bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and safety of a new low-volume PEG with citrate and simethicone bowel preparation for pediatric elective colonoscopy: Phase 3 RCT
Authors: Russo Giusy , Alvisi Patrizia , Romano Claudio , Angelino Giulia , Lemale Julie , Lachaux Alain , Lionetti Paolo , Veereman Genevieve , Ruggiero Cosimo , Padovani Michela , Tacchi Raffaella , Cenci Fabio , Cucchiara Salvatore , Oliva Salvatore
Published: January 2024

Background and study aims Currently available polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based preparations continue to represent a challenge in children. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of a new low-volume PEG preparation with a conventional PEG-electrolyte solution (PEG-ES) in children and adolescents.

Patients and methods This was a multicenter, randomized, observer-blind, parallel-group, phase 3 clinical trial, where patients were randomized between PMF104 (Clensia) and a conventional PEG-ES (Klean-Prep), and stratified by age stratum (2 to <6; 6 to < 12;12 to <18 years). The primary endpoint was to test the non-inferiority of PMF104 versus PEG-ES, in terms of colon cleansing. Safety, tolerability, acceptability, palatability, and compliance were also assessed. Efficacy endpoints were analyzed in the per protocol set (PPS) and full analysis set (FAS) and safety and tolerability endpoints in the safety set (SAF).

Results Of the 356 patients enrolled, 258 were included in the PPS, 346 in the FAS, and 351 in the SAF. Non-inferiority of PMF104 was confirmed for children aged > 6 years and for all age groups in PPS and FAS, respectively. Optimal compliance was reported more frequently in the PMF104 than in the PEG-ES group, in both PPS (86.1% vs. 68.4%) and FAS (82.9% vs. 65.3%).

Both preparations were equally safe and tolerable. Palatability and acceptability were considered better in the PMF104 group than in the PEG-ES group (27.1% vs. 15.3% and 15.3% vs. 3.5%, respectively).

Conclusions In children aged 6 to 17 years, the new low-volume product PMF104 is non-inferior to the reference PEG-ES in terms of bowel cleansing, safety, and tolerability, with slightly better results in compliance, palatability, and acceptability.
Advanced Technologies for Studying Microbiome–Female Reproductive Tract Interactions: Organoids, Organoids-on-a-Chip, and Beyond
Authors: Kaya Yosun A. , de Zoete Marcel R. , Steba Gaby S.
Published: January 2024

The female reproductive tract (FRT) is home to diverse microbial communities that play a pivotal role in reproductive health and disorders such as infertility, endometriosis, and cervical cancer. To understand the complex host–microbiota interactions within the FRT, models that authentically replicate the FRT's environment, including the interplay between the microbiota, mucus layer, immune system, and hormonal cycle, are key. Recent strides in organoid and microfluidic technologies are propelling research in this domain, offering insights into FRT–microbiota interactions and potential therapeutic avenues. This review delves into the current state of FRT organoid models and microbe integration techniques, evaluating their merits and challenges for specific research objectives. Emphasis is placed on innovative approaches and applications, including integrating organoids with microfluidics, and using patient-derived biobanks, as this offers potential for deeper mechanistic insights and personalized therapeutic strategies. Modeling various FRT properties in organoids is explored, from encompassing age-related epithelial features, oxygen levels, and hormonal effects to mucus layers, immune responses, and microbial interactions, highlighting their potential to transform reproductive health research and predict possible outcomes.
Algorithms for Early Detection of Silent Liver Fibrosis in the Primary Care Setting
Authors: Bech Katrine Tholstrup , Lindvig Katrine Prier , Thiele Maja , Castera Laurent
Published: January 2024

More than one-third of the adult world population has steatotic liver disease (SLD), with a few percent of individuals developing cirrhosis after decades of silent liver fibrosis accumulation. Lack of systematic early detection causes most patients to be diagnosed late, after decompensation, when treatment has limited effect and survival is poor. Unfortunately, no isolated screening test in primary care can sufficiently predict advanced fibrosis from SLD. Recent efforts, therefore, combine several parameters into screening algorithms, to increase diagnostic accuracy. Besides patient selection, for example, by specific characteristics, algorithms include nonpatented or patented blood tests and liver stiffness measurements using elastography-based techniques. Algorithms can be composed as a set of sequential tests, as recommended by most guidelines on primary care pathways. Future use of algorithms that are easy to interpret, cheap, and semiautomatic will improve the management of patients with SLD, to the benefit of global health care systems.
Therapeutic Fasting and Vitamin D Levels: A New Dimension in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Prevention and Management—A Brief Report
Authors: Nair Pradeep M.K. , Silwal Karishma , Kodali Prakash Babu , Tewani Gulab Rai
Published: January 2024

Introduction Studies link hypovitaminosis D to be significantly associated with poor glycemic control, heightened inflammation, and risk of complications. Studies recommend fasting or calorie restriction as a useful measure to achieve diabetic reversal. The present study explores if therapeutic fasting is associated with improvement in the vitamin D levels and other clinical outcomes related to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods This observational study included 26 T2DM patients exposed to a 10-day medically supervised fasting (≈ 500–1000 Kcal/day) in a complementary medicine facility. Levels of vitamin D, B12, fasting blood sugar (FBS), blood pressure, anthropometric measures, World Health Organization Quality of Life, disease perception (Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire), and self-reported vitality were measured at the baseline and the 10th day.

