bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioprinting 3D muscle tissue supplemented with endothelial-spheroids for neuromuscular junction model
Authors: Kim WonJin , Kim GeunHyung
Published: August 2023

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) plays a critical role in muscle contraction, and its dysfunction can result in various neuromuscular disorders. In vitro models for studying NMJ are essential for understanding their functions and pathology. However, the engineering of muscle tissue presents challenges for the organization of myofiber-like oriented muscle bundles as well as the induction of vessel formation and innervation. To address these challenges, we fabricated a hybrid muscle construct comprising uniaxially aligned muscle struts and endothelial cell spheroids using a combination of in situ electric field-assisted bioprinting (E-printing) and microdroplet-based spheroid-forming bioprinting (MDS-printing) techniques. This resulted in self-aggregation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) into spheroids without attachment to the structures. We tested various fabrication parameters, such as electric field and cross-linking conditions, for E-printing and the deposited cell density of MDS-printing, to stabilize the alignment of the human muscle progenitor cells (hMPCs) and HUVEC spheroids, respectively. The stimulated hMPCs efficiently formed fully aligned myofibers, and the incorporation of HUVEC spheroids induced highly upregulated crosstalk between different cell types compared to a simple E-printed hMPC/HUVEC mixture-loaded construct. This improved myogenesis and vessel formation in vitro. In addition, when co-cultured with a motor neuron-like cell (NSC-34) spheroid separated by a channel, we observed considerably improved neuromuscular junction formation compared to those formed with the normally mixed cell-bearing structures. Our findings suggest that this hybrid muscle construct has the potential to enhance muscle tissue engineering by improving biological activities through the incorporation of HUVEC-spheroids and facilitating neuromuscular junction formation through co-culture with NSC-34 spheroids.
Ultrasonic-based submillimeter ranging system for contactless respiration monitoring
Authors: Wang Zhisheng , Li Shangyu , Li Zongfeng , Wang Shunli , Cui Junning
Published: August 2023

Wireless sensing technologies have exploited various methods for contactless respiration monitoring. One of the main methods is to use an acoustic beam to cover the chest and abdomen with real-time and high-resolution ranging. The system with high ranging resolution can detect small distance transformations, further affecting the precision of respiratory monitoring. However, the traditional range-based respiration monitoring systems are limited by an insufficient sampling rate and poor synchronization. The ranging resolution is between millimeters and centimeters. In this study, we introduced a novel, high-precision ultrasound-based system for contactless respiration monitoring. First, we developed a convenient and high-performance ultrasonic transceiver platform with universal serial bus audio architecture to eliminate the above limitations. The developed platform provides a foundation for acoustic sensing. Furthermore, based on this platform, we designed a cross correlation sine-frequency modulation continuous wave ranging method and a real-time respiration wave recovery method. The median error in monitoring respiration for 12 participants in three different sleep postures is 0 breaths/min, and the maximum error is 0.58 breaths/min. The proposed system has strong robustness concerning different respiration rates, long-term continuous respiration monitoring, and simulated apnea.
Tracer diffusion coefficients in a moderately dense granular suspension: Stability analysis and thermal diffusion segregation
Authors: Gómez González Rubén , Garzó Vicente
Published: August 2023

The diffusion transport coefficients of a binary granular suspension where one of the components is present in tracer concentration are determined from the (inelastic) Enskog kinetic equation. The effect of the interstitial gas on the solid particles is accounted for in the kinetic equation through two different terms: (i) a viscous drag force proportional to the particle velocity and (ii) stochastic Langevin-like term defined in terms of the background temperature. The transport coefficients are obtained as the solutions of a set of coupled linear integral equations recently derived for binary granular suspensions with arbitrary concentration [Gómez González et al., “Enskog kinetic theory for multicomponent granular suspensions,” Phys. Rev. E 101, 012904 (2020)]. To achieve analytical expressions for the diffusion coefficients, which can be sufficiently accurate for highly inelastic collisions and/or disparate values of the mass and diameter rations, the above integral equations are approximately solved by considering the so-called second Sonine approximation (two terms in the Sonine polynomial expansion of the distribution function). The theoretical results for the tracer diffusion coefficient D0 (coefficient connecting the mass flux with the gradient of density of tracer particles) are compared with those obtained by numerically solving the Enskog equation by means of the direct simulation Monte Carlo method. Although the first-Sonine approximation to D0 yields, in general, a good agreement with simulation results, we show that the second-Sonine approximation leads to an improvement over the first-Sonine correction, especially when the tracer particles are much lighter than the granular gas. The expressions derived here for the diffusion coefficients are also used for two different applications. First, the stability of the homogeneous steady state is discussed. Second, segregation induced by a thermal gradient is studied. As expected, the results show that the corresponding phase diagrams for segregation clearly differ from those found in previous works when the effect of gas phase on grains is neglected.
Space charge limited current in 4H-SiC Schottky diodes in the presence of stacking faults
Authors: Vivona M. , Fiorenza P. , Scuderi V. , La Via F. , Giannazzo F. , Roccaforte F.
Published: August 2023

