bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exercise reduces the risk of falls in women with polypharmacy: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Tamminen Anna-Erika , Honkanen Risto , Koivumaa-Honkanen Heli , Sirola Joonas , Sund Reijo , Kröger Heikki , Rikkonen Toni
Published: February 2025

Polypharmacy has previously been found to increase and exercise interventions to reduce the risk of falls and fall-related injuries. In this study, women who had four or more regular medications benefitted the most from the exercise intervention and had the lowest fall risk compared to the reference group. Fall injuries among older people cause significant health problems with high societal costs. Previously, some exercise interventions have been found to reduce the number of falls and related injuries. We studied how different levels of medication use affect the outcome of an exercise intervention in terms of preventing falls. This exercise RCT involved 914 women born in 1932–1945 and randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 457) and control (n = 457) groups. Both groups participated in functional tests three times during the study. Baseline self-reported prescription drug use was trichotomized: 0–1, 2–3, and ≥ 4 drugs/day (i.e. polypharmacy group). We used Poisson regression for follow-up fall risk and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for fractures. During follow-up, 1380 falls were reported, 739 (53.6%) resulting in an injury and pain and 63 (4.6%) in a fracture. Women with polypharmacy in the intervention group had the lowest fall risk (IRR 0.713, 95% CI 0.586–0.866, p = 0.001) compared to the reference group that used 0–1 medications and did not receive the intervention. Overall, the number of medications associated with the fall incidence was only seen in the intervention group. However, the number of medications was not associated with fractures in either of the groups. Weaker functional test results were associated with polypharmacy in the control group. The most prominent decrease in fall risk with exercise intervention was seen among women with polypharmacy. Targeting these women might enhance fall prevention efficacy among the aging population.

Trial Registration: The study has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. Trial registration number NCT02665169. Register date 27/01/2016.
Association of arachnoid fossae and endocranial lesions in a historical population from Poland: new diagnostic possibilities
Authors: Wysocka Joanna , Riley Erin , Cieślik Agata
Published: February 2025

This study examines the arachnoid fossae (AF) in crania from early modern Wrocław, Poland, and their connection to endocranial lesions, specifically abnormal blood vessel impressions (ABVI) and periosteal appositions of the dura mater (PADM). AF are fovea on the inner surface of the cranial bone, which arise as the result of arachnoid granulations’ (AG) protruding and causing the resorption of the bone. ABVI and PADM are non-specific pathological lesions caused by inflammation and hemorrhages in the meninges. The goal of the study is to determine if the size of AF is associated with the occurrence of endocranial lesions (ABVI and PADM), whether they can aid in diagnosing pathological conditions in historical populations, and to propose a measurement methodology. Using an endoscopic device, the study analyzed 80 adult crania from a collection in Wrocław, Poland. The size of AF was measured using scaled photographs, and the occurrence and severity of ABVI and PADM were also documented. The study then investigated the relationship between the size of AF and the presence of ABVI and PADM. It was determined that the individuals with ABVI had greater AF than those without the lesions. The results indicate that while the presence of AF can be considered a normal cranial variation, their size may be useful in diagnosing pathological conditions in the meninges, such as trauma, tumors, or infectious diseases.
Micro-CT analysis reveals porosity driven growth banding in Caribbean coral Siderastrea siderea
Authors: Vincent James , Sheldrake Tom
Published: February 2025

X-radiography of massive scleractinian coral skeletons reveal light and dark couplets termed “growth bands”, which are commonly related to seasonal fluctuations in environmental parameters including insolation and sea surface temperature (SST). Massive corals grow by extension of skeletal structures followed by thickening within the surface tissue layer. Therefore, an understanding of the depth in which skeletal thickening occurs is important to aid the interpretation of seasonal banding patterns. In this study, two colonies of Caribbean coral Siderastrea siderea were sampled from the north-west coast of Barbados at water depths of 5 and 15 m. The three-dimensional skeletal structure of each sample was reconstructed at high spatial resolutions using micro-computed tomography (µCT) scanning. A pixel segmentation algorithm was developed to classify different microstructures within the skeleton and to quantify spatial variations in corallite and theca porosity at the micrometer scale. The porosity reconstructions of the deeper sample reveal clearer growth banding, with a more dominant signal originating from within the corallite. Skeletal thickening occurs within the top two-thirds of the total depth of soft tissues and the rate of thickening varies between microstructures. Seasonality in the shallower sample is less clear, although porosity variability with depth is more similar across microstructures. The difference in signal origin and clarity between the two samples is attributed to the varying stability of water depth-dependent variables (i.e., insolation and wave energy). This study provides a new, powerful method of reconstructing and understanding growth strategies in massive scleractinian corals.
Three- and four-stranded nucleic acid structures and their ligands
Authors: Hashimoto Yoshiki , Shil Sumit , Tsuruta Mitsuki , Kawauchi Keiko , Miyoshi Daisuke
Published: February 2025

Nucleic acids have the potential to form not only duplexes, but also various non-canonical secondary structures in living cells. Structure- and sequence-selective binding of small molecules is required for their cellular applications.
Estimating Advancing and Receding Contact Angles for Pure and Mixed Liquids on Smooth Solid Surfaces using PCP-SAFT Equation of State
Authors: Roosta Aliakbar , Zendehboudi Sohrab , Rezaei Nima
Published: February 2025

