bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Weight-guided feature fusion and non-local balance model for aluminum surface defect detection
Authors: Liu Guohua , Zhao Wei
Published: September 2023

Aluminum surface defect detection plays a crucial role in the manufacturing industry. Due to the complexity of aluminum surface defects, the existing defect detection methods have false and missed detection problems. To address the characteristics of aluminum surface defects and the problems of existing methods, we propose a weight-guided feature fusion and non-local balance model to improve the detection effect. Firstly, we design the feature extraction network cross-stage partial ConvNeXt, which achieves adequate feature extraction while reducing the model’s size. In addition, we propose a weight-guided feature fusion and non-local balanced feature pyramid (WBFPN). Specifically, we design a weight-guided feature fusion module to replace the simple feature fusion method so that the WBFPN can suppress interference information when fusing feature maps at different scales. The non-local balancing module captures the long-range dependencies of image features and effectively balances small target defects’ detail and semantic information. Finally, the confidence loss was redefined to effectively solve the problem of poor detection effect caused by the imbalance of positive and negative samples. Experimental results show that the average accuracy of the proposed model reaches 91.9%, and the detection speed is high, which meets the requirement of real-time defect detection.
Thermal rectification through the topological states of asymmetrical length armchair graphene nanoribbons heterostructures with vacancies
Authors: Kuo David M T
Published: September 2023

We present a theoretical investigation of electron heat current in asymmetrical length armchair graphene nanoribbon (AGNR) heterostructures with vacancies, focusing on the topological states (TSs). In particular, we examine the 9-7-9 AGNR heterostructures where the TSs are well-isolated from the conduction and valence subbands. This isolation effectively mitigates thermal noise of subbands arising from temperature fluctuations during charge transport. Moreover, when the TSs exhibit an orbital off-set, intriguing electron heat rectification phenomena are observed, primarily attributed to inter-TS electron Coulomb interactions. To enhance the heat rectification ratio (η

Q
), we manipulate the coupling strengths between the heat sources and the TSs by introducing asymmetrical lengths in the 9-AGNRs. This approach offers control over the rectification properties, enabling significant enhancements. Additionally, we introduce vacancies strategically positioned between the heat sources and the TSs to suppress phonon heat current. This arrangement effectively reduces the overall phonon heat current, while leaving the TSs unaffected. Our findings provide valuable insights into the behavior of electron heat current in AGNR heterostructures, highlighting the role of topological states, inter-TS electron Coulomb interactions, and the impact of structural modifications such as asymmetrical lengths and vacancy positioning. These results pave the way for the design and optimization of graphene-based devices with improved thermal management and efficient control of electron heat transport.
Investigation of scan path optimization in improving proton pencil beam scanning continuous delivery
Authors: Liu Chunbo , Beltran Chris J , Shen Jiajian , Lu Bo , Park Chunjoo , Yaddanapudi Sridhar , Tan Jun , Furutani Keith M , Liang Xiaoying
Published: September 2023

Objective. To investigate the impact of scan path optimization on the dose accuracy and beam delivery time (BDT) of proton pencil beam scanning in the dose-driven continuous scanning (DDCS). Approach. A diverse set of six clinical plans, representing various spot patterns and treatment sites, was used to evaluate the effectiveness of scan time optimization and scan length optimization. The DDCS dose discrepancy and BDT with optimized scan paths was compared to the default serpentine scan path. Main results. Both scan time optimization and scan path optimization were able to reduce the DDCS dose discrepancy compared to the default serpentine scan path. All plans, except for the layer repainting lung plan, achieved a 2%/2 mm gamma pass rate of over 99% and less than 1% PTV DVH root mean square error (RMSE) through scan path optimization. In the case of the layer repainting lung plan, when compared to the default serpentine scan path, the 2%/2 mm gamma pass rate showed improvements from 91.3% to 93.1% and 95.8%, while the PTV DVH RMSE decreased from 2.1% to 1.7% and 1.1% for scan time optimization and scan length optimization, respectively. Although scan time optimization resulted in shorter total scan times for all plans compared to the default scan path and scan length optimization tended to have longer total scan times. However, due to the short total scan times and their minimal contribution to the total BDT, the impact of scan path optimization on the total BDT was practically negligible. Significance. Both scan time optimization and scan length optimization proved to be effective in minimizing DDCS dose discrepancy. No definitive winner can be determined between these two optimization approaches. Both scan time and scan length optimization had minimal effect on the total BDT.
Trapped flux in pure and Mn-substituted CaKFe4As4and MgB2superconducting single crystals
Authors: Bud’ko Sergey L , Xu Mingyu , Canfield Paul C
Published: September 2023

Measurements of temperature dependent magnetization associated with trapped magnetic flux in single crystals of CaKFe4As4, CaK(Fe0.983Mn0.017)4As4and MgB2using zero-field-cooled and field-cooled protocols are presented. The results allow for the determination of the values of superconducting transition temperature, lower critical field and self-field critical current density. These are compared with the literature data. Possible experimental concerns are briefly outlined. Our results, on these known superconductors at ambient pressure, are qualitatively similar to those recently measured on superhydrides at megabar pressures (Minkovet al2023Nat. Phys.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02089-1) and, as such, hopefully serve as a baseline for the interpretation of high pressure, trapped flux measurements.
Selectable and stable single-frequency fiber laser with flattened power range and sub-kHz linewidth output
Authors: Hsieh Shang-En , Chen Lan-Yin , Hsu Ching-Hsuan , Lai Yu-Ting , Yeh Chien-Hung , Jiang Syu-Yang , Liaw Shien-Kuei , Chow Chi-Wai
Published: September 2023

