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Total recharge was 81% larger for a sandy basin with an organic mat filter than for the same basin with a clean, fully renovated surface, but without the mat. Surface impedance was larger for check areas without organic mat, while areas with the mat exhibited impedance increases to greater depths. Experimental results indicated a likely trade-off between short-term recharge enhancement and an eventual larger depth of renovation to offset deeper sediment penetration under the mat. A substantial decrease in hydraulic impedance and a corresponding increase in infiltration rate were measured between 90 and 400 hours and indicated that despite large sediment influx, soil hydraulic conductivity was larger under the organic mat than for the same basin positions on clean sands using clean water. The large decrease in impedance is attributed to microbial transformation of O2 to CO2 which increased water-filled large porosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ex vivo expansion of naive primary B cells is still a challenge, yet would open new possibilities for in vitro studies of the immune response or the production of monoclonal antibodies. In our hands, unstimulated murine B cells did not expand in significant numbers, while culture viability decreased rapidly within a few days. Activation mimicking in vivo stimulation through either T cell-independent or T-cell dependent signaling, led to several division cycles, albeit accompanied by irreversible differentiation. By co-culturing B cells under moderate hypothermia (30°C) on live feeder fibroblasts expressing recombinant CD40 ligand (CD154) and by repeatedly transferring cultured B cells to new feeder cell cultures, we could extend the growth of primary mouse B cells compared to cultures maintained at 37°C. B cells under these conditions showed an activated phenotype as shown by the presence of AID and IRF4, two factors required for IgH class switch recombination in antigen-activated B cells. In contrast to cells cultured at 37°C, B cells under hyperthermia did surprisingly not differentiate into Blimp-1 expressing plasmablasts. Thus, the repeated batch process under hyperthermic conditions represents a first step towards the development of a continuous cultivation system for the expansion of primary B cells. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:978-989, 2016., (© 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.)

Background: An index of diet quality, which examines different aspects of a diet concurrently, may facilitate the identification of poor dietary habits in population sub-groups. The objectives of the present study were to develop a food frequency index (FFI) and to test its associations with nutritional biomarkers and nutrient intake. Methods: The study comprised a cross-sectional survey among 444 adults aged 55 years and older in Vienna, Austria, and a sub-sample of 226 subjects who provided fasting blood specimen. Data from a qualitative 28-item food-frequency questionnaire were used to develop the FFI. Results: FFI scores were positively correlated with plasma concentrations of beta-carotene ( r = 0.26), beta-cryptoxanthin ( r = 0.31), zeaxanthin ( r = 0.19), lutein ( r = 0.21), phylloquinone ( r = 0.19), 25-hydroxyvitamin D ( r = 0.20), and serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol ( r = 0.24) and were negatively correlated with the ratio of total : HDL-cholesterol ( r = −0.23). Sub-groups with higher FFI scores had, on average, lower intakes of total fat, saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol and higher intakes of total carbohydrates, dietary fibre, and most of the examined micronutrients. Conclusion: The FFI as a measure of diet quality has the ability to discern population sub-groups, with reasonable validity, into low- or high-risk dietary habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity is a global issue that impacts crop production and requires management to contain and ameliorate. Although field‐scale assessments are limited, a recent strategy used to manage salinity in the Northern Great Plains is the wide‐spread adoption of subsurface drainage. Therefore, a study was conducted between 2013 and 2021 on a 57‐ha field in southeastern North Dakota where changes in soil salinity, groundwater quality, and grain yields (soybean [Glycine max], wheat [Triticum aestivum], and corn [Zea mays L]) were compared between subsurface tile drained (TD) and undrained (UD) areas at the field scale. Topsoil (0–15 cm) electrical conductivity of saturated paste extract (ECe) decreased at a rate of 0.15 dS m−1 year−1 for TD but increased 0.03 dS m−1 year−1 for UD. The groundwater electrical conductivity of water (ECw) decreased 0.5 and 0.3 dS m−1 year−1 for TD and UD, respectively. Soil ECe, chloride (Cl−), sulfate‐sulfur (SO42−‐S), calcium (Ca2+), sodium (Na+), and magnesium (Mg2+) concentrations increased with soil depth for TD and UD. However, these ion concentrations decreased with time for TD and stayed relatively unchanged or increased for UD. Groundwater ECw and ion concentrations decreased over time for TD and to a lesser extent for UD. Groundwater levels increased slightly for TD but increased more for UD, where high water tables caused wet soil conditions resulting in yield reduction in several years. Soybean yields increase by 0.18 and 0.06 Mg ha−1 year−1 for TD and UD, respectively. Wheat grain yield increased over time for TD and UD at similar rates (0.17 and 0.18 Mg ha−1 year−1, respectively). Corn grain yield increased slightly from 2016 to 2019 for TD, but decreased by 6.2 Mg ha−1 from 2016 to 2019 for UD due to wet soil conditions. Overall, the outcomes of this field‐scale study provide validation of similar outcomes reported in small‐scale studies for subsurface drainage as a management tool for soil salinity in the Northern Great Plains. Core Ideas: Salinity throughout the profile decreased with time in subsurface‐drained soils.Water table levels were higher in the undrained soils.Groundwater quality trends over time were not influenced by subsurface drainage.Soybean yields increased with time on the subsurface‐drained soils.Corn and soybean yields were negatively impacted on the wet undrained soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B cells are essential for humoral immune response due to their ability to secrete antibodies. The development of B cells from the bone marrow to the periphery is tightly regulated by a complex set of immune signals, and each subset of B cells has a unique metabolic profile. Mitochondria, which serve as cellular energy powerhouses, play an essential role in regulating cell survival and immune responses. To maintain metabolic homeostasis, mitochondria dynamically adjust their morphology, distribution, and mass