Browse Articles
Discover research articles across all indexed journals
Localized statistics decoding for quantum low-density parity-check codes
Abstract Quantum low-density parity-check codes are a promising candidate for fault-tolerant quantum computing with considerably reduced overhead compared to the surface code. However, the lack of a practical decoding algorithm remains a barrier to their implementation. In this work, we introduce localized statistics decoding, a reliability-guided inversion decoder that is highly parallelizable and applicable to arbitrary quantum low-density parity-check codes. Our approach employs a parallel matrix factorization strategy, which we call on-the-fly elimination, to identify, validate, and solve local decoding regions on the decoding graph. Through numerical simulations, we show that localized statistics decoding matches the performance of state-of-the-art decoders while reducing the runtime complexity for operation in the sub-threshold regime. Importantly, our decoder is more amenable to implementation on specialized hardware, positioning it as a promising candidate for decoding real-time syndromes from experiments.
Diabetes mellitus exacerbates cardiovascular remodeling in elderly Chinese by affecting aortic diameter and pulsatile load
Deep learning detection of retinal detachment: Optical coherence tomography staging and estimation of duration of macular detachment
Objective To test the applicability of deep learning models for detecting and staging rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) based on morphological features using two- and three-dimensional optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans. Design Retrospective study using deep learning-based image classification analysis of 2D and 3D OCT scans combined with clinical baseline data. Subjects Adult patients presenting to the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany. Methods A total of 252 eyes with RRD and 770 control eyes were included. All OCT scans and clinical baseline data were reviewed and graded. Binary and multiclass classification approaches were applied. Main outcome measures Area under the curve (AUC) and precision-recall area under the curve (PR AUC) for detection, stage classification and duration estimation of RRD. Results We employed both statistical and deep learning-based approaches using 2D and 3D OCT data. We evaluated an automated 3D OCT classification model in a multiclass analysis to distinguish RRD scans by macula status from a non-RRD group with macula-on cases (PR AUC = 0.66 ± 0.12, AUC = 0.96 ± 0.01) vs. macula-off cases (PR AUC = 0.86 ± 0.07, 0.98 ± 0.01) against non-RRD cases (PR AUC = 1.00, AUC = 1.00) Furthermore, the 3D model was able to classify the duration of macula-off status (< 3 days) with a PR AUC of 0.68 ± 0.2 and a AUC of 0.97 ± 0.2 when compared to a mixed group including longer macular-off, macular-on and non RRD cases. Lastly, manually graded RRD Stages were correlated with best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), as well as macula-off Duration and classified via a 2D model. A 2D model used for RRD stage classification achieved its best performance for stage 4, with a PR AUC of 0.56 ± 0.11 and an AUC of 0.94 ± 0.02. Conclusion The machine learning models demonstrated strong performance in classifying RRD stages, macula status and duration based on OCT imaging. These findings highlight the potential of deep learning methods to support clinical decision-making and surgical planning in RRD management.
