bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Efficient generation of a self-organizing neuromuscular junction model from human pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Urzi Alessia , Lahmann Ines , Nguyen Lan Vi N. , Rost Benjamin R. , García-Pérez Angélica , Lelievre Noemie , Merritt-Garza Megan E. , Phan Han C. , Bassell Gary J. , Rossoll Wilfried , Diecke Sebastian , Kunz Severine , Schmitz Dietmar , Gouti Mina 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe complex neuromuscular network that controls body movements is the target of severe diseases that result in paralysis and death. Here, we report the development of a robust and efficient self-organizing neuromuscular junction (soNMJ) model from human pluripotent stem cells that can be maintained long-term in simple adherent conditions. The timely application of specific patterning signals instructs the simultaneous development and differentiation of position-specific brachial spinal neurons, skeletal muscles, and terminal Schwann cells. High-content imaging reveals self-organized bundles of aligned muscle fibers surrounded by innervating motor neurons that form functional neuromuscular junctions. Optogenetic activation and pharmacological interventions show that the spinal neurons actively instruct the synchronous skeletal muscle contraction. The generation of a soNMJ model from spinal muscular atrophy patient-specific iPSCs reveals that the number of NMJs and muscle contraction is severely affected, resembling the patient’s pathology. In the future, the soNMJ model could be used for high-throughput studies in disease modeling and drug development. Thus, this model will allow us to address unmet needs in the neuromuscular disease field.
NEMO reshapes the α-Synuclein aggregate interface and acts as an autophagy adapter by co-condensation with p62
Authors: Furthmann Nikolas , Bader Verian , Angersbach Lena , Blusch Alina , Goel Simran , Sánchez-Vicente Ana , Krause Laura J. , Chaban Sarah A. , Grover Prerna , Trinkaus Victoria A. , van Well Eva M. , Jaugstetter Maximilian , Tschulik Kristina , Damgaard Rune Busk , Saft Carsten , Ellrichmann Gisa , Gold Ralf , Koch Arend , Englert Benjamin , Westenberger Ana , Klein Christine , Jungbluth Lisa , Sachse Carsten , Behrends Christian , Glatzel Markus , Hartl F. Ulrich , Nakamura Ken , Christine Chadwick W. , Huang Eric J. , Tatzelt Jörg , Winklhofer Konstanze F. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractNEMO is a ubiquitin-binding protein which regulates canonical NF-κB pathway activation in innate immune signaling, cell death regulation and host-pathogen interactions. Here we identify an NF-κB-independent function of NEMO in proteostasis regulation by promoting autophagosomal clearance of protein aggregates. NEMO-deficient cells accumulate misfolded proteins upon proteotoxic stress and are vulnerable to proteostasis challenges. Moreover, a patient with a mutation in the NEMO-encoding IKBKG gene resulting in defective binding of NEMO to linear ubiquitin chains, developed a widespread mixed brain proteinopathy, including α-synuclein, tau and TDP-43 pathology. NEMO amplifies linear ubiquitylation at α-synuclein aggregates and promotes the local concentration of p62 into foci. In vitro, NEMO lowers the threshold concentrations required for ubiquitin-dependent phase transition of p62. In summary, NEMO reshapes the aggregate surface for efficient autophagosomal clearance by providing a mobile phase at the aggregate interphase favoring co-condensation with p62.
Seasonal variation in dragonfly assemblage colouration suggests a link between thermal melanism and phenology
Authors: Novella-Fernandez Roberto , Brandl Roland , Pinkert Stefan , Zeuss Dirk , Hof Christian 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPhenology, the seasonal timing of life events, is an essential component of diversity patterns. However, the mechanisms involved are complex and understudied. Body colour may be an important factor, because dark-bodied species absorb more solar radiation, which is predicted by the Thermal Melanism Hypothesis to enable them to thermoregulate successfully in cooler temperatures. Here we show that colour lightness of dragonfly assemblages varies in response to seasonal changes in solar radiation, with darker early- and late-season assemblages and lighter mid-season assemblages. This finding suggests a link between colour-based thermoregulation and insect phenology. We also show that the phenological pattern of dragonfly colour lightness advanced over the last decades. We suggest that changing seasonal temperature patterns due to global warming together with the static nature of solar radiation may drive dragonfly flight periods to suboptimal seasonal conditions. Our findings open a research avenue for a more mechanistic understanding of phenology and spatio-phenological impacts of climate warming on insects.
