bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating Combined Effects of Climate Change and Land Cover Change on Water Regulation Services of Urban Wetlands in Valdivia, Chile
Authors: Sauer J. , Grimm N. B. , Barbosa O. , Cook E. M. , Mustafa A. , Kunkel K. , McPhearson T. , Ballinger A.
Published: May 2024

The relationship between cities and wetland cover varies across the globe, with some cities converting wetlands to low‐ and high‐density urban cover and others preserving, conserving, or restoring wetlands, or constructing new ones. However, the scientific literature lacks studies relating changes in systemic flood risk in an urban stormwater management systems to changes in wetland cover. Furthermore, whether and how such relationships are affected by changing storm intensity under climate change is unknown. We present a case study on the effects of changes in urban wetland extent and storm intensity on flooding in an urban drainage system in Valdivia, Chile, under several co‐produced future scenarios and historical trends of development. We used data derived from stakeholder workshops and historical landcover to determine four plausible scenarios of urban development, plus one business‐as‐usual scenario, in Valdivia through the year 2080. Additionally, we used historical precipitation data and downscaled climate data to estimate event rainfall from extreme storms in the year 2080. We found that system flood volume and time the system was flooded increased with increasing wetland loss and rainfall volume. Mean rate and hour of peak discharge were unaffected by wetland loss. Infiltration's relative role in reducing flooding diminished as wetland loss increased. Cities may still experience dangerous and/or unacceptable flooding even with extensive wetland coverage and will likely need to pair conservation with additional improvements in their stormwater management systems and contributing watersheds.
A New Melting Model and Its Implementation in Parameterized Forward Operators for Polarimetric Radar Data Simulation With Double Moment Microphysics Schemes
Authors: Liu Peng , Zhang Guifu , Carlin Jacob T. , Gao Jidong
Published: May 2024

To improve short‐term severe weather forecasts through assimilation of polarimetric radar data (PRD), the use of accurate and efficient forward operators for polarimetric radar variables is required. In this study, a new melting model is proposed to estimate the mixing ratio and number concentration of melting hydrometeor species and incorporated in a set of parameterized polarimetric radar forward operators. The new melting model depends only on the mixing ratio and number concentration of rain and ice species and is characterized by its independence from ambient temperature and its simplicity and ease of linearization. To assess the impact of this newly proposed melting model on the simulated polarimetric radar variables, a real mesoscale convective system is simulated using three double‐moment microphysics schemes. Compared with the output of the original implementation of the parameterized forward operators (PFO_Old) that rely on an “old” melting model which only estimates the mixing ratio of the melting species, the updated implementation with the new melting model (PFO_New) that estimates both the mixing ratio and number concentration of melting species eliminates the very large mass/volume‐weighted mean diameter (Dm) at the bottom of the melting layer and produces more reasonable melting layer signatures for all three double‐moment microphysics schemes that more closely match the corresponding radar observations. This suggests that the new melting model has more reasonable implicit estimates of mixing ratios and number concentrations of melting hydrometeor species than the “old” melting model.
A Quantitative Provenance Analysis (QPA) Approach to Quantify Controls on Sediment Generation and Sediment Flux in the Upper Reaches of the Magdalena River (Colombia): 2. Lithological Control on Contribution to Silt‐ to Clay‐Sized Fractions
Authors: Liedel S. , Caracciolo L. , Beltrán‐Triviño A. , Restrepo J. C. , Ángel J. D. Restrepo , Szczerba M.
Published: May 2024

The composition of 27 fluvial silt and clay sediments was used in this study to identify and quantify the processes in the upper valley of the Magdalena river in South Colombia. The combination of seismic activity, intense precipitation, and landsliding resulted in limited chemical weathering and a very efficient transfer of weathered products to the transfer zone of both tributary rivers and the main trunk. Inputs from plutonic, high‐grade metamorphic, volcanic, and low‐ to medium‐grade metamorphic lithologies vary in coarse silt‐sized versus fine silt‐ and clay‐sized sediments, reflecting inherited textural parameters and mineralogy. Plutonic and high‐grade metamorphic rocks mostly produce sand‐sized sediments, up to two times more than coase silt and up to 10 times more than fine silt to clay. The prevalence of siltstone in the area enhances the contribution of sedimentary rocks to fine silt and clay (up to 50% higher than to sand). Volcanic rocks mainly produce coarse silt (up to 2.5 times more than sand). Low‐grade metamorphic detritus is enriched in silt and clay (up to 5–7 times). These findings highlight the critical role of lithology in regulating sediment generation. The study's approach can establish or modify factors modeling lithological control on suspended sediment flux, such as in the BQART equation.
Balancing the Deep Ocean Plastics Budget
Authors: Morris Bill
Published: May 2024

Up to 11 million metric tons of plastic are sitting on the seafloor, mostly near coasts and shipping corridors.
A New Method for Analyzing F‐Region Neutral Wind Response to Ion Convection in the Nightside Auroral Oval
Authors: Davidson Katherine , Zou Ying , Conde Mark , Bhatt Asti
Published: May 2024

