bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AI nutrition recommendation using a deep generative model and ChatGPT
Authors: Papastratis Ilias , Konstantinidis Dimitrios , Daras Petros , Dimitropoulos Kosmas
Published: June 2024

In recent years, major advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have led to the development of powerful AI systems for use in the field of nutrition in order to enhance personalized dietary recommendations and improve overall health and well-being. However, the lack of guidelines from nutritional experts has raised questions on the accuracy and trustworthiness of the nutritional advice provided by such AI systems. This paper aims to address this issue by introducing a novel AI-based nutrition recommendation method that leverages the speed and explainability of a deep generative network and the use of novel sophisticated loss functions to align the network with established nutritional guidelines. The use of a variational autoencoder to robustly model the anthropometric measurements and medical condition of users in a descriptive latent space, as well as the use of an optimizer to adjust meal quantities based on users’ energy requirements enable the proposed method to generate highly accurate, nutritious and personalized weekly meal plans. Coupled with the ability of ChatGPT to provide an unparalleled pool of meals from various cuisines, the proposed method can achieve increased meal variety, accuracy and generalization capabilities. Extensive experiments on 3000 virtual user profiles and 84000 daily meal plans, as well as 1000 real profiles and 7000 daily meal plans, demonstrate the exceptional accuracy of the proposed diet recommendation method in generating weekly meal plans that are appropriate for the users in terms of energy intake and nutritional requirements, as well as the easiness with which it can be integrated into future diet recommendation systems.
Cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory effects of high-intensity interval training in body fat responders and non-responders
Authors: Domaradzki Jarosław , Koźlenia Dawid
Published: June 2024

This study aimed to investigate cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory adaptations to exercise intervention among participants who showed higher (responders–RsBFP) and lower (non-responders–NRsBFP) levels of body fat percentage (BFP) responsiveness. Adolescents (42.5% males) participated in a ten-week school-based high-intensity interval training (HIIT), followed by a comparison of BFP, blood pressure (BP), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). RsBFP age of 16.15 ± 0.36 years, body height 170.82 ± 8.16 cm, weight 61.23 ± 12.80 kg, and BMI 20.86 ± 3.29 kg/m2. Meanwhile, NRsBFP age of 16.04 ± 0.36 years, body height 168.17 ± 8.64 cm, weight 57.94 ± 8.62 kg, and BMI 20.47 ± 2.24 kg/m2. HIIT intervention impacted BFP, with a higher decrease in the RsBFP than the NRsBFP (ΔBFPRs = − 2.30 ± 3.51(10.34%) vs. ΔBFPNRs = 1.51 ± 1.54(6.96%) p < 0.001). The primary comparison showed a statistically significant interaction effect in relation to CRF (F(1,71) = 14.12; p < 0.001). Detailed comparisons showed large and significant CRF changes in RsBFP (7.52%; d = 0.86; p < 0.001) but not in NRsBFP (2.01%; d = 0.11; p = 0.576). In addition, RsBFP and NRsBFP benefited equally in SBP (5.49%, d = 0.75; p < 0.001; 4.95%, d = 0.74; p < 0.001, respectively). These findings highlight that exercise benefits on body fat may be mainly related to gains in CRF. Due to substantial intra-individual variability in adaptation, there is a need for personalized intervention tailored for those with different reaction thresholds in body mass components.
Starch vs. tannin as biodegradable reagents for ultrafine hematite depression
Authors: Kordloo Mehrdad , Rahmanian Ahmad , Mohammadzadeh Amirhossein , Tohry Arash , Rezaei Ali , Chehreh Chelgani Saeed
Published: June 2024

Enrichment of ultrafine liberated valuable minerals from their associated gangue phases is one of the emerging investigation topics within mineral processing and recycling. Using green flotation reagents and turning processes into eco-friendly systems is also one of the challenges in the green transition of ore beneficiation plants. Starch and Tanin as biodegradable depressants for hematite depression have been commercially used in various iron ore processing plants. However, their depression effects on ultrafine particles were not systemically assessed and compared. To fill this gap, this investigation examined the effects of starch, tannin, their mixtures (different ratios), and their different conditioning sequence on the floatability of ultrafine quartz and hematite (− 15 µm). Since the macromolecular polymer of these biodegradable depressants can bind particles together and flocculate them, turbidity analyses were used to assess their optimum ratio for hematite depression without affecting quartz floatability. Turbidity analyses provided a mixture of tannin and starch might enhance the flotation separation of quartz from hematite. Starch could flocculate ultrafine hematite particles, while tannin could disperse ultrafine quartz particles. Floatability experiments indicated that starch had the highest performance in hematite depression (lowest effect on quartz particles) compared to other conditions. Surface analyses (zeta potential and FTIR) proved floatability outcomes and highlighted starch had stronger adsorption on the hematite surface than tannin.
Negative association between higher maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and breastfeeding outcomes is not mediated by DNA methylation
Authors: Elliott Hannah R. , Bennett Chloe L. , Caramaschi Doretta , English Sinead
Published: June 2024

