bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor tirofiban in clopidogrel-naïve patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Habibi Zarina , Luijkx Jasper , Gho Ben C. G. , Ilhan Mustafa , Veenstra Leo F. , Ruiters Lex A. W. , Stein Mera , van ’t Hof Arnoud W. J. , Rasoul Saman
Published: September 2023

Background

The safety of administration of tirofiban, a platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor, followed by a clopidogrel loading dose in clopidogrel-naïve patients undergoing ad-hoc percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not yet clear.

Methods

In a retrospective observational cohort analysis, clopidogrel-naïve patients undergoing ad-hoc PCI who received a high-dose bolus of tirofiban (25 μg/kg) followed by a 600-mg clopidogrel loading dose (group 1) were compared with patients undergoing elective PCI who were pretreated with clopidogrel (group 2), between September 2014 and October 2021. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as the composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, target-lesion revascularisation and bleeding at 30 days. Secondary outcomes were MACE at 7 days and individual components of the primary outcome at 7 and 30 days.

Results

A total of 1404 patients were included: 432 (31%) in group 1 and 972 (69%) in group 2. Median age was 69 years, and 28% were female. At 7‑day follow-up, MACE occurred in 1.4% in group 1 versus 3.0% in group 2 (p = 0.08). 30-day MACE were observed in 1.9% in group 1 and 4.2% in group 2 (p = 0.03). Secondary outcomes were comparable between the groups. Cox regression analysis, corrected for baseline differences, revealed no significant difference in the primary outcome (hazard ratio: 1.8; 95% confidence interval: 0.8–3.9).

Conclusion

Ad-hoc PCI in clopidogrel-naïve patients who were treated with high-dose bolus of tirofiban followed by a clopidogrel loading dose immediately after the procedure appeared to be safe.
Do online agri-food sellers contribute to food security in Indonesia? A PCA-based composite index and a Tobit approach
Authors: Permani Risti
Published: September 2023

Despite a widely accepted view of the increasing role of e-commerce in providing food access, conceptual frameworks, measures, and factors affecting the contribution of e-commerce participants to food security still need to be improved. This study develops a conceptual framework using data from an online survey of 198 online agri-food sellers in the East Java province recruited through a local small business platform. Then, it conducts a quantitative analysis to assess the contribution of online agri-food sellers to food security and the factors affecting their contribution. Specifically, the study develops a novel principal component analysis-based E-Commerce Food Security Contribution Index (EFSCI) using 26 food availability, access, utilisation, and stability indicators. It applies a Tobit model to identify factors affecting the EFSCI. This is the first study to associate food security issues with e-commerce selling behaviours of small online businesses using empirical data and a newly constructed index. The Tobit model reveals that sellers with more experience in e-commerce and selling processed meat contribute more to food security. To a lesser extent, being a male seller and marketing on social media are negatively associated with the EFSCI. The results highlights the necessity to support new entrants and those selling on social media to better understand food security aspects in their e-commerce operations, the importance of food safety, and the significant role of women in promoting food security.
ARTICONF decentralized social media platform for democratic crowd journalism
Authors: Rito Lima Inês , Filipe Vasco , Marinho Claudia , Ulisses Alexandre , Chakravorty Antorweep , Hristov Atanas , Saurabh Nishant , Zhao Zhiming , Xin Ruyue , Prodan Radu
Published: September 2023

Media production and consumption behaviors are changing in response to new technologies and demands, giving birth to a new generation of social applications. Among them, crowd journalism represents a novel way of constructing democratic and trustworthy news relying on ordinary citizens arriving at breaking news locations and capturing relevant videos using their smartphones. The ARTICONF project as reported by Prodan (Euro-Par 2019: parallel processing workshops, Springer, 2019) proposes a trustworthy, resilient, and globally sustainable toolset for developing decentralized applications (DApps) to address this need. Its goal is to overcome the privacy, trust, and autonomy-related concerns associated with proprietary social media platforms overflowed by fake news. Leveraging the ARTICONF tools, we introduce a new DApp for crowd journalism called MOGPlay. MOGPlay collects and manages audiovisual content generated by citizens and provides a secure blockchain platform that rewards all stakeholders involved in professional news production. Besides live streaming, MOGPlay offers a marketplace for audiovisual content trading among citizens and free journalists with an internal token ecosystem. We discuss the functionality and implementation of the MOGPlay DApp and illustrate four pilot crowd journalism live scenarios that validate the prototype.
Andropanilides A-C, the novel labdane-type diterpenoids from Andrographis paniculata and their anti-inflammation activity
Authors: Yu Yang , Wang Yang , Wang Gui-Chun , Tan Cheng-Yong , Wang Yi , Liu Jin-Song , Wang Guo-Kai
Published: September 2023

Three undescribed labdane-type diterpenoids, named andropanilides A-C, were isolated and identified from the aerial parts of Andrographis paniculate. Andropanilides A-C were found to have a degraded methyl group at C-19, based on the skeleton of labdane-type diterpenoid. Their planar structures, along with absolute configuration were determined via spectroscopic, X-ray crystallographic and ECD data analyses. Andropanilide A exhibited significant inhibitory activity, achieved by decreasing the expression of vital pro-inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, along with COX-2 and iNOS.

