bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bathymetry Inversion Using a Deep‐Learning‐Based Surrogate for Shallow Water Equations Solvers
Authors: Liu Xiaofeng , Song Yalan , Shen Chaopeng
Published: March 2024

River bathymetry is critical for many aspects of water resources management. We propose and demonstrate a bathymetry inversion method using a deep‐learning‐based surrogate for shallow water equations solvers. The surrogate uses the convolutional autoencoder with a shared‐encoder, separate‐decoder architecture. It encodes the input bathymetry and decodes to separate outputs for flow field variables. Utilizing the differentiability of the surrogate, a gradient‐based optimizer is used to perform bathymetry inversion. Two physically based constraints on the ranges of both bed elevation and slope have to be added as inversion loss regularizations to contract the solution space. Using the “L‐curve” criterion, a heuristic approach is proposed to determine the regularization parameters. Both the surrogate model and the inversion algorithm show good performance. The bathymetry inversion progresses in two distinctive stages, which resembles the sculptural process of initial broad‐brush calving and final fine detailing. The inversion loss due to flow prediction error and the two regularizations play dominant roles in the initial and final stages, respectively. The surrogate architecture (whether with both velocity and water surface elevation or velocity only as outputs) does not have significant impact on inversion result. The methodology proposed in this work, an example of differentiable parameter learning, can be similarly used in the inversion of other important distributed parameters such as roughness coefficient.
2‐D Total Electron Content and 3‐D Ionospheric Electron Density Variations During the 14 October 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse
Authors: Aa Ercha , Coster Anthea J. , Zhang Shun‐Rong , Vierinen Juha , Erickson Philip J. , Goncharenko Larisa P. , Rideout William
Published: March 2024

This study investigates the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) responses in the 2‐D spatial domain and electron density variations in the 3‐D spatial domain during the annular solar eclipse on 14 October 2023, using ground‐based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations, a novel TEC‐based ionospheric data assimilation system (TIDAS), ionosonde measurements, and satellite in situ data. The main results are summarized as follows: (a) The 2‐D TEC responses exhibited distinct latitudinal differences. The mid‐latitude ionosphere exhibited a more substantial TEC decrease of 25%–40% along with an extended recovery time of 3–4 hr. In contrast, the equatorial and low‐latitude ionosphere experienced a smaller TEC reduction of 10%–25% and a faster recovery time of 20–50 min. The minimal eclipse effect was observed near the northern equatorial ionization anomaly crest region. (b) The ionospheric electron density variations during the eclipse were effectively reconstructed by TIDAS data assimilation in the 3‐D domain, providing important altitude information with validity. (c) The ionospheric electron density variations showed a notable altitude‐dependent feature. The eclipse led to a substantial electron density reduction of 30%–50%, with the maximum depletion occurring around the ionospheric F2‐layer peak height (hmF2) of 250–350 km. The post‐eclipse recovery of electron density exhibited a relatively slower pace near the F2‐layer peak height than that at lower and higher altitudes.
Discontinuation of psychotropic medication: a synthesis of evidence across medication classes
Authors: Vinkers Christiaan H. , Kupka Ralph W. , Penninx Brenda W. , Ruhé Henricus G. , van Gaalen Jakob M. , van Haaren Paul C. F. , Schellekens Arnt F. A. , Jauhar Sameer , Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. , Vieta Eduard , Tiihonen Jari , Veldman Stijn E. , Veling Wim , Vis Roeland , de Wit Laura E. , Luykx Jurjen J.
Published: March 2024

Pharmacotherapy is an effective treatment modality across psychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, many patients discontinue their medication at some point. Evidence-based guidance for patients, clinicians, and policymakers on rational discontinuation strategies is vital to enable the best, personalized treatment for any given patient. Nonetheless, there is a scarcity of guidelines on discontinuation strategies. In this perspective, we therefore summarize and critically appraise the evidence on discontinuation of six major psychotropic medication classes: antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, mood stabilizers, opioids, and stimulants. For each medication class, a wide range of topics pertaining to each of the following questions are discussed: (1) Who can discontinue (e.g., what are risk factors for relapse?); (2) When to discontinue (e.g., after 1 year or several years of antidepressant use?); and (3) How to discontinue (e.g., what’s the efficacy of dose reduction compared to full cessation and interventions to mitigate relapse risk?). We thus highlight how comparing the evidence across medication classes can identify knowledge gaps, which may pave the way for more integrated research on discontinuation.
Sex effects on DNA methylation affect discovery in epigenome-wide association study of schizophrenia
Authors: Tesfaye Markos , Spindola Leticia M. , Stavrum Anne-Kristin , Shadrin Alexey , Melle Ingrid , Andreassen Ole A. , Le Hellard Stephanie
Published: March 2024

