bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Experimental Study on Energy Absorption Capability of Cast and 3D Printed Architected Cement-based Materials
Authors: Imagawa Koichi , Ohno Motohiro , Ishida Tetsuya
Published: November 2023

Previous studies have demonstrated that Architected Cement-based Materials (ACMs), which have architected internal configurations at mm-cm scale, can have desired and/or unusual mechanical characteristics that the brittle base material does not possess. 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) is promising technology to fabricate the complicated geometry of ACMs, but relevant research and development are still scarce. In this study, we fabricated truss-type ACMs with enhanced specific energy absorption capacity by either casting or 3D-printing. The ACM was designed by a generative design framework that integrates reinforcement learning and nonlinear structural analysis. The performances of the ACMs were evaluated by uniaxial compression tests. The cast series showed same trend in the cracking characteristics as the simulation. However, the printed ACM showed significantly lower strength and energy absorption than the simulation result. Unexpected damage localization was observed in the printed ACM, especially around the corners of the truss members where relatively large voids tend to be formed during 3D-printing. The degree and location of these defects can be partly controlled by the printing path, which was not considered in the simulation. Therefore, to realize high-performance ACMs by 3DCP, base material properties, internal geometry, and printing path should be simultaneously considered in the design process.
Shear Behaviour of High-Strength Self-Compacting Concrete (HSSCC) RC Beam with 12.5% Metakaolin and Variations of Silica Fume
Authors: Saifullah Halwan Alfisa , Safitri Endah , Wibowo Wibowo , Zuniatama Dimas L.
Published: November 2023

High-Strength Self-Consolidating Concrete (HSSCC) is a type of concrete that possesses superior mechanical properties and can self-settle without the need for vibration assistance. Numerous advancements have been implemented to enhance the properties of HSSCC. In prior experimental work, the authors investigated the mechanical characteristics of HSCC with 12.5% metakaolin and 0-15% silica fume as a partial cement substitute. Since metakaolin and silica fume have smaller particle sizes than cement, they can fill voids between aggregate and enhance the concrete’s compactness. Further structural study is necessary to provide a more complete knowledge of the impact of partially substituting cement with metakaolin and silica fume. Using the Response 2000 program, this investigation analyzes the shear behavior of reinforced HSSCC beams. Laboratory-determined material mechanical properties were utilized as simulation input data. In this investigation, the maximum strength, deflection, and crack development of five beam models produced with varying material mechanical properties were investigated and compared.
Investigating the Availability of Domestic Wastewater Pollution Load Capacity in Brantas River, Malang
Authors: Rifai Ridwan Muhamad , Lahardo Daffa Rizalif , Fahmi Asa Faidho Rizkia , Siswahyudi Dwi
Published: November 2023

The riverine system can recover itself to its balance once pollutant enters the water body. Nonetheless, this self-purification capability only applies when the concentration and magnitude of the pollutant do not exceed the pollution load capacity. As the main river in Malang, the Brantas River receives most of the pollutants from anthropogenic activities, especially domestic wastewater. A study was conducted to uncover the capacity of the pollution load of the Brantas River. Samples were obtained from surface water in five stations along the river and analysed according to the domestic wastewater parameters in the Permen LHK No. P.68/2016 against river water quality for Class II limit. A model was then constructed using QUAL2Kw software. The analysis showed that Brantas River does not have sufficient allocation for COD and BOD at all stations, and NH3at downstream stations. In contrast, the river remains able to accept TSS and coliform inputs. The model showed that only coliform contaminants can be self-purified despite all citizens discharging domestic wastewater containing coliform at the maximum concentration and flow. It is clear that to make the pollution load for domestic wastewater available in Malang, river quality must be managed before the stream enters the city.
Implementation of a Full-scale Circular Constructed Wetlands to Treat Greywater at Natural Tourism in Malang, Indonesia
Authors: Yulistyorini Anie , Yaşar Çiğdem Öz , Utomo Satriaji Ikhlas , Dewi Vita Ayu Kusuma , Rahayuningsih Titi , Siswahyudi Dwi
Published: November 2023

This research examines a circular-shape constructed wetlands (CCW) system at Bedengan Camping Site (BCS) as Natural Tourism in Malang, Indonesia. There are family fun-park, shallow rivers, and camping grounds at BNT as a tourist attraction. The CW system was built in 2021 and used to treat greywater from public toilets, food courts, and cafes. This study aims to demonstrate the performance of the CW system in treating greywater to meet the standard limits of the treated wastewater. The CW was arranged in a circular shape to follow the contour of the land, and three water plants such as Canna, Heliconia psittacorum, and Equisetum hyemale planted for the CW treatment. A sampling of wastewater took place during covid-19 pandemic and after the pandemic from three sampling ports: the sedimentation tank, inlet of CCW, and outlet of CCW. The results show that the CCW system performs well in reducing organic pollutants from greywater produced by visitors and meets the domestic wastewater threshold limit as stated in the Ministry of Environment and Forestry Regulation No. P.68/2016. The average of the organic pollutant removals was higher than 90%, while the pH of the treated water changed from acid to neutral condition. It is assumed that the CW system can provide a neutralisation process of the greywater at BCS.
Corrosion Rate and Weight Loss of Geopolymer Mortar Coated Concrete Specimens with Different Thicknesses
Authors: Nastiti Syahidah Fani , Ekaputri Januarti Jaya , Sulton Mohammad , Rahardjo Boedi , Rahma Devi Yusufi , Handayani Agil Fitri , Wulandari Fadila Fitria
Published: November 2023

