bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Scaling considerations for additive manufacturing of textured piezo-ceramics for acoustic transduction
Authors: Fanton Mark , Fellabaum Chloe , Lindau Jules , Eadie Christopher
Published: April 2023

Textured piezo-ceramics opened the door to an expanded design space for acoustic transducers by shifting from a random microstructure to one that is highly aligned with respect to important crystallographic orientations. This alignment results in substantial increases in critical parameters such as displacement, coupling, and voltage sensitivity. On a laboratory scale, this is easily achieved via tape casting. However, scaling to large quantities, large parts, and complex geometries is limited by this approach. Additive manufacturing presents an opportunity to impact production speed as well as part shape and geometry. We will present a comparison of conventional tape casting technology to additive manufacturing, with a focus on direct ink write technology and its benefits. The ability to produce high texture fractions, achieve performance equivalent to tape casting, and create shapes such as hemispheres and cylinders will be discussed in comparison to conventional ceramic processing technology. The potential uses of this technology in a manufacturing environment will also be addressed for both textured and conventional piezo-ceramics.
Measured changes in the bridge mobility and radiativity of violins due to material creep following tensioning of strings
Authors: Lowery Seth , Piacsek Andrew A.
Published: April 2023

Violins have been observed to undergo a small, but measurable, deformation of the corpus after being brought into tune following a prolonged period without string tension. This behavior, which is analagous to the flexing of a bow, can be attributed to the viscoelastic properties of wood. Because of the relatively long time scale of deformation, the process is sometimes referred to as material “creep.” To assess the impact of creep on the sound of a violin, we measured the vibrational and acoustic response of multiple violins during this period of deformation. The measurement process involves tapping the bridge with a small modal impact hammer and recording the velocity response of the top plate using a laser Doppler vibrometer, as well as the far-field acoustic response in an anechoic chamber. Results show modest changes in the amplitude of the main body modes, most notably the CBR and B1- modes, and a consistent shift in the peak frequency of higher modes, over a two-day period after the strings were tuned.
Ultrasound and acoustic wave propagation measurements in rocks and granular media made concurrently with In Situ synchrotron x-ray imaging
Authors: Hurley Ryan , Zhai Chongpu
Published: April 2023

Ultrasound transport through granular media has been of significant interest to physicists, civil engineers, and geophysicists studying soils and rocks for decades. Of particular interest are the features which govern wave speeds, dispersion, and attenuation in these materials. We will discuss experiments in which ultrasound waves were propagated through disordered 3D granular media while samples were imaged with x-ray computed tomography (XRCT) and 3D x-ray diffraction (3DXRD) – together, these measurements provide the particle contact topology and inter-particle forces. We show through data analysis and modeling that both contact topology and contact forces control the fastest measured wave speeds and dispersion in these materials, while contact topology alone explains most of the observed wave attenuation. We will also discuss ongoing studies of acoustic emissions (AE) generated in granular materials and sandstones during triaxial compression. These studies, also performed with in-situ XRCT and 3DXRD, aim to directly visualize changes in microstructure (fracture, flow) and fluctuations in stress associated with AE events.
Earthquake fault slip and nonlinear dynamics
Authors: Johnson Paul A. , Johnson Chris W.
Published: April 2023

Earthquake fault slip under shear forcing can be envisioned as a nonlinear dynamical process dominated by a single slip plane. In contrast, nonlinear behavior in Earth materials (e.g., rock) is driven by a strain-induced ensemble activation and slip of a large number of distributed features—cracks and grain boundary slip across many scales in the volume. The bulk recovery of a fault post-failure and that of a rock sample post dynamic or static forcing (”aging” or the “slow dynamics”) is very similar with approximate log(time) dependence for much of the recovery. In our work, we analyze large amounts of continuous acoustic emission (AE) data from a laboratory “earthquake machine,” applying machine learning, with the task of determining what information regarding fault slip the AE signal may carry. Applying the continuous AE as input to machine learning models and using measured fault friction, displacement, etc., as model labels, we find that the AE are imprinted with information regarding the fault friction and displacement. We are currently developing approaches to probe stick-slip on Earth faults, those that are responsible for damaging earthquakes. A related goal is to quantitatively relate nonlinear elastic theory (e.g., PM space, Arrhenius) to frictional theory (e.g., rate-state).
Reduced processing efficiency impacts auditory detection of amplitude modulation in children: Evidence from an experimental and modelling study
Authors: Lorenzini Irene , Varnet Léo , Lorenzi Christian , Cabrera Laurianne
Published: April 2023

Detection of amplitude modulations (AM) improves until 10 years of age. This development may not be explained only by sensory maturation but also by improvements in processing efficiency: the ability to make efficient use of available sensory information. This hypothesis was tested on 86 6-to-9-year-olds and 15 adults using AM-detection tasks assessing sensitivity, masking and response consistency. Sensitivity was estimated by the detection thresholds of a sinusoidal AM applied to a pure-tone carrier; AM masking was estimated as threshold elevation produced when replacing the pure-tone carrier by a narrowband noise; response consistency was estimated using a double-pass paradigm where the same set of stimuli was presented twice. Results showed that AM sensitivity improved from childhood to adulthood. AM masking did not change with age, indicating that the selectivity of AM filters was adult-like by 6 years. However, response consistency increased developmentally, suggesting reduced processing efficiency in childhood. At the group level, double-pass data were well simulated by a model of the auditory system assuming higher internal noise for children than adults. At the individual level, a sub-optimal decision strategy was added to better capture inter-individual variability. Thus, both systematic and stochastic inefficiencies may explain worse AM detection in childhood.
Fourier acoustics: Uncovering the origins of sound
Authors: Williams Earl G.
Published: April 2023

