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Quantifying both socioeconomic and climate uncertainty in coupled human–Earth systems analysis
A method for PCR-free library preparation for sequencing palaeogenomes
In recent years, methodological advances have substantially improved our ability to recover DNA molecules from ancient samples, raising the possibility to sequence palaeogenomes without PCR amplification. Here we present an amplification-free library preparation method based on a benchmark library preparation protocol in palaeogenomics based on single-stranded DNA, and demonstrate suitability of the new method for a range of sample types. Furthermore, we use the method to generate the first amplification-free nuclear genome of a Pleistocene cave bear, and analyse the resulting data in the context of cave bear population genetics and phylogenetics using standard genomic clustering analyses. We find that the PCR-free adaptation provides endogenous DNA contents, GC contents and fragment lengths consistent with the standard protocol, although with reduced conversion efficiency, and shows no biases in downstream population clustering analyses. Our amplification-free library preparation method could find application in experimental designs where the original template molecule needs to be characterised more directly.
Designable excitonic effects in van der Waals artificial crystals with exponentially growing thickness
Remain or return? The effect of social network and engagement on settlement intentions among high skilled migrants in Northeast China
China is transitioning from an immigrant-exporting country to an immigrant-importing country. To attract and retain global, it is necessary to analyze the factors influencing the settlement intentions of high skilled migrants to formulate policy support and tailor the management of transnational communities to their characteristics. This study used the Changchun sample from the Survey on Foreign Residents in China (SFRC 2017–2019) to examine the influence of social networks and social engagement on settlement intentions. It also considered differences in the classification of social networks and engagement strength, as well as classification by country of origin. This study identified that social networks and social engagement in the destination country play an essential role in the willingness of high skilled migrants to stay in Changchun. Additionally, international enclaves negatively affected their willingness to stay. Furthermore, the relative strength of migrants’ social networks and social engagement in the destination country exerted varying effects on the intensity of their settlement intentions. That is, using high skilled migrants with strong Chinese social networks and social engagement as the reference group, relying solely on a strong social network in China while lacking social engagement significantly reduced their willingness to settle. A weak social networks and low social engagement also significantly decreased their willingness to settle. Moreover, settlement intentions of the high skilled migrants differed significantly by country of origin. If we selected the same reference term, the willingness of expatriates from developed countries to stay decreased significantly. In the sections concerning comparison and robustness checks, national data were employed (SFRC 2019). Highly skilled expatriates in Guangzhou, Hangzhou, and Yiwu demonstrated the synergistic interaction between ethnic communities and work units (danwei), whereas those in Changchun exhibited a certain uniqueness, embedding themselves in Chinese society through their own human capital and danwei affiliations.
Shadow hamiltonian simulation
DArTSNP based genetic diversity analyses in cassava (Manihote esculenta [Cranz]) genotypes sourced from different regions revealed high level of diversity within population
Understanding the extent of genetic diversity is a pre-requisite in cassava breeding program due to its available broad genetic base of the crop and have great opportunity for its genetic improvement. This study was designed to assess the genetic diversity of 184 cassava germplasm sourced from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and previous collection of Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) by using DArTSNPs markers. The data were subjected to imputation and filtering for minor allele frequency of 0.01, 0.95 major allele frequency using TASSEL and Beagle. The resultants 9,310 informative SNPs were retained and used to perform analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), genetic diversity, population structure, and dissimilarity-based clustering of the tested cassava germplasm. The results of AMOVA revealed higher variation within (91.3%) than between (8.7%) the study populations. The high average PIC (0.44), expected heterozygosity (0.50), major allele (0.61) and minor allele (0.28) frequency showed the existence of high variation in the study populations. Population structure analysis grouped the panels into six structures with the existence of admixtures. Similarly, principal component analysis, factor analysis and cluster analysis apparently divided the panels into six clusters. Both the introduced and locally collected germplasm formed three clusters, each creating some mixes of genotypes, indicating that alleles sharing common ancestral background. The overall results, the studied genotypes showed significant variations, which can render opportunity for association mapping and technical conservation purposes.
