bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tunable nonradiative recombination dynamics and charge injection of graphene quantum dots for energy conversion applications by controllable functionalization
Authors: Cui Peng , Xue Yuan
Published: February 2023

Understanding the dependence of optoelectronic properties and charge transfer processes on the specified functionalization pattern of the graphene quantum dot (GQD) surface is key to deciphering the photovoltaic and photocatalytic mechanisms. In the present work, the photophysical properties and energy conversion efficiency of OCH3-functionalized GQDs are investigated using first-principle calculations. Furthermore, the nonradiative electron–hole recombination dynamics is analyzed using Fermi’s golden rule. Our results show that the OCH3 group has different binding energies on the GQD surface depending on its binding configuration and forms different oxidation patterns of the GQD controlled by the reaction temperature. Both basal and edge oxidation reduce the bandgaps of GQDs due to the electron localization effect, resulting in differing chemical stability. In addition, basal oxidation provides more degrees of freedom with which to tune the wavelengths and oscillator strengths of the low absorption peaks. Although edge oxidation provides a stronger electron-injection driving force from the GQDs into the TiO2 and facilitates charge separation, it also leads to faster nonradiative recombination, which reduces charge separation. Overall, our work reveals a detailed mechanistic picture of energy conversion in oxidized GQDs.
Quantum tunneling of ultralight dark matter out of satellite galaxies
Authors: Hertzberg Mark P. , Loeb Abraham
Published: February 2023

The idea of ultralight scalar (axion) dark matter is theoretically appealing and may
resolve some small-scale problems of cold dark matter; so it deserves careful attention. In this
work we carefully analyze tunneling of the scalar field in dwarf satellites due to the tidal
gravitational force from the host halo. The tidal force is far from spherically symmetric; causing
tunneling along the axis from the halo center to the dwarf, while confining in the orthogonal
plane. We decompose the wave function into a spherical term plus higher harmonics, integrate out
angles, and then numerically solve a residual radial Schrödinger-Poisson system. By demanding
that the core of the Fornax dwarf halo can survive for at least the age of the universe places a
bound on the dark matter particle mass 2 × 10-22 eV ≲ m ≲ 6 ×
10-22eV. Interestingly, we show that if another very low density halo is seen, then it rules
out the ultralight scalar as core proposal completely. Furthermore, the non-condensed particles
likely impose an even sharper lower bound. We also determine how the residual satellites could be
distributed as a function of radius.
Baryogenesis, primordial black holes and MHz–GHz gravitational waves
Authors: Gehrman Thomas C. , Shams Es Haghi Barmak , Sinha Kuver , Xu Tao
Published: February 2023

Gravitational waves (GWs) in the MHz–GHz frequency range are motivated by a host of
early Universe phenomena such as oscillons, preheating, and cosmic strings. We point out that
baryogenesis too serves as a motivation to probe GWs in this frequency range. The connection is
through primordial black holes (PBHs): on the one hand, PBHs induce baryogenesis by Hawking
evaporating into a species that has baryon number and CP violating decays; on the other, PBHs
induce GWs through second order effects when the scalar fluctuations responsible for their
formation re-enter the horizon. We describe the interplay of the parameters responsible for
successful baryogenesis on the plane of the strain and frequency of the induced GWs, being careful
to delineate regimes where PBH domination or washout effects occur. We provide semi-analytic
scalings of the GW strain with the baryon number to entropy ratio and other parameters important
for baryogenesis. Along the way, we sketch a solution to the dark matter-baryogenesis coincidence
problem with two populations of PBHs, which leads to a double-peaked GW signal. Our results
underscore the importance of probing the ultra high frequency GW frontier.
Non-minimally coupled Natural Inflation: Palatini and Metric formalism with the recent BICEP/Keck
Authors: Bostan Nilay
Published: February 2023

In this work, we show the effect of the non-minimal coupling ξϕ
2
R on the
inflationary parameters by considering the single-field inflation and present the inflationary
predictions of the appealing potential for the particle physics viewpoint: Natural Inflation, an
axion-like inflaton which has a cosine-type periodic potential and the inflaton naturally emerges
as a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson with a spontaneously broken global symmetry. We present the
inflationary predictions for this potential, ns
, r, and α = dns
/d ln
 k. In addition, we assume standard thermal history after inflation, and using this, for
considered potential, we show compatible regions for the ns
, r within the recent BICEP/Keck
results.
Multimodal motor imagery decoding method based on temporal spatial feature alignment and fusion
Authors: Zhang Yukun , Qiu Shuang , He Huiguang
Published: February 2023

