bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New colours for old in the blue-cheese fungus Penicillium roqueforti
Authors: Cleere Matthew M. , Novodvorska Michaela , Geib Elena , Whittaker Jack , Dalton Heather , Salih Nadhira , Hewitt Sarah , Kokolski Matthew , Brock Matthias , Dyer Paul S.
Published: January 2024

Penicillium roqueforti is used worldwide in the production of blue-veined cheese. The blue-green colour derives from pigmented spores formed by fungal growth. Using a combination of bioinformatics, targeted gene deletions, and heterologous gene expression we discovered that pigment formation was due to a DHN-melanin biosynthesis pathway. Systematic deletion of pathway genes altered the arising spore colour, yielding white to yellow-green to red-pink-brown phenotypes, demonstrating the potential to generate new coloured strains. There was no consistent impact on mycophenolic acid production as a result of pathway interruption although levels of roquefortine C were altered in some deletants. Importantly, levels of methyl-ketones associated with blue-cheese flavour were not impacted. UV-induced colour mutants, allowed in food production, were then generated. A range of colours were obtained and certain phenotypes were successfully mapped to pathway gene mutations. Selected colour mutants were subsequently used in cheese production and generated expected new colourations with no elevated mycotoxins, offering the exciting prospect of use in future cheese manufacture.
Accelerated demand for interpersonal skills in the Australian post-pandemic labour market
Authors: Evans David , Mason Claire , Chen Haohui , Reeson Andrew
Published: January 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a widespread shift to remote work, reducing the level of face-to-face interaction between workers and changing their modes and patterns of communication. This study tests whether this transformation in production processes has been associated with disruptions in the longstanding labour market trend of increasing demand for interpersonal skills. To address this question, we integrate a skills taxonomy with the text of over 12 million Australian job postings to measure skills demand trends at the aggregate and occupational levels. We find that since the start of the pandemic, there has been an acceleration in the aggregate demand for interpersonal skills. We also find a strong positive association between an occupation’s propensity for remote work and the acceleration in interpersonal skills demand for the occupation. Our findings suggest that interpersonal skills continue to grow in importance for employment in the post-pandemic, remote work friendly labour market.
A fast, scalable and versatile tool for analysis of single-cell omics data
Authors: Zhang Kai , Zemke Nathan R. , Armand Ethan J. , Ren Bing
Published: January 2024

Single-cell omics technologies have revolutionized the study of gene regulation in complex tissues. A major computational challenge in analyzing these datasets is to project the large-scale and high-dimensional data into low-dimensional space while retaining the relative relationships between cells. This low dimension embedding is necessary to decompose cellular heterogeneity and reconstruct cell-type-specific gene regulatory programs. Traditional dimensionality reduction techniques, however, face challenges in computational efficiency and in comprehensively addressing cellular diversity across varied molecular modalities. Here we introduce a nonlinear dimensionality reduction algorithm, embodied in the Python package SnapATAC2, which not only achieves a more precise capture of single-cell omics data heterogeneities but also ensures efficient runtime and memory usage, scaling linearly with the number of cells. Our algorithm demonstrates exceptional performance, scalability and versatility across diverse single-cell omics datasets, including single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing, single-cell RNA sequencing, single-cell Hi-C and single-cell multi-omics datasets, underscoring its utility in advancing single-cell analysis.
A database of mapped global fishing activity 1950–2017
Authors: Rousseau Yannick , Blanchard Julia L. , Novaglio Camilla , Pinnell Kirsty A. , Tittensor Derek P. , Watson Reg A. , Ye Yimin
Published: January 2024

A new database on historical country-level fishing fleet capacity and effort is described, derived from a range of publicly available sources that were harmonized, converted to fishing effort, and mapped to 30-min spatial cells. The resulting data is comparable with widely used but more temporally-limited satellite-sourced Automatic Identification System (AIS) datasets for large vessels, while also documenting important smaller fleets and artisanal segments. It ranges from 1950 to 2017, and includes information on number of vessels, engine power, gross tonnage, and nominal effort, categorized by vessel length, gear type and targeted functional groups. The data can be aggregated to Large Marine Ecosystem, region and/or fishing country scales and provides a temporally and spatially explicit source for fishing effort and fleet capacity for studies aimed at understanding the implications of long-term changes in fishing activity in the global ocean.
Peer factors and prosocial behavior among Chinese adolescents from difficult families
Authors: Mu Yuexuan , Du Benfeng
Published: January 2024

Adolescents from difficult families (ADF) is a vulnerable group in China, and there have been few studies focused on them at present. To improve the welfare system for vulnerable groups and gain a better understanding of the situation regarding ADF, it is important to identify the association between peer factors, family functioning, and prosocial behavior among ADF. 1047 adolescents aged 10–15 from difficult families were selected from 21 counties in 7 provinces across China based on the multistage stratified sampling method. Regression analysis and moderation analyses were performed to identify the association of prosocial behavior with peer factors and family functioning. Lower peer quality and poorer family functioning were significantly associated with less prosocial behavior. The was no significant association between peer quantity and prosocial behavior. Family functioning moderated the relationship between peer quality and prosocial behavior. ADF with higher quality peers are more likely to show more prosocial behavior, and poor family functioning would weaken the association between peer quality and prosocial behavior. The protection of ADF can begin by improving family functioning and guiding ADF to form relationships with high-quality peers.
Big data insights into the diagnostic values of CBC parameters for sepsis and septic shock in burn patients: a retrospective study
Authors: Kim Myongjin , Kym Dohern , Park Jongsoo , Yoon Jaechul , Cho Yong Suk , Hur Jun , Chun Wook , Yoon Dogeon
Published: January 2024

