bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Cyclization of Enynes through Site-Selective C(sp3)–H Bond Activation Triggered by Formation of Rhodacycle
Authors: Oonishi Yoshihiro , Sato Yoshihiro , Sakamoto Shunki , Agata Shuya
Published: March 2021

Rhodium(I)-catalyzed enantioselective cyclization of enynes through C(sp3)–H bond activation was investigated. It was found that the cyclization of enynes having a tert-butyl moiety on the alkene afforded a spirocyclic compound (up to 92% ee), while the cyclization of enynes having an isopropyl or an ethyl group on the alkene gave a cyclic diene (up to 98% ee). Furthermore, an intermolecular competition reaction using a deuterium-labeled substrate revealed that C(sp3)–H bond activation was one of the key steps, having a high energy barrier, in this cyclization.
Highly Fluorinated Trianglimine Macrocycles: A Supramolecular Organic Framework
Authors: Kunde Tom , Pausch Tobias , Schmidt Bernd M. , Reiss Guido J.
Published: March 2021

A novel highly fluorinated dialdehyde was prepared by a two-stage synthesis. This reactive building block for dynamic imine chemistry was used in a condensation reaction to generate the first extensively fluorinated trianglimine. An analysis of the material properties and, especially, the crystal structure of the [3+3] macrocycle revealed a supramolecular organic framework with tubular porous channels. The use of fluorinated ligands to generate hydrophobic electron-deficient channel-like pores is an important addition to the ever-expanding field of supramolecular networks and to trianglimine chemistry in general.
The Freestyle Valve in Severe Necrotizing Aortic Root Endocarditis: Comorbidity Upon Outcome
Authors: Hansen Lorenz , Ozga Ann-Kathrin , Klusmeier Michael , Hillebrand Mathias , Tulun Aysun , Pannek Nora , Rieß Friedrich-Christian
Published: March 2021

Background Treatment of severe necrotizing aortic root endocarditis (SNARE) carries a substantial perioperative risk. As an alternative to homografts, we assessed short-term outcome and future prognosis in patients undergoing root replacement using the Freestyle valve.

Methods Between 2000 and 2018, a total of 45 patients (mean age 70.9 ± 8.3 years, 66% men) underwent aortic root replacement for SNARE using the Freestyle valve. Mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons mortality score and EuroScore II were 22.6% ± 17.1 and 29.3% ± 20.9, respectively. Prosthetic endocarditis was present in 70.1%, and aortic annulus patch repair was performed in 64% of the patients. Median follow-up was 3.6 years (range: 0.1–14.5) and was 100% complete.

Results The 30-day mortality was 15.5%. During follow-up, there were no reoperations, while reinfection was suspected in one patient. Survival was significantly inferior to the general population with a standardized mortality ratio of 10.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.1–12.6) (p < 0.0001). In 30-day survivors and after correction for significant comorbidities in a Cox proportional hazards model, estimated survival probabilities at 1, 5, and 10 years were 98.7 (95% CI: 92.5–99.8%), 94.1 (77.9–98.5%), and 63.8 (28.4–85.2%). Estimated mean difference in survival probability was better for the general population after postoperative year 6, but within the 95% CI for no difference.

Conclusion Use of the Freestyle valve is reliable solution for the most complex cases with a low rate of reinfection. Early mortality is substantial and caused by the patient's condition and severity of the infection. Excess late mortality can be attributed to patient-specific comorbidities.
Musculoskeletal Health in Premature Ovarian Insufficiency. Part Two: Bone
Authors: Samad Navira , Nguyen Hanh H. , Ebeling Peter R. , Milat Frances
Published: March 2021

Accelerated bone loss and muscle loss coexist in women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), but there are significant gaps in our understanding of musculoskeletal health in POI. This review describes estrogen signaling in bone and its role in skeletal health and disease. Possible mechanisms contributing to bone loss in different forms of POI and current evidence regarding the utility of available diagnostic tests and therapeutic options are also discussed. A literature review from January 2000 to March 2020 was conducted to identify relevant studies. Women with POI experience significant deterioration in musculoskeletal health due to the loss of protective effects of estrogen. In bone, loss of bone mineral density (BMD) and compromised bone quality result in increased fracture risk; however, tools to assess bone quality such as trabecular bone score (TBS) need to be validated in this population. Timely initiation of HRT is recommended to minimize the deleterious effects of estrogen deficiency on bone in the absence of contraindications; however, the ideal estrogen replacement regimen remains unknown. POI is associated with compromised bone health, regardless of the etiology. Ongoing research is warranted to refine our management strategies to preserve bone health in women with POI.
TIVA for ECMO and VAD
Authors: Kapoor Poonam Malhotra , Sharan Sandeep , Choudhury Minati
Published: March 2021

In recent decades, the use of temporary and permanent use of mechanical assist devices is on the rise for patients with end-stage cardiac failure. These support strategies hold inherently different risks in the face of noncardiac critical illness and require multidisciplinary treatment strategies. The main issues with all mechanical devices whether extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or ventricular assist device (VAD), are related to thrombosis, anticoagulation, infection, avoiding hypertension and thus use of intravenous drugs, which requires intense monitoring, to circumvent further renal, ischemic or neurological injury and prevent complication.
CON: Propofol Is Better Than Etomidate for Induction in Cardiac Surgical Patients
Authors: Ladha Suruchi , Prakash Arvind
Published: March 2021