No doubt, Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier has had a great impact in science. At the root of Fourier Acoustics, the Fourier series, when employed as a starting point and manipulated, allows us to uncover the origins of sound in a simple and elegant way, not only in acoustics but also in electromagnetics. A well-known stepping stone on the path is nearfield acoustical holography (NAH) and its theory can be recast almost completely, and simply, in terms of two-dimensional (2D) Fourier series and applied to any geometry. For separable coordinate systems, each of the components of the series can be propagated to a surface conformal to the measurement surface using an analytically defined propagator. But even when the surfaces are not part of a separable system, the spirit of Fourier’s expansions is mirrored with the singular value decomposition, applied to a numerically derived propagator constructed using the equivalent source method. A comprehensive demonstration of Fourier acoustics applied to aeroacoustics was in the cabin of a Boeing aircraft, in flight, using a two-dimensional spherical array. Reconstructions of vector intensity in a volume from correlations of the measured pressure to panel accelerometers showed the direction and location of the dominant fuselage sources of noise—uncovering the origin of sound. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research.]
Kids talk too: Linguistic justice and child African American English
Authors: Holt Yolanda F.
Published: April 2023

African American English (AAE) is a language form used primarily, though not exclusively by Black Americans of historical African descent. The language is rule governed, robust, and resistant to assimilation to the white American English (WAE) dialects that surround it. Although public schools in the United States have been putatively integrated since 1954, the 2020 census data reveals most children continue to live in segregated communities. White children live in communities that are on average 69% white and Black children in communities that are on average 55% Black. As children acquire the language forms of their community peers, we should expect most Black children will enter school using some AAE. Speech and language scientists can participate in linguistic justice by teaching the systematic nature of AAE speech most likely to perturb listeners and lead to misidentification of AAE speech variation as disorder. We will focus on weak syllable deletion and final consonant variation. We will show how to use AAE audio recordings and simple spectral analysis to decrease misinterpretation of typical AAE child speech as speech errors.
R2-D2’s broken beamformer: A galactically consequential homework exercise
Authors: Gee Kent L. , Harker Blaine M.
Published: April 2023

Identify the Imperial spy, assist the Rebellion, and save a galaxy far, far away! In “Acoustical Measurement Methods,” a Brigham Young University physics course typically taken by seniors and new graduate students, the semester’s culminating topic is beamforming. Students write their own delay-and-sum (DAS) beamformers for a uniform line array and test them experimentally by finding the direction of a loudspeaker. The topic of their technical memorandum, however, is a homework-style exercise in which they use their validated DAS codes to help R2-D2 locate the Imperial spy in the Mos Eisley cantina. With the spy’s inquiry about the Rebel base masked by a cacophony of sounds coming from different directions, and with its real-time processor on the fritz, the dependable droid needs help processing its phased-array signals to separate the sources and locate the spy. Though this exercise doesn’t follow the Star Wars® canon in the least and certain dimensional constraints are temporarily cast aside in the DAS problem creation, students do not seem to care. They engage deeply in the problem and generally produce their best-written technical memorandum of the semester in pursuit of intergalactic (though still academic) valor and fame. “Help me, [acoustics student], you're my only hope!”
Fireworks
Authors: Gabrielson Thomas B. , Brown Daniel C.
Published: April 2023

Once a year, in many parts of the country, transient acoustic sources light up the sky. A fourth-of-July fireworks display provides an excellent opportunity for exploring array-based detection and direction-of-arrival determination. Multiple-boom events are difficult to process; however, less-frequent single-boom events are often sufficiently isolated in time for unambiguous interpretation. Cross-correlations between channels of a four-microphone array provide time delays for angle-of-arrival determination and measures for event detection. The distinct time-domain wave shapes and high signal-to-noise enable straightforward checks of the cross-correlation delays. In addition, a chirp sequence broadcast from a known location provides a ground-truth measurement and opportunities to implement matched filtering and envelope processing. Detection strategies can include received power, rate of change of power, normalized cross-correlation coefficient, or Fisher F-statistic. A least-squares fit by plane-wave approximation gives an estimate of the actual slowness vector, which, in turn, permits estimation of error and of local sound speed. Conversion of the slowness vector to arrival azimuth and elevation angles provides a simple exercise in 3D interpretation. The homework exercise can be as simple as determination of inter-sensor time delays or as complicated as demonstrating a scheme for automatic detection and interpretation.
3D Gaussian ray bundling to improve the speed and accuracy of transmission loss eigenrays and multi-static reverberation, in littoral environments
Authors: Reilly Sean M.
Published: April 2023

