bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coronary Intervention Outcomes in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis
Authors: Ang Song Peng , Chia Jia Ee , Iglesias Jose , Usman Muhammed Haris , Krittanawong Chayakrit
Published: January 2025

Purpose of Review

This review assesses the outcomes of coronary interventions in patients with liver cirrhosis and coronary artery disease (CAD), focusing on the clinical challenges posed by cirrhosis-related hemodynamic and coagulopathic changes. It highlights essential considerations for managing these patients, who have an increased risk of adverse events during coronary procedures.

Recent Findings

Recent studies have shown that patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing PCI experience significantly higher mortality rates compared to non-cirrhotic patients, particularly in the context of STEMI and NSTEMI. Coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia increase the risk of bleeding and vascular complications during interventions. Radial access has been suggested as a safer alternative to femoral access in these patients due to reduced bleeding complications. Additionally, contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a prevalent risk, with cirrhotic patients demonstrating higher rates of acute kidney injury post-PCI. Preventive strategies such as minimizing contrast exposure and utilizing intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) are recommended.

Managing CAD in cirrhotic patients requires careful consideration of their unique pathophysiological state. Higher in-hospital mortality, bleeding risks, and vascular complications necessitate tailored procedural strategies, such as radial access and contrast minimization. The balance between thrombotic and bleeding risks is critical in decision-making, with IVUS and hydration strategies being promising approaches. Further research is required to optimize treatment protocols and improve long-term outcomes for this high-risk population.
Evaluation of the Quality of Wheat and Millet Composite Flour and Application for Production Biscuits Fortified with White Sweet Potato Flour
Authors: Eid Walaa A. M. , Abdelgalil Zeinab A. H. , Abd-Elsattar Hayat H. , Bakry Amr M. , Tian Hailong , Huang Jihong , Wang Peng , Hamed Yahya S.
Published: January 2025

This investigation clarifies the effect of utilizing composite flour prepared using millet flour (MF) and wheat flour (WF) in the development and quality analysis of biscuits enriched with white sweet potato flour (WSPF). Two variations of composite flour were formulated: A (WF: MF = 75:25) and B (WF: MF = 50:50). WSPF was used to substitute 10%, 20%, and 30% (w/w) of composite flour to produce biscuits. The results demonstrated that the ratio of ash (2.91%) and fiber content (5.11%) of WSPF powder was higher than those of the MF (2.27% and 2.63%) and WF (1.13% and 1.65%), respectively. In addition, fat, ash, and fiber content of the composite flour increased with increasing MF level. Total phenols (847.95 mg/g) and antioxidant properties (847.95%) of WSPF were higher than those of the MF and WF flour and composite flour formula. Increasing MF ratio in the composite flour led to a significant reduction in water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, bulk density, and swelling capacity. Ash and fiber content of the baked biscuits increased with the increased WSPF level. Based on the findings of the sensory evaluation, the biscuits made from composite flour and WSPF were significantly comparable in all sensory attributes. Overall, production of biscuit samples from composite flour made of millet flour and wheat, and enriched with WSPF, will not only improve the nutritional quality of the product and develop biscuits as a novel food with more functional components but also enhance the utilization of cereals and root crops.
Offshore intermediate hosts for inshore digeneans? A report of infections of Clavogalea (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae) in pleuston
Authors: Yong Russell Q-Y. , Cribb Thomas H. , Louvard Clarisse
Published: January 2025

Observations of trematode (Platyhelminthes: Digenea) intermediate stages that infect pleustonic (surface-drifting) oceanic pelagic cnidarians and molluscs are relatively rare. The majority of trematode species reported from pleuston belong to the superfamily Hemiuroidea, of which many species infect oceanic pelagic fishes as definitive hosts. Recent surveys on pleustonic organisms cast ashore on beaches in southeast Queensland, Australia, which found extensive infections by hemiuroid intermediate stages also found the first instance of intermediate stages of another trematode superfamily common in pelagic fishes (the Lepocreadioidea) infecting pleustonic organisms. Specifically, we found lepocreadioid metacercariae in the blue sea slugs Glaucus atlanticus and Glaucilla cf. marginata (both Glaucidae), the violet sea snail Janthina janthina (Epitoniidae) and the blue button hydrozoan Porpita porpita (Porpitidae). Molecular sequence data showed these lepocreadioid metacercariae to be a near-match to Clavogalea trachinoti (Fischthal & Thomas, 1968), which infects species of the shallow inshore-restricted carangid genus Trachinotus Lacépède. This finding indicates that, in addition to playing a substantial role in the infection transmission of trematodes in the open ocean, pleustonic fauna are also potentially important in the transmission of trematodes in shallow inshore environments.
Evaluating Nanotrap Microbiome Particles as A Wastewater Viral Concentration Method
Authors: Shaffer Marlee , North Devin , Bibby Kyle
Published: January 2025

