bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A web of sticky strands: how localized stress controls spatio-temporal fluctuations in viscoelastic flows through a lattice of obstacles
Authors: Mokhtari Omar , Quintard Michel , Davit Yohan
Published: January 2024

Recent microfluidic experiments have evidenced complex spatio-temporal fluctuations in low-Reynolds-number flows of polymer solutions through lattices of obstacles. However, understanding the nonlinear physics of such systems remains a challenge. Here, we use high performance simulations to study viscoelastic flows through a hexagonal lattice of cylindrical obstacles. We find that structures of localized polymer stress – in particular birefringent strands – control the stability and the dynamics. We first show that, at steady state, strands act as a web of sticky flow barriers that induce channelization, multistability and hysteresis. We then demonstrate that a spontaneous destabilization of the strands drives the transition to unsteady flow with regimes of self-sustained oscillations, travelling waves and strand pulsations. We further show that these pulsations, which result from the destabilization of envelope patterns of stress with strands wrapped around multiple obstacles, are integral to the transition towards elastic turbulence in our two-dimensional simulations. Our study provides a new perspective on the role of birefringent strands and a framework for understanding experimental observations. We anticipate that it is an important step towards unifying existing interpretations of the nonlinear physics of viscoelastic flows through complex structures.
Rarefied gas flow past a liquid droplet: interplay between internal and external flows
Authors: Bhattacharjee Rahul , Saini Sonu , Gupta Vinay Kumar , Rana Anirudh S.
Published: January 2024

Experimental and theoretical studies on millimetre-sized droplets suggest that at low Reynolds number the difference between the drag force on a circulating water droplet and that on a rigid sphere is very small (less than 1 %) (LeClair et al., J. Atmos. Sci., vol. 29, 1972, pp. 728–740). While the drag force on a spherical liquid droplet at high viscosity ratios (of the liquid to the gas), is approximately the same as that on a rigid sphere of the same size, the other quantities of interest (e.g. the temperature) in the case of a rarefied gas flow over a liquid droplet differ from the same quantities in the case of a rarefied gas flow over a rigid sphere. The goal of this article is to study the effects of internal motion within a spherical microdroplet/nanodroplet – such that its diameter is comparable to the mean free path of the surrounding gas – on the drag force and its overall dynamics. To this end, the problem of a slow rarefied gas flowing over an incompressible liquid droplet is investigated analytically by considering the internal motion of the liquid inside the droplet and also by accounting for kinetic effects in the gas. Detailed results for different values of the Knudsen number, the ratio of the thermal conductivities and the ratio of viscosities are presented for the pressure and temperature profiles inside and outside the liquid droplet. The results for the drag force obtained in the present work are in good agreement with the theoretical and experimental results existing in the literature.
The Aristotelian Proof Revisited: A Reflection
Authors: McNabb Tyler
Published: January 2024

McNabb and DeVito have recently argued that Graham Oppy’s objections to the First Way are found wanting. In response, McNabb and DeVito restructured the First Way on behalf of St Thomas. More recently, Joseph Schmid and Daniel Linford argue that the restructured argument given by McNabb and DeVito is problematic, claiming that it is either valid but unmotivated or it is plainly invalid. In this paper, I argue that McNabb and DeVito’s schematic glossing of the First Way is both valid and motivated.
Self-adaptive learning particle swarm optimization-based path planning of mobile robot using 2D Lidar environment
Authors: S. Julius Fusic , R. Sitharthan
Published: January 2024

The loading and unloading operations of smart logistic application robots depend largely on their perception system. However, there is a paucity of study on the evaluation of Lidar maps and their SLAM algorithms in complex environment navigation system. In the proposed work, the Lidar information is finetuned using binary occupancy grid approach and implemented Improved Self-Adaptive Learning Particle Swarm Optimization (ISALPSO) algorithm for path prediction. The approach makes use of 2D Lidar mapping to determine the most efficient route for a mobile robot in logistical applications. The Hector SLAM method is used in the Robot Operating System (ROS) platform to implement mobile robot real-time location and map building, which is subsequently transformed into a binary occupancy grid. To show the path navigation findings of the proposed methodologies, a navigational model has been created in the MATLAB 2D virtual environment using 2D Lidar mapping point data. The ISALPSO algorithm adapts its parameters inertia weight, acceleration coefficients, learning coefficients, mutation factor, and swarm size, based on the performance of the generated path. In comparison to the other five PSO variants, the ISALPSO algorithm has a considerably shorter path, a quick convergence rate, and requires less time to compute the distance between the locations of transporting and unloading environments, based on the simulation results that was generated and its validation using a 2D Lidar environment. The efficiency and effectiveness of path planning for mobile robots in logistic applications are validated using Quanser hardware interfaced with 2D Lidar and operated in environment 3 using proposed algorithm for production of optimal path.
Administration as Democratic Trustee Representation
Authors: Jackson Katharine
Published: January 2024

The “folk” theory of democracy that typically justifies the administrative state cannot help but lead to a discourse of constraint. If agency action is only legitimate when it mechanically applies the will of the voters as transposed by Congress through statutes, then the norms guiding that action will inevitably restrain agency discretion. As a result, attempts to establish the democratic credentials of the administrative state ironically obstruct the application of collective power. But this “folk” theory of democracy is bad theory. It is empirically incredible and, alarmingly, facilitates dangerous populist politics. Political theory instead suggests that a theory of democratic representation not only better explains legislative outcomes, but also deprives demagogues and deregulatory partisans of the fictions that prop up their agendas. After a brief survey of representative theory, this article will demonstrate that a model of trustee representation adequately describes administration, reinforces its democratic credentials and constitutes a space for politics in shaping the regulations that govern us all.
Psychological factors in symptom severity and quality of life in Raynaud’s phenomenon
Authors: Irving Dulcie , Daniels Jo
Published: January 2024

Background:

Despite emotional stress being recognised as a key trigger for Raynaud’s phenomenon episodes, research in the area is still in its infancy.

