bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge, Attitude, Awareness, and Perceptions among Physicians toward Antibiotic Resistance in Hospitals in South Palestine
Authors: Jabbarin Hussein , Nawajah Inad , Hejaz Hatem A.
Published: March 2023

Background Antibiotic resistance is a global problem, and the World Health Organization has made this problem one of its priorities for solving. Therefore, a survey was carried out to investigate the knowledge, attitude, awareness, and perceptions of antibiotic resistance among physicians and to assess the correlation between the knowledge of antibiotic resistance and their years of experience in some Palestinian hospitals.

Methods This was a cross-sectional study that targeted physicians who are working in different healthcare facilities in Hebron and Bethlehem governorates. We used a questionnaire for data collection. The questionnaire consists of 42 questions to measure the knowledge, attitudes, awareness, and perceptions of antibiotic use and resistance.

Results The response rate was 91.33% (137 of 150 physicians completed the questionnaire). The participants' ages ranged from 25 to 56 years, and the majority were males (n = 116, 84.7%) working in governmental hospitals (n = 83, 60.6%). Of physicians, 69.3% (n = 95) perceived antibiotic resistance as a very important worldwide problem, while 54.7% (n = 75) perceived a very important problem in the country, 54.0% (n = 74) a very important problem in their hospital, and 59.1% (n = 81) a very important problem in their departments. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was the most known antibiotic-resistant bacteria followed by extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. Only 47 physicians (34.3%) think that antibiotics are not used appropriately in their department. Respondents' physicians showed that the development of antibiotic resistance was due to various factors that include self-medication n= (92, 67.2%), overuse of antibiotics (n = 83, 60.6%), and uncompleted treatment (n= 87, 63.5). Senior specialists/consultants were found to be more knowledgeable about antibiotic resistance.

Conclusion In our survey, physicians showed variable knowledge and perceptions of antibiotic resistance. Introducing educational programs is necessary to improve their understanding and perceptions of antibiotic resistance, as well as their attitude toward antibiotic use.
Idiopathic Isolated Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Mohanty Vivek , Sharma Shubham Kumar , Goswami Sourabh , Gudhage Rahul , Deora Surender
Published: March 2023

Idiopathic isolated right ventricular cardiomyopathy is an extremely rare cause of right ventricular failure. Here, we report a case of 65-year-old male presented with chief complaints of dyspnea, fatigue, and bilateral pedal edema for the last 6 months. On clinical evaluation, grade II/III pansystolic murmur was present in left parasternal area. Investigations and imaging revealed dilated right atrium and ventricle with normal pulmonary artery pressure without any etiology. Magnetic resonance imaging ruled out other common causes of right ventricular cardiomyopathy; thus, the patient was diagnosed as a case of idiopathic isolated right ventricular cardiomyopathy that is a diagnosis of exclusion.
The perception of plastic surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic—an analysis of online search patterns on a medical information platform
Authors: Nischwitz Sebastian P. , Jung Janis , Luze Hanna , Popp Daniel , Zrim Robert , Rappl Thomas , Kamolz Lars-Peter , Spendel Stephan
Published: March 2023

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted global life and transitioned economies and societal perceptions of life as we knew it. Professional and social life mostly ground to a nadir during the first lockdown in Europe in March. As a consequence, measures aimed at preventing the spread of the virus were established in medical facilities also and elective plastic surgery procedures were temporarily suspended in our clinic and others. A majority of the population, including those potentially contemplating plastic surgery procedures, spent most of their time at home with ample time available to research information about surgical procedures and other topics online. This investigation analyzes the relevance of plastic surgery during the pandemic on the basis of online search behavior patterns. Online traffic data from the online platform http://www.mooci.org were extracted using Google Analytics over a period of 6 months. The parameters analyzed were: pageviews, session duration, and bounce rate. Additionally, differentiation by areas of interest has been obtained. The data were compared and analyzed before and after the beginning of the first hard lockdown in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. There were no significant differences in regard to pageviews and session duration when comparing time points before and after the beginning of the hard lockdown. The bounce rate exhibited a significant decrease after the beginning of the lockdown, implying a more conscious search for information and greater absorption and retention. There was no difference that could conclusively be attributed to the pandemic in terms of specific areas of interest researched. Society’s demand for information about plastic-surgical procedures continues to be steadily prevalent—despite, or even in particular, during a global pandemic. Providing reliable and readily available information about plastic surgery procedures is an important component of a functioning doctor–patient relationship and informed consent. This information may reflect society’s increased interest in plastic surgery during the pandemic, or be simply reflective of more spare time at hand to allow for such research. Further studies should investigate the relevance of elective procedures over the entire course of the pandemic.
Arbuscular mycorrhizae reduce the response of important plant functional traits to drought and salinity. A meta-analysis study
Authors: Gobbo Florencia , Corriale María José , Gázquez Ayelén , Bordenave César Daniel , Bilenca David , Menéndez Ana
Published: March 2023

