bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frictional Stability of Metamorphic Epidote in Granitoid Faults Under Hydrothermal Conditions and Implications for Injection‐Induced Seismicity
Authors: An Mengke , Zhang Fengshou , Min Ki‐Bok , Elsworth Derek , He Changrong , Zhao Luanxiao
Published: March 2022

The presence of metamorphic epidote on faults has been implicated in the transition from stable to unstable slip and the nucleation of earthquakes. We present structured laboratory observations of mixed epidote and simulated Pohang granodiorite (analogous to the EGS‐enhanced geothermal system site) gouges to evaluate the impact of heterogeneity and contiguity of epidote‐patch structure on frictional instability. Experiments are at a confining pressure of 110 MPa, pore fluid pressures of 42–63 MPa, temperatures 100–250°C and epidote percentages of 0–100 vol.%. The simulated Pohang granodiorite gouge is frictionally strong (friction coefficient ∼0.71) but transits from velocity‐strengthening to velocity‐weakening at temperatures >150°C. This velocity‐weakening effect is amplified in approximate proportion to increasing epidote content. Modes of epidote precipitation likely control the size and contiguity of the epidote‐only patches and this in turn changes the response of 50:50 epidote‐granodiorite mixed gouges for different geometric configurations. However, 50:50 epidote‐granodiorite mixtures that are variously homogeneously mixed, encapsulated and checkerboarded in their structures are insensitive to their geometries – all reflect the high frictional strength and strong velocity‐weakening response of 100:0 pure epidote. This suggests that the epidote present as thin coatings on fractures/faults can enhance velocity‐weakening behavior, independent of individual patch size and can thereby support the potential seismic reactivation of faults. Considering the frictional and stability properties of epidote at conditions typical of shallow depths, the presence of low‐grade metamorphism exerts a potentially important control on fault stability in granitoids with relevance as a marker mineral for susceptibility to injection‐induced seismicity.
Compound Effects of Climate Change on Future Transboundary Water Issues in the Middle East
Authors: Dezfuli Amin , Razavi Saman , Zaitchik Benjamin F.
Published: March 2022

The Middle East is one of the world's most vulnerable areas to climate change, which has exacerbated environmental, agricultural, water conflict, and public health issues in the region. Here we analyze the latest climate model projections of precipitation and temperature for the very high emissions scenario, SSP5‐8.5, to detect potential future changes in this region. A baseline period (1981–2010) is compared with the middle (2040–2069) and end (2070–2099) of the 21st century. The results, representing the worst‐case scenario, identify the Tigris‐Euphrates headwaters as the hotspot of future compounding effects of climate change in the Middle East. Those effects result from the coincidence of elevated temperature, reduced precipitation, and enhanced interannual variability of precipitation. The hotspot overlays the location of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (in Turkish, Güneydoğu Anadolu Projesi [GAP]) irrigation initiative. In this climate context, risks to GAP viability and downstream water security, and associated potential for water‐related conflicts and migration are considerable and demand a reconsideration of the risk‐benefit assessment of GAP. This need has become more urgent after the recent widespread and deadly climate‐related conflicts and wildfires in summer 2021 across the Middle East that further underlined vulnerability of the region to climate extremes.
Cannabinoids as anticancer drugs: current status of preclinical research
Authors: Hinz Burkhard , Ramer Robert
Published: March 2022

Drugs that target the endocannabinoid system are of interest as pharmacological options to combat cancer and to improve the life quality of cancer patients. From this perspective, cannabinoid compounds have been successfully tested as a systemic therapeutic option in a number of preclinical models over the past decades. As a result of these efforts, a large body of data suggests that the anticancer effects of cannabinoids are exerted at multiple levels of tumour progression via different signal transduction mechanisms. Accordingly, there is considerable evidence for cannabinoid-mediated inhibition of tumour cell proliferation, tumour invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis and chemoresistance, as well as induction of apoptosis and autophagy. Further studies showed that cannabinoids could be potential combination partners for established chemotherapeutic agents or other therapeutic interventions in cancer treatment. Research in recent years has yielded several compounds that exert promising effects on tumour cells and tissues in addition to the psychoactive Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, such as the non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid cannabidiol and inhibitors of endocannabinoid degradation. This review provides an up-to-date overview of the potential of cannabinoids as inhibitors of tumour growth and spread as demonstrated in preclinical studies.
Oxidative phosphorylation promotes vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease
Authors: Shi Jia , Yang Yi , Wang Ya-Nan , Li Qing , Xing Xue , Cheng An-Ying , Zhan Xiao-Na , Li Jie , Xu Gang , He Fan
Published: March 2022

Metabolism has been reported to associate with the progression of vascular diseases. However, how vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is regulated by metabolic status remains poorly understood. Using a model of 5/6 nephrectomy, we demonstrated that the aortic tissues of CKD mice had a preference for using oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Both high phosphate and human uremic serum-stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) had enhanced mitochondrial respiration capacity, while the glycolysis level was not significantly different. Besides, 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) exacerbated vascular calcification by upregulating OXPHOS. The activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) was higher in the aortic tissue of CKD mice than those of sham-operated mice. Moreover, the expression levels of COX15 were higher in CKD patients with aortic arch calcification (AAC) than those without AAC, and the AAC scores were correlated with the expression level of COX15. Suppressing COX sufficiently attenuated vascular calcification. Our findings verify the relationship between OXPHOS and calcification, and may provide potential therapeutic approaches for vascular calcification in CKD.
Toward tunable quantum transport and novel magnetic states in Eu1−xSrxMn1−zSb2 (z < 0.05)
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Liu Jinyu , Cao Huibo , Phelan Adam , Graf David , DiTusa J. F. , Tennant D. Alan , Mao Zhiqiang
Published: March 2022

