bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Profiling placental DNA methylation associated with maternal SSRI treatment during pregnancy
Authors: Inkster Amy M. , Konwar Chaini , Peñaherrera Maria S. , Brain Ursula , Khan Almas , Price E. Magda , Schuetz Johanna M. , Portales-Casamar Élodie , Burt Amber , Marsit Carmen J. , Vaillancourt Cathy , Oberlander Tim F. , Robinson Wendy P.
Published: December 2022

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for treatment of prenatal maternal depression have been associated with neonatal neurobehavioral disturbances, though the molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood.  In utero exposure to SSRIs may affect DNA methylation (DNAme) in the human placenta, an epigenetic mark that is established during development and is associated with gene expression. Chorionic villus samples from 64 human placentas were profiled with the Illumina MethylationEPIC BeadChip; clinical assessments of maternal mood and SSRI treatment records were collected at multiple time points during pregnancy. Case distribution was 20 SSRI-exposed cases and 44 SSRI non-exposed cases. Maternal depression was defined using a mean maternal Hamilton Depression score > 8 to indicate symptomatic depressed mood (“maternally-depressed”), and we further classified cases into SSRI-exposed, maternally-depressed (n = 14); SSRI-exposed, not maternally-depressed (n = 6); SSRI non-exposed, maternally-depressed (n = 20); and SSRI non-exposed, not maternally-depressed (n = 24). For replication, Illumina 450K DNAme profiles were obtained from 34 additional cases from an independent cohort (n = 17 SSRI-exposed, n = 17 SSRI non-exposed). No CpGs were differentially methylated at FDR < 0.05 comparing SSRI-exposed to non-exposed placentas, in a model adjusted for mean maternal Hamilton Depression score, or in a model restricted to maternally-depressed cases with and without SSRI exposure. However, at a relaxed threshold of FDR < 0.25, five CpGs were differentially methylated (|Δβ| > 0.03) by SSRI exposure status. Four were covered by the replication cohort measured by the 450K array, but none replicated. No CpGs were differentially methylated (FDR < 0.25) comparing maternally depressed to not depressed cases. In sex-stratified analyses for SSRI-exposed versus non-exposed cases (females n = 31; males n = 33), three additional CpGs in females, but none in males, were differentially methylated at the relaxed FDR < 0.25 cut-off. We did not observe large-scale alterations of DNAme in placentas exposed to maternal SSRI treatment, as compared to placentas with no SSRI exposure. We also found no evidence for altered DNAme in maternal depression-exposed versus depression non-exposed placentas. This novel work in a prospectively-recruited cohort with clinician-ascertained SSRI exposure and mood assessments would benefit from future replication.
Metabolomic profiling in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy eating non-traditional or traditional diets and in healthy controls
Authors: Smith Caren E. , Parnell Laurence D. , Lai Chao-Qiang , Rush John E. , Adin Darcy B. , Ordovás José M. , Freeman Lisa M.
Published: December 2022

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), caused by genetic and environmental factors, usually progresses to heart failure, a major cause of death in elderly people. A diet-associated form of DCM was recently identified in pet dogs eating non-traditional (NT) diets. To identify potential dietary causes, we analyzed metabolomic signatures and gene set/pathway enrichment in (1) all dogs based on disease, diet, and their interactions and (2) dogs with DCM based on diet. Metabolomic analysis was performed in 38 dogs with DCM eating NT diets (DCM-NT), 8 dogs with DCM eating traditional diets, 12 healthy controls eating NT diets, and 17 healthy controls eating traditional diets. Overall, 153 and 63 metabolites differed significantly between dogs with DCM versus healthy controls and dogs eating NT versus traditional diets, respectively, with 12 metabolites overlapping both analyses. Protein–protein interaction networks and gene set enrichment analysis identified 105 significant pathways and gene sets including aging-related pathways (e.g., nuclear factor-kappa B, oxidative damage, inflammation). Seventeen metabolites differed significantly in dogs with DCM eating NT versus traditional diets (e.g., fatty acids, amino acids, legume biomarkers), suggesting different mechanisms for primary versus diet-associated DCM. Our multifaceted metabolomic assessment of DCM in dogs highlighted diet’s role in some forms of DCM.
Automatic air volume control system for ventilation of two patients using a single ventilator: a large animal model study
Authors: Zieliński Krzysztof , Lisowska Barbara , Siewruk Katarzyna , Sady Maria , Ferenc Karolina , Barwijuk Maciej , Olszewski Jarosław , Anusz Krzysztof , Jabłoński Artur , Gajewska Magdalena , Okrzeja Piotr , Michnikowski Marcin , Pijanowska Dorota G. , Pluta Krzysztof , Remiszewska Elżbieta , Darowski Marek , Zabielski Romuald , Liebert Adam , Kramek-Romanowska Katarzyna , Stecka Anna , Kozarski Maciej , Pasledni Raman , Gajewski Zdzisław , Ładyżyński Piotr
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak led to a global ventilator shortage. Hence, various strategies for using a single ventilator to support multiple patients have been considered. A device called Ventil previously validated for independent lung ventilation was used in this study to evaluate its usability for shared ventilation. We performed experiments with a total number of 16 animals. Eight pairs of pigs were ventilated by a ventilator or anesthetic machine and by Ventil for up to 27 h. In one experiment, 200 ml of saline was introduced to one subject’s lungs to reduce their compliance. The experiments were analyzed in terms of arterial blood gases and respiratory parameters. In addition to the animal study, we performed a series of laboratory experiments with artificial lungs (ALs). The resistance and compliance of one AL (affected) were altered, while the tidal volume (TV) and peak pressure (Ppeak) in the second (unaffected) AL were analyzed. In addition, to assess the risk of transmission of pathogens between AL respiratory tracts, laboratory tests were performed using phantoms of virus particles. The physiological level of analyzed parameters in ventilated animals was maintained, except for CO2 tension, for which a permissive hypercapnia was indicated. Experiments did not lead to injuries in the animal’s lungs except for one subject, as indicated by CT scan analysis. In laboratory experiments, changes in TV and Ppeak in the unaffected AL were less than 11%, except for 2 cases where the TV change was 20%. No cross-contamination was found in simulations of pathogen transmission. We conclude that ventilation using Ventil can be considered safe in patients undergoing deep sedation without spontaneous breathing efforts.
Facile and highly precise pH-value estimation using common pH paper based on machine learning techniques and supported mobile devices
Authors: Elsenety Mohamed M. , Mohamed Mahmoud Basseem I. , Sultan Mohamed E. , Elsayed Badr A.
Published: December 2022

