bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnetic and magnetoelastic properties of antiferromagnet FeGe2
Authors: Grechnev G. E. , Lyogenkaya A. A. , Desnenko V. A. , Fedorchenko A. V. , Panfilov A. S.
Published: September 2023

The magnetic susceptibility χ of single-crystal antiferromagnet FeGe2 (TN = 289 K) was measured in the temperature range from 4.2 to 300 K in a magnetic field H up to 40 kOe applied along the main crystallographic axes. For the antiferromagnetic (AFM) state at low temperatures, a strong increase in χ is observed with increasing H applied along the [100] axis, which reaches saturation at H≥H0∼ 11 kOe. It is assumed that this behavior is associated with a field-induced change in the AFM domain structure, and the single-domain state is realized in a field above H0 with the AFM axis perpendicular to the field direction. The study of χ under the uniaxial Pa and uniform P pressures in a wide temperature range has revealed an anomalously large increase in χ in AFM state with increasing uniaxial pressure for Pa||H||[100] at H≪H0. The observed growth of χ saturates at pressure Pa≥Pa∗≃1.5 kbar and suggests the formation of the single-domain state for the above conditions. The values of uniform pressure effect on χ was found to lie in the range dln⁡χ/dP = − (2–3) Mbar–1, being weakly dependent on the magnetic state and field direction. In addition, the uniform pressure effect on the transition temperature between two AFM structures in FeGe2, TM≃263 K, was found to be weak.
Optical properties of two-dimensional quantum ring with diluted magnetic semiconductors structure
Authors: Babanli Arif , Sabyrov Vepa
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we study the optical properties of a two-dimensional quantum ring with a diluted magnetic semiconductors structure. The Volcano model was chosen as the confinement potential of a quantum system. For interband optical transitions, the behavior of the absorption coefficient of a quantum ring as a function of the incident photon energy is numerically studied as a function of various values of such parameters as temperature, magnetic field, ring radius, and inner ring radius. In addition, the change in the threshold frequency as a function of the magnetic field and temperature for an interband optical transition is numerically studied. According to the results obtained, the considered parameters change the optical properties of the quantum ring.
Monte Carlo simulations of charged particle transport in plasmas: A fast single-scattering model
Authors: Du Bao , Kang Dongguo , Liu Chang , Shi Yi , Zhang Wenshuai , Deng Luan , Song Peng , Zou Shiyang , Cai Hong-bo , Zhu Shao-ping
Published: September 2023

When simulating a charged particle trajectory in plasmas with Monte Carlo methods, the traditional single-scattering model is accurate but computationally expensive. The traditional multiple-scattering model reduces the computation cost but assumes an exponential distribution of the scattering angle, which overestimates the cumulative scattering angle. In this paper, we develop a new Monte Carlo method for the charged particle transport simulations. The scattering angle is naturally sampled from a modified screened Rutherford scattering cross section, in which a greatly amplified minimum deflection angle is used. With this model, the simulations give the same scattering angle distribution with the single-scattering model but only take a comparable computation cost with the multiple-scattering model when the small scattering angle and Markovian approximations can be fulfilled. This model would be especially useful for the study of inertial-confinement-fusion, which is sensitive to the alpha-particle energy deposition.
Unveiling the influence of ferromagnetic Gd-doped ZnO films on the performance of organic solar cells
Authors: Che Ani Norhidayah , Sahdan Mohd Zainizan , Wibowo Kusnanto Mukti , Nayan Nafarizal , Adriyanto Feri
Published: September 2023

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have emerged as a promising technology for renewable energy generation due to their low cost, lightweight, flexibility, and compatibility with roll-to-roll manufacturing. However, OSCs still face challenges in achieving high power conversion efficiency (PCE) due to various factors, including recombination loss. In this study, we investigated the effect of introducing a layer of eight atomic percent gadolinium-doped zinc oxide (Zn0.92Gd0.08O) between the poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT): [6,6]-phenyl butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) active layer and the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode of the OSC. The reference cell, which has an Au/P3HT:PCBM/ZnO/FTO structure, exhibits a PCE of 0.52%. Remarkably, when the Zn0.92Gd0.08O layer was inserted (Au/P3HT:PCBM/Zn0.92Gd0.08O/FTO), the PCE increased significantly to 3.42%, which is more than six times the increase. Through further analysis, we present that the insertion of the Zn0.92Gd0.08O layer induces spin polarization in the P3HT:PCBM layer, leading to enhanced charge transport and reducing the recombination rate. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the Zn0.92Gd0.08O film can potentially improve OSC performance.
The rheology of saltwater taffy
Authors: Chan San To , Haward Simon J. , Fried Eliot , McKinley Gareth H.
Published: September 2023

