bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Arctic Ocean Nitrogen Cycle
Authors: Arrigo Kevin R. , Mills Matthew M. , Juranek Lauren W. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractAlthough the Arctic Ocean is small, its shallow shelves and highly productive coastal waters make it an important component of global biogeochemical cycling, especially of nitrogen (N). Because inorganic forms of dissolved N exist in so many different oxidation states, the cycling of N can be quite complex. In this review, we describe the current understanding of the major conduits bringing N into Arctic surface waters as well as the key physical and biological processes that are responsible for the transformation from one form of N to another. We also discuss the environmental factors that are currently controlling these transformations and how this may change in a future Arctic.
High temperature heat flux sensor with ITO/In2O3 thermopile for extreme environment sensing
Authors: Dong Helei , Lu Meimei , Wang Weifeng , Tan Qiulin 
Published: July 2024

AbstractHypersonic vehicles and aircraft engine blades face complex and harsh environments such as high heat flow density and high temperature, and they are generally narrow curved spaces, making it impossible to actually install them for testing. Thin-film heat flux sensors (HFSs) have the advantages of small size, fast response, and in-situ fabrication, but they are prone to reach thermal equilibrium and thus fail during testing. In our manuscript, an ITO–In2O3 thick film heat flux sensor (HFS) is designed, and a high-temperature heat flux test system is built to simulate the working condition of a blade subjected to heat flow impact. The simulation and test results show that the test performance of the thick-film HFS is improved by optimizing the structure and parameters. Under the condition of no water cooling, the designed HFS can realize short-time heat flux monitoring at 1450 °C and long-term stable monitoring at 1300 °C and below. With a maximum output thermopotential of 17.8 mV and an average test sensitivity of 0.035 mV/(kW/m2), the designed HFS has superior high-temperature resistance that cannot be achieved by other existing thin (thick) film HFSs. Therefore, the designed HFS has great potential for application in harsh environments such as aerospace, weaponry, and industrial metallurgy.
Successful treatment of hard flaccid syndrome with multimodal therapy: a case report study
Authors: Yazar R. Omer , Hammad Muhammed A. M. , Barham David W. , Azad Babak , Yafi Faysal A. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractOur article outlines a case study assessing the use of low-intensity shock wave therapy (LiSWT) for managing Hard Flaccid Syndrome (HFS). Given the absence of standardized treatments for HFS, LiSWT could serve as an additional tool in the treatment arsenal. The case involved a 36-year-old male presenting HFS, low libido, chronic pain, and erectile dysfunction. Treatment comprised phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5-I), physical therapy, and LiSWT. Following six sessions, the patient experienced regression of bothersome symptoms and improved erections. A 2-year follow-up revealed sustained symptom relief. LiSWT presents a non-invasive means of inducing mechanical stress and microtrauma in targeted tissues, fostering neovascularization and potentially enhancing blood supply. The integration of LiSWT with PDE5-I and physical therapy suggests a potential avenue for effective HFS management. Nevertheless, further systematic research is essential to validate the therapy’s benefits and assess, if any, potential drawbacks.
Multi-condensate state as a functional strategy to optimize the cell signaling output
Authors: Chattaraj Aniruddha , Shakhnovich Eugene I. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe existence of multiple biomolecular condensates inside living cells is a peculiar phenomenon not compatible with the predictions of equilibrium statistical mechanics. In this work, we address the problem of multiple condensates state (MCS) from a functional perspective. We combine Langevin dynamics, reaction-diffusion simulation, and dynamical systems theory to demonstrate that MCS can indeed be a function optimization strategy. Using Arp2/3 mediated actin nucleation pathway as an example, we show that actin polymerization is maximum at an optimal number of condensates. For a fixed amount of Arp2/3, MCS produces a greater response compared to its single condensate counterpart. Our analysis reveals the functional significance of the condensate size distribution which can be mapped to the recent experimental findings. Given the spatial heterogeneity within condensates and non-linear nature of intracellular networks, we envision MCS to be a generic functional solution, so that structures of network motifs may have evolved to accommodate such configurations.
Epigenetic memory is governed by an effector recruitment specificity toggle in Heterochromatin Protein 1
Authors: Ames Amanda , Seman Melissa , Larkin Ajay , Raiymbek Gulzhan , Chen Ziyuan , Levashkevich Alex , Kim Bokyung , Biteen Julie Suzanne , Ragunathan Kaushik 
Published: July 2024

