bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interpreting the main effects on the efficiency and morphology for establishing a procedure of electrodepositing Zn from purified chloride SPL solutions
Authors: Zakiyya Hanna , Illés István B. , Kékesi Tamás 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Potentiodynamic and galvanostatic experiments have been used to investigate the electrodeposition of Zn and to develop a reliable recovery method from a purified spent pickling liquor (SPL) of hot dip galvanization. The main bjective was to find the suitable conditions to deposit high-grade Zn from the purified ZnCl2–HCl–NaCl solution in a conventional electrowinning cell holding the stationary electrolyte. The effects of pH (1.5–4.5) in and Zn concentration (30–150 g/dm3) in the stationary electrolytes were studied first by the potentiodynamic method to reveal the major characteristics of the cathodic process and to give reference for further practical examinations by the galvanostatic technique. The electrowinning experiments pointed out the effects of these major parameters, beside other practical factors, like apparent current density (c.d.) and additional NaCl concentration. The long-term galvanostatic experiments proved that the current efficiency (c.e.) increases significantly as the pH and the Zn concentration are increased. A c.e. of ~ 99% can be reached with an electrolyte of pH ~ 5, Zn concentration ~ 50 g/dm3 applying a c.d. in the 300–600 A/m2 range. Increasing the Zn concentration could considerably improve also the deposit morphology. The addition of NaCl can practically improve the c.e. if the Zn concentration is at least around 50 g/dm3. In contrast, this improvement is largely off-set by the negative effects of strong H2 evolution at low (e.g. < 10 g/dm3) Zn concentrations. Extremely high Cl− ion concentrations, however, inhibit the cathodic reaction by stronger chloro-complex formation. In this case the intensive H+ reduction causes hydroxide precipitation.
Crime that ‘Withered Away?’ Democratic Backsliding and Non-Punitive Populism
Authors: Tripkovic Milena 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe article explores the relationship between democratic backsliding and governance of crime. By focusing on Serbia, which began to democratize in 2000 but started to backslide already in 2012, the article argues that governance of crime has been largely insulated from the damaging impact of the overall process of democratic decline and has been characterized by mostly moderate and inert penal tendencies. While the autocratic inclinations of the political regime have grown substantively in the last decade, crime has lost salience as a tool for political manipulation: the article proposes that this was mostly owing to an overarching political elite’s narrative that depicts Serbia as a successful and well-governed country, in which (most) crime has ‘withered away’. The article concludes by calling for research that better grasps the specificities of various forms of backsliding to understand the role of penality within them and by assessing the coherence of this finding with some of the key ideas developed within the punishment and society literature.
Molecular beam epitaxy growth of topological insulator Bi4Br4 on silicon for the infrared applications
Authors: Xu Shiqi , Meng Xiangkai , Zhang Xu , Zhang Chunpan , Bai Jiangyue , Jiang Yujiu , Li Xiuxia , Wang Chong , Mao Pengcheng , Han Junfeng , Yao Yugui 
Published: August 2024

