bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Propagation dynamics and control policies of COVID-19 pandemic at early stages: Implications on future resurgence response
Authors: Dong Ni , Guan Xiangyang , Zhang Jin , Zhou Hanchu , Zhang Jie , Liu Xiaobo , Sun Yichen , Xu Pengpeng , Li Qin , Hao Xingjie
Published: May 2022

The spreading of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has gravely impacted the world in the last year and a half. Understanding the spatial and temporal patterns of how it spreads at the early stage and the effectiveness of a governments' immediate response helps our society prepare for future COVID-19 waves or the next pandemic and contain it before the spreading gets out of control. In this article, a susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed model is used to model the city-to-city spreading patterns of the disease at the early stage of its emergence in China (from December 2019 to February 2020). Publicly available reported case numbers in 312 Chinese cities and between-city mobility data are leveraged to estimate key epidemiological characteristics, such as the transmission rate and the number of infectious people for each city. It is discovered that during any given time period, there are always only a few cities that are responsible for spreading the disease to other cities. We term these few cities as transmission centers. The spatial and temporal changes in transmission centers demonstrate predictable patterns. Moreover, rigorously designed experiments show that in controlling the disease spread in a city, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) implemented at transmission centers are more effective than the NPI implemented in the city itself. These findings have implications on the control of an infectious disease at the early stage of its spreading: implementing NPIs at transmission centers at early stages is effective in controlling the spread of infectious diseases.
Multifunctional cellulose wood with effective acoustic absorption
Authors: Ruan Ju-Qi , Li Zhaoxi , Xie Kai-Yue , Guo Wei , Fei Chunlong , Lu Ming-Hui , Yang Hai
Published: May 2022

Wood is a sustainable material with big sound absorption potential based on its natural porous characteristics. However, the acoustic absorption performance of wood is greatly limited by the low permeability of wood structures. In this study, we prepared a new type of cellulose wood (CW) using a two-step delignification process on a natural basswood matrix followed by supercritical CO2 drying. The as-prepared CW exhibited a high air permeability of 33.78 Darcys (increase of 496.82%) and superior porous characteristics compared to the natural basswood, resulting in a significant improvement in the acoustic absorption performance with an increased average absorption of 106.25% and maximum absorption of 126.32%. The dissipation of sound energy in the structure of CW is well predicted by a designed porous media model. Moreover, a high specific stiffness of 2.14 × 105 m2 s−2 and a diffuse reflectance of 97.02% across the visible light were demonstrated for the CW as well. Such a fascinating multifunctional wood-derived material may provide new insights into the development of efficient and sustainable acoustic absorbers for various applications.
Incorporating economic constraints for optimal control of immunizing infections
Authors: Huang Yu-Jhe , Hsiao An-Tien , Juang Jonq
Published: May 2022

It is well-known that the interruption of transmission of a disease can be achieved, provided the vaccinated population reaches a threshold depending on, among others, the efficacy of vaccines. The purpose of this paper is to address the optimal vaccination strategy by imposing the economic constraints. In particular, an S--(I,V)--S model used to describe the spreading of the disease in a well-mixed population and a cost function consisting of vaccination and infection costs are proposed. The well-definedness of the above-described modeling is provided. We were then able to provide an optimal strategy to minimize the cost for all parameters. In particular, the optimal vaccination level to minimize the cost can be completely characterized for all parameters. For instance, the optimal vaccination level can be classified by the magnitude of the failure rate of the vaccine with other parameters being given. Under these circumstances, the optimal strategy to minimize the cost is roughly to eliminate the disease locally (respectively, choose an economic optimum resulting in not to wipe out the disease completely or take no vaccination for anyone) provided the vaccine failure rate is relatively small (respectively, intermediate or large). Numerical simulations to illustrate our main results are also provided. Moreover, the data collected at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in Taiwan are also numerically simulated to provide the corresponding optimal vaccination strategy.
A continuous underwater bubble localization method using passive acoustic array beamforming
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wang Bingpu , Rui Xiaobo , Zhang Jin , Feng Hao , Li Jian
Published: May 2022

The bubble is an effective carrier of underwater gas leakage detection, and its rapid localization is of great significance. In this paper, a continuous underwater bubble localization method using passive acoustic array beamforming is proposed. A specific array of hydrophones was constructed to capture the bubble acoustic signal. The signal of finite length is obtained by introducing the time window. Then, the time delay compensation is carried out according to the positions of the hydrophones in the array to estimate the direction of arrival. The influence of shape, number, and aperture of the hydrophone array on the algorithm performance is studied by simulation. Moreover, the experiment was carried out in a cuboid transparent tempered glass water tank in the laboratory, and a field programmable gate array is used as the core control unit of the data processing system to complete the signal acquisition and the algorithm execution. The localization results show that the passive acoustic cross array beamforming algorithm can accurately and stably estimate the leakage direction at different positions.
Sensitive dependence of photoionization for highly charged H-like ion on the plasma environments
Authors: Zhao G. P. , Chen C. , Liu L. , Chen Z. B. , Qi Y. Y. , Wang J. G.
Published: May 2022