Sepsis and septic shock are prevalent and life-threatening complications in burn patients. Despite their severity, existing diagnostic methods are limited. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Complete Blood Count (CBC) and CBC ratio markers in diagnosing sepsis and septic shock, and in predicting mortality among burn patients. A cohort of 2757 burn patients was examined to ascertain the correlation between various CBC parameters, their ratios, and the incidence of sepsis and related mortality. Key markers analyzed included Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW), Mean Platelet Volume (MPV), Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), and Mean Platelet Volume-to-Platelet Ratio (MPVPR). Our findings indicate that 65.5% of the patients developed sepsis, and 24.3% succumbed to their conditions. The CBC parameters RDW, MPV, NLR, MPVPR, and MPV-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (MPVLR) were significantly associated with sepsis and mortality. These markers showed considerable temporal variation and yielded an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of over 0.65 in an unadjusted Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) model. This study underscores the potential of RDW, MPV, NLR, MPVPR, and MPVLR as vital prognostic tools for diagnosing sepsis, septic shock, and predicting mortality in burn patients. Although based on a single-center dataset, our results contribute to the enhancement of sepsis management by facilitating earlier, more precise diagnosis and treatment strategies. Further multi-center research is necessary to confirm these findings and broaden their applicability, establishing a solid base for future explorations in this crucial field.
Exact soliton solutions and the significance of time-dependent coefficients in the Boussinesq equation: theory and application in mathematical physics
Authors: Kawser M. Abul , Akbar M. Ali , Khan M. Ashrafuzzaman , Ghazwani Hassan Ali
Published: January 2024

This article effectively establishes the exact soliton solutions for the Boussinesq model, characterized by time-dependent coefficients, employing the advanced modified simple equation, generalized Kudryashov and modified sine–Gordon expansion methods. The adaptive applicability of the Boussinesq system  to coastal dynamics, fluid behavior, and wave propagation enriches interdisciplinary research across hydrodynamics and oceanography. The solutions of the system obtained through these significant techniques make a path to understanding nonlinear phenomena in various fields, surpassing traditional barriers and further motivating research and application. Significant impacts of the coefficients of the equation, wave velocity, and related parameters are evident in the profiles of soliton-shaped waves in both 3D and 2D configurations when all these factors are treated as variables, which are not seen in the case for constant coefficients. This study enhances the understanding of the significant role played by nonlinear evolution equations with time-dependent coefficients through careful dynamic explanations and detailed analyses. This revelation opens up an interesting and challenging field of study, with promising insights that resonate across diverse scientific disciplines.
Reduction of the concentration of particulate material at a sampling point in Cusco city at the beginning of the pandemic
Authors: Warthon Julio , Alvarez Modesta , Olarte Amanda , Quispe Yanett , Jalixto Victor , Valencia Nazaria , Mio-Diaz Mirian , Zamalloa Ariatna , Warthon Bruce
Published: January 2024

The pandemic produced by SARS-CoV-2 generated various impacts on public health, the environment and other anthropogenic activities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reduction of air pollution due to $$PM_{2.5}$$

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M

2.5

and $$PM_{10}$$

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M
10

particulate matter in Cusco city at the beginning of the pandemic. Social confinement in Peru began on March 16, 2020, until the end of June. These health measures caused strict isolation that resulted in a significant decrease in vehicle flow on the streets and avenues of the city of Cusco. In the first days of May, even during the time of confinement, we managed to measure air quality at a sampling point located on the campus of the Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad de Cusco; a reduction in air pollution due to particulate matter was observed. The evaluation was carried out using an high-volume (HiVol) 3000 particulate matter sampler and the mass of particulate matter adhered to the filters was determined by gravimetry. The concentrations of particulate matter $$PM_{2.5}$$

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M

2.5

and $$PM_{10}$$

P

M
10

obtained pre-pandemic were compared with those recorded at the beginning of the pandemic. The results revealed a significant average reduction in the concentration of $$PM_{10}$$

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10

and $$PM_{2.5}$$

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M

2.5

, reaching − 57.43% and − 59.52%, respectively, compared to pre-pandemic values. At the same time, its relationship with meteorological parameters and Google mobility data was evaluated and it was concluded that these parameters did not significantly affect the reduction of particulate matter. This study reveals the positive effects of the pandemic in reducing air pollution and the confinement measures had as a secondary effect on the decrease in air pollution in Cusco City.
Experimental study on direct tensile fatigue performance of basalt fiber reinforced concrete
Authors: Zhang Xutao , Lou Chao , Lyu Xikuan
Published: January 2024

