bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic value of immunohistochemical staining for H3K27me3 and EZH2 in astrocytoma, IDH-mutant
Authors: Onishi Shumpei , Yamasaki Fumiyuki , Amatya Vishwa Jeet , Yonezawa Ushio , Taguchi Akira , Ozono Iori , Khairunnisa Novita Ikbar , Go Yukari , Takeshima Yukio , Horie Nobutaka
Published: December 2024

Background

H3 histone 27 lysine (H3K27) trimethylation (H3K27me3), which is catalyzed by enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), regulates gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms. H3K27me3 is used as a diagnostic marker for diffuse midline glioma and as a surrogate marker to distinguish posterior fossa ependymoma A and B. However, the clinical significance of the EZH2–H3K27me3 axis in astrocytoma, IDH-mutant has not been reported, prompting this investigation.

Methods

Thirty-three patients with astrocytoma, IDH-mutant treated at our institute were included in this study. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) targeting H3K27me3, H3K27M, EZH2, EZH inhibitory protein, IDH1-R132H, p53, ATRX, Ki-67, and MTAP was performed. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis were performed to analyze the correlations of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) with various factors, including age, World Health Organization (WHO) grade, the extent of resection, and immunohistochemical results.

Results

The mean patient age was 40.6 ± 11.0 years. IHC for H3K27me3 was positive in 19 patients and negative in 14 patients. The WHO grade and Ki-67 index were significantly higher in the H3K27me3-positive group (p = 0.004 and p = 0.024, respectively). OS and PFS were significantly shorter in the H3K27me3-positive group (p = 0.002 and p = 0.026, respectively). Furthermore, the H3K27me3 and EZH2 double-positive group was associated with a higher WHO grade and higher Ki-67 index (p = 0.001 and p = 0.024, respectively). In the analysis of patients with WHO grade 2/3, double positivity for H3K27me3 and EZH2 was linked to significantly shorter OS and PFS (p = 0.0053 and p = 0.0048, respectively).

Conclusion

Positivity for H3K27me3, especially double positivity for H3K27me3 and EZH2, could be a poor prognostic factor for astrocytoma, IDH-mutant. These results suggest the utility of H3K27me3 and EZH2 as candidate markers for estimating the malignancy of astrocytoma, IDH-mutant.
Integrative analysis of toxicometabolomics and toxicoproteomics data: new molecular insights into thiazolidinedione-induced cardiotoxicity
Authors: Al Sultan Abdullah , Rattray Zahra , Rattray Nicholas J. W.
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Despite the well-established efficacy of thiazolidinediones (TZDs), including pioglitazone and rosiglitazone, in type II diabetes management, their potential contribution to heart failure risk remains a significant area of uncertainty. This incomplete understanding, which persists despite decades of clinical use of TZDs, has generated ongoing controversy and unanswered questions regarding their safety profiles, ultimately limiting their broader clinical application.

Objective and methods

This study presented a multi-omics approach, integrating toxicoproteomics and toxicometabolomics data with the goal of uncovering novel mechanistic insights into TZD cardiotoxicity and identifying molecular signatures predictive of side effect progression.

Results

Network analysis of proteo-metabolomic data revealed a distinct fingerprint of disrupted biochemical pathways, which were primarily related to energy metabolism. Downregulation of oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid synthesis was coupled with increased activity in anaerobic glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and amino acid and purine metabolism. This suggests a potential metabolic shift in AC16 cells from fatty acid oxidation towards anaerobic glycolysis, potentially contributing to observed cardiotoxicity. Additionally, the study identified a marked disruption in the glutathione system, indicating an imbalanced redox state triggered by TZD exposure. Importantly, our analysis identified key molecular signatures across omics datasets, including prominent signatures of amino acids like L-ornithine, L-tyrosine and glutamine, which are evidently associated with heart failure, supporting their potential use for the early prediction of cardiotoxicity progression.

Conclusion

By uncovering a novel mechanistic explanation for TZD cardiotoxicity, this study simultaneously illuminates potential therapeutic interventions, opening avenues for future research to improve the safety profile of TZD agents. (250 words)

Graphical abstracts
Metallurgical Synthesis Methods for Mg-Al-Ca Scientific Model Materials
Authors: Luo W. , Tanure L. , Felten M. , Nowak J. , Delis W. , Freund M. , Ayeb N. , Zander D. , Thomas C. , Feuerbacher M. , Sandlöbes-Haut S. , Korte-Kerzel S. , Springer H.
Published: December 2024

