bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolated or Combined Ascending Aortic Replacement through a Partial Sternotomy: Early and Midterm Outcomes
Authors: Angerer Matthias , Pollari Francesco , Hitzl Wolfgang , Weber Lucia , Sirch Joachim , Fischlein Theodor
Published: April 2024

Background We aimed to investigate the in-hospital and midterm outcomes of patients undergoing ascending aortic replacement (AAR) through a partial or a full sternotomy approach through a propensity matching analysis.

Methods We retrospectively included all patients (n = 167) who underwent elective AAR in our institution between 2013 and 2020. The study population was divided into two groups according to the surgical access (40 patient in the partial sternotomy or “PS” group and 127 in the full sternotomy or “FS” group). Due to the significant differences between the groups, a propensity matching of 1:3 was applied. In-hospital complications, survival, and reoperation at follow-up were investigated.

Results The PS group showed higher cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times than the FS group (94.2 vs. 83 minutes and 164.2 vs. 126.8 minutes, respectively). Moreover, the postoperative ventilation time was significantly higher in the PS group, but it did not affect the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). The incidences of bleeding, stroke, and mortality were comparable between the two groups (11 vs. 3%, 3 vs. 6%, and 5 vs. 3%, respectively). After a median follow-up of 2 ± 1.98 years, the Kaplan–Meier analysis showed no significant differences between the two groups (log-rank, p = 0.17) in terms of survival.

Conclusion The surgical ascending aorta replacement through a partial sternotomy is associated with longer operative times, but this does not affect the early as well as the long-term follow-up.
Managing One-Lung Ventilation in Tracheostomized Patients: A 6-Year Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Golditz Tobias , Schmidt Joachim , Ackermann Andreas , Danzl Anja , Birkholz Torsten , Sirbu Horia , Irouschek Andrea
Published: April 2024

Background To ensure safe and optimal surgical conditions in thoracic surgery, one-lung ventilation is crucial. Various techniques exist to achieve one-lung ventilation. Tracheotomized patients who require one-lung ventilation represent a unique and rare subgroup that demands specialized knowledge and skills. The very limited literature has discussed alternative methods, no randomized controlled trials have addressed this issue yet.

Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent one-lung ventilation in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of a German University Hospital between 2016 and 2021. The study assessed patient demographics, airway management techniques, ventilation parameters, and adverse events.

Results In 3,197 anesthesia procedures during the observation period, 152 patients had an existing tracheostomy, of which 56 required one-lung ventilation. Among others in 42 cases, a tracheostomy tube was combined with a bronchial blocker, and in 10 cases, a double-lumen tracheostomy tube was used. There were no severe complications. Intraoperative dislocations that required repositioning of the device occurred in six patients (13.3%) with bronchial blockers and one patient with double-lumen tracheostomy tube (10%).

Conclusion The management of one-lung ventilation in tracheotomized patients presents unique challenges. While double-lumen tracheostomy tubes have specific advantages, we recommend considering their use carefully. For most tracheotomized patients, bronchial blockers in conjunction with a tracheostomy tube are used, which offers safety and practicality, irrespective of the tracheostomy's age or type. Further research and randomized controlled trials are warranted to establish best practices for one-lung ventilation in this unique patient population.
An Update on Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria since the World Brain Death Project
Authors: Lewis Ariane
Published: April 2024

The World Brain Death Project (WBDP) is a 2020 international consensus statement that provides historical background and recommendations on brain death/death by neurologic criteria (BD/DNC) determination. It addresses 13 topics including: (1) worldwide variance in BD/DNC, (2) the science of BD/DNC, (3) the concept of BD/DNC, (4) minimum clinical criteria for BD/DNC determination, (5) beyond minimum clinical BD/DNC determination, (6) pediatric and neonatal BD/DNC determination, (7) BD/DNC determination in patients on ECMO, (8) BD/DNC determination after treatment with targeted temperature management, (9) BD/DNC documentation, (10) qualification for and education on BD/DNC determination, (11) somatic support after BD/DNC for organ donation and other special circumstances, (12) religion and BD/DNC: managing requests to forego a BD/DNC evaluation or continue somatic support after BD/DNC, and (13) BD/DNC and the law. This review summarizes the WBDP content on each of these topics and highlights relevant work published from 2020 to 2023, including both the 192 citing publications and other publications on BD/DNC. Finally, it reviews questions for future research related to BD/DNC and emphasizes the need for national efforts to ensure the minimum standards for BD/DNC determination described in the WBDP are included in national BD/DNC guidelines and due consideration is given to the recommendations about social and legal aspects of BD/DNC determination.
The spherical tokamak path to fusion power: Opportunities and challenges for development via public–private partnerships
Authors: Kingham David , Gryaznevich Mikhail
Published: April 2024

