bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring transcriptomic signatures in sudden unexplained death (SUD) cases
Authors: Neubauer Jacqueline , Dørum Guro , Haas Cordula
Published: February 2025

Background

Molecular autopsy in sudden unexplained death (SUD) has successfully identified pathogenic variants in cardiovascular genes in a substantial proportion of cases, contributing to prevention strategies in family members. However, many SUD cases remain genetically unresolved, prompting investigations into other omics technologies to better understand the pathogenic mechanisms leading to a sudden death event. In this study, whole transcriptome sequencing was performed on heart samples from 43 SUD cases and 17 heart-healthy controls, with the aim to identify disease-specific transcriptome signatures in sudden unexplained death.

Results

PCA based on the top 500 genes with the highest variance among the samples showed no clear separation between SUD and controls or among the three SUD subgroups. DESeq2 identified 1,676 differentially expressed genes between SUD and controls with significantly upregulated genes involved in biological processes such as angiogenesis, blood vessel development, vasculogenesis and cell adhesion. Pathway analysis of the differentially expressed genes showed that most were downregulated and involved in amide/peptide biosynthesis and fatty acid metabolism. Additional analysis of SUD subgroups revealed unique gene expression patterns and highlighted differentially expressed genes within each subgroup.

Conclusion

Gene expression analysis of SUD heart tissue is a promising approach to identify cardiac disease-related pathways to further understand the pathological mechanisms leading to a sudden death event. However, due to the heterogeneity of the SUD cases and the unclear phenotype, further studies in larger cohorts are needed.
Which technical difficulty score can best predict postoperative outcomes after minimally invasive liver resections?
Authors: Bolm Louisa , Nebbia Martina , Catalano Onofrio , Lionetto Gabriella , von Bresinsky Johanna , Duhn Jannis , Arya Shahrzad , Ventin Marco , Straesser Julia , Ferrone Cristina R.
Published: February 2025

Background

To assess technical difficulty scores for laparoscopic liver resections (LLR) in a large well-characterized cohort of low to high difficulty LLR.

Methods

Patients undergoing LLR and open liver resection (OLS) (2007–2022) at Massachusetts General Hospital were included. Patients were classified according to the technical difficulty scores Ban difficulty score, IWATE criteria, Hasegawa score, IMM score, and Southhampton score (SHH) and calibration of these scores in predicting postoperative outcome parameters was assessed.

Results

301 patients underwent LLR. Median age was 59 years and 58.5% of the patients were female. Median lesion size was 42.2 mm, median operative time was 197.7 min, and median estimated blood loss was 400.5 ml. According to the different scoring systems, 18.9% (SHH) to 52.2% (IWATE) of the LLR were high difficulty. Overall intraoperative events according to the modified Satava classification grade II (6.6%) and grade III (2.7%) were low as was postoperative 90 days major morbidity (5.3%) and mortality (1.0%). The respective scores’ calibration for predicting non-textbook outcomes, intraoperative events, operative time, major postoperative morbidity, blood transfusion rates, and length of hospital stay was moderate to good for the respective scores and best for the IWATE criteria.

Discussion

Even high technical difficulty LLR can be performed with low postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. The scores evaluated performed well in predicting major liver surgery outome parameters. Among the different difficulty scoring systems, the IWATE criteria performed best.
Post-ocr text correction for Bulgarian historical documents
Authors: Beshirov Angel , Dobreva Milena , Dimitrov Dimitar , Hardalov Momchil , Koychev Ivan , Nakov Preslav
Published: February 2025

The digitization of historical documents is crucial for preserving the cultural heritage of the society. An essential step in this process is converting scanned images to text using Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which can enable further search, information extraction, etc. Unfortunately, this is a challenging problem as standard OCR tools are not tailored to deal with historical orthography or challenging layouts. Thus, it is standard to apply an additional text correction step on the OCR output when dealing with such documents. In this work, we focus on Bulgarian, and we create the first benchmark dataset for evaluating the OCR text correction for historical Bulgarian documents written in the first standardized Bulgarian orthography: the Drinov orthography from the 19th century. We further develop a method for automatically generating synthetic data in this orthography, as well as in the subsequent Ivanchev orthography, by leveraging vast amounts of contemporary literature Bulgarian texts. We then use state-of-the-art LLMs and encoder-decoder framework which we augment with diagonal attention loss and copy and coverage mechanisms to improve the post-OCR text correction. The proposed method reduces the errors introduced during the recognition. It improves the quality of the documents by 25%, which is an increase of 16% compared to the state-of-the-art on the ICDAR 2019 Bulgarian dataset. We release our data and code at https://github.com/angelbeshirov/post-ocr-text-correction.
Foraging with your eyes: a novel task to study cognitive strategies involved in (visual) foraging behaviour
Authors: Green Matthew , Segen Vladislava , Korstjens Amanda , Meso Andrew Isaac , Thomas Tessa , Wiener Jan M.
Published: February 2025