Further improving the mechanical and corrosion properties of Mg-based alloys requires the investigation of underlying causalities between synthesis, processing, and microstructure, ideally down to the near atomic scale. However, such investigations with high resolution characterisation techniques require model materials of exceptionally controlled chemical composition and microstructure. In this context, the Mg-Al-Ca system, being attractive for offering significant improvement of the inherent brittleness of Mg alloys, is exceptionally challenging from a metallurgical perspective due to the inclusion of components with high reactivity and vapor pressures. Here, we demonstrate the applicability of various synthesis methods from arc-melting over solution growth to diffusion couples, extending to parameters for thermomechanical processing. Suitable pathways to overcome the specific challenges of the Mg-Al-Ca system are demonstrated, as well as the persistent limitations of the current state-of-the-art metallurgical laboratory technology. Solid solution sheet or wrought materials are ideally produced by induction melting in steel crucibles and casting under elevated pressure, with intermittent annealing steps between hot rolling passes to ensure homogenous chemical composition without excessive grain growth. Composite microstructures strongly depend on the solidification rate, and special care needs to be taken with regards to crucible reactions with increasing Al concentrations. Binary intermetallic compounds can be successfully produced in bulk by a variety of techniques, but the interplay between reactivity and evaporation of the melt when both Ca and Al are present required more complex approaches such as the Bridgman method for the synthesis of ternary compounds.
Application of machine learning and deep learning for predicting groundwater levels in the West Coast Aquifer System, South Africa
Authors: Igwebuike Ndubuisi , Ajayi Moyinoluwa , Okolie Chukwuma , Kanyerere Thokozani , Halihan Todd
Published: December 2024

Groundwater models are valuable tools to quantify the response of groundwater level to hydrological stresses induced by climate variability and groundwater extraction. These models strive for sustainable groundwater management by balancing recharge, discharge, and natural processes, with groundwater level serving as a critical response variable. While traditional numerical models are labour-intensive, machine learning and deep learning offer a data-driven alternative, learning from historical data to predict groundwater level variations. The groundwater level in wells is typically recorded as continuous groundwater level time series data and is essential for implementing managed aquifer recharge within a particular region. Machine learning and deep learning are essential tools to generate a data-driven approach to modeling an area, and there is a need to understand if they are the most suitable tools to improve model prediction. To address this objective, the study evaluates two machine learning algorithms - Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM); and two deep learning algorithms - Simple Recurrent Neural Network (SimpleRNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) for modeling groundwater level changes in the West Coast Aquifer System of South Africa. Analysis of regression error metrics on the test dataset revealed that SVM outperformed the other models in terms of the root mean square error, whereas random forest had the best performance in terms of the MAE. In the accuracy analysis of predicted groundwater levels, SVM achieved the highest accuracy with an MAE of 0.356 m and an RMSE of 0.372 m. The study concludes that machine learning and deep learning are effective tools for improved modeling and prediction of groundwater level. Further research can incorporate more detailed geologic information of the study area for enhanced interpretation.
Insights of Cardiovascular Involvement in Women by Non-Invasive Imaging – Focus on Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome
Authors: Różewicz-Juraszek Monika , Ganbat Mijidsuren , Nagel Eike , Puntmann Valentina O.
Published: December 2024

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this paper is to review the results of studies from the last 3 years, presenting the current state of knowledge on the pathophysiological effect of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on the cardiovascular system, with cardiac involvement using non-invasive cardiovascular investigations.

Recent Findings

PCOS is a complex endocrine disorder that has a significant impact on the cardiovascular system. Recent studies confirm that PCOS increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as well as the occurrence of cardiovascular events (CVE), including myocardial infarction (MI), coronary artery disease, and revascularization. These findings support the need for early screening and implementation of CVD prevention in women with PCOS.

Current evidence documents important and previously unrecognized mechanisms by which PCOS may adversely affect the cardiovascular system in affected women. Further studies are needed to in-depth characterisation of the cardiovascular phenotype of patients with PCOS. There is still a lack of studies using advanced cardiac imaging methods, including cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR).

Graphical Abstract
Less Frequent but Equally Useful: Social and Temporal Comparisons in Light of Mindfulness and Self-Compassion
Authors: Borgdorf Kira Skirwitt Ann , Kuechler Gabriela , Wrzus Cornelia , Aguilar-Raab Corina
Published: December 2024

Objectives

Social and temporal comparisons are ubiquitous and considered important sources of an individual’s self-knowledge. Yet, comparisons are inherently evaluative and may result in negative affective consequences. In contrast, mindfulness and self-compassion are characterized by a present-moment, non-evaluative, and accepting stance toward the self and one’s experiences and are associated with numerous positive psychological health indicators. This study innovatively examined the associations of mindfulness and self-compassion with frequency and perceived utility of social (i.e., with others) and past-temporal (i.e., with the past self) comparisons across different life domains.

Method

In a binational online study, we examined the associations between mindfulness, self-compassion, and comparisons across five different domains (i.e., extraversion, emotional stability, appearance, professional success, and private life) in a gender- and age-diverse sample at two measurement points 6 months apart (NT1 = 615, NT2 = 310, 18–84 years, 51.5% female).

Results

Results of multiple regression analyses indicated that the more mindful or self-compassionate individuals were, the less they compared themselves with others or their past self (across domains β =  − 0.25 to − 0.51; all p-values < 0.001). Contrary to our expectations, the overall pattern of results suggests that mindfulness and self-compassion were generally not significantly associated with perceiving comparisons as less useful (after family-wise error correction; β =  − 0.04 to − 0.14; all p-values ≥ 0.008).

