bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Audio-Visual Training Improves Awareness and Willingness of Cervical Cancer Screening among Healthy Indian Women: Findings from a Survey
Authors: Ganeshkumar Priya
Published: August 2022

Objectives We evaluated the impact of a standardized, simple audio-visual (AV) training video developed in regional languages on cervical cancer awareness among apparently healthy women and their willingness to undergo regular cervical cancer screening.

Materials and Methods This cross-sectional noninterventional multicentric survey was conducted in 69 centers across 14 states in India and one center in UAE among women aged between 18 and 88 years attending clinics for a variety of indications. Using a short questionnaire, cervical cancer awareness and willingness to undergo cervical cancer screening were assessed before and after the AV training.

Statistical Analysis In addition to descriptive analysis, improvement in awareness after the AV training was assessed using McNemar's test, and comparison of responses between subgroups was performed using Pearson chi-squared test.

Results The survey was completed by 3,188 apparently healthy women (mean age: 36.8 ± 11.3 years). Before AV training, correct answers were given to only 4/6 questions by majority of the participants; most participants were unaware about the main cause of cervical cancer (1,637/3,188, 51.4%), availability of cervical cancer screening tests (1,601/3,188, 50.2%), and cervical cancer vaccines (1,742/3,188, 54.6%). Only 576 women (18.1%) had undergone cervical cancer screening in the past. After the AV training, the proportion of women correctly responding to all six questions improved significantly (p < 0.05), and 84.4% (2691/3188) women showed willingness to undergo periodic cervical cancer screening. Compared to unmarried and professional women, although married women and home-makers had lower awareness scores, the latter subgroups had more often undergone previous cervical cancer screening.

Conclusion It is possible to improve cervical cancer awareness among healthy women, and to enhance their willingness to undergo regular cervical cancer screening tests using a simple, six minute-long, standardized AV training material.
Enhanced Recovery after Surgery for Cesarean Delivery: A Quality Improvement Initiative
Authors: Matthews Kathy C. , White Robert S. , Ewing Julie , Abramovitz Sharon E. , Kalish Robin B.
Published: August 2022

Objective Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) was developed as a way to standardize clinical care pathways and communication across multidisciplinary teams to improve patient recovery and reduce hospital length of stay (LOS). Our objective was to implement an ERAS protocol for cesarean delivery (ERAS-CD) and evaluate its efficacy in reducing LOS.

Study Design An ERAS-CD program was implemented at our institution in October 2018. Patients undergoing scheduled and unscheduled CD were maintained on an ERAS pathway of care, which included preoperative hydration, standardized intraoperative protocols, and postoperative analgesic regimens as well as early feeding, urinary catheter removal, and ambulation. We compared LOS after delivery (calculated from time of delivery to discharge), readmission rates, health care disparities and postoperative opioid prescribing practices before (October 2017–September 2018) and after (November 2018–October 2019) ERAS implementation. We excluded any outliers, defined as a LOS >25 days. Continuous data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Student's t-test and Chi-square were used for statistical comparison with p <0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results There were 1,729 patients who had a CD in the pre-ERAS group with a mean LOS after delivery of 3.32 ± 6.19 days. In the post-ERAS group, 1,753 women underwent CD with a mean LOS after delivery of 2.85 ± 5.79 days, a statistically significant difference from the pre-ERAS group (p <0.001). There was no difference in readmission rates between pre- and post-ERAS implementation groups (1.9 vs. 2.2%, p = 0.53). There was a reduction in health care disparities in postoperative LOS, when stratifying by race-ethnicity, and a reduction in opioid prescribing practices after the implementation of the program.

Conclusion With the implementation of an ERAS-CD program, we achieved a reduced LOS, without increasing readmission rates, and saw a reduction in health care disparities and opioid dispensing. A shorter LOS could offer an enhanced patient experience, as well as improved and equitable perioperative outcomes.

Key Points
Study of EPR-based nanodielectrics under operational conditions for DC cable insulation
Authors: Arab Baferani Mohamadreza , Shahsavarian Tohid , Tefferi Mattewos , Chen Qin , Cao Yang
Published: August 2022

A model DC material based on ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) including the pure EPR and the EPR-based nanodielectrics incorporated with two different nanoclays, Kaoline and Talc, under operational conditions was investigated. The operational conditions include a 20 kV/mm electric field at 25 °C, a 20 kV/mm electric field at 50 °C with a thermal gradient, and a 40 kV/mm electric field at 50 °C with a thermal gradient and polarity reversal. Space charge distribution, surface potential, and electrical conductivity were measured to characterize the model DC material and interpret the discrete charge dynamics in the bulk and at the interface of the three samples. The experimental results revealed that the electrical conductivity of Talc-filled nanodielectric has the least dependency on electric field and temperature, which reduces the conductivity gradient across the dielectric. Moreover, the successful suppression of space charge and the lower dielectric time constant in the Talc-filled nanodielectric result in a tuning electric field in the bulk not only under normal operating conditions but also more importantly under polarity reversal conditions. The maximum of absolute charge density decreases from 10.6 C/m3 for EPR to 2.9 C/m3 for the Talc-filled nanodielectric under 40 kV/mm with polarity reversal and at 50 °C with the thermal gradient. The maximum of local electric field enhancement for the mentioned condition reduces significantly from 97 kV/mm, 142% enhancement, for EPR to 45 kV/mm, only 12.5% enhancement, for the Talc-filled nanodielectric.
Waveguide-coupled heterodyne terahertz detector based on AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor
Authors: Zhu Kaiqiang , Feng Wei , Zhu Yifan , Ding Qingfeng , Wang Yikun , Xiao Yu , Jin Lin , Qin Hua , Sun Houjun
Published: August 2022

