bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of syringic acid in enhancing growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant defense in lettuce exposed to arsenic stress
Authors: Balci Melike , Arikan‐Abdulveli Busra , Yildiztugay Evren , Ozfidan‐Konakci Ceyda
Published: January 2025

Heavy metal pollution, especially arsenic toxicity, significantly impairs plant growth and development. Phenolic acids, known for their antioxidant properties and involvement in stress signaling, are gaining increased attention as plant secondary metabolites with the potential to enhance plant resistance to these stressors. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different concentrations of syringic acid (SA1, 10 μM; SA2, 250 μM; SA3, 500 μM) on growth, photosynthetic parameters, and antioxidant activity in lettuce seedlings subjected to arsenic stress (As, 100 μM). Arsenic stress reduced growth by 56.7%, water content by 7.39%, and osmotic potential by 26.2% in lettuce leaves compared to control. Conversely, SA1 and SA2 treatments mitigated the adverse effects of arsenic on growth and preserved the water balance in plants. However, the SA3 treatment led to a decrease in growth by 18.9% and 39.5% in the SA3 and As+SA3 groups, respectively, indicating that high‐dose SA treatment adversely affected lettuce leaves under both control and stress conditions. Exogenous SA1 treatment significantly improved photosynthesis, whereas SA2 provided milder benefits and SA3 did not reduce the adverse effects of arsenic exposure. Arsenic stress increased H2O2 content by 47.3% and lipid peroxidation by 33.4% in lettuce seedlings. SA1 treatment effectively reduced oxidative stress by enhancing the activities of key antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POX). Moreover, SA1 was successful in maintaining the glutathione (GSH) pool, whereas SA2 primarily promoted ascorbate (AsA) regeneration. In conclusion, 10 μM of syringic acid (SA1) was identified as the optimal dose for reducing arsenic stress in lettuce by enhancing antioxidant activity and supporting growth. Overall, the findings underscore the potential of SA1 treatment in enhancing the resilience of lettuce to heavy metal toxicity.
Overexpression of the Vitis amurensis Ca2+‐binding protein gene VamCP1 in Arabidopsis thaliana and grapevine improves cold tolerance
Authors: Ding Fang , Pan Yang , Ma Jiahui , Yang Shijin , Hao Xinyi , Xu Weirong , Zhang Xiuming
Published: January 2025

Calcium ions (Ca2+) are important second messengers and are known to participate in cold signal transduction. In the current study, we characterized a Ca2+‐binding protein gene, VamCP1, from the extremely cold‐tolerant grape species Vitis amurensis. VamCP1 expression varied among organs but was highest in leaves following cold treatment, peaking 24 h after treatment onset. VamCP1 was found to localize to the plasma membrane and nucleus and the gene showed transcriptional autoactivation activity. Overexpression of VamCP1 in Arabidopsis thaliana and grapevine (V. vinifera) resulted in transgenic plants that were more tolerant to cold stress than the wild type. This correlated with reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), elevated activity of antioxidant enzymes and proline content, as well as lower levels of malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage. Additionally, the expression of genes related to cold tolerance, including C‐repeat binding factors (CBF) and cold‐regulated (COR) genes, was higher in the transgenic lines. Taken together, our results indicate that overexpression of VamCP1 enhanced cold tolerance in plants by promoting the upregulation of genes related to cold tolerance and scavenging of excessive ROS. These findings provide a foundation for the molecular breeding of cold‐tolerant grapevine.
Systematic Review and Meta‐Analyses Reveal no Gender Difference in Neonatal Social Perception
Authors: Karson Lindsay , Minhas Hersimren , Dhesi Manraj , Davies Jeffrey , Patel Julie , Eliot Lise
Published: January 2025

Women score higher than men on measures of social cognition such as empathy and reading non‐verbal cues. How early does this gender difference emerge? Systematic review and meta‐analyses were used to assess gender difference in social perception within 1 month of birth. A total of 31 studies (40 experiments) reported on gender effects in 1936 neonates (50% girls) between 1968 and 2021. No significant difference (Hedges’ g = 0.076, p = 0.321) was found across 20 experiments measuring visual fixation on human faces. Nine experiments on neonatal imitative crying also revealed no gender difference (g = 0.157, p = 0.118). Seven studies using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale found no gender difference in total orientation (g = 0.161, p = 0.154), but girls oriented more to both animate (g = 0.279, p = 0.011) and inanimate (g = 0.242, p = 0.003) stimuli in the studies that analyzed these separately. Existing evidence supports a possible maturational difference but not a specific social advantage for girls at birth. While more research and better reporting are needed, the present findings challenge the claim that girls are innately more socially perceptive than boys.
Tunable phase-based liquid acoustic lenses for spherical and line focused beamforming
Authors: Rostami Sina , Mobley Joel
Published: January 2025

Phase-based tunable liquid lenses provide for adjustable beamforming in a planar configuration. This phase-based lens is distinct from refractive liquid lens designs as no shape changes are required. Previously we reported on the beamforming capabilities of lenses utilizing four channels which performed at a level comparable to quasi-planar stepped lenses (QSLs). In this talk, we present field measurements for a lens utilizing more channels and examine the effects of these additions on forming spherical and line-focused fields. Furthermore, we compare their performance with numerical simulations and discuss the potential of these systems for nearfield droplet manipulation.
Theoretical comparison of some models for thermal process inside oscillating multiple bubbles
Authors: Matsui Reon , Nguyen Quoc N. , Kanagawa Tetsuya
Published: January 2025

