bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First-principles study of non-radiative carrier capture by defects at amorphous-SiO2/Si(100) interface
Authors: Zhu Haoran , Xie Weifeng , Liu Xin , Liu Yang , Zhang Jinli , Zuo Xu
Published: November 2022

Defects have a significant impact on the performance of semiconductor devices. Using the first-principles combined with one-dimensional static coupling theory approach, we have calculated the variation of carrier capture coefficients with temperature for the interfacial defects P
b0 and P
b1 in amorphous-SiO2/Si(100) interface. It is found that the geometrical shapes of P
b0 and P
b1 defects undergo large deformations after capturing carriers to form charged defects, especially for the Si atoms containing a dangling bond. The hole capture coefficients of neutral P
b0 and P
b1 defects are largest than the other capture coefficients, indicating that these defects have a higher probability of forming positively charged centres. Meanwhile, the calculated results of non-radiative recombination coefficient of these defects show that both P
b0 and P
b1 defects are the dominant non-radiative recombination centers in the interface of a-SiO2/Si(100).
Dynamic modeling of total ionizing dose-induced threshold voltage shifts in MOS devices
Authors: Lu Guangbao , Liu Jun , Zhang Chuanguo , Gao Yang , Li Yonggang
Published: November 2022

The total ionizing dose (TID) effect is a key cause for the degradation/failure of semiconductor device performance under energetic-particle irradiation. We developed a dynamic model of mobile particles and defects by solving the rate equations and Poisson’s equation simultaneously, to understand threshold voltage shifts induced by TID in silicon-based metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) devices. The calculated charged defect distribution and corresponding electric field under different TIDs are consistent with experiments. TID changes the electric field at the Si/SiO2 interface by inducing the accumulation of oxide charged defects nearby, thus shifting the threshold voltage accordingly. With increasing TID, the oxide charged defects increase to saturation, and the electric field increases following the universal 2/3 power law. Through analyzing the influence of TID on the interfacial electric field by different factors, we recommend that the radiation-hardened performance of devices can be improved by choosing a thin oxide layer with high permittivity and under high gate voltages.
The rise of phase-out as a critical decarbonisation approach: a systematic review
Authors: Trencher Gregory , Rinscheid Adrian , Rosenbloom Daniel , Truong Nhi
Published: November 2022

‘Phase-out’ is increasingly mobilised in research and policymaking as an approach to catalyse the gradual decline of technologies, substances and practices that compromise environmental sustainability objectives. This trend is particularly pronounced in the context of climate change, demonstrated by the accumulation of a vast body of scholarship over multiple decades. Our work provides the first systematic review of the state of this knowledge, mapping out how phase-out is studied and employed as a policy tool for mitigating climate change. We systematically review over 400 publications, spanning three decades (1990–2021) and diverse scientific fields. Our review asks: how has scholarly work discussed phase-out as an approach to mitigate climate change, and how has this changed over time? We tackle this question from five perspectives: (a) elements targeted by phase-outs, (b) policy instruments, (c) affected industries, (d) geographic context, and (e) benefits besides climate change mitigation. Results reveal that phase-out has widely proliferated as a decarbonisation approach, developing into a bridging concept that links diverse communities of contemporary science and practice. This is reflected by engagement with manifold phase-out targets—stretching well beyond the usual suspects related to fossil fuels and end-use technologies—as well as discussion of a growing diversity of industries, policy instruments and geographies in the literature. This global proliferation of phase-outs is propelled by expectations of diverse co-benefits. Aside from gains for the environment, economy, society and health, we find widespread acknowledgment that phase-out can drive innovation and systemic change beyond the mere substitution of problematic technologies and materials. Our study also identifies several underdeveloped and underrepresented directions meriting further study. These notably include phase-out activity beyond Europe, North America and China, hard-to-abate industry sectors and non-fossil fuel targets. We conclude by carving out broader implications for scholars and practitioners to inform future research directions and climate mitigation efforts.
Abundance of second order topology in C3 symmetric two-dimensional insulators
Authors: Sødequist Joachim , Petralanda Urko , Olsen Thomas
Published: November 2022

We have screened 71 two-dimensional (2D) materials with C
3 symmetry for non-trivial second order topological order and find that 28 compounds exhibit an obstructed atomic limit (OAL). In the case of C
3 symmetry, the second order topology can be calculated from bulk symmetry indicator invariants, which predict the value of fractional corner charges in symmetry conserving nanoflakes. The procedure is exemplified by MoS2 in the H-phase, which constitutes a generic example of a 2D OAL material and the predicted fractional corner charges is verified by direct calculations of nanoflakes with armchair edges. We also determine the bulk topological polarization, which always lead to gapless states at zigzag edges and thus deteriorates the concept of fractional corner charges in nanoflakes with zigzag edges that are typically more stable that armchair flakes. We then consider the case of TiCl2, which has vanishing polarization as well as an OAL and we verify that the edge states of nanoflakes with zigzag edges may indeed by passivated such that the edges remain insulating and the corner charges are well defined. For the 28 OAL materials we find that 16 have vanishing polarization and these materials thus constitute a promising starting point for experimental verification of second order topology in a 2D material.
Shuffle-ResNet: Deep learning for predicting LGG IDH1 mutation from multicenter anatomical MRI sequences
Authors: Safari Mojtaba , Beiki Manjieh , Ameri Ahmad , Toudeshki Saeed Hosseini , Fatemi Ali , Archambault Louis
Published: November 2022

