bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dense speed-of-sound shift imaging for ultrasonic thermometry
Authors: Grutman Tal , Ilovitsh Tali
Published: September 2023

Objective. Develop a dense algorithm for calculating the speed-of-sound shift between consecutive acoustic acquisitions as a noninvasive means to evaluating temperature change during thermal ablation. Methods. An algorithm for dense speed-of-sound shift imaging (DSI) was developed to simultaneously incorporate information from the entire field of view using a combination of dense optical flow and inverse problem regularization, thus speeding up the calculation and introducing spatial agreement between pixels natively. Thermal ablation monitoring consisted of two main steps: pixel shift tracking using Farneback optical flow, and mathematical modeling of the relationship between the pixel displacement and temperature change as an inverse problem to find the speed-of-sound shift. A calibration constant translates from speed-of-sound shift to temperature change. The method performance was tested in ex vivo samples and compared to standard thermal strain imaging (TSI) methods. Main results. Thermal ablation at a frequency of 2 MHz was applied to an agarose phantom that created a speed-of-sound shift measured by an L12-5 imaging transducer. A focal spot was reconstructed by solving the inverse problem. Next, a thermocouple measured the temperature rise during thermal ablation of ex vivo chicken breast to calibrate the setup. Temperature changes between 3 °C and 15 °C was measured with high thermometry precision of less than 2 °C error for temperature changes as low as 8 °C. The DSI method outperformed standard TSI in both spatial coherence and runtime in high-intensity focused ultrasound-induced hyperthermia. Significance. Dense ultrasonic speed-of-sound shift imaging can successfully monitor the speed-of-sound shift introduced by thermal ablation. This technique is faster and more robust than current methods, and therefore can be used as a noninvasive, real time and cost-effective thermometry method, with high clinical applicability.
The first investigation of spot-scanning proton arc (SPArc) delivery time and accuracy with different delivery tolerance window settings
Authors: Liu Gang , Zhao Lewei , Liu Peilin , Dao Riao , Qian Yujia , Cong Xiaoda , Janssens Guillaume , Li Xiaoqiang , Ding Xuanfeng
Published: September 2023

Objective. To investigate the impact of various delivery tolerance window settings on the treatment delivery time and dosimetric accuracy of spot-scanning proton arc (SPArc) therapy. Approach. SPArc plans were generated for three representative disease sites (brain, lung, and liver cancer) with an angle sampling frequency of 2.5°. An in-house dynamic arc controller was used to simulate the arc treatment delivery with various tolerance windows (±0.25, ±0.5, ±1, and ±1.25°). The controller generates virtual logfiles during the arc delivery simulation, such as gantry speed, acceleration and deceleration, spot position, and delivery sequence, similar to machine logfiles. The virtual logfile was then imported to the treatment planning system to reconstruct the delivered dose distribution and compare it to the initial SPArc nominal plan. A three-dimensional gamma index was used to quantitatively assess delivery accuracy. Total treatment delivery time and relative lost time (dynamic arc delivery time—fix beam delivery time)/fix beam delivery time) were reported. Main Results. The 3D gamma passing rate (GPR) was greater than 99% for all cases when using 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm criteria and the GPR (1%/1 mm criteria) degraded as the tolerance window opens. The total delivery time for dynamic arc delivery increased with the decreasing delivery tolerance window length. The average delivery time and the relative lost time (%) were 630 ± 212 s (253% ± 68%), 322 ± 101 s (81% ± 31%), 225 ± 60 s (27% ± 16%), 196 ± 41 s (11% ± 6%), 187 ± 29 s (6% ± 1%) for tolerance windows ±0.25, ±0.5, ±1, and ±1.25° respectively. Significance. The study quantitatively analyzed the dynamic SPArc delivery time and accuracy with different delivery tolerance window settings, which offer a critical reference in the future SPArc plan optimization and delivery controller design.
Deep learning-based multi-stage postoperative type-b aortic dissection segmentation using global-local fusion learning
Authors: Zhang Xuyang , Cheng Guoliang , Han Xiaofeng , Li Shilong , Xiong Jiang , Wu Ziheng , Zhang Hongkun , Chen Duanduan
Published: September 2023