Saltwater taffy, an American confection consisting of the main ingredients sugar, corn syrup, water, and oil, is known for its chewy texture and diverse flavors. We use a small amplitude oscillatory shear test to probe the linear viscoelastic properties of commercial taffy. At low frequencies, self-similar relaxation behavior characteristic of a critical gel is observed. The storage and loss moduli are power-law functions, with the same exponent, of the frequency. Such self-similarity arises from the distribution of air bubbles and oil droplets in the taffy, where air is incorporated and oil is emulsified through an iterative folding process known as “taffy-pulling.” Taffy obeys the time–temperature superposition principle. Horizontally shifting the dynamic moduli obtained at different temperatures yields a master curve at a chosen reference temperature. As a sufficiently high frequency is exceeded, taffy transitions from a critical gel-like state to an elastic solid-like state. The master curve can be described by the fractional Maxwell gel (FMG) model with three parameters: a plateau modulus, a characteristic relaxation time, and a power-law exponent. The master curves for taffy of different flavors can all be described by the FMG model with the same exponent, indicating that minor ingredients like flavorings and colorings do not significantly affect the rheology of taffy. Scaling the master curves with the plateau modulus and relaxation time results in their collapse onto a supermaster curve, hinting at a more fundamental time–temperature–taffy superposition principle. Guided by this principle, we hand-pull lab-made model taffies successfully reproducing the rheology of commercial taffy.
The effect of pellet injection on turbulent transport in TJ-II
Authors: García L. , García-Cortés I. , Carreras B. A. , McCarthy K. J. , van Milligen B. Ph. ,   TJ-II Team
Published: September 2023

An improvement in confinement associated with the injection of pellets has been observed in TJ-II and other devices. By means of a simple model, we study here the modification of turbulent transport by the injection of pellets in TJ-II and how this modification affects the particle confinement time. The analysis of the results shows the relationship of the confinement improvement with the evolution of the shear flow due to turbulence, especially near low order rational surfaces. This work is based on pellet injections into the neutral beam injection heated phase of TJ-II plasmas. For this, single, double, or triple hydrogen pellet injection are considered and the post-injection evolution of selected plasma parameters are analyzed and compared.
Thermoelectric performance of ternary Cu-based chalcogenide Cu2TiTe3
Authors: Xiong Yifei , Jin Zhicheng , Deng Tingting , Qiu Pengfei , Xi Lili , Yang Jiong , Shi Xun , Chen Lidong
Published: September 2023

In this work, we report the ternary Cu-based chalcogenide, Cu2TiTe3, as a promising thermoelectric material in middle-temperature range. The bonding interaction between Te p and Ti d states is observed in the Ti–Te octahedron, which drives the side bands up converging with Γ band, yielding a high valence band degeneracy of 5. A high electronic quality factor of 2.2 μW cm−1 K−2 and a decent power factor of 7.5 μW cm−1 K−2 at 300 K are achieved for Cu2TiTe3. Likewise, Cu2TiTe3 demonstrates low lattice thermal conductivity throughout the measured temperature range, which is attributed to the low frequency vibration related to the global motion of Ti–Te–Cu clusters. Finally, a maximum figure-of-merit of 0.38 was obtained for Cu2TiTe3 at 600 K.
A rolling bearing fault diagnosis method based on Markov transition field and multi-scale Runge-Kutta residual network
Authors: Ding Simin , Rui Zhiyuan , Lei Chunli , Zhuo Junting , Shi Jiashuo , Lv Xin
Published: September 2023

In order to address the problem that one- dimensional convolutional neural networks is difficult to extract the local correlation information and mine multi-scale information of rolling bearing fault signals under variable working conditions, a novel fault diagnosis method for rolling bearings based on Markov transition field (MTF) and multi-scale Runge–Kutta residual attention network (MRKRA-Net) is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the original signal is encoded into a two-dimensional image using the MTF method. Then, a multi-scale network is constructed using pre-activation Runge–Kutta residual blocks to extract multi-level features. Secondly, a feature-guided attention mechanism is designed and embedded into the network model to enhance its generalization ability. Finally, the MRKRA-Net model is validated on two different bearing datasets, and the results show that compared with other popular intelligent fault diagnosis methods, MRKRA-Net has higher fault diagnosis accuracy and stronger robustness under both given and variable working conditions.
Simultaneous quantification of Young’s modulus and dispersion forces with nanoscale spatial resolution
Authors: Cafolla Clodomiro , Voïtchovsky Kislon , Payam Amir Farokh
Published: September 2023

Many advances in polymers and layered materials rely on a precise understanding of the local interactions between adjacent molecular or atomic layers. Quantifying dispersion forces at the nanoscale is particularly challenging with existing methods often time consuming, destructive, relying on surface averaging or requiring bespoke equipment. Here, we present a non-invasive method able to quantify the local mechanical and dispersion properties of a given sample with nanometer lateral precision. The method, based on atomic force microscopy (AFM), uses the frequency shift of a vibrating AFM cantilever in combination with established contact mechanics models to simultaneously derive the Hamaker constant and the effective Young’s modulus at a given sample location. The derived Hamaker constant and Young’s modulus represent an average over a small (typically <100) number of molecules or atoms. The oscillation amplitude of the vibrating AFM probe is used to select the length-scale of the features to analyse, with small vibrations able to resolve the contribution of sub-nanometric defects and large ones exploring effectively homogeneous areas. The accuracy of the method is validated on a range of 2D materials in air and water as well as on polymer thin films. We also provide the first experimental measurements of the Hamaker constant of HBN, MoT2, WSe2 and polymer films, verifying theoretical predictions and computer simulations. The simplicity and robustness of the method, implemented with a commercial AFM, may support a broad range of technological applications in the growing field of polymers and nanostructured materials where a fine control of the van der Waals interactions is crucial to tune their properties.
Gradient-based geometry learning for fan-beam CT reconstruction
Authors: Thies Mareike , Wagner Fabian , Maul Noah , Folle Lukas , Meier Manuela , Rohleder Maximilian , Schneider Linda-Sophie , Pfaff Laura , Gu Mingxuan , Utz Jonas , Denzinger Felix , Manhart Michael , Maier Andreas
Published: September 2023