Objective. A motor imagery-based brain-computer interface (MI-BCI) translates spontaneous movement intention from the brain to outside devices. Multimodal MI-BCI that uses multiple neural signals contains rich common and complementary information and is promising for enhancing the decoding accuracy of MI-BCI. However, the heterogeneity of different modalities makes the multimodal decoding task difficult. How to effectively utilize multimodal information remains to be further studied. Approach. In this study, a multimodal MI decoding neural network was proposed. Spatial feature alignment losses were designed to enhance the feature representations extracted from the heterogeneous data and guide the fusion of features from different modalities. An attention-based modality fusion module was built to align and fuse the features in the temporal dimension. To evaluate the proposed decoding method, a five-class MI electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) dataset were constructed. Main results and significance. The comparison experimental results showed that the proposed decoding method achieved higher decoding accuracy than the compared methods on both the self-collected dataset and a public dataset. The ablation results verified the effectiveness of each part of the proposed method. Feature distribution visualization results showed that the proposed losses enhance the feature representation of EEG and fNIRS modalities. The proposed method based on EEG and fNIRS modalities has significant potential for improving decoding performance of MI tasks.
Confused or not: decoding brain activity and recognizing confusion in reasoning learning using EEG
Authors: Xu Tao , Wang Jiabao , Zhang Gaotian , Zhang Ling , Zhou Yun
Published: February 2023

Objective. Confusion is the primary epistemic emotion in the learning process, influencing students’ engagement and whether they become frustrated or bored. However, research on confusion in learning is still in its early stages, and there is a need to better understand how to recognize it and what electroencephalography (EEG) signals indicate its occurrence. The present work investigates confusion during reasoning learning using EEG, and aims to fill this gap with a multidisciplinary approach combining educational psychology, neuroscience and computer science. Approach. First, we design an experiment to actively and accurately induce confusion in reasoning. Second, we propose a subjective and objective joint labeling technique to address the label noise issue. Third, to confirm that the confused state can be distinguished from the non-confused state, we compare and analyze the mean band power of confused and unconfused states across five typical bands. Finally, we present an EEG database for confusion analysis, together with benchmark results from conventional (Naive Bayes, Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, and Artificial Neural Network) and end-to-end (Long Short Term Memory, Residual Network, and EEGNet) machine learning methods. Main results. Findings revealed: 1. Significant differences in the power of delta, theta, alpha, beta and lower gamma between confused and non-confused conditions; 2. A higher attentional and cognitive load when participants were confused; and 3. The Random Forest algorithm with time-domain features achieved a high accuracy/F1 score (88.06%/0.88 for the subject-dependent approach and 84.43%/0.84 for the subject-independent approach) in the binary classification of the confused and non-confused states. Significance. The study advances our understanding of confusion and provides practical insights for recognizing and analyzing it in the learning process. It extends existing theories on the differences between confused and non-confused states during learning and contributes to the cognitive-affective model. The research enables researchers, educators, and practitioners to monitor confusion, develop adaptive systems, and test recognition approaches.
A machine-learning-based tool for last closed-flux surface reconstruction on tokamaks
Authors: Wan Chenguang , Yu Zhi , Pau Alessandro , Sauter Olivier , Liu Xiaojuan , Yuan Qiping , Li Jiangang
Published: February 2023

Tokamaks allow to confine fusion plasma with magnetic fields. The prediction/reconstruction of the last closed-flux surface (LCFS) is one of the primary challenges in the control of the magnetic configuration. The evolution in time of the LCFS is determined by the interaction between the actuator coils and the internal tokamak plasma. This task requires real-time capable tools to deal with high-dimensional data and high resolution at same time, where the interaction between a wide range of input actuator coils with internal plasma state responses adds an additional layer of complexity. In this work, we present the application of a novel state-of-the-art machine learning model to LCFS reconstruction in an experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) that learns automatically from the experimental data of EAST. This architecture allows not only offline simulation and testing of a particular control strategy but can also be embedded in a real-time control system for online magnetic equilibrium reconstruction and prediction. In real-time modeling tests, our approach achieves very high accuracies, with an average similarity of over 99% in the LCFS reconstruction of the entire discharge process.
Wall stabilization of high-beta anisotropic plasmas in an axisymmetric mirror trap
Authors: Kotelnikov Igor , Prikhodko Vadim , Yakovlev Dmitri
Published: February 2023

The stabilization of the ‘rigid’ flute and ballooning modes both with and without the effect of additional MHD anchors in an axisymmetric mirror trap, with the help of a perfectly conducting lateral wall, is studied using a model pressure distribution of a plasma with a steep-angle neutral beam injection at the magnetic field minimum. The calculations were performed for an anisotropic plasma in a model that simulates the pressure distribution during the injection of beams of fast neutral atoms into the magnetic field minimum. It is assumed that the lateral wall is an axisymmetric shell surrounding the plasma that follows the shape of the magnetic field line and is placed at a certain distance to the plasma border. It has been found that for the effective stabilization of the modes by the lateral wall only the parameter beta (β, ratio of plasma pressure to the magnetic field pressure) must exceed some critical value β
crit. When combined with the conducting end plates imitating the MHD end stabilizers, there are two critical beta values and two stability zones

0
<
β
<

β

crit

1

and

β

crit

2

<
β
<
1

that can merge, making the entire range of allowable beta values

0
<
β
<
1

stable. The dependence of the critical betas on the degree of plasma anisotropy, the mirror ratio, and the width of the vacuum gap between the plasma and the lateral wall is studied. In contrast to the previous studies focusing on a plasma model with a sharp boundary, we calculated the stability zones for a number of diffuse radial pressure profiles and several axial magnetic field profiles.
Summary report of the 4th IAEA Technical Meeting on Fusion Data Processing, Validation and Analysis (FDPVA)
Authors: Gonzalez de Vicente S.M. , Mazon D. , Xu M. , Pinches S. , Churchill M. , Dinklage A. , Fischer R. , Murari A. , Rodriguez-Fernandez P. , Stillerman J. , Vega J. , Verdoolaege G.
Published: February 2023