via biogenesis, fusion and fission, translocation, and mitophagy. Despite its extreme importance, the role of mitochondrial quality control (MQC) in B cells has not been thoroughly summarized, unlike in T cells. This article aims to review the mechanism of MQC that shapes B cell fate and functions. In addition, we will discuss the physiological and pathological implications of MQC in B cells, providing new insights into potential therapeutic targets for diseases associated with B cell abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: PD‐1 plays a crucial role in the immune dysregulation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the specific characteristics of PD‐1+CD4+ T cells remain unclear and require further investigation. Methods: Circulating PD‐1+CD4+ T cells from RA patients were analysed using flow cytometry. Plasma levels of soluble PD‐1 (sPD‐1) were measured using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Single‐cell RNA sequence data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and synovial tissue of patients were obtained from the GEO and the ImmPort databases. Bioinformatics analyses were performed in the R studio to characterise PD‐1+CD4+ T cells. Expression of CCR7, KLF2 and IL32 in PD‐1+CD4+ T cells was validated by flow cytometry. Results: RA patients showed an elevated proportion of PD‐1+CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood, along with increased plasma sPD‐1 levels, which positively correlated with TNF‐α and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Bioinformatic analysis revealed PD‐1 expression on CCR7+CD4+ T cells in PBMCs, and on both CCR7+CD4+ T cells and CXCL13+CD4+ T cells in RA synovium. PD‐1 was co‐expressed with CCR7, KLF2, and IL32 in peripheral CD4+ T cells. In synovium, PD‐1+CCR7+CD4+ T cells had higher expression of TNF and LCP2, while PD‐1+CXCL13+CD4+ T cells showed elevated levels of ARID5A and DUSP2. PD‐1+CD4+ T cells in synovium also appeared to interact with B cells and fibroblasts through BTLA and TNFSF signalling pathways. Conclusion: This study highlights the increased proportion of PD‐1+CD4+ T cells and elevated sPD‐1 levels in RA. The transcriptomic profiles and signalling networks of PD‐1+CD4+ T cells offer new insights into their role in RA pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing approaches for predicting total water storage (TWS) rely on land surface or hydrological models using meteorological forcing data. Yet, such models are more adept at predicting specific water compartments, such as soil moisture, rather than others, which consequently impedes accurately forecasting of TWS. Here we show that machine learning can be used to uncover relations between nonseasonal terms of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) derived total water storage and the preceding hydrometeorological drivers, and these relations can subsequently be used to predict water storage up to 12 months ahead, and even exceptional droughts on the basis of near real‐time observational forcing data. Validation by actual GRACE observations suggests that the method developed here has the capability to forecast trends in global land water storage for the following year. If applied in early warning systems, these predictions would better inform decision‐makers to improve current drought and water resource management. Plain Language Summary: Traditional methods for predicting short‐term/seasonal variations in land total water storages rely on hydrological models. However, these models have a drawback—they are better at predicting water stored in specific parts of the land system like soil moisture than giving an accurate forecast for the overall integrated land total water storage. In this study, we demonstrate the applicability of machine learning in uncovering relationships between the de‐season and de‐linearized terms of global water storage variability as observed by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites, and the preceding hydrometeorological variables such as sea surface temperature. These relationships can then be utilized to forecast monthly changes in land total water storage up to 1 year ahead, and even to predict exceptional drought events based on near real‐time observational forcing data. The validation by actual GRACE observations, lends further credence to the effectiveness of the method developed here, showcasing its potential to forecast trends in global land total water storage for the upcoming year. The potential applications of these predictions in early warning systems are highly promising, and we anticipate that they can assist decision‐makers in enhancing current drought and water resource management practices. Key Points: We identify a stable lag relationship between hydrometeorological variables and the GRACE derived total water storage change (TWSC)Using this stable lag relationship, we are able to forecast the global TWSC up to 1 year ahead with solely observational data as inputsOur forecasts exhibit high consistency with actual GRACE data in terms of global mean land water storage trends for the following year [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the benefits of future quantum accelerometers based on cold atom interferometry (CAI) on current and upcoming satellite gravity mission concepts. These mission concepts include satellite‐to‐satellite tracking (SST) in a single‐pair (GRACE‐like) and double‐pair constellation as well as satellite gravity gradiometry (SGG, single satellite, GOCE‐like). Regarding instruments, four scenarios are considered: current‐generation electrostatic (GRACE‐, GOCE‐like), next‐generation electrostatic, conservative hybrid/CAI and optimistic hybrid/CAI. For SST, it is shown that temporal aliasing poses currently the dominating error source in simulated global gravity field solutions independent of the investigated instrument and constellation. To still quantify the advantages of CAI instruments on the gravity functional itself, additional simulations are performed where the impact of temporal aliasing is synthetically reduced. When neglecting temporal aliasing, future accelerometers in conjunction with future ranging instruments can substantially improve the retrieval performance of the Earth's gravity field (depending on instrument and constellation). These simulation results are further investigated regarding possible benefit for hydrological use cases where these improvements can also be observed (when omitting temporal aliasing). For SGG, it is demonstrated that, with realistic instrument assumptions, one is still mostly insensitive to time‐variable gravity and not competitive with the SST principle. However, due to the improved instrument sensitivity of quantum gradiometers compared to the GOCE mission, static gravity field solutions can be improved