bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fluorescence enhancement of perovskite nanocrystals by flexible photonic crystals and its application in optical strain gauge
Authors: Yuan Songyan , Sheng Yuhang , Liu Cihui , Yu Liyan , Dong Lifeng , Xing Fangjian , Zhang Jinlei , Di Yunsong , Gan Zhixing
Published: July 2021

Flexible photonic crystals (PCs) not only enhance the fluorescence of perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) that promotes the development of wearable devices but also provide a chance for intelligent electronic skin and a strain gauge, since flexible PCs exhibit sensitive optical response to external stimuli. Herein, a self-assembly approach is developed to construct flexible PCs to enhance the fluorescence of CsPbBr3 PNCs. A stable fluorescence enhancement factor higher than fivefold is achieved under excitation of 3.97 W cm−2. The flexible PNCs/PCs composite membrane exhibits a sensitive, reversible, and reliable optical response to mechanical deformations, laying the foundation for the development of a strain gauge and intelligent skin. Assuming a 1% variation of the photoluminescence intensity can be reliably distinguished by a spectrometer, the sensing resolution on tensile strain is as high as 0.25%.
Effect of moving boundaries on the modeling of heat and mass transfer from an evaporating spherical drop
Authors: Tonini S. , Cossali G. E.
Published: July 2021

The effect of unsteadiness of the energy and vapor transport within the gas phase from an evaporating drop is studied by solving a moving boundary problem taking into account the effect of drop temperature variation and radius shrinking. The effect of convection is also taken into account in a simplified way by means of the film theory approach, which yields a double moving boundary problem. A proper change of the reference system leads to the numerical solution of a partial differential equation system with fixed boundaries. A comparison with the commonly adopted quasi-steady model allows to point out the effect of ambient temperature and pressure, convection and chemical species, by quantifying the discrepancies between the two predictions for sixteen different compounds, Reynolds number ranging between 0 and 20 and gas pressure up to 20 bar. The simplified approach used in this paper was chosen to maintain the same simplifying assumptions of the widely used quasi-steady model, with the only exception of the drop shrinking. Therefore, the discrepancies between the two predictions can solely be ascribed to the unsteadiness caused by the interface movement, allowing to quantitatively point out this specific effect.
Nitrogen and phosphorus enrichments alter the dynamics of the plankton community in Daya Bay, northern South China Sea: results of mesocosm studies
Authors: Song Xingyu , Li Yao , Xiang Chenhui , Su Xinying , Xu Ge , Tan Meiting , Huang Yadong , Liu Jihua , Ma Zengling , Huang Liangmin , Li Gang
Published: July 2021

Eutrophication is threatening coastal ecosystems globally. Using 15 mesocosms, we explored how nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) enrichment affects the dynamics of plankton communities over 15-day (winter) and 10-day (summer) experimental enrichments in Daya Bay, a mesotrophic bay in the northern South China Sea. P enrichment had no obvious effect on the plankton community, whereas N or N+P enrichment stimulated two phytoplankton blooms, with the dominant species shifting from diatoms to dinoflagellates across enrichment periods in both winter and summer. Coinciding with increases in phytoplankton (i.e. chlorophyll-a concentrations and cell abundance), the N+P enrichment enhanced primary productivity on Experimental Day 6 by a maximum of ~8.0-fold (i.e. from a mean ± s.d., 4.49 ± 0.31 to 36.5 ± 8.4 μg C L–1 h–1) in winter and ~7.5-fold (i.e. from 8.16 ± 0.22 to 60.6 ± 10.1 μg C L–1 h–1) in summer. The N+P enrichment increased the abundance of heterotrophic bacteria in both seasons, as well as bacterial productivity. Moreover, the N+P enrichment increased both community respiration and the variation in net community production in both winter and summer, indicating that the marine ecosystems in Daya Bay may become more fragile in the future with continuing inputs of land-derived nutrients.
Corrigendum to: Efficacy of short-term cold storage prior to cryopreservation of spermatozoa in a threatened lizard
Authors: Campbell Lachlan , Clulow John , Howe Belinda , Upton Rose , Doody Sean , Clulow Simon
Published: July 2021

Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) have a significant role to play in reptile conservation, yet are severely lacking. Previous attempts to cryopreserve spermatozoa in the threatened lizard Varanus panoptes achieved approximately 48% motile sperm post-thaw for samples frozen immediately after collection. However, the feasibility of extended cold storage before cryopreservation has not been tested. We held V. panoptes spermatozoa at either 25°C or 4°C for 8 days, assessing sperm motility at days 1, 2, 4 and 8. Subsamples were cryopreserved on days 1 and 4 following the previously reported protocol for this species. Percentage motility decreased rapidly at 25°C, but did not decrease significantly until 4 days after collection at 4°C, with >30% motility maintained after 8 days. There was no significant difference in post-thaw motility or viability of samples cryopreserved after 1 or 4 days storage at 4°C, yielding substantial results for both parameters (mean motility 23.8% and 28.1% and mean viability 50.1% and 57.5% after 1 and 4 days respectively). We demonstrate the capacity to extend sperm viability for up to 8 days in unfrozen samples and to produce acceptable post-thaw motility in samples frozen after 4 days of storage, contributing to the development of valuable ARTs for lizards and other reptiles.
COVID-19 pandemic reveals persistent disparities in nitrogen dioxide pollution
Authors: Kerr Gaige Hunter , Goldberg Daniel L. , Anenberg Susan C.
Published: July 2021