The wavefront queue 3D (WaveQ3D) model is a research effort to create fast and accurate acoustic transmission loss eigenrays and multi-static reverberation, in littoral environments, for real-time sonar simulation/stimulation systems that require simultaneous updates from hundreds of acoustic contacts. WaveQ3D is a Gaussian ray bundling model that improves computation speed of rapidly evolving scenarios by computing propagation results on a spherical earth. We will show that the added complexity of the spherical coordinate system has almost no impact on execution speed, and how it avoids the laborious task of transforming the 3D oceanographic data into Nx2D radials. WaveQ3D improves the accuracy of transmission loss and reverberation calculations in littoral environments by including 3D effects, such as horizontal refraction from the ocean bottom. This talk will focus on the design decisions that made during model development and their impact on the utility of WaveQ3D for a few different applications.
Regional and global scale propagation simulations of infrasonic signals
Authors: Blom Philip S.
Published: April 2023

Infrasonic signals are frequently observed at large propagation distances of 100s to 1000s of kilometers from the source and, in extreme cases, signals have been observed to circle the globe. Simulating acoustic propagation at these large scales requires a framework that not only accounts for 3D propagation effects including along- and cross-path winds, but also for the non-Cartesian geometry of the atmospheric layer surrounding the globe. Furthermore, interaction of propagating infrasonic energy with terrain features is known to have a notable impact on signals, particularly when the wavelength of the signals is comparable to the terrain scale. Finally, spatial variations in the atmospheric structure beyond simple stratification can have significant impacts on propagation paths. Numerical tools for acoustic ray tracing that account for these and other complications will be detailed and demonstrated using several recent infrasonic events of interest.
Multispecies discrimination of seals (pinnipeds) using hidden Markov models (HMMs)
Authors: Trawicki Marek B.
Published: April 2023

Hidden Markov models (HMMs) were developed and implemented for the discrimination of five available Seals (Pinnipeds), namely, the Bearded Seal (Erignathus Barbatus), Harp Seal (Pagophilus Groenlandicus), Leopard Seal (Hydrurga Leptonyx), Ross Seal (Ommatophoca Rossii), and Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes Weddellii). The main objectives of the experiments were to study the impact of the frame size and step size and number of states for feature extraction and acoustic models on classification accuracy. Based on the experimentation using Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) extracted from the vocalizations (15 ms frame size and 4 ms step size), HMMs containing 20 states with single underlying Gaussian mixture model (GMM) produced discrimination of 95.77%. From the results, the framework could be applied to analysis for other marine mammals for both classification and detection of vocalizations and species.
DJ Prof: Reflections on teaching
Authors: Wage Kathleen E.
Published: April 2023

In a short-lived career as a cartoonist for Acoustics Today [Summer 2016], I sketched DJ Prof, an acoustics professor who mixes multiple modes of instruction to engage and excite students. DJ Prof illustrates the concept of active learning, which Freeman et al. called the “preferred empirically validated teaching practice” [PNAS, 2014]. Numerous studies show that active learning courses improve student learning, increase retention rates, and reduce performance gaps in STEM for economically disadvantaged students and females in male-dominated classes. This lecture reflects on my evolution as DJ Prof using examples from acoustic signal processing courses. I will review the literature on active learning, share a few favorites from my pedagogical playlist, and highlight open questions for the acoustics education community. The session will include interactive exercises. Please bring an open mind, a sense of humor, and a willingness to meet the people sitting near you.
High amplitude time reversal focusing of sound and vibration
Authors: Anderson Brian E.
Published: April 2023

Time reversal (TR) is a signal processing technique that can be used to focus high amplitude sound or vibration at a desired location. TR focusing can be done with sources placed far from the desired focal location and the technique excels in complex environments. The impulse response between each source and the desired focal location must be obtained prior to the focusing and the environment must remain relatively unchanged for successful focusing. Multiple scattering or reverberation of waves off of many reflecting surfaces in the environment can actually be used advantageously by exploiting those reflections as additional image sources. This talk will provide an introduction to TR and then focus on the use of TR to provide high amplitude focusing of sound and vibration. Applications of high amplitude TR include lithotripsy of kidney stones, histotripsy of lesions, and locating cracks and defects in structures such as in human teeth, spent nuclear fuel storage casks, airplane wings, and automotive bearing caps. Recently, high amplitude TR of airborne sound has been studied in a reverberation chamber to generate a focused difference frequency and to study the nonlinear acoustics of the peak sound levels of 200 dB that have been attained.
Design choices in Max and Pure Data
Authors: Puckette Miller
Published: April 2023