Objective. Type-b aortic dissection (AD) is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease and the primary treatment is thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Due to the lack of a rapid and accurate segmentation technique, the patient-specific postoperative AD model is unavailable in clinical practice, resulting in impracticable 3D morphological and hemodynamic analyses during TEVAR assessment. This work aims to construct a deep learning-based segmentation framework for postoperative type-b AD. Approach. The segmentation is performed in a two-stage manner. A multi-class segmentation of the contrast-enhanced aorta, thrombus (TH), and branch vessels (BV) is achieved in the first stage based on the cropped image patches. True lumen (TL) and false lumen (FL) are extracted from a straightened image containing the entire aorta in the second stage. A global-local fusion learning mechanism is designed to improve the segmentation of TH and BR by compensating for the missing contextual features of the cropped images in the first stage. Results. The experiments are conducted on a multi-center dataset comprising 133 patients with 306 follow-up images. Our framework achieves the state-of-the-art dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 0.962, 0.921, 0.811, and 0.884 for TL, FL, TH, and BV, respectively. The global-local fusion learning mechanism increases the DSC of TH and BV by 2.3% (p < 0.05) and 1.4% (p < 0.05), respectively, based on the baseline. Segmenting TH in stage 1 can achieve significantly better DSC for FL (0.921 ± 0.055 versus 0.857 ± 0.220, p < 0.01) and TH (0.811 ± 0.137 versus 0.797 ± 0.146, p < 0.05) than in stage 2. Our framework supports more accurate vascular volume quantifications compared with previous segmentation model, especially for the patients with enlarged TH+FL after TEVAR, and shows good generalizability to different hospital settings. Significance. Our framework can quickly provide accurate patient-specific AD models, supporting the clinical practice of 3D morphological and hemodynamic analyses for quantitative and more comprehensive patient-specific TEVAR assessments.
Ferroelectric phase transitions of nanoislands based on transverse ising model
Authors: Chen Sheng , Mo Yixiang , Wu Yanyi
Published: September 2023

Based on the transverse field Ising model, the phase transition properties of nanoislands with a spin-1/2 are studied by using the usual decoupling approximation of Fermi-type Green’s function. The phase diagram indicates that the phase transition curve (J

S

/J = t

c
, Ω
S

/J ∼ t

c
) is highly sensitive to the interlayer exchange interaction (J

R

/J) and the ratio of surface to center transverse fields (Ω
S

/Ω). The polarization diagram reveals that the polarization curve exhibits steps attributed to spin inversion, and the temperature of the step point corresponds to the temperature at which spin configuration changes.
Water chemical treatment by photocatalytic activity of reduced graphene oxide-decorated zinc sulfide nanocomposite
Authors: Mosayebi Pegah , Dorranian Davoud , Sari Amirhossein , Behzad Kasra
Published: September 2023

The photocatalytic properties of reduced graphene oxide decorated ZnS nanocomposite was employed for photodegradation of phenol red as a chemical agent in water. ZnS nanocomposite was synthesized by hydrothermal method. Reduced graphene oxide decorated ZnS nanocomposite was produced by pulsed laser ablation of graphite bulk in the solution of ZnS nanocomposite. Variety of spectroscopic and imaging diagnostics including X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the synthesized nanostructures. Water treatment was carried out in a closed handmade reactor. The concentration of the phenol red pollutant as the chemical agent, was extracted from the absorption spectra of treated water. Dependence of the behaviors of phenol red dye on the pH of the medium was studied in detail. Effects of UV radiation intensity, treatment time, pH of the polluted water, and aging on the efficiency of the treatment were investigated. Results show that even in the dark condition rGO-ZnS nanocomposite is an effective material to remove phenol red pollutant from water. The highest efficiency of treatment after 120 min was achieved in neutral pH water. Furthermore, after 7 days, with nanostructures and without UV radiation, the removal process in the polluted water was continued.
Host isotope effects on the oxygen local vibrations in CdTe
Authors: Tarhan Enver , Ramdas Anant K
Published: September 2023

Strong absorption peak observed near 350 cm−1 in the infrared spectrum of CdTe is assigned to a localized vibrational mode of 16O impurity atoms at tellurium sites. In this work, we studied the nature of these vibrations in terms of the effect of isotopic mass variations in the nearest neighbor Cd atoms. We showed that Cd atoms with 8 stable natural isotopes of varying abundances cause the observed line shape in the observed localized vibrational absorption peak. To calculate the effect of isotopic mass variations, we used the XY4 molecular model, X being the impurity atom at a host Te atom site and Y’s are various isotopes of the host Cd atoms. Corresponding frequencies of local modes were calculated for each possible combinations of neighboring Cd atoms. For an XY4 molecule with Td symmetry, only the triply degenerate

Γ

5

mode is infrared active. The energies of this mode are higher than those of the others. This mode is possible only when all neigboring Cd atoms are the same isotope. To simulate the absorption data, we used a dynamical matrix approach where a force constant is given for each of the bending and stretching potential energy terms. By diagonalization of the dynamical matrix we were able to fit the calculated spectrum to the data with a proper choice of the bending and stretching force constants. A good agreement with the experiment as well as reported force constants for other impurities in CdTe is obtained.
Broadband and precise reconfiguration of megahertz electromagnetic metamaterials for wireless power transfer
Authors: Zhang Rui , Wang Kaiqi , Wang Xiaole , Luo Xudong , Zhao Chunyu
Published: September 2023