The benefits of breastfeeding for the health and wellbeing of both infants and mothers are well documented, yet global breastfeeding rates are low. One factor associated with low breast feeding is maternal body mass index (BMI), which is used as a measure of obesity. The negative relationship between maternal obesity and breastfeeding is likely caused by a variety of social, psychological, and physiological factors. Maternal obesity may also have a direct biological association with breastfeeding through changes in maternal DNA methylation. Here, we investigate this potential biological association using data from a UK-based cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We find that pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) is associated with lower initiation to breastfeed and shorter breastfeeding duration. We conduct epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of pre-pregnancy BMI and breastfeeding outcomes, and run candidate-gene analysis of methylation sites associated with BMI identified via previous meta-EWAS. We find that DNA methylation at cg11453712, annotated to PHTP1, is associated with pre-pregnancy BMI. From our results, neither this association nor those at candidate-gene sites are likely to mediate the link between pre-pregnancy BMI and breastfeeding.
The zebrafish gut microbiome influences benzo[a]pyrene developmental neurobehavioral toxicity
Authors: Stagaman Keaton , Alexiev Alexandra , Sieler Michael J. , Hammer Austin , Kasschau Kristin D. , Truong Lisa , Tanguay Robyn L. , Sharpton Thomas J.
Published: June 2024

Early-life exposure to environmental toxicants like Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is associated with several health consequences in vertebrates (i.e., impaired or altered neurophysiological and behavioral development). Although toxicant impacts were initially studied relative to host physiology, recent studies suggest that the gut microbiome is a possible target and/or mediator of behavioral responses to chemical exposure in organisms, via the gut-brain axis. However, the connection between BaP exposure, gut microbiota, and developmental neurotoxicity remains understudied. Using a zebrafish model, we determined whether the gut microbiome influences BaP impacts on behavior development. Embryonic zebrafish were treated with increasing concentrations of BaP and allowed to grow to the larval life stage, during which they underwent behavioral testing and intestinal dissection for gut microbiome profiling via high-throughput sequencing. We found that exposure affected larval zebrafish microbiome diversity and composition in a manner tied to behavioral development: increasing concentrations of BaP were associated with increased taxonomic diversity, exposure was associated with unweighted UniFrac distance, and microbiome diversity and exposure predicted larval behavior. Further, a gnotobiotic zebrafish experiment clarified whether microbiome presence was associated with BaP exposure response and behavioral changes. We found that gut microbiome state altered the relationship between BaP exposure concentration and behavioral response. These results support the idea that the zebrafish gut microbiome is a determinant of the developmental neurotoxicity that results from chemical exposure.
Identification and characterization of plasma proteins associated with intra-amniotic inflammation and/or infection in women with preterm labor
Authors: Cho Hee Young , Lee Ji Eun , Park Kyo Hoon , Choi Bo Young , Lee Min Jung , Jeong Da Eun , Shin Sue
Published: June 2024

This study aimed to identify plasma proteins that could serve as potential biomarkers for microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) or intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI) in women with preterm labor (PTL). A retrospective cohort comprised singleton pregnant women with PTL (24–34 weeks) who underwent amniocentesis. Pooled plasma samples were analyzed by label-free liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for proteome profiling in a nested case–control study (concomitant MIAC/IAI cases vs. non-MIAC/IAI controls [n = 10 per group]). Eight target proteins associated with MIAC/IAI were further verified by immunoassays in a large cohort (n = 230). Shotgun proteomic analysis revealed 133 differentially expressed proteins (fold change > 1.5, P < 0.05) in the plasma of MIAC/IAI cases. Further quantification confirmed that the levels of AFP were higher and those of kallistatin and TGFBI were lower in the plasma of women with MIAC and that the levels of kallistatin and TGFBI were lower in the plasma of women with IAI than in those without these conditions. The area under the curves of plasma AFP, kallistatin, and TGFBI ranged within 0.67–0.81 with respect to each endpoint. In summary, plasma AFP, kallistatin, and TGFBI may represent valuable non-invasive biomarkers for predicting MIAC or IAI in women with PTL.
Efficient and highly reproducible production of red blood cell-derived extracellular vesicle mimetics for the loading and delivery of RNA molecules
Authors: Biagiotti Sara , Canonico Barbara , Tiboni Mattia , Abbas Faiza , Perla Elena , Montanari Mariele , Battistelli Michela , Papa Stefano , Casettari Luca , Rossi Luigia , Guescini Michele , Magnani Mauro
Published: June 2024

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are promising natural nanocarriers for the delivery of therapeutic agents. As with any other kind of cell, red blood cells (RBCs) produce a limited number of EVs under physiological and pathological conditions. Thus, RBC-derived extracellular vesicles (RBCEVs) have been recently suggested as next-generation delivery systems for therapeutic purposes. In this paper, we show that thanks to their unique biological and physicochemical features, RBCs can be efficiently pre-loaded with several kinds of molecules and further used to generate RBCEVs. A physical vesiculation method, based on “soft extrusion”, was developed, producing an extremely high yield of cargo-loaded RBCEV mimetics. The RBCEVs population has been deeply characterized according to the new guidelines MISEV2023, showing great homogeneity in terms of size, biological features, membrane architecture and cargo. In vitro preliminary results demonstrated that RBCEVs are abundantly internalized by cells and exert peculiar biological effects. Indeed, efficient loading and delivery of miR-210 by RBCEVs to HUVEC has been proven, as well as the inhibition of a known mRNA target. Of note, the bench-scale process can be scaled-up and translated into clinics. In conclusion, this investigation could open the way to a new biomimetic platform for RNA-based therapies and/or other therapeutic cargoes useful in several diseases.
Crystal structure of l-2-keto-3-deoxyfuconate 4-dehydrogenase reveals a unique binding mode as a α-furanosyl hemiketal of substrates
Authors: Akagashi Miyu , Watanabe Seiya , Kwiatkowski Sebastian , Drozak Jakub , Terawaki Shin-ichi , Watanabe Yasunori
Published: June 2024

