bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of multifunctional current-carrying friction and wear test machine based on LabVIEW
Authors: Hu Tao , Yuan Youlu
Published: November 2023

In order to study the effect of friction wear behavior on electrical signal transmission, a carrier friction wear test machine was developed which can be analyzed under different test conditions (load, speed and current). The testing machine builds a measurement and control system through LabVIEW platform to realize real-time acquisition and synchronous display of electrical signals, friction coefficient and temperature, and control of load size, and uses wavelet decomposition and arithmetic average to process data and PID control algorithm to revise load in real time. The experimental results show that the stability of the test machine and the accuracy of control system meet the test requirements.
Multiple fault isolation method for micro thrusters of drag-free systems
Authors: Li Haoran , Shao Xiaodong , Hu Qinglei , Zhao Dong , Zhang Yonghe , Wang Pengcheng , Dang Zhaohui , Li Dongyu
Published: November 2023

This paper proposes a multiple fault isolation framework for micro thrusters of drag-free systems, based on the minimum number of isolation filters. Based on the consideration of fault isolatability, the original system is reasonably divided into two completely isolated subsystems, and then two sets of fault isolation filters are designed based on the principles of duality design for state feedback decoupling, which achieves residual decoupling, and therefore, can detect and isolate multiple faults occurred on the micro thrusters. In particular, this method has low computational burden (a feature of practical importance in reducing the usage of onboard resources) and short isolation time, making it suitable for on-board fast and precise fault isolation. The simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method when utilized for a drag-free system with 12 field emission electric propulsion (FEEP) thrusters.
A Novel Temperature Compensation Method for Surface Strain of Cylindrical Lithium-ion Batteries
Authors: Sun Rong Yao , Mao Lei
Published: November 2023

In order to ensure the safe operation of lithium-ion batteries, real-time monitoring of battery status is necessary. The surface strain signal of lithium-ion batteries has the potential to evaluate the battery’s state, but it is significantly affected by temperature. Generally, measuring the battery surface temperature and the thermal expansion coefficient can be performed to quantify and eliminate the influence of temperature on strain, but this increases the cost and complexity of strain measurement. This article proposes a method that eliminates the need to measure the battery temperature and material parameters. By simultaneously measuring the circumferential and axial strains on the battery surface and calculating their difference, the influence of temperature on strain can be minimized. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the proposed method is experimentally tested. Results demonstrate that after applying temperature compensation to commercial lithium-ion batteries, the influence of temperature on strain can be reduced from 16.4 ppm/°C to 1.7 ppm/°C. The strain no longer exhibits sensitivity to current, making it more suitable for evaluating the state of lithium-ion batteries.
Optimization of an Air-cooling Thermal Management System for Lithium-ion Battery Packs via Particle Swarm Algorithm
Authors: Wu Wenbo
Published: November 2023

Recently, lithium-ion batteries have attracted many researchers and their safety issues such as overheating, combustion and explosion continue to further limit battery application scenarios. These issues are mainly caused by unoptimized battery structure parameters or cooling methods. In this paper, an integrated approach has been proposed to design an efficient air-cooling system using the particle swarm algorithm to find an optimal relationship between air flow rate and battery temperature. Firstly, this method can adjust an optimized air flow rate to ensure that the battery temperature is minimized with the lowest energy consumption via the particle swarm algorithm. Additionally, an optimized air flow rate can still be obtained with the change of structure parameters such as the radius in a lithium-ion battery pack via this novel algorithm. Then, we demonstrate the feasibility of this integrated method in simulations. Compared with the previous work, this method can employ the continuous modulation of the particle swarm algorithm, realizing both the best cooling capacity of the battery cooling system and simultaneously the lowest energy consumption for cooling in cell heat regulation systems. Meanwhile, temperature variations of the entire cell pack are also shown in simulations. In contrast to previous approaches, this integrated method may provide more dynamic thermal management inspirations for designing novel battery thermal management systems.
Optimized Configuration of Distributed Wind-Solar-Storage System Based on Wind-Solar Scene Generation
Authors: Zhang Haichun , Zhu Xin , Chen Ming , Liu Jiwen , Fan Ka
Published: November 2023

To achieve large-scale, high-proportion, high-quality sustainable development of new energy such as wind and solar, the integration of wind, solar, and storage is imperative. In this paper, the Latin hypercube sampling and rapid backward reduction methods are used to generate and reduce the wind-solar output data. Then, an optimization model based on distributed wind-solar-storage system is established, in which the storage capacity is the configurable variable and the system benefit is the optimization objective. Subsequently, the wind-solar output data is substituted into the model for solving, and the Cplex solver is used to solve the model. The results show that the optimal storage capacity of the model built in this paper is 5 MWh.
The control equipment for the integrated use of cold energy in LNG vessels
Authors: Liang Xin , Zheng Liyuan , Lin Xingzhi
Published: November 2023

