bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interdigitated immunoglobulin arrays form the hyperstable surface layer of the extremophilic bacterium
Deinococcus radiodurans
Authors: von Kügelgen Andriko , van Dorst Sofie , Yamashita Keitaro , Sexton Danielle L. , Tocheva Elitza I. , Murshudov Garib , Alva Vikram , Bharat Tanmay A. M.
Published: April 2023

Deinococcus radiodurans
is an atypical diderm bacterium with a remarkable ability to tolerate various environmental stresses, due in part to its complex cell envelope encapsulated within a hyperstable surface layer (S-layer). Despite decades of research on this cell envelope, atomic structural details of the S-layer have remained obscure. In this study, we report the electron cryomicroscopy structure of the
D. radiodurans
S-layer, showing how it is formed by the Hexagonally Packed Intermediate-layer (HPI) protein arranged in a planar hexagonal lattice. The HPI protein forms an array of immunoglobulin-like folds within the S-layer, with each monomer extending into the adjacent hexamer, resulting in a highly interconnected, stable, sheet-like arrangement. Using electron cryotomography and subtomogram averaging from focused ion beam-milled
D. radiodurans
cells, we have obtained a structure of the cellular S-layer, showing how this HPI S-layer coats native membranes on the surface of cells. Our S-layer structure from the diderm bacterium
D. radiodurans
shows similarities to immunoglobulin-like domain-containing S-layers from monoderm bacteria and archaea, highlighting common features in cell surface organization across different domains of life, with connotations on the evolution of immunoglobulin-based molecular recognition systems in eukaryotes.
A regulatory circuit comprising the CBP and SIRT7 regulates FAM134B-mediated ER-phagy
Authors: Wang Xinyi , Jiang Xiao , Li Boran , Zheng Jiahua , Guo Jiansheng , Gao Lei , Du Mengjie , Weng Xialian , Li Lin , Chen She , Zhang Jingzi , Fang Lei , Liu Ting , Wang Liang , Liu Wei , Neculai Dante , Sun Qiming
Published: April 2023

Macroautophagy (autophagy) utilizes a serial of receptors to specifically recognize and degrade autophagy cargoes, including damaged organelles, to maintain cellular homeostasis. Upstream signals spatiotemporally regulate the biological functions of selective autophagy receptors through protein post-translational modifications (PTM) such as phosphorylation. However, it is unclear how acetylation directly controls autophagy receptors in selective autophagy. Here, we report that an ER-phagy receptor FAM134B is acetylated by CBP acetyltransferase, eliciting intense ER-phagy. Furthermore, FAM134B acetylation promoted CAMKII-mediated phosphorylation to sustain a mode of milder ER-phagy. Conversely, SIRT7 deacetylated FAM134B to temper its activities in ER-phagy to avoid excessive ER degradation. Together, this work provides further mechanistic insights into how ER-phagy receptor perceives environmental signals for fine-tuning of ER homeostasis and demonstrates how nucleus-derived factors are programmed to control ER stress by modulating ER-phagy.
PI(4,5)P2 regulates the gating of NaV1.4 channels
Authors: Gada Kirin D. , Kamuene Jordie M. , Chandrashekar Aishwarya , Kissell R. Charles , Yauch Anne K. , Plant Leigh D.
Published: April 2023

Voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels are densely expressed in most excitable cells and activate in response to depolarization, causing a rapid influx of Na+ ions that initiates the action potential. The voltage-dependent activation of NaV channels is followed almost instantaneously by fast inactivation, setting the refractory period of excitable tissues. The gating cycle of NaV channels is subject to tight regulation, with perturbations leading to a range of pathophysiological states. The gating properties of most ion channels are regulated by the membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol (4,5) bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2). However, it is not known whether PI(4,5)P2 modulates the activity of NaV channels. Here, we utilize optogenetics to activate specific, membrane-associated phosphoinositide (PI)-phosphatases that dephosphorylate PI(4,5)P2 while simultaneously recording NaV1.4 channel currents. We show that dephosphorylating PI(4,5)P2 left-shifts the voltage-dependent gating of NaV1.4 to more hyperpolarized membrane potentials, augments the late current that persists after fast inactivation, and speeds the rate at which channels recover from fast inactivation. These effects are opposed by exogenous diC8PI(4,5)P2. We provide evidence that PI(4,5)P2 is a negative regulator that tunes the gating behavior of NaV1.4 channels.
High-reliability circular-contact RF MEMS switches in silicon hermetic package
Authors: Jiang Lili , Ma Ning , Wang Lifeng , Huang Xiaodong
Published: April 2023

This paper presents a highly reliable direct-contact electrostatic RF MEMS switch. To enhance the reliability, the contact structure of the switch is designed into a circular shape, and the bottom contact surface is covered by a hard metal Pt layer. In addition, a high resistance silicon cap is used for hermetic packaging of the switch structure. By theoretical calculation and FEM simulation, parameters of the switch structure as well as its packaging are co-designed and optimized. During fabrication, the circular contact structure is formed by a three-step etching process; and after fabrication, the silicon hermetic packaging is realized by epoxy bonding and multi-step dicing process. The measured insertion loss and isolation of the switch with package is −0.41@20 GHz, and −20.9@20 GHz. Due to the optimized design, the RF performance of the switch remains almost unchanged before and after packaging. The measured driving voltage is 50–60 V, and the ON/OFF switching time is 25 μs/5 μs. The lifetime test shows that the switch passes the 2.6 billion times hot switching at the working power of 25 dBm. Finally, the switch also shows good performances in package leak rate test.
Photoluminescence properties of Cu-poor Cu2Sn1−
x
Ge
x
S3 thin films with varying Ge/(Ge+Sn) ratio
Authors: Kanai Ayaka , Hata Ryoma , Sugiyama Mutsumi , Tanaka Kunihiko
Published: April 2023

