bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Handgrip strength is associated with cognitive function in older patients with stage 3-5 chronic kidney disease: results from the NHANES
Authors: Zhang Jialing , Wang Peixin , Pang Qi , Wang Shiyuan , Zhang Aihua
Published: May 2024

In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between handgrip strength (HGS) and cognitive performance in stage 3-5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients aged ≥ 60 years. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database 2011–2014. Three tests were used to assess the cognitive performance, including consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer’s disease (CERAD), animal fluency test (AFT), and digit symbol substitution test (DSST). The multivariate linear regression analyses adjusting for confounding factors were utilized to evaluate the association of HGS with cognitive performance. A total of 678 older stage 3-5 CKD patients were included in this study. After adjusting for multiple factors, a higher HGS was positively associated with a higher CERAD-delayed recall and DSST score. In addition, our analysis indicated that HGS probably correlated with better performance of immediate learning ability in male, while working memory, sustained attention, and processing speed in female. HGS may be an important indicator for cognitive deficits in stage 3-5 CKD patients, especially for learning ability and executive function. Further research to explore the sex-specific and domain-specific and possible mechanisms are required.
A stochastic approach for co-evolution process of virus and human immune system
Authors: Ain Qura Tul , Shen Jiahao , Xu Peng , Qiang Xiaoli , Kou Zheng
Published: May 2024

Infectious diseases have long been a shaping force in human history, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of their dynamics. This study introduces a co-evolution model that integrates both epidemiological and evolutionary dynamics. Utilizing a system of differential equations, the model represents the interactions among susceptible, infected, and recovered populations for both ancestral and evolved viral strains. Methodologically rigorous, the model’s existence and uniqueness have been verified, and it accommodates both deterministic and stochastic cases. A myriad of graphical techniques have been employed to elucidate the model’s dynamics. Beyond its theoretical contributions, this model serves as a critical instrument for public health strategy, particularly predicting future outbreaks in scenarios where viral mutations compromise existing interventions.
Aggregation of human osteoblasts unlocks self-reliant differentiation and constitutes a microenvironment for 3D-co-cultivation with other bone marrow cells
Authors: Marozin Sabrina , Simon-Nobbe Birgit , Huth Astrid , Beyerer Evelyn , Weber Laurenz , Nüssler Andreas , Lepperdinger Günter
Published: May 2024

Skeletal bone function relies on both cells and cellular niches, which, when combined, provide guiding cues for the control of differentiation and remodeling processes. Here, we propose an in vitro 3D model based on human fetal osteoblasts, which eases the study of osteocyte commitment in vitro and thus provides a means to examine the influences of biomaterials, substances or cells on the regulation of these processes. Aggregates were formed from human fetal osteoblasts (hFOB1.19) and cultivated under proliferative, adipo- and osteoinductive conditions. When cultivated under osteoinductive conditions, the vitality of the aggregates was compromised, the expression levels of the mineralization-related gene DMP1 and the amount of calcification and matrix deposition were lower, and the growth of the spheroids stalled. However, within spheres under growth conditions without specific supplements, self-organization processes occur, which promote extracellular calcium deposition, and osteocyte-like cells develop. Long-term cultivated hFOB aggregates were free of necrotic areas. Moreover, hFOB aggregates cultivated under standard proliferative conditions supported the co-cultivation of human monocytes, microvascular endothelial cells and stromal cells. Overall, the model presented here comprises a self-organizing and easily accessible 3D osteoblast model for studying bone marrow formation and in vitro remodeling and thus provides a means to test druggable molecular pathways with the potential to promote life-long bone formation and remodeling.
Detection of clonal plasma cells in POEMS syndrome using multiparameter flow cytometry
Authors: Ishii Arata , Tsukamoto Shokichi , Mimura Naoya , Miyamoto-Nagai Yurie , Isshiki Yusuke , Matsui Shinichiro , Nakao Sanshiro , Shibamiya Asuka , Hino Yutaro , Kayamori Kensuke , Oshima-Hasegawa Nagisa , Muto Tomoya , Takeda Yusuke , Suichi Tomoki , Misawa Sonoko , Ohwada Chikako , Yokote Koutaro , Kuwabara Satoshi , Nakaseko Chiaki , Takamatsu Hiroyuki , Sakaida Emiko
Published: May 2024

POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein [M-protein], and skin changes) is a rare systemic disorder characterized by various symptoms caused by underlying plasma cell (PC) dyscrasia. Detection of monoclonal PCs is mandatory for the diagnosis of POEMS syndrome; however, the usefulness of EuroFlow-based next-generation flow cytometry (EuroFlow-NGF) in POEMS syndrome for detecting monoclonal PCs in bone marrow (BM) and the gating strategy suitable for flow cytometry study of POEMS syndrome remain unknown. We employed EuroFlow-NGF-based single-tube eight-color multiparameter flow cytometry (MM-flow) and established a new gating strategy (POEMS-flow) to detect the monoclonal PCs in POEMS syndrome, gating CD38 broadly from dim to bright and CD45 narrowly from negative to dim compared to MM-flow. MM-flow detected monoclonal PCs in 9/25 (36.0%) cases, including 2/2 immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE)-negative cases (100%). However, POEMS-flow detected monoclonal PCs in 18/25 cases (72.0%), including 2/2 IFE-negative cases (100%). POEMS-flow detected monoclonal PCs with immunophenotypes of CD19− in 17/18 (94.4%). In six cases where post-treatment samples were available, the size of the clones was significantly reduced after the treatment (P = 0.031). POEMS-flow can enhance the identification rate of monoclonal PCs in POEMS syndrome and become a valuable tool for the diagnosis of POEMS syndrome.
The use of stem cells in the treatment of mastitis in dairy cows
Authors: Pokorska Joanna , Sawicki Sebastian , Gabryś Julia , Kułaj Dominika , Bauer Edyta Agnieszka , Lenart-Boroń Anna , Bulanda Klaudia , Kuchta-Gładysz Marta , Grzesiakowska Anna , Kemilew Jerzy , Barton Patryk Mikołaj , Lasek Olga , Bugno-Poniewierska Monika
Published: May 2024