Relativistic photoionization processes of an exemplary highly charged H-like ion Ar17+ for 1s1/2, 2lj (l = 0, 1), and 3lj (l = 1, 2) initial states are studied in plasmas with coulomb coupling parameter 0.007 < Γ < 0.202. Photoionization cross sections for both the strongly and weakly screened cases exhibit specific properties when their plasma densities and temperatures in the vicinities of the critical values at which nlj bound states enter the continuum. The electron degeneracy, finite-temperature gradient corrections, and quantum exchange-correlations effects have been included in the interaction between charged particles by the screened potential used in the present work. It is found that these effects for the plasmas with different coupled strength are reflected in the resonant regions of photoionization cross sections by comparing with Debye cases. The present work is expected to provide theoretical and data support for the fusion plasmas.
Numerical simulation of the effect of laser wavelength on nanosecond laser ablation and plasma characteristic
Authors: Min Q. , Liu X. B. , Su M. G. , Wu Y. H. , Sun D. X. , Cao S. Q. , Dong C. Z.
Published: May 2022

Based on the heat conduction equation, hydrodynamics equations, and radiation transport equation, a two-dimensional axisymmetric radiation hydrodynamics model is developed. The charge state distribution and energy level population in the plasma are solved by the collisional-radiative model using screened hydrogenic levels. The model is used to study the effect of excitation laser wavelength at 1064 and 266 nm on aluminum target evolution, plasma generation, laser absorption in the plasma, and the plasma characteristic during laser ablation in the presence of atmospheric pressure. For 1064 nm radiation, the evaporation of the target surface stops earlier and the plasma formation time is later. The plasma has higher temperature as well as density and the hottest region is at the forefront of the plasma. The plasma shielding effect resulted in a sharp decrease in the laser transmissivity of 1064 nm radiation to about 0.1%, while the transmissivity of 266 nm radiation only decreased to about 30%. The inverse bremsstrahlung is the most important laser absorption mechanism for 1064 nm, whereas photoionization dominates the entire absorption process in the case of 266 nm radiation. The effect of the plasma model on optical breakdown has been present. The results show that neither breakdown nor plasma formation is encountered if the local thermodynamic equilibrium model is used in 266 nm radiation.
Synthesis and electrochemical performance of V2O5 nanosheets for supercapacitor
Authors: Li Miao , Ai Taotao , Kou Lingjiang , Song Jiajia , Bao Weiwei , Wang Yong , Wei Xueling , Li Wenhu , Deng Zhifeng , Zou Xiangyu , Wang Huhu
Published: May 2022

Electrode materials are the key to the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors. This study reports the electrochemical properties of V2O5 supercapacitors. V2O5 nanosheets with different morphologies were prepared by controlling the solvent under a facile hydrothermal method. The phase and the morphology of the samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties of V2O5 nanosheets with different morphologies were studied by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The charge transfers resistance decreases from 3.2 Ω of V2O5 particles to 2.0 Ω of V2O5 nanosheets. V2O5 nanosheets exhibit higher specific capacity (375 F g−1) than V2O5 particles (318 F g−1) in K2SO4 solution. The cycling capacity retention keeps 96.8% for 1000 cycles at 0.5 A g−1 in K2SO4 solution, indicating better cycling stability.
Fluid model simulation of solitons in an ultra-relativistic electron–positron plasma
Authors: Baboolal S.
Published: May 2022

In this study, the fully nonlinear relativistic ideal two-fluid equations are numerically integrated to show how solitary wave pulses can arise from simple initial conditions when electromagnetic waves parallel to a constant magnetic field are considered in a degenerate electron–positron plasma. The formation and propagation of one-dimensional fast wave solitons and slower wave pulses are identified as being related to a sound mode and the Alfvén mode, respectively. While solitons in relativistic electron–positron and similar plasmas have been studied theoretically by many authors, apart from some particle simulations and stationary large-amplitude treatments, only small-amplitude studies resulting in Korteweg–de Vries and related model equations have been employed to illustrate the occurrence of such nonlinear structures. These results extend and complement earlier theoretical treatments and are especially relevant for astrophysical plasmas.
Enhancing the efficiency of the topological phase transitions in spin–orbit photonics
Authors: Zhang Zan , Cheng Jiahao , Mei Wang , Xiao Weilai , Wang Zhiteng , Dai Zhiping , Ling Xiaohui
Published: May 2022

A light beam reflected and refracted at a sharp interface can acquire a momentum-dependent Pancharatnam–Berry (PB) phase, which produces a topological phase transition from one kind of spin–orbit interaction (e.g., spin-controlled vortex generation) to another (e.g., photonic spin-Hall effect). However, this process is extremely inefficient and difficult to observe directly in experiments, which also hinders its applications. Here, we propose to enhance significantly the topological phase transitions by c-cut uniaxial crystals. We first give a full-wave theory to describe the spin–orbit interactions of a beam passing through a c-cut uniaxial crystal and experimentally observe the topological phase transition process of the transmitted beam when the angle between the beam propagation direction and the optical axis direction changes. It is found that the efficiency of the spin–orbit interactions caused by the momentum-dependent PB phase can be increased as high as 50%, which is much larger than that at isotropic sharp interfaces. Our findings provide an alternative approach for manipulating the spin and orbital angular momenta of light and exhibit potential applications in the future spin–orbit photonic components.
Correlated carrier dynamics in a superconducting van der Waals heterostructure
Authors: Baidya Prakiran , Bagwe Vivas , Raychaudhuri Pratap , Bid Aveek
Published: May 2022

