bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Partial Tracheal Defects Closure using Glutaraldehyde-Treated Autologous Pericardium
Authors: Yoshida Shuhei , Matsumoto Isao , Saito Daisuke , Tanaka Yusuke , Takemura Hirofumi , Oi Akishi
Published: October 2022

Background The usefulness of autologous pericardium treated with glutaraldehyde (GA) for tracheal defect closure is unknown. This study preliminarily evaluated whether a GA-treated autologous pericardial graft can effectively close tracheal defects in a beagle model.

Methods Defects of 10 mm × 10 mm were created on the trachea of 10 beagles and divided into a GA-treated group (n = 5), with tracheal reconstruction using GA-treated pericardium, and control group (n = 5), using fresh pericardium. Repair sites were evaluated through bronchoscopy and histology. Blood flows on graft were measured using laser Doppler technique on postoperative days (PODs) 0, 4, 7, 14, 28, and 56. Repair sites were histologically evaluated on POD 56. In addition, GA-treated pericardia of three other beagles were histologically evaluated 12 months postoperatively, for long-term follow-up.

Results All animals survived; none developed anastomotic insufficiency. The mean suturing time and frequency of additional suture were significantly shorter and lower in the GA-treated group than in the control group (p = 0.002, 0.004). All animals in the control group exhibited graft contraction, whereas the GA-treated group healed with most graft residual and reepithelialization in the bronchoscopic and histological findings (p = 0.01, 0.004). Further, all long-term GA-treated pericardia of three beagles were confirmed as residual grafts with reepithelialization, without contraction, at 12 months postoperatively. Blood flows on graft using laser Doppler technique in the GA-treated group were detected at POD 14 or thereafter.

Conclusion GA-treated pericardium was easier to handle and provided favorable scaffolding, without graft contraction, compared with the nontreated pericardium at short- and long-term follow-up.
Novel Case of Prader–Willi Syndrome and Ebstein's Anomaly: Implications for Complex Care Management
Authors: Mattia Donald , Lindblade Christopher , Oatman Oliver , Prakash Supraja , Grebe Theresa
Published: October 2022

We present a patient with a complex phenotype including diagnoses of Ebstein's anomaly and Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) as well as additional congenital anomalies and genetic variants with potential clinical effects. This is the first reported case of both diagnoses present in the same patient. The diagnosis of Ebstein's anomaly was made on prenatal ultrasound. She presented with neonatal hypotonia, feeding problems, and dysmorphic features, followed by later onset weight gain, leading to a diagnosis of PWS. Further evaluations revealed Blaschkoid hyperpigmentation, laryngeal cleft, and pigmentary retinopathy. Whole exome sequencing determined a likely pathogenic variant in alkaline phosphatase gene and several mitochondrial DNA variants. We discuss the known genetic mechanisms of PWS and compare them to the heterogenous genetic associations of Ebstein's anomaly. The standard of care treatment for PWS is growth hormone therapy, which is associated with right-sided heart failure risks. This case illustrates the need to complete the diagnostic work up in all patients, as well as the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach for optimal outcomes.
Klinikunternehmen: Auf-/ Absteiger des Monats
Authors: Schmidt Hartmut
Published: October 2022

Börsenexperte Hartmut Schmidt analysiert für kma die Jahresabschlüsse ausgewählter Kliniken
Emission spectra of glows produced by ionic liquid ion sources
Authors: Uchizono N. M. , Wright P. L. , Collins A. L. , Wirz R. E.
Published: October 2022

Electrospray devices, such as ionic liquid ion sources, often exhibit glows during operation in high vacuum facilities. The lack of electron excitation mechanisms during electrospray operation prompts the question: “What causes glow in an electrospray device?” Our optical emission spectroscopy results show that electrospray glow exhibits a broad spectral response between 350 and 800 nm with emission lines corresponding to atomic metal constituents of impinged surfaces, neutral and ionized atomic constituents of the ionic liquid propellant, and molecular line shapes that may also be dissociation products of the ionic liquid. We have previously defined secondary species emission to describe the many complex interfacial phenomena that occur when electrosprayed species impact surfaces downstream of the emitter. Our analysis of the optical emission spectra shows that these glows are only possible in the presence of secondary species emission. Therefore, the answer to the proposed question: high-velocity impacts that generate secondary species are the root cause of glow for electrosprays in high vacuum facilities.
2H-MoS2 nanosheets-based binder-free electrode material for supercapacitor
Authors: Ali Salamat , Zhang Xiaofeng , Javed Muhammad Sufyan , Zhang Xiaqing , Liu Guo , Wei Xuegang , Chen Hao , Imran Muhammad , Wang Jiatai , Han Weihua , Qi Jing
Published: October 2022

