bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Congestion control in constrained Internet of Things networks
Authors: Mhamdi Lotfi , Abdul Khalek Hussam
Published: December 2023

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a growing technology that remotely connects multiple devices (ranging across many fields and applications) over the Internet. The scalability of an IoT network mandates a reliable transport infrastructure. Traditional transport control protocol (TCP) control protocol is unsuitable for such domain, mainly due to energy and power consumption reasons. A lighter version of TCP, light weight IP (lwIP) provides a promising solution for current and projected future scalable IoT infrastructures. However, the original lwIP is just a simple mapping of the protocol, without insight into the IoT specific requirements. This paper examines the lwIP congestion control mechanism and addresses its shortcomings. In particular, a detailed examination is devoted to the various metrics such as retransmission time‐outs and its back‐off epochs, the congestion window behaviour and progress in the absence (and presence) of congestion. In particular, we propose a set of novel algorithms to address both the IoT constraints nature (light‐weight) as well as keeping up with scalability in IoT network size and performance. A detailed simulation study has been conducted to endorse the viability of our proposed set of algorithms for next‐generation IoT networks.
Vertical shear instability in two-moment radiation-hydrodynamical simulations of irradiated protoplanetary disks
Authors: Melon Fuksman Julio David , Flock Mario , Klahr Hubert
Published: December 2023

Context. The vertical shear instability (VSI) is a hydrodynamical instability predicted to produce turbulence in magnetically inactive regions of protoplanetary disks. The regions in which this instability can occur and the physical phenomena leading to its saturation are a current matter of research.

Aims. We explore the secondary instabilities triggered by the nonlinear evolution of the VSI and their role in its saturation. We also expand on previous investigations on stability regions by considering temperature stratifications enforced by stellar irradiation and radiative cooling, and including the effects of dust-gas collisions and molecular line emission.

Methods. We modeled the gas-dust mixture in a circumstellar disk around a T Tauri star by means of high-resolution axisymmetric radiation-hydrodynamical simulations including stellar irradiation with frequency-dependent opacities, considering different degrees of depletion of small dust grains.

Results. The flow pattern produced by the interplay of the axisymmetric VSI modes and the baroclinic torque forms bands of nearly uniform specific angular momentum. In the high-shear regions in between these bands, the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) is triggered. A third instability mechanism, consisting of an amplification of eddies by baroclinic torques, forms meridional vortices with Mach numbers up to ∼0.4. Our stability analysis suggests that protoplanetary disks can be VSI-unstable in surface layers up to tens of au for reasonably high gas emissivities.

Conclusions. The significant transfer of kinetic energy to small-scale eddies produced by the KHI and possibly even the baroclinic acceleration of eddies limit the maximum energy of the VSI modes, likely leading to the saturation of the VSI. Depending on the gas molecular composition, the VSI can operate at surface layers even in regions where the midplane is stable. This picture is consistent with current observations of disks showing thin midplane millimeter-sized dust layers while appearing vertically extended in optical and near-infrared wavelengths.
The variety of extreme blazars in the AstroSat view
Authors: Goswami P. , Zacharias M. , Zech A. , Chandra S. , Boettcher M. , Sushch I.
Published: December 2023

Context. Among the blazar class, extreme blazars have exceptionally hard intrinsic X-ray/TeV spectra, and extreme peak energies in their spectral energy distribution (SED). Observational evidence suggests that the non-thermal emission from extreme blazars is typically non-variable. All these unique features present a challenging case for blazar emission models, especially regarding those sources with hard TeV spectra.

Aims. We aim to explore the X-ray and GeV observational features of a variety of extreme blazars, including extreme-TeV, extreme-synchrotron (extreme-Syn), and regular high-frequency-peaked BL Lac objects (HBLs). Furthermore, we aim to test the applicability of various blazar emission models that could explain the very hard TeV spectra.

Methods. We conducted a detailed spectral analysis of X-ray data collected with AstroSat and Swift-XRT, along with quasi-simultaneous γ-ray data from Fermi-LAT, for five sources: 1ES 0120+340, RGB J0710+591, 1ES 1101−232, 1ES 1741+196, and 1ES 2322−409. We took three approaches to modelling the SEDs: (1) a steady-state one-zone synchrotron-self-Compton (SSC) code, (2) another leptonic scenario of co-accelerated electrons and protons on multiple shocks applied to the extreme-TeV sources only (e–p co-acceleration scenario), and (3) a one-zone hadro-leptonic (ONEHALE) code. The latter code is used twice to explain the γ-ray emission process: proton synchrotron and synchrotron emission of secondary pairs.

