bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Skala Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung in Leichter Sprache (SWE-LS):
interne Konsistenz, Normwerte und Zusammenhänge mit demografischen
Variablen in einer repräsentativen Stichprobe
Authors: Berger Uwe , Schwager Susanne , Matthes Anni , Strauß Bernhard , Wick Katharina
Published: March 2023

Hintergrund In Deutschland leben ca. 6,2 Mio. Menschen mit
eingeschränkter Literalität. Diese können über
Einzelsätze hinaus nicht in schriftlicher Sprache kommunizieren und
erleben damit eine eingeschränkte soziale Teilhabe in vielen
alltäglichen Bereichen. Darüber hinaus sind sie aber auch von
der Beteiligung an befragungsbasierter sozialwissenschaftlicher Forschung
ausgeschlossen.

Methode Um Personen mit eingeschränkter Literalität die
Teilhabe an schriftlichen Befragungen zu ermöglichen, müssen
vorhandene Fragebögen in Leichte Sprache überführt und
die psychometrische Güte neu geprüft werden. Dieser Prozess
wurde beim Fragebogen zur Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung (SWE) durchlaufen. Die
neue Skala in Leichter Sprache (SWE-LS) wurde an einer repräsentativen
Stichprobe der deutschen Bevölkerung im Alter ab 14 Jahren
geprüft (N=2,531).

Ergebnisse Die SWE-LS-Skala wies eine gute interne Konsistenz
(Cronbach‘s-Alpha=0,84) und angemessene Item-Schwierigkeiten und
Trennschärfen auf. Zu den erhobenen demografischen Variablen zeigten
sich erwartungskonforme Zusammenhänge. So weisen Männer und
Personen mit höherer Bildung und höherem Einkommen eine
signifikant höhere Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung auf. Der Effekt zeigte
sich auch für Ostdeutsche gegenüber Westdeutschen,
zusammenlebenden verheirateten gegenüber getrennt, unverheiratet oder
als Single lebenden Personen.

Diskussion Gegenüber der originalen SWE-Skala hat die SWE-LS-Skala
in leichter Sprache keine methodischen Nachteile. Dem zusätzlichen
Aufwand der sprachlichen Anpassung und neuerlichen psychometrischen
Prüfung steht somit direkt die Ermöglichung der Teilhabe an
befragungsbasierter Forschung von Personen mit eingeschränkter
Literalität (über 12% der erwachsenen
Bevölkerung) gegenüber. Wünschenswert wäre eine
systematische Übersetzung besonders häufig verwendeter
Fragebögen bzw. solcher, die nicht die Grundlagenforschung betreffen,
sondern Forschungsbereiche in denen demografische Variablen selbst zum
Forschungsgegenstand gehören.
Endoscopic removal of lumen-apposing metal stents – risk factors for stent embedment, complex removals, and adverse events: analysis from a multicenter prospective case series
Authors: Bazaga Sergio , García-Alonso Francisco Javier , Aparicio Tormo Jose Ramon , Martinez Moreno Belen , Sanchiz Vicente , Suria Carles , Garcia-Sumalla Albert , Gornals Joan B. , Chavarría Carlos , Loras Carme , García-Fernandez Francisco Jose , Terán Álvaro , Vazquez-Sequeiros Enrique , Pedraza Sanz Rafael , Pérez-Carazo Leticia , Súbtil José Carlos , Pérez-Millan Antonio , Uceda Porta Francisco , Busto Bea Victoria , de la Serna-Higuera Carlos , Pinto Garcia Isabel , Colán-Hernández Juan , Huertas Carlos , Guarner-Argente Carlos , Perez-Miranda Manuel ,   RNPAL (Registro nacional de prótesis de aposición luminal [national lumen-apposing metal stent registry]) study group
Published: March 2023

Background Removing lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMSs) may be difficult and even harmful, but these features have seldom been analyzed. We aimed to generate a comprehensive assessment of the feasibility and safety of LAMS retrieval procedures.

Methods A prospective multicenter case series including all technically successfully deployed LAMSs between January 2019 and January 2020 that underwent endoscopic stent removal. All retrieval-related data were prospectively recorded using standardized telephone questionnaires as part of centralized follow-up that ended after stent removal had been performed. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the potential risk factors for complex removal.

Results For the 407 LAMSs included, removal was attempted in 158 (38.8 %) after an indwell time of 46.5 days (interquartile range [IQR] 31–70). The median (IQR) removal time was 2 (1–4) minutes. Removal was labelled as complex in 13 procedures (8.2 %), although advanced endoscopic maneuvers were required in only two (1.3 %). Complex removal risk factors were stent embedment (relative risk [RR] 5.84, 95 %CI 2.14–15.89; P = 0.001), over-the-wire deployment (RR 4.66, 95 %CI 1.60–13.56; P = 0.01), and longer indwell times (RR 1.14, 95 %CI 1.03–1.27; P = 0.01). Partial and complete embedment were observed in 14 (8.9 %) and five cases (3.2 %), respectively. The embedment rate during the first 6 weeks was 3.1 % (2/65), reaching 15.9 % (10/63) during the following 6 weeks (P = 0.02). The adverse event rate was 5.1 %, including seven gastrointestinal bleeds (5 mild, 2 moderate).