The design of control equipment for the cold energy recovery and utilization of LNG ships is the focus of ship technology and a prerequisite for equipment manufacture. By analyzing the design background and design status of LNG ship cold energy recycling control equipment, the study forms design ideas and prepares equipment materials. It optimizes design methods and compares and evaluates them with traditional control equipment. After a series of evaluation tests, it is found that the LNG ship cold energy comprehensive utilization control equipment can effectively achieve the purpose of energy saving and emission reduction and solve the problems of high operating costs and environmental pollution of traditional LNG ships.
Analysis and Suppression of Thrust Fluctuations in Halbach-type Permanent Magnet Synchronous Linear Motors
Authors: Cheng Gixian , Wang Shuhua
Published: November 2023

To address the thrust fluctuation problem of a bilateral type permanent magnet synchronous linear motor (DSPMSLM) with a Halbach permanent magnet array, a DSPMLSM with Halbach permanent magnet array structure is designed using ANSYS software. And based on this motor, the thrust fluctuations of the DSPMLSM are suppressed by using methods such as changing the end tooth height of the armature core, the tooth slot structure, and the opening of an auxiliary slot in the primary yoke. Firstly, the causes of thrust fluctuations in these areas were analyzed. Secondly, MAXWELL simulations were used to demonstrate that the selection of a suitable end tooth height could suppress end forces and that the use of a suitable-sized half-open slot and an auxiliary slot in the primary yoke could effectively reduce slot forces. All three methods can be used to suppress motor thrust fluctuations, reducing the thrust fluctuations of the DSPMLSM from 11.4% to 3.28% and increasing the average output thrust, which provides a reference for further optimization of the output performance of the linear motor.
Electromagnetic Compatibility Testing Method and Application of Generators Based on Flexible Loading System
Authors: Guo Jiajia , Sun Yanan , Wang Chong , Wang Dongsheng , Ren Guiying , Wang Zilong , Zhao Mingli , Hang Zhou
Published: November 2023

As an important part of the extended-range new-energy vehicle, the electromagnetic compatibility of the generator system will affect the overall performance of the vehicle. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct electromagnetic compatibility testing on the generator system, which includes two parts: electromagnetic emission and electromagnetic immunity. By implementing EMC testing of generators based on flexible loading equipment, we simulate the working state of the generator system during the real vehicle operation in the 3m anechoic chamber and evaluate the electromagnetic compatibility performance of the generator system. Flexible loading equipment can solve the adverse effects of large engine system volume, high noise, and exhaust emissions on the anechoic chamber environment in extended-range new-energy vehicles, and obtain real-time testing information of the generator system, achieving the standard requirements of quantifiable and evaluable test results.
A Rapid Evaluation Method for Transformer Insulation Status
Authors: Liang Qinqin , Han Fangyuan , Yu Min , Tang Bin , Luo Zongchang
Published: November 2023

A method for rapid analysis of transformer insulation status indicated by moisture content in insulation paper was developed by microwave-assisted solvent extraction coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that acetonitrile is the best extraction solvent, and the second derivative based on the difference spectrum is obviously better than the difference spectrum. For the acetonitrile spectrum of extracting water, the sensitivity of hoh bending vibration 1680 cm−1 is higher than that of OH stretching vibration 3615 cm−1. For all test samples, the results of this method are basically consistent with the standard method and show excellent precision. The study shows that it is feasible to rapidly analyze the moisture content of transformer insulation paper by solvent extraction coupled with FTIR.
Multi-objective Optimal Scheduling of Power System Based on Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Lu Xueying , Wang Haiji , Hu Jiankun
Published: November 2023

With the rapid development of green energy, wind power has been applied more and more. In this paper, a multi-objective optimization model of a power system was established based on a non-dominant sorting genetic algorithm to solve the problem of system instability in wind power output, taking maximum wind power consumption and minimum power purchase cost as the objective function, and simulation verification is conducted. The results show that using this algorithm for model solving can get the corresponding Pareto optimal set of extreme solutions, verify the effectiveness of the algorithm, and achieve wind power consumption maximization, electricity purchase cost minimization, and better economic benefits.
Refined Modeling and Dynamic Characteristics of Self-excited Vibration in the Main Inlet Valve of Pumped Storage Power Stations
Authors: Lai Xinjie , Xu Junyang , Xiong Mengsi , Li Honghui , Zhou Jianzhong
Published: November 2023

Self-excited vibration of the main inlet valve poses a great threat to the safe operation of the pumped storage power system, thereby making an indirect hazardous effect on the frequency stability of the power grid. In order to avoid self-excited vibration, this paper focuses on the refined modeling and dynamic characteristics of self-excited vibration. Firstly, the flexible valve model is introduced and the refined pumped storage power system modeling considering self-excited vibration is established. The constructed model is then validated by comparing it with field data in the frequency domain. Secondly, the sensitivity of self-excited vibration to system parameters is investigated by using the modified Morris method. Once the sensitive parameters are found, the effect law of these parameters on the dynamic characteristics of self-excited vibration is studied in depth. Finally, engineering advice is proposed. The result indicates that the self-excited vibration is most sensitive to the length of the diversion pipe, valve clearance of the main inlet valve, and water hammer velocity. Moreover, it is verified by simulation that shorter upstream pipe length, lower water hammer velocity and smaller valve clearance help to restrain the amplitude and deterioration rate of self-excited vibration.
Influence of composition of binary mixed working fluids on the performance of cascade heat pump
Authors: Liu Xian , Yang Yurui , Shen Yuexiu , Ni Haibin , Yan Zhihao , Li Wen
Published: November 2023

