bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-objective optimization of geosynthetic-reinforced and pile-supported embankments
Authors: Guo Xiangfeng , Pham Tuan A. , Dias Daniel
Published: January 2023

The design of geosynthetic-reinforced and pile-supported (GRPS) embankments is traditionally optimized by searching for the most cost-effective solution among several workable candidates. The candidates are usually based on experiences of engineers, and the real optimal design could be therefore missed. This paper intends to address the above-mentioned issue by systematically optimizing the design of GRPS embankments considering simultaneously the cost and the safety in the entire design space. It is thus a multi-objective optimization (MOO) problem that differs from the studies only focusing on minimizing the construction cost. A practical MOO procedure is proposed in this paper, and it is applied to an illustrative GRPS embankment case. A set of nondominated optimal designs (Pareto front) are obtained at first, allowing an informed design decision. Then, four candidates located on the Pareto front are highlighted. Each of them represents an attractive design: the safest, the least-cost, the best trade-off (knee point) considering the two objectives, and the cheapest one for a target safety requirement. Finally, the optimal design can be selected from these four candidates depending on specific project purposes. For the case study, the knee point design leads to improvements in both the two defined objectives (i.e., decreased cost and increased safety) compared to the initial design, showing great benefits of performing a MOO analysis. By using the procedure, the optimal designs are also efficiently determined for the cases of different embankment heights.
Artificial intelligence in patient-specific hand surgery: a scoping review of literature
Authors: Keller Marco , Guebeli Alissa , Thieringer Florian , Honigmann Philipp
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The implementation of artificial intelligence in hand surgery and rehabilitation is gaining popularity. The purpose of this scoping review was to give an overview of implementations of artificial intelligence in hand surgery and rehabilitation and their current significance in clinical practice.

Methods

A systematic literature search of the MEDLINE/PubMed and Cochrane Collaboration libraries was conducted. The review was conducted according to the framework outlined by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews. A narrative summary of the papers is presented to give an orienting overview of this rapidly evolving topic.

Results

Primary search yielded 435 articles. After application of the inclusion/exclusion criteria and addition of supplementary search, 235 articles were included in the final review. In order to facilitate navigation through this heterogenous field, the articles were clustered into four groups of thematically related publications. The most common applications of artificial intelligence in hand surgery and rehabilitation target automated image analysis of anatomic structures, fracture detection and localization and automated screening for other hand and wrist pathologies such as carpal tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoporosis. Compared to other medical subspecialties the number of applications in hand surgery is still small.

Conclusion

Although various promising applications of artificial intelligence in hand surgery and rehabilitation show strong performances, their implementation mostly takes place within the context of experimental studies. Therefore, their use in daily clinical routine is still limited.
Therapeutic and Supportive Effects of Cannabinoids in Patients with Brain Tumors (CBD Oil and Cannabis)
Authors: Rodriguez-Almaraz J. Eduardo , Butowski Nicholas
Published: January 2023

Opinion statement

The potential medicinal properties of Cannabis continue to garner attention, especially in the brain tumor domain. This attention is centered on quality of life and symptom management; however, it is amplified by a significant lack of therapeutic choices for this specific patient population. While the literature on this matter is young, published and anecdotal evidence imply that cannabis could be useful in treating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, stimulating appetite, reducing pain, and managing seizures. It may also decrease inflammation and cancer cell proliferation and survival, resulting in a benefit in overall patient survival. Current literature poses the challenge that it does not provide standardized guidance on dosing for the above potential indications and cannabis use is dominated by recreational purposes. Furthermore, integrated and longitudinal studies are needed but these are a challenge due to arcane laws surrounding the legality of such substances. The increasing need for evidence-based arguments about potential harms and benefits of cannabis, not only in cancer patients but for other medical use and recreational purposes, is desperately needed.
Descriptive versus causal morphology: gynandromorphism and intersexuality
Authors: Fusco Giuseppe , Minelli Alessandro
Published: January 2023

In animal species with separate sexes, abnormal individuals with a mix of phenotypically male and phenotypically female body parts are generally indicated as gynandromorphs, whereas individuals with intermediate sexual phenotypic traits are generally indicated as intersexes. However, this distinction, clear as it may seem, is neither universally agreed upon, nor free of critical issues. In consideration of the role of sex anomalies in understanding normal development, we reassess these phenomena of abnormal sexual development, taking into consideration the more recent advances in the study of sex determination and sexual differentiation. We argue that a distinction between gynandromorphism and intersexuality, although useful for descriptive purposes, is not always possible or sensible. We discuss the conceptual and terminological intricacies of the literature on this subject and provide reasons for largely, although not strictly, preferring a terminology based on descriptive rather than causal morphology, that is, on the observed phenotypic patterns rather on the causal process behind them.
Monotonicity Formulas for Harmonic Functions in $$\textrm{RCD}(0,N)$$ Spaces
Authors: Gigli Nicola , Violo Ivan Yuri
Published: January 2023

