bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long‐term cooperative relationships among vampire bats are not strongly predicted by their initial interactions
Authors: Carter Gerald G. , Ripperger Simon P. , Girbino Vi , Dixon M. May , Razik Imran , Page Rachel A. , Hobson Elizabeth A.
Published: October 2024

In many group‐living animals, survival and reproductive success depend on the formation of long‐term social bonds, yet it remains largely unclear why particular pairs of groupmates form social bonds and not others. Can social bond formation be reliably predicted from each individual's immediately observable traits and behaviors at first encounter? Or is social bond formation hard to predict due to the impacts of shifting social preferences on social network dynamics? To begin to address these questions, we asked how well long‐term cooperative relationships among vampire bats were predicted by how they interacted during their first encounter as introduced strangers. In Study 1, we found that the first 6 h of observed interactions among unfamiliar bats co‐housed in small cages did not clearly predict the formation of allogrooming or food‐sharing relationships over the next 10 months. In Study 2, we found that biologger‐tracked first contacts during the first 4–24 h together in a flight cage did not strongly predict allogrooming rates over the next 4 months. These results corroborate past evidence that social bonding in vampire bats is not reducible to the individual traits or behaviors observed at first encounter. Put simply, first impressions are overshadowed by future social interactions.
Utilization of Hepatitis C Virus‐Infected Donor Hearts in Two Children and Two Young Adults: Initial Experience at a Pediatric Transplant Center
Authors: Kushner Lauren E. , Puckett Lauren , Lee Joanne , Gans Hayley A. , Nadimpalli Sruti , Chen Sharon , Ma Michael , Chen Sharon F. , Profita Elizabeth L.
Published: October 2024

Background

Although adult transplant centers are successfully transplanting organs from hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐infected donors with detectable viral load by nucleic acid testing (NAT+) into HCV‐negative recipients, this practice has not yet been adopted widely by the pediatric heart transplant community.

Methods

We present a case series of four patients who received heart transplants from HCV NAT+ donors at a pediatric transplant center, including two pediatric patients < 18 years of age.

Results

All recipients tolerated a 12‐week course of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir and achieved a sustained virologic response with no HCV or liver complications with over 1 year of follow‐up (range 1.4–2.5 years). All four have had good post‐heart transplant outcomes with normal graft function and good functional status without rejection or cardiac allograft vasculopathy at time of last follow‐up.

Conclusions

This case series details the successful multidisciplinary implementation of a protocol to accept cardiac allografts from HCV NAT+ donors for transplantation into HCV negative recipients at our pediatric transplant center. With the limited donor pool in pediatrics and the morbidity associated with prolonged durations on the transplant waitlist, pediatric centers should consider utilizing organs from HCV NAT+ donors to broaden the donor pool. Future work should evaluate other organs beyond heart and optimal timing and duration of direct acting antiviral therapy.
Climate Shocks in the Anthropocene Era: Should Net Domestic Product Reflect Climate Disasters?
Authors: Nakamura Leonard , Sliker Brian
Published: October 2024

The asset costs of natural disasters in the United States grew rapidly from 1980 to 2023, with the trend rising 4.9% annually in real terms to $90 billion in 2023. Much of this trend in asset losses is likely due to climate change, and implies a faster depreciation of real assets. We argue that the expected depreciation from these events should be included in consumption of fixed capital (CFC), leading to lower levels and slightly lower growth rates for net domestic product (NDP) and net domestic investment. We use Poisson pseudo‐maximum‐likelihood regressions to estimate this expectation and to generate our experimental measure of costs. An alternative calculation of CFC and NDP might directly include the time series of costs incurred rather than the far smoother expectation; this was the procedure adopted before 2009 and resulted in abrupt changes in NDP.
Identification of the Novel HLA‐DQB1*05:02:01:19 Allele in a Candidate Bone Marrow Donor by Next Generation Sequencing
Authors: Kouniaki Diamanto , Tarassi Katerina , Tsirogianni Alexandra
Published: October 2024

The HLA‐DQB1*05:02:01:19 allele differs from HLA‐DQB1*05:02:01:01 by a single nucleotide substitution in intron 3.
The Novel HLA‐C*05:298 and HLA‐DRB1*01:151 Alleles Identified in Russian Bone Marrow Donors
Authors: Loginova Maria , Dudina Julia , Paramonov Igor
Published: October 2024

Identification of two novel HLA alleles in Russian bone marrow donors.
Evaluating the Enhanced Bathtub Model for Coastal Flood Risk Assessment in Table Bay, South Africa
Authors: Lück‐Vogel Melanie , van Coller Frederick Joshua , Williams Lauren Lyn
Published: October 2024

