bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strain‐Induced Effects on Band‐to‐Band Tunneling and Trap‐Assisted Tunneling in Si Examined by Experiment and Theory
Authors: Murphy‐Armando Felipe , Liu Chang , Zhao Yi , Duffy Ray
Published: October 2024

Strain is commonly used in metal–oxide–semiconductor technologies to boost on‐state performance. This booster has been in production for at least a decade. Despite this, a systematic study of the impact of strain on off‐state leakage current has been lacking. Herein, experimental data and ab initio calculations are used to refine existing models to account for the impact of strain on band‐to‐band tunneling and trap‐assisted tunneling in silicon. It is observed that the strain may dramatically increase the leakage current, depending on the type of tunneling involved. For band‐to‐band and trap‐assisted tunneling, low uniaxial strains of 0.1% (or 180 MPa) can increase the leakage current by 60% and 10% compared to the unstrained case, respectively. Using models, it is predicted that compressive strain on the order of 1% (or 2 GPa) can increase the leakage current by 150 times. Conversely, tensile strain may diminish or at most double the leakage current in all observed cases. Though detrimental in conventional inversion‐mode metal‐oxide‐semiconductor field‐effect‐transistor, these processes may be used to boost the performance of tunnel field‐effect transistors, where on‐state current is defined by band‐to‐band tunneling.
Determination of nut varieties and their detection in festive cookies by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry
Authors: Kuckova Stepanka , Kaderabkova Lucie
Published: October 2024

Rationale

Nuts contain a large amount of essential fatty acids, amino acids, and whole range of minerals and vitamins valuable for human health, yet certain risks are associated with their consumption, of which allergic reaction is the most important. Considering the growing number of people suffering from allergies caused by allergens of protein origin, the aim of this work is to find out whether nuts can be distinguished from each other on the basis of contained proteins.

Methods

A total of eleven raw and subsequently heat‐treated nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, coconuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts) were analyzed using MALDI‐TOF (matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight) mass spectrometry with the subsequent finding of characteristic m/z values for each analyzed nut. No previous method for protein extraction was used.

Results

The characteristic values were used to verify the composition of seven types of festive cookies – six commercial products and one “unknown” cookie, where it was not known in advance, which nut it was made from.

Conclusions

The procedure, together with the found characteristic m/z values, could serve to rapidly identify the plant origin of nut products.
Advanced Palladium Nanosheet‐Enhanced Phototherapy for Treating Wound Infection Caused by Multidrug‐Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Li Shanshan , Lu Mingzhu , Dai Chenxi , Xu Bolong , Wu Nier , Wang Lin , Liu Chao , Chen Fangzhou , Yang Haokun , Huang Zhijun , Liu Huiyu , Zhou Dongsheng
Published: October 2024

With the increasing spread of multidrug‐resistant (MDR) bacteria worldwide, it is needed to develop antibiotics‐alternative strategies for the treatment of bacterial infections. This work develops a multifunctional single‐component palladium nanosheet (PdNS) with broad‐spectrum and highly effective bactericidal activity against MDR bacteria. PdNS exerts its endogenous nanoknife (mechanical cutting) effect and peroxidase‐like activity independent of light. Under near‐infrared region (NIR) light irradiation, PdNS exhibits photothermal effect to produce local heat and meanwhile possesses photodynamic effect to generate 1O2; notably, PdNS has catalase‐like activity‐dependent extra photodynamic effect upon H2O2 addition. PdNS+H2O2+NIR employs a collectively synergistic mechanism of nanoknife effect, peroxidase/catalase‐like catalytic activity, photothermal effect, and photodynamic effect for bacterial killing. PdNS+H2O2+NIR causes compensatory elevated phospholipid biosynthesis, disordered energy metabolism, increased cellular ROS levels and excessive oxidative stress, and inhibited nucleic acid synthesis in bacteria. In mice, PdNS+H2O2+NIR gives >92.7% bactericidal rates at infected wounds and almost the full recovery of infected wounds, and it leads to extensive down‐regulation of proinflammatory pathways and comprehensive up‐regulation of wound healing pathways, conferring elevated inflammation resolution and meanwhile accelerated wound repair. PdNS+H2O2+NIR represents a highly efficient nanoplatform for photoenhanced treatment of superficial infections.
Supported Binuclear Gold Phosphine Complexes as CO Oxidation Catalysts: Insights into the Formation of Surface‐Stabilized Au Particles
Authors: Rang Fabian , Delrieux Tim , Maurer Florian , Flecken Franziska , Grunwaldt Jan‐Dierk , Hanf Schirin
Published: October 2024

