bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dust-storm frequencies, community attitudes, government policy and land management practices during three major droughts in New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Leys John , Heidenreich Stephan , White Stephen , Guerschman Juan , Strong Craig
Published: April 2023

This study assessed whether dust-storm frequency during major droughts in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, has changed and what may have caused any change. The frequency of days with dust storms, i.e. when visibility is <1000 m, is presented for the dust storm year (July to June), with the maximum number of dust storms for three major droughts, namely, 2017/20, Millennial and World War II droughts. Community attitudes, government policy and land management practices have changed since the 1940s, and these factors were reviewed to determine whether they explain changes in dust-storm frequency. Two data sources were used: meteorological weather codes from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and dust particulate matter <10 µm (PM10) from the DustWatch/Rural Air Quality Monitoring Network. The particulate-matter data were converted to dust-storm days (DSD) to create a yearly time series. The meteorological data records were coded as dust storms and required no modification. Results showed that 1944/45 was the dustiest year, with 4.4 times more DSD than in 2019/20 and 9.9 times more DSD than in 2009/10. One reason for the higher DSD in 2019/20 than in 2009/10 was the area protected from wind erosion by vegetation cover above 50%. In 2019/20, 69% of NSW was protected from wind erosion, compared with 79% in 2009/10. We suggest the primary reasons for lower DSD in 2019/20 and 2009/10 than in 1944/45 were community attitudes, government policy and land management practices; these, in combination, help maintain vegetation cover. Since the 1940s, the focus of land management has changed from ‘taming the land’ to ‘sustainably using the land’. Government policy in the 2000s is focused on supporting farming businesses and communities to manage and prepare so as to successfully manage drought. Land management practices that maintain ground cover are now widely practised.
Pruritus: A Review
Authors: Weisshaar E , Kucenic MJ , Fleischer Jr AB
Published: May 2023

The history, neurophysiology, clinical aspects and treatment
of pruritus are reviewed in this article. The different
forms of pruritus in dermatological and systemic
diseases are described, and the various aetiologies and
pathophysiology of pruritus in systemic diseases are discussed.
Lack of understanding of the neurophysiology
and pathophysiology of pruritus has hampered the development
of adequate therapies. Nevertheless, the discovery
of primary afferent neurons and, presumably,
second-order neurons with typical histamine responses
mediating pruritic sensations can be regarded as a
breakthrough in our understanding of the mechanisms
behind pruritus. The number of experimental and
therapeutic studies has greatly increased during the
past few years, reflecting an increased interest in this
topic. However, further effort is needed to develop new
therapeutic concepts and clarify some confusion arising
from promising case reports and uncontrolled clinical
studies. A precise work-up for evaluating patients
with pruritus is proposed, which may help the physician
to identify the underlying causes and thus to treat
the patient appropriately.
Geometrical trinity of unimodular gravity
Authors: Nakayama Yu
Published: April 2023

We construct a Weyl transverse diffeomorphism invariant theory of teleparallel gravity by employing the Weyl compensator formalism. The low-energy dynamics has a single spin two gravition without a scalar degree of freedom. By construction, it is equivalent to unimodular gravity (as well as Einstein’s general relativity with an adjustable cosmological constant) at the non-linear level. Combined with our earlier construction of a Weyl transverse diffeomorphism invariant theory of symmetric teleparallel gravity, unimodular gravity is represented in three alternative ways.
Significant breakthroughs in interface engineering for high-performance colloidal QLEDs: a mini review
Authors: Zeng Jixi , Li Yunfei , Fan Xi
Published: April 2023

Substantial effort has been devoted to the fabrication of charge transport and injection layers for better colloidal quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). Recent cutting-edge fabrication methods of charge transport and injection layers are regarded as very promising ways to realize high-performance colloidal QLEDs. The interface engineering of the functional layers plays a critical role in raising the QLED’s efficiency and stability. This mini review summarizes current research on (i) electron transport layers that restrain luminescence quenching at the interfaces between the functional layers and quantum dots; (ii) hole injection layers with a tunable work function for high hole mobility of a device; and (iii) hole transport layers with low electron affinity and reduced energetic disorder for hole injection, which are directly linked to QLED luminescence performance. The most cutting-edge progress on the interface engineering of colloidal QLEDs is briefly highlighted. Perspectives and suggestions are provided to guide device development. This featured review raises awareness of the significance of charge transport and injection layers and reveals their critical roles in colloidal QLEDs.
The ρ parameter and the CDF-II W-mass anomaly: observations on the role of scalar triplets
Authors: Ghosh Rituparna , Mukhopadhyaya Biswarup , Sarkar Utpal
Published: April 2023