The presence of crystallographic defects can induce notable effects on the mechanisms ruling the current transport in metal/semiconductor contacts. In this context, in this Letter, the impact of stacking faults (SFs) on the characteristics of 4H-SiC Schottky diodes was investigated under both forward and reverse bias. In particular, in the presence of SFs under the contact, while no significant effect on the ideality factor and barrier height was observed under forward bias, an anomalous increase in the leakage current occurred under reverse bias. The observed behavior of the leakage current could be explained by a space-charge limited current model, consistent with the presence of a distribution of trapping states in the gap of 4H-SiC. An increase in the reverse bias above 30 V leads to a complete trap filling. The weak temperature-dependence of the leakage current observed in this regime suggests the coexistence with a tunneling of the carriers through the barrier. The results can be useful to understand unexpected failures in 4H-SiC Schottky diodes.
Effects of dietary Sanguisorba minor, Plantago lanceolata, and Lotus corniculatus on urinary N excretion of dairy cows
Authors: Kapp-Bitter A. N. , Berard J. , Amelchanka S. L. , Baki C. , Kunz C. , Steiner A. K. , Kreuzer M. , Leiber F.
Published: August 2023

Context Mitigating urinary nitrogen (N) losses is an important target of sustainable cattle nutrition concepts. One option to achieve this may be dietary inclusion of tanniferous herbs. Aims Aim of the study was to investigate herbs with different profiles of tannins for their efficiency to abate urinary N losses. Small burnet (Sanguisorba minor) with high concentrations of total tannins, plantain (Plantago lanceolata) with low concentrations and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) with expectedly high concentrations of condensed tannins were included in the treatments. Methods The test plants were mixed in dried form into a grass–maize-silage diet at 80 g/kg of dietary dry matter. They replaced dried perennial ryegrass (control). Twenty-four multiparous dairy cows were randomly allocated to the four diets. Intake, eating time, rumination time, and milk yield were recorded individually, and representative samples of milk and excreta were collected and analysed six times within 14 days, following 10 days of adaptation. The diets with ryegrass, birdsfoot trefoil, plantain or burnet contained, per kilogram of dry matter, 0, 1.8, 1.2 and 1.9 g condensed tannins, 0.1, 1.9, 1.7 and 15.5 g total tannins, and 26.2, 28.5, 27.5 and 26.6 g N. Key results Milk yield and composition were not affected by treatment, apart from a decline in milk protein content when feeding plantain. Milk urea concentration was reduced with burnet by more than 30%, compared with the control and plantain. Birdsfoot trefoil also reduced milk urea concentration, but to a lesser degree. Furthermore, the burnet treatment substantially shifted N excretion from urine to faeces (about 30% lower urine N losses). All treatments lowered the proportion of fine particles of <1.0 mm in faeces, what might be due to high fibre content of the control. Conclusions At dietary proportion of 80 g/kg, burnet is a forage herb with potential to reduce ruminal ammonia generation as indicated by reduced urinary N and milk urea. Plantain and birdsfoot trefoil had no or negligible effects. Implications The study indicated that small burnet could have potential as a feed additive for dairy cows in terms of N-use efficiency, lower emissions to the environment, and reduced animal metabolic stress.
Water use dynamics of dryland wheat grown under elevated CO2 with supplemental nitrogen
Authors: Uddin Shihab , Parvin Shahnaj , Armstrong Roger , Fitzgerald Glenn J. , Löw Markus , Houshmandfar Alireza , Tavakkoli Ehsan , Tausz-Posch Sabine , O’Leary Garry J. , Tausz Michael
Published: August 2023

Context Elevated atmospheric CO2 (e[CO2]) and nitrogen (N) fertilisation stimulate biomass and yield of crops. However, their interactions depend on crop growth stages and may affect water use dynamics. Aims and methods This study investigated the interactive effects of two N rates, 0 and 100 kg N ha−1, and two CO2 concentrations, ambient (a[CO2], ~400 μmol mol−1) and e[CO2] (~550 μmol mol−1), on biomass, yield and water use of two wheat cultivars, Wyalkatchem (N-use efficient) and Yitpi (local), using a free air CO2 enrichment facility. Key results Elevated [CO2] stimulated leaf area (10%, P = 0.003) and aboveground biomass (11%, P = 0.03). In addition, e[CO2] reduced stomatal conductance (25%, P < 0.001) and increased net assimilation rates (12%, P < 0.001), resulting in greater (40%, P < 0.001) intrinsic water use efficiency. During early growth stages, e[CO2] resulted in higher water use than a[CO2]; however, this difference disappeared later in the season, resulting in similar cumulative water use under both CO2 concentrations. Supplemental N stimulated grain yield of Yitpi by 14% while decreasing that of Wyalkatchem by 7% (N × cultivar, P = 0.063). With supplemental N, Yitpi maintained greater post-anthesis leaf N, chlorophyll content, canopy cover and net assimilation rate than Wyalkatchem. Conclusions During early growth stages, the e[CO2]-induced stimulation of leaf-level water use efficiency was offset by greater biomass, resulting in higher water use. By the end of the season, similar cumulative water use under both CO2 concentrations indicates the dominating effect of the prevailing seasonal conditions in the study area. Observed yield responses of the studied cultivars to supplemental N were associated with their ability to maintain post-anthesis photosynthetic capabilities. Implications Our findings suggest that N-use efficiency traits and responsiveness need to be considered independently to optimise benefits from the ‘CO2 fertilisation effect’ through breeding.
The influence of care continuity and disclosure of sexual orientation in general practice on lesbian, bi+ and queer cisgender women’s engagement with mental health services
Authors: Buckingham Pip , Bourne Adam , McNair Ruth , Hill Adam O. , Lyons Anthony , Carman Marina , Amos Natalie
Published: August 2023