Results. Our X-ray analysis provides well-constrained estimates of the synchrotron peak energies for both 1ES0120+340 and 1ES1741+196. These findings categorise these latter objects as extreme-synchrotron sources, as they consistently exhibit peak energies above 1 keV in different flux states. The multi-epoch X-ray and GeV data reveal spectral and flux variabilities in RGB J0710+591 and 1ES 1741+196, even on timescales of days to weeks. As anticipated, the one-zone SSC model adequately reproduces the SEDs of regular HBLs but encounters difficulties in explaining the hardest TeV emission. Hadronic models offer a reasonable fit to the hard TeV spectrum, though with the trade-off of requiring extreme jet powers. On the other hand, the lepto-hadronic scenario faces additional challenges in fitting the GeV spectra of extreme-TeV sources. Finally, the e–p co-acceleration scenario naturally accounts for the observed hard electron distributions and effectively matches the hardest TeV spectrum of RGB J0710+591 and 1ES 1101−232.
Retraction Note: Ankrd36 Inhibits Nuclear Factor-κB Activation and Inflammation in Mice Aortic Endothelial Cells
Authors: Xue Yuanyuan
Published: December 2023

The authors have expressed the wish to retract this article on the ground that they have inadvertently used material without proper authorization. They apologized for the inconvenience caused.

The Publisher and Editor(s) approved to the retraction.
Comparative characterization of microRNA-71 of Echinococcus granulosus exosomes
Authors: Yan Lujun , Li Yating , Li Rui , Liu Mengqi , He Xuedong , Yang Xing , Cho William C. , Ayaz Mazhar , Kandil Omnia M. , Yang Yongchun , Song Houhui , Zheng Yadong
Published: December 2023

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a global zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus, posing a great threat to human and animal health. MiRNAs are small regulatory noncoding RNA involved in the pathogenesis of parasitic diseases, possibly via exosomes. Egr-miR-71 has been identified as one of the miRNAs in the blood of CE patients, but its secretory characteristics and functions remains unclear. Herein, we studied the secretory and biological activity of exosomal egr-miR-71 and its immunoregulatory functions in sheep peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Our results showed that egr-miR-71 was enriched in the exosome secreted by protoscoleces with biological activity. These egr-miR-71-containing exosomes were easily internalized and then induced the dysregulation of cytokines (IL-10 and TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO) and key components (CD14 and IRF5) in the LPS/TLR4 pathway in the coincubated sheep PBMCs. Similarly, egr-miR-71 overexpression also altered the immune functions but exhibited obvious differences in regulation of the cytokines and key components, preferably inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β and TNF-α). These results demonstrate that exosomal egr-miR-71 is bioactive and capacity of immunomodulation of PBMCs, potentially being involved in immune responses during E. granulosus infection.
A Bayesian approach to the drag-based modelling of ICMEs
Authors: Chierichini Simone , Francisco Gregoire , Mugatwala Ronish , Foldes Raffaello , Camporeale Enrico , De Gasperis Giancarlo , Giovannelli Luca , Napoletano Gianluca , Del Moro Dario , Erdelyi Robertus
Published: December 2023

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are huge clouds of magnetised plasma expelled from the solar corona that can travel towards the Earth and cause significant space weather effects. The Drag-Based Model (DBM) describes the propagation of CMEs in an ambient solar wind as analogous to an aerodynamic drag. The drag-based approximation is popular because it is a simple analytical model that depends only on two parameters, the drag parameter $ \gamma $ and the solar wind speed $ w$. DBM thus allows us to obtain reliable estimates of CME transit time at low computational cost. Previous works proposed a probabilistic version of DBM, the Probabilistic Drag Based Model (P-DBM), which enables the evaluation of the uncertainties associated with the predictions. In this work, we infer the “a-posteriori” probability distribution functions (PDFs) of the $ \gamma $ and $ w$ parameters of the DBM by exploiting a well-established Bayesian inference technique: the Monte Carlo Markov Chains (MCMC) method. By utilizing this Bayesian method through two different approaches, an ensemble and an individual approach, we obtain specific DBM parameter PDFs for two ensembles of CMEs: those travelling with fast and slow solar wind, respectively. Subsequently, we assess the operational applicability of the model by forecasting the arrival time of CMEs. While the ensemble approach displays notable limitations, the individual approach yields promising results, demonstrating competitive performances compared to the current state-of-the-art, with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 9.86 ± 4.07 h achieved in the best-case scenario.
A stag beetle knife can achieve stabler and safer endoscopic submucosal dissection in the esophagus
Authors: Funasaka Kohei , Horiguchi Noriyuki , Yamada Hyuga , Koyama Keishi , Tahara Tomomitsu , Nagasaka Mitsuo , Nakagawa Yoshihito , Ohno Eizaburo , Kuzuya Teiiji , Miyahara Ryoji , Shibata Tomoyuki , Hirooka Yoshiki
Published: December 2023

Background and study aims Esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has a higher complication rate than gastric ESD. Scissor-type devices, including the stag beetle (SB) knife, are reportedly safer and have shorter procedure times than tip devices. To clarify the characteristics of the SB knife, we compared the treatment outcomes of esophageal ESD with a tip-type knife to those with an SB knife combination.

Patients and methods Between January 2016 and March 2023, clinical data from 197 lesions in 178 patients who underwent esophageal ESD were analyzed retrospectively. Every lesion was assigned to either the tip-type group or the SB group based on the devices with which the submucosa was initially dissected. We compared procedure time and complications and analyzed the risk of muscular exposure using multivariate analysis.