Aims:

This study investigated the role of psychological factors relating to symptom severity and quality of life, and differences between Raynaud’s types (primary and secondary) to further inform the development of intervention in this field.

Method:

A cross-sectional design was used. Two hundred and ten adults with Raynaud’s completed an online questionnaire measuring stress, anxiety, depression, anxiety sensitivity, beliefs about emotions, symptom severity and quality of life.

Results:

Primary and secondary Raynaud’s groups differed in anxiety (p < .004), symptom severity (p < .001) and quality of life (p < .001). Stepwise multiple regressions indicated anxiety and Raynaud’s type explained 23% variance in hand symptom severity (p < .001); anxiety, Raynaud’s type and anxiety sensitivity explained 29% variance in symptom severity (global impact, p < .001); depression, Raynaud’s type and anxiety sensitivity explained 32% variance in quality of life (p < .001).

Conclusions:

Results highlight the importance of psychological factors in Raynaud’s phenomenon, indicating possible targets for treatment. Interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy, which target both physical and psychological wellbeing, bear some promise as an adjuvant therapy for this group.
A needs theory of governance: taking transaction cost theory back to humanistic economics and self-actualisation
Authors: Sacchetti Silvia , Tortia Ermanno
Published: January 2024

In this paper we seek to integrate human needs and self-actualisation into the design of organisational governance. We problematise the assumptions that guide established justifications for governance, thus providing an opportunity for this type of theoretical approach. Drawing on Maslow's human psychology, we consider the potentially regressive features of the prescriptions of transaction cost theory (TCT), particularly the new institutionalist approach, and suggest inclusiveness as a mode of coordination that firms may wish to pursue to enhance self-actualisation. The main value added of this contribution is to highlight the need to discern among modes of governance design, using criteria of welfare maximisation by enabling opportunities for self-actualisation within the firm, different from the TCT focus on internal efficiency.
No Song for Birds in Flight: The Life and Afterlife of Suicide in the Warsaw Ghetto
Authors: Roche Emily Julia
Published: January 2024

This article is an exploration of how individuals in the Warsaw Ghetto discussed and remembered wartime suicide, as well as the ways in which these events were translated into legend by subsequent generations. First-person sources show how witnesses understood and evaluated suicide as one of the few choices available to Jews under Nazi occupation; Their reactions ranged from admiration or yearning to disapproval, disgust, and indifference. Although death and violence became part of daily life, suicide was not: in fact, the suicide rate in the ghetto was over a third lower than what it was in prewar Warsaw (Lindenthal, 2014). The goal of this study is not to condemn, glorify, or even understand events of suicide in the Warsaw Ghetto. Rather, the study of suicide in the context of the Holocaust presents an opportunity to rigorously question preconceived notions of agency, survivorship, and testimony. The Warsaw Ghetto existed in the physical space of the city for just three years, but its legacy of violence has endured for decades. This research builds not only on the historiography of the Holocaust in Poland, but also adds to the broader fields of the history of psychology and memory in the midst of genocide.
Suicide and the Hermeneutics of Political and National Community in the Interwar Czechoslovak Republic
Authors: Newman John Paul
Published: January 2024

According to comparative data, suicide rates in Bohemia remained at a statistically high level in comparison to global-figures from the nineteenth-century until late in the twentieth, a matter of grave concern for successive political regimes. In the interwar-republic of Czechoslovakia, patriots were troubled that the high rates of suicide in Bohemia had failed to decline following the transition from the Habsburg empire into the new Czechoslovak state. The article uses sociological works to show how the problem of suicide was negotiated and rationalized in the context of the patriotic culture of the state. This involved eschewing the most compelling explanations of the problem in favor of those better adjusted to the political mood of the times, passing over immediate and apparent problems in favor of explanations that related suicide to the war years or the previous imperial experience. These rationalizations ultimately achieved few concrete solutions, but rather provided an interpretation of the ongoing problem that was compatible with the state-forming patriotism of the day.
Evil, Theodicy, and Jewishness in Fridrikh Gorenshtein
Authors: Schur Anna
Published: January 2024

The paper argues that Fridrikh Gorenshtein's preoccupation with evil and with the search for a proper response offers a useful lens through which to explore his conception of Jewishness and his identity as a Jewish writer working within the Russian literary tradition.
The Bashagurov Brothers: A Story of Brigandage and Mobility in the Urals, 1789–1792
Authors: Gornostaev Andrey V.
Published: January 2024