Conclusions LAMS removal is a safe procedure, mostly requiring basic endoscopic techniques attainable in conventional endoscopy rooms. Referral to advanced endoscopy units should be considered for stents with known embedment or long indwell times, which may require more technically demanding procedures.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection techniques and technology: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Technical Review
Authors: Libânio Diogo , Pimentel-Nunes Pedro , Bastiaansen Barbara , Bisschops Raf , Bourke Michael J. , Deprez Pierre H. , Esposito Gianluca , Lemmers Arnaud , Leclercq Philippe , Maselli Roberta , Messmann Helmut , Pech Oliver , Pioche Mathieu , Vieth Michael , Weusten Bas L.A.M. , Fuccio Lorenzo , Bhandari Pradeep , Dinis-Ribeiro Mario
Published: March 2023

ESGE suggests conventional endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD; marking and mucosal incision followed by circumferential incision and stepwise submucosal dissection) for most esophageal and gastric lesions. ESGE suggests tunneling ESD for esophageal lesions involving more than two-thirds of the esophageal circumference. ESGE recommends the pocket-creation method for colorectal ESD, at least if traction devices are not used. The use of dedicated ESD knives with size adequate to the location/thickness of the gastrointestinal wall is recommended. It is suggested that isotonic saline or viscous solutions can be used for submucosal injection. ESGE recommends traction methods in esophageal and colorectal ESD and in selected gastric lesions. After gastric ESD, coagulation of visible vessels is recommended, and post-procedural high dose proton pump inhibitor (PPI) (or vonoprazan). ESGE recommends against routine closure of the ESD defect, except in duodenal ESD. ESGE recommends corticosteroids after resection of  > 50 % of the esophageal circumference. The use of carbon dioxide when performing ESD is recommended. ESGE recommends against the performance of second-look endoscopy after ESD. ESGE recommends endoscopy/colonoscopy in the case of significant bleeding (hemodynamic instability, drop in hemoglobin > 2 g/dL, severe ongoing bleeding) to perform endoscopic hemostasis with thermal methods or clipping; hemostatic powders represent rescue therapies. ESGE recommends closure of immediate perforations with clips (through-the-scope or cap-mounted, depending on the size and shape of the perforation), as soon as possible but ideally after securing a good plane for further dissection.
A Simple-to-Use R Package for Mimicking Study Data by Simulations
Authors: Koliopanos Giorgos , Ojeda Francisco , Ziegler Andreas
Published: March 2023

Background Data protection policies might prohibit the transfer of existing study data to interested research groups. To overcome legal restrictions, simulated data can be transferred that mimic the structure but are different from the existing study data.

Objectives The aim of this work is to introduce the simple-to-use R package Mock Data Generation (modgo) that may be used for simulating data from existing study data for continuous, ordinal categorical, and dichotomous variables.

Methods The core is to combine rank inverse normal transformation with the calculation of a correlation matrix for all variables. Data can then be simulated from a multivariate normal and transferred back to the original scale of the variables. Unique features of modgo are that it allows to change the correlation between variables, to perform perturbation analysis, to handle multicenter data, and to change inclusion/exclusion criteria by selecting specific values of one or a set of variables. Simulation studies on real data demonstrate the validity and flexibility of modgo.

Results modgo mimicked the structure of the original study data. Results of modgo were similar with those from two other existing packages in standard simulation scenarios. modgo's flexibility was demonstrated on several expansions.

Conclusion The R package modgo is useful when existing study data may not be shared. Its perturbation expansion permits to simulate truly anonymized subjects. The expansion to multicenter studies can be used for validating prediction models. Additional expansions can support the unraveling of associations even in large study data and can be useful in power calculations.
Palladium-Catalyzed Regioselective C-Arylation and C,N-Diarylation of N-Aryl-2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-diones Using Diaryliodonium Salts
Authors: Sakhuja Rajeev , Naharwal Sushma , Kharat Narendra Dinkar , Mahesha Chikkagundagal K. , Bajaj Kiran
Published: March 2023

Regioselective C-arylation and C,N-diarylation in 2-aryl-2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-diones has been successfully accomplished with diaryliodonium salts under base-mediated slightly modified Pd-catalyzed conditions. These ligand-driven transformations provided a variety of diversely decorated bi(hetero)aryls in good-to-excellent yields, while N-arylated product could be obtained under similar Pd-catalyzed conditions in the absence of a ligand.
Surgical Education: Disparities in Education May Impact the Quality and Likelihood of Completion of Training
Authors: Ofshteyn Asya , Steinhagen Emily
Published: March 2023

Female surgical trainees experience bias that begins at the preclinical stages of medical school, extending into their surgery clerkships, and then into their residency training. There are important implications in terms of training opportunities and career advancement, mentorship, sponsorship, and ultimately burnout. Childbearing and lactation also impact the experiences and perceptions of female trainees who have children. There are limited interventions that have improved the experience of women in surgical training. Mentorship appears to play an important role in ameliorating some of the negative consequences of the training environment and improving outcomes for women surgeons.
Instabilities elucidate dynamics of supernovae blasts
Authors: Piccone Ashley
Published: March 2023

Group theory approach examines how fluid instabilities intensively mix materials as stars explode.
Electrowetting channel transports droplets with and without gravity
Authors: Piccone Ashley
Published: March 2023

Numerical model explores the fundamental dynamics of directional fluid transport.
Anomaly cancellation in the lattice effective electroweak theory
Authors: Mastropietro Vieri
Published: March 2023

