bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimated Yield Potential of Robusta Coffee (Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner) at Bogor District
Authors: Astri Muliasari Ade , Dewi Helianthi
Published: April 2022

Bogor District is one of the Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner) producing areas in West Java. To estimate crop yield of Robusta coffee, planters usually count the amount of a given crop harvested in a sample area. Then the harvested crop is weighed, and the crop yield of the entire field is extrapolated from the sample. Recently by utilizing the geographic information system (GIS) used to determine the level of regional suitability combining with land productivity. It will help in analysing, planing and taking various policy for development Robusta coffee. This study aimed to estimate of yield potential of Robusta coffee. This research was conducted from November to December 2020 at Bogor District. The land suitability class for Robusta coffee in Bogor which was in the moderately suitable (S2) class of around 2% (5,227.78 ha), marginal (S3) 33% (99,189.20 ha) and not suitable (N) 65% (194,808.40 ha). The yield potential of Robusta coffee is obtained 105,030,473.1 kg or 105,030.47 tons. The highest yield potential of Robusta coffee is in Cigudeg and Sukamakmur subdistricts.
Marketing Development of Beef Cattle, Sheep, Goat and Derivative Products through the Application of Digital Marketing in Facing the Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Faturokhman Muh , Rahmasari Liisa Firhani , Kurniawan Fariz Am
Published: April 2022

Livestock business especially beef cattle, sheep and goat, experienced the marketing problems during the pandemic of Covid-19, which resulted a decrease in farmers income. Although there was a decline in purchasing power, data showed that during the pandemic, the demand of processed livestock products increased 3-4 times compared to before the outbreak of pandemic. This condition due to the changes in consumer preferences who wanted the product that have quality standards of health and food safety, and indicated a great opportunity for increasing the sales of processed products for beef cattle, sheep and goats. To support the level of sales of both primary and processed products, it was necessary to change the promotion and marketing strategy. Utilization of digital marketing platforms as a new philosophy and modern business practice related to the marketing products, services and information that can be carried out by small-scale farmers. The digital platform which developed for digital marketing of livestock products is Vilstock.id. The application used the SDLC (System Development Life Cycle) Waterfall method, while the comparative analysis of the value of implementing digital marketing platforms before and after using was the Return Cost Ratio (R/C ratio) a comparison between revenues and costs. The result of the analysis showed that there was an increasing income of SME farmers as indicated by the value of the R/C ratio from 1.014 (before) to 1.072 (after). This shows an increase in product sales by 5.4% within 4 weeks.
Regulatory Impact Assessment Analysis of Regulations on Pollution Load Capacity and Carrying Capacity of Lake Toba for Aquaculture Fisheries
Authors: Tanjung Dahri , Parulian Hutagaol Manuntun , Kriswantriyono Agit , Puji Hastuti Yuni , Nirmala Kukuh , Wulandari Yulia
Published: April 2022

The Government of Indonesia has determined Lake Toba be one of the super-priority tourist destinations. In order to realize the program, the government has recently been more aggressively structuring the Lake Toba area. One of the arrangements is to lift and reduce the number of floating net cages (FNC) so that fish production is gradually reduced from 70,000 tons to 10,000 tons per year in 2023. The FNC arrangement activity caused restlessness among FNC actors because they had to drastically reduce their production or even close their business, which would be detrimental to thousands of local FNC actors. This continued situation will be related to disrupting their main source of livelihood. This study aims to analyze the Governor of North Sumatra Decree. The method used is the survey method, collecting socio-economic data directly, focus group discussions/FGD with the parties involved. Then the regulation was analyzed using the RIA method. This analysis proposes three alternative options: business, implementing the Governor's Decree No. 188.44/2013/KPTS/2017, revising the Governor's Decree with a carrying capacity of 42,000 tons/year aquaculture. It is proposed to revise the Governor's Decree.
Improving the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) on the chicken bowl printing machine by using the theory of change perspective
Authors: Irawan Suhendi , Ayu Kurniawati Chandra , Dea Febiola Sherly
Published: April 2022

This article discusses how to improve the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) of the chicken bowl printing machine. OEE is important to measure machine performance in the production process. OEE will affect the costs incurred during production activities, such as product defects, how effective the performance of machines is, and how much time is available for production. The failure-tags analysis was used to identify the category factors causing engine failure. The why-why analysis was used to identify the root cause of the problem, and the theory of change was used to explain what should be implemented by the company to improve the OEE value. In 2020, only December had a value above standard by 95%, based on the Seiichi Nakajima OEE has a good value if the value >85%. The OEE values From January to May were fell from 73% to 34% and then kept increasing to 73% in November. The increase of the OEE value can be achieved by implementing a communication schedule, monitoring and evaluating the performance of maintenance staff to achieve a fast maintenance machine process, and applying maintenance rules and guidelines.
Can a Group act as one?
Authors: Pace Bruno
Published: April 2022

