bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regional Potential Analysis Based on Agricultural Commodities of Food Crops and Their Contribution to the Economy in the Karangsambung-Karangbolong Geopark Area, Indonesia: A Location Quotient Approach
Authors: Harini Rika , Ariani Rina Dwi , Susilo Bowo , Pangaribowo Evita Hanie
Published: November 2021

The Karangsambung-Karangbolong Geopark Area is located in Kebumen, one of the districts with the highest poverty rate in the Province of Jawa Tengah, Indonesia. A regional economy can be improved by optimizing existing potentials in the agricultural sector, especially food-crop commodities. This research set out to determine 1) the basic or leading food crops per sub-district, (2) the relatively potential food crops to maintain, and 3) the rating of the carrying capacity of facilities in maintaining relatively potential commodities. This research used secondary data from the BPS-Statistics Indonesia, such as food-crop commodity production and infrastructure conditions. It employed the Location Quotient (LQ) method, the LQ’s strength criteria analysis and scalogram. The analysis results showed that each sub-district has distinct basic commodities, but rice, cassava and sweet potatoes were the best potential commodities to develop. The Karangsambung-Karangbolong Geopark Area is equipped with facilities and infrastructure with fairly good to good carrying capacities supporting the development of the three commodities.
Ye’elimite synthesis by chemical routes and role of iron
Authors: Abir Fatima-Zahra , Mesnaoui Mohamed , Abouliatim Younes , Nibou Lhbib , El Hafiane Youssef , Smith Agnès
Published: November 2021

The cement industry has been taking significant steps for years to reduce its carbon footprint by opting for alternative less polluting materials such as sulfo-aluminous cements (CSA). These binders, compared to ordinary Portland cements (OPC), have two advantages: reduction of the CO2 emissions and energy saving because the sintering temperature of CSA cements is much lower than ordinary cement (Portland). The aim of this work is to study the effect of iron oxide on the formation of the ye'elimite phase, which represents the main phase of (CSA).This study details the protocol for the chemical synthesis of ye’elimite containing increasing amounts of iron (general formula: Ca4Al(6-2x)Fe2xSO16 with x = 0.00 to 1.13). The maximum ye’elimite content is reached at a sintering temperature of 1250°C. The presence of iron promotes the formation of cubic ye'elimite at the expense of the orthorhombic phase. The total incorporation of iron in ye’elimite structure is possible when x < 0.12. Beyond this content, the ferritic phase (CaO)2(Al2O3,Fe2O3) appears as a minor phase and its quantity becomes more important with the increase of the percentage of iron introduced in the synthesis. Finally, the electron microscopy allows to observe nanometric grains assembled in larger aggregates.
Un « volume » incertain : géologie politique de l’exploration du gaz de charbon en Lorraine (France)
Authors: Labussière Olivier
Published: November 2021

Cet article suit les prospections de gaz de charbon entreprises par une compagnie junior australienne, Kimberley Oil, dans le Bassin lorrain entre 2000 et 2015. Cette compagnie procède par forages horizontaux dans des couches de charbon naturellement fracturées. Ces développements visent à produire du gaz en France et à réduire les émissions de CO2 liées aux importations gazières. L’article s’inscrit dans le champ de la géologie politique. Il mobilise la notion de « strate » développée par Nigel Clark pour porter un propos de sciences sociales sur les processus de recomposition des sous-sols en contexte de transition. Il étudie l’émergence d’une nouvelle strate (gazière) en tenant compte de l’ensemble des relations qui la constituent et qui sont opérées dans l’incertaine matérialité d’un volume. À travers l’étude de ces relations, il contribue à éclairer la formation de nouvelles segmentations autant géologiques que sociales, et interroge le contenu politique de cette promesse de transition.
La supraconductivité à haute température dans les oxydes de cuivre : où en est-on ?
Authors: Sacuto Alain , Galais Yann , Cazayous Maximilien , Houver Sarah
Published: November 2021

La supraconductivité est un phénomène quantique fascinant, car les effets qu’elle produit sont visibles à l’œil nu. Bien comprise dans les métaux standard (plomb, aluminium, étain...), elle reste largement incomprise dans certains oxydes de cuivre, appelés cuprates.

Cette énigme en cache une autre, celle de la phase « métallique » des cuprates, de laquelle surgit la supraconductivité. Cette phase « métallique » est étonnamment complexe. Elle héberge plusieurs ordres électroniques qui sont interconnectés. À quel type de connections sommes-nous confrontés ? Quels rôles peuvent jouer ces ordres dans l’émergence de la supraconductivité à haute température critique ? Ces questions interpellent les physiciens, car elles annoncent une nouvelle ère de la physique des matériaux, où les ordres de la matière s’entremêlent.

