bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atmospheric CO2 Estimates for the Late Oligocene and Early Miocene Using Multi‐Species Cross‐Calibrations of Boron Isotopes
Authors: Anderson Lloyd B. , Hönisch Bärbel , Coxall Helen K. , Bolge Louise
Published: January 2024

The boron isotope (δ11B) proxy for seawater pH is a tried and tested means to reconstruct atmospheric CO2 in the geologic past, but uncertainty remains over how to treat species‐specific calibrations that link foraminiferal δ11B to pH estimates prior to 22 My. In addition, no δ11B‐based reconstructions of atmospheric CO2 exist for wide swaths of the Oligocene (33–23 Ma), and large variability in CO2 reconstructions during this epoch based on other proxy evidence leaves climate evolution during this period relatively unconstrained. To add to our understanding of Oligocene and early Miocene climate, we generated new atmospheric CO2 estimates from new δ11B data from fossil shells of surface‐dwelling planktic foraminifera from the mid‐Oligocene to early Miocene (∼28–18 Ma). We estimate atmospheric CO2 of ∼680 ppm for the mid‐Oligocene, which then evolves to fluctuate between ∼500–570 ppm during the late Oligocene and between ∼420–700 ppm in the early Miocene. These estimates tend to trend higher than Oligo‐Miocene CO2 estimates from other proxies, although we observe good proxy agreement in the late Oligocene. Reconstructions of CO2 fall lower than estimates from paleoclimate model simulations in the early Miocene and mid Oligocene, which indicates that more proxy and/or model refinement is needed for these periods. Our species cross‐calibrations, assessing δ11B, Mg/Ca, δ18O, and δ13C, are able to pinpoint and evaluate small differences in the geochemistry of surface‐dwelling planktic foraminifera, lending confidence to paleoceanographers applying this approach even further back in time.
Evaluation of Summertime Passive Microwave and Reanalysis Sea‐Ice Concentration in the Central Arctic
Authors: Song Kexin , Minnett Peter J.
Published: January 2024

Passive microwave (PM) observations have been used to monitor ice retreat in the Arctic. However, various PM sea ice concentration (SIC) algorithms are prone to underestimate ice fraction during summer. We evaluated the accuracy of 2002–2019 low SICs in the Central Arctic Ocean of four PM products from the University of Bremen, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), and the Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility (OSI SAF), and two reanalysis data sets from the fifth generation of European ReAnalysis (ERA5) and the Modern‐Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA‐2). Three reference fields were used: (a) Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) true‐color composites, (b) MODIS sea ice extent, and (c) multi‐product ensemble (MPE‐SIC) comprising the median of collocated SIC estimates. Our results indicate SICs derived from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer ‐ Earth Observing System (AMSR‐E) and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) high frequency channels have the best accuracy. Reanalysis SICs indicate almost identical patterns as their remote sensing inputs. The assessment shows that the Bremen (+1.06%) and NSIDC (+0.99%) SICs are higher than the median field, while the OSI‐401 (−6.65%) and OSI‐408 (−4.64%) have negative mean deviations. The mean error of MODIS‐derived SIC (−0.80%) is smaller than PM SICs. These small mean values belie wide distributions of values. The correlation coefficients of pairs of time series of Low sea‐Ice Concentration Index range from 0.37 to 0.96.
Strengthened ENSO Amplitude Contributed to Regime Shift in the Hadley Circulation
Authors: Feng Juan , Wang Shuang , Li Jianping
Published: January 2024

Understanding the variability in the Hadley circulation (HC) changes is crucial for understanding ocean‐atmosphere interactions. In this study, the variability in the boreal winter HC in the last 4 decades is explored using multiple reanalyzes and model simulations. The results show that regime shift occurred in the leading mode of HC variability. The primary mode of the recent HC is dominated by an equatorially symmetrical pattern, which was considered the second mode in previous studies. The regime shift in HC variability is mainly due to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which explains both the spatiotemporal variation and formation of HC variability. Moreover, the abilities of the models to reproduce HC variability is subject to their ability to simulate ENSO variability, suggesting that the ENSO has become a more important modulator of the HC variability in recent decades, and additional research is warranted to evaluate future climate changes and potential effects on the HC.
Assessing Hydrology, Biogeochemistry, and Organic Micropollutants in an Urban Stream‐Aquifer System: An Interdisciplinary Data Set
Authors: Popp Andrea L. , Weatherl Robin , Moeck Christian , Hollender Juliane , Schirmer Mario
Published: January 2024

Urban expansion leads to increasing water pollution, impacting both human health and ecosystems. This decline in water quality often stems from insufficient wastewater treatment, along with runoff from both urban and agricultural areas. Water quality degradation challenges our efforts for sustainable water management and hinders progress toward the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG6. Within aquatic environments, the hyporheic zone—the subsurface area where surface water and groundwater mix—plays a crucial role in facilitating pollutant turnover and overall aquatic health. Mixing between surface water and groundwater generates diverse microhabitats in the streambed with varying levels of oxygen, temperature, and chemical composition, which in turn allows diverse microbial communities to strive. The complexity of exchange flows within the hyporheic zone and associated turnover processes of pollutants and nutrients can only be assessed with detailed, cross‐disciplinary data sets including data about hydrology, climatology, biogeochemistry, and the subsurface composition. However, integrated data sets of this kind are seldom available. As a result, the drivers behind pollutant dynamics in stream‐aquifer systems are still not fully understood. Addressing this knowledge deficit, we present a comprehensive unique data set from an urban stream‐aquifer system in Switzerland spanning over 6 months. Incorporating hydrometric, tracer, nutrient, microbial and organic micropollutant data, our data set can help to shed light on the intricate mechanisms governing hyporheic exchange flows, as well as nutrient and organic micropollutant cycling in urban environments.
Multiphysics Modeling Investigation of Wellbore Storage Effect and Non‐Darcy Flow
Authors: He Yu , Guo Quan , Liu Yuzheng , Huang Haiying , Hou Deyi , Luo Jian
Published: January 2024