It is a significant challenge to construct reconfigurable electromagnetic metamaterials that can precisely manipulate broadband megahertz electromagnetic waves. Herein, we report a reconfigurable electromagnetic metamaterial (REMM) composed of a two-dimensional periodic array of spiral copper-clad unit cells, each paralleled with a micro-tunable capacitor, which has nearly linear voltage-controlled properties. Moreover, the on-board integrated sample-and-hold modules, linked to all the REMM unit cells, are activated sequentially to perform precise voltage regulation of micro-tunable capacitors for controlling the electromagnetic properties of each unit cell. The experiment results demonstrate that the REMM sample has a maximum frequency adjustment range of 2.1 MHz, ranging from 8.7 MHz to 10.9 MHz with less than 0.1 MHz adjustment step. Furthermore, in a wireless power transfer system, the proposed REMM can achieve the desirable magnetic-field manipulation by precisely adjusting the permeability distribution compared with the traditional metamaterial slab merely capable of full-negative permeability. As a result, the power transfer efficiency (PTE) can be increased from 9.53% to 11.51% (1.69% for the case without the metamaterial slab), and approximately 3.5-fold improvement (from 0.28% to 0.98%) can be achieved when coils are misaligned. This work lays the foundation for the control of electromagnetic waves through using broadband and precise reconfiguration of megahertz electromagnetic metamaterials.
First-principles study of potassium-based novel chalcogenide materials for optoelectronic and thermoelectric devices
Authors: Gul Banat , Khan Muhammad Salman , lfseisi Ahmad A , Ahmad Hijaz
Published: September 2023

The structural, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric natures of potassium-based ternary KAuY (Y = S, Se, and Te) materials are studied by employing density functional theory calculations. The LDA and PBE-GGA approximations were used to properly address the strongly correlated electron complexes. The ground-state energies, cohesive energies, and specifically the computed formation energy calculation predicted their stable nature. The calculated electron-effective mass of KAuTe was lower as compared to KAuS and KAuSe suggesting the presence of non-uniformity in energy bands at the conduction band minimum (CBM). The broader energy band gaps display the existence of firmly covalent bonds. The computed band structures calculation well supports their density of states calculations and validates the semiconductor nature of these materials. Moreover, optical constants such as the two components of the complex dielectric function, energy loss functions, absorption coefficients, reflectivity, and refractive index spectra are calculated and also explained for their potential usage in optoelectronic devices. The vital thermoelectric features are computed that suggest the studied material systems’ potential in the thermoelectric application. Principally, the present work would aid in the advancement of integrated and diverse semiconductors for high technological devices.
S-wave heavy pentaquark production in direct fragmentation of heavy quark
Authors: Moosavi Nejad S Mohammad , Farashahian R
Published: September 2023

Study of exotic hadrons with configurations beyond the naive quark model has attracted a lot of interests in recent years. Due to their complicated configuration many theoretical models have been designed for describing their structure. Understanding the production mechanism of exotic hadrons could be helpful to find out their inner structure and to test the theory of QCD as well. It is well-known that the dominant production mechanism for conventional heavy hadrons with large transverse momentum is fragmentation so as this mechanism could also be extended to heavy pentaquarks production. This work is a first effort to study the direct fragmentation of heavy quarks into ground state heavy pentaquarks in leading order of perturbative QCD. Considering the picture of compact pentaquark states, through the Suzuki approach we will compute the fragmentation function of heavy quarks into S-wave heavy pentaquarks. The production cross section of heavy pentaquarks through pair annihilation will also be estimated at lowest order of perturbative QCD.
Role of O2 and N2 addition on low-reflectance Si surface formation using moderate-pressure (3.3 kPa) hydrogen plasma
Authors: Nomura Toshimitsu , Kakiuchi Hiroaki , Ohmi Hiromasa
Published: September 2023

We prepared ‘black Si’ with Si nanocone structures using a moderate-pressure H2 plasma at 3.3 kPa with a minor air addition. The roles of N2 and O2 as additives in Si-nanocone formation were investigated. Air additives in H2 gas are required to form Si oxynitride micromasks on the surface, and the O2 concentration in the additive modifies the chemical and physical characteristics of the micromasks. When the additive in the H2 gas was only O2, a relatively smooth sample surface or a low-aspect-ratio nanocone structure was formed. In contrast, the N2-only additive of H2 gas resulted in a fine nanopillar structure with a low height. An O2 concentration in the additives of approximately 20% is desirable for black Si fabrication. In addition, the etching rate of the SiO2 film using moderate-pressure H2 plasma was three times higher than that of the SiNx film. In addition, an adequate additive O2 concentration in the H2 gas increased the atomic H density in the plasma. As a result, a Si surface with a very low light reflectance of less than 0.5% in the wavelength range of 380–830 nm was obtained.
Electromagnetic fluctuation and collective modes in relativistic bosonic superfluid in mixed dimensions
Authors: Hsiao Wei-Han
Published: September 2023

In Gaussian approximation, we investigate the marginal electromagnetic fluctuation in models of charged relativistic bosonic superfluids in three and two spatial dimensions at zero temperature. The electromagnetism is modeled by the ordinary Maxwell term and the non-local pseudo-electrodynamics action in these dimensions respectively. We explore the collective excitations in these systems by integrating the superfluid velocity fields. We unveil that different collectives mode dispersions are results of the competition between different characteristic scales of speed and that between short-ranged and long-ranged interactions. In (3+1) dimensions, we derive the roton mode reminiscent of what was discovered in the context of the free relativistic Bose–Einstein condensate as a generalization of the Higgs mode and determine the necessary and sufficient condition for the roton to exist. In (2+1) dimensions, besides solving the dispersion relation for the surface plasmon, we prove there cannot be roton-like excitation in this model as opposed to its (3+1) dimensional counterpart, and additionally derive the asymptotic lines of the dispersion in the limits of long wavelength and short distance. These asymptotic dispersions are supplied with alternative perspective using duality.
Transition from MAR to EIR of deuterium plasma detachment in NAGDIS-II
Authors: Shi Jielin , Kaizawa Hideki , Tanaka Hirohiko , Kajita Shin , Ohno Noriyasu , Ding Hongbin
Published: September 2023