The anomaly cancellation is at the basis of the perturbative consistence of the Standard Model, and it provides a partial explanation of charge quantization. We consider an effective electroweak theory on a lattice, with a quartic interaction describing the weak forces and an interaction with the e.m. field. We prove the validity of the anomaly cancellation at a non-perturbative level and with a finite lattice cutoff, even if the lattice breaks some important symmetries, on which perturbative arguments for the cancellation are based. The method of the proof has analogies with the one adopted for establishing the universality in transport of quantum materials.
A procedure set to construct the optimal energy saving retrofit strategy for old residential buildings in China
Authors: Wang Peng , Ji Cheng , Yu Ping , Huang Lei
Published: March 2023

A key strategy for lowering emissions and reducing the effects of climate change is to execute energy-saving retrofits in residential buildings. Despite extensive research on different retrofit pathways for building energy efficiency, the current retrofitting of the aged housing stock in China is still constrained by several factors, including occupant willingness, government financial situation, and low energy prices, so retrofitting projects are almost entirely government-led and most of the solutions of existing studies are not applicable. Therefore, a comprehensive optimization framework for low-budget compliance retrofit strategies in the Chinese context is urgently needed. In order to fill this gap, this study established a set of procedures for developing an optimal energy-saving retrofit scheme in old residential buildings in Nanjing city. The results showed that the optimal scheme can reduce 18.52% of residential building energy consumption in five central districts of Nanjing City, and the total energy saving is about 260.43 GW h. The study also showed that improving wall insulation and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems were the most efficient retrofit measures but came at a high cost. Setting a reasonable air conditioning target temperature was further identified as the most cost-effective retrofit measure. This study provided a mechanism for district-level retrofit planners to formulate a strategy that may take the performance of retrofitting on the environment and the economy into account while still adhering to code requirements.
Tailoring nanowire lasing modes via coupling to metal gratings
Authors: Vitale F. , Repp D. , Siefke T. , Zeitner U. , Peschel U. , Pertsch T. , Ronning C.
Published: March 2023

Tailoring the emission of plasmonic nanowire-based lasers represents one of the major challenges in the field of nanoplasmonics, given the envisaged integration of such devices into on-chip all-optical circuits. In this study, we proposed a mode selection scheme based on distributed feedback, achieved via the external coupling of single zinc oxide nanowires to an aluminum grating, which enabled a quasi-single mode lasing action. The nano-manipulation of a single nanowire allowed for a reliable comparison of lasing emission characteristics in both planar (i.e., a nanowire on the metallic substrate) and on-grating configurations. We found that, by varying the orientation of the nanowire on the grating, only when the nano-cavity was perpendicular to the ridge direction, an additional peak emerged in the emission spectrum on the low-energy side of the gain envelope. As a consequence of the fulfillment of the Bragg condition, such a peak was attributed to a hybrid mode dominating the mode competition. Simulation results showed that the hybrid mode could be efficiently waveguided along the nanowire cavity and supported by localized plasmon polaritons building up at the raised features (“fences”) on top of metal grating ridges. Moreover, the hybrid mode was found to experience an extra reflectance of nearly 50% across the grating periods in addition to that provided by nanowire end facets.
Integration of a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector into a confocal microscope for time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL)-mapping: Sensitivity and time resolution
Authors: Buschmann Volker , Ermilov Eugeny , Koberling Felix , Loidolt-Krüger Maria , Breitlow Jürgen , Kooiman Hugo , Los Johannes W. N. , van Willigen Jan , Caldarola Martin , Fognini Andreas , Castaneda Mario U. , de Wild Jessica , Vermang Bart , Brammertz Guy , Erdmann Rainer
Published: March 2023

This report highlights the combination of the MicroTime 100 upright confocal fluorescence lifetime microscope with a Single Quantum Eos Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detector (SNSPD) system as a powerful tool for photophysical research and applications. We focus on an application in materials science, photoluminescence imaging, and lifetime characterization of Cu(InGa)Se2 (CIGS) devices intended for solar cells. We demonstrate improved sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratio, and time-resolution in combination with confocal spatial resolution in the near-infrared (NIR) range, specifically in the 1000–1300 nm range. The MicroTime 100–Single Quantum Eos system shows two orders of magnitude higher signal-to-noise ratio for CIGS devices' photoluminescence imaging compared to a standard NIR-photomultiplier tube (NIR-PMT) and a three-fold improvement in time resolution, which is now limited by the laser pulse width. Our results demonstrate the advantages in terms of image quality and time resolution of SNSPDs technology for imaging in materials science.
Electromigration-induced void evolution and failure of Cu/SiCN hybrid bonds
Authors: Ceric H. , Zahedmanesh H. , Croes K. , Lacerda de Orio R. , Selberherr S.
Published: March 2023

