bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermocapillary Convection With Undeformable Curved Surfaces in Open Cylinders
Authors: Sim Bok-Cheol , Zebib Abdelfattah
Published: November 2021

Thermocapillary convection driven by a uniform heat flux in an open cylindrical container of unit aspect ratio is investigated by two- and three-dimensional numerical simulations. The undeformable free surface is either flat or curved as determined by the fluid volume (V ≤ 1) and the Young-Laplace equation. Convection is steady and axisymmetric at sufficiently low values of the Reynolds number (Re) with either flat or curved interfaces. Only steady convection is possible in strictly axisymmetric computations. Transition to oscillatory three-dimensional motions occurs as Re increases beyond a critical value dependent on Pr and V. With a flat free surface (V = 1), two-lobed pulsating waves are found on the free surface and prevail with increasing Re. While the critical Re increases with increasing Pr, the critical frequency decreases. In the case of a concave surface, four azimuthal waves are found rotating clockwise on the surface. The critical Re decreases with increasing fluid volume, and the critical frequency is found to increase. The numerical results with either flat or curved free surfaces are in good quantitative agreement with space experiments.
Effective Flux Temperature Formulation for Energy Conversion Using Microscale Thermal Radiation
Authors: Whale MacMurray D.
Published: November 2021

The non-Planckian spectrum of microscale thermal radiation is interpreted using a formulation for non-thermal radiation. The non-thermal aspects of the energy spectrum that results when radiating bodies are in close proximity are examined using the fluctuational electrodynamic approach to microscale thermal radiation. A definition of the effective flux temperature for microscale thermal radiation is presented. A technique to determine the entropy flux in a microscale field is obtained and used to calculate the effective flux temperature for chromium surfaces. The effective flux temperature of microscale radiation permits an assessment of the limits of the performance of proposed devices for the exploitation the spacing effect for energy conversion. The performance of a microscale thermophotovoltaic device is examined in terms of this flux temperature.
An Evaluation of a NN-Based Model for the Prediction of Foundation Heat Transfer From Basements
Authors: Salehi Mustafa , Krarti Moncef
Published: November 2021

In this paper, a feed-forward artificial neural network module is presented to predict seasonal variations of foundation heat transfer from conditioned basements. The training data for the NN-based module were obtained from a detailed solution of the ground-coupled problem. Input variables for the NN module include foundation geometric dimensions, insulation configuration, indoor and outdoor temperatures, and soil thermal properties. The paper discusses the network architecture and the training and testing procedures. The predictions of the NN-based module are compared to a correlation-based method for a set of basement configurations. The main conclusion of the paper is that NNs can predict seasonal variation of building foundation heat transfer with high accuracy and little effort for model development.
Thermal Analyses and Frequency Shift Design Studies for the Spallation Neutron Source Drift Tube Linac
Authors: Parietti Lucie
Published: November 2021

Los Alamos National Laboratory is responsible for the design of the room-temperature linac for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). This linac consists of a Coupled-Cavity Linac (CCL) and a Drift Tube Linac (DTL). During normal operation, about 80% of the Radio Frequency (RF) power is dissipated in the DTL cavity walls. This waste heat causes the cavities to expand, causing shifts in their RF resonant frequency. The DTL relies on the water cooling system to compensate for the frequency shift caused by RF heating. To guide the design of the cooling system and the frequency control scheme, thermal expansion and frequency shift studies for several DTL cells are performed via numerical simulations. Temperature distributions and thermal deformations resulting from RF heating are evaluated separately for the tanks and 22 drift tubes using finite element models. The frequency shift of these cells are then computed based on the calculated deformations. Size and locations of the cooling channels are designed accordingly to provide adequate cooling and minimize frequency shift. The tank finite element model used to predict the tank temperature profile is benchmarked against experiment data.
Implementation of the Compressible Flow Solution Methodology for Solving 2D Shallow-Water Flow Problems
Authors: Moran Joaquin E. , Rincon Jose A.
Published: November 2021

This paper concerns with the implementation of the compressible flow solution methodology for solving 2D shallow water flow problems. It is well known that in both cases, the continuity and momentum conservation equations look quite similar, but depth replaces density of compressible flow, and the Froude number will replace the Mach number. Thus, any mass imbalance produces a change in depth equivalent to the density change for compressible flow. It is possible to combine momentum and continuity equations to obtain a predictor-corrector algorithm for establishing the depth field. However, as the Froude number increases, the governing equations change their character from elliptic to hyperbolic, with a parabolic transition at a Froude number of unity and this change is not reflected in the equivalent classical pressure-correction equation, which keeps its elliptic character. The extension of incompressible (SIMPLE-based methods) to compressible flows, incorporates a convection-like term (wave velocity related) to the pressure-correction equation. The drawback of the extension of the pressure-correction to compressible flows was the poor shock-capturing capability, which is due mainly to the treatment of the convective terms in the conservation equations. In this work, a high order bounded treatment of the convective terms along with the depth-correction for all Froude numbers is implemented. A numerical solution is presented for all Froude numbers, and it is compared with benchmark problems.
Geometric Optimization of Radiative Enclosures Through Nonlinear Programming
Authors: Daun K. J. , Howell J. R. , Morton D. P.
Published: November 2021

Optimization routines have become a popular tool in the design of thermal systems. These routines dramatically reduce the time and computational effort needed to find the optimal design by reducing the number of iterations required by the forward design procedure. Also, these methods often find solutions that are not intuitive to the designer. Although these routines have been applied to solve conduction and convection problems, they have not been used to design radiant enclosures.