In this study we introduce a new gaze-contingent visual foraging task in which participants searched through an environment by looking at trees displayed on a computer screen. If the looked-at tree contained a fruit item, the item became visible and was collected. In each trial, the participant’s task was to forage for a defined number of fruit items. In two experiments, fruit items were either randomly distributed about the trees (dispersed condition) or organised in one large patch (patchy condition). In the second experiment, we addressed the role of memory for foraging by including a condition that did not require memorising which trees had already been visited by changing their appearance (tree fading). Foraging performance was superior in the patchy as compared to the dispersed condition and benefited from tree-fading. In addition, with further analyses on search behaviour, these results suggest (1) that participants were sensitive to the distribution of resources, (2) that they adapted their search/foraging strategy accordingly, and (3) that foraging behaviour is in line with predictions derived from foraging theories, specifically area-restricted search, developed for large scale spatial foraging. We therefore argue that the visual search task presented shares characteristics and cognitive mechanisms involved in successful large-scale search and foraging behaviour and can therefore be successfully employed to study these mechanisms.
Convergence of ease-controlled random reshuffling gradient algorithms under Lipschitz smoothness
Authors: Seccia Ruggiero , Coppola Corrado , Liuzzi Giampaolo , Palagi Laura
Published: February 2025

In this work, we consider minimizing the average of a very large number of smooth and possibly non-convex functions, and we focus on two widely used minibatch frameworks to tackle this optimization problem: incremental gradient (IG) and random reshuffling (RR). We define ease-controlled modifications of the IG/RR schemes, which require a light additional computational effort but can be proved to converge to a stationary point under weak and standard assumptions. In particular, we define two algorithmic schemes in which the IG/RR iteration is controlled by using a watchdog rule and a derivative-free linesearch that activates only sporadically to adjust the stepsize so to guarantee convergence. The two schemes differ in the watchdog rule and the linesearch, which are performed using either a monotonic or a non-monotonic rule. The two schemes allow controlling the updating of the stepsize used in the main IG/RR iteration, avoiding the use of pre-set rules that may drive the stepsize to zero too fast, reducing the effort in designing effective updating rules of the stepsize. We perform computational analysis using different deep neural architectures and a benchmark of varying-size datasets. We compare our implementation with both a full batch gradient method (i.e. L-BFGS) and a fair implementation of IG/RR methods, proving that our algorithms require a similar computational effort compared to the other online algorithms and that the control on the learning rate may allow a faster decrease of the objective function.
Sobolev Regularity for the Bergman Projection on Relatively Compact Domains in Hermitian Manifolds
Authors: Harrington Phillip S.
Published: February 2025

Generalizing a result of Berndtsson and Charpentier, we provide sufficient conditions for

$$L^2$$

L
2

Sobolev regularity of the Bergman projection acting on

$$L^2$$

L
2

sections of a holomorphic line bundle restricted to a relatively compact domain with Lipschitz boundary in a Hermitian manifold. We provide examples to show that our methods work for domains in Hopf manifolds endowed with a suitable Hermitian metric.
Impacts of Municipal and Industrial Organic Waste Components on the Kinetics and Potentials of Biomethane Production via Anaerobic Digestion
Authors: Qiu Yaojing , Lower Lillian , Rondon Berrio Vanessa , Cunniffe Julia , Kolar Praveen , Cheng Jay , Sagues William Joe
Published: February 2025

Extensive biomass characterization, biomethane potential reactions, and kinetic modeling was performed on a variety of municipal and industrial organic wastes, including household, grocery and commercial wastes, as well as ethanol plant residues, to elucidate the effects of individual biomass components on the kinetics and total production of biomethane via mesophilic anaerobic digestion. Municipal solid waste with high cellulose (25%), lipid (10%), and starch contents (5%) achieved the highest cumulative methane production of 526 mL/g-VS, but had the longest lag phase due to the high lignin content. Vinasse residue from industrial ethanol production exhibited the lowest cumulative methane production of 302 mL/g-VS, likely due to the low cellulose (16%) and lipid contents (5%) as well as the high percentage of impurities including potassium (12%). Despite having the 3rd highest volatile solids, Vinasse had the lowest total methane production. The two feedstocks with the lowest ash contents had the highest cumulative methane productions, highlighting the potential impact of ash on methane productivity. Additionally, five kinetic models were selected and evaluated in this study based on their prior successful applications in anaerobic digestion studies. Among them, the Modified Logistic model best fit methane production from municipal solid waste with longer lag phases, while the First-order and Modified Gompertz models were more suited to industrial waste with minimal lag phases, with the Modified Gompertz model proving to be the most versatile across the five municipal and industrial organic waste feedstocks.

