bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accurate prediction on the lattice thermal conductivities of monolayer systems by a high-throughput descriptor
Authors: Luo Yufeng , Li Mengke , Yuan Hongmei , Cao Haibin , Liu Huijun
Published: December 2022

Due to the vital importance of heat management in micro- and nano-electronic devices, it is quite necessary to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity (

κ

L

) of two-dimensional (2D) materials. However, the accurate prediction on the

κ

L

has been demonstrated to be a rough task, especially for systems with large unit cell and low symmetry. Here, by using the sure independence screening and sparsifying operator (SISSO) approach, we propose a physically interpretable descriptor to quickly determine the

κ

L

of many potential monolayer systems, which are one of the fast-growing class among numerous 2D materials. It should be noted that the Pearson correlation coefficient between the real and predicted

κ

L

is as high as 0.98, suggesting good reliability of the derived descriptor. Beyond the initial training data, the strong predictive power of our descriptor is further confirmed by good agreement between the predicted

κ

L

and those calculated theoretically or measured experimentally. As such a data-driven descriptor contains only elementary properties of the monolayers, it is very beneficial for high-throughput screening of systems with desired

κ

L

.
A triple point of water cell-based fixed-point blackbody for radiation thermometry
Authors: Yurtseven Semih , Uytun Ali , Nasibov Humbat
Published: December 2022

The radiation temperature metrology above 150 °C relies heavily on the use of physical interpolation equations and known reference temperature (provided by solid–liquid phase transition of high-purity metals and metal-carbon eutectic alloys) fixed-point blackbodies. Recent achievements in thermal infrared detector technologies triggered the extension of the scale interpolation below this temperature down to 0 °C by using the reference temperatures provided by Sn, In, Ga fixed-points and ice-point, where the reference temperature of the later is dependent on external parameters. In this work, we demonstrate that the triple-point of water (TPW) based fixed-point blackbody is the metrologically grounded alternative to the ice-point. For this purpose, a fixed-point blackbody, incorporating only a cavity and large area TPW (LATPW) cell was designed, constructed, and validated for the precise calibration of radiation thermometers (RTs) and thermal cameras at the thermodynamic temperature of TPW. The conceptual design of the LATPW cells is similar to the ones used in contact thermometry, where a thermometer well of the cell is employed as a borehole for a cavity, where the cavity is easily detachable. Four different cavities (two different designs with aperture sizes of 40 mm and 50 mm) and three LATPW cells with two distinct well geometries were comparatively studied in several combinations. The largest absolute temperature difference observed between the primary level reference TPW cell (used in contact thermometry) and the LATPW cells is measured to be only 0.37 mK. Radiometric measurements demonstrate that all radiators maximally reflect the blackbody condition including emissivity close to unity, high uniformity across the aperture and high temporal stability. The simplicity of maintenance and easy in-field usage (only distilled water and dry ice are required) make the TPW blackbodies very versatile for the in-situ calibrations of RTs and thermal cameras, allowing its application in many areas including clinical environments.
Least squares based geometric error measurement for sparse view CT: a 2D simulation study
Authors: Wenju Peng , Yongshun Xiao
Published: December 2022

X-ray computed tomography (CT) is considered as one of the most common techniques in non-destructive testing and is also an essential and important method in the field of dimensional measurement. For high-precision measurement task scenarios, geometric errors due to the instability of the CT motion equipment cannot be ignored and need to be accurately measured and corrected. In-situ testing of large objects such as geotechnical materials, mechanical assemblies, metal weldments and concrete specimens also requires high-precision CT imaging of their interiors to obtain information of interest. The rotation of the scanning parts for these large in-situ tests and sparse-view scanning mode also makes it difficult to measure geometric errors. This paper therefore proposes a method for simultaneous measurement of geometric errors based on a priori information for in-situ testing characteristics. This method is capable of measuring geometric errors in sparse view projections with a length accuracy of 0.1 mm and an angular accuracy of

6
×

10

−
5

radians in 0.5 seconds per angle, as the simulation results show. The reconstruction results show that this level of geometric error measurement accuracy provides a dimensional measurement accuracy of 0.01 mm for the internal structure. The data for the simulation experiments in this paper are generated from real concrete data by noisy simulation.
BDS/QZSS integrated PPPAR time–frequency transfer
Authors: Ouyang Mingjun , Yin Jie , Zhu Xiangwei , Li JunZhi , Yi RuiTe , Suya Robert Galatiya
Published: December 2022

Based on BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS), the Quasi-Zenith satellite system (QZSS) was added to assist in studying the precise point positioning (PPP) time and frequency transfer effect. Ambiguity resolution (AR) is the key to the rapid conversion of the PPP method. Therefore, this paper also used the ionospheric-free combination and the observable-specific signal bias (OSB) product of Wuhan University to test the time–frequency transfer effect of BDS ambiguity-fixed. In this way, BDS PPP, BDS + QZSS PPP, BDS PPP-AR, and global positioning system (GPS) PPP methods were formed. Six stations located in Japan and Australia were selected for experiments. Conclusion: BDS can reach the same level as GPS; when the cut-off angle is greater than 15°, adding QZSS could improve the success rate, accuracy, and frequency stability of the solution of time links effectively; the ambiguity fixed strategy can improve the time transfer accuracy but not the short-term frequency stability.
Controlled evolution of three-dimensional magnetic states in strongly coupled cylindrical nanowire pairs
Authors: Fullerton J , Hierro-Rodriguez A , Donnelly C , Sanz-Hernández D , Skoric L , MacLaren D A , Fernández-Pacheco A
Published: December 2022