We generalize to the$$\textrm{RCD}(0,N)$$RCD(0,N)setting a family of monotonicity formulas by Colding and Minicozzi for positive harmonic functions in Riemannian manifolds with nonnegative Ricci curvature. Rigidity and almost rigidity statements are also proven, the second appearing to be new even in the smooth setting. Motivated by the recent work in Agostiniani et al. (Invent. Math. 222(3):1033–1101, 2020), we also introduce the notion of electrostatic potential in$$\textrm{RCD}$$RCDspaces, which also satisfies our monotonicity formulas. Our arguments are mainly based on new estimates for harmonic functions in$$\textrm{RCD}(K,N)$$RCD(K,N)spaces and on a new functional version of the ‘(almost) outer volume cone implies (almost) outer metric cone’ theorem.
Perceptual and Acoustic Analysis of Speech in Spinocerebellar ataxia Type 1
Authors: van Prooije Teije , Knuijt Simone , Oostveen Judith , Kapteijns Kirsten , Vogel Adam P. , van de Warrenburg Bart
Published: January 2023

This study characterizes the speech phenotype of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) using both perceptual and objective acoustic analysis of speech in a cohort of SCA1 patients. Twenty-seven symptomatic SCA1 patients in various disease stages (SARA score range: 3–32 points) and 18 sex and age matched healthy controls underwent a clinical assessment addressing ataxia severity, non-ataxia signs, cognitive functioning, and speech. Speech samples were perceptually rated by trained speech therapists, and acoustic metrics representing speech timing, vocal control, and voice quality were extracted. Perceptual analysis revealed reduced intelligibility and naturalness in speech samples of SCA1 patients. Acoustically, SCA1 patients presented with slower speech rate and diadochokinetic rate as well as longer syllable duration compared to healthy controls. No distinct abnormalities in voice quality in the acoustic analysis were detected at group level. Both the affected perceptual and acoustic variables correlated with ataxia severity. Longitudinal assessment of speech is needed to place changes in speech in the context of disease progression and potential response to treatment.
The Use of Oleaginous Yeasts and Microalgae Grown in Brewery Wastewater for Lipid Production and Nutrient Removal: A Review
Authors: Dias Carla , Santos José A. L. , Reis Alberto , Lopes da Silva Teresa
Published: January 2023

Brewery wastewater has been proposed as an attractive low-cost substrate for microbial lipid production for oleaginous yeast and microalga with promising results. For each liter of beer produced, from 3 to 10 L of wastewater are generated which can be used as culture medium for autotrophic or heterotrophic metabolism. This strategy allows reducing the culture medium cost, as well as obtaining high lipid contents and other high value compounds which can make the process profitable. Additionally, the use of industrial effluents/wastes as substrates for microbial growth can be a strategy to treat them based on the circular economy rules. This review presents the different brewery wastewater treatment strategies using oleaginous yeast and microalga pure and mixed cultures for the concomitant wastewater treatment and lipids/carotenoids production so far reported, highlighting the benefits/disadvantages of such strategies and comparing their performance in terms of wastewater treatment, lipids and carotenoids production between pure and mixed cultures performance.

Graphical Abstract
Numerical Investigation on the Effect of Inclusions on the Local Fatigue Strain in Superelastic NiTi Alloy
Authors: Koschella Kevin , Degel Christoph , Hempel Philipp
Published: January 2023

The important role of inclusions for the fatigue behavior of Nitinol and the related service lifetime for medical devices is stated by numerous studies. Besides the well-known size effect on the fatigue limit, the corresponding crack initiation was observed preferably at particle-void-combinations. However, the detailed relationship of several geometrical inclusion properties and the resulting fatigue load remains not clear. To shed a light on this effects relationship, a numerical investigation was performed with a superelastic material behavior on a macroscopic framework. In the scope of this study, two-dimensional unit cells with fully embedded particles or particle-void-assemblies of different shapes and different relative orientations with respect to the load direction were evaluated. Additionally, those unit cells were subjected to different global strain amplitudes and mean strain levels. The careful evaluation of the results revealed a hierarchy of parameter effects on the fatigue strain. Besides the trivial relationship between global applied and local resulting fatigue load, the inclusion shape and the orientation were observed to show a strong effect on the local fatigue strain.
Investigation of the influence of multiple thermoforming processes on the properties of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics to enable structural reuse
Authors: von Freeden Justus , Rodenwaldt Ben , Nebel Daniel
Published: January 2023

Fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) are finding more and more applications in many industrial sectors. The growth in material use simultaneously leads to larger volumes of end-of-life materials and FRP are generally difficult to recycle. This also applies to FRP with a thermoplastic matrix. One possibility is the approach of structural reuse by reshaping continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (organosheets). In this process, end-of-life (EOL) components are remelted and formed back into semi-finished products. However, the multiple thermal processes can damage the matrix. In addition, the frequent forming processes lead to fiber breaks and displacements of the reinforcement architecture. In order to assess the level and impact of matrix and fiber damage, various forming and reforming processes were performed on selected materials, which were then investigated using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectroscopy and tensile tests. The results of the ATR spectroscopy show no evidence of damage to the matrix. In contrast, slight to moderate decreases in the characteristic values as a result of multiple deformations can be observed in the results of the tensile tests. However, the experiments and material tests show the potential that this approach can produce high quality secondary materials. A comparison is made here with mechanically recycled and compounded injection molding materials.
The Swiss health care atlas—relaunch in scale
Authors: Jörg Reto , Zufferey Jonathan , Zumbrunnen Oliver , Kaiser Boris , Essig Stefan , Zwahlen Marcel , Schoch Tobias , Widmer Marcel
Published: January 2023

