bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In-plane surface phonon-polariton thermal conduction in dielectric multilayer systems
Authors: Tachikawa S. , Ordonez-Miranda J. , Wu Y. , Jalabert L. , Anufriev R. , Volz S. , Nomura M.
Published: November 2022

Nanoscale heat conduction is limited by surface scattering of phonons but can be enhanced by surface phonon-polaritons (SPhPs), which are the hybridization of photons and optical phonons in polar materials. Here, we analyze the dispersion of SPhPs in a multilayer system consisting of a silicon (Si) layer sandwiched between two silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanolayers. We find that SPhPs generated in SiO2 nanolayers couple with guided resonant modes and propagate mainly in the nonabsorbent Si layer for microscale Si thicknesses. This coupling yields an enhancement in thermal conductivity with Si thickness. In contrast, for nanoscale Si thicknesses, evanescent components of SPhPs couple inside the Si layer, resulting in a higher thermal conductivity for thinner Si layers. The transition between these two different coupling phenomena provides the minimum of the in-plane SPhP thermal conductivity at a Si thickness of approximately 1 μm. Our finding brings deeper insight into thermal management in electronics and semiconductors.
Sensorless variable impedance compliant control for human–robot interaction
Authors: Liu Xia , Wu Jianguo , Wang Lu
Published: November 2022

In order to improve compliance in human–robot interaction, a sensorless variable impedance control method is proposed. Variable impedance control is constructed using the end-effector velocity and the human–robot interaction force. Then, the impedance parameters are adjusted online to make the end-effector velocity more compliant with human behavior. Next, a velocity controller is designed to stabilize the end-effector velocity, and a compensation force is designed to avoid the measurement of the interaction force. Based on the velocity controller and the compensation force, an integrated controller is constructed to achieve stable end-effector velocity while compensating the interaction force online. The Lyapunov theory proves that with the sensorless variable impedance control, the system is stable, and the velocity tracking is bounded; simulation results demonstrate its feasibility. The sensorless variable impedance control can achieve more stable velocity and better compliance in human–robot interaction.
Architected frames for elastic wave attenuation: Experimental validation and local tuning via affine transformation
Authors: Aguzzi Giulia , Thomsen Henrik R. , Hejazi Nooghabi Aida , Wiltshaw Richard , Craster Richard V. , Chatzi Eleni N. , Colombi Andrea
Published: November 2022

We experimentally demonstrate the capability of architected plates, with a frame-like cellular structure, to inhibit the propagation of elastic flexural waves. By leveraging the octet topology as a unit cell to design the tested prototypes, a broad and easy-to-tune bandgap is experimentally generated. The experimental outcomes are supported by extensive numerical analyses based on 3D solid elements. Drawing from the underlying dynamic properties of the octet cell, we numerically propose a tailorable design with enhanced filtering capabilities. We transform the geometry of the original unit cell by applying a uniaxial scaling factor that, by breaking the in-plane symmetry of the structure, yields independently tuned struts and consequently multiple tunable bandgaps within the same cell. Our findings expand the spectrum of available numerical analyses on the octet lattice, taking it a significant step closer to its physical implementation. The ability of the octet lattice to control the propagation of flexural vibrations is significant within various applications in the mechanical and civil engineering domains, and we note such frame-like designs could lead to advancements in energy harvesting and vibration protection devices (e.g., lightweight and resonance-tunable absorbers).
Characterization of Nb films for superconducting qubits using phase boundary measurements
Authors: Ryan Kevin M. , Torres-Castanedo Carlos G. , Goronzy Dominic P. , Wetten David A. Garcia , Field Mark , Kopas Cameron J. , Marshall Jayss , Reagor Matthew J. , Bedzyk Michael J. , Hersam Mark C. , Chandrasekhar Venkat
Published: November 2022

Continued advances in superconducting qubit performance require more detailed understandings of the many sources of decoherence. Within these devices, two-level systems arise due to defects, interfaces, and grain boundaries and are thought to be a major source of qubit decoherence at millikelvin temperatures. In addition to Al, Nb is a commonly used metallization layer in superconducting qubits. Consequently, a significant effort is required to develop and qualify processes that mitigate defects in Nb films. As the fabrication of complete superconducting qubits and their characterization at millikelvin temperatures is a time and resource intensive process, it is desirable to have measurement tools that can rapidly characterize the properties of films and evaluate different treatments. Here, we show that measurements of the variation of the superconducting critical temperature Tc with an applied external magnetic field H (of the phase boundary Tc−H) performed with very high-resolution show features that are directly correlated with the structure of the Nb films. In combination with x-ray diffraction measurements, we show that one can even distinguish variations in the size and crystal orientation of the grains in a Nb film by small but reproducible changes in the measured superconducting phase boundary.
Long-term effect of sodium selenite on the integrity and permeability of on-chip microvasculature
Authors: Shaji Maneesha , Kitada Atsuya , Fujimoto Kazuya , Karsten Stanislav L. , Yokokawa Ryuji
Published: November 2022