Atomically precise gold phosphine complexes as precursors for supported Au catalysts tested in CO oxidation are presented. Using a variety of analytical techniques, including in situ and operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, it is discovered that minor changes in the ligand of the molecular complexes result in significantly different activation behaviors of supported Au catalysts under reaction conditions. When using [Au2(μ2‐POP)2]OTf2 (POP = tetraphenylphosphoxane) as single‐source precursor, an active supported oxidation catalyst in second light‐off is obtained, outperforming a commercial Au/TiO2 and a P‐free Au/Al2O3 reference catalyst. Conversely, using [Au2(μ2‐dppe)2]OTf2 (dppe = diphenylphosphinoethane) on alumina leads to a significant decrease in CO oxidation activity. This difference is attributed to the formation of P‐containing ligand residues on the support in the case of [Au2(μ2‐POP)2]OTf2/Al2O3, which enhances the thermal stability of the Au particles and affects the particle's electronic properties through charge transfer processes. This work provides insights into the dynamic ligand decomposition of molecular gold complexes under reaction conditions and demonstrates the delicate balance between the stabilization of Au particles, clusters, and complexes using ligands and the blocking of active sites. This knowledge will pave the way for the targeted use of molecular transition metal complexes as precursors in synthesizing surface‐stabilized nanoparticles.
This Microtubule Does Not Exist: Super‐Resolution Microscopy Image Generation by a Diffusion Model
Authors: Saguy Alon , Nahimov Tav , Lehrman Maia , Gómez‐de‐Mariscal Estibaliz , Hidalgo‐Cenalmor Iván , Alalouf Onit , Balakrishnan Ashwin , Heilemann Mike , Henriques Ricardo , Shechtman Yoav
Published: October 2024

Generative models, such as diffusion models, have made significant advancements in recent years, enabling the synthesis of high‐quality realistic data across various domains. Here, the adaptation and training of a diffusion model on super‐resolution microscopy images are explored. It is shown that the generated images resemble experimental images, and that the generation process does not exhibit a large degree of memorization from existing images in the training set. To demonstrate the usefulness of the generative model for data augmentation, the performance of a deep learning‐based single‐image super‐resolution (SISR) method trained using generated high‐resolution data is compared against training using experimental images alone, or images generated by mathematical modeling. Using a few experimental images, the reconstruction quality and the spatial resolution of the reconstructed images are improved, showcasing the potential of diffusion model image generation for overcoming the limitations accompanying the collection and annotation of microscopy images. Finally, the pipeline is made publicly available, runnable online, and user‐friendly to enable researchers to generate their own synthetic microscopy data. This work demonstrates the potential contribution of generative diffusion models for microscopy tasks and paves the way for their future application in this field.
A Theoretical Perspective for Ammonia Synthesis: Nitric Oxide or Nitrate Electroreduction?
Authors: Wang Qianxiao , Guo Pu , Li Huan , Long Jun , Yang Shaoxue , Xiao Jianping
Published: October 2024

Ammonia is an important raw material for agricultural production, playing a key role in global food production. However, conventional ammonia synthesis resulted in extensive greenhouse gas emissions and huge energy consumption. Recently, researchers have proposed electrocatalytic reverse artificial nitrogen cycle (eRANC) routes to circumvent these issues, which can be driven by electrocatalysis and sustainable electricity. Here, a theoretical and computational perspective on the challenges and opportunities with the comparison with experimental results: electrochemical reduction of nitrate (eNO3RR) and nitrite (eNO2RR), electrochemical reduction of nitric oxide (eNORR) combined with oxidative nitrogen fixation are presented. By comparison, the N2→NO→NH3 route is proposed as the most promising in case the NO solubility can be solved well in reactor design. Its high efficiency of ammonia production is demonstrated. Instead, the eNO3RR can be another choice because it is non‐toxic and the solid‐liquid interface is usually efficient for electrochemical reactions, while its low selectivity at low overpotentials is an issue. These fundamentals highlight the potential and key factors of eRANC as an efficient and sustainable route for ammonia production.
Analysis of Flow Pattern and Bubble Behavior in Slab Continuous Casting with Mold Electromagnetic Stirring
Authors: Lu Haibiao , Cheng Qiao , Zhong Yunbo , Cheng Changgui , Ren WeiLi , Ren Zhongming , Lei Zuosheng
Published: October 2024

The electromagnetic stirring (EMS) and argon blowing are the widely recognized and extensively employed technologies to control the flow pattern in slab continuous casting, and their interaction is directly linked to the final product. To investigate the flow pattern, bubble characteristics under mold EMS and argon blowing, a mathematical model coupling the electromagnetic field, two‐phase flow is constructed. The population balance model (PBM) under the Eulerian frame is applied to describe the bubbles breakage and coalescence. The results show that the flow regime under the interaction of argon blowing and EMS transfers from bubble ascending flow to intermediate flow to horizontal recirculation flow as EMS current increases, and the large argon flow rate could suppress the formation of horizontal recirculation flow. Meanwhile, EMS can promote the coalescence of bubbles, with the increasing EMS current, the bubble numbers decrease first and then increase, and the bubble mean diameter increases first and then decreases. For obtaining the horizontal recirculation flow, the suitable argon flow rate and EMS current should be matched suitably.
A Pseudo‐catalytic Network Motif for Thiol‐based Chemical Reaction Networks
Authors: Zhigileva Ekaterina A. , Puchkin Ilia A. , Semenov Sergey N.
Published: October 2024