High‐latitude neutral winds have a number of drivers, both from solar and magnetospheric origins. Because of this, the neutral wind response to changes in ionospheric convection is not well understood. Previous calculations of response times resulted in a wide range of responses, from tens of minutes to hours. We present a new weighted windowed time‐lagged correlation (weighted WTLC) method for calculating the neutral wind response time. This method provides a time evolution of the neutral wind response time and considers the effects of all thermospheric forces, while previous methods were only capable of one or the other. We use data from SDIs, ASIs, and PFISR to calculate the neutral wind response time using this new method in three case studies. The results are visually validated, and the weighted WTLC method was able to correctly calculate the neutral wind response time. The time evolution of the weighted WTLC time is then compared to previous neutral wind response time calculations in order to investigate the role of ion‐drag on neutral winds. For the substorm event on 2013 Feb 28, we see a shorter response time from the weighted WTLC method, ranging from 0 to 15 min, than the e‐folding time, ranging from 30 to 355 min. The relationship between the two calculation methods and their implications about the ion‐drag force is discussed. Using the time‐dependent feature of the weighted WTLC method, we observe the neutral wind response time decrease over the course of a substorm event, indicating ion‐neutral coupling increased as the substorm progressed.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Based Intervention for Parents Living With Chronic Pain: Feasibility and Acceptability Study
Authors: Pavlova Maria , Kohut Sara Ahola , Jordan Isabel , Sumpton Janice , Schraeder Kyleigh , Orr Serena L. , Craddock Lindsay , Noel Melanie , Birnie Kathryn A.
Published: May 2024

Objective:

Chronic pain often clusters in families with up to 50% of parents of youth with chronic pain having chronic pain themselves. Interventions for pediatric chronic pain often involve parents, yet parental chronic pain and stress are rarely addressed. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based interventions are efficacious for adult chronic pain, making it a potentially well-suited intervention for parents of youth with chronic pain who also have pain and/or mental health issues. In collaboration with patient partners, we developed and tested feasibility and acceptability of a pilot ACT-based virtual intervention focused on parental chronic pain and mental health.

Method:

Parents of youth with chronic pain who had chronic pain participated in four 1.5-hr weekly sessions delivered virtually. Parents completed pre- and posttreatment measures of pain and mental health symptoms. Feasibility was assessed using session attendance. Parents rated intervention acceptability and provided feedback at the end of the study.

Results:

Six parents (four mothers, Mage = 45.5 years) attended at least three out of four sessions. Parents rated the intervention to be acceptable ( M = 56.7/70). Parents highlighted the sense of community and changes they observed in themselves.

Conclusions:

The brief virtual ACT-based intervention for parents living with chronic pain was feasible and acceptable. Future clinical trials are warranted to assess the intervention efficacy to improve parental and youth outcomes.

Implications for Impact Statement

Interventions for pediatric chronic pain often involve parents, yet parental chronic pain and stress are rarely addressed. We developed a brief virtual acceptance and commitment therapy-based intervention for parents of youth with chronic pain who have pain themselves. The intervention was feasible and acceptable.
miRNA-7145-cuedc2 axis controls hematopoiesis through JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway
Authors: Xu Yongsheng , Guo Rui , Huang Tao , Guo Chunming
Published: May 2024

Hematopoiesis ensures tissue oxygenation, and remodeling as well as immune protection in vertebrates. During embryogenesis, hemangioblasts are the source of all blood cells. Gata1a and pu.1 are co-expressed in hemangioblasts before hemangioblasts are differentiated into blood cells. However, the genes that determine the differentiation of hemangioblasts into myeloid or erythroid cell lineages have not been fully uncovered. Here we showed that miRNA-7145, a miRNA with previously unknown function, was enriched in erythrocytes at the definitive wave, but not expressed in myeloid cells. Overexpression and loss-of-function analysis of miRNA-7145 revealed that miRNA-7145 functions as a strong inhibitor for myeloid progenitor cell differentiation while driving erythropoiesis during the primitive wave. Furthermore, we confirmed that cuedc2 is one of miRNA-7145 targeted-genes. Overexpression or knock-down of cuedc2 partially rescues the phenotype caused by miRNA-7145 overexpression or loss-of-function. As well, overexpression and loss-of-function analysis of cuedc2 showed that cuedc2 is required for myelopoiesis at the expense of erythropoiesis. Finally, we found that overexpression of zebrafish cuedc2 in 293 T cell inhibits the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway. Collectively, our results uncover a previously unknown miRNA-7145-cuedc2 axis, which regulate hematopoiesis through inhibiting the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway.
Structural basis of TRPV1 modulation by endogenous bioactive lipids
Authors: Arnold William R. , Mancino Adamo , Moss Frank R. , Frost Adam , Julius David , Cheng Yifan
Published: May 2024

TRP ion channels are modulated by phosphoinositide lipids, but the underlying structural mechanisms remain unclear. The capsaicin- and heat-activated receptor, TRPV1, has served as a model for deciphering lipid modulation, which is relevant to understanding how pro-algesic agents enhance channel activity in the setting of inflammatory pain. Identification of a pocket within the TRPV1 transmembrane core has provided initial clues as to how phosphoinositide lipids bind to and regulate the channel. Here we show that this regulatory pocket in rat TRPV1 can accommodate diverse lipid species, including the inflammatory lipid lysophosphatidic acid, whose actions are determined by their specific modes of binding. Furthermore, we show that an empty-pocket channel lacking an endogenous phosphoinositide lipid assumes an agonist-like state, even at low temperature, substantiating the concept that phosphoinositide lipids serve as negative TRPV1 modulators whose ejection from the binding pocket is a critical step toward activation by thermal or chemical stimuli.
A compact wideband antenna with high gain based on spoof surface plasmon polaritons
Authors: Arghandeh Farshad , Abbasi-Arand Bijan , Hesari-Shermeh Maryam
Published: May 2024