Conclusions

The findings suggest that comparisons, when done mindfully and self-compassionately, can be a valuable source of information for self-knowledge. At the same time, mindfulness and self-compassion may buffer against negative affective outcomes of comparison processes.

Preregistration

This study is preregistered on the Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/6hfb2.
Historicizing the liberal antiracism of Cultural Evolution
Authors: Brinitzer Cameron
Published: December 2024

The Cultural Evolution Society was established in 2015 to “catalyze a theoretical synthesis” in the scientific study of human culture. As a field of research, cultural evolution took shape in the 1970s and 1980s around the aim of incorporating culture into biology’s modern evolutionary synthesis. Cultural evolution grew around the turn of the twenty-first century at the interface of population genetics and cognitive psychology. This article locates the origins of research on cultural evolution in projects of postwar scientific antiracism and U.S.-based debates about race and intelligence in the 1960s. Charting the development of prominent approaches to studying cultural evolution, I show how population geneticists and cognitive psychologists worked to redefine culture in statistical, populational, and geographic terms to politically neutralize the study of human difference. I situate the forms of genetic and cognitive culturalism that emerged as a result in a longer history of twentieth-century scientific antiracism.
Comparative analysis of biopolymer films derived from corn and potato starch with insights into morphological, structural and thermal properties
Authors: Pooja N. , Banik Soumyabrata , Chakraborty Ishita , Sudeeksha H. C. , Mal Sib Sankar , Srisungsitthisunti Pornsak , Patil Ajeetkumar , Mahato Krishna Kishore , Mazumder Nirmal
Published: December 2024

Starch biopolymer films were prepared using the solvent casting method involving acetic acid hydrolysis and glycerol plasticization. This process facilitated a more uniform distribution of plasticizers within the starch matrix, enhancing the films' flexibility. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the formation of ester linkages and structural changes in the biopolymer films, attributed to glycerol integration. The optimal formulation comprised 6% starch, 6.8% acetic acid, and 6.8% glycerol. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed a reduction in crystallinity of the starch during film formation, enhancing flexibility. Second harmonic generation (SHG) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy indicated that potato starch films had higher crystallinity compared to corn starch films. Thermal analysis via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that potato starch films exhibited lower gelatinization temperatures and higher thermal stability compared to corn starch films. Functional characterization demonstrated that higher starch content decreased water solubility and water vapor transmission rate, while increasing starch content improved the film's structural integrity. The films were hydrophilic, with static water contact angles indicating moderate wettability. Degradation studies showed that the films were stable in neutral and basic conditions but degraded under acidic conditions over time. The results suggest that potato starch films, with optimized glycerol and acetic acid content, offer improved flexibility, thermal stability, and structural integrity compared to corn starch films. Their performance in various conditions highlights their potential for specific applications, particularly where moisture and environmental stability are critical.
The spatio-temporal evolution and influencing factors of the coupling coordination degree between tourism supply and demand in the Yangtze river economic belt
Authors: Liu Li , Luo Jin
Published: December 2024

The imbalance between supply and demand is a pressing issue in the development of the tourism industry. Understanding the coupling coordination relationship and impact mechanism of supply-demand in the tourism system can help achieve high-quality tourism development. This study focuses on the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as the research area, quantifies the tourism supply index (TSI) and tourism demand index (TDI) from 2011 to 2020 using the tourism development index model, calculates the coupling coordination degree (CCD) of TSI and TDI based on the coupling coordination model, and explores the factors influencing the CCD using the geographic detector. The findings indicate that: (1) The TSI and TDI in various provinces show fluctuation but exhibit an overall upward trend. (2) There were apparent spatial disparities of the CCD, with a distribution characteristic of high in the east and low in other regions. The CCD gradually improved, with its gravity center slowly shifting toward the southwest. All provinces entered the intermediate stage of tourism development since 2014. (3) Basic service guarantee, consumption drive, and innovation drive are identified as the dominant factors influencing the CCD. The study can provide valuable insights for tourism coordination and sustainable development.
Product architecture strategies and effects matrices for early evaluation and selection of product architectures
Authors: Rice Scott E. , Sannar Benjamin C. , McKinnon Samuel A. , Humphrey Tyson M. , Mattson Christopher A. , Sorensen Carl D. , Anderson Michael L.
Published: December 2024

Product architecture decisions are made early in the product development process and have far-reaching effects. Unless anticipated through experience or intuition, many of these effects may not be apparent until much later in the development process, making changes to the architecture costly in time, effort and resources. Many researchers through the years have studied various elements of product architecture and their effects. By using a repeatable process for aggregating statements on the effects of architecture strategies from a selection of the literature on the topic and storing them in a systematic database, this information can then be recalled and presented in the form of a Product Architecture Strategy and Effect (PASE) matrix. PASE matrices allow for the identification, comparison, evaluation, and then selection of the most desirable product architecture strategies before expending resources along a specific development path. This paper introduces the PASE Database and matrix and describes their construction and use in guiding design decisions. This paper also provides metrics for understanding the robustness of this database.
A swimming bacterium in a two-fluid model of a polymer solution
Authors: Narayanan Sabarish V. , Koch Donald L. , Hormozi Sarah
Published: December 2024

