bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The global wildland–urban interface
Authors: Schug Franz , Bar-Massada Avi , Carlson Amanda R. , Cox Heather , Hawbaker Todd J. , Helmers David , Hostert Patrick , Kaim Dominik , Kasraee Neda K. , Martinuzzi Sebastián , Mockrin Miranda H. , Pfoch Kira A. , Radeloff Volker C.
Published: July 2023

The wildland–urban interface (WUI) is where buildings and wildland vegetation meet or intermingle1,2. It is where human–environmental conflicts and risks can be concentrated, including the loss of houses and lives to wildfire, habitat loss and fragmentation and the spread of zoonotic diseases3. However, a global analysis of the WUI has been lacking. Here, we present a global map of the 2020 WUI at 10 m resolution using a globally consistent and validated approach based on remote sensing-derived datasets of building area4 and wildland vegetation5. We show that the WUI is a global phenomenon, identify many previously undocumented WUI hotspots and highlight the wide range of population density, land cover types and biomass levels in different parts of the global WUI. The WUI covers only 4.7% of the land surface but is home to nearly half its population (3.5 billion). The WUI is especially widespread in Europe (15% of the land area) and the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome (18%). Of all people living near 2003–2020 wildfires (0.4 billion), two thirds have their home in the WUI, most of them in Africa (150 million). Given that wildfire activity is predicted to increase because of climate change in many regions6, there is a need to understand housing growth and vegetation patterns as drivers of WUI change.
Rh-catalyzed chemo-, stereo- and regioselective C–H cascade annulation of indolyloxopropanenitriles for pyranoindoles
Authors: Kotipalli Ramesh , Babu Undamatla Suri , Nanubolu Jagadeesh Babu , Reddy Maddi Sridhar
Published: July 2023

A Rh-catalyzed annulation of indolyl oxopropanenitrile with hydroxy-alkynoates to access pyranoindole cyclic motifs is reported, featuring enol oxygen as a chemoselective reactive terminal, through an oxy-rodacycle guided by dual co-ordination to enable regioselectivity.
Self-assembly of random networks of zirconium-doped manganese oxide nanoribbons and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) flakes at the water/chloroform interface
Authors: Kaladi Chondath Subin , Menamparambath Mini Mol
Published: July 2023

A facile water/chloroform interfacial polymerisation was employed to synthesize PEDOT/Zr-K-OMS-2 (PZrK) microscale films (∼21 nm thickness), formed by a random network of PEDOT flakes and Zr-K-OMS-2 nanoribbons.
The influence of hydroxide to fluoride substitution in the trans-position to NO on the photochemistry of ruthenium nitrosyl complexes in the solid state and in solution
Authors: Mikhailov Artem A. , Brovko Anastasiya O. , Kuratieva Nataliya V. , Eltsov Ilia V. , Schaniel Dominik , Kostin Gennadiy A.
Published: July 2023

The substitution of the OH ligand in the trans position to NO in [RuNOPy2Cl2X] (X = F, OH) results in an increase of thermal stability of RuNO linkage isomers in the solid state, but decreases the quantum yield of the NO release in solution.
Transition From Childhood to Adult Care in Patients with Type 1
Diabetes: 20 Years of Experience From the Tübinger Transition
Study
Authors: Schweizer Roland , Lösch-Binder Martina , Hayn Clara , Friz Silas , Uber Julia , Ziegler Julian , Liebrich Franziska , Neu Andreas
Published: July 2023

Aims Transition from pediatric to adult care is difficult for patients
with chronic diseases. In this study, factors associated with metabolic control
in childhood-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) after transfer to adult care were
analyzed.

Methods Overall, 224 persons with T1D were contacted yearly from 1998 to
2019. They voluntarily answered a questionnaire about their current hemoglobin
A1c (HbA1c) levels, diabetes-associated complications, kind of care, living
conditions, and family situation. Then, mixed longitudinal-cross-sectional
analyses were carried out.

Results Overall, 190 patients answered at least once (mean age: 26.6
years). Diabetes complications were mentioned by 10 patients (5
microalbuminuria, 5 retinopathy). Most patients (92.6%) were in
diabetes-specific care during the first year after transfer, with a trend to
leave diabetes-specific care during the observation period. Patients in
diabetes-specific care displayed lower HbA1c levels
(%/mmol/mol) (7.1/54 vs. 7.5/58).
An important predictor for HbA1c after transfer was HbA1c during the year before
transfer (r=0.67, p <0.001). Patients living alone showed no
difference in HbA1c levels from those living with their parents. Married
patients had lower HbA1c levels (7.0/53 vs. 7.3/56,
p<0.05) than unmarried ones. Patients with children (15.8%)
presented lower HbA1c levels (6.9/52 vs. 7.3/56, p
<0.01) than those without.

