bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A semi-analytical solution for transient confined-unconfined flow toward the partially penetrating well
Authors: Xiao Liang , Teng Kaiqing , Shi Pengyu , Liu Jianjun , Mei Guoxiong , Zong Yijie
Published: April 2024

In this paper, a semi-analytical solution has been proposed for the transient confined-unconfined flow toward a partially penetrating well in a confined aquifer. It can be used to characterize the dynamic development of drawdown and the transient unconfined region during the transient confined-unconfined conversion. The proposed solution takes into account the delayed response recharge from the unsaturated region by the Neuman's upper surface recharge boundary condition, which is derived by the Laplace and Fourier transformations. The reliability of the semi-analytical solution has been proved by comparisons with numerical solutions from Visual MODFLOW Flex. In addition, a new model for the pumping flow in a pure unconfined aquifer is also developed by degradation analysis of the proposed solution, which has been used to fit well with the measured data from the pumping test in Cape Cod aquifer. The results indicate that both the use of partially penetrating pumping well and aquifer anisotropy have negative effects on the drawdown delayed responses and the development of transient unconfined region, which are disappeared at times >105Srb/Kr. The delayed response is positively related to the gravity storage and vertical hydraulic conductivity.
One-dimensional, multi-fluid model of the plasma wall transition. I. Hot electrons
Authors: Gyergyek T. , Kos L. , Costea S. , Gyergyek M. , Kovačič J.
Published: April 2024

The plasma-wall transition in a plasma containing singly charged positive ions and two groups of electrons is studied with a one-dimensional steady-state multifluid model, which is presented in some detail. When the temperature and the initial density ratio between the two groups of electrons are varied, a transition between the two types of solutions to the model equations is observed. When the density and temperature of the hot electrons are above certain critical values, a high solution is observed. If the ion mass is decreased, these critical values increase. However, this effect only occurs with artificially small ion masses, which are significantly lower than the proton mass. In the high solution, the potential drop is determined by the hot electrons and is greater in absolute terms than in the low solution, where it is determined by the base electron population. The transition between the low and high solutions is very sharp if a neutrality condition is imposed. However, if the neutrality condition is replaced by the Poisson equation, the transition becomes blurred and the solutions exhibit oscillations. The temperature profiles of the ions are analyzed, and it is confirmed that the ion sound and the ion fluid velocity become equal at the breaking point of the plasma neutrality. It is shown how the ion source term, the initial ion velocity, and the initial electric field are found to be self-consistent. The density profiles of the negatively biased particles resulting from the fluid equations deviate very little those of from the Boltzmann-distributed particles, even if the corresponding source terms are quite large.
Structure determination of alkali trimers on helium nanodroplets through laser-induced Coulomb explosion
Authors: Kranabetter Lorenz , Kristensen Henrik H. , Schouder Constant A. , Stapelfeldt Henrik
Published: April 2024

Alkali trimers, Ak3, located on the surface of He nanodroplets are triply ionized following multiphoton absorption from an intense femtosecond laser pulse, leading to fragmentation into three correlated Ak+ ions. Combining the information from threefold covariance analysis of the emission direction of the fragment ions and their kinetic energy distributions P(Ekin), we find that Na3, K3, and Rb3 have an equilateral triangular structure, corresponding to that of the lowest lying quartet state A2′4, and determine the equilibrium bond distance Req(Na3) = 4.65 ± 0.15 Å, Req(K3) = 5.03 ± 0.18 Å, and Req(Rb3) = 5.45 ± 0.22 Å. For K3 and Rb3, these values agree well with existing theoretical calculations, while for Na3, the value is 0.2–0.3 Å larger than the existing theoretical results. The discrepancy is ascribed to a minor internuclear motion of Na3 during the ionization process. In addition, we determine the distribution of internuclear distances P(R) under the assumption of fixed bond angles. The results are compared to the square of the internuclear wave function |Ψ(R)|2.
Experimental study on the dam-break-induced surge impact on an inclined wall
Authors: Li Xiaoning , Liu Haijiang
Published: April 2024

The front faces of coastal structures are not always perpendicular to its foundation. To investigate the surge impact characteristics on an inclined wall, laboratory experiments about the dam-break-induced surge impact were conducted on downstream walls with four different inclination angles, i.e., −30°, −10°, 0°, and 10° (positive for forward inclination). Before the water tongue forms, surge water in front of the wall can be classified into the bottom solid water and the upper aerated water. Although the measured maximum water level is the largest in front of the vertical wall, it contains a large proportion of aerated water. In contrast, the −30° wall exhibits the largest proportion of solid water, which is associated with the force exerted on the wall. As the wall inclines forward, the impact pressure experiences an increase in its peak value and spatial extent, while a decrease in its duration. The maximum impact pressure and the maximum horizontal force induced by the initial impact increase from the backward to forward inclination, while the maximum horizontal force in the transition or quasi-static phase increases as the wall inclines. In addition, it is found that the calculation method for designing breaking wave loads on nonvertical walls underestimates the surge-induced maximum horizontal force. Regarding the potential sliding/overturning failure, the 10°/−30° wall presents the highest risk among the considered cases under the same incoming hydrodynamic conditions. These findings extend our understandings on the surge–structure interactions, being helpful for the safe design of relevant coastal structures.
Improving fluid flow and heat transfer of cryogen spray cooling using sweeping cold air jet
Authors: Qenawy Mohamed , Chen Yiqi , Zhu Yuchen , Wang Junfeng , Tian Jiameng , Chen Bin
Published: April 2024