Significance

We leverage the unparalleled changes in human activity during COVID-19 and the unmatched capabilities of the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument to understand how lockdowns impact ambient nitrogen dioxide (

N
O

2

) pollution disparities in the United States. The least White communities experienced the largest

N
O

2

reductions during lockdowns; however, disparities between the least and most White communities are so large that the least White communities still faced higher

N
O

2

levels during lockdowns than the most White communities experienced prior to lockdowns, despite a

∼

50% reduction in passenger vehicle traffic. Similar findings hold for ethnic, income, and educational attainment population subgroups. Future strategies to reduce

N
O

2

disparities will need to target emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.
Dynamic chromatin regulatory landscape of human CAR T cell exhaustion
Authors: Gennert David G. , Lynn Rachel C. , Granja Jeff M. , Weber Evan W. , Mumbach Maxwell R. , Zhao Yang , Duren Zhana , Sotillo Elena , Greenleaf William J. , Wong Wing H. , Satpathy Ansuman T. , Mackall Crystal L. , Chang Howard Y.
Published: July 2021

Significance

T cell exhaustion is a major barrier to cancer immunotherapy. T cell exhaustion is the state of T cell dysfunction after chronic stimulation, and recent studies indicate that exhaustion is epigenetically controlled and associated with unique chromatin profiles. This work reports the genome-wide map of active DNA regulatory elements and their connection to genes in the time course of human chimeric antigen receptor T cell exhaustion. Early chromatin events establish the later program of gene expression, active elements are often human-specific, and exhaustion-associated enhancers can be manipulated to precisely control the level of inhibitory receptors on T cells.
Letting Live in Revolutionary Iran
Authors: Odabaei Milad
Published: July 2021

The criminal laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran are organized around the right of the victim. In cases of murder and other intentional injuries, the judiciary recognizes the victim's next of kin or the victim as a private plaintiff with the right to retribution(qisas). The injured party confronts the perpetrator in court and decides whether to demand retaliation or forgo it in lieu of a monetary compensation(diya). If they chooseqisas, they are legally bound to witness the punishment. In cases of forbearance, the maximum sentence that the state can levy for murder is three to ten years. While the rates of capital punishment in Iran continue to be among the highest in the world, the majority of murder cases culminate in forgiveness. Why would an aggrieved party forgive when the law gives them the right to retribution?
Assessing Assessments: Substance use Disorder Treatment Providers’ Perceptions of Intake Assessments
Authors: Padwa Howard , Treiman Katherine , Mark Tami L. , Tzeng Janice , Gilbert Marylou
Published: July 2021

Background: Assessments to determine patients’ treatment needs and preferences when they begin substance use disorder (SUD) treatment are essential. The objectives of this paper are to identify the perspectives of providers who conduct assessments on (1) assessments’ utility in determining the level of care where patients will receive treatment, (2) strategies to engage patients in treatment during assessments, and (3) assessment strengths and shortcomings. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 California treatment providers who routinely perform SUD assessments for Medicaid beneficiaries. Interviews asked about the utility of assessment tools in determining appropriate levels of care, patient engagement during assessments, and strengths and shortcomings of intake assessment processes. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by multiple researchers using template analysis. Results: Providers reported that assessments linked to level-of-care decision rules sometimes generate recommendations inconsistent with their clinical judgment, and that the timing of assessments can influence the quality of the information collected. Providers described engagement strategies that help patients feel more comfortable during assessments and that encourage more thoughtful and accurate responses. Providers valued assessments that helped ensure comprehensive collection of patient information, that allowed flexibility to probe for additional information and context, and that facilitated treatment planning. Providers did not like assessments that were long and repetitive or those that did not collect detailed information about patients’ mental health and recovery environments. Conclusions: Assessments can be improved if providers conduct them in a manner that makes patients feel comfortable while building trust and rapport. Ensuring that assessments are not long or repetitive and giving comprehensive assessments once patients have developed trusting relationships with treatment programs can improve assessment processes. Further research is needed to optimize SUD assessments.
Addiction Medicine in the Time of COVID-19: An Overview of the 2020 Joint Scientific Annual Conference of the International Society of Addiction Medicine and Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine
Authors: Potenza Marc N. , el-Guebaly Nady
Published: July 2021

