bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Proliferation of group II introns in the chloroplast genome of the green algaOedocladium carolinianum(Chlorophyceae)
Authors: Brouard Jean-Simon , Turmel Monique , Otis Christian , Lemieux Claude 
Published: October 2016

BackgroundThe chloroplast genome sustained extensive changes in architecture during the evolution of the Chlorophyceae, a morphologically and ecologically diverse class of green algae belonging to the Chlorophyta; however, the forces driving these changes are poorly understood. The five orders recognized in the Chlorophyceae form two major clades: the CS clade consisting of the Chlamydomonadales and Sphaeropleales, and the OCC clade consisting of the Oedogoniales, Chaetophorales, and Chaetopeltidales. In the OCC clade, considerable variations in chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) structure, size, gene order, and intron content have been observed. The large inverted repeat (IR), an ancestral feature characteristic of most green plants, is present inOedogonium cardiacum(Oedogoniales) but is lacking in the examined members of the Chaetophorales and Chaetopeltidales. Remarkably, theOedogonium35.5-kb IR houses genes that were putatively acquired through horizontal DNA transfer. To better understand the dynamics of chloroplast genome evolution in the Oedogoniales, we analyzed the cpDNA of a second representative of this order,Oedocladium carolinianum.MethodsTheOedocladiumcpDNA was sequenced and annotated. The evolutionary distances separatingOedocladiumandOedogoniumcpDNAs and two other pairs of chlorophycean cpDNAs were estimated using a 61-gene data set. Phylogenetic analysis of an alignment of group IIA introns from members of the OCC clade was performed. Secondary structures and insertion sites of oedogonialean group IIA introns were analyzed.ResultsThe 204,438-bpOedocladiumgenome is 7.9 kb larger than theOedogoniumgenome, but its repertoire of conserved genes is remarkably similar and gene order differs by only one reversal. Although the 23.7-kb IR is missing the putative foreign genes found inOedogonium, it contains sequences coding for a putative phage or bacterial DNA primase and a hypothetical protein. Intergenic sequences are 1.5-fold longer and dispersed repeats are more abundant, but a smaller fraction of theOedocladiumgenome is occupied by introns. Six additional group II introns are present, five of which lack ORFs and carry highly similar sequences to that of the ORF-less IIA intron shared withOedogonium. Secondary structure analysis of the group IIA introns disclosed marked differences in the exon-binding sites; however, each intron showed perfect or nearly perfect base pairing interactions with its target site.DiscussionOur results suggest that chloroplast genes rearrange more slowly in the Oedogoniales than in the Chaetophorales and raise questions as to what was the nature of the foreign coding sequences in the IR of the common ancestor of the Oedogoniales. They provide the first evidence for intragenomic proliferation of group IIA introns in the Viridiplantae, revealing that intron spread in theOedocladiumlineage likely occurred by retrohoming after sequence divergence of the exon-binding sites.
Historical Redlining, Contemporary Gentrification, and Severe Maternal Morbidity in California, 2005-2018
Authors: Gao Xing , Morello-Frosch Rachel , Nuru-Jeter Amani M. , Snowden Jonathan M. , Carmichael Suzan L. , Mujahid Mahasin S. 
Published: September 2024

