bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Population dynamics of chital deer (Axis axis) in northern Queensland: effects of drought and culling
Authors: Pople Anthony , Amos Matt , Brennan Michael
Published: June 2023

Context Chital deer (Axis axis) are long established in the northern Queensland dry tropics, and at high densities are considered pests by cattle graziers. Cost-effective management is difficult for widespread, fluctuating populations of vertebrate pests such as these deer. Historically, control of chital deer has been limited to recreational and some commercial ground-shooting and trapping. Concerns over chital deer impacts were heightened during drought in 2015 and funding became available for aerial culling. Aim This study set out to determine (1) distribution and abundance, (2) seasonal reproductive output, (3) potential and actual rates of increase and their determinants, and (4) efficient management strategies for chital deer in the northern Queensland dry tropics. Methods In 2014, ~13 000 km2 of the main distribution was surveyed by helicopter. Multiple vehicle ground surveys per year monitored chital deer density on two properties during 2013–2022. Seasonal shot samples of deer on both properties assessed reproductive output during 2014–2016. Aerial surveys during 2016–2020 determined chital deer densities on seven properties, prior to aerial culling on four properties. Finally, the maximum rate of increase of chital deer was calculated from life-history data. Key results Regionally, chital deer are patchily distributed and so are best monitored locally where densities can be >50 deer km−2. Vehicle ground surveys recorded an ~80% decline in chital deer populations on two properties over 7–10 months during drought in early 2015, with a similar rate being recorded by aerial survey at a third site. There was little recruitment during the drought, but the decline was seemingly driven by adult mortality. Aerial shooting further reduced populations by 39–88% to <3 deer km−2 on four properties. Where there was no continuing control, culled populations recovered to pre-cull densities or higher after 2.4 years. One unculled property recovered to its pre-drought density after 6 years. Rates of recovery were at or higher than the maximum annual rate of increase for chital deer estimated here as 26–41%. Conclusions Drought has a lasting effect on this chital deer population, because of the resulting large population decline and the modest rate of any recovery in the absence of culling. Culling can reduce populations to low density, but the removal rate needs to be sustained to suppress future growth. Implications Drought provides a strategic opportunity to further reduce chital deer populations for enduring control. Large reductions are feasible given the clumped dispersion of populations within properties and in the region.
What’s the fuzz: The frequency, practice and perceptions of equine facial hair trimming revealed in a survey of horse owners in Australia
Authors: Hazel Susan J. , Holman Carly , Thompson Kirrilly
Published: June 2023

Recently, equine organizations from multiple countries around the world, including Australia, have implemented bans on the trimming of vibrissae (sensory hairs located around the muzzle and eyes) of horses competing in their events. These hairs are likely to have sensory functions that are important to horses, and the ban is based on welfare grounds. The aims of this study were to determine: the proportions of horse owners trimming equine facial hairs (ear and muzzle hair) across different types of equestrian disciplines in Australia, the types of equine facial hairs trimmed, whether horses were restrained for trimming, and attitudes related to the practice. An online survey of Australian horse owners was advertised through organizations involving equine competitive sports. A total of 422 responses were obtained, with respondents mostly female and a wide range of age groups. Respondents involved in showing competitions were more likely to trim muzzle and ear hairs than the other competition types. Respondents in showing competitions more commonly believed that trimming muzzle and ear hairs was a normal practice in their discipline, made it more likely a horse would win, and that horses did not need muzzle or ear hairs for day-to-day living. The results of this study provide valuable insight into the widespread trimming of horse muzzle and ear hairs in some horse disciplines prior to the implementation of the ban in Australia. The information gained may also be useful for the design and implementation of behaviour change interventions for other management and presentation practices used for horses and other animals. Further studies are needed to determine if and how the practice and attitudes to facial hair trimming in horses have changed with the enforcement of the ban.
Effects of process parameters on the spreading morphology of disc surface and aluminium powder produced by centrifugal atomisation
Authors: Li Long , Peng Lei , Zhao Wei
Published: June 2023

An apparatus was developed to study the effects of operating parameters on liquid spreading and particle size in centrifugal atomisation. Different areas of aluminium spreading on the surface of the rotary disc were observed, in which the diameter of the ‘Plane area’ showed a linear relationship with the rotational speed. The microscopic morphology of the aluminium powder samples was analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The variation of particle size distribution curve with rotational speed was explored, and the shape of the curve was changed from ‘Single-peak’ to ‘Double-peak’ when the rotating speed increased to a certain value. The effect of the fragmentation mode on the particle size distribution and median diameter was analysed. The variation of the median diameter of the powder with the rotating speed was obtained. The effect of different disc configurations on the particle size was obtained.
Lipschitz stability of recovering the conductivity from internal current densities
Authors: Qiu Lingyun , Zheng Siqin
Published: June 2023

In recent years, coupled physics imaging techniques have been developed to produce clearer images than those produced by electrical impedance tomography. This paper focuses on the inverse problem arising in current density impedance imaging and magneto-acousto-electric tomography. We consider the electrostatic equation

