bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Some contributions to propulsion theory — Fuel consumption formulae and general range equation
Authors: Bore C. L.
Published: March 2023

The permanent urgency of aircraft design during the author’s career at Hawker Aircraft, a.k.a. British Aerospace Kingston, inhibited publication of his advances of theory. So he collected those on propulsion and presented them to the Royal Aeronautical Society in a lecture “Some Unpublished Contributions to Propulsion Theory” on 11 March 1992. The meeting proposed that the material should be published in full, and F. W. Armstrong helpfully suggested that the best way for future reference would be to divide the material into Technical Notes on related topics, each capable of standing alone. These have been reworked to stand separately, as follows:

1)

Fuel consumption formulae and the general range equation

2)

The Stream Force Theorem and applications to propulsion

3)

Non-isentropic duct flow and the general wake traverse

4)

Propulsion streamtubes in supersonic flow and the first supercritical intake cowl

5)

Rotary jet thrust augmenters

(a)

fallacy of Foa’s theory and correction

(b)

the jet fan augmenter.
The contributions of Power Jets Ltd to jet propulsion
Authors: Feilden G. B. R.
Published: March 2023

The development of jet propulsion and the aircraft gas turbine in Britain has two main lines. One began in 1926 when Dr A.A. Griffith, then of the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE), proposed the use of a gas turbine as an aircraft power plant. This line of development led to the Metropolitan-Vickers F2 jet engine and its derivatives. Our story began two years later in 1928 when Frank Whittle was a cadet at Cranwell. Each term, the cadets were required to write a thesis and in his fourth and final term Whittle chose as his subject “Future Developments in Aircraft Design”. He concluded that for very high speeds combined with long range, it would be necessary to fly at very great heights where low air density would greatly reduce resistance in proportion to speed. He was thinking in terms of speeds of 500 mph at heights where the, air density was less than one quarter of its sea level value.
The solution of the Navier-Stokes equations for two-dimensional compressible flows using a simple second order accurate algorithm
Authors: Sinhamahapatra K. P.
Published: March 2023

The compressible flow Navier-Stokes equations, in conservation form, have been solved using a modified MacCormack implicit predictor-corrector scheme. For turbulent flow the solution is modified by incorporating an eddy viscosity, to solve the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. The algorithm is accurate to second order in time and space and is unconditionally stable. It requires the solution of block bidiagonal matrices and the programme can run on commonly available minicomputers. It also has the advantage that a steady state solution is approached, if it exists, independent of the time step employed.

Numerical results are presented for the two-dimensional shock-boundary layer interaction in both laminar and turbulent flow and the results are compared with experimental values and the numerical results of other workers. The method is calibrated against the analytical solution for the boundary layer on a flat plate and for the time dependent Couette flow problem.
Some contributions to propulsion theory — non-isentropic duct flow and the general drag wake traverse
Authors: Bore C. L.
Published: March 2023

After showing the extension of one-dimensional duct-flow equations to flows in which total pressure is lost from one station to another, it is shown how a pitot static traverse at a general station can be used to measure the drag developed upstream of that station. This was the first section of Ref. 1.
Automatic navigation in the air and at sea
Authors: Smith S.G.
Published: March 2023

Navigation is an art practised by all who travel but it developed as a science when the means of travel took travellers beyond sight of landmarks. Thus it was seamen who initially developed the science of navigation and the requirements of the marine fraternity drove its development until the invention of the aeroplane.

The capabilities of early aircraft limited their navigation requirements but as they could fly in conditions where visual contact with the ground was lost, the need for sophisticated navigation methods grew. At first marine techniques and equipment were adopted but these were found to have severe limitations in the new environment.
The use of a Flame lonisation Detector for mass fraction measurement in short duration windtunnels
Authors: Bowman I. N. R. , Edwards J. A.
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this note is to demonstrate the application of a Flame lonisation Detector gas chromatograph for the measurement of gas concentration in short duration windtunnel facilities. The determination of gas mixing properties has many important applications in internal and external aerodynamics: for example, two phase flows in jets, film cooling and wake flow properties.
Propulsion streamtubes in supersonic flow and supercritical intake cowl
Authors: Bore C. L.
Published: March 2023

The proper treatment of the pre-entry and post-exit streamtubes of supersonic aircraft and their “corresponding” windtunnel models was considered in some depth for supersonic fighter designs, and investigated in wave drag research, but as a result of the cancellations of the major supersonic fighter programmes the results were not published. This note sets out the salient conclusions.

The development of the first supercritical air intake cowl is also outlined.
Telehealth in treating tinnitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Habeeb A , Hemaya M , Hemaya M , Kanegaonkar R
Published: March 2023

Objective

Treatment for tinnitus focuses on supportive therapies. Long waiting times in the National Health Service encourage telemedicine options as an alternative. This study aimed to review the literature on telemedicine in the management of tinnitus and analyse its impact on the burden of tinnitus, long-term, anxiety, depression, insomnia and quality of life.

Method

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science were searched. English randomised, controlled trials with adult participants suffering from tinnitus were included. A random effects model looking at standardised mean differences between intervention and control groups was utilised.

