bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-resolution, 3D radiative transfer modelling
Authors: Nersesian Angelos , Verstocken Sam , Viaene Sébastien , Baes Maarten , Xilouris Emmanuel M. , Bianchi Simone , Casasola Viviana , Clark Christopher J. R. , Davies Jonathan I. , De Looze Ilse , De Vis Pieter , Dobbels Wouter , Fritz Jacopo , Galametz Maud , Galliano Frédéric , Jones Anthony P. , Madden Suzanne C. , Mosenkov Aleksandr V. , Trčka Ana , Ysard Nathalie
Published: August 2019

Context. Dust in late-type galaxies in the local Universe is responsible for absorbing approximately one third of the energy emitted by stars. It is often assumed that dust heating is mainly attributable to the absorption of ultraviolet and optical photons emitted by the youngest (≤100 Myr) stars. Consequently, thermal re-emission by dust at far-infrared wavelengths is often linked to the star-formation activity of a galaxy. However, several studies argue that the contribution to dust heating by much older stellar populations might be more significant than previously thought. Advances in radiation transfer simulations finally allow us to actually quantify the heating mechanisms of diffuse dust by the stellar radiation field.

Aims. As one of the main goals in the DustPedia project, we have developed a framework to construct detailed 3D stellar and dust radiative transfer models for nearby galaxies. In this study, we analyse the contribution of the different stellar populations to the dust heating in four nearby face-on barred galaxies: NGC 1365, M 83, M 95, and M 100. We aim to quantify the fraction directly related to young stellar populations, both globally and on local scales, and to assess the influence of the bar on the heating fraction.

Methods. From 2D images we derive the 3D distributions of stars and dust. To model the complex geometries, we used SKIRT, a state-of-the-art 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code designed to self-consistently simulate the absorption, scattering, and thermal re-emission by the dust for arbitrary 3D distributions.

Results. We derive global attenuation laws for each galaxy and confirm that galaxies of high specific star-formation rate have shallower attenuation curves and weaker UV bumps. On average, 36.5% of the bolometric luminosity is absorbed by dust in our galaxy sample. We report a clear effect of the bar structure on the radial profiles of the dust-heating fraction by the young stellar populations, and the dust temperature. We find that the young stellar populations are the main contributors to the dust heating, donating, on average ∼59% of their luminosity to this purpose throughout the galaxy. This dust-heating fraction drops to ∼53% in the bar region and ∼38% in the bulge region where the old stars are the dominant contributors to the dust heating. We also find a strong link between the heating fraction by the young stellar populations and the specific star-formation rate.
Effect of hydrogen ions in the adsorbed water layer on the resistive switching properties of hexagonal WO3 nanowire
Authors: Zhao Gang , Yin Yanling , Peng Yuehua , Yang Wenjun , Liu Yahui , Wang Weike , Zhou Weichang , Tang Dongsheng
Published: August 2019

The current-voltage characteristics and resistive switching mechanisms, based on the two-terminal Au/hexagonal WO3 nanowires/Au devices, have been investigated under different relative humidity levels. Under high relative humidity, the hydrogen ions produced by hole oxidizing adsorbed water molecules will drift to the negatively biased electrode in the adsorbed water layer based on the Grotthuss mechanism and accumulate near the negatively biased electrode, which will deplete the itinerant electrons and increase the height of the Schottky barrier prominently. The electrical transport properties are dominated by the electrode-limited conduction mechanism (Schottky emission). Once the bias voltage is larger than a critical value, these accumulated hydrogen ions are reduced to hydrogen immediately by the hot electrons injected from the negatively biased electrode, and then the electrical transport properties are dominated by the bulk-limited conduction mechanism (Poole-Frankel emission). It also indicates that the accumulation and reduction of the hydronium ions and then the electrical transport properties can be well regulated by adjusting the initial height of the interfacial barriers. The generation and accumulation of hydrogen ions induced by the bias voltage endows the device based on hexagonal WO3 nanowires with more abundant resistive switching properties.
Analysis of three-dimensional effects in laser driven thin-shell capsule implosions
Authors: Ramis Rafael , Canaud Benoit , Temporal Mauro , Garbett Warren J. , Philippe Franck
Published: August 2019

Three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic numerical simulations of laser driven thin-shell gas-filled microballoons have been carried out using the computer code MULTI-3D [Ramis et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 082710 (2014)]. The studied configuration corresponds to experiments carried at the ORION laser facility [Hopps et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 57, 064002 (2015)]. The MULTI-3D code solves single-temperature hydrodynamics, electron heat transport, and 3D ray tracing with inverse bremsstrahlung absorption on unstructured Lagrangian grids. Special emphasis has been placed on the genuine 3D effects that are inaccessible to calculations using simplified 1D or 2D geometries. These include the consequences of (i) a finite number of laser beams (10 in the experimental campaign), (ii) intensity irregularities in the beam cross-sectional profiles, (iii) laser beam misalignments, and (iv) power imbalance between beams. The consequences of these imperfections have been quantified by post-processing the numerical results in terms of capsule nonuniformities (synthetic emission and absorption images) and implosion efficiency (convergence ratio and neutron yield). Statistical analysis of these outcomes allows determination of the laser tolerances that guarantee a given level of target performance.
Invariant measures for the box-ball system based on stationary Markov chains and periodic Gibbs measures
Authors: Croydon David A. , Sasada Makiko
Published: August 2019

