bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SMART VILLAGE – smart solution for sustainable development in the South East Region
Authors: Liviu Marian Dobrotă , Serban Mădălina , Mogildea Ina , Turek Rahoveanu Maria Magdalena
Published: February 2021

Research background. An intelligent rural community in our vision wants to be a balance between people and the environment, through a transformation of long-term economic, social and environmental characteristics. This paper aims to investigate the need to change this environment in the South-East Region, Romania, a rural plain.

Purpose of the article. Villages with a certain risk of poverty are most at risk of depopulation due to the presence of low-income people, disadvantaged groups, with a population of "third age" and "fourth age". In other mountain areas, for example, there are rich villages where aging does not characterize low-income people and retired migrants.

Methods. The objectives of the research are to describe the Chiscani, Brăila area, the need to transform the villages in its composition, but also to identify activities with potential for sustainable development at its level. Awareness of the community by promoting those economic activities that support the smart plain area is the basis of the whole concept.

Findings & Value added. The aim of this study is to evaluate the perceptions about smart village (SV) to attract entrepreneurs, tourists and business development in the South East Region, Chiscani.
Der Einfluss von Gewinnung und Verarbeitung auf das Regenerationspotenzial von Fettstammzellen und die Adipozytenvitalität
Authors: Klietz Marie-Luise , Kückelhaus Maximilian , Wiebringhaus Philipp , Raschke Michael J. , Hirsch Tobias , Aitzetmüller Matthias M.
Published: February 2021

Der autologe Lipotransfer stellt eine etablierte Innovation der Plastischen Chirurgie dar. Als Methode zur Mammarekonstruktion und -augmentation bietet er eine klinisch immer bedeutender werdende Alternative zu den konventionellen Verfahren wie der Lappenchirurgie oder der Verwendung von Silikonimplantaten.

Der Erfolg oder Misserfolg des autologen Lipotransfers hängt größtenteils vom Überleben der im Fett befindlichen Fettstammzellen ab.

Diese Überlebensrate ist wiederum von einem komplexen Zusammenspiel der Zwischenschritte bei der Fettabsaugung und potenzieller Aufbereitung des Fettgewebes abhängig.

Dieses Review beleuchtet die entscheidenden Prinzipien zur Erzielung optimaler Ergebnisse.
Diabetes Care During COVID-19 Pandemic in Singapore Using a Telehealth Strategy
Authors: Lian Xia , Dalan Rinkoo , Seow Cherng Jye , Liew Huiling , Jong Michelle , Chew Daniel , Lim Brenda , Lin Anita , Goh Eunice , Goh Christina , Othman Noorani Bte , Tan Lucy , Boehm Bernhard O.
Published: February 2021

Singapore currently has one of highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia. To curb the further spread of COVID-19, Singapore government announced a temporary nationwide lockdown (circuit breaker). In view of restrictions of patients’ mobility and the enforcement of safe distancing measures, usual in-person visits were discouraged. Here we describe how diabetes care delivery was ad hoc redesigned applying a telehealth strategy. We describe a retrospective assessment of subjects with diabetes, with and without COVID-19 infection, during the circuit breaker period of 7th April to 1st June 2020 managed through Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s telehealth platform. The virtual health applications consisted of telephone consultations, video telehealth visits via smartphones, and remote patient monitoring. The TTSH team intensively managed 298 diabetes patients using a telehealth strategy. The group comprised of (1) 84 inpatient COVID-19 patients with diabetes who received virtual diabetes education and blood glucose management during their hospitalisation and follow-up via phone calls after discharge and (2) 214 (n=192 non-COVID; n=22 COVID-positive) outpatient subjects with suboptimal glycaemic control who received intensive diabetes care through telehealth approaches. Remote continuous glucose monitoring was applied in 80 patients to facilitate treatment adjustment and hypoglycaemia prevention. The COVID-19 pandemic situation mooted an immediate disruptive transformation of healthcare processes. Virtual health applications were found to be safe, effective and efficient to replace current in-person visits.
Favorable effect of endoscopic reassessment of clinically staged T2 esophageal adenocarcinoma: a multicenter prospective cohort study
Authors: van de Ven Steffi E. M. , Spaander Manon C. W. , Pouw Roos E. , Tang Thjon J. , Houben Martin H. M. G. , Schoon Erik J. , de Jonge Pieter J. F. , Bruno Marco J. , Koch Arjun D.
Published: February 2021

Background Clinical tumor stage of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is determined by endoscopic ultrasound and/or computed tomography scan, which have low accuracy for stages T1 and T2, potentially leading to overtreatment. We aimed to assess the proportion of cT2 EACs downstaged to cT1 after endoscopic reassessment (ERA) by an experienced interventional endoscopist.

Methods We performed a prospective multicenter cohort study. Patients with cT2N0M0 EAC were included and underwent ERA. The primary outcome was proportion of cT2 EACs downstaged to cT1 after ERA.

Results 15/25 included patients (60 %) were downstaged from cT2 to cT1 EAC after ERA and underwent attempted endoscopic resection. Endoscopic resection was aborted in 3/15 patients because of tumor invasion into the muscle layer; all three underwent successful surgical resection. Endoscopic resection was successful in 12/15 patients (80 %), all of whom had pT1 tumors. Overall, 10/25 (40 %) were treated with endoscopic resection alone.