Objective. Incorporating computed tomography (CT) reconstruction operators into differentiable pipelines has proven beneficial in many applications. Such approaches usually focus on the projection data and keep the acquisition geometry fixed. However, precise knowledge of the acquisition geometry is essential for high quality reconstruction results. In this paper, the differentiable formulation of fan-beam CT reconstruction is extended to the acquisition geometry. Approach. The CT fan-beam reconstruction is analytically derived with respect to the acquisition geometry. This allows to propagate gradient information from a loss function on the reconstructed image into the geometry parameters. As a proof-of-concept experiment, this idea is applied to rigid motion compensation. The cost function is parameterized by a trained neural network which regresses an image quality metric from the motion-affected reconstruction alone. Main results. The algorithm improves the structural similarity index measure (SSIM) from 0.848 for the initial motion-affected reconstruction to 0.946 after compensation. It also generalizes to real fan-beam sinograms which are rebinned from a helical trajectory where the SSIM increases from 0.639 to 0.742. Significance. Using the proposed method, we are the first to optimize an autofocus-inspired algorithm based on analytical gradients. Next to motion compensation, we see further use cases of our differentiable method for scanner calibration or hybrid techniques employing deep models.
Exploration on the application of a new type of superconducting energy storage for regenerative braking in urban rail transit
Authors: Li Wenxin , Yang Tianhui , Li Chao , Li Gengyao , Xin Ying
Published: September 2023

Regenerative braking technology has become increasingly attractive due to its ability to recover and reuse the energy that would otherwise be lost. In recent years, a new superconducting energy storage technology is proposed and it has been proved experimentally and analytically that the technology has promising application potential in urban rail transit for regenerative braking. However, a comprehensive assessment of the new technology has not been conducted up to date. In this paper, the currently available energy storage technologies for regenerative braking, such as batteries, supercapacitors, flywheels, and SMES are introduced along with the new superconducting energy storage technology. Comparative studies between the existing technologies and the new one are conducted in terms of energy density, energy conversion efficiency, energy storage duration, capital cost and environmental impact. It is concluded that a regenerative braking system with the new superconducting energy storage has very high cycle efficiency and is superior to the existing energy storage systems. It has the potential to revolutionize the regenerative braking technology and to develop more efficient and sustainable urban rail transportation systems.
Hyperfine-induced effects on
Kα1
linear polarization following electron-impact excitation of heliumlike Tl79+ ions with nuclear spin
I=1/2
Authors: Wu Z W , Tian Z Q , Dong C Z , Surzhykov A , Fritzsche S
Published: September 2023

A most general density-matrix formalism is presented to investigate linear polarization of characteristic lines following electron-impact excitation of atoms or ions with arbitrary nuclear spin, which can account for depolarization of energy levels and multipole mixing of radiation fields. It is then applied to the linear polarization of the

K

α

1

line radiated from heliumlike ions with nuclear spin

I
=
1

/

2

. As an example, detailed calculations are performed for

81

207

Tl79+ ions using the multi-configurational Dirac-Fock method and relativistic distorted-wave theory. It is found that the effect of the hyperfine interaction on the linear polarization depends dominantly on impact electron energy. For low impact energies close to the excitation threshold, the hyperfine interaction results in an enhancement of the linear polarization, especially for those photons emitted perpendicularly to the impact electron beam. In contrast, such a hyperfine-induced effect diminishes quickly with increasing impact energy and vanishes at medium and high energies, which is very different from the results for the case of radiative electron capture (Surzhykov et al 2013 Phys. Rev. A 87 052507). The present study is experimentally accessible at both electron-beam ion traps and ion storage rings and, thus, accurate

K

α

1

polarization measurements at low energies can be utilized to probe the hyperfine interaction in highly charged few-electron ions.
Sectoral water use responses to droughts and heatwaves: analyses from local to global scales for 1990–2019
Authors: Cárdenas Belleza Gabriel A , Bierkens Marc F P , van Vliet Michelle T H
Published: September 2023