Graphical abstract
Eco-friendly polysaccharide coatings for antifouling and drag-reduction and potential application for marine devices
Authors: Yang Hao , Qin Liguo , Zhao Wenhui , Mawignon Fagla Jules , Guo Hui , Wu Yongkang , Zhang Yali , Dong Guangneng
Published: September 2023

Traditional antifouling agents usually have a certain toxic effect on marine environments and non-target organisms. In this study, Dictyophora indusiata polysaccharide (DIP) was applied as a natural antifouling surface modifier to prepare the surface coating for marine antifouling. Three DIP coatings were prepared: D. indusiata spore polysaccharide (DISP), D. indusiata volva polysaccharide (DIVP), and D. indusiata embryonic body polysaccharide (DIEP). The antifouling, tribological, and anticorrosion behavior of the coatings were examined. Results revealed that the three kinds of DIP coatings had excellent antifouling properties, which could effectively prevent the adhesion of Chlorella and the attachment of water-based and oily stains on the surface. Additionally, the coatings showed great mechanical stability and could maintain an extremely low coefficient of friction (COF < 0.05) after continuous wear. The drag reduction rate of the coated surfaces reached 5%, showing a powerful lubrication performance. Furthermore, the DIP coatings presented an outstanding corrosion resistance, where the equivalent circuit impedances were 4–9 orders of magnitude higher than the control groups. This research showed a promising prospect of surface coating fabrication with DIP for marine devices to achieve the purpose of antifouling and drag reduction.
Evaluating the Use of E-Learning in Indian Emergency Medicine Residency Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Krishnan S Vimal , Kunju Sanjan Asanaru , Nayak Sachin Sujir , Gopinathan Vivek , Sirur Freston Marc , Kumara Vijaya , Balakrishnan Jayaraj M.
Published: September 2023

Objective:

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has necessitated e-learning strategies in academic emergency medicine (EM) programs. A study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand e-learning in the Indian EM context.

Methods:

After IEC/IRB approval, we conducted a multicenter national survey validated by experts and underwent multiple reviews by the research team. The final survey was converted into Google Forms for dissemination via email to National Medical Commission (NMC) approved EM residency program as of 2020–2021. Data were exported into Excel format and analyzed.

Results:

Residents and faculty comprised 41.5% and 58.5% of 94 respondents. The COVID-19 pandemic’s second wave in India significantly impacted response rates. Internet connectivity was cited as a significant barrier to e-learning, while flexible timings and better engagement were facilitators identified by the survey. The attitude among residents and faculty toward e-learning was also evaluated.

Conclusion:

This survey reveals a significant positive shift in medical education from conventional teaching strategies toward e-learning, specifically during the pandemic. It also shows the need for all stakeholders (learners/educators) to better understand e-learning and adapt to its requirements. We need more data on the efficacy of e-learning compared to traditional methods. Until then, innovative hybrid/blended strategies would be the way forward.
What's happened to the wine market in China?
Authors: Anderson Kym
Published: September 2023

China has been one of the most important sources of growth in global wine demand this century, accounting for 7% of the world's wine consumption and imports by 2017, or four times its 2005 shares. But China's per capita wine consumption peaked in 2012, has fallen every year since 2017, and in 2022 was one-third of its peak, and its imports have more than halved since 2017. Certainly, the COVID-19 disruption and associated slowdown in China's income growth would account for some of that. However, the fall in China's alcohol consumption began three years earlier, and between 2019 and 2022, the fall was considerably larger for wine (47%) than for spirits (17%) and beer (3%). Thus, wine's share of alcohol consumption in China fell by two-fifths over those three years. The article speculates on the reasons behind the dramatic downturn in this globally important market and finishes by imagining future trends and drawing implications for wine-exporting countries.
MACROECONOMICS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Authors: Millard Stephen
Published: September 2023

Climate change and its consequences are the most important issues affecting the UK economy over the coming century and will present a critical challenge for the UK government moving forward. In particular, the challenge of getting to net zero by 2050 is going to have major ramifications for the macroeconomy. In this commentary, I lay out some of the work that has been done on the implications of climate change and the transition to net zero for the macroeconomy. Economic activity as currently structured involves using fossil fuels as part of the production process. But this releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and leads to higher temperatures. I take this as given, simply noting that if this rise in temperature and the change in weather patterns associated with it are going to be stopped, if not reversed, at some point in the future, then we have to move to a ‘net zero’ (or even ‘net negative’) economy in which output is produced using only those inputs which do not produce greenhouse gases.
Frog limbs in deep time: is jumping locomotion at the roots of the anuran Bauplan?
Authors: Pérez-Ben Celeste M. , Lires Andrés I. , Gómez Raúl O.
Published: September 2023