The realization of high interconnect densities for three-dimensional integration demands development of new wafer-to-wafer bonding approaches. Recently introduced Cu-to-Cu wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding schemes overcome scaling limitations, but like other Cu-based interconnect structures, they are prone to electromigration. Migration and growth of voids, induced by electromigration and mechanical stress, cause Cu-to-Cu hybrid bonds to fail. A comprehensive modeling approach is required to fully understand the complex dynamics of voids with their influencing factors, such as current density, temperature, and mechanical stress. In this work, we utilize such a modeling approach to perform studies of void migration through Cu-to-Cu hybrid bonds. The calculated velocities of the evolving void surface fully correspond to the experimentally observed behavior of voids migrating from the lower pad to the upper diffusion barrier of the upper pad, where they cause electrical failure. The migration velocity of a void in the upper pad is 20% higher than the migration velocity of a void in the bottom pad. Unbalance of the normal velocity distribution at the void surface leads to the transformation of the originally ellipsoid void into a teardrop shape. The simulations provide full insight in the impact of layout geometry, material properties, and operating conditions on void dynamics. In addition, the results enable targeted adjustments of the influencing factors to inhibit void migration and growth in order to delay or to fully prevent Cu-to-Cu hybrid bond failure.
Shell effects on the dielectric properties of core–shell quantum dots
Authors: Xie Yujuan , Cui Yingqi , Zhang Li , Yang Mingli
Published: March 2023

The dielectric properties in semiconductor quantum dots are crucial for exciton formation, migration, and recombination. Different from 3D bulk materials, the dielectric response is, however, ambiguous for the small-sized 0D dots in which the effect of outer atoms on the inner atoms is usually described qualitatively. Based on the first-principles calculated electron density, the polarizability of the core–shell CdSe@ZnS wurtzite quantum dots is decomposed into the distributional contributions among which the dipole polarizability of the core is proposed to measure the shell effect on the dielectric properties of core–shell quantum dots. The shell thickness dependence on the shell effect is then studied, which is significant for the outermost shell but decays rapidly in the additional shells. Moreover, this model gives explicit physical origins of the core dipole polarizability in the core–shell QDs, which is determined by the intra-shell polarization and inter-core-shell charge transfer. Our study proposes a new approach for studying the dielectric properties of core–shell quantum dots, which is effective and extendable for other low-dimensional structures.
Revisiting the melting curve of H2O by Brillouin spectroscopy to 54 GPa
Authors: Kimura Tomoaki , Murakami Motohiko
Published: March 2023

The melting curve of H2O was investigated up to 54 GPa and ∼2000 K by Brillouin scattering spectroscopy in a diamond anvil cell. A CO2 laser was used for heating the H2O sample directly in order to reduce the risk of chemical reactions. The melting was identified based on the appearance of the Brillouin peaks derived from the liquid phase. The longitudinal wave velocity (Vp) of the liquid phase along the melting curve exhibits a smooth increase with pressure. The melting temperature of H2O shows no kink previously reported but a monotonic increase between 26 and 54 GPa. Present melting data suggest that the melting occurs from body-centered-cubic superionic phase in the pressure-temperature range investigated.
Insulator–metal transition characterized by multifunctional diamond quantum sensor
Authors: Lin Hao-Bin , Feng Ce , Li Liang , Li Bowen , Dong Yang , Jiang Wang , Gao Xue-Dong , Liu Yong , Zhang Shao-Chun , Zou Chong-Wen , Chen Xiang-Dong , Guo Guang-Can , Sun Fang-Wen
Published: March 2023

An insulator–metal transition (IMT) is an emergent characteristic of quantum materials, which have a great amount promise for applications, such as memories, optical switches, and analog brain functions. This is due to their ability to switch between two well-defined states. Thus, the characterization of the state-switching process is essential for the application of these materials. For vanadium dioxide (VO2), the phase transition can be determined from temperature, magnetic field, and dielectric constant. In this paper, we propose a diamond quantum sensing approach based on nitrogen-vacancy centers for analyzing phase transitions. By using lock-in-based optically detected magnetic resonance and Rabi measurement protocols, temperature and magnetic field can reflect local IMT information of the circuit, and microwave can determine IMT information of an electrical isolation region. Our multifunctional quantum sensor exhibits local, nondestructive, and integrated measurements, which are useful for reliability testing in IMT technology applications.
Milliwatt-power sub-230-nm AlGaN LEDs with >1500 h lifetime on a single-crystal AlN substrate with many quantum wells for effective carrier injection
Authors: Kobayashi Hirotsugu , Sato Kosuke , Okuaki Yusuke , Lee TaeGi , Morishita Tomohiro , Goto Hiromasa , Kuze Naohiro
Published: March 2023

We fabricated sub-230-nm (far UV-C) light emitting diodes (LEDs) on a single-crystal AlN substrate. With 20 quantum well cycles implemented to enhance carrier injection into the active layers, over 1-mW output power (1.4 and 3.1 mW for 226- and 229-nm LEDs, respectively) was obtained under 100-mA operation. The maximum output power reached 21.1 mW for the single-chip 229-nm LED operating at 700 mA, without significant drooping. The forward voltage for both sub-230-nm LEDs operating at 100 mA was low (5.9 V) due to their low resistances and ideal Ohmic contacts between metal and semiconductor components. Additionally, wall plug efficiencies were 0.24% and 0.53% for the 226- and 229-nm LEDs, respectively. The lifetime of the 226-nm LED while operating at 25 °C reached over 1500 h and did not show current leakage, even after 1524 h. This long lifetime will be achieved by improving carrier injection due to many quantum wells, using a high-quality AlN substrate and achieving high wall plug efficiency.
High-speed mid-wave infrared holey photodetectors
Authors: Wang Yinan , Nordin Leland , Dev Sukrith , Allen Monica , Allen Jeffery , Wasserman Daniel
Published: March 2023