AbstractHP1 proteins are essential for establishing and maintaining transcriptionally silent heterochromatin. They dimerize, forming a binding interface to recruit diverse chromatin-associated factors. Although HP1 proteins are known to rapidly evolve, the extent of variation required to achieve functional specialization is unknown. To investigate how changes in amino acid sequence impacts heterochromatin formation, we performed a targeted mutagenesis screen of the S. pombe HP1 homolog, Swi6. Substitutions within an auxiliary surface adjacent to the HP1 dimerization interface produce Swi6 variants with divergent maintenance properties. Remarkably, substitutions at a single amino acid position lead to the persistent gain or loss of epigenetic inheritance. These substitutions increase Swi6 chromatin occupancy in vivo and altered Swi6-protein interactions that reprogram H3K9me maintenance. We show how relatively minor changes in Swi6 amino acid composition in an auxiliary surface can lead to profound changes in epigenetic inheritance providing a redundant mechanism to evolve HP1-effector specificity.
Modelling onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy and the impact of ivermectin treatment on its prevalence and incidence
Authors: Stapley Jacob N. , Hamley Jonathan I. D. , Walker Martin , Dixon Matthew A. , Colebunders Robert , Basáñez Maria-Gloria 
Published: July 2024

AbstractRetrospective cohort studies in Cameroon found an association between Onchocerca volvulus microfilarial load in childhood (measured in 1991–1993) and risk of developing epilepsy later in life (measured in 2017). We parameterised and integrated this relationship (across children aged 3–15 years) into the previously published, stochastic transmission model, EPIONCHO-IBM, for Simulium damnosum sensu lato-transmitted onchocerciasis. We simulated 19 years (1998–2017) of annual ivermectin mass drug administration (MDA) reflecting coverage in the study area, and modelled epilepsy prevalence and incidence. Scenario-based simulations of 25 years of (annual and biannual) MDA in hyper- and holoendemic settings, with 65% and 80% therapeutic coverage, were also conducted. EPIONCHO-IBM predicted 7.6% epilepsy prevalence (compared to 8.2% in the Cameroon study) and incidence of 317 cases/100,000 person-years (compared to 350). In hyperendemic areas, 25 years of biannual MDA (80% coverage) eliminated onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy (OAE) and protected untreated under-fives from its development. Strengthening onchocerciasis programmes, implementing alternative strategies, and evaluating treatment for under-fives and school-age children are crucial to prevent OAE in highly-endemic settings.
Empowering the on-site detection of nucleic acids by integrating CRISPR and digital signal processing
Authors: Lee Chang Yeol , Kim Hyunho , Degani Ismail , Lee Hanna , Sandoval Angel , Nam Yoonho , Pascavis Madeleine , Park Hyun Gyu , Randall Thomas , Ly Amy , Castro Cesar M. , Lee Hakho 
Published: July 2024

