bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Debate about Soviet Genocide in Lithuania in the Case Law of The European Court of Human Rights
Authors: Sagatienė Dovilė
Published: November 2020

Since 1990 Lithuania has been claiming that what happened there during Soviet occupation is genocide, as per the 1948 Genocide Convention, which embodies universal justice for suppressed nations and other groups. Due to Soviet actions in Lithuania throughout the periods of 1940-1941 and 1944-1990, the country lost almost one fifth of its population. The application of Lithuanian national legal regulations regarding this issue has been recently discussed in the framework of another postwar international legal instrument – the European Convention of Human Rights (1950). The goal of this article is to examine the main debates, which were revealed by the European Court of Human Rights in the cases of Vasiliauskas v. Lithuania (2015) and Drėlingas v. Lithuania (2019), regarding the killings of Lithuanian partisans, including the recognition of the significance of partisans for the Lithuanian nation, the foreseeability of genocide “in part,” as well as the punishment for complicity in killing Lithuanian partisans.
Recreating the OSIRIS-REx slingshot manoeuvre from a network of ground-based sensors
Authors: Jansen-Sturgeon Trent , Hartig Benjamin A. D. , Madsen Gregory J. , Bland Philip A. , Sansom Eleanor K. , Devillepoix Hadrien A. R. , Howie Robert M. , Cupák Martin , Towner Martin C. , Cox Morgan A. , Nevill Nicole D. , Hoskins Zacchary N. P. , Bonning Geoffrey P. , Calcino Josh , Clark Jake T. , Henson Bryce M. , Langendam Andrew , Matthews Samuel J. , McClafferty Terence P. , Mitchell Jennifer T. , O’Neill Craig J. , Smith Luke T. , Tait Alastair W.
Published: November 2020

Optical tracking systems typically trade off between astrometric precision and field of view. In this work, we showcase a networked approach to optical tracking using very wide field-of-view imagers that have relatively low astrometric precision on the scheduled OSIRIS-REx slingshot manoeuvre around Earth on 22 Sep 2017. As part of a trajectory designed to get OSIRIS-REx to NEO 101955 Bennu, this flyby event was viewed from 13 remote sensors spread across Australia and New Zealand to promote triangulatable observations. Each observatory in this portable network was constructed to be as lightweight and portable as possible, with hardware based off the successful design of the Desert Fireball Network. Over a 4-h collection window, we gathered 15 439 images of the night sky in the predicted direction of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Using a specially developed streak detection and orbit determination data pipeline, we detected 2 090 line-of-sight observations. Our fitted orbit was determined to be within about 10 km of orbital telemetry along the observed 109 262 km length of OSIRIS-REx trajectory, and thus demonstrating the impressive capability of a networked approach to Space Surveillance and Tracking.
The Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey I: Design and first results
Authors: McConnell D. , Hale C. L. , Lenc E. , Banfield J. K. , Heald George , Hotan A. W. , Leung James K. , Moss Vanessa A. , Murphy Tara , O’Brien Andrew , Pritchard Joshua , Raja Wasim , Sadler Elaine M. , Stewart Adam , Thomson Alec J. M. , Whiting M. , Allison James R. , Amy S. W. , Anderson C. , Ball Lewis , Bannister Keith W. , Bell Martin , Bock Douglas C.-J. , Bolton Russ , Bunton J. D. , Chippendale A. P. , Collier J. D. , Cooray F. R. , Cornwell T. J. , Diamond P. J. , Edwards P. G. , Gupta N. , Hayman Douglas B. , Heywood Ian , Jackson C. A. , Koribalski Bärbel S. , Lee-Waddell Karen , McClure-Griffiths N. M. , Ng Alan , Norris Ray P. , Phillips Chris , Reynolds John E. , Roxby Daniel N. , Schinckel Antony E. T. , Shields Matt , Tremblay Chenoa , Tzioumis A. , Voronkov M. A. , Westmeier Tobias
Published: November 2020

The Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey (RACS) is the first large-area survey to be conducted with the full 36-antenna Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope. RACS will provide a shallow model of the ASKAP sky that will aid the calibration of future deep ASKAP surveys. RACS will cover the whole sky visible from the ASKAP site in Western Australia and will cover the full ASKAP band of 700–1800 MHz. The RACS images are generally deeper than the existing NRAO VLA Sky Survey and Sydney University Molonglo Sky Survey radio surveys and have better spatial resolution. All RACS survey products will be public, including radio images (with$\sim$15 arcsec resolution) and catalogues of about three million source components with spectral index and polarisation information. In this paper, we present a description of the RACS survey and the first data release of 903 images covering the sky south of declination$+41^\circ$made over a 288-MHz band centred at 887.5 MHz.
The Incorporation of Women in the Agricultural Trade Union Struggle: The Case of the Galician Peasants’ Union Sindicato Labrego Galego
Authors: Rodríguez-Gallardo Ángel , Martins-Rodríguez María Victoria
Published: November 2020

This project investigates the participation of rural Galician women in social movements regarding labor and rural concerns from 1970 to 1990, with a comparative and interdisciplinary approach. Based on the studies we have analyzed we can conclude that the recognition of rural women and their roles in their organizations have been consolidated in recent years. Rural women have gradually become significant social players in the development of their communities and, consequently, their economies. This study also demonstrates that participation in organizations plays a major role in the development of women's identities by changing the rural definition of gender. In the case of Galician women, historical relegation is evident as the empowerment of rural women did not begin until a group of feminist women became members of the Executive Board of Sindicato Labrego Galego. The driving force behind this empowerment was the creation of organizations for women with clear and specific objectives.
The Occupational Strikes in the Dąbrowa Basin of April 1951: Stalinist Industrialization Against the Traditions of the Polish Working Class
Authors: De Graaf Jan
Published: November 2020