Conclusions Good metabolic results are favored in patients followed-up in
specialized care, are married, and are parents. We recommend transfer to a
diabetologist with experience in T1D at an individual age.
Tourniquet Use in Extremity-Based Microsurgery
Authors: Corbett John , Rocks Madeline , Wu Meagan , Nemir Stephanie , Castro Jose , Gonzalez Gilberto , Azad Ali , Hacquebord Jacques , Diamond Shawn
Published: July 2023

Background The use of tourniquets and their role in extremity-based microsurgery has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate tourniquet use and its associated outcomes and complications. The authors hypothesize that tourniquets enhance visualization, bloodless approaches to vessel harvest, flap elevation, and anastomosis without added complications.

Methods A retrospective chart review was completed for patients who had undergone extremity-based microsurgery with the use of a tourniquet between January 2018 and February 2022 at two large academic institutions. Demographic characteristics, initial reasons for surgery, complications, and outcomes were recorded. Patients were separated into groups based on tourniquet use during three operative segments: (1) flap elevation, (2) vessel harvest, and (3) microvascular anastomosis. An internal comparison of complication rate was performed between cases for which a tourniquet was used for one operative segment to all cases in which it was not used for the same operative segment. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to identify statistically significant results.

Results A total of 99 patients (106 surgeries) were included in this study across sites. The mean age was 41.2 years and 67.7% of the patients were male. The most common reason for microsurgical reconstruction was trauma (50.5%). The need for an additional unplanned surgery was the most common surgical complication (16%). A total of 70, 61, and 32% of procedures used a tourniquet for flap elevation, vessel harvest, and for anastomosis, respectively. Statistical analyses identified no difference in complication rates for procedures for which a tourniquet was or was not used for interventions.

Conclusion Based on these results, the authors state that tourniquets can be utilized for extremity-based microsurgery to enable bloodless dissection without the concern of increased complication rates.
Preliminary Experience with Continuous Submucosal Anastomosis in Small-Diameter Hepaticojejunostomy during Single-Port Laparoscopic Choledochal Cyst Surgery in Children
Authors: Tang Yingming , Zhang Jie , Luo Miao , Li Fei , Huang Huang , Zhou Zhou , Fan Xia , Qin Zhijie , He Guoqing , Zhuang Yize
Published: July 2023

Purpose Hepaticojejunostomy anastomosis (HJA) is the most challenging aspect in single-port laparoscopic choledochal cystectomy and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (SPCH) in children, especially in small-diameter anastomoses (diameters less than 5 mm), which are more susceptible to anastomotic stricture. We developed the continuous submucosal technique for HJA (CS-HJA) to lessen postoperative complications. The purpose of this study is to introduce our preliminary experiences with CS-HJA.

Methods We retrospectively analyzed all available clinical data of children who underwent SPCH surgery between March 2020 and October 2022. We operated with CS-HJA on 10 children who were diagnosed with small-diameter hepaticojejunostomy (diameter less than 5 mm). Data collection mainly included demographic information, imaging data, perioperative details, and postoperative outcomes. Ten patients were included in this study. The average patient age was 55.2 months; the age range was 3 to 120 months, and the average weight was 11.6 kg; male–female ratio was 1:9. The choledocho had fusiform dilatation in five cases and cystic dilatation in five cases. There was no dilatation of the left and right hepatic ducts or intrahepatic bile ducts in all patients. All patients had no dilatation of the left and right hepatic ducts or intrahepatic bile ducts. All patients underwent a single-port laparoscopic bile-intestinal anastomosis using a submucosal jejunal anastomosis technique. Analysis of the duration of the bile-intestinal anastomosis, the length of the child's stay in the hospital after surgery, the intraoperative complications, and the postoperative complications was performed.

Results All the 10 patients underwent successful SPCH by CS-HJA technique. The average length of time for hepaticojejunostomy ranged from 22 to 40 minutes, and the postoperative hospital stay was 5.2 to 9.2 days. There were no instances of bile leakage following the operation. At 17 to 30 months of follow-up, there was no abdominal pain or jaundice, and the reexamination of transaminases, bilirubin, and amylase were normal. Ultrasonography showed no bile duct stricture or dilated bile ducts, and the incision is elegant, and the families of the patients were satisfied.

Conclusion In SPCH surgery in children, the CS-HJA technique is safe and feasible for small-diameter hepaticojejunostomy.
Chemoprevention in Inherited Colorectal Cancer Syndromes
Authors: Gilad Ophir , Muller Charles , Kupfer Sonia S.
Published: July 2023

Cancer prevention in hereditary gastrointestinal predisposition syndromes relies primarily on intensive screening (e.g., colonoscopy) or prophylactic surgery (e.g., colectomy). The use of chemopreventive agents as an adjunct to these measures has long been studied both in the general population and in hereditary cancer patients, in whom the risk of malignancy, and therefore the potential risk reduction, is considerably greater. However, to date only few compounds have been found to be effective, safe, and tolerable for widespread use. Furthermore, many of the studies involving these rare syndromes suffer from small sample sizes, heterogeneous patient cohorts, short follow-up duration, and lack of standardized endpoints, creating challenges to draw generalizable conclusion regarding efficacy. The following review summarizes the current data on various chemopreventive compounds used in Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis in addition to several agents that are currently being investigated.
Shared Decision-Making, Sphincter Preservation, and Rectal Cancer Treatment: Identifying and Executing What Matters Most to Patients
Authors: Ivatury Srinivas Joga , Suwanabol Pasithorn A. , Roo Ana C. De
Published: July 2023