The box-ball system (BBS) is a simple model of soliton interaction introduced by Takahashi and Satsuma in the 1990s. Recent work of the authors, together with Tsuyoshi Kato and Satoshi Tsujimoto, derived various families of invariant measures for the BBS based on two-sided stationary Markov chains [D. A. Croydon et al., “Dynamics of the box-ball system with random initial conditions via Pitman’s transformation,” arXiv:1806.02147]. In this article, we survey the invariant measures that were presented in D. A. Croydon et al. and also introduce a family of new ones for periodic configurations that are expressed in terms of Gibbs measures. Moreover, we show that the former examples can be obtained as infinite volume limits of the latter. Another aspect of D. A. Croydon et al. was to describe scaling limits for the BBS; here, we review the results of D. A. Croydon et al. and also present scaling limits other than those that were covered there. One, the zigzag process has previously been observed in the context of queuing; another, a periodic version of the zigzag process, is apparently novel. Furthermore, we demonstrate that certain Palm measures associated with the stationary and periodic versions of the zigzag process yield natural invariant measures for the dynamics of corresponding versions of the ultradiscrete Toda lattice.
Deflation reveals dynamical structure in nondominant reaction coordinates
Authors: Husic Brooke E. , Noé Frank
Published: August 2019

The output of molecular dynamics simulations is high-dimensional, and the degrees of freedom among the atoms are related in intricate ways. Therefore, a variety of analysis frameworks have been introduced in order to distill complex motions into lower-dimensional representations that model the system dynamics. These dynamical models have been developed to optimally approximate the system’s global kinetics. However, the separate aims of optimizing global kinetics and modeling a process of interest diverge when the process of interest is not the slowest process in the system. Here, we introduce deflation into state-of-the-art methods in molecular kinetics in order to preserve the use of variational optimization tools when the slowest dynamical mode is not the same as the one we seek to model and understand. First, we showcase deflation for a simple toy system and introduce the deflated variational approach to Markov processes (dVAMP). Using dVAMP, we show that nondominant reaction coordinates produced using deflation are more informative than their counterparts generated without deflation. Then, we examine a protein folding system in which the slowest dynamical mode is not folding. Following a dVAMP analysis, we show that deflation can be used to obscure this undesired slow process from a kinetic model; in this case, a VAMPnet. The incorporation of deflation into current methods opens the door for enhanced sampling strategies and more flexible, targeted model building.
Fluorescence temperature sensing based on thermally activated singlet-triplet intersystem crossing in crystalline anthracene
Authors: Tang Cheng , Zhu Xiaojun , Song Yunfei , Liu Weilong , Yang Qingxin , Lv Zhe , Yang Yanqiang
Published: August 2019

The temperature dependence of a steady-state fluorescence spectrum of anthracene crystals ranging from 300 K to 500 K had been investigated, which was in the temperature range of most tabletop laser driven shock wave experiments. An interesting finding is that the fluorescence intensity of the 2-0 transition increases more rapidly than other transitions as the temperature increases. In particular, the logarithm of intensity ratios γn shows a linear correlation with inverse temperature, which can be used for fluorescence temperature sensing. The analysis of sensitivity η and random uncertainty ΔT has demonstrated that the intensity ratio γ1 is the best comprehensive performance physical quantity for temperature sensing. Theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrated that the unusual increase in the intensity of 2-0 transition originated from a second excited triplet state T2, which was thermally coupled with the first excited singlet state S1. In a word, we established a new fluorescence temperature sensing method based on the intensity ratio and clarified that the mechanism of this method was the thermally activated singlet-triplet intersystem crossing.
Electronic spectroscopy of carbon chains (C2n+1, n = 7–10) of astrophysical importance. I. Quantum chemistry
Authors: Reddy S. Rajagopala , Ghosh Arpita , Mahapatra S.
Published: August 2019