Contact angle is an important measure of wetting in systems involving liquid-solid interfaces. This study focuses on estimating advancing and receding contact angles of pure and mixed liquids on smooth...
Coupling oxygen storage and catalysis to design redox catalysts for efficient ethylbenzene dehydrogenation
Authors: Zhang Juping , Zhou Jiayi , Li Dongfang , Zhu Tao , Zhu Xing
Published: February 2025

Redox ODH using metal oxides as oxygen transfer medium is expected to achieve high conversion and high selectivity of hydrocarbons ODH under mild conditions by exploiting the modulation and coupling of oxygen species oxidation and catalytic activity.
Molecular design of high-performance wide-bandgap acceptor enables versatile organic photovoltaic applications
Authors: Xiao Yang , Wang Jingwen , Cui Yong , Wang Yafei , Chen Zhihao , Cheng Shuohan , Yuan Haoyu , Qiao Jiawei , Yang Yi , Wang Wenxuan , Yang Ni , Yu Yue , Yu Runnan , Hao Xiaotao , Hou Jianhui
Published: February 2025

A low-cost wide-bandgap acceptor FPCC-Br was designed which exhibited a champion PCE of 13.6% in OPV cells below 720 nm and demonstrated significant advantages in indoor lighting, tandem cells, and underwater photovoltaic electrolysis applications.
Advancing All-Perovskite Two-Terminal Tandem Solar Cells: Optimization of Wide- and Narrow-Bandgap Perovskites and Interconnecting Layers
Authors: Zhang Qin , Chen Xi , Lim Eng Liang , Shi Lei , Wei Zhanhua
Published: February 2025

Perovskite solar cell (PSC) has attracted tremendous attention because of the impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE). After extensive device engineering efforts, the PCE of the single junction PSC has reached...
Source apportionment of organotin pollution in different types of drinking water from megacity communities using multiple receptor models: a case study in Shanghai, China
Authors: Huang Qinghui , Meng Ying , Lu Yang , Zhu Zhiliang , Qiu Yanling , Bergman Åke
Published: February 2025

Community water purification facilities can contribute to secondary contamination of drinking water.
3D printable lignin-caprolactone material
Authors: Kassaun Banchamlak Bemerw , Wang Luyao , Backman Oskar , Xu Chunlin , Fatehi Pedram
Published: February 2025

The use of lignin in three-dimensional (3D) printing materials has been considered a viable strategy to generate sustainable 3D printing objects. However, complex molecular structures, high viscosity, and charring of...
Photocatalytic activity of PANI/CoAl–LDH heterojunctions towards efficient degradation of propranolol: Degradation pathways and toxicity assessment
Authors: Fu Zhongtian , Song Yuxuan , Sun Zhaonan , Lv Wendi , zeng Xiangyu
Published: February 2025

Herein, a novel PANI/CoAl-LDH (PCL) heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized by combining CoAl-layered double hydroxides (CoAl-LDH) and polyaniline (PANI) fibers wrapped with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The PCL photocatalyst exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity...
Preparation of a nitrogen and phosphorus containing lignin-based flame retardant using oxidized kraft lignin and its application in phenolic foam
Authors: Ge Fei , Zhong Lei , Yang Xiaohui , Zhou Minghao
Published: February 2025

This paper provides a novel method to prepare bio-based phenolic foam with improved flame retardancy and mechanical properties.
Harnessing microbial co-culture to increase the production of known secondary metabolites
Authors: Li Yu-Zhen , Zhang Wan-Qi , Hu Peng-Fei , Yang Qiong-Qiong , Molnár István , Xu Peng , Zhang Bo-Bo
Published: February 2025

Co-culturing may provoke the biosynthesis of novel natural products. However, various microbial co-culture techniques may also boost the fermentation titer, yield and rate of known natural products – we review current progress towards such a goal.
SnSb as a long cycle life anode material for sodium-ion batteries enabled by a high concentration electrolyte
Authors: O'Sullivan Stephen , Adegoke Temilade Esther , Ryan Kevin M. , Geaney Hugh , Kennedy Tadhg
Published: February 2025

The performance of a SnSb Na-ion battery anode composed of nanolayers of Sn and Sb is reported, wherein the cycle life was significantly enhanced by the use of a high concentration electrolyte.
Synthesis of Sb2S3:Eu thin films as a catalyst for the efficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye under visible light
Authors: Chihi Adel
Published: February 2025

Eu was successfully incorporated into Sb2S3 thin films for proficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye under visible light.
An argument for abandoning the “allowed” and “forbidden” classification of electrocyclic reactions
Authors: Carpenter Barry K.
Published: February 2025

The energy gaps between “forbidden” and “allowed” mechanisms of routine electrocyclic reactions can be negligibly small.
Tunable dielectric properties of a parylene dielectric layer through surface-modulation by click chemistry
Authors: Jang Seong Cheol , Lee Gunoh , Park Ilhoon , Noh Byeongil , Park Ji-Min , Lee Jaewon , Lee Kyung Jin , Kim Hyun-Suk
Published: February 2025

