bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Controlled Gaussian process dynamical models with application to robotic cloth manipulation
Authors: Amadio Fabio , Delgado-Guerrero Juan Antonio , Colomé Adriá , Torras Carme
Published: May 2023

Over the last years, significant advances have been made in robotic manipulation, but still, the handling of non-rigid objects, such as cloth garments, is an open problem. Physical interaction with non-rigid objects is uncertain and complex to model. Thus, extracting useful information from sample data can considerably improve modeling performance. However, the training of such models is a challenging task due to the high-dimensionality of the state representation. In this paper, we propose Controlled Gaussian Process Dynamical Models (CGPDMs) for learning high-dimensional, nonlinear dynamics by embedding them in a low-dimensional manifold. A CGPDM is constituted by a low-dimensional latent space, with an associated dynamics where external control variables can act and a mapping to the observation space. The parameters of both maps are marginalized out by considering Gaussian Process priors. Hence, a CGPDM projects a high-dimensional state space into a smaller dimension latent space, in which it is feasible to learn the system dynamics from training data. The modeling capacity of CGPDM has been tested in both a simulated and a real scenario, where it proved to be capable of generalizing over a wide range of movements and confidently predicting the cloth motions obtained by previously unseen sequences of control actions.
A Systematic Review of Parental Self-efficacy Among Parents of School-Age Children and Adolescents
Authors: Glatz Terese , Lippold Melissa , Chung Gerard , Jensen Todd M.
Published: May 2023

What function does parental self-efficacy have for parenting behaviors and children’s adjustment, and what explains individual variations in parents’ self-efficacy? Parental self-efficacy involves parents’ beliefs about their influence on their children and this systematic review presents results from 35 empirical studies published between 2003 and 2022 among parents of school-aged children and adolescents. First, the studies in this review show a bi-directional association between parental self-efficacy and positive parenting, and some empirical evidence that parental self-efficacy influences children indirectly, via parenting. The few longitudinal studies examining associations between parental self-efficacy and child behaviors suggest that self-efficacy might emerge as a reaction to children’s behaviors. Second, many child, parent, and sociocultural factors were shown to predict parental self-efficacy (e.g., child gender and age, parents’ psychological well-being, and socio-economic status), and results suggest that these associations are similar across multiple countries and age groups. Finally, studies reporting on parental self-efficacy at different time points or a correlation between self-efficacy and the child’s age suggested that parental self-efficacy decreases over the school-age and adolescent period. This review shows the complex role of parental self-efficacy in associations with parent and child factors, and it also highlight questions to address for future research.
Proposed synchronous electric motor simulation with built-in permanent magnets for robotic systems
Authors: Attar Hani , Abu-Jassar Amer Tahseen , Lyashenko Vyacheslav , Al-qerem Ahmad , Sotnik Svitlana , Alharbi Naif , Solyman Ahmed A. A.
Published: May 2023

Choosing the proper engine that fits the desired application is a crucial design factor in robotics. Accordingly, this paper compares different types of engines for other Industrial robots (IR) and proposes to put practical criteria based on the mechanical design and its application. It starts from describing the IR choice to explaining the synchronous motor with permanent magnets as a base of the motor choice. Particular attention is paid to the consideration of components and their purpose supported by the creation of the subsequent drawings. SolidWorks system was implemented to obtain expressive and high-quality graphics and three dimensions design. Moreover, the entire Electrical Magnetic Force (EMF) was simulated using the method of variational parameterization. Accordingly, a developed synchronous motor with a built-in permanent magnet is proposed, which is supported by 3D design graphics to evaluate the deformation and margin of the housing and motor shaft safety.The obtained results provide a valuable study for the robotic engines' characteristics, such as the engine's strength, torque, power, and speed. An example of the comparison results is testing the synchronous motor, which confirms that the permanent magnets built-on synchronous motor is most recommended for the lightweight robots designed to work under average load weight. More results were performed to compare the proposed design with the robotics world's leading companies, showing that the developed proposed design has significant characteristics that outperform traditional motors.
If conceptual engineering is a new method in the ethics of AI, what method is it exactly?
Authors: Löhr Guido
Published: May 2023

Can a machine be a person? Can a robot think, be our friend or colleague? These familiar questions in the ethics of AI have recently become much more urgent than many philosophers anticipated. However, they also seem as intractable as ever. For this reason, several philosophers of AI have recently turned their attention to an arguably new method: conceptual engineering. The idea is to stop searching for the real essence of friendship or our ordinary concept of the person. Instead, ethicists of AI should engineer concepts of friend or person we should apply. But what exactly is this method? There is currently no consensus on what the target object of conceptual engineers is or should be. In this paper, I reject a number of popular options and then argue for a pragmatist way of thinking about the target object of conceptual engineering in the ethics of AI. I conclude that in this pragmatist picture, conceptual engineering is probably what we have been doing all along. So, is it all just hype? No, the idea that the ethics of AI has been dominated by conceptual engineers all along constitutes an important meta-philosophical insight. We can build on this insight to develop a more rigorous and thorough methodology in the ethics of AI.
Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion via an insulin pump in extremely premature neonates—a case series
Authors: Becocci Andrea , Bochaton Nathalie , Fau Sébastien , Klee Philippe , Perrenoud Luz , Fonzo-Christe Caroline , Pfister Riccardo E.
Published: May 2023