There is an ongoing debate regarding the choice of ideal induction agent between propofol and etomidate for cardiac surgical patients. Etomidate appears to be better than propofol as the induction agent due to the superior hemodynamic stability. However, the adrenal suppression due to etomidate can pose challenges to the anesthesiologist in certain clinical situations.
Single-atom level symmetry breaking visualized with STEM
Authors: Yiu Yuen
Published: March 2021

Researchers use scanning transmission electron microscope data with principal component analysis to observe symmetry breaking at the single-atom level.
Photon surfaces with equipotential time slices
Authors: Cederbaum Carla , Galloway Gregory J.
Published: March 2021

Photon surfaces are timelike totally umbilic hypersurfaces of Lorentzian spacetimes. In the first part of this paper, we locally characterize all possible photon surfaces in a class of static spherically symmetric spacetimes that includes (exterior) Schwarzschild, Reissner–Nordström, and Schwarzschild–anti de Sitter in n + 1 dimensions. In the second part, we prove that any static, vacuum, and “asymptotically isotropic” n + 1-dimensional spacetime that possesses what we call an “equipotential” and “outward directed” photon surface is isometric to the Schwarzschild spacetime of the same (necessarily positive) mass using a uniqueness result obtained by the first author.
Thermoelectric and magnetic properties of Ce3Cu3−xAuxSb4 compounds
Authors: Witas Piotr , Goraus Jerzy , Fijałkowski Marcin , Ślebarski Andrzej
Published: March 2021

We present the result of magnetic and thermoelectric investigations of the series of Ce3Cu3−xAuxSb4 compounds. The experimentally obtained data are discussed based on ab initio band structure calculations. It has been shown that structural disorder resulting from doping of Ce3Cu3Sb4 with Au induces a spin-glass-like behavior in the Ce3Cu3−xAuxSb4 series. All components x exhibit a negative temperature coefficient of the resistivity and metallic behavior of thermopower S(T) in the temperature region of T > 100 K. The maximal S value of 250 μV/K was measured for the pristine Ce3Au3Sb4 sample, while the highest figure of merit ZT = 0.06 was obtained for sample x = 1.5 at the highest measured temperature (T = 390 K).
Controlling avalanche soliton nucleation in a chiral soliton lattice on a monoaxial chiral magnet CrNb3S6 by dynamic strain
Authors: Ohkuma M. , Mito M. , Kousaka Y. , Akimitsu J. , Kishine J. , Inoue K.
Published: March 2021

The monoaxial chiral magnet CrNb3S6 exhibits a chiral soliton lattice (CSL) upon application of an external magnetic field (H) perpendicular to the helical axis (c-axis). The increase in the soliton (kink) number of the CSL in the process of decreasing H accompanies soliton penetration after nucleation at the surface. Avalanche soliton nucleation occurs during the initial process of soliton nucleation. We applied dynamic strain with scores of MHz to the crystal with the crystal size along the c-axis of 10 μm from the edge of the c-axis, so that we controlled the avalanche soliton nucleation by modifying the surface barrier. The present results suggest that the acoustic wave is useful for controlling the soliton number.
Impact of combined monochromatic light on the biocomponent productivity of Dunaliella salina
Authors: Jin Cuili , Yu Binqi , Qian Shouyuan , Liu Qing , Zhou Xiaojian
Published: March 2021

Illumination conditions are crucial factors affecting the growth and biosynthesis of microalgae. In this study, monochromatic red, blue, or the combined red and blue light illumination was applied to Dunaliella salina culture to study the effects of illumination on the growth and biocomponents productivity of the microalga D. salina. The monochromatic blue light (peak wavelength, 455 nm) did not significantly enhance D. salina growth but boosted the cellular contents of lipid, protein, and carbohydrate. Both cellular content and productivity of carotenoid produced by D. salina in the white light control were the highest compared to other monochromatic treatments. Interestingly, simultaneous application of red and blue light in various ratios showed a major boost not only on growth but also on cellular lipid content, and resulted in higher lipid productivity. This result is different from many published literatures reporting the enhancement of biomass or cellular lipid content individually. The optimal ratio of red and blue light was 4:3 (4 dose of red light to 3 dose of blue light), which significantly improved lipid productivity by 35.33% compared to the white light control. The result suggested a monochromatic red and blue light combination of illumination could be employed to increase the biomass yield as well as cellular lipid content of D. salina simultaneously for the production of biofuel.
Self-complementary metasurfaces for designing terahertz deflecting circular-polarization beam splitters
Authors: Kuznetsov S. A. , Lenets V. A. , Tumashov M. A. , Sayanskiy A. D. , Lazorskiy P. A. , Belov P. A. , Baena J. D. , Glybovski S. B.
Published: March 2021