Development of the robust and functionally stable three-dimensional (3D) microvasculature remains challenging. One often-overlooked factor is the presence of potential anti-angiogenic agents in culture media. Sodium selenite, an antioxidant commonly used in serum-free media, demonstrates strong anti-angiogenic properties and has been proposed as an anticancer drug. However, its long-term effects on in vitro microvascular systems at the concentrations used in culture media have not been studied. In this study, we used a five-channel microfluidic device to investigate the concentration and temporal effects of sodium selenite on the morphology and functionality of on-chip preformed microvasculature. We found that high concentrations (∼3.0 μM) had adverse effects on microvasculature perfusion, permeability, and overall integrity within the first few days. Moreover, even at low concentrations (∼3.0 nM), a long-term culture effect was observed, resulting in an increase in vascular permeability without any noticeable changes in morphology. A further analysis suggested that vessel leakage may be due to vascular endothelial growth factor dysregulation, disruption of intracellular junctions, or both. This study provides important insight into the adverse effects caused by the routinely present sodium selenite on 3D microvasculature in long-term studies for its application in disease modeling and drug screening.
Comparative study on high-voltage safety performance of LiNixMnyCozO2 cathode with different nickel contents
Authors: Gan Luyu , Chen Rusong , Yang Xinyi , Xu Xilin , Zan Mingwei , Li Quan , Wang Yingying , Su Dong , Yu Xiqian , Li Hong , Chen Liquan
Published: November 2022

In this article, systematic comparison of the safety performance of LiNixMnyCozO2 is made to find a balance among nickel content, energy density, and thermal stability. Three kinds of LiNixMnyCozO2 cathodes with different nickel contents are charged to different cut-off voltages from 4.2 to 4.6 V (vs Li+/Li) to obtain different energy densities, and their safety is evaluated through differential scanning calorimetry. Different characteristic temperatures are proposed to describe the cathode safety comprehensively and a relationship between energy density and thermal stability is established. It is found that cathode with lower nickel content (LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 and LiNi0.6 Mn0.2Co0.2O2) charging to high voltage exhibits better thermal stability compared to high nickel cathode (LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2) at a conventional voltage. Numerical simulation based on a lumped thermal model is also performed to predict the real thermal behaviors of batteries using different cathodes. The discussion of the impact of the cut-off voltage for NMC cathodes provides a new dimension to further improve the comprehensiveness of battery material safety database and a new viewpoint on the trade-off between cathode energy density and safety.
Directional control of absorptivity with quasi-localized guided modes
Authors: Ghanekar A. , Kapadia R. , Povinelli M. L.
Published: November 2022

We present a guided mode resonance grating that exhibits high-Q resonances with highly selective directional absorption around 3.7 μm. The grating is designed to create slow guided mode resonances with near-flat dispersion relation. Weakly coupled resonators enable such resonances with small dispersion characteristics. We study the dynamic control of directional absorption using the design presented. We show that weaker dispersion of resonance frequency allows a strong sensitivity concerning the directionality of resonance. Our results indicate that the directionality of absorption can be tuned from normal incidence (0°) to approximately 35° upon small index perturbation. The design presents a pathway toward tunable directional absorption and emission.
Magnetic field-induced nontrivial spin chirality and large topological Hall effect in kagome magnet ScMn6Sn6
Authors: Zhang Huai , Liu Can , Zhang Yajiu , Hou Zhipeng , Fu Xuewen , Zhang Xiaoming , Gao Xingsen , Liu Junming
Published: November 2022

RMn6Sn6 (R = rare earth element) kagome magnets have attracted much attention owing to their potential for realizing the emerging topological properties in both reciprocal and real spaces. One of the RMn6Sn6 members, ScMn6Sn6, is predicted to possess room temperature-stabilized chiral spin textures arising from frustrated exchange interactions, but further experimental evidence has not been well established yet. In this work, we fabricate high-quality ScMn6Sn6 single crystals and systematically study their magnetoelectric transport properties. A large topological Hall effect is observed within the temperature range from 100 to 320 K with the magnetic field applied along the parallel direction of the kagome plane. This observation suggests that the spin textures in ScMn6Sn6 have a nonzero scalar spin chirality over a wide temperature range. Our results identify ScMn6Sn6 as a promising member of the rare earth element kagome magnets that hosts chiral spin textures at room temperature.
Temperature and pressure dependent rate constants of the reactions of OH• with cyclopentene from variational TST and SS-QRRK methods
Authors: Monteiro João G. S. , Neves Douglas C. G. , Ventura Arthur C. P. G. , Lindgren Eric B. , Oliveira Gustavo N. , Fleming Felipe P. , dos Santos Anderson R. , Barbosa André G. H.
Published: November 2022