Given the significance of strikes in the history of communist Poland, the strikes that occurred during the era of high Stalinism (1948-53) have received remarkably little scholarly attention. This article deals with one of the most significant strike waves of that period: the occupational strikes that broke out in the Dąbrowa basin after the regime extended the working day in the mines by one hour in April 1951. What lent additional salience to these strikes was that the Dąbrowa basin, nicknamed the “Red Basin” on account of its radical traditions of industrial protest, had been a communist stronghold in interwar Poland and that many card-carrying communists participated in the strikes. The article demonstrates that the strikes were the culmination of a process whereby the “aristocracy of labor” of seasoned activists turned against a regime that increasingly relied on younger migrants from the rural provinces in its campaigns to raise production. If the historical struggles of the miners in the Dąbrowa basin were instrumental in triggering the strikes, however, the article also makes clear how representatives of the regime could invoke these struggles to bring the strikes to an end.
The numerics of phase retrieval
Authors: Fannjiang Albert , Strohmer Thomas
Published: November 2020

Phase retrieval,i.e.the problem of recovering a function from the squared magnitude of its Fourier transform, arises in many applications, such as X-ray crystallography, diffraction imaging, optics, quantum mechanics and astronomy. This problem has confounded engineers, physicists, and mathematicians for many decades. Recently, phase retrieval has seen a resurgence in research activity, ignited by new imaging modalities and novel mathematical concepts. As our scientific experiments produce larger and larger datasets and we aim for faster and faster throughput, it is becoming increasingly important to study the involved numerical algorithms in a systematic and principled manner. Indeed, the past decade has witnessed a surge in the systematic study of computational algorithms for phase retrieval. In this paper we will review these recent advances from a numerical viewpoint.
Sverre Fehn’s Brussels and Venice pavilions: the process of becoming different
Authors: Ghelichi Pedram , Zhu Jingxiang
Published: November 2020

The early career of Sverre Fehn, the influential Norwegian architect, is marked by the designs of pavilions which were constructed shortly after each other for two major competitions: The Norwegian Pavilion for the World Exposition in Brussels (1956–1958) and The Nordic Pavilion at the Giardini site of the Venice Biennale (1958–1962). This paper studies the process which led from design to construction for both pavilions, identifies structural changes during that process, and investigates the causes and effects of such changes. A study of Fehn’s hand-drawn sketches and photos of models, made throughout the design and construction stages, reveals that despite functional and formal similarities the two pavilions’ development process and the changes which they underwent are noticeably different. The pursuit of ‘abstract space’ during the competition stage for the Brussels Pavilion was tested by considerations of construction only later on, creating a critical tension in the project. Not only did the organisation of structural components change significantly during the design process but the logic of construction underwent a complete transformation. Nevertheless, this transition between different iterations of the Brussels Pavilion suggested an alternative approach for the Venice Pavilion in which the initial thought of construction became a projection, rather than an abstract imitation of built reality. The spatial intention and construction-related considerations of the Venice Pavilion were addressed by a ‘synergetic’ structural principle, implicit in the competition scheme. This unprecedented feature significantly enlarged the ‘space of possibility’ of the roof structure, which provided for adaptation to indeterminacies without compromising the initial design intentions. Changes in the design of the Brussels and Venice Pavilions, therefore, differ in the ways in which they evolved from design to completion: sequential and abrupt, vs. gradual and continuous. This sheds light on a critical shift in the work of an influential architect and the way he approached design indeterminacies, rather than forcing them into submission.
Compact wideband folded strip monopole antenna for brain stroke detection
Authors: Bhardwaj Payal , Badhai Ritesh Kumar
Published: November 2020

This paper introduces the CPW fed monopole antenna operating at multiple frequencies covering Ultra High Frequency (UHF) bands, suitable for biomedical applications. The planar antenna structure comprises an open loop and a dual folded monopole of optimized length. The antenna exhibits ultra-wideband frequency of operation ranges from 740 MHz to 4.02 GHz covering the frequency bands suitable for head imaging and heart failure detection. The proposed antenna has a compact size of 0.098λ × 0.079λ × 0.019λ where λ indicates wavelength corresponding to the lowest operating frequency. The antenna is further simulated on the human head model to corroborate applications for brain stroke detection. The specific absorption rate (SAR) value of the proposed antenna is compliant with SAR requirements set by IEEE standards. To experimentally verify the parameters of the proposed antenna design, the antenna is tested on the brain tissue model prepared by materials having dielectric properties like human brain tissue. The peak gain of the antenna, when tested on the human phantom, is 6.8 dBi.
Where Are the Proto‐South China Sea Slabs? SE Asian Plate Tectonics and Mantle Flow History From Global Mantle Convection Modeling
Authors: Lin Yi‐An , Colli Lorenzo , Wu Jonny , Schuberth Bernhard S. A.
Published: November 2020