Numerous scientific, health care, and industrial applications are showing increasing interest in developing optical pH sensors with low-cost, high precision that cover a wide pH range. Although serious efforts, the development of high accuracy and cost-effectiveness, remains challenging. In this perspective, we present the implementation of the machine learning technique on the common pH paper for precise pH-value estimation. Further, we develop a simple, flexible, and free precise mobile application based on a machine learning algorithm to predict the accurate pH value of a solution using an available commercial pH paper. The common light conditions were studied under different light intensities of 350, 200, and 20 Lux. The models were trained using 2689 experimental values without a special instrument control. The pH range of 1: 14 is covered by an interval of ~ 0.1 pH value. The results show a significant relationship between pH values and both the red color and green color, in contrast to the poor correlation by the blue color. The K Neighbors Regressor model improves linearity and shows a significant coefficient of determination of 0.995 combined with the lowest errors. The free, publicly accessible online and mobile application was developed and enables the highly precise estimation of the pH value as a function of the RGB color code of typical pH paper. Our findings could replace higher expensive pH instruments using handheld pH detection, and an intelligent smartphone system for everyone, even the chef in the kitchen, without the need for additional costly and time-consuming experimental work.
Nanobodies targeting ABCC3 for immunotargeted applications in glioblastoma
Authors: Ruiz-López Eduardo , Jovčevska Ivana , González-Gómez Ruth , Tejero Héctor , Al-Shahrour Fátima , Muyldermans Serge , Schuhmacher Alberto J.
Published: December 2022

The cancer “omics” reveal many clinically relevant alterations that are transforming the molecular characterization of glioblastomas. However, many of these findings are not yet translated into clinical practice due, in part, to the lack of non-invasive biomarkers and the limitations imposed by the blood–brain barrier. Nanobodies, camelid single-domain antibody fragments, emerge as a promising tool for immunotargeted applications for diagnosing and treating glioblastomas. Performing agnostic bioinformatic analysis from glioblastoma patient datasets, we identified ATP Binding Cassette subfamily C member 3 (ABCC3) as a suitable target for immunotargeted applications. The expression of ABCC3 is associated with poor survival and impaired response to temozolomide. Importantly, high expression of ABCC3 is restricted to glioblastoma, with negligible levels in healthy brain tissue, and further correlates with tumor grade and stemness markers. We identified three immunogenic epitopes of ABCC3 which were used to isolate nanobodies from a glioblastoma-specific phage-display nanobody library. Two nanobodies targeting ABCC3 (NbA42 and NbA213) were further characterized and demonstrated in vivo selective recognition of ABCC3 in glioblastoma xenograft mouse models upon systemic administration. We designate NbA42 and NbA213 as new candidates to implement immunotargeted applications guiding a more personalized and precise diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of glioblastoma patients.
Experimental demonstration of classical analogous time-dependent superposition of states
Authors: Mahmood Kazi T. , Hasan M. Arif
Published: December 2022

One of the quantum theory concepts on which quantum information processing stands is superposition. Here we provide experimental evidence for the existence of classical analogues to the coherent superposition of energy states, which is made possible by the Hertz-type nonlinearity of the granules together with the external driving field. The granules’ nonlinear vibrations are projected into the linear modes of vibration, which depend on one another through the phase and form a coherent superposition. We show that the amplitudes of the coherent states form the components of a state vector that spans a two-dimensional Hilbert space, and time enables the system to span its Hilbert space parametrically. Thus, the superposition of states can be exploited in two-state quantum-like computations without decoherence and wave function collapse. Finally, we demonstrate the experimental realization of applying a reversible Hadamard gate to a pure base state that brings the state into a superposition.
A simple and programmable dual-mode aptasensor for the ultrasensitive detection of multidrug-resistant bacteria
Authors: Zhao Fengfeng , Zou Mingyuan , Wu Huina , Yao Yuming , Zhou Meiling , Ma Shuo , Xiao Feng , Abudushalamu GuliNazhaer , Chen Yaya , Cai Shijie , Yuan Chenyan , Fan Xiaobo , Jiang Xinglu , Wu Guoqiu
Published: December 2022