l-2-Keto-3-deoxyfuconate 4-dehydrogenase (l-KDFDH) catalyzes the NAD+-dependent oxidization of l-2-keto-3-deoxyfuconate (l-KDF) to l-2,4-diketo-3-deoxyfuconate (l-2,4-DKDF) in the non-phosphorylating l-fucose pathway from bacteria, and its substrate was previously considered to be the acyclic α-keto form of l-KDF. On the other hand, BDH2, a mammalian homolog with l-KDFDH, functions as a dehydrogenase for cis-4-hydroxy-l-proline (C4LHyp) with the cyclic structure. We found that l-KDFDH and BDH2 utilize C4LHyp and l-KDF, respectively. Therefore, to elucidate unique substrate specificity at the atomic level, we herein investigated for the first time the crystal structures of l-KDFDH from Herbaspirillum huttiense in the ligand-free, l-KDF and l-2,4-DKDF, d-KDP (d-2-keto-3-deoxypentonate; additional substrate), or l-2,4-DKDF and NADH bound forms. In complexed structures, l-KDF, l-2,4-DKDF, and d-KDP commonly bound as a α-furanosyl hemiketal. Furthermore, l-KDFDH showed no activity for l-KDF and d-KDP analogs without the C5 hydroxyl group, which form only the acyclic α-keto form. The C1 carboxyl and α-anomeric C2 hydroxyl groups and O5 oxygen atom of the substrate (and product) were specifically recognized by Arg148, Arg192, and Arg214. The side chain of Trp252 was important for hydrophobically recognizing the C6 methyl group of l-KDF. This is the first example showing the physiological role of the hemiketal of 2-keto-3-deoxysugar acid.
The combined effect of lifestyle factors and polygenic scores on age at onset in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Gabbert Carolin , Blöbaum Leonie , Lüth Theresa , König Inke R. , Caliebe Amke , Sendel Sebastian , Laabs Björn-Hergen , Klein Christine , Trinh Joanne
Published: June 2024

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between a Parkinson’s disease (PD)-specific polygenic score (PGS) and protective lifestyle factors on age at onset (AAO) in PD. We included data from 4367 patients with idiopathic PD, 159 patients with GBA1-PD, and 3090 healthy controls of European ancestry from AMP-PD, PPMI, and Fox Insight cohorts. The association between PGS and lifestyle factors on AAO was assessed with linear and Cox proportional hazards models. The PGS showed a negative association with AAO (β = − 1.07, p = 6 × 10–7) in patients with idiopathic PD. The use of one, two, or three of the protective lifestyle factors showed a reduction in the hazard ratio by 21% (p = 0.0001), 44% (p < 2 × 10–16), and 55% (p < 2 × 10–16), compared to no use. An additive effect of aspirin (β = 7.62, p = 9 × 10–7) and PGS (β = − 1.58, p = 0.0149) was found for AAO without an interaction (p = 0.9993) in the linear regressions, and similar effects were seen for tobacco. In contrast, no association between aspirin intake and AAO was found in GBA1-PD (p > 0.05). In our cohort, coffee, tobacco, aspirin, and PGS are independent predictors of PD AAO. Additionally, lifestyle factors seem to have a greater influence on AAO than common genetic risk variants with aspirin presenting the largest effect.
5-fluorouracil and Rumex obtusifolius extract combination trigger A549 cancer cell apoptosis: uncovering PI3K/Akt inhibition by in vitro and in silico approaches
Authors: Ginovyan Mikayel , Javrushyan Hayarpi , Hovhannisyan Svetlana , Nadiryan Edita , Sevoyan Gohar , Harutyunyan Tigran , Gevorgyan Smbat , Karabekian Zaruhi , Maloyan Alina , Avtandilyan Nikolay
Published: June 2024

