bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hundreds of antimicrobial peptides create a selective barrier for insect gut symbionts
Authors: Lachat Joy , Lextrait Gaëlle , Jouan Romain , Boukherissa Amira , Yokota Aya , Jang Seonghan , Ishigami Kota , Futahashi Ryo , Cossard Raynald , Naquin Delphine , Costache Vlad , Augusto Luis , Tissières Pierre , Biondi Emanuele G. , Alunni Benoît , Timchenko Tatiana , Ohbayashi Tsubasa , Kikuchi Yoshitomo , Mergaert Peter
Published: June 2024

The spatial organization of gut microbiota is crucial for the functioning of the gut ecosystem, although the mechanisms that organize gut bacterial communities in microhabitats are only partially understood. The gut of the insect
Riptortus pedestris
has a characteristic microbiota biogeography with a multispecies community in the anterior midgut and a monospecific bacterial population in the posterior midgut. We show that the posterior midgut region produces massively hundreds of specific antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), the Crypt-specific Cysteine-Rich peptides (CCRs) that have membrane-damaging antimicrobial activity against diverse bacteria but posterior midgut symbionts have elevated resistance. We determined by transposon-sequencing the genetic repertoire in the symbiont
Caballeronia insecticola
to manage CCR stress, identifying different independent pathways, including AMP-resistance pathways unrelated to known membrane homeostasis functions as well as cell envelope functions. Mutants in the corresponding genes have reduced capacity to colonize the posterior midgut, demonstrating that CCRs create a selective barrier and resistance is crucial in gut symbionts. Moreover, once established in the gut, the bacteria differentiate into a CCR-sensitive state, suggesting a second function of the CCR peptide arsenal in protecting the gut epithelia or mediating metabolic exchanges between the host and the gut symbionts. Our study highlights the evolution of an extreme diverse AMP family that likely contributes to establish and control the gut microbiota.
Peripheral positions encode transport specificity in the small multidrug resistance exporters
Authors: Burata Olive E. , O’Donnell Ever , Hyun Jeonghoon , Lucero Rachael M. , Thomas Junius E. , Gibbs Ethan M. , Reacher Isabella , Carney Nolan A. , Stockbridge Randy B.
Published: June 2024

In secondary active transporters, a relatively limited set of protein folds have evolved diverse solute transport functions. Because of the conformational changes inherent to transport, altering substrate specificity typically involves remodeling the entire structural landscape, limiting our understanding of how novel substrate specificities evolve. In the current work, we examine a structurally minimalist family of model transport proteins, the small multidrug resistance (SMR) transporters, to understand the molecular basis for the emergence of a novel substrate specificity. We engineer a selective SMR protein to promiscuously export quaternary ammonium antiseptics, similar to the activity of a clade of multidrug exporters in this family. Using combinatorial mutagenesis and deep sequencing, we identify the necessary and sufficient molecular determinants of this engineered activity. Using X-ray crystallography, solid-supported membrane electrophysiology, binding assays, and a proteoliposome-based quaternary ammonium antiseptic transport assay that we developed, we dissect the mechanistic contributions of these residues to substrate polyspecificity. We find that substrate preference changes not through modification of the residues that directly interact with the substrate but through mutations peripheral to the binding pocket. Our work provides molecular insight into substrate promiscuity among the SMRs and can be applied to understand multidrug export and the evolution of novel transport functions more generally.
Rickettsiasymbionts spread via mixed mode transmission, increasing female fecundity and sex ratio shift by host hormone modulating
Authors: Liu Bing-Qi , Bao Xi-Yu , Yan Jin-Yang , Zhang Dan , Sun Xiang , Li Chu-Qiao , Chen Zhan-Bo , Luan Jun-Bo
Published: June 2024

Heritable symbionts are common among animals in nature, but the molecular mechanisms underpinning symbiont invasions of host populations have been elusive. In this study, we demonstrate the spread ofRickettsiain an invasive agricultural pest, the whiteflyBemisia tabaciMediterranean (MED), across northeastern China from 2018 to 2023. Here, we show that the beneficial symbiontRickettsiaspreads by manipulating host hormone signals. Our analyses suggest thatRickettsiahave been horizontally acquired byB. tabaciMED from another invasive whiteflyB. tabaciMiddle East-Asia Minor 1 during periods of coexistence.Rickettsiais transmitted maternally and horizontally from femaleB. tabaciMED individuals.Rickettsiainfection enhances fecundity and results in female bias among whiteflies. Our findings reveal thatRickettsiainfection stimulates juvenile hormone (JH) synthesis, in turn enhancing fecundity, copulation events, and the female ratio of the offspring. Consequently,Rickettsiainfection results in increased whitefly fecundity and female bias by modulating the JH pathway. More female progeny facilitates the transmission ofRickettsia. This study illustrates that the spread ofRickettsiaamong invasive whiteflies in northeastern China is propelled by host hormone regulation. Such symbiont invasions lead to rapid physiological and molecular evolution in the host, influencing the biology and ecology of an invasive species.
Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Kuwayama)
Authors:   Fera Science, Audsley Neil , Avila Gonzalo ,   Plant & Food Research, Ioratti Claudio ,   Fondazione Edmund Mach, Caron Valerie ,   CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Ferracini Chiara ,   Università di Torino, Bukovinszki Tibor ,   Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Kenis Marc ,   CABI, Milonas Panagiotis ,   Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Herz Annette ,   Julius Kühn-Institut, Trdan Stanislav ,   University of Ljubljana, Fatu Ana-Christina ,   Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, Sabbatini-Peverieri Giuseppino ,   Agricultural Research Council South Africa, Lesieur Vincent ,   CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Borowiec Nicolas ,   Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Collatz Jana ,   Agroscope, Tanner Rob ,   European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization, McGee Conor ,   Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine Ireland
Published: June 2024

