bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Critical Heat Flux Condition and Post-Critical Heat Flux Heat Transfer of Carbon Dioxide at High Reduced Pressures in a Microchannel
Authors: Parahovnik Anatoly , White Esther , Peles Yoav
Published: February 2023

Flow boiling heat transfer around the critical heat flux (CHF) condition at high reduced pressures of carbon dioxide in a 296-μm hydraulic diameter microchannel was experimentally studied. The CHF conditions for developing flow and fully developed flow were measured and compared to established correlations. The post-CHF heat transfer coefficient was obtained for l/d of 3.2, 7.4, and 11.6 for inlet Reynolds numbers, based on the homogeneous two-phase flow model, ranging from 6622 to 32,248. The critical heat flux conditions seemed to peak around a reduced pressure of about 0.5 and gradually decreased with reduced pressure. However, the typical rapid increase in the surface temperature following the CHF condition decreased with increasing pressure, and the post-CHF heat transfer coefficient was appreciably high (up to about 50 kW/m2K) at high reduced pressures. The enhancement in the heat transfer coefficient and CHF condition near the inlet were quantified. The experimental results were compared to established CHF correlations and heat transfer coefficient correlations with some limited success. Thus, the Katto CHF correlation (Katto and Ohno, 1984, “An Improved Version of the Generalized Correlation of Critical Heat Flux for the Forced Convective Boiling in Uniformly Heated Vertical Tubes,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 27(9), pp. 1641–1648) and the Bishop correlation (Bishop et al., 1964, “Forced-Convection Heat Transfer to Water at Near-Critical Temperatures and Supercritical Pressures,” Westinghouse Electric Corp, Atomic Power Division, Pittsburgh, PA.) for the post-CHF heat transfer coefficient were adjusted to better predict the experimental results. Additionally, an enhancement factor was derived to predict the increase in the heat transfer coefficient in the developing region.
Development of a Noninvasive Device to Predict Postoperative Ileus Using Acoustic Biomarkers
Authors: Hrabe Jennifer E. , Gribovskaja-Rupp Irena , Guyton Kristi , Kapadia Muneera R. , Cromwell John W.
Published: February 2023

For patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery, postoperative ileus (POI) is difficult to predict and occurs at rates up to 30%. We hypothesized that discrete gastrointestinal acoustic biomarkers correlating to POI development may be present in early postoperative hours. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a two-phase investigation to record and analyze intestinal sounds, then to prospectively test the feasibility of predicting POI using a noninvasive device trained with an algorithm developed from the Phase 1 results. In Phase 1, a library of intestinal sounds from normal volunteer subjects and patients undergoing intestinal resection surgery were recorded. An acoustic biomarker most correlated with POI was identified and used to develop a predictive algorithm. In Phase 2, an autonomous, wearable device possessing listening and signal processing capability was developed and prospectively tested for prediction of POI in patients undergoing bowel resection surgery. In Phase 1, 30 patients undergoing intestinal resection surgery were studied, 9 of whom developed POI, from which an acoustic biomarker was identified and analyzed. In Phase 2, prospective prediction of POI in 75 enrolled subjects undergoing bowel resection surgery was assessed. POI was correctly predicted in 12 of 14 subjects who developed POI; prediction that POI would not occur was correct in 39 of 51 subjects. Sensitivity and specificity were 85.7% and 63.9%, respectively. Negative predictive value and accuracy were 95.1%, and 68%, respectively. Our study demonstrates feasibility of POI prediction based on gastrointestinal sounds using a noninvasive device. This device may help risk stratify patients likely to develop POI.
Novel Bilayer Elasto-Hydrogel Adhesive Film for Facilitating Wet-Occlusive Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Pillai Joshua P. , Pillai Jonathan D.
Published: February 2023

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic multifactorial skin disease that causes skin inflammation owing to defects in the skin barrier, immune dysregulation, or infectious agents. The most common treatment of AD utilizes wet-occlusion therapies to create a protective skin barrier by providing moisture to the epidermis. However, these treatments are suboptimal in managing disease symptoms owing to their limited ability to retain or restore skin hydration and inefficient drug delivery. Currently, there are no effective approaches for treating AD that are specifically designed to improve drug delivery efficacy and skin hydration. This study aims to introduce a new approach of localized drug delivery and facilitate more efficient dermal hydration using hydrogels and elastomers. Herein, we report a simple yet effective bilayer elasto-hydrogel adhesive film (BEHAF) dressing made from an interpenetrating alginate and polyacrylamide (alginate/AAm) hydrogel layer backed by a thin film of polydimethylsiloxane elastomer. In an in vitro hydration study, it was found that the BEHAF dressing enabled efficient retention and delivery of hydration to a model epidermis for more than 48 h and showed potential for drug delivery of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs. Furthermore, mechanical testing results indicate that the BEHAF mimics the elastic behavior of human skin and shows good adhesion sensitivity, thereby suggesting biomechanical compatibility and suitability for long-term usage. Overall, the BEHAF dressing may provide a viable vehicle for dermal hydration and drug delivery, thereby improving the efficacy of wet-occlusive therapy for treating AD.
Development of a Passive Reactor Shutdown Device to Prevent Core Disruptive Accidents in Fast Reactors: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Morita Koji , Liu Wei , Arima Tatsumi , Arita Yuji , Sato Isamu , Matsuura Haruaki , Sekio Yoshihiro , Sagara Hiroshi , Kawashima Masatoshi
Published: February 2023

