bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High resolution climate change observations and projections for the evaluation of heat-related extremes
Authors: Williams Emily , Funk Chris , Peterson Pete , Tuholske Cascade
Published: March 2024

The Climate Hazards Center Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 climate projection dataset (CHC-CMIP6) was developed to support the analysis of climate-related hazards, including extreme humid heat and drought conditions, over the recent past and in the near-future. Global daily high resolution (0.05°) grids of the Climate Hazards InfraRed Temperature with Stations temperature product, the Climate Hazards InfraRed Precipitation with Stations precipitation product, and ERA5-derived relative humidity form the basis of the 1983–2016 historical record, from which daily Vapor Pressure Deficits (VPD) and maximum Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures (WBGTmax) were derived. Large CMIP6 ensembles from the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 2-4.5 and SSP 5-8.5 scenarios were then used to develop high resolution daily 2030 and 2050 ‘delta’ fields. These deltas were used to perturb the historical observations, thereby generating 0.05° 2030 and 2050 projections of daily precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, and derived VPD and WBGTmax. Finally, monthly counts of frequency of extremes for each variable were derived for each time period.
QAL-BP: an augmented Lagrangian quantum approach for bin packing
Authors: Cellini Lorenzo , Macaluso Antonio , Lombardi Michele
Published: March 2024

The bin packing is a well-known NP-Hard problem in the domain of artificial intelligence, posing significant challenges in finding efficient solutions. Conversely, recent advancements in quantum technologies have shown promising potential for achieving substantial computational speedup, particularly in certain problem classes, such as combinatorial optimization. In this study, we introduce QAL-BP, a novel Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) formulation designed specifically for bin packing and suitable for quantum computation. QAL-BP utilizes the Augmented Lagrangian method to incorporate the bin packing constraints into the objective function while also facilitating an analytical estimation of heuristic, but empirically robust, penalty multipliers. This approach leads to a more versatile and generalizable model that eliminates the need for empirically calculating instance-dependent Lagrangian coefficients, a requirement commonly encountered in alternative QUBO formulations for similar problems. To assess the effectiveness of our proposed approach, we conduct experiments on a set of bin packing instances using a real Quantum Annealing device. Additionally, we compare the results with those obtained from two different classical solvers, namely simulated annealing and Gurobi. The experimental findings not only confirm the correctness of the proposed formulation, but also demonstrate the potential of quantum computation in effectively solving the bin packing problem, particularly as more reliable quantum technology becomes available.
Deep learning-based prediction of post-pancreaticoduodenectomy pancreatic fistula
Authors: Lee Woohyung , Park Hyo Jung , Lee Hack-Jin , Song Ki Byung , Hwang Dae Wook , Lee Jae Hoon , Lim Kyongmook , Ko Yousun , Kim Hyoung Jung , Kim Kyung Won , Kim Song Cheol
Published: March 2024

Postoperative pancreatic fistula is a life-threatening complication with an unmet need for accurate prediction. This study was aimed to develop preoperative artificial intelligence-based prediction models. Patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy were enrolled and stratified into model development and validation sets by surgery between 2016 and 2017 or in 2018, respectively. Machine learning models based on clinical and body composition data, and deep learning models based on computed tomographic data, were developed, combined by ensemble voting, and final models were selected comparison with earlier model. Among the 1333 participants (training, n = 881; test, n = 452), postoperative pancreatic fistula occurred in 421 (47.8%) and 134 (31.8%) and clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula occurred in 59 (6.7%) and 27 (6.0%) participants in the training and test datasets, respectively. In the test dataset, the area under the receiver operating curve [AUC (95% confidence interval)] of the selected preoperative model for predicting all and clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula was 0.75 (0.71–0.80) and 0.68 (0.58–0.78). The ensemble model showed better predictive performance than the individual ML and DL models.
Assessment of a one-week ketogenic diet on brain glycolytic metabolism and on the status epilepticus stage of a lithium–pilocarpine rat model
Authors: Doyen Matthieu , Lambert Clémentine , Roeder Emilie , Boutley Henri , Chen Bailiang , Pierson Julien , Verger Antoine , Raffo Emmanuel , Karcher Gilles , Marie Pierre-Yves , Maskali Fatiha
Published: March 2024

The ketogenic diet (KD) has been shown to be effective in refractory epilepsy after long-term administration. However, its interference with short-term brain metabolism and its involvement in the early process leading to epilepsy remain poorly understood. This study aimed to assess the effect of a short-term ketogenic diet on cerebral glucose metabolic changes, before and after status epilepticus (SE) in rats, by using [18F]-FDG PET. Thirty-nine rats were subjected to a one-week KD (KD-rats, n = 24) or to a standard diet (SD-rats, n = 15) before the induction of a status epilepticus (SE) by lithium-pilocarpine administrations. Brain [18F]-FDG PET scans were performed before and 4 h after this induction. Morphological MRIs were acquired and used to spatially normalize the PET images which were then analyzed voxel-wisely using a statistical parametric-based method. Twenty-six rats were analyzed (KD-rats, n = 15; SD-rats, n = 11). The 7 days of the KD were associated with significant increases in the plasma β-hydroxybutyrate level, but with an unchanged glycemia. The PET images, recorded after the KD and before SE induction, showed an increased metabolism within sites involved in the appetitive behaviors: hypothalamic areas and periaqueductal gray, whereas no area of decreased metabolism was observed. At the 4th hour following the SE induction, large metabolism increases were observed in the KD- and SD-rats in areas known to be involved in the epileptogenesis process late—i.e., the hippocampus, parahippocampic, thalamic and hypothalamic areas, the periaqueductal gray, and the limbic structures (and in the motor cortex for the KD-rats only). However, no statistically significant difference was observed when comparing SD and KD groups at the 4th hour following the SE induction. A one-week ketogenic diet does not prevent the status epilepticus (SE) and associated metabolic brain abnormalities in the lithium-pilocarpine rat model. Further explorations are needed to determine whether a significant prevention could be achieved by more prolonged ketogenic diets and by testing this diet in less severe experimental models, and moreover, to analyze the diet effects on the later and chronic stages leading to epileptogenesis.
Study on the lignin-derived sp2–sp3 hybrid hard carbon materials and the feasibility for industrial production
Authors: Long Si-Yu , Qin Yan , Liu Jin-Lei , Xian Xue-Quan , Zhou Ling-Qiang , Lv Wen-Da , Tang Pei-Duo , Wang Qin-Yan , Du Qi-Shi
Published: March 2024