The ρ parameter, together with the W and Z masses, acts as Occam’s razor on extensions of the electroweak symmetry-breaking sectors. We apply this to non-doublet Higgs scenarios, by examining the CDF-II claim on the W-boson mass. Suspending any judgment on the CDF claim, we show that in general, if one works at the tree level, theoretical models that predict ρ = 1 at the tree level are inconsistent with the CDF claims at 4–6 standard deviations if one confines oneself to the existing Z-boson mass and the earlier W-boson mass from either the global fit or the ATLAS data. We take some well-motivated scenarios containing one or more scalar SU(2) triplets in addition to the usual doublet and show that both a scenario including a complex scalar triplet and one with a complex as well as a real triplet (the Georgi–Machacek model) can be made consistent with the new data, where a small splitting between the complex and real triplet vacuum expectation values are required in the second scenario. We explore the consequences of this splitting, either at the tree level or via incalculable new physics contribution to W-boson mass and indicate as illustrations its implications in H
±
W
∓
Z type interaction vertices.
Additive 3D photonic integration that is CMOS compatible
Authors: Grabulosa Adrià , Moughames Johnny , Porte Xavier , Kadic Muamer , Brunner Daniel
Published: April 2023

Today, continued miniaturization in electronic integrated circuits (ICs) appears to have reached its fundamental limit at ∼2 nm feature-sizes, from originally ∼1 cm. At the same time, energy consumption due to communication becomes the dominant limitation in high performance electronic ICs for computing, and modern computing concepts such neural networks further amplify the challenge. Communication based on co-integrated photonic circuits is a promising strategy to address the second. As feature size has leveled out, adding a third dimension to the predominantly two-dimensional ICs appears a promising future strategy for further IC architecture improvement. Crucial for efficient electronic–photonic co-integration is complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility of the associated photonic integration fabrication process. Here, we review our latest results obtained in the FEMTO-ST RENATECH facilities on using additive photo-induced polymerization of a standard photo-resin for truly three-dimensional (3D) photonic integration according to these principles. Based on one- and two-photon polymerization (TPP) and combined with direct-laser writing, we 3D-printed air- and polymer-cladded photonic waveguides. An important application of such circuits are the interconnects of optical neural networks, where 3D integration enables scalability in terms of network size versus its geometric dimensions. In particular via flash-TPP, a fabrication process combining blanket one- and high-resolution TPP, we demonstrated polymer-cladded step-index waveguides with up to 6 mm length, low insertion (∼0.26 dB) and propagation (∼1.3 dB mm–1) losses, realized broadband and low loss (∼0.06 dB splitting losses) adiabatic 1 to M couplers as well as tightly confining air-cladded waveguides for denser integration. By stably printing such integrated photonic circuits on standard semiconductor samples, we show the concept’s CMOS compatibility. With this, we lay out a promising, future avenue for scalable integration of hybrid photonic and electronic components.
Interdigitated electrodes-based Au-MoS2 hybrid gas sensor for sensing toxic CO and NH3 gases at room temperature
Authors: Rawat Saurabh , Bamola Priyanka , Rani Chanchal , Kaushik Vishakha , Kumar Ujjwal , Dwivedi Charu , Rattan Rekha , Sharma Mohit , Kumar Rajesh , Sharma Himani
Published: April 2023

In the quest to create effective sensors that operate at room temperature, consume less power and maintain their stability over time for detecting toxic gases in the environment, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and MoS2-based hybrids have emerged as potent materials. In this context, the current work describes the fabrication of Au-MoS2 hybrid gas sensor fabricated on gold interdigitated electrodes (GIEs) for sensing harmful CO and NH3 gases at room temperature. The GIEs-based Au-MoS2 hybrid sensors are fabricated by decorating MoS2 nanoflowers (MNF) with varying size of Au nanoparticles using an inert gas evaporation technique. It is observed that by varying the size of Au nanoparticles, the crystallinity gets modified, as confirmed by x-ray diffraction and Micro-Raman spectroscopy (μRS). The gas sensing measurements revealed that the best sensing response is found from the Au-MoS2 hybrid (with an average particle size of 10 nm). This particular hybrid shows a 79% response to CO exposure and a 69% response to NH3 exposure. The measurements are about 3.5 and 5 times higher than the bare MoS2 when exposed to CO and NH3 at room temperature, respectively. This enhancement in sensing response is attributed to the modified interfacial interaction between the Au nanoparticles and MNF gets improved, which leads to the formation of a Schottky barrier, as confirmed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. This enables the development of efficient gas sensors that respond quickly to changes in the gas around them.
Semitransparent organic solar cells based on low temperature processed PEIE as electron transport layer with enhanced charge transfer ability
Authors: Khanam Lubna , Singh Samarendra Pratap
Published: April 2023

