bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a cryogen-free dilution refrigerator
Authors: Ji Zhongqing , Fan Jie , Dong Jing , Bian Yongbo , Cheng Zhi-Gang
Published: September 2022

With thermal fluctuation strongly suppressed, low temperature environment is essential for studies of condensed matter physics and developments of quantum technologies. Ultra-low temperature below 20 mK has demonstrated its importance and significance in physical sciences and information techniques. Dilution refrigeration is by far the best feasible and reliable method to generate and keep lattice temperature in this range. With a potential shortage of helium supply, cryogen-free dilution refrigerator (CFDR), eliminating the necessity of regular helium refill, becomes the main facility for the purpose of creating ultralow temperature environments. Here we describe our successful construction of a CFDR which reached a base temperature of around 10.9 mK for continuous circulation and 8.6 mK for single-shot operation. We describe its operating mechanism and the designs of key components, especially some unique designs including heat switch and alumina thermal link. Possible improvements in the future are also discussed.
Micro sliding friction model considering periodic variation stress distribution of contact surface and experimental verification
Authors: Lu Sheng-Hao , Han Jing-Yu , Yan Shao-Ze
Published: September 2022

Micro sliding phenomenon widely exists in the operation process of mechanical systems, and the micro sliding friction mechanism is always a research hotspot. In this work, based on the total reflection method, a measuring device for interface contact behavior under two-dimensional (2D) vibration is built. The stress distribution is characterized by the light intensity distribution of the contact image, and the interface contact behavior in the 2D vibration process is studied. It is found that the vibration angle of the normal direction of the contact surface and its fluctuation affect the interface friction coefficient, the tangential stiffness, and the fluctuation amplitude of the stress distribution. Then they will affect the change of friction state and energy dissipation in the process of micro sliding. Further, an improved micro sliding friction model is proposed based on the experimental analysis, with the nonlinear change of contact parameters caused by the normal contact stress distribution fluctuation taken into account. This model considers the interface tangential stiffness fluctuation, friction coefficient hysteresis, and stress distribution fluctuation, whose simulation results are consistent well with the experimental results. It is found that considering the nonlinear effect of a certain contact parameter alone may bring a greater error to the prediction of friction behavior. Only by integrating multiple contact parameters can the accuracy of friction prediction is improved.
A field-effect WSe2/Si heterojunction diode
Authors: Yu Rui , Sheng Zhe , Hu Wennan , Wang Yue , Dong Jianguo , Sun Haoran , Cheng Zengguang , Zhang Zengxing
Published: September 2022

It is significant to develop a heterogeneous integration technology to promote the application of two-dimensional (2D) materials in silicon roadmap. In this paper, we reported a field-effect WSe2/Si heterojunction diode based on ambipolar 2D WSe2 and silicon on insulator (SOI). Our results indicate that the device exhibits a p–n diode behavior with a rectifying ratio of ∼ 300 and an ideality factor of 1.37. As a photodetector, it has optoelectronic properties with a response time of 0.13 ms, responsivity of 0.045 A/W, detectivity of 4.5×1010 Jones and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 8.9 %. Due to the ambipolar behavior of the WSe2, the rectifying and optoelectronic properties of the heterojunction diode can be modulated by the gate electrical field, enabling various potential applications such as logic optoelectronic devices and neuromorphic optoelectronic devices for in-sensor computing circuits. Thanks to the process based on the mature SOI technique, our field-effect heterojunction diode should have obvious advantages in device isolation and integration.
Magnetic ordering induced magnetodielectric effect in Ho2Cu2O5 and Yb2Cu2O5
Authors: Jin Hao , Huang Shuai , Wan Kai-Qi , Zhu Chang-Ming , Wang Hai-Ou , Su Kun-Peng , Huo De-Xuan
Published: September 2022

Materials with strongly coupled magnetic and electronic degrees of freedom provide new possibilities for practical applications. In this paper, we have investigated the structure, magnetic property, and magnetodielectric (MD) effect in Ho2Cu2O5 and Yb2Cu2O5 polycrystalline samples, which possess a non-centrosymmetric polar structure with space group Pna21. In Ho2Cu2O5, Ho3+ and Cu2+ sublattices order simultaneously, exhibiting a typical paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition at 13.1 K. While for Yb2Cu2O5, two magnetic transitions which originate from the orderings of Yb3+ (7.8 K) and Cu2+ (13.5 K) sublattices are observed. A magnetic field induced metamagnetic transition is obtained in these two cuprates below Néel temperature (T
N). By means of dielectric measurement, distinct MD effect is demonstrated by the dielectric anomaly at T
N. Meanwhile, the MD effect is found to be directly related to the metamagnetic transition. Due to the specific spin configuration and different spin evolution in the magnetic field, a positive MD effect is formed in Ho2Cu2O5, and a negative one is observed in Yb2Cu2O5. The spontaneous dielectric anomaly at T
N is regarded as arising from the shifts in optical phonon frequencies, and the magnetoelectric coupling is used to interpret the magnetic field induced MD effect. Moreover, an H–T phase diagram is constructed for Ho2Cu2O5 and Yb2Cu2O5 based on the results of isothermal magnetic and dielectric hysteresis loops.
Comparison of New Approaches of Semi-syllable Units for Speech Recognition of Any Arabic Word
Authors: Boumehdi Ahmed , Yousfi Abdellah
Published: September 2022