In this article, we aim to show that the spherical tokamak (ST) device with high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets could offer the quickest and lowest risk path to develop commercial fusion energy, which may be significantly advanced by the use of private–public partnerships. Our starting point is based on what we have learned and will continue to learn from publicly funded research on STs. Keeping prototype ST devices and HTS magnets small has enabled rapid innovation toward a commercial goal. Our ST40 compact, high field ST has proven exceptional performance, with plasma ion temperatures over 100 × 106 °C (above 8 keV) and a record triple product for any private company (n T τE ∼ 1019 keV s/m3). Meanwhile, our robust, compact, quench-safe, HTS magnets can routinely achieve over 24 T. We now have results of great interest to fusion scientists, so as well as pursuing our commercial goals, we are contributing to scientific progress in fusion. Opportunities to participate in public–private partnerships are emerging with Tokamak Energy already selected for the U.S. Department of Energy milestone program and well-positioned to participate in the U.K. Government Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production program. Other countries are likely to adopt similar approaches as the need for rapid development of fusion energy becomes ever more apparent.
Modeling of polarization reversal-induced interface sheet charge in wurtzite-type AlScN/GaN heterostructures
Authors: Yassine M. , Yassine A. , Nair A. , Sundarapandian B. , Afshar N. , Kirste L. , Fichtner S. , Ambacher O.
Published: April 2024

In this work, the value and the polarity of the spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization have been investigated, as the use of two different reference structures for wurtzite-type group-III nitrides, namely, the zinc-blende and the layered-hexagonal crystal lattice, have resulted in different predictions. It was found that although the differences in value and polarity of the polarization for heterostructures such as wurtzite Al1−xScxN/GaN lead to similar interface sheet charges, a significant mismatch is observed when polarization reversal is considered. The interface sheet charge predicted before and after the polarization reversal in the wurtzite Al1−xScxN layer on GaN using the zinc-blende lattice as a reference predominantly shows a change in sign. When using the layered-hexagonal lattice as a reference, not only is the same polarity of the interface sheet charge maintained after polarization reversal, but it is even 30 times larger. In this case, the giant and positive spontaneous polarization values for metal-polar Al1−xScxN extracted from the ferroelectric switching, as well as the alignment of the piezoelectric polarization to it, were observed to be consistent with the predictions referenced to the layered-hexagonal lattice. Thus, it is concluded that the layered-hexagonal reference is not only more suitable for predicting the ferroelectric properties of wurtzite Al1−xScxN but should also be the correct reference when considering polarization reversal in heterostructures. If the significant increase in the interface sheet charge after polarization reversal is experimentally detected, it will allow the design and fabrication of novel devices for future high-frequency and power electronics applications.
Formulation of transition dipole gradients for non-adiabatic dynamics with polaritonic states
Authors: Lee In Seong , Filatov Michael , Min Seung Kyu
Published: April 2024

A general formulation of the strong coupling between photons confined in a cavity and molecular electronic states is developed for the state-interaction state-average spin-restricted ensemble-referenced Kohn–Sham method. The light–matter interaction is included in the Jaynes–Cummings model, which requires the derivation and implementation of the analytical derivatives of the transition dipole moments between the molecular electronic states. The developed formalism is tested in the simulations of the nonadiabatic dynamics in the polaritonic states resulting from the strong coupling between the cavity photon mode and the ground and excited states of the penta-2,4-dieniminium cation, also known as PSB3. Comparison with the field-free simulations of the excited-state decay dynamics in PSB3 reveals that the light–matter coupling can considerably alter the decay dynamics by increasing the excited state lifetime and hindering photochemically induced torsion about the C=C double bonds of PSB3. The necessity of obtaining analytical transition dipole gradients for the accurate propagation of the dynamics is underlined.
An integrative dynamical perspective for graph theory and the analysis of complex networks
Authors: Zamora-López Gorka , Gilson Matthieu
Published: April 2024

Built upon the shoulders of graph theory, the field of complex networks has become a central tool for studying real systems across various fields of research. Represented as graphs, different systems can be studied using the same analysis methods, which allows for their comparison. Here, we challenge the widespread idea that graph theory is a universal analysis tool, uniformly applicable to any kind of network data. Instead, we show that many classical graph metrics—including degree, clustering coefficient, and geodesic distance—arise from a common hidden propagation model: the discrete cascade. From this perspective, graph metrics are no longer regarded as combinatorial measures of the graph but as spatiotemporal properties of the network dynamics unfolded at different temporal scales. Once graph theory is seen as a model-based (and not a purely data-driven) analysis tool, we can freely or intentionally replace the discrete cascade by other canonical propagation models and define new network metrics. This opens the opportunity to design—explicitly and transparently—dedicated analyses for different types of real networks by choosing a propagation model that matches their individual constraints. In this way, we take stand that network topology cannot always be abstracted independently from network dynamics but shall be jointly studied, which is key for the interpretability of the analyses. The model-based perspective here proposed serves to integrate into a common context both the classical graph analysis and the more recent network metrics defined in the literature which were, directly or indirectly, inspired by propagation phenomena on networks.
Asymptotic analysis of electrohydrodynamic flow through a swarm of porous cylindrical particles
Authors: Saini Amit Kumar , Chauhan Satyendra Singh , Tiwari Ashish
Published: April 2024

