bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Label-free single-cell RNA multiplexing leveraging genetic variability
Authors: Hoeft Konrad , Bleckwehl Tore , Schumacher David , Kim Hyojin , Meyer Robert , Long Qingqing , Zhang Ling , Möller Christian , Clahsen-van Groningen Marian C. , Babler Anne , Saritas Turgay , Kurth Ingo , Milting Hendrik , Hayat Sikander , Kramann Rafael
Published: December 2024

Single cell RNA sequencing has provided unprecedented insights into the molecular cues and cellular heterogeneity underlying human disease. However, the high costs and complexity of single cell methods remain a major obstacle for generating large-scale human cohorts. Here, we compare current state-of-the-art single cell multiplexing technologies, and provide a widely applicable demultiplexing method, SoupLadle, that enables simple, yet robust high-throughput multiplexing leveraging genetic variability of patients.
Integrative multi-omics analysis uncovers tumor-immune-gut axis influencing immunotherapy outcomes in ovarian cancer
Authors: Rosario Spencer R. , Long Mark D. , Chilakapati Shanmuga , Gomez Eduardo Cortes , Battaglia Sebastiano , Singh Prashant K. , Wang Jianmin , Wang Katy , Attwood Kristopher , Hess Suzanne M. , McGray AJ Robert , Odunsi Kunle , Segal Brahm H. , Paragh Gyorgy , Liu Song , Wargo Jennifer A. , Zsiros Emese
Published: December 2024

Recurrent ovarian cancer patients, especially those resistant to platinum, lack effective curative treatments. To address this, we conducted a phase 2 clinical trial (NCT02853318) combining pembrolizumab with bevacizumab, to increase T cell infiltration into the tumor, and oral cyclophosphamide, to reduce the number of regulatory T cells. The trial accrued 40 heavily pretreated recurrent ovarian cancer patients. The primary endpoint, progression free survival, was extended to a median of 10.2 months. The secondary endpoints demonstrated an objective response rate of 47.5%, and disease control in 30% of patients for over a year while maintaining a good quality of life. We performed comprehensive molecular, immune, microbiome, and metabolic profiling on samples of trial patients. Here, we show increased T and B cell clusters and distinct microbial patterns with amino acid and lipid metabolism are linked to exceptional clinical responses. This study suggests the immune milieu and host-microbiome can be leveraged to improve antitumor response in future immunotherapy trials.
Osmotic disruption of chromatin induces Topoisomerase 2 activity at sites of transcriptional stress
Authors: Gittens William H. , Allison Rachal M. , Wright Ellie M. , Brown George G. B. , Neale Matthew J.
Published: December 2024

Transcription generates superhelical stress in DNA that poses problems for genome stability, but determining when and where such stress arises within chromosomes is challenging. Here, using G1-arrested S. cerevisiae cells, and employing rapid fixation and ultra-sensitive enrichment, we utilise the physiological activity of endogenous topoisomerase 2 (Top2) as a probe of transcription-induced superhelicity. We demonstrate that Top2 activity is surprisingly uncorrelated with transcriptional activity, suggesting that superhelical stress is obscured from Top2 within chromatin in vivo. We test this idea using osmotic perturbation—a treatment that transiently destabilises chromatin in vivo—revealing that Top2 activity redistributes within sub-minute timescales into broad zones patterned by long genes, convergent gene arrays, and transposon elements—and also by acute transcriptional induction. We propose that latent superhelical stress is normally absorbed by the intrinsic topological buffering capacity of chromatin, helping to avoid spurious topoisomerase activity arising within the essential coding regions of the genome.
Fluorescence imaging of individual ions and molecules in pressurized noble gases for barium tagging in 136Xe
Authors: Byrnes N. K. , Dey E. , Foss F. W. , Jones B. J. P. , Madigan R. , McDonald A. D. , Miller R. L. , Norman L. R. , Navarro K. E. , Nygren D. R. ,   NEXT Collaboration, Adams C. , Almazán H. , Álvarez V. , Aparicio B. , Aranburu A. I. , Arazi L. , Arnquist I. J. , Auria-Luna F. , Ayet S. , Azevedo C. D. R. , Barcelon J. E. , Bailey K. , Ballester F. , del Barrio-Torregrosa M. , Bayo A. , Benlloch-Rodríguez J. M. , Borges F. I. G. M. , Brodolin A. , Cárcel S. , Castillo A. , Cebrián S. , Church E. , Cid L. , Conde C. A. N. , Contreras T. , Cossío F. P. , Díaz G. , Dickel T. , Echevarria C. , Elorza M. , Escada J. , Esteve R. , Felkai R. , Fernandes L. M. P. , Ferrario P. , Ferreira A. L. , Freixa Z. , García-Barrena J. , Gómez-Cadenas J. J. , González R. , Grocott J. W. R. , Guenette R. , Hauptman J. , Henriques C. A. O. , Hernando Morata J. A. , Herrero-Gómez P. , Herrero V. , Hervés Carrete C. , Ho P. , Ifergan Y. , Kellerer F. , Larizgoitia L. , Larumbe A. , Lebrun P. , Lopez F. , López-March N. , Mano R. D. P. , Marques A. P. , Martín-Albo J. , Martínez-Lema G. , Martínez-Vara M. , Mistry K. , Molina-Canteras J. , Monrabal F. , Monteiro C. M. B. , Mora F. J. , Novella P. , Nuñez A. , Oblak E. , Palacio J. , Palmeiro B. , Para A. , Parmaksiz I. , Pazos A. , Pelegrin J. , Pérez Maneiro M. , Querol M. , Redwine A. B. , Renner J. , Rivilla I. , Rogero C. , Rogers L. , Romeo B. , Romo-Luque C. , Santos F. P. , dos Santos J. M. F. , Seemann M. , Shomroni I. , Silva P. A. O. C. , Simón A. , Soleti S. R. , Sorel M. , Soto-Oton J. , Teixeira J. M. R. , Teruel-Pardo S. , Toledo J. F. , Tonnelé C. , Torrent J. , Trettin A. , Usón A. , Valle P. R. G. , Veloso J. F. C. A. , Waiton J. , Yubero-Navarro A.
Published: December 2024