Combining elements from different disciplines, I sketch a few different arguments for constructing a strong ontological emergence that is at the same time materialist, mechanistic, non-deterministic and anti-reductionist. To do so, I will closely look at the emergence of new forms of organization and properties in connection with codes that emerge during the (spontaneous) evolutionary process.
Current Trends and Future Needs for Practices in Audiologic Infection Control
Authors: Amlani Amyn M.
Published: April 2022

A 5–page questionnaire on infection control was randomly distributed to 640 audiologists in the United States. Of these, data analysis is reported on 311. The purpose of the study was to determine (a) the extent of Universal Precautions within the professional setting, (b) the practitioner's personal protective measures, (c) if audiologists were familiar with nomenclature related to infection control, and (d) what future educational directives should be taken. Results indicated that one-half of the respondents' professional settings have not implemented Universal Precautions. Data analysis further suggests that audiologists are apathetic in both personal hygiene and infection control techniques that are applied to instrumentation/equipment. In addition, approximately three-quarters of the respondents reported that they were able to correctly distinguish between infection control terminology. Results suggest that distinctions can be made adequately at least 50 percent of the time, but that terms such as cleaning and disinfecting are not well understood. Future directives suggest that audiologists need more infection control education with the possibility of making such education a mandatory prerequisite for state licensure and/or professional certification, as well as the need to incorporate infection control into the educational curriculum of future audiology students.

Abbreviations: ABR = auditory brainstem response; ENT = ear, nose, and throat
Aging and Middle Ear Resonance
Authors: Wiley Terry L. , Cruickshanks Karen J. , Nondahl David M. , Tweed Ted S.
Published: April 2022

Tympanograms for probes ranging from 250 through 2000 Hz were evaluated for 467 older adults. Measures of middle ear resonant frequency were compared across age groups (48–59, 60–69, 70–79, 80–90 years) and gender. No significant age group trends were observed for middle ear resonant frequency. Middle ear resonant frequencies were significantly higher for older women than for older men, but the differences were small.
Ultraviolet photon source advances time-resolved angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy
Authors: Ikenson Ben
Published: April 2022

Study brings new “light” to technique examining the electronic structure of crystalline materials
In situ thermal annealing transmission electron microscopy of irradiation induced Fe nanoparticle precipitation in Fe–Si alloy
Authors: Shimada Y. , Ikeda Y. , Yoshida K. , Sato M. , Chen J. , Du Y. , Inoue K. , Maaß R. , Nagai Y. , Konno T. J.
Published: April 2022

The typical experimental conditions inside a transmission electron microscope (TEM), such as ultra-high vacuum, high-energy electron irradiation, and surface effects of ultrathin TEM specimens, can be the origin of unexpected microstructural changes compared with that of bulk material during in situ thermal-annealing experiments. In this paper, we report on the microstructural changes of a Fe–15%Si alloy during in situ TEM annealing, where, in its bulk form, it exhibits an ordering transformation from D03 to B2 at 650 °C. Using a heating-pot type double tilt holder with a proportional–integral–differential control system, we observed the precipitation of α-Fe both at the sample surface and inside the sample. Surface precipitates formed via surface diffusion are markedly large, several tens of nm, whereas precipitates inside the specimen, which are surrounded by Fe-poor regions, reach a maximum size of 20 nm. This unexpected microstructural evolution could be attributed to vacancies on Si sites, which are induced due to high-energy electron irradiation before heating, as well as enhanced thermal diffusion of Fe atoms.
Biotin-painted proteins have thermodynamic stability switched by kinetic folding routes
Authors: Freitas Frederico Campos , Maldonado Michelli , Oliveira Junior Antonio Bento , Onuchic José Nelson , Oliveira Ronaldo Junio de
Published: April 2022

Biotin-labeled proteins are widely used as tools to study protein–protein interactions and proximity in living cells. Proteomic methods broadly employ proximity-labeling technologies based on protein biotinylation in order to investigate the transient encounters of biomolecules in subcellular compartments. Biotinylation is a post-translation modification in which the biotin molecule is attached to lysine or tyrosine residues. So far, biotin-based technologies proved to be effective instruments as affinity and proximity tags. However, the influence of biotinylation on aspects such as folding, binding, mobility, thermodynamic stability, and kinetics needs to be investigated. Here, we selected two proteins [biotin carboxyl carrier protein (BCCP) and FKBP3] to test the influence of biotinylation on thermodynamic and kinetic properties. Apo (without biotin) and holo (biotinylated) protein structures were used separately to generate all-atom structure-based model simulations in a wide range of temperatures. Holo BCCP contains one biotinylation site, and FKBP3 was modeled with up to 23 biotinylated lysines. The two proteins had their estimated thermodynamic stability changed by altering their energy landscape. In all cases, after comparison between the apo and holo simulations, differences were observed on the free-energy profiles and folding routes. Energetic barriers were altered with the density of states clearly showing changes in the transition state. This study suggests that analysis of large-scale datasets of biotinylation-based proximity experiments might consider possible alterations in thermostability and folding mechanisms imposed by the attached biotins.
Interpretation of cell mechanical experiments in microfluidic systems depend on the choice of cellular shape descriptors
Authors: Fregin Bob , Biedenweg Doreen , Otto Oliver
Published: April 2022