Cylindrical magnetic nanowires are promising systems for the development of three-dimensional spintronic devices. Here, we simulate the evolution of magnetic states during fabrication of strongly-coupled cylindrical nanowires with varying degrees of overlap. By varying the separation between wires, the relative strength of exchange and magnetostatic coupling can be tuned. Hence, we observe the formation of six fundamental states as a function of both inter-wire separation and wire height. In particular, two complex three-dimensional magnetic states, a 3D Landau Pattern and a Helical domain wall, are observed to emerge for intermediate overlap. These two emergent states show complex spin configurations, including a modulated domain wall with both Néel and Bloch character. The competition of magnetic interactions and the parallel growth scheme we follow (growing both wires at the same time) favours the formation of these anti-parallel metastable states. This works shows how the engineering of strongly coupled 3D nanostructures with competing interactions can be used to create complex spin textures.
Construction of exact solutions to the Ruijsenaars–Toda lattice via generalized invariant manifolds
Authors: Habibullin I T , Khakimova A R , Smirnov A O
Published: December 2022

The article discusses a new method for constructing particular solutions of nonlinear integrable lattices, based on the concept of a generalized invariant manifold (GIM). In contrast to the finite-gap integration method, instead of the eigenfunctions of the Lax operators, we use a joint solution of the linearized equation and GIM. This makes it possible to derive Dubrovin type equations not only in the time variable t, but also in the spatial discrete variable n. We illustrate the efficiency of the method using the Ruijsenaars–Toda lattice as an example, for which we find some new solutions: a real and bounded particular solution in the form of a kink, a periodic solution expressed in terms of Jacobi elliptic functions and a solution expressed through Weierstrass

℘

-function.
Electron density and electron temperature measurements in an atmospheric pressure plasma interacting with liquid anode
Authors: Yue Yuanfu , Bruggeman Peter J
Published: December 2022

Plasma driven solution electrochemistry has received increasing attention during the last decade for a variety of applications including nanomaterial synthesis. We report the temporal and spatial resolved electron density and temperature for a negative pulsed DC discharge in helium with N2 shielding gas impinging on a liquid anode as measured by Thomson scattering spectroscopy. A stable radial plasma contraction and significant plasma-enhanced N2 mixing was found for the longest investigated pulse width (9 μs). It was found that the plasma enhanced N2 mixing significantly impacts the plasma morphology and electron properties. In addition, we observed a significant increase in electron temperature coinciding with a drop in electron density near the liquid anode surface, which is attributed to electron attachment and electron-water ion cluster recombination enhanced by plasma-induced water evaporation. This near anode surface phenomenon is argued to be responsible for the discharge stabilization by preventing the development of a thermal instability in spite of the significant gas heating. This increase in electron temperature near the anode suggests the presence of a significant flux of hot electrons into solution which might enable non-equilibrium electron-driven reactions in the liquid phase.
Anti-persistent adherence dynamic of the COVID-19 vaccines
Authors: Fernandes Leonardo H S , Silva Maria A R , de Araújo Fernando H A
Published: December 2022

This research explores the multifractal dynamics of time series of the daily number of vaccinees for COVID-19, considering six European countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece and Italy) using the Multifractal Detrended Fluctuations Analysis (MF-DFA). We calculate the multifractal spectrum f(α) and apply a fourth-degree polynomial regression fit to estimate the complexity parameters that describe the degree of multifractality of the underlying process. We found that the multifractal dynamics of all these countries are characterized by strongly anti-persistent behavior (α
0 < 0.5) a lower degree of multifractality, and small fluctuations are dominant in the multifractal spectrum. From an immunization perspective, it means that a panorama that encompasses the population’s behaviour is marked by the dynamics of anti-persistent adherence to COVID-19 vaccines. Our findings confirm that the period of immunization of the population that adhered to the vaccination campaigns is short and that the application of new doses of vaccines must obey this phenomenology to keep people safe. In addition, we used the multifractal efficiency coefficient to rank countries that are most proactive in developing campaigns that promote greater adherence and loyalty to COVID-19 vaccines. Our findings indicate that Germany, Belgium and France were more efficient than Greece, Denmark and Italy.
Visualizing the atomic defects by scanning tunneling microscopy in the type-II Dirac semimetal NiTe2
Authors: Wang Wen-Xiao , Li Kaihui , Dong Xiaoshan , Xie Hao , Qiu Jinglan , Xu Chunqiang , Liu Kai , Song Juntao , Liu Ying , Bai Ke-Ke , Wei Yi-Wen , Xu Xiaofeng
Published: December 2022

