation to understand its dysfunction during cancer and neurodegeneration.
Aromatic ring-opening metathesis
Authors: Hutskalova Valeriia , Sparr Christof
Published: December 2024

Aromatic compounds are used across chemistry and materials science as a result of their stability, characteristic interactions, defined molecular shape and the numerous approaches for their synthesis by a diversity of cyclization reactions1. By contrast, the cleavage of inert aromatic carbon–carbon bonds remained largely unfeasible owing to the unfavourable energetics of disrupting aromaticity on ring opening. For non-aromatic structures, alkene metathesis catalysed by transition-metal alkylidenes is established as one of the most versatile carbon–carbon bond-forming and -breaking reactions2,3. However, despite remarkable advancements, strategies to open aromatic compounds by metathesis remain elusive4. Here we report aromatic ring-opening metathesis (ArROM) for the cleavage of aromatic rings, including tetraphene, naphthalene, indole, benzofuran and phenanthrenes, by using Schrock–Hoveyda molybdenum catalysts. The reactions for each ring system proceed through unique alkylidene intermediates. We further show the possibility for stereoselective ArROM with exquisite catalyst control over the configuration of atropisomers. ArROM is, therefore, a viable and efficient approach to catalytically transform and interconvert various aromatics without the requirement for any reagents or photoexcitation.
Low-cost Microfluidic Paper-based Analytical Devices (μPADs): Fabrication Methods, Flow Control, and Applications
Authors: Tran Bao Thai , Cheeveewattanagul Nopchulee , Surareungchai Werasak
Published: December 2024

This chapter covers microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs), including their origin, characteristics, fabrication methods, the control of liquid imbibition within µPADs, and applications of µPADs in various analytical fields. µPADs (made from paper) are inherently thin, and inexpensive, and function without external pumps due to the porous structure of the paper. These attributes, along with their other advantages, make µPADs suitable candidates for meeting the ASSURED criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO) for diagnostics in the developing world. Since their invention circa 2007, numerous µPADs have been developed for a wide range of applications, limited only by imagination. These devices are produced using a wide variety of techniques, ranging from those traditionally employed for paper substrates and microfluidics to advanced technologies such as 3D printing. µPADs are designed to detect a broad spectrum of signals, ranging from chemical to biological in origin, using either simple one-layer forms or more complex 3D networks of interconnected channels.
3D-printed Low-cost Electroanalytical Diagnostic Platforms: Basics, Materials, Fabrication, and Applications
Authors: Rizwan Mohammad , Rudnicki Konrad , Gwenin Christopher , Poltorak Lukasz
Published: December 2024

Recently, 3D-printing technology has emerged as an unconventional, cost-effective, and user-friendly method for prototyping, developing, and fabricating objects, which can be directly used for scientific applications, as well as for developing prototypes and final products. The increasing number of applications includes energy storage devices, biomedical equipment, analytical platforms, and low-cost diagnostic devices. Notable examples of 3D-printed objects for electroanalytical diagnostics include electrochemical cells, electrodes, and microfluidic devices. In this chapter, we will focus on the basic aspects of 3D-printing technology, the materials used for fabricating electrochemical low-cost diagnostic devices, and their development and performance.
Alpha-synuclein as a Molecular Marker for the Diagnosis of Neurological Disorders
Authors: Bagree Gayatri , Silva Oshadie De , Liyanage Piyumi Dinusha , Mahasivam Sanje , Bansal Vipul , Ramanathan Rajesh
Published: December 2024