We analyse the motion of a flagellated bacterium in a two-fluid medium using slender body theory. The two-fluid model is useful for describing a body moving through a complex fluid with a microstructure whose length scale is comparable to the characteristic scale of the body. This is true for bacterial motion in biological fluids (entangled polymer solutions), where the entanglement results in a porous microstructure with typical pore diameters comparable to or larger than the flagellar bundle diameter, but smaller than the diameter of the bacterial head. Thus, the polymer and solvent satisfy different boundary conditions on the flagellar bundle and move with different velocities close to it. This gives rise to a screening length

$L_B$

within which the fluids exchange momentum and the relative velocity between the two fluids decays. In this work, both the solvent and polymer of the two-fluid medium are modelled as Newtonian fluids with different viscosities

$\mu _s$

and

$\mu _p$

(viscosity ratio

$\lambda = \mu _p/\mu _s$

), thereby capturing the effects solely introduced by the microstructure of the complex fluid. From our calculations, we observe an increased drag anisotropy for a rigid, slender flagellar bundle moving through this two-fluid medium, resulting in an enhanced swimming velocity of the organism. The results are sensitive to the interaction between the bundle and the polymer, and we discuss two physical scenarios corresponding to two types of interaction. Our model provides an explanation for the experimentally observed enhancement of swimming velocity of bacteria in entangled polymer solutions and motivates further experimental investigations.
Eulerian–Lagrangian direct numerical simulation of turbulence modulation in a compressible multiphase transverse jet
Authors: Wang Haiou , Xiao Wei , Wang Chengming , Luo Kun , Fan Jianren
Published: December 2024

In this study, direct numerical simulation of the particle dispersion and turbulence modulation in a sonic transverse jet injected into a supersonic cross-flow with a Mach number of 2 was carried out with the Eulerian–Lagrangian point-particle method. One single-phase case and two particle-laden cases with different particle diameters were simulated. The jet and particle trajectories, the dispersion characteristics of particles, and the modulation effect of particles on the flow were investigated systematically. It was found that large particles primarily accumulate around shear layer structures situated on the windward side of the jet trajectory. In contrast, small particles exhibit radial transport, accessing both upstream and downstream recirculation zones. Moreover, small particles disperse extensively within the boundary layer and large-scale shear layers, evidently influenced by the streamwise vortices. The particles increase the mean wall-normal velocity near the wall in the wake region of the transverse jet, while reducing the mean streamwise and wall-normal velocities in outer regions. Particles significantly alter the flow velocity adjacent to shock fronts. In particular, the turbulent fluctuations near the windward barrel shock and bow shock are reduced, while those around the leeward barrel shock are increased. An upward displacement of the bow shock in the wall-normal direction is also observed due to particles. In the regions away from the shocks, small particles tend to amplify the Reynolds stress, while large particles attenuate the turbulent kinetic energy.
Linear amplification of inertial-wave-driven swirl fluctuations in turbulent swirling pipe flows: a resolvent analysis approach
Authors: Müller J.S. , von Saldern J.G.R. , Kaiser T.L. , Oberleithner K.
Published: December 2024

This paper investigates the amplification and propagation of swirl fluctuations in turbulent swirling flows using resolvent analysis. Swirl fluctuations have been repeatedly observed in acoustically excited swirl flows and play a significant role in triggering thermoacoustic instabilities in swirl-stabilized flames. While recent research on simplified rotating laminar base flows suggests that the linear inertial-wave mechanism is a key driver of swirl fluctuations, it remains unclear whether this applies to the fully turbulent regime and whether a linear method is sufficient for modelling. To address this issue, a turbulent swirling pipe flow is considered using large-eddy simulations and phase-locked particle image velocimetry, which are combined with mean-field resolvent analysis. A sound agreement between the empirical and physics-based modes is found in terms of shape and propagation velocity. The latter is particularly important for thermoacoustic time-lag models. The comparison with a generic rotating pipe flow shows that the observed swirl fluctuations are indeed driven by a linear inertial wave mechanism. The resolvent framework is, then, exploited to further investigate the coupling and amplification mechanisms in detail. It is discovered that the combined effects of inertia and strong shear lead to very high amplification rates of the swirl fluctuations, explaining the high potential of these structures to trigger combustion instabilities. The study further demonstrates the capability of the resolvent to reveal the driving mechanisms of flow response structures in highly complex turbulent flows, and it opens the path for efficient physics-based optimization to prevent combustion instabilities.
Unsupervised extraction of local and global keywords from a single text
Authors: Aleksanyan Lida , Allahverdyan Armen
Published: December 2024