The imaging of individual Ba2+ ions in high pressure xenon gas is one possible way to attain background-free sensitivity to neutrinoless double beta decay and hence establish the Majorana nature of the neutrino. In this paper we demonstrate selective single Ba2+ ion imaging inside a high-pressure xenon gas environment. Ba2+ ions chelated with molecular chemosensors are resolved at the gas-solid interface using a diffraction-limited imaging system with scan area of 1 × 1 cm2 located inside 10 bar of xenon gas. This form of microscopy represents key ingredient in the development of barium tagging for neutrinoless double beta decay searches in 136Xe. This also provides a new tool for studying the photophysics of fluorescent molecules and chemosensors at the solid-gas interface to enable bottom-up design of catalysts and sensors.
Critical genes in genitourinary embryogenesis are related to the development of adult hydrocele
Authors: Roberson Jeffrey L. , Neylan Christopher J , Judy Renae , Walker Venexia , Tsao Philip S. , Damrauer Scott M. , Maguire Lillias H.
Published: December 2024

Despite being a common urologic disorder with potentially complicated sequela, the genetic background of adult hydrocele has not previously been described. We performed a multi-population genome-wide association study of 363,460 men in the United Kingdom BioBank and FinnGen cohorts. We identified 6,548 adult men with hydrocele. We analyzed common variants (minor allele frequency > 0.01) associated with hydrocele and set the threshold for genome-wide significance at p < 5 × 10− 8. Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies identified 7 genome-wide significant loci which mapped to 24 genes. Multiple gene prioritization strategies highlighted PAX8, INHBB, AMHR2, and SHH, all known to be critical to genitourinary embryogenesis and associated with Mendelian genitourinary syndromes and model organism phenotypes. Identified loci affect gene expression in genitourinary structures and are associated with multiple markers of renal function. These common variants in genes critical for genitourinary embryogenesis are associated with adult hydrocele, suggesting these genes may maintain normal scrotal anatomy in adults. This large study of nearly 400,000 men is the first genomic study of idiopathic hydrocele and defines our current understanding of the genetic background of this common condition.
Multi-omics analysis detail a submicroscopic inv(15)(q14q15) generating fusion transcripts and MEIS2 and NUSAP1 haploinsufficiency
Authors: Ek Marlene , Kvarnung Malin , Pettersson Maria , Soller Maria Johansson , Anderlid Britt-Marie , Thonberg Håkan , Eisfeldt Jesper , Lindstrand Anna
Published: December 2024

Inversions are balanced structural variants that often remain undetected in genetic diagnostics. We present a female proband with a de novo Chromosome 15 paracentric inversion, disrupting MEIS2 and NUSAP1. The inversion was detected by short-read genome sequencing and confirmed with adaptive long-read sequencing. The breakpoint junction analysis revealed a 96 bp (bp) deletion and an 18 bp insertion in the two junctions, suggesting that the rearrangement arose through a replicative error. Transcriptome sequencing of cultured fibroblasts revealed normal MEIS2 levels and 0.61-fold decreased expression of NUSAP1. Furthermore, three fusion transcripts were detected and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Heterozygous loss of MEIS2 (MIM# 600987) is associated with a cleft palate, heart malformations, and intellectual impairment, which overlap with the clinical symptoms observed in the proband. The observed fusion transcripts are likely non-functional, and MEIS2 haploinsufficiency is the likely disease causative mechanism. Altogether, this study’s findings illustrate the importance of including inversions in rare disease diagnostic testing and highlight the value of long read sequencing for the validation and characterization of such variants.
New insights into the structural role of EMILINs within the human skin microenvironment
Authors: Schiavinato Alvise , Marcous Fady , Zuk Alexandra V. , Keene Douglas R. , Tufa Sara F. , Mosquera Laura M. , Zigrino Paola , Mauch Cornelia , Eckes Beate , Francois Katrien , De Backer Julie , Hunzelmann Nicolas , Moinzadeh Pia , Krieg Thomas , Callewaert Bert , Sengle Gerhard
Published: December 2024

