bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lattice and electronic structure of ScN observed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements
Authors: Al-Atabi Hayder A. , Zhang Xiaotian , He Shanmei , chen Cheng , Chen Yulin , Rotenberg Eli , Edgar James H.
Published: November 2022

Scandium nitride (ScN) has recently attracted much attention for its potential applications in thermoelectric energy conversion, as a semiconductor in epitaxial metal/semiconductor superlattices, as a substrate for GaN growth, and alloying it with AlN for 5G technology. This study was undertaken to better understand its stoichiometry and electronic structure. ScN (100) single crystals 2 mm thick were grown on a single crystal tungsten (100) substrate by a physical vapor transport method over a temperature range of 1900–2000 °C and a pressure of 20 Torr. The core level spectra of Sc 2p3/2,1/2 and N 1s were obtained by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS core levels were shifted by 1.1 eV toward higher values as the [Sc]:[N] ratio varied from 1.4 at 1900 °C to ∼1.0 at 2000 °C due to the higher binding energies in stoichiometric ScN. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements confirmed that ScN has an indirect bandgap of ∼1.2 eV.
Application of the Maxwell–Stefan theory in modeling gas diffusion experiments into isolated oil droplets by water
Authors: Mirazimi Seyedamir , Rostami Behzad , Ghazanfari Mohammad-Hossein , Khosravi Maryam
Published: November 2022

We have used the Maxwell–Stefan diffusion theory to model the mass transfer between tertiary-injected gas and residual oil blocked by water, in order to predict the time required for the rupture of the water barrier due to oil swelling. We have also designed and conducted a set of visualization micromodel experiments on various pure and multicomponent oil–gas systems to measure the water rupture time in tertiary gas injection processes. The experimental results show that the initial pressure and dimensions of the system, the oil and gas composition, and the gas solubility in water control the oil swelling process. The experimentally measured rupture times are then employed to evaluate the reliability of the model and to compare its accuracy with that of a similar one using classical Fick's law. Our modeling results show that both models are able to estimate the water rupture time for pure systems with an acceptable precision. As for multicomponent mixtures, however, only the Maxwell–Stefan theory is capable of modeling the molecular diffusion process correctly and yields values close to reality, while the use of Fick's law would lead to erroneous results. Deficiency of the latter model becomes more acute when the diffusion direction in reality is contrary to what the model indicates, which leads to failure in calculating any value for rupture time at all for these cases.
MSCN-NET: Multi-stage cascade neural network based on attention mechanism for Čerenkov luminescence tomography
Authors: Du Mengfei , Chen Yi , Li Weitong , Su Linzhi , Yi Huangjian , Zhao Fengjun , Li Kang , Wang Lin , Cao Xin
Published: November 2022

Čerenkov luminescence tomography (CLT) is a highly sensitive and promising technique for three-dimensional non-invasive detection of radiopharmaceuticals in living organisms. However, the severe photon scattering effect causes ill-posedness of the inverse problem, and the results of CLT reconstruction are still unsatisfactory. In this work, a multi-stage cascade neural network is proposed to improve the performance of CLT reconstruction, which is based on the attention mechanism and introduces a special constraint. The network cascades an inverse sub-network (ISN) and a forward sub-network (FSN), where the ISN extrapolates the distribution of internal Čerenkov sources from the surface photon intensity, and the FSN is used to derive the surface photon intensity from the reconstructed Čerenkov source, similar to the transmission process of photons in living organisms. In addition, the FSN further optimizes the reconstruction results of the ISN. To evaluate the performance of our proposed method, numerical simulation experiments and in vivo experiments were carried out. The results show that compared with the existing methods, this method can achieve superior performance in terms of location accuracy and shape recovery capability.
The fourth-order expansion of the exchange hole and neural networks to construct exchange–correlation functionals
Authors: Cuierrier Etienne , Roy Pierre-Olivier , Wang Rodrigo , Ernzerhof Matthias
Published: November 2022

The curvature Qσ of spherically averaged exchange (X) holes ρX,σ(r, u) is one of the crucial variables for the construction of approximations to the exchange–correlation energy of Kohn–Sham theory, the most prominent example being the Becke–Roussel model [A. D. Becke and M. R. Roussel, Phys. Rev. A 39, 3761 (1989)]. Here, we consider the next higher nonzero derivative of the spherically averaged X hole, the fourth-order term Tσ. This variable contains information about the nonlocality of the X hole and we employ it to approximate hybrid functionals, eliminating the sometimes demanding calculation of the exact X energy. The new functional is constructed using machine learning; having identified a physical correlation between Tσ and the nonlocality of the X hole, we employ a neural network to express this relation. While we only modify the X functional of the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof functional [Perdew et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 3865 (1996)], a significant improvement over this method is achieved.
First-principles study of two-dimensional half-metallic ferromagnetism in NiXCl (X = S and Se) monolayer
Authors: Xu Xia , Wan Wenhui , Liu Yong
Published: November 2022

