bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Young Men’s Experiences of Being Fathered and Absent Father’s Experience: A Case Study from Urban Informal Settlements in South Africa
Authors: Mkhwanazi Smanga , Jewkes Rachel , Sikweyiya Yandisa , Washington Laura , Gibbs Andrew
Published: February 2024

The impact of absent fathers can be a significant challenge for young people, but particularly for young men. Our study drew on 19 in-depth interviews with young men living in urban informal settlements in South Africa, to understand how they understood the impact of biological father absence. Young men described an idealized fatherhood role in which biological fathers provided economic support, active fathering (including emotional support), and social recognition of children. Young men described biological father absence in very emotional terms, including the exclusion from family networks, and having negative economic and educational impacts. Furthermore, men saw biological father absence as impacting on their current situation, and as part and parcel of their wider social marginalization in South Africa. Social fathers — alternative male role models as they grew up — while described as existing, were not felt to be adequate in replacing biological fathers, despite the economic support and guidance some described receiving. Engaging with young men around the repercussions of biological father absence is important for supporting young, poor men in South Africa.
The Philosophy and Ethics of AI: Conceptual, Empirical, and Technological Investigations into Values
Authors: Simon Judith , Rieder Gernot , Branford Jason
Published: February 2024

Advances in artificial intelligence have recently stirred both public and academic debates about the opportunities but also the risks posed by these developments. It is evident that the disruptive impact of AI in many societal domains can no longer be ignored. This topical collection emerged from a full week of high-quality paper presentations at the CEPE/IACAP Joint Conference 2021: The Philosophy and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and comprises 13 articles that were chosen purely on the merit and originality of their respective arguments as well as their ability to advance the existing ethical and philosophical discourse on AI. This introduction provides a concise overview of the individual contributions, grouping them into four thematic strands: (a) On Democracy, Regulation, and (Public) Legitimation in an AI-powered World, (b) On the Challenge of Protecting Privacy in Today’s Data Economy, (c) On Solidarity, Inclusivity, and Responsibility in AI Design, and (d) Reconsidering AI Ethics. As such, the introduction serves as a gateway and guide to the topical collection, contributing to what has recently emerged as a ‘hot topic’ within philosophy and beyond but has also been at the heart of research within the CEPE and IACAP communities for a long time. The paper concludes with some hopeful remarks on the current landscape of the field and its possible trajectory.
Multiplicity of positive solutions for a class of nonhomogeneous elliptic equations in the hyperbolic space
Authors: Ganguly Debdip , Gupta Diksha , Sreenadh K.
Published: February 2024

The paper is concerned with positive solutions to problems of the type

\[ -\Delta_{\mathbb{B}^{N}} u - \lambda u = a(x) |u|^{p-1}\;u + f \text{ in }\mathbb{B}^{N}, \quad u \in H^{1}{(\mathbb{B}^{N})}, \]

where

$\mathbb {B}^N$

denotes the hyperbolic space,

$1< p<2^*-1:=\frac {N+2}{N-2}$

,

$\;\lambda < \frac {(N-1)^2}{4}$

, and

$f \in H^{-1}(\mathbb {B}^{N})$

(

$f \not \equiv 0$

) is a non-negative functional. The potential

$a\in L^\infty (\mathbb {B}^N)$

is assumed to be strictly positive, such that

$\lim _{d(x, 0) \rightarrow \infty } a(x) \rightarrow 1,$

where

$d(x,\, 0)$

denotes the geodesic distance. First, the existence of three positive solutions is proved under the assumption that

$a(x) \leq 1$

. Then the case

$a(x) \geq 1$

is considered, and the existence of two positive solutions is proved. In both cases, it is assumed that

$\mu ( \{ x : a(x) \neq 1\}) > 0.$

Subsequently, we establish the existence of two positive solutions for

$a(x) \equiv 1$

and prove asymptotic estimates for positive solutions using barrier-type arguments. The proofs for existence combine variational arguments, key energy estimates involving hyperbolic bubbles.
EVALUATING THE TIMING OF EARLY VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT IN NEW YORK: MORE DATES FROM CLASSIC NEW YORK SITES
Authors: Birch Jennifer , Manning Sturt W , Hart John P , Lorentzen Brita
Published: February 2024

Five sites in present-day New York have played important roles in archaeological narratives surrounding the development of settled village life in northeastern North America. Excavated in the mid-twentieth century, the Roundtop, Maxon-Derby, Sackett or Canandaigua, Bates, and Kelso sites include evidence related to the transition from semisedentary settlement-subsistence patterns during the twelfth through fourteenth centuries AD to those associated with fifteenth century and later settled Iroquoian villagers. Radiocarbon dates for each site were obtained early in the development of the method and again following the transition to AMS dating. Here, we present new or recently-published dates for these sites, combined with reliable existing dates in Bayesian models, including in some cases short tree-ring sequenced wiggle-matches on wood charcoal. Our results clarify the timing of each site’s occupation(s), revealing both continuity and discontinuity in the development of longhouse dwellings, sedentism, and the repeated re-use of some site locations over hundreds of years.
Rare case of total anomalous pulmonary venous return into the right atrium in situs solitus
Authors: Caruso Elio , Farruggio Silvia , Silverman Norman H.
Published: February 2024