Results

Eleven randomised, controlled trials were included. Nine studies looked at internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy. Az-value of 9.87 (p< 0.00001; I2= 21 per cent) showed telemedicine approaches may be better at reducing tinnitus burden compared with passive controls.

Conclusion

Telemedicine options have multiple benefits, but more research will be needed to conclusively say they are better than alternatives.
Proposal of the colour pattern reconstruction of basal cervids
Authors: GAMARRA Jesús , VEGA-PAGÁN Kelly A. , RODRÍGUEZ-ALBA Juan José , PÉREZ GONZÁLEZ Sergio , FESHARAKI Omid
Published: March 2023

Methodologies that analyse the colouration and external appearance of extant species are very useful tools when facing one of the greatest challenges in the palaeoartistic reconstructions of extinct fauna: inferring the colour patterns. Earlier works have applied this methodology, for example, in the reconstruction of the Miocene bovid Tethytragus, proving that the maximum likelihood (ML) analysis to infer ancestral states has promising potential. This study offers a proposal for the reconstruction of the external appearance of Heteroprox moralesi Azanza 1989, an early cervid of the Middle Miocene present in several fossil sites of Central Spain. For the reconstruction of the external appearance, the colour patterns of all the extant species of the family Cervidae were studied with the method of ML analysis, as well as recent works about their phylogeny. The results show the most probable basal colour pattern of the cervids: dark shades on the limbs, dorsal section, and head of the animal, and, in contrast, lighter colours on the neck and perianal region. This basal pattern can be used as a basis for reconstructing colouration and to hypothesise about the external appearance of extinct taxa. Furthermore, the inferred forest habitat of H. moralesi has been taken into consideration in order to adjust the colour pattern, comparing the final results of the analysis performed in this study with that of the pattern observed in extant forest deer as well as with previous works employing this methodology.
Pinpointing the Mechanism of Magnetic Enhancement in Modern Soils Using High‐Resolution Magnetic Field Imaging
Authors: Fu Roger R. , Maher Barbara A. , Nie Junsheng , Gao Peng , Berndt Thomas , Folsom Elizabeth , Cavanaugh Timothy
Published: March 2023

In well‐buffered modern soils, higher annual rainfall is associated with enhanced soil ferrimagnetic mineral content, especially of ultrafine particles that result in distinctive rock magnetic properties. Hence, paleosol magnetism has been widely used as a paleoprecipitation proxy. Identifying the dominant mechanism(s) of magnetic enhancement in a given sample is critical for reliable inference of paleoprecipitation. Here, we use high‐resolution magnetic field and electron microscopy to identify the grain‐scale setting and formation pathway of magnetic enhancement in two modern soils developed in higher (∼580 mm/y) and lower (∼190 mm/y) precipitation settings from the Qilianshan Range, China. We found that both soils contain 1–30 μm aeolian Fe‐oxide grains with indistinguishable rock magnetic properties, while the higher‐precipitation soil contains an additional population of ultrafine (<150 nm) magnetically distinct magnetite grains. We show that the in situ precipitation of these ultrafine particles, likely during wet‐dry cycling, is the only significant magnetic enhancement mechanism in this soil. These results demonstrate the potential of quantum diamond microscope magnetic microscopy to extract magnetic information from distinct, even intimately mixed, grain populations. This information can be used to evaluate the contribution of distinct enhancement mechanisms to the total magnetization.
Ocean‐Forcing and Glacier‐Specific Factors Drive Differing Glacier Response Across the 69°N Boundary, East Greenland
Authors: Brough S. , Carr J. R. , Ross N. , Lea J. M.
Published: March 2023

The Greenland ice sheet has become a significant contributor to global sea level rise over the last 40–50 years. Approximately half of Greenland's mass loss since 1992 was due to increased ice discharge from marine‐terminating outlet glaciers. Here, we present high temporal resolution (∼monthly) time series of ice frontal positions for 24 marine‐terminating outlet glaciers along Greenland's east coast between 2013 and 2020. The glaciers are located north and south of 69°N, which has previously been identified as a potential divide in glacier response to climate forcing. Frontal positions are compared to ice velocity, atmospheric and oceanic data, allowing investigation of change at both seasonal and interannual timescales. Our results reveal 19 of 24 study glaciers underwent net retreat. We find marked differences in interannual patterns of frontal position between glaciers located north and south of 69°N. South of 69°N, glaciers underwent multiyear retreat initiated in 2016, which we attribute to over‐winter calving, resulting from warmer ocean waters and repeated ice‐mélange break‐up. North of 69°N glaciers show either limited or gradual changes in frontal positions and retreat patterns are characterized by more year‐on‐year variability between glaciers. Although similar atmospheric conditions occur across both regions, glaciers north of 69°N experience minimal change in ocean conditions, and are strongly influenced by glacier‐specific factors. Our results show that 69°N continues to represent a boundary between different glacier responses and climate forcing, which is likely to persist under current conditions.
Direct visualization of transcription-replication conflicts reveals post-replicative DNA:RNA hybrids
Authors: Stoy Henriette , Zwicky Katharina , Kuster Danina , Lang Kevin S , Krietsch Jana , Crossley Magdalena P. , Schmid Jonas A. , Cimprich Karlene A. , Merrikh Houra , Lopes Massimo
Published: March 2023