Mastitis is a multifactorial inflammatory disease. The increase in antibiotic resistance of bacteria that cause mastitis means that cattle breeders would prefer to reduce the use of antibiotics. Recently, therapies using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from various sources have gained significant interest in the development of regenerative medicine in humans and animals, due to their extraordinary range of properties and functions. The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of an allogeneic stem cells derived from bone marrow (BMSC) and adipose tissue (ADSC) in treating mastitis in dairy cattle. The research material consisted of milk and blood samples collected from 39 Polish Holstein-Friesian cows, 36 of which were classified as having mastitis, based on cytological evaluation of their milk. The experimental group was divided into subgroups according to the method of MSC administration: intravenous, intramammary, and intravenous + intramammary, and according to the allogeneic stem cells administered: BMSC and ADSC. The research material was collected at several time intervals: before the administration of stem cells, after 24 and 72 h, and after 7 days. Blood samples were collected to assess hematological parameters and the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, while the milk samples were used for microbiological assessment and to determine the somatic cells count (SCC). The administration of allogeneic MSCs resulted in a reduction in the total number of bacterial cells, Staphylococcus aureus, bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae group, and a systematic decrease in SCC in milk. The therapeutic effect was achieved via intravenous + intramammary or intramammary administration.
High-energy density cellulose nanofibre supercapacitors enabled by pseudo-solid water molecules
Authors: Fukuhara Mikio , Yokotsuka Tomonori , Morita Masahiro , Ito Tatsunori , Yada Minoru , Nakatani Takeshi , Hashida Toshiyuki
Published: May 2024

Compared with conventional electrochemical supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries, the novel amorphous cellulose nanofibre (ACF) supercapacitor demonstrates superior electric storage capacity with a high-power density, owing to its fast-charging capability and high-voltage performance. This study unveils introduces an ACF supercapacitor characterised by a substantial energy density. This is achieved by integrating a singular layer of pseudo-solid water molecules (electrical resistivity of 1.11 × 108 Ω cm) with cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), establishing forming an electric double layer at the electrode interface. The enhanced energy storage in these high-energy density capacitors (8.55 J/m2) is explicated through the polarisation of protons and lone pair electrons on oxygen atoms during water electrolysis, commencing at 1.23 V. Improvements in energy density are attainable through CNF density enhancements and charging-current optimisation. The proposed ACF supercapacitor offers substantial promise for integration into the power sources of flexible and renewable paper-based electronic devices.
The impact of square dancing on psychological well-being and life satisfaction among aging women
Authors: Liu Xi , Du Qinjin , Fan Hongying , Wang Yan
Published: May 2024

As the most popular sport among middle-aged and elderly women in China, square dancing has both physical and psychological benefits for menopausal women. Previous studies have shown that square dance exercises can promote the physical health of older women, but there is a lack of research on the influence of middle-aged and elderly women on mental health and mediating variables. Therefore, this study starts with one of the important indicators of mental health—positive affects, aiming to explore the impact of square dance on the positive emotions of elderly women and further explore the mediating mechanisms involved. We send out The Physical Activity Rating Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Satisfaction With Life Scale to a total of 2311 middle-aged and elderly women. SPSS 23 software and PROCESS were used to perform regression analysis and establish mediation models. Modeling results show square dance exercises could positively predict positive affect through the chain mediating effect of psychological resilience and life satisfaction. The results of this study are of great significance for promoting the extensive participation of middle-aged and elderly women in sports and protecting their mental health.
Quintic refractive index profile-based funnel-shaped silicon antireflective structures for enhanced photodetector performance
Authors: Kim Beom-Jun , Jo Min-Seung , Yang Jae-Soon , Chung Myung-Kun , Kim Sung-Ho , Yoon Jun-Bo
Published: May 2024

Antireflection, vital in optoelectronics devices such as solar cells and photodetectors, reduces light reflection and increases absorption. Antireflective structures (ARS), a primary method by which to realize this effect, control the refractive index (RI) profile based on their shape. The antireflection efficiency depends on the refractive index profile, with the quintic RI profile being recognized as ideal for superior antireflection. However, fabricating nano-sized structures with a desired shape, particularly in silicon with a quintic RI profile, has been a challenge. In this study, we introduce a funnel-shaped silicon (Si) ARS with a quintic RI profile. Its antireflective properties are demonstrated through reflectance measurements and by an application to a photodetector surface. Compared to the film Si and cone-shaped ARS types, which are common structures to achieve antireflection, the funnel-shaped ARS showed reflectance of 4.24% at 760 nm, whereas those of the film Si and cone-shaped ARS were 32.8% and 10.6%, respectively. Photodetectors with the funnel-shaped ARS showed responsivity of 0.077 A/W at 950 nm, which is 19.54 times higher than that with the film Si and 2.45 times higher than that with the cone-shaped ARS.
The AAA-ATPase Ter94 regulates wing size in Drosophila by suppressing the Hippo pathway
Authors: Li Mingming , Ding Wenhao , Deng Yanran , Zhao Yunhe , Liu Qingxin , Zhou Zizhang
Published: May 2024

