bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Red Blood Cells in Hemostasis
Authors: Alamin Amin A.
Published: December 2020

New emerging evidence is now prompting researchers to devote greater focus on the roles played by red blood cells (RBCs) in hemostasis. This short narrative review aims to outline the available research, past and current, that has revealed the role of RBCs in hemostasis, particularly blood clotting. Although early researchers suggested that RBCs were involved in blood clotting, they had insufficient evidence to support such claims. As a result, this area of research received little attention from other scientists. Early researchers primarily used quantitative measures of RBCs, namely hematocrit or RBC count, as higher numbers of RBCs modulate blood rheology by increasing viscosity. Recent research has instead shed light on the different measures of RBC function, such as expression of phosphatidylserine and adhesive proteins, aggregation, hemolysis, release of extracellular microvesicles, and erythrocyte volume. RBCs play a role in the contraction of clots by platelets, and the resulting densely packed array of polyhedral erythrocytes forms an almost impermeable barrier that is essential for hemostasis and wound healing. Renewed interest in RBCs is primarily due to the clinically and experimentally established relationships between erythrocytes and hemostasis, which have suggested that erythrocytes are potential targets for the treatment of hemostatic disturbances.
A New Posterior Extensor Attachment-Point Reconstruction Technique for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Involving C2 Segment: Clinical Outcome and Safety
Authors: Yang Hai-Yun , Zhang Yun-Ge , Zhao Dong , Sun Gui-Ming , Ma Yi , Hao Yong-Hong , Yang Qiang
Published: December 2020

Background and Study Aim Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a common degenerative disease that mainly occurs in elder patients, leading to different degrees of neurological dysfunction. Spinal cord involvement is mainly distributed at the C3–C7 segments, but it may also involve up to the C2 level. This study aimed to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of open-door laminoplasty using a new extensor attachment-point reconstruction technique for treating CSM involving the C2 segment.

Patients and Methods Fifty-nine patients with CSM involving the C2 segment and undergoing open-door laminoplasty were included in this retrospective study. Based on the titanium plate used in the operation, patients were divided into two groups, a reconstructed titanium plate fixation (RPF) group (n = 28) and a conventional titanium plate fixation (CPF) group (n = 31). Improvements in neurological function, cervical range of motion (ROM), cervical curvature index (CCI), preservation of posterior cervical muscle mass, and axial symptoms were compared between the two groups.

Results There were no significant differences in operative time and intraoperative blood loss between the groups (p > 0.05). The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score significantly increased in both groups postsurgery (p < 0.05); the neurological recovery rate was similar between the two groups (64.1 ± 13.3% vs. 65.9 ± 14.7%, p > 0.05). There was no significant loss of cervical ROM in either group (p > 0.05). The anteroposterior dural sac diameter at the C2 level was significantly enlarged in both groups (p < 0.05). Alternatively, CCI was significantly reduced in the CRP group (p < 0.05) but unchanged in the RPF group (p > 0.05). The cross-sectional area of the posterior cervical muscles was also significantly reduced in the CPF group (p < 0.05) but maintained in the RPF group (p > 0.05). Finally, axial symptoms were more severe in the CPF group than in the RPF group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion Laminoplasty is an effective surgical procedure for CSM involving the C2 segment. The reconstructed titanium plate achieved superior maintenance of cervical curvature and reduced both muscle atrophy and severity of axial symptoms compared with titanium conventional plates.
Hypercoagulopathy in Severe COVID-19: Implications for Acute Care
Authors: Waite Alicia A. C. , Hamilton David O. , Pizzi Roberto , Ageno Walter , Welters Ingeborg D.
Published: December 2020

COVID-19 was first described in late 2019 and has since developed into a pandemic affecting more than 21 million people worldwide. Of particular relevance for acute care is the occurrence of COVID-19-associated coagulopathy (CAC), which is characterised by hypercoagulability, immunothrombosis and venous thromboembolism, and contributes to hypoxia in a significant proportion of patients. This review describes diagnosis and treatment of CAC in the emergency department and in intensive care. We summarise the pathological mechanisms and common complications of CAC such as pulmonary thrombosis and venous thromboembolic events and discuss current strategies for thromboprophylaxis and therapeutic anti-coagulation in the acute care setting.
Replica molds of cicada wings give flight to possibilities of antibacterial surfaces
Authors: Patrick Chris
Published: December 2020

The spiky surface of cicada wings inspires researchers to create plastic or polymer surfaces that can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Characterization of laser produced hot electron propagation via coherent transition radiation in cold and warm dense aluminum
Authors: Blakeney J. , Quevedo H. , Dyer G. M. , Ditmire T.
Published: December 2020

Coherent transition radiation is used to evaluate fast electron transport of a laser-driven relativistic electron beam in ultrathin targets in selected materials. By preheating the targets with a low-intensity laser pulse, the bulk resistivity effects on electron transport in heated and unheated aluminum foils were compared with those in polyethylene (CH) foils. Unheated aluminum foils showed a pinched electron beam that was 50% smaller than the laser full-width at half-maximum focal spot. On the contrary, it was found that in preheated material Al and unheated CH, both materials with high bulk resistivity, the hot electrons experienced greater divergence and reduced energy.
Recent advances in Re-based double perovskites: Synthesis, structural characterization, physical properties, advanced applications, and theoretical studies
Authors: Leng Kai , Tang Qingkai , Wei Ying , Yang Li , Xie Yuting , Wu Zhiwei , Zhu Xinhua
Published: December 2020