Background and Purpose.The world health organization recommended to incorporate gene information such as isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation status to improve prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment of the central nervous system tumors. We proposed our Shuffle Residual Network (Shuffle-ResNet) to predict IDH1 gene mutation status of the low grade glioma (LGG) tumors from multicenter anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences including T2-w, T2-FLAIR, T1-w, and T1-Gd.Methods and Materials.We used 105 patient's dataset available in The Cancer Genome Atlas LGG project where we split them into training and testing datasets. We implemented a random image patch extractor to leverage tumor heterogeneity where about half a million image patches were extracted. RGB dataset were created from image concatenation. We used random channel-shuffle layer in the ResNet architecture to improve the generalization, and, also, a 3-fold cross validation to generalize the network's performance. The early stopping algorithm and learning rate scheduler were employed to automatically halt the training.Results.The early stopping algorithm terminated the training after 131, 106, and 96 epochs in fold 1, 2, and 3. The accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) of the validation dataset were 81.29% (95% CI (79.87, 82.72)) and 0.96 (95% CI (0.92, 0.98)) when we concatenated T2-FLAIR, T1-Gd, and T2-w to produce an RGB dataset. The accuracy and AUC values of the test dataset were 85.7% and 0.943.Conclusions.Our Shuffle-ResNet could predict IDH1 gene mutation status using multicenter MRI. However, its clinical application requires more investigation.
Discovering mechanisms for materials microstructure optimization via reinforcement learning of a generative model
Authors: Vasudevan Rama K , Orozco Erick , Kalinin Sergei V
Published: November 2022

The design of materials structure for optimizing functional properties and potentially, the discovery of novel behaviors is a keystone problem in materials science. In many cases microstructural models underpinning materials functionality are available and well understood. However, optimization of average properties via microstructural engineering often leads to combinatorically intractable problems. Here, we explore the use of the reinforcement learning (RL) for microstructure optimization targeting the discovery of the physical mechanisms behind enhanced functionalities. We illustrate that RL can provide insights into the mechanisms driving properties of interest in a 2D discrete Landau ferroelectrics simulator. Intriguingly, we find that non-trivial phenomena emerge if the rewards are assigned to favor physically impossible tasks, which we illustrate through rewarding RL agents to rotate polarization vectors to energetically unfavorable positions. We further find that strategies to induce polarization curl can be non-intuitive, based on analysis of learned agent policies. This study suggests that RL is a promising machine learning method for material design optimization tasks, and for better understanding the dynamics of microstructural simulations.
Unified representation of molecules and crystals for machine learning
Authors: Huo Haoyan , Rupp Matthias
Published: November 2022

Accurate simulations of atomistic systems from first principles are limited by computational cost. In high-throughput settings, machine learning can reduce these costs significantly by accurately interpolating between reference calculations. For this, kernel learning approaches crucially require a representation that accommodates arbitrary atomistic systems. We introduce a many-body tensor representation that is invariant to translations, rotations, and nuclear permutations of same elements, unique, differentiable, can represent molecules and crystals, and is fast to compute. Empirical evidence for competitive energy and force prediction errors is presented for changes in molecular structure, crystal chemistry, and molecular dynamics using kernel regression and symmetric gradient-domain machine learning as models. Applicability is demonstrated for phase diagrams of Pt-group/transition-metal binary systems.
Modes of summer temperature intraseasonal oscillations and heatwaves over the Indian region
Authors: Lekshmi S , Chattopadhyay Rajib
Published: November 2022

Over the Indian region, the pre-monsoon (i.e. April–May) is a dry summer season. The heatwaves, as well as local temperature variations during this season, are not associated with significant large-scale convective heating like the monsoonal modes, and several studies identified several drivers of heatwaves. Heatwaves are extreme events. Are these extremes arising from low-frequency intraseasonal modes, in the same way, extreme rainfall occurs on a synoptic or intraseasonal mode during monsoon? Studies do not explicitly point out the existence of temperature intraseasonal modes during April–May over the Indian region, and it is not clear if some of the drivers of heatwaves can also explain the April–May temperature variations as derivative of some modes. This study identifies the dominant pair of the intrinsic mode of temperature intraseasonal oscillations, which can also explain the heatwave spikes. The empirical orthogonal function based modes are isolated in the detrended surface temperature data to remove the global warming mode. It was found that the subtropical jet acting as a Rossby wave guide drives the first mode with pan India spatial modal signature, while the second mode is driven by the extratropical Rossby wave modes originating from the latitudes of the eddy-driven jet. Another important result is that the first (second) mode principal component shows a significant decreasing (increasing) trend from 1981–2020 period. The observed spatial heterogeneity in warming and the trend in the spatial distribution of extreme temperature events in India could also be explained by the trend in the two modes of oscillation.
Tri-linear birational maps in dimension three
Authors: Busé Laurent , González-Mazón Pablo , Schicho Josef
Published: November 2022