Magnetic semimetals are very promising for potential applications in novel spintronic devices. Nevertheless, realizing tunable topological states with magnetism in a controllable way is challenging. Here, we report novel magnetic states and the tunability of topological semimetallic states through the control of Eu spin reorientation in Eu1−xSrxMn1−zSb2. Increasing the Sr concentration in this system induces a surprising reorientation of noncollinear Eu spins to the Mn moment direction and topological semimetallic behavior. The Eu spin reorientations to distinct collinear antiferromagnetic orders are also driven by the temperature/magnetic field and are coupled to the transport properties of the relativistic fermions generated by the 2D Sb layers. These results suggest that nonmagnetic element doping at the rare earth element site may be an effective strategy for generating topological electronic states and new magnetic states in layered compounds involving spatially separated rare earth and transition metal layers.
Wearable multifunctional soft sensor and contactless 3D scanner using supersonically sprayed silver nanowires, carbon nanotubes, zinc oxide, and PEDOT:PSS
Authors: Jo Hong Seok , Park Chan-Woo , An Seongpil , Aldalbahi Ali , El-Newehy Mohamed , Park Simon S. , Yarin Alexander L. , Yoon Sam S.
Published: March 2022

The multifunctional soft sensor developed here is capable of simultaneously sensing six stimuli, including pressure, bending strain, temperature, proximity, UV light, and humidity, with high accuracy and without interference among the respective built-in components. The sensor is fabricated via a facile, scalable, and cost-effective supersonic cold-spraying method using silver nanowires (AgNWs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), zinc oxide (ZnO), and conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). A mask and laser cutter are used in conjunction with the supersonic cold-spraying method to produce miniaturized multifunctional sensors that can be readily installed on various substrates; for example, the production of gloves capable of multifunctional sensing. In particular, the proximity sensor of the multifunctional glove sensor can produce a three-dimensional (3D) image of a scanned object, showing high potential for use in military, medical, and industrial applications.
Secondary structure prediction for RNA sequences including N6-methyladenosine
Authors: Kierzek Elzbieta , Zhang Xiaoju , Watson Richard M. , Kennedy Scott D. , Szabat Marta , Kierzek Ryszard , Mathews David H.
Published: March 2022

There is increasing interest in the roles of covalently modified nucleotides in RNA. There has been, however, an inability to account for modifications in secondary structure prediction because of a lack of software and thermodynamic parameters. We report the solution for these issues for N6-methyladenosine (m6A), allowing secondary structure prediction for an alphabet of A, C, G, U, and m6A. The RNAstructure software now works with user-defined nucleotide alphabets of any size. We also report a set of nearest neighbor parameters for helices and loops containing m6A, using experiments. Interestingly, N6-methylation decreases folding stability for adenosines in the middle of a helix, has little effect on folding stability for adenosines at the ends of helices, and increases folding stability for unpaired adenosines stacked on a helix. We demonstrate predictions for an N6-methylation-activated protein recognition site from MALAT1 and human transcriptome-wide effects of N6-methylation on the probability of adenosine being buried in a helix.
Genotyping-by-sequencing-based identification of Arabidopsis pattern recognition receptor RLP32 recognizing proteobacterial translation initiation factor IF1
Authors: Fan Li , Fröhlich Katja , Melzer Eric , Pruitt Rory N. , Albert Isabell , Zhang Lisha , Joe Anna , Hua Chenlei , Song Yanyue , Albert Markus , Kim Sang-Tae , Weigel Detlef , Zipfel Cyril , Chae Eunyoung , Gust Andrea A. , Nürnberger Thorsten
Published: March 2022

Activation of plant pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) relies on the recognition of microbe-derived structures, termed patterns, through plant-encoded surface-resident pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). We show that proteobacterial translation initiation factor 1 (IF1) triggers PTI inArabidopsis thalianaand related Brassicaceae species. Unlike for most other immunogenic patterns, IF1 elicitor activity cannot be assigned to a small peptide epitope, suggesting that tertiary fold features are required for IF1 receptor activation. We have deployed natural variation in IF1 sensitivity to identifyArabidopsisleucine-rich repeat (LRR) receptor-like protein 32 (RLP32) as IF1 receptor using a restriction site-associated DNA sequencing approach. RLP32 confers IF1 sensitivity torlp32mutants, IF1-insensitiveArabidopsisaccessions and IF1-insensitiveNicotiana benthamiana, binds IF1 specifically and forms complexes with LRR receptor kinases SOBIR1 and BAK1 to mediate signaling. Similar to other PRRs, RLP32 confers resistance toPseudomonas syringae, highlighting an unexpectedly complex array of bacterial pattern sensors within a single plant species.
Quantum-enabled operation of a microwave-optical interface
Authors: Sahu Rishabh , Hease William , Rueda Alfredo , Arnold Georg , Qiu Liu , Fink Johannes M.
Published: March 2022

Solid-state microwave systems offer strong interactions for fast quantum logic and sensing but photons at telecom wavelength are the ideal choice for high-density low-loss quantum interconnects. A general-purpose interface that can make use of single photon effects requires < 1 input noise quanta, which has remained elusive due to either low efficiency or pump induced heating. Here we demonstrate coherent electro-optic modulation on nanosecond-timescales with only $$0.1{6}_{-0.01}^{+0.02}$$
0.1