Modulation of the morphotropic phase boundary for high-performance ductile thermoelectric materials
Authors: Liang Jiasheng , Liu Jin , Qiu Pengfei , Ming Chen , Zhou Zhengyang , Gao Zhiqiang , Zhao Kunpeng , Chen Lidong , Shi Xun 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe flexible thermoelectric technique, which can convert heat from the human body to electricity via the Seebeck effect, is expected to provide a peerless solution for the power supply of wearables. The recent discovery of ductile semiconductors has opened a new avenue for flexible thermoelectric technology, but their power factor and figure-of-merit values are still much lower than those of classic thermoelectric materials. Herein, we demonstrate the presence of morphotropic phase boundary in Ag2Se-Ag2S pseudobinary compounds. The morphotropic phase boundary can be freely tuned by adjusting the material thermal treatment processes. High-performance ductile thermoelectric materials with excellent power factor (22 μWcm−1 K−2) and figure-of-merit (0.61) values are realized near the morphotropic phase boundary at 300 K. These materials perform better than all existing ductile inorganic semiconductors and organic materials. Furthermore, the in-plane flexible thermoelectric device based on these high-performance thermoelectric materials demonstrates a normalized maximum power density reaching 0.26 Wm−1 under a temperature gradient of 20 K, which is at least two orders of magnitude higher than those of flexible organic thermoelectric devices. This work can greatly accelerate the development of flexible thermoelectric technology.
Disease avoidance threatens social cohesion in a large-scale social networking experiment
Authors: Nunner Hendrik , Buskens Vincent , Corten Rense , Kaandorp Casper , Kretzschmar Mirjam 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPeople tend to limit social contacts during times of increased health risks, leading to disruption of social networks thus changing the course of epidemics. To what extent, however, do people show such avoidance reactions? To test the predictions and assumptions of an agent-based model on the feedback loop between avoidance behavior, social networks, and disease spread, we conducted a large-scale (2,879 participants) incentivized experiment. The experiment rewards maintaining social relations and structures, and penalizes acquiring infections. We find that disease avoidance dominates networking decisions, despite relatively low penalties for infections; and that participants use more sophisticated strategies than expected (e.g., avoiding susceptible others with infectious neighbors), while they forget to maintain a beneficial network structure. Consequently, we observe low infection numbers, but also deterioration of network positions. These results imply that the focus on a more obvious signal (i.e., infection) may lead to unwanted side effects (i.e., loss of social cohesion).
Experimental investigation on the physical, microstructural, and mechanical properties of hemp limecrete
Authors: Avudaiappan Siva , Cuello Moreno Pablo Ignacio , Montoya R Luis Felipe , Chávez-Delgado Manuel , Arunachalam Krishna Prakash , Guindos Pablo , Marzialetti B Teresita , Fernando Parra Pablo , Saavedra Flores Erick I. , Flores Arrey Julio Ignacio 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThis paper investigates the hemp limecrete mechanical and microstructural performance of a new sustainable and environmental friendly building material. Several studies have investigated the hemp limecrete focusing on the non-structural applications. The newly developed hemp limecrete consists of high mechanical and microstructural properties. The specimens were prepared with varying lengths and proportions of hemp fibers with lime and tested for compressive strength, flexural strength, thermal conductivity and microstructural analysis like SEM and EDS. The study found that the optimal fiber content for making mortars was between 2 and 4%. This conclusion was reached after analyzing the influence of fiber length and ratio on the properties of the mortars. The dry unit weight decreased when the fiber content was higher than 4%. In terms of strength, the study found that the flexural strength of the hemp limecrete improved with an increase in fiber ratio, but the compressive strength decreased. However, with 2% hemp fiber, compressive strengths of 3.48 MPa and above were obtained. The study also highlighted the good thermal insulation properties and dimensional stability of hemp limecrete. These findings have important implications for the use of hemp limecrete as a sustainable building material. The results suggest that hemp limecrete has the potential to be a viable alternative to conventional concrete in specific applications, particularly in areas where environmental sustainability is a priority.
