bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flow physics during surge of an axial-centrifugal compressor
Authors:   School of Vehicle and Mobility, Tsinghua University, Li Jiaan , Liu Xiwu ,   AECC Hunan Aviation Powerplant Research Institute, Kong Weihan ,   Institute for Aero Engine, Tsinghua University, Wang Baotong ,   Institute for Aero Engine, Tsinghua University, Zou Xueqi ,   AECC Hunan Aviation Powerplant Research Institute, Zheng Xinqian ,   School of Vehicle and Mobility, Tsinghua University
Published: February 2024

Aerodynamic instability design is one of the crucial elements when designing a compressor. Unstable phenomenon such as surge harms the compressor in both performance and structure integrity. The complex unsteady flow process during instability strongly relates to the compressor design. This paper investigates the transient instability process using URANS on a three-stage-axial and one-stage-centrifugal combined compressor under its off-design condition. Results show that the compressor suffers two surge patterns. The mild surge happens first, with a higher pressure oscillation frequency than the traditional mild surge. Then, with the decrease of valve opening, the deep surge is initiated, and the axial stages work at the peak pressure ratio because the mass flow rate is limited by the choked radial diffuser. Moreover, the aerodynamic blade loads are analyzed and find that the IGV and first rotor have the largest unsteady force among all blade rows. According to the flow field, the root of the rotor and the tip of the stator suffer the most serious impulse caused by reversed flow during surge cycle.
Impact of Aerodynamic Loads on Compressor Blade Deformation and Performance
Authors:   Northwestern Polytechnical University, Li Yi , Xu Shenren ,   Northwestern Polytechnical University, Huang Xiuquan ,   Northwestern Polytechnical University, Qian Zhang ,   Northwestern Polytechnical University
Published: February 2024

Typically, the characteristics of a compressor are computed using the hot geometry provided for the design working point. However, the actual shape of the compressor blade will be different due to different deformation under different operating conditions. The deformations are mainly caused by centrifugal and aerodynamic loads. This paper focuses on the impact of aerodynamic loads on blade deformation and calculated aerodynamic performance. The results show that neglecting aerodynamic forces during blade deformation computation leads to an increase in compressor mass flow rate and pressure ratio, particularly in high aspect ratio fans. Therefore, the impact of aerodynamic loads on blade deformation and aerodynamic performance cannot be neglected for high aspect ratio blades.
Layout optimization of constrained damping material for Composite fan blade
Authors:   Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Wang Zijian , Zhang Jiguo ,   Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Chen Yong ,   Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Jin Lu ,   Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tang Xu ,   Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Published: February 2024

Compared with traditional titanium alloy fan blade, carbon fiber composite blade has the characteristics of high specific strength, strong designability and fatigue damage tolerance. However, the interlaminar properties of composite material are poor, and the resistance to delamination and impact is weak. To effectively reduce vibration stress of structure and to extremely improve the service life, reasonable layout of constrained layer damping (CLD) material is designed. In this paper, a layout optimization method of CLD material for composite fan blades is proposed. By shell element normal stretching, a refine finite element model containing ply information is established. The dynamic mechanical parameters of viscoelastic materials are measured by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) test, and then finite element dynamic model of viscoelastic damping composite structure is established. macro fiber composite (MFC) is used to verify the vibration characteristics of the optimized viscoelastic damping composite structure. By comparing optimal layout of CLD material and blade mode of vibration, it is found reasonable laying of CLD can significantly reduce blade natural frequency, reduce blade vibration response, optimize damping ratio, and improve stress-strain distribution.
Fast assessment of turbine blade performance with nonuniform boundary condition using adjoint sensitivity
Authors:   Tsinghua University, Hu Kexin , Su Xinrong ,   Tsinghua University, zhang Zhen ,   Tsinghua University, Yuan Xin ,   Tsinghua University
Published: February 2024

In modern gas turbine engines there exist significant temperature gradients in the combustor exit. The temperature non-uniformity makes it difficult to predict turbine blade performance quickly. The computational method of fully coupled combustor-turbine can be used to accurately simulate the flow field at the combustor exit and predict turbine performance, but the method is complex and the computational cost is extremely high. In this study, a turbine blade performance prediction method based on using adjoint sensitivity is proposed, which can take turbine performance, such as mean temperature of the blade surface, as observables to calculate the sensitivity to the boundary conditions. Based on the sensitive information, the observable under the non-uniform inlet can be quickly predicted. The accuracy of this prediction method can be satisfied to the needs of industry design and reduces the computational cost of the simulation.
The establishment of cascade experimental sample bank and the modification of empirical model
Authors:   School of Power and Energy, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xing Xiaolong , Chen Qidong ,   School of Power and Energy, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Liu Bo ,   School of Power and Energy, Northwestern Polytechnical University
Published: February 2024

