bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved Vegetation Photosynthetic Phenology Monitoring in the Northern Ecosystems Using Total Canopy Solar‐Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence Derived From TROPOMI
Authors: Liu Haoran , Liu Junzhi , Yin Yueqiang , Walther Sophia , Ma Xuanlong , Zhang Zhaoying , Chen Yuhan
Published: June 2023

Solar‐Induced chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) with substantially improved spatiotemporal resolutions provides a new potential to improve satellite‐based phenology monitoring. The performance of TROPOMI SIF for tracking vegetation photosynthetic phenology, and how it compares to conventional vegetation indices (VIs)‐based approaches, however, have not been adequately assessed. Total canopy SIF, as a better proxy of Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) than original directional SIF, is a new SIF to estimate phenology while its performance has not been investigated. This study assesses the capability of TROPOMI SIF before and after canopy correction for phenology monitoring and improves our understanding of these questions. Benchmarked by tower‐based GPP, TROPOMI SIF generally performed better than VIs, especially for capturing the End Of Season (EOS) of vegetation photosynthetic activity at deciduous broadleaf forest (DBF), evergreen forest (ENF), and croplands (CRO) sites, but not for Start Of Season (SOS). This suggested that the advantage of SIF over VIs depended on phenological metrics. The total canopy SIF emission obtained through canopy correction generally performed better than the original SIF retrievals, especially in estimating the EOS of forest sites (DBF, MF, ENF), but soil correction did not further improve the accuracy of phenological monitoring. When comparing SIF‐ and VI‐based phenological metrics over northern terrestrial ecosystems, SIF showed earlier senescence date widely, while the differences in onset date were region dependent. These results indicate the necessity of canopy correction to convert directional SIF to canopy total SIF when using satellite SIF products to estimate phenological metrics.
Insights of Active Extension Within a Collisional Orogen From GNSS (Central Betic Cordillera, S Spain)
Authors: Martin‐Rojas I. , Alfaro P. , Galindo‐Zaldivar J. , Borque‐Arancón M. J. , García‐Tortosa F. J. , Sanz de Galdeano C. , Avilés M. , Sánchez‐Alzola A. , González‐Castillo L. , Ruano P. , Medina‐Cascales I. , Tendero‐Salmerón V. , Madarieta‐Txurruka A. , Pedrosa‐González M. T. , Gil‐Cruz A. J.
Published: June 2023

The coexistence of shortening and extensional tectonic regimes is a common feature in orogenic belts. The westernmost end of the Western Mediterranean is an area undergoing shortening related to the 5 mm/yr NNW‒SSE convergence of the Nubia and Eurasia Plates. In this region, the Central Betic Cordillera shows a regional ENE‒WSW extension. Here, we present GNSS‐derived geodetic data along a 170 km‐long transect orthogonal to the main active normal faults of the Central Betic Cordillera. Our data indicate that the total extension rate along the Central Betic Cordillera is 2.0 ± 0.3 mm/yr. Extension is accommodated in the eastern (0.8 ± 0.3 mm/yr in the Guadix‐Baza Basin) and western (1.3 ± 0.3 mm/yr in the Granada Basin) parts of the Central Betic Cordillera, while no extension is recorded in the central part of the study area. Moreover, our data permit us to quantify, for the first time, short‐term fault slip rates of the Granada Fault System, which is one of the main seismogenic sources of the Iberian Peninsula. We deduce a fault slip rate of ∼1.3 ± 0.3 mm/yr for the whole Granada Basin, with 0.9 ± 0.3 mm/yr being accommodated in the Granada Fault System and 0.4 ± 0.3 mm/yr being accommodated in the southwestern sector of the Granada Basin, where no active faults have been previously described at the surface. The heterogeneous extension in the Central Betic Cordillera could be accommodated by shallow high‐angle normal faults that merge with a detachment at depth. Part of the active extension could be derived from gravitational instability because of underlying over‐thickened crust.
Precision of Spacecraft Doppler Tracking at Low Signal‐To‐Noise Ratios
Authors: Buccino D. R. , Oudrhiri K. , Parisi M. , Park R. S. , Mazarico E. , Tortora P. , Withers P. , Genova A. , Zannoni M.
Published: June 2023

The signal‐to‐noise ratio received at Earth is typically larger than 10 dB‐Hz for radio tracking of a spacecraft in deep space, allowing a phase‐locked loop to execute reliable carrier tracking. Recently, missions have been proposed to utilize low‐gain antennas for Doppler tracking where the signal‐to‐noise ratio may be at the single‐digit (dB‐Hz) level. In this work, we discuss spacecraft Doppler tracking at these low signal‐to‐noise ratios through an analysis of thermal noise on the radio link, results from ground testing with the Deep Space Network, and demonstrations with an active spacecraft. We show that by utilizing an open‐loop receiver to capture the carrier signal and by applying post‐processing techniques, radio data with the signal‐to‐noise ratio as low as 4 dB‐Hz can be used to derive Doppler data with precision sufficient for tracking a spacecraft in deep space.
USP13 deubiquitinates and stabilizes cyclin D1 to promote gastric cancer cell cycle progression and cell proliferation
Authors: Ma Cunying , Wang Dandan , Tian Zhuangfei , Gao Wenrong , Zang Yichen , Qian Lilin , Xu Xia , Jia Jihui , Liu Zhifang
Published: June 2023

