bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SIRT: Planung, Durchführung, Dosimetrie
Authors: Kästner David , Michler Enrico
Published: March 2023

Die Selektive Interne Radiotherapie (SIRT) ist ein nuklearmedizinisches Therapieverfahren zur Behandlung von Tumoren und Metastasen in der Leber. Dabei werden radioaktiv markierte Mikrosphären gezielt über einen Katheter in die Leberarterie injiziert, welche sich anschließend im Tumorgewebe anreichern. Dieser Übersichtsartikel soll einen Überblick zur allgemeinen Planung und Durchführung der Therapie sowie den derzeitig verfügbaren Mikrosphären geben. Des Weiteren werden die unterschiedlichen Methoden zur Ermittlung der Therapieaktivität unter Berücksichtigung der aktuellen Empfehlungen und Leitlinien der European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) genauer erläutert. Dabei wird der Stellenwert einer personalisierten Dosimetrie diskutiert.
Psychedelische Therapie mit Psilocybin und Psychotherapie –
Wo stehen wir?
Authors: Karow Anne
Published: March 2023

Psychedelische Substanzen haben sich über die letzten Jahre
überraschend zu neuen Hoffnungsträgern für eine Verbesserung
des Therapieerfolgs in der Behandlung verschiedener psychischer Erkrankungen
entwickelt. Auslöser für die Renaissance psychedelischer Therapien
waren nicht allein pharmakologische Innovationen der letzten Jahre, sondern auch
eine steigende Ratlosigkeit angesichts unbefriedigender Therapieergebnisse und
Nebenwirkungen in Langzeittherapien, insbesondere bei schweren und rezidivierenden
depressiven Erkrankungen. Studien der letzten Jahre zeigten erste, vielversprechende
Behandlungserfolge psychedelischer Therapien bei Depressionen, aber auch bei Angst-
und Zwangserkrankungen, Abhängigkeitserkrankungen, sowie in der Verbesserung
des psychischen Zustands bei terminalen somatischen Erkrankungen.
Low Escitalopram Concentrations in Patients with Depression predict
Treatment Failure: A Naturalistic Retrospective Study
Authors: Hart Xenia M. , Amann Friederike , Brand Jonas , Eichentopf Luzie , Gründer Gerhard
Published: March 2023

Introduction Cross sectional therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) data mining
introduces new opportunities for the investigation of medication treatment
effects to find optimal therapeutic windows. Medication discontinuation has been
proven useful as an objective surrogate marker to assess treatment failure. This
study aimed to investigate the treatment effects of escitalopram and
pharmacokinetic influences on blood levels using retrospectively assessed data
from a TDM database.

Methods Data was collected from 134 patients longitudinally treated with
escitalopram for whom TDM was requested to guide drug therapy. Escitalopram
metabolism was estimated by the log-transformed dose-corrected concentrations
and compared within subpopulations differing in age, gender, renal function,
smoking status, body mass index, and comedication.

Results Patients with a depressive episode who were treated with
escitalopram and discontinued the treatment within the hospital stay showed
lower serum concentrations compared to patients who continued escitalopram
treatment with a concentration of 15 ng/mL separating both
groups. Variability was high between individuals and factors influencing blood
levels, including dose, sex, and age. Comedication that inhibits cytochrome P450
(CYP) 2C19 isoenzymes were further found to influence escitalopram
pharmacokinetics independent of dose, age or sex.

Discussion Medication switch is a valuable objective surrogate marker to
assess treatment effects under real-world conditions. Of note, treatment
discontinuation is not always a cause of insufficient response but may also be
related to other factors such as medication side effects. TDM might not only be
useful in addressing these issues but titrating drug concentrations into the
currently recommended reference range for escitalopram will also increase
response in non-responders and avoid treatment failure in underdosed
patients.
Ergebnisqualität der spezialisierten stationären palliativmedizinischen Komplexbehandlung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen
Authors: Kubek Larissa Alice , Schmidt Pia , Wager Julia , Garske Dörte , Beissenhirtz Andrea , Zernikow Boris
Published: March 2023

Hintergrund Wichtige Behandlungsziele einer pädiatrischen Palliativstation sind eine Symptomlastreduktion bei Patient:innen sowie eine Verbesserung der Handlungskompetenz der Eltern.

Methodik Mittels des Qualitätssicherungsinstruments QUASI wurden Handlungskompetenz der Eltern sowie Symptomlast und Lebensqualität von Patient:innen bei deren stationärer Aufnahme (Prä) und Entlassung (Post) erfasst.

Ergebnisse Vom 20.10.2020 bis zum 31.12.2022 lagen für n=269 Patient:innen Prä- und Post-Daten vor. In der allgemeinen Symptomausprägung (p=0,004), dem Allgemeinzustand der Kinder (p=0,005), der Lebensqualität der Kinder (p<0,001) und der Familie (p<0,001) sowie in der Skala „Handlungskompetenz der Eltern“ (p<0,001) zeigten sich signifikante Verbesserungen. Patient:innen mit initial hoher Symptomlast zeigten eine signifikante Verbesserung aller erfassten Symptome. Selbst Patient:innen mit initial geringer Symptomlast zeigten in Bezug auf Schmerzen (p=0,002), Schlafstörungen (p<0,001) und „weiterer Symptome“ (p=0,023) eine Verbesserung. In Bezug auf die aktuelle Situation der Familie zeigten sich in allen Bereichen bis auf „Die Familie ist sich sicher, dass sie die richtigen Entscheidungen für ihr Kind trifft“ signifikante Verbesserungen.

