bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive DNA amplification of synthetic gene circuit opens a way to overcome cancer chemoresistance
Authors: Wan Yiming , Mu Quanhua , Krzysztoń Rafał , Cohen Joseph , Coraci Damiano , Helenek Christopher , Tompkins Christopher , Lin Annie , Farquhar Kevin , Cross Erin , Wang Jiguang , Balázsi Gábor
Published: November 2023

Drug resistance continues to impede the success of cancer treatments, creating a need for experimental model systems that are broad, yet simple, to allow the identification of mechanisms and novel countermeasures applicable to many cancer types. To address these needs, we investigated a set of engineered mammalian cell lines with synthetic gene circuits integrated into their genome that evolved resistance to Puromycin. We identified DNA amplification as the mechanism underlying drug resistance in 4 out of 6 replicate populations. Triplex-forming oligonucleotide (TFO) treatment combined with Puromycin could efficiently suppress the growth of cell populations with DNA amplification. Similar observations in human cancer cell lines suggest that TFOs could be broadly applicable to mitigate drug resistance, one of the major difficulties in treating cancer.
A first principles analysis of potential-dependent structural evolution of active sites in Fe-N-C catalysts
Authors: Morankar Ankita , Deshpande Siddharth , Zeng Zhenhua , Atanassov Plamen , Greeley Jeffrey
Published: November 2023

Fe-N-C (iron–nitrogen–carbon) electrocatalysts have emerged as potential alternatives to precious metal-based materials for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, the structure of these materials under electrochemical conditions is not well understood, and their poor stability in acidic environments poses a formidable challenge for successful adoption in commercial fuel cells. To provide molecular-level insights into these complex phenomena, we combine periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations, exhaustive treatment of coadsorption effects for ORR reaction intermediates, including O and OH, and comprehensive analysis of solvation stabilization effects to construct voltage-dependent ab initio thermodynamic phase diagrams that describe the in situ structure of the active sites. These structures are further linked to activity and stability descriptors that can be compared with experimental parameters such as the half-wave potential for ORR and the onset potential for carbon corrosion and CO
2
evolution. The results indicate that pyridinic Fe sites at zigzag carbon edges, as well as other edge sites, exhibit high activity for ORR compared to sites in the bulk. However, edges neighboring the active sites are prone to instability via overoxidation and consequent site loss. The results suggest that it could be beneficial to synthesize Fe-N-C catalysts with small sizes and large perimeter edge lengths to enhance ORR activity, while voltage fluctuations should be limited during fuel cell operation to prevent carbon corrosion of overoxidized edges.
Ca
2+
regulation of glutamate release from inner hair cells of hearing mice
Authors: Jaime Tobón Lina María , Moser Tobias
Published: November 2023

In our hearing organ, sound is encoded at ribbon synapses formed by inner hair cells (IHCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). How the underlying synaptic vesicle (SV) release is controlled by Ca
2+
in IHCs of hearing animals remained to be investigated. Here, we performed patch-clamp SGN recordings of the initial rate of release evoked by brief IHC Ca
2+
-influx in an ex vivo cochlear preparation from hearing mice. We aimed to closely mimic physiological conditions by perforated-patch recordings from IHCs kept at the physiological resting potential and at body temperature. We found release to relate supralinearly to Ca
2+
-influx (power,
m
: 4.3) when manipulating the [Ca
2+
] available for SV release by Zn
2+
-flicker-blocking of the single Ca
2+
-channel current. In contrast, a near linear Ca
2+
dependence (
m
: 1.2 to 1.5) was observed when varying the number of open Ca
2+
-channels during deactivating Ca
2+
-currents and by dihydropyridine channel-inhibition. Concurrent changes of number and current of open Ca
2+
-channels over the range of physiological depolarizations revealed
m
: 1.8. These findings indicate that SV release requires ~4 Ca
2+
-ions to bind to their Ca
2+
-sensor of fusion. We interpret the near linear Ca
2+
-dependence of release during manipulations that change the number of open Ca
2+
-channels to reflect control of SV release by the high [Ca
2+
] in the Ca
2+
-nanodomain of one or few nearby Ca
2+
-channels. We propose that a combination of Ca
2+
nanodomain control and supralinear intrinsic Ca
2+
-dependence of fusion optimally links SV release to the timing and amplitude of the IHC receptor potential and separates it from other IHC Ca
2+
-signals unrelated to afferent synaptic transmission.
Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) on Dairy Farms: A One Health Case Study from Punjab, India
Authors: Vijay Deepthi , Dhaka Pankaj , Bedi Jasbir Singh
Published: November 2023