This study uses the same semi-syllable units already defined in our previous work; a semi-syllable is a simple Arabic letter followed by its diacritic information. This work experiment with three configurations. In the first configuration, we redefine the “السكون” (Soukoun is an Arabic diacritical sign representing the absence of a vowel) as a new independent phonemes that is different from the consonant itself. In the second configuration, we also redefine the geminated consonant with a new independent phoneme. In the last configuration, we combined the first two experiments. The results proved that the three configurations gave better results compared to regular semi-syllables, and the highest recognition rate was achieved on the third configuration.
Moving Object Detection Based on Weighted Kernel Norm and Saliency Constrained RPCA
Authors: Zhao Junhao , Jiang Zheng , Liu Bin , Zhang Ling
Published: September 2022

Focusing on the issue that the accuracy of object detection is reduced when the foreground target moves slowly and there is interference in the background, a moving object detection method based on weighted kernel norm and saliency constraint RPCA is proposed. In the new method, the weighted kernel norm is used to restore a relatively clean background, which is helpful to separate the slow moving target from the background. The l
1 norm is used to constrain the sparsity of moving objects, and the Frobenius norm is used to detect noise, and a saliency constraint is introduced to detect slow-moving objects. Experiments show that this method can effectively deal with the problems of slow foreground motion and background interference. Compared with the suboptimal algorithm, the average measured value F of the proposed algorithm is improved by 15%.
Numerical Simulation and Forecasting Model of Snow Drift Hazard in Yanchong Expressway with Embankment Form
Authors: Chen Yanxin , Chang Jiangfang , Fan Hongyu , Zhang Dali
Published: September 2022

To reasonably predict the snow drift hazard of expressway embankment in alpine mountainous area, in this paper, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation method is used to analyze the distribution law of flow field of snow drift, the regression orthogonal design method is used to establish the prediction model of snow drift hazard in the expressway with the embankment form. Results show that different factors have different effects on snow drift hazard, the influence of embankment slope is the largest, followed by the coupling term of embankment slope and wind speed, the wind speed, the coupling term of embankment height and embankment slope, the coupling term of the mountain relative height and embankment slope, and the embankment height, while the influence of the distance between embankment and mountain-embankment slope coupling is the smallest. Numerical simulation and field observation have confirmed that the combined action of the terrain and embankment of Yanchong expressway Chicheng branch line leads to great changes in wind speed, resulting in uneven distribution of snow. A large amount of snow can be accumulated at the foot of the leeward slope of the mountain and the windward slope of the embankment, and there is less snow on the embankment pavement. By comparing the snow drift prediction model and CFD numerical simulation results, the error of the prediction model established in this paper is only 8.67%, which has high applicability. The research of this paper can provide a theoretical reference for the prediction and prevention of snow drift hazard on expressway embankment in alpine mountainous area.
An End-To-End NER Model with Explicit Boundary and Type Information
Authors: Feng Ying , Zhang Junchi , Chen Zhe , Wu Peiyan
Published: September 2022

Named Entity Recognition (NER) is a fundamental task in Natural Language Processing (NLP). The purpose is to locate and classify named entities with specific meanings, including the person and location. However, there are two problems with the existing methods: Firstly, the model cannot significantly distinguish boundaries and types of entities, especially if there are many types of entities. Secondly, the labels do not provide information on the differences in the boundaries and types of model entities. Therefore, the Explicit Boundary and Type Information (EBTI) models are used to address both issues to improve NER performance. Specifically, the boundary detection module uses for pure boundary recognition, and the type module uses to determine entity type information and then combine them to improve the performance of NER. Experiments are conducted on the widely used dataset CoNLL2003 to demonstrate the advantages of our method, with results comparable to the current state-of-the-art (SOTA).
A Real-Time Automated Defect Classification System Based on Two-Step Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Wang Sen , Yan Shijia , Shen Qiang , Luo Cong , Li Lei , Ai Juan , Ding Shenglan , Xia Qing , Li Zhi , Chen Qilin , Li Shilin , Dai Hongwei
Published: September 2022

The increasing amount of defect images in semiconductor manufacturing process imposes the demand of classifying these images in real-time. In this paper we adopt a two-step deep learning based Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to detect and classify the defect images from clean ones. The proposed method integrates the detection and classification process into one forward step, which takes image-level feature as well as empirical defect classification rules into account. In practice, the Real-Time Automated Defect Classification (RT-ADC) system was deployed in inline production process, which brings high efficiency; better wafer analysis and root cause determination for yield enhancement.
Clause Level Attention Network for Emotion Cause Pair Extraction
Authors: Chen Zhe , Zhang Junchi , Feng Ying , Hu Jie
Published: September 2022