Hottest year in recorded history compounds global biodiversity risks
As climate change accelerates, effectively monitoring and managing the growing impacts on biodiversity is an urgent priority. Here, we identify the exposure of species to unprecedented heat to evaluate the potential impact of 2024—the hottest year on record—across >33,000 vertebrate species worldwide. One in six (5,368) species were exposed to unprecedented temperatures across >25% of their range—68% more species than in 2023. Most (81%) species exposed in 2023 were also exposed in 2024, potentially compounding risks. For the first time, widespread species were exposed to extreme temperatures across >10% of their ranges. We propose using these exposure estimates to inform monitoring and mitigation efforts to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
Fully biocompatible, thermally drawn fiber supercapacitors for long-term bio-implantation
Optimization model for predicting quantum theoretic characteristics of hexagonal systems using temperature dependent graph theoretic estimators
CUB domain-containing protein 1 signaling dysregulates gemcitabine metabolism contributing to therapeutic resistance in T24 cells
Gemcitabine is commonly used in the standard first-line treatment of urothelial carcinoma (UC); however, the emergence of drug resistance significantly limits its clinical benefit. The present study aims to investigate the role of CUB domain-containing protein 1 (CDCP1) in mediating resistance to gemcitabine in UC cells. Gemcitabine-resistant T24 (T24-GR) cells exhibited downregulation of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 and upregulation of cytidine deaminase, key regulators of gemcitabine metabolism, as well as increased CDCP1 expression. Notably, silencing CDCP1 reversed these resistance-associated expression patterns. Mechanistically, T24-GR cells displayed elevated expression of CDCP1 and increased phosphorylation of c-Src and PKCδ, indicating activation of downstream survival signaling. Overexpression of CDCP1 in T24-CD cells activated similar pathways and modulated regulators of gemcitabine metabolism. In contrast, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of CDCP1 in T24-CDKO cells suppressed c-Src/PKCδ signaling and increased sensitivity to gemcitabine-induced cytotoxicity. Using flow cytometry, we observed that treatment with gemcitabine induced apoptosis in parental T24 cells, as indicated by an increase in the sub-G1 population. In contrast, T24-GR and T24-CD cells showed minimal sub-G1 accumulation, suggesting resistance to gemcitabine-induced apoptosis. Western blot analysis revealed decreased levels of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in T24-GR and T24-CD cells following gemcitabine exposure, whereas these markers were upregulated in parental T24 and T24-CDKO cells. Furthermore, the knockdown of CDCP1 and the utilization of c-Src/PKCδ signaling inhibitors in T24-GR cells led to the restoration of sensitivity to gemcitabine. By suppressing apoptosis and altering drug metabolism pathways, highlighting CDCP1 as a potential therapeutic target for overcoming gemcitabine resistance in UC.
Mid-Devonian ocean oxygenation enabled the expansion of animals into deeper-water habitats
The oxygenation history of Earth’s surface environments has had a profound influence on the ecology and evolution of metazoan life. It was traditionally thought that the Neoproterozoic Oxygenation Event enabled the origin of animals in marine environments, followed by their persistence in aerobic marine habitats ever since. However, recent studies of redox proxies (e.g., Fe, Mo, Ce, I) have suggested that low dissolved oxygen levels persisted in the deep ocean until the Late Devonian, when the first heavily wooded ligniophyte forests raised atmospheric O 2 to modern levels. Here, we present a Paleozoic redox proxy record based on selenium enrichments and isotope ratios in fine-grained siliciclastic sediments. Our data reveal transient oxygenation of bottom waters around the Ediacaran–Cambrian boundary, followed by predominantly anoxic deep-water conditions through the Early Devonian (419 to 393 Ma). In the Middle Devonian (393 to 382 Ma), our data document the onset of permanent deep-ocean oxygenation, coincident with the spread of woody biomass across terrestrial landscapes. This episode is concurrent with the ecological occupation and evolutionary radiation of large active invertebrate and vertebrate organisms in deeper oceanic infaunal and epifaunal habitats, suggesting that the burial of recalcitrant wood from the first forests sequestered organic carbon, increased deep marine oxygen levels, and was ultimately responsible for the “mid-Paleozoic marine revolution.”
