bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensational Australian Animals
Authors: Owen Reeder Stephanie , Hart Cher
Published: January 2024

Explore the fascinating world of native Australian animals through the five basic senses – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.

Covering more than 145 truly astounding animals – from sharp-eyed whale sharks to sticky-bellied green tree frogs – Sensational Australian Animals showcases the strange things these creatures can do with their eyes, ears, noses, mouths and skin! Meet birds that laugh, frogs that quack and fish that sing. Discover mammals that glow in the dark and seahorses disguised as seaweed. Be surprised by turtles that breathe through their bums and squirm at lizards that clean their eyes with their tongues. And then there’s the dangerous creatures that bite and sting!

Be intrigued, amazed and astonished by what insects, birds, spiders, fish and many other animals are capable of!

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 8 to 12.
One hundred years of comparative genetic and physical mapping in cultivated oat (Avena sativa)
Authors: Wight Charlene P. , Blake Victoria C. , Jellen Eric N. , Yao Eric , Sen Taner Z. , Tinker Nicholas A.
Published: January 2024

Context Researchers have been accumulating information concerning the locations of genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in cultivated oat (Avena sativa L.) for more than 100 years. Aims The aim of this work was to create an inventory of genes and QTLs found in cultivated hexaploid oat and produce tools to make this resource more useful. Methods By using the positions of perfectly matched, single nucleotide polymorphism markers, each centimorgan (cM) location along the consensus map was assigned to a location on the OT3098 v2 physical map found on the GrainGenes database website (https://wheat.pw.usda.gov/jb/?data=/ggds/oat-ot3098v2-pepsico). This information was then used to assign physical locations to the genes and QTLs in the inventory, where possible. Key results A table comparing the major genetic maps of hexaploid oats to each other, to the 2018 oat consensus map, and to physical chromosomes was produced. Genome browser tracks aligning the consensus map regions and the locations of the genes and QTLs to OT3098 v2 were added to GrainGenes. Conclusions Many oat genes and QTLs identified using genetic mapping could be assigned positions on physical oat chromosomes. However, many of these assigned regions are quite long, owing to the presence of large areas of reduced recombination. Specific examples of identified patterns of recombination between the genetic and physical maps and validated gene and QTL locations are discussed. Implications These resources will assist researchers performing comparative genetic and physical mapping in oat.
Viruses traverse the human proteome through peptide interfaces that can be biomimetically leveraged for drug discovery
Authors: Meyniel-Schicklin Laurène , Amaudrut Jérôme , Mallinjoud Pierre , Guillier Fabrice , Mangeot Philippe E. , Lines Laetitia , Aublin-Gex Anne , Scholtes Caroline , Punginelli Claire , Joly Stéphane , Vasseur Florence , Manet Evelyne , Gruffat Henri , Henry Thomas , Halitim Farès , Paparin Jean-Laurent , Machin Peter , Darteil Raphaël , Sampson Diane , Mikaelian Ivan , Lane Lydie , Navratil Vincent , Golinelli-Cohen Marie-Pierre , Terzi Fabiola , André Patrice , Lotteau Vincent , Vonderscher Jacky , Meldrum Eric C. , de Chassey Benoit
Published: January 2024

We present a drug design strategy based on structural knowledge of protein–protein interfaces selected through virus–host coevolution and translated into highly potential small molecules. This approach is grounded on Vinland, the most comprehensive atlas of virus–human protein–protein interactions with annotation of interacting domains. From this inspiration, we identified small viral protein domains responsible for interaction with human proteins. These peptides form a library of new chemical entities used to screen for replication modulators of several pathogens. As a proof of concept, a peptide from a KSHV protein, identified as an inhibitor of influenza virus replication, was translated into a small molecule series with low nanomolar antiviral activity. By targeting the NEET proteins, these molecules turn out to be of therapeutic interest in a nonalcoholic steatohepatitis mouse model with kidney lesions. This study provides a biomimetic framework to design original chemistries targeting cellular proteins, with indications going far beyond infectious diseases.
Graphene sandwich–based biological specimen preparation for cryo-EM analysis
Authors: Xu Jie , Gao Xiaoyin , Zheng Liming , Jia Xia , Xu Kui , Ma Yuwei , Wei Xiaoding , Liu Nan , Peng Hailin , Wang Hong-Wei
Published: January 2024

High-quality specimen preparation plays a crucial role in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structural analysis. In this study, we have developed a reliable and convenient technique called the graphene sandwich method for preparing cryo-EM specimens. This method involves using two layers of graphene films that enclose macromolecules on both sides, allowing for an appropriate ice thickness for cryo-EM analysis. The graphene sandwich helps to mitigate beam-induced charging effect and reduce particle motion compared to specimens prepared using the traditional method with graphene support on only one side, therefore improving the cryo-EM data quality. These advancements may open new opportunities to expand the use of graphene in the field of biological electron microscopy.
Specialized proresolving mediator resolvin E1 corrects the altered cystic fibrosis nasal epithelium cilia beating dynamics
Authors: Briottet Maëlle , Sy Khadeeja , London Charlie , Aissat Abdel , Shum Mickael , Escabasse Virginie , Louis Bruno , Urbach Valérie
Published: January 2024

