bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Demonstration of active neutron interrogation of special nuclear materials using a high-intensity short-pulse-laser-driven neutron source
Authors: Favalli A. , Henzlova D. C. , Croft S. , Deppert O. , Falk K. , Fernandez J. C. , Gautier D. C. , Guler N. , Hamilton C. E. , Ianakiev K. D. , Iliev M. , Johnson R. P. , Kleinschmidt A. , Roth M. , Shimada T. N. , Swinhoe M. , Taddeucci T. N. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractDetecting shielded special nuclear material, such as nuclear explosives, is a difficult challenge pursued by non-proliferation, anti-terrorism, and nuclear security programs worldwide. Interrogation with intense fast-neutron pulses is a promising method to characterize concealed nuclear material rapidly but is limited by suitable source availability and proven instrumentation. In this study we have pioneered a demonstration of such an interrogation method using a high-intensity, short-pulse, laser-driven neutron source that offers potential benefits compared to conventional neutron sources. The measurement results reported here represent the first experimental demonstration of this interrogation approach on enriched uranium items and demonstrate the feasibility of a precise measurement using realistic nuclear materials, representative of field scenarios, even with just a single laser-driven neutron pulse. Bright pulsed sources can overcome the nuisance background of items with strong internal neutron sources, improving analytical power, while single-shot assay is attractive in high-throughput situations where time is at a premium. The science and technology of this type of neutron production is developing rapidly, and we anticipate that practical mobile interrogation systems will become available based on the detection concepts demonstrated here to meet the growing measurement needs.
Production and properties of particleboard and paper from waste poppy straw
Authors: Hájková Kateřina , Holeček Tomáš , Filipi Michaela , Bárta Josef , Sikora Adam , Özkan Uğur 
Published: January 2025

AbstractDue to the scarcity of wood in some countries, it is necessary to replace it with other raw materials and at the same time use the waste material. The aim of this research is to use poppy waste straw for the efficient conversion of possible lignocellulosic materials – pulps and particleboards. Their suitability for the production of composites is assessed on the basis of selected physical or mechanical properties. Tensile strength index, burst strength index and air permeability by Gurley have been identified as critical properties of pulp made from poppy straw through two delignification methods. The better mechanical properties, i.e., tensile strength index, were achieved at 52.7 N·m/g for the sodium pulp, but the nitrate-alkali method also showed corresponding values at 45.9 N·m/g. Similar parameters to those of bagasse or similar fast-growing plants were achieved in particleboard production. The results of this research are used to evaluate poppy straw as an alternative raw material to produce biocomposites.
Fracture properties of porcine versus human thoracic aortas from tricuspid/bicuspid aortic valve patients via symmetry-constraint Compact Tension testing
Authors: Alloisio Marta , Siika Antti , Freiholtz David , Franco-Cereceda Anders , Roy Joy , Björck Hanna M. , Gasser T. Christian 
Published: January 2025

AbstractAneurysm rupture is a life-threatening event, yet its underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. This study investigated the fracture properties of the thoracic aneurysmatic aorta (TAA) using the symmetry-constraint Compact Tension (symconCT) test and compared results to native and enzymatic-treated porcine aortas’ tests. With age, the aortic stiffness increased, and tissues ruptured at lower fracture energy $$D$$. Patients with bicuspid aortic valves were more sensitive to age, had stronger aortas and required more $$D$$ than tricuspid valves individuals (peak load: axial loading 4.42 $$\pm$$ 1.56 N vs 2.51 $$\pm$$ 1.60 N; circumferential loading 5.76 $$\pm$$ 2.43 N vs 4.82 $$\pm$$ 1.49 N. Fracture energy: axial loading 1.92 $$\pm$$ 0.60 kJ m-2 vs 0.74 $$\pm$$ 0.50 kJ m-2; circumferential loading 2.12 $$\pm$$ 2.39 kJ m-2 vs 1.47 $$\pm$$ 0.91 kJ m-2). Collagen content partly explained the variability in $$D$$, especially in bicuspid cases. Besides the primary crack, TAAs and enzymatic-treated porcine aortas displayed diffuse and shear-dominated dissection and tearing. As human tissue tests resembled enzymatic-treated porcine aortas, microstructural degeneration, including elastin loss and collagen degeneration, seems to be the main cause of TAA wall weakening. Additionally, a tortuous crack developing during the symconCT test reflected intact fracture toughening mechanisms and might characterize a healthier aorta.
