bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Damage protection from focused ion beam process toward nanocavity-implemented compound semiconductor nanowire lasers
Authors: Takiguchi Masato , Zhang Guoqiang , Sasaki Satoshi , Tateno Kouta , John Caleb , Ono Masaaki , Sumikura Hisashi , Shinya Akihiko , Notomi Masaya
Published: January 2023

A focused ion beam (FIB) can precisely mill samples and freely form any nanostructure even on surfaces with curvature, like a nanowire surface, which are difficult to implement by using conventional fabrication techniques, e.g. electron beam lithography. Thus, this tool is promising for nanofabrication; however, fabrication damage and contamination are critical issues, which deteriorate optical properties. In this work, we investigated the protective performance of Al2O3 against the FIB process (especially by a gallium ion). Nanowires were coated with Al2O3 as a hard mask to protect them from damage during FIB nanofabrication. To estimate the protective performance, their emission properties by photoluminescence measurement and time-resolved spectroscopy were compared with and without Al2O3 coating conditions. From the results, we confirmed that the Al2O3 coating protects the nanowires. In addition, the nanowires also showed lasing behavior even after FIB processing had been carried out to implement nanostructures. This indicates that their optical properties are well maintained. Thus, our study proves the usefulness of FIBs for future nanofabrication.
Extraction of cardiac-related signals from a suprasternal pressure sensor during sleep
Authors: Cerina Luca , Papini Gabriele B , Fonseca Pedro , Overeem Sebastiaan , van Dijk Johannes P , Vullings Rik
Published: January 2023

Objective. The accurate detection of respiratory effort during polysomnography is a critical element in the diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing conditions such as sleep apnea. Unfortunately, the sensors currently used to estimate respiratory effort are either indirect and ignore upper airway dynamics or are too obtrusive for patients. One promising alternative is the suprasternal notch pressure (SSP) sensor: a small element placed on the skin in the notch above the sternum within an airtight capsule that detects pressure swings in the trachea. Besides providing information on respiratory effort, the sensor is sensitive to small cardiac oscillations caused by pressure perturbations in the carotid arteries or the trachea. While current clinical research considers these as redundant noise, they may contain physiologically relevant information. Approach. We propose a method to separate the signal generated by cardiac activity from the one caused by breathing activity. Using only information available from the SSP sensor, we estimate the heart rate and track its variations, then use a set of tuned filters to process the original signal in the frequency domain and reconstruct the cardiac signal. We also include an overview of the technical and physiological factors that may affect the quality of heart rate estimation. The output of our method is then used as a reference to remove the cardiac signal from the original SSP pressure signal, to also optimize the assessment of respiratory activity. We provide a qualitative comparison against methods based on filters with fixed frequency cutoffs. Main results. In comparison with electrocardiography (ECG)-derived heart rate, we achieve an agreement error of 0.06 ± 5.09 bpm, with minimal bias drift across the measurement range, and only 6.36% of the estimates larger than 10 bpm. Significance. Together with qualitative improvements in the characterization of respiratory effort, this opens the development of novel portable clinical devices for the detection and assessment of sleep disordered breathing.
Determination of MHD mode structures using soft x-ray diagnostics in TCV
Authors: Dreval M B , Sharapov S E , Vallar M , Labit B , Karpushov A N , Garcia-Munoz M
Published: January 2023

A forward modeling technique is developed for determining the characteristic features of observed MHD modes from the line-of-sight data of the soft x-ray (SXR) diagnostics with 64 vertical lines-of-sight in theTokamak à Configuration Variable tokamak. Using diagnostics with excellent spatial resolution, this technique is shown to evaluate the poloidal mode numbers m, radial location and ballooning character of the MHD modes. In the first stage, the poloidal mode structures are modeled by the radially localized Gaussian-shaped emission regions rotating along the magnetic flux surfaces. In the second stage, the space structures of observed 95–100 kHz toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes (TAEs) are investigated numerically using HELENA, CSCAS and MISHKA codes. The calculated TAE eigenfunctions are then used in our forward modeling similarly to the approach of contrast imaging diagnostics (Edlund et al 2009 Phys. Rev. Lett.
102 165003) and SXR diagnostics (Piovesan et al 2008 Nucl. Fusion
48 065001). A ballooning structure of the observed n= 1 TAE mode can be analyzed more easily due to the low poloidal mode number m in contrast to the high-m modes analyzed by a similar SXR technique in the W7-X stellarator (Dreval et al 2021 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion
63 065006).
STEM analysis of deformation and B distribution In nanosecond laser ultra-doped Si1−xBx
Authors: Hallais Géraldine , Patriarche Gilles , Desvignes Léonard , Débarre Dominique , Chiodi Francesca
Published: January 2023

We report on the structural properties of highly B-doped silicon (up to 10 at.% of active doping) realised by nanosecond laser doping. The crystalline quality, lattice deformation and B distribution profile of the doped layer are investigated by scanning transmission electron microscopy followed by high-angle annular dark field contrast studies and geometrical phase analysis, and compared to the results of secondary ions mass spectrometry and Hall measurements. When increasing the active B concentration above 4 at.%, the fully strained, perfectly crystalline, Si:B layer starts showing dislocations and stacking faults. These only disappear around 8 at.% when the Si:B layer is well accommodated to the substrate. With increasing B incorporation, an increasing number of small precipitates is observed, together with filaments with a higher active B concentration and stacking faults. At the highest concentrations studied, large precipitates form, related to the decrease of active B concentration. The structural information, defect type and concentration, and active B distribution are connected to the initial increase and subsequent gradual loss of superconductivity.
Effect of stress on electronic structure and optical properties of cubic Ca2Ge
Authors: Cen Weifu , Yang Yinye , Tian Zean
Published: January 2023

