bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Gurney Flap on the Aerodynamic Performance of a Flapping Foil: Micro-Aerial Vehicle Application
Authors: Zuberi U. A. , Shahzad A. , Qadri M. N. Mumtaz , Shams T. A. , Zhao F. W.
Published: August 2023

Even with its small size, the Gurney flap (GF) can help considerably in increasing the lift of foils and wings. To exploit this feature, the objective of this research was to numerically study the effects of this flow control device on the aerodynamic performance of oscillating foils for micro-aerial vehicle (MAV) applications. Three sets of each important parameter were selected: the height (0.01c, 0.04c, and 0.16c), angle (45 deg, 90 deg, and 135 deg) and location from trailing edge (T.E, 0.05c and 0.1c). A two-dimensional laminar, incompressible Navier–Stokes equation solver was used to computationally investigate the effect of the Gurney flap on the aerodynamic performance of a flat plate (chord length = 10 mm and thickness = 0.03c). It was found that the best aerodynamic performance was obtained when the Gurney flap was installed at the trailing edge with a height of 0.04c and mount angle of 90 deg. The height of the Gurney flap had a major impact on aerodynamic performance. Results showed an increase of 23.5% in mean lift coefficient, 15.5% in maximum lift coefficient, and 5% in power economy as compared to flat plate, which is accredited to the increase in effective camber and the formation of counter-rotating vortices, decreasing the adverse pressure gradient. The weakening of counter-rotating vortices downstream of Gurney flap could also be the contributing factor to its good performance. The results suggest that the Gurney flap may be useful in enhancing the performance of wings for bio-inspired flapping wing MAVs.
Analysis of Convergence Behavior for the Overset Mesh Based Numerical Wave Tank in openfoam
Authors: Chen Hao , Qian Ling , Cao Deping
Published: August 2023

This paper presents a solution verification and validation study for an overset mesh based numerical wave tank in openfoam, which considers the coupling between a free-surface hydrodynamic flow model, a rigid body motion model, and an overset mesh. The coupling between the rigid body motion solver and the free-surface flow solver was achieved in a segregated manner. Free decay of roll motion of a barge was modeled using the numerical wave tank, and the damping coefficient was selected as the target quantity for solution verification. The least-square based solution verification procedure was adopted, where one of the four types of error estimators was fit to the data in the least-square sense. Both structured and unstructured mesh were tested, and their effects on the convergence order, numerical uncertainty, and error were carefully investigated. From the numerical tests, it is found that the numerical wave tank exhibits a very good convergence property for the floating body problems with structured mesh, i.e., nearly second order in space and first order in time. However, when switching the body-fitted mesh to unstructured mesh, the grid convergence is reduced to first order. Unstructured mesh does not significantly affect the convergence order in time domain, but results in a larger uncertainty due to data scattering.
Knudsen Maximum Effect in Micro-Scale Gas Lubrication
Authors: Zhang Haijun , Gu Xiaojun , Yang Qin , Zhao Wei , Jiang Feilong
Published: August 2023

Micro-scale gas lubrication has been studied for several decades, with extensive research on non-equilibrium flow effects like velocity slip and thermal creep. However, the Knudsen maximum effect in micro-scale gas lubrication has not been reported yet. To address this, we analyzed the load capacity characteristics of slider bearings with ultra-thin film gas lubrication equations derived from the linearized Boltzmann-Bathnagar–Gross–Krook model equation (Fukui–Kaneko lubrication model) under the condition of constant bearing number. Our study reveals that there exists a maximum value of load capacity for slider bearings when the reference Knudsen number is about unity. This happens because the dimensionless mass flowrate of micro-scale gas flows has a minimum value when the reference Knudsen number approaches unity. Understanding the Knudsen maximum effect is crucial when designing micro-nano devices related to gas lubrication, as it implies that there exists an optimum clearance for maximum load capacity.
Low-resistivity molybdenum obtained by atomic layer deposition
Authors: van der Zouw Kees , van der Wel Bernhard Y. , Aarnink Antonius A. I. , Wolters Rob A. M. , Gravesteijn Dirk J. , Kovalgin Alexey Y.
Published: August 2023

A novel atomic layer deposition (ALD) process was developed for low-resistivity molybdenum (Mo) from molybdenum dichloride dioxide (MoCl2O2) and atomic hydrogen (at-H). A wide ALD window of self-limiting growth was observed between 150 and 450 °C. No film deposition occurred with molecular hydrogen (H2), demonstrating the necessity to have at-H to efficiently reduce the MoCl2O2 precursor. At 350 °C and above, the film composition was determined at approximately 95 at. % of Mo and 3.5 at  % of oxygen (O), with trace amounts (i.e., <1 at. %) of carbon (C), chlorine (Cl), hydrogen (H), and nitrogen (N). The growth per cycle (GPC) was roughly 0.022 nm/cycle. No substrate selectivity or pronounced nucleation delay was observed on silicon (Si), silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), silicon carbide (SiC), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), hafnium dioxide (HfO2), and low-k dielectric (SiOC). Film uniformity and conformality were ±5% and ±10%, respectively, while resistivity approached a bulk value of 18.6 μ Ω cm at 24 nm. At 250 °C and below, increased levels of oxygen (up to 33 at. % at 150 °C) and chlorine (2.7 at. % at 150 °C) were detected in the film. This trend coincided with an increase in the GPC, a change in optical properties, a decrease in film density and crystallinity, and an increase in resistivity. While self-limiting growth was observed through the entire ALD window of 150–450 °C, the temperature (T) range for depositing low-resistivity Mo deposition was narrower at T ≥ 250 °C.
Density functional theory study on reaction mechanisms of Co(tbu2DAD)2 for area selective-atomic layer deposition of Co films on metal surfaces
Authors: Ashburn Nickolas , Lang Xiuyao , Pandey Sumeet , Wolf Steven , Kramer Steve , Smythe John , Sandhu Gurtej , Winter Charles , Kummel Andrew C. , Cho Kyeongjae
Published: August 2023