Insect wing development is a fascinating and intricate process that involves the regulation of wing size through cell proliferation and apoptosis. In this study, we find that Ter94, an AAA-ATPase, is essential for proper wing size dependently on its ATPase activity. Loss of Ter94 enables the suppression of Hippo target genes. When Ter94 is depleted, it results in reduced wing size and increased apoptosis, which can be rescued by inhibiting the Hippo pathway. Biochemical experiments reveal that Ter94 reciprocally binds to Mer, a critical upstream component of the Hippo pathway, and disrupts its interaction with Ex and Kib. This disruption prevents the formation of the Ex-Mer-Kib complex, ultimately leading to the inactivation of the Hippo pathway and promoting proper wing development. Finally, we show that hVCP, the human homolog of Ter94, is able to substitute for Ter94 in modulating Drosophila wing size, underscoring their functional conservation. In conclusion, Ter94 plays a positive role in regulating wing size by interfering with the Ex-Mer-Kib complex, which results in the suppression of the Hippo pathway.
Loneliness corresponds with neural representations and language use that deviate from shared cultural perceptions
Authors: Broom Timothy W. , Iyer Siddhant , Courtney Andrea L. , Meyer Meghan L.
Published: May 2024

The word zeitgeist refers to common perceptions shared in a given culture. Meanwhile, a defining feature of loneliness is feeling that one’s views are not shared with others. Does loneliness correspond with deviating from the zeitgeist? Across two independent brain imaging datasets, lonely participants’ neural representations of well-known celebrities strayed from group-consensus neural representations in the medial prefrontal cortex—a region that encodes and retrieves social knowledge (Studies 1 A/1B: N = 40 each). Because communication fosters social connection by creating shared reality, we next asked whether lonelier participants’ communication about well-known celebrities also deviates from the zeitgeist. Indeed, when a strong group consensus exists, lonelier individuals use idiosyncratic language to describe well-known celebrities (Study 2: N = 923). Collectively, results support lonely individuals’ feeling that their views are not shared. This suggests loneliness may not only reflect impoverished relationships with specific individuals, but also feelings of disconnection from prevalently shared views of contemporary culture.
Understanding the role of nitrogen-doping and surface topology in the binding of Fe(iii)/Fe(ii) to biobased carbon electrodes
Authors: Bachs-Herrera Anna , Vidal-Daza Isaac , Boz Emre B. , Forner-Cuenca Antoni , Martin-Martinez Francisco J.
Published: May 2024

Binding mechanisms of iron electrochemical species to biobased electrode model surfaces with different features have been investigated.
High-throughput direct screening of restriction endonuclease using a microfluidic fluorescence-activated drop sorter based on the SOS response in Escherichia coli
Authors: Zhang Yizhe , Agresti Jeremy J. , Zheng Yu , Weitz David A.
Published: May 2024

The E. coli SOS pathway is utilized for high-throughput screening of restriction enzymes through a microfluidic drop sorter.
Modular development of organelle-targeting fluorescent probes for imaging formaldehyde in live cells
Authors: Zhang Yuqing , Du Yimeng , Liao Kongke , Peng Tao
Published: May 2024

A modular strategy is developed to construct diverse organelle-targeting fluorescent probes for selective imaging of formaldehyde in the nucleus, ER, mitochondria, and lysosomes of live cells.
Highly bifunctional Rh2P on N,P-codoped carbon for hydrazine oxidation assisted energy-saving hydrogen production
Authors: Zhao Simeng , Sun Yu , Li Haibo , Zeng Suyuan , Yao Qingxia , Li Rui , Chen Hongyan , Qu Konggang
Published: May 2024

Highly pure Rh2P on N,P-codoped carbon was prepared by a simple ‘‘mix-and-pyrolyze’’ method using one low-cost nucleotide as C, N and P sources, showing superior bifunctional activity for HER and HzOR and enabling energy-saving hydrogen production.
Synthesis and properties of an O-doped aromatic belt
Authors: Han Ying , Guo Wei-Chen , Du Xu-Sheng , Chen Chuan-Feng
Published: May 2024

A new macrocyclic arene, dibenzofuran[3]arene, was conveniently synthesized and transformed to an O-doped conjugated aromatic belt containing a [6]cycloparaphenylene structure.
On the nature of sub-THz continuum absorption in CO2 gas, its mixture with Ar, and in pure water vapor
Authors: Galanina T. A. , Koroleva A. O. , Amerkhanov I. S. , Serov E. A. , Koshelev M. A. , Tretyakov M. Yu. , Chistikov D. N. , Finenko A. A. , Vigasin A. A.
Published: May 2024

Close similarity between collision induced absorption in the CO2 containing gases and the H2O continuum paves the way for the full-scale physically-based modeling of the latter for atmospheric applications.
Unraveling the interaction between singlet state atomic oxygen O(1D) and water: toward the formation of oxywater and hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Suijker Jos , Bagheri Behnaz
Published: May 2024