Following the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011, it has become increasingly important for reactor safety designs to consider measures that can prevent the occurrence of severe accidents. This report proposes a novel subassembly-type passive reactor shutdown device that expands the diversity and robustness of core disruptive accident (CDA) prevention strategies for sodium-cooled fast reactors. The developed device contains pins with a fuel material that is in the solid state during normal operation but melts into a liquid when the temperature exceeds a certain value (i.e., during a potential accident). When an unprotected loss of flow (ULOF) or unprotected transient overpower (UTOP) accident occurs, the device can passively provide significant negative reactivity by rapidly transferring liquefied device fuel into the lower plenum region of the pins via gravitation alone. The reactors containing some of the proposed devices in place of original fuel subassemblies become subcritical before the driver fuels are damaged, even if ULOF or UTOP transient events occur. The present study evaluates candidate materials for device fuels (e.g., metallic alloy, chloride), optimal device pin structures for liquefied fuel relocation, and nuclear and thermal-hydraulic characteristics of the device-loaded core under accident conditions to demonstrate the engineering applicability of the proposed device. This report discusses preliminary results regarding the nuclear requirements for inducing negative reactivity to achieve reactor shutdown under the expected device conditions during an accident.
Study on the Performance of a Cycloidal Rotor in Hover at Different Reynolds Numbers
Authors: Zimmer Florian , Gagnon Louis
Published: February 2023

This paper studied the influence of the Reynolds number on lift, power, and efficiency of a three-bladed cycloidal rotor in hover. In a parameter study, Reynolds numbers from 10,000 to 600,000 were investigated. The fluid mechanics were solved using incompressible 2D unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The CFD model was first carefully validated using experimental data for a pitching airfoil undergoing dynamic stall. The model was then verified to reproduce the shapes of both the force and power curves and the wake flow of a landmark cyclorotor experimental study. Two different flow regimes were identified: for the first regime Re ranged from 10,000 to 100,000 and two dynamic flow separations occurred, the first at maximum pitch angle and bottommost position of the blade and the second shortly afterwards. The second flow regime had Re from 200,000 to 600,000 and avoided the first separation due to the increased Reynolds number. Both separations were visible in the flow as well as in the azimuthal lift distribution. Regardless of the flow regime, rotation averaged lift and power followed the predictions of momentum theory, except for Re of 500,000. At this Re, a significant drop in power was observed and corresponds to findings of a 20-year old experimental study which were at the time classified as possibly wrong. This particular behavior at Re of 500,000 is explained by a change in shape of the downwash, which avoids flow separation as the blade starts to travel upwards.
New geochronological results from late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic successions in the eastern North China Craton and implications for the reconstruction of Rodinia
Authors: Liu Chaohui , Zhao Guochun , Liu Fulai , Xu Wang , Sun Xun
Published: February 2023

Late Stenian to Tonian stratum of the Xihe and Jinxian groups, the Sangwon system, the Penglai Group, the Tumen Group, and the Huaibei and Langan groups located at the eastern margin of the North China Craton provide an excellent record of changes in sediment provenance related to the amalgamation and dispersal of Rodinia and therefore the paleogeographic position of the craton. To decipher their protosource changes over time, we evaluated 7510 U-Pb and 963 Lu-Hf analyses from 92 samples across the entire eastern North China Craton, of which 1746 U-Pb and 415 Lu-Hf analyses from 18 samples are newly reported here. The detrital zircon results indicate two stratigraphic intervals with internally consistent lithostratigraphy, event stratigraphy, biostratigraphy, depositional age, and detrital zircon age patterns: the late Stenian to early Tonian strata and the late Tonian strata, of which the former mainly consists of the Mesoproterozoic detrital zircons with juvenile Hf isotopic features and the latter’s detritus chiefly derived from the Neoarchean to late Paleoproterozoic basement of the North China Craton. In consideration of the paleomagnetic and geochronological data from the coeval strata in other cratons, the Mesoproterozoic detrital zircons of the late Stenian to early Tonian strata are interpreted to be derived from the Musgrave Province in central Australia during the Rodinia amalgamation, and the transition to the autochthonic protosources in the late Tonian possibly indicated the breakup of the North China Craton and North Australian Craton connection.
The trilinear Higgs self-couplings at $$\mathcal {O}(\alpha _t^2)$$ in the CP-violating NMSSM
Authors: Borschensky Christoph , Dao Thi Nhung , Gabelmann Martin , Mühlleitner Margarete , Rzehak Heidi
Published: February 2023

