bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spectroscopic characterization of the a3Π state of aluminum monofluoride
Authors: Walter N. , Doppelbauer M. , Marx S. , Seifert J. , Liu X. , Pérez-Ríos J. , Sartakov B. G. , Truppe S. , Meijer G.
Published: February 2022

Spectroscopic studies of aluminum monofluoride (AlF) have revealed its highly favorable properties for direct laser cooling. All Q lines of the strong A1Π ← X1Σ+ transition around 227 nm are rotationally closed and thereby suitable for the main cooling cycle. The same holds for the narrow, spin-forbidden a3Π ← X1Σ+ transition around 367 nm, which has a recoil limit in the µK range. We here report on the spectroscopic characterization of the lowest rotational levels in the a3Π state of AlF for v = 0–8 using a jet-cooled, pulsed molecular beam. An accidental AC Stark shift is observed on the a3Π0, v = 4 ← X1Σ+, v = 4 band. By using time-delayed ionization for state-selective detection of the molecules in the metastable a3Π state at different points along the molecular beam, the radiative lifetime of the a3Π1, v = 0, J = 1 level is experimentally determined as τ = 1.89 ± 0.15 ms. A laser/radio frequency multiple resonance ionization scheme is employed to determine the hyperfine splittings in the a3Π1, v = 5 level. The experimentally derived hyperfine parameters are compared to the outcome of quantum chemistry calculations. A spectral line with a width of 1.27 kHz is recorded between hyperfine levels in the a3Π, v = 0 state. These measurements benchmark the electronic potential of the a3Π state and yield accurate values for the photon scattering rate and for the elements of the Franck–Condon matrix of the a3Π–X1Σ+ system.
Effects of annealing on the micro-internal stress induced by interstitial defects in aluminum crystal by molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Yang Wen , Wu Yunxin
Published: February 2022

Micro-internal stress caused by self-interstitial defects in aluminum crystals was studied by using the molecular dynamics method. The effects of annealing on the lattice structure near the interstitial defects and the evolution of atoms near defects are analyzed. For octahedral, tetrahedral, and crowdion self-interstitial atoms, the atomic stress in the affected area after annealing decreases significantly compared with that before annealing. For dumbbell self-interstitial atoms, there are no obvious changes in atomic stresses in all regions before and after annealing. For four configurations of interstitial defects, the internal stress obviously decreased after annealing. Different concentrations of interstitial atoms have different effects on the internal stress and the size of the space region with internal stress. The size of the space region increases with the increase in concentration, and it can be reduced by annealing. When the concentration of interstitial atoms is within a certain range, annealing can effectively reduce the internal stress. When the concentration is low or high, annealing can only eliminate the internal stress in the local spatial regions and may increase the internal stress in other spatial regions.
Hot electron relaxation and energy loss rate in silicon: Temperature dependence and main scattering channels
Authors: Sen R. , Vast N. , Sjakste J.
Published: February 2022

In this work, we revisit the density functional theory (DFT)-based results for electron–phonon scattering in highly excited silicon. Using the state-of-the-art ab initio methods, we examine the main scattering channels, which contribute to the total electron–phonon scattering rate and the energy loss rate of photoexcited electrons in silicon as well as their temperature dependence. Both temperature dependence and the main scattering channels are shown to strongly differ for the total electron–phonon scattering rate and the energy loss rate of photoexcited electrons. While the total electron–phonon scattering rate increases strongly with temperature, the temperature dependence of the energy loss rate is negligible. Also, while acoustic phonons dominate the total electron–phonon scattering rate at 300 K, the main contribution to the energy loss rate comes from optical modes. In this respect, DFT-based results are found to disagree with conclusions of Fischetti et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 114, 222104 (2019)]. We explain the origin of this discrepancy, which is mainly due to differences in the description of the electron–phonon scattering channels associated with transverse phonons.
High power generation in moisture via alkaline-treated MoS2 coating sponge
Authors: Yang Yaocheng , He Dunren , Zhou Yuan , Wen Shuangchun , Huang Huihui
Published: February 2022

Hydroelectricity is an emerging novel electricity generation phenomenon that can generate electric power simply when nanostructured materials are in direct contact with omnipresent liquid water or moisture. In this work, after alkali treatment, a molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) sponge can produce a high-output voltage of about 430 mV and a remarkable output current of 62 μA under a relative humidity of 80%, which is over three times and 20 times as compared with that of pure MoS2 coating sponges, respectively, and it also achieves a continuous electric output over 1 h with good stability. The increasing number of movable cations after alkali treatment probably results in the improvement of power generation performance. Demonstrating the ability of the MoS2 coating sponges to function as a practical power source, the output voltage of the devices is further scaled up to 10 V by simple series connections, and capacitors charged to 5 V are able to power an electronic screen with single-chip computers.
An integrative approach reveals high species diversity in the primitively segmented spider genus
Authors: Li Dengqing , Chen Zhaoyang , Liu Fengxiang , Li Daiqin , Xu Xin
Published: February 2022