Intracellular deposits of α-synuclein (α-syn) protein are a conventional indicator of synucleinopathies. Despite tremendous advances in understanding the pathophysiology of synucleinopathies, histological investigations and clinical symptoms are still extensively used in diagnosis. Identification of key biomarkers of these diseases using diagnostic techniques is a continuing challenge. As the aggregation of α-syn is an indicator of synucleinopathies, this can be used as a biomarker for developing diagnostic platforms. This chapter highlights the working principle of different diagnostic tools that have been developed for the detection of α-syn, including details of how specificity has been achieved in each case. It also provides a critical review on establishing α-syn as a biomarker for synucleinopathies and identifies key gaps to overcome any limitations of diagnostic techniques.
A multi-scale circuit model bridges molecular modeling and experimental measurements of conductive metal–organic framework supercapacitors
Authors: Niu Liang , Liu Zhou , Yu Ding , Presser Volker , Chen Ming , Feng Guang
Published: December 2024

A refined crystalline–matrix representation of c-MOF electrodes is proposed. A universal multi-scale circuit model considering crystal-shape and porosity was developed to describe the impedance and capacitance of c-MOF electrodes.
A new carbon allotrope with high carrier mobility and optical absorption
Authors: Shao Zhigang , Zhou Guangyu , Wang Canglong , Yang Lei
Published: December 2024

The structure, thermodynamic properties and unique electronic properties of a new two-dimensional carbon allotrope, TBT-g, are described in figure.
Engineered biocatalytic architecture for enhanced light utilisation in algal H2 production
Authors: Kosourov Sergey , Tammelin Tekla , Allahverdiyeva Yagut
Published: December 2024

Engineered thin-layer algal catalysts optimise light utilisation, achieving up to 4% efficiency in light-to-hydrogen conversion.
Combination of inorganic nitrate and vitamin C prevents collagen-induced arthritis in rats by inhibiting pyroptosis
Authors: Zhang Haoyang , Zhang Yongfeng , Zhang Yingrui , Wei Huishan , Jin Shan , Huo Tianqi , Qin Lizheng
Published: December 2024

Nitrate and vitamin C synergistically alleviated collagen-induced arthritis in rats by inhibiting the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway and NF-κB-related signals.
Tetrahydrocurcumin alleviates di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-induced adipose tissue dysfunction and testicular toxicity in adult mice: possible involvement of adiponectin-adipoR signaling in the testis
Authors: Anwar Choirul , Chu Yu-Chi , Tsai Mei-Ling , Ho Chi-Tang , Lai Ching-Shu
Published: December 2024

Widespread exposure to endocrine disruptors is associated with metabolic dysfunction and reproductive toxicity.
Effects of new lipid ingredients during pregnancy and lactation on rat offspring brain gene expression
Authors: Origüela Valentina , Gázquez Antonio , López-Andreo María José , Bueno-Vargas Pilar , Vurma Mustafa , López-Pedrosa José M. , Leyshon Brian J. , Kuchan Matthew , Chan Jia Pei , Larqué Elvira
Published: December 2024

Maternal dietary fat intake during pregnancy and lactation may influence the bioavailability of essential lipophilic nutrients, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), that are important for both the mother and her child's development.
Atomic spectrometry update – a review of advances in environmental analysis
Authors: Cairns Warren R. L. , Butler Owen T. , Cavoura Olga , Davidson Christine M. , Todolí-Torró José-Luis , Au Marcus von der
Published: December 2024

This review covers advances in the analysis of air, water, plants, soils and geological materials by a range of atomic spectrometric techniques, including atomic emission, absorption, fluorescence and mass spectrometry.
Injury-on-a-chip for modelling microvascular trauma-induced coagulation
Authors: Deal Halston , Byrnes Elizabeth M. , Pandit Sanika , Sheridan Anastasia , Brown Ashley C. , Daniele Michael
Published: December 2024

A microfluidic pressure injury-on-a-chip (PINCH) device enables the study of coagulation at site-specific vascular injury.
Poly(ethyleneimine)-exfoliated g-C3N4 nanosheets implanted in alginate beads and their application towards adsorptive desulfurization
Authors: Christina Nilavu M. , Santhana Krishna Kumar A. , Aggarwal Himanshu , Rajesh N.
Published: December 2024