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, poses a significant threat to citrus crops worldwide as a vector of the devastating citrus greening disease. Classical biological control efforts have focused on 2 parasitoid species, i.e. Tamarixia radiata and Diaphorencytrus aligarhensis. T. radiata, native to south east Asia, has been successfully introduced and established in several countries, including Reunion Island, Guadeloupe, Taiwan, California and Florida, leading to notable reductions in D. citri populations. D. aligarhensis, native to East Asia, has also been imported and released in Reunion Island, Taiwan and Florida, but with less success due to competition with T. radiata. T. radiata demonstrates higher effectiveness and establishment rates, attributed in part to lower rates of hyperparasitism compared to D. aligarhensis. Predatory beetles, such as Olla v-nigrum, Harmonia axyridis and Curinus coeruleus have also shown promise in suppressing D. citri populations. Additionally, fungal entomopathogens, such as Isaria fumosorosea and Hirsutella citriformis have demonstrated potential for biological control in citrus orchards. These biological control agents offer promising strategies for managing D. citri and reducing the spread of citrus greening disease.
Gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.)
Authors:   Fera Science, Audsley Neil , Avila Gonzalo ,   Plant & Food Research, Ioratti Claudio ,   Fondazione Edmund Mach, Caron Valerie ,   CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Ferracini Chiara ,   Università di Torino, Bukovinszki Tibor ,   Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Kenis Marc ,   CABI, Milonas Panagiotis ,   Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Herz Annette ,   Julius Kühn-Institut, Trdan Stanislav ,   University of Ljubljana, Fatu Ana-Christina ,   Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, Sabbatini-Peverieri Giuseppino ,   Agricultural Research Council South Africa, Lesieur Vincent ,   CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Borowiec Nicolas ,   Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Collatz Jana ,   Agroscope, Tanner Rob ,   European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization, McGee Conor ,   Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine Ireland
Published: June 2024

The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), native to Eurasia, is a major defoliator of oaks and other broadleaved trees. Introduced into Massachusetts, USA, in 1869, it has spread across North America, causing severe forest damage. Numerous biological control efforts have been made, with some success. Key natural enemies introduced include the tachinid parasitoids Parasetigena sylvestris, Compsilura concinnata and Blepharipa pratensis, and pathogens like the nuclear polyhedrosis virus and the fungus Entomophaga maimaiga. C. concinnata, however, has impacted native moth species negatively. Promising control agents include the host-specific P. sylvestris, the nuclear polyhedrosis virus, and E. maimaiga, which has effectively controlled gypsy moth populations in North America and the Balkans. Other potential agents include tachinid parasitoids Blepharipa pratensis, Blepharipa schineri and Aphantorhaphopsis samarensis, and the ichneumonid Phobocampe disparis.
Piecewise nonlinear materials and Monotonicity Principle
Authors: Corbo Esposito Antonio , Faella Luisa , Mottola Vincenzo , Piscitelli Gianpaolo , Prakash Ravi , Tamburrino Antonello
Published: June 2024

This paper deals with the Monotonicity Principle (MP) for nonlinear materials with piecewise growth exponent. The results obtained are relevant because they enable the use of a fast imaging method based on MP, applied to a wide class of problems with two or more materials, at least one of which is nonlinear. The treatment is very general and makes it possible to model a wide range of practical configurations such as superconducting (SC), perfect electrical conducting (PEC) or perfect electrical insulating (PEI) materials. A key role is played by the average Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator, introduced in Corbo Esposito et al (2021 Inverse Problems
37 045012), where the MP for a single type of nonlinearity was treated. Realistic numerical examples confirm the theoretical findings.
Prediction of a complete and self-consistent collision cross-section set of C5F10O by data-driven method
Authors: Zhang Boya , Liu Peiqiong , Hao Mai , Li Xingwen
Published: June 2024

