bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Short-term comparison between navigated subthreshold microsecond pulse laser and oral eplerenone for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy
Authors: Toto Lisa , D’Aloisio Rossella , De Nicola Chiara , Evangelista Federica , Ruggeri Maria Ludovica , Cerino Luca , Simonelli Maria Beatrice , Aharrh-Gnama Agbéanda , Di Nicola Marta , Porreca Annamaria , Mastropasqua Rodolfo 
Published: March 2022

AbstractTo compare the anatomical/functional changes after navigated subthreshold pulse laser (SML) and oral eplerenone therapy for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC). A total of 36 eyes of 36 patients suffering from cCSC treated with navigated SML (Navilas® 577s; OD-OS GmbH, near Berlin, Germany) (18 eyes, SML group) and oral eplerenone (18 eyes, eplerenone group) were enrolled in this retrospective study. Main outcome measures during a 3-month follow up period included changes of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), foveal subretinal fluid thickness (FSRFT), and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT). At baseline average duration of symptoms was 6.8 ± 0.6 months in SML group and 6.4 ± 0.9 months in eplerenone group (p = 0.127). Mean BCVA, CMT and FSRFT changed significantly over time (p < 0.001). From baseline to 90 days the BCVA improved from 0.3 ± 0.1 to 0.1 ± 0.1 logMAR in SML group and from 0.3 ± 0. to 0.2 ± 0.1 logMAR in eplerenone group, CMT reduced from 357.1 ± 104.3 to 210.6 ± 46.7 μm and from 428.7 ± 107.7 to 332.5 ± 27.5 μm in SML group and eplerenone group respectively, FSRFT reduced from 144.4 ± 108.2 to 22.6 ± 37.2 μm and from 217.1 ± 105.9 to 54.4 ± 86.2 μm in SML group and eplerenone group. 55.6% of patients in SML group and 66.7% in eplerenone group showed a complete resolution of FSRFT during follow up. The interaction between group and time was statistically significant with greater absolute variation for CMT and FSRFT in SML group compared to eplerenone group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.043). SFCT did not change significantly during follow up (p = 0.083) for both groups. Both navigated SML and oral eplerenone were effective treatments showing recovery of retinal morphology and related visual acuity improvement in cCSC.
Impact of signal strength on quantitative retinal and choriocapillaris flow measurement from optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Lee Jae Jung , Lee Ji Eun , Sadda Srinivas R. , Park Sung Who , Byon Iksoo 
Published: March 2022

AbstractWe evaluated the impact of signal strength (SS) on quantitative measurements from optical coherence tomography (OCTA). Twenty healthy-volunteers were included. A neutral density filter (NDF) was attached to spectral-domain OCTA (SD-OCTA) and swept-source OCTA (SS-OCTA). All subjects were imaged with both devices three times using three different conditions: no filter, NDF0.3, and NDF0.6. For SD-OCTA, SS decreased from 10.0 to 8.2 and 4.0 with the NDF0.3 and 0.6, respectively. The vessel density (VD) and vessel length density (VLD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) decreased when SS decreased from 10 to 8.2, but no further decrease when SS changed from 8.2 to 4.0. The flow metrics of the deep capillary plexus (DCP) did not change. For SS-OCTA, SS decreased from 10 to 9.5 and 7.2. The VD and VLD of the SCP and DCP decreased when SS decreased, except for the VD of the DCP when SS changed from 10 to 9.5. The choriocapillaris flow deficits significantly increased along with the decrease in SS. Quantitative flow parameters were significantly affected by a small change in SS and were most conspicuous in the SCP and choriocapillaris. These finding highlight the importance of high and consistent SS in quantitative OCTA studies.
Acetyl-CoA-carboxylase 1 (ACC1) plays a critical role in glucagon secretion
Authors: Veprik Anna , Denwood Geoffrey , Liu Dong , Bany Bakar Rula , Morfin Valentin , McHugh Kara , Tebeka Nchimunya N. , Vetterli Laurène , Yonova-Doing Ekaterina , Gribble Fiona , Reimann Frank , Hoehn Kyle L. , Hemsley Piers A. , Ahnfelt-Rønne Jonas , Rorsman Patrik , Zhang Quan , de Wet Heidi , Cantley James 
Published: March 2022