A tri-linear rational map in dimension three is a rational map

ϕ
:
(

P

C

1

)
3

⇢

P

C

3

\phi : (\mathbb {P}_\mathbb {C}^1)^3 \dashrightarrow \mathbb {P}_\mathbb {C}^3

defined by four tri-linear polynomials without a common factor. If

ϕ
\phi

admits an inverse rational map

ϕ

−
1

\phi ^{-1}

, it is a tri-linear birational map. In this paper, we address computational and geometric aspects about these transformations. We give a characterization of birationality based on the first syzygies of the entries. More generally, we describe all the possible minimal graded free resolutions of the ideal generated by these entries. With respect to geometry, we show that the set

B
i
r

(
1
,
1
,
1
)

\mathfrak {Bir}_{(1,1,1)}

of tri-linear birational maps, up to composition with an automorphism of

P

C

3

\mathbb {P}_\mathbb {C}^3

, is a locally closed algebraic subset of the Grassmannian of

4
4

-dimensional subspaces in the vector space of tri-linear polynomials, and has eight irreducible components. Additionally, the group action on

B
i
r

(
1
,
1
,
1
)

\mathfrak {Bir}_{(1,1,1)}

given by composition with automorphisms of

(

P

C

1

)
3

(\mathbb {P}_\mathbb {C}^1)^3

defines 19 orbits, and each of these orbits determines an isomorphism class of the base loci of these transformations.
Laser-Assisted Drug Delivery in the Treatment of Scars, Rhytids, and Melasma: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature
Authors: Muskat Ahava , Kost Yana , Balazic Eliza , Cohen Joel L , Kobets Kseniya
Published: November 2022

Although broad reviews on laser-assisted drug delivery (LADD) have been published in the past, an updated focused examination of its utility in the context of common, treatment-resistant, dermatologic conditions has not been published. This article reports a comprehensive scoping review of the potential benefits of LADD compared to laser or drug monotherapy for the treatment of 3 such conditions: scars, rhytids, and melasma. A PubMed (National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD) search was conducted for keywords including “laser-assisted drug delivery,” “scar,” “rhytid,” and “melasma.” Out-of-scope studies were excluded. To evaluate the efficacy of LADD for the treatment of scars, relevant articles were categorized by scar type: hypertrophic/keloid, atrophic, and hypopigmented. LADD, with both ablative and nonablative laser types, was studied in combination with corticosteroids, botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A), 5-fluorouracil, 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy, stem cells, platelet-rich plasma, and prostaglandin analogs for the treatment of scars. Some randomized controlled trials demonstrated the efficacy of LADD, whereas others showed no significant differences in clinical outcomes but demonstrated reduced adverse effects. Regarding rhytids, laser treatment has been combined with various cosmeceuticals, including poly-L-lactic acid, topical retinaldehyde, and topical BTX-A. The studies reviewed supported the use of LADD with these drugs over monotherapy. Some studies showed that LADD was effective for the absorption of drugs such as poly-L-lactic acid and BTX-A which are often not effective topically. For melasma treatment, LADD with tranexamic acid and hydroquinone was superior in some studies, but not significantly different than monotherapy in other studies. LADD with certain drugs could be considered to treat scars, rhytids, and melasma.

Level of Evidence: 5
Global FDR control across multiple RNAseq experiments
Authors: Liou Lathan , Hornburg Milena , Robertson David S
Published: November 2022

Motivation

While classical approaches for controlling the false discovery rate (FDR) of RNA sequencing (RNAseq) experiments have been well described, modern research workflows and growing databases enable a new paradigm of controlling the FDR globally across RNAseq experiments in the past, present and future. The simplest analysis strategy that analyses each RNAseq experiment separately and applies an FDR correction method can lead to inflation of the overall FDR. We propose applying recently developed methodology for online multiple hypothesis testing to control the global FDR in a principled way across multiple RNAseq experiments.

Results

We show that repeated application of classical repeated offline approaches has variable control of global FDR of RNAseq experiments over time. We demonstrate that the online FDR algorithms are a principled way to control FDR. Furthermore, in certain simulation scenarios, we observe empirically that online approaches have comparable power to repeated offline approaches.

Availability and implementation

The onlineFDR package is freely available at http://www.bioconductor.org/packages/onlineFDR. Additional code used for the simulation studies can be found at https://github.com/latlio/onlinefdr_rnaseq_simulation.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Head-to-head efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban, apixaban, and dabigatran in an observational nationwide targeted trial
Authors: Talmor-Barkan Yeela , Yacovzada Nancy-Sarah , Rossman Hagai , Witberg Guy , Kalka Iris , Kornowski Ran , Segal Eran
Published: November 2022

Aims

The advantages of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) over warfarin are well established in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, however, studies that can guide the selection between different DOACs are limited. The aim was to compare the clinical outcomes of treatment with apixaban, rivaroxaban, and dabigatran in patients with AF.