AbstractAddressing the global disparity in cancer care necessitates the development of rapid and affordable nucleic acid (NA) testing technologies. This need is particularly critical for cervical cancer, where molecular detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) has emerged as an accurate screening method. However, implementing this transition in low- and middle-income countries has been challenging due to the high costs and centralized facilities required for current NA tests. Here, we present CreDiT (CRISPR Enhanced Digital Testing) for on-site NA detection. The CreDiT platform integrates i) a one-pot CRISPR strategy that simultaneously amplifies both target NAs and analytical signals and ii) a robust fluorescent detection based on digital communication (encoding/decoding) technology. These features enable a rapid assay (<35 minutes) in a single streamlined workflow. We demonstrate the sensitive detection of cell-derived HPV DNA targets down to single copies and accurate identification of HPV types in clinical cervical brushing specimens (n = 121).
Tuning polyamide membrane chemistry for enhanced desalination using Boc-protected ethylenediamine and its in situ Boc-deprotection
Authors: Ahmad Hilal , Waheed Abdul , Alharthi Fahad Ayesh , Fellows Christopher Michael , Baig Umair , Aljundi Isam H. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe scarcity of freshwater resources, driven by rapid population growth and industrialization, underscores the urgent need for advanced desalination technologies. This research aims to meet this critical demand by enhancing the performance of polyamide membranes through innovative chemical tuning of the active layer. By strategically using Boc-protected ethylenediamine (EDA), we can precisely control the membrane’s surface properties. One amino group in EDA is protected with a Boc group, allowing the other to participate in the interfacial polymerization (IP) reaction with meta-phenylenediamine (MPD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC). This inclusion of Boc-protected EDA enables in situ tuning of the active layer chemistry during polymerization. Subsequent removal of the Boc protection generates hydrophilic ammonium groups on the membrane surface, enhancing its desalination capabilities. As a result, three distinct membranes were fabricated and thoroughly characterized: MPD-TMC (control), MPD-TMC-EDA-Boc, and MPD-TMC-EDA-Deboc. At 20 bar and 2000 ppm NaCl feed, the MPD-TMC-EDA-Deboc membrane demonstrated superior desalination performance with a salt rejection of 98 ± 0.5% and a permeate flux of 25 L m−2 h−1; an increase of 25% compared to the control membrane. For the seawater nanofiltration (NF) permeate with a TDS of 33,700 ppm, a salt rejection of 97% and a permeate flux of 23 L m−2 h−1 was recorded at 20 bar. The MPD-TMC-EDA-Deboc membrane showed enhanced antifouling performance (95 ± 1% flux recovery) compared to the control MPD-TMC membrane with 93 ± 1% flux recovery. The Boc-protection/deprotection strategy demonstrated the high potential of this approach to significantly enhance the performance of polyamide membranes for desalination applications.
Supervised, structured and individualized exercise in metastatic breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Hiensch Anouk E. , Depenbusch Johanna , Schmidt Martina E. , Monninkhof Evelyn M. , Pelaez Mireia , Clauss Dorothea , Gunasekara Nadira , Zimmer Philipp , Belloso Jon , Trevaskis Mark , Rundqvist Helene , Wiskemann Joachim , Müller Jana , Sweegers Maike G. , Fremd Carlo , Altena Renske , Gorecki Maciej , Bijlsma Rhodé , van Leeuwen-Snoeks Lobke , ten Bokkel Huinink Daan , Sonke Gabe , Lahuerta Ainhara , Mann G. Bruce , Francis Prudence A. , Richardson Gary , Malter Wolfram , van der Wall Elsken , Aaronson Neil K. , Senkus Elzbieta , Urruticoechea Ander , Zopf Eva M. , Bloch Wilhelm , Stuiver Martijn M. , Wengstrom Yvonne , Steindorf Karen , May Anne M. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractPhysical exercise both during and after curative cancer treatment has been shown to reduce side effects. Evidence in the metastatic cancer setting is scarce, and interventions that improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are much needed for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The multinational randomized controlled PREFERABLE-EFFECT trial assessed the effects of exercise on fatigue and HRQOL in patients with MBC. In total, 357 patients with MBC and a life expectancy of ≥6 months but without unstable bone metastases were recruited at eight study centers across five European countries and Australia. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to usual care (control group, n = 179) or a 9-month supervised exercise program (exercise group, n = 178). Intervention effects on physical fatigue (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ)-FA12 scale) and HRQOL (EORTC QLQ-C30 summary score) were determined by comparing the change from baseline to 3, 6 (primary timepoint) and 9 months between groups using mixed models for repeated measures, adjusted for baseline values of the outcome, line of treatment (first or second versus third or higher) and study center. Exercise resulted in significant positive effects on both primary outcomes. Physical fatigue was significantly lower (−5.3 (95% confidence interval (CI), −10.0 to −0.6), Bonferroni–Holm-adjusted P = 0.027; Cohen's effect size, 0.22) and HRQOL significantly higher (4.8 (95% CI, 2.2–7.4), Bonferroni–Holm-adjusted P = 0.0003; effect size, 0.33) in the exercise group than in the control group at 6 months. Two serious adverse events occurred (that is, fractures), but both were not related to bone metastases. These results demonstrate that supervised exercise has positive effects on physical fatigue and HRQOL in patients with MBC and should be recommended as part of supportive care.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04120298.
Detailed-based dictionary learning for low-light image enhancement using camera response model for industrial applications
Authors: Goyal Bhawna , Dogra Ayush , Jalamneh Ammar , Chyophel Lepcha Dawa , Alkhayyat Ahmed , Singh Rajesh , Jyoti Saikia Manob 
Published: July 2024