Cet article est divisé en deux parties. La première est une introduction générale à la physique des cuprates, et la seconde est une étude avancée sur les ordres électroniques qui s’y développent en fonction de l’évolution de la topologie de la surface de Fermi.
Starlink : dommages collatéraux de la flotte de satellites d’Elon Musk
Authors: Lehoucq Roland , Graner François
Published: November 2021

Derrière le clinquant des annonces médiatiques, la flotte de satellites Starlink soulève de multiples interrogations. Petit tour d’horizon d’aspects liés à l’astronomie, la navigation dans l’espace, les télécommunications, l’environnement, mais aussi l’économie et les traités internationaux.
Does Smoking and Alcohol Increase the Risk of COVID-19? A Review
Authors: Mahajan Ankit , Singh Ujwal , Kumar Pankaj
Published: November 2021

The first case of pneumonia of unknown origin was identified in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province situated in the Republic of China. The pathogenic organism that has been identified as a causative organism is a novel enveloped RNA betacoronavirus, which has been designated as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus has been found to have a similar phylogeny to SARS-CoV. The novel coronavirus or COVID-19 can be symptomized through clinical manifestations like pyrexia or fever, cough, dyspnea/difficulty in breathing, myalgia/muscle pain, and constant fatigue. COVID-19 can be transmitted through respiratory tract secretions. It mainly results in respiratory tract infections and the development of severe pneumonia in infected patients. Severe disease may ultimately cause death due to progressive respiratory failure. The coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 has been declared a public health emergency of international proportions by the World Health Organization (WHO). Thus, an analysis of cases might help in the identification of the disease's defining clinical characteristics, association with underlying lifestyle habits, and disease severity. This present article studied the probability of smoking and alcohol consumption in increasing the risk involved in increasing the severity of COVID-19 infection among affected subjects.
Asymptotically periodic quasilinear Schrödinger equations with critical exponential growth
Authors: Severo Uberlandio B. , Germano Diogo de S.
Published: November 2021

In this work, we study the existence of a positive solution for a class of quasilinear Schrödinger equations involving a potential that behaves like a periodic function at infinity and the nonlinear term may exhibit critical exponential growth. In order to prove our main result, we combine minimax methods with a version of the Trudinger–Moser inequality. These equations appear naturally in mathematical physics and have been derived as models of several physical phenomena.
Modeling the public health impact of e-cigarettes on adolescents and adults
Authors: Wagner Lucia M. , Clifton Sara M.
Published: November 2021

Since the introduction of electronic cigarettes to the U.S. market in 2007, vaping prevalence has surged in both adult and adolescent populations. E-cigarettes are advertised as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes and as a method of smoking cessation, but the U.S. government and health professionals are concerned that e-cigarettes attract young non-smokers. Here, we develop and analyze a dynamical systems model of competition between traditional and electronic cigarettes for users. With this model, we predict the change in smoking prevalence due to the introduction of vaping, and we determine the conditions under which e-cigarettes present a net public health benefit or harm to society.
Symmetric projection attractor reconstruction: Embedding in higher dimensions
Authors: Lyle J. V. , Aston P. J.
Published: November 2021

Symmetric Projection Attractor Reconstruction (SPAR) provides an intuitive visualization and simple quantification of the morphology and variability of approximately periodic signals. The original method takes a three-dimensional delay coordinate embedding of a signal and subsequently projects this phase space reconstruction to a two-dimensional image with threefold symmetry, providing a bounded visualization of the waveform. We present an extension of the original work to apply delay coordinate embedding in any dimension N≥3 while still deriving a two-dimensional output with some rotational symmetry property that provides a meaningful visualization of the higher dimensional attractor. A generalized result is developed for taking N≥3 delay coordinates from a continuous periodic signal, where we determine invariant subspaces of the phase space that provide a two-dimensional projection with the required rotational symmetry. The result in each subspace is shown to be equivalent to following each pair of coefficients of the trigonometric interpolating polynomial of N evenly spaced points as the signal is translated horizontally. Bounds on the mean and the frequency response of our new coordinates are derived. We demonstrate how this aids our understanding of the attractor properties and its relationship to the underlying waveform. Our generalized result is then extended to real, approximately periodic signals, where we demonstrate that the higher dimensional SPAR method provides information on subtle changes in different parts of the waveform morphology.
Numerical investigation of aerospike semi-cone angle and a small bump on the spike stem in reducing the aerodynamic drag and heating of spiked blunt-body: New correlations for drag and surface temperature
Authors: Tekure Veeresh , Pophali Pratik Shrikant , Venkatasubbaiah K.
Published: November 2021