The construction of chemical reaction networks (CRNs) is a formidable challenge because of their holistic and nonlinear nature. One approach to constructing CRNs involves combining fragments with distinctive properties, known as network motifs. Thiol chemistry is widely used in the construction of CRNs, with motifs available for positive and negative feedback loops. However, a simple catalytic motif has been lacking. Here, we developed a pseudo‐catalytic motif using the reaction between cystamine and organic thiocyanates, which operates through a nucleophilic chain mechanism. Although similar to thiol autocatalytic systems, this reaction does not involve a doubling of the number of thiol species at any stage. The reaction is high‐yielding and produces 2‐amino‐2‐thiazoline. Its pseudo‐catalytic nature manifests itself in the nearly linear relationship between the reaction rate and the amount of free thiols added at the beginning of the reaction. We demonstrated that this reaction can be regulated by external, time‐dependent thiol signals and integrated into larger CRNs. We believe that this system will be a valuable addition to thiol chemistry, enabling the construction of CRNs with interesting functionalities.
Integrated Analysis of Serum and Tissue microRNA Transcriptome for Biomarker Discovery in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Wang Xinfeng , Li Zhuoran , Zhang Chengyan
Published: October 2024

Gastric cancer (GC) poses a significant global health challenge, demanding a detailed exploration of its molecular landscape. Studies suggest that exposure to environmental pollutants can lead to changes in microRNA (miRNA) expression patterns, which may contribute to the development and progression of GC. MiRNAs have emerged as crucial regulators implicated in GC pathogenesis. The largest GC serum miRNA dataset to date, comprising 1417 non‐cancer controls and 1417 GC samples was used. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of miRNA expression profiles. Differential expression analysis, co‐expression network construction, and machine learning models were employed to identify key serum miRNAs and their association with clinical parameters. Weighted Gene Co‐expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and immune infiltration analysis were used to validate the importance of the key miRNA. A total of 1766 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, with miR‐1290, miR‐1246, and miR‐451a among the top up‐regulated, and miR‐6875‐5p, miR‐6784‐5p, miR‐1228‐5p, and miR‐6765‐5p among the top down‐regulated. WGCNA revealed that modules M1 and M5 were significantly associated with GC subtypes and disease status. MiRNA‐target gene network analysis identified prognostically significant genes TP53, EMCN, CBX8, and ALDH1A3. Machine learning models LASSO, SVM, randomforest, and XGBOOST demonstrated the diagnostic potential of miRNA profiles. Tissue and serum miR‐187 emerged as an independent prognostic factor, influencing patient survival across clinical parameters. Gene expression and immune cell infiltration were different in tissues stratified by miR‐187 expression. In summary, the integration of differential gene expression, co‐expression analysis, and immune cell profiling provided insights into the molecular intricacies of GC progression.
Prediction of metachronous advanced colorectal neoplasia by KRAS mutation in polyps
Authors: Martínez‐Roca Alejandro , Cubiella Joaquín , García‐Heredia Anabel , Guill‐Berbegal David , Baile‐Maxía Sandra , Mangas‐Sanjuán Carolina , Sala‐Miquel Noelia , Madero‐Velazquez Lucía , Alenda Cristina , Zapater Pedro , González‐Núñez Clara , Iglesias‐Gómez Agueda , Codesido‐Prado Laura , Díez‐Martín Astrid , Kaminski Michal F. , Erichsen Rune , Adami Hans‐Olov , Ferlitsch Monika , Pellisé María , Holme Øyvind , Dekker Evelien , Bretthauer Michael , Jover Rodrigo ,   For the EPoS Study Group
Published: October 2024

Background

The potential of molecular markers in the removed polys as reliable predictors of metachronous lesions is still uncertain.

Aim

Our aim was to evaluate the role of somatic mutations in KRAS in polyps of patients with high‐risk adenomas to predict the risk of advanced polyps or colorectal cancer (CRC) within 3 years.

Methods

A total of 518 patients were prospectively enrolled. The included patients had adenomas ≥10 mm, high‐grade dysplasia, villous component or ≥3 more adenomas at baseline and were scheduled to undergo surveillance colonoscopy at 3 years ± 6 months. Somatic KRAS mutation was performed on 1189 polyps collected from these patients. At surveillance, advanced lesions were defined as adenomas with a size of ≥10 mm. High‐grade dysplasia or villous component, serrated polyps ≥10 mm or with dysplasia or CRC.

Results

At baseline, 81 patients (15.6%) had KRAS mutations in at least one polyp. Patients with KRAS mutated polyps had more frequent villous histological lesions and size ≥20 mm. In the multivariate analysis, adjusted for age and sex, only age (odds ratios [OR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.09; p < 0.001), ≥5 adenomas (OR, 3.92; 95% CI, 1.96–7.82), and KRAS mutation (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.48–4.34; p < 0.01) were independently associated with the development of advanced lesions at surveillance.

Conclusions

Our results show that, in patients with high‐risk adenomas, the presence of somatic mutations in KRAS is an independent risk factor for the development of advanced metachronous polyps.
Recent enrichment of megafauna in the north of Eurasia supports the concept of Pleistocene rewilding
Authors: Popov Igor
Published: October 2024