In supersymmetric theories the Higgs boson masses are derived quantities where higher-order corrections have to be included in order to match the measured Higgs mass value at the precision of current experiments. Closely related through the Higgs potential are the Higgs self-interactions. In addition, the measurement of the trilinear Higgs self-coupling provides the first step towards the reconstruction of the Higgs potential and the experimental verification of the Higgs mechanism sui generis. In this paper, we advance our prediction of the trilinear Higgs self-couplings in the CP-violating Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the SM (NMSSM). We provide the $$\mathcal{O}(\alpha _t^2)$$

O
(

α
t
2

)

corrections in the gaugeless limit at vanishing external momenta. The higher-order corrections turn out to be larger than the corresponding mass corrections but show the expected perturbative convergence. The inclusion of the loop-corrected effective trilinear Higgs self-coupling in gluon fusion into Higgs pairs and the estimate of the theoretical uncertainty due to missing higher-order corrections indicate that the missing electroweak higher-order corrections may be significant.
The equilibrium and dynamical cumulants of QCD chiral order parameter with parametric Landau free energy
Authors: Jiang Lijia , Stöcker Horst , Zheng Jun-Hui
Published: February 2023

By linearly parameterizing the QCD Landau free energy near the critical point in the baryon chemical potential and temperature plane, we study the fluctuations of the QCD chiral order parameter field (the $$\sigma $$
σ
field) in the equilibrium case and dynamical phase transition, respectively. By setting the system size to the typical size of the QGP fireball ($$\approx 10^3$$

≈

10
3

fm$$^3$$

3

), we show that in the equilibrium case, the discontinuity of the order parameter in the first order phase transition region is replaced by smooth crossover, and the corresponding fluctuations are broadened. Meanwhile, the quartic cumulant $$\kappa _4$$

κ
4

of the $$\sigma $$
σ
field is generally negative near the phase transition line. We further derive the dynamical evolution of the QCD Landau free energy in the Fokker–Plank framework, based on which we deduce the dynamical cumulants of the $$\sigma $$
σ
field. Assuming the temperature decreases as a known function of time, we numerically evaluate the dynamical cumulants and confirm that the cumulants present clear memory effects. Moreover, the memory effects on the first order phase transition side is stronger than that on the crossover side, and the dynamical cumulants at the hypothetical freeze-out line present rich non-monotonic structures.
Anisotropic stars made of exotic matter within the complexity factor formalism
Authors: Rincón Ángel , Panotopoulos Grigoris , Lopes Ilídio
Published: February 2023

Within Einstein’s General Relativity we study exotic stars made of dark energy assuming an extended Chaplygin gas equation-of-state. Taking into account the presence of anisotropies, we employ the formalism based on the complexity factor to solve the structure equations numerically, obtaining thus interior solutions describing hydrostatic equilibrium. Making use of well-established criteria we demonstrate that the solutions are well behaved and realistic. A comparison with another, more conventional approach, is made as well.
Non-Gaussian entanglement of magnetically coupled modes: A dynamical analysis
Authors: Hab-arrih Radouan , Jellal Ahmed , Merdaci Abdeldjalil
Published: February 2023

The quantum entanglement of two connected harmonic oscillators via angular momentum yielding a magnetic coupling [Formula: see text] is discussed in this study. The corresponding Hamiltonian is diagonalized by using three canonical transformations, and then the stationary wave function is obtained. The Schmidt decomposition is used to explicitly determine the modes [Formula: see text], with [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] being two quantum numbers associated with the two oscillators. We summarize our findings by looking at the effects of anisotropy [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], asymmetry [Formula: see text], and dynamics on entanglement. (i) With increasing [Formula: see text], the entanglement grows exceedingly large. (ii) The sensitivity to [Formula: see text] is determined by [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The physical parameters and quantum numbers play a great role in the periodic resuscitation of entanglement.
On the thermodynamics of PP-waves
Authors: Ulhoa S. C. , Carneiro F. L. , Maluf J. W.
Published: February 2023

This paper deals with gravitational thermodynamics. The first and second laws of thermodynamics are established in terms of energy density and pressure, which are defined in the scope of Teleparallelism Equivalent to General Relativity (TEGR). Such laws are applied to gravitational waves, in particular the PP-wave. A negative entropy variation for an isothermal process is obtained.
A many-body dissipative particle dynamics study of droplets impacting on fiber
Authors: Liu Huajian , Cao Damin
Published: February 2023

Collisions between droplets and fibers are a common phenomenon in nature and daily life, such as raindrops on the surface of spider webs and the surface of transmission cables. We present a numerical model to study the droplets impacting on fibers with the many-body dissipative particle dynamics (MDPD) method. The droplets impact on neutral fiber at different velocities and diameters is simulated. The diffusion trend of droplets is affected by the velocities and diameters. According to the morphologies of droplets, the results of impacting could be divided into three types, stick to the fiber, merge and split into parts. The spreading factors and internal velocity distributions are obtained and analyzed. And the determination of regimes at these states is found. In addition, the droplets impact on hydrophobic fiber is also investigated.
Dimensional crossover in the nearest-neighbor statistics of random points in a quasi-low-dimensional system
Authors: Balankin Alexander S. , Martinez-Cruz M. A. , Susarrey-Huerta O.
Published: February 2023