Accurate species delimitation is crucial for our understanding of evolution, biodiversity and conservation. However, morphology-based species delimitation alone appears to be prone to taxonomic errors and ineffective for taxa with high interspecific morphological homogeneity or intraspecific morphological variations, as is the case for mesothele and mygalomorph spiders. Combined molecular–morphology species delimitation has shown great potential to delimit species boundaries in such ancient lineages. In the present study, molecular and morphological evidence were integrated to delimit species of the primitively segmented spider genus Songthela Ono, 2000. The cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) was sequenced for 192 novel specimens belonging to 12 putative morphospecies. The evolutionary relationships within Songthela and the 12-morphospecies hypothesis were tested in two steps – species discovery and species validation – using four single-locus species delimitation approaches. All species delimitation analyses supported the 12-species hypothesis. Phylogenetic analyses yielded three major clades in Songthela, which are consistent with morphology. Accordingly, we assigned 19 known and 11 new species (S. aokoulong, sp. nov., S. bispina, sp. nov., S. dapo, sp. nov., S. huayanxi, sp. nov., S. lianhe, sp. nov., S. lingshang, sp. nov., S. multidentata, sp. nov., S. tianmen, sp. nov., S. unispina, sp. nov., S. xiujian, sp. nov., S. zizhu, sp. nov.) of Songthela to three species-groups: the bispina-group, the multidentata-group and the unispina-group. Another new species, S. zimugang, sp. nov., is not included in any species groups, but forms a sister lineage to the bispina- and unispina-groups. These results elucidate a high species diversity of Songthela in a small area and demonstrate that integrating morphology with COI-based species delimitation is fast and cost-effective in delimiting species boundaries. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AF0F5B31-AFAF-4861-9844-445AE8678B67
Alien fish ascendancy and native fish extinction: ecological history and observations on the Lower Goodradigbee River, Australia
Authors: Kaminskas Simon
Published: February 2022

Context The Murray–Darling Basin – Australia’s largest river system – is heavily dominated by alien fish. Native fish species have suffered numerous localised extinctions and ∼47% are listed on federal and/or state threatened species lists. Aims This paper explores the hypothesis that alien fish and alien fish stockings can be the primary cause of decline and localised extinction of large-bodied native fish species, as opposed to habitat degradation and river regulation. The Lower Goodradigbee River, which is unregulated, in excellent instream health over the great majority of its course, and replete with high quality habitat, is utilised as a case study. Methods I investigated the hypothesis by synthesising historical records with contemporary scientific research and recent field observations. The role of alien fish species, particularly alien trout species (Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salmo trutta) and constant stockings of them, were closely examined. Results Data support the hypothesis that domination by alien trout species and their continual stocking have lead to historical declines and localised extinctions of large-bodied native fish species. Continued alien trout stockings, along with more recent invasions of alien carp (Cyprinus carpio) and alien redfin perch (Perca fluviatilis), are inhibiting native fish recovery. A suspected field sighting of the alien fish pathogen atypical Aeromonas salmonicida is reported, and the status of the declining native crayfish Murray cray (Euastacus armatus), and potential alien fish impacts upon them, are examined. Conclusions The impacts of alien fish and alien fish stocking in Australia require major re-evaluation and dedicated research. Implications It is strongly recommended that stocking of alien trout into the Lower Goodradigbee River for angling cease in order to conserve surviving native fish and Murray cray populations. Conservation stockings to effect a Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) recovery in the Lower Goodradigbee River are warranted.
Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Stewart Linde L. , Vodstrcil Lenka A. , Coombe Jacqueline , Bradshaw Catriona S. , Hocking Jane S.
Published: February 2022

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most common cause of vaginal discharge in women of reproductive age, is associated with considerable reproductive and gynaecological sequelae and increases the risk of acquiring sexually transmissible infections including HIV. Although we understand the burden of BV in women of reproductive age, much less is known about the burden of BV in postmenopausal women. We undertook this systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of BV in postmenopausal women. The electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library were searched for English-language papers reporting on the prevalence of BV in postmenopausal women and published up until the end of July 2020. Search terms included: (prevalence OR survey OR proportion) AND ‘bacterial vaginosis’. Meta-analysis was used to calculate pooled estimates of prevalence. We identified 2461 unique references and assessed 328 full-text articles for eligibility, with 13 studies included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of BV ranged from 2.0 to 57.1%, with a summary estimate of 16.93% (95% CI: 8.5–27.4; I2 = 97.9). There was considerable heterogeneity between studies and quality varied considerably. Further research is needed to provide a better understanding of the condition in postmenopausal women and understand its effect on their lives.
Redox signaling by glutathione peroxidase 2 links vascular modulation to metabolic plasticity of breast cancer
Authors: Ren Zuen , Liang Huizhi , Galbo Phillip M. , Dharmaratne Malindrie , Kulkarni Ameya S. , Fard Atefeh Taherian , Aoun Marie Louise , Martinez-Lopez Nuria , Suyama Kimita , Benard Outhiriaradjou , Zheng Wei , Liu Yang , Albanese Joseph , Zheng Deyou , Mar Jessica C. , Singh Rajat , Prystowsky Michael B. , Norton Larry , Hazan Rachel B.
Published: February 2022