In this paper, a novel wideband antenna with a simple structure and low profile based on spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPPs) is proposed. The structure consists of periodically modulated corrugated metal strips as transmission lines, a CPW feed, and a ground metal plate as an antenna reflector. The SSPP transmission line is used to convert quasi-TEM to SSPP mode and achieve optimal impedance matching. The prototype of the end-fire antenna has been designed and fabricated. The simulation results show that this antenna can achieve a gain of 10.19 dB, a bandwidth of 146%, and an efficiency of 90% in a wide operating band from 7 to 45 GHz. The proposed design illustrates great potential that includes high efficiency, good directivity, high gain, wide bandwidth, and easy manufacturing.
Assessing glycemic variability in critically ill patients: A prospective cohort study comparing insulin infusion therapy with insulin sliding scale
Authors: Almagthali Alaa , Alsohimi Samiah , Alkhalaf Arwa , Al Sulaiman Khalid , Aljuhani Ohoud
Published: May 2024

Glycemic variability (GV) has been associated with an increased mortality rate among critically ill patients. The clinical outcomes of having less GV even with slight hyperglycemia are better than those having tight glycemic control but higher GV. Insulin infusion remains the preferred method to control stress hyperglycemia in critically ill patients. However, its impacts on GV and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients still need further investigation. This study intended to evaluate the impact of insulin infusion therapy (IIT) compared to the insulin sliding scale (ISS) on the extent of GV and explore its impact on the clinical outcomes for critically ill patients. A prospective, single-center observational cohort study was conducted at a tertiary academic hospital in Saudi Arabia between March 2021 and November 2021. The study included adult patients admitted to ICUs who received insulin for stress hyperglycemia management. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the regimen of insulin therapy during ICU stay (IIT versus ISS). The primary outcome was the GV between the two groups. Secondary outcomes were ICU mortality, the incidence of hypoglycemia, and ICU length of stay (LOS). A total of 381 patients were screened; out of them, eighty patients met the eligibility criteria. The distribution of patients having diabetes and a history of insulin use was similar between the two groups. The GV was lower in the IIT group compared to the ISS group using CONGA (− 0.65, 95% CI [− 1.16, − 0.14], p-value = 0.01). Compared with ISS, patients who received IIT had a lower incidence of hypoglycemia that required correction (6.8% vs 2.77%; p-value = 0.38). In contrast, there were no significant differences in ICU LOS and ICU mortality between the two groups. Our study demonstrated that the IIT is associated with decreased GV significantly in critically ill patients without increasing the incidence of severe hypoglycemia. There is no survival benefit with the use of the IIT. Further studies with larger sample size are required to confirm our findings and elaborate on IIT's potential effect in reducing ICU complications in critically ill patients.
A novel transformer-based DL model enhanced by position-sensitive attention and gated hierarchical LSTM for aero-engine RUL prediction
Authors: Chen Xinping
Published: May 2024

Accurate prediction of remaining useful life (RUL) for aircraft engines is essential for proactive maintenance and safety assurance. However, existing methods such as physics-based models, classical recurrent neural networks, and convolutional neural networks face limitations in capturing long-term dependencies and modeling complex degradation patterns. In this study, we propose a novel deep-learning model based on the Transformer architecture to address these limitations. Specifically, to address the issue of insensitivity to local context in the attention mechanism employed by the Transformer encoder, we introduce a position-sensitive self-attention (PSA) unit to enhance the model's ability to incorporate local context by attending to the positional relationships of the input data at each time step. Additionally, a gated hierarchical long short-term memory network (GHLSTM) is designed to perform regression prediction at different time scales on the latent features, thereby improving the accuracy of RUL estimation for mechanical equipment. Experiments on the C-MAPSS dataset demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms existing methods in RUL prediction, showcasing its effectiveness in modeling complex degradation patterns and long-term dependencies.
Numerical and artificial intelligence based investigation on the development of design guidelines for pultruded GFRP RHS profiles subjected to web crippling
Authors: Asghar Raheel , Javed Muhammad Faisal , Ali Mujahid , Najeh Taoufik , Gamil Yaser
Published: May 2024