Graphical Abstract
Lattice Boltzmann model and its GPU acceleration for transient flow in channel and pressurized pipe combined water delivery system
Authors: Meng Wanwan , Yang Shuqing , Lu Xuheng , Peng Yongqin , Diao Wei , Zhang Chunze
Published: February 2025

The open channel and pressurized pipe combined water delivery systems usually have long pipelines, many overflow structures, and especially with two different flow regimes, making the transient simulations complicated and time-consuming. A graphics processing unit (GPU)-accelerated lattice Boltzmann model (LBM) is proposed to solve the above problem. The LBM model for water hammer in pipes is improved by introducing the one dimensional with two lattice velocities discrete model (D1Q2). Compared with the existing the one dimensional with three lattice velocities discrete model, the D1Q2 model has reduced the occupation of computational resources, and the boundary processing has become simple. By simulating the transient process of a pipe network system, the results are in good agreement with those of the method of characteristics (MOC), and the speedup ratio reaches 60.5. Then, the water hammer LBM model and shallow water LBM model are coupled to simulate the transient process of the open channel and pressurized pipe combined water delivery system, and its GPU parallel computing scheme is achieved. Practical application shows that the results agree well with those of MOC, and the maximum speedup ratio reaches 92.96, indicating the great application potential of the proposed model.
Navigating the participatory turn in agricultural and food research: Best practice from citizen science
Authors: Ajates Raquel , Benyei Petra , Avery Helen , Butkeviciene Egle , Czeglédi Alexandra , Desclaux Dominique , Hager Gerid , Heinisch Barbara , Hoebe Peter N. , van Noordwijk Toos C. G. E. , Barzman Marco
Published: February 2025

Food systems have enormous impacts on people and the planet, with agriculture and food research becoming strategic for many countries. However, the way this research is conducted and the rise of new agri-food technologies have ethical and socio-economic implications. To address these, many scholars are gaining interest in participatory methods, such as citizen science, but are unfamiliar with the latest debates on ethical and methodological issues surrounding non-academic stakeholder engagement. In this perspective paper, we revisit the European Citizen Science Association’s (ECSA) Ten Principles of Citizen Science under the specific lens of agri-food research. The discussion presented is based on a review of the state of the art from academic literature, secondary data from agri-food citizen science projects, and the reflections of 11 scientist and practitioners, members of ECSA’s Agri-Food Working Group. The findings reflect theoretical, methodological, and practical implications for navigating the participatory turn in agriculture and food research.
Research on characterization methods for track irregularities
Authors: Xin Lifeng , Xu Lei , Zhang Jiaxin , Pei Menglin , Mao Jianfeng , Wang Dangxiong
Published: February 2025

The characterization of track irregularities is crucial in railway dynamics, as track irregularities are the primary source of internal excitation in railway systems. In this paper, three mathematical models are proposed to characterize the track irregularities under different circumstances. The first model is a novel explicit track spectrum function, which performs better in reflecting the inherent periodic components of track irregularities than the existing track spectra. On this foundation, the second model, a parameterized track spectrum random model, is proposed to represent the vast measured track irregularities from the probabilistic perspective. Finally, the third model, an imprecise track spectrum interval model based on a neighborhood uniform sampling Bootstrap method, is presented to identify the confidential interval of the track spectra when the track irregularity data are limited. Three examples are illustrated to demonstrate the feasibility of the three track irregularity models in characterizing the track irregularities in different conditions. This research can help capture the railway deformation status and optimize track maintenance strategies.
Developing mRNA Nanomedicines with Advanced Targeting Functions
Authors: Wang Ji , Cai Lijun , Li Ning , Luo Zhiqiang , Ren Haozhen , Zhang Bing , Zhao Yuanjin
Published: February 2025

The emerging messenger RNA (mRNA) nanomedicines have sprung up for disease treatment. Developing targeted mRNA nanomedicines has become a thrilling research hotspot in recent years, as they can be precisely delivered to specific organs or tissues to enhance efficiency and avoid side effects. Herein, we give a comprehensive review on the latest research progress of mRNA nanomedicines with targeting functions. mRNA and its carriers are first described in detail. Then, mechanisms of passive targeting, endogenous targeting, and active targeting are outlined, with a focus on various biological barriers that mRNA may encounter during in vivo delivery. Next, emphasis is placed on summarizing mRNA-based organ-targeting strategies. Lastly, the advantages and challenges of mRNA nanomedicines in clinical translation are mentioned. This review is expected to inspire researchers in this field and drive further development of mRNA targeting technology.
Urban land use function prediction method based on RF and cellular automaton model
Authors: Song Wenjun , Ling Min
Published: February 2025

To accurately grasp the dynamic changes of urban land use and solve the difficulties and challenges in predicting urban land use functions at present, this study integrates interest point data and open street map data through kernel density estimation technology. Moreover, the study also integrates random forest algorithm and cellular automaton model, and finally proposes a new urban land use function prediction method based on random forest algorithm and cellular automaton model. The experiment results show that the comprehensive precision and Kappa coefficient calculated by the research method reach 81.88% and 0.71, separately, verifying the validity of the way. The prediction results of this method indicate that the number of squares required for road and transportation, industrial land, public services, residential land, green squares, and commercial service land in Hulunbuir City in 2030 is expected to reach 2000, 3889, 2591, 9280, 2696, and 8988, respectively. This provides a scientific basis for future urban planning. To sum up, the method raised by the study has high applicability and accuracy in predicting the distribution pattern of urban functional regions, and has important instructing significance for urban planning, optimal assignment of land resources, and continuous expanding of urbanization.
Construct Validity in Cross-Cultural, Developmental Research: Challenges and Strategies for Improvement
Authors: Wen Nicole J. , Amir Dorsa , Clegg Jennifer M. , Davis Helen E. , Dutra Natalia B. , Kline Michelle A. , Lew-Levy Sheina , MacGillivray Tanya , Pamei Gairan , Wang Yitong , Xu Jing , Rawlings Bruce S.
Published: February 2025