As electronic devices scale in size approaching nm scales, the smaller feature sizes become more difficult and expensive to pattern. The most common patterning technique currently used in microelectronics industry, ArF laser immersion lithography, requires more and more steps to pattern one layer, the smaller the pitch becomes. Area selective-atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) is one possible solution that allows for both fewer patterning steps and smaller feature sizes. However, the fundamental mechanisms of surface selectivity and the role of reducers in ALD growth are not fully understood. This modeling work focuses on the detailed atomic scale processes of AS-ALD deposition of Co metal on various substrate surfaces. Co is of particular interest for its capability in reducing resistance of metal interconnects in back end of lines when replacing Cu lines below 16 nm in critical dimension, and such a small linewidth can be achieved by the AS-ALD growth of Co films. This work shows the mechanisms and properties associated with the growth of Co on various surfaces (Cu, Pt, Co, and SiO2) as well as the role of a reducing agent in facilitating surface reactions during ALD processes. Density functional theory was used to describe the reaction mechanisms and accurately describe the system’s energetic and electronic characteristics during the deposition process. These findings provide insight into the fundamental mechanisms of selective ALD growth on metal surfaces against oxide surfaces and the catalytic role of reducers in facilitating the kinetics of ALD precursor reactions on metal surfaces.
FlgM is required to evade NLRC4-mediated host protection against flagellated
Salmonella
Authors: López-Yglesias Américo Harry , Lu Chun-Chi , Lai Marvin A. , Quarles Ellen K. , Zhao Xiaodan , Hajjar Adeline M. , Smith Kelly D.
Published: August 2023

Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium is a leading cause of gastroenteritis worldwide and a deadly pathogen in children, immunocompromised patients, and the elderly.
Salmonella
induces innate immune responses through the NLRC4 inflammasome, which has been demonstrated to have distinct roles during systemic and mucosal detections of flagellin and non-flagellin molecules. We hypothesized that NLRC4 recognition of
Salmonella
flagellin is the dominant protective pathway during infection. To test this hypothesis, we used wild-type, flagellin-deficient, and flagellin-overproducing
Salmonella
to establish the role of flagellin in mediating NLRC4-dependent host resistance during systemic and mucosal infections in mice. We observed that during the systemic phase of infection,
Salmonella
efficiently evades NLRC4-mediated innate immunity. During mucosal
Salmonella
infection, flagellin recognition by the NLRC4 inflammasome pathway is the dominant mediator of protective innate immunity. Deletion of
flgM
results in constitutive expression of flagellin and severely limits systemic and mucosal
Salmonella
infections in an NLRC4 inflammasome-dependent manner. These data establish that recognition of
Salmonella’s
flagellin by the NLRC4 inflammasome during mucosal infection is the dominant innate protective pathway for host resistance against the enteric pathogen and that FlgM-mediated evasion of the NLRC4 inflammasome enhances virulence and intestinal tissue destruction.
Submandibular nodal schwannoma: where did it come from?
Authors: Abdul Razak Siti Farhana , Gendeh Hardip Singh , Idris Anuar
Published: August 2023

Schwannoma, a type of benign neurological tumour arising from Schwann cells, is commonly seen in the head and neck region. However, the incidence of cervical lymph node schwannoma is extremely rare, with only two cases reported in the literature. Schwannomatosis is a disease characterised by a constellation of multiple schwannomas seen in a patient, guided by at least one confirmational histological diagnosis. This is a case of a painless progressively enlarging submandibular swelling which is confirmed as a schwannoma based on histology. The patient is also diagnosed with schwannomatosis as the patient has multiple neurological tumours. Nodal schwannoma has a good prognosis and no documentation of recurrence in the literature. It may arise from sympathetic nerves located within the lymph node.
Atypical late presentation of muscular metastasis of melanoma in the contralateral limb
Authors: Mondal Ankita , Dingle Lewis , Hough Matthew
Published: August 2023