Hard carbon has been widely used in anode of lithium/sodium ion battery, electrode of supercapacitor, and carbon molecular sieve for CO2 capture and hydrogen storage. In this study the lignin derived hard carbon products are investigated, and the conclusions are abstracted as follows. (1) The lignin derived hard carbon products consist of microcrystal units of sp2 graphene fragments, jointed by sp3 carbon atoms and forming sp2–sp3 hybrid hard carbon family. (2) From the lignin precursors to the sp2–sp3 hybrid hard carbon products, most carbon atoms retain their original electron configurations (sp2 or sp3) and keep their composition in lignin. (3) The architectures of lignin-derived hard carbon materials are closely dependent on the forms of their lignin precursors, and could be preformed by different pretreatment techniques. (4) The carbonization of lignin precursors follows the mechanism “carbonization in situ and recombination nearby”. (5) Due to the high carbon ratio and abundant active functional groups in lignin, new activation techniques could be developed for control of pore size and pore volume. In general lignin is an excellent raw material for sp2–sp3 hybrid hard carbon products, a green and sustainable alternative resource for phenolic resin, and industrial production for lignin derived hard carbon products would be feasible.
A PLC-based pomegranate sprout removal device design
Authors: Qiu Liqi , Sun Jingbin , Zhang Xieliang , Sun Qun , Zhao Ying
Published: March 2024

Aiming at the current low degree of mechanization of pomegranate sprouting tiller pruning in China, all relying on manual pruning, this paper designs a PLC-based pomegranate sprouting tiller removal machine. This machine adopts the identification method of wireless map transmission, the sprouting tiller removal method of multi-cylinder cooperative operation, and the MCGS configuration to realize the interaction between the user and the system, which realizes the displacement and angle compensation of the end-effector under complex conditions to realize the all-around accurate removal of the pomegranate sprouting tiller. The performance test and finite element analysis showed that the device could remove up to 74.62% of sprouting tillers, and the damage rate was as low as 18%. This meets the requirements of pomegranate plantations for the removal of emergent tillers.
A randomised controlled trial investigating the causal role of the medial prefrontal cortex in mediating self-agency during speech monitoring and reality monitoring
Authors: Tan Songyuan , Jia Yingxin , Jariwala Namasvi , Zhang Zoey , Brent Kurtis , Houde John , Nagarajan Srikantan , Subramaniam Karuna
Published: March 2024

Self-agency is the awareness of being the agent of one's own thoughts and actions. Self-agency is essential for interacting with the outside world (reality-monitoring). The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is thought to be one neural correlate of self-agency. We investigated whether mPFC activity can causally modulate self-agency on two different tasks of speech-monitoring and reality-monitoring. The experience of self-agency is thought to result from making reliable predictions about the expected outcomes of one’s own actions. This self-prediction ability is necessary for the encoding and memory retrieval of one’s own thoughts during reality-monitoring to enable accurate judgments of self-agency. This self-prediction ability is also necessary for speech-monitoring where speakers consistently compare auditory feedback (what we hear ourselves say) with what we expect to hear while speaking. In this study, 30 healthy participants are assigned to either 10 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to enhance mPFC excitability (N = 15) or 10 Hz rTMS targeting a distal temporoparietal site (N = 15). High-frequency rTMS to mPFC enhanced self-predictions during speech-monitoring that predicted improved self-agency judgments during reality-monitoring. This is the first study to provide robust evidence for mPFC underlying a causal role in self-agency, that results from the fundamental ability of improving self-predictions across two different tasks.
Nutritional ketosis as treatment for alcohol withdrawal symptoms in female C57BL/6J mice
Authors: Tonetto Simone , Weikop Pia , Thomsen Morgan
Published: March 2024

Upon both acute and prolonged alcohol intake, the brain undergoes a metabolic shift associated with increased acetate metabolism and reduced glucose metabolism, which persists during abstinence, putatively leading to energy depletion in the brain. This study evaluates the efficacy of ketogenic treatments to rescue psychiatric and neurochemical alterations during long-term alcohol withdrawal. Female mice were intermittently exposed to alcohol vapor or air for three weeks, during which mice were introduced to either a ketogenic diet (KD), control diet supplemented with ketone ester (KE) or remained on control diet (CD). Withdrawal symptoms were assessed over a period of four weeks followed by re-exposure using several behavioral and biochemical tests. Alcohol-exposed mice fed CD displayed long-lasting depressive-like symptoms measured by saccharin preference and tail suspension, as well as decreased norepinephrine levels and serotonin turnover in the hippocampus. Both KD and KE rescued anhedonia for up to three weeks of abstinence. KD mice showed higher latency to first immobility in the tail suspension test, as well as lower plasma cholesterol levels. Our findings show promising effects of nutritional ketosis in ameliorating alcohol withdrawal symptoms in mice. KD seemed to better rescue these symptoms compared to KE.
Surface and subsurface dispersal of radioactive materials from Fukushima by subpolar gyre and intermediate waters in the North Pacific
Authors: Lee Seung-Tae , Cho Yang-Ki , Jung Jihun , Chae Seunghwa
Published: March 2024