This case study explores the antimicrobial usage (AMU) practices on Punjab’s dairy farms, aiming to address the challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through collaborative efforts. It uncovers diverse AMU practices contributing to misuse, particularly on farm management-related diseases, such as mastitis, reproductive disorders, diarrhoeal diseases, and blood parasite infections. Some animal farms displayed high AMU levels of ‘critical importance’ category antibiotics, as per the World Health Organization. Additionally, some farmers exhibited inadequate knowledge and understanding of the importance of completing adequate antimicrobial therapy courses. The key risk factors for incorrect AMU include lack of awareness among the informal animal health service providers (without formal education/qualification), over-the-counter access of antibiotics, self-treatment practices by the farmers, and limited understanding of AMR’s public health implications. The study undertook a series of initiatives to combat AMR, including subject awareness workshops, biosecurity awareness activities comprising proper disposal of farm waste, and workshops for veterinarians, para-veterinarians, and farmers, sensitizing about AMR’s adverse consequences. Recommendations include enhancing access to qualified veterinarians, discouraging reliance on unauthorized practitioners, enhancing diagnostic capabilities, and providing technical support for disease prevention. Establishing AMU and AMR surveillance systems is essential for informed decision-making. Collaborative efforts are vital to raise awareness, promote responsible AMU, and ensure animal and public health security. These joint actions among dairy chain stakeholders are imperative to combat AMR and foster sustainable dairy production while protecting animal and human health.

Information

© The Authors 2023
Coordination of RAB-8 and RAB-11 during unconventional protein secretion
Authors: Li Xinxin , Liu Bowen , Wen Yue , Wang Jiabin , Guo Yusong R. , Shi Anbing , Lin Long
Published: November 2023

Multiple physiology-pertinent transmembrane proteins reach the cell surface via the Golgi-bypassing unconventional protein secretion (UcPS) pathway. By employing C. elegans–polarized intestine epithelia, we recently have revealed that the small GTPase RAB-8/Rab8 serves as an important player in the process. Nonetheless, its function and the relevant UcPS itinerary remain poorly understood. Here, we show that deregulated RAB-8 activity resulted in impaired apical UcPS, which increased sensitivity to infection and environmental stress. We also identified the SNARE VTI-1/Vti1a/b as a new RAB-8–interacting factor involved in the apical UcPS. Besides, RAB-11/Rab11 was capable of recruiting RABI-8/Rabin8 to reduce the guanine nucleotide exchange activity of SMGL-1/GEF toward RAB-8, indicating the necessity of a finely tuned RAB-8/RAB-11 network. Populations of RAB-8– and RAB-11–positive endosomal structures containing the apical UcPS cargo moved toward the apical side. In the absence of RAB-11 or its effectors, the cargo was retained in RAB-8– and RAB-11–positive endosomes, respectively, suggesting that these endosomes are utilized as intermediate carriers for the UcPS.
Anionic omega currents from single countercharge mutants in the voltage-sensing domain of Ci-VSP
Authors: Shen Rong , Roux Benoît , Perozo Eduardo
Published: November 2023

The S4 segment of voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) directly responds to voltage changes by reorienting within the electric field as a permion. A narrow hydrophobic “gasket” or charge transfer center at the core of most VSDs focuses the electric field into a narrow region and catalyzes the sequential and reversible translocation of S4 positive gating charge residues across the electric field while preventing the permeation of physiological ions. Mutating specific S4 gating charges can cause ionic leak currents through the VSDs. These gating pores or omega currents play important pathophysiological roles in many diseases of excitability. Here, we show that mutating D129, a key countercharge residue in the Ciona intestinalis voltage-sensing phosphatase (Ci-VSP), leads to the generation of unique anionic omega currents. Neutralizing D129 causes a dramatic positive shift of activation, facilitates the formation of a continuous water path through the VSD, and creates a positive electrostatic potential landscape inside the VSD that contributes to its unique anionic selectivity. Increasing the population or dwell time of the conducting state by a high external pH or an engineered Cd2+ bridge markedly increases the current magnitude. Our findings uncover a new role of countercharge residues in the impermeable VSD of Ci-VSP and offer insights into mechanisms of the conduction of anionic omega currents linked to countercharge residue mutations.
Jointly determining the point sources and obstacle from Cauchy data
Authors: Zhang Deyue , Chang Yan , Guo Yukun
Published: November 2023

A numerical method is developed for recovering both the source locations and the obstacle from the scattered Cauchy data of the time-harmonic acoustic field. First of all, the incident and scattered components are decomposed from the coupled Cauchy data by the representation of the single-layer potentials and the solution to the resulting linear integral system. As a consequence of this decomposition, the original problem of joint inversion is reformulated into two decoupled subproblems: an inverse source problem and an inverse obstacle scattering problem. Then, two sampling-type schemes are proposed to recover the shape of the obstacle and the source locations, respectively. The sampling methods rely on the specific indicator functions defined on target-oriented probing domains of circular shape. The error estimates of the decoupling procedure are established and the asymptotic behaviors of the indicator functions are analyzed. Extensive numerical experiments are also conducted to verify the performance of the sampling schemes.
Effect of different oxygen precursors on alumina deposited using a spatial atomic layer deposition system for thin-film encapsulation of perovskite solar cells
Authors: Asgarimoghaddam Hatameh , Chen Qiaoyun , Ye Fan , Shahin Ahmed , Song Bo , Musselman Kevin P
Published: November 2023