Water use for various sectors (e.g. irrigation, livestock, domestic, energy and manufacturing) is increasing due to a growing global population and economic development. Additionally, increases in frequency and severity of droughts, heatwaves and compound drought-heatwave events, also lead to responses in sectoral water use and a reduction in water availability, intensifying water scarcity. However, limited knowledge exists on the responses in sectoral water use during these hydroclimatic extremes. In this study we quantify the impacts of droughts, heatwaves and compound events on water use of irrigation, livestock, domestic, energy and manufacturing sectors at global, country and local scales. To achieve this, datasets of reported and downscaled sectoral water use (i.e. withdrawal and consumption) were evaluated during these hydroclimatic extremes and compared to normal (non-extreme) periods for 1990–2019. Our analysis shows that these hydroclimatic extremes affect water use patterns differently per sector and region. Reported data show that domestic and irrigation water use increases during heatwaves in Eastern Europe and central continental United States, while water use decreases for thermoelectric sector, particularly in Europe while it increases in north and Eastern Asia. Additionally, global water use response patterns reveal that irrigation and domestic sectors are mostly prioritized over livestock, thermoelectric and manufacturing. Reported local-scale data reveal that for most sectors and regions/locations, stronger water use responses are found for heatwaves and compound events compared to impacts during hydrological droughts. Our outcomes provide improved understanding of sectoral water use behaviour under hydroclimatic extremes. Nonetheless, given the future threats to water availability and the limited accessible information of water use, there is an urgency to collect more monitored-driven data of sectoral water use for improved assessments of water scarcity under these extremes. Consequently, this research reveals the necessity of more realistic water use models to better represent the sectoral responses to hydroclimatic extremes.
Memory Mobilization and Postconflict Stability in CôTE D’Ivoire: Analysing the Transmission of Conflict Narratives Among Ivoirian Youth
Authors: Kuppens Line , Langer Arnim
Published: September 2023

After violence ends, former conflict parties and their civilian supporters often disagree about the origins and causes of the conflict. Post-conflict states vary in how they deal with these competing accounts of the past, ranging from selective remembering to state-backed forgetting. However, conflict narratives that are excluded from the public sphere are not necessarily forgotten and may be passed on between generations within families, social networks, and communities. These unofficial and often biased accounts can threaten the stability of post-conflict societies when appropriated by political actors who seek to challenge hegemonic memory practices and/or the legitimacy of the state—a process that we define as memory mobilization. In this paper, we argue that memory mobilization is particularly likely to occur when (1) unofficial conflict narratives persist among certain groups and sections of society, and are transferred from one generation to the next; and (2) regime opponents and/or other political actors have sufficient political and public space for contestation. To evaluate our argument, we examine these issues in the context of post-conflict Côte d’Ivoire. Based on 905 secondary school student essays, we show that competing accounts are reproduced among young Ivoirians and that these could potentially threaten the country’s future stability, if misappropriated.
Atypical fetal brain development in fetuses with non-syndromic isolated musculoskeletal birth defects (niMSBDs)
Authors: Ahmad Esha , Brumfield Olivia , Masse Olivia , Velasco-Annis Clemente , Zhang Jennings , Rollins Caitlin K , Connolly Susan , Barnewolt Carol , Shamshirsaz Alireza A , Qaderi Shohra , Javinani Ali , Warfield Simon K , Yang Edward , Gholipour Ali , Feldman Henry A , Estroff Judy , Grant Patricia E , Vasung Lana
Published: September 2023

Non-syndromic, isolated musculoskeletal birth defects (niMSBDs) are among the leading causes of pediatric hospitalization. However, little is known about brain development in niMSBDs. Our study aimed to characterize prenatal brain development in fetuses with niMSBDs and identify altered brain regions compared to controls. We retrospectively analyzed in vivo structural T2-weighted MRIs of 99 fetuses (48 controls and 51 niMSBDs cases). For each group (19–31 and >31 gestational weeks (GW)), we conducted repeated-measures regression analysis with relative regional volume (% brain hemisphere) as a dependent variable (adjusted for age, side, and interactions). Between 19 and 31GW, fetuses with niMSBDs had a significantly (P < 0.001) smaller relative volume of the intermediate zone (−22.9 ± 3.2%) and cerebellum (−16.1 ± 3.5%,) and a larger relative volume of proliferative zones (38.3 ± 7.2%), the ganglionic eminence (34.8 ± 7.3%), and the ventricles (35.8 ± 8.0%). Between 32 and 37 GW, compared to the controls, niMSBDs showed significantly smaller volumes of central regions (−9.1 ± 2.1%) and larger volumes of the cortical plate. Our results suggest there is altered brain development in fetuses with niMSBDs compared to controls (13.1 ± 4.2%). Further basic and translational neuroscience research is needed to better visualize these differences and to characterize the altered development in fetuses with specific niMSBDs.
Towards Hadwiger’s Conjecture via Bourgain Slicing
Authors: Campos Marcelo , van Hintum Peter , Morris Robert , Tiba Marius
Published: September 2023

In 1957, Hadwiger conjectured that every convex body in ${\mathbb{R}}^{d}$ can be covered by $2^{d}$ translates of its interior. For over 60 years, the best known bound was of the form $O(4^{d} \sqrt{d} \log d)$, but this was recently improved by a factor of $e^{\Omega (\sqrt{d})}$ by Huang, Slomka, Tkocz, and Vritsiou. In this note, we take another step towards Hadwiger’s conjecture by deducing an almost-exponential improvement from the recent breakthrough work of Chen, Klartag, and Lehec on Bourgain’s slicing problem. More precisely, we prove that, for any convex body $K \subset{\mathbb{R}}^{d}$, $$\begin{align*} &\exp\bigg( - \Omega\bigg( \frac{d}{\log d} \bigg) \bigg) \cdot 4^d \end{align*}$$translates of $\operatorname{int}(K)$ suffice to cover $K$. We also show that a positive answer to Bourgain’s slicing problem would imply an exponential improvement for Hadwiger’s conjecture.
Interleukin 13–Induced Inflammation Increases DPP4 Abundance but Does Not Enhance Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Replication in Airway Epithelia
Authors: Li Kun , Bartlett Jennifer A , Wohlford-Lenane Christine L , Xue Biyun , Thurman Andrew L , Gallagher Thomas M , Pezzulo Alejandro A , McCray Paul B
Published: September 2023

Background

Chronic pulmonary conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increase the risk of morbidity and mortality during infection with the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). We hypothesized that individuals with such comorbidities are more susceptible to MERS-CoV infection due to increased expression of its receptor, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4).

