bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Learning‐Based Analysis of Aortic Morphology From Three‐Dimensional MRI
Authors: Guo Jia , Bouaou Kevin , Houriez‐‐Gombaud‐Saintonge Sophia , Gueda Moussa , Gencer Umit , Nguyen Vincent , Charpentier Etienne , Soulat Gilles , Redheuil Alban , Mousseaux Elie , Kachenoura Nadjia , Dietenbeck Thomas
Published: January 2024

Background

Quantification of aortic morphology plays an important role in the evaluation and follow‐up assessment of patients with aortic diseases, but often requires labor‐intensive and operator‐dependent measurements. Automatic solutions would help enhance their quality and reproducibility.

Purpose

To design a deep learning (DL)‐based automated approach for aortic landmarks and lumen detection derived from three‐dimensional (3D) MRI.

Study Type

Retrospective.

Population

Three hundred ninety‐one individuals (female: 47%, age = 51.9 ± 18.4) from three sites, including healthy subjects and patients (hypertension, aortic dilation, Turner syndrome), randomly divided into training/validation/test datasets (N = 236/77/78). Twenty‐five subjects were randomly selected and analyzed by three operators with different levels of expertise.

Field Strength/Sequence

1.5‐T and 3‐T, 3D spoiled gradient‐recalled or steady‐state free precession sequences.

Assessment

Reinforcement learning and a two‐stage network trained using reference landmarks and segmentation from an existing semi‐automatic software were used for aortic landmark detection and segmentation from sinotubular junction to coeliac trunk. Aortic segments were defined using the detected landmarks while the aortic centerline was extracted from the segmentation and morphological indices (length, aortic diameter, and volume) were computed for both the reference and the proposed segmentations.

Statistical Tests

Segmentation: Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Hausdorff distance (HD), average symmetrical surface distance (ASSD); landmark detection: Euclidian distance (ED); model robustness: Spearman correlation, Bland–Altman analysis, Kruskal–Wallis test for comparisons between reference and DL‐derived aortic indices; inter‐observer study: Williams index (WI). A WI 95% confidence interval (CI) lower bound >1 indicates that the method is within the inter‐observer variability. A P‐value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

DSC was 0.90 ± 0.05, HD was 12.11 ± 7.79 mm, and ASSD was 1.07 ± 0.63 mm. ED was 5.0 ± 6.1 mm. A good agreement was found between all DL‐derived and reference aortic indices (r >0.95, mean bias <7%). Our segmentation and landmark detection performances were within the inter‐observer variability except the sinotubular junction landmark (CI = 0.96;1.04).

Data Conclusion

A DL‐based aortic segmentation and anatomical landmark detection approach was developed and applied to 3D MRI data for achieve aortic morphology evaluation.

Evidence Level

3

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
Automatic Segmentation of Membranous Glottal Gap Area with U‐Net‐Based Architecture
Authors: Hackman Acquah , Chen Chih‐Hua , Chen Andy Wei‐Ge , Chen Mu‐Kuan
Published: January 2024

Background

While videostroboscopy is recognized as the most popular approach for investigating vocal fold function, evaluating the numerical values, such as the membranous glottal gap area, remains too time consuming for clinical applications.

Methods

We used a total of 2507 videostroboscopy images from 137 patients and developed five U‐Net‐based deep‐learning image segmentation models for automatic masking of the membranous glottal gap area. To further validate the models, we used another 410 images from 41 different patients.

Results

During development, all five models exhibited acceptable and similar metrics. While the VGG19 U‐Net had a long inference time of 1654 ms, the other four models had more practical inference times, ranging from 16 to 138 ms.

During further validation, Efficient U‐Net demonstrated the highest intersection over union of 0.8455, the highest Dice coefficient of 0.9163, and the lowest Hausdorff distance of 1.5626. The normalized membranous glottal gap area index was also calculated and validated. Efficient U‐Net and VGG19 U‐Net exhibited the lowest mean squared errors (3.5476 and 3.3842) and the lowest mean absolute errors (1.8835 and 1.8396).

Conclusions

Automatic segmentation of the membranous glottal gap area can be achieved through U‐net‐based architecture. Considering the segmentation quality and speed, Efficient U‐Net is a reasonable choice for this task, while the other four models remain valuable competitors. The models' masked area enables possible calculation of the normalized membranous glottal gap area and analysis of the glottal area waveform, revealing promising clinical applications for this model.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 134:2835–2843, 2024
Diagnostic Difficulties of Plunging Ranula: A Review of 18 Cases
Authors: Yun Jun , Gidumal Sunder , Saturno Michael P. , Wein Lauren E. , Fan Jun , Khorsandi Azita S. , Chung Daniel , Chen Hua , Chai Raymond L.
Published: January 2024

Objective(s)

Despite advancements in imaging techniques and cytological analysis, plunging ranula remains a challenging surgical, radiologic, and pathologic phenomenon. Of the 18 patients we evaluated at our institution, we highlight three cases that illustrate the high rate of misleading imaging and cytological results when assessing plunging ranula.

Methods

Imaging results, biopsy findings, operative techniques, and pathological reports were reviewed from patients who had either a preoperative or postoperative diagnosis of ranula and underwent surgery by a single head and neck surgeon at a tertiary care center.