6

−
0.01

+
0.02

microwave input noise photons with a total bidirectional transduction efficiency of 8.7% (or up to 15% with $$0.4{1}_{-0.02}^{+0.02}$$
0.4

1

−
0.02

+
0.02

), as required for near-term heralded quantum network protocols. The use of short and high-power optical pump pulses also enables near-unity cooperativity of the electro-optic interaction leading to an internal pure conversion efficiency of up to 99.5%. Together with the low mode occupancy this provides evidence for electro-optic laser cooling and vacuum amplification as predicted a decade ago.
Gq neuromodulation of BLA parvalbumin interneurons induces burst firing and mediates fear-associated network and behavioral state transition in mice
Authors: Fu Xin , Teboul Eric , Weiss Grant L. , Antonoudiou Pantelis , Borkar Chandrashekhar D. , Fadok Jonathan P. , Maguire Jamie , Tasker Jeffrey G.
Published: March 2022

Patterned coordination of network activity in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is important for fear expression. Neuromodulatory systems play an essential role in regulating changes between behavioral states, however the mechanisms underlying this neuromodulatory control of transitions between brain and behavioral states remain largely unknown. We show that chemogenetic Gq activation and α1 adrenoreceptor activation in mouse BLA parvalbumin (PV) interneurons induces a previously undescribed, stereotyped phasic bursting in PV neurons and time-locked synchronized bursts of inhibitory postsynaptic currents and phasic firing in BLA principal neurons. This Gq-coupled receptor activation in PV neurons suppresses gamma oscillations in vivo and in an ex vivo slice model, and facilitates fear memory recall, which is consistent with BLA gamma suppression during conditioned fear expression. Thus, here we identify a neuromodulatory mechanism in PV inhibitory interneurons of the BLA which regulates BLA network oscillations and fear memory recall.
Structural analysis of 3’UTRs in insect flaviviruses reveals novel determinants of sfRNA biogenesis and provides new insights into flavivirus evolution
Authors: Slonchak Andrii , Parry Rhys , Pullinger Brody , Sng Julian D. J. , Wang Xiaohui , Buck Teresa F. , Torres Francisco J. , Harrison Jessica J. , Colmant Agathe M. G. , Hobson-Peters Jody , Hall Roy A. , Tuplin Andrew , Khromykh Alexander A.
Published: March 2022

Subgenomic flaviviral RNAs (sfRNAs) are virus-derived noncoding RNAs produced by pathogenic mosquito-borne flaviviruses (MBF) to counteract the host antiviral response. To date, the ability of non-pathogenic flaviviruses to produce and utilise sfRNAs remains largely unexplored, and it is unclear what role XRN1 resistance plays in flavivirus evolution and host adaptation. Herein the production of sfRNAs by several insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs) that replicate exclusively in mosquitoes is shown, and the secondary structures of their complete 3’UTRs are determined. The xrRNAs responsible for the biogenesis of ISF sfRNAs are also identified, and the role of these sfRNAs in virus replication is demonstrated. We demonstrate that 3’UTRs of all classical ISFs, except Anopheles spp-asscoaited viruses, and of the dual-host associated ISF Binjari virus contain duplicated xrRNAs. We also reveal novel structural elements in the 3’UTRs of dual host-associated and Anopheles-associated classical ISFs. Structure-based phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that xrRNAs identified in Anopheles spp-associated ISF are likely ancestral to xrRNAs of ISFs and MBFs. In addition, our data provide evidence that duplicated xrRNAs are selected in the evolution of flaviviruses to provide functional redundancy, which preserves the production of sfRNAs if one of the structures is disabled by mutations or misfolding.
Multiscale modeling of ultrafast melting phenomena
Authors: Calogero Gaetano , Raciti Domenica , Acosta-Alba Pablo , Cristiano Fuccio , Deretzis Ioannis , Fisicaro Giuseppe , Huet Karim , Kerdilès Sébastien , Sciuto Alberto , La Magna Antonino
Published: March 2022

Ultraviolet Nanosecond Laser Annealing (LA) is a powerful tool for both fundamental investigations of ultrafast, nonequilibrium phase-change phenomena and technological applications (e.g., the processing of 3D sequentially integrated nano-electronic devices) where strongly confined heating and melting is desirable. Optimizing the LA process along with the experimental design is challenging, especially when involving complex 3D-nanostructured systems with various shapes and phases. To this purpose, it is essential to model critical nanoscale physical LA-induced phenomena, such as shape changes or formation and evolution of point and extended defects. To date, LA simulators are based on continuum models, which cannot fully capture the microscopic kinetics of a solid–liquid interface. In this work a fully atomistic LA simulation methodology is presented, based on the parallel coupling of a continuum, finite elements, μm-scale electromagnetic-thermal solver with a super-lattice Kinetic Monte Carlo atomistic model for melting. Benchmarks against phase-field models and experimental data validate the approach. LA of a Si(001) surface is studied varying laser fluence and pulse shape, assuming both homogeneous and inhomogeneous nucleation, revealing how liquid Si nuclei generate, deform and coalesce during irradiation. The proposed methodology is applicable to any system where the atom kinetics is determined by a strongly space- and time-dependent field, such as temperature or strain.
A chiral one-dimensional atom using a quantum dot in an open microcavity
Authors: Antoniadis Nadia O. , Tomm Natasha , Jakubczyk Tomasz , Schott Rüdiger , Valentin Sascha R. , Wieck Andreas D. , Ludwig Arne , Warburton Richard J. , Javadi Alisa
Published: March 2022

