bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Situated expertise in integration and implementation processes in Latin America
Authors: Vienni-Baptista Bianca , Goñi Mazzitelli María , García Bravo María Haydeé , Rivas Fauré Inta , Marín-Vanegas Daniel Felipe , Hidalgo Cecilia
Published: May 2022

Several environmental, political, social and institutional factors have resulted in the heterogeneous and adaptive integration of knowledge, actors and methodologies in Latin America. Despite poor recognition and even a lack of research conditions, experiences involving different societal actors and types of collaboration have developed across the region. These experiences form a collection of integration and implementation processes not yet fully systematised in a way that serves other cases. This paper aims to contribute to the discussion of how expertise is defined in integration and implementation processes in Latin America. To re-signify collaborative practices in the region, a critical perspective is applied, and a heuristic framework is built that comprehends the ‘situated’ and relational dimensions of expertise. This framework is tested to study five cases from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay related to territorial planning, gender and knowledge, coastal management and the provision of climate services. These concepts are compared on the basis of the three dimensions comprising the framework—context, actors and methods —and the intersections among them. Applying a qualitative methodology and auto-ethnography, we identified the main features of situated expertise in Latin America, that is, engaging marginalised societal actors, fostering greater participation, acknowledging power imbalances, managing conflicts and contradicting perspectives, and directing an ethical-political engagement in the research process. As a result,situated expertiseencompasses not only the situatedness of practices and processes, but also their political (and potentially transformative) dimensions in tracing power imbalances. This paper then argues that this situated aspect of expertise is relevant for conducting more context-sensitive integration and implementation processes in Latin America, thus contributing to the ethical-political dimension on how expertise is defined, embodied and enacted in vulnerable contexts.
Numerical analysis of electrohydrodynamic jet printing under constant and step change of electric voltages
Authors: Guan Yin , Wu Shuang , Wang Mengduo , Tian Yu , Lai Wuxing , Huang YongAn
Published: May 2022

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing is a highly effective technique for micro/nanoscale three-dimensional manufacturing. However, due to the complicated electrohydrodynamic mechanisms behind liquid deformation and jet emission, the printing process with remarkable droplet consistency and excellent controllability is still under investigation. In this work, a numerical analysis is conducted on EHD jet printing under constant and step change of electric voltages. We first examine constant-voltage-based pulsating EHD jet printing and explain the impacts of voltage on the regimes, deposited droplet volumes, and durations of the three key printing stages, namely, cone formation, jetting, and jet/meniscus retraction and oscillation. After that, we carry out a comprehensive investigation on EHD jet printing under various step changes of voltages while focusing on the jet behaviors at the voltage switch and after detaching from the Taylor cone. With the assistance of the electric field distribution, interface charge density, velocity fields, and very clear liquid motion images obtained from the numerical data, we fully inspect the pulsed printing processes and elucidate the influences of the pulse time, bias voltage, and peak voltage on the printing behaviors, durations of the three printing stages, and deposited droplet volumes. Finally, based on the obtained results, we make a comparison of the printing outcomes between these two techniques. The findings discovered in this work can be used for advancing the understanding and controlling methods of this complicated but very useful manufacturing technology.
Coupled free vibrations of liquid in a three-dimensional rectangular container with an elastic cover
Authors: Ren K. , Wu G. X. , Yang Y. F.
Published: May 2022

The coupled free vibration of liquid and its elastic cover, such as a plate or a membrane, in a three-dimensional rectangular tank is investigated through an analytical scheme based on the velocity potential theory for the flow and the linear elastic theory for the cover. For the fluid domain, the velocity potential is expanded into double cosine series along the longitudinal and transverse directions, respectively, with the corresponding eigenvalues determined from the impermeable conditions on the side walls. The vertical modes of the potential are obtained from the Laplace equation. The deflection of the rectangular cover is expanded into the same double cosine series to match the potential, together with additional terms for satisfying the edge conditions. The polynomials are used for these additional terms, which are then expanded into cosine series. For the expansions of the higher-order derivatives of the deflection, the derivatives of these polynomial terms are expanded into cosine series directly, rather than being obtained through differentiating the cosine series of the deflection, to avoid the non-convergent series. Through imposing the boundary conditions on the fluid–plate interface and edge conditions, an infinite matrix equation for the unknown coefficients can be established. The natural frequencies can be obtained when the determinant of the matrix is zero. In practical computation, the infinite matrix equation is truncated into finite size. Results are first provided for natural frequencies. This is followed by the corresponding natural mode shapes and principal strains distribution on the cover. The underlying physics of these results is then provided.
First record of
Authors: Umbrello L. S. , Potter L. C. , Westerman M. , Woolley P. A.
Published: May 2022

DNA sequencing of specimens of Pseudantechinus found on Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary in the Kimberley region of Western Australia revealed the existence of two species, Ps. macdonnellensis and Ps. ningbing. This is the first record of Ps. macdonnellensis from the Kimberley.
A mitochondria-targeted probe containing multi-rotors for visualizing the viscosity change in living cells
Authors: Shen Shuting , Yu Kun , Wang Yaxuan , Wang Zhiyu , Hu Lei , Wang Hui
Published: May 2022