Results Significant improvement in the levels of vitamin D (p = 0.000), B12 (p = 0.03), and reduction in FBS levels (p = 0.001), blood pressure, body mass index, waist and hip circumference (p ≤ 0.05), and improvement in quality of life, vitality, and disease perception (p < 0.001) were observed by the end of 10th day. FBS shared a negative correlation with vitamin D levels (males r = –0.1, females r = –0.48).

Conclusion The present findings provide insights into the probable mechanisms by which therapeutic fasting modulates the progression of T2DM. Nevertheless, large-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted to validate the present findings.
Text complexity and translation styles from the perspective of individuation: a case study of the English translations of Pipa Xing
Authors: Yu Yingchen , Chang Chenguang
Published: January 2024

This study aims to investigate the translation styles from the perspective of text complexity and to elucidate underlying factors contributing to the formation of stylistic differences based on individuation. Using SysFan and SPSS22.0 as tools, a combined quantitative and qualitative approach is employed to comparatively analyze the lexical density and grammatical intricacy across the renowned ancient Chinese poem Pipa Xing 琵琶行and its nine English translations. The findings reveal that while the translations exhibit comparable levels of lexical density, disparities in complexity primarily manifest in terms of grammatical intricacy, reflecting distinct text features: spoken, written, and mixed spoken and written, as well as varying degrees of hierarchical and narrative features. The variations in translation styles are intricately linked to the individuation process undergone by translators. The translator’s individuation process is modeled to show how a translator mobilizes the meaning resources in the repertoire, which is constrained by the allocation of the cultural reservoir, to re-instantiate the source text in the translated text, while constructing affiliation with the target-reader community. Different translators’ allocated repertoires ultimately shape their conscious or unconscious choices in terms of lexicogrammar, thereby generating translated texts characterized by diverse styles.
A First Look at How Diabetes Affects Retinal Arteries
Authors: Ikenson Ben
Published: January 2024

Particle streak velocimetry reveals hemodynamics and altered arterial morphology in diabetic retinas.
Climate network analysis reveals Amazon rainforest now more connected to global climate
Authors: McConnon Aili
Published: January 2024

The Amazon’s influence on regional and global climate growing, spreading perturbations in the climate network faster and further.
Superconductivity of cubic MB6 (M = Na, K, Rb, Cs)
Authors: Chen Shi , Xie Hui , Xu Dan , Chen Jiajin , Cao Bohan , Liang Min , Sun Yibo , Gai Xiaoqian , Wang Xinwei , Yang Mengxin , Zhang Mengrui , Duan Defang , Li Da , Tian Fubo
Published: January 2024

Previous studies have shown that NaB6, KB6, and RbB6 adopting Pm3̄m are superconductors with a relatively high Tc under ambient conditions. In this paper, we conducted systematic structural and related properties research on CsB6 through a genetic evolution algorithm and total energy calculations based on density functional theory between 0 and 20 GPa. Our results reveal a cubic Pm3̄m CsB6, which is dynamically stable under the pressures we studied. We systematically calculated the formation enthalpies, electronic properties, and superconducting properties of Pm3̄m MB6 (M = Na, K, Rb, Cs). They all exhibit metallic features, and boron has high contributions to band structures, density of states, and electron–phonon coupling (EPC). The calculated results about the Helmholtz free energy difference of Pm3̄m CsB6 at 0, 10, and 20 GPa indicate that it is stable upon chemical decomposition (decomposition to simple substances Cs and B) from 0 to 400 K. The phonon density of states indicates that boron atoms occupy the high frequency area. The EPC results show that Pm3̄m CsB6 is a superconductor with Tc = 11.7 K at 0 GPa, close to NaB6 (13.1 K), KB6 (11.7 K), and RbB6 (11.3 K) at 0 GPa in our work, which indicates that boron atoms play an essential role in superconductivity: vibrations of B6 regular octagons lead to the high Tc of Pm3̄m MB6. Our work about Pm3̄m hexaborides provides a supplementary study on the borides of the group IA elements (without Fr and Li) and has an important guiding significance for the experimental synthesis of CsB6.
Doping induced multiferroicity and quantum anomalous Hall effect in α-In2Se3 thin films
Authors: Tian Zhiqiang , Li Jin-Yang , Ouyang Tao , Liu Chao-Fei , Liu Ziran , Li Si , Pan Anlian , Chen Mingxing
Published: January 2024

