Learning, economies of scale, and knowledge gap effects on power generation technology cost improvements.

Cost reductions are essential for accelerating clean technology deployment. Because multiple factors influence costs, traditional one-factor learning models, solely relying on cumulative installed capacity as an explanatory variable, may oversimplify cost dynamics. In this study, we disentangle learning and economies of scale effects at unit and project levels and introduce a knowledge gap concept to quantify rapid technological change's impact on costs.

Dual opposing quadrature-PT symmetry.

Our recent research on type-I quadrature parity-time (PT) symmetry, utilizing an open twin-beam system, not only enables observing genuine quantum photonic PT symmetry amid phase-sensitive amplification (PSA) and loss in the presence of Langevin noise but also reveals an additional classical-to-quantum (C2Q) transition in noise fluctuations. In contrast to the previous setup, our exploration of an alternative system assuming no loss involves a type-II PSA-only scheme. This scheme facilitates dual opposing quadrature-PT symmetry, offering a comprehensive and complementary comprehension of C2Q transitions and PT-enhanced quantum sensing with optimal performance in the symmetry unbroken region.

Placode and neural crest origins of congenital deafness in mouse models of Waardenburg-Shah syndrome.

Mutations in the human genes encoding the endothelin ligand-receptor pair and cause Waardenburg-Shah syndrome (WS4), which includes congenital hearing impairment. The current explanation for auditory dysfunction is defective migration of neural crest-derived melanocytes to the inner ear. We explored the role of endothelin signaling in auditory development in mice using neural crest-specific and placode-specific mutation plus related genetic resources.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide restores impaired metabolism, endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis in old sedentary male mice.

Aging is accompanied by a decline in neovascularization potential and increased susceptibility to ischemic injury. Here, we confirm the age-related impaired neovascularization following ischemic leg injury and impaired angiogenesis. The age-related deficits in angiogenesis arose primarily from diminished EC proliferation capacity, but not migration or VEGF sensitivity.

Abundant repressor binding sites in human enhancers are associated with the fine-tuning of gene regulation.

The regulation of gene expression relies on the coordinated action of transcription factors (TFs) at enhancers, including both activator and repressor TFs. We employed deep learning (DL) to dissect HepG2 enhancers into positive (PAR), negative (NAR), and neutral activity regions. Sharpr-MPRA and STARR-seq highlight the dichotomy impact of NARs and PARs on modulating and catalyzing the activity of enhancers, respectively.

Forest edge landscape context affects mosquito community composition and risk of pathogen emergence.

Forest edges, where humans, mosquitoes, and wildlife interact, may serve as a nexus for zoonotic arbovirus exchange. Although often treated as uniform interfaces, the landscape context of edge habitats can greatly impact ecological interactions. Here, we investigated how the landscape context of forest edges shapes mosquito community structure in an Amazon rainforest reserve near the city of Manaus, Brazil, using hand-nets to sample mosquitoes at three distinct forest edge types.

Deep learning uncovers histological patterns of YAP1/TEAD activity related to disease aggressiveness in cancer patients.

Over the last decade, Hippo signaling has emerged as a major tumor-suppressing pathway. Its dysregulation is associated with abnormal expression of and -family genes. Recent works have highlighted the role of YAP1/TEAD activity in several cancers and its potential therapeutic implications.

Primitive to visceral endoderm maturation is essential for mouse epiblast survival beyond implantation.

The implantation of the mouse blastocyst initiates a complex sequence of tissue remodeling and cell differentiation events required for morphogenesis, during which the extraembryonic primitive endoderm transitions into the visceral endoderm. Through single-cell RNA sequencing of embryos at embryonic day 5.0, shortly after implantation, we reveal that this transition is driven by dynamic signaling activities, notably the upregulation of BMP signaling and a transient increase in Sox7 expression.

Microbial biopesticides: A one health perspective on benefits and risks.

Controlling insect pests that destroy crop and spread diseases will become increasingly crucial for addressing the food demands of a growing global population and the expansion of vector-borne diseases. A key challenge is the development of a balanced approach for sustainable food production and disease control in 2050 and beyond. Microbial biopesticides, derived from bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, or nematodes, offer potentially significant benefits for promoting One Health and contributing to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Roads to remission: evolving treatment concepts in type 2 inflammatory diseases.

Unlabelled: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) characterised by type 2 inflammation, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, atopic dermatitis, food allergies and eosinophilic esophagitis, are increasing in prevalence worldwide. Currently, there is a major paradigm shift in the management of these diseases, towards the concept of disease modification and the treatment goal remission, regardless of severity and age. Remission as a treatment goal in chronic inflammatory NCDs was first introduced in rheumatoid arthritis, and then adopted in other non-type 2 inflammatory diseases.