Nickel ditelluride (NiTe2), a newly discovered type-II Dirac semimetal whose Dirac node lies in proximity to the Fermi level, is expected to exhibit exotic phenomena including the pressure-driven Lifshitz transition and novel superconductivity in the monolayer limit. It is known that defects are commonly seen in transition metal dichalcogenides and have remarkable impacts on their optical and electronic properties. However, the systematic study on defects in NiTe2 remains to be explored. Here, by using high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy combined with the first-principles calculations, the structure and electronic properties of atomic defects in NiTe2 have been systematically investigated. Specifically, we identified five distinct types of atomic defects, involving the vacancy and the intercalation. Our results indicate that the metal intercalation defect is the predominant one due to its lowest formation energy, which differs substantially from the case in MoS2 and PtSe2. It is further revealed that the topological surface states are surprisingly robust against these atomic defects. Our results demonstrate that the electronic properties of NiTe2, especially its topological surface states, are very robust, which may be important for its future applications in microelectronics.
Uncertainty relation based on metric-adjusted skew information with quantum memory
Authors: Ren Ruonan , Li Yongming
Published: December 2022

The uncertainty principle is one of the most essential features of quantum mechanics. Recently, uncertainty relations of skew information have been widely studied. In this paper, general and conditional uncertainty relations based on metric-adjusted skew information are put forward to study the case of the uncertainty relation with the existence of a quantum memory for the bipartite quantum system. These uncertainty relations include the product form and the sum form. The results show that the lower bounds contain two parts: one is characterizing the degree of compatibility of two measurements, and the other one is the quantum correlation between the measured system and the quantum memory. These results may play an important role in witnessing entanglement and quantum key distribution.
Optical parametric oscillator with quantum memory for quantum repeaters
Authors: Akat’ev D O , Kalachev A A
Published: December 2022

We consider preparing entangled states between single photons and quantum memory by combining two-photon source based on spontaneous parametric down-conversion and multiatomic quantum memory in a common resonator. The scheme allows one to minimize the losses while the photon to be stored is propagating from the source to the quantum memory and avoids the need to synchronize their operating wavelength. In this respect, the scheme is analogous to the cavity-enhanced embedded memory within Duan-Lukin-Cirac-Zoller approach, but it remains possible to generate a second photon at the wavelength of the fiber optic communication channel and use various multiplexing methods inherent in multiatomic quantum memory.
Unstable periodic orbits analysis in the Qi system
Authors: Jia Lian , Dong Chengwei , Li Hantao , Sui Xiaohong
Published: December 2022

We use the variational method to extract the short periodic orbits of the Qi system within a certain topological length. The chaotic dynamical behaviors of the Qi system with five equilibria are analyzed by the means of phase portraits, Lyapunov exponents, and Poincaré maps. Based on several periodic orbits with different sizes and shapes, they are encoded systematically with two letters or four letters for two different sets of parameters. The periodic orbits outside the attractor with complex topology are discovered by accident. In addition, the bifurcations of cycles and the bifurcations of equilibria in the Qi system are explored by different methods respectively. In this process, the rule of orbital period changing with parameters is also investigated. The calculation and classification method of periodic orbits in this study can be widely used in other similar low-dimensional dissipative systems.
Impact of annealing temperature on the ferroelectric properties of W/Hf0.5Zr0.5O2/W capacitor
Authors: Wang Dao , Zhang Yan , Guo Yongbin , Shang Zhenzhen , Fu Fangjian , Lu Xubing
Published: December 2022

Crystallization annealing is a crucial process for the formation of the ferroelectric phase in HfO2-based ferroelectric thin films. Here, we systematically investigate the impact of the annealing process, with temperature varied from 350 °C to 550 °C, on the electricity, ferroelectricity and reliability of a Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO; 7.5 nm) film capacitor. It was found that HZO film annealed at a low temperature of 400 °C can effectively suppress the formation of the monoclinic phase and reduce the leakage current. HZO film annealed at 400 °C also exhibits better ferroelectric properties than those annealed at 350 °C and 550 °C. Specifically, the 400 °C-annealed HZO film shows an outstanding 2P
r value of 54.6 μC⋅cm−2 at ± 3.0 MV⋅cm−1, which is relatively high compared with previously reported values for HZO film under the same electric field and annealing temperature. When the applied electric field increases to ± 5.0 MV⋅cm−1, the 2P
r value can reach a maximum of 69.6 μC⋅cm−2. In addition, the HZO films annealed at 400 °C and 550 °C can endure up to bout 2.3 × 108 cycles under a cycling field of 2.0 MV⋅cm−1 before the occurrence of breakdown. In the 400 °C-annealed HZO film, 72.1% of the initial polarization is maintained while only 44.9% is maintained in the 550 °C-annealed HZO film. Our work demonstrates that HZO film with a low crystallization temperature (400 °C) has quite a high ferroelectric polarization, which is of significant importance in applications in ferroelectric memory and negative capacitance transistors.
Explicit K-symplectic methods for nonseparable non-canonical Hamiltonian systems
Authors: Zhu Beibei , Ji Lun , Zhu Aiqing , Tang Yifa
Published: December 2022