Transcription-replication collisions (TRCs) are crucial determinants of genome instability. R-loops were linked to head-on TRCs and proposed to obstruct replication fork progression. The underlying mechanisms, however, remained elusive due to the lack of direct visualization and of non-ambiguous research tools. Here, we ascertained the stability of estrogen-induced R-loops on the human genome, visualized them directly by electron microscopy (EM), and measured R-loop frequency and size at the single-molecule level. Combining EM and immuno-labeling on locus-specific head-on TRCs in bacteria, we observed the frequent accumulation of DNA:RNA hybrids behind replication forks. These post-replicative structures are linked to fork slowing and reversal across conflict regions and are distinct from physiological DNA:RNA hybrids at Okazaki fragments. Comet assays on nascent DNA revealed a marked delay in nascent DNA maturation in multiple conditions previously linked to R-loop accumulation. Altogether, our findings suggest that TRC-associated replication interference entails transactions that follow initial R-loop bypass by the replication fork.
Effect of mycorrhizae on phosphate fertilization efficiency and maize growth under field conditions
Authors: de Souza Buzo Fernando , Garé Lucas Martins , Garcia Nayara Fernanda Siviero , de Andrade Silva Maura Santos Reis , Martins Juliana Trindade , da Silva Pedro Henrique Giova , Meireles Flávia Constantino , de Souza Sales Leticia Zylmennith , Nogales Amaia , Rigobelo Everlon Cid , Arf Orivaldo
Published: March 2023

Phosphorus (P) is a plant macronutrient that is indispensable for maize (Zea mays L.) production. However, P is difficult to manage in weathered soils, and its fertilization practice has low efficiency because it becomes unavailable for absorption by plant roots. Symbiosis of plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increases plant growth and enhances P uptake from the soil that is not directly available to the roots. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine how inoculation with Rhizophagus intraradices and phosphate fertilization interacts and influences the development and productivity of second-crop maize. The experiment was conducted in Selvíria, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, in 2019 and 2020, both in a Typic Haplorthox. A randomized block design in subdivided plots was used for the phosphate application during crop sowing (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% concentrations of the recommended level), and the secondary treatments were the doses of mycorrhizal inoculant (0, 60, 120 and 180 g ha−1) applied to the seed using a dry powder inoculant containing 20,800 infectious propagules per gram of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus R. intraradices. Only in the first year of the experiment, inoculation and phosphate fertilization promoted benefits to the maize crop, indicating potential to increase yield.
Common features in spatial livestock disease transmission parameters
Authors: Boender Gert Jan , Hagenaars Thomas J.
Published: March 2023

The risk of epidemic spread of diseases in livestock poses a threat to animal and often also human health. Important for the assessment of the effect of control measures is a statistical model quantification of between-farm transmission during epidemics. In particular, quantification of the between-farm transmission kernel has proven its importance for a range of different diseases in livestock. In this paper we explore if a comparison of the different transmission kernels yields further insight. Our comparison identifies common features that connect across the different pathogen-host combinations analyzed. We conjecture that these features are universal and thereby provide generic insights. Comparison of the shape of the spatial transmission kernel suggests that, in absence of animal movement bans, the distance dependence of transmission has a universal shape analogous to Lévy-walk model descriptions of human movement patterns. Also, our analysis suggests that interventions such as movement bans and zoning, through their impact on these movement patterns, change the shape of the kernel in a universal fashion. We discuss how the generic insights suggested can be of practical use for assessing risks of spread and optimizing control measures, in particular when outbreak data is scarce.
Drosophilids with darker cuticle have higher body temperature under light
Authors: Freoa Laurent , Chevin Luis-Miguel , Christol Philippe , Méléard Sylvie , Rera Michael , Véber Amandine , Gibert Jean-Michel
Published: March 2023

Cuticle pigmentation was shown to be associated with body temperature for several relatively large species of insects, but it was questioned for small insects. Here we used a thermal camera to assess the association between drosophilid cuticle pigmentation and body temperature increase when individuals are exposed to light. We compared mutants of large effects within species (Drosophila melanogaster ebony and yellow mutants). Then we analyzed the impact of naturally occurring pigmentation variation within species complexes (Drosophila americana/Drosophila novamexicana and Drosophila yakuba/Drosophila santomea). Finally we analyzed lines of D. melanogaster with moderate differences in pigmentation. We found significant differences in temperatures for each of the four pairs we analyzed. The temperature differences appeared to be proportional to the differently pigmented area: between Drosophila melanogaster ebony and yellow mutants or between Drosophila americana and Drosophila novamexicana, for which the whole body is differently pigmented, the temperature difference was around 0.6 °C ± 0.2 °C. By contrast, between D. yakuba and D. santomea or between Drosophila melanogaster Dark and Pale lines, for which only the posterior abdomen is differentially pigmented, we detected a temperature difference of about 0.14 °C ± 0.10 °C. This strongly suggests that cuticle pigmentation has ecological implications in drosophilids regarding adaptation to environmental temperature.
Health literacy affected the residents’ knowledge, attitude, practice for prevention and control of COVID-19 in Shanxi Province, China
Authors: Ling Jianchun , Jiang Hui , Wang Xuchun , Rao Huaxiang
Published: March 2023