An atmospheric-pressure spatial atomic layer deposition system operated in atmospheric-pressure spatial chemical vapor deposition conditions is employed to deposit alumina (AlO
x
) thin films using trimethylaluminum and different oxidants, including water (H2O), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and ozone (O3). The impact of the oxygen precursor on the structural properties of the films and their moisture-barrier performance is investigated. The O3-AlO
x
films, followed by H2O2-AlO
x
, exhibit higher refractive indexes, lower concentrations of OH− groups, and lower water-vapor-transmission rates compared to the films deposited using water (H2O-AlO
x
). The AlO
x
films are then rapidly deposited as thin-film-encapsulation layers on perovskite solar cells at 130 °C without damaging the temperature-sensitive perovskite and organic materials. The stability of the p–i–n formamidinium methylammonium lead iodide solar cells under standard ISOS-D-3 testing conditions (65 °C and 85% relative humidity) is significantly enhanced by the encapsulation layers. Specifically, the O3-AlO
x
and H2O2-AlO
x
layers result in a six-fold increase in the time required for the cells to degrade to 80% of their original efficiency compared to un-encapsulated cells.
Physiological sensor data cleaning with autoencoders
Authors: Kriara Lito , Zanon Mattia , Lipsmeier Florian , Lindemann Michael
Published: November 2023

Objective. Physiological sensor data (e.g. photoplethysmograph) is important for remotely monitoring patients’ vital signals, but is often affected by measurement noise. Existing feature-based models for signal cleaning can be limited as they might not capture the full signal characteristics. Approach. In this work we present a deep learning framework for sensor signal cleaning based on dilated convolutions which capture the coarse- and fine-grained structure in order to classify whether a signal is noisy or clean. However, since obtaining annotated physiological data is costly and time-consuming we propose an autoencoder-based semi-supervised model which is able to learn a representation of the sensor signal characteristics, also adding an element of interpretability. Main results. Our proposed models are over 8% more accurate than existing feature-based approaches with half the false positive/negative rates. Finally, we show that with careful tuning (that can be improved further), the semi-supervised model outperforms supervised approaches suggesting that incorporating the large amounts of available unlabeled data can be advantageous for achieving high accuracy (over 90%) and minimizing the false positive/negative rates. Significance. Our approach enables us to reliably separate clean from noisy physiological sensor signal that can pave the development of reliable features and eventually support decisions regarding drug efficacy in clinical trials.
Structure of the electron temperature profile around the separatrix
Authors: Díaz Esteban S , Griener M , Wolfrum E , Fischer R , Wendler D , Stieglitz D , Schuster C U , Silvagni D , Zholobenko W , Lackner K , Stroth U ,   the ASDEX Upgrade Team
Published: November 2023

The temperature decay length (

λ

T

e

) in the near scrape-off layer (SOL) reflects the ratio between the transport parallel to the magnetic field lines via Spitzer–Härm electron conduction and the perpendicular mechanisms involving neoclassical and anomalous transport. The implementation of the thermal helium beam diagnostic on ASDEX Upgrade has enabled an excellent spatiotemporal study of the structure of the electron temperature profile (

T

e

) around the separatrix and the derivation of the near SOL decay lengths. From the analysis of the

T

e

profile structure of attached H- and L-mode discharges, a self-consistent correspondence between the extrema of the electron temperature curvature profile (

∂

R

2

T

e

) and the position of the separatrix (

R

s
e
p

) is revealed. A 1.5 D model for the power balance from closed to open field lines, including the escaping heat flux from the confined region and the parallel losses to the divertor, as well as results from the plasma edge code GRILLIX, support these experimental results. The evaluation shows that the temperature decay length is not constant over the plasma edge and SOL region, so that the absolute value of

λ

T

e

strongly depends on the analyzed region. Independent of the exact location and in agreement with edge Thomson scattering evaluations, the decay lengths show the known inverse relation to the plasma current (

I

p

).
Experimental investigation into efficiency loss in rotating magnetic field thrusters
Authors: Gill T M , Sercel C L , Jorns B A
Published: November 2023

An experimental investigation into the low thrust efficiency of a rotating magnetic field (RMF) thruster is presented. This technology is a low maturity but potentially enabling candidate for high-power in-space propulsion for use with alternative propellants. Direct thrust stand measurements of a 5 kW class RMF thruster were performed and show the thrust efficiency was 0.41 ± 0.04% with a specific impulse of 292 ± 11 s—typical values for RMF thruster operation. A suite of far-field probes were used to inform a phenomenological efficiency model for RMF thruster performance that accounted for divergence, power coupling, mass utilization, and plasma/acceleration efficiency. It was found that the plasma efficiency was the critically low term at 6.4 ± 1.0%. This indicates that the majority of the energy coupled to the plasma from the RMF antennas was lost before being converted to directed kinetic energy in the thruster beam. To determine the source of these losses, time-resolved measurements of the internal plasma properties were performed using a triple Langmuir probe. It was found that collisional excitation radiation and wall losses were the two dominant loss processes. This trend can be explained by the unusually high plasma density (

>

10

19

m−3) exhibited by this device compared to other electric propulsion architectures. Limitations in the probing techniques and strategies for improving RMF thruster performance are discussed given the results from the efficiency analysis.
Comparative analysis of junctionless and inversion-mode nanosheet FETs for self-heating effect mitigation
Authors: An Do Gyun , Kim Garam , Kim Hyunwoo , Kim Sangwan , Kim Jang Hyun
Published: November 2023