Sex differences in the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of schizophrenia are well-known; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying these differences remain unclear. Further, the potential advantages of sex-stratified meta-analyses of epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of schizophrenia have not been investigated. Here, we performed sex-stratified EWAS meta-analyses to investigate whether sex stratification improves discovery, and to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in schizophrenia. Peripheral blood-derived DNA methylation data from 1519 cases of schizophrenia (male n = 989, female n = 530) and 1723 controls (male n = 997, female n = 726) from three publicly available datasets, and the TOP cohort were meta-analyzed to compare sex-specific, sex-stratified, and sex-adjusted EWAS. The predictive power of each model was assessed by polymethylation score (PMS). The number of schizophrenia-associated differentially methylated positions identified was higher for the sex-stratified model than for the sex-adjusted one. We identified 20 schizophrenia-associated DMRs in the sex-stratified analysis. PMS from sex-stratified analysis outperformed that from sex-adjusted analysis in predicting schizophrenia. Notably, PMSs from the sex-stratified and female-only analyses, but not those from sex-adjusted or the male-only analyses, significantly predicted schizophrenia in males. The findings suggest that sex-stratified EWAS meta-analyses improve the identification of schizophrenia-associated epigenetic changes and highlight an interaction between sex and schizophrenia status on DNA methylation. Sex-specific DNA methylation may have potential implications for precision psychiatry and the development of stratified treatments for schizophrenia.
The potential renal acid load of plant-based meat alternatives
Authors: Herter Julian , Huber Roman , Storz Maximilian Andreas
Published: March 2024

Plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) are food products derived from plants and designed to mimic the preparation methods, nutritional profile, and sensorial qualities of meat. PBMAs are currently subject to a controversial debate concerning their health value. Here, we reviewed PBMAs’ potential renal acid load (PRAL). The PRAL is an estimate for the amount of acid or base a certain food produces in the human body, and was associated with tissue damage and acid stress. PRAL values varied substantially across the examined foods, and differences were as large as 19.73 mEq per 100 g of PBMA. Mycoprotein- and wheat-based PBMAs were more acidic than conventional meats. The majority of items, however, exerted a lower PRAL to the human kidneys when compared to their meat-based counterparts. Our findings reiterate that not all PBMAs are created equal, and suggest that PBMAs are generally not suitable to substantially alkalize an individual’s diet.
Efficient coding of natural images in the mouse visual cortex
Authors: Bolaños Federico , Orlandi Javier G. , Aoki Ryo , Jagadeesh Akshay V. , Gardner Justin L. , Benucci Andrea
Published: March 2024

How the activity of neurons gives rise to natural vision remains a matter of intense investigation. The mid-level visual areas along the ventral stream are selective to a common class of natural images—textures—but a circuit-level understanding of this selectivity and its link to perception remains unclear. We addressed these questions in mice, first showing that they can perceptually discriminate between textures and statistically simpler spectrally matched stimuli, and between texture types. Then, at the neural level, we found that the secondary visual area (LM) exhibited a higher degree of selectivity for textures compared to the primary visual area (V1). Furthermore, textures were represented in distinct neural activity subspaces whose relative distances were found to correlate with the statistical similarity of the images and the mice’s ability to discriminate between them. Notably, these dependencies were more pronounced in LM, where the texture-related subspaces were smaller than in V1, resulting in superior stimulus decoding capabilities. Together, our results demonstrate texture vision in mice, finding a linking framework between stimulus statistics, neural representations, and perceptual sensitivity—a distinct hallmark of efficient coding computations.
TacticAI: an AI assistant for football tactics
Authors: Wang Zhe , Veličković Petar , Hennes Daniel , Tomašev Nenad , Prince Laurel , Kaisers Michael , Bachrach Yoram , Elie Romuald , Wenliang Li Kevin , Piccinini Federico , Spearman William , Graham Ian , Connor Jerome , Yang Yi , Recasens Adrià , Khan Mina , Beauguerlange Nathalie , Sprechmann Pablo , Moreno Pol , Heess Nicolas , Bowling Michael , Hassabis Demis , Tuyls Karl
Published: March 2024

Identifying key patterns of tactics implemented by rival teams, and developing effective responses, lies at the heart of modern football. However, doing so algorithmically remains an open research challenge. To address this unmet need, we propose TacticAI, an AI football tactics assistant developed and evaluated in close collaboration with domain experts from Liverpool FC. We focus on analysing corner kicks, as they offer coaches the most direct opportunities for interventions and improvements. TacticAI incorporates both a predictive and a generative component, allowing the coaches to effectively sample and explore alternative player setups for each corner kick routine and to select those with the highest predicted likelihood of success. We validate TacticAI on a number of relevant benchmark tasks: predicting receivers and shot attempts and recommending player position adjustments. The utility of TacticAI is validated by a qualitative study conducted with football domain experts at Liverpool FC. We show that TacticAI’s model suggestions are not only indistinguishable from real tactics, but also favoured over existing tactics 90% of the time, and that TacticAI offers an effective corner kick retrieval system. TacticAI achieves these results despite the limited availability of gold-standard data, achieving data efficiency through geometric deep learning.
Photo-induced intramolecular dearomative [5 + 4] cycloaddition of arenes for the construction of highly strained medium-sized-rings
Authors: Zhu Min , Gao Yuan-Jun , Huang Xu-Lun , Li Muzi , Zheng Chao , You Shu-Li
Published: March 2024