Aerodynamic drag and heat reduction effectivity of the aerospike attached to the blunt-body at various aerospike semi-cone angles (θS), lateral injection from the aerospike stem, and a small bump on the aerospike stem, at different Mach number is numerically investigated. An open-source computational fluid dynamics code, i.e., rhoCentralFoam, a density-based solver in OpenFOAM is employed to solve the governing equations of supersonic turbulent flow. Menter's two-equation turbulence model, i.e., k−ω shear stress transport model is employed for turbulence modeling. A significant reduction in the total drag force (TDf) on the blunt-body is observed with the increase in aerospike θS at a fixed spike length (L)/blunt-body diameter (D) ratio for Mach 2 and 5. With the increase in θS>15° for L/D = 1 and θS>10° for L/D = 2, a significant decrease in the magnitude of coefficient of pressure is observed for Mach 5. Results show a maximum percentage reduction of 23.611% and 61.414% in TDf at L/D = 2 and θS=45° for Mach 2 and 5, respectively. Correlations are developed for the estimation of total drag force on the blunt-body and average surface temperature of the nose at Mach 2 and 5. Lateral injection substantially improves the aerodynamic heat reduction capability of the aerospike owing to the rapid expansion of the injectant in the main flow. An alternate passive technique (a small bump on the spike stem) capable of producing higher aerodynamic drag reduction compared to the active technique (i.e., lateral injection) is proposed. The small bump on the spike facilitates an early initiation of boundary layer separation and leads to the formation of a large recirculation zone ahead of the nose. Results indicate a higher reduction in aerodynamic drag with the increase in bump height (HB) compared to lateral and no injection at Mach 2 and 5. Present results have been validated with the experimental results available in the literature.
Corner stall control in linear compressor cascade by blended blade and endwall technique based on large eddy simulation
Authors: Zhu Huiling , Zhou Ling , Meng Tongtong , Ji Lucheng
Published: November 2021

Under the influence of a strong adverse pressure gradient, secondary flow, and other factors, compressor cascades are prone to corner separation and even to corner stall, which seriously affects aerodynamic performance. In this paper, large eddy simulation is used to investigate the effects and mechanisms of corner stall controlled by the blended blade and end wall (BBEW) technique. Based on this technique, three BBEW control schemes with different chord-direction positions of the maximum BBEW width are designed for the suction side root of a modified NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) 65 blade. The influence of the chord-direction position of the maximum BBEW width on control corner stall and the differences of physical mechanisms are deeply explored. The numerical results show that the BBEW technique can improve the flow field structure and aerodynamic performance of a compressor cascade under corner stall conditions to a certain extent. When the maximum BBEW width is located near the leading edge, it provides the most significant reduction in the spanwise height of corner separation and effectively weakens the intersection of boundary layers, so that the boundary layer losses are reduced by 6.27%, and the overall performance is improved. These effects can be attributed to the axial and spanwise forces generated near the maximum BBEW width, with the former increasing the kinetic energy of the surrounding fluid, while the latter transports low-energy fluid upward to reduce accumulation on the end wall. In addition, the increased dihedral angle weakens the intersection of boundary layers and restrains the development of the corner vortex, which is also one of the underlying physical mechanisms. When the maximum BBEW width is located in the middle of the chord, it most effectively delays the corner stall. When it is located near the trailing edge, it is most effective at controlling the development of corner separation, reducing the accumulation of low-energy fluid in the three-dimensional corner region, and reducing corner separation losses by 4.73%. The effect of the increased dihedral angle in weakening the intersection of boundary layers and the corner vortex is the main reason why these two design schemes can improve the aerodynamic performance of the compressor cascade.
Chemical short-range order in body-centered-cubic TiZrHfNb high-entropy alloys
Authors: Zhang Bozhao , Ding Jun , Ma En
Published: November 2021

We have carried out detailed density functional theory-based Monte Carlo simulations to explore the characteristic chemical short-range order (CSRO) in TiZrHfNb, which is a representative body-centered-cubic refractory high-entropy alloy (HEA). The salient feature observed is the preference for Ti-Zr and Nb-Hf nearest-neighbor environments, which also explains the distribution pattern of O interstitials toward the formation of (Ti,Zr,O)-enriched ordered complexes. We also report certain small but noticeable changes in key material parameters due to the presence of CSROs, including elastic moduli, misfit volume, and predicted yield strength, which offer useful structure–property information for improving the design of highly concentrated HEA solid solutions.
In-plane plasmon coupling in topological insulator Bi2Se3 thin films
Authors: Nasir Saadia , Wang Zhengtianye , Mambakkam Sivakumar V. , Law Stephanie
Published: November 2021

The surface states of the 3D topological insulator (TI), Bi2Se3, are known to host two-dimensional Dirac plasmon polaritons (DPPs) in the terahertz spectral range. In TI thin films, the DPPs excited on the top and bottom surfaces couple, leading to an acoustic mode and an optical plasmon mode. Vertical coupling in these materials is, therefore, reasonably well-understood, but in-plane coupling among localized TI DPPs has yet to be investigated. In this paper, we demonstrate in-plane DPP coupling in TI stripe arrays and show that they exhibit dipole–dipole type coupling. The coupling becomes negligible when the lattice constant is greater than approximately 2.8 times the stripe width, which is comparable to results for in-plane coupling of localized plasmons excited on metallic nanoparticles or graphene plasmon polaritons. This understanding could be leveraged for the creation of TI-based metasurfaces.
Spectral method for time-strain separable integral constitutive models in oscillatory shear
Authors: Shanbhag Sachin , Mittal Shivangi , Joshi Yogesh M.
Published: November 2021