We report a room-temperature, low output impedance, broad intermediate-frequency (IF) bandwidth field-effect terahertz detector based on an AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) integrated in a metal waveguide. The waveguide detector equips a pair of quasi-Yagi antenna probes that are used to couple the terahertz energy to the HEMT channel. The gate is configured as an asymmetric edge-coupled coplanar waveguide transmission line. This terahertz electric field is asymmetrically distributed in the channel along the edges of the transmission lines. The responsivity and noise for direct and heterodyne detections are characterized and analyzed at different local oscillator (LO) powers. The noise-equivalent power in direct detection is below 189 pW/Hz1/2. Operated in a heterodyne mode with a LO power of −3 dBm, the detector offers a conversion loss less than 55 dB in a frequency band of 320–340 GHz. The channel in a form of transmission line performs the broad IF bandwidth, which is increased to gigahertz range (3 GHz), and reduces the output impedance to 377 Ω which is about 20 times lower than previously reported. The transmission-line impedance could be optimized together with the distribution of the terahertz electric field in the gated channel to reduce the conversion loss.
Onsager reciprocal relations and chemo-mechanical coupling for chemically active colloids
Authors: De Corato Marco , Pagonabarraga Ignacio
Published: August 2022

Similar to cells, bacteria, and other micro-organisms, synthetic chemically active colloids can harness the energy from their environment through a surface chemical reaction and use the energy to self-propel in fluidic environments. In this paper, we study the chemo-mechanical coupling that leads to the self-propulsion of chemically active colloids. The coupling between chemical reactions and momentum transport is a consequence of Onsager reciprocal relations. They state that the velocity and the surface reaction rate are related to mechanical and chemical affinities through a symmetric matrix. A consequence of Onsager reciprocal relations is that if a chemical reaction drives the motion of the colloid, then an external force generates a reaction rate. Here, we investigate Onsager reciprocal relations for a spherical active colloid that catalyzes a reversible surface chemical reaction between two species. We solve the relevant transport equations using a perturbation expansion and numerical simulations to demonstrate the validity of reciprocal relations around the equilibrium. Our results are consistent with previous studies and highlight the key role of solute advection in preserving the symmetry of the Onsager matrix. Finally, we show that Onsager reciprocal relations break down around a nonequilibrium steady state, which has implications for the thermal fluctuations of the active colloids used in experiments.
The enhanced dielectric property of the graphene composite anchored with non-planar iron single-atoms
Authors: Shi Yanan , Li Bei , Jiang Xinyu , Zhang Xiao , Zhang Xitian , Chen Yujin , Zhu Chunling
Published: August 2022

The understanding of the relationships between the coordination configuration of single-atoms (SAs) and their properties remains a great challenge. In this manuscript, a facile method is developed to construct Fe-SAs on onion-like nitrogen-doped nanocarbons supported by graphene (ONCG). In contrast to the symmetrical planar Fe–N4 moieties, the Fe-SAs coordinated with N atoms are located above the plane of the curved graphene and exhibited antenna-like structures. The ONCG with non-planar Fe–N4 moieties possesses greatly increased dielectric loss property compared to their counterparts with symmetrical planar Fe-SAs. In-depth theoretical calculations reveal that the unique geometric structure of the non-planar Fe-SAs improves both conduction and polarization losses significantly, which is attributed to the increased dielectric property. The increased dielectric property endows Fe-SAs@ONCG with an excellent electromagnetic wave absorption at a low filler ratio of 10 wt. %. Our results describe an efficient way for the development of non-planar SAs for dielectric applications.
14-moment maximum-entropy modeling of collisionless ions for Hall thruster discharges
Authors: Boccelli S. , McDonald J. G. , Magin T. E.
Published: August 2022