The Emotion-Cause Pair Extraction task aims to identify one or more pairs of emotion-causes in a document, and earlier work has focused on the implicit interaction between ECPE and two auxiliary tasks Emotion Extraction and Cause Extraction. However, existing models cannot capture the complex connection between emotion and cause. To address this problem, we propose an end-to-end model. The model utilizes properties of graph attention networks (GATs) to model the bidirectional dependencies between emotion and cause clauses, and experimental results on a benchmark emotion cause corpus verify the feasibility of our approach.
Hiding Image within Image Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Yang Pan , Zhang Minqing , Wu Riming , Su Yunxuan , Guo Kaiyang
Published: September 2022

Information hiding technology is a technology that transmits secret information through a carrier, and is a research hotspot in the field of information security. The traditional information hiding algorithm relies on the meticulous design of human beings, and obtains the dense image through modification. With the development of deep learning, the integration of information hiding technology and deep learning has resulted in many information hiding technologies based on deep learning. Among them, image hiding has become a research hotspot due to its large steganographic capacity. Therefore, this paper reviews the information hiding technology based on deep learning. According to the difference of hidden models, it is analysed from four aspects: (1) information hiding model based on encoder-decoder; (2) information hiding model based on generative adversarial network; (3) information hiding model based on invertible network; (4) information hiding model based on neural network information hiding models for style transfer. Finally, these models are analysed and compared, and the future development direction is discussed and prospected.
Research on Error Correction Model of Transformer-Meter Relationship in Low Voltage Distribution Network Based on Combined Clustering Strategy
Authors: Shi Jian , Chen Kepeng , Wei Xunhu
Published: September 2022

At a time when distributed microgrids are gradually becoming the main form of renewable energy access, the distribution network plays an important role in serving the access and consumption of renewable energy, and is a powerful guarantee to promote the realization of the “double carbon” goal. However, due to the complex structure, frequent file changes, untimely governance and maintenance, the distribution station area cannot accurately perceive the ownership of transformer-meter relationship files. This paper presents an error correction method of transformer-meter relationship files in low-voltage substation area based on correlation analysis and clustering. Aiming at the application scenario of transformer-meter relationship file error under different busbars, the error correction is carried out by using the principle that the user voltage sequence curve of the error file has a lower similarity with the transformer voltage curve, and the voltage amplitude difference is larger. The results show that this method has high practicability and effectiveness.
Boolean Searchable Encryption Scheme Supporting Forward Security
Authors: Guo Sixu , Geng Huizheng , Su Li , Zhang Xinyue
Published: September 2022

To address the problem that most existing searchable encryption schemes do not support Boolean search for multiple keywords and cannot satisfy the forward security of indexes, a Boolean searchable encryption scheme supporting forward security (BSFS) is proposed in this paper. Two problems are solved by using techniques related to set theory and cryptographic knowledge: (1) The ability to implement Boolean search for multiple keywords based on traditional searchable encryption schemes; (2) The forward security of the index is satisfied by the clever construction of the index. The security analysis shows that the correctness, confidentiality and forward security of the scheme are guaranteed and that it has a high degree of practical applicability.
Dissolved Oxygen Prediction Based on PCA-LSTM
Authors: Tan Wenwu , Zhang Jianjun , Liu Xing , Yu Ziwen , Xiao Ke , Wang Li , Lin Haijun , Sun Guang , Guo Peng
Published: September 2022

Dissolved oxygen in surface water is an essential assessment of water quality. Predicting the concentration of dissolved oxygen in a basin is essential for the integrated use of water resources and the prevention and control of water pollution, as it enables the prediction of water quality trends in advance. In accordance with the cyclical and non-linear character of the variation of dissolved oxygen, we present a PCA-LSTM combined with a principal component analysis (PCA) method and a long and short-term memory network (LSTM) to estimate the dissolved oxygen concentration in the short period of time. Firstly, the dissolved oxygen data extracted from the water quality monitoring platform were preprocessed, and then 8 external variables, which retained most of the information, were converted into 5 new variables and put into the LSTM network for training. Finally, the predictions of the pre-processed training set data were compared using both the LSTM and PCA-LSTM models respectively. Experiments demonstrate that the PCA-LSTM model not only simplifies the structure of the proposed network, but also has more accurate prediction results than the conventional LSTM. Its mean absolute errors as well as the mean squared errors are improved by 2.71% and 9.03% respectively compared with the traditional LSTM model.
Machine Learning Based Testing Scenario Space and Its Safety Boundary Evaluation for Automated Vehicles
Authors: Zhang Yufei , Sun Bohua , Zhai Yang , Li Yaxin , Liang Hongyu , Liu Qiang
Published: September 2022

