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This paper considers a set of equations describing the static isotropic gravitational field of a macroscopic body within the framework of the theory of gravity with a constraint. It is shown that for any static solid body, the energy of the gravitational field created by it is equal in magnitude to its rest energy, and the energy density defined in this theory is positive everywhere. A general approximate solution of the gravitational field equations is obtained. A nonsingular solution exists only at certain values for the three integration constants. The out-of-body metric coincides with the Schwarzschild metric, but unlike the general relativity theory (GR), the curvature tensor invariants have a certain finite value everywhere. It is claimed that a generally covariant theory of gravity, constructed on the basis of GR, is not physical since it violates the principle of material unity of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus was detected in dead seals on Tyuleniy Island in eastern Russia, in the Sea of Okhotsk. Viruses isolated from dead northern fur seals belong to clade 2.3.4.4b and are closely related to viruses detected predominantly in the Russian Far East and Japan in 2022–2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thin liquid film spread over the inner surface of a rapidly rotating vial creates an aerodynamic cushion on which one or multiple droplets of various liquids can levitate stably for days or even weeks. These levitating droplets can serve as wall‐less ("airware") chemical reactors that can be merged without touching—by remote impulses—to initiate reactions or sequences of reactions at scales down to hundreds of nanomoles. Moreover, under external electric fields, the droplets can act as the world's smallest chemical printers, shedding regular trains of pL or even fL microdrops. In one modality, the levitating droplets operate as completely wireless aliquoting/titrating systems delivering pg quantities of reagents into the liquid in the rotating vial; in another modality, they print microdroplet arrays onto target surfaces. The "airware", levitated reactors are inexpensive to set up, remarkably stable to external disturbances and, for printing applications, require operating voltages much lower than in electrospray, electrowetting, or ink jet systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thin liquid film spread over the inner surface of a rapidly rotating vial creates an aerodynamic cushion on which one or multiple droplets of various liquids can levitate stably for days or even weeks. These levitating droplets can serve as wall‐less ("airware") chemical reactors that can be merged without touching—by remote impulses—to initiate reactions or sequences of reactions at scales down to hundreds of nanomoles. Moreover, under external electric fields, the droplets can act as the world's smallest chemical printers, shedding regular trains of pL or even fL microdrops. In one modality, the levitating droplets operate as completely wireless aliquoting/titrating systems delivering pg quantities of reagents into the liquid in the rotating vial; in another modality, they print microdroplet arrays onto target surfaces. The "airware", levitated reactors are inexpensive to set up, remarkably stable to external disturbances and, for printing applications, require operating voltages much lower than in electrospray, electrowetting, or ink jet systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic properties of coarse-clastic soils based on triaxial dynamic compression and low-amplitude resonant column tests are analyzed. Combination of these methods allows the ultra-small fundamental shear deformations relationship and accumulated by the time deformations to be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that maize (Zea mays L.) is a staple food for a large segment of the population worldwide, many attempts have been made to improve the nutritional value of its grain and at the same time to achieve sustainable cropping systems. The present study aimed to characterize the composition and nutritional value of maize grain as influenced by cropping system, genetic background (variety), and growing year using untargeted NMR metabolomics. The composition of both water- (sugars and polyols, organic acids, and amino acids) and liposoluble metabolites (free and esterified fatty acids, sterols, and lipids) extracted from the maize grain was determined. Multivariate statistical analyses (PCA and ANOVA) pointed to the growing year and the variety as the most important random and fixed factors, respectively, influencing the metabolite profile. The samples were separated along PC1 and PC3 according to the growing year and the variety, respectively. A higher content of citric acid and diunsaturated fatty acids and a lower content of tyrosine, trigonelline, and monounsaturated fatty acids was observed in the organic with respect to the conventional variety. The effect of the cropping system was overwhelmed by the random effect of the growing year. The results provide novel knowledge on the influence of agronomic practices on maize micronutrient contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Despite decades of implementation, the selection of optimal sample preparation conditions for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging is still ambiguous due to the lack of a universal and comprehensive evaluation methodology. Thus, numerous experiments with different matrix application conditions accompany a translation of the method to novel sample types and matrices. Methods: Mouse brain tissues were covered with 9-aminoacridine through sublimation, followed by recrystallization in vapors of 5% (v/v) methanol solution in water. The samples were analyzed by MALDI time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and the efficiency of lipid and small-molecule ionization was evaluated with different metrics. Results: We first investigate the dependency of matrix density and recrystallization conditions on the thickness of an analyte-empty matrix layer to roughly evaluate the laser shot number required to obtain an intense signal with minimal noise. Then, we introduce metrics for the analysis of small imaging datasets (small sample regions) of model samples based on median quantity of peaks in spectra (medQP) and weighted median signal-to-noise ratio (wmSNR). The evaluation of small regions and taking median values for metrics help overcome the sample heterogeneity and allow for the simultaneous comparison of different acquisition parameters. Conclusions: Here, we propose a methodology