The lack of a complete and consistent set of electron–molecule collision cross sections for the new eco-friendly gas C5F10O hinders the study of its microscopic discharge mechanisms. In this paper, we first calculate the elastic collision and electronic excitation cross-sections of C5F10O based on R-matrix theory and estimate its total attachment cross-sections through pulsed Townsend measurement. By combining cross sections from other literature, we are able to compile an initial set of collision cross-sections for C5F10O. However, this initial set remains incomplete and requires refinement. Therefore, this work establishes a neutral network to solve the inverse swarm problem of deriving cross-sections from swarm parameters. The inversion model is trained using a substantial amount of collision cross-sections from the LXCat project. Using the model and the initial set for C5F10O, a complete and self-consistent collision cross-section set for the C5F10O gas is predicted for the first time, based on the measured electron swarm parameters of C5F10O/Ar mixtures. The proposed method is capable of predicting C5F10O’s unknown vibrational excitation cross-section without any prior knowledge, thus enhancing its completeness. The refined set can reproduce the electron swarm parameters within an acceptable range of uncertainty, thus verifying its self-consistency. The set will be made available in the LXCat database, which is expected to be significant for fundamental studies of its discharge mechanisms as well as applications of C5F10O.
High-precision rail movement measurement under ambient-light changes via video image progressing
Authors: Yao Shilei , He Aohua , Dong Xiaopeng
Published: June 2024

The advancement of train technology makes monitoring railroad lines increasingly important. The use of cameras to measure rail movement can be done in real-time monitoring. The camera, however, is easily influenced by variations in ambient light intensity. Therefore, this research proposes a method to address the issue. The system can calculate rail displacement without being affected by ambient light intensity and monitor rail displacement in real-time. By using a flexible field programmable gate array-based framework that uses parallel and pipelined architecture to process image data, the system’s efficiency is improved by 24.7%. The system can accurately locate and measure displacement in complex environments despite interference from light and surroundings. Following experimental validation, the detection system achieves 0.07 mm precision and 95.2% detection accuracy in varying light.
A user experience survey of an augmented reality android application for learning Coulomb’s law
Authors: Vidak Andrej , Movre Šapić Iva , Zahtila Karla
Published: June 2024

In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated social distancing measures, prompting a greater interest in augmented reality (AR) as a means to facilitate accessible physics experiments for students. Recognizing this, we have recently developed an Android mobile application that harnesses AR technology. The application named CoulombsLawAR allows users to investigate how electrical charges and their distance influence the electrical force between them. The primary objective of our study was to assess students’ experiences while using this AR application. To achieve this, we engaged 156 undergraduate students from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology from University of Zagreb in the evaluation process. They were requested to utilize our AR application to complete a task specifically designed to enhance their understanding of Coulomb’s law. Subsequently, the participants were given a series of questionnaires, comprising five open-ended questions and 30 close-ended questions. These questionnaires included the System Usability Scale, User Experience, and Handheld Augmented Reality Usability Scale. In-depth analysis of the students’ feedback provided valuable insights. The majority of the participants found the application to be user-friendly, consistent in its performance, self-explanatory, and enjoyable to use. Additionally, students provided constructive feedback regarding potential enhancements that could be made to the application. Overall, the study findings indicate that the AR application we developed was well-received by undergraduate students, highlighting its potential as an effective tool for teaching and learning physics concepts.
High-quality factor Quasi-BIC mode via selective symmetry-breaking approach in a terahertz metasurface
Authors: Kumar Bhowmik Bhairov , Rohith K M , John Samuel , Prabhu Shriganesh , Kumar Gagan
Published: June 2024

This study numerically and experimentally presents a novel approach to excite bound state in the continuum (BIC) mode with a high Q-factor in the THz meta-molecule (composition of meta-atoms) system, leveraging a unique method of selective symmetry breaking in a ring-shaped metamolecule system. Unlike conventional strategies that uniformly disrupt the symmetry across all resonators to excite a quasi-BIC mode, this innovative technique targets only half of the unit cell for symmetry perturbation. This selective symmetry breaking minimizes radiative losses and enhances the Q-factor of the quasi-bound states in continuum (quasi-BIC) modes. The selective symmetry breaking is achieved in a ring-shaped metamolecule system by simple radial perturbation. The results depict a notable improvement in the Q-factor, achieving values as high as 107 in simulation, a significant enhancement compared to the uniformly symmetry-breaking approach, which exhibits Q-factors around 25.80. The experimental transmission spectrum and the near-field scanning images firmly validate the existence of the high Q BIC mode under this strategic symmetry-breaking approach. This work may open new avenues for developing advanced THz devices with promising applications in sensing, filtering, and non-linearity in the THz domain.
Escape into the third dimension in cholesteric liquid crystals
Authors: Pollard Joseph , Alexander Gareth P
Published: June 2024

Integer winding disclinations are unstable in a nematic and are removed by an ‘escape into the third dimension’, resulting in a non-singular texture. This process is frustrated in a cholesteric material due to the requirement of maintaining a uniform handedness and instead results in the formation of strings of point defects, as well as complex three-dimensional solitons such as heliknotons that consist of linked dislocations. We give a complete description of this frustration using methods of contact topology. Furthermore, we describe how this frustration can be exploited to stabilise regions of the material where the handedness differs from the preferred handedness. These ‘twist solitons’ are stable in numerical simulation and are a new form of topological defect in cholesteric materials that have not previously been studied.
Hubble tension and gravitational self-interaction
Authors: Sargent Corey , Clark William , Deur Alexandre , Terzić Balša
Published: June 2024