In this work, the pressure- and temperature-dependent reaction rate constants for the hydrogen abstraction and addition of hydroxyl radicals to the unsaturated cyclopentene were studied. Geometries and vibrational frequencies of reactants, products, and transition states were calculated using density functional theory, with single-point energy corrections determined at the domain-based local pair natural orbital-coupled-cluster single double triple/cc-pVTZ-F12 level. The high-pressure limit rate constants were calculated using the canonical variational transition state theory with the small-curvature tunneling approximation. The vibrational partition functions were corrected by the effects of torsional and ring-puckering anharmonicities of the transition states and cyclopentene, respectively. Variational effects are shown to be relevant for all the hydrogen abstraction reactions. The increasing of the rate constants by tunneling is significant at temperatures below 500 K. The pressure dependence on the rate constants of the addition of OH• to cyclopentene was calculated using the system-specific quantum Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel model. The high-pressure limit rate constants decrease with increasing temperature in the range 250–1000 K. The falloff behavior was studied at several temperatures with pressures varying between 10−3 and 103 bar. At temperatures below 500 K, the effect of the pressure on the addition rate constant is very modest. However, at temperatures around and above 1000 K, taking pressure into account is mandatory for an accurate rate constant calculation. Branching ratio analyses reveal that the addition reaction dominates at temperatures below 500 K, decreasing rapidly at higher temperatures. Arrhenius parameters are provided for all reactions and pressure dependent Arrhenius parameters are given for the addition of OH• to cyclopentene.
Intracellular simulated biophoton stimulation and transsynaptic signal transmission
Authors: Liu Na , Wang Zhuo , Dai Jiapei
Published: November 2022

The traditional theory holds that the information transmission between nerve cells includes electrical and chemical transmission; however, these known functional features do face some difficulties to explain the fast and efficient information processing and cognitive processes in the brain due to the existing functional limitations of neuronal networks, such as the dendritic and axonal propagation delays as well as the chemical synaptic transmission time delay that have been debated for a long time. We generated three kinds of ultraweak lasers, called as simulated biophotons, with different spectra and intensities to implement intracellular stimulation in a single nerve cell of the hippocampal areas in mouse brain slices combined with intracellular membrane potential recording and biophoton imaging techniques. We found that the simulated biophoton stimulation can lead to transsynaptic biophotonic activities and transmission in the ipsilateral and contralateral projection circuits in the hippocampus. The activity and transmission characteristics were related to the spectra and intensities of the simulated biophotons but not to the levels of membrane potentials before stimulation. These findings present specific characteristics of neural biophoton signal transmission, which may be involved in the mechanisms of processing, encoding, and storage of neural signals.
Mapping the spatial distribution of wetlands in Argentina (South America) from a fusion of national databases
Authors: Fabricante Irene , Minotti Priscilla , Kandus Patricia
Published: November 2022

Context There a large information gap on the spatial distribution and diversity of wetland types in South America. Aims We focus on mapping the spatial distribution of broad wetland types in Argentina, based on the integration of open spatial data sources developed by national government agencies. Methods We designed a two-tier process, as follows: we filtered broad wetland types described in the attributes of the spatial datasets and created a separate vector layer for each wetland class; we then ensembled the layers by populating a 25-m cell raster template. Key results Our WetCarto_AR layer indicates that wetlands cover 13.5% of mainland Argentina, being distributed throughout the country with a greater concentration towards the north-east, but patchy in the rest of the country. Palustrine is the dominant wetlands class followed by Riparian and Lacustrine. Global datasets underestimated wetland coverage, although the same large wetlands are recognised in all. Conclusions Our results make visible the known spatial extent of wetlands in Argentina and provide information to feed or validate global models. Implications Results stress the importance of existing local databases, which, even when generated for other purposes, can be a starting point for country or region wetland mapping.
ROP signaling regulates spatial pattern of cell division and specification of meristem notch
Authors: Rong Duoyan , Zhao Shuai , Tang Wenxin , Luo Nan , He Hai , Wang Zhuqing , Ma Huimin , Huang Yimei , Yao Xiaoxun , Pan Xue , Lv Lin , Xiao Jiajing , Liu Renyi , Nagawa Shingo , Yamamuro Chizuko
Published: November 2022

The formation of cell polarity is essential for many developmental processes such as polar cell growth and spatial patterning of cell division. A plant-specific ROP (
R
h
o
-like GTPases from
P
lants) subfamily of conserved Rho GTPase plays a crucial role in the regulation of cell polarity. However, the functional study of ROPs in angiosperm is challenging because of their functional redundancy. The
Marchantia polymorpha
genome encodes a single
ROP
gene, Mp
ROP
, providing an excellent genetic system to study ROP-dependent signaling pathways. Mp
rop
knockout mutants exhibited rhizoid growth defects, and MpROP was localized at the tip of elongating rhizoids, establishing a role for MpROP in the control of polar cell growth and its functional conservation in plants. Furthermore, the Mp
rop
knockout mutant showed defects in the formation of meristem notches associated with disorganized cell division patterns. These results reveal a critical function of Mp
ROP
in the regulation of plant development. Interestingly, these phenotypes were complemented not only by Mp
ROP
but also
Arabidopsis
At
ROP2
, supporting the conservation of ROP’s function among land plants. Our results demonstrate a great potential for
M. polymorpha
as a powerful genetic system for functional and mechanistic elucidation of ROP signaling pathways during plant development.
Are general circulation models obsolete?
Authors: Balaji V. , Couvreux Fleur , Deshayes Julie , Gautrais Jacques , Hourdin Frédéric , Rio Catherine
Published: November 2022