Background Lesbian, bisexual+ and queer (LBQ+) cisgender women have considerable unmet mental health needs. The aims of this study were to examine LBQ+ cisgender women’s prior engagement with general practitioners (GPs), and how this relationship shaped their mental health service use. Method Data from 2707 cisgender LBQ+ women were drawn from a national survey of adults who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer or questioning, asexual and other diverse sexuality and gender identities (LGBTIQA+) in Australia. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined demographic predictors of continuity of care with GPs and GPs’ awareness of LBQ+ women’s sexual orientation. The relationship between these variables and recent mental health service use was then analysed, comparing LBQ+ women’s engagement with services known to be LGBTIQA+ inclusive and those without an inclusive reputation. Results LBQ+ cisgender women with a regular GP had greater odds of having accessed mental health services in the last 12 months. Two-thirds had a regular GP, with the lowest odds among women aged 18–35 years and highest odds among women with a disability. LBQ+ women who did not believe their regular GP knew of their sexuality had lower odds of having accessed LGBTIQA+ inclusive mental health services. These individuals were typically aged below 25 years, bisexual+ or queer identified, had below undergraduate-level education, earned <$2000 AUD per week, or lived in an outer-suburban or regional area. Conclusion GPs may be missing opportunities to promote continuity of care through developing trusting relationships with specific sub-populations of LBQ+ women, which in turn appears to sustain inequitable access to mental health care. To offer appropriate care and referrals for this population, GPs should provide safe and inclusive environments to enable comfortable and supportive discussions about sexual orientation when this is relevant to a person’s health care.
FireFormer: an efficient Transformer to identify forest fire from surveillance cameras
Authors: Qiao Yuming , Jiang Wenyu , Wang Fei , Su Guofeng , Li Xin , Jiang Juncai
Published: August 2023

Background An effective identification model is crucial to realise the real-time monitoring and early warning of forest fires from surveillance cameras. However, existing models are prone to generate numerous false alarms under the interference of artificial smoke such as industrial smoke and villager cooking smoke, therefore a superior identification model is urgently needed. Aims In this study, we tested the Transformer-based model FireFormer to predict the risk probability of forest fire from the surveillance images. Methods FireFormer uses a shifted window self-attention module to extract similarities of divided patches in the image. The similarity in characteristics indicated the probability of forest fires. The GradCAM algorithm was then applied to analyse the interest area of FireFormer model and visualise the contribution of different image patches by calculating gradient reversely. To verify our model, the monitoring data from the high-point camera in Nandan Mountain, Foshan City, was collected and further constructed as a forest fire alarm dataset. Key results Our results showed that FireFormer achieved a competitive performance (OA: 82.21%, Recall: 86.635% and F1-score: 74.68%). Conclusions FireFormer proves to be superior to traditional methods. Implications FireFormer provides an efficient way to reduce false alarms and avoid heavy manual re-checking work.
Tumor necrosis factor–like cytokine 1A plays a role in inflammatory bowel disease pathogenesis
Authors: Meng Fanxiang , Jiang Xuefeng , Wang Xiao , Zheng Qianqian , Wang Xiaonan N. , Mei Chenxue , Yan Siqi , He Yuting , Xue Junxiu , Zhang Xiaoqing , Fu Wenda , You Yong , Zhai Jingbo , Wang Yuanyuan , Sun Xun
Published: August 2023

The binding of tumor necrosis factor–like cytokine 1A (TL1A) to death receptor 3 (DR3) plays an important role in the interaction between dendritic cells (DCs) and T cells and contributes to intestinal inflammation development. However, the mechanism by which DCs expressing TL1A mediate helper T (Th) cell differentiation in the intestinal lamina propria (LP) during the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease remains unclear. In this study, we found that TL1A/DR3 promoted Th1 and Th17 cell differentiation in T-T and DC-T cell interaction-dependent manners. TL1A-deficient CD4
+
T cells failed to polarize into Th1/Th17 cells and did not cause colonic inflammation in a T cell transfer colitis model. Notably, TL1A was located in the cytoplasm and nuclei of DCs, positively regulated the DC-specific ICAM-grabbing nonintegrin/RAF1/nuclear factor κB signaling pathway, enhanced the antigen uptake ability of DCs, and promoted TLR4-mediated DC activation, inducing naive CD4
+
T cell differentiation into Th1 and Th17 cells. Our work reveals that TL1A plays a regulatory role in inflammatory bowel disease pathogenesis.
Evolutionary predictors of the specific colors of birds
Authors: Delhey Kaspar , Valcu Mihai , Muck Christina , Dale James , Kempenaers Bart
Published: August 2023