Radioactive materials were released into the ocean following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011. Six years after the accident, the radioactive material concentration was markedly increased in the Okhotsk Intermediate Water (OIW) of the Sea of Okhotsk. This material may have been subjected to southward subsurface dispersal by the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), which originates from the OIW. The spatiotemporal limitations of available methods have made it challenging to track the dispersal paths of radioactive materials in the North Pacific Subpolar region. Here, we performed a tracer experiment using a three-dimensional numerical model to determine the path of 137Cs from Fukushima to the Sea of Okhotsk via surface subpolar gyre currents and subsurface dispersion by OIW and NPIW. The results showed that the 137Cs concentration in the Sea of Okhotsk increased via the surface current and moved progressively southward via OIW six years after the accident and eastward via OIW and NPIW nine years after the accident, indicating that 137Cs transported by NPIW entered the subtropical region. Based on experiments, this temporal change was mainly caused by ocean currents. Thus, subsurface recirculation of radioactive material via the OIW and NPIW should be considered based on the predicted path and travel time of additional materials released from the power plant.
Dissection of figured wood trait in curly birch (Betula pendula Roth var. carelica (Mercklin) Hämet-Ahti) using high-throughput genotyping
Authors: Gubaev Rim , Karzhaev Dmitry , Grigoreva Elizaveta , Lytkin Kirill , Safronycheva Elizaveta , Volkov Vladimir , Nesterchuk Veronika , Vetchinnikova Lidiia , Zhigunov Anatoly , Potokina Elena
Published: March 2024

Curly (Karelian) birch is a special variety of Betula pendula Roth distributed in the northwestern part of Europe. Karelian birch is well-known for its valuable figured curly wood also known as “wooden marble”. The genetic basis underlying curly wood formation has been debated since last century, however, there was no data about loci responsible for the curly wood trait. In the present study, we analyzed two full-sibs populations derived from experimental crosses of curly birches and segregating for the trait. RADseq genotyping was applied to reveal how many loci are involved in ‘curliness’ formation and to search for genetic variants associated with this trait. One single interval on chromosome 10 was detected containing possible candidate genes. InDel marker BpCW1 was suggested for the first time for marker-assisted selection of trees with curly wood at their earliest stages of development.
Optimization strategy of Co3O4 nanoparticles in biomethane production from seaweeds and its potential role in direct electron transfer and reactive oxygen species formation
Authors: Hassaan Mohamed A. , Elkatory Marwa R. , El-Nemr Mohamed A. , Ragab Safaa , El Nemr Ahmed
Published: March 2024

In the present study, three process parameters optimization were assessed as controlling factors for the biogas and biomethane generation from brown algae Cystoceira myrica as the substrate using RSM for the first time. The biomass amount, Co3O4NPs dosage, and digestion time were assessed and optimized by RSM using Box-Behnken design (BBD) to determine their optimum level. BET, FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, XPS, and TEM were applied to illustrate the Co3O4NPs. FTIR and XRD analysis established the formation of Co3O4NPs. The kinetic investigation confirmed that the modified model of Gompertz fit the research results satisfactorily, with R2 ranging between 0.989–0.998 and 0.879–0.979 for biogas and biomethane production, respectively. The results recommended that adding Co3O4NPs at doses of 5 mg/L to C. myrica (1.5 g) significantly increases biogas yield (462 mL/g VS) compared to all other treatments. The maximum biomethane generation (96.85 mL/g VS) was obtained with C. myrica at (0 mg/L) of Co3O4NPs. The impacts of Co3O4NPs dosages on biomethane production, direct electron transfer (DIET) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also investigated in detail. The techno-economic study results demonstrate the financial benefits of this strategy for the biogas with the greatest net energy content, which was 2.82 kWh with a net profit of 0.60 USD/m3 of the substrate and was produced using Co3O4NPs (5 mg/L).
Acetylcholinesterase enzyme among cancer patients a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator a multicenter case–control study
Authors: Ahmed Gasmelseed Y. , Osman Ahmed A. , Mukhtar Ahlam
Published: March 2024

Acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) activity is impaired by a variety of inhibitors including organophosphorus pesticides, leading to the accumulation of acetylcholine. In this study, we aimed to determine the association between cancer and the blood level of the (AChE). This is a multicenter hospital-based case–control study conducted in the Radiation and Isotopes Center Khartoum, and Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Biology and Oncology Gezira. One hundred and fifty participants, half of them cancer patients and half cancer free were recruited. All participants were screened for demographic, environmental, occupational, and clinical characteristics. Blood for the (AChE) activity test was drawn from participants in the two groups. The mean age of the participants was 40.6 ± 14.8 years. Geographical distribution showed the Central Region of Sudan had the highest rate of cancer, followed by North State, Khartoum State, West State, and East State. The most common tumor subtype was breast cancer, followed by leukemia, colon, esophageal, and prostate cancer. Inferential analysis revealed significantly impaired (AChE) activity among cancer patients compared to controls (53.4 ± 20.3% vs. 93.8 ± 8.8, p-value 0.001). There was a significant statistical association between impaired (AChE) activity and cancer. (AChE) activity might be applied in the future as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target. Further large sample and molecular studies are recommended.
Polarization and incident angle independent multifunctional tunable terahertz metasurface based on graphene
Authors: Qureshi Ubaid Ur Rahman , Basir Shahid , Mallek Fatma , Hamam Habib
Published: March 2024