∇
⋅
(
σ
∇

w
b

)
=
0

in a bounded domain

Ω
⊂

R

3

with either the Dirichlet or Neumann boundary condition b, where σ is a scalar conductivity function. The inverse problem is formulated as recovering σ from vector fields

J
b

=
σ
∇

w
b

with different boundary conditions b. We provide a local Lipschitz stability, stating that near some known σ
0 and under some regularity assumptions, we can find b
1 and b
2 by constructing complex geometrical optics (CGO) solutions such that

‖
ln

σ

(
1
)

−
ln

σ

(
2
)

‖

C

m
,
α

(

Ω
¯

)

⩽
C

∑

j
=
1

2

‖

J

b
j

(
1
)

−

J

b
j

(
2
)

‖

C

m
,
α

(

Ω
¯

)

. Furthermore, we modify the CGO solutions using the reflection method to make b
1 and b
2 vanish on a portion of a plane, and prove a local Lipschitz stability with partial data.
Control of rotation angles of multilayer graphene on SiC (000
1‾
) by substrate off-direction and angle
Authors: Sakakibara Ryotaro , Bao Jianfeng , Hayashi Naoki , Ito Takahiro , Hibino Hiroki , Norimatsu Wataru
Published: June 2023

Graphene on SiC (000

1
‾

) tends to grow in multiple layers and does not have a single orientation relation with the SiC substrate. It has been considered impossible to control the rotation angle of multilayer graphene on SiC (000

1
‾

). In this study, we grew graphene on off-axis SiC substrates with various off angles from 0° to 8° and investigated their in-plane rotation and electronic structures systematically. As the off angle toward the [11

2
‾

0]SiC direction increased, graphene rotated by 30° with respect to SiC became less dominant and instead, graphene rotated by 30 ± 2.5° appeared. We also found that the uniformity of the graphene rotation angle was relatively high on SiC substrates with a small off angle toward the [1

1
‾

00]SiC direction. Our results suggest that the step-terrace structure defined by the substrate off-direction and angle plays an important role in the controllability of the rotation angle of graphene.
SN-SAE: a new damage diagnosis method for CFRP using Lamb wave
Authors: Li Zhiyong , Wang Zhiyong , Li Yong , Han Shanling
Published: June 2023

The damage diagnosis of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) using Lamb wave has been widely developed, but it is still a challenging task to obtain reliable damage diagnosis results by analysis of Lamb wave, the emergence of deep learning models provides an effective solution for this work. However, the internal covariate shift and overfitting exist in traditional deep networks. The SN-SAE (stochastic normalization-stacked autoencoder) deep neural network model is proposed by introducing stochastic normalization (SN) into stacked autoencoder (SAE). The signals of 28 different damage locations in the CFRP plate provided by the open platform were processed by SN-SAE, and the damage diagnosis at different locations was achieved. The validity of SN-SAE was further verified by data obtained through building an experimental platform. The results demonstrated that the SN-SAE model can achieve high test accuracy with only 15% of the data samples as training with limited data sample, which provides a simple and effective solution for damage diagnosis of composite plates.
Fault detection of a reciprocating plunger pump with fault-free data based on an unsupervised feature encoder and minimum covariance determinant
Authors: Lai Yuehua , Li Ran , Zhang Yang , Meng Lingyu , Chen Rongming
Published: June 2023

It is well known that complex mechanical equipment has many differnt the failure modes, and monitoring data for fault conditions are scarce. Therefore, research on fault detection for reciprocating plunger pumps with fault-free data is significant for theory and application. Due to the lack of prior knowledge of faults, it is always a great challenge for researchers to extract fault features from signals. In this paper, an innovative fault detection method for a reciprocating plunger pump is proposed based on an unsupervised feature encoder (UFE) and minimum covariance determination (MCD). Firstly, a criterion based on mutual information maximization for local and global features is proposed for unsupervised feature extraction. In addition, an unsupervised training strategy based on negative sampling is proposed to train the encoder, so that the model can converge quickly and improve the stability of model training. A fault detection algorithm for a reciprocating plunger pump is proposed based on a UFE and MCD. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are verified with the measured data for a reciprocating plunger pump. The results show that the proposed method can accurately detect the faults in the reciprocating plunger pump with a detection accuracy of more than 98%. Compared with other methods, the proposed fault detection algorithm has better applicability and accuracy for fault detection with fault-free data.
Large-range and high-sensitivity displacement sensing based on a SNAP microresonator by multimode encoding technique
Authors: Dong Yongchao , Zeng Xueliang , Wang Jiebo , Li Yongkang , Cai Nian , Wang Han
Published: June 2023