A man in his 50s presented to plastic surgery again with a lesion on his left upper arm. He had previously been treated for a malignant melanoma (MM) on his right arm over 5 years earlier. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) had been negative, and he had completed the recommended 5 years follow-up period. Imaging was suspicious for an intramuscular soft tissue malignancy within the triceps muscle. After discussion with the regional sarcoma service, a core biopsy was performed. Histopathology suggested a diagnosis of metastatic MM, which was confirmed after surgical excision. This case highlights a rare example of an isolated muscular metastasis of MM, which presented at a distant site, over 5 years from the original treatment. This case highlights the unpredictable nature of MM, reminding clinicians of the need for a low threshold for investigation of soft tissue masses in patients with a history of cutaneous malignancy.
Isolated cerebral Mucormycosis and Aspergillosis coinfection in an immunocompromised adult
Authors: Sun George , Weiss Allison , Zhao Joy , Silver Mitchell , DeMaio Michael , Dehbashi Sara
Published: August 2023

Opportunistic fungal infections are a major cause of mortality in immunosuppressed patients, with mucormycosis and aspergillosis as two of the most commonly identified fungal organisms. Coinfection with mucormycosis and aspergillosis is rare, but cases have been reported in literature, most commonly presenting as disseminated invasive fungal infection with cerebrorhino-orbital involvement in an immunocompromised patient. Infections are most commonly caused by direct implantation of spores with localised angioinvasion. Haematogenous spread is rare, with most cases secondary to haematological malignancies or intravenous drug use. Coinfection with mucormycosis and aspergillosis portends a poor prognosis, with a high mortality rate. Thus, prompt recognition and intervention are crucial to prevent poor outcomes. In this unique case report, we describe a case of isolated cerebral mucormycosis and aspergillosis coinfection, not previously reported in literature.
Repurposed drug studies on the primary prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection during the pandemic: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhou Guiling , Verweij Stefan , Bijlsma Maarten J , de Vos Stijn , Oude Rengerink Katrien , Pasmooij Anna Maria Gerdina , van Baarle Debbie , Niesters Hubert G M , Mol Peter , Vonk Judith M , Hak Eelko
Published: August 2023

Objective

Current evidence on the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis is inconclusive. We aimed to systematically evaluate published studies on repurposed drugs for the prevention of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or COVID-19 among healthy adults.

Design

Systematic review.

Eligibility

Quantitative experimental and observational intervention studies that evaluated the effectiveness of repurposed drugs for the primary prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or COVID-19 disease.

Data source

PubMed and Embase (1 January 2020–28 September 2022).

Risk of bias

Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 and Risk of Bias in Non-Randomised Studies of Interventions tools were applied to assess the quality of studies.

Data analysis

Meta-analyses for each eligible drug were performed if ≥2 similar study designs were available.

Results

In all, 65 (25 trials, 40 observational) and 29 publications were eligible for review and meta-analyses, respectively. Most studies pertained to hydroxychloroquine (32), ACE inhibitor (ACEi) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) (11), statin (8), and ivermectin (8). In trials, hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis reduced laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (risk ratio: 0.82 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.90), I2=48%), a result largely driven by one clinical trial (weight: 60.5%). Such beneficial effects were not observed in observational studies, nor for prognostic clinical outcomes. Ivermectin did not significantly reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (RR: 0.35 (95% CI 0.10 to 1.26), I2=96%) and findings for clinical outcomes were inconsistent. Neither ACEi or ARB were beneficial in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most of the evidence from clinical trials was of moderate quality and of lower quality in observational studies.

Conclusions

Results from our analysis are insufficient to support an evidence-based repurposed drug policy for SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis because of inconsistency. In the view of scarce supportive evidence on repurposing drugs for COVID-19, alternative strategies such as immunisation of vulnerable people are warranted to prevent the future waves of infection.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021292797.
Trends in survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with a shockable rhythm and its association with bystander resuscitation: a retrospective study
Authors: Hong Tuan Ha Vivien , Jost Daniel , Bougouin Wulfran , Joly Guillaume , Jouffroy Romain , Jabre Patricia , Beganton Frankie , Derkenne Clément , Lemoine Sabine , Frédéric Lemoine , Lamhaut Lionel , Loeb Thomas , Revaux François , Dumas Florence , Trichereau Julie , Stibbe Olivier , Deye Nicolas , Marijon Eloi , Cariou Alain , Jouven Xavier , Travers Stephane
Published: August 2023

Objective

Over 300 000 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) occur each year in the USA and Europe. Despite decades of investment and research, survival remains disappointingly low. We report the trends in survival after a ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia OHCA, over a 13-year period, in a French urban region, and describe the simultaneous evolution of the rescue system.

Methods

We investigated four 18-month periods between 2005 and 2018. The first period was considered baseline and included patients from the randomised controlled trial ‘DEFI 2005’. The three following periods were based on the Paris Sudden Death Expertise Center Registry (France). Inclusion criteria were non-traumatic cardiac arrests treated with at least one external electric shock with an automated external defibrillator from the basic life support team and resuscitated by a physician-staffed ALS team. Primary outcome was survival at hospital discharge with a good neurological outcome.

Results

Of 21 781 patients under consideration, 3476 (16%) met the inclusion criteria. Over all study periods, survival at hospital discharge increased from 12% in 2005 to 25% in 2018 (p<0.001), and return of spontaneous circulation at hospital admission increased from 43% to 58% (p=0.004).