Methods and results

We conducted a retrospective, nationwide, propensity score-matched-based observational study from Clalit Health Services. Data from 141 992 individuals with AF was used to emulate a target trial for head-to-head comparison of DOACs therapy. Three-matched cohorts of patients assigned to DOACs, from January-2014 through January-2020, were created. One-to-one propensity score matching was performed. Efficacy/safety outcomes were compared using KaplanMeier survival estimates and Cox proportional hazards models. The trial included 56 553 patients (apixaban, n = 35 101; rivaroxaban, n = 15 682; dabigatran, n = 5 770). Mortality and ischaemic stroke rates in patients treated with rivaroxaban were lower compared with apixaban (HR,0.88; 95% CI,0.78–0.99; P,0.037 and HR 0.92; 95% CI,0.86–0.99; P,0.024, respectively). No significant differences in the rates of myocardial infarction, systemic embolism, and overall bleeding were noticed between the different DOACs groups. Patients treated with rivaroxaban demonstrated lower rate of intracranial haemorrhage compared with apixaban (HR,0.86; 95% CI,0.74–1.0; P,0.044). The rate of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients treated with rivaroxaban was higher compared with apixaban (HR, 1.22; 95% CI,1.01–1.44; P, 0.016).

Conclusion

We demonstrated significant differences in outcomes between the three studied DOACs. The results emphasize the need for randomized controlled trials that will compare rivaroxaban, apixaban, and dabigatran in order to better guide the selection among them.
Endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle biopsy vs fine-needle aspiration for lymph nodes tissue acquisition: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Facciorusso Antonio , Crinò Stefano Francesco , Gkolfakis Paraskevas , Ramai Daryl , Lisotti Andrea , Papanikolaou Ioannis S , Mangiavillano Benedetto , Tarantino Ilaria , Anderloni Andrea , Fabbri Carlo , Triantafyllou Konstantinos , Fusaroli Pietro
Published: November 2022

Background

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition represents the choice of methods for suspected lymph nodes (LNs) located next to the gastrointestinal tract. This study aimed to compare the pooled diagnostic performance of EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) and fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for LNs sampling.

Methods

We searched PubMed/MedLine and Embase databases through August 2021. Primary outcome was diagnostic accuracy; secondary outcomes were sensitivity, specificity, sample adequacy, optimal histological core procurement, number of passes, and adverse events. We performed a pairwise meta-analysis using a random-effects model. The results are presented as odds ratio (OR) or mean difference along with 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

We identified nine studies (1,276 patients) in this meta-analysis. Among these patients, 66.4% were male; the median age was 67 years. Diagnostic accuracy was not significantly different between the two approaches (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.81–2.10; P = 0.270). The accuracy of EUS-FNB was significantly higher when being performed with newer end-cutting needles (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.17–3.00; P = 0.009) and in abdominal LNs (OR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.52–4.05; P < 0.001) than that of EUS-FNA. No difference in terms of sample adequacy was observed between the two approaches (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 0.46–4.26; P = 0.550); however, histological core procurement and diagnostic sensitivity with EUS-FNB were significantly higher than those with EUS-FNA (OR, 6.15; 95% CI, 1.51–25.07; P = 0.010 and OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.27–2.74, P = 0.001). The number of needle passes needed was significantly lower in the EUS-FNB group than in the EUS-FNA group (mean difference, −0.54; 95% CI, −0.97 to −0.12; P = 0.010).

Conclusions

EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB perform similarly in LN sampling; however, FNB performed with end-cutting needles outperformed FNA in terms of diagnostic accuracy.
Voting like Your Betters: The Bandwagon Effect in the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire
Authors: Volckart Oliver
Published: November 2022