AbstractBi4Br4 is a material rich in intriguing topological properties. Monolayer Bi4Br4 film exhibits helical edge states characteristic of a quantum spin Hall insulator, while bulk Bi4Br4 represents a higher-order topological insulator with hinge states. However, direct exfoliation from single crystal can only obtain thin nanowires due to the weak van der Waals forces between Bi4Br4 chains, which limits its optical analysis and application, while the growth of Bi4Br4 thin films is also full of challenges due to the extremely narrow growth temperature range and the accurate control of the BiBr3 flux. Here, we reported the controlled growth of α-Bi4Br4 thin films on intrinsic silicon substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. The growth temperature, BiBr3 flux, and the flux ratio of Bi and BiBr3 were accurately controlled. Then, the morphology, composition, and bonding of the prepared films were investigated using atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The growth of large, uniform thin films provides an ideal material platform for studying the physical properties of Bi4Br4. Additionally, we utilized Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to explore the film’s infrared characteristics, revealing strong absorption in the low frequency range due to the high proportion of one-dimensional topological edge states and laying the groundwork for further exploration of its potential applications in the optoelectronic field.
Identifying the Magnetospheric Drivers of Giant Undulations: Global Modeling of the Evolving Inner Magnetosphere and Its Auroral Manifestations
Authors: Sorathia K. A. , Shumko M. , Sciola A. , Michael A. , Merkin V. G. , Gallardo‐Lacourt B. , Henderson M. G. , Lin D. , Bao S. , Garretson J. , Ukhorskiy A. Y. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractWe present the first global geospace simulation to reproduce auroral giant undulations (GUs). To identify their magnetospheric drivers, we employ the MAGE (Multiscale Atmosphere‐Geospace Environment) model in a case study of a geomagnetic storm for which there were spacecraft‐ and ground‐based observations of GUs. The model reproduces the spatial and temporal scales of the GUs as well as the presence of duskside subauroral polarization streams (SAPS) and plasmapause undulations. Based on our modeling, we are able to identify the magnetospheric drivers of GUs as mesoscale ring current injections which, after drifting westward, create inverted regions of flux‐tube entropy (FTE) and subsequent interchange instability. Outward‐protruding interchange fingers disrupt shielding of the inner magnetosphere, creating longitudinally localized ripples in magnetospheric convection equatorward of the magnetospheric instability, which structure the plasmapause and duskside diffuse precipitation. While not causal, SAPS and plasmapause undulations are a consequence of the unstable magnetospheric configuration.
Prioritising patients for publicly funded bariatric surgery in Queensland, Australia
Authors: Scuffham Paul , Cross Megan , Teppala Srinivas , Hopkins George , Chikani Viral , Wykes Katie , Paxton Jody 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Objectives
This study reports the development and pilot application of the Bariatric Surgery Assessment and Prioritisation Tool (BAPT) for use in a public health system. The BAPT was designed as a patient prioritisation instrument to assess patients with excessive weight and type 2 diabetes suitable for bariatric surgery. We assessed whether the instrument successfully identified those who gained the greatest benefits including weight loss, diabetes remission, reduction in comorbidities, and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL).

Methods
The BAPT instrument was applied to score 292 patients referred for bariatric surgery in Queensland between 2017 and 2020 based on their, body mass index, diabetes status, surgical risk (e.g. pulmonary embolism) and comorbidities (e.g. non-alcoholic steatohepatitis). These data were collected at referral and at 12-months post-surgery for 130 patients and stratified by BAPT scores. Outcomes included clinical and HR-QoL.

Results
Patients’ BAPT scores ranged from 12 to 78 (possible range 2–98). Those with higher scores tended to be younger (p < 0.001), have higher BMI (p < 0.001) or require insulin to manage diabetes (p < 0.01). All patients lost similar percentages of body weight (20–25%, p = 0.73) but higher-scoring patients were more likely to discontinue oral diabetes medications (p < 0.001) and the improvement in glycated haemoglobin was four times greater in patients scoring 70–79 points compared to those scoring 20–29 (p < 0.05). Those who scored ≥ 50 on the BAPT were substantially more likely to obtain diabetes remission (57% vs 31%). BAPT scores of 40 and above tended to have greater improvement in HR-QoL.

Conclusions
The BAPT prioritised younger patients with higher BMIs who realised greater improvements in their diabetes after bariatric surgery. Higher-scoring BAPT patients should be prioritised for bariatric surgery as they have a greater likelihood of attaining diabetes remission.
Tau PET positivity predicts clinically relevant cognitive decline driven by Alzheimer’s disease compared to comorbid cases; proof of concept in the ADNI study
Authors: Ioannou Konstantinos , Bucci Marco , Tzortzakakis Antonios , Savitcheva Irina , Nordberg Agneta , Chiotis Konstantinos ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: August 2024