Extremely preterm infants are prone to hyperglycemia which is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Insulin sensitivity is variable in extreme prematurity, and its monitoring, prevention, and treatment are a significant challenge in the NICU. Frequent changes in fluid composition and volumes, as well as large growth and adaptational nutrient requirements are limited by difficult vascular access and blood sampling and risk of drug incompatibilities. Insulin treatment requires specific access and significantly increases fluid intake and sampling. Clinicians, therefore, often compromise by reducing glucose intake and accepting higher glycemia. We report a case series of 11 extremely low birth weight (ELBW) preterms, born between 23 5/7 and 27 6/7 weeks of gestation, treated for transient hyperglycemia during the first 2 weeks of life by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). Insulin concentration was 10 IU/ml, administered via 13 mm Accu-Chek® Tenderlink catheters and a commercial insulin pump (Accu-Chek® Combo, Roche Diabetes Care). Insulin treatment was initiated when glycemia was > 252 mg/dL (14 mmol/l) in two consecutive blood glucose determinations, except for one case when glycemia was 234 mg/dL (13 mmol/l), despite a previous decrease in glucose infusion rate. The starting dose for the CSII was between 0.01 and 0.08 IU/kg/h. The average duration of the CSII was 5 days (1–16 days). CSII in extreme preterm neonates with hyperglycemia was clinically feasible and practical by sparing IV lines and volume and appeared as more rapidly effective than continuous IV administration. No adverse events like hypoglycemia or skin infection were recorded.
Laminar drag reduction in surfactant-contaminated superhydrophobic channels
Authors: Tomlinson Samuel D. , Gibou Frédéric , Luzzatto-Fegiz Paolo , Temprano-Coleto Fernando , Jensen Oliver E. , Landel Julien R.
Published: May 2023

Although superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) show promise for drag reduction applications, their performance can be compromised by traces of surfactant, which generate Marangoni stresses that increase drag. This question is addressed for soluble surfactant in a three-dimensional laminar channel flow, with periodic SHSs made of long finite-length longitudinal grooves located on both walls. We assume that bulk diffusion is sufficiently strong for cross-channel concentration gradients to be small. Exploiting long-wave theory and accounting for the difference between the rapid transverse and slower longitudinal Marangoni flows, we derive a one-dimensional model for surfactant transport from the full three-dimensional transport equations. Our one-dimensional model allows us to predict the drag reduction and surfactant distribution across the parameter space. The system exhibits multiple regimes, involving competition between Marangoni effects, bulk and interfacial diffusion, bulk and interfacial advection, shear dispersion and surfactant exchange between the bulk and the interface. We map out asymptotic regions in the high-dimensional parameter space, and derive explicit closed-form approximations of the drag reduction, without any fitting or empirical parameters. The physics underpinning the drag reduction effect and the negative effect of surfactant is discussed through analysis of the velocity field and surfactant concentrations, which show both uniform and non-uniform stress distributions. Our theoretical predictions of the drag reduction compare well with results from the literature solving numerically the full three-dimensional transport problem. Our atlas of maps provides a comprehensive analytical guide for designing surfactant-contaminated channels with SHSs, to maximise the drag reduction in applications.
Programmable active matter across scales
Authors: Yu Hengao , Fu Yulei , Zhang Xinli , Chen Leilei , Qi Duo , Shi Jinzhuo , Wang Wendong
Published: May 2023

Programmable active matter (PAM) combines information processing and energy transduction. The physical embodiment of information could be the direction of magnetic spins, a sequence of molecules, the concentrations of ions, or the shape of materials. Energy transduction involves the transformation of chemical, magnetic, or electrical energies into mechanical energy. A major class of PAM consists of material systems with many interacting units. These units could be molecules, colloids, microorganisms, droplets, or robots. Because the interaction among units determines the properties and functions of PAMs, the programmability of PAMs is largely due to the programmable interactions. Here, we review PAMs across scales, from supramolecular systems to macroscopic robotic swarms. We focus on the interactions at different scales and describe how these (often local) interactions give rise to global properties and functions. The research on PAMs will contribute to the pursuit of generalised crystallography and the study of complexity and emergence. Finally, we ponder on the opportunities and challenges in using PAM to build a soft-matter brain.
On two congruence conjectures of Z.-W. Sun involving Franel numbers
Authors: Mao Guo-Shuai , Liu Yan
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we mainly prove the following conjectures of Z.-W. Sun (J. Number Theory133 (2013), 2914–2928): let $p>2$ be a prime. If $p=x^2+3y^2$ with $x,y\in \mathbb {Z}$ and $x\equiv 1\ ({\rm {mod}}\ 3)$, then
\[ x\equiv\frac14\sum_{k=0}^{p-1}(3k+4)\frac{f_k}{2^k}\equiv\frac12\sum_{k=0}^{p-1}(3k+2)\frac{f_k}{({-}4)^k}\ ({\rm{mod}}\ p^2), \]and if $p\equiv 1\pmod 3$, then
\[ \sum_{k=0}^{p-1}\frac{f_k}{2^k}\equiv\sum_{k=0}^{p-1}\frac{f_k}{({-}4)^k}\ ({\rm{mod}}\ p^3), \]where $f_n=\sum _{k=0}^n\binom {n}k^3$ stands for the $n$th Franel number.
Late Quaternary fluvial and aeolian depositional environments for the western Red River, Southern Great Plains, USA
Authors: Forman Steven L. , Wu Zequn , Wiest Logan , Marin Liliana , Mayhack Connor
Published: May 2023

