bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First results of collective Thomson scattering diagnostic of fast ions at the GDT open magnetic trap
Authors: Shalashov A. G. , Gospodchikov E. D. , Khusainov T. A. , Lubyako L. V. , Solomakhin A. L. , Yakovlev D. V.
Published: August 2022

Fast-ion diagnostic based on measuring of the collective Thomson scattering of high-power gyrotron radiation has been developed for the gasdynamic trap facility in Budker Institute during the last 3 years. This diagnostic is aimed at reconstruction of ion distributions over transverse and longitudinal velocities driven in the plasma core by strong neutral beam injection. Here, we present the first experimental results which may be interpreted as the expected scattering signal from fast ions. The detected spectra with the effective noise temperature of about 100 eV detuned in a particular frequency range of 100–300 MHz from the probe gyrotron frequency are compatible with the early theoretical predictions.
Efficient charge transfer in an aggregation-induced nanocavity of Au nanoclusters
Authors: Bae Jueun , Ha Juhee , Kim Youngsoo
Published: August 2022

In the last 20 years, extensive research has been reported on the use of plasmonic nanoparticles as a potential photocatalyst. However, the low conversion efficiency has still remained a major concern. Herein, we present a new photocatalytic reaction system based on Au nanoclusters (Au NCs) to enhance the conversion efficiency. Negatively charged Au NCs electrostatically interact with positively charged metal ions and form highly aggregated nanocrystals, which can efficiently capture a chemical substance in the reaction mixture. In such a reaction system, the distance between the electron donor and acceptor can be shortened, resulting in an efficient electron transfer process. We examined the electron transfer behavior in a nanocavity system via resazurin photoreduction and compared the reaction rate with that of a colloidal system, which is a commonly used reaction system. Evidently, the nanocavity system facilitated an enhanced reaction rate compared to that of the colloidal system. Furthermore, this nanocavity reaction system permitted multistep photoreactions and multi-electron transfer processes.
High-performance broadband WO3−x/Bi2O2Se photodetectors based on plasmon-induced hot-electron injection
Authors: Zhang Xinlei , Yu Yuanfang , Cui Yueying , Yang Fang , Wang Wenhui , Liu Lin , Lu Junpeng , Ni Zhenhua
Published: August 2022

Two-dimensional (2D) Bi2O2Se has emerged as a promising candidate for broadband photodetection, owing to its superior carrier mobility, outstanding air-stability, and suitable bandgap. However, Bi2O2Se photodetectors suffer limited sensitivity at a near-infrared region due to the relatively weak light absorption at this band. Here, it is demonstrated that coupling with plasmonic nanostructures can effectively improve the performance of Bi2O2Se photodetectors at a broad spectral range of 532–1550 nm. By virtue of plasmon-induced hot-electron injection and the improved light absorption, the WO3−x/Bi2O2Se hybrid photodetector exhibits a high responsivity of ∼1.7 × 106 A/W at 700 nm, and ∼48 A/W at a communication O-band of 1310 nm, which is nearly one order of magnitude higher than that of an intrinsic Bi2O2Se device. Moreover, profited by ultrafast hot electron transfer and the avoided defect trapping, the device maintains a high-speed photoresponse (rise time ∼326 ns, decay time ∼47 μs). Our results show that 2D materials coupled with plasmonic nanostructures is a promising architecture for developing state-of-the-art broadband photodetection.
Improving the wear and corrosion resistance of martensitic stainless steel by paste boriding treatment
Authors: Shi Mingxiao , Li Jingyong , Mao Weidong , Li Shengliang , Yang Zhidong , Ma Xiang
Published: August 2022

Surface hardening techniques of steel are of great practical interest for applications in the petroleum industry. The boriding technique is one of the most economical choices. In this work, a paste boriding process is performed to increase the wear and corrosion resistance of AISI 410 martensitic stainless steel. The surface wear and corrosion resistance of the steel were significantly improved via the paste boriding treatment. The microstructure of the borided layer consists of FeB and Fe2B, which are located in the external and internal layers of the borided layer, respectively. As the boriding temperature rises, the thickness of the borided layer increases, which at the same time leads to an increase in the number of voids.
Measurements of Dipole Moments for the 5s5p
3
P
1–5sns
3
S
1 Transitions via Autler-Townes Spectroscopy
Authors: Tan Canzhu , Hu Fachao , Niu Zhijing , Jiang Yuhai , Weidemuller Matthias , Zhu Bing
Published: August 2022