Recently, double perovskite (DP) oxides denoted A2B′B″O6 (A being divalent or trivalent metals, B′ and B″ being heterovalent transition metals) have been attracting much attention owing to their wide range of electrical and magnetic properties. Among them, rhenium (Re)-based DP oxides such as A2FeReO6 (A = Ba, Sr, Ca) are a particularly intriguing class due to their high magnetic Curie temperatures, metallic-like, half-metallic, or insulating behaviors, and large carrier spin polarizations. In addition, the Re-based DP compounds with heterovalent transition metals B′ and B″ occupying B sites have a potential to exhibit rich electronic structures and complex magnetic structures owing to the strong interplays between strongly localized 3d electrons and more delocalized 5d electrons with strong spin–orbit coupling. Thus, the involved physics in the Re-based DP compounds is much richer than expected. Therefore, there are many issues related to the couplings among the charge, spin, and orbitals, which need to be addressed in the Re-based DP compounds. In the past decade, much effort has been made to synthesize Re-based DP compounds and to investigate their crystal structures, structural chemistry, and metal–insulator transitions via orbital ordering, cationic ordering, and electrical, magnetic, and magneto-transport properties, leading to rich literature in the experimental and theoretical investigations. This Review focuses on recent advances in Re-based DP oxides, which include their synthesis methods, physical and structural characterizations, and advanced applications of Re-based DP oxides. Theoretical investigations of the electronic and structural aspects of Re-based DP oxides are also summarized. Finally, future perspectives of Re-based DP oxides are also addressed.
Nanosecond protein dynamics in a red/green cyanobacteriochrome revealed by transient IR spectroscopy
Authors: Buhrke David , Oppelt Kerstin T. , Heckmeier Philipp J. , Fernández-Terán Ricardo , Hamm Peter
Published: December 2020

Over the last decades, photoreceptive proteins were extensively studied with biophysical methods to gain a fundamental understanding of their working mechanisms and further guide the development of optogenetic tools. Time-resolved infrared (IR) spectroscopy is one of the key methods to access their functional non-equilibrium processes with high temporal resolution but has the major drawback that experimental data are usually highly complex. Linking the spectral response to specific molecular events is a major obstacle. Here, we investigate a cyanobacteriochrome photoreceptor with a combined approach of transient absorption spectroscopy in the visible and IR spectral regions. We obtain kinetic information in both spectral regions by analysis with two different fitting methods: global multiexponential fitting and lifetime analysis. We investigate the ground state dynamics that follow photoexcitation in both directions of the bi-stable photocycle (Pr* and Pg*) in the nanosecond and microsecond time regimes. We find two ground state intermediates associated with the decay of Pr* and four with Pg* and report the macroscopic time constants of their interconversions. One of these processes is assigned to a structural change in the protein backbone.
Surface facet dependence of competing alloying mechanisms
Authors: Wang Yicheng , Papanikolaou Konstantinos G. , Hannagan Ryan T. , Patel Dipna A. , Balema Tedros A. , Cramer Laura A. , Kress Paul L. , Stamatakis Michail , Sykes E. Charles H.
Published: December 2020

Metal alloys are ubiquitous in many branches of heterogeneous catalysis, and it is now fairly well established that the local atomic structure of an alloy can have a profound influence on its chemical reactivity. While these effects can be difficult to probe in nanoparticle catalysts, model studies using well defined single crystal surfaces alloyed with dopants enable these structure–function correlations to be drawn. The first step in this approach involves understanding the alloying mechanism and the type of ensembles formed. In this study, we examined the atomic structure of RhCu single-atom alloys formed on Cu(111), Cu(100), and Cu(110) surfaces. Our results show a striking difference between Rh atoms alloying in Cu(111) vs the more open Cu(100) and Cu(110) surface facets. Unlike Cu(111) on which Rh atoms preferentially place-exchange with Cu atoms in the local regions above step edges leaving the majority of the Cu surface free of Rh, highly dispersed, homogeneous alloys are formed on the Cu(100) and (110) surfaces. These dramatically different alloying mechanisms are understood by quantifying the energetic barriers for atomic hopping, exchange, swapping, and vacancy filling events for Rh atoms on different Cu surfaces through theoretical calculations. Density functional theory results indicate that the observed differences in the alloying mechanism can be attributed to a faster hopping rate, relatively high atomic exchange barriers, and stronger binding of Rh atoms in the vicinity of step edges on Cu(111) compared to Cu(110) and Cu(100). These model systems will serve as useful platforms for examining structure sensitive chemistry on single-atom alloys.
Many-photon excitation of organic molecules in a cavity—Superradiance as a measure of coherence
Authors: Ulusoy Inga S. , Gomez Johana A. , Vendrell Oriol
Published: December 2020

Coherent excitation of a molecular ensemble coupled to a common radiation mode can lead to the collective emission of radiation known as superradiance. This collective emission only occurs if there is an entanglement between the molecules in their ground and excited state and can, therefore, serve as a macroscopic measure of coherence in the ensemble. Reported here are wave packet propagations for various pyrazine models of increasing complexity and molecular ensembles thereof. We show that ensemble coherence upon photoexcitation can prevail up to relatively long time scales although the effect can diminish quickly with increasing ensemble size. Coherence can also build up over time and even reemerge after the molecules have passed through a conical intersection. The effect of the pump pulse characteristics on the collective response of the molecular ensemble is also studied. A broadband pulse imprints a large amount of initial coherence to the system, as compared to a longer pulse with a smaller spread in the frequency domain. However, the differential effects arising from a different pulse duration and coherent bandwidth become less prominent if the emission of light from the ensemble takes place after a non-adiabatic decay process.
On the interactions between a propagating shock wave and evaporating water droplets
Authors: Huang Zhiwei , Zhang Huangwei
Published: December 2020