Ions in Hall effect thrusters are often characterized by a low collisionality. In the presence of acceleration fields and azimuthal electric field waves, this results in strong deviations from thermodynamic equilibrium, introducing kinetic effects. This work investigates the application of the 14-moment maximum-entropy model to this problem. This method consists in a set of 14 partial differential equations (PDEs) for the density, momentum, pressure tensor components, heat flux vector, and fourth-order moment associated with the particle velocity distribution function. The model is applied to the study of collisionless ion dynamics in a Hall thruster-like configuration, and its accuracy is assessed against different models, including the Vlasov kinetic equation. Three test cases are considered: a purely axial acceleration problem, the problem of ion-wave trapping, and finally the evolution of ions in the axial-azimuthal plane. Most of this work considers ions only, and the coupling with electrons is removed by prescribing reasonable values of the electric field. This allows us to obtain a direct comparison among different ion models. However, the possibility to run self-consistent plasma simulations is also briefly discussed, considering quasi-neutral or multi-fluid models. The maximum-entropy system appears to be a robust and accurate option for the considered test cases. The accuracy is improved over the simpler pressureless gas model (cold ions) and the Euler equations for gas dynamics, while the computational cost shows to remain much lower than direct kinetic simulations.
Determining Young's modulus via the eigenmode spectrum of a nanomechanical string resonator
Authors: Klaß Yannick S. , Doster Juliane , Bückle Maximilian , Braive Rémy , Weig Eva M.
Published: August 2022

We present a method for the in situ determination of Young's modulus of a nanomechanical string resonator subjected to tensile stress. It relies on measuring a large number of harmonic eigenmodes and allows us to access Young's modulus even for the case of a stress-dominated frequency response. We use the proposed framework to obtain Young's modulus of four different wafer materials, comprising three different material platforms amorphous silicon nitride, crystalline silicon carbide, and crystalline indium gallium phosphide. The resulting values are compared with theoretical and literature values where available, revealing the need to measure Young's modulus on the sample material under investigation for precise device characterization.
Compression-induced buckling of a semiflexible filament in two and three dimensions
Authors: Mondal Ananya , Morrison Greg
Published: August 2022

The ability of biomolecules to exert forces on their surroundings or resist compression from the environment is essential in a variety of biologically relevant contexts. For filaments in the low-temperature limit and under a constant compressive force, Euler buckling theory predicts a sudden transition from a compressed state to a bent state in these slender rods. In this paper, we use a mean-field theory to show that if a semiflexible chain is compressed at a finite temperature with a fixed end-to-end distance (permitting fluctuations in the compressive forces), it exhibits a continuous phase transition to a buckled state at a critical level of compression. We determine a quantitatively accurate prediction of the transverse position distribution function of the midpoint of the chain that indicates this transition. We find that the mean compressive forces are non-monotonic as the extension of the filament varies, consistent with the observation that strongly buckled filaments are less able to bear an external load. We also find that for the fixed extension (isometric) ensemble, the buckling transition does not coincide with the local minimum of the mean force (in contrast to Euler buckling). We also show that the theory is highly sensitive to fluctuations in length in two dimensions and the buckling transition can still be accurately recovered by accounting for those fluctuations. These predictions may be useful in understanding the behavior of filamentous biomolecules compressed by fluctuating forces, relevant in a variety of biological contexts.
Providing guideline-recommended preventive cardiovascular care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women: exploring gender differences with a medical record review in primary health care
Authors: McBride Katharine , Howard Natasha J. , Franks Christine , King Veronica , Wade Vicki , Dowling Anna , Rigney Janice , Burton Nyunmiti , Mitchell Julie Anne , Hillier Susan , Nicholls Stephen J. , Paquet Catherine , Brown Alex
Published: August 2022

Background For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, the premature burden of cardiovascular disease is affecting their capacity to fulfil roles in society, and promote the health and wellbeing of future generations. In Australia, there is limited understanding of the difference in primary preventive cardiovascular care experienced by women, despite knowledge of sex and gender differentials in health profile and receipt of guideline-based acute care. This paper sought to explore the health profile and receipt of assessment and management of cardiovascular risk for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women accessing preventive primary health care, and investigate gender differentials. Method Records of 1200 current clients, 50% women, aged 18–74 years from three Aboriginal Health Services in central and South Australia for the period 7/2018–6/2020 were reviewed. Results Twelve percent had documented cardiovascular disease. Compared with men, women with no recorded cardiovascular disease had a greater likelihood of being overweight or obese, a waist circumference indicative of risk, diabetes, and depression. Women were less likely to report being physically active. Conclusions The research concluded that gaps exist in the provision and recording of guideline-recommended primary preventive care regardless of sex. These are stark, given the evident burden.
Intimacy during the COVID-19 pandemic: an online survey examining the impact of COVID-19 on the sexual practices and dating app usage of people living in Hong Kong
Authors: Choi Edmond P. H. , Hui Bryant P. H. , Kwok Jojo Y. Y. , Chow Eric P. F.
Published: August 2022

