bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel Doppler backscattering (DBS) system to simultaneously measure radio frequency plasma fluctuations and low frequency turbulence
Authors: Chowdhury S. , Crocker N. A. , Peebles W. A. , Rhodes T. L. , Zeng L. , Lantsov R. , Van Compernolle B. , Brookman M. , Pinsker R. I. , Lau C.
Published: July 2023

A novel quadrature Doppler Backscattering (DBS) system has been developed and optimized for the E-band (60–90 GHz) frequency range using either O-mode or X-mode polarization in DIII-D plasmas. In general, DBS measures the amplitude of density fluctuations and their velocity in the lab frame. The system can simultaneously monitor both low-frequency turbulence (f < 10 MHz) and radiofrequency plasma density fluctuations over a selectable frequency range (20–500 MHz). Detection of high-frequency fluctuations has been demonstrated for low harmonics of the ion cyclotron frequency (e.g., 2fci ∼ 23 MHz) and externally driven high-frequency helicon waves (f = 476 MHz) using an adjustable frequency down conversion system. Importantly, this extends the application of DBS to a high-frequency spectral domain while maintaining important turbulence and flow measurement capabilities. This unique system has low phase noise, good temporal resolution (sub-millisecond), and excellent wavenumber coverage (kθ ∼ 1–20 cm−1 and kr ≲ 30 cm−1). As a demonstration, localized internal DIII-D plasma measurements are presented from turbulence (f ≤ 5 MHz), Alfvenic waves (f ∼ 6.5 MHz), ion cyclotron waves (f ≥ 20 MHz), as well as fluctuations around 476 MHz driven by an external high-power 476 MHz helicon wave antenna. In the future, helicon measurements will be used to validate GENRAY and AORSA modeling tools for prediction of helicon wave propagation, absorption, and current drive location for the newly installed helicon current drive system on DIII-D.
Numerical analysis of aerospace plate damage via 3D electrical impedance tomography
Authors: Sun Benyuan , Zhong Hangyu , Zhao Yu , Zhu Zhenyu , Ma Long
Published: July 2023

The carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is widely used in the aerospace industry due to its high strength and lightweight characteristics, making it crucial to ensure the reliability of these materials. This has led to an increasing focus on research on the health monitoring technologies of aerospace materials. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive and cost-effective technology that has the potential to realize real-time health monitoring of materials by measuring changes in electrical parameters. This paper investigates the application of EIT for direct 3D reconstruction of damage in CFRP laminates with significant conductivity anisotropy distribution. Based on the corrected sensitivity matrix formula, the direct 3D image reconstruction method combined with the fast iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm (FISTA) is proposed to achieve damage imaging of CFRP laminates in the inverse problem. The fast convergence of the FISTA makes it possible to solve complex inverse problems. The numerical simulation results indicate that, compared with 2D EIT, the proposed method is more capable of providing damage information, especially in the depth direction. This research plays a constructive role in realizing 3D image reconstruction of CFRP material damage and has significant implications for improving the reliability and safety of CFRP materials in aerospace applications.
Manipulation of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and spin–orbit torque switching behavior in ferrimagnetic D022-Mn3Ga based multilayers
Authors: Zhao Xupeng , Sun Hongli , Tong Shucheng , Han Rongkun , Qin Hongrui , Zhao Jianhua
Published: July 2023

Perpendicularly magnetized ferrimagnets have shown potential application in nonvolatile, high-density, and ultrafast spintronic devices. Achieving this requires tuning the material performance of ultrathin ferrimagnetic films. Here, we present an experimental demonstration of tunable perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) and spin–orbit torque (SOT) switching behavior in a ferrimagnetic Heusler alloy D022-Mn3Ga based multilayers by introducing lattice-matching underlayers. It is found that the highly (001) orientated crystalline structure is well maintained, whereas coercivity, anisotropy field, and PMA constant rely heavily on the specific underlayer. Owing to the strong out-of-plane exchange coupling, the PMA constant of Co2MnSi/D022-Mn3Ga is significantly enhanced by four times and reaches 12.1 Merg/cm3. Moreover, the SOT measurements suggest that Fe/D022-Mn3Ga and Co2MnSi/D022-Mn3Ga exhibit analog and abrupt switching dynamics, respectively. This contrasting SOT switching behavior is attributed to different magnetization switching mechanisms, verified by the direct imaging of the nanoscale magnetic domain. These results provide a deep insight into the manipulation of not only fundamental magnetic properties but also SOT switching of ferrimagnetic Heusler alloys.
Experimental and simulation studies of surface segregation-limited nitrogen incorporation at the growth front of physical vapor transport-grown 4H-SiC crystals
Authors: Ota Takuto , Asano Shunsuke , Inoue Yuta , Ohtani Noboru
Published: July 2023