significantly. Key Points: Quantum instruments may significantly improve the sensitivity of gravity measurementsA higher sensitivity cannot substantially improve current and upcoming satellite gravity missions due to temporal aliasing [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Peters–Durner–Iden (PDI) model system for describing soil hydraulic properties (SHP) has been developed over a decade. Inspired by Rien van Genuchten's seminal work, the PDI system focuses on an efficient and simple parameterization of water retention curves and hydraulic conductivity curves (HCC) across the entire soil moisture spectrum. By combining capillary and non‐capillary components for water retention and conductivity, it aims to reconcile mathematical simplicity and insights on water adsorption and film flow in soils. Recent developments have reduced the number of free parameters of the conductivity model to zero, enhancing the model's applicability in cases of limited data availability. The first reduction was achieved by a prediction of absolute non‐capillary conductivity based on the consideration of film and corner flow on the pore scale, and the second by a prediction of absolute capillary conductivity by a capillary bundle model. This allows a complete characterization of SHP over the entire moisture range with only four retention curve parameters. The inclusion of a maximum pore size in the capillary conductivity model prevents an unrealistic drop of the HCC near saturation. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the PDI model system, emphasizing its conceptual features and mathematical details. An Excel sheet and a Python code stored in a repository are provided for accessibility. Core Ideas: Compact and comprehensive mathematical overview of the current PDI system.The model integrates elements of capillary and non‐capillary soil water storage and conductivity in a simple manner.Hydraulic conductivity can be completely predicted from the retention curve.Improved applicability in cases where conductivity data are scarce or available only in a limited moisture range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geothermal heat flow (GHF) is a key basal boundary condition for Antarctic ice‐sheet flow. Large‐scale variations are resolved by several recent models but knowledge of the smaller‐scale variations, crucial for ice sheet dynamics, is limited by unresolved variations in crustal radiogenic heat production. To define this at continent‐scale we use 3D gravity inversion constrained by seismic Moho estimates to identify variations in crustal composition and geometry beneath thick ice. Geochemically‐defined empirical relationships between density and heat production capture the global average trend and its variability, and allow to estimate from upper‐crust density spatial variations in radiogenic heat production. Significant variations are observed typically 1.2–1.6 μW/m3, and as high as 2 μW/m3 in West Antarctica. The contribution to GHF from these heat‐production variations is similarly variable, typically 16–24 mW/m2 and up to 60 mW/m2. The mapped variations are significant for correctly representing GHF in Antarctica. Plain Language Summary: Antarctica's crustal structure ‐ including sedimentary basins, the igneous and metamorphic crust, and the interface between the crust and mantle ‐ dictates the delivery of heat from depth to the ice sheet's base, with capacity to influence ice sheet flow. Crustal structure is not well‐understood due to the extensive and thick ice cover combined with limited geophysical observations. We investigate the variations in crustal geometry and density, by examining anomalies in the Earth's gravity field and using independent depth constraints from seismic studies. Our findings indicate substantial variations in heat production characterized by heterogeneous crustal structure, influencing the heating of the ice sheet's base to a significant degree. Key Points: A new Antarctic crustal model is derived by seismic‐constrained gravity inversionVariations in crustal radiogenic heat production are inferred from upper‐crust density and geochemical dataThe potential impact of heterogeneity in crustal heat production for geothermal heat flow is quantified [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and its Follow‐On (GRACE‐FO) missions have revolutionized global terrestrial water storage anomalies (TWSA) measurements. However, the 11‐month data gap between the two GRACE missions disrupts the measurement continuity and limits its further applications. Previous attempts to fill this data gap require further improvement in terms of method robustness and product quality. Here, we propose a novel two‐step linear model using precipitation, temperature data, and hydrological model‐simulated TWSA as predictors to fill the 11‐month data gap between the two GRACE missions and generate six global gridded GRACE‐like TWSA products from April 2002 to July 2021. These products are evaluated at grid scale globally and also basin scale for the world's largest 72 river basins. Results indicate that our GRACE‐like data show great consistency with the GRACE/GRACE‐FO observations. While most basins exhibit consistent performance across the six GRACE‐like TWSA products, certain areas with lower signal‐to‐noise ratios show significant variability. Furthermore, we assess the performance of our GRACE‐like data during the data gap using one previous reconstruction, a hydrological model simulation, and the Swarm satellite measurement. The results confirm that our GRACE‐like data exhibit equivalent performance within and outside the data gap. This study introduces a more simple and robust method for predicting the missing data between the two GRACE missions and provides readily applicable continuous GRACE‐like TWSA products for hydrologic applications. Key Points: A two‐step linear model was proposed for filling the data gap between Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE‐FO terrestrial water storage anomalies (TWSA)Six ready‐to‐use global continuous GRACE‐like TWSA products in the form of grid points obtained using the proposed methodThe GRACE‐like TWSA products consistently demonstrated reliable performance within and outside the 11‐month data gap [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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High‐speed and highly sensitive infrared photodetectors are regarded as one of the most essential components in modern photonic devices and technology because of constantly emerging application scenarios. In this paper, an ultrafast and extremely low noise mid‐infrared (MIR) photodetector is reported at both room and cryogenic temperatures by leveraging the high‐mobility 2D electron gas (2DEG) at the polar CdTe/PbTe heterostructure interface. The detector simultaneously