In 1789, the brothers Ivan and Stepan Bashagurov escaped from prison in Perm. Before their capture two years later, they not only robbed houses and raided boats on the Kama but also worked as wage laborers and traveled to St. Petersburg. Their story does not fit into the traditional understanding of banditry in early modern Russia as a social phenomenon reflecting resistance against the state and nobility. The brothers were neither champions of the poor nor enjoyed sympathy and support in the countryside, as is commonly assumed. Through a detailed reconstruction of their case, this article underscores the seasonal and opportunistic nature of their banditry as well as the complexity of the interactions between the bandits and other members of society, which were shaped by acquaintanceship and kinship, on the one hand, and the Russian government's punitive policies against those who harbored criminals, on the other.
Gangbe in Badagry, Nigeria: Ogu Women’s Performance Practice, Social Status, and Creative Agency
Authors: KUNNUJI JOSEPH
Published: January 2024

Before colonialism, Gbe women enjoyed a social status on par with men. However, there has been a shift in the postcolonial social structure of Gbe societies. Modern capitalism, which accompanied colonial structures, privileged men, eroding many woman-empowering practices. This article examines Ogu women’s marginality through an ethnographic study of gangbe (a musical genre exclusive to married Ogu women). I argue that the sources of Ogu women’s marginality are interlocking, involving oppression stemming from colonial structures and the values of contiguous Yorùbá people. I propose a collaborative intervention that upends typical power structures that privilege Western and Yorùbá ideation over Indigenous Ogu knowledge, values, and practices.
Gemeinsam an einem Strang ziehen
Authors: Kuhlmann Barbara , Müller Carolin
Published: January 2024

Was ist zu diesem Thema bereits bekannt?

Gelingende multiprofessionelle Zusammenarbeit kann nicht dem Zufall überlassen werden. Es braucht Strukturen, die für die Mitarbeitenden leitend sind.

Wie wird eine neue Perspektive eingebracht?

In der Klinik Nette-Gut für Forensische Psychiatrie sind Bezugspflegeperson und Bezugstherapeut_in gemeinsam für die Organisation und formale Steuerung des gesamten Behandlungsprozesses einer untergebrachten Person verantwortlich.

Was sind die Auswirkungen für die Praxis?

Es gibt weniger Schnittstellenprobleme. Patient_innen erleben, dass ihre Meinungen und Behandlungsoptionen immer gemeinsam diskutiert werden. Pflegende übernehmen Verantwortung, erleben weniger Reibungsverluste und haben Klarheit über Zuständigkeiten und Kommunikationswege.
A new blood DNA methylation signature for Koolen-de Vries syndrome: Classification of missense KANSL1 variants and comparison to fibroblast cells
Authors: Awamleh Zain , Choufani Sanaa , Wu Wendy , Rots Dmitrijs , Dingemans Alexander J. M. , Nadif Kasri Nael , Boronat Susana , Ibañez-Mico Salvador , Cuesta Herraiz Laura , Ferrer Irene , Martínez Carrascal Antonio , Pérez-Jurado Luis A. , Aznar Lain Gemma , Ortigoza-Escobar Juan Dario , de Vries Bert B. A. , Koolen David A. , Weksberg Rosanna
Published: January 2024

Pathogenic variants in KANSL1 and 17q21.31 microdeletions are causative of Koolen-de Vries syndrome (KdVS), a neurodevelopmental syndrome with characteristic facial dysmorphia. Our previous work has shown that syndromic conditions caused by pathogenic variants in epigenetic regulatory genes have identifiable patterns of DNA methylation (DNAm) change: DNAm signatures or episignatures. Given the role of KANSL1 in histone acetylation, we tested whether variants underlying KdVS are associated with a DNAm signature. We profiled whole-blood DNAm for 13 individuals with KANSL1 variants, four individuals with 17q21.31 microdeletions, and 21 typically developing individuals, using Illumina’s Infinium EPIC array. In this study, we identified a robust DNAm signature of 456 significant CpG sites in 8 individuals with KdVS, a pattern independently validated in an additional 7 individuals with KdVS. We also demonstrate the diagnostic utility of the signature and classify two KANSL1 VUS as well as four variants in individuals with atypical clinical presentation. Lastly, we investigated tissue-specific DNAm changes in fibroblast cells from individuals with KdVS. Collectively, our findings contribute to the understanding of the epigenetic landscape related to KdVS and aid in the diagnosis and classification of variants in this structurally complex genomic region.
Wilms tumour resulting from paternal transmission of a TRIM28 pathogenic variant—A first report
Authors: Whitworth James , Armstrong Ruth , Maher Eamonn R.
Published: January 2024

Wilms tumour (nephroblastoma) is a renal embryonal tumour that is frequently caused by constitutional variants in a small range of cancer predisposition genes. TRIM28 has recently been identified as one such gene. Previously, observational data strongly suggested a parent of origin effect, whereby Wilms tumour only occurred following maternal inheritance of a pathogenic genetic variant. However, here we report a child with bilateral Wilms tumour who had inherited a pathogenic TRIM28 variant from their father. This finding suggests that genetic counselling for paternally inherited pathogenic variants in TRIM28 should include discussion of a potential risk of Wilms tumour.
High-altitude glacier archives lost due to climate change-related melting
Authors: Huber C. J. , Eichler A. , Mattea E. , Brütsch S. , Jenk T. M. , Gabrieli J. , Barbante C. , Schwikowski M.
Published: January 2024