In this work, we study the effects of geometric confinement on the point statistics in a quasi-low-dimensional system. Specifically, we focus on the nearest-neighbor statistics. Accordingly, we have performed comprehensive numerical simulations of binomial point process on quasi-one-dimensional rectangle strips for different values of the confinement ratio defined as the ratio of the strip width to the mean nearest-neighbor distance. We found that the nearest-neighbor distance distributions (NNDDs) conform to an extreme value Weibull distribution with the shape parameter depending on the confinement ratio, while the process intensity remains constant. This finding reveals the reduction of effective spatial degrees of freedom in a quasi-low-dimensional system under the geometric confinement. The scale dependence of the number of effective spatial degrees of freedom is found to obey the crossover ansatz. We stress that the functional form of the crossover ansatz is determined by the nature of the studied point process. Accordingly, different physical processes in the quasi-low-dimensional system obey different crossover ansatzes. The relevance of these results for quasi-low-dimensional systems is briefly highlighted.
An Amendable Multi-Function Control Method using Federated Learning for Smart Sensors in Agricultural Production Improvements
Authors: Abu-Khadrah Ahmed , Ali Ali Mohd , Jarrah Muath
Published: February 2023

Communications and Computer Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman 19328, Jordan

School of Information Technology, Skyline University, Sharjah, 1797, UAE

Smart Sensors are used for monitoring, sensing, and actuating controls in small and large-scale agricultural plots. From soil features to crop health and climatic observations, the smart sensors integrate with sophisticated technologies such as the Internet of Things or cloud for decentralized processing and global actuation. Considering this integration, an Amendable Multi-Function Sensor Control (AMFSC) is introduced in this proposal. This proposed method focuses on sensor operations that aid agricultural production improvements. The agriculture hindering features from the soil, temperature, and crop infections are sensed and response is actuated based on controlled operations. The control operations are performed according to the sensor control validation and modified control acute sensor, which helps to maximize productivity. The sensor control and operations are determined using federated learning from the accumulated data in the previous sensing intervals. This learning validates the current sensor data with the optimal data stored for different crops and environmental factors in the past. Depending on the computed, sensed, and optimal (adaptable) data, the sensor operation for actuation is modified. This modification is recommended for crop and agriculture development to maximize agricultural productivity. In particular, the sensing and actuation operations of the smart sensors for different intervals are modified to maximize production and adaptability. The efficiency of the system was evaluated using different parameters and the system maximizes the analysis rate (12.52%), control rate (7%), adaptability (9.65%) and minimizes the analysis time (7.12%), and actuation lag (8.97%)
A Comprehensive Survey of Few-shot Learning: Evolution, Applications, Challenges, and Opportunities
Authors: Song Yisheng , Wang Ting , Cai Puyu , Mondal Subrota K. , Sahoo Jyoti Prakash
Published: February 2023

Few-shot learning (FSL) has emerged as an effective learning method and shows great potential. Despite the recent creative works in tackling FSL tasks, learning valid information rapidly from just a few or even zero samples remains a serious challenge. In this context, we extensively investigated 200+ FSL papers published in top journals and conferences in the past three years, aiming to present a timely and comprehensive overview of the most recent advances in FSL with a fresh perspective and to provide an impartial comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of existing work. To avoid conceptual confusion, we first elaborate and contrast a set of relevant concepts including few-shot learning, transfer learning, and meta-learning. Then, we inventively extract prior knowledge related to few-shot learning in the form of a pyramid, which summarizes and classifies previous work in detail from the perspective of challenges. Furthermore, to enrich this survey, we present in-depth analysis and insightful discussions of recent advances in each subsection. What is more, taking computer vision as an example, we highlight the important application of FSL, covering various research hotspots. Finally, we conclude the survey with unique insights into technology trends and potential future research opportunities to guide FSL follow-up research.
Building MechanoBeat
Authors: Oshim Md. Farhan Tasnim , Killingback Julian , Follette Dave , Peng Huaishu , Rahman Tauhidur
Published: February 2023

Knowing how and when people interact with their surroundings is crucial for constructing dynamic and intelligent environments. Despite the importance of this problem, an attainable and simple solution is still lacking. Current solutions often require powered sensors on monitored objects or users themselves. Many such systems use batteries [1-3], which are costly and time consuming to replace. Some powered systems connect to the grid, which may save swapping batteries, but at the price of restricted placement options. Other solutions use passive tags on monitored objects or require no tags at all, but many of these systems have prohibitive characteristics. For instance, camera-based systems [4,5] generally will not work if their view is occluded. Many other systems that rely on passive tags or do not use tags require direct line-of-sight or close proximity to work. As such, our goal was to design and develop small, cheap, easy-to-install tags that do not require any batteries, silicon chips or discrete electronic components, which can be monitored without direct line-of-sight.
PLatter
Authors: Zhang Junbo , Soltanaghai Elahe , Balanuta Artur , Grimsley Reese , Kumar Swarun , Rowe Anthony
Published: February 2023