We report on experimental measurements of the transition dipole moments (TDMs) between the intermediate state 5s5p
3
P
1 and the triplet Rydberg series 5sns
3
S
1 in an ultracold strontium gas. Here n is the principal quantum number ranging from 19 to 40. The transition 5s5p
3
P
1–5sns
3
S
1 is coupled via an ultraviolet (UV) beam, inducing Autler–Townes splitting of both states. Such a splitting of the intermediate state is spectroscopically measured by using absorption imaging on a narrow transition 5s
2
1
S
0–5s5p
3
P
1 in an ultracold gas of strontium atoms. The power and size of the UV beam are carefully determined, with which the TDMs are extracted from the measured Autler–Townes splitting. The experimentally obtained TDMs are compared to the calculations based on a parametric core potential, on a Coulomb potential with quantum defect, and on the open-source library Alkali Ryderg calculator, finding good agreement with the former two models and significant deviation with the latter.
Sampling complexity on phase retrieval from masked Fourier measurements via Wirtinger flow*
Authors: Li Huiping , Li Song , Xia Yu
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we consider the problem of phase retrieval under masked Fourier measurements. Specifically, we focus on a question raised by E Candès et al, namely, to reduce the sampling complexity of such problem in noiseless case. We provide a truncated Wirtinger flow (TWF) algorithm with resampling to solve the problem. This algorithm starts with an initial guess computed by some truncated spectral method, then proceeds by successively refining the estimation via an update rule that bears a strong resemblance to a gradient descent scheme. These careful selection rules provide better initial guess and descent direction. We prove that when the sampling complexity is O(n log n), we get some good initial solution. Furthermore, the sequence generated by the resampled TWF algorithm can linearly converge to the true signal

x
∈

C

n

with

ϵ

~

-accuracy up to a global phase, provided with the sampling complexity

O

(

log

(

1

ϵ

~

)

n

log

2

⁡
n

)

. To some degree, we improve the results proposed by E Candès et al, which demand O(n log4 
n) samples.
Stability estimate for the broken non-abelian x-ray transform in Minkowski space
Authors: St-Amant Simon
Published: August 2022

We study the broken non-abelian x-ray transform in Minkowski space. This transform acts on the space of Hermitian connections on a causal diamond and is known to be injective up to an infinite-dimensional gauge. We show a stability estimate that takes the gauge into account, leading to a new proof of the transform’s injectivity. Our proof leads us to consider a special type of connections that we call light-sink connections. We then show that we can consistently recover a light-sink connection from noisy measurement of its x-ray transform data through Bayesian inversion.
Uniqueness and numerical inversion in the time-domain fluorescence diffuse optical tomography
Authors: Sun Chunlong , Zhang Zhidong
Published: August 2022

This work considers the time-domain fluorescence diffuse optical tomography (FDOT). We recover the distribution of fluorophores in biological tissue by the boundary measurements. With the Laplace transform and the knowledge of complex analysis, we build the uniqueness theorem of this inverse problem. After that, the numerical inversions are considered. We introduce an iterative inversion algorithm under the framework of regularizing scheme, then give several numerical examples in three-dimensional space illustrating the performance of the proposed inversion schemes.
Self-consistent theory of current injection into d and d + is superconductors
Authors: Seja Kevin Marc , Löfwander Tomas
Published: August 2022

We present results for the steady-state nonlinear response of a

d

x
2

−

y
2

superconducting film connected to normal-metal reservoirs under voltage bias, allowing for a subdominant s-wave component appearing near the interfaces. Our investigation is based on a current-conserving theory that self-consistently includes the non-equilibrium distribution functions, charge imbalance, and the voltage-dependencies of order parameters and scalar impurity self-energies. For a pure d-wave superconductor with [110] orientation of the interfaces to the contacts, the conductance contains a zero-bias peak reflecting the large density of zero-energy interface Andreev bound states. Including a subdominant s-wave pairing channel, it is in equilibrium energetically favorable for an s-wave order parameter component

Δ

s

to appear near the interfaces in the time-reversal symmetry breaking combination d + is. The Andreev states then shift to finite energies in the density of states. Under voltage bias, we find that the non-equilibrium distribution in the contact area causes a rapid suppression of the s-wave component to zero as the voltage

e
V
→

Δ

s

. The resulting spectral rearrangements and voltage-dependent scattering amplitudes lead to a pronounced non-thermally broadened split of the zero-bias conductance peak that is not seen in a non-selfconsistent Landauer–Büttiker scattering approach.
Robust two-colour pyrometry uncertainty analysis to acquire spatially-resolved measurements
Authors: Reggeti Shawn A , Agrawal Ajay K , A Bittle Joshua
Published: August 2022

Two-colour pyrometry (2CP) has been used over several decades to study engine-relevant combustion processes, but results are generally regarded as qualitative or semi-quantitative. In many current 2CP systems, large measurement errors are introduced by parallax because the two measured wavelengths are not from the same line of sight. This work presents a spatially-resolved 2CP system with the objective of quantifying and reducing measurement uncertainty. An optical setup that eliminates parallax in 2CP is used together with pixel-by-pixel calibration of the camera sensor to increase measurement accuracy. Primary uncertainty terms are identified, and an error propagation analysis is performed to compute uncertainties in the final results of soot temperature, soot concentration parameter, KL, and soot mass. These methodologies are applied to investigate an auto-igniting fuel spray in a constant pressure flow rig at diesel-like conditions of high ambient pressure and temperature. Results show bias uncertainty of around 200 K (≈10%) for temperature and about 40%–60% for KL. High uncertainty was found to occur on the diffusion flame front where both optical thickness and soot concentrations are small. However, these uncertain measurement zones with relatively low soot concentrations contribute minimally to the total soot mass present in the reacting jet during the temporal evolution of the flame.
Effect of sensor installation angle on measurement of explosion shock wave pressure
Authors: Wang Liangquan , Shang Fei , Deren Kong
Published: August 2022