Lay-rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and telephone CPR (T-CPR) rates increased significantly, but public defibrillator use remained limited.

Conclusion

In a two-tiered rescue system, survival from OHCA at hospital discharge doubled over a 13-year study period. Concomitantly, the system implemented an OHCA patient registry and increased T-CPR frequency, despite a consistently low rate of public defibrillator use.
Airborne occupational exposures associated with pulmonary sarcoidosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Huntley Christopher C , Patel Ketan , Mughal Aishah Z , Coelho Shirley , Burge P Sherwood , Turner Alice M , Walters Gareth I
Published: August 2023

The aetiology and pathophysiology of sarcoidosis is ill defined—current hypotheses centre on complex genetic–immune–environmental interactions in an individual, triggering a granulomatous process. The aim of this systematic review is to define and describe which airborne occupational exposures (aOE) are associated with and precede a diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis. The methodology adopted for the purpose was systematic review and meta-analyses of ORs for specified aOE associated with pulmonary sarcoidosis (DerSimonian Laird random effects model (pooled log estimate of OR)). Standard search terms and dual review at each stage occurred. A compendium of aOE associated with pulmonary sarcoidosis was assembled, including mineralogical studies of sarcoidosis granulomas. N=81 aOE were associated with pulmonary sarcoidosis across all study designs. Occupational silica, pesticide and mould or mildew exposures were associated with increased odds of pulmonary sarcoidosis. Occupational nickel and aluminium exposure were associated with a non-statistically significant increase in the odds of pulmonary sarcoidosis. Silica exposure associated with pulmonary sarcoidosis was reported most frequently in the compendium (n=33 studies) and was the most common mineral identified in granulomas. It was concluded that aOE to silica, pesticides and mould or mildew are associated with increased odds of pulmonary sarcoidosis. Equipoise remains concerning the association and relationship of metal dusts with pulmonary sarcoidosis.
Prevalence and distribution of vascular calcifications at CT scan in patients with and without large vessel vasculitis: a matched cross-sectional study
Authors: Besutti Giulia , Marvisi Chiara , Mancuso Pamela , Farì Roberto , Monelli Filippo , Revelli Matteo , Durmo Rexhep , Galli Elena , Muratore Francesco , Spaggiari Lucia , Ottone Marta , Luminari Stefano , Pattacini Pierpaolo , Giorgi Rossi Paolo , Salvarani Carlo
Published: August 2023

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence, entity and local distribution of arterial wall calcifications evaluated on CT scans in patients with large vessel vasculitis (LVV) and patients with lymphoma as reference for the population without LVV.

Methods

All consecutive patients diagnosed with LVVs with available baseline positron emission tomography-CT (PET-CT) scan performed between 2007 and 2019 were included; non-LVV patients were lymphoma patients matched by age (±5 years), sex and year of baseline PET-CT (≤2013; >2013). CT images derived from baseline PET-CT scans of both patient groups were retrospectively reviewed by a single radiologist who, after setting a threshold of minimum 130 Hounsfield units, semiautomatically computed vascular calcifications in three separate locations (coronaries, thoracic and abdominal arteries), quantified as Agatston and volume scores.

Results

A total of 266 patients were included. Abdominal artery calcifications were equally distributed (mean volume 3220 in LVVs and 2712 in lymphomas). Being in the LVVs group was associated with the presence of thoracic calcifications after adjusting by age and year of diagnosis (OR 4.13, 95% CI 1.35 to 12.66; p=0.013). Similarly, LVVs group was significantly associated with the volume score in the thoracic arteries (p=0.048). In patients >50 years old, calcifications in the coronaries were more extended in non-LVV patients (p=0.027 for volume).

Conclusion

When compared with patients without LVVs, LVVs patients have higher calcifications in the thoracic arteries, but not in coronary and abdominal arteries.
Disordered eating is not associated with musculoskeletal injury in university athletes
Authors: O'Connell S. , Brenner I. , Scheid J.L. , West S.L.
Published: August 2023

Athletes have a greater risk of developing disordered eating (DE) behaviours than non-athletes. Literature suggests that DE is associated with injury in female athletes; however, these associations are understudied in both female and male athletes. Our objective was to examine the association between DE and injuries in varsity athletes. In this cross-sectional study, varsity student athletes attending a Canadian university completed an anonymous online survey. The survey included questions regarding demographics, injury occurrence, and the Disordered Eating Screen for Athletes (DESA-6; a score ≥3 is indicative of DE). Athletes were categorized by DE status and injury occurrence. Chi-square tests were performed to assess the relationship between these variables. Musculoskeletal injury frequency was compared between DE and non-DE groups using a Mann–Whitney test. Fifty-six varsity athletes ( N = 37 females, 66.1%) with a mean age of 20.1 ± 1.3 years participated in this study. DE was not associated with injury occurrence ( p = 0.73), and musculoskeletal injury frequency did not differ between DE and non-DE groups ( p = 0.50). However, both injury and DE were prevalent as 73.2% of participants reported injuries and 33.9% had positive DESA-6 scores. These findings highlight the need to address DE and injuries in athletes and could encourage the implementation of strategies to reduce their prevalence in sport.