This study is about the use of geopolymer mortar as an alternative repair material to reduce the corrosion rate of building structures. The experiment was conducted by comparing the corrosion rate and weight loss of concrete specimens with different thicknesses of geopolymer mortar coating with concrete specimens coated with Sikagrout 215M. Observations showed that the specimens with 2.5 cm thick geopolymer mortar coating cracked faster and had higher current values than the others. Corrosion rate measurements showed that the specimen with 4 cm thickness geopolymer mortar coating had the lowest corrosion rate, while the specimen with Sikagrout 215M coating had a higher corrosion rate. Visualization of the cracked specimens shows that the geopolymer mortar layer’s thickness affects the reinforcement’s rust formation. Geopolymer concrete with proper coating thickness can reduce the corrosion rate and weight loss of concrete structures. This research further explains the effect of coating thickness and coating type in protecting steel in concrete from corrosion.
Photocatalytic Concrete Using ZnO and Al2O3 - A Review
Authors: Putri Julieta Eka Yudo , Pratama M. Mirza Abdillah
Published: November 2023

Photocatalytic concrete is one of the innovations in the construction sector that environmentally friendly. Photocatalytic concrete can be decomposing harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and SO2. In its application, a widely used photocatalyst is TiO2. In fact, the use of TiO2 has several disadvantages, which is less efficient because the separation of TiO2 photocatalysts is very difficult and requires greater energy. In addition, the wide band-gap energy of TiO2 makes only a fraction of the ultraviolet (UV) fraction of sunlight usable. This study aims to analyse photocatalysts that are more usable in large quantities and easy to apply. Based on research that has been done, the use of ZnO and Al2O3 as photocatalysts replaces the use of TiO2 which has been used effectively to do. In addition to its simpler use, and its abundant availability, Al2O3 and ZnO can break down pollutants well.
Cold Formed Steel Type C On Beams With Connection Variations
Authors: Nindyawati Nindyawati , Sulaksitaningrum Roro , Pratama Setya Nugraha , Kusbiantoro Andri
Published: November 2023

The disadvantages of using cold rolled steel (cold formed steel) include a thin profile and low stiffness of the connecting parts. Stiffness research of various types of joints is needed to study element failure, machine error or connection failure which causes the collapse of cold rolled steel structures. Analysis is needed for cantilever structures, because the maximum deflection that occurs in cantilever structures is greater than that of simply supported beam structures. The shape and type of cold rolled steel joints greatly affect the stiffness and stability of cold rolled steel structures so that the strength of several types of joints must be studied. The purpose of this study was to analyze the stiffness of the test results under the influence of bending loads on each type of cold rolled steel beam-column connection. Cold steel C channel profile with a thickness of 0.75 mm is used as the object in this study. The beam-column structure is assembled with various kinds of connections, including direct screw connections, screw-gusset plates, screw-angle plates, and screw-angle plate-gusset plates. This research shows addition of the elbow plate increases the strength of the test object by means of a screw connection and gusset plate to the load. However, the results of the maximum load in the experiment still have not reached the maximum load of the analysis results. In the screw connection the damage that occurs is tearing in the connecting plate (tear out), in the gusset plate connection the damage that occurs is the collapse of the gusset plate, in the screw-angled plate connection there are 2 damages, where the damage starts with a tear in the connecting plate ( tear out) and followed by damage to the screw that is damaged (pull out).
Compressive Strength and Porosity of POFA Blended Concrete Admixed with Micro Silica
Authors: Olivia Monita , Putri Wulan Ramanda , Supit Steve , Wibisono Gunawan , Utama Panca Setia
Published: November 2023

Blended Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA) concrete as an alternative sustainable material depends on the quality of POFA. Microsilica can improve the quality of blended POFA concrete; however, the optimum quantity must be determined. This study investigates the effect of micro silica content, POFA content, and concrete age of the blended POFA concrete admixed with silica fume. Portland Composite Cement concrete was the control mix with a target strength of 20 MPa. The blended POFA concrete contains 0%, 20%, and 40% POFA as cement replacement material using various microsilica contents (0, 5, 10, and 15%). Three series with twelve mixtures were cast and cured for 28 days in water. Compressive strength and porosity at 3, 7 and 28 days were measured. The results show that compressive strength and porosity of blended POFA concrete admixed with microsilica were influenced by concrete age, micro silica content, and POFA content. The highest strength shown by concrete without POFA that using microsilica of 10%. In contrast, the lowest strength was concrete with 40% POFA and without microsilica. Porosity is also reduced by using 10% micro silica in the mixes. Adding microsilica affects the strength and porosity of the resulting blended POFA concrete.
Mechanical Activation of OPC for Lower Strength UHPC with Reduced Silica Fume Content
Authors: Kuncoro Albert , Antoni Antoni , Indrianto Juan Felix , Rayhan Jonathan , Susanto Tri Eddy , Hardjito Djwantoro
Published: November 2023

Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) traditionally exhibits compressive strength exceeding 150 MPa. However, variants have been identified with slightly lesser strengths that still surpass those of standard concrete; these are termed Lower Strength Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (LSUHPC). This study focused on the strategic utilization of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in LSUHPC formulation while significantly curtailing the extensive use of silica fume, which is a common practice in UHPC production. Typically, high-performance concrete, with strengths ranging from 120-150 MPa, is produced using fine aggregates, heavy doses of silica fume, superplasticizer, and fiber. Contrary to this traditional method, our research developed an LSUHPC mix design with a significantly reduced volume of silica fume. For the current research stage, the use of steel fiber was omitted. To counteract the reduction in silica fume, the OPC was subjected to mechanical grinding to enhance its particle fineness and reactivity. Additionally, a low volume of class F fly ash was incorporated into the mixture to improve its workability. This adjustment was theorized to diminish inter-particle voids, reduce the water requirement, and increase the mixture’s density. With a fixed superplasticizer dosage of 4%, the aim was to minimize the water-to-binder ratio, maintaining workability and achieving enhanced particle packing and compressive strength. Following a series of grinding, particle fineness analyses, mix design formulations, and consistency tests, it was confirmed that the strategic application of OPC, combined with fly ash and reduced silica fume levels in the LSUHPC formulation, can achieve the targeted high compressive strength. This approach opens the door for cost-efficient LSUHPC production by drastically reducing the use of silica fume.
A semi-implicit finite volume scheme for dissipative measure-valued solutions to the barotropic Euler system
Authors: Arun Koottungal Revi , Krishnamurthy Amogh
Published: November 2023

A semi-implicit in time, entropy stable finite volume scheme for the compressible barotropic Euler system is designed and analyzed and its weak convergence to a dissipative measure-valued (DMV) solution [Feireisl et al., Calc. Var. Part. Differ. Equ. 55 (2016) 141] of the Euler system is shown. The entropy stability is achieved by introducing a shifted velocity in the convective fluxes of the mass and momentum balances, provided some CFL-like condition is satisfied to ensure stability. A consistency analysis is performed in the spirit of the Lax’s equivalence theorem under some physically reasonable boundedness assumptions. The concept of Ƙ-convergence [Feireisl et al., IMA J. Numer. Anal. 40 (2020) 2227–2255] is used in order to obtain some strong convergence results, which are then illustrated via rigorous numerical case studies. The convergence of the scheme to a DMV solution, a weak solution and a strong solution of the Euler system using the weak–strong uniqueness principle and relative entropy are presented.
Konzept des biopsychosozialen Krankheitsmodells in der verkehrsmedizinischen Begutachtung
Authors: Metzler Michael C.
Published: November 2023

Eine an Ressourcen orientierte Betrachtung von Menschen mit Diabetes gemäß des biopsychosozialen Modells der funktionalen Gesundheit der Internationalen Klassifikation der Funktionsfähigkeit, Behinderung und Gesundheit (ICF) der WHO würde eine Erweiterung der gutachterlichen Bewertungsebenen bedeuten. Gebräuchlich ist die Anwendung aber nicht. Es ist zu postulieren, dass sowohl Menschen mit Diabetes als auch Behörden von einer veränderten Praxis einer verkehrsmedizinischen Begutachtung profitieren könnten.
CircRNA Larp4b/miR-298-5p/Mef2c Regulates Cardiac
Hypertrophy Induced by Angiotensin II
Authors: Xie Qihai , Xu Xiangdong , Xiong Danqun , Yao Man , Zhou Yafeng
Published: November 2023

Cardiac hypertrophy (CH) is an early marker in the clinical course of heart
failure. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in human disease.
However, the role of circ_Larp4b in myocardial hypertrophy has not been studied.
Angiotensin II (Ang II) treated HL-1 cells to induce a CH cell model.
Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the
expression of circ_Larp4b, microRNA-298-5p, and myocyte enhancer factor 2
(Mef2c). Western blot detected the protein level of alpha-actinin-2 (ACTN2),
beta-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and
Mef2c. The relationship between miR-298-5p and circ_Larp4b or Mef2c was verified
by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay. Circ_Larp4b and Mef2c
were upregulated in HL-1 cells treated with Ang II. Moreover, circ_Larp4b
down-regulation regulated the progress of CH induced by Ang II. MiR-298-5p was a
target of circ_Larp4b, and Mef2c was a target of miR-298-5p. Overexpressed Mef2c
reversed the cell size inhibited by miR-298-5p in Ang II-induced HL-1 cells.
Circ_Larp4b regulated CH progress by regulating miR-298-5p/Mef2c
axis.
Unsupervised machine learning to analyze corneal tissue surfaces
Authors: Rickert Carolin A. , Henkel Fabio , Lieleg Oliver
Published: November 2023