The reversible post-translational modifications of protein ubiquitination and deubiquitination play a crucial regulatory role in cellular homeostasis. Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are responsible for the removal of ubiquitin from the protein substrates. The dysregulation of the DUBs may give rise to the occurrence and development of tumors. In this study, we investigated the gastric cancer (GC) data from the TCGA and GEO databases and found that ubiquitin-specific protease USP13 was significantly up-regulated in GC samples. The higher expression of USP13 was associated with the worse prognosis and shorter overall survival (OS) of GC patients. Enforced expression of USP13 in GC cells promoted the cell cycle progression and cell proliferation in an enzymatically dependent manner. Conversely, suppression of USP13 led to GC cell cycle arrest in G1 phase and the inhibition of cell proliferation. Nude mouse experiments indicated that depletion of USP13 in GC cells dramatically suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, USP13 physically bound to the N-terminal domain of cyclin D1 and removed its K48- but not K63-linked polyubiquitination chain, thereby stabilizing and increasing cyclin D1. Furthermore, re-expression of cyclin D1 partially reversed the cell cycle arrest and cell proliferation inhibition induced by USP13 depletion in GC cells. Additionally, USP13 protein abundance was positively correlated with the protein level of cyclin D1 in human GC tissues. Taken together, our data demonstrate that USP13 deubiquitinates and stabilizes cyclin D1, thereby promoting cell cycle progression and cell proliferation in GC. These findings suggest that USP13 might be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of GC.
Detection of approximal caries in digital radiographs before and after correction for attenuation and visual response. An in vitro study.
Authors: Li G , Yoshiura K , Welander U , Shi X Q , McDavid W D
Published: June 2023

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate if digital compensation for exponential attenuation and the characteristics of the human visual system improves the diagnosis of approximal caries from digital radiographs.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Forty premolar teeth were mounted in plaster blocks. Radiographs of the teeth were exposed with the Dixi digital intraoral system employing a Prostyle Intra dental X-ray unit (Planmeca Oy, Helsinki, Finland). Thirteen radiographs were then processed to compensate for the exponential attenuation and for the characteristic of the human visual system using equations presented in the paper. Ten observers were asked to diagnose approximal caries in all radiographs. ROC analyses were performed. The teeth were subsequently sectioned for histological validation of the lesions. The areas under ROC curves of original and processed radiographs were compared and analysed using Wilcoxon's signed-ranks test.

RESULTS

There were significant diagnostic differences between the two types of radiographs (all lesions P=0.005. enamel P=0.028, and dentine P=0.050).

CONCLUSION

Digital radiographs processed to compensate for exponential attenuation and the characteristics of the human visual system significantly improves the diagnosis of approximal caries in vitro.
Combining presumptive color tests, pressure-sensitive adhesive-based collection, and paper spray-mass spectrometry for illicit drug detection
Authors: Prunty Sarah , Carmany Daniel , Dhummakupt Elizabeth S. , Manicke Nicholas E.
Published: June 2023

Drug residue collection using pressure-sensitive adhesive paper is successfully combined with forensic color tests screening and subsequent paper spray-mass spectrometry for rapid and simple drug identification.
A G-quadruplex structure in microRNA interferes with messenger RNA recognition and controls gene expression
Authors: Lyu Kaixin , Kwok Chun Kit
Published: June 2023

We identified an RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) within microRNA 638 (miR-638), suppressing its interaction with MEF2C mRNA to regulate translation.
A photoresponsive gold catalyst based on azobenzene-functionalized NHC ligands
Authors: Liu Jianghua , Bobylev Eduard O. , de Bruin Bas , Reek Joost N. H.
Published: June 2023

An azobenzene-bearing N-heterocyclic carbene-based gold catalyst is reported of which the reactivity in a cyclization reaction depends on the isomeric state of the azobenzene.
Alkali carbonate induced N-doped NiSn@NC for direct aqueous ethanol coupling to C6+ higher alcohols
Authors: Ling Yongjun , Liao Junwei , Xie Yuanfei , Qiu Songbai , Wu Xiaoping , Meng Qingwei , Zhang Qian , Wang Tiejun
Published: June 2023

An alkali carbonate induced N-doped graphitic carbon encapsulated NiSn catalyst breaking the step-growth carbon distribution of ethanol coupling to higher alcohols.
On the competition between six-membered and five-membered NHC towards alane centered ring expansion
Authors: Balayan Kajal , Sharma Himanshu , Vanka Kumar , Ravindranathan Sapna , Gonnade Rajesh G. , Sen Sakya S.
Published: June 2023

The reactions of 6-SIDipp·AlH3 (1) with 5-IDipp or 5-IDipp·AlH3 with 6-SIDipp resulted in the ring expansion of six-membered NHC, while the five-membered NHC remained intact.
Electrochemical C(sp3)–C(sp3) cross-dehydrogenative coupling: enabling access to 9-substituted fluorescent acridanes
Authors: Roy Shantonu , Karmakar Sudip , Mondal Imtiaj , Naskar Koushik , Sarkar Writhabrata , Deb Indubhusan
Published: June 2023

A straightforward strategy for direct access to C9-functionalized fluorescent N-alkyl-acridanes in good to excellent yields has been established via a sustainable electrochemical C(sp3)–C(sp3) cross-dehydrogenative coupling between acridanes and benzo fused lactones.
Recent advances in lithium-rich manganese-based cathodes for high energy density lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Chen Hexiang , Sun Chunwen
Published: June 2023

