In this work, we study the microscopic dynamics of distorted skyrmions in strained chiral magnets (Shibatak et al 2015 Nat. Nanotechnol. 10 589) under gradient magnetic field and electric current by ...Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert simulations of the anisotropic spin model. It is observed that the dynamical responses are also anisotropic, and the velocity of the distorted skyrmion is periodically dependent on the directions of the external stimuli. Furthermore, in addition to the uniform motion, our work also demonstrates an anti-phase harmonic vibration of the two skyrmions in nanostripes, and the frequencies can be effectively modulated by the anisotropic Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. The simulated results are well explained by Thiele's theory, which may provide useful information in understanding the dynamics of the distorted skyrmions.
ABSTRACT
On 2019 April 25, the LIGO/Virgo Scientific Collaboration detected a compact binary coalescence, GW190425. Under the assumption of the binary neutron star (BNS), the total mass of ...$3.4^{+0.3}_{-0.1}\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ lies five standard deviations away from the known Galactic population mean. In the standard common envelope scenario, the immediate progenitor of GW190425 is a close binary system composed of an NS and a He-rich star. With the detailed binary evolutionary modelling, we find that in order to reproduce GW190425-like events, super-Eddington accretion (e.g. $1,000\, \dot{M}_{\rm Edd}$) from a He-rich star onto the first-born NS with a typical mass of 1.33 M⊙ via stable Case BB mass transfer (MT) is necessarily required. Furthermore, the immediate progenitors should potentially have an initial mass of MZamsHe in a range of 3.0–3.5 M⊙ and an initial orbital period of Pinit from 0.08 d to 0.12 d, respectively. The corresponding mass accreted onto NSs via stable Case BB MT phase varies from $0.70\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ to $0.77\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$. After the formation of the second-born NS, the BNSs are expected to be merged due to gravitational wave emission from ∼11 Myr to ∼190 Myr.
In this work, we study the magnetic orders of a classical spin model with anisotropic exchanges and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions in order to understand the uniaxial stress effect in chiral ...magnets such as MnSi. Variational zero temperature calculations demonstrate that various helical orders can be developed depending on the interaction anisotropy magnitude, consistent with experimental observations at low temperatures. Furthermore, the uniaxial stress induced creation and annihilation of skyrmions can be also qualitatively reproduced in our Monte Carlo simulations. Our work suggests that the interaction anisotropy tuned by applied uniaxial stress may play an essential role in modulating the magnetic orders in strained chiral magnets.
ABSTRACT
A novel combined statistical downscaling and disaggregation framework (CSDD) based on Long Ashton Research Station‐Weather Generator (LARS‐WG) and K‐nearest neighbour (KNN) was proposed to ...examine the climate change impact on regional extreme rainfall in Singapore. The approach could generate high‐resolution rainfall sequences both spatially (e.g. station level) and temporally (e.g. 5‐min) based on 12 emission scenarios under 4 general circulation models. Three different routes were proposed to generate high‐resolution synthetic rainfall time series: (1) the rainfall records at all stations were combined and treated as one station (Route 1); (2) the rainfall record at each station was treated individually (Route 2); and (3) the total areal rainfall at daily and hourly timescales was used to keep inter‐site correlations (Route 3). The results indicated that all routes under CSDD framework could effectively reproduce the regional rainfall at various timescales. This study further examined the impacts of climate change on regional extremes. The results show that the maximum increase rates of 100‐year extremes at the end of this century at durations of 24‐h, 1‐h and 5‐min would be 14.8, 16.3 and 16.8%, respectively. The proposed framework takes the full advantage of both LARS‐WG and KNN and could effectively help provide continuous high‐resolution synthetic rainfall data (with consideration of spatial dependence and uncertainty) under climate‐change conditions for hydrological impact study.
