bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of group size on sleep in a neotropical bat, Artibeus jamaicensis
Authors: Heckley Alexis M. , Harding Christian D. , Page Rachel A. , Klein Barrett A. , Yovel Yossi , Diebold Clarice A. , Tilley Hannah B. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractSleep is associated with many costs, but is also important to survival, with a lack of sleep impairing cognitive function and increasing mortality. Sleeping in groups could alleviate sleep‐associated costs, or could introduce new costs if social sleeping disrupts sleep. Working with the Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis), we aimed to: (1) describe sleep architecture, (2) assess how sleeping in groups affects sleep, and (3) quantify total sleep time and identify rapid eye movement (REM) sleep using behavioral indicators that complement physiological evidence of sleep. Twenty‐five adult bats were captured in Panama and recorded sleeping in an artificial roost enclosure. Three bats were fitted with an electromyograph and accelerometer and video recorded sleeping alone in controlled laboratory settings. The remaining 22 bats were assigned to differing social configurations (alone, dyad, triad, and tetrad) and video recorded sleeping in an outdoor flight cage. We found that sleep was highly variable among individuals (ranging from 2 h 53 min to 9 h 39 min over a 12‐h period). Although we did not detect statistically significant effects and our sample size was limited, preliminary trends suggest that male bats may sleep longer than females, and individuals sleeping in groups may sleep longer than individuals sleeping alone. We also found a high correspondence between total sleep time quantified visually and quantified using actigraphy (with a 2‐min immobility threshold) and identified physiological correlates of behaviorally‐defined REM. These results serve as a starting point for future work on the ecology and evolution of sleep in bats and other wild mammals.
Validity of different algorithmic methods to identify hospital readmissions from routinely coded medical data
Authors: Havranek Michael M. , Dahlem Yuliya , Bilger Selina , Rüter Florian , Ehbrecht Daniela , Oliveira Leonel , Moos Rudolf M. , Westerhoff Christian , Gemperli Armin , Beck Thomas 
Published: July 2024

AbstractBackgroundHospital readmission rates are used for quality and pay‐for‐performance initiatives. To identify readmissions from administrative data, two commonly employed methods are focusing either on unplanned readmissions (used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS) or potentially avoidable readmissions (used by commercial vendors such as SQLape or 3 M). However, it is not known which of these methods has higher criterion validity and can more accurately identify actually avoidable readmissions.ObjectivesA manual record review based on data from seven hospitals was used to compare the validity of the methods by CMS and SQLape.MethodsSeven independent reviewers reviewed 738 single inpatient stays. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and F1 score were examined to characterize the ability of an original CMS method, an adapted version of the CMS method, and the SQLape method to identify unplanned, potentially avoidable, and actually avoidable readmissions.ResultsBoth versions of the CMS method had greater sensitivity (92/86% vs. 62%) and a higher PPV (84/91% vs. 71%) than the SQLape method, in terms of identifying their outcomes of interest (unplanned vs. potentially avoidable readmissions, respectively). To distinguish actually avoidable readmissions, the two versions of the CMS method again displayed higher sensitivity (90/85% vs. 66%), although the PPV did not differ significantly between the different methods.ConclusionsThus, the CMS method has both higher criterion validity and greater sensitivity for identifying actually avoidable readmissions, compared with the SQLape method. Consequently, the CMS method should primarily be used for quality initiatives.
Pathological variants in nuclear genes causing mitochondrial complex III deficiency: An update
Authors: Čunátová Kristýna , Fernández‐Vizarra Erika 
Published: July 2024

AbstractMitochondrial disorders are a group of clinically and biochemically heterogeneous genetic diseases within the group of inborn errors of metabolism. Primary mitochondrial diseases are mainly caused by defects in one or several components of the oxidative phosphorylation system (complexes I–V). Within these disorders, those associated with complex III deficiencies are the least common. However, thanks to a deeper knowledge about complex III biogenesis, improved clinical diagnosis and the implementation of next‐generation sequencing techniques, the number of pathological variants identified in nuclear genes causing complex III deficiency has expanded significantly. This updated review summarizes the current knowledge concerning the genetic basis of complex III deficiency, and the main clinical features associated with these conditions.