Metasurfaces provide a broad range of functionalities related to wavefront manipulation in different frequency ranges with the advantage of subwavelength thickness. In this work, we numerically and experimentally investigate a terahertz splitter of circularly polarized beams based on a spatially nonuniform metasurface composed of self-complementary unit cells. When illuminated with circular polarization, the metasurface creates a deflected cross-polarized beam while transmitting a co-polarized beam in the normal direction. Despite the existence of two reflected beams leading to reflective losses, the metasurface is single-layer and is easy to design and fabricate. A required linear phase gradient for the cross-polarized beam can be obtained by adjusting only one design parameter of unit cells.
Propagation and attenuation of Rayleigh and pseudo surface waves in viscoelastic metamaterials
Authors: Cai Runcheng , Jin Yabin , Rabczuk Timon , Zhuang Xiaoying , Djafari-Rouhani Bahram
Published: March 2021

The development of seismic metamaterials has attracted much research interest in the past decade. Efforts have been made by using experimental and theoretical approaches to isolate buildings and structures susceptible to elastic surface wave damage. However, most seismic metamaterials were designed without considering the viscoelastic effect that widely exists in nature. In this work, we investigate the propagation and attenuation of the Rayleigh and pseudo surface waves (PSWs) in two types of viscoelastic seismic metamaterials, namely, pillared and inclusion-embedded metamaterials, by analyzing the complex band structures and transmission spectra. The complex band structure developed in this work reveals for the first time the existence of PSWs and their propagation properties in inclusion-embedded metamaterials at the surface. These PSW modes are hidden in the traditional ω(k) technique, therefore showing the usefulness of the complex band structure approach. Introducing viscosity to the substrate of both types of seismic metamaterials will enhance the attenuation of both the Rayleigh wave and PSW. For inclusion-embedded metamaterials, the viscoelastic effect in the soft coating layer can have a specific influence only on the PSW. PSWs show advantages to minimize the relative attenuating effect in general. The results in this work will open up great possibilities for designing and optimizing seismic metamaterials in practice.
Magneto-optics of layered two-dimensional semiconductors and heterostructures: Progress and prospects
Authors: Arora Ashish
Published: March 2021

Beginning with the “conventional” two-dimensional (2D) quantum wells based on III–V and II–VI semiconductors in the 1970s, to the recent atomically thin sheets of van der Waals materials such as 2D semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and 2D magnets, the research in 2D materials is continuously evolving and providing new challenges. Magneto-optical spectroscopy has played a significant role in this area of research, both from fundamental physics and technological perspectives. A major challenge in 2D semiconductors such as TMDCs is to understand their spin-valley-resolved physics and their implications in quantum computation and information research. Since the discovery of valley Zeeman effects, deep insights into the spin-valley physics of TMDCs and their heterostructures have emerged through magneto-optical spectroscopy. In this Perspective, we highlight the role of magneto-optics in many milestones such as the discovery of interlayer excitons, phase control between coherently excited valleys, determination of exciton-reduced masses, Bohr radii and binding energies, physics of the optically bright and dark excitons, trions, and other many-body species such as biexcitons and their phonon replicas in TMDC monolayers. The discussion accompanies open questions, challenges, and future prospects in the field including comments on the magneto-optics of van der Waals heterostructures involving TMDCs and 2D magnets.
Analysis of a convolutional neural network for predicting unsteady volume wake flow fields
Authors: Lee Sangseung , You Donghyun
Published: March 2021

A predictive convolutional neural network is developed to predict the future of three-dimensional unsteady wake flow from past information of flow velocity and pressure. The developed network is found to be capable of predicting vortex dynamics at distinctive flow regimes with flow structures at different scales. Mechanisms of the network on predicting vortex dynamics at two distinctive flow regimes, the mode-B shedding regime and the turbulent wake regime, are investigated. Information in feature maps of the network is visualized and quantitatively assessed to investigate the encoded flow structures. A Fourier analysis is conducted to investigate the mechanisms of the network on learning fluid motions with distinctive flow scales. The transformation of information from the input to prediction layers of the network is tracked to examine how the network transforms the input information for prediction. Structural similarities among feature maps in the network are evaluated to reduce the number of feature maps containing redundant flow structures, which allows reduction of the size of the network without affecting prediction performance.
Experimental verification of a plasmonic hook in a dielectric Janus particle
Authors: Minin I. V. , Minin O. V. , Glinskiy I. A. , Khabibullin R. A. , Malureanu R. , Lavrinenko A. , Yakubovsky D. I. , Volkov V. S. , Ponomarev D. S.
Published: March 2021

We report on the experimental observation of the curved plasmonic beam, a plasmonic hook (PH), for surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) waves. The SPP PH effect could be obtained with a cuboid particle with broken shape symmetry fabricated with a relatively simple routine. This has a pronounced difference with fabrication of the structure for generation of the Airy SPPs, which require complex techniques to compensate the wave vector mismatch. We confirmed the existence of SPP PH by amplitude scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy. The experimental results agree well with our predictions. Importantly, the SPP PH demonstrates the smallest curvature of the beam ever recorded for SPPs compared to that for the Airy-family plasmonic beams, which potentially can strongly impact many useful applications from nanoparticle manipulation to nanoscale bio-sensing.
Hydrodynamical study of terahertz emission in magnetized graphene field-effect transistors
Authors: Cosme Pedro , Terças Hugo
Published: March 2021