The objective of the Fourth Technical Meeting on Fusion Data Processing, Validation and Analysis was to provide a platform during which a set of topics relevant to fusion data processing, validation and analysis are discussed with the view of extrapolating needs to next step fusion devices such as ITER. The validation and analysis of experimental data obtained from diagnostics used to characterize fusion plasmas are crucial for a knowledge-based understanding of the physical processes governing the dynamics of these plasmas. This paper presents the recent progress and achievements in the domain of plasma diagnostics and synthetic diagnostics data analysis (including image processing, regression analysis, inverse problems, deep learning, machine learning, big data and physics-based models for control) reported at the meeting. The progress in these areas highlight trends observed in current major fusion confinement devices. A special focus is dedicated on data analysis requirements for ITER and DEMO with a particular attention paid to artificial intelligence for automatization and improving reliability of control processes.
Separatrix parameters and core performances across the WEST L-mode database
Authors: Bourdelle C. , Morales J. , Artaud J.F. , Grover O. , Radenac T. , Bucalossi J. , Camenen Y. , Ciraolo G. , Clairet F. , Dumont R. , Fedorczak N. , Gaspar J. , Gil C. , Goniche M. , Guillemaut C. , Gunn J. , Maget P. , Manas P. , Ostuni V. , Pégourié B. , Peysson Y. , Tamain P. , Vermare L. , Vézinet D.
Published: February 2023

WEST database analysis shows a correlation of the recycled neutral source around the separatrix with core performances. This observation questions the causality chain between particle source and turbulent transport up to the core in L-mode, high recycling plasmas, an unavoidable phase of all scenarios. The best core performances correlate with the lowest values of the density at the separatrix,

n

sep

, similarly to ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) tokamak and Joint European Torus (JET) tokamak in H-mode (Verdoolaege et al 2021 Nucl. Fusion
61 076006). Reflectometry in the midplane provides

n

sep

, while the temperature at the separatrix,

T

sep

is inferred by the ‘two-point model’ using Langmuir probe data on divertor targets. Lower separatrix resistivity does not correlate with better core performances, unlike H-mode observations (Eich et al 2020 Nucl. Fusion
60 056016). As expected in the presence of an efficient neutral source due to recycling fluxes,

n

sep

correlates with the D recycled particle flux at the divertor measured by visible spectroscopy. Coherently, at a given controlled central line integrated density

n
ˉ

, lower

n

sep

correlates with a larger density gradient around the separatrix as well as a larger global density peaking,

n
ˉ

/

⟨
n
⟩

, measured by interferometry. The latter correlates as well with lower collisionality in the core, similarly to JET and AUG H-modes (Angioni et al 2007 Nucl. Fusion
47 1326). The correlations reported allow phrasing the subsequent causality question: what is the interplay chain between low neutral recycling at the divertor plates, low density at the separatrix, high density peaking at the separatrix, high global density peaking, higher central temperature and better core energy confinement quality? Understanding the causality chain is essential to prepare ITER operation and design DEMO scenarios where the ratio of the divertor leg to the ionization length will be larger and where the pumped flux with respect to the plasma volume will be lower than presently operating tokamaks.
Identification of an impulse response through a model of ARX structure
Authors: Maillet Denis , Zacharie Célien , Rémy Benjamin
Published: February 2023

Polynomial parametric models of ARX structure are becoming increasingly popular for characterizing heat transfer for linear thermal systems with time invariant coefficients. This stems from their robustness when applied to inverse problems, either for model reduction, for experimental model identification or for inverse input problems. Their parsimonious character allows to get residuals of very low levels with a limited number of coefficients. This paper shows, on a theoretical algebraic basis, that ARX models can be deduced from convolutive models.
Estimation of the local instantaneous heat flux inside a pulsating heat pipe for space applications
Authors: Cattani L , Pagliarini L , Bozzoli F , Mameli M , Filippeschi S , Marengo M , Pietrasanta L , Miché N , Mangini D
Published: February 2023

Pulsating Heat Pipes (PHP) are promising and effective passive two-phase heat transfer devices in terms of high heat transfer capability, efficient thermal control, adaptability and low cost and therefore they have been extensively studied in the last years. Many authors have estimated the heat fluxes at the evaporator and at the condenser area only in terms of the average values based on first principle considerations. In the present study the application of an inverse analysis technique to experimental infrared temperature data is proposed to investigate the local convective heat flux for forced convection flow inside these devices along the adiabatic zone. A PHP specifically designed to be hosted on board the heat transfer host of the International Space Station was tested in microgravity during the 67th Parabolic Flight Campaign organized by the European Space Agency. The device consists of an aluminium tube closed in a loop with 14 turns in the evaporator section, 3 mm inner diameter, half filled with FC-72 fluid. The external temperatures of the device are measured in the adiabatic zone with a high-speed infrared camera (50 Hz, 1280x1024 pixels). The images are thereafter post-processed and adopted as input data for the solution of the inverse heat conduction problem in the pipe wall (Tikhonov regularisation method) to extrapolate time-varying local heat fluxes on the tube internal surface in contact with the fluid.
The Search for a Generalized Analytical Solution for the Inverse Problem; Some Surprisingly Simple Approximate Methods for Problems of Practical Importance
Authors: Segall A.E
Published: February 2023