Production of a singlet state oxywater species and its transition to hydrogen peroxide using quantum mechanical calculations.
Substitution effects on the photoinduced excited state dynamics of perylenemonoimides in solution and thin films
Authors: Dhami Suman , Khatun Mst Nasima , Sengupta Chaitrali , Iyer Parameswar Krishnan , Pandey Ravindra
Published: May 2024

APITB is designed as a donor–acceptor dyad, with thianthrene as a donor and PMI as an acceptor. The activation of the triplet state through the spin–orbit charge transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT-ISC) process in THF was observed in APITB moiety.
On the mechanism of sp2 C–H borylation using ortho-N-substituted pyridinium cations
Authors: Slesarchuk Nikita , Ma Enlu , Miranda-Pizarro Juan , Heikkinen Sami , Schollmeyer Dieter , Nieger Martin , Vasko Petra , Repo Timo
Published: May 2024

ortho-N-Substituted pyridinium cations with the weakly coordinating anion [B(C6F5)4]− have been studied and crucial structural features in the sp2 C–H borylation catalysis of 3-methylthiophene have been identified.
Solvents regulate the packing porosity of a bilayer metal–organic cage
Authors: Pan Ting , Wu Yanxin , Duan Yuefeng , Duan Jingui
Published: May 2024

A solvent strategy has been reported to systemically tune the overall porosity and pore size of a bilayer MOC, among which, NTU-95 with the largest porosity shows potential for the separation of C2H2/C2H4 mixtures.
Enhanced carboxylation of furoic salt with CO2 by ZnCl2 coordination for efficient production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid
Authors: Liu Peiyao , Yang Zhengzeng , Zhang Mengyuan , Liu Yufeng , Han Dandan , Wu Dan , Xu Chunbao , Wang Jianshe
Published: May 2024

A Lewis acid coordination strategy was proposed to promote C–H carboxylation of furoic acid (FA) with CO2 to produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (2,5-FDCA).
ARKA: a framework of dimensionality reduction for machine-learning classification modeling, risk assessment, and data gap-filling of sparse environmental toxicity data
Authors: Banerjee Arkaprava , Roy Kunal
Published: May 2024

A scatter plot of the data points using the values of two ARKA descriptors can potentially identify activity cliffs, less confident data points, and less modelable data points.
Sequential Glaser reaction – diastereoselective cyclocarboxylation of propargylamines with CO2: a green catalytic access to bis-oxazolidinonedienes and their topochemical polymerization
Authors: Mele Francesco , Constantin Ana Maria , Sacchelli Filippo , Schiroli Debora , Mazzeo Paolo Pio , Maestri Giovanni , Motti Elena , Maggi Raimondo , Mancuso Raffaella , Gabriele Bartolo , Pancrazzi Francesco , Della Ca’ Nicola
Published: May 2024

An inexpensive copper catalyst promotes the direct synthesis of bis-oxazolidinonedienes from CO2 and propargylic amines. Easy purification and polymerization in the solid state have been observed for these highly functionalized dienes.
Durable and efficient urea electrosynthesis using carbon dioxide and nitrate over defect-rich In2O3 nanotubes
Authors: Fang Hongjun , Kuo Chen-Han , Yang Hongsheng , Wang Ze , Feng Xinzhen , Ji Weijie , Au Chak-Tong
Published: May 2024

A defect-rich In2O3 electrocatalyst is highly durable and efficient for sustainable urea synthesis via co-reduction of CO2/NO3− under mild conditions.
Anchored Ru clusters on a lignin/algae carbon aerogel as an efficient bifunctional catalyst for water splitting
Authors: Li Pengfei , Cheng Zhongfa , Chai Wei , Yao Ya , Zhang Ning , Yue Hong , Wang Yanping , Li Wei , Zhang Liang , Zhou Lina , Zhang Jianming , Wang Zhanming , Dong Tao
Published: May 2024

The Ru clusters were immobilized onto the S-doped carbon aerogel through a novel plasma-assisted high-temperature carbonization treatment, exhibiting exceptional performance in water splitting.
Luminescence enhancement through co-sensitization in lanthanide composites for efficient photocatalysis
Authors: Ren Langtao , Zhao Qing , Su Yan , Zhou Mingzhu , Su Qianqian
Published: May 2024

A UV-enhanced co-sensitized rare-earth nanomaterial has been designed to combine titanium dioxide and cadmium sulfide for effective enhancement of photocatalytic activity.
A census of new globular clusters in the Galactic bulge
Authors: Bica E. , Ortolani S. , Barbuy B. , Oliveira R. A. P.
Published: May 2024

Context. The number of known globular clusters in the Galactic bulge has been increasing steadily thanks to different new surveys.

Aims. The aim of this study is to provide a census of the newly revealed globular clusters in the Galactic bulge, and analyze their characteristics.

Methods. In recent years, many globular clusters have been discovered or identified. The stellar populations to which they belong are indicated in their original studies: they are mostly bulge clusters, with some identified as disk or halo members. We collected 41 new globular clusters revealed in the last decade and compared them to the known bulge clusters.

