bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring beneath the retreating ice: swath bathymetry reveals sub- to proglacial processes and longevity of future alpine glacial lakes
Authors: Hosmann Siro L. , Fabbri Stefano C. , Buechi Marius W. , Hilbe Michael , Bauder Andreas , Anselmetti Flavio S.
Published: April 2024

Knowledge of how glaciations formed landscapes is particularly important as receding glaciers currently uncover subglacial landscapes that are prone to a series of natural hazards, but that also bring opportunities for hydropower or water resources. We present high-resolution (1 × 1 m) swath bathymetric data of a proglacial lake in front of the Rhonegletscher (Swiss Alps) that started to form in the early 2000s allowing a look into a freshly uncovered glacier bed and its characterized morphology in an overdeepened setting. The comparison of two surveys from 2015 and 2021 allows an unprecedented quantification of the accumulation and erosion processes in the central lake basin. This highly dynamic environment is characterized by iceberg calving, fluctuating outflow conduits, rapid sedimentation due to particle-laden meltwaters and dumped glacial debris. Assuming constant sediment yield, the Rhone Lake would persist for ~300 years. However, as intense glacier retreat continues in the coming decades, a chain of overdeepened lakes will be revealed that will act as long persisting sediment traps.
Lagrangian dynamics and regularity of the spin Euler equation
Authors: Meng Zhaoyuan , Yang Yue
Published: April 2024

We derive the spin Euler equation for ideal flows by applying the spherical Clebsch mapping. This equation is based on the spin vector, a unit vector field encoding vortex lines, instead of the velocity. The spin Euler equation enables a feasible Lagrangian study of fluid dynamics, as the isosurface of a spin-vector component is a vortex surface and material surface in ideal flows. We establish a non-blowup criterion for the spin Euler equation, suggesting that the Laplacian of the spin vector must diverge if the solution forms a singularity at some finite time. The direct numerical simulations (DNS) of three ideal flows – the vortex knot, the vortex link and the modified Taylor–Green flow – are conducted by solving the spin Euler equation. The evolution of the Lagrangian vortex surface illustrates that the regions with large vorticity are rapidly stretched into spiral sheets. The DNS result exhibits a pronounced double-exponential growth of the maximum norm of Laplacian of the spin vector, showing no evidence of the finite-time singularity formation if the double-exponential growth holds at later times. Moreover, the present criterion with Lagrangian nature appears to be more sensitive than the Beale–Kato–Majda criterion in detecting the flows that are incapable of producing finite-time singularities.
A distant traveller: a Late Jurassic nerineoid gastropod (Mollusca, Heterobranchia) on the Maasvlakte 2 beach, the Netherlands
Authors: Reumer Jelle W.F. , Schinkel Anders
Published: April 2024

A fragmentary nerineoid gastropod collected from the Maasvlakte 2 beach may be identified as Ptygmatis cf. bruntrutana (Thurmann, 1832). Probably originating from Upper Jurassic strata in north-eastern France, it must have been transported here by a forerunner of the River Meuse (Maas).
Between Land Reform and Postcolonial Frustration: Understanding the Social Roots of Local Opposition to the PAIGC/PAICV in Santo Antão, Cabo Verde, 1975–91
Authors: Keese Alexander
Published: April 2024

This study discusses the processes of increasing social malaise and an “oppositional mood” in the Cape Verdean island of Santo Antão, where growing frustration between 1975 and 1990 led to the building of massive political opposition against the single-party regime in the archipelago. Early scrutiny of the shortcomings of independent administration, anger about the installation of a new police force, resettlement schemes, a failed agrarian reform, regime violence to achieve that reform, and a generalised mood of decline in the second half of the 1980s, constitute different elements explaining the unrest in that island. Based on newly available, local archives as an innovative source, the interpretation of a remote Cape Verdean opposition island also addresses the potential of studying opposition against “winning parties” and regimes after independence in wider regional frameworks, referring to discontent and “oppositional mood” elsewhere in postcolonial (Lusophone) Africa.
Forced to live in the present: older people's temporal experiences of the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Leinonen Emilia , Era Salla
Published: April 2024

This article explores the temporalities experienced by persons aged 70 years and over during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland. Although the temporalities of the pandemic have been analysed from multiple perspectives, we contribute to this line of research in two ways. First, we show how deeply the pandemic affected older people's experiences of temporality. Second, we further develop the concept of forced present to highlight the consequences that the restriction measures had on older persons’ situations and perceptions of temporality. More specifically, we asked the following question: How did older people perceive time (past, present and future) during the pandemic? We used thematic analysis to examine a dataset consisting of written letters (N = 77) collected between April and June 2020. The findings showed that social isolation forced older people to live in the present without being able to plan their near future because they had no knowledge of when they would be ‘free’ again, which made some participants feel anxious and depressed. Furthermore, we found that the present became intertwined with the personal past as well as with the collective past, as evidenced by participants’ descriptions of war, previous pandemics and hardships. This article deepens our understanding of older people's everyday lives during the pandemic and highlights the problematic nature of social isolation of older people as a safety measure. Overall, this article reveals the particularity of older people's experiences in unequal pandemic times and the ageism inherent in the restriction measures.
Real-time adaptive super twisting algorithm based on PSO algorithm: application for an exoskeleton robot
Authors: Tiaiba Hichame , Daachi Mohamed El Hossine , Madani Tarek
Published: April 2024