Results Procedure time was not significantly different between the tip-type and SB groups (60.3±42.2 min vs. 58.8±29.1 min). The variation in procedure time was significant according to F test P=0.002). Incidence of muscular exposure was significantly lower in the SB group than in the tip-type group (24.5% vs. 11.1%, P=0.016). These differences were significant in resected specimens larger than 21 mm. Procedure time over 60 minutes (odds ratio [OR] 2.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15–5.42, P=0.02) was a risk factor for muscular exposure, and submucosal dissection with an SB knife was a safety factor (OR 0.4, 95% CI: 0.18–0.89, P=0.02).

Conclusions Performing esophageal ESD with an SB knife is a safe procedure with less variation in procedure time and less muscule exposure.
Risk of Depression after Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with Hematological Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Steiner Daniel , Horváth-Puhó Erzsébet , Jørgensen Helle , Laugesen Kristina , Ay Cihan , Sørensen Henrik Toft
Published: December 2023

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) may complicate the clinical course of cancer patients and add to their psychological burden.

Objectives We aimed to investigate the association between VTE and risk of subsequent depression in patients with hematological cancer.

Patients and Methods We conducted a population-based cohort study using Danish national health registries. Between 1995 and 2020, we identified 1,190 patients with hematological cancer and incident VTE diagnosed within 6 months before to 1 year after cancer diagnosis. A comparison cohort of patients with hematological cancer without VTE (n = 5,325) was matched by sex, year of birth, cancer type, and year of cancer diagnosis. Patients were followed until diagnosis of depression, emigration, death, study end (2021), or for a maximum of 3 years. Depression was defined as hospital discharge diagnosis of depression or ≥1 prescription for antidepressants. Absolute risks of depression were computed with cumulative incidence functions, treating death as competing event. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed using Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusting for comorbidities.

Results Depression was observed in 158 hematological cancer patients with and 585 without VTE. The 3-year absolute risks of depression were 13.3% (95% CI: 11.5–15.3%) in the VTE cancer cohort and 11.1% (95% CI: 10.3–12.0%) in the comparison cancer cohort, corresponding to a risk difference of 2.2% (95% CI: -1.8–6.5%). VTE was associated with an increased relative risk of depression (adjusted HR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.28–1.90).

Conclusion VTE was associated with an elevated risk of subsequent depression in patients with hematological cancer.
Assessment of pancreatic ductal stone density on non-contrast computed tomography for predicting the outcome of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy
Authors: Dalal Ankit , Kamat Nagesh , Maydeo Amit , Patil Gaurav , Vadgaonkar Amol , Parekh Sanil , Vora Sehajad
Published: December 2023

Background and study aims The utility of stone density at non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) for predicting the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in chronic calcific pancreatitis (CCP) is relatively unexplored.

Patients and methods This was a prospective observational study of patients with CCP. Hounsfield units (HU) were determined for the largest pancreatic ductal stone during pretreatment NCCT. All patients underwent ESWL until the largest stone was fragmented to <3mm, followed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for stone extraction. The predictive factors following ESWL for successful stone extraction were studied and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve determined the HU optimal cut-point.

Results Eighty-two patients with a median (interquartile range) age of 36 years (range, 29–55); majority male 45 (54.9%), were included. Idiopathic CCP was noted in 78 patients (95.1%). The median stone density (SD) was 1095 HU (range, 860.7–1260.7) and the number of ESWL sessions was 2 (range, 2–3). Complete stone removal at index ERCP was achieved in 55 patients (67.1%). Those with partial clearance (n=27) needed a repeat ERCP, which was successful in 26 (96.3%); one patient (3.7%) underwent surgery. There was a significant, positive correlation between number of ESWL sessions and SD (r=0.797; P<0.001). On bivariate analysis, SD and the number of ESWL sessions revealed a significant association with complete ductal clearance. The optimal cut-point for complete stone removal by the ROC curve was 1106.5 HU (Youden index 0.726), with a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 80%.

Conclusions The SD is a significant predictor of ESWL success followed by ductal clearance at ERCP, and <1106.5 HU is a predictor of good candidates for ESWL therapy.
Nitro Compounds/Alcohols as Oxidant/Reductant Pairs: A Practical Synthesis of Azo Compounds and Ketones
Authors: Ma Renchao , Zhang Ruiqin , Ma Yongmin , Qiu Huanyi , Xie Jianhui
Published: December 2023

Herein, a practical and green method for the synthesis of azobenzenes and ketones is reported using nitro compounds/alcohols as oxidant/reductant pairs under basic conditions. Alcohols and nitro compounds are oxidized/reduced in the absence of any metal catalysts under mild conditions and good yields of the corresponding ketones and azobenzenes are achieved selectively. In addition, the alcohols can even be oxidized with KNO3 or NaNO2.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells Applications in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Oyebode Oluwatosin Debola , Tulay Pınar
Published: December 2023

