bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public–Private Partnership (PPP) Model of Psychiatry Day Care Center in India: Its Challenges and Opportunities—A 2-Year Experience
Authors: Patil Sandeep , Patil Verappa , Tekkalaki Bheemsain , Chate Sameeran , Patil N.M
Published: August 2022

Background Most patients admitted in day care center are suffering from schizophrenia who do not recover fully due to nagging negative symptoms and cognitive deficits which linger and persist making the patients unfit and unacceptable for employment. But regular employment can help in recovery. In this way, day care centers would help in recovery of patients and hence the need for these kinds of centers. In India, day care centers are in infancy stage and to a larger extent are inadequately used. There is no data available from psychiatry day care center run as public–private partnership (PPP) project in a tertiary care general hospital psychiatry unit (GHPU). This model is first of its kind in India. Here, we narrate experiences gained in last 2 years.

Objectives This article narrates the challenges and opportunities in a psychiatry day care center in PPP model.

Materials and Methodology It a cross-sectional study.

Description of day care center: Day care center was started as PPP model called Manasadhara model in the state of Karnataka, first of its kind in India.

Recruitment Patients currently asymptomatic are recruited into the center after initial interview/assessment of patients and family members from the in-charge psychiatrist after obtaining informed consent.

Statistical Analysis Data are analyzed using mean and median mode. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Appropriate statistical methods were applied.

Results Total number of patients recruited in the study were 33 (n = 33). Mean age of the patients was 34.5 (7.4) years.

Majority (51.52%) of patients were in the age group of between 26 and 35 years. Majority (51.52%) of patients' age of onset of illness fell between 21 and 30 years, and 63.64% of patients' duration of illness ranged between 11 and 15 years.

Conclusion Running a day care center in PPP model that too in a GHPU set up is difficult. Skills in which patients need to be trained should be decided based on patients' profile and cultural basis of the place. Common problems faced were poor placements, transportation, financial difficulties, and poor funding.
The asset allocation of defined benefit pension plans: the role of sponsor contributions
Authors: Dyachenko Artem , Ley Patrick , Rieger Marc Oliver , Wagner Alexander F.
Published: August 2022

What percentage of its assets should a defined benefit pension plan invest into stocks as its funding ratio varies? We show that the answer to this question depends on the institutional setting and in particular on the extent to which the sponsoring company contributes to the fund as the funding ratio varies. We consider two settings: in one setting, the sponsoring company contributes to its pension fund only if the funding ratio is below the target level (as is the case, for example, in the US); in the other setting, the sponsoring company always contributes to its pension fund (as is the case, for example, in Switzerland). We show that these two institutional frameworks lead to two different dynamics, conditional distributions of the funding ratios, and relationships between the current funding ratio and investment into stocks. For settings like the US, that relation is non-monotonic while for settings like in Switzerland, it is monotonically decreasing. Previous empirical findings point towards a similar pattern.
On the Geographical Dispersion of Euro Currency Trading: An Analysis of the First 20 Years and a Comparison to the RMB
Authors: Westermann Frank
Published: August 2022

The Euro and the RMB are both relatively new currencies traded on the global foreign exchange market. While the Euro was introduced in 2001, China started cross-border settlement in RMB in 2009. We analyse the evolution of Euro trading based on data from the BIS triennial survey and compare the patterns to the experience of RMB internationalization. We find that—similar to the RMB—Euro trading displayed some convergence to the geographical pattern of all currencies in the first years of its existence. Thereafter, the convergence process appears to have come to halt. We document that the determinants of Euro trading include links to offshore trading centres, economic and institutional characteristics, but these turn out to be rather unstable over time. The RMB, in comparison, displays a clear convergence pattern and is more strongly influenced by policies and recent trade disputes. Furthermore, we compare the geographical dispersion of Euro trading to the previous D-Mark period and to other commonly used international currencies. These results help to interpret the evidence on initial convergence as a rebound effect from a decline in the international use of the D-Mark during the 1990s.
Large eddy simulation of the dynamics of lean premixed flames using global reaction mechanisms calibrated for CH4–H2 fuel blends
Authors: Garcia Alex M. , Le Bras Sophie , Prager Jens , Häringer Matthias , Polifke Wolfgang
Published: August 2022