The continuous increase in cancer rates, failure of conventional chemotherapies to control the disease, and excessive toxicity of chemotherapies clearly demand alternative approaches. Natural products contain many constituents that can act on various bodily targets to induce pharmacodynamic responses. This study aimed to explore the combined anticancer effects of Rumex obtusifolius (RO) extract and the chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on specific molecular targets involved in cancer progression. By focusing on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and its related components, such as cytokines, growth factors (TNFa, VEGFa), and enzymes (Arginase, NOS, COX-2, MMP-2), this research sought to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of RO extract, both independently and in combination with 5-FU, in non-small lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. The study also investigated the potential interactions of compounds identified by HPLC/MS/MS of RO on PI3K/Akt in the active site pocket through an in silico analysis. The ultimate goal was to identify potent therapeutic combinations that effectively inhibit, prevent or delay cancer development with minimal side effects. The results revealed that the combined treatment of 5-FU and RO demonstrated a significant reduction in TNFa levels, comparable to the effect observed with RO alone. RO modulated the PI3K/Akt pathway, influencing the phosphorylated and total amounts of these proteins during the combined treatment. Notably, COX-2, a key player in inflammatory processes, substantially decreased with the combination treatment. Caspase-3 activity, indicative of apoptosis, increased by 1.8 times in the combined treatment compared to separate treatments. In addition, the in silico analyses explored the binding affinities and interactions of RO's major phytochemicals with intracellular targets, revealing a high affinity for PI3K and Akt. These findings suggest that the combined treatment induces apoptosis in A549 cells by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway.
Exploring the evolution of mass density and thickness of N-doped Ge-rich GeSbTe during multistep crystallization
Authors: Remondina Jacopo , Portavoce Alain , Le Friec Yannick , Benoit Daniel , Petroni Elisa , Putero Magali
Published: June 2024

Among phase change materials, Ge-rich GeSbTe alloys (GGST) are key alloys for the next generation of embedded phase change memories because of their good thermal stability, allowing their use for the automotive applications. Several studies have investigated GGST crystallization, which takes place in several stages, including phase separation in the amorphous material, the crystallization of the cubic Ge and GST phases before a complete crystallization for higher thermal budget. So far, however, no information is available on the possible changes in density and thickness of such alloys. This paper investigates such variations in density and thickness for a N-doped GGST layer (GGSTN) during isothermal annealing, following the four main stages of its multistep crystallization process. X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and X-ray diffraction were employed for analysis. The study reveals that density and thickness exhibit distinct changes during crystallization, with density increasing by approximately 9% during transition from amorphous to crystalline states. These changes are attributed to alterations in layer morphology, particularly at the Ge crystallization temperature and at the onset of GST crystal formation. Additionally, at high thermal budgets, discrepancies between XRR analysis methods suggest the formation of a thin, lower density layer near the top interface of the GGSTN layer. These results provide insights into the structural evolution of the GGSTN layer, which is crucial for phase change random access memory applications.
Heterogeneous photocatalytic synthesis of sulfenamides with carbon doped potassium poly(heptazine imide) through effective electron delocalization
Authors: Yuan Fei , Zhang Leilei , Jiang Haohao , Zhou Yannan , Yin Hang , Zhu Tianjing , Yang Baocheng , Zhang Shouren , Ma Junying , Du Lina
Published: June 2024

A ground-breaking light-driven strategy to synthesize sulfenamides using K-PHI-Cdoping is proposed. C-doping can extend optical absorption range to near-infrared and create delocalized electronic density to enhance the single electron transfer step.
Ratiometric sandwich-type assays for RNAs with a point mutation using benzo[a]pyrene-modified probes
Authors: Watari Yu , Nakatani Kaito , Kobata Kentaro , Matsuo Kazuya , Waku Tomonori , Kobori Akio
Published: June 2024

Benzo[a]pyrene-modified oligonucleotides were developed for the detection of RNAs with a point mutation.
Simultaneous fast XAS/SAXS measurements in an energy-dispersive mode
Authors: Shirasawa Tetsuroh , Voegeli Wolfgang , Arakawa Etsuo
Published: June 2024

Simultaneous detection of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and X-ray absorption spectrum (XAS), which enables nano-scale and atomic-scale analyses of nanoparticles in a short time.
Novel FeVO4 catalyst modified with NbTiOx for efficient selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3
Authors: Shen Xin , Lian Zhihua , Sheng Jiaxin , Lin Chunxi , Zhang Hui , Shan Wenpo , He Hong
Published: June 2024

The introduction of a NbTi oxide support improves the dispersion of FeVO4 and changes the reaction path of NH3-SCR, thus promoting the catalytic activity of FeVO4.
Disentangling the “tip-effects” enhanced antibacterial mechanism of Ag nanoparticles
Authors: Wang Shenli , Zhang Yanping , Chen Xuan , Mourdikoudis Stefanos , Fan Shengshi , Li Haoyu , Gómez-Graña Sergio , Ren Shuncheng , Zheng Guangchao
Published: June 2024

A significant improvement in ROS generation efficiency was achieved in the presence of Ag nanotriangles contributed by the pronounced “tip effects” of these modern antibacterial agents.
Complex isomerism influencing the textural properties of organometallic [Cu(salen)] porous polymers: paramagnetic solid-state NMR characterization and heterogeneous catalysis
Authors: Šorm David , Blahut Jan , Bashta Bogdana , Císařová Ivana , Vrbková Eva , Vyskočilová Eliška , Sedláček Jan
Published: June 2024

Synthesis and thorough NMR characterization of copper(ii) salen-type complexes and their transformation into highly porous organometallic polymer networks. These networks showed significant catalytic activity and reusability for styrene oxidation.
Magnetism-induced diffuse scattering effect triggers excellent thermoelectric performance
Authors: Song Wei , Sun Chuanqing , Yang Kangkang , Ke Shaoqiu , Li Xiangyu , Liu Mingrui , Sun Congli , Zhao Wenyu , Zhang Qingjie
Published: June 2024