Industrial growth has led to increased electronic component integration, resulting in higher working temperatures and technological failures. Cryogen spray cooling (CSC) could reach cryogenic temperatures with fast-responding, but its heat transfer limitation due to liquid film deposition is potentially challenging. In this study, CSC cooling is incorporated with either a cold air jet (CAJ) or a sweeping jet (SWJ) to enhance heat and fluid flow. A K-type thermocouple is used for measuring the surface temperature, while the improved Duhamel theorem is used to estimate the heat flux. The spray and film intensities are recorded through the Mie-scattering methodology via high-speed camera. The results demonstrated that the CAJ/SWJ exhibited a significant reduction in surface temperature and film intensity, enhanced heat dissipation and spray efficiency compared to CSC cooling. More precisely, it demonstrated a 26%–36% heat transfer coefficient improvement, along with a 52% increase in the corresponding time of the critical heat flux. Meanwhile, the CAJ/SWJ intensifies heat transfer during film and transition boiling, inspired by the fast liquid film evaporations. In contrast, the SWJ is much preferred due to its wider and stable coolant coverage throughout film evaporation, as seen by its greater heat transfer coefficient. The combined results demonstrated the need to promptly eliminate the deposited film, as it holds the potential to serve as a pivotal resolution for the advancement of thermal management technology.
Ferroelectric and magnetic properties of Dy-doped BaTiO3 films
Authors: Zhang Jiahui , Zhang Guangchao , Hou De , Bi Jiachang , Zhang Ruyi , Peng Shaoqin , Yu Pengfei , Zhu Fangyuan , Liu Haigang , Wu Liang , Sheng Zhigao , Du Juan , Cao Yanwei
Published: April 2024

Element substitution of BaTiO3-based compounds has been demonstrated as a powerful way for designing novel electronic materials (such as polar metals and multiferroics). To trigger magnetism into ferroelectric BaTiO3, general substituted elements are magnetic transition metals (such as Mn, Fe, and Co). The doping effect of rare-earth elements (such as Dy) in BaTiO3-based compounds was barely investigated. Here, we report the coexistence of magnetism and electric polarization in epitaxial Dy0.5Ba0.5TiO3 films. The single-crystalline films were synthesized by high-pressure magnetron sputtering. The crystal and electronic structures were characterized by high-resolution x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoemission spectroscopy, and resonant soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Room-temperature electric polarization was demonstrated by optical second-harmonic generation. Temperature-dependent magnetic hysteresis loops were measured to reveal the revolution of magnetism on temperature. Surprisingly, it is uncovered that the Curie temperature of electric-polarized Dy0.5Ba0.5TiO3 films is around 100 K, far above the critical temperature of non-polarized DyTiO3 (near 60 K). Our work provides another view to understand the magnetoelectric materials.
An energy perspective on the mechanism of crude oil electrorheological effect
Authors: Zhang Chaoyue , Li Hongying , Wang Yu , Xie Yiwei , Kang Jiabao , Su Yang , Li Jionghao , Han Shanpeng , Zhang Jinjun
Published: April 2024

Exposing a waxy crude oil to an electric field represents an emerging environmentally sound strategy for improving the cold flowability of oil. However, a substantial knowledge gap still exists regarding the quantitative relationship between the viscosity reduction and treatment parameters (field strength, treatment time, the volume of treated oil, etc.). This study endeavors to investigate the physical essence of the effect of these treatment parameters on the viscosity reduction and its duration. It was found when subjected to electric fields of varying strengths (0.5–5 kV/mm) for sufficient time, a same maximum viscosity reduction of approximately 40% can be achieved regardless of the applied field strength. Further research has elucidated that the factor determining the viscosity reduction is energy input, rather than the field strength as was reported previously, and the inputted energy may work in three stages: first, it works for initiating a decrease in viscosity. Subsequently, the continued energy input further reduces the oil viscosity and ultimately achieves a maximum reduction at that temperature. Then further inputted energy enhances the duration of the viscosity reduction. Fundamentally, the inputted energy density, i.e., the inputted energy per unit volume/mass of the oil, is the essential factor. These new findings facilitate further understanding of the negative electrorheological effect and its mechanism of crude oil and may help for the development of electric treaters for reducing crude oil viscosity.
Bypass pigging technology in improving pigging safety and efficiency: Principles, progress, and potentials
Authors: Li Qingping , Yao Haiyuan , Chen Jianheng , Luo Xiaoming
Published: April 2024