A simple and programmable dual-mode aptasensor called DAPT is proposed. DAPT platform shows great potential to be a universal tool for discriminating a wide range of MDR bacteria due to its superior programmability.
Unveiling the Mg(ii) promoted [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of mesitonitrile oxide to Baylis–Hilman adduct from the molecular electron density theory perspective
Authors: Domingo Luis R. , Acharjee Nivedita
Published: December 2022

The presence of Mg(ii) cation does not substantially accelerate this low polarzw-type[3+2] cycloaddition reaction, but changes the facial diastereoselectivity. These low polar reactions are completelyorthoregioselective.
Facilely synthesized LiFePO4nanocomposites with excellent electrochemical properties as cathodes for lithium ion batteries
Authors: Ou Junke , Li Kaiyang , Deng Haixin , Li Bo , Cao Jinghe , Li Mengtao
Published: December 2022

A straightforward carbothermal reduction method was used to synthesize nitrogen-doped carbon-coated LiFePO4with the carbon and nitrogen sources derived from gelatin.
Designing stimuli-responsive and color-tunable indicators via the coexistence of dual emitting centers
Authors: Wang Tengyue , Du Jiaren , Wang Xiaomeng , Jiang Kai , Wang Panqin , Lyu Shaoxing , Lin Hengwei
Published: December 2022

Color-changeable indicators for information readouts upon the combination of trivalent bismuth and lanthanides ions.
Disclosing the superior lithium storage of double-shelled Si@N-doped carbon: a synergic combination of experiment and theory
Authors: Majeed Muhammad K. , Iqbal Rashid , Hussain Arshad , Lotfi Mina , Majeed M. Umar , Ashfaq M. Zeeshan , Javed M. Sufyan , Ahmad Muhammad , Saleem Adil
Published: December 2022

Si@DNC having dual stabilized architecture with a mesoporous structure is synthesized which consists of interconnected channels presenting exceptional Li storage. The relation between experimental investigation and theoretical approach is clarified.
Click-Type Synthesis of Homoconjugated Push–Pull Chromophores: Computational Investigation of Optical and Nonlinear Optical (NLO) Properties
Authors: Dengiz Cagatay , Inyurt Fevzi Can , Mammadova Flora
Published: December 2022

Homoconjugated push–pull chromophores were obtained by an efficient, click-type formal [2+2] cycloaddition. With these short synthetic transformations, complex chromophore structures were achieved in a single step without any by-product formation. Significant second-order optical nonlinearities have been calculated for the synthesized compounds.
Science through the Lens of Nature: Recent Advances in Biomimetic Approaches towards Pesticide Degradation
Authors: Gupta Akanksha , Kumar Vinod , Borah Shikha Jyoti , Sahu Prasanta Kumar , Dheer Neelu
Published: December 2022

The increased use of pesticides and the possible accumulation of residual pesticides can clearly have detrimental consequences on different environmental matrices and human health. As a result of this, an urgent need for remediation of pesticides has emerged in the last few decades. A biomimetic approach for the degradation of pesticides can have high potential. Biomimetic catalysts are synthetic chemical molecules which have been inspired by natural processes to mimic their structural and functional properties. This short review focuses on the synthesis of various biomimetic catalysts including metal-based materials and carbon-based materials. In this context, recent advances achieved by such biomimetic catalysts for the degradation of pesticides have been covered. It highlights the importance of adopting a biomimetic approach as it provides a green and efficient method for pesticide degradation. Furthermore, it provides useful insights into the challenges that remain to be addressed and the perspectives that can be adopted for future research.

1 Introduction

2 Biomimetic Catalysts

2.1 Metal Oxides

2.2 Metal Organic Frameworks

2.3 Carbon-Based Materials

2.4 MXenes

2.5 Other Recent Advances

3 Challenges

4 Conclusion
Limb Hypertrophy—An Uncommon Presentation Yet a Common Link among Neurocutaneous Syndromes: A Series of Three Cases
Authors: Agrawal Akriti , Budania Anil , Saini Lokesh , Tiwari Sarbesh , Vedant Deepak , Benny Benetta
Published: December 2022

Limb hypertrophy is an unusual presentation associated with neurocutaneous syndromes. The mechanism behind this presentation may vary from case to case. Here, we describe a case series of three different syndromes linked by a common clinical finding of limb hypertrophy.
Recurrent Painful Ophthalmoplegic Neuropathy Mistaken for Oculomotor Schwannoma: A Case Report
Authors: Mahović Darija , Bračić Matea , Jovanović Ivan , Gabrić Ivo Darko
Published: December 2022