Medium-sized-ring compounds have been recognized as challenging synthetic targets in organic chemistry. Especially, the difficulty of synthesis will be augmented if an E-olefin moiety is embedded. Recently, photo-induced dearomative cycloaddition reactions that proceed via energy transfer mechanism have witnessed significant developments and provided powerful methods for the organic transformations that are not easily realized under thermal conditions. Herein, we report an intramolecular dearomative [5 + 4] cycloaddition of naphthalene-derived vinylcyclopropanes under visible-light irradiation and a proper triplet photosensitizer. The reaction affords dearomatized polycyclic molecules possessing a nine-membered-ring with an E-olefin moiety in good yields (up to 86%) and stereoselectivity (up to 8.8/1 E/Z). Detailed computational studies reveal the origin behind the favorable formation of the thermodynamically less stable isomers. Diverse derivations of the dearomatized products have also been demonstrated.
High performance artificial visual perception and recognition with a plasmon-enhanced 2D material neural network
Authors: Zhang Tian , Guo Xin , Wang Pan , Fan Xinyi , Wang Zichen , Tong Yan , Wang Decheng , Tong Limin , Li Linjun
Published: March 2024

The development of neuromorphic visual systems has recently gained momentum due to their potential in areas such as autonomous vehicles and robotics. However, current machine visual systems based on silicon technology usually contain photosensor arrays, format conversion, memory and processing modules. As a result, the redundant data shuttling between each unit, resulting in large latency and high-power consumption, seriously limits the performance of neuromorphic vision chips. Here, we demonstrate an artificial neural network (ANN) architecture based on an integrated 2D MoS2/Ag nanograting phototransistor array, which can simultaneously sense, pre-process and recognize optical images without latency. The pre-processing function of the device under photoelectric synergy ensures considerable improvement of efficiency and accuracy of subsequent image recognition. The comprehensive performance of the proof-of-concept device demonstrates great potential for machine vision applications in terms of large dynamic range (180 dB), high speed (500 ns) and low energy consumption per spike (2.4 × 10−17 J).
Multicenter integrated analysis of noncoding CRISPRi screens
Authors: Yao David , Tycko Josh , Oh Jin Woo , Bounds Lexi R. , Gosai Sager J. , Lataniotis Lazaros , Mackay-Smith Ava , Doughty Benjamin R. , Gabdank Idan , Schmidt Henri , Guerrero-Altamirano Tania , Siklenka Keith , Guo Katherine , White Alexander D. , Youngworth Ingrid , Andreeva Kalina , Ren Xingjie , Barrera Alejandro , Luo Yunhai , Yardımcı Galip Gürkan , Tewhey Ryan , Kundaje Anshul , Greenleaf William J. , Sabeti Pardis C. , Leslie Christina , Pritykin Yuri , Moore Jill E. , Beer Michael A. , Gersbach Charles A. , Reddy Timothy E. , Shen Yin , Engreitz Jesse M. , Bassik Michael C. , Reilly Steven K.
Published: March 2024

The ENCODE Consortium’s efforts to annotate noncoding cis-regulatory elements (CREs) have advanced our understanding of gene regulatory landscapes. Pooled, noncoding CRISPR screens offer a systematic approach to investigate cis-regulatory mechanisms. The ENCODE4 Functional Characterization Centers conducted 108 screens in human cell lines, comprising >540,000 perturbations across 24.85 megabases of the genome. Using 332 functionally confirmed CRE–gene links in K562 cells, we established guidelines for screening endogenous noncoding elements with CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), including accurate detection of CREs that exhibit variable, often low, transcriptional effects. Benchmarking five screen analysis tools, we find that CASA produces the most conservative CRE calls and is robust to artifacts of low-specificity single guide RNAs. We uncover a subtle DNA strand bias for CRISPRi in transcribed regions with implications for screen design and analysis. Together, we provide an accessible data resource, predesigned single guide RNAs for targeting 3,275,697 ENCODE SCREEN candidate CREs with CRISPRi and screening guidelines to accelerate functional characterization of the noncoding genome.
Evaluation of synergistic/antagonistic antibacterial activities of fatty oils from apricot, date, grape, and black seeds
Authors: Joujou Farah M. , Darra Nada El , Rajha Hiba N. , Sokhn Elie Salem , Alwan Nisreen
Published: March 2024

The increasing antimicrobial resistance requires continuous investigation of new antimicrobial agents preferably derived from natural sources. New powerful antibacterial agents can be produced by simply combining oils that are known for their antibacterial activities. In this study, apricot seed oil (ASO), date seed oil (DSO), grape seed oil (GSO), and black seed oil (BSO) alone and in binary mixtures were assessed. Fatty acid profiles of individual oils and oil mixtures showed linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and linolenic acid contents. Linoleic acid was the most abundant fatty acid in all samples except for ASO, where oleic acid was the dominant one. GSO showed the highest total phenolic content while ASO showed the lowest one. Antibacterial screening was performed against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Results showed antibacterial activity in all oils against tested strains except for ASO against S. aureus. Highest antibacterial activity recorded was for ASO against P. mirabilis. ASO-GSO mixture (AG) was the best mixture where it showed synergistic interactions against all strains except P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, seed oil mixtures are likely to show promising antibacterial activities against specific strains.
Gait pattern can alter aesthetic visual impression from a third-person perspective
Authors: Saito Sakiko , Saito Momoka , Kondo Megumi , Kobayashi Yoshiyuki
Published: March 2024