In flatband materials, the strong Coulomb interaction between electrons can lead to exotic physical phenomena. Recently, α-In2Se3 thin films were found to possess ferroelectricity and flat bands. In this work, using first-principles calculations, we find that for the monolayer, there is a Weyl point at Γ in the flatband, where the inclusion of the spin–orbit coupling opens a gap. Shifting the Fermi level into the spin–orbit gap gives rise to nontrivial band topology, which is preserved for the bilayer regardless of the interlayer polarization couplings. We further calculate the Chern number and edge states for both the monolayer and bilayer, for which the results suggest that they become quantum anomalous Hall insulators under appropriate dopings. Moreover, we find that the doping-induced magnetism for the In2Se3 bilayer is strongly dependent on the interlayer polarization coupling. Therefore, doping the flat bands in In2Se3 bilayer can also yield multiferroicity, where the magnetism is electrically tunable as the system transforms between different polarization states. Our study, thus, reveals that multiferroicity and nontrivial band topology can be unified into one material for designing multifunctional electronic devices.
Serration of the duct trailing edge to affect the hydrodynamics and noise generation for a pump-jet propulsor
Authors: Yang Chun , Sun Cong , Wang Chao , Yao Hua-Dong , Guo Chunyu , Yue Qihui
Published: January 2024

Inspired by the silent gliding feather of owl wings, the trailing edge of the duct of a pump-jet propulsor was designed with a similar serrated structure in order to reduce noise generation. Two distinct serrated structures were proposed and evaluated using the detached eddy simulation method with the shear stress transport k−ω turbulence model. The findings indicated that while the hydrodynamic efficiency changed within 1% upon the inclusion of the serrated trailing edge, a significant alteration existed in vortex structures of the wake. More horseshoe and secondary vortices were generated since large-scale vortices induced by the duct were disrupted circumferentially. This phenomenon expedited the distortion and mixing of trailing-edge vortices, causing flow instability. Furthermore, the serrated trailing-edge structure led to noise reduction. Particularly in the 0–1000 Hz range, the sound pressure level behind the duct showed a maximum reduction of 4.43 dB.
Exploring pressure, temperature, and flow patterns in ciliated microfluidic systems
Authors: Riaz Arshad , Mehmood Kinza , Chamorro Leonardo P.
Published: January 2024

The integration of cilia-induced flow, nanofluids, and the inclusion of cobalt ferrite particles holds significant promise in fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and nanotechnology, offering potential breakthroughs in various technological and material applications. We explore the behavior of cilia-induced flow in a nanofluid confined within an annular domain, employing the Williamson fluid model to characterize the behavior of cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles. Our analysis is based on a mathematical treatment rooted in fundamental mass, momentum, and energy conservation principles while considering physical constraints (low Reynolds number and long wavelength) and adopting a dimensionless approach. By applying regular perturbation techniques, we derive series solutions for velocity and temperature profiles, providing insight into the complex interplay among cilia-generated flow, nanofluid properties, and the influence of Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles within the annular configuration. In particular, we uncovered clear correlations among cilia length, amplitude ratio, flow rate, and the Prandtl number with temperature distribution. Also, we observed substantial reductions in temperature trends under Weissenberg numbers and particle volume fractions.
Study of field ion emission from ionic liquids using molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Guevara-Morales G. , Stark J. P. W.
Published: January 2024

Molecular dynamics simulations are employed to study the field ion emission from ionic liquids. Here, an all-atom polarizable force field is selected to model the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIM BF4). This force field presents a superior ability to reproduce the transport properties of the liquid, and it is used for the first time in the analysis of field ion emission. Initially, the case of a suspended droplet of ionic liquid is employed to describe the characteristics of the liquid at equilibrium. Then, a simulation comprising a nano-droplet of ionic liquid attached to a wall and exposed to a uniform electric field is employed to study the emission of ions. The current emitted, the beam composition, the energy deficit, and the mean characteristics of the process are reported. An extensive analysis is then carried out based on the process characteristics, the theory of field evaporation, and previous numerical solutions. The results suggested that steady field evaporation is unlikely to take place in most of the cases simulated. Field evaporation appears to be limited to the use of low electric fields, which makes the rate of emission decrease significantly. Despite this limitation, insights are made regarding the role of droplet polarization in decreasing the vaporization energy of the ions. The emission process observed in the simulations seems to be related to the stability limit of the droplet and the tearing of its surface, resembling a periodic jet-type of emission.
Study on the shape and motion of bubbles in the tank model with a central column aboard the Chinese Space Station
Authors: Chen Shangtong , Hu Liang , Chen Shuyang , Zhang Pu , Chen Yi , Chen Zhewen , Liu Xiaozhong , Zhao Xilin , Wu Di , Wang Jia , Ye Zhijun , Duan Li , Yin Yongli , Kang Qi
Published: January 2024