Background Little attention has been paid to understanding the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on sexual practices and dating app usage among the Chinese population. To fill this gap, we examined the sexual practices and dating app usage of Hong Kong residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method An online survey was developed to collect data, and the participants were recruited via online social media. The respondents were asked to report on their sexual practices and dating app usage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results In total, 249 participants met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. We found that more than 70% of the participants began masturbating more. Almost half of the participants reported decreases in various sexual activities with sexual partners, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. The vast majority of the study participants also reported a decline in sexual activities with casual partners, regular non-romantic partners and sex workers. Meanwhile, dating apps were used more frequently for chatting/texting, swapping photos, sexting and virtual dating. More than 50% of the participants reported less use of dating apps for face-to-face dates and sexual encounters. Conclusion It is evident that the COVID-19 pandemic and its corresponding public health measures impacted the sexual practices and dating app usage of Hong Kong residents.
2-Guanidino-quinazoline promotes the readthrough of nonsense mutations underlying human genetic diseases
Authors: Bidou Laure , Bugaud Olivier , Merer Goulven , Coupet Matthieu , Hatin Isabelle , Chirkin Egor , Karri Sabrina , Demais Stéphane , François Pauline , Cintrat Jean-Christophe , Namy Olivier
Published: August 2022

Premature termination codons (PTCs) account for 10 to 20% of genetic diseases in humans. The gene inactivation resulting from PTCs can be counteracted by the use of drugs stimulating PTC readthrough, thereby restoring production of the full-length protein. However, a greater chemical variety of readthrough inducers is required to broaden the medical applications of this therapeutic strategy. In this study, we developed a reporter cell line and performed high-throughput screening (HTS) to identify potential readthrough inducers. After three successive assays, we isolated 2-guanidino-quinazoline (TLN468). We assessed the clinical potential of this drug as a potent readthrough inducer on the 40 PTCs most frequently responsible for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). We found that TLN468 was more efficient than gentamicin, and acted on a broader range of sequences, without inducing the readthrough of normal stop codons (TC).
Injury-induced MAPK activation triggers body axis formation in
Hydra
by default Wnt signaling
Authors: Tursch Anja , Bartsch Natascha , Mercker Moritz , Schlüter Jana , Lommel Mark , Marciniak-Czochra Anna , Özbek Suat , Holstein Thomas W.
Published: August 2022

Hydra
’s almost unlimited regenerative potential is based on Wnt signaling, but so far it is unknown how the injury stimulus is transmitted to discrete patterning fates in head and foot regenerates. We previously identified mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) among the earliest injury response molecules in
Hydra
head regeneration. Here, we show that three MAPKs—p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs)—are essential to initiate regeneration in
Hydra,
independent of the wound position. Their activation occurs in response to any injury and requires calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling. Phosphorylated MAPKs hereby exhibit cross talk with mutual antagonism between the ERK pathway and stress-induced MAPKs, orchestrating a balance between cell survival and apoptosis. Importantly,
Wnt3
and
Wnt9/10c,
which are induced by MAPK signaling, can partially rescue regeneration in tissues treated with MAPK inhibitors. Also, foot regenerates can be reverted to form head tissue by a pharmacological increase of β-catenin signaling or the application of recombinant Wnts. We propose a model in which a β-catenin-based stable gradient of head-forming capacity along the primary body axis, by differentially integrating an indiscriminate injury response, determines the fate of the regenerating tissue. Hereby, Wnt signaling acquires sustained activation in the head regenerate, while it is transient in the presumptive foot tissue. Given the high level of evolutionary conservation of MAPKs and Wnts, we assume that this mechanism is deeply embedded in our genome.
Metastatic triple negative breast cancer adapts its metabolism to destination tissues while retaining key metabolic signatures
Authors: Roshanzamir Fariba , Robinson Jonathan L. , Cook Daniel , Karimi-Jafari Mohammad Hossein , Nielsen Jens
Published: August 2022

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) metastases are assumed to exhibit similar functions in different organs as in the original primary tumor. However, studies of metastasis are often limited to a comparison of metastatic tumors with primary tumors of their origin, and little is known about the adaptation to the local environment of the metastatic sites. We therefore used transcriptomic data and metabolic network analyses to investigate whether metastatic tumors adapt their metabolism to the metastatic site and found that metastatic tumors adopt a metabolic signature with some similarity to primary tumors of their destinations. The extent of adaptation, however, varies across different organs, and metastatic tumors retain metabolic signatures associated with TNBC. Our findings suggest that a combination of anti-metastatic approaches and metabolic inhibitors selected specifically for different metastatic sites, rather than solely targeting TNBC primary tumors, may constitute a more effective treatment approach.
Orexin 2 receptor–selective agonist danavorexton improves narcolepsy phenotype in a mouse model and in human patients
Authors: Evans Rebecca , Kimura Haruhide , Alexander Robert , Davies Ceri H. , Faessel Hélène , Hartman Deborah S. , Ishikawa Takashi , Ratti Emiliangelo , Shimizu Kohei , Suzuki Motohisa , Tanaka Shinichiro , Yukitake Hiroshi , Dauvilliers Yves , Mignot Emmanuel
Published: August 2022

Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is a sleep disorder caused by a loss of orexinergic neurons. Narcolepsy type 2 (NT2) is heterogeneous; affected individuals typically have normal orexin levels. Following evaluation in mice, the effects of the orexin 2 receptor (OX2R)-selective agonist danavorexton were evaluated in single- and multiple-rising-dose studies in healthy adults, and in individuals with NT1 and NT2. In orexin/ataxin-3 narcolepsy mice, danavorexton reduced sleep/wakefulness fragmentation and cataplexy-like episodes during the active phase. In humans, danavorexton administered intravenously was well tolerated and was associated with marked improvements in sleep latency in both NT1 and NT2. In individuals with NT1, danavorexton dose-dependently increased sleep latency in the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test, up to the ceiling effect of 40 min, in both the single- and multiple-rising-dose studies. These findings indicate that OX2Rs remain functional despite long-term orexin loss in NT1. OX2R-selective agonists are a promising treatment for both NT1 and NT2.
Final report on the supplementary comparison EURAMET.AUV.V-S2
Authors: Rosenkranz Peter , Hof Christian
Published: August 2022

Main text

The supplementary comparison EURAMET.AUV.V-S2 has been carried out within the framework of the CIPM MRA. The specific task of this comparison is the measurement of the magnitude and phase of the sensitivity of single-ended accelerometers in the medium frequency domain (10 Hz to 10000 Hz). The sensitivity is calculated as the ratio of the amplitude of the output of the accelerometer to the amplitude of the acceleration at its reference surface with secondary means in accordance with ISO 16063-21 "Methods for the calibration of vibration and shock transducers - Part 21: Vibration calibration by comparison to a reference transducer". The participating NMIs are BEV (Austria), and METAS (Switzerland). BEV (Austria) was the pilot laboratory of this bilateral comparison. The measurements took place between November 2021 and January 2022. A single-ended accelerometer was circulated. This report includes the measurement results, information about calibration methods, and the analysis leading to the assignation of equivalence degrees.

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCAUV, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Engineering the nanostructures of solution proceed In2Se
x
S3−x
films with enhanced near-infrared absorption for photoelectrochemical water splitting
Authors: Liu Baoze , Chu Wenlong , Liu Siyu , Zhou Yajiao , Zou Luwei , Fu Junwei , Liu Min , Fu Xuewen , Ouyang Fangping , Zhou Yu
Published: August 2022

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have been utilized for the photoelectrochemical (PEC) production of hydrogen by water splitting, however the reaction performance of which is limited by thermodynamic protons adsorptions, the specific materials solar absorption spectrum, materials carrier mobility and lifetime. Here, we report a facile solution processed method for the synthesis of 2D In2Se
x
S3−x
alloy films, in which the obvious crystalline to amorphous transition was observed as the annealing temperature decreased from 400 °C to 80 °C. Different porous nanostructures of the films have been created by the temperature controls, showing over 200% absorption in the near-infrared range for the sample that annealed at 400 °C than the other samples. The transient absorption measurements of crystalline samples are clearly shown the carrier lifetime is dramatically improved than the amorphous samples, which are critical to the hydrogen evolution performance. Finally, the PEC water splitting performances have been measured to discuss the structure-properties relations, showing the overpotentials reduction of over 100 mV for enhanced near-infrared absorption samples. This work clearly gives out the optical structure and crystal structure design strategy for improving the PEC performance.
A new camera model combining an analytical model and a discrete correction to overcome refractive index variation challenges
Authors: Acher Gwenaël , Thomas Lionel , Tremblais Benoit , David Laurent
Published: August 2022

When performing Tomo-PIV experiments, the calculation of accurate camera models is a key point for successful measurements. In severe configurations, where optical interfaces are involved and refractive index variations occur along the line of sight, analytical models can fail to accurately represent the projection and back-projection functions. This inability can lead to significant inaccuracies in particle location and volume reconstruction, which has a considerable impact on the calculation of velocity fields. In order to overcome these limitations, an innovative camera model based on the combination of an analytical model, such as a pinhole model or a polynomial model, with discrete corrections is proposed. In this method, the analytical projection and back-projection are adjusted with a discrete correction stored in two adaptive grids that save both memory and computation time. These correction grids require calibration which is performed with triangulation procedures similar to those used in misalignment corrections. The calculation and operation of the model are described in this paper. The performance of the camera model is evaluated on simulated and experimental setups based on a large depth-of-field calibration performed in a glass water tank. The presence of multiple optical interfaces and fluids, resulting in large light deviations, makes it difficult to compute a high accuracy camera model. In this configuration, the proposed technique successfully reduces the triangulation error from 1 pixel to less than 0.01 pixel. The usefulness of the model is demonstrated in a Tomo-PIV experiment where the deflection of light through the water tunnel walls prevents classical analytical functions from accurately modelling the projection and back-projection functions. This corrected model can also solve discontinuity problems in the projection functions and can be used when there are interfaces in the measurement volume. It opens new perspectives in the study of fluid-structure interaction when transparent solids are involved.
Automatic pointer meters recognition system based on line scan vision
Authors: Wang Qing
Published: August 2022