Animal coloration is one of the most conspicuous aspects of human-perceived organismal diversity, yet also one of the least understood. In particular, explaining why species have specific colors (e.g., blue vs. red) has proven elusive. Here, we quantify for nearly all bird species, the proportion of the body covered by each of 12 human-visible color categories, and test whether existing theory can predict the direction of color evolution. The most common colors are black, white, gray and brown, while the rarest are green, blue, purple, and red. Males have more blue, purple, red, or black, whereas females have more yellow, brown, or gray. Sexual dichromatism is partly due to sexual selection favoring ornamental colors in males but not in females. However, sexual selection also correlated positively with brown in both sexes. Strong social selection favors red and black, colors used in agonistic signaling, with the strongest effects in females. Reduced predation risk selects against cryptic colors (e.g., brown) and favors specific ornamental colors (e.g., black). Nocturnality is mainly associated with brown. The effects of habitat use support the sensory drive theory for camouflage and signaling. Darker colors are more common in species living in wet and cold climates, matching ecogeographical rules. Our study unambiguously supports existing theories of color evolution across an entire class of vertebrates, but much variation remains unexplained.
Exposure to automation explains religious declines
Authors: Jackson Joshua Conrad , Yam Kai Chi , Tang Pok Man , Sibley Chris G. , Waytz Adam
Published: August 2023

The global decline of religiosity represents one of the most significant societal shifts in recent history. After millennia of near-universal religious identification, the world is experiencing a regionally uneven trend toward secularization. We propose an explanation of this decline, which claims that automation—the development of robots and artificial intelligence (AI)—can partly explain modern religious declines. We build four unique datasets composed of more than 3 million individuals which show that robotics and AI exposure is linked to 21st-century religious declines across nations, metropolitan regions, and individual people. Key results hold controlling for other technological developments (e.g., electricity grid access and telecommunications development), socioeconomic indicators (e.g., wealth, residential mobility, and demographics), and factors implicated in previous theories of religious decline (e.g., individual choice norms). An experiment also supports our hypotheses. Our findings partly explain contemporary trends in religious decline and foreshadow where religiosity may wane in the future.
Hipsters and drunks, tourists and locals
Authors: Castro Font Sara Isabel
Published: August 2023

This article uses linguistic and semiotic landscapes as tools to analyze the ideological work required for
rendering Calle Loíza, an urban street in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as successfully revitalized. Linguistic Landscapes provide
insight on discursive chains that circulate logics and produce values of places, and therefore form an intrinsic part of
capital-driven urban change. I aim to show how perspectives of places can be structured, and how values of places are naturalized
and embedded in the neoliberal political economy. Drawing from ethnographic and online sources of data, I argue that Calle Loíza
is a site of ideological contestation and that the processes of rhematization and erasure are required for Calle Loiza’s indexical
relation to progress and its articulation as a successfully revitalized urban neighborhood. The findings demonstrate that online
spaces are also material, and that language is essential in the production and circulation of political economic values of
places.
Sources of variation in the interaction between three cereal aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and wheat (Poaceae)
Authors: Migui S.M. , Lamb R.J.
Published: August 2023

The relative contributions of host plant, herbivore species and clone to variation in the interaction between cereal aphids and wheat were investigated using five clones each of three species, Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus), Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) and Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), on seedlings of two cultivars of Triticum aestivum L. and one cultivar of Triticum durum Desf. More individuals and biomass of R. padi than of the other two species were produced on seedlings. The three wheat cultivars lost similar amounts of biomass as a result of infestation by aphids, with the amount lost depending on aphid species: S. avenae caused the lowest loss in biomass. Variation in aphid biomass production was due mostly to differences among aphid species (70%), less to the interaction between wheat type and aphid species (7%), and least to aphid clone (1%). The specific impact of the aphids on the plants ranged from 1.7 to 3.7 mg of plant biomass lost per mg of aphid biomass gained, being lowest for R. padi and highest for S. graminum. Variation in plant biomass lost to herbivory was due mostly to unknown sources of error (95%), probably phenotypic differences among individual seedlings, with 3% due to aphid species and none attributable to aphid clone. For these aphid–plant interactions, differences among aphid clones within species contributed little to variation in aphid and plant productivity; therefore, a small sample of clones was adequate for quantifying the interactions. Furthermore, one clone of each species maintained in the laboratory for about 200 parthenogenetic generations was indistinguishable from clones collected recently from the field.
Morphology and preliminary enzyme characterization of the salivary glands from the predatory bugPodisus nigrispinus(Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)
Authors: Oliveira J.A. , Oliveira M.G.A. , Guedes R.N.C. , Soares M.J.
Published: August 2023