The effects of hydrogen addition on the flame dynamics of a bluff-body stabilized methane–hydrogen turbulent flame are studied with large eddy simulation (LES). The LES is carried out with the thickened flame model and global kinetic mechanisms calibrated for the methane–hydrogen mixtures. Conjugate heat transfer is included in the LES to consider a proper wall temperature while the flame shape changes with hydrogen addition. A data-based calibration of the global mechanisms is done with a methodology based on reproducing the net species production rates computed with a detailed kinetic mechanism. An improvement in this methodology is proposed to increase its accuracy and reliability. The calibrated mechanisms accurately describe the variation of the laminar flame speed and the thermal flame thickness with hydrogen addition and equivalence ratio in a freely propagating premixed flame. The variations of the consumption speed and the thermal flame thickness with the strain rate in a symmetric counterflow premixed flame are also well predicted. The numerical simulations reproduce the transition from V- to M-shape flame induced by hydrogen addition, and the axial distribution of the heat release agrees with the experimental measurements of OH chemiluminescence. The unit impulse response and the flame transfer function are computed from the LES data using system identification (SysID). The flame transfer functions show a remarkable agreement with the experimental data, demonstrating that the LES-SysID approach using properly calibrated global mechanisms can predict the response of turbulent methane–hydrogen flames to velocity fluctuations. A comparison of the unit impulse response for the various hydrogen additions is presented, and the effect of hydrogen in the flow–flame interaction of the burner evaluated is discussed.
Mixing in arrays of villi-like actuators
Authors: Fishman A. , Rossiter J. M. , Leontini J. S. , Homer M. E.
Published: August 2022

This paper is concerned with computational modeling of fluid mixing by arrays of villi-like actuators. There are numerous applications of such actuators motivated by the motility and mixing induced by natural villi in the small intestine, such as microbial fuel cells and swimming robots—understanding how mixing occurs from viscous-dominated to inertia-dominated flows is paramount. Here, we analyze mixing in two-dimensional arrays of actuators, where neighboring actuators perform in-phase or anti-phase oscillations. We show that in both these cases, the temporal behavior becomes progressively more complex as inertia, or the Reynolds number, is increased. This behavior is classified into three regimes or stages with distinct behaviors and flow structures. We show that mixing can be substantially enhanced in the direction parallel to the wall the actuators are mounted on. We show this mixing is effectively constrained to a peripheral region or layer above the actuator tips. This layer is thicker in the anti-phase case than the in-phase case; however, in both cases this layer thickness saturates at high Reynolds number. Particle tracking results are used to define a mixing number, which shows the anti-phase pattern to be the most effective at mixing both along and across this peripheral layer, and this is linked to the flow structures generated in each stage. Our results provide a map for a range of behaviors that can be achieved through coordinated active motions of villi-like structures that we hope will be useful for the design of future robotics and fluidic-control systems.
Comparison of logarithmic, elliptic, and conical helical spiral for isolation of circulating tumor cells based on inertial method
Authors: Shamloo Amir , Mozhdehbakhsh Mofrad Yasaman , Safari Morteza , Naseri Tahoora
Published: August 2022

Cancer is one of the most significant causes of death in the world. It has been shown that the role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the early detection of cancer is crucial. Since the number of these cancerous cells in blood is very rare, the inertial microfluidic devices are one of the best candidates for the isolation of CTCs because they result in a high throughput process. Consequently, they can process a large volume of blood in a short time. Despite extensive computational and experimental studies on inertial microfluidic platforms, the impact of the curvature has not been thoroughly investigated during separation. In this paper, the feasibility of isolation of CTCs for logarithmic, elliptical, and conical helical spirals has been examined using a computational approach. In addition, the effect of geometrical parameters (i.e., the radius of curvature, aspect ratio, number of turns, and pitch) and operational parameters (i.e., sample and sheath flow velocity) has been studied. While the results showed that all three geometries could isolate CTCs with 100% purity and efficiency, the elliptical spiral was nominated as an optimal geometry since the inertial migration of particles can be completed faster as a result of forming alternating Dean drag forces in this geometry.
Simulated stress mitigation strategies in embedded bioprinting
Authors: Friedrich Leanne M. , Gunther Ross T. , Seppala Jonathan E.
Published: August 2022