The plate tectonic history of the hypothesized “proto‐South China Sea” (PSCS) ocean basin and surrounding SE Asia since Cenozoic times is controversial. We implement four diverse proto‐South China Sea plate reconstructions into global geodynamic models to constrain PSCS plate tectonics and possible slab locations. Our plate reconstructions consider the following: southward versus double‐sided PSCS subduction models; earlier (Eocene) or later (late Oligocene) initiation of Borneo counterclockwise rotations; and larger or smaller reconstructed Philippine Sea plate sizes. We compare our modeling results against tomographic images by accounting for mineralogical effects and the finite resolution of seismic tomography. All geodynamic models reproduce the tomographically imaged Sunda slabs beneath Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java. Southward PSCS subduction produces slabs beneath present Palawan, northern Borneo, and offshore Palawan. Double‐sided PSCS subduction combined with earlier Borneo rotations uniquely reproduces subhorizontal slabs under the southern South China Sea (SCS) at ~400 to 700 km depths; these models best fit seismic tomography. A smaller Philippine Sea (PS) plate with a ~1,000‐km‐long restored Ryukyu slab was superior to a very large PS plate. Considered together, our four end‐member plate reconstructions predict that the PSCS slabs are now at <900 km depths under present‐day Borneo, the SCS, the Sulu and Celebes seas, and the southern Philippines. Regardless of plate reconstruction, we predict (1) mid‐Cenozoic passive return‐flow upwellings under Indochina; and (2) late Cenozoic downwellings under the SCS that do not support a deep‐origin “Hainan plume.” Modeled Sundaland dynamic topography strongly depends on the imposed plate reconstructions, varying by almost 1 km.
Direct‐Push Color Logging Images Spatial Heterogeneity of Organic Carbon in Floodplain Sediments
Authors: Klingler Stefan , Cirpka Olaf A. , Werban Ulrike , Leven Carsten , Dietrich Peter
Published: November 2020

In soils and sediments, large amounts of total organic carbon (TOC) mark reducing conditions. As dark sediment colors are good predictors for high‐TOC zones, they indicate hot spots of biogeochemical turnover and microbial activity. Traditionally, obtaining the sediment color or TOC at depth requires costly core sampling, resulting in poor horizontal resolution and related uncertainty caused by interpolation. We suggest using a direct‐push tool for optical screening of the sediment color to acquire multiple high‐resolution vertical color profiles and demonstrate its applicability to a biogeochemical transition zone in floodplain sediments, dominated by tufa. We use Gaussian mixture models for a cluster analysis of 35 color logs in the International Commission on Illumination (CIE)L*a*b* color space to identify three colorfacies that differ in lithology and TOC content: a dark colorfacies that agrees well with peat layers, a gray colorfacies associated with clay, and a creamy‐brown facies made of autochthonous carbonate precipitates. We test different approaches either to infer the TOC content from color metrics, namely, the lightness and chroma, across all facies, or to identify TOC ranges for each colorfacies. Given the high variability in TOC due to organic carbon specks in the tufa, the latter approach appears more realistic. In our application we map the 3‐D distribution of organic matter in a floodplain in distinct facies over 20,000 m2down to 12 m depth. While we relate the sediment color only to the TOC content, direct‐push color logging may also be used for in situ mapping of other biogeochemically relevant properties, such as the ferric‐iron content or sedimentary structure.
Abandonment of Penguin Subcolonies in the Late Nineteenth Century on Inexpressible Island, Antarctica
Authors: Xu Q. B. , Gao Y. S. , Yang L. J. , Yang W. Q. , Chu Z. D. , Wang Y. H. , Sun L. G. , Xie Z. Q.
Published: November 2020

The impact of climate and weather on penguin ecology has attracted much research attention. To reconstruct the history of the penguin population, penguin carcasses on the surface and three ornithogenic sediment profiles were collected in a ditch area beneath abandoned penguin subcolonies on a high terrace to the northwest of the modern colony in Seaview Bay, on Inexpressible Island, East Antarctica. A rapid increase in penguin‐derived element contents in the sediment profiles at ~1700 Common Era (CE) indicates an increase in the penguin population of research area at the end of the Little Ice Age. However, surficial carcasses, geochemical characteristics of the sediment profiles, and field evidence indicate the subsequent abandonment of these penguin subcolonies. A period of intensified streamflow activity resulting from meltwater is a possible explanation for the colony abandonment. The dating results of the carcasses and sediment profiles constrain this event to around the late nineteenth century. The meltwater streams can be attributed to the interaction between enhanced moist air mass transport to the coastline of Victoria Land, rising temperatures, and the sloping topography. Comparisons with other regional records suggest that this type of event is common across East Antarctica and has significant impacts on penguin ecology.
MRBLES 2.0: High-throughput generation of chemically functionalized spectrally and magnetically encoded hydrogel beads using a simple single-layer microfluidic device
Authors: Feng Yinnian , White Adam K. , Hein Jamin B. , Appel Eric A. , Fordyce Polly M.
Published: November 2020