In cystic fibrosis (CF), impaired mucociliary clearance leads to chronic infection and inflammation. However, cilia beating features in a CF altered environment, consisting of dehydrated airway surface liquid layer and abnormal mucus, have not been fully characterized. Furthermore, acute inflammation is normally followed by an active resolution phase requiring specialized proresolving lipid mediators (SPMs) and allowing return to homeostasis. However, altered SPMs biosynthesis has been reported in CF. Here, we explored cilia beating dynamics in CF airways primary cultures and its response to the SPMs, resolvin E1 (RvE1) and lipoxin B4 (LXB4). Human nasal epithelial cells (hNECs) from CF and non-CF donors were grown at air–liquid interface. The ciliary beat frequency, synchronization, orientation, and density were analyzed from high-speed video microscopy using a multiscale Differential Dynamic Microscopy algorithm and an in-house developed method. Mucins and ASL layer height were studied by qRT-PCR and confocal microscopy. Principal component analysis showed that CF and non-CF hNEC had distinct cilia beating phenotypes, which was mostly explained by differences in cilia beat organization rather than frequency. Exposure to RvE1 (10 nM) and to LXB4 (10 nM) restored a non-CF-like cilia beating phenotype. Furthermore, RvE1 increased the airway surface liquid (ASL) layer height and reduced the mucin MUC5AC thickness. The calcium-activated chloride channel, TMEM16A, was involved in the RvE1 effect on cilia beating, hydration, and mucus. Altogether, our results provide evidence for defective cilia beating in CF airway epithelium and a role of RvE1 and LXB4 to restore the main epithelial functions involved in the mucociliary clearance.
Contribution of anthropogenic aerosols to persistent La Niña-like conditions in the early 21st century
Authors: Hwang Yen-Ting , Xie Shang-Ping , Chen Po-Ju , Tseng Hung-Yi , Deser Clara
Published: January 2024

The discrepancy between the observed lack of surface warming in the eastern equatorial Pacific and climate model projections of an El Niño-like warming pattern confronts the climate research community. While anthropogenic aerosols have been suggested as a cause, the prolonged cooling trend over the equatorial Pacific appears in conflict with Northern Hemisphere aerosol emission reduction since the 1980s. Here, using CESM, we show that the superposition of fast and slow responses to aerosol emission change—an increase followed by a decrease—can sustain the La Niña-like condition for a longer time than expected. The rapid adjustment of Hadley Cell to aerosol reduction triggers joint feedback between low clouds, wind, evaporation, and sea surface temperature in the Southeast Pacific, leading to a wedge-shaped cooling that extends to the central equatorial Pacific. Meanwhile, the northern subtropical cell gradually intensifies, resulting in equatorial subsurface cooling that lasts for decades.
Spectrally refined unbiased Monte Carlo estimate of the Earth’s global radiative cooling
Authors: Nyffenegger-Péré Yaniss , Armante Raymond , Bati Mégane , Blanco Stéphane , Dufresne Jean-Louis , Hafi Mouna El , Eymet Vincent , Forest Vincent , Fournier Richard , Gautrais Jacques , Lebrun Raphaël , Mellado Nicolas , Mourtaday Nada , Paulin Mathias
Published: January 2024

The Earth’s radiative cooling is a key driver of climate. Determining how it is affected by greenhouse gas concentration is a core question in climate-change sciences. Due to the complexity of radiative transfer processes, current practices to estimate this cooling require the development and use of a suite of radiative transfer models whose accuracy diminishes as we move from local, instantaneous estimates to global estimates over the whole globe and over long periods of time (decades). Here, we show that recent advances in nonlinear Monte Carlo methods allow a paradigm shift: a completely unbiased estimate of the Earth’s infrared cooling to space can be produced using a single model, integrating the most refined spectroscopic models of molecular gas energy transitions over a global scale and over years, all at a very low computational cost (a few seconds).
An architecturally rational hemostat for rapid stopping of massive bleeding on anticoagulation therapy
Authors: Lee Vivian K. , Lee Taewoo , Ghosh Amrit , Saha Tanmoy , Bais Manish V. , Bharani Kala Kumar , Chag Milan , Parikh Keyur , Bhatt Parloop , Namgung Bumseok , Venkataramanan Geethapriya , Agrawal Animesh , Sonaje Kiran , Mavely Leo , Sengupta Shiladitya , Mashelkar Raghunath Anant , Jang Hae Lin
Published: January 2024

Hemostatic devices are critical for managing emergent severe bleeding. With the increased use of anticoagulant therapy, there is a need for next-generation hemostats. We rationalized that a hemostat with an architecture designed to increase contact with blood, and engineered from a material that activates a distinct and undrugged coagulation pathway can address the emerging need. Inspired by lung alveolar architecture, here, we describe the engineering of a next-generation single-phase chitosan hemostat with a tortuous spherical microporous design that enables rapid blood absorption and concentrated platelets and fibrin microthrombi in localized regions, a phenomenon less observed with other classical hemostats without structural optimization. The interaction between blood components and the porous hemostat was further amplified based on the charged surface of chitosan. Contrary to the dogma that chitosan does not directly affect physiological clotting mechanism, the hemostat induced coagulation via a direct activation of platelet Toll-like receptor 2. Our engineered porous hemostat effectively stopped the bleeding from murine liver wounds, swine liver and carotid artery injuries, and the human radial artery puncture site within a few minutes with significantly reduced blood loss, even under the anticoagulant treatment. The integration of engineering design principles with an understanding of the molecular mechanisms can lead to hemostats with improved functions to address emerging medical needs.
Plasma homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 compared between rural Gambian and UK adults
Authors: Moore Sophie E. , Mansoor M. Azam , Bates Christopher J. , Prentice Andrew M.
Published: January 2024