Identifying/classifying damage features on soft materials, such as tissues, is much more challenging than on classical, hard materials—but nevertheless important, especially in the field of bio-tribology. For instance, cartilage samples from osteoarthritic patients exhibit surface damage even at early stages of tissue degeneration, and corneal tissues can be damaged by contact lenses when the ocular lubrication system fails. Here, we employ unsupervised machine learning (ML) methods to assess the surface condition of a soft tissue by detecting and classifying different wear morphologies as well as the severity of surface damage they represent. We show that different clustering methods, especially a k-means clustering algorithm, can indeed achieve a—from a material science point of view—meaningful classification of those tissue samples. Our study pinpoints the ability of unsupervised ML models to guide or even replace human decision processes for the analysis of complex surfaces and topographical datasets that—either owing to their complexity or the sample size—exceed the capability of the human brain.
Impact of
Phytopythium vexans
on Plant Health: Hosts, Symptoms, Detection, and Management
Authors: Baysal-Gurel Fulya , Ghimire Bhawana
Published: November 2023

Phytopythium vexans
is an emerging phytopathogenic oomycete reported to be causing diseases in plants from multiple genera and families. It is a soil and water-inhabiting oomycete with sexual and asexual life cycles present in the environment. Sexual stages produce oospores whereas asexual stages produce zoospores. This pathogen has been reported to be infecting crops in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. Mainly root and crown regions of numerous perennial woody plants, herbaceous and weedy annual cereal crops, forest plants, ornamental plants, and fruit trees are reported to be infected. Certain names for the symptoms of pathogen infections associated with the host have been used such as replant disease, decline, and sadness syndrome. Young plants that are vegetatively propagated if infected die off in severe cases whereas in the case of older plants, the roots and crown regions are mainly affected by this pathogen. Infections typically display symptoms of brown necrosis in the roots and stem, with a soft, watery rotting mass inside in case of heavily infected samples. Upon gentle pulling, the outer bark sloughs off, revealing the extent of the damage. It also causes damping-off of seedlings. The pathogen moves within water and hence has the potential to induce chains of disease outbreaks in nurseries and greenhouses. A saturated soil for longer periods of time favors tissue colonization and disease progress since the water-loving infectious zoospores of this pathogen can swim to distances that directly favor the pathogen. Higher nitrogen content in the soil, reduced availability of oxygen in the soil, and decreased ability of the plant to grow at lower temperatures created by water stagnation are additional epidemiological factors that favor the disease development. An integrated approach, which includes early detection of the pathogen using culture-based assay/molecular approaches, use of preventive and curative fungicides/biofungicides, and cultural practices, is recommended for the management of
Phytopythium
. Use of cover crops, soil solarization, crop rotation with non-hosts, and biofumigation to suppress or kill the pathogen are recommended. Testing of irrigation water for the presence of pathogens and treatment using a combination of different measures such as filtration plus UV, ozone, and heat is also recommended.

Information

© The Authors 2023
Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: The Transformative Power of Tourism in Empowering Women in Munsiyari, India
Authors: Tiwari Ranjana
Published: November 2023

In the picturesque village of Munsiyari, India, nestled in the Himalayan foothills, a group of local women found a way to turn tourism into a powerful tool for social change. Domestic violence was a pervasive issue in the community, with many women suffering in silence due to social stigma and lack of support for years until Malika Virdi, an avid mountaineer and social activist, came to their aid. The local women, with the guidance of Malika, took a bold step towards empowering themselves and ending domestic violence through the establishment of
Maati Sangathan
. Although the
Sangathan
was founded with the primary aim of promoting gender equality and eradicating the pervasive issue of domestic violence that had plagued the community for years, the women have successfully leveraged eco-tourism and handicrafts as ways to enhance their economic independence while also raising awareness about gender-based violence. This case study utilizes secondary published data to demonstrate the effectiveness of Sarmoli’s Himalayan Ark, a community homestay program started under the aegis of
Maati Sangathan
that incentivizes the conservation of the Himalayan Ecosystem. The program has notably contributed to the restoration of high-altitude lakes, forests, and local communities, ultimately leading to its recognition as a thriving ecotourism model in Uttarakhand.

Information

© The Author 2023
Search for the anomalous quartic gauge couplings through Z
γ production at e
−
e
+ colliders
Authors: Köksal M
Published: November 2023

Spontaneous breaking of the

SU

2

L

×
U

1

Y

electroweak symmetry of the standard model (SM) sets the constraints on triple and quartic gauge couplings. Therefore, the measurement of multiboson production in e
−
e
+ collisions allows us to directly test the predictions of the SM and to indirectly probe new physics beyond the SM. In this paper, we focus on the process e
−
e
+ → e
−
Z
γ
e
+ with Z boson decaying into neutrinos to study the anomalous quartic gauge couplings using the effective Lagrangian approach at the compact linear collider (CLIC). We obtain the sensitivities on the anomalous f

T,i
/Λ4 (i = 0, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) couplings taking into account the systematic uncertainties of 3, 5% at 95% Confidence Level for the CLIC with

s

=
3

TeV. Our results show that the sensitivities on some anomalous couplings without systematic errors are up to two orders of magnitude better than the current experimental limits. Considering a realistic systematic uncertainty such as 5% from possible experimental sources, the sensitivity of all anomalous quartic couplings becomes worse by about 10% compared to those without systematic uncertainty for the CLIC.
Photovoltaic amorphous feroxyhyte nanostructures synthesized by atmospheric AC microplasma
Authors: Shamaki Aysha , Benjamin Ogueri Chiedozie , Alomary Seham , Zondode Mobolaji , Ndaw Marieme , Hou Jie , Pramanik Souvik , Pokharel Sabin , Tadesse Solomon , Liou Sz-Chian , Du Xiaobo , Tucker Mikel , Sze Kit , Li Jiang , Lisfi Abdellah , Wuttig Manfred , Severn Greg , Pan Yong-Le , Lan Yucheng
Published: November 2023