Rectal cancer treatment often encompasses multiple steps and options, with benefits and risks that vary based on the individual. Additionally, patients facing rectal cancer often have preferences regarding overall quality of life, which includes bowel function, sphincter preservation, and ostomies. This article reviews these data in the context of shared decision-making approaches in an effort to better inform patients deliberating treatment options for rectal cancer.
Multi-wave effects on stability and performance in rotating detonation combustors
Authors: Sheng Zhaohua , Cheng Miao , Wang Jian-Ping
Published: July 2023

Recently, with the development of detonation-based propulsion systems, scholars have begun to study how to perform mode control on the rotating detonation combustor (RDC). It is important to figure out the influence of operation mode transition on the RDC. Actually, the essential of different modes is the different multi-wave structures. In this study, two-dimensional numerical simulations of the RDC are conducted to study the multi-wave effect on the stability and performance of the RDC. A uniform inlet condition is adopted in simulations to eliminate the impact of discrepancy mass flow rates, and a mode-locked ignition method is used to induce RDC flow fields with different detonation wave numbers. It is found that the flow field stability and outlet uniformity are improved with increasing detonation counts, and the energy proportion in the flow field is little affected by the multi-wave structure. However, the increase in detonation number will cause a reduction of the mass-averaged total pressure ratio at the exit. Underlying relationship between the unsteady flow field and the total pressure gain is discussed. The total pressure gain is directly linked with the non-uniformity of the circumferential flow field. Then, by utilizing particle trace, the envelope of the thermodynamic cycle is illustrated and the pseudo-thermal efficiency of each case is given. The result implies that the wave number has hardly effect on the thermal efficiency of the combustion chamber. By summarizing the perimeter, axial length, and wave number in the combustor, parameter ξ is carried out and its effects on the uniformity and total pressure ratio in the RDC are concluded.
A device for studying fluid-induced cracks under mixed-mode loading conditions using x-ray tomography
Authors: Santarossa Angel , Ortellado Laureano , Sack Achim , Gómez Leopoldo R. , Pöschel Thorsten
Published: July 2023

We introduce an innovative instrument designed to investigate fluid-induced fractures under mixed loading conditions, including uniaxial tension and shear stress, in gels and similar soft materials. Equipped with sensors for measuring force, torque, and fluid pressure, the device is tailored for compatibility with x-ray tomography scanners, enabling non-invasive 3D analysis of crack geometries. To showcase its capabilities, we conducted a study examining crack-front segmentation in a hydrogel subjected to air pressure and a combination of tension and shear stress.
Broadband achromatic metalens with high numerical aperture via hybrid all-dielectric meta-atoms in the visible region
Authors: Wang Xiaosai , Yao Jiabao , Cui Ying , Jiang Yongyuan
Published: July 2023

The correction of chromatic aberration and achievement of high numerical aperture (NA) are two main issues for the realistic application of metalenses in imaging and display systems. In this work, we design a broadband achromatic metalens (BAM) with high NA, which is composed of hybrid all-dielectric meta-atoms in the visible region. By simultaneously and independently manipulating the geometric phase and propagation phase, meta-atoms can focus the incident lights on the same spot. Besides, a large phase compensation can be obtained through the variation in structural parameters of the hybrid meta-atom, which is essential to achieve high-NA BAM. For demonstration, the achromatic metalens with NA of 0.68 over the spectrum from 420 to 700 nm is numerically simulated. The metalens possessing high NA, broad bandwidth, and diffraction-limited achromatic focusing performance can be potentially applied in the field of imaging, spectroscopy, display, etc.
Spectral tailoring of the terahertz radiation from air plasma excited by two-color femtosecond pulses
Authors: Zhang Zhiwen , Liu Zefu , Wang Shixiang , Lu Chenhui , Fan Zhengquan , Kostin Vasily A. , Liu Yi
Published: July 2023

We analyzed both experimentally and theoretically the spectrum of terahertz emission from air plasma excited by phase-controlled two-color femtosecond pulses. It was found that the low frequency component (<5 THz) exhibits high energy modulation contrast (>90%) for varied phase shift between the fundamental light field and its second harmonic, while the high frequency component (5–20 THz) was just slightly modulated with the phase shift. This proofs that the shape of the THz spectrum can be effectively tailored by changing the relative phase. To explain the experimental results, we developed a nonlocal plasma current approach, which was employed to calculate broadband spectral THz shapes and study their dependence on pulse parameters. It was revealed that the modulation contrast in the high-frequency part of the THz spectrum decreases with the pulse duration and the frequency detuning between the doubled fundamental frequency and the central frequency of the second harmonic field in the focal region. The obtained results indicate that the shape of the THz spectrum is affected by fine details of the frequency and phase structure of the two-color pulse, which can be used both for simple experimental tailoring of the THz spectrum and probing the two-color pulses undergoing lengthening and spectral shifts while propagating.
Performance analysis of photon-enhanced thermionic emission systems mediated by quantum tunneling
Authors: Wang Yuan , Ding Aoao , Li Haidong , Liu Shaohui , Mao Qianhui , Yang Zhimin , Su Shanhe
Published: July 2023