Beauty is related to our lives in various ways and examining it from an interdisciplinary approach is essential. People are very concerned with their appearance. A widely accepted beauty ideal is that the thinner an individual is, the more beautiful they are. However, the effect of continuous motion on body form aesthetics is unclear. Additionally, an upright pelvic posture in the sagittal plane during walking seems to affect the aesthetic judgments of female appearance. We directly analyzed the influence of body form and walking pattern on aesthetic visual impressions from a third-person perspective with a two-way analysis of variance. Captured motion data for three conditions—upright pelvis, normal pelvis, and posteriorly tilted pelvic posture—were applied to each of three mannequins, representing thin, standard, and obese body forms. When participants watched stimulus videos of the mannequins walking with various postures, a significantly higher score for aesthetic visual impression was noted for an upright pelvic posture than for a posteriorly tilted pelvic posture, irrespective of body form (F(2, 119) = 79.89, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.54). These findings show that the third-person perspective of beauty can be improved even without being thin by walking with an upright pelvic posture.
Machine learning surrogates for surface complexation model of uranium sorption to oxides
Authors: Li Chunhui , Adeniyi Elijah O. , Zarzycki Piotr
Published: March 2024

The safety assessments of the geological storage of spent nuclear fuel require understanding the underground radionuclide mobility in case of a leakage from multi-barrier canisters. Uranium, the most common radionuclide in non-reprocessed spent nuclear fuels, is immobile in reduced form (U(IV) and highly mobile in an oxidized state (U(VI)). The latter form is considered one of the most dangerous environmental threats in the safety assessments of spent nuclear fuel repositories. The sorption of uranium to mineral surfaces surrounding the repository limits their mobility. We quantify uranium sorption using surface complexation models (SCMs). Unfortunately, numerical SCM solvers often encounter convergence problems due to the complex nature of convoluted equations and correlations between model parameters. This study explored two machine learning surrogates for the 2-pK Triple Layer Model of uranium retention by oxide surfaces if released as U(IV) in the oxidizing conditions: random forest regressor and deep neural networks. Our surrogate models, particularly DNN, accurately reproduce SCM model predictions at a fraction of the computational cost without any convergence issues. The safety assessment of spent fuel repositories, specifically the migration of leaked radioactive waste, will benefit from having ultrafast AI/ML surrogates for the computationally expensive sorption models that can be easily incorporated into larger-scale contaminant migration models. One such model is presented here.
Physics-informed shape optimization using coordinate projection
Authors: Zhang Zhizhou , Lin Chungwei , Wang Bingnan
Published: March 2024

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is revolutionizing classical engineering society, offering novel approaches to material and structural design and analysis. Among various scientific machine learning techniques, physics-informed neural network (PINN) has been one of the most researched subjects, for its ability to incorporate physics prior knowledge into model training. However, the intrinsic continuity requirement of PINN demands the adoption of domain decomposition when multiple materials with distinct properties exist. This greatly complicates the gradient computation of design features, restricting the application of PINN to structural shape optimization. To address this, we present a novel framework that employs neural network coordinate projection for shape optimization within PINN. This technique allows for direct mapping from a standard shape to its optimal counterpart, optimizing the design objective without the need for traditional transition functions or the definition of intermediate material properties. Our method demonstrates a high degree of adaptability, allowing the incorporation of diverse constraints and objectives directly as training penalties. The proposed approach is tested on magnetostatic problems for iron core shape optimization, a scenario typically plagued by the high permeability contrast between materials. Validation with finite-element analysis confirms the accuracy and efficiency of our approach. The results highlight the framework’s capability as a viable tool for shape optimization in complex material design tasks.
Antiemetic activity of abietic acid possibly through the 5HT3 and muscarinic receptors interaction pathways
Authors: Hasan Rubel , Alshammari Abdulrahman , Albekairi Norah A. , Bhuia Md. Shimul , Afroz Meher , Chowdhury Raihan , Khan Muhammad Ali , Ansari Siddique Akber , Ansari Irfan Aamer , Mubarak Mohammad S. , Islam Muhammad Torequl
Published: March 2024

The present study was designed to evaluate the antiemetic activity of abietic acid (AA) using in vivo and in silico studies. To assess the effect, doses of 50 mg/kg b.w. copper sulfate (CuSO4⋅5H2O) were given orally to 2-day-old chicks. The test compound (AA) was given orally at two doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg b.w. On the other hand, aprepitant (16 mg/kg), domperidone (6 mg/kg), diphenhydramine (10 mg/kg), hyoscine (21 mg/kg), and ondansetron (5 mg/kg) were administered orally as positive controls (PCs). The vehicle was used as a control group. Combination therapies with the referral drugs were also given to three separate groups of animals to see the synergistic and antagonizing activity of the test compound. Molecular docking and visualization of ligand-receptor interaction were performed using different computational tools against various emesis-inducing receptors (D2, D3, 5HT3, H1, and M1–M5). Furthermore, the pharmacokinetics and toxicity properties of the selected ligands were predicted by using the SwissADME and Protox-II online servers. Findings indicated that AA dose-dependently enhances the latency of emetic retching and reduces the number of retching compared to the vehicle group. Among the different treatments, animals treated with AA (40 mg/kg) exhibited the highest latency (98 ± 2.44 s) and reduced the number of retching (11.66 ± 2.52 times) compared to the control groups. Additionally, the molecular docking study indicated that AA exhibits the highest binding affinity (− 10.2 kcal/mol) toward the M4 receptors and an elevated binding affinity toward the receptors 5HT3 (− 8.1 kcal/mol), M1 (− 7.7 kcal/mol), M2 (− 8.7 kcal/mol), and H1 (− 8.5 kcal/mol) than the referral ligands. Taken together, our study suggests that AA has potent antiemetic effects by interacting with the 5TH3 and muscarinic receptor interaction pathways. However, additional extensive pre-clinical and clinical studies are required to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of AA.
Apple crown and collar canker and necrosis caused by Cytospora balanejica sp. nov. in Iran
Authors: Azizi Razmig , Ghosta Youbert , Ahmadpour Abdollah
Published: March 2024

