bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study of the propagation, in situ signatures, and geoeffectiveness of shear-induced coronal mass ejections in different solar winds
Authors: Talpeanu D.-C. , Poedts S. , D’Huys E. , Mierla M.
Published: November 2021

Aims. Our goal is to propagate multiple eruptions –obtained through numerical simulations performed in a previous study– to 1 AU and to analyse the effects of different background solar winds on their dynamics and structure at Earth. We also aim to improve the understanding of why some consecutive eruptions do not result in the expected geoeffectiveness, and how a secondary coronal mass ejection (CME) can affect the configuration of the preceding one.

Methods. Using the 2.5D magnetohydrodynamics package of the code MPI-AMRVAC, we numerically modelled consecutive CMEs inserted in two different solar winds by imposing shearing motions onto the inner boundary, which in our case represents the low corona. In one of the simulations, the secondary CME was a stealth ejecta resulting from the reconfiguration of the coronal field. The initial magnetic configuration depicts a triple arcade structure shifted southward, and embedded into a bimodal solar wind. We triggered eruptions by imposing shearing motions along the southernmost polarity inversion line, and the computational mesh tracks them via a refinement method that applies to current-carrying structures, and is continuously adapted throughout the simulations. We also compared the signatures of some of our eruptions with those of a multiple CME event that occurred in September 2009 using data from spacecraft around Mercury and Earth. Furthermore, we computed and analysed the Dst index for all the simulations performed.

Results. The observed event fits well at 1 AU with two of our simulations, one with a stealth CME and the other without. This highlights the difficulty of attempting to use in situ observations to distinguish whether or not the second eruption was stealthy, because of the processes the flux ropes undergo during their propagation in the interplanetary space. We simulate the CMEs propagated in two different solar winds, one slow and another faster one. In the first case, plasma blobs arise in the trail of eruptions. The faster solar wind simulations create no plasma blobs in the aftermath of the eruptions, and therefore we interpret them as possible indicators of the initial magnetic configuration, which changes along with the background wind. Interestingly, the Dst computation results in a reduced geoeffectiveness in the case of consecutive CMEs when the flux ropes arrive with a leading positive Bz. When the Bz component is reversed, the geoeffectiveness increases, meaning that the magnetic reconnections with the trailing blobs and eruptions strongly affect the impact of the arriving interplanetary CME.
A detailed spectroscopic study of tidal disruption events
Authors: Charalampopoulos P. , Leloudas G. , Malesani D. B. , Wevers T. , Arcavi I. , Nicholl M. , Pursiainen M. , Lawrence A. , Anderson J. P. , Benetti S. , Cannizzaro G. , Chen T.-W. , Galbany L. , Gromadzki M. , Gutiérrez C. P. , Inserra C. , Jonker P. G. , Müller-Bravo T. E. , Onori F. , Short P. , Sollerman J. , Young D. R.
Published: November 2021

Spectroscopically, tidal disruption events (TDEs) are characterized by broad (∼104 km s−1) emission lines and show a large diversity as well as different line profiles. After carefully and consistently performing a series of data reduction tasks including host galaxy light subtraction, we present here the first detailed, spectroscopic population study of 16 optical and UV TDEs. We study a number of emission lines prominent among TDEs including Hydrogen, Helium, and Bowen lines and we quantify their evolution with time in terms of line luminosities, velocity widths, and velocity offsets. We report a time lag between the peaks of the optical light curves and the peak luminosity of Hα spanning between ∼7 and 45 days. If interpreted as light echoes, these lags correspond to distances of ∼2 − 12 × 1016 cm, which are one to two orders of magnitudes larger than the estimated blackbody radii (RBB) of the same TDEs and we discuss the possible origin of this surprisingly large discrepancy. We also report time lags for the peak luminosity of the He I 5876 Å line, which are smaller than the ones of Hα for H TDEs and similar or larger for N III Bowen TDEs. We report that N III Bowen TDEs have lower Hα velocity widths compared to the rest of the TDEs in our sample and we also find that a strong X-ray to optical ratio might imply weakening of the line widths. Furthermore, we study the evolution of line luminosities and ratios with respect to their radii (RBB) and temperatures (TBB). We find a linear relationship between Hα luminosity and the RBB (Lline ∝ RBB) and potentially an inverse power-law relation with TBB (Lline ∝ TBB−β), leading to weaker Hα emission for TBB ≥ 25 000 K. The He II/He I ratio becomes large at the same temperatures, possibly pointing to an ionization effect. The He II/Hα ratio becomes larger as the photospheric radius recedes, implying a stratified photosphere where Helium lies deeper than Hydrogen. We suggest that the large diversity of the spectroscopic features seen in TDEs along with their X-ray properties can potentially be attributed to viewing angle effects.
Escape from the Bermuda cluster: Orphanization by multiple stellar ejections
Authors: Maíz Apellániz J. , Pantaleoni González M. , Barbá R. H. , Weiler M.
Published: November 2021

Context. Dynamical interactions in young stellar clusters can eject massive stars early in their lives and significantly alter their mass functions. If all of the most massive stars are lost, we are left with an orphan cluster.

Aims. We study the Bermuda cluster (Villafranca O-014 NW), the most significant young stellar group in the North America and Pelican nebulae, and the massive stars that may have been ejected from it to test if it has been orphaned.