Half-metallic ferromagnets with the character of making maximum use of spin polarization become the center of scientific research. Specifically, two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic materials, due to their 100% spin polarization at the Fermi level, are highly desirable for spintronic devices. Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrated that the NiSCl and NiSeCl monolayers are intrinsic 2D ferromagnetic half-metals. The predicted Curie temperatures of the NiSCl and NiSeCl monolayers are 311 and 180 K by Monte Carlo simulations, respectively. The calculated electronic structures using the Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof hybrid functional showed that their half-metallic bandgaps are 1.06 and 0.53 eV, and 3.40 and 2.68 eV for NiSCl and NiSeCl monolayers, respectively. These results indicated that 2D NiSCl and NiSeCl are promising half-metallic materials.
Study on thermal decomposition characteristics of C6F12O/O2/CO2 gas mixtures
Authors: Tian Shuangshuang , Jin Xiaoping , Zhang Xiaoxing , Li Xiaohan , Yuan Zian , Chen Li
Published: November 2022

Due to its excellent insulation properties and environmental characteristics, C6F12O gas mixture shows a wide range of applications prospects in low and medium voltage gas insulated equipment. The thermal decomposition characteristics of gas insulating medium are of great importance for the industrial application of gases and the operation and maintenance of equipment. In this paper, the type and concentration of the main products of the thermal decomposition of C6F12O/O2/CO2 gas mixture are researched experimentally with different O2 mixing ratios, and the effective gas production rate is analyzed. The mechanism of thermal decomposition of C6F12O/O2/CO2 gas mixture is studied based on ReaxFF molecular dynamics. The experimental results show that the main thermal decomposition products are CF4, C2F6, C3F6, C3F8, C4F10, C5F12, and C6F14. The addition of O2 promotes the thermal decomposition of the C6F12O/O2/CO2 gas mixture. Theoretical studies show that the C6F12O in the mixture undergoes the multistage decomposition reaction. The main particles of all levels of decomposition are C3F7COCF2, CF3, CF3CFC(O) (CF2), CF2CO, C3F7, C3F7C(O) (CF2), CFC(O) (CF2), FCCO, F, CF3CFCF2, CO, and CF2. The results of the research can provide some reference for the engineering application and maintenance of C6F12O gas mixture insulated equipment.
Computational analysis of vortex dynamics and aerodynamic performance in flying-snake-like gliding flight with horizontal undulation
Authors: Gong Yuchen , Wang Junshi , Zhang Wei , Socha John J. , Dong Haibo
Published: November 2022

This paper numerically studies the flow dynamics of aerial undulation of a snake-like model, which is adapted from the kinematics of the flying snake (Chrysopelea) undergoing a gliding process. The model applies aerial undulation periodically in a horizontal plane where a range of angle of attack (AOA) is assigned to model the real gliding motion. The flow is simulated using an immersed-boundary-method-based incompressible flow solver. Local mesh refinement mesh blocks are implemented to ensure the grid resolutions around the moving body. Results show that the undulating body produces the maximum lift at 45° of AOA. Vortex dynamics analysis has revealed a series of vortex structures including leading-edge vortices (LEV), trailing-edge vortices, and tip vortices around the body. Changes in other key parameters including the undulation frequency and Reynolds number are also found to affect the aerodynamics of the studied snake-like model, where increasing of undulation frequency enhances vortex steadiness and increasing of Reynolds number enhances lift production due to the strengthened LEVs. This study represents the first study of both the aerodynamics of the whole body of the snake as well as its undulatory motion, providing a new basis for investigating the mechanics of elongated flexible flyers.
Ultra-wideband and high-efficiency cross-polarization conversion using a double split ring shaped metasurface for C, X, and Ku-band applications
Authors: Nguyen Thi Minh , Phan Huu Lam , Vu Dinh Lam , Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa , Kim Jung-Mu
Published: November 2022

Polarization converters play an important role in practical applications to manipulate the electromagnetic wave. However, the development of a polarization converter that possesses both high conversion efficiency and a wide frequency band is very challenging due to the trade-off between them. Here, we present an ultra-wideband and high-efficiency cross-polarization converter based on a double split ring shaped metasurface. The performance of the proposed converter is simulated and verified by experiments, showing a good agreement. The proposed polarization converter shows the cross-polarization conversion with a conversion efficiency above 93% in a wide frequency range from 4.0 to 14.0 GHz covering the entire C- and X-bands and a part of the Ku-band due to the combination of multi-modes of magnetic and electric resonances. Compared with other ultra-wideband polarization converters, the proposed converter shows excellent characteristics in terms of high efficiency, wide frequency band, and lightweight design, demonstrating a great potential application in C-, X-, and Ku-bands.
Thermodynamics of stationary states of the ideal gas in a heat flow
Authors: Hołyst Robert , Makuch Karol , Maciołek Anna , Żuk Paweł J.
Published: November 2022

There is a long-standing question as to whether and to what extent it is possible to describe nonequilibrium systems in stationary states in terms of global thermodynamic functions. The positive answers have been obtained only for isothermal systems or systems with small temperature differences. We formulate thermodynamics of the stationary states of the ideal gas subjected to heat flow in the form of the zeroth, first, and second law. Surprisingly, the formal structure of steady state thermodynamics is the same as in equilibrium thermodynamics. We rigorously show that U satisfies the following equation dU = T*dS* − pdV for a constant number of particles, irrespective of the shape of the container, boundary conditions, the size of the system, or the mode of heat transfer into the system. We calculate S* and T* explicitly. The theory selects stable nonequilibrium steady states in a multistable system of ideal gas subjected to volumetric heating. It reduces to equilibrium thermodynamics when heat flux goes to zero.
Review of Scientific Instruments New Products
Authors: Mandelis Andreas
Published: November 2022