Conducting research on the fatigue performance of concrete materials is of great significance for the anti fatigue design of concrete structures. Currently, indirect tensile or compressive strength tests are commonly used to study the fatigue performance of basalt fiber reinforced concrete, but there is little research on its fatigue performance under direct tensile conditions. Using a fatigue testing machine and a self-developed concrete axial tensile device, direct tensile fatigue tests of basalt fiber reinforced concrete were conducted under different fiber content and stress levels. Based on fatigue test data, the entire fatigue tensile process of basalt fiber reinforced concrete was analyzed, and the effects of fiber content and stress level on the fatigue life of concrete specimens were explored. Strain fatigue life curves of concrete with different fiber content were plotted. The experimental results indicate that the failure mode of basalt fiber reinforced concrete under cyclic loading is brittle failure; with the increase of basalt fiber content, the fatigue life of concrete first increases and then decreases. When the fiber content is 0.3%, the fatigue life of basalt fiber concrete is the highest compared to the benchmark concrete. When the fiber content is the same, the fatigue life of concrete decreases with the increase of stress level. The fatigue deformation process of basalt fiber reinforced concrete can be divided into three stages: the stage of fast strain growth, the stage of uniform strain growth, and the stage of rapid strain growth.
Genome-wide mapping and cryo-EM structural analyses of the overlapping tri-nucleosome composed of hexasome-hexasome-octasome moieties
Authors: Nishimura Masahiro , Fujii Takeru , Tanaka Hiroki , Maehara Kazumitsu , Morishima Ken , Shimizu Masahiro , Kobayashi Yuki , Nozawa Kayo , Takizawa Yoshimasa , Sugiyama Masaaki , Ohkawa Yasuyuki , Kurumizaka Hitoshi
Published: January 2024

The nucleosome is a fundamental unit of chromatin in which about 150 base pairs of DNA are wrapped around a histone octamer. The overlapping di-nucleosome has been proposed as a product of chromatin remodeling around the transcription start site, and previously found as a chromatin unit, in which about 250 base pairs of DNA continuously bind to the histone core composed of a hexamer and an octamer. In the present study, our genome-wide analysis of human cells suggests another higher nucleosome stacking structure, the overlapping tri-nucleosome, which wraps about 300-350 base-pairs of DNA in the region downstream of certain transcription start sites of actively transcribed genes. We determine the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the overlapping tri-nucleosome, in which three subnucleosome moieties, hexasome, hexasome, and octasome, are associated by short connecting DNA segments. Small angle X-ray scattering and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation analyses reveal that the cryo-EM structure of the overlapping tri-nucleosome may reflect its structure in solution. Our findings suggest that nucleosome stacking structures composed of hexasome and octasome moieties may be formed by nucleosome remodeling factors around transcription start sites for gene regulation.
A new role for erythropoietin in the homeostasis of red blood cells
Authors: Arias Clemente F. , Valente-Leal Nuno , Bertocchini Federica , Marques Sofia , Acosta Francisco J. , Fernandez-Arias Cristina
Published: January 2024

The regulation of red blood cell (RBC) homeostasis is widely assumed to rely on the control of cell production by erythropoietin (EPO) and the destruction of cells at a fixed, species-specific age. In this work, we show that such a regulatory mechanism would be a poor homeostatic solution to satisfy the changing needs of the body. Effective homeostatic control would require RBC lifespan to be variable and tightly regulated. We suggest that EPO may control RBC lifespan by determining CD47 expression in newly formed RBCs and SIRP-α expression in sinusoidal macrophages. EPO could also regulate the initiation and intensity of anti-RBC autoimmune responses that curtail RBC lifespan in some circumstances. These mechanisms would continuously modulate the rate of RBC destruction depending on oxygen availability. The control of RBC lifespan by EPO and autoimmunity emerges as a key mechanism in the homeostasis of RBCs.
Rescue of ApoE4-related lysosomal autophagic failure in Alzheimer’s disease by targeted small molecules
Authors: Balasubramaniam Meenakshisundaram , Narasimhappagari Jagadeesh , Liu Ling , Ganne Akshatha , Ayyadevara Srinivas , Atluri Ramani , Ayyadevara Haarika , Caldwell Guy , Reis Robert J. Shmookler , Barger Steven W. , Griffin W. Sue T.
Published: January 2024

Homozygosity for the ε4 allele of APOE increases the odds of developing Alzheimer’s by 12 to 15 times relative to the most common ε3;ε3 genotype, and its association with higher plaque loads comports with evidence that APOEε4 compromises autophagy. The ApoE4 protein specifically binds a cis element (“CLEAR”) in the promoters of several autophagy genes to block their transcription. We used a multifaceted approach to identify a druggable site in ApoE4, and virtual screening of lead-like compounds identified small molecules that specifically bind to this site to impede ApoE4::DNA binding. We validated these molecules both in vitro and in vivo with models expressing ApoE4, including ApoE4 targeted-replacement mice. One compound was able to significantly restore transcription of several autophagy genes and protected against amyloid-like aggregation in a C. elegans AD model. Together, these findings provide proof-of-principle evidence for pharmacological remediation of lysosomal autophagy by ApoE4 via ApoE4-targeted lead molecules that represent a novel tack on neurodegenerative disorders.
Efficient generation and amplification of intense vortex and vector laser pulses via strongly-coupled stimulated Brillouin scattering in plasmas
Authors: Wu Yipeng , Zhang Chaojie , Nie Zan , Sinclair Mitchell , Farrell Audrey , Marsh Kenneth A. , Alves E. Paulo , Tsung Frank , Mori Warren B. , Joshi Chan
Published: January 2024