Assessment of genetic diversity, population structure and wolf-dog hybridisation in the Eastern Romanian Carpathian wolf population
Authors: Jarausch Anne , von Thaden Alina , Sin Teodora , Corradini Andrea , Pop Mihai I. , Chiriac Silviu , Gazzola Andrea , Nowak Carsten 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe Carpathian Mountains have been constantly inhabited by grey wolves and present one of the largest distribution areas in Europe, comprising between 2300 and 2700 individuals in Romania. To date, however, relatively little is known about the Romanian wolf population. We aimed to provide a first assessment of genetic diversity, population structure and wolf-dog hybridisation based on 444 mostly non-invasively collected samples in the Eastern Romanian Carpathians. Pack reconstruction and analysis of population genetic parameters were performed with mitochondrial DNA control-region sequencing and microsatellite genotyping. We found relatively high levels of genetic diversity, which is similar to values found in previous studies on Carpathian wolves from Poland and Slovakia, as well as to the long-lasting Dinaric-Balkan wolf population. We found no significant population structure in our study region, suggesting effective dispersal and admixture. Analysis of wolf-dog hybridisation using a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism panel optimised for hybrid detection revealed low rates of admixture between wolves and domestic dogs. Our results provide evidence for the existence of a genetically viable wolf population in the Romanian Carpathians. The genetic data obtained in this study may serve as valuable baseline information for the elaboration of monitoring standards and management plans for wolves in Romania.
Experimental study on the effect of CNT-enriched nanofluid lubrication on the performance of textured cutting tool in the turning of aluminum 7075 alloy
Authors: Khani Salman 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThis paper investigates the impact of surface texturing and the use of CNT-enriched nanofluid lubrication on the cutting performance of cemented carbide cutting tools during the turning process of aluminum 7075 alloy. Aluminum 7075 is widely utilized in various industries due to its exceptional properties, including high corrosion resistance, a favorable strength-to-weight ratio, and good formability. However, this alloy tends to excessively adhere to the cutting tool at the tool-chip interface, which negatively affects the machining process. Previous research has proposed different solutions, but the current study focuses on implementing the two most effective approaches to minimize adhesion phenomena. The first approach involves modifying the contact area by creating a pattern on the tool's rake face, while the second approach utilizes CNT-enriched nanofluid lubrication to reduce friction in the tool-chip interface. Various types of surface textures were fabricated on the rake face, and experimental tests were conducted to identify the most effective texture. The findings showed that using textured tools with micro-grooves perpendicular to the chip flow direction, with CNT-enriched nanofluid lubrication, resulted in significant reductions in main cutting force, built-up edge, and surface finish. The decreases were up to 32%, 37%, and 19%, respectively, compared to dry turning conditions.
The association between smoking cessation and lifestyle/genetic variant rs6265 among the adult population in Taiwan
Authors: Lai Yi-Ling , Gan Connie Cai Ru , Nfor Oswald Ndi , Lu Wen-Yu , Lee Shiuan-Shinn , Liaw Yung-Po 
Published: December 2023

AbstractRecent studies showed significant associations between socio-demographic, lifestyle factors, polymorphic variant rs6265, and smoking cessation behaviours. We examined rs6265 TT, TC and CC genotypes and their association with socio-demographic and other variables, including mental health status, drinking, exercise, and smoking behaviour among Taiwanese adults. Data on rs6265 were retrieved from the Taiwan Biobank, which contained genetic data collected between 2008 to 2019 from 20,584 participants (aged 30–70 years). Participants who smoked for more than 6 months prior to enrolment were categorized as smokers. If they had smoked and later quit for more than 6 months, they were classified as former smokers. Information regarding drinking, exercise, depression, and bipolar disorder were obtained through questionnaires and were categorized as either as affirmative (yes) or negative (no) responses. In contrast to previous studies, we found that the association between the polymorphism rs6265 and smoking behaviour was not significant (P-value = 0.8753). Males with lower education levels, young persons, and alcohol drinkers showed significant smoking behaviours (P-value < .0001). This population-based study indicates that rs6265 has no significant correlations with smoking cessation behaviour among adults in Taiwan.