The automatic recognition of pointers is of great significance for efficiently collecting measurements from industrial instruments. In this paper, an automatic pointer meter recognition system based on line scan vision is developed. A line scan camera is used to capture images of the pointer of a pointer meter. Light-spot centroid algorithm is implemented to determine the centroid position of the pointer. The captured images can record the dynamic movement of the pointer, thereby enabling condition monitoring in industrial processes. Experimental results show that the proposed pointer meter extraction method is robust against interference and that a characteristic segmentation classifier produces more accurate detection results than other approaches.
Local dimensions of self-similar measures satisfying the finite neighbour condition*
Authors: Hare Kathryn E , Rutar Alex
Published: August 2022

We study sets of local dimensions for self-similar measures in

R

satisfying the finite neighbour condition, which is formally stronger than the weak separation condition (WSC) but satisfied in all known examples. Under a mild technical assumption, we establish that the set of attainable local dimensions is a finite union of (possibly singleton) compact intervals. The number of intervals is bounded above by the number of non-trivial maximal strongly connected components of a finite directed graph construction depending only on the governing iterated function system. We also explain how our results allow computations of the sets of local dimensions in many explicit cases. This contextualises and generalises a vast amount of prior work on sets of local dimensions for self-similar measures satisfying the WSC.
Frequency–dependence of power and efficiency for resonant inductive coupling and magnetoelectric wireless power transfer systems
Authors: Andersen Erik , Roundy Shad , Truong Binh Duc
Published: August 2022

The frequency dependence of the maximum output power and efficiency of two wireless power transfer systems (WPTSs), resonant inductive coupling (RIC) and magnetoelectric (ME), are investigated. We find that in the weak–coupling regime, the power optimization and efficiency maximization problems are equivalent and yield the same optimal load and frequency. These properties apply to both topologies under consideration. Despite the apparent difference in the energy conversion mechanisms, the two structures result in similar explicit forms of maximum power delivered to the load, and so does the optimum transfer efficiency. We discuss the essential role of a figure of merit for each configuration and show how they affect the overall performance. For a weakly–coupled inductive WPTS, both the maximum transferred power and efficiency are positively proportional to drive frequency squared. In the case of a ME–based architecture, the dependence of power and efficiency on frequency is the consequence of the transducer geometry optimization problem, subject to a volume constraint. Under a constant mechanical quality factor condition, both quantities are linearly proportional to the operating frequency. While the focus of this paper is RIC and ME mechanisms, some of the findings are also valid for relevant inductive energy harvesting or magneto–mechano–electric WPTSs.
Anisotropic mode excitations and enhanced quantum interference in quantum emitter-metasurface coupled systems
Authors: Fang Wei , Chen Ying , Zeng Yali , Ou Congjie , Li Gao-xiang , Yang Yaping
Published: August 2022

This study proposes a nanophotonic structure that supports quantum interference (QI) between orthogonal decay channels in multilevel quantum emitters within the framework of the quantum master equation. The Green functions of the electric field are obtained by applying boundary conditions in the presence of two-dimensional metasurfaces. We demonstrate distinct in-plane excitation features of the surface plasmon modes (SPMs) with the anisotropic metasurfaces tailored to conductivity components. In particular, we observed that the Purcell factor of transitions with orthogonal polarizations experiences unequal enhancements, owing to the anisotropic propagation of the SPMs. This property depends only on the anisotropy of the metasurfaces; thus, it is easily manipulated. Using this platform and considering experimentally achievable material parameters, we predict a strong interference effect in three-level quantum emitters. In principle, this enables the generation of maximum QI. Our study provides a method for realizing QI systems and has potential applications in highly integrated, tuneable quantum devices.
Nonclassicality and teleportation fidelity of coherent photon-subtracted two-mode squeezed thermal states
Authors: Li Heng-Mei , Wang Zhen , Yang Bao-Hua , Yuan Hong-Chun
Published: August 2022

The coherent photon-subtracted two-mode squeezed thermal states (CPS-TMSTS) are theoretically introduced by successively performing coherent photon subtraction operation on the two-mode squeezed thermal states (TMSTS). Based upon the normalization factor which is related to bivariate Hermite polynomials, the nonclassicality and non-Gaussianity are analyzed according to the Wigner function. It is shown that the coherent photon subtraction operation is an effective manner in generating nonclassicality and non-Gaussianity. Furthermore, the fidelity in teleporting coherent states using CPS-TMSTS as entangled resources is quantified both analytically and numerically. It is shown that the quantities of fidelity are clearly larger than that in the original TMSTS, and it can be further improved by modulating control parameters effectively. The CPS-TMSTS, as the ideal entangled resources with higher quantum teleportation fidelity, shall have potential applications in quantum optics tasks.
Decoding trajectories of imagined hand movement using electrocorticograms for brain–machine interface
Authors: Jang Sang Jin , Yang Yu Jin , Ryun Seokyun , Kim June Sic , Chung Chun Kee , Jeong Jaeseung
Published: August 2022