Conclusions ERA downstaged about half of the cT2 tumors to cT1, rendering them suitable for endoscopic resection. ERA had substantial clinical impact on therapeutic management, preventing overtreatment in 40 % of patients.
Cost Effectiveness of Whole Exome Sequencing for Children with Developmental Delay in a Developing Country: A Study from Jordan
Authors: Masri Amira , Hamamy Hanan
Published: February 2021

This retrospective study aimed to determine the cost effectiveness of whole exome sequencing (WES) in the diagnosis of children with developmental delay in a developing country. In this study of 40 patients, the average cost of traditional investigations and indirect costs related to rehabilitation and medications per child were USD847 and 6,585 per year, respectively. With a current cost for WES of approximately USD1,200, we concluded that performing WES could be cost effective, even in countries with limited resources, as it provides the option for genetic counseling in affected families with an ultimate reduction of overall financial burden to both parents and health care system.
Cryogenic operation of planar ultrananocrystalline diamond field emission source in SRF injector
Authors: Baryshev Sergey V. , Wang Erdong , Jing Chunguang , Jabotinski Vadim , Antipov Sergey , Kanareykin Alexei D. , Belomestnykh Sergey , Ben-Zvi Ilan , Chen Lizhi , Wu Qiong , Li Hao , Sumant Anirudha V.
Published: February 2021

Here, we report a demonstration of electron beam generation in a superconducting radio frequency (SRF) Teraelectronvolt Energy Superconducting Linear Accelerator 1.3 GHz gun equipped with a field emission cathode and operated at 2 K. The cathode is a submicrometer film of nitrogen-incorporated ultrananocrystalline diamond [(N)UNCD] deposited atop a Nb RRR300 cathode plug that is 4 mm in diameter. Measurements of the output current showed that it increased exponentially as a function of the gun gradient. Our results demonstrate a feasible path toward simplified fully cryogenic SRF injector technology. At a maximal gradient of 0.9 MV/m, a current density of 22 μA/cm2 was obtained [calculated as a 2.75 μA current over the total cathode surface area of π(2 mm)2]. One important finding is that the electron emitter made of (N)UNCD, a material long been known as a highly efficient field emission material, demonstrated a record low turn-on gradient of 0.6 MV/m. A hypothesis explaining this behavior is proposed.
A method for measuring fluid pressure and solid deformation profiles in uniaxial porous media flows
Authors: Lutz Tyler , Wilen Larry , Wettlaufer John
Published: February 2021

Flow through rigid, reactive, or deformable porous media has relevance to the dynamical behavior studied across a broad range of problems in science and engineering. Here, we describe an apparatus designed to simultaneously measure the pervadic pressure profile, fluid volume flux, and deformation in an evolving poroelastic medium. We demonstrate the apparatus in measurements of flow-induced compression of a soft latex foam. The approach can be used in both rigid and reactive porous media.
Calibration of radiochromic EBT3 film using laser-accelerated protons
Authors: Mahmood M. Ahsan , Lee Seong Geun , Lee Sang Hwa , Kim Ha-Na , Lee Kitae , Ahmad Izhar , Yang Jeong Moon , Yoon Jin Woo , Lee Hwang Woon , Sung Jae Hee , Lee Seong Ku , Choi Il Woo , Nam Chang Hee
Published: February 2021

We present a proof of principle for onsite calibration of a radiochromic film (EBT3) using CR-39 as an absolute proton-counting detector and laser-accelerated protons as a calibration source. A special detector assembly composed of aluminum range filters, an EBT3 film, and a CR-39 detector is used to expose the EBT3 film with protons in an energy range of 3.65 MeV–5.85 MeV. In our design, the proton beam is divided into small beamlets and their projection images are taken on the EBT3 film and the CR-39 detector by maintaining a certain distance between the two detectors. Owing to the geometrical factor of the configuration and scattering inside the EBT3, the areal number density of protons was kept below the saturation level of the CR-39 detector. We also present a method to relate the number of protons detected on the CR-39 in a narrow energy range to protons with a broad energy spectrum that contribute to the dose deposited in the EBT3 film. The energy spectrum of protons emitted along the target normal direction is simultaneously measured using another CR-39 detector installed in a Thomson parabola spectrometer. The calibration curves for the EBT3 film were obtained in the optical density range of 0.01–0.25 for low dose values of 0.1 Gy–3.0 Gy. Our results are in good agreement with the calibrations of the EBT3 film that are traditionally carried out using conventional accelerators. The method presented here can be further extended for onsite calibration of radiochromic films of other types and for a higher range of dose values.
p–n heterojunction perovskite solar cell with bilateral Ohmic contacts
Authors: Huang Like , Zhu Yuejin
Published: February 2021