In inverted structure-based semitransparent organic solar cells (OSCs), the electron transport layer (ETL) plays a crucial role in the improvement of the transparent cathode efficiency in collecting and extracting negative charge carriers. Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film prepared by zinc acetate dihydrate precursor with various benefits is generally used as ETL. However, high temperature, less charge transfer ability, and irregular film surface due to fiber-like domain formation limit the device performance. In this work, a new approach is presented by using low-temperature processed polyethylenimine ethoxylated (PEIE) as ETL in semitransparent OSCs fabricated in an ambient environment with a blend of low-bandgap donor polymer PTB7-Th, and fullerene acceptor, PC71BM, based active layer. For semitransparent OSCs, the thickness of the silver electrode has been varied from 55 nm to 25 nm to investigate its effect on the electrical and optical properties of the devices. The power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 5.1% and 4.6% were achieved for semitransparent devices (25 nm thickness of silver electrode) for PEIE and ZnO ETLs, respectively. Similarly, PCE of 7% and 6.7% have been achieved for opaque devices (85 nm thickness of silver electrode) using PEIE and ZnO ETLs, respectively. PEIE based devices with 25 nm Ag demonstrate about 25%–30% transparency. The impedance spectroscopy measurements indicate low interfacial contact resistance and fast charge transfer capability for PEIE interlayer-based devices compared to the ZnO based devices. The encapsulated semitransparent devices processed and stored in ambient conditions with PEIE and ZnO ETLs were found to retain ≈80% performance for up to 45 days.
Design of multi-spectral LED lighting system with high color uniformity for microscopic imaging
Authors: Li Yalin , Dong Jianfei , Zhang Yunchu
Published: April 2023

Multi-spectral imaging is commonly used in biomedical field to detect and recognize targets, which are in a low contrast with their background. Highly integrated multichannel light-emitting diode (LED) devices enable tuning the spectral contents of the illumination in an accurate and compact fashion, and hence make multi-spectral lighting more easily achievable even in a microscope. Besides the light source, the light mixing system is also a key to realize it. Existing light mixing devices available for multi-spectral LED lighting systems are both costly to manufacture and intricate in design, making them a challenging solution to create. This work proposes a design of multi-spectral lighting system for microscopic imaging, which can achieve a high uniformity in the effective area of illumination in terms of both the illuminance and chromaticity. Simulation results first demonstrate that the designed lighting system consisting of two rods, both containing a frosted emitting surface, managed to reduce the non-uniformity to less than 0.05 for both the illuminance and chromaticity. Experiments with a real prototype show highly uniformly illuminated microscopic images of tissue section samples. Moreover, the pathogenic fungi in the infected tissue section samples can be highlighted by the superposition of multi-spectral images. These experimental results indicate that the designed multi-spectral LED lighting system can improve the quality of microscopic imaging in terms of the illumination and image contrast.
NuSTAR View of the R − Γ Correlation in the Hard State of Black Hole Low-mass X-Ray Binaries
Authors: Dong Yanting , Liu Zhu , Cao Xinwu
Published: April 2023

The power law and reflection emission have been observed in the X-ray spectra of both black hole X-ray binaries (BHXRBs) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs), indicating a common physical origin of the X-ray emission from these two types of sources. The relevant parameters describing the shape of both components and the potential correlation between these parameters can provide important clues on the geometric and physical properties of the disk and the corona in these sources. In this work, we present a positive correlation between the photon index Γ and the reflection strength R for the low-mass BHXRBs in the hard state by modeling NuSTAR data, which is qualitatively consistent with the previous studies. We compare our results with the predictions from different theoretical disk-corona models. We show that the R − Γ correlation found in this work seems to favor the moving corona model proposed by Beloborodov. Our results indicate that the coronal geometry varies significantly among BHXRBs. We further compare our results with that of AGNs. We find that the reflection strength R is smaller than unity in the hard state of BHXRBs, while it can be as large as ∼5 in AGNs, which implies that the variations of the disk-coronal geometry of AGNs are more vigorous than that of the BHXRBs in the hard state.
Fermi Blazars in the Zwicky Transient Facility Survey: A Correlation Study
Authors: Sun Si-Si , Wang Zhong-Xiang , Xing Yi
Published: April 2023

We report on our correlation analysis for the γ-ray blazars detected with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi), for which we use the Fermi-LAT data and the optical zr and zg band data from the Zwicky Transient Facility survey in the time period approximately from 2018 July to 2022 February. We start from the full sample of the Fermi-LAT blazars and find ∼38% of them as significant variables in both γ-ray and optical bands. Among the variables, which are 705 blazars, 95 are selected as our targets based on the requirement for the γ-ray brightnesses. Then 15 out of the 95 blazars are found to show the γ-ray–optical correlations in the ∼3.7 yr time period. Most of the 15 blazars are classified as low synchrotron peaked (LSP) ones with the time lags between the γ-ray and optical bands in a range from −19 to +25 days. The results generally fit the often-considered emission scenario for the LSP blazars. Two cases of showing ∼−100 days time lags are discussed, which require further studies for confirmation. Our analysis results suggest that among the detected significant variables, ∼23% LSPs can show γ-ray and optical correlations, while their average γ-ray fluxes are above ∼4 × 10−8 photon cm−2 s−1.
Magnetoencephalographic neurofeedback training decreases β-low-γ phase-amplitude coupling of the motor cortex of healthy adults: a double-blinded randomized crossover feasibility study
Authors: Izutsu Nobuyuki , Yanagisawa Takufumi , Fukuma Ryohei , Kishima Haruhiko
Published: April 2023