Results. The new clusters are intrinsically faint with MV of around −6.0 mag. The distance to the Sun of the ensemble of well-known and new bulge clusters is compatible with the Galactocentric distance measurements from the Galactic black hole location. The ensemble sample shows metallicity peaks at [Fe/H] ∼ −1.08 ± 0.35 and −0.51 ± 0.25 dex, confirming previous findings. The age–metallicity relation of the new clusters younger than 10 Gyr is compatible with that of the ex situ samples of the dwarf galaxies Sagittarius, Canis Majoris, and Gaia-Enceladus-Sausage. The clusters with ages between 11.5 and 13.5 Gyr show no age–metallicity relation, because they are all old. This is compatible with their formation in situ in the early Galaxy.
Neural networks unveiling the properties of gravitational wave background from supermassive black hole binaries
Authors: Bonetti Matteo , Franchini Alessia , Galuzzi Bruno Giovanni , Sesana Alberto
Published: May 2024

Supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) are binary systems formed by black holes with masses exceeding millions of solar masses, and are expected to form and evolve in the nuclei of galaxies. The extremely compact nature of these objects leads to the intense and efficient emission of gravitational waves (GWs), which can be detected by the Pulsar Timing Array (PTA) experiment in the form of a gravitational wave background (GWB); that is, a superposition of GW signals coming from different sources. The modelling of the GWB requires some assumptions as to the binary population, and exploration of the whole parameter space involved is hindered by the great computational cost involved. We trained two neural networks (NN) on a semi-analytical modelling of the GWB generated by an eccentric population of MBHBs that interact with the stellar environment. We then used the NN to predict the characteristics of the GW signal in regions of the parameter space that we did not sample analytically. The developed framework allows us to quickly predict the amplitude, shape, and variance of the GWB signals produced in different realisations of the universe.
Probing the intergalactic medium during the Epoch of Reionization using 21 cm signal power spectra
Authors: Ghara R. , Shaw A. K. , Zaroubi S. , Ciardi B. , Mellema G. , Koopmans L. V. E. , Acharya A. , Choudhury M. , Giri S. K. , Iliev I. T. , Ma Q. , Mertens F. G.
Published: May 2024

Context. The redshifted 21 cm signal from the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) directly probes the ionization and thermal states of the intergalactic medium during that period. In particular, the distribution of the ionized regions around the radiating sources during EoR introduces scale-dependent features in the spherically averaged EoR 21 cm signal power spectrum.

Aims. The goal is to study these scale-dependent features at different stages of reionization using numerical simulations and to build a source model-independent framework to probe the properties of the intergalactic medium using EoR 21 cm signal power spectrum measurements.

Methods. Under the assumption of high spin temperature, we modeled the redshift evolution of the ratio of the EoR 21 cm brightness temperature power spectrum to the corresponding density power spectrum using an ansatz consisting of a set of redshift and scale-independent parameters. This set of eight parameters probes the redshift evolution of the average ionization fraction and the quantities related to the morphology of the ionized regions.

Results. We tested this ansatz on different reionization scenarios generated using different simulation algorithms and found that it is able to recover the redshift evolution of the average neutral fraction within an absolute deviation ≲0.1.

Conclusions. Our framework allows us to interpret 21 cm signal power spectra in terms of parameters related to the state of the IGM. This source model-independent framework is able to efficiently constrain reionization scenarios using multi-redshift power spectrum measurements with ongoing and future radio telescopes such as LOFAR, MWA, HERA, and SKA. This will add independent information regarding the EoR IGM properties.
Performance Assessment of a Thermoelectric Heat Pump Heat Recovery Ventilator
Authors: Ridings Erik , Harrison Stephen , Mesquita Lucio
Published: May 2024

Heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) are used to conserve energy by transferring heat between exhaust and intake ventilation airstreams in buildings. While conventional HRVs use “fixed-plate” heat exchangers, the addition of thermoelectric modules (TEMs) to act as compact solid-state heat pumps can increase heat transfer between the airstreams. For this study, a TEM-based heat recovery ventilator (TEM HRV) was tested to quantify its performance at a range of operational conditions typical of residential installations. Conventional heat pump Coefficients of Performance (COPs) were calculated for each test and increased significantly with decreasing applied current. However, as total heat transfer across the TEM HRV is due to conduction, as well as the thermoelectric-driven heat transfer, the thermoelectric input factor (TEIF) was found to be a more representative indicator of TEM HRV performance improvement.
Polyvinyl alcohol/Polyvinylpyrrolidone/Chitosan Nanofiber Scaffold with Hydroxyapatite from Sand Lobster Shells (Panulirus homarus) for Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Dinatha I Kadek Hariscandra , Diputra Arian H. , Wihadmadyatami Hevi , Partini Juliasih , Yusuf Yusril
Published: May 2024