This work demonstrates a robust magnetism-induced diffuse scattering effect in improving the room-temperature thermoelectric performance.
Effects of glyphosate exposure on intestinal microbiota, metabolism and microstructure: a systematic review
Authors: Ignácio Amanda da Cunha , Guerra Andressa Maria dos Reis , de Souza-Silva Thaiany Goulart , Carmo Mariana Araújo Vieira do , Paula Hudsara Aparecida de Almeida
Published: June 2024

Effects of glyphosate exposure on gut.
Improvement in the chlorine evolution activity of an SnOx@IrO2–Ta2O5 electrode and its application in the electrolysis of an extremely dilute chlorine-containing solution
Authors: Liu Lin , Wang Ming , Zhan Yiping , Lin Zhiqian , Xiong Shenglei , Ye Hailin , Luo Yu , Fu Fenghe , Ren Zhandong , Zhu Yuchan
Published: June 2024

The modification of SnOx improves the activity and selectivity of the chlorine evolution reaction (CER) over the IrO2–Ta2O5 electrode, thus enhancing the current efficiency of the CER in an extremely dilute chlorine-containing solution.
The dermacozines and light: a novel phenazine semiquinone radical based photocatalytic system from the deepest oceanic trench of the Earth
Authors: Juhasz Bertalan , Cuesta Angel , Howe Russell F. , Jaspars Marcel
Published: June 2024

CV and UV-Vis data derived (water oxidising) HOMO and LUMO energies of dermacozines were determined on the SHE scale and the existence of related semiquinone radicals and water oxidation were visualised using EPR.
A new sliding window decoding algorithm based on check relationship improvement
Authors: Wang Liqian , Song Xiaoming , Zhao Yatong , Zhu Miao , Wang Weiming , Tao Kai , Shi Yinlong
Published: June 2024

This study focuses on improving the sliding window decoding algorithm by introducing a threshold based on the posterior probability at the end of each decoding window. This threshold serves to evaluate the reliability of the message within the window. For unreliable windows, specific corrective factors were introduced to enhance the overall performance of the algorithm. Furthermore, modifications were implemented to the range within which the check relationship is applicable, aiming to address the issue of incomplete check relationships encountered during the decoding process. These enhancements effectively improved the overall performance of the algorithm. The performance of the improved algorithm can be improved by 0.1 to 0.2 dB according to different code lengths.
Energy harvesting face mask using a thermoelectric generator for powering wearable health monitoring sensors
Authors: Erturun Ugur , Yalim Cansu , West James E.
Published: June 2024

A wearable energy harvester (EH) incorporating a face mask with a thermoelectric generator is demonstrated. The function of this device is to generate electrical power from the heat produced by the human body, particularly breath, with the specific aim of powering wearable sensor applications. A prototype was built using a commercially available N95 face mask, a thermoelectric generator, and a heatsink. The performance of this EH device was assessed using experimental and numerical methodologies. The experimentally tested power output of the prototype was found to be ≈100 µW, with a corresponding power density of ≈30 µW/cm3, for a temperature difference of 7°C.
Study on flow field of oil‐cooling permanent magnet synchronous motor with hairpin winding using porous medium model
Authors: Yang Chen , Cai Wei , Shao Baicheng
Published: June 2024

The oil cooling method has been widely used in the permanent magnet synchronous motor with hairpin winding. Because of the irregular shape of the hairpin end winding, there are complex oil circuits in the fluid domain, resulting in a large number of grids and a high computational cost. It is still a challenge to calculate the oil‐cooling performance of the hairpin end winding. Therefore, the porous medium model (PMM) is first proposed to replace the real hairpin end winding to analyse the oil‐cooling performance. By comparing oil volume fraction and velocity at different oil‐supplied conditions using three methods: experiments, real model (the non‐equivalent fluid domain model based on the real hairpin end winding) and PMM, the feasibility of using the PMM to calculate the oil‐cooling performance on the end winding is verified. The oil distribution of three methods is the same. The use of the PMM saves 80% of the number of grids, which improves the simulation efficiency. Relationships between the porosity, permeability and resistance coefficient and the geometry parameters of windings are determined. The results show that the flow field changes greatly with changes in porosity, permeability and resistance coefficient.
Novel dual‐resonance damped alternating current testing system for offline partial discharge measurement of power cables
Authors: Wang Li , Jin Lei , Chen Junbai , Li Hongjie
Published: June 2024

To accurately detect the early deterioration of electrical insulation in power cables, an energizing system is required for offline partial discharge (PD) measurements. The damped alternating current (DAC) testing system has emerged as an effective tool for inducing PD events. However, the existing systems often suffer from limitations such as signal interference, low sensitivity, and high costs. To address these issues, this study proposes a novel dual‐resonance DAC testing system that is simple in structure and cost‐effective. The prototype was built for testing 10‐kV distribution cables, and its effectiveness was validated through experimental tests on a cable sample. The results show that this approach significantly improves PD detection sensitivity and successfully completes PD localization. This research contributes to the development of more efficient and affordable DAC generation technology for power cable testing applications.
Research on a multi‐scale degradation fusion network in all‐in‐one image restoration
Authors: Shi Bohang , Xiong Bingqing , Yu Yuanhui
Published: June 2024