In order to supplement manufacturers’ information, this department will welcome the submission by our readers of brief communications reporting measurements on the physical properties of materials that supersede earlier data or suggest new research applications.
Chemical characterisation of natural and anthropogenic inputs of dust in the seasonal snowpack (2017–2020) at Calderone Glacier (Gran Sasso d’Italia)
Authors: Bruschi Federica , Moroni Beatrice , Petroselli Chiara , Gravina Paola , Selvaggi Roberta , Pecci Massimo , Spolaor Andrea , Tuccella Paolo , Raparelli Edoardo , Gabrieli Jacopo , Esposito Giulio , D’Aquila Pinuccio , Cappelletti David
Published: November 2022

Environmental context We present a chemical characterisation of the seasonal snowpack sampled for four consecutive years at the Calderone, the southernmost glacier still surviving in peninsular Italy. This debris covered glacier recently split into two little ice bodies, whose evolution could be influenced by the snowpack properties. In particular the impact of long-range aerosol advections on concentrations of impurities in the snowpack over the local background is discussed. Rationale The Calderone Glacier (Central Apennine, Gran Sasso d’Italia mountain group) is the southernmost glacial apparatus in Europe, split into two glacierets (Upper and Lower Calderone) since the end of the last millennium. Because of its location and altitude, this site is mainly characterised by the long-range transport of air masses which arise from different Mediterranean source regions. Therefore, the seasonal snowpack’s chemistry is strongly affected by the dry and wet deposition of contaminants associated with anthropogenic and natural sources. Methodology In the present study, the seasonal snowpack stratified on the Calderone glacier has been characterised for four consecutive years (2017–2020) in the same monitoring site (2700 m asl), where a snow pit has been dug yearly, to observe the modification of chemical and physical properties depending on local and long-range atmospheric contributions. We determined the concentrations and fluxes of major inorganic ions (MIs) by ion chromatography and of 31 trace elements (TEs) by triple quadrupole ICP-MS. Results Major and trace element concentration profiles along the snowpack allowed to discriminate the snow layers contaminated by long range advections from the uncontaminated ones. The uncontaminated snow layers’ concentrations were used to calculate regional background values. The results have been compared to other remote sites to assess their robustness. Discussion Different source contributions have been recognised using enrichment factors for the trace elements, particularly crustal, marine and anthropogenic. Deposited atmospheric aerosols, found in the snowpack as distinct layers generated during intense air mass advections, have been correlated to these contributions.
Investigation of diffusion and binding properties of uranium in the diffusive gradients in thin-films technique
Authors: Cheng Hao , Li Yanying , Pouran Hamid , Davison William , Zhang Hao
Published: November 2022

Environmental context Monitoring uranium concentrations and speciation in aquatic systems is important for pollution control and for environmental studies. Although an in situ speciation technique based on diffusion and uptake of uranium has been developed, known as DGT, there were uncertainties over some parameters affecting the accuracy of the measurements. This study resolved those uncertainties by investigating diffusion and binding properties of uranium in DGT and provided confidence in monitoring uranium in the environment. Rationale Diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) ha been used for uranium speciation measurements since 2006, but interpretational difficulties have arisen due to uncertainties in the pH dependence of U diffusion coefficients (D) within the diffusive gel. This work tested the hypothesis that differences in measured D values between laboratories are due to methodological artifacts. Methodology The properties of uranium binding and diffusion of U within DGT were systematically investigated at different conditions between pH 3–8 and ionic strength from 1 to 500 mmol L−1. Previous uncertainties were attributed to loss of U by adsorption within the diffusion cell, identified by mass balance calculations, and a binding efficiency dependent on the type of binding gel. Results The diffusion coefficient in an agarose cross-linked polyacrylamide gel measured using Metsorb DGT of 5.26 ± 0.17 × 10−6 cm2 s−1 agreed well with both values obtained using a pre-conditioned diffusion cell (< 7% difference) and by modelling. The binding efficiencies for Chelex DGT (BChelex = 0.86–0.89) and Fe-oxide DGT (BFe-oxide = 0.64 were smaller than for Metsorb DGT (BMetsorb = 1). No significant differences were found for BChelex at different pH. Discussion This work demonstrated that the diffusion coefficient of uranium is independent of pH and the binding gel used, provided the binding efficiency (B) is taken into account. These findings indicate that DGT equipped with either Metsorb or Chelex binding gels should be capable of measuring U for a wide range of environmental conditions provided the appropriate diffusion coefficients and binding efficiencies are used.
Spatial scale of tuberculosis transmission in Lima, Peru
Authors: Huang Chuan-Chin , Trevisi Letizia , Becerra Mercedes C. , Calderón Roger I. , Contreras Carmen C. , Jimenez Judith , Lecca Leonid W. , Yataco Rosa M. , Zhang Zibiao , Murray Megan B.
Published: November 2022