AbstractDysregulated glucagon secretion from pancreatic alpha-cells is a key feature of type-1 and type-2 diabetes (T1D and T2D), yet our mechanistic understanding of alpha-cell function is underdeveloped relative to insulin-secreting beta-cells. Here we show that the enzyme acetyl-CoA-carboxylase 1 (ACC1), which couples glucose metabolism to lipogenesis, plays a key role in the regulation of glucagon secretion. Pharmacological inhibition of ACC1 in mouse islets or αTC9 cells impaired glucagon secretion at low glucose (1 mmol/l). Likewise, deletion of ACC1 in alpha-cells in mice reduced glucagon secretion at low glucose in isolated islets, and in response to fasting or insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in vivo. Electrophysiological recordings identified impaired KATP channel activity and P/Q- and L-type calcium currents in alpha-cells lacking ACC1, explaining the loss of glucose-sensing. ACC-dependent alterations in S-acylation of the KATP channel subunit, Kir6.2, were identified by acyl-biotin exchange assays. Histological analysis identified that loss of ACC1 caused a reduction in alpha-cell area of the pancreas, glucagon content and individual alpha-cell size, further impairing secretory capacity. Loss of ACC1 also reduced the release of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) in primary gastrointestinal crypts. Together, these data reveal a role for the ACC1-coupled pathway in proglucagon-expressing nutrient-responsive endocrine cell function and systemic glucose homeostasis.
Group interactions modulate critical mass dynamics in social convention
Authors: Iacopini Iacopo , Petri Giovanni , Baronchelli Andrea , Barrat Alain 
Published: March 2022

AbstractHow can minorities of individuals overturn social conventions? The theory of critical mass states that when a committed minority reaches a critical size, a cascade of behavioural changes can occur, overturning apparently stable social norms. Evidence comes from theoretical and empirical studies in which minorities of very different sizes, including extremely small ones, manage to bring a system to its tipping point. Here, we explore this diversity of scenarios by introducing group interactions as a crucial element of realism into a model for social convention. We find that the critical mass necessary to trigger behaviour change can be very small if individuals have a limited propensity to change their views. Moreover, the ability of the committed minority to overturn existing norms depends in a complex way on the group size. Our findings reconcile the different sizes of critical mass found in previous investigations and unveil the critical role of groups in such processes. This further highlights the importance of the emerging field of higher-order networks, beyond pairwise interactions.
Longitudinal Effects of Parkinson's Disease on Speech Breathing During an Extemporaneous Connected Speech Task
Authors: Darling-White Meghan , Anspach Zeina , Huber Jessica E. 
Published: March 2022

Purpose:
A critical component to the development of any type of intervention to improve speech production in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complete understanding of the speech impairments present at each stage of the disease and how these impairments change with disease progression. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the impact of disease on speech production and speech breathing during an extemporaneous speech task in individuals with PD over the course of approximately 3.5 years.

Method:
Eight individuals with PD and eight age- and sex-matched control participants produced an extemporaneous connected speech task on two occasions (Time 1 and Time 2) an average of 3 years 7 months apart. Dependent variables included sound pressure level; utterance length; speech rate; lung volume initiation, termination, and excursion; and percent vital capacity per syllable.

Results:
From Time 1 to Time 2, individuals with PD demonstrated decreased utterance length and lung volume initiation, termination, and excursion and increased speech rate. Control participants demonstrated decreased utterance length and lung volume termination and increased lung volume excursion and percent vital capacity per syllable from Time 1 to Time 2.