Ethynyl parylene, fabricated via CVD, modulates dielectric properties through azide/alkyne click reactions. Surface modification increases the dielectric constant, leading to drain current variation in TFTs, enabling its use as a sensor device.
Taking electro-chemo-mechanically synergistic effect via cholesteric cellulose crystalline interphase enables highly stable flexible zinc metal batteries
Authors: Cai Xinze , Wu Wanlin , Zhang Bingyao , Cai Wenlong , Lu Canhui , Xiong Rui , Zhao Jiangqi , Zhou Jiang
Published: February 2025

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are emerging as an up-and-coming energy storage technology for wearable electronics due to their intrinsic safety, cost-effectiveness, and biocompatibility. Nevertheless, the uncontrolled deposition of the Zn...
Homogenizing SAMs deposition via seeding -OH groups for scalable fabrication of perovskite solar cells
Authors: Fu Sheng , Sun Nannan , Chen Hao , Li You , Li Yunfei , Zhu Xiaotian , Feng Bo , Guo Xuemin , Yao Canglang , Zhang Wenxiao , Li Xiaodong , Fang Junfeng
Published: February 2025

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) play the significant roles in the rapidly-progressed inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Additional metal oxide or molecular incorporations are widely adopted to ameliorate their incomplete and uneven...
Silylated peptides as building blocks for material synthesis using sol-gel polymerization
Authors: Karakaplan Mehmet Baran , Tiwari Vinay Shankar , Agazani Omer , Echalier Cécile , Subra Gilles , Reches Meital
Published: February 2025

The bottom-up approach exploits simple building blocks to generate new materials with desired physical and chemical characteristics. Here, we combine two bottom-up routes that occur under mild conditions, self-assembly and...
BSA@IR780-loaded mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles with enhanced photostability for multimodal imaging and photothermal therapy of tumors
Authors: Yang Shuaibo , Diao Yanzhao , Hang Lifeng , Qu Hong , Fang Laiping , Guo Wei , Wen Hua , Iu KuokWai , Jiang Guihua , Shao Lianyi , Li Quan
Published: February 2025

This study synthesized BSA@IR780-loaded mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles, achieving enhanced fluorescence stability and photothermal properties for tumor phototheranostics.
Simple synthesis of 2-(phenylsulphinyl)benzo[d]oxazole derivatives via a silver-catalysed tandem condensation reaction
Authors: Xu Runsheng , Hu Qi , Hu Jiahao , Liu Guangqu , Xu Jin
Published: February 2025

Silver catalysed reactions have become an indispensable tool in organic synthesis due to their high efficiency, selectivity, and environmental friendliness.
An online distributed optimisation model solving the time‐coupled conundrum by the Lyapunov drift plus penalty method
Authors: An Molin , Lu Tianguang , Han Xueshan , Ding Zhaohao
Published: February 2025

With the increasing proportion of distributed energy resources, optimisation in the active distribution network becomes highly complex and challenging. To protect user privacy and perform efficient calculations, this paper proposes an online distributed optimisation between the user and the operator. To overcome the constraint non‐linearity, a new linear power flow model is adopted, which can be updated online. In addition, to solve the time‐coupled conundrum of energy storage, the Lyapunov drift plus penalty method is employed to transform the long‐time scale optimisation problem into an instantaneous problem. Furthermore, a novel proportional integral derivative (PID)–Lagrange algorithm is proposed to improve the efficiency, where the distributed optimisation algorithm is considered as a control process, and a PID controller is used to control it. The proposed PID–Lagrange algorithm has an explicit parameter tuning strategy and significantly improves the efficiency by 54.23% in the case study.
Identification of green leafhoppers (cicadellidae) in vineyards through an automatic image acquisition system from yellow sticky traps associated with deep-learning
Authors: Proença Maria da Conceição , Rebelo Maria Teresa , Valent Riccardo , Mateus Rebeca , Gaspar Pedro Diniz , Lopes Carlos Manuel , Franco José Carlos
Published: February 2025

This work presents an innovative approach to expedite the identification process of green leafhoppers by combining a deep-learning algorithm with an automatic camera system that captured high-resolution images from yellow sticky traps. Identifying and monitoring agricultural insects are crucial for implementing effective pest management strategies. Conventional insect identification and counting methods can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, urging the need for efficient and accurate automated solutions. The deep learning algorithm based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) learn discriminators from a diverse set of green leafhopper images. The model’s architecture was optimized to handle variations in lighting conditions, angles, and orientations commonly found in field settings. To assess the algorithm’s efficacy, the test images were also evaluated by human curation and results accounted for in terms of false positives and false negatives. The results demonstrated the algorithm’s capability to accurately identify green leafhopper species, improving the speed of identification compared to conventional methods while maintaining a high level of precision (80%), and a harmonic mean of the precision and recall (F1) of 0.85. The combination of a deep learning algorithm and real-time data acquisition allows a fast decision-making by technicians and researchers, supporting the implementation of pest management strategies, and demonstrates the promising potential for specific and sustainable pest monitoring, contributing to the progress of precision farming practices.
Operative Therapie nach Läsion des R. superficialis des N. radialis –
mittelfristige Ergebnisse
Authors: Tsironis Maria , Vossen Sandra
Published: February 2025

Die Therapie der Verletzung des Ramus superficialis des Nervus radialis (R.
superficialis n. radialis) bleibt für Chirurgen und Patienten eine
Herausforderung. Sie sind für den Patienten mit einem sehr hohen
Leidensdruck durch elektrisierende Schmerzen in Höhe der Verletzung und
Sensibilitätsstörungen im Versorgungsgebiet verbunden. Die erhobenen Daten
aus einem Behandlungszeitraum von 6 Jahren sollen einen Überblick über
chirurgische Verfahren, den zeitlichen Verlauf und deren Ergebnisse
geben.