The widespread adoption of bead-based multiplexed bioassays requires the ability to easily synthesize encoded microspheres and conjugate analytes of interest to their surface. Here, we present a simple method (MRBLEs 2.0) for the efficient high-throughput generation of microspheres with ratiometric barcode lanthanide encoding (MRBLEs) that bear functional groups for downstream surface bioconjugation. Bead production in MRBLEs 2.0 relies on the manual mixing of lanthanide/polymer mixtures (each of which comprises a unique spectral code) followed by droplet generation using single-layer, parallel flow-focusing devices and the off-chip batch polymerization of droplets into beads. To streamline downstream analyte coupling, MRBLEs 2.0 crosslinks copolymers bearing functional groups on the bead surface during bead generation. Using the MRBLEs 2.0 pipeline, we generate monodisperse MRBLEs containing 48 distinct well-resolved spectral codes with high throughput (>150,000/min and can be boosted to 450,000/min). We further demonstrate the efficient conjugation of oligonucleotides and entire proteins to carboxyl MRBLEs and of biotin to amino MRBLEs. Finally, we show that MRBLEs can also be magnetized via the simultaneous incorporation of magnetic nanoparticles with only a minor decrease in the potential code space. With the advantages of dramatically simplified device fabrication, elimination of the need for custom-made equipment, and the ability to produce spectrally and magnetically encoded beads with direct surface functionalization with high throughput, MRBLEs 2.0 can be directly applied by many labs towards a wide variety of downstream assays, from basic biology to diagnostics and other translational research.
Modulating proteasome inhibitor tolerance in multiple myeloma: an alternative strategy to reverse inevitable resistance
Authors: Ge Maolin , Qiao Zhi , Kong Yan , Liang Hongyu , Sun Yan , Lu Hui , Xu Zhenshu , Liu Han
Published: November 2020

Background

Resistance to proteasome inhibitors (PIs) is a major obstacle to the successful treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). Many mechanisms have been proposed for PI resistance; however, our mechanistic understanding of how PI resistance is inevitably acquired and reversed remains incomplete.

Methods

MM patients after bortezomib relapse, MM cell lines and mouse models were used to generate matched resistant and reversed cells. RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analyses were employed to assess dysregulated epigenetic regulators. In vitro and in vivo procedures were used to characterise PI-tolerant cells and therapeutic efficacy.

Results

Upon PI treatment, MM cells enter a slow-cycling and reversible drug-tolerant state. This reversible phenotype is associated with epigenetic plasticity, which involves tolerance rather than persistence in patients with relapsed MM. Combination treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors and high-dosage intermittent therapy, as opposed to sustained PI monotherapy, can be more effective in treating MM by preventing the emergence of PI-tolerant cells. The therapeutic basis is the reversal of dysregulated epigenetic regulators in MM patients.

Conclusions

We propose an alternative non-mutational PI resistance mechanism that explains why PI relapse is inevitable and why patients regain sensitivity after a ‘drug holiday’. Our study also suggests strategies for epigenetic elimination of drug-tolerant cells.
New Consensus pattern in Spike CoV-2: potential implications in coagulation process and cell–cell fusion
Authors: Buonvino Silvia , Melino Sonia
Published: November 2020

Coagulopathy and syncytial formation are relevant effects of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, but the underlying molecular mechanisms triggering these processes are not fully elucidated. Here, we identified a potential consensus pattern in the Spike S glycoprotein present within the cytoplasmic domain; this consensus pattern was detected in only 79 out of 561,000 proteins (UniProt bank). Interestingly, the pattern was present in both human and bat the coronaviruses S proteins, in many proteins involved in coagulation process, cell–cell interaction, protein aggregation and regulation of cell fate, such as von Willebrand factor, coagulation factor X, fibronectin and Notch, characterized by the presence of the cysteine-rich EGF-like domain. This finding may suggest functional similarities between the matched proteins and the CoV-2 S protein, implying a new possible involvement of the S protein in the molecular mechanism that leads to the coagulopathy and cell fusion in COVID-19 disease.
Persistence and progression of staphylococcal infection in the presence of public goods
Authors: Trivedi Urvish , Fell Cody , Madsen Jonas S. , Everett Jake , Burmølle Mette , Rumbaugh Kendra P. , Sørensen Søren J.
Published: November 2020

Staphylococcus aureusis a prominent etiological agent of suppurative abscesses. In principle, abscess formation and purulent exudate are classical physiological features of healing and tissue repair. However,S. aureusdeploys two coagulases that can usurp this classical host response and form distinct abscess lesions. Here, we establish that during coinfection with coagulase producers and non-producers, coagulases are shared public goods that contribute to staphylococcal persistence, abscess formation, and disease progression. Coagulase-negative mutants that do not produce the public goods themselves are able to exploit those cooperatively secreted by producers and thereby thrive during coinfection at the expense of others. This study shows the importance of social interactions among pathogens concerning clinical outcomes.
Attachment and antibiotic response of early-stage biofilms studied using resonant hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Wang Yue , Reardon Christopher P. , Read Nicholas , Thorpe Stephen , Evans Adrian , Todd Neil , Van Der Woude Marjan , Krauss Thomas F.
Published: November 2020