Volumetric plasma recombination in a detached deuterium (D) plasma was experimentally studied in the linear plasma device NAGDIS-II. The radial distributions of the electron temperature (T

e
) and the electron density (n

e
) were measured by upstream and downstream laser Thomson scattering (LTS) systems and D-atom excited states of the Balmer series (n = 3–7) were measured by optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The results indicated that the electron static pressure, particle flux and heat flux present a two-step reduction with an increasing neutral pressure, suggesting that molecule activated recombination (MAR) and electron–ion recombination (EIR) were activated, respectively. The difference in the distributions of the atomic state population densities was observed to be a feature of the transition from the MAR-dominant phase to the EIR-dominant phase. The transition between the two phases had a distinct boundary at T

e
∼0.7 eV, which was considered a transition point between the phases. The ratios of the atomic state population densities showed different features in the two phases, and are expected to be useful in characterizing the phase and degree of plasma detachment.
Multiple-wavelength Correlation and Variation Study for 3C 279 at Various Timescales
Authors: Chen Mingtai , Jiang Yunguo
Published: September 2023

The study on variation phenomena of blazars can shed light on the jet activity and structures. We collect nearly ten years γ-ray, X-ray, optical, and radio light curves of the target 3C 279, and use the local cross-correlation function to perform the correlation analysis among them. Based on lags among different wavelengths, we obtain that the optical as well as the X-ray emitting regions are

32.5

−
0.9

+
2.9

and

8.4

−
4.4

+
7.7

pc away from the jet base, and are upstream of the radio core region. The optical and γ-ray emitting regions are not completely co-spatial. We select several periods to study various variation phenomena at long-term, short-term, and very-short-term timescales. We find a redder when brighter trend of the optical color index at the quiescent state and a bluer when brighter trend at the active state. We also find a softer when brighter trend of the γ-ray at low luminosity and a possible harder when brighter trend at high luminosity. The correlation between the optical polarization and fluxes is complex. We find an anticorrelation for one long-term flare, and positive correlations for two short-term flares. The stack of the multiple optical components can explain the anticorrelation, while the appearance of a dominating component can explain the positive correlations. The disk plus many jet components scenario can explain the complex optical variation behaviors for 3C 279. As a remarkable intermediate synchrotron peaked blazar target, 3C 279 play an important role to understand the classification and transition between the low synchrotron peaked and high synchrotron peaked subclass of blazars, since its variation phenomena shows the indication of connection between these two categories.
Efficient Lossless Compression of Integer Astronomical Data
Authors: Maireles-González Òscar , Bartrina-Rapesta Joan , Hernández-Cabronero Miguel , Serra-Sagristà Joan
Published: September 2023

Each new generation of telescope produces increasingly larger astronomical data volumes, which are expected to reach the order of exabytes in the next decade. Effective and fast data compression methods are paramount to help the scientific community contain storage costs and improve transmission times. Astronomical data differs significantly from natural and Earth-observation images, asking for specifically tailored compression approaches. This paper presents a novel lossless compression technique that employs the discrete Haar wavelet transform within the JPEG 2000 standard. Its performance is compared to that of a comprehensive selection of compressors, including fpack, the most common technique in astronomical observatories, as well as other algorithms highly competitive for other types of data. Experiments are performed on a large data set of 16 bit integer images, produced by telescopes around the world and representative of a wide variety of astronomical scenarios. The proposed technique has two modes. The first mode outperforms all the other tested techniques in terms of compression performance. It surpasses the most competitive configuration of fpack by, respectively, 5.3% (about 0.3 bits per sample), having also 4.5% lower compression and decompression times. The second mode is the fastest among all tested techniques. Its compression and decompression times are 2.5 and 3.5 times faster than the fastest configuration of fpack, while also yielding a 2.4% better compression performance (0.15 bits per sample).
Simulating progressive motor neuron degeneration and collateral reinnervation in motor neuron diseases using a dynamic muscle model based on human single motor unit recordings
Authors: Sleutjes Boudewijn T H M , Stikvoort García Diederik J L , van Doorn Pieter A , Goedee H Stephan , van den Berg Leonard H
Published: September 2023