We aimed at exploring the plant functional traits whose responses to drought or salinity are altered by the presence of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM). We performed a meta-analysis across 114 articles spanning 110 plant species or cultivars. We quantified the size effect of AM symbiosis on the stress response of several functional traits, using linear mixed model analysis (LMM). Correlation analysis between functional traits and total biomass responses to stresses were also performed through LMM. The literature search and further selection yielded seven functional traits, extracted from 114 laboratory studies, including 888 observations and 110 plant species/cultivars. Evidence for significant effects of predictor variables (type of stress, AM symbiosis and/or their interaction) on functional trait response were found for leaf area ratio (LAR), root mass fraction (RMF) and root–shoot (R:S) ratio. Our results provided evidence to accept the hypothesis that AM fungal inoculation may reduce the stress response of these plant functional traits by decreasing its magnitude. We also found a weak correlation between stress responses of these traits and total biomass variation. Although our literature search and data collection were intensive and our results robust, the scope of our conclusions is limited by the agronomical bias of plant species targeted by the meta-analysis. Further knowledge on non-cultivable plant species and better understanding of the mechanisms ruling resources allocation in plants would allow more generalised conclusions.
Study on energy scaling of 1.3 μm dual-wavelength Nd:YAG laser
Authors: Chang Jin-Quan , Bian Qi , Bo Yong , Peng Qin-Jun
Published: March 2023

We demonstrate a high-energy dual-wavelength Nd:YAG solid-state laser emitting at 1.3 μm. To scale up the laser output power and beam quality, the resonator has a two-rod configuration side-pumped by a quasi-continuous wave, pulsed laser diode instead of a continuous wave format, so as to mitigate the thermal effect in the laser crystal effectively. Two acousto-optic Q-switches are adopted to obtain higher peak power. By precise coating on the cavity mirrors, simultaneous oscillation at 1319 and 1338 nm is achieved with the intension ratio of near 59:50. The oscillator operates at a repetition frequency of 400 Hz and pulse duration of 117 ns, delivering a maximum average output power of 49.4 W with an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 12%. The calculated peak power and pulse energy are up to 1.06 MW and 123.5 mJ, respectively, which is, to our best knowledge, the highest energy Nd:YAG laser in the 1.3 μm region.
Plugging System of Rf Connector Based on the Fusion of Monocular and Binocular Vision
Authors: Lu Zhengwei , Lu Yonghua , Yang Haibo , Leng Di , Gao Cheng , Liu Xinyu
Published: March 2023

Aiming at the problems of poor consistency and low efficiency in the manual plugging test of 5G RF(Radio Frequency) device, an intelligent plugging system based on robotic manipulation and machine vision is proposed. The mathematical model of the RF device is firstly established. The pixel size calibration and hand-in-eye calibration algorithms are then designed. A positioning algorithm is proposed, consisted of monocular vision and binocular vision. The monocular vision is employed to calculate the position information of the 5G RF device, and consequently, the binocular vision facilitates more accurate positioning, which reduces the positioning error between the actual model and the theoretical model and improves the positioning accuracy. In the binocular ranging, this algorithm improves the traditional Census transform by adopting a double cross window and utilizing the median value of the pixels in the window as the reference value, effectively reducing the impact of noise and meanwhile preserving detailed information. The experimental results show that the average absolute error of the coordinate axis X direction is 0.33mm, the average absolute error of the coordinate axis Y direction is 0.46mm, the average absolute error of the coordinate axis Z direction is 0.27mm, and the plugging success rate is 100%.
An Analog Pre-Distortion Waveform Shaping Scheme Based on High-Speed VLC
Authors: Luo Meiling , Yang Chihyung , Han Boxiao , Wang Qifan , Han Dahai
Published: March 2023

We propose an analog pre-distortion waveform shaping scheme based on a high-speed VLC scheme, which generates a non-return-to-zero switch keying (NRZ-OOK) modulated signal shaped by a pre-distortion waveform shaping module through a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and emitted from the transmitter. Experimental results show that this simple system can fully preserve frequency components, extend system bandwidth up to 250Mhz, and improve the system performance at a communication distance of 3m and LED power of 0.02W.
Detection of Adulteration of Ziziphi Spinosae Semen Based on Near Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Zhao Xin , Liu Xin , Wang Yunpeng , Zhao Zhilei , Wang Xianyou , Lin Yufei , Liu Meichen
Published: March 2023