Based on 1548 test conditions obtained from 24 groups of axial compressor cascade test, a cascade aerodynamic performance sample library is established. On this basis, a typical reference deviation angle model and a off-design deviation angle model are selected respectively. Then, aiming at the problem of poor accuracy of traditional empirical model in high load cascade performance prediction, the key coefficients in the model were optimized by genetic optimization method based on the established cascade performance sample library, and the calculation error of the optimized deviation angle model was reduced by 39.9%. Finally, the accuracy and universality of the improved model are verified by calculating and predicting the aerodynamic performance of a multistage compressor.
Experimental study on time-frequency characteristics of rotating instability in an isolated axial compressor rotor with variable clearance
Authors:   School of Power and Energy Northwestern Polytechnical University, Yang Fan , Wu Yanhui ,   School of Power and Energy Northwestern Polytechnical University
Published: February 2024

This paper presents an experimental investigation of rotating instability (RI) in an isolated axial compressor rotor with variable clearance. The unsteady pressure measured by the pressure transducers installed in the casing was used to analyze the time-frequency characteristics of RI. Increasing the tip clearance size resulted in the appearance of RI at near stall condition. Additionally, the amplitude of RI would increase with the tip clearance, while the frequency was a band centered at 0.5 blade pass frequency. Notably, the size of blade tip clearance had no effect on the spatial distribution and frequency characteristics of RI. The study also uses wavelet transform analysis and the results showed that the RI signal was incoherent in time ,and increasing the blade tip clearance leads to a more frequent occurrence of RI. A series of artificial signals were constructed to validate hypotheses regarding RI. The results indicated that RI occurs on specific blades and exhibited randomness. The spatial scale of RI was speculated to involve two blade passages, and this random occurrence of dual-channel flow structures was identified in the measurement results of the blade tip pressure field.
Spatial Evolution Mechanism of Vortex Structure in the Highly-loaded Helium Compressor Cascade
Authors:   Marine Engineering College of Dalian Maritime University, Sun Ke , Fan Yingqi ,   Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering College of Dalian Maritime University, Kong Xiaozhi ,   Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering College of Dalian Maritime University, Tian Zhitao ,   Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering College of Dalian Maritime University, Lu Huawei ,   Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering College of Dalian Maritime University, Xin Jianchi ,   Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering College of Dalian Maritime University, Peng Benli ,   Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering College of Dalian Maritime University
Published: February 2024

The highly-loaded design method of helium compressors can effectively solve the difficulty in compressing helium in High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGR). But it also causes obviously different attack angle characteristics of blade surface loads in a highly-loaded helium compressor compared to air compressors. This difference inevitably affects separation characteristics and flow loss within the compressor. In the current study, the effects of highly-loaded design methods and changes in attack angle on the separation characteristics of the compressor cascade are analyzed by applying a numerical simulation method firstly. Then the influence of Mach number on the loss characteristics of the cascade for a highly-loaded helium compressor is systematically analyzed. The results indicate that the proportion of secondary flow loss to the total loss in highly-loaded compressor cascades is 2.46 times larger than that in conventionally-loaded ones.
A Preliminary Evaluation Method For Fan Blade Rubbing Stability Based On Finite Element Analysis
Authors:   Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Sun Minghui , Tang Xu ,   Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Chen Yong ,   Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Published: February 2024

A tighter fan blade-casing clearance is desired to obtain better aerodynamic efficiency and stability in the aero engine. But the risk of blade-casing rubbing will increase and lead to unexpected blade vibrations or damage. Unstable rubbing will damage the engine structure and should be avoided. Fan blade rubbing stability must be evaluated during the initial design phase. At present, many scholars use numerical analysis research methods, this method involves many parameters, and the analysis process is complex. This paper adopts a simple and relative method to evaluate the fan blade rubbing stability. The rubbing loads are applied on the tip of the fan blade and the deformation of the tip nodes are obtained. By comparing the rubbing force and the amplitude of the tip deformation, a relative rubbing stability of different design of fan blade could be achieved. The results of this method are compared with that calculated by delayed differential equation. The agreement of these results shows the validity of this method.
Analysis of high temperature flange & bolt temperature variation of the steam turbine cylinder during start-up process based on in-service data
Authors:   Shanghai Jiao Tong University,School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Kang Ming , Jiang Geng-Hui ,   Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wu Shi-Fang ,   Shanghai Electric Power Generation Equipment Co., Ltd. Shanghai Turbine Plant, Wang Wei-Zhe ,   Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Mechanical and Power Engineering
Published: February 2024