This study investigates the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Cu2Sn1−x
Ge
x
S3 (CTGS) thin films, which are currently the most suitable composition ratio for high-efficiency absorbers through low temperature-PL measurements to reveal the effects of the x ratio on defect properties of CTGS thin films. The PL spectrum of Cu2SnS3 (CTS) thin films with x= 0.00 exhibits five peaks at 0.782, 0.832, 0.862, 0.885, and 0.933 eV. Moreover, all PL peak positions in the CTGS thin films shift to higher energies with increasing x ratios because the defect levels in the films changed with an increase in the x ratio. Moreover, we obtain the estimated activation energy (E
a) values of the CTS thin films with x = 0.00 ranging from 6 to 20 meV. The E
a values of CTGS are similar to those of the CTGS thin films, even at x ratios of up to 0.19 in CTGS thin films. The increasing x ratio in CTGS thin films does not influence the acceptor in CTGS. Therefore, the CTGS is advantageous as an absorption layer in solar cells rather than a CTS because E
g can be large while maintaining a shallow acceptor. Hence, CTGS can be expected to be increasingly used like CuIn1−x
Ga
x
Se2 and Cu2ZnSnS4 as next-generation absorption materials.
Search for leptophilic dark matter at the LHeC
Authors: Huang Guo-yuan , Jana Sudip , de Jesus Álvaro S , Queiroz Farinaldo S , Rodejohann Werner
Published: April 2023

The Large Hadron electron Collider (LHeC) has been designed to push the field of deep inelastic scattering to the high energy and intensity frontier using an intense electron beam with a proton beam from the High Luminosity–Large Hadron Collider. However, LHeC is also a great laboratory for new physics. In this work, we propose a search for dark matter that couples with leptons. This may yield

ej
+

E

and

μ
j
+

E

signals that can be potentially observed through simple missing-energy cuts that suppress the Standard Model background. Considering direct dark matter detection and LHC constraints, we show that LHeC offers a complementary probe for a weak scale dark matter fermion for masses up to 350 GeV, which reproduces the correct relic density, and has interesting implications for lepton flavor violation.
Magnetoelectric tuning of spin, valley, and layer-resolved anomalous Nernst effect in transition-metal dichalcogenides bilayers
Authors: Hajati Yaser , Alipourzadeh Mohammad , Berakdar Jamal
Published: April 2023

The anomalous Nernst coefficient (ANC) for transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) bilayers is studied with a focus on the interplay between layer pseudospin, spin, and valley degrees of freedom when electric and exchange fields are present. Breaking the inversion and time reversal symmetries via respectively electric and exchange fields results for bilayer TMDs in a spin-valley-layer polarized total ANC. Conditions are determined for controlling the spin, valley, and layer-resolved contributions via electric field tuning. Our results demonstrate the control of layer degree of freedom in bilayer TMDs magnetoelectrically which is of relevance for possible applications in spin/valley caloritronics.
Spin and current transport in the robust half-metallic magnet c-CoFeGe
Authors: Chaudhary Vikrant , Singh Sapna , Gujjar Deepak , Nautiyal Tashi , Maitra Tulika , van den Brink Jeroen , Kandpal Hem C
Published: April 2023

Spintronics is an emerging form of electronics based on the electrons’ spin degree of freedom for which materials with robust half-metallic ferromagnet character are very attractive. Here we determine the structural stability, electronic, magnetic, and mechanical properties of the half-Heusler (hH) compound CoFeGe, in particular also in its cubic form. The first-principles calculations suggest that the electronic structure is robust with 100% spin polarization at the Fermi level under hydrostatic pressure and uni-axial strain. Both the longitudinal and Hall current polarization are calculated and the longitudinal current polarization (

P

L

) is found to be

>

99
%

and extremely robust under uniform pressure and uni-axial strain. The anomalous Hall conductivity and spin Hall conductivity of hH cubic CoFeGe (c-CoFeGe) are found to be

∼

−
100

S cm−1 and

∼

39
 
ℏ

/

e

S cm−1, respectively. Moreover, the Curie temperature of the alloy is calculated to be ∼524 K with a 3

μ

B

magnetic moment. Lastly, the calculated mechanical properties indicate that c-CoFeGe is ductile and mechanically stable with a bulk modulus of ≈154 GPa. Overall, this analysis reveals that cubic CoFeGe is a robust half-metallic ferromagnet and an interesting material for spintronic applications.
Bearing fault-induced feature enhancement via adaptive multi-band denoising model
Authors: Zhao Lijuan , Zhang Long , Zhang Hao , Hu Yanqing
Published: April 2023