The disease risk indicator plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, including folate and vitamin B12 status. Little is known about the determinants of tHcy in rural West Africa. We explored the hypothesis that tHcy in rural Gambian adults might vary between the sexes and physiological groups, an/r with folate and vitamin B12 status. Comparisons were made with a British national survey. Non-pregnant Gambian women (n 158) had tHcy concentrations (geometric mean 9·0μmo/) similar to those of non-pregnant UK women (n 449; 9·4μmo/), whereas pregnant Gambian women (n 12) had significantly lower values (6·2μmo/). Gambian men (n 22) had significantly higher values (14·7μmo/) than British men (n 354; 10·8μmo/). Gambian lactating women and British men and women exhibited significant inverse relationships between loge(tHcy) and folate status; however, only the British subjects exhibited significant inverse relationships between loge(tHcy) and vitamin B12 status. In the British sample, and in Gambian lactating women, folate and vitamin B12 status variations together accounted for 20–25% of the variation in loge(tHcy). Within the UK, black-skinned adults had folate and tHcy levels similar to those of their white-skinned counterparts, but significantly higher vitamin B12 values. We conclude that, whereas folate and vitamin B12 status are similar between British and rural Gambian populations, tHcy is higher in Gambian men and lower in pregnant Gambian women, and that serum vitamin B12 values appear to be higher in black-skinned than white-skinned British subjects. Possible reasons are discussed.
Plasma concentrations of ascorbic acid and C-reactive protein, and risk of future coronary artery disease, in apparently healthy men and women: the EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study
Authors: Boekholdt S. Matthijs , Meuwese Marijn C. , Day Nicholas E. , Luben Robert , Welch Ailsa , Wareham Nicholas J. , Khaw Kay-Tee
Published: January 2024

High plasma concentrations of ascorbic acid, a marker of fruit and vegetable intake, are associated with low risk of coronary artery disease. Whether this relationship is explained by a reduction in systemic inflammation is unclear. We investigated the relationship between ascorbic acid plasma concentration and coronary artery disease risk, and in addition whether this relationship depended on classical risk factors and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration. We used a prospective nested case–control design. The study consisted of 979 cases and 1794 controls (1767 men and 1006 women). Increasing ascorbic acid quartiles were associated with lower age, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and CRP concentration, but with higher HDL-cholesterol concentration. No associations existed between ascorbic acid concentration and total cholesterol concentration or LDL-cholesterol concentration. When data from men and women were pooled, the risk estimates decreased with increasing ascorbic acid quartiles such that people in the highest ascorbic acid quartile had an odds ratio for future coronary artery disease of 0·67 (95% CI 0·52, 0·87) compared with those in the lowest quartile (P for linearity=0·001). This relationship was independent of sex, age, diabetes, smoking, BMI, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and CRP level. These data suggest that the risk reduction associated with higher ascorbic acid plasma concentrations, a marker of fruit and vegetable intake, is independent of classical risk factors and also independent of CRP concentration.
Static spherically symmetric solutions in new general relativity
Authors: Golovnev Alexey , Semenova A N , Vandeev V P
Published: January 2024

We give a pedagogical introduction to static spherically symmetric solutions in models of New GR, both explaining the basics and showing how all such vacuum solutions can be obtained in elementary functions. In doing so, we coherently introduce the full landscape of these modified teleparallel spacetimes, and find a few special cases. The equations of motion are turned into a very nice and compact form by using the Levi-Civita divergence of the torsion-conjugate; and generalised Bianchi identities are briefly discussed. Another important point we make is that a convenient choice of the radial variable might be instrumental for success of similar studies in other modified gravity models.
Inflation alternative via the gravitational field of a singularity
Authors: Zlotnikov Michael
Published: January 2024

We explore the scenario that the observable Universe emerged from the vicinity of a negative mass ring singularity, and all content of the Universe travels at the same group velocity close to the speed of light on a geodesic trajectory along the axis of rotation of the singularity. In appropriate coordinate parametrization and evaluated on the trajectory, we find that the metric tensor in the vicinity of the trajectory exhibits a conformal scale factor

a
(
η
)

with contraction and subsequent expansion properties that solve the horizon problem. We then introduce a static flow of gravitating radiation along the trajectory (perturbatively with respect to the mass scale of the singularity) to model a homogeneous radiation dominated Universe. Solving the Einstein field equations with a physically motivated ansatz of metric perturbation then reveals that the effective conformal scale factor indeed grows asymptotically with the same power law as expected in a conventional radiation dominated Universe.
A Target-based co-calibration framework for 3DRadar-camera using a modified corner reflector
Authors: Chen Kefeng , Shao Jianhao , Zhang Yuanhui , Liu Kang
Published: January 2024