Artificial intelligence computing requires hardware like central processing units and graphic processing units for data processing. However, excessive heat generated during computations remains a challenge. The paper focuses on the heat issue in logic devices caused by transistor structures. To address the problem, the operational mechanism of the Junctionless Field-Effect Transistor (JLFET) is investigated. JLFET shows potential in mitigating heat-related issues and is compared to other nanosheet (ns) FETs. In the case of JL-nsFET, the change in mobility with increasing temperature is smaller compared to Con-nsFET, resulting in less susceptibility to lattice scattering and thermal resistance (Rth) in self-heating effect situation is 0.43 [K µW−1] for Con-nsFET and 0.414 [K µW−1] for JL-nsFET. The reason why the Rth of JL-nsFET is smaller than that of Con-nsFET is that JL-nsFET uses a source heat injection conduction mechanism and a large heat transfer area by using a bulk channel.
PEDOT:PSS based electrospun nanofibres used as trigger for fibroblasts differentiation
Authors: Beregoi Mihaela , Enache Teodor Adrian , Oprea Daniela , Enculescu Monica , Ciobotaru Iulia Corina , Busuioc Cristina , Enculescu Ionut
Published: November 2023

Electrospun nanofibres based on poly(styrene sulfonate) doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT:PSS) were fabricated using a straightforward procedure which combines electrospinning, sputtering deposition and electrochemical synthesis. In general, electrospun fibre meshes based on conducting polymers are prepared by mixing the conducting polymer with a carrier polymer or chemically coverage of the fibres. In contrast, freestanding nylon 6/6 nanofibre webs were prepared through electrospinning and were coated by sputtering with gold in order to make them conductive. Further, a PEDOT:PSS layer was electrochemically deposited onto the metalized nanofibre meshes and the synthesis parameters were chosen in such a way to preserve the high active area of the fibres. The prepared material was morphologically characterized and the formation of PEDOT:PSS was also demonstrated. The PEDOT:PSS coated nanofibres revealed remarkable electrical properties (sheet resistance of about 3.5 Ω cm−2), similar to those of metalized nanofibres (sheet resistance around 3 Ω cm2). The in vitro studies using L929 fibroblast mouse cells showed that the bioactive material has no cytotoxic effect and allows proliferation. Moreover, after 72 h of incubation, the fibroblasts shrunk their nuclei and spread suggesting that a differentiation in myofibroblast occurs without application of any kind of external stimuli. These results will be helpful for developing efficient materials for wound healing applications that work without energy consumption.
Theoretical switch model of novel asymmetric magnetorheological damper for shock and vibration application
Authors: Liang Huijun , Fu Jie , Li Wei , Wang Yongsheng , Luo Lei , Qi Song , Yu Miao
Published: November 2023

This study proposed a novel asymmetric conical flow channel magnetorheological damper (CFC-MRD) for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to handle complex excitations with coexisting shocks and vibrations. CFC-MRD produces adjustable damping forces by utilizing magnetically controlled properties and achieves asymmetric force output (moderate compression force and strong extension force) with conical flow channels. This design could effectively absorb and dissipate energy. The paper first illustrates the structure and asymmetric principle of CFC-MRD. Then, the mechanism of asymmetric force generation in a non-parallel flat plate is derived, and utilizes the hydrodynamic theory to derive the pressure difference of Bingham fluid between the non-parallel plates. Considering the coexistence of vibration and shock, the study proposes a theoretical switch model that distinguishes between low and high velocity states based on the Reynolds number. Finally, the validity of the model is verified by experiments, and the results show that the CFC-MRD achieves the desired asymmetric force output. The asymmetric force ratio rises with higher excitation speed and drops with increased drive current. At a speed of 1 m s−1 without any applied current, the maximum asymmetric force reaches 1.21. The small peak error, averaging only 2.57%, between experimental and theoretical results affirms the accuracy of the proposed switch model.
Higher-order random network models
Authors: Huang Jinyu , Hu Youxin , Li Weifu , Lin Maoyan
Published: November 2023

Most existing random network models that describe complex systems in nature and society are developed through connections that indicate a binary relationship between two nodes. However, real-world networks are so complicated that we can only identify many critical hidden structural properties through higher-order structures such as network motifs. Here we propose a framework in which we define higher-order stubs, higher-order degrees, and generating functions for developing higher-order complex network models. Then we develop higher-order random networks with arbitrary higher-order degree distributions. The developed higher-order random networks share critical structural properties with real-world networks, but traditional connection-based random networks fail to exhibit these structural properties. For example, as opposed to connection-based random network models, the proposed higher-order random network models can generate networks with power-law higher-order degree distributions, right-skewed degree distributions, and high average clustering coefficients simultaneously. These properties are also observed on the Internet, the Amazon product co-purchasing network, and collaboration networks. Thus, the proposed higher-order random networks are necessary supplements to traditional connection-based random networks.
Thermodynamics of deterministic finite automata operating locally and periodically
Authors: Ouldridge Thomas E , Wolpert David H
Published: November 2023