The past decade has seen tremendous progress in the production and utilization of vortex and vector laser pulses. Although both are considered as structured light beams, the vortex lasers have helical phase fronts and phase singularities, while the vector lasers have spatially variable polarization states and polarization singularities. In contrast to the vortex pulses that carry orbital angular momentum (OAM), the vector laser pulses have a complex spin angular momentum (SAM) and OAM coupling. Despite many potential applications enabled by such pulses, the generation of high-power/-intensity vortex and vector beams remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate using theory and three-dimensional simulations that the strongly-coupled stimulated Brillouin scattering (SC-SBS) process in plasmas can be used as a promising amplification technique with up to 65% energy transfer efficiency from the pump beam to the seed beam for both vortex and vector pulses. We also show that SC-SBS is strongly polarization-dependent in plasmas, enabling an all-optical polarization control of the amplified seed beam. Additionally, the interaction of such structured lasers with plasmas leads to various angular momentum couplings and decouplings that produce intense new light structures with controllable OAM and SAM. This scheme paves the way for novel optical devices such as plasma-based amplifiers and light field manipulators.
Introducing RSC Applied Interfaces
Authors: Rosei Federico
Published: January 2024

Editor-in-Chief, Federico Rosei, introduces the first issue of RSC Applied Interfaces.
Continuous flow synthesis of the ionizable lipid ALC-0315
Authors: Wolf Jakob B. , Lee Ju Weon , Plutschack Matthew B. , Cambié Dario , Seidel-Morgenstern Andreas , Seeberger Peter H.
Published: January 2024

The ionizable lipid ALC-0315 is the major component of the lipid nanoparticles used to encapsulate the mRNA in the Biontech–Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
Thermodynamic characterization of amyloid polymorphism by microfluidic transient incomplete separation
Authors: Farzadfard Azad , Kunka Antonin , Mason Thomas Oliver , Larsen Jacob Aunstrup , Norrild Rasmus Krogh , Dominguez Elisa Torrescasana , Ray Soumik , Buell Alexander K.
Published: January 2024

Amyloid fibrils of α-synuclein are a hallmark of Parkinsons disease and in this study, we characterise the thermodynamic stability of different amyloid polymorphs.
Hybrid and composite materials of organic crystals
Authors: Yang Xuesong , Al-Handawi Marieh B. , Li Liang , Naumov Panče , Zhang Hongyu
Published: January 2024

Combining organic crystals and polymers results in a new class of all-organic, lightweight, flexible materials with unprecedented mechanical robustness, resilience, and diversity in combination with other functional materials.
Enhancing FAPbI3 perovskite solar cell performance with a methanesulfonate-based additive
Authors: Foong Japheth Joseph Yeow Wan , Dewi Herlina Arianita , Zhumekenov Ayan A. , Febriansyah Benny , Bruno Annalisa , Salim Teddy , Tay Darrell Jun Jie , Abuzeid Hesham R. , Koh Teck Ming , Mhaisalkar Subodh G. , Mathews Nripan
Published: January 2024

Additive engineering by using formamidinium methanesulfonate (FAMeSf) to simultaneously enhance the efficiency and stability of FAPbI3 perovskite solar cells.
A copper–platinum nanoplatform for synergistic photothermal and chemodynamic tumor therapy via ROS outburst and GSH exhaustion
Authors: Li Chao , Jia Wenqing , Guo Zichao , Kang Yan , Zhou Chaohui , Zhao Ren , Cheng Xi , Jia Nengqin
Published: January 2024

The Cu-HCF-HA@Pt nanoplatform cause apoptosis via its dual-enzyme activity, photothermal properties, and Fenton-like reaction, which generates hydroxyl radicals, exhausts intracellular glutathione to achieve the effect of synergistic treatment.
Carbons derived from resole-type phenolic resins for use in lithium–sulfur batteries: templating the resins with sulfur leads to enhanced cell performance
Authors: Barter Luke D. J. , Mohammad Irshad , Hinder Steven J. , Watts John F. , Slade Robert C. T. , Crean Carol
Published: January 2024

Pyrolysed resole-type phenol-formaldehyde resins were used as carbonaceous sulfur-hosts in the cathodes of lithium–sulfur batteries.
WVD‐GAN: A Wigner‐Ville distribution enhancement method based on generative adversarial network
Authors: Quan Daying , Ren Feitao , Wang Xiaofeng , Xing Mengdao , Jin Ning , Zhang Dongping
Published: January 2024

Time‐frequency analysis based on Wigner‐Ville distribution (WVD) plays a significant role in analysing non‐stationary signals, but it is susceptible to interference from cross‐terms (CTs) for multi‐component signals. To address this issue, a novel WVD enhancement method based on generative adversarial networks (namely WVD‐GAN) is proposed, to achieve highly‐concentrated time‐frequency (TF) representation. Specifically, a deep feature extraction module is designed with multiple residual connections in the generator of WVD‐GAN to leverage the latent information encoded in the shallow representations. Meanwhile, a simple and effective attention module is introduced to enhance auto‐term features. Moreover, a multi‐scale discriminator is proposed based on dilated convolutions to guide the generator to reconstruct high‐resolution TF images by discriminating CT. Finally, a comparative analysis is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method on different simulated and real‐life datasets. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms several state‐of‐the‐art methods.
AB Aur, a Rosetta stone for studies of planet formation
Authors: Rivière-Marichalar P. , Macías E. , Baruteau C. , Fuente A. , Neri R. , Ribas Á. , Esplugues G. , Navarro-Almaida D. , Osorio M. , Anglada G.
Published: January 2024

Context. Observational constraints on dust properties in protoplanetary disks are key to better understanding disk evolution, their dynamics, and the pathway to planet formation, but also surface chemistry, the main driver of chemical complexity.