One of the most important problems vexing the ΛCDM cosmological model is the Hubble tension. It arises from the fact that measurements of the present value of the Hubble parameter performed with low-redshift quantities, e.g. the Type IA supernova, tend to yield larger values than measurements from quantities originating at high-redshift, e.g. fits of cosmic microwave background radiation. It is becoming likely that the discrepancy, currently standing at 5σ, is not due to systematic errors in the measurements. Here we explore whether the self-interaction of gravitational fields in General Relativity, which are traditionally neglected when studying the evolution of the Universe, can contribute to explaining the tension. We find that with field self-interaction accounted for, both low- and high-redshift data are simultaneously well-fitted, thereby showing that gravitational self-interaction yield consistent H
0 values when inferred from SnIA and cosmic microwave background observations. Crucially, this is achieved without introducing additional parameters.
The effect of annealing on micro-hardness of molybdenum single crystals
Authors: Bhowmik Manik , Dadhich Ramanand , Singh Indrasen
Published: June 2024

Molybdenum (Mo) crystals exhibit excellent mechanical properties such as high yield strength, high elastic modulus, very high melting point, and excellent corrosion resistance, making them a suitable choice for various industrial applications. The mechanical behaviour of these crystals has been investigated through tension, compression, and indentation experiments. The indentation experiments on annealed Mo single-crystal thin film show an increase in hardness with increase in annealing temperature from 400 °C–650 °C. However, it is not clear whether this behaviour is specific to the Mo thin films or these are applicable to the bulk samples of single crystals also. In order to address these issues, the Vickers indentation experiments are performed on as-received and annealed samples of

(
1
00
)

-,

(
110
)

-, and

(
111
)

-oriented

Mo

single crystals. The results show that the low-temperature annealing leads to an increase in micro-hardness by

9
%

for

(
100
)

oriented crystals. The x-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) studies have shown that there is a drop in the number of dislocation sources or dislocation density (

ρ

) with no high-angle grain boundary formation or any microstructural changes or any oxide formation. This necessitates to enhance the applied stress required for significant yielding (or yield strength) which results in an increase in the hardness. Based on experimental observations, a hardening mechanism governed by dislocation annihilation during annealing has been proposed in the present study.
Dynamical friction in dark matter superfluids: The evolution of black hole binaries
Authors: Berezhiani Lasha , Cintia Giordano , De Luca Valerio , Khoury Justin
Published: June 2024

The theory of superfluid dark matter is characterized by self-interacting sub-eV particles
that thermalize and condense to form a superfluid core in galaxies. Massive black holes at the
center of galaxies, however, modify the dark matter distribution and result in a density
enhancement in their vicinity known as dark matter spikes. The presence of these spikes affects
the evolution of binary systems by modifying their gravitational wave emission and inducing
dynamical friction effects on the orbiting bodies. In this work, we assess the role of dynamical
friction for bodies moving through a superfluid core enhanced by a central massive black hole. As
a first step, we compute the dynamical friction force experienced by bodies moving in a circular
orbit. Then, we estimate the gravitational wave dephasing of the binary, showing that the effect
of the superfluid drag force is beyond the reach of space-based experiments like LISA, contrarily
to collisionless dark matter, therefore providing an opportunity to distinguish these dark
matter models.
4He monolayer on graphene: a quantum Monte Carlo study
Authors: Yu S , Boninsegni M
Published: June 2024

We revisit the problem of adsorption of a single 4He layer on graphene, focusing on the commensurate (C
1/3) crystalline phase, specifically on whether it may possess a nonzero superfluid response, and on the existence of superfluid phases, either (metastable) liquid or vacancy-doped crystalline. We make use of canonical quantum Monte Carlo simulations at zero and finite temperature, based on a realistic microscopic model of the system. Our results confirm the absence of any superfluid response in the commensurate crystal, and that no thermodynamically stable uniform phase exists at lower coverage. No evidence of a possibly long-lived, metastable superfluid phase at C
1/3 coverage is found. Altogether, the results of ground-state projection methods and finite-temperature simulations are entirely consistent.
Investigating Sulfur Chemistry in the HD163296 Disk
Authors: Ma Rong , Quan Donghui , Zhou Yan , Esimbek Jarken , Li Dalei , Li Xiaohu , Zhang Xia , Tuo Juan , Feng Yanan
Published: June 2024

Sulfur chemistry in the formation process of low-mass stars and planets remains poorly understood. The protoplanetary disks are the birthplace of planets and its distinctive environment provides an intriguing platform for investigating models of sulfur chemistry. We analyzed the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of CS 7–6 transitions in the HD 163296 disk and performed astrochemical modeling to explore its sulfur chemistry. We simulated the distribution of sulfur-containing molecules and compared it with observationally deduced fractional column densities. We have found that the simulated column density of CS is consistent with the observationally deduced fractional column densities, while the simulated column density of C2S is lower than the observationally deduced upper limits on column densities. This results indicate that we have a good understanding of the chemical properties of CS and C2S in the disk. We also investigated the influence of the C/O ratio on sulfur-containing molecules and found that the column densities of SO, SO2, and H2S near the central star are dependent on the C/O ratio. Additionally, we found that the N[CS]/N[SO] ratio can serve as a promising indicator of the disk’s C/O ratio in HD 163296. Overall, the disk of HD 163296 provides a favorable environment for the detection of sulfur-containing molecules.
AC Loss Estimation Method for REBCO Superconducting Tapes in AC+DC Fields for Field Windings in Fully Superconducting Synchronous Machine for Electric Aircraft
Authors: Sasa H , Jingami K , Oishi R , Miura S , Miyazaki H , Iwakuma M
Published: June 2024