To accurately extract the bearing fault-induced impulse features from the vibration signals corrupted by heavy noise and large-amplitude random impulses, an adaptive multi-band denoising model based on the Morlet wavelet filter and sparse representation is put forward. First, to locate the desired frequency band associated with fault components, the Morlet wavelet filter is employed to band-pass the signal from the perspective of the frequency-domain. Herein, an improved Protrugram-based index, termed as windowed envelope spectral kurtosis, is designed as the objective function to choose the optimal center frequency and the bandwidth of the Morlet wavelet filter. Furthermore, benefitting from the time-domain characteristics of the vibration signal, the in-band noise is eliminated by sparse representation. One of the critical parameters (resonance frequency) of the wavelet atom used in the sparse representation dictionary is directly taken as the center frequency of the Morlet wavelet filter, which makes full use of the information derived from the filter, and thus significantly improves the calculation efficiency. Finally, the recovery signal is demodulated by the Hilbert transform to extract the fault characteristic frequency. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are demonstrated through a complete analysis of the simulated, experimental, and engineering signals, as well as a comparison with such prevalent methods as Kurtogram, individual sparse representation, and Morlet wavelet filter combined with the maximum correlation kurtosis deconvolution.
Self-sensing GFRP-reinforced concrete beams containing carbon nanotube-nano carbon black composite fillers
Authors: Qiu Liangsheng , Ding Siqi , Wang Danna , Han Baoguo
Published: April 2023

This study investigated the self-sensing behavior of nonconductive glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced concrete beam incorporated with electrostatic self-assembly carbon nanotube-nano carbon black (CNT-NCB) composite fillers (CNCFs) under monotonic and cyclic flexural loadings. The CNCFs feature synergistic effect of long-range conduction for fibrous CNTs and short-range conduction for granular NCBs, as well as their good dispersibility. Self-sensing signals in the compression and tension zones of the concrete beams were synchronously recorded through embedding stainless steel gauze electrodes in these sensing zones. Experimental results showed that incorporating CNCFs can achieve low and stable electrical resistivity (ranging from 33 to 76 Ω‧cm) for the concrete beams. Under monotonic flexural loading, the largest resistivity variation was observed in the case of concrete beam with 1.8 vol.% CNCFs, and the magnitude of fractional changes in resistivity (FCR) reached nearly 286%. Moreover, FCR in tension zone was more pronounced than that in compression zone. Under cyclic flexural loading, high self-sensing repeatability and stability of FCR variation with strain were obtained for all the concrete beams, and concrete beam with 2.0 vol.% CNCFs demonstrated the optimum self-sensing capability for its highest strain sensitivity of 322.7. Consequently, by measuring FCR of concrete beams with CNCFs and replacing metallic steel reinforcement with nonconductive GFRP bars which have the benefits of avoiding short circuit or electric field disturbance inside self-sensing concrete, in-situ monitoring the strain and damage accumulation of concrete components can be achieved.
An incremental LiDAR/POS online calibration method
Authors: Fan Xiaoyun , Tang Jian , Wen Jingren , Xu Xintong , Liu Hui
Published: April 2023

Extrinsic Calibration between LiDAR and POS (position and orientation system) is a fundamental prerequisite for varieties of MLS (mobile laser scanner) applications. Due to the sparse structure of LiDAR data, the current calibration methods relying on common point feature matching are unreliable, and the low accuracy POS results make the extrinsic calibration of MLS system more challenging. In this paper, we propose an incremental estimation method of six degree of freedom extrinsic transformation of LiDAR and POS. Firstly, the POS-SLAM is used to accumulate LiDAR scans as online sub maps. Attitudes of the carrier are calculated by using GNSS/INS loose combination method of bidirectional adjustment, and scans are associated with sub map based on the time interpolation. Then, the extrinsic calibration parameters are estimated by optimizing corresponding points difference between SLAM and MLS coordinate frame. Finally, field tests have been conducted to the proposed method. RMS between the map by the calibrated MLS and by the static measurement is 0.57 cm. The results demonstrate that the accuracy and robustness of our calibration approach are sufficient for mapping requirement of MLS.
Parallel simulation via SPPARKS of on-lattice kinetic and Metropolis Monte Carlo models for materials processing
Authors: Mitchell John A , Abdeljawad Fadi , Battaile Corbett , Garcia-Cardona Cristina , Holm Elizabeth A , Homer Eric R , Madison Jon , Rodgers Theron M , Thompson Aidan P , Tikare Veena , Webb Ed , Plimpton Steven J
Published: April 2023

SPPARKS is an open-source parallel simulation code for developing and running various kinds of on-lattice Monte Carlo models at the atomic or meso scales. It can be used to study the properties of solid-state materials as well as model their dynamic evolution during processing. The modular nature of the code allows new models and diagnostic computations to be added without modification to its core functionality, including its parallel algorithms. A variety of models for microstructural evolution (grain growth), solid-state diffusion, thin film deposition, and additive manufacturing (AM) processes are included in the code. SPPARKS can also be used to implement grid-based algorithms such as phase field or cellular automata models, to run either in tandem with a Monte Carlo method or independently. For very large systems such as AM applications, the Stitch I/O library is included, which enables only a small portion of a huge system to be resident in memory. In this paper we describe SPPARKS and its parallel algorithms and performance, explain how new Monte Carlo models can be added, and highlight a variety of applications which have been developed within the code.
Multifunctional ZnO nanostructures: a next generation nanomedicine for cancer therapy, targeted drug delivery, bioimaging, and tissue regeneration
Authors: Gupta Jagriti , Hassan P A , Barick K C
Published: April 2023

