bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrostatic adsorption of polyanions onto lipid nanoparticles controls uptake, trafficking, and transfection of RNA and DNA therapies
Authors: Nabar Namita , Dacoba Tamara G. , Covarrubias Gil , Romero-Cruz Denisse , Hammond Paula T.
Published: March 2024

Rapid advances in nucleic acid therapies highlight the immense therapeutic potential of genetic therapeutics. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are highly potent nonviral transfection agents that can encapsulate and deliver various nucleic acid therapeutics, including but not limited to messenger RNA (mRNA), silencing RNA (siRNA), and plasmid DNA (pDNA). However, a major challenge of targeted LNP-mediated systemic delivery is the nanoparticles’ nonspecific uptake by the liver and the mononuclear phagocytic system, due partly to the adsorption of endogenous serum proteins onto LNP surfaces. Tunable LNP surface chemistries may enable efficacious delivery across a range of organs and cell types. Here, we describe a method to electrostatically adsorb bioactive polyelectrolytes onto LNPs to create layered LNPs (LLNPs). LNP cores varying in nucleic acid cargo and component lipids were stably layered with four biologically relevant polyanions: hyaluronate (HA), poly-L-aspartate (PLD), poly-L-glutamate (PLE), and polyacrylate (PAA). We further investigated the impact of the four surface polyanions on the transfection and uptake of mRNA- and pDNA-loaded LNPs in cell cultures. PLD- and PLE-LLNPs increased mRNA transfection twofold over unlayered LNPs in immune cells. HA-LLNPs increased pDNA transfection rates by more than twofold in epithelial and immune cells. In a healthy C57BL/6 murine model, PLE- and HA-LLNPs increased transfection by 1.8-fold to 2.5-fold over unlayered LNPs in the liver and spleen. These results suggest that LbL assembly is a generalizable, highly tunable platform to modify the targeting specificity, stability, and transfection efficacy of LNPs, as well as incorporate other charged targeting and therapeutic molecules into these systems.
Reconciling carbon quality with availability predicts temperature sensitivity of global soil carbon mineralization
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Wang Mingming , Xiao Liujun , Guo Xiaowei , Zheng Jinyang , Zhu Biao , Luo Zhongkui
Published: March 2024

Soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization is a key component of the global carbon cycle. Its temperature sensitivity Q
10
(which is defined as the factor of change in mineralization with a 10 °C temperature increase) is crucial for understanding the carbon cycle-climate change feedback but remains uncertain. Here, we demonstrate the universal control of carbon quality-availability tradeoffs on Q
10
. When carbon availability is not limited, Q
10
is controlled by carbon quality; otherwise, substrate availability controls Q
10
. A model driven by such quality-availability tradeoffs explains 97% of the spatiotemporal variability of Q
10
in incubations of soils across the globe and predicts a global Q
10
of 2.1 ± 0.4 (mean ± one SD) with higher Q
10
in northern high-latitude regions. We further reveal that global Q
10
is predominantly governed by the mineralization of high-quality carbon. The work provides a foundation for predicting SOC dynamics under climate and land use changes which may alter soil carbon quality and availability.
Ingested soil bacteria breach gut epithelia and prime systemic immunity in an insect
Authors: Jang Seonghan , Ishigami Kota , Mergaert Peter , Kikuchi Yoshitomo
Published: March 2024

Insects lack acquired immunity and were thought to have no immune memory, but recent studies reported a phenomenon called immune priming, wherein sublethal dose of pathogens or nonpathogenic microbes stimulates immunity and prevents subsequential pathogen infection. Although the evidence for insect immune priming is accumulating, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. The bean bug
Riptortus pedestris
acquires its gut microbiota from ambient soil and spatially structures them into a multispecies and variable community in the anterior midgut and a specific, monospecies
Caballeronia
symbiont population in the posterior region. We demonstrate that a particular
Burkholderia
strain colonizing the anterior midgut stimulates systemic immunity by penetrating gut epithelia and migrating into the hemolymph. The activated immunity, consisting of a humoral and a cellular response, had no negative effect on the host fitness, but on the contrary protected the insect from subsequent infection by pathogenic bacteria. Interruption of contact between the
Burkholderia
strain and epithelia of the gut weakened the host immunity back to preinfection levels and made the insects more vulnerable to microbial infection, demonstrating that persistent acquisition of environmental bacteria is important to maintain an efficient immunity.
Ultrafast universal fabrication of configurable porous silicone-based elastomers by Joule heating chemistry
Authors: Xu Feng , Zhang Hongjian , Liu Haodong , Han Wenqi , Nie Zhentao , Lu Yufei , Wang Haoyang , Zhu Jixin
Published: March 2024