Extrusion-based bioprinting is a powerful tool for fabricating complex cell-laden constructs. Embedded ink writing (EIW) is an extrusion-based printing technique wherein a nozzle embedded into a support bath writes continuous filaments. Because it allows for low-viscosity inks, EIW is particularly useful for bioprinting. One of the largest challenges in extrusion-based bioprinting is limiting the damage that cells experience inside the nozzle. Longer shear stress durations and higher shear stress magnitudes lead to more damage. Shape fidelity is also critical for bioprinting. Filaments in EIW can exhibit defects such as sharp edges and large aspect ratios, which can lead to porosity, surface roughness, and poor mechanical properties in the final part. We use numerical computational fluid dynamics simulations in OpenFOAM to evaluate whether common shear stress mitigation techniques improve cell viability without causing shape defects. Critically, we find that using a conical nozzle, increasing the nozzle diameter, decreasing the print speed, and decreasing the ink viscosity can improve the viability of stress magnitude-sensitive cells, but using a conical nozzle, increasing the nozzle length, and decreasing the print speed can increase damage in stress duration-sensitive cells. Additionally, using a conical nozzle or a larger nozzle can lead to larger shape defects in printed filaments. Material selection and printing parameter selection in embedded bioprinting should take into account allowable shape defects, allowable cell damage, and cell type.
A highly accurate bound-preserving phase field method for incompressible two-phase flows
Authors: Xiao Yao , Zeng Zhong , Zhang Liangqi , Wang Jingzhu , Wang Yiwei , Liu Hao , Huang Chenguang
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we propose a phase-field-based spectral element method by solving the Navier–Stokes/Cahn–Hilliard equations for incompressible two-phase flows. With the use of the Newton–Raphson method for the Cahn–Hilliard equation and the time-stepping scheme for the Navier–Stokes equation, we construct three constant (time-independent) coefficient matrixes for the solutions of velocity, pressure, and phase variable. Moreover, we invoke the modified bulk free energy density to guarantee the boundness of the solution for the Cahn–Hilliard equation. The above strategies enhanced computation efficiency and accurate capture of the interfacial dynamics. For the canonical tests of diagonal motion of a circle and Zalesak's disk rotation, the lowest relative errors for the interface profile in contrast to the published solutions highlight the high accuracy of the proposed approach. In contrast to our previous work, the present method approximately produces only one tenth relative errors after one rotation cycle but saves 27.2% computation cost. Furthermore, we note that the mobility parameter adopted appears to produce convergent solutions for the phase field but the distribution of the chemical potential remains divergent, which thereby results in diverse coalescence processes in the two merging droplets example. Therefore, a criterion for the choice of the mobility parameter is proposed based on these observations, i.e., the mobility adopted should ensure the convergence solution for the chemical potential. Finally, the rising bubble is presented to verify the proposed method's versatility under large density (1000) and viscosity contrasts (100), and its advantage in efficiency over previous solver is manifested by 44.9% savings in computation cost.
Dripping and jetting generation mode in T-junction microchannels with contractive structures
Authors: Pang Yan , Yang Qingshan , Wang Xiang , Liu Zhaomiao
Published: August 2022

Droplet generation in T-junction microchannels with contractive structures is investigated under different flow rates and viscosity conditions by numerical simulation to improve the monodispersity and controllability of the microdroplets. Basic flow modes are observed, including dripping, transition, and jetting, under various flow rates and dispersed phase viscosities. The flow condition for the transition mode is modeled as a function of capillary number, flow rate ratio, and viscosity ratio to indicate the conversion of generation modes. Unlike ordinary T-junction microchannels, in this case, the droplet diameter first decreases and then increases with the increasing viscosity ratio in T-junction microchannels with contractive structures. By analyzing the velocity fields, pressure fields, and forces in droplet formation, the dynamic mechanism of the viscosity ratio on the generation mode and droplet size is achieved. The droplet volume in the dripping mode is analyzed to propose a prediction formula that takes into account the influence of the viscosity ratio.
Coal chemical industry membrane concentrates: characterisation and treatment by ozonation and catalytic ozonation processes
Authors: Kong Xiangtong , Garg Shikha , Chen Guifeng , Li Wenbo , Wang Yuan , Wang Jikun , Ma Jinxing , Yuan Yuting , Waite T. David
Published: August 2022

Environmental context Reverse osmosis (RO) is widely used for the treatment of hazardous wastewaters produced from the coal chemical industry (CCI) to achieve zero liquid discharge however the use of RO inevitably results in accumulation of refractory organic matter in the RO membrane concentrate, the treatment of which is challenging. This work provides useful insights into the organic composition of RO concentrates obtained from a range of real CCI wastewaters. The efficacy of treatment of these concentrates by ozonation processes is assessed as is the cost effectiveness of such treatment. Rationale The enactment of increasingly stringent regulations has prompted the implementation of membrane technologies such as reverse osmosis (RO) in the management of coal chemical industry (CCI) wastewaters with the goal of achieving zero liquid discharge (ZLD). However, this practice inevitably results in the production of high salinity concentrates containing refractory organic matter. Methodology In this study, we characterised the organic composition of RO concentrates obtained from the CCI using a variety of methods including liquid chromatography–organic carbon/nitrogen detection (LC-OCND) and investigated the degradability of organic compounds present in these concentrates by ozonation and catalytic ozonation processes. Results and discussion Organic analysis using LC-OCND revealed that humic-like substances and low molecular weight neutral compounds were the dominant constituents in the CCI concentrates examined. Measurement of degradability of the CCI concentrate by a pure ozonation process showed low treatment efficiency (~20% dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal) as a result of the refractory nature of the organic compounds present in the wastewater. The degradation of these organics by a catalytic ozonation process employing a commercially available Fe-oxide based catalyst was higher than that observed by pure ozonation although the extent of organics removal (DOC removal ~47%) is still low due to the refractory nature of the organics as well as the influence of salts on the catalyst performance. Techno-economic analysis of the pure ozonation and catalytic ozonation processes indicated that the total cost of implementation of the ozonation processes (homogeneous or heterogeneous) for CCI concentrate treatment is negligible compared with the overall cost of the complete ZLD process.
Molecular characteristics of organic matter obtained from biochar by carbon disulfide/acetone synergistic extraction
Authors: Guo Xin , Li Shijia , Chai Yongzhen , Wei Jing , Xu Chengbin , Guo Fei
Published: August 2022