Zinc oxide nanostructures (ZnO NSs) are one of the most versatile and promising metal oxides having significant importance in biomedical fields, especially for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. ZnO possesses unique physio-chemical and biological properties such as photo-chemical stability, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, biocompatibility, higher targeting capability, and ROS-triggered cytotoxicity. These ZnO NSs have enhanced potential for various biomedical applications such as cancer therapy, drug delivery, bioimaging, tissue engineering, etc. Furthermore, ZnO possesses excellent luminescent properties that make it useful for bioimaging and image-guided targeted drug delivery, thereby reducing the unwanted side effects of chemotherapeutic agents. Besides, these characteristics, enhanced permeability and retention effect, electrostatic interaction, ROS production, and pH-dependent dissolution of ZnO also make it potential aspirant as therapeutic that are suggested as key parameters for cytotoxic and cell death mechanisms via apoptosis, autophagy, and mitophagy mechanisms. Here, the recent progress and advances of ZnO NSs in bioimaging, drug delivery, and tissue engineering are discussed along with the advantages, limitations, and future advancement for biological applications.
Thermo-desorption measurements during N-doped Ge-rich Ge2Sb2Te5 crystallization
Authors: Remondina J , Portavoce A , Bertoglio M , Roland G , Petroni E , Benoit D , Le Friec Y , Lorut F , Putero M
Published: April 2023

Ge-rich Ge2Sb2Te5 (GGST) is considered as one of the best candidates for industrial phase change memory production. GGST memory cells are generally embedded with Si or Ti nitride layers to prevent oxidation, as it leads to an undesired decrease of the GGST crystallization temperature. Furthermore, GGST films are usually doped with elements such as N, C, O, or Bi, aiming to delay GGST crystallization during the fabrication process as well as during memory cell operation. In this work, ultrahigh vacuum thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) was performed during isochronal annealing of a N-doped GGST film covered by a 10 nm-thick TiN
x
layer. Desorption is observed before GGST crystallization, but the comparison between TDS and in situ x-ray diffraction measurements shows that the main desorption peak, observed between 653 K and 703 K, occurs after GGST full crystallization. The most prominent desorbing species are Ar, N2, H2, and H. These results show that the TiN
x
polycrystalline layer cannot prevent N atoms from leaving the GGST layer during annealing, suggesting a progressive change of the N-doped GGST chemical composition during thermal annealing and crystallization.
Violet phosphorus transmission and photoconductance spectroscopy
Authors: Zhang Bo , Martel Eli , Wang Zhenyu , Zhang Jinying , Szkopek Thomas
Published: April 2023

Violet phosphorus is a semiconducting allotrope of phosphorus with a layered crystalline structure consisting of orthogonally oriented layers of phosphorus chains composed of P2[P8]P2[P9] repeating units. Here, we report optical transmission spectroscopy and photoconductivity measurements of exfoliated flakes of violet phosphorus in the thin-film bulk limit. The violet phosphorus was synthesized by chemical vapour transport, and subsequently protected from oxidation with an inert gas environment. A peak photoconductive responsivity of R = 7 mA W−1 at photon energy 2.8 eV was observed. The spectral dependence of optical transmission and photoconductivity of violet phosphorus leads us to identify optical transitions at van Hove singularities corresponding to energies E
1 = 1.80 ± 0.05 eV and E
2 = 1.95 ± 0.05 eV. Density functional theory was applied to the calculation of violet phosphorus (vP) bandstructure, and a dipole transition analysis shows that optical transitions at the Z and A
0 points of the Brillouin zone are in agreement with experimental observations. Exposure to ambient environmental conditions for several minutes is sufficient to significantly reduce vP photoconductivity, while longer exposure leads to blistering due to oxidation. Thus, a locally inert chemical environment is essential to accessing vP intrinsic optoelectronic properties.
On the topological entropy of (a, b)-continued fraction transformations
Authors: Abrams Adam , Katok Svetlana , Ugarcovici Ilie
Published: April 2023

We study the topological entropy of a two-parameter family of maps related to (a, b)-continued fraction algorithms and prove that it is constant on a square within the parameter space (two vertices of this square correspond to well-studied continued fraction algorithms). The proof uses conjugation to maps of constant slope. We also present experimental evidence that the topological entropy is flexible (i.e. takes any value in a range) on the whole parameter space.
Improved drain lag by reduced surface current in GaN HEMT via an ultrathin HfO2 blanket layer
Authors: Güneş Burak , Ghobadi Amir , Odabasi Oguz , Bütün Bayram , Özbay Ekmel
Published: April 2023

This paper reports the influence of an ultrathin 1.5 nm atomic-layer-deposited HfO2 blanket layer as a gate dielectric on GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) grown on a 4H-SiC substrate. Transistors with a gate length of 250 nm and a source-to-drain distance of 3 µm were manufactured. The proposed technique involves HfO2 deposition at 250 ∘C prior to the gate metallization with no additional lithography steps. This approach reduced the drain lag by 83% compared to the conventional design with no gate dielectric. The HfO2 layer suppressed the parasitic lateral conduction from the gate, reduced surface trapping, and improved gate electrostatics. The manufactured devices exhibited nearly three orders of magnitude decreased surface leakage, better turn-on behavior, and improved cut-off frequency f