Silicone-based elastomers (SEs) have been extensively applied in numerous cutting-edge areas, including flexible electronics, biomedicine, 5G smart devices, mechanics, optics, soft robotics, etc. However, traditional strategies for the synthesis of polymer elastomers, such as bulk polymerization, suspension polymerization, solution polymerization, and emulsion polymerization, are inevitably restricted by long-time usage, organic solvent additives, high energy consumption, and environmental pollution. Here, we propose a Joule heating chemistry method for ultrafast universal fabrication of SEs with configurable porous structures and tunable components (e.g., graphene, Ag, graphene oxide, TiO
2
, ZnO, Fe
3
O
4
, V
2
O
5
, MoS
2
, BN, g-C
3
N
4
, BaCO
3
, CuI, BaTiO
3
, polyvinylidene fluoride, cellulose, styrene-butadiene rubber, montmorillonite, and EuDySrAlSiO
x
) within seconds by only employing H
2
O as the solvent. The intrinsic dynamics of the in situ polymerization and porosity creation of these SEs have been widely investigated. Notably, a flexible capacitive sensor made from as-fabricated silicone-based elastomers exhibits a wide pressure range, fast responses, long-term durability, extreme operating temperatures, and outstanding applicability in various media, and a wireless human–machine interaction system used for rescue activities in extreme conditions is established, which paves the way for more polymer-based material synthesis and wider applications.
Foraging predicts the evolution of warning coloration and mimicry in snakes
Authors: Kojima Yosuke , Ito Ryosuke K. , Fukuyama Ibuki , Ohkubo Yusaku , Durso Andrew M.
Published: March 2024

Warning coloration and Batesian mimicry are classic examples of Darwinian evolution, but empirical evolutionary patterns are often paradoxical. We test whether foraging costs predict the evolution of striking coloration by integrating genetic and ecological data for aposematic and mimetic snakes (Elapidae and Dipsadidae). Our phylogenetic comparison on a total of 432 species demonstrated that dramatic changes in coloration were well predicted by foraging strategy. Multiple tests consistently indicated that warning coloration and conspicuous mimicry were more likely to evolve in species where foraging costs of conspicuous appearance were relaxed by poor vision of their prey, concealed habitat, or nocturnal activity. Reversion to crypsis was also well predicted by ecology for elapids but not for dipsadids. In contrast to a theoretical prediction and general trends, snakes’ conspicuous coloration was correlated with secretive ecology, suggesting that a selection regime underlies evolutionary patterns. We also found evidence that mimicry of inconspicuous models (pitvipers) may have evolved in association with foraging demand for crypsis. These findings demonstrate that foraging is an important factor necessary to understand the evolution, persistence, and diversity of warning coloration and mimicry of snakes, highlighting the significance of additional selective factors in solving the warning coloration paradox.
Quantum–classical correspondence and dissipative to dissipationless crossover in magnetotransport phenomena
Authors: Yamada Akiyoshi , Fuseya Yuki
Published: March 2024

The three-dimensional magneto-conductivity tensor was derived in a gauge invariant form based on the Kubo formula considering quantum effects under a magnetic field, such as the Landau quantization and quantum oscillations. We analytically demonstrated that the quantum formula of the magneto-conductivity can be obtained by adding a quantum oscillation factor to the classical formula. This result establishes the quantum–classical correspondence, which has long been missing in magnetotransport phenomena. Moreover, we found dissipative-to-dissipationless crossover in the Hall conductivity by paying special attention to the analytic properties of the thermal Green’s function. Finally, by calculating the magnetoresistance of semimetals, we identified a phase shift in quantum oscillation originating from the dissipationless transport predominant at high fields.
Air-ground multi-agent system cooperative navigation based on factor graph optimization SLAM
Authors: Liu Haiying , Wang Xiaolong , Liu Ruihang , Xie Yangguang , Li Tiexiang
Published: March 2024

In this study, a cooperative navigation algorithm centered on factor graph optimization—simultaneous localization and mapping (FGO-SLAM) is presented for an air-ground multi-agent system. The algorithm prioritizes the control of error statuses during the position and attitude estimation procedure throughout the entire back-end optimization process. In the conventional extended kalman filtering (EKF) algorithm, periodic cumulative errors may arise, introducing uncertainty to the estimation process. The application of the FGO algorithm not only mitigates deviation but also stabilizes errors, thereby eliminating the accumulation of periodic errors. In comparison to the practical EKF-SLAM, FGO-SLAM serves as a semi-offline optimization system that leverages key frames to minimize computational load. During multi-agent simulations, when two or more agents have overlapping field views, landmark data is merged, enhancing the optimization effectiveness. Through simulation experiments, the proposed algorithm demonstrates a 40% reduction in position error and a 41% reduction in attitude error, affirming the efficacy of FGO-SLAM for cooperative navigation.
Lyra cosmologies with the dynamical system perspective
Authors: Singh Ashutosh
Published: March 2024

In this study, we revisit the homogeneous and isotropic, spatially curved model in the Lyra geometry framework. We apply the dynamical system approach to study the Universe evolution in model. The present cosmic dynamical system formulation is independent of the model parameter which yields the Universe expansion phases dominated by the stiff fluid, radiation, dark matter and dark energy. These expansion phases in the Lyra model are consistent with the General relativity model. In addition, the displacement vector field of the Lyra geometry model will give rise to the stiff matter dominated phase during early times of the Universe evolution. The cosmographic parameters, EoS parameter and statefinder diagnostic have been utilized in the dynamical system to illustrate the cosmic evolution of the Universe. The numerical solution technique is used to illustrate graphical behaviors of the cosmological parameters. On the basis of dynamical system and numerical analysis, we exhibit that the model explains accelerating universe expansion with transition from the decelerating phase and it will lead to the Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model in the near future.
Study on the magnetic shielding properties of nanocrystalline strips under bending stress
Authors: Yuan Lanjie , Xu Xueping , Wang Pengfei , Huang Yuejing , Cui Peiling
Published: March 2024