The present article reveals the study of an electrohydrodynamic flow through a membrane composed of a swarm of porous layered cylindrical particles adopting a heat transfer approach. The configuration of the proposed theoretical model is segregated into two regions in which the region proximate to the solid core of the cylindrical particle is a porous region. However, a region surrounded by a porous region is a non-porous (clear fluid) region. The thermal equations are employed under steady-state conditions to establish the temperature distribution when heat conduction prevails over heat convection. The Brinkman and Stokes equations regulate fluid flow through a swarm of porous layered cylindrical particles in porous and non-porous regions, respectively. With the purpose of addressing an electric field in the fluid flow process through a swarm of porous layered cylindrical particles to understand the role of a Hartmann electric number, the momentum equation and the charge density are coupled and nonlinear. The nonlinear second-order differential equation governs the momentum equation and regulates fluid flow through a swarm of porous cylindrical particles. The solutions of the energy equations for both regions are analytically obtained. The asymptotic expansions of velocities for porous and non-porous regions have been derived using the perturbation technique for the small and large values of the nonlinearity parameter α. The effects of various parameters like Hartmann electric number, Grashof number, radiation parameter, viscosity ratio parameter, and porosity of the porous material on the hydrodynamical permeability, Kozeny constant of the membrane, and temperature are analyzed graphically. A noteworthy observation is that a rising Hartmann electric number, the ratio of electric force to the viscous force, enhances the velocity, which is relatively more significant for higher permeability and hence enhances the membrane permeability; however, decay in Kozeny constant is reported with a rising Hartmann electric number. Significant velocity and membrane permeability growth are described with a rising Grashof number, a ratio of thermal buoyancy and viscous forces. The observations from the present study hold promise for advancing our understanding of critical physical and biological applications, including wastewater treatment filtration processes, petroleum reservoir rocks, and blood flow through smooth muscle cells.
Identification of control equations using low-dimensional flow representations of pitching airfoil
Authors: Wang Zihao , Zhang Guiyong , Zhou Bo , Sun Tiezhi , Wu Jinxin
Published: April 2024

This study investigates the application of data-driven modeling techniques for understanding the complex dynamics of pitching airfoils at low Reynolds numbers and high angles of attack. Linear and nonlinear dimensionality reduction methods, namely principal component analysis (PCA) and isometric mapping (ISOMAP), are employed to obtain low-dimensional representations of the flow field. Subsequently, sparse identification of nonlinear dynamics (SINDy) is utilized to model the governing equations. The key findings are as follows: PCA primarily captures linear information, with the first two to three dimensions maintaining relatively low reconstruction errors. In contrast, ISOMAP excels in capturing nonlinear features, exhibiting noticeably smaller reconstruction errors. The main information is concentrated in the two-dimensional plane constructed by PCA1 and PCA2 (or ISOMAP1 and ISOMAP2). Differences in trajectory planes formed by combinations of other axes reflect flow field disparities. ISOMAP provides a nonlinear low-dimensional representation, advantageous for capturing nonlinear relationships between flow field characteristics and governing equations. The combination of ISOMAP and SINDy yields virtually no errors in identifying governing equations. Conversely, PCA and SINDy result in significantly different linear trajectories, leading to higher reconstruction errors. The identified governing equations using ISOMAP and SINDy remain consistent across different datasets, demonstrating the method's stability and robustness in accurately characterizing flow field properties under similar conditions.
Differential nanoscale organization of excitatory synapses onto excitatory vs. inhibitory neurons
Authors: Dharmasri Poorna A. , Levy Aaron D. , Blanpied Thomas A.
Published: April 2024

A key feature of excitatory synapses is the existence of subsynaptic protein nanoclusters (NCs) whose precise alignment across the cleft in a transsynaptic nanocolumn influences the strength of synaptic transmission. However, whether nanocolumn properties vary between excitatory synapses functioning in different cellular contexts is unknown. We used a combination of confocal and DNA-PAINT super-resolution microscopy to directly compare the organization of shared scaffold proteins at two important excitatory synapses—those forming onto excitatory principal neurons (Ex→Ex synapses) and those forming onto parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (Ex→PV synapses). As in Ex→Ex synapses, we find that in Ex→PV synapses, presynaptic Munc13-1 and postsynaptic PSD-95 both form NCs that demonstrate alignment, underscoring synaptic nanostructure and the transsynaptic nanocolumn as conserved organizational principles of excitatory synapses. Despite the general conservation of these features, we observed specific differences in the characteristics of pre- and postsynaptic Ex→PV nanostructure. Ex→PV synapses contained larger PSDs with fewer PSD-95 NCs when accounting for size than Ex→Ex synapses. Furthermore, the PSD-95 NCs were larger and denser. The identity of the postsynaptic cell was also represented in Munc13-1 organization, as Ex→PV synapses hosted larger Munc13-1 puncta that contained less dense but larger and more numerous Munc13-1 NCs. Moreover, we measured the spatial variability of transsynaptic alignment in these synapse types, revealing protein alignment in Ex→PV synapses over a distinct range of distances compared to Ex→Ex synapses. We conclude that while general principles of nanostructure and alignment are shared, cell-specific elements of nanodomain organization likely contribute to functional diversity of excitatory synapses.
The virtue and shades of aggressive humour in press advertising
Authors: Stwora Anna
Published: April 2024

Disparaging humour may take numerous forms and despite the emotional ambivalence it may occasionally cause, it may prove a valuable quality of an ad. While investigating one hundred multimodal press ads in English that simultaneously make use of metaphor and humour based on an incongruity-resolution mechanism, it was discovered that one-third thereof employed aggressive humour as well (Stwora 2023). Given the high incidence of the aggressive function in these ads, this paper explores this disparaging dimension in more detail to show that various shades of aggressiveness may be perceived as a virtue when used in advertising discourse. The paper advocates a need to consider further sub-categorisations of the aggressive function of humour when applied in advertising to reflect different hostility levels.
Non-modal voice quality in Chilean Spanish
Authors: Bolyanatz Mariška
Published: April 2024

