bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automatic recognition of excavator working cycles using supervised learning and motion data obtained from inertial measurement units (IMUs)
Authors: Molaei Amirmasoud , Kolu Antti , Lahtinen Kalle , Geimer Marcus
Published: July 2024

This paper proposes an automatic method for excavator working cycle recognition using supervised classification methods and motion information obtained from four inertial measurement units (IMUs) attached to moving parts of an excavator. Monitoring and analyzing tasks that have been performed by heavy-duty mobile machines (HDMMs) are significantly required to assist management teams in productivity and progress monitoring, efficient resource allocation, and scheduling. Nevertheless, traditional methods depend on human observations, which are costly, time-consuming, and error-prone. There is a lack of a method to automatically detect excavator major activities. In this paper, a data-driven method is presented to identify excavator activities, including loading, trenching, grading, and idling, using motion information, such as angular velocities and joint angles, obtained from moving parts, including swing body, boom, arm, and bucket. Firstly, a dataset lasting 3 h is collected using a medium-rated excavator. One experienced and one inexperienced operator performed tasks under different working conditions, such as different types of material, swing angle, digging depth, and weather conditions. Four classification methods, including support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), decision tree (DT), and naive Bayes, are off-line trained. The results show that the proposed method can effectively identify excavator working cycles with a high accuracy of 99%. Finally, the impacts of parameters, such as time window, overlapping configuration, and feature selection methods, on the classification accuracy are comprehensively analyzed.
Smart predictions of petrophysical formation pore pressure via robust data-driven intelligent models
Authors: Krishna Shwetank , Irfan Sayed Ameenuddin , Keshavarz Sahar , Thonhauser Gerhard , Ilyas Suhaib Umer
Published: July 2024

Predicting pore pressure in the formation is crucial for assessing reservoir geomechanical characteristics, designing drilling schemes/mud programs, and strategies to enhance oil recovery. Accurate predictions are vital for safe and cost-effective exploration and development. Recent research has seen the emergence of intelligent models utilizing machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms, offering promising outcomes. However, there remains a need to identify the most accurate and dependable model among these. This study aims to address this gap by comparing the performance of various ML and DL models, as reported in existing literature, to determine the optimal approach for pore pressure prediction. The sorted machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) regression algorithms used for the comparative analysis are decision tree (DT), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), random forest (RF), recurrent neural network (RNN), and convolutional neural network (CNN). A total dataset of 22,539 is gathered from five wells (15/9-F-1 A, 15/9-F-1 B, 15/9-F-11 A, 15/9-F-11 T2, and 15/9-F-14) drilled at North-sea Volve oil field, Norway. The first four wells are used to train and test the ML and DL algorithm, and the remaining well (15/9-F-14) is used to evaluate the best-performing algorithm’s universality in predicting pore pressure at the field of study. Seven different petrophysical parameters are used as input parameters to develop the predictive models. Statistical performance metrics are carried out to analyze the applied ML and DL performance. Based on performance indicators, the RF algorithm showed superior results compared to other predictive models with R2 and RMSE values of 0.97 and 2.70 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, the best-performing predictive model with low prediction error RMSE value is applied to the other well dataset from the field of study to access the universality of the RF algorithm to predict pore pressure in the field of study. The results of the universality analysis show a satisfactory prediction accuracy with R2 and RMSE values of 0.905 and 6.48 MPa, respectively.
Boosted device performance of perovskite solar cells via KI processing additives
Authors: Sawwan Hussain , Shen Lening , Cao Zikun , Liu Lei , Zhang Xiyao , Wang He , Gong Xiong
Published: July 2024

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted great attention in both academic and industrial sectors in the past years. Studies demonstrated that processing additive engineering was a facile way to improve the crystallinity and minimize the defect of metal halide perovskites (MHPs). In this study, we report efficient and stable PSCs, where the MHPs thin film is processed with KI additives. It is found that the KI processing additives could not only enhance the crystallization and suppress the defects of MHP thin film, but also boost charge transport, suppress non-radiative recombination, and enhance the hydrophobic properties of MHP thin film. As a result, the PSCs based on the MHPs thin film processed with KI additives exhibit more than 10% enhancement in efficiency and dramatically boosted stability compared to that based on pristine MHPs thin film. Our results indicated that the MHPs processed with processing additives are a simple engineering technique to boost the device performance of PSCs.
Indigenous Mathematics: From Mainstream Misconceptions to Educational Enrichment
Authors: Xu Hongzhang , Ball Rowena
Published: July 2024

The old canard that Indigenous and First Nations peoples had, or have, only rudimentary mathematical skills has been curiously persistent, against widespread published evidence over the past century and a half. In Australia, attempts to include Indigenous mathematical knowledge in curriculums have encountered strong resistance. After more than 12 years of advocacy and development by expert Indigenous advisers, content elaborations on Indigenous mathematics were included in the 2022 release of the Australian school curriculum. This hard-won achievement is welcomed widely, but experience also tells us to expect some resistance from sectors of the education communities who maintain and gatekeep an exclusively British-European or Western provenance of mathematics. In this article, we employ an exemplary approach to counter such narratives by summarising and replying to five published critiques of Indigenous mathematics, which typify widely held and propagated misconceptions. We seek to forestall potential pushback constructively, and address concerns regarding the legitimacy and pedagogical value of Indigenous mathematics, by countering with evidence claims in these critiques that Australian First Nations peoples historically had no autonomously developed mathematical knowledge. In doing so, we seek to stimulate more diverse and inclusive discussions of the underlying questions of ‘What is mathematics?’ and ‘Who can do mathematics?’. Although our research originated in a particular national context, the foundational importance of mathematics within and between all societies entails a global response to address these and similar pervasive misconceptions.
RelChronVis: an interactive web application for visualizing the relative chronology of language changes
Authors: Wandl Florian , Thelitz Thilo H. K.
Published: July 2024