The inclination of a shock wave pressure sensor with respect to the ground has been reported to have a significant effect on the accuracy of the measured shock wave pressure. Extensive research is required for the planning of damage power test site layouts and improvement of the accuracy of blast shock wave pressure tests. Thus, in this study, we established a three-dimensional numerical simulation model based on a real shooting range test site and investigated the effects of various sensor installation angles and measurement point distances on the shock wave overpressure via multi-point modeling. Overpressure data and pressure evolution contour plots were generated from seven sensor installation angles and six measurement points. Overpressure–time history curves, peak overpressure decay rates, and relative change in the peak overpressure with the installation angle were analyzed to investigate the effects of the sensor installation angle on the pressure test. The data obtained from the numerical simulation model were verified via field explosion tests. Furthermore, a theoretical correction model for the measured surface reflection pressure with respect to the installation angle was established, and a model calculation accuracy of 91.33%.
Critical current and n-value prediction of second-generation high temperature superconducting conductors considering the temperature-field dependence based on the back propagation neural network with encoder
Authors: Zhu Lingfeng , Wang Yinshun , Meng Ziqing , Wang Tianjing
Published: August 2022

The qualities of superconducting conductors are usually characterized by their critical current and n-value. In this paper, the critical current and the n-value of the second-generation (2G) high temperature superconducting (HTS) conductors considering the temperature-field dependence are predicted by a back propagation (BP) neural network as J
c(B, θ, T) and n(B,θ,T). A correlation exists between the critical current and the n-value, thus in our BP neural network, the tasks of estimating the critical current and the n-value can be carried out in one network. The outputs used to predict the critical current and the n-value share the same hidden layers of the network, and therefore the critical current and the n-value can be calculated simultaneously. The critical current and the n-value of HTS conductors vary for different manufacturers and even for the same manufacturer but different production batches. In our BP network, we use an encoder structure to encode different manufacturers and production batches to ensure that the network can be adapted to the HTS conductors so produced. The predictions on three different samples of HTS conductors are carried out and the results are compared with those obtained from linear interpolation at different temperature-field conditions. In addition to the high accuracy, when compared with the linear interpolation, the proposed network can suppress the fluctuations existing in the experimental data and ensure the prediction results to be more reasonable. The time required for the proposed network to obtain the prediction results of the critical current and the n-value is also discussed, which is within 5 s. Therefore, the proposed network has the potential to be applied to the optimization and analysis of the superconducting related equipment.
Large signal of h → µτ within the constraints of e

i
→ e

j

γ decays in the 3-3-1 model with neutral leptons*
Authors: Hung H. T. , Binh D. T. , Quyet H. V.
Published: August 2022

In the framework of the 3-3-1 model with neutral leptons, we investigate lepton-flavor-violating sources based on the Higgs mass spectrum, which has two neutral Higgs identified with the corresponding ones of the two-Higgs-doublet model. We note that at the

scale of the LHC, the parameter space regions satisfy the experimental limits of

decays. These regions depend heavily on the mixing of exotic leptons but are predicted to have large

signals. We also show that

can reach a value of

.
Magnetic Field Crosstalk Suppression Method on Superconducting Quantum Chips
Authors: Ye Yan , Liu Jiangtao , Hou Xiaoqiang , Zhang Jianqiong , Huang ZhiZhuo
Published: August 2022

The arithmetic power of a quantum computer is determined by a combination of the number of quantum bits and the fidelity of a single bit. Superconducting quantum chips can be prepared using a process similar to that of semiconductor chips, and are therefore of interest because of their natural advantages in terms of scalability. However, as the number of quantum bits increases, the z-control lines (magnetic field control lines) on the superconducting quantum chip also increase, leading to increased magnetic field crosstalk between individual control lines, which affects the fidelity of a single bit and further affects the arithmetic power of superconducting quantum computing. To address the above problems, this paper proposes two methods to reduce the magnetic field crosstalk between the control lines by modeling and simulating the superconducting quantum chip using air bridges and inflow structures, and the simulation results show that the magnetic field crosstalk between the control lines is significantly improved after the introduction of air bridges and inflow structures. This work provides a basis for further suppression of magnetic field crosstalk between the z-control lines of superconducting quantum chips.
Adaptive Restraint Coefficient-Based Differential Protection for Main Transformers in Wind Farms
Authors: Zhang Zhi , Sun Yang , Li Zhiyan
Published: August 2022