The optimized design of the cascade heat pump facilitates the recovery and reuse of waste heat in printing and dyeing wastewater. This paper constructs a cascade heat pump system with two-stage cycles sampling the same binary mixed working fluids. The effects of three kinds of combinations of working fluids, including R134a/R152a, R134a/R22, and R152a/R22, on the COP and heating power, are discussed through the thermodynamic cycle process simulation when the component ratio varies. It is found that, for the R134a/R152a mixed working fluids, the system performance can be adjusted approximately linearly by changing the component ratio. For the two mixed working fluids of R134a/R22 and R152a/R22, the performance of the cascade heat pump system is closer to the case of using pure R134a and R152a as corresponding working fluids. The system’s heating capacity is significantly reduced, compared with the case of pure R22 employed. Besides, with the component ratio of working fluid increasing, the COP and heating power change with opposite trends.
The Combination of Simulation and Heat Pump Technology for the Treatment and Reconstruction of “Wet Plume” in fossil-fuel power station
Authors: Dou Jie
Published: November 2023

The saturated wet flue gas discharged from the power plant chimney after wet desulfurization often forms a thick “white plume” at the chimney’s mouth. This “wet plume” phenomenon has a very bad impact on the lives of local people, and it will also cause corrosion damage to surrounding equipment while polluting the environment. This paper simulates the “wet plume” phenomenon caused by flue gas emissions under different flue gas parameters and environmental parameters by using the CFD simulation method and the new technology of “smoke tower integration” of power plant emissions. Through the simulation data, the “wet plume” pollution change is studied, which provides a reliable theoretical basis for the design of new power plants and the reconstruction of old power plants. At the same time, through the simulation data, the combination of flue gas indirect condensation technology and heat pump technology is selected to realize the recovery and reuse of flue gas waste heat and realize the dual embodiment of social value and practical value.
Fault Diagnosis of Centrifugal Fan Based on Grid Search Optimized Voting Weighted KNN
Authors: Zhao Ning , Xu Jingyue , Zhou Gang
Published: November 2023

Fan plays the roles of the forced draft fan, induced draft fan, primary air fan, seal fan, and powder exhauster. As an important auxiliary of the fossil-fuel power station, its working environment is harsh. Timely and efficient fault diagnosis can effectively reduce equipment failure and shutdown losses, and improve the efficiency of thermal power generation. K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN) has good classification ability for non-stationary data samples. In response to the shortcomings of the traditional KNN algorithm, this paper constructs a fault diagnosis model based on the voting weighted k-nearest neighbor algorithm. The model constructs a weight voting equation that is negatively correlated with the distance value based on the first k-nearest neighbors and then conducts fault diagnosis based on the voting score. We use grid search to optimize the model and select the k value in the model, and the relationship between the k value and accuracy was verified. The grid search optimization voting weighted k-nearest neighbor is used to diagnose the faults of nine common operating states of centrifugal fans, and the diagnostic accuracy can reach 100%.
Drag Reduction and Thermal Protection of the Combination of Aero Disk, Lateral Jet, and Rear Jet for Hypersonic Vehicle
Authors: Liu Tianwei , Fang Shuzhou , Wang Ziyu , Cheng Jie
Published: November 2023

This study proposes a combined scheme based on a spike-aero-disk, a lateral jet, and a rear jet to enhance hypersonic vehicles’ drag reduction and thermal protection performance. Numerical simulations were conducted using CFD methods to validate the scheme’s capabilities. The results demonstrate a significant improvement in drag reduction and thermal protection compared to the basic scheme with only a spike-aero disk. Furthermore, under the same mass flow rate conditions, the combined scheme with an extra rear jet is compared to a scheme with a spike-aero-disk-lateral jet, revealing a reduction of approximately 23.4% in the peak Stanton number, indicating a remarkable enhancement in drag reduction and thermal protection performance. The simulation results show that the use of lateral jet and rear jet improves the overall thermal protection ability and drag reduction ability of the vehicle.
Smart Nonlinear Energy Feedback Power Electronic Load to Simulate Power Quality Problems
Authors: Xiao Tian’ ao , Dong Kun , Zhao Jianfeng
Published: November 2023