This article presents a numerical and artificial intelligence (AI) based investigation on the web crippling performance of pultruded glass fiber reinforced polymers’ (GFRP) rectangular hollow section (RHS) profiles subjected to interior-one-flange (IOF) loading conditions. To achieve the desired research objectives, a finite element based computational model was developed using one of the popular simulating software ABAQUS CAE. This model was then validated by utilizing the results reported in experimental investigation-based article of Chen and Wang. Once the finite element model was validated, an extensive parametric study was conducted to investigate the aforementioned phenomenon on the basis of which a comprehensive, universal, and coherent database was assembled. This database was then used to formulate the design guidelines for the web crippling design of pultruded GFRP RHS profiles by employing AI based gene expression programming (GEP). Based on the findings of numerical investigation, the web crippling capacity of abovementioned structural profiles subjected to IOF loading conditions was found to be directly related to that of section thickness and bearing length whereas inversely related to that of section width, section height, section’s corner radii, and profile length. On the basis of the findings of AI based investigation, the modified design rules proposed by this research were found to be accurately predicting the web crippling capacity of aforesaid structural profiles. This research is a significant contribution to the literature on the development of design guidelines for pultruded GFRP RHS profiles subjected to web crippling, however, there is still a lot to be done in this regard before getting to the ultimate conclusions.
Risk factors associated with pulmonary hypertension in patients with active tuberculosis and tuberculous destroyed lung: a retrospective study
Authors: Liu Weijian , Xu Yuxiang , Yang Liangzi , Zhan Senlin , Pang Kaihua , Lin Hao , Qin Hongjuan , Zhang Peize
Published: May 2024

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) can result in irreversible damage and lead to tuberculous destructive lung (TDL), a severe chronic lung disease that is associated with a high mortality rate. Additionally, pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a hemodynamic disorder that can be caused by lung diseases. The objective of this study is to investigate the risk factors associated with PH in active TB patients diagnosed with TDL. We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 237 patients who were diagnosed with TDL, active pulmonary tuberculosis, and underwent echocardiography at the Third People’ Hospital of Shenzhen from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2023. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors that correlated with the development of pulmonary hypertension. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that several factors were associated with an increased risk of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in individuals with tuberculosis destroyed lung (TDL). These factors included age (OR = 1.055), dyspnea (OR = 10.728), D-dimer (OR = 1.27), PaCO2 (OR = 1.040), number of destroyed lung lobes (OR = 5.584), bronchiectasis (OR = 3.205), and chronic pleuritis (OR = 2.841). When age, D-dimer, PaCO2, and number of destroyed lung lobes were combined, the predictive value for PH in patients with TDL was found to be 80.6% (95% CI 0.739–0.873),with a sensitivity of 76.6% and specificity of 73.2%. Advanced age, elevated D-dimer levels, hypercapnia, and severe lung damage were strongly correlated with the onset of PH in individuals with active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and TDL. Furthermore, a model incorporating age, D-dimer, PaCO2, and the number of destroyed lung lobes might be valuable in predicting the occurrence of PH in patients with active PTB and TDL.
Subjects with carotid webs demonstrate pro-thrombotic hemodynamics compared to subjects with carotid atherosclerosis
Authors: El Sayed Retta , Lucas Carissa J. , Cebull Hannah L. , Nahab Fadi B. , Haussen Diogo C. , Allen Jason W. , Oshinski John N.
Published: May 2024

Carotid artery webs (CaW) are non-atherosclerotic projections into the vascular lumen and have been linked to up to one-third of cryptogenic strokes in younger patients. Determining how CaW affects local hemodynamics is essential for understanding clot formation and stroke risk. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were used to investigate patient-specific hemodynamics in carotid artery bifurcations with CaW, bifurcations with atherosclerotic lesions having a similar degree of lumen narrowing, and with healthy carotid bifurcations. Simulations were conducted using segmented computed tomography angiography geometries with inlet boundary conditions extracted from 2D phase contrast MRI scans. The study included carotid bifurcations with CaW (n = 13), mild atherosclerosis (n = 7), and healthy bifurcation geometries (n = 6). Hemodynamic parameters associated with vascular dysfunction and clot formation, including shear rate, oscillatory shear index (OSI), low velocity, and flow stasis were calculated and compared between the subject groups. Patients with CaW had significantly larger regions containing low shear rate, high OSI, low velocity, and flow stasis in comparison to subjects with mild atherosclerosis or normal bifurcations. These abnormal hemodynamic metrics in patients with CaW are associated with clot formation and vascular dysfunction and suggest that hemodynamic assessment may be a tool to assess stroke risk in these patients.
Machine learning for predicting elective fertility preservation outcomes
Authors: Braude Itai , Haikin Herzberger Einat , Semo Mor , Soifer Kim , Goren Gepstein Nitzan , Wiser Amir , Miller Netanella
Published: May 2024

This retrospective study applied machine-learning models to predict treatment outcomes of women undergoing elective fertility preservation. Two-hundred-fifty women who underwent elective fertility preservation at a tertiary center, 2019–2022 were included. Primary outcome was the number of metaphase II oocytes retrieved. Outcome class was based on oocyte count (OC): Low (≤ 8), Medium (9–15) or High (≥ 16). Machine-learning models and statistical regression were used to predict outcome class, first based on pre-treatment parameters, and then using post-treatment data from ovulation-triggering day. OC was 136 Low, 80 Medium, and 34 High. Random Forest Classifier (RFC) was the most accurate model (pre-treatment receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) was 77%, and post-treatment ROC AUC was 87%), followed by XGBoost Classifier (pre-treatment ROC AUC 74%, post-treatment ROC AUC 86%). The most important pre-treatment parameters for RFC were basal FSH (22.6%), basal LH (19.1%), AFC (18.2%), and basal estradiol (15.6%). Post-treatment parameters were estradiol levels on trigger-day (17.7%), basal FSH (11%), basal LH (9%), and AFC (8%). Machine-learning models trained with clinical data appear to predict fertility preservation treatment outcomes with relatively high accuracy.
Robust acoustic directional sensing enabled by synergy between resonator-based sensor and deep learning
Authors: Yu Ziqi , Li Xiaopeng , Jung Hojung , Harada Masahiro , Prokhorov Danil , Lee Taehwa
Published: May 2024