Advances in numerical algorithms for Inverse problems has led to significant leaps in our ability to model complex situations of importance. Nonetheless, there is still a strong need for analytical approaches that can be used to calibrate/validate numerical simulations since the old adage of Trust, but Verify is sound advice. Moreover, access to Inverse codes is often limited despite a strong need. Fortunately, generalized Inverse formulations capable of good approximations can be obtained for linear problems by using a known Direct solution. Duhamel’s Integral (convolution) and a systems Unit Response are first employed to derive a Direct solution, with generality maintained via an arbitrary function with coefficients such as polynomials to described the time-dependent boundary condition. For the ensuing Inverse problem, the Direct solution in the form of a more complex polynomial with its coefficients now considered unknown are then used to enforce remotely measured data using the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. Once the coefficients are determined, the original function (polynomial or alternative) now describes the unknown boundary condition. Intriguingly, an approximate Inverse Laplace Transform method applied to the Convolution Integral allows for relatively simple formulations for both the Direct and Inverse problems; for this approximation, only the remotely measured data along with the Unit Response as the solitary system information are required. However, the predicted boundary temperature history tends to be shifted forward in time indicating the influence of the thermal thickness and will also reflect any errors in the data. Accuracy can be enhanced by correcting (back-shifting) for the penetration time to the measurement depth and/or using least-squares smoothing. When the various generalized solutions were used for a plate and a thick-cylinder with a time-dependent thermal boundary-condition on one surface and convection on the other, good-to-excellent Inverse predictions were observed; the methods can be adapted so that remotely measured and near instantaneous surface-strains can also be used to determine an unknown surface temperature history. Finally, the convolution-based approach can easily be adapted for 1-degree of freedom vibration problems.
Measuring thermal diffusivity when the principal axes are unknown a priori
Authors: Davis SE , Wright NT
Published: February 2023

The thermal diffusivity of polymers may develop anisotropy due material possessing or mechanical loading. The orientation of the anisotropy may not be visually apparent. An analytical study has been performed where the four non-zero components of the diffusivity tensor are estimated for a specimen with in-plane anisotropy. Sensitivity coefficients were calculated for each of the non-zero components of the diffusivity tensor at the four measurement locations. The amplitude of the sensitivity coefficients suggest that the signal received at each sensor is sufficient for estimating the parameters, while the character of the coefficients over time suggests that the parameters are independent. Small values of in-plane anisotropy lead to negligible errors (< 0.4%) in the estimated parameters when the off-diagonal diffusivity is neglected. Larger differences in anisotropy require the estimation of the off-axis terms, which is possible with the addition of a fourth sensor to the extended flash diffusivity method. This additional measurement may be used to verify assumptions of thermally orthotropic behavior in materials.
Study on the Effect of Pressurized Air Supply Outlet Setting on the Effect of Anteroom Smoke Control
Authors: Liu Donghua , Zhuang Yuehan , Dou Pengliang , Liu Qianyi , Zhou Chuanhui
Published: February 2023

In the selection of smoke control system, the Technical standard for smoke management systems in buildings (GB51251-2017), Article 3.1.1, paragraph 2, makes strict requirements for the setting of mechanical pressurized air supply outlets in anterooms, in order to study the influence of different setting methods of supply outlets on the smoke control effect of anterooms, the wind speed of the anteroom doorway section and the smoke flow in the anteroom are researched for different settings of the location of outlet and air supply angle with the help of Pyrosim. The results show that the effect of anteroom smoke control is not only related to the wind speed of the doorway section, but also related to the air velocity distribution at each point of the doorway section; at the same time, the air supply angle also has some influence on it.
Numerical Study on Smoke Diffusion and Smoke Control in Urban Underground Curved Tunnel
Authors: Qi Zhao , Li Junmei , Xie Fei , Liu Wenbo
Published: February 2023

Effects of the radius and fire heat release rate on the smoke propagation and smoke control in curved tunnel are studied by the numerical methods. Six radiuses as 70 m, 150 m, 200 m, 250 m, 300 m and 400 m and two different fire sizes as 5 MW and 30 MW are involved. Numerical results show that comparing with the smoke flow in the straight tunnel, smoke temperature distributions across the cross-section is not symmetry with the centerline in the curved tunnel, and the smoke diffusion close to the outside boundary appears to be fast. At the higher level of the curved tunnel, such as 3 m above the tunnel floor, the smoke temperature would decrease with the distance from the fire increasing. However, at the lower level of the tunnel, the temperature would increase firstly and then decrease, maximum temperature would occur in the bend region of the curved tunnel. When the fire heat release rate is big, this temperature might be high enough to injure the people. Smoke ventilation system would run in time under this condition. Critical velocity in curved tunnel is larger than that in the straight tunnel.
Analysis on Mechanical Characteristics of Substation Wall under Flood
Authors: Yao Han , Wang Qing , Han Huina , Liu Kaiyue , Han Fengkai , Tian Li
Published: February 2023