Inspired by the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, an early version of the Swiss Atlas of Health Care (SAHC) was released in 2017. The SAHC provides an intuitive visualization of regional variations of medical care delivery and thus allows for a broad diffusion of the contents. That is why the SAHC became widely accepted amongst health care stakeholders. In 2021, the relaunch of the SAHC was initiated to update as well as significantly expand the scope of measures depicted on the platform, also integrating indicators for outpatient care in order to better reflect the linkages between inpatient and outpatient health care provision. In the course of this relaunch, the statistical and technical aspects of the SAHC have been reviewed and updated. This paper presents the key aspects of the relaunch project and provides helpful insights for similar endeavors elsewhere.
Dissolution of Glass–Ceramic Scaffolds of Bioactive Glasses 45S5 and S53P4
Authors: Aalto-Setälä Laura , Siekkinen Minna , Lindfors Nina , Hupa Leena
Published: January 2023

Although the initial in vitro dissolution of bioactive glasses (BAG) is well characterized, the long-term behaviour of crystallized BAG scaffolds in a continuous fluid flow is incompletely understood. A detailed understanding of the long-term dissolution of scaffolds is vital for predicting their behaviour in clinical applications. Here, we explored the dissolution and reaction mechanisms of partly crystalline and glass–ceramic scaffolds based on the bioactive glasses S53P4 and 45S5 using a continuous flow-through method in Tris-buffer (Tris) and simulated body fluid (SBF) for up to 21 days. Granules of the parent glasses were used as references. The main crystalline phase in both scaffolds was sodium-calcium-silicate. The scaffolds’ dissolution suggested that the sodium-calcium-silicate crystals dissolved incongruently to yield hydrous silica. The silica phase then provided abundant nucleation sites for hydroxyapatite precipitation, resulting in fine-grained crystalline structures. When exposed to Tris, the scaffolds almost completely dissolved within the test period, leaving only highly porous remnant phases. For the 45S5 scaffolds, the calcium phosphate reaction layers that formed on their surfaces effectively slowed the dissolution in SBF. In contrast, this effect was less apparent for the S53P4 specimens.
The association between the problem list and chronic pain management
Authors: Rylee Tina L. , Copenhaver David , Drake Christiana , Joseph Jill
Published: January 2023

Background

Roughly a quarter of the US population suffers from moderate to severe chronic pain for at least six months in any given year. The complexity of managing chronic pain has encouraged providers to use innovative methods to address it. Research has shown that problem lists are potential tools that support the care of patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

Objectives

To examine the extent to which the inclusion of chronic pain in a problem list is associated with follow-up specialty pain care.

Methods

The association between chronic pain documentation on the problem list and specialty pain care was investigated in this retrospective cohort study using 4531 patient records.

Results

Chronic pain documentation in the problem list was associated with higher odds of receiving specialty pain care. The most common diagnosis was chronic pain (69.7%). A migraine diagnosis was associated with decreased odds of receiving specialty care, and chronic pain syndrome was associated with increased odds of receiving specialty care compared with the other chronic pain groups.

Conclusion

Documenting chronic pain on the problem list was associated with a higher likelihood of patients receiving specialty pain care.
Groundwater in Geologic Processes
Authors: Ingebritsen Steven E. , Sanford Ward E. , Neuzil Christopher E.
Published: January 2023

The 2006 second edition of this well received and widely adopted textbook has been extensively revised to provide a more comprehensive treatment of hydromechanics (the coupling of groundwater flow and deformation), to incorporate findings from the substantial body of research published since the first edition, and to include three new chapters on compaction and diagenesis, metamorphism, and subsea hydrogeology. The opening section develops basic theory of groundwater motion, fluid-solid mechanical interaction, solute transport, and heat transport. The second section applies flow, hydromechanics, and transport theory in a generalized geologic context, and focuses on particular geologic processes and environments. A systematic presentation of theory and application coupled with problem sets to conclude each chapter make this text ideal for use by advanced undergraduate and graduate-level hydrogeologists and geologists. It also serves as an invaluable reference for professionals in the field.
Islam in Uganda
Authors: Kasule Joseph
Published: January 2023

Examines the historical, political, religious, and social dynamics of Muslim minority status in Uganda, and important themes of pre- and post-colonial political community, religion and national identity.
Minna Wagner
Authors: Rieger Eva
Published: January 2023

This biography of Minna Planer, Richard Wagner's wife of thirty years, reveals her as a self-assured woman and artist who was vital to her husband's creative life.
Japan’s Practice of International Law
Authors: Horinouchi Hidehisa
Published: January 2023

Diplomacy is a series of crises, and the navigational beacon for a nation is international law. This book is a collection of articles on six selected international legal issues concerning Japan. It addresses various issues, including self-defence, post-war legal issues, chemical weapons, the law of the sea, consular immunities, and hijacking. It is a legal documentary through which the reader can look into the minds of Japanese officials challenged by one crisis after another.