Motivated by the imperative demand for design integration and miniaturization within the terahertz (THz) spectrum, this study presents an innovative solution to the challenges associated with singular functionality, limited application scope, and intricate structures prevalent in conventional metasurfaces. The proposed multifunctional tunable metasurface leverages a hybridized grapheme–metal structure, addressing critical limitations in existing designs. Comprising three distinct layers, namely a graphene–gold resonance layer, a Topas dielectric layer, and a bottom gold film reflective layer, this terahertz metasurface exhibits multifunctionality that is both polarization and incident-angle independent. The metasurface demonstrates a broadband circular dichroism (CD) function when subjected to incident circularly polarized waves. In contrast, under linear incidence, the proposed design achieves functionalities encompassing linear dichroism (LD) and polarization conversion. Remarkably, graphene's chemical potential and the incident light’s state can be manipulated to tune each functional aspect's intensity finely. The proposed tunable multifaceted metasurface showcases significant referential importance within the terahertz spectrum, mainly contributing to advancing CD metamirrors, chiral photodetectors, polarization digital imaging systems, and intelligent switches.
Ecological and social factors influence interspecific pathogens occurrence among bees
Authors: Tiritelli Rossella , Flaminio Simone , Zavatta Laura , Ranalli Rosa , Giovanetti Manuela , Grasso Donato Antonio , Leonardi Stefano , Bonforte Marta , Boni Chiara Benedetta , Cargnus Elena , Catania Roberto , Coppola Francesca , Di Santo Marco , Pusceddu Michelina , Quaranta Marino , Bortolotti Laura , Nanetti Antonio , Cilia Giovanni
Published: March 2024

The interspecific transmission of pathogens can occur frequently in the environment. Among wild bees, the main spillover cases are caused by pathogens associated with Apis mellifera, whose colonies can act as reservoirs. Due to the limited availability of data in Italy, it is challenging to accurately assess the impact and implications of this phenomenon on the wild bee populations. In this study, a total of 3372 bees were sampled from 11 Italian regions within the BeeNet project, evaluating the prevalence and the abundance of the major honey bee pathogens (DWV, BQCV, ABPV, CBPV, KBV, Nosema ceranae, Ascosphaera apis, Crithidia mellificae, Lotmaria passim, Crithidia bombi). The 68.4% of samples were positive for at least one pathogen. DWV, BQCV, N. ceranae and CBPV showed the highest prevalence and abundance values, confirming them as the most prevalent pathogens spread in the environment. For these pathogens, Andrena, Bombus, Eucera and Seladonia showed the highest mean prevalence and abundance values. Generally, time trends showed a prevalence and abundance decrease from April to July. In order to predict the risk of infection among wild bees, statistical models were developed. A low influence of apiary density on pathogen occurrence was observed, while meteorological conditions and agricultural management showed a greater impact on pathogen persistence in the environment. Social and biological traits of wild bees also contributed to defining a higher risk of infection for bivoltine, communal, mining and oligolectic bees. Out of all the samples tested, 40.5% were co-infected with two or more pathogens. In some cases, individuals were simultaneously infected with up to five different pathogens. It is essential to increase knowledge about the transmission of pathogens among wild bees to understand dynamics, impact and effects on pollinator populations. Implementing concrete plans for the conservation of wild bee species is important to ensure the health of wild and human-managed bees within a One-Health perspective.
Integrating wastewater and randomised prevalence survey data for national COVID surveillance
Authors: Li Guangquan , Diggle Peter , Blangiardo Marta
Published: March 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, studies in a number of countries have shown how wastewater can be used as an efficient surveillance tool to detect outbreaks at much lower cost than traditional prevalence surveys. In this study, we consider the utilisation of wastewater data in the post-pandemic setting, in which collection of health data via national randomised prevalence surveys will likely be run at a reduced scale; hence an affordable ongoing surveillance system will need to combine sparse prevalence data with non-traditional disease metrics such as wastewater measurements in order to estimate disease progression in a cost-effective manner. Here, we use data collected during the pandemic to model the dynamic relationship between spatially granular wastewater viral load and disease prevalence. We then use this relationship to nowcast local disease prevalence under the scenario that (i) spatially granular wastewater data continue to be collected; (ii) direct measurements of prevalence are only available at a coarser spatial resolution, for example at national or regional scale. The results from our cross-validation study demonstrate the added value of wastewater data in improving nowcast accuracy and reducing nowcast uncertainty. Our results also highlight the importance of incorporating prevalence data at a coarser spatial scale when nowcasting prevalence at fine spatial resolution, calling for the need to maintain some form of reduced-scale national prevalence surveys in non-epidemic periods. The model framework is disease-agnostic and could therefore be adapted to different diseases and incorporated into a multiplex surveillance system for early detection of emerging local outbreaks.
Comprehensive investigation of isotherm, RSM, and ANN modeling of CO2 capture by multi-walled carbon nanotube
Authors: Khoshraftar Zohreh , Ghaemi Ahad , Hemmati Alireza
Published: March 2024

