bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low-interference real-time at-line spectroscopic composition analysis for chemical plants
Authors: Bogatykh Innokentij , Illner Markus , Nagler Franz-Josef , Stein Hendrik , Osterland Thomas , Repke Jens-Uwe
Published: January 2023

A novel system for composition analysis in chemical plants at high temperatures and pressures has been developed. The system uses heated capillaries to extract and transport liquid and gaseous samples to a Fourier-transform-infrared-spectrometer (FTIR) for analysis. The samples are extracted from pressure vessels at temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 190 °C and pressures from 5 to 22 bar and analyzed via FTIR with a dead time of 5–10 s. The system was successfully used to monitor the dehydration reaction of methanol to dimethyl ether in a reactive distillation column in a 170 h long-term experiment. The system has a measurement range of 1 × 10−4 mol mol−1 to 1 mol mol−1 and is accurate and fast enough for real-time product quality assessment and control in high purity chemical processes where inline measurements are challenging due to harsh environments.
Linear superposition for a sine-Gordon equation with some types of novel nonlocalities
Authors: Zhang Zong-Ao , Lou S Y
Published: January 2023

Some nonlocal sine-Gordon (SG) systems with some different types of nonlocalities are derived from the usual local SG equation by means of the consistent correlated bang approach. The nonlocal SG systems are Lax integrable. Two types of N-soliton solutions and six types of periodic solutions of the usual SG equation are presented. Some types of solutions of the nonlocal integrable SG systems are obtained by using the symmetric-antisymmetric separation approach. Usually, the linear superposition principle can not hold as a general principle in the presence of nonlinearity. In this paper, it is shown that for a special type of nonlocal SG equations, a linear superposition theorem can be survived for some special types of exact solutions.
Numerical comparison and design of magnets arrays for particle separating, based on magnetophoresis
Authors: Baghdadi Shahriar , Rad Malekshahi Mazdak
Published: January 2023

In this paper, based on magnetophoresis, the effects of magnets arrays changings on particle tracing are analyzed. The changing of magnets arrays are included the changings of magnets dimensions and also the changing of the space between them. Magnets arrays with different styles, have generated dissimilar magnetic field. Hence, in some cases the magnetic force is stronger. In these cases, the manipulation on particles are done in less time. The importance of this problem is related to increase the throughput of the microsystem.To conquer to this challenge analytical methods (mathematical piecewise method) in 2D platform are used. The path of particles in microchannel are predicted. Then, the changings in magnets arrays (gap-dimension) are inserted. Lastly, the comparison of distance, velocity, and time to find out the proper style are done.The results shown that for the specific surface area (volume in 3D platform), there is a particular magnets dimension with a particular spacing between them (gap-dimension). Which has performed a maximum effects on microparticles. The simulations for five surface area S1 = 40000 μm2, S2 = 62500 μm2, S3 = 90000 μm2, S4 = 122500 μm2, and S5 = 160000 μm2 are proceed. The results are describes as the couple of gap-dimension which the gap is the space between magnets and the dimension is the intersection of the magnets and the channel. The results of (gap-dimension) for specific surface area are listed respectively as: (500 μm−107 μm), (575 μm−127 μm), (650 μm–146 μm), (725 μm−164 μm), and (800 μm − 183 μm). The efficiency and throughput in this points are 100 percent for micro device. Because all of the particle are captured in the less time.Using the proper gap-dimension for the magnets arrays is led to maximize the efficiency and throughput of the microsystem.
Performance Study of Plant Phenol Modified Tapioca Starch in Drilling Fluid
Authors: Song Bingqian , Mo Cheng , Lei Haoran , Zhang Jie
Published: February 2023

As a natural and environmentally friendly product with wide sources, low cost, easy degradation and good environmental adaptability, starch has a wide range of applications in the petroleum industry, but improving its temperature resistance is an important research direction for the future. In this paper, by modifying cassava starch with plant phenols, different types and concentrations of plant phenols were preferably selected with plastic viscosity PV (mPa-s) and filtration loss FL (mL) as the main evaluation indexes, and the results showed that the plant phenol modified cassava starch has excellent temperature resistance and filtration loss reduction performance. In addition, the results of clay ball experiment and bentonite particle size distribution measurement experiment indicated that the hydration dispersion and hydration swelling inhibition performance of plant phenol-cassava starch clay were good. Plant phenol-cassava starch is expected to be widely used as a safe and environmentally friendly drilling fluid treatment agent with excellent performance.
Modeling Method of Engine Zero-dimensional Combustion Model Based on PSO Algorithm Optimization
Authors: Hu Deng , Wang Hechun , Wang Binbin , Duan Baoyin , Wang Yinyan , Yang Chuanlei
Published: February 2023

To improve the low accuracy of the zero-dimensional combustion model established by BP-NN, a particle swarm-neural network (PSO-NN) algorithm was proposed. The PSO optimize weights and thresholds of NN, and the operating and combustion parameters are constructed, and then compared with NN algorithm. The results show that comparing with NN algorithm, the zero-dimensional combustion model constructed by PSO-NN algorithm has higher prediction accuracy, and the mean square error of the main combustion period m is 0.0034, which is 78.21% lower than that before optimization. The particle swarm algorithm has quicker convergence and stronger versatility, which is suitable for the study of diesel engine 0-D model.
Structural Improvement on Cylinder of Horizontal Ultrafine Stirring Mill
Authors: Wang Lin , Zheng Jin , Huo Chaoxia , Li Guojun
Published: February 2023