The study of the magnetic properties of nanocrystalline materials under stress is of great significance for the construction of small and lightweight magnetic shielding rooms. Therefore, this paper investigates the effect of stress on the magnetic properties of nanocrystalline materials under the action of external bending stress. By comparing the test results of the soft magnetic measuring device with and without bending stress, it is found that the magnetic permeability (μ
i) decreases by about 51.41% when the introduced bending stress σ is increased by about 5.96

×

107 pa, whereas the

K

u

Fe
−
Si

(induced magnetic anisotropy constant) and

H

k

(field of magnetic anisotropy) increase by 5.30

×

102 J m–3 and 1.08

×

102 A m−1, respectively. The Jiles-Atherton (J-A) model considering the bending stress and radius of change correlation is established, and the typical parameters of the J-A model are fitted using the Gazelle Optimization Algorithm (GOA), and the RMSE (root mean square error) of all of them are less than 0.056 T. The magnetic domain density increased with the increase of bending stress, which verified the correlation between the J-A model parameters and the bending stress. Our results reveal that the nanocrystalline macroscopic and micromechanical magnetic properties can be effectively combined with the J-A model, which will provide a theoretical basis for the simulation study of the nanocrystalline magnetic shielding device in the actual stress situation.
Evaluating secondary school students’ science literacy with the Test of Scientific Literacy Skills (TOSLS)
Authors: Hejnová Eva
Published: March 2024

As solutions to today’s global challenges, such as climate change and environmental protection, will increasingly depend on technological and scientific innovation, it is essential for Generation Z to gain a solid foundation in science. The Test of Scientific Literacy Skills (TOSLS) was used to assess the level of science literacy of students. This paper presents the results of the TOSLS testing of students aged 16-19 in several grammar schools in the Czech Republic in 2023 and compares them with the results of the TOSLS testing of students in the Slovak Republic in 2015. We found that Czech students in their final year of high school performed statistically significantly better on the TOSLS test in approximately two thirds of the items than Slovak students. For both groups of students, we observed good results in skills focused on evaluating scientific information, reading and interpreting graphical representations of data, and solving problems using quantitative skills, including basic statistical skills. On the contrary, the students had difficulty with skills related to understanding the elements of research design and their impact on scientific findings and understanding and interpreting basic statistical data.
The Smíchov industrial school of the third age - Intergenerational STEM learning in practice
Authors: Krajčová V
Published: March 2024

The article presents an example of a good practice - the possibility of intergenerational and interdisciplinary learning, which it is not based only on receiving information and, possibly, independent physical research, but it shifts education to a higher level in the social field, how to move the teaching of physics, mathematics and IT into another direction, than is customary in schools. It offers an example of how to functionally and meaningfully connect a school, and above all its own pupils, with seniors. In today’s age of increasing retirement age, there is a need to follow up connection between young people and seniors and show them how to communicate with each other. And all this on the grounds of the high school physics laboratory.
Augmented reality as a tool for teaching physics to students with special needs
Authors: Pavlendova G , Ladas G , Kosak Babuder M , Javornik K , Rihter J , Cantarella M , Marcek Chorvatova A
Published: March 2024

Nowadays, teaching physics is becoming more and more challenging, particularly in regard to reduced number of physics lessons, lack of physics teachers and/or of the experimental equipment in the laboratories. This is becoming even more visible when students with special needs (SEN) are concerned. Consequently, physics rates among the most unpopular subjects in schools. We present a project ARphymedes plus („Augmented Reality made for student with special needs“), specifically designed to improve teaching of physics for students with special needs by applying Augmented Reality (AR). Within this project, we connect physics content with stories related to distinguished physicists, as well as to supporting experiments. For each phenomenon or physical law, examples in the form of videos, animations or 3D animated models are presented using AR. AR can be visualised in the book using tablets or smartphones, which are a daily part of students’ lives.
Attitudes of preschool teachers towards the importance of science teaching in preschool - preliminary study
Authors: Houfková J
Published: March 2024

Beyond the family, preschool teachers play a vital role in shaping children’s attitudes towards exploration and inquiry, particularly in relation to the world around them and the field of science. This paper examines the attitudes of preschool teachers towards the significance of science education within the preschool curriculum. A comparative analysis is conducted between the perspectives of experienced in-service teachers and future teachers, with data gathered through questionnaires administered after their participation in science-focused teacher trainings. The study specifically focuses on physics experiments in preschool and examines the perspectives of both experienced teachers who have been instrumental in shaping the Alpha Generation, as well as future teachers who belong to the Z generation. Key findings revealed a discrepancy in familiarity with and perceptions of physics experiments between experienced teachers and future educators. Notably, it sheds light on the need for enhanced professional development programs to bolster science teaching skills among educators. By understanding the attitudes of preschool teachers, this research aims to identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to bolster the quality of science education in early childhood. This preliminary study serves as a foundation for further comprehensive analysis and emphasizes the significance of empowering educators to effectively integrate science into preschool curricula.
The entry profile of a pre-service physics teachers and the development of their professional competences
Authors: Kireš M
Published: March 2024