We propose efficient numerical methods for nonseparable non-canonical Hamiltonian systems which are explicit, K-symplectic in the extended phase space with long time energy conservation properties. They are based on extending the original phase space to several copies of the phase space and imposing a mechanical restraint on the copies of the phase space. Explicit K-symplectic methods are constructed for two non-canonical Hamiltonian systems. Numerical tests show that the proposed methods exhibit good numerical performance in preserving the phase orbit and the energy of the system over long time, whereas higher order Runge–Kutta methods do not preserve these properties. Numerical tests also show that the K-symplectic methods exhibit better efficiency than that of the same order implicit symplectic, explicit and implicit symplectic methods for the original nonseparable non-canonical systems. On the other hand, the fourth order K-symplectic method is more efficient than the fourth order Yoshida’s method, the optimized partitioned Runge–Kutta and Runge–Kutta–Nyström explicit K-symplectic methods for the extended phase space Hamiltonians, but less efficient than the the optimized partitioned Runge–Kutta and Runge–Kutta–Nyström extended phase space symplectic-like methods with the midpoint permutation.
Nonlinear saturation of reverse shear Alfvén eigenmodes induced by kinetic electrons
Authors: Ye Lei , Chen Yang , Fu Guoyong
Published: December 2022

A strong nonlinear saturation mechanism of the reverse shear Alfvén eigenmode (RSAE) induced by thermal electrons is observed in gyrokinetic

δ

f

particle-in-cell simulation. This nonlinear effect occurs at moderate mode amplitude,

δ

B

⊥

/

B
<

10

−
3

, and is associated with the electron parallel streaming along the perturbed magnetic field lines, the term

v

∥

δ

B

⊥

B

⋅

∇

δ

f

, in the electron drift-kinetic equation. In the case of an n = 4 RSAE, where n is the toroidal mode number, this magnetic fluttering nonlinearity leads to strong mode coupling and broadening of the saturation spectrum. The nonlinear components, which are highly damped through the interaction between thermal electrons and the parallel electric field, modifies the RSAE mode structure and suppresses energetic particle drive significantly. The split-weight scheme (Chen and Parker 2007 J. Comput. Phys.
220 839–55) is used to simulate kinetic electrons.
Dynamics of the τ-Wigner distribution function
Authors: Spisak B J , Wozniak D , Kolaczek D
Published: December 2022

Some of the non-classical distribution functions defined on the phase space can be unified owing to specific parameterization. The latter allows one to think about the general form of the equation of motion (EOM) for such parameterized distribution functions. Motivated by this idea, we derive the EOM for so-called the τ-Wigner distribution function (WDF). This parameterization directly results from a modification of the linear transformation of the spatial variables which is used to derive the original WDF and its EOM. The derived equation is analytically solved for the case of linear potential. The point symmetries of this last equation are also analyzed.
Youth movements, intergenerational justice, and climate litigation in the deep time context of the Anthropocene
Authors: Kotzé Louis J , Knappe Henrike
Published: December 2022

After decades of ineffective state-led global climate governance that has been dominated by mostly short-term Northern political and corporate interests, we are now witnessing an increased recognition of the planetary scale of the climate crisis and its impacts on present and future life on Earth. The Anthropocene is argued to be the new geological epoch and is associated with fast-approaching planetary boundaries and a new understanding of promethean humans as a powerful geological force. The Anthropocene introduces a new context for thinking about the climate crisis and its associated multiple patterns of differentially distributed injustices, including the temporal aspects of justice. At the same time, the climate crisis prompts the need to embark on new strategies to ensure a safe and just operating space for all present and future generations within planetary limits. While traditionally marginalized in national, regional and United Nations political fora, and largely ignored by the high rhetoric of multilateral environmental agreements that have been unable to operationalize intergenerational justice in day-to-day governance, young people are now actively claiming their position as representatives of present and future generations. They do so through protests, but also through more formal avenues to deliberately assert claims for intergenerational justice. One increasingly popular and often successful strategy is climate litigation. In this paper, we explore the shift in understanding and the practicing of intergenerational justice in the deep time context of the Anthropocene, and how young people are becoming more powerful political actors that use climate litigation to ensure intergenerational justice. We briefly reflect on the 2021 decision of the German Constitutional Court in Neubauer et al versus Germany as an example of successful youth-led climate litigation.
Understanding the growth mechanism of BaZrS3 chalcogenide perovskite thin films from sulfurized oxide precursors
Authors: Ramanandan Santhanu Panikar , Giunto Andrea , Stutz Elias Z , Reynier Benoît , Lefevre Iléane Tiphaine Françoise Marie , Rusu Marin , Schorr Susan , Unold Thomas , Fontcuberta I Morral Anna , Márquez José A , Dimitrievska Mirjana
Published: December 2022