Methods. We use Gaia EDR3 parallaxes and proper motions to search for walkaway and runaway stars in the vicinity of the North America and Pelican nebulae. The candidates are analyzed with a combination of spectroscopy and photometry to assess their nature and their trajectories are traced back in time to determine at what time they left the Bermuda cluster.

Results. We detect three ejection events, dubbed the Bajamar, Toronto, and HD 201 795 events, which expelled (a minimum of) five, two, and two systems, respectively, or six, three, and three stars if we count the individual components in spectroscopic and eclipsing binaries. The events took place 1.611 ± 0.011 Ma, 1.496 ± 0.044 Ma, and 1.905 ± 0.037 Ma ago, respectively, but our analysis is marginally consistent with the first two being simultaneous. We detect bow shocks in WISE images associated with four of the ejected systems; their orientation agrees with that of their relative proper motions with respect to the cluster. Combining the three events, the Bermuda cluster has lost over 200 M⊙, including its three most massive stars, so it can be rightfully considered an orphan cluster. One consequence is that the present-day mass function of the cluster has been radically altered from its top-heavy initial value to one compatible with a Kroupa-like function. Another is that the cluster is currently expanding with a dynamical timescale consistent with the cause being the ejection events. A scenario in which the Bermuda cluster was formed in a conveyor-belt fashion over several hundreds of ka or even 1 Ma is consistent with all the observables.
Robust statistical tools for identifying multiple stellar populations in globular clusters in the presence of measurement errors
Authors: Valle G. , Dell’Omodarme M. , Tognelli E.
Published: November 2021

Context.The finding of multiple stellar populations (MPs), which are defined by patterns in the stellar element abundances, is considered today a distinctive feature of globular clusters. However, while data availability and quality have improved in the past decades, this is not always true for the techniques that are adopted to analyse them, which creates problems of objectivity for the claims and reproducibility.

Aims.Using NGC 2808 as test case, we show the use of well-established statistical clustering methods. We focus our analysis on the red giant branch phase, where two data sets are available in the recent literature for low- and high-resolution spectroscopy.

Methods.We adopted hierarchical clustering and partition methods. We explicitly addressed the usually neglected problem of measurement errors, for which we relied on techniques that were recently introduced in the statistical literature. The results of the clustering algorithms were subjected to a silhouette width analysis to compare the performance of the split into different numbers of MPs.

Results.For both data sets the results of the statistical pipeline are at odds with those reported in the literature. Two MPs are detected for both data sets, while the literature reports five and four MPs from high- and low-resolution spectroscopy, respectively. The silhouette analysis suggests that the population substructure is reliable for high-resolution spectroscopy data, while the actual existence of MP is questionable for the low-resolution spectroscopy data. The discrepancy with literature claims can be explained with the different methods that were adopted to characterise MPs. By means of Monte Carlo simulations and multimodality statistical tests, we show that the often adopted study of the histogram of the differences in some key elements is prone to multiple false-positive findings.

Conclusions.The adoption of statistically grounded methods, which adopt all the available information to split the data into subsets and explicitly address the problem of data uncertainty, is of paramount importance to present more robust and reproducible research.
Flaremodel: An open-source Python package for one-zone numerical modelling of synchrotron sources
Authors: Dallilar Y. , von Fellenberg S. , Bauboeck M. , de Zeeuw P. T. , Drescher A. , Eisenhauer F. , Genzel R. , Gillessen S. , Habibi M. , Ott T. , Ponti G. , Stadler J. , Straub O. , Widmann F. , Witzel G. , Young A.
Published: November 2021

Synchrotron processes, the radiative processes associated with the interaction of energetic charged particles with magnetic field, are of interest in many areas in astronomy, from the interstellar medium to extreme environments near compact objects. Consequently, observations of synchrotron sources carry information on the physical properties of the sources themselves and those of their close vicinity. In recent years, novel observations of such sources with multi-wavelength collaborations reveal complex features and peculiarities, especially near black holes. Exploring the nature of these sources in more detail necessitates numerical tools complementary to analytical one-zone modelling efforts. In this paper, we introduce an open-source Python package tailored to this purpose, FLAREMODEL. The core of the code consists of low-level utility functions to describe physical processes relevant to synchrotron sources, which are written in C for performance and parallelised with OpenMP for scalability. The Python interface provides access to these functions and built-in source models are provided as a guidance. At the same time, the modular design of the code and the generic nature of these functions enable users to build a variety of source models applicable to many astrophysical synchrotron sources. We describe our methodology and the structure of our code along with selected examples demonstrating capabilities and options for future modelling efforts.
Tuning the optoelectronic properties of AZO thin films for silicon thin film solar cell applications
Authors: Ahmed Nafis , Rayerfrancis Arokiyadoss , Bhargav P. Balaji , C Balaji , P. Ramasamy
Published: November 2021

Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films are deposited using dc magnetron sputtering and the process conditions are optimized to obtain transparent conducting electrode (TCE) with desirable properties suitable for photovoltaic applications. In the course, the effects of deposition parameters such as growth temperature, deposition time and plasma power density on the structural and optoelectronic properties were investigated using suitable characterization techniques. XRD analysis of the deposited films at different process conditions showed a strong c-axis preferred orientation. The surface roughness of the deposited films was examined using AFM analysis. Elemental analysis was carried out using XPS. The resistivity and sheet resistance of the thin films decreased with increase in temperature, deposition time and power density. The optimized films deposited at 250 °C resulted in electrical resistivity of 6.23 × 10−4 Ωcm, sheet resistance of 9.2 Ω/□ and exhibited an optical transmittance of >85% in the visible range. Figure of merit (FOM) calculations were carried out to analyze the suitability of deposited thin films for thin film amorphous silicon solar cell applications. The photogain of optimized intrinsic a-Si:H layer was in the range of 104, whereas no photogain was observed in doped a-Si:H layers. The thin film solar cell fabricated using the optimized AZO film as TCE exhibited power conversion efficiency of 6.24% when measured at AM 1.5 condition.
Optimization of argon injection into shroud of tundish during continuous casting: a numerical study
Authors: Chang Fengjun , Li Liangjun , Xu Ran , Wang Yufen , Cui Xudong
Published: November 2021

In order to prevent molten steel reoxidation in the tundish during continuous casting, argon injection into the shroud is applied. The injected argon bubbles in molten steel may change the molten steel flow pattern in the tundish. Consequently, the ratios of dead zone, plunger zone and well-mixed zone would change. Also, the motion of inclusions in the molten steel of tundish would change resulting from argon injection. The current word developed a coupling multiphase flow mathematical model. Basing on the developed model, the present work has researched the influences of argon injection on the molten steel flow pattern, inclusion motion characteristics in the tundish.
Editorial
Authors: Swart Enno , Gothe Holger , Ihle Peter
Published: November 2021

Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen, Liebe Leserinnen und Leser,

vor Ihnen liegt das erste zusammen mit der Hauptschriftleitung von „Das
Gesundheitswesen“ und dem Thieme-Verlag vereinbarte,
regelmäßig ca. halbjährlich erscheinende AGENS-Supplement zu
Methoden und Ergebnissen der Sekundärdatenanalyse. Alle an der Entstehung
dieses Supplements Beteiligten sehen einen hohen Bedarf für ein derartiges
Publikationsmedium, da im deutschsprachigen Raum trotz zunehmender
wissenschaftlicher Nutzung von Sekundärdaten bislang kein spezifisches
Journal existiert, das Sekundärdaten in ihren vielfältigen
Ausprägungen und spezifischen methodischen Herausforderungen explizit zum
Gegenstand hat. Somit stellt das regelmäßige AGENS-Supplement den
Versuch dar, diese Lücke in der deutschen Fachjournal-Landschaft zu
schließen. Die zahlreichen Projekte des Innovationsfonds des Gemeinsamen
Bundesausschusses sind nur ein Beispiel für ein Nutzungsfeld, aus dem heraus
in den nächsten Jahren viele wissenschaftliche Beiträge für
dieses Supplement entstehen dürften. Hinzu kommt der beginnende Aufbau eines
Forschungsdatenzentrums Gesundheit im Zuge der Novellierung des §303a-f SGB
V und der Datentransparenzverordnung (DaTraV; siehe Beitrag in diesem Heft), der
eine zunehmende Nutzung der GKV-Abrechnungsdaten in den nächsten Jahren
erwarten lässt.
Qualitätsvariation in der Schweiz: Analyse der
Mamma-Resektionen bei Brustkrebs anhand des Qualitätsindikators der
Brusterhaltung
Authors: Moser Dominik , von Ahlen Christine , Geissler Alexander
Published: November 2021

Ziel der Studie Die Studie geht der Frage nach, ob in der Schweiz regionale
Unterschiede bei den Behandlungsergebnissen von elektiven Mamma-Resektionen bei
Brustkrebs bestehen und falls ja, ob eine mögliche Ursache in der
Krankenhausplanung seitens der Kantone zu Grunde liegen könnte.

Methodik Anhand der Inpatient Quality Indicators (CH-IQI) wird die
Ergebnisqualität auf Ebene der Schweizer Kantone analysiert und mit den
kantonalen Anforderungen, um diese Behandlung durchführen zu
können, verglichen.

Ergebnisse Kantonale Unterschiede wurden sowohl bei der
Ergebnisqualität anhand des Qualitätsindikators der
Brusterhaltung als auch bei dem Detaillierungsgrad der Anforderungen an die
Struktur- und Prozessqualität deutlich.

Schlussfolgerung Die Behandlungsqualität ist in der Schweiz kaum
transparent vergleichbar; eine Interpretation der verfügbaren
Qualitätsinformationen ist anspruchsvoll und für Patienten kaum
möglich. Um die aufgezeigten Qualitätsunterschiede zu
reduzieren, sollte die Krankenhausplanung interkantonal erfolgen, wie dies in
der hochspezialisierten Medizin umgesetzt wird.
Prüfung der Stabilität von Implantat-Abutment-Verbindungen im Rotationsschwinger-Test
Authors: Weißweiler Désirée , Niedermeier Wilhelm
Published: November 2021

