bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Relation of Environmental Conditions With Charge Structure in Central Argentina Thunderstorms
Authors: Medina Bruno L. , Carey Lawrence D. , Bitzer Phillip M. , Lang Timothy J. , Deierling Wiebke
Published: April 2022

In this study we explored the environmental conditions hypothesized to induce a dominant charge structure in thunderstorms in the province of Cordoba, Argentina, during the RELAMPAGO‐CACTI (Remote sensing of Electrification, Lightning, And Mesoscale/microscale Processes with Adaptive Ground Observations‐Clouds, Aerosols, Complex Terrain Interactions) field campaigns. Hypothesized environmental conditions are thought to be related to small warm cloud residence time and warm rain growth suppression, which lead to high cloud liquid water contents in the mixed‐phase zone, contributing to positive charging of graupel and anomalous charge structure storms. Data from radiosondes, a cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) ground‐based instrument and reanalysis were used to characterize the proximity inflow air of storms with anomalous and normal charge structures. Consistent with the initial hypothesis, anomalous storms had small warm cloud depth caused by dry low‐level humidity and low 0°C height. Anomalous storms were associated with lower CCN concentrations than normal storms, an opposite result to the initial expectation. High CAPE is not an important condition for the development of anomalous storms in Argentina, as no clear pattern could be found among the different parameters calculated for updraft proxy that would be consistent with the initial hypothesis.
Observations of Stress‐Strain in Drifting Sea Ice at Floe Scale
Authors: Parno Julie , Polashenski Chris , Parno Matthew , Nelsen Patricia , Mahoney Andrew , Song Arnold
Published: April 2022

The mechanical deformation of sea ice has substantial influence over large‐scale (e.g., >10 km) ice properties, such as the ice thickness distribution, as well as small‐scale (e.g., <50 m) features, including leads and ridges. The conditions leading to sea ice fracture are frequently studied in the context of a uniform ice sheet. Natural sea ice, however, is highly heterogeneous and riddled with flaws. Failure occurs primarily as brittle fracture localized in space and time where stresses, and strain rates, locally exceed failure criteria. Here we seek to better understand the mechanical deformation and fracture of sea ice under such typical field conditions. In particular, we aim to characterize how forces propagate across an approximately 1 km2 heterogeneous domain by observing the stress‐strain field in an ice floe at resolutions required to capture pre‐fracture elastic strains. The combination of instruments deployed allow a detailed view of the formation, propagation, parting, and subsequent shearing of a fracture in natural sea ice, providing field evidence of modes of failure in compressive shear. The ability of this system to capture strain concentration zones and to detect initial fracture hours prior to lead formation indicates the potential for predicting areas at high risk for fracture in an on‐ice operational setting.
Local Mapping of Polar Ionospheric Electrodynamics
Authors: Laundal K. M. , Reistad J. P. , Hatch S. M. , Madelaire M. , Walker S. , Hovland A. Ø. , Ohma A. , Merkin V. G. , Sorathia K. A.
Published: April 2022

An accurate description of the state of the ionosphere is crucial for understanding the physics of Earth's coupling to space, including many potentially hazardous space weather phenomena. To support this effort, ground networks of magnetometer stations, optical instruments, and radars have been deployed. However, the spatial coverage of such networks is naturally restricted by the distribution of land mass and access to necessary infrastructure. We present a new technique for local mapping of polar ionospheric electrodynamics, for use in regions with high data density, such as Fennoscandia and North America. The technique is based on spherical elementary current systems (SECS), which were originally developed to map ionospheric currents. We expand their use by linking magnetic field perturbations in space and on ground, convection measurements from space and ground, and conductance measurements, via the ionospheric Ohm's law. The result is a technique that is similar to the Assimilative Mapping of Ionospheric Electrodynamics (AMIE) technique, but tailored for regional analyses of arbitrary spatial extent and resolution. We demonstrate our technique on synthetic data, and with real data from three different regions. We also discuss limitations of the technique and potential areas for improvement.
Highly efficient Fe3+-doped A2BB′O6 (A = Sr2+, Ca2+; B, B′ = In3+, Sb5+, Sn4+) broadband near-infrared-emitting phosphors for spectroscopic analysis
Authors: Liu Dongjie , Li Guogang , Dang Peipei , Zhang Qianqian , Wei Yi , Qiu Lei , Molokeev Maxim S. , Lian Hongzhou , Shang Mengmeng , Lin Jun
Published: April 2022

Near-infrared (NIR)-emitting phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes have attracted widespread attention in various applications based on NIR spectroscopy. Except for typical Cr3+-activated NIR-emitting phosphors, next-generation Cr3+-free NIR-emitting phosphors with high efficiency and tunable optical properties are highly desired to enrich the types of NIR luminescent materials for different application fields. Here, we report the Fe3+-activated Sr2−yCay(InSb)1−zSn2zO6 phosphors that exhibit unprecedented long-wavelength NIR emission. The overall emission tuning from 885 to 1005 nm with broadened full-width at half maximum from 108 to 146 nm was realized through a crystallographic site engineering strategy. The NIR emission was significantly enhanced after complete Ca2+ incorporation owing to the substitution-induced lower symmetry of the Fe3+ sites. The Ca2InSbO6:Fe3+ phosphor peaking at 935 nm showed an ultra-high internal quantum efficiency of 87%. The as-synthesized emission-tunable phosphors demonstrated great potential for NIR spectroscopy detection. This work initiates the development of efficient Fe3+-activated broadband NIR-emitting phosphors and opens up a new avenue for designing NIR-emitting phosphor materials.
A synergistic strategy to develop photostable and bright dyes with long Stokes shift for nanoscopy
Authors: Jiang Gangwei , Ren Tian-Bing , D’Este Elisa , Xiong Mengyi , Xiong Bin , Johnsson Kai , Zhang Xiao-Bing , Wang Lu , Yuan Lin
Published: April 2022