In this paper, an online adaptive super twisting sliding mode controller is proposed for a non-linear system. The adaptive controller has been designed in order to deal with the unknown dynamic uncertainties and give the best trajectory tracking. The adaptation is based on an optimal Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm whose goal is online tuning the parameters through focusing on decreasing the objective function. The novelty of this study is online handling parameters setting in the conventional super twisting algorithm, bypass heavy offline calculation, and also avoid the instability and abrupt changing of the controller’s parameters for better actuators lifetime. This novel approach has been applied on an upper limb exoskeleton robot for arm rehabilitation. Despite the changes of the dynamic model of the system which defers from one patient to another due to the direct interactions between the wearer and the exoskeleton, this control technique preserves its robustness with respect to bounded external disturbances. The effectiveness of the proposed adaptive controller has been proved in simulation and then in real-time experiment with two human subjects. A comparison between the proposed approach and classic super twisting algorithm has been conducted. The obtained results show the performance and efficiency of the proposed controller.
Unfolding of maternal-infant bonding amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: Social support as a risk and protective factor
Authors: Shiffman N. , Gluska H. , Margalit Shiri , Mayer Y. , Daher R. , Elyasyan L. , Elia N. , Sharon Weiner M. , Miremberg H. , Kovo M. , Biron-Shental T. , Gabbay-Benziv R. , Helpman L.
Published: April 2024

Background:

Social, familial, and physiological stressors may put maternal-infant bonding at risk. Therefore, it is plausible that the stressful conditions brought on by COVID-19 could influence maternal-infant bonding. This study aimed to elucidate the contribution of COVID-19-related experience to variance in maternal-infant bonding, beyond that of established risk factors and as moderated by social support.

Methods:

This longitudinal, multicenter study examined the relationship of demographic and obstetric variables, social support, postpartum depression, as well as COVID-19-related fear, exposure, and subjective difficulty with mother-infant bonding six months following birth. Participants (N = 246) were women who delivered during the pandemics’ strict lockdown period and were recruited 10 weeks after a liveborn delivery and followed up six months later.

Results:

Relationship between fear of COVID-19 and maternal-infant bonding was moderated by social support: Amongst mothers with high levels of social support, fear of COVID-19 negatively predicted bonding.

Discussion:

Results indicate that social support, while overall a protective factor for mother-infant bonding, may lose its buffering effect when fear of COVID-19 is high. This relationship was maintained even when early bonding experiences such as forced separation and the risk incurred by postpartum depression were accounted for. Implications for providers are discussed.
Merchants’ agents and the process of bottom-up harmonization between European towns, fourteenth to sixteenth centuries
Authors: Kypta Ulla
Published: April 2024

Since merchants typically traded between towns, they had to cross legal boundaries on a regular basis. This article discusses one of the instruments they used in order to deal with the challenges of legal pluralism, namely the instalment of proxies. The proxy had to be recognized as a legitimate representative of another merchant and, for that purpose, he carried with him a procuration letter. These letters look remarkably similar considering that they were drafted in different towns across Europe. An analysis of the procurations shows that common rules and norms developed through the constant exchange between merchants and urban authorities.
Humanitarian Aeromedical Retrieval using a Long-Range Commercial Aircraft: A Field Report
Authors: Ghio Federico Emiliano , Zoli Alberto , Stucchi Riccardo , Serini Carlo , Della Torre Simone , Tomaselli Andrea , Di Leo Aurelio , Carenzo Luca
Published: April 2024

This field report presents the planning and execution of a large-scale aeromedical refugee retrieval operation amid the on-going Russia-Ukraine crisis. The retrieval was coordinated by the Italian Department of Civil Protection and led by the Centrale Remota Operazioni Soccorso Sanitario (CROSS), a governmental facility overseeing medical assistance. An Airbus A320 was chosen for its capacity of 165 passengers, with one emergency stretcher maintaining maximum seating. The aircraft was equipped with an Advanced Life Support kit, and specific considerations for medical equipment compliance were made. Special cases, including patients with on-going chemotherapy and end-stage kidney disease, underwent fit-to-fly screening. The boarding process in Lublin, Poland involved triage and arrangements for passengers with gastroenteric symptoms. Notably, 22 passengers with recent episodes of illness were isolated. The successful operation, demonstrating the viability of evacuating vulnerable individuals via commercial airlines, underscores the importance of precise planning and coordination in crisis situations.
Cultural Challenges of the Portuguese Adaptation of an IPIP English-Based Personality Inventory
Authors: Ritter Andrea , Esteves Hugo , Ferreira Aristides
Published: April 2024

