bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sources, Composition, and Export of Particulate Organic Matter Across British Estuaries
Authors: García‐Martín E. Elena , Sanders Richard , Evans Chris D. , Kitidis Vassilis , Lapworth Dan J. , Spears Bryan M. , Tye Andy , Williamson Jennifer L. , Balfour Chris , Best Mike , Bowes Michael , Breimann Sarah , Brown Ian J. , Burden Annette , Callaghan Nathan , Dise Nancy B. , Farr Gareth , Felgate Stacey L. , Fishwick James , Fraser Mike , Gibb Stuart , Gilbert Pete J. , Godsell Nina , Gomez‐Castillo Africa P. , Hargreaves Geoff , Harris Carolyn , Jones Oban , Kennedy Paul , Lichtschlag Anna , Martin Adrian P. , May Rebecca , Mawji Edward , Mounteney Ian , Nightingale Philip D. , Olszewska Justyna P. , Painter Stuart C. , Pearce Christopher R. , Pereira M. Glória , Peel Kate , Pickard Amy , Stephens John A. , Stinchcombe Mark , Thornton Barry , Woodward E. Malcolm S. , Yarrow Deborah , Mayor Daniel J.
Published: April 2023

Estuaries receive and process a large amount of particulate organic carbon (POC) prior to its export into coastal waters. Studying the origin of this POC is key to understanding the fate of POC and the role of estuaries in the global carbon cycle. Here, we evaluated the concentrations of POC, as well as particulate organic nitrogen (PON), and used stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes to assess their sources across 13 contrasting British estuaries during five different sampling campaigns over 1 year. We found a high variability in POC and PON concentrations across the salinity gradient, reflecting inputs, and losses of organic material within the estuaries. Catchment land cover appeared to influence the contribution of POC to the total organic carbon flux from the estuary to coastal waters, with POC contributions >36% in estuaries draining catchments with a high percentage of urban/suburban land, and <11% in estuaries draining catchments with a high peatland cover. There was no seasonal pattern in the isotopic composition of POC and PON, suggesting similar sources for each estuary over time. Carbon isotopic ratios were depleted (−26.7 ± 0.42‰, average ± sd) at the lowest salinity waters, indicating mainly terrigenous POC (TPOC). Applying a two‐source mixing model, we observed high variability in the contribution of TPOC at the highest salinity waters between estuaries, with a median value of 57%. Our results indicate a large transport of terrigenous organic carbon into coastal waters, where it may be buried, remineralized, or transported offshore.
Cortical amyloid-beta burden is associated with changes in intracortical myelin in cognitively normal older adults
Authors: Fernandez-Alvarez Marina , Atienza Mercedes , Cantero Jose L.
Published: April 2023

Amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregates and myelin breakdown are among the earliest detrimental effects of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), likely inducing abnormal patterns of neuronal communication within cortical networks. However, human in vivo evidence linking Aβ burden, intracortical myelin, and cortical synchronization is lacking in cognitively normal older individuals. Here, we addressed this question combining 18F-Florbetaben-PET imaging, cortical T1-weigthed/T2-weighted (T1w/T2w) ratio maps, and resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) in cognitively unimpaired older adults. Results showed that global Aβ burden was both positively and negatively associated with the T1w/T2w ratio in different cortical territories. Affected cortical regions were further associated with abnormal patterns of rs-FC and with subclinical cognitive deficits. Finally, causal mediation analysis revealed that the negative impact of T1w/T2w ratio in left posterior cingulate cortex on processing speed was driven by Aβ burden. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the relationship between initial Aβ plaques and intracortical myelin before the onset of cognitive decline, which may contribute to monitor the efficacy of novel disease-modifying strategies in normal elderly individuals at risk for cognitive impairment.
SCAP contributes to embryonic angiogenesis by negatively regulating KISS-1 expression in mice
Authors: Zheng Guo , Su Yu , Wei Li , Yao Yingcheng , Wang Yizhe , Luo Xiaoting , Wang Xing , Ruan Xiong Z. , Li Danyang , Chen Yaxi
Published: April 2023

Sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) cleavage-activating protein (SCAP) is indispensable in organ development because it maintains intracellular cholesterol homeostasis. The vessel is not widely conceived of as a cholesterol-sensitive tissue, so the specific role of SCAP in angiogenesis has not been paid attention to. As an important component of the vascular mesoderm, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are widely involved in each step of angiogenesis. Here, we report for the first time that VSMC-specific ablation of SCAP inhibits VSMC proliferation and migration, interacting with endothelial cells (ECs), and finally causes defective embryonic angiogenesis in mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that SCAP ablation in VSMCs leads to the upregulation of KISS-1 protein, consequently resulting in suppressed activation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway and downregulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and vascular endothelial-derived growth factor (VEGF) expression to prevent angiogenesis. Importantly, we found that SCAP promotes the cleavage and nuclear translocation of SREBP2, which acts as a negative transcription regulator, regulating KISS-1 expression. Our findings suggest that SCAP contributes to embryonic angiogenesis by negatively regulating KISS-1 expression in mice and provide a new point of view for therapeutic targets of vascular development.
Cryptochrome 2 acetylation attenuates its antiproliferative effect in breast cancer
Authors: Xia Kangkai , Li Shujing , Yang Yuxi , Shi Xiaoxia , Zhao Binggong , Lv Linlin , Xin Zhiqiang , Kang Jie , Ren Ping , Wu Huijian
Published: April 2023

