bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Line spectrum detection and motion parameters estimation for underwater moving target
Authors: Shi Yunjia , Piao Shengchun , Guo Junyuan
Published: March 2024

For the detection of underwater moving target with constant speed at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a track-before-detect method is proposed based on motion parameters estimation and hidden Markov model (HMM). Optimization algorithm is used for the moving target motion parameter estimation with cost function obtained by energy accumulation along line spectrum tracked with 1-D Hidden Markov model in spatially filtered LOFAR spectrum. This method is suitable for detecting weak targets with fast changes in azimuth.
Anti-Multipath Underwater Acoustic Time-Delay Detection Algorithm Based on Dual-Delta Correlators
Authors: Yue Yang , Zheng Cuie , Han Yunfeng , Ouyang Yujie
Published: March 2024

For the underwater acoustic (UAC) positioning system based on continuous waveform signal, the time-delay estimation of the Line-of-sight (Los) is not robust under the UAC strongly time-varying multipath channel. So an anti-multipath time-delay detection algorithm based on dual-delta (DD) correlators is proposed in this paper to address the issue. The algorithm uses a differential processing code-phase discriminator model to improve the traditional delay-locked-loop (DLL) time-delay detection algorithm, and combines it with the signal tracking loop adapted to the UAC channel condition to estimate time-delay. Theoretical analysis indicates that due to the reduction of local code interval and the differential processing operation, the proposed algorithm effectively mitigates the effect of time-varying multipath signals on time-delay estimation compared with conventional methods. Simulation analysis further demonstrates that the proposed algorithm can robustly detect the Los and achieve high-precision time-delay estimation under the time-varying multipath channel. The algorithm shows great potential for practical applications.
Research on FPGA-based dual-channel time synchronization system
Authors: Gao Ang , Gao Junxia , Zhang Yiming , Wang Xuhong
Published: March 2024

As geological exploration progresses in depth and scope, the distance between transmitting and receiving systems also increases. Consequently, the synchronization of time between the two becomes an increasingly critical issue. In response, this paper presents a proposed design for a time synchronization system that is suitable for use between transmitting and receiving equipment. The system uses GPS as the main clock source. The information within the GPS system will be encoded and decoded using the FPGA. This allows us to obtain both UTC time and the time of the IRIG-B code format, enabling compatibility with the various system interfaces. Our experiments have confirmed that the system has a time error at the microsecond level, and the precision satisfies the design requirements. This verifies the validity and reliability of the system.
Design of control system for six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm
Authors: Chen Chaoda , Lv Zhisheng , Wu Siyang , Li Kangxing , Chen Ziyang , Huang Zhixing
Published: March 2024

To study the robotic arm trajectory planning and motion, the six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm control system design is proposed. In this paper, we choose a multi-joint type of robotic arm. We analyze the design of the robotic arm at home and abroad and determine the specific servomotor model and the specific robotic arm mechanism. We analyze the torque relationship of each joint and the size of the servomotor. Using SolidWorks and Robot Studios, we carry out the three-dimensional design modeling and simulation of the robotic arm, design the whole set of robotic arms, and use the Arduino Uno development board for precise control of the servo motor. The control program was written using C language, and various control tests were carried out on the robotic arm to make sure that the system could satisfy the debugging and research of trajectory planning type.
Design of fault degree diagnosis algorithm for circuit breaker spring based on fuzzy clustering
Authors: Zhang Xibo , Ying Jianguo , Wang Junhua , Zhang Rongwei , Hong Zhou , Bi Haibo
Published: March 2024

This paper proposes a design of a fault diagnosis algorithm for circuit breaker springs based on fuzzy clustering. The features of the fault state signal are extracted by combining the methods of Intrinsic Time-Scale Decomposition and Singular Spectrum Analysis. Using the fuzzy clustering method, this study classifies circuit breaker spring faults, extracts fault features, and achieves fault degree diagnosis. The experimental results show that the algorithm has high accuracy in fault diagnosis.
Prediction of milling surface roughness based on DGLCM and neural network
Authors: Zhang Chenghui , Fang Zaojun , Lian Hongyuan , Zhang Qiping , Zhang Chi , Yang Guilin
Published: March 2024

With the manufacturing industry’s increasingly automated and intelligent development, traditional workpiece roughness measurement methods can no longer meet the requirements for short time, high efficiency, and online measurement. Therefore, this article proposes a roughness evaluation model for vertical milling workpiece roughness measurement and improves upon the traditional Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) method to achieve high accuracy and robustness in measuring milling surface roughness. First, the milled surface is illuminated by a coaxial light source, and an image is captured using an industrial camera and a telecentric lens. Then, four features of the image are extracted using the Direction Measure-based Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (DGLCM) to construct a feature descriptor. Finally, Finally, create an RBF network to predict surface roughness. Through experimental comparison with traditional GLCM feature extraction methods, our proposed feature extraction method has a prediction error of only 2.01%, which is superior to traditional methods.
Rapid determination of impurities in carbon dioxide for food by gas chromatography
Authors: Hu Delong , Ren Tingting , Yang Xuemei , Li Xianghong , Zou Qian
Published: March 2024