The safety and stable operation of substation facilities during a flood depends on the dependability of substation flood walls. The finite-element (FE) model of the prefabricated flood wall is established based on the actual project, and the mechanical characteristics of the wall are analyzed, along with the load transmission mechanism of the wall, in order to study the bearing capacity of the prefabricated flood wall under the flood. The critical parameter study is completed, and its impact on the wall’s force characteristics is made clear. The findings demonstrate that the load transfer mechanism of the prefabricated flood wall is clear, and that crucial joints, such as those connecting the wall panel to the column and the column to the base, are under increased stress. The performance of the wall is significantly influenced by both flood depth and flood velocity. The safety of the prefabricated flood wall is obviously decreased when the flood velocity is greater than 2 m/s or the flood depth is greater than 1.0 m.
Activation and Application of Wet Shotcrete Concrete with Coal Gasification Slag Aggregate
Authors: Kangkang Wang , Songhui Liu , Meng Xing , Bing Pan , Haibo Zhang
Published: February 2023

By analyzing the shortcomings of the existing dry shotcrete process in the coal mines and the shortage of natural sand and gravel resources, it is proposed to use coal gasification slag to replace all natural sand and gravel in the preparation of wet shotcrete. Coal gasification slag has alkali-activated cementitious activity, and its strength as an aggregate in cement mortars still shows significant growth after 28d of age. First of all, the gasified slag aggregate cement mortar was mixed with calcium carbide residue to further stimulate its activity, and the effect law of different amounts of calciumcarbide residue on mortar strength was studied. The results showed that the mortar strength increased continuously with the increase of calcium carbide residue admixture, and the mortar strength increased slowly after the admixture reached 8%. With 8% admixture, the flexural strength at 90d age increased by 58.9%, and compressive strength increased by 13.6% compared with 28d age. MIP, XRD and SEM microscopic analyses showed that the incorporation of CCR promoted the alkali-activated cementation reaction of the gasified slag aggregate, eliminated the oriented aggregation of calcium hydroxide at the cement-aggregate interface, improved the interfacial bonding, and significantly reduced the percentage of harmful pores (50-200 nm) and more harmful pores (>200 nm) in the mortar, which explained the microscopic mechanism of the significant increase in mortar strength. Then the mining wet shotcrete was prepared with coal gasification slag as aggregate and calcium carbide residue as cementing material, and the 28d compressive strength reached 34.8MPa, which significantly improved the concrete strength and ensured the stability of the coal mine roadway support.
Feasibility study of an enhanced heterodyne dispersion interferometer
Authors: Fiorucci D. , Fassina A. , La Matina M.
Published: February 2023

Interferometry is the commonly exploited technique for electron density measurements in magnetically confined fusion plasma experiments. Reliable electron density measurements are fundamental both for machine protection and for plasma physics understanding. In the last years, attention was drawn on the dispersion interferometer concept, because of its robustness and simplicity. Nevertheless, the heterodyne version of this configuration, which has several advantages over the homodyne scheme, loses one of the main benefits of the dispersion interferometer technique, that is its inherent insensitivity to vibration errors. In this paper, two methods are proposed and theoretically investigated to reduce the vibration noise in the electron density measurements performed with heterodyne dispersion interferometers.
Digital cells radiation hardness study of TPSCo 65 nm CIS technology by designing a ring oscillator
Authors: Barbero M. , Barrillon P. , Fougeron D. , Habib A. , Pangaud P.
Published: February 2023

The CPPM group has long been designing and testing HV-CMOS blocks to complete monolithic chips in various technologies (TJ180, LF150, AMS) in the framework of several collaborations. In 2020, we participated in the MLR1 run in TowerJazz 65 nm technology through CERN’s EP-R&D WP1.2, by designing a ring oscillator test chip. Its aim is to characterize the standard cells of this technology and evaluate their radiation hardness against TID. There were 48 ring oscillators formed of different cells with different sizes and two thresholds. In 2022, characterization, temperature, X-ray irradiation (up to more than 500 Mrad) tests and annealing took place, leading to encouraging results presented here.
Detection efficiency measurement and operational tests of the X-Arapuca for the first module of DUNE far detector
Authors: Palomares C.
Published: February 2023

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a dual-site experiment for long-baseline neutrino oscillation studies, able to resolve the neutrino mass hierarchy and measure δ
CP. DUNE will also have sensitivity to supernova neutrinos and to processes beyond the Standard Model, such as nucleon decay searches. The Far Detector (FD) will consist of four liquid argon TPC (17.5 kt total mass) with systems for the detection of charge and scintillation light produced by an ionization event. The charge detection system permits both calorimetry and position determination. In addition, the photon-detection system (PDS) enhances the detector capabilities for all DUNE physics drivers. The PDS of the first FD module consists of light collector modules placed in the inactive space between the innermost wire planes of the TPC anode. The light collectors, the so-called X-ARAPUCAS, are functionally a light trap that captures wavelength-shifted photons inside boxes with highly reflective internal surfaces where they are guided to Silicon Photo-multipliers (SiPM) by wavelength-shifting (WLS) bars. Functionality and operational tests of the X-ARAPUCAS to be installed in ProtoDUNE-SP phase II (FD DUNE prototype at the scale 1:20), as well as the measurement of their absolute detection efficiency is reported in this publication.
Changes in concurrent precipitation and temperature extremes over the Asian monsoon region: observation and projection
Authors: Xu Lianlian , Zhang Tuantuan , Yu Wei , Yang Song
Published: February 2023