Novel neurocranial fenestrae and expansions in Monomitopus and Selachophidium (Teleostei: Ophidiidae), with comments on the morphology, taxonomy, and evolution of the genera
Authors: Girard Matthew G. , Johnson G. David 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe Ophidiidae is a group of more than 300 species of fishes characterized by elongated, snake‐like bodies and continuous dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. While describing a new species in the genus Monomitopus, we discovered a bilaterally paired fenestra on the dorsomedial surface of the neurocranium. We surveyed the distribution of this fenestra across species of Monomitopus and previously hypothesized allies in the genera Dannevigia, Dicrolene, Homostolus, Neobythites, and Selachophidium, finding variation in its presence and size. We also found a prominent bilaterally paired lateral fenestra and a posterior expansion of the exoccipital in the neurocrania of M. americanus and S. guentheri, with soft tissue connecting the back of the neurocranium to the first epineural and pectoral girdle in S. guentheri. In this study, we describe the distribution of and variation in these features. We integrate morphological characters and DNA data to generate a phylogeny of Monomitopus and allies to understand their relationships and trace the evolutionary history of these novel features. Our results call the monophyly of Monomitopus into question. The presence of the lateral neurocranial fenestra and posterior expansion of the exoccipital support the reclassification of M. americanus as a species of Selachophidium.
Cryosphere degradation in a changing climate
Authors: Fernández‐Fernández José M. , Oliva Marc , Ribolini Adriano , Sæmundsson Þorsteinn 
Published: July 2024

AbstractOver the last few decades, the instrumental climate record shows a progressive global warming. As one of the most sensitive elements of the Earth's climate system, the cryosphere is significantly affected by this trend. As a result, its various components are readjusting in a situation of disequilibrium with the climate through a series of dynamics. These include the thinning and retreat of glaciers that may lead to the formation of new lakes; the thawing of ground ice, leading to the deformation of terrain; the reduction of snow cover; and the occurrence of mass movements that threaten populations and infrastructures. This Special Issue contains 23 scientific papers with case studies that explore the above issues in the Arctic, Antarctic and high mountain regions.
No tillage and organic fertilization improved kiwifruit productivity through shifting soil properties and microbiome
Authors: Liu Zhe , Wu Juan , Zheng Guiliang 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe preservation of edaphic quality and productivity is critical for the ecological sustainability of vine orchards. The heavy utilization of intensified tillage and singular chemical fertilizers can shift changes in edaphic physicochemical and biological features, thus exerting significant pressure on agroecosystems. In current research, we assessed the shifts in soil physicochemical features and soil microbiome composition over 11 years carrying out no tillage and organic fertilizer substitution in a typical Chinese Guanzhong kiwifruit production area, and explore the fundamental factors that contribute to alterations in the microbial community and the influence on kiwifruit performance. Results showed that long‐term no tillage and organic fertilizer improved the soil condition by significantly increasing the proportion of soil macroaggregates, bulk density, and nutrient content (e.g., organic matter, nitrogen, and ammonia), as compared to conventional tillage with chemical fertilization. Moreover, no tillage significantly increased soil bacterial α‐diversity but had no significant effects on fungal. No tillage also enhanced the abundance of potential beneficial soil bacteria (e.g., Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Nitrospira), while decreasing the abundance of Proteobacteria, Pseudomonas, and Fusarium. In addition, no tillage and mixed fertilized soil microbial network exhibited higher complexity (i.e., node and edge numbers, and positive edge proportion) and connectivity (i.e., average number of neighbors) than conventional tillage and chemical fertilization group. Changes in nitrate, ammonia, available phosphorus, and pH values accounted for the variation in the structure of soil microbial community. Hence, the utilization of both no tillage and organic fertilization practices could serve as a suitable and sustainable approach for managing kiwifruit production in the fragile environmental conditions of the Chinese Guanzhong region, and lead to an improvement in soil nutrient levels and help regulate the soil microbial community.