A study of Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless transitions in clean, layered two-dimensional superconductors promises to provide insight into a host of novel phenomena like re-entrant vortex-dynamics, underlying unconventional metallic phases, and topological superconductivity. In this Letter, we report the study of charge carrier dynamics in a novel two-dimensional superconducting van der Waals heterostructure comprising of monolayer MoS2 and few-layer NbSe2 (∼15 nm). Using low-frequency conductance fluctuation spectroscopy, we show that the superconducting transition in the system is percolative. We present a phenomenological picture of different phases across the transition correlating with the evaluated noise. The analysis of the higher order statistics of fluctuation reveals non-Gaussian components around the transition indicative of long-range correlation in the system.
Enhanced stimulated Brillouin scattering utilizing Raman conversion in diamond
Authors: Chen Hui , Bai Zhenxu , Yang Xuezong , Ding Jie , Qi Yaoyao , Yan Bingzheng , Wang Yulei , Lu Zhiwei , Mildren Richard P.
Published: May 2022

Cascaded Brillouin lasers based on guided-wave structures are applied across a range of important fields such as optical communications, microwave photonics, and sensing. However, restricted by the volume and available transmission range of the gain medium, the power output and wavelength diversity of guided-wave Brillouin devices are somewhat limited. In this work, we report the design and development of a cascaded Brillouin laser based utilizing a free-space optical layout with a diamond crystal as the Brillouin gain medium. A quasi-continuous-wave, 1 μm laser was used as the pump laser, and Raman wavelength conversion is used as an intermediate process to facilitate stimulated Brillouin scattering with a low threshold. When the output transmission of the diamond cavity is 0.37% and the incident pump power is 220 W, cascading of the Brillouin–Stokes field to the eighth Stokes and the seventh anti-Stokes orders was observed. By adjusting the cavity length, the order of the cascaded Brillouin laser output is controlled. A comprehensive analysis of the Brillouin generation process and the cascade of Stokes orders is undertaken for different incident pump powers and cavity lengths. This work is expected to enable practical applications of high-power Brillouin lasers and Brillouin frequency combs.
Analysis and experimental study of patch tube mechanical properties based on screen pipe hydroforming patch technology
Authors: Liu Shu-feng , Wang Han-xiang , Liu Yan-xin , Zhang Xin , Che Jia-qi , Ma Shao-hua
Published: May 2022

Hydroforming patch technology for damaged screen pipes is designed based on tube hydroforming technology, and the methods for determining the forming pressure range and forming defects are selected according to the forming process. The hydroforming patch model for screen pipes is established according to the technical demand parameters for screen pipe repair. From the mechanical properties of the material and digital–analog comparison analysis of the material formability, it is found that the determiners for formability (such as forming pressure, thinning rate, and springback) of 321 stainless steel (SS321) are better than those of 304L stainless steel (SS304L), and the patch tube materials meeting the technical requirements were selected. A test bench for the formability of patch tubes was built to verify the forming pressure of patch tubes with different thicknesses and the distribution of wall thickness after forming. The results show that the hydroforming patch technology is feasible and can realize the firm and close fit between the patch tube and screen pipe; moreover, SS321 can meet the material requirements of the patch tube.
Thermoelastic coupling vibration analysis of precision coated TPU film
Authors: Feng Yao , Wu Jimei , Wang Yan , Shao Mingyue , Guo Xuxia
Published: May 2022

TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) films are subjected to heating in production. As the temperature rises, thermal stress will be generated inside the TPU film. It causes defects, such as wrinkles and cracks, in the moving TPU film; therefore, it is of great significance to study the thermoelastic coupling effect of the moving TPU film in the printing process. To study the thermoelastic coupling vibration characteristics of the moving TPU film under the opposite edge tension, it includes combining the thermal conduction equation with temperature coupling term and the vibration differential equation with variable temperature effect to get the coupling equation. The differential quadrature method is used to discretize the vibration differential equation. The influence of the thermoelastic coupling coefficient, aspect ratio, and tension ratio on the vibration characteristics of the TPU film is studied.
On the nonlinear thermal stress, thermal creep, and thermal edge flows in triangular cavities
Authors: Mousivand Mostafa , Roohi Ehsan
Published: May 2022

Here, rarefied thermally driven flow is investigated in two-dimensional equilateral triangular cavities with different uniform wall temperatures. We used three different solvers, i.e., the direct simulation Monte Carlo solver, discrete unified gas kinetic scheme solver, and continuum set of equations of a slow non-isothermal flow solver. Two main cases were considered; in the first case, the cavity's base is considered hot, and the other sides were set cold. In the second case, the right half of the bottom wall was regarded as a diffuse reflector with high temperature, while the left half of the bottom border was set as a specular reflector. The adjacent side walls were set cold with diffuse reflector boundary conditions. The imposed temperature difference/wall boundary condition induces various vortices in the geometry. In case 1, we observe that principal vortices appearing in the triangle are due to nonlinear thermal stress effects, and the thermal creep effects cause other smaller, confined ones. In case 2, a thermal edge flow is set up from the specular wall on the way to the diffusive hot wall, creating a large vortex in the geometry. As the Knudsen number decreases, another small vortex appears near the left cold border.
A numerical approach on the selection of the purge flow rate in an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process
Authors: Nwanna Emeka Charles , Coetzee Rigardt Alfred Maarten , Jen Tien-Chien
Published: May 2022