‘Pleistocene rewilding' refers to the concept of restoring ecosystems to their state during the Pleistocene epoch, by (re‐)introducing species or their close relatives that were present during that time, in an effort to revive ecological processes that existed before human‐driven extinctions. This concept is highly controversial for both ethical and ecological reasons. Here I review evidence of recent northward range expansions of various large land mammals in boreal Eurasia, and discuss whether this provides evidence that rewilding projects might be justified and feasible. Around 100 years ago, the native boreal fauna of Eurasia included five species of large land mammals: moose Alces alces, brown bear Ursus arctos, wolf Canis lupus, reindeer Rangifer tarandus, and snow sheep Ovis nivicola, but since then the list has expanded. This is due to the introduction of bison Bison bonasus, Bison bison, muskox Ovibos moschatus, non‐native deer, and feral horses, as well as the northward expansion of wild boar Sus scrofa, roe deer Capreolus capreolus, Capreolus pygargus, and red deer Cervus canadensis. In addition, several southern species temporarily occurred in the north, including tiger Panthera tigris, sika deer Cervus nippon, and yak Bos grunniens. This ongoing enrichment of the boreal fauna is reminiscent to Pleistocene rewilding. However, so far, the abundance of expanding large mammals species remains low. Large‐scale projects on Pleistocene rewilding are labor‐intensive, expensive, and not popular enough to receive support, and therefore their realization is problematic
Population dynamics of a desert riverine turtle, Pseudemys gorzugi, at the northern edge of its range
Authors: Mali Ivana , Duarte Adam
Published: October 2024

Estimating the key demographic parameters of animal populations can enhance our understanding of system dynamics and assist in developing and improving conservation decision–support models. The Rio Grande cooter Pseudemys gorzugi is a conservation reliant freshwater turtle native to lower Rio Grande River Basin (USA and Mexico), with limited knowledge regarding its natural history and population dynamics. In this study, we used seven years of capture–mark–recapture data from the northern edge of the species' range to estimate survival probabilities, changes in abundance, and the probability of transitioning between different size classes while explicitly accounting for the sampling process. We found relatively high survival probabilities across different strata, with large juveniles exhibiting the highest survival (0.98) and small juveniles the lowest (0.71). However, transition probabilities between strata were low, indicating slow somatic growth rates. Our pattern‐oriented modelling revealed a low overall mean estimate of egg survival (0.024), warranting further empirical confirmation. Our study provides the first comprehensive demographic analysis of P. gorzugi encompassing an array of size and sex classes. Overall, we consider the population of P. gorzugi in the Black River robust, highlighting the importance of this river system to the species' persistence in the northern extent of its range, where the population is isolated from its broader distribution. The demographic estimates and ecological insights provided by our study offer critical data for parameterizing decision‐support models to ensure that P. gorzugi conservation strategies are grounded in the best available science.
The Rule of Law in Troubled Waters: Narrating Rights, Democracy and Challenges
Authors: Lorenz Astrid , Anders Lisa H. , Müller Dietmar , Němec Jan
Published: October 2024

This chapter analyses the rule of law discourses in the parliaments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia regarding rights, democracy and challenges. Since 1989, the term ‘rule of law’ has become widely used, especially by (opposition) MPs, who mentioned it when denouncing problems. As we show in this chapter, the term became a trigger word, associated with various shortcomings, conflicts and accusations, and with the increasing relevance of the judiciary, which was perceived as politicised in some parliaments. The handling of rights was very controversial in some parliaments while a topic of minor relevance in others. The relationship between the rule of law and democracy seemed less uncontroversial at first glance, but it was disputed in certain parliaments and periods. The chapter also demonstrates that a number of aspects were described as challenges to the rule of law across party lines, often with country-specific narratives. Finally, established rhetorical divides existed regarding some challenges to the rule of law. To substantiate our interpretations, we provide various illustrative quotes.
PIRLS 2021 and PISA 2022 Statistics Show How Serious the Pandemic Losses Are
Authors: Crato Nuno , Patrinos Harry Anthony
Published: October 2024

PIRLS 2021 and PISA 2022 are the first international large-scale surveys that assessed students worldwide after the COVID-19 pandemic school closures. As expected, they reveal devastating learning losses for students of most countries and regions although in a few of them average results were able to progress despite the pandemic. For many countries and regions, the recent student learning losses add to previous losses. This chapter discusses these setbacks and highlights the main conclusions from different countries’ experiences. Unsurprisingly, the key factors are the curriculum, which needs to be streamlined and made more rigorous and better structured; the assessment, which needs to be regular, frequent, and to combine national standardized testing with formative tools; and the targeted support for struggling students.
United States: The Size and Variation of the Pandemic Learning Losses
Authors: Hanushek Eric A. , Strauss Bradley
Published: October 2024

Recent international and national assessments point to the substantial learning losses that resulted from school disruptions during the pandemic. The United States, which entered the pandemic with achievement near the OECD average, had rather average pandemic learning losses and came out of the pandemic at roughly the same international ranking as before the pandemic. The learning losses from the pandemic foretell substantial economic costs related to the lower skills of those in the COVID-19 cohort. At the same time, there was substantial heterogeneity in achievement losses across states and across individuals, leading to disproportionate economic impacts on some individuals and states. Unlike the other economic costs of the pandemic, those from learning losses are future costs that are yet to accrue and that can be ameliorated by public action—but the time for feasibly addressing them is quickly running out.
Chile: From Closure to Recovery: Tracing the Educational Impact of COVID-19
Authors: Hofflinger Álvaro , Rodríguez-Ramírez Rony , Vegas Emiliana
Published: October 2024

