bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Role of wavelength in photocarrier absorption and plasma formation threshold under excitation of dielectrics by high-intensity laser field tunable from visible to mid-IR
Authors: Migal Ekaterina , Mareev Evgenii , Smetanina Evgeniya , Duchateau Guillaume , Potemkin Fedor 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe development of high power mid-IR laser applications requires a study on laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) in the mid-IR. In this paper we have measured the wavelength dependence of the plasma formation threshold (PFT) that is a LIDT precursor. In order to interpret the observed trends numerically, a model describing the laser induced electron dynamics, based on multiple rate equations, has been developed. We show both theoretically and experimentally that PFT at mid-IR wavelengths is controlled by a transition from weak- to strong-field regime of free carrier absorption. In the case of MgF$$_2$$

2

this transition occurs around 3–4 $$\upmu$$
μ
m corresponding to the region of the lowermost PFT. The region of the uppermost PFT is reached around 1 $$\upmu$$
μ
m and is governed by an interplay of photoionization and weak-field free carrier absorption which manifests itself in both MgF$$_2$$

2

and SiO$$_2$$

2

. The PFT observed in considered materials exhibits a universal dependence on the excitation wavelength in dielectrics. Thus, the presented results pave the route towards efficient and controllable laser-induced material modifications and should be of direct interest to laser researchers and application engineers for prevention of laser-induced damage of optical components in high-intensity mid-IR laser systems.
Nearest-neighbor amino acids of specificity-determining residues influence the activity of engineered Cre-type recombinases
Authors: Soni Anjali , Augsburg Martina , Buchholz Frank , Pisabarro M. Teresa 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe tyrosine-type site-specific DNA recombinase Cre recombines its target site, loxP, with high activity and specificity without cross-recombining the target sites of highly related recombinases. Understanding how Cre achieves this precision is key to be able to rationally engineer site-specific recombinases (SSRs) for genome editing applications. Previous work has revealed key residues for target site selectivity in the Cre/loxP and the related Dre/rox recombinase systems. However, enzymes in which these residues were changed to the respective counterpart only showed weak activity on the foreign target site. Here, we use molecular modeling and dynamics simulation techniques to comprehensively explore the mechanisms by which these residues determine target recognition in the context of their flanking regions in the protein–DNA interface, and we establish a structure-based rationale for the design of improved recombination activities. Our theoretical models reveal that nearest-neighbors to the specificity-determining residues are important players for enhancing SSR activity on the foreign target site. Based on the established rationale, we design new Cre variants with improved rox recombination activities, which we validate experimentally. Our work provides new insights into the target recognition mechanisms of Cre-like recombinases and represents an important step towards the rational design of SSRs for applied genome engineering.
Moderate alcohol use is associated with decreased brain volume in early middle age in both sexes