Spatially targeted interventions may be effective alternatives to individual or population-based prevention strategies against tuberculosis (TB). However, their efficacy may depend on the mechanisms that lead to geographically constrained hotspots. Local TB incidence may reflect high levels of local transmission; conversely, they may point to frequent travel of community members to high-risk areas. We used whole-genome sequencing to explore patterns of TB incidence and transmission in Lima, Peru. Between 2009 and 2012, we recruited incident pulmonary TB patients and their household contacts, whom we followed for the occurrence of TB disease. We used whole-genome sequences of 2,712
Mycobacterial tuberculosis
isolates from 2,440 patients to estimate pariwise genomic distances and compared these to the spatial distance between patients’ residences. Genomic distances increased rapidly as spatial distances increased and remained high beyond 2 km of separation. Next, we divided the study catchment area into 1 × 1 km grid-cell surface units and used household spatial coordinates to locate each TB patient to a specific cell. We estimated cell-specific transmission by calculating the proportion of patients in each cell with a pairwise genomic distance of 10 or fewer single-nucleotide polymorphisms. We found that cell-specific TB incidence and local transmission varied widely but that cell-specific TB incidence did not correlate closely with our estimates of local transmission (Cohen’s k = 0.27). These findings indicate that an understanding of the spatial heterogeneity in the relative proportion of TB due to local transmission may help guide the implementation of spatially targeted interventions.
Slope classicality in higher Coleman theory via highest weight vectors in completed cohomology
Authors: Howe Sean
Published: November 2022

We give a proof of the slope classicality theorem in classical and higher Coleman theory for modular curves of arbitrary level using the completed cohomology classes attached to overconvergent modular forms. The latter give an embedding of the quotient of overconvergent modular forms by classical modular forms, which is the obstruction space for classicality in either cohomological degree, into a unitary representation of

GL

2

(

ℚ
p

)

. The

U
p

operator becomes a double coset, and unitarity yields slope vanishing.
Control of resistance against bacteriophage killing by a metabolic regulator in meningitis-associated
Escherichia coli
Authors: Connolly James P. R. , Turner Natasha C. A. , Serrano Ester , Rimbi Patricia T. , Browning Douglas F. , O’Boyle Nicky , Roe Andrew J.
Published: November 2022

Ecologically beneficial traits in bacteria are encoded by intrinsic and horizontally acquired genes. However, such traits are not universal, and the highly mosaic nature of bacterial genomes requires control at the transcriptional level to drive these processes. It has emerged that regulatory flexibility is widespread in the
Escherichia coli
species, whereby preexisting transcription factors can acquire new and unrelated roles in regulating beneficial traits. DsdC is the regulator of D-serine tolerance in
E
.
coli
, is essential for D-serine catabolism, and is often encoded by two copies in neonatal meningitis–associated
E
.
coli
(NMEC). Here, we reveal that DsdC is a global regulator of transcription in NMEC and does not require D-serine for the control of novel beneficial traits. We show that DsdC binds the chromosome in an unusual manner, with many binding sites arranged in clusters spanning entire operons and within gene coding sequences, such as
neuO
. Importantly, we identify
neuO
as the most significantly down-regulated gene in a strain deleted for both
dsdC
copies, in both the presence and absence of D-serine. NeuO is prophage encoded in several NMEC K1 isolates and mediates capsule
O
-acetylation but has no effect on attachment to or invasion of human brain endothelial cells. Instead, we demonstrate that NeuO provides resistance against K1 bacteriophage attack and that this critical function is regulated by DsdC. This work highlights how a horizontally acquired enzyme that functions in cell-surface modulation can be controlled by an intrinsic regulator to provide a key ecological benefit to an
E
.
coli
pathotype.
Structure–function subsystem model and computational lesions of the central nervous system’s rostral sector (forebrain and midbrain)
Authors: Swanson Larry W. , Hahn Joel D. , Sporns Olaf
Published: November 2022

The craniote central nervous system has been divided into rostral, intermediate, and caudal sectors, with the rostral sector containing the vertebrate forebrain and midbrain. Here, network science tools were used to create and analyze a rat hierarchical structure–function subsystem model of intrarostral sector neural connectivity between gray matter regions. The hierarchy has 109 bottom-level subsystems and three upper-level subsystems corresponding to voluntary behavior control, cognition, and affect; instinctive survival behaviors and homeostasis; and oculomotor control. As in previous work, subsystems identified based on their coclassification as network communities are revealed as functionally related. We carried out focal perturbations of neural structural connectivity comprehensively by computationally lesioning each region of the network, and the resulting effects on the network’s modular (subsystem) organization were systematically mapped and measured. The pattern of changes was found to be correlated with three structural attributes of the lesioned region: region centrality (degree, strength, and betweenness), region position in the hierarchy, and subsystem distribution of region neural outputs and inputs. As expected, greater region centrality results, on average, in stronger lesion impact and more distributed lesion effects. In addition, our analysis suggests that strongly functionally related regions, belonging to the same bottom-level subsystem, exhibit similar effects after lesioning. These similarities account for coherent patterns of disturbances that align with subsystem boundaries and propagate through the network. These systematic lesion effects and their similarity across functionally related regions are of potential interest for theoretical, experimental, and clinical studies.
An unexpected role for leucyl aminopeptidase in UV tolerance revealed by a genome-wide fitness assessment in a model cyanobacterium
Authors: Weiss Elliot L. , Fang Mingxu , Taton Arnaud , Szubin Richard , Palsson Bernhard Ø. , Mitchell B. Greg , Golden Susan S.
Published: November 2022