It is of great significance for fluid management under microgravity to explore the morphological characteristics of annular bubbles in a tank with a central column. The propellant residue can be evaluated by measuring the annular bubble's volume, and the estimation of the mass center of tanks also needs to know the liquid distribution. An experiment cabin is designed and the experiments of filling and emptying the tank model are carried out aboard the Chinese Space Station. Two kinds of annular bubbles surrounding the central column under microgravity are observed experimentally for the first time, which appear during the processes of filling and emptying the tank model, respectively. Furthermore, the profiles of these annular bubbles are obtained by theoretical derivation. Numerical procedures based on the theoretical expressions are developed and the bubble profiles can be predicted in few seconds. The evolutions of the movement and shape of small bubbles are also explored experimentally and numerically. Under the constraint of minimum free surface energy, several small spherical bubbles will merge into a bigger spherical bubble, which are driven by small disturbances and their initial velocities, and the bigger bubble will locate in the middle region of the tank model at equilibrium. When the volume of the bubble keeps increasing, the surface of the bubble will become the specific Delaunay interface, whose the mean curvature is constant, under the constraints of the propellant management device and the tank wall.
Exploring the conformational landscape, hydrogen bonding, and internal dynamics in the diallyl ether and diallyl sulfide monohydrates
Authors: Silva Weslley G. D. P. , Poonia Tamanna , van Wijngaarden Jennifer
Published: January 2024

The conformational spaces of the diallyl ether (DAE) and diallyl sulfide (DAS) monohydrates were explored using rotational spectroscopy from 6 to 19 GHz. Calculations at the B3LYP-D3(BJ)/aug-cc-pVTZ level suggested significant differences in their conformational behavior, with DAE-w exhibiting 22 unique conformers and DAS-w featuring three stable structures within 6 kJ mol−1. However, only transitions from the lowest energy conformer of each were experimentally observed. Spectral analysis confirmed that binding with water does not alter the conformational preference for the lowest energy structure of the monomers, but it does influence the relative stabilities of all other conformers, particularly in the case of DAE. Non-covalent interaction and quantum theory of atoms in molecules analyses showed that the observed conformer for each complex is stabilized by two intermolecular hydrogen bonds (HBs), where water primarily interacts with the central oxygen or sulfur atom of the diallyl compounds, along with secondary interactions involving the allyl groups. The nature of these interactions was further elucidated using symmetry-adapted perturbation theory, which suggests that the primary HB interaction with S in DAS is weaker and more dispersive in nature compared to the primary HB in DAE. This supports the experimental observation of a tunneling splitting exclusively in the rotational spectrum of DAS-w, as the weaker contact allows water to undergo internal motions within the complex, as shown based on calculated transition state structures for possible tunneling pathways.
Cage occupancies of CH4, CO2, and Xe hydrates: Mean field theory and grandcanonical Monte Carlo simulations
Authors: Tanaka Hideki , Matsumoto Masakazu , Yagasaki Takuma
Published: January 2024

We propose a statistical mechanical theory for the thermodynamic stability of clathrate hydrates, considering the influence of the guest–guest interaction on the occupancies of the cages. A mean field approximation is developed to examine the magnitude of the influence. Our new method works remarkably well, which is manifested by two sorts of grandcanonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations. One is full GCMC, and the other is designed in the present study for clathrate hydrates, called lattice-GCMC, in which each guest can be adsorbed at one of the centers of the cage. In the latter simulation, only the guest–guest interaction is explicitly treated, incorporating the host–guest interaction into the free energy of the cage occupation without other guests. Critical phenomena for guest species, such as large density fluctuations, are observed when the temperature is low or the guest–guest interaction is strong.
A novel dragonfly dual-wing hovering flight model
Authors: Zhang Kaixuan , Su Xiaohui , Zhao Yong
Published: January 2024

During the hovering flight of dragonflies, the coupling interaction between the forewings and hindwings leads to a reduction in the lift of each wing. Numerous scholars have reached a unanimous conclusion that under the coupling effect, the lift of the hindwings is significantly decreased. Meanwhile, the coupling of the forewings and hindwings enhances the controllability of dragonfly flight. In this article, a novel hovering flight model termed the partial advanced dual-wing model (PADM) is proposed. This model is capable of increasing the lift of both the forewings and hindwings. The maximum average lift of the forewings is increased by 18.09%, and the maximum average lift of the hindwings is increased by 41.58%. In addition to the shared advantage of enhanced positive pressure on the rear half of the wing surface due to the advanced rotation, the superior performance of the hindwings compared to the forewings is attributed to the hindwings cutting off the trailing-edge vortex ring formed by the coupling of the fore and hind wings during the downstroke phase. The vertical force and energy consumption exhibit a linear relationship with the partially advanced time, independent of the coupled aerodynamic effects. The PADM model not only sustains the weight of the dragonfly but also plays a controlling role in transitioning from a hovering flight model to a vertical leap flight model. Furthermore, it enables dragonflies and micro air vehicles to maintain hovering flight while carrying additional loads.
Tracking the role of Aire in immune tolerance to the eye with a TCR transgenic mouse model
Authors: Yin Mianmian , Smith Jennifer A. , Chou Marissa , Chan Jackie , Jittayasothorn Yingyos , Gould Douglas B. , Caspi Rachel R. , Anderson Mark S. , DeFranco Anthony L.
Published: January 2024