Feroxyhite (δ-FeOOH) nanomaterials were successfully synthesized through the atmospheric AC microplasma method at room temperature from ferrous sulfate aqueous solutions. Various syntheses conditions, including electric voltage, electric field strength, ferrous concentration, hydrogen peroxide concentration, and reaction duration, were systematically investigated. The synthesized products were characterized through x-ray diffraction, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, infra-red spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. The bandgap of the produced materials were strongly dependent of the ferrous concentration while the product ratio was dependent on all experimental conditions. The synthesis mechanism was thoroughly discussed. The synthesized nanomaterials were amorphous nanospheres, showing superparamagnetic properties at room temperature. The synthesized oxyhydroxide is a potential photovoltaic material besides its reported applications in photocatalysts and supercapacitors. The application of this synthesis technique could be extended to synthesize other oxy-hydroxide nanomaterials for renewable energy applications facilely, scalablely, cost-effectively, and environmentally.
Dynamically tunable terahertz quadruple-function absorber based on a hybrid configuration of graphene and vanadium dioxide
Authors: Qi Yunping , Wen Yujiao , Chen Haowen , Wang Xiangxian
Published: November 2023

A quadruple-function dynamically tunable terahertz absorber that uses a hybrid configuration of graphene and vanadium dioxide is proposed in this paper. The absorber achieves dynamic conversion of four functions in one structure: ultra-broadband, broadband, single-frequency narrowband and dual-frequency narrowband, by utilizing the electrical control properties of graphene and the phase-shifting properties of vanadium dioxide. Furthermore, the paper also reveals the physical mechanism of the proposed absorber through the electric field distribution and impedance matching theory. In addition, the influences of the Fermi energy level of graphene and the electrical conductivity of vanadium dioxide on the absorption spectra are investigated, demonstrating the structure’s dynamic tunability. Due to the above features, the designed absorber is expected to have potential applications in terahertz imaging, modulation and filtering.
Demonstration of reversed non-Hermitian skin effect via quantum walks on a ladder
Authors: Wang Xiaowei , Xiao Lei , Lin Quan , Wang Kunkun , Lin Haiqing , Xue Peng
Published: November 2023

Quantum walks hold enormous potential applications in various areas such as quantum computing and quantum simulation. Discrete-time quantum walks on a ladder offer greater prospects compared to traditional quantum walks, especially in addressing physical problems in higher-dimension coupled systems. Here we give an experimental proposal of quantum walks on a two-leg ladder using linear optics, and further apply it to non-Hermitian systems by introducing loss-based non-unitary evolutions. Non-Hermitian systems under nonreciprocity-induced evolution present an exotic phenomenon, known as the non-Hermitian skin effect (NHSE). In a two-leg non-Hermitian system with the same preferred direction of NHSE, the direction has recently been found to reverse when interchain couplings are introduced. Based on quantum walks on a ladder, we also propose an experimentally feasible scheme to demonstrate the direction reversal of NHSE. Through the simulated results we show that particles on each chain accumulate to the preferred boundary driven by nonreciprocal hopping, while particles are transported in the opposite direction when interchain hopping is allowed, clearly demonstrating the existence of reversed NHSE. Our work further expands the application of the quantum walk platform and opens a door for the experimental investigation of reversed NHSE.
Impact of dark matter spikes on the merger rates of Primordial Black Holes
Authors: Jangra Pratibha , Kavanagh Bradley J. , Diego J.M.
Published: November 2023

Mergers of Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) may contribute to the gravitational wave mergers detected by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) Collaboration. We study the dynamics of PBH binaries dressed with dark matter (DM) spikes, for PBHs with extended mass functions. We analyze the impact of DM spikes on the orbital parameters of the PBH binaries formed in the early Universe and calculate their merger rates at the age of the Universe today. We consider two possible scenarios for the dynamics of the dressed binaries: assuming that either the DM spikes are completely evaporated from the binaries before merger or they remain static until the merger. Contrary to previous studies, we find that the presence of spikes may increase or decrease the present-day PBH merger rates, in some cases dramatically. Comparing with merger rates reported by the LVK Collaboration in the third Gravitational Wave Transient Catalog (GWTC-3), we derive approximate constraints on the fraction of Solar-mass PBHs in cold dark matter as f
pbh ≤ 𝒪(10-5–10-3), depending on the mass function. Our calculations are valid only for the idealized scenarios in which the DM spikes are either evaporated or static. However, they suggest that the impact of DM spikes on PBH merger rates may be more complicated than previously thought and motivate the development of a more general description of the merger dynamics, including feedback of the DM spikes in highly eccentric PBH binaries.
Spectral analysis of deviations from key comparison reference values
Authors: Maham Kinza , Kosonen Vili , Peltoniemi Juha , Kärhä Petri , Ikonen Erkki
Published: November 2023