For years, Substance Abuse has annually published a communication regarding the annual conference of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM). These pieces have highlighted the important events of the conference and the work of the organization, as reflected in part by selected abstracts from the conference. This editorial communicates the events of the 2020 conference, the third to be held in conjunction with the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) and the first virtual conference. The conference was attended by over 800 participants and covered a wide range of topics, including addiction medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges of not being able to meet physically in Victoria, British Columbia as had been planned, the virtual event provided an opportunity to share current information in order to help advance prevention, treatment, policy and public helath efforts relating to addressing addictions and helping those impacted by these often devastating conditions.
MICROSCOPE instrument description and validation
Authors: Liorzou Françoise , Touboul Pierre , Rodrigues Manuel , Métris Gilles , André Yves , Bergé Joel , Boulanger Damien , Bremer Stefanie , Chhun Ratana , Christophe Bruno , Danto Pascale , Foulon Bernard , Hagedorn Daniel , Hardy Emilie , Huynh Phuong-Anh , Lämmerzahl Claus , Lebat Vincent , List Meike , Löffler Frank , Rievers Benny , Robert Alain , Selig Hanns
Published: July 2021

This paper focuses on the dedicated accelerometers developed for the MICROSCOPE mission taking into account the specific range of acceleration to be measured on board the satellite. Considering one micro-g and even less as the full range of the instrument with an objective of one femto-g resolution, that leads to a customized concept and a high-performance electronics for the sensing and servo-actuations of the accelerometer test-masses. This range and performance directed the payload development plan. In addition to a very accurate geometrical sensor core, a high performance electronics architecture provides the measurement of the weak electrostatic forces and torques applied to the test-masses. A set of capacitive detectors delivers the position and the attitude of the test-mass with respect to a very steady gold-coated cage made in silica. The voltages applied on the electrodes surrounding each test-mass are finely controlled to generate the adequate electrical field and so the electrostatic pressures on the test-mass. This field maintains the test-mass motionless with respect to the instrument structure. Digital control laws are implemented in order to enable instrument operation flexibility and a weak position detector noise. These electronics provide both the scientific data for MICROSCOPE’s test of the weak equivalence principle and the input for the satellite drag-free and attitude control system.
Keeping the ICRP recommendations fit for purpose
Authors: Clement C , Rühm W , Harrison J , Applegate K , Cool D , Larsson C-M , Cousins C , Lochard J , Bouffler S , Cho K , Kai M , Laurier D , Liu S , Romanov S
Published: July 2021

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has embarked on a review and revision of the system of Radiological Protection that will update the 2007 general recommendations in ICRP Publication 103. This is the beginning of a process that will take several years, involving open and transparent engagement with organisations and individuals around the world. While the system is robust and has performed well, it must adapt to address changes in science and society to remain fit for purpose. The aim of this paper is to encourage discussions on which areas of the system might gain the greatest benefit from review, and to initiate collaborative efforts. Increased clarity and consistency are high priorities. The better the system is understood, the more effectively it can be applied, resulting in improved protection and increased harmonisation. Many areas are identified for potential review including: classification of effects, with particular focus on tissue reactions; reformulation of detriment, potentially including non-cancer diseases; re-evaluation of the relationship between detriment and effective dose, and the possibility of defining detriments for males and females of different ages; individual variation in the response to radiation exposure; heritable effects; and effects and risks in non-human biota and ecosystems. Some of the basic concepts are also being considered, including the framework for bringing together protection of people and the environment, incremental improvements to the fundamental principles of justification and optimisation, a broader approach to protection of individuals, and clarification of the exposure situations introduced in 2007. In addition, ICRP is considering identifying where explicit incorporation of the ethical basis of the system would be beneficial, how to better reflect the importance of communications and stakeholder involvement, and further advice on education and training. ICRP invites responses on these and other areas relating to the review of the System of Radiological Protection.
High-reliability graphene-wrapped nanoprobes for scanning probe microscopy
Authors: Cao Liang , Liu Ri , Zhang Wenxiao , Wang Ying , Wang Guoliang , Song Zhengxun , Weng Zhankun , Wang Zuobin
Published: July 2021

The nanoprobe is a powerful tool in scanning probe microscopy (SPM) that is used to explore various fields of nanoscience. However, the tips can wear out very fast due to the low stability of conventional probes, especially after the measurement of high currents or lateral friction, which results in image distortion and test imprecision. Herein, a novel functional nanoprobe is presented using graphene sheets in a high-quality graphene solution wrapped round a plasma-treated conventional Pt-Ir coated nanoprobe, which shows highly stability and resistance to degradation, leading to a significantly increased lifetime. Furthermore, we show that the graphene-wrapped nanoprobes have the advantages of enhanced electrical conductivity and reduced tip–sample friction, compared with Pt-Ir coated nanoprobes. The simplicity and low cost of this method make it valuable to various functional graphene-wrapped nanoprobes and applications.
Hyperfine-mediated transitions between electronic spin-1/2 levels of transition metal defects in SiC
Authors: Gilardoni Carmem M , Ion Irina , Hendriks Freddie , Trupke Michael , van der Wal Caspar H
Published: July 2021