Roughly one-half of mice with partial defects in two immune tolerance pathways (Aire
GW/+
Lyn
−/−
mice) spontaneously develop severe damage to their retinas due to T cell reactivity to Aire-regulated interphotoreceptor retinoid–binding protein (IRBP). Single-cell T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing of CD4
+
T cells specific for a predominate epitope of IRBP showed a remarkable diversity of autoantigen-specific TCRs with greater clonal expansions in mice with disease. TCR transgenic mice made with an expanded IRBP-specific TCR (P2.U2) of intermediate affinity exhibited strong but incomplete negative selection of thymocytes. This negative selection was absent in IRBP
−/−
mice and greatly defective in Aire
GW/+
mice. Most P2.U2
+/−
mice and all P2.U.2
+/−
Aire
GW/+
mice rapidly developed inflammation of the retina and adjacent uvea (uveitis). Aire-dependent IRBP expression in the thymus also promoted Treg differentiation, but the niche for this fate determination was small, suggesting differences in antigen presentation leading to negative selection vs. thymic Treg differentiation and a stronger role for negative selection in preventing autoimmune disease in the retina.
The Guesthouse Phenomenon in the Maldives – Development and Issues
Authors: Shenaan Mohamed , Schänzel Heike
Published: January 2024

The tourism industry in the Maldives has long been dominated by the “one island, one resort” model, where luxury resorts on uninhabited islands kept tourists isolated from local communities. However, recent legislative changes have opened up new opportunities for community-based tourism (CBT) with the establishment of guesthouses on inhabited islands. This shift aims to increase local participation in the tourism sector and has led to greater interaction between tourists and the island communities. The guesthouse industry has witnessed rapid growth, surpassing the number of resorts, providing more affordable options for visitors, and offering the potential for economic and social benefits for local communities.

Despite the benefits, the lack of clear guidelines and varying sizes and facilities of guesthouses has caused confusion among stakeholders and tourists. The increased interaction between conservative local communities and tourists has also led to conflicts.

This case study is based on a research project conducted in September 2019 exploring the sustainable development opportunities and challenges of the guesthouse tourism industry in the Maldives. Extensive in person interviews were conducted with tourists staying at three local island islands in the country, as well as guesthouse operators and managers from the same islands.

Information

© The Authors 2024
Experiencing Cambodia’s Living Arts through Tourism
Authors: Bigby Bobbie Chew , Pathirana Madura Thivanka , Chhuon Sarin
Published: January 2024

Experience Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) was a nightly program showcasing traditional Cambodian arts to tourists while providing employment opportunities to artists. Produced by the Cambodia-based non-profit organization CLA for nearly a decade, this program used tourism as a platform for sharing traditional arts while also earning revenue to support other arts initiatives and providing employment to several of its arts students.

This case study offers a glimpse into the arts-based programming of CLA, an organization based in Cambodia that has worked to revitalize traditional arts and inspire younger generations to engage with the arts over the past 25 years. ‘Experience CLA’ was one of the organization’s programs that offered nightly performances of traditional dance, music and performing arts between 2011 and 2020. These performances stood at the heart of CLA’s efforts in sharing traditional arts with international visitors through tourism, providing a platform for employment to young Cambodian artists, as well as helping the organization to earn revenue. However, due to the impact of COVID-19 on tourism as well as CLA adopting a new mission and vision that positioned it as more of an arts catalyst, rather than as an arts provider, the ‘Experience CLA’ program came to an end in 2020 as the organization began to shift its role in the Cambodian arts community.

Information

© The Authors 2024
Energy and angular distributions in 250 eV electron and positron collisions with argon atom
Authors: Tőkési K , DuBois R D
Published: January 2024

We present energy and angular differential cross sections for single-ionization in collisions between electrons and positrons with argon atoms at 250 eV. We treat the collision classically using the three body approximation where the target atoms are described within the single active electron approximation using a Garvey model potential and only the outermost electron is involved in the collision dynamics. Our present classical trajectory Monte Carlo model is shown to describe the ionization cross sections reasonably well and agree with existing experimental data. We show that the energy distributions, both for electron and positron impact, have the same shape and structure. In contrast, the angular distributions for electron and positron impact behave completely different which it maybe be attributed to the projectile-target core interaction. We present also the ionization probabilities as a function of impact parameter. We found that for the case of positron impact the distribution is symmetric, while for the case of electron impact the distribution is asymmetric.
Active smectics on a sphere
Authors: Nestler Michael , Praetorius Simon , Huang Zhi-Feng , Löwen Hartmut , Voigt Axel
Published: January 2024