In the paper, we reflect on various factors of motivation of pre-service physics teacher. Based on the data obtained from the entrance questionnaires of incoming students for the previous four years and a structured interview with current students studying in all grades, we create a professional entry profile of a future physics teacher student. Based on international standards, current trends, current and future needs of school practice, we characterize the professional competences of a physics teacher graduate. In the conditions of the Slovak educational space, we are looking for a breakthrough with the updated description of the field of study teaching and pedagogical sciences and standards for study programs. We present the goals and key elements of the university training of future physics teachers, educational methods, educational content and links to pedagogical practice.
Remote physics experiment Mathematical pendulum as an attractive alternative to traditional laboratory exercises
Authors: Lustig F , Brom P , Hejnová E
Published: March 2024

Traditional laboratory exercises are usually not popular among students, especially the processing and submission of protocols. Students are used to using digital technologies, prefer active participation in the learning process, and love visualisations. To improve motivation and make laboratory practices more attractive to students, remote laboratories with the real time control and available anytime and anywhere can be offered. In this paper, we present the remote experiment Mathematical Pendulum, which is physically located at the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University (UJEP) in Ústí nad Labem. Using it we can study physical laws such as the dependence of the pendulum’s period of oscillation on its length and determine the value of the gravitational acceleration. The remote pendulum is interactively controlled through a web browser from a computer or mobile phone, provides live video stream and experimental data downloadable via Internet. This single remote laboratory task is complemented by remote measurements of the acceleration of gravity at different latitudes through a group of ten identical mathematical pendulums created within the WorldPendulum WP@ELAB project. In this paper, we present not only the results of the measurements made, but also a pilot investigation of the use of this complex remote experiment.
Extension of the kinematics problem about the meeting of two bodies
Authors: Zelenický Ľ , Štubňa I , Vallo D
Published: March 2024

The well-known problem about the meeting of two bodies starting from two different points and moving along their line is extended by the general case when the bodies move in a plane at a non-zero angle to the given line. The task is solved graphically, analytically and using GeoGebra. This approach makes it possible to use IT technologies close to students in both standard and distance education.
Covariability of decadal surface air temperature variability over Myanmar with sea surface temperature based on singular value decomposition analysis
Authors: Sein Zin Mie Mie , Zhi Xiefei , Ogou Faustin Katchele , Nooni Isaac Kwesi , Paing Khant Hmu , Yeboah Emmanuel
Published: March 2024

The Myanmar’ Southeast Asian country is currently experiencing environmental changes, with temperature change being one the major contributing factors. Although many studies have shown the contribution of anthropogenic activities, the factors sustaining the observed increase in air temperature (TEMP) are not fully understood. We examined the interdependence of the surface TEMP with the sea surface temperature (SST) from 1971 to 2020 on a decadal timescale to predict changes in TEMP over a longer time period. Our analysis showed a pronounced interdecadal change in TEMP, with the highest intensity observed in the 2010s. The results show that the dominant modes of the global SST significantly influence the TEMP variation in the region at the decadal time scale. Indian Ocean (IO) SST-singular value decomposition (SVD)1 presents significant positive (negative) correlations in the southeast, and central (southwest) related to warming (cooling) TEMP in the east, northern tip, and northwest (south-Yangon and Taninthayi, and some parts of the north). The second and third modes of SST-SVD are cooling (warming) SST over the east of the Bay of Bengal (BoB), and along the Myanmar coast, which are associated with cooling(warming) TEMP patterns in the region. Significant negative correlations of decadal TEMP at the annual scale with Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and North Pacific (NP), the MAMJ with Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and November–December–January–February (NDJF) with PDO were evidenced. Meanwhile, significant positive correlations were obtained between TEMP and AMO (NP) at the annual scale (NDJF), respectively. These findings provide valuable insights into decadal-scale TEMP patterns and their relationships with SSTs, contributing to a better understanding of TEMP variability in Myanmar, which may be helpful in climate prediction. Predicting surface TEMP on a decadal timescale is helpful in environmental management.
Global evidence of rapid flash drought recovery by extreme precipitation
Authors: Mahto Shanti Shwarup , Mishra Vimal
Published: March 2024