Aims. We continue our exploration of the protoplanetary disk around AB Aur by characterizing its dust properties at different millimeter wavelengths.

Methods. We present new ALMA observations at 2.2 mm and VLA observations at 6.8 mm. Together with previous ALMA and NOEMA observations at 0.87 and 1.1 mm, these new observations are used to compute global spectral index profiles as well as spectral index maps to probe the dust properties throughout the disk. On the interpretation side, we present the results of a simple isothermal slab model to help constrain dust properties along the non-axisymmetric ring of continuum emission outside the millimeter cavity. We also present new results of dust radiative transfer calculations based on a disk-planet hydrodynamical simulation to explain how the azimuthal contrast ratio of the ring emission varies with millimeter wavelength.

Results. The spectral energy distribution and the radial profiles of the spectral index indicate that the radiation from the compact source towards the center is not dominated by dust thermal emission, but most likely by free-free emission originating in the radio jet; it constitutes 93% of the emission at 6.8 mm, and 37% at 0.87 mm. The protoplanetary disk has a typical spectral index of 2.3, computed using the 0.87, 1.1, and 2.2 mm bands. We estimate a dust disk mass of 8 × 10−5 M⊙ which, assuming a mean gas-to-dust ratio of 40, gives a total disk mass of 3.2 × 10−3 M⊙. The azimuthal contrast ratio of the ring outside the millimeter cavity is smaller at 2.2 mm than at 1.1 mm, in agreement with previous findings. The VLA image shows several knots of 5σ emission all along the ring, which, with the help of our dust radiative transfer calculations, are consistent with the ring emission being nearly axisymmetric at that wavelength. The decrease in the azimuthal contrast ratio of the ring emission from 0.87 to 6.8 mm can be explained by a dust-losing decaying vortex at the outer edge of a planet gap.
Metal-poor stars with disc-like orbits
Authors: Bellazzini M. , Massari D. , Ceccarelli E. , Mucciarelli A. , Bragaglia A. , Riello M. , De Angeli F. , Montegriffo P.
Published: January 2024

We used photometric metallicity estimates for about 700 000 stars in the surroundings of the Sun, with very accurate distances and 3D motions measures from Gaia DR3, to explore the properties of the metal-poor (−2.0 < [Fe/H] ≤ −1.5; MP) and very metal-poor ([Fe/H] ≤ −2.0; VMP) stars with disc kinematics in the sample. We confirm the presence of a significant fraction of MP and VMP stars with disc-like orbits and that prograde orbits are prevalent among them, with a prograde-to-retrograde ratio of P/R ∼ 3. We highlight a statistically significant difference in the distribution of the Z component of the angular momentum (LZ) and orbital eccentricity between prograde and retrograde disc-like MP stars for the first time. The same kind of difference is found in the VMP sub-sample, albeit at a much lower level of statistical significance, likely due to the small sample size. We show that prograde disc-like MP and VMP stars display an additional component of the |LZ| distribution with respect to their retrograde counterpart. This component is at higher |LZ| with respect to the main peak of the distribution, possibly hinting at the presence of a pristine prograde disc in the Milky Way. This hypothesis is supported by the results of the analysis of a large sub-sample dominated by stars born in situ. In this case, the prevalence of prograde stars is also clearly detected at [Fe/H] ≤ −1.5, and their |LZ| distribution is more skewed toward high |LZ| values than their retrograde counterpart. This suggests that the seed of what will eventually evolve into the main disc components of the Milky Way may have already been in place in the earliest phases of the Galaxy assembly.
The GAPS programme at TNG
Authors: Di Maio C. , Petralia A. , Micela G. , Lanza A. F. , Rainer M. , Malavolta L. , Benatti S. , Affer L. , Maldonado J. , Colombo S. , Damasso M. , Maggio A. , Biazzo K. , Bignamini A. , Borsa F. , Boschin W. , Cabona L. , Cecconi M. , Claudi R. , Covino E. , Di Fabrizio L. , Gratton R. , Lorenzi V. , Mancini L. , Messina S. , Molinari E. , Molinaro M. , Nardiello D. , Poretti E. , Sozzetti A.
Published: January 2024

Context. The intrinsic variability due to the magnetic activity of young active stars is one of the main challenges in detecting and characterising exoplanets. The stellar activity is responsible for jitter effects observed both in photometric and spectroscopic observations that can impact our planetary detection sensitivity.

Aims. We present a method able to model the stellar photosphere and its surface inhomogeneities (starspots) in young, active, and fast-rotating stars based on the cross-correlation function (CCF) technique, and we extract information about the spot configuration of the star.

Methods. We developed Spot CCF, a tool able to model the deformation of the CCF profile due to the presence of multiple spots on the stellar surface. Within the Global Architecture of Planetary Systems (GAPS) Project at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, we analysed more than 300 spectra of the young planet-hosting star V1298 Tau provided by the HARPS-N high-resolution spectrograph. By applying the SpotCCF model to the CCFs, we extracted the spot configuration (latitude, longitude, and projected filling factor) of this star, and provide a new radial velocity (RV) time series for this target.