Methods

We modeled chronic airway disease by treating primary human airway epithelia with the Th2 cytokine interleukin 13 (IL-13), examining how this affected DPP4 protein levels with MERS-CoV entry and replication.

Results

IL-13 exposure for 3 days led to greater DPP4 protein abundance, while a 21-day treatment raised DPP4 levels and caused goblet cell metaplasia. Surprisingly, despite this increase in receptor availability, MERS-CoV entry and replication were not significantly affected by IL-13 treatment.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that greater DPP4 abundance is likely not the primary mechanism leading to increased MERS severity in the setting of Th2 inflammation. Transcriptional profiling analysis highlighted the complexity of IL-13–induced changes in airway epithelia, including altered expression of genes involved in innate immunity, antiviral responses, and maintenance of the extracellular mucus barrier. These data suggest that additional factors likely interact with DPP4 abundance to determine MERS-CoV infection outcomes.
Incidence and predisposing factors for flucloxacillin-related hepatotoxicity in children
Authors: Coombs Stefan , Pittet Laure F , Tang Kailey , Gwee Amanda
Published: September 2023

Background

Flucloxacillin-induced hepatotoxicity is well established in adults. However, there are few paediatric studies of flucloxacillin-induced hepatotoxicity despite this drug being among the most commonly prescribed in children. We aimed to determine the incidence of flucloxacillin-induced hepatotoxicity in children receiving IV therapy as well as identify risk factors for this adverse drug reaction.

Methods

We undertook a 2 year retrospective audit of children aged 0–18 years admitted to the Royal Children’s Hospital (March 2019 to March 2021) who had liver function tests determined before and after receiving IV flucloxacillin for at least 24 hours duration. Causality was assessed using the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method and Naranjo criteria.

Results

Overall, the incidence of hepatotoxicity was 66/393 (17%). The median age of children with hepatotoxicity was 1.1 years (IQR 0.3–11.9), 43 (65%) received two or more concomitant hepatotoxic medications and 23 (35%) were receiving total parenteral nutrition. The median timing of onset of hepatotoxicity after commencement of flucloxacillin was 4 days (range 2–7). Severe hepatotoxicity (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grade 3 or above) occurred in 9/66 (14%) for bilirubin, 13/66 (20%) for ALT and 10/66 (15%) for GGT. Predisposing factors for hepatotoxicity were increasing age (OR 1.06 per additional year, 95% CI 1.01–1.10, P = 0.02), with adolescents aged 12–18 years having the highest risk (OR 5.10, 95% CI 2.02–12.85, P = 0.001), and two or more concomitant hepatotoxic medications (OR 2.51, 95% CI 1.02–6.18, P = 0.05). The median time to resolution of hepatotoxicity after cessation of flucloxacillin was 5 days (range 2–10).

Conclusions

In children, older patients and those receiving two or more concomitant hepatotoxic medications are at greater risk of flucloxacillin-induced hepatotoxicity.
How Does Time Pressure Influence Risk Preferences? Answers from a Meta-Analysis
Authors: Belli Alex , Carrillat François A , Zlatevska Natalina , Cowley Elizabeth
Published: September 2023

Four decades of research into the influences of time pressure on risky decisions have produced widely contrasting findings: 38.5% of the effects indicate that time pressure increases risk preferences, whereas 61.5% show the opposite. A theoretical framework with four conceptual categories of moderators is proposed to explain these heterogeneous findings: nature of the time constraint, negative outcome salience, negative outcome severity, and vulnerability to the outcomes. This framework is tested through a meta-analysis of 213 effect sizes reported in 83 papers, representing 65,574 unique respondents. The four categories of moderators effectively resolve notable conflicts. For example, regarding the nature of the time constraint, an absolute versus relative constraint increases risk preferences, but an ambiguous versus objective constraint decreases risk preferences. In terms of negative outcome salience, risk preferences decrease if the risk is learned about from a description (vs. experience) or the outcome is framed as a loss (vs. gain). Negative outcome severity also exerts an effect, as discrete choices lower risk preferences compared with attitudinal risk. In addition to managerial and public policy implications based on simulations, a comprehensive research agenda that builds on the robust insights of this meta-analysis is offered.
Germline pathogenic variants in neuroblastoma patients are enriched in BARD1 and predict worse survival
Authors: Kim Jung , Vaksman Zalman , Egolf Laura E , Kaufman Rebecca , Evans J Perry , Conkrite Karina L , Danesh Arnavaz , Lopez Gonzalo , Randall Michael P , Dent Maiah H , Farra Lance M , Menghani Neil L , Dymek Malwina , Desai Heena , Hausler Ryan , Hicks Belynda , Guidry Auvil Jaime M , Gerhard Daniela S , Hakonarson Hakon , Maxwell Kara N , Cole Kristina A , Pugh Trevor J , Bosse Kristopher R , Khan Javed , Wei Jun S , Maris John M , Stewart Douglas R , Diskin Sharon J
Published: September 2023

Background

Neuroblastoma is an embryonal cancer of the developing sympathetic nervous system. The genetic contribution of rare pathogenic or likely pathogenic germline variants in patients without a family history remains unclear.