Phytotoxicity of 6PPD and its oxidized product 6PPD‐Q on pakchoi (Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis)
Authors: Liu Jinzheng , Yu Miao , Li Xiang , Ge Yichen , Shi Ruiying , Bao Yanyu , Liu Jianv , Liu Weitao 
Published: July 2024

AbstractN‐(1,3‐dimethylbutyl)‐N′‐phenyl‐p‐phenylenediamine (6PPD) and N‐(1,3‐Dimethylbutyl)‐N′‐phenyl‐p‐phenylenediamine‐quinone (6PPD‐Q) are the derivatives of tire wear particles (TWPs) that can enter the agricultural environment. Their negative consequences on the agricultural environment remain unknown, particularly their toxic effects on edible plants. In this experiment, the toxicity of different concentrations of 6PPD and 6PPD‐Q on pakchoi (Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis) was explored by hydroponics. The results revealed that seed germination was inhibited by 6PPD and 6PPD‐Q to various degrees. However, we observed an increase in the fresh weight of pakchoi seedling. Environmental concentration (1 μg L−1) of 6PPD and 6PPD‐Q significantly increased ROS levels and caused changes in antioxidant enzyme activities. The MDA content of pakchoi was significantly elevated under 6PPD‐Q treatment, indicating severe oxidative damage. These results demonstrated the phytotoxicity induced by 6PPD and 6PPD‐Q, which is of great significance for assessing their potential ecological risks in the environment.
NIR‐II Luminescence With A Recorded 76% EQE Through Energy Extraction From Dark Cr3+
Authors: Liu Shengqiang , Guo Yang , Zhao Ming , Du Jingxuan , Song Zhen , Zhang Xin , Wang Feng , Liu Quanlin 
Published: July 2024

AbstractNIR‐II luminescent materials are the key enablers of smart spectroscopy‐based techniques, offering capabilities for nondestructive analysis and bio‐imaging. Here, a broadband NIR‐II luminescence with a recorded external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 76% in LiGa5O8 are demonstrated, using heavily doping Cr3+ ion (10%) as a light harvester and a controllable energy transfer (ET) from Cr3+ to Ni2+ (0.4%) ions. Even though the Cr3+ ion produces substantially weak luminescence due to concentration quenching, the introduction of Ni2+ ions effectively extract the excitation energy to generate NIR‐II luminescence. Complementary investigations using synchrotron‐based EXAFS fittings and structural refinement disclose a significant structural distortion in the LiGa5O8 compound, which facilitates the relaxation of the parity‐selection rules for Cr3+ and Ni2+ ions. Additionally, DFT calculations identify specific site occupations, which favor unidirectional ET from Cr3+ to Ni2+ ions. As a result, the significant absorption of excitation light by heavy‐doping Cr3+ ions and high radiative transition probability in Ni2+ ions synergistically result in a record high EQE. These findings provide pioneering insight into rational NIR‐II light generation by deliberated control of ET pathway in heavily doped systems, thereby with promising implications for NIR spectroscopy applications.
Deciphering the Mechanism of Ultrafast Scintillation in 1D Silver Halides
Authors: Wen Xuemin , Buryi Maksym , Babin Vladimir , John David , Kučerková Romana , Nikl Martin , Wang Qian , Li Yunyun , Li Wen , Yang Fan , OuYang Xiaoping , Wu Yuntao 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe development of ultrafast scintillators is critical to the GHz X‐ray and time‐of‐flight (TOF) imaging techniques. Low‐dimensional silver‐based halides have emerged as promising candidates due to high radioluminescence efficiency and ultrafast decay time. However, the ultrafast scintillation mechanism in silver‐based halides, such as Rb2AgBr3 (RAB), remains controversial. Here, the study reveals the origin of ultrafast scintillation timing response in melt‐grown RAB bulk crystals. The RAB shows light‐yellow emission with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 13.9%. Under the picosecond (ps) pulse X‐ray irradiation, RAB has an ultrafast decay time of 3.2 ns that accounts for 40.5% of the total emitted light. The light yield is estimated as 3100 photons MeV−1 under 22Na irradiation. Based on the temperature‐dependent radioluminescence (RL) spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and spectrally resolved thermally‐stimulated luminescence (TSL) glow curves, it is confirmed that the bromine vacancy as the F‐center is the origin of the ultrafast scintillation component. These findings provide elaborated and fundamental insights into the ultrafast luminescent mechanisms of low‐dimensional silver‐based halides, thereby opening up new design horizons in the development of ultrafast scintillators.
