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  1. Free, publicly-accessible full text available November 7, 2024
  2. Abstract Extracellular matrix (ECM) in the human tissue contains vesicles, which are defined as matrix‐bound nanovesicles (MBVs). MBVs serve as one of the functional components in ECM, recapitulating part of the regulatory roles and in vivo microenvironment. In this study, extracellular vesicles from culture supernatants (SuEVs) and MBVs are isolated from the conditioned medium or ECM, respectively, of 3D human mesenchymal stem cells. Nanoparticle tracking analysis shows that MBVs are smaller than SuEVs (100–150 nm). Transmission electron microscopy captures the typical cup shape morphology for both SuEVs and MBVs. Western blot reveals that MBVs have low detection of some SuEV markers such as syntenin‐1. miRNA analysis of MBVs shows that 3D microenvironment enhances the expression of miRNAs such as miR‐19a and miR‐21. In vitro functional analysis shows that MBVs can facilitate human pluripotent stem cell‐derived forebrain organoid recovery after starvation and promote high passage fibroblast proliferation. In macrophage polarization, 2D MBVs tend to suppress the pro‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐12 β , while 3D MBVs tend to enhance the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10. This study has the significance in advancing the understanding of the bio‐interface of nanovesicles with human tissue and the design of cell‐free therapy for treating neurological disorders such as ischemic stroke. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available May 24, 2024
  3. The discovery of the thermosphere-ionosphere Fe (TIFe) layers has opened a door to exploring the least understood thermosphere and ionosphere region between 100 and 200 km with ground-based lidar instruments. The characteristics of the polar TIFe layers, and the impacts of the atmosphere neutral dynamics, electrodynamics, and metallic chemistry on the formation of TIFe layers deserve further investigation, especially the diurnal cycles of TIFe layers observed by lidar. This paper aims at investigating the major driving forces with 1-D Thermosphere-Ionosphere Fe/Fe + (TIFe) model. A main question to answer is whether neutral dynamics like tidal winds or electrodynamics like the convection electric fields and currents in the magnetosphere and ionosphere are responsible for the diurnal cycle of TIFe layers. 
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  4. Abstract

    We report the first simultaneous, common‐volume lidar observations of thermosphere‐ionosphere Fe (TIFe) and Na (TINa) layers in Antarctica. We also report the observational discovery of nearly one‐to‐one correspondence between TIFe and aurora activity, enhanced ionization layers, and converging electric fields. Distinctive TIFe layers have a peak density of ~384 cm−3and the TIFe mixing ratio peaks around 123 km, ~5 times the mesospheric layer maximum. All evidence shows that Fe+ion‐neutralization is the major formation mechanism of TIFe layers. The TINa mixing ratio often exhibits a broad peak at TIFe altitudes, providing evidence for in situ production via Na+neutralization. However, the tenuous TINa layers persist long beyond TIFe disappearance and reveal gravity wave perturbations, suggesting a dynamic background of neutral Na, but not Fe, above 110 km. The striking differences between distinct TIFe and diffuse TINa suggest differential transport between Fe and Na, possibly due to mass separation.

     
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  5. Abstract

    We report the first lidar observations of regular occurrence of mid‐latitude thermosphere‐ionosphere Na (TINa) layers over Boulder (40.13°N, 105.24°W), Colorado. Detection of tenuous Na layers (∼0.1–1 cm−3from 150 to 130 km) was enabled by high‐sensitivity Na Doppler lidar. TINa layers occur regularly in various months and years, descending from ∼125 km after dusk and from ∼150 km before dawn. The downward‐progression phase speeds are ∼3 m/s above 120 km and ∼1 m/s below 115 km, consistent with semidiurnal tidal phase speeds. One or more layers sometimes occur across local midnight. Elevated volume mixing ratios above the turning point (∼105–110 km) of Na density slope suggest in situ production of the dawn/dusk layers via neutralization of converged Na+layers. Vertical drift velocity of TINa+calculated with the Ionospheric Connection Explorer Hough Mode Extension tidal winds shows convergent ion flow phases aligned well with TINa, supporting this formation hypothesis.