The stirred media mill with pin-type rotor structure is one of the important equipment for manufacturing superfine powder. Its structure design affects the grinding and refinement of superhard and superfine powder. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used to carry out numerical simulation of single-phase flow field, improve the cylinder structure, add static pins for it. The influence of circular, triangular and rectangular static pin structures on the flow field and grinding characteristics of stirred mill was analyzed. The results show that the cylinder with static pins can better hinder the flow inside the grinding machine, improve the utilization rate of energy inside the stirred mill, and increase the proportion of the region with large velocity gradient in the grinding chamber. Compared with the three design schemes, it can be found that the larger area and non-streamlined rectangular static pin can improve the grinding strength of the stirred mill.
Flux Reconstruction Schemes for Fokker-Planck Equations with Drift-Admitting Jumps
Authors: Lin Yu , Chen Yaming , Deng Xiaogang
Published: February 2023

We develop in this work flux reconstruction (FR) schemes for one-dimensional Fokker-Planck equations with drift-admitting jumps, which have applications in describing the propagators of piecewise-smooth stochastic differential equations. Since the propagators are nonsmooth at the jumps of the drift, difficulties arise in finding the corresponding solutions not only theoretically but also numerically. To be more specific, the main difficulties lie in the fact that two matching conditions have to be imposed simultaneously at each jump, i.e., where the the propagator and the probability current are continuous. In this work, we show that the FR method is an ideal choice for designing numerical schemes for solving this problem. The corresponding FR schemes are given in details. Some benchmark examples are also employed to validate the proposed schemes numerically.
A Study on X-ray Shielding Efficiency of New 3D Alloy
Authors: Liu Minqiang , Zhu Xiaofeng , Zeng Chao , Xu Xianguo
Published: February 2023

In this paper, MCNP was used to simulate the shielding efficiency of different shielding materials and the new 3D alloy (an alloy of Ta and W) with different surface densities for the low energy X-ray spectrum (<200keV), and the transmission efficiency of the new 3D alloy with different single energy X-ray spectrum. The simulation results show that the new 3D alloy is a shielding material with high X-ray shielding efficiency, which is approximate to W. The higher the surface density is, the greater the shielding efficiency of the new 3D alloy is. With the increase of energy, the X-ray transmissivity increases. At about 69keV, the transmissivity suddenly decreases to the minimum, and then increases with the increase of energy. And the X-ray transmission verification experiment is designed, and the experimental results are in good agreement with the simulation results.
Experimental Study on Supporting Capacity of Hollow Reinforced Concrete Filled Steel Tube
Authors: Liu Yanan
Published: February 2023

Hollow reinforced concrete supported specimens with different slenderness ratio and steel content were designed and the load-displacement test was carried out. The load-displacement curve of hollow reinforced concrete filled steel tube supported showed no obvious decreasing section, and the curve remained almost unchanged or slightly decreased after reaching the ultimate load, with good ductility. The bearing capacity of the support increases with the decrease of hollow ratio. The heart rate decreases from 0.33 to 0.19, and the bearing capacity increases 2.037~2.28 times. The bearing capacity calculation formula of hollow reinforced concrete filled steel tube is derived, and the improved compressive strength calculation formula of hollow reinforced concrete filled steel tube is obtained by considering the stirrup action of the member and combining with the relevant test data. At the same time, using the stability coefficient formula obtained from the regression analysis, the stability bearing capacity calculation formula of hollow concrete filled steel tube axial compression medium long column is obtained.
An Easy and Low-cost Fabrication of AgNPs with High Performance in SERS
Authors: Deng Junpeng , Wang Guofu , Qin Zhenle , Wang Mengqi , Sun Yukun , Jia Xiaobo , Zhou Jin , Liu Yansheng
Published: February 2023

We study a cost effective and easy way to fabricate stable, uniform and large area surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. The AgNPs with varying diameters have been fabricated through a thermally treating method on SiO2/Si substrate which present a high sensitivity, good uniformity and good stability. By using rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecule as analyte, the maximized detection limit is as low as 10−8 M. The deviation of SERS intensity by using proposed AgNPs SERS substrate is less than 15% which indicates its good uniformity. This work provides an efficiently way of fabricating industry SERS substrates which are good candidate in practical application in medicine, food safety and biotechnology.
Constitutive Model of TNM Alloy Using Arrhenius-Type Model and Artificial Neural Network Model
Authors: Zhou Yaoqing , Yang Gang , He Xiaomao , Zhou LeYu , Zhai Yuewen
Published: February 2023