Multistage stratified random sampling was used to explore the relationship of health literacy with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention and control knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in residents aged 15–69 years old in Shanxi Province. The questionnaire, which was issued by the Chinese Center for Health Education, consisted of a health literacy questionnaire and a COVID-19 prevention and control KAP questionnaire. According to the national unified scoring method, the participants were divided into two groups: those who with adequate health literacy and those who with inadequate health literacy. The results of the answer to each KAP question were compared between the two groups by Chi-square test or Wilcoxon rank sum test. Binary logistic regression was used to control confounding effects of socio-demographic characteristics to draw relatively reliable conclusions. A total of 2700 questionnaires were distributed, and 2686 valid questionnaires were returned, with an efficiency rate of 99.5%. Health literacy qualified was identified for 18.32% (492/2686) in Shanxi Province. Compared with the inadequate health literacy group, people with adequate health literacy had a higher corrected answer rate in 11 knowledge-related questions (all P < 0.001); showed more positive answer to each attitude-related question in the three aspects, namely, responsibility for the prevention and control of infectious disease transmission, evaluation for COVID-19-related information release and reporting, and evaluation for the government’s COVID-19 prevention and control results (all P < 0.001); and acted more actively in the practice concerning appropriate self-prevention and control behaviors during the COVID-19 outbreak (all P < 0.001). Logistic regression analyses confirmed that with adequate health literacy played a positive role in each of the contents of COVID-19 prevention and control KAP (ORs were between 1.475 and 4.862, all P < 0.001). Health literacy is closely related to COVID-19 prevention and control KAP in the general population of Shanxi Province. People with high score of health literacy were generally better able to grasp COVID-19 prevention and control knowledge, have more positive attitudes toward prevention and control, and perform better prevention and control behaviors. Promoting residents’ health literacy by targeted health education can play an important and positive role in dealing with the threat of major infectious diseases outbreaks.
Devising a deep neural network based mammography phantom image filtering algorithm using images obtained under mAs and kVp control
Authors: Park Sung Soo , Ku Young Mi , Seo Kyung Jin , Whang In Yong , Hwang Yun Sup , Kim Min Ji , Jung Na Young
Published: March 2023

We study whether deep neural network based algorithm can filter out mammography phantom images that will pass or fail. With 543 phantom images generated from a mammography unit, we created VGG16 based phantom shape scoring models (multi-and binary-class classifiers). Using these models we designed filtering algorithms that can filter failed or passed phantom images. 61 phantom images obtained from two different medical institutions were used for external validation. The performances of the scoring models show an F1-score of 0.69 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65, 0.72) for multi-class classifiers and an F1-score of 0.93 (95% CI 0.92, 0.95) and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.97 (95% CI 0.96, 0.98) for binary-class classifiers. A total of 42 of the 61 phantom images (69%) were filtered by the filtering algorithms without further need for assessment from a human observer. This study demonstrated the potential to reduce the human workload from mammographic phantom interpretation using the deep neural network based algorithm.
Health data justice: building new norms for health data governance
Authors: Shaw James , Sekalala Sharifah
Published: March 2023

The retention and use of health-related data by government, corporate, and health professional actors risk exacerbating the harms of colonial systems of inequality in which health care and public health are situated, regardless of the intentions about how those data are used. In this context, a data justice perspective presents opportunities to develop new norms of health-related data governance that hold health justice as the primary objective. In this perspective, we define the concept of health data justice, outline urgent issues informed by this approach, and propose five calls to action from a health data justice perspective.
Abnormal proliferation of gut mycobiota contributes to the aggravation of Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Bao Li , Zhang Ying , Zhang Guoying , Jiang Dechun , Yan Dan
Published: March 2023

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) constitutes a worldwide health threat, and the underlying mechanism for the development and progression of T2D is complex and multifactorial. During the last decade, gut commensal bacteria have been found to play a crucial role in the regulation of T2D and related metabolic disorders. However, as a considerable component in gut microbiome, the relationship between mycobiota and T2D and related metabolic disorders remains unclear. As a proof-of-concept, we observed that the ablation of the commensal fungi in mice can protect HFD (High fat diet) induced insulin resistance and related metabolic disorders. Both ITS2 (internal transcribed spacer 2) sequencing and culture-dependent analysis show the enrichment of Candida albicans in samples from individuals with T2D (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2100042049). Repopulation with C. albicans in HFD mice accelerated insulin resistance and related disorders. Mechanically, we found the β-glucan from C. albicans mirrored the deteriorating effect of C. albicans through the dectin-1 dependent pathway. Our current findings support that gut mycobiota play an important role in the progress of T2D and indicated the preventing of gut mycobiota is a promising strategy to alleviate insulin resistance and related metabolic dysfunctions.
Parameter-efficient fine-tuning of large-scale pre-trained language models
Authors: Ding Ning , Qin Yujia , Yang Guang , Wei Fuchao , Yang Zonghan , Su Yusheng , Hu Shengding , Chen Yulin , Chan Chi-Min , Chen Weize , Yi Jing , Zhao Weilin , Wang Xiaozhi , Liu Zhiyuan , Zheng Hai-Tao , Chen Jianfei , Liu Yang , Tang Jie , Li Juanzi , Sun Maosong
Published: March 2023