The time-strain separable Kaye–Bernstein–Kearsley–Zappas model (tssKBKZM) is a popular integral constitutive equation that is used to model the nonlinear response of time-strain separable materials using only their linear viscoelastic properties and damping function. In oscillatory shear, numerical evaluation of tssKBKZM is complicated by the infinite domain of integration, and the oscillatory nature of the integrand. To avoid these problems, a spectrally accurate method is proposed. It approximates the oscillatory portion of the integrand using a discrete Fourier series, which enables analytical evaluation of the resulting integrals for the Maxwell model. The spectral method is generalized for arbitrary discrete and continuous relaxation spectra. Upper bounds for quadrature error, which can often be driven to machine precision, are presented. The Doi–Edwards model with independent-alignment approximation (DE-IA) is a special case of tssKBKZM; for DE-IA, the spectral method is compared with trapezoidal rule to highlight its accuracy and efficiency. The superiority of the proposed method is particularly evident at large strain amplitude and frequency. For continuous relaxation spectra, the spectral method transforms the double integral corresponding to the tssKBKZM to a single integral. Solutions computed to a specified level of accuracy using standard numerical libraries show that the spectral method is typically two to three orders of magnitude faster. Extensions to fractional rheological models, materials with nonzero equilibrium modulus, stretched exponential models, etc., are also discussed.
Impact-induced hole growth and liquid film dewetting on superhydrophobic surfaces
Authors: Ni Zhongyuan , Chu Fuqiang , Li Shaokang , Luo Jia , Wen Dongsheng
Published: November 2021

Wetting and dewetting phenomena occur widely in the fields of coating, anti-icing, and microfluidics. While liquid wetting via hole collapse has been intensively researched, liquid film dewetting, especially that induced by hole growth, has rarely been studied. This paper describes a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of metastable liquid film dewetting on superhydrophobic surfaces induced by dry hole growth. Experiments show that dry holes can form upon droplet impact, and these holes mainly exhibit growth, stability, or collapse depending on their initial size. Only the growth behavior can induce liquid film dewetting. Theoretical analysis further clarifies that the hole behavior is a result of competition between the capillary force and hydrostatic pressure, and the scale of the dewetting area is controlled by the Young–Laplace equation and affected by the shape of the superhydrophobic surface. The quantitative relationship between the dewetting velocity and the liquid film thickness is also established. These results deepen our understanding of liquid film dewetting on superhydrophobic surfaces and present fresh insights into related engineering applications.
Tunable magnonic cavity analogous to Fabry–Pérot interferometer
Authors: Hong Ik-Sun , Kim Se Kwon , Lee Kyung-Jin , Go Gyungchoon
Published: November 2021

In optics, the Fabry–Pérot interferometer is a basic building block, enabling a selection of light with a specific wavelength. We theoretically propose a magnonic version of the Fabry–Pérot interferometer based on two magnetic domain walls. By exploiting the interaction of a domain wall and spin waves, in particular, the phenomenon that a sufficiently narrow domain wall serves as an effective mirror for spin waves as it reflects spin wave almost completely, a magnonic interferometer is contrived by using two parallel domain walls. It allows tunability of the magnon wavelength passing through the interferometer by changing the distance between two domain walls. Our result offers a way to improve the ability of magnonic information processing in a simple magnetic structure.
Analytical pitfalls when using inhibitors in specific nitrification assays
Authors: Humbert Guillaume , Sebilo Mathieu , Chorin Marion , Vaury Véronique , Laverman Anniet M.
Published: November 2021

Environmental context Specific inhibitors of biological reactions in the nitrogen cycle can be used to determine the origin of reactive nitrogen species; these nitrogen species potentially degrade water quality or influence climate. However, inhibitors can potentially interfere with methods for the analysis of stable isotope ratios and concentrations of ammonium, nitrite and nitrate. The effect of this interference on several commonly used methods was investigated. These findings should help avoid the use of inappropriate analytical methods and improve data quality in studies of the nitrogen cycle. Abstract Characterisation of the reaction steps involved in nitrification can help determine the processes that produce potentially harmful environmental pollutants such as nitrite, nitrate and nitrous oxide (N2O). The use of nitrification inhibitors can uncouple the reactions and therefore assist in their mechanistic and isotopic characterisation. However, nitrification inhibitors can interfere with the methods for determining the concentrations and stable isotope ratios of ammonium, nitrite and nitrate. The interference of allylthiourea, hydrazine or sodium chlorate in colorimetric methods and stable isotope measurements were assessed. Ammonium concentrations were measured with the salicylate method. Nitrite and nitrate were measured with the Griess reaction, with nitrate first being reduced to nitrite with vanadium (III) chloride. For the stable isotope analysis, nitrite was reduced to N2O in a 1 : 1 sodium azide and acetic acid buffer solution; preceded, when necessary, by ammonium oxidation to nitrite by hypobromite or nitrate reduction to nitrite on an activated cadmium column. Sodium chlorate did not interfere with any of the analyses and none of the inhibitors interfered with the stable isotope ratios determination of nitrate. Allylthiourea interfered with ammonium and nitrate quantification. Both allylthiourea and hydrazine also clearly interfered in the determination of the nitrogen stable isotope ratio of ammonium, while only allylthiourea interfered in the determination of nitrogen and oxygen stable isotope ratios of nitrite. Although we suggest methods to overcome some of these interferences, our study demonstrated that the analytical methods used in combination with allylthiourea or hydrazine as nitrification inhibitors should be considered with caution when designing experiments.
Effect of uncompensable heat from the wildland firefighter helmet
Authors: Gurney Shae C. , Christison Katherine S. , Stenersen Tyler , Dumke Charles L.
Published: November 2021