Developing advanced electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) has received incredible attention. The suitable electrode for high capacitance and energy density are significant challenges for SCs. This work reports an efficient hydrothermal synthesis of MoS2 nanosheets on carbon cloth (MoS2@CC). The large surface area of the binder-free MoS2@CC electrode provides rich active sites and an improved electrolyte ion diffusion rate. The MoS2@CC electrode exhibits good electrochemical performance by delivering a high specific capacitance of 947 F g−1 at the current density of 1.0 A g−1 and retains an excellent capacitance of 96.5% over 10 000 cycles. The high performance of the MoS2@CC electrode can be clarified through density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The DFT outcomes reveal that the electrode possesses favorable Li-ion intercalation and adsorption properties. The calculated adsorption energy of −0.352 eV at the hollow site shows the high stability of the system. The low energy barrier of path 1 (0.83 eV) easily facilitates Li-ions in the electrode material, which is beneficial for its fast electrochemical performance. The obtained results of the MoS2@CC electrode present improved pseudocapacitive performance, showing a significant possibility for high-performance SCs' application.
Linear stability analysis via simulated annealing and accelerated relaxation
Authors: Furukawa M. , Morrison P. J.
Published: October 2022

Simulated annealing (SA) is a kind of relaxation method for finding equilibria of Hamiltonian systems. A set of evolution equations is solved with SA, which is derived from the original Hamiltonian system so that the energy of the system changes monotonically while preserving Casimir invariants inherent to noncanonical Hamiltonian systems. The energy extremum reached by SA is an equilibrium. Since SA searches for an energy extremum, it can also be used for stability analysis when initiated from a state where a perturbation is added to an equilibrium. The procedure of the stability analysis is explained, and some examples are shown. Because the time evolution is computationally time consuming, efficient relaxation is necessary for SA to be practically useful. An acceleration method is developed by introducing time dependence in the symmetric kernel used in the double bracket, which is part of the SA formulation described here. An explicit formulation for low-beta reduced magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) in cylindrical geometry is presented. Since SA for low-beta reduced MHD has two advection fields that relax, it is important to balance the orders of magnitude of these advection fields.
Acoustic metacage with arbitrary shape for broadband and ventilated sound insulation
Authors: Yin Yun-Qiao , Wu Hong-Wei , Cheng Shu-Ling , Sun Wen-Jun , Sheng Zong-Qiang
Published: October 2022

Here, we experimentally demonstrate a novel strategy for broadband acoustic insulation of an arbitrary shaped region by arranging a localized rainbow trapped metastructure at a deep subwavelength scale. The metastructure constitutes radial gradient grooves along the azimuth direction and can help realize localized acoustic rainbow trapping. We show that such metastructures can be used to construct a region with arbitrary geometry for sound insulation and keep high ventilation simultaneously, thus, denoted as an acoustic metacage. Based on the numerical simulations and experimental observations, the results indicate that the broadband soundproof effect of the metacage is robust against the location of the acoustic source. Finally, we discuss the relationship between the soundproof efficiency and the ventilated ratio of the metacage and find that the ventilation window can still achieve a rate of 55% when the transmittance loss is above 10 dB. The proposed acoustic metacage could open up an avenue for realizing broadband sound insulation with high ventilation and an arbitrary shaped area.
Multi-functional resonant micro-sensor for simultaneous magnetic, CO2, and CH4 detection
Authors: Zhao Wen , Alcheikh Nouha , Mbarek Sofiane Ben , Younis Mohammad I.
Published: October 2022

We present a highly sensitive multi-parameter sensor for magnetic and gas detection. The device is based on an in-plane doubly clamped micro-beam micro-resonator, which is electrothermally heated. It acts as a Lorentz force magnetic sensor of high sensitivity, good linearity, good repeatability, and low hysteresis effect. It also functions as a gas-sensor based on the cooling/heating effect of the micro-beam as demonstrated for carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) detection. The CO2/CH4 sensor shows high sensitivity and excellent linearity. In addition, we demonstrate simultaneous magnetic and gas detection by tracking the frequency shift of the first two symmetric and anti-symmetric modes at the same time. We show that the sensitivity of the magnetometer is gas-independent and only depends on the frequency shift of the second mode, which is unaffected by variations of the thermal axial load. For the first time, high sensitivity to magnetic fields, CO2, and CH4 is demonstrated using the same device. The demonstrated simultaneous and highly-sensitive multi-parameter sensing platform using a single resonator is promising for smart environmental and monitoring applications.
Schottky–Mott limit in graphene inserted 2D semiconductor–metal interfaces
Authors: Mitra Sanchali , Mahapatra Santanu
Published: October 2022

The insertion of a graphene (or h-BN) layer in a two-dimensional (2D) MoS2–metal interface to de-pin the Fermi level has been a common strategy in experiments. Recently, however, the 2D material space has expanded much beyond transition metal dichalcogenides, and it is not clear if the same strategy will work for other materials. Here, we select a family of twelve emerging, commercially available 2D semiconductors with the work function range of 3.8–6.1 eV and study their interfaces with metals in the presence and absence of the graphene buffer layer. Using the density functional theory, we show that the graphene buffer layer preserves the ideal Schottky–Mott rule to a great extent when the interfaces are made with Ag and Ti. However, the h-BN buffer layer does not yield a similar performance since its electrons are not as localized as graphene. It is further observed that even graphene is not very effective in preserving the ideal Schottky–Mott rule while interfacing with high work function metals (Au, Pd, and Pt). The quantum chemical insights presented in this paper could aid in the design of high-performance electronic devices with low contact resistance based on newly developed 2D materials.
Robust frame-reduced structured illumination microscopy with accelerated correlation-enabled parameter estimation
Authors: Qian Jiaming , Cao Yu , Xu Kailong , Bi Ying , Xia Weiyi , Chen Qian , Zuo Chao
Published: October 2022