Influenced by factors such as fault current frequency deviation, current transformer (CT) saturation and abnormal data, the traditional transformer current differential protection scheme contains the risks of slow operating speed or false operation in the wind power system. To guarantee the safe operation of the power system, by improving the traditional current differential protection scheme, a differential protection scheme based on the adaptive restrain coefficient was proposed for the main transformers of wind farms. The proposed protection adaptively adjusts the restraint coefficient according to the time-domain distribution characteristics of differential current. When the internal fault occurs, the restraint coefficient will be adaptively reduced; the restraint coefficient will adaptively increase when the non-internal fault occurs. The proposed protection scheme significantly surpasses the traditional current different protection in terms of operating performance, because it can accurately identify the internal faults and strongly resist abnormal data, CT saturation and magnetizing inrush current.
Research of the Loss of Power Transformer Structure
Authors: Lei Liu , Longfei Li , Houguang Chu , Fei Zhang , Ming Jin , Weining Zhang , Zhijie Ge , Zhaoguang Du
Published: August 2022

This paper first introduces the research status of magnetic flux leakage and eddy current loss of power transformer at home and abroad, and discusses the significance and purpose of magnetic flux leakage and eddy current loss of power transformer metal components. At the same time, for the problems encountered in the calculation process of this paper, the corresponding solutions and the corresponding practical assumptions to simplify the calculation are given. In this paper, COMSOL software is used to establish the mathematical model of large power transformer and the actual three-dimensional finite element model of transformer, and the three-dimensional leakage magnetic field of large capa city transformer is accurately calculated. A surface impedance method based on double scalar magnetic potential is proposed. Using this method, the leakage magnetic field of structural parts of power transformer, such as pull plate, clamp, oil tank and so on, is analyzed and calculated The size and distribution of magnetic and eddy current losses. The simulation results are compared with the theoretical values to verify the validity and accuracy of the surface impedance method based on double scalar magnetic potential in analyzing the eddy current loss of large power transformer. Then this method is further applied to the analysis and calculation of magnetic leakage field and eddy current loss of a 6300kVA large power transformer to analyze the magnetic leakage field and eddy current loss of its metal components.
Scenario Generation for Wind Power Using Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Tiancheng Shi , Gejirifu De , Hao Cong , Wenzhang Guo , Yalin Zhong , Long Qian
Published: August 2022

Scenarios generation is a critical part in planning and operation in high renewable energy penetratied power systems. However, the statistical assumptions of traditional parametric methods may not hold for all types of wind farms. In this paper, a data-driven artificial intelligence approach is presented to generate wind power output scenarios based on generative adversarial networks (GANs). Unlike traditional probabilistic model-based techniques which are typically difficult to scale or sample, the proposed method is data-driven and captures patterns of wind power generation. First, the GAN network structure is constructed, and the Wasserstein distance is employed as the discriminator’s loss function. The GAN training then enables the generator to learn random noise and actual history data. Finally, the scenario generation approach based on Monte Carlo simulation and GANs are compared. It shows that the scenarios generated by proposed method can accurately describe the uncertainty of wind power output.
Road Extraction using High Resolution Satellite Images based on Receptive Field and Improved Deeplabv3+
Authors: Wang Yun , Wang Suye , Hong XueBin
Published: August 2022

Road extraction from high resolution remote sensing images is an important and challenging computer vision task. This paper presents a road segmentation based on Receptive Field and Improved Deeplabv3+, which obtains the best training image set by calculating the edged energy function after simply clipping. To solve the problem of data homogeneity across as well as convergence, we innovatively use the initialization method Leaky-He to extract the layer backbone network in the network structure. Using the DeepGlobe Road Extraction dataset as the training dataset, the experimental results show that the best mloU score of the test set is 0.7099, which can improve the results by 0.1919 and 0.1596 in this paper compared with U-Net and D-LinkNet classical networks.
Real-time pulse shape discrimination for neutron scattering science using EJ-270
Authors: Richards S.A. , Helbsy W. , Sykora G.J. , Wheater R.M. , Wilson M.D.
Published: August 2022

A detector for neutron scattering applications utilizing the 6Li loaded pulse shape discrimination scintillator EJ-270 was developed. The detector utilises a pulse shape discrimination algorithm developed for high-count rate applications implemented in FPGA to enable real time operation. The implemented algorithm we call Tail Sum was specifically developed for high-rate thermal neutron detection and implemented into a 2 channel 500 MSps 14-bit ADC with a Xilinx Kintex 7 K325T FPGA. The detector consisted of a 48 mm diameter × 15 mm thick cylinder of EJ-270 mounted on a Hamamatsu R6231-100 PMT and an E1198-2 base at -1000 V. The performance of the system was evaluated using a moderated 241Am-Be mixed radionuclide source, a figure of merit of 1.605 ± 0.007 was measured. The γ-ray sensitivity of the system was measured using a 60Co source and found to be 3.23 × 10-6 ± 7 × 10-8. The high neutron count rate capability of the system was tested on the Emma instrument at the ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, a peak count rate of 5 × 105 neutrons per second was measured on a single channel and was found to have no statistically significant deviation from the expected count-rate.
FlameNEST: explicit profile likelihoods with the Noble Element Simulation Technique
Authors: James R.S. , Palmer J. , Kaboth A. , Ghag C. , Aalbers J.
Published: August 2022