Fluorescent probes based on molecular rotor are expected to be a powerful tool to uncover the relationship between intracellular viscosity and organelle functions as well as related diseases. Herein, a fluorophore MV-indol containing multiple rotors was constructed by linking triphenylamine group and benzindole unit. It was found that MV-indol can quantitatively detect viscosity with a high selectivity and a 75-fold enhancement in quantum yield (QY). Moreover, the viscosity-sensitive property could be ascribed to the inhibition of molecular rotation and restriction of twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) in a high-viscous environment, which was confirmed by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). Importantly, we also demonstrated that MV-indol can precisely localize in mitochondria and monitor the change of mitochondrial viscosity at the cellular level.
The iconicity of possessive-affix position in Malayo-Polynesian
Authors: Berg Thomas
Published: May 2022

Most languages which code possession morphologically do so by using either prefixes or suffixes. This study examines the minority of languages which employ both prefixes and suffixes in order to express the contrast between alienable and inalienable possession. The focus is on a possible interaction of affix order type and possession type. An analysis of a dozen Malayo-Polynesian languages (8 Eastern Malayo-Polynesian and 4 Central Malayo-Polynesian) reveals a surprisingly consistent pattern. Ten of these languages consistently associate prefixes with alienable possession and suffixes with inalienable possession. None of the 12 languages does it the other way around. This form-meaning relationship is argued to be iconically motivated. Suffixes are claimed to be more closely linked to their stems than prefixes are. This formal closeness mirrors the tighter relationship between possessor and possessum in inalienable than in alienable possession. Five languages make a three-way contrast among inalienable, intermediate and alienable possession. This suggests that the distinction between alienable and inalienable possession should be viewed as a continuum rather than a dichotomy. Individual languages may split up this continuum in different ways.
Effectiveness of a CL-informed approach to English preposition acquisition by young Chinese learners
Authors: Pan Molly Xie , Hu Guangwei
Published: May 2022

While increasing efforts have been made to teach English prepositions to EFL learners from a Cognitive Linguistics (CL) perspective, the bulk of the extant research has focused on adult learners at the advanced English proficiency level and reported only quantitative results. Limited attention has been paid to elementary learners, and there has been little qualitative evidence of the pedagogical effectiveness of CL-informed approaches. This study aims to address these issues with a quasi-experiment embedded in an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Twenty-two young Chinese learners received two types of instruction, respectively, to learn locative prepositions in, on, and at. A conceptual metaphor time as space that originates in CL was exploited as the intervention for the experimental group, whereas a data-driven approach was adopted for the control group. Quantitative data collected from the participants through a set of tests and qualitative data collected from the instructor with a semi-structured interview generally supported the effectiveness and, to a lesser extent, the efficiency of the CL-informed approach. The paper concludes with a discussion of the pedagogical implications derived from the empirical results.
Investigating microstructural properties of ferrite/bainite dual-phase steel through simple process control
Authors: Dongxin Yin , Yuman Qin , Zhao Dai , Xiaoyan Long , Fucheng Zhang , Zhinan Yang , Yanguo Li
Published: May 2022

The ferrite/bainite dual-phase microstructure is obtained through controlling two-phase region temperature in the designed medium carbon steel. The influence of the two-phase region temperature on microstructure morphologies and volume fraction, as well as mechanical properties, is thoroughly studied. The microstructure at 795°C heat treatment process exhibits excellent strength and elongation. This is attributed to the increased proportion of large-angle misorientation, the better deformability between ferrite and bainite, and the TRIP effect of retained austenite. The strain hardening exponent curve of the sample subjected to the 795°C heat treatment process does not intersect with the straight-line n = e until the strain reaches the value of 0.1, which results in high tensile strength and high uniform elongation.
Real-time monitoring of temperature field, metal transfer and cooling rate during gas metal arc-directed energy deposition
Authors: Chaurasia P. K. , Goecke S.-F. , De A.
Published: May 2022

Gas metal arc-directed energy deposition is a metal additive manufacturing technique that involves the melting of a filler wire under an electric arc resulting in a high rate of deposition of molten metal and fast building of large scale parts in a layer-by-layer manner. A novel attempt is presented here for real-time simultaneous monitoring of the arc current, voltage and power, and the nature of surface temperature field and filler wire deposition during the process. The recorded temperature fields are analysed to trace the layer-wise variation in melt pool dimensions and solidification cooling rates. Together these process signatures demonstrated a synchronised assessment and potential to support an integrated feedback control system for gas metal arc-directed energy deposition.
Friction stir alloying of AZ61 and mild steel with Al-CNT additive
Authors: Raja Sufian , Muhamad Mohd Ridha , Yusof Farazila , Jamaludin Mohd Fadzil , Suga Tetsuo , Liu Huihong , Morisada Yoshiaki , Fujii Hidetoshi
Published: May 2022