The tunability of the carrier/conduction polarity of halide perovskite via intrinsic defect self-doping makes it possible to implement a simple p–n heterojunction perovskite solar cell. Here, approaching 16% efficient prototype device of the p-type spiro-MeOTAD/n-type MAPbI3 heterojunction perovskite solar cell is demonstrated via synergetic energy band and interface engineering. The n-type perovskite is enabled by self-doping associated with excess PbI2, avoiding a redundant electron transport layer, while the oxygen-induced p-type extrinsic doping (oxidation) of spiro-MeOTAD ensures its high hole conductivity and Ohmic contact with Au back electrode. Furthermore, ITO's effective work function is reduced by the polar molecular modification layer to ensure its Ohmic contact with perovskite. Also, the functional groups of this modification layer effectively passivate the front interface defects, contributing to the enhanced device performance observed. This work highlights the great potential of facile energy band and interface engineering for efficient and simple-structured perovskite solar cells.
A proton beam energy modulator for rapid proton therapy
Authors: Lu Xueying , Li Zenghai , Dolgashev Valery , Bowden Gordon , Sy Ann , Tantawi Sami , Nanni Emilio A.
Published: February 2021

We present the design for a rapid proton energy modulator with radiofrequency accelerator cavities, which can deliver the proton radiation dose to varied depth in human tissues much faster than traditional mechanical beam energy degraders. The proton energy modulator is designed as a multi-cell 1-m long accelerator working at 2.856 GHz. Each individual accelerator cavity is powered by a 400 kW compact klystron to provide an accelerating/decelerating gradient of 30 MV/m. The high gradient is enabled by the individual power coupling regime, which provides a high shunt impedance. Beam dynamics simulations were performed, showing that the energy modulator can provide ±30 MeV of beam energy change for a 150 MeV, 7 mm long (full length) proton bunch, and the total energy spread of 3 MeV is satisfactory to clinical needs. A prototype experiment of a single cell has been built and tested, and the low-power microwave measurement results agree very well with simulations. The energy modulator is optimized for the 150 MeV cyclotron proton beam, while this approach can work with different beam energies.
Learning-based approach to plasticity in athermal sheared amorphous packings: Improving softness
Authors: Rocks Jason W. , Ridout Sean A. , Liu Andrea J.
Published: February 2021

The plasticity of amorphous solids undergoing shear is characterized by quasi-localized rearrangements of particles. While many models of plasticity exist, the precise relationship between the plastic dynamics and the structure of a particle’s local environment remains an open question. Previously, machine learning was used to identify a structural predictor of rearrangements called “softness.” Although softness has been shown to predict which particles will rearrange with high accuracy, the method can be difficult to implement in experiments where data are limited and the combinations of descriptors it identifies are often difficult to interpret physically. Here, we address both of these weaknesses, presenting two major improvements to the standard softness method. First, we present a natural representation of each particle’s observed mobility, allowing for the use of statistical models that are both simpler and provide greater accuracy in limited datasets. Second, we employ persistent homology as a systematic means of identifying simple, topologically informed, structural quantities that are easy to interpret and measure experimentally. We test our methods on two-dimensional athermal packings of soft spheres under quasi-static shear. We find that the same structural information that predicts small variations in the response is also predictive of where plastic events will localize. We also find that an excellent accuracy is achieved in athermal sheared packings using simply a particle’s species and the number of nearest neighbor contacts.
Synergizing microfluidics with soft robotics: A perspective on miniaturization and future directions
Authors: Gao Run Ze , Ren Carolyn L.
Published: February 2021

Soft robotics has gone through a decade of tremendous progress in advancing both fundamentals and technologies. It has also seen a wide range of applications such as surgery assistance, handling of delicate foods, and wearable assistive systems driven by its soft nature that is more human friendly than traditional hard robotics. The rapid growth of soft robotics introduces many challenges, which vary with applications. Common challenges include the availability of soft materials for realizing different functions and the precision and speed of control required for actuation. In the context of wearable systems, miniaturization appears to be an additional hurdle to be overcome in order to develop truly impactful systems with a high user acceptance. Microfluidics as a field of research has gone through more than two decades of intense and focused research resulting in many fundamental theories and practical tools that have the potentials to be applied synergistically to soft robotics toward miniaturization. This perspective aims to introduce the potential synergy between microfluidics and soft robotics as a research topic and suggest future directions that could leverage the advantages of the two fields.
In search of phosphorus in astronomical environments: The reaction between the CP radical (X2Σ+) and methanimine
Authors: Alessandrini S. , Tonolo F. , Puzzarini C.
Published: February 2021

Phosphorus is of particular interest in astrochemistry because it is a biogenic element together with hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur. However, the chemical evolution of such element in the interstellar medium (ISM) is still far from an accurate characterization, with the chemistry of P-bearing molecules being poorly understood. To provide a contribution in this direction, we have carried out an accurate investigation of the potential energy surface for the reaction between the CP radical and methanimine (CH2NH), two species already detected in the ISM. In analogy to similar systems, i.e., CH2NH + X, with X = OH, CN, and CCH, this reaction can occur—from an energetic point of view—under the harsh conditions of the ISM. Furthermore, since the major products of the aforementioned reaction, namely, E- and Z-2-phosphanylidyneethan-1-imine (HN=CHCP) and N-(phosphaneylidynemethyl)methanimine (H2C=NCP), have not been spectroscopically characterized yet, some effort has been made for filling this gap by means of accurate computational approaches.
Dietary condensed tannins in bovine faeces and effects on soil microbial dynamics: are there environmental benefits for cattle production systems?
Authors: Fagundes Gisele M. , Benetel Gabriela , Carriero Mateus M. , Sousa Ricardo L. M. , Santos Kelly C. , Muir James P. , Bueno Ives C. S.
Published: February 2021