based on gradual laser ablation of small regions of sample and further implementation of weighted signal-to-noise ratio to assess various matrix application conditions. The proposed approach helps reduce the number of test samples required to determine optimal sample preparation conditions and improve the overall quality of images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystal size distributions (CSD) of olivine were obtained for 17 samples of plagiodunite and Pl‑bearing dunite from the central part of the Yoko-Dovyren massif, northern Baikal region, Russia. Three types of CSD were identified: loglinear, bimodal, and lognormal. Combining these data with the results of petrological reconstructions, which earlier revealed two main types of the Dovyren magmas (using the method of geochemical thermometry), we proposed a basic scenario of interaction between magmatic suspensions of different temperature to explain the diversity of the CSD. The intratelluric olivine transported by magmas of different temperature, which had not subjected to abrupt cooling or heating in the chamber, retained an original loglinear CSD. For some portions of the hottest magma (∼1290°C), it is assumed that the original olivine evolved into a bimodal CSD due to accelerated crystallization at faster cooling of the high-temperature injections contacting relatively cold crystal mush (∼1190°C). An interpretation of the lognormal CSD suggests that part of the olivine crystals composing the protocumulate systems efficiently interacted with the pore melt infiltrating upward during the compaction of the underlying crystal mush. This led to cycles of partial dissolution and regrowth of the olivine grains resulting in a final lognormal CSD. The infiltrating hot melt, which was undersaturated with immiscible sulfide liquid, could dissolve sulfides preexisting in the low-temperature mush. This produced dunites with lognormal CSD relatively depleted in sulfur and chalcophile elements. The lognormal CSD is considered to be a marker of crystal mush regions through which the focused infiltration of the pore melt proceeded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the study was to develop a technique for quantitative determination of rat urine metabolites by HPLC–MS/MS, which can be used to search for biomarkers of acute intoxication with organophosphates (OPs). Results: The content of metabolites in the urine of rats exposed to a single dose of paraoxon (POX1x); interval, twice daily administration of paraoxon (POX2x); exposure to 2-(o-cresyl)-4H-1, 3, 2-benzodioxaphosphorin-2-oxide and paraoxon (CBPOX) was investigated. New data were obtained on the content in the urine of intact rats as well as rats in 3 models of OP poisoning: 3-methylhistidine, threonine, creatine, creatinine, lactic acid, acetylcarnitine, inosine, hypoxanthine, adenine, 3-hydroxymethyl-butyrate and 2-hydroxymethyl-butyrate. Conclusions: The proposed assay procedure is a simple and reliable tool for urine metabolomic studies. Within 1–3 days after OP exposure in all three models of acute intoxication, the concentration of metabolites in rat urine, with the exception of adenine, changes similarly and symmetrically, regardless of the method of poisoning modeling, in all three models of acute intoxication. Further studies are needed to determine the specificity and reliability of using urinary metabolite concentration changes as potential biomarkers of acute organophosphate intoxication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—We study the records of ground motion vertical velocity in the vicinity of broadband seismic stations on the west coast of South America and in the adjacent region of the Pacific Ocean, where the Mw 8.8 earthquake occurred on February 27, 2010. Starting from 2009, asymmetric seismic pulses lasting several hundred seconds have been detected in records of some stations. These pulses occurred under quiet weather conditions and low geomagnetic activity. It is believed that the earthquake was preceded by tectonic movements in the oceanic and continental lithosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory experiments on clayey soils under dynamic triaxial compression were conducted to establish a nonlinear relationship between the dynamic modulus of soil deformation and the frequency of impact. The most significant increase in the dynamic modulus of soil deformation is observed under an increase in frequency from 5 to 10 Hz. In comparison with fluvioglacial soils, the dynamic deformation modulus in glacial loams grows slower under an increase in frequency. This confirms the dependence of the obtained relations on the genesis of soils. The research results were used to develop vibration protection systems for high-precision equipment in high-tech industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic diversity that exists in natural populations of Arachis duranensis, the wild diploid donor of the A subgenome of cultivated tetraploid peanut, has the potential to improve crop adaptability, resilience to major pests and diseases, and drought tolerance. Despite its potential value for peanut improvement, limited research has been focused on the association between allelic variation, environmental factors, and response to early (ELS) and late leaf spot (LLS) diseases. The present study implemented a landscape genomics approach to gain a better understanding of the genetic variability of A. duranensis represented in the ex-situ peanut germplasm collection maintained at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which spans the entire geographic range of the species in its center of origin in South America. A set of 2810 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers allowed a high-resolution genome-wide characterization of natural populations. The analysis of population structure showed a complex pattern of genetic diversity with five putative groups. The incorporation of bioclimatic variables for genotype-environment associations, using the latent factor mixed model (LFMM2) method, provided insights into the genomic signatures of environmental adaptation, and led to the identification of SNP loci whose allele frequencies were correlated with elevation, temperature, and precipitation-related variables (q < 0.05). The LFMM2 analysis for ELS and LLS detected candidate SNPs and genomic regions on chromosomes A02, A03, A04, A06, and A08. These findings highlight the importance of the application of landscape genomics in ex situ collections of peanut and other crop wild relatives to effectively identify favorable alleles and germplasm for incorporation into breeding programs. We