With the prevalence of pre-trained language models (PLMs) and the pre-training–fine-tuning paradigm, it has been continuously shown that larger models tend to yield better performance. However, as PLMs scale up, fine-tuning and storing all the parameters is prohibitively costly and eventually becomes practically infeasible. This necessitates a new branch of research focusing on the parameter-efficient adaptation of PLMs, which optimizes a small portion of the model parameters while keeping the rest fixed, drastically cutting down computation and storage costs. In general, it demonstrates that large-scale models could be effectively stimulated by the optimization of a few parameters. Despite the various designs, here we discuss and analyse the approaches under a more consistent and accessible term ‘delta-tuning’, where ‘delta’ a mathematical notation often used to denote changes, is borrowed to refer to the portion of parameters that are ‘changed’ during training. We formally describe the problem and propose a unified categorization criterion for existing delta-tuning methods to explore their correlations and differences. We also discuss the theoretical principles underlying the effectiveness of delta-tuning and interpret them from the perspectives of optimization and optimal control. Furthermore, we provide a holistic empirical study on over 100 natural language processing tasks and investigate various aspects of delta-tuning. With comprehensive study and analysis, our research demonstrates the theoretical and practical properties of delta-tuning in the adaptation of PLMs.
Mapping the consumer foodshed of the Kampala city region shows the importance of urban agriculture
Authors: Hemerijckx Lisa-Marie , Nakyagaba Gloria Nsangi , Sseviiri Hakimu , Janusz Katarzyna , Eichinger Michelle , Lwasa Shuaib , May Julian , Verburg Peter H. , Van Rompaey Anton
Published: March 2023

Due to rapid urbanisation, food systems in sub-Saharan African cities are increasingly under pressure. Through the lens of a foodshed, this paper quantitatively analyses the spatial extent of the food provisioning area for consumers of different socio-economic status in Kampala (Uganda). Based on a primary dataset of surveys with households and food vendors, we map the foodshed by registering where consumers obtain their food, and the origin of where it is grown. We show that 50% of the food consumed in the city originates from within a 120 km proximity to Kampala, including 10% from within the city itself. At present, urban agricultural activities are twice as important as international imports for the urban food provision. Established, high-income urban dwellers have a more local foodshed due to their broad participation in urban agriculture, while low-income newcomers rely heavily on retailers who source food from rural Uganda.
Revised Storegga Slide reconstruction reveals two major submarine landslides 12,000 years apart
Authors: Karstens Jens , Haflidason Haflidi , Berndt Christian , Crutchley Gareth J.
Published: March 2023

The Storegga Slide is the largest known exposed submarine landslide in the world, which triggered a tsunami that inundated the coasts of northern Europe ~8,150 years ago. Previous studies suggested the removal of 50–70 m of sediment from the northern slide scar segment, contributing half of the total slide volume of up to 3200 km³. However, new sediment echosounder profiles and sedimentological constraints show that most material within the northern Storegga slide scar had already failed ~20,000 years ago, at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. We refer to this previously undetected slope failure as the Nyegga Slide. In our revised slope failure reconstruction, the Nyegga Slide removed more than 35 m of sediments that were previously attributed to the tsunamigenic Storegga Slide. This implies that large slope failures at the mid-Norwegian margin occur more frequently than previously thought, indicating a higher tsunami hazard for the North Atlantic.
Fabrication and characterization of high-resolution 4H-SiC epitaxial radiation detectors for challenging reactor dosimetry environments
Authors: Mandal Krishna C. , Chaudhuri Sandeep K. , Ruddy Frank H.
Published: March 2023

Reactor dosimetry environments require radiation detectors that are capable of operating at high temperatures in extremely high neutron and gamma-ray dose rates. Silicon carbide (SiC) is one of the most promising wide bandgap semiconductors (3.27 eV) for harsh environment applications due to its radiation hardness, high breakdown voltage, high electron saturation velocity, and high thermal conductivity. In this paper, we summarize the prospect of Schottky barrier radiation detectors, fabricated on highly crystalline low-defect detector-grade n-type 4H-SiC epitaxial layers with thickness ranging from 20 to 250 lm, for harsh environment applications. A comprehensive discussion on the characterization of the parameters that influence the energy resolution has been included. The usage of electrical and radiation spectroscopic measurements for characterizing the junction and rectification properties, minority carrier diffusion lengths, and energy resolution has been elaborated. Characterization of crucial factors that limit the energy resolution of the detectors such as charge trap centers using thermally stimulated transient techniques is summarized. Finally, the effect of neutron fluence on the performance of the 4H-SiC detectors is discussed.
Dosimetry data from fuel channel clips for benchmarking a new computational fluid dynamics model in neutron transport
Authors: Manahan Michael
Published: March 2023