Context Plant bioactive compounds such as condensed tannins (CT) are seen as an alternative to rumen chemical modulators to mitigate rumen methanogenesis in livestock; however, the presence of CT in ruminant faeces also produces a series of changes in soil microbiomes. Little is known about these effects on soil nutrient dynamics. Therefore, whether CT affect the decomposition process of faecal organic matter, delaying it and consequently increasing soil carbon and nitrogen (N) sequestration, merits study. Aims Our study investigated the effects of a diet rich in CT on bovine faecal composition and on subsequent dynamics of a soil microbial population. Methods Faeces were analysed from cattle fed the following diets: control (no CT), 1.25% CT, 2.5% CT. In a greenhouse pot experiment over a period of 60 days, faeces from the three dietary treatments were applied to soil and the soil microbial populations were measured against a control with no faeces applied. Key results The presence of CT increased the excretion of faecal N and of neutral and acid detergent fibres and lignin, and the higher rate of CT reduced the rate of soil organic matter decomposition. Treatments with dietary CT resulted in greater total numbers of bacteria in the soil than in the no-faeces control and stimulated numbers of Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria (α-Proteobacteria) and Firmicutes. Conclusions The study showed that CT alter N recycling and other nutrient inputs in a soil–animal ecosystem by increasing faecal N inputs, delaying organic matter breakdown, and changing soil microbial dynamics. Implications The presence of CT in ruminant diets can be beneficial to the soil environment. Sustainable management practices should be encouraged by providing ruminants with feed including high-CT legumes in silvopastoral systems.
N-Heterocyclic Carbenes–Cu
Authors: Beig Nosheen , Goyal Varsha , Gupta Raakhi , Bansal Raj K.
Published: February 2021

The electronic structures of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) imidazolinylidene, thiazolinylidene, imidazolylidene, thiazolylidene, and 1,2,4-triazolylidene and their complexes with cuprous halides (CuX, X = Cl, Br, I) were investigated theoretically at the B3LYP/def2-SVP level. In contrast to other NHCs, imidazolylidene and 1,2,4-triazolylidene do not dimerize owing to the negligible coefficient of the vacant p-orbital at the carbene centre in their respective LUMOs. This is further supported by their greater thermodynamic and kinetic stabilities revealed by greater activation free energies and smaller standard free energies for their dimerization. Second-order perturbation interactions in the natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis of the NHCs indicate that six π electrons are delocalized in imidazolylidene, thiazolylidene, and 1,2,4-triazolylidene, conferring aromatic character and thereby enhancing their thermodynamic stability. NBO analysis reveals the existence of effective back bonding from a d orbital of Cu to the NHC, increasing the Wiberg bond index of the C–Cu bond to ~1.5. Owing to the large electronic chemical potential (μ) and high nucleophilicity indices, NHCs are able to transfer their electron density effectively to the cuprous halides having low μ values and high electrophilicity indices to yield stable NHC–CuI complexes. Large values of the Fukui function f(r) at the carbene centre of the NHCs and Cu atom of the NHC–CuI complexes indicate their softness. Imidazolylidene was found to be the softest, rationalizing wide use of this class of NHCs as ligands. The coordination of the NHCs to cuprous halides is either barrierless or has a very low activation free energy barrier. In the A3 reaction wherein NHC–Cu(I) complexes are used as catalyst, the reaction of NHC–CuI with phenylacetylene changes the latter into acetylide accompanied by raising the energy level of its HOMO considerably compared with the level of the uncomplexed alkyne, making its reaction with benzaldehyde barrierless.
Long-term fire effects on vegetation and topsoil properties in beech forests of Manjaca Mountain (western Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Authors: Solomun Marijana Kapović , Ferreira Carla S. S. , Eremija Saša , Tošić Radislav , Lazović Nemanja , Češljar Goran
Published: February 2021