Schlussfolgerungen Die Durchführung einer spezialisierten stationären palliativmedizinischen Komplexbehandlung in der Pädiatrie führt zu einer hohen Ergebnisqualität.
Synthesis of the C17–C30 Bis-THF Fragment of Iriomoteolide-13a via Intramolecular syn-Oxypalladation of 26-Ene-17,21,23,28-tetraol
Authors: Dai Wei-Min , Gao Kai , Ma Haichen , Yip Tsz Chun , Zhao Hui
Published: March 2023

The fully substituted C17–C30 bis-tetrahydrofuran fragment of the proposed structure of iriomoteolide-13a has been assembled via asymmetric dihydroxylation-SN2 cyclization of 19-mesyloxy-21-ene-26-yne and PdCl2-catalyzed syn-oxypalladation of 26-ene-17,21,23,28-tetraol as the key steps. The syn-oxypalladation process gave an 89:11 diastereoselectivity and tolerated the free poly-hydroxy groups in the highly functionalized substrate.
Metal- and Additive-Free Synthesis of α-Hydroxyamino Ketones Enabled by Organophotocatalyst
Authors: Akiyama Takahiko , Yamanomoto Ken , Matsudaira Tadachika
Published: March 2023

We report herein a straightforward method for the synthesis of α-hydroxyamino ketones, which involves the benzoylation reaction of nitrones with 2-benzoyl-2-phenylbenzothiazoline under organophotocatalysis. This method offers access to a variety α-hydroxyamino ketones without the use of any transition-metal catalyst or base. Control experiments suggested that the reaction proceeded through a benzoyl radical addition to nitrone. Benzothiazoline was found to be a more suitable radical precursor than Hantzsch ester.
Additive Manufacturing of Titanium Implants for Skull Reconstruction in 2 Dogs after Bone Tumour Excision
Authors: van den Brink Eline J.C. , Grinwis Guy C.M. , Willemsen Koen , Driessen Floor , Boroffka Susanne A.E.B. , Meij Björn P.
Published: March 2023

In two dogs, skull defects were closed with a patient-specific implant created by additive manufacturing after excision of tumours of the skull. Both dogs presented with a space-occupying mass in which excisional surgery without the use of implants would have resulted in incomplete closure due to extensive bone defects of the skull. The aim of the present case report is to describe the use of individualized three-dimensional-printed titanium implants for skull reconstruction following oncological surgery. The reconstructive implant-based surgeries performed in these patients were feasible without complications.
About integer-valued variants of the theta and 6j symbols
Authors: Coquereaux Robert
Published: March 2023

This article contains essentially a rewriting of several properties of two well-known quantities, the so-called theta symbol (or triangular symbol), which is rational, and the 6 j symbol, which is usually irrational, in terms of two related integer-valued functions called gon and tet. Existence of these related integer-valued avatars, sharing most essential properties with their more popular partners, although a known fact, is often overlooked. The properties of gon and tet are easier to obtain, or to formulate, than those of the corresponding theta and 6 j symbols in both classical and quantum situations. Their evaluation is also simpler (this paper displays a number of explicit formulas and evaluation procedures that may speed up some computer programs). These two integer-valued functions are unusual in that their properties do not appear to be often discussed in the literature, but their features reflect those of related real-valued functions discussed in many places. Some of the properties that we shall discuss seem, however, to be new, in particular several relations between the function gon and inverse Hilbert matrices.
Comment on “Spin- and angle-resolved inverse photoemission setup with spin orientation independent from electron incidence angle” [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 93, 093904 (2022)]
Authors: Donath Markus , Schöttke Fabian , Krüger Peter
Published: March 2023

The paper under discussion promises a spin- and angle-resolved inverse-photoemission (IPE) setup, where the spin-polarization direction of the electron beam used for excitation “can be tuned to any preferred direction” while “preserving the parallel beam condition.” We support the idea to improve IPE setups by introducing a three-dimensional spin-polarization rotator, but we put the presented results to the test by comparing them with the literature results obtained by existing setups. Based on this comparison, we conclude that the presented proof-of-principle experiments miss the target in several aspects. Most importantly, the key experiment of tuning the spin-polarization direction under otherwise allegedly identical experimental conditions causes changes in the IPE spectra that are in conflict with existing experimental results and basic quantum-mechanical considerations. We propose experimental test measurements to identify and overcome the shortcomings.
Natural transition of the supersonic streamwise corner flow
Authors: Yang Rui , Zhao Yuxin , Wang Lican
Published: March 2023

The laminar-to-turbulence transition of a streamwise corner flow is recognized to occur first at the corner based on the stability analysis, but there is no persuasive experimental evidence to back it up, especially for supersonic flow. In this work, natural transition in a supersonic corner boundary layer has been experimentally studied using a nanoparticle-based planar laser scattering technique. It is inspiring to observe that the natural transition position of the corner boundary layer shows a random behavior among the corner side, flat-plate side, and their combination. Based on an intermittent factor analysis, these stochastic transitions show a dominant preference for transitions occurring near the corner region.
SEEMS: A Single Event Effects and Muon Spectroscopy facility at the Spallation Neutron Source
Authors: Williams Travis J. , MacDougall Gregory J. , Riemer Bernie W. , Gallmeier Franz X. , dela Cruz Clarina R. , Louca Despina
Published: March 2023