This study presents a comprehensive investigation of wellbore storage effects and non‐Darcy flow in pumping well systems using a multiphysics numerical model. The model incorporates the Reynolds‐averaged Navier‐Stokes equations coupled with a moving free surface to simulate the flow field and drawdown in the wellbore. Hydraulic behavior of the system, including well and aquifer drawdown, pumped water ratio, aquifer flow nonlinearity, and wellbore flow field, is analyzed and compared with simplified 1‐D models. This study highlights the presence of a vortex in the wellbore flow field induced by large Reynolds number and the uneven stress distribution at the screen. This vortex influences the wellbore drawdown and introduces 2‐D flow in the surrounding aquifer, which further contributes to the longer travel paths for groundwater particles and increased hydraulic pressure consumption. The results show that non‐Darcy flow, coupled with wellbore storage effects, leads to higher drawdown in the pumping well compared to Darcy flow cases. The aquifer drawdown exhibits a similar temporal pattern but with decreasing deviation at larger distances due to the cone of depression. The pumped water ratio indicates the challenge of supplying outflow at the intake from aquifer storage, with nonlinear flow resulting in a smaller ratio compared to linear cases. A nonlinearity ratio is defined to illustrate the expansion of nonlinear flow regions over time, their convergence to a predictable quasi‐steady‐state shape, which is influenced by the Forchheimer parameter, and the gradual transition to Darcy flow away from the wellbore.
Maps Strengthen Collaboration Between Tribes and Federal Agencies
Authors: van Deelen Grace
Published: January 2024

As U.S. agencies commit to better incorporating Indigenous viewpoints, maps could be one important tool.
Distributed power analysis attack on SM4 encryption chip
Authors: Gong Haoran , Ju Tailiang
Published: January 2024

Encryption chips are specialized integrated circuits that incorporate encryption algorithms for data encryption and decryption, ensuring data confidentiality and security. In China, the domestic SM4 algorithm is commonly utilized, as opposed to the international AES encryption algorithm. These widely implemented encryption standards have been proven to be difficult to crack through crypt analysis methods Currently, power consumption side-channel attacks are the most prevalent method. They involve capturing power consumption data during the encryption process and subsequently recovering the encryption key from this data. The two leading methods are Differential Power Analysis (DPA) and machine learning techniques. DPA does not necessitate prior knowledge but relies heavily on the number of power consumption curves. With only 50 power consumption data points, the accuracy is a mere 80%. Machine learning methods require prior knowledge, achieving an accuracy rate above 95% with only 30 power traces, albeit with training times typically exceeding 15 min. In this paper, a distributed energy analysis attack approach was presented based on Correlation Power Analysis (CPA). The power consumption data was divided into 16 subsets, with each subset corresponding to 8 bytes of the key. By training each subset separately, the 8-byte key’s corresponding power consumption data is reduced to only 100 dimensions, resulting in a 76% decrease in cracking time and a 3% improvement in cracking accuracy rate.This article also trains a more complex 256 classification model to directly crack the final key, achieving a success rate of 28% in cracking 128-bit passwords with only 1 power trace
Dark chocolate intake and cardiovascular diseases: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Yang Juntao , Zhou Jiedong , Yang Jie , Lou Haifei , Zhao Bingjie , Chi Jufang , Tang Weiliang
Published: January 2024

Previous intervention studies have shown some benefits of dark chocolate for the cardiovascular system, but it has not been established whether dark chocolate intake is associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). To investigate the causality between dark chocolate intake and the risk of CVDs, a Mendelian randomization (MR) study was conducted. We obtained summary-level data on dark chocolate intake and CVDs from publicly available genome-wide association studies. In this MR study, the main approach was to use a fixed-effect model with inverse variance weighted (IVW) and evaluate the robustness of the results via sensitivity analysis. We found that dark chocolate intake was significantly associated with the reduction of the risk of essential hypertension (EH) (OR = 0.73; 95% CI 0.60–0.88; p = 1.06 × 10−3), as well as with the suggestive association to the reduced risk of venous thromboembolism (OR = 0.69; 95% CI 0.50–0.96; p = 2.81 × 10−2). However, no association was found between dark chocolate intake and the other ten CVDs. Our study provides evidence for a causality between dark chocolate intake and a reduced risk of EH, which has important implications for the prevention of EH in the population.
The role of graft T-cell size in patients receiving alemtuzumab serotherapy for non-malignant disorders: results of an institutional protocol
Authors: Pandrowala Ambreen , Khan Sanna , Kataria Darshan , Kakunje Manasa , Mishra Varsha , Mamtora Dhruv , Mudaliar Sangeeta , Bodhanwala Minnie , Agarwal Bharat , Hiwarkar Prashant
Published: January 2024