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) must be thoroughly evaluated before their release and deployment, so testing scenarios in simulations and closed facility tests are very important. The research presented in this paper focuses on the classification of scenario elements and the safety boundary of the scenario space. Scenario elements are divided into the static scenario elements and the dynamic scenario elements, and both of the two parts can be further divided into two types: the elements outside or inside the road. The importance weights of scenario elements are determined by Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and the effect transmission model to construct a scenario space. The relative speed, Time To Collision (TTC) and Time Headway (THW) are selected as risk assessment parameters. Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used to solve the safety boundary of the scenario space. Test results show that the classification of scenario elements is reasonable and the importance weights of scenario elements provide a basis for constructing the scenario space, and the regression lines of the safety boundary can distinguish dangerous driving states from safe ones.
Link Prediction of Complex Network Based on Eigenvector Centrality
Authors: Wang Li , Chen Chao , Li Hang
Published: September 2022

As one of the important methods connecting complex network and computer science, Link prediction deals with the most basic problems in information science. Therefore it is of great importance to probe into it. But how to improve the prediction accuracy is one of the focus problems we are facing. Most of the current link prediction methods are related to the indicators based on the similarity of nodes, and the importance of the neighbor nodes of nodes in the network is often determined by the similarity of nodes. indicators are ignored. Considering the aforementioned problems, we propose a link prediction algorithm based on eigenvector centrality calculated by node importance based on the eigenvector. The algorithm mainly uses the information of eigenvector centrality and considers Common Neighbor (CN), Adamic-Adar (AA) The similarity index of and Resource Allocation (RA), and the AUC value and the exact value are used as a reference for the pros and cons of the index, The results of simulation experiments are reported on two different network data sets, and the final results indicate that the algorithm based on eigenvector centrality is more accurate than the algorithm based on node importance in the link prediction of complicated networks.
Research on the Human-Computer Interaction Interface Design of Intelligent Luggage
Authors: Wang Xiyuan , Yi Xiya
Published: September 2022

It aims to combine the hierarchy of needs with the innovative design of the human-computer interaction interface of smart luggage to upgrade the usage efficiency and user experience of smart luggage. The design model of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is adopted to discover the user needs of smart luggage in conjunction with various investigation methods, and a design model of the human-computer interaction interface of smart luggage is proposed based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The design principles of the human-computer interaction interface of smart luggage are summarized and an interface is designed.
Characterization of irradiated RD53A pixel modules with passive CMOS sensors
Authors: Jofrehei A. , Backhaus M. , Baertschi P. , Canelli F. , Glessgen F. , Jin W. , Kilminster B. , Macchiolo A. , Reimers A. , Ristic B. , Wallny R.
Published: September 2022

We are investigating the feasibility of using CMOS foundries to fabricate silicon detectors, both for pixels and for large-area strip sensors. The availability of multi-layer routing will provide the freedom to optimize the sensor geometry and the performance, with biasing structures in poly-silicon layers and MIM-capacitors allowing for AC coupling. A prototyping production of strip test-structures and RD53A compatible pixel sensors was recently completed at LFoundry in a 150 nm CMOS process. This paper will focus on the characterization of irradiated and non-irradiated pixel modules, composed by a CMOS passive sensor interconnected to a RD53A chip. The sensors are designed with a pixel cell of 25 × 100 μm2in case of DC coupled devices and 50 × 50 μm2for the AC coupled ones. Their performance in terms of charge collection, position resolution, and hit efficiency was studied with measurements performed in the laboratory and with beam tests. The RD53A modules with LFoundry silicon sensors were irradiated to fluences up to1.0×1016neqcm2.
Testbeam performance results of bent ALPIDE monolithic active pixel sensors in view of the ALICE Inner Tracking System 3
Authors: Blidaru B.-M.
Published: September 2022

The ALICE Inner Tracking System has been recently upgraded to a full silicon detector consisting entirely of monolithic active pixel sensors, arranged in seven concentric layers around the LHC beam pipe. Further ahead, during the LHC Long Shutdown 3, the ALICE collaboration is planning to replace the three innermost layers of this new ITS with a novel vertex detector. The proposed design features wafer-scale, ultra-thin, truly cylindrical MAPS. The new sensors will be thinned down to 20–40 µm, featuring a material budget of less than 0.05% x/X
0 per layer, unprecedented low, and will be arranged concentrically around the beam pipe, as close as 18 mm from the interaction point.

Anticipating the first prototypes in the new 65 nm CMOS technology node, an active R&D programme is underway to test the response to bending of existing 50 µm thick ALPIDE sensors. A number of such chips were successfully bent, even below the targeted innermost radius, without signs of mechanical damage, while retaining their full electrical functionality in laboratory tests. The curved detectors were subsequently tested during particle beam campaigns, where their particle detection performance was assessed.