Results

Of the 18 identified patients, computed tomography was correct on preoperative imaging 73% of the time and magnetic resonance imaging was correct on preoperative imaging 71% of the time. Two patients underwent preoperative ultrasound and their ultrasound reports did not accurately diagnose the presence of a ranula. Two patients underwent preoperative fine needle aspiration biopsy due to inconclusive preoperative imaging, in which results suggested either a ranula or epidermal cyst. Both ultimately did not match the final pathology. Three of eighteen patients (17%) underwent an inappropriate initial surgery due to incorrect imaging diagnoses and/or biopsy findings.

Conclusion

Despite use of preoperative modalities to distinguish plunging ranula from other cystic floor of mouth lesions, surgeons must be aware that no workup modality is fully precise. The potential for revision surgery must be included in all preoperative discussions for presumed plunging ranula.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 134:2689–2696, 2024
Establishing fluvial silicon regimes and their stability across the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Johnson Keira , Jankowski Kathi Jo , Carey Joanna , Lyon Nicholas J. , McDowell William H. , Shogren Arial , Wymore Adam , Sethna Lienne , Wollheim Wilfred M. , Poste Amanda E. , Kortelainen Pirkko , Heindel Ruth , Laudon Hjalmar , Räike Antti , Jones Jeremy B. , McKnight Diane , Julian Paul , Bush Sidney , Sullivan Pamela L.
Published: January 2024

Fluvial silicon (Si) plays a critical role in controlling primary production, water quality, and carbon sequestration through supporting freshwater and marine diatom communities. Geological, biogeochemical, and hydrological processes, as well as climate and land use, dictate the amount of Si exported by streams. Understanding Si regimes—the seasonal patterns of Si concentrations—can help identify processes driving Si export. We analyzed Si concentrations from over 200 stream sites across the Northern Hemisphere to establish distinct Si regimes and evaluated how often sites moved among regimes over their period of record. We observed five distinct regimes across diverse stream sites, with nearly 60% of sites exhibiting multiple regime types over time. Our results indicate greater spatial and interannual variability in Si seasonality than previously recognized and highlight the need to characterize the watershed and climate variables that affect Si cycling across diverse ecosystems.
Scanning‐Driven Photon‐Counting 3D Imaging through Scattering Media Via Asynchronous Polarization Modulation
Authors: Liu Rui , Zhang Zhiyuan , Tian Xin
Published: January 2024

Imaging through scattering media is widely studied in various applications including industrial inspection and autonomous driving. Most existing image sensors always suffer from the aliasing effect that generates a diffused image, leading to an extremely challenging problem in recovering targets of high quality, especially for 3D imaging. In this study, a scanning‐driven photon‐counting 3D imaging system through scattering media is proposed via asynchronous polarization modulation. To eliminate the aliasing effect, we utilize a point‐to‐point scanning strategy is used to illuminate the target and a photon‐counting detector to perceive weak echo signals passing through scattering media. Then, an asynchronous polarization‐modulated ranging method is proposed innovatively based on the Gamma pulse model to calculate the relative depth of the target for 3D imaging with the consideration of scattering media's difference. Therefore, the accuracy of the calculated depth and the generalization capability of the proposed method in real applications can be significantly improved. In addition, a time reshaping method is proposed to cope with the depth ambiguity caused by asynchronous measurements. In the experiment, a variety of strong scattering media is used to verify the excellent imaging capability of the proposed method.
Self‐Assembled Fluorinated Nanoparticles as Sensitive and Biocompatible Theranostic Platforms for 19F MRI
Authors: Havlicek Dominik , Panakkal Vyshakh M. , Voska Ludek , Sedlacek Ondrej , Jirak Daniel
Published: January 2024

Theranostics is a novel paradigm integrating therapy and diagnostics, thereby providing new prospects for overcoming the limitations of traditional treatments. In this context, perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are the most widely used tracers in preclinical fluorine‐19 magnetic resonance (19F MR), primarily for their high fluorine content. However, PFCs are extremely hydrophobic, and their solutions often display reduced biocompatibility, relative instability, and subpar 19F MR relaxation times. This study aims to explore the potential of micellar 19F MR imaging (MRI) tracers, synthesized by polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA), as alternative theranostic agents for simultaneous imaging and release of the non‐steroidal antileprotic drug clofazimine. In vitro, under physiological conditions, these micelles demonstrate sustained drug release. In vivo, throughout the drug release process, they provide a highly specific and sensitive 19F MRI signal. Even after extended exposure, these fluoropolymer tracers show biocompatibility, as confirmed by the histological analysis. Moreover, the characteristics of these polymers can be broadly adjusted by design to meet the wide range of criteria for preclinical and clinical settings. Therefore, micellar 19F MRI tracers display physicochemical properties suitable for in vivo imaging, such as relaxation times and non‐toxicity, and high performance as drug carriers, highlighting their potential as both diagnostic and therapeutic tools.
Bazelon endorses peer‐led, peer‐involved MH crisis supports
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: January 2024