Accurate neutron transport models for BWRs are needed to characterize neutron damage to the top guide, top guide cylinder, vessel nozzles, and to other upper internals. In the past, neutron transport calculations above top-of-active-fuel (TAF) have had large uncertainties (well in excess of ± 20%) mainly due to the fact that the steam density distribution in that region is not well known. An advanced three-dimensional (3D) neutron transport model, which incorporates computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the code suite, has been developed. Retrospective dosimetry measurements were made to benchmark the transport results. Six fuel channel clips were removed from the top of the fuel bundles, and small disk-shaped dosimetry samples were cut from the clips. The cuts were made through the Inconel spring and through the stainless steel clip body. The clips were selected from bundles that cover regions of low, intermediate, and high steam density. The average C/M ratio for the 10 dosimeters is 1.06. It has been shown that all of the calculated dosimeter activities fall within ± 20% of the measurement. This meets the criterion set by RG 1.190 [1] for acceptability of the calculations.
Sciences et société au prisme de la pandémie de Covid-19 : la recherche sur les origines naturelles du SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Jouvenet Morgan
Published: March 2023

La « crise de la Covid-19 » a constitué un moment important de débats – sur la marche de la science et les conditions de travail des scientifiques – dont on peut déjà tirer quelques leçons de sociologie des sciences. C’est le but de ce texte, qui s’intéresse tout particulièrement aux recherches sur l’histoire du virus SARS-CoV-2. D’abord, l’intérêt pour son origine a entraîné des prises de parole qui ont révélé avec une grande clarté la dépendance de nos savoirs vis-à-vis de choix politiques, et montré combien le crédit scientifique reposait aussi sur un travail réalisé en dehors des laboratoires. Cette crise a en outre valorisé des spécialités émergentes ou délaissées, soulignant l’hétérogénéité des modes de production des connaissances. Enfin, elle a nettement rapproché la virologie du cadre scientifique et politique de l’« anthropocène ». La question de l’origine du virus demeure toutefois ouverte, faisant l’objet d’une controverse qui enrichit encore son intérêt sociologique.
Behandlung und LDL-Cholesterin-Einstellung von Patienten mit hohem und sehr hohem kardiovaskulärem Risiko in Deutschland und im europäischen Vergleich – Daten des SANTORINI-Registers
Authors: Stürzebecher Paulina Elena , Tünnemann-Tarr Adrienn , Tuppatsch Katja , Laufs Ulrich
Published: March 2023

Einleitung Die ESC/EAS-Leitlinien von 2019 zum Dyslipidämie-Management empfehlen LDL-Cholesterin (LDL-C) Zielwerte gemäß dem kardiovaskulären (CV) Risiko des Patienten. SANTORINI untersucht als erste große europäische Beobachtungsstudie seit Einführung der Leitlinien 2019, ob sich das Lipidmanagement von Patienten mit hohem und sehr hohem CV Risiko verbessert hat.

Methoden SANTORINI ist eine multinationale Registerstudie an 9602 Patienten ≥ 18 Jahre mit hohem und sehr hohem CV Risiko, die eine lipidsenkende Therapie benötigen. Primäres Ziel der Studie ist die Dokumentation der Effektivität aktueller Behandlungsstrategien zum LDL-C-Management in der täglichen Praxis.

Ergebnisse Für diese Analyse lagen vollständige Baselinedaten für 2086 Patienten in Deutschland und 6958 Patienten in Europa vor. Die CV Risikoklassifizierung durch die Behandler erfolgte bei > 50 % der Patienten auf Basis der ESC/EAS-Leitlinien von 2019 und ergab ein hohes CV Risiko für 15,6 % (173/1112) bzw. ein sehr hohes CV Risiko für 84,4 % (939/1112) der Patienten in Deutschland (Europa: 20,7 % [743/3594] hohes, 79,3 % [2851/3594] sehr hohes CV Risiko). Eine unabhängige Nachberechnung, basierend auf diesen Guidelines, ergab dagegen ein hohes bzw. sehr hohes CV Risiko für 4,1 % (46/1112) bzw. 94,5 % (1051/1112) der Patienten in Deutschland. Auch im europäischen Vergleich wurde das CV Risiko in ca. 10 % der Fälle unterschätzt.

Zu Studienbeginn erhielten 59,5 % (1241/2086) der Patienten in Deutschland und 52,6 % (3661/6958) der Patienten in Europa eine lipidsenkende Monotherapie und 19,9 % (416/2086, Deutschland) bzw. 25,2 % (1753/6958, Europa) eine Kombinationstherapie. 78,6 % (1640/2086) der Patienten in Deutschland verfehlten die in den ESC/EAS-Leitlinien empfohlenen LDL-C-Zielwerte (Europa: 71,7 % [4989/6958]).

Fazit Die ESC/EAS Leitlinien-Empfehlungen von 2019 werden nur bei einer Minderheit der Patienten umgesetzt. Die Studie identifiziert Chancen zur Verbesserung der Prävention von CV Erkrankungen in Deutschland.
Evaluation of Therapeutic Potential of Selected Plant-Derived Homeopathic Medicines for their Action against Cervical Cancer
Authors: Singh Tejveer , Aggarwal Nikita , Thakur Kulbhushan , Chhokar Arun , Yadav Joni , Tripathi Tanya , Jadli Mohit , Bhat Anjali , Kumar Arun , Narula Ritika Hasija , Gupta Pankaj , Khurana Anil , Bharti Alok Chandra
Published: March 2023

Background Plant-derived homeopathic medicines (HMs) are cheap and commercially available but are mechanistically less explored entities than conventional medicines.