Coastal zones are susceptible to increasing pressures from urban development and natural hazards, such as storm events, climate change, and rising sea levels. The GIS‐based enhanced bathtub model (eBTM) enables the identification of areas at risk of flooding as a baseline for disaster management and coastal adaptation. This study aims to establish the methodological robustness of the eBTM for coastal flood modeling, by analyzing eight sites flooded during a recent storm event in Table Bay, Cape Town by comparing eBTM outputs with observed flood extent data collected after the storm. The validation showed that for 74% of the 332 validation points the spatial modeling error was < 6 m and for 56% below 3 m. The root mean square error for the model was 4.88 m, indicating an acceptable level of accuracy of the eBTM outputs for coastal risk assessments where more sophisticated models are unavailable.
Lymphoid Aggregates in Canine Cutaneous and Subcutaneous Sarcomas: Immunohistochemical and Gene Expression Evidence for Tertiary Lymphoid Structures
Authors: Rugh Kristin Marie , Ashton Laura Vary , Schaffer Paula Andrea , Olver Christine Swardson
Published: October 2024

Canine cutaneous/subcutaneous soft‐tissue sarcomas (STS) are diversely derived mesenchymal neoplasms with a risk of recurrence and/or metastasis depending on the extent of surgical excision and histologic grade. Lymphoid aggregates (LAs) are often described in these tumours but not characterised. In humans, LA characterised as tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) improve the prognosis of many tumours, including sarcomas. We sought to determine if LA meeting a size criterion (> 700 cells) in canine sarcomas met the criteria of TLS and the overall prevalence of LA of any size. RNA expression in large LAs versus aggregate‐adjacent sarcoma tissue (AAS) was measured in laser capture microdissected tissue and compared to curl‐derived RNA from aggregate‐free sarcomas and lymph nodes. CD3, CD20, MUM‐1 and PNAd expressions were measured using immunohistochemistry. CD20 and CD3 mRNA were more highly expressed in LA versus AAS (13.8 fold, p = 0.0003 and 2.3 fold, p = 0.043). This was supported by the IHC findings. The large LAs were also enriched in chemokine RNA expression characteristic of TLS (CXCR5 5.8 fold, p < 00001, CCL19 3.68 fold, p = 0.0209, CCL21 6.87 fold, p = 0.0209 and CXCL13 2.68 fold, p = 0.0924). Plasma cells and high endothelial venules were identified in LA containing tumours but not in control tissue. Large LAs were present in 12% of tumours, and LA of any size in 30%. We conclude that large LAs in canine STS are consistent with TLS.
Prophylactic Antimicrobials for Prevention of Febrile Neutropenia in Tumour‐Bearing Dogs Treated With Lomustine
Authors: Gumash Meredith , Martin Olya A. , Lindley Stephanie E. S. , Zhu Xiaojuan
Published: October 2024

CCNU (1‐[2‐chloroethyl]‐3‐cyclohexyl‐1‐nitrosurea), lomustine, is an oral alkylating agent in the nitrosourea subgroup. The dose‐limiting toxicity of CCNU is neutropenia most frequently documented 7 days after its administration. Use of prophylactic antimicrobials to prevent chemotherapy‐related febrile neutropenia (FN) and its associated morbidity and mortality has been well‐documented in human oncology, but this information is limited in the veterinary literature. The purpose of this multi‐institutional retrospective study was to assess whether antimicrobial prophylaxis reduced the risk of FN approximately 7 days after CCNU administration in tumour‐bearing dogs. A secondary goal was to identify risk factors for fever development in neutropenic dogs. Two hundred dogs were included in the study. One hundred and fifty‐three dogs (76.5%) were neutropenic at the first post‐CCNU recheck. One hundred and six (69.3%) dogs received prophylactic antimicrobials and 47 (30.7%) did not. Of the 106 dogs on prophylactic antimicrobials, 8 (7.5%) developed FN. Of the 47 dogs in the no‐prophylactic antimicrobials group, 4 (8.5%) developed FN. Use of prophylactic antimicrobials did not reduce the risk of development of FN (p = 0.84). Older age (> 9 y), lower weight and body surface area, and pre‐treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy were significantly associated with development of FN (p = 0.009, p = 0.023, p = 0.015 and p = 0.01). Patients with a lower absolute neutrophil count, and a higher VCOG‐CTCAE v2 neutropenia grade were also at an increased risk of developing FN (p = 0.01, p < 0.001). Additional studies may help establish guidelines for antimicrobial prophylaxis in dogs treated with CCNU, especially for those at high‐risk for FN.
A new role for excitation in the retinal direction‐selective circuit
Authors: Ankri Lea , Riccitelli Serena , Rivlin‐Etzion Michal
Published: October 2024

A key feature of the receptive field of neurons in the visual system is their centre–surround antagonism, whereby the centre and the surround exhibit responses of opposite polarity. This organization is thought to enhance visual acuity, but whether and how such antagonism plays a role in more complex processing remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the role of centre and surround receptive fields in retinal direction selectivity by exposing posterior‐preferring On–Off direction‐selective ganglion cells (pDSGCs) to adaptive light and recording their response to globally moving objects. We reveal that light adaptation leads to surround expansion in pDSGCs. The pDSGCs maintain their original directional tuning in the centre receptive field, but present the oppositely tuned response in their surround. Notably, although inhibition is the main substrate for retinal direction selectivity, we found that following light adaptation, both the centre‐ and surround‐mediated responses originate from directionally tuned excitatory inputs. Multi‐electrode array recordings show similar oppositely tuned responses in other DSGC subtypes. Together, these data attribute a new role for excitation in the direction‐selective circuit. This excitation carries an antagonistic centre–surround property, possibly designed to sharpen the detection of motion direction in the retina.

image

Key points

Receptive fields of direction‐selective retinal ganglion cells expand asymmetrically following light adaptation.