Although graft T cells assist in engraftment, mediate antiviral immune-reconstitution, and cause graft-versus-host disease, graft size is not determined by T-cell content of the graft. The conventional method of graft size determination based on CD34+ cells with alemtuzumab serotherapy is associated with delayed immune reconstitution, contributing to an increased risk of viral infections and graft failure. Alemtuzumab, a long half-life anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody is a robust T-cell depleting serotherapy, and relatively spares memory-effector T cells compared to naïve T cells. We therefore hypothesized that graft size based on T-cell content in patients receiving peripheral blood stem cell graft with alemtuzumab serotherapy would facilitate immune-reconstitution without increasing the risk of graft-versus-host disease. We retrospectively analysed twenty-six consecutive patients with non-malignant disorders grafted using alemtuzumab serotherapy and capping of graft T cells to a maximum of 600 million/kg. The graft T-cell capping protocol resulted in early immune-reconstitution without increasing the risk of severe graft-versus-host disease. Graft T-cell content correlated with CD4+ T-cell reconstitution and acute graft-versus-host disease. The course of CMV viraemia was predictable without recurrence and associated with early T-cell recovery. No patient developed chronic graft-versus-host disease. Overall survival at one year was 100% and disease-free survival was 96% at a median of 899 days (range: 243–1562). Graft size determined by peripheral blood stem cell graft T-cell content in patients receiving alemtuzumab serotherapy for non-malignant disorders is safe and leads to early T-cell immune-reconstitution with excellent survival outcomes.
Unravelling the temporal and spatial variation of fungal phylotypes from embryo to adult stages in Atlantic salmon
Authors: Lokesh Jep , Siriyappagouder Prabhugouda , Fernandes Jorge M. O.
Published: January 2024

Early microbial colonization has a profound impact on host physiology during different stages of ontogeny. Although several studies have focused on early bacterial colonization and succession, the composition and role of fungal communities are poorly known in fish. Here, we sequenced the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of fungi to profile the mycobiome associated with the eggs, hatchlings and intestine of Atlantic salmon at various freshwater and marine stages. In most of the stages studied, fungal diversity was lower than bacterial diversity. There were several stage-specific fungal phylotypes belonging to different stages of ontogeny but some groups, such as Candida tropicalis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Alternaria metachromatica, Davidiella tassiana and Humicola nigrescens, persisted during successive stages of ontogeny. We observed significant changes in the intestinal fungal communities during the first feeding. Prior to first feeding, Humicola nigrescens dominated, but Saccharomyces cerevisiae (10 weeks post hatch) and Candida tropicalis (12 weeks post hatch) became dominant subsequently. Seawater transfer resulted in a decrease in alpha diversity and an increase in Candida tropicalis abundance. We also observed notable variations in beta diversity and composition between the different farms. Overall, the present study sheds light on the fungal communities of Atlantic salmon from early ontogeny to adulthood. These novel findings will also be useful in future studies investigating host-microbiota interactions in the context of developing better nutritional and health management strategies for Atlantic salmon farming.
Exosomal microRNAs as biomarkers for viral replication in tofacitinib-treated rheumatoid arthritis patients with hepatitis C
Authors: Liao Tsai-Ling , Chen I-Chieh , Chen Hong-Wei , Tang Kuo-Tung , Huang Wen-Nan , Chen Yi-Hsing , Chen Yi-Ming
Published: January 2024

Notwithstanding recent advances in direct antiviral specialists (DAAs) for hepatitis C infection (HCV), it is yet a pervasive overall issue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) is associated with HCV infection. However, it remains unknown how miRNAs respond following biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) and targeted synthetic DMARD (tsDMARD) treatment in HCV patients with RA. We prospectively recruited RA patients taking anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors rituximab (RTX) and tofacitinib. The serum hepatitis C viral load was measured using real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR before and 6 months after bDMARD and tsDMARD therapy. HCV RNA replication activity was measured using an HCV-tricistronic replicon reporter system, and quantitative analysis of hsa-mir-122-5p and hsa-mir-155-5p in patients was performed using quantitative PCR. HCV RNA replication in hepatocytes was not affected by tofacitinib or TNF-α inhibitor treatment. Hsa-mir-155-5p and hsa-mir-122-5p were significantly expanded in RA patients with HCV as compared with those without HCV. We observed a dramatic increase in hsa-mir-122-5p and a decrease in hsa-mir-155-5p expression levels in patients taking RTX in comparison with other treatments. Finally, a reduction in hsa-mir-122-5p and an increase in hsa-mir-155-5p were observed in a time-dependent manner after tofacitinib and DAA therapy in RA-HCV patients. These results showed that hsa-mir-155-5p and hsa-mir-122-5p were significantly increased in RA-HCV patients as compared with those without HCV after taking tofacitinib. Hsa-mir-155-5p and hsa-mir-122-5p may be potential biomarkers for treatment efficacy in RA patients with HCV.
Transport through a correlated polar side-coupled quantum dot transistor in the presence of a magnetic field and dissipation
Authors: Sharma Hemant Kumar , Kalla Manasa , Chatterjee Ashok
Published: January 2024