T
linearity by 16%. High quality metal-oxide interface formation was confirmed by the conductance method. Results demonstrate that the blanket HfO2 deposition is a promising approach to improve the current dispersion characteristics and gate electrostatics of GaN HEMTs without incurring major changes to the established fabrication techniques.
Bond slip detection of shear interfaces for GFRP and UHPC composite members using piezoceramic smart aggregates
Authors: Qian Hui , Li Fei , Gao Jundong , Liang Penghui , Zhang Pu
Published: April 2023

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) have been more and more widely used in large-scale constructions. Using FRP at the shear and bending section of concrete can increase the strength and fatigue resistance of the concrete members. However, the performance of FRP-UHPC composite structure depends mainly on the interface connection between FRP and UHPC. Therefore, to prevent the bond-slip of FRP-UHPC composite structure from causing destructive structural damage, it is essential to detect the bond-slip of interfaces for providing early warning of composite structures. Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) and concrete can be combined through several interface bond methods to form innovative composite structures. This study experimentally investigated the bond-slip detection of the shear interface of GFRP-concrete composite members using piezoceramic smart aggregates (SAs). Two groups of eight GFRP-concrete composite members with different bond methods were fabricated and tested. Both UHPC and regular concrete materials were considered. Six kinds of bond types were employed, including bolted, epoxy bonded, bonded by GFRP stay-in-plane form and their combinations. The push-out experimental results were analyzed in detail, involving the load versus slip displacement curves and failure modes. Meanwhile, the bond-slip between GFRP and UHPC interfaces was detected by the SA-based active sensing approach. A pair of SAs attached at both sides of each composite member was employed as an actuator and a sensor, respectively. The wavelet packet-based analyses, including the energy indices and damage index, were applied. Using an SA-based active sensing approach, the initiation and development of bond-slip for GFRP and UHPC composite members with different bond methods were successfully captured and quantitatively evaluated.
Particle-like solutions in the generalized SU(2) Proca theory
Authors: Martínez Jhan N. , Rodríguez José F. , Rodríguez Yeinzon , Gómez Gabriel
Published: April 2023

The generalized SU(2) Proca theory is a vector-tensor modified gravity theory where the action is invariant under both diffeomorphisms and global internal transformations of the SU(2) group. This work constitutes the first approach to investigate the physical properties of the theory at astrophysical scales. We have found solutions that naturally generalize the particle-like solutions of the Einstein-Yang-Mills equations, also known as gauge boson stars. Under the requirement that the solutions must be static, asymptotically flat, and globally regular, the t'Hooft-Polyakov magnetic monopole configuration for the vector field rises as one viable possibility. The solutions have been obtained analytically through asymptotic expansions and numerically by solving the boundary value problem. We have found new features in the solutions such as regions with negative effective energy density and imaginary effective charge. We have also obtained a new kind of globally charged solutions for some region in the parameter space of the theory. Furthermore, we have constructed equilibrium sequences and found turning points in some cases. These results hint towards the existence of stable solutions which are absent in the Einstein-Yang-Mills case.
Extinction time in growth models subject to geometric catastrophes
Authors: Vargas Junior Valdivino , Prates Machado Fábio , Roldán-Correa Alejandro
Published: April 2023

Recently, different dispersion strategies in population models subject to geometric catastrophes have been considered as strategies to improve the chance of population’s survival. Such dispersion strategies have been contrasted with the strategy where there is no dispersion, comparing the probabilities of survival. In this article, we contrast survival strategies when extinction occurs almost surely, evaluating which strategy prolongs population’s life span. Our results allow one to analyze what is the best strategy based on parameters as the probability that each individual exposed to catastrophe survives, the growth rate of the colony, the type of dispersion and the spatial restrictions.
Phased human-nature interactions for the past 10 000 years in the Hexi Corridor, China
Authors: Li Yu , Gao Mingjun , Zhang Zhansen , Duan Junjie , Xue Yaxin
Published: April 2023

Located in the eastern section of the ancient Silk Road, the Hexi Corridor is a crucial area where eastern and western civilizations met. Previous studies mainly explore human-nature interactions at a particular period, and there is a lack of phased human-nature interaction studies at long time scales. Here we present the relationships and patterns of interaction between humans and nature in the region over the past 10 000 years and distinguish the stages and mechanisms of interaction, which can be divided into three periods in the region. 10 000–4000 a BP is a period of weak interaction when human activities and natural processes are primarily non-interactive. The evolution of culture advances in its way rather than by environmental changes, and those early cultures do not strongly impact the natural environment. During 4000–2000 a BP, climate change becomes the dominant factor in human adaptation, mitigation, and migration in the region, and extreme short-term changes often impact the social system, intensifying the impact of nature on humans. Therefore, it is a strong interaction period (nature domination). From 2000 to 0 a BP, humans dominate environmental change manifested by surface processes, lake evolution, and regional water resource changes. At the same time, environmental change can backfire on humans, causing a series of social crises. Overall, it is a strong interaction period (human domination). We propose a Hexi model, a weak interaction—strong interaction (nature domination)—strong interaction (human domination) model, validated in other regions of the world for long time scale human-nature interactions.
Fuzzy hyperspheres via confining potentials and energy cutoffs
Authors: Fiore Gaetano
Published: April 2023

We simplify and complete the construction of fully O(D)-equivariant fuzzy spheres

S
Λ
d

, for all dimensions

d
≡
D
−
1

, initiated in Fiore and Pisacane (2018 J. Geom. Phys.
132 423–51). This is based on imposing a suitable energy cutoff on a quantum particle in

R

D

subject to a confining potential well V(r) with a very sharp minimum on the sphere of radius r = 1; the cutoff and the depth of the well diverge with

Λ
∈

N

. As a result, the noncommutative Cartesian coordinates

x
‾

i

generate the whole algebra of observables

on the Hilbert space

; applying polynomials in the

x
‾

i

to any

we recover the whole

. The commutators of the

x
‾

i

are proportional to the angular momentum components, as in Snyder noncommutative spaces.