Conclusions:
Changes in speech production and speech breathing variables experienced by individuals with PD over the course of several years are related to their disease process and not typical aging. Changes to speech breathing highlight the need to provide intervention focused on increasing efficient respiratory patterning for speech production.
A revised density split statistic model for general filters
Authors: Burger Pierre , Friedrich Oliver , Harnois-Déraps Joachim , Schneider Peter 
Published: March 2022

Context. Studying the statistical properties of the large-scale structure in the Universe with weak gravitational lensing is a prime goal of several current and forthcoming galaxy surveys. The power that weak lensing has to constrain cosmological parameters can be enhanced by considering statistics beyond second-order shear correlation functions or power spectra. One such higher-order probe that has proven successful in observational data is density split statistics (DSS), in which one analyses the mean shear profiles around points that are classified according to their foreground galaxy density.
Aims. In this paper, we generalise the most accurate DSS model to allow for a broad class of angular filter functions used for the classification of the different local density regions. This approach is motivated by earlier findings showing that an optimised filter can provide tighter constraints on model parameters compared to the standard top-hat case.
Methods. As in the previous DSS model we built on large deviation theory approaches and approximations thereof to model the matter density probability distribution function, and on perturbative calculations of higher-order moments of the density field. The novel addition relies on the generalisation of these previously employed calculations to allow for general filter functions and is validated on several sets of numerical simulations.
Results. It is shown that the revised model fits the simulation measurements well for many filter choices, with a residual systematic offset that is small compared to the statistical accuracy of current weak lensing surveys. However, by use of a simple calibration method and a Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis, we studied the expected sensitivity of the DSS to cosmological parameters and find unbiased results and constraints comparable to the commonly used two-point cosmic shear measures. Hence, our DSS model can be used in competitive analyses of current cosmic shear data, while it may need refinements for forthcoming lensing surveys.
Impact of the photoelectric threshold sensitivity on the work function determination—Revealing ultra-low work functions of caesiated surfaces
Authors: Heiler A. , Friedl R. , Fantz U. 
Published: March 2022

The exploitation of the photoelectric effect is a prominent method for the in situ measurement of the absolute work function of a surface. In the case of metallic surfaces, the Fowler theory is routinely applied for fitting or extrapolating the measured photoelectric yield data to determine the work function value. However, for the reliable application of the Fowler method, attention must be paid to the experimental sensitivity to the photoelectric behavior close to the threshold, which is mainly determined by the signal-to-noise ratio for photocurrent detection and the available photon energies used for irradiation. This is illustrated by means of applying a photoelectric work function measurement system during a Cs coating process of a metal surface, where insufficiently low photon energies or an unfavorable noise level can lead to a severe overestimation of the work function of the order of 1 eV. By a sufficient enhancement of the photoelectric sensitivity, it is now unveiled that ultra-low surface work functions of 1.25 ± 0.10 eV can be generated via caesiation of metallic surfaces (here molybdenum and stainless steel) under vacuum conditions of 10−6–10−5 mbar, which is most probably the result of the formation of an oxidized Cs adlayer.
Conical intersection and coherent vibrational dynamics in alkyl iodides captured by attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Chang Kristina F. , Wang Han , Poullain Sonia M. , González-Vázquez Jesús , Bañares Luis , Prendergast David , Neumark Daniel M. , Leone Stephen R. 
Published: March 2022