The variation of the purge flow rate is investigated in a reactor scale simulation of a typical atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The investigation in its context addresses the possible issues of inadequate deposition rates with regard to the purge flow rate. A three-dimensional reactor is numerically implemented to simulate the physical and chemical processes to fabricate aluminum oxide (Al2O3) thin films. The purge flow rate disparity is focused to examine the effects within the fluid flow, mass transport, along with the chemical kinetics of the ALD process. The fabrication process employs trimethyl-aluminum and ozone (O3) as the metal and oxidant precursors, respectively, and inert argon as the purge gas. The reactor operation is set up to operate at a pressure of 10 torrs, with a substrate temperature of 200 °C. Three purge flow rates of 20, 10, and 5 sccm, respectively, have been examined. It was discovered that the slower flow rate showed, superior mass fraction distribution, reached unity surface coverage, and a time extensive surface deposition rate. A prolonged ozone exposure was crucial in providing an adequately oxidized substrate. The 20, 10, and 5 sccm purge flow rate growth obtained a 0.58, 0.85, and 1.6 Å/cycle, respectively. These findings revealing close similarities to experimental behaviors and recorded growths.
Terahertz surface plasmon polaritons travelling on laser-induced porous graphene
Authors: Wang Zongyuan , Hu Bin , Niu Zhaoran , Liu Weiguang , Wang Guocui , Zhang Yan
Published: May 2022

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) have shown huge application potentials in photonic on-chip devices, sensing, imaging, and metamaterials. However, in the terahertz (THz) regime, metals used in the visible and near infrared frequencies cannot support SPPs due to their near-zero skin depth. At present, feasible methods mainly include exploiting spoof SPPs through complex structural design on metals or using semiconductors. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate that porous graphene induced by laser beams with low fabrication cost can support SPPs in the THz regime with good performance. Using a classical structure of the semicircular slit, a super-resolution focus with a size of ∼0.43λ is characterized by a THz-SPPs imaging system. Furthermore, by changing the fabrication parameters of the laser, the propagation loss of SPPs is found to be effectively controlled. This method for controllably excited THz-SPPs on laser-induced porous graphene is of great significance for the design and wide-range applications of more compact THz on-chip devices.
Isothermal transport of a near-critical binary fluid mixture through a capillary tube with the preferential adsorption
Authors: Yabunaka Shunsuke , Fujitani Youhei
Published: May 2022

We study isothermal transport of a binary fluid mixture, which lies in the homogeneous phase near the demixing critical point, through a capillary tube. A short-range interaction is assumed between each mixture component and the tube's wall surface, which usually attracts one component more than the other. The resulting preferential adsorption becomes significant owing to large osmotic susceptibility. The mixture flowing out of the tube is rich in the preferred component when flow is driven by the pressure difference between the reservoirs. When flow is driven by the mass-fraction difference, the total mass flow occurs in the presence of the preferential adsorption. These phenomena can be regarded as cross-effects linked by the reciprocal relation. The latter implies that diffusioosmosis arises from the free energy of the bulk of the mixture not involving the surface potential, unlike usual diffusioosmosis far from the critical point. We also study these phenomena numerically by using the hydrodynamics based on the coarse-grained free-energy functional, which was previously obtained to reveal near-critical static properties, and using material constants that were previously obtained in some experimental studies. Influence of the critical enhancement of the transport coefficients is found to be negligible because of off-critical composition in the tube. It is also shown that the conductance, or the total mass flow rate under a given mass-fraction difference, can change non-monotonically with the temperature. The change is well expected to be large enough to be detected experimentally.
Double-resonant-tunneling-diode bridge-less patch-antenna oscillators operating up to 1.09 THz
Authors: Ourednik P. , Feiginov M.
Published: May 2022

9 μW at the fundamental frequency of 1.09 THz, 15 μW at 0.98 THz, and up to 27 μW at the lower frequencies of 620–660 GHz have been demonstrated with double-resonant-tunneling-diode (RTD) patch-antenna oscillators. These parameters are substantially superior to those previously reported for patch-antenna RTD oscillators, and they are close to the state-of-the-art level for all other types of RTD oscillators at around 1 THz. However, the double-RTD patch-antenna oscillators also provide essential advantages of compactness, simplicity, vertical emission from the chip surface, and a high degree of isolation from the external circuitry. These improved parameters are due to the implementation of conical vias with dramatically reduced parasitic inductance and due to the use of 1 nm barrier RTDs. We demonstrate that there is much room for further improvement of the parameters of these oscillators.
A flexibly switchable TaIrTe4–WSe2 van der Waals heterojunction photodetector with linear-polarization-dependent photosensitivity
Authors: Ye Qiaojue , Lu Jianting , Yi Huaxin , Zheng Zhaoqiang , Ma Churong , Du Chun , Zou Yichao , Yao Jiandong , Yang Guowei
Published: May 2022