Several hydrodynamic descriptions of charge transport in graphene have been presented in recent years. We discuss a general hydrodynamic model governing the dynamics of a two-dimensional electron gas in a magnetized field-effect transistor in the slow drift regime. The Dyakonov–Shur instability is investigated, including the effect of weak magnetic fields (i.e., away from Landau levels). We verify that the occurrence of the gap on the dispersion relation imposes a limit on the Mach number of the electronic flow, as it does not allow the unstable frequencies to be below ωc. Furthermore, we discuss that the presence of the external magnetic field decreases the growth rate of the instability, as well as the saturation amplitude. The numerical results from our simulations and the presented higher order dynamic mode decomposition support such reasoning.
A multiple-relaxation-time collision model for nonequilibrium flows
Authors: Shi Yangyang , Shan Xiaowen
Published: March 2021

Despite yielding correct hydrodynamics in the continuum limit, the Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook collision model is too simplistic to model the full details of the collision, which becomes increasingly important as the quasi-equilibrium assumption breaks down. In a recent phenomenological collision model, independent relaxation rates are assigned to the components of the tensorial Hermite expansion of the distribution corresponding to the irreducible representations of SO(3), yielding arguably the most general form of multirelaxation without violating rotation symmetry. Here we show that by using the relaxation rates obtained analytically from Boltzmann collision term with Maxwell molecular model, lattice Boltzmann method yields results in good agreement with the accurate fast spectral method in simulation of the spontaneous Rayleigh–Brillouin scattering problem. The hydrodynamically insignificant relaxation rates of the higher moments are found to be significant as the Knudsen number increases. These results suggest that with properly tuned relaxation rates, the collision model could potentially mimic the behavior of arbitrary collision kernels.
Recent developments in microfluidic synthesis of artificial cell-like polymersomes and liposomes for functional bioreactors
Authors: Seo Hanjin , Lee Hyomin
Published: March 2021

Recent advances in droplet microfluidics have led to the fabrication of versatile vesicles with a structure that mimics the cellular membrane. These artificial cell-like vesicles including polymersomes and liposomes effectively enclose an aqueous core with well-defined size and composition from the surrounding environment to implement various biological reactions, serving as a diverse functional reactor. The advantage of realizing various biological phenomena within a compartment separated by a membrane that resembles a natural cell membrane is actively explored in the fields of synthetic biology as well as biomedical applications including drug delivery, biosensors, and bioreactors, to name a few. In this Perspective, we first summarize various methods utilized in producing these polymersomes and liposomes. Moreover, we will highlight some of the recent advances in the design of these artificial cell-like vesicles for functional bioreactors and discuss the current issues and future perspectives.
Using random assignment to measure court accessibility for low-income divorce seekers
Authors: Greiner D. James , Degnan Ellen Lee , Ferriss Thomas , Sommers Roseanna
Published: March 2021

Significance

The United States faces an access-to-justice crisis: When the vast majority of individuals encounter the court system—when they face eviction or foreclosure, when they need restraining orders against abuse, when they are sued by debt collectors—they do so without a lawyer, frequently because they cannot afford one. This study exposes that the crisis is more pervasive and extreme than previously understood. Using randomization, it documents how a courthouse in one of the most progressive areas of the country remained largely inaccessible to divorce seekers without lawyers, even though the legal procedures for obtaining a dissolution of marriage—which is a constitutional right—were straightforward, ordinarily requiring little more than filing the right paperwork in the right order.
Transcriptional regulation of intermolecular Ca
2+
signaling in hibernating ground squirrel cardiomyocytes: The myocardin–junctophilin axis
Authors: Yang Lei , Li Rong-Chang , Xiang Bin , Li Yi-Chen , Wang Li-Peng , Guo Yun-Bo , Liang Jing-Hui , Wang Xiao-Ting , Hou Tingting , Xing Xin , Zhou Zeng-Quan , Ye Haihong , Feng Ren-Qing , Lakatta Edward G. , Chai Zhen , Wang Shi-Qiang
Published: March 2021

Significance

The efficiency of excitation–contraction coupling in heart cells depends partially on the interaction between junctophilin-2 in the sarcoplasmic reticulum and caveolin-3 on T-tubules. Decreased junctophilin-2 has been linked to heart failure. Here, we found that the transcription of junctophilin-2 and caveolin-3 is controlled concurrently by the serum response factor and myocardin. During the entree into hibernation in ground squirrels, the up-regulation of myocardin boosts junctophilin-2/caveolin-3 expression and enhances the efficiency of excitation–contraction coupling. This finding not only reveals an adaptive mechanism underlying the blood-pumping power in hibernation, but also offers a strategy to correct deficient Ca
2+
signaling in heart diseases.
TBK1 recruitment to STING activates both IRF3 and NF-κB that mediate immune defense against tumors and viral infections
Authors: Yum Seoyun , Li Minghao , Fang Yan , Chen Zhijian J.
Published: March 2021

Significance

The cGAS-STING pathway is important for immune defense against infection and cancer. STING activation triggers multiple signaling cascades leading to activation of IRF3, NF-κB, and autophagy. By generating mice harboring mutations of STING that specifically inactivate different signaling cascades, we found that ablation of IRF3 activation, which is essential for the induction of type I interferons, was not sufficient to abolish the immune defense against virus infection and cancer in mouse models. Rather, impairing the ability of STING to recruit TBK1, which is important for activating both IRF3 and NF-κB, abolished the immune defense functions of STING. These results demonstrate that the recruitment of TBK1 to STING has functions that are broader than activating IRF3 and inducing type I interferons.
Arkoola nigra (black leaf blight of soybean).
Authors:   USA, USDA-ARS
Published: March 2021