Chemical vapor deposition was used to produce multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), which were modified by Fe–Ni/AC catalysts to enhance CO2 adsorption. In this study, a new realm of possibilities and potential advancements in CO2 capture technology is unveiled through the unique combination of cutting-edge modeling techniques and utilization of the recently synthesized Fe–Ni/AC catalyst adsorbent. SEM, BET, and FTIR were used to analyze their structure and morphology. The surface area of MWCNT was found to be 240 m2/g, but after modification, it was reduced to 11 m2/g. The modified MWCNT showed increased adsorption capacity with higher pressure and lower temperature, due to the introduction of new adsorption sites and favorable interactions at lower temperatures. At 25 °C and 10 bar, it reached a maximum adsorption capacity of 424.08 mg/g. The optimal values of the pressure, time, and temperature parameters were achieved at 7 bar, 2646 S and 313 K. The Freundlich and Hill models had the highest correlation with the experimental data. The Second-Order and Fractional Order kinetic models fit the adsorption results well. The adsorption process was found to be exothermic and spontaneous. The modified MWCNT has the potential for efficient gas adsorption in fields like gas storage or separation. The regenerated M-MWCNT adsorbent demonstrated the ability to be reused multiple times for the CO2 adsorption process, as evidenced by the study. In this study, a feed-forward MLP artificial neural network model was created using a back-propagation training approach to predict CO2 adsorption. The most suitable and efficient MLP network structure, selected for optimization, consisted of two hidden layers with 25 and 10 neurons, respectively. This network was trained using the Levenberg–Marquardt backpropagation algorithm. An MLP artificial neural network model was created, with a minimum MSE performance of 0.0004247 and an R2 value of 0.99904, indicating its accuracy. The experiment also utilized the blank spreadsheet design within the framework of response surface methodology to predict CO2 adsorption. The proximity between the Predicted R2 value of 0.8899 and the Adjusted R2 value of 0.9016, with a difference of less than 0.2, indicates a high level of similarity. This suggests that the model is exceptionally reliable in its ability to predict future observations, highlighting its robustness.
Effect of hyperbilirubinemia on the accuracy of continuous non-invasive hemoglobin measurements in liver transplantation recipients
Authors: Yoon Soo Bin , Jung Chul-Woo , Kim Taeyup , Lee Hyung-Chul
Published: March 2024

This study evaluated the effect of hyperbilirubinemia on the accuracy of continuous non-invasive hemoglobin (SpHb) measurements in liver transplantation recipients. Overall, 1465 SpHb and laboratory hemoglobin (Hb) measurement pairs (n = 296 patients) were analyzed. Patients were grouped into normal (< 1.2 mg/dL), mild-to-moderate (1.2–3.0 mg/dL), and severe (> 3.0 mg/dL) hyperbilirubinemia groups based on the preoperative serum total bilirubin levels. Bland–Altman analysis showed a bias of 0.20 (95% limit of agreement, LoA: − 2.59 to 3.00) g/dL, 0.98 (95% LoA: − 1.38 to 3.35) g/dL, and 1.23 (95% LoA: − 1.16 to 3.63) g/dL for the normal, mild-to-moderate, and severe groups, respectively. The four-quadrant plot showed reliable trending ability in all groups (concordance rate > 92%). The rates of possible missed transfusion (SpHb > 7.0 g/dL for Hb < 7.0 g/dL) were higher in the hyperbilirubinemia groups (2%, 7%, and 12% for the normal, mild-to-moderate, and severe group, respectively. all P < 0.001). The possible over-transfusion rate was less than 1% in all groups. In conclusion, the use of SpHb in liver transplantation recipients with preoperative hyperbilirubinemia requires caution due to the positive bias and high risk of missed transfusion. However, the reliable trending ability indicated its potential use in clinical settings.
SOCS5-RBMX stimulates SREBP1-mediated lipogenesis to promote metastasis in steatotic HCC with HBV-related cirrhosis
Authors: Wang Youpeng , Zhao Ziyin , Guo Tingting , Wu Tiansong , Zhang Mao , Luo Dingan , Dou Kunpeng , Yang Yeni , Jin Cheng , Zhang Bingyuan , Zhang Bin , Han Bing
Published: March 2024

Abnormal lipid metabolism promotes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, which engenders therapeutic difficulties owing to unclear mechanisms of the phenomenon. We precisely described a special steatotic HCC subtype with HBV-related cirrhosis and probed its drivers. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of 245 HCC samples revealed a special HCC subtype (41 cases) characterized by HBV-related cirrhosis and intratumoral steatosis without fatty liver background, defined as steatotic HCC with HBV-related cirrhosis (SBC-HCC). SBC-HCC exhibits a larger tumor volume and worse prognosis than non-SBC-HCC. Screening for driver genes promoting fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis in the Gao’s HBV-related cirrhosis HCC cases and GSE121248’ HBV-related HCC cases revealed that high expression of SOCS5 predicts increased FA synthesis and that SOCS5 is upregulated in SBC-HCC. Through proteomics, metabolomics, and both in vivo and in vitro experiments, we demonstrated that SOCS5 induces lipid accumulation to promote HCC metastasis. Mechanistically, through co-IP and GST-pulldown experiments, we found that the SOCS5-SH2 domain, especially the amino acids Y413 and D443, act as critical binding sites for the RBMX-RRM domain. SOCS5-RBMX costimulates the promoter of SREBP1, inducing de novo lipogenesis, while mutations in the SH2 domain, Y413, and D443 reverse this effect. These findings precisely identified SBC-HCC as a special steatotic HCC subtype and highlighted a new mechanism by which SOCS5 promotes SBC-HCC metastasis.
Why do probabilistic clinical models fail to transport between sites
Authors: Lasko Thomas A. , Strobl Eric V. , Stead William W.
Published: March 2024