Since the turn of the 21st century, research on phonation (the production of sound via the vibration of the vocal folds, also known as voice quality) has increased significantly. However, non-modal phonation is highly understudied in Spanish. Therefore, this study comprises a sociophonetic analysis of voice quality in Spanish, examining voice quality categorically from sociolinguistic interview speech conducted with 41 native monolingual Chilean Spanish speakers. The aim of the present paper is to interrogate how phonation varies among residents of Santiago, Chile. Specifically, it asks: what is the sociolinguistic distribution of non-modal voice quality in Chilean Spanish? How does this distribution align with work on voice quality in Spanish and in other languages? Results indicate that non-modal voice quality is used by speakers to mark prosodic boundaries such as phrase finality, aligning with robust cross- linguistic findings. Non-modal phonation is also incorporated when speakers are reporting speech, as well as when they are speaking about emotionally-charged subjects. I draw connections between these findings and those of other dialects of Spanish, and show that utterance-final devoicing, while often associated with “tierras altas” dialects of Spanish, may be more frequent in other dialects than previously indicated. I argue that further examinations of non-modal phonation should also examine third-wave approaches of attitude, emotion, and stance.
Introduction to translating Etkind
Authors: Eade Roberts Suzanne
Published: April 2024

The text is a translation from Russian of the first chapter of Soviet theorist Efim Etkind’s 1963 work Poeziia i perevod [Poetry and Translation], in slightly abridged form. Etkind
is a vital figure within the translation milieu of the ‘Thaw’ era of the late 1950s and early 1960s, when there was a policy of
de-Stalinization and a degree of liberalization. Etkind’s insightful work on poetry translation using comparative stylistics
reflected, in some ways, the cultural-political environment of the time. It differed radically from the Realist approach of Ivan
Kashkin, who was influenced by Socialist Realism and Stalin-era rhetoric. Etkind pushed the boundaries of what could be said about
translation. His apparently apolitical approach was in fact strongly politicized in the Soviet context, and his choice of authors
and translators to discuss evidenced his sympathy for those out of favor with the regime and for fellow Jews.
Determinants of minor satellite RNA function in chromosome segregation in mouse embryonic stem cells
Authors: Chen Yung-Li , Jones Alisha N. , Crawford Amy , Sattler Michael , Ettinger Andreas , Torres-Padilla Maria-Elena
Published: April 2024

The centromere is a fundamental higher-order structure in chromosomes ensuring their faithful segregation upon cell division. Centromeric transcripts have been described in several species and suggested to participate in centromere function. However, low sequence conservation of centromeric repeats appears inconsistent with a role in recruiting highly conserved centromeric proteins. Here, we hypothesized that centromeric transcripts may function through a secondary structure rather than sequence conservation. Using mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), we show that an imbalance in the levels of forward or reverse minor satellite (MinSat) transcripts leads to severe chromosome segregation defects. We further show that MinSat RNA adopts a stem-loop secondary structure, which is conserved in human α-satellite transcripts. We identify an RNA binding region in CENPC and demonstrate that MinSat transcripts function through the structured region of the RNA. Importantly, mutants that disrupt MinSat secondary structure do not cause segregation defects. We propose that the conserved role of centromeric transcripts relies on their secondary RNA structure.
Radiation of a TM mode from an open end of a three-layer dielectric capillary
Authors: Galyamin Sergey N. , Altmark Alexandr M.
Published: April 2024

Modern trends in beam-driven radiation sources include the interaction of Cherenkov wakefields in open-ended circular waveguides with complicated dielectric linings, with a three-layer dielectric capillary recently proposed to reduce radiation divergence being a representative example [Opt. Lett.
45 5416 (2020)]. We present a rigorous approach that allows for an analytical description of the electromagnetic processes that occur when the structure is excited by a single waveguide TM mode. In other words, the corresponding canonical waveguide diffraction problem is solved in a rigorous formulation. This is a continuation of our previous papers which considered simpler cases with a homogeneous or two-layer dielectric filling. Here we use the same analytical approach based on the Wiener–Hopf–Fock technique and deal with the more complicated case of a three-layer dielectric lining. Using the obtained rigorous solution, we discuss the possibility of manipulating the far-field radiation pattern using a third layer made of a low permittivity material.
Subpicosecond laser ablation behavior of a magnesium target and crater evolution: Molecular dynamics study and experimental validation
Authors: Jiang 江 Guolong 国龙 , Zhou 周 Xia 霞
Published: April 2024

The micro-ablation processes and morphological evolution of ablative craters on single-crystal magnesium under subpicosecond laser irradiation are investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experiments. The simulation results exhibit that the main failure mode of single-crystal Mg film irradiated by a low fluence and long pulse width laser is the ejection of surface atoms, which has laser-induced high stress. However, under high fluence and short pulse width laser irradiation, the main damage mechanism is nucleation fracture caused by stress wave reflection and superposition at the bottom of the film. In addition, Mg[0001] has higher pressure sensitivity and is more prone to ablation than Mg

[
10

1
¯

0
]