This review provides an overview of the recent progress in lithium-rich manganese-based oxide cathodes for high energy density lithium ion batteries. The existing problems and the main modification strategies are discussed.
Photoredox-catalyzed protecting-group-freeC-glycosylation with glycosyl sulfinateviathe Giese reaction
Authors: Miura Taishi , Yoritate Makoto , Hirai Go
Published: June 2023

C-Glycoside analogs of naturally occurring glycoconjugates are useful tools for chemical biology studies, but their synthesis usually requires protection of the hydroxyl groups of the glycosyl donors.
Novel strategy for high-performance supercapacitors through the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-assisted in situ growth of FeS2
Authors: Irham Muhammad Alief , Abdillah Oktaviardi Bityasmawan , Rodiansyah Darul Roni , Baskoro Fakhrian Hanif Tejo , Fahmi Haerul , Ogi Takashi , Iskandar Ferry
Published: June 2023

Iron disulfide or pyrite (FeS2) has emerged as a promising transition metal sulfide-based supercapacitor owing to its abundance and superb electrochemical properties.
Facile synthesis of aluminosilicate zeolites with STT, CHA and MWW topology structures
Authors: Guo Yuliang , Li Peilun , Wei Zhengchang , Wu Guangjun , Li Landong
Published: June 2023

A facile route has been developed for the synthesis of SSZ-13, SSZ-23 and SSZ-25 zeolites with a wide range of SiO2/Al2O3ratios simply by changing the pH of the aging gel.
Scalable manufacturing of a durable, tailorable, and recyclable multifunctional woven thermoelectric textile system
Authors: Jing Yuanyuan , Luo Jun , Han Xue , Yang Jiawei , Liu Qiulin , Zheng Yuanyuan , Chen Xinyi , Huang Fuli , Chen Jiawen , Zhuang Qinliang , Shen Yanan , Chen Haisheng , Zhao Huaizhou , Snyder G. Jeffrey , Li Guodong , Zhang Ting , Zhang Kun
Published: June 2023

We directly weave inorganic thermoelectric pillars into woven textile for scalable manufacture. The thermoelectric textile shows high thermoelectric performance as well as promising durability, conformability, tailorability, and recyclability.
Isomerization strategy on a non-fullerene guest acceptor for stable organic solar cells with over 19% efficiency
Authors: Chen Zhenyu , Zhu Jintao , Yang Daobin , Song Wei , Shi Jingyu , Ge Jinfeng , Guo Yuntong , Tong Xinyu , Chen Fei , Ge Ziyi
Published: June 2023

Isomeric non-fullerene acceptor guest with large π-conjugation skeleton is used to construct stable organic solar cells with efficiencies over 19%.
A solid-state Li–air battery: computational studies of interfaces and relevance to discharge mechanism
Authors: Shan Nannan , Ngo Anh T. , Kondari Alireza , Asadi Mohammad , Curtiss Larry A.
Published: June 2023

Calculated interface between Li2O and Li2O2 surfaces showing the extent of disorder at the interface. Such interfaces are probably present in the new solid-state Li–air battery described here and contribute to the discharge and charge mechanisms.
Catalyst-free electrochemical sulfonylation of amines with sulfonyl hydrazide in aqueous medium
Authors: Chen Wei , Xu Haojian , Wu Run , Chen Yang , Yu Pingbing , Jin Yanxi
Published: June 2023

An efficient electrochemical sulfonylation of amines with sulfonyl hydrazides under exogenous-oxidant-free and catalyst-free conditions in aqueous medium was developed.
Generalizable and efficient cross‐domain person re‐identification model using deep metric learning
Authors: Faghih Imani Saba Sadat , Fouladi‐Ghaleh Kazim , Aghababa Hossein
Published: June 2023

Most of the successful person re‐ID models conduct supervised training and need a large number of training data. These models fail to generalise well on unseen unlabelled testing sets. The authors aim to learn a generalisable person re‐identification model. The model uses one labelled source dataset and one unlabelled target dataset during training and generalises well on the target testing set. To this end, after a feature extraction by the ResNext‐50 network, the authors optimise the model by three loss functions. (a) One loss function is designed to learn the features of the target domain by tuning the distances between target images. Therefore, the trained model will be more robust to overcome the intra‐domain variations in the target domain and generalises well on the target testing set. (b) One triplet loss is used which considers both source and target domains and makes the model learn the inter‐domain variations between source and target domain as well as the variations in the target domain. (c) Also, one loss function is for supervised learning on the labelled source domain. Extensive experiments on Market1501 and DukeMTMC re‐ID show that the model achieves a very competitive performance compared with state‐of‐the‐art models and also it requires an acceptable amount of GPU RAM compared to other successful models.
Multi‐component condition monitoring method for wind turbine gearbox based on adaptive noise reduction
Authors: Chen Yang , Liu Yongqian , Han Shuang , Qiao Yanhui
Published: June 2023