Structured illumination microscopy (SIM), with the advantages of full-field imaging and low photo-damage, is one of the most well-established fluorescence super-resolution microscopy techniques that raised great interest in biological sciences. However, conventional SIM techniques generally require at least nine images for image reconstruction, and the quality of super-resolution significantly depends on high-accuracy illumination parameter estimation, which is usually computationally intense and time-consuming. To address these issues, we propose a robust seven-frame SIM reconstruction algorithm with accelerated correlation-enabled parameter estimation. First, a modulation-assigned spatial filter is employed to remove unreliable backgrounds associated with low signal-to-noise ratios. Then, we propose a coarse-to-fine accelerated correlation algorithm to eliminate the redundant iterations of the traditional correlation-based scheme. The frame reduction is achieved by a specially designed phase-shifting strategy combined with pixel-wise fluorescence pre-calibration. We experimentally demonstrate that, compared with conventional iterative correlation-based methods, the proposed algorithm improves the computational efficiency by a factor of 4.5 while maintaining high accuracy illumination parameter estimation. Meanwhile, our method achieves high-quality super-resolution reconstruction even with a reduction in two raw images, which improves the efficiency of image acquisition and ensures the robustness toward complex experimental environments.
A gas–liquid discharge reactor for water disinfection: Electrical properties and microbicidal effects on viruses and bacteria
Authors: Li Yuan , Ni Zhengquan , Ma Caiqin , Wen Jiaye , Shi Xingmin , Zhang Guanjun
Published: October 2022

As an eco-friendly oxidation technique, gas–liquid underwater discharge is considered a promising water disinfection method. In this study, we constructed a gas–liquid discharge reactor, in which the electrical properties, optimized discharging parameters, and microbicidal effects on coliphage virus and two bacteria (E. coli and S. aureus) were investigated. It is shown that, compared to direct underwater discharge without ventilation, gas–liquid discharges can release higher energy and generate more active species, thus resulting in better inactivation performance. A microbicidal reduction of over 99.9% can be achieved in 5 min of treatment for three types of microbes in 600 ml tap water (σ ∼ 590 μS/cm); specifically, 3.34, 3.95, and 3.65 log reductions were achieved for coliphages, E. coli, and S. aureus, respectively. The observations of microbial morphologies indicate that underwater discharges and their products can severely damage the external structures and internal substances of micro-organisms, which is responsible for the working mechanism of microbial inactivation. The reactor can decrease E. coli from 6.2 × 103–6.4 × 106 CFU/ml to ∼1000 CFU/ml in 5 min, suggesting that this gas–liquid discharge reactor has a low sensitivity to the initial density of suspension. In addition, the reactor can also achieve a satisfactory disinfection effect even in water with high conductivity, although the microbicidal performance of E. coli will be attenuated with an increase in solution conductivity (from 3.82 log reduction at 2 mS/cm to 2.22 log at 15 mS/cm). These advantages indicate the broad applicability of the reactor in water disinfection.
Polaronic optical transitions in hematite (α-Fe2O3) revealed by first-principles electron–phonon coupling
Authors: Shelton Jacob L. , Knowles Kathryn E.
Published: October 2022

Polaron formation following optical absorption is a key process that defines the photophysical properties of many semiconducting transition metal oxides, which comprise an important class of materials with potential optoelectronic and photocatalytic applications. In this work, we use hematite (α-Fe2O3) as a model transition metal oxide semiconductor to demonstrate the feasibility of direct optical population of band edge polaronic states. We employ first-principles electron–phonon computations within the framework of the density functional theory+U+J method to reveal the presence of these states within a thermal distribution of phonon displacements and model their evolution with temperature. Our computations reproduce the temperature dependence of the optical dielectric function of hematite with remarkable accuracy and indicate that the band edge optical absorption and second-order resonance Raman spectra arise from polaronic optical transitions involving coupling to longitudinal optical phonons with energies greater than 50 meV. Additionally, we find that the resulting polaron comprises an electron localized to two adjacent Fe atoms with distortions that lie primarily along the coordinates of phonons with energies of 31 and 81 meV.
Spin-vibronic interaction induced reverse intersystem crossing: A case study with TXO-TPA and TXO-PhCz molecules
Authors: Karak Pijush , Ruud Kenneth , Chakrabarti Swapan
Published: October 2022