The quality and application of super-resolution fluorescence imaging greatly lie in the dyes’ properties, including photostability, brightness, and Stokes shift. Here we report a synergistic strategy to simultaneously improve such properties of regular fluorophores. Introduction of quinoxaline motif with fine-tuned electron density to conventional rhodamines generates new dyes with vibration structure and inhibited twisted-intramolecular-charge-transfer (TICT) formation synchronously, thus increasing the brightness and photostability while enlarging Stokes shift. The new fluorophore YL578 exhibits around twofold greater brightness and Stokes shift than its parental fluorophore, Rhodamine B. Importantly, in Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy, YL578 derived probe possesses a superior photostability and thus renders threefold more frames than carbopyronine based probes (CPY-Halo and 580CP-Halo), known as photostable fluorophores for STED imaging. Furthermore, the strategy is well generalized to offer a new class of bright and photostable fluorescent probes with long Stokes shift (up to 136 nm) for bioimaging and biosensing.
Universality of Dicke superradiance in arrays of quantum emitters
Authors: Masson Stuart J. , Asenjo-Garcia Ana
Published: April 2022

Dicke superradiance is an example of emergence of macroscopic quantum coherence via correlated dissipation. Starting from an initially incoherent state, a collection of excited atoms synchronizes as they decay, generating a macroscopic dipole moment and emitting a short and intense pulse of light. While well understood in cavities, superradiance remains an open problem in extended systems due to the exponential growth of complexity with atom number. Here we show that Dicke superradiance is a universal phenomenon in ordered arrays. We present a theoretical framework – which circumvents the exponential complexity of the problem – that allows us to predict the critical distance beyond which Dicke superradiance disappears. This critical distance is highly dependent on the dimensionality and atom number. Our predictions can be tested in state of the art experiments with arrays of neutral atoms, molecules, and solid-state emitters and pave the way towards understanding the role of many-body decay in quantum simulation, metrology, and lasing.
Covalent narlaprevir- and boceprevir-derived hybrid inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease
Authors: Kneller Daniel W. , Li Hui , Phillips Gwyndalyn , Weiss Kevin L. , Zhang Qiu , Arnould Mark A. , Jonsson Colleen B. , Surendranathan Surekha , Parvathareddy Jyothi , Blakeley Matthew P. , Coates Leighton , Louis John M. , Bonnesen Peter V. , Kovalevsky Andrey
Published: April 2022

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants continue to threaten the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, and small-molecule antivirals can provide an important therapeutic treatment option. The viral main protease (Mpro) is critical for virus replication and thus is considered an attractive drug target. We performed the design and characterization of three covalent hybrid inhibitors BBH-1, BBH-2 and NBH-2 created by splicing components of hepatitis C protease inhibitors boceprevir and narlaprevir, and known SARS-CoV-1 protease inhibitors. A joint X-ray/neutron structure of the Mpro/BBH-1 complex demonstrates that a Cys145 thiolate reaction with the inhibitor’s keto-warhead creates a negatively charged oxyanion. Protonation states of the ionizable residues in the Mpro active site adapt to the inhibitor, which appears to be an intrinsic property of Mpro. Structural comparisons of the hybrid inhibitors with PF-07321332 reveal unconventional F···O interactions of PF-07321332 with Mpro which may explain its more favorable enthalpy of binding. BBH-1, BBH-2 and NBH-2 exhibit comparable antiviral properties in vitro relative to PF-07321332, making them good candidates for further design of improved antivirals.
Mutational meltdown of putative microbial altruists in Streptomyces coelicolor colonies
Authors: Zhang Zheren , Shitut Shraddha , Claushuis Bart , Claessen Dennis , Rozen Daniel E.
Published: April 2022

In colonies of the filamentous multicellular bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor, a subpopulation of cells arises that hyperproduces metabolically costly antibiotics, resulting in a division of labor that increases colony fitness. Because these cells contain large genomic deletions that cause massive reductions to individual fitness, their behavior is similar to altruistic worker castes in social insects or somatic cells in multicellular organisms. To understand these mutant cells’ reproductive and genomic fate after their emergence, we use experimental evolution by serially transferring populations via spore-to-spore transfer for 25 cycles, reflective of the natural mode of bottlenecked transmission for these spore-forming bacteria. We show that in contrast to wild-type cells, putatively altruistic mutant cells continue to decline in fitness during transfer while they lose more fragments from their chromosome ends. In addition, the base-substitution rate in mutants increases roughly 10-fold, possibly due to mutations in genes for DNA replication and repair. Ecological damage, caused by reduced sporulation, coupled with DNA damage due to point mutations and deletions, leads to an inevitable and irreversible type of mutational meltdown in these cells. Taken together, these results suggest the cells arising in the S. coelicolor division of labor are analogous to altruistic reproductively sterile castes of social insects.
Production of fast-charge Zn-based aqueous batteries via interfacial adsorption of ion-oligomer complexes
Authors: Jin Shuo , Yin Jiefu , Gao Xiaosi , Sharma Arpita , Chen Pengyu , Hong Shifeng , Zhao Qing , Zheng Jingxu , Deng Yue , Joo Yong Lak , Archer Lynden A.
Published: April 2022