Combinatorial Synthesis of Alkyl Chain‐Capped Poly(β‐Amino Ester)s for Effective siRNA Delivery
Authors: Chen Baiqiu , Ren Qidi , Jiang Pingge , Wu Qiong , Shuai Qi , Yan Yunfeng 
Published: July 2024

AbstractPoly (β‐amino ester) (PBAE) is a class of biodegradable polymers containing ester bonds in their main chain, extensively investigated as cationic polymer carriers for siRNA. Most current PBAE carriers rely on termination with hydrophilic or charged amines. In this study, a polymer platform consisting of 168 PBAE polymers with hydrophobic alkyl chain terminals is constructed through sequential aza‐Michael addition. A large number of effective carriers are identified through in vitro screening of the PBAE platform for siLuc delivery to HeLa‐Luc cells. Specifically, PA8‐C6 and PA8‐C8 achieve remarkable gene knockdown efficacies of up to 80% with low cytotoxicity. Certain materials from the PA2 and PA5 series demonstrate potent siRNA delivery capabilities associated with elevated cytotoxicity. The pKa value of PBAE is predominantly determined by the hydrophilic amine side chains rather than the end‐capping groups. A pKa range of ≈6.2–6.5 may contribute to the excellent delivery capability for PA8 series carriers. The co‐formulation of PBAE carriers with helper lipids leads to the reduced size and surface charges of the polyplex NPs with siRNA, consequently decreasing the cytotoxicity and enhancing siRNA delivery efficacy. These findings hold significant implications for the development of novel degradable polymer carriers for siRNA delivery.
Linking Invasive and Noninvasive Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Trial
Authors: Goede Lukas L. , Oxenford Simon , Kroneberg Daniel , Meyer Garance M. , Rajamani Nanditha , Neudorfer Clemens , Krause Patricia , Lofredi Roxanne , Fox Michael D. , Kühn Andrea A. , Horn Andreas 
Published: July 2024

AbstractBackgroundRecent imaging studies identified a brain network associated with clinical improvement following deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD), the PD response network.ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess the impact of neuromodulation on PD motor symptoms by targeting this network noninvasively using multifocal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).MethodsIn a prospective, randomized, double‐blinded, crossover trial, 21 PD patients (mean age 59.7 years, mean Hoehn & Yahr [H&Y] 2.4) received multifocal tDCS targeting the a‐priori network. Twenty‐minute sessions of tDCS and sham were administered on 2 days in randomized order. Movement Disorder Society‐Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale—Part III (MDS‐UPDRS‐III) scores were assessed.ResultsBefore intervention, MDS‐UPDRS‐III scores were comparable in both conditions (stimulation days: 37.38 (standard deviation [SD] = 12.50, confidence interval [CI] = 32.04, 42.73) vs. sham days: 36.95 (SD = 13.94, CI = 30.99, 42.91), P = 0.63). Active stimulation resulted in a reduction by 3.6 points (9.7%) to 33.76 (SD = 11.19, CI = 28.98, 38.55) points, whereas no relevant change was observed after sham stimulation (36.43 [SD = 14.15, CI = 30.38, 42.48], average improvement: 0.5 [1.4%]). Repeated‐measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed significance (main effect of time: F(1,20)=4.35, P < 0.05). Tukey's post hoc tests indicated MDS‐UPDRS‐III improvement after active stimulation (t [20] = 2.9, P = 0.03) but not after sham (t [20] = 0.42, P > 0.05). In a subset of patients that underwent DBS surgery later, their DBS response correlated with tDCS effects (R = 0.55, P(1) = 0.04).ConclusionNoninvasive, multifocal tDCS targeting a DBS‐derived network significantly improved PD motor symptoms. Despite a small effect size, this study provides proof of principle for the successful noninvasive neuromodulation of an invasively identified network. Future studies should investigate repeated tDCS sessions and their utility for screening before DBS surgery. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