exhibits a peak detectivity of ≈4.2 × 1011 Jones with rapid response in the order of 10 ns, which is substantially superior to the state‐of‐the‐art 2DEG MIR detectors made of 2D layered materials. The ultrafast response with extremely low noise of the 2DEG photodetector is attributed to the unique band alignment at the interface. The practical infrared imaging application is further showcased using the 2DEG MIR detector by revealing the fine features of a MIR radiation target. This work highlights the promising prospect of utilizing the unique 2DEG interface in the field of high‐speed and highly sensitive MIR detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. CD47 has high levels of expression in malignant cancer cells, which binds to SIRP-α to release the "don't eat me" signal and prevents mononuclear macrophages from phagocytosing the cells. Resistance to drugs and metastases are potential barriers for prostate cancer endocrine therapy. Although immunotherapy for tumors has developed rapidly in the last few decades, its effectiveness in treating prostate cancer is unsatisfactory. Prostate cancer has a high-expression level of CD47. Therefore, a novel approach for potential immunotherapy may be provided by investigating the relationship among CD47 and the infiltration of immune cells in the prostate carcinoma. Methods. The GEPIA database was utilized to compare the abundance of CD47 in malignant tissues with tissues that were normal. Furthermore, the function of CD47 in prostate carcinoma was assessed by CancerSEA. The association among CD47 and the tumor microenvironment was assessed utilizing the TISCH single cell data database. By using TIMER, the connection among CD47 and immunological invasion of prostate cancer was explored. Moreover, macrophages were cocultured with mouse prostate cancer cell RM-1 blocked by CD47 antibody to observe the changes in phagocytosis efficiency in vitro. Results. Expression level of CD47 is upregulated in prostate carcinoma, and it is closely connected with prostate cancer's inadequate immune invasion. CD47 antibody blocking promotes macrophage phagocytosis of RM-1. Conclusion. Our research demonstrates a closely relationship among CD47 and the immunological microenvironment of prostate cancer, and blocking CD47 can promote macrophages to phagocytosis of prostate cancer cells. Therefore, CD47 may provide novel strategies for potential immunotherapy of prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advertisers often use specifically chosen wording to convey the effectiveness of their product and we investigated memory accuracy for the scientific claims put forth by product advertisements. Participants were shown a cognitive enhancement product advertisement and were tested on their memory for various details. Critically, we were interested in participants' memory for a phrase describing the product as either "clinically proven" (indicating the product is effective) or "clinically studied" (which is ambiguous). Generally, both younger and older adults demonstrated poor memory for this detail and were more likely to remember the product as having been "proven" to be effective than to have been "studied". Thus, we demonstrate the fallibility of memory and the potential for reliance on schematic knowledge in the absence of a veridical record of one's memory for the advertisement. We suggest that ambiguous efficacy claims be carefully considered by consumers so as not to be misled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Krüppel‐like factor 2 (KLF2) belongs to the zinc finger family and is thought to be a tumor suppressor gene due to its low expression in various cancer types. However, its functional role and molecular pathway involvement in colorectal cancer (CRC) are not well defined. Herein, we investigated the potential mechanism of KLF2 in CRC cell invasion, migration, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). We utilized the TCGA and GEPIA databases to analyze the expression of KLF2 in CRC patients and its correlation with different CRC stages and CRC prognosis. RT‐PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry assays were used to measure KLF2 expression. Gain‐of‐function assays were performed to evaluate the role of KLF2 in CRC progression. Moreover, mechanistic experiments were conducted to investigate the molecular mechanism and involved signaling pathways regulated by KLF2. Additionally, we also conducted a xenograft tumor assay to evaluate the role of KLF2 in tumorigenesis. KLF2 expression was low in CRC patient tissues and cell lines, and low expression of KLF2 was associated with poor CRC prognosis. Remarkably, overexpressing KLF2 significantly inhibited the invasion, migration, and EMT capabilities of CRC cells, and tumor growth in xenografts. Mechanistically, KLF2 overexpression induced ferroptosis in CRC cells by regulating glutathione peroxidase 4 expression. Moreover, this KLF2‐dependent ferroptosis in CRC cells was mediated by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway that resulted in the suppression of invasion, migration, and EMT of CRC cells. We report for the first time that KLF2 acts as a tumor suppressor in CRC by inducing ferroptosis via inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thus providing a new direction for CRC prognosis assessment and targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The release of available nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from agricultural tile drainage contributes to eutrophication in water bodies. To mitigate the harmful impact of nutrient release, drainage water management (DWM) has been proposed as a beneficial management practice that will limit N and P in tile drainage discharge. This study, conducted in the organic soils of the Holland Marsh, Ontario, assessed the nutrient water quality for 2 years (2015–2016) under DWM systems: controlled drainage (CD) comprising a series of stackable gates to manually control the water table level; and pumped drainage (PD) which uses a submersible pump within a collector well that discharges effluent when activated. The latter is the common method of field drainage in the Holland Marsh, however, there is limited comparable research for either DWM system. The data were separated into growing and fallow seasons as well as winter, spring, and summer seasons for trend analysis (winter: October–February; spring: March–May; summer: June–September). The nitrate (NO3‐N) concentrations, under CD, were found to be on average higher during the winter season (7.64 mg L−1) compared to the growing season (3.76 mg L−1). Furthermore, total N concentrations are positively correlated to discharge (R > 0.55). The average total P concentration increased during the summer period following fertilization; however, there was no correlation