Wastewater-based surveillance has emerged as a powerful approach to monitoring infectious diseases within a community. Typically, wastewater samples are concentrated before viral analyses to improve sensitivity. Current concentration methods vary in time requirements, costs, and efficiency. Here, we evaluated the concentration efficiency and bias of a novel viral concentration approach, Nanotrap Microbiome Particles (NMP), in wastewater. NMP concentration efficiency was target-specific, with significantly lower concentrations of the bacterial indicator HF183 and viral indicator Carjivirus (formerly crAssphage) relative to direct extraction (1.2 × 105 vs. 3.4 × 105 GC/mL and 2.0 × 105 vs. 1.2 × 105 GC/mL, respectively), but significantly higher concentrations of the viral fecal indicator Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV) relative to direct extraction (1.4 × 105 vs. 8.4 × 103 GC/mL). Targeted metagenomic sequencing showed that NMP resulted in significantly more unique species reads per sample than direct extractions (p < 0.001) by detecting species that went undetected by direct extractions. Key viral families identified with high abundances were Adenoviridae, Caliciviridae, Herpesviridae, Papillomaviridae, and Polyomaviridae. NMP showed differential ability for concentrating clinically relevant viral families, suggesting that the technology should be evaluated and optimized for specific viral targets before implementation.
Deepstreamensemble: streaming adaptation to concept drift in deep neural networks
Authors: Chambers Lorraine , Gaber Mohamed-Medhat , Ghomeshi Hossein
Published: January 2025

Data streams typically evolve over time, manifesting concept drift, and are applied to Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). However, DNNs are predominantly not designed to adapt, resulting in decreasing accuracy. Ideally, a DNN would detect this drift and adapt rapidly. In the streaming machine learning field, adapting models to concept drift has been the subject of research for some time. However, DNN adaptation is lagging behind as DNNs typically require a greater number of instances and increased adaptation time compared to other model types, resulting in a lack of methods that adapt the classifying DNN in a streaming environment. The focus of this study is detection and adaptation to concept drift in high dimensional data with an experimental study on images where novel sub-classes are arising. In the concept drift field, less attention has been focused upon high dimensional data. Our system, termed DeepStreamEnsemble provides existing DNNs with concept drift detection and DNN adaptation capabilities. It is the first system to utilise DNN activations and streaming classifiers for concept drift detection and adaptation. We compare with eleven other state-of-the-art methods, with DeepStreamEnsemble outperforming other leading concept drift detection and adaptation methods by between 5% and 20% on accuracy.
Starting procedure of a flying wing for an airborne wind energy system
Authors: Fuest Hendrik , Duda Dominik F. , Islam Tobias , Moormann Dieter
Published: January 2025

Airborne Wind Energy is an emerging technology that harvests wind energy with flight systems connected via a tether to a generator at the ground. A flying wing promises a high energy output during the power generation phase due to its aerodynamic efficiency. Besides, the flying wing can take off vertically in a tailsitter configuration for operation within a limited space. Yet not part of the generation phase, the starting procedure raises main challenges to the flight system in general but especially to a flying wing. A fast transition from hover to crosswind flight is required under minimal power consumption and high wind robustness, while considering the tether connection and the limited flight envelope of the flying wing in hover state. This paper conducts a detailed analysis of the stationary trim states of the flying wing during the transition and introduces a lateral yaw-roll transition to allow for a flight within the flight envelope in both high and low wind conditions. Based on the trim states, different options for the starting procedure are evaluated and an appropriate path is selected that entails a straight-lined transition segment to enter forward flight, followed by curved flight to build up tether tension and to navigate into the power-generation zone. The first part of this transition from hover to horizontal forward flight is demonstrated in the simulation to verify the selected flight path.
Green synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles using Lyptolyngbya foveolarum and Azospirillum brasilense for wastewater treatment
Authors: El-Sheekh M. M. , Shaaban M. T. , Goda A. , Morsi H. H.
Published: January 2025

Nanotechnology applications in the treatment of wastewater are becoming a growing trend. These days, the eco-friendly production of nanoparticles is becoming increasingly vital. Among different nanoparticles multiple studies have been conducted on iron nanoparticles because of their strong reducing power and high reactivity. Two types of iron nanoparticles (magnetite Fe3O4 and hematite Fe2O3) were synthesized using Lyptolyngbya foveolarum extract and Azospirillum brasilense supernatant. Characterization via UV analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, zeta potential, and (dynamic light scattering) DLS validated successfully synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles including magnetite plus hematite. The current investigation aims to compare the efficacy of each type of iron nanoparticle alone and at different concentrations to eliminate ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, COD, and BOD from wastewater. Synergism between the two types reveals removal efficiency equals 87.68%, 91.87%, 71.9%, 81.75%, and 82% with nitrate, phosphate, ammonia, COD, and BOD, respectively.
The dissimilarity between multiple management practices drives the impact on soil properties and functions
Authors: Li Huiying , Tang Bo , Lehmann Anika , Rongstock Rebecca , Zhu Yanjie , Rillig Matthias C.
Published: January 2025

Higher dissimilarity between restoration factors boosted soil microbial activities when multiple factors jointly applied.

More diverse management practices enhanced soil aggregate stability and improved soil pH.

Increasing restoration factors up to 8 factors only influenced soil properties (water stable aggregates and soil pH) but not soil microbial activities.