Many bacterial species readily develop biofilms that act as a protective matrix against external challenge, e.g., from antimicrobial treatment. Therefore, biofilms are often responsible for persistent and recurring infections. Established methods for studying biofilms are either destructive or focus on the biofilm’s surface. A non-destructive method that is sensitive to the underside of the biofilm is highly desirable, as it allows studying the penetration of antibiotics through the film. Here, we demonstrate that the high surface sensitivity of resonant hyperspectral imaging provides this capability. The method allows us to monitor the early stages of Escherichia coli biofilm formation, cell attachment and microcolony formation, in-situ and in real-time. We study the response of the biofilm to a number of different antibiotics and verify our observations using confocal microscopy. Based on this ability to closely monitor the surface-bound cells, resonant hyperspectral imaging gives new insights into the antimicrobial resistance of biofilms.
Predicting breast cancer response to neoadjuvant treatment using multi-feature MRI: results from the I-SPY 2 TRIAL
Authors: Li Wen , Newitt David C. , Gibbs Jessica , Wilmes Lisa J. , Jones Ella F. , Arasu Vignesh A. , Strand Fredrik , Onishi Natsuko , Nguyen Alex Anh-Tu , Kornak John , Joe Bonnie N. , Price Elissa R. , Ojeda-Fournier Haydee , Eghtedari Mohammad , Zamora Kathryn W. , Woodard Stefanie A. , Umphrey Heidi , Bernreuter Wanda , Nelson Michael , Church An Ly , Bolan Patrick , Kuritza Theresa , Ward Kathleen , Morley Kevin , Wolverton Dulcy , Fountain Kelly , Lopez-Paniagua Dan , Hardesty Lara , Brandt Kathy , McDonald Elizabeth S. , Rosen Mark , Kontos Despina , Abe Hiroyuki , Sheth Deepa , Crane Erin P. , Dillis Charlotte , Sheth Pulin , Hovanessian-Larsen Linda , Bang Dae Hee , Porter Bruce , Oh Karen Y. , Jafarian Neda , Tudorica Alina , Niell Bethany L. , Drukteinis Jennifer , Newell Mary S. , Cohen Michael A. , Giurescu Marina , Berman Elise , Lehman Constance , Partridge Savannah C. , Fitzpatrick Kimberly A. , Borders Marisa H. , Yang Wei T. , Dogan Basak , Goudreau Sally , Chenevert Thomas , Yau Christina , DeMichele Angela , Berry Don , Esserman Laura J. , Hylton Nola M.
Published: November 2020

Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI provides both morphological and functional information regarding breast tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The purpose of this retrospective study is to test if prediction models combining multiple MRI features outperform models with single features. Four features were quantitatively calculated in each MRI exam: functional tumor volume, longest diameter, sphericity, and contralateral background parenchymal enhancement. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the relationship between MRI variables and pathologic complete response (pCR). Predictive performance was estimated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The full cohort was stratified by hormone receptor (HR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status (positive or negative). A total of 384 patients (median age: 49 y/o) were included. Results showed analysis with combined features achieved higher AUCs than analysis with any feature alone. AUCs estimated for the combined versus highest AUCs among single features were 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.76, 0.86) versus 0.79 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.85) in the full cohort, 0.83 (95% CI: 0.77, 0.92) versus 0.73 (95% CI: 0.61, 0.84) in HR-positive/HER2-negative, 0.88 (95% CI: 0.79, 0.97) versus 0.78 (95% CI: 0.63, 0.89) in HR-positive/HER2-positive, 0.83 (95% CI not available) versus 0.75 (95% CI: 0.46, 0.81) in HR-negative/HER2-positive, and 0.82 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.91) versus 0.75 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.83) in triple negatives. Multi-feature MRI analysis improved pCR prediction over analysis of any individual feature that we examined. Additionally, the improvements in prediction were more notable when analysis was conducted according to cancer subtype.
First-principles calculations of hyperfine interaction, binding energy, and quadrupole coupling for shallow donors in silicon
Authors: Swift Michael W. , Peelaers Hartwin , Mu Sai , Morton John J. L. , Van de Walle Chris G.
Published: November 2020

Spin qubits based on shallow donors in silicon are a promising quantum information technology with enormous potential scalability due to the existence of robust silicon-processing infrastructure. However, the most accurate theories of donor electronic structure lack predictive power because of their reliance on empirical fitting parameters, while predictive ab initio methods have so far been lacking in accuracy due to size of the donor wavefunction compared to typical simulation cells. We show that density functional theory with hybrid and traditional functionals working in tandem can bridge this gap. Our first-principles approach allows remarkable accuracy in binding energies (67 meV for bismuth and 54 meV for arsenic) without the use of empirical fitting. We also obtain reasonable hyperfine parameters (1263 MHz for Bi and 133 MHz for As) and superhyperfine parameters. We demonstrate the importance of a predictive model by showing that hydrostatic strain has much larger effect on the hyperfine structure than predicted by effective mass theory, and by elucidating the underlying mechanisms through symmetry analysis of the shallow donor charge density.
Soil bacterial community structures in relation to different oil palm management practices
Authors: Berkelmann Dirk , Schneider Dominik , Hennings Nina , Meryandini Anja , Daniel Rolf
Published: November 2020

We provide soil bacterial 16 S rRNA gene amplicon and geochemical data derived from an oil palm plantation management experiment. The experimental design covered two different intensities of fertilizer application and weeding practices. We sampled the topsoil of 80 plots in total and extracted DNA and RNA. 16 S rRNA gene-derived and transcript-derived amplicons were generated and sequenced to analyse community composition and beta-diversity. One year after establishing the experiment, statistically significant differences of bacterial diversity or community composition between different treatments at entire (DNA-derived) and active (RNA-derived) community level were not detected. The dominant taxa belonged to Acidobacteriota and Actinobacteriota and were more abundant in the active community compared to the entire community. Similarly, the abundant genera Candidatus Solibacter and Haliangium were more abundant at active community level. Furthermore, clustering corresponding to the different sampling site locations was detected. Beta-diversity did not change among the treatments at DNA and RNA level. This dataset is of interest for related studies on the effect of altered management practices on soilborne communities.
A completely annotated whole slide image dataset of canine breast cancer to aid human breast cancer research
Authors: Aubreville Marc , Bertram Christof A. , Donovan Taryn A. , Marzahl Christian , Maier Andreas , Klopfleisch Robert
Published: November 2020