Objective. The coupling between the beta (13–30 Hz) phase and low gamma (50–100 Hz) amplitude in the motor cortex is thought to regulate motor performance. Abnormal phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) of beta-low gamma (β-low-γ PAC) is associated with motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. However, the causal relationship between β-low-γ PAC and motor performance in healthy subjects is unknown. We hypothesized that healthy subjects could change the strength of the β-low-γ PAC in the resting state by neurofeedback training (NFT) to control the β-low-γ PAC, such that the motor performance changes in accordance with the changes in β-low-γ PAC in the resting state. Approach. We developed an NFT to control the strength of the β-low-γ PAC in the motor cortex, which was evaluated by magnetoencephalography (MEG) using a current source estimation technique. Twenty subjects were enrolled in a double-blind randomized crossover trial to test the feasibility of the MEG NFT. In the NFT for 2 d, the subjects were instructed to reduce the size of a black circle whose radius was proportional (down-training) or inversely proportional (up-training) to the strength of the β-low-γ PAC. The reaction times (RTs) to press a button according to some cues were evaluated before and after training. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03837548) and UMIN-CTR (UMIN000032937). Main results. The β-low-γ PAC during the resting state was significantly decreased after down-training, although not significantly after up-training. RTs tended to decrease after both trainings, however the differences were not statistically significant. There was no significant correlation between the changes in β-low-γ PAC during rest and RTs. Significance. The proposed MEG NFT was demonstrated to change the β-low-γ PAC of the motor cortex in healthy subjects. However, a relationship between PAC and RT has not yet been demonstrated.
3D printed guide tube system for acute Neuropixels probe recordings in non-human primates
Authors: Bauer Devyn Lee , Pobiel Ben , Hilber Kathryn , Verma Ajay K , Wang Jing , Vitek Jerrold , Johnson Matthew , Johnson Luke
Published: April 2023

Objective. Neuropixels (NP) probes are a significant advance in electrophysiological recording technology that enable monitoring of hundreds of neurons in the brain simultaneously at different depths. Application of this technology has been predominately in rodents, however widespread use in non-human primates (NHPs) such as rhesus macaques has been limited. In this study we sought to overcome two overarching challenges that impede acute NP implantation in NHPs: (1) traditional microdrive systems that mount to cephalic chambers are commonly used to access cortical areas for microelectrode recordings but are not designed to accommodate NP probes, and (2) NHPs have thick dura mater and tissue growth within the cephalic chambers which poses a challenge for insertion of the extremely fragile NP probe. Approach. In this study we present a novel NP guide tube system that can be adapted to commercial microdrive systems and demonstrate an implant method using the NP guide tube system. This system was developed using a combination of CAD design, 3D printing, and small part machining. Software programs, 3D Slicer and SolidWorks were used to target cortical areas, approximate recording depths and locations, and for in-silico implant testing. Main results. We performed in vivo testing to validate our methodology, successfully implanting, explanting, and reimplanting NP probes. We collected stable neurophysiological recordings in the premotor cortex of a rhesus macaque at rest and during performance of a reaching task. Significance. In this study we demonstrate a robust Neuropixels implant system that allows multiple penetrations with the same NP probe and share design files that will facilitate the adoption of this powerful recording technology for NHP studies.
Finite temperature phases and excitations of bosons on a square lattice: a cluster mean field study
Authors: Malakar Manali , Sinha Sudip , Sinha S
Published: April 2023

We study the finite temperature phases and collective excitations of hardcore as well as softcore bosons on a square lattice with nearest and next nearest neighbor interactions, focusing on the formation of various types of supersolid (SS) phases and their stability under thermal fluctuations. The interplay between the on-site, nearest, and next nearest neighbor interactions leads to various density ordering and structural transitions, which we have plotted out. Thermodynamic properties and phase diagrams are obtained by cluster mean field theory at finite temperatures, which includes quantum effects systematically, and they are compared with the single-site mean field (MF) results. We investigate the melting process of the SS phase to normal fluid (NF), which can occur in at least two steps due to the presence of two competing orders in the SS. A tetra-critical point exists at finite temperature and exhibits intriguing behavior, which is analyzed for different regimes of interactions. The phase diagrams reveal the different pathways of the thermal transition of SSs to the NF phase, for different interaction regimes, which can be accessible by thermal quench protocols used in recent experiments. We show how the phases and the transitions between them can be identified from the characteristic features of the excitation spectrum. We analyze the appearance of a low-energy gapped mode apart from the gapless sound mode in the SS phase, which is analogous to the gapped mode recently studied for dipolar SS phases. Finally, we discuss the relevance of the results of the present work in the context of ongoing experiments on ultracold atomic gases and newly observed SS phases.
Compound marine heatwaves and low sea surface salinity extremes over the tropical Pacific Ocean
Authors: Liu Hao , Nie Xunwei , Cui Chaoran , Wei Zexun
Published: April 2023

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) and low sea surface salinity (SSS) events can significantly impact marine ecosystems and dynamic systems, respectively. Compound marine extreme events can cause more significant damage than individual extreme events. However, the spatiotemporal patterns of compound MHW-low SSS extremes are not well understood. Daily reanalysis data were used to identify the basic patterns of compound extreme events and their drivers. These events mainly occur over the central tropical Pacific Ocean during record-breaking El Niño events. This analysis revealed that extreme sea surface warming associated with El Niño drives increased convection, which subsequently leads to increased rainfall. It ultimately causes extreme sea surface freshening. This analysis highlights the significance of air-sea interactions and low-frequency climate variability in shaping compound extreme events.
Enhanced ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties of xNiFe2O4/(1–x)Ba0.94Ca0.06Ti0.975Zr0.025O3 nanocomposites
Authors: Linh Dinh Chi , Lam Dao Son , Thi Viet Chinh Nguyen , Dung Dang Duc , Tran Ngo , Thanh Tran Dang
Published: April 2023