Aqueous zinc batteries are attracting interest because of their potential for cost-effective and safe electricity storage. However, metallic zinc exhibits only moderate reversibility in aqueous electrolytes. To circumvent this issue, we study aqueous Zn batteries able to form nanometric interphases at the Zn metal/liquid electrolyte interface, composed of an ion-oligomer complex. In Zn||Zn symmetric cell studies, we report highly reversible cycling at high current densities and capacities (e.g., 160 mA cm−2; 2.6 mAh cm−2). By means of quartz-crystal microbalance, nuclear magnetic resonance, and voltammetry measurements we show that the interphase film exists in a dynamic equilibrium with oligomers dissolved in the electrolyte. The interphase strategy is applied to aqueous Zn||I2 and Zn||MnO2 cells that are charged/discharged for 12,000 cycles and 1000 cycles, respectively, at a current density of 160 mA cm−2 and capacity of approximately 0.85 mAh cm−2. Finally, we demonstrate that Zn||I2-carbon pouch cells (9 cm2 area) cycle stably and deliver a specific energy of 151 Wh/kg (based on the total mass of active materials in the electrode) at a charge current density of 56 mA cm−2.
The timing of differentiation and potency of CD8 effector function is set by RNA binding proteins
Authors: Petkau Georg , Mitchell Twm J. , Chakraborty Krishnendu , Bell Sarah E. , D´Angeli Vanessa , Matheson Louise , Turner David J. , Saveliev Alexander , Gizlenci Ozge , Salerno Fiamma , Katsikis Peter D. , Turner Martin
Published: April 2022

CD8+ T cell differentiation into effector cells is initiated early after antigen encounter by signals from the T cell antigen receptor and costimulatory molecules. The molecular mechanisms that establish the timing and rate of differentiation however are not defined. Here we show that the RNA binding proteins (RBP) ZFP36 and ZFP36L1 limit the rate of differentiation of activated naïve CD8+ T cells and the potency of the resulting cytotoxic lymphocytes. The RBP function in an early and short temporal window to enforce dependency on costimulation via CD28 for full T cell activation and effector differentiation by directly binding mRNA of NF-κB, Irf8 and Notch1 transcription factors and cytokines, including Il2. Their absence in T cells, or the adoptive transfer of small numbers of CD8+ T cells lacking the RBP, promotes resilience to influenza A virus infection without immunopathology. These findings highlight ZFP36 and ZFP36L1 as nodes for the integration of the early T cell activation signals controlling the speed and quality of the CD8+ T cell response.
The initial charge separation step in oxygenic photosynthesis
Authors: Yoneda Yusuke , Arsenault Eric A. , Yang Shiun-Jr , Orcutt Kaydren , Iwai Masakazu , Fleming Graham R.
Published: April 2022

Photosystem II is crucial for life on Earth as it provides oxygen as a result of photoinduced electron transfer and water splitting reactions. The excited state dynamics of the photosystem II-reaction center (PSII-RC) has been a matter of vivid debate because the absorption spectra of the embedded chromophores significantly overlap and hence it is extremely difficult to distinguish transients. Here, we report the two-dimensional electronic-vibrational spectroscopic study of the PSII-RC. The simultaneous resolution along both the visible excitation and infrared detection axis is crucial in allowing for the character of the excitonic states and interplay between them to be clearly distinguished. In particular, this work demonstrates that the mixed exciton-charge transfer state, previously proposed to be responsible for the far-red light operation of photosynthesis, is characterized by the ChlD1+Phe radical pair and can be directly prepared upon photoexcitation. Further, we find that the initial electron acceptor in the PSII-RC is Phe, rather than PD1, regardless of excitation wavelength.
A distinctive ligand recognition mechanism by the human vasoactive intestinal polypeptide receptor 2
Authors: Xu Yingna , Feng Wenbo , Zhou Qingtong , Liang Anyi , Li Jie , Dai Antao , Zhao Fenghui , Yan Jiahui , Chen Chuan-Wei , Li Hao , Zhao Li-Hua , Xia Tian , Jiang Yi , Xu H. Eric , Yang Dehua , Wang Ming-Wei
Published: April 2022