Image restoration aims to recover high‐quality clean images from degraded low‐quality ones. Deep learning‐based approaches have been a focal point in the field of image restoration. However, most methods focus solely on a single type of degradation and may not extend well to real‐world scenarios with unknown degradation. For this purpose, the present study introduces an all‐in‐one image restoration approach by designing a multi‐scale feature fusion UNet structure (MdfUNet). In summary, the proposed method exhibits two significant advantages. For starters, it implicitly fuses degradation information across multiple scales, enabling the network to extract rich hierarchical features and enhancing its generalization ability towards unknown degradations. Secondly, MdfUnet possesses strong image reconstruction capabilities. It utilizes a simple non‐linear feature optimizer to enhance skip connections, providing rich feature representations for the image reconstruction process, and ultimately generating high‐quality restored images. Extensive experimental results show the proposed method outperforms multiple baselines on deraining, dehazing, and denoising datasets.
Noise2Variance: Dual networks with variance constraint for self‐supervised real‐world image denoising
Authors: Tan Hanlin , Liu Yu , Zhang Maojun
Published: June 2024

Image denoising aims to restore a clean image from a noisy image. Traditional methods utilizing convolutional neural networks (CNN) for denoising are trained using pairs of noisy and clean images to comprehend the transformation from a noisy image to a clean one. However, the acquisition of such image pairs in real‐world scenarios presents a challenge. Hence, numerous self‐supervised denoising techniques have been developed that do not require clean images for training. This study demonstrates that a straightforward loss design, concentrating on variance, can effectively train a standard CNN denoiser in a self‐supervised fashion. A novel theoretical framework is introduced for training a basic CNN denoising model using three constraints: mean, variance, and augmentation. The variance constraint is crucial as it prevents the trained model from converging to trivial solutions such as identity or zero mapping. This theory provides valuable insights for the development of new self‐supervised denoising methods. Furthermore, a method that applies this theory to proposed dual networks is developed, which consist of two standard CNN models predicting both the clean image and the noise. This approach enhances model capacity during training while minimizing computational costs during inference. This method exemplifies the implementation of the variance constraint and introduces a data constraint for dual networks. Notably, the proposed method only assumes the presence of additive white noise, irrespective of the noise distribution. This minimal assumption enhances the model's robustness against noise with complex or unknown distributions in real‐world distorted images. Experimental results indicate that the proposed Noise2Variance method exhibits commendable performance on peak signal noise ratio and structural similarity metrics compared to existing self‐supervised denoising techniques. Visual comparison of results further substantiates the efficacy of the proposed method. A comparison of model complexity reveals that the method is efficient among the compared CNN‐based techniques.
Navigating the complexity of tram ride comfort assessment in growing urban environments: A cloud theory perspective
Authors: Zhang Xinhuan , Li Dongping , Lauber Les , Li Cuiwei , Wu Jinhong
Published: June 2024

This study addresses the challenge of quantitatively assessing ride comfort in tram travel in Growing Urban Environments, where multiple influencing factors complicate developing a unified evaluation index system. A comprehensive evaluation framework based on cloud theory is proposed to overcome this challenge. The approach involves defining five‐level comfort evaluation grades to capture passengers' experiences and perceptions accurately. The Criteria Importance through Inter‐Criteria Correlation (CRITIC) method is employed to ensure objectivity to establish objective weights for evaluation indices. Subsequently, a cloud model algorithm is utilized to generate evaluation benchmark and actual result clouds, providing intuitive representations of the evaluation outcomes. The efficacy and rationality of the methodology is illustrated through a case study focusing on Suzhou Tram Line 2. This research contributes valuable insights for enhancing public transportation experiences in new urban settings by offering a systematic and objective approach to assessing tram ride comfort.
Analysis of mechanical properties in self‐compacting concrete enhanced with steel fibres
Authors: Karuppasamy Mukilan , Balakrishnan Baranitharan , Chandran Karthik , Gheisari Mehdi , Rezaeiye Payam Porkar , Andrievsky Boris
Published: June 2024

This study explores the effect of incorporating steel fibres and fly ash into self‐compacting concrete (SCC) in various combinations on its mechanical properties. The study begins with thoroughly investigating the fresh properties to ensure compliance with SCC standards when adding steel fibres. Subsequently, mixes that meet SCC standards are evaluated for their mechanical properties. The study aims to enhance the mechanical properties of SCC while maintaining its flowability, filling ability, and passing ability. The research findings provide valuable insights into the optimal combination of steel fibres and fly ash for improving the mechanical properties of SCC. The addition of hooked end type steel fibres increases the compressive strength. When compared to crimped type the mechanical properties increased to 14.4%; however, the strength decreases beyond 1% of steel fibres. Satisfactory results are obtained for fresh properties test.
Combination of the biologically inspired coupled system and high‐frequency surface wave radar at signal level
Authors: Li Hongbo , Liu Aijun , Yang Qiang , Yu Changjun , Lyv Zhe
Published: June 2024