Ubiquitous Holocene dune systems are associated with major west-to-east flowing rivers across the Southern Great Plains (SGP), USA. Critical questions remain as to whether aeolian activity reflects multiple environmental signatures, including increased sand supply from riverine sources. This research focused on the western Red River where geomorphic mapping revealed three terrace levels up to 16 m, buried partially by up to 10 m of aeolian sediments. Pedosedimentary facies analyses of sections and Geoprobe cores extracted from terraces and close-interval optically stimulated luminescence dating of quartz grains revealed two periods of fluvial aggradation at ca. 80 ka to ~5 to 8 m above the Red River forming the Vernon terrace, and at 30 to 13 ka to ~20–15 m, the highest identified Childress terrace. Net degradation of 20 m also occurred between 13 and 7 ka to 4 m below the current channel, reflecting regional fall in the groundwater level. The latest aggradation event, which built the lowest Luna terrace at ~2 m, ended 1.5 to 0.7 ka and was partially buried by fluvial-sourced dunes in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This recent phase of aeolian deposition coincides with a comparatively wet period in the central United States during the Little Ice Age, rather than with regional drying.
Assessment of ring-tailed lemur Lemur catta populations in south-western Madagascar
Authors: Randrianjaka Sylvain , Calkins Samantha , Sefczek Timothy M. , Frasier Cynthia L. , Randriamampionona Richard , Rakotoniaina Jean Claude , de Roland Lily-Arison R. , Baden Andrea L. , Louis Edward E.
Published: May 2023

Anthropogenic activities are negatively affecting the flora and fauna of Madagascar, including its Endangered flagship lemur species, the ring-tailed lemur Lemur catta. Population numbers at some sites are rapidly declining, yet much of the species' habitat is insufficiently surveyed. Because widespread population assessments are critical to guiding conservation management strategies, additional data are needed to monitor L. catta population trends and to identify the limits of their geographical range. Here we report survey results confirming the presence of this species at 65 of 83 sites in southern and south-western Madagascar, including three subpopulations that were previously considered likely to be locally extinct. We identified a minimum of 792 L. catta individuals (summing only maximum group sizes at each site) and as many as 1,221 individuals (using estimated population counts). These findings help refine the distribution of L. catta and reaffirm their presence in areas of their historical geographical range. Identifying species occupancy at sites such as these provides valuable data to support species conservation, but also highlights the need for additional surveys throughout the range of the species.
Non‐Synchronous Rotation on Europa Driven by Ocean Currents
Authors: Ashkenazy Yosef , Tziperman Eli , Nimmo Francis
Published: May 2023

It has been suggested that the ice shell of Jupiter's moon Europa may drift non‐synchronously due to tidal torques. Here we argue that torques applied by the underlying ocean are also important and can result in non‐synchronous rotation. The resulting spin rate can be slightly slower than the synchronous angular rate that would have kept the same point of the ice shell facing Jupiter. We develop an ice shell rotation model, driven by ocean stress calculated using a high‐resolution state‐of‐the‐art ocean general circulation model, and take into account the viscoelastic deformation of the ice shell. We use the ice shell model results together with observed limits on the ice shell drift speed to constrain ice shell parameters such as effective viscosity, which is currently uncertain by at least four orders of magnitude. Our results suggest, at best, sluggish ice shell convection. Depending on the relaxation time scale of the ice shell and on the ocean currents, the ice shell may exhibit negligible drift, constant drift, or oscillatory drift superimposed on random fluctuations. The expected rotation rate exceeds ∼30 m/yr; future spacecraft observations can be used to test these predictions and yield insight into the properties of the ice shell and underlying ocean.
Greenland Ice Sheet Ice Slab Expansion and Thickening
Authors: Jullien N. , Tedstone A. J. , Machguth H. , Karlsson N. B. , Helm V.
Published: May 2023

We use airborne accumulation radar data acquired over the Greenland Ice Sheet between 2002 and 2018 to identify changes in ice slab extent and thickness. We show that ice slabs several meters thick were already present at least as early as 2002. Between 2012 and 2018, they expanded by 13,400–17,600  inland, or 37%–44%. Our results document that the extremely warm summer of 2012 produced near‐surface ice layers at higher elevations, enabling ice slabs to develop with only moderate melting in the following summers. With repeat flights along a transect in southwest Greenland, we show that moderate melting primarily causes slab thickening through uniform accretion on top of the ice slabs, while large melting events can also trigger localized accretion below existing ice slabs.
Tropical Cyclone Stalling Shifts Northward and Brings Increasing Flood Risks to East Asian Coast
Authors: Zhang Lujia , Cheng Tat Fan , Lu Mengqian , Xiong Rui , Gan Jianping
Published: May 2023