The dynamics of active smectic liquid crystals confined on a spherical surface is explored through an active phase field crystal model. Starting from an initially randomly perturbed isotropic phase, several types of topological defects are spontaneously formed, and then annihilate during a coarsening process until a steady state is achieved. The coarsening process is highly complex involving several scaling laws of defect densities as a function of time where different dynamical exponents can be identified. In general the exponent for the final stage towards the steady state is significantly larger than that in the passive and in the planar case, i.e. the coarsening is getting accelerated both by activity and by the topological and geometrical properties of the sphere. A defect type characteristic for this active system is a rotating spiral of evolving smectic layering lines. On a sphere this defect type also determines the steady state. Our results can in principle be confirmed by dense systems of synthetic or biological active particles.
An intelligent water supply pipeline leakage detection method based on SV-WTBSVM
Authors: Guo Xiaoting , Song Huadong , Zeng Yanli , Chen Honghe , Hu Wenguang , Liu Guanlin
Published: January 2024

Water supply pipeline leakage not only wastes resources but also causes dangerous accidents. Therefore, detecting the state of pipelines is a critical task. With the expansion of the scale of the water supply pipeline, the amount of data collected by the leak detection system is gradually increasing. Moreover, there is an imbalance of sample in the data. This makes the detection performance of traditional leakage detection methods deteriorate. To solve the above issues, this paper proposes a pipeline leakage intelligent detection method based on a support vector weighted twin-bound support vector machine (SV-WTBSVM). Noise in the data negatively affects the performance of the classifier. To eliminate the effect of noise, a hybrid denoising algorithm based on improved complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (ICEEMDAN) is used for denoising to filter out the noise in the data. Twin bound support vector machine (TBSVM) is a classical classification algorithm that has been widely used in the detection of pipeline leakage. To solve the decrease in classification accuracy caused by sample imbalance, the SV-WTBSVM algorithm oversamples the minority class samples based on the distance density and integrally undersamples the majority class samples to obtain a balanced sample. Since pipelines often have multiple working conditions, the SV-WTBSVM used for binary classification cannot meet this requirement, and this paper combines the SV-WTBSVM with the ‘one-to-one’ strategy to address the multi-classification problem. Finally, experiments have verified that the SV-WTBSVM algorithm not only retains the advantages of fast training speed and simple operation of the TBSVM but also improves the classification accuracy and generalization ability of the algorithm when dealing with imbalanced data.
Phase sensitive detection for embedded sensors
Authors: Machado M M , Ribeiro E Parente
Published: January 2024

The measurement of some physical properties requires detection of both amplitude and phase of an applied test signal. In portable sensors, this needs to be performed locally with integrated analog circuits or digital processing. Wireless sensor network allows the measurements over wide areas but raises a challenge of using efficient algorithm for phase sensitive detection (PSD) in nodes with constrained processing capacity. It is not straightforward to compare different PSD methods because their performance is closely related to the fine tuning of their parameters such as filter order and cut-off frequency. We propose a methodology to compare several PSD methods subjected to the same response time to assess its ability to provide accurate estimation in the presence of noise. We also determine the computational complexity of the investigated methods in terms of the number of operations required. We investigate both continuous and windowed operation. The methods were tested through simulations and verified using a dedicated embedded system. Our findings demonstrate that Goertzel algorithm rendered the best results, with smaller estimation error and less computation complexity.
A new look at orbits
Authors: Hughes Stephen
Published: January 2024

Many people assume that the orbits of the planets are far more elliptical than they actually are. However, the orbits of all the planets with the exception of Mercury and Mars are nearly perfect circles. If the orbits of the planets are modeled as 26 inch bicycle wheels, the deviation from a perfect circle is less than one millimeter. The Earth’s orbit around the Sun is normally depicted as being highly elliptical in order to teach students about Kepler’s laws. This has been identified as a possible source of the misconception that it is warmer in summer than winter because the Earth is closer to the Sun. A possible way forward is to first teach students that the orbit of the Earth is essentially circular, like a bicycle wheel, and that seasons are due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis of rotation, and then switch to exaggerated elliptical orbits to teach Kepler’s laws.
Exploring multiferroicity, half-metallic phase, and curie temperature in X = B/C/N/F-Doped KNbO3: a DFT aspect
Authors: Anar Rafia , Nazir S
Published: January 2024