Podisus nigrispinus(Dallas) is a common predator in agricultural and natural systems in Neotropical America. Its feeding strategy involves extra-oral digestion and to better understand this process its salivary glands were extracted and subjected to morphological and preliminary enzyme characterization. The salivary glands ofP. nigrispinusare formed by a pair of main and accessory gland complexes. The main salivary glands are further divided into an anterior and a posterior lobe. The compartmentalization of the salivary gland complex is likely to be important for the production, activation and release of the digestive enzymes used in the extra-oral digestion of prey items. Proteases and lipase, important digestive enzymes involved in zoophagy, were detected in the salivary glands ofP. nigrispinus. The prevailing trypsin-like protease activity was characterized by using the serine-protease substrateN-α-benzoyl-L-Arg-p-nitroanilidine (L-BApNA) and the trypsin inhibitors tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) and benzamidine. The KMvalue obtained for trypsin-like activity was 1.57 mm and the different peaks of optimum pH and temperature activity suggest the presence of multiple forms of this enzyme inP. nigrispinus. Detection of amylase activity in the salivary glands of this predator suggests its ability to digest starch and obtain nutrients from plants, which may have adaptative value under prey scarcity.
In vitro tribocorrosion evaluation of carbide-derived carbon (CDC) for hip implants
Authors: Sun Yani , Kinnerk Kyle , Mirshed Tony , McNallan Michael , Mathew Mathew
Published: August 2023

Carbide-derived carbon (CDC) was previously proposed as a surface modification method for hip implant applications since it showed excellent tribocorrosion performance under open-circuit potential (OCP) conditions. Nonetheless, a systematic evaluation of the CDC's tribocorrosion properties was still missing. Therefore, our objective is to test CDC's tribocorrosion performance under various electrochemical conditions and to identify the synergism between wear and corrosion. Based on the findings, the variations in OCP for CDC (0.626 mV) are smaller than Ti6Al4V (1.91 mV), and CDC showed lower induced current than T6Al4V for all potentials, suggesting CDC is more stable than Ti6Al4V under tribocorrosive conditions. Eventually, the weight loss of Ti6Al4V (50.662 ± 5.19 μg) was found to be significantly higher than that of CDC (4.965 ± 5.19 μg), which agrees with the electrochemical results. In summary, CDC showed better tribocorrosion performance than Ti6Al4V and was determined as an Antagonism regime.
Practical application of a multi-layer scorecard workflow (MLSW) for comprehensive mineral resource classification
Authors: Rocha V. , Bassani M. A. A.
Published: August 2023

The classification of mineral resources is crucial for public disclosure and is used to evaluate the risk associated with the mineral deposit, enabling informed decisions. To address this need, this study proposes the use of a multi-layer scorecard workflow (MLSW) for mineral resource classification that considers multiple factors from different disciplines. This approach is highly flexible as the competent user may adapt the scorecard workflow to the particularities of each deposit. In this paper, we considered classical metrics for resource classification, such as the number of samples, the slope of regression, kriging efficiency, and kriging variance, combinedwith more modern ones (Risk Index), which contemplates the combination of the estimation error, and geological continuity by a probabilistic approach. The methodology can also incorporate qualitative information such as the geological complexity. The proposed workflow has been applied in two different databases, demonstrating its transparency, auditability, and applicability.
Presynapses contain distinct actin nanostructures
Authors: Bingham Dominic , Jakobs Channa Elise , Wernert Florian , Boroni-Rueda Fanny , Jullien Nicolas , Schentarra Eva-Maria , Friedl Karoline , Da Costa Moura Julie , van Bommel Danique Michelle , Caillol Ghislaine , Ogawa Yuki , Papandréou Marie-Jeanne , Leterrier Christophe
Published: August 2023

The architecture of the actin cytoskeleton that concentrates at presynapses remains poorly known, hindering our understanding of its roles in synaptic physiology. In this work, we measure and visualize presynaptic actin by diffraction-limited and super-resolution microscopy, thanks to a validated model of bead-induced presynapses in cultured neurons. We identify a major population of actin-enriched presynapses that concentrates more presynaptic components and shows higher synaptic vesicle cycling than their non-enriched counterparts. Pharmacological perturbations point to an optimal actin amount and the presence of distinct actin structures within presynapses. We directly visualize these nanostructures using Single Molecule Localization Microscopy (SMLM), defining three distinct types: an actin mesh at the active zone, actin rails between the active zone and deeper reserve pools, and actin corrals around the whole presynaptic compartment. Finally, CRISPR-tagging of endogenous actin allows us to validate our results in natural synapses between cultured neurons, confirming the role of actin enrichment and the presence of three types of presynaptic actin nanostructures.
María Mittelbrunn: Science feeds my curiosity every day
Authors: Van Emmenis Lucie
Published: August 2023