. The evolution equation of crater depth is established using multi-pulse laser ablation simulation and verified by experiments. The results show that, under multiple pulsed laser irradiation, not only does the crater depth increase linearly with the pulse number, but also the quadratic term and constant term of the fitted crater profile curve increase linearly.
Detecting neutrinos from supernova bursts in PandaX-4T*
Authors: Pang 庞 Binyu 彬宇 , Abdukerim 阿布都沙拉木·阿布 Abdusalam 都克力木 , Bo 薄 Zihao 子豪 , Chen 陈 Wei 葳 , Chen 谌 Xun 勋 , Cheng 程 Chen 晨 , Cheng 成 Zhaokan 兆侃 , Cui 崔 Xiangyi 祥仪 , Fan 樊 Yingjie 英杰 , Fang 方 Deqing 德清 , Fu 符 Changbo 长波 , Fu 付 Mengting 孟婷 , Geng 耿 Lisheng 立升 , Giboni Karl , Gu 顾 Linhui 琳慧 , Guo 郭 Xuyuan 绪元 , Han 韩 Chencheng 晨成 , Han 韩 Ke 柯 , He 何 Changda 昶达 , He 何 Jinrong 金荣 , Huang 黄 Di 迪 , Huang 黄 Yanlin 彦霖 , Huang 黄 Junting 俊挺 , Huang 黄 Zhou 周 , Hou 侯 Ruquan 汝全 , Hou 侯 Yu 钰 , Ji 季 Xiangdong 向东 , Ju 巨 Yonglin 永林 , Li 李 Chenxiang 晨翔 , Li 李 Jiafu 家富 , Li 李 Mingchuan 名川 , Li 李 Shuaijie 帅杰 , Li 李 Tao 涛 , Lin 林 Qing 箐 , Liu 刘 QiJianglaing 江来 , Lu 陆 Congcong 聪聪 , Lu 芦 Xiaoying 晓盈 , Luo 罗 Lingyin 棱尹 , Luo 罗 Yunyang 云阳 , Ma 马 Wenbo 文博 , Ma 马 Yugang 余刚 , Mao 冒 Yajun 亚军 , Meng 孟 Yue 月 , Ning 宁 Xuyang 旭阳 , Qi 祁 Ningchun 宁春 , Qian 钱 Zhicheng 志成 , Ren 任 Xiangxiang 祥祥 , Shaheed Nasir , Shang 尚 Xiaofeng 晓凤 , Shao 邵 Xiyuan 熙元 , Shen 申 Guofang 国防 , Si 司 Lin 琳 , Sun 孙 Wenliang 文良 , Tan 谈 Andi 安迪 , Tao 陶 Yi 奕 , Wang 王 Anqing 安庆 , Wang 王 Meng 萌 , Wang 王 Qiuhong 秋红 , Wang 王 Shaobo 少博 , Wang 王 Siguang 思广 , Wang 王 Wei 为 , Wang 王 Xiuli 秀丽 , Wang 王 Zhou 舟 , Wei 魏 Yuehuan 月环 , Wu 武 Mengmeng 蒙蒙 , Wu 邬 Weihao 维浩 , Xia 夏 Jingkai 经铠 , Xiao 肖 Mengjiao 梦姣 , Xiao 肖 Xiang 翔 , Xie 谢 Pengwei 鹏伟 , Yan 燕 Binbin 斌斌 , Yan 颜 Xiyu 玺雨 , Yang 杨 Jijun 继军 , Yang 杨 Yong 勇 , Yao 姚 Yukun 玉坤 , Yu 喻 Chunxu 纯旭 , Yuan 袁 Ying 影 , Yuan 苑 Zhe 哲 , Zeng 曾 Xinning 鑫宁 , Zhang 张 Dan 丹 , Zhang 张 Minzhen 敏桢 , Zhang 张 Peng 鹏 , Zhang 张 Shibo 世博 , Zhang 张 Shu 澍 , Zhang 张 Tao 涛 , Zhang 张 Yang 洋 , Zhang 张 Yingxin 瀛心 , Zhang 张 Yuanyuan 园园 , Zhao 赵 Li 力 , Zheng 郑 Qibin 其斌 , Zhou 周 Jifang 济芳 , Zhou 周 Ning 宁 , Zhou 周 Xiaopeng 小朋 , Zhou 周 Yong 永 , Zhou 周 Yubo 钰博
Published: April 2024

Neutrinos from core-collapse supernovae are essential for understanding neutrino physics and stellar evolution. Dual-phase xenon dark matter detectors can be used to track explosions of galactic supernovae by detecting neutrinos through coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scatterings. In this study, a variation of progenitor masses and explosion models are assumed to predict neutrino fluxes and spectra, which result in the number of expected neutrino events ranging from 6.6 to 13.7 at a distance of 10 kpc over a 10-s duration with negligible backgrounds at PandaX-4T. Two specialized triggering alarms for monitoring supernova burst neutrinos are built. The efficiency of detecting supernova explosions at various distances in the Milky Way is estimated. These alarms will be implemented in the real-time supernova monitoring system at PandaX-4T in the near future, which will provide supernova early warnings for the astronomical community.
Linear instability of hairy black holes in Horndeski theory*
Authors: Zhang 张 Chao 超 , Zhu 朱 Tao 涛
Published: April 2024

