bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prediction of global marginal land resources for Pistacia chinensis Bunge by a machine learning method
Authors: Chen Shuai , Hao Mengmeng , Qian Yushu , Ding Fangyu , Xie Xiaolan , Ma Tian 
Published: April 2022

AbstractBiofuel has attracted worldwide attention due to its potential to combat climate change and meet emission reduction targets. Pistacia chinensis Bunge (P. chinensis) is a prospective plant for producing biodiesel. Estimating the global potential marginal land resources for cultivating this species would be conducive to exploiting bioenergy yielded from it. In this study, we applied a machine learning method, boosted regression tree, to estimate the suitable marginal land for growing P. chinensis worldwide. The result indicated that most of the qualified marginal land is found in Southern Africa, the southern part of North America, the western part of South America, Southeast Asia, Southern Europe, and eastern and southwest coasts of Oceania, for a grand total of 1311.85 million hectares. Besides, we evaluated the relative importance of the environmental variables, revealing the major environmental factors that determine the suitability for growing P. chinensis, which include mean annual water vapor pressure, mean annual temperature, mean solar radiation, and annual cumulative precipitation. The potential global distribution of P. chinensis could provide a valuable basis to guide the formulation of P. chinensis-based biodiesel policies.
Loss of β4-spectrin impairs Nav channel clustering at the heminode and temporal fidelity of presynaptic spikes in developing auditory brain
Authors: Nip Kaila , Kashiwagura Sean , Kim Jun Hee 
Published: April 2022

AbstractBeta-4 (β4)-spectrin, encoded by the gene Sptbn4, is a cytoskeleton protein found at nodes and the axon initial segments (AIS). Sptbn4 mutations are associated with myopathy, neuropathy, and auditory deficits in humans. Related to auditory dysfunction, however, the expression and roles of β4-spectrin at axon segments along the myelinated axon in the developing auditory brain are not well explored. We found during postnatal development, β4-spectrin is critical for voltage-gated sodium channel (Nav) clustering at the heminode along the nerve terminal, but not for the formation of nodal and AIS structures in the auditory brainstem. Presynaptic terminal recordings in Sptbn4geo mice, β4-spectrin null mice, showed an elevated threshold of action potential and increased failures during action potential train at high-frequency. Sptbn4geo mice exhibited a slower central conduction and showed no startle responses, but had normal cochlear function. Taken together, the lack of β4-spectrin impairs Nav clustering at the heminode along the nerve terminal and the temporal fidelity and reliability of presynaptic spikes, leading to central auditory processing deficits during postnatal development.
Graphene–oxide interface for optoelectronic synapse application
Authors: Martinez-Martinez Ricardo , Islam Molla Manjurul , Krishnaprasad Adithi , Roy Tania 
Published: April 2022

AbstractOptoelectronic synapses combine the functionalities of a non-volatile memory and photodetection in the same device, paving the path for the realization of artificial retina systems which can capture, pre-process, and identify images on the same platform. Graphene/Ta2O5/graphene phototransistor exhibits synapse characteristics when visible electromagnetic radiation of wavelength 405 nm illuminates the device. The photocurrent is retained after light withdrawal when positive gate voltage is applied to the device. The device exhibits distinct conductance states, modulated by different parameters of incident light, such as pulse width and number of pulses. The conductance state can be retained for 104 s, indicating long term potentiation (LTP), similar to biological synapses. By using optical and electrical pulses, the device shows optical potentiation and electrical LTD repeatably, implying their applicability in neural networks for pattern recognition.