Transition metal defects in SiC give rise to localized electronic states that can be optically addressed in the telecom range in an industrially mature semiconductor platform. This has led to intense scrutiny of the spin and optical properties of these defect centers. For spin-1/2 defects, a combination of the defect symmetry and the strong spin–orbit coupling may restrict the allowed spin transitions, giving rise to defect spins that are long lived, but hard to address via microwave spin manipulation. Here, we show via analytical and numerical results that the presence of a central nuclear spin can lead to a non-trivial mixing of electronic spin states, while preserving the defect symmetry. The interplay between a small applied magnetic field and hyperfine coupling opens up magnetic microwave transitions that are forbidden in the absence of hyperfine coupling, enabling efficient manipulation of the electronic spin. We also find that an electric microwave field parallel to the c-axis can be used to manipulate the electronic spin via modulation of the relative strength of the dipolar hyperfine term.
Flavor-specific interaction favors strong neutrino self-coupling in the early universe
Authors: Das Anirban , Ghosh Subhajit
Published: July 2021

Flavor-universal neutrino self-interaction has been shown to ease the tension between the values of the Hubble constant measured from early and late Universe data. We introduce a self-interaction structure that is flavor-specific in the three active neutrino framework. This is motivated by the stringent constraints on new secret interactions among electron and muon neutrinos from several laboratory experiments. Our study indicates the presence of a strongly interaction mode which implies a late-decoupling of the neutrinos just prior to matter radiation equality. Using the degeneracy of the coupling strength with other cosmological parameters, we explain the origin of this new mode as a result of better fit to certain features in the CMB data. We find that if only one or two of the three active neutrino flavors are interacting, then the statistical significance of the strongly-interacting neutrino mode increases substantially relative to the flavor-universal scenario. However, the central value of the coupling strength for this interaction mode does not change by any appreciable amount in the flavor-specific cases. We also briefly analyze a scenario with more than three neutrino species of which only one is self-interacting. In none of the cases, we find a large enough Hubble constant that could resolve the so-called Hubble tension.
SMBH seeds from dissipative dark matter
Authors: Xiao Huangyu , Shen Xuejian , Hopkins Philip F. , Zurek Kathryn M.
Published: July 2021

The existence of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) with masses greater than ∼ 109
M
☉ at high redshift (z ≳ 7) is difficult to accommodate in standard astrophysical scenarios. We study the possibility that (nearly) totally dissipative self-interacting dark matter (tdSIDM)–in rare, high density dark matter fluctuations in the early Universe — produces SMBH seeds through catastrophic collapse. We use a semi-analytic model, tested and calibrated by a series of N-body simulations of isolated dark matter halos, to compute the collapse criteria and timescale of tdSIDM halos, where dark matter loses nearly all of its kinetic energy in a single collision in the center-of-momentum frame. Applying this model to halo merger trees, we empirically assign SMBH seeds to halos and trace the formation and evolution history of SMBHs. We make predictions for the quasar luminosity function, the M
BH-σv
* relation, and cosmic SMBH mass density at high redshift and compare them to observations. We find that a dissipative dark matter interaction cross-section of σ/m ∼ 0.05  cm2/g is sufficient to produce the SMBHs observed in the early Universe while remaining consistent with ordinary SMBHs in the late Universe.
Multi-scale neural decoding and analysis
Authors: Lu Hung-Yun , Lorenc Elizabeth S , Zhu Hanlin , Kilmarx Justin , Sulzer James , Xie Chong , Tobler Philippe N , Watrous Andrew J , Orsborn Amy L , Lewis-Peacock Jarrod , Santacruz Samantha R
Published: July 2021

Objective. Complex spatiotemporal neural activity encodes rich information related to behavior and cognition. Conventional research has focused on neural activity acquired using one of many different measurement modalities, each of which provides useful but incomplete assessment of the neural code. Multi-modal techniques can overcome tradeoffs in the spatial and temporal resolution of a single modality to reveal deeper and more comprehensive understanding of system-level neural mechanisms. Uncovering multi-scale dynamics is essential for a mechanistic understanding of brain function and for harnessing neuroscientific insights to develop more effective clinical treatment. Approach. We discuss conventional methodologies used for characterizing neural activity at different scales and review contemporary examples of how these approaches have been combined. Then we present our case for integrating activity across multiple scales to benefit from the combined strengths of each approach and elucidate a more holistic understanding of neural processes. Main results. We examine various combinations of neural activity at different scales and analytical techniques that can be used to integrate or illuminate information across scales, as well the technologies that enable such exciting studies. We conclude with challenges facing future multi-scale studies, and a discussion of the power and potential of these approaches. Significance. This roadmap will lead the readers toward a broad range of multi-scale neural decoding techniques and their benefits over single-modality analyses. This Review article highlights the importance of multi-scale analyses for systematically interrogating complex spatiotemporal mechanisms underlying cognition and behavior.
Fish can save energy via proprioceptive sensing
Authors: Li Liang , Liu Danshi , Deng Jian , Lutz Matthew J , Xie Guangming
Published: July 2021