Experimental and simulation studies were conducted for surface segregation-limited kinetics of nitrogen incorporation into a 4H-SiC crystal during physical vapor transport (PVT) crystal growth. It was revealed that the nitrogen incorporation is kinetically limited by the step-flow velocity on the growing crystal surface of a 4H-SiC crystal; in this study, the surface step-flow velocity at the growth front was deduced from the local inclination angle of the growth front measured from the (0001¯) plane, assuming a uniform growth rate along the c-axis (crystal growth direction) across the growth front, and the nitrogen concentration across the growth front was measured using Raman scattering microscopy. The step-flow velocity dependence of nitrogen incorporation was theoretically analyzed using a two-site-exchange model, and the simulated dependence using the model was in good agreement with the experimental data. On the basis of these experimental and simulation results, kinematical and energetical aspects of nitrogen incorporation at the growth front of a 4H-SiC crystal during PVT growth are discussed.
Optimization of on-axis magnetic field of uniformly magnetized cones
Authors: Batishchev O. , Hyde A.
Published: July 2023

The magnetic field B induced along the axis of symmetry of axially magnetized cones was studied analytically and experimentally for various cone angles α. An explicit algebraic equation was derived for sharp-pointed and truncated cones. A sharp cone is characterized by singularities of B and ∇B at its apex point. For a truncated cone, the maximum values of these quantities are achieved for αmax∼54.7° and α∇∼39.2°, respectively. Two truncated cones with αuni∼63.4° positioned in a mirrored co-apex configuration produce a uniform axial field in the free-space gap. For smaller angles, the minimum field is located in the center of the airgap, while for larger, it is at the cones’ surfaces with extremum at αmin∼71.6°. These predictions were investigated using a tunable apparatus in which Co–Fe cones are magnetized by cylindrical NdFeB magnets. Strong ∼4 T B-field was achieved. Experimental results are discussed in detail, including incomplete magnetization and other secondary effects.
Quasi-elastic neutron scattering studies on fast dynamics of water molecules in tetra-n-butylammonium bromide semiclathrate hydrate
Authors: Shimada Jin , Tani Atsushi , Yamada Takeshi , Sugahara Takeshi , Hirai Takayuki , Okuchi Takuo
Published: July 2023

The dynamics of the water molecules in tetra-n-butyl-d36-ammonium bromide semiclathrate hydrate was investigated by quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS). The QENS results clearly revealed a fast reorientation motion of water molecules in the temperature range of 212–278 K. The mean jump distance of hydrogen atoms was within 1.5–2.0 Å. The relaxation time of water reorientation was estimated to be 100–410 ps with an activation energy of 10.2 ± 5.8 kJ·mol−1. The activation energy was in good agreement with the cleavage energy of hydrogen bonds. Such a short relaxation time of water reorientation is possibly due to strong interaction between a bromide anion and its surrounding water molecules (similar to so-called negative hydration), which suggests a unique strategy for designing efficient, safe, and inexpensive proton conductors having the framework of semiclathrate hydrates.
Experimental study of dynamic response of passive flapping hydrofoil in regular wave
Authors: Wang Junxian , Santhosh Sabin , Colomés Oriol , Capaldo Matteo , Yang Liang
Published: July 2023