Authors: Immonen Satu , Launes Jyrki , Järvinen Ilkka , Virta Maarit , Vanninen Ritva , Schiavone Nella , Lehto Eliisa , Tuulio-Henriksson Annamari , Lipsanen Jari , Michelsson Katarina , Hokkanen Laura 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe aim was to examine cross-sectional association between moderate alcohol consumption and total brain volume in a cohort of participants in early middle-age, unconfounded by age-related neuronal change. 353 participants aged 39 to 45 years reported on their alcohol consumption using the AUDIT-C measure. Participants with alcohol abuse were excluded. Brain MRI was analyzed using a fully automated method. Brain volumes were adjusted by intracranial volume expressed as adjusted total brain volume (aTBV). AUDIT-C mean of 3.92 (SD 2.04) indicated moderate consumption. In a linear regression model, alcohol consumption was associated with smaller aTBV (B = − 0.258, p < .001). When sex and current smoking status were added to the model, the association remained significant. Stratified by sex, the association was seen in both males (B = − 0.258, p = 0.003) and females (B = − 0.214, p = 0.011). Adjusted for current smoking, the association remained in males (B = − 0.268, p = 0.003), but not in females. When alcohol consumption increased, total brain volume decreased by 0.2% per one AUDIT-C unit already at 39–45 years of age. Moderate alcohol use is associated with neuronal changes in both males and females suggesting health risks that should not be overlooked.
99mTc-labeled nanocolloid drugs: development methods
Authors: Sadkin Vladimir , Sкuridin Viktor , Nesterov Evgeny , Stasyuk Elena , Rogov Alexander , Varlamova Natalya , Zelchan Roman 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe work considers the problem of obtaining nanocolloid radiopharmaceuticals (RPs) and studying their functional suitability for diagnosing sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) in cancer patients. Two principal approaches to the formation of technetium-99m-labeled particles based on inorganic and organic matrices were considered when carrying out research to develop methods for the production of nanocolloid RPs. The composition of the reagents and the conditions for obtaining nanocolloid radiopharmaceuticals were determined. The functional suitability of new RPs for scintigraphic diagnostics of sentinel lymph nodes has been studied.
Functional, physiological and subjective responses to concurrent neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) exercise in adult cancer survivors: a controlled prospective study
Authors: O’Connor Dominic , Lennon Olive , Fernandez Matilde Mora , Signorelli Gabriel Ruiz , Caulfield Brian 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe primary aim of this study was to investigate the functional, physiological and subjective responses to NMES exercise in cancer patients. Participants with a cancer diagnosis, currently undergoing treatment, and an had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (ECOG) of 1 and 2 were recommended to participate by their oncologist. Following a 2-week, no-NMES control period, each participant was asked to undertake a concurrent NMES exercise intervention over a 4-week period. Functional muscle strength [30 s sit-to-stand (30STS)], mobility [timed up and go (TUG)], exercise capacity [6-min walk test (6MWT)] and health related quality of life (HR-QoL) were assessed at baseline 1 (BL1), 2-week post control (BL2) and post 4-week NMES exercise intervention (POST). Physiological and subjective responses to LF-NMES were assessed during a 10-stage incremental session, recorded at BL2 and POST. Fourteen participants [mean age: 62 years (10)] completed the intervention. No adverse events were reported. 30STS (+ 2.4 reps, p = .007), and 6MWT (+ 44.3 m, p = .028) significantly improved after the intervention. No changes in TUG or HR-QoL were observed at POST. Concurrent NMES exercise may be an effective exercise intervention for augmenting physical function in participants with cancer and moderate and poor functional status. Implications for cancer survivors: By allowing participants to achieve therapeutic levels of exercise, concurrent NMES may be an effective supportive intervention in cancer rehabilitation.
Using sediment grain size characteristics to assess effectiveness of mechanical sand barriers in reducing erosion
Authors: Xie Yunhu , Dang Xiaohong , Zhou Yujuan , Hou Zhihui , Li Xiaojia , Jiang Hongtao , Zhou Dandan , Wang Ji , Hai Chunxing , Zhou Ruiping 
Published: August 2020

