bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Phylogeny and systematics of the colubrid snake genera Liopeltis and Gongylosoma (Squamata: Colubridae) and description of a new Himalayan endemic genus and species
Authors: Mirza Zeeshan A. , Bhardwaj Virender K. , Pal Saunak , Lalremsanga H. T. , Vogel Gernot , Campbell Patrick D. , Patel Harshil 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThe colubrid snakes of the genera Gongylosoma Fitzinger, 1843 and Liopeltis Fitzinger, 1843 are distributed across south and southeast Asia with five and eight nominate species, respectively. Despite their wide distribution, members of these genera are among some of the least-known colubrids. The two genera were considered synonymous in the past only to be separated later, and are defined on rather nebulose characters with a lack of support from molecular data. To test the monophyly of the two genera, we generated molecular data for the type species of Gongylosoma and species representing the two genera, including samples of Liopeltis rappii (Günther, 1860) from the western Himalayas. Results recovered paraphyly of Liopeltis, especially with regard to the genus Gongylosoma. Morphological data supports recognizing the western and eastern populations of L. rappii as two distinct species. The findings from our integrative taxonomic approach advocate establishing a new genus to embody Liopeltis rappii and a new allied species from the central and western Himalayas. A rediagnosis and revised classification of the genera Gongylosoma and Liopeltis is presented. The results further hint at cryptic diversity across members of the two genera, warranting scrutiny of the most widespread members of the group.
Immunogenicity of Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5 booster COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in long-term survivors after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Einarsdottir Sigrun , Al-Dury Samer , Fridriksson Ellen , Andius Linn Dahlsten , Wang Hao , Sharba Sinan , Mountagui Amin , Waern Johan , Ringlander Johan , Martner Anna , Hellstrand Kristoffer , Waldenström Jesper , Lagging Martin 
Published: October 2024

AbstractPrimary mRNA vaccination against COVID-19 typically involves three doses for immunocompromised individuals, including hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) recipients. However, optimal subsequent boosting strategies remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the immunogenicity of a booster dose using the most recently updated vaccine (Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5) among long-term allo-HSCT survivors having previously received multiple mRNA vaccine doses, in median 4 (2–6). Thirty-four allo-HSCT recipients were enrolled at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, and peripheral blood samples were collected immediately before and four weeks after booster. Antibodies against the receptor-binding domain (anti-RBD) of spike 1 (S1) and nucleocapsid, as well as S1-specific ex vivo T-cell responses, were evaluated. Adverse events were monitored. Despite a median of 13 months since the prior vaccine dose, both humoral and T-cell responses against S1 were present in the pre-booster samples in all but two participants, who suffered from severe chronic Graft-versus-host disease. Notably, 62% of participants had a previously confirmed COVID-19 infection. Significantly higher pre-booster antibody levels were observed in women than men (p = 0.003). Booster dosing strengthened specific antibody and T cell responses and equalized pre-booster gender differences, although responses remained significantly lower among those receiving immunosuppressive treatment (p = 0.041). In a population of long-term allo-HSCT survivors, the majority of whom had a prior confirmed COVID-19 infection, both pre- and post-booster immune responses were robust. However, patients undergoing immunosuppressive treatment for GvHD exhibited significantly weaker responses.
Inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome contributes to paclitaxel efficacy in triple negative breast cancer treatment
Authors: Balahura Stămat Liliana-Roxana , Dinescu Sorina 
Published: October 2024