The friction stir alloying (FSA) procedure successfully produced dissimilar joints between AZ61 magnesium alloy and mild steel with Al-CNT additions. Before welding, Al-CNT additives were placed in a gap between the AZ61 and steel specimens. The experimentation was performed using different welding speeds while tool rotational speed was kept constant for varying weight percentages of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in Al powder. The influence of additives and welding speed on tensile strength and characterisation across the welding interface was studied. Tensile strength of joint with 3% CNT improved up to 222 MPa. Al-rich intermetallic compounds were found at the welding contact, while the formation of Al2MgC2 carbide was detected, which contributed to CNT strengthening effects all to improved welding strength.
Purgeless atomic layer etching of SiO2
Authors: Lee Y S , Kim S J , Lee J J , Cho C H , Seong I H , You S J
Published: May 2022

Atomic layer etching (ALE) typically proceeds through four sequential steps of surface modification, purging, removal of the modified surface, and a second purging. This serial process is repeated to achieve atomic-scale precision etching by removing material layer by layer. However, it is is challenging for ALE to play a bigger role in semiconductor fabrication due to its low productivity. Among various obstacles, the time-consuming purging steps between the surface modification and removal steps of the ALE cycle have been a major hurdle hindering the ALE process. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate a purgeless SiO2 ALE methodology in which the surface modification and removal steps are controlled solely by pulsed C4F8 injection into continuous Ar plasma. The working principle of this simple approach is based on the conventional fluorocarbon (FC) plasma SiO2 etching mechanism, where the SiO2 etch rate decreases to zero when the thickness of an FC film on the SiO2 is above a certain level. Here, a thick FC film is considered to act as a protective layer against residual FC radicals in the surface removal step, allowing the purging step between the surface modification and removal steps to be omitted. The proposed approach is expected to facilitate the improvement of ALE equipment costs and potentially lead to wider employment of ALE technology in semiconductor manufacturing.
Magnon dynamics during phase transitions in FeRh by Brillouin light scattering
Authors: Jin Ying , Tian Yinhua , Wu Huiliang , Zhang Yabing , Li Chaozhong , Liu Fufu , Chai Guozhi , Jiang Changjun
Published: May 2022

FeRh has been extensively studied because of metamagnetic phase transitions between the antiferromagnetic (AFM) and the ferromagnetic (FM) phase observed in this material. In this work, Brillouin light scattering is used to detect magnons in metamagnetic FeRh. Appearance and disappearance of magnon scattering peaks with variation of temperature illustrate the transformation of FeRh into the FM and AFM phases, respectively. The dependence of frequency on temperature indicates significant change thus characterizing metamagnetic phase transitions in FeRh, since the temperature dependence of the magnon frequency shift mainly follows the saturation magnetization temperature dependence. In addition, a considerable increase of full width at half maximum linewidth of the Stokes peak for FeRh is explained by the enhancement of magnetic damping. It is further found that the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI) takes place in single-layer FeRh with the DMI energy D affected by the first-order phase transitions in FeRh. These results provide an insight into the magnon dynamics in metamagnetic materials as well as offering new ways toward a modulation of magnetic damping in a wide range, which will be useful in the design of multifunctional spintronic devices.
Pressure evolution of electronic and structural properties in transition metal dichalcogenide 1T-Co1.06Te2
Authors: Zhou Ying , An Chao , Chen Xuliang , Zhou Yonghui , Fang Yong , Zhang Zhitao , Yang Zhaorong
Published: May 2022

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are important materials for promising electronic devices because they usually exhibit excellent and highly tunable electronic properties. Here, we report on the pressure-driven electronic phase transition in a TMD 1T-Co1.06Te2. High-pressure transport measurements reveal a sign reversal of the Hall coefficients at a critical point of P
C ∼ 32 GPa, evidencing a transition from hole band(s) dominated transport into one that is dominated by electron band(s). Synchrotron x-ray diffraction experiments demonstrate that no structural phase transition occurs below 46.3 GPa, indicating an electronic origin of the transition. Moreover, a kink anomaly of the lattice constant ratio c/a is also observed at P = P
C. These results might indicate a Lifshitz transition which refers to a change of Fermi surface topology in absence of structural transition.
A curriculum learning-based fully automated system for quantification of the choroidal structure in highly myopic patients
Authors: Liu Xindi , Jin Kai , Yang Zehua , Yan Yan , Wang Shuai , Wang Yaqi , Ye Juan
Published: May 2022