Most intelligent transportation and autonomous driving systems use the combination of millimeter-wave (MMW) radar and camera to achieve strong perception, and correct extrinsic calibration is a prerequisite for sensor fusion. Most prior calibration methods rely on specific calibration environment, resulting in low calibration efficiency, and are unsuitable for practical scenarios. This paper proposes a progressive and efficient extrinsic calibration method for 3D MMW radar and camera, which only requires testers to walk around the testing range with the calibration target, and the progressive process of extrinsic parameters regression is visualized. The proposed method has been tested on the View-of-Delft dataset and in the real world, and the results show that the method proposed in this paper can converge the calibrated extrinsic parameters quickly and has strong robustness to the noise present during the testing process. Compared to EPNP, LM, P3P (based on RANSAC), and LM (based on RANAC), our proposed calibration method demonstrates a smaller re-projection error and higher accuracy in terms of extrinsic parameters. All results indicate that our calibration method has good accuracy and efficiency for practical calibration scenarios.
High-resolution building extraction based on the edge-aware network CEEAU_Net
Authors: Liu Rui , Zhang Ao , Huang Fenghua , He Guolei , Gou Jinsong , Lei Yuzhu , Wu Lei
Published: January 2024

Spatial information such as building location and distribution plays an important role in urban dynamic monitoring and urban planning applications. In recent years, deep learning methods have developed rapidly and achieved state-of-the-art performance in building extraction from remote sensing images in a variety of scenarios. However, existing semantic segmentation models pay more attention to global semantic information, emphasize multi-scale feature fusion or set lighter acceptance domains to obtain more global features, and ignore low-level detail features such as edges. Therefore, a new end-to-end deep learning network CEEAU_Net based on encoder-decoder architecture is designed to add edge sensing module and edge feature extraction module to obtain edge feature information of buildings. The Luxian county area of Luzhou City, Sichuan province is selected for building dataset production, which is located in the Longmenshan seismic zone, with many earthquakes of magnitude three or above, and the scene is complex, so a more accurate building extraction method is needed. Comparison experiments are also conducted with several advanced models on two public datasets, WHU building dataset (WHU) and Massachusetts. Selection of multiple indicators for indicator evaluation of results. CEEAU_Net achieves the best results in the metrics of overall accuracy, F1-score, Intersection over Union (IoU) and Mean Intersection over Union (MIoU), which suggests that the method proposed in this paper can effectively improve the accuracy of building extraction.
Beam monitor chamber calibration of a synchro-cyclotron high dose rate per pulse pulsed scanned proton beam
Authors: Vidal Marie , Gérard Anaïs , Floquet Vincent , Forthomme Julien , Christensen Jeppe Brage , Almhagen Erik , Grusell Erik , Heymans Vincent , Rossomme Séverine , Dumas Serge , Trimaud Richard , Hérault Joël
Published: January 2024

Objective. Ionization chambers, mostly used for beam calibration and for reference dosimetry, can show high recombination effects in pulsed high dose rate proton beams. The aims of this paper are: first, to characterize the linearity response of newly designed asymmetrical beam monitor chambers (ABMC) in a 100–226 MeV pulsed high dose rate per pulse scanned proton beam; and secondly, to calibrate the ABMC with a PPC05 (IBA Dosimetry) plane parallel ionization chamber and compare to calibration with a home-made Faraday cup (FC). Approach. The ABMC response linearity was evaluated with both the FC and a PTW 60019 microDiamond detector. Regarding ionometry-based ABMC calibration, recombination factors were evaluated theoretically, then numerically, and finally experimentally measured in water for a plane parallel ionization chamber PPC05 (IBA Dosimetry) through k

s
saturation curves. Finally, ABMC calibration was also achieved with FC and compared to the ionometry method for 7 energies. Main results. Linearity measurements showed that recombination losses in the new ABMC design were well taken into account for the whole range of the machine dose rates. The two-voltage-method was not suitable for recombination correction, but Jaffé’s plots analysis was needed, emphasizing the current IAEA TRS-398 reference protocol limitations. Concerning ABMC calibration, FC based absorbed dose estimation and PPC05-based absorbed dose estimation differ by less than 6.3% for the investigated energies. Significance. So far, no update on reference dosimetry protocols is available to estimate the absorbed dose in ionization chambers for clinical high dose rate per pulse pulsed scanned proton beams. This work proposes a validation of the new ABMC design, a method to take into account the recombination effect for ionometry-based ABMC calibration and a comparison with FC dose estimation in this type of proton beams.
Attenuation correction and truncation completion for breast PET/MR imaging using deep learning
Authors: Li Xue , Johnson Jacob M , Strigel Roberta M , Bancroft Leah C Henze , Hurley Samuel A , Estakhraji S Iman Zare , Kumar Manoj , Fowler Amy M , McMillan Alan B
Published: January 2024