We propose an unsupervised, corpus-independent method to extract keywords from a single text. It is based on the spatial distribution of words and the response of this distribution to a random permutation of words. Our method has three advantages over existing unsupervised methods (such as YAKE). First, it is significantly more effective at extracting keywords from long texts in terms of precision and recall. Second, it allows inference of two types of keywords: local and global. Third, it extracts basic topics from texts. Additionally, our method is language-independent and applies to short texts. The results are obtained via human annotators with previous knowledge of texts from our database of classical literary works. The agreement between annotators is moderate to substantial. Our results are supported via human-independent arguments based on the average length of extracted content words and on the average number of nouns in extracted words. We discuss relations of keywords with higher-order textual features and reveal a connection between keywords and chapter divisions.
New time-series photometry of the magnetic white dwarf Star Feige 7
Authors: Koen Chris , Kilkenny David , Koester Detlev
Published: December 2024

Existing photometry of the magnetic helium-rich white dwarf Feige 7 is used to derive the parameters

$T_\mathrm{eff}=18\,480$

K and log

$\;g=8.74$

and a frequency of variability of 10.94192 d

$^{-1}$

(period 2.19340 h). New time-series photometry of Feige 7 is presented, covering full cycles of variability in the UBVRI and ugriz filters, which allows the wavelength dependence of the two amplitudes in the double wave light curve to be determined. Amplitudes are virtually constant for wavelengths longer than 5 000 Å, but increase sharply for shorter wavelengths. A simple model consisting of two large cool spots 180

$^\circ$

apart on the surface of star provides a reasonable description of the data.
Radiocarbon dating of the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch in Kopčany (Slovakia): International consortium results
Authors: Povinec Pavel P , Kontuľ Ivan , Cherkinsky Alexander , Hajdas Irka , Gu Yao , Timothy Jull A J , Lupták Tomáš , Molnár Mihály , Steier Peter , Svetlik Ivo
Published: December 2024

An international consortium of radiocarbon laboratories has established the origin of the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch in Kopčany (Slovakia), because its age was not well known from previous investigations. In total, 13 samples of charcoal, wood, mortar, and plaster were analyzed. The 14C results obtained from the different laboratories, as well as between the different sample types, were in good agreement. Resulting the final 14C calibrated age of the Church, based on dating a single piece of a wooden levelling rod is 774–884 AD (95.4% confidence level), which is in very good agreement with Bayesian modeling result based on dating of wood, charcoal and mortar samples (788–884 AD, 95.4% confidence level). The probability distribution from OxCal calibration shows that 79% of the probability distribution lies in the period before 863 AD, implying that the Church could have been constructed before the arrival of Constantine (St. Cyril) and St. Methodius to Great Moravia. If we take as the terminus post quem the documented date of consecration of the church in Nitrava (828 AD), the Bayesian modeling suggests the age of the Church in the range of 837–884 AD (95.4% confidence level). Although the 14C results have very good precision, the specific plateau shape of the calibration curve in this period caused a wide range of the calibrated age. The Church represents, together with the St. George’s Rotunda in Nitrianska Blatnica, probably the oldest standing purpose-built Christian church in the eastern part of Central Europe.
Orientalism, Liberal Empire, and the 2003 Iraq War
Authors: STIEB JOSEPH
Published: December 2024

This paper analyzes the 2003 Iraq War's origins through the lens of orientalism and within the history of liberal empire. It argues that Edward Said correctly contended that an orientalist emphasis on essential difference helped justify the war. However, Said overlooked how liberal assertions of universal values also served as a basis for empire in this case and how many opponents of the war also drew on orientalist ideas. Simultaneously, opponents of the Iraq War often used orientalist binaries and stereotypes in their arguments for restraint. It concludes that in using cultural lenses in policy analysis, scholars should pay close attention to shifting contexts and appreciate the multidirectional potentialities of cultural factors for policy.
Bayesian-genome-wide association study and post-GWAS on reproductive traits of Holstein dairy cattle
Authors: Jabbari Tourchi Jeyran , Alijani Sadegh , Rafat Seyed Abbas , Abbasi Mokhtar Ali
Published: December 2024

Bayesian multiple regression models are often used for genomic selection, where all markers are adjusted simultaneously as random effects to reduce the false-discovery rate. The purpose of this research was to identify individual candidate genes for some reproductive traits in Holstein cattle through genome wide association studies (GWAS) using a Bayesian method in combination with post-GWAS analysis. Reproductive traits included: days open (DO), pregnancy rate (PR), calving interval (CI) and age at first calving (AFC). The animals were genotyped using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panels of different densities imputed to a 50 K SNP density. After quality control, we included 2400 genotyped animals. According to the Bayesian analysis, there were 19 windows with an explained additive genetic variance of >0.1 percent for CI, DO, AFC and PR in Holstein cattle, which were 3, 3, 6 and 7, respectively. Using Bayesian analysis, 79 genes were located within or nearby (250-kb) 19 significant SNPs/windows in the Bos taurus autosomes. Among these genes, we identified 25 candidate genes for reproductive traits, namely CHD7, CLVS1, EVX2, MAT2B, NUDCD2, GPR39, NCKAP5, LYPD1, HOXD13, SEMA5B, CCNG1, SEMA5A, BRF1, PSEN2, CACHD1, SUGTA, ELF1, SNORA70, AKT1, TM2D1, SLF1, MCTPA, PAB2A, MTRF1 and ADCY2. Additionally, another nine candidate genes (CLVS1, GPR39, CENPF, AMOT, ARF1, CCDC186, ADCY2, BDP1 and AMOTL1) were identified in the network cluster analysis as hub genes for reproductive traits. The results of gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and pathway analysis, suggest that the most important gene ontology term involving cellular metabolic process was related to the AFC trait. To summarize, Bayesian methods were used to identify SNPs and candidate genes that could be useful in genomic selection to improve reproductive traits of Holstein dairy cattle.
The predictive values of C-reactive protein-neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio for the risk of refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Chen Xiaoli , Wang Shanhu , Cai Hailun , Xia Xiaojiao
Published: December 2024