Heat accumulation from wearing personal protective equipment can result in the development of heat-related illnesses. This study aimed to investigate factors of heat stress with and without a US standard issue wildland firefighter helmet. Ten male subjects finished a 90-min exercise protocol in a heat chamber (35°C and 30% relative humidity), with standard issue meta-aramid shirt and pants and a cotton t-shirt, and either with or without a wildland firefighter helmet. A randomised crossover design was implemented, with a minimum 2-week washout period. Heart rate, physiologic strain index, perceived head heat, head heat and skin blood flow of the head and neck were measured. At the conclusion of the 90-min trial, heart rate, physiological strain index, core temperature, rating of perceived exertion and perceived head heat showed a main effect of time (P < 0.05). Perceived head heat and head heat exhibited a main effect of trial (P < 0.05). The change in physiologic strain was positively correlated with the change in skin blood flow of the head (r = 0.72, P = 0.02). These data suggest that the current wildland firefighter helmet contributes to heat accumulation. The design of the wildland firefighter helmet lacks ventilation, which, from these data, may result in metabolic alterations and perceived discomfort.
A SUMOylation wave to anchor the genome
Authors: Marston Adele L.
Published: November 2021

Chromatin tethers to the nuclear envelope are lost during mitosis to facilitate chromosome segregation. How these connections are reestablished to ensure functional genome organization in interphase is unclear. Ptak et al. (2021. J. Cell Biol.https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202103036) identify a phosphorylation and SUMOylation-dependent cascade that links chromatin to the nuclear membrane during late mitosis.
Transparent graphene electrodes based hybrid perovskites photodetectors with broad spectral response from UV–visible to near-infrared
Authors: Lin Guoming , Lin Yuanwei , Sun Baoyun
Published: November 2021

A new class of transparent graphene electrode based organic–inorganic halide perovskite photodetectors with broad spectral response is developed. These ultrasensitive devices exhibit high ON/OFF current ratio, high linear dynamic range, broad spectral range, excellent detection for weak light and easy fabrication with low-cost. Their semi-transparent feature and distinct photodetecting function for both sides would provide new applications affecting our daily lives.
Crystallization and mechanical behavior of semi-crystalline polyethylene
Authors: Yan Z , Zaoui A , Zaïri F
Published: November 2021

Molecular dynamics simulations are employed to study the crystallinity and mechanical properties of multi-chain polyethylene systems. Results show that structural composition (length and number of chains) and temperature lead to different crystallinity, which are obtained by using two general measurement methods, namely chain orientation and global order. The semi-crystalline polyethylene systems are deformed under various mechanical loading modes and at different temperatures representing different polymer states. The stretching temperature and structural composition have a strong influence on the mechanical properties, including elastic modulus, yield stress and inelastic mechanisms. The orientation crystallization caused by the heat treatment stage induces a significant directional effect on the different parts of the large-strain stress-strain response. Besides, the competition of the two main inelastic deformation mechanisms, namely shear yielding and cavitation damage, are revealed during the course of stretching.
Influences of Marangoni convection and variable magnetic field on hybrid nanofluid thin-film flow past a stretching surface
Authors: Khan Noor Wali , Khan Arshad , Usman Muhammad , Gul Taza , Mouldi Abir , Brahmia Ameni
Published: November 2021

Investigations on thin-film flow play a vital role in the field of optoelectronics and magnetic devices. Thin films are reasonably hard and thermally stable but quite fragile. The thermal stability of a thin film can be further improved by incorporating the effects of nanoparticles. In the current work, a stretchable surface is considered upon which hybrid nanofluid thin-film flow is taken into account. The idea of augmenting heat transmission by making use of a hybrid nanofluid is a focus of the current work. The flow is affected by variations in the viscous forces, along with viscous dissipation effects and Marangoni convection. A time-constrained magnetic field is applied in the normal direction to the flow system. The equations governing the flow system are shifted to a non-dimensional form by applying similarity variables. The homotopy analysis method is employed to find the solution to the resultant equations. It is noticed in this study that the flow characteristics decline with augmentation of magnetic, viscosity and unsteadiness parameters while they increase with enhanced values of thin-film parameters. Thermal characteristics are supported by increasing values of the Eckert number and the unsteadiness parameter and opposed by the viscosity parameter and Prandtl number. The numerical impact of different emerging parameters upon skin friction and the Nusselt number is calculated in tabular form. A comparison of current work with established results is carried out, with good agreement.
Theoretical design of thermal spin molecular logic gates by using a combinational molecular junction
Authors: Guo Yi , Zhao Peng , Chen Gang
Published: November 2021