Retrospektiv wurden 17 Fälle aufbereitet, die zwischen 04/2017 und 12/2022
nach einer Verletzung des R. superficialis n. radialis operiert wurden.
Sechzehn Patienten konnten standardisiert hinsichtlich der Regeneration,
Beschwerdelinderung und postoperativer Zufriedenheit befragt werden. Die
durchschnittliche zeitliche Latenz zwischen auslösendem Ereignis und
Operation lag bei 13,4 Monaten (Spannweite 3–60 M). In 4 von 16 Fällen wurde
bei makroskopisch sichtbaren narbigen Veränderungen ohne morpholigsche
Veränderung des Nervs mit erhaltener Kontinuität eine Neurolyse
durchgeführt. Rekonstruktionen durch Naht erfolgten in 12 Fällen, von denen
4 ohne Neuroprotektion und 8 mit Neuroprotektion durchgeführt wurden. Als
Neuroprotektion wurden in 2 Fällen ein Neurotube und 6 Mal eine autologe
Vene verwendet.

Die durchgeführte Operation führte in allen Fällen zu einer Verbesserung der
Beschwerden. Unabhängig vom zeitlichen Intervall zwischen Verletzung des R.
superficialis n. radialis und operativer Intervention ist eine
Beschwerdelinderung hinsichtlich der vorangegangenen Symptome Schmerzen,
Hyp-/Dysästhesien und auslösbarem HT Zeichen eingetreten. Obwohl die
Rekonstruktion des Nervs nicht zu einer vollständigen Remission führte, sind
die Patienten mit dem Ergebnis zufrieden. Dabei war in den meisten Fällen
der Verbleib von Hypästhesien zu beobachten. Die Neuroprotektion des Nervs
durch ein Veneninterponat führte im Vergleich zu den Versorgungen ohne
Veneninterponat zur vermehrten Schmerzlinderung.

Obwohl Restbeschwerden verblieben, war die Linderung der Symptome für alle
Patienten entscheidend. Nach Verletzungen des R. superficialis n. radialis
sollte die operative Therapie mit Erhalt oder Wiederherstellung der
Kontinuität des verletzten Nervenastes als erfolgversprechende
Therapieoption in Betracht gezogen werden.
Special Issue on CDS Failures: Clinical Decision Support to Reduce Hospital Length-of-Stay for Cancer Patients with Fever and Neutropenia
Authors: Yarahuan Julia , Kandaswamy Swaminathan , Ray Edwin , LeRoux Rachael , Liang Wayne , Orenstein Evan , Stokes Claire L.
Published: February 2025

Background: Pediatric cancer patients with fever and neutropenia are at risk for bacterial sepsis, traditionally requiring extended hospital stays on antibiotics until neutrophil counts recover. According to a new validated scoring system, a subset of these patients is at lower risk and eligible for early discharge and reduced IV antibiotic exposure.

Objective: Reduce length of stay (LOS) for febrile neutropenic patients using clinical decision support (CDS) to identify low risk patients.

Methods: A CDS system was developed to (1) screen febrile neutropenic patients using a validated clinical decision rule, (2) surface when low risk patients become eligible for discharge, and (3) facilitate close phone follow-up for patients discharged early. The system was implemented in March 2023 and iteratively refined based on usability testing.

Results: Post-implementation, LOS did not improve significantly, and uptake of the CDS tool remained low. Though the tool had the potential to reduce LOS, the limited staff engagement was a significant barrier to success. Safety outcomes, including ICU readmissions and mortality, remained unaffected.

Conclusion: Despite carefully designed CDS applying an evidence-based scoring system and using human-centered design methodology, the failure to achieve the desired reduction in LOS was primarily due to insufficient uptake by clinical staff. This highlights the need for stronger strategies to ensure clinician engagement and integration into workflows for CDS tools to be effective.
Manipulating high-throughput microparticle aggregation in capillary via elastic-acoustics orbital angular momentum transfer
Authors: Duan Musen , Chen Xuefeng , Guo Ying , Liu Shengchun
Published: February 2025

Vortex acoustic fields are an emerging particle manipulation technique that gathers particles at a central zero-pressure point. Acoustic fields carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) are reflected by hard boundaries, limiting their application within capillaries for aggregation of bioparticles in the cell analysis and biomolecule purification. We report a design for generating standing wave vortex acoustic fields within a capillary and investigate its effects on particle aggregation. The design uses a spiral phase helical tube placed outside the capillary to transfer elastic OAM to the fluid inside. Simulation results show that the first-order acoustic field is identical to the first-order Bessel beam and exhibits single vortex second-order acoustic streaming. In a background flow of 1×10−5 L/s, polystyrene particles with a diameter of 2 μm aggregated along a radial trajectory under the combined action of radial acoustic radiation force and tangential Stokes drag force. This method offers an efficient solution for the manipulation and detection of biological particles.
InP-on-GaAs engineered substrates: A pathway toward low-cost, high-efficiency optoelectronic device fabrication
Authors: Pellegrino Carmine , Dimroth Frank , Ohlmann Jens , Helmers Henning , Lackner David
Published: February 2025