Objective. Simultaneous PET/MR scanners combine the high sensitivity of MR imaging with the functional imaging of PET. However, attenuation correction of breast PET/MR imaging is technically challenging. The purpose of this study is to establish a robust attenuation correction algorithm for breast PET/MR images that relies on deep learning (DL) to recreate the missing portions of the patient’s anatomy (truncation completion), as well as to provide bone information for attenuation correction from only the PET data. Approach. Data acquired from 23 female subjects with invasive breast cancer scanned with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT and PET/MR localized to the breast region were used for this study. Three DL models, U-Net with mean absolute error loss (DLMAE) model, U-Net with mean squared error loss (DLMSE) model, and U-Net with perceptual loss (DLPerceptual) model, were trained to predict synthetic CT images (sCT) for PET attenuation correction (AC) given non-attenuation corrected (NAC) PETPET/MR images as inputs. The DL and Dixon-based sCT reconstructed PET images were compared against those reconstructed from CT images by calculating the percent error of the standardized uptake value (SUV) and conducting Wilcoxon signed rank statistical tests. Main results. sCT images from the DLMAE model, the DLMSE model, and the DLPerceptual model were similar in mean absolute error (MAE), peak-signal-to-noise ratio, and normalized cross-correlation. No significant difference in SUV was found between the PET images reconstructed using the DLMSE and DLPerceptual sCTs compared to the reference CT for AC in all tissue regions. All DL methods performed better than the Dixon-based method according to SUV analysis. Significance. A 3D U-Net with MSE or perceptual loss model can be implemented into a reconstruction workflow, and the derived sCT images allow successful truncation completion and attenuation correction for breast PET/MR images.
Investigations into penetration depth profiles of hydrogenic species in beryllium plasma-facing components via molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Liptak A , Lawson K D , Hasan M I
Published: January 2024

During the operation of nuclear fusion reactors, plasma-facing components lining the reactor vessel are continually bombarded by plasma species. The penetration and subsequent trapping of these bombarding plasma ions has implications for component damage as well as in-vessel inventory. Accurately predicting the expected ion penetration depth profiles at a range of plasma ion and surface temperatures typical of fusion reactor operating conditions will inform the scrape-off layer design to limit particle radiation damage and tritium trapping in order to prolong the lifetime of the plasma-facing components and satisfy the DT fuel cycle requirements. By defining a statistical distribution for ion penetration depth and describing the evolution of its parameters across the fusion parameter space of interest, the expected ion deposition depth profiles can be calculated for any subset of ion and surface temperature ranges as needed. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to study the bombardment of beryllium lattices with surface temperatures of up to 1100 K by 5 eV–150 eV deuterium and tritium ions, and the resulting ion penetration depths were investigated. The distributions of two penetration depth quantities, considered from the perspectives of lattice damage and hydrogen retention are defined and their distribution parameter dependence on surface and ion temperature is identified. The expected positive correlation between penetration depth and ion temperature is observed, where the non-linear relationship between these quantities indicates the expected form of the velocity dependence of nuclear stopping power at low bombardment energies. Isotope effects on the distributions are also investigated, with results suggesting that heavier ions have comparably lower mobility within the sample and will generally accumulate closer to the surface. A short study on ion deposition rates is also performed; a non-linear increase of deposition rate with increasing bombarding ion energy has been observed, and evidence of a weak positive surface temperature correlation has been noted.
A pointwise separation algorithm to separate plasma density and thickness in two-beam interferometry
Authors: Fu Malong , Wang Haitao , Hou Zhongyu
Published: January 2024

The conventional two-beam interferometry adopts only one expression about plasma density and thickness because only fringe shift is recognized from the recorded fringes. Therefore, the prior hypotheses that the plasma is thickness-uniform or circular symmetry have to be introduced to separate them, which limits the applied range and accuracy of the conventional method. This paper found that the laser beam will be deflected if the thickness changes, leading the recorded fringes to be defocused. As a result, a new expression relying on recognizing the defocus parameter of the recorded fringes is derived, and a pointwise separation algorithm to separate density and thickness is proposed based on the two expressions. Compared to the conventional algorithms, the new algorithm requires no hypotheses and thus has a wider applied range.
Superconducting nitridized-aluminum thin films
Authors: Torras-Coloma Alba , Martínez de Olcoz Leyre , Céspedes Eva , Bertoldo Elia , López-Núñez David , Paul Sagar , Wernsdorfer Wolfgang , Rius Gemma , Forn-Díaz P
Published: January 2024

We report the direct observation of superconductivity in nitridized-aluminum thin films. The films are produced by sputtering deposition of aluminum in a controlled mixture of nitrogen diluted in argon. The concentration of applied nitrogen directly determines the properties of the superconducting thin films. We observe samples displaying critical temperatures up to 3.38 ± 0.01 K and resilience to in-plane magnetic fields well above 1 T, with good reproducibility of the results. This work represents an unambiguous demonstration of tunable superconductivity in aluminum-based nitridized thin films. Our results put forward nitridized aluminum as a promising material to be employed in superconducting quantum circuits for quantum technology applications.
Decoherence-induced cross-Kerr nonlinearity for quantum entanglement
Authors: Chen Zhicai , Wang Fei
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we show that the cross-Kerr nonlinearity is induced by the ground-state decoherence in a Λ system even under the exact one- and two-photon resonance conditions, which is attributed to the fact that the dark-state resonance is broken slightly. By adiabatically eliminating the atomic variables, we find that the decoherence results in a frequency shift of cavity detuning and the two cavity fields experience cross-Kerr nonlinearity by choosing appropriate parameters. As a consequence, the internal nonlinear effects are responsible for the generation of light entanglement, which is verified by our numerical results. The present scheme demonstrates that the decoherence plays a positive role in controlling quantum entanglement, which may be useful for quantum information processing.
Target layer state estimation in multi-layer complex dynamical networks considering nonlinear node dynamics
Authors: Wu 吴 Yayong 亚勇 , Wang 王 Xinwei 欣伟 , Jiang 蒋 Guo-Ping 国平
Published: January 2024