Flash drought affects agricultural activities and water availability. However, the rate of flash drought development and termination and their controlling mechanisms remain mostly unexplored. Using climate reanalysis (ERA5) datasets, we examine the flash drought development and recovery rates in seventeen climate regions across the globe during the 1981–2020 period. In most global climate regions, flash drought recovery (25.2 percentile/pentad) is faster than its development rate (17.2 percentile/pentad). The tropical and sub-tropical humid areas, particularly eastern North America, northern South America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Islands groups, are the hotspots of rapid flash drought development and faster recovery rates. In most climate regions, flash drought development and recovery rates have considerably increased during the recent two decades. Pluvial events (heavy-to-extreme precipitation) associated with increased soil moisture and decreased atmospheric aridity vapor pressure deficit are the primary driver of the rapid flash drought recovery. Globally, 10 of 17 regions showed the dominance of extreme precipitation in flash drought recovery, primarily due to an increase in the frequency of extreme precipitation. A fraction of flash droughts terminated by extreme precipitation has increased significantly across the most regions during 1981–2020. Considering the increase in flash drought frequency, development rate, and rapid termination, the compound risk of flash droughts followed by extreme precipitation and flooding has enhanced. The abrupt transition from flash drought to wet conditions makes drought and flood management more challenging, with consequences for agriculture and water resources.
Simulating the impact of typhoons on air‐sea CO2 fluxes on the northern coastal area of the South China Sea
Authors: Meng Zhao , Guan Yuping , Feng Yang
Published: March 2024

The South China Sea is a typhoon-prone region, and previous studies have shown that typhoons have significant impacts on air-sea CO2 fluxes. However, the effect of typhoons on the northern coastal area of the South China Sea is not well understood owing to limited observational data. In this study, we used a coupled model to simulate the impact of four typhoons (Hato, Mangkhut, Nida, and Merbok) on the partial pressure of CO2 in seawater (pCO2sea) and the CO2 fluxes in this area. Our results show that the coupled model effectively reproduces the spatial pattern of pCO2sea in this region. The response of pCO2sea to typhoons was determined by typhoon-induced vertical mixing and coastal upwelling, along with initial oceanic conditions. Typhoon Nida caused a decrease in pCO2sea with Total Alkalinity and Sea Surface Temperature being the primary factors. However, typhoons Hato, Mangkhut, and Merbok caused an increase in pCO2sea with Dissolved Inorganic Carbon playing a more prominent role. The average CO2 fluxes during the passage were approximately 6–14 times higher than those before typhoon passage. These results enhance our understanding of the effect of typhoons on air-sea CO2 fluxes over the northern coastal area of the South China Sea.
Efficient EEG motion artifact elimination framework for ambulatory epileptic seizure detection application
Authors: Y Murali Krishna , P Vinay Kumar
Published: March 2024

Motion artifacts are a pervasive challenge in EEG ambulatory monitoring, often obscuring critical neurological signals and impeding accurate seizure detection. In this study, we propose a new approach of outlier based grouping of two level Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) decomposition combined with Relative Total Variation (RTV) filter for the effective removal of motion-induced noise from ambulatory EEG data. A two-stage SSA method was employed to decompose single-channel EEG signal, which had been interfered with, into various fre quency bands. The affected sub-band signal was then subjected to an RTV filter to estimate the artifact signal. Subtracting this estimated artifact signal from the contaminated sub-band signal yielded the filtered sub-band signal. Subse quently, the filtered sub-band signal was reintegrated with the other decomposed components from noise-free bands, culminating in the generation of the ultimate denoised EEG signal. Based on the comprehensive set of simulation results, it can be deduced that the algorithm described in the paper outperforms existing methods. It demonstrates superior metrics evaluation in terms of ΔSNR, η , MAE, and PSNR when compared to these alternatives. Our framework sig- nificantly enhances the quality of EEG data by successfully eliminating motion artifacts while preserving crucial brainwave information. To evaluate the prac tical impact of this noise reduction technique, we assess its performance in the context of seizure detection. The results reveal a substantial improvement in the accuracy and reliability of seizure detection algorithms when applied to EEG data preprocessed with proposed method.
Photostability and visible-light-driven photoactivity enhancement of hierarchical C@ZnCdS/ZnS/MoS2
Authors: Lu Qihong , Yang Ning , Zuo Lei , Fang Wenjian , Dong Jing , Zeng Xianghua
Published: March 2024

Zinc cadmium sulfide solid (Zn
x
Cd1−x
S) related composites received great attention in photocatalytic hydrogen production because of their tunable bandgap and strong visible light absorption range. But sulfide-based metal materials commonly suffer from photo-corrosion issues. It is very important to construct the photocatalysts with high efficient activity and photostability for H2 production. Herein, we successively prepared ZnCdS/ZnS (ZCS/ZS) heterostructures, ZnCdS/ZnS/MoS2 (ZCS/ZS/M) heterostructures decorated ZCS/ZS with MoS2 quantum dots, then we obtained x-C@ZCS/ZS and x-C@ZCS/ZS/M heterostructures encapsulated ZCS/ZS and ZCS/ZS/M with carbon layer. The performance of the photocatalytic hydrogen production showed that sample 0.05-C@ZCS/ZS/M has a remarkable photocatalytic H2 evolution rate of 15.231 mmol·h−1·g−1 with noble metal-free co-catalysts. This rate was approximately 21 times higher than that of the pristine ZCS/ZS photocatalyst. The optimized sample reveals an excellent stability, without activity losses after 10 h. The improved photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the unique heterojunction structure formed by ZCS/ZS and MoS2. Additionally, the carbon films played a crucial role in providing excellent stability by spatially separating the sites for redox reactions, thereby inhibiting the recombination of photo-generated electron–hole pairs.
Conditions for fairness anomalies in instant-runoff voting
Authors: Graham-Squire Adam
Published: March 2024