The capability to parameterize shapes is of essential importance in biomechanics to identify cells, to track their motion, and to quantify deformation. While various shape descriptors have already been investigated to study the morphology and migration of adherent cells, little is known of how the mathematical definition of a contour impacts the outcome of rheological experiments on cells in suspension. In microfluidic systems, hydrodynamic stress distributions induce time-dependent cell deformation that needs to be quantified to determine viscoelastic properties. Here, we compared nine different shape descriptors to characterize the deformation of suspended cells in an extensional as well as shear flow using dynamic real-time deformability cytometry. While stress relaxation depends on the amplitude and duration of stress, our results demonstrate that steady-state deformation can be predicted from single cell traces even for translocation times shorter than their characteristic time. Implementing an analytical simulation, performing experiments, and testing various data analysis strategies, we compared single cell and ensemble studies to address the question of computational costs vs experimental accuracy. Results indicate that high-throughput viscoelastic measurements of cells in suspension can be performed on an ensemble scale as long as the characteristic time matches the dimensions of the microfluidic system. Finally, we introduced a score to evaluate the shape descriptor-dependent effect size for cell deformation after cytoskeletal modifications. We provide evidence that single cell analysis in an extensional flow provides the highest sensitivity independent of shape parametrization, while inverse Haralick's circularity is mostly applicable to study cells in shear flow.
The Delta Robot—A long travel nano-positioning stage for scanning x-ray microscopy
Authors: Kelly Jon , Male Andrew , Rubies Nicholas , Mahoney David , Walker Jessica M. , Gomez-Gonzalez Miguel A. , Wilkin Guy , Parker Julia E. , Quinn Paul D.
Published: April 2022

A new stage design concept, the Delta Robot, is presented, which is a parallel kinematic design for scanning x-ray microscopy applications. The stage employs three orthogonal voice coils, which actuate parallelogram flexures. The design has a 3 mm travel range and achieves rms position jitter, integrated from 1 Hz to 1 kHz, of 2.8 and 1.3 nm perpendicular to the beam and 5.6 nm along the beam direction with loads up to 350 g. The Delta Robot design process used a mechatronics approach of iterative modeling and simulation to develop the system and validate performance. The design considerations, design process, stability, and operational performance on the hard x-ray nanoprobe at Diamond Light Source are presented.
Crystallographic dependence of the spin Hall angle in epitaxial Pt films: Comparison of optical and electrical detection of spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance techniques
Authors: Grover Bharat , Hazra Binoy Krishna , Ma Tianping , Pal Banabir , Bernstein Nirel , Rothschild Amit , Srivastava Abhay Kant , Choudhury Samiran , Woltersdorf Georg , Capua Amir , Parkin Stuart S. P.
Published: April 2022

The spin Hall effect appears in nature in two forms. Its intrinsic form is highly dependent on the crystal symmetry while its extrinsic form stems from impurity scattering. Its efficiency is defined by the spin Hall angle, θSH, and has profound impact on spintronic technologies. However, an accurate measurement of θSH is not straightforward nor the identification of its origin. In this work, we apply a spin-torque driven ferromagnetic resonance method that is probed in two different ways, optically and electrically, to study the dependence of θSH in the crystallographic direction in epitaxial Al2O3/Pt (111), MgO(110)/Pt (110), and MgO(001)/Pt (001) films. We show that the electrical technique is limited in its ability to accurately quantify θSH at high current densities, and in some cases, it may even result in erroneous θSH values. Such cases include films that exhibit a large inhomogeneous broadening. We find that θSH is strongly affected by the crystallographic direction. Our study extends the understanding of one of the most commonly used methods for the exploration of the spin Hall effect.
Computational study of microdischarges driven by electron beam injection with particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision simulations
Authors: Wang Yu , Zhou Youyou , Wu Hao , Zhang Ya , Jiang Wei , Lapenta Giovanni
Published: April 2022

Microdischarges (MDs) have attracted increasing attention recently due to their widespread applications. The electron beam injection as an external source can affect the formation and characteristics of microdischarges. Aimed at exploring the kinetic properties of the atmospheric-pressure microdischarges purely driven by electron beam injection without external voltage, the one-dimensional implicit particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision model is developed. The monoenergetic electron beam is injected from the left electrode with a current of 0.001–0.05 A and an emission energy of 20–80 eV. It is found that similar to voltage and current-driven MDs, electron beam driven MDs can sustain steady glow discharge with high density (1021–1022m−3) but has much lower plasma potential (∼0.15−0.30 V) and electron temperature (<1 eV) due to the absence of an external field. The electron energy distribution function is composed of a low-energy group with two-temperature distribution and a high-energy group with a discrete distribution. In addition, the injected electron beam current and energy can influence the plasma properties significantly, such as plasma density, electron temperature, plasma potential, etc. The characteristics of ion bombardment can also be modulated by the beam energy and current, resulting in achievement of low energy and high flux. By enlarging the gap between the electrodes, the parameter difference on both sides can be realized.
Concurrent achievement of giant energy density and ultrahigh efficiency in antiferroelectric ceramics via core–shell structure design
Authors: Wu Longwen , Lan Guitian , Cai Ziming , Zhao Lihua , Lu Jian , Wang Xiaohui
Published: April 2022