Reducing the gap between the electrodes to the nanoscale and utilizing quantum effects are an effective way to enhance the performance of a thermionic energy device. In this work, we establish the model of a photon-enhanced thermionic emission system with a nanoscale vacuum gap, where the electron transport due to electron tunneling and the near-field radiation resulting from photon tunneling are introduced. Analytical expressions for the thermionic emission current, electron tunneling current, and heat flux due to the near-field radiation are provided. By using the energy and particle balance equations, the electron concentration and the temperature of the cathode are determined. The impacts of the voltage, electron affinity, and gap distance on the performance are further analyzed. Results show that the suggested system can achieve high efficiency at the low-temperature cathode. Up to 34.7% of solar-to-electricity efficiency is possible at a cathode temperature of 472.5 K. The proposed model provides a strategy for designing highly efficient thermionic emission devices operating at low temperatures.
Developed and quasi-developed macro-scale flow in micro- and mini-channels with arrays of offset strip fins
Authors: Vangeffelen A. , Buckinx G. , De Servi Carlo Maria , Vetrano M. R. , Baelmans M.
Published: July 2023

We investigate to what degree the steady laminar flow in typical micro- and mini-channels with offset strip fin arrays can be described as developed on a macro-scale level, in the presence of channel entrance and sidewall effects. Hereto, the extent of the developed and quasi-developed flow regions in such channels is determined through large-scale numerical flow simulations. It is observed that the onset point of developed flow increases linearly with the Reynolds number and channel width but remains small relative to the total channel length. Furthermore, we find that the local macro-scale pressure gradient and closure force for the (double) volume-averaged Navier–Stokes equations are adequately modeled by a developed friction factor correlation, as typical discrepancies are below 15% in both the developed and developing flow region. We show that these findings can be attributed to the eigenvalues and mode amplitudes, which characterize the quasi-developed flow in the entrance region of the channel. Finally, we discuss the influence of the channel side walls on the flow periodicity, the mass flow rate, as well as the macro-scale velocity profile, which we capture by a displacement factor and slip length coefficient. Our findings are supported by extensive numerical data for fin height-to-length ratios up to 1, fin pitch-to-length ratios up to 0.5, and channel aspect ratios between 1/5 and 1/17, covering Reynolds numbers from 28 to 1224.
Comparative assessment for pressure field reconstruction based on physics-informed neural network
Authors: Fan Di , Xu Yang , Wang Hongping , Wang Jinjun
Published: July 2023

In this paper, a physics-informed neural network (PINN) is used to determine pressure fields from the experimentally measured velocity data. As a novel method of data assimilation, PINN can simultaneously optimize velocity and solve pressure by embedding the Navier–Stokes equations into the loss function. The PINN method is compared with two traditional pressure reconstruction algorithms, i.e., spectral decomposition-based fast pressure integration and irrotation correction on pressure gradient and orthogonal-path integration, and its performance is numerically assessed using two kinds of flow motions, namely, Taylor's decaying vortices and forced isotropic turbulence. In the case of two-dimensional decaying vortices, critical parameters of PINN have been investigated with and without considering measurement errors. Regarding the forced isotropic turbulence, the influence of spatial resolution and out-of-plane motion on pressure reconstruction is assessed. Finally, in an experimental case of a synthetic jet impinging on a solid wall, the PINN is used to determine the pressure from the velocity fields obtained by the planar particle image velocimetry. All results show that the PINN-based pressure reconstruction is superior to other methods even if the velocity fields are significantly contaminated by the measurement errors.
On water-entry cavity evolution models and maneuvering motion of supercavitating vehicle
Authors: Li Yiguo , Wang Cong , Wei Yingjie , Cao Wei , Lu Jiaxing , Xia Shengsheng , Xu Haiyu
Published: July 2023

The maneuverability of supercavitating vehicles is significantly affected by disturbance from their control surfaces during the water-entry process. In this paper, experiments and simulations on cavity evolution models and vehicle dynamic characteristics are carried out to investigate the influence of the water-entry disturbance on the water-entry maneuvering motion process of supercavitating vehicles. In the water-entry experiment of medium speed projectiles based on the high speed photography, the shapes of cavity contours are extracted and the applicability of the cavity evolution models to the problem of water-entry maneuvering motion is verified. A kind of more correct prediction model of cavity shape is chosen by the comparison. A mathematical model on the water-entry maneuvering motions of vehicles is developed based upon certain simplifications, which makes an improvement on the three-dimensional cavity topology algorithm. Afterward, the simulations on the water-entry maneuvering motion of the vehicle are carried out, from which the real-time interaction between the vehicle and the cavity is extracted and the influence law of the fin deflection angle on the vehicle dynamic characteristics is analyzed. The influence mechanism of the desynchronization of fins' contacting water on the water-entry maneuvering motions of vehicles is revealed. It is found that the fin deflection angle of 10° is the most conducive to enhancing the vehicles' ability to stabilize their attitudes during water-entry maneuver by analyzing the fin efficiency and planning parameters.
Tunable velocity-based deterministic lateral displacement for efficient separation of particles in various size ranges
Authors: Kheirkhah Barzoki Ali , Dezhkam Rasool , Shamloo Amir
Published: July 2023

Deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) is a promising method showing great potential in achieving high-resolution separation of suspended particles based on their size, through the use of micropillars arranged in a periodic manner. In the traditional approach to DLD, the migration mode of a particle with a specific size is determined by the critical diameter (Dc), which is predetermined by the device's geometry. In contrast to conventional DLD chips that alter the direction of the pillar array to create an angle with the fluid streamlines, this paper proposes a novel approach by changing the direction of the streamlines. The proposed method enables the fabrication of a tunable DLD chip that is simple to produce and can generate a considerable Dc range by adjusting two control parameters. The first parameter is the ratio of velocity between the main outlet and minor outlets, with the main outlet located at the end of the microchannel and the minor outlets situated on the upper side. The second parameter is the flow rate ratio of two sheath inlets that controls particles' entrance position to the DLD chamber. By manipulating these parameters, Dc can be easily adjusted. This chip features completely horizontal rows of pillars that provide Dc values ranging from 1 to 25 μm.
Exact tunneling splittings from symmetrized path integrals
Authors: Trenins George , Meuser Lars , Bertschi Hannah , Vavourakis Odysseas , Flütsch Reto , Richardson Jeremy O.
Published: July 2023

We develop a new simulation technique based on path-integral molecular dynamics for calculating ground-state tunneling splitting patterns from ratios of symmetrized partition functions. In particular, molecular systems are rigorously projected onto their J = 0 rotational state by an “Eckart spring” that connects two adjacent beads in a ring polymer. Using this procedure, the tunneling splitting can be obtained from thermodynamic integration at just one (sufficiently low) temperature. Converged results are formally identical to the values that would have been obtained by solving the full rovibrational Schrödinger equation on a given Born–Oppenheimer potential energy surface. The new approach is showcased with simulations of hydronium and methanol, which are in good agreement with wavefunction-based calculations and experimental measurements. The method will be of particular use for the study of low-barrier methyl rotations and other floppy modes, where instanton theory is not valid.
How generic is iodide-tagging photoelectron spectroscopy: An extended investigation on the Gly·X− (Gly = glycine, X = Cl or Br) complexes
Authors: Cao Wenjin , Yuan Qinqin , Zhang Hanhui , Zhou Xiaoguo , Kass Steven R. , Wang Xue-Bin
Published: July 2023

We report a joint negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy (NIPES) and quantum chemical computational study on glycine-chloride/bromide complexes (denoted Gly·X−, X = Cl/Br) in close comparison to the previously studied Gly·I− cluster ion. Combining experimental NIPE spectra and theoretical calculations, various Gly·X− complexes were found to adopt the same types of low-lying isomers, albeit with different relative energies. Despite more congested spectral profiles for Gly·Cl− and Gly·Br−, spectral assignments were accomplished with the guidance of the knowledge learned from Gly·I−, where a larger spin–orbit splitting of iodine afforded well-resolved, recognizable spectral peaks. Three canonical plus one zwitterionic isomer for Gly·Cl− and four canonical conformers for Gly·Br− were experimentally identified and characterized in contrast to the five canonical ones observed for Gly·I− under similar experimental conditions. Taken together, this study investigates both genericity and variations in binding patterns for the complexes composed of glycine and various halides, demonstrating that iodide-tagging is an effective spectroscopic means to unravel diverse ion-molecule binding motifs for cluster anions with congested spectral bands by substituting the respective ion with iodide.
Differential spectrometric gas sensor with dual out-of-phase microplasma sources
Authors: Seton Ragnar , Berglund Martin , Persson Anders
Published: July 2023

This Letter presents a method for gas sensing based on differential microplasma emission spectroscopy. The method used two strip line split-ring resonator microplasma sources that were powered differentially by modulated power supplies. It was shown to reduce 1/f noise and improve the signal-to-noise ratio and exhibited good accuracy and linearity for sensing CO2 concentration over close to two orders of magnitude. The focus of the study was improved response time and stability, and the results show a 0.2 s response time dominated by advection through the integrated fluidics, and a more than six times stability improvement compared to previous studies. The latter was likely due to several parallel effects, including reduced heat loss in the microplasma sources, and the differential embodiment of the system that balanced temperature and pressure-dependent drift. In a preliminary evaluation, the system displayed a sensitivity of 19 μV/% CO2, a linearity of 0.999, an accuracy of 580 ppm, a response time of 0.2 s, and a maximum averaging time of 620 s, along with ample opportunities for further optimization. Overall, the proposed sensing method shows promise for many kinds of gas sensing applications, particularly for stable and precise measurements in environments where drift is a concern.
Modulatory dynamics mark the transition between anesthetic states of unconsciousness
Authors: Adam Elie , Kwon Ohyoon , Montejo Karla A. , Brown Emery N.
Published: July 2023