Wind turbine gearbox condition monitoring (C&M) is a key technology to promote wind farm maintenance cost reduction and power generation improvement. Existing gearbox C&M methods usually adopt the component‐by‐component modelling approach. Firstly, this approach is inefficient in modelling; secondly, due to the thermal conduction effect, abnormalities in one gearbox component usually affect other components, making it difficult to identify the source of faults. To solve these problems, a normal behaviour model (NBM) combining data adaptive noise reduction and an improved variational auto‐encoder (VAE) is proposed, which can monitor the operational condition of multiple components of one gearbox simultaneously and takes into account the correlation between components when warning of the specific abnormal component. As verified by practical cases, the method balances the modelling accuracy and efficiency of the multi‐component NBM and achieves effective early warning and accurate localization of gearbox abnormalities. The proposed model has lower false alarm and missed alarm rates compared to other single‐component and multi‐component NBMs.
Effects of heat pump scheduling on low‐voltage grids using a receding horizon control strategy
Authors: Haendel Michael , Hug Gabriela , Klobasa Marian
Published: June 2023

Heat pumps (HPs) are a promising option for decarbonizing the residential heating sector. Their use leads to an increased demand for electricity, which can burden the grid in uncontrolled operation, while controlled HPs can provide additional flexibility to the system. In this paper, the integration of HPs through a receding horizon approach into a power market model is presented to study the behavior of HPs considering electricity market prices and network constraints of a low‐voltage grid. In a case study with centralized and self‐consumption optimized control strategies, the effects of HPs are analyzed. Furthermore, the authors investigate how the aggregation of several households into energy communities affects the system. The results show that for the considered grid, the additional power demand of HPs is usually uncritical and a strictly cost‐minimizing operation is often possible from a grid perspective. Typically, critical grid situations occur only at times of high PV feed‐in with low HP flexibility. The formation of energy communities compared to individual households differs primarily in the allocation of cost savings to individual consumers. The difference in the impact of the two control strategies on the grid is negligible in this case.
Complete X-ray census of M dwarfs in the solar neighborhood
Authors: Caramazza M. , Stelzer B. , Magaudda E. , Raetz St. , Güdel M. , Orlando S. , Poppenhäger K.
Published: June 2023

Context. X-ray emission is the most sensitive diagnostic of magnetic activity in M dwarfs and, hence, of the dynamo in low-mass stars. Moreover it is crucial for quantifying the influence of the stellar irradiation on the evolution of planet atmospheres.

Aims. We have embarked in a systematic study of the X-ray emission in a volume-limited sample of M dwarf stars to explore the full range of activity levels present in their coronae. We look to obtain a better understanding of the conditions in their outer atmospheres and their possible impact on the circumstellar environment.

Methods. Based on a recent catalog of Gaia objects within 10 pc from the Sun, we identified all its stars with spectral types between M0 and M4 and we carried out a systematic search for X-ray measurements of this sample. To this end, we used both archival data from ROSAT, XMM-Newton, and the ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array (eROSITA) on board the Russian Spektrum-Roentgen-Gamma mission, as well as our own dedicated XMM-Newton observations. To make inferences on the properties of the M dwarf corona, we compared the range of their observed X-ray emission levels to the flux radiated by the Sun from different types of magnetic structures: coronal holes, background corona, active regions, and cores of active regions. In this work, we focus on the properties of stars with the faintest X-ray emission.

Results. At the current state of our project, with more than 90% of the 10 pc M dwarf sample observed in the X-ray, there is only one star that has had no detections: GJ 745 A. With an upper limit luminosity of log Lx (erg s−1) < 25.4 and an X-ray surface flux of log FX,SURF (erg cm−2 s−1) < 3.6, GJ 745 A defines the lower boundary of the X-ray emission level for M dwarfs. Together with its proper motion companion (GJ 745 B), it is the only star in this volume-complete sample located in the range of X-ray surface flux that corresponds to the faintest solar coronal structures, namely: coronal holes. The fact that the ultra-low X-ray emission level of GJ 745 B (log Lx (erg s−1) = 25.6 and log FX,SURF (erg cm−2 s−1) = 3.8) is entirely attributed to flaring activity indicates that while its corona is dominated by “holes,” at least one magnetically active structure is present. This structure determines the total X-ray brightness and the coronal temperature of the star.
Evaluation of microstructure and mechanical behavior of Aluminum 2024 and Stainless steel 304 GTAW joints
Authors: Ali Asad , Jawad Muhammad , Jahanzaib Mirza
Published: June 2023

This study aims to evaluate the microstructure and mechanical behavior of aluminum 2024 and stainless steel 304 dissimilar joints. The gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process has been employed to weld base metals by inserting copper-nickel-based (Cu-10%Ni) filler metal. The effects of GTAW parameters such as welding current, welding speed, and gas flow on microstructure and tensile strength have been analyzed through the Taguchi method. Results revealed that tensile strength is primarily influenced by welding current, followed by speed and gas flow rate. The excellent joint strength of 138 MPa has been achieved by using Cu-10%Ni filler metal. The optimal combination of parameters, i.e., welding current of level 2 (80 A), welding speed of level 1 (100 mm/min), and gas flow rate of level 3 (10 l/min), has been obtained through SN ratio optimization. Microstructure and EDS analysis depicted that the weld zone of a high-strength joint contained fine dendrites and CuAl and NiAl solid solutions, while the weld zone of a low-strength joint featured coarse dendrites and brittle FeAl phases.
Social Drivers of COVID-19 Disease Severity in Pregnant Patients
Authors: Mckinney Jennifer , Salmanian Bahram , Grace Rebecca , Moufarrij Sara , Sangi-Haghpeykar Haleh , Eppes Catherine , Gandhi Manisha
Published: June 2023

Objective While coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has had global impact in all populations, certain groups of patients have experienced disproportionate rates of morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between COVID-19 disease severity, demographic variables, race and ethnicity, and social determinants of health among pregnant patients in a diverse urban population.