This paper proposes a design approach for an energy feedback power electronic load (PEL) based on back-to-back voltage source PWM converters. It can simulate not only constant linear loads but also a class of nonlinear loads to simulate power quality problems. The rectifier side and the inverter side are decoupled in control by using a DC capacitor. The rectifier side is responsible for tracking designed current commands to achieve the designed load characteristics, and based on the characteristics of the current commands, a multi-resonant controller plus state feedback controller was designed by using the internal model principle. The inverter side employs an LCL filter with active damping to control the phase of the grid-connected current, enabling energy to feed back to the grid. A simulation model of this PEL is established in Simulink software, and the simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
A power constant logic circuit based on mask control
Authors: Li Haiwei , Yao Maoqun , Li Conghui , Shen Shanhu
Published: November 2023

As the structure of existing anti-power attack circuits has certain security problems, this paper proposes a new mask-based control constant power logic circuit based on the existing masking technology. By integrating OR/NOR and AND/NAND circuits into a dual-rail circuit, different circuit logic functions can be controlled by inputting different masks. By introducing two parameters, Normalised Energy Deviation (NED) and Normalised Standard Deviation (NSD), the structure proposed in this paper improves the level of resistance of the circuit to power attacks to a certain extent, as well as reduces the cost of the circuit compared to other power attack resistant circuits.
High Dynamic Pixel Implementation Method for Adaptive Adjustment of Gate Voltage of Transfer Transistor on Chip
Authors: Lei Siqi , Guo Zhongjie , Wang Bin , Cheng Xinqi , Liu Suiyang
Published: November 2023

In CMOS Image Sensors (CIS), high dynamics are required to adapt to the variation of light intensity in different application scenarios. In this paper, we propose a highly dynamic method based on an 8T active pixel, which can adjust the gate voltage of the transfer transistor on the chip adaptively by changing the gate voltage of the transfer transistor in the pixel, to adjust the height of the potential barrier between the PD and FD nodes so that the PD node inside the pixel can fuse the signals of long and short exposures. The output of the sampled pixels is compared with the reference voltage, and the result is output to the gate of the transfer transistor through the DAC to determine the total exposure time allocation, achieving the effect of adaptive adjustment of the exposure time allocation by the pixel output. Based on the 55 nm process, the proposed method is verified by a specific circuit design, and the validation results show that the full trap capacity is 24 ke−
and the dynamic range can be extended from 66.02 dB to 89.54 dB without decreasing the pixel fill factor and increasing the signal processing complexity, and the long and short exposure times can be adjusted adaptively according to the application scenario to obtain the optimal high dynamic. The solution is optimized for high dynamics.
An Improved Convolutional Neural Network for Particle Image Velocimetry
Authors: Gong Shuicheng , Zhang Fuhao , Xun Gang , Li Xuesong
Published: November 2023

With the wide application of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technology in various engineering and research fields, the requirements for the accuracy, computational efficiency, and robustness of PIV algorithms are increasing. Although traditional algorithms have wide applicability, they suffer from low accuracy, large computational cost, and poor robustness. Recently, deep learning algorithms have provided new solutions, especially, convolutional neural networks with different structures, which have achieved good performance on synthetic PIV datasets. This paper proposes a structural improvement scheme for PIV convolutional neural network models. Experiments verify that the proposed method can significantly optimize the performance of the model on synthetic PIV datasets, providing a novel approach for improving other convolutional neural networks for PIV analysis.
Absolute value measurement of ion-scale turbulence by two-dimensional phase contrast imaging in Large Helical Device
Authors: Kinoshita T. , Tanaka K. , Sakai H. , Yanai R. , Nunami M. , Michael C.A.
Published: November 2023

Absolute value measurements of turbulence amplitude in magnetically confined
high-temperature plasmas can effectively explain turbulence-driven transport characteristics and
their role in plasma confinements. Two-dimensional phase contrast imaging (2D-PCI) is a technique
to evaluate the space-time spectrum of ion-scale electron density fluctuation. However, absolute
value measurement of turbulence amplitude has not been conducted owing to the nonlinearity of the
detector. In this study, the absolute measurement method proposed in the previous study is
applied to turbulence measurement results in the large helical device. As a result, the localized
turbulence amplitude at ne
 = 1.5 × 1019 m-3 is approximately 3.5 × 1015 m-3, which is 0.02% of the electron density. In addition, the evaluated poloidal
wavenumber spectrum is almost consistent, within a certain error range, the spectrum being
calculated using a nonlinear gyrokinetic simulation. This result is the first to the best of our
knowledge to quantitatively evaluate turbulence amplitudes measured by 2D-PCI and compare with
simulations.
Tribochemistry of mercaptoimidazoline as an additive in emulsion between self-mated GCr15 ball interfaces and its friction-reduction mechanism
Authors: Kuang Sier , Sun Xiaoya , Xiong Liping , Wu Yinglei , Li Lili , Guo Lei , He Zhongyi , Zhang Rehui
Published: November 2023