Probe-type micro-displacement sensors with a large range and high sensitivity have important applications in both aerospace and nano-lithography. However, the state-of-the-art measurement range achieved using conventional methods such as charge coupled device imaging and fiber grating demodulation is limited to only tens of micrometers. In this study, we propose and demonstrate a displacement sensing mechanism with a large range and high sensitivity for measuring linear displacements. The mechanism is based on a multimode encoding technique implemented on a surface nanoscale axial photonics (SNAP) microcavity platform. By tracking the transmittance variations of multiple axial modes and employing encoding techniques, we can determine the rough absolute position as well as the axial mode with the highest sensitivity in each region. Moreover, the selected mode for each region is exploited to accurately measure the micro-displacement with a large range and high accuracy. As a proof-of-principle experiment, the results indicate a large sensing range about 346 μm and a high sensitivity ranging up to 0.013 μm−1. Assuming that the transmittance can be resolved by 0.1%, the resolution of the measurement is about 0.1 μm.
Theoretical investigation of the impact of apodized fiber Bragg grating and machine learning approaches in quasi-distributed sensing
Authors: Mandal Himadri Nirjhar , Sidhishwari Soumya
Published: June 2023

An apodized fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is designed to investigate the impacts of side lobe elimination in quasi-distributed sensing for the estimation of measurands (like temperature and strain) to assess the condition of civil structures, such as bridges. The adjacent FBG spectrums may overlap with each other because of the impacts of temperature and strain due to the presence of a high range of side lobes in a quasi-distributed sensing network. Therefore, elimination of side lobes is necessary, by introducing a method of apodization. The sensitivity of the designed apodized FBG is estimated by analyzing the variations in the Bragg wavelength due to the impacts of temperature and strain. The changes in Bragg wavelength due to the measurands can affect the grating period and the grating index of the FBG. The period of the grating and the grating index of the FBG are simultaneously varied by temperature and strain. To measure the physical parameters effectively, it is essential to distinguish whether the changes in the Bragg wavelength are owing to the impacts of temperature or to the impacts of strain. The effect of cross-sensitivity between the temperature and the strain is a key problem in any FBG-based sensing application as both the measurands can affect the Bragg wavelength. In this work, machine learning methods (the support vector machine, K-nearest neighbors, logistic regression, naïve Bayes, decision tree, and ensemble models) are introduced to differentiate between the effects of temperature and strain on a single Bragg wavelength shift measurement. An artificial neural network is used for the predictive analysis of physical parameters, to identify any measurements of potential concern. It has been noted that the performance of the proposed ensemble model is higher compared to other models for the classification of temperature and strain.
A do-it-yourself approach for developing a magnetic field mapping setup using a 3D printer
Authors: Omelyanchik Alexander , Marqués Jose Luis , Rivas Montserrat , Rodionova Valeria , Canepa Fabio , Peddis Davide
Published: June 2023

The mapping of magnetic fields is an important task for characterizing permanent magnets, their systems, and the various devices that use magnets. However, commercial devices for this task are quite expensive and difficult to acquire. In this study, a design process for an automatized magnetic mapping setup utilizing a 3D printer was proposed via a do-it-yourself approach using common parts found in a laboratory. We used a 3D printer for two purposes: to create instrument parts to fix the Hall probe instead of the printer extruder, and to use the same 3D printer as the position controller of the magnetic probe. We describe the device assembly process, including hardware and software aspects. Several tests of the assembled setup were performed on samples with different magnetic texture dimensions from several centimeters (graduated permanent magnet) to tens of micrometers (flexible magnet with a planar Halbach structure and a 5¼ inch floppy disk). The spatial resolution was in the sub-millimeter range. The parameters of the mapping, such as the number of points and data acquisition time, were optimized for such samples.
An in-situ thermoelectric measurement apparatus inside a thermal-evaporator
Authors: Nguyen Kien Trung , Bui-Thanh Giang , Pham Hong Thi , Nguyen-Tran Thuat , Hoang Chi Hieu , Nguyen Hung Quoc
Published: June 2023

At the ultra-thin limit below 20 nm, a film’s electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, or thermoelectricity depends heavily on its thickness. In most studies, each sample is fabricated one at a time, potentially leading to considerable uncertainty in later characterizations. We design and build an in-situ apparatus to measure thermoelectricity during their deposition inside a thermal evaporator. A temperature difference of up to 2 K is generated by a current passing through an on-chip resistor patterned using photolithography. The Seebeck voltage is measured on a Hall bar structure of a film deposited through a shadow mask. The measurement system is calibrated carefully before loading into the thermal evaporator. This in-situ thermoelectricity measurement system has been thoroughly tested on various materials, including Bi, Te, and Bi2Te3, at high temperatures up to 500 K. Working reliably and precisely, the in-situ measurement system would help to study physics during film growth or speedup our search for better thermoelectric materials.
A novel two-stage kinetic model for surface DBD simulations in air
Authors: Pierotti Giacomo , Piferi Cecilia , Popoli Arturo , Cavedon Marco , Cristofolini Andrea , Martines Emilio , Riccardi Claudia
Published: June 2023