Alcohol use and HIV suppression after completion of financial incentives for alcohol abstinence and isoniazid adherence: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: In a recent randomized trial, six months of financial incentives contingent for recent alcohol abstinence led to lower levels of hazardous drinking, while incentives for recent isoniazid (INH) ingestion had no impact on INH adherence, during TB preventive therapy among persons with HIV (PWH). Whether the short-term incentives influence long-term alcohol use and HIV viral suppression post-intervention is unknown.

Methods: We analyzed twelve-month HIV viral suppression and alcohol use in the Drinkers' Intervention to Prevent Tuberculosis study, a randomized controlled trial among PWH with latent TB and unhealthy alcohol use in south-western Uganda.

A critical appraisal of advances in integrated CO capture and electrochemical conversion.

This perspective work examines the current advancements in integrated CO capture and electrochemical conversion technologies, comparing the emerging methods of (1) electrochemical reactive capture (eRCC) though amine- and (bi)carbonate-mediated processes and (2) direct (flue gas) adsorptive capture and conversion (ACC) with the conventional approach of sequential carbon capture and conversion (SCCC). We initially identified and discussed a range of cell-level technological bottlenecks inherent to eRCC and ACC including, but not limited to, mass transport limitations of reactive species, limitation of dimerization, impurity effects, inadequate generation of CO to sustain industrially relevant current densities, and catalyst instabilities with respect to some eRCC electrolytes, amongst others. We followed this with stepwise perspectives on whether these are considered intrinsic challenges of the technologies - otherwise recommendations were disclosed where appropriate.

Computing chemical potentials with machine-learning-accelerated simulations to accurately predict thermodynamic properties of molten salts.

The successful design and deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies heavily rely on thermodynamic data for relevant molten salt systems. However, the lack of accurate force fields and efficient methods has limited the quality of thermodynamic predictions from atomistic simulations. Here we propose an efficient free energy framework for computing chemical potentials, which is the central free energy quantity behind many thermodynamic properties.

A chemically modified DNAzyme-based electrochemical sensor for binary and highly sensitive detection of reactive oxygen species.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a critical role in regulating various physiological processes. To gain a comprehensive understanding of their distinct functions in different physiological events, it is imperative to detect binary ROS simultaneously. However, the development of the sensing method capable of binary ROS detection remains a significant challenge.

Primary malignant melanoma of the lung; a case report and literature review.

Primary pulmonary malignant melanoma is an extremely rare non-epithelial malignancy. Literature is merely limited to a few anecdotal case reports. Herein we present a case of a 74-year-old female who was diagnosed with primary malignant melanoma of the lung.

Face and Content Validity of Tympanostomy Tube Simulator With Variable Canal Size.

Simulators allow junior otolaryngology residents to practice the delicate procedure of pressure equalization tube (PET) insertion. However, most simulators lack the ability to mimic the differing anatomic complexities between patients, such as variable external auditory canal (EAC) size. We developed a novel low-cost, medium-fidelity 3-dimensional-printed PET simulator with different EAC sizes to better reflect procedure complexity.

Chromosome Numbers and Reproductive Life Cycles in Green Plants: A Phylotranscriptomic Perspective.

The strong correlation between reproductive life cycle type and chromosome numbers in green plants has been a long-standing mystery in evolutionary biology. Within green plants, the derived condition of heterosporous reproduction has emerged from the ancestral condition of homospory in disparate locations on the phylogenetic tree at least 11 times, of which three lineages are extant. In all green plant lineages where heterospory has emerged, there has been a significant downsizing in chromosome numbers.

Population-level administrative data: A resource to advance psychological science.

Population-level administrative data-data on individuals' interactions with administrative systems, such as healthcare, social-welfare, criminal-justice, and education systems-are a fruitful resource for research into behavior, development, and wellbeing. However, administrative data are underutilized in psychological science. Here, we review advantages of population-level administrative data for psychological research, with examples of advances in psychological theory arising from administrative-data studies.

An Experimental Design to Investigate Item Parameter Drift.

Methods for detecting item parameter drift may be inadequate when every exposed item is at risk for drift. To address this scenario, a strategy for detecting item parameter drift is proposed that uses only unexposed items deployed in a stratified random method within an experimental design. The proposed method is illustrated by investigating unexpected score increases on a high-stakes licensure exam.

Evaluation of Neutrophil Elastase Inhibitors as Potential Therapies for Associated Neutropenia.

Neutrophil elastase () mutations are the most common cause of cyclic (CyN) and congenital neutropenia (SCN), two autosomal dominant disorders causing recurrent infections due to impaired neutrophil production. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) corrects neutropenia but has adverse effects, including bone pain and in some cases, an increased risk of myelodysplasia (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is an alternative but is limited by its complications and donor availability.

Sudden cardiac death associated with fatty liver disease.

Background: Fatty liver disease or steatotic liver disease (SLD) affects 25% of the global population and has been associated with heart disease. However, there is a lack of postmortem studies in the context of sudden cardiac death (SCD).

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between SLD and SCD.