Abstract
β-amyloid (Aβ) pathology is not always coupled with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) relevant cognitive decline. We assessed the accuracy of tau PET to identify Aβ(+) individuals who show prospective disease progression. 396 cognitively unimpaired and impaired individuals with baseline Aβ and tau PET and a follow-up of ≥ 2 years were selected from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative dataset. The participants were dichotomously grouped based on either clinical conversion (i.e., change of diagnosis) or cognitive deterioration (fast (FDs) vs. slow decliners (SDs)) using data-driven clustering of the individual annual rates of cognitive decline. To assess cognitive decline in individuals with isolated Aβ(+) or absence of both Aβ and tau (T) pathologies, we investigated the prevalence of non-AD comorbidities and FDG PET hypometabolism patterns suggestive of AD. Baseline tau PET uptake was higher in Aβ(+)FDs than in Aβ(-)FD/SDs and Aβ(+)SDs, independently of baseline cognitive status. Baseline tau PET uptake identified MCI Aβ(+) Converters and Aβ(+)FDs with an area under the curve of 0.85 and 0.87 (composite temporal region of interest) respectively, and was linearly related to the annual rate of cognitive decline in Aβ(+) individuals. The T(+) individuals constituted largely a subgroup of those being Aβ(+) and those clustered as FDs. The most common biomarker profiles in FDs (n = 70) were Aβ(+)T(+) (n = 34, 49%) and Aβ(+)T(-) (n = 19, 27%). Baseline Aβ load was higher in Aβ(+)T(+)FDs (M = 83.03 ± 31.42CL) than in Aβ(+)T(-)FDs (M = 63.67 ± 26.75CL) (p-value = 0.038). Depression diagnosis was more prevalent in Aβ(+)T(-)FDs compared to Aβ(+)T(+)FDs (47% vs. 15%, p-value = 0.021), as were FDG PET hypometabolism pattern not suggestive of AD (86% vs. 50%, p-value = 0.039). Our findings suggest that high tau PET uptake is coupled with both Aβ pathology and accelerated cognitive decline. In cases of isolated Aβ(+), cognitive decline may be associated with changes within the AD spectrum in a multi-morbidity context, i.e., mixed AD.
Dynamics of human serotonin synthesis differentially link to reward anticipation and feedback
Authors: Hahn Andreas , Reed Murray B. , Murgaš Matej , Vraka Chrysoula , Klug Sebastian , Schmidt Clemens , Godbersen Godber M. , Eggerstorfer Benjamin , Gomola David , Silberbauer Leo R. , Nics Lukas , Philippe Cécile , Hacker Marcus , Lanzenberger Rupert 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) plays an essential role in reward processing, however, the possibilities to investigate 5-HT action in humans during emotional stimulation are particularly limited. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of assessing reward-specific dynamics in 5-HT synthesis using functional PET (fPET), combining its molecular specificity with the high temporal resolution of blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI. Sixteen healthy volunteers underwent simultaneous fPET/fMRI with the radioligand [11C]AMT, a substrate for tryptophan hydroxylase. During the scan, participants completed the monetary incentive delay task and arterial blood samples were acquired for quantifying 5-HT synthesis rates. BOLD fMRI was recorded as a proxy of neuronal activation, allowing differentiation of reward anticipation and feedback. Monetary gain and loss resulted in substantial increases in 5-HT synthesis in the ventral striatum (VStr, +21% from baseline) and the anterior insula (+41%). In the VStr, task-specific 5-HT synthesis was further correlated with BOLD signal changes during reward feedback (ρ = −0.65), but not anticipation. Conversely, 5-HT synthesis in the anterior insula correlated with BOLD reward anticipation (ρ = −0.61), but not feedback. In sum, we provide a robust tool to identify task-induced changes in 5-HT action in humans, linking the dynamics of 5-HT synthesis to distinct phases of reward processing in a regionally specific manner. Given the relevance of altered reward processing in psychiatric disorders such as addiction, depression and schizophrenia, our approach offers a tailored assessment of impaired 5-HT signaling during cognitive and emotional processing.
The effect of comorbidities on diagnostic interval for lung cancer in England: a cohort study using electronic health record data
Authors: Rogers Imogen , Cooper Max , Memon Anjum , Forbes Lindsay , van Marwijk Harm , Ford Elizabeth 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Background
Comorbid conditions may delay lung cancer diagnosis by placing demand on general practioners’ time reducing the possibility of prompt cancer investigation (“competing demand conditions”), or by offering a plausible non-cancer explanation for signs/symptoms (“alternative explanation conditions”).