Carbon chains have been predicted to be potential carriers of diffuse interstellar band features in astrophysical observations. Motivated by numerous predictions, we set out to carry out extensive ab initio quantum chemistry calculations to establish the ground and excited electronic potential energy surfaces and their coupling surfaces for carbon chains containing an odd number of carbon atoms (C2n+1, n = 7–10). Vibronic coupling models are established with the aid of the calculated electronic energies to investigate nuclear dynamics from first principles. The latter are reported in Ghosh et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 151, 054304 (2019)]. The mentioned carbon chains possess a linear cumulenic structure at the equilibrium minimum of their electronic ground state, and an electronic excited state of the Σu+1 term appears to be extremely bright optically and absorbs in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Vertical excitation energy of this state decreases and transition dipole moment increases, and as a result, the oscillator strength of this state linearly increases with an increase of the chain length. There are states belonging to 1Πg, 1Πu, Σg+1, 1Δg, and 1Δu terms, in the immediate vicinity of the Σu+1 state, which are optically dark but can gain intensity through vibronic coupling with the optically bright Σu+1 state. Construction of a coupling scheme considering the Renner-Teller coupling within the degenerate Π states and pseudo-Renner-Teller coupling between the Renner-Teller split component states as well as with the nondegenerate Σ states is another motivation of this work. The coupled-state Hamiltonian is constructed in a diabatic electronic basis in terms of the dimensionless normal coordinates of the vibrational modes of the carbon chains. Both Renner-Teller and pseudo-Renner-Teller types of couplings are included in the Hamiltonian. The theoretical results are discussed in relation to the experimental findings.
Electronic spectroscopy of carbon chains (C2n+1, n = 7–10) of astrophysical importance. II. Quantum dynamics
Authors: Ghosh Arpita , Reddy S. Rajagopala , Mahapatra Susanta
Published: August 2019

In continuation with Paper I [S. R. Reddy et al., J. Chem. Phys. 151, 054303 (2019)], the vibronic structure and dynamics of the   1Σu+ electronic state of C15, C17, C19, and C21 chains in the coupled manifold of   1Σu+–1Πg–1Πu–  1Σg+ electronic states have been investigated in this paper. The model vibronic Hamiltonian developed through extensive ab initio quantum chemistry calculations in Paper I is employed, and first principles nuclear dynamics calculations are carried out to obtain the photoabsorption band of the   1Σu+ electronic state. Both time-independent and time-dependent quantum mechanical calculations are carried out to precisely locate the vibrational levels, assign them with the progression of vibrational modes, and elucidate the impact of both Renner-Teller and pseudo-Renner-Teller couplings on them. The nonradiative decay of the   1Σu+ electronic state is studied, and it is found that the decay rate is comparable with the prediction made for them to be qualified as a carrier of diffuse interstellar bands in the literature. The theoretical results are found to be in good accord with the available experimental results.
Building ferroelectric from the bottom up: The machine learning analysis of the atomic-scale ferroelectric distortions
Authors: Ziatdinov M. , Nelson C. , Vasudevan R. K. , Chen D. Y. , Kalinin S. V.
Published: August 2019

Recent advances in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) have enabled direct visualization of the atomic structure of ferroic materials, enabling the determination of atomic column positions with approximately picometer precision. This, in turn, enabled direct mapping of ferroelectric and ferroelastic order parameter fields via the top-down approach, where the atomic coordinates are directly mapped on the mesoscopic order parameters. Here, we explore the alternative bottom-up approach, where the atomic coordinates derived from the STEM image are used to explore the extant atomic displacement patterns in the material and build the collection of the building blocks for the distorted lattice. This approach is illustrated for the La-doped BiFeO3 system.
Microstructural investigation of a compact TiO2 layer for improvement of perovskite solar cells
Authors: Kim Tae Woong , Uchida Satoshi , Kondo Takashi , Segawa Hiroshi
Published: August 2019

We report the microstructural investigation of a compact TiO2 layer deposited by spray pyrolysis and its interrelation with a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). By analyzing the diffraction patterns and TEM images, we identified that the spray pyrolysis compact TiO2 layer has an anatase structure and contains grain boundaries caused by the influence of the FTO substrate. By checking higher cell performance of the organometal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) incorporating a compact TiO2 layer via atomic layer deposition not including the grain boundaries compared to the case of the spray pyrolysis compact TiO2 layer, it was confirmed that the existence of grain boundaries deteriorates the photovoltaic properties of the PSCs.
A simple torque magnetometer for magnetic moment measurement of large samples: Application to permanent magnets and bulk superconductors
Authors: Brialmont S. , Fagnard J. F. , Vanderbemden P.
Published: August 2019

The development of large size magnetic materials requires nondestructive measurement techniques to characterize their magnetic moment. In this work, we report the design and construction of a torque magnetometer able to accommodate sizable magnetic samples (>1 cm3) both at room temperature and cryogenic temperature. This device has an intermediate sensitivity between miniature torque magnetometers designed to work at cryogenic temperature and industrial torquemeters poorly adapted to extreme conditions. We show that torque sensing in the range 10−3–100 Nm can be achieved with piezoresistive metallic strain gages cemented on a cylindrical aluminum shaft with external temperature control. An absolute calibration of the device, carried out with a coil fed by a DC current, shows that magnetic moments down to 5 × 10−3 A m2 can be measured by this technique. The magnetometer is used to characterize a Nd–Fe–B permanent magnet and a permanently magnetized bulk, large grain superconductor at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K). Results are in excellent agreement with data obtained with a flux extraction magnetometer for large samples. The device is able to measure magnetic moments in excess of 1.5 A m2, i.e., two orders of magnitude above the maximum magnetic moment of commercial magnetometers. The sample can be inserted in the air-gap of an electromagnet to measure the decrease in magnetic moment in the presence of a transverse applied field. The device was used to characterize the magnetic moment of “quasibulk” superconductors made of stacked coated conductor tapes (12 mm width) in such “crossed field” conditions.
Noise processes in InAs/Ga(In)Sb Corbino structures
Authors: Stevens Loah A. , Li Tingxin , Du Rui-Rui , Natelson Douglas
Published: August 2019