Global warming has caused widespread surface lowering of mountain glaciers. By comparing two firn cores collected in 2018 and 2020 from Corbassière glacier in Switzerland, we demonstrate how vulnerable these precious archives of past environmental conditions have become. Within two years, the soluble impurity records were destroyed by melting. The glacier is now irrevocably lost as an archive for reconstructing major atmospheric aerosol components.
Bispecific antibodies promote natural killer cell-mediated elimination of HIV-1 reservoir cells
Authors: Board Nathan L. , Yuan Zhe , Wu Fengting , Moskovljevic Milica , Ravi Meghana , Sengupta Srona , Mun Sung Soo , Simonetti Francesco R. , Lai Jun , Tebas Pablo , Lynn Kenneth , Hoh Rebecca , Deeks Steven G. , Siliciano Janet D. , Montaner Luis J. , Siliciano Robert F.
Published: January 2024

The persistence of CD4+ T cells carrying latent human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) proviruses is the main barrier to a cure. New therapeutics to enhance HIV-1-specific immune responses and clear infected cells will probably be necessary to achieve reduction of the latent reservoir. In the present study, we report two single-chain diabodies (scDbs) that target the HIV-1 envelope protein (Env) and the human type III Fcγ receptor (CD16). We show that the scDbs promoted robust and HIV-1-specific natural killer (NK) cell activation and NK cell-mediated lysis of infected cells. Cocultures of CD4+ T cells from people with HIV-1 on antiretroviral therapy (ART) with autologous NK cells and the scDbs resulted in marked elimination of reservoir cells that was dependent on latency reversal. Treatment of human interleukin-15 transgenic NSG mice with one of the scDbs after ART initiation enhanced NK cell activity and reduced reservoir size. Thus, HIV-1-specific scDbs merit further evaluation as potential therapeutics for clearance of the latent reservoir.
The structure of a human translation initiation complex reveals two independent roles for the helicase eIF4A
Authors: Brito Querido Jailson , Sokabe Masaaki , Díaz-López Irene , Gordiyenko Yuliya , Fraser Christopher S. , Ramakrishnan V.
Published: January 2024

Eukaryotic translation initiation involves recruitment of the 43S pre-initiation complex to the 5′ end of mRNA by the cap-binding complex eIF4F, forming the 48S translation initiation complex (48S), which then scans along the mRNA until the start codon is recognized. We have previously shown that eIF4F binds near the mRNA exit channel of the 43S, leaving open the question of how mRNA secondary structure is removed as it enters the mRNA channel on the other side of the 40S subunit. Here we report the structure of a human 48S that shows that, in addition to the eIF4A that is part of eIF4F, there is a second eIF4A helicase bound at the mRNA entry site, which could unwind RNA secondary structures as they enter the 48S. The structure also reveals conserved interactions between eIF4F and the 43S, probaby explaining how eIF4F can promote mRNA recruitment in all eukaryotes.
Variant in the synaptonemal complex protein SYCE2 associates with pregnancy loss through effect on recombination
Authors: Steinthorsdottir Valgerdur , Halldorsson Bjarni V. , Jonsson Hakon , Palsson Gunnar , Oddsson Asmundur , Westergaard David , Arnadottir Gudny A. , Stefansdottir Lilja , Banasik Karina , Esplin M. Sean , Hansen Thomas Folkmann , Brunak Søren , Nyegaard Mette , Ostrowski Sisse Rye , Pedersen Ole Birger Vesterager , Erikstrup Christian ,   DBDS genomics consortium, Thorleifsson Gudmar , Nadauld Lincoln D. , Haraldsson Asgeir , Steingrimsdottir Thora , Tryggvadottir Laufey , Jonsdottir Ingileif , Gudbjartsson Daniel F. , Hoffmann Eva R. , Sulem Patrick , Holm Hilma , Nielsen Henriette Svarre , Stefansson Kari
Published: January 2024

Two-thirds of all human conceptions are lost, in most cases before clinical detection. The lack of detailed understanding of the causes of pregnancy losses constrains focused counseling for future pregnancies. We have previously shown that a missense variant in synaptonemal complex central element protein 2 (SYCE2), in a key residue for the assembly of the synaptonemal complex backbone, associates with recombination traits. Here we show that it also increases risk of pregnancy loss in a genome-wide association analysis on 114,761 women with reported pregnancy loss. We further show that the variant associates with more random placement of crossovers and lower recombination rate in longer chromosomes but higher in the shorter ones. These results support the hypothesis that some pregnancy losses are due to failures in recombination. They further demonstrate that variants with a substantial effect on the quality of recombination can be maintained in the population.
Molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic degeneration in Cordyceps militaris: insights from transcriptome reanalysis and osmotic stress studies
Authors: Hoang Chinh Q. , Duong Giang H. T. , Tran Mai H. , Vu Tao X. , Tran Tram B. , Pham Hang T. N.
Published: January 2024