Abstract: An instrument to measure job-related traits was developed and adapted to a Portuguese sample. This inventory, an adaptation of items from the International Personality Item Pool ( Goldberg et al., 2006 ), measures a set of work-related facets over two studies ( N = 437). Given the challenges in translating and adapting words and idioms from English to Portuguese, the focus was to ensure the scale remained gender-neutral and that its psychometric quality was enhanced. The findings validated 16 work-related personality scales under a three-factor structure, suggesting a new theoretical model for work-related personality traits in the Portuguese language and professional context. This research underscores the importance of exploring personality in the workplace, particularly within the Portuguese context with its distinct cultural nuances.
The Bilingual Study Methodology in Translating and Adapting Personality Tests
Authors: Afonso Maria João , Novo Rosa , Camilo Cristina , Gonzalez Bárbara
Published: April 2024

Abstract: The bilingual samples’ studies are listed as a useful tool to confirm the equivalence between linguistically different versions of a test. Yet, such studies are rare in the literature, as they require technical issues to be considered before any conclusion about equivalence can be reached. This paper discusses some of these issues, taking the example of the recent MMPI-2-RF Portuguese adaptation and standardization study. The results of a bilingual study ( N = 53) using a single-sample design are analyzed, at item, scale, profile, and structural levels, allowing an encouraging general conclusion about the equivalence of the Portuguese MMPI-2-RF to the North American original version, but also pointing out some directions for improvement. The shortcomings of the classical bilingual studies, and the specific limitations due to the obstacles to bilingual samples’ recruitment in Portugal, are considered. The limited sample size and some other methodological shortcomings are discussed, considering their implications for future Portuguese MMPI equivalence studies.
Possible Eoarchean Records of the Geomagnetic Field Preserved in the Isua Supracrustal Belt, Southern West Greenland
Authors: Nichols Claire I. O. , Weiss Benjamin P. , Eyster Athena , Martin Craig R. , Maloof Adam C. , Kelly Nigel M. , Zawaski Mike J. , Mojzsis Stephen J. , Watson E. Bruce , Cherniak Daniele J.
Published: April 2024

Recovering ancient records of Earth's magnetic field is essential for determining the role of the magnetosphere in protecting early Earth from cosmic radiation and atmospheric escape. We present paleomagnetic field tests hinting that a record of Earth's 3.7‐billion‐year (Ga) old magnetic field may be preserved in the northeastern Isua Supracrustal Belt as a chemical remanent magnetization acquired during amphibolite‐grade metamorphism in the banded iron formation. Multiple petrological and geochronological lines of evidence indicate that the northernmost part of Isua has not experienced metamorphic temperatures exceeding 380°C since the Eoarchean, suggesting the rocks have not been significantly heated since magnetization was acquired. We use “pseudo” baked contact tests (intrusions emplaced 3.26–3.5 Ga ago) and a fold test (folding 3.6 Ga ago) to demonstrate that some samples preserve a ca. 3.7 Ga record of the magnetic field. We recover a field strength of >15 µT. This suggests that Earth's magnetic field may have been weak enough to enhance atmospheric escape during the Archean.
Young hearts, early risks: novel cardiovascular biomarkers in former very preterm infants at kindergarten age
Authors: Mitterer Wolfgang , Odri Komazec Irena , Huber Eva , Schaefer Benedikt , Posod Anna , Kiechl-Kohlendorfer Ursula
Published: April 2024

Background

Preterm birth is associated with long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In adults, fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), α-Klotho, and secretoneurin have all garnered attention as cardiovascular biomarkers, but their utility in pediatric populations has not yet been ascertained. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate these novel cardiovascular biomarkers and their association with indicators of cardiovascular impairment in the highly vulnerable population of former very preterm infants.

Methods

Five- to seven-year-old children born at < 32 weeks’ gestation were eligible for the study. Healthy same-aged children born at term served as controls. Biomarkers were quantified in fasting blood samples, and echocardiographic measurements including assessment of aortic elastic properties were obtained.

Results

We included 26 former very preterm infants and 21 term-born children in the study. At kindergarten age, former very preterm infants exhibited significantly higher plasma concentrations of biologically active intact FGF-23 (iFGF-23; mean 43.2 pg/mL vs. 29.1 pg/mL, p = 0.003) and secretoneurin (median 93.8 pmol/L vs. 70.5 pmol/L, p = 0.046). iFGF-23 inversely correlated with distensibility of the descending aorta.

Conclusion

In preterm-born children, iFGF-23 and secretoneurin both offer prospects as valuable cardiovascular biomarkers, potentially allowing for risk stratification and timely implementation of preventive measures.

Impact

Former very preterm infants have increased plasma concentrations of the novel cardiovascular biomarkers intact fibroblast growth factor-23 (iFGF-23) and secretoneurin at kindergarten age.

Increases in iFGF-23 concentrations are associated with decreased distensibility of the descending aorta even at this early age.