Objective. To simulate progressive motor neuron loss and collateral reinnervation in motor neuron diseases (MNDs) by developing a dynamic muscle model based on human single motor unit (MU) surface-electromyography (EMG) recordings. Approach. Single MU potentials recorded with high-density surface-EMG from thenar muscles formed the basic building blocks of the model. From the baseline MU pool innervating a muscle, progressive MU loss was simulated by removal of MUs, one-by-one. These removed MUs underwent collateral reinnervation with scenarios varying from 0% to 100%. These scenarios were based on a geometric variable, reflecting the overlap in MU territories using the spatiotemporal profiles of single MUs and a variable reflecting the efficacy of the reinnervation process. For validation, we tailored the model to generate compound muscle action potential (CMAP) scans, which is a promising surface-EMG method for monitoring MND patients. Selected scenarios for reinnervation that matched observed MU enlargements were used to validate the model by comparing markers (including the maximum CMAP and a motor unit number estimate (MUNE)) derived from simulated and recorded CMAP scans in a cohort of 49 MND patients and 22 age-matched healthy controls. Main results. The maximum CMAP at baseline was 8.3 mV (5th–95th percentile: 4.6 mV–11.8 mV). Phase cancellation caused an amplitude drop of 38.9% (5th–95th percentile, 33.0%–45.7%). To match observations, the geometric variable had to be set at 40% and the efficacy variable at 60%–70%. The Δ maximum CMAP between recorded and simulated CMAP scans as a function of fitted MUNE was −0.4 mV (5th–95th percentile = −4.0 – +2.4 mV). Significance. The dynamic muscle model could be used as a platform to train personnel in applying surface-EMG methods prior to their use in clinical care and trials. Moreover, the model may pave the way to compare biomarkers more efficiently, without directly posing unnecessary burden on patients.
X-ray spectroscopy with a photon-counting SiPM-based scintillation detector
Authors: Ceravolo S. , Gargiulo R. , Paesani D. , Russo A. , Sarra I.
Published: September 2023

A new low-energy X-ray detector was built and operated, using a plastic scintillator coupled to a large area SiPM.
The signal is amplified with a low-noise, high gain, custom circuit providing excellent photon-counting capabilities and allowing a quasi-digital measurement.
The detector was tested using X-rays coming from molybdenum K lines (17.4 and 19.6 keV), and an energy resolution of 28% is obtained with 20 photoelectrons per X-ray photon on average.
Finite element analysis of ball burnishing: evolution of residual stresses and surface profile in Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy
Authors: Chaudhary Abhishek , Baral Subrat Kumar , Tiwari Gaurav , Dumpala Ravikumar
Published: September 2023

In the present study, the effect of feed on the residual stress distribution and surface profile generated during the ball burnishing of titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-7Nb) was investigated using finite element simulation. The elastic-plastic material model with isotropic hardening was used for performing the simulations. The created finite element model containing a rigid ball and deformable specimen was optimized and validated using experimental data. It was observed that the effect of burnishing feed is significant on the surface profile compared to residual stresses. The maximum residual stress obtained during the simulation of the process was achieved for the burnishing feed of 0.2 mm. This confirmed the variation of residual stress when the burnishing feed is varied. Whereas the surface roughness was the least for the 0.05 mm burnishing feed which was due to uniform deformation of the surface during the process.
Immanuel Kant in the universe
Authors: Kalita Sanjeev
Published: September 2023

As so often with our most heralded figures, Immanuel Kant was not merely an iconic theologist and philosopher. Sanjeev Kalita takes the time to look behind the legend, and discovers an early and pioneer of cosmological ideas.
The effect of Dunaliella tertiolecta supplementation on diet-induced obesity in UCP1-deficient mice
Authors: Yamashita Yukari , Takeuchi Tamaki , Endo Yuki , Goto Ayumi , Uno Misa , Sakaki Setsuko , Yamaguchi Yuji , Takenaka Hiroyuki , Yamashita Hitoshi
Published: September 2023

We previously demonstrated that dietary supplementation with Dunaliella tertiolecta (DT) increases uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and improves diet-induced obesity (DIO) in C57BL/6 J mice at thermoneutrality (30 °C). Here, we investigated whether DT improves DIO in a thermoneutral UCP1-deficient (KO) animal. KO mice were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with DT for 12 weeks. Compared to control group without DT, body weight was significantly reduced in DT group with no difference in food intake. Dunaliella tertiolecta-supplemented mice exhibited lower adiposity and well-maintained multilocular morphology in BAT, in which a significant increase in gene expression of PR domain containing 16 was detected in DT group compared to control group. Moreover, increase in UCP2 level and/or decrease in ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation were detected in adipose tissues of DT group relative to control group. These results suggest that DT supplementation improves DIO by stimulating UCP1-independent energy dissipation at thermoneutrality.
Bacterial community structure and assembly dynamics hinge on plant litter quality
Authors: Min Kaikai , Zheng Tiantian , Zhu Xuefeng , Bao Xuelian , Lynch Laurel , Liang Chao
Published: September 2023