Recurrent painful ophthalmoplegic neuropathy (RPON) is a headache disorder classified as a cranial neuropathy. It is characterized by episodes of unilateral headache followed by ipsilateral ophthalmoplegia due to ocular cranial nerve palsy. Symptoms usually subside spontaneously within weeks to months. RPON commonly occurs in childhood, though it is overlooked at times as a possible differential diagnosis. The pathophysiology of RPON is not entirely clear. Typical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in children include nerve thickening and gadolinium enhancement. However, these findings are not specific to this condition. Nerve thickening in RPON can resemble schwannomas, thereby causing a diagnostic dilemma. Here, we present a 13-year-old boy with a history of unilateral headaches associated with ipsilateral ptosis and diplopia. The first MRI indicated thickening and gadolinium enhancement of the right oculomotor nerve, which was interpreted as a schwannoma. However, his symptoms resolved after a few weeks and the follow-up MRI showed resolution of nerve changes. This clinical presentation was consistent with RPON. This case demonstrates the need for a careful follow-up of RPON patients.
Childhood Anemia and Risk for Acute Respiratory Infection, Gastroenteritis, and Urinary Tract Infection: A Systematic Review
Authors: Jayamanna Ushani , Jayaweera J. A. A. Sampath
Published: December 2022

Objective Children younger than 5 years, particularly children below 2 years, are among the most vulnerable groups for developing anemia and infections. This review is intended to assess the association between anemia and childhood acute respiratory infections (ARTIs), acute gastroenteritis (AGE), and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Methods PubMed was searched for published articles from January 2000 to August 2021 in English using the following terms: anemia and acute respiratory tract infections in children; anemia and UTIs in children; anemia and AGE in children. The data extraction were conducted by two investigators using the same methodology. Using descriptive statistics, the data from different sources were synthesized, including medians and ranges.

Results A total of 426 articles and 27 original articles and 1 systematic review were included. Iron deficiency anemia is common among children between 6 months and 3 years of age. This age group can be considered a highly susceptible age for contraction of ARTI and AGE. Children below 5 years suffer five to six episodes of acute ARTI per year on average, and pneumonia accounts for the highest number of deaths, which is around 1.1 million each year. When considered, the odds ratio of anemia to increase the susceptibility of contracting lower ARTI would range from 2 to 5.7. Also, anemic children were 10 times more susceptible to developing acute recurrent ARTI and 4 times more susceptible to contracting pneumonia. Respiratory syncytial virus is the commonest viral etiology. Anemia would increase the risk of diarrhea by 2.9-fold in toddlers, while mild anemia, moderate anemia, and severe anemia would increase the susceptibility to contract AGE by 1.6, 1.6, and 8.9 times, respectively. Rotavirus is the commonest etiology. Some studies observed a protective effect of mild to moderate iron-deficient anemia from respiratory infections.

Conclusion Infectious disease imposes a heavy burden on the health sector in a country. The highest susceptibility for infections and the development of anemia would be due to inadequate nutrition supplementation to meet the demand during rapid body growth. Therefore, based on the available evidence, one can take the necessary steps to reduce the infectious disease burden by correcting the anemia status in children.
Tinnitus patients encouraged to participate in pharmaceutical clinical trials
Authors: Green Leigh Ann
Published: December 2022

Validated test tools are necessary to help those who suffer with tinnitus.
Nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvesting induced through the Duffing oscillator
Authors: Guo Chuan , Luo Albert C. J.
Published: December 2022

In this paper, nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvesting induced by a Duffing oscillator is studied, and the bifurcation trees of period-1 motions to chaos for such a piezoelectric energy-harvesting system are obtained analytically. Distributed-parameter electromechanical modeling of a piezoelectric energy harvester is presented first, and the electromechanically coupled circuit equation excited by infinitely many vibration modes is developed. The governing electromechanical equations are reduced to ordinary differential equations in modal coordinates, and eventually an infinite set of algebraic equations is obtained for the complex modal vibration responses and the complex voltage responses of the energy harvester beam. One single mode case is considered in this paper, and periodic motions with bifurcation trees are obtained through an implicit discrete mapping method. The frequency–amplitude characteristics of periodic motions are obtained for the nonlinear piezoelectric energy-harvesting systems, which provide a better understanding of where and how to achieve the best energy harvesting. This study describes about how the nonlinear oscillator induces piezoelectric energy harvesting through a beam system. The nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvesting is presented through a nonlinear oscillator. Due to the nonlinear oscillator, chaotic piezoelectric energy-harvesting states can get more energy compared to the linear piezoelectric energy-harvesting system.
Hydroxyl-induced stability and mobility enhancement for field effect transistor based on In2O3 nanofiber
Authors: Ding Yanan , Li Tongzheng , Yan Bowen , Liu Guoxia , Shan Fukai
Published: December 2022

In this work, In2O3 nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning, and a field effect transistor (FET) based on In2O3 nanofibers was integrated. A hydroxyl-assisted strategy was proposed for both stability and performance enhancement for the FET. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was added into a precursor solution for electrospinning. It is found that the stability of the FET is improved after H2O2 incorporation, while the mobility is decreased. Surprisingly, after UV irradiation, the FET with both high mobility and high stability was obtained. It is assumed that under UV irradiation, H2O2 is decomposed into highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (•OH), which contributes to the degradation of the polymer. XPS and FT-IR analysis verify that oxygen- and carbon-related defects can be removed through the hydroxyl-assistant strategy. Furthermore, the flexible FET based on In2O3 nanofibers with H2O2 addition and UV irradiation was fabricated on the PI substrate, and the high electrical performance is further demonstrated. This strategy makes it possible to fabricate the oxide nanofiber FET with both high mobility and high stability.
Experimental and numerical investigation of beer foam
Authors: Lyu Wenjing , Bauer Tizian , Jahn Alexander , Gatternig Bernhard , Delgado Antonio , Schellin Thomas E.
Published: December 2022