We demonstrate enhanced acoustic sensing arising from the synergy between resonator-based acoustic sensor and deep learning. We numerically verify that both vibration amplitude and phase are enhanced and preserved at and off the resonance in our compact acoustic sensor housing three cavities. In addition, we experimentally measure the response of our sensor to single-frequency and siren signals, based on which we train convolutional neural networks (CNNs). We observe that the CNN trained by using both amplitude and phase features achieve the best accuracy on predicting the incident direction of both types of signals. This is even though the signals are broadband and affected by noise thought to be difficult for resonators. We attribute the improvement to a complementary effect between the two features enabled by the combination of resonant effect and deep learning. This observation is further supported by comparing to the CNNs trained by the features extracted from signals measured on reference sensor without resonators, whose performances fall far behind. Our results suggest the advantage of this synergetic approach to enhance the sensing performance of compact acoustic sensors on both narrow- and broad-band signals, which paves the way for the development of advanced sensing technology that has potential applications in autonomous driving systems to detect emergency vehicles.
Effectiveness of social media-assisted course on learning self-efficacy
Authors: Hu Jiaying , Lai Yicheng , Yi Xiuhua
Published: May 2024

The social media platform and the information dissemination revolution have changed the thinking, needs, and methods of students, bringing development opportunities and challenges to higher education. This paper introduces social media into the classroom and uses quantitative analysis to investigate the relation between design college students’ learning self-efficacy and social media for design students, aiming to determine the effectiveness of social media platforms on self-efficacy. This study is conducted on university students in design media courses and is quasi-experimental, using a randomized pre-test and post-test control group design. The study participants are 73 second-year design undergraduates. Independent samples t-tests showed that the network interaction factors of social media had a significant impact on college students learning self-efficacy. The use of social media has a significant positive predictive effect on all dimensions of learning self-efficacy. Our analysis suggests that using the advantages and value of online social platforms, weakening the disadvantages of the network, scientifically using online learning resources, and combining traditional classrooms with the Internet can improve students' learning self-efficacy.
Elevated serum homocysteine levels associated with poor recurrence-free and overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Xie Hailun , Wei Lishuang , Wang Qiwen , Tang Shuangyi , Gan Jialiang
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the significance of homocysteine (HCY) levels in predicting recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. This retrospective study involved 1272 CRC patients. The risk of mortality increased with increasing HCY levels in CRC patients. The optimal HCY cutoff value in CRC patients was 15.2 μmol/L. The RFS (45.8% vs. 60.5%, p < 0.001) and OS (48.2% vs. 63.2%, p < 0.001) of patients with high HCY levels were significantly lower than those of patients with low HCY levels. Patients with high HCY levels were older, male, had large tumours, high carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, and long hospital stays, and incurred high hospitalisation costs. Multivariate analysis showed that when HCY levels exceeded 15.2 μmol/L, the risk of adverse RFS and OS increased by 55.7% and 61.4%, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that HCY levels could supplement CEA levels and pathological staging. We constructed HCY-based prognostic nomograms, which demonstrated feasible discrimination and calibration values better than the traditional tumour, node, metastasis staging system for predicting RFS and OS. Elevated serum HCY levels were strongly associated with poor RFS and OS in CRC patients. HCY-based prognostic models are effective tools for a comprehensive evaluation of prognosis.
Bi-layer cBN-based composites reinforced with oxide and non-oxide microfibers of refractory compounds
Authors: Klymenko Serhiy , Zhang Hao , Savchenko Denys , Chumak Anatoliy , Klymenko Sergiy , Melniychuk Yuriy , Manokhin Andriy , Kremenytskyi Valerii V. , Novichenko Victor M.
Published: May 2024

Research into new composites utilizing cubic boron nitride (PcBN) shows promise for enhancing cutting tool performance. The unique properties of these materials stem from the addition of microfibers made of refractory compounds to their structure. This study looks at developing two-layer composites based on cBN group BL, reinforced with SiCw and Al2O3w microfibers. The goal is to improve tool stability when cutting hardened steels with impact loads. PcBN composite samples were made by sintering a mixture of cBN powder with bundles and microfibers under 7.7 GPa pressure. Bond material selection was based on analyzing the relationship between Poisson's ratio (η) and plasticity parameter (G/B). The density, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and hardness of the composites were determined, and the microstructure of samples with TiCN bond was studied. Tool-life tests were conducted on two-layer cutting inserts made of PcBN reinforced with SiCw and Al2O3w microfibers during the machining of hardened KhVG steel (HRC 55) under impact loads at cutting speeds of 100 and 200 m/min.
Identification and validation of N-acetylputrescine in combination with non-canonical clinical features as a Parkinson’s disease biomarker panel
Authors: Peng Kuan-Wei , Klotz Allison , Guven Arcan , Kapadnis Unnati , Ravipaty Shobha , Tolstikov Vladimir , Vemulapalli Vijetha , Rodrigues Leonardo O. , Li Hongyan , Kellogg Mark D. , Kausar Farah , Rees Linda , Sarangarajan Rangaprasad , Schüle Birgitt , Langston William , Narain Paula , Narain Niven R. , Kiebish Michael A.
Published: May 2024