We highlight the important roles the direct spin–orbit (DSO) coupling, the spin-vibronic (SV) coupling, and the dielectric constant of the medium play on the reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) mechanism of TXO-TPA and TXO-PhCz molecules. To understand this complex phenomenon, we have calculated the RISC rate constant, kRISC, using a time-dependent correlation function-based method within the framework of second-order perturbation theory. Our computed kRISC in two different solvents, toluene and chloroform, suggests that in addition to the DSO, a dielectric medium-dependent SV mechanism may also have a significant impact on the net enhancement of the rate of RISC from the lowest triplet state to the first excited singlet state. Whereas we have found that kRISC of TXO-TPA is mostly determined by the DSO contribution independent of the choice of the solvent, the SV mechanism contributes more than 30% to the overall kRISC of TXO-PhCz in chloroform. In toluene, however, the SV mechanism is less important for the RISC process of TXO-PhCz. An analysis of mode-specific nonadiabatic coupling (NAC) between T2 and T1 of TXO-PhCz and TXO-TPA suggests that the NAC values in certain normal modes of TXO-PhCz are much higher than those of TXO-TPA, and it is more pronounced with chloroform as a solvent. The findings demonstrate the role of the solvent-assisted SV mechanism toward the net RISC rate constant, which in turn maximizes the efficiency of thermally activated delayed fluorescence.
Scale-free-modeling (harmonic) vibrational frequencies: Assessing accuracy and cost-effectiveness by CBS extrapolation
Authors: Varandas A. J. C.
Published: October 2022

Empirical scaling of calculated vibrational harmonic frequencies is a popular approach used in the field of molecular sciences. A nonempirical scheme that aims at reducing their basis set error is suggested here. Nearly as cost-effective as the scaled Kohn–Sham density functional theory (KS DFT), it consists of splitting the frequencies into Hartree–Fock and electron correlation contributions, followed by their extrapolation to the complete basis set (CBS) limit. Since the former converges exponentially, the overall cost may actually equal that of CBS extrapolation of the correlation part. Despite shifts in the molecular geometry during vibration, reasons are advanced to justify the approach, with extrapolation from the first two steps of the basis set ladder being effective in accelerating convergence. As benchmark data, a set of harmonic frequencies and zero-point energies for 15 molecules is employed at the second-order Moller–Plesset and coupled-cluster single double triple [CCSD(T)] levels of theory. The results outperform the optimized KS DFT scaled values. As a second test set, equilibrium structures and harmonic frequencies were computed for H2O2, CH2NH, C2H2O, and the trans-isomer of 1,2-C2H2F2. The results are also encouraging, particularly when improved for excess correlation at the CCSD(T)/VDZ level via the focal-point approach. In extreme cases, CBS extrapolation is done from two double-ζ calculations: one canonical and the other using explicit correlation theory. As a further case study, benzene is considered. While the CCSD(T) results show the smallest deviation from the best estimates, the MP2 results also attain good quality: When improved for excess correlation, they show 6–10 cm−1 errors relative to the best data, only slightly outperformed at the CCSD(T)/CBS level. Tentative results for the fundamental frequencies are also presented.
Golden perch (
Authors: Nixon David , Hutchison Michael , Norris Andrew
Published: October 2022

Context Intermittent rivers make up more than 50% of the world’s rivers. Refuge waterholes in these systems are critical for survival of fish populations. Aim This study investigated the effect that angling pressure imparts on native fish within refuge waterholes. Methods Golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) size structure was analysed in eight refuge waterholes across three catchments of the northern Murray–Darling Basin. Waterhole characteristics were recorded, with town proximity or remoteness being adopted as a surrogate variable for angling pressure. Key results Remoteness was found to be significantly correlated with median length, biomass, and proportion of legal-sized fish, but not with fish density. Sampling occurred after widespread connective flows, and the strength of remoteness as a predictor of median length suggests that redistribution of legal-sized golden perch on these flows was minimal. Legal-sized fish were poorly represented in the length–frequency distributions of near-town waterholes, and smaller size classes were well represented in most waterholes. Conclusion This study suggests that populations of golden perch in refuge waterholes near towns face significant angling pressure, with impacts on size structure at a local level. Implications These findings may have wider implications for the long-term resilience of the species.
Fireline path optimisation in a heterogeneous forest landscape
Authors: Yang Xu , Melachrinoudis Emanuel , Kubat Peter , Smith James MacGregor
Published: October 2022

Background When fighting high-intensity wildfire, firefighters may construct a defensive fireline (fuel break) away from the raging front. The path of the fireline is the key to successful fire containment. However, the study of fireline path optimisation in the literature is limited. Aims We aim to find the optimal path for firefighting crews to encircle and contain a growing fire in the minimum time while keeping firefighters safe. Methods The model considers the realistic topographic factors that affect fire behaviour and fireline production rates. The forest landscape is partitioned into small homogeneous polygons according to their burning characteristics and modelled as a complex topological network using Delaunay triangulation. An algorithm is developed to find the fireline path for firefighting crews, traversing ‘safe’ edges of a dynamic network to meet at the earliest time at which the fireline path is completed. Key results Various experiments were conducted leading to insights on how the algorithm can be utilised to develop more effective firefighting strategies. Conclusions The proposed algorithm provides an efficient way to generate the optimal fireline path. Implications Future work could include the stochastic and dynamic factors in the system by considering probabilistic fire propagation and fireline construction rates.
Comparing particulate morphology generated from human-made cellulosic fuels to natural vegetative fuels
Authors: Suzuki Sayaka , Manzello Samuel L.
Published: October 2022