Apple is the most important fruit tree in West Azarbaijan province of Iran. In a survey of apple orchards, a disease with crown and collar canker and necrosis symptoms was observed in three young apple orchards in Urmia, affecting 15% and 1% of ‘Red Delicious’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ cultivars, respectively. A fungus with typical characteristics of the asexual morph of Cytospora was regularly isolated from the diseased tissues. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses inferred from the combined dataset of the ITS-rDNA, parts of LSU, tef1-α, rpb2, and act1 genes revealed that the isolates represent a new species of Cytospora, described herein as Cytospora balanejica sp. nov.. The pathogenicity of all isolates was confirmed on apple cv. ‘Red Delicious’ based on Koch’s postulates. Also, the reaction of 12 other apple cultivars was assessed against five selected isolates with the highest virulence. The results showed that except for cv. ‘Braeburn’, which did not produce any symptoms of the disease, the other 11 cultivars showed characteristic disease symptoms including sunken and discolored bark and wood. The mean length of the discolored area was different among the 11 so-called susceptible cultivars, hence cvs. ‘M4’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ showed the highest and the lowest lesion length, respectively. Moreover, the aggressiveness of the five tested isolates was different, and the isolates BA 2-4 and BA 3-1 had the highest and lowest aggressiveness, respectively. Based on our observations on the potential ability of the fungus to cause disease on young and actively growing apple trees, it will be a serious threat to apple cultivation and industry.
PI-RADS v2.1 and PSAD for the prediction of clinically significant prostate cancer among patients with PSA levels of 4–10 ng/ml
Authors: Wen Jing , Liu Wei , Shen Xiaocui , Hu Wei
Published: March 2024

This study intended to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) and prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) for clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) with PSA levels of 4–10 ng/ml. Between July 2018 and June 2022, a total of 453 patients with PSA levels of 4–10 ng/ml were retrospectively included, which were randomly assigned to the training group (323 patients) and validation group (130 patients). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) with their 95% CI were calculated. The overall diagnostic performance was determined with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and an integrated nomogram combining PI-RADS score and PSAD was constructed and tested in a validation cohort. In the training group, the AUC for PI-RADS 2.1 and PSAD alone were 0.875 (95% CI 0.834–0.916) and 0.712 (95% CI 0.648–0.775). At the cutoff PI-RADS score ≥ 4, the sensitivity and specificity were 86.2% (95% CI 77.4–1.9%) and 84.7% (95% CI 79.6–88.8%), respectively. For PSAD, the sensitivity and specificity were 73.3% (95% CI 63.0–82.4%) and 62.1% (95% CI 55.8–68.5%) at the cutoff 0.162 ng/ml/ml. While combining PI-RADS with PSAD, the diagnostic performance was improved significantly, with AUC of 0.893 (95% CI 0.853–0.933). In the validation group, the nomogram yielded a AUC of 0.871 (95% CI 0.807–0.934), which is significantly higher than PI-RADS alone (0.829, 95% CI 0.759–0.899, P = 0.02). For patients with PSA levels of 4–10 ng/ml, PSAD demonstrated moderate diagnostic accuracy whereas PI-RADS showed high performance. By combination of PSAD and PI-RADS together, the diagnostic performance could be improved significantly.
Shell waste valorization to chemicals: methods and progress
Authors: Korampattu Lavanya , Ghosh Neha , Dhepe Paresh L.
Published: March 2024

This review summarises the thermo-catalytic processes converting chitin from shell waste into diverse chemicals and reviews the advances, catalytic systems, and associated challenges.
Sunlight induced efficient photocatalytic oxidation of benzylamines and CO2 reduction over a 2D–2D MoS2/FP-BTA heterojunction catalyst
Authors: Das Surya , Sarkar Priyanka , Kothari Anil Chandra , Goswami Manoj , Khan Aslam , Islam Sk. Manirul
Published: March 2024

The photocatalytic production of fuels and chemicals utilizing highly effective catalysts has garnered a lot of interest as a sustainable and clean strategy.
Ambient temperature-prepared BiOBr-supported zero-pretreatment coal gasification fine slag for organic pollutant removal
Authors: Hua Hele , Yang Jing , Li Rui , Wang Yunfang , Fan Caimei , Liu Jianxin , Wang Yawen
Published: March 2024

The BiOBr/CGFS photocatalysts were synthesized at ambient temperature by a simple hydrolysis method with zero pre-treatment of CGFS. CGFS led to the improvement of the quantum efficiency of BiOBr and further promoted the photocatalytic performance.
Architecture of full-length type I modular polyketide synthases revealed by X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, and AlphaFold2
Authors: Bagde Saket R. , Kim Chu-Young
Published: March 2024

Structures of intact polyketide synthase modules reveal conformational rearrangements and suggest asynchronous use of reaction chambers.
Paper spray mass spectrometry combined with machine learning as a rapid diagnostic for chronic kidney disease
Authors: Pereira Igor , Sboto Jindar N. S. , Robinson Jason L. , Gill Chris G.
Published: March 2024