We report an uncommon case report of total anomalous pulmonary venous returns into the right atrium at the base of the superior caval vein’s ostium without a sinus venosus defect, in situs solitus, without vertical vein or a posterior pulmonary venous confluence.
Assessing the Atmospheric Response to Subgrid Surface Heterogeneity in the Single‐Column Community Earth System Model, Version 2 (CESM2)
Authors: Fowler Megan D. , Neale Richard B. , Waterman Tyler , Lawrence David M. , Dirmeyer Paul A. , Larson Vincent E. , Huang Meng , Simon Jason S. , Truesdale John , Chaney Nathaniel W.
Published: February 2024

Land‐atmosphere interactions are central to the evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer and the subsequent formation of clouds and precipitation. Existing global climate models represent these connections with bulk approximations on coarse spatial scales, but observations suggest that small‐scale variations in surface characteristics and co‐located turbulent and momentum fluxes can significantly impact the atmosphere. Recent model development efforts have attempted to capture this phenomenon by coupling existing representations of subgrid‐scale (SGS) heterogeneity between land and atmosphere models. Such approaches are in their infancy and it is not yet clear if they can produce a realistic atmospheric response to surface heterogeneity. Here, we implement a parameterization to capture the effects of SGS heterogeneity in the Community Earth System Model (CESM2), and compare single‐column simulations against high‐resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) large‐eddy simulations (LESs), which we use as a proxy for observations. The CESM2 experiments increase the temperature and humidity variances in the lowest atmospheric levels, but the response is weaker than in WRF‐LES. In part, this is attributed to an underestimate of surface heterogeneity in the land model due to a lack of SGS meteorology, a separation between deep and shallow convection schemes in the atmosphere, and a lack of explicitly represented mesoscale secondary circulations. These results highlight the complex processes involved in capturing the effects of SGS heterogeneity and suggest the need for parameterizations that communicate their influence not only at the surface but also vertically.
Role of Intersecting Equatorial and Coastal Waveguides Near Sri Lanka on Intraseasonal Sea Level Variability Along the West Coast of India
Authors: Suresh Iyyappan , Vialard Jérôme , Izumo Takeshi , Lengaigne Matthieu
Published: February 2024

The sea level variations along the west coast of India (WCI) significantly affect the ecosystems and fisheries, because of their tight coupling with the oxycline depths in this region, which hosts the world's largest natural hypoxic system. Here, we investigate the main causes of the WCI sea level variability. Using idealized experiments with a linear, continuously stratified ocean model, we first demonstrate that there is a direct pathway between the equatorial waveguide and the WCI, in addition to the well‐documented pathway that aligns with the coastal waveguide in the Bay of Bengal. This direct connection results from the intersection of equatorial and coastal waveguides near Sri Lanka. The forced and reflected equatorial Rossby waves induce sea level variations at the Sri Lankan coast around 6°N, which propagate directly to the WCI as coastal Kelvin waves, without transiting through the Bay of Bengal coastal waveguide. Using model experiments with realistic coastline and forcing, we then illustrate that this direct pathway is the primary contributor (0.4 regression coefficient) to the WCI intraseasonal (20–150 days) sea level variability, followed by the Bay of Bengal coastal waveguide pathway (0.3) and the wind forcing in a small region near Sri Lanka (0.25). The remote forcing originating from the rest of the Bay of Bengal and the WCI local wind forcing have weaker influence. We conclude by discussing why this direct connection exhibits strong impact on sea level variability at the intraseasonal timescale, while its influence is considerably weaker at the longer seasonal and interannual timescales.
Storm Impacts on Mineral Mass Accumulation Rates of Coastal Marshes
Authors: Cortese L. , Zhang X. , Simard Marc , Fagherazzi S.
Published: February 2024

Coastal marsh survival may be compromised by sea‐level rise, limited sediment supply, and subsidence. Storms represent a fundamental forcing for sediment accumulation in starving marshes because they resuspend bottom material in channels and tidal flats and transport it to the marsh surface. However, it is unrealistic to simulate at high resolution all storms that occurred in the past decades to obtain reliable sediment accumulation rates. Similarly, it is difficult to cover all possible combinations of water levels and wind conditions in fictional scenarios. Thus, we developed a new method that derives long‐term deposition rates from short‐term deposition generated by a finite number of storms. Twelve storms with different intensity and frequency were selected in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana, USA and simulated with the 2D Delft3D‐FLOW model coupled with the Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN) module. Storm impact was analyzed in terms of geomorphic work, namely the product of deposition and frequency. To derive the long‐term inorganic mass accumulation rates, the new method generates every possible combination of the 12 chosen storms and uses a linear model to fit modeled inorganic deposition with measured inorganic mass accumulation rates. The linear model with the best fit (highest R2) was used to derive a map of inorganic mass accumulation rates. Results show that a storm with 1.7 ± 1.6 years return period provides the largest geomorphic work, suggesting that the most impactful storms are those that balance intensity with frequency. Model results show higher accumulation rates in marshes facing open areas where waves can develop and resuspend sediments. This method has the advantage of considering only a few real scenarios and can be applied in any marsh‐bay system.
Ionospheric Fireworks Illuminate Auroral Science
Authors: Sergienko Tima , Yokoyama Yoshihiro , Br�ndstr�m Urban , Yamauchi Masatoshi , Tjulin Anders
Published: February 2024