Background In wildland–urban interface (WUI) fires, particulates from the combustion of both natural vegetative fuels and engineered cellulosic fuels may have deleterious effects on the environment. Aims The research was conducted to investigate the morphology of the particulate samples generated from the combustion of oriented strand board (OSB). Findings were compared to the particulate samples collected from the combustion of noble-fir branches. Methods The exposure conditions were varied to induce either smouldering combustion or flaming combustion of the specimens. Particulate samples were collected using thermophoretic sampling. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and subsequent image analysis were used to characterise particle sizes. Key results The morphology of the generated particulates was influenced by the state of combustion for OSB as well as noble-fir branches. Conclusions The combustion state resulted in differences in the particulate morphology for both OSB and noble-fir branches. More than 85% of the analysed particle diameters were less than 1000 nm in size collected from OSB specimens during smouldering combustion. Implications The findings are the first step to better quantifying the morphology of particulates generated during WUI fire outbreaks. The experimental protocols and analysis methods presented may shed light on a problem that impacts human health in the WUI.
Acoustic force spectroscopy reveals subtle differences in cellulose unbinding behavior of carbohydrate-binding modules
Authors: Hackl Markus , Contrada Edward V. , Ash Jonathan E. , Kulkarni Atharv , Yoon Jinho , Cho Hyeon-Yeol , Lee Ki-Bum , Yarbrough John M. , López Cesar A. , Gnanakaran Sandrasegaram , Chundawat Shishir P. S.
Published: October 2022

Protein adsorption to solid carbohydrate interfaces is critical to many biological processes, particularly in biomass deconstruction. To engineer more-efficient enzymes for biomass deconstruction into sugars, it is necessary to characterize the complex protein–carbohydrate interfacial interactions. A carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) is often associated with microbial surface-tethered cellulosomes or secreted cellulase enzymes to enhance substrate accessibility. However, it is not well known how CBMs recognize, bind, and dissociate from polysaccharides to facilitate efficient cellulolytic activity, due to the lack of mechanistic understanding and a suitable toolkit to study CBM–substrate interactions. Our work outlines a general approach to study the unbinding behavior of CBMs from polysaccharide surfaces using a highly multiplexed single-molecule force spectroscopy assay. Here, we apply acoustic force spectroscopy (AFS) to probe a
Clostridium thermocellum
cellulosomal scaffoldin protein (CBM3a) and measure its dissociation from nanocellulose surfaces at physiologically relevant, low force loading rates. An automated microfluidic setup and method for uniform deposition of insoluble polysaccharides on the AFS chip surfaces are demonstrated. The rupture forces of wild-type CBM3a, and its Y67A mutant, unbinding from nanocellulose surfaces suggests distinct multimodal CBM binding conformations, with structural mechanisms further explored using molecular dynamics simulations. Applying classical dynamic force spectroscopy theory, the single-molecule unbinding rate at zero force is extrapolated and found to agree with bulk equilibrium unbinding rates estimated independently using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. However, our results also highlight critical limitations of applying classical theory to explain the highly multivalent binding interactions for cellulose–CBM bond rupture forces exceeding 15 pN.
Insect herbivory within modern forests is greater than fossil localities
Authors: Azevedo-Schmidt Lauren , Meineke Emily K. , Currano Ellen D.
Published: October 2022

Fossilized leaves provide the longest running record of hyperdiverse plant–insect herbivore associations. Reconstructions of these relationships over deep time indicate strong links between environmental conditions, herbivore diversity, and feeding damage on leaves. However, herbivory has not been compared between the past and the modern era, which is characterized by intense anthropogenic environmental change. Here, we present estimates for damage frequencies and diversities on fossil leaves from the Late Cretaceous (66.8 Ma) through the Pleistocene (2.06 Ma) and compare these estimates with Recent (post-1955) leaves collected via paleobotanical methods from modern ecosystems: Harvard Forest, United States; the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, United States; and La Selva, Costa Rica. Total damage frequency, measured as the percentage of leaves with any herbivore damage, within modern ecosystems is greater than any fossil locality within this record. This pattern is driven by increased frequencies across nearly all functional feeding groups within the Recent. Diversities of total, specialized, and mining damage types are elevated within the Recent compared with fossil floras. Our results demonstrate that plants in the modern era are experiencing unprecedented levels of insect damage, despite widespread insect declines. Human influence, such as the rate of global climate warming, influencing insect feeding and timing of life cycle processes along with urbanization and the introduction of invasive plant and insect species may drive elevated herbivory. This research suggests that the strength of human influence on plant–insect interactions is not controlled by climate change alone but rather, the way in which humans interact with terrestrial landscape.
Global airborne bacterial community—interactions with Earth’s microbiomes and anthropogenic activities
Authors: Zhao Jue , Jin Ling , Wu Dong , Xie Jia-wen , Li Jun , Fu Xue-wu , Cong Zhi-yuan , Fu Ping-qing , Zhang Yang , Luo Xiao-san , Feng Xin-bin , Zhang Gan , Tiedje James M. , Li Xiang-dong
Published: October 2022