Monitoring of cardiovascular risk factors is essential in individuals with a history of preterm birth. Both iFGF-23 and secretoneurin hold promise as clinically valuable biomarkers for risk stratification, enabling the implementation of early preventive measures.
The effect of topological design on the degradation behavior of additively manufactured porous zinc alloy
Authors: Shi Yixuan , Xu Wei , Che Haodong , Zhao Shangyan , Chang Weiwei , Li Xuan , Lu Yuchen , Xue Chenran , Zhang Dawei , Wang Lu-Ning , Li Yageng
Published: April 2024

The advent of additively manufactured biodegradable porous metals presents a transformative opportunity to meet the criteria of ideal bone substitutes. Precisely tailoring their degradation behavior constitutes a pivotal aspect of this endeavor. In this study, we investigated the effects of topological designs on the degradation profile of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) Zn scaffolds under dynamic in vitro immersion tests. Specifically, four types of Zn-0.4Mn-0.2Mg scaffolds (beam-based: diamond, face center cubic; surface-based: gyroid, schwarz-P) were designed and fabricated. The degradation mechanism of the scaffolds was comprehensively evaluated using both experimental and simulation methods. The results illuminate the profound impact of structural design on the degradation properties of the Zn alloy scaffolds. The beam-based diamond and face center cubic scaffolds exhibited a degradation rate of 0.08–0.12 mm per year with a relatively uniform degradation mode under dynamic immersion. On the contrary, the surface-based gyroid and Schwarz-P scaffolds demonstrated a notably reduced degradation rate due to lower permeability. This restricted the diffusion of medium ions within the pores, culminating in the accumulation of degradation products and more severe localized degradation. This study underscores the potential of topological design as a compelling strategy for tailoring the degradation profile of additively manufactured biodegradable scaffolds, thereby advancing their suitability as bone substitutes.
Impact of global heterogeneity of renewable energy supply on heavy industrial production and green value chains
Authors: Verpoort Philipp C. , Gast Lukas , Hofmann Anke , Ueckerdt Falko
Published: April 2024

On the path to climate neutrality, global production locations and trade patterns of basic materials might change due to the heterogeneous availability of renewable electricity. Here we estimate the ‘renewables pull’, that is, the energy-cost savings, for varying depths of relocation for three key tradable energy-intensive industrial commodities: steel, urea and ethylene. For an electricity-price difference of €40 MWh−1, we find respective relocation savings of 18%, 32% and 38%, which might, despite soft factors in the private sector, lead to green relocation. Conserving today’s production patterns by shipping hydrogen is substantially costlier, whereas trading intermediate products could save costs while keeping substantial value creation in renewable-scarce importing regions. In renewable-scarce regions, a societal debate on macroeconomic, industrial and geopolitical implications is needed, potentially resulting in selective policies of green-relocation protection.
Spatiotemporally resolved colorectal oncogenesis in mini-colons ex vivo
Authors: Lorenzo-Martín L. Francisco , Hübscher Tania , Bowler Amber D. , Broguiere Nicolas , Langer Jakob , Tillard Lucie , Nikolaev Mikhail , Radtke Freddy , Lutolf Matthias P.
Published: April 2024

Three-dimensional organoid culture technologies have revolutionized cancer research by allowing for more realistic and scalable reproductions of both tumour and microenvironmental structures1–3. This has enabled better modelling of low-complexity cancer cell behaviours that occur over relatively short periods of time4. However, available organoid systems do not capture the intricate evolutionary process of cancer development in terms of tissue architecture, cell diversity, homeostasis and lifespan. As a consequence, oncogenesis and tumour formation studies are not possible in vitro and instead require the extensive use of animal models, which provide limited spatiotemporal resolution of cellular dynamics and come at a considerable cost in terms of resources and animal lives. Here we developed topobiologically complex mini-colons that are able to undergo tumorigenesis ex vivo by integrating microfabrication, optogenetic and tissue engineering approaches. With this system, tumorigenic transformation can be spatiotemporally controlled by directing oncogenic activation through blue-light exposure, and emergent colon tumours can be tracked in real-time at the single-cell resolution for several weeks without breaking the culture. These induced mini-colons display rich intratumoural and intertumoural diversity and recapitulate key pathophysiological hallmarks displayed by colorectal tumours in vivo. By fine-tuning cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic parameters, mini-colons can be used to identify tumorigenic determinants and pharmacological opportunities. As a whole, our study paves the way for cancer initiation research outside living organisms.
HiMIC-Monthly: A 1 km high-resolution atmospheric moisture index collection over China, 2003–2020
Authors: Zhang Hui , Luo Ming , Zhan Wenfeng , Zhao Yongquan , Yang Yuanjian , Ge Erjia , Ning Guicai , Cong Jing
Published: April 2024

Near-surface atmospheric moisture is a key environmental and hydro-climatic variable that has significant implications for the natural and human systems. However, high-resolution moisture data are severely lacking for fine-scale studies. Here, we develop the first 1 km high spatial resolution dataset of monthly moisture index collection in China (HiMIC-Monthly) over a long period of 2003~2020. HiMIC-Monthly is generated by the light gradient boosting machine algorithm (LightGBM) based on observations at 2,419 weather stations and multiple covariates, including land surface temperature, vapor pressure, land cover, impervious surface proportion, population density, and topography. This collection includes six commonly used moisture indices, enabling fine-scale assessment of moisture conditions from different perspectives. Results show that the HiMIC-Monthly dataset has a good performance, with R2 values for all six moisture indices exceeding 0.96 and root mean square error and mean absolute error values within a reasonable range. The dataset exhibits high consistency with in situ observations over various spatial and temporal regimes, demonstrating broad applicability and strong reliability.
A robust optimization model for multi-objective blood supply chain network considering scenario analysis under uncertainty: a multi-objective approach
Authors: Fariman Saeed Khakshouri , Danesh Kasra , Pourtalebiyan Mostafa , Fakhri Zahra , Motallebi Ali , fozooni Ali
Published: April 2024