TNM alloys are frequently employed in automotive and aeronautical applications. Hot compression experiments on a Gleeble-3800 testing apparatus were conducted at a range of temperatures (1150°C–1250°C) and strain rates (0.001s-1 - 1s-1) to investigate the high temperature deformation behavior of TNM alloys. The complex deformation mechanisms of TNM alloys at various temperatures and strain rates were studied using the experimentally discovered true stress-true strain curves. The constitutive relationships between deformation parameters and flow stresses were constructed using two methods, Arrhenius model and neural network model respectively. The results demonstrated that the correlation coefficient R and root mean square error (RSME) achieved by BPNN are, respectively, 0.9982 and 4.7784, and are notably better than those anticipated by the Arrhenius-type model. In terms of the distribution of relative errors, the BPNN findings are similarly more concentrated, and the bulk of them fall inside the 10% range. Therefore, the BP neural network is a useful tool for forecasting the elevated temperature flow behavior of TNM alloys.
Tire Noise Prediction through 2D Tread Pattern Design
Authors: Zhu Bin , Wang You-Shan
Published: February 2023

Noise emitted by rolling tires has a strong contribution on the traffic noise in urban areas and has a significant impact on the ride comfort for passengers, which is mainly caused by the interaction between tires and pavement. The force generated in the contact patch has an important contribution to tire noise. For a patterned tire rolling on a flat surface, the geometry and position of tread pattern blocks are one of the main influencing factors of discontinuous force. In this paper, it is assumed that the impact force produced by each tread pattern element and pavement can be expressed as a Dirac delta function. For more realistic modelling of noise generated by impact force, a weighting function is considered, which is distributed along the tread transverse direction. The experiment is performed on a drum experimental machine in a semi-anechoic room. The predicted results are compared with experimental measurement, the maximum error is 3.85 dB between the predicted sound pressure level and measured. The prediction results have sufficient accuracy on the trend of A-weighted sound pressure level. The prediction method in this paper can be used to accelerate the development process of low tire tread pattern in the future.
Forced Vibration Analysis of Bimodular Microbeams Based on the Modified Couple Stress Theory
Authors: Huang Chunlin , Peng Jianshe , Fan Lin , Liu Yang
Published: February 2023

The forced vibration model of bimodular microbeams is studied in this paper based on the modified couple stress theory. The effects of the bimodular characteristic and the size effect are considered in this model. The forced vibration governing equation, boundary conditions, and initial conditions are obtained by Hamilton’s principle. The influence of the bimodular ratio and the material length scale parameters on the time history response are investigated based on the analytical method. Results show that the larger the two parameters, the higher the frequency and the smaller amplitude.
Design and Development of Structural Parameter Identification Software for Nonlinear Vibration Isolators
Authors: Meng Chen , Xu Shiheng , Zhang Xiaoxu
Published: February 2023

This paper developed an object-oriented software to facilitate parameter calibration of the quasi-zero stiffness (QZS) vibration isolator for engineering applications. Considering its advantages of convenient programming and high noise resistance, we employ the harmonic balance method to construct the identification core algorithm. The developed software consists of data pre-processing, parameter identification, and post-processing modules. The data pre-processing module imports and classifies all the required data. Then, the parameter identification module conducts preliminary nonlinearity analysis so that nonlinear structural parameter identification can be successfully carried out. After parameter identification, the data post-processing module displays and stores the identified results. The performance of the software is tested by a numerical example of a two-degree-of-freedom QZS vibration isolator, proving the software can give accurate identification results within a few user-friendly graphical interfaces. Based on this software, we hope that the application and promotion of nonlinear system parameter identification become more convenient.
Study on the Constitutive Model and the Identification of Parameters of Granite Based on the Crack Closure Ratio
Authors: Zhang Guoyan , Qian Li , Zhang Jianhai , Wang Zhenning , He Jianhua
Published: February 2023

A large number of cracks exist inside brittle rocks, and the evolution and expansion of cracks inside rocks have adverse effects on the deformation and strength of rocks, leading to the reduction of mechanical properties of rocks and endangering the stability and safety of rock engineering. Taking the granite samples taken from underground plant of Yebatan hydropower station as the research object, conventional triaxial compression tests were carried out. The characteristics of crack evolution and expansion in granite is investigated, and the parameters of granite are analysed and identified for different mechanical states by using stress-crack strain evolution constitutive model. The stress-crack strain evolution constitutive model was embedded into FLAC3D for triaxial loading tests through secondary development. The results show that the stress-crack strain evolution constitutive model is reasonable and accurate enough to be applied in numerical simulation of underground power-house of Yebatan hydropower station.
Extrapolation of Load Histories Based on MCMC and POT
Authors: Zhong Zhihong , Li Kaibiao , Chen Chunyan
Published: February 2023

Load spectrum is essential for fatigue life analysis, strength and durability tests of vehicles and components, but the whole life load cannot be acquired by measurement. To extrapolate a short measured load history to a longer time period, a method was presented in this paper based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) in conjunction with the Peak Over Threshold (POT) method. Firstly, we extend the load by MCMC to increase the randomness of load and the number of extreme samples; then fit a generalized Pareto distribution (GPD) using POT method to extrapolate the extreme values. Methods of threshold selection in POT were also presented briefly in this paper. Rain flow curves of the original, the MCMC extended and the extended extrapolated signal comparison verified the effectiveness of this method.
PTZ Active Vision Method Based On BEBLID
Authors: Xu Zibo , Pan Dongyu
Published: February 2023