Non-equilibrium magneto-transport properties of a quantum dot dimer transistor are studied in the presence of electron–electron and electron–phonon interactions and the interaction of the dimer phonons with the substrate phonon bath that gives rise to dissipation. The entire system is modeled by the Anderson–Holstein–Caldeira–Leggett Hamiltonian where the Caldeira–Leggett term takes care of the damping. The electron–phonon interaction is dealt with the Lang–Firsov transformation and the electron–electron interaction is treated at the mean-field level. The transport problem is studied using the Keldysh non-equilibrium Green function theory and the effects of electron–electron interaction, external magnetic field, electron–phonon interaction and damping on spectral function, tunneling current and differential conductance of the dimer transistor are calculated.
Experimental, predictive and RSM studies of H2 production using Ag-La-CaTiO3 for water-splitting under visible light
Authors: Ragab Safaa , Elkatory Marwa R. , Hassaan Mohamed A. , El Nemr Ahmed
Published: January 2024

Ag-La-CaTiO3 was used in place of sacrificial agents to assess the influence of operational factors on hydrogen generation in a photocatalytic water splitting system. After being synthesized, the physicochemical features of this substance were accurately described. Several characterization techniques including UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, XPS, EDX, SEM, TGA, DRS and BET were applied to study the prepared Ag-La-CaTiO3 photocatalyst. Ag-La-CaTiO3 shows a band in the visible wavelength between 400 and 800 nm at < 560 nm compared to the main CaTiO3 band at 350 nm. Ag 4d5s electrons transition to the conduction band (CB), which is responsible for the absorption band at ~ 560 nm (> 2.21 eV). The effects of catalyst concentration, light intensity, and beginning solution pH on the H2 generation rate may all be evaluated simultaneously using experimental design procedures. Up to a maximum threshold, where a drop in the rate of gas evolution occurs, it was confirmed that the increase in catalyst dose positively affects system productivity. The initial solution pH plays a crucial role in H2 production, and pH = 4 and 10 are the optimum pH with a higher yield of H2 production. The highest total H2 production rate, 6246.09 μmol, was obtained using a catalyst concentration of 700 mg and solution pH equal to 10 under 1200 W Vis lamp for 3 h. For prediction and optimization, a D-Optimal design was applied and the optimal results were pH 4, the catalyst dose of 645.578 mg and 1200 W with H2 production of 6031.11 μmol.
A novel plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, Rhizosphaericola mali gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from healthy apple tree soil
Authors: Kim Han Sol , Kim Ji-Sun , Suh Min Kuk , Eom Mi Kyung , Lee Jiyoung , Lee Jung-Sook
Published: January 2024

The rhizosphere microbial community is closely associated with plant disease by regulating plant growth, agricultural production, nutrient availability, plant hormone and adaptation to environmental changes. Therefore, it is very important to identify the rhizosphere microbes around plant roots and understand their functions. While studying the differences between the rhizosphere microbiota of healthy and diseased apple trees to find the cause of apple tree disease, we isolated a novel strain, designated as B3-10T, from the rhizosphere soil of a healthy apple tree. The genome relatedness indices between strain B3-10T and other type species of family Chitinophagaceae were in the ranges of 62.4–67.0% for ANI, 18.6–32.1% for dDDH, and 39.0–56.6% for AAI, which were significantly below the cut‑off values for the species delineation, indicating that strain B3-10T could be considered to represent a novel genus in family Chitinophagaceae. Interestingly, the complete genome of strain B3-10T contained a number of genes encoding ACC-deaminase, siderophore production, and acetoin production contributing to plant-beneficial functions. Furthermore, strain B3-10T was found to significantly promote the growth of shoots and roots of the Nicotiana benthamiana, which is widely used as a good model for plant biology, demonstrating that strain B3-10T, a rhizosphere microbe of healthy apple trees, has the potential to promote growth and reduce disease. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic, genomic, and physiological properties of this plant growth-promoting (rhizo)bacterium, strain B3-10T supported the proposal of a novel genus in the family Chitinophagaceae, for which the name Rhizosphaericola mali gen. nov., sp. nov. (= KCTC 72123T = NBRC 114178T).
Spatial activity mapping of ß-mannanase on soybean seeds
Authors: Rueckel Markus , Janson Sven , Solbak Arne , Fickler Anna
Published: January 2024

For farm animals the supplementation of exogenous enzymes, like ß-mannanase, to soybean-based diets is beneficial to improve feed digestibility. In order to unravel the effect of ß-mannanase on soybean meal’s cell structure, a novel imaging concept was developed which allows visualizing the spatial activity pattern of ß-mannanase with high sensitivity by fluorescence microscopy before any visible degradation of the cellular structure occurs. It is based on fluorescence labeling of newly formed reducing ends of ß-mannanase-hydrolyzed polysaccharides after the native reducing ends of all polysaccharides present were chemically reduced. It was revealed that ß-mannanase is not only active at the cell wall but also at previously unknown sites, like the middle lamella and, most prominently, at an intracellular matrix enclosing the protein storage vacuoles. Based on these findings it can be hypothesized that the evaluated ß-mannanase can degrade the enclosing matrix of encapsulated proteins and the cell wall structure and thereby improves efficiency of feed utilization.
Altered sleep behavior strengthens face validity in the ArcAβ mouse model for Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Altunkaya Alp , Deichsel Cassandra , Kreuzer Matthias , Nguyen Duy-Minh , Wintergerst Ann-Marie , Rammes Gerhard , Schneider Gerhard , Fenzl Thomas
Published: January 2024