We demonstrate high-speed mid-wave infrared photoconductive detectors leveraging a lattice-mismatched, epitaxially grown InSb absorber material patterned with nanometer-scale hole arrays. We show that the nano-scale hole patterns allow for post-growth control over the detector response time by introducing recombination surfaces to increase non-radiative recombination. The photoconductive pixels are integrated into a microwave coplanar waveguide for high frequency characterization. The detector response is characterized as a function of temperature and hole-array dimensions. We show a detector response with characteristic time scales of tens of picoseconds and bandwidths up to 7 GHz at room temperature. The presented detectors offer a mechanism for engineering response times in long wavelength detectors for potential applications in high-speed sensing/imaging, free-space communication, ranging, or dual-comb spectroscopy.
Polarization-sensitive self-powered tellurium microwire near-infrared photodetector
Authors: Shui Zheng-Dong , Wang Shaoyuan , Yang Zhihao , Wang Dong , Tian Bang-Zhou , Luo Siyuan , Wang Zegao , Yang Lei
Published: March 2023

Self-powered near-infrared detectors that can work without an external power source underpin important applications in versatile fields. Herein, a self-powered near-infrared (NIR) detector with a metal–semiconductor–metal structure was fabricated by mounting a hydrothermal synthesized Te microwire onto Ti electrodes. Under 1550 nm illumination, the detector exhibits a responsivity of 3.47 × 105 V/W and 170 mA/W and a detectivity of 4 × 109 Jones at room temperature. Such competitive performance can be attributed to the built-in electric fields induced by the asymmetric Schottky barrier. Moreover, benefiting from the highly anisotropic structure of the Te microwire, the polarization dichroic ratio of the device under 1550 nm irradiation can reach up to 2.1. This work provided a facile strategy to realize polarization-sensitive self-powered near-infrared (NIR) detection in a wide temperature range.
Scalar interfaces in the near field of a unity velocity ratio coaxial jet
Authors: Kohan Khashayar F. , Gaskin Susan J.
Published: March 2023

Planar laser-induced fluorescence is employed to investigate the concentration field in the developing region of a coaxial jet with an annular to inner jet velocity of one. Seeding the annular flow with a scalar shows that prior to the erosion of the inner scalar core, an inner interface exists, across which the scalar quantities exhibit sharp gradients akin to the traditional outer interface. Coarse grain filtering revealed that the outer interface establishes the universal fractal scaling before the onset of self-similarity, while the inner interface does not develop sufficient scale separation to do so due to the lack of shear.
IrO2 as a promising support to boost oxygen reduction reaction on Pt in acid under high temperature conditions
Authors: Liu Bing Yu , Chen Wei , Ye Xu-Xu , Cai Jun , Chen Yan-Xia
Published: March 2023

Metal oxide nanoparticle (NP) supports of both good conductivity and stability have the potential to enhance both the reaction activity and stability of the loaded electrocatalysts. In this paper, a facile two-step approach to disperse Pt nanoparticles on the surface of an IrO2 NP support (Pt/IrO2) was developed. Physical characterization by x-ray diffraction spectroscopy and transmission/scanning electron microscopy suggests a good dispersion of the Pt NPs. The temperature effect (from 293 to 353 K) of oxygen reduction reaction on Pt/IrO2 was studied by using a rotating ring disk electrode The results show that although the kinetic current density on Pt/IrO2 is close to that on commercial Pt/C at room temperature, the apparent activation energy (Ea,app) in the former case is much lower, suggesting a much higher activity at elevated temperatures. The superiority in Ea,app is attributed to the electron interaction between Pt and the IrO2 support, as supported by the change of surface chemical state given by x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy.
Tillage, crop establishment and residue retention methods for optimising productivity and profitability under rice–wheat system
Authors: Thind H. S. , Sharma Sandeep , Sidhu H. S. , Singh Vicky , Yadvinder-Singh
Published: March 2023

Conventional tillage and crop establishment methods for the rice–wheat (RW) system are input intensive (water, labour and energy). About 24.5 million tonnes of rice residues are burnt every year on farms in north-western India before sowing of wheat, causing air pollution and soil health degradation. Therefore, alternative tillage, crop establishment and residue management practices are needed for long-term sustainability of the RW system. A 4-year field study evaluated four tillage and crop establishment methods in rice (in main plots) and three tillage and rice residue management methods in wheat (in subplots) for their effects on yield, soil fertility, and profitability of the RW system. Average rice yields were similar under conventional puddled transplanted rice (PTR) and conventional till dry seeder rice (CTDSR). Both of these treatments produced significantly greater yields (10–16%) compared with zero till DSR (ZTDSR) and ZT machine transplanted rice in non-puddled soil, respectively, regardless of tillage and straw management methods in the previous wheat crop. Wheat yields in ZT wheat (ZTW) with 100% surface retention of rice residue (+R) were significantly greater than conventional till without residue retention after 2 years of experimentation, and accompanied by significant increases in macro-nutrient (potassium) availability in soil. The ZTW−R (no residue) treatment produced 15% lower wheat yield than ZTW+R. System yield was highest in CTDSR-ZTW+R, which was 5% higher than the conventional practice PTR-CTW−R, resulting in Rs 17 000 ha−1 greater net returns.
Corrigendum to: Extensive species diversification and marked geographic phylogenetic structure in the Mesoamerican genus Stenopelmatus (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatidae: Stenopelmatinae) revealed by mitochondrial and nuclear 3RAD data
Authors: Gutiérrez-Rodríguez Jorge , Zaldívar-Riverón Alejandro , Weissman David B. , Vandergast Amy G.
Published: March 2023