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer, and its global impact is increasing. Its onset and progression are influenced by multiple cues, one of which is the disruption of the internal circadian clock. Cryptochrome 2 (Cry2) genetic dysregulation may lead to the development of some diseases and even tumors. In addition, post-translational modifications can alter the Cry2 function. Here, we aimed to elucidate the post-translational regulations of Cry2 and its role in breast cancer pathogenesis. We identified p300-drived acetylation as a novel Cry2 post-translational modification, which histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) could reverse. Furthermore, we found that Cry2 inhibits breast cancer proliferation, but its acetylation impairs this effect. Finally, bioinformatics analysis revealed that genes repressed by Cry2 in breast cancer were mainly enriched in the NF-κB pathway, and acetylation reversed this repression. Collectively, these results indicate a novel Cry2 regulation mechanism and provide a rationale for its role in breast tumorigenesis.
Aberrant Cyclin D1 splicing in cancer: from molecular mechanism to therapeutic modulation
Authors: Wang Jing , Su Wei , Zhang Taotao , Zhang Shasha , Lei Huiwen , Ma Fengdie , Shi Maoning , Shi Wenjing , Xie Xiaodong , Di Cuixia
Published: April 2023

Cyclin D1 (CCND1), a crucial mediator of cell cycle progression, possesses many mutation types with different mutation frequencies in human cancers. The G870A mutation is the most common mutation inCCND1, which produces two isoforms: full-length CCND1a and divergent C-terminal CCND1b. The dysregulation of the CCND1 isoforms is associated with multiple human cancers. Exploring the molecular mechanism of CCND1 isoforms has offer new insight for cancer treatment. On this basis, the alterations ofCCND1gene are described, including amplification, overexpression, and mutation, especially the G870A mutation. Subsequently, we review the characteristics of CCND1 isoforms caused by G870A mutation. Additionally, we summarize cis-regulatory elements, trans-acting factors, and the splice mutation involved in splicing regulation of CCND1. Furthermore, we highlight the function of CCND1 isoforms in cell cycle, invasion, and metastasis in cancers. Importantly, the clinical role of CCND1 isoforms is also discussed, particularly concerning prognosis, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Last, emphasis is given to the corrective strategies that modulate the cancerous CCND1 isoforms. Thus, it is highlighting significance of aberrant isoforms of CCND1 as targets for cancer therapy.
A C–H activation-based enantioselective synthesis of lower carbo[n]helicenes
Authors: Guo Shu-Min , Huh Soohee , Coehlo Max , Shen Li , Pieters Grégory , Baudoin Olivier
Published: April 2023

The three-dimensional structure of carbohelicenes has fascinated generations of molecular chemists and has been exploited in a wide range of applications. Their strong circularly polarized luminescence has attracted considerable attention in recent years due to promising applications in new optical materials. Although the enantioselective synthesis of fused carbo- and heterohelicenes has been achieved, a direct catalytic enantioselective method allowing the synthesis of lower, non-fused carbo[n]helicenes (n = 4–6) is still lacking. We report here that Pd-catalysed enantioselective C–H arylation in the presence of a unique bifunctional phosphine-carboxylate ligand provides a simple and general access to these lower carbo[n]helicenes. Computational mechanistic studies indicate that both the C–H activation and reductive elimination steps contribute to the overall enantioselectivity. The observed enantio-induction seems to arise from a combination of non-covalent interactions and steric repulsion between the substrate and ligand during the two key reductive elimination steps. The photophysical and chiroptical properties of the synthesized scalemic [n]helicenes have been systematically studied.
Super-pangenome analyses highlight genomic diversity and structural variation across wild and cultivated tomato species
Authors: Li Ning , He Qiang , Wang Juan , Wang Baike , Zhao Jiantao , Huang Shaoyong , Yang Tao , Tang Yaping , Yang Shengbao , Aisimutuola Patiguli , Xu Ruiqiang , Hu Jiahui , Jia Chunping , Ma Kai , Li Zhiqiang , Jiang Fangling , Gao Jie , Lan Haiyan , Zhou Yongfeng , Zhang Xinyan , Huang Sanwen , Fei Zhangjun , Wang Huan , Li Hongbo , Yu Qinghui
Published: April 2023

Effective utilization of wild relatives is key to overcoming challenges in genetic improvement of cultivated tomato, which has a narrow genetic basis; however, current efforts to decipher high-quality genomes for tomato wild species are insufficient. Here, we report chromosome-scale tomato genomes from nine wild species and two cultivated accessions, representative ofSolanumsectionLycopersicon, the tomato clade. Together with two previously released genomes, we elucidate the phylogeny ofLycopersiconand construct a section-wide gene repertoire. We reveal the landscape of structural variants and provide entry to the genomic diversity among tomato wild relatives, enabling the discovery of a wild tomato gene with the potential to increase yields of modern cultivated tomatoes. Construction of a graph-based genome enables structural-variant-based genome-wide association studies, identifying numerous signals associated with tomato flavor-related traits and fruit metabolites. The tomato super-pangenome resources will expedite biological studies and breeding of this globally important crop.
Prefrontal engrams of long-term fear memory perpetuate pain perception
Authors: Stegemann Alina , Liu Sheng , Retana Romero Oscar Andrés , Oswald Manfred Josef , Han Yechao , Beretta Carlo Antonio , Gan Zheng , Tan Linette Liqi , Wisden William , Gräff Johannes , Kuner Rohini
Published: April 2023