AbstractWind and sand control features are important tools for limiting desertification. Sand barriers are one of the oldest engineering measures used to reduce wind-sand hazards. Their efficacy and exact mechanism by which they work has remained a topic of scientific debate however. Sediment grain-size distributions can help constrain their utility and function. This research analyzed sediment grain size distributions in samples collected from areas around six different types of sand barriers installed along the southeastern margin of the Tengger Desert. Results were compared with sediment from a bare dune area (no barriers) used as a control. The barrier area samples contained high proportions of coarse sand and relatively low proportions of silty sand and very fine sand. Fine and medium sand were present but clay was not. The lower proportions of fine sand and higher proportions of coarse sand relative to bare dunes documented an effective reduction in aeolian transport by the barriers. Samples from the barrier areas also showed poorer sorting relative to bare dune areas. This appeared as lower kurtosis values and wider frequency distribution curves relative to those measured from bare dunes samples. The wider cumulative frequency curves for samples from the barrier areas likely reflects the higher proportion of coarse-grained material. The Straw/1.5 and PLA/1 barrier types hosted greater sediment accumulation than that observed for the other barrier types (Straw/1, PLA/1.5, Mixed/1 and Mixed/1.5). Sediment grain size distributions showed that the base and middle slope areas of the dune experienced deposition, while the top of the dunes experienced erosion. The Straw/1 barrier (straw installed as a 1 × 1 m grid) performed best in terms of installation costs and protective effects for the study area. This study demonstrates how sediment grain size distributions can be used as quantitative proxies for sand barrier performance in reducing desertification.
Bedaquiline inhibits the yeast and human mitochondrial ATP synthases
Authors: Luo Min , Zhou Wenchang , Patel Hiral , Srivastava Anurag P. , Symersky Jindrich , Bonar Michał M. , Faraldo-Gómez José D. , Liao Maofu , Mueller David M. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBedaquiline (BDQ, Sirturo) has been approved to treat multidrug resistant forms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Prior studies suggested that BDQ was a selective inhibitor of the ATP synthase from M. tuberculosis. However, Sirturo treatment leads to an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias and death, raising the concern that this adverse effect results from inhibition at a secondary site. Here we show that BDQ is a potent inhibitor of the yeast and human mitochondrial ATP synthases. Single-particle cryo-EM reveals that the site of BDQ inhibition partially overlaps with that of the inhibitor oligomycin. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the binding mode of BDQ to this site is similar to that previously seen for a mycobacterial enzyme, explaining the observed lack of selectivity. We propose that derivatives of BDQ ought to be made to increase its specificity toward the mycobacterial enzyme and thereby reduce the side effects for patients that are treated with Sirturo.
A fraction of barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) associates with centromeres and controls mitosis progression
Authors: Torras-Llort Mònica , Medina-Giró Sònia , Escudero-Ferruz Paula , Lipinszki Zoltan , Moreno-Moreno Olga , Karman Zoltan , Przewloka Marcin R. , Azorín Fernando 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBarrier-to-Autointegration Factor (BAF) is a conserved nuclear envelope (NE) component that binds chromatin and helps its anchoring to the NE. Cycles of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation control BAF function. Entering mitosis, phosphorylation releases BAF from chromatin and facilitates NE-disassembly. At mitotic exit, PP2A-mediated dephosphorylation restores chromatin binding and nucleates NE-reassembly. Here, we show that in Drosophila a small fraction of BAF (cenBAF) associates with centromeres. We also find that PP4 phosphatase, which is recruited to centromeres by CENP-C, prevents phosphorylation and release of cenBAF during mitosis. cenBAF is necessary for proper centromere assembly and accurate chromosome segregation, being critical for mitosis progression. Disrupting cenBAF localization prevents PP2A inactivation in mitosis compromising global BAF phosphorylation, which in turn leads to its persistent association with chromatin, delays anaphase onset and causes NE defects. These results suggest that, together with PP4 and CENP-C, cenBAF forms a centromere-based mechanism that controls chromosome segregation and mitosis progression.
Phonological Awareness Skills in Children With Early and Late Cochlear Implantation: Effects of Task and Phonological Unit
Authors: Lee Youngmee 
Published: August 2020

PurposePhonological awareness (PA) skills are critical for spoken language acquisition and literacy. PA manifests in various skills that can be identified based on task performance and speech sound unit size. This study compared the PA skills of children with early cochlear implantation (E-CI), children with late cochlear implantation (L-CI), and children with typical hearing (TH) in relation to task and phonological unit. It also attempted to identify the significant predictors of PA skills in each CI and TH group.MethodTwenty children with E-CI, 20 children with L-CI, and 20 children with TH participated in this study. PA skills were assessed using elision, blending, and segmenting tasks at both the syllabic and phonemic levels.ResultsThe E-CI and L-CI groups performed significantly less well than the TH group on the elision and blending tasks at the syllabic level. However, the E-CI group performed at a similar level as the TH group in the segmenting tasks at both the syllabic and phonemic levels. The regression analysis identified age at implantation and receptive vocabulary scores as significant predictors of PA skills in children with CIs.ConclusionsAlthough all the children with CIs had age-appropriate receptive vocabulary skills, the PA skills of both the E-CI and L-CI groups tended to lag behind those of the TH group in the elision and blending tasks at the syllabic level. Age at implantation and receptive vocabulary skills affected the development of PA skills in children with CIs.
Unifying low- and high-mass star formation through density-amplified hubs of filaments
Authors: Kumar M. S. N. , Palmeirim P. , Arzoumanian D. , Inutsuka S. I. 
Published: August 2020