Individuals in crisis who receive support from peers are less likely to be admitted to emergency rooms and hospitals for inpatient care. Additionally, they are more likely to participate in community‐based services, which can help them avoid future crises and resulting institutionalization or incarceration and be more engaged in the services they receive, according to a new report released Jan. 9 by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.
A compact wideband circularly polarized dipole antenna with wide beamwidth
Authors: Chen Ling‐Lu , Chang Lei , Zhang Jian‐Qiang
Published: January 2024

A wideband circularly polarized (CP) dipole antenna with compact size and wide beamwidth is proposed. To achieve a wide half‐power beamwidth (HPBW), the dipole is designed to be a folded bowtie, and four rotationally symmetric vertical metal plates are placed on the square ground plane. A circular parasitic patch above the dipole arms improves the impedance bandwidth. By using a 3‐dB coupler, the proposed antenna achieves wideband CP performance. The measured results show that an impedance bandwidth for VSWR ≤ 2 and a 3‐dB axial‐ratio (AR) bandwidth are from 0.76 to 2.1 GHz (93.7%). Moreover, a bandwidth of HPBW ≥ 102° is from 0.76 to 1.8 GHz (81.2%).
Weirs: An effective tool to reduce hatchery–wild interactions on the spawning grounds?
Authors: Wilson Jeremy T. , Buehrens Thomas W.
Published: January 2024

Objective

Hatchery-produced salmon and steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss mitigate for habitat loss and support valuable commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries. However, excessive interactions between hatchery and wild fish can also cause harm to wild populations. Weirs have been implemented as a management tool to remove returning hatchery-origin Chinook Salmon O. tshawytcha adults to reduce the proportion of hatchery-origin spawners (pHOS) in spawning areas used by their wild counterparts. Using a decade of data since new weirs were implemented, our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of this management approach.

Methods

Weirs were installed in six tributaries of the lower Columbia River, Washington. Using data from both weir operations and spawning ground surveys, we quantified weir efficiency (the proportion of upstream migrants captured by the weir) and resultant pHOS in wild spawning areas and evaluated evidence for unintended effects of weirs on naturally spawning salmon in years with (2011–2017) and without weirs (2002–2010) in one population by evaluating weir effects on spawner apparent residence time, distribution, and recruitment to the juvenile stage.

Result

Weir efficiencies were highly variable across years and locations (7.3–100.0%). Estimates of pHOS were variable among populations and years (interannual population mean range: 11.9% to 75.2%) but were higher in all but 2 of the 43 population-year combinations than needed to maintain recovery-plan-targeted levels of population viability using quantitative genetic model-based standards identified by the Hatchery Scientific Review Group. Several factors contributed to the proportion of hatchery spawners exceeding pHOS standards at the population level, including fish passing weirs during freshets, spawning below weir sites and in tributaries without weirs, and imperfect marking of hatchery-released juveniles. In the sole watershed with sufficient pre-weir data to evaluate before–after changes, we documented a downstream shift in the spatial distribution of redds, lower apparent residence time of spawners, and lower production of parr in years following weir installation.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that using weirs as a tool to reduce hatchery–wild interactions on the spawning grounds is challenging. Weir implementation reduced pHOS; however, in most cases, resulting pHOS was not low enough to facilitate fit and viable wild populations. Weirs also were associated with unintended negative impacts to the single population where we had adequate before and after weir implementation data to evaluate effects. These impacts may be harmful to recovery efforts and offset the intended benefits of weirs to wild populations. Our study highlights the need for adaptive management to realize the goals intended for weirs, underscores the need for experimental design approaches, and identifies opportunities for future work.
Encounter rates and catch-and-release mortality of steelhead in the Snake River basin
Authors: Lubenau William J. , Johnson Timothy R. , Bowersox Brett J. , Copeland Timothy , McCormick Joshua L. , Quist Michael C.
Published: January 2024

Objective

The potential influence (i.e., impact rate) of catch-and-release fisheries on wild steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss is poorly understood and is a function of the abundance of wild fish, how many fish are encountered by anglers (i.e., encounter rate), and the mortality of fish that are caught and released. In Idaho, estimates of wild steelhead encounter rates have been derived using the number of wild and hatchery steelhead passing Lower Granite Dam, the number of hatchery steelhead harvested, and the number of hatchery steelhead caught and released. The method includes assumptions that hatchery and wild steelhead have equal encounter rates and catch-and-release mortality is 5% for wild steelhead. Here, we investigated wild and hatchery steelhead encounter rates by anglers, estimated catch-and-release mortality, and concatenated both aspects to examine how existing recreational steelhead fisheries influence wild steelhead mortality.

Methods

We sampled, tagged, and released 1,251 spawn-year 2020 (SY2020) and 1,956 spawn-year 2021 (SY2021) adult steelhead at Lower Granite Dam with T-bar anchor tags and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags to estimate steelhead encounter rates and catch-and-release mortality. Differences in survival of caught steelhead and those not reported as caught were evaluated using detections at various locations (e.g., PIT arrays, weirs).

Result

Estimated encounter rates were 43.7% (95% credible interval; 28.2%, 100.0%) for wild fish and 46.7% (29.6%, 100.0%) for adipose-clipped fish in SY2020. In SY2021, encounter rates were 47.2% (32.4%, 100.0%) for wild fish and 52.3% (37.1%, 100.0%) for adipose-clipped fish. Based on detections of caught fish and those not reported as caught, catch-and-release mortality of wild steelhead was estimated to be 1.6% (0.0%, 5.2%). Wild steelhead impact rates were 0.7% (0.0%, 2.7%) in SY2020 and 0.7% (0.0%, 2.8%) in SY2021.