The estimation of AC loss in REBa2Cu3O
y
(REBCO; RE = rare earth, such as Y, Eu, and Gd) superconducting tapes within superconducting synchronous motors and generators for electric aircraft is imperative during the design stage phase to optimize efficiency and cooling considerations. Our previous studies clarified the AC loss characteristics, focusing on estimating the AC loss in armature windings. While the magnetic field applied to the armature windings is exclusively as an AC field, the field windings are subject to a composite field comprising both AC and DC components. Notably, the amplitude of the AC component is markedly smaller than the magnitude of DC component. This study experimentally investigated to consider the AC loss properties in field windings. The experimental results were as follows: When subjected to operational conditions of field windings within synchronous motor and generator, the AC loss increased with the DC field strength. This property is attributed to a reduction in the critical current induced by the external field. Hence, we modified the method for estimating AC loss. Subsequently, we validated the effectiveness of the modified method.
Calculation on Current Distributions among Transposed Three- and Six-parallel Conductors in Superconducting Armature Coils for Superconducting Synchronous Motors
Authors: Kawasaki G , Miura S , Miyazaki H , Iwakuma M
Published: June 2024

The armature coil of the superconducting synchronous motor for electric aircraft requires a current of 1,000 A or more. However, a single superconducting tape at liquid nitrogen temperatures is insufficient for this operating current. Therefore, the armature coil should be composed of multi-strand parallel conductors. If the coil is constructed from parallel conductors, the inductance balance between the parallel conductors will be collapsed, so the current distributions will be non-uniform. As a solution for this issue, the uniform current distribution can be achieved by the transposition technique that changes the order in which tapes are stacked. Our previous research has developed the transposition method for the 2
n
-strand parallel conductors (n = 1, 2, 3, and so on). However, some of the superconducting synchronous motors are actually designed using a number of parallel conductors other than 2
n
. This study focused on the three- and the six-strand parallel conductors. We analytically clarified the unique transposition configuration for the three-strand parallel conductors that achieves uniform current distribution, and the transposition configuration for the six-strand parallel conductors by combining the transposition configuration for the three- and two-strand parallel conductors. As a result, the current distribution ratio became less than ±5% when the number of turns of the double pancake coil was a multiple of six by applying the transposition.
An Integrated Approach towards VLSI Implementation of SFQ Logic using Standard Cell Library and Commercial Tool Suite
Authors: Meher Sukanya S , Eren Çelik M , Ravi Jushya , Inamdar Amol , Gupta Deepnarayan
Published: June 2024

The semiconductor industry seeks energy-efficient alternatives as Moore’s law nears its limits. The Single Flux Quantum (SFQ) integrated circuits (ICs) using thousands of niobium Josephson junctions (JJs) and operating at 4 K show great promise for digital computing circuits at high speed (>20 GHz) and low power (a few nW per junction). The leading logic families are Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ), and its energy-efficient variant (ERSFQ). IARPA’s SuperTools program aims to develop integrated design tools for superconductor electronics, targeting SFQ and Adiabatic Quantum-Flux-Parametron (AQFP) logic families. This paper presents a passive transmission line (PTL) based standard cell library for SFQ logic, designed with Synopsys Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software tools for MIT-LL 100μA/μm2 SFQ5ee fab node. The dual RSFQ/ERSFQ standard cell library facilitates seamless integration of SFQ RTL-to-GDS design flow with Synopsys Fusion Compiler, an automated design tool. The SFQ RTL-to-GDS flow entails logic synthesis, checking, placement, clock synthesis, and routing. Row-based placement for library cells and H-tree clock tree structures are employed. Fusion Compiler’s effectiveness is validated with Hypres designs such as finite impulse response (FIR) filters, scalable multiply-accumulate (MAC) units, and memory arrays, comparing single and dual clocking schemes. The synergy between Hypres and Synopsys achieves a milestone by demonstrating the design of a digital superconducting circuit with over 10 million JJs, facilitated by a fully automated design tool for the first time. Challenges in very large-scale SFQ scaling are also discussed.
Development of Magnetic Pickering Emulsion for Magnetic Drug Delivery Systems
Authors: Odani Takuya , Akiyama Yoko , Manabe Yuichiro , Sato Fuminobu
Published: June 2024

We have been investigating magnetic drug delivery systems (MDDS), which can selectively deliver drugs to affected areas within the body using a magnetic field. In this study, we developed Magnetic Pickering Emulsions (MPEs) as a novel drug delivery carrier. MPEs can not only induce and accumulate drugs at the targeted site but also control the drug release rate using a magnetic field. In this study, we prepared MPEs using ferromagnetic magnetite nanoparticles and evaluated the control of drug release rate by the magnetic force. MPEs with a particle diameter of several tens of μm gradually released the encapsulated substance for 60 minutes under an applied magnetic field of less than 3 T. On the other hand, for 30 minutes under a magnetic field of more than 4 T, the release rate increased about 2.6 times faster than that under 3 T. These results indicate that MPEs can control the drug release rate by magnetic force.
Performance of a liquid Ga target for Laser Ion Source
Authors: Cannavò A. , Kanesue T. , Ikeda S. , Takahashi K. , Ceccio G. , Okamura M.
Published: June 2024