One-dimensional numerical simulations based on the hybrid Eulerian–Lagrangian approach are performed to investigate the interactions between propagating shock waves and dispersed evaporating water droplets in two-phase gas–droplet flows. Two-way coupling for interphase exchanges of mass, momentum, and energy is adopted. A parametric study on shock attenuation, droplet evaporation, motion, and heating is conducted, through considering various initial droplet diameters (5 µm–20 µm), number densities (2.5 × 1011/m3–2 × 1012/m3), and incident shock Mach numbers (1.17–1.9). It is found that the leading shock may be attenuated to the sonic wave and even to the subsonic wave when the droplet volume fraction is large and/or the incident shock Mach number is low. Attenuation in both strength and propagation speed of the leading shock is mainly caused by momentum transfer to the droplets that interact at the shock front. Total pressure recovery is observed in the evaporation region, whereas pressure loss results from shock compression, droplet drag, and pressure gradient force behind the shock front. Recompression of the region between the leading shock and the two-phase contact surface is observed when the following compression wave is supersonic. After a critical point, this region gets stable in width and interphase exchanges in mass, momentum, and energy. However, the recompression phenomenon is sensitive to the droplet volume fraction and may vanish with high droplet loading. For an incident shock Mach number of 1.6, recompression only occurs when the initial droplet volume fraction is below 3.28 × 10−5.
Breakthrough instruments and products: Ultraviolet–visible–NIR absorbance, reflectance, fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy of microscopic samples
Authors: Martin P. C.
Published: December 2020

This report describes the unique capabilities of the 20/30 PVTM microspectrophotometer and how it is used in several fields of research. This integrated system is capable of acquiring spectra and images in the UV–visible–NIR spectral range of sub-micron sized samples. Able to measure many types of spectra, ranging from absorbance to photoluminescence to Raman, the 20/30 PV is used in a diverse array of fields for research and industrial applications.
Genome-wide surveillance of transcription errors in response to genotoxic stress
Authors: Fritsch C. , Gout J.-F. , Haroon S. , Towheed A. , Chung C. , LaGosh J. , McGann E. , Zhang X. , Song Y. , Simpson S. , Danthi P. S. , Benayoun B. A. , Wallace D. , Thomas K. , Lynch M. , Vermulst M.
Published: December 2020

Significance

Accurate transcription is required for the faithful expression of genetic information. If the fidelity of transcription is compromised, protein homeostasis, cell fate, and various metabolic processes are disrupted. Here, we demonstrate that mutagens can lower the fidelity of transcription in yeast, worms, flies, and mice by promoting the misincorporation of nucleotides by RNA polymerases. These observations establish a mechanism by which the environment, our lifestyle choices, and work-related exposures may promote the age of onset, severity, and progression of various diseases.
The Parkinson’s disease-associated gene ITPKB protects against α-synuclein aggregation by regulating ER-to-mitochondria calcium release
Authors: Apicco Daniel J. , Shlevkov Evgeny , Nezich Catherine L. , Tran David T. , Guilmette Edward , Nicholatos Justin W. , Bantle Collin M. , Chen Yi , Glajch Kelly E. , Abraham Neeta A. , Dang Lan T. , Kaynor G. Campbell , Tsai Ellen A. , Nguyen Khanh-Dung H. , Groot Joost , Liu YuTing , Weihofen Andreas , Hurt Jessica A. , Runz Heiko , Hirst Warren D.
Published: December 2020

Significance

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease of aging, affecting approximately 10 million patients worldwide with no approved therapies to modify progression of disease. Further understanding of the cellular mechanisms contributing to the development of PD is necessary to discover therapies. Here, we characterize the role of a recently identified GWAS hit for sporadic PD, ITPKB, in the aggregation of α-synuclein, the primary pathological feature of disease. These results identify inhibition of inositol-1,4,5,-triphosphate (IP
3
)-mediated ER-to-mitochondria calcium release as a potential therapeutic approach for reducing neuropathology in PD.
Primary cilia safeguard cortical neurons in neonatal mouse forebrain from environmental stress-induced dendritic degeneration
Authors: Ishii Seiji , Sasaki Toru , Mohammad Shahid , Hwang Hye , Tomy Edwin , Somaa Fahad , Ishibashi Nobuyuki , Okano Hideyuki , Rakic Pasko , Hashimoto-Torii Kazue , Torii Masaaki
Published: December 2020

Significance

External agents, such as alcohol and ketamine, are known to affect perinatal brain development and eventually cause a variety of severe psychopathological consequences. However, the mechanisms of possible neuronal defense against these agents are not well understood. We sought to elucidate the molecular details of the role of primary cilia in this complex process. Our results show that primary cilia protect dendrites of immature cortical neurons via insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor and downstream Akt signaling. These results provide insight into the pathogenesis of consequences that follow exposure to toxic substances.
Evidence for root adaptation to a spatially discontinuous water availability in the absence of external water potential gradients
Authors: Lind Kara R. , Siemianowski Oskar , Yuan Bin , Sizmur Tom , VanEvery Hannah , Banerjee Souvik , Cademartiri Ludovico
Published: December 2020