This paper introduces a methodology for applying nonlinear programming to design 2-D radiant enclosures. The process is facilitated by representing the enclosure surface parametrically with B-spline curves, and an infinitesimal-area analysis technique is then used to solve the radiosity distribution within the enclosure. The enclosure geometry is repeatedly adjusted with a gradient-based minimization algorithm, until the optimum solution is found.

This technique is demonstrated by optimizing the geometry of a 2-D radiant enclosure, with the objective to obtain a specified radiosity distribution over a portion of the enclosure surface. The steepest descent, Newton’s method, and quasi-Newton’s method are used to find the optimum enclosure geometry, and the performance of these methods is compared.
A Reliable Procedure for Testing the Accuracy of Numerical Algorithms in CFD and Heat Transfer
Authors: Murty V. Dakshina
Published: November 2021

A reliable procedure for benchmarking of computer solutions in the fields of computational mechanics including computational fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and k-ε turbulence models is presented. The procedure consists of using assumed solutions to calculate the required source terms (which could be in the form of body forces for momentum equations) and use the resulting source terms as inputs to back calculate the displacements, velocities, temperature, etc. The procedure works especially well for nonlinear problems. Several examples are provided from fluid mechanics and heat transfer.
Numerical Modelling of Air Temperature and Velocity in a Forced and Free Ventilation Piggery
Authors: Mossad Ruth
Published: November 2021

Pigs are subjected to intensive environment control and management for higher productivity due to their sensitivity to climatic variation, which affects their growth. The aim of the current work is to numerically model the air speed and temperature in forced and free ventilation piggeries to achieve optimum environmental control. A steady two-dimensional numerical model including the effect of buoyancy, turbulence and heat generated by the pigs was solved using the computational fluid dynamics software Fluent, which is based on the integral volume method. In the forced ventilation case, air speed and temperature inside the piggery and at the pigs’ level were predicted for three different locations of ventilation opening, variable air inlet velocities (in the range 0.3 m/s – 7 m/s), and insulated or non insulated external walls, for ambient temperatures of 5 °C and 32 °C. In the free ventilation case, temperature and air speed at the pig’s level were predicted for a particular wind speed and direction, and some variations in the design. These variations were adding louvers in the air opening, lowering the outer wall of the piggery and changing the type of pen fence used. These results helped to identify problems in the design and offer suggestions for improvements.
Direct Chill Casting of Aluminum Alloys: Modeling and Experiments on Industrial Scale Ingots
Authors: Vreeman Christopher J. , Schloz J. David , Krane Matthew John M.
Published: November 2021

A continuum mixture model of the direct chill casting process is compared to experimental results from industrial scale aluminum billets. The model, which includes the transport of free-floating solid particles, can simulate the effect of a grain refiner on macrosegregation and fluid flow. It is applied to an Al - 6 wt% Cu alloy and the effect of grain refiner on macrosegregation, sump profile, and temperature fields are presented. Two 45 cm diameter billets were cast under production conditions with and without grain refiner. Temperature and composition measurements and sump profiles are compared to the numerical results. The comparison shows excellent agreement for the grain refined case. It is believed that an incorrect assumption about the grain structure prevents good agreement in the non-grain refined billet.
Heat Transfer Associated With Air-Water Spray Cooling of Forgings From High Temperatures
Authors: Ward J. , de Oliveira M. , Garwood D. R. , Wallis R. A.
Published: November 2021

The desired mechanical properties of the nickel-based or titanium forgings used in gas turbines for aircraft and power generation applications can be controlled by varying the rate of cooling from the so-called solution temperature during an initial heat treatment process. The use of dilute air-water spray cooling of these forgings is a technique which can provide heat transfer rates lying between those associated with conventional oil quenching or convective air-cooling. Air assisted atomisation can result in fine sprays over a wide range of water flow rates and it has a further advantage in that the air “sweeps” the surface and hence helps to prevent the build up of deleterious vapour films at high surface temperatures. The paper presents experimental data for the heat transfer rates associated with the use of these sprays to cool surfaces from temperatures of approximately 800°C. Many forgings contain surface recesses, which can lead to build up or “pooling” of the water so that the effect of variations in surface geometry is also reported. Periodic interruption of the water flow is a technique which can be employed to provide additional control of the heat transfer rate, particularly at temperatures below 500°C so that data is also presented for pulsed sprays.
Analysis of Measuring Techniques of Superlattices Thermal Conductivity
Authors: Travkin V. S. , Catton I.
Published: November 2021