report new sources of A. duranensis germplasm harboring adaptive allelic variation, which have the potential to be utilized in introgression breeding for a single or multiple environmental factors, as well as for resistance to leaf spot diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-voltage gradual p0–i–n0 junctions of AlxGa1 –xAs1 –ySby with x ~ 0.24 and y ~ 0.05 in the i‑region were studied using capacitance-voltage characteristics method and transient spectroscopy of deep levels. It has been established that the effective recombination trap in them is the DX-center of the Si donor impurity, with a thermal activation energy Et = 414 meV, a capture cross section σn = 1.04 × 10–14 cm2, and a concentration Nd = 2.4 × 1015 cm–3. In the heterostructures studied, there were no deep levels associated with dislocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a singularly perturbed optimal tracking problem with a given reference path in the case of incomplete information about the state vector in the presence of exogenous disturbances. To analyze the differential equations that arise when solving this problem, we use the decomposition method, which is based on the technique of integral manifolds of fast and slow motions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied records of vertical ground velocity near broadband seismic stations installed around the epicenter of the magnitude 9, March 11, 2011 Tohoku earthquake. The MAJO station had been recording a stable daily behavior of seismic noise during 15 years before the earthquake. The station is the nearest to the epicenter, and is at a distance of 386 km from it. In 2009 pulses were identified exceeding 10% of the daily behavior. The pulses were gradually increasing and decreasing in amplitude, and lasted a few minutes. They occurred under quiet meteorological conditions and geomagnetic activity. No pulses of this kind were recorded at stations farther than 700 km from the epicenter. It is supposed that the earthquake was preceded by movements in the lithosphere beneath Japan and in the adjacent part of the Pacific Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents experimental results of research concerning the action of weak electric and magnetic fields on physicochemical transformations in samples of hard coal with a previously destabilized microstructure. The actions of electric and magnetic fields are fundamentally different by many parameters. It has been shown that after treatment with a weak electric field, coal posted an electret potential with an anomalously continuous charge relaxation. Compared to untreated coal samples, the rate of methane emission from methane-saturated samples is maximum for long-flame coal and decreases as it approaches anthracite. The electric field stimulates the grinding of microparticles, a decrease in the maximum gas outlet temperature, a decrease in the enthalpy value in the formation of a new phase, and an increase in the chemical activity of treated coal samples. Fundamentally different results were obtained with magnetic stimulation of coals. In X-ray diffractograms of coal powders after magnetic treatment, the values of the maxima of the main peaks are the largest in comparison with the original samples and those treated with an electric field, which is consistent with an increase in the size of microparticles in a magnetic field. There is an increase in the heat of combustion and a decrease (by 5 times) in the loss of coal mass during heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti3C2Tx MXene is one of the most comprehensively studied 2D materials in terms of its adsorptive, transport, and catalytic properties, cytotoxic performance, etc. Still, conventional MXene synthesis approaches provide low single-flake MXene yield and frequently uncontrollable properties, demanding further post-processing. The MXene family also lacks magnetism, which is helpful for producing effective nanoadsorbents as their magnetic decantation is the cheapest and most convenient way to remove the spent adsorbent from water. Composite materials consisting of magnetic nanoparticles grown on top of MXene flakes are commonly used to provide magnetic properties to the resulting nanocomposite. In this paper, we study the possibility to delaminate multilayer Ti3C2Tx MXene sheets directly by growing iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles inside their interlayer spacing. We find out that, with a mass fraction of particles comparable or exceeding that of MXenes, their growth is accompanied by an effective enhancement of single-layer MXene yield and suitable magnetic properties of the resulting composite. The developed approach can be further used for simplifying synthesis protocols to obtain magnetic MXene-based nanoadsorbents with tunable properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural products and analogues are a source of antibacterial drug discovery. Considering drug resistance levels emerging for antibiotics, identification of bacterial metalloenzymes and the synthesis of selective inhibitors are interesting for antibacterial agent development. Peptide nucleic acids are attractive antisense and antigene agents representing a novel strategy to target pathogens due to their unique mechanism of action. Antisense inhibition and development of antisense peptide nucleic acids is a new approach to antibacterial agents. Due to the increased resistance of biofilms to antibiotics, alternative therapeutic options are necessary. To develop antimicrobial strategies, optimised in vitro and in vivo models are needed. In vivo models to study biofilm-related respiratory infections, device-related infections: ventilator-associated pneumonia, tissue-related infections: chronic infection models based on alginate or agar beads, methods to battle biofilm-related infections are discussed. Drug delivery in case of antibacterials often is a serious issue therefore this review includes overview of drug delivery nanosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A specialized empirical (Spec-zd Emp) system of ionic radii (SIR) for R = Y3+, La3+, Ln3+, and F1− (R rare earth elements (REE)) was derived from the dependence of lanthanide contraction (LC) on the atomic number (Z) of lanthanides (Ln). LC decreased the radius of the cation with increasing Z. The structures of t-RF3 (LaF3-NdF3, "pseudo t-SmF3") of the LaF3 type, 11 β-LnF3 (Ln = Sm-Lu), and β-YF3 of the β-YF3 type were studied. The empirical basis of the shortest (F-F)min and (R-F)min distances was calculated from the structural data for the RF3 complete series. The dependence of (F-F)min on Z reached saturation at Z = 67 (Ho). The base F1− radius r− = 1.2539(16) Å was calculated as the arithmetic mean of five (F-F)min in LnF3 with Ln = Ho-Lu. For the LnF3 series with Ln contributions up to 75 % wt., the dependence of (Ln-F)min on Z reflected the non-uniformity of the 4f orbital filling. SIR was calculated as the difference in the empirical constants of RF3 (ionic radii of (R,Ln)3+ (r+) and F1− (r−)), the change in which was continuous over the series and did not depend on the type of structure: r+ = (ZR-F)min − ½(F-F)min (Z = 57–71). The changes in LC in the LnF3 series were described by a third-degree polynomial. LC reduced r+ by 24% (percentage relative to less) from 1.1671(16) Å (La3+) to 0.9439(17) Å (Lu3+). In the Spec-zd Emp SIR, r+ were constants that did not require corrections for a coordination number (CN). A comparison of r+ in the Spec-zd Emp SIR with other SIRs was performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lanthanide contraction(LC) of 14 lanthanides (Ln) from 58Ce to 71Lu consists of the interaction of Ln nucleus with 4f-electrons. Rare earth elements (REEs—R) include Sc, Y, La, and 14 Ln. They are located in 4–6th periods of the subgroup of group III. The electronic structure divides R into short (d- Sc, Y, La) and long (14 f-elements Ce-Lu) homologous series. The most important chemical consequence of LC is the creation of a new conglomerate of 16 RF3 by mixing fluorides of d- (Y, La) and f-elements. This determines the location of YF3 among LnF3. The location of YF3 depends on the structural (formula volumes—Vform) and thermochemical (temperatures and heats of phase transformations, phase diagrams) properties. The location of YF3 between HoF3 and ErF3 was determined by Vform at a standard pressure (Pst) and temperature (Tst). The location of YF3 according to heats of phase transformations ΔHfus and ΔHtrans is in a dimorphic structural subgroup (SSGr) D (Ln = Er-Lu), but without the exact "pseudo ZY". According to the temperatures of phase transformations (Ttrans) in LnF3 (Ln = Dy-Lu), YF3 is located in the SSGr D between ErF3 and TmF3. The ErF3-YF3 and YF3-TmF3 phase diagrams show it to be between ErF3 and TmF3. The crystals of five β-LnF3 (Ln = Ho-Lu) and β-YF3 were obtained in identical conditions and their crystal structures were studied. Vform (at Pst and Tst) with "pseudo" atomic number ZY = 67.42 was calculated from the unit cell parameters, which were defined with ±5 × 10−4 Å accuracy. It determines the location of YF3 between HoF3 and ErF3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides a review of calculations and experimental approaches to reproducing three types of crystal size distributions (log-linear, bimodal, lognormal CSD) and systematizes publications on CSD data in rocks of ten known layered massifs. For a more detailed discussion, the results for plagiodunite samples from the Yoko-Dovyren massif, northern Baikal region, Russia, harzburgite from the marginal zone of the Monchegorsk pluton, and urtites from the Lovozero intrusion, Murmansk region, Russia, were selected. Possible causes and scenarios for the formation of three types of CSD established for these intrusive objects are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In May 2022, we observed a substantial die-off of wild migratory waterbirds on Maliy Zhemchuzhniy Island in the Caspian Sea, Russia. The deaths were caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4.b virus. Continued surveillance of influenza viruses in wild bird populations is needed to predict virus spread over long distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexities of translational strategies make this stage of implementing genetic information one of the most challenging to comprehend and, simultaneously, perhaps the most engaging. It is evident that this diverse range of strategies results not only from a long evolutionary history, but is also of paramount importance for refining gene expression and metabolic modulation. This notion is particularly accurate for organisms that predominantly exhibit biochemical and physiological reactions with a lack of behavioural ones. Plants are a group of organisms that exhibit such features. Addressing unfavourable environmental conditions plays a pivotal role in plant physiology. This is particularly evident with the changing conditions of global warming and the irrevocable loss or depletion of natural ecosystems. In conceptual terms, the plant response to abiotic stress comprises a set of elaborate and intricate strategies. This is influenced by a range of abiotic factors that cause stressful conditions, and molecular genetic mechanisms that fine-tune metabolic pathways allowing the plant organism to overcome non-standard and non-optimal conditions. This review aims to focus on the current state of the art in the field of translational regulation in plants under abiotic stress conditions. Different regulatory elements and patterns are being assessed chronologically. We deem it important to focus on significant high-performance techniques for studying the genetic information dynamics during the translation phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparison of the development of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in several neighboring regions can help researchers to assess the risks and develop more effective strategies and approaches in the field of preventive medicine. We analyzed the infection and mortality statistics for the 2020–2022 period in ten individual regions of the Siberian Federal District of Russia. We also sequenced complete genomes, which allowed us to analyze the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 circulated in each of the ten regions and to build a phylogenetic dendrogram for the virus variants. The ParSeq v.1.0 software was developed to automate and speed up the processing and analysis of viral genomes. At the beginning of the pandemic, in the first two waves, the B.1.1 variant (20B) dominated in all regions of the Siberian Federal District. The third and fourth waves were caused by the Delta variant. Mortality during this period was at a maximum; the incidence was quite high, but the number of deposited genomes with GISAID during this period was extremely low. The maximum incidence was at the beginning of 2022, which corresponds to the arrival of the Omicron variant in the region. The BA.5.2 variant became the dominant one. In addition, by using NextClade, we identified three recombinants in the most densely populated areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multicomponent fluorides of rare earth elements (REEs—R) are phase transition-type negative thermal expansion (NTE-II) materials. NTE-II occurs in RF3-R′F3 systems formed by "mother" single-component dimorphic RF3 (R = Pm, Sm, Eu, and Gd) with a giant NTE-II. There are two structural types of RF3 polymorphic modifications: low-temperature β-YF3 (β−) and high-temperature LaF3 (t−). The change in a structural type is accompanied by a density anomaly: a volume of one formula unit (Vform) Vβ− >Vt−. The empirical signs of volumetric changes ΔV/V of NTE-II materials were considered. For the GdF3-TbF3 model system, an "operating-temperature window ΔT" and a two-phase composition of NTE-II materials follows from the thermodynamics of chemical systems: the phase rule and the principle of continuity. A necessary and sufficient sign of NTE-II is a combination of polymorphism and the density anomaly. Isomorphism in RF3-R′F3 systems modifies RF3 chemically by forming two-component t− and β− type R1−xR'xF3 solid solutions (ss). Between the two monovariant curves of ss decay, a two-phase area with ΔTtrans > 0 (the "window ΔT") forms. A two-phase composite (t−ss + β−ss) is an NTE-II material. Its constituent t−ss and β−ss phases have different Vform corresponding to the selected T. According to the lever rule on a conode, Vform is calculated from the t−ss and β−ss compositions, which vary with T along two monovariant curves of ss decay. For the GdF3-TbF3 system, ΔV/V = f(T), ΔV/V = f(ΔT) and the "window ΔT" = f(x) dependencies were calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of materials with negative thermal expansion (NTE) based on a phase transition-type mechanism (NTE-II) in 50 T–x (temperature–composition) RF3-R'F3 (R = La-Lu) systems out of 105 possible is predicted. The components of these systems are "mother" RF3 compounds (R = Pm, Sm, Eu, and Gd) with polymorphic transformations (PolTrs), which occur during heating between the main structural types of RF3: β-(β-YF3) → t-(mineral tysonite LaF3). The PolTr is characterized by a density anomaly: the formula volume (Vform) of the low-temperature modification (Vβ-) is higher than that of the high-temperature modification (Vt-) by a giant value (up to 4.7%). In RF3-R'F3 systems, isomorphic substitutions chemically modify RF3 by forming R1−xR'xF3 solid solutions (ss) based on both modifications. A two-phase composite (β-ss + t-ss) is a two-component NTE-II material with adjustable parameters. The prospects of using the material are estimated using the parameter of the average volume change (ΔV/Vav). The Vav at a fixed gross composition of a system is determined by the β-ss and t-ss decay (synthesis) curves and the temperature T. The regulation of ΔV/Vav is achieved by changing T within a "window ΔT". The available ΔT values are determined using phase diagrams. A chemical classification (ChCl) translates the search for NTE-II materials from 15 RF3 into an array of 105 RF3-R'F3 systems. Phase diagrams are divided into 10 types of systems (TypeSs), in four of which NTE-II materials are formed. The tables of the systems that comprise these TypeSs are presented. The position of Ttrans of the PolTr on the T scale for a short quasi-system (QS) "from PmF3 to TbF3" determines the interval of the ΔTtrans offset achievable in the RF3-R'F3 systems: from −148 to 1186 ± 10 °C. NTE-II fluoride materials exceed known NTE-II materials by almost three times in this parameter. Equilibrium in RF3-R'F3 systems is established quickly. The number of qualitatively different two-component fluoride materials with the giant NTE-II can be increased by more than ten times compared to RF3 with NTE-II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method of predicting the stress-strain state of soil foundations under a dynamic response based on a liquefaction potential is analyzed. Laboratory studies of sandy water-saturated soils under the conditions of dynamic triaxial compression were performed. It is demonstrated that the use of an 'average' liquefaction potential for a layer regardless of its thickness effects an unreasonably optimistic assessment of the stability of a soil mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical hyperfine interactions of the 57Fe probe nuclei stabilized in the structure of the BiMn7O12 manganite are studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Mössbauer spectra are measured in the para-electric temperature range, which includes the structural phase transitions I2/m ↔ Im (T1 ≈ 600 K) and Im ↔ I2/m (T2 ≈ 450 K). The calculation of the parameters of the electric field gradient tensor with allowance for the dipole contributions of Bi3+ cations in the range of the first phase transition allowed us to confirm a random orientation of the dipole moments pBi in the cubic phase of the manganite (Im ). Based on an analysis of the Mössbauer spectra recorded at T2 < T < T1, we considered various scenarios for the manifestation of the dynamic Jahn–Teller effect, which leads to the "melting" of the orbital order in the manganese sublattice, in terms of a two-level relaxation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne and deposited water microdroplets can carry viruses including coronaviruses. The evaporation of microdroplets containing virus particles often leads to virus inactivation. Microdroplet evaporation involves various mechanisms such as diffusion, the Kelvin effect, infrared irradiation, and the role of solutes. For the evaporation of airborne water microdroplets, temperature and relative humidity of ambient air are important factors. However, for sessile droplets deposited on solid surfaces, wetting and porosity become important factors that control evaporation on regular, superhydrophobic, and photocatalytic surfaces. An experimental study of the effect of wetting properties and porosity on the evaporation rates on the polypropylene non-woven medical fabric was consistent with the theoretical models. Highly porous tile surfaces exhibited 2.2–4 times faster evaporation rates than nonporous surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variation of the effective lifetime of minority carrier lifetime τeff with temperature has been studied in the temperature range 300–580 K in AlxGa1−xAs base regions of p+–p0–i–n0–n+ high-voltage GaAs–AlGaAs diodes grown by liquid-phase epitaxy. It was found by using deep level transient spectroscopy that the emission/capture of electrons and holes in AlxGa1−xAs p0–i–n0 epitaxial layers is governed by the DX− states of the DX center formed by Se/Te background impurities. The Arrhenius plots associated with the τeff were used to determine the activation energy of the hole capture to the DX− level to be Ec = 159 meV. It is shown that the thermal capture of holes to