Methods

Germline DNA sequencing was performed on 786 neuroblastoma patients. The frequency of rare cancer predisposition gene pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in patients was compared with 2 cancer-free control cohorts. Matched tumor DNA sequencing was evaluated for second hits, and germline DNA array data from 5585 neuroblastoma patients and 23 505 cancer-free control children were analyzed to identify rare germline copy number variants. Patients with germline pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were compared with those without to test for association with clinical characteristics, tumor features, and survival.

Results

We observed 116 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants involving 13.9% (109 of 786) of neuroblastoma patients, representing a statistically significant excess burden compared with cancer-free participants (odds ratio [OR] = 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27 to 2.00). BARD1 harbored the most statistically significant enrichment of pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants (OR = 32.30, 95% CI = 6.44 to 310.35). Rare germline copy number variants disrupting BARD1 were identified in patients but absent in cancer-free participants (OR = 29.47, 95% CI = 1.52 to 570.70). Patients harboring a germline pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant had a worse overall survival compared with those without (P = 8.6 x 10−3).

Conclusions

BARD1 is an important neuroblastoma predisposition gene harboring both common and rare germline pathogenic or likely pathogenic variations. The presence of any germline pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in a cancer predisposition gene was independently predictive of worse overall survival. As centers move toward paired tumor-normal sequencing at diagnosis, efforts should be made to centralize data and provide an infrastructure to support cooperative longitudinal prospective studies of germline pathogenic variation.
Repeated patterns of gamma-ray flares suggest structured jets of blazars as likely neutrino sources
Authors: Novikova Polina , Shishkina Ekaterina , Blinov Dmitry
Published: September 2023

Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) observations provide continuous and regularly sampled measurements of gamma-ray photon flux for hundreds of blazars. Many of these light curves, spanning almost 15 yr, have been thoroughly examined for periodicity in multiple studies. However, the possibility that blazars may exhibit irregularly repeating flaring patterns in their gamma-ray light curves has not been systematically explored. In this study, we aim to find repeating episodes of flaring activity in the 100 brightest blazars using Fermi-LAT light curves with various integration times. We use a Bayesian Blocks representation to convert the time series into strings of symbols and search for repeating sub-strings using a fuzzy search algorithm. As a result, we identify 27 repeated episodes in the gamma-ray light curves of 10 blazars. We find that the patterns are most likely produced in structured jets composed of a fast spine and a slower sheath. When individual emission features propagate in the spine, they scatter seed photons produced in the non-uniform sheath through the inverse Compton mechanism, resulting in a set of gamma-ray flares with a similar profile every such passage. Additionally, we explore the theoretically predicted possibility that the spine-sheath structure facilitates the production of high-energy neutrinos in blazar jets. Using the catalogue of track-like events detected by the IceCube neutrino telescope, we find evidence supporting this hypothesis at a 2.8σ significance level.
Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies senescence as therapeutic target in rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury
Authors: Rao Snigdha N , Zahm Margot , Casemayou Audrey , Buleon Marie , Faguer Stanislas , Feuillet Guylène , Iacovoni Jason S , Joffre Olivier P , Gonzalez-Fuentes Ignacio , Lhuillier Emeline , Martins Frédéric , Riant Elodie , Zakaroff-Girard Alexia , Schanstra Joost P , Saulnier-Blache Jean Sébastien , Belliere Julie
Published: September 2023

Background

The role of macrophages in the development of rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury (RM-AKI) has been established, but an in-depth understanding of the changes in the immune landscape could help to improve targeted strategies. Whereas senescence is usually associated with chronic kidney processes, we also wished to explore whether senescence could also occur in AKI and whether senolytics could act on immune cells.

Methods

Single-cell RNA sequencing was used in the murine glycerol-induced RM-AKI model to dissect the transcriptomic characteristics of CD45+ live cells sorted from kidneys 2 days after injury. Public datasets from murine AKI models were reanalysed to explore cellular senescence signature in tubular epithelial cells (TECs). A combination of senolytics (dasatinib and quercetin, DQ) was administered to mice exposed or not to RM-AKI.

Results

Unsupervised clustering of nearly 17 000 single-cell transcriptomes identified seven known immune cell clusters. Sub-clustering of the mononuclear phagocyte cells revealed nine distinct cell sub-populations differently modified with RM. One macrophage cluster was particularly interesting since it behaved as a critical node in a trajectory connecting one major histocompatibility complex class IIhigh (MHCIIhigh) cluster only present in Control to two MHCIIlow clusters only present in RM-AKI. This critical cluster expressed a senescence gene signature, that was very different from that of the TECs. Senolytic DQ treatment blocked the switch from a F4/80highCD11blow to F4/80lowCD11bhigh phenotype, which correlated with prolonged nephroprotection in RM-AKI.