The effect of temperature constraints on the treatment of tumors using focused ultrasound-induced acoustic streaming
Authors: Price Sebastian E. N. , Gjennestad Magnus Aa. , Kjelstrup Signe , Hansen Rune 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThe transport of drugs into tumor cells near the center of the tumor is known to be severely hindered due to the high interstitial pressure and poor vascularization. The aim of this work is to investigate the possibility to induce acoustic streaming in a tumor. Two tumor cases (breast and abdomen) are simulated to find the acoustic streaming and temperature rise, while varying the focused ultrasound transducer radius, frequency, and power for a constant duty cycle (1%). In the absence of perfusion, the simulated rise in temperature, despite the low duty cycle, never reaches a steady state and is fitted to a logarithmic equation, enabling predictions of the temperature for long treatment times. Higher frequencies and larger probe radii are found to result in shorter treatment times relative to the temperature rise, at the cost of a smaller treated area. Results from the simulations indicate that it may be possible to achieve reasonable acoustic streaming values in tumor without the temperature exceeding 50 °C. Treatment times for streaming a distance of 50 μm in the breast case are shown to range from less than one and a half hour to 93 h, depending on the probe settings.
Role of sclerostin in mastocytosis bone disease
Authors: Szudy-Szczyrek Aneta , Mlak Radosław , Pigoń-Zając Dominika , Krupski Witold , Mazurek Marcin , Tomczak Aleksandra , Chromik Karolina , Górska Aleksandra , Koźlik Paweł , Juda Adrian , Kokoć Anna , Dubaj Maciej , Sacha Tomasz , Niedoszytko Marek , Helbig Grzegorz , Szczyrek Michał , Szumiło Justyna , Małecka-Massalska Teresa , Hus Marek 
Published: January 2025

AbstractMastocytosis is a heterogeneous group of disorders, characterized by accumulation of clonal mast cells which can infiltrate several organs, most often spine (70%). The pathogenesis of mastocytosis bone disease is poorly understood. The main aim of the study was to investigate whether neoplastic mast cells may be the source of sclerostin and whether there is an association between sclerostin and selected bone remodeling markers with mastocytosis related bone disease. We assessed sclerostin, bioactive sclerostin, and SOST gene expression in HMC-1.2 human mast cell culture supernatants and plasma of SM patients (n = 39). We showed that human mast cells can secrete sclerostin, and after their stimulation with IL-6, there is a significant increase in SOST gene expression. We observed significantly higher levels of sclerostin in patients diagnosed with more advanced disease. We observed a statistically significant correlation between concentations of sclerostin and its bioactive form and the concentration of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and between sclerostin and interleukin-6 (IL-6). We observed that significantly higher sclerostin concentrations are present in patients with increased sclerosis of the spongy bone. Sclerostin may serve as a marker of more advanced disease and bone disease in mastocytosis. Further studies are justified to evaluate its role in mastocytosis.
Evaluating multiannual sedimentary nutrient retention in agricultural two-stage channels
Authors: Västilä Kaisa , Jilbert Tom 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThe two-stage channel (TSC) design with a vegetated man-made floodplain has been recommended as an alternative to conventional re-dredging for managing suspended sediment (SS) and nutrient loads in agricultural streams. However, there are currently uncertainties surrounding the efficiency of TSCs, since mass balances covering the whole annual hydrograph and including different periods of the channel life cycle are lacking. This paper aims to improve understanding of the medium-term morphological development and sedimentary nutrient retention when a dredged, trapezoidal-shaped channel is converted into a TSC, using a mass balance estimate of nutrient and carbon retention from immediately after excavation until the establishment of approximate biogeochemical equilibrium retention. We developed a framework allowing estimation of the sedimentary net retention of phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) considering the differences in the initial and mature biogeochemical conditions in topsoil between different channel parts. Further, we conducted repeated elevation surveys and analyses of vertical sedimentary elemental chemistry over a 9-year period to apply the framework at a pilot site in Southern Finland. The pilot TSC floodplain significantly retained SS and nutrients while the low-flow channel did not suffer from siltation, supporting the hypothesized enhanced self-cleansing capacity of TSCs compared to trapezoidal cross-sections. Because of the flushing of the earlier bed deposits, there was net release of SS, P, and N over the first 9 years in the entire TSC system. Depending on the element and channel part considered, physical deposition constituted 13‒79% of the net retention on the newly exposed, excavated surfaces, while the remainder could be attributed to biogeochemical retention, enriching the topsoil in nutrients and carbon. The developed framework is highly suitable to assess the medium-term sedimentary nutrient retention in TSC systems. As a novelty, the framework improves the reliability of the retention efficiency evaluation compared to the typically used snapshot water quality sampling and allows prioritizing the required sediment coring at further TSC sites. The results allow heterogeneities in the process rates to be quantified and potential inefficiencies in nutrient retention due to channel design and morphology to be identified.