Based on the near-infrared hyperspectral imaging technology (NIR-HSI) (950-1700 nm), a rapid identification method was proposed for Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (Suanzaoren, SZR) and its three kinds of counterfeits, i.e. Ziziphus mauritiana lam (Lizaoren, LZR), Hovenia dulcis Thunb. (Zhijuzi, ZJZ) and Lens culinaris (Bingdou, BD). According to the proportion of 2:1, by randomly dividing the sample set, 480 samples are taken as the training set and 240 samples are taken as the test set. Five preprocessing methods were used to process the extracted raw spectra from region of interest, and the optimal preprocessing method was selected. The full spectral models were established by using the Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO-SVM), partial least square discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) and soft independent modeling class analog (SIMCA) algorithms. The best classification results of the full spectrum-based PLS-DA, GWO-SVM and SIMCA models were 0.95, 0.99 and 0.97, respectively. Selecting characteristic wavelength by combining spectral data with Competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and Successful projects algorithm (SPA) algorithms. The comparison results showed that the recognition rate of SPA-GWO-SVM and SPA-SIMCA were 0.97. The optimal model was SPA-NON-SIMCA. Finally, according to prediction results of the optimal model, the samples were marked with different colours to obtain the visualization map of SZR with different fake products.
Impulse and Plasma Plume Generated By Ablating Aluminum Target with Nanosecond Laser in Double-Pulse Configuration
Authors: Yu Chenghao , Ye Jifei , Zhou Weijing , Chang Hao , Li Mingyu
Published: March 2023

For laser ablation propulsion, the enhancement of the impulse is very challenging to realize without increasing the laser energy. In this paper, the enhancement of the impulse in vacuum is achieved by laser ablation in double-pulse mode. The impulse produced by irradiating the aluminum target for different energy combinations in double-pulse mode was measured with the torsion pendulum. The plasma plume was observed at the same time by fast photography to analyze the cause of the impulse characteristics. The effect of the energy combinations for double-pulse mode on the ablation impulse was investigated at typical interpulse delay time. When the delay time between the pulses is set to 80 ns, the maximum impulse is increased by approximately 11% compared to that of the single-pulse mode at the same total energy, wherein the energy of the first pulse is 125mJ in total energy of 200mJ. Therefore, the enhancement of the impulse can be achieved by choosing the suitable energy combination in the double-pulse configuration. However, when the time delay is 300ns, the difference in energy combinations has little influence on the impulse. The results reported here provide guidance for the application of laser ablation propulsion in space.
Super-resolution Imaging of Submicron Natural Defects on Optics Component by Structured Illumination Microscopy
Authors: Bai Jinxi , Zhang Lin , Ma Hua , Shi Zhendong , Liu Lijia , Ma Ke , Ren Huan , Chai Liqun
Published: March 2023

We report a super-resolution imaging microscope adopting the spatially structured illumination that is able to providing super-resolution and high signal noise ratio images of submicron defects on the surface and subsurface of optical components in this research. Employing the combination of structured illumination microscopy (SIM) and reflective light scattering (RLS) microscope, RLS-SIM extends the transmission band of optical transfer function of the RLS microscopy, thereby improving resolution and breaking the conventional Rayleigh diffraction limit. With 633 nm illumination light source and 100×/0.8 objective, the reconstructed RLS-SIM image of natural defects on the optics component reveals the lateral limit resolution ~296 nm, a factor of 1.63 than that of the normal bright-field microscopy with the same parameters. Moreover, compared with traditional microscope (bright-field/dark-field) and SEM images, the RLS-SIM images are demonstrated to present the finer structures of submicron digs and scratches formed in the optics manufacturing process which have a good application prospect in the research of damage mechanism of precision optical components and the upgrading of processing technology.
3D Potential Simulation for H2+ ion Under a Strong Laser Field
Authors: Wang Jian , Wang Guiqiu , Wang Shixuan , Yi He , Gao Xin
Published: March 2023

Potential is the most important quantity needed to be concerned in the study of interaction between projectile ion and target. On the one hand, it decides the total interaction course such as ion energy deposition and molecular Coulomb explosion and so on. On the other hand, under a strong laser field, the potential can be influenced by the laser. In this paper, the 3D potential is studied under a strong laser field for a hydrogen molecular ion in Al target. The simulation results show that the 3D potential is weakened by the laser intensity. Such results can provide references for correlated experiments and theoretical study.
High-energy 2.8-μm Ultrashort Pulses Generation in an Er:ZBLAN Fiber Amplifier
Authors: Wu Yongjing , Yao Chuanfei , Yang Linjing , Wang Chao , Wang Xuan , Ren Guochuan , Li Pingxue
Published: March 2023

Compact, high-energy ultrashort pulsed fiber lasers in the 2.8 μm wavelength have attracted extensive interest in many scientific and industrial applications. Here, we demonstrated the generation of μJ-level ultrashort pulses from a quasi-all-fiberized Er:ZBLAN amplifier employing a 2.8-μm frequency-shifted soliton as a seed laser. With backward pumping, the pulse energy was enhanced to 0.282 μJ when the average output power was amplified to 1.023 W. Mechanisms for the generation and amplification of ultrashort pulses were theoretically revealed by numerical simulation, and further cascaded indium fluoride (InF3) fiber to obtain a 4.26-μm redshift soliton numerically. This compact fiber amplification system consisting of frequency-shifted-based seed pulses and fluoride fiber amplifiers will be of practical interest in applications.
Nitrate Measurement in Seawater with a Turbidity Correction Algorithm based on Ultraviolet Spectrophotometry
Authors: Xu Jian , Zhu Xingyue , Zhang Naixin , Yu Kaixiong , Xu Lei , Wu Chi
Published: March 2023