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that advances gradually and primarily impacts the hippocampus region of the brain. It is defined by a deterioration in cognitive function as well as an observable loss of memory retention. One of the major characteristics of AD is the impairment of neural generation, resulting in the depletion of neurons and synaptic connections within the nervous system. It is unfortunate to say that, at present, no definitive cure is available for AD, and no medication is effective in halting the progression of neurodegeneration associated with it. Nevertheless, it is crucial to highlight that progress has been achieved in addressing the troubling symptoms of AD. The Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for two categories of medications designed to alleviate these symptoms. The scientific community has been inspired by these advancements to investigate alternative therapeutic options, with an emphasis on stem cell therapy in particular. The main focus of this review will be on the potential for the use of a variety of mesenchymal stem cells as a treatment for AD.
Effective resistance design and performance evaluation of energy conversion components
Authors: Chang Yingke , Chu Enyi , Ren Wei , Nie Jianxin , Li Hui , Zhao Wanjun , Guo Xiaorong
Published: December 2023

The safety and reliability of the initiating explosive devices (IEDs) are critical for the weapon system. As the core components of IEDs, the method of resistance designing and the performance of conversion energy of energy conversion components (ECCs) are worth being studied. In this paper, the design method for the resistance of ECCs is established based on the finite element discrete method, and the currents of melting and electric explosion are presented for evaluating the performance of ECCs. The results show that the resistance of the ECCs is 1 ± 0.05 Ω with consistency. The ECCs were designed by the established design method of resistance and manufactured by the established machining method. The melting current of ECCs is 1.8 A, which is calculated by the infrared temperature measurement and finite element simulation. The electric explosion current of ECCs is 5 A, which was obtained by combining the snapshot obtained via the high-speed camera and finite element simulation.
Study of neutron sensitivity for vanadium self-powered neutron detector in nuclear reactors
Authors: Wu Xiong , Cai Li , Zhang Xiangju , Wu Tingyu , Jiang Jieqiong
Published: December 2023

Vanadium self-powered neutron detectors (SPNDs) are widely used as in-core unmovable detectors in nuclear power plants to continuously carry out data monitoring of neutron flux and nuclear power. In this study, a theoretical calculation model is presented for determining the signal current and thermal neutron sensitivity of vanadium SPNDs. First, the physical characteristics and reaction mechanisms in vanadium SPNDs irradiated with neutrons were discussed thoroughly. Then, a computational approach to determine the neutron sensitivity of the vanadium SPND based on a Monte Carlo method without assumptions and approximations was introduced. Finally, in order to verify the performance of the vanadium SPND and our methodology, the calculated values were compared with experimental measurements and the previous literature. It can be found that all the results agree well with the experimental measurements and that the maximum differences do not exceed 3%, which demonstrates the reliability and effectiveness of the method and further improves the calculation accuracy.
Sideband injection locking in microresonator frequency combs
Authors: Wildi Thibault , Ulanov Alexander , Englebert Nicolas , Voumard Thibault , Herr Tobias
Published: December 2023

Frequency combs from continuous-wave-driven Kerr-nonlinear microresonators have evolved into a key photonic technology with applications from optical communication to precision spectroscopy. Essential to many of these applications is the control of the comb’s defining parameters, i.e., carrier-envelope offset frequency and repetition rate. An elegant and all-optical approach to controlling both degrees of freedom is the suitable injection of a secondary continuous-wave laser into the resonator onto which one of the comb lines locks. Here, we experimentally study such sideband injection locking in microresonator soliton combs across a wide optical bandwidth and derive analytic scaling laws for the locking range and repetition rate control. As an application example, we demonstrate optical frequency division and repetition rate phase-noise reduction to three orders of magnitude below the noise of a free-running system. The presented results can guide the design of sideband injection-locked, parametrically generated frequency combs with opportunities for low-noise microwave generation, compact optical clocks with simplified locking schemes, and, more generally, all-optically stabilized frequency combs from Kerr-nonlinear resonators.
Cryogenic optical packaging using photonic wire bonds
Authors: Lin Becky , Witt Donald , Young Jeff F. , Chrostowski Lukas
Published: December 2023

The widespread adaptation of systems relying on optically controlled quantum information will require reliable and efficient multi-channel fiber-to-chip connections that function at cryogenic temperatures. Here we demonstrate low loss (2 dB per channel) connections between a single mode fiber array and tapered silicon waveguides down to 5 K using polymer based photonic wire bonds (PWBs). A method is described for assembling the silicon chip and fiber array such that the PWB connections are robust to temperature cycling and cryostat bakeout. The threshold power handling capability of the PWBs is greater than 4 dBm, sufficient to demonstrate optical bistability in silicon microring resonators coupled to the waveguides at 5 K.
Research on temperature field of dry clutch assembly based on inverse analysis of thermal boundary conditions
Authors: Xiang Zhili , Dong Chenbo , Gong Yubing
Published: December 2023