Indium Phosphide (InP) plays a pivotal role in the semiconductor industry, particularly in the development of high-power, high-frequency optoelectronic devices that are essential for next-generation applications not only in telecommunications, data centers, and photonic systems but also in automotive technologies and consumer electronics. Despite its advantages, the widespread adoption of InP-based devices is hindered by high costs and limited throughput of fabrication processes. To ensure the competitiveness of InP devices in the rapidly evolving semiconductor market, it is imperative to reduce substrate costs and improve production yields. InP-on-GaAs engineered substrates offer a promising solution, provided that device requirements such as efficiency and reliability are still met. In this study, we investigate the potential of 6-in. InP-on-GaAs engineered substrates for advanced optoelectronic applications. We demonstrate epitaxial growth, fabrication, and characterization of an In0.53Ga0.47As-based photonic power converter, namely a photovoltaic cell designed for monochromatic energy conversion at 1.55 μm. The performances are on par with that of reference devices fabricated on a prime InP wafer. Our findings demonstrate that InP-on-GaAs substrates can deliver high performance metrics in terms of material quality and wafer uniformity, paving the way for the development of cost-effective InP-based optoelectronic devices.
Dynamic behavior and jet load of vapor bubbles driven by spherical shock waves
Authors: Deng Yuxuan , Yang Jianzhong , Wang Yanru , Dong Longlong , Liu Xiaohui
Published: February 2025

The dynamic behavior and loading characteristics of cavitation bubbles are predominantly determined by the system's input load and boundary conditions. This study employs numerical simulations to examine the response of a bubble driven by a spherical shock wave under varying boundary conditions, with a particular focus on the impact of the shock wave on bubble collapse. The findings reveal that boundary conditions critically influence bubble evolution and collapse-induced loading. Specifically, the reflection and transmission at the boundary surfaces substantially modify the bubble's dynamics. In the vicinity of an elastoplastic thin wall, the bubble's behavior and loading characteristics approximate those observed in a free-field environment, as the thin wall partially absorbs and transmits part of the impact energy, thereby attenuating the reflected shock wave. This attenuation primarily affects bubble evolution through the reflected wave and the Bjerknes effect. Moreover, a linear relationship is identified between the strength of the input shock wave and the peak collapse load, with the collapse load at varying distances exhibiting a strong linear correlation with distance. These results underscore the potential for controlling bubble collapse loads by modulating shock wave strength, offering a theoretical framework for understanding bubble dynamics under diverse boundary conditions and practical insights for cavitation protection and application strategies.
One-dimensional oscillatory flows in partially saturated media with moving multi-front
Authors: Alastal Khalil , Ababou Rachid , Astruc Dominique , Mansouri Nahla
Published: February 2025

The moving multi-front (MMF) methods are used to analyze the response of partially saturated flow due to tidal periodic forcing imposed at the bottom of a vertical porous column comprising a saturated zone, a water table, and an unsaturated zone above it. The MMF is a Lagrangian semi-analytical method for solving the nonlinear Richards equation, based on a non-linear ordinary differential equations system, which is compared in this paper to a Eulerian finite volume solution. The MMF is used here to analyze the water table fluctuations Zs(t), the bottom flux fluctuations q0(t), as well as the vertical profiles of total head H(z,t), and finally, the complex behavior of the zero-flux planes Z0(t), during the cyclic motion. Additionally, the MMF is used to develop a parametric study of the mean water table height vs frequency. A systematic error analysis is developed for MMF vs the number of moving fronts (N), leading to a characterization of error norm for the space–time water content profiles (with second order accuracy) and for the temporal water table elevation (with order of accuracy 4/3). The MMF method is a generalization of the Green–Ampt piston flow approximation, which corresponds to a single moving front (N=1). The errors of the N-front MMF are rapidly reduced as the number of fronts increases. In many cases, 20 moving fronts are sufficient to capture most features. For sandy soils (fine sand), even the 2-front solution (N= 2) is satisfactory in terms of water table response Zs(t). Overall, the MMF method is a useful and efficient tool for exploring the frequency response of the water table and the unsaturated zone to tidal forcing.
Effect of different bleed slot positions and negative pre-swirl vanes on the performance of centrifugal compressor with recirculation casing treatment
Authors: Liu Xueguang , Jin Hongze
Published: February 2025

The continuous advancement of aircraft engines requires centrifugal compressors with wider stability margins. This study investigates a centrifugal compressor with a total pressure ratio of 4.8, employed in a turboshaft engine. The static pressure characteristics indicate that the impeller is the primary source of instability within the compressor stage. To improve stability, various circulation casing treatments were applied, incorporating three distinct bleed slot positions and several configurations of negative pre-swirl vanes. By comparing the smooth-wall compressor with the numerical simulations of three circulation casing treatments featuring different bleed slot positions, it was found that the circulation casing treatment reduces the incident angle of the mainstream flow, thereby diminishing blade loading and mitigating the tip leakage vortex and passage vortex at the inducer. The most effective stabilization occurs when the treatment suppresses the interaction between the tip leakage vortex, passage vortex, and the shock wave, resulting in a 3.5%–6.6% increase in the map width. Optimal negative pre-swirl angles further improve the stable operating range while minimizing losses associated with the circulation casing treatment. The maximum map width increased by 7.6%, and the peak compression ratio was reduced by 0.8%.
Influence of initial angle on trajectory and kinematics of freely falling chips in fluidic self-assembly
Authors: Zhang L. H. , Wang W. , Zou Y. , Liu Q.
Published: February 2025