Untersuchungen hinsichtlich der Stabilität des Implantat-Abutment-Verbundes gibt es bislang lediglich in Anlehnung an die genormte Prüfmethode nach DIN 14801. Es besteht jedoch zusätzlicher Bedarf an Prüfmethoden, die allein schon aus Gründen der Qualitätssicherung in vergleichsweise kurzen Zeitintervallen eine Stabilitätsprüfung dentaler Implantate ermöglichen. Daher sollte ein alternatives Testverfahren auf der Basis des in der Technik etablierten Rotationsschwinger-Tests nach DIN 1311–2 auf seinen praktischen Wert als „Life-Time-Test“ für Implantatsysteme untersucht werden. Durch 2 Versuchsprotokolle mit 30 bzw. 60 Ncm Auslenkmoment wurden unter- und überschwellige Belastungssituationen an 8 verschiedenen Implantat-Abutment-Systemen simuliert und morphologische Veränderungen sowie letztlich die Bruchfestigkeit der jeweils 6 getesteten Prüfkörper untersucht. Dabei änderte sich die Rotationsfreiheit des Abutments signifikant von ursprünglich 1–2° auf bis zu 6°. Das
Lösedrehmoment der Abutmentschraube gab abhängig vom Anzugsdrehmoment signifikant um 10–45% nach. Aufweitungen von bis zu 0,2 mm der Implantathals-Region zeigten sich lediglich bei Frialit-2-Implantaten. Abutmentfrakturen traten in 35% der Fälle auf. Es zeigte sich, dass im Rotationsschwinger-Test innerhalb sehr kurzer Zeit ähnliche Schäden am Implantat-Abutment-Verbund auftreten, wie dies nach jahrelangem Gebrauch von Implantaten auch der Fall ist.
Investigating the Role of Auditory Processing Abilities in Long-Term Self-Reported Hearing Aid Outcomes among Adults Age 60+ Years
Authors: Davidson Alyssa , Musiek Frank , Fisher Julia M. , Marrone Nicole
Published: November 2021

Abstract Background Self-reported hearing aid outcomes among older adults are variable and important to improve. The extent of the role of auditory processing in long-term hearing aid outcomes is not well understood. Purpose To determine how auditory
processing abilities are related to self-reported hearing aid satisfaction and benefit along with either aided audibility alone or exploratory factors suggested by previous literature. Research Design Descriptive analyses and multiple regression analyses of cross-sectional
self-reported outcomes. Study Sample Adult participants, >60 years (n = 78), fitted with bilateral hearing aids to treat symmetric, mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Data Collection and Analysis Participants were recruited
from a single audiology clinic to complete a series of questionnaires, behavioral assessments, and obtain data from their hearing aids, including real ear measures and data logging of hearing aid use. Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the amount of variance explained by predictive
factors in self-reported hearing aid satisfaction and benefit. The primary predictive factors included gap detection threshold, spatial advantage score, dichotic difference score, and aided audibility. Exploratory factors included personality, self-efficacy, self-report of disability, and
hearing aid use. All interpretations of statistical significance used p < 0.05. Effect sizes were determined using Cohen's f 2 with a medium effect suggesting clinical relevance. Results Gap detection threshold was a statistically significant
predictor in both primary regression models with a medium effect size for satisfaction and a small effect size for benefit. When additional exploratory factors were included in the regression models with auditory processing abilities, gap detection and self-efficacy were both significant predictors
of hearing aid satisfaction with medium effect sizes, explaining 10 and 17% of the variance, respectively. There were no medium effect sizes found for other predictor variables in either the primary or exploratory hearing aid benefit models. Additional factors were statistically significant
in the models, explaining a small amount of variance, but did not meet the medium effect size criterion. Conclusion This study provides initial evidence supporting the incorporation of measures of gap detection ability and hearing aid self-efficacy into clinical practice for
the interpretation of postfitting long-term hearing aid satisfaction.
Fat Chance for Hidden Lesions: Pictorial Review of Hoffa's Fat Pad Lesions
Authors: Saxena Suvinay , Patel Drushi D. , Shah Ankur , Doctor Mrugesh
Published: November 2021

Hoffa's fat pad (HFP) is the most commonly afflicted among all the knee fat pads. Anterior knee pain is common in various pathologies of HFP, as it is richly innervated. A potpourri of the intrinsic and extrinsic pathologies and the tumors and tumor-like conditions affect HFP, and MRI remains the fundamental modality to assess them and provide a specific diagnosis.
Which factors support trust in the recommendation process of pension products? Trust and pension products
Authors: Linhart Philip Maximilian , Stotz Olaf
Published: November 2021

During the financial crisis of 2008/2009, financial institutions such as banks and insurance companies have lost trust of their customers. In the recommendation process of pension products, trust plays an important role since cash flows from retirement products accrue decades ahead. Using the results from a survey, we find that financial institutions still struggle to deliver trust to their customers when they recommend different categories of retirement products. Other recommending parties such as academic financial experts or close friends, however, are able to establish a high level of trust. We therefore investigate factors of alternative channels to establish trust such as the recommendation process or product features.
Evolution of low-energy magnetic excitations pair spectrum in SmMnO3+δ
Authors: Bukhanko F. N. , Bukhanko A. F.
Published: November 2021