Canine mammary carcinoma (CMC) has been used as a model to investigate the pathogenesis of human breast cancer and the same grading scheme is commonly used to assess tumor malignancy in both. One key component of this grading scheme is the density of mitotic figures (MF). Current publicly available datasets on human breast cancer only provide annotations for small subsets of whole slide images (WSIs). We present a novel dataset of 21 WSIs of CMC completely annotated for MF. For this, a pathologist screened all WSIs for potential MF and structures with a similar appearance. A second expert blindly assigned labels, and for non-matching labels, a third expert assigned the final labels. Additionally, we used machine learning to identify previously undetected MF. Finally, we performed representation learning and two-dimensional projection to further increase the consistency of the annotations. Our dataset consists of 13,907 MF and 36,379 hard negatives. We achieved a mean F1-score of 0.791 on the test set and of up to 0.696 on a human breast cancer dataset.
Predicting mortality for Covid-19 in the US using the delayed elasticity method
Authors: Hierro Luis Ángel , Garzón Antonio J. , Atienza-Montero Pedro , Márquez José Luis
Published: November 2020

The evolution of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, its high reproductive number and the associated clinical needs, is overwhelming national health systems. We propose a method for predicting the number of deaths, and which will enable the health authorities of the countries involved to plan the resources needed to face the pandemic as many days in advance as possible. We employ OLS to perform the econometric estimation. Using RMSE, MSE, MAPE, and SMAPE forecast performance measures, we select the best lagged predictor of both dependent variables. Our objective is to estimate a leading indicator of clinical needs. Having a forecast model available several days in advance can enable governments to more effectively face the gap between needs and resources triggered by the outbreak and thus reduce the deaths caused by COVID-19.
Using UNSEEN trends to detect decadal changes in 100-year precipitation extremes
Authors: Kelder T. , Müller M. , Slater L. J. , Marjoribanks T. I. , Wilby R. L. , Prudhomme C. , Bohlinger P. , Ferranti L. , Nipen T.
Published: November 2020

Sample sizes of observed climate extremes are typically too small to reliably constrain return period estimates when there is non-stationary behaviour. To increase the historical record 100-fold, we apply the UNprecedented Simulated Extreme ENsemble (UNSEEN) approach, by pooling ensemble members and lead times from the ECMWF seasonal prediction system SEAS5. We fit the GEV distribution to the UNSEEN ensemble with a time covariate to facilitate detection of changes in 100-year precipitation values over a period of 35 years (1981–2015). Applying UNSEEN trends to 3-day precipitation extremes over Western Norway substantially reduces uncertainties compared to estimates based on the observed record and returns no significant linear trend over time. For Svalbard, UNSEEN trends suggests there is a significant rise in precipitation extremes, such that the 100-year event estimated in 1981 occurs with a return period of around 40 years in 2015. We propose a suite of methods to evaluate UNSEEN and highlight paths for further developing UNSEEN trends to investigate non-stationarities in climate extremes.
Assessment of physiological signs associated with COVID-19 measured using wearable devices
Authors: Natarajan Aravind , Su Hao-Wei , Heneghan Conor
Published: November 2020

Respiration rate, heart rate, and heart rate variability (HRV) are some health metrics that are easily measured by consumer devices, which can potentially provide early signs of illness. Furthermore, mobile applications that accompany wearable devices can be used to collect relevant self-reported symptoms and demographic data. This makes consumer devices a valuable tool in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on 2745 subjects diagnosed with COVID-19 (active infection, PCR test) were collected from May 21 to September 11, 2020, consisting of PCR positive tests conducted between February 16 and September 9. Considering male (female) participants, 11.9% (11.2%) of the participants were asymptomatic, 48.3% (47.8%) recovered at home by themselves, 29.7% (33.7%) recovered at home with the help of someone else, 9.3% (6.6%) required hospitalization without ventilation, and 0.5% (0.4%) required ventilation. There were a total of 21 symptoms reported, and the prevalence of symptoms varies by sex. Fever was present in 59.4% of male subjects and in 52% of female subjects. Based on self-reported symptoms alone, we obtained an AUC of 0.82 ± 0.017 for the prediction of the need for hospitalization. Based on physiological signs, we obtained an AUC of 0.77 ± 0.018 for the prediction of illness on a specific day. Respiration rate and heart rate are typically elevated by illness, while HRV is decreased. Measuring these metrics, taken in conjunction with molecular-based diagnostics, may lead to better early detection and monitoring of COVID-19.
Nonlinear propagating modes beyond the phonons in fluorite-structured crystals
Authors: Bryan Matthew S. , Fu Lyuwen , Rickert Karl , Turner David , Prusnick Timothy A. , Mann J. Matthew , Abernathy Douglas L. , Marianetti Chris A. , Manley Michael E.
Published: November 2020