The traditional pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera relies on manual operation in control, and it requires a large number of samples for training in the algorithm to achieve higher target recognition accuracy. Therefore, we introduce the Boosted Efficient Binary Local Image Descriptor (BEBLID) propose a pedestrian detection and tracking method applied to the PTZ. By extracting image feature points and feature descriptions, we use Support Vector Machines (SVM) to train fewer samples to complete pedestrian detection. Then we input it into kernel correlation filters (KCF) for subsequent tracking, and use its high frame rate to reduce the feedback steps of the PTZ position loop, which reduces the system running time, and then we control the target image to be always locked in the center of the image. Finally, the experiment is carried out, and the whole system can run normally. Under 700 test samples, the detection effect of this algorithm is the highest, reaching 93.00 %, which is 14.57 % and 3.57 % higher than that of Scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) and Oriented Brief (ORB).
Optimal Design Method for Sub-array Beamforming Based on an Improved Ant Lion Algorithm
Authors: Li Zirui , Ouyang Jiali
Published: February 2023

The sub-array division plays an important role in reducing the system complexity, computing complexity and hardware cost of large aperture phased array radar. The traditional sub-array partition method does not consider the suppression of side lobe and interference as well as the weight optimization of sub-array. In this paper, a sub-array-level pattern optimization design method based on improved ant lion algorithm is proposed. Firstly, the anti-collision factor and elimination mechanism are introduced into ant lion algorithm. Then, by constraining the total number of elements and sub-array, the appropriate number of elements and sub-array weight of each subarray are solved, and then the height of peak sidelobe and the depth of null are optimized. The simulation results show that this method has better effects in sub-array optimization, sidelobe reduction and zero depth reduction in comparision with other algrithems.
Flexible soft Pneumatic Bionic Hand Based on Multi-Jointed Structure
Authors: Hao Tianze , Xiao Huaping , Liu Shuhai
Published: February 2023

Compared with rigid robotic hands, soft hands can provide better safety and adaptability. In the process of gradual development, the multi-jointed structure that mimics the shape of the human hand has shown significant progress in realizing its personification. In this article, we propose a multi-jointed pneumatic soft hand, which is composed of multi-jointed soft fingers, thumb, thenar and 3D printed palm. It can express letters through sign language gestures and can grasp objects with different sizes, shapes, weights and surface textures. We tested the bending ability of the actuators under different air pressures to characterize the performance of actuators made of silicone rubber. Based on the strain energy density function of silicone rubber, the Yeoh model is used to calculate the relationship between the air pressure required and the bending angle. In addition, a dedicated pneumatic control system is designed and manufactured to enable the soft hand to automatically perform tasks set by the specific program. This new multi-jointed pneumatic soft hand has flexible bionic fingers, and has the advantages of fast response speed, low cost, easy manufacturing, assembly and replacement.
Application of Rail-Type Welding Robot in Automatic Welding of Pipeline
Authors: Zhou Lun , Guo Yanbao , Yin Tie , Wang Xinsheng , Ma Zhifeng , Wang Hehe
Published: February 2023

In order to realize the automatic welding of oil and gas pipelines, a kind of rail-type welding robot was designed, which includes a mechanical structure that can walk around the circumference of the pipeline steadily and a control system with the function of welding seam tracking. According to the characteristics of field construction, the robot adopted a modular design method, which primarily consists of a walking mechanism, quick clamping mechanism, welding torch adjusting mechanism, welding torch, wire feeder mechanism, guide rail, and the composition of the control system was introduced besides. The weld center identification and weld tracking were both automatically accomplished by the laser vision tracking system. Through the welding test, it has been demonstrated that the rail-type welding robot can meet the requirements of automatic welding of pipelines.
High-resolution electronic and vibrational spectroscopy of small-to-medium sized molecules with ab initio potential energy surface
Authors: Ray Soumyadip , Koner Debasish , Mondal Padmabati
Published: January 2023

Electronic and vibrational spectroscopic studies of molecules are of crucial importance to characterizing a molecule and detecting the molecular species in different environments. In this review article, we summarized some important theoretical methods to calculate high-resolution electronic spectra and ro-vibrational states for small molecular systems with the inclusion of vibronic and ro-vibrational couplings, respectively. We have also reviewed a number of theoretical studies exploring some interesting organic chromophores like indole, isoalloxazine, transition metal trifluoride CoF3 and NiF3, and molecular ions like protonated rare gases and azido ions. These studies involve the calculation of spectroscopic features based on analytical potential energy surfaces (PESs) constructed using high-level ab initio energies. The topology of the PESs has been explored for these selected systems. The vibronic spectra and ro-vibrational states calculated using various theoretical methods and their comparison to available experimental results are reported in this review.
An algorithmic approach to Rupert’s problem
Authors: Steininger Jakob , Yurkevich Sergey
Published: February 2023