The recent expansion of cross-cultural research in the social sciences has led to increased discourse on methodological issues involved when studying culturally diverse populations. However, discussions have largely overlooked the challenges of construct validity- ensuring instruments are measuring what they are intended to- in diverse cultural contexts, particularly in developmental research. We contend that cross-cultural developmental research poses distinct problems for ensuring high construct validity, owing to the nuances of working with children and that the standard approach of transporting protocols designed and validated in one population to another risks low construct validity. Drawing upon our own and others’ work, we highlight several challenges to construct validity in the field of cross-cultural developmental research, including 1) lack of cultural and contextual knowledge, 2) dissociating developmental and cultural theory and methods, 3) lack of causal frameworks, 4) superficial and short- term partnerships and collaborations, and 5) culturally inappropriate tools and tests. We provide guidelines to address these challenges, including 1) using ethnographic and observational approaches, 2) developing evidence-based causal frameworks, 3) conducting community-engaged and collaborative research, and 4) culture-specific refinements and training. We discuss the need to balance methodological consistency with culture-specific refinements to improve construct validity in cross-cultural developmental research.
Manipulation of mid- and high-frequency wall-pressure sources by streamwise finlets
Authors: Pan Zhihang , Ye Qingqing
Published: February 2025

In the present research, the effect of streamwise finlets on the coherent structures of a turbulent boundary layer and their relation with pressure fluctuations and trailing-edge noise is investigated experimentally over a NACA0018 airfoil. A synthetic measurement is performed using time-resolved particle image velocimetry, wall-pressure transducers and a far-field microphone. The finlets induce strong momentum transport within the boundary layer, leading to the formation of a detached shear layer and backward flow separation. A strong velocity deficit is produced close to the wall. The instantaneous flow organisation reveals the formation of hairpin-like vortices on top of the finlets and spanwise rollers in the near-wall separation bubble. The newly generated vortices disrupt the turbulent coherent structures of the untreated case remarkably. An overall lift-up process of the unsteady turbulent structures is produced, bringing the most energetic turbulent structures away from the wall and reducing the near-wall shear stress. The spatial and temporal relation between instantaneous unsteady flow features and wall-pressure fluctuations is analysed quantitatively. A notable reduction of the correlation and coherence intensity in the mid- and high-frequency bands is achieved due to the modification of the turbulent structures. The former frequency ranges agree with that of the pressure fluctuations and far-field noise suppression, revealing the noise-reduction mechanisms.
An ‘arsenal for the supply of ammunition for the defence of vaccination’: the Jenner Society and anti-anti-vaccinationism in England, 1896–1906
Authors: Newsom Kerr Matthew L.
Published: February 2025

Although historians have given close attention to the anti-vaccination movement that gripped late-Victorian England, relatively little scholarship explores how doctors and health officials responded or asks what strategies and assumptions structured how they might oppose the vaccine opponents. This article traces the advent and actions of the Jenner Society, a smallpox vaccination advocacy group founded in 1896 by Dr. Francis Bond. His goal was to publicly confront the leading anti-vaccinationists and to effectively conduct an anti-anti-vaccination campaign. The Jenner Society appeared amidst disputes over how and even whether vaccination should be publicly debated – disputes shaped both by long-standing attitudes toward professional propriety and also by indecision about what sorts of political advocacy were suitable for medical practitioners. Vaccination was shifting toward a more voluntary administration, and the Jenner Society represents how civil society, the popular press, and the modern tools of persuasion were becoming increasingly central to public health governance. The Jenner Society encapsulated the profession’s disdainful attitude toward populist medical dissent, and this essay argues that the tone and deportment of anti-anti-vaccinationism had the effect of encouraging doctors to overlook and neglect other, probably more significant, sources of vaccine skepticism. Preoccupied with rebutting and attacking vaccination’s enemies, public “controversialists” like Bond waged the first true large-scale pro-vaccination propaganda campaign, but they ultimately were unable to address the underlying dynamics of vaccine evasion. This history holds important lessons today for those interested in constructing more effective ways to effectively counteract medical misinformation and anti-vaccinationist beliefs.
The January 6th Insurrection and the Triggering of African Americans’ Racial Resentment
Authors: Davis Darren W. , Wilson David C.
Published: February 2025

The January 6th insurrection and its aftermath of obfuscation and denial were ostensibly racialized events. Under the guise of election fraud, white supremacists, white nationalists, and paramilitary groups attempted to overthrow established democratic procedures to retain a president who stoked racial antagonisms and racial divisions. African Americans, like many American citizens, watched in fear, anxiety, and foreboding as the groups most committed to their repression violently attacked and ransacked the Capitol.