Objective. An automated tool for choroidal segmentation and quantitative analysis under pathological conditions is currently lacking, hindering the exploration of choroidal structural changes in fundus diseases. This study aims to create a fully automated deep learning system for the quantitative analysis of the choroid with pathological changes, and to apply the system in analyzing the correlation between the choroidal structure and the severity of high myopia. Approach. A total of 2590 optical coherence tomography B-scan images of 1424 eyes of 1029 patients of high myopia from 3 hospitals were collected. We developed a curriculum learning-based system, including a two-stage U-net (TSU-net) and a post-process module for segmentation of the choroid, to calculate mean choroidal thickness (MCT) and choroidal vascularity index (CVI). The output of the images was statistically analyzed to explore the associations among MCT, CVI and the clinical characteristics of the patients. Main results. The Dice coefficient and IoU measures of choroid segmentation were 0.9221 and 0.8575, respectively. In a human-machine comparison, the system performed faster and better than a senior ophthalmologist. Statistical analysis demonstrated that, MCT is correlated with age, scan region, axial length, maculopathy type, and CVI, and CVI is correlated with scan region and MCT. Significance. A fully automated choroidal structural quantification system was developed. Clinical evaluation demonstrated that severity of high myopia is closely related to MCT but shows only a low correlation with CVI, suggesting that CVI may have little applicability in eyes with large anatomical structural variations. Future quantitative analysis of choroidal structure of large samples will enable exploration of the pathogenesis of additional fundus diseases.
Design and development of a high-performance tensile-mode piezoelectric energy harvester based on a three-hinged force-amplification mechanism
Authors: Chang Hao-Lin , Su Wei-Jiun
Published: May 2022

When considering durability and reliability, flexible piezoelectric materials, such as PVDF and macro-fiber composite, are preferable to piezoceramics due to the brittleness of piezoceramics. However, flexible piezoelectric materials cannot sustain compressive loads so they need to be operated in either tensile or bending mode. The tensile mode has the advantage of uniform strain distribution over the bending mode. This study proposes a novel tensile-mode piezoelectric energy harvester based on a three-hinged force amplification mechanism. The proposed design consists of a rigid beam and an elastic PVDF film connected to each other via a revolute joint. The assembly is attached to a base via revolute joints with the PVDF film pre-stretched. The PVDF film bears a dynamic tensile load when the harvester is under harmonic excitations. A theoretical model of the proposed harvester is developed and experimentally validated. The simulation and experimental results show that the proposed design exhibits a strong hardening effect due to the nonlinear geometry of the three-hinged mechanism. The effect of preloads and mass distributions are explored to see their impact on the harvesting performance. It is shown that the peak voltage and bandwidth of the harvester decline as the preload increases. By properly tuning the mass distribution, the performance of the harvester can be enhanced. Compared with a bending-mode cantilevered harvester, the voltage output and harvesting bandwidth of the proposed harvester can be improved by 500% and 1250%, respectively.
The structural order of protein hydration water
Authors: Shi Rui
Published: May 2022

The ability of water to dissolve biomolecules is crucial for our life. It has been shown that protein has a profound effect on the behavior of water in its hydration shell, which in turn affects the structure and function of the protein. However, there is still no consensus on whether protein promotes or destroys the structural order of water in its hydration shell until today, because of the lack of proper structural descriptor incorporating hydrogen-bond (H-bond) information for water at the protein/water interface. Here we performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of lysozyme protein in water and analyzed the H-bond structure of protein hydration water by using a newly developed structural descriptor. We find that the protein promotes local structural ordering of the hydration water while having a negligible effect on the strength of individual H-bonds. These findings are fundamental to the structure and function of biomolecules and provide new insights into the hydration of protein in water.
The Mu3e detector
Authors: Vigani L. , Rudzki T.
Published: May 2022

The Mu3e experiment searches for the lepton flavour violating decay μ → eee with an ultimate sensitivity of 1 event in 1016 decays. This goal can only be achieved by reducing the material budget per tracking layer to X/X
0 ≈ 0.1%. For this purpose, the tracking detector is based on High Voltage Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (HV-MAPS) thinned to 50 µm. The powering and data transmission is performed by means of polyimide-aluminum HDIs, which serve as mechanical support as well. The detector concept is presented, focusing on the technical aspects of the pixel tracker and the associated challenges.
FastIC: a fast integrated circuit for the readout of high performance detectors
Authors: Gómez S. , Alozy J. , Campbell M. , Fernandez-Tenllado J.M. , Manera R. , Mauricio J. , Pujol C. , Sanchez D. , Sanmukh A. , Sanuy A. , Ballabriga R. , Gascon D.
Published: May 2022

This work presents the 8-channel FastIC ASIC developed in CMOS 65 nm technology suitable for the readout of positive and negative polarity sensors in high energy physics experiments, Cherenkov detectors and time-of-flight systems. The front-end can be configured to perform analog summation of up to 4 single-ended channels before discrimination in view of improving time resolution when segmenting a SiPM. The outputs encode the time-of-arrival information and linear energy measurement which captures the peak amplitude of the input signal in the 5 µA–25 mA input peak current range. Power consumption of the ASIC is 12 mW/ch with default settings. Measurements of single photon time resolution with a red-light laser source and a HPK SiPM S13360-3050CS are ≈140 ps FWHM.
Beam delivery and final focus systems for multi-TeV advanced linear colliders
Authors: White G. , Gessner S. , Adli E. , Cao G.J. , Sjobak K. , Barber S. , Schroeder C. , Terzani D. , van Tilborg J. , Esarey E. , Doss C. , Litos M. , Lobach I. , Power J. , Lindstrøm C.A.
Published: May 2022