Low-Temperature Growth of Centimeter-Sized 2D PdSe<sub>2</sub> by Self-Limiting Liquid-Phase Edge Epitaxy
Dynamic reverse Cl− driven integration of sludge conditioning and dewatering
Abstract Gel fouling is a major rate-limiting factor for forward osmosis (FO) dewatering of waste activated sludge (WAS). This study proposes a novel FO system, assisted by in-situ ultraviolet/electrooxidation (UV/E-Cl) driven by dynamic reverse chloride ions (Cl−), for simultaneous WAS conditioning and dewatering. Superior filtration performances were achieved, with water flux reaching 614% of the control and filtration resistance reduced by orders of magnitude, primarily due to the targeted attack on protein and polysaccharide fractions within extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Density functional theory (DFT) simulations identified that protein-polysaccharide interactions prefer a specific linear configuration, driving cross-linked network formation. Interfacial thermodynamics demonstrated that UV/E-Cl decreased foulant adhesion energy on the membrane surface by 97.51% through cleaving cross-links. Crucially, this work provides the quantitative thermodynamic evidence that shifts in water occurrence states surrounding network pores from bound to free water dominate gel fouling mitigation, with chemical potential variation accounting for 90.71% of filtration resistance.
MCount: An automated colony counting tool for high-throughput microbiology
Accurate colony counting is crucial for assessing microbial growth in high-throughput workflows. However, existing automated counting solutions struggle with the issue of merged colonies, a common occurrence in high-throughput plating. To overcome this limitation, we propose MCount, the only known solution that incorporates both contour information and regional algorithms for colony counting. By optimizing the pairing of contours with regional candidate circles, MCount can accurately infer the number of merged colonies. We evaluate MCount on a precisely labeled Escherichia coli dataset of 960 images (15,847 segments) and achieve an average error rate of 3.99%, significantly outperforming existing published solutions such as NICE (16.54%), AutoCellSeg (33.54%), and OpenCFU (50.31%). MCount is user-friendly as it only requires two hyperparameters. To further facilitate deployment in scenarios with limited labeled data, we propose statistical methods for selecting the hyperparameters using few labeled or even unlabeled data points, all of which guarantee consistently low error rates. MCount presents a promising solution for accurate and efficient colony counting in application workflows requiring high throughput, particularly in cases with merged colonies.
Externally controlled intermittent randomization enables complex navigation of multiple nanobots
Evidence for infectious merozoites of Plasmodium falciparum from natural isolates of cultured hepatoma cells infected with sporozoites
Previous cell culture systems using various human hepatoma cell lines established that the intra-hepatic stages of Plasmodium falciparum could be studied ex vivo. However, only one of these culture systems yielded infective merozoites that subsequently completed the parasite’s life cycle outside a human host. We hypothesized that a major limitation is the use of laboratory-adapted P. falciparum blood stages for sporozoites generation. Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites were generated by membrane-feeding of gametocyte-infected blood samples from hospital patients to Anopheles arabiensis. Subsequently, cultured HepG2 cells were infected with the sporozoites. From 6 days post-sporozoite inoculation, liver merozoites could be harvested from the cell supernatants. When co-cultured with O + erythrocytes, these merozoites established a blood infection and yielded erythrocytic stage parasites that re-infected erythrocytes. To confirm that the erythrocytic parasites generated were P. falciparum, RNA expressed by the erythrocytic parasites was isolated and used as control in microarray analysis against RNA expressed by irradiated erythrocytic parasites; subsequently, P. falciparum genes were identified. The cultured HepG2 cells permitted the full intra-hepatic maturation of P. falciparum parasites from natural isolates. Infective merozoites were yielded which gave rise to the erythrocytic stage P. falciparum post-infection into O + erythrocytes. The full intra-hepatic maturation of the naturally isolated P. falciparum parasites in a HepG2 cell culture system is possible. This finding has important implications for malaria research and vaccine development.