A range of land management practices are available to achieve better soil quality, but their combined effects remain understudied. We hypothesize that more diverse management practices, meaning higher dissimilarity, lead to stronger effects on soil functions and properties. Eight practices (biochar, compost, clay, amorphous silica, basalt, microbial inoculum, reduced physical disturbance and organic matter diversity) were selected with 20 replicates for treatments involving 2, 4, or 6 factors and 10 replicates for 8 factor treatments. We investigated the impact of individual factors, factor number, factor dissimilarity and factor composition on soil respiration, soil enzymatic activities (β-glucosidase, β-D-cellobiosidase, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase and phosphatase), soil pH, water stable aggregates and permanganate oxidizable carbon fraction. By including dissimilarity in addition to factor number, variance explained for soil respiration and enzymatic activities increased up to 54.21%. For soil pH and water-stable aggregates, explained variability increased to 65.57% and 57.38%, respectively. More diverse management practices boosted soil microbial activities, enhanced soil aggregate stability, improved soil pH while reducing labile carbon, whereas factor number only influenced water stable aggregates and soil pH. Our study highlights the importance of management practices diversity in soil functions and properties and calls for further research on synergistic combinations of diverse interventions.
On a two-sided Guionnet–Jones–Shlyakhtenko construction and interpolated free group factors arising from finite groups
Authors: Jayakumar R. , Kodiyalam Vijay
Published: January 2025

We formulate a two-sided Guionnet–Jones–Shlyakhtenko-like construction for a subfactor planar algebra P to define two sequences of tracial, unital associative algebras which we show are isomorphic and on completing which, we obtain a sequence $$M^k$$

M
k

of von Neumann algebras. Further, when P is the planar algebra of a finite group, we employ free probability techniques to explicitly identify $$M^1$$

M
1

and $$M^2$$

M
2

as interpolated free group factors.
Circulation and Cross‐Shelf Exchanges in the Agulhas Bank Region
Authors: Matano R. P. , Combes V. , Palma E. D. , Strub P. T.
Published: January 2025

This modeling study analyzes the circulation over the Agulhas Bank (AB). It is suggested that the time mean circulation over the bank is primarily driven by the inflow of shelf waters from the northeastern region, and not by local forcing as previously postulated. Seasonal variations of the circulation and temperature and salinity fields are highly correlated with the atmospheric forcing. Currents shift inshore during the winter, returning to its original position during summer. The equatorward flow in the western AB, which includes a deep, previously unreported, countercurrent, strengthens during spring and summer and wanes during fall and winter. Tracer diagnostics and Eulerian mass balances reveal very energetics mass exchanges between the eastern AB and the Agulhas Current (AC). The AB Bight is the preferential site for these exchanges. Lagrangian diagnostic show 0.45 Sv of deep open‐ocean waters entrained into the bottom layer of the shelf. Cross‐shelf exchanges produce significant water mass transformations. Tides play an unexpectedly significant role on the AB circulation. Preliminary considerations suggest that shelf/open‐ocean interactions could have a significant impact on water mass conversions within the AC.
Early Career Recommendations for the Equitable Growth of a Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Sector
Authors: Kitch G. D. , Duke P. J. , Grabb K. C. , Simancas‐Giraldo S. , Adekunbi F. O. , Addey C. I. , Arbilla L. A. , Carvalho A. C. O. , Chu S. N. , Green R. A. , Hamnca S. , Ghosh A. , Kirkland A. , Lowder K. B. , Meléndez M. , Fontela M. , Robache K. , Ringham M. C. , Rønning J. , Schockman K. M. , Stoll M. M. , Renó de Oliveira R. , Wright‐Fairbanks E. K.
Published: January 2025

In addition to steep carbon emission reductions, all modeled pathways to reach global climate goals require carbon removal. Marine carbon dioxide removal has the potential to play a large role in drawing down legacy anthropogenic emissions due to the scalability and durability of proposed methods. While this field is rapidly expanding, a number of issues remain, including efforts to grow the industry, align projects with equity and justice goals, and ensure development of trusted, unique, durable carbon credits. We, a group of early career ocean professionals (ECOPs), provide an overview of the scale of the field, the aforementioned issues, and then make recommendations to ensure global equity and expand early career capacity in the marine carbon dioxide removal sector. We argue that substantial investment is needed to reduce costs of marine carbon dioxide removal and spur innovation in monitoring, reporting, and verification, but also in the training and development of early career researchers. Careful co‐design of marine removal projects by experienced and emerging collaborators, including local communities, can help mitigate perpetuating existing global inequalities. Given the anticipated growth of the marine carbon dioxide removal workforce, ECOPs can contribute their existing interdisciplinary expertise, if they are supported within traditional structures. Those entering the field can leverage skill sets that intersect engineering, policy, community engagement, and business. We maintain that ECOPs will be key leaders in the field, if appropriately engaged, compensated, and empowered.
Homogeneous Mixing of Sea Spray and Biomass Burning Tracer Elements Within Single Particles Observed Over Southeast Asia
Authors: Adachi K. , Sun C. , Onchang R. , Takegawa N.
Published: January 2025