María Mittelbrunn leads the Immunometabolism and Inflammation Laboratory at the Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Center. Her lab takes a multidisciplinary approach to explore immunometabolism as a therapeutic target in the treatment of chronic inflammation and aging. We recently spoke to María about the joy of discussing results with your team and how this can influence future projects, and optimism about the future of research.
Deep learning approach to forecast air pollution based on novel hourly index
Authors: Narkhede Gaurav , Hiwale Anil
Published: August 2023

Air pollution is a pressing concern that the entire world is striving to combat. Among air pollutants, particulate matter poses a significant threat to human health. The Sustainable Development Goals (SGD3, SGD7 and SGD11) include initiatives to address air pollution. Two innovative methods are proposed in this research to predict the PM2.5 concentration in advance. While multivariate time series prediction models typically employ multiple features as inputs, this research reduces the number of inputs, which makes the proposed combination of approaches simple and effective. The approaches involve the development of two new indexing methods, namely, the Hourly Relative Mean Index and the Hourly Weighted Index. This research offers innovative hybrid deep learning models that incorporate the newly developed indices, Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) models, and robust preprocessing techniques. Multivariate Isolation Forest Relative Index Bidirectional LSTM and Multivariate Isolation Forest Weighted Index LSTM methods are used to forecast PM2.5 concentration for an hourly time frame. Further, Multivariate Isolation Forest Relative Index LSTM and Multivariate Isolation Forest Weighted Index LSTM methods are used to forecast PM2.5 concentration 48 h ahead. The study establishes that the proposed combination of approaches outperform traditional ways to achieve superior performance with reduced complexities requiring fewer inputs for predictions.
Decentralized quantum anonymous veto voting scheme based on measurement-device-independence
Authors: Xu Xiaotong , Shi Run-hua , Ke Weiyang
Published: August 2023

To remove any trusted third party from the voting scheme, a new primitive quantum secure multiparty exclusive OR protocol based on Measurement-Device-Independence (MDI) is presented by utilizing entanglement swapping of Bell states. Based on this primitive protocol of quantum secure multiparty protocol, a novel quantum anonymous veto voting scheme is constructed, which can meet complete security attributes. Especially, this scheme does not need any third party to count the votes, while all voters can tally the voting results by themselves. At the same time, blockchain is introduced for supervision, so that the voters can verify the validity of the voting content under extreme circumstances. The voting scheme takes Bell states as quantum resources and only performs Bell states identification based on the principle of MDI, so it is feasible to implement this scheme with the present quantum information processing technologies. Finally, the proposed voting scheme is simulated in IBM Qiskit, and the simulation results show that this scheme is correct and feasible.
Primordial black holes from single-field inflation: a fine-tuning audit
Authors: Cole Philippa S. , Gow Andrew D. , Byrnes Christian T. , Patil Subodh P.
Published: August 2023

All single-field inflationary models invoke varying degrees of tuning in order to account for cosmological observations. Mechanisms that generate primordial black holes (PBHs) from enhancement of primordial power at small scales posit inflationary potentials that transiently break scale invariance and possibly adiabaticity over a range of modes. This requires additional tuning on top of that required to account for observations at scales probed by cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies. In this paper we study the parametric dependence of various single-field models of inflation that enhance power at small scales and quantify the degree to which coefficients in the model construction have to be tuned in order for certain observables to lie within specified ranges. We find significant tuning: changing the parameters of the potentials by between one part in a hundred and one part in 108 (depending on the model) is enough to change the power spectrum peak amplitude by an order one factor. The fine-tuning of the PBH abundance is larger still by 1–2 orders of magnitude. We highlight the challenges imposed by this tuning on any given model construction. Furthermore, polynomial potentials appear to require significant additional fine-tuning to also match the CMB observations.
Optical chirality induced by spin-orbit interaction of light in a tightly focused Laguerre-Gaussian beam
Authors: Zhu 朱 Mingchao 明超 , Fu 付 Shenggui 圣贵 , Man 满 Zhongsheng 忠胜
Published: August 2023

Optical chirality is one of the important and fundamental dynamic properties of light besides energy, momentum, and angular momentum. The quantification of electromagnetic chirality has been conceptualized only recently. Now, it is well known that for paraxial plane waves of light, the optical chirality is proportional to the ellipticity of the polarization ellipse, i.e., completely independent of the phase distribution. Here it is shown that optical vortex and state of polarization of the source paraxial field both have contributions to the optical chirality of the nonparaxial field generated by tightly focused Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) beam, which is in Stark contrast to the paraxial plane wave of light known from classical optics. The physical reason is the redistribution of local electromagnetic polarization in three dimensions associated with spin–orbit interaction.
Analysis of X-Ray Emission from OB Stars. IV. About X-Ray Emission from Inhomogeneous Winds of OB Stars
Authors: Ryspaeva Elizaveta , Kholtygin Alexander
Published: August 2023