In order to monitor the temperature and temperature difference levels of the flange-bolt components in the cylinder's joint surface during start-up process, temperature measurement elements are installed at different depths of the flange and at different heights of the bolt. The temperature of each measurement point and the temperature difference between the measurement points are analyzed in the cold start, warm start and hot start modes with the unit in-service data. The maximum temperature difference between the flange-bolt, between different depths of the flange and between different heights of the bolt in the warm start mode is higher than the maximum temperature difference values corresponding to the cold start and the hot start mode, which corresponds to a maximum temperature difference of 110 °C between the flange and the bolt, 70 °C between different depths of the flange and 28 °C between different heights of the bolt. The results of the study are important for understanding the temperature change pattern of the flange-bolt structure system of the cylinder during the start-up phase, and also provide guidance for its structural strength assessment and high temperature creep fatigue life assessment.
Numerical Studies on Shock Wave and Boundary Layer Interaction in the High-Load Turbine Rotor Cascades
Authors:   Beijing Institute of Technology, Long Qiyun , Ji Zhengxin ,   Beijing Institute of Technology, Qi Mingxu ,   Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhang Hong ,   Beijing Institute of Technology
Published: February 2024

Design of transonic high-load turbine is the essential approach to improve thrust-to-weight ratio of gas turbine engines. The shock wave and boundary layer interaction (SWBLI) in high-load turbine is one of the important unsteady sources and the main source of loss in turbine stages. In order to study mechanism of SWBLI in high-load turbine, rotor blades with loading coefficients range from 1.6 to 2 were designed and Delayed Detached Eddy Simulations (DDES) were carried out. The influences of loading coefficient, exit isentropic Mach number and incidence angle on characteristics of shock wave, SWBLI as well as flow details in the blade passages were compared. Results indicated the shock wave was generated and enhanced as exit isentropic Mach number increased leading to the increase of 0.028 in the total pressure loss coefficient. The total pressure loss coefficient reached the maximum at the loading coefficient of 2.0, however it did not increase with the load coefficient because of the stronger shock wave at the loading coefficient of 1.6. Meanwhile, the influences of strong separation induced by variation of incidence angle on the fore part of suction surface of blade on the characteristics of the shock wave and the loss were also obvious.
Effects of inlet distortion on aeroelastic stability of a transonic fan
Authors:   School of Energy and Power Engineering Beihang University, Zheng Yun , Yang Hui ,   School of Energy and Power Engineering Beihang University, Guo Penghui ,   School of Energy and Power Engineering Beihang University, Xu Kang ,   35th Inst. CASIC
Published: February 2024

The BLI-type engine makes fan blades work in the state of inlet distortion. The effects of this kind of distortion on the aeromechanical characteristics of fan blades are studied numerically. An in-house coupled fluid/structure numerical code is used for the prediction of the vibration response of rotor blades. The three-dimensional, time-accurate, unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are solved in the fluid domain, and the structural dynamic equations of blade vibration are solved with a modal superimposition method. Aeromechanical response of the transonic fan—NASA rotor67 with inlet total pressure distortion is studied in detail. Full-annulus aeroelastic calculations under both clean and distorted(DC180) flow conditions are conducted, and the overall aerodynamic damping of the rotor is shown. Compared with the case in clean flow, the aerodynamic damping with inlet distortion is reduced. The effects of the distortion coefficient describing the intensity of inlet distortion on fan aeromechanical characteristics are also investigated. Results show that an inlet distortion with higher intensity(distortion coefficient=0.9 (DIS-0.9)) will increase the risk of flutter occurrence.
Numerical simulation of inlet total pressure distortion on a two-stage high-speed axial fan
Authors:   School of Energy Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Zhao Hongliang , Zhang Min ,   Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences + University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhang Wenqiang ,   School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Du Juan ,   Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences + University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qiu Jiahui ,   Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences + University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nie Chaoqun ,   Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences + University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Published: February 2024

Inlet total pressure distortion is a critical factor affecting aero engines' performance and stability. Steady calculations are conducted for a two-stage fan under uniform inlet conditions. Full annular unsteady simulations of an inserted baffle distortion generator coupled with a two-stage fan are conducted under distorted inlet conditions. Numerical calculation results show that the baffle distortion generator mainly contributes to the total pressure distortion in the fan inlet surface. The total pressure distortion induces the total temperature distortion. The transfer and distribution of the two-stage fan's total pressure and temperature distortions are calculated and analyzed. After the airflow goes through the fan, the intensity of total pressure distortion is weakened, the intensity of total temperature distortion is enhanced, and the total temperature and static entropy at the blade tip region after turning out of the corresponding distortion baffle are more significant. The flow field after the baffle shows a symmetrical double vortex structure, which causes the positive and negative pre-swirl distribution of airflow angle and lower axial velocity.
A Time Domain Full Order Parallel Method for Turbomachinery Unsteady Flows
Authors:   School of Power and Energy, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Wang Boqian , Wang Dingxi ,   School of Power and Energy, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Huang Xiuquan ,   School of Power and Energy, Northwestern Polytechnical University
Published: February 2024