Environmental context Novel insight into BEOMcc is provided by fractionation and FTICR MS. Sub-fractions of biochar were extracted due to the chemical properties of the organic solvents. BEOMcc has a carbon fixation effect, and so is likely beneficial to the growth of plants and microorganisms. Rationale Since carbon disulfide (CS2) has a strong penetrating ability and acetone (CH3COCH3) can dissolve tiny biochar particles, a mixture of these compounds may efficiently extract organic matter from biochar. The extraction efficacy and structural features of a mixture of CH3COCH3 and CS2 (1:1) were tested in this study. Π–Π interactions between CS2 and CH3COCH3 increase the solubility of organic matter in the extraction process. Methodology We used a mixture of CH3COCH3 and CS2 (1:1) to extract organic matter from soybean straw biochar (BEOMcc) and applied Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR MS) for analysis. Results We found that CS2/CH3COCH3 tended to extract refractory substances, and the resulting extract contained a higher number of heteroatoms than the CS2-extractable fraction (1.34 times). Discussion The H/C ratio of BEOMcc is lower than that of CS2- and CH3COCH3-extractable components. The aromatic component of BEOMcc accounts for 52.47%, which is higher than the contribution to CS2-extractable organic matter of approximately 49.9%. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon component of BEOMcc is beneficial to improving soil stability. The organic matter fraction of BEOMcc has a lower H/C ratio. The C/N ratio of BEOMcc is lower than that of the CS2- and CH3COCH3-extractable components. This result reveals that BEOMcc may provide a significant environmental benefit. The polarity of BEOMcc is between that of CS2- and CH3COCH3-extractable components. Implications for future research In this study, the composition of BEOMcc was assessed at the molecular level, and the extraction method was continuously improved to provide more extraction options for the study of biochar–pollutant interactions. This method can be used to extract organic matter that is difficult to extract by conventional methods, which is more closely bound to the biochar framework. It can provide a technical basis for the in‐depth characterisation and utilisation of biochar organic matter.
A lesson for planning rodent eradications: interference of invasive slugs during the Gough Island mouse eradication attempt in 2021
Authors: Samaniego Araceli , Jolley Wes , McClelland Pete
Published: August 2022

Context House mice (Mus musculus) are the main drivers of biodiversity declines on Gough Island (6500 ha; 40°21′S, 009°53′W), central South Atlantic. A mouse eradication operation was planned, the largest global attempt targeting only this species. Understanding and managing challenges of operating at such scales are crucial for maximising the chance of eradication success. The Gough Island mouse eradication attempt was implemented between June and August 2021, after years of planning and trials. We expected poor weather and negligible non-target bait consumption. Aims We aimed to assess the impact of expected and unexpected challenges faced during the eradication operation on Gough Island, namely poor weather and rapid bait disappearance. Methods We set up bait degradation plots across the primary habitats to monitor the impact of expected heavy rain on bait pellets. In contrast, bait availability monitoring and slug laboratory trials were set up ad hoc in response to unexpected observations of high bait consumption by invasive slugs in the lowlands, where both slugs and mice are more abundant. Key results Bait degradation rates were very different between the highlands and the lowlands, with bait in the highlands lasting about six times longer, despite bait pellets receiving more precipitation and the highlands being persistently under cloud. Bait availability in the lowlands dropped by >80% within a few days of the second and third bait application, down to critically low levels (~2 kg ha−1). Importantly, mouse activity was negligible by this time. Non-native slugs appeared to be the main cause of such a sudden drop in rodent bait availability. Conclusions The expected rainy weather was not a significant direct cause of bait degradation in the short term. In contrast, the unexpected slug interference, overlooked in earlier planning trials, resulted in major adjustments of the baiting strategy. Indeed, the rapid bait disappearance in the lowlands triggered the third bait application over this area, at a higher rate. This was not enough, as mice are still present. Implications This is the first report of slug interference during aerial rodent eradications. Our results illustrate how interference by non-target species could affect future pest eradications using baits and should, as far as possible, be assessed early during planning.
New horizons in life extension, healthspan extension and exceptional longevity
Authors: Couteur David G Le , Barzilai Nir
Published: August 2022

Many common chronic diseases and syndromes are ageing-related. This raises the prospect that therapeutic agents that target the biological changes of ageing will prevent or delay multiple diseases with a single therapy. Gerotherapeutic drugs are those that target pathways involved in ageing, with the aims of reducing the burden of ageing-related diseases and increasing lifespan and healthspan. The approach to discovering gerotherapeutic drugs is similar to that used to discover drugs for diseases. This includes screening for novel compounds that act on receptors or pathways that influence ageing or repurposing of drugs currently available for other indications. A novel approach involves studying populations with exceptional longevity, in order to identify genes variants linked with longer lifespan and could be targeted by drugs. Metformin, rapamycin and precursors of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide are amongst the frontrunners of gerotherapeutics that are moving into human clinical trials to evaluate their effects on ageing. There are also increasing numbers of potential gerotherapeutic drugs in the pipeline or being studied in animal models. A key hurdle is designing clinical trials that are both feasible and can provide sufficient clinical evidence to support licencing and marketing of gerotherapeutic drugs.
Annual risk of falls resulting in emergency department and hospital attendances for older people: an observational study of 781,081 individuals living in Wales (United Kingdom) including deprivation, frailty and dementia diagnoses between 2010 and 2020
Authors: Hollinghurst Robyn , Williams Neil , Pedrick-Case Rebecca , North Laura , Long Sara , Fry Richard , Hollinghurst Joe
Published: August 2022

Background

falls are common in older people, but associations between falls, dementia and frailty are relatively unknown. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on falls admissions has not been studied.