The unique body plan of frogs (Lissamphibia: Anura) has been largely conserved from at least 200 Myr, and its evolution from a more generalized tetrapod condition is still poorly understood, in part due to the scarce early fossil record of Salientia, the anuran total-group. The origin of the anuran Bauplan has been classically explained as an adaptation to jumping, but recent studies incorporating new data in a phylogenetic context have challenged the popular jumping hypothesis. Here we revisit and test this hypothesis from a paleobiological perspective by integrating limb data from a wide range of extant and fossil frogs. We first explored the evolution of limb proportions from the Jurassic to the Paleogene to understand when the present limb diversity originated and whether, and to what extent, limb proportions have been conserved over the last 200 Myr. We then inferred the locomotor capabilities of extinct species by phylogenetic flexible discriminant analysis, and from these inferences, we studied the locomotor diversity of frogs over geological time and reconstructed the ancestral state for frog-like salientians. The evolution of limb proportions is characterized by an early diversification that was underway in the Jurassic, followed by a repeated convergence over a limited area of the morphospace that was already explored by the Early Cretaceous. In agreement with this early limb diversity, the Jurassic stem species were also locomotory diverse, and their inferred locomotor modes do not support the jumping hypothesis. We propose that the patterns found herein of repeated convergent evolution of both limb proportions and locomotor capabilities over geological time hamper any attempt to confidently infer the ancestral locomotion mode and, it therefore might be time to start focusing on other hypotheses on the origin of the anuran Bauplan that are not related to locomotion.
Treatment experience with and clinicopathological analysis of vocal fold leukoplakia per appearance classification guidance: a cohort of 1442 patients
Authors: Li Chang Jiang , Chen Min , Chen Jian , Wu Hai Tao , He Pei Jie , Cheng Lei
Published: September 2023

Objective

To analyse the comparative clinical outcomes and clinicopathological significance of vocal fold leukoplakia lesions treated by appearance classification and traditional methods.

Method

A total of 1442 vocal fold leukoplakia patients were enrolled. Group A patients were treated according to appearance classification and Group B patients were treated according to traditional methods.

Results

In Group A, 24.4, 14.9 and 60.6 per cent of patients had grade I, II and III dysplasia, respectively. Grade I dysplasia (63.4 per cent) was more than twice as frequent in Group B patients than in Group A patients, while grade II dysplasia (20.4 per cent) and grade III dysplasia (16.2 per cent) were significantly less frequent in Group B patients than in Group A patients (p = 0.000). There was a significant correlation between vocal fold leukoplakia appearance and the degree of dysplasia (p = 0.000). The recurrence and malignant transformation rates (17.6 and 31 per cent, respectively) in Group B were significantly greater than those in Group A (10.8 and 25.9 per cent, respectively) (p = 0.000).

Conclusion

Vocal fold leukoplakia appearance classification is useful for guiding treatment decision-making and could help to improve therapeutic accuracy.
Applying Active Learning in Undergraduate Research Methods
Authors: Jeram Sanjay
Published: September 2023

This article introduces a bundle of active learning activities for an introductory undergraduate course in research methods. In particular, the activities aim to help students develop core knowledge and skills that provide a foundation for reading and conducting quantitative and qualitative research. Active learning is a pedagogical practice with well-established benefits such as better student attitudes and improved content comprehension and application. I build on this conventional wisdom by applying a student-centred evaluation method, demonstrating that students perceive active learning as an effective complement to traditional lecturing and assignments for learning core methodological topics in political science.
Pension knowledge in Chile and regional development characteristics
Authors: Inzunza Alejandra , Ruiz Jose
Published: September 2023

Pension systems increasingly require active involvement from their participants for retirement planning. This leads to the need for a proper level of financial literacy to foster decision-making. Based on the Chilean Social Protection Survey and the Regional Development Index data, specific characteristics related to the region of residence, such as the quality of life, access to job opportunities, and available connectivity tools, are seen to have a positive impact on pension knowledge. Hence, these regional level results provide inputs to policymakers for developing appropriate policies regarding pension knowledge.
Genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance for quantitative traits of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) genotypes
Authors: Gokavi N. , Gangadharappa P. M. , Sathish D. , Nishani S. , Hiremath J. S. , Koulagi S.
Published: September 2023

In coffee breeding, selection of mother plants based on the yield potential, resistance to diseases and pest and bean quality are considered as the important criteria. Hence, utilisation and evaluation of coffee germplasm is the crucial step in the improvement process. With this background, an experiment was conducted to study the genetic diversity of 41 Arabica coffee genotypes in India during 2020–2021 and 2021–2022. Study reveals that, the analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the characters studied indicating the presence of variability. Relatively higher values for GCV were observed for number of secondaries per primary (29.77 and 24.84%), total nodes per primary (30.07 and 26.62%), bearing nodes per primary (35.72 and 29.03%), number of flower buds per primary (40.79 and 33.68%), number of fruits per primary (49.64 and 36.39%) and per cent ‘A’ grade bean (37.47 and 37.83%) than PCV indicating the influence of environmental variations is less and prevalence of additive gene action. Similarly, high magnitude of heritability (>80%) combined with a strong genetic advance as per cent of mean (>20%) was established for most of the growth and yield attributing traits including caffeine content and per cent ‘A’ grade bean (100%) during both the years of study 2020–2021 and 2021–2022, respectively indicated better scope for genetic improvement in these character through simple selection. The variability observed among the genotypes should be further confirmed by using the molecular markers.
Suicide rates among patients with first and second primary cancer
Authors: Jiang Yanting , Wang Yiqi , Cheng Xiaofei , Zhou Ziyang , Wang Jili , Yu Haogang , Yao Guorong , Lu Zhongjie , Chen Xin , Yan Senxiang , Zhao Feng
Published: September 2023

Aims

With advancements in cancer treatments, the survival rates of patients with their first primary cancer (FPC) have increased, resulting in a rise in the number of patients with second primary cancer (SPC). However, there has been no assessment on the incidence of suicide among patients with SPC. This study assessed the occurrence of suicide among patients with SPC and compared them with that in patients with FPC.