Clade-specific extracellular vesicles from Akkermansia muciniphila mediate competitive colonization via direct inhibition and immune stimulation
Development and evaluation of a Physiotherapy-led, WHO-ICOPE-Based, Person-Centered Integrated Care Program (PTICOPE) module to enhance intrinsic capacity in older adults: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Background Declining intrinsic capacity (IC), encompassing domains such as locomotion, cognitive function, vitality, vision, hearing, and psychological well-being, is prevalent among older adults, impacting independence and quality of life (QoL). This study aims to develop and evaluate the Physiotherapy-led Person-Centered Integrated Care for Older People (PTICOPE) based on the WHO-ICOPE framework to enhance IC among older adults in Malaysia. Methods This is a 12-week, multicenter, randomized controlled trial involving 70 community-dwelling older adults aged 60–75, recruited from three Pusat Aktiviti Warga Emas (PAWE) (Activity Center for Older Adults) in the Northern region of Malaysia. Participants will be randomized to either the intervention group, receiving the PTICOPE module workbook and guided use, or the control group, receiving general IC information, healthcare education, and self-care management. The recruitment of participants for this study has not yet commenced. Recruitment is expected to start after completing the validation of the PTICOPE module, however, it is anticipated that the recruitment start date is in February 2025 and will end in August 2025. Primary outcomes, including locomotor, psychological, cognitive, vitality, visual, and hearing functions using validated scales, will be collected at baseline, 4th, 8th, and 12th week of the study period. Secondary outcomes will evaluate QoL, activities of daily living, urogenital health, and oral health at baseline and 12th week. The normality of data will be checked. The independent t-tests, Chi-square tests, paired t-tests, and Repeated measures ANOVA will be used for data analysis, with a significant level at p < 0.05. Discussion This study will develop a PTICOPE based on the WHO-ICOPE framework and test its efficacy in the older population residing in the community. The findings of this study hold the potential to establish an evidence-based approach for enhancing IC among community-dwelling older adults. Trials registration Thai Clinical Trials (Number: TCTR20241029007).
Machine learning reveals distinct neuroanatomical signatures of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in cognitively unimpaired individuals
Abstract Comorbid cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors (CVM) differentially impact brain structure and increase dementia risk, but their specific magnetic resonance imaging signatures (MRI) remain poorly characterized. To address this, we developed and validated machine learning models to quantify the distinct spatial patterns of atrophy and white matter hyperintensities related to hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, obesity, and type-2 diabetes mellitus at the patient level. Using harmonized MRI data from 37,096 participants (45–85 years) in a large multinational dataset of 10 cohort studies, we generated five in silico severity markers that: i) outperformed conventional structural MRI markers with a ten-fold increase in effect sizes, ii) captured subtle patterns at sub-clinical CVM stages, iii) were most sensitive in mid-life (45–64 years), iv) were associated with brain beta-amyloid status, and v) showed stronger associations with cognitive performance than diagnostic CVM status. Integrating personalized measurements of CVM-specific brain signatures into phenotypic frameworks could guide early risk detection and stratification in clinical studies.
Emergency admission, previous delirium tremens and increased liver stiffness as risk factors for severe alcohol withdrawal – A prospective study
Objective To determine if increased liver stiffness (ILS) is a risk factor for patients with alcohol withdrawal to develop severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms (SAWS) like delirium tremens (DT) or withdrawal seizures (WS). Method Prospective inclusion of 394 patients undergoing withdrawal treatment between 2013-2021. Laboratory exams, history, physical examination, abdominal sonography with elastography and FibroScan® measurements were performed. Primary endpoint was SAWS defined as DT and/or WS. Patients with > 12.5 kPa stiffness in FibroScan® and > 1.75 m/s in Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging were considered ILS, patients with both measurements below the respective cut-off were ILS negative. Univariate analysis with receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and multivariate analysis were performed. Results 78 patients (19.8%) had ILS. Of these, 28 patients developed complications despite treatment. SAWS correlated significantly with patients with ILS. Further significant correlations were emergency hospital admission, Alcohol Withdrawal Scale ≥ 5, lower potassium, elevated bilirubin, increased Gamma-GT, thrombocytopenia, previous WS, and previous DT. In multivariate binary regression analysis, odds ratio for SAWS was 5.4 for emergency admission, 3.5 for previous DT and 2.2 for ILS, even if the significance level for the last parameter was missed. Conclusions Patients with ILS have an increased risk of developing SAWS, as well as patients with emergency admission and previous DT among other markers. Treatment in an appropriately equipped facility is recommended for patients with this risk profile which can be measured easily by a general practitioner or in an emergency department.