This article describes the experimental principle and method of rapid determination of carbon monoxide, methane, propane, total hydrocarbon, methanol, ethylene oxide, acetaldehyde, vinyl chloride, benzene, and other common impurities in carbon dioxide by gas chromatograph. By using food additive carbon dioxide as a sample, the rapid analysis conditions, such as chromatographic column, valve switching time, and column box temperature control, were optimized. The retention time of impurity components in food additive carbon dioxide was determined using the external standard method. The relative standard uncertainty of CH4, C3H8, CO, CH3OH, CH2CH2O, CH3CHO, CH2CHCl, and C6H6 analysis is within 3% by using the established analytical method proposed in this article, which is equivalent to the national standard GB 1886.228-2016. The linear correlation coefficient r is greater than 0.9995, and the linear error is not greater than 2.0, indicating excellent linearity. In the meantime, in the case of 6 consecutive sample injections, the detection time is shortened by nearly three times. The experimental results show that the analytical method established in this article is suitable for the rapid determination of impurities in carbon dioxide for food, which can improve the accuracy of experimental results and work efficiency.
Real-time analysis of star sensor attitude accuracy
Authors: Fu Jingneng , Luo Wen , Zhang Hui
Published: March 2024

In the conventional methods of star sensor accuracy evaluation, neither the accuracy calculation formula nor the Monte Carlo method can comprehensively reflect the attitude measurement accuracy of star sensors in real-time. In this paper, a real-time analysis and calculation model for the attitude measurement accuracy of star sensors is proposed. Firstly, the basic attitude measurement model of the star sensor is established through the pinhole imaging model. Moreover, a moving frame of star sensor attitude measurement is established to avoid the defects of attitude representation by the Euler angle in the star sensor accuracy analysis. Then, combined with the error transfer of implicit overdetermined equations proposed in this paper, the error transfers of starspot extraction random error, star catalog random error, and intrinsic parameter system error are provided. Finally, simulation and field experiments are conducted to verify the accuracy of the proposed error analysis theory. The experimental results show that the attitude measurement accuracy of star sensors can be accurately estimated by using single-frame data of guide stars.
Surface Contamination Measurement by Combining Detectors and Robots
Authors: Wang Qiang , Sheng Yifa
Published: March 2024

Against the background of the rapid development of nuclear energy and nuclear technology, the number of places with radioactivity has gradually risen, which poses a significant safety hazard to human beings. Aiming at indoor radioactive places, this paper designs a detector that can be mounted on a robot, and experiments prove that this detector can accurately detect α-surface contamination and β-surface contamination. The surface contamination is measured using a combination of a remote-controlled robot and a detector.
Experimental and numerical study on wet steam flow metering overreading characteristics in venturi tube
Authors: Wu Fang , Xing Zhaokai , Ma Yuanhua , Hu Rongyuan , Cheng Zhao , Xie Hongjun , Wang Shanshan , Yang Jinfeng , Qu Shanliang , Zhao Cuilian
Published: March 2024

The precise measurement of wet-steam flow is of great importance in various industrial systems, including nuclear reactors, oil and gas transportation, and cogeneration systems. However, the measurement accuracy of wet-steam flow can be affected by overreading (OR) when using venturi meters. This paper presents a systematic numerical simulation using the DPM model and an experimental study on the characteristics of overreading in wet-steam flow metering. The experiments are carried out on a two-phase flow liquid and steam platform. Firstly, the OR characteristics of a venturi structure with fixed dimensions (a throttling ratio of 0.6, a divergence angle of 15°, and a venturi diameter of 20 mm) are quantitatively analyzed at different flow rates (0.14-0.32 kg/s) and qualities (ranging from 0.14 to 0.90). It is found that the Lockhart-Martinelli parameter (XLM) plays a more significant role than the gas Froude number (Frg) in determining the overreading (OR) characteristics of a venturi under a given temperature, pressure, and venturi structure. Secondly, a venturi overreading prediction model based on XLM is proposed, and its ability to predict overreading for larger mass flow rates and venturi diameters is verified by numerical simulation data. As evaluated through numerical simulation data, the proposed model’s maximum relative error and average deviation are below 15% and 10%, respectively. This study provides valuable insights into developing an overreading model for industrial applications under large flow and venturi diameter conditions.
Accurate measurement method of contact angle within a small angle
Authors: Wang Shuhui , Liu Xiaoting , Wang Tao , Luo Jing , Yao Jian
Published: March 2024

The wetting phenomenon of liquid on a solid surface is a fundamental natural phenomenon in nature. It has a significant impact on people’s production and life. This paper solves the problem that small-angle wetting cannot be accurately measured by changing the imaging direction and complete auxiliary methods.
Absolute attitude measurement based on multi-sensor fusion
Authors: He Xuran , Xiong Kun , Li Jiabin , Zhou Yingmin
Published: March 2024