Phenotypic degeneration in Cordyceps militaris poses a significant concern for producers, yet the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. To address this concern, we isolated two strains that differ in their abilities to form fruiting bodies. Our observations revealed that the degenerated strain lost the capacity to develop fruiting bodies, exhibited limited radial expansion, increased spore density, and elevated intracellular glycerol levels. Transcriptome reanalysis uncovered dysregulation of genes involved in the MAPK signaling pathway in the degenerate strain. Our RT-qPCR results demonstrated reduced expression of sexual development genes, along with upregulation of genes involved in asexual sporulation, glycerol synthesis, and MAPK regulation, when compared to the wild-type strain. Additionally, we discovered that osmotic stress reduced radial growth but increased conidia sporulation and glycerol accumulation in all strains. Furthermore, hyperosmotic stress inhibited fruiting body formation in all neutralized strains. These findings indicate dysregulation of the MAPK signaling pathway, the possibility of the activation of the high-osmolarity glycerol and spore formation modules, as well as the downregulation of the pheromone response and filamentous growth cascades in the degenerate strain. Overall, our study sheds light on the mechanisms underlying Cordyceps militaris degeneration and identifies potential targets for improving cultivation practices.
Systems biology approaches to identify driver genes and drug combinations for treating COVID-19
Authors: Ebrahimi Ali , Roshani Farinaz
Published: January 2024

Corona virus 19 (Covid-19) has caused many problems in public health, economic, and even cultural and social fields since the beginning of the epidemic. However, in order to provide therapeutic solutions, many researches have been conducted and various omics data have been published. But there is still no early diagnosis method and comprehensive treatment solution. In this manuscript, by collecting important genes related to COVID-19 and using centrality and controllability analysis in PPI networks and signaling pathways related to the disease; hub and driver genes have been identified in the formation and progression of the disease. Next, by analyzing the expression data, the obtained genes have been evaluated. The results show that in addition to the significant difference in the expression of most of these genes, their expression correlation pattern is also different in the two groups of COVID-19 and control. Finally, based on the drug-gene interaction, drugs affecting the identified genes are presented in the form of a bipartite graph, which can be used as the potential drug combinations.
Insights into the prediction of the liquid density of refrigerant systems by artificial intelligent approaches
Authors: Li Huaguang , Baghban Alireza
Published: January 2024

This study presents a novel model for accurately estimating the densities of 48 refrigerant systems, categorized into five groups: Hydrofluoroethers (HFEs), Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), Perfluoroalkylalkanes (PFAAs), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and Perfluoroalkanes (PFAs). Input variables, including pressure, temperature, molecular weight, and structural groups, were systematically considered. The study explores the efficacy of both the multilayer perceptron artificial neural network (MLP-ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) methodologies in constructing a precise model. Utilizing a comprehensive dataset of 3825 liquid density measurements and outlier analysis, the models achieved R2 and MSE values of 0.975 & 0.5575 and 0.967 & 0.7337 for MLP-ANN and ANFIS, respectively, highlighting their remarkable predictive performance. In conclusion, the ANFIS model is proposed as an effective tool for estimating refrigerant system densities, particularly advantageous in scenarios where experimental measurements are resource-intensive or sophisticated analysis is required.
Solution processing of crystalline porous material based membranes for CO2 separation
Authors: Zhang Caiyan , Fan Lili , Kang Zixi , Sun Daofeng
Published: January 2024

This feature article introduces the solution-processing strategies for fabricating crystalline porous material-based membranes and their application in CO2 separation.
Micro-flow heteroatom alkylation via TfOH-mediated rapid in situ generation of carbocations and subsequent nucleophile addition
Authors: Matsuura Yuma , Fuse Shinichiro
Published: January 2024

A rapid micro-flow nucleophilic substitution reaction was developed using carbocations generated from diarylmethanol and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid.
The nearby atomic environment effect on an Fe–N–C catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction: a density functional theory-based study
Authors: Yuan PengFei , Li Chong , Zhang Jiannan , Wang Fei , Wang Juanjuan , Chen Xuebo
Published: January 2024

Fe–N–C materials have emerged as highly promising non-noble metal catalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.
Benchmarking the anisotropy of nitroxyl radical solvation with IR spectroscopy
Authors: Brás Elisa M. , Zimmermann Charlotte , Fausto Rui , Suhm Martin A.
Published: January 2024

Conformations of organic radical–solvent complexes are vibrationally assigned by comparison to related closed-shell complexes.
The influence of hindered rotation on electron transfer and exchange interaction in triarylamine-triptycene-perylene diimide triads
Authors: Roger Chantal , Schmiedel Alexander , Holzapfel Marco , Lukzen Nikita N. , Steiner Ulrich E. , Lambert Christoph
Published: January 2024

Intramolecular rotations modulate exchange interaction (J) as well as electronic couplings through variable π-overlap, affecting the rate constants of photoinduced charge separation and recombination in electron-donor-bridge-acceptor triads.
A photo-degradable BODIPY-modified Ru(ii) photosensitizer for safe and efficient PDT under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions
Authors: Peng Yatong , Da Xuwen , Zhou Wanpeng , Xu Yunli , Liu Xiulian , Wang Xuesong , Zhou Qianxiong
Published: January 2024