We study the origin of X-ray emission from OB stars due to collisions of stellar winds and/or inhomogeneities in the winds. The low-resolution X-ray spectra of a big sample of OB stars were fitted by both the stationary APEC/MEKAL models and by this model with an additional PSHOCK component describing the nonstationary X-ray emission. These spectra were also described by two-temperature PSHOCK models. More than ∼50% of considered spectra can be described by the above-mentioned model combinations including the PSHOCK model and the quality of the fits appears to be better for O stars. The plasma temperature of the PSHOCK component is about 1–5 keV with the ionization timescale τ

u
∼ 108–1013 s cm−3. The temperature of the PSHOCK component increases with the momentum and kinetic energy of the stellar wind by a power law with an index ∼0.12–0.14. Such dependencies were not revealed through modeling by the stationary APEC/MEKAL models only. At the same time the X-ray luminosity of OB stars depends on momentum and kinetic energy of their winds similarly either for stationary or for nonstationary models. We conclude that many O stars and some B stars can be sources of the nonstationary X-rays formed in their inhomogeneous stellar wind.
Analysis of Submarine Hydrodynamic Noise at Different Diving Angles
Authors: Lv Bangjun , Chen Yonghong
Published: August 2023

Hydrodynamic noise is one of the three major noise sources of submarines, which has a great impact on the concealment of submarines. Using the finite element method, the submarine is modeled, and the sound pressure distribution at various monitoring points of the submarine under different diving angles is studied. The results show that the sound pressure at each monitoring point of the submarine is small when the diving angle is about 10°, which provides a certain reference for the submarine’s covert navigation.
The Hydrodynamic Impact of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project on the Lower-reach Lake of Nansi Lake
Authors: Yue Junjie , Sang Guoqing , Wang Haijun
Published: August 2023

In order to study the changes in hydrodynamic characteristics of the lower-reach lake of Nansi Lake, this paper established a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model of the lower-reach lake of Nansi Lake based on topography, like rainfall, evaporation, and wind field of the lower-reach lake of Nansi Lake, and carried out water level verification, which is representative and can reflect the process of water level and flow velocity changes of the lower-reach lake of Nansi Lake before and after the South-to-North Water Transfer. The model results show that, before the Nansi Lake was connected to water, the lake area of Zhaoyang Lake in the north was long and narrow and the water level was high. The overall flow velocity of Weishan Lake was low, and the stagnant water area and low flow velocity area accounted for a large proportion. After the opening of the southern four lakes, the high-water level area is concentrated in the wide Weishan Lake area, the water level in the Zhaoyang Lake area is reduced, and the changes between different water level gradients tend to be gentler, and the mobility of the water body is greatly improved.
Analytical Research on the Flow Resistance Characteristics of Low-noise Ball Valves Based on Computational Fluid Dynamics Technology
Authors: Yan Xiaozhe , Wang Gang , Xiong Jinying
Published: August 2023

The flow resistance characteristics of a low-noise ball valve applied to a system were numerically simulated and investigated via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. Then, the flow resistance characteristics of normal-temperature water and steam as the media for the low-noise ball valve under different flow velocities were analyzed, followed by an experimental study and a comparison with the numerical simulation result. The study results reveal that the numerical simulation results of flow resistance characteristics are highly consistent with experimental results, thus verifying the effectiveness of numerical simulation. With the fixed opening of the valve, the flow resistance characteristics of the valve remain unchanged instead of changing with the medium and flow velocity.
Flow Conditioner Design and Analysis Based on Computational Fluid Dynamics
Authors: Fan Yuguang , Lv Yan , Gao Lin , Xie Fan , Men Jiacheng
Published: August 2023

To address the issue of uneven gas flow velocity distribution upstream of natural gas pipeline flow meters, a wave-type fin flow conditioner was designed. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation method was used to analyze the velocity distribution inside the pipe, and the rectification effect of the flow conditioner was measured by using the offset degree and the minimum length of the straight pipe section. The offset degree at a specific downstream section was calculated when the fluid passed through a 90 degrees elbow spoiler component without a flow conditioner with an Etoile conditioner and wave-type flow conditioner. The results show that the wave-type flow conditioner has a better rectification effect, and the minimum straight pipe section length is shortened by 72% compared to without a flow conditioner, greatly reducing the pipeline design cost and improving the accuracy of measurement of the Ultrasonic flowmeter.
Ocean Turbulence Observation Techniques and Data Processing Algorithms based on SAR Sequence Images
Authors: Xu Junru
Published: August 2023