In this study, the parallel inverted dual time stepping (PIDTS) method has been investigated for analyzing turbomachinery unsteady flows. This is the first known effort in exploiting temporal parallelization to reduce wall-clock time for analyzing turbomachinery unsteady flows in all time scales. This method relaxes the sequential time dependency of solutions at different time instants in the dual time stepping method to achieve parallel solutions at the expense of an increased number of pseudo-time iterations. To demonstrate its parallel scalability and solution stability and accuracy, a one-dimensional De Laval nozzle with a time-periodic back pressure disturbance has been used as a test case. Study indicates that the higher number of pseudo-time iterations is inevitable with a larger number of time instants marching together. A hybrid explicit and implicit method for accelerating solution convergence significantly mitigates the need for an increased number of pseudo-time iterations. Further verification and application have been conducted using a case of rotor-stator interaction of a transonic compressor stage. The obtained parallel efficiency is about 96%, 90%, 83%, 77%, and 72% with 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 time instants marching together, respectively. The recommended number of time instants for parallelization is 2-10, which is a result of balancing parallel benefits, time consumption of additional pseudo-time iterations, and additional memory consumption. The obtained wall-clock speedup compared with the dual time stepping method is 1.9 to 3.5.
A Mean-Fluctuation Decomposition Scheme to Accelerate the Simulation of Unsteady Conjugate Heat Transfer
Authors:   Tsinghua University, Cai Feixue , Yao Min ,   Tsinghua University, Zhou Hua ,   Tsinghua University, Ren Zhuyin ,   Tsinghua University
Published: February 2024

The unsteady conjugate heat transfer simulation technology has to address both the computational cost and the stiffness issues originated from the wide disparate time scales between the fluid and solid domains, especially in the combustion chamber. Although the existing desynchronizing coupling model can significantly improve the computational efficiency, this model always amplifies the fluctuation amplitudes of the fluid-solid interface temperature. To tackle this issue of losing solution accuracy occurred in the desynchronized model, a mean-fluctuation decomposition scheme is adopted in the present study, and a novel fluid-solid-solid solver coupling procedure is further proposed for the simulations of combustor liner with thermal barrier coating. Finally, the decomposition scheme and the proposed coupling procedures are validated in a simplified one-dimensional test of the combustor, including the solid liner-fluid and solid liner-TBC-fluid cases. The test results demonstrate that the computation acceleration is significantly enhanced by the mean-fluctuation decomposition model while the solution accuracy is also ensured for the solid-liner-fluid coupling case. For the solid liner-TBC-fluid coupling case, the designed fluid-solid-solid coupling procedure accurately predicts the evolution of each interface temperature after employing the TBC, which also achieves a certain acceleration compared to the conventional synchronizing coupling model.
Comparison of Staged and Biphasic Organosolv Pretreatment to Facilitate the Production of Lignin-Based Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from Pelletized Urban Wood Product Wastes
Authors:   The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Khan Aamir , Rehman Shazia ,   The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Guan Jianyu ,   The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Cheng Song ,   The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Leu Shao-Yuan ,   The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Published: February 2024

High-yield fractionation and depolymerization to convert woody waste-derived lignin into cycloalkane hydrocarbons is an essential subject to complete the function of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). However, the biorefinery process needs to be carefully designed to produce small molecular weight monolignol at significant quantity. Our recent studies demonstrate that in comparison to one-pot catalytic transfer hydrogenolysis (CTH), in which large quantity of cellulosic fibres are forming into low value chars, lignocellulosic biomass could produce a higher quantity of SAF after mild fractionation. To upgrade the organosolv induced C-O-C protection during acid catalyzed biomass pretreatment process for treating municipal woody waste, this study performed 24 sets of pretreatment experiments followed by CTH to produce cycloalkane hydrocarbons SAF. We compared the types and yield of SAF precursors after the conventional, staged pretreatment, and biphasic pretreatment over the one-pot CTH approach with detailed lignin-lignin characterization and regression analysis. The results confirmed that all organosolv pretreatment strategies could benefit lignin-lignin dissociation and increase its solubility before CTH. Preservation of β-O-4 linkages up to 42% can benefit the monomer yield by 30% in the downstream process.
Effects of k-ω shear stress transport turbulence model enhancements on axial compressor rotor performance and near-stall operation
Authors:   Cranfield University, Szymański Artur , Zawadzki Natan ,   Cranfield University
Published: February 2024