Conclusion

Estimated rates of impact on wild steelhead were consistent and low across years despite major differences in the structure of the fisheries. Our results suggest assuming that encounter rates are equal between hatchery and wild steelhead, and that steelhead catch-and-release mortality is 5%, will likely lead to a conservative estimate of the wild steelhead impact occurring from catch-and-release fisheries.
Nonprofit Industry Outlook 2024: Adapting to Ongoing Challenges
Authors: Konrad Scott
Published: January 2024

As we step into 2024, nonprofits are confronted with a landscape of challenges that demand resilience and strategic planning. Declining charitable donations, cuts in government funding, staffing issues, and the persistent specter of crises underscore the need for proactive risk management.
TPAAD: Two‐phase authentication system for denial of service attack detection and mitigation using machine learning in software‐defined network
Authors: Nisa Najmun , Khan Adnan Shahid , Ahmad Zeeshan , Abdullah Johari
Published: January 2024

Software‐defined networking (SDN) has received considerable attention and adoption owing to its inherent advantages, such as enhanced scalability, increased adaptability, and the ability to exercise centralized control. However, the control plane of the system is vulnerable to denial‐of‐service (DoS) attacks, which are a primary focus for attackers. These attacks have the potential to result in substantial delays and packet loss. In this study, we present a novel system called Two‐Phase Authentication for Attack Detection that aims to enhance the security of SDN by mitigating DoS attacks. The methodology utilized in our study involves the implementation of packet filtration and machine learning classification techniques, which are subsequently followed by the targeted restriction of malevolent network traffic. Instead of completely deactivating the host, the emphasis lies on preventing harmful communication. Support vector machine and K‐nearest neighbours algorithms were utilized for efficient detection on the CICDoS 2017 dataset. The deployed model was utilized within an environment designed for the identification of threats in SDN. Based on the observations of the banned queue, our system allows a host to reconnect when it is no longer contributing to malicious traffic. The experiments were run on a VMware Ubuntu, and an SDN environment was created using Mininet and the RYU controller. The results of the tests demonstrated enhanced performance in various aspects, including the reduction of false positives, the minimization of central processing unit utilization and control channel bandwidth consumption, the improvement of packet delivery ratio, and the decrease in the number of flow requests submitted to the controller. These results confirm that our Two‐Phase Authentication for Attack Detection architecture identifies and mitigates SDN DoS attacks with low overhead.
Stiffness enhancement of polymer nanocomposites via graphene nanoplatelet orientation
Authors: Tiwari Anupam , Panda S. K.
Published: January 2024

In the development of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), lightweight and durable materials play a crucial role for extended high‐altitude flights. Nanoparticle‐reinforced polymer composites meet these requirements, exhibiting resistance to environmental degradation. Despite their potential, the outstanding specific strength, corrosion resistance, and dimensional stability at elevated temperatures of graphene–epoxy nanocomposites have not been fully realized due to inadequate dispersion and spatial orientation within epoxy matrices. Our recent research has introduced a mathematical framework aimed at optimizing alignment parameters for graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and Fe3O4‐attached GNP under a weak DC magnetic field. Subsequently, nanocomposites reinforced with GNP and aligned Fe3O4–GNP nanoparticles were fabricated using optimized parameters, and their alignment was characterized using various techniques. The current study examines the influence and comparative impact of alignment and weight percentage (wt%) loading of both nanoparticles on various mechanical properties, including tensile and compressive strength, along with failure mechanisms. It was observed that both GNP and aligned Fe3O4–GNP enhance the mechanical properties of nanocomposites, particularly notable improvements from aligned Fe3O4–GNP. The Young's modulus of GNP nanocomposites increased by 17%, while aligned Fe3O4–GNP contributed significantly to a 31% enhancement in the Young modulus.

Highlights

Epoxy nanocomposites featuring well‐dispersed GNP and Fe3O4–GNP nanoparticles.

Proper alignment of Fe3O4–GNP within the epoxy nanocomposite was achieved.

Mechanical properties improved with GNP and aligned Fe3O4–GNP incorporation.

The aligned Fe3O4–GNP exhibits advanced potential for engineering applications.
Rheological properties and aging resistance of self‐healing polyurea elastomer modified asphalt
Authors: Li Yang , Zhang Mingliang , Li Xiang , Pei Jianzhong , Li Rui
Published: January 2024

Polymer modified asphalt containing dynamic chemical bonds has the potential to increase the service life of asphalt pavement due to its excellent self‐healing ability. The effect of this self‐healing accelerator with dynamic chemical bond on the rheological properties and aging resistance of asphalt binder is still unclear. In this study, a self‐healing polyurea elastomer (PUA) modified asphalt containing dynamic disulfide bonds was prepared. The high‐ and low‐temperature performance and fatigue resistance of PUA modified asphalt were studied through multiple stress creep, low‐temperature bending beam rheometer, mechanical glass transition temperature, and linear amplitude scanning tests. Moreover, considering the service environment of asphalt over a wide temperature range (−30–70°C), three rheological aging indices (RAI) were proposed. At the same time, the aging resistance of PUA modified asphalt was evaluated by chemical aging index (CAI) based on carbonyl and sulfoxide groups. Finally, a linear relationship is established between RAI and CAI over a wide temperature range. The experimental results show that self‐healing accelerators can increase the resistance to permanent deformation of asphalt by 47.41% and the fatigue resistance by 88.54%. The S value of PUA modified asphalt decreased by at most 33.21% and the m value increased by at most 35.23% compared with BA at −18°C. Moreover, PUA can improve the long‐term thermal oxygen aging resistance of asphalt binders by at least 38.33% over a wide temperature range.

