bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electromagnetic Field Dependence of Strong Coupling in WS2 Monolayers
Authors: Bhatt Pooja , Dutta Jhuma , George Jino
Published: February 2021

Strong light–matter coupling is achieved by placing an atomically thin WS2 monolayer in a Fabry–Pérot cavity configuration. Herein, a multilayer approach is adapted for fine tuning the position of the active layer within the cavity. This allows the control of light–matter interaction between the active layer and the cavity photon. Moving the monolayer in the confined volume shows a clear field dependence, as reflected in their Rabi splitting energy. These are again confirmed by angle‐resolved transmission and photoluminescence measurements. A large drop in the effective mass is observed for polaritonic states formed at the antinode of the cavity, suggesting its potential applications in energy/electron transport.
A high‐dimensional classification rule using sample covariance matrix equipped with adjusted estimated eigenvalues
Authors: Baek Seungchul , Park Hoyoung , Park Junyong
Published: February 2021

High‐dimensional classification has challenges mainly due to the singularity issue of the sample covariance matrix. In this work, we propose a different approach to get a more reliable sample covariance matrix by adjusting the estimated eigenvalues. This procedure also brings us a nonsingular matrix as a by‐product. We improve the optimization procedure to obtain a linear classifier by incorporating the adjusted sample covariance matrix and a shrinkage mean vector into the original optimization problem. We have shown that our proposed binary classification rule is better than some other rules in terms of the misclassification rate through most of various synthetic data and real data sets.
The dark-side of the outside: how extracellular heat shock proteins promote cancer
Authors: Seclì Laura , Fusella Federica , Avalle Lidia , Brancaccio Mara
Published: February 2021

In addition to exerting several essential house-keeping activities in the cell, heat shock proteins (HSPs) are crucial players in a well-structured molecular program activated in response to stressful challenges. Among the different activities carried out by HSPs during emergency, they reach the extracellular milieu, from where they scout the surroundings, regulate extracellular protein activity and send autocrine and paracrine signals. Cancer cells permanently experience stress conditions due to their altered equilibrium and behaviour, and constantly secrete heat shock proteins as a result. Other than supporting anti-tumour immunity, extracellular heat shock proteins (eHSPs), can also exacerbate cancer cell growth and malignancy by sustaining different cancer hallmarks. eHSPs are implicated in extracellular matrix remodelling, resistance to apoptosis, promotion of cell migration and invasion, induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis and activation of stromal cells, supporting ultimately, metastasis dissemination. A broader understanding of eHSP activity and contribution to tumour development and progression is leading to new opportunities in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Cytokine “fine tuning” of enthesis tissue homeostasis as a pointer to spondyloarthritis pathogenesis with a focus on relevant TNF and IL-17 targeted therapies
Authors: Russell Tobias , Bridgewood Charlie , Rowe Hannah , Altaie Ala , Jones Elena , McGonagle Dennis
Published: February 2021

A curious feature of axial disease in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and related non-radiographic axial spondyloarthropathy (nrAxSpA) is that spinal inflammation may ultimately be associated with excessive entheseal tissue repair with new bone formation. Other SpA associated target tissues including the gut and the skin have well established paradigms on how local tissue immune responses and proven disease relevant cytokines including TNF and the IL-23/17 axis contribute to tissue repair. Normal skeletal homeostasis including the highly mechanically stressed entheseal sites is subject to tissue microdamage, micro-inflammation and ultimately repair. Like the skin and gut, healthy enthesis has resident immune cells including ILCs, γδ T cells, conventional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and myeloid lineage cells capable of cytokine induction involving prostaglandins, growth factors and cytokines including TNF and IL-17 that regulate these responses. We discuss how human genetic studies, animal models and translational human immunology around TNF and IL-17 suggest a largely redundant role for these pathways in physiological tissue repair and homeostasis. However, disease associated immune system overactivity of these cytokines with loss of tissue repair “fine tuning” is eventually associated with exuberant tissue repair responses in AS. Conversely, excessive biomechanical stress at spinal enthesis or peripheral enthesis with mechanically related or degenerative conditions is associated with a normal immune system attempts at cytokine fine tuning, but in this setting, it is commensurate to sustained abnormal biomechanical stressing. Unlike SpA, where restoration of aberrant and excessive cytokine “fine tuning” is efficacious, antagonism of these pathways in biomechanically related disease may be of limited or even no value.
Ammonium Removal in Aquaponics Indicates Participation of Comammox Nitrospira
Authors: Heise Julia , Müller Hubert , Probst Alexander J. , Meckenstock Rainer U.
Published: February 2021