A polyhedron

P

⊂

R

3

\mathbf {P} \subset \mathbb {R}^3

has Rupert’s property if a hole can be cut into it, such that a copy of

P

\mathbf {P}

can pass through this hole. There are several works investigating this property for some specific polyhedra: for example, it is known that all 5 Platonic and 9 out of the 13 Archimedean solids admit Rupert’s property. A commonly believed conjecture states that every convex polyhedron is Rupert. We prove that Rupert’s problem is algorithmically decidable for polyhedra with algebraic coordinates. We also design a probabilistic algorithm which can efficiently prove that a given polyhedron is Rupert. Using this algorithm we not only confirm this property for the known Platonic and Archimedean solids, but also prove it for one of the remaining Archimedean polyhedra and many others. Moreover, we significantly improve on almost all known Nieuwland numbers and finally conjecture, based on statistical evidence, that the Rhombicosidodecahedron is in fact not Rupert.
Relative Chow stability and optimal weights
Authors: Tipler Carl
Published: February 2023

For a polarized Kähler manifold

(
X
,
L
)

(X,L)

, we show the equivalence between relative balanced embeddings introduced by Mabuchi and

σ
\sigma

-balanced embeddings introduced by Sano, answering a question of Hashimoto. We give a GIT characterization of the existence of a

σ
\sigma

-balanced embedding, and relate the optimal weight

σ
\sigma

to the action of

A
u
t

0

(
X
,
L
)

\mathrm {Aut}_0(X,L)

on the Chow line of

(
X
,
L
)

(X,L)

.
On products of polynomials II
Authors: Masser David , Wise Andrew
Published: February 2023

We show that if two complex quadratic polynomials in a single variable each have a coefficient 1, then their product must have a coefficient with absolute value at least

(

13

−
3
)

/

2

(\sqrt {13}-3)/2

. This is best possible. There is a more natural and classical formulation using heights. We also present some speculations about higher degree involving Littlewood polynomials.
‘They Might Not Kill You Today but They’re Going to Get You in the End’: The Correctional Subculture and the Schematization of Danger
Authors: Higgins Ethan M , Swartz Kristin , Navarro John C , Hughes Katie
Published: January 2023

Criminology has long investigated criminal justice cultures and their preoccupation with dangerousness. Over a half century ago, correctional scholars called for a richer understanding of how a ‘social reality’ of danger might shape the mental state of staff. More recently, correctional scholarship has demonstrated that correctional culture and perceptions of danger likely play a fundamental role in findings that staff experience conflict across domains. Drawing from 18 focus groups of correctional staff from all adult carceral facilities in one state, this study investigates: 1) how cultural workgroup concerns over danger and values of safety shape staff’s worldview broadly; and, 2) how these worldviews concerning danger shape cultural cognition outside the carceral context. To answer these questions, we draw upon cultural sociology and leverage the mechanism of the schema to understand how values are recalled across domains. Through this analysis, we illustrate how an accumulation of stories concerning danger within prison shapes a worldview that structures compulsive cognition around personal safety. We show how compulsive cognition manifests as an intrinsic knowledge of the dangerous character of others and a personal drive to fortify against underspecified violent threats outside the carceral context.
The Importance of Connection: A Quantitative Study of Students’Learning in Placements Completed Remotely from an Organisation
Authors: Zuchowski Ines , Cleak Helen , Jefferson Grace
Published: January 2023

This quantitative study surveyed eighty-two Australian social work students who completed their placement during COVID-19. The delivery of health and welfare services during the pandemic had a significant impact on field education with the result that many placements had to be offered remotely from an organisation. The research was interested in whether this practice learning model can provide quality learning experiences for students by exploring various aspects of the placement experience. Frequency data were generated and the data were analysed using chi-square tests to determine, firstly, if there were any statistically significant relationships between student learning outcomes and model of supervision, supervisor contact, type of e-placement and student demographics. Secondly, the various learning activities were rated against the students' attainment of their placement learning oucomes and their developing confidence, skills and social work identity. Findings highlight that student learning is enhanced when they have opportunities to experience work within an agency setting and when agency staff are involved in supervising and supporting students in e-placements. There were also indications of negative learning outcomes when students are not provided with direct observation opportunities of agency staff and some evidence that e-placements might be more suitable for second placement students.
Eligibility for sotagliflozin in a real-world heart failure population based on the SOLOIST-WHF trial enrolment criteria: data from the Swedish heart failure registry
Authors: Becher Peter Moritz , Savarese Gianluigi , Benson Lina , Dahlström Ulf , Karlström Patric , Mol Peter G M , Metra Marco , Bhatt Deepak L , Pitt Bertram , Lund Lars H
Published: January 2023

Aims

The SOLOIST-WHF trial demonstrated efficacy of sotagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and recent worsening heart failure (HF) regardless of ejection fraction (EF). Selection criteria in trials may limit their generalizability. Therefore, we aimed to investigate eligibility for sotagliflozin based on the SOLOIST-WHF criteria in a real-world HF population.