Highlights

Rheological properties of self‐healing polyurea elastomer modified asphalt.

Aging resistance of self‐healing polyurea elastomer modified asphalt.

Proposed rheological aging indices for different temperature ranges.

Clarified the correlation between chemical–rheological aging indices.
Stiffening and softening of freshly prepared and aged CTA, PTMSP, and PIM‐1 films exposed to volatile compounds
Authors: Durd'áková Tereza‐Markéta , Hrdlička Zdeněk , Král Martin , Budd Peter M. , Harrison Wayne J. , Friess Karel , Vopička Ondřej
Published: January 2024

Glassy polymers stiffen or soften when exposed to volatile compounds, depending on the specific combination of polymer compound and the specimen history. Relevant to the long‐term applicability of the separation membranes, three common membrane glassy polymers are studied in this work. Freshly prepared and 2‐years aged films from cellulose triacetate (CTA), poly[1‐(trimethylsilyl)‐1‐propyne] (PTMSP), and the archetypal polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM‐1) were tested using isothermal Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) at varied vapor activity. Vapors of organic compounds, in which the polymers do and do not dissolve in the liquid phase (solvents and nonsolvents), were studied at 40 °C, namely: dichloromethane (DCM, solvent), p‐xylene (solvent for PTMSP and PIM‐1), and methanol (nonsolvent). Functional groups of the mer units sensitive to the dissolution were identified using Raman spectroscopy. All aged films were stiffer than the freshly prepared ones. Stiffening prevailed for most freshly prepared film‐vapor pairs at low vapor saturations (activity < ≈0.4), except CTA and PIM‐1 in nonsolvent methanol vapors. Softening prevailed for the aged films and higher vapor saturations (activity > ≈0.6). Vapors of the solvents and nonsolvents did not show the expectable prevalence of softening and stiffening, respectively. Physical aging influenced the stiffening and softening of polymer glasses expectably.
Effect of self‐seed crystal structure on growth of polymorphs in poly(butylene 2,6‐naphthalate): A cross‐nucleation study
Authors: Du Mengxue , Androsch René , Cavallo Dario
Published: January 2024

Cross‐nucleation between different crystal polymorphs is a particular, self‐seed assisted type of heterogeneous nucleation, where a fast‐growing polymorph nucleates at a pre‐existing crystal surface of another polymorph. Here, we present a study on cross‐nucleation between different crystalline phases of poly(butylene 2,6‐naphthalate) (PBN), employing hotstage polarized‐light optical microscopy and temperature‐resolved wide‐angle X‐ray scattering as analysis tools. PBN forms α‐crystals at relatively low temperature and β′‐crystals at rather high temperature, with cross‐nucleation experiments designed such to first obtain few α‐ or β′‐seed crystals (mother phase) which then are transferred to higher or lower temperature, respectively, to monitor the continuation of the crystallization process and possible growth of the other polymorph. In case of cooling β′‐crystals to lower temperature where typically α‐crystals form in the non‐seeded isotropic melt, β′‐crystals nucleate growth of α‐crystals, following many examples of cross‐nucleation in the literature. In contrast, if low‐temperature‐generated α‐crystals are heated to a temperature where β′‐crystals form in a non‐seeded melt, the cross‐nucleation efficacy is reduced as, beside growth of cross‐nucleated β′‐crystals, also growth of the mother phase is observed. This unexpected result demonstrates the importance of the structure of the nucleating substrate and the interplay between kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of crystal growth.
Orphan crops of archaeology‐based crop history research
Authors: Fuks Daniel , Schmidt Frijda , García‐Collado Maite I. , Besseiche Margot , Payne Neal , Bosi Giovanna , Bouchaud Charlène , Castiglioni Elisabetta , Dabrowski Vladimir , Frumin Suembikya , Fuller Dorian Q. , Hovsepyan Roman , Muthukumaran Sureshkumar , Peña-Chocarro Leonor , Jordá Guillem Pérez , Ros Jérôme , Rottoli Mauro , Ryan Philippa , Spengler Robert , Stevens Chris J. , Valamoti Soultana Maria , Weiss Ehud , Alexander Michelle , Gros-Balthazard Muriel
Published: January 2024

Societal Impact Statement

Agrobiodiversity is central to sustainable farming worldwide. Cultivation, conservation and reintroduction of diverse plant species, including ‘forgotten’ and ‘underutilized’ crops, contribute to global agrobiodiversity, living ecosystems and sustainable food production. Such efforts benefit from traditional and historical knowledge of crop plants' evolutionary and cultural trajectories. This review is a first attempt at systematically gauging species representativeness in studies of archaeological plant remains. Results indicate that, in addition to discipline‐specific methodological sources of bias, modern agricultural biases may replicate themselves in crop history research and influence understandings of ‘forgotten crops’. Recognizing these biases is an initial stride towards rectifying them and promoting agrobiodiversity in both research and practical applications.