A sounding rocket experiment set off a spectacular nighttime light show over Scandinavia as it produced new insights into ionospheric behavior near an aurora.
Reflecting on 4 Years at the helm of JGR: Solid Earth
Authors: Manighetti Isabelle
Published: February 2024

The outgoing Editor-in-Chief of JGR: Solid Earth reflects on their tenure and expresses appreciation to all those who contributed to the success of the journal over recent years.
Falling charge in a gravitational field and radiation reaction
Authors: Bracken Paul
Published: February 2024

The Lorentz–Dirac equation is formulated and studied in flat Minkowski spacetime. A concise, novel derivation of the equation is presented. The problem is then enlarged to study radiation damping of an electron moving through a gravitational field. The equation of motion is obtained for this case as well. It is suggested the study of the problem might motivate experiments which could shed light on the recent work related to the emergence of space-time and its structure by means of quantum effects such as quantum entanglement.
Bioprospecting of Artemisia genus: from artemisinin to other potentially bioactive compounds
Authors: Negri Stefano , Pietrolucci Fabio , Andreatta Sebastiano , Chinyere Njoku Ruth , Antunes Silva Nogueira Ramos Carolina , Crimi Massimo , Commisso Mauro , Guzzo Flavia , Avesani Linda
Published: February 2024

Species from genus Artemisia are widely distributed throughout temperate regions of the northern hemisphere and many cultures have a long-standing traditional use of these plants as herbal remedies, liquors, cosmetics, spices, etc. Nowadays, the discovery of new plant-derived products to be used as food supplements or drugs has been pushed by the exploitation of bioprospection approaches. Often driven by the knowledge derived from the ethnobotanical use of plants, bioprospection explores the existing biodiversity through integration of modern omics techniques with targeted bioactivity assays. In this work we set up a bioprospection plan to investigate the phytochemical diversity and the potential bioactivity of five Artemisia species with recognized ethnobotanical tradition (A. absinthium, A. alba, A. annua, A. verlotiorum and A. vulgaris), growing wild in the natural areas of the Verona province. We characterized the specialized metabolomes of the species (including sesquiterpenoids from the artemisinin biosynthesis pathway) through an LC–MS based untargeted approach and, in order to identify potential bioactive metabolites, we correlated their composition with the in vitro antioxidant activity. We propose as potential bioactive compounds several isomers of caffeoyl and feruloyl quinic acid esters (e.g. dicaffeoylquinic acids, feruloylquinic acids and caffeoylferuloylquinic acids), which strongly characterize the most antioxidant species A. verlotiorum and A. annua. Morevoer, in this study we report for the first time the occurrence of sesquiterpenoids from the artemisinin biosynthesis pathway in the species A. alba.
Cysteine protease inhibitor 1 promotes metastasis by mediating an oxidative phosphorylation/MEK/ERK axis in esophageal squamous carcinoma cancer
Authors: Zhang Liangming , Chen Xiongfeng , Wang Jianwei , Chen Meihong , Chen Juan , Zhuang Wanzhen , Xia Yu , Huang Zhixin , Zheng Yue , Huang Yi
Published: February 2024

Cysteine protease inhibitor 1 (CST1) is a cystatin superfamily protein that inhibits cysteine protease activity and is reported to be involved in the development of many malignancies. Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) also plays an important role in cancer cell growth regulation. However, the relationship and roles of CST1 and OXPHOS in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. In our pilot study, CST1 was shown the potential of promoting ESCC migration and invasion by the activation of MEK/ERK pathway. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed that CST1 is closely associated with OXPHOS. Based on a real-time ATP rate assay, mitochondrial complex I enzyme activity assay, immunofluorescence, co-immunoprecipitation, and addition of the OXPHOS inhibitor Rotenone and MEK/ERK inhibitor PD98059, we determined that CST1 affects mitochondrial complex I enzyme activity by interacting with the GRIM19 protein to elevate OXPHOS levels, and a reciprocal regulatory relationship exists between OXPHOS and the MEK/ERK pathway in ESCC cells. Finally, an in vivo study demonstrated the potential of CST1 in ESCC metastasis through regulation of the OXPHOS and MEK/ERK pathways. This study is the first to reveal the oncogenic role of CST1 in ESCC development by enhancing mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I activity to activate the OXPHOS/MEK/ERK axis, and then promote ESCC metastasis, suggesting that CST1/OXPHOS is a promising target for ESCC treatment.
Serological survey reveals enzootic circulation of St. Louis encephalitis and West Nile viruses in semiarid Monte ecosystem of Argentina
Authors: Rucci Kevin A. , Arias-Builes Diego L. , Visintin Andrés M. , Diaz Adrián
Published: February 2024