Aerosols from sea spray and biomass burning play an important role in climate due to their considerable abundance in the atmosphere. The magnitude of their atmospheric impact depends on the chemical and physical properties of individual particles. The elemental composition of aerosol particles from Thailand, Southeast Asia, was analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometer, with a special focus on sodium (Na) and potassium (K) as tracer elements for sea spray and biomass burning, respectively. Our analysis revealed that nearly all particles with aerodynamic diameters between 300 and 700 nm contained either Na or K, with approximately 74% of the particles containing both elements, that is, homogeneously mixed in the form of sulfate. While both Na and K were present in the same particles and K‐rich particles were generally more abundant than Na‐rich particles in all samples, higher Na fractions were observed when the particles were mainly transported from the ocean. The Na and K containing aerosol particles were often mixed with soot and organic particles. These results demonstrate the significant mixing of sea spray and biomass burning aerosols during their atmospheric transport. Such mixing can affect the hygroscopicity, viscosity, and optical properties of aerosols. This study highlights the significant mixing of natural aerosols from different sources at the individual particle level and suggests the need for accurate representation of aerosol properties in climate models.
Root‐Zone Water‐Storage Capacity and Uncertainty: An Intrinsic Factor Affecting Agroecosystem Resilience to Drought
Authors: Romano Nunzio , Mazzitelli Caterina , Nasta Paolo
Published: January 2025

Mapping ecosystem function indicators helps identify areas susceptible to drought, heat stress, and reduced agricultural production. This information can be used to prioritize areas for targeted interventions to tackle adverse climatic conditions and changes in land use. Root‐zone water‐storage capacity (SR) is a commonly used variable of agroecosystem functioning, representing the maximum value of water stored within the root zone and accessible to vegetation for its productive growth. Mapping SR over large spatial scales is only feasible through an oversimplification of real‐world conditions. Under such circumstances, we propose to resort to soil‐hydraulic‐energy indices, namely the integral mean water capacity (IMWC) and the integral energy (IE) and an effective root‐zone depth (zR). Accordingly, a more efficient and environmentally sensitive, albeit still simplistic, determination of the root‐zone water‐storage capacity is computed as SR,IMWC = zR × IMWC, and validated against soil moisture measurements carried out along a transect. Subsequently, the SR,IMWC indicator was mapped in Campania, a 13,700 km2 region in southern Italy. This study also addressed the issue of the propagation of epistemic uncertainty in input soil hydraulic parameters to the output response variable IMWC. This was accomplished using a Monte Carlo simulation technique that generated several equiprobable stochastic realizations from the multivariate set of data inputs. Finally, we assessed the potential utility of the integral capacity energy (ICE) composite indicator, computed as the ratio IMWC/IE in %, as a scoring parameter to identify Priority Intervention Areas (PIAs) where resilience to environmental challenges, including water scarcity, drought events, and post‐fire conditions, could be enhanced.
Antarctic Ice Melt May Fuel Eruptions of Hidden Volcanoes
Authors: Reinsel Madeline
Published: January 2025

More than 100 volcanoes lurk beneath the surface in Antarctica. Ice sheet melt could set them off.
Six Thousand Years of Controlled Burning, Up in Smoke?
Authors: Morris Bill
Published: January 2025

By disrupting millennia-old fire management practices, colonization created a deadly situation in Australian forests, but the jury is out on just how widespread “cultural burning” was.
Comparing COVID-19 literacy and vaccine hesitancy among health care workers, including oral health professionals, in Japan
Authors: Ueno Fujimi , Haresaku Satoru , Iino Hidechika , Taguchi Tomoaki , Sakagami Ryuji , Matsumoto Koichiro , Kudo Kotaro , Yoneda Masahiro , Chishaki Akiko , Okada Kenji
Published: January 2025

Background

Oral health professionals should have good COVID-19 vaccine literacy as should physicians and nurses. However, little is known about COVID-19 literacy and vaccine hesitancy among oral health professionals in Japan.

Aims

This study aimed to investigate the status of COVID-19 literacy and vaccine hesitancy among oral health professionals by comparing them with other healthcare workers (HCWs).

Methods

To compare these differences, a self-administered questionnaire-based survey of 596 staff members was conducted in March 2023 at schools, an affiliated hospital, and elderly care facilities after the staff who wished to receive it completed the fifth dose of COVID-19 vaccinations. Comparison between the recognition levels and number of vaccine doses among the HCWs were examined using the Kruskal–Wallis tests. Defining the third or lower doses of COVID-19 vaccine as vaccine hesitancy, factors associated with the hesitancy were examined using logistic regression analysis.

Results

In total, 408 (68.5%) participants were enrolled for the study. Dental hygienists’ COVID-19 literacy levels were lower compared to those of nurses and physicians. Dentists received a significantly lower number of vaccine doses than did physicians. Vaccine hesitancy was positively associated with younger age and higher concern about the adverse effects of the vaccine, but it was not associated with occupation.