AbstractChronic inflammation and NLRP3 inflammasome activation are among the determining factors of breast malignancies. Paclitaxel (PTX) is a drug used in breast cancer treatment which sustains prolonged inflammation, reducing the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Considering the impact of inflammatory processes in cancer progression, there is a strong concern to develop therapeutic strategy targeting NLRP3 inflammasome for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of PTX and NLRP3 inflammasome modulation to counterbalance TNBC by inducing programmed cell death and inhibiting the activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The obtained results suggested the strong interaction between NLRP3 inflammasome and TNBC and revealed that pharmacological inhibition, using NLRP3-specific inhibitor MCC950, and genetic silencing of NLRP3 inflammasome using specific small interfering RNA, reduced inflammatory responses and facilitated PTX-determined tumor cell death. Thus, NLRP3 inflammasome manipulation in combination with anti-tumor drugs opens up new therapeutic perspectives for TNBC therapy.
Electrospun Pt-TiO2 nanofibers Doped with HPA for Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation
Authors: Taiswa Amos , Maglinao Randy L. , Andriolo Jessica M. , Kumar Sandeep , Skinner Jack L. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractElectrospinning is utilized to fabricate catalytic nanofiber scaffold for biocrude upgrading in hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) following computational studies suggesting the need for nano-catalysts for efficient HDO conversion and selectivity. Here, Pt-TiO2 nanofibers are fabricated through electrospinning, followed by wet impregnation with a heteropoly acid (HPA), tungstosilicic acid. Intensive heat treatments were incorporated during and after processes to obtain a HPA doped Pt-TiO2 nano-catalyst. Catalytic HDO was performed in a batch reactor with phenol as the raw biocrude dissolved in hexadecane. The HPA doped Pt-TiO2 catalyst demonstrated promising HDO performance of 37.2% conversion and a 78.9% selectivity to oxygen free benzene and the remainder 21.1% as diphenyl ester as a result of esterification by acidic components of the catalyst. Additionally, BET surface area characterization show a low surface area 16.9 m2 g−1 significantly lower than existing commercial catalysts and a mesoporous nature suitable for selectivity. The presence of HPA on the anatase nanofiber compensated for low platinum nanoparticles crystallinity on the nanofibers. This work might create needed alternatives for preparing HDO catalysts for efficient aromatics production.
The impact of North American winter weather regimes on electricity load in the central United States
Authors: Millin Oliver T. , Furtado Jason C. , Malloy Christopher 
Published: October 2024

AbstractExtreme wintertime cold in the central United States (US) can drive excessive electricity demand and grid failures, with substantial socioeconomic effects. Predicting cold-induced demand surges is relatively understudied, especially on the subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) timescale of 2 weeks to 2 months. North American winter weather regimes are atmospheric tools that are based on persistent atmospheric circulation patterns, and have been linked to potential S2S predictability of extreme cold in the central US. We study the relationship between winter weather regimes and daily peak load across 13 balancing authorities in the Southwest Power Pool. Anomalous ridging across Alaska, the West Coast, and Greenland drive increases in demand and extreme demand risk. Conversely, anomalous troughing across the Arctic and North Pacific reduces extreme demand risk. Thus, weather regimes may not only be an important long-lead predictor for North American electricity load, but potentially a useful tool for end users and stakeholders.
Evaluation and mitigation of cognitive biases in medical language models
Authors: Schmidgall Samuel , Harris Carl , Essien Ime , Olshvang Daniel , Rahman Tawsifur , Kim Ji Woong , Ziaei Rojin , Eshraghian Jason , Abadir Peter , Chellappa Rama 
Published: October 2024

AbstractIncreasing interest in applying large language models (LLMs) to medicine is due in part to their impressive performance on medical exam questions. However, these exams do not capture the complexity of real patient–doctor interactions because of factors like patient compliance, experience, and cognitive bias. We hypothesized that LLMs would produce less accurate responses when faced with clinically biased questions as compared to unbiased ones. To test this, we developed the BiasMedQA dataset, which consists of 1273 USMLE questions modified to replicate common clinically relevant cognitive biases. We assessed six LLMs on BiasMedQA and found that GPT-4 stood out for its resilience to bias, in contrast to Llama 2 70B-chat and PMC Llama 13B, which showed large drops in performance. Additionally, we introduced three bias mitigation strategies, which improved but did not fully restore accuracy. Our findings highlight the need to improve LLMs’ robustness to cognitive biases, in order to achieve more reliable applications of LLMs in healthcare.
Crystal structure of the 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA synthetase (ADP-forming) from nitrosopumilus maritimus
Authors: Johnson Jerome , Tolar Bradley B. , Tosun Bilge , Yoshikuni Yasuo , Francis Christopher A. , Wakatsuki Soichi , DeMirci Hasan 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThe 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate (3HP/4HB) cycle from ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota is currently considered the most energy-efficient aerobic carbon fixation pathway. The Nitrosopumilus maritimus 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA synthetase (ADP-forming; Nmar_0206) represents one of several enzymes from this cycle that exhibit increased efficiency over crenarchaeal counterparts. This enzyme reduces energy requirements on the cell, reflecting thaumarchaeal success in adapting to low-nutrient environments. Here we show the structure of Nmar_0206 from Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1, which reveals a highly conserved interdomain linker loop between the CoA-binding and ATP-grasp domains. Phylogenetic analysis suggests the widespread prevalence of this loop and highlights both its underrepresentation within the PDB and structural importance within the (ATP-forming) acyl-CoA synthetase (ACD) superfamily. This linker is shown to have a possible influence on conserved interface interactions between domains, thereby influencing homodimer stability. These results provide a structural basis for the energy efficiency of this key enzyme in the modified 3HP/4HB cycle of Thaumarchaeota.
Ca3[C2O5]2[CO3] is a pyrocarbonate which can be formed at p, T-conditions prevalent in the Earth’s transition zone
Authors: Spahr Dominik , Bayarjargal Lkhamsuren , Bykov Maxim , Brüning Lukas , Jurzick Pascal L. , Wang Yu , Milman Victor , Refson Keith , Mezouar Mohamed , Winkler Björn 
Published: October 2024