This paper takes the fluid self-assembly mass transfer technology of a miniature light emitting diode as an example to investigate the impact of different values of α on the free fall motion state and trajectory of chips. Here, α represents the angle between the chips and the horizontal direction at the moment of release. Experimental data were obtained by recording the free fall process of chips at different angles α using a camera. The Navier–Stokes equations and motion equations were solved using dynamic mesh technology to obtain simulation results. By integrating experimental data with simulation results, it was found that although there are variations in the motion trajectories of chips with different α, they all exhibit two phases: non-periodic oscillation and periodic tumbling. The direction of rotation upon descent varies with α, and the angle at which the chips touch down directly influences their final orientation. The self-assembly experiments were conducted by releasing the chips at an angle α=30° from a height of 45 mm. The transfer rate achieved was 87%, which represents a 67.2% increase in correct transfer filling rate compared to uncontrolled conditions. The study found that controlling the release angle of the chips can significantly enhance the efficiency of self-assembly transfer.
Bag film rupture mechanisms in droplet fragmentation under uniform airflows
Authors: Sasar Yogini , Agbaglah G. Gilou
Published: February 2025

The fragmentation of a droplet under aerodynamic forces induced by the surrounding flow is a fundamental phenomenon crucial to various spray applications. Bag breakup represents a fragmentation regime characterized by the formation of a forward-facing, hollow “bag” or thin film around the droplet, which ultimately ruptures, resulting in the generation of multiple smaller fragments. We perform three-dimensional numerical simulations to investigate the rupture of the liquid film, referred to as the “bag film,” which forms during the bag breakup of a droplet. Three different combinations of Reynolds and Weber numbers are used to examine the impact of the wake gas flow structures on bag film breakup. The temporal evolution of the bag's length and diameter agrees very well with previous results in the literature. The shape of the wake flow structures is found to vary with Reynolds numbers. The gas enstrophy on the leeward side of the bag film indicates that film rupture is associated with a rise in enstrophy. Just prior to breakup, an attached vortical structure is observed at the film interface at the rupture location. This structure induces localized pressure fluctuations within the film, which subsequently lead to the formation of weak spots that precede hole formation. Using a critical thickness, independent of grid size, to artificially perforate the bag film allows for an accurate representation of the formed holes and the subsequent holes merging. The droplet size distribution, following the complete fragmentation of the bag film, exhibits a lognormal distribution, which closely aligns with experimental results.
Competition between thermocapillary and solutocapillary flows in thin liquid films
Authors: Kumar Darsh , Panigrahi Pradipta Kumar , Bickel Thomas
Published: February 2025

We investigate the thermocapillary flow in a thin liquid film which is subjected to local heating, in the presence of insoluble surfactants. While surfactant molecules are first advected from warmer to cooler regions, the resulting concentration gradient drives a solutal counterflow in the opposite direction. This competition is theoretically addressed within the lubrication approximation. Assuming small deviations with respect to the mean surfactant concentration, we derive the time evolution equation governing the shape of the interface. Our study reveals that both interfacial deformations and velocities are progressively suppressed as the solutal Marangoni number increases. Our versatile model, adaptable to a range of experimental setups, offers a quantitative tool for understanding the effect of surfactants in thermocapillary-driven systems.
Stability analysis of bidispersive porous convection with maximum density and variable viscosity effects
Authors: Tripathi Vinit Kumar , Raju C. S. K. , Yook Se-Jin
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the onset of penetrative convection in a bidispersive porous medium, incorporating variable viscosity effects and quadratic density–temperature. The fluid behavior is modeled using Darcy theory for micropores and Brinkman theory for macropores. Both linear and nonlinear stability analyses are conducted to examine small-amplitude disturbances and larger perturbations, respectively. It is observed that the nonlinear stability thresholds and linear instability thresholds are extremely close to each other in the presence of quadratic density variation (maximum density variation); however, in its absence (purely linear density variation), the thresholds coincide. The effects of linear, quadratic, and exponential variations of viscosity with temperature are addressed on the stability characteristics of the system. The non-dimensionalization process has yielded two distinct Rayleigh numbers: one corresponding to the linear variation of density and the other to the quadratic variation. Critical Rayleigh numbers, specific to each type of density variation, have been determined for given physical parameters. It has been noted that both quadratic and linear variations in density provide highly accurate predictions of instability, depending on the parameters associated with bidispersive porous media. The analysis shows that when variable viscosity and the density maximum characteristic are combined, they accelerate the onset of bidispersive porous convection significantly faster compared to when each of these factors is considered in isolation.
Pressure wave characteristics in high-speed maglev tunnels with various arch lattice-shell lengths inside hoods
Authors: Zhang Jie , Wang Yihan , Wang Yuge , Liu Feng , Han Shuai , Liu Tanghong
Published: February 2025