Litter decomposition is a fundamental ecosystem process controlling the biogeochemical cycling of energy and nutrients. Using a 360-day lab incubation experiment to control for environmental factors, we tested how litter quality (low C/N deciduous vs. high C/N coniferous litter) governed the assembly and taxonomic composition of bacterial communities and rates of litter decomposition. Overall, litter mass loss was significantly faster in soils amended with deciduous (DL) rather than coniferous (CL) litter. Communities degrading DL were also more taxonomically diverse and exhibited stochastic assembly throughout the experiment. By contrast, alpha-diversity rapidly declined in communities exposed to CL. Strong environmental selection and competitive biological interactions induced by molecularly complex, nutrient poor CL were reflected in a transition from stochastic to deterministic assembly after 180 days. Constraining how the diversity and assembly of microbial populations modulates core ecosystem processes, such as litter decomposition, will become increasingly important under novel climate conditions, and as policymakers and land managers emphasize soil carbon sequestration as a key natural climate solution.
Stagnant-lid convection: comparison of viscosity laws and uniform scaling approach for temperature and heat flux prediction
Authors: Grigné Cécile
Published: September 2023

Numerical simulations of stagnant-lid convection in a 2-D Cartesian fluid heated from below are carried out in order to study how the temperature dependence of the viscosity affects the vertical profile of temperature in the model. I test different viscosity laws, including the Arrhenius law with realistic parameters for the Earth’s mantle or for icy bodies. No approximation is made, which leads to extremely high viscosity contrasts. Results are compared to different approximations, in particular the Frank–Kamenetskii (FK) one. I propose a new approach for the scaling of the temperature drop across the convective part of the layer beneath the stagnant lid. The vertical profile of temperature as a function of the viscosity law is predicted, with a uniform scaling approach for all formulations of the temperature-dependent viscosity. The predicted profiles are in very good agreement with results of 2-D numerical simulations in Cartesian geometry. The complete scaling given here provides a rapid way to compare viscosity laws and to check how approximations affect the results, in terms of interior temperature, stagnant lid thickness and heat flux, compared to the real Arrhenius law for rocky mantles and for the icy outer shells of satellites. In particular, in the context of 2-D Cartesian convection heated from below, in the stagnant-lid regime, I propose a new approach to properly scale the FK formulation when it is used as an approximation of the Arrhenius law.
Assessing the reliability of local earthquake tomography for crustal imaging: 30 yr of records in the Western Alps as a case study
Authors: Virieux J , Paul A , Langlais M , Janex G , Guéguen P , Helmstetter A , Stehly L
Published: September 2023

Local earthquake tomography (LET) is a popular method for inverting arrival time picks of local-regional earthquakes for P- and S-wave velocities and hypocentre parameters in seismically active regions. This popularity is due to some robust and well-documented open-source codes that are sometimes used as black boxes. The availability of a very complete time-pick database on the Western Alps gives us a chance to thoroughly investigate the influence of the numerous processes and parameters involved when applying LET to the Western Alps or similar targets. From a subset of high-quality manual picks (1989–2014), we compute preliminary P and S velocity models that are used to predict arrival times for later events and allow the selected fusion of picks downloaded from different seismological agencies for a consistent 33-yr database (1989–2021). Different model reconstructions are proposed by selecting different subsets of the arrival time data set. Aside data input into the LET, influence of initial stratified or 3-D velocity models and related initial earthquake locations is investigated together with grid discretization, Laplacian smoothing and damping parameters in the standard penalty approach commonly used by LET codes. These numerical parameters account for the expected limited resolution of seismic waves due to their finite-frequency content. Parameter selection is handled by the user, whereas frequency impact is only implicit in the onset picks.

The earthquake distribution allows a reconstruction down to 40-km depth over an area of ∼500 × 500 km2. Robust features such as the high-velocity Ivrea body anomaly, and a deep low-velocity anomaly associated with crustal thickening underneath the mountain belt survive whatever the tomography strategy and parameters. Finally, a comparison with previous LET reconstructions suggests that finite-frequency content be explicitly incorporated through wave equation tomography to improve spatial resolution. This would fully exploit observables collected from seismograms, albeit with a significant increase in computer costs.
Upregulation of the NKG2D Ligand ULBP2 by JC Polyomavirus Infection Promotes Immune Recognition by Natural Killer Cells
Authors: Jost Stephanie , Ahn Jenny , Chen Sarah , Yoder Taylor , Gikundiro Kayitare Eunice , Lee Esther , Gressens Simon B , Kroll Kyle , Craemer Melissa , Kaynor G Campbell , Lifton Michelle , Tan C Sabrina
Published: September 2023

Background

JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) causes progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a potentially fatal complication of severe immune suppression with no effective treatment. Natural killer (NK) cells play critical roles in defense against viral infections; however, NK-cell response to JCPyV infection remains unexplored.

Methods

NK- and T-cell responses against the JCPyV VP1 were compared using intracellular cytokine staining upon stimulation with peptide pools. A novel flow cytometry-based assay was developed to determine NK-cell killing efficiency of JCPyV-infected astrocyte-derived SVG-A cells. Blocking antibodies were used to evaluate the contribution of NK-cell receptors in immune recognition of JCPyV-infected cells.

Results

In about 40% of healthy donors, we detected robust CD107a upregulation and IFN-γ production by NK cells, extending beyond T-cell responses. Next, using the NK-cell–mediated killing assay, we showed that coculture of NK cells and JCPyV-infected SVG-A cells leads to a 60% reduction in infection, on average. JCPyV-infected cells had enhanced expression of ULBP2—a ligand for the activating NK-cell receptor NKG2D, and addition of NKG2D blocking antibodies decreased NK-cell degranulation.