the DX− level determines the relaxation time of nonequilibrium carriers in the AlxGa1−xAs base layers as well as its temperature dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystal structures of high-temperature t- (LaF3-type) and low-temperature β- (β-YF3-type) modifications of 61(58Ce0.564Gd0.5)F3 – "pseudo61PmF3" near the temperature of a polymorphic transformation (PolTr) (−148 ± 5 °C) were studied by in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD). During the t- → β- "pseudo61PmF3" PolTr (at cooling) anions are ordered in the direction perpendicular to the hexagonal close packing (HCP) layers. This is accompanied by 13% stretching of the t-type crystal lattice in the <010> direction and compression in the <100> (0.8%) and <001> (0.9%) directions. The structural changes in t- and β- "pseudo61PmF3" at heating from −148 to +20 °C represent changes (decrease and increase) in cation–anion bond lengths (BL) without changing the shape of the coordination polyhedron (CP). "Pseudo61PmF3" is a material with giant negative thermal expansion at PolTr (NTE-II). The decrease in volume during the β- → t- "pseudo61PmF3" PolTr (at heating) is 3.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—The vertical movements measured by broadband seismic stations located around the epicenter of the December 26, 2004 Sumatra 2004 mega-earthquake of magnitude 9.1 are analyzed. It is shown that during the five years before the earthquake (1996 to 2000), the COCO station closest to the epicenter, located 1700 km away, recorded quiet daily variations. Step-like distortions in the level of the recorded seismic noise appeared at this station in 2001 and continued up to the time of the earthquake. The station has also recorded pulses lasting a few minutes, with amplitudes gradually increasing to several times the amplitude of diurnal variations, followed by a decrease. The pulses occurred under quiet meteorological and geomagnetic conditions. No such pulses were found in the records of stations more than 2000 km from the epicenter. It is hypothesized that the sharp changes in the low-frequency seismic noise reflect tectonic slips on the faults in the lithosphere of the Indian Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomic model refinement at low resolution is often a challenging task. This is mostly because the experimental data are not sufficiently detailed to be described by atomic models. To make refinement practical and ensure that a refined atomic model is geometrically meaningful, additional information needs to be used such as restraints on Ramachandran plot distributions or residue side‐chain rotameric states. However, using Ramachandran plots or rotameric states as refinement targets diminishes the validating power of these tools. Therefore, finding additional model‐validation criteria that are not used or are difficult to use as refinement goals is desirable. Hydrogen bonds are one of the important noncovalent interactions that shape and maintain protein structure. These interactions can be characterized by a specific geometry of hydrogen donor and acceptor atoms. Systematic analysis of these geometries performed for quality‐filtered high‐resolution models of proteins from the Protein Data Bank shows that they have a distinct and a conserved distribution. Here, it is demonstrated how this information can be used for atomic model validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon light-emitting diodes with dislocation-related electroluminescence have been studied at room temperature. For the fabrication of the light-emitting diode structures, a well-known method for the formation of dislocation- related luminescence centers during anneals of silicon with a high oxygen concentration in a flow of argon was modified by introducing a preliminary O+ ion implantation and carrying out a final anneal in a chlorine-containing atmosphere. In the electroluminescence spectra, the D1 dislocation-related luminescence line dominates at currents less than <150 mA and the near-band-edge luminescence line starts to dominate with increasing current. The electroluminescence excitation efficiency for the D1 center is 3.3 × 10–20 cm2 s at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical hyperfine interactions of the probe 57Fe nuclides localized in the structure of the quadruple manganite BiMn7O12 are studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The measurements are carried out in the temperature range 101 K < T < 447 K, where this manganite has a nonzero spontaneous electric polarization (Ps); moreover, this range includes the temperature (T* ≈ 240 K) of the P1 ↔ Im structural phase transition. The parameters of the hyperfine interactions of the partial spectra of the 57Fe nuclei are comprehensively analyzed, and their crystal-chemical correspondence to certain positions of Jahn–Teller Mn3+ ions in the structure of manganite is performed. The "dynamic" Born charge model is used to develop an algo rithm to construct the temperature dependence of the polarization of the crystal Ps(T) using structural data of the compound and the experimental values of the quadrupole splittings Δ(T) of the Mössbauer spectra of the 57Fe probe atoms. The Ps(T) dependences obtained on both sides of point T* are analyzed in terms of the mean-field model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of the pump power on the photoluminescence intensity for dislocation-related luminescence centers is studied in p-type silicon containing oxygen precipitates. Oxygen precipitates are induced as a result of three-stage annealing used for formation of a getter for fast diffusing impurities in microelectronics technology while D1 and D2 dislocation-related luminescence centers were produced during subsequent annealing in a flow of argon at 1000°C. The photoluminescence excitation efficiencies for the D1 and D2 lines were measured at a temperature of liquid helium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes new asymptotic expansions in the central limit theorem which permit us to approximate distributions of normalized sums of independent symmetric random variables with explicit estimates of the remainder. These expansions contain the last known moment of the original random variables in their main part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present theoretical and experimental results on mechanically machined multilayer antireflective coating of a dielectric plate. The microwave ouptut window made of fluoroplast with the refractive index n = 1.41, was studied experimentally. Holes of two different diameters were drilled in a honeycomb pattern on the surface of the dielectric to different depths in such a way that two thin quarter-wave layers were formed. The effective dielectric permittivity of the obtained layers with cylindrical inhomogeneities was calculated by the Maxwell–Garnett method. The parameters of the layers were chosen according to the Chebyshev method. This allowed us to achieve a reflection coefficient of −30 dB in the frequency range 65–100 GHz. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical calculation and the numerical analysis performed via the multiple-reflection method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are often considered biomarkers of skin fibrosis. At the early stages of the pathological process, an elevation of their enzymatic activity causes significant changes in the composition of the extracellular matrix. MMPs secreted by immune cells facilitate their migration to the site of damage. Then, the immune cells eliminate the affected cells and biomolecules. Moreover, bidirectional changes in the activity of proteolytic enzymes, including MMPs, accompany wound healing. This study aimed to assess changes in the expression of Mmp2, Mmp3, and Mmp9 after treating mice with laser therapy using the experimental model of bleomycin-induced skin fibrosis. Using immunohistochemistry, we characterized the histological features of scarred skin. We also analyzed changes in the expression of MMPs using real-time polymerase chain reaction before and after laser irradiation. We showed that treatment of the mice with a CO2 laser partially normalized the histological features of scarred skin. We also noticed a decrease in the expression of Mmp2, Mmp3 (both p < 0.05), and Mmp9 (p = 0.065) during scar healing. The obtained results suggest that normalization of skin homeostasis requires control of MMP activity via induction of genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to study sorption of dissolved organic matter (DOM) onto Bondesil PPL and Bond Elut PPL sorbents with particular attention to impact of sorption loading on molecular composition of the DOM isolated with a use of solid phase extraction (SPE). It was shown that the batch sorption isotherms were best fitted with the Langmuir model, the sorption constants were 8.6·103 L·kgOC−1 and 10.7·103 L·kgOC−1 for Bond Elut PPL and Bondesil PPL, respectively. Breakthrough curves were satisfactorily fitted by a logistic equation; the maximum sorbent loading was 13% (wt. dissolved organic carbon) for both sorbents. The relationship between loading values and optical descriptors of the DOM at the column exit showed preferential sorption of low molecular weight aromatic DOM components in the range of low loading values (up to 4%), the similar trends were observed for size exclusion chromatography (SEC) measurements. Much lesser impact of loading onto molecular composition was observed within the range from 4 to 8% dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Given high recovery values (70–85%) in this loading range, it can be recommended as preferential for conducting DOM isolation from natural waters using SPE PPL-modified sorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

electroluminescence has been studied in silicon light-emitting diodes containing oxygen precipitates at temperatures of 40–300 K. Oxygen ion implantation and multistage anneals are used for fabrication of the diodes. Over all temperature range, spectra are well approximated by one Lorentz and four Gaussian curves. Lines of dislocation-related luminescence D1–D4 (the D1 line is described by Lorentz curve) and oxygen precipitates (OPs) are present in the spectra. At temperature variation, peak positions of the D1, OP, and D2 lines coincide with temperature dependence of the forbidden gap width reduced by values of 356, 330, and 303 meV respectively. Build and quenching areas are observed on temperature dependences of the electroluminescence intensities of the D1, OP, and D2 lines, the activation energies of the processes are determined, and reasons of their appearance are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We fabricated and experimentally studied a wideband metamaterial comprising a 2D array of annular antennas with Superconductor-Insulator-Normal metal-Insulator-Superconductor (SINIS) bolometers. The annular antenna array metamaterial was designed for a frequency range of 300–450 GHz and consists of periodically arranged electrically small rings, each containing two or four SINIS bolometers connected in series or parallel. These periodic structures with a unit cell size of about one-tenth of a wavelength act as a distributed absorber and receive two orthogonal polarizations. The unit's small cell size provides a higher density of bolometers and therefore increases the bandwidth and the dynamic range of a single pixel. Theoretical estimates at a central frequency of 345 GHz yield absorption efficiencies of over 80% of the incident RF power within the 300–450 GHz frequency range. The average absorption by the metamaterial matrix in the given frequency band is at least twice as high in comparison to the half-wave circle matrix. We measured the optical response at sample temperatures as low as 100 mK using a quasi-optical setup that consisted of an immersion sapphire lens, bandpass mesh filters, and a variable temperature cryogenic blackbody radiation source. The measured series array voltage responsivity was 1.3 × 109 V/W for radiation temperatures ranging from 2 K to 7.5 K. The current responsivity for the parallel array was 2.4 × 104 A/W at a bath temperature of 100 mK. The spectral response was measured in a 240–370 GHz range with a Backward Wave Oscillator radiation source. The measured equivalent temperature sensitivity could be reduced to 100 μK/Hz1/2 at a 2.7 K radiation temperature level, a value that is suitable for anisotropy measurements in cosmic microwave background radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the fast development of various additive manufacturing technologies, we consider a mathematical model of re-solidification of multicomponent metal alloys, which takes place after ultrashort (femtosecond) pulse laser melting of a metal surface. The re-solidification occurs under highly nonequilibrium conditions when solutes diffusion in the bulk liquid cannot be described by the classical diffusion equation of parabolic type (Fick law) but is governed by diffusion equation of hyperbolic type. In addition, the model takes into account diffusive interaction between different solutes (nonzero off-diagonal terms of the diffusion matrix). Numerical simulations demonstrate that there are three main re-solidification regimes, namely, purely