Based on the density functional theory combined with the nonequilibrium Green function methodology, we have studied the thermally-driven spin-dependent transport properties of a combinational molecular junction consisting of a planar four-coordinate Fe molecule and a 15,16-dinitrile dihydropyrene/cyclophanediene molecule, with single-walled carbon nanotube bridge and electrode. Our results show that the magnetic field and light can effectively regulate the thermally-driven spin-dependent currents. Perfect thermal spin-filtering effect and good thermal switching effect are realized. The results are explained by the Fermi–Dirac distribution function, the spin-resolved transmission spectra, the spatial distribution of molecular projected self-consistent Hamiltonian orbitals, and the spin-resolved current spectra. On the basis of these thermally-driven spin-dependent transport properties, we have further designed three basic thermal spin molecular AND, OR, and NOT gates.
Design of a polarization splitter for an ultra-broadband dual-core photonic crystal fiber
Authors: Li Yongtao , Deng Jiesong , Yang Zhen , Zou Hui , Ma Yuzhou
Published: November 2021

A novel ultra-broadband polarization splitter based on a dual-core photonic crystal fiber (DC-PCF) is designed. The full-vector finite element method and coupled-mode theory are employed to investigate the characteristics of the polarization splitter. According to the numerical results, a graphene-filled layer not only broadens the working bandwidth but also reduces the size of the polarization splitter. Furthermore, the fluorine-doped region and the germanium-doped region can broaden the bandwidth. Also, the 4.78 mm long polarization splitter can achieve an extinction ratio of –98.6 dB at a wavelength of 1550 nm. When extinction ratio is less than –20 dB, the range of the wavelength is 1027 nm–1723 nm with a bandwidth of 696 nm. Overall, the polarization splitter can be applied to all-optical network communication systems in the infrared and near-infrared wavelength range.
A backward Monte Carlo method for fast-ion-loss simulations
Authors: Zonta Filippo , Sanchis Lucia , Hirvijoki Eero , the ASDEX Upgrade Team
Published: November 2021

This paper presents a novel scheme to improve the statistics of simulated fast-ion loss signals and power loads to plasma-facing components in fusion devices. With the so-called backward Monte Carlo method, the probabilities of marker particles reaching a chosen target surface can be approximately traced from the target back into the plasma. Utilizing the probabilities as a priori information for the well-established Forward Monte Carlo method, statistics in fast-ion simulations are significantly improved. For testing purposes, the scheme has been implemented to the ASCOT suite of codes and applied to a realistic ASDEX upgrade configuration of beam-ion distributions
Greater loss and fragmentation of savannas than forests over the last three decades in Yunnan Province, China
Authors: Lapuz R Sedricke , Jaojoco Angelica Kristina M , Reyes Sheryl Rose C , De Alban Jose Don T , Tomlinson Kyle W
Published: November 2021

Yunnan Province, southwest China, has a monsoonal climate suitable for a mix of fire-driven savannas and fire-averse forests as alternate stable states, and has vast areas with savanna physiognomy. Presently, savannas are only formally recognised in the dry valleys of the region, and a no-fire policy has been enforced nationwide since the 1980s. Misidentification of savannas as forests may have contributed to their low protection level and fire-suppression may be contributing to vegetation change towards forest states through woody encroachment. Here, we present an analysis of vegetation and land-use change in Yunnan for years 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2016 by classifying Landsat imagery using a hybrid of unsupervised and supervised classification. We assessed how much savanna area had changed over the 3 decades (area loss, fragmentation), and of this how much was due to direct human intervention versus vegetation transition. We also assessed how climate (mean annual temperature, aridity), landscape accessibility (slope, distance to roads), and fire had altered transition rates. Our classification yielded accuracy values of 77.89%, 82.16%, 94.93%, and 86.84% for our four maps, respectively. In 1986, savannas had the greatest area of any vegetation type in Yunnan at 40.30%, whereas forest cover was 30.78%. Savanna coverage declined across the decades mainly due to a drop in open parkland savannas, while forest cover remained stable. Savannas experienced greater fragmentation than forests. Savannas suffered direct loss of coverage to human uses and to woody encroachment. Savannas in more humid environments switched to denser vegetation at a higher rate. Fire slowed the rate of conversion away from savanna states and promoted conversion towards them. We identified remaining savannas in Yunnan that can be considered when drafting future protected areas. Our results can inform more inclusive policy-making that considers Yunnan’s forests and savannas as distinct vegetation types with different management needs.
Weak upstream westerly wind attracts western North Pacific typhoon tracks to west
Authors: Son Jun-Hyeok , Kwon Jae-Il , Heo Ki-Young
Published: November 2021