UV radiation (UVR) has significant physiological effects on organisms living at or near the Earth’s surface, yet the full suite of genes required for fitness of a photosynthetic organism in a UVR-rich environment remains unknown. This study reports a genome-wide fitness assessment of the genes that affect UVR tolerance under environmentally relevant UVR dosages in the model cyanobacterium
Synechococcus elongatus
PCC 7942. Our results highlight the importance of specific genes that encode proteins involved in DNA repair, glutathione synthesis, and the assembly and maintenance of photosystem II, as well as genes that encode hypothetical proteins and others without an obvious connection to canonical methods of UVR tolerance. Disruption of a gene that encodes a leucyl aminopeptidase (LAP) conferred the greatest UVR-specific decrease in fitness. Enzymatic assays demonstrated a strong pH-dependent affinity of the LAP for the dipeptide cysteinyl-glycine, suggesting an involvement in glutathione catabolism as a function of night-time cytosolic pH level. A low differential expression of the LAP gene under acute UVR exposure suggests that its relative importance would be overlooked in transcript-dependent screens. Subsequent experiments revealed a similar UVR-sensitivity phenotype in LAP knockouts of other organisms, indicating conservation of the functional role of LAPs in UVR tolerance.
A specialized metabolic pathway partitions citrate in hydroxyapatite to impact mineralization of bones and teeth
Authors: Dirckx Naomi , Zhang Qian , Chu Emily Y. , Tower Robert J. , Li Zhu , Guo Shenghao , Yuan Shichen , Khare Pratik A. , Zhang Cissy , Verardo Angela , Alejandro Lucy O. , Park Angelina , Faugere Marie-Claude , Helfand Stephen L. , Somerman Martha J. , Riddle Ryan C. , de Cabo Rafael , Le Anne , Schmidt-Rohr Klaus , Clemens Thomas L.
Published: November 2022

Citrate is a critical metabolic substrate and key regulator of energy metabolism in mammalian cells. It has been known for decades that the skeleton contains most (>85%) of the body’s citrate, but the question of why and how this metabolite should be partitioned in bone has received singularly little attention. Here, we show that osteoblasts use a specialized metabolic pathway to regulate uptake, endogenous production, and the deposition of citrate into bone. Osteoblasts express high levels of the membranous Na
+
-dependent citrate transporter
solute carrier family 13 member 5
(
Slc13a5
) gene. Inhibition or genetic disruption of
Slc13a5
reduced osteogenic citrate uptake and disrupted mineral nodule formation. Bones from mice lacking
Slc13a5
globally, or selectively in osteoblasts, showed equivalent reductions in cortical thickness, with similarly compromised mechanical strength. Surprisingly, citrate content in mineral from

Slc13a5
−/−

osteoblasts was increased fourfold relative to controls, suggesting the engagement of compensatory mechanisms to augment endogenous citrate production. Indeed, through the coordinated functioning of the apical membrane citrate transporter SLC13A5 and a mitochondrial zinc transporter protein (ZIP1; encoded by
Slc39a1
), a mediator of citrate efflux from the tricarboxylic acid cycle, SLC13A5 mediates citrate entry from blood and its activity exerts homeostatic control of cytoplasmic citrate. Intriguingly,
Slc13a5
-deficient mice also exhibited defective tooth enamel and dentin formation, a clinical feature, which we show is recapitulated in primary teeth from children with
SLC13A5
mutations. Together, our results reveal the components of an osteoblast metabolic pathway, which affects bone strength by regulating citrate deposition into mineral hydroxyapatite.
Inhibition of connexin hemichannels alleviates neuroinflammation and hyperexcitability in temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Guo Anni , Zhang Huiqi , Li Huanhuan , Chiu Arthur , García-Rodríguez Claudia , Lagos Carlos F. , Sáez Juan C. , Lau Chunyue Geoffrey
Published: November 2022

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is one of the most common types of epilepsy, yet approximately one-third of patients are refractory to current anticonvulsive drugs, which target neurons and synapses. Astrocytic and microglial dysfunction is commonly found in epileptic foci and has been shown to contribute to neuroinflammation and hyperexcitability in chronic epilepsy. Accumulating evidence points to a key role for glial hemichannels in epilepsy, but inhibiting both connexin (Cx) gap junctions and hemichannels can lead to undesirable side effects because the former coordinate physiological functions of cell assemblies. It would be a great benefit to use an orally available small molecule to block hemichannels to alleviate epileptic symptoms. Here, we explored the effect of D4, a newly developed compound that inhibits the Cx hemichannels but not Cx gap junctions using the pilocarpine mouse model of TLE. In vitro application of D4 caused a near-complete reduction in the pilocarpine-induced cell membrane permeability associated with increased Cx hemichannel activity. Moreover, preadministration of D4 in vivo effectively reduced neuroinflammation and altered synaptic inhibition, which then enhanced the animal survival rate. Posttreatment with a single dose of D4 in vivo has prolonged effects on suppressing the activation of astrocytes and microglia and rescued the changes in neuroinflammatory and synaptic gene expression induced by pilocarpine. Collectively, these results indicate that targeting Cx hemichannels by D4 is an effective and promising strategy for treating epilepsy in which neuroinflammation plays a critical role.
Reconstituting depolarization-induced calcium release
Authors: Short Ben
Published: November 2022