A magneto-responsive nanomesh biosensor for simultaneous mechanical stimulation and electrochemical detection
Use of proper orthogonal decomposition and machine learning for efficient blood flow prediction in cerebral saccular aneurysms
Suicide literacy and stigma among undergraduate students in Pokhara, Nepal: A cross-sectional study
Background Suicide is a major global public health concern, with stigma and low suicide literacy posing significant barriers to prevention and intervention. Despite increasing suicide rates and concerns about suicidal ideation, limited studies have assessed suicide stigma and literacy among young adults in Nepal. Objective This study examines suicide literacy and stigma among undergraduate students and its associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 597 randomly selected undergraduate students in Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal, using the Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS-SF) and the Stigma of Suicide Scale (SOSS-SF). Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and ANOVA were used to analyze socio-demographic differences. Results The mean suicide literacy score was 4.83 ± 2.07, revealing significant knowledge gaps, particularly in suicide risk factors and misconceptions. Stigma levels were high, with “pathetic” (42.4%), “immoral” (41.7%), and “stupid” (40.5%) being commonly endorsed descriptors. The average scores were 23.15 (SD ± 13.12) for SOSS-stigma, 10.10 (SD ± 3.89) for glorification, and 13.12 (SD ± 4.28) for isolation/depression. Females had higher isolation (p = 0.001) and literacy scores (p = 0.023), while males exhibited greater glorification tendencies (p < 0.001). Adults (≥20 years) had significantly higher stigma, isolation, and literacy scores than adolescents (p < 0.05). Higher isolation and literacy scores were observed among students living with family (p < 0.05) and third-year students (p < 0.01). Maternal literacy and employment were associated with higher glorification scores (p < 0.05). Conclusion These findings underscore the urgent need for suicide literacy programs and stigma-reduction initiatives in Nepalese educational institutions. Addressing misconceptions and fostering help-seeking behaviors through culturally sensitive interventions could enhance suicide prevention efforts.
Thermodynamics-inspired high-entropy oxide synthesis
Abstract High-entropy oxide (HEO) thermodynamics transcend temperature-centric approaches, spanning a multidimensional landscape where oxygen chemical potential plays a decisive role. Here, we experimentally demonstrate how controlling the oxygen chemical potential coerces multivalent cations into divalent states in rock salt HEOs. We construct a preferred valence phase diagram based on thermodynamic stability and equilibrium analysis, alongside a high throughput enthalpic stability map derived from atomistic calculations leveraging machine learning interatomic potentials. We identify and synthesize seven equimolar, single-phase rock salt compositions incorporating Mn, Fe, or both, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction and fluorescence. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirms homogeneous cation distribution, whereas X-ray absorption fine structure analysis reveals predominantly divalent Mn and Fe states, despite their inherent multivalent tendencies. Ultimately, we introduce oxygen chemical potential overlap as a key complementary descriptor for predicting HEO stability and synthesizability. Although we focus on rock salt HEOs, our methods are chemically and structurally agnostic, providing a broadly adaptable framework for navigating HEOs thermodynamics and enabling a broader compositional range with contemporary property interest.
PM2.5 risk perception and associated with sociodemographic factors in urban Thailand
DE-HRNet: Detail enhanced high-resolution network for human pose estimation
Scale variation is a challenge in human pose estimation. The scale variations of human body are related to the accuracy and robustness of posture estimation. For example, the prediction accuracy of smaller joints (such as ankles and wrists) is less than that of larger joints (such as head and shoulders). To address the impact of scale variations across parts of the human body on the positioning of key points. In this paper, we propose a Detail Enhanced High-Resolution Network (DE-HRNet), which can efficiently extract local detail features and mitigate the impact of scale variations for human pose estimation. First, we propose a Detail Enhancement Module (DEM) to relearn the lost low-level detailed features and enhance the model’s ability to capture delicate local features, which is crucial for improving the accuracy of scale-varying keypoints. Second, we introduce an ultra-lightweight dynamic sampler - dySample, which is used to replace nearest up-sampling. It aims to reduce the loss of detail information from low-resolution features during up-sampling, while simultaneously preserving finer local representations for high resolution, it can be beneficial in improving the robustness of the model in dealing with scale-varying keypoints. On the COCO test-dev2017 and MPII valid datasets, our method achieved 75.6 AP and 90.7 PCKh@0.5, respectively, compared to High-Resolution Network (HRNet), it improved by 0.7 and 0.4 points. In comparison with the other works, the proposed method has performed well in the scale variation.