Can we read ultra-low-power sensors in a large industrial or commercial building with a single reader using the power line system? As the manufacturing industry becomes more and more automated, IoT sensors are also being widely deployed inside industrial buildings. Given the significant cost associated with retrofitting an industrial building, a wired network for IoT installation might not be desirable. On the other hand, long-range wireless networks are either power-hungry (e.g., Wi-Fi or cellular), or support only a low data rate (e.g., LoRa). In this paper, we explore an alternative approach: leveraging the power line infrastructure to enable building-scale wireless backscatter communication.
RF-Protect
Authors: Shenoy Jayanth , Liu Zikun , Tao Bill , Kabelac Zackary , Vasisht Deepak
Published: February 2023

In the last decade, both academia and industry have relied on FMCWradar based radio-frequency (RF) sensors to enable through-wall human tracking. These sensors capture reflections from human bodies to track occupancy of rooms [1], motion patterns of occupants [1,2], their daily activities [3], and their health metrics [4, 5]. Recently, Google has incorporated high frequency FMCW-based sensing into their smart home devices [6, 7], and Amazon received an FCC waiver [8] to conduct testing for the same.
Whisper
Authors: Chakraborty Tusher , Shi Heping , Kapetanovic Zerina , Priyantha Bodhi , Vasisht Deepak , Vu Binh , Pandit Parag , Pillai Prasad , Chabria Yaswant , Nelson Andrew , Daum Michael , Chandra Ranveer
Published: February 2023

The epoch-making proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) networks in recent years has brought connectivity to homes, cities, farms, and many other industries. ISM bands are accommodating most of these networks around the world. However, our experience from several global deployments has shown that such networks are bottlenecked by communication range and bandwidth. With these IoT deployment constraints in mind, we propose a new connectivity solution, Whisper [1], where IoT devices can opportunistically transmit data in the TV White Space (TVWS) spectrum, while protecting incumbents from receiving harmful interference.
On the Rational Design of Cooperative Receptors
Authors: Ortega Gabriel , Chamorro-Garcia Alejandro , Ricci Francesco , Plaxco Kevin W.
Published: February 2023

Cooperativity (homotropic allostery) is the primary mechanism by which evolution steepens the binding curves of biomolecular receptors to produce more responsive input–output behavior in biomolecular systems. Motivated by the ubiquity with which nature employs this effect, over the past 15 years we, together with other groups, have engineered this mechanism into several otherwise noncooperative receptors. These efforts largely aimed to improve the utility of such receptors in artificial biotechnologies, such as synthetic biology and biosensors, but they have also provided the first quantitative, experimental tests of longstanding ideas about the mechanisms underlying cooperativity. In this article, we review the literature on the design of this effect, paying particular attention to the design strategies involved, the extent to which each can be rationally applied to (and optimized for) new receptors, and what each teaches us about the origins and optimization of this important phenomenon.
Structure and Mechanism of Human ABC Transporters
Authors: Alam Amer , Locher Kaspar P.
Published: February 2023

ABC transporters are essential for cellular physiology. Humans have 48 ABC genes organized into seven distinct families. Of these genes, 44 (in five distinct families) encode for membrane transporters, of which several are involved in drug resistance and disease pathways resulting from transporter dysfunction. Over the last decade, advances in structural biology have vastly expanded our mechanistic understanding of human ABC transporter function, revealing details of their molecular arrangement, regulation, and interactions, facilitated in large part by advances in cryo-EM that have rendered hitherto inaccessible targets amenable to high-resolution structural analysis. As a result, experimentally determined structures of multiple members of each of the five families of ABC transporters in humans are now available. Here we review this recent progress, highlighting the physiological relevance of human ABC transporters and mechanistic insights gleaned from their direct structure determination. We also discuss the impact and limitations of model systems and structure prediction methods in understanding human ABC transporters and discuss current challenges and future research directions.
IL-4 and IL-13: Regulators and Effectors of Wound Repair
Authors: Allen Judith E.
Published: February 2023

Type 2 immunity mediates protective responses to helminths and pathological responses to allergens, but it also has broad roles in the maintenance of tissue integrity, including wound repair. Type 2 cytokines are known to promote fibrosis, an overzealous repair response, but their contribution to healthy wound repair is less well understood. This review discusses the evidence that the canonical type 2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-13, are integral to the tissue repair process through two main pathways. First, essential for the progression of effective tissue repair, IL-4 and IL-13 suppress the initial inflammatory response to injury. Second, these cytokines regulate how the extracellular matrix is modified, broken down, and rebuilt for effective repair. IL-4 and/or IL-13 amplifies multiple aspects of the tissue repair response, but many of these pathways are highly redundant and can be induced by other signals. Therefore, the exact contribution of IL-4Rα signaling remains difficult to unravel.
Context and Contact: Unifying the Study of Environmental Effects on Politics
Authors: Nathan Noah L. , Sands Melissa L.
Published: February 2023