As a coherent whole, this book ably represents 'Japan’s Practice of International Law' and remarkably portrays international law in action from a Japanese practitioner’s perspective.
Target benefit pension plan with longevity risk and intergenerational equity
Authors: Rong Ximin , Tao Cheng , Zhao Hui
Published: January 2023

We study a stochastic model for a target benefit pension plan suffering from rising longevity and falling fertility. Policies for postponing retirement are carried out to hedge the payment difficulties caused by the aging population. The plan members’ contributions are set in advance while the pension payments reflect intergenerational equity by a target payment level and intergenerational risk sharing by an adjustment. The pension fund is invested in both a risk-free asset and a risky asset. Applying the stochastic optimal control methods, we derive analytic solutions for optimal investment and benefit payment strategies which minimize the benefit risk. Besides, an optimal delayed retirement age which can hedge against the aging phenomenon under certain parameters is given. Therefore, it can provide a basis for quantifying the delay of retirement time.
Transnational Strategies of Legitimation in the 1990s: The Togolese Regime and its Exiled Opposition in Ghana
Authors: Raunet Nathalie
Published: January 2023

After a failed transition to democracy in the 1990s in Togo, the opposition took refuge in Ghana, outside of the regime’s reach. Why and how did the regime react to transnational dissent? Analyzing an unpublished RPT-produced press review and the opposition press in Ghana and Togo, Raunet argues that the Togolese regime used the foreign press, the language of legality, and the politics of belonging to consolidate itself and shape a public image of apparent legitimacy. She suggests that the skillful adaptation of legitimation narratives is key in understanding the “internal logic” of authoritarian regimes and their prospects of survival.
Extinction: A synthesis of disciplines for theoretical and practical advances
Authors: Brook Barry W. , Alroy John
Published: January 2023

Extinction is a new open-access journal focused on the patterns and processes underlying the loss of biodiversity. It aims to inform conservation efforts, with a broad spatial and temporal scope. Extinction biology – the scientific study of species loss – has a long history and has recently become a more interdisciplinary and integrated field. This journal offers a unique, synthetic forum in which to present cutting-edge research and discuss its implications. This includes ecological, molecular, paleontological, and social perspectives, based on empirical data, theory, and modelling, to understand extinction processes. By tackling the big challenges, the research published in Extinction will be valuable for researchers and practitioners concerned with extinction and its role in shaping the history and future of life on Earth.
MetaFunc: taxonomic and functional analyses of high throughput sequencing for microbiomes
Authors: Sulit Arielle Kae , Kolisnik Tyler , Frizelle Frank Antony , Purcell Rachel , Schmeier Sebastian
Published: January 2023

The identification of functional processes taking place in microbiome communities augment traditional microbiome taxonomic studies, giving a more complete picture of interactions taking place within the community. While there are applications that perform functional annotation on metagenomes or metatranscriptomes, very few of these are able to link taxonomic identity to function or are limited by their input types or databases used. Here we present MetaFunc, a workflow which takes RNA sequences as input reads, and from these (1) identifies species present in the microbiome sample and (2) provides gene ontology annotations associated with the species identified. In addition, MetaFunc allows for host gene analysis, mapping the reads to a host genome, and separating these reads, prior to microbiome analyses. Differential abundance analysis for microbe taxonomies, and differential gene expression analysis and gene set enrichment analysis may then be carried out through the pipeline. A final correlation analysis between microbial species and host genes can also be performed. Finally, MetaFunc builds an R shiny application that allows users to view and interact with the microbiome results. In this paper, we showed how MetaFunc can be applied to metatranscriptomic datasets of colorectal cancer.
Religion and the Justification of Rights - Discussed: Faith, Freedom, and Family: New Studies in Law and Religion. By John Witte, Jr. Edited by Norman Doe and Gary S. Hauk. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2021. €99.00 (paper); €99.00 (digital). ISBN: 9783161608773. -
The Blessings of Liberty: Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the Western Legal Tradition. By John WitteJr . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2021. Pp. 316. $110.00 (cloth); $29.99 (paper); $24.00 (digital). ISBN: 9781108429207.
Authors: Little David
Published: January 2023

This review essay registers sincere appreciation for John Witte’s singular contribution to defending the importance of the history and interpretation of rights in the Western tradition, especially as related to Christian thought and practice. It also proposes to amend and refine his approach by highlighting the difference between natural and religious justifications of rights, and by suggesting reasons for favoring the former.
Short-time behavior of solutions to Lévy-driven stochastic differential equations
Authors: Reker Jana
Published: January 2023

We consider solutions of Lévy-driven stochastic differential equations of the form
$\textrm{d} X_t=\sigma(X_{t-})\textrm{d} L_t$
,
$X_0=x$
, where the function
$\sigma$
is twice continuously differentiable and the driving Lévy process
$L=(L_t)_{t\geq0}$
is either vector or matrix valued. While the almost sure short-time behavior of Lévy processes is well known and can be characterized in terms of the characteristic triplet, there is no complete characterization of the behavior of the solution X. Using methods from stochastic calculus, we derive limiting results for stochastic integrals of the form
$t^{-p}\int_{0+}^t\sigma(X_{t-})\,\textrm{d} L_t$
to show that the behavior of the quantity
$t^{-p}(X_t-X_0)$
for
$t\downarrow0$
almost surely reflects the behavior of
$t^{-p}L_t$
. Generalizing
$t^{{\kern1pt}p}$
to a suitable function
$f\colon[0,\infty)\rightarrow\mathbb{R}$
then yields a tool to derive explicit law of the iterated logarithm type results for the solution from the behavior of the driving Lévy process.
Status cues and normative change: How the Academy Awards facilitated Chile's gender identity law
Authors: Schulz Carsten-Andreas , Thies Cameron G.
Published: January 2023