The Jerusalem cricket subfamily Stenopelmatinae is distributed from south-western Canada through the western half of the United States to as far south as Ecuador. Recently, the generic classification of this subfamily was updated to contain two genera, the western North American Ammopelmatus, and the Mexican, and central and northern South American Stenopelmatus. The taxonomy of the latter genus was also revised, with 5, 13 and 14 species being respectively validated, declared as nomen dubium and described as new. Despite this effort, the systematics of Stenopelmatus is still far from complete. Here, we generated sequences of the mitochondrial DNA barcoding locus and performed two distinct DNA sequence-based approaches to assess the species’ limits among several populations of Stenopelmatus, with emphasis on populations from central and south-east Mexico. We reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships among representative species of the main clades within the genus using nuclear 3RAD data and carried out a molecular clock analysis to investigate its biogeographic history. The two DNA sequence-based approaches consistently recovered 34 putative species, several of which are apparently undescribed. Our estimates of phylogeny confirmed the recent generic update of Stenopelmatinae and revealed a marked phylogeographic structure within Stenopelmatus. Based on our results, we propose the existence of four species-groups within the genus (the faulkneri, talpa, Central America and piceiventris species-groups). The geographic distribution of these species-groups and our molecular clock estimates are congruent with the geological processes that took place in mountain ranges along central and southern Mexico, particularly since the Neogene. Our study emphasises the necessity to continue performing more taxonomic and phylogenetic studies on Stenopelmatus to clarify its actual species richness and evolutionary history in Mesoamerica.
Dietary analysis and mesocosm feeding trials confirm the eastern rock lobster (
Authors: Day Jeremy K. , Knott Nathan A. , Swadling Daniel S. , Ayre David J.
Published: March 2023

Worldwide, lobsters are considered important predators of macroalgae-consuming urchin species, but this has not been tested for Australia’s common lobster, the eastern rock lobster (Sagmariasus verreauxi). We predicted that the abundant urchins, the long-spined urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) and the short-spined urchin (Heliocidaris erythrogramma), would form substantial components of lobster diets. To test this hypothesis, we examined 115 lobster stomachs from 9 locations and conducted 14 feeding trials, in which lobsters were offered either urchin species. Dissections revealed various stomach items, with detritus (51%), bivalves (34%), gastropods (28%) and algae (26%) occurring more frequently than urchins (19%). Urchin spines were found in 22 lobsters that ranged in size from 91- to 124-mm carapace length, with all individuals containing H. erythrogramma spines and C. rodgersii spines observed only once. During feeding trials, seven urchins were consumed. Four H. erythrogramma were eaten on Day 1, whereas one was not eaten until Day 11. Two C. rodgersii were eaten on Days 2 and 10. Only three of the six lobsters observed to eat urchins ingested spines. Together, these data show that S. verreauxi is a generalist predator that consumes urchins, although, because urchins could be eaten without ingesting spines, future studies are needed to assess the importance of urchins as dietary items for S. verreauxi.
Diverse yeast antiviral systems prevent lethal pathogenesis caused by the L-A mycovirus
Authors: Chau Sabrina , Gao Jie , Diao Annette J. , Cao Shi Bo , Azhieh Amirahmad , Davidson Alan R. , Meneghini Marc D.
Published: March 2023

Recent studies show that antiviral systems are remarkably conserved from bacteria to mammals, demonstrating that unique insights into these systems can be gained by studying microbial organisms. Unlike in bacteria, however, where phage infection can be lethal, no cytotoxic viral consequence is known in the budding yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
even though it is chronically infected with a double-stranded RNA mycovirus called L-A. This remains the case despite the previous identification of conserved antiviral systems that limit L-A replication. Here, we show that these systems collaborate to prevent rampant L-A replication, which causes lethality in cells grown at high temperature. Exploiting this discovery, we use an overexpression screen to identify antiviral functions for the yeast homologs of polyA-binding protein (PABPC1) and the La-domain containing protein Larp1, which are both involved in viral innate immunity in humans. Using a complementary loss of function approach, we identify new antiviral functions for the conserved RNA exonucleases
REX2
and
MYG1
; the SAGA and PAF1 chromatin regulatory complexes; and
HSF1
, the master transcriptional regulator of the proteostatic stress response. Through investigation of these antiviral systems, we show that L-A pathogenesis is associated with an activated proteostatic stress response and the accumulation of cytotoxic protein aggregates. These findings identify proteotoxic stress as an underlying cause of L-A pathogenesis and further advance yeast as a powerful model system for the discovery and characterization of conserved antiviral systems.
CENP-I directly targets centromeric DNA to support CENP-A deposition and centromere maintenance
Authors: Hu Liqiao , Zhao Congcong , Liu Mingjie , Liu Shuaiyu , Ye Jingjing , Wang Kehui , Shi Jinyun , Tian Wei , He Xiaojing
Published: March 2023