Scholars agree that a core feature of the political style of the Holy Roman Empire was the focus on consensus, without which policy-making at the level of the Empire would have been impossible. This article demonstrates that the consensus on which decisions of the imperial estates was based tended to be superficial and was often in danger of breaking down. This vulnerability was a product of the diet’s open and sequential voting procedure, which allowed the bandwagon effect to distort outcomes. An analysis of the votes cast in the princes’ college at the diet of 1555 shows that low-status members of the college regularly imitated the decisions of high-status voters. Reforming the system would have required accepting that the members of the college were equals—an idea no one was prepared to countenance. Hence, superficial and transitory agreements remained a systematic feature of politics at the level of the Empire.
Digital IDs for advanced robotics systems as a regulatory infrastructure
Authors: Aldossary Abdulrahman S S
Published: November 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly performing legitimate tasks on behalf of humans. However, the legal aspects of this task performance are critical, given the unprecedented ability of AI to self-learn and act reasonably and independently. This article therefore identifies the critical regulatory aspects of AI that authorities and policymakers should be aware of, with regard to whether AI should be regulated now or at a later stage in its development. Nevertheless, the absence of a specific law, literally designated as an Artificial Intelligence Law, does not necessarily mean that AI is unregulated. This research therefore argues that AI is already indirectly regulated in several aspects. It is subsequently found that broad regulation could be premature, given that some types of AI systems are not yet specific in their form, or have yet to mature. On a global level, it is argued in this paper that it would be sensible to establish an international organization sooner rather than later, as AI grows in complexity and becomes increasingly transnational. Therefore, this research presents some of the possible obstacles this proposed organization may face. On a national level, it is suggested that the time has come to establish a regulatory infrastructure as a pre-regulatory phase, which would render future AI regulation more feasible. In particular, AI needs to be identified under a national digital identification scheme, as this would make it more regulatable and manageable. This is a necessary step to enable the authorities to confront the myriad legal issues and challenges in the longer term. While establishing a digital ID scheme for AI systems, discussions over the liability associated with AI’s wrongful acts would be especially productive.
Simulations of Test Reduction Using Pooled Heavy Metals Analysis in Cannabis
Authors: Dupree Tom B , Assen Amanda D , Janusson Eric , Wise Amber R , Swider Josh M , Roggen Markus
Published: November 2022

Background

Cannabis species have a propensity to bioaccumulate toxic heavy metals from their growth media. Increased testing for these metals is required to improve the safety of the legal medical and recreational cannabis industries. However, the current methods used for mandated heavy metals tests are not efficient for a large framework. As a result, there is limited testing capacity, high testing costs, and long wait times for results across North America.

Objective

This study aimed to demonstrate that pooling strategies can be used to increase the throughput in cannabis testing labs and reduce some of the strain on the industry.

Methods

This paper presents an algorithm to simulate different pooling strategies. The algorithm was applied to real world data sets collected from Washington and California state testing labs.

Results

Using a single pooling method, a pool size of three samples on average resulted in a 23.8% reduction in tests required for 100 samples for the Washington lab. For the California lab, pooling four samples on average resulted in a 54.1% reduction in tests required for 100 samples.

Conclusion

The algorithms generated from the Washington and California lab data demonstrated that pooled testing strategies can be developed on a case-by-case method to reduce the time, effort, and costs associated with heavy metals tests.

Highlights

The benefits of pooled testing will vary depending on the region and rate of contamination seen in each testing lab. Overall, our results demonstrate pooled testing has the potential to reduce the fiscal costs of testing through increased efficiency, allowing increased testing, leading to greater safety.
Estimating Web Survey Mode and Panel Effects in a Nationwide Survey of Alcohol Use
Authors: ZuWallack Randal , Jans Matt , Brassell Thomas , Bailly Kisha , Dayton James , Martinez Priscilla , Patterson Deidre , Greenfield Thomas K , Karriker-Jaffe Katherine J
Published: November 2022

Random-digit dialing (RDD) telephone surveys are challenged by declining response rates and increasing costs. Many surveys that were traditionally conducted via telephone are seeking cost-effective alternatives, such as address-based sampling (ABS) with self-administered web or mail questionnaires. At a fraction of the cost of both telephone and ABS surveys, opt-in web panels are an attractive alternative. The 2019–2020 National Alcohol Survey (NAS) employed three methods: (1) an RDD telephone survey (traditional NAS method); (2) an ABS push-to-web survey; and (3) an opt-in web panel. The study reported here evaluated differences in the three data-collection methods, which we will refer to as “mode effects,” on alcohol consumption and health topics. To evaluate mode effects, multivariate regression models were developed predicting these characteristics, and the presence of a mode effect on each outcome was determined by the significance of the three-level effect (RDD-telephone, ABS-web, opt-in web panel) in each model. Those results were then used to adjust for mode effects and produce a “telephone-equivalent” estimate for the ABS and panel data sources. The study found that ABS-web and RDD were similar for most estimates but exhibited differences for sensitive questions including getting drunk and experiencing depression. The opt-in web panel exhibited more differences between it and the other two survey modes. One notable example is the reporting of drinking alcohol at least 3–4 times per week, which was 21 percent for RDD-phone, 24 percent for ABS-web, and 34 percent for opt-in web panel. The regression model adjusts for mode effects, improving comparability with past surveys conducted by telephone; however, the models result in higher variance of the estimates. This method of adjusting for mode effects has broad applications to mode and sample transitions throughout the survey research industry.
Direct evidence for formation of acetimidic acid and acetamide under irradiation of isolated acetonitrile–water complexes at cryogenic temperatures
Authors: Drabkin Vladimir D , Volosatova Anastasia D , Feldman Vladimir I
Published: November 2022