Annually, different regions of the world are affected by natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, resulting in significant loss of lives and financial resources. These events necessitate rescue operations, including the provision and distribution of relief items like food and clothing. One of the most critical challenges in such crises is meeting the blood requirement, as an efficient and reliable blood supply chain is indispensable. The perishable nature of blood precludes the establishment of a reserve stock, making it essential to minimize shortages through effective approaches and designs. In this study, we develop a mathematical programming model to optimize supply chains in post-crisis scenarios using multiple objectives. Presented model allocates blood to various demand facilities based on their quantity and location, considering potential situations. We employ real data from a case study in Iran and a robust optimization approach to address the issue. The study identifies blood donation centers and medical facilities, as well as the number and locations of new facilities needed. We also conduct scenario analysis to enhance the realism of presented approach. Presented research demonstrates that with proper management, crises of this nature can be handled with minimal expense and deficiency.
Students and physicians differ in perception of quality of life in patients with tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract
Authors: Schooren Lena , Oberhoff Grace , Schipper Sandra , Koch Alexander , Kroh Andreas , Olde Damink Steven , Ulmer Tom F. , Neumann Ulf P. , Alizai Patrick H. , Schmitz Sophia M.
Published: April 2024

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has recently gained importance as treatment options for tumors of the upper GI tract lead to improved long-term survival. HRQoL is often estimated by physicians even though their reliability and the impact of outside factors such as contact time and level of medical education is unclear. Therefore, in this study we investigated the correlation between physicians’, students’, and patients’ assessment of HRQoL. 54 patients presenting with tumors of the upper GI tract were included and asked to fill out the standardized HRQoL questionnaires EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OG25. Attending physicians and medical students filled out the same questionnaires through estimation of patients’ HRQoL. Correlation was assessed through Pearson’s and Kendall’s τb coefficients. Physicians’ and patients’ assessments correlated for one out of six of the functional and a third of the symptom scores. Students’ and patients’ assessments correlated for one third of the functional and two thirds of the symptom scores. Students tended to underestimate patients’ symptom burden while physicians tended to overestimate it. Physicians failed to correctly assess several pathognomonic symptoms in this study. Students showed higher correlation with patients’ symptoms than physicians. Even so, this adds to mounting evidence that shows the benefit of using patient-reported outcomes as a gold standard regarding HRQoL.
Management of pediatric vanishing testes syndrome based on pathological diagnosis: a single-center retrospective study
Authors: Mao Chang-Kun , Yuan-Fang  , Cao Yong-Sheng
Published: April 2024

This study aims to explore the optimal management strategy for pediatric vanishing testes syndrome (VTS) based on pathological characteristics. We retrospectively analyzed clinical data and pathological results of children with unilateral VTS who underwent surgical treatment at our center from July 2012 to July 2023. The children were categorized into the testicular excision group and testicular preservation group based on the surgical approach. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between the two groups. Pathological examination results of excised testicular tissues were collected and analyzed, and long-term follow-up was conducted. A total of 368 children were included in this study. The age of the children at the time of surgery was 27 months (range, 6–156). Among them, 267 cases (72.6%) had VTS on the left side, and 101 cases (27.4%) on the right side. There were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) in age, affected side, contralateral testicular hypertrophy (CTH), testicular location, and preferred surgical incision between the testicular excision group (n = 336) and the testicular preservation group (n = 32). In the preservation group, two children experienced scrotal incision infections, showing a statistically significant difference compared to the excision group (P < 0.05). Pathological examination of excised tissues revealed fibrosis as the most common finding (79.5%), followed by vas deferens involvement (67%), epididymis involvement (40.5%), calcification (38.4%), and hemosiderin deposition (17.9%). Seminiferous tubules (SNT) was present in 24 cases (7.1%), germ cells (GC)in 15 cases (4.5%), and ectopic adrenal cortical tissue(EACT) in 1 case (0.3%). VTS belongs to a type of non-palpable testes (NPT) and requires surgical exploration. Considering the risk of scrotal incision infection after preserving atrophic testicular remnants and the unpredictable malignant potential, we recommend excision.
Design and analysis of a complementary structure-based high selectivity tri-band frequency selective surface
Authors: Li Zhiming , Weng Xiaolong , Yi Xu , Li Kai , Duan Wei , Bi Mei
Published: April 2024