This study explores how the Academy Award for A Fantastic Woman facilitated the adoption of Chile's Gender Identity Law. Approved in 2018 after languishing for over five years in Congress, the law establishes individuals’ right to modify their national identification documents without the need to change their physical appearance or receive prior court authorisation. While trans rights activists extensively lobbied for a law that guaranteed access to gender marker changes, conservatives rejected the initiative, framing their opposition in terms of Christian values and against the ‘gender ideology’ that purportedly informed the bill. We argue that this backlash dissipated in the wake of the award. International recognition made support for trans rights temporarily a matter of national pride, thereby opening a window of opportunity for the approval of the law. The case of Chile's Gender Identity Law illustrates how international status cues can foster normative change by mobilising affect in domestic audiences. It contributes to recent debates on status and domestic political change, and the role that emotion and affect play in world politics.
Crisis, Gender Role Congruency, and Perceptions of Executive Leadership
Authors: Davidson-Schmich Louise K. , Jalalzai Farida , Och Malliga
Published: January 2023

At a time of pandemics, international economic downturns, and increasing environmental threats due to climate change, countries around the world are facing numerous crises. What impact might we expect these crises to have on the already common perception that executive leadership is a masculine domain? For years, women executives’ ability to lead has been questioned (Jalalzai 2013). However, the outbreak of COVID-19 brought headlines like CNN’s “Women Leaders Are Doing a Disproportionately Great Job at Handling the Pandemic” (Fincher 2020). Do crises offer women presidents and prime ministers opportunities to be perceived as competent leaders? Or do they prime masculinized leadership expectations and reinforce common conceptions that women are unfit to lead? We maintain that people’s perceptions of crisis leadership will depend on whether the crisis creates role (in)congruity between traditional gender norms and the leadership expectations generated by the particular crisis.
Genetic regulation of body size and morphology in children: a twin study of 22 anthropometric traits
Authors: Silventoinen Karri , Maia José , Li Weilong , Sund Reijo , Gouveia Élvio R. , Antunes António , Marques Gonçalo , Thomis Martine , Jelenkovic Aline , Kaprio Jaakko , Freitas Duarte
Published: January 2023

Background

Anthropometric measures show high heritability, and genetic correlations have been found between obesity-related traits. However, we lack a comprehensive analysis of the genetic background of human body morphology using detailed anthropometric measures.

Methods

Height, weight, 7 skinfold thicknesses, 7 body circumferences and 4 body diameters (skeletal breaths) were measured in 214 pairs of twin children aged 3–18 years (87 monozygotic pairs) in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. Factor analysis (Varimax rotation) was used to analyze the underlying structure of body physique. Genetic twin modeling was used to estimate genetic and environmental contributions to the variation and co-variation of the anthropometric traits.

Results

Together, two factors explained 80% of the variation of all 22 anthropometric traits in boys and 73% in girls. Obesity measures (body mass index, skinfold thickness measures, as well as waist and hip circumferences) and limb circumferences loaded most strongly on the first factor, whereas height and body diameters loaded especially on the second factor. These factors as well as all anthropometric measures showed high heritability (80% or more for most of the traits), whereas the rest of the variation was explained by environmental factors not shared by co-twins. Obesity measures showed high genetic correlations (0.75–0.98). Height showed the highest genetic correlations with body diameter measures (0.58–0.76). Correlations between environmental factors not shared by co-twins were weaker than the genetic correlations but still substantial. The correlation patterns were roughly similar in boys and girls.

Conclusions

Our results show high genetic correlations underlying the human body physique, suggesting that there are sets of genes widely affecting anthropometric traits. Better knowledge of these genetic variants can help to understand the development of obesity and other features of the human physique.
Approaching optimal entangling collective measurements on quantum computing platforms
Authors: Conlon Lorcán O. , Vogl Tobias , Marciniak Christian D. , Pogorelov Ivan , Yung Simon K. , Eilenberger Falk , Berry Dominic W. , Santana Fabiana S. , Blatt Rainer , Monz Thomas , Lam Ping Koy , Assad Syed M.
Published: January 2023

Entanglement is a fundamental feature of quantum mechanics and holds great promise for enhancing metrology and communications. Much of the focus of quantum metrology so far has been on generating highly entangled quantum states that offer better sensitivity, per resource, than what can be achieved classically. However, to reach the ultimate limits in multi-parameter quantum metrology and quantum information processing tasks, collective measurements, which generate entanglement between multiple copies of the quantum state, are necessary. Here, we experimentally demonstrate theoretically optimal single- and two-copy collective measurements for simultaneously estimating two non-commuting qubit rotations. This allows us to implement quantum-enhanced sensing, for which the metrological gain persists for high levels of decoherence, and to draw fundamental insights about the interpretation of the uncertainty principle. We implement our optimal measurements on superconducting, trapped-ion and photonic systems, providing an indication of how future quantum-enhanced sensing networks may look.
Control of acute myeloid leukemia by a trifunctional NKp46-CD16a-NK cell engager targeting CD123
Authors: Gauthier Laurent , Virone-Oddos Angela , Beninga Jochen , Rossi Benjamin , Nicolazzi Céline , Amara Céline , Blanchard-Alvarez Audrey , Gourdin Nicolas , Courta Jacqueline , Basset Alexandra , Agnel Magali , Guillot Franceline , Grondin Gwendoline , Bonnevaux Hélène , Bauchet Anne-Laure , Morel Ariane , Morel Yannis , Chiron Marielle , Vivier Eric
Published: January 2023