Context.Star formation takes place in giant molecular clouds, resulting in mass-segregated young stellar clusters composed of Sun-like stars, brown dwarfs, and massive O-type(50–100M⊙) stars.Aims.We aim to identify candidate hub-filament systems (HFSs) in the Milky Way and examine their role in the formation of the highest mass stars and star clusters.Methods.TheHerschelsurvey HiGAL has catalogued about 105clumps. Of these, approximately 35 000 targets are detected at the 3σlevel in a minimum of four bands. Using the DisPerSE algorithm we detect filamentary skeletons on 10′ × 10′ cut-outs of the SPIRE 250μm images (18′′ beam width) of the targets. Any filament with a total length of at least 55′′ (3 × 18′′) and at least 18′′ inside the clump was considered to form a junction at the clump. A hub is defined as a junction of three or more filaments. Column density maps were masked by the filament skeletons and averaged for HFS and non-HFS samples to compute the radial profile along the filaments into the clumps.Results.Approximately 3700 (11%) are candidate HFSs, of which about 2150 (60%) are pre-stellar and 1400 (40%) are proto-stellar. The filaments constituting the HFSs have a mean length of ~10–20 pc, a mass of ~5 × 104M⊙, and line masses (M∕L) of ~2 × 103M⊙pc−1. All clumps withL> 104L⊙andL> 105L⊙at distances within 2 and 5 kpc respectively are located in the hubs of HFSs. The column densities of hubs are found to be enhanced by a factor of approximately two (pre-stellar sources) up to about ten (proto-stellar sources).Conclusions.All high-mass stars preferentially form in the density-enhanced hubs of HFSs. This amplification can drive the observed longitudinal flows along filaments providing further mass accretion. Radiation pressure and feedback can escape into the inter-filamentary voids. We propose a “filaments to clusters” unified paradigm for star formation, with the following salient features: (a) low-intermediate-mass stars form slowly (106yr) in the filaments and massive stars form quickly (105yr) in the hub, (b) the initial mass function is the sum of stars continuously created in the HFS with all massive stars formed in the hub, (c) feedback dissipation and mass segregation arise naturally due to HFS properties, and explain the (d) age spreads within bound clusters and the formation of isolated OB associations.
Benchmark stars, benchmark spectrographs
Authors: Adibekyan V. , Sousa S. G. , Santos N. C. , Figueira P. , Allende Prieto C. , Delgado Mena E. , González Hernández J. I. , de Laverny P. , Recio–Blanco A. , Campante T. L. , Tsantaki M. , Hakobyan A. A. , Oshagh M. , Faria J. P. , Bergemann M. , Israelian G. , Boulet T. 
Published: August 2020