Take home message

Musculoskeletal injuries and disordered eating are prevalent in varsity-level athletes but are not associated in our participants.
Determining ages of conifer trees with resistance microdrilling
Authors: Xu Pengfei , Houjiang Zhang , Zhenbo Xin , Fenglu Liu , Haiou Song , Jiangyu Yuan
Published: August 2023

This study verified the potential for determining the age of conifer trees using resistance microdrilling. A laboratory investigation, comparison of resistance microdrilling and counting branch whorls, and dating of old trees in a historic heritage site were conducted in this study. Two methods were proposed to determine the drilling path for resistance microdrilling. The results showed that resistance microdrilling is suitable for non-destructive testing (NDT) of living conifer trees. Moreover, the drilling path deviation must not exceed 15° to obtain reliable results. The absolute detection error of resistance microdrilling was within ± 3 years for young trees (age < 40 years old), within ± 5 years for old trees, and the relative error for all trees was less than 10%. The two methods for determining the drilling path proposed in this study are recommended for aligning the needle with the pith. For trees with a DBH exceeding the range of a resistance microdrill, the pith and age may be determined by using a “two-way drilling” in a forward and then reverse direction.
Hybrid Network for Patient-Specific Seizure Prediction from EEG Data
Authors: Zhang Yongfeng , Xiao Tiantian , Wang Ziwei , Lv Hongbin , Wang Shuai , Feng Hailing , Zhao Shanshan , Zhao Yanna
Published: August 2023

Seizure prediction can improve the quality of life for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. With the rapid development of deep learning, lots of seizure prediction methods have been proposed. However, seizure prediction based on single convolution models is limited by the inherent defects of convolution itself. Convolution pays attention to the local features while underestimates the global features. The long-term dependence of the electroencephalogram (EEG) data cannot be captured. In view of these defects, a hybrid model called STCNN based on Swin transformer (ST) and 2D convolutional neural network (2DCNN) is proposed. Time-frequency features extracted by short-term Fourier transform (STFT) are taken as the input of STCNN. ST blocks are used in STCNN to capture the global information and long-term dependencies of EEGs. Meanwhile, the 2DCNN blocks are adopted to capture the local information and short-term dependent features. The combination of the two blocks can fully exploit the seizure-related information thus improve the prediction performance. Comprehensive experiments are performed on the CHB-MIT scalp EEG dataset. The average seizure prediction sensitivity, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) and the false positive rate (FPR) are 92.94%, 95.56% and 0.073, respectively.
The Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Status and Future Directions
Authors: Xie Jinxin , Huang Huiming , Li Xingxing , Ouyang Lishan , Wang Longyan , Liu Dongxiao , Wei Xuejiao , Tan Peng , Tu Pengfei , Hu Zhongdong
Published: August 2023

The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the development of tumors. Immunoregulatory cells and cytokines facilitate cancer cells to avoid immune surveillance. Overexpression of immune checkpoint molecules such as CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibits immune function and enables cancer cells to avoid clearance by the immune system. Thus, minimizing tumor immunosuppression could be an important strategy for cancer therapy. Currently, many immune checkpoint-targeted drugs, such as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, have been approved for marketing and have shown unique advantages in the clinical treatment of cancers. The concept of “strengthening resistance to eliminate pathogenic factors” in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is consistent with the immunotherapy of cancer. According to previous studies, the role of TCM in tumor immunotherapy is mainly associated with the positive regulation of natural killer cells, CD8/CD4 T cells, dendritic cells, M2 macrophages, interleukin-2, tumor necrosis factor-[Formula: see text], and IFN-[Formula: see text], as well as with the negative regulation of Tregs, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, PD-1/PD-L1, transforming growth factor-[Formula: see text], and tumor necrosis factor-[Formula: see text]. This paper summarizes the current research on the effect of TCM targeting the TME, and further introduces the research progress on studying the effects of TCM on immune checkpoints. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that TCM can directly or indirectly affect the TME by inhibiting the overexpression of immune checkpoint molecules and enhancing the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy. TCM with immunomodulatory stimulation could be the key factor to achieve benefits from immunotherapy for patients with non-inflammatory, or “cold”, tumors.
Geometry of knots in real projective 3-space
Authors: Mishra Rama , Narayanan Visakh
Published: August 2023

This paper discusses some geometric ideas associated with knots in real projective 3-space [Formula: see text]. These ideas are borrowed from classical knot theory. Since knots in [Formula: see text] are classified into three disjoint classes: affine, class-[Formula: see text] non-affine and class-[Formula: see text] knots, it is natural to wonder in which class a given knot belongs to. In this paper we attempt to answer this question. We provide a structure theorem for these knots which helps in describing their behavior near the projective plane at infinity. We propose a procedure called space bending surgery, on affine knots to produce several examples of knots. We later show that this operation can be extended on an arbitrary knot in [Formula: see text]. We then study the notion of companionship of knots in [Formula: see text] and using it we provide geometric criteria for a knot to be affine. We also define a notion of “genus” for knots in [Formula: see text] and study some of its properties. We prove that this genus detects knottedness in [Formula: see text] and gives some criteria for a knot to be affine and of class-[Formula: see text]. We also prove a “non-cancellation” theorem for space bending surgery using the properties of genus. Then we show that a knot can have genus 1 if and only if it is a cable knot with a class-1 companion. We produce examples of class-[Formula: see text] non-affine knots with genus [Formula: see text]. Thus we highlight that, [Formula: see text] admits a knot theory with a truly different flavor than that of [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text].
AMPLITUDE CONTROL AND CHAOTIC SYNCHRONIZATION OF A COMPLEX-VALUED LASER RING NETWORK
Authors: CHAI LIN , LIU JIAN , CHEN GUANRONG , ZHANG XIAOTONG , LI YIQUN
Published: August 2023