The Beam Delivery System (BDS) is a critical component of a
high-energy linear collider. It transports the beam from the
accelerator and brings it to a focus at the Interaction Point. The
BDS system includes diagnostic sections for measuring the beam
energy, emittance, and polarization, as well as collimators for
machine protection. The length of the BDS increases with collision
energy. Higher collision energies also require higher luminosities,
and this is a significant constraint on the design for
energy-frontier machines. Here, we review BDS designs based on
traditional quadrupole magnets and examine the challenges involved
in extending these to the Multi-TeV regime consistent with
requirements for advanced accelerator concepts.
Coral responses to climate change exposure
Authors: McClanahan T R
Published: May 2022

A brief historical narrative of coral responses to climate change exposures is followed by a review of evidence. I trace the history of investigations and summarize the findings from 112 multiple-site field studies that examined environmental exposure variables and coral bleaching and mortality response relationships. A total of 59 environmental variables in six topic areas were studied of which excess thermal exposure was the most common topic and variable. Investigations were broadly classified into two categories; those focused on either excess thermal stress thresholds (TM) or on continuous variables (VM). The TM investigations considered a total of 28 variables, but only 1.7 ± 1.3 (SD) variables per publication, and only 11% completed a variable selection process that competed variables for fit or parsimony. The 65 VM publications considered 59 variables, more variables per publication (4.1 ± 4.3), and 43% of the studies followed a variable selection procedure. TM investigations received more citation and were most frequently used to identify future climate change impacts and sanctuaries. VM investigations often report excess heat threshold variables as weak single predictors of coral bleaching and mortality. Coral responses to exposure favors mechanisms of causation that are additive and interactive; specifically, the interactions between chronic and acute stresses within the geographic and habitat contexts of local environmental and coral genetic histories. Some of the potentially most important variables for predicting coral responses to exposure have seldom been studied or modeled. The implication is that the future status and health of coral reefs will be better than predicted by TMs. Moreover, impacts and sanctuaries are expected to be patchy and influenced by space, time, genetics, and taxa heterogeneity that will reflect a mix of avoidance, resistance, and recovery processes and their associated sanctuary locations.
Floquet engineering the Hofstadter butterfly in the square lattice and its effective Hamiltonian
Authors: Zhao Ming , Chen Qi , Du Liang
Published: May 2022

The effect of monochromatic circularly or linearly polarized laser on the Hofstadter butterfly in the square lattice is studied theoretically using Floquet theory. In the absence of laser, the butterfly has a self-similar, fractal structure against the magnetic flux ϕ with particle–hole symmetry and reflection symmetry about ϕ = 1/2. The observed two symmetric features are preserved by the sub-lattice symmetry and the symmetry property of the model with respect to time-reversal, respectively. As the system is exposed to a circularly polarized light, the Hofsatdter butterfly in equilibrium is deformed by degrading the above two symmetries to the inversion symmetry about energy E = 0 and ϕ = 1/2. Our study show that, the deformation of Hofstatder butterfly is due to the breaking of both the sub-lattice symmetry and the time-reversal transformation related symmetry of the system by the circularly polarized light. The inversion symmetry is preserved because the Hamiltonian at ϕ and 1 − ϕ is connected through the sub-lattice transformation. Focusing on the small flux region, we study the influence of circularly polarized light on the Landau level. A quantitative description on the Landau level is given by considering the effective Hamiltonian at high frequency. On the other hand, the linearly polarized light deforms the original Hofstadter butterfly by breaking the rotational symmetry while preserving sub-lattice and the time-reversal transformation related symmetry. Further, we study the influence of the periodic drive on the Chern number of the lowest band in the middle Floquet copy within the off-resonance regime. We find that strong circularly polarized light will change the Chern number. For linearly polarized light, the Chern number will not change and the values stay independent of laser polarization direction. Our work highlights the generic features expected for the periodically driven Hofstadter problem on square lattice and provide the strategy of engineering the Hofstadter butterfly with laser.
Response of Different RC Slab Systems in Buildings to Seismic Excitations
Authors: Azad Ramakant , Setia Saraswati
Published: May 2022

In the current study, the response of flat, grid and conventional slab against seismic excitation is studied and comparative analysis is performed to establish which among the three slab system would be most effective and safe in an earthquake scenario. The parameter such as storey displacement, drift, shear, and base shear of each slab arrangement is extracted from ETABS which is general structural design software for comparison. In the analysis, three different building specimen with the aforementioned slab type having length, width and height of 40m, 30m and 30m respectively are designed as per Indian design code IS: 456:2000 and analyzed as per IS:1893:2016.
Design of Pile Foundation for Distillation Column
Authors: Betkar Rajkumar R. , Sayyad Atteshamuddin S.
Published: May 2022