Bypass pigging is a promising strategy to improve pipeline flow assurance by eliminating pigging-generated slugs and reducing pig velocity. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the fundamentals, recent progress, and prospects of bypass pigging for enhancing pigging safety and efficiency in gas pipeline systems. A model of bypass pigging motion is developed based on momentum balance, incorporating key factors that affect performance. Recent studies of the influence of the bypass fraction, pressure drop coefficient, and friction force on pigging performance are discussed. The pressure drop coefficient, crucial for accurate dynamic pigging simulation, depends primarily on the pig bypass structure. The impact of variations in the bypass fraction on pig velocity, a significant factor affecting pigging performance, is analyzed. Higher bypass fractions lead to lower pig velocities, resulting in improved pigging efficiency. However, the risk of pig blockage increases owing to the decreased driving gas force at a higher bypass fraction. Therefore, the use of bypass pigs with anti-blocking capability is necessary to enhance overall flow assurance. The paper also highlights the quantifiable benefits of bypass pigging in reducing pig velocity and the pigging-generated slug volume. The prospects for further development of bypass pigging are also discussed. This study aims to comprehensively elucidate the bypass pigging strategy, promoting its wider implementation in natural gas pipelines to enhance pigging efficiency and safety.
Relative cooperativity in neutral and charged molecular clusters using QM/MM calculations
Authors: Nochebuena Jorge , Liu Shubin , Cisneros G. Andrés
Published: April 2024

QM/MM methods have been used to study electronic structure properties and chemical reactivity in complex molecular systems where direct electronic structure calculations are not feasible. In our previous work, we showed that non-polarizable force fields, by design, describe intermolecular interactions through pairwise interactions, overlooking many-body interactions involving three or more particles. In contrast, polarizable force fields account partially for many-body effects through polarization, but still handle van der Waals and permanent electrostatic interactions pairwise. We showed that despite those limitations, polarizable and non-polarizable force fields can reproduce relative cooperativity achieved using density functional theory due to error compensation mechanisms. In this contribution, we assess the performance of QM/MM methods in reproducing these phenomena. Our study highlights the significance of the QM region size and force field choice in QM/MM calculations, emphasizing the importance of parameter validation to obtain accurate interaction energy predictions.
High plateau drift characteristics of spin-stabilized projectile from individual recoilless rifle with rifling
Authors: Ding Feng , Tao Gang , Wen Peng
Published: April 2024

Accurately predicting the drift of spinning projectiles in the highland region has always been a challenging task. The study combines genetic algorithm, modified mass ballistic model, and data from ballistic tests to establish a computational model of projectile plateau drift, which is able to compute the value of projectile drift accurately. The reliability of the model was verified by the tests. The study also explains the reasons for the formation of projectile drift and the characteristics of plateau drift through theory. The results of the study proved that under the same range, the projectile's yaw of repose angle is larger in the plateau region, but its projectile plateau drift is smaller mainly because the flight time of the projectile on the highland is smaller than that on the plains. The results of the study are of great significance for the precision strike of projectiles in the highland area.
Influence of viscosity ratio on enhanced oil recovery performance of anti-hydrolyzed polymer for high-temperature and high-salinity reservoir
Authors: He Hong , Chen Ruping , Yuan Fuqing , Tian Yuhang , Ning Wenhui
Published: April 2024

The viscosity ratio of polymer and oil is a crucial factor for polymer flooding, which can affect the water–oil mobility ratio and oil recovery. However, for high-temperature and high-salinity reservoirs, the reasonable viscosity ratio limit of polymer flooding under the condition of medium–high permeability and low oil viscosity is not clear. Thus, the heterogeneous sand-pack flooding experiments were carried out to analyze the influence of polymer–oil viscosity ratio on the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) performance of anti-hydrolyzed polymer to establish a reasonable viscosity ratio limit. Then the three-dimensional heterogeneous model flooding experiments were performed to clarify the mechanism. The results showed that when the permeability ratio was the same, as the viscosity ratio increased from 0.15 to 2.0, the incremental oil recovery increased from 3.2% to 27.2%. When the viscosity ratio was the same, the incremental oil recovery decreased with the increase in the permeability ratio. The reasonable viscosity ratio ranges from 1.0 to 1.5. For three-dimensional heterogeneous model flooding experiments, as the polymer–oil viscosity ratio increased from 0.45 to 1.0, the swept area of high and low permeability area was expanded and the oil saturation near the injection well in the mainstream channel was greatly reduced. Moreover, when the polymer–oil viscosity ratio was 1, the difference in the width of the mainstream channels between high and low permeability layers in the saturation field decreased, and the degree of utilization in low permeability layers increased significantly. As the polymer–oil viscosity ratio increased from 0.45 to 1.0, the incremental oil recovery increased from 16.2% to 24%.
Nonequilibrium fluctuations of chemical reaction networks at criticality: The Schlögl model as paradigmatic case
Authors: Remlein Benedikt , Seifert Udo
Published: April 2024

Chemical reaction networks can undergo nonequilibrium phase transitions upon variation in external control parameters, such as the chemical potential of a species. We investigate the flux in the associated chemostats that is proportional to the entropy production and its critical fluctuations within the Schlögl model. Numerical simulations show that the corresponding diffusion coefficient diverges at the critical point as a function of system size. In the vicinity of the critical point, the diffusion coefficient follows a scaling form. We develop an analytical approach based on the chemical Langevin equation and van Kampen’s system size expansion that yields the corresponding exponents in the monostable regime. In the bistable regime, we rely on a two-state approximation in order to analytically describe the critical behavior.
Broadband spin-filtered minimalistic magnetic tunnel junction
Authors: Chakraborti Sabarna , Krishna Korra Vamshi , Singh Virendra , Sharma Abhishek
Published: April 2024