It has been reported in a number of publications that measured values of superlattice thermal conductivities, for example, GaAs/AlAs, Si/Ge, InAs/AlSb, etc., do not compare well with expected or modeled values. There are questions about measurement techniques that are used and some improvements are being made. One of the used techniques is the 3 (omega) measurement of thermal conductivity of superlattices. Some of these issues will be addressed in our work. The full two-scale heat transport and electrodynamics governing equations are used to achieve understanding of the possible mechanisms that play a role in shaping the effective (measured) coefficients of thermal and electrical conductivities in superlattices. It is shown that the issues of simulation or measurement of the effective coefficients at the upper scale are essentially the same as simulation of the complete two-scale problem in its complexity. Some of these concerns have been dealt with elsewhere. Here we will contribute to understanding of surficial transport and its inclusion into simulation procedures on the upper scale, and the problem of interaction of charge carriers transport and heat transport on both scales. Possible improvements of techniques for measuring superlattices conductivities will be suggested.
A Study of the Transport of Nanopowders in a Solidifying Solder Melt and its Influence on Microstructural Development
Authors: Lin D. C. , Liu S. , Guo T. M. , Wang G.-X. , Srivatsan T. S.
Published: November 2021

Recent experiments have clearly demonstrated an innate capability to judiciously use nanopowders to increase the strength of engineering materials. This can be achieved even for low weight percentages of the nanopowders, as low as a few percent. This research finding has provided the much desired impetus of producing high-strength materials by adding small amounts of nanopowders into a solidifying molten metal with the objective of forming nano-particle reinforced metallic composites. A practical application of such a composite is in microelectronic and/or opto-electronic devices and assemblies, which necessitate the need for high strength solders. This paper presents preliminary results of experiments aimed at understanding the kinetics governing the solidification of solders blended with nanopowders. Composite solder paste was prepared by mechanically mixing nanopowders of either copper or TiO2 with tin-lead powders (tens of microns in size). Solidification experiments of the composite solders were performed in an aluminum crucible and temperature variations during cooling and solidification were measured. For the TiO2 nanopowder reinforced composite solders, the data show a strong melt undercooling followed by recalescence to an increased melting temperature, while for the Cu nanopowder reinforced composite solders, one sees a reduced melting temperature with two-stages of solidification. Metallographic observations of the solidified composite solders find a significant reduction in both the grain size and spacing of eutectic lamellae, leading to an increase in microhardness.
Micromachining of Vias Through Thermal-Sprayed Multilayer Structures Using Ultrafast Lasers
Authors: Sun J. , Fan C. H. , Longtin J. P. , Sampath S.
Published: November 2021

Thermal spray is an economical, safe, and efficient technology for material processing and fabrication in which finely divided metallic or nonmetallic surfacing materials are deposited in a molten or semi-molten condition onto a substrate to form a spray deposit pattern. One of the major strengths of thermal spray is its ability to fabricate multilayer structures rapidly, which makes it a promising tool to fabricate multilayer circuits for electronic components. However, to compliment the additive nature of thermal spray, an efficient technique for material removal and modification of the multiplayer circuits is highly desired, which is difficult or impossible by using traditional manufacturing techniques. Laser ablation provides a practical alternative for precise micromachining of thermal-sprayed multilayer samples, especially using femtosecond lasers where materials can be removed through a melting-free mechanism with negligible thermal damage. In the present work, ultrafast laser micromachining is used to fabricate a via to electrically connect the top and bottom conductors in an inductor, which consists of eight thermal-sprayed layers. A 750 μm square via is machined with a femtosecond laser system, and then backfilled with more silver material to connect different conductor layers. This work demonstrates that femtosecond lasers are a promising tool for micromachining and modification of thermal sprayed multilayer structures.
Bias-Dependent Peltier Coefficient in Bipolar Devices
Authors: Pipe Kevin P. , Ram Rajeev J. , Shakouri Ali
Published: November 2021

Temperature stabilization is important in many microelectronic devices due to thermal constraints on device operation and lifetime. The work described here is an investigation of thermoelectric phenomena in bipolar devices, specifically the p-n diode. Current injection can modify the Peltier coefficient at interfaces; this can give rise to thermoelectric cooling or heating depending on device parameters. The bias-dependent Peltier coefficient is modeled using self-consistent drift-diffusion, and implications for device design are examined. The different regimes of bias for which cooling is achieved are described, as well as the effects of device length, doping, and heterojunction band offset. Extensions of the model are given for applications such as the internal cooling of semiconductor laser diodes.
Experimental Demonstration of Heat Pipe/Two-Phase Flow Systems for Vehicle Passenger Cabin Cooling
Authors: Hendricks Terry J. , Thoensen Thomas
Published: November 2021