Many real-world systems are connected together, in natural and man-made networks. A complex-valued laser network can simulate the working mechanism of human brain. However, amplitude control of a complex-valued laser network is seldom studied. In this paper, a ring network of complex-valued Lorenz laser systems is investigated. The ring network exhibits complex dynamics including hyper-chaos, quasi-periodic orbits, and coexisting hyper-chaos. Three kinds of single-parameter oriented amplitude controls are realized with varying or unvarying Lyapunov exponents in the ring network. Meanwhile, a simple knob can realize the amplitude rescaling of hyper-chaotic signals, which reduces the cost of circuit implementation. Moreover, a criterion of chaotic complete synchronization among all the nodes is established for a network with strong coupling. For relatively weak coupling, quasi-periodic complete synchronization is found, and the performance of chaotic synchronization is studied in terms of the cross-correlation coefficient. It is moreover revealed that the improvement and trend of synchronization performance are robust to the parity of the number of nodes for the same-scale laser networks.
RECENT PROGRESS ON MAGNESIUM MATRIX SYNTACTIC FOAMS: HOLLOW FILLER SELECTION, PROCESSING TECHNIQUES, AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Authors: THIYAGARAJAN RAJA , SENTHIL KUMAR M.
Published: August 2023

The current scenario focuses on lightweight and better energy-absorbing structural materials for critical engineering applications in aerospace, automobiles, marine, electronic, and implant materials for biomedical industries. The magnesium-based syntactic foams are the preferred choice of material in the same category due to their lightweight, higher plateau strength, better damping characteristics, and excellent energy absorption behavior. Many works were reported based on the polymer and aluminum-based syntactic foams and their developments. However, the rapidly increasing interest in magnesium-based syntactic foams and the adoption of the applications are still at a nascent stage. This proposed review work comprehensively insights the magnesium-based syntactic foam; various hollow filler material usages and summarizes the influence of physical and mechanical behavior on processing routes and future research opportunities for applications.
Dynamics of a Spinning Three-Phase Polymer/Fiber/GNP Laminated Nanocomposite Conical Shell with Non-Uniform Thickness
Authors: He Hua , Chen Xingqiang , Jiang Fan , Afshari Hassan
Published: August 2023

In this work, the free vibration of a spinning polymer/fiber/GNP laminated truncated conical shell with non-uniform thickness is analyzed. The conical shell is made of a polymeric matrix reinforced with aligned fibers and uniformly distributed graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). The elastic constants and density of the nanocomposite are estimated utilizing micromechanical equations, the Halpin–Tsai model, and the rule of mixture. The conical shell is modeled via the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) incorporating relative, centrifugal, and Coriolis accelerations alongside the initial hoop tension. Hamilton’s principle is hired to derive the governing equations and boundary conditions. The differential quadrature method (DQM) is hired to provide a numerical solution in the meridional direction alongside an analytical solution presented in the circumferential direction. The effects of several parameters on the natural frequencies and critical rotational speeds are inspected including thickness variation parameters, mass fractions of the fibers and the GNPs, stacking sequence, and boundary conditions. It is discovered that to achieve higher natural frequencies and critical rotational speeds, it is better to increase the mass fractions of the GNPs and fibers and align the fibers in parallel with the meridional direction.
Burr Puzzle-Inspired Seismic Metamaterials
Authors: Su Yu-Chi , Wang Yu-Jen , Chou Yu-Ching , Lin Kuan-Teng
Published: August 2023

Two novel seismic metamaterials models, trophy and apple core, inspired by an ancient Chinese puzzle are proposed in this study. Bandgaps below 15[Formula: see text]Hz are achieved by exclusively using concrete as the base material in the designs. Vibration modes are investigated to clarify the bandgap formation. Through comparison, we found that under the same volume, the apple core model can provide a lower frequency bandgap than the trophy model. Results from transient simulations and band structures are in good agreement, validating the accuracy of the simulation results. To broaden the bandwidth, the radii of the apple core models are varied and arranged in a gradient pattern. Transient analyses using a Gaussian wave packet and Taiwan’s Chi-Chi earthquake dataset are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the gradient apple core seismic metamaterial.
Principal-Internal Joint Resonance of an Axially Moving Beam with Elastic Constraints and Excited by Current-Carrying Wires
Authors: Li Xiaojing , Hu Yuda
Published: August 2023