In many engineering networks, only a part of target state variables are required to be estimated. On the other hand, multi-layer complex network exists widely in practical situations. In this paper, the state estimation of target state variables in multi-layer complex dynamical networks with nonlinear node dynamics is studied. A suitable functional state observer is constructed with the limited measurement. The parameters of the designed functional observer are obtained from the algebraic method and the stability of the functional observer is proven by the Lyapunov theorem. Some necessary conditions that need to be satisfied for the design of the functional state observer are obtained. Different from previous studies, in the multi-layer complex dynamical network with nonlinear node dynamics, the proposed method can estimate the state of target variables on some layers directly instead of estimating all the individual states. Thus, it can greatly reduce the placement of observers and computational cost. Numerical simulations with the three-layer complex dynamical network composed of three-dimensional nonlinear dynamical nodes are developed to verify the effectiveness of the method.
Touchless underwater wall-distance sensing via active proprioception of a robotic flapper
Authors: Panta Kundan , Deng Hankun , Zhang Zhiyu , Huang Daning , Panah Azar , Cheng Bo
Published: January 2024

In this work, we explored a bioinspired method for underwater object sensing based on active proprioception. We investigated whether the fluid flows generated by a robotic flapper, while interacting with an underwater wall, can encode the distance information between the wall and the flapper, and how to decode this information using the proprioception within the flapper. Such touchless wall-distance sensing is enabled by the active motion of a flapping plate, which injects self-generated flow to the fluid environment, thus representing a form of active sensing. Specifically, we trained a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network to predict the wall distance based on the force and torque measured at the base of the flapping plate. In addition, we varied the Rossby number (Ro, or the aspect ratio of the plate) and the dimensionless flapping amplitude (

A
∗

) to investigate how the rotational effects and unsteadiness of self-generated flow respectively affect the accuracy of the wall-distance prediction. Our results show that the median prediction error is within 5% of the plate length for all the wall-distances investigated (up to 40 cm or approximately 2–3 plate lengths depending on the Ro); therefore, confirming that the self-generated flow can enable underwater perception. In addition, we show that stronger rotational effects at lower Ro lead to higher prediction accuracy, while flow unsteadiness (

A
∗

) only has moderate effects. Lastly, analysis based on SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) indicate that temporal features that are most prominent at stroke reversals likely promotes the wall-distance prediction.
Reversibility of Greenland ice sheet mass loss under artificial carbon dioxide removal scenarios
Authors: Höning Dennis , Willeit Matteo , Ganopolski Andrey
Published: January 2024

With ongoing anthropogenic CO2 emissions, the Greenland ice sheet (GIS) approaches critical thresholds of inevitable, long-term mass loss. Future technologies might be able to efficiently remove CO2 from the atmosphere and thereby cool down our planet. We explore whether and to what extent a realization of this concept could lead to a regrowth of the GIS once it has partly melted. Using the fully coupled Earth system model of intermediate complexity CLIMBER-X, emission pulses between 0 and 4000 GtC are released into the atmosphere, and after 1 kyr, 2 kyr, and 5 kyr, the atmospheric CO2 concentration is reduced back to its pre-industrial value. We find that independent of a specific trajectory, once the southern part of the GIS has partly melted with a total mass loss of more than 0.4 m sea level equivalent, regrowth is inhibited. Uncertainties preclude determination of precise thresholds, but model results indicate that cumulative industrial-era emissions approaching 1000–1500 GtC and beyond increasingly risk irreversible mass loss of the GIS. Once this threshold is passed, artificial atmospheric carbon removal would need to be utilised within the next centuries at massive scale. Beyond that, artificial atmospheric carbon removal has limited abilities to avoid long-term mass loss of the GIS. In conclusion, keeping cumulative anthropogenic emissions below 1000–1500 GtC is the only safe way to avoid irreversible mass loss of the GIS.
Assessment of relationships between frailty and chronic pain: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomisation study
Authors: Dai Zhisen , Wu Yanlin , Chen Junheng , Huang Shuting , Zheng Huizhe
Published: January 2024

Background

Previous observational studies have indicated a complex association between chronic pain and frailty. This study aimed to examine the bidirectional causal relationship between frailty and chronic pain and to quantify mediating effects of known modifiable risk factors.