Horndeski theory constitutes the most general model of scalar-tensor theories. It has attracted much attention in recent years in relation with black holes, celestial dynamics, stability analysis, etc. It is important to note that, for certain subclasses of Horndeski models, one can obtain analytic solutions for the background fields. This facilitates the investigation of the corresponding stability problems in detail. In particular, we aim to determine the constraints to the model or theory under which the stability conditions can be satisfied. In this study, we focused on a subclass of Horndeski theory and a set of analytic background solutions. In addition, the odd-parity gravitational perturbation and 2nd-order Lagrangian were investigated. Through careful analysis, the instability was identified within the neighborhood of the event horizon. This allows exclusion of a specific geometry for the model. Such an instability is implanted in the structure of the corresponding Lagrangian and is not erased by simply adding numerical constraints on the coupling parameters. As a starting point of our research, the current study provides insights for further exploration of the Horndeski theory.
Dynamical Dark Energy in Light of Cosmic Distance Measurements. I. A Demonstration Using Simulated Datasets
Authors: Gu Gan , Wang Xiaoma , Mu Xiaoyong , Yuan Shuo , Zhao Gong-Bo
Published: April 2024

We develop methods to extract key dark energy information from cosmic distance measurements including the BAO scales and supernova (SN) luminosity distances. Demonstrated using simulated data sets of the complete DESI, LSST and Roman surveys designed for BAO and SN distance measurements, we show that using our method, the dynamical behavior of the energy, pressure, equation of state (with its time derivative) of dark energy and the cosmic deceleration function can all be accurately recovered from high-quality data, which allows for robust diagnostic tests for dark energy models.
Numerical study of the plasma meniscus shape and beam optics in RF negative ion sources
Authors: Hayashi K. , Hoshino K. , Miyamoto K. , Hatayama A. , Lettry J.
Published: April 2024

In order to extract intense ion beams with good beam optics from hydrogen negative ion
sources, it is important to control the shape of the plasma meniscus (i.e. beam emission
surface). Recently, it is suggested experimentally that the degradation of beam optics in the RF
negative ion sources may be due to the fluctuation of the distance d
eff between the meniscus
and the extraction grid caused by the fluctuation of the plasma density np
. The purpose of
this study is to make clear the dependence of d
eff on np
in the presence of a
large amount of surface produced H- ions in order to understand such fluctuation of beam
optics in RF sources For the purpose, 3D electrostatic PIC simulation was conducted taking the
bulk plasma density as a parameter, investigating the extraction region of a H- ion source. A
large amount of the surface H- production on the PG has been taken into account under the
assumption that the H- production rate is proportional to the bulk plasma density. The result
shows that the effective distance d
eff is proportional to np

-1/2 even for a
large amount of surface H- production. This dependence suggests that the bulk plasma density
 np
is the key parameters to control d
eff and the resultant beam optics extracted from
the negative ion source.
Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab magnetic nanoparticles for magnetic resonance/near-infrared imaging targeting HER2 in breast cancer
Authors: Yin Qiangqiang , Gao Xiaolong , Zhang Hao , Zhang Zhichen , Yu Xiaoyang , He Jialong , Shi Guangyue , Hao Liguo
Published: April 2024

This study developed a probe Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab with fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging functions that can target breast cancer with high HER2 expression, aiming to provide a new theoretical method for the diagnosis of early breast cancer. Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab nanoparticles were combined with Fe3O4 for T2 imaging and Cy5.5 for near-infrared imaging, and coupled with trastuzumab for HER2 targeting. We characterized the nanoparticles used transmission electron microscopy, hydration particle size, Zeta potential, UV and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and examined its magnetism, fluorescence, and relaxation rate related properties. CCK-8 and blood biochemistry analysis evaluated the biosafety and stability of the nanoparticles, and validated the targeting ability of Fe3O4-Cy5.5 trastuzumab nanoparticles through in vitro and in vivo cell and animal experiments. Characterization results showed the successful synthesis of Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab nanoparticles with a diameter of 93.72 ± 6.34 nm. The nanoparticles showed a T2 relaxation rate 42.29 mM−1s−1, magnetic saturation strength of 27.58 emg g−1. Laser confocal and flow cytometry uptake assay showed that the nanoparticles could effectively target HER2 expressed by breast cancer cells. As indicated by in vitro and in vivo studies, Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab were specifically taken up and effectively aggregated to tumour regions with prominent NIRF/MR imaging properties. CCK-8, blood biochemical analysis and histological results suggested Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab that exhibited low toxicity to major organs and good in vivo biocompatibility. The prepared Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab exhibited excellent targeting, NIRF/MR imaging performance. It is expected to serve as a safe and effective diagnostic method that lays a theoretical basis for the effective diagnosis of early breast cancer. This study successfully prepared a kind of nanoparticles with near-infrared fluorescence imaging and T2 imaging properties, which is expected to serve as a new theory and strategy for early detection of breast cancer.
Mussel shell-derived pro-regenerative scaffold with conductive porous multi-scale-patterned microenvironment for spinal cord injury repair
Authors: Yin Wenming , Yang Chang , Liu Dan , Cha Shuhan , Cai Liu , Ye Genlan , Song Xiaoping , Zhang Jifeng , Qiu Xiaozhong
Published: April 2024