     
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  6. Abstract

    A dramatic thermospheric temperature enhancement and inversion layer (TTEIL) was observed by the Fe Boltzmann lidar at McMurdo, Antarctica during a geomagnetic storm (Chu et al. 2011,https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL050016). The Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIEGCM) driven by empirical auroral precipitation and background electric fields cannot adequately reproduce the TTEIL. We incorporate the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)/Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI) auroral precipitation maps, which capture the regional‐scale features into TIEGCM and add subgrid electric field variability in the regions with strong auroral activity. These modifications enable the simulation of neutral temperatures closer to lidar observations and neutral densities closer to GRACE satellite observations (~475 km). The regional scale auroral precipitation and electric field variabilities are both needed to generate strong Joule heating that peaks around 120 km. The resulting temperature increase leads to the change of pressure gradients, thus inducing a horizontal divergence of air flow and large upward winds that increase with altitude. Associated with the upwelling wind is the adiabatic cooling gradually increasing with altitude and peaking at ~200 km. The intense Joule heating around 120 km and strong cooling above result in differential heating that produces a sharp TTEIL. However, vertical heat advection broadens the TTEIL and raises the temperature peak from ~120 to ~150 km, causing simulations deviating from observations. Strong local Joule heating also excites traveling atmospheric disturbances that carry the TTEIL signatures to other regions. Our study suggests the importance of including fine‐structure auroral precipitation and subgrid electric field variability in the modeling of storm‐time ionosphere‐thermosphere responses.

     
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  7. Abstract

    This work presents the first lidar observations of a Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation (QBO) in the interannual variations of stratospheric gravity wave potential energy density (Epmin 30–50 km) at McMurdo (77.84°S, 166.67°E), Antarctica. This paper also reports the first identification of QBO signals in the distance between McMurdo and the polar vortex edge. Midwinter stratospheric gravity wave activity is stronger during the QBO easterly phase when the June polar vortex expands and the polar night jet shifts equatorward. During the QBO westerly phase, gravity wave activity is weaker when the polar vortex contracts and the polar night jet moves poleward. Nine years of lidar data (2011–2019) exhibit the meanEpmwinter maxima being ~43% higher during QBO easterly than westerly. The June polar vortex edge at 45 km altitude moves equatorward/poleward during QBO easterly/westerly phases with ~8° latitude differences (39.7°S vs. 47.7°S) as revealed in 21 years of MERRA‐2 data (1999–2019). We hypothesize that an equatorward shifted polar vortex corresponds to less critical level filtering of gravity waves and thus higherEpmat McMurdo. The critical level filtering is characterized by wind rotation angle (WRA), and we find a linear correlation between the WRA andEpminterannual variations. The results suggest that the QBO is likely controlling the interannual variations of theEpmwinter maxima over McMurdo via the critical level filtering. This observationally based study lays the groundwork for a rigorous numerical study that will provide robust statistics to better understand the mechanisms that link the tropical QBO to extratropical waves.

     
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  8. Abstract

    A unique direct printing method is developed to additively pattern silver nanowires (AgNWs) with length of up to ≈40 µm. Uniform and well‐defined AgNW features are printed on various substrates by optimizing a series of parameters including ink composition, printing speed, nozzle size, substrate temperature, and hydrophobicity of the substrate surface. The capability of directly printing such long AgNWs is essential for stretchable electronics applications where mechanical compliance is required as manifested by a systematic study comparing the electrical and electromechanical performance of printed AgNW features with different nanowire lengths. Such printed AgNWs are used to demonstrate biaxially stretchable conductors, ultrasensitive capacitive pressure sensor arrays, and stretchable electroluminescent displays, indicating their great potential for applications in low‐cost wearable electronics. This strategy is adaptable to other material platforms like semiconducting nanowires, which may offer a cost‐effective entry to various nanowire‐based mechanically compliant sensory and optoelectronic systems.

     
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