The increase in the surround receptive field generates a delayed spiking phase that is tuned to the null direction and is mediated by excitation.

Following light adaptation, excitation rules the computation in the centre receptive field and is tuned to the preferred direction.

GABAergic and glycinergic inputs modulate the null‐tuned delayed response differentially.

Null‐tuned delayed spiking phases can be detected in all types of direction‐selective retinal ganglion cells.

Light adaptation exposes a hidden directional excitation in the circuit, which is tuned to opposite directions in the centre and surround receptive fields.
Bi-Axial Field Structured Magnetoelastomer Coupons for Magnetostrictive CFRP Delamination Density Detection
Authors: Williams Brandon E. , Seifu Dereje , Myers Oliver J. , Hall Asha J.
Published: October 2024

Due to the low strain degradation characteristics of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), a wide variety of damage can be sustained by CFRP without any appreciable change to its physical structure. This damage suffered by the energy transfer from high-stress levels appears in microporosity, crazes, and delamination in the matrix material before any severe laminate damage is observed. The CFRP component’s capacity and overall life cycle highly depend on the composite’s delamination density progression. Magnetoelastomers are a type of smart material that can change their shape in response to a magnetic field. These materials are made of a magnetic filler, such as Terfenol-D sensors, embedded in an elastomeric matrix. Magnetostrictive carbon fiber reinforced polymer (MagCFRP) is a self-sensing structural health composite material that is magnetically activated by an external magnetic field. MagCFRP composite constituents are carbon fiber, resin matrix, and Terfenol-D sensors. The magnetically activated Terfenol-D sensors are embedded between the lamina of the composite. These magnetostrictive embedded sensors respond to their surrounding stress field, allowing them to be used as damage sensors. Using magnetoelastomer field structuring techniques, highly-ordered “fibrous” b-stage Terfenol-D sensor coupons can be produced for laminate stacking sequence deposition. Producing and subsequently embedding the magnetoelastomer coupons throughout a structural laminate would allow highly structured Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) Terfenol-D sensors to be embedded with superior fidelity at damage-sensitive regions (i.e., high-stress-strain regions). These field-structured fibers are formed using a bi-axial magnetic field to orient the Terfenol-D sensor in a-stage elastomers. A fiber-structured Terfenol-D sensor b-stage coupon for MagCFRP can be produced using a high-purity bisphenol A two-part epoxy resin. Since this bisphenol A-Terfenol-D slurry does not cure at room temperature, the solution was first introduced to a magnetic field for structuring. Once the Terfenol-D sensors were structured, the magnetic field was removed, and the silicone mold was placed in an oven for b-stage curing. Using this magnetoelastomer field method and micro X-ray CT scanning, there was an observed reduction of localized Terfenol-D sensor cross-sectional area consolidation of 97% (more than one order of magnitude).
HyTEM Demonstrator: Design and Analysis of a Morphing Trailing Edge Demonstrator Using Hyperelastic Adhesive
Authors: Tikalsky Jan
Published: October 2024

The biggest challenge of our time is the transition of aviation to climate neutrality and the move away from fossil fuels. Alternative fuels and energy storage systems go hand in hand with lower energy densities. This directly leads to higher fuel or system masses for the same range. The quotient of payload to required energy is dropping.

As a result, aerodynamic efficiency is the focus of future aircraft designs. One way of achieving this goal is to use morphing trailing edges that improve L/D, especially in off-design conditions.

However, the deformation of a morphing trailing edge changes the circumferential length of the airfoil section. This problem was often solved by slitting the pressure side of the wing, which cause a gap on a local section of the wing. Elastomers or sliding mechanisms are used to close this gap. Both lead to a deviation from the target shape and higher maintenance effort.

Pressurized solutions for camber morphing are in equilibrium between aerodynamic loads and internal forces. Therefore, additional measurement devices are required to determine the position of those systems.

In this work, a new approach is pursued by avoiding the slitting of the aerodynamically effective surfaces and using a compliant mechanism in the trailing edge. A conventional kinematic is introduced to drive the lower skin directly. Actuator moments are limited by use of non-linear transmission ratio of the kinematics.

The design and pre-dimensioning by analytical and finite element method (FEM) approach are presented. Based on this, a demonstrator was derived on the basis of the unmanned aerial system (UAS) PROTEUS from German Aerospace Center. PROTEUS has a span of 2950mm, a root chord of 595mm, an aspect ratio of 6 and Vd of 300 km/h. The demonstrator represents a 100 mm span morphing trailing edge section. To evaluate the prediction methods, drive forces and moments were calculated and compared using finite element method (FEM) as well as analytical methods.

In the comparison of both analysis methods, a very good correlation with a deviation of 0.5% was found for the actuator loads. The rod forces deviated from each other by approx. 5%.