Aquaponic systems are sustainable solutions for food production combining fish growth (aquaculture) and production of vegetables (hydroponic) in one recirculating system. In aquaponics, nitrogen-enriched wastewater from fish in the aquaculture serves as fertilizer for the plants in the hydroponics, while the nitrogen-depleted and detoxified water flows back to the aquaculture. To investigate bacterial nitrogen-cycling in such an aquaponic system, measurements of nitrogen species were coupled with time-resolved 16S rRNA gene profiling and the functional capacity of organisms was studied using metagenomics. The aquaponic system was consistently removing ammonia and nitrite below 23 µM and 19 µM, and nitrate to steady-state concentrations of about 0.5 mM. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of sediments exposed in the pump sump revealed that typical signatures of canonical ammonia-oxidising microorganisms were below detection limit. However, one of the most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTU) was classified as a member of the genus Nitrospira with a relative abundance of 3.8%. For this genus, also genome scaffolds were recovered encoding the only ammonia monooxygenase genes identified in the metagenome. This study indicates that even in highly efficient aquaponic systems, comammox Nitrospira were found to participate in ammonium removal at low steady-state ammonia concentrations.
STIG study: real-world data of long-term outcomes of adults with Pompe disease under enzyme replacement therapy with alglucosidase alfa
Authors: Gutschmidt Kristina , Musumeci Olimpia , Díaz-Manera Jordi , Chien Yin-Hsiu , Knop Karl Christian , Wenninger Stephan , Montagnese Federica , Pugliese Alessia , Tavilla Graziana , Alonso-Pérez Jorge , Hwu Paul Wuh-Liang , Toscano Antonio , Schoser Benedikt
Published: February 2021

Background

Pompe disease is one of the few neuromuscular diseases with an approved drug therapy, which has been available since 2006. Our study aimed to determine the real-world long-term efficacy and safety of alglucosidase alfa.

Methods

This multicenter retrospective study (NCT02824068) collected data from adult Pompe disease patients receiving ERT for at least 3 years. Demographics and baseline characteristics, muscle strength, lung function (FVC), walking capability (6MWT), and safety were assessed once a year. Evaluation was done on the group and individual levels, using quantitative linear models (t test) and general univariate linear models (ANOVA).

Findings

Sixty-eight adult Pompe disease patients from four countries (Spain, Taiwan, Italy, Germany (STIG)) participated. The mean follow-up was 7.03 years ± 2.98. At group level in all outcome measures, an initial improvement followed by a secondary decline was observed. After 10 years, the 6MWT%pred showed the most sustained positive effect (p = 0.304). The MRC%max remained stable with a mild decline (p = 0.131), however, FVC%pred deteriorated significantly (p < 0.001) by 14.93% over 10 years of ERT. The progression rate of FVC%pred under ERT could be explained in most of the patients (83.5%) by the disease severity at baseline. Furthermore, our study shows a decline in the FVC combined with an increase in non-invasive and invasive ventilation requirements in adult Pompe disease patients over time.

Conclusions

The STIG real-world study confirms an initial efficacy of ERT in the first years with a secondary sustained decline in multiple outcome measures. Further efforts are required to establish a more valid long-term monitoring and improved therapies.
Our Contribution to the NASA RASSOR Bucket Drum Design Challenge
Authors: Weißenböck Stephan , Fimbinger Eric
Published: February 2021

NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon sustainably and efficiently by using new and improved technology, which is based on the concept of generating products with local materials, a practice called In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). Regolith excavation is the fundamental step in the ISRU chain to produce local commodities, such as propellants and breathing air, and to pursue construction operations. NASA is currently working on the Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR), the key technology to enable extraterrestrial mining. The robot uses counterrotating bucket drums that capture regolith and keep it from falling out. NASA reached out to the public via GrabCAD to improve the robot’s design and chose five concepts, which will be tested and further improved. A team of three students from the University of Leoben (Dominik Höber, Andreas Taschner, and Stephan Weißenböck) took part in the challenge set by NASA and shared their ideas and concepts. They used this opportunity to implement their acquired knowledge from their studies and were also supported by a researcher from the Chair of Mining Engineering of the University of Leoben—Eric Fimbinger. The final design consists of three significant elements that were fused to increase efficiency: An outer helix, a spiral tunnel, and an inner helix. These three important components make up the concept which impressed the jury and reached fourth place out of approx. 350 entries. Due to the success of the project as well as the aroused interest amongst the students, further research projects were initialised as follow-ups, dealing with the topic of extraterrestrial mining. One is a research and development study covered by two master’s theses about excavation and conveying concepts on the Moon (see the article by Höber, Taschner and Fimbinger in this issue). The other one is in the form of a bachelor’s thesis to compare and analyse chosen concepts from the design challenge in a numerical simulation environment with equal conditions to allow virtual testing of those chosen designs.
Common dynamic factors for cryptocurrencies and multiple pair-trading statistical arbitrages
Authors: Figá-Talamanca Gianna , Focardi Sergio , Patacca Marco
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we apply dynamic factor analysis to model the joint behaviour of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Monero, as a representative basket of the cryptocurrencies asset class. The empirical results suggest that the basket price is suitably described by a model with two dynamic factors. More precisely, we detect one integrated and one stationary factor until the end of August 2019 and two integrated factors afterwards. Based on this evidence, we define a multiple long-short trading strategy which proves profitable when the second factor is stationary.
Gradient Damage Analysis of a Cylinder Under Torsion: Bifurcation and Size Effects
Authors: Li Tianyi , Abdelmoula Radhi
Published: February 2021

