bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The first adiabatic exponent in a partially ionized prominence plasma: Effect on the period of slow waves
Authors: Ballester J. L. , Soler R. , Carbonell M. , Terradas J.
Published: October 2021

Partially ionized plasmas are found in many different astrophysical environments. The study of partially ionized plasmas is of great interest for solar physics because some layers of the solar atmosphere (photosphere and chromosphere) as well as solar structures, such as spicules and prominences, are made of these kinds of plasmas. To our knowledge, despite it being known that the adiabatic coefficient,γ, or the first adiabatic exponent, Γ1, depend on the ionization degree, this fact has been disregarded in all the studies related to magnetohydrodynamic waves in solar partially ionized plasmas. However, in other astrophysical areas, the dependence ofγor Γ1on the plasma ionization degree has been taken into account. Therefore, our aim here is to study how, in a plasma with prominence physical properties, the joint action of the temperature, density, and ionization degree modifies the numerical values of the first adiabatic exponent Γ1which affects the adiabatic sound speed and the period of slow waves. In our computations, we have used two different approaches; first of all, we assume local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and, later, we consider a non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) model. When comparing the results in the LTE and non-LTE cases, the numerical values of Γ1are clearly different for both and they are probably strongly dependent on the assumed model which determines how the ionization degree evolves with temperature. Finally, the effect of the ionization degree dependence of Γ1on the period of slow waves has been determined showing that it can be of great importance for seismological studies of partially ionized solar structures.
Study of two methods for comparing laser measuring interferometric systems to reduce the error in the transmission of a unit of length
Authors: Novikova Irina , Sokolov Denis
Published: October 2021

The article presents the results of an experimental study of coaxial and orthogonal methods for comparing laser measuring interferometric systems using a standard measuring complex of length from the State Primary Special Standard of a Unit of Length in the range from 2 to 60 m. transmission errors of the unit of length up to 0.5 microns.
GreedyCenters: Satellite imagery adaptive sampling method for artificial neural networks training
Authors: Gvozdev Oleg
Published: October 2021

The one of many significant particularities of satellite imagery is large size of images within orders of magnitude exceeds capability of modern GPGPU to train neural networks on its full size. On the other hand satellite imagery tends to be limitedly available. Moreover, the objects of interest tends to constitute a small fraction of whole dataset. This leads to the demand of sample extraction and augmentation method specialized on satellite imagery. Yet this area is immensely underrated so almost all widely used method limited to grid-based sample extraction and augmentation via combinations of 90-degrees rotations and mirroring on vertical or horizontal axes. This paper proposes the domain-agnostic method of sample extraction and augmentation. Adoption of this method to specific subject area is based on domain-specific way to generate significance field of image. In contrast to trivial greedy solutions and more advanced stochastic optimization methods the design of proposed method is focused on maximizing per-step progress. This makes its performance reasonably good even without low-level optimizations without significant quality loss. It can be easily implemented using widely known and open source software libraries.
Long periodicals in the position of permanent GNSS stations
Authors: Ivanova Victoria , Tyurin Sergey
Published: October 2021

The relevance of the study of the movements of base reference stations is determined by the task of improving the accuracy and reliability of the results of geodetic monitoring carried out using GNSS technologies. The paper presents the results of an analysis of the position of five permanent GNSS stations located in St. Petersburg for 2013-2020. Data processing by the method of precise positioning was performed using the online service CSRS-PPP. The time series were processed using the “Caterpillar”-SSA algorithm implemented in the MathCAD software package. The main attention is paid to the identification of periodic components in the movement of stations. The analysis of the series showed consistently identified periods of 3 and 12 months in the plane coordinates and 70 days and 12 months in altitude. The amplitudes of the periodicals were in the range from 1 to 10 millimeters. A trend was also identified, demonstrating a tendency for all stations to move to the northeast. The paper presents comparisons of the results obtained with previous studies.
Development of a method for measuring the astronomical azimuth using an electronic total station
Authors: Khanzadyan M.A. , Mazurkevich A.V.
Published: October 2021

In this article, the method of measuring the astronomical azimuth using an electronic total station, which is not intended for performing astronomical work, is considered. A method of measuring the astronomical azimuth using a high-precision electronic total station has been developed. Studies have been carried out to establish the influence of the components of errors in measurements of astronomical azimuth, forming the total budget of the error of the developed methodology, which has been tested on the reference stationary complex of metrological support of azimuth measuring instruments (СMS AMI).
A comparison of mono-seasonal and multiseasonal Landsat images for vegetation cover classification in the Mediterranean region: a case study in Latakia, Syria
Authors: Malinnikov Vasiliy , Khatib Assem
Published: October 2021