Airborne bacteria are an influential component of the Earth’s microbiomes, but their community structure and biogeographic distribution patterns have yet to be understood. We analyzed the bacterial communities of 370 air particulate samples collected from 63 sites around the world and constructed an airborne bacterial reference catalog with more than 27 million nonredundant 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences. We present their biogeographic pattern and decipher the interlacing of the microbiome co-occurrence network with surface environments of the Earth. While the total abundance of global airborne bacteria in the troposphere (1.72 × 10
24
cells) is 1 to 3 orders of magnitude lower than that of other habitats, the number of bacterial taxa (i.e., richness) in the atmosphere (4.71 × 10
8
to 3.08 × 10
9
) is comparable to that in the hydrosphere, and its maximum occurs in midlatitude regions, as is also observed in other ecosystems. The airborne bacterial community harbors a unique set of dominant taxa (24 species); however, its structure appears to be more easily perturbed, due to the more prominent role of stochastic processes in shaping community assembly. This is corroborated by the major contribution of surface microbiomes to airborne bacteria (averaging 46.3%), while atmospheric conditions such as meteorological factors and air quality also play a role. Particularly in urban areas, human impacts weaken the relative importance of plant sources of airborne bacteria and elevate the occurrence of potential pathogens from anthropogenic sources. These findings serve as a key reference for predicting planetary microbiome responses and the health impacts of inhalable microbiomes with future changes in the environment.
Seismic detection of a deep mantle discontinuity within Mars by InSight
Authors: Huang Quancheng , Schmerr Nicholas C. , King Scott D. , Kim Doyeon , Rivoldini Attilio , Plesa Ana-Catalina , Samuel Henri , Maguire Ross R. , Karakostas Foivos , Lekić Vedran , Charalambous Constantinos , Collinet Max , Myhill Robert , Antonangeli Daniele , Drilleau Mélanie , Bystricky Misha , Bollinger Caroline , Michaut Chloé , Gudkova Tamara , Irving Jessica C. E. , Horleston Anna , Fernando Benjamin , Leng Kuangdai , Nissen-Meyer Tarje , Bejina Frederic , Bozdağ Ebru , Beghein Caroline , Waszek Lauren , Siersch Nicki C. , Scholz John-Robert , Davis Paul M. , Lognonné Philippe , Pinot Baptiste , Widmer-Schnidrig Rudolf , Panning Mark P. , Smrekar Suzanne E. , Spohn Tilman , Pike William T. , Giardini Domenico , Banerdt W. Bruce
Published: October 2022

Constraining the thermal and compositional state of the mantle is crucial for deciphering the formation and evolution of Mars. Mineral physics predicts that Mars’ deep mantle is demarcated by a seismic discontinuity arising from the pressure-induced phase transformation of the mineral olivine to its higher-pressure polymorphs, making the depth of this boundary sensitive to both mantle temperature and composition. Here, we report on the seismic detection of a midmantle discontinuity using the data collected by NASA’s InSight Mission to Mars that matches the expected depth and sharpness of the postolivine transition. In five teleseismic events, we observed triplicated P and S waves and constrained the depth of this discontinuity to be 1,006

±

40 km by modeling the triplicated waveforms. From this depth range, we infer a mantle potential temperature of 1,605

±

100 K, a result consistent with a crust that is 10 to 15 times more enriched in heat-producing elements than the underlying mantle. Our waveform fits to the data indicate a broad gradient across the boundary, implying that the Martian mantle is more enriched in iron compared to Earth. Through modeling of thermochemical evolution of Mars, we observe that only two out of the five proposed composition models are compatible with the observed boundary depth. Our geodynamic simulations suggest that the Martian mantle was relatively cold 4.5 Gyr ago (1,720 to 1,860 K) and are consistent with a present-day surface heat flow of 21 to 24 mW/m
2
.
Spatial patterns of climate change across the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum
Authors: Tierney Jessica E. , Zhu Jiang , Li Mingsong , Ridgwell Andy , Hakim Gregory J. , Poulsen Christopher J. , Whiteford Ross D. M. , Rae James W. B. , Kump Lee R.
Published: October 2022

The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; 56 Ma) is one of our best geological analogs for understanding climate dynamics in a “greenhouse” world. However, proxy data representing the event are only available from select marine and terrestrial sedimentary sequences that are unevenly distributed across Earth’s surface, limiting our view of the spatial patterns of climate change. Here, we use paleoclimate data assimilation (DA) to combine climate model and proxy information and create a spatially complete reconstruction of the PETM and the climate state that precedes it (“PETM-DA”). Our data-constrained results support strong polar amplification, which in the absence of an extensive cryosphere, is related to temperature feedbacks and loss of seasonal snow on land. The response of the hydrological cycle to PETM warming consists of a narrowing of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, off-equatorial drying, and an intensification of seasonal monsoons and winter storm tracks. Many of these features are also seen in simulations of future climate change under increasing anthropogenic emissions. Since the PETM-DA yields a spatially complete estimate of surface air temperature, it yields a rigorous estimate of global mean temperature change (5.6
∘
C; 5.4
∘
C to 5.9
∘
C, 95% CI) that can be used to calculate equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS). We find that PETM ECS was 6.5
∘
C (5.7
∘
C to 7.4
∘
C, 95% CI), which is much higher than the present-day range. This supports the view that climate sensitivity increases substantially when greenhouse gas concentrations are high.
Convergent regulation of Ca
V
1.2 channels by direct phosphorylation and by the small GTPase RAD in the cardiac fight-or-flight response
Authors: Hovey Liam , Gamal El-Din Tamer M. , Catterall William A.
Published: October 2022