Stakeholder diversity matters: employing the wisdom of crowds for data-poor fisheries assessments
Authors: Jones Benjamin L. H. , Santos Rolando O. , James W. Ryan , Shephard Samuel , Adams Aaron J. , Boucek Ross E. , Coals Lucy , Costa Sophia V. , Cullen-Unsworth Leanne C. , Rehage Jennifer S. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractEmbracing local knowledge is vital to conserve and manage biodiversity, yet frameworks to do so are lacking. We need to understand which, and how many knowledge holders are needed to ensure that management recommendations arising from local knowledge are not skewed towards the most vocal individuals. Here, we apply a Wisdom of Crowds framework to a data-poor recreational catch-and-release fishery, where individuals interact with natural resources in different ways. We aimed to test whether estimates of fishing quality from diverse groups (multiple ages and years of experience), were better than estimates provided by homogenous groups and whether thresholds exist for the number of individuals needed to capture estimates. We found that diversity matters; by using random subsampling combined with saturation principles, we determine that targeting 31% of the survey sample size captured 75% of unique responses. Estimates from small diverse subsets of this size outperformed most estimates from homogenous groups; sufficiently diverse small crowds are just as effective as large crowds in estimating ecological state. We advocate for more diverse knowledge holders in local knowledge research and application.
Innovative machine learning approaches for indoor air temperature forecasting in smart infrastructure
Authors: Shakhovska Nataliya , Mochurad Lesia , Caro Rosana , Argyroudis Sotirios 
Published: January 2025

AbstractEfficient energy management and maintaining an optimal indoor climate in buildings are critical tasks in today’s world. This paper presents an innovative approach to surrogate modeling for predicting indoor air temperature (IAT) in buildings, leveraging advanced machine learning techniques. At the core of this study is the application of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks for time-series modeling, which significantly enhances the capture of temporal dependencies in temperature predictions. The proposed LSTM with RWCV (Rolling Window Cross-Validation) offers significant advantages over a usual LSTM in time-series tasks, particularly due to its ability to adapt to new data trends through the rolling window mechanism. It provides more robust and generalizable forecasts in dynamic environments, prevents overfitting through dropout and cross-validation, and improves model evaluation with temporal integrity. In contrast, traditional LSTM models are better suited for static, non-evolving datasets and may not handle dynamic time-series data effectively. To rigorously assess model performance, a comprehensive evaluation framework is developed, incorporating metrics such as mean square error (MSE) and the coefficient of determination (R²). Additionally, a novel cumulative error analysis method is introduced enabling real-time monitoring and model adjustment to maintain predictive accuracy over time. Test results demonstrate that model losses on the test dataset are only marginally higher than those on the training dataset, indicating robust generalization capabilities. Loss values range from 0.0004709 to 0.02819861, depending on building operating conditions. A comparative analysis reveals that Adaboost and Gradient Boosting models outperform linear regression, highlighting their potential for achieving energy-efficient and comfortable indoor climate management in buildings. The findings underscore the efficacy of the proposed approach for IAT prediction and point towards further research possibilities in dataset expansion and model optimization to enhance building climate management and energy conservation.