In the field of positioning and navigation, the measurement and transmission of absolute attitude are often used in the initial calibration process of positioning and navigation equipment. This requires higher absolute attitude measurement accuracy and lower measurement complexity. In order to solve the problems of high complexity and time-consuming of traditional absolute attitude measurement, a multi-sensor fusion absolute attitude measurement method is proposed. This method uses an optical camera to calculate the angle offset, employs a biaxial inclination sensor to measure horizontal angles, and utilizes GNSS differential positioning to introduce true azimuth angle. The experimental results of the prototype show that under the condition of 60 m baseline length, the max uncertainty of yaw, pitch, and roll angle measurement is 14.13”, 4.41”, and 3.53” respectively, and the average single measurement time consumption is 2.73 minutes.
Circuit design of a high scanning frequence and fast response laser methane remote sensor
Authors: Yang Yuanjin , Wu Qi , Xu Yang , Wang Wenlong , men Chao , Yang Bingxiong
Published: March 2024

To solve the problem of slow detection of laser methane sensors based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS), a methane detection system with a high detection rate was proposed. Focusing on the hardware circuit design of the system which consists of a laser driver circuit, laser temperature control circuit, optical amplifier and filter circuit and main control circuit based on FPGA+ARM, this circuit is designed to achieve a laser scanning frequency of 50 kHz. A voltage-controlled current source is designed to drive the laser diode (LD). A TEC controller is designed to keep the operating temperature of the laser diode stable. Since the photocurrent can be very weak, to ensure the quality of signals from the photodiode (PD), a signal collection circuit consisting of the transimpedance amplifier, gain-controlled amplifier and low-pass filter was designed. An experiment is carried out to test system measurement capabilities. The results show the circuit can reach a response time of 2.5 ms while ensuring a measurement error of less than 4.3%.
Pointer instrument positioning and indication recognition algorithm based on YOLOV5s
Authors: Li Fei , Zhang Wenliang , He Bo
Published: March 2024

The substation inspection robot has low accuracy in positioning and indication reading of the pointer instrument. An algorithm design for indicator recognition is proposed. The algorithm mainly includes dial area extraction, scale line extraction and dial center determination, zero scale line determination, and indicator recognition. An experimental system for pointer instrument positioning and indication recognition is constructed to verify the proposed algorithm. The results indicate that the positioning accuracy of the two instruments is 90.5% and 100% respectively. Ten positioned instruments are selected, and the reading recognition error is 0.126. It shows that the proposed pointer instrument positioning and indication recognition algorithm can improve the efficiency of substation instrument recognition.
Study on the measuring device of medical centrifuges
Authors: Wang Huijuan , Xiang Mengdie , Deng Bowen , Wu Yongdong
Published: March 2024

This paper designs a measuring and detecting device for medical centrifuges. The device integrates the measurement of rotational speed, temperature, and time. The photoelectric tachometer was transformed into a laser speed detection module to adapt to the rotational speed measurement of the closed centrifuge and a wireless temperature detection module could be inserted into the slot of the centrifuge tube to measure the temperature of the tube position when the centrifuge rotates at a high speed. This method achieved reliable and accurate measurement of the speed, temperature, and time of various centrifuges with low costs.
Optical Slot-Assisted Metasurface for IgG Protein Detection
Authors: Brunetti Giuseppe , Saha Nabarun , Colapietro Paola , Ciminelli Caterina
Published: March 2024

The sensing of antigens plays a pivotal role in the early diagnosis of tumors by potentially revealing specific biomarkers associated with them. Early detection of tumors can facilitate targeted and less invasive therapeutic strategies. In the realm of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) protein detection, a high concentration may indicate tumor lesions or the presence of symptoms commonly detectable just through invasive diagnostic methods. IgG detection is feasible in blood samples or other biological fluids like saliva or urine. These non-invasive tests offer the advantage of being repeatable over time, reducing the need for invasive or painful procedures. In the pursuit of next-generation medical technologies aimed at flexible and compact sensing platforms, we proposed a refractometric system mainly based on a dielectric metasurface, operating at about 780 nm, featuring a 2D distribution of cells composed of dimers that support the optical slot effect. This effect allows for a large Q-factor, with a small footprint, and strong spatial confinement. Specifically, a Q-factor of 3.19 × 103 with a significant amplitude (> 0.7 a.u.) enables a sensitivity of 25 nm/RIU for IgG protein detection.
Which data assimilation method to use and when: unlocking the potential of observations in shoreline modelling
Authors: Alvarez-Cuesta M , Toimil A , Losada I J
Published: March 2024