Based on these results the prescribed demonstrator will be build and measurements on the kinematical loads and fatigue will be carried out to verify this concept for the implementation on PROTEUS.

Additionally, the wing demonstrator will be designed to determine internal loads performing spanwise differential deflections.

The UAS PROTEUS will then undergo flight tests determine L/D improvements using morphing trailing edges.
Utilizing FBG for Stability and Failure Monitoring of Power Line Transmission Towers Subjected to Hurricane Loads
Authors: Zabihollah Abolghassem , Vuddandam Rajesh , Abu-Ghazaleh Haitham , Sandoval Raul
Published: October 2024

This study focuses on investigating the efficacy of embedding FBG sensors within power transmission towers to measure, collect, and store temperature and strain changes at critical points on the structure. Given that tower strain changes are influenced by various factors such as temperature, humidity, icing, wind, and ground subsidence, the implementation of a suitable failure estimation algorithm is essential for generating warning reports or estimating structural reliability. A finite element model is used for structural stress analysis to identify critical points when the structure is exposed to strong wind. A proof-of-the concept experimental setup validates the system’s performance and functionality. The prototype tower is placed in a wind tunnel to simulate the strong winds. The speed of air is controlled by changing the speed of the fan from 50 mph to 100 mph. Strain and temperature data are collected, using surface-bounded FBG sensors attached at the selected elements, and transmitted to the processing unit via a low-powered micro FBG Interrogator. The FBG signals are also used to estimate the induced stress at critical points. The results can be transmitted to a processing unit to estimate the reliability and possibility of failure of the tower.
Temperature-Dependent Acoustic Properties of Magnetostrictive Iron-Gallium Alloys
Authors: Belsher Aidan , Deng Zhangxian
Published: October 2024

The precise and continuous measurement of reactor core temperature is crucial for the safe and efficient operation of light water reactors. Current sensor technologies are limited in their capabilities for continuous monitoring, linearity, and multilocation detection. Magnetostrictive materials, which deform in response to magnetic fields or exhibit magnetization variation when stressed, offer a promising solution through ultrasonic waveguide thermometers. This study prototyped a high-temperature and radiation-tolerant UT consisting of a solenoid and a Galfenol waveguide, and quantified its performance as a thermometer up to 300 °C. The impact of waveguide diameter, ambient temperature, and thermal treatment on UT performance was then thoroughly assessed. Galfenol waveguides with diameters of 0.5 mm, 0.8 mm, and 1.0 mm showed uniform temperature-dependent behavior with minimal hysteresis error when cycled between RT and 300 °C. The acoustic attenuation coefficient decreased with increasing wire diameter, likely due to the combined effects of eddy currents and magneto-mechanical energy conversion. Although thermal annealing at 900 °C for an hour in a nitrogen environment caused significant surface damage to the waveguides, it effectively relieved internal stress, thus minimizing the nonlinearity in the acoustic attenuation coefficient.
Piezoelectric Transducers, Coating and Ice Accretion Geometry: A Study on Their Influence on the Effectiveness of an Ultrasonic Ice Protection System
Authors: Ameduri Salvatore , Mangiacrapa Luigi , Piscitelli Filomena , Rehfeld Nadine , Becker Denis , Mingione Giuseppe , Concilio Antonio
Published: October 2024

The present work focuses on a trade-off on piezoelectric transducers, used for an ice protection system. The system is conceived for an airfoil segment that will be tested in the wind tunnel facility of IFAM. The scope of the abovementioned actuators is to drive ultrasound waves within the skin of the model and produce de-icing actions at the interface with accretions located on the leading-edge zone. A superhydrophobic coating is also used to vividly reduce the adhesion strength of the ice on the skin and, thus, increase the effectiveness of the system. The performance of the actuators was estimated considering their capability of producing shear actions at the interface with the ice and a potential crossing of the adhesion threshold. Different types of piezoelectric patches were evaluated on the basis of the thickness, the mechanical features of the material and the bonding layer. A finite element model was used to this scope, implementing a transient analysis and simulating the effect of a wavelet waveform excitation within the frequency bandwidth of interest. The results quantified the capability of the transducers to detach the ice, crossing its adhesion strength at specific frequency peaks, also highlighting the impact of certain design parameters.
3D Printed Flexible Tactile Sensor for Rehabilitation
Authors: Moreno-Rueda David , Narvaez Diana , McCarthy Evelyn , McCormack Liam , Newell Brittany
Published: October 2024

