Browse Articles

Assessment of critical mineral extraction from brines at Mount Meager, Southwestern BC, Canada

Abstract Critical minerals, essential for the development and sustainability of clean energy technologies, are typically sourced through conventional CO2 intensive mining methods. This paper evaluates the potential of geothermal brines as a sustainable alternative for mineral extraction after geothermal energy production. A detailed case study of a Canadian geothermal field provides insight into the potential economic advantages of mineral extraction from brines. Water chemistry data from the Mount Meager geothermal field, which has one of the highest geothermal potentials in Canada, demonstrates that the fluids are rich in dissolved minerals and metals. Using reservoir physical information, Monte Carlo simulations, and appropriate probability distributions, our study addresses uncertainties in volumetric resource calculations. Taking into consideration flow pathways through the rock matrix, and available technologies with rates of mineral recovery up to 90%, results show promising reserves for minerals such as lithium, magnesium, and silica. The findings highlight the dual benefits of geothermal energy in Canada providing both a green energy source and facilitating critical mineral production. This dual utility can generate additional revenue fostering the development of geothermal fields, even those that are not viable for energy generation on their own, supporting Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

Low Symmetry Cage Complexes Formed by Metalation of Symmetric Hexa‐Cationic Organic Cages

Abstract Most metal organic cages are assembled through metal–ligand coordination, resulting in cages where the metal ions are part of the cage architecture, and thus have limited reactivity. There are only a handful of metal organic cages produced by metalation of a pre‐synthesised organic cage. In this work, we show that hexa‐cationic hydrazone cages coordinate a range of transition metal ions upon deprotonation to give cage complexes with metal ions oriented towards the cage cavity. Remarkably, a cage with ethyl solubilising groups gives the expected three‐fold symmetric metallocage, cages with alkoxy solubilising groups give low‐symmetry zinc metallocages, and a cage without a solubilising group switches between high and low symmetry conformations depending on solvent. These low symmetry arrangements persist on the NMR timescale at temperatures as high as 360 K and in the presence of a wide range of anions.

Selective attraction to shorter muzzles in dogs is a hidden driver of the brachycephalic welfare crisis

Abstract Modern dog breeds show a trend towards shorter muzzles in the Western world. Using an international online questionnaire (N = 780), we examined how muzzle length, as the sole varying feature, influenced visual preference for dogs, using digitally morphed images of the same individuals. We investigated how preferences for shorter muzzles were influenced by demographics, personality, pre-existing attitudes towards brachycephalic dogs, awareness of health issues, and desired dog traits. Shorter muzzles were generally preferred. Associating more health problems with brachycephaly was negatively associated with preference for shorter muzzles, except among those with positive attitudes towards brachycephalic dogs. Preference was positively associated with positive attitudes towards brachycephalic dogs, older age, conscientiousness, extraversion, and appreciation of aesthetics; and negatively associated with dog-related professional expertise, openness, and a liking for control in dog keeping. Among respondents without prior attitudes, preference was positively linked to viewing the ideal dog as childlike, and negatively to valuing a humorous personality in the ideal dog. Our results show how age, dog-related profession, personality, health awareness, and attitudes towards brachycephalic dogs and the ideal dog intersect to shape preferences for shorter muzzle length. Our findings support the notion that individuals preferring shorter muzzles may prioritise aesthetic traits over health concerns.

Machine learning-assisted screening of clinical features for predicting difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis

X‐ray‐Irradiated Polarized Emission in Mn(II) Bromide Hybrids with Chain‐Like Alignment of Halopyridine and Polar MnBr₄²⁻ Units

AbstractMn(II) halide hybrid crystals possess exceptional emission properties and pronounced anisotropic optoelectronic characteristics, making them highly promising for diverse applications. In this study, we present five structurally distinct Mn(II) hybrids, which either form the one‐dimensional (1D) [(MnBr3)−]∞ chains or a hybrid structure combining both 1D [(MnBr3)−]∞ chains and a quasi‐1D chains. These quasi‐1D chains are composed of polar MnBr42− tetrahedra and halogen‐substituted pyridine ligands. Of particular interest is the mixed‐polyhedral compound [3‐IPy]3[MnBr3][MnBr4]. It exhibits dominant antiparallel alignment of dipole moment between quasi‐1D chains, while 1D [(MnBr3)−]∞ chains display zero dipole moment. The highly‐distorted MnBr42− tetrahedra owing to strong hydrogen bonding with halopyridine introduces large inherent structural anisotropy. Under X‐ray excitation, it gives rise to a pronounced and fascinating polarization‐sensitive emission. These findings underscore the promising potential of mixed‐polyhedral Mn(II) halide hybrids in polarized photonic applications and provide valuable insights for the rational design of polarization‐sensitive functional materials.