GAHLS: an optimized graph analytics based high level synthesis framework
Authors: Xiao Yao , Nazarian Shahin , Bogdan Paul 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe urgent need for low latency, high-compute and low power on-board intelligence in autonomous systems, cyber-physical systems, robotics, edge computing, evolvable computing, and complex data science calls for determining the optimal amount and type of specialized hardware together with reconfigurability capabilities. With these goals in mind, we propose a novel comprehensive graph analytics based high level synthesis (GAHLS) framework that efficiently analyzes complex high level programs through a combined compiler-based approach and graph theoretic optimization and synthesizes them into message passing domain-specific accelerators. This GAHLS framework first constructs a compiler-assisted dependency graph (CaDG) from low level virtual machine (LLVM) intermediate representation (IR) of high level programs and converts it into a hardware friendly description representation. Next, the GAHLS framework performs a memory design space exploration while account for the identified computational properties from the CaDG and optimizing the system performance for higher bandwidth. The GAHLS framework also performs a robust optimization to identify the CaDG subgraphs with similar computational structures and aggregate them into intelligent processing clusters in order to optimize the usage of underlying hardware resources. Finally, the GAHLS framework synthesizes this compressed specialized CaDG into processing elements while optimizing the system performance and area metrics. Evaluations of the GAHLS framework on several real-life applications (e.g., deep learning, brain machine interfaces) demonstrate that it provides 14.27× performance improvements compared to state-of-the-art approaches such as LegUp 6.2.
Exploring the potential of standalone and tandem solar cells with Sb2S3 and Sb2Se3 absorbers: a simulation study
Authors: Dahmardeh Z. , Saadat M. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThin-film antimony chalcogenide binary compounds are potential candidates for efficient and low-cost photovoltaic absorbers. This study investigates the performance of Sb2S3 and Sb2Se3 as photovoltaic absorbers, aiming to optimize their efficiency. The standalone Sb2S3 and Sb2Se3 sub-cells are analyzed using SCAPS-1D simulations, and then a tandem structure with Sb2S3 as the top-cell absorber and Sb2Se3 as the bottom-cell absorber is designed, using the filtered spectrum and the current matching technique. The optimal configuration for maximum efficiency is achieved by adjusting the thickness of the absorber layer. The results show that antimony chalcogenide binary compounds have great potential as photovoltaic absorbers, enabling the development of efficient and low-cost solar cells. A remarkable conversion efficiency of 22.2% is achieved for the optimized tandem cell structure, with absorber thicknesses of 420 nm and 1020 nm for the top and bottom sub-cells respectively. This study presents a promising approach towards high-performance tandem solar cells.
Serum heme oxygenase-1 as a prognostic biomarker in patients with acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease
Authors: Tagami Yoichi , Hara Yu , Murohashi Kota , Nagasawa Ryo , Fujii Hiroaki , Izawa Ami , Yabe Aya , Saigusa Yusuke , Kobayashi Miyu , Shiida Masafumi , Hirata Momo , Otsu Yukiko , Watanabe Keisuke , Horita Nobuyuki , Kobayashi Nobuaki , Kaneko Takeshi 
Published: December 2023

AbstractSerum heme oxygenase (HO)-1 level has been reported as a clinically reliable diagnostic biomarker for acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease (ILD); however, its utility for predicting mortality among these patients is unclear. Serum HO-1 levels of patients newly diagnosed with acute exacerbation of ILD were measured at the time of initiating steroid pulse therapy. The relationship between serum HO-1 and various other serum biomarkers, change in HRCT findings, and disease prognosis at 12 weeks after diagnosis of acute exacerbation was evaluated in 51 patients, of whom 17 (33%) had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Serum HO-1 was higher in patients with acute exacerbation of IPF than in patients with acute exacerbation of other ILDs. Serum HO-1 levels were higher in patients who died within these 12 weeks than in survivors. Among age, sex, comorbidities, IPF diagnosis, HRCT findings, and blood biomarkers, serum HO-1 was a primary predictor of 12-week mortality. In 41 patients who underwent repeat HRCT, serum HO-1 was higher in patients with honeycomb progression than in those without. Serum HO-1 measurement could be useful for evaluating disease mortality and morbidity of patients with acute exacerbation of ILDs.