Demographic changes will expand the number of senior citizens suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD). Key aspects of AD pathology are sleep impairments, associated with onset and progression of AD. AD mouse models may provide insights into mechanisms of AD-related sleep impairments. Such models may also help to establish new biomarkers predicting AD onset and monitoring AD progression. The present study aimed to establish sleep-related face validity of a widely used mouse model of AD (ArcAβ model) by comprehensively characterizing its baseline sleep/wake behavior. Chronic EEG recordings were performed continuously on four consecutive days in freely behaving mice. Spectral and temporal sleep/wake parameters were assessed and analyzed. EEG recordings showed decreased non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) and increased wakefulness in transgenic mice (TG). Vigilance state transitions were different in TG mice when compared to wildtype littermates (WT). During NREMS, TG mice had lower power between 1 and 5 Hz and increased power between 5 and 30 Hz. Sleep spindle amplitudes in TG mice were lower. Our study strongly provides sleep-linked face validity for the ArcAβ model. These findings extend the potential of the mouse model to investigate mechanisms of AD-related sleep impairments and the impact of sleep impairments on the development of AD.
Predicting treatment outcomes of intravitreal brolucizumab for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy through noninvasive assessment of polypoidal lesion blood flow with optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Hoshino Junki , Matsumoto Hidetaka , Nakamura Kosuke , Akiyama Hideo
Published: January 2024

We investigated the assessment of blood flow within polypoidal lesions using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to determine intravitreal brolucizumab (IVBr) efficacy for treating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). We retrospectively studied 46 eyes with PCV that completed 1-year IVBr treatment. Blood flow signals within polypoidal lesions were evaluated using OCTA after loading-phase treatment, and 1-year outcomes were compared between eyes in which blood flow signals disappeared versus persisting. After loading-phase treatment, blood flow signals within polypoidal lesions disappeared in 31 eyes and persisted in 15. In the former group, visual acuity improved significantly throughout the year (P < 0.01), while in the latter there was no significant difference between baseline and after 1 year. The total number of injections was significantly lower with than without disappearance of blood flow signals (6.0 vs. 6.9, P < 0.01). The intended injection interval at the last visit was significantly longer in the former than in the latter group (15.7 weeks vs. 12.5 weeks, P < 0.01). These results indicate that PCV cases showing disappearance of blood flow signals within polypoidal lesions by OCTA after loading-phase treatment had favorable 1-year outcomes of IVBr. Therefore, evaluating blood flow within polypoidal lesions by OCTA may allow noninvasive prediction of PCV treatment outcomes.
Core–shell ZnO@TiO2 hexagonal prism heterogeneous structures as photoanodes for boosting the efficiency of quantum dot sensitized solar cells
Authors: Li Quanhang , Zhang Tingting , Cui Donghui , Xu Lin , Li Fengyan
Published: January 2024

A core–shell ZnO@TiO2 hexagonal prism heterogeneous structure was prepared by a two-step hydrothermal method. The photoanode material Zn@Ti-2 was explored with improved cell performance: Jsc = 25.4 mA cm−2, Voc = 0.71 V, PCE = 8.5%, and FF = 0.49.
Pfeiffer effect on configurationally labile dyes within ternary complexes with metal ions and enantiopure macrocycles
Authors: Pál Dávid , Lacour Jérôme
Published: January 2024

A labile helical oximate dye is used to probe complexes made of an enantiopure macrocycle and metal ions. Strong induced ECD only occurs in the presence of Na+ and K+ at 20 °C.
Multicomponent reactions to access S-aryl dithiocarbamates via an electron donor–acceptor complex under open-to-air conditions
Authors: Tang Yisong , Cai Yougen , Xie Zhiwei , Gao Zishan , Chen Xiaoyun , Yi Jun
Published: January 2024

An efficient transition-metal/photocatalyst-free visible-light-driven one-pot three-component reaction between thianthrenium salts, carbon disulfide and amines under air atmosphere for the preparation of S-aryl dithiocarbamates is developed.
Sodium sulfide-promoted regiodefined redox condensation of o-nitroanilines with aryl ketones to benzo[a]phenazines and quinoxalines
Authors: Le Duc Long , Nguyen Le Anh , Vo Ngoc Binh , Nguyen Thi Thu Tram , Ngo Quoc Anh , Retailleau Pascal , Nguyen Thanh Binh
Published: January 2024

Sodium sulfide trihydrate promoted-redox condensation of o-nitroanilines with α-tetralones to benzo[a]phenazines.
Controlling the size and adhesion of DNA droplets using surface- enriched DNA molecules
Authors: Gao Daqian , Wilken Sam , Nguyen Anna B. N. , Abraham Gabrielle R. , Liedl Tim , Saleh Omar A.
Published: January 2024