Several models have been proposed to describe thermal processes at gas pressure inside bubble. Recently, the comparison of three typical models was performed for the case of single bubble (Sojahrood et al., 2020): Model A approximates the effect of thermal damping by adding an artificial viscosity to the viscosity of liquid surrounding the bubble and is widely used for the case of shell-coated bubbles. Model B is a model that includes the average temperature rise within the bubble and the heat loss at the bubble boundary; this makes it more accurate by taking into account the pressure dependence that was ignored in Model A. Futhermore, Model C is based on the assumption of polytropic process. In this study, we extend the findings of Models A, B, and C from the case of a single bubble to the case of multiple bubbles (i.e., bubbly flow). The nonlinear propagation of ultrasound in bubbly flow is theoretically investigated based on singular perturbation method up to a second order of approximation. As a result, a nonlinear evolution equation is obtained; the differences among Models A, B, and C are summarized in the coefficients. The details of the differences will be explained in a presentation.
Phonetic L2 development and phonetic attrition in L1 Arabic L2 English immigrants’ voiced stop production
Authors: Smadi Dema
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the impact of L2 development in L1 Arabic L2 English speakers on their L1 voiced stop production during a word reading task potentially indicating a use-driven aspect to phonetic attrition in immigrants' speech. The study involved 10 participants who have been residing in the US for durations ranging from 1 to 24 years. Previous research on the influence of L2 exposure on L1 speech found conflicting results: some studies suggest stronger phonetic attrition following prolonged immersion, while others emphasize changes in the early stages of exposure (Flege, 1987; Chang, 2012; 2013). They used The Speech Learning Model (SLM) to explain their findings by focusing on SLM predictions on L1 production. However, addressing changes in L1 speech without accounting for L2 speech and its developmental effects, a gap noted in previous studies, seems inaccurate. The L1-L2 link is essential to SLM. Therefore, this study aims to address this gap. The results indicate a correlation between L2 development and L1 production of voiced stops, with voice onset times being the measured phonetic dimension. Participants demonstrating higher proficiency in L2 tend to exhibit L1 speech that more closely mirrors L2 characteristics, suggesting a link between L1 production and L2 development.
Diverse models, unified goals: Discovering auditory structure and function in the Lauer Lab
Authors: Vicencio-Jimenez Sergio , Paul Srijita , Aggarwal Suhani , Lauer Amanda M.
Published: January 2025

Lauer Lab members conduct a wide range of experiments designed to understand the complex relationships between the structure and function of the auditory system and its role in health and disease. You might see experimenters solving questions about the effects of hearing loss on brain function and behavior, in natural aging, and in diseases such as Alzheimer's. On an ordinary day, you would see these questions being answered from multiple complementary perspectives. You would find scientists working on laboratory and wild mice and tissue specimens from a range of species such as bats, marmosets, all the way up to humans. You could see that this variety of models is matched only by the diversity of ways they study them, providing plenty of opportunities for any researcher to find tools that they find fascinating. From anatomical approaches, like confocal microscopy to investigate the brain and cochlea, physiological techniques to measure hearing including auditory brainstem responses and otoacoustic emissions, optogenetics to study auditory efferents, and behavioral studies investigating the role of hearing in behavior, cognition, and affective states. Join us for a virtual tour and witness the exciting discoveries unfolding in the Lauer Lab! [Work supported by Rubenstein Fund for Hearing Research (R03AG081747 and R01DC016641).]
Exploring multi-qubit analogue operations through acoustic wave dynamics
Authors: Hasan M. Arif , Deymier Pierre A. , Runge Keith , Levine Joshua
Published: January 2025

Quantum computing harnesses quantum phenomena like superposition and entanglement to surpass classical computers, showing promise across various fields. Current techniques utilize qubits in quantum circuits for parallel information processing, though managing and measuring these systems poses significant challenges. We propose a novel approach to simplify executing complex quantum algorithms without relying on multiple quantum gate operations. Our method introduces logical phi-bits—classical counterparts to qubits, using nonlinear acoustic waves in an externally driven acoustic metastructure. We demonstrate that complex multi-phi-bit unitary operations, akin to those in quantum circuits, can be conducted through a single action on this metastructure. This method starkly contrasts traditional quantum computing, which requires decomposed sequences of qubit gates for equivalent operations. The phi-bit system simplifies processes that are typically complex in quantum mechanics, potentially enhancing robustness and ease of implementation. Our results indicate that phi-bits could expand computational models by merging classical wave dynamics with quantum computational principles, thereby widening the potential of computational technologies. This research advances quantum-analogue computation and introduces new prospects for utilizing wave physics in information processing, thereby challenging and expanding existing paradigms in both classical and quantum computing. [Funding: NSF grant 2204382, 2204400, and 2242925.]
Automated ship noise measurement system and Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation program ship noise database
Authors: Li Zizheng , Hannay David E.
Published: January 2025