St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) are arboviruses transmitted by Culex mosquitoes and amplified in avian hosts. The present study aimed to investigate the presence and seasonal circulation of SLEV and WNV in La Rioja province, within the semiarid ecoregion of the Monte, Argentina. Over a two-year period, avian sera were collected and tested for neutralizing antibodies against SLEV and WNV. Our results reveal the enzootic activity of both viruses in this challenging environment. SLEV seroprevalence was 4.5% (35/778), with higher activity in spring (2016) and autumn (2017). WNV seroprevalence was 3.5% (27/778), peaking during the summer 2016–2017. Greater seroprevalence for SLEV in 2016 was detected for the Lark-like Brushrunner (Coryphistera alaudina) and the Short-billed Canastero (Asthenes baeri) and in 2017 for the Black-crested Finch (Lophospingus pusillus) and Lark-like Brushrunner, whereas for WNV greater seroprevalence in 2016 was detected for the Picui Ground Dove (Columbina picui) and in 2017 for the Lark-like Brushrunner and Band-tailed Seedeater (Catamenia analis). Additionally, five avian individuals experienced seroconversion during the sampling period, namely the Lark-like Brushrunner and White-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes cactorum) for SLEV, and the Lark-like Brushrunner, Greater Wagtail Tyrant (Stigmatura budytoides) and Many-colored Chaco Finch (Saltatricula multicolor) for WNV. The study highlights the persistence and circulation of these viruses in a semiarid ecosystem, raising questions about overwintering mechanisms and transmission dynamics. This research contributes to understanding arbovirus ecology in diverse environments. Further investigations are needed to assess the specific mechanisms facilitating virus persistence in the Monte ecoregion.
Combined clinical variable and radiomics of post-treatment total body scan for prediction of successful I-131 ablation in low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma patients
Authors: Chantadisai Maythinee , Wongwijitsook Jirarot , Ritlumlert Napat , Rakvongthai Yothin
Published: February 2024

To explore the feasibility of combined radiomics of post-treatment I-131 total body scan (TBS) and clinical parameter to predict successful ablation in low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. Data of low-risk PTC patients who underwent total/near total thyroidectomy and I-131 ablation 30 mCi between April 2015 and July 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical factors studied included age, sex, and pre-ablative serum thyroglobulin (Tg). Radiomic features were extracted via PyRadiomics, and radiomic feature selection was performed. The predictive performance for successful ablation of the clinical parameter, radiomic, and combined models (radiomics combined with clinical parameter) was calculated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). One hundred and thirty patients were included. Successful ablation was achieved in 77 patients (59.2%). The mean pre-ablative Tg in the unsuccessful group (15.50 ± 18.04 ng/ml) was statistically significantly higher than those in the successful ablation group (7.12 ± 7.15 ng/ml). The clinical parameter, radiomic, and combined models produced AUCs of 0.66, 0.77, and 0.87 in the training sets, and 0.65, 0.69, and 0.78 in the validation sets, respectively. The combined model produced a significantly higher AUC than that of the clinical parameter (p < 0.05). Radiomic analysis of the post-treatment TBS combined with pre-ablative serum Tg showed a significant improvement in the predictive performance of successful ablation in low-risk PTC patients compared to the use of clinical parameter alone.

Thai Clinical Trials Registry TCTR identification number is TCTR20230816004 (https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/show/TCTR20230816004).
The phase change in the annual cycle of sea surface temperature
Authors: Yang Fucheng , Wu Zhaohua
Published: February 2024

In recent decades, many research efforts focused on global climate change, multidecadal, decadal, interannual variability, and the increasing extreme events of sea surface temperature. In contrast, the continuous evolution of the reference frame, the annual cycle of SST used to quantify the aforementioned variability and changes, has long been overlooked, resulting in difficulties in understanding the underlying physical mechanisms responsible for these variability and changes. In this study, we strive to bridge this gap on the phase changes in SST annual cycle. By devising a running correlation-based method, we can now quantify the non-sinusoidal shape of the evolving SST annual cycle, such as the advancing or delaying of summer and winter peaking times. It is revealed that the varying phases of summer or winter are more closely linked to multidecadal SST variability than to long-term climate change. Both the systematic shift of the phase and alterations in the annual cycle shape contribute to the phase changes, which explain 0.4~1.0 °C of monthly SST anomaly with respect to the climatological annual cycle in a multidecadal timescale. Furthermore, it is evident that the SST phases in historical simulations are better captured in winter than in summer and exhibit stronger variation compared with observation.
An ECG-based artificial intelligence model for assessment of sudden cardiac death risk
Authors: Holmstrom Lauri , Chugh Harpriya , Nakamura Kotoka , Bhanji Ziana , Seifer Madison , Uy-Evanado Audrey , Reinier Kyndaron , Ouyang David , Chugh Sumeet S.
Published: February 2024

Background

Conventional ECG-based algorithms could contribute to sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk stratification but demonstrate moderate predictive capabilities. Deep learning (DL) models use the entire digital signal and could potentially improve predictive power. We aimed to train and validate a 12 lead ECG-based DL algorithm for SCD risk assessment.

Methods

Out-of-hospital SCD cases were prospectively ascertained in the Portland, Oregon, metro area. A total of 1,827 pre- cardiac arrest 12 lead ECGs from 1,796 SCD cases were retrospectively collected and analyzed to develop an ECG-based DL model. External validation was performed in 714 ECGs from 714 SCD cases from Ventura County, CA. Two separate control group samples were obtained from 1342 ECGs taken from 1325 individuals of which at least 50% had established coronary artery disease. The DL model was compared with a previously validated conventional 6 variable ECG risk model.