Two-dimensional topological insulators are of great interest, with predicted topological protection of one-dimensional helical edge states at their boundaries. Shot noise, the fluctuations in driven current due to the discreteness of charge carriers, has been proposed as a way of distinguishing between trivial and nontrivial edge state conduction, as well as a means of assessing back-scattering mechanisms in the latter. Such measurements require an understanding of possible contributions to the noise from contacts and conduction in the 2D bulk. We present noise measurements in Corbino structures based on InAs/Ga(In)Sb quantum well interfaces over a broad temperature and applied current range. As the temperature is lowered and the bulk transport is gapped out, shot noise becomes detectable in these two-terminal devices, in both high- and low-frequency measurement techniques. Quantitative comparison with a noise model shows that the total applied voltage drop is split among the contacts and the bulk and that the devices have some intrinsic asymmetry. Within that model, the magnitude of the shot noise appears to be anomalously large, implying the contacts to the 2D bulk are nontrivial in this system.
Quantum statistical study of the C+ + OH → CO + H+/CO+ + H reaction: Reaction rate and product branching ratio at interstellar temperatures
Authors: Dagdigian Paul J.
Published: August 2019

The C+ + OH reaction is an important process in the interstellar synthesis of the CO molecule and the CO+ ion. This reaction has two possible chemical outcomes, namely, formation of CO + H+ and CO+ + H products. Formation of CO + H+ occurs on the ground 11A′ potential energy surface (PES), while CO+ + H can be formed on the 13A′ and 21A′ PESs. The stationary points on these three PESs have been found in explicitly correlated internally contracted multireference configuration interaction (icMRCI-F12a+Q) calculations. The entrance channel on the 11A′ PES is barrierless, and the barriers on the 13A′ and 21A′ PESs are submerged so that the reaction to form both sets of products can occur at interstellar temperatures. The quantum statistical method of Manolopoulos and co-workers was employed with the three PESs in the reactant channel to compute the total reaction cross section and rate coefficient, as well as the product branching ratio, as a function of temperature. These PESs can be adiabatically accessed by the ground spin-orbit state, C+(2P1/2), and the rate coefficient for the reaction of this state was estimated by invoking the adiabatic approximation.
A genome-wide approach for uncovering evolutionary relationships of Australian Bactrocera species complexes (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Catullo Renee A. , Yeap Heng L. , Lee Siu F. , Bragg Jason G. , Cheesman Jodie , De Faveri Stefano , Edwards Owain , Hee Alvin K. W. , Popa Angel D. , Schiffer Michele , Oakeshott John G.
Published: August 2019

Australia and Southeast Asia are hotspots of global diversity in the fruit-fly genus Bactrocera. Although a great diversity of species has been long recognised, evolutionary relationships are poorly understood, largely because previous sequencing techniques have provided insufficient historical signal for phylogenetic reconstruction. Poorly understood biogeographic history in Bactrocera has prevented a deeper understanding of migratory patterns in this economically important pest group. Using representatives from Australia and Malaysia, we tested the utility of a genome-reduction approach that generates thousands of single-nucleotide polymorphisms for phylogenetic reconstructions. This approach has high utility for species identification because of the ease of sample addition over time, and the species-level specificity able to be achieved with the markers. These data have provided a strongly supported phylogenetic tree congruent with topologies generated using more intensive sequencing approaches. In addition, our results do not support taxonomic assignments to species complex for a number of species, such as B. endiandrae in the dorsalis complex, yet find a close relationship between B. pallida and the dorsalis species. Our data have further validated non-monophyletic evolution of male response to primary attractants. We also showed at least two diversification events between Australia and Southeast Asia, indicating trans-regional dispersal in important pest species.
Sex-specific neuroprotection by inhibition of the Y-chromosome gene,
SRY
, in experimental Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Lee Joohyung , Pinares-Garcia Paulo , Loke Hannah , Ham Seungmin , Vilain Eric , Harley Vincent R.
Published: August 2019

Significance

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that results from the loss of midbrain dopamine neurons. While the cause of PD is unknown, male sex is one of the strongest risk factors. Traditionally, sex differences in PD have been attributed to the neuroprotective actions of estrogen in females. Here we show that the Y-chromosome gene,
SRY
, is up-regulated in animal and cell culture models of PD, and that suppressing
SRY
expression in male rats diminishes neurodegeneration and motor deficits in preclinical PD models. Taken together, our findings suggest that
SRY
up-regulation might be a potential pathogenic mechanism of male PD, and that
SRY
inhibition may be a novel male-specific strategy to slow or halt the progression of PD.
Parietal low beta rhythm provides a dynamical substrate for a working memory buffer
Authors: Gelastopoulos Alexandros , Whittington Miles A. , Kopell Nancy J.
Published: August 2019