Results. We find that the features identified in the CCF profiles of V1298 Tau are modulated by the stellar rotation, supporting our assumption that they are caused by starspots. The analysis suggests a differential rotation velocity of the star with lower rotation at higher latitudes. Also, we find that SpotCCF provides an improvement in RV extraction, with a significantly lower dispersion with respect to the commonly used pipelines. This allows mitigation of the stellar activity contribution modulated with stellar rotation. A detection sensitivity test, involving the direct injection of a planetary signal into the data, confirms that the SpotCCF model improves the sensitivity and ability to recover planetary signals.

Conclusions. Our method enables us to model the stellar photosphere and extract the spot configuration of young, active, and rapidly rotating stars. It also allows the extraction of optimised RV time series, thereby enhancing our detection capabilities for new exoplanets and advancing our understanding of stellar activity.
The TNG50-SKIRT Atlas: Post-processing methodology and first data release
Authors: Baes Maarten , Gebek Andrea , Trčka Ana , Camps Peter , van der Wel Arjen , Abdurro’uf  , Andreadis Nick , Tulu Sena Bokona , Emana Abdissa Tassama , Fritz Jacopo , Kelly Raymond , Kovačić Inja , La Marca Antonio , Martorano Marco , Mosenkov Aleksandr , Nersesian Angelos , Rodriguez-Gomez Vicente , Tortora Crescenzo , Vander Meulen Bert , Wang Lingyu
Published: January 2024

Galaxy morphology is a powerful diagnostic to assess the realism of cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. Determining the morphology of simulated galaxies requires the generation of synthetic images through 3D radiative transfer post-processing that properly accounts for different stellar populations and interstellar dust attenuation. We use the SKIRT code to generate the TNG50-SKIRT Atlas, a synthetic UV to near-infrared broadband image atlas for a complete stellar-mass selected sample of 1154 galaxies extracted from the TNG50 cosmological simulation at z = 0. The images have a high spatial resolution (100 pc) and a wide field of view (160 kpc). In addition to the dust-obscured images, we also release dust-free images and physical parameter property maps with matching characteristics. As a sanity check and preview application we discuss the UVJ diagram of the galaxy sample. We investigate the effect of dust attenuation on the UVJ diagram and find that it affects both the star-forming and the quiescent galaxy populations. The quiescent galaxy region is polluted by younger and star-forming highly inclined galaxies, while dust attenuation induces a separation in inclination of the star-forming galaxy population, with low-inclination galaxies remaining at the blue side of the diagram and high-inclination galaxies systematically moving towards the red side. This image atlas can be used for a variety of other applications, including galaxy morphology studies and the investigation of local scaling relations. We publicly release the images and parameter maps, and we invite the community to use them.
Hatching success and growth of Snakehead (Channa lucius Cuvier, 1831) larvae and fry at different pH levels
Authors: Ly Tien Hai , Huang Cheng-Ting , Lee Po-Tsang , Vo Van Thanh , Diep Doan Xuan
Published: January 2024

Snakehead (Channa lucius Cuvier, 1831) is a species of potential aquaculture interest in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. However, their optimum environmental conditions have yet to be determined. This study aims to study the hatching success and larval and fry growth of C. lucius at six pH levels (5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, and 8.0). Two consecutive experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 focused on incubating eggs and nursing the yolk sac larvae, and was carried out in aquariums. The monitoring included incubation time (IT), hatching rate (HR), and deformation rate of the newly hatched larvae (DR). Larvae were also collected daily during nursing for growth determination. In Experiment 2, four-day-old fry after hatching from experiment 1 were reared in plastic tanks with live feeds for 30 days. Growth was checked every ten days, while survival rate (SR) and coefficient of variation (CV) were determined at the end of the experiment. pH 5.5–8.0 was favorable for incubation, larvae, and fry, as assessed through good indicators of IT, HR, DR, and larval length and weight growths, as well as length and weight growths, SR, and CV of fry. Furthermore, the lowest DR (0.33%) was at pH 5.5, while except for pH 7.0, the shortest IT (41.1 h) significantly differed from that at higher pH levels (p < 0.05), and the highest larval growth parameters were at pH 5.5–6.0; meanwhile, pH 5.5–6.5 supported a better life for fry, as showed by the significantly higher growth parameters (p < 0.05) and SR and CV improvements in fry after 30 rearing days. Overall, pH 5.5–8.0 was suitable for the early stages of C. lucius, in which pH 5.5–6.0 was better for incubation and larval growth and pH 5.5–6.5 was better for fry development.
Effect of Temperature to Fabrication Cigs Solar Cell Using the Sputtering Method
Authors: Lathii Fatul Chamidah Nurul , Mufti Nandang , Sari Dewi Atika , Ayu Permanasari Avita , Sunaryono
Published: January 2024

Copper-indium-gallium diselenide (CuInGaSe2) or CIGS is one of the most promising materials for thin film solar cell applications. CIGS solar cells were deposited by sputtering method on ZnO/ZnS/CIGS/Mo arrays. Various parameters in sputtering greatly influence the efficiency of CIGS solar cells such as temperature. Thermal parameters are used to compare the effect of the CIGS layer on optimizing the efficiency of CIGS solar cells. The results show that the CIGS layer deposited using temperature has a crystalline structure, besides that the resulting efficiency is also higher than CIGS solar cells deposited without temperature, namely 0.177%.
A Brief Study of the Carbon Counter Electrode for Photosensor based on DSSC
Authors: Surya Yuliana Erma , Chairani Alvin Nadhira Anissa , Mufti Nandang , Diantoro Markus , Puspitasari Poppy
Published: January 2024