Models of the relative chronology of language changes resemble the structure of a graph. They consist of a set of changes that are in many cases related to each other. It follows that they can be visualized in a diagram, which opens up new possibilities for publishing historical linguistics data. In this paper, we introduce the RelChronVis application, a web application designed for visualizing language history. Based on detailed models of the relative chronology of Russian and Croatian sound changes, we show how interactive graph representations can help visualize language changes and the relationships between them. In addition to graphs, the application provides textual information about the included changes and relations as well as reconstructions of example lexemes. The RelChronVis application is primarily designed for doing research and for teaching. It allows the researcher to transparently compare different models and to access relevant data. At the same time, the RelChronVis application can be used to teach the history of the included languages as well as methods of historical linguistics. It provides the option of visualizing custom data and can easily be accommodated to novel discoveries. We believe that these features and uses make the RelChronVis application an immensely useful tool for publishing models of the relative chronology of language changes.
Decisional value scores: A new family of metrics for ethical AI-ML
Authors: Waters Gabriella , Mapp William , Honenberger Phillip
Published: July 2024

Research in ethical AI has made strides in quantitative expression of ethical values such as fairness, transparency, and privacy. Here we contribute to this effort by proposing a new family of metrics called “decisional value scores” (DVS). DVSs are scores assigned to a system based on whether the decisions it makes meet or fail to meet a particular standard (either individually, in total, or as a ratio or average over decisions made). Advantages of DVS include greater discrimination capacity between types of ethically relevant decisions and facilitation of ethical comparisons between decisions and decision-making systems, including across different modalities (for instance: human, machine, or coupled human–machine systems). After clarifying ambiguities in the concept of “decision” itself, including the question of how to individuate the decisions made by a system, we discuss the role and meaning of “decision” in common AI and machine learning approaches such as decision trees, neural networks, SVMs, and unsupervised classifiers. We then show how DVSs may be defined for several ethical values of interest, with an extended discussion of transparency. Finally, we explore how such metrics can be applied to real decision-making systems through two case studies: evaluations of LLMs for transparency; and evaluations of criminal risk assessment tools for utility, rights violations, fairness, and transparency.
Gradient discretisation of elliptic quasi-variational inequalities with gradient type barriers
Authors: Alnashri Yahya
Published: July 2024

This paper proposes a discretisation scheme for quasi-variational inequalities problems with different constraint types associated with gradient and divergence operators. We use the gradient discretisation method, a generic framework designed to encompass several numerical schemes. The paper describes the discretisation and analyses the convergence using a compactness argument that does not require strong assumptions on a solution.
Flow-induced noise and vibration in axial fan: a case study
Authors: Bakhtar Husam , Alsahafi Nawaf , Almehmadi Mosaaed , Ahmed Mohamed , Ismail Majed , Alzahrani Ryan , Magadmi Anas , Bawazeer Saleh , Alhazmi Hani , Aloufi Badr , Hijji Hasan H. , Alhazmi Mohammed W.
Published: July 2024

Reducing axial fan noise is crucial in residential, commercial, and industrial applications. This study explores how attaching different add-on designs to axial fans reduces aerodynamic noise. Eight design cases were examined, including extending the outlet and inlet ducts, using Chevron nozzles, placing internal spherical balls in staggered and straight patterns, applying a wavy inner wall treatment, and combining some of these nozzle designs. CFD and acoustic analyses were performed using Ansys Fluent 2022 R1. Noise reduction was measured at the nozzle outlet in each design case. All nozzle modifications reduced noise levels, with noise reductions ranging from 3 to 10% at the blade tip and 26–55% at the outlet. As an add-on to existing fan cases, the design cases investigated in this study can potentially improve the acoustic environment in various settings. The findings of this study can contribute to the development of quieter axial fans.
LeafNST: an improved data augmentation method for classification of plant disease using object-based neural style transfer
Authors: Khare Om , Mane Sunil , Kulkarni Harshmohan , Barve Ninad
Published: July 2024

Plant diseases significantly threaten global agriculture, impacting crop yield and food security. Nearly 30% of the crop yield is lost due to plant diseases. Efficient identification and classification of plant diseases through computer vision techniques have become imperative for timely intervention. However, popular plant disease datasets often suffer from data imbalance, with certain classes underrepresented, hindering the performance of machine learning models. Traditional data augmentation methods, such as rotation and flipping, are limited in their effectiveness, especially when faced with imbalanced datasets. To address this limitation, we explore advanced data augmentation techniques, including Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) such as CycleGAN and LeafGAN, which have shown promise in generating synthetic images. However, we propose an innovative approach of Object-based single Style Transfer on a single neural network for augmenting the plant disease dataset. This technique focuses on mitigating data imbalance issues within datasets, which can adversely affect the model’s ability to generalize across diverse classes. The proposed method is compared with state-of-the-art data augmentation techniques, highlighting its superiority in addressing data imbalance issues. Our approach aims to produce more realistic and diverse synthetic images, leading to improved model generalization and accuracy in plant disease classification tasks validated using different classifiers. The efficiency of our approach is validated through extensive experimentation and benchmarking against existing methods.
Times series record of water quality analysis during flood time in Cauvery River basin, Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Veeran Yoganandan , Balasubramaniyan Monisha , Palanisamy Arunkarthik , Balu Bharathi
Published: July 2024