The tribological properties of two mercaptoimidazolines, with amino (2-MBTA) and hydroxyl (2-MBTD) functional groups, as lubricating additives in a water-based rapeseed oil emulsion were investigated. The results of tribological tests on a four-ball tester showed that both mercaptoimidazolines had effective anti-wear and friction reduction properties. The optimal tribological performance of the 2-MBTD was found to be 98 N and could be scribed to the hydroxyl group, whereas the amino group in 2-MBTA created a more effective wear-reducing tribofilm on the rubbing surfaces at 294 N. EDS analysis on the worn surface areas showed that the difference in tribological properties between 2-MBTA and 2-MBTD was attributed to the different contents of the active elements N and S. In addition, XPS results indicated that sulfates were prevalent in the tribofilm for 2-MBTA, whereas sulfides that could reduce the coefficient of friction (COF) were present in the tribofilm for 2-MBTD. The friction mechanism of 2-MBTA and 2-MBTD is that different functional groups influence the composition of the boundary lubrication film formed, which in turn affects the tribological properties of the additives.
The prevalence of occupational burnout and its individual and situational predictors among addiction therapists
Authors: Klingemann Justyna , Mokros Łukasz , Sienkiewicz-Jarosz Halina , Świtaj Piotr
Published: November 2023

This study assesses the prevalence and individual and organizational predictors of occupational burnout among addiction therapists. A total of 452 addiction therapists from a representative sample of 184 Polish alcohol treatment facilities (outpatient and inpatient) participated in the study (facility response rate = 42%). The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory was used to measure occupational burnout, and 15 subscales of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II were administered to assess psychosocial work conditions. In addition, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the abbreviated six-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale measured other important dimensions of addiction therapists' psychosocial functioning. Logistic regression was used for the analysis of the data. Occupational burnout was noticeably prevalent in the study group: 62% of respondents experienced exhaustion and 50% experienced disengagement from work, both to at least a moderate degree. Situational (organizational) variables were the most important predictors, explaining much more of the variance in both dimensions of burnout than the individual factors, of which only depression was significantly related to higher levels of exhaustion. Coronavirus anxiety played a marginal role in explaining the severity of burnout. The current study is one of the first attempts to assess the level of occupational burnout among addiction therapists and to comprehensively investigate the factors contributing to it. The findings provide useful information for the development of interventions aimed at preventing or reducing burnout in this professional group.
Time to budbreak is not enough: cold hardiness evaluation is necessary in dormancy and spring phenology studies
Authors: North Michael G , Kovaleski Al P
Published: November 2023

Background

Dormancy of buds is an important phase in the life cycle of perennial plants growing in environments where unsuitable growth conditions occur seasonally. In regions where low temperature defines these unsuitable conditions, the attainment of cold hardiness is also required for survival. The end of the dormant period culminates in budbreak and flower emergence, or spring phenology, one of the most appreciated and studied phenological events – a time also understood to be most sensitive to low-temperature damage. Despite this, we have a limited physiological and molecular understanding of dormancy, which has negatively affected our ability to model budbreak. This is also true for cold hardiness.

Scope

Here we highlight the importance of including cold hardiness in dormancy studies that typically only characterize time to budbreak. We show how different temperature treatments may lead to increases in cold hardiness, and by doing so also (potentially inadvertently) increase time to budbreak.

Conclusions

We present a theory that describes evaluation of cold hardiness as being key to clarifying physiological changes throughout the dormant period, delineating dormancy statuses, and improving both chill and phenology models. Erroneous interpretations of budbreak datasets are possible by not phenotyping cold hardiness. Changes in cold hardiness were very probably present in previous experiments that studied dormancy, especially when those included below-freezing temperature treatments. Separating the effects between chilling accumulation and cold acclimation in future studies will be essential for increasing our understanding of dormancy and spring phenology in plants.
Social networks reveal sex- and age-patterned social structure in Butler’s gartersnakes (Thamnophis butleri)
Authors: Skinner Morgan , Hazell Megan , Jameson Joel , Lougheed Stephen C
Published: November 2023

Sex- and age-based social structures have been well documented in animals with visible aggregations. However, very little is known about the social structures of snakes. This is most likely because snakes are often considered non-social animals and are particularly difficult to observe in the wild. Here, we show that wild Butler’s Gartersnakes have an age and sex assorted social structure similar to more commonly studied social animals. To demonstrate this, we use data from a 12-year capture-mark-recapture study to identify social interactions using social network analyses. We find that the social structures of Butler’s Gartersnakes comprise sex- and age-assorted intra-species communities with older females often central and age segregation partially due to patterns of study site use. In addition, we find that females tended to increase in sociability as they aged while the opposite occurred in males. We also present evidence that social interaction may provide fitness benefits, where snakes that were part of a social network were more likely to have improved body condition. We demonstrate that conventional capture data can reveal valuable information on social structures in cryptic species. This is particularly valuable as research has consistently demonstrated that understanding social structure is important for conservation efforts. Additionally, research on the social patterns of animals without obvious social groups provides valuable insight into the evolution of group living.
Mechanisms and treatment of obesity-related hypertension—Part 1: Mechanisms
Authors: Parvanova Aneliya , Reseghetti Elia , Abbate Manuela , Ruggenenti Piero
Published: November 2023