In this work, an elastic-damage evolution analysis is carried out for a cylinder under torsion made of a material obeying a gradient damage model with softening. Both semi-analytical and asymptotic approaches are developed to analyze the elastic, axisymmetric and bifurcation stages. We show the existence of a fundamental branch where the damage field is asymmetric and localized within a finite thickness from the boundary. By minimizing a generalized Rayleigh quotient, the bifurcation time and modes are obtained as a function of the length scale $\epsilon =\ell /R$
ϵ
=
ℓ
/
R
involving a material internal length and the cylinder radius. We will then focus on these size effects by assuming that $\epsilon $
ϵ
is a small parameter in an asymptotic setting. After justification, specific spatial and temporal rescaled variables are introduced for the boundary layer problem. It is shown that the axisymmetric damage evolution and the bifurcation are governed by two universal functions independent of the length scale. The simulation results obtained by the semi-analytical approach are formally justified by the asymptotic methods.
Evaluating transdisciplinary research practices: insights from social network analysis
Authors:   the Delta Dialogue Network, Steelman T. , Bogdan A. , Mantyka-Pringle C. , Bradford L. , Reed M. G. , Baines S. , Fresque-Baxter J. , Jardine T. , Shantz S. , Abu R. , Staples K. , Andrews Evan , Bharadwaj Lalita , Strickert G. , Jones Paul , Lindenschmidt K. , Poelzer G.
Published: February 2021

Transdisciplinary researchers collaborate with diverse partners outside of academia to tackle sustainability problems. The patterns and practices of social interaction and the contextual nature of transdisciplinary research result in different performance expectations than traditional, curiosity-driven research. Documenting patterns of interaction can inform project success and affirm progress toward interim outcomes on the way to achieve sustainability impacts. Yet providing credible and robust indicators of research activity remains challenging. We provide quantitative and qualitative indicators for assessing transdisciplinary practices and patterns through social network analysis (SNA). Our assessment developed four criteria to reveal how SNA metrics provide insight into (1) diversity of participants; (2) whether and how integration and collaboration are occurring, (3) the relative degrees of network stability and fragility, and (4) how the network is structured to achieve its goals. These four key criteria can be used to help identify patterns of research activity and determine whether interim progress is occurring.
Genetic Contribution to Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Prognostic Implications
Authors: Martin Katherine , Hatab Anas , Athwal Varinder S. , Jokl Elliot , Piper Hanley Karen
Published: February 2021

Purpose of Review

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major and increasing health burden, with the potential to overwhelm hepatology services. However, only a minority of patients develop advanced liver disease. The challenge is early identification of patients at risk of progression. This review aims to summarize current knowledge on the genetic predisposition to NAFLD, and its implications for prognostication and risk stratification.

Recent Findings

PNPLA3-I148M is the most robustly associated genetic variant with NAFLD. Recently, variants inTM6SF2,MBOAT7,GCKRandHSD17B13have also been implicated. NAFLD is a complex disease, and any one genetic variant alone is insufficient for risk stratification, but combining multiple genetic variants with other parameters is a promising strategy.

It is anticipated that, in the near future, analysis of data from large-scale prospective cohorts will reveal NAFLD subtypes and enable the development of prognostic models. This will facilitate risk stratification of patients, enabling optimisation of resources to effectively manage the NAFLD epidemic.
Regression of portal hypertension: underlying mechanisms and therapeutic strategies
Authors: Selicean Sonia , Wang Cong , Guixé-Muntet Sergi , Stefanescu Horia , Kawada Norifumi , Gracia-Sancho Jordi
Published: February 2021

Portal hypertension is the main non-neoplastic complication of chronic liver disease, being the cause of important life-threatening events including the development of ascites or variceal bleeding. The primary factor in the development of portal hypertension is a pathological increase in the intrahepatic vascular resistance, due to liver microcirculatory dysfunction, which is subsequently aggravated by extra-hepatic vascular disturbances including elevation of portal blood inflow. Evidence from pre-clinical models of cirrhosis has demonstrated that portal hypertension and chronic liver disease can be reversible if the injurious etiological agent is removed and can be further promoted using pharmacological therapy. These important observations have been partially demonstrated in clinical studies. This paper aims at providing an updated review of the currently available data regarding spontaneous and drug-promoted regression of portal hypertension, paying special attention to the clinical evidence. It also considers pathophysiological caveats that highlight the need for caution in establishing a new dogma that human chronic liver disease and portal hypertension is reversible.
Psychophysics Experiment to Check the Temperature Impacts Over Human Fingertips for the Application of Textural Applications in Haptics Technology
Authors: Ravikanth Dadi , Hariharan P.
Published: February 2021