An automated ship Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) system has been developed and applied to process measurements of tens of thousands of commercial vessel transits, to produce the Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program’s Ship URN database—believed now to be the largest existing ship URN database. The system integrates environmental data (ocean current, wind speed), vessel AIS broadcasts, vessel classification metadata obtained from commercial ship databases, and acoustic data from JASCO’s Underwater Listening Stations (ULS). It utilizes advanced signal processing methods (e.g., image symmetry detection, cepstrum, harmonic analysis, DEMON) to automatize analysis tasks such as estimating vessel closest point of approach and propeller rotation rates. Full wave models are applied to calculate propagation loss. Vessel noise emissions (Radiated Noise Level and Source Level) are determined in compliance with ANSI standard 12.64-2009 Grade C protocols, correcting for background noise in all frequency bands. Additionally, ShipSound offers a comparative ranking system for vessel noise emissions relative to peers of the same category. All data and metadata are stored in a database and are accessible through a full-featured web interface. In this paper, we will describe the processing system details and provide examples of measurement reports and metadata displays.
Out-of-focus: Fuzzy cochlear implant stimulation and how to avoid it
Authors: Wohlbauer Dietmar M. , Hem Charles , McCallick Caylin , Awwad Faten , Arenberg Julie G.
Published: January 2025

Cochlear Implants restore hearing in severe-to-profound hearing-impaired individuals. An array of electrodes placed in the inner ear serves as the interface to elicit sound perception via electrically presented pulses. Cochlear implant performance is reduced by channel interaction, which degrades the signal accuracy at the electrode-neuron interface. We developed and optimized a focused cochlear implant stimulation strategy that counteracts the fuzzy electric representation by reducing channel interaction thereby getting the signal back into focus. The proposed strategy combines two approaches to minimize channel interaction, dynamic focusing, and electrode deactivation, which have individually proven beneficial for speech performance. Dynamic focusing concentrates the electric fields of electrodes located far from the modiolus by applying stimulation currents on triplets of simultaneously activated electrodes, with one center electrode and two flanking returns. Deactivated electrodes reduce the negative influence of high currents when stimulating possible neural dead regions along the cochlea. Speech perception outcomes in background noise showed, that the overall performance increases when high-threshold electrodes are dynamically focused and deactivated. The suggested strategy, therefore, might be a promising approach to improve the signal accuracy in cochlear implant stimulation.
Can light detection and ranging predict acoustic detection distance in heterogeneous forest environments?
Authors: Voirin Lucas , Lefebvre Marcel , Migneron Jean-Philippe , Desrochers André , Mazerolle Marc J.
Published: January 2025

The estimation of the distance at which an animal can be detected is important information in wildlife monitoring. To account for the imperfect detection of individuals, frameworks like distance sampling or spatial capture-recapture build a detection function based on the distance between the source and the receiver. In acoustic monitoring, this detection distance is influenced by sound attenuation. In forest environments, vegetation significantly contributes to sound attenuation, and its effect varies with vegetation structure. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data provide fine-scale information on both horizontal and vertical structure of vegetation. These data are becoming increasingly available for large areas through public online geographic information libraries. In this study, we conducted broadcasting tests along linear transects to model the sound attenuation due to vegetation as a function of frequency and distance. The objective of this work is to estimate the attenuation coefficient based on fine-scale vegetation data to predict detection distance in an array of recorders.
Audible bandgaps in phononic sonic crystals for educational demonstration
Authors: Scriba Nathan , Smith Elizabeth , Matlack Kathryn
Published: January 2025

This experiment explored the use of phononic sonic crystals (PSCs) as an educational tool to demonstrate basic principles of wave propagation and phononics. Phononic crystals are periodic structures that attenuate a range of frequencies—called a bandgap—where the periodicity is on the order of the wavelength. Two PSCs were designed, constructed, and tested, to demonstrate the relationship between periodicity and bandgap frequency. The band structure of a 2D array of cylindrical rods was numerically constructed using eigenmode analysis in a finite element simulation. Based on the numerical simulations, two PSC spacings were selected for fabrication with bandgaps in the audible range of human hearing: a 3.5 cm spacing corresponding to a bandgap centered around 3200 Hz and a 6 cm spacing corresponding to a bandgap centered around 5600 Hz. A swept tone was transmitted through both PSCs and the resulting transmission curves were analyzed. The smaller spaced PSC was found to produce a bandgap from 5350z to 6000 Hz, with a 95% transmission drop; and the large PSC was found to produce a bandgap from 2800z to 3750 Hz with an 84% transmission drop. Both crystals were presented at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Engineering Open House in April 2024, and their attenuations in the bandgap frequencies were perceived audibly.
Impact of developmental temperature on neural growth, connectivity, and function
Authors: Züfle Pascal , Batista Leticia L. , Brandão Sofia C. , D’Uva Giovanni , Daniel Christian , Martelli Carlotta
Published: January 2025

Environmental temperature dictates the developmental pace of poikilothermic animals. In
Drosophila
, slower development at lower temperatures results in higher brain connectivity, but the generality of such scaling across temperatures and brain regions and its impact on function are unclear. Here, we show that brain connectivity scales continuously across temperatures, in agreement with a first-principle model that postulates different metabolic constraints for the growth of the brain and the organism. The model predicts brain wiring under temperature cycles and the nonuniform temporal scaling of neural development across temperatures. Developmental temperature has notable effects on odor-driven behavior. Dissecting the circuit architecture and function of neurons in the olfactory pathway, we demonstrate that developmental temperature does not alter odor encoding in first- and second-order neurons, but it shifts the specificity of connections onto third-order neurons that mediate innate behaviors. We conclude that while some circuit computations are robust to the effects of developmental temperature on wiring, others exhibit phenotypic plasticity with possible adaptive advantages.
Transient interactions between the fuzzy coat and the cross-β core of brain-derived Aβ42 filaments
Authors: Milanesi Maria , Brotzakis Z. Faidon , Vendruscolo Michele
Published: January 2025