Conclusions

Single-cell RNA sequencing unmasked novel transitional macrophage subpopulation associated with RM-AKI characterized by the activation of cellular senescence processes. This work provides a proof-of-concept that senolytics nephroprotective effects may rely, at least in part, on subtle immune modulation.
Youth Exposure and Response to the FDA Health Warning Label on Electronic Cigarettes Packaging: Policy Implications
Authors: Asfar Taghrid , Oluwole Olusanya J , Pan Yue , Casas Alejandra , Garayua Adriana Maite Hernandez , Schmidt Michael , Noar Seth M
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Youth represent a high-priority group for e-cigarette health communication. This study examined youth exposure to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) e-cigarette warning label over 4 years and its association with change in youth harm perception and intention.

Aims and Methods

We pooled data from the 2018–2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey (age 10–17; n = 67 159). Participants were divided into four groups: never users (58.5%), susceptible nonusers (16.3%), former users (12.7%), and current users (12.5%). We examined the prevalence, time-trend, correlates, and association of youth exposure to the warning with addictiveness and harm perception, intention to use e-cigarettes, and intention to quit all tobacco products.

Results

Only 24.5% of youth were exposed to the warning. Exposure increased from 14.9% in 2018 to 30.8% in 2019, then declined to 25.2% in 2021. Hispanic (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.76 [95% CI = 0.641 to 0.89]) and non-Hispanic black current users (0.53 [0.40 to 0.69]) were less likely to be exposed to the warning than white current users. Youth exposure was positively associated with a higher perception of e-cigarette addictiveness (1.12 [1.04 to 1.19]) and intention to quit all tobacco products (1.28 [1.13 to 1.46]). However, exposure was negatively associated with harm perception (0.91 [0.85 to 0.96]) and the intention to use e-cigarettes among e-cigarette nonusers (2.38 [1.99 to 2.84]).

Conclusions

The decline in youth exposure to the warning indicates wear-out effects. Strengthening the label by using compelling designs, adding themes on e-cigarette harm to youth, periodically rotating warning content, and using culturally tailored messaging may improve its impact on youth and address racial/ethnic disparities.

Implications

The FDA e-cigarette label reached only 24.5% of youth, and exposure to the warning declined to indicate wear-out effects. Exposure was significantly lower among minorities. Exposure was associated with a higher perception of e-cigarette addictiveness and intention to quit all tobacco products. Still, it did not increase harm perception or reduce intention to use e-cigarettes among nonusers. Strengthening the label by using more compelling designs, including diverse themes focusing on e-cigarette harm relevant to youth, and periodically rotating warning content may improve its impact on youth. Continued surveillance of the implementation of e-cigarette policies is needed to ensure that they equally affect youth across racial/ethnic subpopulations.
Research Models to Mimic Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Focus on Extracellular Vesicles Action
Authors: Duci Miriam , De Cesare Ludovica , Hochuli Agner Henrique Dorigo , Muraca Maurizio , Cananzi Mara , Gamba Piergiorgio , Fascetti-Leon Francesco , Pozzobon Michela
Published: September 2023

This review focuses on the crucial role of the intestinal epithelium in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and its significance in the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). NEC is a devastating neonatal disease, while IBD represents a global healthcare problem with increasing incidence. The breakdown of the intestinal barrier in neonates is considered pivotal in the development and progression of both disorders. This review provides an overview of the current state of in vitro, ex vivo, and animal models to study epithelial injury in NEC and IBD, addressing pertinent questions that engage clinicians and researchers alike. Despite significant advancements in early recognition and aggressive treatment, no single therapy has been conclusively proven effective in reducing the severity of these disorders. Although early interventions have improved clinical outcomes, NEC and IBD continue to impose substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic burdens on affected individuals and society. Consequently, exploring alternative therapeutic options capable of preventing and treating the sequelae of NEC and IBD has become a pressing necessity. In recent decades, extracellular vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a potential solution to modulate the pathogenic mechanism in these multifactorial and complex disorders. Despite the diverse array of proposed models, a comprehensive model to investigate and decelerate the progression of NEC and IBD remains to be established. To bridge the translational gap between preclinical studies and clinical applications, enhancements in the technical development of gut-on-a-chip models and EVs hold considerable promise.
From Gene-for-Gene to Resistosomes: Flor's Enduring Legacy
Authors: Dodds Peter N.
Published: September 2023

The gene-for-gene model proposed by H. H. Flor has been one of the fundamental precepts of plant-pathogen interactions that has underpinned decades of research towards our current concepts of plant immunity. The broad validity of this model as an elegant and accurate genetic description of specific recognition events between the products of plant resistance ( R) and pathogen avirulence ( Avr) genes has been demonstrated many times over in a wide variety of plant disease systems. In recent years detailed molecular and structural analyses have provided a deep understanding of the principles by which plant immune receptors recognize pathogen effectors, including providing molecular descriptions of many of the genetic loci in flax and flax rust characterized by Flor. Recent advances in molecular and structural understanding of immune receptor recognition and activation mechanisms have brought the field to a new level, where rational design of novel receptors through engineering approaches is becoming a realizable goal.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Host Suitability of Summer Cover Crops and Peach Rootstocks to the Peach Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne floridensis
Authors: Khanal Churamani , GC Sagar , Harshman David
Published: September 2023