Shoreline predictions are essential for coastal management. In this era of increasing amounts of data from different sources, it is imperative to use observations to ensure the reliability of shoreline forecasts. Data assimilation has emerged as a powerful tool to bridge the gap between episodic and imprecise spatiotemporal observations and the incomplete mathematical equations describing the physics of coastal dynamics. This research seeks to maximize this potential by assessing the effectiveness of different data assimilation algorithms considering different observational data characteristics and initial system knowledge to guide shoreline models towards delivering results as close as possible to the real world. Two statistical algorithms (stochastic ensemble and extended Kalman filters) and one variational algorithm (4D-Var) are incorporated into an equilibrium cross-shore model and a one-line longshore model. A twin experimental procedure is conducted to determine the observation requirements for these assimilation algorithms in terms of accuracy, length of the data collection campaign and sampling frequency. Similarly, the initial system knowledge needed and the ability of the assimilation methods to track the system nonstationarity are evaluated under synthetic scenarios. The results indicate that with noisy observations, the Kalman filter variants outperform 4D-Var. However, 4D-Var is less restrictive in terms of initial system knowledge and tracks nonstationary parametrizations more accurately for cross-shore processes. The findings are demonstrated at two real beaches governed by different processes with different data sources used for calibration. In this contribution, the coastal processes assimilated thus far in shoreline modelling are extended, the 4D-Var algorithm is applied for the first time in the field of shoreline modelling, and guidelines on which assimilation method can be most beneficial in terms of the available observational data and system knowledge are provided.
Southern Hemispheric jet swing linked to Arctic stratospheric polar vortex
Authors: Xie Fei , Ma Xuan , Li Yanjie , Li Jianping , Chen Xiaosong , Tian Wenshou , Sun Cheng , Xu Mian , Zhang Jiankai , Gui Ke , Ding Ruiqiang , Xia Yan , Niu Yingli
Published: March 2024

Our study reframes our understanding of stratosphere–troposphere interactions, traditionally thought to be confined within individual hemispheres, by introducing a novel cross-hemispheric link. We demonstrate that strong boreal winter Arctic stratospheric polar vortex (APV) boosts the transmission of upper tropospheric waves from Northern Hemisphere’s mid-high latitudes to the equator. Facilitated by the tropical central and eastern Pacific’s ‘westerly bridge’, these waves reach Southern Hemisphere’s mid-high latitudes. The entire process shows a ‘semicircular road’. Waves reaching the Southern Hemisphere affect the circulation through wave-flow interaction, causing a southward swing of the Southern Hemispheric westerly jet center. This displacement weakens the subtropical jet and strengthens the polar jet, resulting in increased subtropical precipitation and decreased mid-latitude precipitation in the Southern Hemisphere during austral summer. Correspondingly, a weak APV may lead to the opposite result. Our findings underscore APV’s broader impact on the tropospheric atmosphere, extending beyond prior knowledge.
Fast synthesis of gold nanoparticles by cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet in the presence of Au+ ions and a capping agent
Authors: HABIB Tatiana , CAIUT José Mauricio A. , CAILLIER Bruno
Published: March 2024

Homogeneous gold nanoparticles were synthesized under atmospheric pressure using a non-thermal helium plasma jet in a single-step process. A current power supply was used to generate the plasma discharge rich in diverse reactive species. These species induce rapid chemical reactions responsible for the reduction of the gold salts upon contact with the liquid solution. In this study, spherical and monodispersed gold nanoparticles were obtained within 5 min of plasma exposure using a solution containing gold (III) chloride hydrate (HAuCl4) as a precursor and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent to inhibit agglomerations. The formation of these metal nanoparticles was initially perceptible through a visible change in the sample’s color, transitioning from light yellow to a red/pink color. This was subsequently corroborated by UV-vis spectroscopy, which revealed an optical absorption in the 520‒550 nm range for Au NPs, corresponding to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band. An investigation into the impact of various parameters, including plasma discharge duration, precursor and capping agent concentrations, was carried out to optimize conditions for the formation of well-separated, spherical gold nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to measure the size of these nanoparticles, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe their morphology and X-ray diffraction (XRD) was also employed to determine their crystallographic structure. The results confirm that homogeneous spherical gold nanoparticles with an average diameter of 13 nm can be easily synthesized through a rapid, straightforward, and environmentally friendly approach utilizing a helium atmospheric pressure plasma.
‘Against Civilisation’
Authors: Herold-Zanker Katharina
Published: March 2024

This chapter examines the fluidity of boundaries between cosmopolitanism and Orientalism in Arthur Symons’s travelogue of Constantinople and Violet Fane’s poetry, composed during her stay in Constantinople as the wife of the British ambassador. Taking Wilde’s archaeological interest in the East one step further, Symons and Fane sought the everyday, live engagement with the East. The chapter argues that while Constantinople and the decline of the Ottoman Empire leave Symons as Western flanêur disoriented, it equally provided Symons with a symbolic space to revise his definition of decadence into the notion of symbolism and to formulate his conservative critique against a decaying Western civilization in an increasingly sober modernity. Symons’s explicit focus on race and cultural difference, which protrude in his observations on Eastern dance and religious ritual, are an integral part of his Orientalism, as well as his attempt to defend alternative forms of living, especially those of the Romani cultures which he admired in England and the Middle East. Moving in the same literary circles as Symons in the 1880s, Fane’s decadent poetry produced in Constantinople absorbs ‘The Eastern Crisis’ and reflects her humanitarian yet Orientalist imperial gaze. Similar to Symons’s advocacy for the ‘Gypsies’, her pronounced activism for Christian Armenian minorities, threatened by the flourishing of Ottoman nationalism, hovers between imperial protectionism and anti-imperial critique. Both authors use of the East to turn their decadent writing into a politicized commentary on modern progress and the increasing Westernization of Ottoman Turkey.
First-Person
Authors: Portier-Young Anathea E
Published: March 2024