Aim

to investigate the impact of dementia, frailty, deprivation, previous falls and the differences between years for falls resulting in an emergency department (ED) or hospital admission.

Study Design

longitudinal cross-sectional observational study.

Setting

older people (aged 65+) resident in Wales between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2020.

Methods

we created a binary (yes/no) indicator for a fall resulting in an attendance to an ED, hospital or both, per person, per year. We analysed the outcomes using multilevel logistic and multinomial models.

Results

we analysed a total of 5,141,244 person years of data from 781,081 individuals. Fall admission rates were highest in 2012 (4.27%) and lowest in 2020 (4.27%). We found an increased odds ratio (OR [95% confidence interval]) of a fall admission for age (1.05 [1.05, 1.05] per year of age), people with dementia (2.03 [2.00, 2.06]) and people who had a previous fall (2.55 [2.51, 2.60]). Compared with fit individuals, those with frailty had ORs of 1.60 [1.58, 1.62], 2.24 [2.21, 2.28] and 2.94 [2.89, 3.00] for mild, moderate and severe frailty respectively. Reduced odds were observed for males (0.73 [0.73, 0.74]) and less deprived areas; most deprived compared with least OR 0.75 [0.74, 0.76].

Conclusions

falls prevention should be targeted to those at highest risk, and investigations into the reduction in admissions in 2020 is warranted.
Key Determinants of Physical and Psychological Health-Related Quality of Life Over Time Among Midlife and Older LGBTQ and Sexual and Gender-Diverse Caregivers
Authors: Fredriksen-Goldsen Karen , Jen Sarah , Emlet Charles A , Kim Hyun-Jun , Jung Hailey H
Published: August 2022

Background and Objectives

Prior research has shown informal caregiving among older adults can negatively affect the caregiver’s physical and psychological health. However, little is known about protective and risk factors associated with the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) caregivers.

Research Design and Methods

Informed by the Health Equity Promotion Model and Caregiver Stress Process Model and utilizing longitudinal data from Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study, this analysis examined modifiable risk and protective factors associated with psychological and physical HRQOL over time among 754 LGBTQ caregivers aged 50–98.

Results

Psychological and physical HRQOL declined over a 3-year period. After controlling for background characteristics, mastery, social support, socialization, LGBTQ community engagement, and physical activity were positively associated with psychological HRQOL while day-to-day discrimination, identity stigma, and insufficient food intake were negatively associated. Steeper declines were observed for older and with no physical activity. Mastery, social support, socialization, and physical activity were positively associated with physical HRQOL while day-to-day discrimination and insufficient food intake were negatively associated. Steeper declines were found for those with high mastery and no physical activity.

Discussion and Implications

Although generalized factors including mastery, socialization, and social support are protective for HRQOL among LGBTQ caregivers, factors including day-to-day discrimination and identity stigma are more unique to historically disadvantaged populations and should be considered in future research and practice. Caregiving interventions incorporating physical activity are promising given its buffering effect for decreased physical and psychological HRQOL over time.
The IBIEM solution to the scattering of P1 waves by an arbitrary shaped cavity embedded in a fluid-saturated double-porosity half-space
Authors: Liu Zhong-xian , Sun Jun , Cheng Alexander H D , Liang Jianwen
Published: August 2022

The double-porosity saturated medium is widespread in the Earth's crust, rocks and man-made materials. In this paper, we developed the indirect boundary integral equation method abbreviated as IBIEM to investigate the elastic waves scattering characteristics in a fluid-saturated double-porosity half-space with an arbitrary shaped cavity inside. First, the Helmholtz decomposition was utilized to derive the 2-D Green's functions for plane waves in a double-porosity half-space under fluid saturation. Then the scattered wavefield is constructed by line sources of compressive and shear waves located at a virtual surface near the cavity surface. After the verification of numerical accuracy, the scattering of plane P1 wave by an arbitrary shaped cavity in a 2-D fluid-saturated double-porosity half-space is solved and analysed. Numerical results show that: the displacement, hoop stress and pore pressure amplitudes are strongly dependent on incidence frequencies, porosities and boundary drainage conditions, etc. Displacement amplitudes usually reach their maximums under the dry condition, while hoop stress amplitudes obtain their peak values under the impermeable condition. The presence of matrix pore pressure and fracture pore pressure enhances the energy fluctuations of double-porosity media, which produces more complex seismic response.
Bioinspired Design in Research: Evolution as Beta-Testing
Authors: Flammang Brooke E
Published: August 2022