The three-dimensional (3D) Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) with turbulence viscosity modelling effectively brought Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to everyone. The k −ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model became particularly successful, providing robust solutions to various engineering problems. This paper presents a review of the SST model modifications’ effect on the flow structure in a transonic axial compressor rotor, with particular emphasis on the near-stall operation. The NASA Rotor 37 (R37) was used as test geometry. A range of meshes with increasing grid density was employed to validate the dependence on spatial discretisation. The results averaging methods were also evaluated. Following SST turbulence model enhancements were studied: Reattachment Modification (RM), increased shear stress limiter (a1), turbulence transition (γ −Reθ model), and the transition and RM combined. Furthermore, selected models were tested using isothermal wall treatment at the shroud casing. A wide range of results was discussed, from high-level compressor maps and spanwise parameters distribution to near-stall behaviour description dictated by the blockage, originating from the shockwave and tip leakage vortex interaction. Detailed investigation of the 3D flow field revealed that shear stress limiter (a1) reduction and RM combined with the γ −Reθ model provided the closest results to the experiment. Regardless of the turbulence closure method, casing heat transfer provided realistic spanwise temperature distribution. All of the CFD models are made available, allowing the reader to replicate the results easily.
Regionalización de Baremos del CUMANIN para la Ciudad de Resistencia (Argentina)
Authors: Muchiut Alvaro - Federico , Pietto Marcos Luis , Vaccaro Paola , Sanchez María Belén
Published: February 2024

El estudio buscó analizar el comportamiento y establecer los baremos del Cuestionario de Madurez Neuropsicológica Infantil (CUMANIN) en una muestra de 322 infantes (163 mujeres), de edades comprendidas entre 3 y 6 años, de la ciudad de Resistencia (Chaco, Argentina), con el fin de disponer de una herramienta para evaluar el desarrollo neuropsicológico en preescolares en nuestra región. Los resultados indicaron que el test es capaz de discriminar entre rangos de edad y, por lo tanto, se comporta como una escala de desarrollo, obteniéndose desempeños más altos a medida que la edad avanza. No se observaron diferencias significativas en cuanto al sexo en ninguna de las escalas del CUMANIN, lo que sugiere que la condición biológica del sexo no parece ser una variable significativa que influencie el desempeño en las áreas evaluadas en la prueba. Se espera que dicha herramienta pueda contribuir a la identificación de las necesidades específicas de cada niño/a en situaciones de aprendizaje, así como a la identificación de objetivos de intervención de interés tanto para el ámbito educativo como para el clínico.
Evaluating Oral Health Status among Students in Municipal Schools of Mumbai – A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Oswal Kunal , Balraj Lakshmi , Gaitonde Prerana , Chunkhade Pranav
Published: February 2024

The overall prevalence of dental caries among individuals aged 3 to 75 years in India is approximately 54.16% and the burden is ever increasing. This cross-sectional study aimed at mapping oral health status among government school children in Mumbai. The study focused on identifying the prevalence of dental caries and tobacco consumption among students. The study involved 94 randomly selected schools, focusing on healthy 9th and 10th-grade students in M.C.G.M-run schools. A close-ended questionnaire assessed demographics, oral hygiene practices, and tobacco use, followed by oral examinations for dental caries and hygiene status, with subsequent oral health education provided to all students. A high prevalence of dental caries (62.6%) and tobacco use (5.1%) was observed among 14-16-year-old students, emphasizing the urgent need for habit interception and oral health education. To progress, Indian health systems must collaborate to promote oral healthcare for all children, with a focus on disease prevention, especially among disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special healthcare needs.

Key Words
Mumbai schools, Oral health status, Prevention, School students, Teachers training
Rationale of first dental visit among 12-15 year old children in a field practice area-a transverse survey
Authors: Raja Sekhar Potluri , Srinivas Ravoori , Srinivas Pachava , Suresh Chand Yaddanapalli , Pavani Nijampatnam P M
Published: February 2024

Many children were suffering with oral health problems such as dental caries, gingival infections & malocclusions. Early identification of these problems plays a decisive role in prevention of oral diseases. First dental visit within first year of life is an important milestone in child's life. Aim & Objectives - To assess first dental visit and reasons for seeking dental care at first visit at two different locations in a city from South India. Methods - A cross sectional questionnaire survey along with oral examination were carried out among school children (n=400). Descriptive statistics and independent t test were done. Results - Mean DMFT and OHI-S scores, 0.92 ± 1.194 and 0.89 ± 1.578, were higher among children having access to dental institution. Approximately 62.5% near institution and 66% away from institution reported that, their first direct contact with a dental professional was at school. General dental checkup was the dominant reason for first dental visit followed by dental caries and tooth pain. Conclusion - Significant differences were found among the groups in relation to first dental visit and its reasons. So it is necessary to work out recommendations towards preventive care rather than curative. Key Words - First dental visit, Reasons, School Children
The One Health Concept
Authors: Pitt Sarah J. , Gunn Alan
Published: February 2024