Turbidity usually has a great impact on the actual measurement of the value of nitrate concentrations in the seawater. In this study, a new turbidity correction approach for nitrate concentrations measurement in the seawater based on ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy is presented. Experiments were carried out to prove the improvement of the turbidity correction method with ultraviolet spectroscopy. The orthogonal projections to latent structures (O-PLS) algorithm was chosen to correct the additional information in absorbance caused by turbidity. The experimental results show that the influence of turbidity could be excellently removed. Compared with the standard normalized variate (SNV) transformation, the O-PLS algorithm could better reduce the influence of turbidity on the nitrate absorbance and improve the measurement accuracy in turbid seawater. The linear correlation coefficient (R2) of the prediction results in test samples is 0.9999 and RMSEP is 0.1886 μmol/L.
Protein Concentration Sensor Based on Exceptional Points in Whispering-gallery Microdisks
Authors: Zhang Xuenan , Liu Bin , Zhu Huaye , Wang Fang , Li Shuguang , Cheng Tonglei
Published: March 2023

Protein concentration detection is of great importance for biological research. Research on biosensors continuously always pursues higher sensitivity and interference immunity. If a system at exceptional point is subjected to a small perturbation, the two coupled modes will rapidly shift and split. The feature can be used for ultra-highly sensitive detection. Therefore, this paper proposes a whispering-gallery microdisk sensor at exceptional point that can be used for protein molecule concentration detection. The EP is introduced by a small hole in the solid microdisk. When microfluid containing protein flows through the small hole, the protein molecules will attach to the wall of the hole, resulting in a large complex frequency splitting. Thus, this system is extremely sensitive for protein concentration. Theoretical analysis shows that the sensitivity of the architecture is tens times higher than that of the conventional microcavity sensor.
Research on Quantitative Correlation between Performance and Structure Parameters Fluctuation of InGaAs(P)/InP Gm-APD
Authors: Luo Guoling , Yang Ruiyu , Liu Yong , Zheng Boren , Wang Zeyuan , Jang Xinyan , Liao Kai , Tan Yang
Published: March 2023

A statistics method is proposed to research the quantitative correlation between device performance and structure parameters fluctuation of avalanche photodiode (APD), through theoretical simulation and setting varied structure parameters. The characteristics of InGaAsP/InP APD and InGaAs/InP APD with the same primary structure parameters are discussed, and the quantitative correlation between excess bias fluctuation and structure parameters fluctuation of the two species APDs is concluded. It is revealed that the excess bias of APD is strongly determined by the doping of charge layer, the width of charge layer and multiplication layer, and it is slightly determined by the doping and the width of absorption layer. Moreover, the two species APDs have close response uniformity and technical stability at the same condition of material manufacture and device process.
Research on Digital Testing Technology for Full Surface Defects of Cross scale Heteromorphic Metal Devices
Authors: Liu Lijia , Ma Hua , Bai Jinxi , Shi Zhendong , Zhang lin
Published: March 2023

There are many types of cross scale special-shaped metal components in various fields, and the surface quality (defects) of some key components will affect the device performance and even cause the long-term stability and reliability of the system to decline. The existing manual inspection methods are difficult to accurately quantify and establish a digital traceability database, so it is urgent to study the automatic digital inspection technology of full surface defects. However, most of the devices are curved surfaces with different shapes, large size spans, various types of surface defects and diffuse reflection imaging, and the background of machine vision images is complex, which greatly increases the difficulty of defect detection. Based on the principle of machine vision imaging, this paper designs a long depth of field and low distortion imaging system for curved surfaces. Combined with a flexible scanning motion mechanism with multiple degrees of freedom, this paper studies the technology of complex background defect extraction to realize the full surface defect detection of cross scale special-shaped metal devices.
The frustration-free fully packed loop model
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Schou Røising Henrik
Published: March 2023

We consider a quantum fully packed loop model on the square lattice with a frustration-free projector Hamiltonian and ring-exchange interactions acting on plaquettes. A boundary Hamiltonian is added to favor domain-wall boundary conditions and link ground state properties to the combinatorics and six-vertex model literature. We discuss how the boundary term fractures the Hilbert space into Krylov subspaces, and we prove that the Hamiltonian is ergodic within each subspace, leading to a series of energy-equidistant exact eigenstates in the lower end of the spectrum. Among them we systematically classify both finitely entangled eigenstates and product eigenstates. Using a recursion relation for enumerating half-plane configurations, we compute numerically the exact entanglement entropy of the ground state, confirming area law scaling. Finally, the spectrum is shown to be gapless in the thermodynamic limit with a trial state constructed by adding a twist to the ground state superposition.
Subsystem trace-distances of two random states
Authors: Telles de Miranda Joaquim , Micklitz Tobias
Published: March 2023

We study two-state discrimination in chaotic quantum systems. Assuming that one of two N-qubit pure states has been randomly selected, the probability to correctly identify the selected state from an optimally chosen experiment involving a subset of