Multiferroic materials provide an astonishing platform for next-generation spintronic devices such as magnetoresistive random access memory. Herein, ferroelectric, electronic, and magnetic properties of the pristine and X = B/C/N/F-doped KNbO3 (KNO) perovskite oxides are explored using ab initio calculations along with modified Becke-Johnson potential, where X is doped at O-site (X@O) in both KO- and NbO2-layers. Our calculations revealed that the pristine motif is a non-magnetic insulator having an energy band gap (E

g
) of 2.80 eV and spontaneous polarization (P) of 41 μCcm−2, which are close to the experimentally observed values of 3.34 eV and 37 μCcm−2, respectively. The computed enthalpy of formation and elastic parameters confirm the thermodynamic and mechanical strength of the doped configurations, respectively. It is established that X-dopants significantly reduce structural distortions and have negative influence on the value of P. The most distinctive feature of the current work is that the B/N-doped KNO system for X@O in the KO-layer exhibits n-type half-metallic (HM) ferromagnetic (FM) behavior with an E

g
of 1.46/2.96 eV which is sufficiently large enough to prevent any magnetic transition. In contrast, C and F-doped structures are FM insulator and n-type non-magnetic metallic, respectively. Along with this, X = B/C/N-doped KNO system for X@O in the NbO2-layer displayed FM insulating nature, while the F-doped motif becomes an n-type non-magnetic metallic. The total magnetic moment for the B/N-doped structure is 1.0, which also hints the HM FM behavior. Finally, the estimated Curie temperature using the Heisenberg 2D Hamiltonian model in magnetic doped structures is found to be high enough to be used for practical purposes.
Detailed investigation of the structural and electrical properties of ZnO/Fe3O4 nanocomposites
Authors: Alasmari Aeshah , Alshehri Khairiah , Azab A A , Solyman Samir
Published: January 2024

The nanocomposites with the formula (1-x)ZnO+xFe3O4 (x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.7 and 0.09) were prepared using the sonomechanical method, while the pristine ZnO and Fe3O4 were prepared using the co-precipitation technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and a high-resolution broadband impedance analyzer were used to examine the structural, microstructure, and dielectric properties of the investigated samples. XRD analysis assures the wurtzite hexagonal structure of ZnO for all nanocomposite samples. The FTIR showed the existence of a functional group of ZnO and Fe3O4. The ac conductivity, dielectric constant (ε′), dielectric loss (ε′), electric modulus, impedance, and Nyquist plot were studied as a function of frequency and at different temperatures. The results show that the small concentration of Fe3O4 affects the ac conductivity and dielectric properties. The Koops phenomenological theory and the Maxwell-Wagner interfacial model were used to analyze the observed dielectric dispersion. The analysis of modulus and impedance results indicated the existence of non-Debye relaxation and the involvement of both grains and grain borders in polarization. The impedance study reveals that just one semicircle is observed in all samples, indicating that the influence of grain boundaries is more significant than the contribution of grains.
Three-wave lump solutions and their dynamic behaviors for the (3+1)-dimensional constant-coefficient and variable-coeffcient differential equations
Authors: Feng Yexuan , Zhao Zhonglong
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we propose two theorems to illustrate the types of equations that can be solved using the quadratic function method to derive the lump solutions localized in the whole plane, which are called three-wave lump solutions, and provide two constant-coefficient equations to illustrate. We further extend the quadratic function method to the variable-coefficient differential equations and obtain the three-wave lump solutions for two (3+1)-dimensional variable-coefficient equations. Moreover, the amplitudes of these lump waves and the distances between the two valleys of each lump are also obtained. Meanwhile, the motion trails, displacements and the velocities of these lump waves are analyzed in detail by virtue of numerical simulation. The study can be used to describe the motion of nonlinear waves in shallow water under the influence of time, and the results can enrich the types of solutions for the KdV-type equations. In addition, the 3d plots and corresponding density plots of the lump waves are displayed to show their spatial structures.
Hyperfine splitting and ferromagnetism in CdS : Mn nanoparticles for optoelectronic device applications
Authors: Darekar Madhavi Sharad , Beekanahalli Mokshanatha Praveen
Published: January 2024

Manganese (Mn) doped cadmium sulphide (CdS) nanoparticles were synthesized using a chemical method. It was possible to decrease CdS : Mn particle size by increasing Mn concentration. Investigation techniques such as ultraviolet−visible (UV−Vis) absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were used to determine optical properties of CdS : Mn nanoparticles. Size quantization effect was observed in UV−Vis absorption spectra. Quantum efficiency for luminescence or the internal magnetic field strength was increased by doping CdS nanoparticles with Mn element. Orange emission was observed at wavelength ~630 nm due to 4T1 → 6A1 transition. Isolated Mn2+ ions arranged in tetrahedral coordination are mainly responsible for luminescence. Luminescence quenching and the effect of Mn doping on hyperfine interactions in the case of CdS nanoparticles were also discussed. The corresponding weight percentage of Mn element actually incorporated in doping process was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Crystallinity was checked and the average size of nanoparticles was estimated using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. CdS : Mn nanoparticles show ferromagnetism at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show spherical clusters of various sizes and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns show the polycrystalline nature of the clusters. The electronic states of diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) of Ⅱ−Ⅵ group CdS nanoparticles give them great potential for applications due to quantum confinement. In this study, experimental results and discussions on these aspects have been given.
Sensommatic: an efficient pipeline to mine and predict sensory receptor genes in the era of reference-quality genomes
Authors: Ryan Louise , Lawless Colleen , Hughes Graham M
Published: January 2024