Method
Patients in England born before 1955 and diagnosed with incident lung cancer between 1990 and 2019 were identified in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink and linked hospital admission and cancer registry data. Diagnostic interval was defined as time from first presentation in primary care with a relevant sign/symptom to the diagnosis date. 14 comorbidities were classified as ten “competing demand“ and four “alternative explanation” conditions. Associations with diagnostic interval were investigated using multivariable linear regression models.

Results
Complete data were available for 11870 lung cancer patients. In adjusted analyses diagnostic interval was longer for patients with “alternative explanation” conditions, by 31 and 74 days in patients with one and ≥2 conditions respectively versus those with none. Number of “competing demand” conditions did not remain in the final adjusted regression model for diagnostic interval.

Conclusions
Conditions offering alternative explanations for lung cancer symptoms are associated with increased diagnostic intervals. Clinical guidelines should incorporate the impact of alternative and competing causes upon delayed diagnosis.
Accelerated differentiation of neo-W nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes between two climate-associated bird lineages signals potential co-evolution with mitogenomes
Authors: Low Gabriel Weijie , Pavlova Alexandra , Gan Han Ming , Ko Meng-Ching , Sadanandan Keren R. , Lee Yin Peng , Amos J. Nevil , Austin Lana , Falk Stephanie , Dowling Damian K. , Sunnucks Paul 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThere is considerable evidence for mitochondrial-nuclear co-adaptation as a key evolutionary driver. Hypotheses regarding the roles of sex-linkage have emphasized Z-linked nuclear genes with mitochondrial function (N-mt genes), whereas it remains contentious whether the perfect co-inheritance of W genes with mitogenomes could hinder or facilitate co-adaptation. Young (neo-) sex chromosomes that possess relatively many N-mt genes compared to older chromosomes provide unprecedented hypothesis-testing opportunities. Eastern Yellow Robin (EYR) lineages in coastal and inland habitats with different climates are diverged in mitogenomes, and in a ~ 15.4 Mb nuclear region enriched with N-mt genes, in contrast with otherwise-similar nuclear genomes. This nuclear region maps to passerine chromosome 1A, previously found to be neo-sex in the inland EYR genome. To compare sex-linked Chr1A-derived genes between lineages, we assembled and annotated the coastal EYR genome. We found that: (i) the coastal lineage shares a similar neo-sex system with the inland lineage, (ii) neo-W and neo-Z N-mt genes are not more diverged between lineages than are comparable non-N-mt genes, and showed little evidence for broad positive selection, (iii) however, W-linked N-mt genes are more diverged between lineages than are their Z-linked gametologs. The latter effect was ~7 times stronger for N-mt than non-N-mt genes, suggesting that W-linked N-mt genes might have diverged between lineages under environmental selection through co-evolution with mitogenomes. Finally, we identify a candidate gene driver for divergent selection, NDUFA12. Our data represent a rare example suggesting a possible role for W-associated mitochondrial-nuclear interactions in climate-associated adaptation and lineage differentiation.
Metallic coatings in offshore wind sector—a mini review
Authors: Syrek-Gerstenkorn Berenika , Paul Shiladitya 
Published: August 2024