We show that the size and adhesive properties of liquid droplets of DNA can be modulated using a DNA surfactant, with implications for basic biophysical understanding of such droplets, as well as for their applied use.
Importance of the gut microbiota in mice with a ‘humanized’ bile acid pool
Authors: Gillard Justine , Leclercq Isabelle A.
Published: January 2024

Bile acids are signaling mediators, enabling intricate communication between tissues and the gut microbiota, and are involved in the pathophysiology of several immune and metabolic disorders. In this commentary, we discuss the importance of the gut microbiota in the Cyp2c70 knock-out mice, which are considered as a promising ‘humanized’ experimental resource for studying bile acids and their role in pathological conditions. We also discuss how Cyp2c70-deficient mice contribute to enhancing the translatability of preclinical studies in murine models to humans.
A detection and rerouting mechanism for platoon control of non‐linear autonomous vehicles under denial of service attacks
Authors: Zhang Xiaofei , Du Haiping , Jia Zhijuan , He Yuchu , Yang Yanyan
Published: January 2024

This paper presents a novel detection and rerouting mechanism for distributed adaptive platoon control of non‐linear autonomous connected vehicles under denial of service (DoS) attacks. DoS attacks can cause delays or losses of data packets due to blocked communication channels, leading to reducing platoon performance or even collisions among vehicles. To tackle this issue, the proposed mechanism detects and reroutes communication topology depending on the real‐time topology and the number of link failures. Real‐time detection divides the scenario of DoS attacks into three parts. According to the different scenarios, rerouting mechanisms will be utilized. A controller adapted to real‐time variable communication topology is also designed in this scheme. The adjacency matrix of the real‐time communication topology generated by the rerouting mechanism is used to update the controller so that the platoon can remain in a stable state without being affected by DoS attacks. In addition, the sliding mode controller and the observer are designed by solving linear matrix inequalities, and the platoon stability and internal stability are proven. Numerical simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed mechanism and control design can reduce the vehicle state estimate error and platoon‐tracking error to ideal states under DoS attacks. The proposed method solves the problem that the existing methods have not considered the number of link failures and the inability to restore communication when the communication topology is paralyzed.
Global strategy for robust air‐light estimation in dehazing
Authors: Zhu Zhu , Zhang Xiaoguo
Published: January 2024

This letter proposes a novel approach to enhance the robustness of air‐light estimation for dehazing. Unlike most existing methods, it employs a global strategy, considering all pixels instead of specific individual ones, for recovering air‐light. Through an iterative algorithm via the Gray World (GW), the authors extract the air‐light orientation from the entire image. Next, a global detail‐preserving algorithm is designed to determine the optimal magnitude of air‐light. Experimental results on a diverse set of hazy images reveal that the authors’ method outperforms other state‐of‐the‐art alternatives, highlighting the advantage of air‐light estimation using the entire image information.
Driver optimization of high power converter based on BIGT reverse conduction loss
Authors: Qi Lei , Li Ze , Zhang Xiangyu , Yang Jin , Lu Yuanfang , Wang Jingfei , Wen Fuyue , Wang Kefeng , Hu Xinyu
Published: January 2024

Bi‐mode Insulated Gate Transistor (BIGT), owing to its notable attributes in power density and compact dimensions, holds promising applications in the realm of high power converters. However, its characteristic of the voltage drop in diode mode controlled by gate‐emitter voltage poses significant challenges for low‐loss operation. This paper investigates the relationship between BIGT's on‐state voltage drop in diode mode and its gate‐emitter voltage in detail. By combining simulation and experimental analysis, recommended the gate‐emitter voltage values are provided. Furthermore, a novel driver optimization scheme is proposed to automatically lower the gate voltage during reverse conduction, which can effectively reduce the reverse on‐state losses of the BIGT. Experimental validation demonstrates a 10.6% reduction in reverse on‐state voltage drop, showcasing the efficacy of the proposed driver optimization scheme.
Stellar populations and the origin of thick disks in AURIGA simulations
Authors: Pinna Francesca , Walo-Martín Daniel , Grand Robert J. J. , Martig Marie , Fragkoudi Francesca , Gómez Facundo A. , Marinacci Federico , Pakmor Rüdiger
Published: January 2024

Context. Recent integral-field spectroscopy observations of edge-on galaxies have led to significant progress in our knowledge of the ages and chemical compositions of thick disks. However, the origin of thick disks and their evolutionary connection with thin disks is still a matter of debate.

Aims. We provide new insights into this topic by connecting the stellar populations of thick disks at redshift z = 0 with their past formation and growth in 24 Milky Way-mass galaxies from the AURIGA zoom-in cosmological simulations. We assess the role played by mergers of satellite galaxies in the mass assembly of geometrically defined thick disks.

Methods. We projected each galaxy edge on and decomposed it morphologically into two disk components in order to geometrically define the thin and thick disks, as is usually done in observations of external galaxies. We produced age, metallicity, and [Mg/Fe] edge-on maps of the 24 galaxies. We quantified the impact of satellite mergers by mapping the distribution of ex situ stars.