We examine the extent to which the January 6th insurrection and its aftermath of denial and obfuscation influence African Americans’ racial resentment. Our results show how the racialized January 6th events were connected to heightened African American racial resentment. The most compelling result confirms that African Americans’ racial resentment stems from beliefs about justice and fairness.
The Nile and the Yellow River: Comparative Studies between Ancient Egypt and China
Authors: Langer Christian , Zhao Kexin
Published: February 2025

This paper explores the evolving landscape of comparative research between ancient Egypt and China, focusing on various aspects such as culture, writing systems, political economy, and motivations behind these comparisons done in China and international environments. Embedded with the historical context, motivations and methodologies of scholars engaged in this comparative endeavour, the authors suggest that such research is linked to modern China's intellectual history and global engagement. It discusses potential motivations, including economic factors, national agenda and interdisciplinary integration. The authors also raise the need for more deliberate theorizations of Egypt–China comparisons, emphasizing the importance of greater reflexivity and inclusivity in shaping the trajectory of comparative studies. Overall, the document sheds light on the complexities, motivations and potential impacts of Egypt–China comparative research, highlighting its relevance in understanding both historical civilizations and contemporary global dynamics.
Teachers’ professional beliefs made a difference for instructional quality in distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Bönke Nikolaus , Kunter Mareike , Voss Thamar
Published: February 2025

Abstract: The aim of the present study is to examine if teachers’ professional beliefs accounted for differences in self-reported instructional quality in distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. N = 194 German mathematics teachers were surveyed during the pandemic in 2021 about their instructional quality (potential for cognitive activation, distance learning support, management of learning time). Teachers’ constructivist and self-efficacy beliefs were assessed in 2019, before the pandemic. Results of structural equation modeling indicate that the stronger teachers’ constructivist beliefs, the higher the potential for cognitive activation in distance learning. Self-efficacy beliefs predicted higher learning support and better management of learning time. These significant associations persisted when pandemic-specific resources (technological pedagogical knowledge, technical resources at school, collaborative teaching planning; all measured by teachers’ self-reports) were considered. Thus, the findings support the assumption that teachers’ professional beliefs are important for adapting to challenging and unfamiliar circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic, still ensuring high instructional quality.
Radiation‐Belt Dropouts: Relationship With Geomagnetic Storms and MeV Precipitation
Authors: Freund Domenique , Blum Lauren , Huang Jinbei , Vidal‐Luengo Sergio , Bruno Alessandro , Kataoka Ryuho
Published: February 2025

To better understand rapid radiation belt losses, this statistical study examines dropouts, defined as a phase‐space density (PSD) decrease by a factor of within 8 hr. The relationship between dropouts, storm parameters, solar‐wind drivers, geomagnetic indices, and MeV electron precipitation is analyzed. Four years of data from the Van Allen Probes, measuring electron density, the CALorimetric Electron Telescope on the International Space Station, measuring MeV electron precipitation, and solar‐wind/magnetic indices from the OMNI dataset are utilized. Our investigation reveals that electron loss in PSD increases with disturbance intensity. However, about one‐third of dropouts occur during small geomagnetic disturbance periods, some involving precipitation, while approximately 40% of storms do not lead to dropouts. Superposed epoch analysis identifies solar‐wind density and dynamic pressure as the main dropout drivers, while precipitation becomes more likely with higher trapped electron flux and stronger substorms. Dropouts do not require a negative southward magnetic field component.
Near‐Field Imaging of Near‐Identical Mw5.9 Earthquakes in the Crust of Ibaraki, Japan
Authors: Yoshida Keisuke , Fukushima Yo , Kaneko Yoshihiro
Published: February 2025

Understanding the physical mechanisms of intraplate earthquakes requires a better understanding of the earthquake cycle and aseismic slip. A potential short‐term repetition of intraplate earthquakes has been documented from interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) observations of two Mw5.9 events in northern Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, which occurred on 19 March 2011 and 28 December 2016. However, our understanding based on surface geodetic measurements remains limited, particularly in terms of spatial resolution at depth. Here, we used the near‐field seismic waveform data to complement InSAR data, thereby improving the spatial resolution of the coseismic slip distributions. First, we confirmed that the aftershocks of both events occurred along a common fault area. We then conducted a joint inversion that successfully reconciled near‐identical surface displacements with the different seismic waveforms. Our results indicate that while the 2011 event mainly ruptured just updip of the hypocenter at 6 km depth, the 2016 rupture initiated deeper, at 10 km, and propagated to the shallow, northern side, causing large slip near the 2011 rupture area. The slip distributions of two events were complementary in the deeper portion (3 < z < 6 km), whereas those on the shallower side (z < 3 km) largely overlapped, resulting in nearly identical surface displacements. Small earthquakes rarely occur shallower than 3 km, suggesting that this shallow segment releases accumulated strain aseismically. The two events repeatedly triggered seismic slip on this typically aseismic shallow segment, possibly due to dynamic stress changes.
Evidence of Stress Control on Dissolution Cavity Growth Along Heterogeneous Field‐Scale Fractures From Coupled Hydro‐Mechanical‐Chemical Modeling
Authors: Jiang Chuanyin , Wang Xiaoguang , Lei Qinghua , Liu Lijun , Song Guofeng , Jourde Hervé
Published: February 2025