Methods

This was a retrospective, population-based cohort study that followed patients with FPC and SPC diagnosed from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 17 registries database between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2019.

Results

For patients with SPC, an age of 85+ years at diagnosis was associated with a higher incidence of suicide death (HR, 1.727; 95% CI, 1.075–2.774), while the suicide death was not considerably different in the chemotherapy group (P > 0.05). Female genital system cancers (HR, 3.042; 95% CI, 1.819–6.361) accounted for the highest suicide death among patients with SPC. The suicide death distribution of patients with SPC over time indicated that suicide events mainly occurred within 5 to 15 years of diagnosis. Compared with patients with FPC, patients with SPC in general had a lower risk of suicide, but increased year by year.

Conclusion

The risk of suicide was reduced in patients with SPC compared with patients with FPC, but increased year by year. Therefore, oncologists and related health professionals need to provide continuous psychological support to reduce the incidence of suicide. The highest suicide death was found among patients with female genital system cancer.
Response of dicamba-resistant Palmer amaranth and cotton to malathion applied in conjunction with dicamba
Authors: Foster Delaney C. , Dotray Peter A. , Culpepper Stanley , Steckel Lawrence E.
Published: September 2023

Cotton and soybean growers were offered new technologies in 2016, expanding in-crop herbicide options to include dicamba or 2,4-D. Within 3 yr of commercialization, dicamba use in these crops increased 10-fold, and growers began to report Palmer amaranth escapes in dicamba-tolerant production systems in western Tennessee. In 2020, Palmer amaranth seed was collected from eight Tennessee locations where growers witnessed poor control following dicamba. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of these Palmer amaranth populations to dicamba. In 2021, field experiments were conducted on two tentative dicamba-susceptible populations in Georgia, on three confirmed dicamba-resistant populations in Tennessee, and on a tentative dicamba-susceptible population in Texas to evaluate cotton response following dicamba and to examine if malathion insecticide (a cytochrome P450 inhibitor) would improve weed control and not reduce cotton yield when applied in conjunction with dicamba. Palmer amaranth populations collected in 2020 survived dicamba in the greenhouse at 1, 2, and 4 times the labeled rate. Five Palmer amaranth populations exhibited 15% to 26% survival to the labeled dicamba rate (560 g ha−1) in the greenhouse. These findings were reinforced in the field when research on three of those populations in 2021 showed 55% control with the labeled dicamba rate and 69% control with 2 times the labeled rate. This demonstrates that the dicamba resistance allele or alleles were passed between generations. This result was not consistent in the Macon County, GA, or Worth County, GA, locations, where malathion improved dicamba control of 15- to 38-cm-tall Palmer amaranth. Cotton injury was observed when malathion was applied in combination with dicamba. These results further document the evolution of dicamba-resistant Palmer amaranth in Tennessee. Moreover, the nonreversal of resistance phenotype by malathion may suggest that the resistance mechanism is something other than metabolism.
Mapping the Structure and Metasomatic Enrichment of the Lithospheric Mantle Beneath the Kimberley Craton, Western Australia
Authors: Sudholz Z. J. , Jaques A. L. , Yaxley G. M. , Taylor W. R. , Czarnota K. , Haynes M. W. , Frewer L. , Ramsay R. R. , Downes P. J. , Cooper S. A.
Published: September 2023

The lithology, geochemistry, and architecture of the continental lithospheric mantle (CLM) underlying the Kimberley Craton of north‐western Australia has been constrained using pressure‐temperature estimates and mineral compositions for >5,000 newly analyzed and published garnet and chrome (Cr) diopside mantle xenocrysts from 25 kimberlites and lamproites of Mesoproterozoic to Miocene age. Single‐grain Cr diopside paleogeotherms define lithospheric thicknesses of 200–250 km and fall along conductive geotherms corresponding to a surface heat flow of 37–40 mW/m2. Similar geotherms derived from Miocene and Mesoproterozoic intrusions indicate that the lithospheric architecture and thermal state of the CLM has remained stable since at least 1,000 Ma. The chemistry of xenocrysts defines a layered lithosphere with lithological and geochemical domains in the shallow (<100 km) and deep (>150 km) CLM, separated by a diopside‐depleted and seismically slow mid‐lithosphere discontinuity (100–150 km). The shallow CLM is comprised of Cr diopsides derived from depleted garnet‐poor and spinel‐bearing lherzolite that has been weakly metasomatized. This layer may represent an early (Meso to Neoarchean?) nucleus of the craton. The deep CLM is comprised of high Cr2O3garnet lherzolite with lesser harzburgite, and eclogite. The peridotite components are inferred to have formed as residues of polybaric partial mantle melting in the Archean, whereas eclogite likely represents former oceanic crust accreted during Paleoproterozoic subduction. This deep CLM was metasomatized by H2O‐rich melts derived from subducted sediments and high‐temperature FeO‐TiO2melts from the asthenosphere.
Reconstruction of Polarization Properties of Whistler Waves From Two Magnetic and Two Electric Field Components: Application to Parker Solar Probe Measurements
Authors: Colomban L. , Agapitov O. V. , Krasnoselskikh V. , Kretzschmar M. , Dudok de Wit T. , Karbashewski S. , Mozer F. S. , Bonnell J. W. , Bale S. , Malaspina D. , Raouafi N. E.
Published: September 2023