ImportanceHistorically redlined neighborhoods may experience disinvestment, influencing their likelihood of gentrification, a process of neighborhood (re-)development that unequally distributes harms and benefits by race and class. Understanding the combined outcomes of redlining and gentrification informs how the mutually constitutive systems of structural racism and racial capitalism affect pregnancy outcomes.ObjectiveTo examine if historical redlining and contemporary gentrification is associated with increased severe maternal morbidity (SMM) odds.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cross-sectional study used data from a statewide population-based sample of all live hospital births at 20 weeks’ gestation or more between 2005 and 2018 in California. Analysis was conducted from March 2023 to January 2024.ExposureRedlining (as characterized by the federal Home Owners’ Loan Corporation mortgage security maps) and displacement (using present-day sociodemographic and housing market information).Main Outcomes and MeasuresMixed-effects logistic regression models were used to assess the association of census tract–level exposure to historical redlining and contemporary gentrification with increased SMM odds, adjusting for sociodemographic and pregnancy related factors. Outcome classification was based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention SMM index, which defines SMM as having any of the 21 procedures and diagnoses based on the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision codes.ResultsThe study sample included 1 554 837 births (median [SD] maternal age, 29.0 [6.4] years; 3464 American Indian or Alaskan Native [0.2%], 224 774 Asian [14.5%], 132 240 Black [8.5%], 880 104 Hispanic [56.6%], 312 490 White [20.1%]), with 22 993 cases of SMM (1.4%). Residents in historically redlined neighborhoods that were undergoing gentrification or displacement were more likely to be Black, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaskan Native. Independent of individual-level characteristics, SMM odds were greater for individuals living in redlined neighborhoods that experienced displacement (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.14-1.28) and in redlined neighborhoods undergoing gentrification (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.13-1.29) compared with those in continuously advantaged neighborhoods.Conclusions and RelevanceFindings from this cross-sectional study demonstrate that the legacies of redlining, intertwined with current dynamics of displacement and gentrification, affect SMM. Place-based sociopolitical mechanisms that inequitably distribute resources may be important intervention points to address structural drivers of adverse pregnancy outcomes and their racial inequities.
Alzheimer Dementia Among Individuals With Down Syndrome
Authors: Rubenstein Eric , Tewolde Salina , Michals Amy , Weuve Jennifer , Fortea Juan , Fox Matthew P. , Pescador Jimenez Marcia , Scott Ashley , Tripodis Yorghos , Skotko Brian G. 
Published: September 2024

ImportanceWith the advancement in administrative data as a research tool and the reliance on public health insurance for individuals with Down syndrome, population-level trends in Alzheimer dementia in this population are beginning to be understood.ObjectiveTo comprehensively describe the epidemiology of Alzheimer dementia in adults with Down syndrome in a full US Medicare and Medicaid sample.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cohort study included 132 720 adults aged 18 years or older with Medicaid and/or Medicare claims data with an International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems code for Down syndrome. Data were collected from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2019, and analyzed from August 2023 to May 2024.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe main outcome was prevalence of Alzheimer dementia in each calendar year and during the 9-year period. Alzheimer dementia incidence rates by calendar year and age and stratified for race or ethnicity as well as time to death after Alzheimer dementia diagnosis were also assessed.ResultsThere were 132 720 unique adults with Down syndrome from 2011 to 2019: 79 578 (53.2%) were male, 17 090 (11.7%) were non-Hispanic Black, 20 777 (15.7%) were Hispanic, 101 120 (68.8%) were non-Hispanic White, and 47 692 (23.3%) had ever had an Alzheimer dementia diagnosis. Incidence was 22.4 cases per 1000 person-years. The probability of an incident Alzheimer dementia diagnosis over 8 years was 0.63 (95% CI, 0.62-0.64) for those entering the study between ages 55 to 64 years. Mean (SD) age at incident diagnosis was 54.5 (7.4) years and median (IQR) age was 54.6 (9.3) years. Mean (SD) age at death among those with Alzheimer dementia was 59.2 (6.9) years (median [IQR], 59.0 [8.0] years). The mean (SD) age at onset for the Hispanic group was 54.2 (9.2) years, 52.4 (7.8) years for the American Indian or Alaska Native group, and 52.8 (8.2) years for the mixed race groups compared with 55.0 (7.8) years for the White non-Hispanic group. For age at death, there were no differences by sex. The mean (SD) age at death was later for the White non-Hispanic group (59.3 [6.8] years) compared with the Hispanic group (58.5 [7.8] years), Native American group (57.8 [7.1] years), and mixed race group (58.2 [7.0] years).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cohort study of adults with Down syndrome who were enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare, Alzheimer dementia occurred at high rates. Consistency with clinical studies of dementia in Down syndrome supports the use of administrative data in Down syndrome–Alzheimer dementia research.
Role of Hospital Connectedness in Brain Metastasis Outcomes
Authors: Tong Lilin , Patel Ruchit V. , Aizer Ayal A. , Dhand Amar , Bi Wenya Linda 
Published: September 2024