Providing constantly updated information on vegetation serves as a basis for studies of natural resources and ecological issues. This paper discusses the question related to an appropriate season(s) for classification vegetation cover in the Mediterranean region and detecting its changes using Landsat imagery. Autumn, spring, and multi-seasonal satellite images, captured in 2017, were used to classify vegetation cover in a part of the Lattakia province, Syria. The satellite images were classified using the random forest algorithm, and high spatial resolution satellite images Google Earth Pro were used as reference data. The results indicate better effectiveness of the autumn images over spring ones for vegetation cover classification with 73.6% and 62.4% overall accuracy, respectively. In addition, a comparison of autumn and multi-seasonal Landsat images indicates no significant statistical difference in the accuracy of vegetation cover classification at the significance level of 0.05, which illustrates the effectiveness of using autumn images to classify the vegetation cover of the Mediterranean region. Furthermore, the obtained results show the necessity of using additional features as the spectral channels may not be sufficient for mapping vegetation cover in the Mediterranean region with high accuracy.
La méthode convergence-confinement. Les contributions du Laboratoire de mécanique des solides (LMS)
Authors: Panet Marc , Sulem Jean
Published: October 2021

La méthode convergence-confinement permet de simuler le creusement d’un tunnel avec la mise en place d’un soutènement par un modèle de déformation plane. La connaissance de la convergence du massif au moment où le soutènement devient actif est une démarche essentielle pour l’application de la méthode. Celle-ci nécessite la détermination du profil longitudinal de déplacement (LDP), qui représente le déplacement radial à la paroi du tunnel en fonction de la distance au front. Dans cet article, nous rappelons les contributions importantes de Pierre Habib et de ses collègues du Laboratoire de mécanique des solides (LMS) dans le développement de la méthode, en particulier sur la prise en compte de l’influence de la pose d’un soutènement rigide près du front sur la courbe LDP.
Similitudes et effets d’échelle dans les modèles physiques. Apports de Pierre Habib
Authors: Thorel Luc
Published: October 2021

L’intérêt de Pierre Habib pour l’approche expérimentale sur modèles réduits, notamment en centrifugeuse, est illustré ici et accompagné de résultats récents sur les effets d’échelle.
Lits épigéniques du Drac et de la Loire : conséquences pour les projets de barrages et tunnels
Authors: Deveze Guilhem
Published: October 2021

Les concepteurs de barrage redoutent bien évidemment une cuvette non étanche, remettant en cause l’économie et les objectifs du projet engendrés par des fuites de débits élevés, quant à la perte de productible ou à la perte d’eau pour l’agriculture ou l’alimentation en eau potable. Le cas particulier des fuites par des lits fossiles est moins documenté que les fuites en contexte karstique. On illustre ici cette problématique par deux exemples qui ont forgé le début de carrière de Pierre Duffaut, jeune ingénieur au Service Géologie d’Électricité de France (EDF) : les lits fossiles du Drac, en contexte fluvio-glaciaire, sur l’aménagement de Monteynard et les lits fossiles de la Loire, en contexte volcanique, sur l’aménagement de Montpezat. Dans ces deux exemples, les lits fossiles sont associés à des épigénies, c’est-à-dire à un nouvel enfoncement du cours d’eau dans sa plaine de comblement alluvial. Lors des études géologiques préliminaires, les indices sont souvent ténus, et l’approche morphologique promue par Pierre Duffaut demeure un outil simple et efficace pour optimiser l’implantation des campagnes de reconnaissances.
Incorporating simulated annealing algorithm in the Weibull distribution for valuation of investment return of Malaysian property development sector
Authors: Abubakar Hamza , Sabri Shamsul Rijal Muhammad
Published: October 2021

In this study, a simulated annealing algorithm(SAA) has been incorporated in the Weibull Distribution (WD) for Valuation of Investment Return. The purpose is to examine the behaviour of investment's attractiveness in the Malaysian property development sector (MPDS) for a long-term investment period. The research intends is to produce parameters estimates of the WD using MIRR data extracted from the financial report of MPDS for 5 years investment period. The shape parameter of the WD reflects the effectiveness in maximizing the investment performance on MPDS with lower returns and is represented as the slope of the fitted line on a Weibull probability plot. The estimated results obtained using the Simulated annealing algorithm (SAA) has been compared with Differential Evolution (DE) and other existing estimation methods in terms of root mean square error (R-MSE) and coefficient of determination (R-Square). The findings revealed that Weibull distribution parameters estimated via Simulated annealing algorithm have good agreement with parameters estimated via Differential Evolution (DE) and other existing methods based on the transformed MIRR data from the MPDS. The study is expected to provide an overview of the investment behaviour for the long-term investment return in the MPDS. Therefore, SAA in estimating the WD parameters can serve as a good alternative approach for the assessment of the investment potential using MIRR data. The study will be extended to accommodate the growth rate arising from the financial data such as investment growth and insurance claim data.
Trade-off between urgency and reduced editorial capacity affect publication speed in ecological and medical journals during 2020
Authors: Forti Lucas Rodriguez , Solino Luiz A. , Szabo Judit K.
Published: October 2021