Several human disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are characterized by the aberrant formation of amyloid fibrils. In many cases, the amyloid core is flanked by disordered regions, known as fuzzy coat. The structural properties of fuzzy coats, and their interactions with their environments, however, have not been fully described to date. Here, we generate conformational ensembles of two brain-derived amyloid filaments of Aβ42, corresponding respectively to the familial and sporadic forms of AD. Our approach, called metadynamic electron microscopy metainference (MEMMI), provides a characterization of the transient interactions between the fuzzy coat and the cross-β core of the filaments. These calculations indicate that the familial AD filaments are less soluble than the sporadic AD filaments, and that the fuzzy coat contributes to solubilizing both types of filament. These results illustrate how the metainference approach can help analyze cryo-EM maps for the characterization of the properties of amyloid fibrils.
Development of a recombinant Ang1 variant with enhanced Tie2 binding and its application to attenuate sepsis in mice
Authors: Wang Rui , Li Hao , Xie Zhinuo , Huang Meijuan , Xu Peng , Yuan Cai , Li Jinyu , Flaumenhaft Robert , Huang Mingdong , Jiang Longguang
Published: January 2025

The angiopoietin (Ang)–Tie axis, critical for endothelial cell function and vascular development, is a promising therapeutic target for treating vascular disorders and inflammatory conditions like sepsis. This study aimed to enhance the binding affinity of recombinant Ang1 variants to the Tie2 and explore their therapeutic potential. Structural insights from the Ang1-Tie2 complex enabled the identification of key residues within the Ang1 receptor binding domain (RBD) critical for Tie2 interaction. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that Met
436
Arg (M436R) and Ala
451
Asp (A451D) could improve Ang1’s Tie2 binding affinity. One variant, Ang1-RBD
A451D
, demonstrated a 100-fold increase compared to the wild type. Cellular assays revealed that Ang1
A451D
enhanced Tie2 phosphorylation, promoting endothelial cell migration and tube formation. In vivo, this variant effectively reduced inflammatory cytokines and attenuated organ damage in septic mice. These findings highlight Ang1
A451D
as a promising therapeutic candidate for vascular diseases, offering notable clinical potential for mitigating sepsis-related vascular dysfunction.
Epithelial OPA1 links mitochondrial fusion to inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Bao Li-Li , Yu Yu-Qiang , González-Acera Miguel , Patankar Jay V. , Giessl Andreas , Sturm Gregor , Kühl Anja A. , Atreya Raja , Erkert Lena , Gámez-Belmonte Reyes , Krug Susanne M. , Schmid Benjamin , Tripal Philipp , Chiriac Mircea T. , Hildner Kai , Siegmund Britta , Wirtz Stefan , Stürzl Michael , Mohamed Abdou Mariam , Trajanoski Zlatko ,   TRR241 IBDome Consortium, Neurath Markus F. , Zorzano Antonio , Becker Christoph , Atreya Imke , Bacher Petra , Bojarski Christian , Britzen-Laurent Nathalie , Bosch-Voskens Caroline , Chang Hyun-Dong , Diefenbach Andreas , Günther Claudia , Hegazy Ahmed N. , Klose Christoph S. N. , Koop Kristina , Leppkes Moritz , López-Posadas Rocío , Ludwig Leif S.-H. , Neufert Clemens , Plattner Christina , Prüß Magdalena , Radbruch Andreas , Romagnani Chiara , Ronchi Francesca , Sanders Ashley , Scheffold Alexander , Schulzke Jörg-Dieter , Schumann Michael , Schürmann Sebastian , Triantafyllopoulou Antigoni , Waldner Maximilian , Weidinger Carl , Zundler Sebastian
Published: January 2025

Dysregulation at the intestinal epithelial barrier is a driver of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the molecular mechanisms of barrier failure are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate dysregulated mitochondrial fusion in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) of patients with IBD and show that impaired fusion is sufficient to drive chronic intestinal inflammation. We found reduced expression of mitochondrial fusion–related genes, such as the dynamin-related guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) optic atrophy 1 (
OPA1
), and fragmented mitochondrial networks in crypt IECs of patients with IBD. Mice with
Opa1
deficiency in the gut epithelium (

Opa1
i∆IEC

) spontaneously developed chronic intestinal inflammation with mucosal ulcerations and immune cell infiltration. Intestinal inflammation in

Opa1
i∆IEC

mice was driven by microbial translocation and associated with epithelial progenitor cell death and gut barrier dysfunction.
Opa1
-deficient epithelial cells and human organoids exposed to a pharmacological OPA1 inhibitor showed disruption of the mitochondrial network with mitochondrial fragmentation and changes in mitochondrial size, ultrastructure, and function, resembling changes observed in patient samples. Pharmacological inhibition of the GTPase dynamin-1–like protein in organoids derived from