Significance

The supply of water is the most reliable predictor of survival and performance in crops. Nonetheless, our ability to design or breed plants with superior tolerance to drought or flooding is constrained by our limited understanding of how roots adapt to inhomogeneous water supplies. We here show evidence that roots might not need external gradients in the potential of water to improve their access to it. Our microfluidic apparatus quantified how root systems adapt to inhomogeneous water supplies while being exposed to gradients in water vapor concentrations that are orders of magnitude smaller than those detectable by some of our best engineered water sensors. We conclude by suggesting possible mechanisms that could explain this behavior.
Remnants of early Earth differentiation in the deepest mantle-derived lavas
Authors: Giuliani Andrea , Jackson Matthew G. , Fitzpayne Angus , Dalton Hayden
Published: December 2020

Significance

Understanding how the Earth evolved from its accretion to the present-day conditions is a major quest of the Earth sciences. This contribution focuses on the evolution of the deepest realms of our planet sampled by basalts in ocean islands (such as Hawaii) during the last ∼100 to 150 million years and diamond-bearing kimberlites emplaced in continents since ∼2 billion years ago. Radiogenic isotope ratios are employed to demonstrate that these lavas share a common source, which includes a component that originated from melt extraction soon after Earth accretion. These findings help reconcile contrasting geochemical observations in ocean island basalts and provide constraints on the composition and evolution of the deepest and most ancient parts of Earth’s mantle.
Maternal death and offspring fitness in multiple wild primates
Authors: Zipple Matthew N. , Altmann Jeanne , Campos Fernando A. , Cords Marina , Fedigan Linda M. , Lawler Richard R. , Lonsdorf Elizabeth V. , Perry Susan , Pusey Anne E. , Stoinski Tara S. , Strier Karen B. , Alberts Susan C.
Published: December 2020

Significance

Extensive care of offspring by mothers is a fundamental trait of all mammals, including humans, and the loss of a mother can be catastrophic for offspring. Here, we identify previously undocumented ways in which the death of a mother affects her offspring, using long-term, longitudinal data from seven primate species. First, females that experience early maternal loss are often less able, as adults, to produce offspring that survive to maturity. Second, in some species young offspring are more likely to die if their mother is facing impending death (death in the next few years), even while she is still alive. This work has important implications for our understanding of the evolution of the long life spans that primates exhibit.
Recruitment of pro-IL-1α to mitochondrial cardiolipin, via shared LC3 binding domain, inhibits mitophagy and drives maximal NLRP3 activation
Authors: Dagvadorj Jargalsaikhan , Mikulska-Ruminska Karolina , Tumurkhuu Gantsetseg , Ratsimandresy Rojo A. , Carriere Jessica , Andres Allen M. , Marek-Iannucci Stefanie , Song Yang , Chen Shuang , Lane Malcolm , Dorfleutner Andrea , Gottlieb Roberta A. , Stehlik Christian , Cassel Suzanne , Sutterwala Fayyaz S. , Bahar Ivet , Crother Timothy R. , Arditi Moshe
Published: December 2020

Significance

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical component of the innate immune response to infectious agents, but its overactivation is implicated in numerous pathologies, including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s Disease, gout, inflammatory bowel disease, and type 2 diabetes. Our study reveals a mechanism by which cells modulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation and identifies potential therapeutic targets to treat pathologies associated with NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Reston virus causes severe respiratory disease in young domestic pigs
Authors: Haddock Elaine , Saturday Greg , Feldmann Friederike , Hanley Patrick W. , Okumura Atsushi , Lovaglio Jamie , Long Dan , Thomas Tina , Scott Dana P. , Pulliam Mikayla , Richt Jürgen A. , de Wit Emmie , Feldmann Heinz
Published: December 2020

Significance

The emergence of Reston virus (RESTV) in domestic pigs in the Philippines and, subsequently, the detection of RESTV sequences in pigs in China are serious human and animal health concerns. Food safety is an immediate fear, and pathogenicity and potential for zoonotic transmission are important concerns. To find answers for those problems, we performed a pathogenicity study in young domestic pigs. We could demonstrate that young pigs develop severe respiratory disease upon RESTV infection and shed virus from mucosal membranes of the respiratory tract. We conclude that RESTV should be considered a livestock pathogen with zoonotic transmission impacting on animal and perhaps even human health.
Pharmacokinetic modeling reveals parameters that govern tumor targeting and delivery by a pH-Low Insertion Peptide (pHLIP)
Authors: Svoronos Alexander A. , Engelman Donald M.
Published: December 2020

Significance

Tumors exhibit an acidic extracellular microenvironment that is accentuated at cell surfaces. As a result, they can be targeted by a pH-Low Insertion Peptide (pHLIP), an acid-triggered tumor-targeting peptide that can also serve as a vehicle for drug delivery. In this work, we use a pharmacokinetic modeling approach to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms and factors that influence pHLIP tumor targeting and delivery, and also identify factors that do not. In so doing, we predict pHLIP phenotypes with significantly enhanced capabilities. The model may therefore be useful for guiding the future development of pHLIP variants.
Maternal GABAergic and GnRH/corazonin pathway modulates egg diapause phenotype of the silkwormBombyx mori
Authors: Tsuchiya Ryoma , Kaneshima Aino , Kobayashi Masakazu , Yamazaki Maki , Takasu Yoko , Sezutsu Hideki , Tanaka Yoshiaki , Mizoguchi Akira , Shiomi Kunihiro
Published: December 2020