Wildfires are an important driver of land degradation, with detrimental impacts on soil properties, usually leading to decreasing soil fertility and erosion, which affect vegetation recovery. This study investigates the long-term impact of wildfires on topsoil horizons and vegetation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where land degradation is causing significant economic and ecological losses. Ten years after a wildfire, 12 plots were installed in areas affected by low- and medium-severity fire, and in unburned areas. Morphological, physical and chemical soil properties were explored on each plot, together with vegetation cover (number and cover of species). Soil organic matter, carbon, nitrogen and available phosphorus contents in medium- and low-severity fire affected plots are approximately half of those recorded in unburned plots, showing detrimental long-term impacts on soil fertility. Soil cation exchange capacity, pH and available potassium did not show significant differences between fire- and non-fire-affected plots. The number of plant species in medium-severity fire-affected plots is significantly lower than in low-severity and unburned plots. Differentiated plant groups are led by herbaceous (ground-breaking and weed) species. This study shows that wildfires can have long-term impacts on topsoil horizons and vegetation in limestone areas, threatening the sustainability of forest ecosystems.
Modeling SARS-CoV-2 viral kinetics and association with mortality in hospitalized patients from the French COVID cohort
Authors: Néant Nadège , Lingas Guillaume , Le Hingrat Quentin , Ghosn Jade , Engelmann Ilka , Lepiller Quentin , Gaymard Alexandre , Ferré Virginie , Hartard Cédric , Plantier Jean-Christophe , Thibault Vincent , Marlet Julien , Montes Brigitte , Bouiller Kevin , Lescure François-Xavier , Timsit Jean-François , Faure Emmanuel , Poissy Julien , Chidiac Christian , Raffi François , Kimmoun Antoine , Etienne Manuel , Richard Jean-Christophe , Tattevin Pierre , Garot Denis , Le Moing Vincent , Bachelet Delphine , Tardivon Coralie , Duval Xavier , Yazdanpanah Yazdan , Mentré France , Laouénan Cédric , Visseaux Benoit , Guedj Jérémie ,   for the French COVID Cohort Investigators and French Cohort Study groups
Published: February 2021

Significance

A detailed characterization of viral load kinetics and its association with disease evolution is key to understand the virus pathogenesis, identify high-risk patients, and design better treatment strategies. We here analyze the mortality and the virological information collected in 655 hospitalized patients, including 284 with longitudinal measurements, and we build a mathematical model of virus dynamics and survival. We predict that peak viral load occurs 1 d before symptom onset, on average, and that dynamics of decline after peak is slower in older patients. Viral load dynamics after hospital admission is an independent predictor of the risk of death, suggesting that prolonged viral shedding of high quantities of virus is associated with poor outcome in this population.
Kidney intercalated cells and the transcription factor FOXi1 drive cystogenesis in tuberous sclerosis complex
Authors: Barone Sharon , Zahedi Kamyar , Brooks Marybeth , Henske Elizabeth P. , Yang Yirong , Zhang Erik , Bissler John J. , Yu Jane J. , Soleimani Manoocher
Published: February 2021

Significance

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is caused by mutations in TSC1 or TSC2 gene and affects multiple organs, including the kidney, where it presents with angiomyolipomata and cysts that can result in kidney failure. The factors promoting cyst formation and tumor growth in TSC are incompletely understood. Current studies demonstrate that kidney cyst epithelia in TSC mouse models and in humans with TSC are composed of hyperproliferating intercalated cells, along with activation of H
+
-ATPase and carbonic anhydrase 2. Interfering with intercalated cell proliferation completely inhibited and inactivating carbonic anhydrase 2 significantly protected against cyst formation in TSC. Targeting the acid base and/or electrolyte transporters of intercalated cells may provide a therapeutic approach for the treatment of kidney cysts in TSC.
An mtDNA mutant mouse demonstrates that mitochondrial deficiency can result in autism endophenotypes
Authors: Yardeni Tal , Cristancho Ana G. , McCoy Almedia J. , Schaefer Patrick M. , McManus Meagan J. , Marsh Eric D. , Wallace Douglas C.
Published: February 2021

Significance

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have increasingly been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, corroborated by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) germline and somatic variants being found in ASD patients. If mitochondrial defects can generate ASD, then specific mtDNA mutations should induce ASD endophenotypes in mice. We tested this prediction by introduction of an mtDNA
ND6
gene missense mutation (

ND6
P25L

) into the mouse germline and found ASD endophenotypes. The

ND6
P25L

mice exhibit impaired social interaction, compulsive behavior, and increased anxiety. They have reduced electroencephalographic delta and theta wave power, increased predilection to seizures, but without diminution of hippocampal interneurons. These endophenotypes correlate with impaired cortical and hippocampal mitochondrial respiration and increased reactive oxygen species production. Thus, mitochondrial defects can be sufficient to produce ASD phenotypes.
Learning from an avatar video instructor
Authors: Vest Nicholas A. , Fyfe Emily R. , Nathan Mitchell J. , Alibali Martha W.
Published: February 2021

Teachers often produce gestures, and, in some cases, students mimic their teachers’ gestures and adopt them into their own repertoires. However, little research has explored the role of gesture mimicry in technology-based learning contexts. In this research, we examined variations in the rate and form of students’ gestures when learning from a computer-animated pedagogical avatar. Twenty-four middle school students received a lesson on polynomial multiplication from a gesturing avatar video instructor. After the lesson, students were asked to provide an explanation of what they learned. Students varied in their gesture rates, and some students produced gestures that were similar in form to the avatar’s gestures. Students who produced gestures that aligned with the teacher’s gestures scored higher than those who did not produce such gestures. These results suggest that middle school students’ gestures play a key role when learning a mathematics lesson from an avatar instructor.
“When you were that little…”
Authors: Safar Josefina
Published: February 2021