Conclusions

NKG2D-mediated activation of NK cells plays a key role in controlling JCPyV replication and may be a promising immunotherapeutic target to boost NK-cell anti-JCPyV activity.
A novel opsonic eCIRP inhibitor for lethal sepsis
Authors: Nofi Colleen P , Tan Chuyi , Ma Gaifeng , Kobritz Molly , Prince Jose M , Wang Haichao , Aziz Monowar , Wang Ping
Published: September 2023

Sepsis is a life-threatening inflammatory condition partly orchestrated by the release of various damage-associated molecular patterns such as extracellular cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (eCIRP). Despite advances in understanding the pathogenic role of eCIRP in inflammatory diseases, novel therapeutic strategies to prevent its excessive inflammatory response are lacking. Milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor-VIII (MFG-E8) is critical for the opsonic clearance of apoptotic cells, but its potential involvement in the removal of eCIRP was previously unknown. Here, we report that MFG-E8 can strongly bind eCIRP to facilitate αvβ3-integrin-dependent internalization and lysosome-dependent degradation of MFG-E8/eCIRP complexes, thereby attenuating excessive inflammation. Genetic disruption of MFG-E8 expression exaggerated sepsis-induced systemic accumulation of eCIRP and other cytokines, and consequently exacerbated sepsis-associated acute lung injury. In contrast, MFG-E8–derived oligopeptide recapitulated its eCIRP binding properties, and significantly attenuated eCIRP-induced inflammation to confer protection against sepsis. Our findings suggest a novel therapeutic approach to attenuate eCIRP-induced inflammation to improve outcomes of lethal sepsis.
Targeting hepatic ceruloplasmin mitigates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by modulating bile acid metabolism
Authors: Jiang Quanxin , Wang Ning , Lu Sijia , Xiong Jie , Yuan Yanmei , Liu Junli , Chen Suzhen
Published: September 2023

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a condition that progresses from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and is characterized by hepatic fat accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis. It has the potential to develop into cirrhosis and liver cancer, and currently no effective pharmacological treatment is available. In this study, we investigate the therapeutic potential of targeting ceruloplasmin (Cp), a copper-containing protein predominantly secreted by hepatocytes, for treating NASH. Our result show that hepatic Cp is remarkedly upregulated in individuals with NASH and the mouse NASH model. Hepatocyte-specific Cp ablation effectively attenuates the onset of dietary-induced NASH by decreasing lipid accumulation, curbing inflammation, mitigating fibrosis, and ameliorating liver damage. By employing transcriptomics and metabolomics approaches, we have discovered that hepatic deletion of Cp brings about remarkable restoration of bile acid (BA) metabolism during NASH. Hepatic deletion of Cp effectively remodels BA metabolism by upregulating Cyp7a1 and Cyp8b1, which subsequently leads to enhanced BA synthesis and notable alterations in BA profiles. In conclusion, our studies elucidate the crucial involvement of Cp in NASH, highlighting its significance as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of this disease.
Loss of susceptibility, an underexplored approach for durable resistance to plant-parasitic nematodes
Authors: Kyndt Tina
Published: September 2023

This article comments on:

Noureddine Y, da Rocha M, An J, Médina C, Mejias J, Mulet K, Quentin M, Abad P, Zouine M, Favery B, Jaubert-Possamai S. 2023. AUXIN RESPONSIVE FACTOR8 regulates development of the feeding site induced by root-knot nematodes in tomato. Journal of Experimental Botany 74, 5752–5766.
Asymmetric Evolution of Protein Domains in the Leucine-Rich Repeat Receptor-Like Kinase Family of Plant Signaling Proteins
Authors: Man Jarrett , Harrington T A , Lally Kyra , Bartlett Madelaine E
Published: September 2023

The coding sequences of developmental genes are expected to be deeply conserved, with cis-regulatory change driving the modulation of gene function. In contrast, proteins with roles in defense are expected to evolve rapidly, in molecular arms races with pathogens. However, some gene families include both developmental and defense genes. In these families, does the tempo and mode of evolution differ between genes with divergent functions, despite shared ancestry and structure? The leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase (LRR-RLKs) protein family includes members with roles in plant development and defense, thus providing an ideal system for answering this question. LRR-RLKs are receptors that traverse plasma membranes. LRR domains bind extracellular ligands; RLK domains initiate intracellular signaling cascades in response to ligand binding. In LRR-RLKs with roles in defense, LRR domains evolve faster than RLK domains. To determine whether this asymmetry extends to LRR-RLKs that function primarily in development, we assessed evolutionary rates and tested for selection acting on 11 subfamilies of LRR-RLKs, using deeply sampled protein trees. To assess functional evolution, we performed heterologous complementation assays in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). We found that the LRR domains of all tested LRR-RLK proteins evolved faster than their cognate RLK domains. All tested subfamilies of LRR-RLKs had strikingly similar patterns of molecular evolution, despite divergent functions. Heterologous transformation experiments revealed that multiple mechanisms likely contribute to the evolution of LRR-RLK function, including escape from adaptive conflict. Our results indicate specific and distinct evolutionary pressures acting on LRR versus RLK domains, despite diverse organismal roles for LRR-RLK proteins.
Workplace mental health screening for trauma-exposed workforces
Authors: Greenberg Neil , Forbes David
Published: September 2023