N
−

N
B

qubits is given by the trace-distance of the states, with N

B
qubits partially traced out. In the thermodynamic limit

N
→
∞

, the average subsystem trace-distance for random pure states makes a sharp, first order transition from unity to zero at

f
=
1

/

2

, as the fraction

f
=

N
B

/

N

of unmeasured qubits is increased. We analytically calculate the corresponding crossover for finite numbers N of qubits, study how it is affected by the presence of local conservation laws, and test our predictions against exact diagonalization of models for many-body chaos.
BPS surface operators and calibrations
Authors: Drukker Nadav , Trépanier Maxime
Published: March 2023

We present here a careful study of the holographic duals of BPS surface operators in the 6d

theory. Several different classes of surface operators have been recently identified and each class has a specific calibration form—a 3-form in

A
d

S
7

×

S
4

whose pullback to the M2-brane world-volume is equal to the volume form. In all but one class, the appropriate forms are exact, so the action of the M2-brane is easily expressed in terms of boundary data, which is the geometry of the surface. Specifically, for surfaces of vanishing anomaly, it is proportional to the integral of the square of the extrinsic curvature. This can be extended to the case of surfaces with anomalies, by taking the ratio of two surfaces with the same anomaly. This gives a slew of new expectation values at large N in this theory. For one specific class of surface operators, which are Lagrangian submanifolds of

R

4

⊂

R

6

, the structure is far richer and we find that the M2-branes are special Lagrangian submanifold of an appropriate six-dimensional almost Calabi-Yau submanifold of

A
d

S
7

×

S
4

. This allows for an elegant treatment of many such examples.
Facile pore size control and low-cost synthesis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles based on rice husk
Authors: Rumiyanti Leni , Destiana Catur , Oktaviani Ria , Syafriadi  , Marjunus Roniyus , Chotimah  , Suharyadi Edi
Published: March 2023

We design silica from rice husk as a precursor for mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN), which is eco-friendly, low-cost, and abundant in availability, replacing tetraethyl orthosilicate, which is expensive and its vapours cause blindness, by the facile method, i.e., sol-gel. The different pore sizes of MSN have been successfully reached by tuning the synthesis conditions of surfactant concentrations and hydrothermal treatment temperatures. The smallest pore size of MSN is 2.62 nm, with the most significant surface area of 19.169 m2/g. The higher surfactant concentrations affect the decrease of particle size of MSN, but the higher hydrothermal treatment temperatures affect the opposite. In addition, these factors affect the morphology, the graph of isotherm, and the atomic elements of MSN. Thus, the resulting MSN will be applied to nanocontainers of corrosion inhibitor because of getting the small pore size.
Graphene-black phosphorus printed photodetectors
Authors: Akhavan S , Ruocco A , Soavi G , Taheri Najafabadi A , Mignuzzi S , Doukas S , Cadore A R , Samad Y A K , Lombardi L , Dimos K , Paradisanos I , Muench J E , Watson H F Y , Hodge S , Occhipinti L G , Lidorikis E , Goykhman I , Ferrari A C
Published: March 2023

Layered materials (LMs) produced by liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) can be used as building blocks for optoelectronic applications. However, when compared with mechanically exfoliated flakes, or films prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), LPE-based printed optoelectronic devices are limited by mobility, defects and trap states. Here, we present a scalable fabrication technique combining CVD with LPE LMs to overcome such limitations. We use black phosphorus inks, inkjet-printed on graphene on Si/SiO2, patterned by inkjet printing based lithography, and source and drain electrodes printed with an Ag ink, to prepare photodetectors (PDs). These have an external responsivity (R
ext)∼337 A W−1 at 488 nm, and operate from visible (∼488 nm) to short-wave infrared (∼2.7 µm, R

ext

∼

48 mA W−1). We also use this approach to fabricate flexible PDs on polyester fabric, one of the most common used in textiles, achieving R

ext

∼

6 mA W−1 at 488 nm for an operating voltage of 1 V. Thus, our combination of scalable CVD and LPE techniques via inkjet printing is promising for wearable and flexible applications.
Abnormal grain growth under solution-aging treatments enables convergence mechanical properties of a Fe-Ni-Cr based austenitic alloy
Authors: Li Jina , Su Jie , Liu Geng , Ding Yali , Wang Ao , Yu Linran
Published: March 2023

In this study, systematic heat treatment routes including solution (980 °C to 1130 °C) and aging (675 °C to 775 °C) processes were used to tailor the microstructural evolution and mechanical performance of a Fe-Ni-Cr based austenitic alloy, strengthened by a γ′ phase (Ni3(Ti, Al)). Grain growth was observed with increasing solution treatment temperature from nearly 90 μm (980 °C) to nearly 200 μm (1130 °C). Grain refinement during solution heat processes was found to ascribe to the solute drag effect and the pinning effect of nickel-titanium-enriched segregates and precipitates. During aging, the precipitation behavior of γ′ is found to be almost independent of solution treatment temperatures. Interestingly, abnormal grain growth during aging was observed. The motion of grain boundaries was ascribed to the formation of nickel-titanium-enriched γ′ in the austenitic matrix, thereby contributing to the dissolution of the previously enriched segregates and precipitates from grain boundaries. The studied alloy shows a wide range of mechanical properties, from tensile strength of 1131 MPa with ductility at 36%, to tensile strength of 880 MPa with ductility at 50%. The current study demonstrates that grain refinement of the alloy at solution treatment may not benefit the final mechanical properties.
The development of a high-efficiency aquaculture water pump using self-adhesive electrical steel
Authors: Chen Guan-Ming , Huang Ching-Chien , Huang Chien-Ming , Chi Yu-Lin
Published: March 2023