So‐called ‘forgotten’ or ‘orphan’ crops are an important component of strategies aimed at preserving and promoting biodiversity. Knowledge of historical cultivation, usage, and geographic and evolutionary trajectories of plants, that is, crop history research, is important for the long‐term success of such efforts. However, research biases in the crops chosen for study may present hurdles. This review attempts to systematically identify patterns in crop species representativeness within archaeology‐based crop history research. A meta‐analysis and synthesis of archaeobotanical evidence (and lack thereof) is presented for 268 species known to have been cultivated for food prior to 1492 CE from the Mediterranean region to South Asia. We identified 39 genera with known crop plants in this geographical and historical context that are currently absent from its archaeobotanical record, constituting ‘orphan’ crops of archaeobotany. In addition, a worldwide synthesis of crop species studied using geometric morphometric, archaeogenetic and stable isotope analyses of archaeological plant remains is presented, and biases in the species represented in these disciplines are discussed. Both disciplinary methodological biases and economic agenda‐based biases affecting species representativeness in crop history research are apparent. This study also highlights the limited geographic diffusion of most crops and the potential for deeper historical perspectives on how crops become marginalized and ‘forgotten’.
A monomeric structure of human TMEM63A protein
Authors: Wu Xuening , Shang Tiantian , Lü Xinyi , Luo Deyi , Yang Dongxue
Published: January 2024

OSCA/TMEM63 is a newly identified family of mechanically activated (MA) ion channels in plants and animals, respectively, which convert physical forces into electrical signals or trigger intracellular cascades and are essential for eukaryotic physiology. OSCAs and related TMEM16s and transmembrane channel‐like (TMC) proteins form homodimers with two pores. However, the molecular architecture of the mammalian TMEM63 proteins remains unclear. Here we elucidate the structure of human TMEM63A in the presence of calcium by single particle cryo‐EM, revealing a distinct monomeric architecture containing eleven transmembrane helices. It has structural similarity to the single subunit of the Arabidopsis thaliana OSCA proteins. We locate the ion permeation pathway within the monomeric configuration and observe a nonprotein density resembling lipid. These results lay a foundation for understanding the structural organization of OSCA/TMEM63A family proteins.
Dielectric Property, AC Conductivity, and Electric Modulus Studies of Pristine and Green‐Synthesized ZnO Nanoparticles
Authors: Sarkar Toton , Kundu Sani , Bhattacharjee Ashis
Published: January 2024

Frequency‐dependent dielectric constant and dielectric loss of pristine and green‐synthesized (using Tabernaemontana divaricata flower extract) ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) are studied at different temperatures. Below 1 kHz frequency and at temperatures above 100 °C, ZnO NPs have giant dielectric constant values (≈3 × 104). At lower frequencies and at/below 100 °C, the nature of temperature dependence of dielectric constant for pristine and green‐synthesized ZnO NPs are reversed, and this anomalous temperature dependence is correlated with the in‐plane and out‐of‐plane thermal expansions of ZnO. A temperature‐dependent poly‐dispersive relaxation mechanism in ZnO has been observed. The electrical conduction mechanism is found to be significantly modulated by the use of flower extract. The electric modulus study suggests similar mechanism of electrical conduction and dielectric polarization followed in these materials. A plausible growth mechanism of the ZnO NPs in presence of the flower extract is explored. Variations in the dielectric constant, dielectric loss, conductivity, and polarization mechanisms of the ZnO NPs are understood as signatures of the capping effect of the phytochemicals present in the flower extract on the crystal growth and formation of grain boundaries.
Magnetic Helicity in a Chiral‐Polar Magnet Ni2InSbO6
Authors: Gao Yunpeng , Matsuda Masaaki , Yang Junjie
Published: January 2024

The class of chiral‐polar magnets has recently captured significant interest in scientific study due to their intriguing physical phenomena. Among all the chiral‐polar magnets, Ni2InSbO6 stands out because of its unique attributes, such as the emergence of the topological chiral soliton lattice in the presence of an external magnetic field perpendicular to the chiral‐polar axis. However, the magnetic structure of Ni2InSbO6 at zero field has not been well understood yet. This work presents an analysis including polarized optical microscopy and polarized neutron diffraction on a carefully chosen Ni2InSbO6 crystal. Results confirm the predominance of a single chiral‐polar domain within the crystal and indicate the likelihood of cycloidal magnetic ordering under zero magnetic field, alongside the observation of net magnetic helicity. The existence of both a dominant chiral‐polar domain and a dominant cycloidal magnetic domain within Ni2InSbO6 provides an excellent platform for further exploration of its unconventional physical attributes.
Improved Placement Precision of Donor Spin Qubits in Silicon using Molecule Ion Implantation
Authors: Holmes Danielle , Wilhelm Benjamin , Jakob Alexander M. , Yu Xi , Hudson Fay E. , Itoh Kohei M. , Dzurak Andrew S. , Jamieson David N. , Morello Andrea
Published: January 2024