A van der Waals heterojunction photodetector has been constructed by vertically stacking a TaIrTe4 flake, a 2D type-II Weyl semimetal, and a WSe2 flake, a typical isotropic 2D semiconductor. Interestingly, the device exhibits a switchable operating mode depending on the direction of the voltage bias. Specifically, under a source-drain bias of −1 V, the device operates in a photovoltaic mode, featuring rapid response rate. Its response/recovery time is down to 22.5/25.1 ms, which is approximately one order of magnitude shorter than that of a pristine WSe2 photodetector (320/360 ms). In contrast, under a source-drain bias of +1 V, the device operates in a photoconductive mode with high photogain. The optimized responsivity reaches 9.1 A/W, and the corresponding external quantum efficiency and detectivity reach 2776% and 3.09 × 1012 Jones, respectively. Furthermore, the effective wavelength range of the TaIrTe4–WSe2 device has been extended to the long-wavelength region as compared to a WSe2 device. Beyond these, by virtue of the highly anisotropic crystal structure of TaIrTe4, the hybrid device exhibits polarized photosensitivity. Its anisotropy ratio reaches 1.72 (1.75) under a voltage bias of +1 (−1 V). On the whole, this research work provides a paradigm for the design and implementation of 2D materials based multifunctional optoelectronic devices.
Complex analysis of divergent perturbation theory at finite temperature
Authors: Sun Yi , Burton Hugh G. A.
Published: May 2022

We investigate the convergence properties of finite-temperature perturbation theory by considering the mathematical structure of thermodynamic potentials using complex analysis. We discover that zeros of the partition function lead to poles in the internal energy and logarithmic singularities in the Helmholtz free energy that create divergent expansions in the canonical ensemble. Analyzing these zeros reveals that the radius of convergence increases at higher temperatures. In contrast, when the reference state is degenerate, these poles in the internal energy create a zero radius of convergence in the zero-temperature limit. Finally, by showing that the poles in the internal energy reduce to exceptional points in the zero-temperature limit, we unify the two main mathematical representations of quantum phase transitions.
Fluid vortex mapping using the rotational Doppler effect
Authors: Emile O. , Emile J.
Published: May 2022

The light from a twisted laser beam, scattered at an air/water interface, experiences a rotational Doppler shift. We use a superposition of two beams with different topological charges to measure the beat frequency of the scattered light by a Rankine type vortex at different positions from its center. We show that the angular velocity decreases with the distance in total agreement with a Rankine vortex model. Several extensions are then considered, including the detection of turbulences generated in the wake of airplanes.
X-ray wavefront sensing and optics metrology using a microfocus x-ray grating interferometer with electromagnetic phase stepping
Authors: Zhao Shuai , Yang Yu , Liu Huiting , Huang Ziwen , Zhang Lei , Wang Qiuping , Wang Keyi
Published: May 2022

A metrology method of x-ray optical elements based on an electromagnetic phase stepping x-ray grating interferometer with high slope accuracy is presented in this study. The device consists of an x-ray tube, a phase grating G1 for modulating the incoming wavefront, and an absorption grating G2 as a transmission mask to produce a broader moiré pattern for the x-ray camera. The focal spot of the microfocus x-ray source is shifted by a magnetic field from a solenoid coil. Electromagnetic phase stepping analysis is used to obtain a pixel-wise map of the wavefront phase distortion to replace the traditional precision mechanical scanning system, improving stability, speed, accuracy, and flexibility. The x-ray grating interferometer can be used as a feedback tool for evaluating the quality of optical elements and detecting defects caused by the x-ray beam or the x-ray optical elements in ordinary laboratories and mirror-processing centers without the need of scheduling synchrotron beam time.
Occurrence of the ground cuscus
Authors: Hamilton Steven G. , Parnaby Harry
Published: May 2022

A specimen of the ground cuscus (Phalanger gymnotis) collected in 2006 remains the only record from the Trans-Fly region of southern Papua New Guinea. It extended the known range by some 250 km southwest of the nearest records (Mt Sisa in the Central Cordillera and Kikori Basin, Gulf Province), into a habitat previously considered unsuitable for the species. We were unable to assign the specimen to either of the two subspecies, P. g. gymnotis from mainland New Guinea or P. g. leucippus from Aru Islands. The 2006 record is detailed here and its biogeographic implications are discussed.
Maize
Authors: Chen Long , Du Ming , Wang Long , Yu Wei , Chen Yirong , Cheng Beijiu , Wu Jiandong
Published: May 2022