Direct analysis of patient urine by paper spray mass spectrometry combined with machine learning has the potential to be used as a rapid and simple diagnostic tool for chronic kidney disease.
Construction of coumarin-appended calix[4]arene-based fluorescence sensor for the detection of carbofuran in cabbage
Authors: Soni Heni , Verma Nidhi , Chaudhari Divyesh Y. , Gandhi Sahaj A. , Pandya Alok , Sutariya Pinkesh G.
Published: March 2024

This study presents a novel approach for the detection of carbofuran (CBF) insecticide by exploring a calix[4]arene-derived fluorescence probe, CouC4S, functionalized with two coumarin-labelled at the narrow edge of the calix[4]arene platform.
Trace element analysis in lithium matrices using micro-discharge optical emission spectroscopy
Authors: Wiggershaus Bastian , Jeskanen Miisamari , Roos Aappo , Vogt Carla , Laurila Toni
Published: March 2024

By applying high-voltage pulses, a micro-plasma is generated without carrier gas inside the liquid sample enabling optical emission spectroscopy on-site.
Correction: Integrated biosensors for monitoring microphysiological systems
Authors: Mou Lei , Mandal Kalpana , Mecwan Marvin Magan , Hernandez Ana Lopez , Maity Surjendu , Sharma Saurabh , Herculano Rondinelli Donizetti , Kawakita Satoru , Jucaud Vadim , Dokmeci Mehmet Remzi , Khademhosseini Ali
Published: March 2024

Correction for ‘Integrated biosensors for monitoring microphysiological systems’ by Lei Mou et al., Lab Chip, 2022, 22, 3801–3816, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2LC00262K.
Preparation of hydrogels with self-reinforced mechanical properties using ball-milled microcrystalline cellulose and regenerated cellulose from deep eutectic solvent
Authors: Zhang Yi , Zhu Yingming , Wu Kejing , Liu Yingying , Lu Houfang , Liang Bin
Published: March 2024

Choline chloride–lactic acid deep eutectic solvent assisted by ball milling effectively dissolved microcrystalline cellulose. Regenerated cellulose was used to prepare novel cellulose hydrogel with self-reinforced mechanical properties.
Weakly acidic pH-responsive liposomal content release induced by histidine-modified agents
Authors: Kashiwada Ayumi , Taoka Narumi , Chijimi Yukiha , Noguchi Keiko , Shigematsu Karin , Miura Motofumi , Suzuki Toyofumi
Published: March 2024

The design of histidine-modified pH-sensitive agents and their incorporation into liposomes as triggers for the controlled release of incorporated hydrophilic and hydrophobic contents are reported.
Achieving controllable and reversible snap-through in pre-strained strips of liquid crystalline elastomers
Authors: Waters James T. , Balazs Anna C.
Published: March 2024

Deformable, elastic materials that buckle in response to external stimuli can display “snap-through”, which involves a transition between different, stable buckled states.
Critical role of lattice vacancies in pressure-induced phase transitions of baroplastic diblock copolymers
Authors: Degaki Hiroki , Taniguchi Ikuo , Deguchi Shigeru , Koga Tsuyoshi
Published: March 2024

A theory based on a simple lattice vacancy model provides quantitative physical insights into pressure-induced order–disorder transitions of block copolymers.
A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Face-to-Face Versus Remote Delivery of Low-Tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Nonspeaking Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Mishra Avinash
Published: March 2024

Purpose:

Thirty percent of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not develop spoken language. To provide a means of communication for this subset of the population, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems are often utilized. Low-tech options have traditionally been delivered through the in-person modality. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, changes to service delivery models have been required. This randomized controlled trial was conducted in order to assess the efficacy of low-tech AAC delivered face-to-face versus remotely on communication outcomes in nonspeaking children with ASD.

Conclusions:

Both participant groups demonstrated similar gains in AAC proficiency, number and type of nonspeaking acts, and number of spoken communication acts. Remote delivery of low-tech AAC treatment is a viable alternative to face-to-face instruction.
Microscopic mechanisms analysis of various dielectric response processes in oil‐paper insulation with different insulating states
Authors: Jiang Zaijun , Liu Jiefeng , Fan Xianhao , Zhang Heng , Zhang Enze , Song Boshu , Zhang Yiyi
Published: March 2024

Various dielectric response processes in the oil‐paper insulation are sensitively affected by the insulating states (ageing degrees and moisture contents). However, the existing research is still incomplete in revealing the microscopic mechanisms of various dielectric response processes in oil‐paper insulation with different insulating states. Given this issue, the genetic algorithm is first adopted to extract the Dissado–Hill (D–H) model parameters by simulating the frequency domain spectroscopy (FDS) of oil‐paper insulation. Then, the change laws of the extracted D–H model parameters are adopted to reveal the microscopic mechanisms of various dielectric response processes. Microscopic mechanisms of four dielectric response processes are studied, which are quasi‐dc relaxation, loss peak relaxation, optical frequency relaxation, and DC conductance. Meanwhile, due to the dielectric response processes being dominated by various polar particles (methanol, ethanol, furfural, and water molecule), the contents of various ageing by‐products dissolved in the insulating oil are measured to support the above analysis. In this respect, a dielectric theoretical reference for the FDS technique to research the insulating states of oil‐paper insulation is provided.
Effect of nanofillers with different energy levels on the electrical properties of epoxy‐based nanocomposites
Authors: Guo Ning , Chen Cailing , Zhang Guangwei , Sun Rongsheng , Wang Yulong , Gao Junguo
Published: March 2024