This study outlines a concept that would leverage the existing proton accelerator at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory to enable transformative science via one world-class facility serving two missions: Single Event Effects (SEE) and Muon Spectroscopy (μSR). The μSR portion would deliver the world’s highest flux and highest resolution pulsed muon beams for material characterization purposes, with precision and capabilities well beyond comparable facilities. The SEE capabilities deliver neutron, proton, and muon beams for aerospace industries that are facing an impending challenge to certify equipment for safe and reliable behavior under bombardment from atmospheric radiation originating from cosmic and solar rays. With negligible impact on the primary neutron scattering mission of the SNS, the proposed facility will have enormous benefits for both science and industry. We have designated this facility “SEEMS.”
All-fiber-device-coupled compact, transportable ultra-stable laser
Authors: Zhao W. , Yang H. , Wu H. , Fu Y. , Ge J. , Zhang S.
Published: March 2023

In response to the demand for operation in non-laboratory environments, there has been a trend toward the development of compact, transportable ultra-stable lasers. This paper reports on this sort of laser system assembled in a cabinet. The whole optical part utilizes fiber-coupled devices to simplify the integration. In addition, spatial beam collimation and alignment into the high-finesse cavity are realized by a five-axis positioner and a focus-adjustable fiber collimator, which significantly relax the alignment and adjustment. A theoretical analysis is performed on how the collimator adjusts the beam profile and coupling efficiency. The support structure of the system is specially designed as well so that it features robustness and transportation without performance degradation. The observed linewidth is 1.4 Hz within a duration of 1 s. After subtracting the linear drift of 70 mHz/s, the fractional frequency instability is better than 4 × 10−15, for the averaging time ranging from 1 to 100 s, which is close to the thermal noise limit of the high-finesse cavity.
Response to “Comment on ‘Spin- and angle-resolved inverse photoemission setup with spin orientation independent from electron incidence angle’” [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 93, 093904 (2022)]
Authors: Campos A. F. , Wang K. , Duden T. , Tejeda A.
Published: March 2023

We reply to the Comment by Donath et al. on our setup, which allows a total 3D control of the polarization direction of the electron beam in an inverse photoemission spectroscopy (IPES) experiment, a significant advance with respect to previous setups with partial polarization control. Donath et al. claim an incorrect operation of our setup after comparing their results, treated to enhance the spin asymmetry, with our spectra without the same treatment. They also equal spectra backgrounds instead of equaling peak intensities above the background. Thus, we compare our Cu(001) and Au(111) results with the literature. We reproduce previous results, including spin-up/spin-down spectral differences observed for Au and not observed for Cu. Also, spin-up/spin-down spectral differences appear at the expected reciprocal space regions. In the Comment, it is also stated that our tuning of the spin polarization misses the target because the spectra background changes when tuning the spin. We argue that the background change is irrelevant to IPES since the information is contained in peaks produced by primary electrons, those having conserved their energy in the inverse photoemission process. Second, our experiments agree with previous results from Donath et al. [Wissing et al., New J. Phys. 15, 105001 (2013)] and with a zero-order quantum-mechanical model of spins in vacuum. Deviations are explained by more realistic descriptions including the spin transmission through an interface. Consequently, the operation of our original setup is fully demonstrated. Our development corresponds to “the promising and rewarding angle-resolved IPES setup with the three-dimensional spin resolution,” as indicated in the Comment, after our work.
Position dependent microparticle charge in a spatiotemporal afterglow plasma
Authors: van Huijstee J. C. A. , Blom P. , Beckers J.
Published: March 2023

In the growing field of dusty afterglow plasma physics, the key parameter is the residual charge of dust particles. However, the particle (de)-charging process in afterglow plasmas is still far from fully understood and further development of a governing theoretical framework requires experimental data. In this work, the influence of the location of a microparticle in a spatiotemporal afterglow plasma, at the moment when the plasma was terminated, on its residual charge is investigated. It is found that the measured charge depends strongly on the local characteristic diffusion length scale of the system, while the plasma power prior to the start of the temporal afterglow phase is of much less influence. Our results contribute to an improved understanding of particle (de)-charging in afterglow plasmas and are highly relevant to the design of applications in which afterglow plasmas are present and where the charge of dust particles needs be controlled for the sake of (nano)contamination control.
All-optical edge-enhanced proton imaging driven by an intense vortex laser
Authors: Wang W. P. , Dong H. , Shi Z. Y. , Jiang C. , Xu Y. , Zhang Z. X. , Wu F. X. , Hu J. B. , Qian J. Y. , Zhu J. C. , Liang X. Y. , Leng Y. X. , Li R. X. , Xu Z. Z.
Published: March 2023