Class B1 of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprises 15 members activated by physiologically important peptide hormones. Among them, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide receptor 2 (VIP2R) is expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems and involved in a number of pathophysiological conditions, including pulmonary arterial hypertension, autoimmune and psychiatric disorders, in which it is thus a valuable drug target. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the human VIP2R bound to its endogenous ligand PACAP27 and the stimulatory G protein. Different from all reported peptide-bound class B1 GPCR structures, the N-terminal α-helix of VIP2R adopts a unique conformation that deeply inserts into a cleft between PACAP27 and the extracellular loop 1, thereby stabilizing the peptide-receptor interface. Its truncation or extension significantly decreased VIP2R-mediated cAMP accumulation. Our results provide additional information on peptide recognition and receptor activation among class B1 GPCRs and may facilitate the design of better therapeutics.
Role of advanced glycation end products in the longitudinal association between muscular strength and psychotic symptoms among adolescents
Authors: Suzuki Kazuhiro , Yamasaki Syudo , Miyashita Mitsuhiro , Ando Shuntaro , Toriumi Kazuya , Yoshikawa Akane , Nakanishi Miharu , Morimoto Yuko , Kanata Sho , Fujikawa Shinya , Endo Kaori , Koike Shinsuke , Usami Satoshi , Itokawa Masanari , Washizuka Shinsuke , Hiraiwa-Hasegawa Mariko , Meltzer Herbert Y. , Kasai Kiyoto , Nishida Atsushi , Arai Makoto
Published: April 2022

Muscular strength, assessed by handgrip, is a risk indicator for psychiatric disorders, including psychosis. However, the biological mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Since advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play a key role in skeletal muscle underdevelopment and psychosis, we examined the role of AGEs in the longitudinal association between muscular strength and psychotic symptoms among adolescents. We first evaluated the direction of the relationship between handgrip strength and urine levels of pentosidine, a representative AGEs in a population-based birth cohort of 1,542 adolescents at ages 12 and 14. Then, we examined the role of AGEs in the longitudinal association between handgrip strength and thought problems (TP), as a psychotic symptom indicator, in a subsample of 256 adolescents at ages 13 and 14. An autoregressive cross-lagged model revealed that handgrip strength at age 12 negatively predicted pentosidine levels at age 14 (β = −0.20, p < 0.001), whereas pentosidine levels at age 12 did not predict handgrip strength at age 14 (β = 0.04, p = 0.062). Moreover, pentosidine levels had a significant indirect effect on the relationship between handgrip strength and TP (standard indirect effect = −0.051, p = 0.012), which remained significant after adjusting for gender and preceded TP and pentosidine levels. Thus, adolescents with low muscular strength are at a high risk of developing psychotic symptoms, which could be mediated by AGEs. Future studies need to investigate whether interventions focused on muscular strength prevent the accumulation of AGEs and thereby prevent the development of psychosis.
Establishment of CRFK cells for vaccine production by inactivating endogenous retrovirus with TALEN technology
Authors: Shimode Sayumi , Sakuma Tetsushi , Yamamoto Takashi , Miyazawa Takayuki
Published: April 2022

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are retroviral sequences present in the host genomes. Although most ERVs are inactivated, some are produced as replication-competent viruses from host cells. We previously reported that several live-attenuated vaccines for companion animals prepared using the Crandell-Rees feline kidney (CRFK) cell line were contaminated with a replication-competent feline ERV termed RD-114 virus. We also found that the infectious RD-114 virus can be generated by recombination between multiple RD-114 virus-related proviruses (RDRSs) in CRFK cells. In this study, we knocked out RDRS env genes using the genome-editing tool TAL Effector Nuclease (TALEN) to reduce the risk of contamination by infectious ERVs in vaccine products. As a result, we succeeded in establishing RDRS knockout CRFK cells (RDKO_CRFK cells) that do not produce infectious RD-114 virus. The growth kinetics of feline herpesvirus type 1, calicivirus, and panleukopenia virus in RDKO_CRFK cells differed from those in parental cells, but all of them showed high titers exceeding 107 TCID50/mL. Infectious RD-114 virus was undetectable in the viral stocks propagated in RDKO_CRFK cells. This study suggested that RDRS env gene-knockout CRFK cells will be useful as a cell line for the manufacture of live-attenuated vaccines or biological substances with no risk of contamination with infectious ERV.
Differences between human and machine perception in medical diagnosis
Authors: Makino Taro , Jastrzębski Stanisław , Oleszkiewicz Witold , Chacko Celin , Ehrenpreis Robin , Samreen Naziya , Chhor Chloe , Kim Eric , Lee Jiyon , Pysarenko Kristine , Reig Beatriu , Toth Hildegard , Awal Divya , Du Linda , Kim Alice , Park James , Sodickson Daniel K. , Heacock Laura , Moy Linda , Cho Kyunghyun , Geras Krzysztof J.
Published: April 2022

Deep neural networks (DNNs) show promise in image-based medical diagnosis, but cannot be fully trusted since they can fail for reasons unrelated to underlying pathology. Humans are less likely to make such superficial mistakes, since they use features that are grounded on medical science. It is therefore important to know whether DNNs use different features than humans. Towards this end, we propose a framework for comparing human and machine perception in medical diagnosis. We frame the comparison in terms of perturbation robustness, and mitigate Simpson’s paradox by performing a subgroup analysis. The framework is demonstrated with a case study in breast cancer screening, where we separately analyze microcalcifications and soft tissue lesions. While it is inconclusive whether humans and DNNs use different features to detect microcalcifications, we find that for soft tissue lesions, DNNs rely on high frequency components ignored by radiologists. Moreover, these features are located outside of the region of the images found most suspicious by radiologists. This difference between humans and machines was only visible through subgroup analysis, which highlights the importance of incorporating medical domain knowledge into the comparison.
Radiative coupling of two quantum emitters in arbitrary metallic nanostructures
Authors: Liu JingFeng , Chen Gengyan , Li Lingyan , Liu Renming , Li Wei , Liu Guanghui , Wu Feng , Chen Yongzhu
Published: April 2022