The photodissociation dynamics of alkyl iodides along the C–I bond are captured by attosecond extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) transient absorption spectroscopy employing resonant ∼20 fs UV pump pulses. The methodology of previous experiments on CH3I [Chang et al., J. Chem. Phys. 154, 234301 (2021)] is extended to the investigation of a C–I bond-breaking reaction in the dissociative A-band of C2H5I, i-C3H7I, and t-C4H9I. Probing iodine 4d core-to-valence transitions in the XUV enables one to map wave packet bifurcation at a conical intersection in the A-band as well as coherent vibrations in the ground state of the parent molecules. Analysis of spectroscopic bifurcation signatures yields conical intersection crossing times of 15 ± 4 fs for CH3I, 14 ± 5 fs for C2H5I, and 24 ± 4 fs for i-C3H7I and t-C4H9I, respectively. Observations of coherent vibrations, resulting from a projection of A-band structural dynamics onto the ground state by resonant impulsive stimulated Raman scattering, indirectly reveal multimode C–I stretch and CCI bend vibrations in the A-bands of C2H5I, i-C3H7I, and t-C4H9I.
Artificial Skin and Biopolitical Masks, or How to Deal with Face-Habits
Authors: Voto Cristina 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBuilding on the case study of the performative practice of voguing within ballroom culture among LGBTQIA+ communities, the aim of this article is to recognize a facial agency capable of putting into tension three thresholds of meaning: visibility and invisibility; identity and otherness; nature and artifice. On the basis of these tensions, interpretive habits concerning identity are incorporated into the face as a semiotic dispositif that negotiate sociocultural expectations and limitations. These habits, when agentively performed through the face, give shape to a communicative project that manipulates platforms of identity into biopolitical masks. The analysis will also give an account of how “worn” biopolitical masks reproduce and perform a facial monstrum, or warning, and how this specification warns others of the normativity of aesthetic and biopolitical appearance while activating an intentional transformation of identity.
Cd-doping effects in Ni–Mn–Sn: experiment and ab-initio study
Authors: Ghazinezhad Z , Kameli P , Ghotbi Varzaneh A , Sarsari I Abdolhosseini , Norouzi-Inallu M , Amiri T , Salazar D , Rodríguez-Crespo B , Vashaee D , Etsell T H , Chernenko V 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Martensitic transformation (MT), magnetic properties, and magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in Heusler-type Ni47Mn40Sn13−x
Cd
x
(x= 0, 0.75, 1, 1.25 at. %) metamagnetic shape memory alloys (MetaMSMAs) are investigated, both experimentally and theoretically, as a function of doping with Cd. Ab-initio computations reveal that the ferromagnetic (FM) configuration is energetically more favorable in the cubic phase than the antiferromagnetic (AFM) state in undoped and doped alloys as well. Moreover, it is revealed that the alloys in the ground state exhibit a tetragonal structure confirming the existence of MT, in agreement with the experiments. It was indicated, both in theory and practice, that a reduction of the unit cell volume and an increase of the MT temperature as a function of the Cd doping. Indirect estimations of MCE in the vicinity of MT were carried out by using thermomagnetization curves measured under different magnetic fields up to 5 T. The results demonstrated that the doped alloys exhibit enhanced values of the inverse MCE comparable with those of Ni-Mn-based MetaMSMAs. Maximum magnetic entropy change in a field change of 2 T increases from 3.0