In this article, I analyse how conventional height-specifier gestures used by speakers of Yucatec Maya become
incorporated into Yucatec Maya Sign Languages (YMSLs). Combining video-data from elicitation, narratives, conversations and
interviews collected from YMSL signers from four communities as well as from hearing nonsigners from another Yucatec Maya village,
I compare form, meaning and distribution of height-specifiers in gesture and sign. Co-speech gestures that depict the height of
upright entities – performed with a flat hand, palm facing downwards – come to serve various linguistic functions in YMSLs: a noun
for human referents, a verb GROW, a spatial referential device, and an element of name signs. Special attention is paid to how
height-specifier gestures fulfil a grammatical purpose as noun-classifiers for human referents in YMSLs. My study demonstrates
processes of lexicalisation and grammaticalisation from gesture to sign and discusses the impact of gesture on the emergence of
shared sign languages.
Opto-electronic properties of poly-crystalline La doped BaSnO3 films deposited on quartz substrates
Authors: Kumar Akash , Maurya Sandeep , Patwardhan Suren , Balasubramaniam K R
Published: February 2021

Highly conducting and transparent thin films of La
x
Ba1 − x
SnO3 (x = 0, 0.01 and 0.05) were grown on quartz substrates via pulsed laser deposition. Conductivity increases in orders of magnitude upon vacuum annealing of the as–deposited films. This is attributed to the significant enhancement in carrier concentration due to the increased oxygen vacancy defects (V

O

∙
∙

). Enhanced carrier concentration improves the metallicity in the films at room temperature. Metal to semiconductor transition (MST) is observed in the films with n
e

⩾

1019 cm−3 at low temperatures. The MST shifts towards absolute zero temperature as the carrier concentration in the film increases. Low–temperature resistivity analysis suggests that the charge transport is mainly governed by strong electron–electron interaction. UV–Vis spectroscopy confirms a 60%–80% transmittance in the visible range (400–800 nm) for all the films. Due to the large change in carrier concentration, Burstein Moss (BM) shift is observed, and the bandgap ranges between 3.65–3.98 eV. The effective mass of electron and refractive index estimated from the BM shift and transmittance are found to be 0.6 m
e
and 2, respectively.
Prediction of half-lives of even–even superheavy nuclei
Authors: Pathak Deepika , Singh Navdeep , Kaur Harjeet , Jain Sudhir R
Published: February 2021

α-decay half-lives (

T

1
/
2

α

-values) of even–even and superheavy nuclei (SHN) are determined employing interaction potential involving Coulomb and proximity potentials. The obtained results are compared with the experimental ones and to assess the precision of the present model in reproducing the experimental half-lives, a comparison is drawn with the other methods as well. We require disintegration energy (Q

α
-values) as an input in order to predict the (

T

1
/
2

α

-values) of an experimentally unknown SHN. So, utilizing periodic-orbit theory within microscopic-macroscopic formalism, we have calculated the binding energies and thereafter, Q

α
-values of known SHN. The results are found to be in good agreement with the experimental ones. Subsequently, we predict the logarithmic values of

T

1
/
2

α

’s for even–even unknown SHN whose atomic numbers lie in 118 ⩽ Z ⩽ 126 regime and compare our results with those calculated employing other theoretical methods. Also, the study of spontaneous fission half-lives and branching ratios leads us to predict the SHN which can be identified through α-decay chains in the laboratories. We believe that this work can play a significant role in the experiments leading to the synthesis and identification of new superheavy elements.
Current-induced forces in single-resonance systems
Authors: Deghi Sebastián E , Fernández-Alcázar Lucas J , Pastawski Horacio M , Bustos-Marún Raúl A
Published: February 2021

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in nanoelectromechanical devices, current-driven quantum machines, and the mechanical effects of electric currents on nanoscale conductors. Here, we carry out a thorough study of the current-induced forces and the electronic friction of systems whose electronic effective Hamiltonian can be described by an archetypal model, a single energy level coupled to two reservoirs. Our results can help better understand the general conditions that maximize the performance of different devices modeled as a quantum dot coupled to two electronic reservoirs. Additionally, they can be useful to rationalize the role of current-induced forces in the mechanical deformation of one-dimensional conductors.
Structure of plate-shape nanodiamonds synthesized from chloroadamantane—are they still diamonds?
Authors: Stelmakh Svitlana , Skrobas Kazimierz , Gierlotka Stanislaw , Palosz Bogdan
Published: February 2021

Atomic structure of plate-shaped nanodiamonds synthesized from chloroadamantane was identified with application of large-Q powder diffraction data. Both reciprocal and real space methods of experimental data analysis were applied. Theoretical atomistic models of nanodiamonds were obtained with application of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. It was found that examined nanodiamond samples with average grain size from 1.2 up to 2.5 nm are plates build from only six hexagonal carbon layers and they are terminated by (111)B surfaces with three dangling bonds. MD simulations showed that as a result of relaxation of surface stresses there appears a complex system of compressive and tensile strains across and parallel to the surface of the plate-nanodiamonds. Identification of the internal structure of nanodiamond was performed based on the analysis of differential interatomic distance diagrams derived from pair distribution functions G(r). Based on MD simulations an atomic model of plate-grains of diamond was elaborated. Usefulness of lattice parameters determined in a routine diffraction data analysis for characterization of nanodiamonds is questioned. As an alternative the application of the apparent lattice parameter is recommended. A dependence of the overall apparent lattice parameter 〈alp〉 on the size and shape of nanodiamond grains terminated by low index crystal faces is presented.
A deflection-based practicable method for health monitoring of in-service bridges
Authors: Prakash G
Published: February 2021