An all-optical approach to edge-enhanced proton radiography is realized by using a relativistic vortex laser irradiating on nanometer-thick foil. In the proof-of-principle experiments, the hollow proton beam was successfully produced by the transparent target normal electric field sheath in the break-out after-burner acceleration mechanism, using a superintense Laguerre–Gauss laser with the highest intensity of the laser exceeded 1020 W/cm2. An insect was imaged with the proton beam; the leg structures on the edge were clearly captured. By contrast, the dot proton source produced by a Gaussian laser was almost completely blocked by the insect's body, losing most edge information. Hollow-structured proton beams driven by vortex lasers conquer the dot imaging limit for high-energy proton beams, which may benefit imaging of capsule implosions in inertial confined fusion, instability research on expanding plasma, and precise positioning in medical therapy.
Favorable dynamics of switching and non-switching polarizations in ⟨001⟩pc oriented Sm:PMN-PT crystal
Authors: Gupta Shashaank , Padmanabhan Myoor K. , Mahajan Roop L.
Published: March 2023

In this investigation, the dynamic behavior of the switching and the non-switching polarization loops has been studied for ⟨001⟩pc oriented PMN-PT and Sm:PMN-PT crystals. A five-pulse triangular wave sequence was employed to measure the switching and non-switching polarization loops separately as a function of amplitude and frequency of the poling field. Dynamic scaling of the switching loops was performed according to the power law ∝ Eαfβ. The lower negative value of β for Sm:PMN-PT suggests a shorter response time of crystallographic domains for it as compared to that for PMN-PT. The value of exponent α for PMN-PT was found to be higher in the low-field regime where 180° switching dominates the domain reorientation process. For Sm:PMN-PT, on the other hand, the value of α was found to be higher at high fields, which implies a superior ferroelastic domain reorientation. A similar power law scaling was also performed on the non-switching loops, which suggests a faster dynamic response of intrinsic polarization in Sm:PMN-PT as compared to that for PMN-PT. However, the intrinsic polarization in Sm:PMN-PT was found to be less responsive to the increasing field as compared to that for PMN-PT. We believe that the findings of this investigation would add another dimension to the understanding of the mechanism responsible for the high piezoelectric activity in samarium doped PMN-0.28PT crystal and polycrystalline ceramics.
Supercritical flow overpassing forward- or backward-facing steps non-orthogonal to the flow direction
Authors: Viero Daniele Pietro , Lazzarin Tommaso , Peruzzo Paolo , Defina Andrea
Published: March 2023

The work proposes and discusses a theoretical approach to predict the behavior of an open-channel supercritical flow that overpasses a step, either forward or backward facing, non-orthogonal to the flow direction. In this case, a sequence of oblique shock waves and expansion fans is generated close to and downstream of the step. The proposed model is verified by comparing the theoretical predictions with the results provided by a two-dimensional, depth averaged numerical model. Applications include the combined use of oblique steps and abrupt wall deflections to suppress wave fronts that characterize supercritical flow in channel bends. Special attention is devoted to the supercritical to subcritical transition (and vice versa) in overpassing a forward-facing step; this is found to be a rather intriguing problem characterized by complex solutions and by hysteresis. Besides the classic smooth (everywhere supercritical) and choked (with a hydraulic jump and a subcritical flow upstream of the step) solutions, an additional intermediated flow configuration can occur for particular characteristics of the supercritical current and step height. The domain of existence of the different solutions, as well as the hysteresis domain, are obtained based on the theoretical and the numerical models.
The nucleation of C–S–H via prenucleation clusters
Authors: Sowoidnich T. , Damidot D. , Ludwig H.-M. , Germroth J. , Rosenberg R. , Cölfen H.
Published: March 2023

The nucleation and growth of calcium–silicate–hydrate (C–S–H) is of fundamental importance for the strength development and durability of the concrete. However, the nucleation process of C–S–H is still not fully understood. The present work investigates how C–S–H nucleates by analyzing the aqueous phase of hydrating tricalcium silicate (C3S) by applying inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy as well as analytical ultracentrifugation. The results show that the C–S–H formation follows non-classical nucleation pathways associated with the formation of prenucleation clusters (PNCs) of two types. Those PNCs are detected with high accuracy and reproducibility and are two species of the 10 in total, from which the ions (with associated water molecules) are the majority of the species. The evaluation of the density and molar mass of the species shows that the PNCs are much larger than ions, but the nucleation of C–S–H starts with the formation of liquid precursor C–S–H (droplets) with low density and high water content. The growth of these C–S–H droplets is associated with a release of water molecules and a reduction in size. The study gives experimental data on the size, density, molecular mass, and shape and outlines possible aggregation processes of the detected species.
Ice phonon spectra and Bayes inference: A gateway to a new understanding of terahertz sound propagation in water
Authors: De Francesco A. , Formisano F. , Scaccia L. , Guarini E. , Bafile U. , Alatas A. , Lynch S. T. , Cunsolo A.
Published: March 2023

Understanding how molecules engage in collective motions in a liquid where a network of bonds exists has both fundamental and applied relevance. On the one hand, it can elucidate the “ordering” role of long-range correlations and inspire new avenues to control such order to implement sound manipulation. Water represents an ideal investigation case to unfold these general aspects, and, across the decades, it has been the focus of thorough scrutiny. Despite this investigative effort, the spectrum of terahertz density fluctuations of water largely remains a puzzle for condensed matter physicists. To unravel it, we compare previous scattering measurements of water spectra with new ones on ice. Owing to the unique asset of Bayesian inference, we draw a more detailed portrayal of the phonon response of ice. The comparison with the one of liquid water challenges the current understanding of density fluctuations in water, or more in general, of any networked liquid.
Generation of tunable, non-integer OAM states from an optical parametric oscillator
Authors: Zhou Yuxia , Yusufu Taximaiti , Ma Yuanyuan , Omatsu Takashige
Published: March 2023