In an instant-runoff election there are well-known necessary and sufficient conditions for a 3-candidate, fully-ranked upward monotonicity anomaly. We extend previous research to find necessary and/or sufficient conditions in a number of related areas: (1) monotonicity anomalies in 3-candidate elections when ballots are not necessarily fully-ranked, (2) monotonicity anomalies in 4-candidate and higher instant-runoff elections, and (3) participation (no-show) anomalies in 3-candidate elections, both fully-ranked and not. These conditions are useful for theoretical purposes as well as for computational methods used to find anomalies in election data.
Voting on cyclic orders, group theory, and ballots
Authors: Crisman Karl-Dieter , Holleran Abraham , Martin Micah , Noonan Josephine
Published: March 2024

A cyclic order may be thought of informally as a way to seat people around a table, perhaps for a game of chance or for dinner. Given a set of agents such as

{
A
,
B
,
C
}

\{A,B,C\}

, we can formalize this by defining a cyclic order as a permutation or linear order on this finite set, under the equivalence relation where

A
≻
B
≻
C

A\succ B\succ C

is identified with both

B
≻
C
≻
A

B\succ C\succ A

and

C
≻
A
≻
B

C\succ A\succ B

. As with other collections of sets with some structure, we might want to aggregate preferences of a (possibly different) set of voters on the set of possible ways to choose a cyclic order.

However, given the combinatorial explosion of the number of full rankings of cyclic orders, one may not wish to use the usual voting machinery. This raises the question of what sort of ballots may be appropriate; a single cyclic order, a set of them, or some other ballot type? Further, there is a natural action of the group of permutations on the set of agents. A reasonable requirement for a choice procedure would be to respect this symmetry (the equivalent of neutrality in normal voting theory).

In this paper we will exploit the representation theory of the symmetric group to analyze several natural types of ballots for voting on cyclic orders, and points-based procedures using such ballots. We provide a full characterization of such procedures for two quite different ballot types for

n
=
4

n=4

, along with the most important observations for

n
=
5

n=5

.
Exploring miRNA–target gene pair detection in disease with coRmiT
Authors: Cordoba-Caballero Jose , Perkins James R , García-Criado Federico , Gallego Diana , Navarro-Sánchez Alicia , Moreno-Estellés Mireia , Garcés Concepción , Bonet Fernando , Romá-Mateo Carlos , Toro Rocio , Perez Belén , Sanz Pascual , Kohl Matthias , Rojano Elena , Seoane Pedro , Ranea Juan A G
Published: March 2024

A wide range of approaches can be used to detect micro RNA (miRNA)–target gene pairs (mTPs) from expression data, differing in the ways the gene and miRNA expression profiles are calculated, combined and correlated. However, there is no clear consensus on which is the best approach across all datasets. Here, we have implemented multiple strategies and applied them to three distinct rare disease datasets that comprise smallRNA-Seq and RNA-Seq data obtained from the same samples, obtaining mTPs related to the disease pathology. All datasets were preprocessed using a standardized, freely available computational workflow, DEG_workflow. This workflow includes coRmiT, a method to compare multiple strategies for mTP detection. We used it to investigate the overlap of the detected mTPs with predicted and validated mTPs from 11 different databases. Results show that there is no clear best strategy for mTP detection applicable to all situations. We therefore propose the integration of the results of the different strategies by selecting the one with the highest odds ratio for each miRNA, as the optimal way to integrate the results. We applied this selection-integration method to the datasets and showed it to be robust to changes in the predicted and validated mTP databases. Our findings have important implications for miRNA analysis. coRmiT is implemented as part of the ExpHunterSuite Bioconductor package available from https://bioconductor.org/packages/ExpHunterSuite.
Does artificial intelligence need companionship to assist in drug discovery? The Kirsten rat sarcoma virus study
Authors: Stitou Mourad , Koomen John M , Imbody Denis J , Liao Yi , Monastyrskyi Andrii , Rix Uwe , Duckett Derek R , Haura Eric B , Karolak Aleksandra
Published: March 2024

In this Opinion article, we confront the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in targeting and understanding resistance to targeted therapy using the most frequently mutated oncoprotein family in human cancer, rat sarcoma virus guanosine triphosphate hydrolases (RAS GTPases), here Kirsten RAS (KRAS), as an example. Aberrant regulation of the active GTP-bound state of KRAS is associated with tumourigenesis, aggressive disease, and poor prognosis. KRAS mutations (eg, G12C, G12D, G12V, G13D, inter al.) are drivers of numerous cancer types, including non-small cell lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. These mutations have shown to play a significant role in cell behaviour and response to treatment. Since its discovery in the 1980s, it has been recognized that over-expression of KRAS and other RAS family members induces resistance to radiotherapy. Moreover, over the years preclinical and clinical studies showed that tumours with KRAS mutations exhibit different treatment sensitivities compared to tumours with wild-type KRAS.
Auto-segmentation of neck nodal metastases using self-distilled masked image transformer on longitudinal MR images
Authors: Paudyal Ramesh , Jiang Jue , Han James , Diplas Bill H , Riaz Nadeem , Hatzoglou Vaios , Lee Nancy , Deasy Joseph O , Veeraraghavan Harini , Shukla-Dave Amita
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Auto-segmentation promises greater speed and lower inter-reader variability than manual segmentations in radiation oncology clinical practice. This study aims to implement and evaluate the accuracy of the auto-segmentation algorithm, “Masked Image modeling using the vision Transformers (SMIT),” for neck nodal metastases on longitudinal T2-weighted (T2w) MR images in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients.