Unconsciousness maintained by GABAergic anesthetics, such as propofol and sevoflurane, is characterized by slow-delta oscillations (0.3 to 4 Hz) and alpha oscillations (8 to 14 Hz) that are readily visible in the electroencephalogram. At higher doses, these slow-delta–alpha (SDA) oscillations transition into burst suppression. This is a marker of a state of profound brain inactivation during which isoelectric (flatline) periods alternate with periods of the SDA patterns present at lower doses. While the SDA and burst suppression patterns have been analyzed separately, the transition from one to the other has not. Using state–space methods, we characterize the dynamic evolution of brain activity from SDA to burst suppression and back during unconsciousness maintained with propofol or sevoflurane in volunteer subjects and surgical patients. We uncover two dynamical processes that continuously modulate the SDA oscillations: alpha-wave amplitude and slow-wave frequency modulation. We present an alpha modulation index and a slow modulation index which characterize how these processes track the transition from SDA oscillations to burst suppression and back to SDA oscillations as a function of increasing and decreasing anesthetic doses, respectively. Our biophysical model reveals that these dynamics track the combined evolution of the neurophysiological and metabolic effects of a GABAergic anesthetic on brain circuits. Our characterization of the modulatory dynamics mediated by GABAergic anesthetics offers insights into the mechanisms of these agents and strategies for monitoring and precisely controlling the level of unconsciousness in patients under general anesthesia.
Partial entropy decomposition reveals higher-order information structures in human brain activity
Authors: Varley Thomas F. , Pope Maria , Maria Grazia  , Joshua  , Sporns Olaf
Published: July 2023

The standard approach to modeling the human brain as a complex system is with a network, where the basic unit of interaction is a pairwise link between two brain regions. While powerful, this approach is limited by the inability to assess higher-order interactions involving three or more elements directly. In this work, we explore a method for capturing higher-order dependencies in multivariate data: the partial entropy decomposition (PED). Our approach decomposes the joint entropy of the whole system into a set of nonnegative atoms that describe the redundant, unique, and synergistic interactions that compose the system’s structure. PED gives insight into the mathematics of functional connectivity and its limitation. When applied to resting-state fMRI data, we find robust evidence of higher-order synergies that are largely invisible to standard functional connectivity analyses. Our approach can also be localized in time, allowing a frame-by-frame analysis of how the distributions of redundancies and synergies change over the course of a recording. We find that different ensembles of regions can transiently change from being redundancy-dominated to synergy-dominated and that the temporal pattern is structured in time. These results provide strong evidence that there exists a large space of unexplored structures in human brain data that have been largely missed by a focus on bivariate network connectivity models. This synergistic structure is dynamic in time and likely will illuminate interesting links between brain and behavior. Beyond brain-specific application, the PED provides a very general approach for understanding higher-order structures in a variety of complex systems.
Surface Ferron Excitations in Ferroelectrics and Their Directional Routing
Authors: Zhou Xi-Han , Cai Chengyuan , Tang Ping , Rodríguez-Suárez R. L. , Rezende Sergio M. , Bauer Gerrit E. W. , Yu Tao
Published: July 2023

The duality between electric and magnetic dipoles inspires recent comparisons between ferronics and magnonics. Here we predict surface polarization waves or “ferrons” in ferroelectric insulators, taking the long-range dipolar interaction into account. We predict properties that are strikingly different from the magnetic counterpart, i.e. the surface Damon–Eshbach magnons in ferromagnets. The dipolar interaction pushes the ferron branch with locked circular polarization and momentum to the ionic plasma frequency. The low-frequency modes are on the other hand in-plane polarized normal to their wave vectors. The strong anisotropy of the lower branch renders directional emissions of electric polarization and chiral near fields when activated by a focused laser beam, allowing optical routing in ferroelectric devices.
Fabric defect detection based on anchor-free network
Authors: Wang Xianbao , Fang Weijie , Xiang Sheng
Published: July 2023

Fabrics play a pivotal role in human life and production, and surface defects can directly affect the quality and value of fabrics. Many methods for fabric defect detection have been proposed, but tiny defects are still difficult to be detected effectively, and the accuracy of defect localization and classification is low. To address these issues, a modified YOLOX network called YOLOX-CATD is proposed, which was supplemented with a coordinate attention module (CAM) and tiny defect detection layer (TDDL) for fast and efficient detection of fabric defects, especially tiny defects. Firstly, the anchor-free network is used as the detection framework to avoid the influence of hyperparameters of the setting anchor. Secondly, a CAM is proposed to enhance the representation of the object of interest in the input feature map and suppress the background regions. Finally, a TDDL is added to introduce high-resolution features to improve the localization accuracy of tiny defects. The experimental results on the Aliyun Tianchi Fabric dataset and NEU-DET demonstrate the superiority and generalization of the modified model. The mean average precision (mAP) of YOLOX-CATD on the fabric defect dataset is improved by 5.67% compared to the original YOLOX, and the detection speed can reach 35–36 frames per second (FPS). This proves that YOLOX-CATD can obtain excellent fabric defect detection performance and meet the urgent need for real-time detection in industrial applications.
Recent advances in MXene-based nanocomposites for supercapacitors
Authors: Yi Sha , Wang Lei , Zhang Xiong , Li Chen , Xu Yanan , Wang Kai , Sun Xianzhong , Ma Yanwei
Published: July 2023