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has initiated projects to investigate the benefits and design challenges of using heat pipe/two-phase flow technologies to provide sub-system cooling and thermal management in future advanced vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and heavy-duty vehicles. The projects focus on vehicle instrument panel (IP) cooling and passenger seat thermal management, but will also begin investigating engine cooling, electric motor cooling, battery cooling, and fuel cell cooling in the future. Simulated vehicle cabin testing conducted at NREL has recently studied the effect of heat pipe IP cooling. Experimental results have demonstrated IP surface temperature reductions of 20–30°C during maximum solar intensity environments of 525–800 W/m2 (typical of Golden, CO from January to April) compared to uncooled conditions. The heat pipe cooling effect in the IP also reduced windshield temperatures by 9–12°C compared to the non-cooled configuration in April 2001 testing. The cooler IP and cooler windshield would significantly improve driver/passenger thermal comfort in a typical vehicle cabin. In addition, IP cooling also appears to dramatically reduce cabin air temperature by 4–10°C during long-term vehicle thermal soak conditions in these tests. Current estimates indicate that cabin air temperature reductions of 4–6°C may reduce vehicle air conditioning compressor sizing requirements by 16–25%, and increase vehicle fuel economy by 0.8–1.2 miles per gallon (mpg) and 1.6–2.5 mpg in current conventional vehicles with base fuel economies of 20 mpg and 30 mpg, respectively. IP temperature and cabin air temperature reductions may very well be larger in higher solar intensity conditions typical of summer months and more southern latitudes.

Freeze/thaw tests were also conducted on the heat pipe systems in the IP cooling demonstration at NREL. All the heat pipes survived the freezing event, and all but one heat pipe demonstrated the ability to start up and operate normally in both an evaporator-led thaw and a condenser-led thaw process.
An Analysis of Beam-Averaged Interferometric Heat Transfer Measurements
Authors: Naylor D.
Published: November 2021

Laser interferometry can be used to measure the average temperature field in a fluid, integrated over the length of an experimental model. However, such measurements are inherently approximate when there is a temperature variation in the direction of the test/object beam. The present study examines the accuracy of beam-averaged interferometric measurements made in ideal gases. An analysis is performed to determine the accuracy of both beam-averaged temperature and heat transfer rate measurements. The heat transfer results are obtained for simulated measurements of forced convection from a plate with a power function temperature variation in the beam direction. The results show that the error in the beam-averaged temperature field is less small, even for the most adverse temperature distribution in the light beam direction. However, it was found that the error in the beam-averaged heat transfer rate can be greater than ten percent for some conditions.
Study of Corrosion Damage Under Protective Coatings
Authors: Khobaib Mohammad , Hoffmann Jochen , Sathish Shamachary , Donley Michael S.
Published: November 2021

Polymer coatings provide an excellent corrosion barrier for Al-skinned military aircraft. However, the degradation and damage of the coatings in their service life over time leads to the initiation of corrosion damage at the substrate level. Early detection and negation of such activity can provide extensive cost savings. Several Electrochemical techniques and Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) show promise in detecting the onset of corrosion under such coatings. Current accelerated testing of aircraft coating systems for corrosion protection relies heavily on salt spray methods. Electrochemical techniques such as Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Electrochemical Noise Methods (ENM) provide insight into the global properties of a coating system, and both techniques are being used on a limited basis. However, there is a need to investigate corrosion events with greater spatial resolution under coatings at the metal/coating interface. Such corrosion activity may be related to coating defects and variations in the surface chemistry of the underlying metal. The Scanning Vibrating Electrode Technique (SVET) has been developed to allow the investigation of localized corrosion activity with high spatial resolution. Such activity may be associated with coating defects or galvanic coupled regions of the metal surface.

Electrochemical and NDE techniques were used to investigate the early stage of corrosion activity under protective coatings. Coatings in this investigation ranged from a simple epoxy amine to commercially used military aircraft polyurethane coatings. SVET testing of panels with intact high-resistance barrier coatings could not reveal corrosion damage under normal testing conditions because of little or no corrosion activity within the limited exposure time. Chemical, mechanical, and electrochemical means of accelerating the corrosion damage were utilized to obtain results in a reasonable time frame. Corrosion initiation and its progress under the coating were studied in detail and the results are discussed here. Complimentary high-resolution NDE techniques, such as Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM) and Fan Thermography measurements were used to identify the corrosion sites. The overall objective of this investigation is to establish a correlation between the electrochemical and NDE techniques.
Cryogenic Heat Engines for Powering Zero Emission Vehicles
Authors: Ordonez C. A. , Plummer M. C. , Reidy R. F.
Published: November 2021

Progress on advancing the technology of using cold thermal reservoirs for mobile energy storage applications is reported. A heat engine such as a Stirling engine can operate using the cold thermal reservoir as a heat sink and the atmosphere as a heat source. A heat engine as developed by the authors that operates employing a sub-atmospheric temperature thermal reservoir such as liquid nitrogen as a heat sink has been called a “cryogenic heat engine.” With sufficient work produced per unit mass of liquid nitrogen, such a cryogenic heat engine may be suitable for powering short range, non-polluting automobiles.
On a Model of a Ball in Cluster Impact Problems in Granular Mechanics
Authors: Vinogradov Oleg
Published: November 2021

The nonlinear damping model introduced by Simon[1] combined with the Hertz model of contact elastic forces is applied to a two- and a multi-ball chain-type system (Newton’s Cradle). The numerical investigation is focused on inter-dependence between the numerical efficiency and accuracy for two- and a multi-ball system. An error control damping is introduced, which allows increased computational efficiency and at the same time error reduction.
Vibration Requirements for Signaling Equipment on Elevated Structures
Authors: Mirsky Martin M. , Cataldi Olga K. , Towey Michael F.
Published: November 2021