The prevalence of obesity has tripled over the past five decades. Obesity, especially visceral obesity, is closely related to hypertension, increasing the risk of primary (essential) hypertension by 65%–75%. Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide, and its prevalence is rapidly increasing following the pandemic rise in obesity. Although the causal relationship between obesity and high blood pressure (BP) is well established, the detailed mechanisms for such association are still under research. For more than 30 years sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and kidney sodium reabsorption activation, secondary to insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia, have been considered as primary mediators of elevated BP in obesity. However, experimental and clinical data show that severe insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia can occur in the absence of elevated BP, challenging the causal relationship between insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia as the key factor linking obesity to hypertension. The purpose of Part 1 of this review is to summarize the available data on recently emerging mechanisms believed to contribute to obesity-related hypertension through increased sodium reabsorption and volume expansion, such as: physical compression of the kidney by perirenal/intrarenal fat and overactivation of the systemic/renal SNS and the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system. The role of hyperleptinemia, impaired chemoreceptor and baroreceptor reflexes, and increased perivascular fat is also discussed. Specifically targeting these mechanisms may pave the way for a new therapeutic intervention in the treatment of obesity-related hypertension in the context of ‘precision medicine’ principles, which will be discussed in Part 2.
Procedural fairness in benefit package design: inclusion of pre-exposure prophylaxis of HIV in Universal Coverage Scheme in Thailand
Authors: Viriyathorn Shaheda , Sachdev Saranya , Suwanwela Waraporn , Wangbanjongkun Waritta , Patcharanarumol Walaiporn , Tangcharoensathien Viroj
Published: November 2023

Since 2002, Thailand’s Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) has adopted a comprehensive benefits package with few exclusions. A positive-list approach has gradually been applied, with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) of HIV recently being included. Disagreements resulting from competing values and diverging interests necessitate an emphasis on procedural fairness when making any decisions. This qualitative study analyses agenda setting, policy formulation and early implementation of PrEP from a procedural fairness lens. Literature reviews and in-depth interviews with 13 key stakeholders involved in PrEP policy processes were conducted. Civil society organizations (CSOs) and academia piloted PrEP service models and co-produced evidence on programmatic feasibility and outcomes. Through a broad stakeholder representation process, the Department of Disease Control proposed PrEP for inclusion in UCS benefits package in 2017. PrEP was shown to be cost-effective and affordable through rigorous health technology assessment, peer review, use of up-to-date evidence and safe-guards against conflicts of interest. In 2021, Thailand’s National Health Security Board decided to include PrEP as a prevention and promotion package, free of charge, for the populations at risk. Favourable conditions for procedural fairness were created by Thailand’s legislative provisions that enable responsive governance, notably inclusiveness, transparency, safeguarding public interest and accountable budget allocations; longstanding institutional capacity to generate local evidence; and implementation capacity for realisation of procedural fairness criteria. Multiple stakeholders including CSOs, academia and the government deliberated in the policy process through working groups and sub-committees. However, a key lesson from Thailand’s deliberative process concerns a possible ‘over interpretation’ of conflicts of interest, intended to promote impartial decision-making, which inadvertently limited the voices of key populations represented in the decision processes. Finally, this case study underscores the value of examining the full policy cycle when assessing procedural fairness, since some stages of the process may be more amenable to certain procedural criteria than others.
Policymakers’ perspective on the importance of procedural fairness to implement and sustain health financing reforms
Authors: González-Pier Eduardo , Bryne Inger Cathrine , Cárdenas Gamboa Diana Isabel , Dsane-Selby Lydia , Kapologwe Ntuli , Radutskyi Mykhailo , Sadanandan Rajeev
Published: November 2023

Fair process is instrumental to implementing and sustaining health financing reforms. Ensuring a fair process during the design and adoption phases can garner political capital and secure a sense of citizens’ ownership. This will prove useful when reforms are contested before benefits are yet to be fully materialized. Since many well devised health financing reforms are vulnerable to being dismantled after a few years of being launched, fair process should play a more strategic role in the implementation and evaluation phases when policies get challenged and reformulated to reflect the changing political and socioeconomic landscapes and to better manage early evidence on performance.
A two-dimensional boundary value problem of elliptic type with nonlocal conjugation conditions
Authors: Milovanović Jeknić Zorica , Delić Aleksandra , Živanović Sandra
Published: November 2023

We consider an elliptic boundary value problem with nonlocal conjugation conditions. An a priori estimate for its weak solution in an appropriate Sobolev-like space is proved. A finite difference scheme approximating this problem is proposed and analyzed. An estimate of the convergence rate, compatible with the smoothness of the input data, is obtained.
Dissecting molecular evolution of class 1 integron gene cassettes and identifying their bacterial hosts in suburban creeks via epicPCR
Authors: Qi Qin , Ghaly Timothy M , Rajabal Vaheesan , Gillings Michael R , Tetu Sasha G
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Our study aimed to sequence class 1 integrons in uncultured environmental bacterial cells in freshwater from suburban creeks and uncover the taxonomy of their bacterial hosts. We also aimed to characterize integron gene cassettes with altered DNA sequences relative to those from databases or literature and identify key signatures of their molecular evolution.