The rising popularity of artificial intelligence in healthcare is highlighting the problem that a computational model achieving super-human clinical performance at its training sites may perform substantially worse at new sites. In this perspective, we argue that we should typically expect this failure to transport, and we present common sources for it, divided into those under the control of the experimenter and those inherent to the clinical data-generating process. Of the inherent sources we look a little deeper into site-specific clinical practices that can affect the data distribution, and propose a potential solution intended to isolate the imprint of those practices on the data from the patterns of disease cause and effect that are the usual target of probabilistic clinical models.
Unraveling the transcriptomic landscape of eye migration and visual adaptations during flatfish metamorphosis
Authors: Guerrero-Peña Laura , Suarez-Bregua Paula , Sánchez-Ruiloba Lucía , Méndez-Martínez Luis , García-Fernández Pablo , Tur Ricardo , Tena Juan J. , Rotllant Josep
Published: March 2024

Flatfish undergo a remarkable metamorphosis from symmetrical pelagic larvae to fully asymmetrical benthic juveniles. The most distinctive features of this transformation is the migration of one eye. The molecular role of thyroid hormone in the metamorphosis process in flatfishes is well established. However, the regulatory network that facilitates eye movement remains enigmatic. This paper presents a morphological investigation of the metamorphic process in turbot eyes, using advanced imaging techniques and a global view of gene expression. The study covers migrant and non-migrant eyes and aims to identify the genes that are active during ocular migration. Our transcriptomic analysis shows a significant up-regulation of immune-related genes. The analysis of eye-specific genes reveals distinct patterns during the metamorphic process. Myosin is highlighted in the non-migrant eye, while ependymin is highlighted in the migrant eye, possibly involved in optic nerve regeneration. Furthermore, a potential association between thealx3gene and cranial restructuring has been identified. Additionally, it confirmed simultaneous adaptation to low light in both eyes, as described by changes in opsins expression during the metamorphic process. The study also revealed that ocular migration activates systems asynchronously in both eyes, providing insight into multifaceted reorganization processes during metamorphosis of flatfish.
EGFR signaling and pharmacology in oncology revealed with innovative BRET-based biosensors
Authors: Gross Florence , Mancini Arturo , Breton Billy , Kobayashi Hiroyuki , Pereira Pedro Henrique Scarpelli , Le Gouill Christian , Bouvier Michel , Schann Stephan , Leroy Xavier , Sabbagh Laurent
Published: March 2024

Mutations of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are associated with the development of many cancers by modifying receptor signaling and contributing to drug resistance in clinical settings. We present enhanced bystander bioluminescence resonance energy transfer-based biosensors providing new insights into RTK biology and pharmacology critical for the development of more effective RTK-targeting drugs. Distinct SH2-specific effector biosensors allow for real-time and spatiotemporal monitoring of signal transduction pathways engaged upon RTK activation. Using EGFR as a model, we demonstrate the capacity of these biosensors to differentiate unique signaling signatures, with EGF and Epiregulin ligands displaying differences in efficacy, potency, and responses within different cellular compartments. We further demonstrate that EGFR single point mutations found in Glioblastoma or non-small cell lung cancer, impact the constitutive activity of EGFR and response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor. The BRET-based biosensors are compatible with microscopy, and more importantly characterize the next generation of therapeutics directed against RTKs.
History-dependent nano-photoisomerization by optical near-field in photochromic single crystals
Authors: Arakawa Yuji , Uchiyama Kazuharu , Uchida Kingo , Naruse Makoto , Hori Hirokazu
Published: March 2024

The history dependence of physical systems is promising for solving complex problems. To exploit spontaneous nanometre-scale optical memory for computation, the history dependence must be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate history-dependent or dynamic nano-photoisomerization through the sequential formation of multiple memory pathways in photochromic crystals via optical near-field interactions. Incident photons passing through photoisomerization memory pathways are observed using a double-probe optical near-field microscope, with one probe located on the front surface for local excitation and the other on the rear surface for near-field observations. By performing localised near-field excitation twice but at spatially different positions, negatively correlated near-field output patterns are observed between the first and second memory pathways. We also confirm that the first memory pathway is preserved after the formation of the second memory pathway. This result indicates that photoisomerization using an optical near field in diarylethene crystals has a history dependence, leading to brain-like dynamic information memorisation.
Label-free quantification of gold nanoparticles at the single-cell level using a multi-column convolutional neural network (MC-CNN)
Authors: Mohsin Abu S. M. , Choudhury Shadab H.
Published: March 2024

An overview of the suggested process is provided, in which optical images are converted to density maps and the total number of nanoparticles within a cell is estimated using a customised multi-column convolutional neural network (MC-CNN).
Access to CF3-benzofulvenes via palladium-catalyzed cascade arylation/Trost–Oppolzer cyclization/double-bond isomerization
Authors: Sateesh Rami , Prudhviraj Jaggaraju , Priyanka Chiliveru , Punna Nagender
Published: March 2024

Highly stereoselective synthesis of CF3-benzofulvenes has been achieved through a Pd-catalyzed cascade reaction involving three consecutive transformations such as arylation, Trost–Oppolzer type Alder-ene reaction, and double bond isomerization.
Two-dimensional fullerene-based monolayer materials assembled by C80 and Sc3N@C80
Authors: Zhao Yang , Guo Yu , Zhao Yanyan , Yu Xueke , Cherenda Nikolai , Su Yan , Zhao Jijun
Published: March 2024