, as carrier space of a reducible representation of O(D), is isomorphic to the space of harmonic homogeneous polynomials of degree Λ in the Cartesian coordinates of (commutative)

R

D
+
1

, which carries an irreducible representation

π
Λ

of

O
(
D
+
1
)
⊃
O
(
D
)

. Moreover,

is isomorphic to

π
Λ

U
s
o
(
D
+
1
)

. We resp. interpret

,

as fuzzy deformations of the space

of (square integrable) functions on S

d
and of the associated algebra

of observables, because they resp. go to

as Λ diverges (with

ℏ

fixed). With suitable

ℏ
=
ℏ
(
Λ
)

⟶

Λ
→
∞

0

, in the same limit

goes to the (algebra of functions on the) Poisson manifold

T

∗

S
d

; more formally,

yields a fuzzy quantization of a coadjoint orbit of

O
(
D
+
1
)

that goes to the classical phase space

T

∗

S
d

.
Nonreciprocal coupling induced chiral absorption
Authors: Wang Zuojia , Yang Haochen , Jing Liqiao
Published: April 2023

In the past decades, metamaterial absorbers that show customizable absorption and reduced thicknesses have witnessed an impressive success in a variety of applications in light manipulation. Here, we study the nonreciprocal coupling effect between the resonant modes in absorbers and discover a chiral absorption behavior under asymmetric phase coupling. A coupled-mode theory is established to quantitatively analyze the inherent nonreciprocal chiro-optical effects and the degeneration mechanism of chiral resonances for time-reversed breaking absorption is disclosed. A prototype nonreciprocal metamaterial absorber is proposed to achieve perfect absorption in the forward channel and total reflection in the time-reversed channel. Our findings provide an alternative avenue toward spin-selective nonreciprocal photonics.
Symmetry-based computational search for novel binary and ternary 2D materials
Authors: Wang Hai-Chen , Schmidt Jonathan , Marques Miguel A L , Wirtz Ludger , Romero Aldo H
Published: April 2023

We present a symmetry-based systematic approach to explore the structural and compositional richness of two-dimensional materials. We use a ‘combinatorial engine’ that constructs candidate compounds by occupying all possible Wyckoff positions for a certain space group with combinations of chemical elements. These combinations are restricted by imposing charge neutrality and the Pauling test for electronegativities. The structures are then pre-optimized with a specially crafted universal neural-network force-field, before a final step of geometry optimization using density-functional theory is performed. In this way we unveil an unprecedented variety of two-dimensional materials, covering the whole periodic table in more than 30 different stoichiometries of form A
n
B
m
or A
n
B
m
C
k
. Among the discovered structures, we find examples that can be built by decorating nearly all Platonic and Archimedean tessellations as well as their dual Laves or Catalan tilings. We also obtain a rich, and unexpected, polymorphism for some specific compounds. We further accelerate the exploration of the chemical space of two-dimensional materials by employing machine-learning-accelerated prototype search, based on the structural types discovered in the systematic search. In total, we obtain around 6500 compounds, not present in previous available databases of 2D materials, with a distance to the convex hull of thermodynamic stability smaller than 250 meV/atom.
National Ignition Facility demonstrates net fusion energy gain
Authors: Cartlidge Edwin
Published: April 2023

Physicists at the $3.5bn National Ignition Facility in the US have performed a fusion shot that generated more energy from a controlled nuclear fusion reaction than was needed to power the reaction.
Time-frequency dissemination breaks distance record
Authors: Dumé Isabella
Published: April 2023

Physicists have transferred time and frequency information over more than 100 km in free space, far exceeding previous records.
UAE and Japan launch Moon mission
Authors: Gwynne Peter
Published: April 2023

The United Arab Emirates successfully launched its first lunar rover last month from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station as part of a UAE–Japan mission to the Moon.
The mystery of neutrino mass
Authors: Blaustein Richard
Published: April 2023

Laura Marini – a physicist from the Gran Sasso lab in Italy – talks to Richard Blaustein about the ongoing investigation into whether neutrinos are Majorana particles.
Physics must be for everyone
Authors: Müllenbroich Caroline , Croke Sarah
Published: April 2023

Caroline Müllenbroich and Sarah Croke describe how they supported under-represented groups at the 2022 Conference for Undergraduate Women and Non-binary Physicists.
Scientific gaslighting
Authors: Crease Robert P
Published: April 2023

Robert P Crease objects to those who claim – often in popular science books – that science is the one and only road to reality.
Differential Brauer monoids
Authors: Magid Andy
Published: April 2023

The differential Brauer monoid of a differential commutative ring

R
R

is defined. Its elements are the isomorphism classes of differential Azumaya

R
R

algebras with operation from tensor product subject to the relation that two such algebras are equivalent if matrix algebras over them, with entry-wise differentiation, are differentially isomorphic. The fine Bauer monoid, which is a group, is the same thing without the differential requirement. The differential Brauer monoid is then determined from the fine Brauer monoids of