Wearable devices that provide sensory feedback and function as sensors have applications in areas such as robotics, virtual reality, and rehabilitation. The progress and development of these devices has been supported by advancements in technologies such as soft actuators, flexible sensors and wireless acquisition devices. Some of the features desired for wearables are ergonomic design, low-cost, lightweight, and high accuracy. 3D printing allows for design of complex geometries, customization, and implementation of various materials at a low-cost, including in this work ultraflexible and flexible conductive materials. This study focuses on a glove prototype with 3D printed flexible sensors attached to the finger sections of the glove. The sensors were produced with Fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing using a Lulzbot Taz 6 3D printer. The prototype takes advantage of resistance-based sensors made of a custom conductive, flexible 3D printed filament and the insulating effects of standard commercial thermoplastic polyurethane. The sensors were printed and placed on the index finger of the glove for reading finger movements as the finger bends. The sensors were connected to a Wheatstone bridge circuit to monitor the changing resistance. As the sensors on the glove bend, the resistance and in turn voltage values change proportionally to the deformation of the actuator. The rotation angle and radius of the actuator were measured using deformation tracking software. The data from these tests was collected and analyzed. There are multiple applications of this technology. The first application of this technology is to help with rehabilitation efforts. These flexible sensors can be applied to multiple parts of the body and give real time data on a patient’s movement. This can be beneficial to patients who have lost their mobility. The data from these sensors can be used by medical professionals to assess the progress the patient is making in their mobility and to adjust their treatments. Another application of this research is in the virtual reality space to be used as virtual reality gloves. The sensor data can be used by virtual reality developers to progress the game to increase user precision as well as realism.
Development of an Acoustics-Based Gas Leakage Sensing Approach
Authors: Wang Zhide , Bo Luyu , Li Jiali , Li Teng , Shen Liang , Du Yingshan , Qiu Chongpeng , Tian Zhenhua
Published: October 2024

This study presents an acoustics-based method for helium leakage detection and validates the method by measuring the acoustic wave transmission time in a mixture of helium and air. As acoustic waves have different speeds in helium and air, the helium/air ratio in a mixture should affect the traveling time of waves transmitting through the mixture. To understand the sensing mechanism, we theoretically investigated the relation between the acoustic wave traveling time and the helium/air ratio using two different models, where helium and air are assumed to be unmixed and well-mixed, respectively. Moreover, experiments are performed to validate the theoretical prediction for the model of the unmixed case. The experimental setup consists of a U-shaped waveguide, an acoustic transmitter with 20 kHz resonant frequency, and an acoustic receiver. The acoustic waveguide was filled with a mixture of helium and air as the carrier medium for acoustic wave propagation. The experimental result reveals a monotonic trend between the wave traveling time and the helium/air ratio. Furthermore, the trend observed from the experimental result is consistent with the theoretical prediction. We expect that this study can inspire future research for developing acoustics-based helium leakage detection methods.
Nozzle Pressure Defect Detection in Extrusion-Based Bio 3D Printing Using Video-Based Motion Estimation
Authors: Rahman Md Anisur , Khan Md Asif Hasan , Kim Jinki
Published: October 2024

The emergence of bio-additive manufacturing marks a crucial advancement in the field of biomedical engineering. For successful biomedical applications including bioprinted organ transplants, ensuring the quality of printed structures poses a significant challenge. Among the major challenges encountered in ensuring the structural integrity of bioprinting, nozzle clogging stands out as one of the frequent concerns in the process. It disrupts the uniform distribution of extrusion pressure, leading to the formation of defective structures. This study focused on detecting defects arising from the irregularities in extrusion pressure. To address this concern, a video-based motion estimation technique, which emerged as a novel non-contact and non-destructive technique for assessing bio 3D printed structures, is employed in this research. While other advancements, including contact-based and laser-based approaches, may offer limited performance due to the soft, lightweight, and translucent nature of bioconstructs. In this study, defective and non-defective ear models are additively manufactured by an extrusion-based bioprinter with pneumatic dispensing. Extrusion pressure was strategically controlled to introduce defective bioprints similar to those caused by nozzle malfunctions. The vibration characteristics of the ear structures are captured by a high-speed camera and analyzed using phase-based motion estimation approaches. In addition to ambient excitations from the printing process, acoustic excitations from a subwoofer are employed to assess its impact on print quality. The increase in extrusion pressure, simulating clogged nozzle issues, resulted in significant changes in the vibration characteristics, including shifts in the resonance frequencies. By monitoring these modal property changes, defective bioconstructs could be reliably determined. These findings suggest that the proposed approach could effectively verify the structural integrity of additively manufactured bioconstructs. Implementing this method along with the real time defect detection technique will significantly enhance the structural integrity of additively manufactured bioconstructs and ultimately improve the production of healthy artificial organs, potentially saving countless lives.
A Modular Soft Swimming Robot to Teach the Concepts of Bio-Inspired Propulsion
Authors: Yates Trevor , Musgrave Patrick
Published: October 2024

The relationships governing the kinematics of undulatory swimming are extensively studied, but not well-communicated to the general public and students. This study develops a soft modular bio-inspired undulatory propulsor as a tool for teaching the effects of various design parameters on the kinematics of an undulatory swimmer. The propulsor is designed with interchangeable modules to allow for the control of certain design parameters, including body stiffness, tail length, and actuator position on the body. Through the measurement of a freely-swimming propulsor’s average velocity with different body thicknesses, the effects of bending stiffness on the average velocity of the propulsor are observed, and the process for a student to replicate these observations is demonstrated. The efficacy of the propulsor as an educational tool is then evaluated through comparison of the observed relationship with existing results from studies on undulatory propulsion, and this relationship is explained in the context of the governing kinetics and kinematics.
Exploring the Relationship Between Cost Function of Hybrid Traveling Waves and Structural Reflection Coefficient Adapted From Acoustics
Authors: Gupta Samikhshak , Malladi Vijaya V. N. Sriram
Published: October 2024