Methods

We applied a single-cell fusion PCR-based technique—emulsion, paired isolation and concatenation PCR (epicPCR)—to link class 1 integron gene cassette arrays to the phylogenetic markers of their bacterial hosts. The levels of streptomycin resistance conferred by the WT and altered aadA5 and aadA11 gene cassettes that encode aminoglycoside (3″) adenylyltransferases were experimentally quantified in an Escherichia coli host.

Results

Class 1 integron gene cassette arrays were detected in Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria hosts. A subset of three gene cassettes displayed signatures of molecular evolution, namely the gain of a regulatory 5′-untranslated region (5′-UTR), the loss of attC recombination sites between adjacent gene cassettes, and the invasion of a 5′-UTR by an IS element. Notably, our experimental testing of a novel variant of the aadA11 gene cassette demonstrated that gaining the observed 5′-UTR contributed to a 3-fold increase in the MIC of streptomycin relative to the ancestral reference gene cassette in E. coli.

Conclusions

Dissecting the observed signatures of molecular evolution of class 1 integrons allowed us to explain their effects on antibiotic resistance phenotypes, while identifying their bacterial hosts enabled us to make better inferences on the likely origins of novel gene cassettes and IS that invade known gene cassettes.
Preventing Violence in the Most Violent Contexts: Behavioral and Neurophysiological Evidence from El Salvador
Authors: Dinarte-Diaz Lelys , Egana-delSol Pablo
Published: November 2023

Violence and delinquency levels in Central America are among the highest in the world and constrain human capital acquisition. We designed and conducted a randomized experiment in El Salvador to measure the impacts of an after-school program aimed at reducing school violence. The program combines a behavioral intervention with extracurricular activities for 10–16 year old students. We find the program reduced the participants’ violent behavior both inside and outside of school and indirectly improved their attendance, attitudes toward school and learning, and academic outcomes. Using state-of-the-art technology, we measured participant brain activity and show that the intervention fosters emotion regulation, enabling treated adolescents to remain calmer when faced with external stimuli.
3D gravity fast inversion based on Krylov subspace methods
Authors: Yang Min , Xu Xinqiang , Wang Wanyin , Zhao Dongming , Zhou Wei
Published: November 2023

Mapping the density contrast through the 3D gravity inversion can help detect goals under the subsurface. However, it is a challenge to accurately and efficiently solve the 3D gravity inversion. The Krylov subspace method is commonly used for large linear problems due to its high computational efficiency and low storage requirement. In this study, two classical algorithms of Krylov subspace method, namely the generalized minimum residual method and the conjugate gradient method, are applied to 3D gravity inversion. On the basis of the recovered models of the deep mineral and the shallow L-shaped tunnel models, it was found that the generalized minimum residual method provided similar density contrast results to the conjugate gradient method. The obtained inversion results of density contrast corresponded well to the position of the deep mineral resources model and the L-shaped tunnel model. The 3D distribution of Fe content underground was obtained by inverting the measured gravity data from the Olympic Dam in Australia. The recovered results correspond well with the distribution of Fe content in the geological profile collected. The accuracy of inversion using the generalized minimum residual method was similar to that of the conjugate gradient method under the same conditions. However, the generalized minimum residual method had a faster convergence speed and increased inversion efficiency by ∼90%, greatly reducing the inversion time and improves the inversion efficiency.
Stratification pattern enumerator and its applications
Authors: Tian Ye , Xu Hongquan
Published: November 2023

Space-filling designs are widely used in computer experiments. A minimum aberration-type space-filling criterion was recently proposed to rank and assess a family of space-filling designs including orthogonal array-based Latin hypercubes and strong orthogonal arrays. However, it is difficult to apply the criterion in practice because it requires intensive computation for determining the space-filling pattern, which measures the stratification properties of designs on various subregions. In this article, we propose a stratification pattern enumerator to characterise the stratification properties. The enumerator is easy to compute and can efficiently rank space-filling designs. We show that the stratification pattern enumerator is a linear combination of the space-filling pattern. Based on the connection, we develop efficient algorithms for calculating the space-filling pattern. In addition, we establish a lower bound for the stratification pattern enumerator and present construction methods for designs that achieve the lower bound using multiplication tables over Galois fields. The constructed designs have good space-filling properties in low-dimensional projections and are robust under various criteria.
Secretagogin regulates asynchronous and spontaneous glutamate release in hippocampal neurons through interaction with Doc2α
Authors: Tu Yingfeng , Qin Jiao , Zhang Qiao-Ming , Tang Tie-Shan , Wang Lifang , Yao Jun
Published: November 2023