It is well-established that multi-scale porous scaffolds can guide axonal growth and facilitate functional restoration after spinal cord injury (SCI). In this study, we developed a novel mussel shell-inspired conductive scaffold for SCI repair with ease of production, multi-scale porous structure, high flexibility, and excellent biocompatibility. By utilizing the reducing properties of polydopamine, non-conductive graphene oxide (GO) was converted into conductive reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and crosslinked in situ within the mussel shells. In vitro experiments confirmed that this multi-scale porous Shell@PDA-GO could serve as structural cues for enhancing cell adhesion, differentiation, and maturation, as well as promoting the electrophysiological development of hippocampal neurons. After transplantation at the injury sites, the Shell@PDA-GO provided a pro-regenerative microenvironment, promoting endogenous neurogenesis, triggering neovascularization, and relieving glial fibrosis formation. Interestingly, the Shell@PDA-GO could induce the release of endogenous growth factors (NGF and NT-3), resulting in the complete regeneration of nerve fibers at 12 weeks. This work provides a feasible strategy for the exploration of conductive multi-scale patterned scaffold to repair SCI.
Focus on plasma-facing materials in nuclear fusion reactors
Authors: Dasgupta Dwaipayan , Bernard Elodie , Zhou Haishan , Kolasinski Robert D , Wirth Brian D , Maroudas Dimitrios
Published: April 2024

Fusion energy is a promising, safe, and reliable green energy solution to the increasing energy demand. However, there are several materials challenges that need to be overcome to increase the technical readiness to a level that enables a fusion pilot plant on the grid. This focus issue aims to identify and address a set of such key impediments for realizing deuterium-tritium (D–T) fusion power in a tokamak reactor and highlight the most recent progress on those research frontiers. The main emphasis of this collection is on materials development challenges resulting from helium irradiation, neutron-induced degradation, thermomechanical loading, and the corrosive environment faced by the divertor and first-wall materials, commonly known as plasma-facing components, and blanket systems for tokamak fusion reactors.
Raman evidence for the oxidation of amorphous As2(SexS1–x)3 film surfaces under visible light
Authors: Azhniuk Yuriy , Lopushansky Vasyl , Loya Vasyl , Solonenko Dmytro , Kryshenik Volodymyr , Voynarovych Ivan , Gomonnai Alexander V , Zahn Dietrich R T
Published: April 2024

Raman spectra of thermally evaporated As2Se3 and Se-rich (above 50 at. %) ternary As–Se–S films measured at high (above 1 MW cm−2) excitation power density reveal new narrow peaks emerging during the measurements which are attributed to crystalline arsenolite As2O3. The latter is formed on the As–Se–S film surface due to thermal decomposition of the film and oxidation of arsenic in ambient air. Contrary to As2S3, for which the photoassisted oxidation of the film surface requires UV light, for narrower-gap As–Se–S films this effect occurs under illumination by visible light.
High electrical conductivity and bending resistance of Ag NPs/Ag flakes composite silver paste are achieved by sintering Ag NPs
Authors: Quan Siqi , Gan Guoyou , Yu Xiang lei , Tang Xian jie , Sun Hu , Qian Zhuo , Li Junpeng
Published: April 2024

The investigation of conductive silver pastes and inks has witnessed extensive research within the domain of printed electronics in recent years, primarily owing to the exceptional electrical conductivity and steadfastness intrinsic to silver. This paper introduces an approach for the fabrication of stable, cost-effective, and low-resistance conductive silver paste tailored for flexible printed circuits. This method facilitates the solidification of the conductive silver paste into a highly conductive silver film at a curing temperature of 250 °C. In the process of preparing the conductive silver paste, Ag flakes is subject to modification through the incorporation of Ag NPs, which are subsequently sintered at a low temperature curing setting. The sintering of Ag NPs serves to establish connections between adjacent particles of Ag flakes within the paste, thereby enhancing the conductivity and flexibility of the resulting conductive printed silver film. When the ratio of Ag NPs to Ag flakes is maintained at 10:90, the volume resistivity of the Ag NPs-modified film registers at 2.7 × 10−5 Ω.cm. This demonstrates a substantial 53.45% reduction in the volume resistivity of the conductive printed silver film modified with Ag NPs, compared to its Ag NPs-absent counterpart. Post 200 cyclic bending tests, it becomes evident that the resistance change rate in the Ag NPs-modified conductive printed silver film is a mere 12.5%, whereas the Ag NPs-modified silver film lacking Ag NPs displays a resistance change rate of 21.5%. This discrepancy underscores the capacity of Ag NPs-modified Ag flakes to fortify the bending resistance of the conductive printed silver film. Comprehensive data analysis substantiates that the improvements in electrical conductivity and bending resistance can be attributed to the superior bridging facilitated by the sintering process on the surface of the Ag NPs-modified Ag flakes.
Quantum thermodynamics of boundary time-crystals
Authors: Carollo Federico , Lesanovsky Igor , Antezza Mauro , De Chiara Gabriele
Published: April 2024

Time-translation symmetry breaking is a mechanism for the emergence of non-stationary many-body phases, so-called time-crystals, in Markovian open quantum systems. Dynamical aspects of time-crystals have been extensively explored over the recent years. However, much less is known about their thermodynamic properties, also due to the intrinsic nonequilibrium nature of these phases. Here, we consider the paradigmatic boundary time-crystal system, in a finite-temperature environment, and demonstrate the persistence of the time-crystalline phase at any temperature. Furthermore, we analyze thermodynamic aspects of the model investigating, in particular, heat currents, power exchange and irreversible entropy production. Our work sheds light on the thermodynamic cost of sustaining nonequilibrium time-crystalline phases and provides a framework for characterizing time-crystals as possible resources for, e.g. quantum sensing. Our results may be verified in experiments, for example with trapped ions or superconducting circuits, since we connect thermodynamic quantities with mean value and covariance of collective (magnetization) operators.
A retrospective comparison of early- and late-onset chronic actinic dermatitis: characteristics and management
Authors: Chaiyabutr Chayada , Dawe Robert , Lesar Andrea , Ibbotson Sally H
Published: April 2024