Traditional general circulation models, or GCMs—that is, three-dimensional dynamical models with unresolved terms represented in equations with tunable parameters—have been a mainstay of climate research for several decades, and some of the pioneering studies have recently been recognized by a Nobel prize in Physics. Yet, there is considerable debate around their continuing role in the future. Frequently mentioned as limitations of GCMs are the structural error and uncertainty across models with different representations of unresolved scales and the fact that the models are tuned to reproduce certain aspects of the observed Earth. We consider these shortcomings in the context of a future generation of models that may address these issues through substantially higher resolution and detail, or through the use of machine learning techniques to match them better to observations, theory, and process models. It is our contention that calibration, far from being a weakness of models, is an essential element in the simulation of complex systems, and contributes to our understanding of their inner workings. Models can be calibrated to reveal both fine-scale detail and the global response to external perturbations. New methods enable us to articulate and improve the connections between the different levels of abstract representation of climate processes, and our understanding resides in an entire hierarchy of models where GCMs will continue to play a central role for the foreseeable future.
A framing effect in the judgment of discrimination
Authors: Hsee Christopher K. , Li Xilin
Published: November 2022

Discrimination is not only an objective fact but also a subjective judgment. While extensive research has studied discrimination as an objective fact, we study the judgment of discrimination and show that it is malleable while holding objective discrimination constant. We focus on a common situation in real life: the constituent groups in a candidate pool are unequal (e.g., fewer female candidates than male candidates for tech jobs), and observers (e.g., the public) see only one side of the decision outcome (e.g., only the hired applicants, not the rejected ones). Ten experiments reveal a framing effect: people judge the decision-maker (e.g., the tech firm) as more discriminatory against the minority in the candidate pool if people see the composition of the
accepted
candidates than if they see the composition of the rejected candidates, even though the information in the two frames is equivalent (i.e., knowing the information in one frame is sufficient to infer the information in the other). The framing effect occurs regardless of whether the decision-maker is objectively discriminatory, replicates across diverse samples (Americans, Asians, and Europeans) and types of discrimination (e.g., gender, race, political orientation), and has significant behavioral consequences. We theorize and show that the framing effect arises because, when judging discrimination, people overlook information that they could infer but is not explicitly given, and they expect equality in the composition of the constituent groups in their given frame. This research highlights the fallibility of judged discrimination and suggests interventions to reduce biases and increase accuracy.
Declarative referential gesturing in a wild chimpanzee (
Pan troglodytes
)
Authors: Wilke Claudia , Lahiff Nicole J. , Sabbi Kris H. , Watts David P. , Townsend Simon W. , Slocombe Katie E.
Published: November 2022

Humans are argued to be unique in their ability and motivation to share attention with others about external entities—sharing attention for sharing’s sake. Indeed, in humans, using referential gestures declaratively to direct the attention of others toward external objects and events emerges in the first year of life. In contrast, wild great apes seldom use referential gestures, and when they do, it seems to be exclusively for imperative purposes. This apparent species difference has fueled the argument that the motivation and ability to share attention with others is a human-specific trait with important downstream consequences for the evolution of our complex cognition [M. Tomasello,
Becoming Human
(2019)]. Here, we report evidence of a wild ape showing a conspecific an item of interest. We provide video evidence of an adult female chimpanzee, Fiona, showing a leaf to her mother, Sutherland, in the context of leaf grooming in Kibale Forest, Uganda. We use a dataset of 84 similar leaf-grooming events to explore alternative explanations for the behavior, including food sharing and initiating dyadic grooming or playing. Our observations suggest that in highly specific social conditions, wild chimpanzees, like humans, may use referential showing gestures to direct others’ attention to objects simply for the sake of sharing. The difference between humans and our closest living relatives in this regard may be quantitative rather than qualitative, with ramifications for our understanding of the evolution of human social cognition.
Intrinsically disordered interaction network in an RNA chaperone revealed by native mass spectrometry
Authors: Sarni Samantha H. , Roca Jorjethe , Du Chen , Jia Mengxuan , Li Hantian , Damjanovic Ana , Małecka Ewelina M. , Wysocki Vicki H. , Woodson Sarah A.
Published: November 2022

RNA-binding proteins contain intrinsically disordered regions whose functions in RNA recognition are poorly understood. The RNA chaperone Hfq is a homohexamer that contains six flexible C-terminal domains (CTDs). The effect of the CTDs on Hfq’s integrity and RNA binding has been challenging to study because of their sequence identity and inherent disorder. We used native mass spectrometry coupled with surface-induced dissociation and molecular dynamics simulations to disentangle the arrangement of the CTDs and their impact on the stability of
Escherichia coli
Hfq with and without RNA. The results show that the CTDs stabilize the Hfq hexamer through multiple interactions with the core and between CTDs. RNA binding perturbs this network of CTD interactions, destabilizing the Hfq ring. This destabilization is partially compensated by binding of RNAs that contact multiple surfaces of Hfq. By contrast, binding of short RNAs that only contact one or two subunits results in net destabilization of the complex. Together, the results show that a network of intrinsically disordered interactions integrate RNA contacts with the six subunits of Hfq. We propose that this CTD network raises the selectivity of RNA binding.
Mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate promotes uterine leiomyoma cell survival through tryptophan-kynurenine-AHR pathway activation
Authors: Iizuka Takashi , Yin Ping , Zuberi Azna , Kujawa Stacy , Coon John S. , Björvang Richelle D. , Damdimopoulou Pauliina , Pacyga Diana C. , Strakovsky Rita S. , Flaws Jodi A. , Bulun Serdar E.
Published: November 2022