This cohort study evaluated the associations of C-reactive protein-neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (C-NLR) and lymphocyte-CRP ratio (LCR) with refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP), and the predictive values of C-NLR and LCR for RMPP and prolonged fever in children based on 389 children with MPP. The associations of NLR, C-NLR, and LCR with RMPP and prolonged fever were evaluated by logistic regression analysis. C-NLR was correlated with an increased risk of RMPP in children [odds ratio (OR) = 3.459, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.598–7.491]. A higher risk of RMPP was identified in the C-NLR > 29.9 group (OR = 2.885, 95% CI: 1.599–5.203). LCR > 1584.2 was associated with a decreased risk of RMPP (OR = 0.500, 95% CI: 0.282–0.887). Increased risk of prolonged fever in children was identified with the increase of C-NLR (OR = 5.913, 95% CI: 2.335–14.972) or NLR (OR = 2.413, 95% CI: 1.689–3.446). The AUCs of C-NLR, LCR, and NLR for predicting RMPP were 0.630, 0.623, and 0.608, respectively. In conclusion, C-NLR was associated with increased RMPP risk in children and had good value for predicting RMPP and prolonged fever in children.
A scoping review on the community dividend resulting from testing and treating hepatitis C infection in people living in detention
Authors: Kiss-Farina Eszter , Esio-Bassey Chizoba , Plugge Emma , De Viggiani Nick
Published: December 2024

A scoping review was conducted to map out sources, types, characteristics of evidence that substantiate the existence of a community dividend arising from testing and treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in people living in detention – where community dividend is defined as the benefit of prison-related intervention for general population health. Joanna Briggs Institute methodology guidance was used. Literature search was done in EMBASE, Scopus, ASSIA, UWE library, CINAHL Plus, and Medline to find studies published in any country, any language between January 1991 and June 2022. PRISMA ScR flow chart mapped out the number of records identified, included, and reasons for exclusion. Data were extracted and charted in Excel. The findings were systematically reported by charting table headings then synthesized in the discussion. Quality assessment was carried out. The descriptive analysis demonstrated economic, clinical, and epidemiological domains to the community dividend in long-term health expenditure savings, reduction in HCV-related disease sequelae, increase in survival, improvement in quality of life, and reduction in infection transmission, most of which are realized in the community following release. Therefore, targeting marginalized populations affected by HCV could expedite the elimination effort, reduce inequalities, and have a positive impact on the wider population.
Regional Impacts Poorly Constrained by Climate Sensitivity
Authors: Swaminathan Ranjini , Schewe Jacob , Walton Jeremy , Zimmermann Klaus , Jones Colin , Betts Richard A. , Burton Chantelle , Jones Chris D. , Mengel Matthias , Reyer Christopher P. O. , Turner Andrew G. , Weigel Katja
Published: December 2024

Climate risk assessments must account for a wide range of possible futures, so scientists often use simulations made by numerous global climate models to explore potential changes in regional climates and their impacts. Some of the latest‐generation models have high effective climate sensitivities (EffCS). It has been argued these “hot” models are unrealistic and should therefore be excluded from analyses of climate change impacts. Whether this would improve regional impact assessments, or make them worse, is unclear. Here we show there is no universal relationship between EffCS and projected changes in a number of important climatic drivers of regional impacts. Analyzing heavy rainfall events, meteorological drought, and fire weather in different regions, we find little or no significant correlation with EffCS for most regions and climatic drivers. Even when a correlation is found, internal variability and processes unrelated to EffCS have similar effects on projected changes in the climatic drivers as EffCS. Model selection based solely on EffCS appears to be unjustified and may neglect realistic impacts, leading to an underestimation of climate risks.
Flooding is Not Like Filling a Bath
Authors: Sanders Brett F. , Wing Oliver E. J. , Bates Paul D.
Published: December 2024