Fish have evolved diverse and robust locomotive strategies to swim efficiently in complex fluid environments. However, we know little, if anything, about how these strategies can be achieved. Although most studies suggest that fish rely on the lateral line system to sense local flow and optimise body undulation, recent work has shown that fish are still able to gain benefits from the local flow even with the lateral line impaired. In this paper, we hypothesise that fish can save energy by extracting vortices shed from their neighbours using only simple proprioceptive sensing with the caudal fin. We tested this hypothesis on both computational and robotic fish by synthesising a central pattern generator (CPG) with feedback, proprioceptive sensing, and reinforcement learning. The CPG controller adjusts the body undulation after receiving feedback from the proprioceptive sensing signal, decoded via reinforcement learning. In our study, we consider potential proprioceptive sensing inputs to consist of low-dimensional signals (e.g. perceived forces) detected from the flow. With simulations on a computational robot and experiments on a robotic fish swimming in unknown dynamic flows, we show that the simple proprioceptive sensing is sufficient to optimise the body undulation to save energy, without any input from the lateral line. Our results reveal a new sensory-motor mechanism in schooling fish and shed new light on the strategy of control for robotic fish swimming in complex flows with high efficiency.
The impacts of special environmental events on short-run electricity-saving behaviors
Authors: Shen Xingchi , Qiu Yueming , Luo Ling , Zheng Xiaohao
Published: July 2021

Policymakers and academics are increasingly interested in using ‘social nudges’ to influence behavior, which are typically inexpensive relative to price-based and mandatory approaches. This study provides rigorous empirical evidence of the impacts of three big special environmental events, as a specific form of nudge, on short-run electricity-saving behaviors using high-frequency smart meter data in Shanghai, China, for both residential and commercial consumers. We find that World Environment Day and National Energy Saving Publicity Week caused commercial users to reduce their electricity consumption by 1.35 kWh h−1 and 0.6 kWh h−1 intra-event, around 17% and 8% reduction compared to average consumption, but the impacts decayed rapidly once the events ended. Earth Hour did not lead to significant energy-saving effects for both residential and commercial users. We further examine detailed activities implemented during these events to understand the heterogeneous impacts using social media and policy documents data.
Recent changes in cropland area and productivity indicate unsustainable cropland expansion in Malawi
Authors: Li Chengxiu , Kandel Matt , Anghileri Daniela , Oloo Francis , Kambombe Oscar , Chibarabada Tendai Polite , Ngongondo Cosmo , Sheffield Justin , Dash Jadunandan
Published: July 2021

Cropland expansion is a common strategy for boosting agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) even though it often leads to economic, environmental, and social trade-offs. Ensuring sustainable cropland use and their management is critical for improving food security and preserving ecosystem services. To develop policies and approaches that support sustainable cropland management at national and sub-national scales, there is a need to understand the spatial distribution of cropland expansion (/loss), and any resultant changes in cropland productivity. This is especially important in SSA countries such as Malawi, where spatially explicit assessments of changes in cropland area and cropland productivity are lacking. To address this gap in Malawi, we used multi-source satellite data and socio-economic data, combined with satellite image classification and trend analysis, firstly to quantify spatial changes in cropland area and productivity, and secondly to evaluate potentially available cropland for future expansion. We found evidence of unsustainable cropland use in Malawi, which was demonstrated by: (a) rapid cropland expansion between 2010 and 2019 (increase 8.5% of land area), characterized by an expansion of crop farming into upland areas which indicate increased land scarcity in Malawi; (b) limited potential for future expansion, as approximately only 5% of the total land remained as potentially available cropland (corresponding to 4671 000 ha); and (c) an overall reduction in cropland productivity and a prevalence of increase in soil erosion. Our findings underscore the urgent need for taking measures to promote sustainable cropland use, including by protecting current cropland from further degradation (e.g. Southern Malawi) and improving cropland use planning (e.g. Northern Malawi).
Continuously spacing-tunable multi-wavelength single-frequency fiber laser based on cascaded four-wave mixing at 1.06 μm
Authors: Teng Xiaodan , Yang Changsheng , Guo Yuankai , Ma Pengfei , Lin Wei , Guan Xianchao , Tan Tianyi , Zhao Qilai , Feng Zhouming , Wei Xiaoming , Xu Shanhui
Published: July 2021

A continuously spacing-tunable multi-wavelength single-frequency fiber laser (MW-SFFL) at 1.06 μm is investigated based on cascaded four-wave mixing (CFWM) in a high-nonlinearity photonic crystal fiber (HN-PCF). By using two separate wavelength-tunable continuous-wave (CW) SFFLs for pumping the HN-PCF, the MW-SFFL with up to ten stable wavelengths is generated under a total pump power of 890 mW. Furthermore, when the wavelength and the power of pump lasers are appropriately manipulated, the wavelength spaces of the MW-SFFL can be tuned freely within 166 pm and the numbers of wavelengths can be controlled to 4, 6, 8, and 10, respectively. To our knowledge, it is demonstrated for the first time that the MW-SFFL based on CFWM at 1.0 μm band are directly excited by CW SFFLs.
Flat band properties of twisted transition metal dichalcogenide homo- and heterobilayers of MoS2, MoSe2, WS2 and WSe2
Authors: Vitale V , Atalar K , Mostofi A A , Lischner J
Published: July 2021