C80 and Sc3N@Ih–C80 can be used as building blocks to assemble stable 2D lattices. These materials possess desired physical properties, including unique electronic band structures, appreciable carrier mobility, strong optical absorption, and anisotropic optical behavior.
Transition from Schottky to Ohmic contacts in 2D Ge/GaAs heterostructures with high tunneling probability
Authors: Shen Yang , Zhu Jianfeng , Zhang Qihao , Zhu Hua , Fang Qianglong , Yang Xiaodong , Wang Baolin
Published: March 2024

Biaxial strain and electric field engineering induced the Schottky to Ohmic contact transition of a germanene/GaAs metal–semiconductor junction with electron injection efficiency exceeding 27%.
Elucidation of the catalytic mechanism of a single-metal dependent homing endonuclease using QM and QM/MM approaches: the case study of I-PpoI
Authors: Kaur Rajwinder , Frederickson Angela , Wetmore Stacey D.
Published: March 2024

QM cluster and QM/MM calculations reveal that the single-metal dependent endonuclease I-PpoI prefers direct metal coordination to the leaving group of the substrate to break the extremely stable phosphodiester bond in DNA.
White light-emitting ZnO:Dy3+ nanophosphors: delving into the spectroscopic parameters via Judd–Ofelt analysis
Authors: Raji Rajendran , Jyothi Gopalakrishnan , Sasidharan Sajesh , Gopchandran Kunnel Gopalan
Published: March 2024

The synthesis of ribbon-shaped cool white-emitting ZnO:xDy3+ nanophosphors and the quantitative evaluation of their radiative parameters using Judd–Ofelt analysis.
Risk assessment of heavy metals in soil and simultaneous monitoring in wheat irrigated with groundwater and treated wastewater and its long-term effects for residents of adjacent regions
Authors: Azhdarpoor Abooalfazl , Moeini Zohre , Ranjbar Farnaz , Samaei Mohammadreza , Hashemi Hasan
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health risks posed by heavy metals in irrigation water, soil, and wheat in areas of Iran that are either groundwater-irrigated (Gerdkhoon) or wastewater-irrigated (Shorghan).
Pt anchored in the skeleton of rice husk-based ZSM-5 for excellent catalytic VOC oxidation: structure–activity relationship and environmental impact assessment
Authors: Lan Wenxin , Shen Muping , Chen Yinye , Niu Kui , Zhou Weiming , Xu Jing , Huang Baoquan , Cai Hongjie , Zuo Jiachang , Lin Daifeng , Luo Yongjin , Qian Qingrong , Chen Qinghua
Published: March 2024

Pt anchored in rice husk based ZSM-5 with superior catalytic VOC oxidation capability is environmentally friendly, achieving green resource utilization and pollution control.
Green and fast 2-aryloxylation/amination of quinolines
Authors: Bu Changna , Wang Kaijuan , Gong Chengcheng , Wang Dong
Published: March 2024

The direct C2-H functionalization of quinolines has always been a widely concerned area. Herein we report a rapid and eco-friendly synthesis of 2-aroxyquinolines and 2-aminoquinolines through deoxygenative functionalization of quinoline N-oxides.
Finely tuning the self-assembled architectures of liquid crystal polymers by molecular engineering: phase transitions derived from terminal group variations
Authors: Yao Wenhuan , Wang Yanxia , Liu Lansheng , Ma Anzhi , Zhao Jie , Ma Zhengrui , Zhang Lanying , Lan Ruochen
Published: March 2024

Through rational molecular design and modulation of terminal groups in building blocks, as an efficient approach, it is quite efficient to achieve diverse phase transition behaviours and adjust phase structures.
Mechanistic insights on the epoxidation of alkenes by high-valent non-heme Fe(iv) and Fe(v) oxidants: a comparative theoretical study
Authors: Yadav Oval , Kumar Manjeet , Mohapatra Ranjan K. , Gupta Manoj Kumar , Ansari Mursaleem , Ansari Azaj
Published: March 2024

This work is based on the screening of better high-valent oxidants, and also includes a mechanistic study during oxygen atom transfer reactions.
Sodium ion-stabilized 2 × 4 tunnel manganese oxide nanorods as cathodes for high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries
Authors: Liu Shuling , Teng Ruirui , Wei Xiangyang , Li Yupei , Zhou Zixiang , Shi Xiaoqiang , Li Jiebing , Tong Jianbo
Published: March 2024

Manganese dioxide nanorods (Na0.4MnO2) with a typical 2 × 4 tunnel structure are successfully synthesized by the simple hydrothermal method in the presence of 5 M NaCl.
Bi-doped BaBiO3 (x = 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) perovskite oxides by a sol–gel method: comprehensive biological assessment and RhB photodegradation
Authors: Bouchal Wissam , Djani Faiçal , Eddine Mazouzi Djamel , Tiri Rima Nour Elhouda , Makhloufi Soufiane , Laiadi Chaker , Martínez-Arias Arturo , Aygün Ayşenur , Sen Fatih
Published: March 2024

BaBiO3 (BBO) perovskite oxides were prepared with different amounts of Bi nitrates using the sol–gel method and their biological activities and photocatalytic activities against RhB dye were examined.
Effects of different heat treatment media on odorous constituents, chemical decomposition and mechanical properties of two hardwoods
Authors: Bessala Lionnel Frederique Bidzanga , Gao Jingjing , He Zhengbin , Wang Zhenyu , Yi Songlin
Published: March 2024

The effect of heat treatment media on odorous constituents of hardwood. A ThermoGravimetric Analyzer coupled to Fourier Transform InfraRed spectrometry (TGA-FTIR) is used to analyze chemical decomposition and explain Modulus of Rupture (MOR) and Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) variations.
Effects of magnesium hydroxide morphology on Pb(ii) removal from aqueous solutions
Authors: Zhu Donghai , Zhu Jiachen , Li Ping , Lan Shengjie
Published: March 2024