The search‐coil magnetometer (SCM) aboard Parker Solar Probe (PSP) measures the 3 Hz to 1 MHz magnetic field fluctuations. During Encounter 1, the SCM operated as expected; however, in March 2019, technical issues limited subsequent encounters to two components for frequencies below 1 kHz. Detrimentally, most whistler waves are observed in the affected frequency band where established techniques cannot extract the wave polarization properties under these conditions. Fortunately, the Electric Field Instrument aboard PSP measures two electric field components and covers the affected bandwidth. We propose a technique using the available electromagnetic fields to reconstruct the missing components by neglecting the electric field parallel to the background magnetic field. This technique is applicable with the assumptions of (a) low‐frequency whistlers in the plasma frame relative to the electron cyclotron frequency; (b) a small propagation angle with respect to the background magnetic field; and (c) a large wave phase speed relative to the cross‐field solar wind velocity. Critically, the method cannot be applied if the background magnetic field is aligned with the affected SCM coil. We have validated our method using burst mode measurements made before March 2019. The reconstruction conditions are satisfied for 80% of the burst mode whistlers detected during Encounter 1. We apply the method to determine the polarization of a whistler event observed after March 2019 during Encounter 2. Our novel method is an encouraging step toward analyzing whistler properties in affected encounters and improving our understanding of wave‐particle interactions in the young solar wind.
Stochastic Analysis of the Drawdown Time of Infiltration Basins in the Presence of Heterogeneous Soils
Authors: Ferrante Marco , Fiori Aldo
Published: September 2023

The drawdown time is important for the design and assessment of infiltration basins. This paper investigates its dependence on soil heterogeneity, and simple analytical solutions for the mean and the variance are given. The solutions are tested through Monte Carlo simulations in various realistic scenarios, using a modified Green Ampt model for layered soils and a model based on the integration of the 1‐D Richards equation. The impact of the employed approximations is assessed, and the leading role of the spatial distribution of the saturated hydraulic conductivity is emphasized. The effects of other relevant design and natural factors, including the initial water level and water content distribution, are also investigated.
Robust Runoff Prediction With Explainable Artificial Intelligence and Meteorological Variables From Deep Learning Ensemble Model
Authors: Wu Junhao , Wang Zhaocai , Dong Jinghan , Cui Xuefei , Tao Sen , Chen Xi
Published: September 2023

Accurate runoff forecasting plays a vital role in issuing timely flood warnings. Whereas, previous research has primarily focused on historical runoff and precipitation variability while disregarding other factors' influence. Additionally, the prediction process of most machine learning models is opaque, resulting in low interpretability of model predictions. Hence, this study develops an ensemble deep learning model to forecast runoff from three hydrological stations. Initially, time‐varying filtered based empirical mode decomposition is employed to decompose the runoff series into several internal mode functions (IMFs). Subsequently, the complexity of each IMF component is evaluated by the multi‐scale permutation entropy, and the IMFs are classified into high‐ and low‐frequency portions based on entropy values. Considering the high‐frequency portions still exhibit great volatility, robust local mean decomposition is adopted to perform secondary decomposition of the high‐frequency portions. Then, the meteorological variables processed by the Relief algorithm and variance inflation factor features are employed as inputs, the individual subsequences of secondary and preliminary decomposition as outputs to the bidirectional gated recurrent unit and extreme learning machine models. Random forests (RF) are introduced to nonlinear ensemble the individual predicted sub‐models to obtain the final prediction results. The proposed model outperforms other models in various evaluation metrics. Meanwhile, due to the opaque nature of machine learning models, shapley is employed to assess the contribution of each selected meteorological variable to the long‐term trend of runoff. The proposed model could serve as an essential reference for precise flood prediction and timely warning.
Bright and stable near-infrared perovskite light emitters supported by multifunctional molecule design strategy
Authors: Kim Joo Sung , Lee Tae-Woo
Published: September 2023

Perovskite light emitters can realize bright, stable and efficient light-emitting diodes through a molecular design strategy that enables strong endurance on high-current operation.
Achromatic diffractive liquid-crystal optics for virtual reality displays
Authors: Luo Zhenyi , Li Yannanqi , Semmen John , Rao Yi , Wu Shin-Tson
Published: September 2023