Supramolecular extracellular matrix (ECM) networks play an essential role in skin architecture and function. Elastin microfibril interface-located proteins (EMILINs) comprise a family of three extracellular glycoproteins that serve as essential structural components of the elastin/fibrillin microfibril network, and exert crucial functions in cellular signaling. Little is known about the structural nature of EMILIN networks in skin. We therefore investigated the spatiotemporal localization of EMILIN-1, -2, -3 in human skin induced by aging, UV-exposure, fibrosis, and connective tissue disorder. Confocal immunofluorescence and immunogold electron microscopy analysis identified all EMILINs as components of elastic fibers and elastin-free oxytalan fibers inserted into the basement membrane (BM). Further, our ultrastructural analysis demonstrates cellular contacts of dermally localized EMILIN-1 positive fibers across the BM with the surface of basal keratinocytes. Analysis of skin biopsies and fibroblast cultures from fibrillin-1 deficient Marfan patients revealed that EMILINs require intact fibrillin-1 as deposition scaffold. In patients with scleroderma and the bleomycin-induced murine fibrosis model EMILIN-2 was upregulated. EMILIN-3 localizes to the tips of candelabra-like oxytalan fibers, and to specialized BMs engulfing hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Our data identify EMILINs as important markers to monitor rearrangements of the dermal ECM architecture induced by aging and pathological conditions.
Discrepancies in lacustrine bacterial lipid temperature reconstructions explained by microbial ecology
Authors: Liang Jie , Chevalier Manuel , Liu Keshao , Perfumo Amedea , Wang Mingda , Xie Haichao , Hou Juzhi , Herzschuh Ulrike , Chen Fahu
Published: December 2024

Bacterial lipid branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) are a valuable tool for reconstructing past temperatures. However, a gap remains regarding the influence of bacterial communities on brGDGT profiles. Here, we identified two distinct patterns of brGDGTs from the surface sediments of 38 Tibetan Plateau lakes using an unsupervised clustering technique. Further investigation revealed that salinity and pH significantly change bacterial community composition, affecting brGDGT profiles and causing brGDGT-based temperatures to be overestimated by up to 2.7 ± 0.7 °C in haloalkaline environments. We subsequently used the trained clustering model to examine the patterns of bacterial assemblages in the global lacustrine brGDGT dataset, confirming the global applicability of our approach. We finally applied our approach to Holocene brGDGT records from the Tibetan Plateau, showing that shifts in bacterial clusters amplified temperature variations over timescales. Our findings demonstrate that microbial ecology can robustly diagnose and constrain site-specific discrepancies in temperature reconstruction.
The doctor will polygraph you now
Authors: Anibal James , Gunkel Jasmine , Awan Shaheen , Huth Hannah , Nguyen Hang , Le Tram , Bélisle-Pipon Jean-Christophe , Boyer Micah , Hazen Lindsey ,   Bridge2AI Voice Consortium, Bensoussan Yael , Elemento Olivier , Rameau Anais , Sigaras Alexandros , Ghosh Satrajit , Powell Maria , Ravitsky Vardit , Bélisle-Pipon Jean-Christophe , Dorr David , Payne Phillip , Johnson Alistair , Bahr Ruth , Bolser Donald , Rudzicz Frank , Lerner-Ellis Jordan , Awan Shaheen , Watts Stephanie , Siu Jennifer , Hanna Karim , Zesiewicz Theresa , Zhao Robin , Jayachandran Lochana , Cruz Samantha Salvi , Bensoussan Yael , Clifton David , Wood Bradford
Published: December 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) methods have been proposed for the prediction of social behaviors that could be reasonably understood from patient-reported information. This raises novel ethical concerns about respect, privacy, and control over patient data. Ethical concerns surrounding clinical AI systems for social behavior verification can be divided into two main categories: (1) the potential for inaccuracies/biases within such systems, and (2) the impact on trust in patient-provider relationships with the introduction of automated AI systems for “fact-checking”, particularly in cases where the data/models may contradict the patient. Additionally, this report simulated the misuse of a verification system using patient voice samples and identified a potential LLM bias against patient-reported information in favor of multi-dimensional data and the outputs of other AI methods (i.e., “AI self-trust”). Finally, recommendations were presented for mitigating the risk that AI verification methods will cause harm to patients or undermine the purpose of the healthcare system.
Correction: A rapid evaluation method for the quality consistency assessment and spectrum–effect relationship study of Xiaohuoluo Pills developed based on combined spectral and chromatography technology
Authors: Cheng Fangfang , Gao Yiting , Ren Beibei , Zhang Zhongyang , Dong Minghui , Sun Guoxiang , Song Chaohui , Wang Siqi , Gao Haixia , Zhou Chunhua , Wang Lingjiao
Published: December 2024

Correction for ‘A rapid evaluation method for the quality consistency assessment and spectrum–effect relationship study of Xiaohuoluo Pills developed based on combined spectral and chromatography technology’ by Fangfang Cheng et al., Anal. Methods, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4AY01029A.
Correction: Integrated adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of VOCs using a TiO2/diatomite composite: effects of relative humidity and reaction atmosphere
Authors: Zhang Guangxin , Peyravi Arman , Hashisho Zaher , Sun Zhiming , Liu Yangyu , Zheng Shuilin , Zhong Lexuan
Published: December 2024

Correction for ‘Integrated adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of VOCs using a TiO2/diatomite composite: effects of relative humidity and reaction atmosphere’ by Guangxin Zhang et al., Catal. Sci. Technol., 2020, 10, 2378–2388, https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CY00168F.
Enhanced reactivity of cationic Au(μ-H)2MCp2 complexes (M = Mo and W) enabled by bulky tris-biaryl phosphines
Authors: Landrini Martina , Navarro Miquel , Campos Jesús , Rocchigiani Luca
Published: December 2024

[(L1)Au(μ-H)2MCp2][BF4] complexes (M = Mo, W) featuring cavity-shaped tris-2-(4,4′-di-tert-butylbi-phenylyl)phosphine (L1) were isolated. Their photolysis and reactions with AgBF4 showcased the beneficial role played by the bulky ligand.
Anchoring subnanometric Cu4 clusters in graphitic-C3N5 for highly efficient CO2 photoreduction to ethanol
Authors: Cui Entian , Lu Yulian , Yang Xiu-Li , Dong Guojun , Zhang Yajun , Bi Yingpu
Published: December 2024