The hydrofoil harnesses wave energy and converts it into thrust. In this paper, we present the results of the first experimental study investigating the dynamic behavior of a fully passive foil with spring-loaded pitch and heave in regular waves. Our study shows that the real-time load signal is multi-harmonic with strong superposition, directly proving the robust energy harvesting performance due to the restoring springs. By interpreting the hydrofoil's pose and path from an image sequence captured underwater, we conclude the dynamic evolution of the fully passive hydrofoil interacting with regular waves. The hydrofoil's dynamics exhibit asymmetric surge, pitch, and heave in a motion cycle. Furthermore, we employ a pixel capturing algorithm with self-correction utility to quantify the hydrofoil's forward displacement from the image sequence of the moving carriage. These findings provide valuable insight into the performance and potential of hydrofoils for marine propulsion.
Observation of thermal acoustic modes of a droplet coupled to an optomechanical sensor
Authors: Hornig G. J. , Scheuer K. G. , DeCorby R. G.
Published: July 2023

The bulk acoustic modes of liquid droplets, well understood from a theoretical perspective, have rarely been observed experimentally. Here, we report the indirect observation of acoustic vibrational modes in a picoliter-scale droplet, extending up to ∼40 MHz. This was achieved by coupling the droplet to an ultra-sensitive optomechanical sensor, which operates in a thermal-noise limited regime and with a substantial contribution from acoustic noise in the ambient medium. The droplet vibrational modes manifest as Fano resonances in the thermal noise spectrum of the sensor. This is among the few reported observations of droplet acoustic modes and of Fano interactions in a coupled mechanical oscillator system driven only by thermal Brownian motion.
Experimental and numerical study on the effects of sweep angle on cavitation around a wedge-section hydrofoil
Authors: Kareem Hilo Ali , Hong Ji-Woo , Ahn Byoung-Kwon , Paik Bu-Geun , Jeong So-Won , Kim Tae-Woo , Kim Seonhong
Published: July 2023

The influence of sweep angles on cavitation characteristics and mechanisms of a wedge-section hydrofoil is investigated experimentally and numerically. Four hydrofoils with sweep angles of 0° (straight), 30°, 45°, and 60° are considered across a range of cavitation numbers from 2.00 to 0.48 and angle of attack (AOA) of 0°, 5°, 10°, and 15°. Two high-speed cameras are used to visualize the cavitation flow in a high-speed cavitation tunnel. The numerical simulation is conducted using unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations through OpenFOAM. At an AOA of 0° and 5°, vortex cavitation first appears in the wake region of all models at a cavitation number of 0.98. However, at higher AOA values of 10° and 15°, tip-vortex cavitation (TVC) begins first for the straight foil, and this is followed by sheet and wake cavitation. In contrast, the swept foil does not succumb to TVC. Instead, as the sweep angle increases, sheet cavitation develops into root leading-edge vortex cavitation (LEVC). The inclination angle of the LEVC from the leading edge is observed to be between 6° and 15°, depending on the sweep angle, and it is independent of the cavitation number and AOA. The wake vortex changes from eddy vortex shedding at the wake region of the straight hydrofoil into two root trailing-edge vortices as the sweep angle increases. The swept hydrofoil reduces the average cavity volume by more than 45% compared with the straight foil. The lift coefficient of the straight hydrofoil increases as sheet cavitation is generated and reaches a maximum value of 0.6 when cavitation covers the suction side of the hydrofoil before dropping sharply when it extends to the wake region. However, there is only minor deterioration in the lift coefficient of the 60° swept-angle foil when the cavitation occurs. The drag coefficient reduces when cavitation forms for both foils. However, the drag coefficient of the swept hydrofoil is lower than that of the straight foil. These findings offer valuable insight into the design and optimization of foils for various applications where cavitation affects their performance and stability.
Prediction model of transformer top oil temperature based on data quality enhancement
Authors: Dong Naxin , Zhang Ruoyu , Li Zong , Cao Bin
Published: July 2023