When studying the results of the key comparisons of spectral quantities, it appears that in many cases participants’ results systematically deviate from the key comparison reference values over a limited spectral range. We carried out spectral analysis of such deviations in seven key comparisons of optical radiometry. The results reveal an approximate outcome that, on the average, each harmonic amplitude is inversely proportional to the order of the harmonic in all studied key comparisons. This new finding gives important information on the characteristics of spectral correlations. The result can be used in the uncertainty evaluation of spectral integrals, where the effect of unknown spectral correlations has earlier been challenging to assess quantitatively.
3D numerical study of neutral gas dynamics in the DTT particle exhaust using the DSMC method
Authors: Tantos C. , Varoutis S. , Hauer V. , Day C. , Innocente P.
Published: November 2023

Recently the design of the divertor tokamak test (DTT) Facility divertor has been modified and consolidated. The new divertor design presents significant geometrical differences compared to the previous ITER-like one, including the presence of a more flattened dome shape. This paper presents a complete 3D numerical analysis of the neutral gas dynamics inside the DTT subdivertor area for the latest divertor design. The analysis has been performed based on the direct simulation Monte Carlo method by applying the DIVGAS simulator code. SOLEDGE2D-EIRENE plasma simulations have been performed for a deuterium plasma scenario at the maximum additional power in partially detached condition achieved by neon impurity seeding and the extracted information about the neutral particles has been imposed as incoming boundary conditions. The pumping efficiency of the DTT divertor is examined by considering various cases with respect to the pumping probability and the effect of the toroidal and poloidal leakages is quantified. The results show that a significant percentage of the incoming flux of neutrals returns back to the plasma site through the entry gaps (60% for deuterium and 40% for neon), and, consequentially, only a small percentage (∼2%–15%) of the incoming flux can be pumped out from the system. The toroidal leakages affect significantly the pumping performance of the divertor causing a significant decrease in the pumped flux (and also in the pressure at the pumping opening) about 37%–47% and 43%–56% for deuterium and neon respectively. It is discussed how many pumping ports are needed depending on the achievable pumping performance per port. The number can be reduced by closing the toroidal gaps. The analysis shows that enlarging the poloidal gaps by a factor of two causes a significant increase in the poloidal flux losses by a factor 1.7. It is also illustrated how the presence of the cooling pipes leads to conductance losses.
Real-world data analysis of post-COVID-19 condition risk in older patients
Authors: Liu Ting-Hui , Huang Po-Yu , Wu Jheng-Yan , Chuang Min-Hsiang , Hsu Wan-Hsuan , Tsai Ya-Wen , Tsai Meng-Hsiu , Lai Chih-Cheng
Published: November 2023

This study investigated the risk of post-COVID-19 conditions in older patients with COVID-19 compared to those with influenza, and how age impacts this relationship. Patients aged ≥65 years with COVID-19 or influenza were identified using the TriNetX network. The risk of post-COVID-19 conditions was compared between survivors of COVID-19 and influenza, followed by a comparison of post-COVID-19 conditions risk between patients aged 65–74 years and those aged over 75 years. Compared with influenza survivors, post-COVID-19 conditions were significantly more prevalent in patients with COVID-19 (hazard ratio [HR], 1.534; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.405–1.675). Specifically, COVID-19 survivors have a significantly higher risk of experiencing abnormal breathing (HR, 2.052; 95% CI: 1.757–2.397), fatigue (HR, 1.587; 95% CI: 1.322–1.905), anxiety/depression (HR, 1.587; 95% CI: 1.322–1.905), cognitive symptoms (HR, 1.667; 95% CI: 1.295–2.146) and cough (HR, 1.250; 95% CI: 1.006–1.553) compared with the influenza group. Contrastingly, no significant difference was observed in the risk of any post-COVID-19 condition between COVID-19 survivors aged 65–74 years and those aged over 75 years (HR, 0.994; 95% CI: 0.920–1.073). However, a lower incidence of cognitive symptoms was observed in patients aged 65–74 years compared to those aged ≥75 years (HR, 0.543; 95% CI: 0.445–0.661). In conclusion, compared with influenza, older patients have a higher risk of developing post-COVID-19 conditions after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and those aged over ≥75 years may have an increased risk of developing cognitive symptoms compared to those aged 65–74 years.
Women physicians in academic pathology leadership
Authors: Brown Miriam R , Tay Cindy , Jacobs Jeremy W , Booth Garrett S
Published: November 2023

Objectives

To evaluate the gender composition of departmental chairs and program leadership of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education–accredited pathology residencies and American Board of Pathology–certified subspecialty fellowships across the United States.

Methods

In this cross-sectional analysis, we examined the gender of individuals holding leadership positions in academic pathology in the United States. Using publicly available online data, 2 authors independently coded perceived gender (ie, man/woman/other) with 100% concordance.

Results

In 144 pathology residency programs, more women hold residency program director positions (52.1% [75/144]). Among 11 pathology subspecialties, women overall hold fewer fellowship program director positions (45.0% [212/471]). Among the residency-associated pathology department chair positions identified, women hold fewer positions (31.8% [42/132]). There is some geographic variation in pathology leadership gender composition when stratified using US Census regions.