Donor spins in silicon‐28 are among the best performing qubits in the solid state, offering unmatched coherence times, gate fidelities beyond 99% and the ability to fabricate arrays using deterministic ion implantation. Donor placement precision is improved upon, advantageous for qubit readout and coupling, by implanting molecule ions that carry bystander atoms to boost the detection confidence. Here, the suitability of phosphorus difluoride () molecule ions is demonstrated to fabricate donor qubits. Using secondary ion mass spectrometry, it is confirmed that (nuclear spin ) diffuses away from the implant site while remains close to its original location during a donor activation anneal. Electron spin resonance measurements are then performed on ‐implanted qubit devices. A pure dephasing time of and a coherence time of are extracted for the P donor electron‐ values comparable to those found in conventional atomic ‐implanted qubit devices. Additionally, the P donor electron is not found to hyperfine couple to any nuclear spins in its vicinity. Molecule ions therefore show great promise for producing high‐precision deterministically‐implanted arrays of long‐lived donor spin qubits.
Observer‐based fault tolerant control for a class of nonlinear multi‐agent systems with sensor faults
Authors: Chen Jianliang , Li Juan , Zhang Yong , Cao Yong‐Yan
Published: January 2024

This article focuses on the robust fault tolerant control (FTC) problem for a class of Lipschitz nonlinear multi‐agent systems(MASs) subject to sensor faults. Firstly, sensor faults are transformed into actuator faults via introducing a new intermediate auxiliary state variable, and a distributed adaptive fault estimation observer is designed to estimate the state information and the concerned faults by using the relative output estimation error. Then, the sufficient existence conditions for the observer to satisfy the robust performance index are given. Thirdly, based on the results of observer design, a new design method of dynamic output feedback controller is proposed to implement consensus of MASs and ensure the desired disturbance rejection performance. Finally, the simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A model for quantifying the effectiveness of leaky barriers as a flood mitigation intervention in an agricultural landscape
Authors: Villamizar Martha L. , Stoate Chris , Biggs Jeremy , Szczur John , Williams Penny , Brown Colin D.
Published: January 2024

Leaky barriers have become an important mitigation option within natural flood management to reduce downstream flood risk. Modelling is a key tool to aid in the design of leaky barrier installations for flood mitigation, but there is limited evidence about the accuracy of model representations of the system. Here, the hydrological model SWAT was combined with a water routing model that simulates multiple leaky barriers as permeable sluice gates. Storage behind individual barriers was quantified using barrier dimensions and LIDAR topography. The model was applied to a series of 27 leaky barriers installed as part of a long‐term manipulation experiment into a 11‐km2 intensive lowland agricultural catchment in Leicestershire, England. Evaluation of the model against flow data collected before and after leaky barrier installation and time‐lapse photography taken across storm events at individual barriers demonstrated robust model performance (Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency and R2 across 19 validation events were 0.84 ± 0.14 and 0.91 ± 0.08, respectively). Empirical and modelling data were then combined to demonstrate that the 17,700 m3 of water storage provided by the 27 leaky barriers reduced peak flows at the catchment outlet by 22 ± 6% and delayed the peak in flow by up to 5 h for 11 storm events recorded after all barriers had been installed. The volume of storage utilised prior to the flood event was a key factor influencing the reduction in peak flow, and a sensitivity analysis indicated that barriers should be permeable to accelerate drain‐down of the barrier and help to mitigate risk from multiple storm events occurring in sequence.
Catalysis with Two‐Dimensional Metal‐Organic Frameworks: Synthesis, Characterization, and Modulation
Authors: Lin Yanping , Li Lu , Shi Zhe , Zhang Lishang , Li Ke , Chen Jianmei , Wang Hao , Lee Jong‐Min
Published: January 2024

The demand for the exploration of highly active and durable electro/photocatalysts for renewable energy conversion has experienced a significant surge in recent years. Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), by virtue of their high porosity, large surface area, and modifiable metal centers and ligands, have gained tremendous attention and demonstrated promising prospects in electro/photocatalytic energy conversion. However, the small pore sizes and limited active sites of 3D bulk MOFs hinder their wide applications. Developing 2D MOFs with tailored thickness and large aspect ratio has emerged as an effective approach to meet these challenges, offering a high density of exposed active sites, better mechanical stability, better assembly flexibility, and shorter charge and photoexcited state transfer distances compared to 3D bulk MOFs. In this review, synthesis methods for the most up‐to‐date 2D MOFs are first overviewed, highlighting their respective advantages and disadvantages. Subsequently, a systematic analysis is conducted on the identification and electronic structure modulation of catalytic active sites in 2D MOFs and their applications in renewable energy conversion, including electrocatalysis and photocatalysis (electro/photocatalysis). Lastly, the current challenges and future development of 2D MOFs toward highly efficient and practical electro/photocatalysis are proposed.
Potential‐Induced Electrochemical Corrosion in Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells
Authors: Hao Yuanpang , Yang Hong , Han Hongmin , Nan Chenhui , Huang Xin , Wang He
Published: January 2024