Real-world computers have operational constraints that cause nonzero entropy production (EP). In particular, almost all real-world computers are ‘periodic’, iteratively undergoing the same physical process; and ‘local’, in that subsystems evolve whilst physically decoupled from the rest of the computer. These constraints are so universal because decomposing a complex computation into small, iterative calculations is what makes computers so powerful. We first derive the nonzero EP caused by the locality and periodicity constraints for deterministic finite automata (DFA), a foundational system of computer science theory. We then relate this minimal EP to the computational characteristics of the DFA. We thus divide the languages recognised by DFA into two classes: those that can be recognised with zero EP, and those that necessarily have non-zero EP. We also demonstrate the thermodynamic advantages of implementing a DFA with a physical process that is agnostic about the inputs that it processes.
Potential-tuned magnetic switches and half-metallicity transition in zigzag graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Li Weijian , Xiao Shi-Chang , Sun Da-Fei , Gong Chang-De , Yu Shun-Li , Zhou Yuan
Published: November 2023

Realizing controllable room-temperature ferromagnetism in carbon-based materials is one of recent prospects. The magnetism in graphene nanostructures reported previously is mostly localized by breaking the local sublattice imbalance. Here, we predict a robustly potential-tuned ferromagnetic domain lying between the inter-chain carbon atoms inside the zigzag graphene nanoribbons. We show that the effective zigzag edges provide the strong correlation background through narrowing the band width, while the internal Van Hove filling (VHF) provides the strong ferromagnetic background inherited from the bulk. The induced ferromagnetism exhibit interesting switching effect when the nominal VHF crosses the intra- and inter-chain region by tuning the potential drops. We further observe a robust half-metallicity transition from one spin channel to another within the same magnetic phase. These novel properties provide promising ways to manipulate the spin degree of freedom in graphene nanostructures.
Multichromatic supercontinuum polarization shaping applied to photoelectron holography
Authors: Köhnke D , Eickhoff K , Bayer T , Wollenhaupt M
Published: November 2023

We present a supercontinuum pulse shaping method specifically designed for the generation of polarization-tailored multichromatic femtosecond laser fields. By combining a 4f-polarization pulse shaper with a custom-made polarizer kit, we independently modulate different spectral bands of a white-light supercontinuum in amplitude, phase, and polarization. The scheme is highly modular, scalable to any number of bands supported by the input spectrum and aims at the physically motivated design of specific laser fields tailored to the relevant transitions and dynamics of the quantum system. The power and versatility of the scheme is showcased in three different scenarios based on atomic multiphoton ionization employing polarization-tailored trichromatic pulse sequences. (1) We demonstrate the creation of an

f

x
(

x
2

−
3

y
2

)

-type free electron wave packet and reconstruct its 3D momentum distribution by a waveplate-free shaper-based photoelectron tomography technique. (2) We utilize the holographic properties of the wave packet to study time-resolved and phase-sensitive ultrafast dynamics of bound states. (3) We investigate the field-free time-evolution of a photoelectron wave packet in the continuum. Our results on an atomic model system demonstrate the great potential of the modular shaping scheme for a wide range of applications on more complex quantum systems, including polyatomic molecules, nanoscopic structures and solids.
Constraints on the rotating self-dual black hole with quasi-periodic oscillations
Authors: Liu Cheng , Siew Hoongwah , Zhu Tao , Wu Qiang , Sun Yi , Zhao Yuanyuan , Xu Haiguang
Published: November 2023

An impressive feature of loop quantum gravity (LQG) is that it can elegantly resolve both the big bang and black hole singularities. By using the Newman-Janis algorithm, a regular and effective rotating self-dual black hole (SDBH) metric could be constructed, which alters the Kerr geometry with a polymeric function P from the quantum effects of LQG geometry. In this paper, we investigate its impact on the frequency characteristics of the X-ray quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) from 5 X-ray binaries and contrast it with the existing results of the orbital, periastron precession and nodal precession frequencies within the relativistic precession model. We apply a Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) simulation to examine the possible LQG effects on the X-ray QPOs. We found that the best constraint result for the rotating self-dual geometry from LQG came from the QPOs of X-ray binary GRO J1655-40, which establish an upper bound on the polymeric function P less than 6.15 × 10-3 at 95% confidence level.
This bound leads to a restriction on the polymeric parameter δ of LQG to be 0.66.
Neutrinos from GRB 221009A: producing ALPs and explaining LHAASO anomalous γ event
Authors: Bernal Nicolás , Farzan Yasaman , Smirnov Alexei Yu.
Published: November 2023