Psychophysical methods in haptic technology help in comparative study and eventually be a data set to achieve realism over skin sensation. Textural based haptic applications are widely developed using tactile displays over human fingertips. The tactile displays work on open-loop admittance feedback system and are controlled with flexible parameters by ignoring the impact of noise or disturbance variables. Human skin undergoes various noise factors like temperature, humidity, sweat, and influence of alternative senses. This paper presents the newly adopted method of psychophysics to study the influence of environmental conditions over perceiving textural surfaces. The paper adopts the detection mode of psychophysics which uses perception time as an output parameter for understanding perception memory of the human skin. We have recorded the period of the perception in three environmental conditions over human subjects under a single blindfold method to study the behaviour of human skin at fingertips. The perception time of stimulus is analysed with arithmetic average roughness value (Ra) to understand the tolerance factor required during tactile based textural applications. The proposed method is simple to structure and improves in creating the dataset required to consider the noise factor for an open-loop admission feedback system.
Lived body and the Other’s gaze: a phenomenological perspective on feeding and eating disorders
Authors: Mancini Milena , Esposito Cecilia Maria
Published: February 2021

According to the phenomenological perspective, the lived body disorder is a core feature of feeding and eating disorders (FEDs). Persons with FEDs experience their own body first of all as an object looked by another person, rather than coenaesthetically or from a first-person perspective. In particular, the main features of this disorder are: alienation from the own body and from the own emotions, disgust for it, shame, and an exaggerated preoccupation for the way in which one appears to the others. Phenomenological research has recently highlighted that the gaze of the Other plays an important role. Because persons with FEDs cannot have an experience of their own body from within or coenesthetically, they need to apprehend their own body from outside through the gaze of the Other. This way of apprehending one’s own body when it is looked by another person is called by Sartre the ‘lived body-for-others’. Normally, the constitution of one’s own body, and consequently of one’s own Self and identity depends on the dialectic integration between the first-person apprehension of one’s body (lived body) that it is based on coenaesthesia, and the third-person one, that it is based on the sense of sight (lived-body-for-others). When the dialectic is unbalanced toward the pole of the lived-body-for-others, experienced from without, the symptom occurs. Starting from these clinical observations, the so-called Optical-Coenaesthetic Disproportion model has been developed. In this paper, we describe this model, its philosophical and clinical foundations, and finally its clinical implication and its relationship with other disciplines, i.e., neurosciences. Level of evidence: V.
Experimental and numerical study of coal-rock bimaterial composite bodies under triaxial compression
Authors: Chen Yulong , Zuo Jianping , Liu Dejun , Li Yingjie , Wang Zhenbo
Published: February 2021

To accurately predict coal burst hazards and estimate the failure of coal pillars in underground coal mining systems, it is of great significance to understand the mechanical behavior of coal-rock bimaterial composite structures. This paper presents experimental and numerical investigations on the response of rock-coal, coal-rock, and rock-coal-rock bimaterial composite structures under triaxial compression. The triaxial compression experiments are conducted under confining pressures in the range of 0–20 MPa. The resulting inside fracture networks are detected using X-ray-based computed tomography (CT). The experimentally observed data indicate that the mechanical parameters of the rock-coal-rock composites are superior to those of the rock-coal and coal-rock combinations. After compression failure, the coal-rock combination specimens are analyzed via X-ray CT. The results display that the failure of the coal-rock composite bodies primarily takes place within the coal. Further, the bursting proneness is reduced by increasing confining pressure. Subsequently, the corresponding numerical simulations of the experiments are carried out by using the particle flow code. The numerical results reveal that coal is vulnerable with regard to energy storage and accumulation.
Method for transport of ferrofluid in a liquid contactless rotational seal
Authors: Potma Olivier G.R. , Lampaert Stefan G.E. , van Ostayen Ron A.J.
Published: February 2021

Ferrofluid can be used effectively as a liquid seal for rotary shafts to seal off gasses. However, this technology tends to be less effective when sealing off a liquid. In such applications, one major problem is the degradation of the fluid when it comes into contact with the liquid. This paper presents details of a method for replacing the ferrofluid in the seal without pressure loss, in order to improve the lifetime of the seal. A test set-up has been designed to comply with all contemporary knowledge covering ferrofluid–water interface seals and to improve on it by adding a replenishment method. Using a finite element analysis model to predict the pressure capacity, the results show the measured capacity conforms to the model. In addition, the set-up has produced promising results on the stability of the seal, when water is used as a medium in the pressure chamber.
Designing Interdisciplinary Education
Authors: Wenting Lucy , Vink Christianne , Post Ger , de Greef Linda
Published: February 2021