Mental health screening is often used by trauma-prone organizations with the intent of protecting their workers’ mental health. However, not only is the term screening somewhat ambiguous, the available evidence does not support formal, healthcare-delivered, mandatory screening either to select staff for higher-risk roles or as a mechanism to encourage trauma-exposed workers, with mental health difficulties, to access mental health treatment.
Human Cytomegalovirus Immunoglobulin G Response and Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Adolescents: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Swanepoel Jeremi , van Zyl Gert , Hesseling Anneke C , Johnson Sarah M , Moore David A J , Seddon James A
Published: September 2023

Background

Emerging evidence suggests a link between infection with herpes viruses, particularly human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and progression to tuberculosis disease.

Methods

An unmatched case-control study was conducted among adolescents aged 10–19 years enrolled in an observational study (Teen TB) between November 2020 and November 2021, in Cape Town, South Africa. Fifty individuals with pulmonary tuberculosis and 51 healthy tuberculosis-exposed individuals without tuberculosis were included. Demographics and clinical data were obtained, and serum samples collected at enrolment were tested for HCMV immunoglobulin G (IgG) and EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) IgG using 2 automated enzyme immunoassays. Odds ratios were estimated using unconditional logistic regression.

Results

The median age of 101 participants was 15 years (interquartile range, 13–17 years); 55 (54%) were female. All participants were HCMV IgG seropositive, and 95% were EBNA IgG seropositive. Individuals with tuberculosis had higher HCMV IgG titers than healthy controls (P = .04). Individuals with upper-tertile HCMV IgG titers had 3.67 times greater odds of pulmonary tuberculosis than those with IgG titers in the lower tertile (95% confidence interval, 1.05–12.84; P = .04). There was a trend for increasing odds of pulmonary tuberculosis with increasing titers of HCMV IgG (P = .04). In contrast, there was no association between tuberculosis and higher EBNA IgG values.

Conclusions

There is a high prevalence of sensitization to HCMV and EBV among adolescents in this high-tuberculosis-burden setting. Higher HCMV IgG titers were associated with pulmonary tuberculosis in adolescents.
The Natural History of Antibiotic-Treated Lower Limb Cellulitis: Analysis of Data Extracted From a Multicenter Clinical Trial
Authors: Williams O Martin , Hamilton Fergus , Brindle Richard
Published: September 2023

Background

Although cellulitis is a relatively common skin infection, there remains uncertainty about management, particularly the length and route of antimicrobials required. Further information on the symptomatology and biomarker changes associated with cellulitis over time would guide clinicians and patients as to the expected natural history.

Methods

We extracted data from a randomized clinical trial (NCT01876628) of clindamycin as adjunctive therapy in cellulitis to illustrate the evolution of local parameters (pain, swelling, local erythema, and warmth) and the resolution of biomarkers over time.

Results

Data from 247 individuals with mild to moderate unilateral lower limb cellulitis, who attended at least 1 face-to-face interview following recruitment, were used to examine response dynamics. Although there was a local improvement in swelling, warmth, erythema, and pain by day 5 compared with baseline, some individuals still had evidence of local inflammation at 10 days. Most biomarkers demonstrated a return to normal by day 3, although the initial fall in albumin only returned to baseline by day 10.

Conclusions

Although there was initial resolution, a significant number of individuals still had local symptoms persisting to day 10 and beyond. Clinicians can use these data to reassure themselves and their patients that ongoing local symptoms and signs after completion of antibiotic treatment do not indicate treatment failure or warrant extension of the initial antibiotic treatment or a change in antibiotic class or mode of administration.
Waiting for ASCO to “Walk the Walk”
Authors: Fojo Tito
Published: September 2023

This editorial addresses the magnitude of the challenge of spiraling drug costs, a challenge that affects everyone, everywhere, but may not be adequately addressed even at the ASCO annual meeting.
Mass Media's Role in Terrorism: The Issue of Frame Sending and Terrorist Communication
Authors: Oswald Michael T , Fürst Kristina , Johann Michael
Published: September 2023

The propaganda videos of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) became a widespread issue throughout the Western world between 2014 and 2017. The problem was not that the videos went viral on social media but that people learned about them and their content through the news. Each ISIL video posted on social media provoked some kind of media reaction that generated public attention. Given that a common framing effect leads people to think through the frames offered to them, journalists and media outlets can pick up frames and send them via their reporting. Based on a qualitative content analysis of news articles in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, this article shows that media outlets often sent ISIL’s frames and discussed related problems using the frames set by ISIL. Therefore, the media played a crucial role in the logic of this terrorist organization and its communication strategy by sending specific strategic communicator frames to the public. However, this analysis reveals that media framing changed over time: reporting became more balanced and, in some cases, even contested ISIL’s frames.