In this work, the effect of stress on the electronic structure and optical properties of cubic Ca2Ge was investigated using the first-principles method. It is found that under compressive stress Ca2Ge is a direct-gap semiconductor and the band gap decreases from 0.5477 eV @ 0 GPa to 0.1025 eV @ 15 GPa till 20 GPa, at which point Ca2Ge becomes a semimetal. Under tensile stress, it is otherwise an indirect gap, and the band gap decreases to 0.3178 eV @ −10 GPa till −15 GPa where it is a metal. The dielectric constant increases exponentially under compression, while it increases irregularly but monotonically under strain. The absorption edge shifts in the low-energy direction with increasing compressive stress, while the absorption maximum of Ca2Ge shifts in the high-energy direction before Ca2Ge becomes a metal under tensile stress. The effect on absorption increases with increasing energy, and the absorption edge exhibits strong absorption characteristics under tension. Reflectivity shows that Ca2Ge is a material with low reflectivity. The effects of stress modulation on the electronic structure and optical properties are determined based on the atomic population. Under tensile stress, there is no chemical bonding. When the compressive stress increases to 10 GPa, a chemical bond is formed, and the bond population and length decrease with increasing stress.
Avalanche dynamics of magnetic flux in the Nb-Ti superconducting ring
Authors: Chabanenko Viktor V , Nabiałek Adam , Puźniak Roman , Rusakov Volodymyr F
Published: January 2023

We report observations of the spatial and temporal variations in flux penetration into doubly connected bulk superconductors (hollow cylinder, ring) and discs (singly connected) from thermomagnetic avalanches. Dramatic changes were established in the stability of the critical state of the disc when it was transformed into a ring: the region of instability in the magnetic field in the ring doubled, and the number of thermomagnetic avalanches increased from 9 to 60. The duration of the flux jump, the amount of flux entering the sample, and its dependence on the magnetic field changed significantly, and the weak linear field dependence in the disc was inversely proportional to the magnetic field in the ring. A complicated fine structure of the magnetic flux penetrating the ring hole was detected. It was experimentally determined that the speed of the avalanche flux front throughout the sample increased sharply when magnetic flux appeared in the hole. This study also presents other aspects of the dynamic response of a superconducting ring that are discussed in detail.
Improvement of microwave characteristics for high-T
c superconductor (YBCO) films by ion irradiation treatment
Authors: Kalenyuk A A , Kasatkin A L , Futimsky S I , Pokusinskiy A O , Prikhna T A , Shapovalov A P , Shaternik V E , Akhmadaliev Sh
Published: January 2023

Measurements of the microwave surface impedance for high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7−x
(YBCO) films irradiated by 3 MeV Au2+ ions at three irradiation doses (1010 cm−2, 1011 cm−2, and 1012 cm−2) were carried out at different temperatures (below the critical temperature of T
с ≈ 90 К) and various rf current amplitudes by the use of the microstrip resonator technique. A noticeable decrease in the surface resistance and an enhancement of the linear response range at low temperatures were observed for moderately irradiated film exposed to an irradiation dose of 1011 cm−2, while at higher irradiation doses (1012 cm−2) an increase in the surface resistance and a decrease in the linear response range were observed for all temperatures below T
c. These results are discussed in the framework of phenomenological theory for the microwave response of superconductors with nano-sized structural defects.
Interplay of polarizations in a cascade EIT system in the presence of vortex coupling light in 87Rb atomic vapor medium
Authors: Manchaiah Dixith , Kumar Rohit , Easwaran Raghavan K
Published: January 2023

We investigate both experimentally and theoretically the cascade electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in

5

S

1

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2

−
5

P

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2

−
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D

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2

configuration in 87Rb atomic vapor medium in the presence of vortex coupling Laguerre Gaussian (LG) light. We demonstrated Doppler free double resonance EIT structure in cascade configuration and observed transmission spectra for

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and

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polarized probe and coupling lights. We demonstrate that the double resonance structure can be identified by two photon transition probabilities and it is found to be

F

′
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=
2

and

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=
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. By considering coupling LG light, several polarization combinations are taken into account, and their effects on amplifying and diminishing the EIT resonances are demonstrated experimentally. In order to understand the polarization effects of vortex coupling light on EIT spectrum in a degenerate multilevel atomic system, a theoretical model is developed by considering a simplified double hut level structure. Semi-classical density matrix analysis is used to understand the dynamics and also to establish the enhancement and reduction of EIT peak height with coupling light polarizations. The impact of two photon transition probabilities, polarization combinations and relative orientations of probe and coupling lights in degenerate multilevel atomic systems leads to modification of EIT resonances significantly. We establish quantitative agreement between our theory and experimental results.
A new numerical method to solve fractional differential equations in terms of Caputo-Fabrizio derivatives
Authors: Mahatekar Yogita , Scindia Pallavi S , Kumar Pushpendra
Published: January 2023