In this contribution, testbeam highlights from the data analysis of bent ALPIDE sensors, will be presented. It was proved that the current ALPIDE produced in the 180 nm CMOS technology retains its properties after bending. The results show an inefficiency that is generally below 10−4, independent of the inclination and position of the impinging beam with respect to the sensor surface. This encouraging outcome proves that the use of curved MAPS is an exciting possibility for future silicon detector designs, as not only the sensor can survive the bending exercise mechanically, but the enticing attributes that make it attractive for use in the inner tracking layers are comparable to the flat state.
Measurement of angular correlations of Compton-scattered gamma quanta from positron annihilation using GAGG:Ce scintillator matrices with single-side readout
Authors: Parashari S. , Bosnar D. , Kožuljević A.M. , Makek M.
Published: September 2022

We measured azimuthal correlations of the Compton-scattered gamma quanta from positron annihilation with two 8 × 8 matrices of Gadolinium Aluminum Gallium Garnet doped with Cerium. Each detector matrix contains 64 crystals of size 3 mm × 3 mm × 20 mm and it is read-out by a single Silicon Photo-multiplier (SiPM) array, with one SiPM matching one pixel. The studied single-side readout concept keeps the modules compact and cost-efficient on a large scale. Coincidence events were recorded using a Na-22 source placed between the modules. We clearly identify and reconstruct the Compton scattering events and we observe the excess of orthogonally scattered gammas over the ones with the parallel azimuthal angles. We present the measured azimuthal modulation factors for several kinematic selection criteria and different inter-pixel distances.
Timing techniques with picosecond-order accuracy for novel gaseous detectors
Authors: Tsiamis A. , Kordas K. , Manthos I. , Tsopoulou M. , Tzamarias S.E.
Published: September 2022

A simulation model is developed to train Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), for precise timing of PICOSEC Micromegas detector signals. The aim is to develop fast, online timing algorithms as well as minimising the information to be saved during data acquisition. PICOSEC waveforms were collected and digitised by a fast oscilloscope during a femtosecond-laser test beam run. A data set comprising waveforms collected with attenuated laser beam intensity, eradicating the emission of more than one photoelectron per light pulse from the PICOSEC photocathode, was utilised by a simulation algorithm to generate waveforms to train an ANN. A second data set of multi-photoelectron waveforms was used to evaluate the ANN performance in determining the PICOSEC signal arrival time, relative to a fast photodiode time-reference. The ANN timing performance is the same as the results of a full offline signal processing, achieving a timing precision of 18.3 ± 0.6 ps.
Phase transitions in the Ising model on a hierarchical random graph based on the triangle
Authors: Kotorowicz Monika , Kozitsky Yuri
Published: September 2022

Hierarchical graphs were invented to formalize heuristic Migdal–Kadanoff renormalization arguments. In such graphs, certain characteristic patterns (motifs) appear as construction elements. Real-world complex networks may also contain such patterns. Itzkovitz and Alon in 2005Phys. Rev.E71, selected five most typical motifs, which include the triangle. In 2011Condens. Matter. Phys.14, Kotorowicz and Kozitsky introduced and described hierarchical random graphs in which these five motifs appear at each hierarchy level. In the present work, we study the equilibrium states of the Ising spin model living on the graph of this kind based on the triangle. The main result is the description of annealed phase transitions in this model. In particular, we show that—depending on the parameters—the model may be in an unordered or ordered states at all temperatures, as well as to have a critical point. The key aspect of our theory is detecting the appearance of an ordered state by the non-ergodicity of a certain nonhomogeneous Markov chain.
Multi-wavelength off-axis digital holographic microscopy with broadly tunable low-coherent sources: theory, performance and limitations
Authors: Gorevoy Alexey , Polschikova Olga , Machikhin Alexander , Stoykova Elena
Published: September 2022

Multi-wavelength digital holographic microscopy (MDHM) is widely used in biological and industrial applications because of increased unambiguous height measurement range and the ability to measure concentration from the spectral dependence of phase delay. Acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs) provide the simultaneous selection of several bands with tunable central wavelengths to create a multiplexed hologram, but may limit the field of view (FOV) in off-axis holography because of the short coherence length of the filtered light. We analyzed the performance of the AOTF-based off-axis MDHM setup with a diffraction grating or a prism in the reference arm necessary to increase the efficiency of angular multiplexing. This allows varying the number of spectral channels selected simultaneously without setup realignment. Mathematical description relates the spectral bandwidth of the AOTF, tilt of the coherence plane induced by the angular dispersion of a prism or a grating, width of the FOV determined by interference pattern visibility, spatial resolution, and optimal intermediate wavelengths. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrated that the FOV may be expanded by changing the angle of light incidence on the AOTF and that the prism changes the wavelength dependence of the FOV. We validated this technique by single-shot acquisition of the height maps of the transparent test chart at four wavelengths with an error similar to that of four sequentially captured single-wavelength holograms. The results may be helpful for multiple applications of MDHM using spectrally tunable light sources.
Fabrication and characterization of co-electrospun cellulose/poly (4-methyl-1-pentene) nanofibers with improved tensile properties
Authors: Narejo Abdul Rahim , Qureshi Raja Fahad , Almas Rabia , Memon Sanam Irum , Mahar Faraz Khan , Syed Noureen , Ahmed Farooq , Khatri Zeeshan
Published: September 2022