Methods and results

SOLOIST-WHF criteria were applied to patients stabilized after HF hospitalization in the Swedish HF Registry according to (i) literal scenario (all inclusion/exclusion criteria) or (ii) pragmatic scenario (only criteria likely to influence treatment decisions). Of 5453 inpatients with T2DM and recent worsening HF, 51.4% had reduced EF (HFrEF), 19.1% mildly reduced (HFmrEF), and 29.5% preserved EF (HFpEF). Eligibility (literal) was: 27.2% (32.4% in HFrEF, 24.7% in HFmrEF, 19.7% in HFpEF) and eligibility (pragmatic) was 62.8% (69.1%, 60.3%, 53.4%, respectively). In the literal scenario, criteria limiting eligibility were HF duration <3 months, eGFR <30 ml/min/1.73 m2, age >85 years, acute coronary syndrome <3 months, and insufficiently high N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels. Eligible vs. non-eligible patients had more severe HF, higher cardiovascular (CV) comorbidity burden, higher use of HF treatments, and higher event rates (all-cause death 30.8 vs. 27.2 per 100 patient-years, CV death 19.1 vs. 16.6, and HF hospitalization 36.7 vs. 24.0).

Conclusion

In this large, real-world HF cohort with T2DM, ∼1/3 of patients were eligible for sotagliflozin in the literal and ∼2/3 of patients in the pragmatic scenario. Eligible patients had more severe HF and higher event rates, in particular CV and HF events.
Persistence of foetal testicular features in patients with defective androgen signalling
Authors: Al-Sharkawi Mostafa , Calonga-Solís Verónica , Dressler Franz F , Busch Hauke , Hiort Olaf , Werner Ralf
Published: February 2023

Objective

Congenital defects of androgen synthesis or action in 46,XY individuals can result in impaired virilisation, despite the apparent testicular development. In a recent case, report of a young adult with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), tumourous gonadal tissue was shown to express HSD17B3 in Sertoli cells (SCs) and not in Leydig cells (LCs). This expression pattern differs from the typical adult human testis and resembles a foetal mouse testis, suggesting an underlying testicular development and function defect. Here, we investigate the effect of altered androgen signalling in gonads from five 46,XY individuals with defects in androgen synthesis or action.

Methods

Gonadal tissue sections from four patients with CAIS, one with CYP17A1 deficiency, and one control were immunostained for LC developmental and steroidogenic markers. The expression of some of these markers during development was investigated by reanalysing previously published single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from normal human testicular tissues.

Results

All gonadal tissues from the patients show an exclusive expression of HSD17B3 in SCs and an expression of the foetal/immature LC marker DLK1 in a subset of LCs, suggesting an androgen-dependent differentiation defect of adult SCs and LCs. Furthermore, reanalysis of scRNA-seq data reveals an expression of HSD17B3 in foetal and neonatal SCs that is downregulated in adult SCs.

Conclusions

Androgen signalling may affect the differentiation of adults, but possibly not foetal SCs or LCs, and may induce a shift of testosterone production from the tubular compartment in the foetal phase to the interstitial compartment in the adult phase.
Self-management and hospitalization in 615 Swedish patients with Addison's disease during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: a retrospective study
Authors: Öster Sara , Esposito Daniela , Aranda-Guillén Maribel , Åkerman Anna-Karin , Wahlberg Jeanette , Husebye Eystein Sverre , Kämpe Olle , Botusan Ileana Ruxandra , Dahlqvist Per , Bergthorsdottir Ragnhildur , Bensing Sophie
Published: February 2023

Objective

Autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) entails a chronic adrenal insufficiency and is associated with an increased risk of severe infections. It is, however, unknown how patients with AAD were affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020-2021. This study was aimed at investigating the incidence of COVID-19 in patients with AAD in Sweden, the self-adjustment of medications during the disease, impact on social aspects, and treatment during hospitalization. Additionally, we investigated if there were any possible risk factors for infection and hospitalization.

Design and methods

Questionnaires were sent out from April to October 2021 to 813 adult patients with AAD in the Swedish Addison Registry. The questionnaires included 55 questions inquiring about COVID-19 sickness, hospital care, medications, and comorbidities, focusing on the pre-vaccine phase.

Results

Among the 615 included patients with AAD, COVID-19 was reported in 17% of which 8.5% required hospital care. Glucocorticoid treatment in hospitalized patients varied. For outpatients, 85% increased their glucocorticoid dosage during sickness. Older age (P = .002) and hypertension (P = .014) were associated with an increased risk of hospital care, while younger age (P < .001) and less worry about infection (P = .030) were correlated with a higher risk of COVID-19.

Conclusions

In the largest study to date examining AAD during the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed that although one-fifth of the cohort contracted COVID-19, few patients required hospital care. A majority of the patients applied general recommended sick rules despite reporting limited communication with healthcare during the pandemic.
Race–Ethnicity and Depressive Symptoms Among U.S. Older Adults in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Uncovering the Counterbalancing Mechanisms
Authors: Li Miao , Luo Ye
Published: January 2023

Background and Objectives

Drawing on the counterbalancing framework, this study examined the counteracting roles of coronavirus disease (COVID)-related stressors (i.e., infection threat, family activity disruption, economic impact) and psychological resilience in explaining racial–ethnic disparities in depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research Design and Methods

A competitive mediation model was fitted using nationally representative data from the Health and Retirement Study COVID-19 Project, which were collected in June 2020 (N = 1,717). A competitive mediation model was specified within which the associations between race–ethnicity categories and depressive symptoms were mediated by infection threat, family activity disruption, economic impact, and psychological resilience. A list of pre-COVID covariates and pre-COVID depressive symptoms were adjusted for in this model.