Conclusions

Women in academic pathology departments are well represented in residency and overall fellowship program leadership but are underrepresented in department chair and certain pathology subspecialty leadership positions. The disproportionate number of women in department chair positions is observed across medical specialties, highlighting the need for improved gender equity among high-level academic medicine positions.
A retrospective cohort analysis of treatment outcomes of patients with tuberculosis who used substances in Tel Aviv, Israel
Authors: Kaliner Ehud , Bornstein Sandy , Kabha Doaa , Lidji Moshe , Sheffer Rivka , Mor Zohar
Published: November 2023

Aims

To outline the demographic, clinical, laboratory characteristics, and treatment outcomes of tuberculosis (TB) patients who used substances.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study compared 50 TB patients who used substances with a matched random sample of 100 TB patients who did not use substances between 2007 and 2017. Treatment failure was defined as a sputum smear or culture that tested positive after 5 months of treatment, loss to follow-up, unevaluated patients, or death.

Results

TB patients who used substances were typically younger, experienced homelessness, smokers, and had fewer chronic diseases than those who did not use substances. They also were hospitalized for longer periods, their treatment durations were longer, had higher rates of multidrug resistant strains, increased rates of treatment failure, and higher mortality. Individuals whose treatment failed predominantly originated from the former Soviet Union, experienced homelessness, and had chronic diseases compared with those whose treatment was successful. In the multivariate analysis, homelessness [odds ratios (OR) = 6.7], chronic diseases (OR = 12.4), and substance use (OR = 4.0) were predictors of treatment failures.

Conclusions

TB patients who used substances were more likely to have treatment failure. Targeted interventions, including early diagnosis and enhanced support during treatment, are essential to achieve treatment success in this vulnerable population, in addition to TB-alcohol/drug collaborative activities.
Prejuvenation: What Social Media Tells Us About the Rising Trend
Authors: Rothchild Evan , Jung Geena , Wang Fei , Ricci Joseph A
Published: November 2023

Background

“Prejuvenation,” a practice gaining enormous popularity among younger adults, can largely attribute its explosive growth to TikTok, the platform on which many first encounter this trend. Despite the rising usage of prejuvenation, however, there is a lack of clarity regarding its clinical practice and efficacy.

Objectives

To investigate the understandability, reliability, and actionability of prejuvenation-related TikTok content.

Methods

TikTok was queried using 13 hashtags consisting of popular colloquial terms associated with prejuvenation treatments, and the top 25 videos meeting inclusion criteria for each hashtag were analyzed. For each video, poster credentials and video type were determined. Videos considered “educational” were analyzed using the validated modified DISCERN score and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool scales. Creator's prejuvenation recommendations were recorded. Univariate and linear regression models were utilized for analysis.

Results

A total of 303 videos amassed over 61,000,000 million views, 3,957,091 likes, 24,455 comments, and 71,697 shares. Nonphysicians posted the most videos (n = 257, 84.8%) and had significantly higher median views, likes, comments, and engagement than physician videos. Analysis of “educational” videos showed that most videos (50, 67%) supported the use of prejuvenation treatments, 18 (24%) were neutral, and 6 (8%) were opposed.

Conclusions

Prejuvenation content on TikTok varies widely in terms of quality and recommendations, calling for more standardization regarding the practice. Physician-generated prejuvenation content was more reliable, but distinguishing it from nonphysician content was challenging, underscoring the need for platform-specific verification tools.
Sexually attractive traits predict predation-threat sensitivity of male alternative mating tactics
Authors: Godin Jean-Guy J , McDonough Heather E , Houslay Thomas M
Published: November 2023

Although visual sexual signals, such as ornamental colors and courtship displays, and large body size in males are attractive to females in numerous species, they may also inadvertently attract the attention of eavesdropping predators and thus may be costly in terms of increasing individual risk of mortality to predation. Theoretically, more color ornamented and larger males should be more predation threat sensitive and suppress their sexual signaling and(or) mating effort relatively more than their less color ornamented and smaller counterparts when under predation hazard. Here, we experimentally tested this hypothesis by quantifying concurrently the rates of alternative mating tactics (courtship displays, sneak mating attempts) expressed by male Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) varying in color ornamentation and body size under a staged immediate threat of predation. Males suppressed their overall mating effort in response to the perceived predation threat, decreasing the frequency of their (presumably more conspicuous) courtship displays significantly more on average than the frequency of their sneak mating behavior. Statistically controlling for body length, more color-ornamented males were more threat sensitive in their courtship displays, but not sneak mating attempts, under predation hazard than drabber males. Controlling for body coloration, larger males exhibited lower courtship and sneak mating efforts than smaller males in both predation treatments, but body length only influenced threat sensitivity in sneak mating behavior. These results are consistent with both the threat sensitive hypothesis and asset protection principle and highlight the phenotype dependency and adaptive plasticity of alternative mating tactics in male guppies under varying predation risk.
EMVC-2: an efficient single-nucleotide variant caller based on expectation maximization
Authors: Dufort y Álvarez Guillermo , Xargay-Ferrer Martí , Pagès-Zamora Alba , Ochoa Idoia
Published: November 2023

Motivation

Single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) are the most common type of genetic variation in the human genome. Accurate and efficient detection of SNVs from next-generation sequencing (NGS) data is essential for various applications in genomics and personalized medicine. However, SNV calling methods usually suffer from high computational complexity and limited accuracy. In this context, there is a need for new methods that overcome these limitations and provide fast reliable results.