This chapter analyzes the effects of school closures in Chile, the nation with the longest period of school closures among OECD countries. Using data from PISA (national level) and SIMCE (student level) in 2022, we examine the association between school closures and students’ GPA, attendance rates, and math and reading scores. Our findings show that, on average, students’ attendance rates and math and reading scores experienced a decline, while their annual GPA increased after 2020. The results also show that school closures affect students differently depending on their demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Poland: Education During and After COVID-19 Pandemic and Educational Reforms
Authors: Gajderowicz Tomasz , Jakubowski Maciej
Published: October 2024

The COVID-19 closures lasted at least 26 weeks in Poland, longer than in most EU countries. The Polish government’s response revealed inadequacies in planning and execution. Evidence from international and national studies shows that the related achievement decline is equivalent to at least one year of education and probably more immense for some students. We calculate that the lower estimate of the achievement decline is associated with reduced GDP growth by 0.35% points. The estimated wage loss per student over a 45-year working life sums up to an economic loss of 7.2% of Poland’s 2021 GDP.
Ergebnisse der Analyse
Authors: Kneifel Malte
Published: October 2024

In diesem Kapitel erfolgt die Präsentation und Diskussion der Ergebnisse der digital gestützten Analyse des der Untersuchung zugrundeliegenden Textkorpus. Diese erfolgt der Reihe nach anhand von vier Textgruppen: 1) autos, causas e informaciones, memorias, Protokolle; 2) cuentas, conciertos; 3) cartas, peticiones; 4) Testamente. Der Präsentation der Ergebnisse werden zunächst jeweils relevante Vorbemerkungen zur Textgruppe vorgeschaltet. Darauffolgend wird exemplarisch eine Detailanalyse eines repräsentativen Textpaars aus der Textgruppe abgebildet, um den Analyseprozess zu verdeutlichen und um fokussiert Ergebnisse anhand zweier Einzeltexte zu präsentieren. Davon ausgehend werden in der Folge für jede Textgruppe globale Analyseergebnisse präsentiert und erörtert, um schließlich ein Fazit hinsichtlich des Zusammenhangs von Textproduktion und Translation, und somit der Herausbildung einer Textproduktionstradition mit und durch Translation, in der jeweiligen Textgruppe zu ziehen.
Fazit und Schlussbetrachtungen
Authors: Kneifel Malte
Published: October 2024

In diesem Kapitel werden die Ergebnisse der Analyse vor dem Hintergrund des der Arbeit zugrundeliegenden Erkenntnisinteresses als empirische Erkenntnisse synthetisiert und darauf aufbauend theoretische Erkenntnisse abstrahiert. Auch wird ein Ausblick auf weitere einschlägige Forschungsmöglichkeiten und -Lücken gegeben, die aus den Erkenntnissen der vorliegenden Arbeit resultieren.
Pharmacologically increasing cGMP improves proteostasis and reduces neuropathy in mouse models of CMT1
Authors: Moore Seth M. , Gawron Joseph , Stevens Mckayla , Marziali Leandro N. , Buys Emmanuel S. , Milne G. Todd , Feltri Maria Laura , VerPlank Jordan J.S.
Published: October 2024

Increasing cyclic GMP activates 26S proteasomes via phosphorylation by Protein Kinase G and stimulates the intracellular degradation of misfolded proteins. Therefore, agents that raise cGMP may be useful therapeutics against neurodegenerative diseases and other diseases in which protein degradation is reduced and misfolded proteins accumulate, including Charcot Marie Tooth 1A and 1B peripheral neuropathies, for which there are no treatments. Here we increased cGMP in the S63del mouse model of CMT1B by treating for three weeks with either the phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor tadalafil, or the brain-penetrant soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulator CYR119. Both molecules activated proteasomes in the affected peripheral nerves, reduced polyubiquitinated proteins, and improved myelin thickness and nerve conduction. CYR119 increased cGMP more than tadalafil in the peripheral nerves of S63del mice and elicited greater biochemical and functional improvements. To determine whether raising cGMP could be beneficial in other neuropathies, we first showed that polyubiquitinated proteins and the disease-causing protein accumulate in the sciatic nerves of the C3 mouse model of CMT1A. Treatment of these mice with CYR119 reduced the levels of polyubiquitinated proteins and the disease-causing protein, presumably by increasing their degradation, and improved myelination, nerve conduction, and motor coordination. Thus, pharmacological agents that increase cGMP are promising treatments for CMT1 neuropathies and may be useful against other proteotoxic and neurodegenerative diseases.
Compact Metric Spaces with Infinite Cop Number
Authors: Georgakopoulos Agelos
Published: October 2024

Mohar recently adapted the classical game of Cops and Robber from graphs to metric spaces, thereby unifying previously studied pursuit-evasion games. He conjectured that finitely many cops can win on any compact geodesic metric space, and that their number can be upper-bounded in terms of the ranks of the homology groups when the space is a simplicial pseudo-manifold. We disprove these conjectures by constructing a metric on $$\mathbb {S}^3$$

S

3

with infinite cop number. More problems are raised than settled.
Compact lossy compression of tensors via neural tensor-train decomposition
Authors: Kwon Taehyung , Ko Jihoon , Jung Jinhong , Jang Jun-Gi , Shin Kijung
Published: October 2024