Methods

A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis was applied in this study. Summary genome-wide association statistics for frailty, as defined by both frailty index (FI) and Fried Frailty Score (FFS), pain at seven site-specific chronic pain (SSCP) (headache, facial, neck/shoulder, stomach/abdominal, back, hip and knee) and multisite chronic pain (MCP) were extracted from populations of European ancestry. Genetic instrumental variables strongly correlated with each exposure were selected. The inverse-variance-weighted method was the primary method used in the MR, supplemented by a range of sensitivity and validation analyses. Two-step MR analysis was undertaken to evaluate the mediating effects of several proposed confounders.

Results

Genetically predicted higher FI and FFS were associated with an increased risk of MCP and specific types of SSCP, including neck/shoulder pain, stomach/abdominal pain, back pain, hip pain and knee pain. In the reverse direction analysis, genetic liability to MCP was found to be associated with increased FI and FFS. These results remained consistent across sensitivity and validation assessments. Two-step MR suggested a mediating role for body mass index, smoking initiation, physical inactivity, educational attainment and depression.

Conclusions

Our research provided genetic evidence that the association between frailty and chronic pain was bidirectional where the coexistence of both conditions will exacerbate each other.
Catalase inhibition can modulate the ability of peripheral blood T cells to undergo apoptosis in Crohn’s disease
Authors: Moret-Tatay Inés , Nos Pilar , Iborra Marisa , Rausell Francisco , Beltrán Belén
Published: January 2024

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disorder in which defective apoptosis of mucosal T cells is postulated to produce sustained inflammation and reactive oxygen species accumulation. Whether CD T cells are intrinsically resistant to apoptosis or whether this resistance is acquired at the intestinal site needs to be clarified, as the cellular mechanisms modulate the impaired apoptosis in these cells. Here, we analysed peripheral blood T cells from patients naïve to specific CD treatment at the onset and from healthy controls. Non-activated freshly purified lymphocytes were cultured and submitted to in vitro protocols for activation (CD3/CD28 antibodies) and apoptosis (Fas antibody). Cells were analysed by flow cytometry. Caspases (3, 8, and 9) and catalase activity were measured; protein levels of bax, Bcl-2, and NF-kB were detected by western blotting, and cytokines by Luminex-based assays. The results showed that CD4 T cells from CD patients are less prone to apoptosis before they can migrate to the intestinal mucosa. Caspase-9, FasR, sIL-2Rα, IL-17A, IFNγ, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 were shown to be significantly different in CD but not for the rest of the analysed biological elements. Catalase activity was significantly reduced in CD T cells, which was confirmed in ex vivo experiments in which catalase inhibition in T cells from healthy controls triggered apoptosis inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, apoptosis inhibition of CD T cells is a feature of these cells before they can migrate to the intestinal mucosa. Noteworthy, the impaired apoptosis of T cells can be directly influenced by catalase inhibition.
Transition metal-free site-selective O-arylation of cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyls with polyfluoroarenes
Authors: Tian Jingqi , Yang Liu , Wang Shaoqing , Qin Tao , Zhou Heye , Liu Bin
Published: January 2024

A transition metal-free strategy is reported for the site-selective O-arylation of cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyls with polyfluoroarenes. This method offers a straightforward and alternative pathway for the synthesis of aryl ethers, accommodating a wide array of functional groups. Furthermore, the practical value of this methodology is underscored by its facile scalability to gram-level reactions, its potential for diverse synthetic applications, and its aptitude for complex molecules modifications.
Induced pluripotent stem cell–derived exosomes attenuate vascular remodelling in pulmonary arterial hypertension by targeting HIF-1α and Runx2
Authors: Chi Pei-Ling , Cheng Chin-Chang , Wang Mei-Tzu , Liao Jia-Bin , Kuo Shu-Hung , Lin Kun-Chang , Shen Min-Ci , Huang Wei-Chun
Published: January 2024

Aims

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by extensive pulmonary arterial remodelling. Although mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes provide protective effects in PAH, MSCs exhibit limited senescence during in vitro expansion compared with the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Moreover, the exact mechanism is not known.

Methods and results

In this study, we used murine iPSCs generated from mouse embryonic fibroblasts with triple factor (Oct4, Klf4, and Sox2) transduction to determine the efficacy and action mechanism of iPSC-derived exosomes (iPSC-Exo) in attenuating PAH in rats with monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension. Both early and late iPSC-Exo treatment effectively prevented the wall thickening and muscularization of pulmonary arterioles, improved the right ventricular systolic pressure, and alleviated the right ventricular hypertrophy in MCT-induced PAH rats. Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) derived from MCT-treated rats (MCT-PASMC) developed more proliferative and pro-migratory phenotypes, which were attenuated by the iPSC-Exo treatment. Moreover, the proliferation and migration of MCT-PASMC were reduced by iPSC-Exo with suppression of PCNA, cyclin D1, MMP-1, and MMP-10, which are mediated via the HIF-1α and P21-activated kinase 1/AKT/Runx2 pathways.