In a chiral one-dimensional atom, a photon propagating in one direction interacts with the atom; a photon propagating in the other direction does not. Chiral quantum optics has applications in creating nanoscopic single-photon routers, circulators, phase-shifters, and two-photon gates. Here, we implement chiral quantum optics using a low-noise quantum dot in an open microcavity. We demonstrate the non-reciprocal absorption of single photons, a single-photon diode. The non-reciprocity, the ratio of the transmission in the forward-direction to the transmission in the reverse direction, is as high as 10.7 dB. This is achieved by tuning the photon-emitter coupling in situ to the optimal operating condition (β = 0.5). Proof that the non-reciprocity arises from a single quantum emitter lies in the photon statistics—ultralow-power laser light propagating in the diode’s reverse direction results in a highly bunched output (g(2)(0) = 101), showing that the single-photon component is largely removed.
Cortical thinning over two years after first-episode psychosis depends on age of onset
Authors: Pina-Camacho Laura , Martinez Kenia , Diaz-Caneja Covadonga M. , Mezquida Gisela , Cuesta Manuel J. , Moreno Carmen , Amoretti Silvia , González-Pinto Ana , Arango Celso , Vieta Eduard , Castro-Fornieles Josefina , Lobo Antonio , Fraguas David , Bernardo Miguel , Janssen Joost , Parellada Mara ,   PEPs Group, Madero Santiago , Gómez-Ramiro Marta , Rodriguez-Toscano Elisa , Santonja Javier , Zorrilla Iñaki , González-Ortega Itxaso , Fayed Nicolás , Santabárbara Javier , Berge Daniel , Toll Alba , Nacher Juan , Martí Gracián García , Sague-Vilavella Maria , Sanchez-Moreno Jose , de la Serna Elena , Baeza Immaculada , Saiz-Masvidal Cristina , Contreras Fernando , González-Blanco Leticia , Bobes-Bascarán Teresa , Dompablo Mónica , Rodriguez-Jimenez Roberto , Usall Judith , Butjosa Anna , Pomarol-Clotet Edith , Sarró Salvador
Published: March 2022

First-episode psychosis (FEP) patients show structural brain abnormalities at the first episode. Whether the cortical changes that follow a FEP are progressive and whether age at onset modulates these changes remains unclear. This is a multicenter MRI study in a deeply phenotyped sample of 74 FEP patients with a wide age range at onset (15–35 years) and 64 neurotypical healthy controls (HC). All participants underwent two MRI scans with a 2-year follow-up interval. We computed the longitudinal percentage of change (PC) for cortical thickness (CT), surface area (CSA) and volume (CV) for frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes. We used general linear models to assess group differences in PC as a function of age at FEP. We conducted post-hoc analyses for metrics where PC differed as a function of age at onset. We found a significant age-by-diagnosis interaction effect for PC of temporal lobe CT (d = 0.54; p = 002). In a post-hoc-analysis, adolescent-onset (≤19 y) FEP showed more severe longitudinal cortical thinning in the temporal lobe than adolescent HC. We did not find this difference in adult-onset FEP compared to adult HC. Our study suggests that, in individuals with psychosis, CT changes that follow the FEP are dependent on the age at first episode, with those with an earlier onset showing more pronounced cortical thinning in the temporal lobe.
High prevalence of intrathecal IgA synthesis in multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Muñoz Úrsula , Sebal Cristina , Escudero Esther , García Sánchez Maria Isabel , Urcelay Elena , Jayo Asier , Arroyo Rafael , García-Martínez Maria A. , Álvarez-Lafuente Roberto , Sádaba María C.
Published: March 2022

The detection of intrathecal IgA synthesis (IAS) in multiple sclerosis (MS) could be underestimated. To assess it, we develop a highly sensitive assay based on isoelectric focusing (IEF). 151 MS patients and 53 controls with different neurological diseases were recruited. IgA concentration was analyzed using a newly developed in house ELISA. IgA oligoclonal bands to detect IAS were determined by IEF. Most individuals showed an IgA concentration within normal range in serum samples (90.69%) but 31.37% of individuals had a IgA concentration below the normal range in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). No significant differences were observed between MS and control groups, neither in CSF nor in serum. The new IEF was more sensitive than those previously described (0.01 mg/dl of IgA), and clearly identified patients with and without IAS, that was not related with IgA concentration. Using IEF, MS patients showed higher percentage of IAS-IEF (43.00%) than the control group (16.98) (p = 0.001). The incidence was especially higher in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (66.00%). The new IFE demonstrated a higher percentage of IAS in MS patients than assumed in the past. The presence of IAS-IEF in MS is higher than in other neurological diseases.
Weather fluctuation can override the effects of integrated nutrient management on fungal disease incidence in the rice fields in Taiwan
Authors: Chiu Ming-Chih , Chen Chi-Ling , Chen Chun-Wei , Lin Hsing-Juh
Published: March 2022