AbstractUnderstanding the fate of subducted carbonates is a prerequisite for the elucidation of the Earth’s deep carbon cycle. Here we show that the concomitant presence of Ca[CO3] with CO2 in a subducting slab very likely results in the formation of an anhydrous mixed pyrocarbonate, $${{{{\rm{Ca}}}}}_{3}{\left[{{{{\rm{C}}}}}_{2}{{{{\rm{O}}}}}_{5}\right]}_{2}\left[{{{{\rm{CO}}}}}_{3}\right]$$

Ca

3

C

2

O

5

2

CO

3

, at moderate pressure ( ≈ 20 GPa) and temperature ( ≈ 1500 K) conditions. We show that at these conditions $${{{{\rm{Ca}}}}}_{3}{\left[{{{{\rm{C}}}}}_{2}{{{{\rm{O}}}}}_{5}\right]}_{2}\left[{{{{\rm{CO}}}}}_{3}\right]$$

Ca

3

C

2

O

5

2

CO

3

can be obtained by reacting Ca[CO3] with CO2 in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell. The crystal structure was obtained from synchrotron-based single crystal X-ray diffraction data. Density Functional Perturbation Theory calculations in combination with experimental Raman spectroscopy results unambiguously confirmed the structural model. The crystal structure of $${{{{\rm{Ca}}}}}_{3}{\left[{{{{\rm{C}}}}}_{2}{{{{\rm{O}}}}}_{5}\right]}_{2}\left[{{{{\rm{CO}}}}}_{3}\right]$$

Ca

3

C

2

O

5

2

CO

3

is characterized by the presence of $${\left[{{{{\rm{CO}}}}}_{3}\right]}^{2-}$$

CO

3

2
−

- and $${\left[{{{{\rm{C}}}}}_{2}{{{{\rm{O}}}}}_{5}\right]}^{2-}$$

C

2

O

5

2
−

-groups. The results presented here imply that the formation of $${{{{\rm{Ca}}}}}_{3}{\left[{{{{\rm{C}}}}}_{2}{{{{\rm{O}}}}}_{5}\right]}_{2}\left[{{{{\rm{CO}}}}}_{3}\right]$$

Ca

3

C

2

O

5

2

CO

3

needs to be taken into account when constructing models of the deep carbon cycle of the Earth.
Relativistic treatment of hole alignment in noble gas atoms
Authors: Tahouri Rezvan , Papoulia Asimina , Carlström Stefanos , Zapata Felipe , Dahlström Jan Marcus 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThe development in attosecond physics allows for unprecedented control of atoms and molecules in the time domain. Here, ultrashort pulses are used to prepare atomic ions in specific magnetic states, which may be important for controlling charge migration in molecules. Our work fills the knowledge gap of relativistic hole alignment prepared by femtosecond and attosecond pulses. The research focuses on optimizing the central frequency and duration of pulses to exploit specific spectral features, such as Fano profiles, Cooper minima, and giant resonances. Simulations are performed using the Relativistic Time-Dependent Configuration-Interaction Singles method. Ultrafast hole alignment with large ratios (on the order of one hundred) is observed in the outer-shell hole of argon. An even larger alignment (on the order of one thousand) is observed in the inner-shell hole of xenon.
Large igneous provinces played a major role in oceanic oxygenation events during the mid-Proterozoic
Authors: Luo Anbo , Sun Guangyi , Grasby Stephen E. , Yin Runsheng 
Published: October 2024