In this article, we derive a new numerical method to solve fractional differential equations containing Caputo-Fabrizio derivatives. The fundamental concepts of fractional calculus, numerical analysis, and fixed point theory form the basis of this study. Along with the derivation of the algorithm of the proposed method, error and stability analyses are performed briefly. To explore the validity and effectiveness of the proposed method, several examples are simulated, and the new solutions are compared with the outputs of the previously published two-step Adams-Bashforth method.
Robust reconfiguration strategies for maximum output power from large-scale photovoltaic arrays under partial shading conditions
Authors: Sharma Mona , Pareek Smita , Singh Kulwant
Published: January 2023

Extraction of maximum power from large scale solar photovoltaic power systems is the most challenging and demanding research in the current scenario. Solar photovoltaic panels are highly susceptible to a phenomenon known as partial shading. Partial shading increases mismatch losses and reduces the output of the solar photovoltaic system The output reduction in the partially shaded array is proportional to the shaded area, shaded panel’s placement within the array, panel connections, shade geometry, etc. There are several approaches for reducing Partial shading effects in the literature. The most efficient approach to mitigating the mismatch losses due to Partial shading in large-scale solar photovoltaic systems is the reconfiguration technique, which distributes shaded panels more evenly and increases the maximum power output. The current work utilizes a set of reconfiguration rules for selecting the location of shaded panels within an array that allows for multiple reconfiguration options. The results show that the proposed reconfiguration has obtained an improved Performance enhancement ratio of 25% in one shading pattern i.e. short wide shading, Performance enhancement ratio of 6.4% in short narrow and centre shading and Performance enhancement ratio of 5.9% in long narrow shading. The proposed reconfiguration was found to be the most suitable, simple, and cost-effective solution for large size of solar photovoltaic system under all shading conditions.
Study on the mechanism of surface pressure of optical films formed by laser plasma shock wave
Authors: Wang Guixia , Su Junhong
Published: January 2023

In a high-power laser system, when the surface pressure of the optical film caused by laser plasma shock wave is greater than the adhesion per unit area of the film layer, the film will produce mechanical damage, and in serious cases, the whole system may not work. Therefore, studying the formation mechanism of optical film surface pressure caused by laser plasma shock wave and calculating the pressure is the key to ensure the normal operation of high power laser system. In this paper, by studying the relaxation process of shock wave on optical film surface pressure, a theoretical calculation model of shock wave on optical film pressure is established, and the variation law of pressure with different parameters is obtained, which reveals the mechanism of forming the optical film surface pressure. The calculation and simulation results show that the maximum pressure is 108 N m−2 during the laser pulse, and the pressure decreases with the increase of laser pulse time after the pulse, and the total action time of laser plasma and shock wave on the film is in the order of microseconds. The pressure increases with the increase of incident laser energy, focal length of focusing lens and incident laser pulse width, which increases with the decrease of the distance between the film surface and the focal plane of the focusing lens. The pressure changes more obviously with the incident laser energy and the distance between the film surface and the focal plane of the focusing lens than with the focal length of the focusing lens and the incident laser pulse width.
Dynamics of lump chains for the BKP equation describing propagation of nonlinear waves
Authors: Zhao Zhonglong , He Lingchao , Wazwaz Abdul-Majid
Published: January 2023

A large member of lump chain solutions of the (2 + 1)-dimensional Bogoyavlenskii–Kadomtsev–Petviashvili (BKP) equation are constructed by means of the τ-function in the form of Grammian. The lump chains are formed by periodic arrangement of individual lumps and travel with distinct group and velocities. An analytical method related dominant regions of polygon is developed to analyze the interaction dynamics of the multiple lump chains. The degenerate structures of parallel, superimposed, and molecular lump chains are presented. The interaction solutions between lump chains and kink-solitons are investigated, where the kink-solitons lie on the boundaries of dominant region determined by the constant term in the τ-function. Furthermore, the hybrid solutions consisting of lump chains and individual lumps controlled by the parameter with high rank and depth are investigated. The analytical method presented in this paper can be further extended to other integrable systems to explore complex wave structures.
A high-speed hybrid brain-computer interface with more than 200 targets
Authors: Han Jin , Xu Minpeng , Xiao Xiaolin , Yi Weibo , Jung Tzyy-Ping , Ming Dong
Published: January 2023