The authors investigate the effects of nanofillers with varying band‐gap energies on the space charge properties, breakdown field strength, and bulk resistivity of epoxy (EP)‐based composites. Additionally, the molecular orbital distribution of both the epoxy resin and nanofillers were examined through density functional theory. Experimental results indicate that the space charge accumulation within silicon dioxide/EP and germanium oxide/EP is reduced, leading to a more uniformly distributed electric field intensity within the specimen when compared to epoxy. As a result, both materials exhibit improved AC breakdown field strength and volume resistivity. Conversely, the amount of charge accumulated within tin dioxide/EP is higher, resulting in lower breakdown field strength than epoxy. The lowest unoccupied molecular orbital and the highest occupied molecular orbital energy level differences between epoxy and nanofillers introduce electron traps and hole traps at the interface, forming interfacial traps that affect the space charge distribution within the specimen, as well as the trap energy levels within the material. From the experimental results, shallow traps promote space charge accumulation and reduce the breakdown field strength, while deep traps have the opposite effect.
Energy harvesting technology for AC overhead insulated transmission line based on electric field induction
Authors: Zhou Le , Liu Hongwei , Zuo Kun , Shang Kuo
Published: March 2024

To solve the problem of the energy harvesting (EEH) effect of the condition monitoring devices power supply on the transmission line is not ideal. The authors designed three kinds of EEH schemes based on AC electric field induction, which can effectively improve the output power of load power supply. The EEH principle of each scheme was analysed in detail, and the influence factors such as the shape of outer energy harvester, capacitance compensation and impedance matching characteristics were analysed. Finally, the experiment showed that 140.9 mW of power was obtained in direct‐mode field EEH when the line voltage level was 10 kV. The high‐potential field EEH mode obtained 4.1 mW of power. The harvesting effect of the inner energy harvester with the same potential as the aluminium wire was obviously better, and 30.7 mW of power was obtained. Finally, based on the third mode, when the load resistance was 2200 Ω, the rectifier received 23.7 mW DC output. The experimental results are in agreement with the theoretical analysis, which verifies the effectiveness of the electric field induction power supply technology.
Anomaly‐background separation and particle swarm optimization based band selection for hyperspectral anomaly detection
Authors: Shang Xiaodi , Duan Yiqi , Wang Xiaopeng , Fu Baijia , Sun Xudong
Published: March 2024

As one of the dimensionality reduction techniques of hyperspectral image (HSI), band selection (BS) does not change the spectral characteristics and physical meaning of HSIs, which is beneficial to the identification and analysis of surface objects. Recently, many BS methods for target detection have achieved promising results by making full use of the priori spectral features of the target to be detected. Conversely, anomaly detection separates the anomaly based solely on the statistical distribution difference between anomaly and background without any prior information. Therefore, the development of BS for anomaly detection has lagged far behind that of BS for target detection. To this end, this paper proposes a novel BS algorithm dedicated to anomaly detection tasks, named anomaly‐background separation and particle swarm optimization (PSO)‐based BS. Specifically, an anomaly‐background separation framework (ABSF) is established to predetermine a priori knowledge of anomaly distribution. Then, three band prioritization criteria are constructed with the anomaly‐background constraints generated by ABSF. Finally, PSO is used to find the optimal subset of bands in the solution space. The experiments on two real datasets demonstrate that the proposed method yields better detection results and greater stability compared to other BS methods discussed in this paper.
A novel virtual synchronous port control strategy for microgrid cluster
Authors: Shi HongTao , Chang Jiaming , Li Yuchao , Chen Tingting , Dong Xiaolin , He Zhuoheng
Published: March 2024

Interconnecting multiple microgrids (MGs) to form a MG cluster (MGC) is significant to improve the MG power supply reliability and increase the new energy accommodation capacity. However, for the traditional MGC in complex operational conditions, the following technologies need to be further researched, such as mutual power support among MGs, voltage support and power quality improvement and so on. Focusing on the above problems, a novel virtual synchronous port control (VSPC) strategy for MGC is proposed. Firstly, a multi‐port soft open point (SOP) is used to interconnect each sub‐MG in the MGC, to achieve a better flexible interconnection among sub‐MGs. Secondly, on this basis, the VSPC strategy is proposed. By adopting the DC voltage control of multi‐port SOP and the virtual synchronisation control of interconnecting ports, multiple voltage source converters (VSCs) are cluster controlled to provide the sub‐MGs with superordinate ports with virtual synchronisation characteristics, which ensures the dynamic balance of the power inside the MGC and achieves better voltage and frequency support capability. Finally, the example results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed VSPC strategy.
The Sharp Interface Limit of an Ising Game
Authors: Feldman William M. , Kim Inwon C. , Palmer Aaron Zeff
Published: March 2024