In this study, cellulose acetate and poly (4-methyl-1-pentene) (CA/PMP) nanofibers were co-electrospun with a blending ratio of 1:1 and followed by deacetylation treatment to produce cellulose/PMP nanofibers. The physical morphology of nanofibers was characterized by SEM which reveals even and bead-less morphology of nanofibers with an average diameter of 650 nm. FTIR study confirmed the removal of acetyl groups after deacetylation, and x-ray diffraction analysis was performed to analyze the crystalline nature of nanofibers. The calculated crystallinity and crystal size of CA/PMP nanofibers are 82% and 34 Å. The tensile strength study revealed that the combination of both CA and PMP nanofibers with the blending ratio of 1:1 has improved the tensile strength of composite nanofibers. Further, the deacetylation process has also increased the tensile strength. The obtained tensile strength and Young’s modulus are 6.9 MPa and 195 MPa for cellulose/PMP nanofibers which could be a value addition in cellulose-based membranes.
Polarons in spinless metals—a variational solution
Authors: Berciu M
Published: September 2022

We propose a simple variational solution for calculating one-particle spectral functions in lattice models of spinless metals with strong electron-phonon coupling. It is based on a generalization of the Momentum Average variational approximation for single polarons, combined with the assumption that the other fermions in the system are locked into an inert Fermi sea. We expect the method to be accurate for fermion addition spectral functions in metals with a small Fermi energy (nearly empty band), and for fermion removal spectral functions in metals with a large Fermi energy (nearly full band), provided that the characteristic phonon frequency is not too small. Both these regions are far from the region where the Migdal theorem holds, thus our results offer new insights into polaronic behavior in a largely unexplored part of the parameter space. Here, we show results for the Holstein coupling in one-dimension and present ways to gauge their accuracy, but ultimately this will need to be verified against numerical calculations. This variational method can be extended straightforwardly to higher dimensions and other forms of electron-phonon coupling.
Design of a Hall effect sensor controlled brittle star inspired composite robotic limb
Authors: Mack Jonah , Alam Parvez
Published: September 2022

This paper elucidates a method of actuation and feedback for hard-soft composite continuum pentapod appendages to enable both kinematic accuracy and gait. A feedback mechanism based on Hall effect sensors is integrated within a hard exterior/soft interior composite robotic limb, which is unaffected by actuator slippage, and provides accurate (sub 2°) end point measurements. The proposed method for actuation uses two actuators to control a full semi-spherical range of motion, an improvement to the use of three actuators more commonly reported in the literature. When applied to enable the gait of a complete brittle star inspired pentapod, we find that our design reaches a momentum of 0.52kg·ms−1, surpassing the momentum of previously reported untethered starfish inspired pentapods by 3.7 times.
A small-molecule inhibitor and degrader of the RNF5 ubiquitin ligase
Authors: Ruan Jingjing , Liang Dongdong , Yan Wenjing , Zhong Yongwang , Talley Daniel C. , Rai Ganesha , Tao Dingyin , LeClair Christopher A. , Simeonov Anton , Zhang Yinghua , Chen Feihu , Quinney Nancy L. , Boyles Susan E. , Cholon Deborah M. , Gentzsch Martina , Henderson Mark J. , Xue Fengtian , Fang Shengyun
Published: September 2022

RNF5 has multiple biological roles and has been linked to the development of severe diseases such as cystic fibrosis, acute myeloid leukemia, and certain viral infections. This study developed a small molecule inhibitor and degrader of the RNF5 ubiquitin ligase, providing a chemical biology tool for RNF5 research and therapeutic development.
Multiple exposure distributed lag models with variable selection
Authors: Antonelli Joseph , Wilson Ander , Coull Brent A
Published: September 2022

Distributed lag models are useful in environmental epidemiology as they allow the user to investigate critical windows of exposure, defined as the time periods during which exposure to a pollutant adversely affects health outcomes. Recent studies have focused on estimating the health effects of a large number of environmental exposures, or an environmental mixture, on health outcomes. In such settings, it is important to understand which environmental exposures affect a particular outcome, while acknowledging the possibility that different exposures have different critical windows. Further, in studies of environmental mixtures, it is important to identify interactions among exposures and to account for the fact that this interaction may occur between two exposures having different critical windows. Exposure to one exposure early in time could cause an individual to be more or less susceptible to another exposure later in time. We propose a Bayesian model to estimate the temporal effects of a large number of exposures on an outcome. We use spike-and-slab priors and semiparametric distributed lag curves to identify important exposures and exposure interactions and discuss extensions with improved power to detect harmful exposures. We then apply these methods to estimate the effects of exposure to multiple air pollutants during pregnancy on birthweight from vital records in Colorado.
Same-Day Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation as a Predictor of Loss to Follow-up and Viral Suppression Among People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Ross Jonathan , Brazier Ellen , Fatti Geoffrey , Jaquet Antoine , Tanon Aristophane , Haas Andreas D , Diero Lameck , Castelnuovo Barbara , Yiannoutsos Constantin T , Nash Denis , Anastos Kathryn M , Yotebieng Marcel
Published: September 2022

Background

Treat-All guidelines recommend initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all people with HIV (PWH) on the day of diagnosis when possible, yet uncertainty exists about the impact of same-day ART initiation on subsequent care engagement. We examined the association of same-day ART initiation with loss to follow-up and viral suppression among patients in 11 sub-Saharan African countries.