ImportanceAlthough patients with brain metastases receive interdisciplinary and multi-institutional care, the association between neuro-oncologic care networks and patient outcomes remains unknown. As patients often interact with multiple facilities, quantifying this association across a network of hospitals is critical to capture the complexity of the health care journey for patients with brain metastases.ObjectiveTo evaluate how statewide health care network metrics are associated with inpatient mortality and hospital length of stay (LOS) for patients with brain metastases.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis multicenter, statewide cohort study used data from the 2018 to 2019 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient and Emergency Department Databases. Primary analyses were completed by August 2023. Participants included adults with a brain metastases receiving care in Massachusetts.ExposureAll inpatient and emergency department visits mapped for patients following the first diagnosis of brain metastasis.Main Outcomes and MeasuresInpatient mortality and hospital LOS were the main outcomes assessed. Hospital interdependence in brain metastases care was calculated using a connectedness score (weighted degree: weighted sum of ties to other care facilities). The association between hospital connectedness and clinical outcomes was analyzed using mixed-effects logistic and linear regression models, adjusting for hospital-level features.ResultsIn this cohort study, 4679 patients with brain metastases were identified with inpatient or ED encounters in Massachusetts (from 2018 to 2019). The median (IQR) age was 64 (57-73) years, and 2559 (55%) were female. There was interdependence in brain metastases care, with 993 patients (21%) visiting 2 or more unique hospitals. Highly connected hospitals were heterogeneous, with many being small and one-half lacking subspecialty neuro-oncologic care or teaching status. Increased hospital connectedness was significantly associated with improved inpatient mortality for patients with brain metastases, with the lowest connectedness quartile associated with more than double the risk of mortality compared with the highest quartile (odds ratio, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.33-4.11; P = .003). A stepwise increase in inpatient mortality risk was observed as hospital connectedness decreased, independently of hospital volume. Furthermore, intermediate hospital connectedness was associated with increased hospital LOS (coefficient, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.17-1.95; P = .006).Conclusions and RelevanceThis study found that hospital-to-hospital interconnectedness was significantly associated with improved clinical outcomes for patients with brain metastases. The salience of network metrics highlights their potential role alongside other patient-level and hospital-level variables to evaluate and improve oncology care delivery.
Towards robust visual understanding: A paradigm shift in computer vision from recognition to reasoning
Authors: Gokhale Tejas 
Published: September 2024

AbstractModels that learn from data are widely and rapidly being deployed today for real‐world use, but they suffer from unforeseen failures that limit their reliability. These failures often have several causes such as distribution shift; adversarial attacks; calibration errors; scarcity of data and/or ground‐truth labels; noisy, corrupted, or partial data; and limitations of evaluation metrics. But many failures also occur because many modern AI tasks require reasoning beyond pattern matching and such reasoning abilities are difficult to formulate as data‐based input–output function fitting. The reliability problem has become increasingly important under the new paradigm of semantic “multimodal” learning. In this article, I will discuss findings from our work to provide avenues for the development of robust and reliable computer vision systems, particularly by leveraging the interactions between vision and language. This article expands upon the invited talk at AAAI 2024 and covers three thematic areas: robustness of visual recognition systems, open‐domain reliability for visual reasoning, and challenges and opportunities associated with generative models in vision.
Preferences for Tapering Biologic Disease‐Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs Among People With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Discrete Choice Experiment
Authors: Chan Suz Jack , Stamp Lisa K. , Treharne Gareth J. , Cheung Janet M. Y. , Dalbeth Nicola , Grainger Rebecca , Stebbings Simon , Marra Carlo A. 
Published: September 2024