Now, more than ever, higher education faces the challenge of educating students to see beyond the limits of their own discipline and to come up with innovative integrated solutions to our contemporary problems. Designing Interdisciplinary Education serves as a foothold for interdisciplinary initiatives in higher education, whether it be programmes, minors, courses or extra-curricular activities. It offers accessible guidance and practical advice for university teachers and curriculum leaders who aim to develop, implement and sustain a successful interdisciplinary approach to their teaching at the classroom, course or programme level. The book 'how to' approach addresses several important topics such as formulating and assessing interdisciplinary learning outcomes, embedding integration in the programme design, the features of an interdisciplinary teacher, interdisciplinary teaching in practice, and didactic methods that nurture interdisciplinary understanding. This handbook incorporates numerous case studies, key advices, and exercises from a variety of interdisciplinary programmes in diverse countries. The ideas elaborated in this handbook are based on the theories and practices used at the I0nstitute for Interdisciplinary Studies, the University of Amsterdam's knowledge centre for interdisciplinary learning and teaching.
The Ethics of Speculative Anticipation and the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Kendig Catherine , Bauchspies Wenda K.
Published: February 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic affects everyone, a statement that is true by definition, yet woefully unhelpful in our understanding of it and its effects today and in the future. Thus we find ourselves in a moment unprepared for the fast-approaching, unanticipated future. Under stable conditions, we might operate with a “good working model of an anticipated ‘future’” to speculate on our preparedness for the possible (Adams, Murphy, and Clarke 2009, 247). Or we may speculate in order to reimagine social relations within new ethical frameworks (Jones 2015). We anticipate what we imagine and envision as possible (Adams, Murphy, and Clarke 2009). We are writing and thinking about this not under stable conditions, but in the early moments of the COVID-19 pandemic when anticipation of and speculation about what is to come is being challenged and contradicted daily in the news cycle by government officials, experts, and everyday citizens. Our thinking, as well as this contribution to the scholarship on the COVID-19 crisis, is defined by an ineluctable tension about what is and what might be. In this musing, we attempt to flesh out just one aspect of the COVID-19 crisis: the anticipatory and speculative nature of COVID-19 thinking. We direct our attention during this time of crisis to how different forms of ethical thinking are joining up, interweaving, and braiding. By framing ethics in the context of anticipation, our aim is to capture threads of anticipation and speculation that may be used to tether attempts to create the future with, after, or beyond the novel coronavirus and/or the next crisis.
EURIPIDEAN ASSEMBLAGES
Authors: Worman Nancy
Published: February 2021

In the final scene of Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight (2015), Daisy Domergue, the sole female character among the titled eight, hangs suspended from the ceiling of the cabin in which they all have fought an operatically violent battle to the death. From her cuffed hand a chain dangles, at the other end of which is another cuffed hand, minus the rest of the body to which it had belonged. Its owner was her bounty hunter, who spent most of his time onscreen physically abusing her, including struggling with her over the control of weapons (e.g., machete and gun). We meet her with a black eye, to which are soon added a broken nose and teeth and a face repeatedly doused in her own blood and that of others. Two equally bloody antagonists string her up, pitting their injuries against her near-dead weight, so that for a time her body is triangulated by her attachment to them as well as to the remaining bit of the bounty hunter.
Effects of different ventilation on cerebral oxygen saturation and cerebral blood flow before and after modified ultrafiltration in infants during ventricular septal defect repair
Authors: Cui Boqun , Ou-Yang Chuan , Xie Siyuan , Lin Duomao , Ma Jun
Published: February 2021

Objective:

To analyse the changes of different ventilation on regional cerebral oxygen saturation and cerebral blood flow in infants during ventricular septal defect repair.

Methods:

Ninety-two infants younger than 1 year were enrolled in the study. End-expiratory tidal pressure of carbon dioxide was maintained at 40–45 and 35–39 mmHg in relative low and high ventilation groups. Regional cerebral oxygen saturation and flow velocity of the middle cerebral artery were recorded after anaesthesia (T0), cut pericardium (T1), separation from cardiopulmonary bypass (T2), the end of modified ultrafiltration, (T3) and at the end of operation (T4).

Results:

The relative low ventilation group exhibited a significantly high regional cerebral oxygen saturation at each time point except for T2 (T0:77 ± 4, T1:76 ± 5, T3:76 ± 8, T4:76 ± 8, respectively, p < 0.001). Flow velocity of the middle cerebral artery in the relative low ventilation group was higher compared to the relative high ventilation group at each time point except for T2 (T0:53 ± 14, T1:54 ± 15, T3:53 ± 17, T4:52 ± 16, respectively, p < 0.001). Between the two groups, T2 showed the lowest middle cerebral artery flow velocity (relative low ventilation: 39 ± 15, relative high ventilation: 39 ± 11, p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The infants’ regional cerebral oxygen saturation and middle cerebral artery flow velocity performed better in the range of 40–45 mmHg end-expiratory tidal pressure of carbon dioxide during CHD surgery. Modified ultrafiltration increased cerebral oxygen saturation. It was important to regulate ventilation in order to balance cerebral oxygen in infants.
A structured expert judgement elicitation approach: how can it inform sound intervention decision-making to support household food security?
Authors: Kleve Sue , Barons Martine J
Published: February 2021

Objective:

To examine structured expert judgement (SEJ) elicitation as a method to provide robust, defensible data for three determinants of household food security (food cost, household disposable income and physical access) for quantifying a proof-of-concept integrating decision support system for food security.

Design:

SEJ elicitation is a validated method for obtaining unavailable data, but its use in household food security in high-income countries is novel. Investigate Discuss Estimate Aggregate (IDEA) elicitation protocol was implemented, including quantitative and qualitative elements. Using specific questions related to three determinants, food security experts were encouraged to Investigate – estimate individual first-round responses to these questions, Discuss – with each other evidence on the reasoning and logic of their estimates, Estimate – second-round responses, following which these judgements were combined using mathematical Aggregation.