Researchers develop experimental platform that could be used to evaluate mutations and screen drugs for skeletal muscle diseases.
Photostimulated luminescence excited by infrared LEDs in CaS:Eu2+ red afterglow phosphors
Authors: Yamaguchi Syota , Suda Yoriko , Nanai Yasushi , Okuno Tsuyoshi
Published: November 2022

Red photostimulated luminescence (PSL) at 650 nm appears under the excitation by using an infrared (IR) light-emitting diode at 940 nm in CaS:Eu2+ afterglow phosphors. The effect of doping of Dy3+ ions, alkali metal ions or Cl− ions in CaS:Eu2+ on afterglow or photostimulation is investigated. Afterglow temporal decays and thermoluminescence glow curves suggest that Dy3+ ions and alkali metal ions induce different types of defects in the phosphor, and enhance the afterglow independently. Doping of Cl− ions is found to enhance the photostimulation by the IR excitation. Even if the phosphor is irradiated with IR light for some seconds, the afterglow decay curve is the same as when it is not irradiated with IR light. Trap states responsible for the photostimulation are different from those responsible for the afterglow. The red photostimulation appears under the excitation at 940 nm, after the phosphor is left in the dark for 60 min. Its intensity is 68% of the red PSL generated after being left in the dark for 10 min. It is considered that the PSL decreases little, when the sample is kept in the dark.
Two dimensional Zr2CO2/H-FeCl2 van der Waals heterostructures with tunable band gap, potential difference and magnetic anisotropy
Authors: Duan Xianghui , Zhou Baozeng , Wang Xiaocha , Mi Wenbo
Published: November 2022

Two dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures have potential applications in novel low dimensional spintronic devices due to their unique electronic and magnetic properties. Here, the electronic and magnetic properties of 2D Zr2CO2/H-FeCl2 heterostructures are calculated by first principles calculations. The 2D Zr2CO2/H-FeCl2 heterostructures are magnetic semiconductor. The electronic structure and magnetic anisotropy of Zr2CO2/H-FeCl2 heterostructure can be regulated by the biaxial strain and external electric field. The band gap and potential difference of Zr2CO2/H-FeCl2 heterostructure can be affected by in-plane biaxial strain. At a compressive strain of −8%, the Zr2CO2/H-FeCl2 heterostructure becomes metallic. All of the Zr2CO2/H-FeCl2 heterostructures are magnetic with in-plane magnetic anisotropy (IMA). The Zr2CO2/H-FeCl2 heterostructure is a semiconductor at the electric field from −0.5 V Å−1 to +0.5 V Å−1. Furthermore, Zr2CO2/H-FeCl2 heterostructure shows IMA at the negative electric field, while it shows perpendicular magnetic anisotropy at the positive electric field. These results show that Zr2CO2/H-FeCl2 heterostructure has potential applications in multifunctionalnanoelectronic devices.
New accurate algorithms of circularity evaluation
Authors: Zhuo Ming , Geng Jiqing , Zhong Cui , Xia Kai
Published: November 2022

The minimum circumscribed circle (MCC), maximum inscribed circle (MIC), and minimum zone circle (MZC) methods for circularity evaluation are difficult to execute due to the lack of specific rules in mathematics, especially the MZC. New accurate algorithms have been proposed to realize the MIC, MCC and MZC evaluation methods. First, the diameter criterion and acute triangle criterion of control points defining the MIC or MCC are presented. The definition of the crossing sector structure is introduced in the minimum zone criterion and transformed into an angular relationship of control points, making it easy to identify the MZC. Then the key points of the algorithms are presented in details including the initial circle or the initial region, centre moving direction, minimum step size and updating rules of control points. Flow charts are provided to make the algorithm producible. Finally, four cases are selected to demonstrate the advantages of the algorithms. The results show that the proposed MZC algorithm is more general than that in the published reference. Compared to the traditional ergodic searching algorithms, the efficiency of the new algorithm for the MIC, the MCC and the MZC evaluations of circularity can be improved by 100% when the point set increases to 100 and above.
Abnormal quantum moment of inertia and structural properties of electrons in 2D and 3D quantum dots: an ab initio path-integral Monte Carlo study
Authors: Dornheim Tobias , Yan Yangqian
Published: November 2022

We present extensive new direct path-integral Monte Carlo results for electrons in quantum dots in two and three dimensions. This allows us to investigate the nonclassical rotational inertia (NCRI) of the system, and we find an abnormal negative quantum moment of inertia (2014 Phys. Rev. Lett.
112 235301) under some conditions. In addition, we study the structural properties by computing a re-normalized, angular-resolved center-two particle correlation function. Remarkably, we find no connection between the spatial structure and the NCRI, since the former can be nearly identical for Fermi- and Bose-statistics for parameters where the superfluid fraction is diverging towards negative infinity.
High-power and efficient orthogonally-polarized dual-wavelength Nd:YLF laser
Authors: Fan Li , Sun Ran , Wang Liming , Xiang Keyun , Shen Jun , Zhu Jun
Published: November 2022