The identification of low-energy thermal excitations in SmMnO3+δ degenerate states of spin and superconducting quantum liquids in magnetic fields H ≤ 3.5 kOe is presented. In the temperature interval 4.2–12 K, the Landau quantization of the low-energy magnetic excitations pair spectrum of Z2 quantum spin liquid is found in the system spinon-gauge field. The formation of a broad continuum of spinon pair excitations in the “weak magnetic field” regime (H = 100 Oe, 1 kOe) in the FC regime is explained in the framework of the Landau quantization models of the compressible spinon gas with fractional values of the factor ν filling three overlapping bands. In the regime of “strong magnetic field” (H = 3.5 kOe), the quantum oscillations of temperature dependences of “supermagnetization” of the incompressible spinon liquid were observed. They have the form of three narrow steps (plateaus), corresponding to a complete filling of the non-overlapping Landau bands with integer values of the filling factor by spinons. These results are evidence for the existence of vortex gauge field fluctuations with a high density in the magnetic fields H ≥ 100 Oe. The strong growth of vortex fluctuations can be explained by a second-kind phase transition in SmMnO3+δ in the form of the vortices condensation. Growth of the external dc magnetic field strength in the SmMnO3+δ samples in the interval of fields 0 < H ≤ 3.5 kOe leads to a continuous decrease in the giant magnetization jump near the temperature TKT ≅ 12 K of the topological phase transition, Kosterlitz–Thouless dissociation of 2D vortex-antivortex pairs in a local superconducting state. The suppression of the magnetization jump near the TKT temperature with increasing H is explained by the polarization of vortex antivortex pairs at temperatures below TKT by an external dc magnetic field, which weakens the vortex interaction in pairs and leads to their dissociation.
A suspended layer additive manufacturing approach to the bioprinting of tri-layered skin equivalents
Authors: Moakes Richard J. A. , Senior Jessica J. , Robinson Thomas E. , Chipara Miruna , Atansov Aleksandar , Naylor Amy , Metcalfe Anthony D. , Smith Alan M. , Grover Liam M.
Published: November 2021

Skin exhibits a complex structure consisting of three predominant layers (epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis). Extensive trauma may result in the loss of these structures and poor repair, in the longer term, forming scarred tissue and associated reduction in function. Although a number of skin replacements exist, there have been no solutions that recapitulate the chemical, mechanical, and biological roles that exist within native skin. This study reports the use of suspended layer additive manufacturing to produce a continuous tri-layered implant, which closely resembles human skin. Through careful control of the bioink composition, gradients (chemical and cellular) were formed throughout the printed construct. Culture of the model demonstrated that over 21 days, the cellular components played a key role in remodeling the supporting matrix into architectures comparable with those of healthy skin. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that even at seven days post-implantation, the integration of the implant had occurred, with mobilization of the adipose tissue from the surrounding tissue into the construct itself. As such, it is believed that these implants can facilitate healing, commencing from the fascia, up toward the skin surface—a mechanism recently shown to be key within deep wounds.
Large-scale and energy-efficient tensorized optical neural networks on III–V-on-silicon MOSCAP platform
Authors: Xiao Xian , On Mehmet Berkay , Van Vaerenbergh Thomas , Liang Di , Beausoleil Raymond G. , Yoo S. J. Ben
Published: November 2021

This paper proposes a large-scale, energy-efficient, high-throughput, and compact tensorized optical neural network (TONN) exploiting the tensor-train decomposition architecture on an integrated III–V-on-silicon metal–oxide–semiconductor capacitor (MOSCAP) platform. The proposed TONN architecture is scalable to 1024 × 1024 synapses and beyond, which is extremely difficult for conventional integrated ONN architectures by using cascaded multi-wavelength small-radix (e.g., 8 × 8) tensor cores. Simulation experiments show that the proposed TONN uses 79× fewer Mach–Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) and 5.2× fewer cascaded stages of MZIs compared with the conventional ONN while maintaining a >95% training accuracy for Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology handwritten digit classification tasks. Furthermore, with the proven heterogeneous III–V-on-silicon MOSCAP platform, our proposed TONN can improve the footprint-energy efficiency by a factor of 1.4 × 104 compared with digital electronics artificial neural network (ANN) hardware and a factor of 2.9 × 102 compared with silicon photonic and phase-change material technologies. Thus, this paper points out the road map of implementing large-scale ONNs with a similar number of synapses and superior energy efficiency compared to electronic ANNs.
Single-frequency erbium-doped fibre laser with random distributed feedback based on disordered structures produced by femtosecond laser radiation
Authors: Skvortsov M.I. , Abdullina S.R. , Wolf A.A. , Dostovalov A.V. , Churin A.E. , Egorova O.N. , Semjonov S.L. , Proskurina K.V. , Babin S.A.
Published: November 2021

Inscription of structures by a femtosecond laser beam allows one to produce disordered structures capable of increasing the Rayleigh backscatter intensity in the fibre at relatively low induced losses, which makes them potential candidates for use as reflectors in fibre lasers. Here we report a narrow-band erbium fibre laser with random distributed feedback produced by femtosecond laser writing in half-open cavity and ring cavity configurations. In the half-open cavity configuration, single-frequency lasing is observed at output powers up to 2.8 W, with a linewidth near 10 kHz. In the ring cavity configuration, single-frequency operation is observed over the entire range of output powers studied. At the highest output power, 7 mW, the linewidth does not exceed 0.7 kHz.
Optical fibres with an inscribed fibre Bragg grating array for sensor systems and random lasers
Authors: Popov S.M. , Butov O.V. , Kolosovskii A.O. , Voloshin V.V. , Vorob’ev I.L. , Isaev V.A. , Ryakhovskii D.V. , Vyatkin M.Yu. , Rybaltovskii A.A. , Fotiadi A.A. , Xia Li , Wang Zhuoying , Lipatov D.S. , Chamorovsky Yu.K.
Published: November 2021