Starch is a major component of the endosperm, directly determining grain yield and quality. Although the key enzymes of starch synthesis have been identified and characterised, the regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we identified the novel maize STARCH SYNTHESIS REGULATING PROTEIN1 (ZmSSRP1), which encodes a typical carbohydrate-binding module 48 (CBM48) protein. Expression analysis revealed that ZmSSRP1 was highly expressed in the maize endosperm, while transient expression in maize leaf protoplasts showed localisation in the plastids, dependent on the N-terminal transit peptide. In addition, overexpression of ZmSSRP1 in rice resulted in a decrease in grain thickness and the 1000-grain weight, as well as affecting the starch content and structure of the rice endosperm. The physicochemical properties of starch in the rice endosperm were also altered compared with the wild-type seeds. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was subsequently performed to determine the expression of starch synthesis-related genes, revealing upregulation of mRNA expression of most genes in the transgenic compared with wild-type lines. Collectively, these findings suggest that ZmSSRP1 acts as a potential regulator of starch synthesis, providing new insight for molecular breeding of high-yielding high-quality maize.
The effect of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure on synthesis and release of steroid hormones by the porcine conceptuses during the peri-implantation period
Authors: Franczak Anita , Drzewiecka Ewa Monika , Kozlowska Wiktoria , Zmijewska Agata , Wydorski Pawel Jozef , Koziorowska Anna
Published: May 2022

Context Electrical devices and power systems are the sources of EM-waves which propagate everywhere in the environment. Aims The study aimed to determine whether EMF induced changes in the steroidogenesis of conceptuses and whether progesterone (P4) may be a possible protectant against the effects of EMF radiation. Methods The entire porcine conceptuses were collected during the peri-implantation period (days 15–16 of pregnancy), divided into fragments (100 mg) and treated in vitro with EMF (50 Hz or 120 Hz, 2 or 4 h exposure), and examined to determine of CYP17A1, HSD3B1, CYP19A3, and HSD17B4 mRNA transcript and encoded protein abundance and the release of steroid hormones. Selected fragments of conceptuses were treated with P4. Key results In conceptuses incubated without P4, EMF at 120 Hz decreased androstenedione (A4) and testosterone (T) release after 2 h and increased oestrone (E1) release at 50 Hz and 120 Hz after 4 h exposure. In P4-treated conceptuses, EMF (50 and 120 Hz, 4 h exposure) decreased CYP19A3 mRNA transcript abundance, and increased (120 Hz, 2 h exposure) oestradiol-17β (E2) release. Conclusions The EMF radiation alters androgen and oestrogen synthesis and release from the conceptuses of pigs during the peri-implantation period. The P4 exerts protective effects on androgens and E1 release but it sensitises the conceptuses when comes to the mechanism of oestrogen synthesis and release during EMF radiation. Implications The effect of EMF radiation on the steroidogenic pathway in conceptuses may induce disturbances in their proper development and implantation.
Higher tree diversity is linked to higher tree mortality
Authors: Searle Eric B. , Chen Han Y. H. , Paquette Alain
Published: May 2022

Significance

Despite a significant amount of recent research describing how tree species diversity improves forest productivity, few studies examine how tree diversity affects tree mortality, which is a key ecosystem function that drives succession, composition, and competition. Using a plot network from across Canada and the United States, here we show that plots with higher tree diversity also experience higher tree mortality. This effect becomes even more prominent when tree diversity effects are modeled holistically; in particular, more-diverse plots have higher stem densities, translating into higher mortality probabilities. We call for the use of integrated model frameworks when examining the response of forest ecosystem functions to diversity, thus ensuring proper accounting of direct and indirect effects.
Deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus for Parkinson’s disease can restore dynamics of striatal networks
Authors: Adam Elie M. , Brown Emery N. , Kopell Nancy , McCarthy Michelle M.
Published: May 2022

Significance

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is highly effective for treating the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the neural mechanisms by which DBS acts are unknown. PD symptoms are tied to altered brain rhythms in basal ganglia (BG) and particularly the striatum. We develop a biophysical model of a BG neural pathway and show how beta oscillations can emerge throughout BG in PD. We then establish a mechanism by which DBS in STN can interrupt these abnormal rhythms and restore the brain’s capability to produce and regulate normal rhythms lost with dopamine depletion. Our research suggests mechanisms to leverage striatal gamma and theta oscillations to counter aberrant dynamics and enhance the therapeutic effects of DBS.
Controlling the nucleation of multiple precipitates in precipitation-strengthened steel through Mo partitioning
Authors: Qiu Nianshuang , Shen Zhuang , Zuo Xiaowei , Zhou Gang
Published: May 2022

In this study, atom probe tomography and first-principles calculations were used to investigate the influence of Mo addition on multiple precipitates, including isolated NiAl-based precipitates as well as NiAl-based and Cu-rich co-precipitates, in high-strength ferritic steel. The co-NiAl-based precipitates were experimentally confirmed to be nucleated from the abundance of Cu atoms. The addition of Mo accelerated the nucleation process of Cu-rich precipitates and structural transformation of co-precipitates, led to a considerable increase in the nucleation rate of NiAl-based precipitates, and slightly promoted isolated NiAl-based precipitates. The results were discussed from the perspective of lattice misfits and mixing enthalpy.
Cannabis Dispensary Online Marketing Practices in Response to COVID-19 Lockdowns
Authors: Ling Pamela M. , Crosbie Eric , Holmes Louisa M. , Hoang Christine , Hoeper Samantha
Published: May 2022