We demonstrate an actively Q-switched orthogonally-polarized dual-wavelength laser at 1047.4 nm and 1053.4 nm with high average power and high efficiency. The gain competition between dual-wavelength lasers is effectively suppressed by using two Nd:YLF crystals as laser gain medium. Investigations concerning different resonator structures and pulse repetition frequency were conducted to achieve the best performance of this laser. Under the total incident pump power of 32.7 W, a maximum dual-wavelength laser output power of 13.4 W is obtained at the pulse repetition rate of 30 kHz, corresponding to an optical conversion efficiency of 41%. For 1047.4 nm and 1053.4 nm lasers, the maximum average output powers are as high as 7.6 W and 5.8 W, respectively, and they also demonstrate good output power stability and beam quality. This orthogonally-polarized dual-wavelength laser has significant practical applications in various fields, such as terahertz radiation generation, precision metrology, laser radar, and spectral analysis.
Conditioning diffusion processes with respect to the local time at the origin
Authors: Mazzolo Alain , Monthus Cécile
Published: November 2022

When the unconditioned process is a diffusion process X(t) of drift μ(x) and of diffusion coefficient D = 1/2, the local time

A

(

t

)

=

∫

0

t

d
τ
δ

(

X

(

τ

)

)

at the origin x = 0 is one of the most important time-additive observable. We construct various conditioned processes [X*(t), A*(t)] involving the local time A*(T) at the time horizon T. When the horizon T is finite, we consider the conditioning towards the final position X*(T) and towards the final local time A*(T), as well as the conditioning towards the final local time A*(T) alone without any condition on the final position X*(T). In the limit of the infinite time horizon T → +∞, we consider the conditioning towards the finite asymptotic local time

A

∞

*

<
+
∞

, as well as the conditioning towards the intensive local time a* corresponding to the extensive behavior A

T
≃ Ta*, that can be compared with the appropriate ‘canonical conditioning’ based on the generating function of the local time in the regime of large deviations. This general construction is then applied to generate various constrained stochastic trajectories for three unconditioned diffusions with different recurrence/transience properties: (i) the simplest example of transient diffusion corresponds to the uniform strictly positive drift μ(x) = μ > 0; (ii) the simplest example of diffusion converging towards an equilibrium is given by the drift μ(x) = −μ sgn(x) of parameter μ > 0; (iii) the simplest example of recurrent diffusion that does not converge towards an equilibrium is the Brownian motion without drift μ = 0.
Stochastic resets in the context of a tight-binding chain driven by an oscillating field
Authors: Dattagupta Sushanta , Das Debraj , Gupta Shamik
Published: November 2022

In this work, we study in the framework of the so-called driven tight-binding chain (TBC) the issue of quantum unitary dynamics interspersed at random times with stochastic resets mimicking non-unitary evolution due to interactions with the external environment, the driven TBC involves a quantum particle hopping between the nearest-neighbour sites of a one-dimensional lattice and subject to an external forcing field that is periodic in time. We consider the resets to be taking place at exponentially-distributed random times. Using the method of stochastic Liouville equation, we derive exact results for the probability at a given time for the particle to be found on different sites and averaged with respect to different realizations of the dynamics. We establish the remarkable effect of localization of the TBC particle on the sites of the underlying lattice at long times. The system in the absence of stochastic resets exhibits delocalization of the particle, whereby the particle does not have a time-independent probability distribution of being found on different sites even at long times, and, consequently, the mean-squared displacement of the particle about its initial location has an unbounded growth in time. One may induce localization in the bare model only through tuning the ratio of the strength to the frequency of the field to have a special value, namely, equal to one of the zeros of the zeroth order Bessel function of the first kind. We show here that localization may be induced by a far simpler procedure of subjecting the system to stochastic resets.
Role of wing inertia in maneuvering bat flights
Authors: Rahman Aevelina , Tafti Danesh
Published: November 2022

The role of aerodynamics and wing inertia on the motion dynamics for the maneuvering flight of two bats from two species of roundleaf bats, H. armiger and H. pratti are investigated. Comparative studies among a straight flight, two ascending sweeping right turns, and a U-turn reveal that inertial forces play an essential and sometimes crucial role in the maneuvers. The translational trajectory of the bat is mostly driven by aerodynamic forces generated by the wings along the flight path, whereas inertial forces for the most part drive the intra-cycle fluctuations. However, inertial forces are found to contribute non-trivially to the ascending motion of the H. armiger during the sweeping turn and the U-turn. The roll maneuver is found to be primarily driven by aerodynamic asymmetries during flight, whereas the yaw maneuver is primarily driven by imbalances in wing inertial moments. Inertial moments resulting from Coriolis and centrifugal forces are found to play an important role in accurate yaw prediction. The moment due to Coriolis force plays a very prominent role in predicting the correct yaw angle during the extreme 180° U-turn.
Optimization of a lattice structure inspired by glass sponge
Authors: Li Quan-Wei , Sun Bo-Hua
Published: November 2022