A painful episode can lead to a life-long increase in an individual’s experience of pain. Fearful anticipation of imminent pain could play a role in this phenomenon, but the neurobiological underpinnings are unclear because fear can both suppress and enhance pain. Here, we show in mice that long-term associative fear memory stored in neuronal engrams in the prefrontal cortex determines whether a painful episode shapes pain experience later in life. Furthermore, under conditions of inflammatory and neuropathic pain, prefrontal fear engrams expand to encompass neurons representing nociception and tactile sensation, leading to pronounced changes in prefrontal connectivity to fear-relevant brain areas. Conversely, silencing prefrontal fear engrams reverses chronically established hyperalgesia and allodynia. These results reveal that a discrete subset of prefrontal cortex neurons can account for the debilitating comorbidity of fear and chronic pain and show that attenuating the fear memory of pain can alleviate chronic pain itself.
River dataset as a potential fluvial transportation network for healthcare access in the Amazon region
Authors: Rocha Thiago Augusto Hernandes , Silva Lincoln Luís , Wen Fan Hui , Sachett Jacqueline , Tupetz Anna , Staton Catherine Ann , Monteiro Wuelton Marcelo , Vissoci Joao Ricardo Nickenig , Gerardo Charles John
Published: April 2023

Remote areas, such as the Amazon Forest, face unique geographical challenges of transportation-based access to health services. As transportation to healthcare in most of the Amazon Forest is only possible by rivers routes, any travel time and travel distance estimation is limited by the lack of data sources containing rivers as potential transportation routes. Therefore, we developed an approach to convert the geographical representation of roads and rivers in the Amazon into a combined, interoperable, and reusable dataset. To build the dataset, we processed and combined data from three data sources: OpenStreetMap, HydroSHEDS, and GloRiC. The resulting dataset can consider distance metrics using the combination of streets and rivers as a transportation route network for the Amazon Forest. The created dataset followed the guidelines and attributes defined by OpenStreetMap to leverage its reusability and interoperability possibilities. This new data source can be used by policymakers, health authorities, and researchers to perform time-to-care analysis in the International Amazon region.
Immunomodulatory therapy with glatiramer acetate reduces endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Authors: Makar Tapas K. , Guda Poornachander R. , Ray Sugata , Andhavarapu Sanketh , Keledjian Kaspar , Gerzanich Volodymyr , Simard J. Marc , Nimmagadda Vamshi K. C. , Bever Christopher T.
Published: April 2023

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are found in lesions of multiple sclerosis (MS) and animal models of MS such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and may contribute to the neuronal loss that underlies permanent impairment. We investigated whether glatiramer acetate (GA) can reduce these changes in the spinal cords of chronic EAE mice by using routine histology, immunostaining, and electron microscopy. EAE spinal cord tissue exhibited increased inflammation, demyelination, mitochondrial dysfunction, ER stress, downregulation of NAD+ dependent pathways, and increased neuronal death. GA reversed these pathological changes, suggesting that immunomodulating therapy can indirectly induce neuroprotective effects in the CNS by mediating ER stress.
Direct evidence of the use of multiple drugs in Bronze Age Menorca (Western Mediterranean) from human hair analysis
Authors: Guerra-Doce E. , Rihuete-Herrada C. , Micó R. , Risch R. , Lull V. , Niemeyer H. M.
Published: April 2023

Human hair dated to Late Prehistory is exceedingly rare in the Western Mediterranean. Archaeological excavations in the Bronze Age burial and cult cave of Es Càrritx, in Menorca (Balearic Islands) provided some human hair strands involved in a singular funerary rite. This finding offered the opportunity to explore the possible use of drug plants by Late Bronze Age people. Here we show the results of the chemical analyses of a sample of such hair using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). The alkaloids ephedrine, atropine and scopolamine were detected, and their concentrations estimated. These results confirm the use of different alkaloid-bearing plants by local communities of this Western Mediterranean island by the beginning of the first millennium cal BCE.
Responses of biomass accumulation and nutrient utilization along a phosphorus supply gradient in Leymus chinensis
Authors: Li Huijun , Hu Yutong , Liu Gongshe , Sheng Jiandong , Zhang Wentai , Zhao Hongmei , Kang Hongliang , Zhou Xiaoguo
Published: April 2023