A sandwich-vacuum method was demonstrated for the fabrication of titania (TiO2) binary inverse opals with an open surface. In this method, a moisture-stable TiO2 precursor was backfilled into the ...interstitial spaces of polystyrene binary colloidal crystals (PS bCCs), which served as a template. Removal of the template by calcination yielded TiO2 binary inverse opals with a 3D-ordered macroporous (3DOM) structure. Optical reflectance spectra revealed the existence of a pseudostop band gap in the 3DOM TiO2 samples. The position of the pseudostop band gap shifted to the low-wavelength region as the number ratio of small over large PS spheres was increased in the template. The sandwich-vacuum method proved to be simple and rapid for the fabrication of TiO2 binary inverse opals without overlayers in large domains. The 3DOM TiO2 materials were used as a photocatalyst for the degradation of benzoic acid. Results showed that in comparison to TiO2 nanoparticles prepared under the same sintering conditions, the 3DOM TiO2 materials displayed enhanced photocatalytic activity.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors are standard treatments for advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This phase III RENOTORCH study compared the ...efficacy and safety of toripalimab plus axitinib versus sunitinib for the first-line treatment of patients with intermediate-/poor-risk advanced RCC.
Patients with intermediate-/poor-risk unresectable or metastatic RCC were randomized in a ratio of 1 : 1 to receive toripalimab (240 mg intravenously once every 3 weeks) plus axitinib (5 mg orally twice daily) or sunitinib 50 mg orally once daily for 4 weeks (6-week cycle) or 2 weeks (3-week cycle). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by an independent review committee (IRC). The secondary endpoints were investigator-assessed PFS, overall response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and safety.
A total of 421 patients were randomized to receive toripalimab plus axitinib (n = 210) or sunitinib (n = 211). With a median follow-up of 14.6 months, toripalimab plus axitinib significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 35% compared with sunitinib as assessed by an IRC hazard ratio (HR) 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49-0.86; P = 0.0028. The median PFS was 18.0 months in the toripalimab–axitinib group, whereas it was 9.8 months in the sunitinib group. The IRC-assessed ORR was significantly higher in the toripalimab–axitinib group compared with the sunitinib group (56.7% versus 30.8%; P < 0.0001). An OS trend favoring toripalimab plus axitinib was also observed (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.40-0.92). Treatment-related grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 61.5% of patients in the toripalimab–axitinib group and 58.6% of patients in the sunitinib group.
In patients with previously untreated intermediate-/poor-risk advanced RCC, toripalimab plus axitinib provided significantly longer PFS and higher ORR than sunitinib and had a manageable safety profile
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04394975
•Toripalimab plus axitinib provided significantly better PFS than sunitinib as a first-line treatment for advanced RCC.•A significantly higher ORR was found in patients who received toripalimab plus axitinib than those who received sunitinib.•The combination of toripalimab plus axitinib was generally well tolerated.•No new safety signals were identified in the combination outside the known safety profile of toripalimab or axitinib.
The development of optimization models for energy systems planning has attracted considerable interest over the past decades. However, the uncertainties that are inherent in the planning process and ...the complex interactions among various uncertain parameters are challenging the capabilities of these developed tools. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop a hybrid interval-fuzzy two-stage stochastic energy systems planning model (IFTEM) to deal with various uncertainties that can be expressed as fuzzy numbers, probability distributions and discrete intervals. The developed IFTEM is then applied to a hypothetical regional energy system. The results indicate that the IFTEM has advantages in reflecting complexities of various system uncertainties as well as dealing with two-stage stochastic decision problems within energy systems.
Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesias is a paroxysmal movement disorder characterized by recurrent, brief attacks of abnormal involuntary movements induced by sudden voluntary movements. Although ...several loci, including the pericentromeric region of chromosome 16, have been linked to paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesias, the causative gene has not yet been identified. Here, we identified proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) as a causative gene of paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesias by using a combination of exome sequencing and linkage analysis. Genetic linkage mapping with 11 markers that encompassed the pericentromeric of chromosome 16 was performed in 27 members of two families with autosomal dominant paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesias. Then, the whole-exome sequencing was performed in three patients from these two families. By combining the defined linkage region (16p12.1-q12.1) and the results of exome sequencing, we identified an insertion mutation c.649_650InsC (p.P217fsX7) in one family and a nonsense mutation c.487C>T (p.Q163X) in another family. To confirm our findings, we sequenced the exons and flanking introns of PRRT2 in another three families with paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesias. The c.649_650InsC (p.P217fsX7) mutation was identified in two of these families, whereas a missense mutation, c.796C>T (R266W), was identified in another family with paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesias. All of these mutations completely co-segregated with the phenotype in each family. None of these mutations was identified in 500 normal unaffected individuals of matched geographical ancestry. Thus, we have identified PRRT2 as the first causative gene of paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesias, warranting further investigations to understand the pathogenesis of this disorder.
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