To achieve stable and tunable single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) wavelength output, an erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser with two fiber ring architecture and unpumped EDF based saturable absorber (SA) is demonstrated experimentally. The acquired optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR), wavelength linewidth, output stability and power of the fiber laser over an available tuning bandwidth of 1523.0 to 1569.0 nm are also implemented. Furthermore, this EDF laser configuration also can distribute the output power uniformly in the span of 1527.0 to 1569.0 nm within 0.53 dB power difference.
Mechanical resonator cooling to the ground-state by coherent feedback in a double cavity setup including an atomic ensemble
Authors: Mansouri Daryoosh , Rezaie Behrooz , Ranjbar N Abolfazl , Daeichian Abolghasem
Published: September 2023

This study concerns the cooling of a mechanical resonator to the ground-state in the unresolved sideband regime theoretically. To this aim, the optical modes of an optomechanical cavity are coupled with an atomic ensemble and an auxiliary cavity. Then, a coherent feedback loop is applied via a controllable beam splitter, which reflects a fraction of the output field to the input mirror of the optomechanical cavity. Considering the proposed feedback scheme, the optical response of the cavity is analyzed for weak optomechanical coupling to obtain the rate equations. Utilizing the electromagnetically-induced-transparency-like shape of the fluctuation spectrum of the optical force, optimal cooling conditions are calculated to place the peaks and dip of the spectrum at the desired frequencies to maximize the difference between cooling and heating rates. It is shown that the coherent feedback loop enhances the cooling effect while the heating rate is not affected. Moreover, by utilizing two coupled auxiliary systems, the effect of heating transitions is better suppressed compared to the case with one auxiliary system. As a result, not only lower limits for cooling but also larger values of net cooling rate are achieved. The results show that the proposed feedback cooling scheme significantly improves the cooling capability of the hybrid system, and the mechanical resonator can be cooled near the quantum limit. Furthermore, it is shown that the proposed method performs well in a wide range of system parameters.
Computational analysis of hybrid double perovskite materials and their potential in photovoltaic and thermoelectric applications
Authors: Mokhefi Nour elhouda , Sahnoun M , Larbi R , chelil N
Published: September 2023

Hybrid double perovskites are promising for use in next-generation solar cells. The priority is to address their critical problems and gain insight into their operation. The density functional theory is employed to obtain the mechanical, electronic, and optical properties of organic–inorganic double perovskites based on aluminum and gallium. The results revealed that the double perovskite materials are stable, as confirmed by calculating the formation energy and the elastic constant. Moreover, when using the TB-mBJ functional, the electronic properties obtained indicate that the direct band gap values are 1.39 eV and 2.72 eV for (NH4)2AgGaBr6 and (NH4)2AgAlBr6, respectively. Additionally, because of the direct band nature of (NH4)2Ag(Al/Ga)Br6, they exhibit excellent optical properties, including a high order absorption coefficient of 105 cm−1 and low reflectivity, making them useful for multiple optoelectronic applications outside of photovoltaics. Calculations of SLME revealed that (NH4)2AgGaBr6 and (NH4)2AgAlBr6 achieve single-layer efficiency of 32.87% and 8.36% respectively, emphasizing their viability for future applications. The results of the thermoelectric analysis suggest that these compounds have a promising potential for use in transport applications, as they demonstrate a higher figure of merit (ZT) compared to other compounds. Specifically, (NH4)2AgAlBr6 has a ZT value of 0.734, while (NH4)2AgGaBr6 has a ZT value of 0.737.
Charges at the heterogeneous interface of dielectrics
Authors: Gao Xiaoli , Chen Gangjin , Zhang Jianfeng
Published: September 2023