Principal-internal joint resonance of an axially moving beam with elastic constraints is investigated, where the beam is located in magnetic field excited by current-carrying wires. Based on the magnetoelasticity theory and Hamilton principle, the nonlinear magneto-elastic vibration equations are derived. The displacement function is obtained by the elastic constraint boundary condition, and then the equation is discretized into 2-DOF ordinary differential equations using the Galerkin integral method. The method of multiple scales is employed for obtaining the amplitude–frequency response equations with coupling of the first two vibration modes. Through examples, amplitudes varying with frequency tuning parameter, axial velocity, current intensity, and external excitation force are exhibited. Results indicate that as current intensity increases, electromagnetic damping increases and the amplitude decreases; As external excitation force increases and axial velocity decreases respectively, the amplitude increases and the system changes from single periodic motion to quasi-periodic motion and then to single periodic motion; The lower-order modes are always dominant when the principle-internal resonance occurs.
Stationary Stochastic Response Analysis of the FG-GPLRC Irregular Quadrilateral Plate Based on the Chebyshev–Ritz Method
Authors: Zhu Kunpeng , Zhong Rui , Wang Qingshan , Shi Xianjie , Wu Bo
Published: August 2023

The stationary random response characteristics of irregular quadrilateral plates under the base acceleration excitation are investigated in this paper. The computational model chosen in this paper is functionally graded graphene platelet reinforced composites (FG-GPLRC). Simultaneously, the material parameters are calculated employing the modified Halpin–Tsai model. A unified dynamic model based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) is proposed for FG-GPLRC irregular plates, where the displacement variables are considered as the first kind Chebyshev polynomials combined with coordinate transformation. The Chebyshev–Ritz method is utilized to derive the kinetic equations of irregular quadrilateral plates, and then the pseudo-excitation method (PEM) is employed to solve the stationary stochastic response of the system under the base acceleration excitation. The free vibration and stationary stochastic response of the plates under various boundaries are validated by a sufficient number of numerical studies, and the computational results display a favorable match with the published literature and finite element method (FEM), which verifies the correctness and reliability of the present method. Finally, a detailed parametric analysis of the stationary stochastic response characteristics of FG-GPLRC irregular quadrilateral plates is presented. The effects of various mass fractions, number of layers, geometric dimensions of GPL, and boundary constraints on the stationary stochastic vibration behaviors of FG-GPLRC irregular quadrilateral plates are considered.
A Real-Time Hybrid Simulation Method for Vehicle–Bridge Interaction Systems Considering Vehicle Jumping
Authors: Xu Guoshan , Jiang Yutong , Ning Xizhan , Liu Zhipeng , Wang Tao
Published: August 2023

The investigation on vehicle–bridge interaction systems (VBIS) plays an important role in evaluating the performance of bridges and/or vehicles. However, due to the limitations of traditional simulation methods and testing methods, the impact of vehicle jumping (VJ) on the VBIS has never been precisely disclosed. In order to accurately and comprehensively reveal the impact of VJ on the dynamic performance of VBIS, one real-time hybrid simulation method (RHSM) for VBIS considering the impact of VJ (VBIS-VJ) is proposed in this paper. In the proposed method, the vehicle system is chosen as the experimental substructure loaded by servo-hydraulic actuator loading system in real-time, whilst the bridge system is chosen as the numerical substructure numerically simulated in one computer. During the vehicle jumping, the vehicle and bridge vibrate freely respectively, otherwise, the experimental substructure and numerical substructure are synchronized at the coupling points in terms of force equilibrium and deformation compatibility in RHSM for VBIS-VJ. Firstly, the principle and numerical models of RHSM for VBIS-VJ are proposed. Furthermore, numerical simulations of RHSM for VBIS-VJ are conducted for verifying the feasibility of the proposed method. Finally, the influence of jumping position, jumping height, and driving speed on the VBIS is disclosed by hybrid simulations. It is shown that compared with the ever-known investigation methods, the proposed method could economically and accurately disclose the dynamic performance of VBIS-VJ. It is shown from the simulation results that compared with the referenced results, the quantitative errors of the proposed method with quarter vehicle model and half vehicle model are less than 2.5152% and 3.5599% respectively, which prove the effectiveness and accuracy of proposed RHSM for VBIS-VJ. The peak displacement of the bridge at a quarter-span and mid-span exceeds the three-quarters span by about 1.9–2.9[Formula: see text]mm. The influence of jumping position of a quarter span and midspan of bridge is much huger than that in the three-quarters span. The dynamic response of bridge increases with the increase the jumping height, but the deformation of the bridge is reduced when the jumping height is more than 0.05[Formula: see text]m. Meanwhile, the requirements for experimental loading equipment are acquired through the hybrid simulations, which could be used as a reference for selecting the loading system of the RHSM for VBIS-VJ.
Reconstruction of ΛCDM model from f(T) gravity in viscous-fluid universe with observational constraints
Authors: Pradhan Anirudh , Dixit Archana , Zeyauddin M.
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we reconstruct an [Formula: see text] function from [Formula: see text]CDM model and obtained field equations for this function [Formula: see text] in a flat FLRW viscous-fluid dusty universe, where [Formula: see text] is the torsion scalar, [Formula: see text] is an arbitrary constant and [Formula: see text] is the cosmological constant. We have solved the field equations and obtained an scale factor [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] as an integrating constant and [Formula: see text] is an arbitrary constant generated from viscous fluid, and this type of scale factor gives a time-dependent deceleration parameter. We have made observational constraints on Hubble parameter [Formula: see text] and apparent magnitude [Formula: see text] with observational datasets [Formula: see text] data and SNe Ia data by applying [Formula: see text]-test, to obtain the best-fit values of model parameters. Using these values of cosmological parameters, we have discussed our model results. We have obtained a transit phase accelerating quintessence dark energy model in viscous-fluid universe with effective equation of state ([Formula: see text]).
Palatini f(R) gravity tests in weak field limit: Solar system, seismology and galaxies
Authors: Hernandez-Arboleda Alejandro , Rodrigues Davi C. , Toniato Júnior D. , Wojnar Aneta
Published: August 2023