Phosphorus (P) deficiencies are widespread in calcareous soils. The poor availability of nitrogen (N) and P in soils often restricts crop growth. However, the effects of P addition on plant growth and plant nutrient transport changes during the establishment of Leymus chinensis fields in Xinjiang are not clear. We investigated the responses of Leymus chinensis biomass and nutrient absorption and utilization to changes in soil N and P by adding P (0, 15.3, 30.6, and 45.9 kg P ha−1 year−1) with basally applied N fertilizer (150 kg N ha−1 year−1). The results showed that (a) Principal component analysis (PCA) of biomass, nutrient accumulation, soil available P, and soil available N during the different periods of Leymus chinensis growth showed that their cumulative contributions during the jointing and harvest periods reached 95.4% and 88%, respectively. (b) Phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) increased with the increase of P fertilizer gradient and then decreased and the maximum PUE was 13.14% under moderate P addition. The accumulation of biomass and nutrients in Leymus chinensis can be effectively improved by the addition of P fertilizer at 30.6 kg ha−1. Different P additions either moderately promoted or excessively inhibited Leymus chinensis growth and nutrient utilization.
Dopamine is involved in reparative dentin formation through odontoblastic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells
Authors: Fujino Shoko , Hamano Sayuri , Tomokiyo Atsushi , Sugiura Risa , Yamashita Daiki , Hasegawa Daigaku , Sugii Hideki , Fujii Shinsuke , Itoyama Tomohiro , Miyaji Hirofumi , Maeda Hidefumi
Published: April 2023

Conventional direct pulp-capping materials induce pulp cells to secrete various biomolecules in pulp tissues that promote reparative dentin formation through induction of odontoblastic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). However, these biomolecules sometimes induce bone-like dentin with poor sealing properties. Therefore, exploration of biomolecules that allow tight sealing by tubular reparative dentin is required. We recently reported that dopamine (DA) is involved in dentinogenesis. Hence, we investigated the effect of DA on odontoblastic differentiation of DPSCs and reparative dentin formation. Both tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a DA synthetase, and DA were expressed in odontoblast-like cells in vivo. In vitro, their expression was increased during odontoblastic differentiation of DPSCs. Furthermore, TH-overexpressing DPSCs had promoted odontoblastic differentiation and DA production. Moreover, DA stimulation promoted their differentiation and induced tubular reparative dentin. These results suggest that DA produced by TH is involved in odontoblastic differentiation of DPSCs and has an inductive capacity for reparative dentin formation similar to primary dentin. This study may lead to the development of therapy to preserve vital pulp tissues.
Floral scent of the Mediterranean fig tree: significant inter-varietal difference but strong conservation of the signal responsible for pollinator attraction
Authors: Cao Li , Hmimsa Younes , El fatehi Salama , Buatois Bruno , Dubois Marie-Pierre , Le Moigne Maïlys , Hossaert-McKey Martine , Aumeeruddy-Thomas Yildiz , Bagnères Anne-Geneviève , Proffit Magali
Published: April 2023

For thousands of years, humans have domesticated different plants by selecting for particular characters, often affecting less-known traits, including the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by these plants for defense or reproduction. The fig treeFicus caricahas a very wide range of varieties in the Mediterranean region and is selected for its traits affecting fruits, including pollination, but the effect of human-driven diversification on the VOCs emitted by the receptive figs to attract their pollinator (Blastophaga psenes) is not known. In the present study, VOCs from receptive figs of eight varieties in northern Morocco, were collected at different times within the manual pollination period and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Genetic analyses using microsatellite loci were performed on the same varieties. Despite strong inter-varietal differences in the quantity and relative proportions of all VOCs, the relative proportions of the four pollinator-attractive VOCs showed limited variation among varieties. There was no significant correlation between genetic markers and chemical profiles of the different varieties. While diversification driven by humans has led to differences between varieties in VOC profiles, this paper suggests that throughout the process of domestication and varietal diversification, stabilizing selection has maintained a strong signal favoring pollinator attraction.
GC–MS analysis of soil faecal biomarkers uncovers mammalian species and the economic management of the archeological site "Le Colombare di Negrar"
Authors: Reggio Chiara , Palmisano Erika , Tecchiati Umberto , Ravelli Alessandro , Bergamaschi Roberta F. , Salzani Paola , Putzolu Cristiano , Casati Sara , Orioli Marica
Published: April 2023

The identification of the mammalian species based on faecal sediments in modern and ancient environments is the aim of the research of archaeologists, forensic scientists and ecologists. Here, we set up and validated an optimized gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method, characterized by a time-saving sample preparation protocol, for the simultaneous analysis of faecal biomarkers (6 sterols/stanols and 5 bile acids) in 14 soil samples from the archaeological site of “Le Colombare di Negrar” in northern Italy. Although the archaeological sediment samples examined are numerically exiguous, a comparative reading of our faecal biomarkers findings with new studies on faunal materials collected in the same stratigraphic detail during recent excavation campaigns will allow to better clarify the economic interest of the animal species farmed in the Colombare site (such as bovines, goats, sheep and pigs) and to shed light on the management of breeding. Together with archaeozoological and archaeobotanical analyses, the investigation of faecal biomarkers can increase our knowledge of how ancient local communities exploited natural resources and may allow us to deduce what their impact on the landscape was.
Transcriptome wide analyses reveal intraspecific diversity in thermal stress responses of a dominant habitat‐forming species
Authors: Nicastro Katy R. , Pearson Gareth A. , Ramos Xana , Pearson Vasco , McQuaid Christopher D. , Zardi Gerardo I.
Published: April 2023