A BODIPY-modified Ru(ii) photosensitizer displayed efficient PDT, and also reduced side-effects thanks to its fast photo-degradation in water.
Unraveling lignin extraction: molecular dynamics insights into effective biomass valorization using a p-toluenesulfonic acid/solvents system
Authors: Zheng Jiayi , Chen Liheng , Huang Zhichang , Qiu Xueqing
Published: January 2024

Diol-modulated acidic hydrotropes gently extract native-like lignin while preserving cellulose, unlocking efficient biofuel and sunscreen production from diverse biomass.
Ultra-low temperature direct reconstruction of biomass fermentation of ethanol to higher alcohols in water over thermostable hcp-Ni
Authors: Zheng Xinqi , Chen Bo , Gu Juwen , Qiu Songbai , Wu Xiaoping , Zhang Qian , Wang Tiejun
Published: January 2024

Near-ambient temperature direct reconstruction of biomass fermentation of ethanol to higher alcohols in water over thermostable hcp-Ni.
Twenty years of islet-on-a-chip: microfluidic tools for dissecting islet metabolism and function
Authors: Regeenes Romario , Rocheleau Jonathan V.
Published: January 2024

Islet-on-a-chip devices have the power to measure pancreatic islet metabolism from donor and engineered islets. These measurements could be used to determine healthy islets for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.
Miniature fluorescence sensor for quantitative detection of brain tumour
Authors: Ndabakuranye Jean Pierre , Belcourt James , Sharma Deepak , O'Connell Cathal D. , Mondal Victor , Srivastava Sanjay K. , Stacey Alastair , Long Sam , Fleiss Bobbi , Ahnood Arman
Published: January 2024

A miniature fluorescence sensor is created by combining a slippery diamond window colour sensor chip, and excitation LED. The sensor, when directly placed on tissue, accurately detects brain tumours.
Vallesamidine and schizozygane alkaloids: rearranged monoterpene indole alkaloids and synthetic endeavours
Authors: Zhang Xiangyu
Published: January 2024

Unusual and unique vallesamidine and schizozygane alkaloids. This review showcases their structural determination strategies, potential bioactivities, and total synthesis studies.
Cross-streamline migration and near-wall depletion of elastic fibers in micro-channel flows
Authors: Nguyen Thomas , Manikantan Harishankar
Published: January 2024

Suspended elastic filaments migrate across streamlines due to a non-uniform fluid velocity gradient. Such an effect competes with wall exclusion to establish a preferred particle position in confined channel flows.
A coordinated green hydrogen and blue hydrogen trading strategy between virtual hydrogen plant and electro‐hydrogen energy system
Authors: Li Zhiwei , Zhao Yuze , Wu Pei
Published: January 2024

In the hydrogen‐based integrated energy system (HIES), there exists a hydrogen trading market where hydrogen producers and consumers are distinct stakeholders. Current research in hydrogen trading predominantly focuses on high‐cost green hydrogen (GH), which is not aligned with the current trend of utilizing hydrogen from multiple sources. To address this, this paper proposes a hydrogen trading strategy between the virtual hydrogen plant (VHP) and electro‐hydrogen energy system (EHES) based on a bi‐level model, considering the synergy of GH produced from electrolyzers and blue hydrogen (BH) derived from natural gas in the HIES. In the VHP level, the objective is to maximize profit from hydrogen sales, allowing for the determination of hydrogen prices. In the EHES level, the goal is to minimize the cost of energy supply, leading to the formulation of GH and BH purchasing plans based on hydrogen prices. Additionally, this paper incorporates a risk‐averse model from the information gap decision theory (IGDT) to account for the impact of wind power output uncertainties in the VHP level. Subsequently, leveraging the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) conditions of the EHES level, the bi‐level problem is transformed into a solvable single‐level mathematical program with equilibrium constraints (MPEC), with the non‐linear equilibrium constraints linearized. The proposed bi‐level optimization model is validated through case studies encompassing industrial and residential hydrogen utilization within the HIES. The outcomes confirm the rationality of the proposed model, demonstrating that, in comparison to exclusively trading GH, the coordinated GH and BH trading can increase the profit of the VHP by 2.7% and reduce the costs of the EHES by 8.5%.
The omnipresent flux-dependent optical dips of the black hole transient Swift J1357.2−0933
Authors: Panizo-Espinar G. , Muñoz-Darias T. , Armas Padilla M. , Jiménez-Ibarra F. , Mata Sánchez D. , Yanes-Rizo I. V. , Alabarta K. , Baglio M. C. , Caruso E. , Casares J. , Corral-Santana J. M. , Lewis F. , Russell D. M. , Saikia P. , Sánchez-Sierras J. , Shahbaz T. , Torres M. A. P. , Vincentelli F.
Published: January 2024

Swift J1357.2-0933 is a black hole transient that is of particular interest due to the optical recurrent dips found during its first two outbursts (in 2011 and 2017), which lack an obvious X-ray equivalent. We present a study based on fast optical photometry during its two most recent outbursts, in 2019 and 2021. Our observations reveal that the optical dips were present in every observed outburst of the source, although they were shallower and showed longer recurrence periods in the two most recent and fainter events. We performed a global study of the dips properties in the four outbursts and found that they do not follow a common temporal evolution. In addition, we discovered a correlation with the X-ray and optical fluxes, with the dips being more profound and showing shorter recurrence periods for brighter stages. This trend seems to extend even to the faintest, quiescent states of the source. We discuss these results in the context of the possible connection between optical dips and outflows found in previous works.
Testing strengths, limitations, and biases of current pulsar timing arrays’ detection analyses on realistic data
Authors: Valtolina Serena , Shaifullah Golam , Samajdar Anuradha , Sesana Alberto
Published: January 2024