Opa1
i∆IEC

mice partially reverted this phenotype. Together, our data demonstrate a role for epithelial OPA1 in regulating intestinal immune homeostasis and epithelial barrier function. Our data provide a mechanistic explanation for the observed mitochondrial dysfunction in IBD and identify mitochondrial fusion as a potential therapeutic target in this disease.
Digestive and absorptive capacity and digesta microbiota throughout the gastrointestinal tract of nursery pigs from parents with divergent estimated breeding value for feed conversion ratio
Authors: Wu Yujia , Azevedo Paula , Jin Shunshun , Zhao Xiaoya , Xu Haoxiang , Lei Huaigang , Verschuren Lisanne , Rodas-Gonzalez Argenis , Nyachoti Martin , Yang Chengbo
Published: January 2025

This study investigated digestive and absorptive function changes and microbiota adaptations during weaning in nursery pigs from parents with divergent estimated breeding values for feed conversion ratio (EBV_FCR). The research aimed to investigate whether these changes differed between two groups: pigs from high EBV_FCR (low efficiency, LE) parents and pigs from low EBV_FCR (high efficiency, HE) parents. Furthermore, digesta samples from duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon, and cecum were collected from 56-day-old post-weaned pigs and subjected to microbiota analysis using 16S rRNA gene profiling. Enzyme activity kinetics and gene expression analyses of nutrient transporters in various segments of the digestive tract showed no significant differences between the two groups. Tight junction proteins gene expression also showed no significant differences in the jejunum between the two groups. Microbiota analysis revealed consistent dominance of Firmicutes in the jejunum and ileum, with Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes prevalent in the cecum and colon across both groups. However, significant differences were observed at the genus level. Lactobacillus was predominant in the small intestine of HE pigs, while the large intestine of LE pigs harbored higher levels of Prevotella, Streptococcus, and Blautia compared to HE pigs. These differences suggest potential functional differences that warrant further investigation.
Improving Neural Machine Translation in the Field of Electrical Engineering by Using Sentence Backbone Information
Authors: Teng Bingtao , Chen Yuan , Zhang Juwei
Published: January 2025

Due to the limited availability of corpora in the field of Electrical Engineering and the presence of numerous specialized terms, neural machine translation (NMT) performs poorly in translating the sentence backbone information when it is applied to corpora in the field of Electrical Engineering. In response to this issue, a method to improve NMT by using the sentence backbone information is proposed in this paper. In the proposed method, the source language sentences are used as the input of the Sentence Backbone Information Extraction Model to obtain the sentence backbone information, and then the sentence backbone information are incorporated as an auxiliary during the training process of the NMT model. Furthermore, a module called the Sentence Backbone Information Enhancement Module is introduced. It utilizes the dependency parse trees of the source language sentences to generate the sentence backbone mask matrices. These matrices are then applied to the encoder to force the NMT model to pay more attention to the backbones of sentences. On the English-Chinese parallel corpus in the field of Electrical Engineering, the proposed method in this paper outperforms the Transformer baseline translation model by 1.25 BLEU points. And it outperforms the baseline model in both METEOR and ROUGE-L evaluation metrics. It indicates that the proposed method in this paper can effectively improve translation performance.
Mid-Career Reflections: Climbing the Academic Ladder Without a Safety Net
Authors: Arenas Marcelo
Published: January 2025

As I supposed everyone else did when asked by Tamer to write an article with Advice to Mid-Career Researchers, I read all the previous articles in this series to understand what this paper should be about. SIGMOD Record is one of my favorite database readings; it is full of useful information, particularly the influential papers and the database theory column. However, I must recognize that I had not previously read these articles with advice for mid-career researchers, probably because I stopped being in that group some time ago. I regret not having done so, as there are many excellent recommendations not only for mid-career researchers but also, in many cases, for those further along in their careers dealing with various stressful issues. I even considered citing some of these articles here, but I think that might have been too much.
Synthesis and Characterization of PVC/(Co3O4/CNT)@Au Semiconductor Nanocomposite for Enhanced Medium-Voltage Cable Insulation
Authors: Ghobashy Mohamed Mohamady , Aldosari Eman , Zaher Ahmed A. , Khalil Sameh , Sharshir A. I.
Published: January 2025

This study presents the synthesis, characterization, and application of a novel PVC/(Co3O4/CNT)@Au nanocomposite for enhanced medium-voltage cable insulation. The nanocomposite was developed by incorporating Co3O4 octahedron nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and gold nanoparticles (Au) into a polyvinyl chloride matrix. Compared to standard PVC insulation, the nanocomposite exhibited a 3% improvement in relative permittivity (increased from 2.34 to 2.41) and significantly enhanced field uniformity, as evidenced by simulation studies. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy confirmed the successful integration of nanofillers and highlighted their contributions to the composite’s properties. Optical characterization revealed a direct bandgap of 4.60 eV and an Urbach energy of 0.3674 eV, indicating a wide-bandgap semiconductor with moderate structural disorder. AC conductivity measurements demonstrated frequency-dependent behavior, while dielectric constant and loss analyses suggested the material’s potential for energy storage and insulation applications. The choice of Co3O4 and CNTs was guided by their synergistic impact on charge trapping, field grading, and thermal management, while Au nanoparticles enhanced charge transfer and local electric field distribution. These findings demonstrate the nanocomposite’s promise in addressing the limitations of traditional PVC insulation, offering improved dielectric performance, reliability, and durability for power transmission and distribution systems.
Development of a framework for the hemodynamic impact of positive end-expiratory pressure in normal and heart failure conditions
Authors: Nishikawa Takuya , Uemura Kazunori , Matsushita Hiroki , Morita Hidetaka , Sato Kei , Yoshida Yuki , Fukumitsu Masafumi , Kawada Toru , Saku Keita
Published: January 2025

Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) has both the benefit of improving respiratory status and the disadvantage of deteriorating hemodynamics. As the effects of PEEP vary depending on cardiac function, optimizing PEEP setting remains challenging. This study is the first to systematically elucidate the impact of PEEP on hemodynamics with consideration of cardiac function and establish a validated framework. This novel framework provides a comprehensive understanding of the hemodynamic effects of PEEP.
Hemodynamic response of the aortic valve during dobutamine onset then progressive aortic banding
Authors: Eerdekens Rob , Gebremedhin Philipos K. , Johnson Daniel T. , Kirkeeide Richard L. , Howe Gretchen L. , Smalling Richard W. , Gould K. Lance , Tonino Pim A. L. , Johnson Nils P.
Published: January 2025

This study demonstrates that the normal aortic valve functions like a resistor with a proportional pressure loss ΔP versus transvalvular flow Q relationship. During dobutamine stress and progressive aortic banding, a “load line” of constant resistance characterizes the systemic circulation. Consequently, during stress conditions, the relative pressure loss over a stenotic aortic valve (the stress aortic valve index, SAVI) quantifies the relative reduction in maximal flow. Potentially, SAVI might optimize patient selection for procedures to treat aortic stenosis.
Fibrotic and Emphysematous Murine Lung Mechanics Under Negative-Pressure Ventilation
Authors: Quiros K.A.M. , Nelson T.M. , Ulu A. , Dominguez E.C. , Nordgren T.M. , Eskandari M.
Published: January 2025

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide and the progressive nature heightens the calamity of the disease. In existing COPD studies, lung mechanics are often reported under positive‐pressure ventilation (PPV) and extrapolations made from these studies pose restrictions as recent works have divulged disparate elastic and energetic results between PPV and more physiological negative‐pressure counterparts (NPV). This non‐equivalence of PPV and NPV must be investigated under diseased states to augment our understanding of disease mechanics. To assess the comparability of diseased pulmonary mechanics in PPV and NPV, we pose a novel study to parse out the currently entangled contributions of ventilation mode and diseased state by analyzing murine PV curves from elastase‐ (PPE) and dust‐induced (HDE) COPD models under positive‐ and negative‐pressure. We find that, for PPE‐exposed, under NPV, volume, compliance ( C, Cstart, Cdef), and hysteresis are increased in diseased states and that under PPV only compliance ( C, Cstart) is increased. For HDE‐exposed, under NPV, volume, compliance ( C, Cinf, Cdef, K), and hysteresis are decreased whereas under PPV only volume and static compliance decreased. All significant mechanical variations due to disease were observed solely at higher pressures (40 cmH2O) under both PPV and NPV. Our nuanced conclusions indicate the detection capabilities of multiple mechanics‐based biomarkers are sensitive to the ventilation mode, where NPV exhibits more altered mechanics metrics in PPE‐exposed and HDE‐exposed groups compared to PPV counterparts, suggesting the resolution of biomarkers when applied under NPV research considerations may offer greater versatility.
Influence of Multistrain Probiotics on Growth, Hematology, Gut and Liver Morphometry, and GH and IGFs Genes Expression in Rohu (Labeo Rohita) Fry
Authors: Ferdous Zannatul , Fariha Fouzia , Jahan Nusrat , Shahriar Sheik Istiak Md , Hossain Md Kabir , Uddin Md Jasim , Shahjahan Md
Published: January 2025

Probiotic is regarded as an effective feed additive to increase the growth, feeding efficiency, survivability, and overall productivity of fishes in aquaculture. The following study was intended to examine the effects of multistrain probiotics on growth, blood indices, histomorphometry of gastrointestinal tract and liver, and growth hormone (GH) and insulin‐like growth factors (IGFs) genes expression in rohu Labeo rohita. Probiotic containing Bacillus subtilis, B. thuringiencis, Lactobacillus plantarum, and L. buchneri was inoculated in water and three different doses, that is, 0 mL/L (control), 0.5 mL/L (lower dose, T1), and 1.0 mL/L (higher dose, T2) were used in this study. Each treatment had three replicates and fishes were reared in aquarium for 60 days. Results revealed that substantially higher weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) along with least apparent feed conversion ratio (AFC) were documented in probiotic treated fish which was significantly different than that of control, however, higher dose (1.0 mL/L) showed best performance. Blood–biochemical indices such as red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and glucose (Glu) level were observed statistically higher in probiotic additive culture water. Moreover, the inoculation of multispecies probiotic positively altered the intestinal histometry. Besides, immune response features of intestine were observed significantly higher in probiotic treated fish. The nucleus shape and distances between liver tissues (DLTs) were also improved with the upward doses of probiotic application. The mRNAs levels of GH in the pituitary and IGF‐1 and IGF‐2 in the liver were significantly higher in probiotic treated fish. In a nutshell, this study suggested that the inclusion of multistrain probiotics showed promising improvement in growth performance and feed conversion efficiency; additionally, uplifted the intestinal structure integrity, liver morphology, and GH and IGFs genes expression in rohu.
Influence of Sorbitol and Glycerol on Physical and Tensile Properties of Biodegradable–Edible Film From Snakehead Gelatin and κ‐Carrageenan
Authors: Rosmawati Rosmawati , Sari Sri Fatmah , Asnani Asnani , Embe Wa , Asjun Asjun , Wibowo Dwiprayogo , Irwan Irwan , Huda Nurul , Nurdin Muhammad , Umar Akrajas Ali
Published: January 2025