A. nigra is an ascomycete known only from certain parts of Australia. It was identified after causing substantial losses on soyabeans (Glycine max) as cultivation of that crop was expanded, but its pathogenicity was found to extend to other wild and cultivated legumes, some strictly Australian and others native or naturalized in many other parts of the world (Walker and Stovold, 1986). There was evidence that it could attack non-legumes as well. The fungus was observed to survive in and on soyabean crop debris, and was capable of infecting seeds, but its natural source and life cycle are unknown. Although the fungus is unlikely to be carried by any crop materials exported from Australia, the significant disease it can cause under humid conditions must make it a concern for accidental introduction to other regions.
Capnodium citri (sooty mould).
Authors: Doy Marion
Published: March 2021

The impact of sooty mould species may be of little importance economically as the fungi do not obtain food from the crop plant, and mycelial growth is easily removed, leaving the plant surface undamaged. However, sooty moulds affect the ability of the leaf to photosynthesise, thus can lead to early senescence and a reduction in fruit size and quality (Horst, 2008; Ben-Dov and Hodgson, 1997), especially a second crop from an affected tree (Haleem, 1984). Reduced yield due to infection of inflorescences and uneven ripening of fruits have also been recorded as problems associated with sooty mould coverage (Ben-Dov and Hodgson, 1997).
Dickeya solani (black leg disease of potato).
Authors: Saddler Gerry
Published: March 2021

Dickeya solani is a bacterial pathogen of potato thought to have crossed from horticultural crops in Northern Europe in 2005-2006. The earliest reports of disease on potato are from Belgium and the Netherlands, though it is now present in most European countries and Israel. Symptoms range from blackleg to top wilt in the growing plant and soft rotting of tubers. Symptoms are indistinguishable from those caused by Pectobacterium atrosepticum, P. carotovorum, P. parmentieri (formerly P. wasabiae) (Khayi et al., 2016) and D. dianthicola and control is usually reliant on seed certification schemes to mitigate its worst effects. It should be noted that most losses are attributable to the certification process itself though losses as high as 30% have been recorded in crops grown in Israel. There is no evidence of varietal resistance in potato. D. solani is a highly clonal organism highlighting its recent emergence as a pathogen but also the vulnerability of Europe's highly integrated potato production system.
Chrysomyxa himalensis (needle rust of spruce).
Authors:   USA, USDA-ARS
Published: March 2021

C. himalensis is a heteroecious rust completing different stages of its life cycle on different plants. The teleomorph occurs on Rhododendron species in the Himalayan region of southern Asia; an anamorph is reported on Picea species. Although not a major problem in its narrow native range, this rust fungus could be more damaging as an invasive on Picea and Rhododendron. The fungus is a Regulated Pest for the USA; it is considered potentially damaging to Rhododendron by CAST (2002). Small amounts of perennial or latent infection may be overlooked, therefore accidental introduction of the rust could occur through importation of infected germplasm by the horticultural industry or by flower enthusiasts.
Ceratophyllum demersum (coontail).
Authors: Dawson Hugh
Published: March 2021

C. demersum is a cosmopolitan submerged aquatic species that has probably already invaded most of its potential exotic range. It has the advantages of being a perennial surviving well over-winter in deeper water and by growing both by asexual reproduction of broken or complete stems and by sexual reproduction of very many seeds. It has a wide ecological tolerance and grows relatively fast. Disturbance of the water body results in increases in growth through changes in nutrient availability but also in faster dispersal around water bodies allowing greater competition with less vigorous species.
Hedychium coronarium (white butterfly ginger lily).
Authors: Djeddour Djamila , Rojas-Sandoval Julissa , Acevedo-Rodríguez Pedro
Published: March 2021

H. coronarium is invasive in shallow water systems, along streams and in waterlogged areas in the tropics and subtropics. Once established, it is difficult to control because it reproduces vegetatively. Its attractive flowers make it a desirable ornamental plant.
Hymenula cerealis (Cephalosporium stripe).
Authors: Murray Timothy D.
Published: March 2021

H. cerealis is a pathogen that causes a vascular wilt disease of gramineous hosts known as Cephalosporium stripe. It is the only known vascular wilt of small grasses and small cereal grains with a fungal aetiology. It causes what is referred to as a 'single-cycle' disease because it does not have an airborne, repeating phase. As such, it is not an invasive species per se.
Rhaponticum repens (Russian knapweed).
Authors: Schaffner Urs
Published: March 2021

R. repens is a deep rooted perennial that is native to Eurasia. It was accidentally introduced into North America as a contaminant of seed and spread rapidly. R. repens can be a serious crop pest in its native range and elsewhere. It forms large monotypic stands that reduce diversity and degrade forage quality on rangelands. As it is allelopathic and survives under a variety of conditions, it has been become an invasive exotic wherever it is imported. It has been declared a noxious weed in 18 US states (USDA-NRCS, 2016) and four Canadian provinces (Rice, 2003).
Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife).
Authors: Pasiecznik Nick
Published: March 2021