CD123, the alpha chain of the IL-3 receptor, is an attractive target for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment. However, cytotoxic antibodies or T cell engagers targeting CD123 had insufficient efficacy or safety in clinical trials. We show that expression of CD64, the high-affinity receptor for human IgG, on AML blasts confers resistance to anti-CD123 antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC) in vitro. We engineer a trifunctional natural killer cell engager (NKCE) that targets CD123 on AML blasts and NKp46 and CD16a on NK cells (CD123-NKCE). CD123-NKCE has potent antitumor activity against primary AML blasts regardless of CD64 expression and induces NK cell activation and cytokine secretion only in the presence of AML cells. Its antitumor activity in a mouse CD123+ tumor model exceeds that of the benchmark ADCC-enhanced antibody. In nonhuman primates, it had prolonged pharmacodynamic effects, depleting CD123+ cells for more than 10 days with no signs of toxicity and very low inflammatory cytokine induction over a large dose range. These results support clinical development of CD123-NKCE.
The effects of fertility and synchronization variation on seed production in two Chinese fir clonal seed orchards
Authors: Wang Fang , Zhang Shuaiying , Zhu Peng , Chen Lianghua , Zhu Yuanwei , Yang Changdong , Liu Rendong , Li Fengqing , Huang Xiong , Yang Hanbo
Published: January 2023

Variations in fertility and synchronization information is fundamental to seed orchard management. Our objective was to determine clonal variation and stability in strobili production, phenology, synchronization, and seed production in two generation clonal seed orchards (CSO) of Chinese fir. The number of female and male strobili and the phenology of 42 clones in both the 2.0- and 2.5-generation clonal seed orchards were investigated and recorded to calculate the variation and stability of fertility and synchronization. In both seed orchards, an obvious variation in gamete contribution was found among clones, indicating deviation from random mating. Female receptivity was in the pollen shedding stage, which is favorable to pollination. However, low synchronization (mean POij = 0.283) between clones indicated low overlap between female receptivity and pollen shedding. A higher POij value within clones than within outcrossing combinations indicated a high risk of selfing in two seed orchards, particularly for early- and late-flowering clones. The number of female strobili and POij (as female) significantly influence seed production. Overall, fertility and synchronization variation had notable consequences for seed production. Scientific genetic management is indispensable for promoting fertility uniformity and synchronization to obtain maximal genetic gain.
Lumbar ossification of the ligamentum flavum reflects a strong ossification tendency of the entire spinal ligament
Authors: Nakabachi Kazuha , Endo Tsutomu , Takahata Masahiko , Fujita Ryo , Koike Yoshinao , Suzuki Ryota , Hasegawa Yuichi , Murakami Toshifumi , Yamada Katsuhisa , Sudo Hideki , Terkawi Mohamad Alaa , Kadoya Ken , Iwasaki Norimasa
Published: January 2023

Patients with ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) in the lumbar spine may be at high risk of developing concomitant ossification of the entire spinal ligament, but the etiology remains unclear. We investigated the propensity for spinal ligament ossification in asymptomatic subjects with lumbar OLF using the data of 595 Japanese individuals receiving medical check-ups, including computed tomography (CT) scanning. The severity of OLF (total number of intervertebral segments with OLF) of the entire spine on CT was quantified using an OLF index. Subjects with OLF were grouped according to this index: localized OLF (n = 138), intermediate OLF (n = 70), and extensive OLF (n = 31). The proportion of subjects with lumbar OLF increased with increasing OLF index (localized 13.7%, intermediate 41.4%, and extensive 70.9%). Multiple regression analysis found that lumbar OLF index was associated with thoracic OLF index, and co-existence of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the thoracic and lumbar spine. This study showed that subjects with more multilevel lumbar OLF were more likely to develop multilevel thoracic OLF and to have coexisting OPLL. Patients with lumbar OLF may be a distinctive subgroup with a strong tendency to ossification of the entire spinal ligament.
CART model to classify the drought status of diverse tomato genotypes by VPD, air temperature, and leaf–air temperature difference
Authors: Fang Shih-Lun , Tu Yuan-Kai , Kang Le , Chen Han-Wei , Chang Ting-Jung , Yao Min-Hwi , Kuo Bo-Jein
Published: January 2023