Working memory (WM) is a component of the brain’s memory systems vital for interpretation of sequential sensory inputs and consequent decision making. Anatomically, WM is highly distributed over the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the parietal cortex (PC). Here we present a biophysically detailed dynamical systems model for a WM buffer situated in the PC, making use of dynamical properties believed to be unique to this area. We show that the natural beta1 rhythm (12 to 20 Hz) of the PC provides a substrate for an episodic buffer that can synergistically combine executive commands (e.g., from PFC) and multimodal information into a flexible and updatable representation of recent sensory inputs. This representation is sensitive to distractors, it allows for a readout mechanism, and it can be readily terminated by executive input. The model provides a demonstration of how information can be usefully stored in the temporal patterns of activity in a neuronal network rather than just synaptic weights between the neurons in that network.
Rhodopsin-based voltage imaging tools for use in muscles and neurons of
Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Azimi Hashemi Negin , Bergs Amelie C. F. , Schüler Christina , Scheiwe Anna Rebecca , Steuer Costa Wagner , Bach Maximilian , Liewald Jana F. , Gottschalk Alexander
Published: August 2019

Genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) based on microbial rhodopsins utilize the voltage-sensitive fluorescence of all-
trans
retinal (ATR), while in electrochromic FRET (eFRET) sensors, donor fluorescence drops when the rhodopsin acts as depolarization-sensitive acceptor. In recent years, such tools have become widely used in mammalian cells but are less commonly used in invertebrate systems, mostly due to low fluorescence yields. We systematically assessed Arch(D95N), Archon, QuasAr, and the eFRET sensors MacQ-mCitrine and QuasAr-mOrange, in the nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans
. ATR-bearing rhodopsins reported on voltage changes in body wall muscles (BWMs), in the pharynx, the feeding organ [where Arch(D95N) showed approximately 128% ΔF/F increase per 100 mV], and in neurons, integrating circuit activity. ATR fluorescence is very dim, yet, using the retinal analog dimethylaminoretinal, it was boosted 250-fold. eFRET sensors provided sensitivities of 45 to 78% ΔF/F per 100 mV, induced by BWM action potentials, and in pharyngeal muscle, measured in simultaneous optical and sharp electrode recordings, MacQ-mCitrine showed approximately 20% ΔF/F per 100 mV. All sensors reported differences in muscle depolarization induced by a voltage-gated Ca
2+
-channel mutant. Optogenetically evoked de- or hyperpolarization of motor neurons increased or eliminated action potential activity and caused a rise or drop in BWM sensor fluorescence. Finally, we analyzed voltage dynamics across the entire pharynx, showing uniform depolarization but compartmentalized repolarization of anterior and posterior parts. Our work establishes all-optical, noninvasive electrophysiology in live, intact
C. elegans
.
Volumetric and shear processes in crystalline rock approaching faulting
Authors: Renard François , McBeck Jessica , Kandula Neelima , Cordonnier Benoît , Meakin Paul , Ben-Zion Yehuda
Published: August 2019

Understanding the approach to faulting in continental rocks is critical for identifying processes leading to fracturing in geomaterials and the preparation process of large earthquakes. In situ dynamic X-ray imaging and digital volume correlation analysis of a crystalline rock core, under a constant confining pressure of 25 MPa, are used to elucidate the initiation, growth, and coalescence of microfractures leading to macroscopic failure as the axial compressive stress is increased. Following an initial elastic deformation, microfractures develop in the solid, and with increasing differential stress, the damage pervades the rock volume. The creation of new microfractures is accompanied by propagation, opening, and closing of existing microfractures, leading to the emergence of damage indices that increase as powers of the differential stress when approaching failure. A strong spatial correlation is observed between microscale zones with large positive and negative volumetric strains, microscale zones with shears of opposite senses, and microscale zones with high volumetric and shear strains. These correlations are attributed to microfracture interactions mediated by the heterogeneous stress field. The rock fails macroscopically as the microfractures coalesce and form a geometrically complex 3D volume that spans the rock sample. At the onset of failure, more than 70% of the damage volume is connected in a large fracture cluster that evolves into a fault zone. In the context of crustal faulting dynamics, these results suggest that evolving rock damage around existing locked or future main faults influences the localization process that culminates in large brittle rupture events.
Desmin forms toxic, seeding-competent amyloid aggregates that persist in muscle fibers
Authors: Kedia Niraja , Arhzaouy Khalid , Pittman Sara K. , Sun Yuanzi , Batchelor Mark , Weihl Conrad C. , Bieschke Jan
Published: August 2019