While the speed of publication in academic journals has decreased over time, delays in the review process can still cause frustration and damage the authors’ career. During the COVID-19 lockdown, scientists struggled to manage tasks and academic journals announced possible publication delays due to reduced editorial capacity. In this context, COVID-19 research has been somewhat paradoxical, due to societal and editorial pressures for fast publication. We hypothesised that given the urgency of disseminating pandemic-related information, articles on the topic would be published as a priority in 2020. We analysed the submission-to-publication time lag for 5790 articles published between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020 in eight ecology and eight medical journals. We also analysed patterns in the gender of first and last authors. All 16 journals were international, with relatively high impact factor (between 2.34 and 36.13) and partially or fully open access. Even though articles in general took longer to get published, the speed of publication increased in 2020, as the faster review of 419 COVID-19 articles compensated for the longer submission-to-publication time lag of non-COVID-19 publications. Manuscripts in journals with a higher impact factor and only partial open access took longer to get published during the last three years. In 2020, the ratio of articles with male and female first and last authors remained similar to that in 2019, maintaining the gender bias in scientific productivity. Female scientists, especially when they are providing maternity and other primary care, need more support for their careers, such as relief from teaching duties and adjustments on assessment criteria to access research funding. We advocate that topics besides COVID-19, particularly those that could help to solve other urgent crises, should also benefit from faster publication.
Multi-physical thermofluidynamic simulations of hydrogen absorption performance in double-layered cylindrical ZrCo-based hydride beds
Authors: Li Wei , Zeng Xiangguo , Cui Yehui , Xiao Junfeng , Zhao Han , Wang Fang
Published: October 2021

This work established a two-dimensional mathematical model to evaluate the thermofluidynamic behavior of a newly developed double-layered cylindrical ZrCo-based hydride bed during the hydrogenation reaction process. Numerical simulations by using COMSOL Multiphysics were conducted to solve the governing partial differential equations associated with chemical reaction and thermal transfer. Importantly, the local thermal nonequilibrium theory was applied to analyze the heat transfer between the ZrCo particle and hydrogen. Detailed analysis revealed the effects of operating conditions, material thermophysical properties, and the bed configuration, in addition to the ZrCo hydride particle sizes on hydrogen recovery characteristics. The simulation results indicated that increasing the heat transfer coefficient, reducing the coolant temperature, improving the thermal conductivity of the metal hydride, using the thinner hydride layer, and being equipped with copper fins were more beneficial to accelerate the heat transfer rate and the hydrogen charging rate of the metal hydride bed (MHB). Furthermore, along the radial direction, tremendous temperature gradient and distribution of absorbed hydrogen were found in the hydrogenated zones. The present model can effectively characterize the reaction kinetic mechanisms of ZrCo hydriding process as to further promote the practical application of the proposed MHB designs.
A reduced-order model for representing the reactive power response of a doubly fed wind turbine during ZVRT
Authors: Cai Enyu , Dong Lei , Liao Xiaozhong
Published: October 2021

Zero-voltage ride through (ZVRT) is the worst-case scenario of low-voltage ride through (LVRT), which indicates the optimal fault-response capability of wind turbines (WTs). The reactive response during ZVRT shows the dynamic performance of WTs during extreme grid faults, which greatly improves the flexibility and robustness of renewable-rich grids. The reactive response of a doubly fed (type-3) WT during ZVRT depends on the control strategy of the converter and the steady-state and transient-state performance of the doubly fed induction generator (DFIG). This paper proposes a reduced-order model for representing the reactive response of a type-3 WT during ZVRT including the control strategy of the converter and the equivalent electric circuit of the DFIG, which simplifies some complicated equations but is practical for modeling a renewable-rich power system in most cases. Some simplified expressions between the reactive energy and a single DFIG parameter are presented, which could satisfy the demands of designing a DFIG. Finally, the method of model consistency verification, the influence analysis of DFIG parameters on the reactive response, the reasonable ranges of DFIG parameters and the fault-response performance of the WT in the theoretically longest ZVRT period are also obtained for reference.
Effect of grain boundaries on the work function of hafnium: A first-principles investigation
Authors: Bai Ling , Qie Yu , Guo Yaguang , Zhang Congyang , Yang Shuang , Li Quan , Sun Qiang
Published: October 2021

Hafnium (Hf) has been used as a cathode material for thermionic emission in high temperature environments for a long time. However, the effect of grain boundaries (GBs) on its work function has not been reported. In this work, by using first-principles calculations, we find that the introduction of GBs would reduce the work function of Hf surface as compared with that of the perfect crystal, and by increasing the distance between two grain boundaries, the work function converges gradually to the value of monocrystalline Hf. By analyzing the surface atomic structure and charge density distribution, we find that the reduced work function of GB-containing structures originates from the increase of atomic distance and the changes of atomic coordination environments at the GB region, which results in redistribution of electrons and enhances the electronic density of states at the Fermi level.
Microtechnology-based in vitro models: Mimicking liver function and pathophysiology
Authors: Lee Seung Yeon , Kim Donghyun , Lee Seung Hwan , Sung Jong Hwan
Published: October 2021