This paper presents a static deflection-based method for structural health monitoring of in-service bridges. In the past, the use of static as well as dynamic measurements has been investigated for damage detection in bridge elements. However, most of these methods are complex and work only in laboratory settings. Moreover, implementing such methods for in-service bridges is a challenging task. The method presented in this paper is based on a simple structural analysis principle and can be implemented for in-service bridges. Using the principle of virtual work, an analytical expression for deflection change (DC) (i.e. the difference in deflection for healthy and damaged beams) and a consistency function are derived. A plot of the DC curve reveals the damage location, and the consistency function is used to assess the damage severity. Numerical case studies and laboratory experiments are presented to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed method in different cases, such as a simply supported beam subjected to uniform loading and a cantilever beam subjected to uniform loading. Satisfactory damage localization and quantification results were achieved even with a small number of sensors. Both numerical and experimental analysis results show that the proposed model performs reasonably well at detecting and assessing the damage in bridge elements.
The calibration method of the circle-structured light measurement system for inner surfaces considering systematic errors
Authors: Dong Yuchu , Fang Changshuai , Zhu Linlin , Yan Ning , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: February 2021

Light plane deviation and motion direction deviation of stage systems are the two main sources of systematic errors in circle-structured light inner surface measurement systems. In this paper, we propose a new two-step calibration method to compensate these systematic errors. In the first step, a more accurate initial light plane calibration result is obtained by multi-position binocular-structured light calibration. Then, in the second step, the initial result is optimized by measuring the inner radius of a standard ring gauge to obtain the optimal light plane calibration result. Based on this result, the real motion direction is also calibrated by optimization using the inner surface scanning measurement data of the standard ring gauge. The proposed method improves the system calibration accuracy through the second calibration step, making it convenient to operate without using complex calibration targets or expensive equipment. Therefore, this calibration method has the potential to be used in actual measurements. The experimental results show that the mean relative measurement error can reach 0.015% in our homemade measurement system and validate that the measurement system calibrated by our proposed method realizes high-precision and high-repeatability measurements for inner surfaces.
Gate-tunable quantum dot formation between localized-resonant states in a few-layer MoS2
Authors: Kim Bum-Kyu , Choi Dong-Hwan , Yu Byung-Sung , Kim Minsoo , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Kim Ju-Jin , Bae Myung-Ho
Published: February 2021

We demonstrate a gate-tunable quantum dot (QD) located between two potential barriers defined in a few-layer MoS2. Although both local gates used to tune the potential barriers have disorder-induced QDs, we observe diagonal current stripes in current resonant islands formed by the alignment of the Fermi levels of the electrodes and the energy levels of the disorder-induced QDs, as evidence of the gate-tunable QD. We demonstrate that the charging energy of the designed QD can be tuned in the range of 2–6 meV by changing the local-gate voltages in ∼1 V.
The effect of curvature induced broken potential vorticity conservation on drift wave turbulences
Authors: Liu Z Y , Zhang Y Z , Mahajan S M
Published: February 2021

The correlation theory of turbulence suppression (Zhang and Mahajan 1993 Phys. Fluids
B5 2000) by velocity shear was constructed by invoking the ansatz of potential vorticity conservation (PVC) that holds for relatively simple (slab) models of drift wave turbulence. It is, therefore, surprising that a detailed modern simulation of the H mode pedestal, using the gyrokinetic code GENE (Hatch et al 2018 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion
60 084003), found ‘striking agreement’ with the predictions of the analytic model. To understand the reasons for this remarkable agreement, an extended theory that contains finite (magnetic) curvature, and which does not conserve potential vorticity, is developed and ‘solved’ by calculating an inhomogeneous Green function reflecting the fact that the new system has a potential vorticity source. It is, then, demonstrated that the effect of the broken PVC is insignificant for the normal operation parameters in tokamaks; the correction due to curvature is at the order of

2

L
0

/

R

, where

L
0

is the scale length of the local gradient and

R

is the major radius. The excellent agreement between simulation and slab model 1993 theory is therefore not accidental; the latter can be applied with confidence to the tokamak pedestal.
A molecular dynamics study on tensile and low cycle fatigue behaviors of Ti single crystal nanowire
Authors: Ni Yang , Zhou Chuwei
Published: February 2021

It is essential to reveal the fatigue mechanism of the main elements in alloys at the nano scale for the material design against fatigue failure. In the present study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been employed to investigate the static tensile and low cycle fatigue (LCF) behaviors of a defect free single crystal Ti nanowire with hexagonal close-packed (HCP) structure at room temperature (300 K). Results showed that the explosive initiations of body centered cubic and disordered atoms led yielding of Ti nanowire under static tensile load. The following stress response to constant amplitude cyclic strain was found strongly relatived to the instantaneous microstructure configuration at the first unloading. Variation of potential energy was used to characterize the competitions between face-centered cubic (FCC) atoms, body-centered cubic (BCC) atoms and disordered atoms. A conclusion was drew that the cyclic characteristics of Ti nanowire were heavily dependent on the dominant atom configuation during the fatigue process. Additionally, this research also found that static tensile yield strength of Ti nanowire may vary notably with respect to crystal direction, e.g. for [