The clutch temperature field is critical for the clutch design and lifetime analysis. In this paper, a new approach for reconstructing the temperature field of the clutch assembly based on the inverse analysis of thermal boundary conditions is present. Three typical types of thermal boundary conditions during the clutch operation were analyzed and integrated into a numerical model with several coefficients assumed. The optimal coefficients are obtained by optimizing the derivation between temperature simulation and rig test based on the reverse problem analysis. The NLPQL optimization algorithm, coupled with the Kriging response surface model, is utilized to improve the computation efficiency. Finally, the optimum parameter combination is conducted and the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by the rig test data under the continuous engagement and disengagement condition. The results indicate that the clutch temperature distribution and the dynamic mechanism of the clutch contact status using the approach proposed agrees very well with the test data of the rig test. The temperature deviations between the model corrected and the rig test data are within 10 °C, with over 80% of the temperature deviations being less than 5 °C. This study establishes a new clutch temperature field simulation method based on reverse problem analysis and gives a significant insight and foundation for improving the prediction of the temperature distribution of the clutch.
Programmable access to microresonator solitons with modulational sideband heating
Authors: Zheng Huamin , Sun Wei , Ding Xingxing , Wen Haoran , Chen Ruiyang , Shi Baoqi , Luo Yi-Han , Long Jinbao , Shen Chen , Meng Shan , Guo Hairun , Liu Junqiu
Published: December 2023

Dissipative Kerr solitons formed in high-Q optical microresonators provide a route to miniaturized optical frequency combs that can revolutionize precision measurements, spectroscopy, sensing, and communication. In the past decade, a myriad of integrated material platforms have been extensively studied and developed to create photonic-chip-based soliton combs. However, the photo-thermal effect in integrated optical microresonators has been a major issue preventing simple and reliable soliton generation. Several sophisticated techniques to circumvent the photo-thermal effect have been developed. In addition, instead of the single-soliton state, emerging applications in microwave photonics and frequency metrology prefer multi-soliton states. Here, we demonstrate an approach to manage the photo-thermal effect and facilitate soliton generation. The approach is based on a single phase-modulated pump, where the generated blue-detuned sideband synergizes with the carrier and thermally stabilizes the microresonator. We apply this technique and demonstrate deterministic soliton generation of 19.97 GHz repetition rate in an integrated silicon nitride microresonator. Furthermore, we develop a program to automatically address to the target N-soliton state, in addition to the single-soliton state, with a near 100% success rate and as short as 10 s time consumption. Our method is valuable for soliton generation in essentially any platform, even with strong photo-thermal effects, and can promote wider applications of soliton frequency comb systems for microwave photonics, telecommunications, and frequency metrology.
First-principles study of electronic properties of Zn and La doped and co-doped anatase TiO2
Authors: Christhunathan Vivek , Farràs Pau , Tong Mingming
Published: December 2023

Ab initio computational modeling, based on Density Functional Theory, was employed to predict the influence of metal ions Zn2+ and La3+ on structural, electronic, and photocatalytic properties of anatase TiO2. Specifically, chemical modification of TiO2 was conducted by doping and co-doping the TiO2 using these ions. Properties of the chemically modified TiO2 were computationally predicted in terms of lattice parameters, electronic band structure, density of states, charge density, and absorption spectrum. It was found that co-doping TiO2 using Zn2+ and La3+ significantly reduced the bandgap and improved relative stability, and enhanced photocatalytic activity in the visible-light region was observed in comparison with pure TiO2. This research also interprets the underlying mechanism regarding why the doping and co-doping may have such influences on the properties of the chemically modified TiO2.
First principles study of two-dimensional high-temperature antiferromagnetic semiconductor MoICl2 under strain effect
Authors: Lan Xinqi , Gao Yan , Ge Yanfeng , Wan Wenhui , Liu Yong
Published: December 2023

Two-dimensional antiferromagnetic materials with room-temperature magnetism are ideal materials for antiferromagnetic spintronic devices. In this paper, antiferromagnetic monolayer MoICl2 based on first-principles calculations is reported. We predict that monolayer MoICl2 is an antiferromagnetic semiconductor with an indirect bandgap. In the study of strain-induced effects on the system, the electronic structure, bandgap, and magnetic anisotropy energy of monolayer MoICl2 undergo significant changes. However, its magnetic ground state remains unaffected and continues to exhibit antiferromagnetic behavior. Particularly, we predict that the Néel temperature (TN) of monolayer MoICl2 is 53 K and that TN can be further increased to 380 K at a biaxial compressive strain of 6%. The results indicate that monolayer MoICl2 can serve as a potential candidate material for spintronics applications.
Modeling potato data with the DUS modified Lehmann-type II power function distribution: Inference and applications
Authors: Arshad Muhammad Zeshan , Iqbal Muhammad Zafar , Kashif Muhammad , Ghamkhar Madiha
Published: December 2023

This research introduces a novel probability model, the DUS modified Lehmann-type II power function distribution, designed to optimize potato yields. This model provides valuable insights for decision-makers and can enhance sustainable potato production practices. To achieve our goal, we utilized a time series dataset spanning 75 years (1947–1948 to 2021–2022) of potato cultivation statistics for Punjab and Pakistan, sourced from the official website of the Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan. We rigorously tested six parameter estimation methods, ultimately selecting the maximum likelihood technique based on extensive simulation experiments that considered accuracy measures, including bias, mean square, and root mean square errors. Model selection was determined using established goodness-of-fit tests among recognized models. The precise estimations generated by our model offer valuable support to producers and policymakers in making well-informed decisions about crop management strategies, including the optimal use of fertilizers and pesticides.
Nasal delivery of polymeric nanoDisc mobilizes a synergy of central and peripheral amyloid-β clearance to treat Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Zhang Huaqing , Chen Yun , Yu Miao , Xi Yilong , Han Guochen , Jin Yi , Wang Gang , Sun Xinzhu , Zhou Jianping , Ding Yang
Published: December 2023