Results

We present EMVC-2, a novel method for SNV calling from NGS data. EMVC-2 uses a multi-class ensemble classification approach based on the expectation–maximization algorithm that infers at each locus the most likely genotype from multiple labels provided by different learners. The inferred variants are then validated by a decision tree that filters out unlikely ones. We evaluate EMVC-2 on several publicly available real human NGS data for which the set of SNVs is available, and demonstrate that it outperforms state-of-the-art variant callers in terms of accuracy and speed, on average.

Availability and implementation

EMVC-2 is coded in C and Python, and is freely available for download at: https://github.com/guilledufort/EMVC-2. EMVC-2 is also available in Bioconda.
Nunchaku: optimally partitioning data into piece-wise contiguous segments
Authors: Huo Yu , Li Hongpei , Wang Xiao , Du Xiaochen , Swain Peter S
Published: November 2023

Motivation

When analyzing 1D time series, scientists are often interested in identifying regions where one variable depends linearly on the other. Typically, they use an ad hoc and therefore often subjective method to do so.

Results

Here, we develop a statistically rigorous, Bayesian approach to infer the optimal partitioning of a dataset not only into contiguous piece-wise linear segments, but also into contiguous segments described by linear combinations of arbitrary basis functions. We therefore present a general solution to the problem of identifying discontinuous change points. Focusing on microbial growth, we use the algorithm to find the range of optical density where this density is linearly proportional to the number of cells and to automatically find the regions of exponential growth for both Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. For budding yeast, we consequently are able to infer the Monod constant for growth on fructose. Our algorithm lends itself to automation and high throughput studies, increases reproducibility, and should facilitate data analyses for a broad range of scientists.

Availability and implementation

The corresponding Python package, entitled Nunchaku, is available at PyPI: https://pypi.org/project/nunchaku.
Experimental evidence of mate choice as the driving mechanism behind negative assortative mating for shell colour in a marine snail
Authors: Gefaell Juan , Vigo Ramón , Galindo Juan , Rolán-Alvarez Emilio
Published: November 2023

How colour polymorphisms are maintained in natural populations constitutes a key subject of study for evolutionary ecologists. One of the mechanisms that has been put forward to explain this phenomenon is negative frequency-dependent selection, which can be caused by different mechanisms. Among these mechanisms is mate choice, or the selection as a potential mate of the rare or dissimilar colour morph by the choosy sex of a given species. In the context of colour polymorphism, mate choice predicts the occurrence of a negative assortative mating pattern, whereby different colour morphs mate more often than expected by chance alone. However, negative assortative mating can also result from other mechanisms, making it, at best, a fallible indicator of a mate choice-driven negative frequency-dependent selection. For this reason, experimental evidence explicitly connecting such a mating pattern to mate choice is necessary to claim that a particular colour polymorphism is being maintained by negative frequency-dependent selection. Here we present experimental evidence backing this relationship for the colour polymorphic marine gastropod Littorina saxatilis from the Ría de Vigo (NW Iberian Peninsula), although how specifically these organisms choose their mates remains unclear. This calls for further experimental efforts to clarify this issue and its relationship to the maintenance of colour polymorphism in L. saxatilis.
Association of women-specific size threshold and mortality in elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair
Authors: Talvitie Mareia , Jonsson Magnus , Roy Joy , Hultgren Rebecka
Published: November 2023

Background

It is unclear whether women derive mortality benefit from early repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The aim of this study was to compare short- and mid-term mortality for women treated at small versus large diameters.

Method

Women receiving elective repair of AAA at small (49–54 mm) and large (≥55 mm) diameters from 2008 to 2022 were extracted from the Swedish National Registry for Vascular Surgery (n = 1642 women). The effect of diameter on 90-day, 1- and 3-year mortality was studied in logistic regression and propensity score models. Age, co-morbidities, smoking and repair modality were considered as confounders. Men (n = 9047) were analysed in parallel.

Results

Some 1642 women were analysed, of whom 34% underwent repair at small diameters (versus 52% of men). Women with small (versus large) AAAs were younger (73 versus 75 years, P < 0.001), and 63% of women in both size groups had endovascular repairs (P = 0.120). Mortality was 3.5% (90 days), 7.1% (1 year) and 15.8% (3 years), with no differences between the size strata. There was no consistent association between AAA size and mortality in multivariable models. Sex differences in mortality were almost entirely due to mortality in younger-than-average women versus men (3-year mortality: small AAAs 11.1% versus 7.3%, P < 0.030, or large 14.4% versus 10.7%, P < 0.038).

Conclusion

Mortality in women is high and unaffected by AAA size at repair. The optimal threshold for women remains undefined. The higher rupture risk in women should not automatically translate into a lower, women-specific threshold.