L. salicaria, an Old World native, is a highly invasive species of wetlands in North America, beginning to spread rapidly about 140 years after its accidental introduction around 1800. It is a very variable species with an ability to occupy numerous habitats and substrates with the exception of dry places. Its spread and persistence in ecosystems is supported by very high seed production, a vigorous and persistent root system and rapid growth. It is an invasive species and/or noxious weed in almost all states and provinces of Canada and the USA where it is a serious threat to many sensitive wetland ecosystems.
Megathyrsus maximus (Guinea grass).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa , Acevedo-Rodríguez Pedro
Published: March 2021

M. maximus is a highly successful invader in tropical and warm temperate areas after introduction as fodder. It can spread from seed, is highly competitive with native flora, and while it is highly fire resistant it can quickly spread to invade gaps left in natural vegetation after fire.
Alternaria japonica (pod spot of radish).
Authors:   USA, USDA-ARS
Published: March 2021

A. japonica is a seed-borne pathogen of plants in the Brassicaceae. No sexual state is known for the fungus, and identification based on conidial and cultural morphology is difficult. The production of chlamydospores, structures that should allow it to survive in soil or plant debris, does distinguish it from similar species. It is known to occur in certain regions on all continents, but is generally a minor pathogen compared to other species on the same hosts. Its major impact consists of reduced germination of contaminated seeds and disease and death of seedlings. It is not listed as being of concern by phytosanitary agencies, but imported seed lots can be and are rejected due to its presence, because once introduced, it can persist and then spread by means of airborne conidia.
Rhyzopertha dominica (lesser grain borer).
Authors: Wakil Waqas
Published: March 2021

Females of R. dominica lay between 200 and 500 eggs in their lifetime. The eggs are laid loose in grain. The lowest temperature at which R. dominica can complete development is 20°C; at this temperature, the development from egg to adult takes 90 days. The fastest rate of development occurs at 34°C; at this temperature the egg takes 2 days, the larvae 17 days, and the pupae 3 days to complete development. R. dominica is unable to complete development between 38 and 40°C. Adults live for 4-8 months. Under optimal conditions of 34°C and 14% grain moisture content, there is a 20-fold increase in the population of R. dominica after 4 weeks. It can successfully infest grain at 9% moisture content, but has higher fecundity, a faster rate of development, and lower mortality on grain of a higher moisture content. Adult males produce an aggregation pheromone in the frass that attracts both male and female adults. Adults are good flyers, and can be trapped in pheromone-baited flight traps placed several kilometres from grain stores. Adults can bore into intact kernels. The larvae of R. dominica are mobile.
Rhopalosiphum maidis (green corn aphid).
Authors: Whittaker Angela
Published: March 2021

R. maidis is probably the most important pest of cereals in tropical and warm temperate climates. It causes direct feeding damage by the removal of plant sap from young leaves and growing points, and indirect damage via honeydew secretions and its ability to spread virus diseases. It causes particularly heavy economic losses in maize, sorghum, and barley. However, although it attacks wheat, oats, rye and other many cereals, significant economic losses on these crops are less common.
Cinchona pubescens (quinine tree).
Authors: Clements David
Published: March 2021

C. pubescens is a source of the drug quinine, used to control the effects of malaria, and Cinchona bark was being used in Europe as a treatment for malaria as early as the 1650s, before the plant was authenticated botanically (Raintree, 2003). The Jesuits had introduced it from the New World, hence the name Jesuit's bark or powder (Prendergast and Dolley, 2001). The bark was collected in its native Andean range and probably comprised a mixture of species including C. pubescens. The native range of C. pubescens extends from Andean South America in Bolivia north to Costa Rica. It was widely distributed throughout the tropics as a source of quinine, particularly by the British during the latter half of the 1800s (Moureau, 1945) and is probably still held in many tropical botanical gardens worldwide for its medicinal interest.
Falcataria moluccana (batai wood).
Authors: Pasiecznik Nick
Published: March 2021

F. moluccana is one of the fastest growing multipurpose tree species and coupled with other positive attributes, it is a suitable species for plantation programmes and agroforestry applications in the humid tropics. It has many uses but it is commonly planted as an ornamental and shade tree. Other uses of the species being tested include alley farming, intercropping in forest plantations and reforestation.
Sesbania grandiflora (Sesbania).
Authors: Pasiecznik Nick
Published: March 2021

Natural regeneration of S. grandiflora is rarely seen, and it is known almost exclusively as a cultivated tree. S. grandiflora can be cultivated by direct sowing, or by the planting of bare-rooted seedlings and polythene bag container seedlings.
Ziziphus spina-christi (Christ's thorn jujube).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: March 2021

Z. spina-christi is a widespread drought-tolerant tree of the Middle East, northeastern Africa and northwestern India. More formally, its distribution is sub-Sudano-Decanian, with penetrations into the Saharo-Sindian and adjacent Afro-tropical regions. When fully grown, it is a stately tree with an oval, intricately branched crown providing shade, but under the effects of ill-management and excessive browsing, it often occurs as a shrub. Average life span is reported to be 50-75 years (Vashishtha, 1997).
Forensic Mental Health Practitioners’ Use of Structured Risk Assessment Instruments, Views about Bias in Risk Evaluations, and Strategies to Counteract It
Authors: Kamorowski Jennifer , de Ruiter Corine , Schreuder Maartje , Ask Karl , Jelícic Marko
Published: March 2021