Significance

Redox regulation of breast cancer underlies malignant progression. Loss of the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase 2 in breast cancer cells increases reactive oxygen species, thereby activating hypoxia inducible factor-α (HIF1α) signaling. This in turn causes vascular malfunction, resulting in hypoxia and metabolic heterogeneity. HIF1α suppresses oxidative phosphorylation and stimulates glycolysis (the Warburg effect) in most of the tumor, except for one cancer subpopulation, which was capable of using both metabolic modalities. Hence, adopting a hybrid metabolic state may allow tumor cells to survive under aerobic or hypoxic conditions, a vulnerability that may be exploited for therapeutic targeting by either metabolic or redox-based strategies.
Widespread use of National Academies consensus reports by the American public
Authors: Hicks Diana , Zullo Matteo , Doshi Ameet , Asensio Omar I.
Published: February 2022

Significance

Advocates for open access argue that people need scientific information, although they lack evidence for this. Using Google’s recently developed deep learning natural language processing model, which offers unrivalled comprehension of subtle differences in meaning, 1.6 million people downloading National Academies reports were classified, not just into broad categories such as researchers and teachers but also precisely delineated small groups such as hospital chaplains, veterans, and science fiction authors. The results reveal adults motivated to seek out the most credible sources, engage with challenging material, use it to improve the services they provide, and learn more about the world they live in. The picture contrasts starkly with the dominant narrative of a misinformed and manipulated public targeted by social media.
Topographic map formation and the effects of NMDA receptor blockade in the developing visual system
Authors: Li Vanessa J. , Schohl Anne , Ruthazer Edward S.
Published: February 2022

Significance

Studying the emergence of topographic organization in sensory maps has been constrained by spatial limitations of traditional anatomical and physiological techniques early in development in many animal models. Here, we have applied a high-resolution, noninvasive, in vivo calcium imaging approach to study the nascent retinotopic map in the larval
Xenopus laevis
retinotectal system. We performed longitudinal functional imaging of the three-dimensional organization of emerging retinotopic maps and assessed the effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blockade on map formation. Our results provide insights into early retinotopic map emergence and the role of NMDA receptors in the refinement of topographic gradients.
Development of DG9 peptide-conjugated single- and multi-exon skipping therapies for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Lim Kenji Rowel Q. , Woo Stanley , Melo Dyanna , Huang Yiqing , Dzierlega Kasia , Shah Md Nur Ahad , Aslesh Tejal , Roshmi Rohini Roy , Echigoya Yusuke , Maruyama Rika , Moulton Hong M. , Yokota Toshifumi
Published: February 2022

Significance

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal disorder of progressive body-wide muscle weakness, considered the most common muscular dystrophy worldwide. Most patients have out-of-frame deletions in the
DMD
gene, leading to dystrophin absence in muscle. There is no cure for DMD, but exon skipping is emerging as a potential therapy that uses antisense oligonucleotides to convert out-of-frame to in-frame mutations, enabling the production of truncated, partially functional dystrophin. Currently approved exon skipping therapies, however, have limited applicability and efficacy. Here, we developed a more economical approach to skip
DMD
exons 45 to 55 (a strategy that could treat nearly half of all DMD patients) and identified DG9 peptide conjugation as a powerful way to improve exon skipping efficiencies in vivo.
Multiple genetic paths including massive gene amplification allow
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
to overcome loss of ESX-3 secretion system substrates
Authors: Wang Lin , Asare Emmanuel , Shetty Amol C. , Sanchez-Tumbaco Freddy , Edwards Megan R. , Saranathan Rajagopalan , Weinrick Brian , Xu Jiayong , Chen Bing , Bénard Angèle , Dougan Gordon , Leung Daisy W. , Amarasinghe Gaya K. , Chan John , Basler Christopher F. , Jacobs William R. , Tufariello JoAnn M.
Published: February 2022

Significance

The
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(
Mtb
) ESX-3 type VII secretion system plays a critical role in iron acquisition. Infection of mice with highly attenuated
Mtb
deletion mutants lacking
esxG
or
esxH
, genes encoding key ESX-3 substrates, unexpectedly yielded suppressor mutants with restored capacity to grow in vivo and in vitro in the absence of iron supplementation. Whole-genome sequencing identified two mechanisms of suppression, the disruption of a transcriptional repressor that regulates expression of an ESX-3 paralogous region encoding EsxR and EsxS, and a massive 38- to 60-fold gene amplification of this same region. These data are significant because they reveal a previously unrecognized iron acquisition regulon and inform mechanisms of
Mtb
chromosome evolution.
Host cytoskeletal vimentin serves as a structural organizer and an RNA-binding protein regulator to facilitate Zika viral replication
Authors: Zhang Yue , Zhao Shuangshuang , Li Yian , Feng Fengping , Li Min , Xue Yanhong , Cui Jie , Xu Tao , Jin Xia , Jiu Yaming
Published: February 2022