Significance

Protein aggregation and the deposition of amyloid is a common feature in neurodegeneration, but can also be seen in degenerative muscle diseases known as myofibrillar myopathies (MFMs). Hallmark pathology in MFM patient muscle is myofibrillar disarray, aggregation of the muscle-specific intermediate filament, desmin, and amyloid. In some cases, a missense mutation in desmin leads to its destabilization and aggregation. The present study demonstrates that similar to neurodegenerative proteins, desmin can form amyloid and template the amyloidogenic conversion of unaggregated desmin protein. This desmin-derived amyloid is toxic to myocytes and persists when introduced into skeletal muscle, in contrast to unaggregated desmin. These data demonstrate that desmin itself can form amyloid and expand the mechanism of proteinopathies to skeletal muscle.
Medium-range order in amorphous ices revealed by persistent homology
Authors: Hong Sungyeon , Kim Donghun
Published: August 2019

Despite the amorphous nature of glassy water, x-ray or neutron scattering experiments reveal sharp peaks in the structure factor, indicating the existence of medium-range order (MRO) in the system. However the real space origin of the peaks has yet to be disclosed. Herein, we use a combined approach of molecular dynamics simulations and persistent homology (PH) to investigate two types of glassy water, low-density amorphous (LDA) and high-density amorphous (HDA) ices. We present prominent MRO ring structures in each type of the ices, distinguished by their size and shape as well as the number of their components: MRO rings in HDA are observed smaller, less planar and more membered, compared to those in LDA. The PH-extracted MRO rings successfully reproduce the quantitative features, including the position and width, of the first sharp diffraction peaks in the structure factor, hence suitably serving as the origin of experimental MRO signatures in the amorphous ices. Our study supports that PH is an effective tool to identify hidden MRO in amorphous configurations.
Heat current control in trapped Bose–Einstein Condensates
Authors: Charalambous C , Garcia-March M A , Mehboudi M , Lewenstein M
Published: August 2019

We investigate the heat transport and the control of heat current among two spatially separated trapped Bose–Einstein Condensates (BECs), each of them at a different temperature. To allow for heat transport among the two independent BECs we consider a link made of two harmonically trapped impurities, each of them interacting with one of the BECs. Since the impurities are spatially separated, we consider long-range interactions between them, namely a dipole–dipole coupling. We study this system under theoretically suitable and experimentally feasible assumptions/parameters. The dynamics of these impurities is treated within the framework of the quantum Brownian motion model, where the excitation modes of the BECs play the role of the heat bath. We address the dependence of heat current and current–current correlations on the physical parameters of the system. Interestingly, we show that heat rectification, i.e. the unidirectional flow of heat, can occur in our system, when a periodic driving on the trapping frequencies of the impurities is considered. Therefore, our system is a possible setup for the implementation of a phononic circuit. Motivated by recent developments on the usage of BECs as platforms for quantum information processing, our work offers an alternative possibility to use this versatile setting for information transfer and processing, within the context of phononics, and more generally in quantum thermodynamics.
Comparison of three kinds of polarized Bessel vortex beams propagating through uniaxial anisotropic media*
Authors: Liu Jia-Wei , Li Hai-Ying , Ding Wei , Bai Lu , Wu Zhen-Sen , Li Zheng-Jun
Published: August 2019

A comparison of differently polarized Bessel vortex beams propagating through a uniaxial anisotropic slab is discussed in terms of the vector wave function expansions. The magnitude profiles of electric field components, the transformation of polarization modes, and the distributions of orbital angular momentum (OAM) states of the reflected and transmitted beams for different incident angles are numerically simulated. The results indicate that the magnitude profiles of electric field components for different polarization modes are distinct from each other and have a great dependence on the incident angle, thus the transformation of polarization modes which reflects the change of energy can be affected largely. As compared to the x and circular polarization incidences, the reflected and transmitted beams for the radial polarization incidence suffer the fewest transformation of polarization modes, showing a better energy invariance. The distributions of OAM states of the reflected and transmitted beams for different polarization modes are diverse as well, and the derived OAM states of the transmitted beam for radial polarization present a focusing effect, concentrating on the state between two predominant OAM states.
Methodology to Predict Effects of Leakage Flow from Guide Vanes of Francis Turbine
Authors: Gautam Saroj , Lama Ram , Chitrakar Sailesh , Prasad Neopane Hari , Singh Thapa Biraj , Zhu Baoshan
Published: August 2019

Leakage flow from clearance gap affects the performance of Francis turbines. This study presents the method to predict the effects of leakage flow from clearance gap of GVs. When sediments flow along with water through guide vanes it erodes the guide vane’s surface. Clearance gap of the guide vanes gradually increases due to continuous effects of abrasive wear. This phenomena of abrasion deteriorates the overall performance of the turbine. In this study, the effects of increased clearance gap of GVs of Francis turbine are studied numerically. Numerical models including the clearance gap-size of 0 mm, 2 mm and 4 mm are made to compare the effects. It uses alternative leakage flow approach, whereby current model consisting of 24 GVs contains 12 clearance gaps alternatively. This approach makes it possible to differentiate the amplitude of pressure pulsations contributed either by wakes or vortices due to leakage flow from guide vanes. Comparing the 3 different cases, it was found that increased clearance gap of the guide vanes increases the pressure pulsation at the runner inlet, reducing overall efficiency of the turbine.
Comparative numerical analysis between two designs of Francis runner blades in sediment affected conditions
Authors: Lama R , Gautam S , Chitrakar S , Neopane H P , Thapa B S
Published: August 2019