The use of structured risk assessment instruments (SRAIs) has increased significantly over the past decades, with research documenting variation between countries. The use of SRAIs, their perceived utility and potential for mitigating bias in forensic risk evaluations (FREs) was investigated in a survey of Dutch forensic mental health practitioners ( N = 110) We found generally positive views regarding SRAI utility. Bias in FREs was of concern to respondents. We found no evidence of a bias blind spot (the belief that oneself is less prone to bias than peers/colleagues). SRAIs were rated as the most effective debiasing strategy, but respondents also endorsed introspection. There were few differences in beliefs about sources of bias or debiasing strategies between respondents who had bias training and those who had not, suggesting the need for development of effective strategies to mitigate bias and training related to bias in FREs.
Cluster spin-glass-like dynamics in Mn-rich La2Ni0.5Mn1.5O6 ferromagnetic insulator
Authors: Nasir Mohammad , Kumar Sunil , Bera Anup Kumar , Khan Mahmud , Yusuf S M , Sen Somaditya
Published: March 2021

We report on the physical properties of Mn-rich, nonstoichiometric La2Ni0.5Mn1.5O6 ferromagnetic insulator, prepared by sol-gel method. The single-phase orthorhombic Pbnm structure for the compound was confirmed by x-ray diffraction measurements. Dc magnetization measurements revealed a high saturation magnetization of ∼5.95 μ
B/f.u. at 5 K, and a ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition at ∼162 K. Ac magnetic susceptibility measurements confirmed a broad frequency-dependent anomaly at lower temperatures indicating the presence of spin-glass type magnetic interactions. The ac susceptibility data have been discussed within the framework of the critical slowing down model and Vogel–Fulcher law, and confirmed the cluster spin-glass dynamics with a relaxation time of the order of 10−5 s. The valence of Ni and Mn ions was verified from the x-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy. The origin of cluster spin-glass state was discussed in terms of several possible magnetic exchange interaction pathways among Ni and Mn ions.
Insight into intrinsic ferromagnetism in quasi-2D Cr5−y
Te8
Authors: Chen Y S , Kuo C N , Lue C S , Lin J G
Published: March 2021

Cr5Te8 is a half metal with 2D van der Waals ferromagnetic structure and its magnetic properties can be tuned by changing the proportionality of Cr and Te. We report an investigation of magnetization and magnetic anisotropy near the critical transition region of a Cr5−y
Te8 single crystal with the static and dynamic probes, to unravel the nature of field-dependent spin-spin interactions. The magnetic transition temperature T
C increasing from 255 K (at near zero-field) to 279 K (at 65 kOe along the ab-plane) has been identified. Accordingly, a phase diagram of field versus transition temperature has been established. From the analysis of the field dependence of the critical behavior, we provided evidence that the scenario of 2D Heisenberg-type interactions can be employed to interpret the field-dependent magnetic transitions in Te-rich Cr4.8Te8. The precise picture for the field-reduced spin-spin interaction range has been obtained. The conclusion drawn from the present study demonstrated that Cr4.8Te8 is a promising candidate for the spintronic applications with a tunable magnetic transition temperature.
Multifunctional cantilevers for simultaneous enhancement of contact resonance and harmonic atomic force microscopy
Authors: Wang Wenting , Zhang Kaidi , Zhang Wenhao , Hou Yaoping , Chen Yuhang
Published: March 2021

To enhance contact resonance atomic force microscopy (CR-AFM) and harmonic AFM imaging simultaneously, we design a multifunctional cantilever. Precise tailoring of the cantilever’s dynamic properties is realized by either mass-removing or mass-adding. As prototypes, focused ion beam drilling or depositing is used to fabricate the optimized structures. CR-AFM subsurface imaging on circular cavities covered by a piece of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite validates the improved CR frequency to contact stiffness sensitivity. The detectable subsurface depth and cavity radius increase accordingly by using the multifunctional cantilever. At the same time, the free resonance frequency of the second mode is tuned to an integer multiple of the fundamental one. Harmonic AFM imaging on polystyrene and low-density polystyrene mixture shows the improved harmonic amplitude contrast and signal strength on the two material phases. The multifunctional cantilever can be extended to enhance other similar AFM operation modes and it has potential applications in relevant fields such as mechanical characterization and subsurface imaging.
Recent applications of novel laser techniques for enhancing agricultural production
Authors: Nadimi Mohammad , Sun Da-Wen , Paliwal Jitendra
Published: March 2021

With ever increasing world population, the demands on food safety and security are also expected to substantially increase over the next few decades. As agronomic practices, agricultural mechanization and plant breeding technologies have already been extensively exploited, novel techniques need to be explored and implemented to enhance crop production. To this end, the emerging area of laser-based technologies has shown potential to bring about another revolution in enhancing quantity, quality, and safety of foods. This paper presents an exhaustive review of the use of five non-invasive non-destructive laser-based techniques in agriculture, namely laser biostimulation, light detection and ranging, laser land levelling, laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Herein we provide the advantages, status quo and challenges of each of these techniques and conclude with recommendations for future work. A comprehensive review of literature reveals the untapped potential of laser applications in agriculture that has the potential to unleash the next agricultural revolution.
High-performance self-powered photodetector based on organic/inorganic hybrid van der Waals heterojunction of rubrene/silicon*
Authors: Xu Yancai , Zhou Rong , Yin Qin , Li Jiao , Si Guoxiang , Zhang Hongbin
Published: March 2021