The enrichment of histone H3 variant CENP-A is the epigenetic mark of centromere and initiates the assembly of the kinetochore at centromere. The kinetochore is a multi-subunit complex that ensures accurate attachment of microtubule centromere and faithful segregation of sister chromatids during mitosis. As a subunit of kinetochore, CENP-I localization at centromere also depends on CENP-A. However, whether and how CENP-I regulates CENP-A deposition and centromere identity remains unclear. Here, we identified that CENP-I directly interacts with the centromeric DNA and preferentially recognizes AT-rich elements of DNA via a consecutive DNA-binding surface formed by conserved charged residues at the end of N-terminal HEAT repeats. The DNA binding–deficient mutants of CENP-I retained the interaction with CENP-H/K and CENP-M, but significantly diminished the centromeric localization of CENP-I and chromosome alignment in mitosis. Moreover, the DNA binding of CENP-I is required for the centromeric loading of newly synthesized CENP-A. CENP-I stabilizes CENP-A nucleosomes upon binding to nucleosomal DNA instead of histones. These findings unveiled the molecular mechanism of how CENP-I promotes and stabilizes CENP-A deposition and would be insightful for understanding the dynamic interplay of centromere and kinetochore during cell cycle.
Pathways of N2O production by marine ammonia-oxidizing archaea determined from dual-isotope labeling
Authors: Wan Xianhui S. , Hou Lei , Kao Shuh-Ji , Zhang Yao , Sheng Hua-Xia , Shen Hui , Tong Senwei , Qin Wei , Ward Bess B.
Published: March 2023

The ocean is a net source of the greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting substance, nitrous oxide (N2O), to the atmosphere. Most of that N2O is produced as a trace side product during ammonia oxidation, primarily by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), which numerically dominate the ammonia-oxidizing community in most marine environments. The pathways to N2O production and their kinetics, however, are not completely understood. Here, we use15N and18O isotopes to determine the kinetics of N2O production and trace the source of nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) atoms in N2O produced by a model marine AOA species,Nitrosopumilus maritimus. We find that during ammonia oxidation, the apparent half saturation constants of nitrite and N2O production are comparable, suggesting that both processes are enzymatically controlled and tightly coupled at low ammonia concentrations. The constituent atoms in N2O are derived from ammonia, nitrite, O2, and H2O via multiple pathways. Ammonia is the primary source of N atoms in N2O, but its contribution varies with ammonia to nitrite ratio. The ratio of45N2O to46N2O (i.e., single or double labeled N) varies with substrate ratio, leading to widely varying isotopic signatures in the N2O pool. O2is the primary source for O atoms. In addition to the previously demonstrated hybrid formation pathway, we found a substantial contribution by hydroxylamine oxidation, while nitrite reduction is an insignificant source of N2O. Our study highlights the power of dual15N-18O isotope labeling to disentangle N2O production pathways in microbes, with implications for interpretation of pathways and regulation of marine N2O sources.
Structural basis of dual activation of cell division by the actinobacterial transcription factors WhiA and WhiB
Authors: Lilic Mirjana , Holmes Neil A. , Bush Matthew J. , Marti Alexandra K. , Widdick David A. , Findlay Kim C. , Choi Young Joo , Froom Ruby , Koh Steven , Buttner Mark J. , Campbell Elizabeth A.
Published: March 2023

Studies of transcriptional initiation in different bacterial clades reveal diverse molecular mechanisms regulating this first step in gene expression. The WhiA and WhiB factors are both required to express cell division genes in Actinobacteria and are essential in notable pathogens such as
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
. The WhiA/B regulons and binding sites have been elucidated in
Streptomyces venezuelae
(
Sven
), where they coordinate to activate sporulation septation. However, how these factors cooperate at the molecular level is not understood. Here we present cryoelectron microscopy structures of
Sven
transcriptional regulatory complexes comprising RNA polymerase (RNAP) σ
A
-holoenzyme and WhiA and WhiB, in complex with the WhiA/B target promoter
sepX
. These structures reveal that WhiB binds to domain 4 of σ
A
(σ
A
4
) of the σ
A
-holoenzyme, bridging an interaction with WhiA while making non-specific contacts with the DNA upstream of the −35 core promoter element. The N-terminal homing endonuclease-like domain of WhiA interacts with WhiB, while the WhiA C-terminal domain (WhiA-CTD) makes base-specific contacts with the conserved WhiA GACAC motif. Notably, the structure of the WhiA-CTD and its interactions with the WhiA motif are strikingly similar to those observed between σ
A
4
housekeeping σ-factors and the −35 promoter element, suggesting an evolutionary relationship. Structure-guided mutagenesis designed to disrupt these protein–DNA interactions reduces or abolishes developmental cell division in
Sven,
confirming their significance. Finally, we compare the architecture of the WhiA/B σ
A
-holoenzyme promoter complex with the unrelated but model CAP Class I and Class II complexes, showing that WhiA/WhiB represent a new mechanism in bacterial transcriptional activation.
The constructional categorization of Saisiyat multi-predicate sentences
Authors: Wang Chien-pang
Published: March 2023