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by increases in cannabis consumption, which might relate to dispensary marketing activities. As part of an ongoing project monitoring cannabis dispensary websites in Northern California and Reno, Nevada, we noticed many websites added announcements and “pop-up” communications in response to lockdowns. This brief report describes the cannabis dispensary website communications related to COVID-19 with the aim to provide insight into emerging marketing messages that may increase cannabis consumption in times of crisis. Methods: Content analysis of COVID-19 announcements present on cannabis dispensary websites in San Francisco/Alameda Counties ( n = 32), and the Reno area ( n = 15) in April-May 2020 shortly after lockdowns were implemented. Results: COVID-19 announcements were present on 25/32 (78%) of dispensary websites in San Francisco/Alameda and 9/15 (60%) of websites in the Reno area. Almost all COVID-19 announcements (88% San Francisco/Alameda, 89% Reno) announced operational changes such as delivery or curbside pickup services, 72% and 56% respectively announced patron/employee safety measures. Health related messages were present; about half of website announcements referred to government/health authorities, 44% of Reno area announcements used healthcare rhetoric, and some San Francisco/Alameda announcements included suggestions for using cannabis to mitigate infection risk or manage anxiety. Conclusions: Most cannabis dispensaries in the study region implemented COVID-19 pandemic operational changes to maintain product availability, and many positioned their identity with health – either by referring to health authorities, or using health rhetoric, and a minority gave health advice. Cannabis dispensary websites provide a timely snapshot of marketing practices that may contribute to increases in cannabis use during stressful events.
SHIP164 is a chorein motif lipid transfer protein that controls endosome–Golgi membrane traffic
Authors: Hanna Michael G. , Suen Patreece H. , Wu Yumei , Reinisch Karin M. , De Camilli Pietro
Published: May 2022

Cellular membranes differ in protein and lipid composition as well as in the protein–lipid ratio. Thus, progression of membranous organelles along traffic routes requires mechanisms to control bilayer lipid chemistry and their abundance relative to proteins. The recent structural and functional characterization of VPS13-family proteins has suggested a mechanism through which lipids can be transferred in bulk from one membrane to another at membrane contact sites, and thus independently of vesicular traffic. Here, we show that SHIP164 (UHRF1BP1L) shares structural and lipid transfer properties with these proteins and is localized on a subpopulation of vesicle clusters in the early endocytic pathway whose membrane cargo includes the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (MPR). Loss of SHIP164 disrupts retrograde traffic of these organelles to the Golgi complex. Our findings raise the possibility that bulk transfer of lipids to endocytic membranes may play a role in their traffic.
Intermodel comparison for the radiological assessment of the Zapadnoe and Tessenderlo case studies with implications for selection of remediation strategy
Authors: Pepin Stéphane , Black Paul , Koliabina Daria , Paulley Alan , Bruffel Louise , Punt Adrian , Shubayr Nasser , Zhu Ming , Yankovich Tamara
Published: May 2022

Risk assessment provides a key input for determining the need for and extent of remedial actions necessary for sites contaminated with naturally occurring radioactive material or nuclear legacy sites. The choice of a modelling approach for risk assessment, and the corresponding toolsets should fit the assessment context, taking account of the complexity, and be clearly related to the questions to be addressed in the decision-making process. One of the objectives of Working Group 1 of IAEA Modelling and Data for Radiological Impact Assessments II (MODARIA II) Programme is to perform intermodel comparisons for case studies of selected sites, in particular, to help illustrate the applicability of different models and approaches as inputs to decision-making processes. This intercomparison exercise, which included the analysis of potential consequences on the management strategy for contaminated sites, has been performed for two sites: The former uranium mill tailings facility at Zapadnoe, Ukraine, and the phosphate processing facility at Tessenderlo, Belgium. Several models and computer codes have been used for one or both of these cases: AMBER, GoldSim, NORM And LegacY Site Assessment, Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRG)-dose compliance concentration calculator, and RESRAD-OFFSITE. The assessments explore the implications of using differing assessment frameworks and assumptions, as well as alternative modelling tools, on model outputs and as input for corresponding decisions on remediation strategy. This paper reviews both similarities and differences in the results of assessments performed using these different models. It discusses how different approaches can complement one another to help build confidence in the evidence base underpinning decisions. It also discusses the appropriateness of the different modelling approaches in a given assessment context. In one of the case studies in particular (Tessenderlo case study), the remediation strategy is essentially driven by the contamination of the site with heavy metals, such as cadmium. This has significant consequences on the choice of the most adequate approaches and scenarios for assessing the radiological risk and balancing their relative importance with other impacts. The development of a holistic approach to risk assessment is, therefore, highlighted.
Kidney transplantation or dialysis in older adults—an interview study on the decision-making process
Authors: Schoot Tessa S , Perry Marieke , Hilbrands Luuk B , van Marum Rob J , Kerckhoffs Angèle P M
Published: May 2022

Background

In older patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), the choice between kidney transplantation (KT) and dialysis may be more complex than in younger patients because of a higher prevalence of comorbidities and frailty. This study aims to provide greater insight into the current decision-making process by exploring the expectations, experiences and health outcome priorities of all stakeholders.