Organic/inorganic hybrid van der Waals heterostructure with an atomically abrupt interface has attracted great research interests within the field of multifunctional electronic and optoelectronic devices. The integration of organic rubrene films with inorganic Si semiconductors can avoid the atomic mutual-diffusion at the interface, and provide the possibility of forming two-dimensional van der Waals heterojunction accompanied with the type-II energy band alignment, due to the transfer behaviors of majority carriers at the interface. In this study, the high-quality rubrene/Si van der Waals heterostructure with an electronically abrupt junction was prepared, and a self-powered photodetector was then constructed based on this hybrid heterojunction. The photodetector demonstrated an excellent switching response to the 1064 nm monochromatic light with large on/off current ratio of 7.0 × 103, the maximum photocurrent of 14.62 mA, the maximum responsivity of 2.07 A/W, the maximum detectivity of 2.9 × 1011 Jones, and a fast response time of 13.0 μs. This study offers important guidance for preparing high-quality rubrene/Si hybrid van der Waals heterostructure with desirable band alignment, and the designed heterojunction photodetector has an important application prospect in the field of multifunctional optoelectronics.
A stationary Kyle setup: microfounding propagator models
Authors: Vodret Michele , Mastromatteo Iacopo , Tóth Bence , Benzaquen Michael
Published: March 2021

We provide an economically sound micro-foundation to linear price impact models, by deriving them as the equilibrium of a suitable agent-based system. In particular, we retrieve the so-called propagator model as the high-frequency limit of a generalized Kyle model, in which the assumption of a terminal time at which fundamental information is revealed is dropped. This allows to describe a stationary market populated by asymmetrically-informed rational agents. We investigate the stationary equilibrium of the model, and show that the setup is compatible with universal price diffusion at small times, and non-universal mean-reversion at time scales at which fluctuations in fundamentals decay. Our model suggests that at high frequency one should observe a quasi-permanent impact component, driven by slow fluctuations of fundamentals, and a faster transient one, whose timescale should be set by the persistence of the order flow.
Crawling evacuation from a room: experiment and modeling
Authors: Guo Ning , Ding Jian-Xun , Ding Zhong-Jun , Zhu Kong-Jin , Wu Chao-Yun
Published: March 2021

In this paper, the impact of crawling on evacuation dynamics is investigated via experiments and modeling. Two types of experiments are implemented, in which pedestrians are asked to escape out of a virtual room with an exit either by crawling or walking. The experiments show that escaping by crawling will increase the average evacuation time. Moreover, it is found that the evacuation time gap of crawling is generally larger than that of walking. To model the evacuation dynamics, an improved heuristic-based model is proposed in which the pedestrians’ shape is represented by multiple connected circles rather than a single circle. Such representation can help the pedestrians keep a safer distance from others. Simulation results are in agreement with the experimental ones.
Neural networks and regression analysis in the diagnosis of breast cancer
Authors: Dubovskaya Victoria , Losev Alexander
Published: March 2021

This work is devoted to the study of the dependence of the temperature fields of the mammary glands on external conditions and the parameters of the anamnesis, and preliminary examination of patients. As a result, it was possible to significantly improve the space of thermometric diagnostic signs intended for the intelligent system. The initial set of highly informative diagnostic thermometric signs was earlier obtained by A. G. Losev and V. V. Levshinsky. To take into account the influence of external factors on the temperature during the formation of the feature space, regression models were proposed. They were built by the method of neural network modeling. These models have sufficient performance and low error value, which allows them to be used in practice. The use of neural networks made it possible to scale the database of thermometric data obtained using a combined and EMC-sensor. As a consequence, it became possible to analyze the influence of the previously revealed heterogeneity of data in the context of age and diameter of the mammary glands on the effectiveness of highly informative diagnostic signs.
Construction of stochastic hybrid path integrals using operator methods
Authors: Bressloff Paul C
Published: March 2021

Stochastic hybrid systems involve the coupling between discrete and continuous stochastic processes. They are finding increasing applications in cell biology, ranging from modeling promoter noise in gene networks to analyzing the effects of stochastically-gated ion channels on voltage fluctuations in single neurons and neural networks. We have previously derived a path integral representation of solutions to the associated differential Chapman–Kolmogorov equation, based on integral representations of the Dirac delta function, and used this to determine ‘least action’ paths in the noise-induced escape from a metastable state. In this paper we present an alternative derivation of the path integral based on operator methods, and show how this provides a more efficient and flexible framework for constructing hybrid path integrals in the weak noise limit. We also highlight the important role of principal eigenvalues, spectral gaps and the Perron–Frobenius theorem. Finally, we carry out a loop expansion of the associated moment generating functional in the weak noise limit, analogous to the semi-classical limit for quantum path integrals.