Study Design A retrospective analysis was performed of all pregnant patients diagnosed with COVID-19 at two urban tertiary care centers in Houston, TX between March and August 2020. Maternal demographic, COVID-19 illness criteria, and delivery characteristics were collected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index (CCVI) were obtained based on a patients' census tract of residence. Analyses compared persons with asymptomatic, mild, or severe-critical disease at diagnosis.

Results A total of 317 persons tested positive for COVID-19 during this time period. Asymptomatic persons were more likely to be diagnosed at later gestational ages, but there were no other differences in baseline maternal characteristics. Persons with more severe disease had greater social vulnerability specifically for housing and transportation than those with mild disease (mean SVI [standard error]: 0.72 [0.06] vs. 0.58 [0.2], p = 0.03). Total SVI, total CCVI, and other themed SVI and CCVI indices were not significantly different between groups.

Conclusion In this cohort of pregnant persons infected with SARS-CoV-2, an association was shown between disease severity and increased vulnerability in living conditions and transportation. Drivers of the pandemic and COVID-19 outcomes are complex and multifactorial, and likely change over time. However, continued efforts to accurately identify and measure social determinants of health in medicine will likely help identify geographic areas and patient populations that are at risk of higher disease burden. This could facilitate preventative and mitigation measures in these areas in future disaster or pandemic situations.

Key Points
Exposure to Prolonged Rupture of Membranes at Term Increases the Risk for Ventilatory Support in Uninfected Neonates
Authors: Tramontano Anna L. , Menichini Daniela , Lazzarin Sara , Sponzilli Alessandra , Zinani Isotta , Facchinetti Fabio , Berardi Alberto
Published: June 2023

Objective The effects of prolonged rupture of membranes (ROMs) on perinatal outcomes are still unclear, and it remains controversial for the management of those labors. This study aims to evaluate how the exposure of pregnant women to a prolonged ROM (≥ 24 hours) affects maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Study Design This retrospective cohort study included singleton pregnant women at term delivering between January 2019 and March 2020 in a tertiary hospital. All relevant sociodemographic, pregnancy, and perinatal variables (maternal age, prepregnancy body mass index, labor, and delivery outcomes) were collected anonymously. Data were compared between the “ROM < 24 hours” and “ROM ≥ 24 hours” study groups.

Results A total of 2,689 dyads were included in the study and divided according to their ROM-delivery time: ROM <24 hours (2,369 women, 88.1%), and ROM ≥ 24 hours (320 women, 11.9%). Maternal baseline characteristics were comparable except for the rate of nulliparous women, which was significantly higher among patients with ROM ≥ 24 hours. No significant differences were found regarding infectious neonatal outcomes. However, mechanical ventilation and continuous positive airway pressure were more common among neonates born after ROM ≥ 24 hours. The greater likelihood of neonatal respiratory distress was also confirmed among infants born to Group-B Streptococcus-negative women with ROM ≥ 24 hours (15 out of 267 neonates, 5.6% vs. 52 out of 1,529 with ROM < 24 hours, 3.4%, p = 0.04).

Conclusion According to the actual expectant policy, prolonged ROM is associated with an increased risk of respiratory support in noninfected neonates. Further investigations are required to explain such an association.

Key Points
Determining the morphology of tornado-like vortices depending on thermal gradients: A numerical study
Authors: Navarro M. C. , Castaño D. , Herrero H.
Published: June 2023

In this work, we study the role of the horizontal temperature differences on the top and bottom, their combined effect, and their relation to the vertical temperature difference in the development of traditional or reversed funnel-shaped vortices in a rotating cylinder inhomogeneously cooled on the top and heated at the bottom. These thermal inhomogeneities on upper and lower levels are observed in the formation of atmospheric vortices. Our numerical results show that if the thermal inhomogeneity is stronger on the top, an axisymmetric traditional funnel-shaped tornado-like vortex with an inner updraft of warmer air is developed. On the contrary, if the thermal inhomogeneity is stronger at lower levels, an axisymmetric reversed funnel-shaped vortex develops with an inner downdraft of cooler air. When thermal inhomogeneities are equal at both levels, it is the grade of localization of the heating (at the bottom) or the cooling (at the top), which determines the formation of a V-vortex or an inverted V-vortex, respectively. We perform a force balance analysis to give a physical insight into the phenomena. The results evidence the relevance of the thermal conditions on the vortical structures developed, and they may contribute to the understanding of the morphology of atmospheric vortices, such as tornadoes or cold air funnels.
Large ferroelectric polarization of pure xBiFeO3-(1−x)BaTiO3 solid solution ceramics synthesized by microwave sintering
Authors: Gong Xin , Li Guannan , Lin Hua , Zhou Zengjie , Tang Jianfeng , Lu Yuming
Published: June 2023