Traditional water pump use AC motor combines with gearbox to achieve high torque and low speed to protect fish form injury by blades, which will shorten the life of waterwheel. Besides, the efficiency of the gearbox is about 40 ∼ 50%, resulting in low efficiency of whole system, and translated into poor reliability. The waterwheel in this study uses surface permanent magnet (SPM) motor instead of AC motor. However, the design of conventional waterwheel PM motor has the following drawbacks: (a) the slot fill factor cannot be too low; (b) the spacing between the rotor magnet grooves is too large, which affect the efficiency of the motor. To improve the motor efficiency without changing the shape of the stator core, this study developed an assembled stator core to improve the slot fill rate of motor winding. However, if the stack length of the stator core is too high, there will be a problem of core breakage. Therefore, this study introduced the self-adhesive steel to develop a self-adhesive assembled stator core to improve the breakage situation, and also to take advantage of the higher slot fill rate of the assembled core. Furthermore, in order to solve the problem of large spacing between the rotor magnet grooves, we optimize the magnetic circuit design by using simulation to improve the motor performance, such as magnet size, slot opening size, etc, to make the back electromotive force waveform as a sine wave. In addition, this design also reduces the thickness of magnets to reduce the cogging torque of the motor, and effectively reduces magnet usage to reduce the cost. As a result, this study developed a high-efficiency waterwheel SPM motor about 86.32% at 123 rpm, by using self-adhesive assembled stator core to increase the slot fill factor. The overall efficiency of system reaches about 78.72%.
Comment on: ‘Experimental indications of non-classical brain function’ 2022 Journal of Physics Communications
6 105001
Authors: Warren Warren S
Published: March 2023

A recent paper in this journal presents magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data on humans which are asserted to ‘suggest that we may have witnessed entanglement mediated by consciousness-related brain functions. Those brain functions must then operate non-classically, which would mean that consciousness is non-classical.’ Unfortunately, the article provides no evidence to justify this claim. In fact, the paper only provides evidence for what we already knew: the brain (and any other living tissue) is complex, multicompartmental, and imprecisely characterized by MRI.
An observation-based method to assess tropical stratocumulus and shallow cumulus clouds and feedbacks in CMIP6 and CMIP5 models
Authors: Cesana G V , Ackerman A S , Črnivec N , Pincus R , Chepfer H
Published: March 2023

In the Earth system models (ESMs) participating in the Coupled Models Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6), the tropical low-cloud feedback is 50% more positive than its predecessors (CMIP5) and continues to dominate the spread in simulated climate sensitivity. In the context of recent studies reporting larger feedbacks for stratocumulus (Sc) than shallow cumulus (Cu) clouds, it appears crucial to faithfully represent the geographical extent of each cloud type to simulate realistic low-cloud feedbacks. Here we use a novel observation-based method to distinguish Sc and Cu clouds together with satellite data from Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) and Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) to evaluate Sc and Cu cloud fractions, cloud radiative effects and cloud feedbacks in the two latest generations of CMIP ESMs. Overall, the CMIP6 models perform better than the CMIP5 models in most aspects considered here, indicating progress. Yet the ensemble mean continues to underestimate the marine tropical low-cloud fraction, mostly attributable to Sc. Decomposition of the bias reveals that the Sc-regime cloud fraction is better represented in CMIP6, although Sc regimes occur too infrequently—even less frequently than in CMIP5. Building on our Sc and Cu discrimination method, we demonstrate that CMIP6 models also simulate more realistic low-cloud feedbacks than CMIP5 models, especially the Sc component. Finally, our results suggest that part of the CMIP6 low-cloud feedback increase can be traced back to greater cloud fraction in Sc-dominated regions.
A generative adversarial network to speed up optical Monte Carlo simulations
Authors: Trigila Carlotta , Srikanth Anirudh , Roncali Emilie
Published: March 2023