We propose a general formalism beyond Weisskopf–Wigner approximation to efficiently calculate the coupling matrix element, evolution spectrum and population evolution of two quantum emitters in arbitrary metallic nanostructures. We demonstrate this formalism to investigate the radiative coupling and decay dynamics of two quantum emitters embedded in the two hot spots of three silver nano-spheroids. The vacuum Rabi oscillation in population evolution and the anti-crossing behavior in evolution spectrum show strong radiative coupling is realized in this metallic nanostructure despite its strong plasmon damping. Our formalism can serve as a flexible and efficient calculation tool to investigate the distant coherent interaction in a large variety of metallic nanostructures, and may be further developed to handle the cases for multiple quantum emitters and arbitrary dielectric–metallic hybrid nanostructures.
Analysis of oxidative stress, inflammation and endothelial function following intravenous iron in chronic kidney disease in the Iron and Heart Trial
Authors: Kassianides Xenophon , Allgar Victoria , Macdougall Iain C. , Kalra Philip A. , Bhandari Sunil
Published: April 2022

Iron deficiency commonly affects patients with chronic kidney disease and has an important burden in disease trajectory and quality of life; nonetheless current guidelines do not advocate treatment of iron-deficiency without anemia in this patient group. Concerns exist regarding the potential effects of intravenous iron on oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial function. As part of a multicenter double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial, we examined the effects of a single dose of intravenous iron vs. placebo on biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation and endothelial function in non-anemic iron deficient patients (serum ferritin < 100 μg/L and/or transferrin saturation < 20%) with chronic kidney disease (stage 3b-5). Fifty-four individuals were randomized to receive ferric derisomaltose (n = 26) or placebo (n = 28). Ferric derisomaltose was associated with a non-significant decrease in mean F2-isoprostane and no effect on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances when compared to placebo throughout follow up. No effect on inflammatory markers was observed. A modest but statistically significant rise in E-selectin was noted in the intravenous iron group at 1 month and 3 month follow-up (p = 0.030 and p = 0.002 respectively). These results suggest ferric derisomaltose administration in non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease patients who are iron deficient does not induce prolonged oxidative stress or inflammation. Larger trials are required to quantify the benefit of intravenous iron administration in this patient group.
Determinants of CD4 count and risk for death of HIV infected children under ART
Authors: Gwadu Ayitenew Agegn , Tegegne Awoke Seyoum
Published: April 2022

The main objective of this study was to identify variables jointly affected for CD4 count and hazard time to death of HIV-infected children under ART at Felege Hiwot Referal and Specialized Hospital. A retrospective cohort study design was conducted on 202 HIV-infected children under ART whose follow-ups were from January 2014 up to December 2018. The descriptive statistics revealed that about 25.2% of HIV-infected children under ART in the study period(Jaunary 2014–December 2018) died and 74.8% were censored. The estimated association parameter in the joint model was − 0.8339 and statistically significant (p value = 0.025). There was a negative relationship between the two response variables namely CD4 count and the risk for death on HIV-positive children under treatment. The level of education of children's parents, level of disclosure of the disease, baseline CD4 count, functional status, and adherence level were statistically and significantly affected for the two response variables, CD4 count and risks for the death of children. Separate and joint models have been compared interims of standard error and the joint model had a small standard error as compared to the separate models. The small standard errors in joint models indicate that the joint model was better in detecting variables that affected the two responses in this regard. Health-related education should be conducted to parents of children for easy recovery of CD4 count and for reducing risks for the death of children.
Compressive behaviour of anisotropic mycelium-based composites
Authors: Rigobello Adrien , Ayres Phil
Published: April 2022

Mycelium based composites (MBC) exhibit many properties that make them promising alternatives for less sustainable materials. However, there is no unified approach to their testing. We hypothesise that the two-phase particulate composite model and use of ASTM D1037 could provide a basis for systematisation. An experimental series of MBC were produced using four substrate particle sizes and subjected to compression testing. We report on their effect over Young’s modulus and ultimate strength. We extend the study by investigating three anisotropic substrate designs through orientated fibre placement as a strategy for modifying compressive behaviour. We find that the two-phase particulate model is appropriate for describing the mechanical behaviour of MBC and that mechanical behaviour can be modified through anisotropic designs using orientated fibres. We also confirm that fibre orientation and particle size are significant parameters in determining ultimate strength.
Structured sparse multiset canonical correlation analysis of simultaneous fNIRS and EEG provides new insights into the human action-observation network
Authors: Dashtestani Hadis , Miguel Helga O. , Condy Emma E. , Zeytinoglu Selin , Millerhagen John B. , Debnath Ranjan , Smith Elizabeth , Adali Tulay , Fox Nathan A. , Gandjbakhche Amir H.
Published: April 2022