Quantitative and longitudinal assessment of human placental inflammation using diffusion basis spectrum imaging
Authors: Sun Zhexian , Wu Wenjie , Xiang Zezhen , Gao Hansong , Ju Weina , Uhm Cherilyn , Hagemann Ian S. , Woodard Pamela K. , Zhong Nanbert , Cahill Alison G. , Wang Qing , Wang Yong 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBesides exchanging nutrients, gases, and wastes, placenta is an intermediary between maternal and fetal immune systems. However, no method exists to safely image and monitor placental inflammation during pregnancy. We customized a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) method, diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI), to measure immune cells in placenta. We validated placental DBSI in simulations and ex-vivo specimens, then applied it to 202 MRI scans from 82 patients whose placentas were classified as non-inflammation (n = 70) or inflammation (n = 12). Our method imaged the 3D distribution of immune cells, revealing significantly greater infiltration in the inflammation placentas from early (2.8% ± 0.7% vs. 4.8% ± 0.65%, p < 0.01) to late pregnancy (4.75% ± 0.9% vs. 7.25% ± 2.13%, p < 0.01). DBSI detects elevated immune cell infiltration associated with placental inflammation and enables non-invasive imaging of placental inflammation, offering early detection and monitoring throughout pregnancy, facilitating personalized care and potentially improving pregnancy outcomes without ionizing radiation.
A bipartite bacterial virulence factor targets the complement system and neutrophil activation
Authors: Kurniyati Kurni , Clark Nicholas D , Wang Hongxia , Deng Yijie , Sze Ching Wooen , Visser Michelle B , Malkowski Michael G , Li Chunhao 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
The complement system and neutrophils constitute the two main pillars of the host innate immune defense against infection by bacterial pathogens. Here, we identify T-Mac, a novel virulence factor of the periodontal pathogen Treponema denticola that allows bacteria to evade both defense systems. We show that T-Mac is expressed as a pre-protein that is cleaved into two functional units. The N-terminal fragment has two immunoglobulin-like domains and binds with high affinity to the major neutrophil chemokine receptors FPR1 and CXCR1, blocking N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe- and IL-8-induced neutrophil chemotaxis and activation. The C-terminal fragment functions as a cysteine protease with a unique proteolytic activity and structure, which degrades several components of the complement system, such as C3 and C3b. Murine infection studies further reveal a critical T-Mac role in tissue damage and inflammation caused by bacterial infection. Collectively, these results disclose a novel innate immunity-evasion strategy, and open avenues for investigating the role of cysteine proteases and immunoglobulin-like domains of gram-positive and -negative bacterial pathogens.
A phosphate-binding pocket in cyclin B3 is essential for XErp1/Emi2 degradation in meiosis I
Authors: Schunk Rebecca , Halder Marc , Schäfer Michael , Johannes Elijah , Heim Andreas , Boland Andreas , Mayer Thomas U 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
To ensure the correct euploid state of embryos, it is essential that vertebrate oocytes await fertilization arrested at metaphase of meiosis II. This MII arrest is mediated by XErp1/Emi2, which inhibits the ubiquitin ligase APC/C (anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome). Cyclin B3 in complex with Cdk1 (cyclin-dependent kinase 1) is essential to prevent an untimely arrest of vertebrate oocytes in meiosis I by targeting XErp1/Emi2 for degradation. Yet, the molecular mechanism of XErp1/Emi2 degradation in MI is not well understood. Here, by combining TRIM-Away in oocytes with egg extract and in vitro studies, we demonstrate that a hitherto unknown phosphate-binding pocket in cyclin B3 is essential for efficient XErp1/Emi2 degradation in meiosis I. This pocket enables Cdk1/cyclin B3 to bind pre-phosphorylated XErp1/Emi2 facilitating further phosphorylation events, which ultimately target XErp1/Emi2 for degradation in a Plk1- (Polo-like kinase 1) dependent manner. Key elements of this degradative mechanism are conserved in frog and mouse. Our studies identify a novel, evolutionarily conserved determinant of Cdk/cyclin substrate specificity essential to prevent an untimely oocyte arrest at meiosis I with catastrophic consequences upon fertilization.