In this work, a novel 0D model for the evaluation of O3 and NO2 produced by a surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) in a closed environment is presented. The model is composed by two coupled sub-models, a discharge sub-model and an afterglow one. The first one, simulating the discharge regime and consequently including electron impact reactions, aims to calculate the production rates of a set of key species (atomic oxygen, excited states of molecular oxygen and molecular nitrogen). These latter are the input of the afterglow sub-model, that simulates the afterglow regime. We introduce a methodology to relate the production rates of the above mentioned species to the input power of the SDBD reactor. The simulation results are validated by a comparison with experimental data from absorption spectroscopy. The experimental measurements are carried out as follows. First, the discharge is turned on until the NO2 number density reaches steady state. Then, the discharge is turned off for several minutes. Finally, the discharge is turned on again to observe the effects of the NO2 concentration on ozone dynamics. The entire process is done without opening the box. The system operating in all the above-listed conditions is simulated for three different levels of input power.
Diatomic molecule in a strong infrared laser field: level-shifts and bond-length change due to laser-dressed Morse potential
Authors: Varró Sándor , Hack Szabolcs , Paragi Gábor , Földi Péter , Barna Imre F , Czirják Attila
Published: June 2023

We present a general mathematical procedure to handle interactions described by a Morse potential in the presence of a strong harmonic excitation. We account for permanent and field-induced terms and their gradients in the dipole moment function, and we derive analytic formulae for the bond-length change and for the shifted energy eigenvalues of the vibrations, by using the Kramers–Henneberger frame. We apply these results to the important cases of H2 and LiH, driven by a near- or mid-infrared laser in the 1013 W cm−2 intensity range.
Phantom attractors in kinetic gravity braiding theories: a dynamical system approach
Authors: Borislavov Vasilev Teodor , Bouhmadi-López Mariam , Martín-Moruno Prado
Published: June 2023

We revise the expansion history of the scalar field theories known as Kinetic Gravity Braiding. These theories are well-known for the possibility of driving the expansion of the cosmos towards a future self-tuning de Sitter state when the corresponding Lagrangian is invariant under constant shifts in the scalar field. Nevertheless, this is not the only possible future fate of these shift-symmetric models. Using a dynamical system formulation we show that future cosmological singularities can also appear in this framework. Moreover, we present explicit examples where the future attractor in the configuration space of the theory corresponds to a big rip singularity.
Dark Sector extensions of the Littlest Seesaw in the presence of Primordial Black Holes
Authors: Coleppa Baradhwaj , Loho Kousik , Shil Sujay
Published: June 2023

The Littlest Seesaw model is a very well motivated dark matter model. Here we consider an extension of that model with an additional scalar and an additional fermionic particle under the freeze-in scenario. Formation of black hole of a certain mass range at primordial times can act as an alternate production mechanism for the dark matter particles as it evaporates via Hawking radiation. Furthermore, the presence of primordial black holes with substantial energy density gives rise to non-standard cosmology which also modifies the freeze-in production. In this paper, we have investigated the extended Littlest Seesaw model under the freeze-in scenario in the presence of a primordial black hole for various interesting cases and constrained the parameter space accordingly. If the universe is primordial black hole dominated at any point in the evolution of the universe, we find that the final relic in that case is dominated mostly by the evaporation component for a high dark matter mass and by the freeze-in component for a low dark matter mass.
Corrigendum: EAST discharge prediction without integrating simulation results (2022 Nucl. Fusion 62 126060)
Authors: Wan Chenguang , Yu Zhi , Pau Alessandro , Liu Xiaojuan , Li Jiangang
Published: June 2023

In the published paper titled ‘EAST discharge prediction without integrating simulation results’ (2022 Nucl. Fusion 62 126060), figure 5 used the wrong plot, and is not matched with table 3. We used the plot discussed with referees, the case when we do not use IC 1 as a proxy. This corrigendum provides the correct plot for figure 5.
Optimized silk fibroin nanoparticle functionalization with anti-CEA nanobody enhancing active targeting of colorectal cancer cells
Authors: Fan Xiying , Peng Xinying , Wang Tingting , Gu Yi , Sun Guochuan , Shou Qinghui , Song Haipeng , Nian Rui , Liu Wenshuai
Published: June 2023

This work aimed to establish a simple and feasible method to obtain silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNPs) with uniform particles size, and then modify the SFNPs with nanobody (Nb) 11C12 targeting the proximal membrane end of carcinoembryonic antigen on the surface of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. The regenerated silk fibroin (SF) was isolated using ultrafiltration tubes with a 50 kDa molecular weight cut-off, and the retention fraction (named as SF > 50 kDa) was further self-assembled into SFNPs by ethanol induction. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscop showed that the SFNPs with uniform particles size were formed. Due to electrostatic adsorption and pH responsiveness, SFNPs have been proved to effectively load and release the anticancer drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) (DOX@SFNPs). Further, targeting molecule Nb 11C12 was used to modify these nanoparticles, constituting the targeted outer layer of the drug delivery system (DOX@SFNPs-11C12), achieving precise localization to cancer cells. The release amount of DOX observed from in vitro drug release profiles increased as follows: pH 7.4 < pH 6.8 < pH 5.4, demonstrating that the DOX release could be accelerated in a weakly acidic environment. In vitro cytotoxicity experiments displayed that SFNPs-11C12 nanoparticles exhibited good safety and biocompatibility. Drug-loaded nanoparticles, DOX@SFNPs-11C12, led to higher LoVo cells apoptosis compared to DOX@SFNPs. Fluorescence spectrophotometer characterization and confocal laser scanning microscopy further showed that the internalization of DOX was highest in the DOX@SFNPs-11C12, certifying that the introduced targeting molecule enhanced the uptake of drug delivery system by LoVo cells. This study provides a simple and operational approach to developing an optimized SFNPs drug delivery system modified by targeting Nb, which can be a good candidate for CRC therapy.
Using GEDI as training data for an ongoing mapping of landscape-scale dynamics of the plant area index
Authors: Ziegler Alice , Heisig Johannes , Ludwig Marvin , Reudenbach Chris , Meyer Hanna , Nauss Thomas
Published: June 2023