Sediment erosion of hydraulic turbine is the major problem from the perspective of operation and maintenance in power plants of Himalayan and Andes region. The effects of sediment erosion on turbine components need to be predicted in advance during the design phase so that the best design with better sediment handling can be installed in real power plants. In this paper, comparison of performance and erosion of two different designs of Francis turbine i.e. design I and design II are carried out. Full turbine steady state numerical simulations are carried out for 8 different guide vane openings using shear stress transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model. Sediment erosion analysis is carried out using Tabakoff erosion model for both the designs, numerical hill charts are constructed using Ned and Qed values for all the operating conditions. Comparison of pressure distribution along pressure and suction side of GV surface between design I and a similar measurement in a previous experiment is carried out, which shows a good agreement between numerical and experimental results. Hydraulic efficiency and the sediment erosion rate density on the runner blades of design I for all operating conditions is higher than that of design II. The difference in efficiency is less than 1.85%for all operating conditions while sediment erosion rate density is much less in design II, which shows that design II is a better option for this turbine.
Design of Spiral Casing of Francis Turbine for Micro Hydro Applications
Authors: Dahal D.R. , Chitrakar S. , Kapali A. , Thapa B.S. , Neopane H.P.
Published: August 2019

Spiral casing is an important component of Francis turbine for even distribution of kinetic and potential energy of water so as to achieve the required reaction for better performance of the runner. Optimal design and analysis of spiral configuration is challenging, especially when the turbine is operating in a low head range due to the necessity of a large cross-sectional area of the casing to accumulate the large flow. The main objective of this study is to design the best configuration of cross section of spiral casing which have a very minimal pressure loss and can provide required inlet flow condition for stay vanes. For this, spiral casing configurations following free-vortex theory with different cross sections i.e. circular, trapezoidal and square are designed and analysed numerically. Pressure, radial and tangential velocity distributions are compared for different cross section of spiral casing suitable for micro hydro applications. Considering the ease of manufacturing, flexibility of dimension adjustments and comparable performance with that of the circular spiral casing, trapezoidal casing is found to be an appropriate alternative for such applications.
A Review on Experimental Study of Sediment Erosion in Hydraulic Turbines at Laboratory Conditions
Authors: Kapali A. , Chitrakar S. , Shrestha O. , Neopane H.P. , Thapa B.S.
Published: August 2019

Experimental erosion testing of hydro turbine components in laboratory conditions over field testing and simulation testing is a necessity as effects of individual erosion influencing factors like particle size, speed, concentration, angle of attack and behaviour of the eroded material can be studied in close compromise as that with components in actual operating environments. Extensive experimental results have been reported from the past studies from different erosion tests performed. In this paper, recent research and development of a wide range of laboratory scale erosion testing is reviewed. Considering the complexities of developing a setup that replicate the actual erosion behaviour of turbine, a test rig is suggested for future works that closely meet the operating requirements.
Wave destruction of closed soils
Authors: Novikov A , Borisenko I , Chamurliev O , Chamurliev G , Plyushchikov V
Published: August 2019

With a blocked cutting of closed soil on the vibrating cutting edge of the bit, a deformation cone is formed due to cyclic and transient compression of the gas phase, which becomes a carrier of the kinetic energy transformed in the form of high-frequency supersonic shock waves. The angles of inclination of the cone-forming deformations coincide with the angles of repose of the soil and are equal to approximately 45°, as a result of which the shock waves propagate in the least energy-consuming way. The high-frequency nature of the shock waves leads to the fact that at frequencies of τ < 0.0037 s, the adhesion between solid inclusions is interrupted in the deformation zone, and the internal friction of the soil is essentially leveled out. This process is carried out through chisel-type tillage implements of the original structures considered in the present work.
Development and implementation of network based underground mines safety, rescue and aided rescue system
Authors: Matveykin V , Nemtinov V , Dmitrievsky B , Praveen K
Published: August 2019

In this article, we describe safety issues connected with mining industry which continues its rapid development and is regarded as one of the major source of energy in many countries. A series of fatal emergencies primarily due to gaseous hazards has made it vital to develop a robust General Emergency Management System which is technically advance and maintainable. It should contain the following units bound by a network: voice communication, tracking of the personnel, mine atmosphere monitoring, underground equipment control and monitoring, monitoring of escape, rescue apparatus, aided rescue equipment and navigation support during escape. Further, we discuss maintenance, care and application of Self-Contained Self-Rescuer systems on the example of the model SHS-30 developed by the Corporation Roshimazschita (Tambov, Russia).
Modelling of substance interactions in electrochemical membrane processes by basis of the friction theory
Authors: Kiselyov K , Shestakov K , Horohorina I , Abonosimov O , Lazarev S
Published: August 2019