Flower-like Mg(OH)2 was fabricated without using structure-directing molecules, achieving remarkable efficiency in adsorbing Pb(ii) ions from water. Acid dissolution-electrolysis enables the recycling of adsorbed Pb(ii) to obtain metallic lead.
Low viscosity and low temperature curing reactive POSS/epoxy hybrid resin with enhanced toughness and comprehensive thermal performance
Authors: Han Ruiyan , Ma Xiaoyan , Cai Lifeng , Zhang Zongwu , Fang Yiliang , Wang Jian
Published: March 2024

Leveraging the unique structure and exceptional properties of POSS, this study prepared a high-performance epoxy resin capable of low-temperature curing.
Analysis of the peel structure of different Citrus spp. via light microscopy, SEM and μCT with manual and automatic segmentation
Authors: Jentzsch Maximilian , Albiez Vanessa , Kardamakis Thalia C. , Speck Thomas
Published: March 2024

The peels of lime, lemon, pomelo and citron are investigated at macroscopic and microscopic level.
Extending the absorption of Cs2AgBiCl6 double perovskite to the near infra-red region by copper doping
Authors: Lamba Raman Singh , Kumar Shubham , Dhankhar Pulkit , Yadav Priyesh , Khurana Swati , Jha Varsha , Singh Sahil , Konur Aswathi , Sapra Sameer
Published: March 2024

In this study, we establish the synthesis of Cu doped Cs2AgBiCl6 lead-free double perovskite using three different methods. Cu doping results in extending the absorption window of high bandgap Cs2AgBiCl6 double perovskite to NIR region.
A novel zero-dimensional organic–inorganic hybrid ferroelectric material
Authors: Li Dong , Sun Xiaofan , Jiao Shulin , Zhang Wentao , Lu Yanzhou , Zhao Min , Wu Yizhang , Cai Hong-Ling , Wu Xiaoshan
Published: March 2024

In recent years, organic–inorganic hybrid ferroelectric materials with zero-dimensional (0D) structures have attracted widespread attention due to their fascinating characteristics arising from isolated metal halide structures.
Thioesterases as tools for chemoenzymatic synthesis of macrolactones
Authors: Paquette André R. , Brazeau-Henrie Jordan T. , Boddy Christopher N.
Published: March 2024

Thioesterases are a promising class of biocatalysts for the formation of macrocycles from linear thioester substrates.
Space-confined twin-polymerization enabling homogeneous integration of ultrafine TiO2 nanoparticles into a sulfur-doped carbon matrix for boosting lithium storage
Authors: Huang Haisheng , Lu Yun , Bi Shuguang , Yan Changwang , Yang Yingkui
Published: March 2024

Space-confined twin-polymerization enables homogeneous integration of ultrafine TiO2 nanoparticles into an S-doped carbon skeleton to craft a robust hetero-architecture for boosting lithium storage.
In situ generated dimethylamine constructs a robust hydrogen-bonded organic framework for selective fluorescence detection
Authors: Lai Xiaoxia , Liu Xinxin , Yang Ye , Huang Jinyan , Song Shichang , Ren Shicheng , Liang Xuexue , Wu Dongqi , Zhou Liya , Chen Peican
Published: March 2024

The in situ generated DMA molecules constructs a robust and fluorescent hydrogen-bonded organic framework with DBP.
Enantioselective enrichment of chiral 1-phenylethanol in the camphor-based chiral metal–organic framework CFA-22
Authors: Röβ-Ohlenroth Richard , Knippen Katharina , Kraft Maryana , Volkmer Dirk
Published: March 2024

The novel enantioselective CFA-22 metal–organic frameworks were successfully developed and investigated for chiral adsorption separation of e.g. racemic 1-phenylethanol.
Intrinsic carbon structure modification overcomes the challenge of potassium bond chemistry
Authors: Wei Xijun , Yi Yuyang , Yuan Xiaozhi , Liu Yu , Wan Qi , Gou Guangjun , Zhang Yunhuai , Zhou Guangmin , Song Yingze
Published: March 2024

Heteroatom doping engineering is widely used to modify the physical/chemical properties of carbon anodes, which can regulate the electronic structure and interface state to regulate the potassium bond to improve potassium storage performance.
Synthesis of high-entropy germanides and investigation of their formation process
Authors: Ni Chuyi , O’Connor Kevin M. , Butler Cole , Veinot Jonathan G. C.
Published: March 2024

High-entropy germanides (AuAgCuPdPtGe and FeCoNiCrVGe) were synthesized via a rapid thermal annealing. The formation and growth mechanisms were investigated using in situ heating XRD and TEM.
Methyl functionalization on polyimide side chains as gate dielectrics for organic transistors
Authors: Zou Jiawei , Yu Bo , Qi Yonggang , Wang Lifei , Wang Zhaoyang
Published: March 2024

The strategy of methyl functionalization on polyimide side chains may offer new possibilities for achieving high mobility and low threshold voltage in organic thin-film transistors.
Carbon dots induce abundant oxygen vacancies in CeVO4 for promoting photocatalytic selective hydrogenation of functionalized nitroarenes
Authors: Pang Ernan , Li Shijia , Wu Jie , Chang Qing , Li Ning , Yang Jinlong , Hu Shengliang
Published: March 2024

Carbon dots create the appropriate oxygen vacancies (OVs) in CeVO4 for the chemoselective hydrogenation of functionalized nitroarenes under light irradiation.