BiFeO3-BaTiO3 (BFO-BTO)-based lead-free electroceramics have long been synthesized using the microwave sintering approach, but the resulting multiferroic performance has not been excellent. In this work, we report an attempt to achieve competitive ferroelectric properties in microwave-sintered xBFO-(1–x)BTO (x = 0.6–0.8) ceramics. Adopting a sintering process with a short dwell time of 30 min at 970 °C, we obtain high-quality ceramics with a high density, pure perovskite structure, uniform element distribution, and coarse grains. Furthermore, the fabricated ceramics can reproduce the typical characteristics of pure BFO-BTO, including a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), relaxor ferroelectric behavior, weak ferromagnetism, and enhanced ferroelectricity near the MPB. More remarkably, a large intrinsic remnant polarization Pr as high as ∼28 μC/cm2 is achieved by combing the MPB-enhanced ferroelectricity and the advantages of microwave synthesis. The maximal Pr accomplished here is competitive with that of the same bulk solid solution obtained via other fabrication approaches. Our study illustrates that microwave synthesis is a powerful approach with which to prepare high-performance BFO-BTO-based ceramics.
3D tracking of particles in a dusty plasma by laser sheet tomography
Authors: Yu Wentao , Burton Justin C.
Published: June 2023

The collective behavior of levitated particles in a weakly ionized plasma (dusty plasma) has raised significant scientific interest. This is due to the complex array of forces acting on the particles and their potential to act as in situ diagnostics of the plasma environment. Ideally, the three-dimensional (3D) motion of many particles should be tracked for long periods of time. Typically, stereoscopic imaging using multiple cameras combined with particle image velocimetry is used to obtain a velocity field of many particles, yet this method is limited by its sample volume and short time scales. Here, we demonstrate a different, high-speed tomographic imaging method capable of tracking individual particles. We use a scanning laser sheet coupled to a single high-speed camera. We are able to identify and track tens of individual particles over centimeter length scales for several minutes, corresponding to more than 10 000 frames.
First-principles investigation on the high-pressure phase transitions and elastic constants of chromium nitrides
Authors: Hao Xiaofeng , Bai Yan , Li Bin , Shi Zhixiang
Published: June 2023

We performed first-principles calculations on the structural and electronic properties of chromium nitrides under high pressure. Based on crystal structure predictions, we identified several novel chromium nitrogen compounds and pressure-induced phase transitions in the Cr–N system from ambient pressure to 200 GPa. The dynamic stable compounds—CrN2, CrN6, and Cr2N3—are studied through both electronic and phononic calculations. This work provides a theoretical basis for the phase transition of Cr–N compounds under different pressures, points out the direction of future research on Cr–N systems, and may stimulate the synthesis of superhard and high energy density materials in the future.
In vivo bone marrow microenvironment siRNA delivery using lipid–polymer nanoparticles for multiple myeloma therapy
Authors: Guimarães Pedro P. G. , Figueroa-Espada Christian G. , Riley Rachel S. , Gong Ningqiang , Xue Lulu , Sewastianik Tomasz , Dennis Peter S. , Loebel Claudia , Chung Amanda , Shepherd Sarah J. , Haley Rebecca M. , Hamilton Alex G. , El-Mayta Rakan , Wang Karin , Langer Robert , Anderson Daniel G. , Carrasco Ruben D. , Mitchell Michael J.
Published: June 2023

Multiple myeloma (MM), a hematologic malignancy that preferentially colonizes the bone marrow, remains incurable with a survival rate of 3 to 6 mo for those with advanced disease despite great efforts to develop effective therapies. Thus, there is an urgent clinical need for innovative and more effective MM therapeutics. Insights suggest that endothelial cells within the bone marrow microenvironment play a critical role. Specifically, cyclophilin A (CyPA), a homing factor secreted by bone marrow endothelial cells (BMECs), is critical to MM homing, progression, survival, and chemotherapeutic resistance. Thus, inhibition of CyPA provides a potential strategy to simultaneously inhibit MM progression and sensitize MM to chemotherapeutics, improving therapeutic response. However, inhibiting factors from the bone marrow endothelium remains challenging due to delivery barriers. Here, we utilize both RNA interference (RNAi) and lipid–polymer nanoparticles to engineer a potential MM therapy, which targets CyPA within blood vessels of the bone marrow. We used combinatorial chemistry and high-throughput in vivo screening methods to engineer a nanoparticle platform for small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery to bone marrow endothelium. We demonstrate that our strategy inhibits CyPA in BMECs, preventing MM cell extravasation in vitro. Finally, we show that siRNA-based silencing of CyPA in a murine xenograft model of MM, either alone or in combination with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved MM therapeutic bortezomib, reduces tumor burden and extends survival. This nanoparticle platform may provide a broadly enabling technology to deliver nucleic acid therapeutics to other malignancies that home to bone marrow.
Complex evolutionary processes maintain an ancient chromosomal inversion
Authors: Nosil Patrik , Soria-Carrasco Victor , Villoutreix Romain , De-la-Mora Marisol , de Carvalho Clarissa F. , Parchman Thomas , Feder Jeffrey L. , Gompert Zachariah
Published: June 2023