Both weather fluctuation and farming system influence the epidemiology of crop diseases. However, short-term experiments are difficult to mechanistically extrapolate into long-term ecological responses. Using a mechanistic model with Bayesian inference, long-term data spanning 10 years were used to construct relationships among weather fluctuation (temperature, relative humidity, wind, and rainfall), farming system (conventional and low-external-input farming), and crop disease in experimental rice fields in Taiwan. Conventional and low-external-input farming had similar influences on the disease incidence of rice blast. Temperature had a positive influence on the disease incidence only under high relative humidity. Rainfall positively affected the disease incidence until an optimum level of rainfall. Low-external-input farming, with a lower application of fertilizers and other sustainable nutrient management, achieved similar effects on the disease incidence to those achieved by conventional farming. This suggests that weather fluctuation may override the effect of the farming systems on fungal disease incidence in rice fields.
Epigenome-wide association study and epigenetic age acceleration associated with cigarette smoking among Costa Rican adults
Authors: Cardenas Andres , Ecker Simone , Fadadu Raj P. , Huen Karen , Orozco Allan , McEwen Lisa M. , Engelbrecht Hannah-Ruth , Gladish Nicole , Kobor Michael S. , Rosero-Bixby Luis , Dow William H. , Rehkopf David H.
Published: March 2022

Smoking-associated DNA methylation (DNAm) signatures are reproducible among studies of mostly European descent, with mixed evidence if smoking accelerates epigenetic aging and its relationship to longevity. We evaluated smoking-associated DNAm signatures in the Costa Rican Study on Longevity and Healthy Aging (CRELES), including participants from the high longevity region of Nicoya. We measured genome-wide DNAm in leukocytes, tested Epigenetic Age Acceleration (EAA) from five clocks and estimates of telomere length (DNAmTL), and examined effect modification by the high longevity region. 489 participants had a mean (SD) age of 79.4 (10.8) years, and 18% were from Nicoya. Overall, 7.6% reported currently smoking, 35% were former smokers, and 57.4% never smoked. 46 CpGs and five regions (e.g. AHRR, SCARNA6/SNORD39, SNORA20, and F2RL3) were differentially methylated for current smokers. Former smokers had increased Horvath’s EAA (1.69-years; 95% CI 0.72, 2.67), Hannum’s EAA (0.77-years; 95% CI 0.01, 1.52), GrimAge (2.34-years; 95% CI1.66, 3.02), extrinsic EAA (1.27-years; 95% CI 0.34, 2.21), intrinsic EAA (1.03-years; 95% CI 0.12, 1.94) and shorter DNAmTL (− 0.04-kb; 95% CI − 0.08, − 0.01) relative to non-smokers. There was no evidence of effect modification among residents of Nicoya. Our findings recapitulate previously reported and novel smoking-associated DNAm changes in a Latino cohort.
Simultaneous strength and ductility enhancements of high thermal conductive Ag7.5Cu alloy by selective laser melting
Authors: Xiong Wei , Hao Liang , Peijs Ton , Yan Chunze , Cheng Kaka , Gong Ping , Cui Qian , Tang Danna , Al Islam Shamoon , Li Yan
Published: March 2022

High electrical and thermal conductive metals (HETCM) play a key role in smart electronics, green energy, modern communications and healthcare, however, typical HETCM (e.g., Ag, Au, Cu) usually have relatively low mechanical strength, hindering further applications. Selective laser melting (SLM) is a potentially transformative manufacturing technology that is expected to address the issue. Ag is the metal with the highest thermal conductivity, which induces microscale grain refinement, but also leads to high internal stresses by SLM. Here, we select Ag7.5Cu alloy as an example to demonstrate that multi-scale (micro/meso/macro) synergies can take advantage of high thermal conductivity and internal stresses to effectively strengthen Ag alloy. The mimicry of metal-hardened structures (e.g., large-angle boundary) is extended to the mesoscale by controlling the laser energy density and laser scanning strategy to manipulate the macroscale internal stress intensity and mesoscale internal stress direction, respectively, to form mesoscale large-angle "grains", resulting in multiple mutual perpendicular shear bands during fracture. The presented approach achieved a significant enhancement of yield strength (+ 145%) and ductility (+ 28%) without post-treatment. The results not only break the strength-ductility trade-off of conventional SLM alloys, but also demonstrate a multi-scale synergistic enhancement strategy that exploits high thermal conductivity and internal stresses.
A spectrum of preferential flow alters solute mobility in soils
Authors: Radolinski Jesse , Le Hanh , Hilaire Sheldon S. , Xia Kang , Scott Durelle , Stewart Ryan D.
Published: March 2022

Preferential flow reduces water residence times and allows rapid transport of pollutants such as organic contaminants. Thus, preferential flow is considered to reduce the influence of soil matrix-solute interactions during solute transport. While this claim may be true when rainfall directly follows solute application, forcing rapid chemical and physical disequilibrium, it has been perpetuated as a general feature of solute transport—regardless of the magnitude preferential flow. A small number of studies have alternatively shown that preferential transport of strongly sorbing solutes is reduced when solutes have time to diffuse and equilibrate within the soil matrix. Here we expand this inference by allowing solute sorption equilibrium to occur and exploring how physiochemical properties affect solute transport across a vast range of preferential flow. We applied deuterium-labeled rainfall to field plots containing manure spiked with eight common antibiotics with a range of affinity for the soil after 7 days of equilibration with the soil matrix and quantified preferential flow and solute transport using 48 soil pore water samplers spread along a hillslope. Based on > 700 measurements, our data showed that solute transport to lysimeters was similar—regardless of antibiotic affinity for soil—when preferential flow represented less than 15% of the total water flow. When preferential flow exceeded 15%, however, concentrations were higher for compounds with relatively low affinity for soil. We provide evidence that (1) bypassing water flow can select for compounds that are more easily released from the soil matrix, and (2) this phenomenon becomes more evident as the magnitude of preferential flow increases. We argue that considering the natural spectrum preferential flow as an explanatory variable to gauge the influence of soil matrix-solute interactions may improve parsimonious transport models.
The impact of psychopathology on academic performance in school-age children and adolescents
Authors: Pagerols Mireia , Prat Raquel , Rivas Cristina , Español-Martín Gemma , Puigbó Júlia , Pagespetit Èlia , Haro Josep Maria , Ramos-Quiroga Josep Antoni , Casas Miquel , Bosch Rosa
Published: March 2022