Modernfish represent over 400 million years of evolutionary processes that, in many cases, resulted in selection for phenotypes with particular performance advantages. While this certainly occurred without a trajectory for optimization, it cannot be denied that some morphologies allow organisms to be more effective than others at tasks like evading predation, securing food, and ultimately passing on their genes. In this way, evolution generates a series of iterative prototypes with varying but measurable success in accomplishing objectives. Therefore, careful analysis of fundamental properties underlying biological phenomena allows us to fast-track the development of bioinspired technologies aiming to accomplish similar objectives. At the same time, bioinspired designs can be a way to explore evolutionary processes, by better understanding the performance space within which a given morphology operates. Through strong interdisciplinary collaborations, we can develop novel bioinspired technologies that not only excel as robotic devices but also teach us something about biology and the rules of life in the process.
Elevated Salinity Rapidly Confers Cross-Tolerance to High Temperature in a Splash-Pool Copepod
Authors: Denny Mark W , Dowd W Wesley
Published: August 2022

Synopsis

Accurate forecasting of organismal responses to climate change requires a deep mechanistic understanding of how physiology responds to present-day variation in the physical environment. However, the road to physiological enlightenment is fraught with complications: predictable environmental fluctuations of any single factor are often accompanied by substantial stochastic variation and rare extreme events, and several factors may interact to affect physiology. Lacking sufficient knowledge of temporal patterns of co-variation in multiple environmental stressors, biologists struggle to design and implement realistic and relevant laboratory experiments. In this study, we directly address these issues, using measurements of the thermal tolerance of freshly collected animals and long-term field records of environmental conditions to explore how the splash-pool copepod Tigriopus californicus adjusts its physiology as its environment changes. Salinity and daily maximum temperature—two dominant environmental stressors experienced by T. californicus—are extraordinarily variable and unpredictable more than 2–3 days in advance. However, they substantially co-vary such that when temperature is high salinity is also likely to be high. Copepods appear to take advantage of this correlation: median lethal temperature of field-collected copepods increases by 7.5°C over a roughly 120 parts-per-thousand range of ambient salinity. Complementary laboratory experiments show that exposure to a single sublethal thermal event or to an abrupt shift in salinity also elicits rapid augmentation of heat tolerance via physiological plasticity, although the effect of salinity dwarfs that of temperature. These results suggest that T. californicus’s physiology keeps pace with the rapid, unpredictable fluctuations of its hypervariable physical environment by responding to the cues provided by recent sublethal stress and, more importantly, by leveraging the mechanistic cross-talk between responses to salinity and heat stress.
Reliable, robust, and comprehensive risk assessment framework for urban autonomous driving
Authors: Noh Samyeul , An Kyounghwan
Published: August 2022

Urban autonomous driving is both complex and dangerous. A multitude of road types, road users, and potential traffic rule violations all make it challenging for an autonomous vehicle to safely navigate an urban environment. To tackle this issue, in this paper, we propose a risk assessment framework capable of reliably predicting and assessing the possibility of collision in urban environments involving the concurrent occurrence of various road types, road users, and traffic rule violations. The proposed framework reliably predicts and assesses the possibility of collision by means of long-term motion prediction–based risk identification, unified risk measures, and probabilistic risk reasoning under a distributed reasoning architecture. The framework is tested and evaluated through real-world testing conducted not only on private urban test roads under a great variety of driving scenarios but also on public urban roads under real traffic conditions. Experimental results show the performance of the framework to be sufficiently reliable for urban autonomous driving in terms of risk assessment.
Microbial pigments: Learning from Himalayan perspective to industrial applications
Authors: Kumar Subhash , Kumar Vijay , Ambika A A A , Nag Deepika , Kumar Virender , Darnal Sanyukta , Thakur Vikas , Patial Vijeta , Singh Dharam
Published: August 2022

Pigments are an essential part of life on earth, ranging from microbes to plants and humans. The physiological and environmental cues induce microbes to produce a broad spectrum of pigments, giving them adaptation and survival advantages. Microbial pigments are of great interest due to their natural origin, diverse biological activities, and wide applications in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and textile industries. Despite noticeable research on pigment-producing microbes, commercial successes are scarce, primarily from higher, remote, and inaccessible Himalayan niches. Therefore, substantial bioprospection integrated with advanced biotechnological strategies is required to commercialize microbial pigments successfully. The current review elaborates on pigment-producing microbes from a Himalayan perspective, offering tremendous opportunities for industrial applications. Additionally, it illustrates the ecological significance of microbial pigments and emphasizes the current status and prospects of microbial pigments production above the test tube scale.
Exploring Music Therapists’ Experiences With and Perceptions About Copyrighted Music: A Thematic Analysis
Authors: Reid Amanda , Nicolla Sydney K
Published: August 2022