The Basilar Membrane (BM) is the structural component of the mammalian cochlea that transmits auditory information as traveling structural waves, and inner hair cells transduce acoustic waves into electrical impulses in the inner ear. These waves go up towards the cochlea’s apex from its base. The primary structure at the apex of the cochlea that keeps waves from returning to the base is the helicotrema. People can hear continuous sound waves without acoustic reflection or overlap because of this property of the BM. Our research is motivated by this biological phenomenon and aims to comprehend and passively reproduce it in engineering structures. By studying the dynamics of a uniform beam linked to a spring-damper system as a passive absorber, we can use this characteristic of the inner ear to explain some of the observed phenomenological behaviors of the basilar membrane. The spring-damper system’s position separates the beam into two dynamic regions: one with standing waves and the other with non-reflecting traveling waves. This study presents the computational realization of traveling waves co-existing with standing waves in the two different zones of the structure. Moreover, this study aims to establish a correlation between two approaches to analyze the characteristics of the wave profiles: (i) the absorption coefficient approach and (ii) the cost function based on the wave envelope. The Basilar Membrane (BM) serves as the crucial structural conduit for transmitting auditory information through traveling structural waves, with inner hair cells in the inner ear transducing these waves into electrical impulses. These waves ascend from the cochlea’s base towards its apex, and the helicotrema, positioned at the cochlear apex, plays a pivotal role in preventing wave reflection and overlap, thereby facilitating the perception of continuous sound waves. The intrinsic characteristics of the Basilar Membrane (BM) inspire our research as we seek to comprehend and passively replicate this phenomenon in simplified forms. The investigation involves the exploration of the dynamics exhibited by a uniform beam connected to a spring-damper system acting as a passive absorber. This chosen system allows us to take advantage of the unique property of the inner ear, shedding light on some of the observed phenomenological behaviors of the basilar membrane. The positioning of the spring-damper system engenders two distinct dynamic regions within the beam: one characterized by standing waves and the other by non-reflecting traveling waves. The comprehensive analysis incorporates analytical and computational aspects, providing a holistic understanding of the coexistence of traveling and standing waves within these two dynamic zones.
Multifractal Analysis of Physical Reservoir Computer Structures
Authors: Carvajal Mario A. , Pahari Basanta R. , Oates William S. , He Shan , Musgrave Patrick F.
Published: October 2024

Physical reservoir computers combine sensing physical inputs and information processing in one single component to reduce the delay caused by data transmission. Physical reservoir computing uses the nonlinear dynamics of physical systems to process information and acts as a neural network for machine learning, allowing for prediction of target signals in real-time. This method significantly reduces the amount of computing and time required for the control system to respond to stimuli. The geometry and physical properties of the physical reservoir structure govern the overall performance. The structure must have enough complexity and nonlinearity when stimulated while not descending into unpredictable chaos to maximize its performance. This work investigates the utilization of fractal structures in the physical reservoir computing framework. Fractal structures exhibit self-similarity at different scales and can be characterized using a measure called the fractal dimension. Random fractal structures (multifractals) yield a range of fractal dimensions at different length scales. The multifractal spectrum is a measure used to quantify this variability in fractal dimension. This work aims to tune the physical reservoir computer using the multifractal spectrum to find the optimal range that maximizes the information processing potential of the system.
Biocompatible Energy Harvester for Smart Knee Implants
Authors: Abdalla Osama , Salman Emre , Stanacevic Milutin , Willing Ryan , Towfighian Shahrzad
Published: October 2024

Although total knee replacements (TKR) are generally considered highly successful, patient satisfaction may not always be sustained over time. Monitoring the performance of the replaced knee can lead to improved surgical outcomes. Triboelectric Nano Generator (TENG) can generate electrical energy to power a load sensor, enabling continuous monitoring of the total knee replacement and more specifically monitoring imbalance over time. The objective of this study is to create a TENG capable of handling body forces and generating enough electrical energy to power the sensors. This is achieved through the energy harvester, which generates electric power by utilizing the contact separation resulting from cyclic compressive loads. To enhance the electrical properties of the energy harvester, a keystroke shape was used as a TENG structure. Moreover, the favorable characteristics of biocompatibility of the materials used in this study carry significant importance, particularly in applications where compatibility with biological systems is essential. This makes them particularly well-suited for integration into total knee implants. The experiment was conducted in this study and showed that the keystroke TENG structure could generate around 20 V peak voltage 2 kN axial force was applied to the TENG at 1 Hz. Expanding this to an array design enables measuring pressure distribution across TKR.
Supplemental Material: Diverse intrusion modes during the construction of a high-silica magma reservoir: Evidence from La Obra–Cerro Blanco intrusive suite (central Chile)
Authors: Payacán Ítalo , al. et
Published: October 2024