We determine the spatial and temporal changes in the physicochemical and nutritional parameters of water quality in the Cauvery River basin. We also analyze the effects of anthropogenic and natural factors on the physicochemical and nutritional parameters. The river water samples were collected over a time series record of 6-h intervals for 6 days during and after flooding time. The combination of physicochemical and nutritional parameters generated a large dataset, which was processed using statistical analysis. In addition, statistical analysis was used to calculate the correlation coefficients and plot the regression equations relating various parameters to electrical conductivity (EC). The resulting average values of pH, EC, and total dissolved solids (TDS) showed significant differences in the time series record of the study period (i.e., pH = 8.24, EC = 220 S/m, and TDS = 157.1 mg/L). The values of the following nutritional parameters in floodwater were also determined: orthophosphate = 0.13 mg/L, phosphate = 0.1 mg/L, nitrite = 2.11 mg/L, nitrate = 0.79 mg/L, and ammonia = 4.47 mg/L. Our findings indicates that flooding can deteriorate the groundwater quality, resulting in a decrease in water quality and an increase in contamination levels, which can have detrimental effects on both the environment and human health. This information is crucial to decision making in flood risk management, water resource planning, and conservation efforts to protect both human and ecological systems.
Intrinsic features of flow-induced stability of a square cylinder
Authors: Lin Cuiting , Alam Md. Mahbub
Published: July 2024

Vortex-induced vibrations and galloping of an elastically mounted square cylinder are investigated for cylinder mass ratio m* = 2–50, damping ratio ζ = 0–1.0, mass-damping ratio m*ζ = 0–50 and flow reduced velocity Ur = 1–80. We home in on the effects of m*, ζ, m*ζ,

$({m^\ast } + m_{a\textrm{0}}^\ast )\zeta$

and

$({m^\ast } + m_{ae}^\ast )\zeta$

on the critical reduced velocity Urc marking the onset of galloping, where

$m_{a\textrm{0}}^\ast $

is the quiescent-fluid added mass ratio and

$m_{ae}^\ast $

is the effective added mass ratio. Vibration responses, forces, vibration frequencies and added mass ratios are studied and discussed. The different branches of vortex-induced vibrations have different dependencies of

$m_{ae}^\ast $

on Ur. The

$m_{ae}^\ast $

in the initial branch is positive and drops rapidly with Ur, but that in the lower branch is negative and declines gently. In the galloping regime,

$m_{ae}^\ast $

jumps from negative to positive at the onset of galloping, declining slightly with increasing Ur. Our results and prediction equations show that when ζ = 0, Urc is independent of m* for m* ≥ 5, albeit slightly higher for m* = 3. The latter is ascribed to mode competition. When ζ > 0, Urc linearly increases with increasing ζ. Detailed analysis substantiates that m*ζ or

$({m^\ast } + m_{a\textrm{0}}^\ast )\zeta$

does not serve as the unique criterion to predict the galloping occurrence. Here, we propose a new combined mass-damping parameter

$({m^\ast } + m_{ae}^\ast )\zeta$

in the relationship between galloping onsets and structural properties, which successfully scales all data of Urc at different m* and ζ values.
Three‐Dimensional Venus Cloud Structure Simulated by a General Circulation Model
Authors: Shao Wencheng D. , Mendonça João M. , Dai Longkang
Published: July 2024

The clouds have a great impact on Venus's energy budget and climate evolution, but its three‐dimensional structure is still not well understood. Here we incorporate a simple Venus cloud physics scheme into a flexible GCM to investigate the three‐dimensional cloud spatial variability. Our simulations show good agreement with observations in terms of the vertical profiles of clouds and H2SO4 vapor. H2O vapor is overestimated above the clouds due to efficient transport in the cloud region. The cloud top decreases as latitude increases, qualitatively consistent with Venus Express observations. The underlying mechanism is the combination of H2SO4 chemical production and meridional circulation. The mixing ratios of H2SO4 at 50–60 km and H2O vapors in the main cloud deck basically exhibit maxima around the equator, due to the effect of temperature's control on the saturation vapor mixing ratios of the two species. The cloud mass distribution is subject to both H2SO4 chemical production and dynamical transport and shows a pattern that peaks around the equator in the upper cloud while peaks at mid‐high latitudes in the middle cloud. At low latitudes, H2SO4 and H2O vapors, cloud mass loading and acidity show semidiurnal variations at different altitude ranges, which can be validated against future missions. Our model emphasizes the complexity of the Venus climate system and the great need for more observations and simulations to unravel its spatial variability and underlying atmospheric and/or geological processes.
The Geochemical and Mineralogical Signature of Glaciovolcanism Near Þórisjökull, Iceland, and Its Implications for Glaciovolcanism on Mars
Authors: Bedford Candice C. , Rampe Elizabeth B. , Thorpe Michael T. , Ewing Ryan C. , Mason Kashauna , Horgan Briony , Rudolph Amanda , Lapôtre Mathieu G. A. , Sinha Prakhar , Nachon Marion , Champion Emily , Berger Lauren , Reid Ewan , Gray Patrick C.
Published: July 2024