Methods

This prospective clinical trial study included 123 human papillomaviruses (HPV-positive [+]) related OSPCC patients who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. T2w MR images were acquired on 3 T at pre-treatment (Tx), week 0, and intra-Tx weeks (1-3). Manual delineations of metastatic neck nodes from 123 OPSCC patients were used for the SMIT auto-segmentation, and total tumor volumes were calculated. Standard statistical analyses compared contour volumes from SMIT vs manual segmentation (Wilcoxon signed-rank test [WSRT]), and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients (ρ) were computed. Segmentation accuracy was evaluated on the test data set using the dice similarity coefficient (DSC) metric value. P-values <0.05 were considered significant.

Results

No significant difference in manual and SMIT delineated tumor volume at pre-Tx (8.68 ± 7.15 vs 8.38 ± 7.01 cm3, P = 0.26 [WSRT]), and the Bland-Altman method established the limits of agreement as –1.71 to 2.31 cm3, with a mean difference of 0.30 cm3. SMIT model and manually delineated tumor volume estimates were highly correlated (ρ = 0.84-0.96, P < 0.001). The mean DSC metric values were 0.86, 0.85, 0.77, and 0.79 at the pre-Tx and intra-Tx weeks (1-3), respectively.

Conclusions

The SMIT algorithm provides sufficient segmentation accuracy for oncological applications in HPV+ OPSCC.

Advances in knowledge

First evaluation of auto-segmentation with SMIT using longitudinal T2w MRI in HPV+ OPSCC.
Interspecific insect relationships on Terminalia argentea (Myrtales: Combretaceae) trees in the Cerrado biome
Authors: Leite Germano Leão Demolin , Teixeira David Lopes , Silva Carlos Alberto Domingues da , Lemes Pedro Guilherme , Tavares Wagner de Souza , Serrão José Eduardo , Zanuncio José Cola , Zanetti Ronald
Published: March 2024

Terminalia argentea Mart. (Combretaceae), native to Brazil, is used in habitat restoration programs. Arthropods are bioindicators because their populations reflect changes in the environment. We evaluated the recovery of a degraded area by using ecological indices and analyzing arthropod interactions on T. argentea plants. The richness and diversity of sap-sucking Hemiptera and the abundance of tending ants and Sternorrhyncha predators increased with the number of T. argentea leaves. The correlation of the abundance of tending ants and Sternorrhyncha predators was positive with that of the sap-sucking Hemiptera, and the abundance of Sternorrhyncha predators was negative with that of tending ants and sap-sucking Hemiptera. The positive correlation between the abundance, richness, and diversity of insect groups and numbers of T. argentea leaves is an example of the bottom-up regulation mechanism, with the population dynamics of the lower trophic levels dictating those of higher trophic levels. The contribution of T. argentea, a host plant of many arthropods, to the recovery of ecological relationships between organisms in degraded ecosystems is important.
The genomic signatures of evolutionary stasis
Authors: Brownstein Chase D , MacGuigan Daniel J , Kim Daemin , Orr Oliver , Yang Liandong , David Solomon R , Kreiser Brian , Near Thomas J
Published: March 2024

Evolutionary stasis characterizes lineages that seldom speciate and show little phenotypic change over long stretches of geological time. Although lineages that appear to exhibit evolutionary stasis are often called living fossils, no single mechanism is thought to be responsible for their slow rates of morphological evolution and low species diversity. Some analyses of molecular evolutionary rates in a handful of living fossil lineages have indicated that these clades exhibit slow rates of genomic change. Here, we investigate mechanisms of evolutionary stasis using a dataset of 1,105 exons for 481 vertebrate species. We demonstrate that two ancient clades of ray-finned fishes classically called living fossils, gars and sturgeons, exhibit the lowest rates of molecular substitution in protein-coding genes among all jawed vertebrates. Comparably low rates of evolution are observed at fourfold degenerate sites in gars and sturgeons, implying a mechanism of stasis decoupled from selection that we speculate is linked to a highly effective DNA repair apparatus. We show that two gar species last sharing common ancestry over 100 million years ago produce morphologically intermediate and fertile hybrids in the wild. This makes gars the oldest naturally hybridizing divergence among eukaryotes and supports a theoretical prediction that slow rates of nucleotide substitution across the genome slow the accumulation of genetic incompatibilities, enabling hybridization across deeply divergent lineages and slowing the rate of speciation over geological timescales. Our results help establish molecular stasis as a barrier to speciation and phenotypic innovation and provide a mechanism to explain the low species diversity in living fossil lineages.
Surviving the serenade: how conflicting selection pressures shape the early stages of sexual signal diversification
Authors: Gallagher James H , Broder E Dale , Wikle Aaron W , O’Toole Hannah , Durso Catherine , Tinghitella Robin M
Published: March 2024