Synaptic vesicle (SV) exocytosis is orchestrated by protein machineries consisting of the SNARE complex, Ca2+ sensors, and their partners. Secretagogin (SCGN) is a Ca2+-binding protein involved in multiple forms of vesicle secretion. Although SCGN is implicated in multiple neurological disorders, its role in SV exocytosis in neurons remains unknown. Here, using knockout and knockdown techniques, we report that SCGN could regulate the asynchronous and spontaneous forms of excitatory but not inhibitory SV exocytosis in mouse hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, SCGN functioned in glutamate release via directly interacting with Doc2α, a high-affinity Ca2+ sensor specific for asynchronous and spontaneous SV exocytosis. Conversely, the interaction with SCGN is also required for Doc2α to execute its Ca2+ sensor function in SV release. Together, our study revealed that SCGN plays an important role in asynchronous and spontaneous glutamate release through its interaction with Doc2α.
Twisted magnetar magnetospheres
Authors: Ntotsikas D , Gourgouliatos K N , Contopoulos I , Lander S K
Published: November 2023

Magnetar magnetospheres are strongly twisted, and are able to power sudden energetic events through the rapid release of stored electromagnetic energy. In this paper, we investigate twisted relativistic force-free axisymmetric magnetospheres of rotating neutron stars. We obtain numerical solutions of such configurations using the method of simultaneous relaxation for the magnetic field inside and outside the light-cylinder. We introduce a toroidal magnetic field in the region of closed field-lines that is associated with a poloidal electric current distribution in that region, and explore various mathematical expressions for that distribution. We find that, by increasing the twist, a larger fraction of magnetic field-lines crosses the light-cylinder and opens up to infinity, thus increasing the size of the polar caps and enhancing the spin-down rate. We also find that, for moderately to strongly twisted magnetospheres, the region of closed field-lines ends at some distance inside the light-cylinder. We discuss the implications of these solutions on the variation of magnetar spin-down rates, moding and nulling of pulsars, the relation between the angular shear and the twist, and the overall shape of the magnetosphere.
Improved discovery of RNA-binding protein binding sites in eCLIP data using DEWSeq
Authors: Schwarzl Thomas , Sahadevan Sudeep , Lang Benjamin , Miladi Milad , Backofen Rolf , Huber Wolfgang , Hentze Matthias W , Tartaglia Gian Gaetano
Published: November 2023

Enhanced crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (eCLIP) sequencing is a method for transcriptome-wide detection of binding sites of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). However, identified crosslink sites can deviate from experimentally established functional elements of even well-studied RBPs. Current peak-calling strategies result in low replication and high false positive rates. Here, we present the R/Bioconductor package DEWSeq that makes use of replicate information and size-matched input controls. We benchmarked DEWSeq on 107 RBPs for which both eCLIP data and RNA sequence motifs are available and were able to more than double the number of motif-containing binding regions relative to standard eCLIP processing. The improvement not only relates to the number of binding sites (3.1-fold with known motifs for RBFOX2), but also their subcellular localization (1.9-fold of mitochondrial genes for FASTKD2) and structural targets (2.2-fold increase of stem–loop regions for SLBP. On several orthogonal CLIP-seq datasets, DEWSeq recovers a larger number of motif-containing binding sites (3.3-fold). DEWSeq is a well-documented R/Bioconductor package, scalable to adequate numbers of replicates, and tends to substantially increase the proportion and total number of RBP binding sites containing biologically relevant features.
Product Choice Affects Risk of False-Positive Hepatitis B Virus Serology During Immunoglobulin Replacement Therapy
Authors: Lindahl Hannes , Norlin Anna-Carin , Bergman Peter
Published: November 2023

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen antibodies passively transferred from immunoglobulin products used for replacement or immunomodulation may lead to unnecessary antiviral treatment for patients who are also starting immunosuppressive treatment. We have systematically assessed the contents of 93 commercial immunoglobulin batches and show that there are consistent product-specific differences in the levels of HBV core antigen antibodies and that choice of immunoglobulin product may have an impact on false-positivity rates.
What Is in the Neuromuscular Junction Literature?
Authors: Lacomis David
Published: November 2023

This update covers several articles on diagnosis and misdiagnosis of myasthenia gravis (MG), the role of complement in MG, and then an impressive number of recent treatment trials. There is a negative study on any corticosteroid-sparing effect of intravenous immunoglobulin. A number of positive studies are reviewed. Open-label extension studies of phase 3 trials showed benefit regarding quality of life with efgartigimod and in functional measures with ravulizumab. The phase 3 RAISE trial of zilucoplan, a self-administered complement C5 inhibitor, is covered as well as the MyCarinG trial of rozanolixizumab. The notion of using fast-acting therapies early in the course of MG is addressed. The last sections center on MG and Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome as a consequence of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.