Regular water management is crucial for the cultivation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Inadequate irrigation leads to water stress and a reduction in tomato yield and quality. Therefore, it is important to develop an efficient classification method of the drought status of tomato for the timely application of irrigation. In this study, a simple classification and regression tree (CART) model that includes air temperature, vapor pressure deficit, and leaf–air temperature difference was established to classify the drought status of three tomato genotypes (i.e., cherry type ‘Tainan ASVEG No. 19’, large fruits breeding line ‘108290’, and wild accession ‘LA2093’). The results indicate that the proposed CART model exhibited a higher predictive sensitivity, specificity, geometric mean, and accuracy performance compared to the logistic model. In addition, the CART model was applicable not only to three tomato genotypes but across vegetative and reproductive stages. Furthermore, while the drought status was divided into low, medium, and high, the CART model provided a higher predictive performance than that of the logistic model. The results suggest that the drought status of tomato can be accurately classified by the proposed CART model. These results will provide a useful tool of the regular water management for tomato cultivation.
Using identification method to modelling short term luminous flux depreciation of LED luminaire to reducing electricity consumption
Authors: Sikora Roman , Markiewicz Przemysław , Korzeniewska Ewa
Published: January 2023

Reducing electricity consumption is currently one of the most significant global issues. Luminaires and light sources are characterised by relatively low rated power values. However, due to their high number, they account for a noticeable share of the total volume of electricity consumption. When the LED lamp/luminaire is switched-on, it emits a higher luminous flux and receives more power from the mains supply than when the thermal conditions have stabilized. This phenomenon is called short-term luminous flux depreciation. The lighting design process on photometric data obtained for steady-state operating conditions is based, on once the luminous flux has stabilized. Therefore, it is possible to design the control algorithm of the LED luminaire in such a way as to reduce this phenomenon, which will result in measurable savings of electrical energy. The paper proposes the use of a method to identify the short-term luminous flux depreciation of LED luminaires. The model was then used to simulate the operation of a control algorithm limiting the phenomenon of short-term luminous flux depreciation.
Competitive electrochemical sensing for cancer cell evaluation based on thionine-interlinked signal probes
Authors: Zhang Xinai , Wang Zhenzhong , Li Xu , Xiao Wei , Zou Xiaobo , Huang Qilin , Zhou Lili
Published: January 2023

Single-step electrochemical sensing for mannose was developed by applying a competitive strategy, offering a promising means for monitoring living cancer cells with simple operation, nondestructive pattern and rapid signal output.
Highly sensitive AuNSs@AgNR SERS substrates for rapid determination of aromatic amines
Authors: Zhang Qian , Liu Zhenglin , Zhang Hengchang , Han Caiqin , Wu Ying , Yan Changchun , Liu Ying , Wu Bin , Yang Guohai , Duan Peitong
Published: January 2023

A rapid surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method based on gold nanostar-modified silver nanorods (AuNSs@AgNRs) was established for the label-free detection of aromatic amines.
Physical visualization and squalene-based scanning electrochemical microscopy imaging of latent fingerprints on PVDF membrane
Authors: Liu Lu , Chen Hongyu , Tian Lu , Sun Xiangyu , Zhang Meiqin
Published: January 2023

Physical visualization and chemical imaging of label-free latent fingerprints on PVDF membrane.
Multi-scene visual hydrazine hydrate detection based on a dibenzothiazole derivative
Authors: Chen Yingshuang , Zhao Chuanfeng , Liu Xinyi , Zhang Qian , Jiang Yuliang , Shen Jian
Published: January 2023

A new probe DBTD was prepared and showed dual-channel colorimetric detection of N2H4 with a minimum detection limit of 0.438 μM which can be successfully applied to the detection of N2H4 in steam, water, cells and zebrafish.
Facile preparation of hexagonal nanosheets via polyion complex formation from α-helical polypeptides and polyphosphate-based molecules
Authors: Ahmad Asmariah , Maruyama Tomoki , Nii Teruki , Mori Takeshi , Katayama Yoshiki , Kishimura Akihiro
Published: January 2023

The fabrication of regular hexagonal PIC nanosheets was achieved via induction of the α-helix secondary structure in a PEGylated catiomer promoted by complexation with polyphosphates.
A high-sensitivity long-lifetime phosphorescent RIE additive to probe free volume-related phenomena in polymers
Authors: Dini Valentina Antonia , Gradone Alessandro , Villa Marco , Gingras Marc , Focarete Maria Letizia , Ceroni Paola , Gualandi Chiara , Bergamini Giacomo
Published: January 2023

The photophysical behaviour of phosphorescent rigidification-induced emission (RIE) dyes is highly affected by their micro- and nanoenvironment. This is exploited to monitor physical ageing and mechanical stresses in polymers.
Accurate and efficient polymorph energy ranking with XDM-corrected hybrid DFT
Authors: Price Alastair J. A. , Mayo R. Alex , Otero-de-la-Roza Alberto , Johnson Erin R.
Published: January 2023

Pairing the XDM dispersion model with hybrid density functionals shows significant improvements in the computed crystal energy landscapes for 4 of the 26 compounds appearing in the first six blind tests of crystal structure prediction.
Matrix-isolation and cryosolution-VCD spectra of α-pinene as benchmark for anharmonic vibrational spectra calculations
Authors: Kreienborg Nora M. , Yang Qin , Pollok Corina H. , Bloino Julien , Merten Christian
Published: January 2023

Experimental VCD spectroscopy helps benchmarking computational approaches to identify resonances in anharmonic VPT2 spectra calculations.
Enhancement in photocatalytic water splitting using van der Waals heterostructure materials based on penta-layers
Authors: Maymoun M. , Elomrani A. , Oukahou S. , Bahou Y. , Hasnaoui A. , Sbiaai K.
Published: January 2023