Modeling crude oil pyrolysis process using advanced white-box and black-box machine learning techniques
Authors: Hadavimoghaddam Fahimeh , Rozhenko Alexei , Mohammadi Mohammad-Reza , Mostajeran Gortani Masoud , Pourafshary Peyman , Hemmati-Sarapardeh Abdolhossein 
Published: December 2023

AbstractAccurate prediction of fuel deposition during crude oil pyrolysis is pivotal for sustaining the combustion front and ensuring the effectiveness of in-situ combustion enhanced oil recovery (ISC EOR). Employing 2071 experimental TGA datasets from 13 diverse crude oil samples extracted from the literature, this study sought to precisely model crude oil pyrolysis. A suite of robust machine learning techniques, encompassing three black-box approaches (Categorical Gradient Boosting—CatBoost, Gaussian Process Regression—GPR, Extreme Gradient Boosting—XGBoost), and a white-box approach (Genetic Programming—GP), was employed to estimate crude oil residue at varying temperature intervals during TGA runs. Notably, the XGBoost model emerged as the most accurate, boasting a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 0.7796% and a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.9999. Subsequently, the GPR, CatBoost, and GP models demonstrated commendable performance. The GP model, while displaying slightly higher error in comparison to the black-box models, yielded acceptable results and proved suitable for swift estimation of crude oil residue during pyrolysis. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to reveal the varying influence of input parameters on residual crude oil during pyrolysis. Among the inputs, temperature and asphaltenes were identified as the most influential factors in the crude oil pyrolysis process. Higher temperatures and oil °API gravity were associated with a negative impact, leading to a decrease in fuel deposition. On the other hand, increased values of asphaltenes, resins, and heating rates showed a positive impact, resulting in an increase in fuel deposition. These findings underscore the importance of precise modeling for fuel deposition during crude oil pyrolysis, offering insights that can significantly benefit ISC EOR practices.
Linking tumor immune infiltrate and systemic immune mediators to treatment response and prognosis in advanced cervical cancer
Authors: Rocha Martins Patrícia , Luciano Pereira Morais Kátia , de Lima Galdino Nayane Alves , Jacauna Adriana , Paula Sálua O. C. , Magalhães Wagner C. S. , Zuccherato Luciana W. , Campos Larissa S. , Salles Paulo Guilherme O. , Gollob Kenneth J. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractCervical cancer (CC) poses a significant burden on individuals in developing regions, exhibiting heterogeneous responses to standard chemoradiation therapy, and contributing to substantial mortality rates. Unraveling host immune dynamics holds promise for innovative therapies and discovery of clinically relevant biomarkers. We studied prospectively locally advanced CC patients pre-treatment, stratifying them as responders (R) or non-responders (NR). R patients had increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), while NR patients showed elevated PD-1 scores, CD8+ and PD-L2+ TILs, and PD-L1 immune reactivity. NR patients exhibited higher systemic soluble mediators correlating with TIL immune markers. R patients demonstrated functional polarization of CD4 T cells (Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg), while CD8+ T cells and CD68+ macrophages predominated in the NR group. Receiver operating characteristic analysis identified potential CC response predictors, including PD-L1-immunoreactive (IR) area, PD-L2, CD8, FGF-basic, IL-7, IL-8, IL-12p40, IL-15, and TNF-alpha. Dysfunctional TILs and imbalanced immune mediators contribute to therapeutic insufficiency, shedding light on local and systemic immune interplay. Our study informs immunological signatures for treatment prediction and CC prognosis.