The heterogeneous interface of two different dielectrics is commonly observed in diverse electronic devices. Charge emerging will take place at the heterogeneous interface and may greatly influence the device performance. Typically, charge emerging behavior is attributed to the Maxwell–Wagner effect. The emerged charge by the Maxwell–Wagner effect is unipolar. Nevertheless, bipolar phenomena are also frequently observed. This paper reports the change characteristic of accumulated charge between unipolar and bipolar at the heterogeneous interface composed of two different dielectrics. A theoretical analysis is proposed. As an illustration, the laminated membrane is formed by thermally pressing two non-polar polymers, fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and polypropylene (PP). Its interfacial charge nature is studied by means of electret research. It is found that the bipolar charge derives from contact electrification and is determined by the electronegativity of the atoms at two dielectrics’ interface. The unipolar charge originates from the Maxwell–Wagner effect and is determined by the dielectric constant and conductivity of dielectrics. In the absence of external electric field, the charge nature shows bipolar in the form of dipole electric double-layer. In the presence of external electric field, the change of charge nature from bipolarity to unipolarity will occur depending on the electric field and temperature. Its regulation is closely related to the connection mode of external electric field with the heterogeneous interface of dielectrics. When negative electrode is connected with FEP, the charge nature at the interface evolves from bipolarity to positive polarity. When positive electrode is connected with FEP, the charge nature transforms from bipolarity to negative polarity. A critical point exists for a polarizing voltage to induce the change of charge nature.
The Greenland Telescope—Construction, Commissioning, and Operations in Pituffik
Authors: Chen Ming-Tang , Asada Keiichi , Matsushita Satoki , Raffin Philippe , Inoue Makoto , Ho Paul T. P. , Han Chih-Chiang , Kubo Derek , Norton Timothy , Patel Nimesh A. , Nystrom George , Huang Chih-Wei L. , Martin-Cocher Pierre , Yi Koay Jun , Romero-Cañizales Cristina , Liu Ching-Tang , Huang Teddy , Liu Kuan-Yu , Wei Tashun , Chang Shu-Hao , Chilson Ryan , Oshiro Peter , Jiang Homin , Li Chao-Te , Bower Geoffrey , Shaw Paul , Nishioka Hiroaki , Koch Patrick M. , Chen Chung-Cheng , Srinivasan Ranjani , Rao Ramprasad , Snow William , Jinchi Hao , Han Kuo-Chang , Chang Song-Chu , Lu Li-Ming , Ogawa Hideo , Kimura Kimihiro , Hasegawa Yutaka , Pu Hung-Yi , Koyama Shoko , Nakamura Masanori , Bintley Daniel , Walther Craig , Friberg Per , Dempsey Jessica , Sriharan T. K. , Srikanth Sivasankaran , Doeleman Sheperd S. , Brissenden Roger , Algaba Marcos Juan-Carlos , Jeter Britt , Kuo Cheng-Yu , Park Jongho
Published: September 2023

In 2018, the Greenland Telescope (GLT) started scientific observation in Greenland. Since then, we have completed several significant improvements and added new capabilities to the telescope system. This paper presents a full review of the GLT system, a summary of our observation activities since 2018, the lessons learned from the operations in the Arctic regions, and the prospect of the telescope.
Fast estimation of distance between two hydrophones using ocean ambient noise in multi-ship scenarios
Authors: Liu 刘 Xuefeng 雪枫 , Xia 夏 Zhi 峙 , Li 李 Qi 琪 , Ding 丁 Ye 烨
Published: September 2023

Accurately estimating the bearing of a target with two hydrophones requires knowing the precise distance between them. However, in practice, it is difficult to measure this distance accurately due to the influence of current. To solve this problem, we propose a method for extracting the time-domain Green’s function between two points in multi-ship scenarios and for extracting the time-domain waveform arrival structure between two hydrophones in real-time based on long samples of ship radiation noise cross-correlation. Using the cross-correlation function of the radiated noise from any ship located in the end-fire direction of the two hydrophones, we can estimate the distance between the hydrophones in real-time. To verify the accuracy of our estimation, we compare the result of azimuth estimation with the actual azimuth based on the azimuth estimation of a cooperative sound source in the maritime environment. Our experimental results show that the proposed method correctly estimates the distance between two hydrophones that cannot be directly measured and estimates the position of a cooperative sound source 4 km away with an average deviation of less than 1.2°.
Terahertz quasi-perfect vortex beam with integer-order and fractional-order generated by spiral spherical harmonic axicon
Authors: Tu 涂 Si-Yu 思语 , Liu 刘 De-Feng 德峰 , Liu 刘 Jin-Song 劲松 , Yang 杨 Zhen-Gang 振刚 , Wang 王 Ke-Jia 可嘉
Published: September 2023

We propose a new method to generate terahertz perfect vortex beam with integer-order and fractional-order. A new optical diffractive element composed of the phase combination of a spherical harmonic axicon and a spiral phase plate is designed and called spiral spherical harmonic axicon. A terahertz Gaussian beam passes through the spiral spherical harmonic axicon to generate a terahertz vortex beam. When only the topological charge number carried by spiral spherical harmonic axicon increases, the ring radius of terahertz vortex beam increases slightly, so the beam is shaped into a terahertz quasi-perfect vortex beam. Importantly, the terahertz quasi-perfect vortex beam can carry not only integer-order topological charge number but also fractional-order topological charge number. This is the first time that vortex beam and quasi-perfect vortex beam with fractional-order have been successfully realized in terahertz domain and experiment.
Ab initio nonadiabatic molecular dynamics study on spin–orbit coupling induced spin dynamics in ferromagnetic metals
Authors: Zhu 朱 Wansong 万松 , Zheng 郑 Zhenfa 镇法 , Zheng 郑 Qijing 奇靖 , Zhao 赵 Jin 瑾
Published: September 2023