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the host suitability of ten summer cover crops and two peach rootstocks to Meloidogyne floridensis by inoculating them with 10,000 M. floridensis eggs. Brown top millet and sunn hemp were nonhosts as they did not support nematode reproduction. Buckwheat, cowpea, pearl millet, Japanese millet, and sunflower supported more than 25,000 eggs/pot, which indicated that these crops are good hosts to M. floridensis. The crops that supported poor nematode reproduction were sesame, grain sorghum, and sorghum-sudangrass, with their reproduction ranging from 219 to 7,750 eggs/pot. In addition to having many galls on the roots, the peach rootstock Guardian had 10,100 eggs on the roots and 450 second-stage juveniles in the pot, which indicated that ‘Guardian’ is a good host to M. floridensis. Although the nematode reproduction on MP-29 rootstock was relatively lower, the presence of many large galls on the roots indicates MP-29 is susceptible to M. floridensis. Results from the current study suggest that the employment of nonhost cover crops and poor-host rootstocks could aid in effective nematode management programs for peaches.
Histone deacetylase 9 plays a role in sevoflurane‐induced neuronal differentiation inhibition by inactivating cAMP‐response element binding protein transcription and inhibiting the expression of neurotrophin‐3
Authors: Li Xinlei , Wang Gongming , Li Wei , Wang Xu , Wu Jiangnan , He Yingxue , Li Xiaowei , Sun Xiaobin , Zhang Mengyuan , Guo Yanjing
Published: September 2023

Postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) is a common and serious complication following anesthesia and surgery; however, the precise mechanisms of POCD remain unclear. Our previous research showed that sevoflurane impairs adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) and thus cognitive function in the aged brain by affecting neurotrophin‐3 (NT‐3) expression; however, the signaling mechanism involved remains unexplored. In this study, we found a dramatic decrease in the proportion of differentiated neurons with increasing concentrations of sevoflurane, and the inhibition of neural stem cell differentiation was partially reversed after the administration of exogenous NT‐3. Understanding the molecular underpinnings by which sevoflurane affects NT‐3 is key to counteracting cognitive dysfunction. Here, we report that sevoflurane administration for 2 days resulted in upregulation of histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) expression, which led to transcriptional inactivation of cAMP‐response element binding protein (CREB). Due to the colocalization of HDAC9 and CREB within cells, this may be related to the interaction between HDAC9 and CREB. Anyway, this ultimately led to reduced NT‐3 expression and inhibition of neural stem cell differentiation. Furthermore, knockdown of HDAC9 rescued the transcriptional activation of CREB after sevoflurane exposure, while reversing the downregulation of NT‐3 expression and inhibition of neural stem cell differentiation. In summary, this study identifies a unique mechanism by which sevoflurane can inhibit CREB transcription through HDAC9, and this process reduces NT‐3 levels and ultimately inhibits neuronal differentiation. This finding may reveal a new strategy to prevent sevoflurane‐induced neuronal dysfunction.
Nintedanib ameliorates osteoarthritis in mice by inhibiting synovial inflammation and fibrosis caused by M1 polarization of synovial macrophages via the MAPK/PI3K‐AKT pathway
Authors: Yan Jiangbo , Feng Gangning , Yang Yong , Zhao Xin , Ma Long , Guo Haohui , Chen Xiaolei , Wang Hui , Chen Zhirong , Jin Qunhua
Published: September 2023

Synovial inflammation and fibrosis are important pathological changes associated with osteoarthritis (OA). Herein, we investigated if nintedanib, a drug specific for pulmonary fibrosis, plays a positive role in osteoarthritic synovial inflammation and fibrosis. We assessed the effect of nintedanib on osteoarthritic synovial inflammation and fibrosis in a mouse model of OA created by destabilization of the medial meniscus and a macrophage M1 polarization model created by stimulating RAW264.7 cells with lipopolysaccharide. Histological staining showed that daily gavage administration of nintedanib significantly alleviated articular cartilage degeneration, reduced the OARSI score, upregulated matrix metalloproteinase‐13 and downregulated collagen II expression, and significantly reduced the synovial score and synovial fibrosis in a mouse OA model. In addition, immunofluorescence staining showed that nintedanib significantly decreased the number of M1 macrophages in the synovium of a mouse model of OA. In vitro results showed that nintedanib downregulated the phosphorylation levels of ERK, JNK, p38, PI3K, and AKT while inhibiting the expression of macrophage M1 polarization marker proteins (CD86, CD80, and iNOS). In conclusion, this study suggests that nintedanib is a potential candidate for OA treatment. The mechanisms of action of nintedanib include the inhibition of M1 polarization in OA synovial macrophages via the MAPK/PI3K‐AKT pathway, inhibition of synovial inflammation and fibrosis, and reduction of articular cartilage degeneration.