We report the latest results on inscribing extended fibre Bragg grating (FBG) arrays upon fibre drawing, obtained at the Kotelnikov Institute of Radioengineering and Electronics of RAS. The properties of these structures are considered, and examples of their application in sensor systems of microwave dense wavelength multiplexing and as a basis for designing single-frequency fibre lasers are considered. The optical and laser characteristics of FBG arrays, inscribed (using 248-nm UV laser radiation) both in standard single-mode telecommunication fibres of the SMF-28 type and in erbium-doped active fibres, are investigated.
Assessing puberty in female cheetahs (
Authors: Maly Morgan A. , Edwards Katie L. , Koester Diana C. , Farin Charlotte E. , Crosier Adrienne E.
Published: November 2021

With fewer than 7500 cheetahs remaining in the wild, ex situ cheetah populations serve as an insurance policy against extinction and a resource to study species’ biology. This study aimed to identify the age of pubertal onset in ex situ female cheetahs using non-invasive faecal steroid hormone monitoring and body weights. Faecal samples from nine female cheetahs were collected two to three times weekly from 2 to 36 months of age and body weights were recorded every 3 months. Faecal oestrogen metabolites (FOM) and faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) were analysed using enzyme immunoassays and samples were categorised into 6-month intervals to compare endocrine characteristics. Faecal hormone and body weight data were analysed using generalised linear mixed models. Age was a significant predictor of mean and baseline FOM concentrations, number of FOM peaks, mean and maximum FOM peak concentrations and the number of cycles. Female cheetahs aged 24–30 months exhibited a marked rise in mean FOM concentration and the number of FOM peaks and cycles increased with age until 24–30 months. Females attained adult body weight by 21 months of age. Mean and baseline FGM concentrations were highest at the 0–6 and 12–18 months of age groups and did not follow the same FOM patterns. Based on body weight data, the FOM concentrations and peak patterning, females were considered pubertal from 24 to 30 months of age. Characterisation of cheetah puberty has direct and significant implications for the improvement of management and reproductive success of cheetahs under human care. This information is particularly informative for identifying important windows of development, littermate dispersal and breeding introductions.
What do (most of) our dispersion measures measure (most)? Dispersion?
Authors: Gries Stefan Th.
Published: November 2021

This paper discusses the degree to which most of the most widely-used measures of dispersion in corpus linguistics are not particularly valid in the sense of actually measuring dispersion rather than some amalgam of a lot of frequency and a little dispersion. The paper demonstrates these issues on the basis of data from a variety of corpora. I then outline how to design a dispersion measure that only measures dispersion and show that (i) it indeed measures information that is different from frequency in an intuitive way and (ii) has a higher degree of predictive power of lexical decision times from the MALD database than nearly all other measures in nearly all corpora tested.
Protection of ischemic white matter and oligodendrocytes in mice by 3K3A-activated protein C
Authors: Huuskonen Mikko T. , Wang Yaoming , Nikolakopoulou Angeliki Maria , Montagne Axel , Dai Zhonghua , Lazic Divna , Sagare Abhay P. , Zhao Zhen , Fernandez Jose A. , Griffin John H. , Zlokovic Berislav V.
Published: November 2021

Subcortical white matter (WM) stroke accounts for 25% of all strokes and is the second leading cause of dementia. Despite such clinical importance, we still do not have an effective treatment for ischemic WM stroke, and the mechanisms of WM postischemic neuroprotection remain elusive. 3K3A-activated protein C (APC) is a signaling-selective analogue of endogenous blood protease APC that is currently in development as a neuroprotectant for ischemic stroke patients. Here, we show that 3K3A-APC protects WM tracts and oligodendrocytes from ischemic injury in the corpus callosum in middle-aged mice by activating protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) and PAR3. We show that PAR1 and PAR3 were also required for 3K3A-APC’s suppression of post–WM stroke microglia and astrocyte responses and overall improvement in neuropathologic and functional outcomes. Our data provide new insights into the neuroprotective APC pathway in the WM and illustrate 3K3A-APC’s potential for treating WM stroke in humans, possibly including multiple WM strokes that result in vascular dementia.
Helminths make themselves at home
Authors: Tait Wojno Elia D.
Published: November 2021

Drurey et al. (2021. J. Exp. Med.https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20211140) show that excretory/secretory products from the parasitic helminth Heligmosomoides polygyrus suppress the host-protective small intestinal epithelial response. These findings establish that helminths directly modulate the tissue in which they live, shining new light on the host–parasite interaction.
Supermassive black holes surrounded by dark matter modeled as anisotropic fluid: epicyclic oscillations and their fitting to observed QPOs
Authors: Stuchlík Z. , Vrba J.
Published: November 2021

Recently introduced exact solution of the Einstein gravity coupled minimally to an anisotropic fluid representing dark matter can well represent supermassive black holes in galactic nuclei with realistic distribution of dark matter around the black hole, given by the Hernquist-like density distribution. For these fluid-hairy black hole spacetimes, properties of the gravitational radiation, quasinormal ringing, and optical phenomena were studied, giving interesting results. Here, using the range of physical parameters of these spacetimes allowing for their relevance in astrophysics, we study the epicyclic oscillatory motion of test particles in these spacetimes. The frequencies of the orbital and epicyclic motion are applied in the epicyclic resonance variant of the geodesic model of quasiperiodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in active galactic nuclei to demonstrate the possibility to solve the cases where the standard vacuum black hole spacetimes are not allowing for explanation of the observed data. We demonstrate that the geodesic model can explain the QPOs observed in most of the active galactic nuclei for the fluid-hairy black holes with reasonable halo parameters.
X-Ray and Radio Studies of the Candidate Millisecond Pulsar Binary 4FGL J0935.3+0901
Authors: Zheng Dong , Wang Zhong-Xiang , Xing Yi , Vadakkumthani Jithesh
Published: November 2021