Understanding how the early stages of sexual signal diversification proceed is critically important because these microevolutionary dynamics directly shape species trajectories and impact macroevolutionary patterns. Unfortunately, studying this is challenging because signals involve complex interactions between behavior, morphology, and physiology, much of which can only be measured in real-time. In Hawaii, male Pacific field cricket song attracts both females and a deadly parasitoid fly. Over the past two decades, there has been a marked increase in signal variation in Hawaiian populations of these crickets, including novel male morphs with distinct mating songs. We capitalize on this rare opportunity to track changes in morph composition over time in a population with three novel morphs, investigating how mate and parasitoid attraction (components of sexual and natural selection) may shape signal evolution. We find dramatic fluctuation in morph proportions over the three years of the study, including the arrival and rapid increase of one novel morph. Natural and sexual selection pressures act differently among morphs, with some more attractive to mates and others more protected from parasitism. Collectively, our results suggest that differential protection from parasitism among morphs, rather than mate attraction, aligns with recent patterns of phenotypic change in the wild.
Predictors of Urinary and Fecal Incontinence in Prefrail and Frail Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study of the FRAGSALUD Project
Authors: Corral-Pérez Juan , Ávila-Cabeza-de-Vaca Laura , Valero-Cantero Inmaculada , González-Mariscal Andrea , Ponce-Gonzalez Jesus G , Vázquez-Sánchez María Ángeles , Casals Cristina
Published: March 2024

Background

Frailty is associated with urinary and fecal incontinence, which are common geriatric syndromes. This study aims to identify health factors associated with incontinence in prefrail or frail older adults living in the community.

Methods

This multicenter cross-sectional study included 225 older adults (75.0 ± 6.4 years) with prefrailty or frailty based on the 5-component Fried phenotype. Physical function was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Physical activity, inactivity, and sleep were estimated using a wrist-worn accelerometer. Urinary or fecal incontinence was registered using the Barthel scale (urine and bowel items). Multivariable logistic regression analyses, with age as a covariate, were conducted to identify associations of incontinence.

Results

In our participants, 27% presented urinary or fecal incontinence with no sex differences (p = .266). Our results showed that age, daily medication count, and number of falls in the previous year independently predicted incontinence in frail and prefrail older adults (p < .05). Some Fried’s criteria, including self-reported exhaustion, gait speed, and handgrip strength, were associated with the presence of incontinence (p < .05), but not Fried’s classification. The SPPB total score and its isolated variables were significantly associated with the urinary and fecal incontinence (p < .05). However, none of the accelerometer outcomes showed significant associations with incontinence status.

Conclusions

According to this study, age, number of medications, and falls (but not sex) are linked to urinary and fecal incontinence in frail or prefrail older adults living in the community, recommending the assessment of physical function using the SPPB rather than estimating daily physical activity, inactivity, or sleep.
The Ukraine War and nuclear sharing in NATO
Authors: von Hlatky Stéfanie , Lambert-Deslandes Émile
Published: March 2024

Russian nuclear sabre-rattling following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine has reinvigorated debates over NATO deterrence. One of its key components—nuclear sharing—has been in place since September 1954, but support for it within the alliance has varied over time. Indeed, although Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey host American gravity bombs on their territory, there were fears during the 2010s that some of them would follow Canada, Greece and the United Kingdom's example and withdraw from the scheme. By examining why and how NATO's nuclear-sharing arrangements have changed since inception, we argue that they consistently serve deterrence, signalling, alliance cohesion and burden-sharing goals, which make them hard to dismantle. However, we also demonstrate, through our survey of post-Cold War policies, official statements and public debates, that there is more room in a low threat environment for political contestation within host states. Accordingly, nuclear sharing requires a high threat environment to escape domestic opposition, which effectively returned in 2022, cementing the nuclear status quo.
Injury Pattern Analysis to Optimize Burn Injury Prevention in the Unhoused Community
Authors: Ross Erin E , Speiser Noah , Donohue Sean , Yenikomshian Haig A
Published: March 2024

Unhoused patients are an overrepresented group in burn injury, and are a uniquely vulnerable population. Current research focuses on the consequences of homelessness on burn outcomes, with little known about the specific circumstances and behaviors leading to burn injury that may represent specific targets for injury prevention efforts. The burn registry at an urban regional burn center was queried for burn admissions in unhoused adults from 2019 to 2022. Registry data pulled included demographics, urine toxicology, mechanism of injury, and injury subjective history. Subjective injury history was reviewed to determine more specific injury circumstances and activities during which accidental burns occurred. Demographic and mechanistic trends in burn admissions were explored via descriptive statistics. Among 254 admissions for burns from the unhoused community, 58.1% of patients were positive for stimulants on admission. Among accidental injuries (69.7%), common circumstances included preparing food or beverages, cooking or using methamphetamine, smoking cannabis or tobacco, bonfires, and candles. A specific common circumstance was lighting a cigarette while handling accelerants (6.7%). Interventions for stimulant abuse, as well as outreach efforts to educate unhoused patients about situational awareness, safe handling of accelerants, safe smoking practices, and safe cooking practices, may be effective tools in reducing burn admissions in this vulnerable population.