diffusion-controlled with solute partition at the interface, partly diffusion-controlled with weak partition, and purely diffusionless and partitionless. The type of the regime governs the final composition of the re-solidified material, and, hence, may serve as one of the main tools to design materials with desirable properties. This implies that the model is expected to be useful in evaluating the most effective re-solidification regime to guide the optimization of additive manufacturing processing parameters and alloys design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many consumers nowadays wish to reduce their smartphone usage in the hope of improving productivity and well-being. We conducted a pre-registered field experiment (N = 112) over a period of several weeks to test the effectiveness of two widely available digital strategies for screen time reduction. The effectiveness of a design friction intervention (i.e., activating grayscale mode) was compared with a goal-setting intervention (i.e., self-commitment to time limits) and a control condition (i.e., self-monitoring). The design friction intervention led to an immediate, significant reduction of objectively measured screen time compared with the control condition. Conversely, the goal-setting intervention led to a smaller and more gradual screen time reduction. In contrast to the popular belief that reducing screen time has broad benefits, we found no immediate causal effect of reducing usage on subjective well-being and academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Polar Urals, there are a few small granitoid intrusions (Yarkeu, Yajyu, and Pogurei complexes), which are usually associated with the Urals collision. Their Carboniferous–Early Permian age is generally based on methodologically obsolete K/Ar dates and is assumed from the field geological relationships. We have studied the monzonitoids of the Yarkeu petrotypical pluton, one of the largest intrusions, and for the first time we obtained the Late Precambrian U–Pb LA-ICP-MS (zircon) and 40Ar/39Ar (amphibole) dates of 687 ± 3 Ma and 669 ± 8 Ma, respectively. The water-saturated fluid regime (the presence of magmatic amphibole with a high water content of 4.5–5.6 wt %), hypabyssal formation conditions (P = 2.1–3.5 kbar, T = 871–960°C), and specific features of the chemical composition of monzonitoids (low contents of TiO2 (0.6–0.8 wt %) and CaO (3.6–6.3 wt %), high contents of Al2O3 (16.6–18.0 wt %) and K2O (1.7–4.6 wt %), enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements relatively to high field strength and rare earth elements, and the Ta–Nb minimum and Pb maximum), as well as metallogenic specialization in Cu and Mo (±Pb, Hg, Au), indicate the formation of the rocks of the Yarkeu complex in the supra-subduction setting in the relatively thick continental crust. The isotopic clocks in these monzonitoids imprinted two stages of the assembly of the Pangea supercontinent: the earliest stage in the Late Precambrian, when monzonitoids were formed on the active Bolshezemel margin of Arctida, and one of the final stages in the Middle–Late Carboniferous, when rocks were affected by metamorphism due to the closure of the Uralian paleo-ocean and the beginning of collision between Arct-Laurussia and Siberia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of the Central Andes dates back to ∼50 Ma, but its most pronounced episode, including the growth of the Altiplano‐Puna Plateau and pulsatile tectonic shortening phases, occurred within the last 25 Ma. The reason for this evolution remains unexplained. Using geodynamic numerical modeling we infer that the primary cause of the pulses of tectonic shortening and growth of the Central Andes is the changing geometry of the subducted Nazca plate, and particularly the steepening of the mid‐mantle slab segment which results in a slowing down of the trench retreat and subsequent increase in shortening of the advancing South America plate. This steepening first happens after the end of the flat slab episode at ∼25 Ma, and later during the buckling and stagnation of the slab in the mantle transition zone. Processes that mechanically weaken the lithosphere of the South America plate, as suggested in previous studies, enhance the intensity of the shortening events. These processes include delamination of the mantle lithosphere and weakening of foreland sediments. Our new modeling results are consistent with the timing and amplitude of the deformation from geological data in the Central Andes at the Altiplano latitude. Plain Language Summary: The Central Andes is a subduction‐type orogeny that formed as a result of the interaction between the Nazca oceanic plate and the South American continental plate over the last 50 million years. Growth of the Andes is primarily the result of crustal shortening. Nevertheless, "geological" data compiled from previous studies have shown that phases of drastic pulsatile shortening occur at 15 and 5 Ma. In this study, we used high‐resolution 2D numerical geodynamic simulations to investigate the link between oceanic and continental plate dynamics and their interaction. We find that when the oceanic plate steepens in the mantle transition zone, the trench retreat is hindered. Coupled with the weakening of the continental plate through the slab flattening and subsequent delamination of the lithospheric mantle, this leads to pulsatile shortening phases of a magnitude equivalent to that suggested by the data. Key Points: The steepening of the slab due to slab buckling hinders the trench retreating and explains the main pulsatile phases of the deformation during the last 25 MaThe absolute motion of the overriding plate controls the regime of subduction dynamicsFlat slab and eclogitization are required to weaken and then shorten the overriding plate when the slab steepens and the trench is hindered [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capillary electrokinetics has been employed to measure the streaming current in solutions of alkali metal chlorides at electrolyte concentrations of 0.1 and 1 M. The results obtained have confirmed the earlier conclusion that there are no hydrodynamically immobile layers near a solid molecularly smooth surface. It has been shown that the magnitudes of the current and the calculated electrokinetic potential decrease in a series LiCl, NaCl, KCl, RbCl, and CsCl. In this series, the crystallographic radius increases and the radius of a hydrated ion decreases. The obtained dependences have led to a conclusion that the cations located near a negatively charged surface are unhydrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]