Twisted bilayers of two-dimensional materials, such as twisted bilayer graphene, often feature flat electronic bands that enable the observation of electron correlation effects. In this work, we study the electronic structure of twisted transition metal dichalcogenide homo- and heterobilayers that are obtained by combining MoS2, WS2, MoSe2 and WSe2 monolayers, and show how flat band properties depend on the chemical composition of the bilayer as well as its twist angle. We determine the relaxed atomic structure of the twisted bilayers using classical force fields and calculate the electronic band structure using a tight-binding model parametrized from first-principles density-functional theory. We find that the highest valence bands in these systems can derive either from Γ-point or K/

K

′

-point states of the constituent monolayers. For homobilayers, the two highest valence bands are composed of monolayer Γ-point states, exhibit a graphene-like dispersion and become flat as the twist angle is reduced. The situation is more complicated for heterobilayers where the ordering of Γ-derived and K/

K

′

-derived states depends both on the material composition and also the twist angle. In all systems, qualitatively different band structures are obtained when atomic relaxations are neglected.
Pharmacist intervention on prescribing errors: Use of a standardized approach in the inpatient setting
Authors: Cabri Ann , Barsegyan Naira , Postelnick Michael , Schulz Lucas , Nguyen Victoria , Szwak Jennifer , Shane Rita
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The objective of this study was to implement a standardized process across health systems to determine the prevalence and clinical relevance of prescribing errors intercepted by pharmacists.

Methods

This prospective, multicenter, observational study was conducted across 11 hospitals. Pharmacist-intercepted prescribing errors were collected during inpatient order verification over 6 consecutive weeks utilizing a standardized documentation process. The potential harm of each error was evaluated using a modified National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC-MERP) index with physician validation, and errors were stratified into those with potentially low, serious, or life-threatening harm. Endpoints included the median error rate per 1,000 patient days, error type, and potential harm with correlating cost avoidance.

Results

Pharmacists intervened on 7,187 errors, resulting in a mean error rate of 39 errors per 1,000 patient days. Among the errors, 46.6% (n = 3,349) were determined to have potentially serious consequences and 2.4% (n = 175) could have been life-threatening if not intercepted. This equates to $874,000 in avoided cost. The top 3 error types occurring with the highest frequency were “wrong dose/rate/frequency” (n = 2,298, 32.0%), “duplicate therapy” (n = 1,431, 19.9%), and “wrong timing” (n = 960, 13.4%). “Wrong dose/rate/frequency” (n = 49, 28%), “duplicate therapy” (n = 26, 14.9%), and “drug-disease interaction” (n = 24, 13.7%) errors occurred with the highest frequency among errors with potential for life-threatening harm. “Wrong dose/rate/frequency” (n = 1,028, 30.7%), “wrong timing” (n = 573, 17.1%), and “duplicate therapy” (n = 482, 14.4%) errors occurred with the highest frequency among errors with potentially serious harm.

Conclusion

Documentation of pharmacist intervention on prescribing errors via a standardized process creates a platform for multicenter analysis of prescribing error trends and an opportunity for development of system-wide solutions to reduce potential harm from prescribing errors.
Evaluation of discharge prescribing after rescheduling of gabapentin as a controlled substance
Authors: Robbins Melody J , Floroff Catherine , Ingemi Amanda , Kaplan Marcus C
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Gabapentin has increasingly been identified as a drug of abuse, especially when used concurrently with opioids. Rescheduling gabapentin as a Schedule V controlled substance may strengthen monitoring and prescribing restrictions. The purpose of this study was to characterize the impact of rescheduling gabapentin from a nonscheduled to a Schedule V substance in Virginia on discharge prescribing patterns in a health system.

Methods

This was a retrospective, pre-post, multicenter chart review conducted at 4 sites. Data from 3 months before gabapentin rescheduling (prerescheduling group) and 3 months after gabapentin rescheduling (postrescheduling group) were evaluated. The primary outcome was the percentage of newly prescribed gabapentin prescriptions upon discharge, which was compared between the pre- and postrescheduling groups.

Results

A similar percentage of gabapentin prescriptions were newly prescribed in the prerescheduling group as compared to the postrescheduling group (55.0% vs 50.0%, P = 0.479). Gabapentin prescribing characteristics did not differ between the groups for new gabapentin prescriptions (n = 55 in the prerescheduling group, n = 50 in the postrescheduling group). Concomitant discharge prescribing of benzodiazepines (5.5% vs 2.0%, P = 0.619) and opioids (45.5% vs 60.0%, P = 0.136) did not differ significantly between the postrescheduling group and prerescheduling group for new gabapentin prescriptions. However, fewer opioid prescriptions exceeded 90 daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME) in the postrescheduling group as compared to the prerescheduling group for new gabapentin prescriptions (36.0% vs 20.0%, P = 0.020).