Two plasticizers with distinct properties are carefully studied in this research for their suitability in creating biocomposite edible film products. The study uncovers films’ physical, tensile, and biodegradability attributes, using snakehead gelatin and ĸ‐carrageenan in different concentrations, with sorbitol or glycerol as plasticizers. The biomaterials of the edible film consist of snakehead gelatin (Channa striata) 2% (w/v); ĸ‐carrageenan at concentrations of 1%, 1.5%, and 2% (w/v); and sorbitol/glycerol 15% (v/v). The addition of ĸ‐carrageenan up to 2% in the formulation increased the film thickness to 0.046 ± 0.005 mm, tensile strength to 2.05 ± 0.56 MPa, and elongation at break to 35.00% ± 2.92% while decreasing the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) to 0.17 ± 0.00 g/mm2/h (p < 0.05). The effect of glycerol in the composite did not affect thickness and luminosity (L∗) (p > 0.05), but the tensile strength increased from 0.18 ± 0.17 to 1.03 ± 0.40 MPa (p > 0.05). Sorbitol increased the value of color difference, elongation at break, and WVTR, namely, 19.77 ± 1.02, 25.20% ± 1.79%, and 0.28 ± 0.02 g/mm2/h, respectively (p < 0.05). The swelling index of the films increased with ĸ‐carrageenan concentration, whereas the water content decreased (p < 0.05). The addition of sorbitol reduced the solubility of the film from 71.43% ± 12.39% to 42.67% ± 15.44% (p < 0.05), while glycerol did not affect changes in film solubility (p > 0.05). The presence of sorbitol had no significant effect on the contact angle (p > 0.05) and was more affected by the addition of glycerol at higher ĸ‐carrageenan concentrations (p < 0.05). The ability to decompose after 28 days was more remarkable for films containing glycerol than sorbitol. Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed the functional group structures of all samples, indicating that no new compounds were formed in them. The surface structure of the sorbitol‐plasticized film was predicted to be rougher and easily cracked, but more compact and dense, while the glycerol‐plasticized film tended to be smoother with fainter cracks due to its hygroscopic properties.
Recovery of Carbon Fibres From Aged Epoxy Matrix Composites Using H2O2 as an Oxidant: A Thermodynamic and Technoeconomic Analysis
Authors: Mabalane Paul Njeni , Molnar Kristof , Mazibuko Philani Thembelihle , Molnár Kolos , Khoathane Caroline , Masukume Mike
Published: January 2025

There is an effort to use hydrogen peroxide for recycling carbon fibre from epoxy matrix composites because it is an ecofriendly material, and the related technology is feasible. However, there is little information on the technoeconomic impact of this method, thus whether it is economically better than current techniques. Therefore, in this paper, we discuss the technoeconomic analysis of recycling using hydrogen peroxide. The analysis also includes a thermodynamic model to calculate the amount of energy required to decompose the epoxy matrix. Various financial indicators, including the payback period, net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR) and profitability index (PI), were used. The technoeconomic assessment revealed favourable outcomes across all key financial indicators, demonstrating the viability and potential benefits of the process. A capital investment of $17.34M over 10 years was required. The NPV of $15.56M with a 15% minimum discounted rate of return (WACC) was computed. The project is more likely to succeed with an annual production cost of $176.5 million for 50,000 tons in the first year, with this amount subject to annual inflation. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to assess the effect of input variables. In the sensitivity analysis, we calculated between 25,000 and 100,000 tons. The price of hydrogen peroxide and recovered carbon fibre are essential variables that have a high effect on the model.
Nomogram for Predicting Suboptimal Weight Loss at Three Years after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery in Chinese Patients with Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Si Yiming , Zhang Hongwei , Han Xiaodong , Liu Weijie , Tu Yinfang , Ma Xiaojing , Yu Haoyong , Bao Yuqian
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Strategies to address suboptimal weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) can be developed if at-risk patients are identified in advance. This study aimed to build a pre-surgery prediction nomogram for early prediction of insufficient weight loss (IWL) or weight regain (WR) after bariatric surgery in Chinese patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, 187 patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes who underwent laparoscopic RYGB were followed yearly for 3 years. Suboptimal weight loss included IWL and WR. IWL was defined as a total weight loss percentage of <25% at 1 year postoperatively, and WR was defined as a maximum weight loss percentage of >20% at 3 years postoperatively. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors and to establish a nomogram to predict the occurrence of suboptimal weight loss. Results: Multivariate logistic regression revealed that male sex (OR 4.268, 95% CI: 1.413–12.890), body mass index (OR 0.816, 95% CI: 0.705–0.946), and glycated hemoglobin (OR 1.493, 95% CI: 1.049–2.126) were independent predictors of IWL/WR. The AUC value of the nomogram constructed from the above three factors was 0.781. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the model had a good fit (p = 0.143). The calibration curve of the nomogram is close to an ideal diagonal line. Furthermore, the decision curve analysis demonstrated the good net benefits of the model. Conclusions: A nomogram based on pre-surgery factors was developed to predict postoperative IWL/WR. This provides a convenient and useful tool for predicting suboptimal weight loss before surgery.
EMCREG-International Multidisciplinary Consensus Panel on Management of Hyperkalemia in Chronic Kidney Disease and Heart Failure
Authors: Kreitzer Natalie , Albert Nancy M. , Amin Alpesh N. , Beavers Craig J. , Becker Richard C. , Fonarow Gregg , Gibler W. Brian , Kwon Katherine W. , Mentz Robert J. , Palmer Biff F. , Pollack Charles V. , Piña Ileana L.
Published: January 2025