Tropical cyclone (TC) stalling has been widely perceived to yield a greater threat of flooding. Understanding the effect of stalling and its long‐term trends will enhance adaptation strategies to cyclone‐associated disasters. We show that stalling prolongs western North Pacific TCs to live 24 hr longer and produces 23% greater 24‐hr rainfall accumulations in a more concentrated area, which is more prominent over a 72‐hr rolling period. More importantly, we discover a northward migration of TC stalling (∼0.7°N decade−1) over 1979–2020, bringing increasingly higher flood risks to the highly‐populated East Asian coast. Further diagnoses suggest the role of binary cyclone interactions in TC stalling, whereby the second larger TC slows down the smaller one by weakening the northwestward steering flows. The northward shift of TC stalling can be explained by a similar trend in binary TC cases and environmental fields. Our findings are robust across various best track and precipitation products.
Short Time‐Scale Variability of Ammonium, Nitrate, and Nitrogen Loss Dynamics During an Upwelling‐Induced Bloom at the Oregon Shelf
Authors: Segura‐Noguera M. , Álvarez‐Salgado X. A. , Siedlecki S. , Hales B. R.
Published: May 2023

Ammonium, a key intermediate nutrient, is typically low to undetectable on the Oregon coast, particularly as active upwelling delivers high onshore flow of ammonium‐poor waters. However, during bloom and post‐bloom conditions large ammonium concentrations and uptake rates have been described. High‐frequency on board nitrate + nitrite and ammonium analysis synchronized with continuous data from a towed profiling vehicle (equipped with in situ temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and beam attenuation sensors), allowed us to describe coupled high‐resolution physico‐chemical dynamics of inorganic nitrogen in seven cross‐shelf transects, over several days, during an active phytoplankton bloom following cessation of upwelling favorable winds. We present first‐of‐their‐kind high‐resolution cross‐sections showing a build‐up, both within a thin plume of onshore‐originated water, and in mid‐to‐bottom on‐shore water columns, from undetectable values to up to 8 µM of ammonium. The plume extended across the shelf at mid‐depth and was identified in all transects. We also detected a decrease of nitrate in distinct water masses close to the mid‐shelf seabed, associated with low dissolved oxygen, and identified and quantified the amount of nitrogen lost. We found that nitrogen loss was minimal on the first days of relaxation conditions, and increased up to 12 μM off Newport. Combining nitrogen fluxes from benthic incubation chambers and N loss calculated with the NO tracer, we estimated that denitrification in sediments could not account for all N loss, requiring 22%–86% to occur elsewhere. Close association of N loss with particle‐rich, low O2 waters suggests the possibility that particle‐aggregate micro‐environments could provide additional sites for water column denitrification.
How Moisture Shapes Low‐Level Radiative Cooling in Subsidence Regimes
Authors: Fildier B. , Muller C. , Pincus R. , Fueglistaler S.
Published: May 2023

Radiative cooling of the lowest atmospheric levels is of strong importance for modulating atmospheric circulations and organizing convection, but detailed observations and a robust theoretical understanding are lacking. Here we use unprecedented observational constraints from subsidence regimes in the tropical Atlantic to develop a theory for the shape and magnitude of low‐level longwave radiative cooling in clear‐sky, showing peaks larger than 5–10 K/day at the top of the boundary layer. A suite of novel scaling approximations is first developed from simplified spectral theory, in close agreement with the measurements. The radiative cooling peak height is set by the maximum lapse rate in water vapor path, and its magnitude is mainly controlled by the ratio of column relative humidity above and below the peak. We emphasize how elevated intrusions of moist air can reduce low‐level cooling, by sporadically shading the spectral range which effectively cools to space. The efficiency of this spectral shading depends both on water content and altitude of moist intrusions; its height dependence cannot be explained by the temperature difference between the emitting and absorbing layers, but by the decrease of water vapor extinction with altitude. This analytical work can help to narrow the search for low‐level cloud patterns sensitive to radiative‐convective feedbacks: the most organized patterns with largest cloud fractions occur in atmospheres below 10% relative humidity and feel the strongest low‐level cooling. This motivates further assessment of favorable conditions for radiative‐convective feedbacks and a robust quantification of corresponding shallow cloud dynamics in current and warmer climates.
Effects of Lake Baikal on Summertime Precipitation Climatology Over the Lake Surface
Authors: Lee Hyunho , Ganbat Gantuya , Jin Han‐Gyul , Seo Jaemyeong Mango , Moon Sungju , Bok Hyejeong , Baik Jong‐Jin
Published: May 2023

This study investigates the impacts of Lake Baikal, the largest by volume and the deepest freshwater lake in the world, on its nearby precipitation climate. Satellite observations and a reanalysis data set reveal that summertime precipitation amount is smaller over Lake Baikal than around it. A 15‐year regional climate simulation at a cloud‐resolving scale supports the smaller precipitation, and another simulation in which the lake is replaced by forest shows that the lake reduces summertime precipitation over it by 15%. The lake decreases daytime near‐surface air temperature, resulting in more convectively stable atmosphere over the lake. Latent heat flux is reduced along with the weakened convection, and the lower‐level moisture convergence and upper‐level moisture divergence over the lake are weakened.
Turning Lakes Into River Gauges Using the LakeFlow Algorithm
Authors: Riggs Ryan M. , Allen George H. , Brinkerhoff Craig B. , Sikder Md. Safat , Wang Jida
Published: May 2023