The concept of One Health has been developed as the appreciation that human health is intricately connected to those of other animals and the environment that they inhabit. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic and noticeable effects of climate change have encouraged national and international cooperation to apply One Health strategies to address key issues of health and welfare. The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals have established targets for health and wellbeing, clean water and sanitation, climate action, as well as sustainability in marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The One Health Quadripartite comprises the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH—formerly OIE), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). There are six areas of focus which are Laboratory services, Control of zoonotic diseases, Neglected tropical diseases, Antimicrobial resistance, Food safety and Environmental health. This article discusses the concept of One Health by considering examples of infectious diseases and environmental issues under each of those six headings. Biomedical Scientists, Clinical Scientists and their colleagues working in diagnostic and research laboratories have a key role to play in applying the One Health approach to key areas of healthcare in the 21st Century.
Biotechnological fixes and the Big Three urgent moral challenges facing the global livestock industry
Authors: Shriver Adam J.
Published: February 2024

The current global food system, and in particular the livestock industry, has been effective at providing low-cost calories to large segments of the population, but it also causes significant harms and poses serious risks. In particular, the global food system currently likely causes billions of animals to suffer every year, significantly contributes to climate change, and threatens public health via the possibility of zoonotic disease. There are many other problems that have been identified with the livestock industry, but these three threats, which I refer to as the Big Three, are among the most urgent moral issues in the world. Significant progress could be made to address all three of these risks if the global population moved to a primarily plant-based diet. However, there are reasons to believe this possibility is unrealistic given current consumer preferences and political realities. As an alternative, one could ask whether an approach relying entirely on novel biotechnology could be used to address the urgent moral challenges of the global livestock industry without substantially changing the consumer experience or facing political backlash. In this paper I consider what such a scenario would look like, and argue that failing to address any one of these three major issues would be a serious moral failing. Though many other suggestions have been made looking at how biotechnology might address individual issues, this paper suggests that in order to avoid the need for difficult behavioral and political changes, biotechnological solutions would ultimately need to be developed that address welfare, environmental, and public health concerns.
Aesthetic experience in technology education – the role of aesthetics for learning in lower secondary school robotic programming
Authors: Andrée Maria , Anderhag Per , Björnhammer Sebastian , Salomonsson Niklas
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Within the technology education research field, aesthetics has primarily been treated as either related to artifacts, design processes and innovation, or as related to students’ enjoyment, appreciation, and participation in technology and technology education. This study focuses on the role of aesthetics in technology learning more specifically the learning of programming. Previous research has pointed to aesthetics as important for the learning of programming, e.g., that programming activities in higher education typically involve experiences of frustration. While previous research is primarily based on student reports, there is a need for further exploration of processes of learning to program. The aim of this study is to explore the role of aesthetics for student learning to program in and what these processes may mean in relation to a disciplinary aesthetics of the technology subject.

Methods

The study was part of a design-based study with the overall purpose to develop the teaching of programming in lower secondary school. Data was collected from a programming task designed and implemented in school-year 9 (the students were aged 15–16) in Technology in two lower secondary classes. In total, three teachers participated in the implementation. The students pair-programmed Lego robots that should perform specific movements, such as following a curved line. Each group recorded their coding process along with audio, resulting in videos that documented the gradual evolution of their programs. These videos, capturing the real-time programming and associated student and teacher conversations, serve as the data for this study. In order to analyze the role of aesthetics in classroom conversations a Practical Epistemology Analysis was applied.

Results

The results show that aesthetic judgments were important for orienting learning toward (1) the movement of the robot and (2) the ways to be in the programming activity. During the programming activity, the students expressed feelings of frustration but also joy and humor.

Discussion

The findings concur with previous research and contribute to further understanding the role of negative and positive aesthetic experiences in the teaching and learning of programming. The importance of the objects of aesthetic experience found in this study are discussed as part of a disciplinary aesthetic of programming.
Peripheral artery disease mediating the effect of metabolic syndrome related diseases on lower limb ulcers: Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Wang Huan , Zhang Zhe , Zou Linxuan , Zhang Juewei , Jia Zhuqiang , Zhao Lin , Han Xin , Sun Xiaohong , Zhang Zhen , Zong Junwei , Wang Shouyu
Published: February 2024

Background

Previous observational studies have demonstrated a correlation between metabolic syndrome related diseases and an elevated susceptibility to ulcers of lower limb. It has been suggested that this causal relationship may be influenced by the presence of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Nevertheless, the precise contribution of these factors as determinants of ulcers of lower limb remains largely unexplored.