Bi-phase multiferroic composites of NiFe2O4/Ba0.94Ca0.06Ti0.975Zr0.025O3 (BCTZ/NFO) were successfully fabricated by high-energy ball milling combined with heat treatment. X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra confirmed the successful coexistence of BCTZ and NFO phases in the final composites, which had an average particle size of 50 nm. However, the number of large particles increased with the increased NFO concentration in the composites. Optical properties of the composites were also modified by the NFO content, where the absorption band tended to the visible region and band-gap energies (E
g) decreased with the increase of NFO. Ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties of the BCTZ/NFO composites were also tuned by NFO additive content. Both saturation magnetisation (M
s) and remnant magnetisation (M
r) increased with the increase of NFO content, where the maximum values of M
s = 22.52 emu g−1 and M
r = 1.48 emu g−1 for composites with 40% NFO concentration, while coercivity (H
c) was maintained at about 60 Oe. Maximum polarisation (P
max), remnant polarisation (P
r), and coercive field (E
c) values all increased with NFO concentration, with 10% NFO providing the highest P
max (= 0.249 μC cm−2) and P
r (= 0.116 μC cm−2) values, and 30% NFO providing the highest E
c (= 1.720 kV cm−1) value with a maximum applied voltage of 1 kV. Therefore, the multiferroic properties of BCTZ/NFO composites could be enhanced with an appropriate concentration of NFO, which led to a wide range of practical applications in the advanced electronic device field.
Study on the spatio-temporal patterns of urban air pollution and its spatial mismatch with air pollutant emissions in the Yellow River Basin, China
Authors: Yang Xiaolin , Feng Zengwei , Chen Yiyan
Published: April 2023

In order to promote the precise governance of air pollution in the Yellow River Basin(YRB), it is of great significance to reveal the spatio-temporal patterns of urban air pollution in the basin and its spatial mismatch characteristics with air pollutant emissions. Based on spatial autocorrelation model and spatial mismatch model, this paper selected air pollution-related monitoring data from 69 cities in YRB from 2015 to 2020 as samples, and used ArcGIS, Stata, GeoDa and other softwares to analyze the spatio-temporal patterns of urban air pollution and its spatial mismatch characteristics with air pollutant emissions in YRB. The results showed that: (1) Temporally, the average annual Air Quality Index (AQI) values of cities in YRB ranged from 78.22 to 97.08 in 2015–2020, among which, the average annual AQI values of cities in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the basin decreased from 79.86, 89.23 and 122.14 in 2015 to 66.87,82.98 and 98.43 in 2020. (2) Spatially, there were obvious spatial differences in urban air pollution in YRB, and the AQI was roughly distributed in a geographical gradient of upper reaches < middle reaches < lower reaches, and there were significant spatial correlations in urban air pollution, mainly showing ‘high-high’ and ‘low-low’ aggregating characteristics. Among them, the lower reaches of YRB had formed a concentrated ‘high pollution zone’. (3) There was an obvious spatial mismatch between urban air pollution and air pollutant emissions in YRB, among which the spatial mismatch was obvious in cities such as Wuhai, Zibo, Shizuishan, Yangquan, Taiyuan, Datong, Jiyuan, Kaifeng, Puyang and Xi’an. (4) To improve the overall situation of air pollution in the cities of YRB, this paper proposed that the geographical gradient difference of air pollution in the upper, middle and lower reaches of YRB needs to be fully considered, following the principle of ‘focused treatment, gradual progress, enhanced prevention’, and according to the spatial mismatch characteristics of urban air pollution and air pollutant emissions, it is necessary to build a ‘differentiated’ governance strategy system for urban air pollution in the basin, which is ‘tailored to local conditions and categorized measures’.
Characterizing methane emissions from orphaned coalbed methane wells in the powder river basin
Authors: Nivitanont J , Robertson E P , Murphy S M , Burkhart M D , Caulton D R
Published: April 2023

In 2018, the U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI) began including methane emissions from abandoned oil and gas (AOG) wells and estimated that they may constitute up to 4% of total methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. Several studies have shown that these emissions vary by location which introduces regionally dependent uncertainty into inventory estimates. In Wyoming, there are over 1000 wells identified as ‘orphaned’ indicating that they are both abandoned and unplugged, approximately 80% of which are coalbed methane (CBM) wells. In this pilot study, 3-hour measurements of ten orphaned CBM wells were taken to support the characterization of AOG well emission rates in the Powder River Basin (PRB) in Wyoming. The mean methane emission rate measured at these wells was 653 mg CH4/hr with the majority of these wells emitting in the 100-1000mg CH4/hr range. The highest emitting well in the study was measured at 4.53 g CH4/hr. Compared to the GHGI AOG wells emission factor of 10.04 g CH4/hr, these findings suggest that AOG wells emission rate in the PRB are overestimated by national inventory methods. Finally, the addition of AOG well emissions data from this study doubles the number of sampled AOG wells in Wyoming and triples the number of sampled CBM wells in the U.S.
Unitriangular basic sets, Brauer characters and coprime actions
Authors: Feng Zhicheng , Späth Britta
Published: May 2023