Conclusion

Interventions to improve the low COVID-19 literacy and high COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among oral health professionals, particularly young ones, are needed for COVID-19 and future pandemics.
Spontaneous base flipping helps drive Nsp15’s preferences in double stranded RNA substrates
Authors: Wright Zoe M. , Butay Kevin John , Krahn Juno M. , Wilson Isha M. , Gabel Scott A. , DeRose Eugene F. , Hissein Israa S. , Williams Jason G. , Borgnia Mario J. , Frazier Meredith N. , Mueller Geoffrey A. , Stanley Robin E.
Published: January 2025

Coronaviruses evade detection by the host immune system with the help of the endoribonuclease Nsp15, which regulates levels of viral double stranded RNA by cleaving 3′ of uridine (U). While prior structural data shows that to cleave double stranded RNA, Nsp15’s target U must be flipped out of the helix, it is not yet understood whether Nsp15 initiates flipping or captures spontaneously flipped bases. We address this gap by designing fluorinated double stranded RNA substrates that allow us to directly relate a U’s sequence context to both its tendency to spontaneously flip and its susceptibility to cleavage by Nsp15. Through a combination of nuclease assays, 19F NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and single particle cryo-EM, we determine that Nsp15 acts most efficiently on unpaired Us, particularly those that are already flipped. Across sequence contexts, we find Nsp15’s cleavage efficiency to be directly related to that U’s tendency to spontaneously flip. Overall, our findings unify previous characterizations of Nsp15’s cleavage preferences, and suggest that activity of Nsp15 during infection is partially driven by bulged or otherwise relatively accessible Us that appear at strategic positions in the viral RNA.
Insulin signaling regulates R2 retrotransposon expression to orchestrate transgenerational rDNA copy number maintenance
Authors: Nelson Jonathan O. , Slicko Alyssa , Raz Amelie A. , Yamashita Yukiko M.
Published: January 2025

Preserving a large number of essential yet highly unstable ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repeats is critical for the germline to perpetuate the genome through generations. Spontaneous rDNA loss must be countered by rDNA copy number (CN) expansion. Germline rDNA CN expansion is best understood in Drosophila melanogaster, which relies on unequal sister chromatid exchange (USCE) initiated by DNA breaks at rDNA. The rDNA-specific retrotransposon R2 responsible for USCE-inducing DNA breaks is typically expressed only when rDNA CN is low to minimize the danger of DNA breaks; however, the underlying mechanism of R2 regulation remains unclear. Here we identify the insulin receptor (InR) as a major repressor of R2 expression, limiting unnecessary R2 activity. Through single-cell RNA sequencing, we find that male germline stem cells (GSCs), the major cell type that undergoes rDNA CN expansion, have reduced InR expression when rDNA CN is low. Reduced InR activity in turn leads to R2 expression and CN expansion. We further find that dietary manipulation alters R2 expression and rDNA CN expansion activity. This work reveals that the insulin pathway integrates rDNA CN surveying with environmental sensing, revealing a potential mechanism by which diet exerts heritable changes to genomic content.
Giant elasto-optic response of gallium selenide on flexible mica
Authors: Barker T. , Gray A. , Weir M. P. , Sharp J. S. , Kenton A. , Kudrynskyi Z. R. , Rostami H. , Patané A.
Published: January 2025

Understanding the bending behaviour of a crystal onto a flexible platform is crucial for flexible electronics. The Young’s modulus, a measure of how easily a material deforms, plays a critical role in the coupled deformation of a crystal on a flexible substrate, as well as the transfer of strain from the substrate onto the layer. Here, we report on the bending behaviour of gallium selenide (GaSe), a van der Waals semiconductor with a small Young’s modulus and strain-dependent electronic band structure. A controllable, reproducible uniaxial strain, ϵ, is applied to nanometer-thick GaSe layers via their bending on a mica substrate. The spectral shift ΔE of the room temperature photoluminescence emission corresponds to a strain coefficient ΔE/ϵ of up to ~100 eV, the largest value reported in the literature to date. This is accompanied by coupled electronic and vibrational states under strain-induced resonant excitation conditions, as probed by Raman spectroscopy.
Park7 deletion leads to sex-specific transcriptome changes involving NRF2-CYP1B1 axis in mouse midbrain astrocytes
Authors: Helgueta Sergio , Heurtaux Tony , Sciortino Alessia , Gui Yujuan , Ohnmacht Jochen , Mencke Pauline , Boussaad Ibrahim , Halder Rashi , Garcia Pierre , Krüger Rejko , Mittelbronn Michel , Buttini Manuel , Sauter Thomas , Sinkkonen Lasse
Published: January 2025

Loss-of-function mutations in PARK7, encoding for DJ-1, can lead to early onset Parkinson’s disease (PD). In mice, Park7 deletion leads to dopaminergic deficits during aging, and increased sensitivity to oxidative stress. However, the severity of the reported phenotypes varies. To understand the early molecular changes upon loss of DJ-1, we performed transcriptomic profiling of midbrain sections from young mice. While at 3 months the transcriptomes of both male and female mice were unchanged compared to their wildtype littermates, an extensive deregulation was observed in 8 month-old males. The affected genes are involved in processes like focal adhesion, extracellular matrix interaction, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and enriched for primary target genes of NRF2. Consistently, the antioxidant response was altered specifically in the midbrain of male DJ-1 deficient mice. Many of the misregulated genes are known target genes of estrogen and retinoic acid signaling and show sex-specific expression in wildtype mice. Depletion of DJ-1 or NRF2 in male primary astrocytes recapitulated many of the in vivo changes, including downregulation of CYP1B1, an enzyme involved in estrogen and retinoic acid metabolism. Interestingly, knock-down of CYP1B1 led to gene expression changes in focal adhesion and EMT in primary male astrocytes. Finally, male iPSC-derived astrocytes with loss of function mutation in the PARK7 gene also showed changes in the EMT pathway and NRF2 target genes. Taken together, our data indicate that loss of Park7 leads to sex-specific gene expression changes through astrocytic alterations in the NRF2-CYP1B1 axis, suggesting higher sensitivity of males to loss of DJ-1.
Connection between f-electron correlations and magnetic excitations in UTe2
Authors: Halloran Thomas , Czajka Peter , Saucedo Salas Gicela , Frank Corey E. , Kang Chang-Jong , Rodriguez-Rivera J. A. , Lass Jakob , Mazzone Daniel G. , Janoschek Marc , Kotliar Gabriel , Butch Nicholas P.
Published: January 2025