We experimentally proved the feasibility of a liquid-based
target for Laser Ion Source (LIS) application. The target consists
of melted metal gallium contained in a heated crucible. Ions current
resulting from laser irradiation. Moreover, given the explosive
ablation mechanism involved, each laser shot has been found to
induce fluctuations in the surface level. It takes about 0.7 sec to
recover the steady condition fully. Despite the maximum fluctuation
being 2.7 mm (top-bottom maximum displacement), these fluctuations
have shown no significant influence on total ion current and are
independent of the temperature of the sample within the tested
repetition rate. This study provides valuable insights into the
potential of employing such a system for LIS.
Development and characterization of a Fricke gel dosimeter for precise measurement in low-dose photon fields
Authors: Saeedi-Sini Seyed Amir , Sina Sedigheh , Sadeghi Mohammad Hossein , Farajzadeh Ebrahim
Published: June 2024

In the field of radiation medicine, particularly within
radiotherapy applications, radiochromic chemical dosimeters are
indispensable tools for dose measurement. This study focuses on the
novel development of a radiochromic dosimeter tailored for the
precise detection of low-dose radiation, aiming to construct a
dosimeter with tissue-equivalent properties suitable for accurately
measuring low to medium radiation doses.

Utilizing ferrous xylenol orange gel (FXG), we developed two
tissue-equivalent dosimeter formulations based on gelatin and
polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).

Our findings demonstrate that the gelatin-based FXG dosimeter
exhibits a robust linear dose-response relationship, facilitating
precise dose measurements in the range of 50 to
5000 mGy. Conversely, the PVA-based FXG dosimeter proved effective
for dose measurements within a narrower range of 600 to
5000 mGy. Notably, the gelatin-based dosimeter's performance
underscores its potential as a versatile tool in radiation
detection, promising significant benefits for both medical and
industrial applications.

This research confirms the efficacy of the Fricke dosimeter gel,
demonstrating its linear response across a dose range of 0.05 to
5 Gy, thus establishing a foundation for further advancements in
accurate and reliable low-dose radiation monitoring.
Bottom-up butterfly model with thorax-pitch control and wing-pitch flexibility
Authors: Suzuki Kosuke , Iguchi Daichi , Ishizaki Kou , Yoshino Masato
Published: June 2024

The diversity in butterfly morphology has attracted many people around the world since ancient times. Despite morphological diversity, the wing and body kinematics of butterflies have several common features. In the present study, we constructed a bottom-up butterfly model, whose morphology and kinematics are simplified while preserving the important features of butterflies. The present bottom-up butterfly model is composed of two trapezoidal wings and a rod-shaped body with a thorax and abdomen. Its wings are flapped downward in the downstroke and backward in the upstroke by changing the geometric angle of attack (AOA). The geometric AOA is determined by the thorax-pitch and wing-pitch angles. The thorax-pitch angle is actively controlled by abdominal undulation, and the wing-pitch angle is passively determined because of a rotary spring representing the basalar and subalar muscles connecting the wings and thorax. We investigated the effectiveness of abdominal undulation for thorax-pitch control and how wing-pitch flexibility affects aerodynamic-force generation and thorax-pitch control, through numerical simulations using the immersed boundary–lattice Boltzmann method. As a result, the thorax-pitch angle perfectly follows the desired angle through abdominal undulation. In addition, there is an optimal wing-pitch flexibility that maximizes the flying speed in both the forward and upward directions, but the effect of wing-pitch flexibility on thorax-pitch control is not significant. Finally, we compared the flight behavior of the present bottom-up butterfly model with that of an actual butterfly. It was found that the present model does not reproduce reasonable body kinematics but can provide reasonable aerodynamics in butterfly flights.
Unraveling boreal forest composition and drivers across scales in eastern Siberia
Authors: Enguehard Léa , Kruse Stefan , Heim Birgit , Nitze Ingmar , Falco Nicola , Demir Begum , Herzschuh Ulrike
Published: June 2024