Recently, van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) have been used to improve the performance of 2D materials, enabling more applications.
X-ray photoelectron diffraction study of the approximant Al5Co2(001) quasicrystal
Authors: de Senna Junior Lhonidas , Pancotti Alexandre , Kilian Alex Sandre , de Siervo Abner , Diehl Renee D. , de Weerd Marie-Cécile , Ledieu Julian , Gaudry Emilie , Fournée Vincent , Abreu Guilherme Jean P.
Published: January 2023

The intermetallic alloy Al5Co2 structure was studied by X-ray photoelectron diffraction and applying the standard software MSCD that shows a (1 × 1) termination. The reliability factor indicated the best termination belongs to the Al-rich surface layer.
Can the E1state in nitrogenase tell if there is an activation process prior to catalysis?
Authors: Siegbahn Per E. M.
Published: January 2023

Calculations have been performed on Mo- and V-nitrogenase to investigate if there is a hydride in the E1state as indicated in a recent EPR study. The results are very convincing.
Bioactive inorganic nanomaterials for cancer theranostics
Authors: Pei Zifan , Lei Huali , Cheng Liang
Published: January 2023

Bioactive materials are a special class of biomaterials that can reactin vivoto induce a biological response or regulate biological functions, thus achieving a better curative effect than traditional inert biomaterials.
The chemistry of proton carriers in high-performance lithium-mediated ammonia electrosynthesis
Authors: Du Hoang-Long , Matuszek Karolina , Hodgetts Rebecca Y. , Ngoc Dinh Khang , Cherepanov Pavel V. , Bakker Jacinta M. , MacFarlane Douglas R. , Simonov Alexandr N.
Published: January 2023

Proton transfer is a key step of the lithium-mediated electrochemical reduction of nitrogen to ammonia. Herein, we investigate the impact of the chemical nature of the proton carrier on the performance and highlight shuttles that enable effective ammonia synthesis.
Catalyst-free amino-alcoholysis depolymerization strategy: a facile and powerful tool for chemical recycling of poly(bisphenol A carbonate)
Authors: Zhou Xianyue , Chai Maoqing , Xu Guangqiang , Yang Rulin , Sun Hongguang , Wang Qinggang
Published: January 2023

The chemical upcycling of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (BPA-PC) by a catalyst-free amino-alcoholysis depolymerization protocol was achieved.
Catalytically transforming cellulose into methane under natural solar irradiation
Authors: Yang Yushan , Yuan Shaoyu , Pan Heli , Li Zixuan , Shen Xinlei , Gao Yongjun
Published: January 2023

A green and sustainable catalytic system with Ni/SiO2 as catalyst and solar irradiation as energy for transforming cellulose into methane was developed.
Preparation of a high performance LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 cathode material by using citric acid as a complexing agent
Authors: Weitong Yang , Ruifeng Li , Yue Chen , Lijun Song , Xiaoying Lu , Qi Jiang
Published: January 2023

Using citric acid instead of ammonia water as the complexing agent, an NCM622 cathode material with excellent electrochemical performance can be prepared by a hydroxide coprecipitation method which is environmentally friendly.
Visible-light-induced direct perfluoroalkylation/heteroarylation of [1.1.1]propellane to diverse bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes (BCPs) under metal and photocatalyst-free conditions
Authors: Zhu Jiashun , Guo Yirui , Zhang Yuru , Li Wanmei , Zhang Pengfei , Xu Jun
Published: January 2023

This study describes a green and novel multi-component reaction for direct perfluoroalkylation/heteroarylation of [1.1.1]propellane with heteroarenes and perfluoroalkyl iodines to diverse bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes (BCPs).
Ethanol-induced transformation of furfural into 1,4-pentanediol over a Cu/SiO2 catalyst with enhanced metal–acid sites by copper phyllosilicate
Authors: Zheng Yanni , Zang Jiaxuan , Zhang Qian , Wu Xiaoping , Qiu Songbai , Meng Qingwei , Wang Tiejun
Published: January 2023

Ethanol-induced one-pot transformation of furfural into 1,4-pentanediol (1,4-PeD).
Solvent-free synthesis of polysaccharide derivatives via heterogeneous Schiff base chemistry
Authors: Sela Aviad , Cohen Erez , Avram Liat , Rodov Victor , Poverenov Elena
Published: January 2023

A series of modified polysaccharide polymers were prepared via a solvent-free synthesis involving heterogeneous Schiff base reaction of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) with diverse aldehydes.
Label-free microfluidic device reveals single cell phagocytic activity and screens plant medicine rapidly
Authors: Liu Yameng , Wang Miaomiao , Liu Ruojin , Qiu Feng
Published: January 2023

A simple label-free and non-invasive analysis method is established to detect phagocytic activity and screen medicine at single cell level.
In situ synthesis of CoFe-LDH on biochar for peroxymonosulfate activation toward sulfamethoxazole degradation: cooperation of radical and non-radical pathways
Authors: Fu Manjun , Yan Juntao , Chai Bo , Fan Guozhi , Ding Deng , Song Guangsen
Published: January 2023

The BC/Co1Fe1-LDH-4 composite exhibited an outstanding PMS activation performance for SMX degradation with both radical and non-radical pathways being involved.