Rivers and lakes are intrinsically connected waterbodies yet they are rarely used to hydrologically constrain one another with remote sensing. Here we begin to bridge the gap between river and lake hydrology with the introduction of the LakeFlow algorithm. LakeFlow uses river‐lake mass conservation and observations from the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite to provide river discharge estimates of lake and reservoir inflows and outflows. We test LakeFlow performance at three lakes using a synthetic SWOT data set assuming the maximum measurement errors defined by the mission science requirements, and we include modeled lateral inflow and lake evaporation data to further constrain the mass balance. We find that LakeFlow produces promising discharge estimates (median Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency = 0.88, relative bias = 14%). LakeFlow can inform water resources management by providing global lake inflow and outflow estimates, highlighting a path for recognizing rivers and lakes as an interconnected system.
Spatial Resolution in Inverse Problems: The EZIE Satellite Mission
Authors: Madelaire Michael , Laundal Karl , Gjerloev Jesper , Hatch Spencer , Reistad Jone , Vanhamäki Heikki , Waters Colin , Ohma Anders , Mesquita Rafael , Merkin Viacheslav
Published: May 2023

Inverse modeling has become one of the primary methods for studying ionospheric electrodynamics, especially when using magnetic field measurements from below the ionosphere. We present a method for quantifying the spatial resolution in an inverse model for non‐uniformly sampled spatial data. This method provides a tool for assessing if a model can resolve the physical phenomena of interest. We quantify the spatial resolution for the Spherical Elementary Current System basis functions to model the ionospheric dynamics. Our results apply to models with spatially confined model parameters, unlike spherical harmonics where the model parameters describe the amplitude of global surface functions. The method is demonstrated for the upcoming Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer cubesat mission which will provide spatially distributed remote sensing measurements of the magnetic field in the mesosphere. We show that, including measurements from a single ground magnetometer can significantly improve the spatial resolution. However, the impact of including a ground magnetometer depends on the relative position of the station with respect to the mesospheric measurements. In addition, a method for reducing two regularization parameters to one is presented. Reducing the amount of regularization parameters simplifies the optimization problem and facilitates a fair comparison between the models with and without a ground magnetometer.
Frequency unlocking-based MEMS bifurcation sensors
Authors: Qiao Yan , Shi Zhan , Xu Yutao , Wei Xueyong , Elhady Alaaeldin , Abdel-Rahman Eihab , Huan Ronghua , Zhang Wenming
Published: May 2023

MEMS resonators exhibit rich dynamic behaviors under the internal resonance regime. In this work, we present a novel MEMS bifurcation sensor that exploits frequency unlocking due to a 1:3 internal resonance between two electrostatically coupled micro-resonators. The proposed detection mechanism allows the sensor to operate in binary (digital) and analog modes, depending on whether the sensor merely detects a significant jump event in the peak frequency upon unlocking or measures the shift in the peak frequency after unlocking and uses it in conjunction with a calibration curve to estimate the corresponding change in stimulus. We validate the success of this sensor paradigm by experimentally demonstrating charge detection. High charge resolutions are achieved in binary mode, up to 0.137 fC, and in analog mode, up to 0.01 fC. The proposed binary sensor enables extraordinarily high detection resolutions due to the excellent frequency stability under internal resonance and the high signal-to-noise ratio of the shift in peak frequency. Our findings offer new opportunities for high-performance ultrasensitive sensors.
Dynamic control of high-voltage actuator arrays by light-pattern projection on photoconductive switches
Authors: Bacheva Vesna , Firouzeh Amir , Leroy Edouard , Balciunaite Aiste , Davila Diana , Gabay Israel , Paratore Federico , Bercovici Moran , Shea Herbert , Kaigala Govind
Published: May 2023

The ability to control high-voltage actuator arrays relies, to date, on expensive microelectronic processes or on individual wiring of each actuator to a single off-chip high-voltage switch. Here we present an alternative approach that uses on-chip photoconductive switches together with a light projection system to individually address high-voltage actuators. Each actuator is connected to one or more switches that are nominally OFF unless turned ON using direct light illumination. We selected hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) as our photoconductive material, and we provide a complete characterization of its light to dark conductance, breakdown field, and spectral response. The resulting switches are very robust, and we provide full details of their fabrication processes. We demonstrate that the switches can be integrated into different architectures to support both AC and DC-driven actuators and provide engineering guidelines for their functional design. To demonstrate the versatility of our approach, we demonstrate the use of the photoconductive switches in two distinctly different applications—control of µm-sized gate electrodes for patterning flow fields in a microfluidic chamber and control of cm-sized electrostatic actuators for creating mechanical deformations for haptic displays.
Impedance spectroscopy of the cell/nanovolcano interface enables optimization for electrophysiology
Authors: Maïno Nicolas , Bertsch Arnaud , Renaud Philippe
Published: May 2023

Volcano-shaped microelectrodes have demonstrated superior performance in measuring attenuated intracellular action potentials from cardiomyocyte cultures. However, their application to neuronal cultures has not yet yielded reliable intracellular access. This common pitfall supports a growing consensus in the field that nanostructures need to be pitched to the cell of interest to enable intracellular access. Accordingly, we present a new methodology that enables us to resolve the cell/probe interface noninvasively through impedance spectroscopy. This method measures changes in the seal resistance of single cells in a scalable manner to predict the quality of electrophysiological recordings. In particular, the impact of chemical functionalization and variation of the probe’s geometry can be quantitatively measured. We demonstrate this approach on human embryonic kidney cells and primary rodent neurons. Through systematic optimization, the seal resistance can be increased by as much as 20-fold with chemical functionalization, while different probe geometries demonstrated a lower impact. The method presented is therefore well suited to the study of cell coupling to probes designed for electrophysiology, and it is poised to contribute to elucidate the nature and mechanism of plasma membrane disruption by micro/nanostructures.
Deep sampling of gRNA in the human genome and deep-learning-informed prediction of gRNA activities
Authors: Zhang Heng , Yan Jianfeng , Lu Zhike , Zhou Yangfan , Zhang Qingfeng , Cui Tingting , Li Yini , Chen Hui , Ma Lijia
Published: May 2023