Many real-world datasets are represented as tensors, i.e., multi-dimensional arrays of numerical values. Storing them without compression often requires substantial space, which grows exponentially with the order. While many tensor compression algorithms are available, many of them rely on strong data assumptions regarding its order, sparsity, rank, and smoothness. In this work, we propose TensorCodec, a lossy compression algorithm for general tensors that do not necessarily adhere to strong input data assumptions.TensorCodec incorporates three key ideas. The first idea is neural tensor-train decomposition (NTTD) where we integrate a recurrent neural network into Tensor-Train Decomposition to enhance its expressive power and alleviate the limitations imposed by the low-rank assumption. Another idea is to fold the input tensor into a higher-order tensor to reduce the space required by NTTD. Finally, the mode indices of the input tensor are reordered to reveal patterns that can be exploited by NTTD for improved approximation. In addition, we extend TensorCodec to enable the lossy compression of tensors with missing entries, often found in real-world datasets. Our analysis and experiments on 8 real-world datasets demonstrate that TensorCodec is (a) Concise: it gives up to

$$7.38 \times $$

7.38
×

more compact compression than the best competitor with similar reconstruction error, (b) Accurate: given the same budget for compressed size, it yields up to

$$3.33\times $$

3.33
×

more accurate reconstruction than the best competitor, (c) Scalable: Its empirical compression time is linear in the number of tensor entries, and it reconstructs each entry in logarithmic time. Our code and datasets are available at https://github.com/kbrother/TensorCodec.
Hybrid covariance super-resolution data assimilation
Authors: Barthélémy Sébastien , Counillon François , Brajard Julien , Bertino Laurent
Published: October 2024

The super-resolution data assimilation (SRDA) enhances a low-resolution (LR) model with a Neural Network (NN) that has learned the differences between high and low-resolution models offline and performs data assimilation in high-resolution (HR). The method enhances the accuracy of the EnKF-LR system for a minor computational overhead. However, performance quickly saturates when the ensemble size is increased due to the error introduced by the NN. We therefore combine the SRDA with the mixed-resolution data assimilation method (MRDA) into a method called “Hybrid covariance super-resolution data assimilation” (Hybrid SRDA). The forecast step runs an ensemble at two resolutions (high and low). The assimilation is done in the HR space by performing super-resolution on the LR members with the NN. The assimilation uses the hybrid covariance that combines the emulated and dynamical HR members. The scheme is extensively tested with a quasi-geostrophic model in twin experiments, with the LR grid being twice coarser than the HR. The Hybrid SRDA outperforms the SRDA, the MRDA, and the EnKF-HR at a given computational cost. The benefit is the largest compared to the EnKF-HR for small ensembles. However, even with larger computational resources, using a mix of high and low-resolution members is worth it. Besides, the Hybrid SRDA, the EnKF-HR, and the SRDA, unlike the MRDA, prevent the smoothing of dynamical structures of the background error covariance matrix. The Hybrid SRDA method is also attractive because it is customizable to available resources.
Epilepsie im Rhythmus der Nacht und im Zyklus des Schlafs
Authors: Voges Berthold
Published: October 2024

Hintergrund

Epilepsie unterliegt – unter anderem – dem Rhythmus von Tag und Nacht und dem Zyklus der verschiedenen Schlafstadien. Ausprägung und Schweregrad einer Epilepsie werden mit beeinflusst von der Schlafqualität und -kontinuität des Patienten.

Zielsetzung

Es wird ein Überblick über die Interaktion von Schlaf und Epilepsie und über den daraus möglichen Nutzen für Diagnostik und Therapie gegeben.

Methode

Die Arbeit ist eine Übersichtsarbeit.

Ergebnisse und Diskussion

Verschiedene Arten epileptischer und nichtepileptischer Anfälle folgen einer spezifischen circadianen bzw. Wach-Schlaf-Rhythmik, was sich differenzialdiagnostisch nutzen lässt. Schlafentzug führt zu einer verstärkten Epilepsieaktivität, nicht zuletzt durch den vermehrten, aber instabilen Schlaf am Folgetag. Im NREM-Schlaf kommt es zu einer Häufung und zu einer größeren räumlichen Ausbreitung epilepsietypischer Potenziale (ETP) und darum zu einer erhöhten Wahrscheinlichkeit von Anfällen und Anfallsgeneralisierung. Der REM-Schlaf hingegen ist infolge von EEG(Elektroenzephalogramm)-Desynchronisation und -Amplitudenminderung sowie aufgrund einer REM(„rapid eye movement“)-spezifischen funktionellen Diskonnektion v. a. des Frontallappens anfallsprotektiv, dies sogar mehr als der Wachzustand. Gelingt es trotzdem, ETP oder Anfälle im REM-Schlaf zu erfassen, so lässt sich aufgrund der im REM geringen ETP-Propagationstendenz aus diesen Daten oft eine wertvolle lokalisatorische Aussage zur Seizure-Onset-Zone ableiten. Anfälle im Schlaf und auch im Wachen, aber selbst schon das Auftreten interiktualer ETP im Schlaf verschlechtern die Schlafkontinuität, -struktur und -qualität. Dies kann die Ursache für affektive und kognitiv-mnestische Störungen im täglichen Leben der Patienten sein. Schlaffragmentierung und -mangel haben aber auch prokonvulsive Potenz und können somit zu einer weiteren Anfallsverschlechterung führen, was ihrerseits die Schlafqualität weiter beeinträchtigt. Dieser Teufelskreis wird noch befeuert durch das Bestehen von komorbiden schlafmedizinischen Erkrankungen oder schlafstörenden Nebenwirkungen der Antianfallstherapien. Werden solche Zusammenhänge erkannt und behandelt, dann bestehen mit einer Ausrichtung an seinen individuellen chronobio- und somnologischen Bedingungen gute Aussichten, einen bisher therapierefraktären Patienten zu einem „Responder“ zu transformieren.
One-year results of trabeculectomy with emphasis on the effect of patients’ age
Authors: Iwaki Yuto , Mori Sotaro , Okuda-Arai Mina , Takano Fumio , Ueda Kaori , Sakamoto Mari , Yamada-Nakanishi Yuko , Nakamura Makoto
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study investigated the association between one-year surgical outcomes following trabeculectomy and age, accounting for confounding factors.