The impact of climate change on biodiversity has stimulated the need to understand environmental stress responses, particularly for ecosystem engineers whose responses to climate affect large numbers of associated organisms. Distinct species differ substantially in their resilience to thermal stress but there are also within-species variations in thermal tolerance for which the molecular mechanisms underpinning such variation remain largely unclear. Intertidal mussels are well-known for their role as ecosystem engineers. First, we exposed two genetic lineages of the intertidal mussel Perna perna to heat stress treatments in air and water. Next, we ran a high throughput RNA sequencing experiment to identify differences in gene expression between the thermally resilient eastern lineage and the thermally sensitive western lineage. We highlight different thermal tolerances that concord with their distributional ranges. Critically, we also identified lineage-specific patterns of gene expression under heat stress and revealed intraspecific differences in the underlying transcriptional pathways in response to warmer temperatures that are potentially linked to the within-species differences in thermal tolerance. Beyond the species, we show how unravelling within-species variability in mechanistic responses to heat stress promotes a better understanding of global evolutionary trajectories of the species as a whole in response to changing climate.
A phenomenological and quantitative view on the degradation of positive electrodes from spent lithium-ion batteries in humid atmosphere
Authors: Langner Thomas , Sieber Tim , Rietig Anja , Merk Virginia , Pfeifer Lutz , Acker Jörg
Published: April 2023

The present study deals with the phenomenological observation of the corrosion of the positive electrode foil of lithium-ion batteries containing LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NMC) as cathode material. Due to the presence of moisture, localized water accumulation is formed on the NMC surface. The water absorbed by the electrolyte reacts with the NMC under Li+/H+ exchange and the resulting pH increase leads to dissolution of the carrier foil and characteristic salt-like blooms on the NMC surface. With the increase in the relative area occupied by the holes in the aluminum foil per time, a sufficiently suitable parameter was found with which to quantitatively determine the extent of corrosion. The degree of degradation depends on time and ambient humidity. It was shown that functional recycling with the water jet method is no longer applicable for degraded foils, since the mechanical stability of the foils decreases as corrosion progresses. Lithium, aluminum, sulfur and oxygen were detected in the blooms using SEM–EDX and Laser-Induced-Breakdown-Spectroscopy (LIBS). The underlying NMC layer was found to contain mainly aluminum and significantly lower lithium content than the non-degraded material. SEM and Raman microscopy analyses also showed that the active material is also locally degraded and therefore no longer suitable for functional recycling.
Functionally active cross-linked protein oligomers formed by homocysteine thiolactone
Authors: Kumari Kritika , Sharma Gurumayum Suraj , Gupta Akshita , Singh Khuraijam Surjalal , Singh Laishram Rajendrakumar
Published: April 2023

Deposition of high-order protein oligomers is a common hallmark of a large number of human diseases and therefore, has been of immense medical interest. From the past several decades, efforts are being made to characterize protein oligomers and explore how they are linked with the disease pathologies. In general, oligomers are non-functional, rather cytotoxic in nature while the functional (non-cytotoxic) oligomers are quite rare. In the present study, we identified new protein oligomers of Ribonuclease-A and Lysozyme that contain functionally active fractions. These functional oligomers are disulfide cross-linked, native-like, and obtained as a result of the covalent modification of the proteins by the toxic metabolite, homocysteine thiolactone accumulated under hyperhomocysteinemia (a condition responsible for cardiovascular complications including atherosclerosis). These results have been obtained from the extensive analysis of the nature of oligomers, functional status, and structural integrity of the proteins using orthogonal techniques. The study implicates the existence of such oligomers as protein sinks that may sequester toxic homocysteines in humans.
Comparison of hierarchical clustering and neural network clustering: an analysis on precision dominance
Authors: Shahid Nazish
Published: April 2023

A comparison of neural network clustering (NNC) and hierarchical clustering (HC) is conducted to assess computing dominance of two machine learning (ML) methods for classifying a populous data of large number of variables into clusters. An accurate clustering disposition is imperative to investigate assembly-influence of predictors on a system over a course of time. Moreover, categorically designated representation of variables can assist in scaling down a wide data without loss of essential system knowledge. For NNC, a self-organizing map (SOM)-training was used on a local aqua system to learn distribution and topology of variables in an input space. Ternary features of SOM; sample hits, neighbouring weight distances and weight planes were investigated to institute an optical inference of system’s structural attributes. For HC, constitutional partitioning of the data was executed through a coupled dissimilarity-linkage matrix operation. The validation of this approach was established through a higher value of cophenetic coefficient. Additionally, an HC-feature of stem-division was used to determine cluster boundaries. SOM visuals reported two locations’ samples for remarkable concentration analogy and presence of 4 extremely out of range concentration parameter from among 16 samples. NNC analysis also demonstrated that singular conduct of 18 independent components over a period of time can be comparably inquired through aggregate influence of 6 clusters containing these components. However, a precise number of 7 clusters was retrieved through HC analysis for segmentation of the system. Composing elements of each cluster were also distinctly provided. It is concluded that simultaneous categorization of system’s predictors (water components) and inputs (locations) through NNC and HC is valid to the precision probability of 0.8, as compared to data segmentation conducted with either of the methods exclusively. It is also established that cluster genesis through combined HC’s linkage and dissimilarity algorithms and NNC is more reliable than individual optical assessment of NNC, where varying a map size in SOM will alter the association of inputs’ weights to neurons, providing a new consolidation of clusters.
A dual doping nonvolatile reconfigurable FET
Authors: Jin Xiaoshi , Zhang Shouqiang , Liu Xi
Published: April 2023