A growing literature explores how local environments, or contexts, affect political behavior, especially by shaping interpersonal contact with social out-groups. While many studies still draw directly on long-standing hypotheses from contact theory, this research agenda increasingly focuses on new research questions, beyond the classic social psychology literature, and new empirical cases, including from across the lower- and middle-income world. We develop a typology of forms of context and contact to aid the aggregation of findings across disparate cases and demonstrate that the mechanisms that may account for the political effects of intergroup context and contact are broader than those typically explored in psychologically oriented research. We propose future directions for research in this area, including greater focus on the intersection of ethnic and class-based contact and greater attention to how built or computer-based environments may mediate or mirror the effects of demographic contexts.
Unveiling Hierarchical Zinc-Vanadium Oxide Composite Microflakes as Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Mule Anki Reddy , Narsimulu D. , Kakarla Ashok Kumar , Ramulu Bhimanaboina , Yu Jae Su
Published: February 2023

Developing unique electroactive materials is essential for meeting the escalating exigency of high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Various vanadate-based transition metal oxides have recently attracted much interest as anode materials because they can deliver good capacity and excellent cycling stability and enable shields to adapt to the volume variations during lithium insertion/deinsertion. Herein, novel two-dimensional porous vanadium oxide (V2O5)/zinc vanadium oxide (ZnV2O6) composite flake-like architectures (VO/ZVO CFAs) with rock-textured surface morphology were prepared via a facile and ecobenign silicone oil bath-assisted wet-chemical technique, followed by annealing treatment. The possible formation mechanism is explained. When examined as an anode for LIBs, the VO/ZVO CFA-400 (annealed at 400°C) electrode showed superior reversibility with good rate performance compared to the other prepared electrodes. The VO/ZVO CFA-400 electrode exhibited a higher specific capacity of 844 mAh/g at 100 mA/g after 150 cycles, whereas 645 and 743 mAh/g remained for the VO/ZVO CFA-300 and VO/ZVO CFA-500 electrodes, respectively. Interestingly, the VO/ZVO CFA-400 electrode delivered an excellent reversible capacity of 1146 mAh/g after 600 cycles at 500 mA/g. Moreover, when operating at the high current densities of 1000 and 2000 mA/g, the VO/ZVO CFA-400 electrode revealed good reversible capacities of 497 and 340 mAh/g over 500 cycles, respectively. The excellent electrochemical performance of VO/ZVO CFAs might be ascribed to unique morphological structures and the significant number of porous sites constructed from strongly interconnected tiny nanoparticles.
Study on Monitoring Reservoir Gas Density by Pulsed Neutron Logging
Authors: Chen Guangyao , Dang Lixia , Cai Wenyuan , Li Jian , Dong Junjie , Chen Zhanglong , Deng Rui
Published: February 2023

In mature multilayer gas reservoirs, it is a common problem to evaluate whether a potential reservoir is still productive after casing. Monitoring of unproduced or developing gas formations can guide production action plans. Intervention in unperforated zones with high gas density can increase gas production, whereas intervention in zones with low gas density is uneconomical. An RPM instrument stratum model was established by using the Monte Carlo method in this study. The model was used to simulate the response characteristics of pulsed neutron logging in a sandstone reservoir with 100% gas saturation to different reservoir gas densities, formation porosity, and shale content. The data obtained from the simulation were interpolated to construct a capture gamma ratio plate and a nonbounce gamma ratio plate. Using the constructed chart, the gas density of the reservoir can be quantitatively calculated, and then, the recovery value of the potential gas layer can be evaluated.
Mucocutaneous Response to New Therapeutic Strategies in Behçet’s Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Moreno-Vílchez Carlos , Fornons-Servent Rosa , Solanich Xavier , Narvaez Javier , Figueras-Nart Ignasi
Published: February 2023

Mucocutaneous lesions are the most frequent symptoms of Behçet’s disease (BD). Recently, new therapies are being used to treat refractory cases, but the effect of these treatments on mucocutaneous manifestations has been scarcely reported. Our objective was to describe the mucocutaneous response to the different therapies used to treat BD in routine clinical practice. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of all patients diagnosed with BD seen at our institution between January 2010 and January 2022. Patients with BD without mucocutaneous manifestations were excluded. We included 109 patients diagnosed with BD: 51 males (46.8%) and 58 females (53.2%). The mean age at diagnosis was 31.58 years (standard deviation (SD) 12.110) and the mean time of disease evolution was 14.94 years (SD 11.094). Oral ulcers were the most frequent symptom present in 100% of patients, followed by genital ulcers (GU) in 76.1% of patients. Twenty‐four patients (22%) had severe mucocutaneous symptoms (>12 lesions/year) before treatment. We found that among patients with GU there was a higher prevalence of episodes of posterior uveitis and venous thrombosis (p = 0.011 and p = 0.045, respectively). In our series, we observed a lower complete cutaneous response to colchicine in patients with GU, pathergy or severe mucocutaneous symptoms (p < 0.05). Regarding the choice of a TNF‐α inhibitor, we observed a lower prevalence of complete cutaneous response to adalimumab among patients with GU (53.3% complete response in patients with GU vs. 100% in patients without GU, p = 0.022), whereas no differences were found between clinical characteristics in the response to infliximab.
Optimal Dietary Protein Requirement of Subadult Australian Hybrid Abalone (Haliotis rubra × Haliotis laevigata) at Different Rearing Temperatures
Authors: Hassan Abdul Lathiff Inamul , Mock Thomas S. , Searle Kieren , Rocker Melissa M. , Turchini Giovanni M. , Francis David S.
Published: February 2023