The L-type calcium currents conducted by the cardiac Ca
V
1.2 calcium channel initiate excitation–contraction coupling and serve as a key regulator of heart rate, rhythm, and force of contraction. Ca
V
1.2 is regulated by β-adrenergic/protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated protein phosphorylation, proteolytic processing, and autoinhibition by its carboxyl-terminal domain (CT). The small guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) RAD (Ras associated with diabetes) has emerged as a potent inhibitor of Ca
V
1.2, and accumulating evidence suggests a key role for RAD in mediating β-adrenergic/PKA upregulation of channel activity. However, the relative roles of direct phosphorylation of Ca
V
1.2 channels and phosphorylation of RAD in channel regulation remain uncertain. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that these two mechanisms converge to regulate Ca
V
1.2 channels. Both RAD and the proteolytically processed distal CT (dCT) strongly reduced Ca
V
1.2 activity. PKA phosphorylation of RAD and phosphorylation of Ser-1700 in the proximal CT (pCT) synergistically reversed this inhibition and increased Ca
V
1.2 currents. Our findings reveal that the proteolytically processed form of Ca
V
1.2 undergoes convergent regulation by direct phosphorylation of the CT and by phosphorylation of RAD. These parallel regulatory pathways provide a flexible mechanism for upregulation of the activity of Ca
V
1.2 channels in the fight-or-flight response.
Non-Majorana modes in diluted spin chains proximitized to a superconductor
Authors: Küster Felix , Brinker Sascha , Hess Richard , Loss Daniel , Parkin Stuart S. P. , Klinovaja Jelena , Lounis Samir , Sessi Paolo
Published: October 2022

Spin chains proximitized with superconducting condensates have emerged as one of the most promising platforms for the realization of Majorana modes. Here, we craft diluted spin chains atom by atom following a seminal theoretical proposal suggesting indirect coupling mechanisms as a viable route to trigger topological superconductivity. Starting from single adatoms hosting deep Shiba states, we use the highly anisotropic Fermi surface of the substrate to create spin chains characterized by different magnetic configurations along distinct crystallographic directions. By scrutinizing a large set of parameters we reveal the ubiquitous emergence of boundary modes. Although mimicking signatures of Majorana modes, the end modes are identified as topologically trivial Shiba states. Our work demonstrates that zero-energy modes in spin chains proximitized to superconductors are not necessarily a link to Majorana modes while simultaneously identifying other experimental platforms, driving mechanisms, and test protocols for the determination of topologically nontrivial superconducting phases.
On the mechanisms of ion adsorption to aqueous interfaces: air-water vs. oil-water
Authors: Devlin Shane W. , Benjamin Ilan , Saykally Richard J.
Published: October 2022

The adsorption of ions to water-hydrophobe interfaces influences a wide range of phenomena, including chemical reaction rates, ion transport across biological membranes, and electrochemical and many catalytic processes; hence, developing a detailed understanding of the behavior of ions at water-hydrophobe interfaces is of central interest. Here, we characterize the adsorption of the chaotropic thiocyanate anion (SCN
−
) to two prototypical liquid hydrophobic surfaces, water-toluene and water-decane, by surface-sensitive nonlinear spectroscopy and compare the results against our previous studies of SCN
−
adsorption to the air-water interface. For these systems, we observe no spectral shift in the charge transfer to solvent spectrum of SCN
−
, and the Gibb’s free energies of adsorption for these three different interfaces all agree within error. We employed molecular dynamics simulations to develop a molecular-level understanding of the adsorption mechanism and found that the adsorption for SCN
−
to both water-toluene and water-decane interfaces is driven by an increase in entropy, with very little enthalpic contribution. This is a qualitatively different mechanism than reported for SCN
−
adsorption to the air-water and graphene-water interfaces, wherein a favorable enthalpy change was the main driving force, against an unfavorable entropy change.
Substitutions near the HA receptor binding site explain the origin and major antigenic change of the B/Victoria and B/Yamagata lineages
Authors: Rosu Miruna E. , Lexmond Pascal , Bestebroer Theo M. , Hauser Blake M. , Smith Derek J. , Herfst Sander , Fouchier Ron A. M.
Published: October 2022