Context. Gaiabenchmark stars are selected to be calibration stars for different spectroscopic surveys. Very high-quality and homogeneous spectroscopic data for these stars are therefore required. We collected ultrahigh-resolution ESPRESSO spectra for 30 of the 34Gaiabenchmark stars and made them public.Aims.We quantify the consistency of the results that are obtained with different high- (R~ 115 000), and ultrahigh- (R~ 220 000) resolution spectrographs. We also comprehensively studied the effect of using different spectral reduction products of ESPRESSO on the final spectroscopic results.Methods.We used ultrahigh- and high-resolution spectra obtained with the ESPRESSO, PEPSI, and HARPS spectrographs to measure spectral line characteristics (line depth; line width; and equivalent width, EW) and determined stellar parameters and abundances for a subset of 11Gaiabenchmark stars. We used the ARES code for automatic measurements of the spectral line parameters.Results.Our measurements reveal that the same individual spectral lines measured from adjacent 2D (spectrum in the wavelength-order space) echelle orders of ESPRESSO spectra differ slightly in line depth and line width. When a long list of spectral lines is considered, the EW measurements based on the 2D and 1D (the final spectral product) ESPRESSO spectra agree very well. The EW spectral line measurements based on the ESPRESSO, PEPSI, and HARPS spectra also agree to within a few percent. However, we note that the lines appear deeper in the ESPRESSO spectra than in PEPSI and HARPS. The stellar parameters derived from each spectrograph by combining the several available spectra agree well overall.Conclusions.We conclude that the ESPRESSO, PEPSI, and HARPS spectrographs can deliver spectroscopic results that are sufficiently consistent for most of the science cases in stellar spectroscopy. However, we found small but important differences in the performance of the three spectrographs that can be crucial for specific science cases.
A global model of particle acceleration at pulsar wind termination shocks
Authors: Cerutti Benoît , Giacinti Gwenael 
Published: August 2020

Context. Pulsar wind nebulae are efficient particle accelerators, and yet the processes at work remain elusive. Self-generated, microturbulence is too weak in relativistic magnetized shocks to accelerate particles over a wide energy range, suggesting that the global dynamics of the nebula may be involved in the acceleration process instead.
Aims. In this work, we study the role played by the large-scale anisotropy of the transverse magnetic field profile on the shock dynamics.
Methods. We performed large two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations for a wide range of upstream plasma magnetizations, from weakly magnetized to strongly magnetized pulsar winds.
Results. The magnetic field anisotropy leads to a dramatically different structure of the shock front and downstream flow. A large-scale velocity shear and current sheets form in the equatorial regions and at the poles, where they drive strong plasma turbulence via Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices and kinks. The mixing of current sheets in the downstream flow leads to efficient nonthermal particle acceleration. The power-law spectrum hardens with increasing magnetization, akin to those found in relativistic reconnection and kinetic turbulence studies. The high end of the spectrum is composed of particles surfing on the wake produced by elongated spearhead-shaped cavities forming at the shock front and piercing through the upstream flow. These particles are efficiently accelerated via the shear-flow acceleration mechanism near the Bohm limit.
Conclusions. Magnetized relativistic shocks are very efficient particle accelerators. Capturing the global dynamics of the downstream flow is crucial to understanding them, and therefore local plane parallel studies may not be appropriate for pulsar wind nebulae and possibly other astrophysical relativistic magnetized shocks. A natural outcome of such shocks is a variable and Doppler-boosted synchrotron emission at the high end of the spectrum originating from the shock-front cavities, reminiscent of the mysterious Crab Nebula gamma-ray flares.
The Problem of Satisfaction with The Results of The Professional Activity of The Employees of The Penal System of The Russian Federation
Authors: Suslov Yuri Evgenievich , Tishchenko Yuri Yuryevich , Samoylova Anastasia Andreyevna 
Published: August 2020

The article considers the problem of satisfaction with work and results of work on the example of the professional activity of the penal system employees. In this regard, the purpose of the study, reflected in this work, is to analyze the professional activities of the penal system staff of the Russian Federation. The objective was achieved by analyzing scientific sources devoted to the problem of work, professional activity, and satisfaction with their results, as well as the study and comparison of the results of research conducted in the penal system. During the research, such general scientific methods and techniques as analysis, synthesis, comparison, induction, and deduction were applied.
The study draws a parallel between satisfaction with professional choices and satisfaction with one’s own life in general, emphasizing the existential nature of the discussed issue. In conclusion, the authors describe the levels of perception of professional activities results by penal system staff. The obtained results can be used for preventive, educational, and corrective measures with penal system staff.