In this work, we report the first direct evidence for formation of the key simplest molecule with the peptide bond (acetamide) under radiation-induced transformations occurring in the CH3CN···H2O complex isolated in an argon matrix at 6 K. The 1:1 CH3CN···H2O intermolecular complex was obtained by deposition of CH3CN/H2O/Ar mixtures and characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. The irradiation of the icy matrix with X-rays results first in formation of acetimidic acid, which is transformed to acetamide at higher absorbed doses. In addition, the products of acetonitrile oxidation (hydroxyacetonitrile and acetonitrile N-oxide) have been detected, which probably originate from the reactions of ‘hot’ radiation-induced oxygen atoms. The formation of acetamide was confirmed by deuterium isotopic substitution in acetonitrile. We believe that the observed transformation may be of basic importance for understanding the radiation-induced synthesis of prebiotic molecules in occurring in cold space media.
Supernova-remnant origin of the Galactic-Centre filaments
Authors: Sofue Yoshiaki
Published: November 2022

The mechanism to produce the numerous Galactic-Centre filaments (GCFs) that vertically penetrate the Galactic plane without clear evidence of connection to the disc remains a mystery. Here, we show that the GCFs are explained by relics of supernova remnants (rSNRs) driven by hundreds of supernovae (SNe) that exploded in the star-forming ring of the central molecular zone at an SN rate of ∼2 × 10−4 yr−1 in the past ∼0.5 Myr. The evolution of rSNRs is simulated by the propagation of fast-mode magnetohydrodynamic waves, which are shown to converge around the Galactic rotation axis by the focusing effect. Tangential projection of the cylindrical wavefronts on the sky constitutes the vertical filaments. The SNR model explains not only the morphology, but also the non-thermal radio spectrum, smoothed brightness over the distribution area consistent with the Σ–D relation of SNR, and the heating mechanism of hot plasma. We discuss the implication of the SNR model on the study of the interstellar physics in the Galactic Centre and star-formation activity.
Heating of the intracluster medium by buoyant bubbles and sound waves
Authors: Iqbal Asif , Majumdar Subhabrata , Nath Biman B , Roychowdhury Suparna
Published: November 2022

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) powered by the central supermassive black holes (SMBHs) play a major role in modifying the thermal properties of the intracluster medium (ICM). In this work, we implement two AGN heating models: (i) by buoyant cavities rising through stratified ICM (effervescent model) and, (ii) by viscous and conductive dissipation of sound waves (acoustic model). Our aim is to determine whether these heating models are consistent with ICM observables and if one is preferred over the other. We assume an initial entropy profile of ICM that is expected from the purely gravitational infall of the gas in the potential of the dark matter halo. We then incorporate heating, radiative cooling, and thermal conduction to study the evolution of ICM over the age of the clusters. Our results are: (i) Both the heating processes can produce comparable thermal profiles of the ICM with some tuning of relevant parameters. (ii) Thermal conduction is crucially important, even at the level of 10 per cent of the Spitzer values, in transferring the injected energy beyond the central regions, and without which the temperature/entropy profiles are unrealistically high. (iii) The required injected AGN power scales with cluster mass as $M_{\rm vir}^{1.5}$ for both models. (iv) The required AGN luminosity is comparable with the observed radio jet power, reinforcing the idea that AGNs are the dominant heating source in clusters. (v) Finally, we estimate that the fraction of the total AGN luminosity available as the AGN mechanical luminosity at 0.02 r500 is less than 0.05 per cent.
Seventeen Cases of Daptomycin-Induced Eosinophilic Pneumonia in a Cohort of Patients Treated for Bone and Joint Infections: Proposal for a New Algorithm
Authors: Pham Truong-Thanh , Garreau Romain , Craighero Fabien , Cottin Vincent , Said Benoît Ben , Goutelle Sylvain , Ferry Tristan
Published: November 2022

Background

Daptomycin is increasingly used in the treatment of bone and joint infections (BJIs) and may be responsible for daptomycin-induced eosinophilic pneumonia (DIEP), a potentially severe adverse drug reaction. The aim of this study was to describe DIEP in patients treated at a referral center for the management of BJI, and to revisit current definitions of this disease.

Methods

Patients treated from 1 January 2012 to 31 March 2021 were included in a prospective cohort (NCT02817711), in which all potential serious adverse events are prospectively recorded. Patients diagnosed with DIEP were retrospectively analyzed using different definitions.

Results

In a total of 4664 patients included in the cohort during the study period, 1021 patients (21.9%) received daptomycin, of whom 17 (1.7%) were diagnosed with DIEP. Most patients were male (n = 11 [64.7%]), and periprosthetic joint infection was the commonest BJI (n = 12 [70.6%]). Only 1 patient had bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) eosinophil count ≥25%, while most patients had peripheral blood eosinophilia (n = 15 [88.2%]). Chest computed tomography (CT) was compatible with eosinophilic pneumonia in 13 of 14 cases (92.9%). All patients recovered upon discontinuation of daptomycin. Using the different definitions available, only a minority of cases fulfilled existing criteria for DIEP. We propose a new algorithm that includes specific CT scan signs, and systemic instead of BAL eosinophilia.