Influenza B virus primarily infects humans, causing seasonal epidemics globally. Two antigenic variants—Victoria-like and Yamagata-like—were detected in the 1980s, of which the molecular basis of emergence is still incompletely understood. Here, the antigenic properties of a unique collection of historical virus isolates, sampled from 1962 to 2000 and passaged exclusively in mammalian cells to preserve antigenic properties, were determined with the hemagglutination inhibition assay and an antigenic map was built to quantify and visualize the divergence of the lineages. The antigenic map revealed only three distinct antigenic clusters—Early, Victoria, and Yamagata—with relatively little antigenic diversity in each cluster until 2000. Viruses with Victoria-like antigenic properties emerged around 1972 and diversified subsequently into two genetic lineages. Viruses with Yamagata-like antigenic properties evolved from one lineage and became clearly antigenically distinct from the Victoria-like viruses around 1988. Recombinant mutant viruses were tested to show that insertions and deletions (indels), as observed frequently in influenza B virus hemagglutinin, had little effect on antigenic properties. In contrast, amino-acid substitutions at positions 148, 149, 150, and 203, adjacent to the hemagglutinin receptor binding site, determined the main antigenic differences between the Early, Victoria-like, and Yamagata-like viruses. Surprisingly, substitutions at two of the four positions reverted in recent viruses of the Victoria lineage, resulting in antigenic properties similar to viruses circulating ∼50 y earlier. These data shed light on the antigenic diversification of influenza viruses and suggest there may be limits to the antigenic evolution of influenza B virus.
Interpreting as a part of language planning
Authors: Baxter Robert Neal
Published: October 2022

The paper opens with a brief overview of the reasons behind the decline of the Breton language in the mid-19th to
early 20th Centuries in order to contextualise on-going revitalisation efforts that began in earnest in the 1980s. The discussion
then turns to a theoretical review of the literature concerning the key role that translation has been shown to play within the
framework of language planning for minority languages within the complementary fields of Polysystems Theory and the Sociology of
Translation, arguing that the related yet considerably under-researched field of interpreting can also make a significant
contribution to language planning and revitalisation by heightening visibility and symbolic prestige. Finally, the paper presents
the results of a limited yet revelatory survey of the main interpreters active in the field in order to shed light on key aspects
of the current state of the emerging phenomenon of Breton language interpreting (including interpreter profiles, training,
directionality, modalities, voluntary vs. paid work, the clientele, etc.) and their implications with a view to gauging its
potential impact for language planning and possible directions for the future.
Potential application of chitosan stabilized silver nanoparticles for simultaneous control of dengue virus and mosquito vectors
Authors: Thi Ngoc Dung Tran , Thi Thu Thuy Nguyen , Hau Vu Thi Bich , Thi Nhan Tran , Thi Yen Chi Nguyen , Viet Quang Dang
Published: October 2022

Dengue fever pandemic caused by dengue virus has been claimed for many lives, however, no specific treatment is available. Prevention based on vector control posed to be the most effective measure so far. The application of chitosan stabilized silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) to control larvae and adult mosquitoes has recently discovered, but their ability to inhibit Dengue virus has scarcely discussed. In this study, chitosan stabilized AgNPs have been prepared and tested against dengue virus type 1. The results showed that chitosan stabilized AgNPs can inhibit 96.66% and 98.33% dengue virus type 1 at 12.50 ppm and 25.00 ppm, respectively, without any toxicity to BHKFcɣ cells. This study confirms that chitosan stabilized AgNPs have a highly antiviral ability against dengue virus in addition to its mosquitocidal properties. This allows one to control both virus and vector simultaneously. The study suggested that chitosan stabilized AgNPs could be an effective tool to prevent the dengue epidemic.
FAST Observations of an Extremely Active Episode of FRB 20201124A. II. Energy Distribution
Authors: Zhang Yong-Kun , Wang Pei , Feng Yi , Zhang Bing , Li Di , Tsai Chao-Wei , Niu Chen-Hui , Luo Rui , Yao Ju-Mei , Zhu Wei-Wei , Han Jin-Lin , Lee Ke-Jia , Zhou De-Jiang , Niu Jia-Rui , Jiang Jin-Chen , Wang Wei-Yang , Zhang Chun-Feng , Xu Heng , Wang Bo-Jun , Xu Jiang-Wei
Published: October 2022

We report the properties of more than 800 bursts detected from the repeating fast radio burst (FRB) source FRB 20201124A with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) during an extremely active episode on UTC 2021 September 25–28 in a series of four papers. In this second paper of the series, we study the energy distribution of 881 bursts (defined as significant signals separated by dips down to the noise level) detected in the first four days of our 19 hr observational campaign spanning 17 days. The event rate initially increased exponentially but the source activity stopped within 24 hr after the 4th day. The detection of 542 bursts in one hour during the fourth day marked the highest event rate detected from one single FRB source so far. The bursts have complex structures in the time-frequency space. We find a double-peak distribution of the waiting time, which can be modeled with two log-normal functions peaking at 51.22 ms and 10.05 s, respectively. Compared with the emission from a previous active episode of the source detected with FAST, the second distribution peak time is smaller, suggesting that this peak is defined by the activity level of the source. We calculate the isotropic energy of the bursts using both a partial bandwidth and a full bandwidth and find that the energy distribution is not significantly changed. We find that an exponentially connected broken-power law function can fit the cumulative burst energy distribution well, with the lower and higher-energy indices being −1.22 ± 0.01 and −4.27 ± 0.23, respectively. Assuming a radio radiative efficiency of η

r
= 10−4, the total isotropic energy of the bursts released during the four days when the source was active is already 3.9 × 1046 erg, exceeding ∼23% of the available magnetar dipolar magnetic energy. This challenges the magnetar models which invoke an inefficient radio emission (e.g., synchrotron maser models).