We develop a new coupled hydro‐mechanical‐chemical (HMC) model to investigate the stress‐controlled evolution of dissolution cavities along a hectometer‐scale heterogeneous fracture. The fracture is conceptualized to consist of numerous patches associated with spatially‐variable, stress and dissolution‐dependent local stiffnesses and apertures. We consider the complete coupling relationships among mechanical deformation, fluid flow, and chemical dissolution within the fracture. More specifically, our model captures non‐linear fracture deformational responses and their consequences on localized flow pattern and dissolutional aperture growth, as well as the feedback of dissolution to mechanical weakening and stress redistribution. We elucidate how geomechanical processes affect the aperture and flow patterns and the formation of small to large dissolution cavities. Our simulation results show that stress retards the permeability increase with the extent of retardation positively related to a dimensionless penetration length lp′. Stress induces the splitting of the dissolution front, promoting localized flow and branched dissolution. At low lp′ (wormhole dissolution regime), stress also promotes the sustained growth of dissolution branches. Hence, there is no apparent increase in global flow heterogeneity. At high lp′, stress transitions the system from uniform dissolution into wormhole formation. Wormholes initiate from remote stiffer regions and converge toward the inlet. Our results have important implications for understanding various dissolution phenomena in subsurface fractured rocks, ranging from karstification to reservoir acidization.
Synoptic Drivers and Moisture Sources of Snowfall in Coastal Victoria Land, Antarctica
Authors: Hofsteenge M. G. , Cullen N. J. , Sodemann H. , Katurji M.
Published: February 2025

Snowfall is an important component of the mass balance of ice sheets and glaciers in Antarctica. In coastal Victoria Land (VL), changes to snowfall can impact ice masses, landscapes, and coastal ecosystems. Coastal VL is characterized by strong gradients in snowfall rates between the polar desert of the McMurdo Dry Valleys and the high accumulation in northern VL. Extreme precipitation events significantly contribute to total precipitation, with the largest contribution in the Terra Nova Bay area. We present a comprehensive analysis of snowfall dynamics in this region, using a Lagrangian moisture source diagnostic to study moisture sources and Self‐Organizing Maps (SOM) to link these to different synoptic weather types. The moisture for snowfall in VL originates from the Southern Ocean, with more local sources in the Ross Sea embayment in summer when sea ice is reduced. We show a strong division in moisture sources between northern and southern VL, with the north receiving precipitation from moisture sources to the west and southern VL from the east. Precipitation in northern VL results from meridional transport of marine air from lower latitudes, while precipitation in southern VL is related to cyclonic disturbances in the Ross Sea that bring moisture from the east. Extreme precipitation in northern VL occurs during blocking highs that intensify meridional transport. Such intrusions of marine air, sometimes in the form of atmospheric rivers, do not impact the more isolated western Ross Ice Shelf and southern VL further in the Ross Sea embayment.
3D imaging reveals changes in the neurovascular architecture of the murine calvarium with aging
Authors: Horenberg Allison L. , Ren Yunke , Zeng Eric Z. , Rindone Alexandra N. , Pathak Arvind P. , Grayson Warren L.
Published: February 2025

Calvarial nerves, along with vasculature, influence skull formation during development and following injury, but it remains unclear how calvarial nerves are spatially distributed during postnatal growth and aging. Studying the spatial distribution of nerves in the skull remains a challenge due to a lack of methods to quantify 3D structures in intact bone. To visualize calvarial 3D neurovascular architecture, we imaged nerves and endothelial cells with lightsheet microscopy. We employed machine-learning-based segmentation to facilitate high-resolution characterization from post-natal day 0 (P0) to 80 weeks. We found that TUBB3+ nerve density decreased with aging with the frontal bone demonstrating earlier onset age-related nerve loss than the parietal bone. In addition, nerves in the periosteum and dura mater exhibited similar yet distinct temporal patterns of nerve growth and loss. While no difference was observed in TUBB3+ nerves during skeletal maturation (P0 → 12 weeks), we did observe an increase in the volume of unmyelinated nerves in the dura mater. Regarding calvarial vasculature, larger CD31hiEmcn- vessel fraction increased with aging, while CD31hiEmcnhi vessel fraction was reduced. Throughout all ages, calvarial nerves maintained a preferential spatial association with CD31hiEmcnhi vessels, however, this association decreased with aging. Additionally, we used a model of Apert syndrome to explore the impact of suture-related disease on neurovascular architecture. Collectively, this 3D, spatiotemporal characterization of calvarial nerves throughout the lifespan and provides new insights into age-induced neurovascular architecture.
Spotting false news and doubting true news: a systematic review and meta-analysis of news judgements
Authors: Pfänder Jan , Altay Sacha
Published: February 2025

How good are people at judging the veracity of news? We conducted a systematic literature review and pre-registered meta-analysis of 303 effect sizes from 67 experimental articles evaluating accuracy ratings of true and fact-checked false news (N
Participants = 194,438 from 40 countries across 6 continents). We found that people rated true news as more accurate than false news (Cohen’s d = 1.12 [1.01, 1.22]) and were better at rating false news as false than at rating true news as true (Cohen’s d = 0.32 [0.24, 0.39]). In other words, participants were able to discern true from false news and erred on the side of skepticism rather than credulity. We found no evidence that the political concordance of the news had an effect on discernment, but participants were more skeptical of politically discordant news (Cohen’s d = 0.78 [0.62, 0.94]). These findings lend support to crowdsourced fact-checking initiatives and suggest that, to improve discernment, there is more room to increase the acceptance of true news than to reduce the acceptance of fact-checked false news.
Structural insights into how DEK nucleosome binding facilitates H3K27 trimethylation in chromatin
Authors: Kujirai Tomoya , Echigoya Kenta , Kishi Yusuke , Saeki Mai , Ito Tomoko , Kato Junko , Negishi Lumi , Kimura Hiroshi , Masumoto Hiroshi , Takizawa Yoshimasa , Gotoh Yukiko , Kurumizaka Hitoshi
Published: February 2025