Top oil temperature (TOT) is an important parameter to evaluate the running state of a transformer. According to the variation trend of TOT, the internal thermal state of transformers can be predicted so as to arrange operation and maintenance reasonably and prevent the occurrence of accidents. However, due to the complex working environment in the field, there are often a large number of missing values in online monitoring data, which seriously affects the prediction of TOT. At the same time, it is affected by various factors such as load, ambient temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation, which cause the information of different time scales to be mixed in its monitoring data. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve the desired accuracy with a single model. In this article, a model for predicting TOT based on data quality enhancement is proposed. First, the Markov model is used to complete the online monitoring data containing missing values to obtain a complete and continuous time series. Then, using the ensemble empirical modal decomposition method, the time series of TOT is decomposed into multiple time series components to eliminate the interaction between different time scales of information, thus reducing the prediction difficulty. Finally, the sub-prediction model of the extreme learning machine is constructed, and the prediction results of all the sub-models are reconstructed to obtain the final prediction results of TOT. In order to verify the effectiveness of the model, the TOT of an operating transformer for the next two days is predicted in the article, and its mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is 5.27% and its root mean square error (RMSE) is 2.46. Compared with the BP neural network model and the support vector machines (SVM) model, the MAPE is reduced by 69.56% and 61.92%, respectively, and the RMSE is reduced by 67.02% and 59.87%. The results of this study will provide important support for the fault diagnosis of the top oil temperature online monitoring system.
Temperature dependent characteristics of
β
-Ga2O3 FinFETs by MacEtch
Authors: Ren Zhongjie , Huang Hsien-Chih , Lee Hanwool , Chan Clarence , Roberts Henry C. , Wu Xihang , Waseem Aadil , Bhuiyan A F M Anhar Uddin , Zhao Hongping , Zhu Wenjuan , Li Xiuling
Published: July 2023

Understanding the thermal stability and degradation mechanism of β-Ga2O3 metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) is crucial for their high-power electronics applications. This work examines the high temperature performance of the junctionless lateral β-Ga2O3 FinFET grown on a native β-Ga2O3 substrate, fabricated by metal-assisted chemical etching with Al2O3 gate oxide and Ti/Au gate metal. The thermal exposure effect on threshold voltage (Vth), subthreshold swing (SS), hysteresis, and specific on-resistance (Ron,sp), as a function of temperature up to 298 °C, is measured and analyzed. SS and Ron,sp increased with increasing temperatures, similar to the planar MOSFETs, while a more severe negative shift of Vth was observed for the high aspect-ratio FinFETs here. Despite employing a much thicker epilayer (∼2 μm) for the channel, the high temperature performance of Ion/Ioff ratios and SS of the FinFET in this work remains comparable to that of the planar β-Ga2O3 MOSFETs reported using epilayers ∼10–30× thinner. This work paves the way for further investigation into the stability and promise of β-Ga2O3 FinFETs compared to their planar counterparts.
Vasodilators mobilize SK3 channels in endothelial cells to produce arterial relaxation
Authors: Peixoto-Neves Dieniffer , Yadav Shambhu , MacKay Charles E. , Mbiakop Ulrich C. , Mata-Daboin Alejandro , Leo M. Dennis , Jaggar Jonathan H.
Published: July 2023

Endothelial cells (ECs) line the lumen of all blood vessels and regulate functions, including contractility. Physiological stimuli, such as acetylcholine (ACh) and intravascular flow, activate transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channels, which stimulate small (SK3)- and intermediate (IK)-conductance Ca
2+
-activated potassium channels in ECs to produce vasodilation. Whether physiological vasodilators also modulate the surface abundance of these ion channels in ECs to elicit functional responses is unclear. Here, we show that ACh and intravascular flow stimulate rapid anterograde trafficking of an intracellular pool of SK3 channels in ECs of resistance-size arteries, which increases surface SK3 protein more than two-fold. In contrast, ACh and flow do not alter the surface abundance of IK or TRPV4 channels. ACh triggers SK3 channel trafficking by activating TRPV4-mediated Ca
2+
influx, which stimulates Rab11A, a Rab GTPase associated with recycling endosomes. Superresolution microscopy data demonstrate that SK3 trafficking specifically increases the size of surface SK3 clusters which overlap with TRPV4 clusters. We also show that Rab11A-dependent trafficking of SK3 channels is an essential contributor to vasodilator-induced SK current activation in ECs and vasorelaxation. In summary, our data demonstrate that vasodilators activate Rab11A, which rapidly delivers an intracellular pool of SK3 channels to the vicinity of surface TRPV4 channels in ECs. This trafficking mechanism increases surface SK3 cluster size, elevates SK3 current density, and produces vasodilation. These data also demonstrate that SK3 and IK channels are differentially regulated by trafficking-dependent and -independent signaling mechanisms in endothelial cells.
Mass spectrometry and in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations of organometallic species induced by the etching of germanium, antimony and selenium in a methane-based plasma
Authors: Meyer T , Girard A , Bouška M , Baudet E , Baillieul M , Nĕmec P , Nazabal V , Cardinaud C
Published: July 2023