Significance

Diapause is a common response to seasonal changes in environmental conditions found in many species of insects, as well as other animals, but we do not yet fully understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this important physiological switch. Although there has been previous research on diapause, there remain questions regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying diapause determination in response to environmental signals. Our research highlighted the presence of a GABAergic and corazonin signaling system that induces progeny diapause through diapause hormone release. Our findings also indicate that the expression of the plasma membrane GABA transporter is temperature-dependent and may modulate diapause hormone release. Our findings provide insights into these mechanisms in silkworms and will provide an important reference for future research.
Feasibility of MR-guided radiotherapy using beam-eye-view 2D-cine with tumor-volume projection
Authors: Nie Xingyu , Rimner Andreas , Li Guang
Published: December 2020

Purpose. Current magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided radiotherapy (MRgRT) applies sagittal/coronal 2D-cine to monitor major tumor motions, however, the beam eye’s view (BEV) with volumetric tumor projection would be the best measure for radiation beam conformality, independent of tumor through-plane motion. The goal is to assess the feasibility, accuracy, and performance of the BEV approach. Methods. Beam-specific BEV 2D-cine with volume-projected tumor contours were simulated to establish a 2D/3D tumor match against a tumor-motion library based on multi-breath time-resolved (TR) 4DMRI images. Two BEV-library-matching methods were developed: (1) fast screening with tumor center-of-mass (∆COM), in-plane area ratio, and DICE similarity, and finalizing with the highest DICE score and (2) DICE screening for top-3 candidates and finalizing with rigid registration. A 4D-XCAT digital phantom and 8 lung-cancer patients were used for assessment. For each patient, 3 sets of 40 s TR-4DMRI were acquired at 2 Hz and 6 representative BEV were created with the isocenter set at tumor COM in mid-respiration. One TR-4DMRI set (40 × 2 = 80-images) was used to simulate BEV 2D-cine and the other two (160-images) were used to create a library. The matching result was validated against the ground truth within the test set. Using a leave-one-out strategy, the success rate, accuracy, and speed of tumor matching were assessed for volume-projected tumors over 11520 time-points (=8patients•3sets•80images•6BEVs). Results. Volume-projected tumor contour area on the 6 BEVs varies by 60% ± 8% and

%

A

V

I

(in-plane/volume-projected) varies by 82% ± 9%. The

%

A

V

I

changes with tumor shape, orientation, and through-plane motion. Method-1 produces 96% matching success (ΔCOM = 0.7 ± 0.2 mm,

%

A

V

V

=1.01 ± 0.02, Dice=0.92 ± 0.02) with the computational time of 15 ± 1 ms/match, while method-2 produces 94% ± 1% success (ΔCOM = 0.2 ± 0.1 mm,

%

A

V

V

=1.00 ± 0.01, Dice = 0.94 ± 0.02) with 223 ± 13 ms/match. Conclusion. This study has demonstrated the feasibility, accuracy, and benefits of BEV 2D-cine imaging with tumor-volume projection, allowing real-time tumor motion monitoring and beam conformality checking. Further clinical evaluation is necessary before MRgRT applications.
Vortex dynamics and transport phenomena in stenotic aortic models using Echo-PIV
Authors: Brum Javier , Bernal Miguel , Barrere Nicasio , Negreira Carlos , Cabeza Cecilia
Published: December 2020

Atherosclerosis is the most fatal cardiovascular disease. As disease progresses, stenoses grow inside the arteries blocking their lumen and altering blood flow. Analysing flow dynamics can provide a deeper insight on the stenosis evolution. In this work we combined Eulerian and Lagrangian descriptors to analyze blood flow dynamics and fluid transport in stenotic aortic models with morphology, mechanical and optical properties close to those of real arteries. To this end, vorticity, particle residence time (PRT), particle's final position (FP) and finite time Lyapunov's exponents (FTLE) were computed from the experimental fluid velocity fields acquired using ultrasonic particle imaging velocimetry (Echo-PIV). For the experiments, CT-images were used to create morphological realistic models of the descending aorta with 0%, 35% and 50% occlusion degree with same mechanical properties as real arteries. Each model was connected to a circuit with a pulsatile programmable pump which mimics physiological flow and pressure conditions. The pulsatile frequency was set to ≈0.9 Hz (55 bpm) and the upstream peak Reynolds number (Re) was changed from 1100 to 2000. Flow in the post-stenotic region was composed of two main structures: a high velocity jet over the stenosis throat and a recirculation region behind the stenosis where vortex form and shed. We characterized vortex kinematics showing that vortex propagation velocity increases with Re. Moreover, from the FTLE field we identified Lagrangian coherent structures (i.e. material barriers) that dictate transport behind the stenosis. The size and strength of those barriers increased with Re and the occlusion degree. Finally, from the PRT and FP maps, we showed that independently of Re, the same amount of fluid remains on the stenosis over more than a pulsatile period.
Recent design studies for the novel momentum spectrometer NoMoS
Authors: Moser D , Khalid W , Jiglau R , Soldner T , Valentan M , Zmeskal J , Konrad G
Published: December 2020

NoMoS is a novel momentum spectrometer with which we aim to measure the spectra of the charged neutron beta decay products with high precision. The shape of the proton and electron spectra can inter alia be used for the determination of the electron-antineutrino correlation coefficient a and the Fierz interference term b, respectively. These observables can in turn be used to test the Standard Model of Particle Physics and to search for extensions thereof. NoMoS utilizes the R × B drift effect present in curved magnetic fields, which disperses charged particles according to their momentum. In this paper, we report on selected recent investigations that were conducted with regard to the magnet design and the detection system.
Spontaneous Spin Polarization of Quark Matter due to Tensor Selfenergies in NJL model
Authors: Maruyama Tomoyuki , Tatsumi Toshitaka
Published: December 2020