Detailed simulation of optical photon transport and detection in radiation detectors is often used for crystal-based gamma detector optimization. However, the time and memory burden associated with the track-wise approach to particle transport and detection in commonly used Monte Carlo codes makes optical simulation prohibitive at a system level, where hundreds to thousands of scintillators must be modeled. Consequently, current large system simulations do not include detailed detector models to analyze the potential performance gain with new radiation detector technologies. Generative adversarial networks (GANs) are explored as a tool to speed up the optical simulation of crystal-based detectors. These networks learn training datasets made of high-dimensional data distributions. Once trained, the resulting model can produce distributions belonging to the training data probability distribution. In this work, we present the proof of concept of using a GAN to enable high-fidelity optical simulations of nuclear medicine systems, mitigating their computational complexity. The architecture of the first network version and high-fidelity training dataset is discussed. The latter is generated through accurate optical simulation with GATE/Geant4, and contains the position, direction, and energy distributions of the optical photons emitted by 511 keV gamma rays in bismuth germanate and detected on the photodetector face. We compare the GAN and simulation-generated distributions in terms of similarity using the Jensen–Shannon distance. Excellent agreement was found with similarity values higher than 93.5% for all distributions. Moreover, the GAN speeded the optical photon distribution generation by up to two orders of magnitude. These very promising results have the potential to drastically change the use of nuclear imaging system optical simulations by enabling high-fidelity system-level simulations in reasonable computation times. The ultimate is to integrate the GAN within GATE/Geant4 since numerous applications (large detectors, bright scintillators, Cerenkov-based timing positron emission tomography) can benefit from these improvements.
Kähler–Einstein Fano threefolds of degree 22
Authors: Cheltsov Ivan , Shramov Constantin
Published: March 2023

We study the problem of existence of Kähler–Einstein metrics on smooth Fano threefolds of Picard rank one and anticanonical degree

22
22

that admit a faithful action of the multiplicative group

C

∗

\mathbb {C}^\ast

. We prove that, with the possible exception of two explicitly described cases, all such smooth Fano threefolds are Kähler–Einstein.
Minimal model program for semi-stable threefolds in mixed characteristic
Authors: Takamatsu Teppei , Yoshikawa Shou
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we study the minimal model theory for threefolds in mixed characteristic. As a generalization of a result of Kawamata, we show that the minimal model program (MMP) holds for strictly semi-stable schemes over an excellent Dedekind scheme

V
V

of relative dimension two without any assumption on the residue characteristics of

V
V

. We also prove that we can run a

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Benchmark of embedding-based methods for accurate and transferable prediction of drug response
Authors: Jia Peilin , Hu Ruifeng , Zhao Zhongming
Published: March 2023

Prediction of therapy response has been a major challenge in cancer precision medicine due to the extensive tumor heterogeneity. Recently, several deep learning methods have been developed to predict drug response by utilizing various omics data. Most of them train models by using the drug-response screening data generated from cell lines and then use these models to predict response in cancer patient data. In this study, we focus on and evaluate deep learning methods using transcriptome data for the long-standing question of personalized drug-response prediction. We developed an embedding-based approach for drug-response prediction and benchmarked similar methods for their performance. For all methods, we used pretreatment transcriptome data to train models and then conducted a comprehensive evaluation and comparison of the models using cross-panels, cross-datasets and target genes. We further validated the methods using three independent datasets assessing multiple compounds for their predictive capability of drug response, survival outcome and cell line status. As a result, the methods building on gene embeddings had an overall competitive performance with reduced overfitting when we applied evaluation parameters for model fitting as well as the correlation with clinical outcomes in the validation data. We further developed an ensemble model to combine the results from the three most competitive methods for an overall prediction. Finally, we developed DrVAEN (https://bioinfo.uth.edu/drvaen), a user-friendly and easy-accessible web-server that hosts all these methods for drug-response prediction and model comparison for broad use in cancer research, method evaluation and drug development.
rcCAE: a convolutional autoencoder method for detecting intra-tumor heterogeneity and single-cell copy number alterations
Authors: Yu Zhenhua , Liu Furui , Shi Fangyuan , Du Fang
Published: March 2023

Intra-tumor heterogeneity (ITH) is one of the major confounding factors that result in cancer relapse, and deciphering ITH is essential for personalized therapy. Single-cell DNA sequencing (scDNA-seq) now enables profiling of single-cell copy number alterations (CNAs) and thus aids in high-resolution inference of ITH. Here, we introduce an integrated framework called rcCAE to accurately infer cell subpopulations and single-cell CNAs from scDNA-seq data. A convolutional autoencoder (CAE) is employed in rcCAE to learn latent representation of the cells as well as distill copy number information from noisy read counts data. This unsupervised representation learning via the CAE model makes it convenient to accurately cluster cells over the low-dimensional latent space, and detect single-cell CNAs from enhanced read counts data. Extensive performance evaluations on simulated datasets show that rcCAE outperforms the existing CNA calling methods, and is highly effective in inferring clonal architecture. Furthermore, evaluations of rcCAE on two real datasets demonstrate that it is able to provide a more refined clonal structure, of which some details are lost in clonal inference based on integer copy numbers.
nf-core/isoseq: simple gene and isoform annotation with PacBio Iso-Seq long-read sequencing
Authors: Guizard Sébastien , Miedzinska Katarzyna , Smith Jacqueline , Smith Jonathan , Kuo Richard I , Davey Megan , Archibald Alan , Watson Mick
Published: March 2023

Motivation

Iso-Seq RNA long-read sequencing enables the identification of full-length transcripts and isoforms, removing the need for complex analysis such as transcriptome assembly. However, the raw sequencing data need to be processed in a series of steps before annotation is complete. Here, we present nf-core/isoseq, a pipeline for automatic read processing and genome annotation. Following nf-core guidelines, the pipeline has few dependencies and can be run on any of platforms.