1
¯

100] (or for [0001]) it is about 1.5 times of that for [11

2
¯

0].
Time-dependent reliability-based design optimization of structures with fuzzy uncertainty
Authors: Fan Chongqing , zhang Zhengkai , wen qingguo
Published: February 2021

For addressing the optimal design parameter for the time-dependent structure involving fuzzy variables, a novel reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) model with the constraints of time-dependent failure possibility (TDFP) is proposed. The solution of the RBDO is a double loop method, the outer loop is deterministic optimization, and the inner loop performs TDFP analysis. For evaluating TDFP in the inner loop, firstly the double-loop nested optimization method (DLOM) is investigated, but the high computational cost of DLOM is impractical, thus the single-loop optimization method is adopted. After the detailed implementation of the proposed RBDO is given, several examples containing one numerical example and two engineering examples are introduced to show the rationality of the proposed approach.
Research on Opportunity Maintenance Strategy of Wind Turbines Based on Incomplete Maintenance
Authors: Liu C , Pang R Y , Han C , Liu T T
Published: February 2021

Aiming at the problem of single maintenance method and high cost of wind turbines, an opportunity maintenance strategy for wind turbines based on incomplete maintenance is proposed. Firstly, based on the historical fault data of the equipment operation, the reliability of each component of the wind turbine is modeled using Weibull distribution, and the service life regression factor and failure rate increasing factor is introduced to build the incomplete maintenance strategy model of the wind turbine. Secondly, according to the opportunity maintenance theory and the reliability requirements of wind turbine components, determine the preventive maintenance reliability threshold and the opportunity maintenance reliability threshold of each component, and adopt three types of maintenance methods: incomplete repair, opportunity repair and replacement of key components within the opportunity repair interval. Based on this, a multi-component opportunity maintenance model for wind turbines based on incomplete maintenance and its decision process are constructed. Finally, the model was simulated and verified through specific wind turbine maintenance cases, and the model was solved using genetic algorithms to determine the optimal opportunity maintenance strategy. Simulation results show that the strategy can coordinate the maintenance time of various components, realize the simultaneous maintenance of multiple components, improve maintenance efficiency, and reduce maintenance costs, thereby verifying the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Study on the effect of laser process parameter rs on the cladding quality of camshaft
Authors: Zhang Wen-jia , Xue Jun-fang , Nan Qun-wei , Liu Tong
Published: February 2021

In order to study laser cladding parameters on the quality of laser cladding layer on the stability of influence, this article through the analysis of three great influence the result in the laser cladding process parameters (laser spot radius, cladding speed, laser power) of the different combination, in the WorkBench software to simulate and analyze the law of the cladding layer temperature change over time, sum up the best process parameter combination (P=1000W, V= 0.004mm/s, and R=5mm )for the actual laser cladding for guidance, to enhance the stability and reliability of the laser cladding layer.
Vaccination Strategy Analysis with SIRV Epidemic Model Based on Scale-free Networks with Tunable Clustering
Authors: Meng Xueyu , Cai Zhiqiang , Dui Hongyan , Cao Huiying
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we propose an SIRV (susceptible, infected, recovered, vaccination) evolutionary game model for infectious disease vaccination strategies based on the scale-free networks with tunable clustering. This model takes into account factors such as vaccination effectiveness, vaccination cost, treatment cost after illness, government subsidy rate and treatment discount rate. First of all, we use the idea of evolutionary game to make each individual in the network get two strategies, including vaccination and non-vaccination. Meanwhile, in each propagation process, according to the policy update rule (PUR), each individual updates its game strategy according to the benefit relationship with the adjacent nodes. Then, we analyze the compulsory and voluntary vaccination on the scale-free network with considering the influence of vaccination efficiency, the cost of vaccination, the cost of treatment after illness, the government subsidy rate, the treatment discount rate on vaccination. The results indicate that when the vaccination effectiveness is about 0.9, it is a better value for the evolution of vaccination strategy. For government decision making, choosing appropriate values of s and d can make the overall benefit of society higher.
Dynamics and reliability analysis of the D-knotter winding rope system
Authors: Na R S , Liu Y , Li S
Published: February 2021

The knotter is the core component of the rectangular bale baler. In view of the short service life, low reliability, and easy fracture during the working process, this paper takes the D-knotter’s winding rope system as the research object, lumped mass method and Lagrangain method were adopted to set up dynamic model and equations of winding rope system, Built a dynamic simulation block diagram. The dynamic response analysis of the winding rope system verified the accuracy of the dynamic differential equation and determined the fatigue analysis method. The Six Sigma reliability analysis module was used to analyze the reliability of the winding rope system, the reliability of the winding rope system at different rotational speeds was calculated, putted forward some optimizing measures for fatigue life of winding rope system, the result indicated that the fatigue life of winding rope system after optimization were greatly improved.