In this work, nanofiber scaffold membrane polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/Chitosan (CS)/hydroxyapatite (HAp) from sand lobster (SL; Panulirus homarus) shells have successfully synthesized to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) nanoscale in the native bone. HAp was synthesized by co-precipitation method with Ca/P was 1.67, then nanofiber membrane PVA/PVP/CS/HAp was synthesized by electrospinning method. Nanofiber solution was prepared from PVA 10% (w/v) polymer solution that dissolved in the distilled water, then the PVP/CS 15% (w/v) polymer solution was dissolved in acetic acid 1% (v/v) separately. The PVA polymer solution and PVP/CS solution were mixed with a ratio of 8.5: 1.5 (v/v). HAp dispersed into mixture solution with variation concentration 0, 1, 3, and 5 wt%. The composite solution was put into a 10 ml syringe with a hole diameter = 0.5 mm. Electrospinning was carried out at a 10 kV voltage, the flow rate at 0.1 ml/h, and the distance between the collector to the tip was 12 cm. Nanofiber scaffold membrane was characterized using SEM, FTIR, and XRD. The addition of HAp into the fiber showed incorporation into nanofiber with small agglomeration in the concentration of HAp at 1, 3, and 5 wt%. Based on the physicochemical analysis, the nanofiber scaffold PVA/PVP/CS/HAp 5 wt% with a fiber diameter of 0.328 ± 0.049 μm has the most potential to be used for bone tissue engineering.
A Named Data Networking Based Fast Open Storage System Plugin for XRootD
Authors: Iordache Cătălin , Shannigrahi Susmit , Wu Yuanhao , Song Sichen , Multu Faruk Volkan , Balcas Justas , Širvinskas Raimondas , Timilsina Sankalpa , Pesavento Davide , Newman Harvey , Zhang Lixia , Yeh Edmund
Published: May 2024

This work presents the design and implementation of an Open Storage System plugin for XRootD, utilizing Named Data Networking (NDN). This represents a significant step in integrating NDN, a prominent future Internet architecture, with the established data management systems within CMS. We show that this integration enables XRootD to access data in a location transparent manner, reducing the complexity of data management and retrieval. Our approach includes the creation of the NDNc software library, which bridges the existing NDN C++ library with the high-performance NDN-DPDK data-forwarding system. This paper outlines the design of the plugin and preliminary results of data transfer tests using both internal and external 100 Gbps testbed.
Automated Network Services for Exascale Data Movement
Authors: Balcas Justas , Newman Harvey , Bhat Preeti P. , Würthwein Frank , Guiang Jonathan , Arora Aashay , Davila Diego , Graham John , Hutton Thomas , Lehman Tom , Yang Xi , Guok Chin , Alexander Mason David , Gutsche Oliver , DeMar Phil , Huang Chih-Hao , Asif Shah Syed , Litvintsev Dmitry , Heath Ryan , Malone Melo Andrew
Published: May 2024

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments distribute data by leveraging a diverse array of National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), where experiment data management systems treat networks as a “blackbox” resource. After the High Luminosity upgrade, the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment alone will produce roughly 0.5 exabytes of data per year. NREN Networks are a critical part of the success of CMS and other LHC experiments. However, during data movement, NRENs are unaware of data priorities, importance, or need for quality of service, and this poses a challenge for operators to coordinate the movement of data and have predictable data flows across multi-domain networks. The overarching goal of SENSE (The Software-defined network for End-to-end Networked Science at Exascale) is to enable National Labs and universities to request and provision end-to-end intelligent network services for their application workflows leveraging SDN (Software-Defined Networking) capabilities. This work aims to allow LHC Experiments and Rucio, the data management software used by CMS Experiment, to allocate and prioritize certain data transfers over the wide area network. In this paper, we will present the current progress of the integration of SENSE, Multi-domain end-to-end SDN Orchestration with QoS (Quality of Service) capabilities, with Rucio, the data management software used by CMS Experiment.
CRIC as a core instrument for WLCG operations
Authors: Andreeva Julia , Anisenkov Alexey , Di Girolamo Alessandro , Paparrigopoulos Panos , Szczepanek Natalia Diana
Published: May 2024

WLCG is a large heterogeneous computing infrastructure which provides resources for the LHC experiments. The Computing Resource Information Catalogue (CRIC) has been designed as the source for the WLCG topology information. CRIC aims to describe WLCG distributed sites, their services and how the provided resources are used by the LHC experiments. The CRIC instance dedicated to WLCG has become a key service for WLCG computing operations, playing an important role in monitoring, accounting and organisation of the large-scale data challenges and upgrade campaigns. The contribution describes CRIC functionality widely used for the WLCG central operations as well as development plans helping to decrease operational effort.
Experiences and developments of the RAL-LCG2 Tier-1 object store ECHO in Run-3 and preparing for HL-LHC
Authors: Walder J. , Byrne T. , Dewhurst A. , Johnson I. , Rogovskiy A. , Thomas J.
Published: May 2024

Data storage at the UK Tier-1 facility at RAL is provided through its ECHO storage, serving the requirements for the WLGC and increasing numbers of other HEP and astronomy related communities. ECHO is a Cephbacked erasure-coded object store, currently providing in excess of 40PB of usable space, with frontend access to data provided via XRootD or GridFTP, using the libradosstriper library of Ceph. The storage must service the needs of: high-throughput compute, with staged and direct file access passing through an XCache on each workernode; data access to compute running at storageless satellite sites; and, managed inter-site data transfers using the recently adopted HTTPS protocol (via WebDav), which includes multi-hop data transfers to and from RAL’s newly commissioned CTA tape endpoint. A review of the experiences of providing data access via an object store within these data workflows is presented, including the details of the improvements necessary for the transition to WebDav, used for most inter-site data movements, and enhancements for direct-IO file access, where the development and optimisation of buffering and vector read strategies is explored.
EPN2EOS Data Transfer System
Authors: Şuiu Alice Florenţa , Grigoraş Costin , Weisz Sergiu , Betev Latchezar
Published: May 2024

ALICE is one of the four large experiments at the CERN LHC designed to study the structure and origins of matter in collisions of heavy ions and protons at ultra-relativistic energies. To collect, store, and process the experimental data, ALICE uses hundreds of thousands of CPU cores and more than 400 PB of different types of storage resources.