Method

This research incorporated information on hypertension, BMI, hyperuricemia, type 2 diabetes, PAD, and ulcers of lower limb sourced from the GWAS database. Univariate Mendelian randomization (SVMR) and multivariate Mendelian randomization (MVMR) methods were employed to assess the association between metabolic syndrome related diseases, including hypertension, obesity, hyperuricemia, and type 2 diabetes, as well as to investigate whether this association was influenced by PAD.

Results

Univariate Mendelian randomization analysis showed that genetically predicted hypertension, BMI, and type 2 diabetes were associated with an increased risk of PAD and ulcers of lower limb, and PAD was associated with an increased risk of ulcers of lower limb, but there is no causal relationship between hyperuricemia and ulcers of lower limb. The results of multivariate Mendelian randomization showed that PAD mediated the causal relationship between hypertension, obesity and ulcers of lower limb, but the relationship between type 2 diabetes and ulcers of lower limb was not mediated by PAD.

Conclusion

Hypertension, BMI and type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of ulcers of lower limb, and PAD can be used as a mediator of hypertension and obesity leading to ulcers of lower limb, These findings may inform prevention and intervention strategies directed toward metabolic syndrome and ulcers of lower limb.
Optimal economic dispatching strategy for power systems considering distributed controllable load clusters
Authors: Zhang Chunmei , Jiang Jiang , Cai Chunyuan , Yu Hengyou , Yang Duotong , Li Zhuohuan
Published: February 2024

The day-ahead dispatching of power system depends on the predicted renewable energy output and load power, which brings great challenges to the real-time power balance. This paper focuses on voltage sensitive loads (VSLs) that are widely distributed in space, thus exploring the real-time dispatching potential for VSLs. Firstly, based on the P-V relationship of VSLs clusters, a ZIP model is adopted to establish VSLs’ power controllable model. Meanwhile, considering the potential voltage instability risk during the process of voltage regulation, a linear relationship between voltage safety margin (VSM) index and node power variation was derived. Then, a two-stage linear dispatching model for controllable VSLs clusters was established to meet the needs of online application. In detail, the first stage mainly focuses on evaluating the scheduling potential of VSLs clusters and the second stage determines the optimal real-time response strategy for VSLs clusters. Finally, the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method are verified through an improved IEEE-30 node system.
Uncovering rearrangements in the Tibetan antelope via population-derived genome refinement and comparative analysis with homologous species
Authors: Chen Jiarui , Wang Shuwen , Wang Dong , Chiu Yunkang , Yang Nan , Lian Xinming , Zhao Zicheng , Wei Qing
Published: February 2024

Introduction: The Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) is a remarkable mammal thriving in the extreme Qinghai-Tibet Plateau conditions. Despite the availability of its genome sequence, limitations in the scaffold-level assembly have hindered a comprehensive understanding of its genomics. Moreover, comparative analyses with other Bovidae species are lacking, along with insights into genome rearrangements in the Tibetan antelope.

Methods: Addressing these gaps, we present a multifaceted approach by refining the Tibetan Antelope genome through linkage disequilibrium analysis with data from 15 newly sequenced samples.

Results: The scaffold N50 of the refined reference is 3.2 Mbp, surpassing the previous version by 1.15-fold. Our annotation analysis resulted in 50,750 genes, encompassing 29,324 novel genes not previously study. Comparative analyses reveal 182 unique rearrangements within the scaffolds, contributing to our understanding of evolutionary dynamics and species-specific adaptations. Furthermore, by conducting detailed genomic comparisons and reconstructing rearrangements, we have successfully pioneered the reconstruction of the X-chromosome in the Tibetan antelope.

Discussion: This effort enhances our comprehension of the genomic landscape of this species.
Artificial Targets: a versatile cell-free platform to characterize CAR T cell function in vitro
Authors: Wang Xueting , Tokarew Nicholas J. A. , Borgelt Nadine , Siemer Ramona , Melo Cristiane Casonato , Langer Christian , Kasampalidis Ioannis , Ogusuku Isabella E. Y. , Cathomen Toni , Gessner Isabel , Dose Christian , Fauerbach Jonathan A. , Richter Anne , Evaristo César
Published: February 2024