The disequilibrium of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) between the central and peripheral pools has been claimed as an initiating event in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this study, we employ discoidal high-density lipoproteins (HDL-Disc) mimicking Aβ antibody for directional flux of Aβ from central to peripheral catabolism, with desirable safety and translation potential. Structurally, HDL-Disc assembly (polyDisc) is prepared with aid of chitosan derivative polymerization. After intranasal administration and response to slightly acidic nasal microenvironment, polyDisc depolymerizes into carrier-free HDL-Disc with chitosan derivatives that adhere to the mucosal layer to reversibly open tight junctions, helping HDL-Disc penetrate the olfactory pathway into brain. Thereafter, HDL-Disc captures Aβ into microglia for central clearance or ferries Aβ out of the brain for liver-mediated compensatory catabolism. For synergy therapy, intranasal administration of polyDisc can effectively reduce intracerebral Aβ burden by 97.3% and vascular Aβ burden by 73.5%, ameliorate neurologic damage, and rescue memory deficits in APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic AD mice with improved safety, especially vascular safety. Collectively, this design provides a proof of concept for developing Aβ antibody mimics to mobilize a synergy of central and peripheral Aβ clearance for AD treatment.
Quantifying fire-specific smoke exposure and health impacts
Authors: Wen Jeff , Heft-Neal Sam , Baylis Patrick , Boomhower Judson , Burke Marshall
Published: December 2023

Rapidly changing wildfire regimes across the Western United States have driven more frequent and severe wildfires, resulting in wide-ranging societal threats from wildfires and wildfire-generated smoke. However, common measures of fire severity focus on what is burned, disregarding the societal impacts of smoke generated from each fire. We combine satellite-derived fire scars, air parcel trajectories from individual fires, and predicted smoke PM
2

.

5
to link source fires to resulting smoke PM
2

.

5
and health impacts experienced by populations in the contiguous United States from April 2006 to 2020. We quantify fire-specific accumulated smoke exposure based on the cumulative population exposed to smoke PM
2

.

5
over the duration of a fire and estimate excess asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits as a result of this exposure. We find that excess asthma visits attributable to each fire are only moderately correlated with common measures of wildfire severity, including burned area, structures destroyed, and suppression cost. Additionally, while recent California fires contributed nearly half of the country’s smoke-related excess asthma ED visits during our study period, the most severe individual fire was the 2007 Bugaboo fire in the Southeast. We estimate that a majority of smoke PM
2

.

5
comes from sources outside the local jurisdictions where the smoke is experienced, with 87% coming from fires in other counties and 60% from fires in other states. Our approach could enable broad-scale assessment of whether specific fire characteristics affect smoke toxicity or impact, inform cost-effectiveness assessments for allocation of suppression resources, and help clarify the growing transboundary nature of local air quality.
Efficient and stable acidic CO
2
electrolysis to formic acid by a reservoir structure design
Authors: Chi Li-Ping , Niu Zhuang-Zhuang , Zhang Yu-Cai , Zhang Xiao-Long , Liao Jie , Wu Zhi-Zheng , Yu Peng-Cheng , Fan Ming-Hui , Tang Kai-Bin , Gao Min-Rui
Published: December 2023

Electrochemical synthesis of valuable chemicals and feedstocks through carbon dioxide (CO
2
) reduction in acidic electrolytes can surmount the considerable CO
2
loss in alkaline and neutral conditions. However, achieving high productivity, while operating steadily in acidic electrolytes, remains a big challenge owing to the severe competing hydrogen evolution reaction. Here, we show that vertically grown bismuth nanosheets on a gas-diffusion layer can create numerous cavities as electrolyte reservoirs, which confine in situ–generated hydroxide and potassium ions and limit inward proton diffusion, producing locally alkaline environments. Based on this design, we achieve formic acid Faradaic efficiency of 96.3% and partial current density of 471 mA cm
−2
at pH 2. When operated in a slim continuous-flow electrolyzer, the system exhibits a full-cell formic acid energy efficiency of 40% and a single pass carbon efficiency of 79% and performs steadily over 50 h. We further demonstrate the production of pure formic acid aqueous solution with a concentration of 4.2 weight %.
The effect of test format on productive recall of derivatives
Authors: Iwaizumi Emi , Webb Stuart
Published: December 2023

This study investigated the extent to which two recall test formats – contextualized and decontextualized tests –
affected productive recall of derivatives, and how the effects of token frequencies of derivatives and L2 receptive vocabulary
knowledge on recalling derivatives was moderated by test format. Mixed effects logistic regression models examined the derivatives
elicited from L1 (n = 21) and L2 English speakers’ (n = 107) on the two recall tests. Results
indicated that contextual cues significantly facilitated recalling derivatives, while such facilitative effects were larger for
native speakers and L2 learners with greater vocabulary knowledge. Furthermore, token frequency affected the responses on the
decontextualized test to a greater degree compared to the contextualized test. Results suggest that test format influences
test-takers’ ability to recall knowledge to produce derivatives.
End-weight at its most dynamic
Authors: Schlüter Julia , Rohdenburg Günter
Published: December 2023