Understanding the photoexcitation induced spin dynamics in ferromagnetic metals is important for the design of photo-controlled ultrafast spintronic device. In this work, by the ab initio nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulation, we have studied the spin dynamics induced by spin–orbit coupling (SOC) in Co and Fe using both spin-diabatic and spin-adiabatic representations. In Co system, it is found that the Fermi surface (E
F) is predominantly contributed by the spin-minority states. The SOC induced spin flip will occur for the photo-excited spin-majority electrons as they relax to the E
F, and the spin-minority electrons tend to relax to the E
F with the same spin through the electron–phonon coupling (EPC). The reduction of spin-majority electrons and the increase of spin-minority electrons lead to demagnetization of Co within 100 fs. By contrast, in Fe system, the E
F is dominated by the spin-majority states. In this case, the SOC induced spin flip occurs for the photo-excited spin-minority electrons, which leads to a magnetization enhancement. If we move the E
F of Fe to higher energy by 0.6 eV, the E
F will be contributed by the spin-minority states and the demagnetization will be observed again. This work provides a new perspective for understanding the SOC induced spin dynamics mechanism in magnetic metal systems.
Magnetic and electronic properties of La-doped hexagonal 4H-SrMnO3
Authors: Li 李 Jie 杰 , Chen 陈 Yinan 一楠 , Gong 宫 Nuo 诺 , Huang 黄 Xin 欣 , Yang 杨 Zhihong 志红 , Weng 翁 Yakui 亚奎
Published: September 2023

As typical strongly correlated electronic materials, manganites show rich magnetic phase diagrams and electronic structures depending on the doped carrier density. Most previous relevant studies of doped manganites rely on the cubic/orthorhombic structures, while the hexagonal structure is much less studied. Here first-principles calculations are employed to investigate the magnetic and electronic structures of La-doped 4H-SrMnO3. By systematically analyzing the two kinds of La-doped positions, our calculations predict that the doped electron with lattice distortion would prefer to form polarons, which contribute to the local magnetic phase transition, nonzero net magnetization, and semiconducting behavior. In addition, the energy gap decreases gradually with increasing doping concentration, indicating a tendency of insulator–metal transition.
The Study of the Physical Properties and Energy Sources of Five Luminous Type Ibc Supernovae
Authors: Bai 白 Song-Yao 松瑶 , Wang 王 Tao 涛 , Wang 王 Shan-Qin 善钦 , Gan 甘 Wen-Pei 文沛 , Wang 王 Liu-Yi 浏毅 , Liang 梁 En-Wei 恩维
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we study five luminous supernovae (LSNe) Ibc (SN 2009ca, ASASSN-15mj, SN 2019omd, SN 2002ued, and SN 2021bmf) whose peak absolute magnitudes M
peak are ≈ −19.5 to −21 mag by fitting their multi-band light curves (LCs) with different energy source models. We find that SN 2009ca might be powered by the 56Ni model since the required 56Ni mass (0.56 M
⊙) is comparable to those of energetic SNe Ic, while the rest four SNe cannot be accounted for the 56Ni model since their derived 56Ni masses are ≳1 M
⊙ or the ratios of the 56Ni mass to the ejecta mass are larger than 0.2. This indicates that some LSNe might be powered by 56Ni decay, while most of them need additional energy sources. We then use the magnetar plus 56Ni model and the fallback plus 56Ni model to fit the LCs of the four LSNe that cannot be explained by the 56Ni model, finding that the two models can account for the four SNe, and the derived parameters are comparable to those of LSNe or superluminous SNe in the literature, if they were (mainly) powered by magnetars or fallback. We suggest that the magnetar plus 56Ni model is more reasonable than the fallback plus 56Ni model, since the validity of the fallback plus 56Ni model depends on the value of accretion efficiency (η) and favors a large η value, and the magnetar plus 56Ni model yields smaller χ
2/dof values. It should be pointed out that, however, the fallback plus 56Ni model is still a promising model that can account for the four SNe in our sample as well as other LSNe.
Hierarchical control of island microgrid based on consensus algorithm
Authors: Tang Haoyang , Wang Yanping
Published: September 2023

When the load inside the microgrid changes, droop control maintains a stable power supply cycle of the microgrid by controlling the voltage and frequency at the parallel network of the distributed generation. Since the traditional microgrid droop control usually uses a fixed droop coefficient to adjust the output active power and reactive power, the frequency and voltage of the inverter parallel network will deviate from the system frequency and voltage rating to varying degrees, so a new layer of control link is needed to restore the target value. Moreover, most of the hierarchical control methods adopt centralized control methods, which have limitations such as high dependence on communication. This paper combines a hierarchical control framework and a consistency algorithm to propose a distributed sag control strategy for islanded microgrids based on a multi-agent system. It achieves equal-to-ratio output when distributed generation responds to power changes while maintaining the stability of the microgrid’s main performance indicators. Since the distributed system with a consistency algorithm does not require a centralized control centre, it increases the system’s robustness and reduces the dependence of the system on the communication network. Finally, an islanded AC microgrid model is built by MATLAB/Simulink, and the effectiveness of the proposed islanded microgrid hierarchical control strategy is verified by simulation.
A Method for Medium and Long Term Electricity Consumption Forecasting in Regional Distribution Networks
Authors: Zou Nan , Li Jifeng , Cao Tianyu , Ba Yu
Published: September 2023