The liver plays important roles in drug metabolism and homeostasis. The metabolism and biotransformation can not only affect the efficacy of drugs but also result in hepatotoxicity and drug-induced liver injury. Understanding the complex physiology of the liver and the pathogenetic mechanisms of liver diseases is essential for drug development. Conventional in vitro models have limitations in the ability to predict drug effects, due to the lack of physiological relevance. Recently, the liver-on-a-chip platform has been developed to reproduce the microarchitecture and in vivo environment of the liver. These efforts have improved the physiological relevance of the liver tissue used in the platform and have demonstrated its applicability to drug screening and disease models. In this review, we summarize the recent development of liver-on-a-chip models that closely mimic the in vivo liver environments and liver diseases.
On the relative importance of the different initial conditions that seed the electrothermal instability
Authors: Hutchinson T. M. , Awe T. J. , Bauer B. S. , Hutsel B. T. , Yager-Elorriaga D. A. , Yates K. C. , Klemmer A. W. , Hatch M. W. , Kreher S. E. , Yu E. P. , Gilmore M.
Published: October 2021

Electrothermal instability is responsible for degrading numerous applications of pulsed-power technology, yet the initial conditions from which it grows are not well understood. For the first time, metal surfaces have been tracked from characterization to self-emission. This reveals no clear correlation between non-uniform thermal emissions and surface metallurgical defects or crystallographic grains, while correlations are observed with surface topography for 5N metal but not 6061 metal. For 5N metal, surfaces with average roughness as small as 5nm still admit thermal perturbations with δT/T>0.1.
Scoping review of health outcomes for people with disabilities in user-led organisations
Authors: Crowe Michael , Sheppard Lorraine
Published: October 2021

A user-led organisation (ULO) may be defined as an organisation that is run and controlled by the people who use the services provided by that organisation. ULOs provide services to their members, such as information, advice, support, treatment and training. ULOs may also be involved in advocacy, influencing local service provision, government policy and public perceptions of disability. This scoping review concentrated on health outcomes achieved by ULOs for people with disabilities, including physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, neurological or mental health impairments. Based on a search of the academic literature up to 30 June 2020, 26 articles were included. Twenty-four articles were on ULOs for mood disorders, schizophrenia or psychosis, and there was one article each on ULOs for cross-disability and chronic non-malignant pain. There was some evidence that peer-run and inclusive ULOs for members with mood disorders, schizophrenia or psychosis can reduce the number of times people with these illnesses access traditional mental health services. There was no evidence that ULOs can replace traditional mental health services. Therefore, ULOs for mood disorders, schizophrenia or psychosis could be considered an adjunct to traditional mental health services, not a replacement. For other disabilities, a lack of evidence means that no recommendation can be made. However, the organisational structure of ULOs may be as important as the support and services offered.
Supplemental feeding of northern bobwhite (
Authors: Henry Brett J. , Brym Matthew Z. , Henry Cassandra , Kendall Ronald J.
Published: October 2021

Northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) are a well known game bird that has been extensively studied and managed throughout its range for many decades. Despite this, bobwhites have continued a steady annual decline across the United States, irrespective of many well established conservation practices in place to mitigate this. Supplemental feeding is one such technique that is a widely used tool in bobwhite management, but the methods and results of the studies to investigate the effectiveness of this method are highly variable. The effectiveness of supplemental feeding practices is further hindered by the limited knowledge regarding the nutritional requirements of wild bobwhite because many of the guidelines that researchers follow are based on species of Galliformes that are primarily used for production. Here, we review supplemental feeding studies, nutritional requirements of bobwhite, and discuss future directions.
Invasive axis deer and wild boar in a protected area in Argentina, controlled hunting, and Taylor’s law
Authors: Gürtler R. E. , Cohen J. E.
Published: October 2021

Abstract Context Spatial and temporal variability in population density tends to increase with an increasing mean density, as widely documented by Taylor’s law (TL) of fluctuation scaling. A management program based on local hunters has been used to control invasive wild boar and axis deer in a protected area of north-eastern Argentina since 2006. Aim We determine the effects of species (boar or deer), hunting shift (diurnal, overnight), human disturbance (by comparing one section open for public use, one not) and time scale (one- versus three-month periods) on the values of the parameters of TL, and consider both its spatial and temporal forms. Methods Park management collected data on the hunting efforts and harvest of 6104 hunting parties shooting from elevated blinds from 2006 to 2015. The log-transformed sample means and variances of four indices of relative abundance were computed for each period and blind, and analysed through least-squars linear regression and ANCOVA. Key results Axis deer satisfied the spatial TL by all four indices, but wild boar had a significantly non-linear relationship for crude catch per unit effort (CP–UE) only. In the spatial TL, the slope b did not deviate significantly from 1 when using crude or standardised catch per hunting-party session or standardised CPUE, but b was substantially >1 for crude CPUE in both species (range, 1.307–1.434). Human disturbance, hunting shift, and time scale did not significantly modify the parameters of the spatial TL, except in two cases. All metrics at identified blinds over consecutive trimesters confirmed the temporal TL. Wild boar crude catch was 43% greater in the restricted zone of greater conservation value, whereas axis deer catch was 60% greater in the public-use zone. Conclusions With rare exceptions, TL describes well the mean and variance of four metrics of abundance of wild boar and axis deer under sustained hunting pressure. This paper may be the first to demonstrate the connection of TL with any aspect of vertebrate pest control. Implications TL identifies key zones with a high mean and high variance of ungulate density for targeted control, and can be used to attain fixed-precision estimates of abundance through sequential sampling.
Prosody and ideology
Authors: Lukin Annabelle , Rivas Lucía Inés
Published: October 2021