Modulation of thermometric performance of single-band-ratiometric luminescent thermometers based on luminescence of Nd3+ activated tetrafluorides by size modification
Authors: Trejgis K. , Ledwa K. , Maciejewska K. , Li L. , Marciniak L. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractDue to a number of its advantages, luminescence thermometry has been a strongly developed strand of temperature metrology over a period of time. Although there are several different types of luminescent thermometers, recently attention has been focused on a new single-band ratiometric approach, which is based on the excited state absorption phenomenon. Nevertheless, since this process is nontrivial and has not been studied extensively in the context of thermometry to date, a number of studies are necessary to enable the intentional development of highly sensitive thermometers based on this method. One of the important aspects is to investigate the influence of material size and the associated occurrence of surface effects, which is considered in this work. In addition, the research in this paper has been extended to explore the aspect of host material composition. Accordingly, nanocrystals and microcrystals of β-NaYF4:2%Nd3+, β-NaGdF4:2%Nd3+, and LiGdF4:2%Nd3+ were investigated in this work. The influence of surface effects on thermometric parameters was proved, with special emphasis on the useful temperature range. Thus, by increasing the particle size, it was possible to intentionally extend the useful range by even more than 100 K.
Behavioral intentions of rural farmers to recycle human excreta in agriculture
Authors: Gwara Simon , Wale Edilegnaw , Odindo Alfred 
Published: April 2022

AbstractConsiderable progress has been made in developing human excreta recovery pathways and processes for maximum nutrient recovery and contaminant elimination. The demand segment has often been ignored as an area for future research, especially during the technology development. The findings from the few published articles on social acceptance show missing and inconclusive influence of demographic, sociological, and economic farmer-characteristics. This study endeavours to close this gap by using the social psychological theories, technology adoption theories and the new ecological paradigm to investigate the factors that influence the behavioral intentions of rural farmers to recycle human excreta in agriculture. Study findings show that social acceptance was driven by awareness, religiosity, income, source of income, and environmental dispositions. Perceived behavioral control represents a potential barrier to human excreta reuse. The study recommends the demographic, cultural, sociological, and economic mainstreaming of dissemination strategies of circular bioeconomy approaches within the context of agricultural innovation systems.
3D-SLIP model based dynamic stability strategy for legged robots with impact disturbance rejection
Authors: Han Bin , Yi Haoyuan , Xu Zhenyu , Yang Xin , Luo Xin 
Published: April 2022

AbstractInspired by biomechanical studies, the spring-loaded inverted pendulum model is an effective behavior model to describe the running movement of animals and legged robots in the sagittal plane. However, when confronted with external lateral disturbances, the model has to move out of the 2-D plane and be extended to 3-D locomotion. With the degree of freedom increasing, the computational complexity is higher and the real-time control is more and more difficult, especially when considering the complex legged model. Here, we construct a control strategy based on the classical Raibert controller for legged locomotion under lateral impact disturbances. This strategy, named 3D-HFC, is composed of three core modules: touchdown angle control, body attitude angle control and energy compensation. The energy loss in each step is taken into consideration, and the real-time measured energy loss of the current step is adopted to predict that of the next step. We demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed control strategy on a simulated 3D-SLIP lower order model and a simulated running quadruped, which are perturbed by different impact forces. Furthermore, a quadruped bionic prototype named MBBOT was set up, on which lateral impact experiments were designed and implemented. Both simulation and experimental results show that the proposed approach can realize the impact disturbance rejection.
Artificial shelters provide suitable thermal habitat for a cold-blooded animal
Authors: Yu Xin , Wu Nicholas. C. , Ge Luyuan , Li Lianshan , Zhang Zhengwang , Lei Juan 
Published: April 2022

AbstractHuman activities such as urbanization often has negative affects wildlife. However, urbanization can also be beneficial to some animals by providing suitable microhabitats. To test the impact of urbanization on cold-blooded animals, we first conducted a snake survey at a national nature reserve (Xianghai natural reserve) and an adjacent tourist bird park (Red-crowned Crane Park). We show high presence ofElaphe dionein the tourist park even with high human activities and predator population (the endangered, red-crowned crane,Grus japonensis). We then radio-tracked 20 individuals ofE. dione, set seven camera traps, and recorded the temperature of the snakes and artificial structures in Crane Park to document their space use, activity, and thermal preference, respectively. Our results showE. dionepreferred to use artificial facilities to shelter from their predators and for thermoregulation. The high number of rats from the camera traps indicate abundant prey items. Overall,E. dioneappears to be adapted to modified habitats and may expand population size at the current study site.