Methods

We included ART-naive adult PWH from sites participating in the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium who enrolled in care after Treat-All implementation and prior to January 2019. We used multivariable Cox regression to estimate the association between same-day ART initiation and loss to follow-up and Poisson regression to estimate the association between same-day ART initiation and 6-month viral suppression.

Results

Among 29 017 patients from 63 sites, 18 584 (64.0%) initiated ART on the day of enrollment. Same-day ART initiation was less likely among those with advanced HIV disease versus early-stage disease. Loss to follow-up was significantly lower among those initiating ART ≥1 day of enrollment, compared with same-day ART initiators (20.6% vs 27.7%; adjusted hazard ratio: .66; 95% CI .57–.76). No difference in viral suppression was observed by time to ART initiation (adjusted rate ratio: 1.00; 95% CI: .98–1.02).

Conclusions

Patients initiating ART on the day of enrollment were more frequently lost to follow-up than those initiating later but were equally likely to be virally suppressed. Our findings support recent World Health Organization recommendations for providing tailored counseling and support to patients who accept an offer of same-day ART.
Functional Medicine Approach to Patient Care Improves Sleep, Fatigue, and Quality of Life in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Strobel Thomas M , Nguyen Christine , Riggs Taylor , Horst Sarah N , Motley Amy , Upadhyaya Spencer , Campbell Sarah , Spring Emily , Dalal Robin L , Scoville Elizabeth , Pabla Baldeep , Schwartz David A , Beaulieu Dawn B
Published: September 2022

Background

A Functional Medicine program was developed at an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) center with the goal of integrating strategies to address modifiable lifestyle factors and to complete a 6-week elimination diet under the direction of a trained Functional Medicine dietitian and Functional Medicine providers.

Methods

From January 2019 to November 2019, patients with controlled, but persistent, symptoms from IBD were offered enrollment. Each of the 5 visits incorporated an educational session focused on nutrition followed by a session focusing on modifiable lifestyle factors. The patients were placed on a supervised 6-week elimination diet. At each visit, patients completed the SIBDQ (Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire), FSS (Fatigue Severity Scale), PSQI (The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and MSQ (Medical Symptoms Questionnaire). Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed-rank test.

Results

Nineteen patients enrolled (2 men: 1 ulcerative colitis [UC], 1 Crohn’s disease [CD]; 17 women: 3 UC, 14 CD). 15 patients completed all modules. There was improvement in all patient-reported outcomes (PROs) (FSS, P < .001; PSQI, P < .001; SIBDQ, P < .001; MSQ, P < .001). Every patient who completed the last session demonstrated weight loss.

Conclusions

The psychoemotional roots to immune disease states, particularly IBD, are complicated and often not addressed in traditional care. We are just beginning to understand the impact of nutrition, sleep, stress, movement, and relationships on IBD. In this cohort, utilizing Functional Medicine as an adjunct to traditional care resulted in improvement in all PROs.
Searching of Underground Host Patches by a Pupal Parasitoid
Authors: Okuyama Toshinori
Published: September 2022

When hosts are distributed in discrete patches, ways in which parasitoids search and move between patches affect variability in parasitism risk among hosts and host–parasitoid population dynamics. This study examined the patch searching behavior of the solitary pupal parasitoid Dirhinus giffardii (Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) on its host Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) which pupates underground. In a series of two laboratory experiments, host patches were created by burying pupae in peat moss, and the foraging behavior of the parasitoid was recorded. If D. giffardii can detect underground patches, the parasitoid would preferentially exploit high quality patches where the quality of a patch is represented by the number of unparasitized hosts in the patch. The first experiment investigated the effect of patch size (i.e., number of hosts) and host status (whether hosts are parasitized or unparasitized) on patch searching behavior. Results showed parasitoids were more likely to exploit a large patch than a small patch regardless of host status. The second experiment examined the effect of relative locations of patches by establishing three patches (one large patch and two small patches with unequal inter-patch distances from the large patch). The probability of parasitism was lower for the small patch close to the large patch than the small patch far from the large patch. The parasitism patterns described in the experiments have important implications on the distribution of parasitism risk among hosts and population dynamics.
Effects produced by the facemask with and without skeletal anchorage for the orthopaedic treatment of Class III malocclusion in growing patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs
Authors: Rutili Valentina , Nieri Michele , Franceschi Debora , Pierleoni Felicita , Giuntini Veronica , Franchi Lorenzo
Published: September 2022

Background

Skeletally anchored facemask has been proposed to maximize skeletal effects and minimize dental effects in the treatment of Class III malocclusion in growing patients.