between P and drainage discharge throughout the duration of the study. The P concentrations depended more on nutrient inputs, rather than the discharge under CD. The log regression statistical relationship showed significant differences in nutrient levels compared to the mean at both sites, however, greater differences were found under CD. Under PD, the NO3‐N concentrations showed significant seasonal trends between the spring and winter (Pr > t: 0.0061) and summer (Pr > t: <0.0001). Overall, both CD and PD can reduce the amount of tile drain discharge, but the concentrations of N and P are not significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined use of hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) and mass spectrometry (MS), referred to as HDX‐MS, is a powerful tool for exploring molecular edifices and has been used for over 60 years. Initially for structural and mechanistic investigation of low‐molecular weight organic compounds, then to study protein structure and dynamics, then, the craze to study small molecules by HDX‐MS accelerated and has not stopped yet. The purpose of this review is to present its different facets with particular emphasis on recent developments and applications. Reversible H/D exchanges of mobilizable protons as well as stable exchanges of non‐labile hydrogen are considered whether they are taking place in solution or in the gas phase, or enzymatically in a biological media. Some fundamental principles are restated, especially for gas‐phase processes, and an overview of recent applications, ranging from identification to quantification through the study of metabolic pathways, is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anisotropic quantum Rabi model (QRM) is the fundamental model of light–matter interactions with indispensable counter‐rotating terms in ultra‐strong couplings. By extracting different levels of topological information a new light is shed on the energy spectrum of the anisotropic QRM. Besides conventional topological transitions (TTs) at gap closing, abundant unconventional TTs are unveiled underlying level anticrossings without gap closing by tracking the wave‐function nodes, including a particular unconventional TT which turns out to be universal for different energy levels. On the other hand, it is found that the nodes have a correspondence to spin windings, which not only endows the nodes a more explicit topological character in supporting single‐qubit TTs but also turns the topological information physically detectable. Furthermore, hidden small‐spin‐knot transitions are exposed for the ground state, while more kinds of spin‐knot transitions emerge in excited states including unmatched node numbers and spin winding numbers. Based on node sorting, algebraic formulation is established to decode the topological information encoded geometrically in the wave functions and spin windings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (K), which depends on water content (θ) and matric potential (ψ), exhibits a high degree of variability at the field scale. Here we first develop a theoretical hydraulic‐electrical conductivity (σ) relationship under low and high salinity cases based on the capillary bundle model and Waxman and Smits model which can account for the non‐linear behavior of σ at low salinities. Then the K‐σ relationship is converted into a K(θ, ψ) model using the Brooks‐Corey model. The model includes two parameters c and γ. Parameter c accounts for the variation of the term (λ + 2)/(λ + 4) where λ is the pore size distribution parameter in the Brooks‐Corey model, and the term m‐n where m and n are Archie's saturation and cementation exponents, respectively. Parameter γ is the sum of the tortuosity factor accounting for the differences between hydraulic and electrical tortuosity and Archie's saturation exponent. Based on a calibration data set of 150 soils selected from the UNSODA database, the best fitting log(c) and γ values were determined as −2.53 and 1.92, −4.39 and −0.14, −5.01 and −1.34, and −5.79 and −2.27 for four textural groups. The estimated log10(K) values with the new K(θ, ψ) model compared well to the measured values from an independent data set of 49 soils selected from the UNSODA database, with mean error (ME), relative error (RE), root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.02, 8.8%, 0.80 and 0.73, respectively. A second test of the new K(θ, ψ) model using a data set representing 23 soils reported in the literature also showed good agreement between estimated and measured log10(K) values with ME of −0.01, RE of 9.5%, RMSE of 0.77 and R2 of 0.85. The new K(θ, ψ) model outperformed the Mualem‐van Genuchten model and two recently published pedo‐transfer functions. The new K(θ, ψ) model can be applied for estimating K under field conditions and for hydrologic modeling without need for soil water retention curve data fitting to derive a K function. Key Points: A new unsaturated hydraulic conductivity model was developed in terms of independent θ and ψ valuesBest fitting values of two parameters in the new unsaturated hydraulic conductivity model were determined from 150 soils in the calibration data setThe new model provided reliable estimates of hydraulic conductivity for 72 soils from two independent data sets [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To develop and validate an instrument that integrates functional capacity, risk of pressure ulcers and risk of falling with a more parsimonious approach towards nursing assessments in hospitalization units. Design: Cross‐sectional validation multicentre study. Methods: Socio‐demographic variables and assessments of Barthel Index, Braden Index and Downton Scale are included via electronic health records. Instrument's development process will include: (i) conceptual assessments; (ii) content validity; (iii) construct validity; (iv) internal consistency and (v) interobserver reliability. The analysis will consider possible differences in medical and surgical hospitalization units, hospitalization type or being a COVID‐19 patient. This study was accepted for funding in November 2020 and approved by the Ethics and Research Committee in January 2021. Results: An integrated instrument that lowers the administrative load of nursing assessments and allows at‐risk patients to be detected with at least the same validity and reliability as the original instruments is expected to be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: B cell hyperactivity plays an important role in primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). We undertook this study to better understand the B cell effector branch, namely antibody‐secreting cells (ASCs) in primary SS, and to examine the quantity, maturity, and inflammatory properties of ASCs in primary SS patients. Methods: Circulating