Coupling furfural oxidation for bias-free hydrogen production using crystalline silicon photoelectrodes
Incremental and transformational climate change adaptation factors in agriculture worldwide: A comparative analysis using natural language processing
Climate change is projected to adversely affect agriculture worldwide. This requires farmers to adapt incrementally already early in the twenty-first century, and to pursue transformational adaptation to endure future climate-induced damages. Many articles discuss the underlying mechanisms of farmers’ adaptation to climate change using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. However, only the former is typically included in quantitative metanalysis of empirical evidence on adaptation. This omits the vast body of knowledge from qualitative research. We address this gap by performing a comparative analysis of factors associated with farmers’ climate change adaptation in both quantitative and qualitative literature using Natural Language Processing and generalized linear models. By retrieving publications from Scopus, we derive a database with metadata and associations from both quantitative and qualitative findings, focusing on climate change adaptation of farmers. We use the derived data as input for generalized linear models to analyze whether reported factors behind farmers’ decisions differ by type of adaptation (incremental vs. transformational) and across different global regions. Our results show that factors related to adaptive capacity and access to information and technology are more likely to be associated with transformational adaptation than with incremental adaptation. Regarding world regions, access to finance/income and infrastructure are uneven, with farmers in high-income countries having an advantage, whereas farmers in low- and middle-income countries require these the most for effective adaptation to climate change.
Unveiling ECRAM switching mechanisms using variable temperature Hall measurements for accelerated AI computation
Leveraging a digital network of pharmacy professionals to test a technology-assisted model to improve pharmacy access to quality-assured COVID-19 rapid antigen tests approved for self-use in Vietnam
Expanding access to rapid and self-use diagnostics in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) is crucial for advancing universal health coverage and creating more self-care opportunities. This study aimed to test the ability of a technology-assisted pharmacy activation model in Vietnam to improve access to quality-assured COVID-19 self-tests through the retail pharmacy channel. SwipeRx, a digital network with more than 30,000 pharmacy professionals in Vietnam, was leveraged to raise awareness about the benefits of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests (Ag-RDTs) that meet quality assurance standards for self-use and were registered with the Vietnamese regulatory authority. The campaigns also included information on local suppliers of Humasis and Flowflex self-test products, offering favorable pricing terms for SwipeRx users. In addition, offline pharmacy training and point-of-sale materials were provided to encourage dispensing, counseling, and restocking of at least one locally registered self-use Ag-RDT for COVID-19. After nine months of engagement between 2022 and 2023, a digital survey was conducted among 331 retail pharmacies to assess the impact on knowledge and practices related to COVID-19 self-tests. Pharmacy professionals who received SwipeRx training reported greater confidence and knowledge in stocking, dispensing, and counseling clients on the proper use of COVID-19 self-tests. These trained professionals were also more capable of distinguishing between COVID-19 Ag-RDTs approved for self-use and those approved for professional use. By the end of the nine months, 70 (92%) of trained pharmacy professionals stocked at least one quality-assured self-test for COVID-19, compared to just 38 (29%) of untrained professionals. These findings demonstrate that digital pharmacy networks can rapidly facilitate market introduction and access to new diagnostic products. Future initiatives should prioritize continuous price negotiations with manufacturers and distributors, focusing on optimizing pricing, credit, and delivery terms for community pharmacies. Additionally, combining digital and offline training with community demand-generating activities could facilitate greater pharmacy uptake of Ag-RDTs and other prioritized public health products.