The tri-layer magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) has surfaced as a building block for engineering next-generation integrated circuits while combining the attributes of non-volatility and meager energy consumption. Nevertheless, the perceptible switching energy (≈20–50 fJ/bit) and sub-optimal tunnelmagnetoresistance (TMR) (≈200%–300%) have acted as major hindrances, concealing its potential to supersede the capabilities of static and dynamic random access memories. In this work, we introduce a novel device that features a minimalistic non-uniform heterostructure/superlattice instead of the oxide layer in a conventional MTJ and analyze it in the premise of the self-consistent coupling of the Non-Equilibrium-Green’s Function (NEGF) and the Landau-Liftshitz-Gilbert-Slonczewski (LLGS) equation. We ascertain that the coupling of the electrodes to the proposed heterostructure renders a highly spin-selective broadband transmittance, thereby enabling a towering TMR (%) of 3.7 × 104% along with a significant reduction in the spin transfer torque (STT) switching energy (≈1.96 fJ). Furthermore, the sizable slonczewski term (Is‖) originating from the heterostructure facilitates a swift STT-switching within the scale of a few hundred picoseconds (≈400 ps).
Most automobile brakes emit charged aerosols into the atmosphere
Authors: Wilson R. Mark
Published: April 2024

The charges may allow engineers to mitigate the aerosols’ contribution to urban pollution.
The Hund-metal path to strong electronic correlations
Authors: Georges Antoine , Kotliar Gabriel
Published: April 2024

A new type of metal has taken the scientific community by surprise. Classic concepts from atomic physics—the electrons’ orbitals and spin alignment—are key to understanding it.
Space wandering in the rodent default mode network
Authors: Nghiem Trang-Anh Estelle , Lee Byeongwook , Chao Tzu-Hao Harry , Branigan Nicholas K. , Mistry Percy K. , Shih Yen-Yu Ian , Menon Vinod
Published: April 2024

The default mode network (DMN) is a large-scale brain network known to be suppressed during a wide range of cognitive tasks. However, our comprehension of its role in naturalistic and unconstrained behaviors has remained elusive because most research on the DMN has been conducted within the restrictive confines of MRI scanners. Here, we use multisite GCaMP (a genetically encoded calcium indicator) fiber photometry with simultaneous videography to probe DMN function in awake, freely exploring rats. We examined neural dynamics in three core DMN nodes—the retrosplenial cortex, cingulate cortex, and prelimbic cortex—as well as the anterior insula node of the salience network, and their association with the rats’ spatial exploration behaviors. We found that DMN nodes displayed a hierarchical functional organization during spatial exploration, characterized by stronger coupling with each other than with the anterior insula. Crucially, these DMN nodes encoded the kinematics of spatial exploration, including linear and angular velocity. Additionally, we identified latent brain states that encoded distinct patterns of time-varying exploration behaviors and found that higher linear velocity was associated with enhanced DMN activity, heightened synchronization among DMN nodes, and increased anticorrelation between the DMN and anterior insula. Our findings highlight the involvement of the DMN in collectively and dynamically encoding spatial exploration in a real-world setting. Our findings challenge the notion that the DMN is primarily a “task-negative” network disengaged from the external world. By illuminating the DMN’s role in naturalistic behaviors, our study underscores the importance of investigating brain network function in ecologically valid contexts.
Smart active particles learn and transcend bacterial foraging strategies
Authors: Nasiri Mahdi , Loran Edwin , Liebchen Benno
Published: April 2024

Throughout evolution, bacteria and other microorganisms have learned efficient foraging strategies that exploit characteristic properties of their unknown environment. While much research has been devoted to the exploration of statistical models describing the dynamics of foraging bacteria and other (micro-) organisms, little is known, regarding the question of how good the learned strategies actually are. This knowledge gap is largely caused by the absence of methods allowing to systematically develop alternative foraging strategies to compare with. In the present work, we use deep reinforcement learning to show that a smart run-and-tumble agent, which strives to find nutrients for its survival, learns motion patterns that are remarkably similar to the trajectories of chemotactic bacteria. Strikingly, despite this similarity, we also find interesting differences between the learned tumble rate distribution and the one that is commonly assumed for the run and tumble model. We find that these differences equip the agent with significant advantages regarding its foraging and survival capabilities. Our results uncover a generic route to use deep reinforcement learning for discovering search and collection strategies that exploit characteristic but initially unknown features of the environment. These results can be used, e.g., to program future microswimmers, nanorobots, and smart active particles for tasks like searching for cancer cells, micro-waste collection, or environmental remediation.
Crystal size, shape, and conformational changes drive both the disappearance and reappearance of ritonavir polymorphs in the mill
Authors: Sacchi Pietro , Wright Sarah E. , Neoptolemou Petros , Lampronti Giulio I. , Rajagopalan Ashwin Kumar , Kras Weronika , Evans Caitlin L. , Hodgkinson Paul , Cruz-Cabeza Aurora J.
Published: April 2024