The boom in high-power-density electronics and advanced pulsed power systems has led to a requirement for high-energy-density dielectric capacitors, for which the key enabler is the availability of dielectric materials with high energy densities and high efficiencies. Although antiferroelectric ceramics are promising dielectric materials with high energy densities, they have low efficiencies. In this study, we address this problem through the core–shell structure design. A phase-field model is developed by considering the core as antiferroelectric and the shell as linear dielectric, and the polarization hysteresis loops are determined. The results show that the polarization–electric field loop of the core–shell sample is slanted, with a delayed saturation polarization, decreased maximum polarization, and declined hysteresis loss compared with the pure sample. This phenomenon becomes more distinct with increasing shell fraction and decreasing shell permittivity, and vanished hysteresis is achieved in samples with a high shell fraction and a low shell permittivity. Through deconvolution, it is determined that the underlying mechanism of energy storage is the difference in the antiferroelectric polarization contribution of various shell parameters. It is found that a giant energy density of 15.5 J/cm3 and an ultrahigh efficiency of 99.7% at the saturation polarization can be achieved concurrently for a certain core–shell sample; these values considerably exceed the corresponding values (5.0 J/cm3 and 52.8%) for the pure sample. The findings of this study can serve as guidance for engineering core–shell structures, thus paving the way for enhancing the energy-storage performance of antiferroelectric ceramics.
Biasing crystallization in fused silica: An assessment of optimal metadynamics parameters
Authors: Lodesani Federica , Menziani Maria Cristina , Urata Shingo , Pedone Alfonso
Published: April 2022

Metadynamics (MetaD) is a useful technique to study rare events such as crystallization. It has been only recently applied to study nucleation and crystallization in glass-forming liquids such as silicates, but the optimal set of parameters to drive crystallization and obtain converged free energy surfaces is still unexplored. In this work, we systematically investigated the effects of the simulation conditions to efficiently study the thermodynamics and mechanism of crystallization in highly viscous systems. As a prototype system, we used fused silica, which easily crystallizes to β-cristobalite through MetaD simulations, owing to its simple microstructure. We investigated the influence of the height, width, and bias factor used to define the biasing Gaussian potential, as well as the effects of the temperature and system size on the results. Among these parameters, the bias factor and temperature seem to be most effective in sampling the free energy landscape of melt to crystal transition and reaching convergence more quickly. We also demonstrate that the temperature rescaling from T > Tm is a reliable approach to recover free energy surfaces below Tm, provided that the temperature gap is below 600 K and the configurational space has been properly sampled. Finally, albeit a complete crystallization is hard to achieve with large simulation boxes, these can be reliably and effectively exploited to study the first stages of nucleation.
Investigation of counter-rotating shock wave and wave direction control of hollow rotating detonation engine with Laval nozzle
Authors: Rong Guangyao , Cheng Miao , Sheng Zhaohua , Liu Xiangyang , Zhang Yunzhen , Wang Jianping
Published: April 2022

The counter-rotating shock wave and wave direction control of the hollow rotating detonation combustor with Laval nozzle are studied. The in-house solver BYRFoam, developed on the OpenFOAM platform, is used. The phenomenon and spatial distribution of the counter-rotating shock wave in the combustor are revealed. The result suggests that the closer the location is to the outer wall, the stronger the counter-rotating shock wave is. A method of controlling the wave direction is proposed. It is shown that the intensity of the counter-rotating shock wave is controlled by reducing the total pressure of the inlet, and then the direction of the detonation wave is controlled. The process of detonation wave reversing is divided into four steps, namely, counter-rotating shock waves evolve into detonation waves, several detonation waves are extinguished, detonation waves form again, and detonation waves propagate stably. The mechanism of wave direction control is investigated. The result shows that the fluctuation of the total pressure of the inlet stimulates the positive feedback interaction between the counter-rotating shock wave and the fresh gas, which causes initial detonation waves to be extinguished and the intensity of counter-rotating shock waves to become stronger and stronger, and eventually counter-rotating shock waves evolve into reverse detonation waves.
Polaritonic effects in the vibronic spectrum of molecules in an optical cavity
Authors: Vidal Marta L. , Manby Frederick R. , Knowles Peter J.
Published: April 2022

We present a new computational framework to describe polaritons, which treats photons and electrons on the same footing using coupled-cluster theory. As a proof of concept, we study the coupling between the first electronically excited state of carbon monoxide and an optical cavity. In particular, we focus on how the interaction with the photonic mode changes the vibrational spectroscopic signature of the electronic state and how this is affected when tuning the cavity frequency and the light–matter coupling strength. For this purpose, we consider different methodologies and investigate the validity of the Born–Oppenheimer approximation in such situations.
Tailoring nanoporous graphene via machine learning: Predicting probabilities and formation times of arbitrary nanopore shapes
Authors: Sheshanarayana Rahul , Govind Rajan Ananth
Published: April 2022