This work presents a novel tri-band bandpass frequency selective surface (FSS) that achieves high-order filtering responses in different frequency bands by means of a complementary structure. The proposed FSS is composed of three metal periodic arrays, which are separated by multilayer dielectric substrates. The gridded-double convoluted loop (G-DCL) structure, which is the middle layer structure, is a hybrid resonator that generates different resonant frequencies. The top and bottom layer structures are designed as complementary structures to the middle layer. To accurately describe the frequency responses, an equivalent circuit model (ECM) has been constructed over the entire band from 0 to 16 GHz. The results of the simulation indicate that the developed FSS can generate three pass-bands operating at 3.79 GHz, 8.34 GHz, and 12.52 GHz, respectively, and − 3 dB fractional bandwidths are 52.8%, 13.7%, and 19.7%. The transmission responses at the edges of each passband show a quick roll-off from the passband to the stopband, and there is significant out-of-band suppression between adjacent passbands. Moreover, the FSS maintains excellent angular and polarization stability within a 50° range. For verification, the tri-band FSS has been fabricated and tested. The experimental results match the simulation results, validating the accuracy of the FSS design.
Multiple factors affecting Ixodes ricinus ticks and associated pathogens in European temperate ecosystems (northeastern France)
Authors: Boulanger Nathalie , Aran Delphine , Maul Armand , Camara Baba Issa , Barthel Cathy , Zaffino Marie , Lett Marie-Claire , Schnitzler Annick , Bauda Pascale
Published: April 2024

In Europe, the main vector of tick-borne zoonoses is Ixodes ricinus, which has three life stages. During their development cycle, ticks take three separate blood meals from a wide variety of vertebrate hosts, during which they can acquire and transmit human pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis. In this study conducted in Northeastern France, we studied the importance of soil type, land use, forest stand type, and temporal dynamics on the abundance of ticks and their associated pathogens. Negative binomial regression modeling of the results indicated that limestone-based soils were more favorable to ticks than sandstone-based soils. The highest tick abundance was observed in forests, particularly among coniferous and mixed stands. We identified an effect of habitat time dynamics in forests and in wetlands: recent forests and current wetlands supported more ticks than stable forests and former wetlands, respectively. We observed a close association between tick abundance and the abundance of Cervidae, Leporidae, and birds. The tick-borne pathogens responsible for Lyme borreliosis, anaplasmosis, and hard tick relapsing fever showed specific habitat preferences and associations with specific animal families. Machine learning algorithms identified soil related variables as the best predictors of tick and pathogen abundance.
Load frequency stabilization of distinct hybrid conventional and renewable power systems incorporated with electrical vehicles and capacitive energy storage
Authors: Daraz Amil , Alrajhi Hasan , Basit Abdul , Afzal Abdul Rahman , Alahmadi Ahmed N. M. , Khan Irfan Ahmed
Published: April 2024

Maintaining a power balance between generation and demand is generally acknowledged as being essential to maintaining a system frequency within reasonable bounds. This is especially important for linked renewable-based hybrid power systems (HPS), where disruptions are more likely to occur. This paper suggests a prominent modified “Fractional order-proportional-integral with double derivative (FOPIDD2) controller” as an innovative HPS controller in order to navigate these obstacles. The recommended control approach has been validated in power systems including wind, reheat thermal, solar, and hydro generating, as well as capacitive energy storage and electric vehicle. The improved controller’s performance is evaluated by comparing it to regular FOPID, PID, and PIDD2 controllers. Furthermore, the gains of the newly structured FOPIDD2 controller are optimized using a newly intended algorithm terms as squid game optimizer (SGO). The controller’s performance is compared to benchmarks such as the grey wolf optimizer (GWO) and jellyfish search optimization. By comparing performance characteristics such as maximum frequency undershoot/overshoot, and steadying time, the SGO-FOPIDD2 controller outperforms the other techniques. The suggested SGO optimized FOPIDD2 controller was analyzed and validated for its ability to withstand the influence of power system parameter uncertainties under various loading scenarios and situations. Without any complicated design, the results show that the new controller can work steadily and regulate frequency with an appropriate controller coefficient.
Rational Sine-Gordon expansion method to analyze the dynamical behavior of the time-fractional phi-four and (2 + 1) dimensional CBS equations
Authors: Mamun Abdulla-Al- , Lu Chunhui , Ananna Samsun Nahar , Uddin Md Mohi
Published: April 2024

This study uses the rational Sine-Gordon expansion (RSGE) method to investigate the dynamical behavior of traveling wave solutions of the water wave phenomena for the time-fractional phi-four equation and the (2 + 1) dimensional Calogero-Bogoyavlanskil schilf (CBS) equation based on the conformable derivative. The technique uses the sine-Gordon equation as an auxiliary equation to generalize the well-known sine-Gordon expansion. It adopts a more broad strategy, a rational function rather than a polynomial one, of the solutions of the auxiliary equation, in contrast to the traditional sine-Gordon expansion technique. Several explanations for hyperbolic functions may be produced using the previously stated approach. The approach mentioned above is employed to provide diverse solutions of the time-fractional phi-four equation and the (2 + 1) dimensional CBS equations involving hyperbolic functions, such as soliton, single soliton, multiple-soliton, kink, cusp, lump-kink, kink double-soliton, and others. The RSGE approach enhances our comprehension of nonlinear processes, offers precise solutions to nonlinear equations, facilitates the investigation of solitons, propels the development of mathematical tools, and is applicable in many scientific and technical fields. The solutions are graphically shown in three-dimensional (3D) surface and contour plots using MATLAB software. All screens display the absolute wave configurations in the resolutions of the equation with the proper parameters. Furthermore, it can be deduced that the physical properties of the found solutions and their characteristics may help us comprehend how shallow water waves move in nonlinear dynamics.
Prediction of early recovery of graft function after living donor liver transplantation in children
Authors: Tan Bingqian , Yang Chenyu , Hu Jiqiang , Xing Huiwu , Zhang Mingman
Published: April 2024