Results

The DL model achieves an AUROC of 0.889 (95% CI 0.861–0.917) for the detection of SCD cases vs. controls in the internal held-out test dataset, and is successfully validated in external SCD cases with an AUROC of 0.820 (0.794–0.847). The DL model performs significantly better than the conventional ECG model that achieves an AUROC of 0.712 (0.668–0.756) in the internal and 0.743 (0.711–0.775) in the external cohort.

Conclusions

An ECG-based DL model distinguishes SCD cases from controls with improved accuracy and performs better than a conventional ECG risk model. Further detailed investigation is warranted to evaluate how the DL model could contribute to improved SCD risk stratification.
https://2DMat.ChemDX.org: Experimental data platform for 2D materials from synthesis to physical properties
Authors: Yang Jin-Hoon , Kang Habin , Kim Hyuk Jin , Kim Taeho , Ahn Heonsu , Rhee Tae Gyu , Khim Yeong Gwang , Choi Byoung Ki , Jo Moon-Ho , Chang Hyunju , Kim Jonghwan , Chang Young Jun , Lee Yea-Lee
Published: February 2024

https://2DMat.ChemDX.org is a comprehensive data platform tailored for 2D materials research, emphasizing the handling and analysis of experimental data through specialized data management, visualization, and machine learning tools.
Catalyst- and excess reagent recycling in aza-Michael additions
Authors: Maksó Lilla , Szele Boglárka , Ispán Dávid , Gömöry Ágnes , Mahó Sándor , Skoda-Földes Rita
Published: February 2024

The use of a [bmim][BF4]/nBu-TMG solvent/catalyst mixture was shown to facilitate the recycling of solvents, catalysts and unreacted N-heterocycles (used in excess) in the aza-Michael reaction of various N-heterocycles with a steroidal substrate.
Cobalt-based metal–organic framework for desulfurization of thiophene as a model fuel
Authors: Nilavu M. Christina , Leelasree T. , Aggarwal Himanshu , Rajesh N.
Published: February 2024

Increased energy consumption from continued economic expansion generates environmental challenges and health hazards from burning fuel containing sulfur compounds. We explore the effectiveness of a cobalt-based MOF, BITSH-1, as an adsorbent to remove thiophene from model fuel.
Hexadentate poly-Lewis acids based on the bowl-shaped tribenzotriquinacene
Authors: Franke Maurice , Klingsiek Maximilian J. , Buth Julian , Lamm Jan-Hendrik , Neumann Beate , Stammler Hans-Georg , Mitzel Norbert W.
Published: February 2024

Hexadentate poly-Lewis acids based on the tribenzotriquinacene (TBTQ) scaffold have been synthesised and were investigated in host–guest experiments regarding their complexation behaviour towards mono- and bidentate bases.
Enhanced STAT3/PIK3R1/mTOR signaling triggers tubular cell inflammation and apoptosis in septic-induced acute kidney injury: implications for therapeutic intervention
Authors: Fu Ying , Xiang Yu , Zha Jie , Chen Guochun , Dong Zheng
Published: February 2024

Septic acute kidney injury (AKI) is a severe form of renal dysfunction associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying septic AKI remain incompletely understood. Herein, we investigated the signaling pathways involved in septic AKI using the mouse models of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). In these models, renal inflammation and tubular cell apoptosis were accompanied by the aberrant activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathways. Pharmacological inhibition of either mTOR or STAT3 significantly improved renal function and reduced apoptosis and inflammation. Interestingly, inhibition of STAT3 with pharmacological inhibitors or small interfering RNA blocked LPS-induced mTOR activation in renal tubular cells, indicating a role of STAT3 in mTOR activation. Moreover, knockdown of STAT3 reduced the expression of the phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 (PIK3R1/p85α), a key subunit of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase for AKT and mTOR activation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay also proved the binding of STAT3 to PIK3R1 gene promoter in LPS-treated kidney tubular cells. In addition, knockdown of PIK3R1 suppressed mTOR activation during LPS treatment. These findings highlight the dysregulation of mTOR and STAT3 pathways as critical mechanisms underlying the inflammatory and apoptotic phenotypes observed in renal tubular cells during septic AKI, suggesting the STAT3/ PIK3R1/mTOR pathway as a therapeutic target of septic AKI.
Simulating the tidal disruption of stars by stellar-mass black holes using moving-mesh hydrodynamics
Authors: Vynatheya Pavan , Ryu Taeho , Pakmor Rüdiger , de Mink Selma E. , Perets Hagai B.
Published: February 2024

In the centers of dense star clusters, close encounters between stars and compact objects are likely to occur. We studied tidal disruption events of main-sequence (MS) stars by stellar-mass black holes (termed μTDEs), which can shed light on the processes occurring in these clusters, including being an avenue in the mass growth of stellar-mass BHs. Using the moving-mesh hydrodynamics code AREPO, we performed a suite of 58 hydrodynamics simulations of partial μTDEs of realistic, MESA-generated MS stars by varying the initial mass of the star (0.5 M⊙ and 1 M⊙), the age of the star (zero-age, middle-age and terminal-age), the mass of the black hole (10 M⊙ and 40 M⊙), and the impact parameter (yielding almost no mass loss to full disruption). We then examined the dependence of the masses, spins, and orbital parameters of the partially disrupted remnant on the initial encounter parameters. We find that the mass lost from a star decreases roughly exponentially with increasing approach distance and that a 1 M⊙ star loses less mass than a 0.5 M⊙ one. Moreover, a more evolved star is less susceptible to mass loss. Tidal torques at the closest approach spin up the remnant very close to break-up velocity when the impact parameter is low. The remnant star can be bound (eccentric) or unbound (hyperbolic) to the black hole; hyperbolic orbits occur when the star’s central density concentration is relatively low and the black-hole-star mass ratio is high, which is the case for the disruption of a 0.5 M⊙ star. Finally, we provide best-fit analytical formulae for the aforementioned range of parameters that can be incorporated into cluster codes to model star-black-hole interaction more accurately.
The outskirts of M33: Tidally induced distortions versus signatures of gas accretion
Authors: Corbelli Edvige , Burkert Andreas
Published: February 2024