We demonstrated a facile electrochemical treatment for in situ anchoring of Cu4 clusters in a graphitic C3N5 framework, leading to remarkable improvements of photocatalytic reactivity and selectivity towards CO2 reduction to ethanol.
Boosting oxygen redox reversibility in chemo-mechanically robust Li-rich oxide cathodes via multi-scale defect design
Authors: Li Fangkun , Lin Yenchen , Liu Junhao , Chen Jiahe , Wan Xuanhong , Zhao Linwei , Xi Lei , Li Zheng , Zhang Hangyu , Xu Xijun , Zhou Zhidu , Su Baitao , Zhu Min , Liu Jun
Published: December 2024

This study achieved multiscale defect design by regulating the excess-Li distribution, addressing the asymmetric anion redox reaction and structural distortion in Li-rich oxide cathodes.
Expression of concern: Phytic acid-doped poly-N-phenylglycine potato peels for removal of anionic dyes: investigation of adsorption parameters
Authors: Bouhadjra Kahina , Barras Alexandre , Lemlikchi Wahiba , Addad Ahmed , Das Manash R. , Amin Mohammed A. , Szunerits Sabine , Boukherroub Rabah
Published: December 2024

Expression of concern for ‘Phytic acid-doped poly-N-phenylglycine potato peels for removal of anionic dyes: investigation of adsorption parameters’ by Kahina Bouhadjra et al., New J. Chem., 2022, 46, 5111–5120, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1NJ04713B.
Electrodeposition of Cu nanowires with ultrahigh-density twin boundaries: an electrochemical perspective on nanotwinning
Authors: Huang Hao-Che , Chen Hsin-Yu , Liao Chien-Neng
Published: December 2024

Ultrahigh-density coherent twin boundaries are introduced in copper nanowires through the process of template-assisted electrodeposition.
Towards the synthesis of polythiazolines: a post-polymerization approach
Authors: Mathianaki Aikaterini , Demeler Aysha Kinjo , Dömling Adrian , Ferrari Federico , Scheelje Frieda Clara M. , Bahmann Hilke , Delaittre Guillaume
Published: December 2024

En route to synthesizing elusive poly(2-alkyl-2-thiazoline)s, the O→S substitution of poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) using Lawesson's reagent yields copolymers with strongly altered physical properties and near-quantitative conversion.
Photocatalyzed cascade hydrogen atom transfer for the construction of α-CF3-1,4-diketones
Authors: Yuan Xiao-Ya , Zheng Jing-Fei , Ma Xinyu , Huang Xianqiang , Lv Qiyan , Sun Kai , Chen Xiaolan , Qu Lingbo , Yu Bing
Published: December 2024

A TBADT-photocatalyzed cascade hydrogen atom transfer procedure was established for the synthesis of α-CF3-1,4-diketones from aldehydes and 2-bromo-3,3,3-trifluoro-1-propenes.
Design, synthesis, and antiproliferative activity of new 1,2,3-triazole/quinazoline-4-one hybrids as dual EGFR/BRAFV600E inhibitors
Authors: Mohamed Amira M. , Abou-Ghadir Ola M. F. , Mostafa Yaser A. , Almarhoon Zainab M. , Bräse Stefan , Youssif Bahaa G. M.
Published: December 2024

A series of new quinazoline/1,2,3-triazole hybrids were designed and synthesized. The new compounds were evaluated as antiproliferative agents targeting EGFR, and BRAFV600E.
Rediscovering the chemistry of the Cunninghamella species: potential fungi for metabolites and enzymes of biological, industrial, and environmental values
Authors: El-Seadawy Hosam M. , El-Shabasy Rehan M. , Zayed Ahmed
Published: December 2024

Cunninghamella fungi have its unique chemistry that provide potential metabolites applicable for biological, industrial, and environmental fields.
Pressure-induced giant emission enhancement, large band gap narrowing and rich polymorphism in two-dimensional 1,2,4-triazolium lead bromide perovskite
Authors: Mączka Mirosław , Dybała Filip , Herman Artur P. , Paraguassu Waldeci , Barros dos Santos Antonio José , Kudrawiec Robert
Published: December 2024

Application of external pressure leads to three pressure-induced phase transitions, allows band gap engineering and induces giant enhancement of the photoluminescence efficiency of the Tz2PbBr4 perovskite.
Structural evolution and nanodomain formation in blend films of a block copolymer and homopolymer
Authors: Sun Ya-Sen , Jian Yi-Qing , Yang Shin-Tung , Chiang Pei-Hsuan , Su Chun-Jen
Published: December 2024

Annealing temperature and film thickness critically influence nanodomain morphology in PS-b-PMMA/hPS blend films, enabling the controlled formation of surface perforations, parallel cylinders, and double gyroids, as revealed by GISAXS and SEM.
Effect of polyacrylamide gel elasticity on collagen type II fibril assembly
Authors: Wilcox Kathryn G. , Kramer Stephanie , Chatterjee Surajit , Linscott Adam , Suresh Sneha , Kisley Lydia , Morozova Svetlana
Published: December 2024

Collagen type II fibril formation is affected by network moduli.
Mechanically robust bifunctional hydrophobic polycarbazole-decorated multiwall carbon nanotube-Pithecellobium dulce oil polyester amide nanocomposite coatings: fabrication, characterization, anticorrosive and antimicrobial studies
Authors: Darda Abu , Siddiqi Weqar Ahmad
Published: December 2024