We present FlameNEST, a framework providing explicit likelihood evaluations in noble element particle detectors using data-driven models from the Noble Element Simulation Technique. FlameNEST provides a way to perform statistical analyses on real data with no dependence on large, computationally expensive Monte Carlo simulations by evaluating the likelihood on an event-by-event basis using analytic probability elements convolved together in a single TensorFlow multiplication. Furthermore, this robust framework creates opportunities for simple inter-collaboration analyses which will be fundamental for the future of experimental dark matter physics.
Surface characterization and secondary electron yield measurement of the Ti-Zr-V films deposited on laser-etched copper
Authors: Zhang Wenli , Zhu Bangle , Wang Sihui , Fan Le , Fang Jianwei , Bian Baoyuan , Li Weimin , Wang Yong
Published: August 2022

The electron multipacting effect and distributed vacuum profile, induced by the interaction of the particles in vacuum chamber with the surrounding walls, are the significant issues in modern accelerators. Laser-etching the inner surface of the vacuum chambers can effectively eliminate the electron multipacting effect, and depositing the non-evaporable getter (NEG) film on the vacuum chamber walls can provide distributed pumping properties. In the present study, Ti-Zr-V NEG films were prepared by magnetron sputtering technique on laser-etched oxygen-free copper (OFC) with different deposition times. The secondary electron yields (SEY), activation kinetics, and resistance of the samples were evaluated. The results show that although the SEYs of the coated laser-etched samples are higher than those of the uncoated laser-etched sample, the maximum SEY values are still below the threshold of the operation requirements. The Ti-Zr-V film deposited on laser-etched surface exhibits obvious nucleation phenomenon with columnar microstructure and can be activated at 180^∘C. Moreover, the coated laser-etched samples present lower resistance compared with the uncoated laser-etched sample. The combination of the laser-etching technique and the NEG thin film is aim to provide a practical treatment for the vacuum chambers in modern accelerators.
Liver tissue-derived ECM loaded nanocellulose-alginate-TCP composite beads for accelerated bone regeneration
Authors: Rahaman Md Sohanur , Park Seong-su , Kang Hoe-Jin , Sultana Tamanna , Gwon Jae-Gyoung , Lee Byong-Taek
Published: August 2022

Guided bone regeneration with osteoinductive scaffolds is a competitive edge of tissue engineering due to faster and more consistent healing. In the present study, we developed such composite beads with nanocellulose reinforced alginate hydrogel that carried β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) nano-powder and liver-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) from porcine. Interestingly, it was observed that the beads’ group containing ECM-β-TCP-alginate-nanocellulose (ETAC) was more cytocompatible than the others comprised of β-TCP-alginate-nanocellulose (TAC) and alginate-nanocellulose (AC). Cell attachment on ETAC beads was dramatically increased with time. In parallel with in vitro results, ETAC beads produced uniform cortical and cancellous bone in the femur defect model of rabbits within 2 months. Although the group TAC also produced noticeable bone in the defect site, the healing quality was improved and regeneration was faster after adding ECM. This conclusion was not only confirmed by micro-anatomical analysis but also demonstrated with x-ray microtomography. In addition, the characteristic moldable and injectable properties made ETAC a promising scaffold for clinical applications.
Evaluation of the Capacity of Greater Use in Burned Soils and Its Proposal in Conservation
Authors: Revolo A C , Jorge E , Camargo S
Published: August 2022

This article presents and proposes the study of soil conservation according to the results of the capacity of greater use in burned soils from the town of Incho, in the vicinity of the province of Huancayo. In addition, measurements of physical and chemical parameters were made that followed the guidelines of Decree D.S.N° 0062/75/AG and updated by D.S.N° 017-2009-AG, which establishes the regulation of classification of lands by their capacity of greater use which allowed us the corresponding determination of a Class A2 medium level soil, which is called Land Suitable for Cultivation in Clean, so it is a type of soil suitable for agriculture. In this way it is concluded to opt for moderate management practices such as technified irrigation since the research allows an adequate study for the conservation of a burned soil.
Sodium Aluminate Activation of Non-ferrous Waste Foundry Sand: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Sithole N.T , Magage B
Published: August 2022

The study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of sodium aluminate activation of nonferrous waste foundry sand. The aim was to solidify nonferrous foundry sand via geopolymerisation into useful civil engineering materials. Green foundry sand was mixed with sodium aluminate to make a paste which was filled into 50 × 50 × 50 mm3 mold. The mixture was cured in an oven for 5 days. The concentration of sodium aluminate, granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) : waste foundry sand (WFS) ratio, liquid to solid ratio (L/S) and temperature were varied respectively to establish the optimum curing conditions. The results indicated that sodium aluminate has a high potential to be used as an alkaline activator in the synthesis of WFS geopolymers. The geopolymer prepared with 6 M sodium aluminate yielded the highest UCS of 3.59 MPa after curing for 5 days which did not meet the minimum requirements for ASTM C34-13, C129-14a and South African standard (SANS227: 2007). The addition of GBFS in the WFS geopolymer mix design enhanced the mechanical strength of WFS geopolymers. The GBFS modified WFS geopolymer prepared with 50% GBFS, 4M sodium aluminate, L/S ratio of 0.15 and cured at 80°C yielded the highest UCS of 10.57 MPa. The GBFS modified WFS geopolymer met the minimum requirements for ASTM C34-13, C129-14a and South African standard (SANS227: 2007). The results also show a, high potential ability to valorise WFS and GBFS reduce building material problems, while also providing the building and construction industry with a useful and inexpensive new raw material with less CO2 emissions.
Increasing Efficiency of Solar Panels via Photovoltaic Materials
Authors: Younas T , Khan U A , Zaidi S M F H , Khalid M H
Published: August 2022