We explore the spin-polarization of quark matter in the NJL model including the scalar and tensor interactions. There are two kinds of spin-polarized phases: one appears in the chiral-broken phase where the quark mass is non-zero, and the other in the chiral-restored phase where the quark mass is zero.
A model for neutrino-nucleus interactions in the GeV region
Authors: Barbaro M B
Published: December 2020

We review the recent progress in modelling neutrino-nucleus scattering, in a framework based on scaling which describes simultaneously the nuclear response to electromagnetic and weak probes. The study is relevant for the analysis of neutrino oscillation data and the design of the next generation experiments Hyper-Kamiokande and DUNE.
Impact of the Most Recent Total Absorption Gamma-ray Spectroscopy Data for Fission Fragments on Reactor Antineutrino Spectra and Comparison with the Daya Bay Results
Authors: Estienne M. , Fallot M. , Algora A. , Briz-Monago J. , Bui V.M. , Cormon S. , Gelletly W. , Giot L. , Guadilla V. , Jordan D. , Meur L. Le , Porta A. , Rice S. , Rubio B. , Taín J. L. , Valencia E. , Zakari-Issoufou A.-A.
Published: December 2020

The accurate determination of reactor antineutrino spectra is still a challenge. In 2017 the Daya Bay experiment has measured the evolution of the antineutrino flux with the fuel content of the reactor core. The observed deficit of the detected flux compared with the predictions of the conversion model was almost totally explained by the data arising from the fissions of 235U while the part dominated by the fission of 239Pu was in good agreement with the conversion model. The TAGS collaboration has carried out two experimental campaigns during the last decade at the JYFLTRAP of Jyväskylä (Finland) measuring a large set of data in order to improve the quality of the predictions of our summation method. These measurements allow the correction of the nuclear data for the Pandemonium effect, thus making an important contribution to calculating the antineutrino spectra. The impact of these ten years of measurement from our collaboration on the predicted antineutrino energy spectrum and flux are shown using our summation calculations. The results are compared with the Daya Bay measurements showing the best agreement in shape (in the antineutrino energy range 2 to 5 MeV) and in flux obtained so far with a model. The flux deficit observed by Daya Bay with respect to the summation method is now reduced to 1.9% leaving little room for the reactor anomaly. The shape anomaly between 5 and 7 MeV in antineutrino energy is still observed and remains unexplained.
Double beta decay and the quest for Majorana neutrinos
Authors: Kotila Jenni
Published: December 2020

The observation of neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay remains crucial for understanding lepton number violation. The inverse half-life for 0νββ-decay is given by the product of a phase space factor (PSF), a nuclear matrix element (NME), which both rely on theoretical description, and a function f containing the physics beyond the standard model. Phase space factors and nuclear matrix elements have been evaluated, or are under evaluation, systematically for all processes of interest. The nuclear matrix elements have been calculated within the framework of the microscopic interacting boson model (IBM-2), and phase space factors have been evaluated using exact Dirac electron wave functions. The current situation is then discussed by combining the theoretical results with experimental limits on the half-life of neutrinoless double beta decay. The extracted limits on the average light neutrino mass are addressed, complemented with a discussion of other possible 0νββ-decay mechanisms and scenarios.
Neutrino-nucleus reactions on oxygen and neon for nucleosynthesis and supernova neutrino detection
Authors: Suzuki Toshio , Chiba Satoshi , Yoshida Takashi , Nakazato Ken’ichiro , Sakuda Makoto , Takahashi Koh , Umeda Hideyuki
Published: December 2020

Spin-dipole strength in 16O and ν-induced reactions on 16O are studied by shell-model calculations. Charged- and neutral-current reaction cross sections for various particle and γ emission channels as well as the total ones are evaluated with the Hauser-Feshbach statistical method. Nucleosynthesis of 11B and 11C in supernovae through αp emission channels is investigated. Charged-current reaction cross sections induced by supernova ν and their dependence on ν oscillations are discussed for future supernova burst. Neutrino-nucleus reaction cross sections on 20Ne induced by Gamow-Teller and spin-dipole transitions are also investigated. Electron-capture rates for the forbidden transition 20Ne (e-, νe) 20F (2g.s.
+) at stellar environments are discussed.
HiSPANoS facility and the new neutron beam line for TOF measurements at the Spanish National Accelerator Lab (CNA)
Authors: Fernández B , Macías M , Guerrero C , Millán-Callado M A , Rodríguez-Gonzalez T , Quesada J M , Gómez-Camacho J , Praena J
Published: December 2020

HiSPANoS (HiSPAlis Neutron Source) is the first accelerator-based neutron facility in Spain, installed at the Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA), where different experiments have been performed related to nuclear astrophysics, detector characterization, electronic devices irradiation, imaging, etc. An upgrade of the neutron facility has been carried out recently, installing a pulsing system at the 3 MV tandem accelerator at CNA. Such system, composed by a chopper and buncher unit, can provide nanosecond proton and deuteron pulsed beams. A new experimental line dedicated to neutron time-of-flight (n-TOF) technique has been installed at the tandem accelerator. Proton and deuterium pulse width of 1 ns have been measured with a repetition rate in the range of 62.5 kHz to 2 MHz. The commissioning of the n-TOF line has consisted of the measurement of the neutron field generated by 7Li(p,n) reaction with proton energy of 1912 keV.
The NArCoS Project: efficiency estimation and the cross talk problem studied through Monte Carlo simulations
Authors: Pagano E V , Auditore L , Cardella G , Filippo E De , Geraci E , Gnoffo B , Lanzalone G , Maiolino C , Martorana N S , Pagano A , Papa M , Pirrone S , Politi G , Rizzo F , Russotto P , Trimarchi M
Published: December 2020