Objective. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have recently made significant strides in expanding their instruction set, which has attracted wide attention from researchers. The number of targets and commands is a key indicator of how well BCIs can decode the brain’s intentions. No studies have reported a BCI system with over 200 targets. Approach. This study developed the first high-speed BCI system with up to 216 targets that were encoded by a combination of electroencephalography features, including P300, motion visual evoked potential (mVEP), and steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP). Specifically, the hybrid BCI paradigm used the time-frequency division multiple access strategy to elaborately tag targets with P300 and mVEP of different time windows, along with SSVEP of different frequencies. The hybrid features were then decoded by task-discriminant component analysis and linear discriminant analysis. Ten subjects participated in the offline and online cued-guided spelling experiments. Other ten subjects took part in online free-spelling experiments. Main results. The offline results showed that the mVEP and P300 components were prominent in the central, parietal, and occipital regions, while the most distinct SSVEP feature was in the occipital region. The online cued-guided spelling and free-spelling results showed that the proposed BCI system achieved an average accuracy of 85.37% ± 7.49% and 86.00% ± 5.98% for the 216-target classification, resulting in an average information transfer rate (ITR) of 302.83 ± 39.20 bits min−1 and 204.47 ± 37.56 bits min−1, respectively. Notably, the peak ITR could reach up to 367.83 bits min−1. Significance. This study developed the first high-speed BCI system with more than 200 targets, which holds promise for extending BCI’s application scenarios.
Confusion of Alcohol Craving With Food Hunger in Alcohol-Dependent Individuals Entering In-Patient Drug Treatment
Authors: Czarnecki Damian , Ziółkowski Marcin , Chodkiewicz Jan , Długosz Anna , Budzyński Jacek , Waszkiewicz Napoleon , Kułak-Bejda Agnieszka
Published: January 2023

Aim

To identify the distinguishing characteristics of alcohol dependent patients who confuse alcohol cravings with pre-meal hunger.

Methods

Data were collected at interview on sociodemographic status, clinical status and anthropometry in 179 patients (163 men and 16 women) undergoing in-patient treatment for alcohol dependence.

Results

A comparison of the patient subgroups studied showed that patients who did not confuse, and those who did confuse, alcohol craving with pre-meal hunger differed significantly in terms of alcohol craving scale scores (9 vs. 4 points). Patients confusing alcohol cravings with pre-meal hunger were more likely to recognize that experiencing severe pre-meal hunger can cause relapse (67.9 vs. 22.8%) and that not being able to distinguish between the sensations under study also increases the risk of breaking abstinence (75.0% vs. 50.4%). This was independent of severity of dependence and intensity of recent alcohol consumption.

Conclusions

Alcohol-dependent persons who confuse alcohol craving with pre-meal hunger differ from those who do not confuse these hunger pangs in terms of feeling stronger alcohol craving and more frequent occurrence of symptoms accompanying the feeling of alcohol craving during pre-meal hunger. At the start of treatment for alcohol withdrawal, alcohol-dependent individuals who report confusing alcohol cravings with pre-meal hunger are less confident of maintaining abstinence. This is relevant to treatment. The role of possible confounders (depressive symptoms, cognitive and educational deficiency) could not be elucidated definitively.
A critical brainstem relay for mediation of diffuse noxious inhibitory controls
Authors: Kucharczyk Mateusz W , Di Domenico Francesca , Bannister Kirsty
Published: January 2023

The CNS houses naturally occurring pathways that project from the brain to modulate spinal neuronal activity. The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (the A6 nucleus) originates such a descending control whose influence on pain modulation encompasses an interaction with a spinally projecting non-cerulean noradrenergic cell group. Hypothesizing the origin of an endogenous pain inhibitory pathway, our aim was to identify this cell group.

A5 and A7 noradrenergic nuclei also spinally project. We probed their activity using an array of optogenetic manipulation techniques during in vivo electrophysiological experimentation. Interestingly, noxious stimulus evoked spinal neuronal firing was decreased upon opto-activation of A5 neurons (two-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc, P < 0.0001). Hypothesizing that this may reflect activity in the noradrenergic diffuse noxious inhibitory control circuit, itself activated upon application of a conditioning stimulus, we opto-inhibited A5 neurons with concurrent conditioning stimulus application. Surprisingly, no spinal neuronal inhibition was observed; activity in the diffuse noxious inhibitory control circuit was abolished (two-way ANOVA, P < 0.0001).

We propose that the A5 nucleus is a critical relay nucleus for mediation of diffuse noxious inhibitory controls. Given the plasticity of diffuse noxious inhibitory controls in disease, and its back and forward clinical translation, our data reveal a potential therapeutic target.
Scar conducting channel characterization to predict arrhythmogenicity during ventricular tachycardia ablation
Authors: Sanchez-Somonte Paula , Garre Paz , Vázquez-Calvo Sara , Quinto Levio , Borràs Roger , Prat Susanna , Ortiz-Perez Jose T , Steghöfer Martin , Figueras i Ventura Rosa M , Guasch Eduard , Tolosana José Maria , Arbelo Elena , Brugada Josep , Sitges Marta , Mont Lluís , Roca-Luque Ivo
Published: January 2023

Aims

Heterogeneous tissue channels (HTCs) detected by late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) are related to ventricular arrhythmias, but there are few published data about their arrhythmogenic characteristics.