Organometallic positive ions were identified in inductively coupled plasmas by means of mass spectrometry during the etching of Ge, Sb, Se materials. A preliminary study was focused on identifying M
x
H
y
+ (M = Ge, Sb, Se) positive ion clusters during a H2/Ar etching process. The methane addition to the H2/Ar mixture generates CH
x
reactive neutral species. The latter react with the metalloids within gas phase to form M
x
C
y
H
z

+ organometallic ions. In addition, the etching of Sb2Se3 and Ge19.5Sb17.8Se62.7 bulk targets forms mixed products via ion-molecule reactions as evidenced by the presence of SeSbC
x
H
y

+ ion clusters. Changes in surface composition induced by the newly formed organometallic structures were investigated using in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In the case of the Ge and Sb surfaces, (M)–M–C
x
environments broadened the Ge 2p3/2, Ge 3d, Sb 3d and Sb 4d spectra to higher values of binding energy. For the Se surface, only the hydrogen and methyl bonding could explain the important broadening of the Se 3d core level. It was found that the Ge39Se61 thin film presents an induced (Ge)–Ge–Se entity on the Ge 2p3/2 and Ge 3d core levels.
In-situ critical current measurements of REBCO coated conductors during gamma irradiation
Authors: Chislett-McDonald S B L , Bullock L , Turner A , Schoofs F , Dieudonne Y , Reilly A
Published: July 2023

Rare-earth-barium-copper-oxide (REBCO) coated conductor tapes within next-generation tokamak pilot and power plant magnets will be exposed to broad-spectrum gamma-ray and neutron irradiation concurrently. It has been known since the 1980s that cumulative neutron fluence affects the superconducting properties of REBCO, but the effects of gamma rays are less certain, as are the effects of radiation (of any kind) during current flow. However, the use of superconductors as photon detectors suggests that energetic photons interact directly with the superconducting state, locally destroying superconductivity. Hence, as well as the effect of the overall radiation dose (fluence), the effect of radiation dose rate (flux) on the superconductor’s properties must be quantified to understand how REBCO magnets will perform during fusion magnet operation. In-situ measurements of the self-field critical current at 77 K, of several REBCO coated conductor tapes were performed during Co-60 gamma ray exposure at a dose rate of 86 Gy min−1. Samples were fully submerged in liquid nitrogen throughout the measurements. No change in the critical current of any sample during or after irradiation was observed within standard error. These are the first reported in-situ measurements of critical current during fusion-relevant gamma irradiation. Two samples were irradiated to a further dose of 208 kGy at room temperature and a second round of in-situ measurements was performed. No change in the critical current of these samples was observed within standard error. This corroborates recent studies, but is in conflict with older literature.
A flexible ultra-broadband multi-layered absorber working at 2 GHz–40 GHz printed by resistive ink
Authors: Wang 汪 Tao 涛 , Yan 闫 Yu-Lun 玉伦 , Chen 陈 Gong-Hua 巩华 , Li 李 Ying 迎 , Hu 胡 Jun 俊 , Mao 毛 Jian-Bo 剑波
Published: July 2023