In this work, we propose a dual doping based nonvolatile reconfigurable field effect transistor with source/drain (S/D) charge storage layers (DDN R-FET). It introduces nonvolatile charge storage layers on both source and drain sides as a floating program gate (FPG) instead of a program gate (PG) that needs independent power supply. The stored charges in the FPG are programmed by the control gate (CG). Therefore, the proposed DDN R-FET essentially requires only one independently powered gate to complete the reconfigurable operation. Moreover, by adjusting the charge stored in the FPGs, the CG can regulate the equivalent voltage in the FPG, which can promote the on-state current and reduce the generation of reversely biased leakage current at the same time. The physical mechanism has also been analyzed in details.
Prospective study of weight loss and all-cause-, cardiovascular-, and cancer mortality
Authors: Tolvanen Liisa , Ghilotti Francesca , Adami Hans-Olov , Ye Weimin , Bonn Stephanie E. , Bellocco Rino , Lagerros Ylva Trolle
Published: April 2023

Effects of repeated weight changes on mortality are not well established. In this prospective cohort study, we followed 34,346 individuals from 1997 to 2018 for all-cause mortality, and 2016 for cause-specific mortality. At baseline, participants self-reported amount and frequency of prior weight loss. During 20.6 (median) years of follow-up, we identified 5627 deaths; 1783 due to cancer and 1596 due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). We used Cox Proportional Hazards models to estimate multivariable‐adjusted Hazard Ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Participants with a weight loss > 10 kg had higher rates of all-cause (HR 1.22; 95%CI 1.09–1.36) and CVD mortality (HR 1.27; 95%CI 1.01–1.59) compared to individuals with no weight loss. Men who had lost > 10 kg had higher all-cause (HR 1.55; 95%CI 1.31–1.84) and CVD mortality (HR 1.55; 95%CI 1.11–2.15) compared to men with no weight loss. Participants who had lost ≥ 5 kg three times or more prior to baseline had increased rates of all-cause (HR 1.16; 95%CI 1.03–1.30) and CVD mortality (HR 1.49; 95%CI 1.20–1.85) compared to participants with no weight loss. We found no association between weight loss and cancer mortality. We conclude that previous and repeated weight loss may increase all-cause and CVD mortality, especially in men.
A clinical Raman spectroscopy imaging system and safety requirements for in situ intraoperative tissue characterization
Authors: Daoust François , Tavera Hugo , Dallaire Frédérick , Orsini Patrick , Savard Keven , Bismuth Jacques , Mckoy Philippe , Veilleux Israel , Petrecca Kevin , Leblond Frédéric
Published: April 2023

A clinical prototype Raman macroscopic imaging system for machine-learning-based molecular tissue margin characterization over a large field of view.
Probing the excited state dynamics in perinone molecules for photovoltaic applications using transient absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Dhami Suman , Kumar Yogesh , Sengupta Chaitrali , Pandey Ravindra
Published: April 2023

This work demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of excited state dynamics and triplet state formation via intersystem crossing in perinone molecules using transient absorption spectroscopy. It will help to improve the efficiency of perigone-based optoelectronic devices.
Electronic property-dependent activity and durability in Pd/C-catalysed hydrogenation of benzoic acid
Authors: Xu Ke , Sun Yu , Wang You , Du Bing , Li Xiaolong , Zhang Sai
Published: April 2023

We report that the catalytic activity for benzoic acid hydrogenation to cyclohexanecarboxylic acid was positively correlated with the initial surface fraction of Pd2+ in the utilized Pd nanoparticles.
Non-enzymatic protein templates amide bond formation and provides catalytic turnover
Authors: Brauckhoff Nicolas , Fang Laura , Haim Anissa , Grossmann Tom N.
Published: April 2023

Peptide-based substrates were designed to convert a protein adaptor domain into a catalyst for an amidation reaction.
Development of multiscale ultra-coarse-grained models for the SARS-CoV-2 virion from cryo-electron microscopy data
Authors: Li Fengyu , Zhang Yuwei , Xia Fei , Xu Xin
Published: April 2023

In this work, we develop an ultra-coarse-grained (UCG) model of the SARS-CoV-2 virion from the authentic cryo-electron microscopy data, and a hybrid all-atom and UCG (AA/UCG) virion model involving an all-atom spike protein.
Theoretical study of the excitation of proflavine H-dimers in an aqueous solution: the effect of functionals and dispersion corrections
Authors: Savenko Evgeniy S. , Kostjukov Victor V.
Published: April 2023

The excitation of proflavine dimers in aqueous solution was analyzed using various functionals and dispersion corrections.
Isolation and identification of an α-glucosidase inhibitory peptide from extruded soybean protein and its hypoglycemic activity in T2DM mice
Authors: Li Wenhui , Fu Xiaohang , Zhang Tianyu , Li He , Chen Tianpeng , Liu Xinqi
Published: April 2023

The α-glucosidase inhibitory peptide LLRPPK was isolated from ESPro1 (160 °C, 30 r min−1) in vitro. Meanwhile, ESPro1 was shown to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism, and attenuate liver and pancreatic injury in T2DM mice in vivo.
Exploring relationships between chemical structure and molecular conductance: from α,ω-functionalised oligoynes to molecular circuits
Authors: Gorenskaia Elena , Potter Jarred , Korb Marcus , Lambert Colin , Low Paul J.
Published: April 2023