This paper gives an approach for establishing of vibration requirements for qualification tests of signaling equipment designed to operate on elevated structures of NYCT subway lines. The findings of this paper are based on the results of recent vibration surveys on NYCT elevated structures.
Wheel Squeal Control With Keltrack Liquid Friction Modifier and Protector Trackside Application: Theory and Practice
Authors: Eadie Donald T. , Santoro Marco , Powell Ward
Published: November 2021

Wheel squeal is a source of continuing concern for many railroads and transits, as well as for their neighbours. The underlying mechanism for squeal noise has been well understood in the literature for some time. However an integrated abatement method addressing the underlying cause of the problem has not previously been reported.

This paper describes practical experience using a water-based liquid High Positive Friction Modifier (Keltrack) applied using a Top of Rail trackside applicator (Portec Protector). This proprietary friction modifier and delivery equipment have been co-developed to provide an optimized product / delivery system that gives significant reduction of wheel squeal in curves.

Wheels experiencing lateral creep in curves are subject to roll-slip oscillations as a result of the frictional characteristics of the interface layer between the wheel and rail. These roll-slip oscillations are amplified in the wheel web leading to the familiar squeal. Providing a thin film of material between the wheel and rail with positive friction characteristics can both in theory and practice greatly reduce the magnitude of these oscillations. The friction control characteristics of Keltrack allow the material to be delivered to the top of both rails without compromising traction or braking.

Delivery of Keltrack to the contact patch is achieved with a proprietary top of rail electric trackside applicator, the Portec Protector. Key equipment features include top of rail bar design optimized for accurate and precise delivery, and control system features. The equipment is placed at the entrance to curves, and the friction modifier is carried down into the curve by the passing wheels. Application rate is optimized by control of the axle count between pump activations, and by the length of pump activation. The material is delivered to the top of both rails for optimum friction control.

The integrated product / equipment technology is now successfully controlling noise at more than twenty transit sites. Typical sound level reduction is 10–15 dB, in some cases as high as 20 dB, depending on the initial sound level. Two case studies are presented illustrating the effectiveness of this technology.
Vagally Derived Heart Rate Variability and Training Perturbations With Menses in Female Collegiate Rowers
Authors: Sherman Sara R. , Holmes Clifton J. , Demos Alexander P. , Stone Tori , Hornikel Bjoern , MacDonald Hayley V. , Fedewa Michael V. , Esco Michael R.
Published: November 2021

Introduction: The parasympathetically derived marker of heart rate variability, root mean square of successive R-R differences (RMSSD), and the daily fluctuations as measured by the coefficient of variation (RMSSDCV) may be useful for tracking training adaptations in athletic populations. These vagally derived markers of heart rate variability may be especially pertinent when simultaneously considering a female athlete’s menstrual cycle. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to observe the perturbations in RMSSDCV, while considering RMSSD, across a season in the presence and absence of menses with training load in female collegiate rowers. Methods: Thirty-six (20 [1] y, 25.6 [3.4] kg·m−2) National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I female rowers were monitored for 18 consecutive weeks across a full season. Seated, ultrashortened RMSSD measurements were obtained by the rowers on at least 3 mornings per week using a smartphone photoplethysmography device. Following the RMSSD measurement, athletes indicated the presence or absence of menstruation within the application. Individual meters rowed that week and sessions rate of perceived exertion were obtained to quantify training load. Results: Longitudinal mixed-effects modeling demonstrated a significant effect of menses and time, while also considering RMSSD, such that those who were on their period had a significantly greater RMSSDCV than those who were not (11.2% vs 7.5%, respectively; P < .001). These changes were independent of meters rowed, sessions rate of perceived exertion, body mass index, birth-control use, and years of rowing experience, which were all nonsignificant predictors of RMSSDCgV (P > .05). Conclusion: The presence of menses appears to significantly impact RMSSDCV when also considering RMSSD, which may allow coaches to consider individualized training plans accordingly.
The global ocean size spectrum from bacteria to whales
Authors: Hatton Ian A. , Heneghan Ryan F. , Bar-On Yinon M. , Galbraith Eric D.
Published: November 2021

Human activity has altered one of life’s largest-scale patterns: a global power law size distribution from bacteria to whales.
Imaging antiferromagnetic domain fluctuations and the effect of atomic scale disorder in a doped spin-orbit Mott insulator
Authors: Zhao He , Porter Zach , Chen Xiang , Wilson Stephen D. , Wang Ziqiang , Zeljkovic Ilija
Published: November 2021

Spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy reveals spatial rearrangement of antiferromagnetic puddles in an iridium oxide.
It happened again: Convergent evolution of acylglucose specialized metabolism in black nightshade and wild tomato
Authors: Lou Yann-Ru , Anthony Thilani M. , Fiesel Paul D. , Arking Rachel E. , Christensen Elizabeth M. , Jones A. Daniel , Last Robert L.
Published: November 2021