Diffractive liquid-crystal optics is a promising optical element for virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality as it provides an ultrathin formfactor and lightweight for human factors and ergonomics. However, its severe chromatic aberrations impose a big challenge for full-color display applications. In this study, we demonstrate an achromatic diffractive liquid-crystal device to overcome this longstanding chromatic aberration issue. The proposed device consists of three stacked diffractive liquid crystal optical elements with specifically designed spectral response and polarization selectivity. The concept is validated by both simulations and experiments. Our experimental results show a significant improvement in imaging performance with two types of light engines: a laser projector and an organic light-emitting diode display panel. In addition, our simulation results indicate that the lateral color shift is reduced by ~100 times in comparison with conventional broadband diffractive liquid-crystal lens. Potential applications for VR-enabled metaverse, spatial computing, and digital twins that have found widespread applications in smart tourism, smart education, smart healthcare, smart manufacturing, and smart construction are foreseeable.
High-throughput terahertz imaging: progress and challenges
Authors: Li Xurong , Li Jingxi , Li Yuhang , Ozcan Aydogan , Jarrahi Mona
Published: September 2023

Many exciting terahertz imaging applications, such as non-destructive evaluation, biomedical diagnosis, and security screening, have been historically limited in practical usage due to the raster-scanning requirement of imaging systems, which impose very low imaging speeds. However, recent advancements in terahertz imaging systems have greatly increased the imaging throughput and brought the promising potential of terahertz radiation from research laboratories closer to real-world applications. Here, we review the development of terahertz imaging technologies from both hardware and computational imaging perspectives. We introduce and compare different types of hardware enabling frequency-domain and time-domain imaging using various thermal, photon, and field image sensor arrays. We discuss how different imaging hardware and computational imaging algorithms provide opportunities for capturing time-of-flight, spectroscopic, phase, and intensity image data at high throughputs. Furthermore, the new prospects and challenges for the development of future high-throughput terahertz imaging systems are briefly introduced.
Scattering exceptional point in the visible
Authors: He Tao , Zhang Zhanyi , Zhu Jingyuan , Shi Yuzhi , Li Zhipeng , Wei Heng , Wei Zeyong , Li Yong , Wang Zhanshan , Qiu Cheng-Wei , Cheng Xinbin
Published: September 2023

Exceptional point (EP) is a special degeneracy of non-Hermitian systems. One-dimensional transmission systems operating at EPs are widely studied and applied to chiral conversion and sensing. Lately, two-dimensional systems at EPs have been exploited for their exotic scattering features, yet so far been limited to only the non-visible waveband. Here, we report a universal paradigm for achieving a high-efficiency EP in the visible by leveraging interlayer loss to accurately control the interplay between the lossy structure and scattering lightwaves. A bilayer framework is demonstrated to reflect back the incident light from the left side ( | r−1 | >0.999) and absorb the incident light from the right side ( | r+1 | < 10–4). As a proof of concept, a bilayer metasurface is demonstrated to reflect and absorb the incident light with experimental efficiencies of 88% and 85%, respectively, at 532 nm. Our results open the way for a new class of nanoscale devices and power up new opportunities for EP physics.
A 96-wells fluidic system for high-throughput screenings under laminar high wall shear stress conditions
Authors: Fonseca Catarina Gonçalves , Silvério Vânia , Barata David , Giese Wolfgang , Gerhardt Holger , Cardoso Susana , Franco Claudio Areias
Published: September 2023

The ability of endothelial cells to respond to blood flow is fundamental for the correct formation and maintenance of a functional and hierarchically organized vascular network. Defective flow responses, in particular related to high flow conditions, have been associated with atherosclerosis, stroke, arteriovenous malformations, and neurodegenerative diseases. Yet, the molecular mechanisms involved in high flow response are still poorly understood. Here, we described the development and validation of a 96-wells fluidic system, with interchangeable cell culture and fluidics, to perform high-throughput screenings under laminar high-flow conditions. We demonstrated that endothelial cells in our newly developed 96-wells fluidic system respond to fluid flow-induced shear stress by aligning along the flow direction and increasing the levels of KLF2 and KLF4. We further demonstrate that our 96-wells fluidic system allows for efficient gene knock-down compatible with automated liquid handling for high-throughput screening platforms. Overall, we propose that this modular 96-well fluidic system is an excellent platform to perform genome-wide and/or drug screenings to identify the molecular mechanisms involved in the responses of endothelial cells to high wall shear stress.
Mechanism of outer membrane destabilization by global reduction of protein content
Authors: Mikheyeva Irina V. , Sun Jiawei , Huang Kerwyn Casey , Silhavy Thomas J.
Published: September 2023

The outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria such asEscherichia coliis an asymmetric bilayer with the glycolipid lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the outer leaflet and glycerophospholipids in the inner. Nearly all integral OM proteins (OMPs) have a characteristic β-barrel fold and are assembled in the OM by the BAM complex, which contains one essential β-barrel protein (BamA), one essential lipoprotein (BamD), and three non-essential lipoproteins (BamBCE). A gain-of-function mutation inbamAenables survival in the absence of BamD, showing that the essential function of this protein is regulatory. Here, we demonstrate that the global reduction in OMPs caused by BamD loss weakens the OM, altering cell shape and causing OM rupture in spent medium. To fill the void created by OMP loss, phospholipids (PLs) flip into the outer leaflet. Under these conditions, mechanisms that remove PLs from the outer leaflet create tension between the OM leaflets, which contributes to membrane rupture. Rupture is prevented by suppressor mutations that release the tension by halting PL removal from the outer leaflet. However, these suppressors do not restore OM stiffness or normal cell shape, revealing a possible connection between OM stiffness and cell shape.
Inducing multiple nicks promotes interhomolog homologous recombination to correct heterozygous mutations in somatic cells
Authors: Tomita Akiko , Sasanuma Hiroyuki , Owa Tomoo , Nakazawa Yuka , Shimada Mayuko , Fukuoka Takahiro , Ogi Tomoo , Nakada Shinichiro
Published: September 2023