Structural diversity of the nucleosome affects chromatin conformations and regulates eukaryotic genome functions. Here we identify DEK, whose function is unknown, as a nucleosome-binding protein. In embryonic neural progenitor cells, DEK colocalizes with H3 K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), the facultative heterochromatin mark. DEK stimulates the methyltransferase activity of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), which is responsible for H3K27me3 deposition in vitro. Cryo-electron microscopy structures of the DEK–nucleosome complexes reveal that DEK binds the nucleosome by its tripartite DNA-binding mode on the dyad and linker DNAs and interacts with the nucleosomal acidic patch by its newly identified histone-binding region. The DEK–nucleosome interaction mediates linker DNA reorientation and induces chromatin compaction, which may facilitate PRC2 activation. These findings provide mechanistic insights into chromatin structure-mediated gene regulation by DEK.
Cascaded Fabry-Perot interferometer with thin film based on Vernier effect
Authors: Chen Ling , Wu Qiang
Published: February 2025

The Vernier effect is often utilized to boost the sensing ability of optical fiber sensors. In this paper, theoretical model of cascaded Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with thin film based on Vernier effect is established. The sensitivities of the envelope spectra, thin film cavity and mixed cavity of air-thin film are analyzed qualitatively. According to the theoretical analysis, although sensitivity from mixed cavity of air-thin film is amplified, the value is equal to the sensitivity of sing thin film cavity. Experimental verification is carried out by an example of thin film named polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer. Herein, a new FPI constructed by air cavity from a hollow-core fiber, PDMS cavity, and air-PDMS mixed cavity is proposed and demonstrated. In order to facilitate the generation of the Vernier effect, the length of the PDMS cavity is intentionally designed shorter than the air cavity, making the free spectral range of the air-PDMS cavity and air cavity is approximately equal. The temperature change makes the refractive index and thermal expansion of PDMS change, while gas pressure change results in elastic deformation of PDMS. The Vernier envelope wavelength shifts with the temperature and gas pressure change. The proposed FPI features high temperature and gas pressure sensitivities of 3.07 nm/℃, and 23.07 nm/MPa, and a high magnification factor of 17 when the lengths of HCF and PDMS are 82.5 and 3.7 μm, respectively. The experimental results show that the temperature and pressure sensitivities of the cascaded FPI’s envelope spectra are equal to the sensitivity of a single thin film microcavity, and the theoretical calculation is in good agreement with the experimental verification. The theoretical model is also applicable to thin film prepared by other polymer materials. Additionally, the proposed FPI has good stability, reversibility, and repeatability, which is a good choice in the field of optical fiber sensing.
NBS-mediated C(sp3)–H amidation of N,N-dimethylamides with N-acyloxyamides
Authors: Li Shuangqing , Xu Xianru , Yin Guojuan , Chen Jianhui , Luo Yanshu , Xia Yuanzhi
Published: February 2025

Efficient synthesis of methylenebisamides was achieved by NBS-mediated amidation of C(sp3)–H bonds adjacent to the nitrogen in N,N-dimethylamides with N-acyloxyamides.
In situ integration of bimetallic NiFe Prussian blue analogs on carbon cloth for the oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Wang Zhiyong , Wan Shusheng , Chen Yuanmao , Ren Juntao , Liu Lin , Yuan Panpan , Luo Qiong , Deng Peng , Liang Zheng , Yue Xinyang , Wang Junxiong
Published: February 2025

Bimetallic NiFe Prussian blue analog (PBA) nanocubes with abundant unsaturated metal active sites in situ integrated onto carbon cloth (NFPB@CC) have been fabricated and used as catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction.
Anomalous membrane organization by omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids
Authors: Porte Sudha , Pandia Swaratmika , Joardar Ankita , Saraf Deepashri , Pinjari Aadil , Chakraborty Hirak , Sengupta Durba
Published: February 2025

Omega fatty acids are being marketed as healthy food supplements as they have been implicated in multiple pathophysiological conditions such as reducing plaque formation of Aβ peptide and inhibiting SARS-CoV-2...
Rewiring methanol assimilation and reductive glycine pathways in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to increase one-carbon recovery
Authors: Qi Mingming , Zhu Chao , Cheng Chi , Kang Wei , Xue Chuang
Published: February 2025

Utilizing energy-rich methanol as an energy source for S. cerevisiae growth, integrating the reductive glycine pathway into methylotrophic yeast can reduce carbon loss and increase CO2 fixation.
Efficient synthesis of high molecular weight semi-aromatic polyamides with biobased furans over metal-free ionic liquids
Authors: Feng Jian , Yan Dongxia , Rong Chunrui , Yu Lingzhi , Li Jiabao , Xin Jiayu , Lu Xingmei , Zhou Qing , Wang Ziqing , Wei Zhong
Published: February 2025