Nanopores in graphene, a 2D material, are currently being explored for various applications, such as gas separation, water desalination, and DNA sequencing. The shapes and sizes of nanopores play a major role in determining the performance of devices made out of graphene. However, given an arbitrary nanopore shape, anticipating its creation probability and formation time is a challenging inverse problem, solving which could help develop theoretical models for nanoporous graphene and guide experiments in tailoring pore sizes/shapes. In this work, we develop a machine learning framework to predict these target variables, i.e., formation probabilities and times, based on data generated using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations and chemical graph theory. Thereby, we enable the rapid quantification of the ease of formation of a given nanopore shape in graphene via silicon-catalyzed electron-beam etching and provide an experimental handle to realize it, in practice. We use structural features such as the number of carbon atoms removed, the number of edge atoms, the diameter of the nanopore, and its shape factor, which can be readily extracted from the nanopore shape. We show that the trained models can accurately predict nanopore probabilities and formation times with R2 values on the test set of 0.97 and 0.95, respectively. Not only that, we obtain physical insight into the working of the model and discuss the role played by the various structural features in modulating nanopore formation. Overall, our work provides a solid foundation for experimental studies to manipulate nanopore sizes/shapes and for theoretical studies to consider realistic structures of nanopores in graphene.
Alignment and propulsion of squirmer pusher–puller dumbbells
Authors: Clopés Judit , Gompper Gerhard , Winkler Roland G.
Published: April 2022

The properties of microswimmer dumbbells composed of pusher–puller pairs are investigated by mesoscale hydrodynamic simulations employing the multiparticle collision dynamics approach for the fluid. An individual microswimmer is represented by a squirmer, and various active-stress combinations in a dumbbell are considered. The squirmers are connected by a bond, which does not impose any geometrical restriction on the individual rotational motion. Our simulations reveal a strong influence of the squirmers’ flow fields on the orientation of their propulsion directions, their fluctuations, and the swimming behavior of a dumbbell. The properties of pusher–puller pairs with an equal magnitude of the active stresses depend only weakly on the stress magnitude. This is similar to dumbbells of microswimmers without hydrodynamic interactions. However, for non-equal stress magnitudes, the active stress implies strong orientational correlations of the swimmers’ propulsion directions with respect to each other, as well as the bond vector. The orientational coupling is most pronounced for pairs with large differences in the active-stress magnitude. The alignment of the squirmers’ propulsion directions with respect to each other is preferentially orthogonal in dumbbells with a strong pusher and weak puller, and antiparallel in the opposite case when the puller dominates. These strong correlations affect the active motion of dumbbells, which is faster for strong pushers and slower for strong pullers.
Transitional flow structures in heated hypersonic boundary layers
Authors: Zhu Yiding , Zhu Wenkai , Gu Dingwei , Lee Cunbiao , Smith Charles R.
Published: April 2022

Transition in a Mach 6 flared cone boundary layer over a heated wall has been investigated in the Mach 6 wind tunnel at Peking University using visualization, focused laser differential interferometry, infrared imaging, particle image velocimetry (PIV), and direct numerical simulation (DNS). The model's wall-temperature ratio η=Tw/T0 (where Tw and T0 are, respectively, the wall temperature and oncoming stream stagnation temperature) can be controlled to vary from 0.66 to 1.77. An ultrafast illumination image system has been used for Rayleigh-scattering visualization and PIV to experimentally capture the dynamics of the transition. Lagrangian flow structures are revealed by both the DNS results and the time-resolved PIV data. The effect of wall temperature on the transition is investigated, and it is found that increasing η initially delays but then promotes the transition to turbulence, with the reversal point being near η≈1. The turbulence onset mechanism over the heated wall for η=1.50, where first-mode-induced oblique breakdown dominates, is then investigated, and it is shown that lifting-up three-dimensional (3D) waves appear around the critical layer owing to the nonlinear development of the oblique first mode. Consequently, a downward sweep motion occurs to compensate for the lifting low-speed fluid, with the formation of a warped wave front. High-shear layers are created around the 3D Lagrangian waves and strengthened to cause the formation of a Λ-vortex. In general, this lifting-up 3D wavepacket has been confirmed to play a determining role in hypersonic turbulence production over a heated wall, which is similar to the findings in incompressible boundary layers.
Well-balanced discrete unified gas-kinetic scheme for two-phase systems
Authors: Zeng Wei , Zhang Chunhua , Guo Zhaoli
Published: April 2022

In this paper, a well-balanced discrete unified gas-kinetic scheme (WB-DUGKS) is developed to capture the physical equilibrium state for two-phase fluid systems. Based on the strategies adopted in the well-balanced lattice Boltzmann equation (WB-LBE) [Z. Guo, “Well-balanced lattice Boltzmann model for two-phase systems,” Phys. Fluids 33, 031709 (2021)], a novel equilibrium distribution function and a modified force term are employed in the DUGKS framework. Unlike the LBE model, the time step in DUGKS is decoupled from the mesh size such that the numerical stability can be enhanced. First, the well-balanced properties of the method are validated by simulating a stationary droplet. The numerical results show that the WB-DUGKS can successfully reach an equilibrium state and exhibits superior numerical stability at low viscosity compared with the WB-LBE model. Then, the dynamic process of the coalescence of two droplets is simulated. The time scaling predicted by the present model is in good quantitatively agreement with the previous numerical results and experimental data. Overall, the proposed model provides a promising tool for simulating two-phase systems.
Steady flow past elliptic cylinders with blockage effects
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Kumar Bhaskar
Published: April 2022