The action observation network (AON) is a network of brain regions involved in the execution and observation of a given action. The AON has been investigated in humans using mostly electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), but shared neural correlates of action observation and action execution are still unclear due to lack of ecologically valid neuroimaging measures. In this study, we used concurrent EEG and functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the AON during a live-action observation and execution paradigm. We developed structured sparse multiset canonical correlation analysis (ssmCCA) to perform EEG-fNIRS data fusion. MCCA is a generalization of CCA to more than two sets of variables and is commonly used in medical multimodal data fusion. However, mCCA suffers from multi-collinearity, high dimensionality, unimodal feature selection, and loss of spatial information in interpreting the results. A limited number of participants (small sample size) is another problem in mCCA, which leads to overfitted models. Here, we adopted graph-guided (structured) fused least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalty to mCCA to conduct feature selection, incorporating structural information amongst the variables (i.e., brain regions). Benefitting from concurrent recordings of brain hemodynamic and electrophysiological responses, the proposed ssmCCA finds linear transforms of each modality such that the correlation between their projections is maximized. Our analysis of 21 right-handed participants indicated that the left inferior parietal region was active during both action execution and action observation. Our findings provide new insights into the neural correlates of AON which are more fine-tuned than the results from each individual EEG or fNIRS analysis and validate the use of ssmCCA to fuse EEG and fNIRS datasets.
Decrease of tear break-up time at Japanese eye clinics during five consecutive years
Authors: Ayaki Masahiko , Negishi Kazuno
Published: April 2022

The aim of this retrospective chart review study was to evaluate the 5-year trend of ocular surface examination results in participants who visited the eye clinic from 2015 to 2019, underwent corneal and lacrimal examinations, refraction, and intra-ocular pressure measurements, and reported six dry eye-related symptoms. A total of 1468 patients were analyzed. Tear break-up time (BUT) decreased continuously for five consecutive years: 4.76 ± 1.84 s in 2015, 4.57 ± 1.70 s in 2016 (p = 0.999, vs 2015), 4.35 ± 2.06 s in 2017 (p = 0.662), 3.83 ± 2.18 s in 2018 (p < 0.001), and 3.63 ± 2.10 s in 2019 (p < 0.001). The decrease of BUT was more prominent in women than men (p < 0.001) and the correlation coefficient between calendar year and BUT was greater in women than men (p = 0.002). Schirmer test value, strip tear meniscometry value, and corneal staining score did not exhibit significant changes. Prevalence of blurring, photophobia, and pain increased toward 2019 among symptoms surveyed (eye fatigue, blurring, photophobia, dryness, irritation, and pain) and regression analysis indicated blurring (p < 0.001), photophobia (p < 0.001), and pain (p < 0.001) were correlated with BUT. In conclusion, BUT decreased continuously for five consecutive years from 2015 to 2019 and was associated with dry-eye related symptoms.
Quantum error correction of spin quantum memories in diamond under a zero magnetic field
Authors: Nakazato Takaya , Reyes Raustin , Imaike Nobuaki , Matsuda Kazuyasu , Tsurumoto Kazuya , Sekiguchi Yuhei , Kosaka Hideo
Published: April 2022

Fault-tolerant quantum memory plays a key role in interfacing quantum computers with quantum networks to construct quantum computer networks. Manipulation of spin quantum memory generally requires a magnetic field, which hinders the integration with superconducting qubits. Completely zero-field operation is desirable for scaling up a quantum computer based on superconducting qubits. Here we demonstrate quantum error correction to protect the nuclear spin of the nitrogen as a quantum memory in a diamond nitrogen-vacancy center with two nuclear spins of the surrounding carbon isotopes under a zero magnetic field. The quantum error correction makes quantum memory resilient against operational or environmental errors without the need for magnetic fields and opens a way toward distributed quantum computation and a quantum internet with memory-based quantum interfaces or quantum repeaters.
Seismic loss dynamics in three Asian megacities using a macro-level approach based on socioeconomic exposure indicators
Authors: Mestav Sarica Gizem , Pan Tso-Chien
Published: April 2022

Scrutinizing the evolving exposure and possible consequent forthcoming seismic losses in rapidly urbanizing megacities is essential for decision-makers. Here we present a framework for the evaluation of spatio-temporal seismic loss dynamics where we propose a probabilistic macro-level loss estimation approach that is based on socioeconomic exposure indicators. We follow this framework to model the urban growth, disaggregate population to urban cells, and estimate grid-level wealth in three Asian megacities, namely Jakarta, Metro Manila, and Istanbul. Then, we calculate present and future probabilistic risk metrics based on the combination of evolving exposure, probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and vulnerability curves. The results reveal that our approach can produce present loss estimates that are in the same order of magnitude as the conventional approaches. The predictions suggest that present average annual loss could increase almost twofold in Jakarta and in Metro Manila, and by almost 57% in Istanbul by 2030. Our framework can be used to trigger discussions between scientific community and decision-makers for better long-term risk reduction and risk awareness strategies.
A fluorescent probe based on POSS for facilitating the visualization of HClO and NO in living cells and zebrafish
Authors: Ding Guowei , Gai Fengqing , Gou Zhiming , Zuo Yujing
Published: April 2022

Mito-Cy displayed ultrafast response rate and excellent selectivity to ClO- and NO in vivo and in vitro, and applied successfully in HeLa cells and zebrafish models.
Thiadiazoloquinoxaline derivative-based NIR-II organic molecules for NIR-II fluorescence imaging and photothermal therapy
Authors: Chen Yan , Yu Haoli , Wang Yuesong , Sun Pengfei , Fan Quli , Ji Min
Published: April 2022