A novel multi‐ary PolSK modulation for downstream signal in wavelength reusing wavelength division multiplexing passive optical network
Authors: Qiu Wenhao , Lu Yang , Lv Yunxin , Zhai Yanrong , Bi Meihua 
Published: July 2024

AbstractA novel modulation, that is, multi‐ary polarization shift keying (PolSK) modulation is proposed for wavelength division multiplexing passive optical networks (PONs) to achieve colorless optical network units. The downstream signal applies the proposed multi‐ary PolSK to eliminate the induced crosstalk to the remodulated amplitude shift keying upstream signal. Different from traditional PolSK, there are more than two polarization states in the proposed multi‐ary PolSK, so it provides higher bit rates and spectra efficiency. Four‐ary and 6‐ary PolSK are demonstrated and evaluated by simulation. The results show the proposed multi‐ary PolSK supports high‐speed downstream signal in future PONs with very low crosstalk induced to the remodulated upstream signal.
Tail‐free fast start‐up 1 mW 5 G voltage controlled oscillator for new radio application
Authors: Shasidharan Pravinah , Rajendran Jagadheswaran , Mariappan Selvakumar , Kumar Narendra , Manaf Asrulnizam Abd 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis article proposed a technique for a low‐power and fast start‐up voltage‐controlled oscillator (VCO) for a high data rate 5 G New Radio (5G‐NR) application. The 5G‐NR high data rate signals require a fast start‐up VCO to accommodate the short pulse width. In this proposed work, a cross‐coupled pair (XCP) is integrated with a center‐tapped orthogonal symmetry inductor placed at the gates of the XCP, forming an inductive booster VCO (IBVCO). The inductive impedance at the gate of the XCP preserve the symmetry signal profile of the output voltage swing while alleviating the intrinsic parasitic capacitance effect and flicker noise effect of the transistor under the absence of the tail current source. The concept proves with the improvement on the phase noise performance and generating a fast start‐up without affecting the VCO bandwidth. The VCO also provides the enhancement of the output voltage swing under low power consumption. The IBVCO has been fabricated in 180 nm complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology and consumes a minimum area of only 0.7 mm2. The IBVCO achieved a 13% tuning range from 3.3 to 3.75 GHz bandwidth with a supply voltage, VDD of 0.7 V. The total power consumption is 1 mW with a corresponding phase noise of −122.60 dBc/Hz and a Figure of Merit (FoM) of 193.48 dBc/Hz at 3.52 GHz carrier center frequency at 1 MHz offset. The start‐up time of the VCO achieved is 5 ns.
High‐efficiency Doherty power amplifier based on codesign with bonding wires
Authors: Zhong Cheng , He Songbai , Song Minxian , Shen Ce , Ma Mingming 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn this letter, a method for designing a Doherty power amplifier (DPA) using bare die and bonding wires (BWs) is proposed. This method adjusts the geometric parameters of BWs to achieve the desired transmission characteristics, allowing BWs to actively participate in the formation of the matching network, thus realizing the codesigning of the DPA and BWs. By designing appropriate BWs compensation to mitigate the intrinsic parasitics of bare die, the inherent obstacles caused by transistor parasitic effects are mitigated. This strategy offers a distinct advantage in terms of concurrently adjusting the target load impedance and phase, leading to a streamlined DPA design process. At the same time, the nonclipping impedance region is expanded, which attenuates the nonlinear effects of parasitic effects. On the basis of the proposed methodology, a DPA operating at 3–4 GHz is designed. Measured results show that the DPA achieves a saturation output power of 42.4–43.6 dBm in the operating band, accompanied by a drain efficiency of 55%–66%, while achieving 42%–54% at 6 dB output back‐off level.