Uterine leiomyoma is the most common tumor in women and causes severe morbidity in 15 to 30% of reproductive-age women. Epidemiological studies consistently indicate a correlation between leiomyoma development and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemical phthalates, especially di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP); however, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, among the most commonly encountered phthalate metabolites, we found the strongest association between the urine levels of mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), the principal DEHP metabolite, and the risk of uterine leiomyoma diagnosis (
n
= 712 patients). The treatment of primary leiomyoma and smooth muscle cells (
n
= 29) with various mixtures of phthalate metabolites, at concentrations equivalent to those detected in urine samples, significantly increased cell viability and decreased apoptosis. MEHHP had the strongest effects on both cell viability and apoptosis. MEHHP increased cellular tryptophan and kynurenine levels strikingly and induced the expression of the tryptophan transporters SLC7A5 and SLC7A8, as well as, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2), the key enzyme catalyzing the conversion of tryptophan to kynurenine that is the endogenous ligand of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). MEHHP stimulated nuclear localization of AHR and up-regulated the expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, two prototype targets of AHR. siRNA knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of SLC7A5/SLC7A8, TDO2, or AHR abolished MEHHP-mediated effects on leiomyoma cell survival. These findings indicate that MEHHP promotes leiomyoma cell survival by activating the tryptophan-kynurenine-AHR pathway. This study pinpoints MEHHP exposure as a high-risk factor for leiomyoma growth, uncovers a mechanism by which exposure to environmental phthalate impacts leiomyoma pathogenesis, and may lead to the development of novel druggable targets.
Global expansion of sustainable irrigation limited by water storage
Authors: Schmitt Rafael J. P. , Rosa Lorenzo , Daily Gretchen C.
Published: November 2022

Providing affordable and nutritious food to a growing and increasingly affluent global population requires multifaceted approaches to target supply and demand aspects. On the supply side, expanding irrigation is key to increase future food production, yet associated needs for storing water and implications of providing that water storage, remain unknown. Here, we quantify biophysical potentials for storage-fed sustainable irrigation—irrigation that neither depletes freshwater resources nor expands croplands but requires water to be stored before use—and study implications for food security and infrastructure. We find that water storage is crucial for future food systems because 460 km
3
/yr of sustainable blue water, enough to grow food for 1.15 billion people, can only be used for irrigation after storage. Even if all identified future dams were to contribute water to irrigation, water stored in dammed reservoirs could only supply 209 ± 50 km
3
/yr to irrigation and grow food for 631 ± 145 million people. In the face of this gap and the major socioecologic externalities from future dams, our results highlight limits of gray infrastructure for future irrigation and urge to increase irrigation efficiency, change to less water-intensive cropping systems, and deploy alternative storage solutions at scale.
Bioremediation of mercury-polluted soil and water by the plant symbiotic fungus
Metarhizium robertsii
Authors: Wu Congcong , Tang Dan , Dai Jin , Tang Xingyuan , Bao Yuting , Ning Jiali , Zhen Qing , Song Hui , St. Leger Raymond J. , Fang Weiguo
Published: November 2022

Fungi are central to every terrestrial and many aquatic ecosystems, but the mechanisms underlying fungal tolerance to mercury, a global pollutant, remain unknown. Here, we show that the plant symbiotic fungus
Metarhizium robertsii
degrades methylmercury and reduces divalent mercury, decreasing mercury accumulation in plants and greatly increasing their growth in contaminated soils.
M. robertsii
does this by demethylating methylmercury via a methylmercury demethylase (MMD) and using a mercury ion reductase (MIR) to reduce divalent mercury to volatile elemental mercury.
M. robertsii
can also remove methylmercury and divalent mercury from fresh and sea water even in the absence of added nutrients. Overexpression of MMD and MIR significantly improved the ability of
M. robertsii
to bioremediate soil and water contaminated with methylmercury and divalent mercury. MIR homologs, and thereby divalent mercury tolerance, are widespread in fungi. In contrast, MMD homologs were patchily distributed among the few plant associates and soil fungi that were also able to demethylate methylmercury. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that fungi could have acquired methylmercury demethylase genes from bacteria via two independent horizontal gene transfer events. Heterologous expression of MMD in fungi that lack MMD homologs enabled them to demethylate methylmercury. Our work reveals the mechanisms underlying mercury tolerance in fungi, and may provide a cheap and environmentally friendly means of cleaning up mercury pollution.
Calculation of centralities in protein kinase A
Authors: Kornev Alexandr P. , Aoto Phillip C. , Taylor Susan S.
Published: November 2022