For end-stage liver disease in children, living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is often the important standard curative treatment. However, there is a lack of research on early recovery of graft function after pediatric LDLT. This is a single-center, ambispective cohort study. We collected the demographic and clinicopathological data of donors and recipients, and determined the risk factors of postoperative delayed recovery of hepatic function (DRHF) by univariate and multivariate Logistic analyses. 181 cases were included in the retrospective cohort and 50 cases in the prospective cohort. The incidence of DRHF after LDLT in children was 29.4%, and DRHF could well evaluate the early recovery of graft function after LDLT. Through Logistic analyses and AIC score, preoperative liver function of donors, ischemia duration level of the liver graft, Ln (Cr of recipients before operation) and Ln (TB of recipients on the 3rd day after operation) were predictive indicators for DRHF after LDLT in children. Using the above factors, we constructed a predictive model to evaluate the incidence of postoperative DRHF. Self-verification and prospective internal verification showed that this prediction model had good accuracy and clinical applicability. In conclusion, we pointed many risk factors for early delayed recovery of graft function after LDLT in children, and developed a visual and personalized predictive model for them, offering valuable insights for clinical management.
Engineering blue-green infrastructure for and with biodiversity in cities
Authors: Perrelet Kilian , Moretti Marco , Dietzel Andreas , Altermatt Florian , Cook Lauren M.
Published: April 2024

Blue-green infrastructure (BGI), combining semi-natural and engineered elements, offers multifaceted benefits like stormwater management, water purification, heat mitigation, and habitat provision. However, current BGI designs prioritize engineering goals, overlooking its ecological potential. Here we advocate for integrating engineering and ecological objectives into BGI design to enhance performance and biodiversity. Through an interdisciplinary literature review, we emphasize the importance of species diversity, abundance, and ecological processes, to improve engineering performance and resilience, and lower management costs. We emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to navigate trade-offs between engineering and ecological objectives, ultimately enabling us to engineer both for and with biodiversity.
Analyzing microstructure relationships in porous copper using a multi-method machine learning-based approach
Authors: Wijaya Andi , Wagner Julian , Sartory Bernhard , Brunner Roland
Published: April 2024

The prediction of material properties from a given microstructure and its reverse engineering displays an essential ingredient for accelerated material design. However, a comprehensive methodology to uncover the processing-structure-property relationship is still lacking. Herein, we develop a methodology capable of understanding this relationship for differently processed porous materials. We utilize a multi-method machine learning approach incorporating tomographic image data acquisition, segmentation, microstructure feature extraction, feature importance analysis and synthetic microstructure reconstruction. Enhanced segmentation with an accuracy of about 95% based on an efficient annotation technique provides the basis for accurate microstructure quantification, prediction and understanding of the correlation of the extracted microstructure features and electrical conductivity. We show that a diffusion probabilistic model superior to a generative adversarial network model, provides synthetic microstructure images including physical information in agreement with real data, an essential step to predicting properties of unseen conditions.
Narrow bandgap silver mercury telluride alloy semiconductor nanocrystal for self-powered midwavelength-infrared photodiode
Authors: Song Haemin , Eom So Young , Kim Gahyeon , Jung Yoon Seo , Choi Dongsun , Kumar Gundam Sandeep , Lee Jin Hyeok , Kang Hyeong Seok , Ban Jiyeon , Seo Gyeong Won , Hong Sungmin , Bae Sooho , Hwang Gyu Weon , Kim Woong , Jeong Kwang Seob
Published: April 2024

Infrared colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have been of interest due to their low-cost fabrication and facile wavelength tunability for various infrared optoelectronic applications. Recently, the mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) quantum dot sensor has been successfully realized by forming a photodiode via a post-chemical treatment method. Controlling the doping density of the quantum dot solid and engineering the device structure require an extremely sophisticated technique, which hinders consistent doping density and restricts further development in understanding the fundamental photophysics and manufacturing process. Here, we report an air-stable and highly reproducible MWIR CQDs photodiode by incorporating synthesized p-doped Ag-HgTe colloidal nanocrystals (NCs). The Ag-HgTe alloy NCs allow clearly defined p-doped QDs layers, leading to uniform dopant distribution and the ease of engineering device fabrication. By optimizing the doping density, we achieved an average noise equivalent temperature difference of below 10 mK at 78 K with the self-powered MWIR photodiode sensor.
Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades
Authors: Løkkegaard Anja , Colgan William , Hansen Karina , Thorsøe Kisser , Jakobsen Jakob , Khan Shfaqat Abbas
Published: April 2024