We report on the generation of an off-axis vortex with tunable non-integer orbital angular momentum (OAM), generated using an idler-resonant mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on KTiOAsO4. The design of the OPO enables the OAM of the signal and idler outputs to be varied from 0 to 1 through precise adjustment of cavity length. The maximum vortex output energies at 1.5 and 3.5 μm were 1.95 and 1.1 mJ, respectively, and were obtained at a maximum pump energy of 20 mJ. The means by which the OAM was shared between the signal and idler fields was theoretically examined by modeling the spatial coupling among the pump, signal, and idler fields within the cavity. This work offers a unique means by which exotic vortex laser beams with tunable non-integer OAM can be generated and tuned simply through cavity length adjustments.
Cryogenic etching of silicon compounds using a CHF3 based plasma
Authors: Dussart R. , Ettouri R. , Nos J. , Antoun G. , Tillocher T. , Lefaucheux P.
Published: March 2023

Cryogenic etching of a-Si, SiO2, and Si3N4 materials by CHF3/Ar inductively coupled plasma is investigated in a range of temperature from −140 to +20 °C. Samples of the three different materials are placed together on the same silicon carrier wafer. Depending on the experimental conditions, etching or deposition regimes were obtained on the samples. The thickness variation was measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry. A process window between −120 and −80 °C was found in which the Si3N4 surface is etched while CFx deposition is obtained on a-Si and SiO2 surfaces, resulting in the infinite etching selectivity of Si3N4 to the other materials. At high enough self-bias (−120 V) and very low temperature (<−130 °C), Si3N4 etch is reduced down to a very low value, while a-Si and SiO2 are still being etched, which inverses the selectivity between Si3N4 and the two other materials. EDX analyses of a Si3N4/a-Si/SiO2 layer stack after the same etching process carried out at 20 and −100 °C confirm the presence of carbon and fluorine on a-Si at low temperature, showing the effect of the low temperature to switch from the etching to deposition regime on this material.
Investigation of the load and flow characteristics of variable mass forced sloshing
Authors: Jiang Zhen , Shi Zhang , Jiang Hua , Huang Zhenhua , Huang Limin
Published: March 2023

A complicated coupling system performs fuel filling operation of a ship on the sea that involves tank sloshing and filling impact. This research elaborated on the sloshing load and flow characteristics of the variable mass tank and revealed its physical process through numerical simulations to provide safety assurance for fuel filling. First, this work clarified the difference between the numerical theory of variable mass tank sloshing and that of ordinary sloshing. On this foundation, a numerical model was developed for a three-dimensional variable mass tank sloshing. In addition, the model was validated by comparing the results of the previous experiments. Second, the sloshing pressure and internal free surface of the tank were monitored by numerical simulations. At the same time, a series of sensitivity analyses were carried out against the sloshing period, filling rate, and sloshing amplitude. Finally, the baffle was added to the sloshing tank to study the influence of internal barrier structure on the sloshing flow and pressure characteristics. The following conclusions were obtained from this work: Fuel filling caused an increase in liquid mass, suppressing sloshing and increasing the tank load. Overall, the sloshing load increased with the filling rate. Moreover, the impact of internal barrier structure on sloshing is discussed in this study, and it was discovered that the sloshing effect could be efficiently suppressed by the barrier structure.
Dynamic measurement of gas flow using acoustic resonance tracking
Authors: Pope Jodie G. , Schmidt James W. , Gillis Keith A.
Published: March 2023

The National Institute of Standards and Technology measured gas flows exiting large, unthermostated, gas-filled, pressure vessels by tracking the time-dependent pressure P(t) and resonance frequency fN(t) of an acoustic mode N of the gas remaining in each vessel. This is a proof-of-principle demonstration of a gas flow standard that uses P(t), fN(t), and known values of the gas's speed of sound w(p,T) to determine a mode-weighted average temperature ⟨T⟩φ of the gas remaining in a pressure vessel while the vessel acts as a calibrated source of gas flow. To track fN(t) while flow work rapidly changed the gas’s temperature, we sustained the gas's oscillations using positive feedback. Feedback oscillations tracked ⟨T⟩φ with a response time of order 1/fN. In contrast, driving the gas’s oscillations with an external frequency generator yielded much slower response times of order Q/fN. (For our pressure vessels, Q ∼ 103–104, where Q is the ratio of the energy stored to the energy lost in one cycle of oscillation.) We tracked fN(t) of radial modes in a spherical vessel (1.85 m3) and of longitudinal modes of a cylindrical vessel (0.3 m3) during gas flows ranging from 0.24 to 12.4 g/s to determine the mass flows with an uncertainty of 0.51 % (95 % confidence level). We discuss the challenges in tracking fN(t) and ways to reduce the uncertainties.
Camera trapping ekes out some improvement for surveying sparse mammal populations in northern Queensland
Authors: Kutt A. S. , Waller N. L. , Colman N. J. , Perry J. J. , Starr C. R.
Published: March 2023