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra results in a clinically heterogeneous group with variable motor and non-motor symptoms with a degree of misdiagnosis. Only 3–25% of sporadic Parkinson’s patients present with genetic abnormalities that could represent a risk factor, thus environmental, metabolic, and other unknown causes contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease, which highlights the critical need for biomarkers. In the present study, we prospectively collected and analyzed plasma samples from 194 Parkinson’s disease patients and 197 age-matched non-diseased controls. N-acetyl putrescine (NAP) in combination with sense of smell (B-SIT), depression/anxiety (HADS), and acting out dreams (RBD1Q) clinical measurements demonstrated combined diagnostic utility. NAP was increased by 28% in Parkinsons disease patients and exhibited an AUC of 0.72 as well as an OR of 4.79. The clinical and NAP panel demonstrated an area under the curve, AUC = 0.9 and an OR of 20.4. The assessed diagnostic panel demonstrates combinatorial utility in diagnosing Parkinson’s disease, allowing for an integrated interpretation of disease pathophysiology and highlighting the use of multi-tiered panels in neurological disease diagnosis.
Siberian vegetation growth intensifies monsoon precipitation in southern East Asia in late spring and early summer
Authors: Yeh Sang-Wook , Sohn Byung-Ju , Oh Sae-Yoon , Song Se-Yong , Jeong Jee-Hoon , Wang Bin , Wu Renguang , Yang Young-Min
Published: May 2024

Regional hydrological cycle responding to rising temperatures can have significant influences on society and human activities. We suggest a new perspective on East Asia’s enhanced precipitation amount that emphasizes the role of Siberian surface warming. Increased vegetation greenness in late spring and early summer in eastern Siberia, which may be a response to global warming, acts to warm the surface by reducing the surface albedo with an increase in net absorbed shortwave radiation. Subsequently, eastern Siberia warming leads to the strengthening of anti-cyclonic atmospheric circulation over inner East Asia as well as the subtropical western North Pacific high via thermal forcing and the enhanced land-sea thermal contrast, respectively. Consequently, the anticyclonic circulation over inner East Asia transports much drier and cooler air to southern East Asia. This leads to favorable conditions for increased precipitation in combination with an increased tropical moisture flux from the subtropical western North Pacific high. Therefore, continuous Siberian vegetation growth has a potential influence on the future precipitation amount in the subtropics through vegetation–atmosphere coupled processes.
Constructing personalized characterizations of structural brain aberrations in patients with dementia using explainable artificial intelligence
Authors: Leonardsen Esten H. , Persson Karin , Grødem Edvard , Dinsdale Nicola , Schellhorn Till , Roe James M. , Vidal-Piñeiro Didac , Sørensen Øystein , Kaufmann Tobias , Westman Eric , Marquand Andre , Selbæk Geir , Andreassen Ole A. , Wolfers Thomas , Westlye Lars T. , Wang Yunpeng
Published: May 2024

Deep learning approaches for clinical predictions based on magnetic resonance imaging data have shown great promise as a translational technology for diagnosis and prognosis in neurological disorders, but its clinical impact has been limited. This is partially attributed to the opaqueness of deep learning models, causing insufficient understanding of what underlies their decisions. To overcome this, we trained convolutional neural networks on structural brain scans to differentiate dementia patients from healthy controls, and applied layerwise relevance propagation to procure individual-level explanations of the model predictions. Through extensive validations we demonstrate that deviations recognized by the model corroborate existing knowledge of structural brain aberrations in dementia. By employing the explainable dementia classifier in a longitudinal dataset of patients with mild cognitive impairment, we show that the spatially rich explanations complement the model prediction when forecasting transition to dementia and help characterize the biological manifestation of disease in the individual brain. Overall, our work exemplifies the clinical potential of explainable artificial intelligence in precision medicine.
Human intraparietal sulcal morphology relates to individual differences in language and memory performance
Authors: Santacroce Federica , Cachia Arnaud , Fragueiro Agustina , Grande Eleonora , Roell Margot , Baldassarre Antonello , Sestieri Carlo , Committeri Giorgia
Published: May 2024

The sulco-gyral pattern is a qualitative feature of the cortical anatomy that is determined in utero, stable throughout lifespan and linked to brain function. The intraparietal sulcus (IPS) is a nodal associative brain area, but the relation between its morphology and cognition is largely unknown. By labelling the left and right IPS of 390 healthy participants into two patterns, according to the presence or absence of a sulcus interruption, here we demonstrate a strong association between the morphology of the right IPS and performance on memory and language tasks. We interpret the results as a morphological advantage of a sulcus interruption, probably due to the underlying white matter organization. The right-hemisphere specificity of this effect emphasizes the neurodevelopmental and plastic role of sulcus morphology in cognition prior to lateralisation processes. The results highlight a promising area of investigation on the relationship between cognitive performance, sulco-gyral pattern and white matter bundles.
Projected poleward migration of the Southern Ocean CO2 sink region under high emissions
Authors: Mongwe Precious , Gregor Luke , Tjiputra Jerry , Hauck Judith , Ito Takamitsu , Danek Christopher , Vichi Marcello , Thomalla Sandy , Monteiro Pedro M. S.
Published: May 2024