Objective. Reaching hand movement is an important motor skill actively examined in the brain–computer interface (BCI). Among the various components of movement analyzed is the hand’s trajectory, which describes the hand’s continuous positions in three-dimensional space. While a large body of studies have investigated the decoding of real movements and the reconstruction of real hand movement trajectories from neural signals, fewer studies have attempted to decode the trajectory of the imagined hand movement. To develop BCI systems for patients with hand motor dysfunctions, the systems essentially have to achieve movement-free control of external devices, which is only possible through successful decoding of purely imagined hand movement. Approach. To achieve this goal, this study used a machine learning technique (i.e. the variational Bayesian least square) to analyze the electrocorticogram (ECoG) of 18 epilepsy patients obtained from when they performed movement execution (ME) and kinesthetic movement imagination (KMI) of the reach-and-grasp hand action. Main results. The variational Bayesian decoding model was able to successfully predict the imagined trajectories of the hand movement significantly above the chance level. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient between the imagined and predicted trajectories was 0.3393 and 0.4936 for the KMI (KMI trials only) and MEKMI paradigm (alternating trials of ME and KMI), respectively. Significance. This study demonstrated a high accuracy of prediction for the trajectories of imagined hand movement, and more importantly, a higher decoding accuracy of the imagined trajectories in the MEKMI paradigm compared to the KMI paradigm solely.
Autism detection based on multiple time scale model
Authors: Qin Chi , Zhu Xiaofei , Ye Lin , Peng Li , Li Long , Wang Jue , Ma Jin , Liu Tian
Published: August 2022

Objective. Current autism clinical detection relies on doctor observation and filling of clinical scales, which is subjective and prone to misdetection. Existing autism research of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) over-compresses the time-scale information and has poor generalization ability. This study extracts multiple time scale brain features of fMRI, providing objective detection. Approach. We first use least absolute shrinkage and selection operator to build a sparse network and extract features with a time scale of 1. Then, we use hidden markov model to extract features that describe the dynamic changes of the brain, with a time scale of 2. Additionally, to analyze the features of the potential network activity of autism from a higher time scale, we use long short-term memory to construct an auto-encoder to re-encode the original data and extract the features at a higher time scale, with a time scale of T, and T is the time length of fMRI. We use recursive feature elimination for feature selection for three different time scale features, merge them into multiple time scale features, and finally use one-dimensional convolution neural network for classification. Main results. Compared with well-established models, our method has achieved better results. The accuracy of our method is 76.0%, and the area under the roc curve is 0.83, tested on completely independent data, so our method has better generalization ability. Significance. This research analyzes fMRI sequences from multiple time scale to detect autism, and it also provides a new framework and research ideas for subsequent fMRI analysis.
Influence of the chemical nature of the deposition solution on the formation of heterostructural BVO films
Authors: dos Santos W S , Carmo E J , Nascimento L L , Patrocínio A O T , Guerra J D S
Published: August 2022

In this study, three photoelectrodes with bismuth vanadate (BVO) and bismuth oxide (BO) films were deposited on an ITO coated glassy substrate using three different routes. Both photoelectrodes were photoactive when irradiated by light. Notably, the photoelectrode with the BVO–1/BVO–2/BO film showed improved photoelectrochemical performance compared to the BVO–1 and BVO–1/BVO–2 films, due to the synergies involved in the process of separation/transportation of the photogenerated charges. The results indicate the promising use of this material for the clean production of solar fuels.
Investigation on the activity distribution of positron products in PMMA target irradiated by carbon ion beam
Authors: Zhang Xiuling , Du Chengming , Kong Jie , Yan Junwei , Yang Herun , Pei Changxu , Li Haixia , Duan Limin , Li Haixia , Hu Zhengguo , Li Zhankui , Xu Hushan , Chen Jinda
Published: August 2022

In the heavy ion radiotherapy, the dose distribution is an important index to ensure the therapeutic effect. But it can not be directly measured during a treatment. Positron-emitting radionuclides (10
C, 11
C, and 15
O et al.) produced in the treatment process are deposited along the path and the end of the beam trajectory, so the positron activity distribution can be used to monitor the dose distribution of carbon ions. In this paper, we present results of measurements of positron activity distributions with a developed scanner system. Then the relationship between the activity distribution of positrons and the dose distribution of carbon ions is studied. The research shows that the activity distribution of positrons is quite similar to that of carbon ions in the direction of penetration depth. The activity peak position of positrons is smaller than the dose peak position of carbon ions, and this difference increases along with the increase of carbon ion beam energy. These experimental results are consistent with the GATE simulation results. It is found that the detector system can distinguish shift of peak position of 3 mm that corresponds change of a particle energy of 4 MeV/u. This indicates that the positron scanner system had been successfully developed for heavy ion therapy equipment.
A two-stage light-use efficiency model for improving gross primary production estimation in agroecosystems
Authors: Huang Lingxiao , Lin Xiaofeng , Jiang Shouzheng , Liu Meng , Jiang Yazhen , Li Zhao-Liang , Tang Ronglin
Published: August 2022