The focus of this paper is on the role choices in phonological systems (Brazil
1997; Halliday & Greaves 2008) play in the ideological work of a text.
Using an instance of news reporting of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, we show how prosodic choices – both those shared with other
texts in this register, and those specific to this instance – contribute to the ideological force of the text. The ideological
effects of prosodic choices in this text, we argue, include projecting a very particular interpretation of the invasion as if
distant and objective, and giving prominence to claims that the invasion was measured and targeted, and by implication in
accordance with international law.
Alignment, persuasiveness and the putative reader in opinion writing
Authors: White Peter R. R.
Published: October 2021

This paper explores a new line of analysis for comparing opinion writing by reference to differences in the relationships being indicated between author and addressee. It draws on recent work within the appraisal framework literature to offer proposals for linguistics-based analyses of what has variously been termed the ‘intended’, ‘imagined’, ‘ideal’, ‘virtual’, ‘model’, ‘implied’ and ‘putative’ reader (the ‘reader written into the text’). A discussion is provided of those means by which beliefs, attitudes and expectations are projected onto this ‘reader in the text’, formulations which signal anticipations that the reader either shares the attitude or belief currently being advanced by the author, potentially finds it novel or otherwise problematic, or may reject it outright. The discussion is conducted with respect to written, persuasive texts, and specifically with respect to news journalism’s commentary pieces. It is proposed that such texts can usefully be characterised and compared by reference to tendencies in such ‘construals’ or ‘positionings’ of the putative reader – tendencies in terms of whether the signalled anticipation is of the reader being aligned or, conversely, potentially unaligned or dis-aligned with the author. The terms ‘flag waving’ and ‘advocacy’ are proposed as characterisations which can be applied to texts, with ‘flag waving’ applicable to texts which construe the reader as largely sharing the author’s beliefs and attitudes, while ‘advocacy’ is applicable to texts where the reader is construed as actually or potentially not sharing the author’s beliefs and attitudes and thereby needing to be won over. This line of analysis is demonstrated through a comparison of two journalistic opinion pieces written in response to visits by Japanese politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, one published in the English-language version of the mainland China newspaper,China Dailyand one in the English-language version of the JapaneseAsahi Shimbun. It is shown that one piece can usefully be characterised as oriented towards ‘flag waving’ and the other towards ‘advocacy’.
Model-independent Veltman condition, naturalness and the little hierarchy problem *
Authors: Abu-Ajamieh Fayez
Published: October 2021

We adopt a bottom-up Effective Field Theory (EFT) approach to derive a model-independent Veltman condition to cancel out the quadratic divergences in the Higgs mass. We show using the equivalence theorem that all the deviations in the Higgs couplings to the

and

from the SM predictions should vanish. We argue based on tree-level unitarity that any new physics that naturally cancels out the quadratic divergences should be

TeV. We show that the level of fine-tuning required is

unless the UV sector has a symmetry that forces the satisfaction of the model-independent Veltman condition, in which case all fine-tuning is eliminated. We also conjecture that, if no new physics that couples to the Higgs is observed up to

TeV, or if the Higgs couplings to the SM particles conform to the SM predictions, then the Higgs either does not couple to any UV sector or is fine-tuned.
Reverse engineering of a wool fibre to mimic the structural hierarchy of a gecko’s foot
Authors: Caven Barnaby , Brook Dave , Taylor Mark , Connell Simon , Brown Andy
Published: October 2021

The adhesion generated by a gecko’s foot is realised by a structural hierarchy that is also present inside the cortex of a wool fibre. Both structures are based on the same fibril building blocks that belong to the α-keratin family. We show here that this hierarchical structure can be released from a Merino wool fibre with a combination of formic acid refluxing with agitation and trypsin digestion with ultrasonication. Thus, the cuticle scales are shown to be removed from wool yarns by mass-loss, FTIR spectroscopy and SEM followed by the breakdown of the cortex to release macrofibrils at the surface of the remaining yarn. SEM and AFM evidence are presented for the exposure of macrofibrils at the surface of cross-sections of descaled, fibrillated wool fibres. Adhesion measurements in the AFM show that regions of the treated wool have high adhesion, up to 58 nN, consistent with exposure of nanoscale macrofibrils. This exposure is not however homogeneous across the entirety of the cross-sectioned surface of a yarn and further digestion is required to optimise the depth profile of the exposure for direct comparison with the macroscale compliance and adhesion of a gecko’s foot. Nonetheless, the current work has developed an experimental route to reserve engineer wool back to sub-unit macrofibrils, in order to replicate the format and to some extent the adhesive properties of a gecko’s hierarchal foot structure.
First principles study of the 2D Mo(S1-XTeX)2 TMD alloy adsorbed on an Al-terminated sapphire (0001)-substrate
Authors: Burton B P
Published: October 2021