Our study highlights the high prevalence of early-onset chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD; age < 40 years at diagnosis), particularly in patients with atopic diseases and those with darker skin phototypes. Disease characteristics, photodiagnostic investigations and outcomes did not significantly differ between those with early-onset vs. late-onset disease, although younger patients more frequently required systemic therapy. We also show that marked UVA sensitivity and positive baseline series patch testing are negative prognostic factors for outcomes in CAD.
Positron emission tomography–computed tomography vs. brain magnetic resonance imaging for the detection of cerebral metastases of melanoma: a 5-year retrospective study
Authors: Tutic-Sorrentino Lisa , Cazzaniga Simone , Feldmeyer Laurence , Benzaquen Michael
Published: April 2024

Background

Patients with melanoma present a high risk of developing extracutaneous metastases. Positron emission tomography–­computed tomography (PET-CT) is one of the preferred examinations for the staging of oncological patients. It is not the method of choice to detect brain metastases, but this technique has shown significant improvement and allows the detection of some of them. However, it is unclear how it performs compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the current gold standard for diagnosing brain metastases.

Objectives

To compare the accuracy of PET-CT and cerebral MRI to detect brain metastases in patients with melanoma.

Methods

We retrospectively included all patients diagnosed with melanoma stage IIC–IV (American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th Edition, 2017) who presented at the skin tumour board of the University Hospital of Bern between January 2018 and December 2022. All radiological reports extracted from the patient management system were analysed to assess discrepancy between the visibility of brain metastases on PET-CT and brain MRI.

Results

In this study including 393 patients, brain MRI demonstrated significantly better performance than PET-CT in detecting brain metastases. In 47 patients, cerebral metastases were detected completely, detected partially, or not detected by PET-CT in 2 (4%), 15 (32%) and 30 (64%), respectively.

Conclusions

Despite the increasing performance of PET-CT, this study highlights the crucial role of brain MRI, which remains the gold standard to detect cerebral metastases. Brain MRI should be performed in patients with high-risk melanoma from stage IIC to exclude brain metastases.
Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Breakpoints AgainstEnterobacterales: Rationale for Revision by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute
Authors: Narayanan Navaneeth , Mathers Amy J , Wenzler Eric , Moore Nicholas M , Giske Christian G , Mendes Rodrigo E , Edelstein Paul H
Published: April 2024

Amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMC) is among the most frequently prescribed antibiotics globally. It has broad antibacterial activity against gram-positive, gram-negative, and anaerobic bacteria and has been used to treat infections caused by a broad range of pathogens. AMC breakpoints against Enterobacterales were initially set in the 1980s. However, since that time, increases in antibiotic resistance, advances in pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analyses, and publication of additional clinical data prompted a reassessment by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) Subcommittee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. Based on this contemporary reappraisal, the CLSI retained the Enterobacterales breakpoints but revised comments regarding dosing associated with use of the AMC breakpoints in the 2022 supplement of M100. This viewpoint provides insight into the CLSI breakpoint reevaluation process and summarizes the data and rationale used to support these revisions to the AMC Enterobacterales breakpoint.
Thermally unstable roosts influence winter torpor patterns in a threatened bat species
Authors: Newman Blaise A , Loeb Susan C , Jachowski David S
Published: April 2024

Many hibernating bats in thermally stable, subterranean roosts have experienced precipitous declines from white-nose syndrome (WNS). However, some WNS-affected species also use thermally unstable roosts during winter that may impact their torpor patterns and WNS susceptibility. From November to March 2017–19, we used temperature-sensitive transmitters to document winter torpor patterns of tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) using thermally unstable roosts in the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Daily mean roost temperature was 12.9 ± 4.9°C SD in bridges and 11.0 ± 4.6°C in accessible cavities with daily fluctuations of 4.8 ± 2°C in bridges and 4.0 ± 1.9°C in accessible cavities and maximum fluctuations of 13.8 and 10.5°C, respectively. Mean torpor bout duration was 2.7 ± 2.8 days and was negatively related to ambient temperature and positively related to precipitation. Bats maintained non-random arousal patterns focused near dusk and were active on 33.6% of tracked days. Fifty-one percent of arousals contained passive rewarming. Normothermic bout duration, general activity and activity away from the roost were positively related to ambient temperature, and activity away from the roost was negatively related to barometric pressure. Our results suggest ambient weather conditions influence winter torpor patterns of tricolored bats using thermally unstable roosts. Short torpor bout durations and potential nighttime foraging during winter by tricolored bats in thermally unstable roosts contrasts with behaviors of tricolored bats in thermally stable roosts. Therefore, tricolored bat using thermally unstable roosts may be less susceptible to WNS. More broadly, these results highlight the importance of understanding the effect of roost thermal stability on winter torpor patterns and the physiological flexibility of broadly distributed hibernating species.