Barium zirconium sulfide (BaZrS3) is an earth-abundant and environmentally friendly chalcogenide perovskite with promising properties for various energy conversion applications. Recently, sulfurization of oxide precursors has been suggested as a viable solution for effective synthesis, especially from the perspective of circumventing the difficulty of handling alkali earth metals. In this work, we explore in detail the synthesis of BaZrS3 from Ba-Zr-O oxide precursor films sulfurized at temperatures ranging from 700 °C to 1000 °C. We propose a formation mechanism of BaZrS3 based on a two-step reaction involving an intermediate amorphization step of the BaZrO3 crystalline phase. We show how the diffusion of sulfur (S) species in the film is the rate-limiting step of this reaction. The processing temperature plays a key role in determining the total fraction of conversion from oxide to sulfide phase at a constant flow rate of the sulfur-containing H2S gas used as a reactant. Finally, we observe the formation of stoichiometric BaZrS3 (1:1:3), even under Zr-rich precursor conditions, with the formation of ZrO2 as a secondary phase. This marks BaZrS3 quite unique among the other types of chalcogenides, such as chalcopyrites and kesterites, which can instead accommodate quite a large range of non-stoichiometric compositions. This work opens up a pathway for further optimization of the BaZrS3 synthesis process, straightening the route towards future applications of this material.
Grinding temperature and its consequences on induced residual stresses during grinding of nickel-based superalloys: a review
Authors: Gupta Shambhu Nath , Chak Sanjay Kumar
Published: December 2022

Considering the high tool wear and time limits for the machining of tough-to-machine materials, the grinding process is economically preferred over traditional milling, turning, and drilling procedures. The grinding process offers a more refined surface finish, high tolerances and is suitable for machining difficult-to-machine materials like nickel-based superalloy. High-Temperature application components used for aerospace industries always impose thermal problems due to their high corrosion resistance and low thermal conductivity which largely influence the surface integrity during machining of nickel-based superalloys. Various techniques for grinding temperature measurement in the contact zone of wheel-workpiece and the effects of process parameters on grinding temperature and induced residual stresses are described in this paper. A comprehensive review has been carried out to control thermal damage due to high heat generation and its correlations with the induced residual stress on the ground surface during grinding of Ni-based superalloys by optimizing the grinding parameters.
Aligning sustainability and regional earthquake hazard mitigation planning: integrating greenhouse gas emissions and vertical equity
Authors: Kavvada Ioanna , Moura Scott , Horvath Arpad
Published: December 2022

Concerns about the potential economic consequences of earthquakes have increased in recent years as scientifically based probabilities of future earthquakes in many large urban areas have risen. These hazards disproportionately impact low-income communities as wealth disparities limit their capacity to prepare and recover from potentially disastrous events. In addition to major economic losses, the activities related to building recovery result in significant greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change. This article develops a framework that quantifies the complex relationships between pre-earthquake retrofit activities and their economic, environmental and equity implications to promote informed decision-making, using the city of San Francisco, California as a case study. This research consists of two sections. In the first section, a bi-objective optimization model is proposed to identify optimal earthquake risk mitigation policies to minimize total earthquake-related economic and environmental costs, simultaneously. Decisions entail the seismic retrofit, combined seismic and energy retrofit or complete reconstruction of building-type groups. The benefits of increased energy efficiency of the upgraded buildings are incorporated to evaluate decisions from a holistic perspective. In the second section, the model is extended to address the issue of inequitable budget allocation from a public-sector perspective. Vertical equity considerations are incorporated as an optimization constraint to distribute available resources aiming to limit the discrepancy of expected losses as a fraction of income between households across income groups. The tradeoff between equity and economic efficiency is explored. Results show that life-cycle environmental impacts constitute an informative performance metric to regional risk mitigation decision-makers, in addition to the more customarily used monetary losses. Although construction costs primarily dictate optimal decisions from an economic perspective, energy considerations largely impact optimal decisions from an environmental perspective.
Volumetric Tissue Imaging of Surgical Tissue Specimens Using Micro–Computed Tomography: An Emerging Digital Pathology Modality for Nondestructive, Slide-Free Microscopy—Clinical Applications of Digital Pathology in 3 Dimensions
Authors: Papazoglou Andreas S , Karagiannidis Efstratios , Liatsos Alexandros , Bompoti Andreana , Moysidis Dimitrios V , Arvanitidis Christos , Tsolaki Fani , Tsagkaropoulos Sokratis , Theocharis Stamatios , Tagarakis Georgios , Michaelson James S , Herrmann Markus D
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Micro–computed tomography (micro-CT) is a novel, nondestructive, slide-free digital imaging modality that enables the acquisition of high-resolution, volumetric images of intact surgical tissue specimens. The aim of this systematic mapping review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the available literature on clinical applications of micro-CT tissue imaging and to assess its relevance and readiness for pathology practice.

Methods

A computerized literature search was performed in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL databases. To gain insight into regulatory and financial considerations for performing and examining micro-CT imaging procedures in a clinical setting, additional searches were performed in medical device databases.

Results

Our search identified 141 scientific articles published between 2000 and 2021 that described clinical applications of micro-CT tissue imaging. The number of relevant publications is progressively increasing, with the specialties of pulmonology, cardiology, otolaryngology, and oncology being most commonly concerned. The included studies were mostly performed in pathology departments. Current micro-CT devices have already been cleared for clinical use, and a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code exists for reimbursement of micro-CT imaging procedures.