The frothy foam on top of beer is produced by bubbles of gas, predominantly carbon dioxide, rising to the surface. The chemical components that produce the head are wort protein, yeast, and hop residue. This involves a large number of chemical components and numerous physical interactions. The beer foam and, especially, its stability is an essential quality characteristic of a beer. A consumer defines a beer's head by its stability, quantity, lacing (glass adhesion or cling), whiteness, creaminess, and strength. To achieve an accurate prediction of beer foam formation and collapse is challenging because complex numerical models are required to account for these nonlinear beer foam effects. To analyze a new design of a beer bottom-to-top pouring system for the startup company Einstein 1, we first set up the experimental tests of this pouring system. Afterward, we performed the associated repeatability studies to achieve stable working conditions. To study beer foam formation and its collapse, we employed a multiphase Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes solver that considered two inter-penetrating continua, which allowed accounting for multi-component phases and mass and heat transfer between these phases. We numerically and experimentally investigated beer foam patterns, beer heights, beer/foam ratio, foam height, foam stability, and foam volume fractions. We performed grid sensitivity studies and validated the numerical solver by comparing results against model test measurements. The results indicated that that the higher the temperature of the beer and the higher the tap pressure is, the greater the foam development and the associated foam height are but not necessarily the foam stability.
Subterahertz difference-frequency generation in terahertz quantum cascade lasers
Authors: Volkov O. Y. , Duzhikov I. N. , Khabibullin R. A. , Baranov A. N. , Divin Y. Y.
Published: December 2022

We have detected subterahertz spectral lines in the emission of free-running GaAs/AlGaAs quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) operating around 3 THz. We have found that the power W(fd) of an individual sub-THz line at the frequency fd is directly proportional to a power product W(fi) × W(fk) of the corresponding pair of THz lines having the frequency difference fi − fk = fd. The established one-to-one correspondence of each sub-THz line to pair combinations of THz lines proves the nonlinear mechanism of difference-frequency generation (DFG) in the QCL active region. The conversion efficiencies W(fi − fk)/[W(fi) × W(fk)] estimated from the experimental data are about 4 × 10−3 and 5 × 10−5 W−1 for the sub-THz lines found at 132 and 310 GHz, correspondingly. Considering nonlinear polarization of QCL active regions as the reason for DFG, we have evaluated the following values of the second-order nonlinear susceptibility χ(2)(132 GHz) ≅ 7 × 105 pm/V and χ(2)(310 GHz) ≅ 4 × 104 pm/V from the experimental data. The obtained results pave the way for the use of THz QCLs as sources of sub-THz radiation.
The chaperone protein p32 stabilizes HIV-1 Tat and strengthens the p-TEFb/RNAPII/TAR complex promoting HIV transcription elongation
Authors: Li Chuan , Mori Luisa P. , Lyu Shuang , Bronson Ronald , Getzler Adam J. , Pipkin Matthew E. , Valente Susana T.
Published: December 2022

HIV gene expression is modulated by the combinatorial activity of the HIV transcriptional activator, Tat, host transcription factors, and chromatin remodeling complexes. To identify host factors regulating HIV transcription, we used specific single-guide RNAs and endonuclease-deficient Cas9 to perform chromatin affinity purification of the integrated HIV promoter followed by mass spectrometry. The scaffold protein, p32, also called ASF/SF2 splicing factor-associated protein, was identified among the top enriched factors present in actively transcribing HIV promoters but absent in silenced ones. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed the presence of p32 on active HIV promoters and its enhanced recruitment by Tat. HIV uses Tat to efficiently recruit positive transcription elongation factor b (p-TEFb) (CDK9/CCNT1) to TAR, an RNA secondary structure that forms from the first 59 bp of HIV transcripts, to enhance RNAPII transcriptional elongation. The RNA interference of p32 significantly reduced HIV transcription in primary CD4
+
T cells and in HIV chronically infected cells, independently of either HIV splicing or p32 anti-splicing activity. Conversely, overexpression of p32 specifically increased Tat-dependent HIV transcription. p32 was found to directly interact with Tat’s basic domain enhancing Tat stability and half-life. Conversely, p32 associates with Tat via N- and C-terminal domains. Likely due its scaffold properties, p32 also promoted Tat association with TAR, p-TEFb, and RNAPII enhancing Tat-dependent HIV transcription. In sum, we identified p32 as a host factor that interacts with and stabilizes Tat protein, promotes Tat-dependent transcriptional regulation, and may be explored for HIV-targeted transcriptional inhibition.
A comprehensive analysis of electron emission from a-Si:H/Al2O3 at low energies
Authors: Löffler Janina , Belhaj Mohamed , Bundaleski Nenad , Diaz Leon Juan J , Thomet Jonathan , Frey Samira , Ballif Christophe , Wyrsch Nicolas
Published: December 2022