Four decades of annual monitoring reveal declining reproductive success of a migratory baleen whale

Confining the Node Accessibility of Zr‐MOFs Along One‐Dimensional Channels Toward High Water‐Vapor Cycle‐Stability

AbstractZirconium‐based MOFs (Zr‐MOFs) with high hydrolytic stability are promising materials for water‐adsorption‐related applications. However, besides hydrolytic stability, cycling stability is also a crucial feature that renders a MOF a good candidate for water adsorption. Through a series of Zr‐MOFs with one‐dimensional (1D) channels showing high water cycling stability, a principle of confining the accessibility of Zr6 nodes aligning along channel direction in Zr‐MOFs was unveiled. According to this principle, several topologies that regulates Zr6 nodes with chelating formate aligning in a same plane with a distance less than 5.4 Å can successfully hinder the introduction of in‐plane water molecules, thus significantly improve the cycling stability of Zr‐MOFs for water adsorption. Along with this principle, we illustrated a linker designing strategy by horizontal extending the core of organic linkers toward the synthesis of Zr‐MOFs with similar node alignment. By either intentionally shortening or elongating the core horizontally, both MOFs shows high water‐vapor cycling stability. Among them, NJTech‐5 (NJTech for Nanjing Tech University) with scu‐topology, presents a water uptake capacity of 0.93 g g−1 and working capacity of 0.82 g g−1, making it among the top stable MOFs with high water uptake capacity and a promising candidate for indoor humidity control.

Updated screening criteria for enhanced oil recovery methods and their application to the T oilfield in eastern Mongolia

Identification of a Selective YTHDF1 Inhibitor Targeting the m⁶A Recognition Domain for Breast Cancer

AbstractAs a key N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) reader, YTH domain‐containing family protein 1 (YTHDF1) promotes protein synthesis by recognizing m6A‐modified mRNA, and its abnormal expression is closely related to breast cancer (BC) progression. To date, the scarce reported YTHDF1 inhibitors suffer from poor selectivity and limited potency, primarily due to the high homology of the YTH domain within the YTHDF family, which poses significant challenges for the discovery of subtype‐selective inhibitors. Here, we report SKLB‐Y13, the first small‐molecule inhibitor achieving exclusive targeting of the YTHDF1 m6A‐binding pocket (IC50 = 0.76 µM), via structural optimization of a novel 4,5,6,7‐tetrahydrothieno[2,3‐c]pyridine scaffold. Uniquely, SKLB‐Y13 interacts with YTHDF1‐specific residues Tyr397 and Trp470, as confirmed by site‐directed mutagenesis, and demonstrates improved selectivity for YTHDF1 over YTH family proteins. Cellular and in vivo studies reveal that SKLB‐Y13 disrupts YTHDF1‐PRPF6 mRNA interaction in an m6A‐dependent manner, thereby impairing the translation of PRPF6 and inhibiting BC proliferation while promoting apoptosis. Chemical proteomics profiling confirms its good target specificity, while pharmacokinetic analysis shows favorable in vivo properties. This study introduces the first selective YTHDF1 inhibitor, serving as a novel chemical probe to elucidate m6A‐dependent oncogenesis and a promising starting point for developing precision therapies against YTHDF1‐overexpressing BC.