Setting:

Victoria, Australia.

Participants:

Five experts with a range of expertise in the area of household food insecurity participated in the SEJ elicitation process.

Results:

The experts’ ability to provide reliable estimates was tested and informed the aggregation of the collection of individual estimates into a single quantity of interest for use in decision support. The results of the quantitative elicitation show the impact of combinations of varying household income, food cost and physical access on household food security status and severity and is supported by the experts reasoning during elicitation.

Conclusion

This research provides insight to the application of SEJ where elicited data can inform and support intervention decision-making specific to household food security, especially where evidence is absent or of poor quality.
TEM Investigations of (In,Ga)N/GaN Laser Structures
Authors: Manolaki P , Häusler I , Kirmse H , Neumann W , Smałc J. , Kozubowski J
Published: February 2021

Extended abstract of a paper presented at MC 2007, 33rd DGE Conference
in Saarbrücken, Germany, September 2 – September 7, 2007
Subjective Experience of Disgust
Authors: Ferreira Jacqueline , Bem-Haja Pedro , Alho Laura , Soares Sandra C.
Published: February 2021

Abstract. Background: Individual differences in the experience of disgust are known to influence the development and maintenance of several psychopathologies. Aims: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Disgust Propensity and Sensitivity Scale – Revised (DPSS-R). Method: The factor validity, the reliability of the Portuguese version of DPSS-R, the convergent validity, and the relationship with other scales were assessed in 229 participants. Results: The modified two-factor model, disgust propensity and sensitivity, was confirmed with good fit indexes and with acceptable convergent and discriminant validity. Overall, the internal consistency and the composite reliability of the DPSS-R were appropriate. The DPSS-R also revealed significant associations with the Disgust Scale, Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, Spider Phobia Questionnaire – Revised, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Specifically, the disgust propensity factor was found to be a significant predictor of fear of spiders and trait anxiety, whereas both DPSS-R factors predicted obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Finally, women reported higher levels of disgust propensity and sensitivity than men. Conclusion: The Portuguese version of the DPSS-R proved to be a valid and reliable measure of disgust propensity and sensitivity and, therefore, with potential relevance for application in both research and clinical practice.
Hygroscopicity of Organic Aerosols Linked to Formation Mechanisms
Authors: Liu Jieyao , Zhang Fang , Xu Weiqi , Sun Yele , Chen Lu , Li Shangze , Ren Jingye , Hu Bo , Wu Hao , Zhang Renyi
Published: February 2021

Organic aerosols (OAs) account for a large fraction of tropospheric fine particulate matter, but the hygroscopicity of OA is poorly understood. Here, we show remarkably‐enhanced water uptake capacity of OA due to formation of highly‐oxidized oxygenated OA on new particle formation (NPF) events in Beijing. While non‐nucleation processes also produce oxidized OA, their hygroscopicity exhibits little enhancement. As a result, a correlation between the hygroscopicity and oxidation state is absent for OA on non‐NPF days. Further analysis reveals that the highly‐oxidized oxygenated OA is 2.5 and 5‐fold as hygroscopic as the oxidized primary OA and less‐oxidized oxygenated OA, respectively. Our results suggest that nucleation‐initiated photooxidation of volatile organic compounds to produce water‐soluble organic acids may dominate on NPF days, and the aqueous oligomerization to yield less water‐soluble products might occur on non‐NPF days.
Investigating the Development of Distinctive Subauroral Flow Channels During the November 7–8, 2004 Superstorm
Authors: Horvath Ildiko , Lovell Brian C.
Published: February 2021

We investigate the development of large (∼3,000 m/s) subauroral flows occurring during the November 7–8, 2004 Superstorm by utilizing multisatellite and multiinstrument measurements from the Magnetosphere (M), topside Ionosphere (I), and Thermosphere (T). We present eight scenarios (Sc‐1–Sc‐8) depicting the development of large SubAuroral Polarization Streams (SAPS) in the initial phase (Sc‐1–Sc‐3) and recovery phase (Sc‐5), and structured SAPS (Sc‐4, Sc‐6–Sc‐7) and Double‐peak SubAuroral Ion Drifts (DSAID) in the recovery phase (Sc‐8). Magnetospheric observations reveal dayside magnetopause reconnection increasing both the magnetospheric convection electric field and the large‐scale Field‐Aligned Currents (FACs), long‐lasting (∼5 h) secondary dipolarizations during the initial phase, and a series of dipolarization events during the recovery phase. Ionospheric observations reveal the development of these large subauroral flows (i) during forward and reverse plasma convections—when the topside ionosphere received earthward energy from the magnetosphere and when the diversion of cross‐tail currents in the stretched magnetotail activated the Substorm Current Wedge (SCW)—and (ii) in a short‐circuited system that acted as a voltage generator. Thermospheric observations reveal earthward energy deposition from the ionosphere that drove wind surges—implying the presence of Atmospheric Gravity Waves (AGWs) and Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (TIDs)—propagating equatorward/poleward and passing through the trough region, and further enhancing the subauroral flows by deepening the trough. From these results we conclude that the strong M‐I‐T coupling occurring under superstorm conditions played a significant role in the enhancement of the subauroral flows investigated.
Inverse Migration of Seismicity Quiescence During the 2019 Ridgecrest Sequence
Authors: Marsan D. , Ross Z. E.
Published: February 2021