Concurrent precipitation and temperature extremes exert amplified impacts on the ecosystems and human society; however, they have not been well documented over the Asian monsoon region with dense population and agricultures. In this study, the spatiotemporal variations of four concurrent extreme modes (cold/dry, cold/wet, warm/dry, and warm/wet) are detected based on observations and model projections. From 1961 to 2014, the ‘dry’ modes manifest large values at high latitudes, while the ‘wet’ modes occur frequently in tropical regions. Based on the linear congruency, the trends of the four modes are largely determined by extreme temperature. Furthermore, the interaction between extreme precipitation and extreme temperature (IEPET) facilitates the trends of the dry modes, and inhibits the trends of the wet modes. Three modeling datasets (CMIP6, NEX-GDDP-CMIP6, and BCSD_CMIP6) are employed to project future changes in the occurrences of four concurrent modes. The BCSD_CMIP6, generated by statistical downscaling of the CMIP6 simulations, stands out in simulating the observed features of extreme precipitation and extreme temperature over the Asian monsoon region. Extreme temperature is also identified as the main driver in the future trends of the four modes, while the IEPET is not conducive to the decreasing trend of the cold/dry mode, implying that the IEPET would change under global warming. The warm/wet mode manifests the largest change among the four compound extremes from 1995 to 2014 and two projected periods (2046–2065 and 2080–2099) relative to 1961–1980. On the annual timescale, the change magnitudes over Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Tibetan Plateau, and Eastern Central Asia are relatively larger than in the other sub-regions during historical and future periods, which are quantified as the hotspots of the warm/wet mode. On the seasonal timescale, the future hotspots will change relative to the historical period. Our findings are critical for formulating adaptation strategies to cope with the adverse effects of compound extremes.
Strain effect on the high T
c superconductor YBa2Cu3O7: an ab initio study comparing bulk and monolayer models
Authors: Yelpo Carla , Favre Sofía , Ariosa Daniel , Faccio Ricardo
Published: February 2023

In this work, the effect of strain on the vibrational and electronic properties of the YBa2Cu3O7 compound was studied through ab initio calculations. For this, two structural models were used: a bulk model and a surface model (a monolayer with CuO2 and BaO as the terminating layers). The phonon spectra was calculated for both structures under different levels of c axis strain. The most appreciable change occurs in the vibrational properties, and in the surface case. From the simulation of the Raman spectra, we were able to quantify the Raman shift ratio as a function of the applied strain, and analyzed its behavior in terms of the overlap population of the different bonds and the reduced mass of selected phonons. The effect of the level of deformation on the band structure and the electronic density of states is small for both structures, although more noticeable in the case of the surface model. In both cases, tendencies are observed when the fine features of the band structure are analyzed by means of the tight binding model. Due to the lower symmetry, the surface model also shows modifications of the bands related to the CuO2 planes.
On Strominger Kähler-like manifolds with degenerate torsion
Authors: Yau Shing-Tung , Zhao Quanting , Zheng Fangyang
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we study a special type of compact Hermitian manifolds that are Strominger Kähler-like, or SKL for short. This condition means that the Strominger connection (also known as Bismut connection) is Kähler-like, in the sense that its curvature tensor obeys all the symmetries of the curvature of a Kähler manifold. Previously, we have shown that any SKL manifold

(

M
n

,
g
)

(M^n,g)

is always pluriclosed, and when the manifold is compact and

g
g

is not Kähler, it cannot admit any balanced or strongly Gauduchon (in the sense of Popovici) metric. Also, when

n
=
2

n=2

, the SKL condition is equivalent to the Vaisman condition. In this paper, we give a classification for compact non-Kähler SKL manifolds in dimension

3
3

and those with degenerate torsion in higher dimensions. We also present some properties about SKL manifolds in general dimensions, for instance, given any compact non-Kähler SKL manifold, its Kähler form represents a non-trivial Aeppli cohomology class, the metric can never be locally conformal Kähler when

n
≥
3

n\geq 3

, and the manifold does not admit any Hermitian symplectic metric.
Comparison of Blood Pressure Measurements from Clinical Practice and a Research Study At Kaiser Permanente Southern California
Authors: Sanders Mark A , Muntner Paul , Wei Rong , Shimbo Daichi , Schwartz Joseph E , Qian Lei , Bowling C Barrett , Cannavale Kimberly , Harrison Teresa N , Lustigova Eva , Sim John J , Reynolds Kristi
Published: February 2023

Background

Accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement is essential to identify and manage hypertension. Prior studies have reported a difference between BP measured in routine patient care and in research studies. We aimed to investigate the agreement between BP measured in routine care and research-grade BP in Kaiser Permanente Southern California, a large, integrated healthcare system with initiatives to standardize BP measurements during routine patient care visits.