ASCs, defined as CD3–CD14–CD27+CD38++ cells, from 21 primary SS patients and 10 healthy controls were assessed using spectral flow cytometry. Expression levels of relevant ASC markers relating to maturity, survival, and inflammatory status were analyzed using a t‐distributed stochastic neighbor embedding approach. Correlation of ASC properties with primary SS disease parameters was assessed. Results: ASCs were more abundant in peripheral blood from primary SS patients than from healthy controls (mean ± SD 3.1 ± 5.1 cells/μl versus 1.1 ± 1.0 cells/μl, respectively; P = 0.048) and displayed a more mature phenotype (mean ± SD CD19– ASCs 0.37 ± 1.21 cells/μl versus 0.06 ± 0.11 cells/μl, respectively; P = 0.005). An inflammatory CXCR3+ phenotype of ASCs correlated positively with our newly developed ASC maturity index (r = 0.568, P = 0.007) but correlated negatively with antiinflammatory interleukin‐10 expression (r = –0.769, P < 0.001). ASCs with a higher maturity index also demonstrated higher levels of the pro‐survival protein myeloid cell leukemia 1 (r = 0.567, P = 0.007). Frequency and/or maturity of ASCs correlated with several primary SS disease parameters, such as antinuclear antibody and anti‐La/SSB titers, salivary gland focus scores, and ocular staining scores. Conclusion: Quantity and maturity of ASCs in primary SS patients are increased and correlate with disease parameters. A higher maturity index of ASCs marks a pro‐survival and proinflammatory phenotype. Altogether, B cell hyperactivity in primary SS extends to the peripheral ASC compartment, raising potential for ASCs as future biomarkers or targets for primary SS treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their last article [Phys. Lett. A 2021, 389, 127091], the authors have extended the k⋅p approach by considering crossings with the spin–orbit interaction (SOI) up to the second order and studied the spin texture and Berry phase of the heavy‐mass holes (HHs) confined in the SiGe 2D quantum well system. HHs cause quasi‐degeneracy via the intersub‐band interaction (ISI) working as Dirac‐like singularity, leading to the energy‐dependent Berry phase "quantized" by π. This π quantization is understandable by counting the number of quasi‐degenerate points in the Brillouin zone alongside recognizing the sign of the Berry curvature there. Herein, the remaining holes of the light‐mass holes (LHs) and separate holes (SHs) are studied. The spin textures and the Berry curvatures and phases are explored comprehensively, focusing on the competition between the Rashba and Dresselhaus SOIs via ISI. Comparisons with HHs elucidate that LHs and SHs cause similar quasi‐degeneracy through ISI, functioning as the Dirac‐like singularity. As such, the Berry phase is quantized by π, confirming the validity of the counting model irrespective of hole type. In some peculiar cases, HHs and LHs cause a possible sign inversion in the Berry phase, leading to zero Berry phase against temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuously graded parabolic quantum wells with excellent optical performances are used to overcome the low‐frequency and thermal limitations of square quantum wells at terahertz (THz) frequencies. The formation of microcavity intersubband polaritons at frequencies as low as 1.8 THz is demonstrated, with a sustained ultra‐strong coupling regime up to a temperature of 200 K. Thanks to the excellent intersubband transition linewidth, polaritons present quality factors up to 17. It is additionally shown that the ultra‐strong coupling regime is preserved when the active region is embedded in sub‐wavelength resonators, with an estimated relative strength η = ΩR/ω0 = 0.12. This represents an important milestone for future studies of quantum vacuum radiation because such resonators can be optically modulated at ultrafast rates, possibly leading to the generation of non‐classical light via the dynamic Casimir effect. Finally, with an effective volume of 2×10−6λ03$2{\bm{ \times }}{10^{{\bm{ - }}6}}\lambda _0^3$, it is estimated that fewer than 3000 electrons per resonator are ultra‐strongly coupled to the quantized electromagnetic mode, proving it is also a promising approach to explore few‐electron polaritonic systems operating at relatively high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an airborne gravity survey with an absolute gravimeter based on atom interferometry and two relative gravimeters: a classical LaCoste&Romberg (L&R) and a novel iMAR strapdown Inertial Measurement Unit. We estimated measurement errors for the quantum gravimeter ranging from 0.6 to 1.3 mGal depending on the flight conditions and the filtering used. Similar measurement errors are obtained with iMAR strapdown gravimeter, but the long‐term stability is five times worse. The traditional L&R platform gravimeter shows larger measurement errors (3–4 mGal). Airborne measurements have been compared to marine, land, and altimetry‐derived gravity data. We obtain a good agreement for the quantum gravimeter with standard deviations and means on differences below or equal to 2 mGal. This study confirms the potential of quantum technology for absolute airborne gravimetry, which is particularly interesting for mapping shallow water or mountainous areas and for linking ground and satellite measurements with homogeneous absolute referencing. Plain Language Summary: Quantum technology offers a new kind of sensor for airborne gravimetry. Contrary to classical technologies which can only measure variation of gravity from an aircraft, a quantum gravimeter provides directly an absolute measurement of gravity eliminating the necessity of calibrations and drift estimations. We report here an airborne survey with a quantum gravimeter and two classical gravimeters. We demonstrated that the quantum gravimeter reaches the same precision as the best classical gravimeter. The gravity measurements have also been validated with models derived from land and marine gravity measurements and satellite altimetry. Key Points: Unlike classical systems, a quantum gravimeter does not require calibrations or drift estimations during an airborne gravity campaignA quantum gravimeter has demonstrated similar precision than an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) gravimeter and significantly better precision than a spring gravimeterA quantum gravimeter has shown significantly better long‐term stability than an IMU strapdown system even if its drift has been corrected [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustained immunosuppression associated with severe sepsis favors an increased susceptibility to secondary infections and remains incompletely understood. Plasmablast and plasma cell subsets, whose primary function is to secrete antibodies, have emerged as important suppressive populations that expand during