Significance

We discovered a dual role of vimentin underlying Zika virus (ZIKV) replication. The vimentin network reorganizes to surround the replication complex. Depletion of vimentin resulted in drastic segregation of viral proteins and subsequent defective infection, indicating its function as an “organizer” that ensures the concentration of all necessary factors for high replication efficacy. With omics analysis, we prove that vimentin also functions as a “regulator” that dominates RNA-binding proteins during infection. These two roles complement one another to make an integrated view of vimentin in regulating ZIKV infection. Collectively, our study fills the long-term gap in our knowledge of the cellular function of intermediate filaments in addition to structural support and provides a potential target for ZIKV therapy.
Growing impact of wildfire on western US water supply
Authors: Williams A. Park , Livneh Ben , McKinnon Karen A. , Hansen Winslow D. , Mankin Justin S. , Cook Benjamin I. , Smerdon Jason E. , Varuolo-Clarke Arianna M. , Bjarke Nels R. , Juang Caroline S. , Lettenmaier Dennis P.
Published: February 2022

Significance

How will increasing wildfire activity affect water resources in the water-limited western United States (WUS)? Among basins where >20% of forest burned, postfire streamflow is significantly enhanced by an average of approximately 30% for 6 y. Over 2015 to 2020, several large WUS basins experienced >10% of forest burned. Climate projections and an exponential forest fire response to climate-induced drying suggest the next 3 decades will see repeated years when WUS forest fire area exceeds that of 2020, which set a modern record for forest area burned. If so, entire regions will likely experience more streamflow than expected, potentially enhancing human access to water but posing hazard management challenges. Projections of water supply and runoff-related hazards must account for wildfire.
Toward a glycyl radical enzyme containing synthetic bacterial microcompartment to produce pyruvate from formate and acetate
Authors: Kirst Henning , Ferlez Bryan H. , Lindner Steffen N. , Cotton Charles A. R. , Bar-Even Arren , Kerfeld Cheryl A.
Published: February 2022

Significance

The enormous complexity of metabolic pathways, in both their regulation and propensity for metabolite cross-talk, represents a major obstacle for metabolic engineering. Self-assembling, catalytically programmable and genetically transferable bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) offer solutions to decrease this complexity through compartmentalization of enzymes within a selectively permeable protein shell. Synthetic BMCs can operate as autonomous metabolic modules decoupled from the cell’s regulatory network, only interfacing with the cell’s metabolism via the highly engineerable proteinaceous shell. Here, we build a synthetic, modular, multienzyme BMC. It functions not only as a proof-of-concept for next-generation metabolic engineering, but also provides the foundation for subsequent tuning, with the goal to create a microanaerobic environment protecting an oxygen-sensitive reaction in aerobic growth conditions that could be deployed.
Warming-induced tipping points of Arctic and alpine shrub recruitment
Authors: Lu Xiaoming , Liang Eryuan , Babst Flurin , Camarero J. Julio , Büntgen Ulf
Published: February 2022

Shrub recruitment, a key component of vegetation dynamics beyond forests, is a highly sensitive indicator of climate and environmental change. Warming-induced tipping points in Arctic and alpine treeless ecosystems are, however, little understood. Here, we compare two long-term recruitment datasets of 2,770 shrubs from coastal East Greenland and from the Tibetan Plateau against atmospheric circulation patterns between 1871 and 2010 Common Era. Increasing rates of shrub recruitment since 1871 reached critical tipping points in the 1930s and 1960s on the Tibetan Plateau and in East Greenland, respectively. A recent decline in shrub recruitment in both datasets was likely related to warmer and drier climates, with a stronger May to July El Niño Southern Oscillation over the Tibetan Plateau and a stronger June to July Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation over Greenland. Exceeding the thermal optimum of shrub recruitment, the recent warming trend may cause soil moisture deficit. Our findings suggest that changes in atmospheric circulation explain regional climate dynamics and associated response patterns in Arctic and alpine shrub communities, knowledge that should be considered to protect vulnerable high-elevation and high-latitude ecosystems from the cascading effects of anthropogenic warming.
Leg length and bristle density, both necessary for water surface locomotion, are genetically correlated in water striders
Authors: Finet Cédric , Decaras Amélie , Rutkowska Maria , Roux Pascale , Collaudin Samuel , Joncour Pauline , Viala Séverine , Khila Abderrahman
Published: February 2022

Significance

When organisms access unexploited ecological opportunities, species diversification often follows, yet the mechanisms underlying such transitions are poorly understood. Water striders transited from terrestrial to water surface life some 200 Mya, aided by the evolution of superhydrophobic bristles and increased leg length, both required for standing and moving on water. We identified genes involved in both bristle density and leg length, suggesting that these two traits are genetically correlated. Strikingly, these genes are involved in cell division, thus explaining their dual role in leg growth and bristle density. In addition, we identified molecular changes that account in part for the differences in bristle density across species. We propose that pleiotropy might facilitate diversification by impacting several adaptive traits simultaneously.
Collaborative Health Systems ECHO: The use of a Tele-Education Platform to Facilitate Communication and Collaboration with Recipients of State Targeted Response Funds in Pennsylvania
Authors: Kawasaki S. , Hwang G. , Buckner K. , Francis E. , Huffnagle S. , Kraschnewski J. , Vulgamore P. , Lucas A. , Barbour J. , Crawford M. , Thomas L. , Fuller M. , Meyers J. , Swartzentruber G. , Levine R.
Published: February 2022