Methods

We included adults ≥65 years old with hypertension, taking antihypertensive medication, and participating in the Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Older Adults (AMBROSIA) study in 2019–2021. Clinic BP from routine care visits was extracted from the electronic health record. Research-grade BP was obtained by trained AMBROSIA study staff via an automatic oscillometric device. The mean difference between routine care and research-grade BP, limits of agreement, and correlation were assessed.

Results

We included 309 participants (mean age 75 years; 54% female; 49% non-Hispanic white). Compared with measurements from routine care, mean research-grade systolic BP (SBP) was 0.1 mm Hg higher (95% CI: −1.5 to 1.8) and diastolic BP (DBP) was 0.4 mm Hg lower (95% CI: −1.6 to 0.7). Limits of agreement were −29 to 30 mm Hg for SBP and −21 to 20 mm Hg for DBP. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.42 (95% CI: 0.33 to 0.51) for SBP and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.34 to 0.52) for DBP.

Conclusions

High within-person variation and moderate correlation were present between BP measured in routine care and following a research protocol suggesting the importance of standardized measurements.
Clinical features in adults with acquired cutis laxa: a retrospective review
Authors: O’Connell Katie A , Schaefer Morgan , Atzmony Lihi , Vleugels Ruth Ann , Choate Keith , LaChance Avery H , Min Michelle S
Published: February 2023

Acquired cutis laxa (ACL) is a very rare dermatological condition with numerous proposed aetiologies. Herein, we report on 10 adult patients with ACL, three of which were found to have genetic mutations suggesting a genetic predisposition for the development of ACL following exposure to an environmental insult. Four patients were presumed to develop ACL in association with medication exposure. Overall, if a case of potential ACL arises, providers should carefully review patient history and comorbidities, perform thorough systemic investigations based on symptomatology, and consider genetic analysis.
Multimodal mapping of regional brain vulnerability to focal cortical dysplasia
Authors: Lee Hyo M , Hong Seok-Jun , Gill Ravnoor , Caldairou Benoit , Wang Irene , Zhang Jian-guo , Deleo Francesco , Schrader Dewi , Bartolomei Fabrice , Guye Maxime , Cho Kyoo Ho , Barba Carmen , Sisodiya Sanjay , Jackson Graeme , Hogan R Edward , Wong-Kisiel Lily , Cascino Gregory D , Schulze-Bonhage Andreas , Lopes-Cendes Iscia , Cendes Fernando , Guerrini Renzo , Bernhardt Boris , Bernasconi Neda , Bernasconi Andrea
Published: February 2023

Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) type II is a highly epileptogenic developmental malformation and a common cause of surgically treated drug-resistant epilepsy. While clinical observations suggest frequent occurrence in the frontal lobe, mechanisms for such propensity remain unexplored. Here, we hypothesized that cortex-wide spatial associations of FCD distribution with cortical cytoarchitecture, gene expression and organizational axes may offer complementary insights into processes that predispose given cortical regions to harbour FCD.

We mapped the cortex-wide MRI distribution of FCDs in 337 patients collected from 13 sites worldwide. We then determined its associations with (i) cytoarchitectural features using histological atlases by Von Economo and Koskinas and BigBrain; (ii) whole-brain gene expression and spatiotemporal dynamics from prenatal to adulthood stages using the Allen Human Brain Atlas and PsychENCODE BrainSpan; and (iii) macroscale developmental axes of cortical organization.

FCD lesions were preferentially located in the prefrontal and fronto-limbic cortices typified by low neuron density, large soma and thick grey matter. Transcriptomic associations with FCD distribution uncovered a prenatal component related to neuroglial proliferation and differentiation, likely accounting for the dysplastic makeup, and a postnatal component related to synaptogenesis and circuit organization, possibly contributing to circuit-level hyperexcitability. FCD distribution showed a strong association with the anterior region of the antero-posterior axis derived from heritability analysis of interregional structural covariance of cortical thickness, but not with structural and functional hierarchical axes. Reliability of all results was confirmed through resampling techniques.

Multimodal associations with cytoarchitecture, gene expression and axes of cortical organization indicate that prenatal neurogenesis and postnatal synaptogenesis may be key points of developmental vulnerability of the frontal lobe to FCD. Concordant with a causal role of atypical neuroglial proliferation and growth, our results indicate that FCD-vulnerable cortices display properties indicative of earlier termination of neurogenesis and initiation of cell growth. They also suggest a potential contribution of aberrant postnatal synaptogenesis and circuit development to FCD epileptogenicity.
Can machine learning unravel unsuspected, clinically important factors predictive of long-term mortality in complex coronary artery disease? A call for ‘big data’
Authors: Ninomiya Kai , Kageyama Shigetaka , Garg Scot , Masuda Shinichiro , Kotoku Nozomi , Revaiah Pruthvi C , O’leary Neil , Onuma Yoshinobu , Serruys Patrick W ,   for the SYNTAX Extended Survival Investigators
Published: February 2023

Aims

Risk stratification and individual risk prediction play a key role in making treatment decisions in patients with complex coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to assess whether machine learning (ML) algorithms can improve discriminative ability and identify unsuspected, but potentially important, factors in the prediction of long-term mortality following percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with complex CAD.