Accurate quantification of gross primary production (GPP) in agroecosystems not only improves our ability to understand the global carbon budget but also plays a critical role in human welfare and development. Light-use efficiency (LUE) models have been widely applied in estimating regional and global GPP due to their simple structure and clear physical basis. However, maximum LUE (

ε

max

), a key photosynthetic parameter in LUE models, has generally been treated as a constant, leading to common overestimation and underestimation of low and high magnitudes of GPP, respectively. Here, we propose a parsimonious and practical two-stage LUE (TS-LUE) model to improve GPP estimates by (a) considering seasonal variations of

ε

max

, and (b) separately re-parameterizing

ε

max

in the green-up and senescence stages. The TS-LUE model is inter-compared with state-of-the-art

ε

max

–static moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer-GPP, eddy-covariance-LUE, and vegetation production models. Validation results at 14 FLUXNET sites for five crop species showed that: (a) the TS-LUE model significantly reduced the large bias at high- and low-level GPP as produced by the three

ε

max

–static LUE models for all crop types; and (b) the TS-LUE model generated daily GPP estimates in good agreement with in-situ measurements and was found to outperform the three

ε

max

–static LUE models. Especially compared to the well-known moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer-GPP, the TS-LUE model could remarkably decrease the root mean square error (in gC m−2 d−1) by 24.2% and 35.4% (from 3.84 to 2.91 and 2.48) and could increase the coefficient of determination by 14.7% and 20% (from 0.75 to 0.86 and 0.9) when the leaf area index (LAI) and infrared reflectance of vegetation (NIRv) were used to re-parameterize the

ε

max

, respectively. The TS-LUE model provides a brand-new perspective on the re-parameterization of

ε

max

and indicates great potential for improving daily agroecosystem GPP estimates at a global scale.
Frontier metrics for a process-based understanding of deforestation dynamics
Authors: Baumann Matthias , Gasparri Ignacio , Buchadas Ana , Oeser Julian , Meyfroidt Patrick , Levers Christian , Romero-Muñoz Alfredo , le Polain de Waroux Yann , Müller Daniel , Kuemmerle Tobias
Published: August 2022

Agricultural expansion into tropical and subtropical forests often leads to major social-ecological trade-offs. Yet, despite ever-more detailed information on where deforestation occurs, how agriculture expands into forests remains unclear, which is hampered by a lack of spatially and temporally detailed reconstruction of agricultural expansion. Here, we developed and mapped a novel set of metrics that quantify agricultural frontier processes at unprecedented spatial and temporal detail. Specifically, we first derived consistent annual time series of land-use/cover to, second, describe archetypical patterns of frontier expansion, pertaining to the speed, the diffusion and activity of deforestation, as well as post-deforestation land use. We exemplify this approach for understanding agricultural frontier expansion across the entire South American Chaco (1.1 million km2), a global deforestation hotspot. Our study provides three major insights. First, agricultural expansion has been rampant in the Chaco, with more than 19.3 million ha of woodlands converted between 1985 and 2020, including a surge in deforestation after 2019. Second, land-use trajectories connected to frontier processes have changed in major ways over the 35 year study period we studied, including substantial regional variations. For instance, while ranching expansion drove most of the deforestation in the 1980s and 1990s, cropland expansion dominated during the mid-2000s in Argentina, but not in Paraguay. Similarly, 40% of all areas deforested were initially used for ranching, but later on converted to cropping. Accounting for post-deforestation land-use change is thus needed to properly attribute deforestation and associated environmental impacts, such as carbon emissions or biodiversity loss, to commodities. Finally, we identified major, recurrent frontier types that may be a useful spatial template for land governance to match policies to specific frontier situations. Collectively, our study reveals the diversity of frontier processes and how frontier metrics can capture and structure this diversity to uncover major patterns of human–nature interactions, which can be used to guide spatially-targeted policies.
Conditional probability framework for entanglement and its decoupling from tensor product structure
Authors: Basieva Irina , Khrennikov Andrei
Published: August 2022

Our aim is to make a step toward clarification of foundations for the notion of entanglement (both physical and mathematical) by representing it in the conditional probability framework. In Schrödinger’s words, this is entanglement of knowledge which can be extracted via conditional measurements. In particular, quantum probabilities are interpreted as conditional ones (as, e.g., by Ballentine). We restrict considerations to perfect conditional correlations (PCC) induced by measurements (‘EPR entanglement’). Such entanglement is coupled to the pairs of observables with the projection type state update as the back action of measurement. In this way, we determine a special class of entangled states. One of our aims is to decouple the notion of entanglement from the compound systems. The rigid association of entanglement with the state of a few body systems stimulated its linking with quantum nonlocality (‘spooky action at a distance’). However, already by Schrödinger entanglement was presented as knotting of knowledge (about statistics) for one observable A with knowledge about another observable B.