Waves in the ocean are a widespread phenomenon and their effective detection requires the use of high-resolution, large-area detection devices. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR), with its all-weather performance and high resolution, is often used for the detection and imaging of both land and ocean, as well as large-area, high-resolution SAR and interferometric SAR, which are all based on SAR enhancements. This has become an important area of research in marine sensors, and the use of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) reception modes for detection and imaging of large-area, high-resolution SAR data has become one of the research priorities for obtaining large-area, high-resolution SAR data. Oceanic internal waves generate internal mixing of seawater through unstable fragmentation, which is an important mechanism for maintaining the meridional overturning circulation within the ocean, and the strong currents and strong mixing processes generated by large amplitude internal waves carry enormous energy. The main objective of this paper is to investigate ocean turbulence observation techniques and data processing algorithms based on SAR sequence images. The research is of great significance for the development of marine science, and the technical areas studied are of great research significance for the development of the marine economy, breakthroughs in marine research technology, and the development of the marine industry.
Design and Hydrodynamic Performance Analysis of a Two-module Wave-resistant Floating Photovoltaic Device
Authors: Kang Wenhui , Lian Zixiang , Han Yue
Published: August 2023

This study presents a two-module wave-resistant floating photovoltaic device, featuring a photovoltaic installation capacity of 0.5 MW and triangular configurations for both modules. Flexible connections are employed between the two modules, and semi-tensioned mooring cables are used in the mooring system. The system is analyzed for a specific sea area in Zhejiang, China. Based on three-dimensional potential flow theory, frequency and time domain analysis are conducted to obtain the motion response of each module under given sea conditions, as well as the forces acting on the connecting structures and mooring cables. The hydrodynamic performance of the floating photovoltaic device is compared under different wave directions. The results show that the designed floating photovoltaic device can resist irregular waves with a significant wave height of 4.5 m and a spectral peak period of 10 s. Compared with other conditions, the motion response of the floating photovoltaic device is relatively stable, the maximum force of each connecting structure is smaller, and the overall hydrodynamic performance is the best under the 0°wave condition.
Numerical Study of Flow and Particle Deposition in a Block Duct
Authors: Yin Kang , Xiong Feng , Sun Ke
Published: August 2023

The primary of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of airflow organization and particle deposition in blocked ducts with various subgrid models. Five popular sublattice models are chosen to conduct this and the LES method is utilized to simulate the flow field and particle deposition properties of the duct. The results demonstrate that the features of the flow field varied amongst the different sub-grid models. The Smagorinsky and WALE models provide comparable findings, with only one pair of separated vortices in the leeward region. With small separated vortices and a small vortex structure near the wall in the leeward region, the WALES model, the WALES-Omega model, and the KET model are more informative. Simultaneously, a large number of particle groups with particle sizes ranging from 1nm to 50μm were selected for particle phase analysis. It was discovered that the deposition velocity of ultrafine particles below 1μm steadily reduced as particle size grew, whereas the deposition velocity of particles larger than 1μm rose as particle size increased.
Characteristics of secondary flow vorticity and longitudinal velocity in a sharp bend
Authors: Sun Yi , Yi Xiaoyan , Ma Jing , Tian Yong , Gu Zhigang
Published: August 2023

The complex flow structure in sharp bends may cause a series of water and sediment problems which are of great risk to flooding control and engineering safety. For this reason, there is of great significance to study the characteristics of secondary flow in sharp bends. In this article, the characteristics of vorticity and longitudinal velocity in sharp bends are studied by laboratory experiments and theoretical analysis. The results showed that there are two opposite circular currents on every cross-section in the bend. The two circular currents show a trend of increasing and decreasing streamwise. Vorticity is used to indicate the secondary flow intensity and is used to adjust the formula of longitudinal average velocity. The new formula fit the experiment data well and can describe the phenomenon of the maximum longitudinal average velocity appearing near the bed surface.
New Type of FTU Considering Small Hydropower Access and Its Test Verification
Authors: Li Kewen , Ding Tao , Liu Lin , Ou Shifeng
Published: August 2023

The access to distributed power sources such as small hydropower (SHP) makes the distribution system present a multi-power supply pattern, which has an adverse impact on the voltage-time type feeder automation (VTFA) suitable for a one-side power supply system. In view of this influence, this paper proposes a new type of feeder terminal unit (FTU) for VTFA, which has a new energy access processing mode. In this mode, in case of phase-to-phase short-circuit fault (PTPF) or single-phase grounding fault(SPGF) in the system, after the feeder’s outlet circuit breaker (OCB) of the substation trips, the FTU shall be able to make the corresponding switch to cut off SHP as soon as possible before the OCB’s re-closing, so as to prevent affecting the realization of VTFA. To verify that VTFA equipped with the new type of FTU can still work normally under SHP access, a feeder automation (FA) test platform is built based on RTDS, and the test results show that the expected goal is achieved.
2D Structural Design and Numerical Simulation of a New Type of Fairing
Authors: Xie Wenbin , Le Guigao
Published: August 2023

Based on the existing fairing, the 2D structure of the fairing is improved. Through the numerical simulation of the shape and height of the spoiler structure of the fairing, and the analysis and comparison of the obtained data, the fairing structure with good vortex-induced vibration suppression is designed. The results show that H = 6.5 mm’s semicircular spoiler structure with 45° tail-angle fairing on the middle line of the side has a good effect on suppressing vortex vibration.