We show that the decomposition matrix of a given groupGGis unitriangular, wheneverGGhas a normal subgroupNNsuch that the decomposition matrix ofNNis unitriangular,G/NG/Nis abelian and certain characters ofNNextend to their stabilizer inGG. Using the recent result by Brunat–Dudas–Taylor establishing that unipotent blocks have a unitriangular decomposition matrix, this allows us to prove that blocks of groups of quasi-simple groups of Lie type have a unitriangular decomposition matrix whenever they are related via Bonnafé–Dat–Rouquier’s equivalence to a unipotent block. This is then applied to study the action of automorphisms on Brauer characters of finite quasi-simple groups. We use it to verify the so-calledinductive Brauer–Glauberman conditionthat aims to establish a Glauberman correspondence for Brauer characters, given a coprime action.
Symbiotic microbiota vary with breeding group membership in a highly social joint-nesting bird
Authors: Grieves Leanne A , Gloor Gregory B , Quinn James S
Published: April 2023

Symbiotic microbes affect the health, fitness, and behavior of their animal hosts, and can even affect the behavior of non-hosts. Living in groups presents numerous benefits and challenges to social animals, including exposure to symbiotic microbes, which can mediate both cooperation and competition. In social mammals, individuals from the same social group tend to share more similar microbes and this social microbiome, the microbial community of all hosts in the same social group, can shape the benefits and costs of group living. In contrast, little is known about the social microbiome of group living birds. We tested the predictions that communally breeding smooth-billed anis (Crotophaga ani) belonging to the same breeding group share more similar microbes and that microbial community composition differs between body regions. To test this, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the preen gland and body feather microbiota of adult birds from 16 breeding groups at a long-term study site in southwestern Puerto Rico. As predicted, individuals from the same breeding group shared more similar microbiota than non-group members and preen gland and body feathers harbored distinct microbial communities. Future research will evaluate whether this social microbiome affects the behavior of group living birds.
British Contributions to the Law of the Sea and the Protection of the Marine Environment, including its Natural Resources
Authors: Boyle Alan , Harrison James
Published: April 2023

This article explores the contribution of the United Kingdom to the development and continued evolution of the law of sea and the establishment of an international legal order for the world’s oceans. The authors consider the rise of the United Kingdom as the pre-eminent naval power until the early 20th century, and its use of international law, including the principle of the freedom of the seas, to further its national interests. Despite the relative decline in the naval power of the UK throughout the 20th century, the UK has continued to be influential in the development of the law of the sea, particularly through its participation in multilateral institutions. For example, the UK was at the forefront of the establishment of the IMO and played a leading role in the successful conclusion of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The authors identify that it is not only UK officials that have shaped the discipline, but also UK industry, civil society, and academia. The authors conclude their piece by considering the future of the UK’s contribution to the development of the law of the sea after its withdrawal from the European Union, as it resumes its status as an independent coastal state for the first time in four decades. The authors specifically consider the implications of this development for fisheries regulation and the protection of the marine environment.
The correlation of age and extension length in DeBakey type I aortic dissection: are older patients over 70 years at a lower risk?
Authors: Merkle-Storms Julia , Gaisendrees Christopher , Feisst Manuel , Rylski Bartosz , Dohle Daniel-Sebastian , Hagl Christian , Lescan Mario , Brickwede Jens , Poeling Jochen , Holubec Tomas , Etz Christian D , Jawny Philipp , Noack Thilo , Arif Rawa , Wahlers Thorsten , Boening Andreas , Luehr Maximilian
Published: April 2023

OBJECTIVES

Age-related atherosclerosis has been shown to cause aortic stiffness and wall rigidification. This analysis aimed to correlate age and dissection extension length in a large contemporary multicentre study. We hypothesize that younger patients suffer more extensive DeBakey type I dissection due to aortic wall integrity, allowing unhindered extension within the layers.

METHODS

The perioperative data of 3385 patients from the German Registry for Acute Aortic Dissection Type A were retrospectively analyzed with regard to postoperative outcomes and dissection extension. Patients with DeBakey type I aortic dissection (n = 2510) were retrospectively identified and divided into 2 age groups for comparison: ≤69 years (n = 1741) and ≥70 years (n = 769). Patients with DeBakey type II dissection or connective tissue disease were excluded from the analysis.