An improved mathematical model for calculating the transfer of substances in electrochemical membrane processes based on the Spiegler friction model is developed and presented. This model differs from those presented in the literature in that it takes into account the combined effect of pressure and electric field on the transfer of particles of the solute and solvent and allows calculating the friction coefficients of the interaction of anions, cations, solvent and membrane pore walls among themselves. Calculated friction coefficients can be used in the theoretical calculations and the prediction of change over time of the kinetic parameters of baromembrane, electromembrane and electrobaromembrane separation processes of industrial solutions in various industries.
Simulation of intelligent information-measuring systems of thermophysical properties of materials and products
Authors: Selivanova Z M , Kurenkov D S , Hoang T A
Published: August 2019

The article contains a formalized description of functioning of intelligent information measuring system for non-destructive testing of materials and products thermal properties. System simulation has been fulfilled, and as a result of it the mathematical models for transformation of measurement data in the intelligent system in Mathcad software during thermophysical measurements. The mathematical pattern of decision-making in the intelligent system allows to improve the accuracy of parameter determination of thermophysical properties of tested materials and the efficiency of the functioning system.
Determining best East Java monthly rainfall projection using spatial-based validation
Authors: Mahmudiah R R , Kurniawan A , Makmur E E S
Published: August 2019

In production of climate change information, determining the best projection is a very important step. Missed projection can lead to loss of public trust in climate change. In some previous studies, most analyses were conducted on point approach due to the lack of observational data covering large spatial areas. In this study, rainfall data from 197 observation points are used to get correction coefficients by comparing it to monthly rainfall historical model from 1972-2005. Area of study is 110.89°E–116.27° E and 8.78°S–5.04°S. Two RCP scenarios (4.5 and 8.5) under CSIROMK3.6 RegCM4 BMKG SEA-Cordex are compared to get its ensemble weighting factor. Validation parameters used are mean absolute error and quartiles of error. Shifting correction is introduced in this study with some evidence based on visual analysis and high correction coefficients from the unshifted one. It is also shown that bilinear resampling gives better result than nearest neighbour. Ensemble weighting factors are then set 0.4 for RCP 8.5 and 0.6 for RCP 4.5. In next 10 years (2017-2026), dry condition average rainfall condition is expected to happen between May and October.
Multi Spectral Satellite Data to Investigate Land Expansion and Related Micro Climate Change as Threats to the Environment
Authors: Hanif M , Putra B G , Nizam K , Rahman H , Nofrizal A Y
Published: August 2019

Technology development of satellite earth observation offers multi-spectral data, variations sensitivity of satellite sensors are very useful to detect existing conditions by using the remote sensing algorithm to extract the land cover and the phenomenon that has occurred. Ecosystems have bound tolerance to nature condition and organisms have adaptation limit to climate change. Method used in this study was the extraction of land cover by applying multi spectral analysis as Maximum Likelihood, object base image analysis, (LST) land surface temperature, and also the formula Threat of Land Expansion (TLE) to the environment. Result showed that multispectral and time series analysis gave the increasing dynamic of land expansion, especially for forest high density, which areas ranged from 29098.73 ha in 2000 to 19216.7 ha in 2018. The surface temperature increase was ± 2.8 C° in eighteen years. The temperature dynamic represented the micro climate changes, has followed stream of land expansion. TLE represented zone threats of land expansion to natural ecosystems. It was found that threat zone because land expansion. The area of high threat vale 0.4 around central human activity was a built up area.
Elemental Composition of Particulate Matter Air Pollution Collected Around Industrial Area in East Java
Authors: Santoso M , Lestiani D D , Kurniawati S , Damastuti E , Kusmartini I , Prakoso D , Dimas  , Triyambodo  , Rita
Published: August 2019

Air pollution is one of the key environmental and public health concerns in urban areas in Indonesia. The environment impacts are particularly severe in Java region where the cities have a combination of intense industrial activities, large populations, and increase of motor vehicle usage. This paper describes results from a detailed elemental characterization study conducted in Surabaya, East Java. Samples of airborne particulate matter, PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 were collected once a week using a Gent stacked filter sampler during 2012-2015. The samples were analyzed for their elemental composition and black carbon (BC) content by Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) and light absorption, respectively. The mass concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 ranged from 4.8 to 30.8 μg/m3 and 9.4 to 114.9 μg/m3, respectively. The annual average PM2.5 obtained during over the period of 2012 to 2015 would be in violation of the Indonesian annual average standard concentrations of 15 μg/m3. The distributions of the ratio of PM2.5 to PM10 is less than 0.5. The average ratio of BC concentrations compared to the PM2.5 concentrations was 22.6 %. Several composition of elemental concentration were also determined and the results showed that lead level in PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 was significantly higher with the maximum concentrations were 2779 and 2258 ng/m3 respectively. The Pb concentrations in Surabaya were tens to thousand times higher than in other cities. These results could be used to provide an overview of the measurements of the concentrations and composition of particulate air pollution in Surabaya and as a key in identification and estimation of pollutant sources to design the appropriate and right policies.