Leaf or plant area index (LAI, PAI) information is frequently used to describe vegetation structure in environmental science. While field measurements are time-consuming and do not scale to landscapes, model-based air- or space-borne remote-sensing methods have been used for many years for area-wide monitoring. As of 2019, NASA’s Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) mission delivers a point-based LAI product with 25 m footprints and periodical repetition. This opens up new possibilities in integrating GEDI as frequently generated training samples with high resolution (spectral) sensors. However, the foreseeable duration of the system installed on the ISS is limited. In this study we want to test the potential of GEDI for regional comprehensive LAI estimations throughout the year with a focus on its usability beyond the lifespan of the GEDI mission. We study the landscape of Hesse, Germany, with its pronounced seasonal changes. Assuming a relationship between GEDI’s PAI and Sentinel-1 and -2 data, we used a Random Forest approach together with spatial variable selection to make predictions for new Sentinel scenes. The model was trained with two years of GEDI PAI data and validated against a third year to provide a robust and temporally independent model validation. This ensures the applicability of the validation for years outside the training period, reaching a total RMSE of 1.12. Predictions for the test year showed the expected seasonal and spatial patterns indicated by RMSE values ranging between 0.75 and 1.44, depending on the land cover class. The overall prediction performance shows good agreement with the test data set of the independent year which supports our assumption that the usage of GEDI’s PAI beyond the mission lifespan is feasible for regional studies.
Africa’s ecosystems exhibit a tradeoff between resistance and stability following disturbances
Authors: Lauer Daniel A , McGuire Jenny L
Published: June 2023

Environmental disturbances may prevent ecosystems from consistently performing their critical ecological functions. Two important properties of ecosystems are their resistance and stability, which respectively reflect their capacities to withstand and recover from disturbance events (e.g. droughts, wildfires, pests, etc). Theory suggests that resistant and stable ecosystems possess opposing characteristics, but this has seldom been established across diverse ecosystem attributes or broad spatial scales. Here, we compare the resistance and stability of >1000 protected area ecosystems in Africa to disturbance-induced losses in primary productivity from 2000 to 2019. We quantitatively evaluated each ecosystem such that following disturbances, an ecosystem is more resistant if it experiences lower-magnitude losses in productivity, and more stable if it returns more rapidly to pre-disturbance productivity levels. To compare the characteristics of resistant versus stable ecosystems, we optimized random forest models that use ecosystem attributes (representing their climatic and environmental conditions, plant and faunal biodiversity, and exposure to human impacts) to predict their resistance and, separately, stability values. We visualized each attribute’s relationship with resistance and stability after accounting for all other attributes in the model framework. Ecosystems that are more resistant to disturbances are less stable, and vice versa. The ecosystem attributes with the most predictive power in our models all exhibit contrasting relationships with resistance versus stability. Notably, highly resistant ecosystems are generally more arid and exhibit high habitat heterogeneity and mammalian biodiversity, while highly stable ecosystems are the opposite. We discuss the underlying mechanisms through which these attributes engender resistance or, conversely, stability. Our findings suggest that resistance and stability are fundamentally opposing phenomena. A balance between the two must be struck if ecosystems are to maintain their identity, structure, and function in the face of environmental change.
First-principles study of electronic properties of two-dimensional metal mixed perovskites solar cell and water resistance performance
Authors: Ma Zi-Qian , Cheng Sen , Chen Wenzhou , Zhang Xiaodong , Zhu Xiuli
Published: June 2023

Two-Dimensional (2D) layered hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite (HOIP) materials have been considered as potential photoconductive materials for solar cells owing to extraordinary conversion efficiency and easy preparation process. In this study, we perform first-principles design on metal mixed 2D HOIPs (BA2(Cs1-x
Rb
x
)2Sn1.5Pb1.5I10 with different proportions of composition (x = 0, 0.5 and 1)) to investigate their electronic properties and stability against moisture. We find that the band gap and effective mass of BA2(Cs1-x
Rb
x
)2Sn1.5Pb1.5I10 increases as the concentrations of mixed Rb atoms increases. Moreover, the result of calculated adsorption energy indicates that the metal mixed 2D HOIPs with different composition ratios of Rb atom exhibit better capacity on the resistance of water than the pure one (BA2MA2Sn3I10). The metal mixed 2D HOIPs shows great potential to be a new generation of solar cell with low-cost, suitable band gap, high thermal stability, and desirable power conversion efficiency.
Analysing the impact of cloth fabrics on skin temperature during and after exercise using an FDM model
Authors: Patidar Neelam , Makrariya Akshara
Published: June 2023