Candidate glaciovolcanic landforms have been identified across Mars, suggesting that volcano‐ice interactions may have been relatively widespread in areas that once contained extensive surface and near‐surface ice deposits. To better constrain the detection of glaciovolcanism in Mars' geological record, this study has investigated and characterized the petrology, geochemistry, and mineralogy of three intraglacial volcanoes and an interglacial volcano in the Þórisjökull area of southwest Iceland. Our results show that glaciovolcanism creates abundant, variably altered hyaloclastite and hyalotuff that is sufficiently geochemically and mineralogically distinctive from subaerially erupted lava for identification using instruments available on Mars rovers and landers. Due to the lower gravity and atmospheric pressure at the surface of Mars, hyaloclastite and hyalotuff are also more likely to form in greater abundance in Martian glaciovolcanoes. Our results support that magmatism following deglaciation likely triggers decompression melting of the shallow mantle beneath Iceland, creating systematic changes in geochemistry and mineralogy. Glaciation can also suppress magmatism at its peak, encouraging the formation of shallow fractionated magma chambers. As such, it is possible for the crustal loading of an ice cap to enhance igneous diversity on a planet without plate tectonism, creating glass‐rich, altered, and mineralogically diverse deposits such as those discovered in Gale crater by the Curiosity rover. However, as the eroded products of glaciovolcanism are similar to those formed through hydrovolcanism, the presence of a glaciovolcanic landform at the source is required to confirm whether volcano‐ice interactions occurred at the sediment source.
Evaluating Distributed Snow Model Resolution and Meteorology Parameterizations Against Streamflow Observations: Finer Is Not Always Better
Authors: Barnhart Theodore B. , Putman Annie L. , Heldmyer Aaron J. , Rey David M. , Hammond John C. , Driscoll Jessica M. , Sexstone Graham A.
Published: July 2024

Estimating snow conditions is often done using numerical snowpack evolution models at spatial resolutions of 500 m and greater; however, snow depth in complex terrain often varies on sub‐meter scales. This study investigated how the spatial distribution of simulated snow conditions varied across seven model spatial resolutions from 30 to 1,000 m and over two meteorological data sets, coarser (≈12 km) and finer (4 km). Simulated snow covered area (SCA) was compared to remotely sensed SCA and simulated watershed mean peak snow water equivalent (SWE) was compared to four streamflow statistics representing different water management‐relevant aspects of the hydrograph using non‐parametric correlations. April 1 SWE tended to increase with model resolution, particularly below 4,000 masl. Finer meteorology simulations produced deeper April 1 SWE than coarser meteorology simulations. Finer resolution snow simulations tended to produce longer snowmelt durations and slower snowmelt rates than coarser resolution simulations. Finer resolution simulations had better agreement with SCA for both meteorology data sets, particularly at high and low elevations. However, finer resolution simulations did not generally outperform coarser simulations in snow versus streamflow statistic correlations. Snow versus streamflow correlations were most sensitive to meteorology, watershed properties, and then resolution. Watershed physiographic properties such as wetness index may increase snow versus streamflow metric correlations while elevation and slope may decrease correlations. At watershed scales, these results suggest that simulation resolution and choice of meteorology is less important than the physiographic properties of the watershed; however, if resolving snow distribution across the landscape is important, finer‐resolution simulations are useful.
Net Community Production and Inorganic Carbon Cycling in the Central Irminger Sea
Authors: Yoder M. F. , Palevsky H. I. , Fogaren K. E.
Published: July 2024

The subpolar North Atlantic plays an outsized role in the atmosphere‐to‐ocean carbon sink. The central Irminger Sea is home to well‐documented deep winter convection and high phytoplankton production, which drive strong seasonal and interannual variability in regional carbon cycling. We use observational data from moored carbonate chemistry system sensors and annual turn‐around cruise samples at the Ocean Observatories Initiative's Irminger Sea Array to construct a near‐continuous time series of mixed layer total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), pCO2, and total alkalinity from summer 2015 to summer 2022. We use these carbonate chemistry system time series to deconvolve the physical and biological drivers of surface ocean carbon cycling in this region on seasonal, annual, and interannual time scales. We find high annual net community production within the seasonally varying mixed layer, averaging 9.8 ± 1.6 mol m−2 yr−1 with high interannual variability (range of 6.0–13.9 mol m−2 yr−1). The highest daily net community production rates occur during the late winter and early spring, prior to the observed high chlorophyll concentrations associated with the spring phytoplankton bloom. As a result, the winter and early spring play a much larger role in biological carbon export from the mixed layer than traditionally thought.
Breastfeeding behaviours in women with obesity; associations with weight retention and the serum metabolome: a secondary analysis of UPBEAT
Authors: Dalrymple Kathryn V. , Briley Annette L. , Tydeman Florence A. S. , Seed Paul T. , Singh Claire M. , Flynn Angela C. , White Sara L. , Poston Lucilla ,   on behalf of the UPBEAT Consortium, Briley Annette L. , Seed Paul T. , Singh Claire M. , Flynn Angela C. , Poston Lucilla
Published: July 2024

Background/Objectives

Maternal obesity is associated with a decreased intention and initiation of breastfeeding as well as a shortened duration of breastfeeding. This analysis was undertaken to identify breastfeeding behaviours, and relationships with maternal anthropometry and the serum metabolome at 6-months postpartum in an ethnically diverse cohort of women with obesity.