Analysis of plant protective surface hair chemistry revealed evolutionary mechanisms leading to metabolic innovation.
Processive cleavage of substrate at individual proteolytic active sites of the Lon protease complex
Authors: Li Shanshan , Hsieh Kan-Yen , Kuo Chiao-I , Su Shih-Chieh , Huang Kai-Fa , Zhang Kaiming , Chang Chung-I
Published: November 2021

One-way translocation and processive cleavage of substrate polypeptide occur in each of the Lon proteolytic active sites.
Strong constraints from COSINE-100 on the DAMA dark matter results using the same sodium iodide target
Authors: Adhikari Govinda , de Souza Estella B. , Carlin Nelson , Choi Jae Jin , Choi Seonho , Djamal Mitra , Ezeribe Anthony C. , França Luis E. , Ha Chang Hyon , Hahn In Sik , Jeon Eunju , Jo Jay Hyun , Joo Han Wool , Kang Woon Gu , Kauer Matthew , Kim Hyounggyu , Kim Hongjoo , Kim Kyungwon , Kim Sunghyun , Kim Sun Kee , Kim Won Kyung , Kim Yeongduk , Kim Yong-Hamb , Ko Young Ju , Lee Eun Kyung , Lee Hyunseok , Lee Hyun Su , Lee Hye Young , Lee In Soo , Lee Jaison , Lee Jooyoung , Lee Moo Hyun , Lee Seo Hyun , Lee Seung Mok , Leonard Douglas , Manzato Bruno B. , Maruyama Reina H. , Neal Robert J. , Olsen Stephen L. , Park Byung Ju , Park Hyang Kyu , Park Hyeonseo , Park Kangsoon , Pitta Ricardo L. C. , Prihtiadi Hafizh , Ra Sejin , Rott Carsten , Shin Keon Ah , Scarff Andrew , Spooner Neil J. C. , Thompson William G. , Yang Liang , Yu Gyun Ho
Published: November 2021

Dark matter interpretations of the DAMA signals are excluded by COSINE-100 with the same NaI(Tl) target for various models.
Immune regulation of pain: Friend and foe
Authors: Kavelaars Annemieke , Heijnen Cobi J.
Published: November 2021

The immune system plays a key role in the development and resolution of chronic pain.
Brain circuits for pain and its treatment
Authors: Mercer Lindsay Nicole , Chen Chong , Gilam Gadi , Mackey Sean , Scherrer Grégory
Published: November 2021

Understanding the organization of the brain’s pain circuits is critical for developing effective treatments for patients suffering from chronic pain.
Subcellular Localization Defects Characterize Ribose-Binding Mutant Proteins with New Ligand Properties in Escherichia coli
Authors: Tavares Diogo , van der Meer Jan R.
Published: November 2021

Biosensor engineering relies on transcription factors or signaling proteins to provide the actual sensory functions for the target chemicals. Since for many compounds there are no natural sensory proteins, there is a general interest in methods that could unlock routes to obtaining new ligand-binding properties.
Structurally Mapping Antigenic Epitopes of Adeno-associated Virus 9: Development of Antibody Escape Variants
Authors: Emmanuel Shanan N. , Smith J. Kennon , Hsi Jane , Tseng Yu-Shan , Kaplan Matias , Mietzsch Mario , Chipman Paul , Asokan Aravind , McKenna Robert , Agbandje-McKenna Mavis
Published: November 2021

The use of recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) as delivery vectors for therapeutic genes is becoming increasingly popular, especially following the FDA approval of Luxturna and Zolgensma, based on serotypes AAV2 and AAV9, respectively. However, high-titer anti-AAV neutralizing antibodies in the general population exempt patients from treatment.
Integrative Analysis of Gut Microbiota and Fecal Metabolites in Rats after Prednisone Treatment
Authors: Zhang Jing , Feng Dan , Law Helen Ka-Wai , Wu Ying , Zhu Guang-hua , Huang Wen-yan , Kang Yulin
Published: November 2021

Prednisone is widely used in chronic glomerular diseases, immunological disorders, and rheumatic diseases for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. It is a synthetic glucocorticoid (GC) that shows therapeutic effects after conversion to prednisolone by the liver.
Clinically Applicable System for Rapidly Predicting Enterococcus faecium Susceptibility to Vancomycin
Authors: Wang Hsin-Yao , Chung Chia-Ru , Chen Chao-Jung , Lu Ko-Pei , Tseng Yi-Ju , Chang Tzu-Hao , Wu Min-Hsien , Huang Wan-Ting , Lin Ting-Wei , Liu Tsui-Ping , Lee Tzong-Yi , Horng Jorng-Tzong , Lu Jang-Jih
Published: November 2021