Relevance to the higher order structure may govern auditory statistical learning in neonates
Authors: Todd Juanita , Háden Gábor P. , Winkler István 
Published: April 2022

AbstractHearing is one of the earliest senses to develop and is quite mature by birth. Contemporary theories assume that regularities in sound are exploited by the brain to create internal models of the environment. Through statistical learning, internal models extrapolate from patterns to predictions about subsequent experience. In adults, altered brain responses to sound enable us to infer the existence and properties of these models. In this study, brain potentials were used to determine whether newborns exhibit context-dependent modulations of a brain response that can be used to infer the existence and properties of internal models. Results are indicative of significant context-dependence in the responsivity to sound in newborns. When common and rare sounds continue in stable probabilities over a very long period, neonates respond to all sounds equivalently (no differentiation). However, when the same common and rare sounds at the same probabilities alternate over time, the neonate responses show clear differentiations. The context-dependence is consistent with the possibility that the neonate brain produces more precise internal models that discriminate between contexts when there is an emergent structure to be discovered but appears to adopt broader models when discrimination delivers little or no additional information about the environment.
Imaging immunity in patients with cancer using positron emission tomography
Authors: Hegi-Johnson Fiona , Rudd Stacey , Hicks Rodney J. , De Ruysscher Dirk , Trapani Joseph A. , John Thomas , Donnelly Paul , Blyth Benjamin , Hanna Gerard , Everitt Sarah , Roselt Peter , MacManus Michael P. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractImmune checkpoint inhibitors and related molecules can achieve tumour regression, and even prolonged survival, for a subset of cancer patients with an otherwise dire prognosis. However, it remains unclear why some patients respond to immunotherapy and others do not. PET imaging has the potential to characterise the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of both immunotherapy target molecules and the tumor immune microenvironment, suggesting a tantalising vision of personally-adapted immunomodulatory treatment regimens. Personalised combinations of immunotherapy with local therapies and other systemic therapies, would be informed by immune imaging and subsequently modified in accordance with therapeutically induced immune environmental changes. An ideal PET imaging biomarker would facilitate the choice of initial therapy and would permit sequential imaging in time-frames that could provide actionable information to guide subsequent therapy. Such imaging should provide either prognostic or predictive measures of responsiveness relevant to key immunotherapy types but, most importantly, guide key decisions on initiation, continuation, change or cessation of treatment to reduce the cost and morbidity of treatment while enhancing survival outcomes. We survey the current literature, focusing on clinically relevant immune checkpoint immunotherapies, for which novel PET tracers are being developed, and discuss what steps are needed to make this vision a reality.
Identification of genetic effects underlying type 2 diabetes in South Asian and European populations
Authors: Loh Marie , Zhang Weihua , Ng Hong Kiat , Schmid Katharina , Lamri Amel , Tong Lin , Ahmad Meraj , Lee Jung-Jin , Ng Maggie C. Y. , Petty Lauren E. , Spracklen Cassandra N. , Takeuchi Fumihiko , Islam Md. Tariqul , Jasmine Farzana , Kasturiratne Anuradhani , Kibriya Muhammad , Mohlke Karen L. , Paré Guillaume , Prasad Gauri , Shahriar Mohammad , Chee Miao Ling , de Silva H. Janaka , Engert James C. , Gerstein Hertzel C. , Mani K. Radha , Sabanayagam Charumathi , Vujkovic Marijana , Wickremasinghe Ananda R. , Wong Tien Yin , Yajnik Chittaranjan S. , Yusuf Salim , Ahsan Habibul , Bharadwaj Dwaipayan , Anand Sonia S. , Below Jennifer E. , Boehnke Michael , Bowden Donald W. , Chandak Giriraj R. , Cheng Ching-Yu , Kato Norihiro , Mahajan Anubha , Sim Xueling , McCarthy Mark I. , Morris Andrew P. , Kooner Jaspal S. , Saleheen Danish , Chambers John C. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractSouth Asians are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). We carried out a genome-wide association meta-analysis with South Asian T2D cases (n = 16,677) and controls (n = 33,856), followed by combined analyses with Europeans (neff = 231,420). We identify 21 novel genetic loci for significant association with T2D (P = 4.7 × 10−8 to 5.2 × 10−12), to the best of our knowledge at the point of analysis. The loci are enriched for regulatory features, including DNA methylation and gene expression in relevant tissues, and highlight CHMP4B, PDHB, LRIG1 and other genes linked to adiposity and glucose metabolism. A polygenic risk score based on South Asian-derived summary statistics shows ~4-fold higher risk for T2D between the top and bottom quartile. Our results provide further insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying T2D, and highlight the opportunities for discovery from joint analysis of data from across ancestral populations.