We investigate the fabrication of photosensor devices based on dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC). DSSC photovoltaic cells use solar light energy to trigger chemical reactions as a source of electrical energy. DSSC has several advantages, namely low production costs, environmental friendliness, easy fabrication, and high-power conversion efficiency. Therefore, DSSC is ideal for use as a photosensor. Most DSSCs use a wet electrolyte to provide ionic conductivity to the photoanode. However, long-term use of liquid electrolyte causes corrosion which can reduce the stability of the resulting current. In this research, yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) solid electrolyte was used to prevent corrosion of the photoanode. Samples were characterized using XRD, SEM, UV-Vis and photoresponse. The XRD results show the crystallinity of nanoporous TiO2 and YSZ. SEM results show that the average particle size distribution of TiO2 /YSZ DSSC cells is 315 nm. The sensitivity, rise and fall times of the photosensor have been calculated by varying the counter electrode when testing the photoresponse. Finally, Graphene as a counter showed higher voltage and current compared to AC which is 0.2 V and 0.05 µA.
Design of Buck-Boost Converter as A Voltage Stabilizer on Solar Power Plant at PPNS Baruna 01 Crewboat
Authors: Nugraha Anggara Trisna , Ahmad Putra Zindhu Maulana , Santoso Mardi , Najudah Faiqotin , Fathurrohman Muhammad Fikri
Published: January 2024

Electrical energy is one of the most important basic human needs and is used in everyday life in various activities. Over time, the need for electricity will increase due to the increase and development of both the population, the amount of in-vestment and technological developments. The use of coal as the main fuel for power plants is also running low and its existence is not renewable. One solution to deal with these problems is the utilization of renewable energy. One type of re-newable energy that is environmentally friendly in order to meet the needs of electrical energy is solar energy. The existence of solar energy which is very abundant is one solution to reducing fossil fuels, which are currently running low. In PPNS Baruna 01 Crewboat the DC power source used comes from Solar Panels with a total of two pieces and each power is 300WP. As we know solar energy is fluctuating (up and down), therefore a DC-DC converter is needed so that the resulting voltage is stable. The DC-DC converter used in this research is a buck-boost converter. This buck-boost converter is designed with a set point of 14.4V which is then used for battery charging. The components used are 22.5μH inductor, 2275μF capacitor, resistor, diode and mosfet. The simulation results of the buck-boost converter in PSIM software show that the converter is able to work in two modes with an output voltage in accordance with the set point. When buck mode the input voltage is 24V to 14.4V and when boost mode the input voltage is 12V to 14.4V. From the simulation results, the buck-boost converter can be realized on the PLTS in the PPNS Baruna 01 Crewboat.
Design of Unipolar Pure Sine Wave Inverter with Spwm Method Based On Esp32 Microcontroller As a Support of The Ebt System On Ship
Authors: Ahmad Putra Zindhu Maulana , Nugraha Anggara Trisna , Widiarti Yuning , Safaroz Wafiq , Sobhita Rama Arya
Published: January 2024

Along with developments in the maritime sector, especially on ships, the need for electric power on board will be very diverse. The use of diesel engines as power plants requires fuel to drive a diesel while the use of fuel in ships produced from petroleum processing is limited. Efforts to reduce the use of fuel is by implementing new renewable energy as independent electricity on ship. In EBT inverter technology plays an important role in converting DC voltage to AC voltage. In the inverter, the use of microcontrollers as drivers to generate PWM signals continues to develop. One of the developments of the microcontroller is ESP32. The problem that often occurs in inverters is that the output voltage is unstable. In addition to maximizing the performance of the inverter, it is necessary to add a protection system to reduce the risk of damage to the inverter or the load. Therefore, an inverter was made using the ESP32 microcontroller driver with the addition of protection and the fuzzy method as a voltage stabilizer. This inverter will change the 12 Vdc to 220 vac. In the Matlab simulation, the inverter can change the 12 vdc to 12 vpeak with a carrier signal of 20 khz and a reference signal of 50 hz. From the results of the inverter output will be changed to 220 vac using a step up transformer. The research overlay is being able to make a pure sine wave SPWM inverter using an ESP32 driver with a stable voltage.
Moringa oleifera Seeds Potential as Biofuel via Thermal Conversion Method Based on Morphological and Chemical Content Evaluation
Authors: Sukarni Sukarni , Anis Samsudin , Yusril Aminullah Ahmad , Adiel Assidiq Mochammad , Mufti Nandang , Amran Tuan Abdullah Tuan , Johari Anwar
Published: January 2024