MXene materials have become a competitive candidate for electrochemical energy storage due to their unique two-dimensional layered structure, high density, metal-like conductivity, fast ion intercalation, tunable surface terminal groups, and good mechanical flexibilities, showing unique application advantages in the field of supercapacitors. With widely research of MXene in energy storage applications, plenty of studies in synthesis strategies of MXene, including etching, intercalation and exfoliation processes, and its charge storage mechanism in supercapacitors have been conducted. However, the restacking of two-dimensional MXene nanosheets severely affects their electrochemical performance. To prevent the stacking of MXene, MXene-based nanocomposite electrode materials have been developed with remarkable electrochemical performance by incorporating conventional active capacitive materials, including metal oxides/sulfides and conductive polymers, with MXene. This review summarizes the etching strategies of MXenes and selection of intercalants, also discusses the charge storage mechanism of MXenes in aqueous and nonaqueous electrolytes. It mainly expounds the preparation strategies and applications of MXene-based nanocomposites in supercapacitors, including MXene/metal oxide, MXene/metal sulfide, MXene/conducting polymer, and MXene/carbon-based composites. Additionally, the advantages of combining MXene with other active materials in supercapacitor applications, which support its promising prospects, are discussed. Finally, the critical challenges faced by MXene-based nanocomposites in long-term research are mentioned.
Cascaded solenoid acceleration of vortex laser-driven collimated proton beam
Authors: Sun X Y , Wang W P , Dong H , He J Z , Shi Z Y , Leng Y X , Li R X , Xu Z Z
Published: July 2023

Efficient cascaded proton acceleration driven by an intense Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) laser is realized in combined three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and CST STUDIO SUITE (CST) simulations. CST simulations show that there is no divergent force component in the transverse direction in the coil center. Therefore, the collimated proton beam driven by the LG laser in the first stage benefits from the uniform beam acceleration in the second stage. By contrast, the proton beam with larger divergence disperses to the outside of the coil because of the divergent force near the coil wire in the Gaussian laser case. Finally, a quasi-monoenergetic proton beam with a higher flux is generated by the LG laser, which is much better than the Gaussian laser case. The obtained proton beam can potentially be used in some special applications, such as proton radiography, fast ignition of fusion targets, biomedical applications, and production of warm dense matter.
Direct reconstruction of isolated XUV or soft x-ray attosecond pulses from high-harmonic generation streaking spectra
Authors: Wang Kan , Fu Yong , Li Baochang , Tang Xiangyu , Wang Bincheng , Guan Zhong , Lin C D , Jin Cheng
Published: July 2023

Characterization of an isolated attosecond pulse (IAP) in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) or soft x-ray (SXR) region is essential for its applications. Here we propose to retrieve an IAP in the time domain directly through the modulation of high-harmonic generation (HHG) spectra in the presence of a time-delayed intense few-cycle infrared or mid-infrared laser. The retrieval algorithm is derived based on the strong-field approximation and an extended quantitative rescattering model. We show that both isolated XUV pulses with a narrow spectral bandwidth and isolated SXR pulses with a broad bandwidth can be well characterized through the HHG streaking spectra. Such an all-optical method for characterizing the IAP differs from the commonly used approach based on the streaked photoelectron spectra that would require electron spectrometers. We check the robustness of the retrieval method by changing the dressing laser or by adjusting the steps of time delay. We also show that the XUV pulse can be accurately retrieved by treating the HHG streaking spectra calculated from solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for single atoms as the ‘experimental’ data.
Enhancing adversarial robustness of quantum neural networks by adding noise layers
Authors: Huang Chenyi , Zhang Shibin
Published: July 2023

The rapid advancements in machine learning and quantum computing have given rise to a new research frontier: quantum machine learning. Quantum models designed for tackling classification problems possess the potential to deliver speed enhancements and superior predictive accuracy compared to their classical counterparts. However, recent research has revealed that quantum neural networks (QNNs), akin to their classical deep neural network-based classifier counterparts, are vulnerable to adversarial attacks. In these attacks, meticulously designed perturbations added to clean input data can result in QNNs producing incorrect predictions with high confidence. To mitigate this issue, we suggest enhancing the adversarial robustness of quantum machine learning systems by incorporating noise layers into QNNs. This is accomplished by solving a Min-Max optimization problem to control the magnitude of the noise, thereby increasing the QNN’s resilience against adversarial attacks. Extensive numerical experiments illustrate that our proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art defense techniques in terms of both clean and robust accuracy.
An imbalance of excitation and inhibition in the multisensory cortex impairs the temporal acuity of audiovisual processing and perception
Authors: Schormans Ashley L , Allman Brian L
Published: July 2023