R
R

and

R
D

R^D

and the submonoid of the Brauer monoid whose underlying Azumaya algebras are matrix rings.
Continuous evolution families
Authors: Hoshinaga Shota , Hotta Ikkei , Yanagihara Hiroshi
Published: April 2023

Recently in relation to the theory of non-commutative probability, the notion of evolution family

{

ω

s
,
t

}

s
≤
t

\{\omega _{s,t}\}_{s \le t}

is generalized assuming only continuity in parameters, namely

(
s
,
t
)
↦

ω

s
,
t

(s,t) \mapsto \omega _{s,t}

is continuous with respect to locally uniform convergence on a planar domain. In this article we present various equivalence conditions to the continuous evolution families concerned with the left and right parameters. We also provide an example of a discontinuous evolution family in the last section.
The RhoGEF protein Plekhg5 regulates medioapical and junctional actomyosin dynamics of apical constriction during Xenopus gastrulation
Authors: Baldwin Austin , Popov Ivan K. , Keller Ray , Wallingford John , Chang Chenbei
Published: April 2023

Live quantitative analysis of actomyosin dynamics during apical constriction of bottle cells during Xenopus gastrulation reveals an essential role for RhoGEF protein Plekhg5 in regulating actin and myosin accumulation as well as cell shape changes.
Microenvironmental mechanoactivation through Yap/Taz suppresses chondrogenic gene expression
Authors: Hallström Grey F. , Jones Dakota L. , Locke Ryan C. , Bonnevie Edward D. , Kim Sung Yeon , Laforest Lorielle , Garcia Diana Cruz , Mauck Robert L.
Published: April 2023

Chondrocyte phenotype is regulated, in part, by Rho signaling. Rho can relay mechanical signals through increased activation of Yap, a transcriptional co-regulator. Here we demonstrate that Yap nuclear translocation downstream of Rho activation is essential for suppressing chondrogenesis.
The Position of the Nipple-Areola Complex in Breast Augmentation
Authors: Benito-Ruiz Jesus
Published: April 2023

Background

There is some controversy regarding whether the nipple-areola complex (NAC) is elevated, remains stable, or is lowered in breast augmentation. There is a general belief that one can modulate its position depending on the implant chosen. In addition, many preoperative markings include elevating the arms to predict the final position of the NAC.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the position of the NAC and determine whether the postoperative position of the NAC can be predicted preoperatively by elevating the arms.

Methods

The study included 45 patients. A 3-dimensional scan was performed to take basal (preoperative) and 12-month measurements with the patient's arms in abduction and elevated over the head. The distances measured were the sternal notch-nipple (SN-Ni), nipple-nipple (Ni-Ni), and nipple-inframammary fold (Ni-IMF) distances.

Results

With arms abducted, the SN-Ni distance increased by 6% when measured linearly, 8.5% when measured on the skin surface, and 1% to 2% when measured on the sternal line. The Ni-Ni distance increased by 9% (linear) and 15% (over the surface). The Ni-IMF increased by 44%. With arms adducted, the SN-Ni distance increased by 9% (linear), 12% (on the skin surface), and 0.5% at the sternal midline projection. The Ni-Ni distance increased 11% (linear) and 19% (on the surface). The Ni-IMF distance increased by 53%. The postoperative position of the NAC with the arms abducted increased by 17% compared with the preoperative position in adduction.

Conclusions

Implants do not elevate the NAC; its position remains nearly unaltered. The SN-Ni distance was increased in 90% of the patients. Lifting the arms for preoperative markings does not help to predict the postoperative position of the NAC.

Level of Evidence: 4
bootRanges: flexible generation of null sets of genomic ranges for hypothesis testing
Authors: Mu Wancen , Davis Eric S , Lee Stuart , Dozmorov Mikhail G , Phanstiel Douglas H , Love Michael I
Published: April 2023

Motivation

Enrichment analysis is a widely utilized technique in genomic analysis that aims to determine if there is a statistically significant association between two sets of genomic features. To conduct this type of hypothesis testing, an appropriate null model is typically required. However, the null distribution that is commonly used can be overly simplistic and may result in inaccurate conclusions.

Results

bootRanges provides fast functions for generation of block bootstrapped genomic ranges representing the null hypothesis in enrichment analysis. As part of a modular workflow, bootRanges offers greater flexibility for computing various test statistics leveraging other Bioconductor packages. We show that shuffling or permutation schemes may result in overly narrow test statistic null distributions and over-estimation of statistical significance, while creating new range sets with a block bootstrap preserves local genomic correlation structure and generates more reliable null distributions. It can also be used in more complex analyses, such as accessing correlations between cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and genes across cell types or providing optimized thresholds, e.g. log fold change (logFC) from differential analysis.