Seismicity quiescences are best observed during sequences with multiple mainshocks and often emerge with some delay after an initial phase of aftershock triggering. The mechanisms controlling this delay are poorly understood, due to a lack of systematic and precise estimation of the duration of the triggering phase which is made complicated by the rapidly changing magnitude of completeness after the mainshock. Here, we analyze how such a delayed quiescence developed during the 2019 Ridgecrest (California) sequence, using a refined earthquake data set obtained by template matching and relative relocation. A method that allows estimating the aftershock occurrence rate after correcting for the change in detection (completeness magnitude) is applied. We find that an immediate seismicity shutdown was triggered by the second (M7.1) mainshock at the tips of the north‐east trending cross‐cut fault that hosted most of the slip of the first (M6.4) mainshock. This shutdown progressed toward the central part of this fault over the following days. The overall shutdown of the aftershock sequence of the M6.4 by the M7.1 rupture is consistent with static Coulomb stress modeling. This inverse migration is a unique observation, best explained by an enhanced spatial stress change variability in this central part where the cross‐cut fault intersects the main fault of the M7.1 shock, hence a strongly damaged zone there. This further confirms previous observations of an enhanced structural disorder in this central part of the cross fault, showing that structural disorder has a first‐order control on the seismicity dynamics at the scale of days.
Leveraging Uncertainty Quantification to Design Ocean Climate Observing Systems
Authors: Loose Nora , Heimbach Patrick
Published: February 2021

Ocean observations are expensive and difficult to collect. Designing effective ocean observing systems therefore warrants deliberate, quantitative strategies. We leverage adjoint modeling and Hessian uncertainty quantification (UQ) within the ECCO (Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean) framework to explore a new design strategy for ocean climate observing systems. Within this context, an observing system is optimal if it minimizes uncertainty in a set of investigator‐defined quantities of interest (QoIs), such as oceanic transports or other key climate indices. We show that Hessian UQ unifies three design concepts. (1) An observing system reduces uncertainty in a target QoI most effectively when it is sensitive to the same dynamical controls as the QoI. The dynamical controls are exposed by the Hessian eigenvector patterns of the model‐data misfit function. (2) Orthogonality of the Hessian eigenvectors rigorously accounts for redundancy between distinct members of the observing system. (3) The Hessian eigenvalues determine the overall effectiveness of the observing system, and are controlled by the sensitivity‐to‐noise ratio of the observational assets (analogous to the statistical signal‐to‐noise ratio). We illustrate Hessian UQ and its three underlying concepts in a North Atlantic case study. Sea surface temperature observations inform mainly local air‐sea fluxes. In contrast, subsurface temperature observations reduce uncertainty over basin‐wide scales, and can therefore inform transport QoIs at great distances. This research provides insight into the design of effective observing systems that maximally inform the target QoIs, while being complementary to the existing observational database.
History of Space Weather Research and Operation in Japan and New Emphasis in Southeast Asia
Authors: Ishii M. , Takizawa O. , Marubashi K. , Den M.
Published: February 2021

Japanese space weather research and operation began in 1896 with research on radio propagation. LF, MF, and HF radio communication used to be important before the era of communication satellites; however, they are affected by ionospheric conditions and solar activity. A center for the research and development of radio systems was established at Hiraiso, which is now also a space weather observatory for measuring solar activity, geomagnetic fields, and ionospheric conditions. The need for space weather information initially decreased in the communication satellite age, but since the beginning of the 21st century it has been increasing again with the growing use of positioning satellite systems. The role of Southeast Asian countries in space weather research has become important and the range of activities is also growing. The contribution of these countries to space weather research and operation is expected to grow in future.
Pharmaceuticals Pollute the Ganges
Authors: Padma T.
Published: February 2021

Scientists report a cocktail of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and personal care products found near two pilgrimage cities along the river.
Practical prediction model of the clinical response to programmed death-ligand 1 inhibitors in advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Noh Myung-Giun , Yoon Youngmin , Kim Gihyeon , Kim Hyun , Lee Eulgi , Kim Yeongmin , Park Changho , Lee Kyung-Hwa , Park Hansoo
Published: February 2021