Organic compounds can crystallize in different forms known as polymorphs. Discovery and control of polymorphism is crucial to the pharmaceutical industry since different polymorphs can have significantly different physical properties which impacts their utilization in drug delivery. Certain polymorphs have been reported to ‘disappear’ from the physical world, irreversibly converting to new ones. These unwanted polymorph conversions, initially prevented by slow nucleation kinetics, are eventually observed driven by significant gains in thermodynamic stabilities. The most infamous of these cases is that of the HIV drug ritonavir (RVR): Once its reluctant form was unwillingly nucleated for the first time, its desired form could no longer be produced with the same manufacturing process. Here we show that RVR’s extraordinary disappearing polymorph as well as its reluctant form can be consistently produced by ball-milling under different environmental conditions. We demonstrate that the significant difference in stability between its polymorphs can be changed and reversed in the mill—a process we show is driven by crystal size as well as crystal shape and conformational effects. We also show that those effects can be controlled through careful design of milling conditions since they dictate the kinetics of crystal breakage, dissolution, and growth processes that eventually lead to steady-state crystal sizes and shapes in the mill. This work highlights the huge potential of mechanochemistry in polymorph discovery of forms initially difficult to nucleate, recovery of disappearing polymorphs, and polymorph control of complex flexible drug compounds such as RVR.
A region of suppressed recombination misleads neoavian phylogenomics
Authors: Mirarab Siavash , Rivas-González Iker , Feng Shaohong , Stiller Josefin , Fang Qi , Mai Uyen , Hickey Glenn , Chen Guangji , Brajuka Nadolina , Fedrigo Olivier , Formenti Giulio , Wolf Jochen B. W. , Howe Kerstin , Antunes Agostinho , Schierup Mikkel H. , Paten Benedict , Jarvis Erich D. , Zhang Guojie , Braun Edward L.
Published: April 2024

Genomes are typically mosaics of regions with different evolutionary histories. When speciation events are closely spaced in time, recombination makes the regions sharing the same history small, and the evolutionary history changes rapidly as we move along the genome. When examining rapid radiations such as the early diversification of Neoaves 66 Mya, typically no consistent history is observed across segments exceeding kilobases of the genome. Here, we report an exception. We found that a 21-Mb region in avian genomes, mapped to chicken chromosome 4, shows an extremely strong and discordance-free signal for a history different from that of the inferred species tree. Such a strong discordance-free signal, indicative of suppressed recombination across many millions of base pairs, is not observed elsewhere in the genome for any deep avian relationships. Although long regions with suppressed recombination have been documented in recently diverged species, our results pertain to relationships dating circa 65 Mya. We provide evidence that this strong signal may be due to an ancient rearrangement that blocked recombination and remained polymorphic for several million years prior to fixation. We show that the presence of this region has misled previous phylogenomic efforts with lower taxon sampling, showing the interplay between taxon and locus sampling. We predict that similar ancient rearrangements may confound phylogenetic analyses in other clades, pointing to a need for new analytical models that incorporate the possibility of such events.
Development of an orally bioavailable mSWI/SNF ATPase degrader and acquired mechanisms of resistance in prostate cancer
Authors: He Tongchen , Cheng Caleb , Qiao Yuanyuan , Cho Hanbyul , Young Eleanor , Mannan Rahul , Mahapatra Somnath , Miner Stephanie J. , Zheng Yang , Kim NamHoon , Zeng Victoria Z. , Wisniewski Jasmine P. , Hou Siyu , Jackson Bailey , Cao Xuhong , Su Fengyun , Wang Rui , Chang Yu , Kuila Bilash , Mukherjee Subhendu , Dukare Sandeep , Aithal Kiran B. , D.S. Samiulla , Abbineni Chandrasekhar , Vaishampayan Ulka , Lyssiotis Costas A. , Parolia Abhijit , Xiao Lanbo , Chinnaiyan Arul M.
Published: April 2024

Mammalian switch/sucrose nonfermentable (mSWI/SNF) ATPase degraders have been shown to be effective in enhancer-driven cancers by functioning to impede oncogenic transcription factor chromatin accessibility. Here, we developed AU-24118, an orally bioavailable proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) degrader of mSWI/SNF ATPases (SMARCA2 and SMARCA4) and PBRM1. AU-24118 demonstrated tumor regression in a model of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) which was further enhanced with combination enzalutamide treatment, a standard of care androgen receptor (AR) antagonist used in CRPC patients. Importantly, AU-24118 exhibited favorable pharmacokinetic profiles in preclinical analyses in mice and rats, and further toxicity testing in mice showed a favorable safety profile. As acquired resistance is common with targeted cancer therapeutics, experiments were designed to explore potential mechanisms of resistance that may arise with long-term mSWI/SNF ATPase PROTAC treatment. Prostate cancer cell lines exposed to long-term treatment with high doses of a mSWI/SNF ATPase degrader developed SMARCA4 bromodomain mutations and ABCB1 (ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1) overexpression as acquired mechanisms of resistance. Intriguingly, while SMARCA4 mutations provided specific resistance to mSWI/SNF degraders, ABCB1 overexpression provided broader resistance to other potent PROTAC degraders targeting bromodomain-containing protein 4 and AR. The ABCB1 inhibitor, zosuquidar, reversed resistance to all three PROTAC degraders tested. Combined, these findings position mSWI/SNF degraders for clinical translation for patients with enhancer-driven cancers and define strategies to overcome resistance mechanisms that may arise.
Cyclone Jasper’s rains in the context of climate change
Authors: Emanuel Kerry
Published: April 2024