Recently developed microchannel plates (MCPs) based on amorphous silicon offer potential advantages with respect to glass based ones. In this context, secondary electron emission (SEE) at very low energies below 100 eV has been studied for relevant materials for these novel devices. The aim of this work was to quantify the low energy electron emission—secondary emission and elastic scattering—from amorphous silicon and alumina and the dependence of the emission energy distribution on the primary electron energy, which was previously unknown. Secondary emission and energy distribution were both modelled and measured using equipment particularly designed for this energy range. The effects of roughness, angle of incidence and surface composition were analysed. We show crossover energies as well as the angular dependence of electron emission from amorphous silicon and alumina, with a maximum experimental emission yield value of 2 and 2.8, respectively, at an incident angle of 75∘. A parameterization for the energy dependence of the emission energy spectrum at low energies was derived. This extensive analysis is fundamental for a comprehensive understanding of the performance of amorphous silicon-based MCP detectors. It provides a complete model for SEE for a detailed description of the detector operation. The present results thus set the basis for a simulation framework, which is an essential element to increase the performance of these detectors and enable further developments.
Flexible temperature sensors based on two-dimensional materials for wearable devices
Authors: Lim Soomook , Suk Ji Won
Published: December 2022

Among the various functionalities of flexible devices, the sensing of temperature is an important task that is commonly required in wearable devices. As atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) materials have outstanding physical and chemical properties and extreme flexibility, those are good candidates for sensing materials for flexible temperature sensors. This review discusses the development trends in flexible temperature sensors using 2D materials, including graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, MXene, and black phosphorus. The basic principles and material properties of the temperature sensors are summarized in this review. The sensing performances of the flexible temperature sensors for wearable applications are summarized and discussed.
Hoop compression driven instabilities in spontaneously formed multilayer graphene blisters over a polymeric substrate
Authors: Pandey Mukesh , Ahuja Rajeev , Kumar Rakesh
Published: December 2022

The blistering of elastic membranes is prone to elastic-solid as well as substrate-based mechanical instabilities. The solid-based instabilities have been well-explored in the mechanically indented blisters of elastic membranes over the rigid/solid substrates, but an integrated study illustrating the underlying mechanism for the onset of solid as well as substrate-based instabilities in the spontaneous blistering of a 2D material is still lacking in the literature. In this article, an extensive experimental as well as analytical analysis of the spontaneous blister-formation in the multilayer graphene (MLG) flakes over a polymeric substrate is reported, which elucidates the involved mechanism and the governing parameters behind the development of elastic-solid as well as viscoelastic-substrate based instabilities. Herein, a ‘blister-collapse model’ is proposed, which infers that the suppression of the hoop compression, resulting from the phase-transition of the confined matter, plays a crucial role in the development of the instabilities. The ratio of blister-height to flake-thickness is a direct consequence of the taper-angle of the MLG blister and the thickness-dependent elasticity of the upper-bounding MLG flake, which shows a significant impact on the growth-dynamics of the viscous fingering pattern (viscoelastic-substrate based instability) under the MLG blister.
Crystal phase engineering of nanoflower-like hollow MoSe2 boosting polysulfide conversion for lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Duan Ruixian , Li Xifei , Cao Guiqiang , Chen Liping , Li Jun , Jiang Qinting , Cao Yanyan , Wang Jingjing , Li Wenbin
Published: December 2022

The battery performance of sulfur cathode has obviously depended on the redox reaction kinetics of polysulfides upon cycling. Herein, an effective strategy was proposed to achieve the conversion from 2H (semiconductor phase) to 1T (metal phase) in hollow nano-flowered molybdenum selenide sphere (HFSMS) through crystal phase engineering. The HFSMS with different phase ratio was realized by regulating the proportion of reducing agents. Specifically, the 1T phase content can reach up to 60.8%, and then subsequently decreased to 59.1% with the further increase of the reducing agent. The as-prepared HFSMS with the 1T phase content of 60.8% showed a smallest Tafel slopes (49.99 and 79.65 mV/dec in reduction and oxidation process, respectively), fastest response time and highest response current (520 s, 0.459 mA in Li2S deposition test), which further exhibited excellent catalytic activity and faster reaction kinetics. This result was verified by electrochemical performance, which manifested as stable cycle life with only 0.112% capacity decay per cycle. It was found that the hollow structure can ensures a rich sulfur storage space, and effectually buffer the volume changes of the active substance. More importantly, the improved performance is attributed to the introduction of the 1T phase, which significantly improves the catalytic activity of MoSe2 with promoting the polysulfide conversion.
Strategy for automatic ultrasound (US) probe positioning in robot-assisted ultrasound guided radiation therapy
Authors: Seitz Peter Karl , Karger Christian P , Bendl Rolf , Schwahofer Andrea
Published: December 2022