Table S1: Whole-rock geochemistry for samples from the La Obra–Cerro Blanco suite (ICP-MS-ES data) and standards. Table S2: Procedure for LA-ICP-MS analysis of zircon, U-Pb dating and trace element in zircon results, and Hf data and corresponding reference material. Table S3: Fe-Ti oxides compositions determined by using SEM-EDS. Table S4: Results of the anisotropy of the magnetic susceptibility from La Obra–Cerro Blanco intrusive suite. Table S5: Geochemical modeling of trace element partitioning. Text S1: Contains additional trace element plots of the rocks of La Obra–Cerro Blanco suite. 
Supplemental Material: Iron isotope fractionation during transcrustal magmatic differentiation: Implications for continental crustal formation in subduction zones
Authors: Xu Jian , al. et
Published: October 2024

This Supplemental Material provides additional information on supplementary figures and tables.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Authors: Wick Katherine D , Ware Lorraine B , Matthay Michael A
Published: October 2024

The understanding of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has evolved greatly since it was first described in a 1967 case series, with several subsequent updates to the definition of the syndrome. Basic science advances and clinical trials have provided insight into the mechanisms of lung injury in ARDS and led to reduced mortality through comprehensive critical care interventions. This review summarizes the current understanding of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of ARDS. Key highlights include a recommended new global definition of ARDS and updated guidelines for managing ARDS on a backbone of established interventions such as low tidal volume ventilation, prone positioning, and a conservative fluid strategy. Future priorities for investigation of ARDS are also highlighted.
Effects of functional amino acid blend dietary supplementation with different feeding regimens on growth performance and protein utilization in weaned pigs
Authors: Koo Bonjin , Yang Chengbo , Nyachoti Charles Martin
Published: October 2024

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of functional amino acid (AA) blend dietary supplementation with different feeding regimens on growth performance and protein utilization in weaned pigs. Pigs were fed either a standard (STD) diet or a supplemental (SUP) diet, which included an additional AA blend in the STD diet. Ninety-six piglets (6.51 ± 0.34 kg) were randomly assigned to one of four feeding regimens: a STD diet throughout the experiment, or a SUP diet for phase I (SUP7), until phase II (SUP21), or until phase III (SUP35). During phase I, pigs fed an SUP diet exhibited a greater ( P < 0.05) average daily gain and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) than those fed the STD diet. Pigs in the SUP35 group had a higher ( P < 0.05) G:F than those in the SUP7 group. Pigs in the SUP21 and SUP35 groups had greater ( P < 0.05) digestibility of N than those in the SUP7 group. Pigs in the SUP35 group had upregulated ( P < 0.05) mRNA encoding mammalian targets of rapamycin and cationic AA transporter1 in longissimus dorsi than those in the SUP21 group. Feeding the SUP diet throughout the 5-week nursery phase is recommended to achieve optimal growth performance and protein metabolism.
Effects of dietary phytase with or without multi-carbohydrase supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and bone traits in nursery pigs
Authors: Adeshakin Olumide , Koo Bonjin , Patterson Rob , Nyachoti Charles Martin
Published: October 2024

The aim was to determine the effects of supplementing increasing doses of phytase alone or in combination with a multi-carbohydrase blend to a phosphorus (P)-deficient diet for nursery pigs on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and metacarpal bone characteristics. A total of 192 weaned pigs (7.7 ± 0.05 kg) were allotted to one of eight dietary treatments each with eight replicates in a randomized complete block design based on initial body weight. Fecal samples (days 18, 19, and 20) and metacarpal bones (day 21) were collected to determine apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of energy and nutrients and bone mineralization, respectively. During week 3 and overall period, increasing doses of phytase quadratically increased ( P < 0.05) average daily gain. The ATTD of ash and P quadratically increased ( P < 0.05) when doses of phytase increased. Phytase had quadratic ( P < 0.05) effects by increasing fat-free dry weight, ash content, and P in metacarpal bone. In conclusion, increasing levels of phytase quadratically improved growth performance in week 2, nutrient digestibility, and bone traits of pigs fed a P-deficient diet. In general, however, there was no effect of multi-carbohydrase supplementation on growth performance and metacarpal characteristics in nursery pigs.
Trans-10 shifted ruminal biohydrogenation and its implications for ruminant milk and meat fat content and quality
Authors: Vahmani Payam , Xu Yanqing , Dugan Michael E. R. , Hackmann Timothy J.
Published: October 2024

Feeding high-grain diets is a common practice in intensive ruminant production systems to meet animal energy requirements and maximize feed efficiency. One of the consequences of these diets is trans ( t)10 shifted ruminal biohydrogenation, which includes increased formation of t10-18:1 and t10, cis ( c)12-conjugated linoleic acid ( t10, c12-CLA) at the expense of t11-18:1 and c9, t11-CLA. In dairy cows, the t10 shift has been associated with milk fat depression. In beef cattle, the t10 shift has not been associated with negative effects on animal performance or marbling fat deposition; however, it may negatively impact meat fat eating quality by decreasing its cis monounsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid ratio. Finally, the  t10 shift increases t10-18:1 accumulation in ruminant-derived foods (dairy, beef, and lamb), which at high enough levels may compromise the nutritional quality of these foods. The present review will cover our current understanding of the rumen microbes involved in the t10 shift and its implications for milk fat synthesis and beef fat quality.
The effects of corncob and xylanase supplementation on performance, ileal digestibility, intestinal morphology, gastrointestinal pH, and serum biochemical traits in the broiler chickens
Authors: Ghaffar Osama Rahman , Abdollahi Asrin
Published: October 2024