Genome re-arrangements such as chromosomal inversions are often involved in adaptation. As such, they experience natural selection, which can erode genetic variation. Thus, whether and how inversions can remain polymorphic for extended periods of time remains debated. Here we combine genomics, experiments, and evolutionary modeling to elucidate the processes maintaining an inversion polymorphism associated with the use of a challenging host plant (Redwood trees) in
Timema
stick insects. We show that the inversion is maintained by a combination of processes, finding roles for life-history trade-offs, heterozygote advantage, local adaptation to different hosts, and gene flow. We use models to show how such multi-layered regimes of balancing selection and gene flow provide resilience to help buffer populations against the loss of genetic variation, maintaining the potential for future evolution. We further show that the inversion polymorphism has persisted for millions of years and is not a result of recent introgression. We thus find that rather than being a nuisance, the complex interplay of evolutionary processes provides a mechanism for the long-term maintenance of genetic variation.
Successful treatment of granuloma annulare with imiquimod cream 5%: a report of four cases
Authors: Badavanis G , Monastirli A , Pasmatzi E , Tsambaos D.
Published: June 2023

No abstract available
Psoriasis care consumption and expectations from a gender perspective in a psoriasis population in northern Sweden
Authors: Uttjek M , Dufåker M , Nygren L , Stenberg B.
Published: June 2023

The aim was to analyse use of psoriasis care and expectations from a gender perspective in a psoriasis population. The study is based on questionnaire data from 1,060 subjects. The response rate was 74%. The relation between care consumption and studied variables was measured using regression and chi-square analysis. Care consumption was strongly influenced by age, quality of life, income and joint symptoms. Men visited a dermatologist more often, while women visited a general practitioner and treated themselves topically more frequently. Important expectations among both women and men concerned the receiving of professional care and amelioration, while more women wanted to be treated politely. Expectations were fulfilled, except those regarding amelioration, especially among men. Awareness of gender differences is important among professionals. In order to decrease such differences decision-makers should provide for a maintained specialized care as well as a local health care system of high standard.
Toxic epidermal necrolysis associated with high intake of sildenafil and its response to infliximab
Authors: Al-Shouli S , Abouchala N , Bogusz MJ , Al Tufail , Thestrup-Pedersen K.
Published: June 2023

No abstract available
Necrotizing fasciitis from Pseudomonas aeruginosa in infantile acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Authors: Virgili A , Colombo E , Serino R , Pedretti S , Corazza M.
Published: June 2023

No abstract available
Self-inflicted skin diseases. A retrospective analysis of 57 patients with dermatitis artefacta seen in a dermatology department
Authors: Nielsen K , Jeppesen M , Simmelsgaard L , Rasmussen M , Thestrup-Pedersen K.
Published: June 2023

We analysed clinical symptoms, gender, age and social relations among 57 patients for whom a final diagnosis of dermatitis artefacta was established. The study is retrospective and the patients were seen in our department from 1982 to 2002. We observed that the diagnosis was 2.8 times more common in females than males. Symptoms were most common in the age group 18-60 years, median age 39 years. The skin lesions were 'multiple' among 88% of the patients. When self-infliction was suggested as the cause, two-thirds of patients initially denied it and only one patient agreed to meet with a psychiatrist. Only one-quarter had a job, the rest were unemployed or on sick leave. Many patients (61%) received medical treatment with anxiolytica. Ten patients (18%) had a psychiatric diagnosis. Among our 57 patients, 11 were deceased at the time of our study, but none because of suicide. Four had died before the age of 70, of whom two suffered from alcoholism and two had diabetes mellitus. Therapy should include an optimal nursing relationship with the patient so that social problems can be discussed. Psychological or psychiatric intervention appeared unhelpful because of patient denial.
Protein arginine methyltransferase 1 regulates B cell fate after positive selection in the germinal center in mice
Authors: Litzler Ludivine C. , Zahn Astrid , Dionne Kiersten L. , Sprumont Adrien , Ferreira Silvana R. , Slattery Michael R.F. , Methot Stephen P. , Patenaude Anne-Marie , Hébert Steven , Kabir Nisha , Subramani Poorani Ganesh , Jung Seolkyoung , Richard Stéphane , Kleinman Claudia L. , Di Noia Javier M.
Published: June 2023

Positively selected germinal center B cells (GCBC) can either resume proliferation and somatic hypermutation or differentiate. The mechanisms dictating these alternative cell fates are incompletely understood. We show that the protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (Prmt1) is upregulated in murine GCBC by Myc and mTORC-dependent signaling after positive selection. Deleting Prmt1 in activated B cells compromises antibody affinity maturation by hampering proliferation and GCBC light zone to dark zone cycling. Prmt1 deficiency also results in enhanced memory B cell generation and plasma cell differentiation, albeit the quality of these cells is compromised by the GCBC defects. We further demonstrate that Prmt1 intrinsically limits plasma cell differentiation, a function co-opted by B cell lymphoma (BCL) cells. Consistently, PRMT1 expression in BCL correlates with poor disease outcome, depends on MYC and mTORC1 activity, is required for cell proliferation, and prevents differentiation. Collectively, these data identify PRMT1 as a determinant of normal and cancerous mature B cell proliferation and differentiation balance.
Nonlinear stability of self-gravitating massive fields. A wave-Klein–Gordon model
Authors: LeFloch Philippe G , Ma Yue
Published: June 2023

In recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding the global evolution of self-gravitating massive matter in the small-perturbative regime near Minkowski spacetime. To investigate the interaction between a Klein–Gordon equation and Einstein’s field equations, we developed a new approach called the Euclidean-hyperboloidal foliation method. This method involves constructing a spacetime foliation that is well-suited for deriving precise decay estimates for wave and Klein–Gordon equations in curved spacetime. In this article, we provide an overview of our method and present a complete proof for a wave-Klein–Gordon model that captures some of the key challenges associated with the Einstein-matter system.
Nonsingular black holes from conformal symmetries
Authors: Cadoni M , Sanna A P
Published: June 2023

We derive the form of the metric for static, nonsingular black holes with a de Sitter core, representing a deformation of the Schwarzschild solution, by assuming that the gravitational sources describe a flow between two conformal points, at small and great distances. The resulting black-hole metric turns out to be a particular case of the Fan & Wang metric, whose parameters have been recently constrained by using the data of the S2 star orbits around the galactic center SgrA∗.
Fatigue fracture mechanics in gold-based MEMS notched specimens: experimental and numerical study
Authors: Pistorio Francesca , Somà Aurelio
Published: June 2023

The characterization of fatigue fracture mechanics in gold-MEMS notched specimens is presented in this work. A test microstructure with a central notched specimen is specifically designed and built to perform on-chip fatigue test. The central specimen undergoes cyclic loading due to the application of alternating voltage. The variation in the microstructure deflection is measured using an optical profilometer and is attributed to the crack growth in the gold material, causing the variation in the specimen stiffness. The occurrence of pull-in condition is used as a fracture detector, then the fracture of the specimen can be recognized without performing scanning electron microscope inspections during the fatigue test. Crack propagation in the test specimen is simulated through a coupled-field electromechanical fracture finite element model and the resulting crack path is compared to the experimental measurments performed with scanning electron microscope analyses. Finally, Paris’ law is applied and the number of cycles to failure is computed by exploiting the results of the fracture model and experimental measurements. Both experimental and numerical results demonstrate that the notch acts as a stress and strain raiser, fostering crack nucleation, and that the linear elastic fracture mechanics theory is still valid to describe crack propagation in micro-size samples.
Accelerated measurement of electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient for thin-layer thermoelectric materials
Authors: Yao Lei , Yang Dongwang , Tao Qirui , Zhang Zhengkai , Luo Jiangfan , Yan Yonggao , Tang Xinfeng
Published: June 2023

Compared to the diffusion couple and thin film material library, the thin-layer (also known as thick film) material library with discrete compositions is more suitable for the screening of high performance thermoelectric (TE) materials. However, there are few apparatuses for high throughput characterizing TE properties of thin-layer material library. In this work, a tool with high reliability for effectively and quickly measuring electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient has been successfully developed via using a combination of van der Pauw and quasi-steady state method. The relative measurement errors of the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient are less than 10%, comparable to commercial ZEM-3 equipment. The time to measure the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient at a single temperature point is 4 min, saving up to 61.8% of the time compared to ZEM-3. This will contribute to the screening of novel TE materials from the thin-layer TE material libraries in the future.
Atomic simulation of the effect of supersonic fine particle bombardment process parameters on the mechanical properties of polycrystalline γ-TiAl alloy
Authors: Yu Zhaoliang , Cao Hui , Zhou Baocheng , Liu Jianhui , Feng Ruicheng , Wang Jingqi , Yang Wenle
Published: June 2023

γ-TiAl alloys are the most promising lightweight high-temperature structural materials, but the materials often fail from the surface, which is mainly attributed to the stress state of the material surface. In this paper, the orthogonal experiment method and molecular dynamics modeling are used to choose a set of the best process parameters for supersonic fine particle bombardment (SFPB). Furthermore, by determining the optimal process parameters, this study examines the influence of residual stress distribution on the mechanical properties of the material under various process conditions. The simulation results reveal that the residual stress distribution is minimally impacted by particle radius, nonetheless, maintaining a moderate level of compressive residual stress within a specific range can substantially augment both the tensile strength and indentation hardness. An increase in the number of particles results in a more uniform distribution of surface residual stresses. Conversely, an increase in the number of impacts causes stress concentration to intensify at the particle’s contact point, and thus a deeper distribution of residual stress is observed. This study illustrates how the mechanical properties of polycrystalline γ-TiAl alloy are affected by the process parameters of SFPB in terms of atomic size in order to develop and select the optimal SFPB parameters.
Spin-dependent thermoelectric transport properties of Cr-doped blue phosphorene
Authors: Shi H L , Yang J , Han Q Z , Ren Y H , Zhao Y H , He S Y , Gong L J , Jiang Z T
Published: June 2023

We systematically investigate the thermoelectric (TE) properties of the Cr-doped blue phosphorene (blue-P) along the armchair and zigzag directions. First, we find the semiconducting band structure of the blue-P will become spin-polarized due to the Cr-doping, and can be seriously changed by the doping concentration. Then we show the Seebeck coefficient, the electronic conductance, the thermal conductance, and the figures of merit ZTs are all dependent on the transport directions and doping concentration. However, two pairs of the peaks of the charge and spin ZTs can be always observed with the low-height (high-height) pair on the side of the negative (positive) Fermi energy. In addition, at temperature 300 K the extrema of the charge (spin) ZTs of the blue-P along the two directions are kept to be larger than 22 (90) for the different doping concentrations and will be further enhanced at lower temperature. Therefore, we believe the Cr-doped blue-P should be a versatile high-performance TE material which may be used in the fields of the thermorelectrics and spin caloritronics.