Schematic illustration of TTQ based D–A–D type organic molecules for NIR-II fluorescence imaging and photothermal therapy (PTT).
Insight into the regulation between crystallinity and oxygen vacancies of BiVO4 affecting the photocatalytic oxygen evolution activity
Authors: Zhang Yaqian , Han Wenjun , Ding Lingling , Fang Fan , Xie Zhengzheng , Liu Xianglei , Chang Kun
Published: April 2022

The oxygen defects and crystallinity of BiVO4 were matched and regulated by heat treatment, which improved the crystallinity and the photocorrosion resistance, and ensured the existence of certain oxygen defects as reactive sites to improve the oxygen evolution activity.
The effect of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the phenolic profiles, bioactivities and bioaccessibility of Rhodiola
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Deng Na , Zheng Bisheng , Li Tong , Liu Rui Hai
Published: April 2022

Present study unravels the underlying mechanism of Rhodiola colon digesta on the enhancement of cell bioaccessibility: down-regulation of ABCF2 protein.
Correction: Direct carbon capture for the production of high-performance biodegradable plastics by cyanobacterial cell factories
Authors: Tan Chunlin , Tao Fei , Xu Ping
Published: April 2022

Correction for ‘Direct carbon capture for the production of high-performance biodegradable plastics by cyanobacterial cell factories’ by Chunlin Tan et al., Green Chem., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1039/d1gc04188f.
On-surface synthesis of Mn-phthalocyanines with optically active ligands
Authors: Domínguez-Celorrio Amelia , Garcia-Fernandez Carlos , Quiroga Sabela , Koval Peter , Langlais Veronique , Peña Diego , Sánchez-Portal Daniel , Serrate David , Lobo-Checa Jorge
Published: April 2022

We synthesize Mn-phthalocyanine derivatives on Ag(111) with 4 optically active ligands. Its central magnetic ion sets the stage for magneto-optical transducer fabrication.
Pd-Catalyzed [4 + 2] cycloaddition of methylene cyclic carbamates with dihydropyrazolone-derived alkenes: synthesis of spiropyrazolones
Authors: Mao Biming , Xu Jiaqing , Shi Wangyu , Wang Wei , Wu Yongjun , Xiao Yumei , Guo Hongchao
Published: April 2022

A new Pd-catalyzed [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of methylene cyclic carbamates with electron-deficient alkenes has been developed.
Synthesis of acyloin natural products by Mukaiyama hydration
Authors: Ricca Michael , Zhang Wei , Li Jiaqi , Fellowes Thomas , White Jonathan M. , Donnelly Paul S. , Rizzacasa Mark A.
Published: April 2022

The preparation of Co(ii) and Co(iii) SALPN type catalysts for the Mukaiyama hydration of enones, and their application to the synthesis of acyloin natural products is described. An acyloin rearrangement was key to the success of this approach.
An in vitro investigation of the hepatic toxicity of PEGylated polymeric redox responsive nanoparticles
Authors: Powell Leagh G. , Alexander Cameron , Stone Vicki , Johnston Helinor J. , Conte Claudia
Published: April 2022

PEGylated polymeric RR-NPs are less toxic than nRR-NPs. Both formulations did not have a negative impact on cell viability, but were able to elicit sub-lethal toxicity, especially in the case of non redox responsive NPs.
17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2): concentrations in the environment and methods for wastewater treatment – an update
Authors: Klaic Marko , Jirsa Franz
Published: April 2022

17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a frequently used drug and an endocrine disruptive substance.
Retraction: Structural characterization of centipede oligopeptides and capability detection in human small cell lung carcinoma: inducing apoptosis
Authors: Fisher Laura
Published: April 2022

Retraction of ‘Structural characterization of centipede oligopeptides and capability detection in human small cell lung carcinoma: inducing apoptosis’ by JingQuan Zhao et al., RSC Adv., 2019, 9, 10927–10936, https://doi.org/10.1039/C8RA09018A.
Supramolecular cuboctahedra with aggregation-induced emission enhancement and external binding ability
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Bai Qixia , Manandhar Erendra , Zeng Yunting , Wu Tun , Wang Ming , Yao Liao-Yuan , Newkome George R. , Wang Pingshan , Xie Ting-Zheng
Published: April 2022

Beyond the AIE (aggregation-induced emission) phenomenon in small molecules, supramolecules with AIE properties have evolved in the AIE family and accelerated the growth of supramolecular application diversity.
Aqueous electrochemically-triggered atom transfer radical polymerization
Authors: Zhao Boyu , Pashley-Johnson Fred , Jones Bryn A. , Wilson Paul
Published: April 2022

Simplified electrochemical atom transfer radical polymerization (seATRP) using CuII-pyridineimine complexes is reported and follows a previously unreported electrochemically triggered mechanism.
Crosslinking and depletion determine spatial instabilities in cytoskeletal active matter
Authors: Sarfati Guillaume , Maitra Ananyo , Voituriez Raphael , Galas Jean-Christophe , Estevez-Torres André
Published: April 2022

Four spatial instabilities arising in kinesin/microtubule active gels are determined by two factors: depletion and cross-linker activity.
Controlling the dynamics of elastomer networks with multivalent brush architectures
Authors: Onoda Michika , Jia Fei , Takeoka Yukikazu , Macfarlane Robert J.
Published: April 2022