This contribution supports and extends the principle of end-weight, first formulated by Quirk et al. (1972) to describe the tendency of heavy constituents to appear late in a sentence.
Developing this principle further, we argue that it favours the addition of (functionally non-neutral) morphological markers to
sentence-final constituents, which are typically characterized by prosodic prominence. The markers we study are undergoing
diachronic establishment or loss and are thus temporarily variable. They represent rather diverse categories in different West
Germanic languages and varieties (English, Northern Low German, Frisian) and have been gathered from different periods. Examples
include inflectional endings of nouns, adjectives, finite verbs and infinitives, pro-form uses of possessives and the adjective
other, prepositional choices, the a-prefix and periphrastic doon ‘do’. We
suggest that end-weight is scalar, with absolute sentence-final position producing the strongest effects.
Zur Eindeutschung slawischer Ortsnamen in Bayern
Authors: Bichlmeier Harald
Published: December 2023

The way in which Slavic names in Bavaria have been transmitted into Old High German has been well researched already, but open questions remain. It is possible to date the loan processes when the names contain sounds with diagnostic value or show datable sound changes, such as the metathesis of liquids or the rounding of Proto-Slavic *ato Common Slavic *oor when Slavic *bis substituted by OHG *v >f. The integration of Slavic names into OHG started before 800 and came to an end around 1100. The way in which Slavic *ěwas loaned also might play a role in dating these processes, but the situation remains unclear so far: Mostly it appears as OHGe,ē, but in a few cases there is a resulting sound containing /i/. This sound may have come into existence either by an early integration of Slavic *ěas OHG *ē2or when a younger Sorbian raising of *ěto somei-diphthong had already taken place.
Runic fragments from the Svingerud grave field in Norway
Authors: Zilmer Kristel , Vasshus Krister S.K.
Published: December 2023

In 2021–2023, several rune-inscribed sandstone fragments were discovered by archaeologists of the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, at a Roman Iron Age grave field by the Svingerud road at Hole in eastern Norway. Several of these fragments fit together as parts of one larger sandstone slab. The main fragment with multiple inscriptions was unearthed in a flat grave (cremation) in November 2021. Radiocarbon dating of the organic material dated the burial to before 300 CE (Solheim et al., forthcoming). This article provides a detailed runological and linguistic account of the inscribed fragments, as of July 2023. The focus is on the main finds, while the work on numerous small fragments is ongoing. This find may shed new light on the features and functions of early runic writing.
Stativity and inchoativity
Authors: Mangialavori Rasia Mª Eugenia , Ausensi Josep
Published: December 2023

States, long considered a homogeneous event class, have been shown to actually decompose into sufficiently distinct aspectual types. Davidsonian and Kimian statives (Maienborn 2008;Rothmayr 2009), for instance, show a major contrast in presence/absence of event-related properties, including finer-grained (sub)class distinctions. Within the Davidsonian (mixed eventive-stative) type, a novel class has been identified using Spanish data as reference (Marín and McNally 2011). This class, dubbedinchoative stativeis characterized by including a left boundary (Piñón 1997) marking the temporal onset of the state. We focus on documented Old Spanish data to argue that non-eventive (Kimian-like) left-bounded states are also possible. We note that productive combinations of the locative copulaestar‘be-loc’ with past participles of specific verbs produce distinct selectional and interpretive patterns defined by (i) pure states (homogenous spatial situation); (ii) no change-of-state/location denotation; (iii) left boundary. If correct, data suggest thatinchoative stativityis not necessarily a Davidsonian type of predication; and that two distinct types of inchoative statives should be carefully differentiated under (more) specific criteria.
Cat owners’ disenfranchised guilt and its predictive value on owners’ depression and anxiety
Authors: Kogan Lori R. , Currin-McCulloch Jennifer , Bussolari Cori , Packman Wendy
Published: December 2023

Numerous studies have found pets to have a beneficial effect on people’s psychological well-being, yet a growing body of research suggests that the positive impact of pet ownership is more complex than once thought and does not always lead to improved owner physical and mental health. One potential drawback to pet ownership is pet-related guilt. Research pertaining to work-family conflict and parental guilt has traditionally focused on human family members, yet the majority of pet owners consider their pets to be family members. Similar to parental guilt, dog-related guilt has been found to be associated with feelings of anxiety, depression, and reduced psychological health. The current study was designed to expand on dog-related guilt research by assessing cat owners. An online, anonymous, cross-sectional survey was distributed through Prolific and resulted in 604 responses for analysis. Multiple linear regression was used to predict owner depression. Gender, age, social compensatory techniques, and two guilt factors (Attention and Veterinary-related) significantly predicted depression scores. Participants’ anxiety scores, assessed with multiple linear regression, were predicted by gender, age, social compensatory techniques, and three guilt factors (Attention, Veterinary-related, and Lifestyle). Our results suggest that cat-related guilt, analogous to parental guilt, is a significant predictor of anxiety and depression. It is imperative that society recognize cat owners’ guilt, often disenfranchised; unrecognized; and unacknowledged, and help support owners’ efforts to mitigate this guilt in healthy ways.
Oral health literacy among migrant mothers in Sweden. A qualitative study
Authors: Shmarina Elena , Stensson Malin , SANT-Network  , Jacobsson Brittmarie
Published: December 2023