Aims. We investigate a possible close encounter between M33 and M31 in the past to understand the role of galaxy-galaxy interactions in shaping the matter distribution in galaxy outskirts.

Methods. By examining a variety of initial conditions, we recovered possible orbital trajectories of M33, M31, and the Milky Way in the past, which are compatible with the Early Third Data Release of the Gaia mission and with mass estimates of Local Group spirals. Using test-particle simulations, we explored if the M33 warp and its dark satellite distribution have been induced by a past M33–M31 encounter along these orbits, after tuning mass losses and the dynamical friction term with the help of N-body numerical simulations.

Results. A close encounter of M33 and M31 in the past has a low but non-negligible probability. If the two galaxies had been closer in the past, their minimum distance would be of the order of 100 kpc or larger, and this happened earlier than 3 Gyr ago. During this encounter, 35–40% of the dark matter mass of M33 might have been removed from the halo due to tidal stripping. A detailed comparison of the results of test-particle simulations with the observed disk warp or with the spatial distribution of candidate dark satellites of M33 suggests that a closer passage of M33 around M31 cannot, however, be responsible for the observed morphological features. We suggest that more recent gas accretion events, possibly from a cosmic filament, might cause the misalignment of the outer disk of M33 after the rapid inner disk formation.
Efficient surrogate-assisted importance sampling for rare event assessment in probabilistic power flow
Authors: Wang Chenxu , Zhou Yixi , Peng Yan , Xuan Xiaohua , Gan Deqiang , Ma Junchao
Published: February 2024

In recent years, the increasing integration of renewable energy and electric vehicles has exacerbated uncertainties in power systems. Operators are interested in identifying potential violation events such as overvoltage and overload via probabilistic power flow calculations. Evaluating the violation probabilities requires sufficient accuracy in tail regions of the output distributions. However, the conventional Monte Carlo simulation and importance sampling typically require numerous samples to achieve the desired accuracy. The required power flow simulations result in substantial computational burdens. This study addresses this challenge by proposing a surrogate-assisted importance sampling method. Specifically, a high-fidelity radial basis function-based surrogate is constructed to approximate the nonlinear power flow model. Subsequently, the surrogate is embedded in the conventional importance sampling technique to evaluate the rare probabilities with high efficiency and reasonable accuracy. The computational strengths of the proposed method are validated in the IEEE 14-bus, 118-bus, and realistic 736-bus systems through comparisons with several well-developed methods. The comparisons provide a reference for system operators to select the appropriate method for evaluating violations based on the intended applications.
Low-frequency somatic mutations are heritable in tropical trees
Dicorynia guianensis
and
Sextonia rubra
Authors: Schmitt Sylvain , Heuret Patrick , Troispoux Valérie , Beraud Mélanie , Cazal Jocelyn , Chancerel Émilie , Cravero Charlotte , Guichoux Erwan , Lepais Olivier , Loureiro João , Marande William , Martin-Ducup Olivier , Vincent Gregoire , Chave Jérôme , Plomion Christophe , Leroy Thibault , Heuertz Myriam , Tysklind Niklas
Published: February 2024

Somatic mutations potentially play a role in plant evolution, but common expectations pertaining to plant somatic mutations remain insufficiently tested. Unlike in most animals, the plant germline is assumed to be set aside late in development, leading to the expectation that plants accumulate somatic mutations along growth. Therefore, several predictions were made on the fate of somatic mutations: mutations have generally low frequency in plant tissues; mutations at high frequency have a higher chance of intergenerational transmission; branching topology of the tree dictates mutation distribution; and exposure to UV (ultraviolet) radiation increases mutagenesis. To provide insights into mutation accumulation and transmission in plants, we produced two high-quality reference genomes and a unique dataset of 60 high-coverage whole-genome sequences of two tropical tree species,
Dicorynia guianensis
(Fabaceae) and
Sextonia rubra
(Lauraceae). We identified 15,066 de novo somatic mutations in
D. guianensis
and 3,208 in
S. rubra
, surprisingly almost all found at low frequency. We demonstrate that 1) low-frequency mutations can be transmitted to the next generation; 2) mutation phylogenies deviate from the branching topology of the tree; and 3) mutation rates and mutation spectra are not demonstrably affected by differences in UV exposure. Altogether, our results suggest far more complex links between plant growth, aging, UV exposure, and mutation rates than commonly thought.
Underwater image enhancement by using amalgamation of colour correction, contrast-enhancing and dehazing
Authors: Dua Mohit , Nalawade Shubhankar , Dua Shelza
Published: February 2024