During the LHC Run 3, started in 2022, ALICE is running with an upgraded detector and an entirely new data acquisition system (DAQ), capable of collecting 100 times more events than the previous setup. One of the key elements of the new DAQ is the Event Processing Nodes (EPN) farm, which currently comprises 250 servers, each equipped with 8 MI50 AMD GPU accelerators. The role of the EPN cluster is to compress the detector data in real-time. During heavy-ion data taking the experiment collects about 900 GB/s from the sensors, compressed down to 100 GB/s, and then written to a 130 PB persistent disk buffer for further processing. The EPNs handle data streams, called Time Frames, of 10 ms duration from the detector independently from each other and write the output, called Compressed Time Frames (CTF), to their local disk. The CTFs must be transferred to the disk buffer and removed from the EPNs as soon as possible, to be able to continue collecting data from the experiment. The data transfer functions are performed by the new EPN2EOS system that was introduced in the ALICE experiment in Run 3. EPN2EOS is highly optimized to perform the copy functions in parallel with the EPN data compression algorithms and has extensive monitoring and alerting capabilities to support the ALICE experiment operators. The service has been in production since November 2021. This paper presents the architecture, implementation, and analysis of its first years of utilization.
Erasure Coding XRootD Object Store
Authors: Hanushevsky Andrew , Simon Michal Kamil , Yang Wei
Published: May 2024

An erasure coding (EC) algorithm was implemented in XRootD client library, and an EC-enabled XRootD storage prototype was set up at SLAC for evaluation. The architecture and configuration of the prototype is almost identical to that of a traditional non-EC XRootD storage behind a firewall: a backend XRootD storage cluster in its simplest form, and an internet facing XRootD proxy. This proxy handles EC and spreads the data stripes of a file/object across several backend nodes. It also supports all functions used on a WLCG storage system: HTTP(s) and XRootD protocols, Third Party Copy, X509/VOMS/Token, etc. The cross-node EC architecture brings significant advantages in both performance and resilience: e.g. parallel data access, tolerance of downtime and hardware failure. It also pushes the preferred network-IO mode from Posix-like to object-like. This paper will describe the prototype’s architecture and its design choices, the performance in high concurrent throughputs and file/object operations, failure modes and their handling, data recovery methods, and administration.
Enhancing data integrity and resilience: Extending the CERN backup system with a tape-based backend
Authors: Del Monte Gianmaria , Labrador Gonzalez Hugo , Rademakers Fons , Valverde Roberto
Published: May 2024

The CERN IT Department is responsible for ensuring the integrity and security of data stored in the IT Storage Services. General storage backends such as EOS, CERNBox and CephFS are used to store data for a wide range of use cases for all stakeholders at CERN, including experiment project spaces and user home directories.

In recent years a backup system, cback, was developed based on the open source backup program restic. cback is currently used to backup about 2.5 billion files and 18PB stored on disks in the CERN Computing Center. To significantly increase the reliability and security of the backups and reduce the storage costs, by limiting the amount of data on disk, we have added a tape storage backend to cback.

With this addition cback can reliably be extended to new use cases, like backing up any local mountable file system, such as EOS, CephFS, NFS or DFS. In this paper we will describe the architecture and implementation of cback with the new tape storage backend and a number of developments planned for the near future.
General purpose data streaming platform for log analysis, anomaly detection and security protection
Authors: Amori Francesco , Antonelli Stefano , Ciaschini Vincenzo , Falabella Antonio , Fattibene Enrico , Fornari Federico , Lattanzio Daniele , Michelotto Diego , Morganti Lucia
Published: May 2024

INFN-CNAF is one of the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG) Tier-1 data centres, providing computing, networking and storage resources to a wide variety of scientific collaborations, not limited to the four LHC (Large Hadron Collider) experiments. The INFN-CNAF data centre will move to a new location next year. At the same time, the requirements from our experiments and users are becoming increasingly challenging and new scientific communities have started or will soon start exploiting our resources. Currently, we are reengineering several services, in particular our monitoring infrastructure, in order to improve the day-by-day operations and to cope with the increasing complexity of the use cases and with the future expansion of the centre.

This scenario led us to implement a data streaming infrastructure designed to enable log analysis, anomaly detection, threat hunting, integrity monitoring and incident response. Such data streaming platform has been organised to manage different kinds of data coming from heterogeneous sources, to support multi-tenancy and to be scalable. Moreover, we will be able to provide an on demand end-to-end data streaming application to those users/communities requesting such kind of facility.

The infrastructure is based on the Apache Kafka platform, which provides streaming of events at large scale, with authorization and authentication configured at the topic level for ensuring data isolation and protection. Data can be consumed by different applications, such as those devoted to log analysis, which provide the capability to index large amounts of data and implement appropriate access policies to inspect and visualise information.