Integrated systems biology reveals an 8-gene signature predicting early-stage lung adenocarcinoma progression and patient survival

Abstract A comprehensive analysis of the transcriptomic landscape in early-stage LUAD (stages 1 and 2) can identify robust survival and staging predictors. Using a systems-biology approach with TCGA LUAD transcriptomic data, we identified 18 co-expression modules, 11 correlated with staging and 7 with survival. Five survival- and staging-associated (SAS) modules (M1, M3, M6, M9, and M16) distinguished patients with differing survival curves based on module eigengene expression. Anti-correlated SAS-modules (M3 and M6) exhibited the strongest associations with OS and staging. Key differentially-expressed hub genes from M3 and M6 were nominated as prognostic markers through iterative combinatorial ROC analysis. Survival prediction was refined by testing equal-weight gene ratios with opposing correlations to survival, revealing additive or synergistic predictive value. The top-performing ratio, ATP6V0E1 + SVBP + HSDL1 + UBTD1/GNPNAT1 + XRCC2 + TFAP2A + PPP1R13L, achieved an average AUC of 75.5% across three timepoints (12 months, 18 months, and 3 years). Comparison with three established LUAD prognostic signatures (Shedden, Soltis, and Song) within the TCGA network showed that our 8-gene signature had comparable or superior predictive power while maintaining concordance with existing signatures, some of which contain an order of magnitude more transcripts. Our findings suggest that novel gene signature holds promise for refining early-stage LUAD prognostic modeling and informing treatment strategies.

Solvent Polarity Triggered Rapidly Reversible Quadruple‐Mode Luminescence Adjustment in 0D Hybrid Antimony Halides

AbstractZero‐dimension (0D) organic‐inorganic hybrid metal halides are highly attractive as smart responsive luminescent materials, but the multiple‐mode luminescence switch is rarely achieved and intrinsic solvochromism mechanism is unclear. Herein, we report a yellowish‐green‐emitting (Me3BzN)3Sb2Cl9 (Me3BzN: trimethylbenzyl ammonium) single crystal, revealing quadruple/triple‐mode luminescence switch with rapid response time (<1 s) and excellent recyclability (≥ 100 cycles) when triggered by moderately‐polar and strongly‐polar solvents. Significantly, the intrinsic solvochromism mechanism is systematically proposed, of which the reversibly multiple‐mode luminescence tuning is closely related to solvent polarity, the moderate polarity can lead to luminescence redshift from 560 to 670 nm due to the increase of dipole moment for inorganic polyhedron. Besides, the small molecular solvent with strong polarity can insert into crystal and form “host‐guest” system, inducing single crystal‐single crystal phase transformation with structural disorder and Sb‐Sb distance variation. Owing to the unique multiple‐mode luminescence adjustment performance, (Me3BzN)3Sb2Cl9 displays potential candidate in solvent detection, safety monitoring and information encryption scenarios. These findings highlight the significance of solvent polarity and molecule volume on the dynamic luminescence adjustment and offer guidance for the development of new smart responsive 0D hybrid antimony halides in advanced optical switchable fields.

A mean-field approach to criticality in spiking neural networks for reservoir computing

Abstract Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) exhibit their optimal information-processing capability at the edge of chaos, but tuning them to this critical regime in reservoir-computing architectures usually relies on costly trial-and-error or plasticity-driven adaptation. This work presents an analytical framework for configuring in the critical regime a SNN-based reservoir with a highly general topology. Specifically, we derive and solve a mean-field equation that governs the evolution of the average membrane potential in leaky integrate-and-fire neurons, and provide an approximation for the critical point. This framework reduces the need for an extensive online fine-tuning, offering a streamlined path to near-optimal network performance from the outset. Through extensive numerical experiments, we validate the theoretical predictions by analyzing the network’s spiking dynamics and quantifying its computational capacity using the information-based Lempel-Ziv-Welch complexity near criticality. Finally, we explore self-organized quasi-criticality by implementing a local homeostatic learning rule for synaptic weights, demonstrating that the network’s dynamics remain close to the theoretical critical point. Beyond AI, our approach and findings also have significant implications for computational neuroscience, providing a principled framework for quantitatively understanding how (neuro)biological networks exploit criticality for efficient information processing. The paper is accompanied by Python code, enabling the reproducibility of the findings.