This study details the formulation of nano-polycarbazole (PCz) and multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) hybrid (PCz@CNT) nanofillers in Pithecellobium dulce polyester-amide coatings, showcasing their superior anticorrosive and antimicrobial properties on carbon steel.
Unveiling high-yield dinitrogen-to-green ammonia production via highly defective Cu4Bi5S10/Mn4V2O9 electrocatalysts in alkaline H-cell and stack-cell reactors
Authors: Urgesa Merga Hailemariam , Ha Quoc-Nam , Lin Kuo-Hsin , Tsai Li-Duan , Tsai Yin-Wen , Kuo Dong-Hau
Published: December 2024

The first report of a water-based PEM stack cell with an eNRR rate of 1711 > 1500 μg h−1 cm−2. Electrocatalytic dinitrogen reduction with a NH3 yield rate of 4356 μg h−1 cm−2 and 46.1% faradaic efficiency achieved in an H cell.
Expression of concern: Reduced graphene oxide nanosheets decorated with Au, Pd and Au–Pd bimetallic nanoparticles as highly efficient catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen generation
Authors: Darabdhara Gitashree , Amin Mohammed A. , Mersal Gaber A. M. , Ahmed Emad M. , Das Manash R. , Zakaria Mohamed B. , Malgras Victor , Alshehri Saad M. , Yamauchi Yusuke , Szunerits Sabine , Boukherroub Rabah
Published: December 2024

Expression of concern for ‘Reduced graphene oxide nanosheets decorated with Au, Pd and Au–Pd bimetallic nanoparticles as highly efficient catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen generation’ by Gitashree Darabdhara et al., J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015, 3, 20254–20266, https://doi.org/10.1039/C5TA05730B.
Age and Sex Differences in Infants' Neural Sensitivity to Emotional Prosodies in Spoken Words: A Multifeature Oddball Study
Authors: Kao Chieh , Zhang Yang
Published: December 2024

Purpose:

This study aimed to investigate infants' neural responses to changes in emotional prosody in spoken words. The focus was on understanding developmental changes and potential sex differences, aspects that were not consistently observed in previous behavioral studies.

Method:

A modified multifeature oddball paradigm was used with emotional deviants (angry, happy, and sad) presented against neutral prosody (standard) within varying spoken words during a single electroencephalography recording session. The reported data included 34 infants (18 males, 16 females; age range: 3–12 months, average age: 7 months 26 days).

Results:

Infants exhibited distinct patterns of mismatch responses (MMRs) to different emotional prosodies in both early (100–200 ms) and late (300–500 ms) time windows following the speech onset. While both happy and angry prosodies elicited more negative early MMRs than the sad prosody across all infants, older infants showed more negative early MMRs than their younger counterparts. The distinction between early MMRs to angry and sad prosodies was more pronounced in younger infants. In the late time window, angry prosody elicited a more negative late MMR than the sad prosody, with younger infants showing more distinct late MMRs to sad and angry prosodies compared to older infants. Additionally, a sex effect was observed as male infants displayed more negative early MMRs compared to females.

Conclusions:

These findings demonstrate the feasibility of the modified multifeature oddball protocol in studying neural sensitivities to emotional speech in infancy. The observed age and sex effects on infants' auditory neural responses to vocal emotions underscore the need for further research to distinguish between acoustic and emotional processing and to understand their roles in early socioemotional and language development.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27914553
DPANet: Position‐aware feature encoding and decoding for accurate large‐scale point cloud semantic segmentation
Authors: Zhao Haoying , Zhou Aimin
Published: December 2024

Due to the scattered, unordered, and unstructured nature of point clouds, it is challenging to extract local features. Existing methods tend to design redundant and less‐discriminative spatial feature extraction methods in the encoder, while neglecting the utilisation of uneven distribution in the decoder. In this paper, the authors fully exploit the characteristics of the imbalanced distribution in point clouds and design our Position‐aware Encoder (PAE) module and Position‐aware Decoder (PAD) module. In the PAE module, the authors extract position relationships utilising both Cartesian coordinate system and polar coordinate system to enhance the distinction of features. In the PAD module, the authors recognise the inherent positional disparities between each point and its corresponding upsampled point, utilising these distinctions to enrich features and mitigate information loss. The authors conduct extensive experiments and compare the proposed DPANet with existing methods on two benchmarks S3DIS and Semantic3D. The experimental results demonstrate that the method outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art approaches.
Intelligent islanding detection in smart microgrids using variance autocorrelation function‐based modal current envelope
Authors: Naseem Shanzah , Ahmad Sadiq , Aziz Saddam , Ali Muhammad , Hasan Kazi N. , Ahmad Ayaz , Shoukat Abdullah
Published: December 2024

Islanding detection is a critical issue in grid‐connected distributed microgrid systems. Distributed generation in the current power system has caused many challenges. Consequently, detecting quick and effective islanding is the most critical issue to minimise equipment failure, avoid danger, and maintain grid safety. There are various techniques for islanding identification in microgrids. Three classifications have been applied to categorise these strategies, which are: active, passive, and hybrid. This paper proposes and demonstrates an efficient and accurate approach to islanding detection based on the Variance Autocorrelation Function of a Modal Current Envelope (VAMCE) technique. Demodulation techniques including synchronous real demodulation, square law demodulation, asynchronous complex square law demodulation, and the quadrature demodulation technique are employed to detect the envelope of the 3‐phase current signal. The VAMCE methodology is better suited for islanding detection because of its response to current sensitivity under islanding scenarios but not under normal conditions. Several simulations under various settings, including normal and islanded scenarios are used to analyse this method. These simulations have demonstrated different situations, such as when the system works normally and when it does not. The VAMCE along with the quadrature demodulation technique outperforms the others. The proposed solution is not only more accurate but also much faster compared to other methods. The proposed approach can identify normal and islanded situations in just 0.4 s.
Partial suppression of chaos in relativistic three-body problems
Authors: Di Cintio Pierfrancesco , Trani Alessandro Alberto
Published: December 2024