Monitoring is a critical component of conservation land management and the choice of methods can influence the final inventory of species recorded. The use of camera trapping has increased in recent years as a cost-effective method to record more species and to identify more cryptic and rare species. In this study we first examined data from detailed field surveys (which did not employ camera trapping) in northern Queensland to examine the abundance and frequency of mammals detected by cage, box and pitfall traps, and spotlighting. We then used data from an additional set of sites that compared these methods with camera trapping. Twenty-five species were recorded in the first data set and 26 species were recorded in the second. Overall, mammals were recorded in exceedingly low numbers, and camera trapping only improved the detection of some species such as larger species that could not be trapped (i.e. dingo Canis familiaris and pig Sus scrofa) or were uncommon (i.e. northern quoll Dasyurus hallucatus and northern brown bandicoot Isoodon macrourus). Our results suggest that survey effort should be substantial and use the most suitable methods to identify management, threat and habitat relationships for potentially precarious wildlife communities.
The balance between gasdermin D and STING signaling shapes the severity of schistosome immunopathology
Authors: Kalantari Parisa , Shecter Ilana , Hopkins Jacob , Pilotta Gois Andrea , Morales Yoelkys , Harandi Bijan F. , Sharma Shruti , Stadecker Miguel J.
Published: March 2023

There is significant disease heterogeneity among mouse strains infected with the helminth
Schistosoma mansoni
. Here, we uncover a unique balance in two critical innate pathways governing the severity of disease. In the low-pathology setting, parasite egg-stimulated dendritic cells (DCs) induce robust interferon (IFN)β production, which is dependent on the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes (STING) cytosolic DNA sensing pathway and results in a Th2 response with suppression of proinflammatory cytokine production and Th17 cell activation. IFNβ induces signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)1, which suppresses CD209a, a C-type lectin receptor associated with severe disease. In contrast, in the high-pathology setting, enhanced DC expression of the pore-forming protein gasdermin D (Gsdmd) results in reduced expression of cGAS/STING, impaired IFNβ, and enhanced pyroptosis. Our findings demonstrate that cGAS/STING signaling represents a unique mechanism inducing protective type I IFN, which is counteracted by Gsdmd.
The debate over understanding in AI’s large language models
Authors: Mitchell Melanie , Krakauer David C.
Published: March 2023

We survey a current, heated debate in the artificial intelligence (AI) research community on whether large pretrained language models can be said to understand language—and the physical and social situations language encodes—in any humanlike sense. We describe arguments that have been made for and against such understanding and key questions for the broader sciences of intelligence that have arisen in light of these arguments. We contend that an extended science of intelligence can be developed that will provide insight into distinct modes of understanding, their strengths and limitations, and the challenge of integrating diverse forms of cognition.
O
-GlcNAcylation promotes tumor immune evasion by inhibiting PD-L1 lysosomal degradation
Authors: Zhu Qiang , Wang Hongxing , Chai Siyuan , Xu Liang , Lin Bingyi , Yi Wen , Wu Liming
Published: March 2023

Programmed-death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and its receptor programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) mediate T cell–dependent immunity against tumors. The abundance of cell surface PD-L1 is a key determinant of the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade therapy targeting PD-L1. However, the regulation of cell surface PD-L1 is still poorly understood. Here, we show that lysosomal degradation of PD-L1 is regulated by
O
-linked
N
-acetylglucosamine (
O
-GlcNAc) during the intracellular trafficking pathway.
O
-GlcNAc modifies the hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate (HGS), a key component of the endosomal sorting machinery, and subsequently inhibits its interaction with intracellular PD-L1, leading to impaired lysosomal degradation of PD-L1.
O
-GlcNAc inhibition activates T cell–mediated antitumor immunity in vitro and in immune-competent mice in a manner dependent on HGS glycosylation. Combination of
O
-GlcNAc inhibition with PD-L1 antibody synergistically promotes antitumor immune response. We also designed a competitive peptide inhibitor of HGS glycosylation that decreases PD-L1 expression and enhances T cell–mediated immunity against tumor cells. Collectively, our study reveals a link between
O
-GlcNAc and tumor immune evasion, and suggests strategies for improving PD-L1-mediated immune checkpoint blockade therapy.
Boosting CO
2
photoreduction by π–π-induced preassembly between a Cu(I) sensitizer and a pyrene-appended Co(II) catalyst
Authors: Wang Jia-Wei , Li Zizi , Luo Zhi-Mei , Huang Yanjun , Ma Fan , Kupfer Stephan , Ouyang Gangfeng
Published: March 2023

The design of a highly efficient system for CO
2
photoreduction fully based on earth-abundant elements presents a challenge, which may be overcome by installing suitable interactions between photosensitizer and catalyst to expedite the intermolecular electron transfer. Herein, we have designed a pyrene-decorated Cu(I) complex with a rare dual emission behavior, aiming at additional π-interaction with a pyrene-appended Co(II) catalyst for visible light–driven CO
2
-to-CO conversion. The results of
1
H NMR titration, time-resolved fluorescence/absorption spectroscopies, quantum chemical simulations, and photocatalytic experiments clearly demonstrate that the dynamic π–π interaction between sensitizer and catalyst is highly advantageous in photocatalysis by accelerating the intermolecular electron transfer rate up to 6.9 × 10
5
s
−1
, thus achieving a notable apparent quantum yield of 19% at 425 nm with near-unity selectivity. While comparable to most earth-abundant molecular systems, this value is over three times of the pyrene-free system (6.0%) and far surpassing the benchmarking Ru(II) tris(bipyridine) (0.3%) and Ir(III) tris(2-phenylpyridine) (1.4%) photosensitizers under parallel conditions.
Working memory and task difficulty as factors of L2 pragmatics
Authors: Li Shuai
Published: March 2023