The Southern Ocean is a major region of ocean carbon uptake, but its future changes remain uncertain under climate change. Here we show the projected shift in the Southern Ocean CO2 sink using a suite of Earth System Models, revealing changes in the mechanism, position and seasonality of the carbon uptake. The region of dominant CO2 uptake shifts from the Subtropical to the Antarctic region under the high-emission scenario. The warming-driven sea-ice melt, increased ocean stratification, mixed layer shoaling, and a weaker vertical carbon gradient is projected to together reduce the winter de-gassing in the future, which will trigger the switch from mixing-driven outgassing to solubility-driven uptake in the Antarctic region during the winter season. The future Southern Ocean carbon sink will be poleward-shifted, operating in a hybrid mode between biologically-driven summertime and solubility-driven wintertime uptake with further amplification of biologically-driven uptake due to the increasing Revelle Factor.
Upcycled graphene nanoplatelets integrated fiber-based Janus membranes for enhanced solar-driven interfacial steam generation
Authors: Khoei Jalal Karimzadeh , Bafqi Mohammad Sajad Sorayani , Dericiler Kuray , Doustdar Omid , Okan Burcu Saner , Koşar Ali , Sadaghiani Ali
Published: May 2024

Upcycled GNP derived from the pyrolysis of waste tires is used as a photothermal material. Finding the optimum GNP content for minimum cost and maximum evaporation rate can enhance the techno-economic aspect of the developed Janus membranes.
Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 encapsulated with Mo-based polyoxometalates as surfaces with antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli
Authors: Abdelkhalek Mariam M. , Mohamed Aya M. , Abdallah Rehab Z. , Khedr Ghada E. , Siam Rania , Allam Nageh K.
Published: May 2024

Bacterial infections represent a major global health concern, causing millions of deaths and a significant economic burden.
Fabrication of miconazole nitrate solid lipid nanoparticle loaded microneedle patches for the treatment of Candida albicans biofilms
Authors: Arshad Muhammad Sohail , Ayub Aqsa , Zafar Saman , Rana Sadia Jafar , Muhammad Syed Aun , Aleem Ambreen , Onaiwu Ekhoerose , Nazari Kazem , Chang Ming-Wei , Ahmad Zeeshan
Published: May 2024

Delivery of miconazole nitrate into deep skin layers via SLN loaded MN patches resulted in the eradication of fungal biofilms and wound healing.
Electrochemically mediated synthesis of trifluoromethylallenes
Authors: Zhang Jia-Lan , Xiong Jin-Xiu , Fei Lu-Qi , Cui Fei-Hu , Li Shu-Hui , Tang Hai-Tao , Xie Yan-Zhao , Pan Ying-Ming
Published: May 2024

Herein, we report electrochemically mediated trifluoromethylallene synthesis via the rearrangement of trifluoromethyl-containing 1,3-enynes under the action of silicon or boron radicals, with good selectivity and without external oxidants.
Highly modular PDMS microwave-microfluidic chip reactor for MAOS applications
Authors: Vázquez-Amaya Laura Y. , Martinic Matko , Nauwelaers Bart , Van der Eycken Erik V. , Markovic Tomislav , Sharma Upendra K.
Published: May 2024

This work demonstrates the potential of microwave-microfluidics for rapid organic synthesis, incorporating modular flow cells with low-power, variable-MW frequency heating.
Bamboo charcoal as electrode material for vanadium redox flow batteries
Authors: Schilling Monja , Ershov Alexey , Debastiani Rafaela , Duan Kangjun , Köble Kerstin , Scherer Simon , Lan Linghan , Rampf Alexander , Faragó Tomáš , Zuber Marcus , Cecilia Angelica , Liu Shaojun , Liu Cheng , Baumbach Tilo , Li Jun , Sui Pang-Chieh , Zeis Roswitha
Published: May 2024

We investigated bamboo electrodes for use in vanadium redox flow batteries. The electrodes showed promising electrochemical performance, wettability, and a channel structure suitable for vanadium electrolyte flow.
Cyber‐physical‐based welding systems: Components and implementation strategies
Authors: Szőlősi József , Magyar Péter , Antal József , Szekeres Béla J. , Farkas Gábor , Andó Mátyás
Published: May 2024