The steering flow of the large-scale circulation patterns over the western North Pacific and North East Asia, constrains typhoon tracks. Westerly winds impinging on the Tibetan Plateau, and the resulting flow uplift along the slope of the mountain, induce atmospheric vortex flow and generate stationary barotropic Rossby waves downstream. The downstream Rossby wave zonal phase is determined by the upstream zonal wind speed impinging on the Tibetan Plateau. Negative anomaly of westerly wind forcing tends to induce a westward shift of the large-scale Rossby wave circulation pattern, forming an anti-cyclonic circulation anomaly over North East Asia. In this study, we show that the Tibetan Plateau dynamically impacts the tracks of western Pacific typhoons via modulation of downstream Rossby waves. Using the topographically forced stationary Rossby wave theory, the dynamical mechanisms for the formation of the North East Asian anti-cyclonic anomaly and its impact on the typhoon tracks are analyzed. The westward shift of typhoon tracks caused by the southeasterly wind anomaly, or track density increase over the western flank of the North East Asian anti-cyclonic circulation anomaly is robust in June, August and September, but it is not statistically significant in July. The physical understanding of the large-scale circulation pattern affecting typhoon trajectories has large implications not only at the seasonal prediction of the high impact weather phenomena, but also at the right understanding of the long-term climate change.
Estimated climate impact of replacing agriculture as the primary food production system
Authors: MacDougall Andrew H , Rogelj Joeri , Withey Patrick
Published: November 2021

Global agriculture is the second largest contributor to anthropogenic climate change after the burning of fossil fuels. However the potential to mitigate the agricultural climate change contribution is limited and must account for the imperative to supply food for the global population. Advances in microbial biomass cultivation technology have recently opened a pathway to growing substantial amounts of food for humans or livestock on a small fraction of the land presently used for agriculture. Here we investigate the potential climate change impacts of the end of agriculture as the primary human food production system. We find that replacing agricultural primary production with electrically powered microbial primary production before a low-carbon energy transition has been completed could redirect renewable energy away from replacing fossil fuels, potentially leading to higher total CO2 emissions. If deployed after a transition to renewable energy, the technology could alleviate agriculturally driven climate change. These diverging pathways originate from the reversibility of agricultural driven global warming and the irreversibility of fossil-fuel CO2 driven warming. The range of reduced warming from the replacement of agriculture ranges from −0.22 (−0.29 to −0.04) ∘C for shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP)1 −1.9 to −0.85 (−0.99 to −0.39) ∘C for SSP4-6.0. For limited temperature target overshoot scenarios, replacement of agriculture could eliminate or reduce the need for active atmospheric CO2 removal to achieve the necessary peak and decline in global warming.
Relativistic Langevin equation derived from a particle-bath Lagrangian
Authors: Petrosyan Aleksandr , Zaccone Alessio
Published: November 2021

We show how a relativistic Langevin equation can be derived from a Lorentz-covariant version of the Caldeira–Leggett particle-bath Lagrangian. In one of its limits, we identify the obtained equation with the Langevin equation used in contemporary extensions of statistical mechanics to the near-light-speed motion of a tagged particle in non-relativistic dissipative fluids. The proposed framework provides a more rigorous and first-principles form of the weakly-relativistic and partially-relativistic Langevin equations often quoted or postulated as ansatz in previous works. We then refine the aforementioned results to obtain a generalized Langevin equation valid for the case of both fully-relativistic particle and bath, using an analytical approximation obtained from numerics where the Fourier modes of the bath are systematically replaced with covariant plane-wave forms with a length-scale relativistic correction that depends on the space-time trajectory in a parabolic way. A new relativistic force term appears in this fully-relativistic limit, which has been derived here for the first time. We discuss the implications of the apparent breaking of space-time translation and parity invariance, showing that these effects are not necessarily in contradiction with the assumptions of statistical mechanics. The intrinsically non-Markovian character of the fully relativistic generalised Langevin equation derived here, and of the associated fluctuation–dissipation theorem, is also discussed.
Phylogeographical patterns based on trnH-psbA plastid DNA shed light on evolution within Waldsteinia (Rosaceae)
Authors: Protopopova M V , Pavlichenko V V , Stepanov N V
Published: November 2021

WaldsteiniaWilld. is a small herbaceous genus presumably of Neogene age and formerly wide-distributed around the Northern Hemisphere and now presents the remnants of the tertiary flora. According to the latest taxonomic revision,Waldsteiniais considered a group nested inGeumL. A comparatively low level of morphological divergence together with fuzzy ploidy patterns withinWaldsteiniacould not be reliable evidence to establish the former distributions and migration pathways of species. In the present study, using plastid DNA (trnH-psbA) data we tried to throw light onWaldsteiniahistory. Based on our data we believe that the taxonomic decision of nestingWaldsteiniainGeumdoes not reflect the complex structure of the obtained clade. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the objectivity of previous divisionWaldsteiniaon two subgenera,WaldsteiniaandComaropsis(Rich. ex Nestl.) Teppner, which was based on morphological differences, is becoming controversial. We also suggest an East Asian origin ofWaldsteiniaand subsequent speciation and taxa distribution in the direction of Europe and North America.W. ternates.l. (traditionally includingW. maximowicziana,W. ternata, andW. trifolia) is appeared to be a polyphyletic group and at leastW. maximowiczianashould be considered a distinct species.
Transcendental Julia sets with fractional packing dimension
Authors: Burkart Jack
Published: November 2021

We construct transcendental entire functions whose Julia sets have packing dimension in

(
1
,
2
)

(1,2)

. These are the first examples where the computed packing dimension is not

1
1

or

2
2

. Our analysis will allow us further show that the set of packing dimensions attained is dense in the interval

(
1
,
2
)

(1,2)