sepsis. In particular, sepsis supports CD39hi plasmablast metabolic reprogramming associated with adenosine‐mediated suppressive activity. Arginine deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of secondary infections in sepsis. Overcoming arginine shortage by citrulline administration efficiently improves sepsis‐induced immunosuppression and secondary infections in the cecal ligation and puncture murine model. Here, we aimed to determine the impact of citrulline administration on B cell suppressive responses in sepsis. We demonstrate that restoring arginine bioavailability through citrulline administration markedly reduces the dominant extrafollicular B cell response, decreasing the immunosuppressive LAG3+ and CD39+ plasma cell populations, and restoring splenic follicles. At the molecular level, the IRF4/MYC‐mediated B cell reprogramming required for extrafollicular plasma cell differentiation is shunted in the splenic B cells of mice fed with citrulline. Our study reveals a prominent impact of nutrition on B cell responses and plasma cell differentiation and further supports the development of citrulline‐based clinical studies to prevent sepsis‐associated immune dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a high‐resolution 3D Moho structure beneath southern India and its surrounding regions from observed gravity anomalies. The global gravity disturbance model (XGM2019e) with a grid resolution of 0.1° is considered for this study. The extended Bott's inversion algorithm and Gauss‐Fast Fourier Transform based forward model are adopted to invert for the Moho undulations beneath the Indian peninsula. The inversion algorithm is tested for a synthetic model having a predefined density contrast and mean Moho depth. The robustness of this inversion algorithm is further tested for noise‐incorporated gravity data. The control points are required for estimating two hyper‐parameters, viz. density contrast, and reference depth, which play a crucial role in the precise estimation of Moho depth. In real case study, the inverted Moho depth of Southern India and its surrounding regions by seismic constraint receiver function‐driven control points show a very complex architecture of Moho topography. The observed average crustal thickness in the study region is 35.35 km, corroborating with the previously reported Moho depths. The maximum crustal thickness is 53.04 km beneath the southern part of Archean Western Dharwar Craton and west of Salem block, around 44–47 km Moho depth is observed at the south of Salem block into Madurai block till Achankovil Shear Zone, which suggests the possible continuation of the Achaean crust of Palghat‐Cauvery Shear Zone System. The lowest crustal thickness values are observed along the eastern margin of the Cuddapah basin, which overlaps with the Proterozoic Krishna basin of the Eastern Ghats Mobile belt. Plain Language Summary: Earth's crust and mantle boundary is known as Mohorovičić discontinuity or Moho. Estimation of the accurate 3D architecture of Moho has various applications in geodynamic modeling, tectonic deformation study, etc. Deep seismic refraction and receiver functions analysis are the main geophysical techniques for imaging Moho topography. Seismic‐driven Moho estimations are very accurate and station dependent, however, sparsely distributed due to cost compulsion. Contrarily, high‐resolution gravity data are readily available due to modern satellite gravimetry with a limitation of lack of unique interpretation of the estimated structure. In the present study, the seismic constraint gravity inversion algorithm is developed and applied to the Southern peninsula of India for high‐resolution Moho topography estimation. The southern part of the Indian shield is composed of different crustal blocks, which evolved during various geological time scales and tectonic processes. The maximum crustal thickness obtained from our constraint optimization is 53.04 km. The presented optimization scheme is tested with synthetic models with and without noise incorporation before applying it to real data to verify the efficacy and robustness of the algorithm. Key Points: Extended Bott's method for inversion and Gauss‐Fast Fourier Transform based forward model ensuring high precisionRemoval of gravity anomalies due to density heterogeneities compared to the global modelHigh resolution Moho surface beneath the Indian Peninsula and adjacent region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to study the movement of surface-appliedtracers and fertilizer to groundwater on an agricultural field under dryland farming practices. Movement of surface-applied bromide, chloride, and fluoride tracers, and fertilizer nitrate (NO3) through a coarse-loamy glacial till soil and vadose zone to saturated glacial till at about 3 to 4 m, and to a confined aquifer at 6.8 m, were monitored for 5-yr. Crop treatments were a dryland rotation ofwheat (Triticam aestivam L.), soybean [Glycine mar (L.) Merr.l, and sunflower (Hetianrhus annuus L.). Applied bromide, chloride, and NO3 could be detected in trace amounts at all levels, including the aquifer, within a few days after application and following large summer storms. Within the root zone, NO3 and chloride concentrations varied with root extraction and application placement. The largest stable concentration of solute occurred within the shallowvadose zone beneath the root zone. Below the root zone, tracer and NO3 concentrations decreased exponentially with depth. Following a large rainfall the shallow vadose layer served as a 'feeder zone' for solute movement to deeper layers. Elevated concentrations following recharge events were spatially sporadic, occurring at some locations and not at others. Spatially variable and temporary increasesin solute concentrations were caused by spatially variable recharge,governed by microtopographic controls. Water concentrated in microtopographical 'low' areas and moved in concentrated plugs to the water table carrying solute. NO3-N did not increase in the saturated till or the aquifer over the 5-yr period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to examine the effect of short-term(one minute) contact of pesticide-laden water with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bailer on quantitative laboratory measurements of seven pesticide concentrations in distilled water samples subsequently decanted from the bailer. Pesticides were tested at two initial concentrations (low, based on current EPA maximum contaminant levels, or MCL; and high, based on a multiple of approximately four times the MCL). Pesticide species included bromoxynil, diclofop-m, dimethoate, MCPA, methyl parathion, propiconazole, and trifuralin. Dimethoate recoveries were poor for all treatments. For all other pesticides, there was nosystematic difference between