Objective. As part of image-guided radiotherapy, ultrasound-guided radiotherapy is currently already in use and under investigation for robot assisted systems Ipsen 2021. It promises a real-time tumor localization during irradiation (intrafractional) without extra dose. The ultrasound probe is held and guided by a robot. However, there is a lack of basic safety mechanisms and interaction strategies to enable a safe clinical procedure. In this study we investigate potential positioning strategies with safety mechanisms for a safe robot-human-interaction. Approach. A compact setup of ultrasound device, lightweight robot, tracking camera, force sensor and control computer were integrated in a software application to represent a potential USgRT setup. For the realization of a clinical procedure, positioning strategies for the ultrasound head with the help of the robot were developed, implemented, and tested. In addition, basic safety mechanisms for the robot have been implemented, using the integrated force sensor, and have been tested by intentional collisions. Main results. Various positioning methods from manual guidance to completely automated procedures were tested. Robot-guided methods achieved higher positioning accuracy and were faster in execution compared to conventional hand-guided methods. The developed safety mechanisms worked as intended and the detected collision force were below 20 N. Significance. The study demonstrates the feasibility of a new approach for safe robotic ultrasound imaging, with a focus on abdominal usage (liver, prostate, kidney). The safety measures applied here can be extended to other human-robot interactions and present the basic for further studies in medical applications.
Dual-energy CT evaluation of 3D printed materials for radiotherapy applications
Authors: Fonseca Gabriel P , Rezaeifar Behzad , Lackner Niklas , Haanen Britt , Reniers Brigitte , Verhaegen Frank
Published: December 2022

Objective. There is a continuous increase in 3D printing applications in several fields including medical imaging and radiotherapy. Although there are numerous advantages of using 3D printing for the development of customized phantoms, bolus, quality assurance devices and other clinical applications, material properties are not well known and printer settings can affect considerably the properties (e.g. density, isotropy and homogeneity) of the printed parts. This study aims to evaluate several materials and printer properties to identify a range of tissue-mimicking materials. Approach. Dual-energy CT was used to obtain the effective atomic number (Z
eff) and relative electron density (RED) for thirty-one different materials including different colours of the same filament from the same manufacturer and the same type of filament from different manufacturers. In addition, a custom bone equivalent filament was developed and evaluated since a high-density filament with a composition similar to bone is not commercially available. Printing settings such as infill density, infill pattern, layer height and nozzle size were also evaluated. Main results. Large differences were observed for HU (288), RED (>10%) and Z
eff (>50%) for different colours of the same filament due to the colour pigment. Results show a wide HU variation (−714 to 1104), RED (0.277 to 1.480) and Z
eff (5.22 to 12.39) between the printed samples with some materials being comparable to commercial tissue-mimicking materials and good substitutes to a range of materials from lung to bone. Printer settings can result in directional dependency and significantly affect the homogeneity of the samples. Significance. The use of DECT to extract RED, and Z
eff allows for quantitative imaging and dosimetry using 3D printed materials equivalent to certified tissue-mimicking tissues.
Optimality of T-gate for generating magic resource
Authors: Li Xiaohui , Luo Shunlong
Published: December 2022

In the stabilizer formalism of fault-tolerant quantum computation, stabilizer states serve as classical objects, while magic states (non-stabilizer states) are a kind of quantum resource (called magic resource) for promoting stabilizer circuits to universal quantum computation. In this framework, the T-gate is widely used as a non-Clifford gate which generates magic resource from stabilizer states. A natural question arises as whether the T-gate is in some sense optimal for generating magic resource. We address this issue by employing an intuitive and computable quantifier of magic based on characteristic functions (Weyl transforms) of quantum states. We demonstrate that the qubit T-gate, as well as its qutrit extension, the qutrit T-gate, are indeed optimal for generating magic resource among the class of diagonal unitary operators. Moreover, up to Clifford equivalence, the T-gate is essentially the only gate having such an optimal property. This reveals some intrinsic optimal features of the T-gate. We further compare the T-gate with general unitary gates for generating magic resource.
Local density of optical states calculated by the mode spectrum in stratified media
Authors: Fu Ting , Chen Jingxuan , Wang Xueyou , Dai Yingqiu , Zhou Xuyan , Wang Yufei , Wang Mingjin , Zheng Wanhua
Published: December 2022

The local density of optical states (LDOS) is an important physical concept, which can characterize the spontaneous emission of microcavities. In order to calculate the LDOS, the relationship between the mode spectrum and the LDOS is established. Then, based on the transfer matrix method and the effective resonator model, the leaky loss of the leaky mode and the mode spectrum in the one-dimensional photonic bandgap crystal waveguide are calculated, results of which indicate that the mode spectrum can characterize the leaky loss of the leaky mode. At last, the density of optical states (DOS), and the LDOS in each layer are calculated. The partial DOS and the partial LDOS in the quantum well, related to the fundamental leaky mode, can be used to find out the optimal location of the quantum well in the defect layer to couple more useful photons into the lasing mode for lasers.
Chiral symmetry restoration and properties of Goldstone bosons at finite temperature*
Authors: Xu Yin-Zhen , Qin Si-Xue , Zong Hong-Shi
Published: December 2022