Cyclone Jasper struck northern Queensland in mid-December, 2023, causing extensive flooding stemming from torrential rain. Many stations reported rainfall totals exceeding 1 m, and a few surpassed 2 m, possibly making Jasper the wettest tropical cyclone in Australian history. To be better prepared for events like Jasper, it is useful to estimate the probability of rainfall events of Jasper’s magnitude and how that probability is likely to evolve as climate warms. To make such estimates, we apply an advanced tropical cyclone downscaling technique to nine global climate models, generating a total of 27,000 synthetic tropical cyclones each for the climate of the recent past and that of the end of this century. We estimate that the annual probability of 1 m of rain from tropical cyclones at Cairns increases from about 0.8% at the end of the 20th century to about 2.3% at the end of the 21st, a factor of almost three. Interpolating frequency to the year 2023 suggests that the current annual probability of Jasper’s rainfall is about 1.2%, about a 50% increase over that of the year 2000. Further analysis suggests that the primary causes of increasing rainfall are stronger cyclones and a moister atmosphere.
Persistent currents of ultrarelativistic plasma-encased endofullerene molecules entrapping a H atom
Authors: Bahar Mustafa Kemal
Published: April 2024

In this work, for the first time in the relevant literature, the persistent currents (PC) and induced magnetic fields (IMF) of an endofullerene molecule entrapping a hydrogen atom, under spherical confinement, are investigated. The endofullerene molecule is enclosed within a spherical region and embedded in a plasma environment. The plasma environment is depicted with the more general exponential cosine screened Coulomb potential, and its relevant effects are analyzed by considering plasma screening parameters. The relevant model for endohedral confinement is the Woods–Saxon confinement potential, which is compatible with experimental data. The effects of various forms of C

n
are thoroughly elucidated via the analysis of the confinement depth, spherical shell thickness, the inner radius, and the smoothing parameters. To find the bound states in the spherically confined endofullerene, the decoupling of the second-order Dirac equation for the large and small components of the radial atomic wave functions is considered. The Dirac equation with the interaction potential is solved numerically by using the Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method via the decoupling formalism. The influence of spin orientations on the PC and IMF is also elucidated. The effects of spherical confinement, plasma shielding, and the structural properties of the fullerene on the PC and IMF are thoroughly viewed. Moreover, under given physical conditions, the optimal ranges of these effects are determined.
Non-Gaussian feature of the output field from a double qubit-cavity ultrastrong coupling system
Authors: Xu Sheng-wen , Dai Shi-yu , Zhao Teng
Published: April 2024

We investigate the non-Gaussian feature of radiation in a circuit quantum electrodynamics (QED) system where two qubits are strongly coupled to a single-mode cavity. In the regime of ultrastrong coupling (USC), the rotating-wave approximation is not valid, and the Rabi Hamiltonian contains counter-rotating wave terms, leading to level crossing and avoided crossings in the energy spectrum. We further analyze the intensity-amplitude correlation of the output field in these two novel scenarios. In the USC regime, the creation and annihilation operators in the correlation function are replaced, allowing for the identification of non-Gaussian features in the output field. Our findings reveal that despite the absence of squeezing effects in the output light, significant non-Gaussian characteristics are present. Additionally, we demonstrate that as the driving or coupling strength increases, the non-Gaussian features of the output field become more pronounced. This suggests that USC systems hold broad potential applications in the realms of nonlinear optics and the generation of non-Gaussian states.
Acceleration of solar wind particles due to inertial Alfvén waves
Authors: Batool Kiran , Khan Imran A , Shamir M , Kabir Abdul , Ayaz S
Published: April 2024

Gaining an understanding of the effects and dynamics of the solar wind is crucial for the study of space weather, Earth's magnetosphere, spacecraft protection, the dynamics of the Solar System, and various other subjects. Observations show that Alfvén waves effectively transfer energy to resonant particles. This study demonstrates how inertial Alfvén waves deliver their energy to resonant plasma particles in different solar environments under certain conditions. The analysis shows that inertial Alfvén waves experience more rapid damping with increasing parallel wavenumber, ambient magnetic field strength, and particle number density, coupled with a decrease in temperature. The rate of energy transfer to resonant particles intensifies with higher temperatures and reduced parallel wavenumber and particle number density. Particles with higher initial velocities actively participate in Landau damping, especially in regions with a stronger ambient magnetic field.
Possible bias of the constraints on the Hubble constant owing to the quasi-Gaussian distribution of DMIGM in fast radio bursts*
Authors: Chen 陈 Gui-Yao 贵垚 , Li 李 Xin 昕
Published: April 2024