Conclusion

IPSC-Exo are effective at reversing pulmonary hypertension by reducing pulmonary vascular remodelling and may provide an iPSC-free therapy for the treatment of PAH.
High-risk Brugada syndrome: factors associated with arrhythmia recurrence and benefits of epicardial ablation in addition to implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation
Authors: Santinelli Vincenzo , Ciconte Giuseppe , Manguso Francesco , Anastasia Luigi , Micaglio Emanuele , Calovic Zarko , Vicedomini Gabriele , Mazza Beniamino , Vecchi Mattia , Mecarocci Valerio , Locati Emanuela T , Boccellino Antonio , Negro Gabriele , Napolano Antonio , Giannelli Luigi , Pappone Carlo
Published: January 2024

Aims

This study aims to evaluate the prognostic impact of the arrhythmogenic substrate size in symptomatic Brugada syndrome (BrS) as well as to validate the long-term safety and effectiveness of epicardial radiofrequency ablation (RFA) compared with no-RFA group.

Methods and results

In this prospective investigational long-term registry study, 257 selected symptomatic BrS patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation were included. Among them, 206 patients underwent epicardial RFA and were monitored for over 5 years post-ablation (RFA group), while 51 patients received only ICD implantation declining RFA. Primary endpoints included risk factors for ventricular fibrillation (VF) events pre-ablation and freedom from VF events post-ablation. In the RFA group, BrS substrates were identified in the epicardial surface of the right ventricle. During the pre-RFA follow-up period (median 27 months), VF episodes and VF storms were experienced by 53 patients. Independent risk factors included substrate size [hazard ratio (HR), 1.13; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08–1.18; P < 0.001], aborted cardiac arrest (HR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.68–5.28; P < 0.001), and SCN5A variants (HR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.15–4.27; P = 0.017). In the post-RFA follow-up (median 40 months), the RFA group demonstrated superior outcomes compared with no-RFA (P < 0.001) without major procedure-related complications.

Conclusion

Our study underscores the role of BrS substrate extent as a crucial prognostic factor for recurrent VF and validates the safety and efficacy of RFA when compared with a no-RFA group. Our findings highlight the importance of ajmaline in guiding epicardial mapping/ablation in symptomatic BrS patients, laying the groundwork for further exploration of non-invasive methods to guide informed clinical decision-making.
Non-invasive detection of slow conduction with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for ventricular tachycardia ablation
Authors: Vázquez-Calvo Sara , Mas Casanovas Judit , Garre Paz , Sánchez-Somonte Paula , Falzone Pasquale Valerio , Uribe Laura , Guasch Eduard , Tolosana José Maria , Borras Roger , Figueras i Ventura Rosa M , Arbelo Elena , Ortiz-Pérez José T , Prats Susana , Perea Rosario J , Brugada Josep , Mont Lluís , Porta-Sanchez Andreu , Roca-Luque Ivo
Published: January 2024

Aims

Non-invasive myocardial scar characterization with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has been shown to accurately identify conduction channels and can be an important aid for ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation. A new mapping method based on targeting deceleration zones (DZs) has become one of the most commonly used strategies for VT ablation procedures. The aim of the study was to analyse the capability of CMR to identify DZs and to find predictors of arrhythmogenicity in CMR channels.

Methods and results

Forty-four consecutive patients with structural heart disease and VT undergoing ablation after CMR at a single centre (October 2018 to July 2021) were included (mean age, 64.8 ± 11.6 years; 95.5% male; 70.5% with ischaemic heart disease; a mean ejection fraction of 32.3 ± 7.8%). The characteristics of CMR channels were analysed, and correlations with DZs detected during isochronal late activation mapping in both baseline maps and remaps were determined. Overall, 109 automatically detected CMR channels were analysed (2.48 ± 1.15 per patient; length, 57.91 ± 63.07 mm; conducting channel mass, 2.06 ± 2.67 g; protectedness, 21.44 ± 25.39 mm). Overall, 76.1% of CMR channels were associated with a DZ. A univariate analysis showed that channels associated with DZs were longer [67.81 ± 68.45 vs. 26.31 ± 21.25 mm, odds ratio (OR) 1.03, P = 0.010], with a higher border zone (BZ) mass (2.41 ± 2.91 vs. 0.87 ± 0.86 g, OR 2.46, P = 0.011) and greater protectedness (24.97 ± 27.72 vs. 10.19 ± 9.52 mm, OR 1.08, P = 0.021).

Conclusion

Non-invasive detection of targets for VT ablation is possible with CMR. Deceleration zones found during electroanatomical mapping accurately correlate with CMR channels, especially those with increased length, BZ mass, and protectedness.
Recurrent Subspaces in Banach Spaces
Authors: López-Martínez Antoni
Published: January 2024

We study the spaceability of the set of recurrent vectors $\text{Rec}(T)$ for an operator $T:X\longrightarrow X$ on a Banach space $X$. In particular, we find sufficient conditions for a quasi-rigid operator to have a recurrent subspace; when $X$ is a complex Banach space, we show that having a recurrent subspace is equivalent to the fact that the essential spectrum of the operator intersects the closed unit disk, and we extend the previous result to the real case. As a consequence, we obtain that a weakly-mixing operator on a real or complex separable Banach space has a hypercyclic subspace if and only if it has a recurrent subspace. The results exposed exhibit a symmetry between the hypercyclic and recurrent spaceability theories showing that, at least for the spaceable property, hypercyclicity and recurrence can be treated as equals.