AbstractLow atmospheric oxygen levels during the mid-Proterozoic were occasionally interrupted by transient high oxygen levels. The cause of mid-Proterozoic ocean redox variability remains unclear. Here we investigate mercury chemostratigraphy across the Jixian section of North China Craton through two oxygenation intervals. Abnormal spikes in mercury concentration and excursions of mercury isotopes are observed in the Dahongyu and Hongshuizhuang formations, which occur just below the two oxygenation intervals, respectively. These mercury anomalies suggest that the two oxygenation events were preceded by subaerial volcanism. Furthermore, the two oxygenation intervals show increased nutrient concentrations and negative shifts in mercury isotopes, indicating that enhanced weathering and terrestrial nutrient influx occurred during oxygenation intervals. We infer that in the breakup setting of the Columbia supercontinent, large igneous province volcanism and its efficient low-latitude weathering could rapidly increase terrestrial nutrient influx into the ocean, promoting oceanic productivity and a pulsed rise in oxygen levels.
High-resolution modeling and projection of heat-related mortality in Germany under climate change
Authors: Wang Junyu , Nikolaou Nikolaos , an der Heiden Matthias , Irrgang Christopher 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Background
Heat has become a leading cause of preventable deaths during summer. Understanding the link between high temperatures and excess mortality is crucial for designing effective prevention and adaptation plans. Yet, data analyses are challenging due to often fragmented data archives over different agglomeration levels.

Method
Using Germany as a case study, we develop a multi-scale machine learning model to estimate heat-related mortality with variable temporal and spatial resolution. This approach allows us to estimate heat-related mortality at different scales, such as regional heat risk during a specific heatwave, annual and nationwide heat risk, or future heat risk under climate change scenarios.

Results
We estimate a total of 48,000 heat-related deaths in Germany during the last decade (2014–2023), and the majority of heat-related deaths occur during specific heatwave events. Aggregating our results over larger regions, we reach good agreement with previously published reports from Robert Koch Institute (RKI). In 2023, the heatwave of July 7–14 contributes approximately 1100 cases (28%) to a total of approximately 3900 heat-related deaths for the whole year. Combining our model with shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) of future climate change provides evidence that heat-related mortality in Germany could further increase by a factor of 2.5 (SSP245) to 9 (SSP370) without adaptation to extreme heat under static sociodemographic developments assumptions.

Conclusions
Our approach is a valuable tool for climate-driven public health strategies, aiding in the identification of local risks during heatwaves and long-term resilience planning.
Targeting the transcription factor YY1 is synthetic lethal with loss of the histone demethylase KDM5C
Authors: Zheng Qian , Li Pengfei , Qiang Yulong , Fan Jiachen , Xing Yuzhu , Zhang Ying , Yang Fan , Li Feng , Xiong Jie 
Published: October 2024

AbstractAn understanding of the enzymatic and scaffolding functions of epigenetic modifiers is important for the development of epigenetic therapies for cancer. The H3K4me2/3 histone demethylase KDM5C has been shown to regulate transcription. The diverse roles of KDM5C are likely determined by its interacting partners, which are still largely unknown. In this study, we screen for KDM5C-binding proteins and show that YY1 interacts with KDM5C. A synergistic antitumor effect is exerted when both KDM5C and YY1 are depleted, and targeting YY1 appears to be a vulnerability in KDM5C-deficient cancer cells. Mechanistically, KDM5C promotes global YY1 chromatin recruitment, especially at promoters. Moreover, an intact KDM5C JmjC domain but not KDM5C histone demethylase activity is required for KDM5C-mediated YY1 chromatin binding. Transcriptional profiling reveals that dual inhibition of KDM5C and YY1 increases transcriptional repression of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related genes. In summary, our work demonstrates a synthetic lethal interaction between YY1 and KDM5C and suggests combination therapies for cancer treatments.
Microencapsulation of broccoli sulforaphane using whey and pea protein: in vitro dynamic gastrointestinal digestion and intestinal absorption by Caco-2-HT29-MTX-E12 cells
Authors: Ali Redha Ali , Torquati Luciana , Bows John R. , Gidley Michael J. , Cozzolino Daniel 
Published: October 2024