A modified binning method was incorporated to cluster MS shifting ions into a set of representative peaks based on a large-scale MS data set of clinical VRE
fm
and VSE
fm
isolates, including 2,795 VRE
fm
and 2,922 VSE
fm
isolates. Predictions with the algorithm were significantly more accurate than empirical antibiotic use, the accuracy of which was 0.50, based on the local epidemiology.
A Two-Level, Intramutant Spectrum Haplotype Profile of Hepatitis C Virus Revealed by Self-Organized Maps
Authors: Delgado Soledad , Perales Celia , García-Crespo Carlos , Soria María Eugenia , Gallego Isabel , de Ávila Ana Isabel , Martínez-González Brenda , Vázquez-Sirvent Lucía , López-Galíndez Cecilio , Morán Federico , Domingo Esteban
Published: November 2021

The study provides for the first time the haplotype profile and its variation in the course of its adaptation to a cell culture environment in the absence of external selective constraints. The deep sequencing-based self-organized maps document a two-layer haplotype distribution with an ample basal platform and a lower number of protruding peaks.
Supplemental Material: Preferential dissolution of uranium-rich zircon can bias the hafnium isotope compositions of granites
Authors: Gao Peng , al. et
Published: November 2021

Methodology, supplemental Figures S1–S3), and Tables S1–S7.
Supplemental Material: Contemporary and future dust sources and emission fluxes from gypsum- and quartz-dominated eolian systems, New Mexico and Texas, USA
Authors: Sweeney Mark , al. et
Published: November 2021

Methods and Tables S1–S3.
Debunking highly prevalent health misinformation using audio dramas delivered by WhatsApp: evidence from a randomised controlled trial in Sierra Leone
Authors: Winters Maike , Oppenheim Ben , Sengeh Paul , Jalloh Mohammad B , Webber Nance , Pratt Samuel Abu , Leigh Bailah , Molsted-Alvesson Helle , Zeebari Zangin , Sundberg Carl Johan , Jalloh Mohamed F , Nordenstedt Helena
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Infectious disease misinformation is widespread and poses challenges to disease control. There is limited evidence on how to effectively counter health misinformation in a community setting, particularly in low-income regions, and unsettled scientific debate about whether misinformation should be directly discussed and debunked, or implicitly countered by providing scientifically correct information.

Methods

The Contagious Misinformation Trial developed and tested interventions designed to counter highly prevalent infectious disease misinformation in Sierra Leone, namely the beliefs that (1) mosquitoes cause typhoid and (2) typhoid co-occurs with malaria. The information intervention for group A (n=246) explicitly discussed misinformation and explained why it was incorrect and then provided the scientifically correct information. The intervention for group B (n=245) only focused on providing correct information, without directly discussing related misinformation. Both interventions were delivered via audio dramas on WhatsApp that incorporated local cultural understandings of typhoid. Participants were randomised 1:1:1 to the intervention groups or the control group (n=245), who received two episodes about breast feeding.

Results

At baseline 51% believed that typhoid is caused by mosquitoes and 59% believed that typhoid and malaria always co-occur. The endline survey was completed by 91% of participants. Results from the intention-to-treat, per-protocol and as-treated analyses show that both interventions substantially reduced belief in misinformation compared with the control group. Estimates from these analyses, as well as an exploratory dose–response analysis, suggest that direct debunking may be more effective at countering misinformation. Both interventions improved people’s knowledge and self-reported behaviour around typhoid risk reduction, and yielded self-reported increases in an important preventive method, drinking treated water.

Conclusion

These results from a field experiment in a community setting show that highly prevalent health misinformation can be countered, and that direct, detailed debunking may be most effective.

Trial registration number

NCT04112680.
Novel use of menstrual blood for monitoring glycaemic control in patients with diabetes: a proof-of-concept study
Authors: Naseri Sara , Brewster Ryan Charles Leung , Blumenthal Paul D
Published: November 2021

Background

Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) is the diagnostic and prognostic standard for clinical management of diabetes mellitus (DM). Unfortunately, patient adherence to guidelines for routine testing can be poor and there are significant gender-based disparities in DM management and outcomes. Recent evidence suggests that menstrual blood may be comparable to systemic blood for monitoring of common biomarkers. The objective of the present study was to assess the concordance of HbA1c levels between menstrual and systemic blood in healthy women and women with diabetes of reproductive age.

Methods

In this prospective, observational cohort study, we enrolled healthy and diabetic (type 1 and type 2 DM) reproductive-age women (aged ≥18 and ≤45 years). Menstrual blood and venous systemic blood specimens were simultaneously obtained at time of menstruation, and analysed for HbA1c levels. Participants self-collected menstrual blood using a QPad, a novel, modified menstrual pad with an embedded dried blood spot strip.

Results

Among 172 participants, 57.6% were healthy and 42.4% had a diagnosis of either type 1 or type 2 DM. There were no significant differences in mean HbA1c values in menstrual and systemic blood across the overall cohort or within the diabetic subgroup. Furthermore, HbA1c levels between blood sources were robustly correlated and demonstrated a significant linear relationship.