Max and Pure Data are widely used patch languages for real-time media computation, especially live electronic music. Each program was developed with a particular musical production in mind: Philippe Manoury's Pluton (1998) for Max, and Sorensen/Steiger/Puckette's Lemma 1 in 1997 for Pure Data. At the same time, care was taken to make the features of both programs as aesthetically neutral as possible, in order to be useful in as wide a variety of applications as possible. One design principle has been to avoid encoding musical structures such as time or key signatures in either program. Noticeably absent is any built-in facility for machine learning or artificial intelligence. On the other hand, heuristics from programming language design such as modularity, encapsulation, and abstraction have been fundamentally influential in the designs of both Max and Pure Data.
​Comparative genomics of Balto, a famous historic dog, captures lost diversity of 1920s sled dogs
Authors: Moon Katherine L. , Huson Heather J. , Morrill Kathleen , Wang Ming-Shan , Li Xue , Srikanth Krishnamoorthy ,   Zoonomia Consortium, Lindblad-Toh Kerstin , Svenson Gavin J. , Karlsson Elinor K. , Shapiro Beth , Andrews Gregory , Armstrong Joel C. , Bianchi Matteo , Birren Bruce W. , Bredemeyer Kevin R. , Breit Ana M. , Christmas Matthew J. , Clawson Hiram , Damas Joana , Di Palma Federica , Diekhans Mark , Dong Michael X. , Eizirik Eduardo , Fan Kaili , Fanter Cornelia , Foley Nicole M. , Forsberg-Nilsson Karin , Garcia Carlos J. , Gatesy John , Gazal Steven , Genereux Diane P. , Goodman Linda , Grimshaw Jenna , Halsey Michaela K. , Harris Andrew J. , Hickey Glenn , Hiller Michael , Hindle Allyson G. , Hubley Robert M. , Hughes Graham M. , Johnson Jeremy , Juan David , Kaplow Irene M. , Karlsson Elinor K. , Keough Kathleen C. , Kirilenko Bogdan , Koepfli Klaus-Peter , Korstian Jennifer M. , Kowalczyk Amanda , Kozyrev Sergey V. , Lawler Alyssa J. , Lawless Colleen , Lehmann Thomas , Levesque Danielle L. , Lewin Harris A. , Li Xue , Lind Abigail , Lindblad-Toh Kerstin , Mackay-Smith Ava , Marinescu Voichita D. , Marques-Bonet Tomas , Mason Victor C. , Meadows Jennifer R. S. , Meyer Wynn K. , Moore Jill E. , Moreira Lucas R. , Moreno-Santillan Diana D. , Morrill Kathleen M. , Muntané Gerard , Murphy William J. , Navarro Arcadi , Nweeia Martin , Ortmann Sylvia , Osmanski Austin , Paten Benedict , Paulat Nicole S. , Pfenning Andreas R. , Phan BaDoi N. , Pollard Katherine S. , Pratt Henry E. , Ray David A. , Reilly Steven K. , Rosen Jeb R. , Ruf Irina , Ryan Louise , Ryder Oliver A. , Sabeti Pardis C. , Schäffer Daniel E. , Serres Aitor , Shapiro Beth , Smit Arian F. A. , Springer Mark , Srinivasan Chaitanya , Steiner Cynthia , Storer Jessica M. , Sullivan Kevin A. M. , Sullivan Patrick F. , Sundström Elisabeth , Supple Megan A. , Swofford Ross , Talbot Joy-El , Teeling Emma , Turner-Maier Jason , Valenzuela Alejandro , Wagner Franziska , Wallerman Ola , Wang Chao , Wang Juehan , Weng Zhiping , Wilder Aryn P. , Wirthlin Morgan E. , Xue James R. , Zhang Xiaomeng
Published: April 2023

We reconstruct the phenotype of Balto, the heroic sled dog renowned for transporting diphtheria antitoxin to Nome, Alaska, in 1925, using evolutionary constraint estimates from the Zoonomia alignment of 240 mammals and 682 genomes from dogs and wolves of the 21st century. Balto shares just part of his diverse ancestry with the eponymous Siberian husky breed. Balto’s genotype predicts a combination of coat features atypical for modern sled dog breeds, and a slightly smaller stature. He had enhanced starch digestion compared with Greenland sled dogs and a compendium of derived homozygous coding variants at constrained positions in genes connected to bone and skin development. We propose that Balto’s population of origin, which was less inbred and genetically healthier than that of modern breeds, was adapted to the extreme environment of 1920s Alaska.
Microbial Diversity Biased Estimation Caused by Intragenomic Heterogeneity and Interspecific Conservation of 16S rRNA Genes
Authors: Pan Piaopiao , Gu Yichao , Sun Dong-Lei , Wu Qinglong L. , Zhou Ning-Yi
Published: April 2023

Microbial diversity is typically analyzed using marker gene-based methods, of which 16S rRNA gene sequencing is the most widely used approach. However, obtaining an accurate estimation of microbial diversity remains a challenge, due to the intragenomic variation and low taxonomic resolution of 16S rRNA genes.
Antimicrobial Peptides and Small Molecules Targeting the Cell Membrane of Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Ganesan Narchonai , Mishra Biswajit , Felix LewisOscar , Mylonakis Eleftherios
Published: April 2023

Clinical management of
Staphylococcus aureus
infections presents a challenge due to the high incidence, considerable virulence, and emergence of drug resistance mechanisms.
Phylogeny and Taxonomic Revision of the Family
Discinaceae
(
Pezizales
,
Ascomycota
)
Authors: Wang Xin-Cun , Yang Zhu-Liang , Chen Shuang-Lin , Bau Tolgor , Li Tai-Hui , Li Lin , Fan Li , Zhuang Wen-Ying
Published: April 2023

Taxonomy of the fungal family
Discinaceae
(
Pezizales
,
Ascomycota
) was significantly renewed on the basis of sequence analyses of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU), and translation elongation factor (TEF). Eight genera were accepted, including three new genera; two new species were described; and nine new combinations were made.
A Nationwide Genomic Study of Clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae Carrying
bla
OXA-232
and
rmtF
in China
Authors: Shen Siquan , Han Renru , Yin Dandan , Jiang Bo , Ding Li , Guo Yan , Wu Shi , Wang Chuning , Zhang Hong , Hu Fupin
Published: April 2023