The Siberian boreal forest is the largest continuous forest region on Earth and plays a crucial role in regulating global climate. However, the distribution and environmental processes behind this ecosystem are still not well understood. Here, we first develop Sentinel-2-based classified maps to show forest-type distribution in five regions along a southwest-northeast transect in eastern Siberia. Then, we constrain the environmental factors of the forest-type distribution based on a multivariate analysis of bioclimatic variables, topography, and ground-surface temperatur at the local and regional scales. Furthermore, we identify potential versus realized forest-type niches and their applicability to other sites. Our results show that mean annual temperature and mean summer and winter temperatures are the most influential predictors of forest-type distribution. Furthermore, we show that topography, specifically slope, provides an additional but smaller impact at the local scale. We find that the filling of climatic environmental niches by forest types decreases with geographic distance, but that the filling of topographic niches varies from one site to another. Our findings suggest that boreal forests in eastern Siberia are driven by current climate and topographical factors, but that there remains a portion of the variability that cannot be fully accounted for by these factors alone. While we hypothesize that this unexplained variance may be linked to legacies of the Late Glacial, further evidence is needed to substantiate this claim. Such results are crucial to understanding and predicting the response of boreal forests to ongoing climate change and rising temperatures.
Influence of Marine Heatwaves on Upwelling Parameter in Indonesian Fisheries Management Area (IFMA) 713 Waters
Authors: Kamila I H , Ningsih N S , Beliyana E
Published: June 2024

An upwelling process linked to water productivity is likely to be affected by marine heatwaves (MHWs). The events of MHWs are distinguished by warmer sea surface temperature (SST), leading to increased stratification, causing vertical mixing limits and suppressing the upwelling process. In the Indonesian Fisheries Management Area (IFMA) 713 waters, which have enormous potential for fishery resources, five upwelling areas were identified during the southeast monsoon months (May–October) based on the Ekman pumping velocity (EPV) assessment, namely locations A (western part of West Sulawesi), B (southern Makassar), C (eastern part of Bone Bay), D (southern Banjarmasin), and E (southern Makassar Strait). Thus, this study aimed to investigate the influence of MHWs on upwelling parameter (chlorophyll-a concentration) in IFMA 713, particularly in 1998 and 2016, where prominent MHWs occurred and coincided with upwelling sessions. To accomplish this, EPV anomalies and chlorophyll-a concentrations for each MHWs event during May–October 1998 and 2016 were calculated. The analysis revealed that MHWs events co-occuring with negative (upwelling velocity is weaker than the climatological mean) and positive (upwelling velocity is stronger than the climatological average) EPV anomalies were associated with decreased chlorophyll-a concentrations.
Distribution of Potassium and Calcium Ions in Padelegan Waters and Their Correlation to Water Quality
Authors: Septian H. , Kartika A. G. D. , Nuzula N. I. , Pratiwi W. S. W.
Published: June 2024

The main ion content in seawater can provide information about the quality of seawater. Two of the important ions contained in seawater are potassium and calcium. Minerals such as potassium and calcium are inorganic components, components of body tissue and components of body liquids that work in conjunction with proteins, hormones, vitamins and other transport materials. The strategy utilized to decide the substance of potassium and calcium in tests utilizing AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry). This think about points to decide the substance of potassium and calcium in Padelegan waters and their dispersion, to get a relationship between the two particles and water quality. There are six points used as seawater sampling sites in Padelegan waters. Therefore, so that the results obtained potassium concentrations ranged from 102.83 to 267.49 mg/L, and those for calcium from 205.61 to 492.49 mg/L. The results of correlation research between potassium and calcium concentrations and sea water quality in Padelegan waters show a weak negative correlation in Turbidity, pH, Salinity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), and Specific Gravity (SG), and a weak positive correlation for Temperature parameter. So that the levels of potassium and calcium contained in Padelegan waters at the six stations are in accordance with sea water quality standards.
Locals and Tourists Participation on Coral Reef Rehabilitation in Seribu Islands, Indonesia
Authors: Rohman M I N , Rohmat Fauzan I W , Rohmat Faizal I W , Rohmat D , Murtianto H , Eridiana W
Published: June 2024

Despite coral reefs being one of the main attractions for marine tourism activities, these activities are also the main factor causing coral damage. To preserve and overcome the damage to coral reefs, rehabilitation activities involving the community and tourists should be attempted. This research studies the locals’ and tourists’ participation and involvement in coral reef rehabilitation activities on Pramuka Island and Pari Island. The results show that the level of local participation and involvement on Pramuka Island is generally moderate, while on Pari Island, the level is generally high. The locals on Pramuka Island predominantly participate in the form of ideas (46,91%) and are involved in implementing rehabilitation activities (59,64%). On Pari Island, participation is more diverse; it comes in the form of labor (69,47%), time (57,72%), and skills (59,47%), and is more involved in implementing (68,95%) and benefiting from rehabilitation (64,74%). The productive age group dominates the age group active in rehabilitation activities on Pramuka Island, while on Pari Island, it is dominated by young people. In general, tourist participation and involvement in both research locations are still minimal. Thus, efforts to develop rehabilitation activities on Pramuka Island must focus more on young people by emphasizing participation in various aspects. Meanwhile, on Pramuka Island, rehabilitation activities must involve more productive age communities and integrate them with existing communities. Tourist participation and involvement can be integrated with existing tourism activities for these two locations.
Potential of Organic Carbon Pool in the Ocean: Approaches for Naturally and Artificially Capturing and Retaining Carbon
Authors: Wahyudi A J
Published: June 2024