This study explored the effects of working memory capacity and task difficulty on pragmatic performance in Chinese as a second language (L2). Fifty American learners of Chinese completed a pragmatic listening judgment test (LJT), an oral discourse completion test (ODCT), and a working memory test. The LJT and the ODCT involved two scenario types with different levels of task difficulty: a PDR-high (i.e. higher power, large distance and high imposition) condition, and a PDR-low (i.e. equal power, small distance and low imposition) condition. Results showed that task difficulty influenced pragmatic production but not pragmatic judgment. Working memory capacity correlated with ODCT appropriateness scores and LJT response times, but these correlation patterns were only found under the PDR-high condition rather than the PDR-low condition.
A cooperative knock-on mechanism underpins Ca2+-selective cation permeation in TRPV channels
Authors: Ives Callum M. , Thomson Neil J. , Zachariae Ulrich
Published: March 2023

The selective exchange of ions across cellular membranes is a vital biological process. Ca2+-mediated signaling is implicated in a broad array of physiological processes in cells, while elevated intracellular concentrations of Ca2+ are cytotoxic. Due to the significance of this cation, strict Ca2+ concentration gradients are maintained across the plasma and organelle membranes. Therefore, Ca2+ signaling relies on permeation through selective ion channels that control the flux of Ca2+ ions. A key family of Ca2+-permeable membrane channels is the polymodal signal-detecting transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels. TRP channels are activated by a wide variety of cues including temperature, small molecules, transmembrane voltage, and mechanical stimuli. While most members of this family permeate a broad range of cations non-selectively, TRPV5 and TRPV6 are unique due to their strong Ca2+ selectivity. Here, we address the question of how some members of the TRPV subfamily show a high degree of Ca2+ selectivity while others conduct a wider spectrum of cations. We present results from all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of ion permeation through two Ca2+-selective and two non-selective TRPV channels. Using a new method to quantify permeation cooperativity based on mutual information, we show that Ca2+-selective TRPV channel permeation occurs by a three-binding site knock-on mechanism, whereas a two-binding site knock-on mechanism is observed in non-selective TRPV channels. Each of the ion binding sites involved displayed greater affinity for Ca2+ over Na+. As such, our results suggest that coupling to an extra binding site in the Ca2+-selective TRPV channels underpins their increased selectivity for Ca2+ over Na+ ions. Furthermore, analysis of all available TRPV channel structures shows that the selectivity filter entrance region is wider for the non-selective TRPV channels, slightly destabilizing ion binding at this site, which is likely to underlie mechanistic decoupling.
Differential regulation of cardiac sodium channels by intracellular fibroblast growth factors
Authors: Angsutararux Paweorn , Dutta Amal K. , Marras Martina , Abella Carlota , Mellor Rebecca L. , Shi Jingyi , Nerbonne Jeanne M. , Silva Jonathan R.
Published: March 2023

Voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels are responsible for the initiation and propagation of action potentials. In the heart, the predominant NaV1.5 α subunit is composed of four homologous repeats (I–IV) and forms a macromolecular complex with multiple accessory proteins, including intracellular fibroblast growth factors (iFGF). In spite of high homology, each of the iFGFs, iFGF11–iFGF14, as well as the individual iFGF splice variants, differentially regulates NaV channel gating, and the mechanisms underlying these differential effects remain elusive. Much of the work exploring iFGF regulation of NaV1.5 has been performed in mouse and rat ventricular myocytes in which iFGF13VY is the predominant iFGF expressed, whereas investigation into NaV1.5 regulation by the human heart-dominant iFGF12B is lacking. In this study, we used a mouse model with cardiac-specific Fgf13 deletion to study the consequences of iFGF13VY and iFGF12B expression. We observed distinct effects on the voltage-dependences of activation and inactivation of the sodium currents (INa), as well as on the kinetics of peak INa decay. Results in native myocytes were recapitulated with human NaV1.5 heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and additional experiments using voltage-clamp fluorometry (VCF) revealed iFGF-specific effects on the activation of the NaV1.5 voltage sensor domain in repeat IV (VSD-IV). iFGF chimeras further unveiled roles for all three iFGF domains (i.e., the N-terminus, core, and C-terminus) on the regulation of VSD-IV, and a slower time domain of inactivation. We present here a novel mechanism of iFGF regulation that is specific to individual iFGF isoforms and that leads to distinct functional effects on NaV channel/current kinetics.
A new superhard material C5N2 assembled from diamane: a first-principles study
Authors: Shao Jinfan , Qian Yan , Kan Erjun , Wu Haiping
Published: March 2023