Medium-term and long-term load forecasting is the basic data for formulating medium-term and long-term system maintenance plans and generation schedulings in the power system, and its prediction accuracy is crucial for the rationality of plan formulation. With the development of new energy generation units, a lot of distributed generation devices on the user side are connected to the distribution network, which harms the accuracy of load forecasting on distribution side. Therefore, a more accurate medium-term and long-term power forecasting method for the distribution network is needed. It is a primary problem for state grid to lack the historical electricity date. In response to this, some monthly electricity data are expanded by rolling daily electricity data. The diversity and multi-scale characteristics of factors affecting medium-term and long-term electricity demand limit the predictive performance of a single method. In response to this, a set empirical mode decomposition based on medium and long-term load electricity demand combination prediction method is proposed. Based on the fluctuation characteristics and patterns of each component after data decomposition, suitable prediction algorithms are used to predict each component separately, and finally, the predicted values of electricity demand are synthesized. The calculation results show that the prediction accuracy is effectively improved by the method of this paper.
MALTA-Cz: a radiation hard full-size monolithic CMOS sensor with small electrodes on high-resistivity Czochralski substrate
Authors: Pernegger H. , Allport P. , Berlea D.V. , Birman A. , Bortoletto D. , Buttar C. , Charbon E. , Dachs F. , Dao V. , Denizli H. , Dobrijevic D. , Dyndal M. , Fenigstein A. , Flores Sanz de Acedo L. , Freeman P. , Gabrielli A. , Gazi M. , Gonella L. , Gonzalez V. , Gustavino G. , Haim A. , Kugathasan T. , LeBlanc M. , Munker M. , Oyulmaz K.Y. , Piro F. , Riedler P. , Sandaker H. , Schioppa E.J. , Sharma A. , Snoeys W. , Solans Sanchez C. , Suligoj T. , Toledano E. , van Rijnbach M. , Vazquez Nunez M. , Weick J. , Worm S. , Zoubir A.M.
Published: September 2023

Depleted Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor (DMAPS) sensors developed in the Tower Semiconductor 180 nm CMOS imaging process have been designed in the context of the ATLAS ITk upgrade Phase-II at the HL-LHC and for future collider experiments. The “MALTA-Czochralski (MALTA-Cz)” full size DMAPS sensor has been developed with the goal to demonstrate a radiation hard, thin CMOS sensor with high granularity, high hit-rate capability, fast response time and superior radiation tolerance. The design targets radiation hardness of > 1015 (1 MeV) neq/cm2 and 100 Mrad TID. The sensor shall operate as tracking sensor with a spatial resolution of ≈ 10 μm and be able to cope with hit rates in excess of 100 MHz/cm2 at the LHC bunch crossing frequency of 40 MHz. The 512 × 512 pixel sensor uses small collection electrodes (3.5 μm) to minimize capacitance. The small pixel size (36.4 × 36.4 μm2) provides high spatial resolution. Its asynchronous readout architecture is designed for high hit-rates and fast time response in triggered and trigger-less detector applications. The readout architecture is designed to stream all hit data to the multi-channel output which allows an off-sensor trigger formation and the use of hit-time information for event tagging.

The sensor manufacturing has been optimised through process adaptation and special implant designs to allow the manufacturing of small electrode DMAPS on thick high-resistivity p-type Czochralski substrate. The special processing ensures excellent charge collection and charge particle detection efficiency even after a high level of radiation. Furthermore the special implant design and use of a Czochralski substrate improves the sensor's time resolution. This paper presents a summary of sensor design optimisation through process and implant choices and TCAD simulation to model the signal response. Beam and laboratory test results on unirradiated and irradiated sensors have shown excellent detection efficiency after a dose of 2 × 1015 1 MeV neq/cm2. The time resolution of the sensor is measured to be σ = 2 ns.
Biofabrication of an in-vitro bone model for Gaucher disease
Authors: Banerjee Dishary , Ivanova Margarita M , Celik Nazmiye , Kim Myoung Hwan , Derman Irem Deniz , Limgala Renuka Pudi , Ozbolat Ibrahim T , Goker-Alpan Ozlem
Published: September 2023

Gaucher disease (GD), the most prevalent lysosomal disorder, is caused by GBA1 gene mutations, leading to deficiency of glucocerebrosidase, and accumulation of glycosphingolipids in cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system. While skeletal diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and reduced quality of life in GD, the pathophysiology of bone involvement is not yet fully understood, partly due to lack of relevant human model systems. In this work, we present the first 3D human model of GD using aspiration-assisted freeform bioprinting, which enables a platform tool with a potential for decoding the cellular basis of the developmental bone abnormalities in GD. In this regard, human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (obtained commercially) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from a cohort of GD patients, at different severities, were co-cultured to form spheroids and differentiated into osteoblast and osteoclast lineages, respectively. Co-differentiated spheroids were then 3D bioprinted into rectangular tissue patches as a bone tissue model for GD. The results revealed positive alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tartrate-resistant ALP activities, with multi-nucleated cells demonstrating the efficacy of the model, corroborating with gene expression studies. There were no significant changes in differentiation to osteogenic cells but pronounced morphological deformities in spheroid formation, more evident in the ‘severe’ cohort, were observed. Overall, the presented GD model has the potential to be adapted to personalized medicine not only for understanding the GD pathophysiology but also for personalized drug screening and development.
On the computation of modular forms on noncongruence subgroups
Authors: Berghaus David , Monien Hartmut , Radchenko Danylo
Published: September 2023