Methods and results

We enrolled 34 consecutive patients with ischaemic and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy who were referred for ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation. LGE-CMR was performed prior to ablation, and the HTCs were analyzed. Arrhythmogenic HTCs linked to induced VT were identified during the VT ablation procedure. The characteristics of arrhythmogenic HTCs were compared with those of non-arrhythmogenic HTCs. Three patients were excluded due to low-quality LGE-CMR images. A total of 87 HTCs were identified on LGE-CMR in 31 patients (age:63.8 ± 12.3 years; 96.8% male; left ventricular ejection fraction: 36.1 ± 10.7%). Of the 87 HTCs, only 31 were considered arrhythmogenic because of their relation to a VT isthmus. The HTCs related to a VT isthmus were longer [64.6 ± 49.4 vs. 32.9 ± 26.6 mm; OR: 1.02; 95% CI: (1.01–1.04); P < 0.001] and had greater mass [2.5 ± 2.2 vs. 1.2 ± 1.2 grams; OR: 1.62; 95% CI: (1.18–2.21); P < 0.001], a higher degree of protectedness [26.19 ± 19.2 vs. 10.74 ± 8.4; OR 1.09; 95% CI: (1.04–1.14); P < 0.001], higher transmurality [number of wall layers with CCs: 3.8 ± 2.4 vs. 2.4 ± 2.0; OR: 1.31; 95% CI: (1.07–1.60); P = 0.008] and more ramifications [3.8 ± 2.0 vs. 2.7 ± 1.1; OR: 1.59; 95% CI: (1.15–2.19); P = 0.002] than non-arrhythmogenic HTCs. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that protectedness was the strongest predictor of arrhythmogenicity.

Conclusion

The protectedness of an HTC identified by LGE-CMR is strongly related to its arrhythmogenicity during VT ablation.
Source-to-sink partitioning is altered by changes in the expression of the transcription factor AtHB5 in Arabidopsis
Authors: Raminger B Lorena , Miguel Virginia N , Zapata Carlos , Chan Raquel L , Cabello Julieta V
Published: January 2023

Carbohydrates are transported from source to sink tissues. The efficiency of this transport determines plant growth and development. The process is finely regulated and transcription factors are crucial in its modulation. AtHB5 is a homeodomain-leucine zipper I transcription factor that is repressed during stem maturation. However, its function in this developmental event is unknown. Here, we investigated the expression pattern and role of AtHB5. AtHB5 was expressed in roots, hypocotyls, stems, petioles, pedicels, and central leaf veins. athb5 mutant plants exhibited wider and more lignified stems than controls, whereas AtHB5 overexpressors showed the opposite phenotype. Cross sections of athb5 mutant stems showed enlarged vascular bundle, xylem, phloem, and petiole areas, whereas AtHB5 overexpressors had callose deposits. Several genes involved in starch biosynthesis and degradation had altered transcript levels in athb5 mutants and AtHB5 overexpressors. Rosette and stem biomass was enhanced in athb5 mutants, positively impacting seed yield, protein, and lipid content. Moreover, these effects were more evident in debranched plants. Finally, transport to roots was significantly slowed in AtHB5 overexpressors. Altogether, the results indicated that AtHB5 is a negative modulator of carbon partitioning and sucrose transport from source to sink tissues, and its overexpression diminished plant biomass and seed yield.
Detection of He++ ion in the star-forming ring of the Cartwheel using MUSE data and ionizing mechanisms
Authors: Mayya Y D , Plat A , Gómez-González V M A , Zaragoza-Cardiel J , Charlot S , Bruzual G
Published: January 2023

We here report the detection of the nebular He ii λ4686 line in 32 H ii regions in the metal-poor collisional ring galaxy Cartwheel using the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) data set. The measured I(He ii λ4686)/I(H β) ratio varies from 0.004 to 0.07, with a mean value of 0.010 ± 0.003. Ten of these 32 H ii regions are coincident with the location of an ultra luminous X-ray (ULX) source. We used the flux ratios of important diagnostic lines and results of photoionization by simple stellar populations (SSPs) to investigate the likely physical mechanisms responsible for the ionization of He+. We find that the majority of the regions (27) are consistent with photoionization by star clusters in their Wolf–Rayet (WR) phase with initial ionization parameter −3.5 < log 〈U〉 < −2.0. Blue bump (BB), the characteristic feature of the WR stars, however, is not detected in any of the spectra. We demonstrate that this non-detection is due to the relatively low equivalent width (EW) of the BB in metal-poor SSPs, in spite of containing sufficient number of WR stars to reproduce the observed I(He ii λ4686)/I(H β) ratio of ≤1.5 per cent at the Cartwheel metallicity of Z = 0.004. The H ii regions in the WR phase that are coincident with a ULX source do not show line ratios characteristic of ionization by X-ray sources. However, the ULX sources may have a role to play in the ionization of He+ in two (#99, 144) of the five regions that are not in the WR phase. Ionization by radiative shocks along with the presence of channels for the selective leakage of ionizing photons are the likely scenarios in #17 and #148, the two regions with the highest observed I(He ii λ4686)/I(H β) ratio.
The rebrightening of aROSAT-selected tidal disruption event: repeated weak partial disruption flares from a quiescent galaxy?
Authors: Malyali A , Liu Z , Rau A , Grotova I , Merloni A , Goodwin A J , Anderson G E , Miller-Jones J C A , Kawka A , Arcodia R , Buchner J , Nandra K , Homan D , Krumpe M
Published: January 2023