In recent years, the detection rate of carbapenem-resistant
K. pneumoniae
has increased and represents a major threat to clinical anti-infective therapy. Compared with KPC-type carbapenemases and NDM-type metallo-β-lactamases, OXA-48 family carbapenemases are another important resistance mechanism mediating bacterial resistance to carbapenems.
Diagnosing early-onset neonatal sepsis in low-resource settings: development of a multivariable prediction model
Authors: Neal Samuel R , Fitzgerald Felicity , Chimhuya Simba , Heys Michelle , Cortina-Borja Mario , Chimhini Gwendoline
Published: April 2023

Objective

To develop a clinical prediction model to diagnose neonatal sepsis in low-resource settings.

Design

Secondary analysis of data collected by the Neotree digital health system from 1 February 2019 to 31 March 2020. We used multivariable logistic regression with candidate predictors identified from expert opinion and literature review. Missing data were imputed using multivariate imputation and model performance was evaluated in the derivation cohort.

Setting

A tertiary neonatal unit at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Zimbabwe.

Patients

We included 2628 neonates aged <72 hours, gestation ≥32+0weeks and birth weight ≥1500 g.

Interventions

Participants received standard care as no specific interventions were dictated by the study protocol.

Main outcome measures

Clinical early-onset neonatal sepsis (within the first 72 hours of life), defined by the treating consultant neonatologist.

Results

Clinical early-onset sepsis was diagnosed in 297 neonates (11%). The optimal model included eight predictors: maternal fever, offensive liquor, prolonged rupture of membranes, neonatal temperature, respiratory rate, activity, chest retractions and grunting. Receiver operating characteristic analysis gave an area under the curve of 0.74 (95% CI 0.70–0.77). For a sensitivity of 95% (92%–97%), corresponding specificity was 11% (10%–13%), positive predictive value 12% (11%–13%), negative predictive value 95% (92%–97%), positive likelihood ratio 1.1 (95% CI 1.0–1.1) and negative likelihood ratio 0.4 (95% CI 0.3–0.6).

Conclusions

Our clinical prediction model achieved high sensitivity with low specificity, suggesting it may be suited to excluding early-onset sepsis. Future work will validate and update this model before considering implementation within the Neotree.
Sex differences in the association between diabetes and depressive symptoms: findings from Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018–2019
Authors: Carrillo-Balam Gabriela , Li Yu-Mei , Silverman-Retana Omar
Published: April 2023

Aims

We set out to investigate the potential sex differences in the association between diabetes and depressive symptoms by conducting an interaction analysis, and to investigate whether sex mediates the effect of diabetes on depressive symptoms.

Methods

We conducted analyses on cross-sectional data of adults aged 20 years or older in the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018–2019 (ENSANUT 2018–2019). Diabetes was defined by self-reported medical diagnosis, and depressive symptoms were measured using the seven-item Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. First, an unadjusted interaction analysis was conducted. Second, the inverse probability of treatment weighting was applied to account for imbalances and biases. Third, the four-way decomposition method was used to estimate the potential mediating effect of sex.

Results

In the study population (N=43 074), the prevalence of diabetes was 9.3% for men and 11.7% for women. Depressive symptoms were more prevalent in women (19.0%) than in men (9.5%). Women with diabetes had the greatest odds of having depressive symptoms, compared with men without diabetes (ORwomen-diabetes3.49 (95% CI: 3.16 to 3.86)). The interaction analysis indicated that diabetes and sex interact on both, multiplicative and additive scales (ratio of ORs (95% CI) 1.22 (1.02 to 1.45), and relative excess risk due to interaction (95% CI) 0.99 (0.63 to 1.36)). The four-way decomposition analysis showed that the interaction effect between diabetes and sex is larger than the mediation effect.

Conclusions

We found a positive interaction between diabetes and sex in the odds of having depressive symptoms. Mental health and diabetes care services planning would benefit from adopting a sex-informed approach.
Planting methods influence revegetation success of native species in an arid environment
Authors: Suleiman Majda K. , Islam M. Anisul , Bhat N.R. , Jacob S. , Thomas R.R. , Sivadasan M.T. , Elmi Abdirashid O.
Published: April 2023

In Kuwait, declining native vegetation cover due to prevailing arid conditions and severe anthropogenic disturbances necessitated undertaking revegetation programs. Seed sowing and outplanting of nursery-grown seedlings are the two major plant establishment methods commonly used all around the world. However, the success of plant establishment methods may vary between the species as well as between the methods. Therefore, we compared the effect of sowing of primed or non-primed seeds and outplanting of nursery-grown seedlings on field performance of four dominant native desert species of Kuwait: Vachellia pachyceras, Rhanterium epapposum, Farsetia aegyptia, and Haloxylon salicornicum for 22 months to find the best method for revegetation in arid conditions. A significant species and treatment interaction effect was observed in all plant parameters except plot volume index. Direct sowing of hydro-primed seeds appeared to be the most effective method for establishment and growth of V. pachyceras. In contrast, outplanting of nursery-grown seedlings showed better performance under the field conditions in H. salicornicum and F. aegyptia. These results suggest that direct sowing of primed seeds can also be used effectively along with seedling outplanting for the revegetation of arid lands.
Heat transfer analysis of the non-Newtonian polymer in the calendering process with slip effects
Authors: Javed M. A. , Akram R. , Nazeer Mubbashar , Ghaffari A.
Published: April 2023