With the advent of the new radioactive beam facilities it is necessary to develop neutron detection systems integrated with charged particle ones. The integration of the neutron signal, especially in using neutron rich beams, becomes a mandatory requirement in order to study the property of the nuclear matter in extreme conditions. For this reason new detectors using new materials have to be built. In this contribution, some new results about the efficiency estimation and the cross talk problem studied through GEANT4 simulations, related to the NArCoS project, will be described with the aim to design a new detector of both good energy and angular resolution. The detection of neutrons and charged particles in the same elementary detection cell is envisaged.
Overview on the Trojan Horse Method in nuclear astrophysics
Authors: Lamia L. , Pizzone R.G. , Mazzocco M. , Hayakawa S. , Cognata M. La , Bertulani C.A. , Cherubini S. , D’Agata G. , Guardo G.L. , Gulino M. , Indelicato I. , Rapisarda G.G. , Romano S. , Sergi M.L. , Spartá R. , Spitaleri C. , Tumino A.
Published: December 2020

The use of the Trojan Horse Method (THM) appears as one of the most suitable tools for investigating nuclear processes of interest for astrophysics. THM has been demonstrated to be useful for exploring different nuclear reactions intervening both in stellar and primordial nucleosynthesis as well. Some recent results will be here discussed together with a brief discussion of the fundamental theoretical description. General details about the recently studied 7Be(n,α)4He reaction will be given.
Monte Carlo variations as a tool to assess nuclear physics uncertainties in nucleosynthesis studies
Authors: Rauscher Thomas
Published: December 2020

The propagation of uncertainties in reaction cross sections and rates of neutron-, proton-, and α-induced reactions into the final isotopic abundances obtained in nucleosynthesis models is an important issue in studies of nucleosynthesis and Galactic Chemical Evolution. We developed a Monte Carlo method to allow large-scale postprocessing studies of the impact of nuclear uncertainties on nucleosynthesis. Temperature-dependent rate uncertainties combining realistic experimental and theoretical uncertainties are used. From detailed statistical analyses uncertainties in the final abundances are derived as probability density distributions. Furthermore, based on rate and abundance correlations an automated procedure identifies the most important reactions in complex flow patterns from superposition of many zones or tracers. The method already has been applied to a number of nucleosynthesis processes.
Magnetized rotational neutron star and the MR relations
Authors: Watanabe Chinatsu , Yanase Kota , Yoshinaga Naotaka
Published: December 2020

Radii and masses of neutron stars are calculated for various EoSs using a perturbative approach. Also increased masses are calculated due to magnetic fields. Moreover, the radius of a neutron star is calculated as a function of its increased total mass by rotation. As for the EoSs, we adopt 5 hadronic EoSs in relativistic mean field (RMF) theory to calculate the mass-radius relations (MR relations). It is found that the total masses are over twice the solar mass for all 5 hadronic EoSs in the presence of magnetic fields together with rotation. Three obtained EoSs (GM1, TM2-ωρ-a and TM2-ωρ-b) are found to be in the range of the observation. Hybrid stars are calculated to have masses more than twice the solar mass in a rapid rotation for 5 EoSs.
Nucleus-nucleus potentials from local chiral EFT interactions
Authors: Durant V. , Capel P. , Schwenk A.
Published: December 2020

We present the first determination of double-folding potentials (DFP) based on chiral effective field theory (EFT) nucleon-nucleon interactions at next-to-next-to-leading order (N2LO). To this end, we construct new two-body soft local chiral EFT interactions. We benchmark this approach in 16O-16O collisions, and extend it to the scattering of 12C-12C. We present results for cross sections computed for elastic scattering at energies up to 1000 MeV, as well as for the astrophysical S factor of the fusion of oxygen isotopes. Thanks to the predictive power of this approach, we can calculate various reaction observables without any adjusting parameters. Our analysis of these various reaction observables has enabled us to study the impact of the nuclear density and the nucleon-nucleon interaction on the corresponding cross sections.
Experimental study of 4
n with 8He(p,2p) reaction
Authors: Huang S. W. , Yang H. , Marqués F. M. , Achouri N. L. , Ahn D.S. , Aumann T. , Baba H. , Beaumel D. , Böhmer M. , Boretzky K. , Caamaño M. , Chen S. , Chiga N. , Cortés M.L. , Cortina D. , Doornenbal P. , Douma C. A. , Dufter F. , Feng J. , Fernández-Domínguez B. , Elekes Z. , Forsberg U. , Fujino T. , Fukuda N. , Gašparić I. , Ge Z. , Gernhäuser R. , Gheller J. M. , Gibelin J. , Gillibert A. , Godoy B. M. , Halász Z. , Harada T. , Harakeh M. N. , Hirayama A. , Inabe N. , Isobe T. , Kahlbow J. , Kalantar-Nayestanaki N. , Kim D. , Kim S. , Knösel M. A. , Kobayashi T. , Kondo Y. , Koseoglou P. , Kubota Y. , Kuti I. , Lehr C. , Li P. J. , Liu Y. , Maeda Y. , Masuoka S. , Matsumoto M. , Mayer J. , Miki H. , Miwa M. , Murray I. , Nakamura T. , Obertelli A. , Orr N. , Otsu H. , Panin V. , Park S. , Parlog M. , Paschalis S. , Potlog M. , Reichert S. , Revel A. , Rossi D. , Saito A. , Sasano M. , Sato H. , Scheit H. , Schindler F. , Shimada T. , Shimizu Y. , Shimoura S. , Stefan I. , Storck S. , Stuhl L. , Suzuki H. , Symochko D. , Takeda H. , Takeuchi S. , Tanaka J. , Togano Y. , Tomai T. , Törnqvsit H. T. , Tscheuschner J. , Uesaka T. , Wagner V. , Wimmer K. , Yamada H. , Yang B. , Yang L. , Yasuda Y. , Yoneda K. , Zanetti L. , Zenihiro J. , Elidiano T. , Lenain C.
Published: December 2020