Due to the shortage of diamond and cubic boron nitride (BN) and the lack of other potential rivals, searching for suitable superhard materials is still attracting tremendous research interests, especially those with special properties except for semiconducting and insulating characteristics. Beyond previous synthetic methods, here we give a new approach of designing superhard materials (i.e. stacking diamane layers through chemical adsorption of molecules at the interface) via first-principles calculations. As a result, a superhard carbon-rich C5N2 compound with monoclinic C
2 symmetry is designed by inserting CN4 molecule between diamane layers, and it exhibits dynamical and mechanical stability at ambient environment. The hardness is estimated as 74.9 GPa, showing superhard nature. Different from indirect band gap insulators of diamond and cubic BN, C5N2 behaves as a direct band gap semiconductor with an energy gap of ∼2.10 eV. Besides, the properties of C5N2 can be effectively regulated by controlling the adsorbed molecules, for instance, it would turn into ferromagnetic phase with introduction of sp
3 hybridized three-folded C atoms and sp
2 hybridized two-fold coordinated N atoms. The estimated Curie temperatures of some ferromagnetic superhard phases are preferably above room temperature. Additionally, these ferromagnetic phases show diverse electronic properties, such as spin gapless semiconductor, bipolar magnetic semiconductor, metal, etc. This work opens a potential way to design superhard materials and tailor their physical properties, and can arouse their applications in spintronic field.
Plutonium-241 as a possible isotope for neutrino mass measurement and capture
Authors: de Groot Nicolo
Published: March 2023

Tritium has been the isotope of choice for measurements of the absolute neutrino mass and planned detection of the relic neutrino background. The low mass of 3H leads to large recoil energy of the nucleus. This has emerged as a limiting factor in both measurements. We investigate 241Pu as an alternative. The recoil is 80 times smaller and it has similar decay energy and a lifetime to 3H. We evaluate for the first time its soft-neutrino capture cross-section and find (σ
v)
ν
= 1.52 × 10−45 cm2. This is 40% of the capture cross-section for tritium, making 241Pu an interesting alternative for 3H.
Research on wingtip distance measurement of high-speed coaxial helicopter based on 77 GHz FMCW millimeter-wave radar
Authors: Zhang Zhiyuan , Qiu Zurong , Hu Wenchuan , Lu Yaohuan , Zheng Wenjie
Published: March 2023

Aiming at the requirements of short-range, high-precision, and high-speed measurement of coaxial helicopter wingtip distance measurement, a millimeter-wave radar wingtip distance measurement scheme is proposed, and the ranging accuracy of frequency-modulated continuous wave millimeter-wave radar is improved by optimizing the frequency estimation method and the beat-frequency signal processing process. The multi-antenna data coherent superposition method and the correlation search for the estimated frequency are used to shorten the measurement period, and at the same time, the ranging accuracy of the millimeter-wave radar can be improved, and the single measurement time can be guaranteed. Based on frequency refinement, frequency offset method, phase method, amplitude method and fitted approximation method, the frequency estimation of millimeter wave radar differential frequency signal is combined with the influence of bandwidth, measured target shape and material on ranging to improve millimeter wave radar ranging performance comprehensively. Through simulations and experiments, the accuracy, stability, time consuming and application conditions of the optimized algorithm are comprehensively evaluated, and the feasibility of millimeter wave radar wingtip ranging is verified.
Improved and accurate fault diagnostic model for gas turbine based on 2D-wavelet transform and generative adversarial network
Authors: Yao Kun , Wang Ying , Fan Shuangshuang , Fu Junfeng , Wan Jie , Cao Yong
Published: March 2023

Severe working environments cause gas turbines to break down, which can directly affect their performance. Research on the diagnostic methods for gas turbine faults, such as, gas path faults and sensor failures, has always raised concerns. However, traditional fault diagnosis algorithms mostly use instantaneous data rather than time-series data, because they cannot efficiently use time-series analysis to extract fault features and improve algorithm accuracy. Problems with sparse fault samples and categories are also encountered with these algorithms. In this study, a gas turbine fault diagnostic method based on a 2D-wavelet transform and generative adversarial network (GAN) was proposed. The data preprocessing method, 2D-wavelet transform, of multiple time series images was used to obtain fault features. Based on the Fréchet inception distance, a performance evaluation index, an optimal generator built from a deep convolutional GAN model was selected to solve sparse or imbalanced datasets. The classification accuracy of the four algorithms, namely, random forest, support vector machine, convolutional neural network, and deep neural network, verified the performance of the data preprocessing and dataset building methods mentioned earlier. Compared with the original data, the 2D wavelet transform effectively improved the model accuracy. The generated samples also improved the misclassification issue caused by the imbalanced dataset; however, the ratio of real and generated samples in datasets still requires more attention.
An adaptive threshold method with error correction for pedestrian inertial navigation system
Authors: Yang Bo , Ma Yongtao , Liang Xiuyan , Tian Chenglong , Su Dianfei
Published: March 2023

As an effective method for reducing accumulated errors in pedestrian navigation systems based on foot-mounted inertial measurement unit, the zero velocity update is widely used in global navigation satellite system signal rejection environments that require accurate zero velocity detection. However, the detection accuracy of the classical fixed threshold method is not satisfactory under complex gaits. In this paper, an adaptive threshold method with error correction is proposed to increase the detection accuracy without adding sensors. In this method, an adaptive threshold model based on gait intensity, which can dynamically adjust the zero velocity detection threshold under complex gaits, is established. Afterward, error correction is suggested to identify and correct misjudgments in zero velocity detection by analyzing the zero velocity interval in one gait cycle. We build an actual pedestrian inertial navigation system to evaluate the proposed method. The experimental results demonstrate that the average zero velocity detection accuracy of the proposed method under complex gaits of different people is 98.67%, and the end-to-end positioning error is about 0.53% of the total distance during long-distance movement.