The call or commissioning stories of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel each foreground bodily encounter with the deity that makes possible the prophet’s embodied mediation. Their first-person narration also has mediatory power, facilitating transport and drawing the bodies of the audience into the experience of encounter and mission. For Isaiah, an array of sensory stimuli, including vision, sound, vibration, and touch, funds a mission that intertwines sensory perception, cognition, and bodily wellness. Jeremiah’s call thematizes the interembodiment of God and prophet and maps the provenance of his prophetic speech from God’s body to his own. Ezekiel’s seeing mirrors and participates in God’s own while inviting the audience to see, evaluate, and act alongside prophet and God. He further assimilates divine judgment into his body, incarnating the people’s sorrow of loss and displacement as well as the possibility of their restoration.
Mobility and Immobility
Authors: Portier-Young Anathea E
Published: March 2024

This chapter considers prophetic mobility and immobility. The prophetic body is also a body in motion. Movement is not incidental or prefatory to prophetic mission but a critical component of it. A corollary to prophetic movement is the importance of place, proximity, and bodily co-presence. Prophetic mobility mediates the production of knowledge and relationship. The mobilities of Moses, Balaam, and Jonah variously mirror and respond to divine mobility and channel divine power to catalyze movement and change. Elijah’s supernatural transport defers this catalyzing potential to the future, while Ezekiel and Habakkuk bridge homeland and exile to mediate and re-create home across boundaries of time and space, place and non-place, life and death. Immobility could also mediate. Ezekiel’s binding simultaneously embodied human constraint and divine inaction. Jeremiah’s incarcerations dramatized and portended the siege and captivity of Jerusalem. The oracular body of the prophet thereby frustrated attempts to curtail or manage the prophet’s power by immobilizing the prophet’s body.
Devastation and Wonder
Authors: Portier-Young Anathea E
Published: March 2024

Chapter 10 considers prophetic affect and emotion in the books of Ezekiel and Daniel. The synergy of word and body takes on further contours in the affective practices of Ezekiel and Daniel. Ezekiel incorporates words of divine judgment as well as the practices of grieving that constitute and respond to his people’s future. The prophet’s terror, trembling, and groaning mediate and portend their devastation. Ezekiel’s performance and experience of disenfranchised grief presages and inaugurates a dissolution of communal bonds and structures, loss of connection to the deity, and inhibition of meaning-making in the face of disaster. In Daniel, affect and revelation are interdependent. The text mediates knowledge and affect to shape interpretation and action. Vivid portrayals of Daniel’s visionary experience and corresponding affect heighten the audience’s experience of identification and emotional connection with the character Daniel, transportation into the story world, and affective involvement with the story. By experiencing Daniel’s fear and weakness, the audience also experiences his strengthening and summons to courage.
Conclusion
Authors: Portier-Young Anathea E
Published: March 2024

The body is vital and necessary to prophetic mediation. Even as a long history of mind-body dualism has contributed to the privileging of word over body, recent developments in and beyond biblical studies furnish tools for an embodied paradigm of analysis that recognizes the synergy of word and body. This paradigm combines insights from studies of embodied cognition, senses, affect, and anthropology with linguistics, literary and cultural theory, and more. Prophetic commissioning narratives offer a programmatic portrayal of bodily encounter and mediation. Bodily transformations ranging from visibly altered face and skin to ascetic practices and altered states of consciousness contribute to the character of the prophetic body as mediating bridge. Prophetic mobility, immobility, affect, and emotion continually link the body of the prophet to the bodies of God and people. The study concludes by highlighting two areas for further research, namely forms of embodied prophecy and prophecy’s embodied reception.
Seasonal and lifecycle changes in behavior affect the trapping efficiency of an insect vector, Circulifer tenellus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)
Authors: Foutz Jillian J , Cooper W Rodney , Swisher-Grimm Kylie , Crowder David W
Published: March 2024