Damage and disruption from flooding have rapidly escalated over recent decades. Knowing who and what is at risk, how these risks are changing, and what is driving these changes is of immense importance to flood management and policy. Accurate predictions of flood risk are also critical to public safety. However, many high‐profile research studies reporting risks at national and global scales rely upon a significant oversimplification of how floods behave—as a level pool—an approach known as bathtub modeling that is avoided in flood management practice due to known biases (e.g., >200% error in flood area) compared to physics‐based modeling. With publicity by news media, findings that would likely not be trusted by flood management professionals are thus widely communicated to policy makers and the public, scientific credibility is put at risk, and maladaptation becomes more likely. Here, we call upon researchers to abandon the practice of bathtub modeling in flood risk studies, and for those involved in the peer‐review process to ensure the conclusions of impact analyses are consistent with the limitations of the assumed flood physics. We document biases and uncertainties from bathtub modeling in both coastal and inland geographies, and we present examples of physics‐based modeling approaches suited to large‐scale applications. Reducing biases and uncertainties in flood hazard estimates will sharpen scientific understanding of changing risks, better serve the needs of policy makers, enable news media to more objectively report present and future risks to the public, and better inform adaptation planning.
Conditions of High Helium Concentrations in Coronal Mass Ejections
Authors: Starkey M. J. , Fuselier S. A. , Dayeh M. A.
Published: December 2024

We analyze the structure and composition of 248 ICMEs observed by the Wind spacecraft from February 1995 to December 2015. We group each event based on their doubly ionized Helium concentration within the magnetic cloud region into either the high‐concentration (i.e., >8% for at least 25% of the magnetic cloud) or nominal‐concentration (i.e., <8% for at least 75% of the magnetic cloud) group. We then perform an epoch analysis on plasma and magnetic field parameters within each distinct region of the ICME structure to identify similarities and/or differences associated with each group of events. Results show that the sheath region of ICMEs with high Helium concentration exhibits a two‐part structure, which is indicative of the compression and expansion of the sheath as it propagates. We further investigate the effect of high Helium concentration within ICMEs on resulting geomagnetic activity by comparing the average Sym‐H geomagnetic index between the two groups. We find that the Sym‐H achieves a greater minimum for high‐concentration events by a factor of ∼1.6. We suggest that this effect is related to the increase in dynamic pressure within the sheath region for ICMEs with high Helium content. Results indicate that high Helium content in ICMEs may play a non‐trivial role in both the evolution of the ICME sheath throughout interplanetary space and the resulting geomagnetic activity induced by Earthward‐directed ICMEs.
Building a Multilake Paleoseismometer for the Xianshuihe Fault (Tibetan Plateau, China)
Authors: Lemot François , Sabatier Pierre , Chevalier Marie‐Luce , Develle Anne‐Lise , Fang Ziqi , Rioual Patrick , Zhang Siqi , Bai Mingkun , Wang Shiguang , Li Haibing , Replumaz Anne
Published: December 2024

The Xianshuihe fault, located in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, stands as one of the most active faults in China. As assessing earthquake hazard relies on access to long‐term paleoseismological archives, this paper seeks to optimize the interpretation of paleoseismological records. We retrieved nine sediment cores from three lakes over a 30 km fault segment. Earthquake‐related deposits were identified through grain‐size analysis, XRF core scanning, and SEM observations of thin sections. Age models based on short‐lived radionuclides correlate these events with historical earthquakes, which are recorded with varying sensitivities to seismic intensity across the three lakes. We developed a code that evaluates the plausibility of rupture scenarios against sedimentary evidence: Each site is used as a binary paleoseismometer, indicating whether or not an earthquake reached a local intensity threshold. The combined evidence from the three sites allows to evaluate rupture scenarios on the Xianshuihe fault, according to rupture length‐magnitude scaling laws and intensity prediction equations. The most probable scenarios allow to discriminate the rupture area and magnitude range providing a good agreement with historical reconstructions. Our work demonstrates the potential of combining earthquake records to infer the magnitude and rupture zone of paleo‐earthquakes, even with a limited data set. Our approach, applicable across diverse geological settings and timescales, offers enhanced precision in understanding long‐term paleoseismology covering multiple earthquake cycles. However, establishing the synchronicity of events in such an active area—where earthquake return times are typically <100 years—demands highly accurate age models, which remains challenging.
SENP3-FIS1 axis promotes mitophagy and cell survival under hypoxia
Authors: Zhao Alice , Maple Laura , Jiang Juwei , Myers Katie N. , Jones Callum G. , Gagg Hannah , McGarrity-Cottrell Connor , Rominiyi Ola , Collis Spencer J. , Wells Greg , Rahman Marufur , Danson Sarah J. , Robinson Darren , Smythe Carl , Guo Chun
Published: December 2024