Context. Recent numerical results seem to suggest that, in certain regimes of typical particle velocities, when the post-Newtonian (PN) force terms are included, the gravitational N-body problem (for 3 ≤ N ≲ 103) is intrinsically less chaotic than its classical counterpart, which exhibits a slightly larger maximal Lyapunov exponent Λmax.

Aims. In this work, we explore the dynamics of wildly chaotic, regular and nearly regular configurations of the three-body problem with and without the PN corrective terms, with the aim being to shed light on the behaviour of the Lyapunov spectra under the effect of the PN corrections.

Methods. Because the interaction of the tangent-space dynamics in gravitating systems – which is needed to evaluate the Lyapunov exponents – becomes rapidly computationally heavy due to the complexity of the higher-order force derivatives involving multiple powers of v/c, we introduce a technique to compute a proxy of the Lyapunov spectrum based on the time-dependent diagonalization of the inertia tensor of a cluster of trajectories in phase-space. In addition, we also compare the dynamical entropy of the classical and relativistic cases.

Results. We find that, for a broad range of orbital configurations, the relativistic three-body problem has a smaller Λmax than its classical counterpart starting with the exact same initial conditions. However, the other (positive) Lyapunov exponents can be either lower or larger than the corresponding classical ones, thus suggesting that the relativistic precession effectively reduces chaos only along one (or a few) directions in phase-space. As a general trend, the dynamical entropy of the relativistic simulations as a function of the rescaled speed of light falls below the classical value over a broad range of values.

Conclusions. We observe that analyses based solely on Λmax could lead to misleading conclusions regarding the chaoticity of systems with small (and possibly large) N.
A numerical view on α-dissipative solutions of the Hunter–Saxton equation
Authors: Christiansen Thomas , Grunert Katrin
Published: December 2024

We propose a new numerical method for α-dissipative solutions of the Hunter–Saxton equation, where α belongs to W1,∞(R, [0, 1)). The method combines a projection operator with a generalized method of characteristics and an iteration scheme, which is based on enforcing minimal time steps whenever breaking times cluster. Numerical examples illustrate that these minimal time steps increase the efficiency of the algorithm substantially. Moreover, convergence of the wave profile is shown in C([0, T], L∞(R)) for any finite T ≥ 0.
Cross-border political ties: foreign firms’ campaign contributions and the crowding out of domestic competitors
Authors: Ayyagari Meghana , Knill April , Syvrud Kelsey
Published: December 2024

A substantial body of literature has shown that political connections have benefited firms domestically, but their cross-border value for multinational enterprises (MNEs) remains understudied. This paper provides novel evidence on the strategic advantages MNEs gain through political ties in host countries and the consequences for domestic firms. Examining foreign companies’ contributions to US political campaigns through political action committees (PACs) sponsored by their US subsidiaries, we find that contributing foreign firms win significantly more U.S. government contracts than non-contributing foreign firms. Crucially, this increased access for foreign contributing firms crowds out government contract allocation to similar domestic firms that do not make political donations, even in regulated industries favoring domestic suppliers. Our findings demonstrate that MNEs can effectively leverage political connections as a non-market strategy to gain preferential treatment over local competitors in a host nation. However, these cross-border political ties come at the expense of domestic firms’ competitiveness, informing policy debates around restricting foreign corporate influence in domestic elections. From a managerial perspective, our findings suggest that strategic political ties are an important consideration for MNEs alongside traditional location factors when evaluating foreign investment decisions and navigating institutional complexities abroad.
Lattice of cylindrical superconducting domains in a type-I superconductor placed in a magnetic field
Authors: Gorobets Yu. I. , Zyubanov A. E.
Published: December 2024

The behavior of lattices of superconducting cylindrical domains in plates of type-I superconductors is investigated as the magnitude and direction of the external magnetic field changes. The stability domain is found for the lattices of superconducting cylindrical domains.
Portable tunable interband cascade laser spectrometer using thin-film waveguides for food contaminant analysis
Authors: Femenias A. , Erdem M. , Fomina P. , Scheuermann J. , Blazhko U. , Freitag S. , Bosman A. J. , Weih R. , Koeth J. , Kohler A. , Krska R. , Salentijn G. I. J. , Ruggeri F. S. , Mizaikoff B.
Published: December 2024