AbstractImages captured in low-light environments are severely degraded due to insufficient light, which causes the performance decline of both commercial and consumer devices. One of the major challenges lies in how to balance the image enhancement properties of light intensity, detail presentation, and colour integrity in low-light enhancement tasks. This study presents a novel image enhancement framework using a detailed-based dictionary learning and camera response model (CRM). It combines dictionary learning with edge-aware filter-based detail enhancement. It assumes each small detail patch could be sparsely characterised in the over-complete detail dictionary that was learned from many training detail patches using iterative $${{\ell}}_{1}$$

ℓ
1

-norm minimization. Dictionary learning will effectively address several enhancement concerns in the progression of detail enhancement if we remove the visibility limit of training detail patches in the enhanced detail patches. We apply illumination estimation schemes to the selected CRM and the subsequent exposure ratio maps, which recover a novel enhanced detail layer and generate a high-quality output with detailed visibility when there is a training set of higher-quality images. We estimate the exposure ratio of each pixel using illumination estimation techniques. The selected camera response model adjusts each pixel to the desired exposure based on the computed exposure ratio map. Extensive experimental analysis shows an advantage of the proposed method that it can obtain enhanced results with acceptable distortions. The proposed research article can be generalised to address numerous other similar problems, such as image enhancement for remote sensing or underwater applications, medical imaging, and foggy or dusty conditions.
Change in negative mental filter is associated with depression reduction in metacognitive training for depression in older adults (MCT-Silver)
Authors: Schneider Brooke C. , Veckenstedt Ruth , Karamatskos Evangelos , Scheunemann Jakob , Moritz Steffen , Jelinek Lena , Miegel Franziska 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIdentifying components of modularized psychological interventions that contribute to symptom reduction is essential to improving depression treatment. In a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (RCT), session-specific effects of Metacognitive Training-Silver, a group intervention for older adults with depression, were investigated. Thirty-eight older adults with major depressive disorder or dysthymia participated in up to eight sessions of MCT-Silver. A clinical assessment of depressive symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) as well as additional interviews and questionnaires administered as part of the RCT were completed at pre- and post-intervention. Depressive symptoms, negative (meta)cognitive beliefs, emotion regulation strategies and attitudes toward aging were assessed pre- and post-session. The rate of change in each variable per module, elevation following the module in which the variable was addressed, and the rate of change post module were examined via linear mixed models. Clinician-rated depressive symptoms were significantly reduced from pre- to post-intervention (Cohens d = 1.31). Self-reported depression and negative mental filter measured within sessions improved significantly over treatment, whereas black-and-white thinking improved after module #3 (Should Statements, All or Nothing Thinking and Acceptance). Module-specific within-session effects were found for overgeneralization (module #1: Mental Filter) and rumination (module #6: Rumination and Social Withdrawal). Improvement in mental filter in module #1 was significantly associated with depression reduction. This study provides initial evidence that MCT-Silver partially meets its aims of reducing depression and specific cognitive variables within and across sessions. Improvement of the instrument used to measure change may improve detection of module-specific effects.Trial registration: NCT03691402.
An exploration of biodiversity limits to grazing ruminant milk and meat production
Authors: Resare Sahlin Kajsa , Gordon Line J. , Lindborg Regina , Piipponen Johannes , Van Rysselberge Pierre , Rouet-Leduc Julia , Röös Elin 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe production and consumption of animal-source foods must be transformed to mitigate negative environmental outcomes, including greenhouse gas emissions and land-use change. However, livestock are also key for food production and for livelihoods in some settings, and they can help preserve biodiversity and certain ecosystems. Previous studies have not yet fully explored sustainability limits to the use of grazing lands for food production in the context of biodiversity. Here we explore ‘biodiversity limits’ to grassland ruminant production by estimating the meat and milk production from domestic ruminants limited to grazing areas and stocking densities where livestock can contribute to the preservation or restoration of biodiversity. With biodiversity-friendly grazing intensities at 0–20% biomass removal depending on aridity, this take on biodiversity limits corresponds to 9–13% and 26–40% of the current grassland-based milk and meat production, respectively. This equals only 2.2 kg of milk and 0.8 kg of meat per capita per year, globally, but altered management and moving from meat-specialized to meat-and-dairy systems could increase the potential production while still remaining within this approach to biodiversity limits.
Annotation-efficient deep learning for breast cancer whole-slide image classification using tumour infiltrating lymphocytes and slide-level labels
Authors: Perera Rashindrie , Savas Peter , Senanayake Damith , Salgado Roberto , Joensuu Heikki , O’Toole Sandra , Li Jason , Loi Sherene , Halgamuge Saman 
Published: July 2024