Subjects/Methods

A cohort analysis of 715 women from the UK Pregnancies Better Eating and Activity Trial (UPBEAT); a multi-centre randomised controlled trial of an antenatal lifestyle intervention in women with obesity. Maternal data were collected in early pregnancy and included body mass index (BMI), socio-demographic characteristics and anthropometry. At 6-months postpartum, breastfeeding behaviours, anthropometry and 158 maternal metabolic measures from blood samples were recorded. Kaplan–Meier curves of breastfeeding duration were constructed and were stratified by obesity class (I: BMI 30.0–34.9 kg/m2, II: 35.0–39.9 kg/m2, III: ≥40.0 kg/m2). Relationships between breastfeeding behaviours, socio-demographic characteristics, the metabolome, and anthropometry were determined using regression analyses.

Results

Eighty-two percent (591/715) of the cohort-initiated breastfeeding and at the 6-month follow-up 40% (283/715) were breastfeeding exclusively or partially. Duration of exclusive breastfeeding decreased with increasing BMI: Compared to BMI class I (mean 90.4 ± 64 days) the difference in mean for classes II and III were −15.8 days (95% confidence interval: −28.5, −3.1, p < 0.05) and −16.7 (95% CI: −32.0 to −1.35, p < 0.05), respectively. Compared to no breastfeeding, any breastfeeding at 6-months postpartum was associated with improvements in metabolites towards a healthier profile, reduced weight retention by −1.81 kg (95% CI −0.75, −2.88, p < 0.05 ) and reduced anthropometric measures, including mid-upper arm and hip circumferences. The breastfeeding related changes in anthropometry were not evident in women of Black ethnicity.

Conclusions

Greater emphasis on enabling breastfeeding for women with obesity could improve duration, women’s weight management and metabolic health. The lack of breastfeeding related anthropometric effects in Black women requires further investigation.

Clinical trial registry

ISRCTN reference 89971375.
COLUMBIA-1: a randomised study of durvalumab plus oleclumab in combination with chemotherapy and bevacizumab in metastatic microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer
Authors: Segal Neil H. , Tie Jeanne , Kopetz Scott , Ducreux Michel , Chen Eric , Dienstmann Rodrigo , Hollebecque Antoine , Reilley Matthew J. , Elez Elena , Cosaert Jan , Cain Jason , Soo-Hoo Yee , Hewson Nicola , Cooper Zachary A. , Kumar Rakesh , Tabernero Josep
Published: July 2024

Background

To determine whether the addition of durvalumab (anti-PD-L1) and oleclumab (anti-CD73) to standard-of-care treatment (FOLFOX and bevacizumab) enhances the anti-tumour effect in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Methods

COLUMBIA-1 (NCT04068610) was a Phase Ib (feasibility; Part 1)/Phase II (randomised; Part 2) trial in patients with treatment-naïve microsatellite stable mCRC. Patients in Part 2 were randomised to receive standard-of-care (control arm) or standard-of-care plus durvalumab and oleclumab (experimental arm). Primary objectives included safety and efficacy.

Results

Seven patients were enrolled in Part 1 and 52 in Part 2 (n = 26 in each arm). Grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAE) occurred in 80.8% and 65.4% of patients in the control and experimental arms of Part 2, respectively, with 26.9% and 46.3% experiencing serious TEAEs. The confirmed objective response rate (ORR) was numerically higher in the experimental arm compared with the control arm (61.5% [95% confidence interval (CI), 40.6–79.8] vs 46.2% [95% CI, 26.6–66.6]) but did not meet the statistically significant threshold in either arm.

Conclusion

The safety profile of FOLFOX and bevacizumab in combination with durvalumab and oleclumab was manageable; however, the efficacy results do not warrant further development of this combination in patients with microsatellite stable mCRC.

Registration

NCT04068610.
MORC2 regulates RBM39-mediated CDK5RAP2 alternative splicing to promote EMT and metastasis in colon cancer
Authors: He Yuxin , Shao Yangguang , Zhou Zhihui , Li Tingting , Gao Yunling , Liu Xue , Yuan Gang , Yang Gaoxiang , Zhang Lili , Li Feng
Published: July 2024