Australian abalone aquaculture is characterised by a prolonged culture period and slow and variable growth, and abalone is cultured in fluctuating water temperatures ranging between 10 and 25°C with distinct seasons. Temperature is a crucial environmental factor influencing abalone’s physiology and energetics, leading to a change in nutritional requirements. However, feeds are generally formulated to match the nutritional requirements at their optimal temperature. Hence, there is a need to optimise dietary protein levels to match temperature-specific requirements during extreme conditions (winter and summer). Given this, a growth trial evaluating five experimental feeds consisting of graded protein inclusion levels (320, 350, 380, 410, and 440 g·kg−1) was conducted on subadult hybrid abalone (Haliotis rubra × H. laevigata) at three different temperatures reflecting winter (12°C), summer (22°C), and the annual average water temperature (17°C) for 143 days. At lower water temperature (12°C), there was a marginal improvement in growth performance as dietary protein levels increased from 320 to 440 g·kg−1. However, at higher water temperatures (when the culture water temperature is above 17°C), there was a significant improvement in growth performance as dietary protein levels increased from 320 to 440 g·kg−1 as evidenced by an improved weight gain, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio. Furthermore, increasing dietary protein levels did not compromise the nutritional quality of the abalone tissue at all three tested temperatures. Therefore, during periods of higher water temperatures, feeding Australian hybrid abalone with a relatively high dietary protein level (410 g·kg−1) is expected to result in improved growth, shorter culture duration, and profit maximisation.
Computational Models for Forecasting Electric Vehicle Energy Demand
Authors: Oyedeji Mojeed O. , AlDhaifallah Mujahed , Rezk Hegazy , Mohamed Ahmed Ali A.
Published: February 2023

Electric vehicles (EV) are fast becoming an integral part of our evolving society. There is a growing movement in advanced countries to replace gas-driven vehicles with EVs towards cutting down pollution from emissions. When fully integrated into society, electric vehicles will share from energy available on the grid; therefore, it is important to understand consumption profiles for EVs. In this study, some computation models are developed from predicting day-ahead energy consumption for electric vehicles in the city of Barcelona. Five different machine learning algorithms namely support vector regression (SVR), Gaussian process regression (GPR), artificial neural networks (ANN), decision tree (DT), and ensemble learners were used to train the forecasting models. The hyperparameters for each of the ML algorithms were tuned by Bayesian optimization algorithm. In order to propose efficient features for modeling EV demand, two different model structures were investigated, named Type-I and Type-II model. In the instance of the Type-I model, seven regressors representing the consumption of the previous seven days were considered as input features. The Type-II models considered only the EV consumption on the previous day and on the same day in the previous week. Based on the results in this study, we find that the performance of the Type-II models was as good as the Type-I models across all the algorithms considered although less input features were considered. Overall, the all algorithms employed in this study gave about 75-80% model accuracy based on the

R

2

performance criterion. The models formulated in this study may prove useful for planning and unit commitment functions in city energy management functions.
Study of Generalized
q
-Close-to-Convex Functions Related to Parabolic Domain
Authors: Noor Khalida Inayat , Lupas Alina Alb , Shah Shujaat Ali , Sibih Alanod M. , Abdel-Khalek S.
Published: February 2023

The concepts of bounded boundary rotation and parabolic domain are used to define certain new classes of analytic functions such as

V

1
,
q

m
,
g

,

R

1
,
q

m
,
g

,

T

1
,
q

m
,
g

, and

Q

1
,
q

γ

m
,
g
,
a

. The difference of coefficients, necessary conditions, distortion bounds, radius problem, and several other interesting properties of these newly defined classes are also studied.
Dietary Methanolic Extract of Fenugreek Enhanced the Growth, Haematobiochemical, Immune Responses, and Resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila in Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus
Authors: Diab Amany M. , Al-Khefa Basant T. , Khalafallah Malik M. , Salah Abdallah S. , Farrag Foad A. , Dawood Mahmoud A. O.
Published: February 2023