Oligomerization, trans-reduction, and instability of mutant NOTCH3 in inherited vascular dementia
Authors: Young Kelly Z. , Rojas Ramírez Carolina , Keep Simon G. , Gatti John R. , Lee Soo Jung , Zhang Xiaojie , Ivanova Magdalena I. , Ruotolo Brandon T. , Wang Michael M. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractCerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is a prevalent disease of aging and a major contributor to stroke and dementia. The most commonly inherited SVD, CADASIL, is caused by dominantly acting cysteine-altering mutations in NOTCH3. These mutations change the number of cysteines from an even to an odd number, but the impact of these alterations on NOTCH3 protein structure remain unclear. Here, we prepared wildtype and four mutant recombinant NOTCH3 protein fragments to analyze the impact of CADASIL mutations on oligomerization, thiol status, and protein stability. Using gel electrophoresis, tandem MS/MS, and collision-induced unfolding, we find that NOTCH3 mutant proteins feature increased amounts of inappropriate disulfide bridges, reduced cysteines, and structural instability. Presence of a second protein factor, an N-terminal fragment of NOTCH3 (NTF), is capable of further altering disulfide statuses of both wildtype and mutant proteins, leading to increased numbers of reduced cysteines and further destabilization of NOTCH3 structure. In sum, these studies identify specific cysteine residues alterations and quaternary structure induced by CADASIL mutations in NOTCH3; further, we validate that reductive factors alter the structure and stability of this small vessel disease protein.
Division of labor and collective functionality in Escherichia coli under acid stress
Authors: Brameyer Sophie , Schumacher Kilian , Kuppermann Sonja , Jung Kirsten 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe acid stress response is an important factor influencing the transmission of intestinal microbes such as the enterobacterium Escherichia coli. E. coli activates three inducible acid resistance systems - the glutamate decarboxylase, arginine decarboxylase, and lysine decarboxylase systems to counteract acid stress. Each system relies on the activity of a proton-consuming reaction catalyzed by a specific amino acid decarboxylase and a corresponding antiporter. Activation of these three systems is tightly regulated by a sophisticated interplay of membrane-integrated and soluble regulators. Using a fluorescent triple reporter strain, we quantitatively illuminated the cellular individuality during activation of each of the three acid resistance (AR) systems under consecutively increasing acid stress. Our studies highlight the advantages of E. coli in possessing three AR systems that enable division of labor in the population, which ensures survival over a wide range of low pH values.
Sperm membrane proteins DCST1 and DCST2 are required for sperm-egg interaction in mice and fish
Authors: Noda Taichi , Blaha Andreas , Fujihara Yoshitaka , Gert Krista R. , Emori Chihiro , Deneke Victoria E. , Oura Seiya , Panser Karin , Lu Yonggang , Berent Sara , Kodani Mayo , Cabrera-Quio Luis Enrique , Pauli Andrea , Ikawa Masahito 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe process of sperm-egg fusion is critical for successful fertilization, yet the underlying mechanisms that regulate these steps have remained unclear in vertebrates. Here, we show that both mouse and zebrafish DCST1 and DCST2 are necessary in sperm to fertilize the egg, similar to their orthologs SPE-42 and SPE-49 in C. elegans and Sneaky in D. melanogaster. Mouse Dcst1 and Dcst2 single knockout (KO) sperm are able to undergo the acrosome reaction and show normal relocalization of IZUMO1, an essential factor for sperm-egg fusion, to the equatorial segment. While both single KO sperm can bind to the oolemma, they show the fusion defect, resulting that Dcst1 KO males become almost sterile and Dcst2 KO males become sterile. Similar to mice, zebrafish dcst1 KO males are subfertile and dcst2 and dcst1/2 double KO males are sterile. Zebrafish dcst1/2 KO sperm are motile and can approach the egg, but are defective in binding to the oolemma. Furthermore, we find that DCST1 and DCST2 interact with each other and are interdependent. These data demonstrate that DCST1/2 are essential for male fertility in two vertebrate species, highlighting their crucial role as conserved factors in fertilization.