Poly(ethyleneimine) exfoliated g-C3N4 nanosheets embedded in calcium alginate beads with an ultimate tensile strength of 3500 kPa for desulfurization of fuel with a high adsorption capacity of 183.03 mg g−1.
An off–on fluorescent probe based on N,S-GQDs/CoOOH nanocomplexes in vivo analysis of ascorbic acid
Authors: Li Bo , Wei Jieyin , Jin Ying , Bian Wei
Published: December 2024

In this study, an innovative sensing probe utilizing N,S-GQDs/CoOOH for the detection of AA both in vivo and in vitro has been developed.
Can structure influence hydrovoltaic energy generation? Insights from the metallic 1T′ and semiconducting 2H phases of MoS2
Authors: Suvigya Kaushik , Lalita Saini , Sankar Siva Nemala , Capasso Andrea , Yeh Li-Hsien , Gopinadhan Kalon
Published: December 2024

Hydrovoltaic power generation of 2.0 mW m−2 is achieved from the metallic 1T′,  three orders higher than that from semiconducting 2H MoS2, owing to its structure and the presence of well-defined capillaries.
Metal-free radical cascade cyclization/haloazidation of enynones to access functionalized 1-indanones
Authors: Yan Hua-Feng , Zou Xiao , Wang Jian-Qiang , Guo Cheng , Zuo Hang-Dong
Published: December 2024

A novel three-component radical cyclization/haloazidation of enynones with TMSN3, and NIS (NBS or NCS), has been developed under metal-free conditions to efficiently access diverse 1-indanones with moderate yields and acceptable Z/E ratios.
Application of 4′-C-α-aminoethoxy-2′-O-methyl-5-propynyl-uridine for antisense therapeutics
Authors: Zhou Yujun , Sato Hitotaka , Kawade Miwa , Yamagishi Kenji , Ueno Yoshihito
Published: December 2024

Antisense oligonucleotides containing 4′-C-α-aminoethoxy-2′-O-methyl-5-propynyl-uridine showed superior thermal stability and nuclease resistance and could efficiently activate RNase H-mediated antisense in vitro in the presence of native DNA gaps.
CO2-broken Ti–O bonds in the TiO6 octahedron of CaTiO3 for greatly enhanced room-temperature ferromagnetism
Authors: Ouyang Yuqi , Gao Bo , Tang Yaozheng , Li Lianyu , Xu Qun
Published: December 2024

Two-dimensional CaTiO3 with room-temperature ferromagnetism was prepared using supercritical carbon dioxide, which disrupts the Ti–O bond, creates surface exposure, generates oxygen vacancies, resulting in room-temperature ferromagnetism.
Soft hydrogel-embedded ceramic skeleton mimicking bone structure via sacrificial bond concept
Authors: Sukamto  , Lama Miléna , Gong Jian Ping , Nonoyama Takayuki
Published: December 2024

Tough soft/hard composites were created, inspired by bony multiple sacrificial structures through ionic bonding, fracture of the ceramic skeleton, and interactions between the new surface of fracture skeleton and hydrogel.
Selective captivation of DOX via topotactic surface enrichment with hydrated sodium ions on engineered MXene nanosheets
Authors: Khalid Zubair , Xie Jing , Hadi Farhan , Yamaguchi Tetsuo , Salles Fabrice , Oh Jae-Min
Published: December 2024

Na+–MXene with an O-rich surface shows high DOX adsorption via electrostatic and covalent interactions, higher than unmodified MXene. Selective binding to DOX suggests its potential for the removal of amine-containing pollutants from aqueous media.
Mechanisms of oxygen transport resistance of mesoporous carbon-supported catalysts in fuel cells
Authors: An Kai-Bo , Fang Wen-Zhen , Xuan Zi-Hao , Zhao Guo-Rui , Ling Han , Tao Wen-Quan
Published: December 2024

Origin of local oxygen transport resistance for water-Pt catalyst is revealed; Rads is significantly affected by the structure of dense layer on Pt surfaces; the dense effect of interior Pt catalysts leads to the remarkable increase of .