Interband cascade lasers (ICL) are high output power mid-infrared light sources with low power consumption, serving as a viable alternative to more commonly applied quantum cascade lasers. The integration of ICLs with thin-film waveguides facilitates miniaturized sensing platforms based on the principles of evanescent field absorption toward tailorable high-fidelity portable mid-infrared (MIR) sensing solutions for on-site chemical analysis. The analytical performance of a MIR sensing system is presented combining a tunable interband cascade laser emitting at a wavelength range of 5.88–6.09 µm (1702–1641 cm−1) with a 6 µm GaAs/AlGaAs thin-film waveguide as the active transducer for customized evanescent field absorption analysis of food contaminants. A comparison of the analytical performance of the developed tICL-based system vs conventional Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy is presented for the exemplary analysis of the Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol, a persistent food contaminant resulting from fungal infection. The thin-film waveguide enhances the sensitivity compared to conventional attenuated total reflection systems, revealing improved detection limits. The compact design of the system, along with the favorable analytical figures-of-merit and automated data processing, confirm the potential of the developed tICL-based spectrometer for on-site detection of food contaminants at various stages along the food supply chain.
Study on the difference of gas drainage effect between cross-measure borehole and inseam borehole hydraulic punching
Authors: Ma Shujun , Wang Zhaofeng , Sun Yongxin , Chen Yanqi , Han Pengwu , Zhang Siqi , Li Shijie
Published: December 2024

With the gradual increase in China's coal mining depth, coal seams exhibit high gas content, high gas pressure, and low permeability, exacerbating the difficulty of gas drainage. Hydraulic punching has become an effective means to improve the efficiency of coal seam gas drainage by relieving pressure and increasing permeability in coal seams. To solve the problem of low permeability and difficult gas drainage in the No. 3 coal seam of Changping Coal Mine, hydraulic punching was implemented in the 5302 floor drainage tunnel and 53 023 tunnel, which were used as the engineering background. First, based on the elastic mechanics strain softening model and the diffusion seepage coal seam gas flow theory model, the evolution equation of coal seam permeability and gas flow equation after hydraulic punching was established, and numerical simulation software was used to analyze the pressure relief and permeability enhancement mechanism and permeability distribution law of hydraulic punching. Then, the field tests of ordinary and hydraulic punching boreholes were conducted to compare the gas drainage effect. The results showed that the effective influence radius of hydraulic punching was 4–5 m, and the influence radius was 5–8 m. The reasonable punching water pressure was 17.51 MPa, and the reasonable punching time was 60 min. The gas drainage concentration of cross-measure borehole hydraulic punching and inseam borehole hydraulic punching was 1.77 and 1.49 times higher than that of ordinary borehole, respectively. From the gas drainage concentration index perspective, the drainage effect of cross-measure borehole hydraulic punching was the best. However, the gas drainage purity was 2.88 and 3.08 times, respectively. From the gas drainage purity index perspective, the drainage effect of inseam borehole hydraulic punching was the best. The coal seam driving efficiency in the area affected by punching increased by 37%. Hydraulic punching can effectively eliminate coal seam outburst hazards, improve coal seam permeability, and ensure the safe and efficient production of mining faces.
Theoretical analysis of the compressible flow in Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube
Authors: Shaji Kannan , Suryan Abhilash , Kim Heuy Dong
Published: December 2024

The Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube is a widely adopted fluidic thermal separation device. Existing theoretical models lack the integrity needed to consistently predict the characteristics of vortex tube swirl flow. The present study introduces an integrated theoretical model specifically designed for the vortex tube swirl flow field. Accuracy of the model is validated through reliable computational predictions from previous research, demonstrating its capability to calculate fluid properties under maximum thermal separation conditions. The empirical correlations and energy equation are assigned for enabling the model to calculate the change in fluid properties by the thermal separation and internal friction. However, a significant limitation of the model is its inability to account for variations in cold exit mass fractions. While the model can accurately predict most fluid properties, it shows a deviation of 16%–26% when calculating temperature at the central axis, highlighting some inherent limitations. The exergy analysis comprehends the utility of the newly developed model in optimizing vortex tube design tailored to specific applications with an overall efficiency of 47%. Furthermore, the model is tested for predicting flow properties in vortex tubes for synthesizing hydrogen-enriched slush-liquefied natural gas. The current study acknowledges limitations of the model in calculating the multi-phase flow of a real gas like methane. This prompts considerations for future enhancements of the theoretical model to incorporate the cold mass fraction effects and phase-change phenomenon of real gases.
A hybrid scale model proposed for blood flow analysis in membrane oxygenators
Authors: Jian Meng , Qian Zhaohui , Zeng Yongshun , Zhang Mingkui , Xu Zhonghua , Luo Xianwu
Published: December 2024