Purpose The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of selected plant-derived HMs derived from Berberis aquifolium (BA), Berberis vulgaris (BV), Mentha piperita (MP), Curcuma longa (CL), Cinchona officinalis (CO), Thuja occidentalis (TO) and Hydrastis canadensis (HC) on cervical cancer (CaCx) cells in vitro.

Methods We screened the mother tincture (MT) and 30C potencies of the above-mentioned HMs for anti-proliferative and cytotoxic activity on human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative (C33a) and HPV-positive CaCx cells (SiHa and HeLa) by MTT assay. Total phenolic content (TPC) and the free-radical scavenging activity of each HM was also determined using standard assays. Phytochemicals reportedly available in these HMs were examined for their potential inhibitory action on HPV16 E6 by in silico molecular docking.

Results All tested MTs induced a differential dose-dependent cytotoxic response that varied with cell line. For C33a cells, the order of response was TO > CL > BA > BV > HC > MP > CO, whereas for SiHa and HeLa cells the order was HC > MP > TO > CO > BA > BV > CL and CL > BA > CO, respectively. 30C potencies of all HMs showed an inconsistent response. Further, anti-CaCx responses displayed by MTs did not follow the order of an HM's phenolic content or free radical scavenging activity. Analysis revealed anti-oxidant content of BA, BV and HC had the lowest contribution to their anti-CaCx activity. Using in silico modeling of molecular docking between the HPV16 E6 protein crystallographic structures (6SJA and 4XR8) and main phytochemical components of BV, BA, HC, CL and TO, their potential to inhibit the HPV16 E6 protein carcinogenic interactions was identified.

Conclusion The study has shown a comparative evaluation of the potential of several plant-derived MTs and HMs to affect CaCx cell line survival in vitro (through cytotoxicity and free radical scavenging) and their theoretical molecular targets in silico for the first time. Data demonstrated that MTs of BA and BV are likely to be the most potent HMs that strongly inhibited CaCx growth and have a strong anti-HPV phytochemical constitution.
Wideband Acoustic Immittance in Children
Authors: Shahnaz Navid , Aithal Sreedevi , Bargen Gabriel A.
Published: March 2023

As wideband absorbance (WBA) gains popularity, it is essential to understand the impact of different middle ear pathologies on the absorbance patterns as a function of frequency in children with various middle ear pathologies. More recently, the use of wideband tympanometry has enabled clinicians to conduct WBA at ambient pressure (WBAamb) as well as the pressurized mode (WBATPP). This article reviews evidence for the ability of WBA measurements to accurately characterize the normal middle ear function across a wide range of frequencies and to aid in differential diagnosis of common middle ear disorders in children. Absorbance results in cases of otitis media with effusion, negative middle ear pressure, Eustachian tube malfunction, middle ear tumors, and pressure equalization tubes will be compared to age-appropriate normative data. Where applicable, WBAamb as well as WBATPP will be reviewed in these conditions. The main objectives of this article are to identify, assess, and interpret WBAamb and WBATPP outcomes from various middle ear conditions in children between the ages of 3 and 12 years.
Optical properties of Ga-doped AlN nanowires
Authors: Vermeersch Rémy , Jacopin Gwénolé , Robin Eric , Pernot Julien , Gayral Bruno , Daudin Bruno
Published: March 2023

We show that intentional Ga doping of AlN nanowires in the 0.01%–0.5% range leads to the spontaneous formation of nanometric carrier localization centers. Accordingly, for single nanowires, we observed a collection of sharp cathodoluminescence lines in a wavelength range spanning from 220 to 300 nm. From temperature-dependent cathodoluminescence, a ratio between the intensity at room temperature and 5 K of 20–30% is measured. We found that an ensemble of Ga-doped AlN nanowires exhibits a wide-band cathodoluminescence emission, which opens the path to the realization of efficient UV-C light emitting diodes covering a wide part of DNA absorption band.
Homogeneous water nucleation in argon, nitrogen, and nitrous oxide as carrier gases
Authors: Lukianov Mykola , Lukianova Tetiana , Hrubý Jan
Published: March 2023

Experimental results for homogeneous nucleation of water droplets in the presence of argon, nitrogen, and, for the first time, nitrous oxide as carrier gases are reported. The main objective of the study was to investigate the effects of different carrier gases on the nucleation rate. These gases differ in the number of atoms comprising the molecule, which affects the expansion ratio required to reach the target nucleation temperature. The experiments cover nucleation temperatures from 220 to 260 K, nucleation pressures from 40 to 73 kPa, supersaturations of 6.5–20, and nucleation rates ranging from about 4 × 105 to 4 × 109 cm–3 s–1. The new data obtained with a modernized expansion chamber utilizing the nucleation pulse method show good agreement with the available literature data. Another important point of our work is the application of real gas corrections to calculate the nucleation temperature and supersaturation. The results show that the influence of carrier gases on nucleation rate in the investigated pressure range is modest (less than a factor of 7), while without the real gas correction, the apparent effect of carrier gas is significant, with differences as high as a factor of 90.
Water-assisted electron capture exceeds photorecombination in biological conditions
Authors: Molle Axel , Zatsarinny Oleg , Jagau Thomas , Dubois Alain , Sisourat Nicolas
Published: March 2023