Methods and results

To predict long-term mortality, the ML algorisms were applied to the SYNTAXES database with 75 pre-procedural variables including demographic and clinical factors, blood sampling, imaging, and patient-reported outcomes. The discriminative ability and feature importance of the ML model was assessed in the derivation cohort of the SYNTAXES trial using a 10-fold cross-validation approach. The ML model showed an acceptable discrimination (area under the curve = 0.76) in cross-validation. C-reactive protein, patient-reported pre-procedural mental status, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and HbA1c were identified as important variables predicting 10-year mortality.

Conclusion

The ML algorithms disclosed unsuspected, but potentially important prognostic factors of very long-term mortality among patients with CAD. A ‘mega-analysis’ based on large randomized or non-randomized data, the so-called ‘big data’, may be warranted to confirm these findings.

Clinical Trial Registration

SYNTAXES ClinicalTrials.gov reference: NCT03417050, SYNTAX ClinicalTrials.gov reference: NCT00114972
Promoting condom negotiation self-efficacy among young women in China: the effects of traditional sexual values and descriptive norms
Authors: Zhang Lin , Mou Yi , Zhang Lianshan
Published: February 2023

This study attempts to design effective messages to promote condom negotiation self-efficacy and safer sex intent among young women in China. An online experiment with 2 (descriptive norm: present versus absent) × 2 (traditional sexual value: high versus low) between-subjects factorial design was conducted on a purposive sample of 241 female Chinese college students. The results demonstrated that culturally tailored messages incorporating descriptive norms information on the popularity of condom negotiation can increase participants’ self-efficacy (F(1,237) = 9.01, partial η2 = 0.04, P = 0.003) but not safer sex intent (F(1,237) = 2.80, partial η2 = 0.01, P = 0.096). Participants with a lower level of traditional sexual values had similar levels of condom negotiation self-efficacy as those with a higher level of values: F(1,237) = 2.85, partial η2 = 0.01, P = 0.09. There were no significant interaction effects of traditional sexual value and descriptive norm on condom negotiation self-efficacy and safer sex intent. The findings contribute to the cultural sensitivity perspective in health education in an Eastern context and have implications for public health practitioners and policymakers.
Integrator complex subunit 15 controls mRNA splicing and is critical for eye development
Authors: Azuma Noriyuki , Yokoi Tadashi , Tanaka Taku , Matsuzaka Emiko , Saida Yuki , Nishina Sachiko , Terao Miho , Takada Shuji , Fukami Maki , Okamura Kohji , Maehara Kayoko , Yamasaki Tokiwa , Hirayama Jun , Nishina Hiroshi , Handa Hiroshi , Yamaguchi Yuki
Published: February 2023

The eye and brain are composed of elaborately organized tissues, development of which is supported by spatiotemporally precise expression of a number of transcription factors and developmental regulators. Here we report the molecular and genetic characterization of Integrator complex subunit 15 (INTS15). INTS15 was identified in search for the causative gene(s) for an autosomal-dominant eye disease with variable individual manifestation found in a large pedigree. While homozygous Ints15 knockout mice are embryonic lethal, mutant mice lacking a small C-terminal region of Ints15 show ocular malformations similar to the human patients. INTS15 is highly expressed in the eye and brain during embryogenesis and stably interacts with the Integrator complex to support small nuclear RNA 3′ end processing. Its knockdown resulted in missplicing of a large number of genes, probably as a secondary consequence, and substantially affected genes associated with eye and brain development. Moreover, studies using human iPS cells-derived neural progenitor cells showed that INTS15 is critical for axonal outgrowth in retinal ganglion cells. This study suggests a new link between general transcription machinery and a highly specific hereditary disease.
Setting of the tentative epidemiological cut-off values of contezolid forStaphylococcus aureus,Enterococcus faecalis,Enterococcus faecium,Streptococcus pneumoniaeandStreptococcus agalactiae
Authors: Guo Yan , Han Renru , Zhang Ge , Yang Qiwen , Xue Feng , Li Yun , Zhu Demei , Hu Fupin
Published: February 2023

Objectives

To set the tentative epidemiological cut-off values (TECOFFs) of contezolid for Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus agalactiae based on the distributions of inhibition zone diameters and MICs.

Methods

A total of 1358 non-duplicate clinical isolates of Gram-positive bacteria were collected from the patients across China from 2017 to 2020. The isolates were tested for susceptibility to contezolid and the comparator linezolid by broth microdilution and disc diffusion methods in three microbiology laboratories. The zone diameters and MICs of linezolid WT strains were used to set the WT TECOFFs of contezolid by normalized resistance interpretation calculations.

Results

Contezolid showed an aggregate MIC range from 0.03 to 8 mg/L and MIC90 value of 1–2 mg/L against all of the Gram-positive bacterial strains tested. The TECOFF of contezolid based on MIC distributions was 4 mg/L for both S. aureus and Enterococcus species, and 2 mg/L for S. pneumoniae and S. agalactiae. The TECOFF of contezolid based on zone diameter was 24 mm for S. aureus, 18 mm for E. faecalis, 20 mm for E. faecium and S. pneumoniae, and 17 mm for S. agalactiae.

Conclusions

The epidemiological cut-off values of contezolid were set tentatively for selected Gram-positive bacteria using the MIC and zone diameter distributions. These data are helpful for clinical microbiologists and clinicians to interpret the antimicrobial susceptibility results of contezolid.