Psychiatric symptoms have consistently been associated with negative educational outcomes. However, possible confounding variables, such as comorbid mental and environmental conditions, have not been well addressed. This study examined whether mental health problems were significantly linked to academic performance in a Spanish school-based sample, after adjustment for co-occurring psychiatric symptoms and multiple contextual factors. Parents completed a questionnaire regarding child’s sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., gender, age, type of school, socioeconomic status, ethnicity), stressful events (i.e., adoption, parental divorce/separation, grade retention) and lifestyle (i.e., diet, sleep, screen time), along with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Academic performance was obtained from school records. The sample comprised 7036 students aged 5–17 with full data on the CBCL. Mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the association between psychopathology and academic achievement, controlling for potential confounders. When examined separately, higher scores on the CBCL scales were related to lower grades, regardless of sociodemographic factors. However, after controlling for the presence of other psychiatric symptoms, we found that students who reported more anxious/depressed and thought problems were less likely to perform poorly, while those with increased levels of attention problems and delinquent behavior had higher risk for academic underachievement. These associations remained mainly the same once stressful events and lifestyle were taken into account. This investigation demonstrates that anxious/depressed symptoms, thought problems, attention problems, and delinquent behavior are independently associated with academic performance, which emphasize the need for preventive and treatment interventions targeted at students’ mental health to improve their psychological well-being and functioning at school.
Prediction of residual astigmatism in cataract surgery at different diameter zones using optical biometry measurement
Authors: Chang Yin-Hsi , Pu Christy , Lin Ken-Kuo , Lee Jiahn-Shing , Hou Chiun-Ho
Published: March 2022

The studies for astigmatism prediction error at different diameters using optical biometry are scant. We investigated patients who underwent cataract surgery with monofocal, nontoric intraocular lens (IOL) from 2017 through 2019 in a medical center. Patients with prior refractive surgeries, corneal opacity, or surgical complications were excluded. Corneal astigmatism (CA) was measured using AL-Scan at 2.4- and 3.3-mm diameter zones and calculated using the Barrett toric calculator preoperatively and postoperatively. The mean absolute error and centroid prediction error for the two zones were computed using double-angle plots. In total, 101 eyes of 76 patients were analyzed. Mean patient age was 68.7 ± 9.3 years and mean preoperative CA power was 0.7 ± 0.5 D. The overall centroid prediction error a 3.3 mm (0.09 ± 0.58 D@25) was significantly lower than that at 2.4 mm (0.09 ± 0.68 D@87) on the X-axis (P = 0.003). The 3.3-mm measurement also had a lower centroid prediction error than the 2.4-mm did for eyes with against-the-rule (ATR) and oblique astigmatism (P = 0.024; 0.002 on X-axis, respectively). The 3.3-mm measurement provided a more accurate CA estimation than the 2.4-mm did, particularly for ATR astigmatism. Diameter zone and astigmatism type should be considered crucial to precise astigmatism calculation.
Inverted internal limiting membrane flap technique for retinal detachment due to macular holes in high myopia with axial length ≥ 30 mm
Authors: Xu Changzhong , Feng Chao , Han Mengyao , He Junwen , Zhang Rui , Yan Tao , Li Xiangyun , Liu Yong , Li Yanzi , Wu Jianhua
Published: March 2022

To compare the efficacy of internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap covering to that of ILM flap insertion for the treatment of macular hole retinal detachment (MHRD) in highly myopic eyes with axial length (AL) ≥ 30 mm. We retrospectively analysed the medical records of 48 MHRD patients with high myopia (AL ≥ 30 mm). According to different surgical methods, the patients were divided into a covering group (23 eyes) and an insertion group (25 eyes). The rate of retinal reattachment and MH closure were compared between the two groups, and the related factors affecting the initial anatomical results were analysed. After primary vitrectomy and single silicone oil removal, there were 18 eyes (78.3%) in the covering group, and 20 eyes (80.0%) in the insertion group had retinal reattachment (P = 1.000). Moreover, 16 eyes (69.6%) in the covering group and 17 eyes (68.0%) in the insertion group had their MHs sealed (P = 0.907). The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 12 months and the improvement in BCVA postoperatively in the two groups were not statistically significant (P = 0.543, 0.955). Logistic regression analysis showed that elongated AL (OR = 1.844, 95% CI 1.037–3.280, P = 0.037) and higher choroidal atrophy (OR = 2.986, 95% CI 1.011–8.821, P = 0.048) were risk factors affecting initial anatomical success. For extremely high-myopia MHRD with AL ≥ 30 mm, ILM flap covering and insertion can both effectively seal the MH and promote retinal reattachment, but the visual function improvement may still be limited. The longer the AL and the higher the choroidal atrophy, the greater is the risk of initial anatomical failure.
Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery after corneal refractive surgery
Authors: Ahn Hyunmin , Jun Ikhyun , Seo Kyoung Yul , Kim Eung Kweon , Kim Tae-im
Published: March 2022