The neural integration of closely timed auditory and visual stimuli can offer several behavioral advantages; however, an overly broad window of temporal integration—a phenomenon observed in various neurodevelopmental disorders—could have far-reaching perceptual consequences. Non-invasive studies in humans have suggested that the level of GABAergic inhibition in the multisensory cortex influences the temporal window over which auditory and visual stimuli are bound into a unified percept. Although this suggestion aligns with the theory that an imbalance of cortical excitation and inhibition alters multisensory processing, no prior studies have performed experimental manipulations to determine the causal effects of a reduction of GABAergic inhibition on audiovisual temporal perception. To that end, we used a combination of in vivo electrophysiology, neuropharmacology, and translational behavioral testing in rats to provide the first mechanistic evidence that a reduction of GABAergic inhibition in the audiovisual cortex is sufficient to disrupt unisensory and multisensory processing across the cortical layers, and ultimately impair the temporal acuity of audiovisual perception and its rapid adaptation to recent sensory experience. Looking forward, our findings provide support for using rat models to further investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the audiovisual perceptual alterations observed in neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia, and dyslexia.
A Single Case Observation: Is the Ebola Virus Soluble Glycoprotein an Indicator of Viral Recrudescence?
Authors: Furuyama Wakako , Davey Richard T , Chertow Daniel S , Marzi Andrea
Published: July 2023

This case study investigated the long-term expression dynamics of Ebola virus (EBOV) soluble glycoprotein (sGP) in the serum of a patient who was infected with EBOV in West Africa and recovered from acute Ebola virus disease (EVD) at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Samples from this patient were collected during acute EVD and during convalescence up to day 361 following illness onset. Although blood samples were negative by reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction after recovery from acute EVD, we detected small amounts of EBOV sGP in the serum of the patient long after recovery, potentially indicating viral recrudescence. As this was only observed in a single patient, additional longitudinal patient samples are needed to confirm our hypothesis that EBOV sGP may be an indicator of viral recrudescence long after recovery from acute EVD.
Glucosinolate Catabolism Maintains Glucosinolate Profiles and Transport in Sulfur-Starved Arabidopsis
Authors: Zhang Liu , Kawaguchi Ryota , Enomoto Takuo , Nishida Sho , Burow Meike , Maruyama-Nakashita Akiko
Published: July 2023

Glucosinolates (GSLs) are sulfur (S)-rich specialized metabolites present in Brassicales order plants. Our previous study found that GSL can function as a S source in Arabidopsis seedlings via its catabolism catalyzed by two β-glucosidases (BGLUs), BGLU28 and BGLU30. However, as GSL profiles in plants vary among growth stages and organs, the potential contribution of BGLU28/30-dependent GSL catabolism at the reproductive growth stage needs verification. Thus, in this study, we assessed growth, metabolic and transcriptional phenotypes of mature bglu28/30 double mutants grown under different S conditions. Our results showed that compared to wild-type plants grown under −S, mature bglu28/30 mutants displayed impaired growth and accumulated increased levels of GSL in their reproductive organs and rosette leaves of before-bolting plants. In contrast, the levels of primary S-containing metabolites, glutathione and cysteine decreased in their mature seeds. Furthermore, the transport of GSL from rosette leaves to the reproductive organs was stimulated in the bglu28/30 mutants under −S. Transcriptome analysis revealed that genes related to other biological processes, such as ethylene response, defense response and plant response to heat, responded differentially to −S in the bglu28/30 mutants. Altogether, these findings broadened our understanding of the roles of BGLU28/30-dependent GSL catabolism in plant adaptation to nutrient stress.
Jasmonates regulate apical hook development by repressing brassinosteroid biosynthesis and signaling
Authors: Zhang Jingjie , Chen Weiyue , Li Xiaopeng , Shi Hongyong , Lv Minghui , He Liming , Bai Wenhua , Cheng Shujing , Chu Jinfang , He Kai , Gou Xiaoping , Li Jia
Published: July 2023

An apical hook is a special structure formed during skotomorphogenesis in dicotyledonous plant species. It is critical for protecting the shoot apical meristem from mechanical damage during seed germination and hypocotyl elongation in soil. Brassinosteroid (BR) and jasmonate (JA) phytohormones antagonistically regulate apical hook formation. However, the interrelationship between BRs and JAs in this process has not been well elucidated. Here, we reveal that JAs repress BRs to regulate apical hook development in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) repressed the expression of the rate-limiting BR biosynthetic gene DWARF4 (DWF4) in a process relying on 3 key JA-dependent transcription factors, MYC2, MYC3, and MYC4. We demonstrated that MYC2 interacts with the critical BR-activated transcription factor BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT 1 (BZR1), disrupting the association of BZR1 with its partner transcription factors, such as those of the PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR (PIF) family and downregulating the expression of their target genes, such as WAVY ROOT GROWTH 2 (WAG2), encoding a protein kinase essential for apical hook development. Our results indicate that JAs not only repress the expression of BR biosynthetic gene DWF4 but, more importantly, attenuate BR signaling by inhibiting the transcriptional activation of BZR1 by MYC2 during apical hook development.