Study Design

Retrospective observational study.

Method

Analyzing data from 305 patients undergoing initial trabeculectomy from 2019 onward, we employed three approaches to adjust variables: stratified analysis, regression analysis, and propensity score matching. Surgical success at 1-year post-surgery was defined by two criteria: achieving intraocular pressure of between 5 and 15 mmHg with a ≥ 20% reduction compared to pre-surgery levels and no additional glaucoma surgery (Criterion A); achieving intraocular pressure of between 5 and 12 mmHg with a ≥ 30% reduction compared to pre-surgery levels and no additional glaucoma surgery (Criterion B).

Results

Stratified analysis by age unveiled a significant increase in exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) and a trend towards shorter axial lengths with advancing age (both p < 0.0001). Older age groups were more likely to experience surgical failure in both Criterion A and B (p = 0.21, < 0.01). Univariate analysis showed age as a significant factor in surgical failure for Criterion A (p < 0.05) and a nearly significant factor for Criterion B (p = 0.12). However, this trend was not evident in multivariate analysis (p = 0.23/0.88), where XFG became a significant factor for surgical failure (both p < 0.001) in Criteria A and B. Propensity score matching revealed no significant differences in surgical success rates for Criteria A and B between younger and older patients (p = 1.00 and 0.88).

Conclusion

Age is not a primary determinant of failure in trabeculectomy; however, the increasing incidence of XFG with aging suggests a potential for poorer outcomes.
A long-term analysis of research unbundling: implications for research provision and market quality
Authors: Bender Micha , Cestonaro Tino , Clapham Benjamin , Gomber Peter
Published: October 2024

This replication study assesses the long-term effects of MiFID II’s research unbundling rules on investment research provision and stock market quality. We extend existing studies by utilizing a post-event period exceeding five years, by regional differentiation within Europe, and by incorporating the new option to rebundle payments for order execution and research services for SMEs. In line with existing studies, we find a decrease in analyst coverage after MiFID II, particularly for large caps, while SMEs remain unaffected. These findings are consistent across different European regions but not for the United Kingdom. Market quality experiences a decline, with lower trading volume and increased volatility, offset by liquidity improvements for larger firms. After the introduction of rebundling, which has not been analyzed by existing studies, SME research coverage declines, suggesting that investment firms are not utilizing this option. Our findings offer insights for evidence-based policy-making as regulatory discussions on research unbundling persist in different jurisdictions.
A General Model for the Ductility of Intermetallics Applied to Fe-Co Alloys
Authors: Everhart Wesley , Newkirk Joseph
Published: October 2024

The mechanical properties, specifically ductility, of high performing soft magnets such as Fe-Co alloys are a limiting factor to their broader use in a number of systems. The understanding of the mechanical robustness in these materials is currently insufficient to be able to support the growing interest in applications such as magnetic shielding or electric motors. Fe-Co alloys provide the highest commercially available magnetic saturation and high magnetic permeability but have very poor ductility. The addition of vanadium to these alloys has allowed for significant commercialization and some ductility improvements, but the fundamental reasons for the observed improvements are not well understood. In most published work on mechanical properties in these alloys, the precise chemistry of the alloys investigated, often a critical aspect of intermetallics, is not reported or controlled and thermal history is unclear. This work creates a ductility model that is sensitive to changes in chemistry and can predict relative strain to failure as well as brittle fracture mode for intermetallics and is applied to Fe-Co alloys. Through the application of density functional theory (DFT), this model identifies defect stabilities, anti-phase boundary (APB) energies, the energy necessary to cross-slip, and cleavage energies and combines them through energetic competition to determine a relative failure strain. The model correctly predicts ductility improvements with the addition of vanadium as well as the transition from intergranular to transgranular cleavage, though more precise experiments are necessary to appropriately validate the various improvements observed.
Evaluation of the soil quality using health index in temperate European conditions (Slovak Republic)
Authors: Makovníková Jarmila , Kološta Stanislav , Pálka Boris , Flaška Filip
Published: October 2024