Colorectal carcinogenesis and progression are associated with aberrant alternative splicing, yet its molecular mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Here, we find that Microrchidia family CW-type zinc finger 2 (MORC2) binds to RRM1 domain of RNA binding motif protein 39 (RBM39), and RBM39 interacts with site 1 of pre-CDK5RAP2 exon 32 via its UHM domain, resulting in a splicing switch of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 regulatory subunit associated protein 2 (CDK5RAP2) L to CDK5RAP2 S. CDK5RAP2 S promotes invasion of colorectal cancer cells in vitro and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, CDK5RAP2 S specifically recruits the PHD finger protein 8 to promote Slug transcription by removing repressive histone marks at the Slug promoter. Moreover, CDK5RAP2 S, but not CDK5RAP2 L, is essential for the promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by MORC2 or RBM39. Importantly, high protein levels of MORC2, RBM39 and Slug are strongly associated with metastasis and poor clinical outcomes of colorectal cancer patients. Taken together, our findings uncover a novel mechanism by which MORC2 promotes colorectal cancer metastasis, through RBM39-mediated pre-CDK5RAP2 alternative splicing and highlight the MORC2/RBM39/CDK5RAP2 axis as a potential therapeutic target for colorectal cancer.
Therapeutic strategy for spinal muscular atrophy by combining gene supplementation and genome editing
Authors: Hatanaka Fumiyuki , Suzuki Keiichiro , Shojima Kensaku , Yu Jingting , Takahashi Yuta , Sakamoto Akihisa , Prieto Javier , Shokhirev Maxim , Nuñez Delicado Estrella , Rodriguez Esteban Concepcion , Izpisua Belmonte Juan Carlos
Published: July 2024

Defect in the SMN1 gene causes spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which shows loss of motor neurons, muscle weakness and atrophy. While current treatment strategies, including small molecules or viral vectors, have shown promise in improving motor function and survival, achieving a definitive and long-term correction of SMA’s endogenous mutations and phenotypes remains highly challenging. We have previously developed a CRISPR-Cas9 based homology-independent targeted integration (HITI) strategy, enabling unidirectional DNA knock-in in both dividing and non-dividing cells in vivo. In this study, we demonstrated its utility by correcting an SMA mutation in mice. When combined with Smn1 cDNA supplementation, it exhibited long-term therapeutic benefits in SMA mice. Our observations may provide new avenues for the long-term and efficient treatment of inherited diseases.
Modeling short visual events through the BOLD moments video fMRI dataset and metadata
Authors: Lahner Benjamin , Dwivedi Kshitij , Iamshchinina Polina , Graumann Monika , Lascelles Alex , Roig Gemma , Gifford Alessandro Thomas , Pan Bowen , Jin SouYoung , Ratan Murty N. Apurva , Kay Kendrick , Oliva Aude , Cichy Radoslaw
Published: July 2024

Studying the neural basis of human dynamic visual perception requires extensive experimental data to evaluate the large swathes of functionally diverse brain neural networks driven by perceiving visual events. Here, we introduce the BOLD Moments Dataset (BMD), a repository of whole-brain fMRI responses to over 1000 short (3 s) naturalistic video clips of visual events across ten human subjects. We use the videos’ extensive metadata to show how the brain represents word- and sentence-level descriptions of visual events and identify correlates of video memorability scores extending into the parietal cortex. Furthermore, we reveal a match in hierarchical processing between cortical regions of interest and video-computable deep neural networks, and we showcase that BMD successfully captures temporal dynamics of visual events at second resolution. With its rich metadata, BMD offers new perspectives and accelerates research on the human brain basis of visual event perception.
Sexual size dimorphism in mammals is associated with changes in the size of gene families related to brain development
Authors: Padilla-Morales Benjamin , Acuña-Alonzo Alin P. , Kilili Huseyin , Castillo-Morales Atahualpa , Díaz-Barba Karina , Maher Kathryn H. , Fabian Laurie , Mourkas Evangelos , Székely Tamás , Serrano-Meneses Martin-Alejandro , Cortez Diego , Ancona Sergio , Urrutia Araxi O.
Published: July 2024

In mammals, sexual size dimorphism often reflects the intensity of sexual selection, yet its connection to genomic evolution remains unexplored. Gene family size evolution can reflect shifts in the relative importance of different molecular functions. Here, we investigate the associate between brain development gene repertoire to sexual size dimorphism using 124 mammalian species. We reveal significant changes in gene family size associations with sexual size dimorphism. High levels of dimorphism correlate with an expansion of gene families enriched in olfactory sensory perception and a contraction of gene families associated with brain development functions, many of which exhibited particularly high expression in the human adult brain. These findings suggest a relationship between intense sexual selection and alterations in gene family size. These insights illustrate the complex interplay between sexual dimorphism, gene family size evolution, and their roles in mammalian brain development and function, offering a valuable understanding of mammalian genome evolution.
Efficient deep-blue electroluminescence from Ce-based metal halide
Authors: Yang Longbo , Du Hainan , Li Jinghui , Luo Yiqi , Lin Xia , Pang Jincong , Liu Yuxuan , Gao Liang , He Siwei , Kang Jae-Wook , Liang Wenxi , Song Haisheng , Luo Jiajun , Tang Jiang
Published: July 2024

Rare earth ions with d-f transitions (Ce3+, Eu2+) have emerged as promising candidates for electroluminescence applications due to their abundant emission spectra, high light conversion efficiency, and excellent stability. However, directly injecting charge into 4f orbitals remains a significant challenge, resulting in unsatisfied external quantum efficiency and high operating voltage in rare earth light-emitting diodes. Herein, we propose a scheme to solve the difficulty by utilizing the energy transfer process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transient absorption spectra suggest that the Cs3CeI6 luminescence process is primarily driven by the energy transfer from the I2-based self-trapped exciton to the Ce-based Frenkel exciton. Furthermore, energy transfer efficiency is largely improved by enhancing the spectra overlap between the self-trapped exciton emission and the Ce-based Frenkel exciton excitation. When implemented as an active layer in light-emitting diodes, they show the maximum brightness and external quantum efficiency of 1073 cd m−2 and 7.9%, respectively.
Climate resilience of European wine regions
Authors: Tscholl Simon , Candiago Sebastian , Marsoner Thomas , Fraga Helder , Giupponi Carlo , Egarter Vigl Lukas
Published: July 2024