This study evaluated the effects of corncob as a source of insoluble fibre and xylanase enzyme on broiler chicken performance, ileal digestibility, intestinal morphology, gastrointestinal pH, and serum biochemical traits. Two hundred fifty six 1-day-old (Ross 308) broiler chicks were randomly given six diets for 24 days: a control diet with 0%, 2.5%, or 5% corncob, with or without xylanase, in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement. Then, chicks were given the control diet with or without xylanase until they reached 42 days. Adding corncob to diets reduced performance during the grower phase ( P ≤ 0.05), but when removed, the performance did not differ from the control ( P ≥ 0.05). Corncob reduced ash digestibility and cholesterol levels ( P ≤ 0.05) while increasing the relative weight of the heart, gizzard, and duodenum and improving the ileal villus high-to-crypt depth ratio ( P ≤ 0.05). The feed conversion ratio increased due to corncob inclusion in diets at the starter and grower phases ( P ≤ 0.05) but did not differ from the control at the finisher phase. Xylanase supplementation improved performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal histomorphology, and reduced cecum weight with digestive tract pH ( P ≤ 0.05). Therefore, adding corncob with xylanase enzyme to broiler chickens’ diet does not negatively impact their performance. On the contrary, it improves the broilers’ health and reduces production costs.
Determining reasonable response actions following a fly ash spill in the headwaters of Banff National Park, Canada
Authors: Taylor Mark K. , Irwin Helen , Tomy Gregg T. , Irvine Fonya , Yole Margaret , Despatie Simon , Liber Karsten
Published: October 2024

It can be challenging for practitioners to determine reasonable response actions following an environmental spill because there are risks associated with the recovery process, acute constraints on time, and few case studies available from antecedent events. Here, we evaluate environmental risk using a screening level assessment (SLA) and describe risk management actions during the response phase of a train derailment that released 600 tonnes of fly ash into a headwater creek in Banff National Park, Canada. Trace metal concentrations and physico-chemical parameters from downstream of the derailment site were compared to Canadian environmental quality guidelines and upstream reference values. There was a 1–2.2-fold exceedance of sediment quality guidelines (As, Cd, and Se) as well as a 3.6–17.5-fold exceedance of water quality guidelines (Al, Cd, Fe, and turbidity) downstream of the train derailment. Despite uncertainty about site-specific toxicity when using a SLA, we did require the removal of the settled fly ash from the creek based on the multiple exceedances of guidelines, regulatory context, wilderness setting, and potential contribution to cumulative effects downstream. Case studies that evaluate risk and describe risk management actions help practitioners make consistent and efficient decisions during the response phase of a spill.
American lobster (Homarus americanus) hepatopancreas transcriptome reveals the significance of chitin-related genes during impoundment shell disease
Authors: Argenta Nicolas , Rampaul Marianna , Clark K. Fraser
Published: October 2024

American lobsters ( Homarus americanus) stored in open tidal pounds can develop impoundment shell disease (ISD), resulting in decreased marketability of the lobsters on the live market. Little is known about ISD or the immunological responses of lobsters exhibiting this disease. The objective of this project was to identify genes from H. americanus hepatopancreas that are differentially expressed in response to ISD. Lobsters were separated into asymptomatic, moderately symptomatic, and severely symptomatic groups, which represent animals with 0%, 5%–20%, and >20% lesion coverage of the carapace, respectively. RNA-seq analysis found that 134 genes were differentially expressed between groups (false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05). Most, 80, of these genes were found exclusively in the comparison between moderately symptomatic and asymptomatic groups. All animals clustered in their proposed groups based on the expression of the differently expressed genes (DEGs), and the asymptomatic group clustered as an out-group. The expression of most DEGs was higher in the asymptomatic group than the others, which could be related to a stronger response against the disease or differences in individual resistance against ISD development. Among these genes, we highlight eight chitin-related genes, one α-2-macroglobulin-like gene, one acute phase serum amyloid A gene, one pseudohaemocyanin gene, and one trypsin-1-like gene.
Parity and time-reversal violating nuclear forces with explicit $$\Delta $$-excitations
Authors: Gandor L. , Krebs H. , Epelbaum E.
Published: October 2024

We emphasize the usefulness of treating delta resonances as explicit degrees of freedom in applications of chiral effective field theory (EFT) to parity-violating and time-reversal-violating (PVTV) nuclear interactions. Compared with the delta-less framework, the explicit inclusion of the delta isobar allows one to resum certain types of contributions to the PVTV two-pion exchange two- and three-nucleon potentials without at the same time introducing any unknown parameters up to next-to-next-to-leading order in the EFT expansion. We provide the corresponding expressions for the delta contributions in momentum and coordinate spaces and compare the convergence of the EFT expansion in both formulations.