Life science studies involving clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) editing generally apply the best-performing guide RNA (gRNA) for a gene of interest. Computational models are combined with massive experimental quantification on synthetic gRNA-target libraries to accurately predict gRNA activity and mutational patterns. However, the measurements are inconsistent between studies due to differences in the designs of the gRNA-target pair constructs, and there has not yet been an integrated investigation that concurrently focuses on multiple facets of gRNA capacity. In this study, we analyzed the DNA double-strand break (DSB)-induced repair outcomes and measured SpCas9/gRNA activities at both matched and mismatched locations using 926,476 gRNAs covering 19,111 protein-coding genes and 20,268 non-coding genes. We developed machine learning models to forecast the on-target cleavage efficiency (AIdit_ON), off-target cleavage specificity (AIdit_OFF), and mutational profiles (AIdit_DSB) of SpCas9/gRNA from a uniformly collected and processed dataset by deep sampling and massively quantifying gRNA capabilities in K562 cells. Each of these models exhibited superlative performance in predicting SpCas9/gRNA activities on independent datasets when benchmarked with previous models. A previous unknown parameter was also empirically determined regarding the “sweet spot” in the size of datasets used to establish an effective model to predict gRNA capabilities at a manageable experimental scale. In addition, we observed cell type-specific mutational profiles and were able to link nucleotidylexotransferase as the key factor driving these outcomes. These massive datasets and deep learning algorithms have been implemented into the user-friendly web service http://crispr-aidit.com to evaluate and rank gRNAs for life science studies.
Scientific echosounder data provide a predator’s view of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba)
Authors: Cox M. J. , Smith A. J. R. , Brierley A. S. , Potts J. M. , Wotherspoon S. , Terauds A.
Published: May 2023

Raw acoustic data were collected in East Antarctica from the RSV Aurora Australis during two surveys: the Krill Availability, Community Trophodynamics and AMISOR Surveys (KACTAS) and the Krill Acoustics and Oceanography Survey (KAOS) in the East Antarctic (centre coordinate 66.5° S, 63° E). The KACTAS survey was conducted between 14th to 21st January and 2001, and the KAOS survey was conducted between 16 January and 1 February 2003. We examine the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) component of these surveys and provide scientific echosounder (EK500 and EK60) data collected at 38, 120 and 200 kHz, cold water (−1 °C) echosounder calibration parameters and accompanying krill length frequency distributions obtained from trawl data. We processed the acoustic data to apply calibration values and remove noise. The processed data were used to isolate echoes arising from swarms of krill and to estimate metrics for each krill swarm, including internal density and individual swarm biomass. The krill swarm data provide insights to a predators’ views of krill distribution and density.
Experimental investigation on the hazard of geyser created by an entrapped air release in baffle-drop shafts
Authors: Yang Qinghua , Yang Qian
Published: May 2023

The geyser phenomenon seriously threatens the safe operation of deep tunnel drainage systems and drop shaft structural safety. To simulate the geyser process in a baffle-drop shaft, a 1:50 scale model test system was used to research the response relationship between the geyser mechanism and test parameters such as water depth, inlet pressure, and inlet volume. The results show that the pressure in a baffle-drop shaft fluctuates sharply during the geyser process. This is caused by the release of a high-pressure air mass, and high-speed movement of the air–water mixture causes a local pressure imbalance in the drop shaft. A prediction formula for the maximum geyser height of a baffle-drop shaft was established by a multiple linear regression model. Geyser occurrence conditions for the baffle-drop shaft were proposed combined with the response relationship between different influence variables and geyser intensity. Except for the inlet pressure, submerged state of the baffles, and measured location, the hydrodynamic load on the bottom of the baffles is also related to the randomness of the air–water mixture jetted on the baffle bottom. The maximum hydrodynamic load on the baffle bottom during the geyser is 10 times the hydrodynamic load on the baffle surface under normal discharge conditions. This research provides a theoretical reference for the structural design and safe operation of baffle-drop shafts.
High-resolution microbiome analysis reveals exclusionary Klebsiella species competition in preterm infants at risk for necrotizing enterocolitis
Authors: Coleman Spencer , Unterhauser Katrin , Rezaul Karim , Ledala Nagender , Lesmes Stephanie , Caimano Melissa J. , Zhou Yanjiao , Jackson Eric , Gratalo Dawn , Driscoll Mark D. , Matson Adam P.
Published: May 2023