Conclusion

Gabapentin prescribing practices did not differ before and after rescheduling of gabapentin as a controlled substance. There was a trend toward dosages with reduced daily MME for concomitant opioid prescriptions after rescheduling. However, additional investigation with larger studies over longer periods of time is needed to discover whether gabapentin rescheduling significantly changes prescribing practices.
Loneliness and Daily Alcohol Consumption During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Bragard Elise , Giorgi Salvatore , Juneau Paul , Curtis Brenda L
Published: July 2021

Aims

This pilot study aimed to identify associations of loneliness and daily alcohol consumption among US adults during the Coronavirus Disease-2019 pandemic.

Method

Participants completed daily assessments for 30 days.

Results

Results suggest people who feel lonelier on average drink more alcohol, however, people who feel lonelier than usual drink less.

Conclusion

Findings highlight the need to disaggregate within- and between-person components of alcohol use.
Negotiations over parental care: a test of alternative hypotheses in the clown anemonefish
Authors: Barbasch Tina A , Branconi Rebecca , Francis Robin , Pacaro Madison , Srinivasan Maya , Jones Geoffrey P , Buston Peter M
Published: July 2021

In species with biparental care, conflict arises over how much each parent provides to their offspring because both parents benefit from shifting the burden of care to the other. Here, we tested alternative hypotheses for how parents will negotiate offspring care using a wild population of clownfish (Amphiprion percula). We experimentally handicapped parents by fin-clipping the female in 23 groups, the male in 23 groups, and neither parent in 23 groups and measured changes in indicators of female, male, and pair effort in response to handicapping. First, we found that handicapping resulted in a decrease in the number of eggs laid by fin-clipped females and a decrease in the amount of parental care by fin-clipped males. Second, contrary to predictions, female effort did not change in response to the male being handicapped, or vice versa. Finally, the number of embryos that matured to hatching, an indicator of pair effort, was not influenced by the manipulation, suggesting that although the handicap was effective, clownfish do not face the predicted “cost to conflict” when one parent is handicapped. Together, these results test the generality of theoretical predictions and uncover novel questions about whether and how negotiations operate in systems where interests are aligned.
A fast data-driven method for genotype imputation, phasing and local ancestry inference: MendelImpute.jl
Authors: Chu Benjamin B , Sobel Eric M , Wasiolek Rory , Ko Seyoon , Sinsheimer Janet S , Zhou Hua , Lange Kenneth
Published: July 2021

Motivation

Current methods for genotype imputation and phasing exploit the volume of data in haplotype reference panels and rely on hidden Markov models (HMMs). Existing programs all have essentially the same imputation accuracy, are computationally intensive and generally require prephasing the typed markers.

Results

We introduce a novel data-mining method for genotype imputation and phasing that substitutes highly efficient linear algebra routines for HMM calculations. This strategy, embodied in our Julia program MendelImpute.jl, avoids explicit assumptions about recombination and population structure while delivering similar prediction accuracy, better memory usage and an order of magnitude or better run-times compared to the fastest competing method. MendelImpute operates on both dosage data and unphased genotype data and simultaneously imputes missing genotypes and phase at both the typed and untyped SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms). Finally, MendelImpute naturally extends to global and local ancestry estimation and lends itself to new strategies for data compression and hence faster data transport and sharing.

Availability and implementation

Software, documentation and scripts to reproduce our results are available from https://github.com/OpenMendel/MendelImpute.jl.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Accurate spliced alignment of long RNA sequencing reads
Authors: Sahlin Kristoffer , Mäkinen Veli
Published: July 2021

Motivation

Long-read RNA sequencing technologies are establishing themselves as the primary techniques to detect novel isoforms, and many such analyses are dependent on read alignments. However, the error rate and sequencing length of the reads create new challenges for accurately aligning them, particularly around small exons.

Results

We present an alignment method uLTRA for long RNA sequencing reads based on a novel two-pass collinear chaining algorithm. We show that uLTRA produces higher accuracy over state-of-the-art aligners with substantially higher accuracy for small exons on simulated and synthetic data. On simulated data, uLTRA achieves an accuracy of about 60% for exons of length 10 nucleotides or smaller and close to 90% accuracy for exons of length between 11 and 20 nucleotides. On biological data where true read location is unknown, we show several examples where uLTRA aligns to known and novel isoforms containing small exons that are not detected with other aligners. While uLTRA obtains its accuracy using annotations, it can also be used as a wrapper around minimap2 to align reads outside annotated regions.