The organic carbon stored in the seas and coastal ecosystems is referred to as “blue carbon.” Studies on blue carbon have focused a lot of emphasis on ocean ecosystems such seagrass beds, mangroves, saltmarshes, and algae beds. However, these vegetated ecosystems are not the exclusive repositories of atmospheric carbon, and alternative methods of capturing and retaining carbon naturally (by utilizing the inherent capacity of the ocean) and artificially (through the implementation of engineered approaches) are thus being investigated. This study provides an overview of these approaches and assesses the potential for storing organic carbon beyond vegetated ecosystems. The study used a systematic evaluation of the literature in order to determine the trend in blue carbon research, particularly with regard to carbon storage beyond vegetated environments. Besides the carbon sequestration by the marine vegetation, the present study proposes the feasibility of capturing aquatic carbon through a biological pump process that has the potential to store carbon at the ocean floor. Furthermore, we summarize the potential impact of artificial processes on carbon dioxide removal. This study suggests an expanded definition of “blue carbon” that incorporates the concepts of “organic carbon,” “carbon dioxide removal,” and “carbon capture and storage by oceans and coastal ecosystems.”
Tsunami model of the 2021 Flores earthquake and its impact on Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara
Authors: Sudjono E H , Novico F , Karima S , Handiani D N , Suhermat M , Rusdiansyah A , Shomim A F , Qonita Z , Tohari A , Handoyo K M , Susilohadi  , Syahbana A J , Setyonegoro W
Published: June 2024

The Flores earthquake on December 14, 2021, was recorded to cause a weak tsunami in East Nusa Tenggara. The epicenter was in the Flores Sea within 10 km of the hypocenter that triggered M 7.3 and impacted some coastline regions of East Nusa Tenggara, including Labuan Bajo. This study aimed to hindcast this phenomenon and mitigate the coastline region by applying the forecasting scenarios related to the amplification of the earthquake magnitudes and type of the sub-bottom displacements. The TUNAMI Software has been selected to illustrate tsunami wave propagation and inundation. The elevation data for the inputting model used BATNAS-DEMNAS National, while the rest of the parameters were applied using the two scenarios and the best guess. Based on the model results, it can be concluded that the source characteristics and the magnitudes played an essential role in inundating the coastal region in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara.
A 3D-printed tumor-on-chip: user-friendly platform for the culture of breast cancer spheroids and the evaluation of anti-cancer drugs
Authors: Gallegos-Martínez Salvador , Choy-Buentello David , Pérez-Álvarez Kristen Aideé , Lara-Mayorga Itzel Montserrat , Aceves-Colin Alberto Emmanuel , Zhang Yu Shrike , Trujillo-de Santiago Grissel , Álvarez Mario Moisés
Published: June 2024

Tumor-on-chips (ToCs) are useful platforms for studying the physiology of tumors and evaluating the efficacy and toxicity of anti-cancer drugs. However, the design and fabrication of a ToC system is not a trivial venture. We introduce a user-friendly, flexible, 3D-printed microfluidic device that can be used to culture cancer cells or cancer-derived spheroids embedded in hydrogels under well-controlled environments. The system consists of two lateral flow compartments (left and right sides), each with two inlets and two outlets to deliver cell culture media as continuous liquid streams. The central compartment was designed to host a hydrogel in which cells and microtissues can be confined and cultured. We performed tracer experiments with colored inks and 40 kDa fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran to characterize the transport/mixing performances of the system. We also cultured homotypic (MCF7) and heterotypic (MCF7-BJ) spheroids embedded in gelatin methacryloyl hydrogels to illustrate the use of this microfluidic device in sustaining long-term micro-tissue culture experiments. We further demonstrated the use of this platform in anticancer drug testing by continuous perfusion of doxorubicin, a commonly used anti-cancer drug for breast cancer. In these experiments, we evaluated drug transport, viability, glucose consumption, cell death (apoptosis), and cytotoxicity. In summary, we introduce a robust and friendly ToC system capable of recapitulating relevant aspects of the tumor microenvironment for the study of cancer physiology, anti-cancer drug transport, efficacy, and safety. We anticipate that this flexible 3D-printed microfluidic device may facilitate cancer research and the development and screening of strategies for personalized medicine.
Multiple imputation for propensity score analysis with covariates missing at random: some clarity on “within” and “across” methods
Authors: Nguyen Trang Quynh , Stuart Elizabeth A
Published: June 2024

In epidemiology and the social sciences, propensity score methods are popular for estimating treatment effects using observational data, and multiple imputation is popular for handling covariate missingness. However, how to appropriately use multiple imputation for propensity score analysis is not completely clear. This paper aims to bring clarity on the consistency (or lack thereof) of methods that have been proposed, focusing on the “within” approach (where the effect is estimated separately in each imputed dataset and then the multiple estimates are combined) and the “across” approach (where typically propensity scores are averaged across imputed datasets before being used for effect estimation). We show that the within method is valid and can be used with any causal effect estimator that is consistent in the full-data setting. Existing across methods are inconsistent, but a different across method that averages the inverse probability weights across imputed datasets is consistent for propensity score weighting. We also comment on methods that rely on imputing a function of the missing covariate rather than the covariate itself, including imputation of the propensity score and of the probability weight. Based on consistency results and practical flexibility, we recommend generally using the standard within method. Throughout, we provide intuition to make the results meaningful to the broad audience of applied researchers.