This study presents a 1D finite difference model that examines the influence of cloth fabrics on skin temperature during and after exercise, considering the complex nature of the human body and its susceptibility to infections and viruses. The aim is to design comfortable, high-quality fabrics that minimize potential issues caused by body temperature fluctuations. The model incorporates various physical, physiological, and thermal parameters of cloth to develop protective clothing suitable for exercise. Numerical results were compared to previous studies that analyzed skin temperature without clothing to validate the model’s accuracy. The findings indicate a minimal difference in skin temperature when wearing cotton and polyester cloth, with polyester fabric demonstrating superior characteristics such as stretchability, durability, and sweat resistance. The thermal information obtained from this model can be utilized to design appropriate clothing for diverse weather conditions, ultimately enhancing the performance and comfort of athletes, military personnel, and individuals engaged in physically demanding work. Additionally, the model can aid in developing thermal stress protocols for infection treatment and provide guidelines for physical activity to promote healthy living. This research contributes to the field of materials research by offering valuable insights into the design and development of protective clothing for exercise. By understanding the impact of cloth fabrics on skin temperature, advancements can be made in creating clothing that optimizes human comfort and performance.
A new experimental setup to measure hydraulic conductivity of plant segments
Authors: Krieger Louis , Schymanski Stanislaus J
Published: June 2023

Plant hydraulic conductivity and its decline under water stress are the focal point of current plant hydraulic research. The common methods of measuring hydraulic conductivity control a pressure gradient to push water through plant samples, submitting them to conditions far away from those that are experienced in nature where flow is suction driven and determined by the leaf water demand. In this paper, we present two methods for measuring hydraulic conductivity under closer to natural conditions, an artificial plant setup and a horizontal syringe pump setup. Both approaches use suction to pull water through a plant sample while dynamically monitoring the flow rate and pressure gradients. The syringe setup presented here allows for controlling and rapidly changing flow and pressure conditions, enabling experimental assessment of rapid plant hydraulic responses to water stress. The setup also allows quantification of dynamic changes in water storage of plant samples. Our tests demonstrate that the syringe pump setup can reproduce hydraulic conductivity values measured using the current standard method based on pushing water under above-atmospheric pressure. Surprisingly, using both the traditional and our new syringe pump setup, we found a positive correlation between changes in flow rate and hydraulic conductivity. Moreover, when flow or pressure conditions were changed rapidly, we found substantial contributions to flow by dynamic and largely reversible changes in the water storage of plant samples. Although the measurements can be performed under sub-atmospheric pressures, it is not possible to subject the samples to negative pressures due to the presence of gas bubbles near the valves and pressure sensors. Regardless, this setup allows for unprecedented insights into the interplay between pressure, flow rate, hydraulic conductivity and water storage in plant segments. This work was performed using an Open Science approach with the original data and analysis to be found at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7322605.
Predicting phonological information in language comprehension: evidence from ERP representational similarity analysis and Chinese idioms
Authors: Wei Wei , Huang Zirui , Feng Chen , Qu Qingqing
Published: June 2023

Do comprehenders predict the meaning and even the phonological form of upcoming words during language comprehension? With a growing body of evidence suggesting that semantic representations may be predicted, the evidence for phonological prediction is less clear and largely derived from studies conducted in languages utilizing an alphabetic script. In this research, we aim to examine the prediction of phonological information in the processing of Chinese idioms through the use of ERP representational similarity analysis (RSA). The study utilizes four-character Chinese idioms, and phonological overlap was manipulated by varying the syllable at the idiom-final part between idiom pairs so that pairs of idioms share a syllable (i.e. within-pairs) or not (between-pairs). We quantified the similarity between patterns of neural activity of idioms for within- and between-pairs. RSA results revealed greater similarity in neural activity patterns for idioms within-pairs, compared with between-pairs, and critically this similarity effect was observed prior to the presentation of the phonological similarity, providing evidence for the pre-activation of upcoming phonological information, under circumstances that encourage predictive processing.
Social play behavior shapes the development of prefrontal inhibition in a region-specific manner
Authors: Bijlsma Ate , Vanderschuren Louk J M J , Wierenga Corette J
Published: June 2023