Virtual aperture extension of small aperture array has attracted wide attention in high‐frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR). A biologically inspired coupled (BIC) system is employed to virtually extend the array aperture. However, the existing researches on BIC only consider the array signal processing model and do not combine it with actual radar signal principle. To indeed apply the BIC system to HFSWR, two detailed methods which combine the BIC and HFSWR at signal level are proposed. A three‐dimensional signal model of HFSWR considering array processing was established and the entire signal processing was derived. Then, two combination methods, namely fast‐time domain (FTD)‐BIC and slow‐time domain (STD)‐BIC are proposed. The former implements the BIC before fast‐time processing, while the latter implements the BIC before slow‐time processing. The authors demonstrate that they can virtually extend the array aperture without affecting the target detection. Meanwhile, their capabilities in multi‐target scenarios are analysed and satisfactory conclusions are obtained. By numerical simulations and experiments, the array aperture and range‐Doppler (RD) spectrum of the standard HFSWR and BIC‐HFSWR are compared. The results show that while the performance of their RD spectrum is almost the same, BIC‐HFSWR has an enlarged virtual aperture than standard HFSWR.
The cosmic microwave background lensing imprint of cosmic voids detected in the WISE-Pan-STARRS luminous red galaxy catalog
Authors: Camacho-Ciurana G. , Lee P. , Arsenov N. , Kovács A. , Szapudi I. , Csabai I.
Published: June 2024

Context. The cross-correlation of cosmic voids with the lensing convergence (κ) map of cosmic microwave background (CMB) fluctuations offers a powerful tool with which to refine our understanding of the dark sector in the consensus cosmological model.

Aims. Our principal aim is to compare the lensing signature of our galaxy dataset with simulations based on the concordance model and to characterize the results with an Aκ consistency parameter normalized to unity. In particular, our measurements contribute to the understanding of the “lensing-is-low” tension of the ΛCDM model.

Methods. In this analysis, we selected luminous red galaxies (LRGs) from the WISE-Pan-STARRS dataset, enabling an extended cross-correlation measurement using a 14 200 deg2 sky area, which offers a more precise measurement than previous studies. We created 2D and 3D void catalogs to cross-correlate their locations with the Planck CMB lensing map and studied their average imprint signal using a stacking methodology. Applying the same procedure, we also generated a mock galaxy catalog from the WebSky simulation to serve as a basis for comparison.

Results. The 2D void analysis reveals a good agreement with the standard cosmological model, with Aκ ≈ 1.06 ± 0.08 amplitude; that is, S/N = 13.3, showing a higher signal-to-noise than previous studies using voids detected in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) dataset. The 3D void analysis exhibited a lower signal-to-noise ratio and demonstrated worse agreement with our mock catalog than the 2D voids. These deviations might be attributed to limitations in the mock catalog, such as imperfections in the LRG selection, as well as a potential asymmetry between the northern and southern patches of the WISE-Pan-STARRS dataset in terms of data quality.

Conclusions. Overall, we present a significant detection of a CMB lensing signal associated with cosmic voids, largely consistent with the concordance model. Future analyses using even larger datasets also hold great promise of further sharpening these results, given their complementary nature to large-scale structure analyses.
Strong lensing of tidal disruption events: Detection rates in imaging surveys
Authors: Szekerczes K. , Ryu T. , Suyu S. H. , Huber S. , Oguri M. , Dai L.
Published: June 2024

Tidal disruption events (TDEs) are multi-messenger transients in which a star is tidally destroyed by a supermassive black hole at the center of galaxies. The Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) is anticipated to detect hundreds to thousands of TDEs annually, such that the first gravitationally lensed TDE may be observed in the coming years. Using Monte-Carlo simulations, we quantify the rate of both unlensed and lensed TDEs as a function of limiting magnitudes in four different optical bands (u, g, r, and i) for a range of TDE temperatures that match observations. Dependent on the temperature and luminosity model, we find that g and r bands are the most promising bands with unlensed TDE detections that can be as high as ∼104 annually. By populating a cosmic volume with realistic distributions of TDEs and galaxies that can act as gravitational lenses, we estimate that a few lensed TDEs (depending on the TDE luminosity model) can be detected annually in g or r bands in the LSST survey, with TDE redshifts in the range of ∼0.5 to ∼2. The ratio of lensed to unlensed detections indicates that we may detect ∼1 lensed event for every 104 unlensed events, which is independent of the luminosity model. The number of lensed TDEs decreases as a function of the image separations and time delays, and most of the lensed TDE systems are expected to have image separations below ∼3″ and time delays within ∼30 days. At fainter limiting magnitudes, the i band becomes notably more successful. These results suggest that strongly lensed TDEs are likely to be observed within the coming years and such detections will enable us to study the demographics of black holes at higher redshifts through the lensing magnifications. Our simulated catalogs of lensed TDEs are publicly available.
Thermal conductivity with bells and whistlers: Suppression of the magnetothermal instability in galaxy clusters
Authors: Maria Perrone Lorenzo , Berlok Thomas , Pfrommer Christoph
Published: June 2024