A furan-based poly(butylene furanamide) (PA4F) with a high molecular weight, a high glass transition temperature and elastic modulus was synthesized using bio-based dimethyl furan-2,5-dicarboxylate catalyzed by green metal-free ionic liquids.
Debondable phenoxy-based structural adhesives with β-amino amide containing reversible crosslinkers
Authors: Portone Francesca , Nguyen Loc Tan , Pinalli Roberta , Pedrini Alessandro , Du Prez Filip E. , Dalcanale Enrico
Published: February 2025

In this work phenoxy-like networks containing formulated β-aminoamide reversible crosslinkers featuring superior adhesive properties as well as rebonding capability are reported.
Application of a bivalent “click” approach to target tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1)
Authors: Zhao Xue Zhi , Wang Wenjie , Mahmud Md Rasel Al , Agama Keli , Pommier Yves , Burke Terrence R.
Published: February 2025

Application of copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) “click” reactions assemble bivalent proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) constituents targeting tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1).
Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 2H-[1,4]oxazino-[2,3-f]quinazolin derivatives as potential EGFR inhibitors for Non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Huang Linchang , Zhang Ying , Liu Peng , Lan Lihong , Yang Lifang , Wang Bo , Cao Tingting , Hu Liming , Qin Xuemei
Published: February 2025

Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) have emerged as the first-line treatment for patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A series of [1,4]oxazino[2,3-f]quinazolin derivatives were synthesized...
Novel Synthesis Approach of Highly Crystalline CrCl3/MoS2 van der Waals Heterostructures Unaffected by Strain
Authors: Hammo Mahmoud M. , Froeschke Samuel , Haider Golam , Wolf Daniel , Popov Alexey A , Büchner B. , Mertig Michael , Hampel S.
Published: February 2025

Controlling the layer-by-layer chemistry and structure of nanomaterials remains a crucial focus in nanoscience and nanoengineering. Specifically, the integration of atomically thin semiconductors with antiferromagnetic two-dimensional materials holds great promise...
Selective gallium adsorption and recovery from Bayer mother liquor using chitosan-based gallium -imprinted resin
Authors: Wang Song , Lv Guozhi , Zhang Ting-an
Published: February 2025

Gallium is an important scattered metal. Currently, Gallium recovery from Bayer mother liquor by adsorption has the problem of poor selectivity. For this reason, this article developed a novel chitosan...
HOO radical scavenging activity of curcumin I and III in physiological conditions: a theoretical investigation on the influence of acid–base equilibrium and tautomerism
Authors: Truong Dinh Hieu , Dinh Thi Tu , Trinh Thi My Duyen , Pham Thi Hong Minh , Pham Minh Quan , Gawlik-Dziki Urszula , Dao Duy Quang
Published: February 2025

Thermodynamics and kinetics of HOO radical scavenging reactions of Cur-I and Cur-III were investigated in water and PEA solutions, considering acid–base equilibrium and tautomerism effects.
Examining undergraduate and graduate student reasoning when interpreting infrared spectra
Authors: Hamilton David T. , Hollingshead Kami , Atkinson Molly B.
Published: February 2025

As students progress through the chemistry curriculum, their interaction with and understanding of instrumentation increases. Integral to this educational journey is the acquisition of skills in interpreting data generated by a wide variety of instruments. Recent efforts have aimed at delineating student assumptions and cognitive constraints in the interpretation of spectral data across various educational levels, notably focusing within organic chemistry settings. However, there is currently limited work focusing on how upper-level undergraduate chemistry students engage with spectral data, particularly pertaining to infrared (IR) spectra. In this qualitative study, we investigate the strategies employed as upper-level undergraduate analytical chemistry students and graduate chemistry students interpret IR spectroscopic data, directly engaging in the scientific practice of analyzing and interpreting data. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted using one task from a larger mixed-methods eye tracking study. Guided by data-frame theory, the findings of this research underscore the critical role of instructor modeling in facilitating the integration of data and frame to derive meaningful conclusions when interpreting IR spectra. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the interpretation of spectral data, thereby informing pedagogical practices in chemistry education.
Dicopper(i) complexes of a binucleating, dianionic, naphthyridine bis(amide) ligand
Authors: Sévery Laurent , Alexander Wheeler T. , Nicolay Amelie , Teat Simon J. , Don Tilley T.
Published: February 2025

Structural, electrochemical and computational studies of dinuclear copper(i) complexes with a carboxamide-substituted 1,8-naphthyridine ligand show significant intermetallic separation, reversible ligand-based reduction and weak Cu–Cu interactions.
Facile synthesis of recyclable polythioimidocarbonates via aromatization-driven alternating copolymerization of para-quinone methide and isothiocyanates
Authors: Chu Wen-Dao , Dan Si-Yu , Zhan Jie , Chen Bo , Xian Ji , Wang Chun-Mei , Liu Quan-Zhong , Wu Jincai , Fan Chun-An
Published: February 2025

For the first time, the aromatization-driven alternating copolymerization of p-QM with isothiocyanates is explored under mild conditions.