Equipment foundation is one of the most critical facility in every petrochemical, fertilizer, oil and gas plants. This equipment comprises distillation columns, vertical vessels, horizontal vessels, high pressure exchangers, reactors etc. Out of this equipment, distillation column is one of the most critical equipment due to its large diameter and height hence resulting into heavy dead load and heavy transverse loads at the base of column. Hence proper foundation system should be designed to cater all these loading without affecting the strength and serviceability of the foundation system. In most of the cases due to poor bearing capacity of soil one need to go for pile foundation. This paper summarizes the Indian code and process industry practices, design loads and load combinations to be adopted for design of pile foundation. One sample example is solved to evaluate the no of piles for column foundation by assuming suitable loading and vessel data.
Conversion of a Lada 2106 car into a rally racing car
Authors: Zombori Ferenc , Forrai Sándor , Szabó István Péter
Published: May 2022

The subject of this publication is a rally car designed as a diploma thesis and later produced. G-Sport Ltd. designs and manufactures racing car bodies, chassis components and all other motorsport related components for both the domestic and international markets. The aim was to design the Lada 2106 race car to accept a Ford Mk2 suspension, a Toyota 4A-GE engine and other parts that would enable it to compete in official FIA rally events. The work was done using a 3D scanner. The first phase involved creating 3D models of the body, engine, gearbox and other components, while checking their dimensional accuracy. Then, the custom parts of the car, including the roll cage, had to be designed to meet FIA specifications. This article describes the steps of the 3D scanning method, how the scans are processed, oriented, assembled correctly, and how the deformations of the body frame were detected. In addition, the typical problems encountered during 3D scanning of large objects and their generally applicable solutions are shown. The components of the drivetrain and components of own custom design are also described.
Eco-marathon racing car casing and frame structure design
Authors: Kozák Emese , Gégény Ádám , Zombori Ferenc , Forrai Sándor , Péter Szabó István
Published: May 2022

In addition to the Pneumobil competition, our team will also participate in the Shell Eco-marathon with an electric-powered prototype category car. Based on our results so far, we are in the midfield of European competitions. After several modifications to our current car, we will be building a new car again in 2022. The goal of building eco-marathon racing cars is to achieve the lowest possible energy consumption, and accordingly, great emphasis should be placed on reducing weight and drag coefficient.

Our previous cars used a welded aluminum frame and fiberglass. One of the best ways of weight reduction would be a self-supporting, carbon-fiber composite frame structure; however, the team does not currently have the technology to produce this. The frame structure of the new car consists of carbon fiber composite tubes, the nodes are 3D printed, fiber-reinforced composite elements. The streamlined casing of the vehicle consists of vacuum formed PETG elements. By using this structure, the total weight can be radically reduced at minimal cost. In our publication, we describe the main steps in the design of the casing and frame structure, finite element analysis of air resistance and deformations, and the drive chain.
Development of a measurement method to determine rolling resistance
Authors: Pálinkás S , Tóth Á
Published: May 2022

Nowadays, car manufacturers tend to produce cars of low consumption to comply with stricter and stricter environmental protection standards. Fuel consumption can only be reduced by decreasing losses emerging during vehicle operation. This is corroborated by the fact that due to the terminal capacity of batteries of electric cars, manufacturers aim to reduce losses to enhance their range of operation. The main goal of our current research is to work out indirect methods of measurement to define rolling resistance, one of the most decisive losses. Later on, the values defined will serve as input data to model vehicle energetics calculations. During our experiments, measurements were carried out with both summer and winter tires. During the evaluation losses of the engine, rolling resistance and air resistance were all considered, while losses from the driving components of the vehicle were ignored.
Modelling Steering Resistance to Save Energy
Authors: Pusztai Zoltán , Kőrös Péter , Friedler Ferenc
Published: May 2022

In this paper, the design and vehicle model implementation of a spiral path steering system for a lightweight vehicle is presented. The lateral sliding caused by imperfect rolling in corners means considerable loss, for lightweight vehicles. A spiral path steering mechanism provides an alternative solution for steering generated loss reduction. Theoretically, with the application of a spiral path steering system, ideal Ackerman steering geometry is feasible in all corners. The system is able to replace the common rack and pinion solution in purpose-made vehicles. The main design concepts of spiral path steering are introduced in this article. The described system was realized and installed in an experimental vehicle, where field tests were carried out, to measure the cornering losses during operation. The process of cornering loss measurement is also presented in this paper. The resistance model of cornering is elaborated in a Matlab Simulink environment, based on the measurement results. Vehicle losses are characterized by an extended resistance force model, which can be used by simulations for energy saving purposes. The optimization of vehicle operation can be achieved by simulations, where the corresponding velocity profiles of the vehicle is determined. An accurate steering model is essential for proper vehicle modelling and for the following optimization process.
Study on the characteristics of high temperature alloy surface profile grinding process
Authors: Ji Tian , Huang Shengli , Ren Baoming , Hu Siping , Guan Taixin
Published: May 2022