We study chiral symmetry restoration by analyzing thermal properties of QCD's(pseudo-) Goldstone bosons, especially the pion. The meson properties are obtained from the spectral densities of mesonic imaginary-time correlation functions. To obtain the correlation functions, we solve the Dyson-Schwinger equations and the inhomogeneous Bethe-Salpeter equations in the leading symmetry-preserving rainbow-ladder approximation. In chiral limit, the pion and its partner sigma degenerate at the critical temperature

. At

, it was found that the pion rapidly dissociates, which signals deconfinement phase transition. Beyond the chiral limit, the pion dissociation temperature can be used to define the pseudo-critical temperature of the chiral phase crossover, which is consistent with that obtained by the maximum point of chiral susceptibility. A parallel analysis for kaon and pseudoscalar

suggests that heavy mesons may survive above

.
The effect of impurity seeding into the closed divertor on plasma detachment in the HL-2A tokamak
Authors: Gao J.M. , Cai L.Z. , Cao C.Z. , Ma H.C. , Ke R. , Wu N. , Hu Y. , Gao X.Y. , Cui C.H. , Huang Z.H. , Nie L. , Liu L. , Yang Z.C. , Yu X. , Li Y.G. , Jiang M. , Xue G.Q. , Zhong W.L. , Wu T. , Shi Z.B. , Yan L.W. , Ji X.Q. , Xu M.
Published: December 2022

Recent progress towards an increased understanding of detached divertor physics has been made with the highly closed divertor geometry in HL-2A. Non-intrinsic impurities were injected into the outer divertor chamber, and increased divertor neutral pressure and enhanced volumetric energy loss in the divertor were observed. Meanwhile the neutral pressure in the main chamber decreased slightly, and neutral compression between the divertor and main chamber increased greatly. This led to divertor detachment with a low upstream plasma line-averaged electron density (

∼
0.5

n

GW

). In the H-mode, slight degradation of the core confinement, characterized by a decrease in plasma stored energy and pedestal pressure and an increase in edge-localized mode frequency, was observed, but the H-mode was still sustained well with H98 > 1. Pedestal density fluctuation was increased during detachment, implying that the enhanced pedestal transport might be responsible for the degradation. During the divertor detachment phase, the impurities were well controlled in the divertor without strong radiation near the X-point region, and the main plasma density did not increase but decreased slightly; this could be a benefit of the highly closed divertor geometry. The experimental results suggest that a closed divertor geometry has the advantages of volumetric energy loss, gas pumping and impurity control in the divertor without significant effects on the plasma confinement, thus giving a wider operating window for divertor detachment.
Feasibility study of post-harvest handling of betel nut using a self-developed betel nut cutting machine
Authors: Bulan R , Noviasari S , Abrar M , Siregar K , Wardhana M Y , Yana R , Laryea D , Isma L , Sitorus A
Published: December 2022

The betelnut is one of the main products of community agriculture in Aceh province, Indonesia. There are several post-harvest stages to get dried betel nuts ready for sale, including threshing the betel nut from the bunch, cutting the fresh betel nut fruits, drying, and separating the betel nut from the husk. Every post-harvest handling applied to agricultural machinery will generate production costs. Therefore, this article focuses on highlighting the costs generated by post-harvest handling of betelnut (moisture content of 34.68 to 50.54%) in the cutting of the fresh betelnut fruit process using a betelnut cutting machine. The method used in this research is a technoeconomic analysis using a betel nut cutting machine with a capacity of 11.25 to 43.67 kg/hr. The result shows that the fixed cost of operating this machine is 3,276,000 IDR/year and the variable cost for one to three operators is 14,426.5 to 34,426.5 IDR/hr. The economic feasibility study of using this machine is determined by the break-even point parameter, which leads to the use of the machine for the water content of the split betel nut of 50.54% with the number of operators one person will provide the selling price of the betel nut after splitting in the range of 400 IDR/kg. The use of the sale price of the betel nut is split and will provide break-even points in about 1077 hours or about 5.39 months. This indicates that post-harvest handling of the betel nut cutting machine still makes sense, considering that the selling price of dried betel nut at the community level is still much higher than this cost. Furthermore, this study suggests the establishment of a community cooperative to streamline the operating costs of the machinery from the post-harvest handling of betel nuts.
Analysis of pH parameters and color of palm sap since tapping
Authors: Ansar  , Nazaruddin  , Dewi Azis Atri
Published: December 2022

The palm trees as non-timber forest plants have long been cultivated by farmers in Indonesia. This plant produces sap which can be released through the tapping process. This palm sap is very easy to decrease in quality since tapping. The indicators of the quality of palm sap that are commonly used are pH (pouvoir Hydrogene) and color. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze of pH parameter and color of palm sap since tapping. The sample was obtained from market traditional in Mataram, Lombok Island, NTB who were tapped in the afternoon. The research parameters observed were pH and color. Research samples were stored at various temperatures of 15, 30, and 45 °C. Observations were made every 2 hours up to 10 hours of storage. The results showed that after 10 hours of storage, the pH level changed from 7.0 to 2.6 at 45 °C; 4.8 at 30 °C; and 6.6 at 15 °C. Samples stored at 15 °C had the lowest decrease in pH quality compared to 30 and 45 °C. The higher the storage temperature, the greater the decrease in pH. Along with the decrease in pH, the values of color also decreased significantly.