Objective

To compare the dento-skeletal effects produced by the facemask with or without skeletal anchorage for the treatment of Class III malocclusion in growing patients.

Materials and methods

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and OpenGrey were used for the electronic search without language, publication status, and year restrictions. Only RCTs were included. Inclusion criteria were: growing patients (age under 18 years) with Class III malocclusion, with indications for treatment with the facemask. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers. GRADE statement was executed. The mean of differences (MD) and the risk ratio (RR) were used.

Results

Three articles with a total of 123 patients were included. One article was at low risk of bias while two were at high risk of bias. There were no significant differences between the two groups in ANB angle, Wits appraisal, SNB angle, and SN-MP angle. SNA angle was significantly increased in the skeletally anchored facemask (pooled MD = 0.80 favouring skeletal anchorage, 95% CI from 0.29 to 1.31, P = 0.002, I2 = 12 per cent, three studies, GRADE moderate). The U1-SN angle was significantly reduced in the skeletally anchored facemask (pooled MD = −5.91 favouring skeletal anchorage, 95% CI from −7.64 to −4.27, P < 0.00001, I2 = 0 per cent, two studies, GRADE moderate). There were significantly less complications in tooth-anchored facemask (pooled RR = 7.98 favouring dental anchorage, 95 per cent CI from 1.04 to 61.27, P = 0.05, I2 = 0 per cent, two studies, GRADE low).

Limitations

Few RCTs (three) were included, and two studies were at high risk of bias. There were no long-term RCTs comparing skeletally anchored facemask with dental-anchored facemask. Only Asiatic patients were included in this systematic review.

Conclusions

Skeletally anchored facemask was associated to a greater increase of SNA angle at the end of treatment though clinically not significant. Facemask with skeletal anchorage determined a reduced inclination of maxillary incisors compared to dental-anchored facemask with greater risks of complications.

Registration

PROSPERO register (CRD42020221982).
The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on air pollution in Europe and North America: a systematic review
Authors: Bakola Maria , Hernandez Carballo Ireri , Jelastopulu Eleni , Stuckler David
Published: September 2022

Background

Multiple studies report reductions in air pollution associated with COVID-19 lockdowns.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of the changes observed in hazardous air pollutants known or suspected to be harmful to health, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM). We searched PubMed and Web of Science for studies reporting the associations of lockdowns with air pollutant changes during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and North America.

Results

One hundred nine studies were identified and analyzed. Several pollutants exhibited marked and sustained reductions. The strongest was NO2 (93% of 89 estimated changes were reductions) followed by CO (88% of 33 estimated pollutant changes). All NOx and benzene studies reported significant reductions although these were based on fewer than 10 estimates. About three-quarters of PM2.5 and PM10 estimates showed reductions and few studies reported increases when domestic fuel use rose during COVID-19 lockdowns. In contrast, O3 levels rose as NOx levels fell. SO2 and ammonia (NH3) had mixed results. In general, greater reductions appeared when lockdowns were more severe, as well as where baseline pollutant levels were higher, such as at low-elevation and in densely populated areas. Substantial and robust reductions in NO2, NO, CO, CO2, PM2.5, PM10, benzene and air quality index pollution occurred in association with COVID-19 lockdowns. O3 levels tended to increase, while SO2 and NH3 had mixed patterns.

Conclusions

Our study shows the profound impact of human activity levels on air pollution and its potential avoidability.
Microbial communities of stratified aquatic ecosystems of Kandalaksha Bay (White Sea) shed light on the evolutionary history of green and brown morphotypes ofChlorobiota
Authors: Grouzdev Denis , Gaisin Vasil , Lunina Olga , Krutkina Maria , Krasnova Elena , Voronov Dmitry , Baslerov Roman , Sigalevich Pavel , Savvichev Alexander , Gorlenko Vladimir
Published: September 2022

Anoxygenic photoautotrophic metabolism of green sulfur bacteria of the family Chlorobiaceae played a significant role in establishing the Earth's biosphere. Two known major ecological forms of these phototrophs differ in their pigment composition and, therefore, in color: the green and brown forms. The latter form often occurs in low-light environments and is specialized to harvest blue light, which can penetrate to the greatest depth in the water column. In the present work, metagenomic sequencing was used to investigate the natural population of brown Chl. phaeovibrioides ZM in a marine stratified Zeleny Mys lagoon in the Kandalaksha Bay (the White Sea) to supplement the previously obtained genomes of brown Chlorobiaceae. The genomes of brown and green Chlorobiaceae were investigated using comparative genome analysis and phylogenetic and reconciliation analysis to reconstruct the evolution of these ecological forms. Our results support the suggestion that the last common ancestor of Chlorobiaceae belonged to the brown form, i.e. it was adapted to the conditions of low illumination. However, despite the vertical inheritance of these characteristics, among modern Chlorobiaceae populations, the genes responsible for synthesizing the pigments of the brown form are subject to active horizontal transfer.