We present two approaches that can be used to compute modular forms on noncongruence subgroups. The first approach uses Hejhal’s method for which we improve the arbitrary precision solving techniques so that the algorithm becomes about up to two orders of magnitude faster in practical computations. This allows us to obtain high precision numerical estimates of the Fourier coefficients from which the algebraic expressions can be identified using the LLL algorithm. The second approach is restricted to genus zero subgroups and uses efficient methods to compute the Belyi map from which the modular forms can be constructed.
Syzygies of Kummer varieties
Authors: Caucci Federico
Published: September 2023

We study syzygies of Kummer varieties proving that their behavior is half of the abelian varieties case. Namely, an

m
m

th power of an ample line bundle on a Kummer variety satisfies the Green-Lazarsfeld property

(

N
p

)

(N_p)

, if

m
>

p
+
2

2

m > \frac {p+2}{2}

.
The Authoritarian Commons: Divergent Paths of Neighborhood Democratization in Three Chinese Megacities
Authors: Qiao Shitong
Published: September 2023

Can a liberal commons emerge in an authoritarian regime? Based on an in-depth investigation of the ongoing self-governance movement among hundreds of millions of homeowners in China, this Article examines the tension between authoritarianism and liberal commons for the first time. Empirically, this Article reveals a striking contrast: in Shanghai, 94% of condominium complexes have established homeowners’ associations, a kind of liberal commons, compared with 41% in Shenzhen, and only 12% in Beijing. It is posited in this Article that the authoritarian commons (i.e., the dynamic interactions between the authoritarian state and homeowners’ efforts to create a liberal commons in their neighborhoods) features multiple equilibria that depend on the state capacity and the risks posed by the self-governance movement. A highly capable state facing an intermediate degree of risk can make the institutional reforms necessary to accommodate the grassroots democracy. This research of the authoritarian commons brings the state back to the economic theories of property rights, and brings property, and more specifically, space and territorial control to the study of authoritarianism. It also deepens our understanding of authoritarianism and development.
Technology-Facilitated Domestic Abuse: An under-Recognised Safeguarding Issue?
Authors: Brookfield Kathryn , Fyson Rachel , Goulden Murray
Published: September 2023

Responding to domestic abuse is a key element of social work practice, in both child protection and adult safeguarding. This article sets out the ways in which rapid technological advances are being co-opted by perpetrators of domestic abuse to create new ways of exerting control. After starting with a brief reminder of recent UK legislative changes around domestic abuse, the article outlines the main ways in which technologies, including mobile phones and other Internet-enabled devices, are used by abusers for surveillance, monitoring, tracking and otherwise controlling all aspects of the lives of those they target. The article then moves on to consider how some groups may be at greater risk than others of technology-facilitated domestic abuse (TFDA), including women with insecure immigration status, women with learning disabilities and younger women and girls. Finally, the key social work tool for assessing risk in relation to domestic abuse is critiqued as lacking sufficient focus on TFDA. The article concludes by suggesting what individual social workers and local authorities need to do in order to better respond as TFDA continues to evolve.
Evaluation of indocyanine green tracheobronchial fluorescence (ICG-TBF) via nebulization during minimally invasive esophagectomy
Authors: Thammineedi Subramanyeshwar Rao , Patnaik Sujit Chyau , Nusrath Syed , Naik Vibhavari , Rayani Basanth , Ramalingam Pratap Reddy , Vashist Yogesh , Shukla Srijan
Published: September 2023

Surgical manipulation of the tracheobronchial complex is a contributing factor in pulmonary morbidity of esophagectomy. Accurate dissection between membranous trachea and bronchi with esophagus is essential. This study tests the feasibility of delivering indocyanine green (ICG) in an aerosol form to achieve tracheobronchial fluorescence (ICG-TBF). Patients with esophageal and esophagogastric junction carcinoma (N = 37) undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy (McKeown type) were included. ICG was aerosolized by nebulization in supine position before thoracoscopy. ICG-TBF was observed with real-time fluorescence-enabled camera. Intra- and postoperative complications related to ICG were the primary focus. ICG-TBF was identified in 94.6% (35/37) of patients with median time to fluorescence identification of 15 minutes (range 1–43). There were no airway injuries in the study. The ICU median stay was 2 (range 2–21) days. No intra- or postoperative complications attributable to ICG were observed. Grade 3 or 4 pulmonary complications were seen in total 8.1% patients. No 90-day postoperative mortality was seen. ICG delivered in aerosol form was found to be safe and effective in achieving ICG-TBF. It aided in accurate dissection of esophagus from the tracheobronchial complex. Further studies on effect of ICG-TBF in decreasing pulmonary complications of esophagectomy are needed.
Slavery and charity: Tobias Rustat and the African companies, 1662–94
Authors: Edwards Michael
Published: September 2023