In the hot and dilute intracluster medium (ICM) in galaxy clusters, kinetic plasma instabilities that are excited at the particle gyroradius may play an important role in the transport of heat and momentum, thus affecting the large-scale evolution of these systems. In this paper, we continue our investigation of the effect of whistler suppression of thermal conductivity on the magneto thermal instability (MTI), which may be active in the periphery of galaxy clusters and may contribute to the observed levels of turbulence. We use a subgrid closure for the heat flux inspired from kinetic simulations and show that MTI turbulence with whistler suppression exhibits a critical transition as the suppression parameter is increased: for modest suppression of the conductivity, the turbulent velocities generated by the MTI decrease accordingly, in agreement with scaling laws found in previous studies of the MTI. However, for suppression above a critical threshold, the MTI loses its ability to maintain equipartition-level magnetic fields through a small-scale dynamo (SSD), and the system enters a “death-spiral”. We show that analogous levels of suppression of thermal conductivity with a simple model of flat uniform suppression would not inhibit the dynamo. We propose a model to explain this critical transition, and speculate that conditions in the hot ICM are such that in substantial portions of the galaxy cluster periphery the MTI might struggle to sustain its own dynamo. We then look at spatial correlations and energy transfers in spectral space and find that, with whistler suppression, most of the heat is transported along thin bundles of strong magnetic fields (the Autobahns of electrons), while high-β regions are brought out of thermal equilibrium. We link this behavior to the intermittent nature of magnetic fields, and we observe an overall reduction of the efficiency of MTI turbulent driving at the largest turbulent scales. Finally, we show that external turbulence interferes with the MTI and leads to reduced levels of MTI turbulence. While individually both external turbulence and whistler suppression reduce MTI turbulence, we find that they can exhibit a complex interplay when acting in conjunction, with external turbulence boosting the whistler-suppressed thermal conductivity and even reviving a “dead” MTI. Our study illustrates how extending magnetohydrodynamics with a simple prescription for microscale plasma physics can lead to the formation of a complicated dynamical system and demonstrates that further work is needed in order to bridge the gap between micro- and macro scales in galaxy clusters.
From super-Earths to sub-Neptunes: Observational constraints and connections to theoretical models
Authors: Parc Léna , Bouchy François , Venturini Julia , Dorn Caroline , Helled Ravit
Published: June 2024

The growing number of well-characterized exoplanets smaller than Neptune enables us to conduct more detailed population studies. We have updated the PlanetS catalog of transiting planets with precise and robust mass and radius measurements and use this comprehensive catalog to explore mass-radius (M–R) diagrams. On the one hand, we propose new M–R relationships to separate exoplanets into three populations: rocky planets, volatile-rich planets, and giant planets. On the other hand, we explore the transition in radius and density between super-Earths and sub-Neptunes around M-dwarfs and compare them with those orbiting K- and FG-dwarfs. Using Kernel density estimation method with a re-sampling technique, we estimated the normalized density and radius distributions, revealing connections between observations and theories on composition, internal structure, formation, and evolution of these exo-planets orbiting different spectral types. First, the substantial 30% increase in the number of well-characterized exoplanets orbiting M-dwarfs compared with previous studies shows us that there is no clear gap in either composition or radius between super-Earths and sub-Neptunes. The “water-worlds” around M-dwarfs cannot correspond to a distinct population, their bulk density and equilibrium temperature can be interpreted by several different internal structures and compositions. The continuity in the fraction of volatiles in these planets suggests a formation scenario involving planetesimal or hybrid pebble-planetesimal accretion. Moreover, we find that the transition between super-Earths and sub-Neptunes appears to happen at different masses (and radii) depending on the spectral type of the star. The maximum mass of super-Earths seems to be close to 10 M⊕ for all spectral types, but the minimum mass of sub-Neptunes increases with the star’s mass, and is around 1.9 M⊕, 3.4 M⊕, and 4.3 M⊕, for M-dwarfs, K-dwarfs, and FG-dwarfs, respectively. The precise value of this minimum mass may be affected by observational bias, but the trend appears to be reliable. This effect, attributed to planet migration, also contributes to the fading of the radius valley for M-planets compared to FGK-planets. While sub-Neptunes are less common around M-dwarfs, smaller ones (1.8 Re < Rp < 2.8 R⊕) exhibit lower density than their equivalents around FGK-dwarfs. Nonetheless, the sample of well-characterized small exoplanets remains limited, and each new discovery has the potential to reshape our understanding and interpretations of this population in the context of internal structure, composition, formation, and evolution models. Broader consensus is also needed for internal structure models and atmospheric compositions to enhance density interpretation and observable predictions for the atmospheres of these exoplanets.
Study of vulnerable zones to soil instability by radar remote sensing, case of the Temsamane region in north Morocco
Authors: Mourjane Mohammed , El Hammouch Naoual , El Hammichi Fatima , Benabdelhadi Mohammed , Tabyaoui Hassan , Lahrach Abderrahim
Published: June 2024

The Temsamane massif is part of the external Rif of Morocco and is distinguished by more intense deformations, linked to its topographical, lithological and structural characteristics. Many natural hazard phenomena, and therefore damage and loss of resources and people, are present. The detailed work on these activities remains much localized using traditional techniques. The analysis using differential interferometry techniques of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images (DINSAR) made it possible to determine the instability and vulnerability to subsidence risks from two images from the Sentinel satellite of two different years (2018 and 2022). The results obtained show the presence of some areas of subsidence in the urban sector, the continuation of shrinkage and slight uplift in the relief areas, and generally instability in rural areas.