A first principles study, was performed for a 2D, three atom thick monolayer of the Transition Metal Dichalcogenide (TMD) alloy Mo(S1-XTeX)2 adsorbed on an Al-terminated (0001)-sapphire surface. Bulk composition dependent binding energies and band-gaps, and a partial phase diagram, were calculated, using the cluster expansion method. Although the 3D Mo(S1-XTeX)2 alloy system has a phase diagram that is dominated by S-rich/Te-rich phase separation, the 2D system adsorbed on sapphire is dominated by S:Te-ordering. Five ground-state phases are predicted; all have P1 symmetry, and all disorder via contiuous (2’nd order) transitions. These results indicate that synthesis on the sapphire substrate is favorable for band-gap engineering, in which a continuous single phase solid solution allows continuous band-gap tuning, as a function of bulk composition. Whereas, bulk TMD-synthesis followed by exfoliation favors the formation of two-phase mixtures.
Effects of oxidizer structure on thermal and combustion behavior of Fe2O3/Zr thermite
Authors: Li Chunhong , Kang Xiaoli
Published: October 2021

Performance of MOF-derived micrometer porous Fe2O3 as the oxidizer in Zr-fuelled thermite is compared with commercial nano-sized Fe2O3 by characterizing thermal and combustion behavior of Fe2O3/Zr mixture via differential scanning calorimetry, optical emission measurement as well as composition and morphology analysis on condensed combustion products. Results show that thermal behaviors of Fe2O3/Zr with a slow heating rate have little difference regardless of the kind of Fe2O3. However, MOF-derived micrometer porous Fe2O3 show an obvious superiority in enhancing combustion of Fe2O3/Zr heated by a high rate. Combustion reactions of Fe2O3/Zr under high heating rates are probably rate-controlled by condensed reaction. The better performance of MOF-derived Fe2O3 is attributed to its larger contact area with Zr particle in that micrometer porous Fe2O3 particles are easily broken into primitive nano-sized particles, which effectively avoid the agglomeration of oxidizer. The MOF-derived Fe2O3 particles obtained at calcination temperature of 550 °C enable the best combustion performance of Fe2O3/Zr thermite. This should be because the crystallinity and porous structure of 550 °C-Fe2O3 are more favorable for the mass transfer process during high-rate combustion.
Lefschetz fibrations
Authors: Endo Hisaaki
Published: October 2021

We survey basic properties and recent researches of Lefschetz fibrations.
A synergistic combination of structural and pigmentary colour produces non-spectral colour in the purple-breasted cotinga,Cotinga cotinga(Passeriformes: Cotingidae)
Authors: Justyn Nicholas M , Nallapaneni Asritha , Parnell Andrew J , Karim Alamgir , Shawkey Matthew D
Published: October 2021

Most studies of animal coloration focus on spectral colours, which are colours evoked by single peaks within the wavelengths of visible light. It is poorly understood how non-spectral colours (those produced by a combination of reflectance peaks) are produced, despite their potential significance to both animal communication and biomimicry. Moreover, although both pigmentary and structural colour production mechanisms have been well characterized in feathers independently, their interactions have received considerably less attention, despite their potential to broaden the available colour spectrum. Here, we investigate the colour production mechanisms of the purple feathers of the purple-breasted cotinga (Cotinga cotinga). The purple feather colour results from both the coherent scattering of light by a sphere-type nanomatrix of β-keratin and air (spongy layer) in the barbs, which produces a blue–green colour, and the selective absorption of light in the centre of the bird-visible spectrum by the methoxy-carotenoid, cotingin. This unusual combination of carotenoid and nanostructure with a central air vacuole, in the absence of melanin, is a blueprint of a synergistic way to produce a non-spectral colour that would be difficult to achieve with only a single colour production mechanism.
Diagnostic performance of echocardiography to predict cardiac tamponade after cardiac surgery
Authors: Ellenbroek Dennis F J , van Kessel Luc , Compagner Wilma , Brouwer Tim , Bouwman R Arthur , van Straten Bart A H M , Otterspoor Luuk C , De Bie Ashley J R
Published: October 2021

OBJECTIVES

Cardiac tamponade is a life-threatening complication after cardiac surgery. Echocardiography, both transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE), may help to identify cardiac tamponade after surgery, but its diagnostic value remains unverified after cardiac surgery.

METHODS

This retrospective single-centre cohort study used the electronic medical record and echocardiography database of the Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, a tertiary referral cardiothoracic centre, to identify patients who received echocardiography because they were clinically suspected of having cardiac tamponade within the 4 weeks after cardiac surgery. Overall diagnostic accuracy of both TTE and TEE was calculated (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and receiver operation characteristics curves). Subgroup analyses were performed based on the timing of the echocardiography after primary surgery (<24, 24–72, >72 h).