The Ising model of statistical physics has served as a keystone example of phase transitions, thermodynamic limits, scaling laws, and many other phenomena and mathematical methods. We introduce and explore an Ising game, a variant of the Ising model that features competing agents influencing the behavior of the spins. With long-range interactions, we consider a mean-field limit resulting in a nonlocal potential game at the mesoscopic scale. This game exhibits a phase transition and multiple constant Nash-equilibria in the supercritical regime. Our analysis focuses on a sharp interface limit for which potential minimizing solutions to the Ising game concentrate on two of the constant Nash-equilibria. We show that the mesoscopic problem can be recast as a mixed local/nonlocal space-time Allen-Cahn type minimization problem. We prove, using a Γ-convergence argument, that the limiting interface minimizes a space-time anisotropic perimeter type energy functional. This macroscopic scale problem could also be viewed as a problem of optimal control of interface motion. Sharp interface limits of Allen-Cahn type functionals have been well studied. We build on that literature with new techniques to handle a mixture of local derivative terms and nonlocal interactions. The boundary conditions imposed by the game theoretic considerations also appear as novel terms and require special treatment.
Penser l’arrimage entre métabolisme et sociétés. Éléments pour un recadrage épistémologique de l’école d’écologie sociale viennoise
Authors: Ouellette Joanie , Bédard Samuel , Beaucaire Krystof
Published: March 2024

Combinant sciences naturelles et sociales, l’écologie sociale de l’École de Vienne surmonte l’opposition historique entre ces disciplines. En contraste avec les approches économiques classiques, l’École de Vienne met en avant le concept de métabolisme social, dans le cadre d’une analyse considérant les flux de matière et d’énergie et les mécanismes assurant la reproduction de la société. Or, l’avancement de la recherche métabolique souffre jusqu’à présent du fait que la notion de société ait été insuffisamment théorisée. Cet article propose de pallier cette lacune épistémologique en situant la médiation symbolique dans l’appropriation sociale de la nature. La démarche empruntée a pour fil rouge la sociologie dialectique, et jette un éclairage théorique, 1) sur la médiation de la société dans le rapport humain à la nature, et 2) sur le rôle du symbolique dans la reproduction de la société.
Dans quelle mesure, les représentations de l’autonomie chez les professionnels de santé engagés dans les programmes d’ETP sont-elles un bon indicateur de leurs pratiques rapportées ? Une étude qualitative
Authors: Gazagne Aurélie , Roussel Sandrine
Published: March 2024

Introduction :L’autonomie est souvent énoncée comme un objectif en ETP. Toutefois, cette notion n’est pas clairement définie et son opérationnalisation est laissée à la libre appréciation des équipes. Dans la mesure où les représentations guident les pratiques, les représentations de l’autonomie chez les professionnels de santé engagés dans les programmes d’ETP sont-elles un bon indicateur de leurs pratiques rapportées ?Méthodes :Une étude qualitative inductive, par entretiens semi-directifs a été réalisée et complétée par un questionnaire type Q. sort, auprès de 8 soignantes (médecins, infirmières, diététiciennes et pharmacienne) exerçant en France.Résultats et discussion :Pour les points partagés, l’autonomie est définie comme la capacité de mettre en place des compétences d’autosurveillance et d’autosoin. Le point de désaccord dans la représentation de l’autonomie chez les soignants se situe au niveau de la question suivante : qui du patient ou du soignant définit l’autonomie ? Lorsqu’elle est définie par le soignant, les soignants semblent aborder des postures plus ambivalentes (dont la finalité est la confrontation à la norme de l’éducateur). À l’inverse lorsqu’elle est définie par le patient, les soignants semblent s’appuyer sur des postures plus endogènes (dont la finalité est la découverte de sa propre norme par le patient).
Gait Analysis of Amputee Dogs Using a Pressure-Sensitive Walkway
Authors: Filho Túlio G. , Rahal Sheila C. , Kano Washington T. , Mesquista Luciane R. , Mamprim Maria J. , Silva Jeana P. , Agostinho Felipe S.
Published: March 2024

Objective The aim of this study was to perform gait analysis using a pressure-sensitive walkway in dogs submitted to high (total) or low amputation (partial) of one forelimb or hindlimb.

Study Design A total of 39 dogs met the inclusion criteria. The reasons for the amputations were motor vehicle accidents in 38 dogs and possible limb malformation in 1 dog. The amputee dogs were divided into four groups: G1 (n = 10)—high forelimb; G2 (n = 10)—low forelimb; G3 (n = 9)—high hindlimb; and G4 (n = 10)—low hindlimb. For kinetic evaluation, the dogs were walked across a pressure-sensitive walkway.

Results In dogs with forelimb amputation, the percentage of body weight (%BW) distribution on the contralateral forelimb was 50.7% in cases of high amputation and 55.5% in cases of low amputation, while the %BW distribution on the hindlimbs, mainly in the ipsilateral hindlimb, was 27.9% in cases of high amputation and 27.1% in cases of low amputation. In cases of high amputation of the hindlimb, the %BW distribution was 71.5% on the forelimbs and 29.7% on the contralateral hindlimb, while in cases of low amputation, the distribution was mainly for the contralateral hindlimb and ipsilateral forelimb. No statistical difference was noted between the amputation levels, except for the contralateral limb in cases of low and high amputation of the hindlimbs concerning the overload percentage and %BW distribution.

Conclusion The amputation level of one forelimb did not influence the %BW distribution; however, in the hindlimb, this was higher for the contralateral limb in dogs submitted to high amputation.