To adequately use the existed resources and to find optimize and sustainable solution to the current resources is one of the most preponderant Sustainable Energy goal. The solar energy industry is one of the fastest-growing forces in the recent market due to the increase in demand for clean energy. Nowadays several materials are being used in solar technology. Photovoltaic Materials are responsible for converting a photon into electrical energy and are the basis of solar technology. Photovoltaic materials are different in terms of their availability, composition, efficiency, operation, and application. This paper will not only provide us with the comparison between Thin Film Solar Cells (Cadmium telluride), Perovskite Solar cells and Dye-Sensitized Solar cells, but also will help us to identify the appropriate photovoltaic material based solar cells based on applications, efficiency, cost, liability and stability for solar panels.
Wind Action Effects on Heliostat – CFD and FEM Study
Authors: Mahfoud O , Danane F , Debbache M , Karoua H , Takilalte A , Bouaichaoui S
Published: August 2022

Heliostats account for 45% of the total cost of a solar power tower, so optimizing their structural is critical to overall plant viability. Static wind charging of heliostats, as well as forces and moments applied by steady wind in any weather, has a high impact on the heliostat components design. For the reason that wind tunnel testing is expensive and the profile of flow field is difficult to obtain, numerical wind tunnel was used to study the wind load of the heliostat by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method and a (FEM) method. A 3D simulation has been performed for the Algerian climate, to evaluate this effect at different configurations of the heliostat. This paper provides details about the mesh generation method applied to complex projects under different working conditions. The effects of wind direction, azimuth and elevation angles on the wind pressure distribution are summarized. The coefficients of drag, lift and moment under diverse operating conditions were calculated. The CFD models of the wind around the heliostat are validated to the theoretical and experimental data.
Boshernitzan’s condition, factor complexity, and an application
Authors: Cyr Van , Kra Bryna
Published: August 2022

Boshernitzan gave a decay condition on the measure of cylinder sets that implies unique ergodicity for minimal subshifts. Interest in the properties of subshifts satisfying this condition has grown recently, due to a connection with discrete Schrödinger operators, and of particular interest is how restrictive the Boshernitzan condition is. While it implies zero topological entropy, our main theorem shows how to construct minimal subshifts satisfying the condition, and whose factor complexity grows faster than any pre-assigned subexponential rate. As an application, via a theorem of Damanik and Lenz, we show that there is no subexponentially growing sequence for which the spectra of all discrete Schrödinger operators associated with subshifts whose complexity grows faster than the given sequence have only finitely many gaps.
SLC19A1 Genetic Variation Leads to Altered Thiamine Diphosphate Transport: Implications for the Risk of Developing Wernicke–Korsakoff’s Syndrome
Authors: O’Brien Niamh L , Quadri Giorgia , Lightley Iain , Sharp Sally I , Guerrini Irene , Smith Iain , Heydtmann Mathis , Morgan Marsha Y , Thomson Allan D , Bass Nicholas J , McHugh Patrick C , McQuillin Andrew
Published: August 2022

Aims

Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is commonly associated with chronic alcohol misuse, a condition known to have multiple detrimental effects on thiamine metabolism. This study was conducted to identify genetic variants that may contribute to the development of WKS in individuals with alcohol dependence syndrome through alteration of thiamine transport into cells.

Methods

Exome sequencing data from a panel of genes related to alcohol metabolism and thiamine pathways were analysed in a discovery cohort of 29 individuals with WKS to identify possible genetic risk variants associated with its development. Variant frequencies in this discovery cohort were compared with European frequencies in the Genome Aggregation Database browser, and those present at significantly higher frequencies were genotyped in an additional cohort of 87 alcohol-dependent cases with WKS and 197 alcohol-dependent cognitively intact controls.

Results

Thirty non-synonymous variants were identified in the discovery cohort and, after filtering, 23 were taken forward and genotyped in the case–control cohort. Of these SLC19A1:rs1051266:G was nominally associated with WKS. SLC19A1 encodes the reduced folate carrier, a major transporter for physiological folate in plasma; rs1051266 is reported to impact folate transport. Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) efflux was significantly decreased in HEK293 cells, stably transfected with rs1051266:G, under thiamine deficient conditions when compared with the efflux from cells transfected with rs1051266:A (P = 5.7 × 10−11).