Patient-preferred music is often copyrighted music; prior research, however, has paid scant attention to music therapists’ understanding and use of copyrighted music. To fill a gap in the literature, this exploratory study sought to understand music therapists’ experiences and perceptions about permissible therapeutic uses of copyrighted music. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 board-certified music therapists working in the United States. Collectively, these participants had over 300 years of professional experience. The interview transcripts were analyzed using an inductive approach to thematic analysis. Five main themes were identified: (1) copyright concerns created a complex psychological burden; (2) therapeutic needs warranted use of copyrighted music; (3) perceptions varied on permissible therapeutic practices using copyrighted music; (4) varied sources informed an understanding of copyright law; and (5) copyright clarity was needed to reduce the psychological burden. These themes suggest that psychological stress was produced by copyright uncertainty coupled with attempts by participants to satisfy diverse interests and protect multiple stakeholders, including patients, employers, their profession, and the law. Our findings suggest that a lack of clarity about permissible uses of copyrighted music can complicate music therapists’ decision-making about appropriate therapeutic interventions. Clarity on permissible therapeutic uses of music could yield benefits for music therapists, patients, and the community.
Epicyclic frequencies of spheroidal stars with non-uniform density
Authors: Bollimpalli D A
Published: August 2022

We consider the gravitational potential of a rotating star with non-uniform density to derive the orbital and epicyclic frequencies of the particles orbiting the star. We assume that the star is composed of concentric spheroids of constant density, with a global power-law distribution of density inside the star. At the lowest order approximation, we recover the known result for the Maclaurin spheroid that the maximum in the radial epicyclic frequency occurs at $r=\sqrt{2}ae$, for eccentricities ${\ge} 1/\sqrt{2}$. We find that the nature of these characteristic frequencies differs based on the geometry of the rotating star. For an oblate spheroid, the orbits resemble retrograde Kerr orbits and the location of the radial epicyclic maximum approaches the stellar surface as the density variation inside the star becomes steeper. On the contrary, orbits around a prolate spheroid resemble prograde Kerr orbits, but the marginally stable orbit does not exist for prolate-shaped stars. The orbital frequency is larger (smaller) than the Keplerian value for an oblate (prolate) star with the equality attained as e → 0 or r → ∞. The radial profiles of the angular velocity and the angular momentum allow for a stable accreting disc around any nature of oblate/prolate spheroid.
New highly precise weak gravitational lensing flexions measurement method based on ERA method
Authors: Okura Yuki , Futamase Toshifumi
Published: August 2022

Weak gravitational lensing flexions are a kind of weak lensing distortion that are defined as the spin 1 and spin 3 combinations of the third order derivatives of gravitational lensing potential. Since the shear has spin 2 combination of the second-order derivative, the flexion signal gives partly independent information from shear signal and is more sensitive to the local mass distribution than shear signal. Thus its measurement is expected to play important roles in observational cosmology. However, since the weakness of the flexion signal, as well as the complicatedness of its intrinsic noise, made its accurate observation very difficult. We propose a new method of measuring the flexion signal using ERA method which is a method to measure weak lensing shear without any approximation. We find two particular combinations of the flexions which provide the quantities with only lensing information and free of intrinsic noise when taken average. It is confirmed by simple numerical simulation that the statistical average of these combinations do not in fact depend on the strength of the intrinsic distortion. Then, we introduce a method which measures flexions with PSF correction. This method is developed by applying the ERA method for flexion distortions and we call this method the FIRE method. It uses the expansion technique with an assumption of weak flexion, and we show by using typical examples of 1st and 2nd flexion images that the estimated errors become less than 1 per cent in most cases with the lowest order of the expansion. Finally, we apply the method for real data to measure flexion components in real galaxy images.
BFS 10: a nascent bipolar H ii region in a filamentary molecular cloud
Authors: Larose Nicholas , Kerton C R
Published: August 2022

We present a study of the compact blister H ii region BFS 10 and its highly filamentary molecular cloud. We utilize 12CO observations from the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory to determine the distance, size, mass, and velocity structure of the molecular cloud. Infrared observations obtained from the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey and the Spitzer Infrared Array Camera, as well as radio continuum observations from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey, are used to extract information about the central H ii region. This includes properties such as the ionizing photon rate and infrared luminosity, as well as identifying a rich embedded star cluster associated with the central O9 V star. Time-scales regarding the expansion rate of the H ii region and lifetime of the ionizing star reveal a high likelihood that BFS 10 will develop into a bipolar H ii region. Although the region is expected to become bipolar, we conclude from the cloud’s velocity structure that there is no evidence to support the idea that star formation at the location of BFS 10 was triggered by two colliding clouds. A search for embedded young stellar objects (YSOs) within the molecular cloud was performed. Two distinct regions of YSOs were identified: one region associated with the rich embedded cluster and another sparse group associated with an intermediate-mass YSO.
A Giant Arc on the Sky
Authors: Lopez Alexia M , Clowes Roger G , Williger Gerard M
Published: August 2022