SUMOylation, the covalent attachment of the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) to target proteins, and its reversal, deSUMOylation by SUMO proteases like Sentrin-specific proteases (SENPs), are crucial for initiating cellular responses to hypoxia. However, their roles in subsequent adaptation processes to hypoxia such as mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) remain unexplored. Here, we show that general SUMOylation, particularly SUMO2/3 modification, suppresses mitophagy under both normoxia and hypoxia. Furthermore, we identify deSUMO2/3-ylation enzyme SENP3 and mitochondrial Fission protein 1 (FIS1) as key players in hypoxia-induced mitophagy (HIM), with SUMOylatable FIS1 acting as a crucial regulator for SENP3-mediated HIM regulation. Interestingly, we find that hypoxia promotes FIS1 SUMO2/3-ylation and triggers an interaction between SUMOylatable FIS1 and Rab GTPase-activating protein Tre-2/Bub2/Cdc16 domain 1 family member 17 (TBC1D17), which in turn suppresses HIM. Therefore, we propose a novel SUMOylation-dependent pathway where the SENP3-FIS1 axis promotes HIM, with TBC1D17 acting as a fine-tuning regulator. Importantly, the SENP3-FIS1 axis plays a protective role against hypoxia-induced cell death, highlighting its physiological significance, and hypoxia-inducible FIS1-TBC1D17 interaction is detectable in primary glioma stem cell-like (GSC) cultures derived from glioblastoma patients, suggesting its disease relevance. Our findings not only provide new insights into SUMOylation/deSUMOylation regulation of HIM but also suggest the potential of targeting this pathway to enhance cellular resilience under hypoxic stress.
Ohm’s law lost and regained: observation and impact of transmission and velocity zeros
Authors: Joshi Krishna , Kurtz Israel , Shi Zhou , Genack Azriel Z.
Published: December 2024

The quantum conductance and its classical wave analogue, the transmittance, are given by the sum of the eigenvalues of the transmission matrix. However, neither measurements nor theoretical analysis of the transmission eigenchannels have been carried out to explain the dips in conductance found in simulations as new channels are introduced. Here, we measure the microwave transmission matrices of random waveguides and find the spectra of all transmission eigenvalues, even at dips in the lowest transmission eigenchannel that are orders of magnitude below the noise in the transmission matrix. Transmission vanishes both at topological transmission zeros, where the energy density at the sample output vanishes, and at crossovers to new channels, where the longitudinal velocity vanishes. Zeros of transmission pull down all the transmission eigenvalues and thereby produce dips in the transmittance. These dips and the ability to probe the characteristics of even the lowest transmission eigenchannel are due to correlation among the eigenvalues. The precise tracking of dips in the conductance by peaks in the density of states points to a further correlation between zeros and poles of the transmission matrix. The conductance approaches Ohm’s law as the sample width increases in accord with the correspondence principle.
Synaptic connectome of the Drosophila circadian clock
Authors: Reinhard Nils , Fukuda Ayumi , Manoli Giulia , Derksen Emilia , Saito Aika , Möller Gabriel , Sekiguchi Manabu , Rieger Dirk , Helfrich-Förster Charlotte , Yoshii Taishi , Zandawala Meet
Published: December 2024

The circadian clock and its output pathways play a pivotal role in optimizing daily processes. To obtain insights into how diverse rhythmic physiology and behaviors are orchestrated, we have generated a comprehensive connectivity map of an animal circadian clock using the Drosophila FlyWire brain connectome. Intriguingly, we identified additional dorsal clock neurons, thus showing that the Drosophila circadian network contains ~240 instead of 150 neurons. We revealed extensive contralateral synaptic connectivity within the network and discovered novel indirect light input pathways to the clock neurons. We also elucidated pathways via which the clock modulates descending neurons that are known to regulate feeding and reproductive behaviors. Interestingly, we observed sparse monosynaptic connectivity between clock neurons and downstream higher-order brain centers and neurosecretory cells known to regulate behavior and physiology. Therefore, we integrated single-cell transcriptomics and receptor mapping to decipher putative paracrine peptidergic signaling by clock neurons. Our analyses identified additional novel neuropeptides expressed in clock neurons and suggest that peptidergic signaling significantly enriches interconnectivity within the clock network.
Supercritical density fluctuations and structural heterogeneity in supercooled water-glycerol microdroplets
Authors: Berkowicz Sharon , Andronis Iason , Girelli Anita , Filianina Mariia , Bin Maddalena , Nam Kyeongmin , Shin Myeongsik , Kowalewski Markus , Katayama Tetsuo , Giovambattista Nicolas , Kim Kyung Hwan , Perakis Fivos
Published: December 2024

Recent experiments and theoretical studies strongly indicate that water exhibits a liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) in the supercooled domain. An open question is how the LLPT of water can affect the properties of aqueous solutions. Here, we study the structural and thermodynamic properties of supercooled glycerol-water microdroplets at dilute conditions (χg = 3.2% glycerol mole fraction). The combination of rapid evaporative cooling with femtosecond X-ray scattering allows us to outrun crystallization and gain access to the deeply supercooled regime down to T = 229.3 K. We find that the density fluctuations of the glycerol-water solution or, equivalently, its isothermal compressibility, κT, increases upon cooling. This is confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations, which indicate that the presence of glycerol shifts the temperature of maximum κT from T = 230 K in pure water down to T = 223 K in the solution. Our findings elucidate the interplay between the complex behavior of water, including its LLPT, and the properties of aqueous solutions at low temperatures, which can have practical consequences in cryogenic biological applications and cryopreservation techniques.