4FGL J0935.5+0901, a γ-ray source recently identified as a candidate redback-type millisecond pulsar (MSP) binary, shows an interesting feature of having double-peaked emission lines in its optical spectrum. This feature would further suggest the source is a transitional MSP system in the sub-luminous disk state. We have observed the source with XMM-Newton and Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) at X-ray and radio frequencies respectively for further studies. From the X-ray observation, a bimodal count-rate distribution, which is a distinctive feature of the transitional MSP systems, is not detected, but the properties of X-ray variability and power-law spectrum are determined for the source. These results help establish the consistency of it being a redback in the radio pulsar state. However no radio pulsation signals are found in the FAST observation, resulting in an upper limit on the flux density of ∼4 μJy. Implications of these results are discussed.
Natural and anthropogenic noise increase vigilance and decrease foraging behaviors in song sparrows
Authors: Sweet K A , Sweet B P , Gomes D G E , Francis C D , Barber J R
Published: November 2021

Animals glean information about risk from their habitat. The acoustic environment is one such source of information, and is an important, yet understudied ecological axis. Although anthropogenic noise has become recently ubiquitous, risk mitigation behaviors have likely been shaped by natural noise over millennia. Listening animals have been shown to increase vigilance and decrease foraging in both natural and anthropogenic noise. However, direct comparisons could be informative to conservation and understanding evolutionary drivers of behavior in noise. Here, we used 27 song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) and 148 laboratory behavioral trials to assess foraging and vigilance behavior in both anthropogenic and natural noise sources. Using five acoustic environments (playbacks of roadway traffic, a whitewater river, a whitewater river shifted upwards in frequency, a river with the amplitude modulation of roadway traffic, and an ambient control), we attempt to parse out the acoustic characteristics that make a foraging habitat risky. We found that sparrows increased vigilance or decreased foraging in 4 of 6 behaviors when foraging in higher sound levels regardless of the noise source or variation in frequency and amplitude modulation. These responses may help explain previously reported declines in abundance of song sparrows exposed to playback of intense river noise. Our results imply that natural soundscapes have likely shaped behavior long before anthropogenic noise, and that high sound levels negatively affect the foraging-vigilance trade-off in most intense acoustic environments. Given the ever-increasing footprint of noise pollution, these results imply potential negative consequences for bird populations.
Highly Sensitive Detection Method of DICER1 Tumor Hotspot Mutations by Drop-off Droplet Digital PCR
Authors: Vibert Roseline , Gauthier-Villars Marion , Carrière Christelle , Dubois d’Enghien Catherine , Cyrta Joanna , Vincent-Salomon Anne , Stoppa-Lyonnet Dominique , Bièche Ivan , Jeannot Emmanuelle , Golmard Lisa
Published: November 2021

Background

DICER1 syndrome is an autosomal dominant inherited syndrome predisposing to various benign and malignant tumors, mainly occurring in children and young adults, requiring broad surveillance starting at birth with repeated irradiating imaging exams and sedations for young patients. It is caused by monoallelic germline pathogenic variants in the DICER1 gene. More than 90% of tumors bear an additional somatic DICER1 missense hotspot mutation, as a second hit, involving 1 of 6 codons clustered in exons 24 and 25. We designed and in vitro validated a drop-off droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) system to scan all DICER1 hotspot codons, allowing for a liquid biopsy test, an alternative to sedation and radiation exposure.

Methods

Three drop-off ddPCR assays were designed, with 2 TaqMan probes per assay, 1 complementary to the wild-type sequence of the region containing hotspots and another 1 used as a reference. Eight tumor-derived DNAs and 5 synthetic oligonucleotides bearing DICER1 hotspot mutations were tested.

Results

All tested mutations were detected, with a limit of detection ranging from 0.07% to 0.31% for codons p. E1705, p. D1709, and p. D1713 in exon 24 and from 0.06% to 0.15% for codons p. G1809, p. D1810, and p. E1813 in exon 25.

Conclusions

The high sensitivity of this method is compatible with its use for plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis for early tumor detection in DICER1 syndrome patients. It may reduce the need for radiation exposure and sedation in surveillance protocols and may also improve patient prognosis. Clinical trials are needed to evaluate ctDNA analysis in these patients.
Western and Carnivorous Dietary Patterns are Associated with Greater Likelihood of IBD Development in a Large Prospective Population-based Cohort
Authors: Peters Vera , Bolte Laura , Schuttert Eva [Monique] , Andreu-Sánchez Sergio , Dijkstra Gerard , Weersma Rinse [Karel] , Campmans-Kuijpers Marjo [Johanna Elisabeth]
Published: November 2021

Objective

Nutrition plays a role in the development of Crohn’s disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC]. However, prospective data on nutrition and disease onset are limited. Here, we analysed dietary patterns and scores in relation to inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] development in a prospective population-based cohort.