In this paper, a non-isothermal study of the calendering processes is presented using Carreau–Yasuda model along with nonlinear slip condition introduced at the upper roll surface. The flow equations for the problem are developed and converted into dimensionless form with the help of dimensionless variables and then finally simplified by a well-known lubrication approximation theory. The final equations are solved numerically using “bvp4c” to find stream function and velocity profiles, while the hybrid numerical method which is the combination of shooting and finite difference methods is used to solve the energy equation. Graphs show the impact of the concerned material parameters on various quantities of interest. The pressure distribution decreases with the increasing values of the slip parameter and Weissenberg number. The mechanical variables show an increasing trend with the increasing values of the slip parameter and Weissenberg number. The temperature distribution increases with an increase in the Brinkman number, while temperature shows declining trend near the roll surface with the increasing values of the slip parameter. The force separating the two rollers, total power input into both rolls, increase with the increasing values of the Weissenberg number and slip parameters. The results show that the Newtonian model predicts higher pressure in the nip zone than the Carreau–Yasuda model. It is interesting to note that for the case of shear thinning, the Carreau–Yasuda model predicts 30% less pressure in the nip region when compared to the Newtonian model.
Integratedin silico–in vitrorational design of oncogenic EGFR-derived specific monoclonal antibody-binding peptide mimotopes
Authors: Chen Ke , Ge Lili , Liu Guorui
Published: April 2023

Human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is strongly associated with malignant proliferation and has been established as an attractive therapeutic target of diverse cancers and used as a significant biomarker for tumor diagnosis. Over the past decades, a variety of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been successfully developed to specifically recognize the third subdomain (TSD) of EGFR extracellular domain. Here, the complex crystal structures of EGFR TSD subdomain with its cognate mAbs were examined and compared systematically, revealing a consistent binding mode shared by these mAbs. The recognition site is located on the [Formula: see text]-sheet surface of TSD ladder architecture, from which several hotspot residues that significantly confer both stability and specificity to the recognition were identified, responsible for about half of the total binding potency of mAbs to TSD subdomain. A number of linear peptide mimotopes were rationally designed to mimic these TSD hotspot residues in different orientations and/or in different head-to-tail manners by using an orthogonal threading-through-strand (OTTS) strategy, which, however, are intrinsically disordered in Free State and thus cannot be maintained in a native hotspot-like conformation. A chemical stapling strategy was employed to constrain the free peptides into a double-stranded conformation by introducing a disulfide bond across two strand arms of the peptide mimotopes. Both empirical scoring and [Formula: see text]fluorescence assay reached an agreement that the stapling can effectively improve the interaction potency of OTTS-designed peptide mimotopes to different mAbs, with binding affinity increase by [Formula: see text]-fold. Conformational analysis revealed that the stapled cyclic peptide mimotopes can spontaneously fold into a double-stranded conformation that well threads through all the hotspot residues on TSD [Formula: see text]-sheet surface and exhibits a consistent binding mode with the TSD hotspot site to mAbs.
The Logical Contradictions of the US Indo-Pacific Strategy and China’s Response
Authors: Ye Hailin
Published: April 2023

Since the Biden administration took office, China–US relations have been undergoing major adjustments. The US has strategically accelerated the implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy and related containment mechanisms against China, building multilateral networks led by the US to contain China on multiple fronts. As China–US strategic rivalry keeps intensifying, China faces increasingly complex peripheral strategic environment, regional economic cooperation and security situation. Through the analysis of the intentions and plans of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, it is found that there is a huge mismatch between the cost that the US can afford to adopt the strategy and its expected benefits, and a significant gap also exists between its current comprehensive national power and its ability to afford the cost of the strategy, which will severely limit the implementation effects of the US Indo-Pacific Strategy. These factors therefore create conditions for China, as the weaker party, to effectively cope with and successfully hedge against various challenges posed by the US Indo-Pacific Strategy.
40
Ar/
39
Ar eruption ages of Turkana Basin tuffs: millennial-scale resolution constrains palaeoclimate proxy tuning models and hominin fossil ages
Authors: Phillips David , Matchan Erin L. , Gleadow Andy J. , H. Brown Frank , A. McDougall Ian , Cerling Thure E. , G. Leakey Meave , Hergt Janet M. , Leakey Louise N.
Published: April 2023