Topological analysis of protein residue networks (PRNs) is a common method that can help to understand the roles of individual residues. Here, we used protein kinase A as a study object and asked what already known functionally important residues can be detected by network analysis. Along several traditional approaches to weight edges in PRNs we used local spatial pattern (LSP) alignment that assigns high weights to edges only if CαCβ vectors for the corresponding residues retain their mutual positions and orientation. Our results show that even short molecular dynamic simulations of 10 to 20 ns can give convergent values for betweenness and degree centralities calculated from the LSP-based PRNs. Using these centralities, we were able to clearly distinguish a group of residues that are highly conserved in protein kinases and play important functional and regulatory roles. In comparison, traditional methods based on cross-correlation and linear mutual information were much less efficient for this particular task. These results call for reevaluation of the current methods to generate PRNs.
“If you can’t see the pattern here, there’s something wrong”
Authors: Mason Jessica
Published: November 2022

This chapter will adopt a data-driven, cognitive stylistic approach, exploring ‘false flag’ conspiracy theories about mass shootings, specifically the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, which claimed the lives of twenty children and six adults. ‘False flags’ are a sub-type of conspiracy theory where it is believed that, “one group commits an attack and blames it on a rival group or a fictitious group of its invention” (Kearns, Conlon, & Young, 2014, p. 46). Situated against a background of research in psychology examining the characteristics and behaviours of both conspiracy manufacturers and supporters (for example, Douglas et al. 2017; Wood et al. 2012), the chapter will use two concepts from cognitive stylistics – figure-ground, which explores the positioning of attention (Emmott and Alexander 2014; Stockwell 2009, 2020) and schema theory, which focuses on prior knowledge. Building on a previous study by the author (Mason 2019b), the chapter will explore how factually flawed false flag accounts are constructed as persuasive and credible. The research will use a triangulated design to examine stylistic patterns of discourse of both conspiracy manufacturers and supporters, through close analysis of video transcripts and viewer comments from three videos concerning Sandy Hook released on YouTube.
COVID-19 conspiracy theories as affective discourse
Authors: Lee Carmen
Published: November 2022

This chapter analyzes online reactive comments to news reports on COVID-19 conspiracy theories, with a focus on hate speech on the origin(s) of the coronavirus. Largely mediated by feelings and ‘polarized emotionality’ (Boler and Davis 2018), COVID-origin conspiracy theories mobilize distinct affective publics online: commenters include supporters of China-origin theories and US-origin theories, and non-believers of conspiracy theories respectively. Informed by the theoretical framework of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this study explores (i) the emotion-triggering discursive strategies surrounding COVID-origin conspiracy theories and (ii) the linguistic devices that realize these strategies. The analysis is based on 849 reactive comments to five Hong Kong-based COVID-origin news reports posted on Facebook. The study has found that such reactive comments to COVID-origin conspiracy theories share similar discourse strategies with those identified in the literature of discriminatory discourse and (covert) hate speech. Both believers and non-believers of conspiracy theories tap into the topoi of danger and threats, and strategically employ referentials, scare tactics, quasi-fallacious argumentations, and intensification/mitigation to legitimize their ideological stances. These strategies stir up negative emotions channeled through COVID-origin conspiracy theories. This chapter reveals the intricate relationship of conspiracy theories, affect, and hate speech in mediatized society.
The ID2020 conspiracy theory in YouTube video comments during COVID-19
Authors: Inwood Olivia , Zappavigna Michele
Published: November 2022

This chapter explores a dataset of YouTube video comments about the ‘ID2020’ conspiracy theory, which claims that Bill Gates is part of a global conspiracy to mandate a COVID-19 vaccine incorporating a tracking microchip. This conspiracy theory merges religious discourses about the ‘Mark of the Beast’, with discourses about quantum dot and blockchain technologies. The chapter aims to understand the kinds of values that are negotiated by users who interact with ID2020 conspiracy videos by posting in YouTube comment sections. The appraisal and communing affiliation frameworks developed within Systemic Functional Linguistics are used to investigate evaluative language and social bonding in the dataset. The results reveal distinct textual personae bonding around positions such as anti-globalism, anti-technology, political scepticism, and anti-vaccination.
Research trends in corpus linguistics
Authors: Crosthwaite Peter , Ningrum Sulistya , Schweinberger Martin
Published: November 2022

This paper uses a bibliometric analysis to map the field of Corpus Linguistics (CL) research in arts and
humanities over the last 20 years, tracking changes in popular CL research topics, outlets, highly cited authors, and geographical
origins based on the metadata of 5,829 CL-related articles from 429 Scopus-indexed journals. Results reveal an increase in
corpus-assisted discourse studies, lexical bundles and academic writing, alongside newer topics including multilingualism and
social media. CL studies span 193 languages/dialects with a significant rise in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and Italian CL research
over the past decade. Clusters of highly cited CL researchers are identified spanning (inter)disciplinary research areas. An
increase of CL researchers in China, Poland, South Korea, Japan, and more is evidence of the now global reach of CL research.
These findings mirror diachronic socio-cultural developments in applied linguistics and society more generally and provide
insights into what CL research might come next.
Carbide evolution for a quenched and tempered Dievar steel
Authors: Xie Yixin , Si Shanshan , Ju Yulin , Luo Rui , Zhou Lei , Cheng Xiaonong
Published: November 2022