A decade ago, an electron-attachment process called interatomic Coulombic electron capture has been predicted to be possible through energy transfer to a nearby neighbor. It has been estimated to be competitive with environment-independent photorecombination, but its general relevance has yet to be established. Here, we evaluate the capability of alkali and alkaline earth metal cations to capture a free electron by assistance from a nearby water molecule. We introduce a characteristic distance rIC for this energy transfer mechanism in equivalence to the Förster radius. Our results show that water-assisted electron capture dominates over photorecombination beyond the second hydration shell of each cation for electron energies above a threshold. The assisted capture reaches distances equivalent to a fifth to seventh solvation shell for the studied cations. The far reach of the assisted electron capture is of significant general interest to the broad spectrum of research fields dealing with low-energy electrons, in particular radiation-induced damage of biomolecules. The here introduced distance measure will enable quantification of the role of the environment for assisted electron attachment.
Dynamical energy effects in subsonic collapsing electrostatic Langmuir soliton
Authors: Abdelwahed H. G. , Alsarhana A. F. , El-Shewy E. K. , Abdelrahman Mahmoud A. E.
Published: March 2023

The nonlinear characteristic of subsonic Langmuir collapsing waves and energy has been explored using a mathematical system for plasma fluids. New electrostatic Langmuir structures such as supersolitary, breather dissipative, and supersoliton structures have been obtained via a mathematical robust solver. The obtained structures become important in constrained relation between the nonlinearity, dispersion, and dissipative effects in the model. It was discovered that the type of Langmuir structures controlled the collapsing energy for density turbulence. Breather shock forms in time are used to characterize the collapsing Langmuir dissipative waves. This structure mainly affects the electric field and related densities in the subsonic case. Finally, the results explored here may be applicable to the observation of energy collapsing Langmuir solar wind waves.
On the role of tensor interpolation in solving high-WI viscoelastic fluid flow
Authors: Zhang Hongna , Zhang Wenhua , Wang Xinyi , Li Yansong , Li Xiaobin , Li Fengchen
Published: March 2023

The high Weissenberg number (Wi) problem (HWNP) has long been a challenge of viscoelastic fluid flow simulation. This Letter points out that the tensor interpolation method during solving the differential constitutive equations is the main origin of the loss of symmetric positive-definite (SPD) property of the conformation tensor, which is the trigger of the HWNP. Instead of component-based interpolation, we propose a tensor-based interpolation method for the conformation tensor, which is essentially SPD, and the results show that this method is very effective in dealing with the HWNP by significantly improving the numerical accuracy on the invariants of conformation tensor as well as greatly improving the SPD property of the conformation tensor. Moreover, the high-order total variation diminishing schemes can also be easily constructed and applied to solve high-Wi viscoelastic fluid flow under the proposed framework without adding artificial diffusion.
Cavitation-induced microjets tuned by channels with alternating wettability patterns
Authors: Schoppink Jelle J. , Mohan Keerthana , Quetzeri-Santiago Miguel A. , McKinley Gareth , Rivas David Fernandez , Dickerson Andrew K.
Published: March 2023

A laser pulse focused near the closed end of a glass capillary partially filled with water creates a vapor bubble and an associated pressure wave. The pressure wave travels through the liquid toward the meniscus where it is reflected, creating a fast, focused microjet. In this study, we selectively coat the hydrophilic glass capillaries with hydrophobic strips along the capillary. The result after filling the capillary is a static meniscus which has a curvature markedly different than an unmodified capillary. This tilting asymmetry in the static meniscus alters the trajectory of the ensuing jets. The hydrophobic strips also influence the advancing contact line and receding contact line as the vapor bubble expands and collapses. We present thirteen different permutations of this system which includes three geometries and four coating schemes. The combination of geometry and coatings influences the jet breakup, the resulting drop size distribution, the trajectory of the jet tip, and the consistency of jet characteristics across trials. The inclusion of hydrophobic strips promotes jetting in line with the channel axis, with the most effective arrangement dependent on channel size.
An Indigenous-assisted cultural perspective on conservation of New Zealand soils and the biota dependent on them
Authors: Meyer Victor
Published: March 2023

Soil habitat quality is an important indicator of environmental health. New Zealand soils are in critical condition because of various land-use practices, such as intensification of agriculture and urban growth, causing increased erosion and loss of fertile soil. Soil consists of organic (carbon-rich, microbe-laden detritus) and inorganic (weathered rock particles, minerals, water, air) components that are vital for sustaining flora and fauna, including humans. Soil in and of itself is alive with various forms of biota. Soil conservation takes an anthropocentric, utilitarian approach to policy and planning, whereas soil preservation takes an ecocentric or nature-centred approach. When the catchment boards of the earlier eras [governed by the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941 (NZ)] were decommissioned to make way for regional councils around the time when the Resource Management Act 1991 (NZ) came into force, the soil scientific expertise was largely lost. At the same time, soil quality in New Zealand has been deteriorating ever since. In this paper, I argue for the establishment of community-based soil conservancies and conservancy officers and, ultimately, the legal endowment of personhood on soil in order for kaitiaki oneone (soil guardians) to be appointed. These measures will assist in the protection of soils, which will lead to better outcomes for the environment and generations to come.