With the increase in train speed, significant pressure fluctuations will occur inside the tunnel during the high-speed maglev train traveling through a confined tunnel, which causes the so-called sonic boom at the tunnel exit. An inner arch lattice-shell structure was proposed to be added into the existing enlarged cross section hood, to achieve the energy dissipation of pressure waves. This design has been proved to be more effective in alleviating the micro-pressure waves (MPWs) as compared to the conventional hoods. To explore how the length of the inner arch lattice-shells affects the MPWs, the three-dimensional, compressible, and unsteady simulations, combined with the sliding grid technology, were conducted in this paper. The evolution characteristic of the initial compression wave (ICW) generated at the hood/tunnel entrance and the emission feature of the micro-pressure wave emitted at the tunnel exit were simulated and analyzed. Additionally, the evolution characteristics and mechanisms of the flow field structure inside the hood and tunnel were examined. The results show that the inner arch lattice-shell can dissipate the energy of pressure waves. As the length of the inner arch lattice-shell increases, the two-step pressure curves of ICWs become smoother, largely reducing the peak value of the ICW pressure gradient and the MPWs. For a 100 m enlarged cross section hood, the longer the inner arch lattice-shell is, the more significant mitigation on the pressure gradient of ICWs is achieved. In addition, when the arch lattice-shell length has an increase from 60 to 80 m, the mitigation effect of the hood on the pressure gradient of ICWs is significantly enhanced; however, when the lattice-shell length further increases, this effect tends to be stable with a smaller increase in the mitigation ratio. The corresponding mitigation effect on the MPWs is observed. When the lattice-shell length is 100 m, the reduction in the MPW amplitude reaches 51.9% at 20 m and 44.0% at 50 m away from the tunnel exit.
Contribution to the study of the dislodgment conditions of spheroids from a surface in fluid flow
Authors: Ouchene Rafik
Published: February 2025

In this Letter, the concept of an asperity acting as a pivot point is used to investigate the critical conditions under which a spheroid resting on a surface is dislodged by fluid flow. The critical conditions are derived for prolate spheroids with the axis of revolution aligned with the flow direction and deduced for a sphere and oblate spheroids with the axis of revolution perpendicular to the surface. It is also found that the rolling mode always occurs first in the considered configuration.
Characterising spatial clusters of forest fire activity in the Western Himalayan region of India: implications for conservation and management
Authors: Kumari Shanti , Mamgain Shailja , Roy Arijit , Prince H. C.
Published: February 2025

Background Forest fires in Western Himalaya have exhibited changing patterns over past years due to climatic change and human activities. Understanding these fire patterns is essential for developing effective conservation and management strategies. Aim This study characterises spatial clusters of forest fires and analyses their spatio-temporal patterns across Western Himalaya using long-term data (2005–2022) on fire events, burned area and climatic variables. Method The study employs Getis-Ord Gi* and Anselin Local Moran’s I statistics to identify significant spatial clusters of forest fire activity. Furthermore, time-series analysis combined with the Mann–Kendall test are utilised to evaluate the relationship between fire events and climatic and edaphic variables. Key result Analysis revealed statistically significant clusters of forest fires concentrated in low to mid-elevation regions, which comprise 27–32% of total forest area. These burned areas are primarily located in Uttarakhand and parts of Himachal Pradesh, particularly in the central and south-eastern districts of Pauri and Tehri, indicating a heightened risk of forest fires. Conclusion Identification of forest fire clusters and the assessment of contributing factors provide crucial insights into the underlying causes of their activity in the Western Himalaya. Implication Findings of this study will be instrumental in developing targeted mitigation strategies to protect vulnerable ecological resources in Western Himalaya.
A binary trait model reveals the fitness effects of HIV-1 escape from T cell responses
Authors: Gao Yirui , Barton John P.
Published: February 2025

Natural selection often acts on multiple traits simultaneously. For example, the virus HIV-1 faces pressure to evade host immunity while also preserving replicative fitness. While past work has studied selection during HIV-1 evolution, as in other examples where selection acts on multiple traits, it is challenging to quantitatively separate different contributions to fitness. This task is made more difficult because a single mutation can affect both immune escape and replication. Here, we develop an evolutionary model that disentangles the effects of escaping CD8
+
T cell–mediated immunity, which we model as a binary trait, from other contributions to fitness. After validation in simulations, we applied this model to study within-host HIV-1 evolution in a clinical dataset. We observed strong selection for immune escape, sometimes greatly exceeding past estimates, especially early in infection. Conservative estimates suggest that roughly half of HIV-1 fitness gains during the first months to years of infection can be attributed to T cell escape. Our approach is not limited to HIV-1 or viruses and could be adapted to study the evolution of quantitative traits in other contexts.
Mussel-inspired cross-linking mechanisms enhance gelation and adhesion of multifunctional mucin-derived hydrogels
Authors: Degen George D. , Stevens Corey A. , Cárcamo-Oyarce Gerardo , Song Jake , Bej Raju , Tang Peng , Ribbeck Katharina , Haag Rainer , McKinley Gareth H.
Published: February 2025