The ROSAT-selected tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate RX J133157.6−324319.7 (J1331) was detected in 1993 as a bright [0.2–2 keV flux of (1.0 ± 0.1) × 10−12 erg s−1 cm−2], ultra-soft (kT = 0.11 ± 0.03 keV) X-ray flare from a quiescent galaxy (z = 0.051 89). During its fifth all-sky survey (eRASS5) in 2022, Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG)/ eROSITA detected the repeated flaring of J1331, where it had rebrightened to an observed 0.2–2 keV flux of (6.0 ± 0.7) × 10−13 erg s−1 cm−2, with spectral properties (kT = 0.115 ± 0.007 keV) consistent with the ROSAT-observed flare ∼30 yr earlier. In this work, we report on X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, and radio observations of this system. During a pointed XMM observation ∼17 d after the eRASS5 detection, J1331 was not detected in the 0.2–2 keV band, constraining the 0.2–2 keV flux to have decayed by a factor of ≳40 over this period. Given the extremely low probability (∼5 × 10−6) of observing two independent full TDEs from the same galaxy over a 30 yr period, we consider the variability seen in J1331 to be likely caused by two partial TDEs involving a star on an elliptical orbit around a black hole. J1331-like flares show faster rise and decay time-scales [$\mathcal {O}(\mathrm{d})$] compared to standard TDE candidates, with negligible ongoing accretion at late times post-disruption between outbursts.
The Pristine survey – XX. GTC follow-up observations of extremely metal-poor stars identified from Pristine and LAMOST
Authors: Arentsen Anke , Aguado David S , Sestito Federico , González Hernández Jonay I , Martin Nicolas F , Starkenburg Else , Jablonka Pascale , Yuan Zhen
Published: January 2023

Ultra-metal-poor stars ($\rm {[Fe/H]} \lt -4.0$) are very rare, and finding them is a challenging task. Both narrow-band photometry and low-resolution spectroscopy have been useful tools for identifying candidates, and in this work, we combine both approaches. We cross-matched metallicity-sensitive photometry from the Pristine survey with the low-resolution spectroscopic Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) data base, and re-analysed all LAMOST spectra with $\rm {[Fe/H]} _{\rm Pristine} \lt -2.5$. We find that ∼1/3rd of this sample (selected without $\rm {[Fe/H]} _{\rm Pristine}$ quality cuts) also have spectroscopic $\rm {[Fe/H]} \lt -2.5$. From this sample, containing many low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) spectra, we selected 11 stars potentially having $\rm {[Fe/H]} \lt -4.0$ or $\rm {[Fe/H]} \lt -3.0$ with very high carbon abundances, and we performed higher S/N medium-resolution spectroscopic follow-up with the Optical System for Imaging and low Resolution Integrated Spectroscopy (OSIRIS) on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). We confirm their extremely low metallicities, with a mean of $\rm {[Fe/H]} = -3.4$, and the most metal-poor star having $\rm {[Fe/H]} = -3.8$. Three of these are clearly carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars with $+1.65 \lt \rm {[C/Fe]} \lt +2.45$. The two most carbon-rich stars are either among the most metal-poor CEMP-s stars or the most carbon-rich CEMP-no stars known, the third is likely a CEMP-no star. We derived orbital properties for the OSIRIS sample and find that only one of our targets can be confidently associated with known substructures/accretion events, and that three out of four inner halo stars have prograde orbits. Large spectroscopic surveys may contain many hidden extremely and ultra-metal-poor stars, and adding additional information from e.g. photometry as in this work can uncover them more efficiently and confidently.
There and back again: Understanding the critical properties of backsplash galaxies
Authors: Borrow Josh , Vogelsberger Mark , O’Neil Stephanie , McDonald Michael A , Smith Aaron
Published: January 2023

Backsplash galaxies are galaxies that once resided inside a cluster, and have migrated back outside as they move towards the apocentre of their orbit. The kinematic properties of these galaxies are well understood, thanks to the significant study of backsplashers in dark matter-only simulations, but their intrinsic properties are not well-constrained due to modelling uncertainties in subgrid physics, ram pressure stripping, dynamical friction, and tidal forces. In this paper, we use the IllustrisTNG300-1 simulation, with a baryonic resolution of Mb ≈ 1.1 × 107 M⊙, to study backsplash galaxies around 1302 isolated galaxy clusters with mass 1013.0 < M200,mean/M⊙ < 1015.5. We employ a decision tree classifier to extract features of galaxies that make them likely to be backsplash galaxies, compared to nearby field galaxies, and find that backsplash galaxies have low gas fractions, high mass-to-light ratios, large stellar sizes, and low black hole occupation fractions. We investigate in detail the origins of these large sizes, and hypothesize their origins are linked to the tidal environments in the cluster. We show that the black hole recentring scheme employed in many cosmological simulations leads to the loss of black holes from galaxies accreted into clusters, and suggest improvements to these models. Generally, we find that backsplash galaxies are a useful population to test and understand numerical galaxy formation models due to their challenging environments and evolutionary pathways that interact with poorly constrained physics.
A photometric study of NSVS 7453183: a probable quadruple system with long-term surface activity
Authors: Šmelcer L , Wolf M , Kučáková H , Zasche P , Kára J , Hornoch K , Zejda M , Auer R F
Published: January 2023