Palatini [Formula: see text] gravity is probably the simplest extension of general relativity (GR) and the simplest realization of a metric-affine theory. It has the same number of degrees of freedom as GR and, in vacuum, it is straightforwardly mapped into GR with a cosmological constant. The mapping between GR and Palatini [Formula: see text] inside matter is possible but at the expense of reinterpreting the meaning of the matter fields. The physical meaning and consequences of such mapping will depend on the physical context. Here, we consider three such cases within the weak field limit: solar system dynamics, planetary internal dynamics (seismology), and galaxies. After revising our previous results on the solar system and Earth’s seismology, we consider here the possibility of [Formula: see text] Palatini as a dark matter candidate. For any [Formula: see text] that admits a polynomial approximation in the weak field limit, we show here, using SPARC data and a recent method that we proposed, that the theory cannot be used to replace dark matter in galaxies. We also show that the same result applies to the Eddington-inspired Born–Infeld gravity. Differently from the metric [Formula: see text] case, the rotation curve data are sufficient for this conclusion.
On soliton solutions for higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation with cubic-quintic-septic law
Authors: Esen Handenur , Onder Ismail , Secer Aydin , Bayram Mustafa
Published: August 2023

The topic of dispersive optical solitons is one of the essential areas of telecommunications engineering. This paper presents the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) with the cubic-quintic-septic (CQS) law which includes higher-order dispersion terms. This equation examines the dynamics of dispersive optical solitons propagation in nonlinear optical fibers. The presented model is significant in mathematics and theoretical physics sciences because long-distance optical fibers are used in optical communication utilized for transoceanic and intercontinental data transmission. First, the considered equation is transformed into a nonlinear ordinary differential equation (NLODE) using the traveling wave transformation. Then, two powerful techniques, Sinh-Gordon expansion approach and the auxiliary equation method (AEM), based on the homogeneous balance rule, are operated to produce analytical solutions for the NLSE with CQS law. Thus, bright, dark, singular, and periodic-singular soliton solutions are acquired. We demonstrate the three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) representations to interpret the physical behavior of some derived solutions. Besides, we investigate the effects of some parameters in the model with graphical illustrations. Therefore, it can be noted that the obtained soliton solutions have a significant role in soliton dynamics.
Fog Harvesting: A sustainable solution to water scarcity in Coastal South America
Authors: Dyer Aekeana
Published: August 2023

Water scarcity is a pressing global challenge which must be addressed promptly with sustainable solutions. This essay discusses fog harvesting as a promising supplemental water source in the coastal regions of South America. Fog harvesting proves to be a highly cost-effective and energy-efficient solution, providing access to water to communities in geographically challenging areas. Various factors affecting its efficiency are explored, while highlighting the need for research and development in the field to maximize its potential and enhance long-term water security.
Multi-stage reasoning on introspecting and revising bias for visual question answering
Authors: An-An L. , Zimu Lu , Ning Xu , Min Liu , Chenggang Yan , Bolun Zheng , Bo Lv , Yulong Duan , Zhuang Shao , Xuanya Li
Published: August 2023

Visual Question Answering (VQA) is a task that involves predicting an answer to a question depending on the content of an image. However, recent VQA methods have relied more on language priors between the question and answer rather than the image content. To address this issue, many debiasing methods have been proposed to reduce language bias in model reasoning. However, the bias can be divided into two categories: good bias and bad bias. Good bias can benefit to the answer prediction, while the bad bias may associate the models with the unrelated information. Therefore, instead of excluding good and bad bias indiscriminately in existing debiasing methods, we proposed a bias discrimination module to distinguish them. Additionally, bad bias may reduce the model’s reliance on image content during answer reasoning and thus attend little on image features updating. To tackle this, we leverage Markov theory to construct a Markov field with image regions and question words as nodes. This helps with feature updating for both image regions and question words, thereby facilitating more accurate and comprehensive reasoning about both the image content and question. To verify the effectiveness of our network, we evaluate our network on VQA v2 and VQA cp v2 datasets and conduct extensive quantity and quality studies to verify the effectiveness of our proposed network. Experimental resu- lts show that our network achieves significant performance against the previous state-of-the-art methods.