Underwater images can be captured either with the help of light waves or sound waves. Images that are taken underwater typically are not of optimum quality as they suffer from issues such as low contrast, blurring of detail, colour distortion, and greenish tones. Several physical processes that take place in the aquatic environment, such as light absorption, refraction, and scattering, are responsible for the existence of such degradation in underwater images. To address these challenges, numerous researchers have put forth a range of cutting-edge techniques for enhancing and restoring such degraded underwater images, with the aim of addressing these issues. These techniques primarily focus on improving visibility and enhancing the level of detail. To achieve this, we propose a method that performs White Balancing in the LAB colour space to remove the bluish-greenish tones present in the image. Next, we enhance the contrast by first converting the RGB image into HSV and HLS colour spaces and then by using the S & V channels in HSV and L & S colour channels in HLS, we apply Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE). To control the brightness of the enhanced image, we apply Gamma Correction. Lastly, by using the method Dark Channel Prior (DCP), we separate the image’s red channel from the RGB colour space and perform the dehazing operation to get the final enhanced image. We have conducted a comprehensive qualitative analysis of our proposed approach as well as existing techniques, evaluating them objectively and subjectively through metrics such as peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), root-mean-square error (RMSE), structural similarity (SSIM), and the underwater colour image quality evaluation metric (UCIQE) and underwater image quality measure (UIQM). Since our proposed approach uses traditional image processing methods, it is computationally less expensive and quicker as compared to deep learning or frequency domain-based methods. With this, it can be adapted for using in real-time applications such as underwater navigation, examination of the behavior of marine ecosystems and other scientific research.
A simplified Mølmer–Sørensen gate for the trapped ion quantum computer
Authors: Azuma Hiroo
Published: February 2024

We discuss how to simplify the Mølmer–Sørensen (MS) gate which is used for the trapped ion quantum computer. The original MS gate is implemented by illuminating two ions with bichromatic coherent light fields separately at the same time. In this paper, we propose a method for transforming a separable state of two ions into one of the Bell states by illuminating the two ions with monochromatic coherent light fields individually and this point is the advantage of our scheme over the original MS gate. The length of the execution time of our proposed gate is comparable to that of the original MS gate, however, numerical calculations show that our proposed gate is weakly sensitive to thermal fluctuations of the phonons. By giving another example of a simple two-ion gate that can generate entanglement but is strongly vulnerable to thermal fluctuations, we show that our simplified MS gate is more marked than usual.
Wafer-scale 30° twisted bilayer graphene epitaxially grown on Cu0.75Ni0.25 (111)
Authors: Ma 马 Peng-Cheng 鹏程 , Zhang 张 Ao 翱 , Zhen 甄 Hong-Run 洪润 , Jiang 江 Zhi-Cheng 志诚 , Yang 杨 Yi-Chen 逸尘 , Ding 丁 Jian-Yang 建阳 , Liu 刘 Zheng-Tai 正太 , Liu 刘 Ji-Shan 吉山 , Shen 沈 Da-Wei 大伟 , Yu 于 Qing-Kai 庆凯 , Liu 刘 Feng 丰 , Zhang 张 Xue-Fu 学富 , Liu 刘 Zhong-Hao 中灏
Published: February 2024

Twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) has been extensively studied because of its novel physical properties and potential application in electronic devices. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of 30° TBG naturally grown on Cu0.75Ni0.25 (111) film and investigate the electronic structure by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Compared with other substrates, our TBG with a wafer scale is acquired with a shorter growth time. The Fermi velocity and energy gap of Dirac cones of TBG are comparable with those of a monolayer on Cu0.85Ni0.15 (111). The signature of moiré lattices has not been observed in either the low-energy electron diffraction patterns or the Fermi surface map within experimental resolution, possibly due to different Cu and Ni contents in the substrates enhancing the different couplings between the substrate and the first/second layers and hindering the formation of a quasiperiodic structure.
Using Software Mitigation Schemes to improve the availability of IoT applications in harsh radiation environment
Authors: Zimmaro A. , Ferraro R. , Boch J. , Saigne F. , Masi A. , Danzeca S.
Published: February 2024

The integration of IoT infrastructure in the context of particle accelerators promises numerous benefits (reduced costs and maintenance time, increased deployment). However, the use of microcontroller units (MCUs), typical of IoT systems, can potentially compromise future accelerator availability performances. This paper presents Software Mitigation Schemes (SMS) designed to improve the availability performance of MCU-based systems under radiation. Their effectiveness is demonstrated through a radiation test on a CERN Wireless IoT Radiation Monitoring system, also called BatMon. The results underline the IoT devices' feasibility as a viable solution for high-distribution systems in the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) or Future Circular Collider (FCC).
A demonstrator for a real-time AI-FPGA-based triggering system for sPHENIX at RHIC
Authors: Kvapil J. , Borca-Tasciuc G. , Bossi H. , Chen K. , Chen Y. , Corrales Morales Y. , Da Costa H. , Da Silva C. , Dean C. , Durham J. , Fu S. , Hao C. , Harris P. , Hen O. , Jheng H. , Lee Y. , Li P. , Li X. , Lin Y. , Liu M.X. , Olvera A. , Purschke M.L. , Rigatti M. , Roland G. , Schambach J. , Shi Z. , Tran N. , Wuerfel N. , Xu B. , Yu D. , Zhang H.
Published: February 2024