The links between enslavement and charitable giving in the late seventeenth century were deep and have become newly controversial. This article considers Tobias Rustat (1608–94), a royal servant and a long-term investor in the Royal African Company and other trading companies involved in the transatlantic slave trade, who gave prolifically to English educational and religious institutions from the 1660s. It uses previously unstudied archival evidence to analyse Rustat’s involvement in the trade in enslaved people alongside his charitable giving, demonstrating that both activities should be understood through his distinctive social networks. In doing so it argues for an approach to the contested legacies of slavery's connections to philanthropy that foregrounds the social, political and commercial networks of donors.
Functional John and Löwner Conditions for Pairs of Log-Concave Functions
Authors: Ivanov Grigory , Naszódi Márton
Published: September 2023

John’s fundamental theorem characterizing the largest volume ellipsoid contained in a convex body $K$ in $\mathbb{R}^{d}$ has seen several generalizations and extensions. One direction, initiated by V. Milman is to replace ellipsoids by positions (affine images) of another body $L$. Another, more recent direction is to consider logarithmically concave functions on $\mathbb{R}^{d}$ instead of convex bodies: we designate some special, radially symmetric log-concave function $g$ as the analogue of the Euclidean ball, and want to find its largest integral position under the constraint that it is pointwise below some given log-concave function $f$. We follow both directions simultaneously: we consider the functional question, and allow essentially any meaningful function to play the role of $g$ above. Our general theorems jointly extend known results in both directions. The dual problem in the setting of convex bodies asks for the smallest volume ellipsoid, called Löwner’s ellipsoid, containing $K$. We consider the analogous problem for functions: we characterize the solutions of the optimization problem of finding a smallest integral position of some log-concave function $g$ under the constraint that it is pointwise above $f$. It turns out that in the functional setting, the relationship between the John and the Löwner problems is more intricate than it is in the setting of convex bodies.
Simplified Test-to-Treat Strategy for Hepatitis C in Thailand: The Phetchabun Model
Authors: Wasitthankasem Rujipat , Wanlapakorn Nasamon , Pimsing Napaporn , Posuwan Nawarat , Poovorawan Yong
Published: September 2023

The complexity of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) diagnostic workflow and stringent criteria for universal health coverage are significant barriers to achieving HCV elimination in Thailand. A test-to-treat strategy using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for screening at point of care, followed by a qualitative nucleic acid testing, is a promising strategy to facilitate population-wide screening for HCV infection and expedite time to treatment. This strategy was evaluated in Phetchabun province, Thailand, where the HCV burden is relatively high. This simplified HCV test-to-treat strategy showed strong potential to be implemented at a national level. Several obstacles to implementation included the stringent criteria for universal health coverage, which prioritizes patients with advanced disease, the continuous policy revision for HCV treatment and care, the relatively low public awareness of HCV infection, and the lagging of government policy prioritization. All of these contribute to the delayed progress in hepatitis elimination.
From Prioritization to Universal Treatment: Successes and Challenges of Hepatitis C Virus Elimination in Italy
Authors: Kondili Loreta A , Craxì Lucia , Nava Felice , Babudieri Sergio , D’Ambrosio Roberta , Marcellusi Andrea , Mennini Francesco Saverio , Valle Sabrina , Russo Pierluigi , Olimpieri Pier Paolo , Andreoni Massimo , Aghemo Alessio
Published: September 2023

Italy has had the highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and mortality from HCV-related liver cancer in Europe. Although direct-acting antivirals (DAA) were initially restricted to persons with advanced fibrosis, their use has since been extended to all infected individuals; more than 244 000 persons have been treated to date. HCV liver-related mortality is expected to decline by 75% by 2030, achieving the World Health Organization target for mortality. However, Italy risks failing to meet the overall goal of eliminating HCV infection by 2030. In this light, €71.5 million have been allocated for screening initially specific target populations (persons who inject drugs, prison inmates, and the 1969–1989 birth cohort). Herein, we outline the challenges and recommendations for how to move Italy toward HCV elimination, including expanding screening programs in other populations, increasing awareness through strategic communication, sustaining DAA access, and tailoring care models to meet the needs of key populations.
Voluntary medical male circumcision and educational gradient in relation to HIV infection among sexually active adult men in Eswatini: evidence from the national surveys in 2006–2007 and 2016
Authors: Masango Bongani Zakhele , Ferrandiz-Mont David , Chiao Chi
Published: September 2023

Background

To address knowledge gaps, this study examined social determinants, such as education attainment and HIV prevention, among sexually active men (SAM), with a focus on voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC).

Methods

Two nationally representative surveys, the Eswatini Demographic and Health Survey 2006 and the Eswatini HIV Incidence Measurement Survey 2016, were used to estimate whether or not VMMC at the individual and community levels contributes to HIV disparities to any meaningful extent. Multilevel logistic regression models further explored the educational gradient in HIV infection for 2006–2007 and 2016 with regard to VMMC among SAM, while adjusting for household poverty, sexual practices and individual characteristics.

Results

Among SAM with tertiary education, HIV prevalence declined from 25.0% in 2006–2007 to 10.5% in 2016. A 51% decrease in HIV prevalence was found to be associated with an increase in VMMC (adjusted odds ratio 0.49; 95% CI 0.40 to 0.60). Compared with SAM with tertiary education, those who had a lower level of education were more likely to have HIV infection and this education gradient effect had become particularly profound in 2016.