Accurate sampling of pests is the foundation of pest management. Choosing the best trap for pest monitoring can be complex, however, because trap performance is affected by pest preferences and behaviors. Moreover, preservation of DNA in traps is a consideration when insect specimens are used in molecular assays, such as the detection of insect-borne pathogens. We assessed the efficiency of 2 trap designs and 2 trap placements on the capture of beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus (Baker) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), vector of “Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii” and Beet curly top virus. Trap designs included standard yellow sticky cards and 3D-printed traps that capture insects directly in a DNA preservative. We found that yellow sticky cards captured more adults than did 3D-printed traps during summer months but captured fewer adults during autumn when leafhoppers move to overwintering sites. 3D-printed traps captured more nymphs than sticky cards, regardless of season, and traps hung at ground level captured more nymphs and adults compared to traps at 1-m height. Contrary to predictions, we did not find differences between trap types in the molecular detection of Ca. P. trifolii or Beet curly top virus, perhaps because 3D-printed traps captured few leafhoppers during summer when the pathogen rates were highest. Our results suggest behavioral differences in C. tenellus trap preference based on seasonality and life stage and underscore the importance of understanding insect behaviors when choosing trap designs for pest monitoring as well as for properly interpreting trap capture data.
Art, Ethics, and the Relativism of Distance
Authors: Nannicelli Ted , Bubenik Andrea
Published: March 2024

To what extent, and on what grounds, can we ethically evaluate art from a generative context that is at some significant distance from our present reception context—at enough distance, at least, so that the two contexts differ, in important ways, in aspects of their moral outlooks? This paper has four aims. The modest task of the paper is to show that this question is much more difficult than has been recognised. The somewhat more ambitious goal is a methodological intervention: it is to highlight the need for interdisciplinary research that illuminates the socio-historical specificities of remote generative contexts in a way that allows us to see the relevant ways in which the moral outlooks overlap with ours (or do not). In relation, the third aim of the paper is to argue, with reference to Bernard Williams’s ‘relativism of distance’, that there are some cases in which the moral outlooks of a work’s generative and reception contexts differ so significantly that the warrant for our moral judgments of remote artworks is attenuated—if it exists at all. Finally, we try to demonstrate how the sort of interdisciplinary collaboration we’re advocating might inform our moral judgments of art—more specifically, in a way that invites a degree of quietude or uncertainty about remote artworks that are deeply morally troubling in our present reception context. We do this with reference to the paintings of Titian.
Interactive Relations of Body Mass Index, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Sex to Cognitive Function in Older Adults
Authors: Turnquist B Eric , MacIver Peter H , Katzel Leslie I , Waldstein Shari R
Published: March 2024

Objective

The course of cognitive aging is influenced by multiple health factors. This cross-sectional study investigated the interactive relations between body mass index (BMI), maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), and sex on neuropsychological outcomes in community-dwelling predominantly older adults.

Methods

Participants were 164 healthy adults [M (SD) = 64.6 (12.5) years, 56% men, 87% white] who participated in an investigation of cardiovascular risk factors and brain health. Multivariable regression analysis, adjusted for age, education, ethnicity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and depression, examined the interactive relations of BMI, VO2max, and sex to multiple neuropsychological outcomes.

Results

Significant BMI*VO2max*sex interactions for Grooved Pegboard dominant (p = .019) and nondominant (p = .005) hands revealed that men with lower VO2max (l/min) displayed worse performance with each hand as BMI increased (p’s < .02). A significant BMI*sex interaction for Logical Memory—Delayed Recall (p = .036) (after adjustment for blood glucose) showed that men, but not women, with higher BMI demonstrated worse performance (p = .036). Lastly, significant main effects indicated that lower VO2max was related to poorer logical memory, and higher BMI was associated with poorer Trail Making B and Stroop interference scores (p’s < .05).

Conclusions

Among men, higher cardiorespiratory fitness may protect against the negative impact of greater BMI on manual dexterity and motor speed, making VO2max a target for intervention. Higher BMI is further associated with poorer executive function and verbal memory (in men), and lower VO2max is associated with poorer verbal memory.
MRSL: a causal network pruning algorithm based on GWAS summary data
Authors: Hou Lei , Geng Zhi , Yuan Zhongshang , Shi Xu , Wang Chuan , Chen Feng , Li Hongkai , Xue Fuzhong
Published: March 2024

Causal discovery is a powerful tool to disclose underlying structures by analyzing purely observational data. Genetic variants can provide useful complementary information for structure learning. Recently, Mendelian randomization (MR) studies have provided abundant marginal causal relationships of traits. Here, we propose a causal network pruning algorithm MRSL (MR-based structure learning algorithm) based on these marginal causal relationships. MRSL combines the graph theory with multivariable MR to learn the conditional causal structure using only genome-wide association analyses (GWAS) summary statistics. Specifically, MRSL utilizes topological sorting to improve the precision of structure learning. It proposes MR-separation instead of d-separation and three candidates of sufficient separating set for MR-separation. The results of simulations revealed that MRSL had up to 2-fold higher F1 score and 100 times faster computing time than other eight competitive methods. Furthermore, we applied MRSL to 26 biomarkers and 44 International Classification of Diseases 10 (ICD10)-defined diseases using GWAS summary data from UK Biobank. The results cover most of the expected causal links that have biological interpretations and several new links supported by clinical case reports or previous observational literatures.
Soft classification and regression analysis of audiometric phenotypes of age-related hearing loss
Authors: Yang Ce , Langworthy Benjamin , Curhan Sharon , Vaden Kenneth I , Curhan Gary , Dubno Judy R , Wang Molin
Published: March 2024