In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products hampers the detection of inland changes. In-situ measurements using stake surveys or GPS have lower uncertainties. To detect inland changes, we repeated in-situ measurements of ice-sheet surface velocities at 11 historical locations first measured in 1959, located upstream of Jakobshavn Isbræ, west Greenland. Here, we show ice velocities have increased by 5–15% across all deep inland sites. Several sites show a northward deflection of 3–4.5° in their flow azimuth. The recent appearance of a network of large transverse surface crevasses, bisecting historical overland traverse routes, may indicate a fundamental shift in local ice dynamics. We suggest that creep instability—a coincident warming and softening of near-bed ice layers—may explain recent acceleration and rotation, in the absence of an appreciable change in local driving stress.
Shifts in magnetic mineral assemblages support ocean deoxygenation before the end-Permian mass extinction
Authors: Zhang Min , Qin Huafeng , Hou Yifei , He Kuang , Deng Chenglong , Shen Shu-Zhong , Pan Yong-Xin
Published: April 2024

Expansion of oceanic anoxia is a prevailing hypothesis for driving the marine end-Permian mass extinction and is mainly based on isotopic geochemical proxies. However, long-term oceanic redox conditions before the end-Permian mass extinction remain unresolved. Here we report a secular redox trend based on rock magnetic experiments and cerium anomalies through the Changhsingian and across the Permian-Triassic boundary at the Meishan section, China. Magnetic mineral assemblages changed dramatically at ca. 252.8 million years age (Ma), which indicates that oceanic deoxygenation started about 0.9 million years earlier than the end-Permian mass extinction. The magnetite-dominant post end-Permian mass extinction interval suggests a ferruginous dysoxic conditions with enhanced weathering in the earliest Triassic. Also, a gradual magnetite abundance decrease to pre-extinction levels is observed at ca. 251.5 Ma, coinciding temporally with the waning of Siberian Trap and arc volcanism. All of these observations demonstrate that environmental deterioration began much earlier than the end-Permian mass extinction and finally collapsed in the end-Permian.
Thermal contrast enhancement predicts paradoxical heat sensation
Authors: Mitchell Alexandra G. , Fischer Ehmsen Jesper , Basińska Małgorzata , Courtin Arthur S. , Böhme Rebecca A. , Sardeto Deolindo Camila , Allen Micah G. , Sandberg Kristian , Fardo Francesca
Published: April 2024

Paradoxical Heat Sensation (PHS) is the remarkable feeling of warmth or heat pain while the skin is cooling. Despite its initial documentation over 100 years ago, a unified explanation for this perplexing experience remains elusive. Here we apply contrast enhancement principles, known for their instrumental role in understanding visual illusions, to the domain of thermosensation. Contrast enhancement describes the amplification of two contrasting visual features, such as the enhanced perception of an edge between a light and dark bar. In thermosensation, this encompasses an enhancement of the difference between sequential warming and cooling of the skin, and is defined as the normalised difference between successive temporal warm and cold temperatures. Remarkably, thermal contrast predicts the occurrence of PHS. Our findings reveal compelling evidence supporting the role of thermal contrast in the generation of PHS, shedding light on its underlying mechanism and offering a framework for broader encoding principles in thermosensation and pain.
Dynamic control of gene expression by ISGF3 and IRF1 during IFNβ and IFNγ signaling
Authors: Ravi Sundar Jose Geetha Aarathy , Fischer Katrin , Babadei Olga , Smesnik Georg , Vogt Alex , Platanitis Ekaterini , Müller Mathias , Farlik Matthias , Decker Thomas
Published: April 2024

Type I interferons (IFN-I, including IFNβ) and IFNγ produce overlapping, yet clearly distinct immunological activities. Recent data show that the distinctness of global transcriptional responses to the two IFN types is not apparent when comparing their immediate effects. By analyzing nascent transcripts induced by IFN-I or IFNγ over a period of 48 h, we now show that the distinctiveness of the transcriptomes emerges over time and is based on differential employment of the ISGF3 complex as well as of the second-tier transcription factor IRF1. The distinct transcriptional properties of ISGF3 and IRF1 correspond with a largely diverse nuclear protein interactome. Mechanistically, we describe the specific input of ISGF3 and IRF1 into enhancer activation and the regulation of chromatin accessibility at interferon-stimulated genes (ISG). We further report differences between the IFN types in altering RNA polymerase II pausing at ISG 5’ ends. Our data provide insight how transcriptional regulators create immunological identities of IFN-I and IFNγ.
Spatio-temporal changes in the pre-monsoon thunderstorm activities of northeast India over the past four decades
Authors: Rastogi Arpita , Kuttippurath J. , Patel V. K.
Published: April 2024

Thunderstorms inflict significant danger to both human and environment. Here, we present a thorough examination of recent changes in thunderstorm occurrences in the northeast and eastern regions of India.
Construction of honeycomb porous silicon as a high-capacity and long-life anode toward Li-ion batteries
Authors: Han Guangrui , Liu Lang , Jia Minyu , Li Xuting , Hou Linrui , Yuan Changzhou
Published: April 2024

Honeycomb porous Si is purposefully designed as a promising material to effectively alleviate the volume expansion of Si-based anodes toward advanced Li-ion batteries.