The detailed anisotropic dispersion of the low-temperature, low-energy magnetic excitations of the candidate spin-triplet superconductor UTe2 is revealed using inelastic neutron scattering. The magnetic excitations emerge from the Brillouin zone boundary at the high symmetry Y and T points and disperse along the crystallographic $$\hat{b}$$

b

̂

-axis. In applied magnetic fields to at least μ0H = 11 T along the $$\hat{c}-{\rm{axis}}$$

c

̂

−
axis

, the magnetism is found to be field-independent in the (hk0) plane. The scattering intensity is consistent with that expected from U3+/U4+ f-electron spins with preferential orientation along the crystallographic $$\hat{a}$$

a

̂

-axis, and a fluctuating magnetic moment of μeff=1.7(5) μB. We propose interband spin excitons arising from f-electron hybridization as a possible origin of the magnetic excitations in UTe2.
A New Global Mangrove Height Map with a 12 meter spatial resolution
Authors: Simard Marc , Fatoyinbo Lola , Thomas Nathan M. , Stovall Atticus E. , Parra Adriana , Barenblitt Abigail , Bunting Pete , Hajnsek Irena
Published: January 2025

Mangrove forests thrive along global tropical coasts, acting as a barrier that protects coastlines against storm surges and as nurseries for an entire food web. They are also known for their high carbon sequestration rates and soil carbon stocks. We introduce a new global mangrove canopy height map generated from TanDEM-X spaceborne elevation measurements collected during the 2011–2013 period with a 12-meter spatial resolution and an accuracy of 2.4 meters (RMSE). Height was calibrated and validated using GEDI mission data and independently verified with airborne Lidar. The tallest mangrove stands reach nearly 60 meters in Colombia and Gabon, and potentially other countries. The map captures a broader range of canopy heights with finer spatial details than other available global products that use optical imagery. This new global mangrove height dataset can aid in evaluating mangrove ecosystem services at local and regional scales, improving our understanding of factors controlling mangrove structure, and supporting conservation, climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Optimizing optical, dielectric, and electrical properties of polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl pyrrolidone/poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate/NiO-based polymeric nanocomposites for optoelectronic applications
Authors: Salim E. , Magdy A. , EL-Farrash A. H. , El-Shaer A.
Published: January 2025

An electro- and optically favorable quaternary nanocomposite film was produced by solution-casting nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS). Based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) observations, the synthesized NiO NPs have a cubic phase and a diameter between 10 and 45 nm. The complexity and interactions observed through XRD patterns, UV–visible spectra, and FTIR measurements suggest that the NPs are not just dispersed within the polymer matrix, but are interacting with it, leading to enhanced dielectric properties and AC electrical conductivity. From 9 × 103 to 3.22 × 103 Ω, NiO NPs concentrations reduce bulk resistance Rb, indicating more linked conductive channels. The dielectric tests showed that polarized nanoparticles increased polarizability under electric field conditions. The incorporation of NiO NPs boosted DC conductivity from 1.25 × 10–6 to 5.64 × 10–5 S m−1. The mobility of NiO NPs boosts DC conductivity linearly with field frequency. These interactions can lead to improved electrical conductivity, energy storage capabilities, and overall efficiency of the nanocomposite, making it a promising material for various applications.
Brain activity patterns reflecting security perceptions of female cyclists in virtual reality experiments
Authors: Bidgoli Mohammad Arbabpour , Behmanesh Arian , Khademi Navid , Thansirichaisree Phromphat , Zheng Zuduo , Tehrani Sara Saberi Moghadam , Mazloum Sajjad , Kongsilp Sirisilp
Published: January 2025