High-temperature alloy profile grinding is mainly used in the machining of aero-engine turbine structural parts, which require high surface quality and high machining efficiency. However, the process ability of machining high-temperature alloys is poor. For this reason, this paper conducts experimental research on the surface profile grinding process of high-temperature alloys to meet the surface quality and machining efficiency requirements of high-temperature alloy structural parts. Using a precision profile grinding machine, WA and SG grinding wheels are selected for profile grinding tests on three types of workpieces with curved surfaces: flat, convex, and concave. Each shape of the workpiece was shaped-ground using WA and SG grinding wheels separately. The orthogonal experimental method was used to perform profile grinding by changing three factors: grinding wheel speed, feed, and backlash. The surface roughness after grinding was measured and compared, and the most suitable process parameters for grinding three curved workpieces with WA and SG grinding wheels were obtained by comparing the surface quality and machining efficiency. The grinding strategy is also given for surface roughness and machining efficiency. It provides a basis for the improvement of the quality and efficiency of high-temperature alloy forming and grinding.
Structural and catalytic analyses of the InsP6kinase activities of higher plant ITPKs
Authors: Zong Guangning , Shears Stephen B. , Wang Huanchen
Published: May 2022

Inositol phosphate signaling in plants is of substantial agricultural interest, with a considerable focus on the inositol tris/tetrakisphosphate kinase (ITPK) family of inositol phosphate kinases. Historically, the 4–6 isoforms of ITPKs that higher plants each express have been studied for their multiplexing a metabolic pathway to synthesize inositol hexakisphosphate (ie InsP6or phytate), through the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of multiple inositol phosphates, including Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5(inositol‐1,3,4,5,6‐pentakisphosphate). A more recent discovery is ITPK‐catalyzed phosphorylation of InsP6to inositol pyrophosphates, which regulate plant immunity and phosphate homeostasis. However, a molecular‐based explanation for these alternate catalytic activities has been missing, because no plant ITPK structure has previously been solved. Herein, we provide biochemical and structural analyses of ITPKs fromZea maysandGlycine max. For this work we introduce a simple, enzyme‐coupled microplate‐based assay of InsP6 kinase activity that should promote more general access to this important field. Furthermore, aZmITPK1/InsP6crystal complex is described at a resolution of 2.6 Å, which identifies a number of catalytically important residues; their functionality is confirmed by mutagenesis. We further demonstrate thatZmITPK1 adds a β‐phosphate to the 3‐position of Ins(1,2,3,4,5)P5, yielding a candidate signal for regulating phosphate homeostasis. An impactful discovery is our description of a 29‐residue catalytic specificity element; by interchanging this element betweenGmITPK1 andGmITPK2, we demonstrate how its isoform‐specific sequence specifically determines whether the host protein phosphorylates InsP6, without substantially affecting Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5 metabolism. Our structural rationalization of key catalytic differences between alternate ITPK isoforms will complement future research into their functional diversity.
Microbiome as a predictor of implantation
Authors: Gao Xu Shan , Laven Joop , Louwers Yvonne , Budding Andries , Schoenmakers Sam
Published: May 2022

Purpose of review

Review the latest research on the female urogenital microbiome as a predictor of successful implantation.

Recent findings

Lactobacillus crispatus seems to be beneficial species in a healthy female genital tract, although the presence of anaerobic bacteria and their impact has yet to be determined. The vaginal microbiome is associated with assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcome in terms of successful implantation and pregnancy. Approaches restoring a dysbiotic vaginal microbiome seem promising. It is questionable if a unique endometrial microbiome exists, given the low bacterial biomass, the invasiveness of endometrial sampling, and its associated high contamination risk. Future studies should focus on the whole microbiome using proteomics and metabolomics, as well as the virome to get a more holistic understanding of its role in reproduction.

The vaginal and endometrial compartments are being studied to determine a healthy and unhealthy microbiome composition. Defining a healthy composition could provide insight into physiological processes related to the success of embryo implantation. The vaginal microbiome is easily accessible and its composition can be reliably assessed and can be associated with ART outcome. The existence of an endometrial or uterine microbiome is still debated, due to the combination of low biomass and unavoidable high risk of contamination during sampling.
Correlation of bone marrow 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose uptake with systemic inflammation in patients with newly diagnosed endometrial cancer
Authors: Ishibashi Megumi , Norikane Takashi , Yamamoto Yuka , Imajo Masashi , Takami Yasukage , Mitamura Katsuya , Tanaka Tamaki , Tsuruta Tomohiko , Kanenishi Kenji , Nishiyama Yoshihiro
Published: May 2022

Objective

To clarify the relationship between 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) uptake of bone marrow and systemic inflammation in patients with newly diagnosed endometrial cancer.

Methods

A total of 119 patients with untreated endometrial cancer underwent FDG PET/computed tomography (CT). For bone marrow FDG uptake, the mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) of the five vertebrae (T11-12 and L3-L5) was measured and averaged (bone marrow SUV). The bone marrow-to-liver ratio (BLR) was calculated by dividing the bone marrow SUV by the SUVmean of the normal liver. FDG PET parameters were correlated with white blood cell count, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, and hemoglobin levels. They were also correlated with FIGO stage.