Intestinal colonization with Klebsiella has been linked to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), but methods of analysis usually failed to discriminate Klebsiella species or strains. A novel ~ 2500-base amplicon (StrainID) that spans the 16S and 23S rRNA genes was used to generate amplicon sequence variant (ASV) fingerprints for Klebsiella oxytoca and Klebsiella pneumoniae species complexes (KoSC and KpSC, respectively) and co-occurring fecal bacterial strains from 10 preterm infants with NEC and 20 matched controls. Complementary approaches were used to identify cytotoxin-producing isolates of KoSC. Klebsiella species colonized most preterm infants, were more prevalent in NEC subjects versus controls, and replaced Escherichia in NEC subjects. Single KoSC or KpSC ASV fingerprinted strains dominated the gut microbiota, suggesting exclusionary Klebsiella competition for luminal resources. Enterococcus faecalis was co-dominant with KoSC but present infrequently with KpSC. Cytotoxin-producing KoSC members were identified in most NEC subjects and were less frequent in controls. Few Klebsiella strains were shared between subjects. We conclude that inter-species Klebsiella competition, within an environment of KoSC and E. faecalis cooperation, appears to be an important factor for the development of NEC. Preterm infants seem to acquire Klebsiella primarily through routes other than patient-to-patient transmission.
Fault detection of gearbox by multivariate extended variational mode decomposition-based time–frequency images and incremental RVM algorithm
Authors: Nao Siwei , Wang Yan
Published: May 2023

A novel detection method based on multivariate extended variational mode decomposition-based time–frequency images and incremental RVM algorithm (MEVMDTFI–IRVM) is presented for fault detection of gearbox. The time–frequency images are constructed by multivariate extended variational mode decomposition. Compared with single-variable modal decomposition method, multivariate extended variational mode decomposition not only has an accurate mathematical framework, but also has good robustness to non-stationary multi-channel signals with low signal-to-noise ratio. The incremental RVM algorithm is presented for fault detection of gearbox based on the time–frequency images constructed by multivariate extended variational mode decomposition. The testing results demonstrate that the detection results of MEVMDTFI–IRVM for gearbox are stable, in addition, the detection results of MEVMDTFI–IRVM for gearbox are better than those of variational mode decomposition-based time–frequency images and incremental RVM algorithm (VMDTFI–IRVM), variational mode decomposition–RVM algorithm (VMD–RVM), and traditional RVM algorithm.
Differences in optic nerve head structure between acute angle-closure glaucoma and open-angle glaucoma
Authors: Kong Jeong Han , Park Sung Pyo , Na Kyeong Ik
Published: May 2023

This study aimed to compare the optic nerve head (ONH) structure in acute angle-closure glaucoma (AACG) and open-angle glaucoma (OAG) to investigate the differences in glaucomatous damage. The AACG and OAG eyes were matched with regard to global retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT). AACG eyes were divided into two subgroups based on the presence of ONH swelling at the onset of AACG. RNFLT, Bruch’s membrane opening-minimum rim width (BMO-MRW), and Bruch’s membrane opening-minimum rim area (BMO-MRA) were analyzed. Global RNFLT values were similar in AACG and OAG groups, but lower than in the healthy group (P < 0.001). The global BMO-MRW and total BMO-MRA were significantly higher in AACG than in OAG group (P < 0.001, respectively). AACG showed similar global BMO-MRW and total BMO-MRA, irrespective of the presence or absence of ONH swelling, while AACG with ONH swelling was associated with significantly thinner global RNFLT compared to AACG without ONH swelling (P < 0.006). The result of differences in ONH structure between the OAG and AACG, especially the AACG with ONH swelling at the onset of AACG, suggests that the mechanisms of optic nerve damage in the two diseases are different.
Large libraries of single-chain trimer peptide-MHCs enable antigen-specific CD8+ T cell discovery and analysis
Authors: Chour William , Choi Jongchan , Xie Jingyi , Chaffee Mary E. , Schmitt Thomas M. , Finton Kathryn , DeLucia Diana C. , Xu Alexander M. , Su Yapeng , Chen Daniel G. , Zhang Rongyu , Yuan Dan , Hong Sunga , Ng Alphonsus H. C. , Butler Jonah Z. , Edmark Rick A. , Jones Lesley C. , Murray Kim M. , Peng Songming , Li Guideng , Strong Roland K. , Lee John K. , Goldman Jason D. , Greenberg Philip D. , Heath James R.
Published: May 2023

The discovery and characterization of antigen-specific CD8+T cell clonotypes typically involves the labor-intensive synthesis and construction of peptide-MHC tetramers. We adapt single-chain trimer (SCT) technologies into a high throughput platform for pMHC library generation, showing that hundreds can be rapidly prepared across multiple Class I HLA alleles. We use this platform to explore the impact of peptide and SCT template mutations on protein expression yield, thermal stability, and functionality. SCT libraries were an efficient tool for identifying T cells recognizing commonly reported viral epitopes. We then construct SCT libraries to capture SARS-CoV-2 specific CD8+T cells from COVID-19 participants and healthy donors. The immunogenicity of these epitopes is validated by functional assays of T cells with cloned TCRs captured using SCT libraries. These technologies should enable the rapid analyses of peptide-based T cell responses across several contexts, including autoimmunity, cancer, or infectious disease.
Pathway and mechanism of tubulin folding mediated by TRiC/CCT along its ATPase cycle revealed using cryo-EM
Authors: Liu Caixuan , Jin Mingliang , Wang Shutian , Han Wenyu , Zhao Qiaoyu , Wang Yifan , Xu Cong , Diao Lei , Yin Yue , Peng Chao , Bao Lan , Wang Yanxing , Cong Yao
Published: May 2023