Carbide precipitation, coarsening and hardness variations have been investigated for a quenched and tempered Dievar steel by SEM, TEM, STEM, HRTEM, XRD and Rockwell hardness testing. The carbide precipitation sequence has been ascertained as: M8C7 + bainitic/auto-tempered carbides → M8C7 + M2C + M7C3 → M8C7+ M7C3 +M23C6 → M8C7 + M7C3 + M23C6 + M6C. Boundary carbides coarsen obviously faster than matrix ones. Hardness variations originating from the carbide evolution have been qualified. A fine-dispersion of M2C carbides leads to a high hardness tempered at 550°C, whereas the hardness drops drastically for tempering at 600/650°C predominately due to the dissolution of unstable M2C and the coarsening of carbides.
Work fluctuations for diffusion dynamics submitted to stochastic return
Authors: Gupta Deepak , Plata Carlos A
Published: November 2022

Returning a system to a desired state under a force field involves a thermodynamic cost, i.e. work. This cost fluctuates for a small-scale system from one experimental realization to another. We introduce a general framework to determine the work distribution for returning a system facilitated by a confining potential with its minimum at the restart location. The general strategy, based on average over resetting pathways, constitutes a robust method to gain access to the statistical information of observables from resetting systems. We exploit paradigmatic setups, where explicit computations are attainable, to illustrate the theory. Numerical simulations validate our theoretical predictions. For some of these examples, a non-trivial behavior of the work fluctuations opens a door to optimization problems. Specifically, work fluctuations can be minimized by an appropriate tuning of the return rate.
Wavelength-variable low-noise all-solid-state yellow-green laser based on BP-frequency selection and BC-filtering
Authors: Bai Yang , Chen Zhi-Han , Li Ben , Yang Shun-Yu , Liu Hui , Zhou Jing-Feng
Published: November 2022

A continuous wave (CW) Watt-level wavelength-variable low-noise all-solid-state yellow-green laser was developed by using the Brewster polarizer frequency selection and birefringent crystal filtering methods. The maximum CW output power of the yellow-green laser beams radiating at wavelengths of 556.32 nm, 558.36 nm and 561.63 nm was measured to be 2.922 W, 2.713 W and 2.514 W, respectively. When the CW output power was 2.5 W within 4 h, the power instability of the three yellow-green laser beams from the shortest wavelength to longest wavelength was ±0.55%, ±0.46%, and ±0.69%, respectively. Their corresponding laser noise was 0.65%, 0.48%, and 0.72%. To the best of our knowledge, the Watt-level wavelength-variable all-solid-state yellow-green laser with low noise proposed in this study is the first of its kind.
Optical delay lines in topological microring resonator array
Authors: Wu Shuang , Mo Wenqin , Jin Fang , Song Junlei , Dong Kaifeng , Hui Yajuan
Published: November 2022

We use a periodic microring resonator array (MRRA) to realize photonic topological insulator. By tuning the coupling of resonators, two topological edge states can be observed in different bands in the dispersive band, normalized transmission spectrum and light field distribution. From the dispersion band structure, we calculate the group velocity, group velocity dispersion, normalized delay bandwidth product and other delay properties. It is demonstrated that optical delay lines (ODLs) in topological MRRA not only can obtain a comparable delay times, but also show a flatter transmission spectrum and more stable delay time, compared with the traditional coupled resonator optical waveguide. Our work may provide a theoretical reference for the topological ODLs with robust transmission.
Overview of runaway current suppression and dissipation on J-TEXT tokamak
Authors: CHEN Zhongyong , LIN Zhifang , YAN Wei , HUANG Duwei , WEI Yunong , LI You , CAI Nianheng , HU Jie , DING Yonghua , LIANG Yunfeng , JIANG Zhonghe
Published: November 2022

The main works on disruption mitigation including suppression and mitigation of runaway current on the J-TEXT tokamak are summarized in this paper. Two strategies for the mitigation of runaway electron (RE) beams are applied in experiments. The first strategy enables the REs to be completely suppressed by means of supersonic molecular beam injection and resonant magnetic perturbation which can enhance RE loss, magnetic energy transfer which can reduce the electric field, and secondary massive gas injection (MGI) which can increase the collisional damping. For the second strategy, the runaway current is allowed to form but should be dissipated or soft landed within tolerance. It is observed that the runaway current can be significantly dissipated by MGI, and the dissipation rate increases with the injected impurity particle number and eventually stabilizes at 28 MA s−1. The dissipation rate of the runaway current can be up to 3 MA s−1 by ohmic field. Shattered pellet injection has been chosen as the main disruption mitigation method, which has the capability of injecting material deeper into the plasma for higher density assimilation when compared to MGI. Moreover, simulation works show that the RE seeds in the plasma are strongly influenced under different phases and sizes of 2/1 mode locked islands during thermal quench. The robust runaway suppression and runaway current dissipation provide an important insight on the disruption mitigation for future large tokamaks.
Liquid air energy storage technology: a comprehensive review of research, development and deployment
Authors: Liang Ting , Zhang Tongtong , Lin Xipeng , Alessio Tafone , Legrand Mathieu , He Xiufen , Kildahl Harriet , Lu Chang , Chen Haisheng , Romagnoli Alessandro , Wang Li , He Qing , Li Yongliang , Yang Lizhong , Ding Yulong
Published: November 2022