Land users and policy makers recognize importance of soil health and these types of evaluations are welcomed within sustainable land management. The aim of this study was to establish minimum and maximum values of soil health index across the breadth of agricultural used soils of Slovakia. Core objectives included (1) identifying the range of soil health benchmarks; (2) defining benchmarks for different land uses, and (3) defining benchmarks of soil health index for main groups of agricultural soils in Slovakia. These benchmarks represent the first soil health metrics of their kind in Slovakia using data from 266 locations. The soil health index (SHI) approach has been used as a quantitative tool to establish linkage between soil health and soil ecosystem services. We recorded the highest average SHI value in the very warm climatic region of the Slovak Republic, where the majority of agriculturally used arable soils (with an optimal pH value without contamination) are located. The locality with lowest SHI value is in a slightly warm area on soil used as arable soil with a very small depth of humus horizon, with by the pH value in an acidic area, and with a high content of clay. The typical SHI in humus-rich soil groups of Slovakia (Mollic Fluvisols, Chernozems and Cutanhic Luvisols) is higher contrasted with the typical SHI in other soil groups of Slovakia.
Ultrasound-assisted process to improve proteins recovery from industrial canola and soybean byproducts
Authors: Villalón-López Demelza Nayelli , Martínez-Padilla Laura Patricia
Published: October 2024

An ultrasound-assisted process is proposed to obtain protein isolates from canola and soybean byproducts. A laboratory-scale probe system (24 kHz, 400W) was used for protein extraction and six levels of energy density were analyzed. Different mixtures of solvents (water, ethanol, methanol, acetone) and temperatures were tested for removing phenolic compounds, and the best results were obtained with ethanol-water (8:2 v/v) and energy density of 104 kJ/L, which minimize protein losses at that step. After extraction of phenolic compounds, samples were alkalinized (pH 12 or 9.5), subjected to ultrasound treatment and the protein precipitated at the isoelectric pH. The highest yield on protein extraction was obtained with 1:20 meal: NaOH solution ratio, applying 150 kJ/L at constant temperature (30 °C), increasing the protein recovery, 72.5% for canola meal and 37.5% for soybean meal, compared to the conventional method. The solubility of both isolates obtained with ultrasound improved ~ 50% at a pH close to neutral and basic, with an increase in free sulfhydryl groups, without significant effects of ultrasound treatment on the subunit fractions of the proteins. These results provide alternatives to develop protein isolates from an undervalued by-product, with better techno-functional properties that can be employed in the food industry.
Targeted lipid nanoparticles to prevent trans-placental passage in the ex vivo human placental cotyledon perfusion model
Authors: van Kammen Caren , van Hove Hedwig , Kapsokalyvas Dimitrios , Greupink Rick , Schiffelers Raymond , Lely Titia , Terstappen Fieke
Published: October 2024

Medication use during pregnancy poses risks to both the mother and the fetus. These risks include an elevated potential for fetotoxicity due to placental drug transport. Nanomedicines offer a promising solution by potentially preventing trans-placental passage. Targeted nanomedicines could enhance safety and efficacy in treating maternal or placental pathophysiology. Our study investigates placental transfer kinetics of targeted lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in an ex vivo human placenta cotyledon perfusion model. We collected human placentas for dual-side ex vivo placental perfusions. Targeted LNPs with a fluorescence tag were introduced into the maternal circuit of each placenta. To establish if there was trans-placental passage of LNPs to the fetal circuit, we collected samples from maternal and fetal circuits throughout the six hours of the perfusion. We determined the fluorescence signal using a multi-mode microplate reader and Multiphoton microscopy to localize the LNPs in the placenta tissue. Data from perfused placenta tissue showed no significant transfer of the fluorescently labeled LNPs across the placental barrier to the fetal circuit. Localization of targeted LNPs in tissue samples is mainly observed in the maternal blood space of the placenta. Our results suggest that targeted LNPs present a promising strategic approach to prevent trans-placental passage to the fetus. Our future perspectives involve investigating the efficacy of targeted LNPs as well as loading targeted LNPs with nucleic acid-based therapeutics to investigate their therapeutic potential.

Graphical Abstract
Optimal Placement and Sizing of Distributed Generation in Electrical DC Distribution Networks Using a Stochastic Mixed-Integer LP Model
Authors: Valencia-Díaz Alejandro , Hincapié Ricardo A. , Gallego Ramón A.
Published: October 2024

This paper presents a stochastic mixed-integer linear mathematical model for finding the optimal placement and sizing of distributed generation in a DC distribution network, considering the uncertainty of electrical demand and distributed renewable sources. The proposed model accurately represents the original mixed-integer nonlinear model, obtaining a globally optimal solution in less computational time with low errors. The mathematical model allows for considering constraints related to the maximum limits for the penetration of distributed generation, such as those specified by Resolution CREG 174 of 2021. Furthermore, the uncertainties of the electrical demand, wind energy-based distributed generation (DG), and solar energy-based DG are considered in the mathematical models using a two-stage stochastic programming approach. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed model were tested and validated on a 21-node DC test system from the specialized literature, and the effectiveness and robustness were assessed on a 69-node DC test system. The obtained results show that the proposed stochastic mixed-integer linear mathematical model performs well.
Infection image: cystic pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia – forgotten?
Authors: Hitzenbichler Florian , Fisser Christoph , Schlitt Alexandra , Salzberger Bernd
Published: October 2024

A 43-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department with progressive dyspnea. CT scan showed pronounced cystic lesions and ground glass opacitiy in both lungs and diagnosis of HIV infection was established. Bronchoscopy confirmed diagnosis of pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP). The radiological presentation with perihilar large cysts is typical for PCP in HIV-infected patients, but rarely encountered today.