Active transportation, such as cycling, improves mobility and general health. However, statistics reveal that in low- and middle-income countries, male and female cycling participation rates differ significantly. Existing literature highlights that women’s willingness to use bicycles is significantly influenced by their perception of security. This study employs virtual reality (VR) cycling simulation and electroencephalography (EEG) analysis to investigate factors influencing female cyclists’ perceptions of security in Tehran. A total of 52 female participants took part in four scenarios within a VR bicycle simulator, which simulates various environmental settings. In this experiment, participants’ brainwave signals are gathered through an EEG device, and a questionnaire with their stated preferences is filled out. The Gaussian mixture approach is used to cluster brainwave patterns based on security perception from EEG data. Subsequently, four supervised machine learning methods, random forest, support vector machine, logistic regression, and multilayer perceptron, are utilized to classify influential factors on security perception using clustered EEG data. Consequently, the support vector machine model, with an F1 score of 0.74, appears to be the most effective technique for the classification of environmental and surveillance factors. Furthermore, the SelectKBest algorithm determines that factors such as the presence of obstacles like kiosks, cycling routes passing through tunnels and underpasses, the level of incivility in the urban cycling environment, and the presence of informal surveillance have the biggest impact on female cyclists’ security perception.
Expression profiles of miR-101-3p and miR-431-5p as potential diagnostic biomarkers for rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Sadaty Mohamed M. , Mekhemer Salma M. , Abdel-Ghany Shaimaa , El-Ansary Amira R. , Mohamed Rana , Kamal Nashaat N. , Sabit Hussein
Published: January 2025

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by persistent inflammation of the synovial joints, leading to cartilage and bone destruction. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of specific microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential biomarkers for RA. The study was conducted on 60 patients with RA disease along with 20 control participants. Comprehensive analysis of patient data, encompassing serological, hematological, and biochemical markers, revealed significantly elevated levels of miR-99b-5p, miR-101-3p, and miR-431-5p in RA patients compared to healthy controls. Among these, miR-101-3p demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.873. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of RA pathogenesis and suggest that miR-101-3p may serve as a valuable biomarker for early disease detection and potentially improved patient management. Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying miRNA involvement in RA and to explore their potential as therapeutic targets.
Advancements in microalgal biomass conversion for rubber composite applications
Authors: Mahmoud Doaa S. , El-Sabbagh Salwa H. , Abdo Sayeda M.
Published: January 2025

Carbon black (CB) as rubber reinforcement has raised environmental concerns regarding this traditional petroleum-based filler, which is less susceptible to biodegradability. Although it has great reinforcing properties, the production technique is no longer sustainable, and its cost increases regularly. For these reasons, it is wise to look for sustainable replacement materials. Microalgal biomass (MB) has demonstrated great potential for use as biodegradable nano fillers in rubber composites. Microalgal has a high biomass productivity compared to traditional crops. They can produce a large amount of biomass per unit of land area, making them highly efficient in terms of resource utilization. In the present research, microalgal biomass was blended with CB at different concentrations for preparing two different kinds of rubber composites: Nitrile rubber Acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) are two common synthetic rubbers. In this study, the researchers investigated using microalgal biomass as filler in rubber composites. They assessed the filler-matrix interaction by evaluating the processability, mechanical characteristics, Payne effect, and swelling properties of the MB/CB-filled composites and compared them to CB-filled composites. The results show that rubber composites incorporating dual fillers (microalgal biomass and carbon black) had faster cure times, increased torque, and improved mechanical properties. The results prove biomass helps to minimize bulk quantities of CB and may be used as a partial replacement while still improving the mechanical properties. According to the study, microalgal biomass can successfully replace up to 50% of the CB filler. This will reduce petroleum dependence and possibly costs, depending on current petroleum prices.
Unsupervised self-organising map classification of Raman spectra from prostate cell lines uncovers substratified prostate cancer disease states
Authors: West Daniel , Stepney Susan , Hancock Y.
Published: January 2025

Prostate cancer is a disease which poses an interesting clinical question: Should it be treated? Only a small subset of prostate cancers are aggressive and require removal and treatment to prevent metastatic spread. However, conventional diagnostics remain challenged to risk-stratify such patients; hence, new methods of approach to biomolecularly sub-classify the disease are needed. Here we use an unsupervised self-organising map approach to analyse live-cell Raman spectroscopy data obtained from prostate cell-lines; our aim is to exemplify this method to sub-stratify, at the single-cell-level, the cancer disease state using high-dimensional datasets with minimal preprocessing. The results demonstrate a new sub-clustering of the prostate cancer cell-line into two groups—protein-rich and lipid-rich sub-cellular components—which we believe to be mechanistically linked. This finding shows the potential for unsupervised machine learning to discover distinct disease-state features for more accurate characterisation of highly heterogeneous prostate cancer. Applications may lead to more targeted diagnoses, prognoses and clinical treatment decisions via molecularly-informed stratification that would benefit patients. A method that could discover distinct disease-state features that are mechanistically linked could also assist in the development of more effective broad-spectrum treatments that simultaneously target linked disease-state processes.
Sleep deprivation and corneal chronobiology: reevaluating overnight corneal changes
Authors: Aszalós Zsuzsa Zakarné , Kolozsvári Bence Lajos , Lénárt Vivien , Pásztor Dorottya , Hassan Ziad , Surányi Éva , Chaker Reda , Fodor Mariann
Published: January 2025