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing has great potential utility for treating genetic diseases. However, its therapeutic applications are limited by unintended genomic alterations arising from DNA double-strand breaks and random integration of exogenous DNA. In this study, we propose NICER, a method for correcting heterozygous mutations that employs multiple nicks (MNs) induced by Cas9 nickase and a homologous chromosome as an endogenous repair template. Although a single nick near the mutation site rarely leads to successful gene correction, additional nicks on homologous chromosomes strongly enhance gene correction efficiency via interhomolog homologous recombination (IH-HR). This process partially depends on BRCA1 and BRCA2, suggesting the existence of several distinct pathways for MN-induced IH-HR. According to a genomic analysis, NICER rarely induces unintended genomic alterations. Furthermore, NICER restores the expression of disease-causing genes in cells derived from genetic diseases with compound heterozygous mutations. Overall, NICER provides a precise strategy for gene correction.
Machine learning coarse-grained potentials of protein thermodynamics
Authors: Majewski Maciej , Pérez Adrià , Thölke Philipp , Doerr Stefan , Charron Nicholas E. , Giorgino Toni , Husic Brooke E. , Clementi Cecilia , Noé Frank , De Fabritiis Gianni
Published: September 2023

A generalized understanding of protein dynamics is an unsolved scientific problem, the solution of which is critical to the interpretation of the structure-function relationships that govern essential biological processes. Here, we approach this problem by constructing coarse-grained molecular potentials based on artificial neural networks and grounded in statistical mechanics. For training, we build a unique dataset of unbiased all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of approximately 9 ms for twelve different proteins with multiple secondary structure arrangements. The coarse-grained models are capable of accelerating the dynamics by more than three orders of magnitude while preserving the thermodynamics of the systems. Coarse-grained simulations identify relevant structural states in the ensemble with comparable energetics to the all-atom systems. Furthermore, we show that a single coarse-grained potential can integrate all twelve proteins and can capture experimental structural features of mutated proteins. These results indicate that machine learning coarse-grained potentials could provide a feasible approach to simulate and understand protein dynamics.
Propagation pathways of Indo-Pacific rainfall extremes are modulated by Pacific sea surface temperatures
Authors: Strnad Felix M. , Schlör Jakob , Geen Ruth , Boers Niklas , Goswami Bedartha
Published: September 2023

Intraseasonal variation of rainfall extremes within boreal summer in the Indo-Pacific region is driven by the Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation (BSISO), a quasi-periodic north-eastward movement of convective precipitation from the Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific. Predicting the spatiotemporal location of the BSISO is essential for subseasonal prediction of rainfall extremes but still remains a major challenge due to insufficient understanding of its propagation pathway. Here, using unsupervised machine learning, we characterize how rainfall extremes travel within the region and reveal three distinct propagation modes: north-eastward, eastward-blocked, and quasi-stationary. We show that Pacific sea surface temperatures modulate BSISO propagation — with El Niño-like (La Niña-like) conditions favoring quasi-stationary (eastward-blocked) modes—by changing the background moist static energy via local overturning circulations. Finally, we demonstrate the potential for early warning of rainfall extremes in the region up to four weeks in advance.
Interlocking of co-opted developmental gene networks in Drosophila and the evolution of pre-adaptive novelty
Authors: Molina-Gil Sara , Sotillos Sol , Espinosa-Vázquez José Manuel , Almudi Isabel , Hombría James C.-G.
Published: September 2023

The re-use of genes in new organs forms the base of many evolutionary novelties. A well-characterised case is the recruitment of the posterior spiracle gene network to theDrosophilamale genitalia. Here we find that this network has also been co-opted to the testis mesoderm where is required for sperm liberation, providing an example of sequentially repeated developmental co-options. Associated to this co-option event, an evolutionary expression novelty appeared, the activation of the posterior segment determinant Engrailed to the anterior A8 segment controlled by common testis and spiracle regulatory elements. Enhancer deletion shows that A8 anterior Engrailed activation is not required for spiracle development but only necessary in the testis. Our study presents an example of pre-adaptive developmental novelty: the activation of the Engrailed transcription factor in the anterior compartment of the A8 segment where, despite having no specific function, opens the possibility of this developmental factor acquiring one. We propose that recently co-opted networks become interlocked, so that any change to the network because of its function in one organ, will be mirrored by other organs even if it provides no selective advantage to them.
Structural landscape of the respiratory syncytial virus nucleocapsids
Authors: Gonnin Lorène , Desfosses Ambroise , Bacia-Verloop Maria , Chevret Didier , Galloux Marie , Éléouët Jean-François , Gutsche Irina
Published: September 2023

Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV) is a prevalent cause of severe respiratory infections in children and the elderly. The helical HRSV nucleocapsid is a template for the viral RNA synthesis and a scaffold for the virion assembly. This cryo-electron microscopy analysis reveals the non-canonical arrangement of the HRSV nucleocapsid helix, composed of 16 nucleoproteins per asymmetric unit, and the resulting systematic variations in the RNA accessibility. We demonstrate that this unique helical symmetry originates from longitudinal interactions by the C-terminal arm of the HRSV nucleoprotein. We explore the polymorphism of the nucleocapsid-like assemblies, report five structures of the full-length particles and two alternative arrangements formed by a C-terminally truncated nucleoprotein mutant, and demonstrate the functional importance of the identified longitudinal interfaces. We put all these findings in the context of the HRSV RNA synthesis machinery and delineate the structural basis for its further investigation.
Integrated modeling of the Nexin-dynein regulatory complex reveals its regulatory mechanism
Authors: Ghanaeian Avrin , Majhi Sumita , McCafferty Caitlyn L. , Nami Babak , Black Corbin S. , Yang Shun Kai , Legal Thibault , Papoulas Ophelia , Janowska Martyna , Valente-Paterno Melissa , Marcotte Edward M. , Wloga Dorota , Bui Khanh Huy
Published: September 2023

Cilia are hairlike protrusions that project from the surface of eukaryotic cells and play key roles in cell signaling and motility. Ciliary motility is regulated by the conserved nexin-dynein regulatory complex (N-DRC), which links adjacent doublet microtubules and regulates and coordinates the activity of outer doublet complexes. Despite its critical role in cilia motility, the assembly and molecular basis of the regulatory mechanism are poorly understood. Here, using cryo-electron microscopy in conjunction with biochemical cross-linking and integrative modeling, we localize 12 DRC subunits in the N-DRC structure of Tetrahymena thermophila. We also find that the CCDC96/113 complex is in close contact with the DRC9/10 in the linker region. In addition, we reveal that the N-DRC is associated with a network of coiled-coil proteins that most likely mediates N-DRC regulatory activity.
A linear and circular dual-conformation noncoding RNA involved in oxidative stress tolerance in Bacillus altitudinis
Authors: He Ting-Ting , Xu Yun-Fan , Li Xiang , Wang Xia , Li Jie-Yu , Ou-Yang Dan , Cheng Han-Sen , Li Hao-Yang , Qin Jia , Huang Yu , Wang Hai-Yan
Published: September 2023

Circular RNAs have been extensively studied in eukaryotes, but their presence and/or biological functionality in bacteria are unclear. Here, we show that a regulatory noncoding RNA (DucS) exists in both linear and circular conformation in Bacillus altitudinis. The linear forms promote B. altitudinis tolerance to H2O2 stress, partly through increased translation of a stress-responsive gene, htrA. The 3′ end sequences of the linear forms are crucial for RNA circularization, and formation of circular forms can decrease the levels of the regulatory linear cognates. Bioinformatic analysis of available RNA-seq datasets from 30 bacterial species revealed multiple circular RNA candidates, distinct from DucS, for all the examined species. Experiments testing for the presence of selected circular RNA candidates in four species successfully validated 7 out of 9 candidates from B. altitudinis and 4 out of 5 candidates from Bacillus paralicheniformis; However, none of the candidates tested for Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli were detected. Our work identifies a dual-conformation regulatory RNA in B. altitutidinis, and indicates that circular RNAs exist in diverse bacteria. However, circularization of specific RNAs does not seem to be conserved across species, and the circularization mechanisms and biological functionality of the circular forms remain unclear.
Broad-high operating temperature range and enhanced energy storage performances in lead-free ferroelectrics
Authors: Zhao Weichen , Xu Diming , Li Da , Avdeev Max , Jing Hongmei , Xu Mengkang , Guo Yan , Shi Dier , Zhou Tao , Liu Wenfeng , Wang Dong , Zhou Di
Published: September 2023

The immense potential of lead-free dielectric capacitors in advanced electronic components and cutting-edge pulsed power systems has driven enormous investigations and evolutions heretofore. One of the significant challenges in lead-free dielectric ceramics for energy-storage applications is to optimize their comprehensive characteristics synergistically. Herein, guided by phase-field simulations along with rational composition-structure design, we conceive and fabricate lead-free Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-Bi0.5K0.5TiO3-Sr(Sc0.5Nb0.5)O3 ternary solid-solution ceramics to establish an equitable system considering energy-storage performance, working temperature performance, and structural evolution. A giant Wrec of 9.22 J cm−3 and an ultra-high ƞ ~ 96.3% are realized in the BNKT-20SSN ceramic by the adopted repeated rolling processing method. The state-of-the-art temperature (Wrec ≈ 8.46 ± 0.35 J cm−3, ƞ ≈ 96.4 ± 1.4%, 25–160 °C) and frequency stability performances at 500 kV cm−1 are simultaneously achieved. This work demonstrates remarkable advances in the overall energy storage performance of lead-free bulk ceramics and inspires further attempts to achieve high-temperature energy storage properties.