In the present work, steady two-dimensional flow past elliptic cylinders with different aspect ratios (Ar) have been investigated for Reynolds number (Re) up to 200. Main characteristics such as the bubble length, bubble width, separation Reynolds number, separation angle, drag coefficient, coefficients of the front and rear stagnation pressure, and the maximum vorticity on the cylinder surface have been obtained. Least squares fit equations for some of these quantities have also been presented. In the special case of a circular cylinder, results computed with the largest domain show that the bubble length, bubble width, maximum vorticity on the cylinder surface, coefficient of pressure drag, coefficient of total drag, and flow separation angle are linear functions of Re, Re0.5, Re0.35, Re−0.4, Re−0.5, and Re−0.1, respectively. As Ar changes, the trends in the growth, with respect to Ren (with the corresponding index), for the bubble length, bubble width, and the maximum surface vorticity deviate from their linear nature. The effect of blockage on the steady flow characteristics has been studied by changing the location of the side boundaries. In certain cases, the flow properties are found to vary in a non-monotonic fashion with the change in the blockage. An explanation based on the dual role of the side boundaries in promoting and suppressing the growth of the corresponding flow property is offered.
Implementation of an organisational wide approach to improving policy documents using plain language: a case study
Authors: Lambert Kelly , Johnstone Ceinwen , Vellar Lucia , Berg Natalie
Published: April 2022

The impact of poorly written policies in healthcare is enormous, with the potential for significant economic and personal costs. Our local health district embarked on a major revision of policy document development that sought to reframe the process of policy development using health literacy principles. This included mandatory policy development changes that require policy to be written in plain language, at a readability level of grade 10–12. Staff training in plain language writing was undertaken. Consumer and staff feedback was incorporated in policy development. Four elements were critical to this process: effective leadership, effective instruction, practical support, and evidence-driven decisions. Staff responses to the revised processes were overwhelmingly positive and resulted in improved policy readability. The involvement of consumers in policy development has evolved. From this study, we have learned how to improve the governance of policy documents. It is possible for health literacy principles to be embedded in the development and revision of these documents.
Clinical software packages can be improved to help general practitioners increase the provision of preventive care
Authors: Frank Oliver R.
Published: April 2022

Despite the importance of prevention in general practice, electronic clinical record systems used in Australian general practice do not present a comprehensive overview of each patient’s preventive care status to general practitioners or patients. Data relevant to prevention is scattered between different parts of the patient’s record. On-screen reminders to general practitioners are simplistic and easily overlooked, and no reminders are sent automatically to patients. There is no structured means to note a patient’s refusal or ineligibility for a particular preventive activity. Electronic clinical record systems should be enhanced to allow patients to be invited automatically, at appropriate times, to review and respond to comprehensive information and advice about preventive care that is recommended for them. Users of electronic clinical record systems will need to lobby their software vendors to have the proposed enhancements made.
Sampling time for self-taking an oropharyngeal swab for gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing
Authors: Chow Eric P. F. , Fairley Christopher K. , Maddaford Kate , Schmidt Tina , Buchanan Andrew , Tieosapjaroen Warittha , Tataro Gerald , Phillips Tiffany R.
Published: April 2022

Self-taking oropharyngeal swabs for sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhoea and chlamydia has become more common during the COVID-19 pandemic to minimise the risk to healthcare workers. However, there have been no standardised guidelines on sampling time for taking an oropharyngeal swab for gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing. We recruited 215 participants at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Australia, between November 2021 and January 2022. We asked participants to report the time they spent on self-taking the oropharyngeal swab. The median self-taking sampling time was 8 s (IQR = 5–12), and the time did not differ between oropharyngeal gonorrhoea positivity (P = 0.570) and oropharyngeal chlamydia positivity (P = 0.457).
Chronic inflammatory arthritis drives systemic changes in circadian energy metabolism
Authors: Downton Polly , Sanna Fabio , Maidstone Robert , Poolman Toryn M. , Hayter Edward A. , Dickson Suzanna H. , Ciccone Nick A. , Early James O. , Adamson Antony , Spiller David G. , Simpkins Devin A. , Baxter Matthew , Fischer Roman , Rattray Magnus , Loudon Andrew S. I. , Gibbs Julie E. , Bechtold David A. , Ray David W.
Published: April 2022