A flexible extra broadband metamaterial absorber (MMA) stacked with five layers working at 2 GHz–40 GHz is investigated. Each layer is composed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyimide (PI), and a frequency selective surface (FSS), which is printed on PI using conductive ink. To investigate this absorber, both one-dimensional analogous circuit analysis and three-dimensional full-wave simulation based on a physical model are provided. Various crucial electromagnetic properties, such as absorption, effective impedance, complex permittivity and permeability, electric current distribution and magnetic field distribution at resonant peak points, are studied in detail. Analysis shows that the working frequency of this absorber covers entire S, C, X, Ku, K and Ka bands with a minimum thickness of 0.098 λ
max (λ
max is the maximum wavelength in the absorption band), and the fractional bandwidth (FBW) reaches 181.1%. Moreover, the reflection coefficient is less than −10 dB at 1.998 GHz–40.056 GHz at normal incidence, and the absorptivity of the plane wave is greater than 80% when the incident angle is smaller than 50°. Furthermore, the proposed absorber is experimentally validated, and the experimental results show good agreement with the simulation results, which demonstrates the potential applicability of this absorber at 2 GHz–40 GHz.
Assessing pathological features of breast cancer via the multimodal information of multiphoton and Raman imaging
Authors: Gao 高 Bing-Ran 冰然 , Chen 陈 Xi-Wen 希文 , Zhang 张 Bao-Ping 宝萍 , A. Bratchenko Ivan , Chen 陈 Jian-Xin 建新 , Wang 王 Shuang 爽 , Xu 许 Si-Yuan 思源
Published: July 2023

For unveiling the pathological evolution of breast cancer, nonlinear multiphoton microscopic (MPM) and confocal Raman microspectral imaging (CRMI) techniques were both utilized to address the structural and constitutional characteristics of healthy (H), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) tissues. MPM-based techniques, including two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and second harmonic generation (SHG), visualized label-free and the fine structure of breast tissue. Meanwhile, CRMI not only presented the chemical images of investigated samples with the K-mean cluster analysis method (KCA), but also pictured the distribution of components in the scanned area through univariate imaging. MPM images illustrated that the cancer cells first arranged around the basement membrane of the duct, then proliferated to fill the lumens of the duct, and finally broke through the basement membrane to infiltrate into the stroma. Although the Raman imaging failed to visualize the cell structure with high resolution, it explained spectroscopically the gradual increase of nucleic acid and protein components inside the ducts as cancer cells proliferated, and displayed the distribution pattern of each biological component during the evolution of breast cancer. Thus, the combination of MPM and CRMI provided new insights into the on-site pathological diagnosis of malignant breast cancer, also ensured technical support for the development of multimodal optical imaging techniques for precise histopathological analysis.
Effect of chaperone–client interaction strength on Hsp70-mediated protein folding
Authors: Zou 邹 Lujun 禄军 , Lu 陆 Jiajun 伽俊 , Xu 徐 Xiulian 秀莲
Published: July 2023

Protein folding in crowding cellular environment often relies on the assistance of various chaperones. Hsp70 is one of the most ubiquitous chaperones in cells. Previous studies showed that the chaperone–client interactions at the open state tend to remodel the protein folding energy landscape and direct the protein folding as a foldase. In this work, we further investigate how the chaperone–client interaction strength modulates the foldase function of Hsp70 by using molecular simulations. The results showed that the time of substrate folding (including the whole folding step and substrate release step) has a non-monotonic dependence on the interaction strength. With the increasing of the chaperone–client interaction strength, the folding time decreases first, and then increases. More detailed analysis showed that when the chaperone–client interaction is too strong, even small number of chaperones–client contacts can maintain the substrate bound with the chaperone. The sampling of the transient chaperones–client complex with sparse inter-molecule contacts makes the client protein have chance to access the misfolded state even it is bound with chaperone. The current results suggest that the interaction strength is an important factor controlling the Hsp70 chaperoning function.
Analysis of development of Norwegian household solar energy ecosystem
Authors: Meng Qian , Yin Huilin , Johannessen Marius Rohde , Berntzen Lasse
Published: July 2023