The biomimetic design of engineering structures is based on biological structures with excellent mechanical properties, which are the result of billions of years of evolution. However, current biomimetic structures, such as ordered lattice materials, are still inferior to many biomaterials in terms of structural complexity and mechanical properties. For example, the structure of Euplectella aspergillum, a type of deep-sea glass sponge, is an eye-catching source of inspiration for biomimetic design, many researches have introduced similar architecture in cellular solids. However, guided by scientific theory, how to surpass the mechanical properties of E. aspergillum remains an unsolved problem. We proposed the lattice structure which firstly surpass the E. aspergillum mechanically. The lattice structure of the skeleton of E. aspergillum consists of vertically, horizontally, and diagonally oriented struts, which provide superior strength and flexural resistance compared with the conventional square lattice structure. Herein, the structure of E. aspergillum was investigated in detail, and by using the theory of elasticity, a lattice structure inspired by the biomimetic structure was proposed. The mechanical properties of the sponge-inspired lattice structure surpassed the sponge structure under a variety of loading conditions, and the excellent performance of this configuration was verified experimentally. The proposed lattice structure can greatly improve the mechanical properties of engineering structures, and it improves strength without much redundancy of material. This study achieved the first surpassing of the mechanical properties of an existing sponge-mimicking design. This design can be applied to lattice structures, truss systems, and metamaterial cells.
Mermin and Svetlichny inequalities for non-projective measurement observables
Authors: Asad Siddiqui Mohd , Sazim Sk
Published: November 2022

The necessary and sufficient criteria for violating the Mermin and Svetlichny inequalities by arbitrary three-qubit states are presented. Several attempts have been made, earlier, to find such criteria, however, those extant criteria are neither tight for most of the instances, nor fully general. We generalize the existing criteria for Mermin and Svetlichny inequalities which are valid for the local projective measurement observables as well as for the arbitrary ones. We obtain the maximal achievable bounds of the Mermin and Svetlichny operators with unbiased measurement observables for arbitrary three-qubit states and with arbitrary observables for three-qubit states having maximally mixed marginals. We find that for certain ranges of measurement strengths, it is possible to violate Mermin and Svetlichny inequalities only by biased measurement observables. The necessary and sufficient criteria of violating any one of the six possible Mermin and Svetlichny inequalities are also derived.
Valuing the distant future under stochastic resettings: the effect on discounting
Authors: Montero Miquel , Perelló Josep , Masoliver Jaume
Published: November 2022

We investigate the effects of resetting mechanisms when valuing the future in economic terms through the discount function. Discounting is specially significant in addressing environmental problems and in evaluating the sense of urgency to act today to prevent or mitigate future losses due to climate change effects and other disasters. Poissonian resetting events can be seen in this context as a way to intervene the market, it modifies the discount function and it can facilitate a specific climate policy. We here obtain the exact expression of the discount function in Laplace space and attain the expression of the long-run interest rate, a crucial value in environmental economics and climate policy. Both quantities are obtained without assuming any model for the evolution of the market. Model specific results are achieved for diffusion processes and in particular for the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck and Feller processes. The effect of Poissonian resetting events is non-trivial in these cases. The overall lesson we can learn from the obtained results is that effective policies to favor climate action should be resolute and frequent enough in time: the frequency of the interventions is critical for actually observing the desired consequences in the long-run interest rate.
Shellac-paper composite as a green substrate for printed electronics
Authors: Hussein Rahaf Nafez , Schlingman Kory , Noade Calum , Carmichael R Stephen , Carmichael Tricia Breen
Published: November 2022

Printed electronic (PE) devices that sense and communicate data will become ubiquitous as the Internet of things continues to grow. Devices that are low cost and disposable will revolutionize areas such as smart packaging, but a major challenge in this field is the reliance on plastic substrates such as polyethylene terephthalate. Plastics discarded in landfills degrade to form micro- and nanoplastics that are hazardous to humans, animals, and aquatic systems. Replacing plastics with paper substrates is a greener approach due to the biodegradability, recyclability, low cost, and compatibility with roll-to-roll printing. However, the porous microstructure of paper promotes the wicking of functional inks, which adversely affects printability and electrical performance. Furthermore, truly sustainable PE must support the separation of electronic materials, particularly metallic inks, from the paper substrate at the end of life. This important step is necessary to avoid contamination of recycled paper and/or waste streams and enable the recovery of electronic materials. Here, we describe the use of shellac—a green and sustainable material—as a multifunctional component of green, paper-based PE. Shellac is a cost-effective biopolymer widely used as a protective coating due to its beneficial properties (hardness, UV resistance, and high moisture- and gas-barrier properties); nonetheless, shellac has not been significantly explored in PE. We show that shellac has great potential in green PE by using it to coat paper substrates to create planarized, printable surfaces. At the end of life, shellac acts as a sacrificial layer. Immersing the printed device in methanol dissolves the shellac layer, enabling the separation of PE materials from the paper substrate.
TTBK2 controls cilium stability by regulating distinct modules of centrosomal proteins
Authors: Nguyen Abraham , Goetz Sarah C.
Published: November 2022

Tau tubulin kinase 2 (TTBK2) controls multiple aspects of cilia formation, including cilium assembly and cilia structural integrity. Here we use live imaging to follow the consequences of Ttbk2 loss in real time. We find that Ttbk2 maintains ciliary stability through actin and centriolar satellites and in parallel maintains basal body intraflagellar transport pools.