Availabilityand implementation

uLTRA is available at https://github.com/ksahlin/ultra.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Destroying and Restoring Critical Habitats of Endangered Killer Whales
Authors: Williams Rob , Ashe Erin , Broadhurst Ginny , Jasny Michael , Tuytel Dyna , Venton Margot , Ragen Tim
Published: July 2021

Endangered species legislation in the United States and Canada aims to prevent extinction of species, in part by designating and protecting critical habitats essential to ensure survival and recovery. These strict laws prohibit adverse modification or destruction of critical habitat, respectively. Defining thresholds for such effects is challenging, especially for wholly aquatic taxa. Destruction of critical habitat (e.g., prey reduction and ocean noise) threatens the survival and recovery of the 75 members of the endangered southern resident killer whale population found in transboundary (Canada–United States) Pacific waters. The population's dynamics are now driven largely by the cumulative effects of prey limitation (e.g., the endangered Chinook salmon), anthropogenic noise and disturbance (e.g., reducing prey accessibility), and toxic contaminants, which are all forms of habitat degradation. It is difficult to define a single threshold beyond which habitat degradation becomes destruction, but multiple lines of evidence suggest that line may have been crossed already.
Chest X-ray Analysis With Deep Learning-Based Software as a Triage Test for Pulmonary Tuberculosis: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Accuracy
Authors: Tavaziva Gamuchirai , Harris Miriam , Abidi Syed K , Geric Coralie , Breuninger Marianne , Dheda Keertan , Esmail Aliasgar , Muyoyeta Monde , Reither Klaus , Majidulla Arman , Khan Aamir J , Campbell Jonathon R , David Pierre-Marie , Denkinger Claudia , Miller Cecily , Nathavitharana Ruvandhi , Pai Madhukar , Benedetti Andrea , Ahmad Khan Faiz
Published: July 2021

Background

Automated radiologic analysis using computer-aided detection software (CAD) could facilitate chest X-ray (CXR) use in tuberculosis diagnosis. There is little to no evidence on the accuracy of commercially available deep learning-based CAD in different populations, including patients with smear-negative tuberculosis and people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, PLWH).

Methods

We collected CXRs and individual patient data (IPD) from studies evaluating CAD in patients self-referring for tuberculosis symptoms with culture or nucleic acid amplification testing as the reference. We reanalyzed CXRs with three CAD programs (CAD4TB version (v) 6, Lunit v3.1.0.0, and qXR v2). We estimated sensitivity and specificity within each study and pooled using IPD meta-analysis. We used multivariable meta-regression to identify characteristics modifying accuracy.

Results

We included CXRs and IPD of 3727/3967 participants from 4/7 eligible studies. 17% (621/3727) were PLWH. 17% (645/3727) had microbiologically confirmed tuberculosis. Despite using the same threshold score for classifying CXR in every study, sensitivity and specificity varied from study to study. The software had similar unadjusted accuracy (at 90% pooled sensitivity, pooled specificities were: CAD4TBv6, 56.9% [95% confidence interval {CI}: 51.7–61.9]; Lunit, 54.1% [95% CI: 44.6–63.3]; qXRv2, 60.5% [95% CI: 51.7–68.6]). Adjusted absolute differences in pooled sensitivity between PLWH and HIV-uninfected participants were: CAD4TBv6, −13.4% [−21.1, −6.9]; Lunit, +2.2% [−3.6, +6.3]; qXRv2: −13.4% [−21.5, −6.6]; between smear-negative and smear-positive tuberculosis was: were CAD4TBv6, −12.3% [−19.5, −6.1]; Lunit, −17.2% [−24.6, −10.5]; qXRv2, −16.6% [−24.4, −9.9]. Accuracy was similar to human readers.

Conclusions

For CAD CXR analysis to be implemented as a high-sensitivity tuberculosis rule-out test, users will need threshold scores identified from their own patient populations and stratified by HIV and smear status.
Therapeutic siRNAs Targeting the JAK/STAT Signalling Pathway in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Authors: Clément Flora , Nougarède Adrien , Combe Stéphanie , Kermarrec Frédérique , Dey Arindam K , Obeid Patricia , Millet Arnaud , Navarro Fabrice P , Marche Patrice N , Sulpice Eric , Gidrol Xavier
Published: July 2021

Background and Aims

Inflammatory bowel diseases are highly debilitating conditions that require constant monitoring and life-long medication. Current treatments are focused on systemic administration of immunomodulatory drugs, but they have a broad range of undesirable side-effects. RNA interference is a highly specific endogenous mechanism that regulates the expression of the gene at the transcript level, which can be repurposed using exogenous short interfering RNA [siRNA] to repress expression of the target gene. While siRNA therapeutics can offer an alternative to existing therapies, with a high specificity critical for chronically administrated drugs, evidence of their potency compared to chemical kinase inhibitors used in clinics is still lacking in alleviating an adverse inflammatory response.

Methods

We provide a framework to select highly specific siRNA, with a focus on two kinases strongly involved in pro-inflammatory diseases, namely JAK1 and JAK3. Using western-blot, real-time quantitative PCR and large-scale analysis, we assessed the specificity profile of these siRNA drugs and compared their efficacy to the most recent and promising kinase inhibitors for Janus kinases [Jakinibs], tofacitinib and filgotinib.

Results

siRNA drugs can reach higher efficiency and selectivity at lower doses [5 pM vs 1 µM] than Jakinibs. Moreover, JAK silencing lasted up to 11 days, even with 6 h pulse transfection.

Conclusions

The siRNA-based drugs developed hold the potential to develop more potent therapeutics for chronic inflammatory diseases.