State-of-the-art searches for gravitational waves (GWs) in pulsar timing array (PTA) datasets model the signal as an isotropic, Gaussian, and stationary process described by a power law. In practice, none of these properties are expected to hold for an incoherent superposition of GWs generated by a cosmic ensemble of supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs). This stochastic signal is usually referred to as the GW background (GWB) and is expected to be the primary signal in the PTA band. We performed a systematic investigation of the performance of current search algorithms, using a simple power-law model to characterise GW signals in realistic datasets. We used, as the baseline dataset, synthetic realisations of timing residuals mimicking the European PTA (EPTA) second data release (DR2). Thus, we included in the dataset uneven time stamps, achromatic and chromatic red noise, and multi-frequency observations. We then injected timing residuals from an ideal isotropic, Gaussian, single power-law stochastic process and from a realistic population of SMBHBs, performing a methodical investigation of the recovered signal. We found that current search models are efficient at recovering the GW signal, but several biases can be identified due to the signal-template mismatch, which we identified via probability-probability (P–P) plots and quantified using Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) statistics. We discuss our findings in light of the signal observed in the EPTA DR2 and corroborate its consistency with a SMBHB origin.
TransientX: A high-performance single-pulse search package
Authors: Men Yunpeng , Barr Ewan
Published: January 2024

Context. Radio interferometers composed of a large array of small antennas possess large fields of view, coupled with high sensitivities. For example, the Karoo Array Telescope (MeerKAT) achieves a gain of up to 2.8 KJy−1 across its >1 deg2 field of view. This capability significantly enhances the survey speed for pulsars and fast transients. It also introduces challenges related to the high data rate, which reaches a few Tb s−1 for MeerKAT, and it requires substantial computing power.

Aims. To handle the high data rate of surveys, we have developed a high-performance single-pulse search software called “TransientX”. This software integrates multiple processes into one pipeline, which includes radio-frequency interference mitigation, dedispersion, matched filtering, clustering, and candidate plotting.

Methods. In TRANSIENTX, we developed an efficient CPU-based dedispersion implementation using the sub-band dedispersion algorithm. Additionally, TRANSIENTX employs the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) algorithm to eliminate duplicate candidates, using an efficient implementation based on the kd-tree data structure. We also calculate the decrease of signal-to-noise ratio (s/N) resulting from dispersion measure, boxcar width, spectral index, and pulse-shape mismatches. Remarkably, we find that the decrease of S/N resulting from the mismatch between a boxcar-shaped template and a Gaussian-shaped pulse with scattering remains relatively small, at approximately 9%, even when the scattering timescale is ten times that of the pulse width. Additionally, the decrease in the S/N resulting from the spectral index mismatch becomes significant with multi-octave receivers.

Results. We have benchmarked the individual processes, including dedispersion, matched filtering, and clustering. Our dedispersion implementation can be executed in real time using a single CPU core on data with 4096 dispersion measure trials, which consist of 4096 channels and have a time resolution of 153 µs. Overall, TRANSIENTX offers the capability for efficient CPU-only real-time single-pulse searching.
Identifying reliable periods in 2MASS J09213414–5939068, IGR J16167–4957, and V667 Pup
Authors: Joshi Arti
Published: January 2024

Detailed timing analyses of three cataclysmic variables, namely 2MASS J09213414−5939068, IGR J16167−4957, and V667 Pup are carried out using the long-baseline and high-cadence optical photometric data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Periods of 908.12 ± 0.05 s and 990.10 ± 0.06 s are observed in the optical variation of 2MASS J09213414−5939068 that were not found in earlier studies and appear to be probable spin and beat periods of the system, respectively. The presence of multiple periods at spin, beat, and other sidebands indicates that 2MASS J09213414−5939068 likely belongs to an intermediate polar class of magnetic cataclysmic variables that seems to be accreted via a disc-overflow mechanism. Clear evidence of a period of 582.45 ± 0.04 s is found during the TESS observations of IGR J16167−4957, which can be interpreted as the spin period of the system. Strong modulation at this frequency supports its classification as an intermediate polar, where accretion may primarily be governed by a disc. The dominance of the spin pulse unveils the disc-fed dominance accretion in V667 Pup, but the detection of the previously unknown beat period of 525.77 ± 0.03 s suggests that a portion of the material is also accreted through a stream. Moreover, the double-peaked structure observed in the optical spin pulse profile of V667 Pup suggests the possibility of a two-pole accretion geometry, where each pole accretes at a different rate and is separated by 180°.
Study of the HCCNC and HNCCC isotopologs in TMC-1
Authors: Cernicharo J. , Tercero B. , Cabezas C. , Agúndez M. , Roueff E. , Fuentetaja R. , Marcelino N. , de Vicente P.
Published: January 2024