RESULTS

The query identified 427 echocardiographs, 373 TTEs and 54 TEEs, being performed in 414 patients (65% males, mean age 67 years). Of them, 116 patients underwent surgical re-exploration in which a cardiac tamponade was determined in 105 patients with a 30-day mortality of 8.6%. The area under the receiver operation characteristics curve for echocardiography in the 4 weeks after cardiac surgery was 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72–0.84, P < 0.001]. In the first 24 h after surgery was the positive predictive value of echocardiography 58.3% (95% CI: 28.6–83.5) with an area under the curve of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.49–0.80, P = 0.06). The diagnostic accuracy improved over time for both TTE and TEE.

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnostic accuracy of echocardiography in the 4 weeks after cardiac surgery for cardiac tamponade is acceptable and improves over time. However, in the early postoperative phase (<24 h), the diagnostic accuracy of echocardiography is poor.
PSII-7 Farrowing age is a predictor of sow lifetime performance
Authors: Wakatsuki Masahiro , Piñeiro Carlos , Koketsu Yuzo
Published: October 2021

Sow lifetime performance can be predicted by sow performance at an early age; however, few studies have examined the relationship between farrowing age (FA) after parity 1 and sow lifetime performance. Therefore, our objective was to examine the association between FA in different parities and sow lifetime performance. Data were extracted from 198,043 sows entered into 155 Spanish herds between 2011 - 2013 and removed between 2011 - 2016. The 1st to 99th percentiles of FA records were analyzed, with FA defined as the number of days from birth to the farrowing date in each parity. A two-level linear mixed-effects model was applied to examine the relationship between FA and lifetime performance of sows (SAS University Edition). Means of FA + SD (range) in parities 1 and 3 were 368.4 + 34.8 (238 - 460) days and 663.5 + 41.4 (501 - 773) days, respectively. The ranges of FA in parity 1 and 3 were 238 - 460 days and 501 - 773 days, respectively. Lifetime performance decreased with higher FA in both parities. For example, in parity 1, as FA increased from 290 to 410 days, lifetime piglets born alive (PBA) decreased by 4.4 piglets, annualized lifetime PBA decreased by 3.5 piglets and nonproductive days increased by 16.8 days. Similarly, in parity 3, as FA increased from 590 to 710 days, lifetime PBA decreased by 5.3 piglets, annualized lifetime PBA decreased by 3.0 piglets and nonproductive days increased by 39.5 days. Also, sows with a lower FA in parity 1 had fewer PBA in that parity than sow with a higher FA (P < 0.05). However, they also had fewer nonproductive days and a shorter weaning-to-first-mating interval and more annualized lifetime PBA. Therefore, these data indicate that FA can be used to predict lifetime performance of the sows.
PSII-13 Impact of maternal phosphorus intake on colostrum quality, calf growth, and calf immunoglobulin concentrations in primiparous beef cows
Authors: Lafferty Elizabeth , Kegley Beth B , Reynolds Jana , Shoulders Ben P , Powell Jeremy G
Published: October 2021

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of maternal phosphorus intake on growth and health of their calves. Treatments were 1) a free-choice mineral containing no supplemental P or 2) a free-choice mineral with 4% supplement phosphorus. Primiparous crossbred Angus beef cows (n = 36) were stratified by body weight and pregnancy status (bred by artificial insemination or natural service) then assigned to pasture groups (4 groups, 2/treatment, 9 heifers/group). These bred heifers had been receiving these same dietary treatments from 30 days after weaning until confirmation of pregnancy. Eighteen bred heifers from each treatment were selected randomly to continue into this experiment. At calving, colostrum and blood samples were collected from a subset of 12 heifers/treatment (6/group) and evaluated. Body weights and calf viability scores were obtained for all cattle. Data were analyzed using the MIXED (for continuous data) and GLIMMIX (for scoring data) procedures of SAS using group as the experimental unit. Cows grazed mixed grass pastures; monthly forage samples ranged from 0.28 to 0.36% P. There were no differences (P > 0.10) for cow body weight during gestation, calf birth weight, calf viability scores at birth, or calf weight at an average age of 21 days. There were also no differences (P > 0.10) in colostrum components (fat, protein, lactose, and IgG), or in the serum IgG or plasma mineral concentrations for both cows and calves 48 hours after parturition. All calves were sampled at approximately 21 days of age and there were no treatment differences (P > 0.10) in serum IgG concentrations. There were no benefits to supplementing gestating heifers with phosphorus when they grazed pasture with a history of fertilization with livestock manure.
PSVIII-28 Dietary impacts on rumen, vaginal, and uterine environments in beef heifers
Authors: Pickett Autumn , Cooke Reinaldo F , Brandão Alice , Colombo Eduardo , Mackey Shea , Filho Ramiro Oliveira , de Melo Gabriela Dalmaso , Poole Rebecca K , Pohler Ky G
Published: October 2021