ObjectiveLittle is known about the preferences of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) regarding tapering of biologic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs). The aim of this study was to assess the preferences of people with RA in relation to potential treatment‐related benefits and risks of bDMARD tapering and the health care service–related attributes that affect tapering.MethodsParticipants with RA who had experience taking a bDMARD completed an online discrete choice experiment. Participants were asked their preferences when given three hypothetical treatment scenarios in which varying the frequency of treatment might alter their chance of adverse effects, of regaining disease control, and of other health care service–related effects. Preference weights were estimated using a multinomial logit model.ResultsThere were 142 complete responses. Reduced dosing frequency of bDMARD treatment had the largest impact on preference (mean 1.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.8–1.2), followed by chance of disease flare (mean 0.7, 95% CI 0.6–0.9). Participants were willing to accept an increased risk of flare between 10.6% (95% CI 3.2–17.9) and 60.6% (95% CI 48.1–72.9) in exchange for benefits associated with tapering bDMARDs. Participants with better quality of life were more likely to choose to remain on current treatment. The predicted uptake of bDMARD tapering was high among people with RA, suggesting bDMARD tapering was a favored option.ConclusionFor individuals with RA, making decisions about tapering bDMARDs involves considering several factors, with the most important determinants identified as dosing frequency and the risk of disease flare. Understanding patient perspectives of bDMARD tapering may enable physicians to make patient‐focused shared health care decisions.
Adaptive Variable Emissivity Reflector for Seasonal and Daily Thermal Regulation in Regions with Significant Temperature Variations
Authors: Geng Chenchen , Chen Yanyu , Wei Hang , Zhao Tao , Zhao Qianqian , Tian Zhaoshuo , Dou Shuliang , Liu Yufang , Li Yao 
Published: September 2024

AbstractTemperature‐adaptive variable emissivity reflectors offer an electricity‐free and environmentally friendly cooling strategy, holding substantial potential to improve the global energy landscape. However, challenges associated with unoptimized solar absorptance can lead to overcooling or overheating when the modulation of infrared emittance is held constant, thereby increasing extra energy consumption. Herein, a temperature‐adaptive variable emissivity reflector based on W‐Mg co‐doped VO2 (W‐Mg‐VER) is proposed, engineered to optimize solar absorptance (αL = 0.40) while maintaining effective infrared emittance modulation (Δɛ = 0.69) near ambient temperature. To maximize year‐round energy savings in regions experiencing significant daily temperature fluctuations, W‐Mg co‐doped VO2 is employed to reduce solar absorptance by modifying electron occupancy in the V 3d orbital and expanding the optical bandgap. Outdoor experiments have validated the remarkable temperature management and energy‐saving capabilities of the W‐Mg‐VER, facilitated by its seamless transition between radiative cooling and heat‐retaining modes. Numerical simulation indicates that a W‐Mg‐VER roof covering 100 m2 would save 152.9 GJ of energy annually in locations with significant daily temperature variations. Moreover, W‐Mg‐VER demonstrates robust performance, exhibiting less than 1% degradation in emittance tunability and solar absorptance after 10 000 cycles. This approach provides valuable insights and practical guidance for significantly enhancing global energy savings.
Versatile Ultrahigh‐Output Bilayer Hydrogel for Electricity Generation and Passive Cooling
Authors: Chen Guopeng , Xie Shangzhen , Xiang Kang , Wu Huangying , Lv Song , Jiang Xingchi , Guo Zhiguang 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe gradient concentration in nature has garnered significant attention as a promising source for energy harvesting. Researchers have explored various methods to harness electricity from gradient‐concentration‐induced flows, including evaporation‐driven nanogenerators and humidity‐gradient‐based power generators. However, their low current and power density are the main obstacles toward practical applications. Herein, a Bilayer Hydrogel Electricity Generator (BHEG) is presented to enable efficient energy harvesting through the synergy between ion gradient concentration and galvanic effects. A BHEG unit employing identical materials for both electrodes demonstrates an open‐circuit voltage of 0.7 V and a short‐circuit current of 4.34 mA—surpassing the currently reported average by over 73 times—and achieves a maximum power density of 72.2 mW m−2. Moreover, another BHEG unit using Zn─C electrode materials exhibit an open‐circuit voltage of 1.86 V and a short‐circuit current of 92 mA. Furthermore, the versatility of the BHEG extends beyond power generation, effectively providing passive thermal management for electronics, resulting in a maximum temperature reduction of ≈20 °C. Consequently, the study contributes insights into the design and fabrication of efficient hydrogel‐based power generators, providing a promising avenue for leveraging natural‐flow‐induced energy for various applications.
Achieving Tunable Band Structure and Photocarrier Dynamics by Regulating 2D Atomic Layer Stacking Toward High‐Performance Self‐Powered Broadband and Deep‐UV Photodetection
Authors: Zhang Junjun , Long Liyuan , Zhao Chengyang , Lv Gangyang , Chen Jiahui , Li Wenqing , Yan Shiming , Wang Dunhui 
Published: September 2024