Availability and implementation

The pipeline is freely available online on the nf-core website (https://nf-co.re/isoseq) and on GitHub (https://github.com/nf-core/isoseq) under MIT License (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7116979).
Adaptive control of functional connectivity: dorsal and ventral limbic divisions regulate the dorsal and ventral neocortical networks
Authors: Tucker Don M , Luu Phan
Published: March 2023

The connectional anatomy of the primate cortex is now well-defined by the Structural Model, in which adjacent cortical areas are interconnected in an organized network hierarchy of communication and control. The computational theory of “active inference” can be aligned with this architecture, proposing that predictions descend from higher association areas to be updated by ascending prediction errors from lower (i.e. primary) sensory and motor areas. Given the connectivity, the limbic networks at the apex of the cerebral hierarchy must then be responsible for the most general expectancies, which are propagated through the hierarchy to organize the multiple component network levels of experience and behavior. Anatomical evidence suggests that there are dual limbic divisions, reflecting archicortical (dorsal) and paleocortical (ventral) derivations, resulting in fundamentally different neural mechanisms for managing expectancies across the corticolimbic hierarchy. In the functional connectivity literature, the dorsal attention network is seen to provide top-down or endogenous control of attention, whereas the ventral attention network provides stimulus bound or exogenous attentional control. We review evidence indicating that the dorsal, archicortical division of the limbic system provides a feedforward, impulsive, endogenous mode of motive control, whereas the ventral, paleocortical limbic division provides feedback constraint linked to exogenous events.
Exercise Perceptions and Experiences in Adults With Crohn’s Disease Following a Combined Impact and Resistance Training Program: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Jones Katherine , Naisby Jenni , Baker Katherine , Tew Garry A
Published: March 2023

Background

Exercise is increasingly being recognized to counteract specific complications of Crohn’s disease (CD). The aim of this study was to explore exercise experiences and perceptions after engaging in a combined impact and resistance training program, involving both intervention and control group viewpoints.

Methods

Semistructured telephone interviews, involving a convenience sample of participants with CD (n = 41; aged 49.1 ± 12 years) were undertaken up to 6 weeks following completion of the program. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

Four overarching themes emerged, along with 11 subthemes: (1) Lack of confidence and knowledge, fears surrounding physical ability and symptoms, coupled with issues not addressed as part of the healthcare pathway played a part in transitioning to inactivity; (2) Improvements in strength, mental well-being, physical fitness, fatigue, abdominal and joint pain, comorbidities, and self-management strategies were among the reported benefits of exercise participation; (3) Seeing progress, goal setting, enjoyment, and a peer-led program receiving support and advice increased motivation. Whereas work-related tiredness, other commitments, and self-directed exercise were reported as exercise barriers; (4) The intervention design was well received and the journey from start to finish was positively discussed, important considerations for future interventions and implementation strategies.

Conclusions

The study yielded novel perceptions on the transition to inactivity following receiving a diagnosis, physical and psychological benefits accruing from the intervention, and views on program design. Information that will provide an essential step in the development of implementing exercise guidelines into the clinical pathway and supporting individuals with self-management options.
The intersection of bee and flower sexes: pollen presence shapes sex-specific bee foraging associations in sunflower
Authors: Roch Justin C , Malfi Rosemary , Van Wyk Jennifer I , Muñoz Agudelo Deicy Carolina , Milam Joan , Adler Lynn S
Published: March 2023

Foraging preferences are known to differ among bee taxa, and can also differ between male and female bees of the same species. Similarly, bees can prefer a specific flower sex, particularly if only one sex provides pollen. Such variation in foraging preferences could lead to divergent bee communities visiting different flower sexes of a plant species. We sampled bees visiting sunflowers to characterize bee species richness, abundance, and sex ratios on pollen-fertile and pollen-sterile cultivars. We asked whether female or male bees were more abundant on sunflowers, whether female bees were more abundant on pollen-fertile or pollen-sterile cultivars, and whether pollen presence predicted the sex of sampled bees. We further asked whether the bee community differed between pollen-fertile and pollen-sterile cultivars. Females of most bee species were more abundant on sunflowers compared to males, and females were usually more abundant on pollen-fertile cultivars. In three bee species, pollen presence was predictive of a bee’s sex, with females more abundant on pollen-fertile cultivars than males. Further, the bee community differed significantly between pollen-fertile and pollen-sterile cultivars, with two bee species functioning as indicators for pollen-fertile sunflowers. Our results demonstrate that a bee’s sex shapes foraging associations on sunflowers and influences abundance between pollen-fertile and pollen-sterile cultivars, and that pollen-fertile and pollen-sterile cultivars are visited by different bee communities. Bee sexes and flower pollen presence may be under-appreciated factors shaping pollination services in both agricultural and natural ecosystems, and could be important considerations for pollination of crops with pollen-fertile and pollen-sterile flowers.