Availability and implementation

bootRanges is freely available in the R/Bioconductor package nullranges hosted at https://bioconductor.org/packages/nullranges.
Social Work Research in the UK: A View through the Lens of REF2021
Authors: Stanley Nicky , Sharland Elaine , Geoghegan Luke , Barn Ravinder , Milne Alisoun , Phillips Judith , Swales Kirby
Published: April 2023

The Research Assessment Exercise was introduced in 1986 to measure research quality and to determine the allocation of higher education funding. The renamed Research Excellence Framework (REF) has become an important barometer of research capacity and calibre across academic disciplines in UK universities. Based on the expert insights of REF sub-panel members for Unit of Assessment 20 (UOA20), Social Work and Social Policy, this article contributes to understanding of the current state of UK social work research. It documents the process of research quality assessment and reports on the current social work research landscape, including impact. Given its growing vigour, increased engagement with theory and conceptual frameworks, policy and practice and its methodological diversity, it is evident that social work research has achieved considerable consolidation and growth in its activity and knowledge base. Whilst Russell Group and older universities cluster at the top of the REF rankings, this cannot be taken for granted as some newer institutions performed well in REF2021. The article argues that the discipline’s embeddedness in interdisciplinary research, its quest for social justice and its applied nature align well with the REF framework where interdisciplinarity, equality, diversity and inclusion and impact constitute core principles.
A dated phylogeny of the Neotropical Dipterygeae clade reveals 30 million years of winged papilionate floral conservatism in the otherwise florally labile early-branching papilionoid legumes
Authors: Carvalho Catarina S , de Lima Haroldo Cavalcante , Lemes Maristerra Rodrigues , Zartman Charles E , van den Berg Cássio , García-Dávila Carmen Rosa , Honorio Coronado Eurídice N , Mader Malte , Paredes-Villanueva Kathelyn , Tysklind Niklas , Cardoso Domingos
Published: April 2023

The early-branching clades of Fabaceae subfamily Papilionoideae are characterized by their remarkable lability in floral architecture. In contrast, more derived papilionoid lineages are marked by evolutionary conservatism towards strongly bilateral, papilionate flowers. Here, we show an unexpected example of conservatism of a unique floral architecture during the early diversification history of the papilionoids. We built the most comprehensively sampled molecular phylogenetic tree with a focus on the early-diverging papilionoid Dipterygeae clade to evaluate conservatism of the winged papilionate architecture and associated traits related to flower specialization (e.g. zygomorphy, petal differentiation, stable stamen number and stamen sheath). Dipterygeae comprise c. 22 species of mostly giant trees from across tropical forests in Central America and the Amazon, but they are also ecologically dominant in the savannas of the Brazilian Central Plateau. Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ribosomal ITS/5.8S and plastid matK and trnL intron sequences strongly supported inter-relationships and the monophyly of each genus (Dipteryx, Monopteryx, Pterodon and Taralea). Bayesian relaxed-clock dating and a Bayesian model of ancestral character estimation revealed c. 30 Myr of conservatism of all winged papilionate-related flower traits in a clade comprising the most recent common ancestor of Dipteryx, Pterodon and Taralea, but lability in fruit morphology during the diversification of the entire Dipterygeae clade. Despite Monopteryx and remaining Dipterygeae being florally discrepant, they are collectively defined by a floral synapomorphy that is unique among all papilionoid Fabaceae: the highly differentiated calyx, where the two upper lobes are enlarged and wing-like, whereas the other three lower lobes are reduced. We suggest that the different dispersal strategies and the ancient winged papilionate floral conservatism in Dipterygeae, which has maintained effective ecological interactions with specialized pollinators and ensured the protection of young flower buds and developing fruits, may explain successful evolutionary and ecological persistence of the clade across the main Neotropical biomes.
Cation leak through the ATP1A3 pump causes spasticity and intellectual disability
Authors: Calame Daniel G , Moreno Vadillo Cristina , Berger Seth , Lotze Timothy , Shinawi Marwan , Poupak Javaher , Heller Corina , Cohen Julie , Person Richard , Telegrafi Aida , Phitsanuwong Chalongchai , Fiala Kaylene , Thiffault Isabelle , Del Viso Florencia , Zhou Dihong , Fleming Emily A , Pastinen Tomi , Fatemi Ali , Thomas Sruthi , Pascual Samuel I , Torres Rosa J , Prior Carmen , Gómez-González Clara , Biskup Saskia , Lupski James R , Maric Dragan , Holmgren Miguel , Regier Debra , Yano Sho T
Published: April 2023

ATP1A3 encodes the α3 subunit of the sodium-potassium ATPase, one of two isoforms responsible for powering electrochemical gradients in neurons. Heterozygous pathogenic ATP1A3 variants produce several distinct neurological syndromes, yet the molecular basis for phenotypic variability is unclear.

We report a novel recurrent variant, ATP1A3(NM_152296.5):c.2324C>T; p.(Pro775Leu), in nine individuals associated with the primary clinical features of progressive or non-progressive spasticity and developmental delay/intellectual disability. No patients fulfil diagnostic criteria for ATP1A3-associated syndromes, including alternating hemiplegia of childhood, rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism or cerebellar ataxia-areflexia-pes cavus-optic atrophy-sensorineural hearing loss (CAPOS), and none were suspected of having an ATP1A3-related disorder. Uniquely among known ATP1A3 variants, P775L causes leakage of sodium ions and protons into the cell, associated with impaired sodium binding/occlusion kinetics favouring states with fewer bound ions.

These phenotypic and electrophysiologic studies demonstrate that ATP1A3:c.2324C>T; p.(Pro775Leu) results in mild ATP1A3-related phenotypes resembling complex hereditary spastic paraplegia or idiopathic spastic cerebral palsy. Cation leak provides a molecular explanation for this genotype-phenotype correlation, adding another mechanism to further explain phenotypic variability and highlighting the importance of biophysical properties beyond ion transport rate in ion transport diseases.