We propose a novel explanation for the 18 TeV gamma ray from GRB 221009A observed by LHAASO. High-energy neutrinos are converted into axion-like particles (ALPs) via their interaction with the cosmic neutrino background. Subsequently, ALPs are converted into high-energy photons in the magnetic field of our galaxy. We compute the fluxes of neutrinos, ALPs, and photons reaching Earth. IceCube's constraints on the neutrino flux from GRB 221009A translate into a severe upper bound on the photon flux. We find a range of parameters where all existing bounds are satisfied and the 18 TeV LHAASO photon can be explained. In the future, the specific correlation between the photon and neutrino flux reaching Earth from powerful neutrino sources with energies larger than 10 TeV such as GRBs or AGNs, can be used as a tool to differentiate our explanation from the alternatives suggested in the literature. We discuss how the interactions of our scenario can be embedded within electroweak gauge-invariant models, avoiding various cosmological and terrestrial bounds. We comment on the possibility of explaining the 251 TeV photon observed by the Carpet-2 detector, taking into account the bounds from the observation of high-energy neutrinos from TXS 0506+056.
Using oscillatory and aperiodic neural activity features for identifying idle state in SSVEP-based BCIs reduces false triggers
Authors: Wang Rui , Zhou Tianyi , Li Zheng , Zhao Jing , Li Xiaoli
Published: November 2023

Objective. In existing studies, rhythmic (oscillatory) components were used as main features to identify brain states, such as control and idle states, while non-rhythmic (aperiodic) components were ignored. Recent studies have shown that aperiodic (1/f) activity is functionally related to cognitive processes. It is not clear if aperiodic activity can distinguish brain states in asynchronous brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) to reduce false triggers. In this paper, we propose an asynchronous method based on the fusion of oscillatory and aperiodic features for steady-state visual evoked potential-based BCIs. Approach. The proposed method first evaluates the oscillatory and aperiodic components of control and idle states using irregular-resampling auto-spectral analysis. Oscillatory features are then extracted using the spectral power of fundamental, second-harmonic, and third-harmonic frequencies of the oscillatory component, and aperiodic features are extracted using the slope and intercept of the first-order polynomial of the spectral fit of the aperiodic component under a log-logarithmic axis. The process produces two types of feature pools (oscillatory, aperiodic features). Next, feature selection (dimensionality reduction) is applied to the feature pools by Bonferroni corrected p-values from two-way analysis of variance. Last, these spatial-specific statistically significant features are used as input for classification to identify the idle state. Main
results. On a 7-target dataset from 15 subjects, the mix of oscillatory and aperiodic features achieved an average accuracy of 88.39% compared to 83.53% when using oscillatory features alone (4.86% improvement). The results demonstrated that the proposed idle state recognition method achieved enhanced performance by incorporating aperiodic features. Significance. Our results demonstrated that (1) aperiodic features were effective in recognizing idle states and (2) fusing features of oscillatory and aperiodic components enhanced classification performance by 4.86% compared to oscillatory features alone.
Concurrent and continuous estimation of multi-finger forces by synergy mapping and reconstruction: a pilot study
Authors: Teng Zhicheng , Xu Guanghua , Zhang Xun , Chen Xiaobi , Zhang Sicong , Huang Hsien-Yung
Published: November 2023

Objective. The absence of intuitive control in present myoelectric interfaces makes it a challenge for users to communicate with assistive devices efficiently in real-world conditions. This study aims to tackle this difficulty by incorporating neurophysiological entities, namely muscle and force synergies, onto multi-finger force estimation to allow intuitive myoelectric control. Approach. Eleven healthy subjects performed six isometric grasping tasks at three muscle contraction levels. The exerted fingertip forces were collected concurrently with the surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals from six extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of hand. Muscle synergies were then extracted from recorded sEMG signals, while force synergies were identified from measured force data. Afterwards, a linear regressor was trained to associate the two types of synergies. This would allow us to predict multi-finger forces simply by multiplying the activation signals derived from muscle synergies with the weighting matrix of initially identified force synergies. To mitigate the false activation of unintended fingers, the force predictions were finally corrected by a finger state recognition procedure. Main results. We found that five muscle synergies and four force synergies are able to make a tradeoff between the computation load and the prediction accuracy for the proposed model; When trained and tested on all six grasping tasks, our method (SYN-II) achieved better performance (R
2 = 0.80 ± 0.04, NRMSE = 0.19 ± 0.01) than conventional sEMG amplitude-based method; Interestingly, SYN-II performed better than all other methods when tested on two unknown tasks outside the four training tasks (R
2 = 0.74 ± 0.03, NRMSE = 0.22 ± 0.02), which indicated better generalization ability. Significance. This study shows the first attempt to link between muscle and force synergies to allow concurrent and continuous estimation of multi-finger forces from sEMG. The proposed approach may lay the foundation for high-performance myoelectric interfaces that allow users to control robotic hands in a more natural and intuitive manner.
The direct and indirect effects of the environmental factors on global terrestrial gross primary productivity over the past four decades
Authors: Chen Yue , Zhu Zaichun , Zhao Weiqing , Li Muyi , Cao Sen , Zheng Yaoyao , Tian Feng , Myneni Ranga B
Published: November 2023