Background: The opioid epidemic continues to erode communities across Pennsylvania (PA). Federal and PA state programs developed grants to establish Hub and Spoke programs for the expansion of medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD). Employing the telementoring platform Project ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes), Penn State Health engaged the other seven grant awardees in a Collaborative Health Systems (CHS) ECHO. We conducted key informant interviews to better understand impact of the CHS ECHO on health systems collaboration and opioid crisis efforts. Methods: For eight one-hour sessions, each awardee presented their unique strategies, challenges, and opportunities. Using REDCap, program characteristics, such as number of waivered prescribers and number of patients served were collected at baseline. After completion of the sessions, key informant interviews were conducted to assess the impact of CHS ECHO on awardee's programs. Results: Analysis of key informant interviews revealed important themes to address opioid crisis efforts, including the need for strategic and proactive program reevaluation and the convenience of collaborative peer learning networks. Participants expressed benefits of the CHS ECHO including allowing space for discussion of challenges and best practices and facilitating conversation on collaborative targeted advocacy and systems-level improvements. Participants further reported bolstered motivation and confidence. Conclusions: Utilizing Project ECHO provided a bidirectional platform of learning and support that created important connections between institutions working to combat the opioid epidemic. CHS ECHO was a unique opportunity for productive and convenient peer learning across external partners. Open dialogue developed during CHS ECHO can continue to direct systems-levels improvements that benefit individual and population outcomes.
Closing the gap: Tricellulin/α-catenin interaction maintains epithelial integrity at vertices
Authors: van den Goor Lotte , Miller Ann L.
Published: February 2022

Tricellular junctions play a critical role in regulating epithelial barrier function. In this issue, Cho et al. (2022. J. Cell Biol.https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202009037) demonstrate a novel interaction between tricellulin and α-catenin, which connects tricellular junctions to the actomyosin cytoskeleton, thus supporting the epithelial barrier at cell vertices.
Four coupled SYK models and nearly AdS2 gravities: phase transitions in traversable wormholes and in bra-ket wormholes
Authors: Numasawa Tokiro
Published: February 2022

We study four coupled Sachdev–Ye–Kitaev (SYK) models and nearly AdS2 gravities. In the SYK model side, we construct a model that couples two copies of two coupled SYK models. In nearly AdS2 gravity side, we entangle matter fields in two copies of traversable wormholes. In both cases, the systems show first order phase transitions at zero temperature by changing couplings, which is understood as the exchange of traversable wormhole configurations. In nearly AdS2 gravity cases, by exchanging the role of space and time the wormholes are interpreted as bra-ket wormholes. In Lorentzian signature, these bra-ket wormholes lead to two closed universes that are entangled with each other as well as matter fields in the flat space where we do not have dynamical gravity. We study the effect of projection or entangling operation for matters on flat spaces and they cause phase transitions in bra-ket wormholes, which leads to the pair annihilation of closed universes. Using these bra-ket wormholes, we discuss the way to embed states in 2D holographic CFTs into Hilbert space of many 2D free fields.
Maximal strengths of dielectric elastomer fingers for a passive grip
Authors: Chen Fa-Yi , Ren Zhe-Xian , Lau Gih-Keong
Published: February 2022

Dielectric elastomer minimum energy structures (DEMESs) are useful as low-force robotic grippers; they can sweep a large angle but carry not much load. It was a design dilemma to reinforce the benders without compromising the stroke angle. As a stronger variant of DEMES, a dielectric elastomer (DE) finger can unbend the ‘phalanges’ of a load beam upon activation of the ‘intrinsic muscles’ of the dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA). The DE finger used a uniform tendon hood that raises the tension center of a single-layered DEA and thus enhances the moment generation and load capacity. In this work, we further optimize the structural design of a slender DE finger by mimicking the human thumb profile. This thumb-inspired DE finger has a tapered load beam for hood shaping of multi-layered DEAs with a blunter fingertip. This thumb-up profile greatly enhances the passive lift strength (against a tip weight) by 54% as compared to the earlier rectangular design, at the cost of a 13% reduction in the active stroke. Further, it exploited the axial stiffness to achieve an order-greater pull strength as compared to the lift strength. Finally, the optimized DEMES grippers carried a payload well exceeding the lift strength; they managed to pick an apple of nearly ten times the gripper weight. In addition, a foot of three DE toes hung upside-down to a branch of a horizontal tube while supporting a payload of close to ten times the foot’s weight.
Variable range hopping conduction mechanisms in reduced rutile TiO2
Authors: Aghashahi Nooshin , Mohammadizadeh Mohammad Reza , Kameli Parviz
Published: February 2022