Conclusions

DIEP is a rare event that requires prompt discontinuation of the causative antibiotic. Current criteria to diagnose definite DIEP are too restrictive and not easily applicable in clinical practice. A new algorithm is proposed here (Lyon algorithm) to facilitate the early identification of DIEP.
High-Risk HPV Genotype Distribution According to Cervical Cytology and Age
Authors: Trama Jason P , Trikannad Charulata , Yang Jing Jing , Adelson Martin E , Mordechai Eli
Published: November 2022

Background

A retrospective study of a single laboratory's results from patients in the United States to investigate high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype distribution according to cervical cytology and age was performed.

Methods

Anonymous results of 23 580 patients’ cervical specimens sent to Medical Diagnostic Laboratories, LLC, for cervical cytology and HPV testing between August 2020 and August 2021 were analyzed.

Results

Overall, any of the 14 high-risk HPV genotypes identified were detected in 2302 of the 23 580 patients (9.8%), with HPV 52 (1.4%), HPV 39 (1.3%), HPV 51 (1.3%), and HPV 16 (1.2%) being the most frequent in all patients. Multiple high-risk HPV infection was observed in 1.3% of all patients. HPV 16 was most likely to be a single high-risk genotype detected as compared with detection with other high-risk HPV genotypes, in contrast to HPV 33, which is least likely to be a single high-risk genotype detected as compared with detection with other high-risk HPV genotypes. High-risk HPV detection was greatest in patients under 25 years old (<21-year-olds, 24.6%, and 21–25-year-olds, 25.4%). In patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, the most frequently detected high-risk HPV genotypes were HPV 51 (10.5%) and HPV 39 (9.1%), and in patients with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, the most frequently detected high-risk HPV genotypes were HPV 16 (25.6%) and HPV 52 (17.1%).

Conclusions

HPV genotyping and cervical cytology data analysis may contribute to and inform cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination programs.
Patents and the Defensive Response
Authors: Bain Malcolm , McCoy Smith P
Published: November 2022

This chapter turns to patents, which are exclusionary rights granted to inventors over an invention. It first looks at why patents are relevant to FOSS — briefly, the question of software patentability and the differences with copyright, and then, taking into account the free software development and licensing models, the chapter considers what the impacts are for FOSS: the interrelations and frictions areas between free software licensing models and patents. Next, how patents are dealt with by the community from a structural point of view — particularly patent-related licensing provisions in free software licences — is reviewed. A discussion of the litigation environment, specifically as it relates to patent assertions against FOSS, is discussed. Finally, how the risks posed by patents — or the way patents are wielded — to the FOSS community may be mitigated, if not removed entirely, are summarised.
Foundations and Other Organisations
Authors: Sandler Karen
Published: November 2022

This chapter explores the main types of foundations that serve to forward FOSS. One of the oldest forms of foundations chosen by FOSS projects is charities, organised for the public good. Next, the chapter turns to FOSS organisations that prioritise for-profit interests — these generally form as trade associations. In both the charitable and trade association spaces, aggregating foundations have emerged to act as umbrellas for FOSS projects, so that each individual community need not form a new legal entity. Additionally, the chapter shows that companies have increasingly been hosts of FOSS projects. In addition to these FOSS foundations, the chapter also discusses related topics, such as the legal structures seen in the FOSS world, the ‘no-foundation’ solution, FOSS licenses, and corporate models.
Blockchain and Open Source
Authors: Radcliffe Mark
Published: November 2022

This chapter discusses blockchain technology. Here, the use of open source software in blockchain requires an understanding of blockchain technology and the broader category of ‘Distributed Ledger Technology’ (‘DLT’). Furthermore, blockchain is divided into three layers: protocol layer, network layer, and data layer. This chapter focuses on the protocol layer software such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, EOS, and Cordera. However, the software stack for blockchain systems which build on top of these protocol layers is very complex and varies based on the blockchain system. The protocol layers, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, are sometimes referred to as ‘Layer 1’ or the ‘base layer’. Some blockchain systems also have ‘Layer 2’ software such as the ‘Lightening Network’ for Bitcoin. Blockchain systems also host application software, with smart contacts, tokens, and ‘DApps’, all of which are software.
Judicial Politics in Portugal
Authors: Garoupa Nuno , Brashear Tiede Lydia
Published: November 2022

This chapter develops a framework for understanding judicial politics in Portugal, although local scholars contest the interrelationship between politics and judging. The chapter begins by summarizing extant theories related to judicial politics, including how judges’ political party associations, and other political actors influence judicial decision-making. This is followed by a description of the main Portuguese courts and other legal institutions with substantial emphasis on the Constitutional Court. The chapter analyses the extent to which politics plays a role in these institutions, as well as how this impacts the public’s trust. The chapter references existing qualitative and quantitative evidence t about how institutional design and political factors influence judicial outcomes and concludes with additional insights on research challenges.
Conscientious Objection
Authors: Peterson Christian Philip , Lombardi Christine , Knoblauch William M.
Published: November 2022