Compact, spatial-mode-interaction-free, ultralow-loss, nonlinear photonic integrated circuits
Authors: Ji Xinru , Liu Junqiu , He Jijun , Wang Rui Ning , Qiu Zheru , Riemensberger Johann , Kippenberg Tobias J. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractMulti-mode waveguides are ubiquitously used in integrated photonics. Although interaction among different spatial waveguide eigenmodes can induce novel nonlinear phenomena, spatial mode interaction is typically undesired. Adiabatic bends, such as Euler bends, have been favoured to suppress spatial mode interaction. Here, we adapt and optimize Euler bends to build compact racetrack microresonators based on ultralow-loss, multi-mode, silicon nitride photonic integrated circuits. The racetrack microresonators feature a footprint of only 0.21 mm2 for 19.8 GHz free spectral range, suitable for tight photonic integration. We quantitatively investigate the suppression of spatial mode interaction in the racetrack microresonators with Euler bends. We show that the low optical loss rate (15.5 MHz) is preserved, on par with the mode interaction strength (25 MHz). This results in an unperturbed microresonator dispersion profile. We further generate a single dissipative Kerr soliton of 19.8 GHz repetition rate without complex laser tuning schemes or auxiliary lasers. The optimized Euler bends and racetrack microresonators can be building blocks for integrated nonlinear photonic systems, as well as linear circuits for programmable processors or photonic quantum computing.
Distributed secure state estimation with a priori sparsity information
Authors: Shinohara Takumi , Namerikawa Toru 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThis paper addresses the problem of distributed secure state estimation of a discrete‐time linear dynamical system in an adversarial environment. Much of the recent work on this problem has imposed redundancy requirements on measurement and communication networks for state estimation in the presence of attacks. In this paper, the authors aim to relax this redundancy requirement by using prior information about the state to be estimated. A scenario where sparsity information of the state is given is especially considered, and it is shown that the a priori sparsity information alleviates the redundancy requirement. An algorithm for distributed secure state estimation is then derived and a sufficient condition on the convergence of the algorithm is given. Numerical simulations finally illustrate the effectiveness of the algorithm.
Design and analysis of an input‐series quasi‐resonant flyback high‐voltage SMPS based on an integrated transformer
Authors: Wang Yipei , Kim Soo‐Yeon , Zhang Hailong , Chen Yafei , Park Sung‐Jun 
Published: April 2022

AbstractAn input‐series quasi‐resonant (QR) flyback high‐voltage switching mode power supply (SMPS) based on an integrated transformer has been designed and analysed. It is capable of converting a high DC input voltage to lower DC voltage to power the control components of high‐power converters in a DC microgrid. An integrated transformer, combined with identical duty cycle control, is adopted to achieve automatic equalization of the series modules effectively even without employing any voltage or current equalization control strategy, of which effect is analysed theoretically. The design of the control system, based on QR flyback SMPS is given, which is implemented by peak current control, and a DCM small‐signal model for the designed SMPS is established, which indicates that the system has high stability and accuracy to ensure normal operation across a broad range of input voltages. Finally, the validity of the theoretical analysis and the proposed method is demonstrated by the development of a 48 W SMPS experimental prototype, which is composed of three input‐series modules. The overall efficiency of the prototype has been improved due to the adoption of QR. The proposed design and analysis methods can be extended to other input‐series isolated DC/DC topologies.