Age-related hearing loss has a complex etiology. Researchers have made efforts to classify relevant audiometric phenotypes, aiming to enhance medical interventions and improve hearing health. We leveraged existing pattern analyses of age-related hearing loss and implemented the phenotype classification via quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA). We herein propose a method for analyzing the exposure effects on the soft classification probabilities of the phenotypes via estimating equations. Under reasonable assumptions, the estimating equations are unbiased and lead to consistent estimators. The resulting estimator had good finite sample performances in simulation studies. As an illustrative example, we applied our proposed methods to assess the association between a dietary intake pattern, assessed as adherence scores for the dietary approaches to stop hypertension diet calculated using validated food-frequency questionnaires, and audiometric phenotypes (older-normal, metabolic, sensory, and metabolic plus sensory), determined based on data obtained in the Nurses’ Health Study II Conservation of Hearing Study, the Audiology Assessment Arm. Our findings suggested that participants with a more healthful dietary pattern were less likely to develop the metabolic plus sensory phenotype of age-related hearing loss.
Imaging in acute ischaemic stroke: assessing findings in light of evolving therapies
Authors: Frias Patrick , Khangura Rajkamal S , Varjavand Bahram , Alexander Matthew D
Published: March 2024

Acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) is a debilitating disease for which effective therapies are now available. Effective identification of candidates for therapy relies heavily on noninvasive imaging that must be interpreted accurately in a short timeframe. This review summarizes the evolution of AIS therapies and the implications for noninvasive imaging. The review concludes with consideration of longstanding assumptions about imaging of ischaemic stroke and potential paradigm shifts on the horizon.
‘Omalizumab changed my life’: a patient perspective on solar urticaria
Authors: Parkin Donna , Ling Tsui C , Ayer Jean , Rhodes Lesley E , Rutter Kirsty J
Published: March 2024

This patient perspective on solar urticaria demonstrates some of the key clinical characteristics and impact of solar urticaria, as well as a first-hand account of the transformative potential of omalizumab therapy. The clinicians’ comment reviews clinical features and aspects of diagnosis and management.
Chronic kidney disease duration and suicide risk among maintenance hemodialysis patients in China
Authors: Wang Xinyue , Hao Xinmei , Ma Mi , Jiang Wei , Li Baoshuang , Xu Yan , Sun Ping
Published: March 2024

Background

Our aim was to investigate the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) duration and suicide risk among maintenance hemodialysis patients in China.

Methods

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who received MHD were enrolled. The demographic and disease characteristics of MHD patients were collected using a self-designed basic information questionnaire. The Suicide Risk Assessment Scale was used to assess suicide risk.

Results

A total of 543 (40.8%) patients had suicide risk with Nurses’ Global Assessment Scale for Suicide Risk scores ranging from 1 to 19 points. After adjusting for age, gender, disease conditions and mental state, the odds ratios of different CKD duration for suicide risk were 1.00, 2.02, 3.03 and 2.71, respectively (P for trend <.001). There were significant interactions between CKD duration and ESRD duration in relation to suicide risk (P for interaction <.001). There were also interactions between CKD duration and hemodialysis treatment duration, and suicide risk (P for interaction = .01). Patients with ESRD duration of ≤28 months or hemodialysis treatment duration of ≤24 months had the highest risk of suicide when the duration of CKD was 63–94 months, about 2–10 times higher than the other time groups.

Conclusions

We found that CKD duration was associated with an increased risk of suicide in maintenance hemodialysis patients in China, independently of other risk factors. Early ESRD and maintenance hemodialysis were associated with suicide in CKD patients.
Does Combined Medical and Surgical Treatment Improve Perianal Fistula Outcomes in Patients With Crohn’s Disease? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Fung Moses , Farbod Yasamin , Kankouni Husain , Singh Siddharth , McCurdy Jeffrey D
Published: March 2024

Background

The optimal treatment of perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease [PFCD] is unknown. We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis to compare combined surgical intervention and anti-tumour necrosis factor [anti-TNF] therapy [combined therapy] vs either therapy alone.

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched systematically up to end December 2023. Surgical intervention was defined as an exam under anaesthesia ± setons. We calculated weighted risk ratios [RRs] with 95% confidence intervals [CIs] for our co-primary outcomes: fistula response and healing, defined clinically as a reduction in fistula drainage or number of draining fistulas and fistula closure respectively.