A robust few‐shot classifier with image as set of points
Authors: Peng Suhua , Zhang Zongliang , Huang Xingwang , Wang Zongyue , Su Shubing , Cai Guorong 
Published: January 2025

AbstractIn recent years, many few‐shot classification methods have been proposed. However, only a few of them have explored robust classification, which is an important aspect of human visual intelligence. Humans can effortlessly recognise visual patterns, including lines, circles, and even characters, from image data that has been corrupted or degraded. In this paper, the authors investigate a robust classification method that extends the classical paradigm of robust geometric model fitting. The method views an image as a set of points in a low‐dimensional space and analyses each image through low‐dimensional geometric model fitting. In contrast, the majority of other methods, such as deep learning methods, treat an image as a single point in a high‐dimensional space. The authors evaluate the performance of the method using a noisy Omniglot dataset. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is significantly more robust than other methods. The source code and data for this paper are available at https://github.com/pengsuhua/PMF_OMNIGLOT.
Simulation of oxygen and carbon impurity transport during magnetically controlled Czochralski silicon growth
Authors: Zhang Wenyong , Gao Dedong , Wang Shan , An Yan , Wu Haohao , Lin Haixin , Hou Lin 
Published: January 2025

This study establishes a multi-field coupling model that includes a thermal field, flow field, oxygen and carbon impurity concentration field, and magnetic field, focusing on controlling the transport of oxygen impurities at the free surface of the melt. The effects of cusp magnetic field introduction, argon inlet flow velocity, and furnace pressure on the transport of oxygen and carbon impurities are analyzed, and the concentration field distribution of oxygen and carbon impurities within the furnace at the equal-diameter stage (300 mm) under different parameters is obtained. The results show that the method combining the cusp magnetic field with adjustments in furnace pressure and argon flow velocity can significantly reduce the oxygen concentration in the melt below the crystal and effectively expel oxygen and carbon impurities, providing optimization references for applying cusp magnetic fields and reducing oxygen and carbon impurities in the melt for large-sized Czochralski single-crystal silicon.
h-CMD: An efficient hybrid fast centroid and quasi-centroid molecular dynamics method for the simulation of vibrational spectra
Authors: Limbu Dil K. , London Nathan , Faruque Md Omar , Momeni Mohammad R. 
Published: January 2025

Developing efficient path integral (PI) methods for atomistic simulations of vibrational spectra in heterogeneous condensed phases and interfaces has long been a challenging task. Here, we present the h-CMD method, short for hybrid centroid molecular dynamics, which combines the recently introduced fast quasi-CMD (f-QCMD) method with fast CMD (f-CMD). In this scheme, molecules that are believed to suffer more seriously from the curvature problem of CMD, e.g., water, are treated with f-QCMD, while the rest, e.g., solid surfaces, are treated with f-CMD. To test the accuracy of the newly introduced scheme, the infrared spectra of the interfacial D2O confined in the archetypal ZIF-90 framework are simulated using h-CMD compared to a variety of other PI methods, including thermostatted ring-polymer molecular dynamics (T-RPMD) and partially adiabatic CMD as well as f-CMD and experiment as reference. Comparisons are also made with classical MD, where nuclear quantum effects are neglected entirely. Our detailed comparisons at different temperatures of 250–600 K show that h-CMD produces O–D stretches that are in close agreement with the experiment, correcting the known curvature problem and redshifting of the stretch peaks of CMD. h-CMD also corrects the known issues associated with too artificially dampened and broadened spectra of T-RPMD, which leads to missing the characteristic doublet feature of the interfacial confined water, rendering it unsuitable for these systems. The new h-CMD method broadens the applicability of f-QCMD to heterogeneous condensed phases and interfaces, where defining curvilinear coordinates for the entire system is not feasible.
A kinetic description of the goods exchange market allowing transfer of agents
Authors: Sun Rongmei , Wang Daixin 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
In order to avoid the worsening of wealth inequality, it is necessary to explore the influence factors of wealth distribution and discuss the measures to reduce wealth inequality. We investigate the wealth distribution in goods exchange market by using the kinetic theory of rarefied gas. The trading objects are two kinds of commodities (commodities A and B), and the trading subjects are agents of two groups (dealers and speculators). We deduce the interaction rules according to the principle of utility maximization and consider the transfer of agents in the Boltzmann equation. The steady solution of Fokker-Planck equation for a special case is obtained, and the effects of trading strategy and transfer frequency on steady distribution are analyzed in numerical experiments. The conclusions illustrate that the transfer of agents is conducive to reducing the inequality of wealth distribution.