, and that the Hausdorff dimension of the Julia sets can be made arbitrarily close to the corresponding packing dimension.
An urn model for the Jacobi-Piñeiro polynomials
Authors: Grünbaum F. , de la Iglesia Manuel
Published: November 2021

The list of physically motivated urn models that can be solved in terms of classical orthogonal polynomials is very small. It includes a model proposed by D. Bernoulli and further analyzed by S. Laplace and a model proposed by P. and T. Ehrenfest and eventually connected with the Krawtchouk and Hahn polynomials. This connection was reversed recently in the case of the Jacobi polynomials where a rather contrived, and later a simpler urn model was proposed. Here we consider an urn model going with the Jacobi-Piñeiro multiple orthogonal polynomials. These polynomials have recently been put forth in connection with a stochastic matrix.
High-Throughput Adaptable SARS-CoV-2 Screening for Rapid Identification of Dominant and Emerging Regional Variants
Authors: Hubler Zita , Song Xiao , Norris Cameron , Jani Mehul , Alouani David , Atchley Maureen , Stempak Lisa , Cherian Sarah , Schmotzer Christine , Sadri Navid
Published: November 2021

Objectives

Emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant strains can be associated with increased transmissibility, more severe disease, and reduced effectiveness of treatments. To improve the availability of regional variant surveillance, we describe a variant genotyping system that is rapid, accurate, adaptable, and able to detect new low-level variants built with existing hospital infrastructure.

Methods

We used a tiered high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 screening program to characterize variants in a supraregional health system over 76 days. Combining targeted reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and selective sequencing, we screened SARS-CoV-2 reactive samples from all hospitals within our health care system for genotyping dominant and emerging variants.

Results

The median turnaround for genotyping was 2 days using the high-throughput RT-PCR–based screen, allowing us to rapidly characterize the emerging Delta variant. In our population, the Delta variant is associated with a lower cycle threshold value, lower age at infection, and increased vaccine-breakthrough cases. Detection of low-level and potentially emerging variants highlights the utility of a tiered approach.

Conclusions

These findings underscore the need for fast, low-cost, high-throughput monitoring of regional viral sequences as the pandemic unfolds and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants increases. Combining RT-PCR–based screening with selective sequencing allows for rapid genotyping of variants and dynamic system improvement.
Stability of extemporaneously prepared preservative-free methylphenidate 5 mg/mL intravenous solution
Authors: Barra Megan E , Edlow Brian L , Lund James T , DeSanctis Katherine S , Vetrano John , Reilly-Tremblay Cherylann , Zhang Edlyn R , Bodien Yelena G , Brown Emery N , Solt Ken
Published: November 2021

Purpose

To advance the implementation of consciousness-promoting therapies in patients with acute disorders of consciousness, the availability of potential therapeutic agents in formulations suitable for administration in hospitalized patients in the presence of complex comorbid conditions is paramount. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term stability of extemporaneously prepared preservative-free methylphenidate hydrochloride (HCl) 5 mg/mL intravenous solution for experimental use.

Methods

A methylphenidate 5 mg/mL solution was prepared under proper aseptic techniques with Methylphenidate Hydrochloride, USP, powder mixed in sterile water for solution. Methylphenidate HCl 5 mg/mL solution was sterilized by filtration technique under USP <797>–compliant conditions. Samples were stored refrigerated (2-8°C) and analyzed at approximately days 1, 30, 60, 90, 180, and 365. At each time point, chemical and physical stability were evaluated by visual inspection, pH measurement, membrane filtration procedure, turbidometric or photometric technique, and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis.

Results

Over the 1-year study period, the samples retained 96.76% to 102.04% of the initial methylphenidate concentration. There was no significant change in the visual appearance, pH level, or particulate matter during the study period. The sterility of samples was maintained and endotoxin levels were undetectable throughout the 1-year stability period.

Conclusion

Extemporaneously prepared preservative-free methylphenidate 5 mg/mL intravenous solution was physically and chemically stable at 32, 61, 95, 186, and 365 days when stored in amber glass vials at refrigerated temperatures (2-8°C).
Focused goodness of fit tests for gene set analyses
Authors: Zhang Mengqi , Gelfman Sahar , Martins Moreno Cristiane Araujo , McCarthy Janice M , Harms Matthew B , Goldstein David B , Allen Andrew S
Published: November 2021

Gene set-based signal detection analyses are used to detect an association between a trait and a set of genes by accumulating signals across the genes in the gene set. Since signal detection is concerned with identifying whether any of the genes in the gene set are non-null, a goodness-of-fit (GOF) test can be used to compare whether the observed distribution of gene-level tests within the gene set agrees with the theoretical null distribution. Here, we present a flexible gene set-based signal detection framework based on tail-focused GOF statistics. We show that the power of the various statistics in this framework depends critically on two parameters: the proportion of genes within the gene set that are non-null and the degree of separation between the null and alternative distributions of the gene-level tests. We give guidance on which statistic to choose for a given situation and implement the methods in a fast and user-friendly R package, wHC (https://github.com/mqzhanglab/wHC). Finally, we apply these methods to a whole exome sequencing study of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.