Sulforaphane-rich extract was prepared from broccoli. The extract was encapsulated with whey and pea protein isolates by freeze-drying. The products were characterised and assessed for in vitro bioaccessibility and bioavailability.
HealthChain: A blockchain‐based framework for secure and interoperable electronic health records (EHRs)
Authors: Husnain Ghassan , Ullah Zia , Mohmand Muhammad Ismail , Qadir Mansoor , Alzahrani Khalid J. , Ghadi Yazeed Yasin , Alkahtani Hend Khalid 
Published: October 2024

AbstractCurrently, there is no unified Electronic Health Record (EHR) system connecting major healthcare organizations such as hospitals, medical centers, and specialists. Blockchain technology, with its unique features, provides an ideal platform for developing a large‐scale electronic health record system. In this article, the authors introduce HealthChain, a novel blockchain‐based secure EHR system that integrates advanced encryption techniques, a robust consent management system, cross‐platform interoperability, and enhanced scalability. Unlike existing EHR systems, HealthChain allows patients to have comprehensive control over their health data, ensuring that access is strictly regulated according to their preferences. The experimental results demonstrate several significant improvements over traditional EHR systems. HealthChain reduces data access times by 30%, and its interoperability rate with various healthcare systems is 40% higher than that of other blockchain‐based EHR solutions. Security is greatly enhanced, with HealthChain experiencing 50% fewer data breaches due to its advanced encryption and smart contract‐based access controls. Moreover, patient satisfaction has increased by 35% as a result of better control and access to their health records. These findings highlight HealthChain as not only a feasible and effective solution for managing health records but also a significant advancement over existing systems.
Far field reconstruction of antennas via single‐surface phaseless spherical near‐field scans: A novel approach based on dipole equivalence
Authors: Tan Junzhe , Song Lingnan , Xiang Zhiqiang 
Published: October 2024

AbstractA novel approach is proposed in this paper to reconstruct the far‐field radiation pattern from the phaseless electric field of an antenna scanned on a single near‐field sphere. It adopts the dipole equivalence approach to project the near‐field electric field into a spherically distributed array of electric dipoles. A term representing the error from the linearly correlated portion in the least‐square problem associated with the dipole equivalence, namely the linear correlation error, is introduced. It is demonstrated that by iterative search to minimize the linear correlation error using the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy, near‐field phase distributions can be found efficiently from the magnitude‐only near‐field, and the far‐field radiation pattern can be computed. Two representative case studies are given here to validate the proposed method. Results demonstrate good agreements between computations and simulations.
Enhancing distance protection in transmission grids with high penetration of renewable energy sources through cooperative protection
Authors: Koloushani Sayed Mahdi , Taher Seyed Abbas 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThis article introduces innovative protection strategies, including cooperative protection, for power transmission grids amidst a significant shift towards renewable energy sources (RES) such as wind and solar power, as well as inverter‐based resources (IBRs). The method employs a global consensus algorithm to achieve cooperative protection efficiently. This scheme leverages consensus protocols to dynamically oversee distance relay decisions, ensuring efficient fault detection and localization. The decentralized nature of the proposed method enhances robustness and security, while its high‐speed operation is ensured through non‐iterative global consensus algorithms, which provide rapid fault detection and localization crucial for real‐time protection. By incorporating virtual leaders and leveraging existing communication infrastructure, the method achieves superior selectivity in identifying faulty lines, enhancing the reliability and stability of power transmission grids with high‐RES penetration. Notably, the method does not require learning and training processes, making it adaptable to varying power system topologies without the need for extensive retraining or adaptation periods. The proposed methodology enables simultaneous participation in multiple protection zones by establishing interaction rules between agents. Virtual leaders simplify the selection of protection areas, enhancing scalability and fault localization. Simulation results conducted on the IEEE 39‐bus test system validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.