Experience-dependent organization of neuronal connectivity is critical for brain development. We recently demonstrated the importance of social play behavior for the developmental fine-tuning of inhibitory synapses in the medial prefrontal cortex in rats. When these effects of play experience occur and if this happens uniformly throughout the prefrontal cortex is currently unclear. Here we report important temporal and regional heterogeneity in the impact of social play on the development of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in the medial prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex. We recorded in layer 5 pyramidal neurons from juvenile (postnatal day (P)21), adolescent (P42), and adult (P85) rats after social play deprivation (between P21 and P42). The development of these prefrontal cortex subregions followed different trajectories. On P21, inhibitory and excitatory synaptic input was higher in the orbitofrontal cortex than in the medial prefrontal cortex. Social play deprivation did not affect excitatory currents, but reduced inhibitory transmission in both medial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex. Intriguingly, the reduction occurred in the medial prefrontal cortex during social play deprivation, whereas the reduction in the orbitofrontal cortex only became manifested after social play deprivation. These data reveal a complex interaction between social play experience and the specific developmental trajectories of prefrontal subregions.
When mothers do it all: gender-role norms, women’s employment, and fertility intentions in post-industrial societies
Authors: Han Sinn Won , Gowen Ohjae , Brinton Mary C
Published: June 2023

Post-industrial countries with high rates of female labour force participation have generally had low fertility rates, but recent studies demonstrate that this is no longer the case. This has generated increased attention to how greater gender equality in the private sphere of the household may contribute to a positive relationship between women’s employment rates and fertility. Building on recent scholarship demonstrating the multidimensionality of gender-role attitudes, we argue that conversely, the prevalence of a gender-role ideology that supports women’s employment but places greater priority on their role as caregivers may depress the higher-order fertility intentions of working mothers. Using data from 25 European countries, we find that this type of gender-role ideology (egalitarian familism) moderates the relationship between mothers’ full-time employment and their intention to have a second child. This holds even after accounting for key features of the policy environment that are likely to mitigate work–family conflict. The analysis suggests that conflicting normative expectations for women’s work and family roles tend to dampen working mothers’ second-order fertility intentions, independent of work–family reconciliation policies.
Glyphosate and a glyphosate-based herbicide affect bumblebee gut microbiota
Authors: Helander Marjo , Jeevannavar Aditya , Kaakinen Kimmo , Mathew Suni A , Saikkonen Kari , Fuchs Benjamin , Puigbò Pere , Loukola Olli J , Tamminen Manu
Published: June 2023

Pollinator decline is one of the gravest challenges facing the world today, and the overuse of pesticides may be among its causes. Here, we studied whether glyphosate, the world’s most widely used pesticide, affects the bumblebee gut microbiota. We exposed the bumblebee diet to glyphosate and a glyphosate-based herbicide and quantified the microbiota community shifts using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Furthermore, we estimated the potential sensitivity of bee gut microbes to glyphosate based on previously reported presence of target enzyme. Glyphosate increased, whereas the glyphosate-based herbicide decreased gut microbiota diversity, indicating that negative effects are attributable to co-formulants. Both glyphosate and the glyphosate-based herbicide treatments significantly decreased the relative abundance of potentially glyphosate-sensitive bacterial species Snodgrasella alvi. However, the relative abundance of potentially glyphosate-sensitive Candidatus Schmidhempelia genera increased in bumblebees treated with glyphosate. Overall, 50% of the bacterial genera detected in the bee gut microbiota were classified as potentially resistant to glyphosate, while 36% were classified as sensitive. Healthy core microbiota have been shown to protect bees from parasite infections, change metabolism, and decrease mortality. Thus, the heavy use of glyphosate-based herbicides may have implications on bees and ecosystems.
Stepping up to COVID-19: A Clinical Trial of a Telepsychology Positive Parenting Program Targeting Behavior Problems in Children With Neurological Risk
Authors: Deotto Angela , Fabiano Giulia F , Chung Beryl Y T , Wade Shari L , Anagnostou Evdokia , Crosbie Jennifer , Kelley Elizabeth , Nicolson Rob , Andrade Brendan F , Miller Steven P , Williams Tricia S
Published: June 2023

Objective

To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a stepped-care parenting program implemented during COVID-19 among families of behaviorally at-risk children with neurological or neurodevelopmental disorders aged 3–9 years.

Methods

Stepped-care I-InTERACT-North increased psychological support across 3 steps, matched to family needs: (1) guided self-help (podcast), (2) brief support, and (3) longer-term parent support. The intervention was provided by clinicians at The Hospital for Sick Children. Recruitment occurred via hospital and research cohort referral. A single-arm trial using a pragmatic prospective pre–post mixed-method design was utilized to assess accrual, engagement, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy.

Results

Over 15 months, 68 families enrolled (83% consent rate) and 56 families completed stepped-care (Step 1 = 56; Step 2 = 39; Step 3 = 28), with high adherence across Steps (100%, 98%, and 93%, respectively). Parents reported high acceptability, reflected in themes surrounding accessibility, comprehension, effectiveness, and targeted care. Positive parenting skill increases were documented, and robust improvement in child behavior problems was apparent upon Step 3 completion (p =.001, d = .390). Stepped-care was as effective as traditional delivery, while improving consent and completion rates within a pandemic context.