Sensory receptor gene families have undergone extensive expansion and loss across vertebrate evolution, leading to significant variation in receptor counts between species. However, due to their species-specific nature, conventional reference-based annotation tools often underestimate the true number of sensory receptors in a given species. While there has been an exponential increase in the taxonomic diversity of publicly available genome assemblies in recent years, only ∼30% of vertebrate species on the NCBI database are currently annotated. To overcome these limitations, we developed ‘Sensommatic’, an automated and accessible sensory receptor annotation pipeline. Sensommatic implements BLAST and AUGUSTUS to mine and predict sensory receptor genes from whole genome assemblies, adopting a one-to-many gene mapping approach. While designed for vertebrates, Sensommatic can be extended to run on non-vertebrate species by generating customized reference files, making it a scalable and generalizable tool.

Availability and implementation

Source code and associated files are available at: https://github.com/GMHughes/Sensommatic
Psychometric Properties of the Instrument for Scoring Clinical Outcomes of Research for Epidermolysis Bullosa patient score (iscorEB-p): a patient-reported outcome measure
Authors: Salamon Gudrun , Strobl Sophie , Field-Werners Ursula , Diem Anja , Schwieger-Briel Agnes , Pope Elena
Published: January 2024

Background

In contrast to clinical diagnosis via external examination, patient-related outcome measures (PROMs) allow access to patients’ internal perceptions. In the case of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) – a rare disease characterized by a wide variety of symptoms and individual disease courses – it is important to integrate the patient’s perspective into diagnostic processes. The Instrument for Scoring Clinical Outcomes of Research for EB (iscorEB) is an EB-specific measurement tool, combining a clinician score (iscorEB-c) and a patient questionnaire (iscorEB-p).

Objectives

The aim of this study is to establish the iscorEB-p as an independent PROM tool by exploring its psychometric properties.

Methods

Sample-based psychometric testing and evaluation were performed on data collected via a multinational online cross-sectional study.

Results

Data analysis was performed with n = 95 participants across all EB types. The reliability and internal consistency of the iscorEB-p was excellent (α = 0.90). Principal component analysis with a varimax rotation resulted in a two-factor solution, explaining 55.6% of the total variance, with the distinct factors ‘everyday life functioning’ and ‘specific EB symptoms’. Convergent validity was shown by high correlations to the Satisfaction With Life Scale (r = –0.52, P < 0.001), the Quality of Life in Epidermolysis Bullosa questionnaire (r = 0.72, P < 0.001) and the Epidermolysis Bullosa Family Burden of Disease questionnaire (r = –0.73, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The iscorEB-p is a reliable and valid instrument to assess patient-reported health status of people with EB.
Biomechanical engineering analysis of neochordae length’s impact on chordal forces in mitral repair
Authors: Zhu Yuanjia , Lee Seung Hyun , Venkatesh Akshay , Wu Catherine A , Stark Charles J , Ethiraj Sidarth , Lee Justin J , Park Matthew H , Yajima Shin , Woo Y Joseph
Published: January 2024

OBJECTIVES

Artificial neochordae implantation is commonly used for mitral valve (MV) repair. However, neochordae length estimation can be difficult to perform. The objective was to assess the impact of neochordae length changes on MV haemodynamics and neochordal forces.

METHODS

Porcine MVs (n = 6) were implanted in an ex vivo left heart simulator. MV prolapse (MVP) was generated by excising at least 2 native primary chordae supporting the P2 segments from each papillary muscle. Two neochordae anchored on each papillary muscle were placed with 1 tied to the native chord length (exact length) and the other tied with variable lengths from 2× to 0.5× of the native length (variable length). Haemodynamics, neochordal forces and echocardiography data were collected.

RESULTS

Neochord implantation repair successfully eliminated mitral regurgitation with repaired regurgitant fractions of approximately 4% regardless of neochord length (P < 0.01). Leaflet coaptation height also significantly improved to a minimum height of 1.3 cm compared with that of MVP (0.9 ± 0.4 cm, P < 0.05). Peak and average forces on exact length neochordae increased as variable length neochordae lengths increased. Peak and average forces on the variable length neochordae increased with shortened lengths. Overall, chordal forces appeared to vary more drastically in variable length neochordae compared with exact length neochordae.

CONCLUSIONS

MV regurgitation was eliminated with neochordal repair, regardless of the neochord length. However, chordal forces varied significantly with different neochord lengths, with a preferentially greater impact on the variable length neochord. Further validation studies may be performed before translating to clinical practices.
When one size does not fit all: aid and health system strengthening for Small Island Developing States
Authors: Meessen Bruno , Ancia Anne , Gill Danny , LaFoucade Althea , Lalta Stanley , Sandoval Guillermo , Waqa Gade
Published: January 2024

Health System strengthening is high on the agenda of the global health community. We review some of the specific challenges faced by Small Island Developing States in the development of their health systems. We propose a list of action points for aid actors willing to adapt their health programs and interventions.