The tetraneutron has attracted the attention of nuclear physicists during the past decades, but there is still no unambiguous confirmation of its existence or non-existence. A new experiment based on 8He(p,2p)7H{t+4
n} reaction, with direct detection of the four neutrons, has been carried out at RIBF, which can hopefully help to draw a definite conclusion on the tetraneutron system.
Nucleon-nucleon correlation studies in heavy-ion transfer reactions
Authors: Mijatović T , Szilner S , Corradi L , Galtarossa F , Montanari D , Pollarolo G , Čolović P , Colucci G , Fioretto E , Goasduff A , Malenica Jelavić D , Marchi T , Montagnoli G , Soić N , Scarlassara F , Stefanini A M , Valiente-Dobón J J
Published: December 2020

We present some of the recent experimental results in heavy-ion transfer reactions obtained with the large solid angle magnetic spectrometer PRISMA at energies close to the Coulomb barrier. We focus on a series of experiments that have been carried out to study the nucleon-nucleon correlations for closed shell and superfluid systems. They are discussed together with the newest results concerning the proton transfer channels above and below the Coulomb barrier. The second set of the experiments was performed to study the production mechanism of heavy neutron-rich nuclei and the related effects of secondary processes.
Measurements of total reaction cross sections for 17Ne using a solid hydrogen target
Authors: Moriguchi T. , Amano M. , Ozawa A. , Horiuchi W. , Abe Y. , Fujii T. , Kagesawa R. , Kamioka D. , Kitagawa A. , Mukai M. , Nagae D. , Sakaue M. , Sato S. , Suzuki S. , Suzuki T. , Yamaguchi T. , Yokota K.
Published: December 2020

We measured the energy dependence of the total reaction cross sections (σR) for the proton-drip-line nucleus,17Ne, using a solid hydrogen target. We compared the experimental data with theoretical calculations using the Glauber model. We found that the theoretical cross sections overestimate the experimental ones in the low-energy region (∼100A MeV), whereas they significantly underestimate the experimental data in the intermediate-energy region (∼300-500A MeV). These trends are the same as those for σR for carbon-proton collisions, which were measured previously. We discuss several possibilities for resolving this discrepancy. This work demonstrates the necessity of additional careful investigations of the energy dependence of σR for various nuclei on proton targets in order to determine nuclear size properties precisely.
Solving the apparent inconsistency between GSI and RIKEN estimates of 11Be dB(El)/dE
Authors: Moschini L , Capel P
Published: December 2020

11Be is the archetypical one-neutron halo nucleus. Due to its short lifetime, one of the only way to infer information about its exotic structure is to study reactions involving that nucleus, like breakup. When performed on a heavy target, like lead, breakup is dominated by the E1 transition from the bound state to the continuum, which is characterized by the dB(E1)/dE. This strength has been inferred from two experiments, one performed at 520A MeV at GSI and the other at 69A MeV at RIKEN. Strangely the analyses of both experiments provide different E1 strengths. In this work, we reanalyze them using the eikonal approximation to study this discrepancy. In particular, we properly take into account relativistic effects, and include a consistent treatment of both nuclear and Coulomb interactions and their interference at all orders. The description of the 11Be structure is provided by halo effective field theory (Halo-EFT). Our cross sections for the 11Be breakup are in good agreement with both RIKEN and GSI data. The dB(E1)/dE extracted from our 11Be model is in agreement with the RIKEN result and ab initio predictions. We can conclude that the discrepancy between GSI and RIKEN dB(E1)/dE arises from the method applied to extract this quantity. From our detailed analysis of the reaction, it seems that the most efficient way to extract the dB(E1)/dE from the breakup cross section is to select the data at small angles, where the reaction is dominated by the Coulomb interaction.
High-Momentum Correlated Nucleons, Tensor Blocking, and Nuclear Shell Structure
Authors: Tanihata I.
Published: December 2020

Studies of light neutron-rich nuclei revealed many new phenomena in nuclear structures and reactions. One of the most important recent discoveries is the change of magic numbers. Traditional magic numbers (2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 128) have been understood by the spin-orbit coupling in the mean-field potential and they provide the base of nuclear shell model. Recently, however, it was found that some of those magic numbers (N=8, 20) disappear in neutron-rich nuclei. On the other hand, new magic numbers (N=6, 14, 16, 32 and 34) emerge in neutron-rich nuclei. In the present paper, it is shown that tensor correlations give notable effects to such new structures. In nuclei a large amount of binding energy is gained by high-momentum correlated pairs of nucleons due to the tensor interaction. Such tensor correlations strongly depend on the configuration space available for exciting the 2p-2h states. When additional neutrons occupy a new orbital, the previously available 2p-2h configurations may be blocked, resulting in a sudden loss of binding energy otherwise gained by the 2p-2h excitations. Such tensor blocking effects enlarge the energy gaps at all the observed new magic numbers.