The eukaryotic chaperonin TRiC/CCT assists the folding of about 10% of cytosolic proteins through an ATP-driven conformational cycle, and the essential cytoskeleton protein tubulin is the obligate substrate of TRiC. Here, we present an ensemble of cryo-EM structures of endogenous human TRiC throughout its ATPase cycle, with three of them revealing endogenously engaged tubulin in different folding stages. The open-state TRiC-tubulin-S1 and -S2 maps show extra density corresponding to tubulin in the cis-ring chamber of TRiC. Our structural and XL-MS analyses suggest a gradual upward translocation and stabilization of tubulin within the TRiC chamber accompanying TRiC ring closure. In the closed TRiC-tubulin-S3 map, we capture a near-natively folded tubulin—with the tubulin engaging through its N and C domains mainly with the A and I domains of the CCT3/6/8 subunits through electrostatic and hydrophilic interactions. Moreover, we also show the potential role of TRiC C-terminal tails in substrate stabilization and folding. Our study delineates the pathway and molecular mechanism of TRiC-mediated folding of tubulin along the ATPase cycle of TRiC, and may also inform the design of therapeutic agents targeting TRiC-tubulin interactions.
Volcanic impact on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the Eastern Mediterranean
Authors: Pickarski Nadine , Kwiecien Ola , Litt Thomas
Published: May 2023

Natural disturbances such as volcanic eruptions provide a unique opportunity to study past ecological dynamics. Here we illustrate the response of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to volcanic eruptions in connection to prevailing climate conditions. We selected five volcaniclastic depositions in the Lake Van (Turkey) sediments from different interglacial/glacial periods (Marine Isotope Stages 3 to 9e). Using high-resolution pollen data, non-pollen palynomorphs, and microscopic charcoal particles we attempted to disentangle climatic and volcanic forcing of natural environmental disturbances. Our results highlights that the thickness of subsequent volcanic deposits and the respective climatic conditions strongly influence the impact on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The most common response to ash deposition is a shift towards herbaceous taxa and abrupt fire activity. The affected herbaceous vegetation recovers to pre-eruption levels in 20 to 40 varve-years. The lake water experiences intensified productivity due to subsequent nutrient input and significant increase in aquatic microfossils. Our findings pave the way for disentangling climatic and volcanic forcing of natural environmental disturbances.
A convolutional neural network-based model that predicts acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Jo Tomoyasu , Arai Yasuyuki , Kanda Junya , Kondo Tadakazu , Ikegame Kazuhiro , Uchida Naoyuki , Doki Noriko , Fukuda Takahiro , Ozawa Yukiyasu , Tanaka Masatsugu , Ara Takahide , Kuriyama Takuro , Katayama Yuta , Kawakita Toshiro , Kanda Yoshinobu , Onizuka Makoto , Ichinohe Tatsuo , Atsuta Yoshiko , Terakura Seitaro
Published: May 2023

Background

Forecasting acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is highly challenging with conventional statistical techniques due to complex parameters and their interactions. The primary object of this study was to establish a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based prediction model for aGVHD.

Method

We analyzed adult patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT between 2008 and 2018, using the Japanese nationwide registry database. The CNN algorithm, equipped with a natural language processing technique and an interpretable explanation algorithm, was applied to develop and validate prediction models.

Results

Here, we evaluate 18,763 patients between 16 and 80 years of age (median, 50 years). In total, grade II–IV and grade III–IV aGVHD is observed among 42.0% and 15.6%. The CNN-based model eventually allows us to calculate a prediction score of aGVHD for an individual case, which is validated to distinguish the high-risk group of aGVHD in the test cohort: cumulative incidence of grade III–IV aGVHD at Day 100 after HSCT is 28.8% for patients assigned to a high-risk group by the CNN model, compared to 8.4% among low-risk patients (hazard ratio, 4.02; 95% confidence interval, 2.70–5.97; p < 0.01), suggesting high generalizability. Furthermore, our CNN-based model succeeds in visualizing the learning process. Moreover, contributions of pre-transplant parameters other than HLA information to the risk of aGVHD are determined.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that CNN-based prediction provides a faithful prediction model for aGVHD, and can serve as a valuable tool for decision-making in clinical practice.
A dual-function probe with aggregation-induced emission feature for Cu2+detection and chemodynamic therapy
Authors: Fu Juan , Hu Xin , Guo Teng , Zhu Weifeng , Tian Jianwen , Liu Meiying , Zhang Xiaoyong , Wei Yen
Published: May 2023

Herein, a fluorescent probe (named TPACP) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature was developed and utilized for the selective detection of Cu2+with high sensitivity and fast-response.
Nickel encapsulated in carbon-dot-derived nanosheets for efficient hydrogen evolution via urea-assisted water electrolysis
Authors: Pan Yichen , Zhang Jiancheng , Zhang Qian , Chen Xin , Wang Qian , Li Caicai , Liu Zonglin , Sun Qingfeng
Published: May 2023

The fabricated electrocatalyst of Ni@NCDs exhibited excellent bifunctional catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and urea oxidation reaction (UOR).
Substituent directed cellular imaging in the 800–850 nm range with BF2-azadipyrromethene fluorophores
Authors: Caulfield Cathal , Wu Dan , Garre Massimiliano , O'Shea Donal F.
Published: May 2023

Three bis(anilino)-substituted NIR-AZA fluorophores have been designed, synthesized and tested to bridge the availability gap of molecular fluorophores for live-cell microscopy imaging in the 800–850 nm spectral range.