Rules governing the conductance of molecular circuits assembled from components assembled in series are assessed.
Injectable, stretchable, toughened, bioadhesive composite hydrogel for bladder injury repair
Authors: Fu Zhouyang , Xiao Shuwei , Wang Pengchao , Zhao Jian , Ling Zhengyun , An Ziyan , Shao Jinpeng , Fu Weijun
Published: April 2023

An injectable, stretchable, toughened, bioadhesive composite hydrogel offers a new application strategy for sutureless repair and tissue regeneration of injured bladders.
Cocrystal of phloretin with isoniazid: preparation, characterization, and evaluation
Authors: Lu Zhongyu , Chen Hankun , Mo Jiaxin , Yuan Xiaohong , Wang Dawei , Zheng Xianhui , Zhu Wei
Published: April 2023

Phloretin and isoniazid formed new cocrystal and the structure, solubility and antitumor activities were study.
Microwave assisted synthesis of fluorescent hetero atom doped carbon dots for determination of betrixaban with greenness evaluation
Authors: El-Semary Mariam S. , El-Emam Ali A. , Belal F. , El-Masry Amal A.
Published: April 2023

Schematic sketch clarified the stepwise synthesis process of N,S-CDs.
Heat management technology for solid‐state high voltage and high repetitive pulse generators: Towards better effects and reliability
Authors: Wang Yanan , Ren Linyuan , Yang Zihao , Shen Saikang , Deng Zichen , Yuan Qi , Ding Weidong , Ding Zhenjie
Published: April 2023

Solid‐state high voltage high repetitive pulse generators have a broad prospect in various applications. The high power and high‐frequency operation of the pulse generator suffer from the massive heat dissipation problem, which limits the improvement of the output parameters and even affects the lifetime. This article focuses on heat management technology for high voltage high repetitive pulse generators. Firstly, the typical circuit topology of the high repetitive pulse generators was summarised. From the perspective of different application requirements, the demands of the heat management design were concluded. Moreover, the heat generation characteristics and difficulties of solid‐state high voltage high repetitive pulse generators were analysed. Then, the different state‐of‐art cooling techniques were reviewed, and their applicability and limitations for the high voltage high repetitive generators were discussed. Finally, a flow chart for heat management design was given.
MDR‐Net: Multiscale dense residual networks for liver image segmentation
Authors: Xie Lijie , Zhu Fubao , Yao Ni
Published: April 2023

Liver image segmentation is an attractive topic in the diagnosis and surgical planning of liver diseases. Although deep learning methods have significantly advanced liver segmentation, existing frameworks fail to clearly determine liver boundaries, especially in medical images where various organs have similar grey levels. In this paper, the authors design a multi‐scale dense residual network (MDR‐Net) for liver segmentation, which consists of two blocks: a liver segmentation network and an edge‐aware network. In the segmentation network, the authors introduce a multi‐scale residual pooling module combining channel attention (CA) mechanism and depth‐wise separable convolution to accommodate liver scale variation. Furthermore, the authors employ an edge‐aware loss network to refine edge information and enhance feature representation, which is beneficial to guide the network to iterate towards the ground truth. The authors’ method achieves the best visualization results in qualitative evaluation. In addition, the authors’ method achieves 96.189% on 3D‐IRCADb and 96.889% on the CHAOS dataset in quantitative evaluation with respect to the dice index.
UHA‐CycleGAN: Unpaired hybrid attention network based on CycleGAN for terahertz image super‐resolution
Authors: Liu Huanyu , Guo Haipeng , Liu Xiaodong
Published: April 2023

In recent years, terahertz imaging technology has been widely used in security, medicine, and other fields. However, the image resolution is low due to the limits of imaging equipment and diffraction. Traditional super‐resolution methods based on machine learning use artificial paired image datasets, and their image degradation process is quite different from the actual terahertz imaging mechanism. In the paper, an unpaired hybrid attention network is proposed, using the real unpaired high‐resolution and low‐resolution terahertz images as the original input, two sub‐networks are trained: degenerate reconstruction network and super‐resolution network. The degenerate reconstruction network is used to learn the degradation process of the real terahertz imaging system, and reconstruct the generated degradation images into the fixed mapping down‐sampled image of high‐resolution terahertz image. The super‐resolution network uses the generated paired image with fixed correspondence to train the super‐resolution network of paired terahertz images, to improve the imaging resolution of the network in the super‐resolution work of real low‐resolution terahertz images. In addition, the no‐reference image quality evaluation system is introduced to objectively evaluate the network performance. The experimental results show that the UHA‐CycleGAN network outperforms the traditional paired super‐resolution network on both open‐source and self‐built datasets.
Hidden shock powering the peak of SN 2020faa
Authors: Salmaso I. , Cappellaro E. , Tartaglia L. , Benetti S. , Botticella M. T. , Elias-Rosa N. , Pastorello A. , Patat F. , Reguitti A. , Tomasella L. , Valerin G. , Yang S.
Published: April 2023

Context. The link between the fate of the most massive stars and the resulting supernova (SN) explosion is still a matter of debate, in major part because of the ambiguity among light-curve powering mechanisms. When stars explode as SNe, the light-curve luminosity is typically sustained by a central engine (radioactive decay, magnetar spin-down, or fallback accretion). However, since massive stars eject considerable amounts of material during their evolution, there may be a significant contribution coming from interactions with the previously ejected circumstellar medium (CSM). Reconstructing the progenitor configuration at the time of explosion requires a detailed analysis of the long-term photometric and spectroscopic evolution of the related transient.