This prospective cohort study is aimed to investigate circadian variations in corneal parameters, focusing on sleep-deprived subjects. Sixty-four healthy individuals (age range: 21–76 years) actively participated in this study, undergoing examinations at least five times within a 24-hour timeframe. The analysis encompassed keratometric parameters of the cornea’s front (F) and back (B) surfaces, refractive power in flattest and steepest axes (K1, K2), astigmatism (Astig) and its axis (Axis), aspheric coefficient (Asph), corneal pachymetry values of thinnest corneal thickness (Pachy Min) and corneal thickness in the center of the pupil (Pachy Pupil), volume relative to the 3 and 10 mm corneal diagonal (Vol D3, Vol D10) and surface variance index (ISV). Circadian changes were assessed using a hierarchical, mixed-effects linear regression adjusted for age and night shift. A total of 1,636 measurements revealed significant circadian changes in various corneal parameters, including K1 F, K2 F/B, Astig F/B, Asph F/B, Pachy Min/Pupil, Vol D3/10, and ISV (p < 0.0001). Moreover, K1 B exhibited a significant circadian change (p = 0.0002), while Axis F/B remained unchanged. Notably, Corneal thickness peaked before 6 o’clock in the morning and reached its minimum after 12 o’clock. Contrary to previous notions linking corneal diurnal changes with eyelid closure during sleep, our study reveals that these changes persist in the absence of sleep. This research contributes valuable insights into the impact of sleep deprivation on corneal properties, warranting further investigations to deepen our understanding of daily variations in visual quality and guide the planning of refractive eye surgery interventions.
Indoor incense burning and impaired lung function in patients with diabetes
Authors: Meng Yaxian , Han Xiaojie , Yi Chao , Liu Miao , Chen Ruoqing , Chen Haitao , Zhou Tao , Liu Jianjun , Chen Xiaoliang , Zhan Yiqiang
Published: January 2025

While recent studies have indicated a potential link between incense burning and respiratory diseases, there is a lack of data specifically focused on diabetic patients. To explore the relationship between indoor incense burning and impaired lung function among Chinese individuals with diabetes, a comprehensive cross-sectional study was undertaken, enrolling 431 adults diagnosed with diabetes. Information on incense burning and characteristics was collected using a structured questionnaire. The outcome of the study, impaired lung function, was assessed using spirometry. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed. In the fully adjusted model, participants exposed to indoor incense burning exhibited 130% higher odds of impaired lung function compared to those not exposed, as indicated by an odds ratio (OR) of 2.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97, 5.16; P = 0.05). Notably, this association was statistically significant only in men (OR = 3.39; 95%CI: 1.07, 9.82; P = 0.03). Our study has elucidated an association between exposure to indoor incense burning and impaired lung function in individuals with diabetes, independently of demographic factors. These findings underscore the importance of considering indoor environmental factors, such as incense burning, in the comprehensive management and care of diabetic individuals.
Intra-individual variability in ancient plasmodium DNA recovery highlights need for enhanced sampling
Authors: Llanos-Lizcano Alejandro , Hämmerle Michelle , Sperduti Alessandra , Sawyer Susanna , Zagorc Brina , Özdoğan Kadir Toykan , Guellil Meriam , Cheronet Olivia , Kuhlwilm Martin , Pinhasi Ron , Gelabert Pere
Published: January 2025

Malaria has been a leading cause of death in human populations for centuries and remains a major public health challenge in African countries, especially affecting children. Among the five Plasmodium species infecting humans, Plasmodium falciparum is the most lethal. Ancient DNA research has provided key insights into the origins, evolution, and virulence of pathogens that affect humans. However, extensive screening of ancient skeletal remains for Plasmodium DNA has shown that such genomic material is rare, with no studies so far addressing potential intra-individual variability. Consequently, the pool of ancient mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) or genomic sequences for P. falciparum is extremely limited, with fewer than 20 ancient sequences available for genetic analysis, and no complete P. falciparum mtDNA from Classical antiquity published to date. To investigate intra-individual diversity and genetic origins of P. falciparum from the Roman period, we generated 39 sequencing libraries from multiple teeth and two from the femur of a Roman malaria-infected individual. The results revealed considerable variability in P. falciparum recovery across different dental samples within the individual, while the femur samples showed no preservation of Plasmodium DNA. The reconstructed 43-fold P. falciparum mtDNA genome supports the hypothesis of an Indian origin for European P. falciparum and suggests mtDNA continuity in Europe over the past 2000 years.
Machine learning techniques for non-destructive estimation of plum fruit weight
Authors: Sabouri Atefeh , Bakhshipour Adel , Poorsalehi Mehrnaz , Abouzari Abouzar
Published: January 2025

Plum fruit fresh weight (FW) estimation is crucial for various agricultural practices, including yield prediction, quality control, and market pricing. Traditional methods for estimating fruit weight are often destructive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive. In this study, we addressed the problem of predicting plum FW using artificial intelligence (AI) methods based on fruit dimensions. We aimed to evaluate various machine learning (ML) techniques for this purpose. Images of fruit samples were captured using a smartphone camera, processed to extract binary images, and used to calculate dimensions. We tested several ML methods, including Support Vector Regression (SVR), Multivariate Linear Regression (MLR), Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), and Decision Tree (DT). The SVR model with a Pearson-VII kernel (PUK) function and penalty value (c) of 0.1 was the most accurate, achieving an R2 of 0.9369 and root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.4850 (gr) during training, and 0.9267 and 0.4863 (gr) during testing. This method is important for researchers and practitioners seeking efficient, quick, and non-destructive ways to estimate fruit weight. Future research can build on these findings by applying the model to other fruit types and conditions.