The conditions for a feasible Cyber‐Physical System (CPS) in a welding environment are explored for the manufacturing technology components while also focusing on machine learning tools. Increasing manufacturing efficiency means making digitalisation feasible for all technologies, including welding, given today's challenges. Early versions of manufacturing management, such as Computer Integrated Manufacturing, are already leading the way, and one of the latest milestones in these developments is CPS. It can be shown that the digital migration of specific sub‐domains (e.g. visual inspection of the weld seam during quality assurance) is significantly more challenging and unimaginable without artificial intelligence applications. However, it is also true that the full integration needed to achieve autonomous manufacturing has yet to be fully achieved, although there is a strong demand in the industry for these CPS to work. In some areas, the digital switchover has already been prepared. However, the interconnection of these subsystems requires modern information systems or, in the case of existing ones, their upgrading to the appropriate level. This research area is set to be addressed comprehensively by initiating several projects. In the initial phase, the aim is to develop an architecture that integrates the various Information Technology applications. In this work, the digital manufacturing environment under CPS is studied, the relevant components are explored, the conditions for the transition from traditional to CPS‐based manufacturing are examined and examples of planned further specific studies on the components are listed.
ALMA-IMF
Authors: Bonfand M. , Csengeri T. , Bontemps S. , Brouillet N. , Motte F. , Louvet F. , Ginsburg A. , Cunningham N. , Galván-Madrid R. , Herpin F. , Wyrowski F. , Valeille-Manet M. , Stutz A. M. , Di Francesco J. , Gusdorf A. , Fernández-López M. , Lefloch B. , Liu H-L. , Sanhueza P. , Álvarez-Gutiérrez R. H. , Olguin F. , Nony T. , Lopez-Sepulcre A. , Dell’Ova P. , Pouteau Y. , Jeff D. , Chen H.-R. V. , Armante M. , Towner A. , Bronfman L. , Kessler N.
Published: May 2024

Context. The star formation process leads to an increased chemical complexity in the interstellar medium. Sites associated with high-mass star and cluster formation exhibit a so-called hot core phase, characterized by high temperatures and column densities of complex organic molecules.

Aims. We aim to systematically search for and identify a sample of hot cores toward the 15 Galactic protoclusters of the ALMA-IMF Large Program and investigate their statistical properties.

Methods. We built a comprehensive census of hot core candidates toward the ALMA-IMF protoclusters based on the detection of two CH3OCHO emission lines at 216.1 GHz. We used the source extraction algorithm GExt2D to identify peaks of methyl formate (CH3OCHO) emission, a complex species commonly observed toward sites of star formation. We performed a cross-matching with the catalog of thermal dust continuum sources from the ALMA-IMF 1.3 mm continuum data to infer their physical properties.

Results. We built a catalog of 76 hot core candidates with masses ranging from ~0.2 M⊙ to ~80 M⊙, of which 56 are new detections. A large majority of these objects, identified from methyl formate emission, are compact and rather circular, with deconvolved full width at half maximum (FWHM) sizes of ~2300 au on average. The central sources of two target fields show more extended, but still rather circular, methyl formate emission with deconvolved FWHM sizes of ~6700 au and 13 400 au. About 30% of our sample of methyl formate sources have core masses above 8 M⊙ and range in size from ~1000 au to 13 400 au, which is in line with measurements of archetypical hot cores. The origin of the CH3OCHO emission toward the lower-mass cores may be explained as a mixture of contributions from shocks or may correspond to objects in a more evolved state (i.e., beyond the hot core stage). We find that the fraction of hot core candidates increases with the core mass, suggesting that the brightest dust cores are all in the hot core phase.

Conclusions. Our results suggest that most of these compact methyl formate sources are readily explained by simple symmetric models, while collective effects from radiative heating and shocks from compact protoclusters are needed to explain the observed extended CH3OCHO emission. The large fraction of hot core candidates toward the most massive cores suggests that they rapidly enter the hot core phase and that feedback effects from the forming protostar(s) impact their environment on short timescales.
Optimal distributed control for a Cahn–Hilliard–Darcy system with mass sources, unmatched viscosities and singular potential
Authors: Abatangelo Marco , Cavaterra Cecilia , Grasselli Maurizio , Wu Hao
Published: May 2024

We study a Cahn–Hilliard–Darcy system with mass sources, which can be considered as a basic, though simplified, diffuse interface model for the evolution of tumor growth. This system is equipped with an impermeability condition for the (volume) averaged velocity u as well as homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions for the phase function φ and the chemical potential μ. The source term in the convective Cahn–Hilliard equation contains a control R that can be thought, for instance, as a drug or a nutrient in applications. Our goal is to study a distributed optimal control problem in the two dimensional setting with a cost functional of tracking-type. In the physically relevant case with unmatched viscosities for the binary fluid mixtures and a singular potential, we first prove the existence and uniqueness of a global strong solution with φ being strictly separated from the pure phases ±1. This well-posedness result enables us to characterize the control-to-state mapping S : R ↦ φ. Then we obtain the existence of an optimal control, the Fréchet differentiability of S and first-order necessary optimality conditions expressed through a suitable variational inequality for the adjoint variables. Finally, we prove the differentiability of the control-to-costate operator and establish a second-order sufficient condition for the strict local optimality.
Some results on the odds rate order along with its statistical testing
Authors: Zardasht V.
Published: May 2024

Recently, Lando et al. [J. Statist. Plann. Inference 221 (2022) 313–325] define the odds rate order and show that it is stronger than the usual stochastic order, but weaker than the hazard rate order. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the other properties of this new stochastic order. Some characterization and preservation results and its relationship with other well-known stochastic orders are given. In addition, two relative ordering based on the odds rate functions are also defined and their relation with the odds rate order is investigated. Applications in statistical theory of reliability and a statistical test for the odds rate order are also included.