In this article, the electrochemical corrosion of full‐area aluminum back‐surface field (Al–BSF) and bifacial passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) crystalline silicon (c‐Si) solar cells subjected to different potential in sodium chloride (NaCl) solution is systematically investigated. Based on different potential‐induced corrosion, the electrochemical corrosion mechanism of c‐Si solar cells is revealed for the first time. Under zero potential, an important finding is that the silicon beneath silver electrode is corroded and perforated for Al–BSF cells. This phenomenon is attributed to the interaction between hydroxide ions from galvanic corrosion and electrons from silicon corrosion. For bifacial PERC cells, the pyramidal structure of silicon surface beneath the aluminum finger is observed at zero potential, which is similar to the silicon texturing etched in alkaline environment. Additionally, it is found that silicon corrosion is inhibited when positive or negative potential is applied to the back of Al–BSF and bifacial PERC cells. Moreover, it is observed the aluminum suffers from more serious corrosion at positive potential than that at zero or negative potential, which is attributed to synthetical results of galvanic corrosion and electrolytic corrosion. In this work, a new insight on the potential‐induced electrochemical corrosion for c‐Si solar cells is provided.
What is the noosphere? Planetary superorganism, major evolutionary transition and emergence
Authors: Vidal Clément
Published: January 2024

The noosphere remains an underappreciated and understudied idea despite that it provides unique hope towards a positive and meaningful global integration. A core reason for this lack of attention is that its very definition is often unclear both in the West with Teilhard de Chardin and in the East with Vernadsky. I show how Living Systems Theory can clarify two fundamental meanings: the noosphere as a planetary superorganism and the noosphere as a sphere of mind, storing, processing and spreading information. I also present two key aspects to better grasp the concept: the noosphere as a planetary major evolutionary transition and the noosphere as the emergence of something radically new, which might include a planetary consciousness, or a planet seeking to find or contact other noospheres.
Multipurpose Optimization Method for Energy Storage System Specification Using Measurement Data of DC Traction Substations
Authors: Nakamura Sho , Fukuda Takahiro , Kodama Yasuhiro , Hayashi Yasuhiro , Hayashiya Hitoshi
Published: January 2024

The peak demand for railway power occurs when trains operate at full capacity, which calls for the need of facilities that can handle such peaks. These expansive railway power facilities, which cover vast areas, result in increased maintenance and management costs while affecting the power supply to traction substations (TSs). Herein, we investigated the load leveling of TSs using energy storage systems (ESSs). Most of the studies that have been conducted on the use of ESSs in electric railways have focused on high‐speed railways and urban lines. The application of ESSs to local lines is expected to be highly effective in reducing the capacity of power facilities using the load leveling of TSs. However, the introduction of ESSs to such local lines has not yet been discussed in detail. Hence, we focused on the relationship between ESS specifications (battery capacity, kWh) and load peak reduction (kW) and proposed a method to determine the ESS specifications by simultaneous optimization using linear programming. Numerical calculations were performed based on measured data from a real line, and the proposed method was verified in terms of battery capacity, load peak reduction, and ESS operation ratio. The numerical results indicate that the maximum load of the TS can be reduced by 98.7% and 91.1% using 380 kWh and 65.42 kWh ESS, respectively, considering its cooling time. This highlights the potential of Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) to balance TS (Time‐of‐Use) loads and consequently reduce power facility requirements. © 2024 The Authors. IEEJ Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Engineering published by Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Clinical features and long‐term outcomes of patients with type 2 autoimmune pancreatitis
Authors: de Pretis Nicolò , Carlin Michele , Calderini Emilia , Caldart Federico , Conti Bellocchi Maria Cristina , Amodio Antonio , De Marchi Giulia , Campagnola Pietro , Crinò Stefano Francesco , Bernardoni Laura , Gabbrielli Armando , Martinelli Luigi , Frulloni Luca
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Type 2 is a rare form of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). Despite being considered a benign disease, only few studies with limited sample size and short follow‐up have been published on type 2 AIP. The aim of this observational study was to evaluate long‐term outcomes, such as the risk of relapse, pancreatic insufficiency and cancer in a large type 2 AIP cohort with long follow‐up.

Methods

Patients with definitive or probable diagnosis of type 2 AIP by International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria (ICDC) present in our prospectively maintained database since 1995 at 31.12.2021 were identified. All patients were clinically evaluated during the year 2022. Clinical, radiological, serological, and pathological data were evaluated.

Results

Eighty‐eight out of 420 patients present in the database (21%) were diagnosed with type 2 AIP (mean age 33.5 ± 13.5 years). According to the ICDC, 21 patients (23.8%) had a definitive and 67 (76.2%) a probable diagnosis of type 2 AIP. The mean follow‐up was 9.2 ± 7.1 years (range 1–27 years). No differences were observed when comparing patients with definitive and probable type 2 AIP diagnosis. Concomitant IBD was reported in 77 patients (87.5%). The probability of disease relapse was lower in patients treated with steroids versus surgery (at 5 years 13% vs. 33%; p = 0.038) but this difference was not statistically significant at multivariable analysis. The risk of endocrine or severe exocrine insufficiency was low (5% and 25%). Four extra‐pancreatic malignancies (5%) were diagnosed, none pancreatic. One patient died in a car accident.

Conclusions

Type 2 AIP has benign long‐term clinical outcomes. Mortality and cancer rates are low and no specific follow‐up is needed after radiological remission.