We present the serendipitous discovery of a ‘Giant Arc on the Sky’ at $z$ ∼ 0.8. The Giant Arc (GA) spans ∼1 Gpc (proper size, present epoch) and appears to be almost symmetrical on the sky. It was discovered via intervening Mg ii absorbers in the spectra of background quasars, using the catalogues of Zhu & Ménard. The use of Mg ii absorbers represents a new approach to the investigation of large-scale structures (LSSs) at redshifts $0.45 \la z \la 2.25$. We present the observational properties of the GA, and we assess it statistically using methods based on (i) single-linkage hierarchical clustering (∼4.5σ); (ii) the Cuzick-Edwards test (∼3.0σ); and (iii) power-spectrum analysis (∼4.8σ). Each of these methods has distinctive attributes and powers, and we advise considering the evidence from the ensemble. We discuss our approaches to mitigating any post hoc aspects of analysing significance after discovery. The overdensity of the GA is δρ/ρ ∼ 1.3 ± 0.3. The GA is the newest and one of the largest of a steadily accumulating set of very large LSSs that may (cautiously) challenge the Cosmological Principle, upon which the ‘standard model’ of cosmology is founded. Conceivably, the GA is the precursor of a structure like the Sloan Great Wall (but the GA is about twice the size), seen when the Universe was about half its present age.
Laser Guide Star uplink beam: scattering and Raman emission measurements with the 10.4m Gran Telescopio CANARIAS
Authors: Lombardi G , Bonaccini Calia D , Centrone M , de Ugarte Postigo A , Geier S
Published: August 2022

Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (LGS-AO) is becoming routine in several astronomical observatories. The use of powerful lasers generates sensible Raman emissions on the uplink laser beam path, plus secondary Rayleigh scattering from atmospheric molecules and Mie scattering from aerosols. This paper reports the results of a campaign done with the 10.4m Gran Telescopio CANARIAS (GTC); this campaign was undertaken to assess the spectral and photometric contamination coming from a 589 nm laser uplink beam scattering and Raman emission induced on the GTC spectro-imager OSIRIS by laser launched ∼1 km off-axis. The photometric contamination is due to primary and secondary scattering of the uplink photons, as well by the Raman inelastic scattering. We have propagated the laser beam creating a mesospheric LGS, then pointed and focused the GTC telescope towards the uplink laser beam, at different heights and up to the LGS, taking into account the observing geometry. In our observations, the Raman emissions for O2 and N2 vibrational lines are visible at 20 km, weakening with altitude and becoming undetectable above 30 km. The scattering of the focused uplink beam is detectable at less than ±0.2 arcmin from the centre of the beam, while for the focused LGS the scattering is narrower, being detectable at less than ±0.1 arcmin around the plume. Recommendations for Laser Traffic Control Systems are given accordingly.
AutoEnRichness: A hybrid empirical and analytical approach for estimating the richness of galaxy clusters
Authors: Chan Matthew C , Stott John P
Published: August 2022

We introduce AutoEnRichness, a hybrid approach that combines empirical and analytical strategies to determine the richness of galaxy clusters (in the redshift range of 0.1 ≤ z ≤ 0.35) using photometry data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 16, where cluster richness can be used as a proxy for cluster mass. In order to reliably estimate cluster richness, it is vital that the background subtraction is as accurate as possible when distinguishing cluster and field galaxies to mitigate severe contamination. AutoEnRichness is comprised of a multistage machine learning algorithm that performs background subtraction of interloping field galaxies along the cluster line of sight and a conventional luminosity distribution fitting approach that estimates cluster richness based only on the number of galaxies within a magnitude range and search area. In this proof-of-concept study, we obtain a balanced accuracy of 83.20 per cent when distinguishing between cluster and field galaxies as well as a median absolute percentage error of 33.50 per cent between our estimated cluster richnesses and known cluster richnesses within r200. In the future, we aim for AutoEnRichness to be applied on upcoming large-scale optical surveys, such as the Legacy Survey of Space and Time and Euclid, to estimate the richness of a large sample of galaxy groups and clusters from across the halo mass function. This would advance our overall understanding of galaxy evolution within overdense environments as well as enable cosmological parameters to be further constrained.
High resolution X-ray spectroscopy of V4641 Sgr during its 2020 outburst
Authors: Shaw A W , Miller J M , Grinberg V , Buisson D J K , Heinke C O , Plotkin R M , Tomsick J A , Bahramian A , Gandhi P , Sivakoff G R
Published: August 2022

We observed the Galactic black hole X-ray binary V4641 Sgr with the high resolution transmission gratings on Chandra during the source’s 2020 outburst. Over two epochs of Chandra gratings observations, we see numerous highly ionized metal lines, superimposed on a hot, disc-dominated X-ray continuum. The measured inner disc temperatures and luminosities imply an unfeasibly small inner disc radius, such that we suggest that the central engine of V4641 Sgr is obscured, and we are viewing scattered X-rays. We find that the emission lines in the Chandra spectra cannot be constrained by a single photoionized model, instead finding that two separate photoionized model components are required, one to reproduce the iron lines and a second for the other metals. We compare the observed X-ray spectra of V4641 Sgr to optical studies during previous outbursts of the source, suggesting that the lines originate in an accretion disc wind, potentially with a spherical geometry.