Conclusions

There is a strong concordance in HbA1c levels between menstrual and systemic blood. Empowered by self-collection technologies, these findings suggest that menstrual blood may serve as a reliable, non-invasive and potentially cost-effective alternative to serum for HbA1c monitoring among reproductive-age women with DM.
Evidence for hexasomic inheritance in Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. based on analysis of EST-SSR markers
Authors: Fan Min , Gao Yike , Wu Zhiping , Haider Saba , Zhang Qixiang
Published: November 2021

Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) are ornamental flowers, which are famous worldwide. The mode of inheritance has great implications for the genetic analysis of polyploid species. However, genetic analysis of chrysanthemum has been hampered because of its controversial inheritance mode (disomic or hexasomic). To classify the inheritance mode of chrysanthemums, an analysis of three approaches was carried out in an F1 progeny of 192 offspring using 223 expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers. The analysis included segregation analysis, the ratio of simplex marker alleles linked in coupling to repulsion, as well as the transmission and segregation patterns of EST-SSR marker alleles. After segregation analysis, 204 marker alleles fit hexasomic inheritance and 150 marker alleles fit disomic inheritance, showing that marker alleles were inherited predominantly in a hexasomic manner. Furthermore, the results of the analysis of allele configuration and segregation behavior of five EST-SSR markers also suggested random pairing of chromosomes. Additionally, the ratio of simplex marker alleles linked in coupling to repulsion was 1:0, further supporting hexasomic inheritance. Therefore, it could be inferred that chrysanthemum is a complete or near-complete hexasome.
Search for heavy resonances decaying into a pair of Z bosons using 139 fb−1 of p–p collisions at s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector
Authors: Lagouri Theodota
Published: November 2021

This paper presents the search for heavy resonances decaying into a pair of [Formula: see text] bosons leading to the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] final states, where [Formula: see text] stands for either an electron or a muon. The search uses proton–proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector from 2015 to 2018 corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 [Formula: see text], which is the full data statistics collected during the Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The mass range for the hypothetical resonances considered spans from 200 GeV to 2000 GeV. In the absence of an observed significant excess, the results are interpreted as upper limits on the production cross-section of a spin-0 or spin-2 resonance. The upper limits for the spin-0 resonance are interpreted to exclusion contours in the context of Type-I and Type-II two-Higgs-doublet models (2HDM), while those for the spin-2 resonance are used to constrain the Randall–Sundrum (RS) model with an extra dimension giving rise to spin-2 graviton excitations.
Illiquid Assets and the Opacity Discount in Banks’ Valuation
Authors: Anselmi Giulio
Published: November 2021

The paper investigates the impact of fair value accounting for illiquid assets (so-called ‘Level 2’ and ‘Level 3’ assets by accounting rules) on banks’ valuation and focuses on the change in relative weight of Level 3 (the most opaque and illiquid assets) with respect to Level 2 assets. The boundary between Level 3 and Level 2 assets is blurred and less clear than the one between Level 1 and Level 2 assets. Such unclear borderline entails corporate governance issues and provides room for opportunistic behavior by managers to opt for less transparent instruments. The paper proposes the change in Level 3-to-Level 2 assets ratio as a new measure to capture deviations in the opacity of bank assets and suggests a negative relationship between this ratio and bank’s price-to-book value. The rationale behind this relationship is that market participants interpret growth in Level 3-to-Level 2 assets ratio as an increase in bank’s opacity, since Level 3 assets might be as illiquid as Level 2 assets with the benefit of a less transparent model-based valuation technique. Based on a sample of 33 European banks from 2009 to 2018, I find that an increase of 100[Formula: see text]bps in Level 3-to-Level 2 assets ratio is linked to a decrease of about 74[Formula: see text]bps in the price-to-book value. Results are robust for different measures of firm relative valuation and using a different measure of illiquidity in fair value assets holdings (Level 2-to-Level 1 assets ratio).
Computational Investigation on Natural Quinazoline Alkaloids as Potential Inhibitors of the Main Protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Jana Abhisek , Roy Tarun , Layek Sarbajit , Ghosal Subhas , Banerjee Deb Ranjan
Published: November 2021

Drug discovery is still behind in the race compared to vaccine discovery in fighting COVID-19. In this study, we have selected 41 quinazoline alkaloids from two natural product databases to create an adequate library and performed detailed computational studies against the main protease ([Formula: see text]) of SARS-CoV-2 using two reference compounds, namely famotidine and X77. The screening of the library was carried out by blending the rigid docking and pharmacokinetic analysis that resulted in nine alkaloids as initial leads against [Formula: see text]. These initial leads were further subjected to advanced flexible docking and were compared with reference compounds (famotidine and X77) for the analysis of structure-based interactions. For further selection, a second screening was carried out based on binding energies and interaction profiles that yielded three alkaloids, namely CNP0416047, 3-hydroxy anisotine and anisotine as final leads. The stereo-electronic features of lead alkaloids were further investigated through additional E-pharmacophore mapping against crystallized X77 reference compound. Additionally, the reactivity of lead alkaloids at the binding sites of the protein was estimated by measuring the electron distribution on the frontier molecular orbitals and HOMO–LUMO band energies. Finally, the stabilities of complexes between lead alkaloids with the protein were accessed extensively using robust molecular dynamics simulation through RMSD, RMSF, Rg and MM-PBSA calculation. Thus, this study identifies three natural quinazoline alkaloids as potential lead inhibitors of [Formula: see text] through extensive computational analysis.