Results

Infection threat, family activity disruption, economic impact, and psychological resilience were all higher among non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics than among non-Hispanic Whites. Economic impact had a positive whereas psychological resilience had a negative direct effect on depressive symptoms net of pre-COVID covariates and pre-COVID depressive symptoms. Mediation analyses revealed that, compared to non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics had higher depressive symptoms due to their higher family activity disruption and higher economic impact, but their higher levels of psychological resilience also reduced depressive symptoms. The counteracting indirect effects offset each other, resulting in a null total effect of race–ethnicity on depressive symptoms.

Discussion and Implications

These findings suggest that interventions addressing the mental health impact of COVID should consider race/ethnicity-specific vulnerabilities and resilience. Future studies need to consider the complex and potentially counterbalancing mechanisms linking race–ethnicity and mental health.
Gender Biases and Diagnostic Delay in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Multicenter Observational Study
Authors: Sempere Laura , Bernabeu Purificación , Cameo José , Gutiérrez Ana , García María Gloria , García Mariana Fe , Aguas Mariam , Belén Olivia , Zapater Pedro , Jover Rodrigo , van-der Hofstadt Carlos , Ruiz-Cantero María Teresa
Published: January 2023

Background

Female gender could be a cause of diagnostic delay in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic delay in women vs men and potential causes.

Methods

This multicenter cohort study included 190 patients with recent diagnosis of IBD (disease duration <7 months). Reconstruction of the clinical presentation and diagnostic process was carried out in conjunction with the semistructured patient interview, review, and electronic medical records.

Results

The median time from symptom onset to IBD diagnosis was longer in women than in men: 12.6 (interquartile range, 3.7-31) vs 4.5 (2.2-9.8) months for Crohn’s disease (CD; P = .008) and 6.1 (3-11.2) vs 2.7 (1.5-5.6) months for ulcerative colitis (UC; P = .008). Sex was an independent variable related to the time to IBD diagnosis in Cox regression analysis. The clinical presentation of IBD was similar in both sexes. Women had a higher percentage of misdiagnosis than men (CD, odds ratio [OR], 3.9; 95% confidence [CI], 1.5-9.9; UC, OR 3.0; 95% CI, 1.2-7.4). Gender inequities in misdiagnosis were found at all levels of the health system (emergency department, OR 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1-5.1; primary care, OR 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3-4.7; gastroenterology secondary care, OR 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2-8.4; and hospital admission, OR 4.3; 95% CI, 1.1-16.9).

Conclusions

There is a longer diagnostic delay in women than in men for both CD and UC due to a drawn-out evaluation of women, with a higher number of misdiagnoses at all levels of the health care system.
Granuloma Presence at Initial Surgery Predicts Need for Repeat Surgery Independent of Rutgeerts Score in Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Ertem Furkan U , Rivers Claudia Ramos , Watson Andrew R , Tang Gong , Schwartz Marc , Johnston Elyse , Barrie Arthur , Harrison Janet , Dueker Jeffrey M , Hartman Doug , Binion David G
Published: February 2023

Background

Approximately half of Crohn’s disease (CD) patients experience recurrence and need for repeat resections, highlighting need for prognostic biomarkers. Presence of epithelioid granuloma on surgical tissue and high Rutgeerts endoscopic score are associated with postoperative CD clinical recurrence. We sought to evaluate presence of epithelioid granuloma at first surgery and Rutgeerts score as a combined risk assessment for CD surgical recurrence.

Methods

Our study included consented CD patients who underwent initial ileocecal resection and were prospectively followed postoperatively. From 2009 to 2019, 418 CD patients underwent initial ileocecal resection with >4 years of follow-up, including postoperative endoscopic assessment (Rutgeerts score).

Results

Postoperative CD patients were grouped based on granuloma presence (30.6%; n = 128) or absence (69.4%; n = 290). Endoscopic recurrence (defined as Rutgeerts score ≥i2) was similar between the granuloma (26%) and no granuloma (25%) groups, respectively (P = .82). Patients with granuloma and CD endoscopic recurrence at first postoperative endoscopy had higher number of bowel surgeries compared with all other groups (no granuloma or CD endoscopic recurrence, P = .007; no granuloma but CD endoscopic recurrence present, P = .04; granuloma present and no CD endoscopic recurrence, P = .04). Epithelioid granuloma presence was associated with 1.65 times higher risk of subsequent surgery independently from first postoperative endoscopic recurrence Rutgeerts score.