RESULTS

In younger patients (≤69 years), aortic dissection involved the supra-aortic vessels significantly more often (52.0% vs 40.1%; P < 0.001) and extended significantly further downstream the aorta: descending aorta (68.4% vs 57.1%; P < 0.001), abdominal aorta (54.6% vs 42.1%; P < 0.001) and iliac bifurcation (36.6% vs 26.0%; P < 0.001). Consequently, younger patients also presented with significantly higher incidences of preoperative cerebral (P < 0.001), spinal (P < 0.001), visceral (P < 0.001), renal (P = 0.013) and peripheral (P < 0.001) malperfusion. In older patients (≥70 years), dissection extent was significantly more often limited to the level of the aortic arch (40.9% vs 29.2%; P < 0.001). No significant difference was found with regard to 30-day mortality (20.7% vs 23.6%; P = 0.114).

CONCLUSIONS

Extensive DeBakey type I aortic dissection is less frequent in older patients ≥70 years than in younger patients. In contrast, younger patients suffer more often from preoperative organ malperfusion and associated complications. Postoperative mortality remains high irrespective of age groups.
On some problems of using the Human Development Index in economic history
Authors: Amendola Nicola , Gabbuti Giacomo , Vecchi Giovanni
Published: April 2023

This paper provides a theoretical framework that shows that the Human Development Index (HDI) is equivalent to a paternalistic social welfare function: this implies that all alternative HDI formulas used by economic historians merely represent their ethical systems. The problem is neither the choice of the dimensions included in the HDI nor the weighting scheme but the lack of consistency with standard economic theory. A key consequence is that with HDI, “anything goes”: using Italy 1861–2016 as a case study, we show how, given the same dataset, the interpretation of Italy’s performance is entirely driven by the analyst’s preferences.
The Impact of Modern Admixture on Archaic Human Ancestry in Human Populations
Authors: Witt Kelsey E , Funk Alyssa , Añorve-Garibay Valeria , Fang Lesly Lopez , Huerta-Sánchez Emilia
Published: April 2023

Admixture, the genetic merging of parental populations resulting in mixed ancestry, has occurred frequently throughout the course of human history. Numerous admixture events have occurred between human populations across the world, which have shaped genetic ancestry in modern humans. For example, populations in the Americas are often mosaics of different ancestries due to recent admixture events as part of European colonization. Admixed individuals also often have introgressed DNA from Neanderthals and Denisovans that may have come from multiple ancestral populations, which may affect how archaic ancestry is distributed across an admixed genome. In this study, we analyzed admixed populations from the Americas to assess whether the proportion and location of admixed segments due to recent admixture impact an individual's archaic ancestry. We identified a positive correlation between non-African ancestry and archaic alleles, as well as a slight increase of Denisovan alleles in Indigenous American segments relative to European segments in admixed genomes. We also identify several genes as candidates for adaptive introgression, based on archaic alleles present at high frequency in admixed American populations but low frequency in East Asian populations. These results provide insights into how recent admixture events between modern humans redistributed archaic ancestry in admixed genomes.
Soluble NS1 Antagonizes IgG- and IgA- Mediated Monocytic Phagocytosis of DENV Infected Cells
Authors: Waldran Mitchell J , Wegman Adam D , Bahr Lauren E , Roy Nathan H , Currier Jeffrey R , Waickman Adam T
Published: April 2023

Dengue virus (DENV) is endemic in >100 countries, infecting an estimated 400 million individuals every year. Infection with DENV raises an antibody response primarily targeting viral structural proteins. However, DENV encodes several immunogenic nonstructural (NS) proteins, one of which, NS1, is expressed on the membrane of DENV-infected cells. IgG and IgA isotype antibodies that bind NS1 are abundant in serum following DENV infection. Our study aimed to determine if NS1-binding IgG and IgA isotype antibodies contribute to the clearance of DENV-infected cells by antibody-mediated cellular phagocytosis. We observed that both IgG and IgA isotype antibodies can facilitate monocytic uptake of DENV NS1-expressing cells in an FcγRI- and FcαRI-dependent fashion. Interestingly, this process was antagonized by the presence of soluble NS1, suggesting that the production of soluble NS1 by infected cells may serve as immunological chaff, antagonizing opsonization and clearance of DENV-infected cells.
Utility and Recommendations for the Use of Multiplex Molecular Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panels
Authors: Hata D Jane , Powell Eleanor A , Starolis Meghan W
Published: April 2023

Background

Many molecular gastrointestinal pathogen panels (GIPs) are Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared but it is still unclear how to best utilize these new diagnostic tools. GIPs are highly sensitive and specific, simultaneously detect multiple pathogens in one reaction, and can shorten the overall time of diagnosis for infectious gastroenteritis but are also expensive with relatively poor insurance reimbursement.

Content

In this review, we take a comprehensive approach to discuss issues with utilization of GIPs from a physician perspective, and implementation from a laboratory perspective. The information presented is to assist physicians in deciding on appropriate use of GIPs in diagnostic algorithms for their patients, and to provide information to laboratories that may be considering the addition of these powerful diagnostic assays to their test menu. Some of the important topics discussed are inpatient vs outpatient use, the appropriate panel size and organisms to include, interpretation of results, laboratory validation, and reimbursement.