Gross primary productivity (GPP) is jointly controlled by the structural and physiological properties of the vegetation canopy and the changing environment. Recent studies showed notable changes in global GPP during recent decades and attributed it to dramatic environmental changes. Environmental changes can affect GPP by altering not only the biogeochemical characteristics of the photosynthesis system (direct effects) but also the structure of the vegetation canopy (indirect effects). However, comprehensively quantifying the multi-pathway effects of environmental change on GPP is currently challenging. We proposed a framework to analyse the changes in global GPP by combining a nested machine-learning model and a theoretical photosynthesis model. We quantified the direct and indirect effects of changes in key environmental factors (atmospheric CO2 concentration, temperature, solar radiation, vapour pressure deficit (VPD), and soil moisture (SM)) on global GPP from 1982 to 2020. The results showed that direct and indirect absolute contributions of environmental changes on global GPP were 0.2819 Pg C yr−2 and 0.1078 Pg C yr−2. Direct and indirect effects for single environmental factors accounted for 1.36%–51.96% and 0.56%–18.37% of the total environmental effect. Among the direct effects, the positive contribution of elevated CO2 concentration on GPP was the highest; and warming-induced GPP increase counteracted the negative effects. There was also a notable indirect effect, mainly through the influence of the leaf area index. In particular, the rising VPD and declining SM negatively impacted GPP more through the indirect pathway rather than the direct pathway, but not sufficient to offset the boost of warming over the past four decades. We provide new insights for understanding the effects of environmental changes on vegetation photosynthesis, which could help modelling and projection of the global carbon cycle in the context of dramatic global environmental change.
Equivalence between the energy decay of fractional damped Klein–Gordon equations and geometric conditions for damping coefficients
Authors: Inami Kotaro , Suzuki Soichiro
Published: November 2023

We consider damped

s
s

-fractional Klein–Gordon equations on

R

d

\mathbb {R}^d

, where

s
s

denotes the order of the fractional Laplacian. In the one-dimensional case

d
=
1

d = 1

, Green (2020) established that the exponential decay for

s
≥
2

s \geq 2

and the polynomial decay of order

s

/

(
4
−
2
s
)

s/(4-2s)

hold if and only if the damping coefficient function satisfies the so-called geometric control condition. In this note, we show that the

o
(
1
)

o(1)

energy decay is also equivalent to these conditions in the case

d
=
1

d=1

. Furthermore, we extend this result to the higher-dimensional case: the logarithmic decay, the

o
(
1
)

o(1)

decay, and the thickness of the damping coefficient are equivalent for

s
≥
2

s \geq 2

. In addition, we also prove that the exponential decay holds for

0
>
s
>
2

0 > s > 2

if and only if the damping coefficient function has a positive lower bound, so in particular, we cannot expect the exponential decay under the geometric control condition.
Uniform homeomorphisms between spheres induced by interpolation methods
Authors: Corrêa Willian
Published: November 2023

M. Daher [Canad. Math. Bull. 38 (1995), pp. 286–294] showed that if

(

X
0

,

X
1

)

(X_0, X_1)

is a regular couple of uniformly convex spaces then the unit spheres of the complex interpolation spaces

X

θ

X_{\theta }

and

X

η

X_{\eta }

are uniformly homeomorphic for every

0
>
θ
,
η
>
1

0 > \theta , \eta > 1

. We show that this is a rather general phenomenon of the interpolation methods described by the discrete framework of interpolation of Lindemulder and Lorist [A discrete framework for the interpolation of Banach spaces, https://arxiv.org/abs/2105.08373, 2021].
Smoothness of components of the Emerton-Gee stack for 𝐺𝐿₂
Authors: Guzman Anthony , Kansal Kalyani , Kountouridis Iason , Savoie Ben , Wang Xiyuan
Published: November 2023

Let

K
K

be a finite unramified extension of

Q

p

\mathbb {Q}_p

, where

p
>
2

p>2

. The works of Caraiani, Emerton, Gee and Savitt have constructed a moduli stack of two dimensional mod

p
p

representations of the absolute Galois group of

K
K

. We show that most irreducible components of this stack (including several non-generic components) are isomorphic to quotients of smooth affine schemes. We also use this quotient presentation to compute global sections on these components.
A rare case of Disseminated Histoplasmosis with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis mimicking a flare of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a middle-aged man: A Case Report
Authors: Omo-Ogboi A C , Shirai S , Buja M , Ederhion J
Published: November 2023

Introduction/Objective

Disseminated histoplasmosis is a progressive granulomatous disease caused by Histoplasmosis capsulatum which is an intracellular dimorphic fungus endemic to Ohio and Mississippi River valleys in the United States. The progressive spread of the infection to organs is thought to be due to the failure of the activation of the T-cell mediated immune response. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare but potentially fatal condition in which histiocytes and lymphocytes build up in and damage organs and other blood cells.

Diagnosing Disseminated Histoplasmosis with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in a patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is diagnostically challenging due to the rare presentation. Hence, we are reporting this case to alert physicians to keep a high index of suspicion in such presentations.

Methods/Case Report

We present a 37-year-old man with a past medical history of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus complicated by Lupus Nephritis on immunosuppressive therapy who presented to the emergency department with hypotension and was admitted for acute kidney injury. Prior to the presentation, he had persistent fever, myalgias, cough, mild shortness of breath, and back pain. CT Chest shows “eggshell” calcification and further parasitology evaluation revealed a diagnosis of histoplasmosis using a blood sample where intracellular Histoplasma organisms were identified. A diagnosis of Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis was made clinically after “Clinical and Testing Criteria” was evaluated. Despite further management, he developed coagulopathy and sepsis which led to his death.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

At autopsy, we found organomegaly of the liver, spleen, and kidneys.