Fenugreek seed (FS) contains abundant functional biomolecules that activate the antioxidative and immunity system of aquatic animals. In this study, the methanolic extract of FS was included in Nile tilapia diets at 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2% levels and fed to fish for 90 days. Nile tilapia (10.57 ± 0.14 g) were randomly divided into five triplicate groups to check the growth performance, haematobiochemical profile, immunity, antioxidative response, and tolerance to Aeromonas hydrophila infection. The results revealed that the methanolic extract of FS significantly improved the growth performance while reducing the feed conversion ratio (FCR). Methanolic extract of FS also modulated the haematobiochemical profile. Markedly, the lysozyme and phagocytic activities were activated by the dietary methanolic extract of FS. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was improved, while the malondialdehyde (MDA) level was decreased by the dietary methanolic extract of FS. The SOD was markedly increased in the fish-fed dietary methanolic extract of FS at 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2%, while the MDA decreased in the fish fed 0.15 and 0.2%. The transcription of IL-1β, TNF-α, and TGF-β genes showed upregulated expression by ethanolic extract of FS. Accordingly, Nile tilapia showed high resistance against the A. hydrophila infection. The regression analysis revealed that the inclusion of 0.09% is recommended to improve the specific growth rate and FCR. In conclusion, the study revealed that an ethanolic extract of FS is recommended to enhance the growth performance, immunity, antioxidative response, and tolerance to A. hydrophila in Nile tilapia.
A Review of Accelerated Stress Tests for Enhancing MEA Durability in PEM Water Electrolysis Cells
Authors: Kuhnert Eveline , Hacker Viktor , Bodner Merit
Published: February 2023

During the past decades, a significant amount of excellent scientific results has been generated in the field of polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). Compared to current state-of-the-art technologies, PEMWE offers the opportunity to produce green hydrogen with zero carbon emissions. However, the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), whose price is still high for a rather limited lifetime, needs further improvement in terms of performance, cost, and durability. In order to efficiently process novel materials, accelerated stress tests (ASTs) can be implemented to provoke and investigate cell ageing processes and assess failure modes under real-life conditions. In this review, the different accelerated stressors of the main components of the MEA are discussed, and recent publications of ASTs in the study of PEMWE cell durability are summarized. Furthermore, a concise review of the degradation mechanisms for the individual MEA components depicted in recent publications is presented. The different aspects identified in this review serve as a roadmap to further advance the durability of novel stack materials.
Active Ingredient Paeonol of Jijiu Huiyang Decoction Alleviates Isoproterenol-Induced Chronic Heart Failure via the GSK3A/PPARα Pathway
Authors: Zhang Wei , Yu Manli , Zhang Cenxi , Yu Qing , Xu Sheng , Yan Qiongzhi , Guo Zhifu , Xu Yawei
Published: February 2023

Background. The pharmacological mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine formula-Jijiu Huiyang decoction (JJHYD), which contains several herbal medicines for the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF), is yet unknown. Method and Materials. The main active components of JJHYD were analyzed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The target genes of JJHYD and CHF were retrieved through multiple databases, a drug-ingredient-target-disease network was created, and KEGG enrichment and GO analyses were carried out. The binding ability of paeonol and Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 alpha (GSK3A) was confirmed by molecular docking. CHF animal model and cell model were constructed. The effects of paeonol on cardiac dysfunction, myocardial hypertrophy, cardiac lipid accumulation, and myocardial apoptosis were detected by echocardiography, histopathology, and flow cytometry, respectively. The effects of paeonol on the expression of myocardial hypertrophy index, GSK3A, and genes or proteins related to the PPARα pathway were determined by qRT-PCR or western blot. Result. UHPLC-MS/MS analysis combined with database verification showed a total of 227 chemical components in JJHYD, among which paeonol was the one with heart-protective roles and had the highest content. Paeonol alleviated isoproterenol-induced cardiac lipid accumulation, cardiac hypertrophy, and myocardial dysfunction and inhibited the activation of the PPARα pathway, while overexpression of GSK3A reversed these effects of paeonol. However, the reversal effects of GSK3A overexpression could be offset by siPPARα. Conclusion. As the main active substance of JJHYD, paeonol participates in the protection of CHF by targeting the GSK3A/PPARα signaling pathway to reduce lipid toxicity.
Numerical Simulation of Ammonia Combustion at Different Hydrogen Peroxide Concentrations
Authors: Chen Guan-Bang , Wu Fang-Hsien
Published: February 2023

Ammonia (NH3) is a promising carbon-free fuel. However, modifying its high ignition temperature and low flame speed remains challenging. In this study, NH3 combustion was numerically investigated using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) of different concentrations as the oxidizer to overcome these limitations. Adiabatic, free-propagating laminar burning velocities for NH3/H2O2/H2O mixtures were examined using a detailed chemical model. The maximum flame temperature between equivalence ratios is not considerably different at high concentrations of H2O2 (>80%), because the heat release is dominated by H2O2 decomposition. The equivalence ratio does not significantly affect the flame speed when the H2O2 concentration is less than 50%. The impact of H2O2 on the burning velocity at low concentrations is mainly attributed to the chemical effect. The chemical effect gradually decreases and the thermal effect increases because of the high heat release at high H2O2 concentrations. Moreover, the different concentrations of H2O2 consequently divide the flame into two sections. The first section is dominated by H2O2 reactions and the second by NH3 reactions. However, when the H2O2 concentration is 90 or 100%, flames do not appear in both sections. Finally, a quasilinear relationship between the flame speed and (NH2+OH)max mole fraction is identified.