Abstract2D materials with unique layer‐dependent electronic structure can bring precise control to their photocarrier dynamics for optimizing and expanding optoelectronic applications, while the challenge of controlling layer stacking makes the layer dependency law still underexplored in emerging 2D ternary metal chalcogenides. Herein, 2D rhombohedral‐phase ZnIn2S4 (R‐ZIS) with controllable layer thickness is achieved by confined‐growth strategy in high yield, exhibiting continuously tunable direct bandgap (2.39–2.77 eV) with evident upshift of conduction band minimum (CBM) and Fermi level (EF), demonstrated arising from the synergistic effect of reduced interlayer interaction with inevitably increasing Zn defects. Remarkably, the carrier dynamics of R‐ZIS in photoelectrochemical (PEC) device is successfully regulated by adjusted CBM and EF, resulting in continuously tunable optical absorption band, photocarrier separation efficiency, self‐powered capability, and dark current noise. Beneficial from tailored band structure and carrier dynamics, self‐powered PEC‐type photodetector with broadband photoresponse (254–765 nm), is achieved fast response speed (12.3/5.3 ms) and high responsivity (90.29 mA W−1) in multilayer R‐ZIS, while deep‐UV photodetector with ultra‐high specific detectivity (1.62 × 1012 Jones) at 254 nm in monolayer R‐ZIS, exhibiting the record performance in both fields. This work motivates the development of tailored band structure for 2D‐materials‐based optoelectronic devices in strategy and mechanism.
Molecular Beam Epitaxy of Homogeneous Topological HgTe on Doped InAs Substrate
Authors: Biswas Mahitosh , Fürst Lena , Kamp Martin , Schreyeck Steffen , Buhmann Hartmut , Molenkamp Laurens W. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractHgTe has been considered to be one of the most versatile topological materials. Depending on the in‐plane strain, Weyl and Dirac semi‐metal, as well as topological insulator phases, are feasible. Here, for the first time it is reported, that an InAs:S substrate promotes an initial 2D growth of a ZnTe thin layer and subsequent high crystalline quality ZnTe/CdTe superlattices serve as a smooth and continuous virtual substrate for the growth of (Cd,Hg)Te/HgTe/(Cd,Hg)Te heterostructures with unstrained quantum well HgTe (topological insulator) and compressively strained bulk HgTe (Weyl semimetal) by molecular beam epitaxy. Compared with the superlattices previously grown on GaAs substrates, the quantum well and bulk heterostructures exhibit homogeneous surfaces with root mean square roughnesses of 0.88–0.93 nm, which is three times lower than those observed for 3D islands (2.7–3.4 nm) on GaAs substrates. Additionally, magnetotransport measurements confirm high electronic quality and demonstrate that the S‐doped InAs substrate can be used as an effective back gate. These results manifest a (big) step forward toward the improvement of micro‐ and nanometer‐sized top‐ and back‐gated device fabrication on topological materials.
Electrically Tunable Chiral Ferroelectric Nematic Liquid Crystal Reflectors
Authors: Himel Md Sakhawat Hossain , Perera Kelum , Adaka Alex , Guragain Parikshit , Twieg Robert J. , Sprunt S. , Gleeson James T. , Jákli Antal 
Published: September 2024

AbstractManipulating light is an important area of optical research and development. To that end, tunable dichroic devices in which the reflectivity at differing wavelengths can be adjusted, are particularly valuable. This work is motivated by recent studies of the optical properties of chiral ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals (FNLCs). Here electro‐optical studies are presented on two room temperature, FNLC materials that demonstrate electrically tunable reflectivity when subject to a field below 0.2 V µm−1. Moreover, under appropriate conditions, the reflectivity can also be electrically (and reversibly) tuned (without change of color) from 0% to 40%. Reversible, low voltage tunable mirrors, having miniscule power consumption and operable around ambient temperature are expected to be useful in diverse applications ranging from energy‐saving, smart windows to virtual reality interfaces.