Liquid air energy storage (LAES) uses air as both the storage medium and working fluid, and it falls into the broad category of thermo-mechanical energy storage technologies. The LAES technology offers several advantages including high energy density and scalability, cost-competitiveness and non-geographical constraints, and hence has attracted a growing interest in recent years. As a result, several reviews have been published on the topic. However, these reviews covered little in the following aspects of LAES: dynamic simulation and optimisation, key components for LAES, LAES applications through integration, and unified economic and cost models for LAES. This article provides a comprehensive review on the LAES technology and fills the above gaps. Apart from applications in electrical grids such as peak-shaving, load shifting, and dealing with intermittency of renewable generation, the review also shows a diverse range of other LAES applications through integration, including waste heat and cold energy recovery and utilisation, multi-energy vector service provision, and sector coupling for chemical production and carbon capture. The review also leads to the recommendation of several areas for future research and development, including dynamic characteristics of whole LAES system integrated with renewables and end users; thermo-economic and dynamic optimization of stand-alone LAES and integrated systems; and experimental study on commercial systems.
Diabetes and hypertension are related to amyloid-beta burden in the population-based Rotterdam Study
Authors: van Arendonk Joyce , Neitzel Julia , Steketee Rebecca M E , van Assema Daniëlle M E , Vrooman Henri A , Segbers Marcel , Ikram M Arfan , Vernooij Meike W
Published: November 2022

Higher vascular disease burden increases the likelihood of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Better understanding the association between vascular risk factors and Alzheimer’s disease pathology at the predementia stage is critical for developing effective strategies to delay cognitive decline. In this work, we estimated the impact of six vascular risk factors on the presence and severity of in vivo measured brain amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques in participants from the population-based Rotterdam Study. Vascular risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity and smoking) were assessed 13 (2004–2008) and 7 years (2009–2014) prior to 18F-florbetaben PET (2018–2021) in 635 dementia-free participants. Vascular risk factors were associated with binary amyloid PET status or continuous PET readouts (standard uptake value ratios, SUVrs) using logistic and linear regression models, respectively, adjusted for age, sex, education, APOE4 risk allele count and time between vascular risk and PET assessment. Participants’ mean age at time of amyloid PET was 69 years (range: 60–90), 325 (51.2%) were women and 190 (29.9%) carried at least one APOE4 risk allele. The adjusted prevalence estimates of an amyloid-positive PET status markedly increased with age [12.8% (95% CI 11.6; 14) in 60–69 years versus 35% (36; 40.8) in 80–89 years age groups] and APOE4 allele count [9.7% (8.8; 10.6) in non-carriers versus 38.4% (36; 40.8) to 60.4% (54; 66.8) in carriers of one or two risk allele(s)]. Diabetes 7 years prior to PET assessment was associated with a higher risk of a positive amyloid status [odds ratio (95% CI) = 3.68 (1.76; 7.61), P < 0.001] and higher standard uptake value ratios, indicating more severe Aβ pathology [standardized beta = 0.40 (0.17; 0.64), P = 0.001]. Hypertension was associated with higher SUVr values in APOE4 carriers (mean SUVr difference of 0.09), but not in non-carriers (mean SUVr difference 0.02; P = 0.005). In contrast, hypercholesterolaemia was related to lower SUVr values in APOE4 carriers (mean SUVr difference −0.06), but not in non-carriers (mean SUVr difference 0.02). Obesity, physical inactivity and smoking were not related to amyloid PET measures. The current findings suggest a contribution of diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease in a general population of older non-demented adults. As these conditions respond well to lifestyle modification and drug treatment, further research should focus on the preventative effect of early risk management on the development of Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology.
Considerations in caseous calcification of the mitral annulus: a case report
Authors: Naser Jwan A , Hemu Mohamad R , Pellikka Patricia A
Published: November 2022

Background

Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus is an extremely rare variant of mitral annulus calcification occurring in <1% of cases. The degeneration of caseous masses could act as a source of embolic strokes and a nidus for infective endocarditis (IE).

Case summary

A man in his sixties presented with transient left arm weakness. His history was pertinent for bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement secondary to endocarditis and recent pneumococcal pneumonia complicated by empyema and bacteraemia. He was still on intravenous antibiotics when he presented. Evaluation including magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, transoesophageal echocardiography, and computed tomography (CT) of the chest revealed multifocal embolic strokes, degenerative bioprosthetic aortic valve dysfunction, mitral annular calcification with mobile calcific masses, and persistent empyema. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography–CT showed indeterminate activity across a portion of the posterior mitral leaflet and no activity on the bioprosthetic aortic valve. The patient was deemed high risk for surgery and was treated with 6-week course of antibiotics both for the empyema and the possible IE of the native mitral valve. Repeat echocardiography 40 days later showed stable mitral masses. At 4 months of follow up, the patient had no evidence of recurrent clinical strokes.

Discussion

Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus is a rare but an increasingly recognized predisposing factor for embolic strokes and IE. Treatment ideally involves surgical resection of the calcified masses in such cases.