Conclusions

Micro-CT tissue imaging enables accurate volumetric measurements and evaluations of entire surgical specimens at microscopic resolution across a wide range of clinical applications.
Implementation of radio-frequency identification technology to optimize medication inventory management in the intraoperative setting
Authors: Wilke Carlie , Bowden Ashley , Sanders Tom , Nickman Nancy A , Ashmead Payson
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Manual restocking and tracking of noncontrolled medications in anesthesia workstations (AWSs) is complicated and time intensive, provides several opportunities for error, and lacks perpetual inventory transparency regarding expiration and lot number. This pre-post study assessed the impact of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology on restocking of noncontrolled medications in AWSs in relation to workflow, improved patient safety due to reduced restocking errors, and restocking accuracy and efficiency, as well as the estimated costs of on-site medication RFID tagging versus purchase of pretagged products.

Pre- and postimplementation process steps were mapped. Randomized AWS tray audits were conducted to assess patient safety, and AWS tray restocking efficiency was measured through stopwatch studies. Time and costs associated with purchase of manufacturer RFID tagged medications versus manually tagging medications on-site were estimated. Pre-post comparisons were completed using descriptive statistics. Prior to implementation, manual AWS restocking took a mean (SD) of 37.9 (24.7) seconds (range, 4.6-135.9 seconds), compared to 145.9 (50.6) seconds (range, 43.4-314.3 seconds) after implementation. The automated workflow took technicians an average of 108 seconds (1.8 minutes) longer than the baseline time. However, restocking errors were reduced by 64.7% and outdated and missing medications eliminated. Manually applying tags to packages containing 25 vials took a mean (SD) of 174.8 (19.8) seconds (range, 131-218 seconds) for smaller vials, compared to 128.1 (21.6) seconds (range, 102-166 seconds) for larger vials. Manual tag application was also more expensive than purchasing of pretagged vials.

Conclusion

Automated RFID technology for AWS restocking decreased restocking errors but increased the length of time to complete the restocking process.
Quantum Guess and Determine Attack on Stream Ciphers
Authors: Ding Lin , Wu Zheng , Zhang Guixian , Shi Tairong
Published: December 2022

To guarantee the security of symmetric key schemes against quantum adversary, developing quantum cryptanalytic techniques becomes a major worldwide challenge in the post-quantum world. In this paper, we present a general framework of classical guess and determine attack on stream ciphers, and then convert it into quantum guess and determine attack. It shows that, for a given stream cipher with a key size of $k$ bits and an internal state size of $n$ bits, if a basic guess and determine attack with a time complexity below $O ( {{{2}^{{3k}/{2}}}}/{n} )$ is available, there is a quantum guess and determine attack with multiple data that can recover all $n$ internal state bits of the cipher with complexity below $O ( {{2^{k / 2}}} )$. As applications, we present quantum guess and determine attacks on the SNOW-like stream ciphers. The results show that all of SNOW 1.0 with 128-bit key, SNOW 2.0 with 128-bit key and SOSEMANUK are insecure against quantum guess and determine attack. The resource requirements for implementing a quantum guess and determine attack on SNOW 3G are evaluated as a case study. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the general quantum guess and determine attack is formally proposed and applied to the SNOW-like stream ciphers.
Stellate ganglion blockade combined with nifekalant for patients with electrical storm: a case report
Authors: Kiyohara Takuya , Sakaguchi Kenta , Maeda Daichi , Hoshiga Masaaki
Published: December 2022

Background

Although both stellate ganglion blockade and nifekalant are effective treatment options for electrical storm, the clinical effect of their combination is uncertain.

Case summary

A 71-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital with acute myocardial infarction and heart failure. Emergency coronary angiography revealed triple-vessel disease. Although coronary artery bypass grafting was planned, the patient experienced electrical storm before the surgery could be performed. Despite complete revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention, mechanical circulatory support and administration of antiarrhythmic agents (amiodarone and lidocaine), electrical storm was not controlled. After stellate ganglion blockade was initiated on the 9th day of hospitalization, ventricular arrhythmia decreased. However, when stellate ganglion blockade was temporarily discontinued, ventricular arrhythmia increased substantially. Subsequently, combination therapy with stellate ganglion blockade and nifekalant was initiated, after which ventricular arrhythmia disappeared completely. Afterwards, the patient had no further ventricular arrhythmia episodes, and his haemodynamic status gradually improved. The patient was discharged from hospital in an ambulatory condition and did not experience arrhythmia during the follow-up.

Discussion

This case demonstrates that combination therapy with stellate ganglion blockade and nifekalant can completely suppress ventricular arrhythmia, suggesting that blocking multiple conduction pathways is a key to treating refractory electrical storm.
Diastolic heart failure is a new clinical entity of trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity: a case report
Authors: Fujita Kana , Matsumoto Kensuke , Kishi Atsuhiko , Kawasaki Satoru
Published: December 2022

Background

Cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is defined as a decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of >10% to a value below the lower limit of normal or relative reduction in global longitudinal strain (GLS) >15% from baseline after cancer treatment. However, the possibility of the development of isolated diastolic dysfunction has never been considered in the clinical presentation of CTRCD.