Mucus supports human health by hydrating, lubricating, and preventing infection of wet epithelial surfaces. The beneficial material properties and bioactivity of mucus stem from glycoproteins called mucins, motivating the development of mucin-derived hydrogels for wound dressings and antifouling coatings. However, these applications require robust gelation and adhesion to a wide range of substrates. Inspired by the chemical cross-linking and water-tolerant adhesion of marine mussel adhesive structures, we use catechol–thiol bonding to drive gelation of native mucin proteins and synthetic mucin-inspired polymers, forming soft, adhesive hydrogels that can be coated onto diverse surfaces. The gelation dynamics and adhesive properties can be systematically tuned by varying the hydrogel composition, polymer architecture, and thiol availability, with gelation timescales adjustable from seconds to hours, and values of elastic modulus, failure stress, and debonding work spanning orders of magnitude. We demonstrate the functionality of these gels in two applications: as tissue adhesives, using porcine skin as a proxy for human skin, and as bioactive surface coatings to prevent bacterial colonization. The results highlight the potential of catechol–thiol cross-linking as a versatile platform for engineering multifunctional glycoprotein hydrogels with applications in wound repair and antimicrobial surface engineering.
Biophysical modeling of membrane curvature generation and curvature sensing by the glycocalyx
Authors: Xiao Ke , Park Sujeong , Stachowiak Jeanne C. , Rangamani Padmini
Published: February 2025

Generation of membrane curvature is fundamental to cellular function. Recent studies have established that the glycocalyx, a sugar-rich polymer layer at the cell surface, can generate membrane curvature. While there have been some theoretical efforts to understand the interplay between the glycocalyx and membrane bending, there remain open questions about how the properties of the glycocalyx affect membrane bending. For example, the relationship between membrane curvature and the density of glycosylated proteins on its surface remains unclear. In this work, we use polymer brush theory to develop a detailed biophysical model of the energetic interactions of the glycocalyx with the membrane. Using this model, we identify the conditions under which the glycocalyx can both generate and sense curvature. Our model predicts that the extent of membrane curvature generated depends on the grafting density of the glycocalyx and the backbone length of the polymers constituting the glycocalyx. Furthermore, when coupled with the intrinsic membrane properties such as spontaneous curvature and a line tension along the membrane, the curvature generation properties of the glycocalyx are enhanced. These predictions were tested experimentally by examining the propensity of glycosylated transmembrane proteins to drive the assembly of highly curved filopodial protrusions at the plasma membrane of adherent mammalian cells. Our model also predicts that the glycocalyx has curvature-sensing capabilities, in agreement with the results of our experiments. Thus, our study develops a quantitative framework for mapping the properties of the glycocalyx to the curvature generation capability of the membrane.
Cryo-EM of native membranes reveals an intimate connection between the Krebs cycle and aerobic respiration in mycobacteria
Authors: Di Trani Justin M. , Yu Jiacheng , Courbon Gautier M. , Lobez Rodriguez Ana Paula , Cheung Chen-Yi , Liang Yingke , Coupland Claire E. , Bueler Stephanie A. , Cook Gregory M. , Brzezinski Peter , Rubinstein John L.
Published: February 2025

To investigate the structure of the mycobacterial oxidative phosphorylation machinery, we prepared inverted membrane vesicles from
Mycobacterium smegmatis
, enriched for vesicles containing complexes of interest, and imaged the vesicles with electron cryomicroscopy. We show that this analysis allows determination of the structure of both mycobacterial ATP synthase and the supercomplex of respiratory complexes III and IV in their native membrane. The latter structure reveals that the enzyme malate:quinone oxidoreductase (Mqo) physically associates with the respiratory supercomplex, an interaction that is lost on extraction of the proteins from the lipid bilayer. Mqo catalyzes an essential reaction in the Krebs cycle, and in vivo survival of mycobacterial pathogens is compromised when its activity is absent. We show with high-speed spectroscopy that the Mqo:supercomplex interaction enables rapid electron transfer from malate to the supercomplex. Further, the respiratory supercomplex is necessary for malate-driven, but not NADH-driven, electron transport chain activity and oxygen consumption. Together, these findings indicate a connection between the Krebs cycle and aerobic respiration that directs electrons along a single branch of the mycobacterial electron transport chain.
Iterated invariance principle for random dynamical systems
Authors: Dragičević D , Hafouta Y
Published: February 2025

We prove a weak iterated invariance principle for a large class of non-uniformly expanding random dynamical systems. In addition, we give a quenched homogenization result for fast-slow systems in the case when the fast component corresponds to a uniformly expanding random system. Our techniques rely on the appropriate martingale decomposition.
Unveiling the Potential of Photonic Crystal Surface Emitting Lasers: A Concise Review
Authors: Huang Hai , Yang Chuanyi , Li Hui , Zhang Zhaoyu
Published: February 2025

Traditional semiconductor lasers, despite their versatility, face significant challenges in beam control, power output, and temperature sensitivity. Photonic crystal surface emitting lasers (PCSELs) overcome these limitations by employing a two-dimensional photonic crystal structure, enabling large-area, high-power, coherent laser emission with narrow beam divergence and narrow linewidth. This review offers a comprehensive overview of PCSEL technology, concentrating on its design principles, fabrication processes, and potential applications. We trace the development of PCSELs from their initial demonstration in 1999 to recent breakthroughs achieving 50W output power with ultra-narrow beam divergence. Furthermore, we explore the fundamental design principles of PCSELs, including mode analysis, threshold current, and injection design. The key steps in PCSEL fabrication are outlined, with a focus on methods such as regrowth epitaxy and transparent conductor deposition. Finally, we compare PCSELs with established semiconductor laser types, highlighting their applications and future prospects.