A method for lowering the activation energy of melting while improving the mechanical robustness of an elastomer was achieved using bottlebrush topologies. This system has the potential to realize self-healing materials with enhanced processability.
New framework of integrated electrocatalysis systems for nitrogen fixation
Authors: Lu Qiuyang , Sun Mingzi , Huang Bolong
Published: April 2022

The novel hybridized and integrated nitrogen fixation system has been demonstrated based on the self-power triboelectric nanogenerators as the power generator, which supplies the new framework for future energy harvesting and conversion.
Conjugating aldoxorubicin to supramolecular organic frameworks: polymeric prodrugs with enhanced therapeutic efficacy and safety
Authors: Liu Yue-Yang , Wang Ze-Kun , Yu Shang-Bo , Liu Yamin , Wang Hui , Zhou Wei , Li Zhan-Ting , Zhang Dan-Wei
Published: April 2022

Supramolecular organic frameworks have been utilized to conjugate aldoxorubicin to give polymeric prodrugs, which achieves enhanced anti-tumour activity through the delivery of the frameworks.
Linking hIAPP misfolding and aggregation with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a structural perspective
Authors: Hassan Shahab , White Kenneth , Terry Cassandra
Published: April 2022

There are over 40 identified human disorders that involve certain proteins folding incorrectly, accumulating in the body causing damage to cells and organs and causing disease. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is one of these protein misfolding disorders (PMDs) and involves human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) misfolding and accumulating in parts of the body, primarily in the pancreas, causing damage to islet cells and affecting glucose regulation. In this review, we have summarised our current understanding of what causes hIAPP to misfold, what conformations are found in different parts of the body with a particular focus on what is known about the structure of hIAPP and how this links to T2DM. Understanding the molecular basis behind these misfolding events is essential for understanding the role of hIAPP to develop better therapeutics since type 2 diabetes currently affects over 4.9 million people in the United Kingdom alone and is predicted to increase as our population ages.
What Eye Movement Reveals Concerning Age-Related Dissociation in Syntactic Prediction: Evidence From a Verb-Final Language
Authors: Oh Se Jin , Sung Jee Eun , Lee Sung Eun
Published: April 2022

Purpose:

How older adults engage in predictive processing compared to young adults during sentence processing has been a controversial issue in psycholinguistic research. This study investigated whether age-related differences in predictive processing emerge and how they influence young and older adults' construction of sentential representations in a verb-final language using the visual world eye-tracking paradigm.

Method:

Twenty-five young adults and 24 older adults participated in this study. They were administered a sentence–picture matching task under active and passive conditions during which their eye movements were recorded.

Results:

Older adults showed a stronger reliance on predictive processing based on probabilistic constraints compared to young adults at the second noun phrase (NP2) for both active and passive sentences. Specifically, older adults showed significantly greater target advantage looks in actives but greater distractor advantage looks in passives before encountering the verb compared to young adults, revealing older adults' stronger preference for active sentence representations. This stronger predictive processing at the NP2 among older adults engendered greater reduction in fixation proportion on the target picture at the verb only under the passive condition, suggesting that older adults experienced greater difficulties with syntactic revision and integration in passives compared to young adults.

Conclusion:

The current findings support that older adults more strongly rely on predictive processing based on probabilistic constraints denoted by case markers when constructing sentential representation compared to young adults, and this processing pattern increases processing difficulties when their prediction is incongruent with linguistic input.
Analysis of four solar occultations by Titan’s atmosphere with the infrared channel of the VIMS instrument: Haze, CH4, CH3D, and CO vertical profiles
Authors: Rannou P. , Coutelier M. , Rey M. , Vinatier S.
Published: April 2022

Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn, has a dense atmosphere mainly composed of nitrogen, methane at a percent level, and minor species. It is also covered by a thick and global photochemical organic haze. In the last two decades, the observations made by the Cassini orbiter and the Huygens probe have greatly improved our knowledge of Titan's system. The surface, haze, clouds, and chemical species can be studied and characterised with several instruments simultaneously. On the other hand, some compounds of its climatic cycle remain poorly known. This is clearly the case of the methane cycle, which is, however, a critical component of Titan's climate and of its evolution. We reanalysed four solar occultations by Titan's atmosphere observed with the infrared part of the Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instrument. These observations were already analysed, but here we used significantly improved methane spectroscopic data. We retrieved the haze properties (not treated previously) and the mixing ratios of methane, deuterated methane, and CO in the stratosphere and in the low mesosphere. The methane mixing ratio in the stratosphere is much lower (about 1.1%) than expected from Huygens measurements (about 1.4 to 1.5%). This is consistent with previous results obtained with other instruments. However, features in the methane vertical profiles clearly demonstrate that there are interactions between the methane distribution and the atmosphere circulation. We also retrieved the haze extinction profiles and the haze spectral behaviour. We find that aerosols are aggregates with a fractal dimension of Df ≃ 2.3 ± 0.1, rather than Df ≃ 2 as previously thought. Our analysis also reveals noticeable changes in their size distribution and their morphology with altitude and time. These changes are also clearly connected to the atmosphere circulation and concerns the whole stratosphere and the transition between the main and the detached haze layers. We finally display the vertical profiles of CH3D and CO for the four observations. Although the latter retrievals have large error bars due to noisy data, we could derive values in agreement with other works.