Background: Hyperkalemia, generally defined as serum potassium levels greater than 5.0 mEq/L, poses significant clinical risks, including cardiac toxicity and muscle weakness. Its prevalence and severity increase in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes mellitus, and heart failure (HF), particularly when compounded by medications like angiotensin converting inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and potassium sparing diuretics. Hyperkalemia arises from disruptions in potassium regulation involving intake, excretion, and intracellular-extracellular distribution. In CKD and acute kidney injury, these regulatory mechanisms are impaired, leading to heightened risk. The management of chronic hyperkalemia presents a challenge due to the necessity of balancing effective cardiovascular and renal therapies against the risk of elevated potassium levels. Summary: The emergency department management of acute hyperkalemia focuses on preventing cardiac complications through strategies that stabilize cellular membranes and shift potassium intracellularly. Chronic management often involves dietary interventions and pharmacological treatments. Pharmacological management of acute hyperkalemia includes diuretics, which enhance kaliuresis, and potassium binders such as patiromer and sodium zirconium cyclosilicate, which facilitate fecal excretion of potassium. While diuretics are commonly used, they carry risks of volume contraction and renal function deterioration. The newer potassium binders have shown efficacy in lowering chronically elevated potassium levels in CKD and HF patients, offering an alternative to diuretics and other older agents such as sodium polystyrene sulfonate, which has significant adverse effects and limited evidence for chronic use. Key Messages: We convened a consensus panel to describe the optimal management across multiple clinical settings when caring for patients with hyperkalemia. This consensus emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to managing hyperkalemia, particularly in patients with cardiovascular kidney metabolic syndrome, to avoid fragmentation of care and ensure comprehensive treatment strategies. The primary goal of this manuscript is to describe strategies to maintain cardiovascular benefits of essential medications while effectively managing potassium levels.
Etnografia urbana co-implicada no contexto português
Authors: Cachado Rita
Published: January 2025

Urban Dynamics has been studied by researchers from social sciences. Often, they choose an ethnographic approach as a way of describing and analyzing the diversity of urban practices. Among classical topics, migration, poverty, housing, these topics have never stopped from being key research questions for those who do research about the cities.
Resulting from a work centered in collecting and analyzing professional trajectories of urban ethnographers in Portugal, this article is focused on one of the aspects that became clear from those trajectories – the fact that these researchers are somehow activists in their area of studies. Sometimes this is a strong feature in their professional lives, while for others, it is a subjective feature. This situation is evident in the context of Brazil and South America from ages, but in the Portuguese context, which is in straight connection with Urban Anthropology in Brazil, co-implication seems to be more recent.
Sistemas de consanguinidade e afinidade da família humana
Authors: Morgan Lewis , Araújo Íris Morais , Villanova Karen
Published: January 2025

Tradução de parte do livro clássico de Lewis Morgan, Sistemas de consanguinidade e afinidade da família humana
Ela te picou: o sexo entre hijras e homens na Índia rural
Authors: Saria Vaibhav , Varjão João Victtor Varjão , Arruda Murilo Souza
Published: January 2025

Este artigo estuda o desejo dos homens em ser penetrados por hijras, pessoas geralmente referenciadas como o “terceiro gênero” da Índia ou traduzidas como mulheres trans. Ao estudar esse desejo específico, não apenas mostro como a sexualidade sempre ultrapassou as regras prescritas, culturais ou não, mas também como os significados se vinculam a corpos, atos, desejos e sexualidade. Em outras palavras, a relação citacional entre corpos, sexualidade e gênero não só pode ser performada, mas também transfigurada em função de desejos e relações. As hijras têm sido estudadas intensivamente na saúde pública nos últimos vinte anos como uma população de alto risco para o HIV. Ao mesmo tempo, um corpo impressionante de estudos emergindo da antropologia mostrou como o binarismo hetero/homo é insuficiente para entender como a sexualidade é vivida no sul da Ásia. Com base em pesquisa etnográfica realizada regularmente entre 2008 e 2018 nos distritos rurais de Orissa, um estado no leste da Índia, entre trabalhadoras do sexo hijra, estudo os encontros sexuais entre hijras e seus clientes. Faço isso para argumentar contra uma compreensão empobrecida da sexualidade culturalmente determinada. Em outras palavras, embora as hijras e os homens estivessem mais do que cientes dos significados que a penetração implicava, seus desejos iam além de seguir regras preestabelecidas.