Over centuries, European vintners have developed a profound knowledge about grapes, environment, and techniques that yield the most distinguishable wines. In many regions, this knowledge is reflected in the system of wine geographical indications (GI), but climate change is challenging this historical union. Here, we present a climate change vulnerability assessment of 1085 wine GIs across Europe and propose climate-resilient development pathways using an ensemble of biophysical and socioeconomic indicators. Results indicate that wine regions in Southern Europe are among the most vulnerable, with high levels also found in Eastern Europe. Vulnerability is influenced by the rigidity of the GI system, which restricts grape variety diversity and thus contributes to an increased sensitivity to climate change. Contextual deficiencies, such as limited socioeconomic resources, may further contribute to increased vulnerability. Building a climate-resilient wine sector will require rethinking the GI system by allowing innovation to compensate for the negative effects of climate change.
Evidence of strong and mode-selective electron–phonon coupling in the topological superconductor candidate 2M-WS2
Authors: Li Yiwei , Xu Lixuan , Liu Gan , Fang Yuqiang , Zheng Huijun , Dai Shenghao , Li Enting , Zhu Guang , Zhang Shihao , Liang Shiheng , Yang Lexian , Huang Fuqiang , Xi Xiaoxiang , Liu Zhongkai , Xu Nan , Chen Yulin
Published: July 2024

The interaction between lattice vibrations and electrons plays a key role in various aspects of condensed matter physics — including electron hydrodynamics, strange metal behavior, and high-temperature superconductivity. In this study, we present systematic investigations using Raman scattering and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) to examine the phononic and electronic subsystems of the topological superconductor candidate 2M-WS2. Raman scattering exhibits an anomalous nonmonotonic temperature dependence of phonon linewidths, indicative of strong phonon–electron scattering over phonon–phonon scattering. The ARPES results demonstrate pronounced dispersion anomalies (kinks) at multiple binding energies within both bulk and topological surface states, indicating a robust and mode-selective coupling between the electronic states and various phonon modes. These experimental findings align with previous calculations of the Eliashberg function, providing a deeper understanding of the highest superconducting transition temperature observed in 2M-WS2(8.8 K) among all transition metal dichalcogenides as induced by electron–phonon coupling. Furthermore, our results may offer valuable insights into other properties of 2M-WS2and guide the search for high-temperature topological superconductors.
Human TMEFF1 is a restriction factor for herpes simplex virus in the brain
Authors: Chan Yi-Hao , Liu Zhiyong , Bastard Paul , Khobrekar Noopur , Hutchison Kennen M. , Yamazaki Yasuhiro , Fan Qing , Matuozzo Daniela , Harschnitz Oliver , Kerrouche Nacim , Nakajima Koji , Amin Param , Yatim Ahmad , Rinchai Darawan , Chen Jie , Zhang Peng , Ciceri Gabriele , Chen Jia , Dobbs Kerry , Belkaya Serkan , Lee Danyel , Gervais Adrian , Aydın Kürşad , Kartal Ayse , Hasek Mary L. , Zhao Shuxiang , Reino Eduardo Garcia , Lee Yoon Seung , Seeleuthner Yoann , Chaldebas Matthieu , Bailey Rasheed , Vanhulle Catherine , Lorenzo Lazaro , Boucherit Soraya , Rozenberg Flore , Marr Nico , Mogensen Trine H. , Aubart Mélodie , Cobat Aurélie , Dulac Olivier , Emiroglu Melike , Paludan Søren R. , Abel Laurent , Notarangelo Luigi , Longnecker Richard , Smith Greg , Studer Lorenz , Casanova Jean-Laurent , Zhang Shen-Ying
Published: July 2024

Most cases of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) encephalitis (HSE) remain unexplained1,2. Here, we report on two unrelated people who had HSE as children and are homozygous for rare deleterious variants of TMEFF1, which encodes a cell membrane protein that is preferentially expressed by brain cortical neurons. TMEFF1 interacts with the cell-surface HSV-1 receptor NECTIN-1, impairing HSV-1 glycoprotein D- and NECTIN-1-mediated fusion of the virus and the cell membrane, blocking viral entry. Genetic TMEFF1 deficiency allows HSV-1 to rapidly enter cortical neurons that are either patient specific or derived from CRISPR–Cas9-engineered human pluripotent stem cells, thereby enhancing HSV-1 translocation to the nucleus and subsequent replication. This cellular phenotype can be rescued by pretreatment with type I interferon (IFN) or the expression of exogenous wild-type TMEFF1. Moreover, ectopic expression of full-length TMEFF1 or its amino-terminal extracellular domain, but not its carboxy-terminal intracellular domain, impairs HSV-1 entry into NECTIN-1-expressing cells other than neurons, increasing their resistance to HSV-1 infection. Human TMEFF1 is therefore a host restriction factor for HSV-1 entry into cortical neurons. Its constitutively high abundance in cortical neurons protects these cells from HSV-1 infection, whereas inherited TMEFF1 deficiency renders them susceptible to this virus and can therefore underlie HSE.
A sequence of SVA retrotransposon insertions in ASIP shaped human pigmentation
Authors: Kamitaki Nolan , Hujoel Margaux L. A. , Mukamel Ronen E. , Gebara Edward , McCarroll Steven A. , Loh Po-Ru
Published: July 2024