The RHIC interaction rate at sPHENIX will reach around 3 MHz in pp collisions and requires the detector readout to reject events by a factor of over 200 to fit the DAQ bandwidth of 15 kHz. Some critical measurements, such as heavy flavor production in pp collisions, often require the analysis of particles produced at low momentum. This prohibits adopting the traditional approach, where data rates are reduced through triggering on rare high momentum probes. We explore a new approach based on real-time AI technology, adopt an FPGA-based implementation using a custom designed FELIX-712 board with the Xilinx Kintex Ultrascale FPGA, and deploy the system in the detector readout electronics loop for real-time trigger decision.
Semiconductor photocathode's charge in a high gradient RF photoinjector
Authors: Vladimirov Mikhail V. , Polozov Sergey M. , Rashchikov Vladimir I.
Published: February 2024

In this paper, a model describing a semiconductor photocathode's charge dynamics under an external influence in RF photoinjector is being developed. The drift-diffusion problem for conduction electrons in semiconductor layer of a photocathode is formulated and subsequently solved. The charge of the semiconductor photocathode is derived and shortly discussed. Data obtained from the model is of qualitative consistency with that derived by Krasilnikov et al. for PITZ photogun.
Riptide: a proton-recoil track imaging detector for fast neutrons
Authors: Pisanti C. , Berardi A. , Console Camprini P. , Giacomini F. , Massimi C. , Mengarelli A. , Musumarra A. , Pellegriti M.G. , Ridolfi R. , Spighi R. , Terranova N. , Villa M.
Published: February 2024

Riptide is a detector concept aiming to track fast neutrons. It is based on
neutron-proton elastic collisions inside a plastic scintillator, where the neutron momentum can
be measured by imaging the scintillation light. More specifically, by stereoscopically imaging the
recoil proton tracks, the proposed apparatus provides neutron spectrometry capability and enable
the online analysis of the specific energy loss along the track. In principle, the spatial and
topological event reconstruction enables particle discrimination, which is a crucial property for
neutron detectors. In this contribution, we report the advances on the Riptide detector
concept. In particular, we have developed a Geant4 optical simulation to demonstrate the
possibility of reconstructing with sufficient precision the tracks and the vertices of neutron
interactions inside a plastic scintillator. To realistically model the optics of the scintillation
detector, mono-energetic protons were generated inside a 6 × 6 × 6 cm3 cubic BC-408
scintillator, and the produced optical photons were propagated and then recorded on a scoring
plane corresponding to the surfaces of the cube. The photons were then transported through an
optical system to a 2 × 2 cm2 photo sensitive area with 1 Megapixel. Moreover, we have
developed two different analysis procedures to reconstruct 3D tracks: one based on data fitting
and one on Principal Component Analysis. The main results of this study will be presented with a
particular focus on the role of the optical system and the attainable spatial and energy
resolution.
Evaluating the RFSoC as a Software-Defined Radio readout system for Magnetic Microcalorimeters
Authors: Gartmann R. , Muscheid T. , Garcia Redondo M.E. , Fuchs M. , Ardila-Perez L.E. , Sander O.
Published: February 2024

Arrays of superconducting sensors enable particle spectrum analysis with superior energy resolution. To efficiently acquire data from frequency multiplexed sensors, the readout electronics operating at room temperature must perform multiple tasks, such as low-noise probe tone generation, frequency demodulation, and data decimation. We designed a Software-Defined Radio (SDR) system composed of an MPSoC board, an analogue-digital conversion stage, and a radio frequency front-end mixing stage to meet the system requirements of 4 GHz instantaneous bandwidth and real-time data analysis. Nevertheless, utilising a Radio Frequency System-on-Chip (RFSoC) could simplify the overall system by integrating the conversion stage. This work investigates the applicability of RFSoCs for the aforementioned use case.
Investigating the slow component of the infrared scintillation time response in gaseous xenon
Authors: Hammann R. , Böse K. , Hötzsch L. , Jörg F. , Marrodán Undagoitia T.
Published: February 2024

Xenon is the target material of choice in several rare event searches. The use of
infrared (IR) scintillation light, in addition to the commonly used vacuum ultraviolet (VUV)
light, could increase the sensitivity of these experiments. Understanding the IR scintillation
response of xenon is essential in assessing the potential for improvement. This study focuses on
characterizing the time response and light yield (LY) of IR scintillation in gaseous xenon for
alpha particles at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. We have previously observed that
the time response can be described by two components: one with a fast time constant of
𝒪(ns) and one with a slow time constant of 𝒪(μ s).
This work presents new measurements that improve our understanding of the slow component. The
experimental setup was modified to allow for a measurement of the IR scintillation time response
with a ten times longer time window of about 3 μs, effectively mitigating the dominant
systematic uncertainty of the LY measurement. We find that the slow component at about
1 bar pressure can be described by a single exponential function with a decay time of about
850 ns. The LY is found to be (6347 ± 22stat ± 400syst) ph/MeV, consistent with our previous measurement. In
addition, a measurement with zero electric field along the alpha particle tracks was conducted to
rule out the possibility that the slow component is dominated by light emission from drifting
electrons or the recombination of electrons and ions.