Case summary

An 81-year-old woman was admitted to our institution presenting with prominent bilateral leg oedema, orthopnoea, and 8 kg of weight gain after administration of the anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) antibody, trastuzumab, for HER-2-positive breast cancer. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a preserved LVEF of 62% without a significant reduction in GLS compared with results obtained before anti-HER-2 targeted therapy. Doppler echocardiography distinctly revealed a newly developed significant left ventricular diastolic dysfunction with evidence of elevated filling pressure. After successful achievement of volume reduction, the patient underwent cardiac catheter examination, revealing an elevated pulmonary artery wedge pressure of 18 mmHg. Subsequently, trastuzumab was discontinued and the patient was treated with diuretics, arteriodilators, and venodilators, until the signs and symptoms of heart failure completely disappeared.

Discussion

In the management of CTRCD, including pretreatment screening, cardiotoxicity monitoring, follow-up after anti-cancer agents, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the therapy, too much emphasis has been paid exclusively to the development of systolic dysfunction; however, perspectives for diastolic dysfunction may be needed. A comprehensive multidisciplinary team approach composed of breast surgeons, oncologists, onco-cardiologists, and echocardiography specialists is required.
On the strategic use of product modularity for market entry
Authors: Arrieta Jose Pablo , Fontana Roberto , Brusoni Stefano
Published: December 2022

We model the conditions under which firms should enter the market with modular products that support multiple standards instead of an integral product that supports a single standard. Product modularity enables firms to broaden their portfolios and increase their chances of investing in the “right” technologies early in a technology cycle. Entry with integral products instead occurs later in the cycle. We test the model’s predictions on a sample of the Local Area Network industry entrants during the 1990s.
Effects of poverty on mental health in the UK working-age population: causal analyses of the UK Household Longitudinal Study
Authors: Thomson Rachel M , Kopasker Daniel , Leyland Alastair , Pearce Anna , Katikireddi S Vittal
Published: December 2022

Background

Addressing poverty through taxation or welfare policies is likely important for public mental health; however, few studies assess poverty’s effects using causal epidemiology. We estimated the effect of poverty on mental health.

Methods

We used data on working-age adults (25–64 years) from nine waves of the UK Household Longitudinal Survey (2009–19; n = 45 497/observations = 202 207 following multiple imputation). We defined poverty as a household equivalized income <60% median, and the outcome likely common mental disorder (CMD) as a General Health Questionnaire-12 score ≥4. We used double-robust marginal structural modelling with inverse probability of treatment weights to generate absolute and relative effects. Supplementary analyses separated transitions into/out of poverty, and stratified by gender, education, and age. We quantified potential impact through population attributable fractions (PAFs) with bootstrapped standard errors.

Results

Good balance of confounders was achieved between exposure groups, with 45 830 observations (22.65%) reporting poverty. The absolute effect of poverty on CMD prevalence was 2.15% [%-point change; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.45, 2.84]; prevalence in those unexposed was 20.59% (95% CI 20.29%, 20.88%), and the odds ratio was 1.17 (95% CI 1.12, 1.24). There was a larger absolute effect for transitions into poverty [2.46% (95% CI 1.56, 3.36)] than transitions out of poverty [–1.49% (95% CI –2.46, –0.53)]. Effects were also slightly larger in women than men [2.34% (95% CI 1.41, 3.26) versus 1.73% (95% CI 0.72, 2.74)]. The PAF for moving into poverty was 6.34% (95% CI 4.23, 8.45).

Conclusions

PAFs derived from our causal estimates suggest moves into poverty account for just over 6% of the burden of CMD in the UK working-age population, with larger effects in women.
Retinoic acid receptor activity is required for the maintenance of type 1 innate lymphoid cells
Authors: Asahi Takuma , Abe Shinya , Tajika Yuya , Rodewald Hans-Reimer , Sexl Veronika , Takeshima Hiroshi , Ikuta Koichi
Published: December 2022

Group 1 innate lymphoid cells (G1-ILCs) are innate immune effectors critical for the response to intracellular pathogens and tumors. G1-ILCs comprise circulating natural killer (NK) cells and tissue-resident type 1 ILCs (ILC1s). ILC1s mainly reside in barrier tissues and provide the initial sources of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) to prime the protecting responses against infections, which are followed by the response of recruited NK cells. Despite such distribution differences, whether local environmental factors influence the behavior of NK cells and ILC1s is unclear. Here, we show that the signaling of retinoic acid (RA), active metabolites of vitamin A, is essential for the maintenance of ILC1s in the periphery. Mice expressing RARα403, a truncated form of retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) that exerts dominant negative activity, in a lymphoid cell- or G1-ILC-specific manner showed remarkable reductions of peripheral ILC1s while NK cells were unaffected. Lymphoid cell-specific inhibition of RAR activity resulted in the reduction of PD-1+ ILC progenitors (ILCPs), but not of common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs), suggesting the impaired commitment and differentiation of ILC1s. Transcriptome analysis revealed that RARα403-expressing ILC1s exhibited impaired proliferative states and declined expression of effector molecules. Thus, our findings demonstrate that cell-intrinsic RA signaling is required for the homeostasis and the functionality of ILC1s, which may present RA as critical environmental cue targeting local type 1 immunity against infection and cancer.
The madness of misperceptions: evaluating the ways anger contributes to misinformed beliefs
Authors: Carnahan Dustin , Ahn Suhwoo , Turner Monique Mitchell
Published: December 2022