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and advanced cataract techniques such as femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) have been commercially available. Corneal refractive surgery (CRS) is one of the most popular surgeries for the correction of refractive errors. CRS changes the cornea not only anatomically but also pathophysiologically. However, there has been no clinical research analyzing the refractive and safety outcomes of FLACS after CRS. The aim of this retrospective chart review and comparative study is to evaluate the effect and safety of FLACS after CRS comparing with conventional PCS. Participants with a previous CRS history who underwent FLACS or conventional PCS were included in this study. The visual outcomes and the refractive outcomes including refractive, corneal, and ocular residual astigmatism were compared. The safety outcomes were then studied intraoperatively and postoperatively. A total of 102 patients with age-related cataract were enrolled. At 3 months postoperatively, UCVA, BCVA, and predictive error were not significantly different between the FLACS and conventional PCS groups. Reduction of refractive astigmatism was higher in FLACS. Postoperative ORA was significant lower in FLACS. Reduction of ORA was higher in FLACS. The intraoperative and postoperative complications were also not significantly different between the two groups. FLACS could effectively change refractive astigmatism and ORA; without more complications than conventional PCS. FLACS’ competitive edge in postoperative ORA may provide better visual quality than conventional PCS in patients with a previous history of CRS.
Long-term incidence of posterior capsular opacification in patients with non-infectious uveitis
Authors: Kitaguchi-Iwakiri Yuki , Kamoi Koju , Takase Hiroshi , Okubo Yusuke , Ohno-Matsui Kyoko
Published: March 2022

Little is known about the long-term incidence of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery in patients with uveitis. This retrospective study included 211 eyes of 146 patients with non-infectious uveitis who underwent cataract surgery and implantation of an Acrysof SN60WF (Surface: plasma-treated, Optic and Haptic: hydrophobic acrylic), iSert XY-1 (Surface: UV-ozone-treated, Optic and Haptic: hydrophobic acrylic), or iSert 251/255 (Surface: UV-ozone-treated, Optics: hydrophobic acrylic, Haptic: polymethyl methacrylate). The cumulative incidences of PCO and subsequent yttrium–aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) capsulotomy over the 5-year follow-up were analyzed, and patients who were implanted with different intraocular lenses (IOLs) were compared. Mixed-effects Cox proportional hazard models showed that, compared with the Acrysof group, the iSert XY-1 group had higher risks of PCO (adjusted HR, 7.26; 95% CI, 1.82–28.8) and Nd:YAG capsulotomy (adjusted HR, 6.50; 95% CI, 1.55–27.2). Similar results were obtained when the Acrysof group was compared with the iSert 251/255 group for PCO (adjusted HR, 8.22; 95% CI, 2.35–28.7) and Nd:YAG capsulotomy (adjusted HR, 8.26; 1.90–36.0). These data suggest that a plasma-treated surface, hydrophobic acrylic optic and hydrophobic acrylic haptic, of the IOL could enhance biocompatibility even under inflammatory conditions, thus suppressing PCO development.
Spatiotemporal variations of air pollutants based on ground observation and emission sources over 19 Chinese urban agglomerations during 2015–2019
Authors: Tao Tianhui , Shi Yishao , Gilbert Katabarwa Murenzi , Liu Xinyi
Published: March 2022

The "comparative attitude" of urban agglomerations involves multidimensional perspectives such as infrastructure, ecological protection, and air pollution. Based on monitoring station data, comparative studies of multispatial, multitimescale and multiemission pollution sources of air quality on 19 urban agglomerations during the 13th Five-Year Plan period in China were explored by mathematical statistics. The comparison results are all visualized and show that clean air days gradually increased and occurred mainly in summer, especially in South and Southwest China. PM2.5, PM10 and O3 were still the main primary pollutants. PM2.5 is mainly concentrated in December, January and February, and PM10 is mainly concentrated in October–November and March–April. The O3 pollution in the Pearl River Delta and Beibu Gulf urban agglomerations located in the south is mainly concentrated from August to November, which is different from others from May to September. Second, from 2015 to 2019, the increasing rate of O3 concentration in any hour is higher than that of particulate matter (PM). Diurnal trends in O3 concentration in all directions also showed a single peak, with the largest increments that appeared between 13:00 and 16:00, while the spatial distribution of this peak was significantly regional, earlier in the east but later in the west. Third, this analysis indicated that the annual average air quality index (AQI) showed a gradually decreasing trend outward, taking the Central Plain urban agglomeration as the center. The ambient air pollutants are gradually moving southward and mainly concentrated in the Central Plains urban agglomeration from 2015 to 2019. Furthermore, in each urban agglomeration, the cumulative emission of PM2.5 is consisted of the four average emissions, which is approximately 2.5 times of that of PM10, and industries are the main sources of PM2.5, PM10 and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). VOCs and NOX increased in half of the urban agglomerations, which are the reasons for the increase in ozone pollution. The outcomes of this study will provide targeted insights on pollution prevention in urban agglomerations in the future.
A multiscale model for El Niño complexity
Authors: Chen Nan , Fang Xianghui , Yu Jin-Yi
Published: March 2022