Results. Thick disks are on average ∼3 Gyr older, ∼0.25 dex more metal poor, and ∼0.06 dex more [Mg/Fe]-enhanced than thin disks. Their average ages range from ∼6 to ∼9 Gyr, metallicities from ∼ − 0.15 to ∼0.1 dex, and [Mg/Fe] from ∼0.12 to ∼0.16 dex. These properties are the result of an early initial in situ formation, followed by a later growth driven by the combination of direct accretion of stars, some in situ star formation fueled by mergers, and dynamical heating of stars. The balance between these processes varies from galaxy to galaxy and impacts thick-disk ages and metallicities. The oldest thick disks (older than 8 Gyr) are hosted by galaxies with a low mass fraction of accreted stars (below 8%), while the youngest thick disks (younger than 7 Gyr) are found in galaxies with higher accreted fractions (larger than 25%). Mergers play a key role in the mass assembly of thick disks, contributing an average accreted mass fraction of ∼22% in the analyzed thick-disk-dominated regions. In two galaxies, about half of the geometric thick-disk mass was directly accreted. The mass fraction of accreted stars is lower than 10% only in four thick disks. While primordial thick disks form at high redshifts in all galaxies, young metal-rich thin disks, with much lower [Mg/Fe] abundances, start to form later but at different times (at higher or lower redshifts) depending on the galaxy.

Conclusions. We conclude that thick disks, although mostly formed in situ, grow thanks to the significant contribution of satellite mergers, especially through the direct accretion of stars. They result from the interplay of external processes with the internal evolution of the galaxy.
Precise photoionisation treatment and hydrodynamic effects in atmospheric modelling of warm and hot Neptunes
Authors: Kubyshkina Daria , Fossati Luca , Erkaev Nikolai V.
Published: January 2024

Context. Observational breakthroughs in the field of exoplanets in the last decade have motivated the development of numerous theoretical models, such as those describing atmospheres and mass loss, which is believed to be one of the main drivers of planetary evolution.

Aims. We outline for which types of close-in planets in the Neptune-mass range the accurate treatment of photoionisation effects is most relevant, particularly with respect to atmospheric mass loss and the parameters relevant for interpreting observations, such as temperature and ion fraction.

Methods. We developed the Cloudy e Hydro Ancora INsieme (CHAIN) model, which combines our 1D hydrodynamic upper atmosphere model with the non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (NLTE) photoionisation and radiative transfer code Cloudy accounting for ionisation, dissociation, detailed atomic level populations, and chemical reactions for all chemical elements up to zinc. The hydro-dynamic code is responsible for describing the outflow, while Cloudy solves the photoionisation and heating of planetary atmospheres. We applied CHAIN to model the upper atmospheres of a range of Neptune-like planets with masses between 1 and 50 M⊕, also varying the orbital parameters.

Results. For the majority of warm and hot Neptunes, we find slower and denser outflows, with lower ion fractions, compared to the predictions of the hydrodynamic model alone. Furthermore, we find significantly different temperature profiles between CHAIN and the hydrodynamic model alone, though the peak values are similar for similar atmospheric compositions. The mass-loss rates predicted by CHAIN are higher for hot strongly irradiated planets and lower for more moderate planets. All differences between the two models are strongly correlated with the amount of high-energy irradiation. Finally, we find that the hydrodynamic effects significantly impact ionisation and heating.

Conclusions. The impact of the precise photoionisation treatment provided by Cloudy strongly depends on the system parameters. This suggests that some of the simplifications typically employed in hydrodynamic modelling might lead to systematic errors when studying planetary atmospheres, even at a population-wide level.
Can the giant planets of the Solar System form via pebble accretion in a smooth protoplanetary disc?
Authors: Lau Tommy Chi Ho , Lee Man Hoi , Brasser Ramon , Matsumura Soko
Published: January 2024

Context. Prevailing N-body planet formation models typically start with lunar-mass embryos and show a general trend of rapid migration of massive planetary cores to the inner Solar System in the absence of a migration trap. This setup cannot capture the evolution from a planetesimal to embryo, which is crucial to the final architecture of the system.

Aims. We aim to model planet formation with planet migration starting with planetesimals of ~10−6−10−4 M⊕ and reproduce the giant planets of the Solar System.

Methods. We simulated a population of 1000-5000 planetesimals in a smooth protoplanetary disc, which was evolved under the effects of their mutual gravity, pebble accretion, gas accretion, and planet migration, employing the parallelized N-body code SyMBAp.

Results. We find that the dynamical interactions among growing planetesimals are vigorous and can halt pebble accretion for excited bodies. While a set of results without planet migration produces one to two gas giants and one to two ice giants beyond 6 au, massive planetary cores readily move to the inner Solar System once planet migration is in effect.

Conclusions. Dynamical heating is important in a planetesimal disc and the reduced pebble encounter time should be considered in similar models. Planet migration remains a challenge to form cold giant planets in a smooth protoplanetary disc, which suggests an alternative mechanism is required to stop them at wide orbits.
HdC and EHe stars through the prism ofGaiaDR3
Authors: Tisserand P. , Crawford C. L. , Soon J. , Clayton G. C. , Ruiter A. J. , Seitenzahl I. R.
Published: January 2024

Context. Upon its release theGaiaDR3 catalogue has led to tremendous progress in multiple fields of astronomy by providing the complete astrometric solution for nearly 1.5 billion sources.

Aims. We analysed the photometric and astrometric results for Hydrogen-deficient Carbon (HdC), Extreme Helium (EHe), and DYPer type stars to identify any potential biases. This analysis aimed to select stars suitable for kinematic and spatial distribution studies.