The vibrational energy of crystals is known to propagate in a fixed number of phonon branches allowed by symmetry. In the realm of nonlinear dynamics, however, additional nonlinear propagating modes are possible. Nonlinear propagating modes have unique properties that are important in many disciplines including optical communications, conducting polymers, biology, magnetism, and nuclear physics. Yet, despite the crucial importance of crystal lattice vibrations in fundamental and applied science, such additional propagating modes have not been observed in ordinary crystals. Here, we show that propagating modes exist beyond the phonons in fluorite-structured thoria, urania, and natural calcium fluoride using neutron scattering and first-principles calculations. These modes are observed at temperatures ranging from 5 K up to 1200 K, extend to frequencies 30–40% higher than the maximum phonon frequency, and travel at velocities comparable to or higher than the fastest phonon. The nonlinear origin of the modes is explained in part via perturbation theory, which approximately accounts for nonlinearity. Given that these modes are still clearly observed at 5 K, they are likely an inherent feature of the quantum ground state. The existence of these waves in three-dimensional crystals may have ramifications for material properties.
Current-controlled nanomagnetic writing for reconfigurable magnonic crystals
Authors: Gartside Jack C. , Jung Son G. , Yoo Seung Y. , Arroo Daan M. , Vanstone Alex , Dion Troy , Stenning Kilian D. , Branford Will R.
Published: November 2020

Strongly-interacting nanomagnetic arrays are crucial across an ever-growing suite of technologies. Spanning neuromorphic computing, control over superconducting vortices and reconfigurable magnonics, the utility and appeal of these arrays lies in their vast range of distinct, stable magnetization states. Different states exhibit different functional behaviours, making precise, reconfigurable state control an essential cornerstone of such systems. However, few existing methodologies may reverse an arbitrary array element, and even fewer may do so under electrical control, vital for device integration. We demonstrate selective, reconfigurable magnetic reversal of ferromagnetic nanoislands via current-driven motion of a transverse domain wall in an adjacent nanowire. The reversal technique operates under all-electrical control with no reliance on external magnetic fields, rendering it highly suitable for device integration across a host of magnonic, spintronic and neuromorphic logic architectures. Here, the reversal technique is leveraged to realize two fully solid-state reconfigurable magnonic crystals, offering magnonic gating, filtering, transistor-like switching and peak-shifting without reliance on global magnetic fields.
Accelerating land cover change in West Africa over four decades as population pressure increased
Authors: Herrmann Stefanie M. , Brandt Martin , Rasmussen Kjeld , Fensholt Rasmus
Published: November 2020

Rapid population growth in West Africa has exerted increasing pressures on land resources, leading to observable changes in the land cover and land use. However, spatially explicit and thematically detailed quantitative analyses of land cover change over long time periods and at regional scale have been lacking. Here we present a change intensity analysis of a Landsat-based, visually interpreted, multi-date (1975, 2000, 2013) land cover dataset of West Africa, stratified into five bioclimatic sub-regions. Change intensities accelerated over time and increased from the arid to the sub-humid sub-regions, as did population densities. The area occupied by human-dominated land cover categories more than doubled from 493,000 km2 in 1975 to 1,121,000 km2 in 2013. Land cover change intensities within 10 km of new settlement locations exceeded the region-wide average by up to a factor of three, substantiating the significant role of population pressure as a force of change. The spatial patterns of the human footprint in West Africa, however, suggest that not only population pressure but also changing socioeconomic conditions and policies shape the complexity of land cover outcomes.
Nondestructive molecular imaging by Raman spectroscopy vs. marker detection by MALDI IMS for an early diagnosis of HCC
Authors: Kirchberger-Tolstik Tatiana , Ryabchykov Oleg , Bocklitz Thomas , Dirsch Olaf , Settmacher Utz , Popp Juergen , Stallmach Andreas
Published: November 2020

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide with a steadily increasing mortality rate.
A portable SERS reader coupled with catalytic hairpin assembly for sensitive microRNA-21 lateral flow sensing
Authors: Wang Wenjing , Li Yun , Nie Axiu , Fan Gao-Chao , Han Heyou
Published: November 2020

A sensitive lateral flow sensing platform has been constructed using a portable SERS meter coupled with catalytic hairpin assembly.
Long catalyst-free InAs nanowires grown on silicon by HVPE
Authors: Grégoire Gabin , Gil Evelyne , Zeghouane Mohammed , Bougerol Catherine , Hijazi Hadi , Castelluci Dominique , Dubrovskii Vladimir G. , Trassoudaine Agnès , Goktas Nebile Isik , LaPierre Ray R. , André Yamina
Published: November 2020

We report for the first time on the hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) growth of long (26 μm) InAs nanowires on Si(111) substrate. The thermodynamic and kinetic mechanisms involved during the growth of such long nanowires are identified.
Mechanism and kinetics characteristic of self-discharge of FeS2 cathodes for thermal batteries
Authors: Zhang Xicheng , Wang Chao , Yang Peng , Zhang Xu , Chen Wei , Liu Jianqing , Cui Yixiu , Liu Xiaojiang , Li Xinlu
Published: November 2020

The self-discharge kinetics of FeS2 cathodes can be exactly quantified by the combined-discharge method.
Two-dimensional Ga2O2 monolayer with tunable band gap and high hole mobility
Authors: Shao Li , Duan Xiangyang , Li Yan , Zeng Fanguang , Ye Honggang , Ding Pei
Published: November 2020

The Ga2O2 sheet possesses two stacked Ga–O layers with a bulking height d of 4.065 Å and adsorption coefficients above 105 cm−1.
High temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells: progress in advanced materials and key technologies
Authors: Haider Rizwan , Wen Yichan , Ma Zi-Feng , Wilkinson David P. , Zhang Lei , Yuan Xianxia , Song Shuqin , Zhang Jiujun
Published: November 2020