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are useful cosmological probes with numerous applications in cosmology. The distribution of the dispersion measurement contribution from the intergalactic medium is a key issue. A quasi-Gaussian distribution has been used to replace the traditional Gaussian distribution, yielding promising results. However, this study suggests that there may be additional challenges in its application. We used 35 well-localized FRBs to constrain the Hubble constant

along with two FRB-related parameters, yielding

. The best-fitting Hubble constant

is smaller than the value obtained from the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), which may be caused by the small sample size of current FRB data. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that a set of 100 simulated FRBs provides a more precise fitting result for the Hubble constant. However, the precision of the Hubble constant does not improve when further enlarging the FRB sample. Additional simulations reveal a systematic deviation in the fitting results of

, attributed to the quasi-Gaussian distribution of the dispersion measure in the intergalactic medium. Despite this, the results remain reliable within 1σ uncertainty, assuming that a sufficient number of FRB data points are available.
Low Surface Brightness Galaxies from BASS+MzLS with Machine Learning
Authors: Du Peng-Liang , Du Wei , Zhang Bing-Qing , Yi Zhen-Ping , He Min , Wu Hong
Published: April 2024

From ∼5000 deg2 of the combination of the Beijing–Arizona Sky Survey and Mayall z-band Legacy Survey which is also the northern sky region of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Imaging Surveys, we selected a sample of 31,825 candidates of low surface brightness galaxies (LSBGs) with the mean effective surface brightness

24.2
<

μ

¯

eff
,
g

<
28.8

mag arcsec−2 and the half-light radius 2.″5 < r
eff < 20″ based on the released photometric catalog and the machine learning model. The distribution of the LSBGs is bimodal in the g − r color, indicating the two distinct populations of the blue (g − r < 0.60) and red (g − r > 0.60) LSBGs. The blue LSBGs appear spiral, disk or irregular while the red LSBGs are spheroidal or elliptical and spatially clustered. This trend shows that the color has a strong correlation with galaxy morphology for LSBGs. In the spatial distribution, the blue LSBGs are more uniformly distributed while the red ones are highly clustered, indicating that red LSBGs preferentially populate a denser environment than the blue LSBGs. Besides, both populations have a consistent distribution of ellipticity (median ϵ ∼ 0.3), half-light radius (median r
eff ∼ 4″) and Sérsic index (median n = 1), implying the dominance of the full sample by the round and disk galaxies. This sample has definitely extended the studies of LSBGs to a regime of lower surface brightness, fainter magnitude and broader other properties than the previously Sloan Digital Sky Survey-based samples.
Study on the influence of side-blown airflow velocities on plasma and combustion wave generated from fused silica induced by combined pulse laser
Authors: YU 余 Hao 昊 , CAI 蔡 Jixing 继兴 , MAO 毛 Hongtao 洪涛 , WANG 王 Yunpeng 云鹏 , LI 李 Yi 忆 , LI 李 Shun 顺
Published: April 2024

This study examines the impact of variations in side-blowing airflow velocity on plasma generation, combustion wave propagation mechanisms, and surface damage in fused silica induced by a combined millisecond-nanosecond pulsed laser. The airflow rate and pulse delay are the main experimental variables. The evolution of plasma motion was recorded using ultrafast time-resolved optical shadowing. The experimental results demonstrate that the expansion velocities of the plasma and combustion wave are influenced differently by the side-blowing airflow at different airflow rates (0.2 Ma, 0.4 Ma, and 0.6 Ma). As the flow rate of the side-blow air stream increases, the initial expansion velocities of the plasma and combustion wave gradually decrease, and the side-blow air stream increasingly suppresses the plasma. It is important to note that the target vapor is always formed and ionized into plasma during the combined pulse laser action. Therefore, the side-blown airflow alone cannot completely clear the plasma. Depending on the delay conditions, the pressure of the side-blowing airflow, the influence of inverse Bremsstrahlung radiation absorption and target surface absorption mechanisms can lead to a phenomenon known as the double combustion waves when using a nanosecond pulse laser. Both simulation and experimental results are consistent, indicating the potential for further exploration of fused silica targets in the laser field.
Building evidence to advance health equity: a systematic review on care-related outcomes for older, minoritised populations in long-term care homes
Authors: Scott Mary M , Ménard Alixe , Sun Annie H , Murmann Maya , Ramzy Amy , Rasaputra Prabasha , Fleming Michelle , Orosz Zsófia , Huynh Chau , Welch Vivian , Cooper-Reed Anna , Hsu Amy T
Published: April 2024

Background

Advancing health equity requires more contextualised evidence.

Objectives

To synthesise published evidence using an existing framework on the origins of health disparities and determine care-related outcome disparities for residents of long-term care, comparing minoritised populations to the context-specific dominant population.

Design

Systematic review.

Subjects

Residents of 24-hour long-term care homes.

Methods

The protocol was registered a priori with PROSPERO (CRD42021269489). Literature published between 1 January 2000 and 26 September 2021, was searched, including studies comparing baseline characteristics and outcomes in minoritised versus dominant populations. Dual screening, two-reviewer verification for extraction, and risk of bias assessments were conducted to ensure rigour. Studies were synthesized using a conceptual framework to contextualise evidence according to multi-level factors contributing to the development of care disparities.