Methods. We investigated the information obtained from theGaiaimage parameter determination (IPD) process, which was cross-matched withGaialight curves. One main objective was to understand the impact of photometric declines in R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars onGaiaastrometry.

Results. Based on the evidence gathered, we have reached the conclusion that the astrometric fits for numerous RCB stars, including R CrB itself, are not valid due to theGaiapoint spread function (PSF) chromaticity effect in both shape and centroid. The astrometric results of all stars with a significant time-dependent colour variation should be similarly affected. RCB stars might thus be promising sources to correct this effect in futureGaiareleases. Furthermore, after validating theGaiaastrometric results for 92 stars, we observed that the majority of HdC and EHe stars are distributed across the three old stellar structures, the thick disk, the bulge and the halo. However, we have also uncovered evidence indicating that some HdC and EHe stars exhibit orbits characteristic of the thin disk. This is also particularly true for all DYPer type stars under study. Finally, we have produced a list of star memberships for each Galactic substructure, and provided a list of heliocentric radial velocities and associated errors for targets not observed byGaiaDR3.

Conclusions. We are beginning to observe a relationship between kinematics, stellar population, and metallicity in RCB and EHe stars. That relation can be explained, within the double degenerate scenario, by the large range in the delay time distribution expected from population synthesis simulations, particularly through the HybCO merger channel.
Uniting Gaia and APOGEE to unveil the cosmic chemistry of the Milky Way disc
Authors: Cantat-Gaudin Tristan , Fouesneau Morgan , Rix Hans-Walter , Brown Anthony G. A. , Drimmel Ronald , Castro-Ginard Alfred , Khanna Shourya , Belokurov Vasily , Casey Andrew R.
Published: January 2024

The spatial distribution of Galactic stars with different chemical abundances encodes information on the processes that drove the formation and evolution of the Milky Way. Survey selection functions are indispensable for analysing astronomical catalogues produced by large-scale surveys. The use of these selection functions in data modelling is more complex when data from different surveys are to be modelled simultaneously. We introduce a procedure for constructing the selection function of a sample of red clump stars that have parallaxes and elemental abundances from the Gaia mission. We separately constructed the selection function of the APOGEE DR17 red clump stars, which depends on very different observables and has a very different spatial coverage. We combined the two surveys and accounted for their joint selection function to provide strong constraints on the radial and vertical density distribution of mono-abundance populations, with Gaia offering a dense coverage of the solar neighbourhood, while APOGEE reaches larger distances near the Galactic plane. We confirm that the radial density profile steepens with increasing metallicity. The combined sample also indicates a metallicity-dependent flaring of the α-poor disc. We provide the code for constructing the Gaia selection function we used in this study through the GaiaUnlimited Python package.
Evidence for inflows and outflows in the nearby black hole transient Swift J1727.8−162
Authors: Mata Sánchez D. , Muñoz-Darias T. , Armas Padilla M. , Casares J. , Torres M. A. P.
Published: January 2024

We present 20 epochs of optical spectroscopy obtained with the GTC-10.4m telescope across the bright discovery outburst of the black hole candidate Swift J1727.8−162. The spectra cover the main accretion states and are characterised by the presence of hydrogen and helium emission lines, commonly observed in these objects. They show complex profiles, including double peaks, but also blue-shifted absorptions (with blue-edge velocities of 1150 km s−1), broad emission wings, and flat-top profiles, which are the usual signatures of accretion disc winds. Moreover, red-shifted absorptions accompanied by blue emission excesses suggest the presence of inflows in at least two epochs, although a disc origin cannot be ruled out. Using pre-outburst imaging from Pan-STARRS, we identify a candidate quiescent optical counterpart with a magnitude of g ∼ 20.8. This implies an outburst optical amplitude of ΔV ∼ 7.7, supporting an estimated orbital period of ∼7.6 h, which favours an early K-type companion star. Employing various empirical methods, we derive a distance to the source of d = 2.7 ± 0.3 kpc, corresponding to a Galactic plane elevation of z = 0.48 ± 0.05 kpc. Based on these findings, we propose that Swift J1727.8−162 is a nearby black hole X-ray transient that exhibited complex signatures of optical inflows and outflows throughout its discovery outburst.
Optimization of systems of industrial ventilation – case study
Authors: Drăgoescu Răzvan , Cămărășescu Alexandru
Published: January 2024

Industrial ventilation involves a deep knowledge of fluid dynamics, in the modern computerized version, three-dimensional heat propagation, complex fluid flow, equilibrium state and transient conditions, operating problems, contamination inside or outside the installations, etc.

Industrial buildings generally comprise large spaces with varied sources of damage. The type of sources and their location depend on the technological process in each section. In order to dilute the harms, to ensure the environmental conditions necessary for the protection of the work and the realization of the microclimate required by the production process, through the industrial ventilation installations large air flows are carried.

The design of the ventilation systems in the industrial sections requires a thorough knowledge of the technological process, of the machines and their location, the nature and quantity of the damages, the environmental conditions required from the technological point of view and of the labor protection.. In order to optimize the industrial ventilation systems, an industrial ventilation installation for exhausting and neutralizing VOC emissions was chosen. The optimization of the ventilation installation was possible with the help of the pressure loss balancing methodology.