Drawing from established theoretical traditions in cognitive consistency, motivated reasoning, heuristic–systematic processing, and the anger-activism model, we extend existing work linking anger with misperceptions by specifying three distinct ways anger might contribute to the formation of misperceptions: Increasing reliance on partisan heuristics, influencing political information-seeking behavior, and moderating the influence of partisan media exposure. Analyzing data from an original survey administered nationally via Qualtrics Panels during the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in January 2020, results indicate that high-anger partisans were more likely to express belief in claims supportive of their party and critical of the other party, regardless of the veracity of those claims. Further, anger was also linked with greater use of pro-attitudinal information sources and avoidance of counterattitudinal sources, with these differences in partisan media consumption subsequently influencing factual beliefs. However, we found no evidence that anger moderated the relationship between partisan media exposure and factual beliefs. We explore the implications of these findings in a political era defined increasingly by the experience of anger.
18F-FDG PET/CT scan standardised uptake value (SUV) score for diagnosis, staging and monitoring malignancy in spinal melanotic schwannoma
Authors: Haleem Shahnawaz , Mahmoud Mohamed H , Singh Kainth Gurvinder , Botchu Rajesh , Hassan Md Faizul
Published: December 2022

Melanotic schwannoma (MS) is a rare nerve sheath neuroectodermal neoplasm. We highlight the use of F18-fluorodeoxyglucose positive emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) standardised uptake value (SUV) results in the diagnosis, staging and monitoring of spinal MS. A 58-year-old female patient had a 6-month history of left leg pain (S1) and no skin lesions. Magnetic resonance imaging reported a possible schwannoma with CT-guided biopsy, indicating a metastatic malignant melanoma. 18F-FDG PET/CT scan revealed only sacral destruction and an SUV score of 3.6. Histopathology results confirmed a malignant melanotic peripheral nerve sheath tumour (schwannoma). In MS, the 18F-FDG PET/CT scan SUV cut-off point can be used to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions, whereas (SUVmax) can predict the histologic response and therefore useful as a ‘screening test’. Our case highlights the increased uptake on PET/CT by melanocytic variant of neurogenic tumours and clinicians need to be aware of this.
Plant terminators: the unsung heroes of gene expression
Authors: de Felippes Felipe F , Waterhouse Peter M
Published: December 2022

To be properly expressed, genes need to be accompanied by a terminator, a region downstream of the coding sequence that contains the information necessary for the maturation of the mRNA 3ʹ end. The main event in this process is the addition of a poly(A) tail at the 3ʹ end of the new transcript, a critical step in mRNA biology that has important consequences for the expression of genes. Here, we review the mechanism leading to cleavage and polyadenylation of newly transcribed mRNAs and how this process can affect the final levels of gene expression. We give special attention to an aspect often overlooked, the effect that different terminators can have on the expression of genes. We also discuss some exciting findings connecting the choice of terminator to the biogenesis of small RNAs, which are a central part of one of the most important mechanisms of regulation of gene expression in plants.
Growth dynamics of brain metastases differentiate radiation necrosis from recurrence
Authors: Ocaña-Tienda Beatriz , Pérez-Beteta Julián , Molina-García David , Asenjo Beatriz , Ortiz de Mendivil Ana , Albillo David , Pérez-Romasanta Luís A , González del Portillo Elisabeth , Llorente Manuel , Carballo Natalia , Arana Estanislao , Pérez-García Víctor M
Published: December 2022

Background

Radiation necrosis (RN) is a frequent adverse event after fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) or single-session stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatment of brain metastases (BMs). It is difficult to distinguish RN from progressive disease (PD) due to their similarities in the magnetic resonance images. Previous theoretical studies have hypothesized that RN could have faster, although transient, growth dynamics after FSRT/SRS, but no study has proven that hypothesis using patient data. Thus, we hypothesized that lesion size time dynamics obtained from growth laws fitted with data from sequential volumetric measurements on magnetic resonance images may help in discriminating recurrent BMs from RN events.

Methods

A total of 101 BMs from different institutions, growing after FSRT/SRS (60 PDs and 41 RNs) in 86 patients, displaying growth for at least 3 consecutive MRI follow-ups were selected for the study from a database of 1031 BMs. The 3 parameters of the Von Bertalanffy growth law were determined for each BM and used to discriminate statistically PDs from RNs.

Results

Growth exponents in patients with RNs were found to be substantially larger than those of PD, due to the faster, although transient, dynamics of inflammatory processes. Statistically significant differences (P < .001) were found between both groups. The receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC = 0.76) supported the ability of the growth law exponent to classify the events.

Conclusions

Growth law exponents obtained from sequential longitudinal magnetic resonance images after FSRT/SRS can be used as a complementary tool in the differential diagnosis between RN and PD.