Results

Twenty-one of 34 included studies demonstrated disparities in care outcomes for minoritised groups compared to majority groups. Thirty-one studies observed differences in individual-level characteristics (e.g. age, education, underlying conditions) upon entry to homes, with several outcome disparities (e.g. restraint use, number of medications) present at baseline and remaining or worsening over time. Significant gaps in evidence were identified, particularly an absence of literature on provider information and evidence on the experience of intersecting minority identities that contribute to care-related outcome disparities in long-term care.

Conclusion

This review found differences in minoritised populations’ care-related outcomes. The findings provide guidance for future health equity policy and research—supporting diverse and intersectional capacity building in long-term care.
Pharmacist-implemented intervention to surmount COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in adults with substance use disorders
Authors: Karavolis Zoe , Thacker Emily , Fabian Tanya , Douaihy Antoine , Reynolds Maureen , Kirisci Levent , Tarter Ralph
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Substance use disorders (SUDs) increase the risk and severity of infectious diseases, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Adults with a co-occurring SUD and psychiatric disorder were studied to elucidate the association between SUD severity and (1) COVID-19 vaccination status, (2) receptivity to a one-session intervention with a pharmacist advocating the benefits of vaccination, and (3) acceptance of referral for vaccination following the intervention.

Methods

COVID-19 vaccination status was recorded in 460 adults with SUD (324 males and 136 females) upon entry into inpatient treatment. A 2-parameter item response theory (IRT) model quantified SUD severity. Pharmacist-delivered intervention, modeled after the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) protocol, was offered to unvaccinated participants.

Results

Higher SUD severity was associated with a lower vaccination rate. Nicotine, opioid, and sedative use disorders were most frequently associated with unvaccinated status. SUD severity was not associated with receptivity to intervention advocating vaccination or subsequent acceptance of a referral for vaccination. The portion of the sample that received the intervention was over 7 times more likely to accept a referral for vaccination when compared to participants who rejected the intervention (20.8% vs 2.8%).

Conclusion

Pharmacist-administered intervention produced motivation for vaccination in a number of recipients; however, receptivity to the intervention was not related to SUD severity.
Assessing provider knowledge of the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program in a federally qualified health center
Authors: De La Riva Lorraine , Gray Emily , Braden-Suchy Natalea , Irwin Adriane N
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The 340B Drug Pricing Program is important to healthcare organizations that serve vulnerable communities. However, it is unknown whether healthcare providers in these organizations understand the 340B program and how it supports enhanced patient services. This study aims to characterize the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of healthcare providers toward the 340B program in a multisite federally qualified health center (FQHC).

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study. A 27-item survey designed to assess prescriber knowledge and perspectives toward the 340B program was developed and administered. Closed-ended items were summarized using descriptive statistics, and open-ended items were analyzed with qualitative methods.

Results

A total of 198 healthcare providers with prescribing authority received the survey; of those, 65 (32.8%) participated. The majority of respondents (66.2%) were female; 41.5% were 35 years of age or younger, and 49.2% were physicians. The majority of respondents agreed that patients benefited from access to the organization’s 340B pharmacies (95.0%) and that 340B pricing is important to consider when prescribing medications (78.3%). However, knowledge of the 340B program was limited, with only half of respondents (54.0%) able to correctly answer at least 4 of 7 knowledge-focused items. Reponses to a patient case suggested that some providers may be unfamiliar with which drugs are available at reduced prices.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that providers believe the 340B program benefits patients and the organization but often lack a complete understanding of the program. Future research should focus on prescriber education as a strategy to help organizations optimize their 340B programs and facilitate patient access to medications.
Vibrating aggression: spider males perform an unusual assessment strategy during contest displays
Authors: de Almeida João Gabriel Lacerda , Arnott Gareth , Peixoto Paulo Enrique Cardoso
Published: April 2024

A recurrent question in animal contests is whether individuals adopt a self or mutual assessment rule to decide to withdraw from a contest. However, many empirical studies fail to find conclusive support for one of these two possibilities. A possible explanation is that assessment strategies vary between individuals. In the contests of the orb-web spider Trichonephila clavipes, males perform a vibrational display on webs that may escalate to physical contact. Since all individuals perform the vibrational phase and only some of them escalate, we proposed 2 hypotheses: (1) all individuals perform mutual assessment during the vibrational phase, or (2) some individuals that do not escalate adopt self-assessment, while individuals that escalated adopt mutual assessment. To evaluate these hypotheses, we investigated the relationship between the duration of the vibrational phase and frontal leg length (a proxy of male fight capacity) of loser and winner males in contests that escalated and did not escalate to the physical contact phase. We found a non-significant relationship between duration and losers leg length for both contests that escalate and did not escalate. While we found a positive relationship between duration and winners leg length, particularly in contests that did not escalate. These results do not provide support for mutual assessment or for a mix of different assessment rules among individuals. We suggest that in T. clavipes, the dynamics of the vibrational phase may be explained by two different contest strategies (opponent-only assessment or size-based aggressiveness) that are dependent on intruder motivation to escalate.