The VRC light curves were regularly measured for the eclipsing binary NSVS 7453183 as a part of our long-term observational project for studying of low-mass eclipsing binaries with a short orbital period and surface activity. The TESS light curve solution in phoebe results to the detached configuration, where the temperature of primary component was adopted to T1  = 4300 K according to the SED approximation. It gives us T2 = 4080 ± 100 K for the secondary component. The spectral type of the primary component was estimated to be K6, and the photometric mass ratio was derived q = 0.86. We confirm presence of the third body in this system, a stellar companion with a minimal mass 0.33 M⊙ orbiting the eclipsing pair with a short period about 425 days, and propose the next, fourth body with a longer orbiting period of about 12 years, probably a brown dwarf with the minimal mass of 50 MJup. The hierarchical structure ((1+1)+1) + 1 of this quadruple system is assumed. Characteristics and temporal variations of the dark region on the surface of the primary component were estimated. The average migration speed of about 10° per month was found during years 2020–2022.
Draft Genome Sequence Data for Erwinia amylovora Strain S618-2-2 Isolated from Pyrus sinkiangensis in China
Authors: Fei Nuoya , Song Bo , Yang Yuwen , Zhu Xiaofeng , Guan Wei , Zhao Tingchang
Published: January 2023

Fire blight in China was first discovered in Yili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture and Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in 2016. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of Erwinia amylovora strain S618-2-2, which was isolated from Pyrus sinkiangensis in China, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This is the first genome announcement of an Erwinia amylovora strain in China.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
ANGPTL4 inhibits granulosa cell proliferation in polycystic ovary syndrome by EGFR/JAK1/STAT3‐mediated induction of p21
Authors: Jiang Qi , Miao Ruolan , Wang Yuhuan , Wang Wenqi , Zhao Dingying , Niu Yue , Ding Qiaoqiao , Li Yan , Leung Peter C. K. , Wei Daimin , Chen Zi‐Jiang
Published: January 2023

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common, heterogenous endocrine disorders and is the leading cause of ovulatory obstacle associated with abnormal folliculogenesis. Dysfunction of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) is recognized as a major factor that underlies abnormal follicle maturation. Angiopoietin‐like 4 (ANGPTL4) expression in GCs differs between patients with and without PCOS. However, the role and mechanism of ANGPTL4 in impaired follicular development are still poorly understood. Here, the case–control study was designed to investigate the predictive value of ANGPTL4 in PCOS while cell experiments in vitro were set for mechanism research. Results found that ANGPTL4 levels in serum and in follicular fluid, and its expression in GCs, were upregulated in patients with PCOS. In KGN and SVOG cells, upregulation of ANGPTL4 inhibited the proliferation of GCs by blocking G1/S cell cycle progression, as well as the molecular activation of the EGFR/JAK1/STAT3 cascade. Moreover, the STAT3‐dependent CDKN1A(p21) promoter increased CDKN1A transcription, resulting in remarkable suppression effect on GCs. Together, our results demonstrated that overexpression of ANGPTL4 inhibited the proliferation of GCs through EGFR/JAK1/STAT3‐mediated induction of p21, thus providing a novel epigenetic mechanism for the pathogenesis of PCOS.
Richard Hader Visionary Leader Award 2022 Visionary Leader Angelle Cooper
Authors: Hall Kristine
Published: January 2023

The following manuscript is the winning 2022 Richard Hader Visionary Leader Award entry submitted to Nursing Management in recognition of Kisler “Angelle” Cooper, BSN, RN, CCRN, nurse director of the Neuro Critical Care Unit (NCCU) at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Development for Education for Sustainable Health Care: A University System-Wide Initiative to Transform Health Professional Education
Authors: Teherani Arianne , Nicastro Tammy , Clair Matthew St. , Nordby J. Cully , Nikjoo Arya , Collins Sally , Irani Anushe , Zakaras Jennifer , Weiser Sheri D.
Published: January 2023

Health professionals (HPs) are increasingly called upon to care for patients experiencing the health impacts of climate change, while working in the high eco-footprint health care system, which is starting to embrace a culture of sustainability. HPs are uniquely positioned to drive health care culture toward ecological responsibility and, consequently, improve patient care, health equity, and public health. Education for sustainable health care (ESHC or ESH) is the first step in developing health care practitioners able to think critically about and act upon the health impacts of the climate crisis. University of California Education for Sustainable Healthcare (UC-ESH) Faculty Development Initiative was developed to address the following goals: educate faculty on eco-medical literacy, empower faculty to build community and lead ESH at their institutions, and expand coverage of ESH to reach students beyond those for whom sustainability is already a focus. The initiative provided training to faculty across health professions and 6 health science campuses to integrate ESH into their courses using the train-the-trainer model, key knowledge and pedagogical skills, and longitudinal guidance and networking opportunities. Using a survey, questionnaire, and interviews, the initiative was evaluated using the process/elements and product/outcomes steps of the Context, Input, Process, and Product evaluation model. The UC-ESH educated over 100 faculty members and led to ESH integration into 99 existing and new courses that subsequently reached over 7,000 learners. The UC-ESH increased empowerment, awareness, and knowledge about the climate crisis, and built an ESH community of practice. Initiative elements that contributed to these outcomes included engaging training; creation of supportive group dynamics; helpful resources and activities; ongoing support; and integration approaches to ESH. This university-system-wide initiative provides a transferable model to institutions, schools, and departments seeking to develop eco-medical literate faculty who educate their students about the climate, ecosystem, and health crisis.
Conductive Hearing Loss Estimated From Wideband Acoustic Immittance Measurements in Ears With Otitis Media With Effusion
Authors: Merchant Gabrielle R. , Neely Stephen T.
Published: January 2023

Objectives:

Previous work has shown that wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) is sensitive to the volume of effusion present in ears with otitis media with effusion (OME). Prior work also demonstrates that the volume of the effusion appears to drive, or at least play a significant role in, how much conductive hearing loss (CHL) a child has due to a given episode of OME. Given this association, the goal of this work was to determine how well CHL could be estimated directly from WAI in ears with OME.