Objective: This interview study explored the oral health literacy of migrant mothers in Sweden, with special reference to where and why they access information about oral health and how they determine the credibility of such information.
Material and method: In-depth interviews were conducted with seven migrant mothers of children up to 10 years old. The mothers had entered Sweden from 2015 onwards and had been resettled in Kalmar County, Sweden. Their native language was Somalian, Dari or Arabic. The interview questions concerned the participants’ experiences of seeking oral health information, as well as oral health in general and dental health services. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis.
Findings: The main findings indicate that migrant mothers used information sourcing as a pathway to solve oral health literacy tasks. Three main categories were identified, each with subcategories, describing the migrant mothers’ experiences of accessing and evaluating oral health information: ‘accessible source of information’, ‘needs-related purpose of seeking information’ and ‘trustworthiness assessment’. The migrant mothers reported that in case of a dental emergency or general queries, they sought oral health information from professionals and social sources. Moreover, they perceived oral health information to be most reliable when it was provided by dental professionals, was a recurring theme, or constituted majority opinion.
Conclusion: To improve oral health literacy in migrant mothers of young children, it is important not only to provide consistent and recurrent oral health information through accessible information channels, but also to adapt dental care to be more culturally appropriate.
On the hadronic origin of the TeV radiation from GRB 190114C
Authors: Gagliardini Silvia , Celli Silvia , Guetta Dafne , Zegarelli Angela , Capone Antonio , Di Palma Irene
Published: December 2023

The recently discovered TeV emission from Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) has renewed the long-standing discussion about the hadronic versus leptonic origin of the observed GRB radiation. In this work, we investigate the possibility that the very high energy gamma rays observed by MAGIC from GRB 190114C (with energy from ∼0.1 to ∼0.8 TeV) are originated in a hadronic model.
We developed a Monte Carlo (MC) simulation of the source internal state dynamics and of the photo-hadronic interactions at internal shock. We included in the simulation also the pair production process that the secondary gamma rays undergo in the GRB jet.
We find upper limits on the internal shock model parameters by comparing our simulations to the sub-TeV observations of GRB 190114C.
Neutrino flux predictions by the model are found to be consistent with experimental upper limits set by ANTARES and IceCube.
Probing early modification of gravity with Planck, ACT and SPT
Authors: Franco Abellán Guillermo , Braglia Matteo , Ballardini Mario , Finelli Fabio , Poulin Vivian
Published: December 2023

We consider a model of early modified gravity (EMG) that was recently proposed as a candidate to resolve the Hubble tension. The model consists of a scalar fieldσwith a nonminimal coupling (NMC) to the Ricci curvature of the formF(σ) = Mpl2+ξσ2and an effective mass induced by a quartic potentialV(σ) = λσ4/4. We present the first analyses of the EMG model in light of the latest ACT DR4 and SPT-3G data in combination with fullPlanckdata, and find a ≳ 2σ preference for a non-zero EMG contribution from a combination of primary CMB data alone, mostly driven by ACT-DR4 data. This is different from popular `Early Dark Energy' models, which are detected only when the high-ℓ information fromPlancktemperature is removed. We find that the NMC plays a key role in controlling the evolution of density perturbations that is favored by the data over the minimally coupled case. Including measurements of supernovae luminosity distance from Pantheon+, baryonic acoustic oscillations and growth factor from BOSS, and CMB lensing ofPlanckleaves the preference unaffected. In the EMG model, the tension with SH0ES is alleviated from ∼ 6σto ∼ 3σ. Further adding SH0ES data raises the detection of the EMG model above 5σ.
From the string vacuum to FLRW or de Sitter via α' corrections
Authors: Conzinu P. , Fanizza G. , Gasperini M. , Pavone E. , Tedesco L. , Veneziano G.
Published: December 2023

We first make more precise a recent “Hamiltonian” reformulation of the Hohm-Zwiebach approach to the tree-level, O(d,d)-invariant string cosmology equations at all orders in the α' expansion, and recall how it allows to give a simple characterization of a large class of cosmological scenarios connecting, through a non-singular bounce, two duality-related perturbative solutions at early and late times. We then discuss the effects of adding to the action a non-perturbative, O(d,d)-breaking, dilaton potential V(ϕ). The resulting cosmological solutions, assumed to approach at early times the perturbative string vacuum (with vanishing curvature and string coupling), can stabilize the dilaton at late times and simultaneously approach either a matter-dominated FLRW cosmology or a de-Sitter-like inflationary phase, depending on initial conditions and on the properties of V(ϕ) at moderate-coupling. We also identify a general mechanism for generating isotropic late-time attractors from a large basin of anisotropic initial conditions.