AbstractTumour-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) are pivotal in the immune response against cancer cells. Existing deep learning methods for TIL analysis in whole-slide images (WSIs) demand extensive patch-level annotations, often requiring labour-intensive specialist input. To address this, we propose a framework named annotation-efficient segmentation and attention-based classifier (ANSAC). ANSAC requires only slide-level labels to classify WSIs as having high vs. low TIL scores, with the binary classes divided by an expert-defined threshold. ANSAC automatically segments tumour and stroma regions relevant to TIL assessment, eliminating extensive manual annotations. Furthermore, it uses an attention model to generate a map that highlights the most pertinent regions for classification. Evaluating ANSAC on four breast cancer datasets, we demonstrate substantial improvements over three baseline methods in identifying TIL-relevant regions, with up to 8% classification improvement on a held-out test dataset. Additionally, we propose a pre-processing modification to a well-known method, enhancing its performance up to 6%.
PIM GPT a hybrid process in memory accelerator for autoregressive transformers
Authors: Wu Yuting , Wang Ziyu , Lu Wei D. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractDecoder-only Transformer models such as Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT) have demonstrated exceptional performance in text generation by autoregressively predicting the next token. However, the efficiency of running GPT on current hardware systems is bounded by low compute-to-memory-ratio and high memory access. In this work, we propose a Process-in-memory (PIM) GPT accelerator, PIM-GPT, which achieves end-to-end acceleration of GPT inference with high performance and high energy efficiency. PIM-GPT leverages DRAM-based PIM designs for executing multiply-accumulate (MAC) operations directly in the DRAM chips, eliminating the need to move matrix data off-chip. Non-linear functions and data communication are supported by an application specific integrated chip (ASIC). At the software level, mapping schemes are designed to maximize data locality and computation parallelism. Overall, PIM-GPT achieves 41 − 137 × , 631 − 1074 × speedup and 123 − 383 × , 320 − 602 × energy efficiency over GPU and CPU baseline on 8 GPT models with up to 1.4 billion parameters.
Ferroelectrically controlled electromagnetic and transport properties of VN2H2/Al2O3 van der Waals multiferroic heterostructures
Authors: Sun Caijia , Ye Haoshen , Zhu Yijie , Chen Leiming , Bai Dongmei , Wang Jianli 
Published: July 2024

In VN2H2/Al2O3 vdW multiferroic heterostructures, a strong and tunable interfacial magnetoelectric coupling is realized at room temperature, and a ferroelectric polarization can effectively regulate the electromagnetic and transport properties.