The identification of predictive biomarkers or models is necessary for the selection of patients who might benefit the most from immunotherapy. Seven histological features (signet ring cell [SRC], fibrous stroma, myxoid stroma, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes [TILs], necrosis, tertiary lymphoid follicles, and ulceration) detected in surgically resected tissues (N = 44) were used to train a model. The presence of SRC became an optimal decision parameter for pathology alone (AUC = 0.78). Analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for the prediction of genomic markers showed that C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 11 (CXCL11) was high in responders (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to verify its potential as a biomarker. IHC revealed that the expression of CXCL11 was associated with responsiveness (P = 0.003). The response prediction model was trained by integrating the results of the analysis of pathological factors and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). When trained with the C5.0 decision tree model, the categorical level of the expression of CXCL11, a single variable, was shown to be the best model (AUC = 0.812). The AUC of the model trained with the random forest was 0.944. Survival analysis revealed that the C5.0-trained model (log-rank P = 0.01 for progression-free survival [PFS]; log-rank P = 0.012 for overall survival [OS]) and the random forest-trained model (log-rank P < 0.001 for PFS; log-rank P = 0.001 for OS) predicted prognosis more accurately than the PD-L1 test (log-rank P = 0.031 for PFS; log-rank P = 0.107 for OS).
Approaching barrier-free contacts to monolayer MoS2 employing [Co/Pt] multilayer electrodes
Authors: Gupta S. , Rortais F. , Ohshima R. , Ando Y. , Endo T. , Miyata Y. , Shiraishi M.
Published: February 2021

The broken inversion symmetry and time-reversal symmetry along with the large spin–orbit interactions in monolayer MoS2 make it an ideal candidate for novel valleytronic applications. However, the realization of efficient spin-valley-controlled devices demands the integration of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) electrodes with negligible Schottky barriers. Here, as the first demonstration, we fabricated a monolayer MoS2 field-effect transistor with PMA electrodes: Pt/[Co/Pt]3 and [Co/Pt]2. The I–V curves of PMA/MoS2 contacts show symmetric and linear behavior reflecting Ohmic nature. The flat-band Schottky barrier heights (SBHs) extracted using the temperature and gate voltage dependence of the I–V curves were found to be 10.2 and 9.6 meV. The observed SBHs are record low values reported thus far for any metal/monolayer MoS2 contact. High-quality PMA electrodes with almost zero SBH play a paramount role in the future development of novel spintronic/valleytronic devices; hence, our results can open a new route toward the realization of novel technological devices employing two-dimensional materials.
Direct insight into the structure-property relation of interfaces from constrained crystal structure prediction
Authors: Sun Lin , Marques Miguel A. L. , Botti Silvana
Published: February 2021

A major issue that prevents a full understanding of heterogeneous materials is the lack of systematic first-principles methods to consistently predict energetics and electronic properties of reconstructed interfaces. In this work we address this problem with an efficient and accurate computational scheme. We extend the minima-hopping method implementing constraints crafted for two-dimensional atomic relaxation and enabling variations of the atomic density close to the interface. A combination of density-functional and accurate density-functional tight-binding calculations supply energy and forces to structure prediction. We demonstrate the power of this method by applying it to extract structure-property relations for a large and varied family of symmetric and asymmetric tilt boundaries in polycrystalline silicon. We find a rich polymorphism in the interface reconstructions, with recurring bonding patterns that we classify in increasing energetic order. Finally, a clear relation between bonding patterns and electrically active grain boundary states is unveiled and discussed.
Two mechanisms drive pronuclear migration in mouse zygotes
Authors: Scheffler Kathleen , Uraji Julia , Jentoft Ida , Cavazza Tommaso , Mönnich Eike , Mogessie Binyam , Schuh Melina
Published: February 2021

A new life begins with the unification of the maternal and paternal chromosomes upon fertilization. The parental chromosomes first become enclosed in two separate pronuclei near the surface of the fertilized egg. The mechanisms that then move the pronuclei inwards for their unification are only poorly understood in mammals. Here, we report two mechanisms that act in concert to unite the parental genomes in fertilized mouse eggs. The male pronucleus assembles within the fertilization cone and is rapidly moved inwards by the flattening cone. Rab11a recruits the actin nucleation factors Spire and Formin-2 into the fertilization cone, where they locally nucleate actin and further accelerate the pronucleus inwards. In parallel, a dynamic network of microtubules assembles that slowly moves the male and female pronuclei towards the cell centre in a dynein-dependent manner. Both mechanisms are partially redundant and act in concert to unite the parental pronuclei in the zygote’s centre.
Electrical conductivity of warm dense silica from double-shock experiments
Authors: Guarguaglini M. , Soubiran F. , Hernandez J.-A. , Benuzzi-Mounaix A. , Bolis R. , Brambrink E. , Vinci T. , Ravasio A.
Published: February 2021

Understanding materials behaviour under extreme thermodynamic conditions is fundamental in many branches of science, including High-Energy-Density physics, fusion research, material and planetary science. Silica (SiO2) is of primary importance as a key component of rocky planets’ mantles. Dynamic compression is the most promising approach to explore molten silicates under extreme conditions. Although most experimental studies are restricted to the Hugoniot curve, a wider range of conditions must be reached to distill temperature and pressure effects. Here we present direct measurements of equation of state and two-colour reflectivity of double-shocked α-quartz on a large ensemble of thermodynamic conditions, which were until now unexplored. Combining experimental reflectivity data with numerical simulations we determine the electrical conductivity. The latter is almost constant with pressure while highly dependent on temperature, which is consistent with simulations results. Based on our findings, we conclude that dynamo processes are likely in Super-Earths’ mantles.