Single-strand DNA is the link between neutrophil extracellular traps and thrombin
Selective ubiquitination of drug-like small molecules by the ubiquitin ligase HUWE1
Abstract The ubiquitin system regulates eukaryotic physiology by modifying myriad substrate proteins. Substrate specificity and the assembly of ubiquitin signals are determined by ubiquitin ligases, some of which also modify non-protein biomolecules. Here we expand this substrate realm, revealing that the human ligase HUWE1 can target drug-like small molecules. We demonstrate that compounds previously reported as HUWE1 inhibitors present substrates of their target ligase. Compound ubiquitination is driven by the canonical catalytic cascade, linking ubiquitin to the compound’s primary amino group. In vitro, the modification is selectively catalyzed by HUWE1, allowing the compounds to compete with protein substrates. We establish cellular detection methods, confirming HUWE1 promotes — but does not exclusively drive — compound ubiquitination in cells. Converting the existing compounds into specific HUWE1 substrates or inhibitors thus requires enhanced specificity. More broadly, our findings open avenues for harnessing the ubiquitin system to transform exogenous small molecules into novel chemical modalities within cells.
Enhanced separation of oil in water emulsions using PVDF composite membranes reinforced with graphene oxide doped titania and silica nanoparticles
Proxies for use in biochar decay models: Hydropyrolysis, electric conductivity, and H/Corg molar ratio
Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced via pyrolysis that is increasingly recognized for its role in carbon sequestration, particularly through its application in agriculture and materials. However, accurately predicting the long-term persistence of biochar in the environment remains challenging. While incubation trials have been widely used to assess biochar degradation, their extrapolation beyond centennial timescales is uncertain. In this study, we evaluate the consistency between three physicochemical characterization methods that are considered as proxies for biochar persistence—hydropyrolysis (HyPy), solid-state electric conductivity (SEC), and elemental analysis to obtain molar hydrogen:carbon ratios. We produced 42 biochars from straw and wood using a continuously operated pilot-scale auger reactor at temperatures ranging from 400 to 800 °C under otherwise constant pyrolysis conditions. We then systematically analyzed the elemental composition, SEC and the fraction of biochar carbon that is resistant to HyPy (BCHyPy). Hydropyrolysis eliminates all free and covalently bound non-aromatic species and all aromatic species consisting of up to seven fused rings. Our results confirm that BCHyPy content increases with pyrolysis temperature and stabilizes above 600–680 °C, reaching >90% of total carbon in high-temperature biochars. Similarly, SEC increased exponentially with pyrolysis severity, correlating strongly with BCHyPy and H/C molar ratio. The latter has so far been used to predict biochar persistence. Our findings from a controlled temperature series of biochars highlight that SEC and BCHyPy could be useful proxies for parameterizing multi-pool decay models of biochars produced in practice.
Shared metabolism between a bacterial and fungal species that reside in the human gut
The fungal species Candida albicans and the bacterium Enterococcus faecalis are members of the human gut microbiome. To explore the range of interactions between these two species, we utilized dual RNA-sequencing to transcriptionally profile both C. albicans and E. faecalis during coculture (compared with monoculture controls) under two conditions: 1) an in vitro setting that mimics certain features of the gut environment and 2) a gnotobiotic mouse gut model. RNA-seq analysis revealed a large number of gene expression changes induced by one species in the presence of the other. More specifically, both species highly upregulate citrate-metabolizing genes during coculture: C. albicans upregulates CIT1 (citrate synthase) which produces citrate, while E. faecalis upregulates its cit operon, which breaks down citrate. In vitro analysis showed directly that citrate cross-feeding (production of citrate by C. albicans and breakdown by E. faecalis) enhances growth of E. faecalis . A main byproduct of citrate metabolism in E. faecalis is formate, a short chain fatty acid toxic to fungi. Our RNA profiling revealed that C. albicans upregulates three formate dehydrogenases (FDHs) during coculture; we show that the FDH genes confer a growth advantage to C. albicans when E. faecalis (or simply formate) is present. These findings reveal a metabolically driven cycle between C. albicans and E. faecalis in the mouse gut and in vitro, where cross-feeding of citrate and detoxification of formate facilitates the growth of both species when they are cultured together.