The Turkana Basin in NW Kenya and SW Ethiopia hosts remarkable fossil-rich sediments that are central to our understanding of early hominin evolution, with interbedded volcanic tuffs providing critical time markers. However, the resolution of existing Early Pleistocene–Pliocene ages is limited to
c.
20–60 kyr, inhibiting the evaluation of climatic and environmental drivers of evolution. We present high-precision, single-feldspar
40
Ar/
39
Ar age and elemental data for four stratigraphically significant tuffs. These samples exhibit variably dispersed age distributions correlated with feldspar compositional trends, interpreted to indicate the partial retention of inherited
40
Ar related to crustal ‘cold storage’ and rapid melt infiltration preceding eruption. We evaluated various statistical methods and calculated astronomically calibrated Bayesian age estimates of 1879.1 ± 0.6 ka (±2.4 ka including external errors) for the Kay Behrensmeyer Site (KBS)/H2 Tuff, 1837.4 ± 0.9 ka (±2.4 ka) for the Malbe/H4 Tuff, 1357.5 ± 1.8 ka (±2.5 ka) for the Chari/L Tuff and 1315.4 ± 1.9 ka (±2.5 ka) for the Gele Tuff. Our results permit refined age constraints for important early
Homo
fossils, including the cranium KNM-ER1813 (
Homo habilis
) and various
Homo erectus
fossils. The KBS Tuff age also provides an important calibration locus for orbital tuning of palaeoclimate proxy records, revealing the complex interplays between palaeoclimate and geological drivers of sedimentation.

Supplementary material
: The supplementary tables and figures include previously published ages (Table S1), sample and irradiation information (Table S2), electron probe microanalytical results for tuff glasses (Table S3, Figs S2 and S3) and feldspars (Table S4),
40
Ar/
39
Ar analytical data (Tables S5 and S6, Fig. S4), orbital tuning model parameters (Table S7), a summary of previous and revised hominin ages (Table S8) and a worked Bayesian estimation example (Fig. S1) and are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6602994
Multi-scale investigation on the stability of soil–gravel mixture slopes using imaging analyses
Authors: Lu Ye , Hu Yangyu
Published: April 2023

Gravel soil slopes are not only prevalent in nature but also are widely used in engineering. Understanding the damage characteristics of gravel soil slopes and preventing slope hazards requires a thorough investigation of the stability and deformation of gravel soil slopes. In this study, the stability and macroscopic deformation of slopes with varying gravel content (GC) were examined using laboratory tests and digital image correlation techniques, and the rock-winding motion on the shear zone was investigated in detail by capturing the relative motion of soil particles and gravels from a micro-scale perspective. In addition, the effects of loading location and slope angle were considered. The results indicated that there are two thresholds of 20 and 70% for the effect of GC on slope ultimate bearing capacity. Gravel soil slope shear damage was primarily caused by the gravel rotation at critical locations. There were at least five rock-inclusive movement patterns in the shear zone, and the primary cause of irregular damage on gravelly soil slopes was the difference in the relative movement of soil particles and gravels. High GC slopes were less sensitive to changes in loading location and slope angle than slopes with low GC.
Online Multi-Agent Decentralized Byzantine-robust Gradient Estimation
Authors: Reiffers-Masson Alexandre , Amigo Isabel
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we propose an iterative scheme for distributed Byzantine- resilient estimation of a gradient associated with a black-box model. Our algorithm is based on simultaneous perturbation, secure state estimation and two-timescale stochastic approximations. We also show the performance of our algorithm through numerical experiments.
Peer to Peer Distributed Solar Energy Trading
Authors: Li Qi , Chen Dong
Published: April 2023

Solar module prices have dramatically dropped in recent years, which in turn has facilitated distributed solar energy resources (DSERs) in smart grids. To manage electricity real time supply and demand, the utilities has shown the strong interest in deploying virtual power plants(VPPs) which enable solar generated energy trading to reduce the intermittent DSERs impact in electric grid. Unfortunately, the current energy trading approaches in residential VPPs typically require a trusted third party to take on the role of the middleman, DSER users are not allowed to trade their surplus solar energy independently and simultaneously to maximize potential benefits. In addition, these approaches do not achieve "fair" for both VPPs and DSERs users. To address this issue, we build a multi-agent deep reinforcement learning based peer to peer (P2P) new solar energy trading system-SolarTrader+, which enables unsupervised, distributed, and long term fair solar energy trading in residential VPPs. We apply deep reinforcement learning with neural networks as Q-value function approximator.We implement SolarTrader+ and evaluate it using data from U.S. residential VPP communities that are comprised of - 119 residential DSERs. Our results show that SolarTrader+ can reduce the aggregated VPP energy consumption by 83.8% when compared against a non-trading approach.
Screening of Electrolyte-Anode Buffers to Suppress Lithium Dendrite Growth in All-Solid-State Batteries
Authors: Li Weiyu , Tchelepi Hamdi A. , Tartakovsky Daniel M.
Published: April 2023

Dendritic growth of lithium (Li) metal is a leading cause of degradation and catastrophic failure of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) with Li anode. Insertion of a buffer layer between the Li-metal and the solid electrolyte is known to ameliorate this phenomenon; yet the identification of an optimal buffer material, and the design of ASSBs that can be manufactured at scale, remains elusive and largely driven by trial-and-error experimentation. Our analysis seeks to accelerate the buffer-materials discovery by elucidating the conditions under which the buffer’s presence stabilizes electrodeposition on the Li anode in ASSBs. The analysis quantifies the interfacial instability associated with dendrite formation in terms of the battery’s operating conditions and the electrochemical and physical properties of the buffer material and solid electrolyte. The model predicts that, among several prospective buffer materials, Ag, Al, Sn and antiperovskite super ionic conductor, Li3S(BF4)0.5Cl0.5, are effective in stabilizing electrodeposition and suppressing dendrite growth. Our model’s predictions of the dendrite suppression abilities of different buffer materials are consistent with the published experimental findings. The model can be used to guide experimental and computational discovery of new buffer materials that match a particular electrolyte.
Expression of leptin receptor in renal tubules is sparse but implicated in leptin-dependent kidney gene expression and function
Authors: Kim Young Chul , Fattah Hadi , Fu Yiling , Nespoux Josselin , Vallon Volker
Published: April 2023