In this study, obtained samples via reducing Rutile TiO2 by Mg are analyzed to determine the titanium suboxide phases and the dominant structural phase in each sample. By increasing the heat treatment temperature or the amount of reducing agent (Mg), the amount of suboxide phases Ti
n
O2n−1 (1 ≤ n < 10) with the lower n values increases, and TiO is the main phase in the samples with a low electrical resistivity. The hopping conduction mechanism is also investigated in the temperature range of 11.5–300 K, and the characteristic parameters describing the conduction mechanism are determined and discussed. For samples with a low electrical resistivity, the nearest neighbor hopping (NNH) conduction mechanism governs the charge transport properties below 220 K, and a transition from the NNH to the Mott-variable range hopping (VRH) conduction regimes is observed at ∼65 K. In addition, the Efros-Shklovskii (ES)-VRH conduction process governs at low temperatures below 18 K, and the last crossover from the Mott-VRH to the ES-VRH models illustrates the strong electron-electron Coulomb interaction, which leads to the Coulomb gap (∼1 meV) at low temperatures. According to the obtained hopping parameters, the low resistivity samples are close to the metal-insulator transition. For samples with a high electrical resistivity, the hopping conduction relations are not fitted to the resistivity-temperature curves, and probably it is related to the resistive switching behavior of the material, which changes the nature and conductivity properties, and is depicted in the current-voltage (I-V) curve.
Cross-sections for the 27Al(γ, x)22Na multichannel reaction with the 28.3 MeV difference of reaction thresholds
Authors: Deiev O.S. , Timchenko I.S. , Olejnik S.N. , Kushnir V.A. , Mytrochenko V.V. , Perezhogin S.A.
Published: February 2022

The bremsstrahlung flux-averaged cross-sections

and the cross-sections per equivalent photon

were first measured for the photonuclear multichannel reaction

at end-point bremsstrahlung gamma energies ranging from 35 MeV to 95 MeV. The experiments were performed with the beam from the NSC KIPT electron linear accelerator LUE-40 using the γ-activation technique. The bremsstrahlung quantum flux was calculated with the GEANT4.9.2 program and was also monitored via the

reaction. The flux-averaged cross-sections were calculated using the partial cross-section

values computed with the TALYS1.95 code for different level density models. Consideration is given to special features of calculating the cross-sections

and

for the case of the final nucleus

via several partial channels

:

.
Corticomuscular integrated representation of voluntary motor effort in robotic control for wrist-hand rehabilitation after stroke
Authors: Guo Ziqi , Zhou Sa , Ji Kailai , Zhuang Yongqi , Song Jie , Nam Chingyi , Hu Xiaoling , Zheng Yongping
Published: February 2022

Objective.The central-to-peripheral voluntary motor effort (VME) in the affected limb is a dominant force for driving the functional neuroplasticity on motor restoration post-stroke. However, current rehabilitation robots isolated the central and peripheral involvements in the control design, resulting in limited rehabilitation effectiveness. This study was to design a corticomuscular coherence (CMC) and electromyography (EMG)-driven control to integrate the central and peripheral VMEs in neuromuscular systems in stroke survivors.Approach.The CMC-EMG-driven control was developed in a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)-robot system, i.e. CMC-EMG-driven NMES-robot system, to instruct and assist the wrist-hand extension and flexion in persons after stroke. A pilot single-group trial of 20 training sessions was conducted with the developed system to assess the feasibility for wrist-hand practice on the chronic strokes (16 subjects). The rehabilitation effectiveness was evaluated through clinical assessments, CMC, and EMG activation levels.Main results.The trigger success rate and laterality index of CMC were significantly increased in wrist-hand extension across training sessions (p< 0.05). After the training, significant improvements in the target wrist-hand joints and suppressed compensation from the proximal shoulder-elbow joints were observed through the clinical scores and EMG activation levels (p< 0.05). The central-to-peripheral VME distribution across upper extremity (UE) muscles was also significantly improved, as revealed by the CMC values (p< 0.05).Significance.Precise wrist-hand rehabilitation was achieved by the developed system, presenting suppressed cortical and muscular compensation from the contralesional hemisphere and the proximal UE, and improved distribution of the central-and-peripheral VME on UE muscles. ClinicalTrials.gov Register Number NCT02117089
X-ray image chain synchronization control scheme design and performance evaluation
Authors: Feng Mingjie , Chen Bin , Kong Lingyi , Wang Fei , Liu Zhaobang
Published: February 2022

This paper describes the working principle of the image chain’s imaging system and analyzes the two imaging modes of the X-ray source as well as the two synchronization modes of the flat panel detector, with the goal of completing the design of the image chain’s system imaging. Two schemes of synchronous control of the image chain, hardware control and software control, are achieved on the basis of the design of the image chain’s imaging system. According to the experimental results, the hardware synchronization control, in comparison with the software synchronization control, enormously reduces the X-ray radiation time and the radiation received by the object as well as generating a lower CPU occupancy rate, which improves the safety of the performance of the image chain imaging system. Therefore, it can be concluded that hardware synchronization control is safer and more practical than software synchronization control. Lightweight cone-beam CT can be developed for use in mobile field hospitals and intensive care units to reduce the difficulty of doctors’ operations.
Broadband Directional Coupler with High Isolation
Authors: Ma Zhuang , Zhou Dongfang , Zhang Dewei , Zhang Yi , Pan Chenqing , Ma Jingwei
Published: February 2022