Aims. In this paper, we present the results of our follow-up campaign of SN 2020faa. Given the high luminosity and peculiar slow light curve, it is purported to have a massive progenitor. We present the spectro-photometric dataset and investigate different options to explain the unusual observed properties that support this assumption.

Methods. We computed the bolometric luminosity of the supernova and the evolution of its temperature, radius, and expansion velocity. We also fit the observed light curve with a multi-component model to infer information on the progenitor and the explosion mechanism.

Results. Reasonable parameters are inferred for SN 2020faa with a magnetar of energy, Ep = 1.5−0.2+0.5 × 1050 erg, and spin-down time, tspin = 15 ± 1 d, a shell mass, Mshell = 2.4−0.4+0.5 M⊙, and kinetic energy, Ekin(shell) = 0.9−0.3+0.5 × 1051 erg, and a core with Mcore = 21.5−0.7+1.4 M⊙ and Ekin(core) = 3.9−0.4+0.1 × 1051 erg. In addition, we need an extra source to power the luminosity of the second peak. We find that a hidden interaction with either a CSM disc or several delayed and choked jets is a viable mechanism for supplying the required energy to achieve this effect.
Synergy of the municipal solid waste (MSW) charging scheme with different strategies for food waste recycling in Hong Kong
Authors: Lee Hiu Yan , Leung Vicky Tsui Yan , Kwok Yiu Wai
Published: April 2023

Food waste minimization is an issue in any destinations. Most of the food waste from households, commerce and industries are disposed of in strategic landfills but the landfills are going to reach their capacity. A new policy, the municipal solid waste (MSW) charging scheme, will be implemented in 2023. It is anticipated reducing MSW production including food waste. This study conducts interviews with stakeholders and questionnaires with the residents in the region. Through the analysis of interviews and survey responses, the challenges and opportunities of the MSW charging scheme for handling food waste were determined. The interview results revealed that NGOs put effort into food waste reduction and recycling while the government tends to operate the MSW charging scheme by itself. In the meantime, the respondents from the survey believed in low effectiveness of the MSW charging scheme on food waste minimization. Education on food waste separation and cooperation with NGOs can coordinate with food waste recycling under MSW charging scheme. This research was fully supported by Research Grants Council of the HKSAR, China (UGC/IDS(R)25/20).
Economic sustainability assessment of a gypsum ceiling tile with polyurethane foam waste
Authors: Rodrigo-Bravo Alba , Gutiérrez-Gonzalez Sara , Calderón Carpintero Verónica , Alameda Cuenca-Romero Lourdes
Published: April 2023

The amount of plastics deposited in the environment is constantly increasing. To improve their circularity, numerous research lines emerge, such as the creation of new construction materials that incorporate polymeric waste. This practice manages to extend the life cycle of the waste, avoids the consumption of limited natural resources and gives the product additional characteristics. The re-use of polyurethane foam waste as a substitute for gypsum in ceiling tiles carries technical improvements such as a decrease in the weight of the material and in its thermal conductivity, maintaining a positive fire reaction performance. The goal of this work is to analyse its economic viability. For this, the financial assessments of the PU-Gypsum product and its standard alternative are compared. The results show that the Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) of the new precast is 6% cheaper. Despite the fact that the waste processing entails an extra cost, this is widely offset by the increase in the factory’s production capacity due to its shorter drying time. The manufacturing stage represents 3/5 of the total cost for both materials. The PU-Gypsum precast is an ideal market alternative to the traditional gypsum one with improved properties and proficient in an economic level.
Green hydrogen assessment of generation and storage potential from solar and wind energy shedding in Honduras
Authors: Parada María , Ochoa Indira , Villatoro Héctor
Published: April 2023

Honduras relies on fossil fuels and reservoir hydroelectric power plants to maintain the stability of the national electrical network. Due to the intermittency of renewable resources, solar and wind power plants cannot provide stability to the national electrical network. Renewable plants in the country that use variable renewable resources such as wind and solar have energy shedding controlled by the National Dispatch Center of Honduras to maintain a safe electrical system. Energy shedding can be defined as non-generated energy as a result of power limitations in renewable plants. This energy shedding can be used for green hydrogen production, which can displace fossil fuel technologies, bring stability to the national electrical network, and contribute to the decarbonization process of the country. In this research, sixteen green hydrogen Power-to-Power plants were sized using cumulative energy generation curves built with energy shedding data held by the National Dispatch Center of Honduras. A cost-benefit analysis was used as a decision criterion for the sizing of the hydrogen plants. The annual green hydrogen and energy production by electrolyzers and fuel cells, and the potential for carbon dioxide emission mitigation was estimated. The energy return on investment of each plant was calculated to analyze the harnessed energy in the hydrogen system.Page layout