The information in this review provides clear guidance to both clinicians and laboratories in deciding the best use of GIPs for a specific patient population. While this technology provides many benefits over traditional methods, it can also complicate result interpretation and comes with a high cost, which necessitates the need for use recommendations.
Linoleic acid ameliorates intestinal mucosal barrier injury in early weaned pigeon squabs (Columba livia)
Authors: Xu Qianqian , Zhao Jin , Jian Huafeng , Ye Jiangcheng , Gong Mingxiu , Zou Xiaoting , Dong Xinyang
Published: April 2023

The study aimed to investigate whether linoleic acid could improve the intestinal barrier function of squabs under weaning stress conditions. Totally 320 7-d-old weaned squabs were randomly divided into four treatment groups, including control group (CON), 0.7% linoleic acid addition group (LA007), 1.4% linoleic acid addition group (LA014) and 2.1% linoleic acid addition group (LA021). At 21 d, eight squabs were randomly selected from each treatment group for sampling and determination. The results showed that adding linoleic acid could improve (P < 0.05) the body weight of weaned squabs, and LA014 had the best effect. With the increase of linoleic acid dosage, villi height and villi area increased linearly or quadratically (P < 0.05), and reached the maximum in LA021 or LA014, respectively. The linoleic acid supplementation could improve the intestinal tight junction of weaned squabs, and the LA014 was the most significant (P < 0.05). With the linoleic acid increasing, the levels of intestinal IL-6 and TNF-α decreased linearly (P < 0.05), while intestinal IL-10 increased quadratically (P < 0.05) and reached the maximum in LA014. Serum endotoxin and diamine oxidase levels decreased linearly (P < 0.05) and reached the lowest level in LA014. The ultrastructure of villi revealed that the length of ileal microvilli in LA014 was significantly increased (P < 0.05) and the microvilli became dense, and the mitochondria in epithelial cells returned to normal state. Further exploring the mechanism of linoleic acid alleviating intestinal injury caused by weaning stress in squabs, it was found that linoleic acid down-regulated (P < 0.05) the relative protein expression of TLR4, MyD88, phosphorylated JNK, and phosphorylated p38, reducing secretion of pro-inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α. This study indicated that linoleic acid could alleviate intestinal barrier injury of early weaned squabs by down-regulating TLR4-MyD88-JNK/p38-IL6/TNF-α pathway.
Hydrogeological spatial modelling: A comparison between frequentist and Bayesian statistics
Authors: Romero Jason M , Salazar Daniel C , Melo Carlos E
Published: April 2023

Traditional and modern spatial prediction techniques are applied in the analysis of water quality, evidencing a new approach that allows the modeling of a hydrogeological system in the central area of Boyacá, Colombia. The objective is to determine the quality status of groundwater for human consumption. In the process, spatial predictions were made based on frequentist methods (kriging, cokriging) and Bayesian methods (R-INLA stochastic partial differential equation) as an alternative to Markov chain Monte Carlo methods that require a large computational cost. From the application of these methods, a comparison is made by statistical tests that determine the goodness of adjustment of the predictions. Our interest here is in the implementation of future more robust, economic and scientific solutions, particularly for hydrogeological data, and the proper management of water resources. Finally, the vulnerability of aquifers is analyzed with the DRASTIC method, which takes into account the surrounding media of the aquifers through the variables depth (D), net recharge (R), type of aquifer (A), soil (S), topography (T), impact of the vadose zone (I) and hydraulic conductivity (C).
Feasibility and acceptability of an online intervention to enhance hopefulness among oncology professionals
Authors: Corn Benjamin W , Feldman David B , Subbiah Ishwaria M , Corn Phyllis D , Bakitas Marie A , Krouse Robert S , Hudson Matthew F , Fowler Lauren A , Fraser Valerie , Siegal Carole , Agarwal Rajiv , Ge Jacqueline L , Parajuli Jyotsana , Myers Jamie S , O’Rourke Mark A
Published: April 2023

Background

Patients prefer medical communication including both hopefulness and realism, though health-care professional (HCPs) struggle to balance these. Providers could thus benefit from a detailed personal understanding of hope, allowing them to model and convey it to patients. Additionally, given that hope is associated with lower levels of burnout, HCPs may benefit from tools designed to enhance their own personal hopefulness. Several investigators have proposed offering HCPs interventions to augment hope. We developed an online workshop for this purpose.

Methods

Feasibility and acceptability of the workshop were assessed in members of the SWOG Cancer Research Network. Three measures were used: the Was-It-Worth-It scale, a survey based on the Kirkpatrick Training Evaluation Model, and a single item prompting participants to rate the degree to which they believe concepts from the workshop should be integrated into SWOG studies.

Results

Twenty-nine individuals signed up for the intervention, which consisted of a single 2-hour session, and 23 completed measures. Results from Was-It-Worth-It items indicate that nearly all participants found the intervention relevant, engaging, and helpful. Mean ratings for Kirkpatrick Training Evaluation Model items were high, ranging from 6.91 to 7.70 on 8-point scales. Finally, participants provided a mean rating of 4.44 on a 5-point scale to the item “To what degree do you believe it may be useful to integrate concepts from this workshop into SWOG trials/studies?”

Conclusions

An online workshop to enhance hopefulness is feasible and acceptable to oncology HCPs. The tool will be integrated into SWOG studies evaluating provider and patient well-being.