In this study, a hybrid scale model based on the micro-continuum approach is proposed to realize the efficient and accurate assessment of the static-state incompressible laminar blood flow dynamics in membrane oxygenators with Reynolds number (Re) ranging from 0.6 to 20. The calibrated Ergun equation is adopted to refine the modeling of the sub-grid momentum exchange term between the sub-resolution fluid and solid interface in the volume-averaging momentum conservation equation. Furthermore, an adaptive mesh strategy is utilized to enhance computational efficiency. For comparison, the pore, the Darcy, and the hybrid scale models based on the improved method are applied to simulate the blood flow in a two-dimensional benchmark oxygenator from the literature. The results show that the relative error of pressure difference in the oxygenator between the numerical and the experimental results is the smallest, i.e., 2.46% for the pore scale model, is 6.29% for the hybrid scale model, and has the largest value of 18.90% for the Darcy scale model. Furthermore, the hybrid scale model predicts similar results of the blood velocity and scalar shear stress with the pore scale model, while the Darcy scale model shows significant discrepancies, indicating the Darcy scale model cannot predict the reasonable flow dynamics and hemodynamic performance of the oxygenators. Notably, the hybrid scale model requires much less element number and computational time compared to the pore scale model under the same computation condition. Thus, the hybrid scale model is a promising method for treating the complicated blood flow in actual membrane oxygenators.
A novel and versatile cough simulator for respiratory disease studies
Authors: Van Zante Zackary , Purwar Tanya , Kang Soohyeon , Quiñones Jhon J. , Bocanegra Evans Humberto , Harrison-Smith Brandon , Chamorro Leonardo P. , Castillo Luciano
Published: December 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical need for comprehensive studies on respiratory diseases, particularly those focusing on human coughs as a primary mode of transmission. Traditional experimental methods for studying cough dynamics often fall short in replicating the complexity of human coughs, limiting our understanding of virus transmission. This study introduces a novel and versatile cough simulator capable of replicating a wide range of human cough jet profiles with high accuracy and repeatability. The device employs a synthetic jet actuator driven by signals derived from human cough parameters, paired with an aerosol chamber and interchangeable mouthpieces. The simulator was characterized using particle image velocimetry and flow visualization techniques, demonstrating its ability to generate cough jets with peak velocities ranging from approximately 3–39 m/s and peak velocity times from 8.75 to 60.00 ms. The simulated coughs exhibit the characteristic starting-jet and interrupted-jet stages observed in human coughs. Calibration maps were developed to allow precise tuning of cough parameters, enhancing the device's versatility. The simulator's reproducibility was validated through repeated trials, showing consistent flow characteristics despite the turbulent nature of the jets. This pulsatile flow device provides a reliable and adaptable platform for studying cough-generated aerosols, contributing to a better understanding of respiratory disease transmission and the development of effective mitigation strategies.
Analysis and research on spray acoustics characteristics of an effervescent atomizer
Authors: Xie Jun , Liu Liansheng , Li Yuhui , Huo Xinpeng , Liu Xuanchen , Wang Ziyue
Published: December 2024

The phenomenon of bubble expansion and explosion downstream of the atomizer orifice is primarily responsible for the atomization of liquid into droplets. However, experimental validation of the effervescent atomization mechanism has proven elusive due to challenges posed by high flow density, elevated flow rates, small bubble sizes, and short bubble lifetimes. In this study, both theoretical and experimental analyses were conducted to investigate the far-field acoustics of gas jets, liquid jets, and gas-liquid two-phase sprays. A noise analyzer was employed to measure the acoustic emissions generated by these three configurations: gas jets, liquid jets, and gas-liquid mixed jets (i.e., effervescent atomization). A flow state model was established based on global noise characteristics within the acoustic modal domain. The theoretical analysis included quantifying bubble populations downstream of the atomizer outlet and aggregating noise resulting from bubble cluster collapse. The results indicate that effervescent atomization noise increases with increasing mixing chamber pressure but decreases as the gas void fraction rises. Meanwhile, the noise exhibited fluctuations in response to variations of the internal two-phase flow pattern. The presence of numerous micro-bubbles collapsing downstream of the orifice was confirmed. It was noted that the noise of the two-phase spray does not simply represent a superposition of noise from gas and liquid jets; rather, it is a composite superposition of multiple sources, including gas jet noise, liquid jet noise, and bubble rupture noise. This study provides significant theoretical insight and practical implications for the field of effervescent atomization.
Onset of kinetic effects on Rayleigh–Taylor instability: Advective–diffusive asymmetry
Authors: Majumder Swapnil , Livescu Daniel , Girimaji Sharath S.
Published: December 2024

In nature and engineering applications, the Rayleigh–Taylor instability (RTI) occurs over a wide range of Atwood, Reynolds, Mach, and Knudsen numbers. At low Atwood, Mach, and Knudsen numbers, the classic advective instability causes quasi-symmetric bubble and spike growth on the two sides of the interface. However, recent findings suggest that at high degrees of rarefaction, advective effects are suppressed and molecular diffusion leads to planar growth of the density fronts on either side of the interface. This study aims to investigate the flow physics of the transition from advective to diffusive behavior, focusing on the onset of the kinetic effects. Using the gas kinetic methodology, RTI is simulated over a range of Knudsen and Mach numbers in the transition regime. The simulation results reveal the various stages of transformation from advective instability to diffusive transport. For the first time, the study demonstrates the existence of a Knudsen–Mach parameter regime where the bubble side exhibits advective instability, while the other side shows a planar density front due to molecular diffusion, rather than the canonical advective spike shape. The dominance of different mechanisms on the two sides of the interface leads to the advective–diffusive asymmetry. The findings of this study can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of RTI over a wide range of Mach and Knudsen numbers.
Electrokinetic effects on Brinkman micropolar flow through stationary randomly corrugated microchannels
Authors: Faltas M. S. , Ashmawy E. A. , Hossam Hesham
Published: December 2024

An analytical investigation is conducted into the electrokinetic phenomena within a porous medium saturated with a microstructured fluid, modeled by micropolar theory, in a stationary, randomly corrugated microchannel. The flow is driven by a pressure gradient and an electric field. A stationary random model is employed to simulate the surface roughness of the channel. The corrugation amplitude, oriented perpendicular to the flow, is assumed to be small relative to the average length of the channel walls. Consequently, a domain perturbation technique is utilized. The electrokinetic analysis is based on the linearized Poisson–Boltzmann equation. In this analysis, it is assumed that the surface zeta potential is small, as accounted for by employing the Debye–Hückel approximation. The solution obtained is used to assess the impact of the corrugations on the pressure gradient, flow rate, microrotation strength, and electric current density. These physical quantities are illustrated through graphs for various parameter values and are compared with existing data from the literature. The primary motivation for studying Brinkman micropolar electrolyte flow within corrugated channels lies in its potential applications for microfiltration and ultrafiltration.