This comprehensive review gives a picture about the state-of-the-art progress of HT-PEMFCs, and the challenges, strategies and rules to design, evaluate and promote the performance of HT-PEMFCs.
3-D swimming microdrone powered by acoustic bubbles
Authors: Liu Fang-Wei , Cho Sung Kwon
Published: November 2020

The swimming microdrone can navigate with high maneuverability in 3D space powered by remote acoustic waves.
Microfluidic channel integrated with a lattice lightsheet microscopic system for continuous cell imaging
Authors: Fan Yu-Jui , Hsieh Han-Yun , Tsai Sheng-Fang , Wu Cheng-Hsuan , Lee Chia-Ming , Liu Yen-Ting , Lu Chieh-Han , Chang Shu-Wei , Chen Bi-Chang
Published: November 2020

In this study, a continuous cell-imaging system with subcellular resolution was developed by integrating a microfluidic platform with lattice lightsheet microscopy (LLSM).
Steric hindrance dependence on the spin and morphology properties of highly oriented self-doped organic small molecule thin films
Authors: Powell Daniel , Campbell Eric V. , Flannery Laura , Ogle Jonathan , Soss Sarah E. , Whittaker-Brooks Luisa
Published: November 2020

We provide fundamental design principles on the effect of dopant structure (steric hindrance) on the doping efficiency in highly oriented self-doped organic semiconducting thin films.
Multifaceted effects of milk-exosomes (Mi-Exo) as a modulator of scar-free wound healing
Authors: Ahn Gna , Kim Yang-Hoon , Ahn Ji-Young
Published: November 2020

Scar-free treatment is complex involving many cells in the human body but a very elaborate reaction.
Morphology dependent electrical conduction and breakdown in single TiO2 nanotubes
Authors: Kajli Sourav Kumar , Ray Debdutta , Roy Somnath C.
Published: November 2020

I–V characteristics of a single TiO2 nanotube and its electrical breakdown leading to physical collapse.
Reagent-free aerobic oxidative synthesis of amides from aldehydes and isothiocyanates
Authors: Li Jiang-Sheng , Xie Xin-Yun , Jiang Si , Yang Pan-Pan , Li Zhi-Wei , Lu Cui-Hong , Liu Wei-Dong
Published: November 2020

A reagent-free autoxidative reaction of aldehydes with isothiocyanates is developed to readily access amides, involving capture of carboxylic acids in situ generated from aldehydes by isothiocyanates as both coupling mediators and amine surrogates.
Dynamics and memory of boundary stresses in discontinuous shear thickening suspensions during oscillatory shear
Authors: Rathee Vikram , Blair Daniel L. , Urbach Jeffrey S.
Published: November 2020

Pattern of boundary stresses at the peak positive shear rate on three consecutive cycles at the beginning (A), middle (B), and end (C) of a LAOS measurement at strain = 9 and frequency = 10 rad s−1. There are approximately 50 cycles between (A) and (B) and between (B) and (C).
The importance of sulfur host structural preservation for lithium–sulfur battery performance
Authors: McNulty David , Landgraf Victor , Trabesinger Sigita
Published: November 2020

Inverse-opal samples, prepared with smaller spheres, achieve better capacities. Mechanical slurry-preparation stress results in decline of Li–S cell performance.
Design of phosphorus-functionalized MXenes for highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Kong Youchao , Yan Shanshan , Feng Jinxian , Wang Shuangpeng , Pan Hui
Published: November 2020

Phosphorus-functionalized MXenes with high HER performance along the V–H process provide insightful guidance on the design of 2D catalysts to accelerate water electrolysis.
Broadband white-light emission in a one-dimensional organic–inorganic hybrid cadmium chloride with face-sharing CdCl6 octahedral chains
Authors: Qi Zhikai , Chen Yali , Guo Yao , Yang Xuelian , Zhang Fu-Qiang , Zhou Guojun , Zhang Xian-Ming
Published: November 2020

A new one-dimensional Cd-based hybrid halide with face-sharing CdCl6 octahedral chains exhibited a bright white-light emission upon ultraviolet photoexcitation.
Licochalcone A is a natural selective inhibitor of arginine methyltransferase 6
Authors: Gong Shuai , Maegawa Shinji , Yang Yanwen , Gopalakrishnan Vidya , Zheng Guangrong , Cheng Donghang
Published: November 2020

Arginine methylation is a post-translational modification that is implicated in multiple biological functions including transcriptional regulation. The expression of protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMT) has been shown to be up-regulated in various cancers. PRMTs have emerged as attractive targets for the development of new cancer therapies. Here, we describe the identification of a natural compound, licochalcone A, as a novel, reversible and selective inhibitor of PRMT6. Since expression of PRMT6 is up-regulated in human breast cancers and is associated with oncogenesis, we used the human breast cancer cell line system to study the effect of licochalcone A treatment on PRMT6 activity, cell viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis. We demonstrated that licochalcone A is a non-S-adenosyl L-methionine (SAM) binding site competitive inhibitor of PRMT6. In MCF-7 cells, it inhibited PRMT6-dependent methylation of histone H3 at arginine 2 (H3R2), which resulted in a significant repression of estrogen receptor activity. Licochalcone A exhibited cytotoxicity towards human MCF-7 breast cancer cells, but not MCF-10A human breast epithelial cells, by up-regulating p53 expression and blocking cell cycle progression at G2/M, followed by apoptosis. Thus, licochalcone A has potential for further development as a therapeutic agent against breast cancer.