AbstractOffshore wind energy is pivotal for achieving global renewable energy targets. As of 2022, 12% of global electricity is derived from wind and solar power, with an imperative to reach 90% renewable energy by 2050. The offshore wind industry, constituting 7.1% of global wind power, plays a central role in meeting these goals. The Global Wind Energy Alliance envisions reaching 380 GW by 2030 and 2000 GW by 2050. This paper addresses corrosion challenges in the offshore environment, emphasising sacrificial coatings as an effective mitigation strategy. By critically evaluating the latest revisions of widely used international standards such as Norsok M-501, ISO 12944, and VGBE-S-021, the study focuses on zinc- and aluminium-rich coatings that form a galvanic couple with steel, providing cathodic protection. Liquid coatings, thermally sprayed coatings, and hot-dip galvanised coatings are examined for their applicability with discussion on the advantages and limitations of these systems. Considerations of cost, environmental impact, and testing methods are crucial in selecting corrosion mitigation strategies. The review alludes to these requirements and highlights the significance of durable solutions, such as sacrificial coatings, in ensuring the long-term integrity of offshore wind structures amid the sector’s rapid expansion. Further collaborative research, involving industry and academia, is recommended to refine testing regimes and explore innovative coating solutions.
Loss of plasticity in deep continual learning
Authors: Dohare Shibhansh , Hernandez-Garcia J. Fernando , Lan Qingfeng , Rahman Parash , Mahmood A. Rupam , Sutton Richard S. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractArtificial neural networks, deep-learning methods and the backpropagation algorithm1 form the foundation of modern machine learning and artificial intelligence. These methods are almost always used in two phases, one in which the weights of the network are updated and one in which the weights are held constant while the network is used or evaluated. This contrasts with natural learning and many applications, which require continual learning. It has been unclear whether or not deep learning methods work in continual learning settings. Here we show that they do not—that standard deep-learning methods gradually lose plasticity in continual-learning settings until they learn no better than a shallow network. We show such loss of plasticity using the classic ImageNet dataset and reinforcement-learning problems across a wide range of variations in the network and the learning algorithm. Plasticity is maintained indefinitely only by algorithms that continually inject diversity into the network, such as our continual backpropagation algorithm, a variation of backpropagation in which a small fraction of less-used units are continually and randomly reinitialized. Our results indicate that methods based on gradient descent are not enough—that sustained deep learning requires a random, non-gradient component to maintain variability and plasticity.
Stem cells tightly regulate dead cell clearance to maintain tissue fitness
Authors: Stewart Katherine S. , Abdusselamoglu Merve Deniz , Tierney Matthew T. , Gola Anita , Hur Yun Ha , Gonzales Kevin A. U. , Yuan Shaopeng , Bonny Alain R. , Yang Yihao , Infarinato Nicole R. , Cowley Christopher J. , Levorse John M. , Pasolli Hilda Amalia , Ghosh Sourav , Rothlin Carla V. , Fuchs Elaine 
Published: August 2024

AbstractBillions of cells are eliminated daily from our bodies1–4. Although macrophages and dendritic cells are dedicated to migrating and engulfing dying cells and debris, many epithelial and mesenchymal tissue cells can digest nearby apoptotic corpses1–4. How these non-motile, non-professional phagocytes sense and eliminate dying cells while maintaining their normal tissue functions is unclear. Here we explore the mechanisms that underlie their multifunctionality by exploiting the cyclical bouts of tissue regeneration and degeneration during hair cycling. We show that hair follicle stem cells transiently unleash phagocytosis at the correct time and place through local molecular triggers that depend on both lipids released by neighbouring apoptotic corpses and retinoids released by healthy counterparts. We trace the heart of this dual ligand requirement to RARγ–RXRα, whose activation enables tight regulation of apoptotic cell clearance genes and provides an effective, tunable mechanism to offset phagocytic duties against the primary stem cell function of preserving tissue integrity during homeostasis. Finally, we provide functional evidence that hair follicle stem cell-mediated phagocytosis is not simply redundant with professional phagocytes but rather has clear benefits to tissue fitness. Our findings have broad implications for other non-motile tissue stem or progenitor cells that encounter cell death in an immune-privileged niche.
Genome-scale quantification and prediction of pathogenic stop codon readthrough by small molecules
Authors: Toledano Ignasi , Supek Fran , Lehner Ben 
Published: August 2024

AbstractPremature termination codons (PTCs) cause ~10–20% of inherited diseases and are a major mechanism of tumor suppressor gene inactivation in cancer. A general strategy to alleviate the effects of PTCs would be to promote translational readthrough. Nonsense suppression by small molecules has proven effective in diverse disease models, but translation into the clinic is hampered by ineffective readthrough of many PTCs. Here we directly tackle the challenge of defining drug efficacy by quantifying the readthrough of ~5,800 human pathogenic stop codons by eight drugs. We find that different drugs promote the readthrough of complementary subsets of PTCs defined by local sequence context. This allows us to build interpretable models that accurately predict drug-induced readthrough genome-wide, and we validate these models by quantifying endogenous stop codon readthrough. Accurate readthrough quantification and prediction will empower clinical trial design and the development of personalized nonsense suppression therapies.