The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), last held in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021, encouraged countries to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, fossil fuels are still dominant as a primary source for power generation. In order to keep the temperature target viable, clean and renewable fuel is needed immediately. Biomass is a promising alternative for future energy sources, which has several advantages compared to wind and solar power generators. Atmospheric carbon dioxide is absorbed by biomass for its growth, making it a carbon-neutral fuel. Moringa oleifera (MO) has big potential compared to other lignocellulosic biomass based on its growth resilience in a wide range of climates. MO seeds contain highly valuable chemical products in the form of lipids and carbohydrates that can be converted into fuel using pyrolysis. Morphology and surface chemical content testing using SEM-EDX show that the average MO seed particle has spherical geometry, which is desirable because it has the smallest contact area compared to other shapes. Chemical analysis concludes that MO seeds have 73 and 23 wt.% carbon and oxygen, respectively. Trace inorganic elements are also present, such as Mg, Al, P, S, K, and Ca, which can be beneficial for the thermal conversion process because they are able to provide a catalyst effect and can be further utilized as fertilizer.
Micro-Grid of Batteray Energy Storage System (BESS) Design for Malaysia’s Net Energy Metering (NEM)
Authors: Nor Anwar Irfanudin Bin , Hussain Mohd Najib Mohd , Noor Siti Zaliha Mohammad , Dahalan Nofri Yenita , Onn Mohammad Syazwan , Tumian Afidalina
Published: January 2024

The depletion of fossil fuels and the increasing demand for energy have led to the adoption of renewable energy sources like solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Net energy metering (NEM) has given individuals and organizations the ability to generate electricity using PV and sell excess energy back to the grid. However, without a battery energy storage system (BESS), the excess energy can only be sold back at a lower feed-in-tariff (FiT) rate. The integration of BESSs with PV systems has become necessary to avoid potential energy savings loss. This study addresses this gap by simulating an AC-coupled BESS with a capacity of 200kWh in MATLAB. Six modes of operation are discussed in the battery management system (BMS) to verify the performance and cost-effectiveness of the BESS for AC-coupled interconnection systems. A lithium-ion battery was chosen due to its high energy density, and long cycle life. The simulation results are based on the state of charge within 20% to 80% of battery capacity and include PV generation, load consumption, battery energy, battery state of charge (SOC), and grid energy. The study also evaluates the cost-effectiveness of the integrated BESS-PV system under NEM policies in Malaysia. The results show that the BESS can effectively reduce the amount of energy purchased from the grid, maximizing cost savings up to 12% per day under NEM 3.0 policies. The study provides valuable insights and recommendations for future implementation of BESS with PV system in the storing and using renewable energy efficiency, contributing to a more sustainable energy future.
Structural and Optical Characteristics of Multilayer ZnO Nanorod:TiO2 by DC Magnetron Sputtering for Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) Application
Authors: Khusna Nanda Nafi’atul , Pujiarti Herlin , Kurniawan Robi
Published: January 2024

The development of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) technology by utilizing various semiconductors has attracted attention. Among all types of semiconductors, the nanostructure of ZnO is selected due to their unique electrical properties and ease of preparation in various morphologies, and it has been considered a promising material to be applied in DSSC. In this research, the DC magnetron sputtering method was used to prepare ZnO thin films as an efficient alternative to press the charge recombination process that occurs in TiO2-based DSSC. Different thicknesses of TiO2 layers on the FTO conductive glass substrate were made through various sputtering deposition times, while the ZnO nanorod layers were made with a single layer using the hydrothermal method. We used XRD, SEM, UV-Vis, I-V meter, and EIS analysis. Based on these characterization we concluded that multilayer ZnO nanorod:TiO2 coating with a sputtering time of 60 minutes resulted the best performance of DSSC with an efficiency of 0.27%.
Determination of Costs in a Continuous Drying System for Garlic and Onion
Authors: Milón Guzmán Juan José , Díaz Coa Mario Enrique , Urday Apaza Jerson Bequer , Mena Ruelas Hiozime Jianella , Ramirez Revilla Stamber Alvaro
Published: January 2024

This study investigates the drying of garlic and onion in Arequipa,considering their susceptibility to rain during times of harvest and planting.Drying costs were evaluated with different thicknesses and temperatures: 2 mm,3 mm and 4 mm for onion, and 3 mm and 5 mm for garlic, at both 50° and 60°C. Initial moisture contents of 49.75% for garlic and 87.59% for onion were determined. The drying process at 50°C fluctuated between 720-1020 minutes (onion) and 960-1020 minutes (garlic), while at 60 °C they ranged between 540-720 minutes (onion) and 540-720 minutes (garlic). No significant differences in thickness were found at both temperatures for both products, but were found when increasing from 50°C to 60°C. Energy consumption was also calculated. The results showed that the lowest cost for the garlic drying process was reached with a thickness of 3 mm and a temperature of 60°C, at a cost of 7.25 USD. In the case of onion, the lowest cost was obtained at 60 °C and a thickness of 2 mm, at a cost of 4.25 USD.
Prediction of the “Screw-nut” gear life
Authors: Zhelezkov Oleg , Martynov Evgeny , Kharchenko Maksim , Dema Roman
Published: January 2024

A method has been developed for predicting the service life of a screw pair nut with a large thrust thread, which is based on the energy theory of wear. Based on the results of finite element modeling using the DEFORM-3D software package, the dependence of the change in normal pressures on the contact surface of the nut with the screw along the height of the thread projection was established. Using the SMTs-2 friction machine, a series of experiments was carried out and the coefficient of friction and the energy index of wear intensity were determined for bronze of the brand BrA9Zh3L, used in the manufacture of nuts for screw mechanisms with coarse threads. The calculation of the service life of the nut of the pressure device of the rolling stand of the hot rolling mill 2000 has been performed. The limit value of the number of revolutions of the screw is established, the excess of which leads to critical wear and destruction of the threads.