Significance

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating chronic inflammatory disease in which symptoms exhibit a strong time-of-day rhythmicity. RA is commonly associated with metabolic disturbance and increased incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, yet the mechanisms underlying this metabolic dysregulation remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that rhythmic inflammation drives reorganization of metabolic programs in distal liver and muscle tissues. Chronic inflammation leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism, including accumulation of inflammation-associated ceramide species in a time-of-day–dependent manner. These findings reveal multiple points for therapeutic intervention centered on the circadian clock, metabolic dysregulation, and inflammatory signaling.
Matching protein surface structural patches for high-resolution blind peptide docking
Authors: Khramushin Alisa , Ben-Aharon Ziv , Tsaban Tomer , Varga Julia K. , Avraham Orly , Schueler-Furman Ora
Published: April 2022

Significance

Modeling interactions between short peptides and their receptors is a challenging docking problem due to the peptide flexibility, resulting in a formidable sampling problem of peptide conformation in addition to its orientation. Alternatively, the peptide can be viewed as a piece that complements the receptor monomer structure. Here, we show that the peptide conformation can be determined based on the receptor backbone only and sampled using local structural motifs found in solved protein monomers and interfaces, independent of sequence similarity. This approach outperforms current peptide docking protocols and promotes new directions for peptide interface design.
Mitochondrial mutations alter endurance exercise response and determinants in mice
Authors: Schaefer Patrick M. , Rathi Komal , Butic Arrienne , Tan Wendy , Mitchell Katherine , Wallace Douglas C.
Published: April 2022

Significance

Primary mitochondrial diseases (PMDs) are the most prevalent inborn metabolic disorders, affecting an estimated 1 in 4,200 individuals. Endurance exercise is generally known to improve mitochondrial function, but its indication in the heterogeneous group of PMDs is unclear. We determined the relationship between mitochondrial mutations, endurance exercise response, and the underlying molecular pathways in mice with distinct mitochondrial mutations. This revealed that mitochondria are crucial regulators of exercise capacity and exercise response. Endurance exercise proved to be mostly beneficial across the different mitochondrial mutant mice with the exception of a worsened dilated cardiomyopathy in ANT1-deficient mice. Thus, therapeutic exercises, especially in patients with PMDs, should take into account the physical and mitochondrial genetic status of the patient.
Antibody-mediated blockade of the IL23 receptor destabilizes intratumoral regulatory T cells and enhances immunotherapy
Authors: Wight Andrew E. , Sido Jessica M. , Degryse Sandrine , Ao Lin , Nakagawa Hidetoshi , Qiu(Vivian) Yiguo , Shen Xianli , Oseghali Oba , Kim Hye-Jung , Cantor Harvey
Published: April 2022

Significance

Regulatory T cells rely on active processes to maintain a suppressive phenotype inside a tumor, leading to increased tumor burden and worse cancer outcomes. Here, we report a pathway to interfere with regulatory T cell (Treg) stability by disrupting the expression of the interleukin 23 receptor. This approach increases Treg responsiveness to interleukin 12, leading to increased production of gamma-interferon and more efficient antitumor immune responses. The combined engagement of independent pathways to destabilize Treg through the interleukin 23 receptor and the glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein receptor has a synergistic impact on the Treg phenotype and promotes antitumor immune responses. These findings expand our understanding of regulatory T-cell biology and offer tools for cancer immunotherapy.
The ‘general fact’ copula in Yolmo and the influence of Tamang
Authors: Gawne Lauren , Owen-Smith Thomas
Published: April 2022

This paper examines the similarity of the Yolmo ‘general fact’ evidential and the ‘generic fact’ evidential in the Tamang dialect spoken in the valley of the Indrawati Khola. Yolmoòŋgeis unlike any evidential attested in other Tibetic languages, but shares features with1kha-pain the local dialect of Tamang. Semantically, they both are used for situations that are generally known facts. Structurally, both are copulas with evidential functions that are formed using the lexical verb ‘come’. We argue that language contact between Tamang speakers of the Indrawati Khola area and Yolmo speakers in the Melamchi Valley led to the Yolmo language calquing the Tamang form. We illustrate these copulas and their relationship because grammaticalisation of copulas from a lexical verb ‘come’ is cross-linguistically uncommon.
Effects of Sc on the microstructure and properties of in situ ZrB2/7085Al composites
Authors: Cao Rui , Zhao Yutao , Kai Xizhou , Qian Wei , Huang Luyao , Miao Chang , Xu Zhuangzhuang
Published: April 2022

The microstructure and mechanical properties of the ZrB2/7085Al composites containing Sc were studied. The ZrB2/7085Al composites were prepared by in situ reaction via Al-Zr-B system. On addition of Sc, it interacted with Zr present in the alloy resulting in the production of Al3(Sc, Zr) precipitates. Minor addition of Sc resulted in grain refinement, change in ZrB2 nanoparticles distribution, change in the size and morphology of the η phase and formation of Al3Sc and Al3(Sc, Zr) precipitates, which improved the strength significantly. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength (YS) and elongation of 7085Al-ZrB2-Sc increased to 660.2, 603.4 MPa and 10.6%, respectively. These tensile properties improved 20.4%, 19.2% and 73.7%, respectively, over the 7085Al.
Interphase microtubule disassembly is a signaling cue that drives cell rounding at mitotic entry
Authors: Leguay Kévin , Decelle Barbara , Elkholi Islam E. , Bouvier Michel , Côté Jean-François , Carréno Sébastien
Published: April 2022