pesticide concentrations measured before and after bailer contact. Effectiveness of bailer decontaminationtreatments consisting of distilled water rinse alone was related to water solubility (S) for each species. Distilled water samples decanted from a rigid PVC bailer following initial bailer contact with pesticide-spiked water, and after the bailer had been cleaned with a single distilled water rinse, had measured pesticide concentrations of less than 2 percent of the pesticide concentration in the initial pesticide-spiked water, regardless of S. A single distilled water rinse effectively removed all trace of contaminants having S> 500 mg/L. Multiple distilled water rinses, and multiple distilled water rinses followed by 15 bailings of a well, effectively removed all trace of contaminants having S> 50 mg/L. Below threshold S, cleaning effectiveness decreased as a power function of S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective oxidation of propylene and isobutene form a central cornerstone in chemical industry, typically catalysed by bismuth molybdate based multicomponent systems. Over the past decades, a detailed knowledge has been gained on the mechanism by theoretical and experimental studies including in situ and operando characterization techniques, using simplified model catalysts. These have provided excellent insight, but in industrially applied selective oxidation typically multi‐component catalysts are used, leading to higher activity and selectivity. New concepts and characterization methods allow now studies of the more complex multicomponent catalysts covering the various length and time scales and potentially providing new insights into the dynamics and cooperation during catalysis. Starting with an overview of past concepts and milestones, we report on latest developments and future trends in the field of selective oxidation of lower olefins. Thereby we focus both on conventional spectroscopic and advanced characterisation methods and discuss the importance of integral and spatially‐resolved approaches. We conclude that fundamental understanding of such complex oxidation reactions requires combined and interdisciplinary research, now possible with the new characterization tools, data analysis schemes and reactor modelling approaches. This allows bridging the various complexity scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photodetector with bias‐tuneable current is realized by adding a film of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (CNT), forming a CNT/Si3N4/Si capacitor, to a prefabricated Pt–Ti/Si3N4/Si metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) diode. Electrical characterization of the entire device is performed to extract the temperature‐dependent ideality factor and Schottky barrier height in the framework of the thermionic emission theory. The CNT/Si3N4/Si capacitor increases the reverse current of the parallel Pt–Ti/Si3N4/Si MIS diode by adding a Fowler–Nordheim tunneling current at high reverse voltage bias. This feature endows the photodetector with two different photocurrent levels, photoresponsivity up to 370 mA W−1 and external quantum efficiency up to 50% at 950 nm wavelength. The device also shows a different photoresponse when light is focused on the CNT/Si3N4/Si region or around the Pt–Ti/Si3N4/Si structure. The photodetector can also be used as an optoelectronic Boolean logic device, in which the applied voltage bias and the incident light are the two input signals, and the photocurrent is the output. Furthermore, light generates a photocurrent at zero voltage and a photovoltage at zero current, making the device a self‐powered photodetector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universality is a common quality in different physical parameters that is rooted in the deep nature of physical systems. Scaling relation is a typical universality for critical phenomena around a quantum phase transition, while topological classification provides another type of universality essentially different from the critical universality. Both classes of universalities can be present in a single‐qubit system with light‐matter interactions, as exhibiting generally in the fundamental quantum Rabi model with anisotropy not only for linear coupling but also for nonlinear Stark coupling (NSC). In low frequencies different levels of scaling relations are extracted, holding for anisotropic or/and NSCs, locally or globally. At finite frequencies such a critical universality breaks down and diversity is dominant. However, common topological feature of the ground state can be extracted from the node number, which yields a topological class of universality amidst the critical diversity. Both conventional and unconventional topological transitions emerge, with their meeting, which never occurs in linear interaction, enabled by the nonlinear coupling to form topological quadruple points which are found to be spin‐invariant points. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the NSC can be another applicable approach to manipulate topological transitions in addition to coupling anisotropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product modularization in new product development has attracted considerable interest among scholars and practitioners from diverse fields of specialization. This has resulted in cross‐disciplinary diversity in the field, diverting attention from its overall intellectual structure and hindering the development of a common view and shared concepts. Extant research lacks an integrative review, transcending a focal discipline that could identify gaps and ambiguities while making recommendations to advance the field. Considering a period of 30 years (1990–2020), we generate a data set of 2988 citing publications to which we apply a co‐citation analysis. Thereby, we uncover the intellectual structure of the field and find three research perspectives that represent key knowledge bases: (1) product system, (2) production system, and (3) organizational system. Delimiting the data set into four periods, we can track developments over time, where we notice an increasing disintegration of the product system perspective, which is rooted in the discipline of engineering design. Within the two other perspectives, we document extensive dynamism in terms of publications, especially in the two most recent periods, indicating an active discussion and a potential receptivity to new trends. For these periods, we also identify an emerging cluster of fundamental publications and an increasing emphasis on the concept of system architecture. Leveraging the synthesis of these results, we forge links between neighboring disciplines and recommend avenues for further research, ideally to develop a more common view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]