Cancer immunotherapies using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have tremendous potential and proven clinical efficacy against a number of malignancies. Research and development are emerging to deepen the knowledge of CAR T cell efficacy and extend the therapeutic potential of this novel therapy. To this end, functional characterization of CAR T cells plays a central role in consecutive phases across fundamental research and therapeutic development, with increasing needs for standardization. The functional characterization of CAR T cells is typically achieved by assessing critical effector functions, following co-culture with cell lines expressing the target antigen. However, the use of target cell lines poses several limitations, including alterations in cell fitness, metabolic state or genetic drift due to handling and culturing of the cells, which would increase variabilities and could lead to inconsistent results. Moreover, the use of target cell lines can be work and time intensive, and introduce significant background due to the allogenic responses of T cells. To overcome these limitations, we developed a synthetic bead-based platform (“Artificial Targets”) to characterize CAR T cell function in vitro. These synthetic microparticles could specifically induce CAR T cell activation, as measured by CD69 and CD137 (4-1BB) upregulation. In addition, engagement with Artificial Targets resulted in induction of multiple effector functions of CAR T cells mimicking the response triggered by target cell lines including cytotoxic activity, as assessed by exposure of CD107a (LAMP-1), expression and secretion of cytokines, as well as cell proliferation. Importantly, in contrast to target cells, stimulation with Artificial Targets showed limited unspecific CAR T cell proliferation. Finally, Artificial Targets demonstrated flexibility to engage multiple costimulatory molecules that can synergistically enhance the CAR T cell function and represented a powerful tool for modulating CAR T cell responses. Collectively, our results show that Artificial Targets can specifically activate CAR T cells for essential effector functions that could significantly advance standardization of functional assessment of CAR T cells, from early development to clinical applications.
Global research on RNA vaccines for COVID-19 from 2019 to 2023: a bibliometric analysis
Authors: Chen Ziyi , Liu Zhiliang , Feng Yali , Shi Aochen , Wu Liqing , Sang Yi , Li Chenxi
Published: February 2024

Background

Since the global pandemic of COVID-19 has broken out, thousands of pieces of literature on COVID-19 RNA vaccines have been published in various journals. The overall measurement and analysis of RNA vaccines for COVID-19, with the help of sophisticated mathematical tools, could provide deep insights into global research performance and the collaborative architectural structure within the scientific community of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. In this bibliometric analysis, we aim to determine the extent of the scientific output related to COVID-19 RNA vaccines between 2019 and 2023.

Methods

We applied the Bibliometrix R package for comprehensive science mapping analysis of extensive bibliographic metadata retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. On January 11th, 2024, the Web of Science database was searched for COVID-19 RNA vaccine-related publications using predetermined search keywords with specific restrictions. Bradford’s law was applied to evaluate the core journals in this field. The data was analyzed with various bibliometric indicators using the Bibliometrix R package.

Results

The final analysis included 2962 publications published between 2020 and 2023 while there is no related publication in 2019. The most productive year was 2022. The most relevant leading authors in terms of publications were Ugur Sahin and Pei-Yong, Shi, who had the highest total citations in this field. The core journals were Vaccines, Frontiers in Immunology, and Viruses-Basel. The most frequently used author’s keywords were COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and vaccine. Recent COVID-19 RNA vaccine-related topics included mental health, COVID-19 vaccines in humans, people, and the pandemic. Harvard University was the top-ranked institution. The leading country in terms of publications, citations, corresponding author country, and international collaboration was the United States. The United States had the most robust collaboration with China.

Conclusion

The research hotspots include COVID-19 vaccines and the pandemic in people. We identified international collaboration and research expenditure strongly associated with COVID-19 vaccine research productivity. Researchers’ collaboration among developed countries should be extended to low-income countries to expand COVID-19 vaccine-related research and understanding.
The cGAS-STING pathway in viral infections: a promising link between inflammation, oxidative stress and autophagy
Authors: Zhang Kunli , Huang Qiuyan , Li Xinming , Zhao Ziqiao , Hong Chun , Sun Zeyi , Deng Bo , Li Chunling , Zhang Jianfeng , Wang Sutian
Published: February 2024

The host defence responses play vital roles in viral infection and are regulated by complex interactive networks. The host immune system recognizes viral pathogens through the interaction of pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) with pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). As a PRR mainly in the cytoplasm, cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) senses and binds virus DNA and subsequently activates stimulator of interferon genes (STING) to trigger a series of intracellular signalling cascades to defend against invading pathogenic microorganisms. Integrated omic and functional analyses identify the cGAS-STING pathway regulating various host cellular responses and controlling viral infections. Aside from its most common function in regulating inflammation and type I interferon, a growing body of evidence suggests that the cGAS-STING signalling axis is closely associated with a series of cellular responses, such as oxidative stress, autophagy, and endoplasmic reticulum stress, which have major impacts on physiological homeostasis. Interestingly, these host cellular responses play dual roles in the regulation of the cGAS-STING signalling axis and the clearance of viruses. Here, we outline recent insights into cGAS-STING in regulating type I interferon, inflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress and discuss their interactions with viral infections. A detailed understanding of the cGAS-STING-mediated potential antiviral effects contributes to revealing the pathogenesis of certain viruses and sheds light on effective solutions for antiviral therapy.