Conclusions

VMMC began to be promoted in 2008 in Eswatini and results suggest its effect, along with the education attainment effect, significantly resulted in a meaningful reduction in HIV prevalence among SAM by 2016.
Diversity analysis of hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) gut microbiota using culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches
Authors: Chakraborty Megha , Acharya Debarun , Dutta Tapan K
Published: September 2023

Aims

The bacterial communities associated with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are primarily involved in digestion, physiology, and the immune response against pathogenic bacteria for the overall development and health of the host. Hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha), a tropical anadromous fish, found predominantly in Bangladesh and India, has so far been poorly investigated for its gut bacterial communities. In this study, both culture-based and metagenomic approaches were used to detect intestinal isolates of hilsa, captured from both freshwater and seawater to investigate the community structure of intestinal microbiota.

Methods and results

Culture-dependent approach allowed to isolate a total of 23 distinct bacterial species comprising 16 Gram-negative, and 7 Gram-positive isolates, where Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were identified as the two most dominant phyla. While metagenomic approach explored a wide range of important GI bacteria, primarily dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes, with Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, being the most abundant in freshwater and seawater samples, respectively.

Conclusions

A combination of these approaches provided the differential GI-associated bacterial diversity in freshwater and seawater hilsa with the prediction of overall functional potential.

Impact Statement

The study explored the diversity of gut microbiota in hilsa, one of the most preferred nutritious dietary fish, captured from freshwater and seawater habitats, which may encourage to comprehend the composition of the gut microbiome in relation to the migratory behavior and polyunsaturated fatty acid profile of anadromous fish in general.
An efficient plug-and-play regularization method for full waveform inversion
Authors: Fu Hongsun , Yang Lu , Miao Xinyue
Published: September 2023

Nonlinear inverse problems arise in various fields ranging from scientific computation to engineering technology. Inverse problems are intrinsically ill-posed, and effective regularization techniques are necessary. The core of a suitable regularization method is to introduce the prior information of the model via an explicit or implicit regularization function. Plug-and-play regularization is a flexible framework that integrates the most effective denoising priors into an iterative algorithm, and it has recently shown great potential in the solution of linear ill-posed problems. Unlike traditional regularization methods, plug-and-play regularization does not require an explicit regularization function to represent the prior information of the model. In this work, by using total variation, block-matching and three-dimensional filtering, and fast and flexible denoising convolutional neural network denoisers, we propose a novel iterative regularization algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers method. The combination of total variation and block-matching three-dimensional filtering regularizers can take advantage of the sparsity and nonlocal similarity in the solution of inverse problems. When combined with traditional and novel regularizers, deep neural networks have been shown to be an effective regularization approach, which can achieve state-of-the-art performance. Finally, we apply the proposed algorithm to the full waveform inversion problem to show the effectiveness of our method. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms existing inversion methods in terms of quantitative measures and visual perceptual quality.
Autoimmune disease and the risk of anal cancer in the US population aged 66 years and over
Authors: Song Minkyo , Engels Eric A , Clarke Megan A , Kreimer Aimée R , Shiels Meredith S
Published: September 2023

Background

In the United States, anal squamous cell carcinoma rates have increased rapidly, particularly among women 50 or older than 66 years of age. As immunosuppression is associated with increased risk, autoimmune conditions may be associated with greater risk of anal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

We conducted a population-based, case-control study using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare data (2000-2017). Anal squamous cell carcinoma cases (n = 4505) were matched to 200 000 cancer-free controls. Using multivariable logistic regression, we calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between 47 autoimmune conditions diagnosed before selection, identified using Medicare claims, and anal squamous cell carcinoma. The Bonferroni threshold was used to correct for multiple comparisons. Population attributable fractions were calculated for conditions nominally associated with anal squamous cell carcinoma.

Results

In total, 18% of anal squamous cell carcinoma cases and 15% of cancer-free controls had a diagnosed autoimmune condition. Any autoimmune condition was associated with an increased risk of anal squamous cell carcinoma (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.21; population attributable fraction = 1.8%). Anal squamous cell carcinoma was associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.32 to 2.42; population attributable fraction = 0.4%) and nominally associated (P < .05) with sarcoidosis (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.30 to 3.37; population-attributable fraction = 0.2%) and psoriasis (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.06 to 1.56; population attributable fraction = 0.5%). Stratified by sex, only women showed statistically significant associations for systemic lupus erythematosus (OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.46 to 2.68). Statistically significant interaction was observed by sex for psoriasis (men vs women: OR = 1.68 [95% CI = 1.03 to 4.28] vs OR = 1.12 [95% CI = 0.88 to 1.43]) and polymyalgia rheumatica (OR = 0.33 [95% CI = 0.12 to 0.89] vs OR = 0.99 [95% CI = 0.75 to 1.30]).

Conclusion

Systemic lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis, and psoriasis were associated with a moderately increased risk of anal squamous cell carcinoma. Given these conditions’ rarity and moderate associations with anal squamous cell carcinoma, autoimmune diseases cannot explain the rising trend in this disease.