This experiment examined the effects of diet composition on rumen, vaginal, and uterine environments in beef heifers. Fifteen rumen-cannulated, pubertal Angus-influenced heifers were used in a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square design (28-d periods and 21-d washout intervals). Dietary treatments included (as-fed) diets based on 100% grass hay (HF), 61% grass hay + 39% corn-based concentrate (INT), or 25% grass hay + 75% corn-based concentrate (HG). Treatments were offered individually to heifers once daily at 2% of their body weight. Heifers also received 280 g/d of a mineral mix containing melengestrol acetate. Rumen, vaginal, and uterine fluid samples were collected on d 0 and 28 of each period for pH measurement. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC) using results from d 0 as independent covariates, and heifer as the experimental unit. Rumen pH on d 0 did not differ (P = 0.97) among treatments (7.197, 7.194, and 7.188 for HF, INT, and HG, respectively; SEM = 0.038). Ruminal pH on d 28 was greater (P ≤ 0.01) in HF compared with INT and HG (6.805, 6.628, and 6.380, respectively; SEM = 0.049), and greater (P < 0.01) in INT compared with HG. Vaginal and uterine pH on d 0 did not differ (P ≥ 0.24) among HF, INT, and HG (6.914, 6.965, 6.780 of vaginal pH, respectively, SEM = 0.082; 6.644, 6.760, 6,592 of uterine pH, respectively, SEM = 0.079). Uterine and vaginal pH on d 28 also did not differ (P ≥ 0.64) among HF, INT, and HG heifers (6.926, 6.937, 6.918 of vaginal pH, respectively, SEM = 0.051; 6.567, 6.507, and 6.457 of uterine pH, respectively, SEM = 0.084). Therefore, dietary composition impacted rumen pH of beef heifers as expected, but without consequences to their vaginal and uterine pH.
PSXV-26 Performance and health responses of feedlot receiving cattle supplemented with pre- and probiotic ingredients
Authors: Mackey Shea , Cooke Reinaldo F , Colombo Eduardo , Wiegand Jacob , Pickett Autumn , Batista Luiz Fernando Dias , Alhadas Herlon , Pacheco Marcos , Proctor Jarret , Block Elliot , Brandão Alice
Published: October 2021

This experiment compared performance and health responses of feedlot cattle receiving a synbiotic supplement (yeast-derived prebiotic + Bacillus subtilis probiotic), which replaced or were fed in conjunction with feed-grade antimicrobials (monensin and tylosin) during a 56-d receiving period. Angus-influenced steers (n = 192) from 4 different sources were transported for 800 km, and arrived on the experimental feedlot on d 0 when shrunk body weight (BW) was recorded. Steers were ranked by source and shrunk BW, and were allocated to 1 of 24 drylot pens. Pens were assigned to receive a free-choice diet containing: 1) monensin and tylosin (RT; 360 mg/steer daily from Rumensin and 90 mg/steer daily from Tylan; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN), 2) yeast-derived ingredient and B. subtilis probiotic (CC; 18 g/steer daily of Celmanax and 28 g/steer daily of Certillus; Church and Dwight Co., Inc., Princeton, NJ), or 3) monensin and tylosin combined with yeast-derived and B. subtilis ingredients (RTCC) as in RT and CC. Feed intake was greater (P < 0.01) in CC compared with RT and RTCC cattle (7.34, 6.15, 6.22 kg of dry matter/head daily, respectively; SEM = 0.29). Average daily gain tended (P ≤ 0.10) to be greater in CC compared with RT and RTCC cattle (1.23, 1.16, 1.16 kg/d, respectively; SEM = 0.03). Feed efficiency was less in CC compared with RT and RTCC cattle (0.160, 0.173, 0.171 kg/kg, respectively; SEM = 0.003). Incidence of bovine respiratory disease did not differ (P = 0.37) between treatments (25.9, 20.2, and 15.5% for CC, RT, and RTCC, respectively; SEM = 5.2) during the 56-d receiving period. Collectively, replacing RT with CC improved feed intake and BW gain during a 56-d receiving period, despite reducing feed efficiency. Combining RT and CC ingredients, however, did not yield additional productive and health benefits to receiving cattle.
PSXV-24 Effects of dietary beet pulp on growth performance, beef quality, rumen fermentation characteristics, and blood parameters in Korean cattle steers
Authors: Beak Seok-Hyeon , Jung InHyuk , Jung da Jin Sol , Lee Jinoh , Kim Do Hyun , Kim HyunJin , MalekKhahi Mohammad , Baik Myunggi
Published: October 2021

We investigated the effects of feeding beet pulp (BP) instead of corn flake (CF) on growth performance, beef quality, ruminal fermentation, and blood parameters in Korean cattle steers. Eighteen Korean cattle steers (body weight, 732 ± 12.6 kg; age, 31.2 ± 0.16 months) were divided into the CF and BP groups. The approximately 92% of dry matter of the requirement was offered as a concentrate portion, and the 8% was offered as an oat straw. The 85% of concentrate portion was provided by the pelleted basal concentrate, and the remaining 15% with CF or BP for 12 weeks. Average daily gain, feed efficiency, and carcass traits were not affected by feeding BP. The proportion of ruminal iso-butyrate (P = 0.004), iso-valerate (P = 0.001), and valerate (P = 0.01) were lower in the BP group compared to the CF group. Blood glucose (P = 0.06) and non-esterified fatty acids (P = 0.09) concentrations tended to be higher in the BP group than in the CF group. The results suggest that BP could be a good energy source without affecting the growth performance and beef quality in Korean cattle steers.