This study investigates the constructional categorization of multi-predicate sentences in Saisiyat. This type of
complex sentences simultaneously involves features of serial verb construction and complementation in Saisiyat, which give rise to
indeterminacy in constructional categorization. In order to solve this problem, the current study probes into the categorization
between serial verb construction and complementation regarding Aarts’ (2007)
constructional gradience and semantic relations (Van Valin & LaPolla 1997). The
investigation demonstrates a discrete boundary between the two constructions with convergence on each other, while subtypes of
multi-predicate sentences are aligned on the convergence based on intra- and inter-categorical relations. Two structural
dependencies are proposed to carry out a taxonomy of Saisiyat complex sentences. A theoretical implication derives from this study
that Saisiyat multi-predicate sentences are manifestations of formalized morphosyntactic configurations with a pairing of
particularized semantic relations instead of coinage based on analogic conventionalization (Fillmore 1997; Goldberg 2019).
Magnetic Damping Properties of Single-Crystalline Co55Mn18Ga27 and Co50Mn18Ga32 Films
Authors: Chen Jia-Rui , Gong Yu-Ting , Lu Xian-Yang , Zhang Chen-Yu , Hu Yong , Wang Ming-Zhi , Shi Zhong , Fu Shuai , Cai Hong-Ling , Liu Ruo-Bai , Yuan Yuan , Lu Yu , Liu Tian-Yu , You Biao , Xu Yong-Bing , Du Jun
Published: March 2023

We investigate the structural, static magnetic and damping properties in two Mn-deficient magnetic Weyl semimetal Co-Mn-Ga (CMG) alloy films, i.e., Co55Mn18Ga27 (CMG1) and Co50Mn18Ga32 (CMG2), which were epitaxially grown on MgO (001) substrates. CMG1 has a mixing phase of B
2 and L21, larger saturation magnetization (M
s ∼ 760 emu/cm3), stronger in-plane magnetic anisotropy. CMG2 has an almost pure B2 phase, smaller M
s (∼ 330 emu/cm3), negligible in-plane magnetic anisotropy. Time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect results unambiguously demonstrate an obvious perpendicular standing spin wave (PSSW) mode in addition to the Kittel mode for both of the CMG films. The intrinsic damping constant is about 0.0055 and 0.015 for CMG1 and CMG2, respectively, which are both significantly larger than that of the stoichiometric CMG (i.e., Co2MnGa) film reported previously. In combination with the first-principles calculations, the intrinsic damping properties of the Mn-deficient CMG films can be well explained by considering the increase of density of states at the Fermi level, reduction of M
s, and excitation of the PSSW mode. These findings provide a new clue to tuning the magnetic damping of the magnetic Weyl semimetal film through slight off-stoichiometry.
Static neutron stars perspective of quadratic and induced inflationary attractor scalar-tensor theories
Authors: Oikonomou V K
Published: March 2023

This study focuses on the static neutron star perspective for two types of cosmological inflationary attractor theories, namely the induced inflationary attractors and the quadratic inflationary attractors. The two cosmological models can be discriminated cosmologically, since one of the two does not provide a viable inflationary phenomenology, thus in this paper we investigate the predictions of these theories for static neutron stars, mainly focusing on the mass and radii of neutron stars. We aim to demonstrate that although the models have different inflationary phenomenology, the neutron star phenomenology predictions of the two models are quite similar. We solve numerically the Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff equations in the Einstein frame using a powerful double shooting numerical technique, and after deriving the mass-radius graphs for three types of polytropic equations of state, we derive the Jordan frame mass and radii. With regard the equations of state we use polytropic equation of state with the small density part being either the Wiringa–Fiks–Fabrocini, the Akmal–Pandharipande–Ravenhall or the intermediate stiffness equation of state Skyrme–Lyon (SLy). The results of our models will be confronted with quite stringent recently developed constraints on the radius of neutron stars with specific mass. As we show, the only equation of state which provides results compatible with the constraints is the SLy, for both the quadratic and induced inflation attractors. Thus nowadays, scalar-tensor descriptions of neutron stars are quite scrutinized due to the growing number of constraining observations, which eventually may also constrain theories of inflation.
Investigating the robustness of a deep learning-based method for quantitative phase retrieval from propagation-based x-ray phase contrast measurements under laboratory conditions
Authors: Deshpande Rucha , Avachat Ashish , Brooks Frank J , Anastasio Mark A
Published: March 2023

Objective. Quantitative phase retrieval (QPR) in propagation-based x-ray phase contrast imaging of heterogeneous and structurally complicated objects is challenging under laboratory conditions due to partial spatial coherence and polychromaticity. A deep learning-based method (DLBM) provides a nonlinear approach to this problem while not being constrained by restrictive assumptions about object properties and beam coherence. The objective of this work is to assess a DLBM for its applicability under practical scenarios by evaluating its robustness and generalizability under typical experimental variations. Approach. Towards this end, an end-to-end DLBM was employed for QPR under laboratory conditions and its robustness was investigated across various system and object conditions. The robustness of the method was tested via varying propagation distances and its generalizability with respect to object structure and experimental data was also tested. Main results. Although the end-to-end DLBM was stable under the studied variations, its successful deployment was found to be affected by choices pertaining to data pre-processing, network training considerations and system modeling. Significance. To our knowledge, we demonstrated for the first time, the potential applicability of an end-to-end learning-based QPR method, trained on simulated data, to experimental propagation-based x-ray phase contrast measurements acquired under laboratory conditions with a commercial x-ray source and a conventional detector. We considered conditions of polychromaticity, partial spatial coherence, and high noise levels, typical to laboratory conditions. This work further explored the robustness of this method to practical variations in propagation distances and object structure with the goal of assessing its potential for experimental use. Such an exploration of any DLBM (irrespective of its network architecture) before practical deployment provides an understanding of its potential behavior under experimental settings.