A novel wideband microstrip directional coupler operating at 1 to 5 GHz with high isolation is presented in this paper. Parallel coupling lines replace the traditional coupling transmission lines, providing broadband characteristics. The rectangular defected ground structure (DGS) on the RF ground on the back increases the isolation. The coupler was designed using 3D electromagnetic simulations. FR4-type dielectric substrate has been used due to its low cost. Simulation results prove that the proposed directional coupler provides an isolation of at least 20 dB on the full frequency band from 1 to 5 GHz, and reaches 66 dB at 2.89 GHz. The coupling degree is about 12 dB. Moreover, the proposed design can also achieve wide operating bandwidth (approximately 139% fractional bandwidth).
The optimized design of air heat metering in the fan coil performance test system
Authors: Song JiaFang , Wang Jiao , Sun ZiChuang , Xie JiaWei
Published: February 2022

With the improvement of the level of economic development and the quality of people’s living standards, people’s requirements for air quality also increase. The demand for airconditioning equipment to regulate indoor air quality is also increasing year by year. The resulting high energy consumption and energy waste problems can not be ignored. All we can do is optimize the equipment on an existing basis to minimize energy consumption. In this paper, the automatic humidification device of the wet bulb thermometer is designed to optimize the thermal performance test system of the fan coil unit, improve the quality of the fan coil, and ultimately achieve the goal of reducing energy consumption.
Design of LED grain image recognition and positioning system
Authors: Huang Zhiyu , Li Luyao , Lu Likun
Published: February 2022

LED grain image recognition and location technology is an important technology in LED grain manufacturing and sorting process. Whether the LED grain can be accurately identified and positioned will greatly affect the production speed and efficiency of LED grain. At present, the research on this technology in China is in its infancy. In this paper, a LED grain image recognition and location system based on rectangle detection algorithm is proposed to solve the problem of LED grain image recognition and location. The system uses image grayscale, binarization, edge extraction, contour detection algorithm to process the image of the target image, and uses the matching algorithm and rectangular detection algorithm to identify the LED grain, although the time is short but the accuracy is not enough. Rectangle detection uses two methods to determine contour minima, the getMin() function and the OpenCV library method, using the getMin() function is more appropriate. The LED grain image recognition and positioning system designed in this paper can realize the recognition of LED grain in a simple environment, and can accurately calculate the deflection Angle of LED grain, reducing the time of grain quality detection.
The Bus Control System Based on Intelligent Security Design
Authors: Yang Jialin , Wu Tiebin , Chen Jiaxing , Ji Mengna , Cai Xia
Published: February 2022

Due to traffic congestion and the changeable internal and external driving environment, it is difficult for bus drivers to respond quickly to the surrounding environment in an emergency, resulting in traffic accidents. This paper designs an intelligent and efficient active security system. The security monitoring system includes abnormal emotion processing system and trajectory offset processing system. The two systems are applied to image acquisition unit, image processing unit, vehicle trajectory determination unit, data storage unit and data transmission unit. The trajectory offset processing system and abnormal emotion processing system are used to analyze and process the data of various sensors, upload the data to the platform, and realize multi department cooperative processing.
A Design of Test Equipment on Gun Control Systems and Autoloaders
Authors: Liu Hong-Tian , Song Chao , Cao Yang , Zhang Wan-Jun , Wang Dong-Jun , Wu Hong-wei
Published: February 2022

In response to a series of problems in the actual use of a certain type of tank fire control system and autoloader, such as many sudden failures, difficulties in diagnosing and locating failures, and complex maintenance and guarantee, a testing equipment is designed for the gun control box and autoloader, which is used to monitor the status of the gun control box and autoloader, and store the test data in real time. By comparing the test data and analysing the abnormal problems that occur in the work of the gun control box and the autoloader, it realises the monitoring of the working condition of the tank gun control box and the autoloader components, providing effective data support for the next step of repair.
Analysis of noise during unbalanced braking of disc brake friction plates
Authors: Zhang Xuesong , Wang Zhaoheng , Liu Xinxiang
Published: February 2022

The non-equilibrium contact phenomenon caused by the time difference between the friction plates on both sides and the brake disc during the braking process of the disc brake was analyzed. The brake noise problem in this non-simultaneous clamping condition was studied. Then a three-dimensional assembly model was established and the finite element method was used to find the complex mode and its instability coefficient under different operating conditions when t h e b r ak e w as in u n b al an ce d con ta ct. T he r esults s how th at during non-equilibrium braking, the inherent frequency and low-frequency stability of the braking system decreases, the instability modes increase significantly, and the shorter time difference leads to a strong tendency of whistling.
Energy storage battery SOC estimate based on improved BP neural network
Authors: Liu Xiaojing , Dai Yawen
Published: February 2022