Conclusion

This study provides evidence for the role of genetic variation in the SLC19A1 gene, which may contribute to the development of WKS in vivo through modulation of TPP transport in cells.
Brazilian Butt Lift–Associated Mortality: The South Florida Experience
Authors: Pazmiño Pat , Garcia Onelio
Published: August 2022

Background

Brazilian butt lift (BBL) surgery has been the fastest growing aesthetic surgical procedure over the past decade. By 2017, the risk of death from pulmonary fat (PFE) was identified, earning the BBL the highest mortality rate of any aesthetic surgical procedure. South Florida carries the highest BBL mortality by far in the nation.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors involved in making South Florida an outlier in terms of BBL mortality.

Methods

The anatomic findings of the gluteal dissections from 11 post-BBL surgery autopsies (22 hemibuttocks) were assessed for commonalities. The public records of patients who died from BBL-related fat emboli were examined to determine commonalities.

Results

All BBL PFE cases had fat grafts injected into the gluteal musculature in multiple different levels. Another commonality involved the location where the surgery took place, with the great majority of patients (92%) undergoing surgery at high-volume, budget clinics located in South Florida. Short surgical times of approximately 90 minutes appeared to be the norm for these cases.

Conclusions

South Florida has experienced 25 BBL-related fat emboli deaths between 2010 and 2022; however, 14 of these occurred after publication of the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation's 2018 guidelines and the 2019 Florida Board of Medicine's BBL “subcutaneous-only” rule. The working environment at the clinics, and the short surgical times for these cases, may be the most important contributors to the BBL mortality in South Florida.
Ultrasound-Guided Targeted vs Regional Flooding: A Comparative Study for Improving the Clinical Outcome in Soft Tissue Filler Vascular Adverse Event Management
Authors: Schelke Leonie W , Velthuis Peter J , Decates Tom , Kadouch Jonathan , Alfertshofer Michael , Frank Konstantin , Cotofana Sebastian
Published: August 2022

Background

Adverse vascular event management following hyaluronic acid–based aesthetic injections relies on the administration of hyaluronidase which is capable of enzymatically degrading the injected product and improving clinical symptoms. Two protocols are currently available to manage such complications: “ultrasound-guided targeted” and “flooding”.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare the 2 protocols in terms of the volume of hyaluronidase utilized, and the onset and degree of clinical improvement.

Methods

A comparative case series of 39 patients was retrospectively evaluated. The patients were initially treated with the “flooding” protocol and then treated with the “ultrasound-guided targeted” protocol due to no or little improvement.

Results

The “ultrasound-guided targeted” protocol utilized a mean [standard deviation] total of 122.5 [34] IU of hyaluronidase, whereas the “flooding” protocol utilized 1519.4 [1137] IU, which represents a statistically significant reduced amount of injected hyaluronidase (P = 0.028). There was no clinical improvement in 92.3% and only little improvement in 7.7% of the treated patients following the first applied “flooding” protocol, but there was a 100% immediate improvement when subsequently treated with the “ultrasound-guided targeted” protocol. Ultrasound imaging revealed that the application of hyaluronidase restored normal blood flow both in the perivascular space and in the superficially located subdermal soft tissues.

Conclusions

Despite its limitations in study design, this retrospectively evaluated case series revealed that the “ultrasound-guided targeted” protocol utilized less hyaluronidase and restored clinically visible symptoms faster. The effect of this protocol is best explained by the perforasome concept which will need to be investigated further in future studies.

Level of Evidence: 4
Penalized decomposition using residuals (PeDecURe) for feature extraction in the presence of nuisance variables
Authors: Weinstein Sarah M , Davatzikos Christos , Doshi Jimit , Linn Kristin A , Shinohara Russell T ,   For the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: August 2022

Neuroimaging data are an increasingly important part of etiological studies of neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, mitigating the influence of nuisance variables, including confounders, remains a challenge in image analysis. In studies of Alzheimer’s disease, for example, an imbalance in disease rates by age and sex may make it difficult to distinguish between structural patterns in the brain (as measured by neuroimaging scans) attributable to disease progression and those characteristic of typical human aging or sex differences. Concerningly, when not properly accounted for, nuisance variables pose threats to the generalizability and interpretability of findings from these studies. Motivated by this critical issue, in this work, we examine the impact of nuisance variables on feature extraction methods and propose Penalized Decomposition Using Residuals (PeDecURe), a new method for obtaining nuisance variable-adjusted features. PeDecURe estimates primary directions of variation which maximize covariance between partially residualized imaging features and a variable of interest (e.g., Alzheimer’s diagnosis) while simultaneously mitigating the influence of nuisance variation through a penalty on the covariance between partially residualized imaging features and those variables. Using features derived using PeDecURe’s first direction of variation, we train a highly accurate and generalizable predictive model, as evidenced by its robustness in testing samples with different underlying nuisance variable distributions. We compare PeDecURe to commonly used decomposition methods (principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares) as well as a confounder-adjusted variation of PCA. We find that features derived from PeDecURe offer greater accuracy and generalizability and lower correlations with nuisance variables compared with the other methods. While PeDecURe is primarily motivated by challenges that arise in the analysis of neuroimaging data, it is broadly applicable to data sets with highly correlated features, where novel methods to handle nuisance variables are warranted.
The Structure of Trade-type and Governance-type Organized Crime Groups: A Network Study
Authors: Breuer Niles , Varese Federico
Published: August 2022