Conclusions

Granuloma presence on initial surgical histology is immediately available and identifies high-risk CD patients who may benefit from early postoperative treatment, and these precision intervention trials are warranted.
RNA sequencing indicates widespread conservation of circadian clocks in marine zooplankton
Authors: Raghavan Venket , Eichele Gregor , Larink Otto , Karin Eli Levy , Söding Johannes
Published: January 2023

Zooplankton are important eukaryotic constituents of marine ecosystems characterized by limited motility in the water. These metazoans predominantly occupy intermediate trophic levels and energetically link primary producers to higher trophic levels. Through processes including diel vertical migration (DVM) and production of sinking pellets they also contribute to the biological carbon pump which regulates atmospheric CO2 levels. Despite their prominent role in marine ecosystems, and perhaps, because of their staggering diversity, much remains to be discovered about zooplankton biology. In particular, the circadian clock, which is known to affect important processes such as DVM has been characterized only in a handful of zooplankton species. We present annotated de novo assembled transcriptomes from a diverse, representative cohort of 17 marine zooplankton representing six phyla and eight classes. These transcriptomes represent the first sequencing data for a number of these species. Subsequently, using translated proteomes derived from this data, we demonstrate in silico the presence of orthologs to most core circadian clock proteins from model metazoans in all sequenced species. Our findings, bolstered by sequence searches against publicly available data, indicate that the molecular machinery underpinning endogenous circadian clocks is widespread and potentially well conserved across marine zooplankton taxa.
ARBic: an all-round biclustering algorithm for analyzing gene expression data
Authors: Liu Xiangyu , Yu Ting , Zhao Xiaoyu , Long Chaoyi , Han Renmin , Su Zhengchang , Li Guojun
Published: January 2023

Identifying significant biclusters of genes with specific expression patterns is an effective approach to reveal functionally correlated genes in gene expression data. However, none of existing algorithms can simultaneously identify both broader and narrower biclusters due to their failure of balancing between effectiveness and efficiency. We introduced ARBic, an algorithm which is capable of accurately identifying any significant biclusters of any shape, including broader, narrower and square, in any large scale gene expression dataset. ARBic was designed by integrating column-based and row-based strategies into a single biclustering procedure. The column-based strategy borrowed from RecBic, a recently published biclustering tool, extracts narrower biclusters, while the row-based strategy that iteratively finds the longest path in a specific directed graph, extracts broader ones. Being tested and compared to other seven salient biclustering algorithms on simulated datasets, ARBic achieves at least an average of 29% higher recovery, relevance and$\ {F}_1$ scores than the best existing tool. In addition, ARBic substantially outperforms all tools on real datasets and is more robust to noises, bicluster shapes and dataset types.
The Conservation of Archaic Traits
Authors: Veblen Thorstein
Published: February 2023

The institution of a leisure class has an effect not only upon social structure but also upon the individual character of the members of society. So soon as a given proclivity or a given point of view has won acceptance as an authoritative standard...
Importance of Long-Term Shallow Degassing of Basaltic Magma on the Genesis of Massive Felsic Magma Reservoirs: a Case Study of Aso Caldera, Kyushu, Japan
Authors: Miyagi Isoji , Hoshizumi Hideo , Suda Taichi , Saito Genji , Miyabuchi Yasuo , Geshi Nobuo
Published: January 2023

This paper presents the chemical composition (including H2O and CO2) of matrix glass, melt inclusions in phenocrysts, and their host minerals in eruptive products from Aso caldera. We found a group of melt inclusions with clearly lower potassium (0.6–2 wt % K2O at 50–70 wt % SiO2) than previously reported high-K2O whole-rock compositions (3–5 wt % K2O at 55–70 wt % SiO2). While most of the high-K2O intermediate to felsic melt inclusions are vapor undersaturated and show the features of H2O, CO2, and K2O accumulation, the low-K2O basaltic melt already has higher H2O and CO2. We reconcile this discrepancy with a model in which (1) the volatile-rich basalt magmas degas near the surface, (2) migrate back to depths of $\ge$12 km in the crust, and (3) crystallize feldspar and quartz to produce high-K2O felsic melt, (4) magma mixing among the undegassed, degassed, and evolved magmas. By crystallization, about five times as much low-K2O basaltic magma is required to produce high-K2O felsic magma. The quantity of felsic magma ejected from 270 ka (Aso-1) to 90 ka (Aso-4) requires a basalt magma supply rate of 18 to 31 km3/ka. This magma supply rate is comparable to or less than the present-day production rate of degassed magma (73 km3/ka) at an active center of Aso, Nakadake. These findings suggest volcanic gas flux monitoring has the potential to be a ‘basalt usage meter’ during the dormant period of caldera volcanoes.
Does Social Desirability Bias Distort Survey Analyses of Ideology and Self-Interest? Evidence from a List Experiment on Progressive Taxation
Authors: Heide-Jørgensen Tobias
Published: January 2023

The relative importance of ideological orientations and material self-interest as determinants of political attitudes is still discussed. Using a novel list experiment on opposition to progressive taxation embedded in a large representative Danish online survey (N = 2,010), I study how social desirability concerns bias the conclusions survey researchers draw regarding the influence of self-interest (gauged by income) and ideology (measured by left-right self-identifications) on public opinion. I find that right-wingers are much less opposed to progressive taxation when attitudes are measured indirectly and unobtrusively by means of the list experiment relative to asking directly about their opinions. In fact, rightists are no more against progressive taxation than leftists and centrists. Furthermore, opposition to tax progressivity is considerably lower among low-income individuals when social desirability bias is addressed, thereby increasing the attitudinal gap between low- and high-income individuals. The implications of the findings are that survey research risks exaggerating the importance of ideological orientations and underestimating how much political views reflect material self-interest.