We present the detection of the three 13C isotopologs of HCCNC and HNCCC toward TMC-1 using the QUIJOTE line survey. In addition, the D species has also been detected for these two isomers of HCCCN, whereas the 15N isotopolog was only detected for HCCNC. Using high-J lines of HCCNC and HNCCC, we were able to derive very precise rotational temperatures, column densities, and subsequently the isotopic abundance ratios. We found that 12C/13C is ∼90 for the three possible substitutions in both isomers. These results are slightly different from what has been found for the most abundant isomer HCCCN, for which abundances of 105, 95, and 66 were found for each one of the three possible positions of 13C. The H/D abundance ratio was found to be 31 ± 4 for HCCNC and of 53 ± 6 for HNCCC. The latter is similar to the H/D abundance ratio derived for HCCCN (∼59). The 14N/15N isotopic abundance ratio in HCCNC is 243 ± 24.
Observations of magnetic reconnection in the deep solar atmosphere in the Hεline
Authors: Rouppe van der Voort Luc H. M. , Joshi Jayant , Krikova Kilian
Published: January 2024

Context.Magnetic reconnection in the deep solar atmosphere can give rise to enhanced emission in the Balmer hydrogen lines, a phenomenon known as Ellerman bombs (EBs). It is most common to observe EBs in the Hαand Hβspectral lines. High-quality shorter-wavelength Balmer line observations of EBs are rare, but have the potential to provide the most highly resolved view on magnetic reconnection.

Aims.We aim to evaluate the Hε3970 Å line as an EB diagnostic by analyzing high-quality observations in different Balmer lines.

Methods.Observations of different targets and viewing angles were acquired with the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope. These observations sample EBs in different environments: active regions, the quiet Sun, and the penumbra and moat of a sunspot. We employed an automated detection method for quiet-Sun EBs based onk-means clustering.

Results.Ellerman bombs in the Hεline show similar characteristics as in the longer-wavelength Balmer lines: a higher intensity than in the surroundings, rapid variability, and a flame-like morphology. In a 24 min quiet-Sun time series, we detected 1674 EBs in the Hεline. This is 1.7 times more EBs than in Hβ. The quiet-Sun EBs measured in Hεare very similar to those in Hβ: They have similar lifetimes and a similar area, brightness, and spatial distribution. Most of the EBs detected in Hεare closer to the limb than their Hβcounterparts because the Hεline core EB emission is formed higher in the atmosphere than the HβEB wing emission.

Conclusions.We conclude that the Hεline is well suited for studying EBs, and consequently, for measuring the dynamics of magnetic reconnection in the solar atmosphere at the smallest scales. Our findings suggests that the deep atmosphere in the quiet Sun may host more than 750 000 reconnection events with an EB signature at any time. This is significantly more than what was found in earlier Hβobservations.
A Review of DME Manufacturing: Process and Catalyst Studies
Authors: Anggraini Pamungkas Widya , Wahyu Budiman Anatta , Inayati  , Margono  , Siswahjono Tatag Sembodo Bregas , Mersitarini Dewi , Ardyatna Dimas , Mahendra Isya
Published: January 2024

Consumption of fossil-based energy is increasing every year which has an impact on air, water and soil pollution. Therefore, alternative energy is needed to replace fossil fuels. Dimethyl Ether (DME) is considered suitable to replace LPG because of its better physical and chemical properties than LPG. This review article discusses the differences between direct and indirect DME synthesis methods and studies their reaction mechanisms. In addition, the types of promoter addition and their effects on the characteristics and performance of the catalyst are also studied in this article. The final part of this article discusses the effect of operating conditions (temperature, pressure, time on stream (TOS), room velocity, and H2/CO ratio) on catalyst performance, which is sourced from several literatures. It is hoped that this article can obtain an effective DME manufacturing method both in terms of process and catalytic
Fabrication of TiO2-Ag composites for working electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Paramitha Tika , Rafela Rafaela , Himmatuz Zahro Mildza , Sholikhatun Nisa Shofirul , Purwanto Agus , Kasuma (Kiwi) Aliwarga Harry
Published: January 2024

A solar cell is a device that can convert solar energy into electrical energy. The third generation of solar cells is Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC). Typically, DSSC consists of a working electrode (semiconductive metal oxide), a photosensitizer, an electrolyte, and a counter electrode (platinum or carbon electrode). Among the components, a working electrode is one of the crucial components to control the electrochemical performance. This study examines variations in Ag composition in TiO2-Ag composites against efficiency using two materials and fabrication methods. First, using the solid-state method, TiO2-Ag composites were fabricated from Ag paste and TiO2 paste. The highest efficiency results were achieved at TiO2 N-RT + Ag 1%. The efficiency increased from 1.05% to 1.51% compared to TiO2 without Ag doping. Second, using the solvothermal method, TiO2-Ag composites were fabricated from AgNO3 and TiO2 particles. The highest efficiency results were obtained at TiO2 NP + Ag 0.75%. The efficiency increased from 0.82% to 1.07% compared to TiO2 without Ag doping. Furthermore, the material with the best efficiency was characterized using FTIR, XRD, and SEM to identify the material’s functional groups, phases, and morphology, respectively.