Angstrom‐Scale Triangular Pore in Single‐Layer Hexagonal Boron Nitride Membrane for Molecular Sieving

AbstractSingle‐layer crystalline films are ideal separation membrane materials because their atomic thickness could yield the highest possible molecular flux once nanopores are generated. However, the development of single‐layer membranes with well‐defined pore structures remains elusive, which makes the realization of efficient molecular sieving and interpretation of molecular transport a difficult task. Herein, we report the fabrication of single‐layer nanoporous hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) membranes that uniquely contain triangular nanopores with a high density (around 1012 pores per cm2). The hBN membranes exhibit a H2 permeance of 5.43 × 10−6 mol m−2 s−1 Pa−1 with a H2/CH4 selectivity of 14.7; they also show a CO2 permeance of 1.37 × 10−6 mol m−2 s−1 Pa−1, with a CO2/N2 selectivity of 12.3. Importantly, we show that straightforward mathematical modeling can predict and describe the gas transport properties of the hBN, providing new insights into the molecular transport across atomically thin nanopores. The results gained from this study could significantly advance our understanding of molecular transport across hBN nanopores and may promote the development of hBN membranes to address critical separation issues.

Non-ampullary duodenal neuroendocrine tumours – a tertiary referral centre experience

Differences in hempseed protein separated from AOT reverse micelles and alkaline extraction–isoelectric precipitation

Tibor Szilvási

License plate recognition system for complex scenarios based on improved YOLOv5s and LPRNet

Abstract Traditional license plate recognition (LPR) algorithms perform well in controlled environments but often suffer from accuracy degradation in complex scenarios (such as adverse weather, plate tilt, and varying capture distances) as well as deployment difficulties under hardware constraints. This study proposes a lightweight, end-to-end method for license plate detection and recognition that integrates an improved YOLOv5s with LPRNet. First, we incorporate a Triplet Attention mechanism into the YOLOv5s backbone to enhance feature extraction, more precisely focus on license plate regions and suppress background interference from adverse weather. In the detection post-processing stage, we introduce a Soft-NMS strategy that applies Gaussian-weighted smoothing suppression to overlapping candidate boxes, thereby alleviating the over-suppression of overlapping license plates by traditional NMS and enhancing detection robustness. To address the issue of decreased recognition accuracy caused by license plate tilting, we introduce a Spatial Transformer Network (STN) before the recognition stage to geometrically correct tilted or distorted license plate images, thereby improving recognition accuracy. Experiments conducted on the CCPD2019 and CRPD datasets demonstrate that the proposed method achieves a detection precision of 98.9% and a recognition accuracy of 91.5% on CCPD2019, representing improvements of 3.7% and 8.38% over the baseline YOLOv5s + LPRNet, respectively. The model contains only 7.5 M parameters and 18.1 GFLOPs; it achieves 147 FPS for detection and 0.1138 ms inference time for recognition, indicating potential feasibility for deployment on resource-constrained platforms such as mobile devices and embedded systems.

Heat stress-induced metabolomic shifts in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) flowers insights from contrasting genotypes

Correction: Improved adaptive CUSUM control chart for industrial process monitoring under measurement error

Lewis–Brønsted Dual Acid Sites in WO_3‐<i>_x</i> Catalysts Facilitate Direct Photocatalytic Hydrodeoxygenation of Hydroxy Groups in Alcohols

AbstractEfficient hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of the hydroxy groups (C─OH) in alcohol molecules has attracted substantial attention due to its importance in many research fields such as organic synthesis and biomass conversion. Photocatalytic C─OH direct HDO is a promising but challenging process because of the difficulty in C─O bond activation due to the higher bond energy and strong polarity. A polarity enhancement strategy is proposed and a WO3‐x catalyst possessing Lewis–Brønsted dual acid sites is developed to realize the direct HDO of alcohols under ambient conditions. The C─O bond is first heterolytic cleaved to produce the carbocation intermediate and then the carbocation will combine with a proton and photogenerated electrons to form a new C─H bond. The synergistic effect of Lewis and Brønsted acid sites plays a key role in promoting the C─O bond cleavage. A series of comparative experiments, spectral characterizations and DFT calculations were used to demonstrate this new photocatalytic HDO pathway. Different alcohols, including polyols, can be directly converted into corresponding alkanes over this system. The present work discloses a direct HDO process for the hydroxy groups in alcohols and provides a new horizon for the design of new photocatalytic systems.