At mitotic entry, reorganization of the actomyosin cortex prompts cells to round-up. Proteins of the ezrin, radixin, and moesin family (ERM) play essential roles in this process by linking actomyosin forces to the plasma membrane. Yet, the cell-cycle signal that activates ERMs at mitotic entry is unknown. By screening a compound library using newly developed biosensors, we discovered that drugs that disassemble microtubules promote ERM activation. We further demonstrated that disassembly of interphase microtubules at mitotic entry directs ERM activation and metaphase cell rounding through GEF-H1, a Rho-GEF inhibited by microtubule binding, RhoA, and its kinase effector SLK. We finally demonstrated that GEF-H1 and Ect2, another Rho-GEF previously identified to control actomyosin forces, act together to drive activation of ERMs and cell rounding in metaphase. In summary, we report microtubule disassembly as a cell-cycle signal that controls a signaling network ensuring that actomyosin forces are efficiently integrated at the plasma membrane to promote cell rounding at mitotic entry.
Trapping of CDC42 C-terminal variants in the Golgi drives pyrin inflammasome hyperactivation
Authors: Nishitani-Isa Masahiko , Mukai Kojiro , Honda Yoshitaka , Nihira Hiroshi , Tanaka Takayuki , Shibata Hirofumi , Kodama Kumi , Hiejima Eitaro , Izawa Kazushi , Kawasaki Yuri , Osawa Mitsujiro , Katata Yu , Onodera Sachiko , Watanabe Tatsuya , Uchida Takashi , Kure Shigeo , Takita Junko , Ohara Osamu , Saito Megumu K. , Nishikomori Ryuta , Taguchi Tomohiko , Sasahara Yoji , Yasumi Takahiro
Published: April 2022

Mutations in the C-terminal region of the CDC42 gene cause severe neonatal-onset autoinflammation. Effectiveness of IL-1β–blocking therapy indicates that the pathology involves abnormal inflammasome activation; however, the mechanism underlying autoinflammation remains to be elucidated. Using induced-pluripotent stem cells established from patients carrying CDC42R186C, we found that patient-derived cells secreted larger amounts of IL-1β in response to pyrin-activating stimuli. Aberrant palmitoylation and localization of CDC42R186C protein to the Golgi apparatus promoted pyrin inflammasome assembly downstream of pyrin dephosphorylation. Aberrant subcellular localization was the common pathological feature shared by CDC42 C-terminal variants with inflammatory phenotypes, including CDC42*192C*24 that also localizes to the Golgi apparatus. Furthermore, the level of pyrin inflammasome overactivation paralleled that of mutant protein accumulation in the Golgi apparatus, but not that of the mutant GTPase activity. These results reveal an unexpected association between CDC42 subcellular localization and pyrin inflammasome activation that could pave the way for elucidating the mechanism of pyrin inflammasome formation.
Biological noise is a key determinant of the reproducibility and adaptability of cardiac pacemaking and EC coupling
Authors: Guarina Laura , Moghbel Ariana Neelufar , Pourhosseinzadeh Mohammad S. , Cudmore Robert H. , Sato Daisuke , Clancy Colleen E. , Santana Luis Fernando
Published: April 2022

Each heartbeat begins with the generation of an action potential in pacemaking cells in the sinoatrial node. This signal triggers contraction of cardiac muscle through a process termed excitation–contraction (EC) coupling. EC coupling is initiated in dyadic structures of cardiac myocytes, where ryanodine receptors in the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum come into close apposition with clusters of CaV1.2 channels in invaginations of the sarcolemma. Cooperative activation of CaV1.2 channels within these clusters causes a local increase in intracellular Ca2+ that activates the juxtaposed ryanodine receptors. A salient feature of healthy cardiac function is the reliable and precise beat-to-beat pacemaking and amplitude of Ca2+ transients during EC coupling. In this review, we discuss recent discoveries suggesting that the exquisite reproducibility of this system emerges, paradoxically, from high variability at subcellular, cellular, and network levels. This variability is attributable to stochastic fluctuations in ion channel trafficking, clustering, and gating, as well as dyadic structure, which increase intracellular Ca2+ variance during EC coupling. Although the effects of these large, local fluctuations in function and organization are sometimes negligible at the macroscopic level owing to spatial–temporal summation within and across cells in the tissue, recent work suggests that the “noisiness” of these intracellular Ca2+ events may either enhance or counterintuitively reduce variability in a context-dependent manner. Indeed, these noisy events may represent distinct regulatory features in the tuning of cardiac contractility. Collectively, these observations support the importance of incorporating experimentally determined values of Ca2+ variance in all EC coupling models. The high reproducibility of cardiac contraction is a paradoxical outcome of high Ca2+ signaling variability at subcellular, cellular, and network levels caused by stochastic fluctuations in multiple processes in time and space. This underlying stochasticity, which counterintuitively manifests as reliable, consistent Ca2+ transients during EC coupling, also allows for rapid changes in cardiac rhythmicity and contractility in health and disease.