For centuries, concerned citizens have used conscientious objection (CO) to military service to promote peace and challenge state violence. Some European communities in the sixteenth century began citing Christian principles to resist the bearing of arms and reduce societal violence. Since that time, COs in Europe and the United States began to frame their CO as a function of individual conscience. Over time, changes in international law and the transnational connections of activists led to the evolution of CO in parts of Latin America, South Africa, Turkey, South Korea, and Israel. While CO has not ended war completely, it has promoted peace on multiple occasions, helped undermine public obedience that policymakers assume when they wage war, and challenged nationalist and racist roots of violence.
Schwann Cells in the Aganglionic Colon of Hirschsprung Disease Can Generate Neurons for Regenerative Therapy
Authors: Pan Weikang , Rahman Ahmed A , Stavely Rhian , Bhave Sukhada , Guyer Richard , Omer Meredith , Picard Nicole , Goldstein Allan M , Hotta Ryo
Published: November 2022

Cell therapy offers the potential to replace the missing enteric nervous system (ENS) in patients with Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) and to restore gut function. The Schwann cell (SC) lineage has been shown to generate enteric neurons pre- and post-natally. Here, we aimed to isolate SCs from the aganglionic segment of HSCR and to determine their potential to restore motility in the aganglionic colon. Proteolipid protein 1 (PLP1) expressing SCs were isolated from the extrinsic nerve fibers present in the aganglionic segment of postnatal mice and patients with HSCR. Following 7-10 days of in vitro expansion, HSCR-derived SCs were transplanted into the aganglionic mouse colon ex vivo and in vivo. Successful engraftment and neuronal differentiation were confirmed immunohistochemically and calcium activity of transplanted cells was demonstrated by live cell imaging. Organ bath studies revealed the restoration of motor function in the recipient aganglionic smooth muscle. These results show that SCs isolated from the aganglionic segment of HSCR mouse can generate functional neurons within the aganglionic gut environment and restore the neuromuscular activity of recipient mouse colon. We conclude that HSCR-derived SCs represent a potential autologous source of neural progenitor cells for regenerative therapy in HSCR.
Region-specific improvisation on WHO case definition and environmental risk factors associated with dengue: a case–control analysis from Kerala, India
Authors: Anish Thekkumkara Surendran , Valamparampil Mathew J , Rahul Arya , Saini Prasanta , Prajitha Kannamkottapilly Chandrasekharan , Suresh Meenu Maheswari , Reghukumar Aravind , Kumar N Pradeep
Published: November 2022

Background

Region-specific variations may occur in symptomatic manifestations that need to be addressed by dynamic case definitions. Environmental risk factors for dengue also vary widely across geographic settings. Our aim was to study the test positivity rate of the World Health Organization (WHO) 2009 probable dengue case definition and to suggest region-specific improvisations to it. The study also analyses the sociodemographic and environmental risk factors of dengue fever in South Kerala, India.

Methods

A case–control study was conducted in South Kerala from 2017 to 2019. Dengue reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-positive and RT-PCR-negative ‘probable dengue’ patients were compared to identify significant symptoms for a modified definition of dengue. A group of afebrile community controls was compared with RT-PCR-positive dengue cases to study the environmental and behavioural risk factors.

Results

Arthralgia, palmar erythema and rashes have high discriminatory power (odds ratio [OR] >3) for identifying dengue. Redness of eyes, altered consciousness, abdominal distension and chills were found to moderately discriminate (OR 2–3) dengue. The adjusted analysis showed the presence of mosquito breeding sites (indoor p=0.02, outdoor p=0.03), solid waste dumping (p<0.001) and open water drainage in the compound (p=0.007) as significant predictors.

Conclusions

Regional modifications should be considered when using the WHO definition in endemic settings. Control of mosquito breeding at the household level is the key towards dengue prevention.
Always on Call: Is There an Age Advantage in Dealing with Availability and Response Expectations?
Authors: Venz Laura , Wöhrmann Anne M
Published: November 2022

This research challenges the technology-related age stereotype that older employees might be disadvantaged in dealing with work-related information communication technology (ICT) demands. Rather, we hypothesize an age advantage in this regard. Based on theorizing on aging at work, we suggest that older employees are better at psychologically detaching from work under high availability expectations and that they show more adaptive responsiveness to response expectations. We examined a potential age-related mechanism underlying this effect, namely internal workplace telepressure. We pursued a two-study approach. Study 1 examined data from 5,938 individuals who participated in a large-scale survey of employees in Germany just before the COVID-19 pandemic, testing age as moderator of the relationship between availability expectations and psychological detachment from work. Results supported the hypothesized age advantage effect showing that for older employees, availability expectations were less strongly related to impaired psychological detachment. Study 2, a diary study with 106 participants answering more than 500 daily surveys during the pandemic, supported lower telepressure as explanation for this age advantage effect. Study 2 further extended this finding to the relationship of response expectations with responsiveness, identifying both age and telepressure as predicted by age to moderate this relationship. This research shows age advantage effects in dealing with ICT demands, enhancing understanding of the intersection between age and technology use at work.