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) exhibits diverse characteristics in spatial pattern, peak intensity, and temporal evolution. Here we develop a three-region multiscale stochastic model to show that the observed ENSO complexity can be explained by combining intraseasonal, interannual, and decadal processes. The model starts with a deterministic three-region system for the interannual variabilities. Then two stochastic processes of the intraseasonal and decadal variation are incorporated. The model can reproduce not only the general properties of the observed ENSO events, but also the complexity in patterns (e.g., Central Pacific vs. Eastern Pacific events), intensity (e.g., 10–20 year reoccurrence of extreme El Niños), and temporal evolution (e.g., more multi-year La Niñas than multi-year El Niños). While conventional conceptual models were typically used to understand the dynamics behind the common properties of ENSO, this model offers a powerful tool to understand and predict ENSO complexity that challenges our understanding of the twenty-first century ENSO.
A pictorial account of the human embryonic heart between 3.5 and 8 weeks of development
Authors: Hikspoors Jill P. J. M. , Kruepunga Nutmethee , Mommen Greet M. C. , Köhler S. Eleonore , Anderson Robert H. , Lamers Wouter H.
Published: March 2022

Heart development is topographically complex and requires visualization to understand its progression. No comprehensive 3-dimensional primer of human cardiac development is currently available. We prepared detailed reconstructions of 12 hearts between 3.5 and 8 weeks post fertilization, using Amira® 3D-reconstruction and Cinema4D®-remodeling software. The models were visualized as calibrated interactive 3D-PDFs. We describe the developmental appearance and subsequent remodeling of 70 different structures incrementally, using sequential segmental analysis. Pictorial timelines of structures highlight age-dependent events, while graphs visualize growth and spiraling of the wall of the heart tube. The basic cardiac layout is established between 3.5 and 4.5 weeks. Septation at the venous pole is completed at 6 weeks. Between 5.5 and 6.5 weeks, as the outflow tract becomes incorporated in the ventricles, the spiraling course of its subaortic and subpulmonary channels is transferred to the intrapericardial arterial trunks. The remodeling of the interventricular foramen is complete at 7 weeks.
Understanding the functional role of membrane confinements in TNF-mediated signaling by multiscale simulations
Authors: Su Zhaoqian , Dhusia Kalyani , Wu Yinghao
Published: March 2022

The interaction between TNFα and TNFR1 is essential in maintaining tissue development and immune responses. While TNFR1 is a cell surface receptor, TNFα exists in both soluble and membrane-bound forms. Interestingly, it was found that the activation of TNFR1-mediated signaling pathways is preferentially through the soluble form of TNFα, which can also induce the clustering of TNFR1 on plasma membrane of living cells. We developed a multiscale simulation framework to compare receptor clustering induced by soluble and membrane-bound ligands. Comparing with the freely diffusive soluble ligands, we hypothesize that the conformational dynamics of membrane-bound ligands are restricted, which affects the clustering of ligand-receptor complexes at cell-cell interfaces. Our simulation revealed that only small clusters can form if TNFα is bound on cell surface. In contrast, the clustering triggered by soluble TNFα is more dynamic, and the size of clusters is statistically larger. We therefore demonstrated the impact of membrane-bound ligand on dynamics of receptor clustering. Moreover, considering that larger TNFα-TNFR1 clusters is more likely to provide spatial platform for downstream signaling pathway, our studies offer new mechanistic insights about why the activation of TNFR1-mediated signaling pathways is not preferred by membrane-bound form of TNFα.
Avalanches in strong imbibition
Authors: Primkulov Bauyrzhan K. , Zhao Benzhong , MacMinn Christopher W. , Juanes Ruben
Published: March 2022

Slow injection of non-wetting fluids (drainage) and strongly wetting fluids (strong imbibition) into porous media are two contrasting processes in many respects: the former must be forced into the pore space, while the latter imbibe spontaneously; the former occupy pore bodies, while the latter coat crevices and corners. These two processes also produce distinctly different displacement patterns. However, both processes evolve via a series of avalanche-like invasion events punctuated by quiescent periods. Here, we show that, despite their mechanistic differences, avalanches in strong imbibition exhibit all the features of self-organized criticality previously documented for drainage, including the correlation scaling describing the space-time statistics of invasion at the pore scale.
Small-molecule ambipolar transistors
Authors: Higashino Toshiki , Mori Takehiko
Published: March 2022

Small-molecule materials showing ambipolar transistor properties are reviewed.
Photocatalytic activation and utilization of CO2 for N-formylation of amines promoted by a zinc(ii) phthalocyanine grafted on g-carbon nitride hybrid
Authors: Malik Anil , Prajapati Pankaj Kumar , Abraham B. Moses , Bhatt Sakshi , Basyach Purashri , Jain Suman L.
Published: March 2022

Photochemical conversion of various amines to N-formamides using CO2 under ambient conditions with a hybrid photocatalyst composed of zinc phthalocyanine grafted to g-carbon nitride in high to excellent yields has been described.
Tungsten and molybdenum dinitrogen complexes supported by a pentadentate tetrapodal phosphine ligand: comparative spectroscopic, electrochemical and reactivity studies
Authors: Junge Jannik , Froitzheim Sven , Engesser Tobias A. , Krahmer Jan , Näther Christian , Le Poul Nicolas , Tuczek Felix
Published: March 2022

The tungsten dinitrogen complex [W(N2)(PMe2PPPh2)] is compared to its molybdenum analogue. Detailed (IR-spectro)electrochemical investigations were made. In the presence of SmI2/H2O the W complex mediates the conversion of N2 to 2.75 equiv. ammonia.
Development of a novel cellulose foam augmented with candle-soot derived carbon nanoparticles for solar-powered desalination of brackish water
Authors: Thakur Amrit Kumar , Sathyamurthy Ravishankar , Velraj R. , Lynch Iseult
Published: March 2022

Candle soot nanoparticles deposited onto hydrophilic cellulose foam greatly improved the solar-powered steam generation and yield of freshwater, resulting in the production of low-cost potable water from brackish input water.