Results

Bone marrow SUV and BLR showed significant positive correlations with white blood cell count, NLR, and CRP level and significant negative correlations with albumin level. BLR also showed a significant positive correlation with PLR. No significant differences in bone marrow SUV and BLR were apparent according to FIGO stage.

Conclusion

Pretreatment FDG PET/CT in patients with newly diagnosed endometrial cancer may provide information on host systemic inflammation as assessed by bone marrow FDG uptake.
Half-dose versus full-dose 18F-FDG total-body PET/CT in patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Tan Hui , Mao Wujian , Cao Yanyan , Cai Danjie , Sui Xiuli , Qi Chi , Yu Haojun , Zhang Yiqiu , Shi Hongcheng
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate image quality and lesion detectability of half-dose (1.85 MBq/kg) 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) total-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for colorectal cancer, full-dose (3.7 MBq/kg) 18F-FDG serving as a reference.

Methods

Fifty patients confirmed to have colorectal cancer who underwent total-body PET/CT with half-dose 18F-FDG were included. Another 50 colorectal cancer patients with 3.70 MBq/kg 18F-FDG activity were selected for the full-dose group. PET images in the half-dose group were scanned for 15 min and split into 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 10-min duration groups, denoted G1, G2, G3, G4 and G10, respectively. In the full-dose group, PET scanning was performed for 5 min, reconstructed with the first 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 min intervals, defined as G0.5’, G1’, G2’ and G5’, respectively. Subjective image quality was assessed with 5-point Likert scales. Objective image quality parameters included maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax), mean standardized uptake values (SUVmean)and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the liver, blood pool and muscle and SUVmax and tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) of lesions.

Results

In the two groups, the G3 and G2’ images met clinical diagnosis requirements in terms of subjective image quality, with scores ≥3. There were no differences in terms of subjective and objective image quality between the groups (G1 and G0.5’, G2 and G1’, G4 and G2’ and G10 and G5’). In the half-dose group, 56 colorectal lesions in 50 patients confirmed by surgical pathology were clearly visible in all groups. The number of FDG-avid lymph nodes was 37 in G1, 38 in G2 and 39 in the remaining half-dose groups. The number of missed metastatic liver lesions was 1 both in G1 and G2.

Conclusions

Total-body PET/CT with half-dose was feasible for diagnosing and staging colorectal cancer compared with full-dose 18F-FDG PET/CT. Moreover, for half-dose total-body PET/CT, a 3-min scan duration could maintain image quality and lesion detectability.
Artificial intelligence within the small bowel: are we lagging behind?
Authors: Chetcuti Zammit Stefania , Sidhu Reena
Published: May 2022

Purpose of review

The use of artificial intelligence in small bowel capsule endoscopy is expanding. This review focusses on the use of artificial intelligence for small bowel pathology compared with human data and developments to date.

Recent findings

The diagnosis and management of small bowel disease has been revolutionized with the advent of capsule endoscopy. Reading of capsule endoscopy videos however is time consuming with an average reading time of 40 min. Furthermore, the fatigued human eye may miss subtle lesions including indiscreet mucosal bulges. In recent years, artificial intelligence has made significant progress in the field of medicine including gastroenterology. Machine learning has enabled feature extraction and in combination with deep neural networks, image classification has now materialized for routine endoscopy for the clinician.

Artificial intelligence is in built within the Navicam-Ankon capsule endoscopy reading system. This development will no doubt expand to other capsule endoscopy platforms and capsule endoscopies that are used to visualize other parts of the gastrointestinal tract as a standard. This wireless and patient friendly technique combined with rapid reading platforms with the help of artificial intelligence will become an attractive and viable choice to alter how patients are investigated in the future.
Review of the effect of amylase-resistant dysphagia products on swallowing safety
Authors: Burnip E. , Cichero J.A.Y.
Published: May 2022

Purpose of review

Thickened fluids are a widely utilised compensatory management strategy for people with impaired swallowing (dysphagia). Over recent years there has been a shift in practice to offer gum-based instead of starch-based products. A key marketing message has been that gum-based thickeners with amylase-resistant properties are superior in promoting ‘safer swallowing’. This review sought evidence to evaluate the effect of amylase-resistant products on swallowing safety.

Recent findings

No studies directly compared the effect of amylase-resistant products with usual care or products without amylase resistance. Five studies cited amylase-resistant properties and compared gum-based to starch-based dysphagia products or thin fluids. Swallowing safety was frequently judged subjectively with rating scales. Swallowing biomechanics were not included and clinically meaningful outcomes, such as incidence of aspiration pneumonia, were not reported. A scoping review of the grey literature found little evidence that amylase-resistant properties of dysphagia products were of significant concern to clinicians or patients.

Despite references to the ’importance’ of amylase-resistant properties of dysphagia products there is no evidence that this property improves swallowing safety. Further research is needed using objective and clinically meaningful outcome measures to allow clinicians and patients to make informed decisions for dysphagia management.