Microscopically, these enlarged organs show old fibrotic granulomas and granulomatous inflammation with suspected fungal organisms. Periodic Acid Schiff (Fungus) and Gomori's Methenamine Silver special stain confirm these fungal organisms to be consistent with Histoplasma species (3-5 micron budding yeasts).

Conclusion

This case report highlights that physicians should be aware of the diagnostic challenge that Disseminated Histoplasmosis with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis could pose in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, especially those on immunosuppression. The clinical presentation could easily mimic a flare of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, leading to more aggressive immunosuppression. Failure to recognize the infection promptly could lead to grievous complications and sometimes death.
Ossifying Fibromyxoid Tumor with Atypical Features: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Belogrivtseva Y , Lazim A , Taraif S
Published: November 2023

Introduction/Objective

Ossifying fibromyxoid tumor (OFMT) is a soft tissue neoplasm usually behaving in a benign fashion, however, it can rarely show atypical or malignant features. It most frequently occurs within the extremities and trunk. Although OFMTs are translocation-associated tumors, and very commonly associated with recurrent gene rearrangements involving the PHF1 gene, their morphologic and immunophenotypic profile can overlap with other soft tissue tumors posing a diagnostic challenge.

Methods/Case Report

Herein we present a case of a 23-year-old woman who had an excision of a subcutaneous shoulder mass. Grossly, the 5.3 cm mass had a thin translucent capsule and a pink, soft-cut surface with scattered calcifications. Microscopic examination revealed a well-circumscribed lesion composed of plump spindle cells with uniform oval nuclei arranged in short fascicles within a mildly collagenous background. There was prominent hemangiopericytoma-like vasculature and foci of ossification. The tumor cells contained moderate cytoplasm and showed a mild degree of nuclear atypia. Mitotic activity was up to 6 per 10 high-power fields. Immunohistochemical stains showed tumor cells are positive for Desmin, SMA, AE1/AE3 (patchy), TLE, and SATB2, while negative for CD31, CD34, S-100, C-kit, DOG-1, CD117, HMB-45, Melan-A, ALK-1, SOX10, Inhibin, and STAT6. Ki-67 proliferation index was low (1-2%). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing was negative for SYT and MDM2 gene amplification. FISH testing for PHF1 gene (using experimental probes) showed a break apart signal in a subset (~ 25%) of tumor cells, which is equivocal but insufficient to establish clonal interchromosomal translocation involving PHF1.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

NA

Conclusion

There is a histologic spectrum and morphologic overlap of OFMTs with several other soft tissue neoplasms. OFMT with atypical features (increased cellularity and mitotic activity), as in this case, may harbor the unpredictable biologic potential for recurrence and metastasis. Additional studies are required to discover a morphologic, immunohistochemical, and possibly molecular pattern that will help to differentiate OFMT subtypes.
Mismatch Repair Protein Deficiency in Triple Negative Breast Carcinomas: Clinicopathological Features
Authors: Sughayer M A , Maraqa B , Barakat F , Al-Ashhab M , Abweh R Al
Published: November 2023

Introduction/Objective

Female breast cancer has now surpassed lung cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for approximately 10–15% of all breast cancers. Chemotherapy remains the mainstay of systemic treatment for patients with TNBCs. Studies of mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in TNBC reported variable prevalence ranging, from 0.2% to 18.6%. Recent studies described an excellent response in a patient with metastatic breast cancer treated with anti-PD1 illustrating the urgent need to test for MMRP deficiency as a predictive biomarkers to select those patients who could benefit from immunotherapy. The aim of the study is to detect MMRP deficiency in a cohort of TNBC Jordanian patients using the immunohistochemical methods.

Methods/Case Report

This study targeted cases of TNBC diagnosed and treated at King Hussein Cancer Center from 2015 until 2021. Clinicopathological data was obtained from 152 patients’ records. Immunohistochemistry for MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 proteins were performed on paraffin embedded tissue containing carcinoma.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

The median age of patients at diagnosis was 49 years. A total of 14 out of 152 (9.2%) cases showed deficient MMR (dMMR) expression. Loss of expression of PMS2 was seen in 13 cases, 5 of which showed also loss of MLH1 expression. Loss of expression of both MSH6 and MSH2 was seen in one case. Positive family history of cancer was present in 5 of 12 patients with available data, three of whom had isolated loss of PMS2 and two had combined loss of PMS2 and MLH1. One pt. with loss of MSH6 and MSH2, had a personal history of a second malignancy (Lung cancer). The median duration of follow-up was 27 months. The overall (OS) and event- free survival (EFS) were better for dMMR despite the lack of statistically significant differences. At 24 months EFS and OS were 77.9% and 85.7% for dMMR and 63.9% and 56.9% for pMMR respectively.

Conclusion

The prevalence of dMMR in TNBC is 9% with most of the cases apparently related to Lynch syndrome. dMMR tumors tend to be associated with better outcomes compared to pMMR cases. dMMR can serve as a biomarker for better prognosis. These results are of value in directing the clinical management.