Methods

We performed semi-structured interviews with patients ≥65 years with ESKD (eGFR <15 ml/min/1.73m2, KT recipient or treated with dialysis), patients’ relatives and healthcare professionals (nephrologists, nurses and medical social workers). Interviews were conducted until data saturation and thematically analysed.

Results

We performed 36 interviews (patients n = 18, relatives n = 5, healthcare professionals n = 13). Thematic analysis revealed five themes. Older patients’ health outcome priorities were mostly related to quality of life (QOL). Individual older patients showed marked differences in the preferred level of engagement during the decision-making process (varying from ‘wants to be in the lead’ to ‘follows the nephrologist’) and in informational needs (varying from evidence-based to experience-based). On the contrary, healthcare professionals were quite unanimous on all aspects. They focused on determining eligibility for KT as start of the decision-making process, on clear and extensive information provision and on classical, medical outcomes.

Conclusions

The decision-making process could benefit from early identification of older patients’ values, needs and health outcome priorities, in parallel with assessment of KT eligibility and before discussing the treatment options, and the explicit use of this information in further steps of the decision-making process.
A computational framework to unify orthogonal information in DNA methylation and copy number aberrations in cell-free DNA for early cancer detection
Authors: Wei Qiang , Jin Chao , Wang Yang , Guo Shanshan , Guo Xu , Liu Xiaonan , An Jiaze , Xing Jinliang , Li Bingshan
Published: May 2022

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) provides a convenient diagnosis avenue for noninvasive cancer detection. The current methods are focused on identifying circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)s genomic aberrations, e.g. mutations, copy number aberrations (CNAs) or methylation changes. In this study, we report a new computational method that unifies two orthogonal pieces of information, namely methylation and CNAs, derived from whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) data to quantify low tumor content in cfDNA. It implements a Bayes model to enrich ctDNA from WGBS data based on hypomethylation haplotypes, and subsequently, models CNAs for cancer detection. We generated WGBS data in a total of 262 samples, including high-depth (>20×, deduped high mapping quality reads) data in 76 samples with matched triplets (tumor, adjacent normal and cfDNA) and low-depth (~2.5×, deduped high mapping quality reads) data in 186 samples. We identified a total of 54 Mb regions of hypomethylation haplotypes for model building, a vast majority of which are not covered in the HumanMethylation450 arrays. We showed that our model is able to substantially enrich ctDNA reads (tens of folds), with clearly elevated CNAs that faithfully match the CNAs in the paired tumor samples. In the 19 hepatocellular carcinoma cfDNA samples, the estimated enrichment is as high as 16 fold, and in the simulation data, it can achieve over 30-fold enrichment for a ctDNA level of 0.5% with a sequencing depth of 600×. We also found that these hypomethylation regions are also shared among many cancer types, thus demonstrating the potential of our framework for pancancer early detection.
Seizing the Populist Moment: Towards a New Penal Politics?
Authors: Bell Emma
Published: May 2022

In the context of rising populism across the globe, penal populism has returned with a vengeance. However, somewhat paradoxically, this paper asks if the populist moment may be regarded as an opportunity rather than a threat when it comes to promoting less punitive solutions to the crime problem. This is a moment that appears to be marked by a strong desire for increased popular participation in politics, as exemplified by the gilets jaunes movement in France. It is argued that democratization of the policy-making process through greater representativity and accountability could respond to this desire while promoting justice, especially by refocussing attention away from punishment and demonstrating how political, social, economic and legal justice are inextricably linked together.
A convergent structure–function substrate of cognitive imbalances in autism
Authors: Hong Seok-Jun , Mottron Laurent , Park Bo-yong , Benkarim Oualid , Valk Sofie L , Paquola Casey , Larivière Sara , Vos de Wael Reinder , Degré-Pelletier Janie , Soulieres Isabelle , Ramphal Bruce , Margolis Amy , Milham Michael , Di Martino Adriana , Bernhardt Boris C
Published: May 2022

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental diagnosis showing substantial phenotypic heterogeneity. A leading example can be found in verbal and nonverbal cognitive skills, which vary from elevated to impaired compared with neurotypical individuals. Moreover, deficits in verbal profiles often coexist with normal or superior performance in the nonverbal domain.

Methods

To study brain substrates underlying cognitive imbalance in ASD, we capitalized categorical and dimensional IQ profiling as well as multimodal neuroimaging.

Results

IQ analyses revealed a marked verbal to nonverbal IQ imbalance in ASD across 2 datasets (Dataset-1: 155 ASD, 151 controls; Dataset-2: 270 ASD, 490 controls). Neuroimaging analysis in Dataset-1 revealed a structure–function substrate of cognitive imbalance, characterized by atypical cortical thickening and altered functional integration of language networks alongside sensory and higher cognitive areas.

Conclusion

Although verbal and nonverbal intelligence have been considered as specifiers unrelated to autism diagnosis, our results indicate that intelligence disparities are accentuated in ASD and reflected by a consistent structure–function substrate affecting multiple brain networks. Our findings motivate the incorporation of cognitive imbalances in future autism research, which may help to parse the phenotypic heterogeneity and inform intervention-oriented subtyping in ASD.