This study provides new insights into kidney gene expression of leptin receptor splice variants, leptin-sensitive kidney gene expression, and the role of the leptin receptor in renal tubular cells for the response to diet-induced hyperleptinemia and obesity including albuminuria.
Exploration of the Ideological and Political Elements of Artificial Intelligence Courses under the Background of Three Comprehensive Education
Authors: Du Juan , Cao Jianchun , Xue Jianrong
Published: April 2023

“Three comprehensive education” is an important measure and mechanism to build a big ideological and political pattern, condense various educational resources, and realize the fundamental goal of morality and cultivating people under the new situation. Curriculum ideology and politics are an effective way for universities to “three comprehensive education,” combining professional construction and curriculum characteristics, grasping the law of students’ growth and talent, and clarifying the direction of education. Curriculum ideology and politics are not only the specific practice of “three comprehensive education” but also the specific embodiment of implementing the goal of morality and talent cultivation. The “three comprehensive education” and the curriculum ideology and politics are organically integrated, represent each other, and complement each other. “Three comprehensive education” grasps the direction of education from a macro perspective, and the practice the education policy from a mesoscopic perspective. The research and exploration under the pattern of “three comprehensive education” effectively promote the supply-side structural work in universities. Pertinence and effectiveness, building a macro, meso-, and micro integrated education system, provide new ideas, new ways, and new methods. In this paper, by discussing the relevant theoretical knowledge of three complete education educating people, the intelligent image recognition algorithm is used to intelligently identify the classroom behavior of teachers and students. Combining intelligent image analysis with educational scenarios not only achieves high accuracy of action recognition in classroom scenarios. According to the process of behavior and action classification and recognition, the system is divided into three steps for research: video-based motion target positioning, human behavior and action feature extraction, and human behavior and action recognition and classification.
Delusional Parasitosis or Morgellons Disease: A Case of an Overlap Syndrome
Authors: Alhendi Fatmah , Burahmah Abdullatif
Published: April 2023

Background. Delusional parasitosis (DP) is a monosymptomatic hypochondriacal psychosis where the patient has the delusion of being infested with parasites, whereas Morgellons disease (MD) is described when the patient has fixed ideation of fibers or other materials emerging from skin. Both psychological and organic causes can result into the delusion of infestation, and careful examination is required to exclude secondary causes. Oral DP can result in self-inflected mutilations of the oral mucosa. To our knowledge, oral DP is only rarely reported in the literature. Here, we describe and discuss the management of a case of overlap between oral DP and oral MD at the oral medicine (OM) clinic. Case Report. A 50-year-old male presented to the OM clinic with ulcerations of oral and perioral tissues. Patient reported inflicting wounds to himself using a shaving blade to extirpate worms and pieces of glass from underneath his oral and perioral mucosa. Clinical and laboratory investigations ruled out parasitic infestations. Self-inflected ulcers were treated with topical steroids and prophylactic antifungals, and the patient was referred for psychiatric evaluation. A diagnosis of primary DP was reached, and the patient was managed with antipsychotics. Practical Implications. Oral health care providers should be familiar with oral manifestations of psychiatric disorders and should be able to manage such patients in a multidisciplinary team of internist, dermatologist, and psychiatrist.
An Overview of Current and Prognostic Trends on Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of Biobased Silica
Authors: Tessema Belete , Gonfa Girma , Mekuria Hailegiorgis Sintayehu , Venkatesa Prabhu S.
Published: April 2023

Silica has shown numerous applications in different fields such as environmental, biomedical, agriculture, and even in chemical processing. However, due to high energy-intensive and cost-effective issues, researchers show interest to replace the conventional methods with biobased environmentally-friendly techniques for biosilica production from renewable biomass sources. Generally, silica is found to be available in amorphous and crystalline structures. For commercial purposes, silica is produced from alkyl orthosilicates ore that consists of polyethlydiorthosilicate, tetraethyl ortothosilicate, and tetramethyl orthosilicate. Another form of silica, silica gel, is produced from the selected resources of biomass, such as palm tree, wheat straw, maize leaves, teff straw, sugarcane bagasse, rice husk, rice straw, sugarcane leaf, oat husk, bamboo leaf, and corn cob. The production of biobased silica gel from agricultural residues is found to be a sustainable which receives a significant attention that can be replaced with inorganic-based silica gel for environmental concerns. Based on this context, there is a huge look for developing a process to produce biobased silica and silica gel from biomass resources with low energy utilization as promising alternatives to conventional methods. Keeping in view, current trends and methods for synthesis, the characterization of biobased silica and silica gel, as well as its wide prognostic applications were focused on a comprehensive review.