Methods

We analysed 125 445 participants of whom 224 individuals developed de novo UC and 97 CD over a maximum 14-year follow-up period. Participants answered health-related [also prospectively] and dietary questionnaires [FFQ] at baseline. Principal component analysis [PCA] was conducted deriving a-posteriori dietary patterns. Hypotheses-based a-priori dietary scores were also calculated, including the protein score, Healthy Eating Index, LifeLines Diet Score [LLDS], and alternative Mediterranean Diet Score. Logistic regression models were performed between dietary patterns, scores, and IBD development.

Results

PCA identified five dietary patterns. A pattern characterised by high intake of snacks, prepared meals, non-alcoholic beverages, and sauces along with low vegetables and fruit consumption was associated with higher likelihood of CD development (odds ratio [OR]: 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.30, p = 0.013). A pattern comprising red meat, poultry, and processed meat, was associated with increased likelihood of UC development [OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01-1.20, p = 0.023]. A high diet quality score [LLDS] was associated with decreased risk of CD [OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.99, p = 0.009].

Conclusions

A Western dietary pattern was associated with a greater likelihood of CD development and a carnivorous pattern with UC development, whereas a relatively high diet quality [LLDS] was protective for CD development. Our study strengthens the importance of evaluating dietary patterns to aid prevention of IBD in the general population.
A Comparison of the Effect of Physical Activity and Cognitive Training on Dual-Task Performance in Older Adults
Authors: Vrinceanu Tudor , Blanchette Caroll-Ann , Intzandt Brittany , Lussier Maxime , Pothier Kristell , Vu Thien Tuong Minh , Nigam Anil , Bosquet Laurent , Karelis Antony D , Li Karen Z H , Berryman Nicolas , Bherer Louis
Published: November 2021

Objectives

Studies suggest that cognitive training and physical activity can improve age-related deficits in dual-task performances. However, both of these interventions have never been compared in the same study. This article investigates the improvement in dual-task performance in 2 types of exercise training groups and a cognitive training group and explores if there are specific dual-task components that are more sensitive or more likely to improve following each type of training.

Methods

Seventy-eight healthy inactive participants older than the age of 60 (M = 69.98, SD = 5.56) were randomized to one of three 12-week training programs: aerobic training (AET) = 26, gross motor abilities (GMA) = 27, and cognition (COG) = 25. Before and after the training program, the participants underwent physical fitness tests, and cognitive evaluations involving a computerized cognitive dual task. The AET consisted of high- and low-intensity aerobic training, the GMA of full-body exercises focusing on agility, balance, coordination, and stretching, and the COG of tablet-based exercises focusing on executive functions.

Results

Repeated-measures analysis of variance on reaction time data revealed a group × time interaction (F(2,75) = 11.91, p < .01) with COG having the greatest improvement, followed by a significant improvement in the GMA group. Secondary analysis revealed the COG to also improve the intraindividual variability in reaction time (F(1,24) = 8.62, p < .01), while the GMA improved the dual-task cost (F(1,26) = 12.74, p < .01).

Discussion

The results show that physical and cognitive training can help enhance dual-task performance by improving different aspects of the task, suggesting that different mechanisms are in play.
Suicide Biomarkers to Predict Risk, Classify Diagnostic Subtypes, and Identify Novel Therapeutic Targets: 5 Years of Promising Research
Authors: Johnston Jenessa N , Campbell Darcy , Caruncho Hector J , Henter Ioline D , Ballard Elizabeth D , Zarate Carlos A
Published: November 2021

Background

Suicide is a global health crisis. However, no objective biomarkers of suicide risk currently exist, and self-reported data can be unreliable, which limits prediction, diagnostic, and treatment efforts. Reliable biomarkers that can differentiate between diagnostic subgroups, predict worsening symptoms, or suggest novel therapeutic targets would be extremely valuable for patients, researchers, and clinicians.

Methods

MEDLINE was searched for reports published between 2016 and 2021 using search terms (suicid*) AND (biomarker*) OR (indicat*). Reports that compared biomarkers between suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, death from suicide, or any suicide subgroup against other neuropsychiatric disorders were included. Studies exclusively comparing suicidal behavior or death from suicide with healthy controls were not included to ensure that biomarkers were specific to suicide and not other psychopathology.

Results

This review summarizes the last 5 years of research into suicide-associated biomarkers and provides a comprehensive guide for promising and novel biomarkers that encompass varying presentations of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and death by suicide. The serotonergic system, inflammation, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, lipids, and endocannabinoids emerged as the most promising diagnostic, predictive, and therapeutic indicators.

Conclusions

The utility of diagnostic and predictive biomarkers is evident, particularly for suicide prevention. While larger-scale studies and further in-depth research are required, the last 5 years of research has uncovered essential biomarkers that could ultimately improve predictive strategies, aid diagnostics, and help develop future therapeutic targets.
Parametric identification of ARMAX models with unknown forming filters
Authors: Escobar Jesica , Poznyak Alexander
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we present the parameter estimation algorithm for the class of an extended ARMAX model containing a ‘coloured’ noise sequence, formed by an unknown finite-dimensional linear filter. This algorithm represents the extended versions of residual whitening method and least squares method, working in parallel, to identify the extended parameters obtained after the suggested linear model transformation. The strong consistency of the suggested method (convergence with probability one of the obtained extended parameters to their exact values) is proven. A good performance of the proposed method is illustrated by a numerical example with all polynomials containing unknown parameters.