In this contribution we will present and motivate our technological choices for the definition of the infrastructure, we will describe its components and we will depict use cases which can be addressed with this platform.
Handling Detector Characterization Data (Metadata) in XENONnT
Authors: Sanchez Luis , Mosbacher Yossi , Higuera Aaron , Tunnell Christopher
Published: May 2024

Effective metadata management is a consistent challenge faced by many scientific experiments. These challenges are magnified by the evolving needs of the experiment, the intricacies of seamlessly integrating a new system with existing analytical frameworks, and the crucial mandate to maintain database integrity. In this work we present the various challenges faced by experiments that produce a large amount of metadata and describe the solution used by the XENON experiment for metadata management.
Hydra: Computer Vision for Online Data Quality Monitoring
Authors: Jeske Torri , Britton Thomas , Lawrence David , Rajput Kishansingh
Published: May 2024

Hydra is a system utilizing computer vision for near real-time data quality monitoring. Currently operational across all of Jefferson Lab’s experimental halls, it reduces the workload of shift takers by autonomously monitoring diagnostic plots during experiments. Hydra uses "off-the-shelf" supervised learning technologies and is supported by a comprehensive MySQL database. To simplify access, web apps have been developed to facilitate both labeling and monitoring of Hydra’s inferences. Hydra can connect with the alarm system and incorporates complete historical tracking, enabling it to identify issues that shift takers could miss. When issues are detected, a natural first question is: "Why does Hydra think there is a problem?" To answer, Hydra employs Gradient-weighted Class Activation Maps (GradCAM) to identify regions of the image that are important for the specific classification. This interpretive layer enhances transparency and trustworthiness, which is essential for integration with experiment workflows and operation. The Hydra system, results, and sociological considerations for deployment will be discussed.
The ATLAS Alarm Helper
Authors: Haslbeck Florian , Solans Sánchez Carlos , Asensi Tortajada Ignacio , Bortoletto Daniela , Rummler André , Uribe Gustavo A.
Published: May 2024

The Detector Safety System is the last line of defence to protect the ATLAS detector against abnormal and potentially even unforeseen situations. It is designed to return the detector to a safe state based on predefined actions triggered by alarms which are triggered on their part by specific sets of conditions. Every alarm whether it results in an action taken or not is followed up by the operations team that assesses the criticality, takes countermeasures and identifies the point of failure. From experience abnormal situations can result either from faults or from side effects of planned interventions which were either not properly identified despite the mandatory planning and review or where a mistake during execution occurred. In many cases there are multiple interventions ongoing simultaneously in order to profit from shutdown periods. The rapid analysis of alarms while the incident is ongoing is often complicated due to the complexity of the ATLAS detector and its infrastructure and the large number of responsible groups and experts.

A new Alarm Helper tool was designed to assist the operation team, particularly the operator in the control room responsible for infrastructure and safety (SLIMOS – Shift Leader in Matters of Safety), by providing real-time information about ongoing interventions and the possible related causes of failure. The new tool will combine historical events, documentation, and limited knowledge about ongoing interventions. It extends the Expert System which visualizes and simulates infrastructure inter-dependencies and allows to trace faults or alarms to a list of potential points of failure. The new tool also proposes which experts should be contacted in the particular circumstances.
Kubernetes for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment Data Acquisition
Authors: Lasorak Pierre , Alves Tiago , Crone Gordon , Gamberini Enrico , Hancock Jonathan , King Bonnie , Riehecky Patrick , Tapper Alexander , Thea Alessandro
Published: May 2024

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation long-baseline neutrino experiment based in the USA which is expected to start taking data in 2029. DUNE aims to precisely measure neutrino oscillation parameters by detecting neutrinos from the LBNF beamline (Fermilab) at the Far Detector, 1,300 kilometres away, in South Dakota at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. The Far Detector will consist of four cryogenic Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber detectors of 17 kT, each producing more than 1 TB/sec of data. The main requirements for the data acquisition system are the ability to run continuously for extended periods of time, with a 99% up-time requirement, and the functionality to record both beam neutrinos and low energy neutrinos from the explosion of a neighbouring supernova, should one occur during the lifetime of the experiment. The key challenges are the high data rates that the detectors generate and the deep underground environment, which places constraints on power and space. To overcome these challenges, DUNE plans to use a highly optimised C++ software suite and a server farm of about 110 nodes continuously running about two hundred multicore processes located close to the detector, 1.5 kilometres underground. Thirty nodes will be at the surface and will run around two hundred processes simultaneously. DUNE is studying the use of the Kubernetes framework to manage containerised workloads and take advantage of its resource definitions and high up-time services to run the DAQ system. Progress in deploying these systems at the CERN neutrino platform on the prototype DUNE experiments is reported.
Streaming Readout and Data-Stream Processing With ERSAP
Authors: Vardan Gyurjyan , David Abbott , Michael Goodrich , Graham Heyes , Ed Jastrzembski , David Lawrence , Benjamin Raydo , Carl Timmer
Published: May 2024

With the exponential growth in the volume and complexity of data generated at high-energy physics and nuclear physics research facilities, there is an imperative demand for innovative strategies to process this data in real or near-real-time. Given the surge in the requirement for high-performance computing, it becomes pivotal to reassess the adaptability of current data processing architectures in integrating new technologies and managing streaming data. This paper introduces the ERSAP framework, a modern solution that synergizes flow-based programming with the reactive actor model, paving the way for distributed, reactive, and high performance in data stream processing applications. Additionally, we unveil a novel algorithm focused on time-based clustering and event identification in data streams. The efficacy of this approach is further exemplified through the data-stream processing outcomes obtained from the recent beam tests of the EIC prototype calorimeter at DESY.