Design:

Sixty-three ears from a previously published study on OME (ages 9 months to 11 years, 2 months) were grouped based on effusion volume (full, partial, or clear) determined during tympanostomy tube placement surgery and compared with age-matched normal control ears. Audiometric thresholds were obtained for a subset of the 34 ears distributed across the four groups. An electrical-analog model of ear-canal acoustics and middle-ear mechanics was fit to the measured WAI from individual ears. Initial estimates of CHL were derived from either (1) average absorbance or (2) the model component thought to represent damping in the ossicular chain.

Results:

The analog model produced good fits for all effusion-volume groups. The two initial CHL estimates were both well correlated (87% and 81%) with the pure-tone average hearing thresholds used to define the CHL. However, in roughly a third of the ears (11/34), the estimate based on damping was too large by nearly a factor of two. This observation motivated improved CHL estimates.

Conclusions:

Our CHL estimation method can estimate behavioral audiometric thresholds (CHL) within a margin of error that is small enough to be clinically meaningful. The importance of this finding is increased by the challenges associated with behavioral audiometric testing in pediatric populations, where OME is the most common. In addition, the discovery of two clusters in the damping-related CHL estimate suggests the possible existence of two distinctly different types of ears: pressure detectors and power detectors.
Correction of Pediatric Cubitus Varus by Centralization of the Distal Humeral Fragment: A Surgical Technique to Avoid Lateral Condylar Prominence
Authors: Liu Yong , Kan Lisheng , Sun Jun , Chu Xiangjun
Published: January 2023

Background:

Cubitus varus is a well-recognized late complication of supracondylar humerus fractures in children. Various osteotomies have been described to correct this deformity, but each has disadvantages. The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of a surgical technique, lateral closing wedge osteotomy combined with centralization of the distal humeral fragment, in cubitus varus. Meanwhile, the occurrence of postoperative lateral condylar prominence was observed.

Methods:

From January 2015 to December 2019, 36 pediatric cubitus varus deformity patients who were treated with lateral closing wedge osteotomy combined with centralization of the distal fragment in our institution were included. The corrective osteotomies were performed through a standard lateral approach and fixed with crossed Kirschner wires. The preoperative and postoperative full-length anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of bilateral upper limbs were assessed. At the same time, clinical and radiologic parameters were reviewed. Lateral condylar prominence index (LCPI) and any other complications were evaluated.

Results:

The mean preoperative humerus-elbow-wrist angle (HEWA) on the affected side was 20.9 degrees of varus, which was significantly improved to 9.2 degrees of valgus postoperatively. The mean postoperative value of LCPI was −0.047. Postoperative LCPI and HEWA was compared with the normal side, and there was no significant difference. All of the patients had excellent clinical and radiographic alignment. No surgical complications and limitation of range of motion were noted. No patient complained of lateral bony prominence.

Conclusion:

Lateral closing wedge osteotomy by centralization of distal fragment is a safe and highly effective method and prevents lateral prominence with a minimal complication rate. We recommend this technique for the treatment of cubitus varus in children.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV Case series.
Does Prolonged Weight Relief Increase the Chances of a Favourable Outcome After Containment for Perthes Disease?
Authors: Shah Hitesh , Singh Kumar Amerendra , Joseph Benjamin
Published: January 2023

We have been treating children with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) with a femoral varus osteotomy (PFVO) and weight relief till the disease evolves to the latter part of the stage of reconstitution (Stage IIIb). This entails weight relief for 18 to 24 months. We undertook this case-control study to test if a shorter period of weight relief would compromise the chance of retaining the spherical shape of the femoral head when the disease healed. Forty-one children diagnosed in the early stages of LCPD (Stages Ia, Ib, and IIa), were treated by PFVO and non–weight-bearing for a period of 6 months following surgery (6m group). Eighty-two children with LCPD matched for age, sex, and stage at surgery, who resumed weight-bearing only once they reached Stage IIIb, served as the control group (3b group). Both groups were followed up till the disease healed. The sphericity deviation score was calculated, and the height and width of the epiphysis were measured on the first radiograph designated as Stage IV. The median sphericity deviation score value at healing was 3 in the 3b group and 11 in the 6m group (P<0.001). The frequency of spherical heads was 76% in the 3b group and 49% in the 6m group (P<0.003). The Odds Ratio of the disease healing with an aspherical head in 6-month group was 3.05 (CI: 1.28 to 7.22) compared with the 3b group. The percentage increase in width of the femoral epiphysis at healing was greater in the 6 group (111.5±8.5% vs. 106.5±7.2%; P<0.001). The study confirms that containment by PFVO performed early in the course of LCPD combined with weight relief till the disease has evolved to Stage IIIb is likely to result in spherical hips in 75% of children. Reducing the period of weight relief to 6 months may yield significantly poorer results with only 49% spherical femoral heads.