Conclusions

This stepped-care telepsychology parenting program provides a compelling intervention model to address significant gaps in accessible mental health intervention while simultaneously balancing the need for efficient service. Findings inform program scalability beyond COVID-19 and emphasize the value of stepped-care intervention in delivering and monitoring mental health treatment.
Foreign ideas, domestic problems, and institutional change: The role of legal professionals
Authors: Trombini Maria Eugenia , Valarini Elizangela
Published: June 2023

This article investigates how ideas shared by a professional group are promoting institutional change. Using a unique dataset of interviews and the qualitative method collective mindset analysis (CMA), the thinking patterns of Brazilian legal professionals related to how to counter corruption were reconstructed. We identified two general types of thinking among people working in anti-corruption: a local- and abroad-oriented mindset, with the majority of the group thinking that domestic deficiencies should be remedied by imitating foreign solutions tested in the ‘developed’ world. Our findings contribute to the existing literature on organizational institutionalism and discuss the effect of ideas in a professional field.
Comparison of Unit-Level Small Area Estimation Modeling Approaches for Survey Data Under Informative Sampling
Authors: Parker Paul A , Janicki Ryan , Holan Scott H
Published: June 2023

Unit-level modeling strategies offer many advantages relative to the area-level models that are most often used in the context of small area estimation. For example, unit-level models aggregate naturally, allowing for estimates at any desired resolution, and also offer greater precision in many cases. We compare a variety of the methods available in the literature related to unit-level modeling for small area estimation. Specifically, to provide insight into the differences between methods, we conduct a simulation study that compares several of the general approaches. In addition, the methods used for simulation are further illustrated through an application to the American Community Survey.
Depression and Differential Oral Health Status Among U.S. Adults With and Without Prior Active Duty Service in the U.S. Military, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2018
Authors: Ryan J Brett , Scott Thayer E , McDonough Robert E , Kaye Elizabeth K , Schindler David K
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Veterans suffer from lower overall well-being than non-veterans because of their unique life course. This study aims to compare the impact of depression on oral health for veteran and non-veteran populations.

Materials and Methods

Data from 11,693 adults (18+) participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2018) were analyzed. The outcome variables were dichotomous (at/above mean) decayed, missing, and filled teeth due to caries (DMFT), as well as the components, namely, missing teeth, filled teeth (FT), and decayed teeth (DT). The primary predictor variable combined depression screening outcome and veteran status (veteran/depressed, veteran/not depressed, non-veteran/depressed, and non-veteran/not depressed). Covariates included socioeconomic factors, demographics, wellness factors, and oral health–related habits. Associations between outcome and predictor variables were assessed with a fully adjusted logistic regression analysis.

Results

Veterans, regardless of depression status, had more DMFT, FT, missing teeth, and DT compared to non-veterans. After controlling for covariates, veterans suffering from depression had higher odds of DT (1.5, 95% CI, 1.0-2.4) compared to non-veterans without depression. In general, veterans who screened negative for depression had better oral health compared to all groups, with lower odds of DT (0.7, 95% CI, 0.6-0.9) and higher odds of FT (1.4, 95% CI, 1.1-1.7) compared to non-veterans with and without depression.

Conclusions

This study found that not only veterans have higher odds of overall caries experience, but also veterans suffering from depression have higher odds of active caries compared to non-depressed veterans. Most veterans lack Veterans Health Administration dental benefits and face challenges maintaining oral health on top of medical and mental health burdens. Our results add further urgency to increasing dental care access for this vulnerable population because of the exacerbation of unmet oral health care needs attributable to the additional mental health challenges veterans face.
Validation of the international IgA nephropathy prediction tool in a French cohort beyond 10 years after diagnosis
Authors: Bon Grégoire , Jullien Perrine , Masson Ingrid , Sauron Catherine , Dinic Miriana , Claisse Guillaume , Pelaez Alicia , Thibaudin Damien , Mohey Hesham , Alamartine Eric , Mariat Christophe , Maillard Nicolas
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The International IgA Nephropathy Network developed a tool (IINN-PT) for predicting the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or a 50% decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). We aimed to validate this tool in a French cohort with longer follow-up than previously published validation studies.

Methods

The predicted survival of patients with biopsy-proven immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) from the Saint Etienne University Hospital cohort was computed with IINN-PT models with or without ethnicity. The primary outcome was the occurrence of either ESRD or a 50% decline in eGFR. The models’ performances were evaluated through c-statistics, discrimination and calibration analysis.

Results

There were 473 patients with biopsy-proven IgAN, with a median follow-up of 12.4 years. Models with and without ethnicity showed areas under the curve (95% confidence interval) of 0.817 (0.765; 0.869) and 0.833 (0.791; 0.875) and R2D of 0.28 and 0.29, respectively, and an excellent discrimination of groups of increasing predicted risk (P < .001). The calibration analysis was good for both models up to 15 years after diagnosis. The model without ethnicity exhibited a mathematical issue of survival function after 15 years.

Discussion

The IINN-PT provided good performances even after 10 years post-biopsy as showed by our study based on a cohort with a longer follow-up than previous cohorts (12.4 versus <6 years). The model without ethnicity exhibited better performances up to 15 years but became aberrant beyond this point due to a mathematical issue affecting the survival function. Our study sheds light on the usefulness of integrating ethnicity as a covariable for prediction of IgAN course.