J

.k

g

−
1

K

−
1

for the undoped alloy to 3.4 and 5.0

J

.k

g

−
1

K

−
1

for the alloys doped with 0.75 and 1 at.% of Cd, respectively. The inverse and conventional MCE were explored by direct measurements of the adiabatic temperature change under the magnetic field change of 1.96 T. The Cd doping increased the maximum of inverse MCE by nearly 78% from 0.9 K to 1.6 K for the undoped and doped alloys, respectively. The results depicted that Cd doping can effectively tailor the structural, magnetic, and MCE properties of the Ni–Mn–Sn MetaMSMAs.
Inverting cosmic ray propagation by convolutional neural networks
Authors: Tsai Yue-Lin Sming , Chung Yi-Lun , Yuan Qiang , Cheung Kingman 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
We propose a machine learning method to investigate the propagation of cosmic
rays based on the precisely measured spectra of the primary and secondary cosmic
ray nuclei of Li, Be, B, C, and O from AMS-02, ACE, and Voyager-1. We train two
convolutional neural networks. One network learns how to infer propagation and
source parameters from the energy spectra of cosmic rays, and the other network,
which is similar to the former, has the flexibility to learn from the data with
added artificial fluctuations. Together with the simulated data generated by
GALPROP, we find that both networks can properly invert the propagation
process and infer the propagation and source parameters reasonably well.
This approach can be much more efficient than the traditional Markov chain
Monte Carlo fitting method for deriving the propagation parameters if users
choose to update confidence intervals with new experimental data.
Both of the trained networks are available at (https://github.com/alan200276/CR_ML).
Far-field electric potentials provide access to the output from the spinal cord from wrist-mounted sensors
Authors: Mendez Guerra Irene , Barsakcioglu Deren Y , Vujaklija Ivan , Wetmore Daniel Z , Farina Dario 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Objective. Neural interfaces need to become more unobtrusive and socially acceptable to appeal to general consumers outside rehabilitation settings. Approach. We developed a non-invasive neural interface that provides access to spinal motor neuron activities from the wrist, which is the preferred location for a wearable. The interface decodes far-field potentials present at the tendon endings of the forearm muscles using blind source separation. First, we evaluated the reliability of the interface to detect motor neuron firings based on far-field potentials, and thereafter we used the decoded motor neuron activity for the prediction of finger contractions in offline and real-time conditions. Main results. The results showed that motor neuron activity decoded from the far-field potentials at the wrist accurately predicted individual and combined finger commands and therefore allowed for highly accurate real-time task classification. Significance. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of a non-invasive, neural interface at the wrist for precise real-time control based on the output of the spinal cord.
Photonic dot-product engine for optical signal and information processing
Authors: Luan Enxiao , Salmani Mahsa , Eshaghi Armaghan 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
In this paper, a novel 2 × 2 Mach–Zehnder-interferometer (MZI)-based dot-product calculator is proposed and analyzed in the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. To calculate the dot product, a phase-shifted Bragg grating (PSBG) modulator is placed in each arm of the MZI for the phase modulation at the resonant wavelength, followed by a 3 dB 2 × 2 directional coupler (DC) as the output to convert the phase difference into the intensity distribution across bar and cross ports. Moreover, an electro-absorption modulator (EAM) is implemented between the PSBG and the DC to change the intensity of the passing light in both arms. Theoretical modeling shows that by adjusting the phase difference and absorption strength individually, multiplication of two input values can be achieved using the proposed design. Numerical analysis over 10 000 dot-product operations with 7 bit precision for input values reveals a mean squared error (MSE) of 2.67 × 10−5. By cascading multiple proposed designs operated at different wavelengths, vector-by-vector multiplication can be realized in parallel, leveraging the wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) scheme and the Bragg reflection mechanism, with results superior to the current and prior MZI-based processors with coherent light sources. This design paves the way for large-scale optical information processing systems with high throughput.
First-principles investigation of the significant anisotropy and ultrahigh thermoelectric efficiency of a novel two-dimensional Ga2I2S2 at room temperature
Authors: Chang Zheng , Liu Ke , Sun Zhehao , Yuan Kunpeng , Cheng Shuwen , Gao Yufei , Zhang Xiaoliang , Shen Chen , Zhang Hongbin , Wang Ning , Tang Dawei 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) thermoelectric (TE) materials have been widely developed; however, some 2D materials exhibit isotropic phonon, electron transport properties, and poor TE performance, which limit their application scope. Thus, exploring excellent anisotropic and ultrahigh-performance TE materials are very warranted. Herein, we first investigate the phonon thermal and TE properties of a novel 2D-connectivity ternary compound named Ga2I2S2. This paper comprehensively studies the phonon dispersion, phonon anharmonicity, lattice thermal conductivity, electronic structure, carrier mobility, Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) versus carrier concentration for 2D Ga2I2S2. We conclude that the in-plane lattice thermal conductivities of Ga2I2S2 at room temperature (300 K) are found to be 1.55 W mK−1 in the X-axis direction (xx-direction) and 3.82 W mK−1 in the Y-axis direction (yy-direction), which means its anisotropy ratio reaches 1.46. Simultaneously, the TE performance of p-type and n-type doping 2D Ga2I2S2 also shows significant anisotropy, giving rise to the ZT peak values of p-type doping in xx- and yy-directions being 0.81 and 1.99, respectively, and those of n-type doping reach ultrahigh values of 7.12 and 2.89 at 300 K, which are obviously higher than the reported values for p-type and n-type doping ternary compound Sn2BiX (ZT∼ 1.70 and ∼2.45 at 300 K) (2020 Nano Energy
67 104283). This work demonstrates that 2D Ga2I2S2 has high anisotropic TE conversion efficiency and can also be used as a new potential room-temperature TE material.