Results

Thirteen studies were analysed: 515 patients treated with combined therapy, 330 patients with surgical intervention, and 406 patients with anti-TNF therapy with follow-up between 10 weeks and 3 years. Fistula response [RR 1.10; 95% CI 0.93–1.30, p = 0.28] and healing [RR 1.06; 95% CI 0.86–1.31, p = 0.58] was not significantly different when comparing combined therapy with anti-TNF therapy alone. In contrast, combined therapy was associated with significantly higher rates of fistula response [RR 1.25; 95% CI 1.10–1.41, p < 0.001] and healing [RR 1.17; 95% CI 1.00–1.36, p = 0.05] compared with surgical intervention alone. Our results remained stable when limiting to studies that assessed outcomes within 1 year and studies where <10% of patients underwent fistula closure procedures.

Conclusion

Combined surgery and anti-TNF therapy was not associated with improved PFCD outcomes compared with anti-TNF therapy alone. Due to an inability to control for confounding and small study sizes, future, controlled trials are warranted to confirm these findings.
Systemic disease presenting as cardiac tamponade: a case report
Authors: Barradas Maria Inês , Coutinho dos Santos Inês , Duarte Fabiana , Tavares Anabela , Martins Dinis
Published: March 2024

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by multisystem inflammation and is a common cause of pericarditis and pericardial effusion, but significant pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade are rare and even rarer as the first manifestation.

Case summary

We report the case of a young male who presented with fever, recurrent pericarditis, and polyserositis with pericardial and bilateral pleural effusion. On examination, he was haemodynamically unstable and the pericardial effusion had considerable dimensions and an urgent pericardiocentesis was performed. Antinuclear antibody with a speckled pattern was positive, complement C4 levels were low, and the remaining autoimmunity and infectious study was unremarkable. Considering the European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for SLE, a score of 11 points was obtained, confirming the diagnosis of SLE.

Discussion

This case report illustrates a rare form of presentation of SLE, in which the first manifestation was pericarditis with polyserositis and cardiac tamponade.
Anderson–Fabry disease management: role of the cardiologist
Authors: Pieroni Maurizio , Namdar Mehdi , Olivotto Iacopo , Desnick Robert J
Published: March 2024

Anderson–Fabry disease (AFD) is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by glycolipid accumulation in cardiac cells, associated with a peculiar form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Up to 1% of patients with a diagnosis of HCM indeed have AFD. With the availability of targeted therapies for sarcomeric HCM and its genocopies, a timely differential diagnosis is essential. Specifically, the therapeutic landscape for AFD is rapidly evolving and offers increasingly effective, disease-modifying treatment options. However, diagnosing AFD may be difficult, particularly in the non-classic phenotype with prominent or isolated cardiac involvement and no systemic red flags. For many AFD patients, the clinical journey from initial clinical manifestations to diagnosis and appropriate treatment remains challenging, due to late recognition or utter neglect. Consequently, late initiation of treatment results in an exacerbation of cardiac involvement, representing the main cause of morbidity and mortality, irrespective of gender. Optimal management of AFD patients requires a dedicated multidisciplinary team, in which the cardiologist plays a decisive role, ranging from the differential diagnosis to the prevention of complications and the evaluation of timing for disease-specific therapies. The present review aims to redefine the role of cardiologists across the main decision nodes in contemporary AFD clinical care and drug discovery.
Chromosome-Level Assembly and Annotation of the Pearly Heath Coenonympha arcania Butterfly Genome
Authors: Legeai Fabrice , Romain Sandra , Capblancq Thibaut , Doniol-Valcroze Paul , Joron Mathieu , Lemaitre Claire , Després Laurence
Published: March 2024

We present the first chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the pearly heath Coenonympha arcania, generated with a PacBio HiFi sequencing approach and complemented with Hi-C data. We additionally compare synteny, gene, and repeat content between C. arcania and other Lepidopteran genomes. This reference genome will enable future population genomics studies with Coenonympha butterflies, a species-rich genus that encompasses some of the most highly endangered butterfly taxa in Europe.
Gender Differences in the Protective Role of Grandparenting in Dementia Risk
Authors: Choi Seung-won Emily , Zhang Zhenmei , Liu Hui
Published: March 2024

Objectives

This study provides one of the first national longitudinal studies of the association between caring for grandchildren (i.e., grandparenting) and the risk of dementia in the United States, with a focus on gender-specific variations.

Methods

We estimated discrete-time event history models, drawing upon data from the Health and Retirement Study (2000–2016). The analytic sample included 10,217 community-dwelling White and Black grandparents aged 52 years and older at baseline.

Results

Noncoresident grandparenting was associated with a lower risk of dementia for both women and men compared to grandparents who did not take care of grandchildren. However, the cognitive advantage showed different patterns based on gender and the combination of care intensity and family structure. Grandmothers had a lower risk of dementia than noncaregiving grandmothers when providing a light level of noncoresident grandparenting, whereas grandfathers who provided intensive noncoresident grandparenting had a reduced risk of dementia compared to their noncaregiving counterparts. Grandparenting experiences within multigenerational households and skipped-generation households were not associated with dementia risk.

Discussion

Intergenerational caregiving plays a pivotal role in shaping cognitive health during later life; however, the impact is nuanced, depending on factors such as gender, care intensity, and family structure.