Retrotransposons comprise about 45% of the human genome1, but their contributions to human trait variation and evolution are only beginning to be explored2,3. Here, we find that a sequence of SVA retrotransposon insertions in an early intron of the ASIP (agouti signaling protein) gene has probably shaped human pigmentation several times. In the UK Biobank (n = 169,641), a recent 3.3-kb SVA insertion polymorphism associated strongly with lighter skin pigmentation (0.22 [0.21–0.23] s.d.; P = 2.8 × 10−351) and increased skin cancer risk (odds ratio = 1.23 [1.18–1.27]; P = 1.3 × 10−28), appearing to underlie one of the strongest common genetic influences on these phenotypes within European populations4–6. ASIP expression in skin displayed the same association pattern, with the SVA insertion allele exhibiting 2.2-fold (1.9–2.6) increased expression. This effect had an unusual apparent mechanism: an earlier, nonpolymorphic, human-specific SVA retrotransposon 3.9 kb upstream appeared to have caused ASIP hypofunction by nonproductive splicing, which the new (polymorphic) SVA insertion largely eliminated. Extended haplotype homozygosity indicated that the insertion allele has risen to allele frequencies up to 11% in European populations over the past several thousand years. These results indicate that a sequence of retrotransposon insertions contributed to a species-wide increase, then a local decrease, of human pigmentation.
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. in horse population of Tehran, Iran
Authors: Shams Farzane , Jokar Mohammad , Abdous Arman , Mohammadi Pardis , Abbassioun Aryan , Seuberlich Torsten , Rahmanian Vahid
Published: July 2024

Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are two closely related protozoan parasites that are widely distributed throughout the world. Horses can act as intermediate hosts for both parasites and can acquire disease. Blood samples were taken from 487 clinically healthy horses from 17 different mechanized stables in Tehran, the capital of Iran, during September and November of 2022. IFAT and ELISA were employed to detect antibodies directed against Neospora spp. and T. gondii. The anti-N. caninum antibodies were detected in 52 of the horses (10.67%) based on IFAT and in 86 of the 487 horses (17.65%) based on the ELISA test. Also, antibodies against T. gondii were detected in 41 horses (8.42%) based on IFAT and in 63 of 487 horses (12.94%) based on the ELISA test. Also, in 6 of the horses (1.23%) based on IFAT and in 13 of the 487 horses (2.67%) based on the ELISA test, double positivity suggested co-infection with both parasites. Gender, age groups, and the presence of dogs for neosporosis, and age groups and the presence of cats for toxoplasmosis, could be considered factors having an influence on the seroprevalences (P < 0.05). The results proved the importance of the urgent implementation of stringent regulatory measures to prevent and control the spread of these parasites.
Seasonal characteristics of nosocomial infection in a psychiatric hospital in China with different nosocomial prevention and control backgrounds: a retrospective study
Authors: Zhou Yufang , Chen Shuili , Wang Youtian , Liang Jingyu , Li Huaijie , Shi Haishan , Miao Tianyang , Wu Shengwei , Xiao Aixiang , Ye Junrong , Zheng Xing
Published: July 2024

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between various prevention and control measures for nosocomial infections (NIs) in psychiatric hospitals and patients with mental disorders. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of NIs in psychiatric hospitals and provide a reference for infection prevention and control in this setting. Data from the NI monitoring system of a psychiatric hospital in southeastern China were analysed. Patients who were hospitalized for mental disorders from January 1, 2016, to November 30, 2019, were classified into the non-COVID-19 containment group (NC19C group, n = 898), while those who were hospitalized from January 25, 2020, to November 30, 2022, were classified into the COVID-19 containment group (C19C group, n = 840). The data were analysed using SPSS version 22.0, and independent sample t tests, chi-square tests, correlation analyses, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. A significance level of P < 0.0024 was applied. The incidence rate of NIs was higher in autumn in the NC19C group, while no seasonal difference was detected in the C19C group (P < 0.0024). Further analysis revealed that in the C19C group, the risk of hospitalized patients with mental disorders developing hospital-acquired pneumonia in spring was 0.362 times that in winter (OR = 0.362, 95% CI = 0.200 ~ 0.656, P = 0.001), and in summer, the risk was 0.342 times that in winter (OR = 0.342, 95% CI = 0.185 ~ 0.633 P = 0.001). Patients aged 18–44 years had a 4.260 times higher risk of developing hospital-acquired upper respiratory tract infections than did those aged 60 years and older (OR = 4.260, 95% CI = 2.143 ~ 8.470; P = 0.000). The risk of acquiring urinary tract infections in the hospital was 0.324 times greater among patients aged 18–44 years than for patients aged 60 years and older (OR = 0.324, 95% CI = 0.171–0.613; P = 0.001). The NC19C group did not exhibit the aforementioned differences. During the NC19C period, differences were observed in the diagnosis of hospital-acquired infections and sex (all P = 0.000). Psychiatric hospitals exhibit distinct nosocomial infection characteristics under the context of various infection control measures. Against the backdrop of strengthened infection control, the nosocomial infection characteristics of psychiatric hospitals may be associated with the features of mental disorders.