The SOC estimation of the battery is the most significant functions of batteries’ management system, and it is a quantitative evaluation of electric vehicle mileage. Due to complex battery dynamics and environmental conditions, the existing data-driven battery status estimation technology is not able to accurately estimate battery status. Aiming at this problem, the multi-implicit BP neural network model and the error elimination due to genetic algorithm are combined to appraise the battery’s state of charge. Firstly, a multi-hidden layer BP neural network is applied to learn about the nonlinear connection between the battery SOC and the measurable variables of lithium-ion batteries, for instance, current, voltage, and temperature. Secondly, the prediction error of the neural network type is denoised by the genetic method to smooth the prediction results. The method proposed in this paper captures long-term dependencies between measurable variables and battery state. Finally, the improvement effect of the method proposed in this paper is verified by comparison with the traditional neural network method.
Aircraft flight control using method of robustness aimed at uncertainty
Authors: Wang Jian-qi , Zheng Kun-peng , Wang Dong-mei
Published: February 2022

Method of μ synthesis based on self-contained structured singular value theory provides a resolution for control system with uncertain character. It makes the control system to have enough robustness and optimal control performance. When the aircraft is flying in the dense aerosphere, the autopilot of the aircraft is facing such a control system with a lot of uncertain elements. To obtain the optimal robustness in such case, the method of μ synthesis is used to design the autopilot in this paper. Also the result of simulation is tested and analysed. And the final analysis indicates the adopted controller has an effective result to the uncertainty.
A distributed temperature and strain measurement method for OPPC in distribution Internet of Things in electricity based on multilayer feedforward artificial neural network
Authors: Guan Guofei , Song Qingwu
Published: February 2022

In order to effectively measure temperature and strain along opticalphase conductor (OPPC), the multilayer feedforward artificial neural network (ANN) is applied to demodulate the temperature and strain along OPPC composite optical fiber. The basic principle and parameters of ANN for this purpose are introduced. ANN is trained by using the numerically generated Brillouin spectra with different values of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and Brillouin frequency shifts (BFS), and the training results are presented. The Brillouin spectra with different values of SNR, temperature and strain along the optical fiber are numerically generated. The temperature and strain along the optical fiber are demodulated by the spectrum fitting method and the ANN method. The results reveal that the multilayer feedforward artificial neural network method has similar accuracy with the spectrum fitting method. However, the computation time of the former is much less than that of the latter.
Electric vehicle wireless charging system transmission model based on two-port network
Authors: Luo Yuhao , Li Zhenyang , Wang Sizhong , Li Yan
Published: February 2022

In recent years, the use of electric vehicles has been promoted all over the world in order to reduce the dependence on non-renewable resources such as oil. However, the problems of slow charging and few charging piles of electric vehicles have always troubled the users. In order to solve this problem, this paper investigates the wireless charging problem of electric vehicles. This paper focuses on the relationship between the transmission efficiency of the wireless charging system and the transmitting frequency and matching impedance of the non-vehicle part. First, this paper converts the equivalent circuit of wireless charging system into a two-port network diagram, establishes the relationship between the output signals, and performs simulation calculations for ten sets of experiments. Then, considering the different chassis heights of different models, the relationship between coil distance and mutual inductance coefficient is focused on. Finally, a single-objective optimization model with the maximization of transmission efficiency as the objective function is established considering the economy, and the model is solved by multiverse optimization algorithm, and the transmission efficiency is successfully improved to 93.10%.
Numerical study of nano-particle composite paraffin phase change heat storage capsule
Authors: Wang Fude , Hou Rusen
Published: February 2022

The heat exchange characteristics of traditional heat exchange fluids such as water and oil in phase change heat storage can no longer meet the ever-increasing heat exchange requirements. The researchers found that by adding nano-scale particles to the basic phase change material (pure PCM) in a certain proportion to form a composite phase change material, the heat transfer characteristics of the material can be improved. In this paper, a model study of the phase change heat storage characteristics of the nano-particle composite paraffin wax phase change capsule with holes is carried out, and the effects of thermal disturbance, natural convection heat transfer and external convection heat transfer on the phase change heat storage are mainly studied. It is found that when nanoparticles are added to the phase change heat storage capsule, the composite phase change heat storage capsule formed by the phase change heat storage, the internal natural convection intensity increases, and with the increase of the particle share, the heat storage rate increases, and the heat exchange intensity increases.
A Study on Forging Process of New Aluminum Alloy
Authors: Feng Chao , Liu Weike , Cao Xianhui , Deng Yunlai , Wang Jun , Xie Yi
Published: February 2022

This paper employs the isothermal compression method to study the forging process of new aluminum alloy and analyzes its law of thermal deformation behavior at the temperature of 400~550°C and the strain rate of 1~-10-3s-1. It is found that flow stress is correlated with the temperature and strain rate and that the stress level decreases with the increase of temperature and the decrease of strain rate. This reveals the evolution law of the microstructure of the aluminum alloy in thermal deformation and lays a foundation for the subsequent studies and optimizationof the forging process.