The paper provides a theoretical framework for categorizing organized crime groups based on what they do – whether they produce, trade or govern – as well as their aims. This paper then tests whether the internal structure of a heroin distribution organization in New York City, a Sicilian mafia group and the Provisional Irish Republican Army differ. Applying Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) methods to network data, we find the organizational structure of trade-type organized crime differs markedly from governance-type, as well as between financially-motivated and politically-motivated groups. Trade-type organized crime and financially-motivated groups display a high level of centralization, an even distribution of clustering values, short paths and low homophily. Governance-type organized crime and politically-motivated groups display the opposite features. We conclude that the core activity and aim of the group are crucial in understanding the organizational structure.
Delay in the initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer with mastectomy with or without immediate breast reconstruction
Authors: Huttunen Tuomas , Leidenius Marjut , Jahkola Tiina , Mattson Johanna , Suominen Sinikka , Meretoja Tuomo
Published: August 2022

Background

Patients with breast cancer undergoing mastectomy should be offered the option of immediate breast reconstruction (IBR). The aim of this retrospective study was to assess whether there is a delay in the initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients undergoing mastectomy with or without IBR.

Method

The study included patients aged 70 years or younger with clinically node-negative breast cancer who underwent unilateral mastectomy with IBR (IBR group) or mastectomy alone (no-IBR group) followed by adjuvant chemotherapy at the Helsinki University Hospital between January 2012 to July 2018.

Results

A total of 645 patients were included; 186 in the IBR group and 459 in the no-IBR group. Sixty-six (35.5 per cent) patients in the IBR group and 102 (22.2 per cent) patients in the no-IBR group received their first chemotherapy cycle later than 6 weeks after surgery (P < 0.001). The respective numbers for later than 8 weeks were 17 (9.1 per cent) and 14 (3.1 per cent) (P = 0.001). Among all 645 patients, postoperative complications were a significant risk factor for a delay in the initiation of chemotherapy. Sixty-seven (39.9 per cent) patients with and 101 (21.2 per cent) patients without complications had a delay in chemotherapy (P < 0.001). The delay in chemotherapy was due to complications in 39 (59.1 per cent) in the IBR group and in 28 (27.5 per cent) in the no-IBR group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Patients undergoing mastectomy alone were more likely to receive adjuvant chemotherapy within 6 weeks after surgery compared with the IBR patients. IBR significantly increased the risk of postoperative complications in comparison with mastectomy alone. The complications, in turn, were a significant risk factor for delay in adjuvant chemotherapy.
The Indian road to financialisation: a case study of the Indian telecommunication sector
Authors: Bhatia Jai
Published: August 2022

This article provides an empirically grounded study of financialisation in India and assesses the challenges of theorising financialisation and applying it to developing countries. Drawing on the case study of the Indian telecommunication (telecom) sector, this article then contrasts the characteristics of financialisation in India with those in other developing countries. Using the case study, the key institutions, policies and practices that produce and reproduce financial accumulation in this sector are mapped, detailing how the primary role of finance in the telecom sector has changed from facilitating business to making telecom companies investable financial assets that could be bought and sold for profit. The article shows how the uniqueness of India’s financial system leads to a structure where the state, the public sector banks, the big businesses and the financial markets together play a key role in producing and reproducing financialisation in India.
Available Methods for Benefit-risk Assessment: Lessons for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Drugs
Authors: Caron Bénédicte , D’Amico Ferdinando , Jairath Vipul , Netter Patrick , Danese Silvio , Peyrin-Biroulet Laurent
Published: August 2022

Background and Aims

Medical treatment for inflammatory bowel disease has advanced significantly over the two past decades. The advent of biologics and small molecules has revolutionised outcomes for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Knowledge of drug pharmacology, indications, and adverse events is essential to ensure the best clinical care while minimising toxicity. Our aim was to review the literature on current methods of benefit-risk assessment, and consider their practical applicability to inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods

A literature search was conducted to investigate studies documenting benefit-risk assessment.

Results

Several structured frameworks and quantitative methodologies have been developed to evaluate benefit-risk profiles of drugs in a more comprehensive and consistent framework. Quantitative methods integrate benefit and risk outcome measures or incorporate preference weights for benefit and risk criteria into the evaluation. Incorporation of preference weights from patients is an essential aspect of quantitative benefit-risk assessment. Benefit-risk assessment is still evolving in inflammatory bowel disease.

Conclusions

The risks and benefits of each medical therapy must be discussed with the patient and a shared decision-making process is recommended. Future initiatives should be developed to perform a benefit-risk assessment considering the characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease drugs.