Solar energy for self-production is one of the tools for improving energy efficiency in buildings to achieve EU’s climate and energy goals, while solar energy has a very small share and is increasing slowly in Norway. This paper analyses the four main reasons why solar power has an insignificant role: hydropower with much lower cost, low energy output in winter due to less sunlight, unclear personal willingness to adopt solar photovoltaics (PV) on their houses and current fixed PV panels with low energy efficiency. Based on this analysis, we propose to use a tilting PV system for the current buildings to improve the efficiency and performance of utilization of the solar radiation. In three cities Oslo, Stavanger and Trondheim, economic return for the investment in PV panels is also calculated with payback period (PBP) analysis based on the electricity prices in 2022. It shows that it is profitable with the payback period of over 10 years while the solar panels’ life span is over 30 years. Further research questions are also discussed.
Fatigue life analysis of offshore wind turbine tower under combined action of wind and wave
Authors: Xie Ya , Dai Bing , Huang Zhonghua
Published: July 2023

In order to obtain the fatigue life of an 8 MW offshore wind turbine tower, the fatigue damage characteristics of tower under combined action of wind and wave were analyzed. The calculation method of fatigue damage degree of the tower under different working conditions in unit cycle time is given. Based on the linear extension theory of fatigue damage, the annual fatigue damage degree of the tower under different working conditions was calculated, and the fatigue life of the tower was obtained. The calculation results show that the fatigue life of the tower is 31.2 years when the ideal S-N curve is adopted, which is longer than the design life of 25 years. The influences of average stress, roughness and structure size on S-N curve are analyzed. When Goodman method is selected for average stress correction, roughness coefficient is 0.473, and dimension correction coefficient is 0.639, the fatigue life of the tower is 26.7 years, decreasing by 14%. The fatigue life of the tower under different roughness is calculated. The calculated results show that the fatigue life of the tower decreases with the decrease of the roughness coefficient. When the roughness coefficient is 0.287, the fatigue life of the tower is about 25 years.
Using network pharmacology to fabricate crosslinked hyaluronan–chondroitin sulphate-resveratrol composite hydrogels for cartilage regeneration
Authors: Zhang Yushen , Wang Lei , Shi Yubo , Cheng Debin , Zhu Dongze , Mi Zhenzhou , Dang Jingyi , Zhang Zhao , Liu Xincheng , Fan Hongbin
Published: July 2023

Cartilage tissue engineering provides a new approach for the treatment of cartilage damage. The combination of drug system with a tissue scaffold could be highly beneficial. Resveratrol (RES) is a potent anti-inflammatory agent, but its target genes and molecular mechanism of cartilage repair remain to be further studied. We used systems biology and network pharmacology methods to explore the mechanism of RES for chondrocyte and macrophages. Meanwhile, crosslinked hyaluronan–chondroitin sulphate-RES hydrogels (cHA-CS-RES) were constructed based on the target prediction results. By in vitro and in vivo experiments, we investigated its anti-inflammatory and pro-chondrogenesis. The results showed there were 12 hub genes potentially interacting in the RES-chondrocyte-macrophage network. In vitro experiments were used to further verify the validity of the predicted hub genes. The composite hydrogels were successfully fabricated, and maintenance of the characteristic was further confirmed. In vitro study, cHA-CS-RES showed high cell viability, anti-inflammatory and pro-chondrogenesis abilities. In vivo study of cartilage defects confirmed that the cHA-CS-RES groups were significantly better than the control group. Network pharmacology was used to predict and screen the target proteins of RES critical to cartilage tissue engineering. Moreover, cHA-CS-RES composite hydrogel showed good cartilage repair effects, anti-inflammatory and pro-chondrogenesis abilities.
Groundwater-dependent ecosystems at risk – global hotspot analysis and implications
Authors: Link Andreas , El-Hokayem Léonard , Usman Muhammad , Conrad Christopher , Reinecke Robert , Berger Markus , Wada Yoshihide , Coroama Vlad , Finkbeiner Matthias
Published: July 2023

Many land-based ecosystems are dependent on groundwater and could be threatened by human groundwater abstraction. One key challenge for the description of associated impacts is the initial localisation of groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs). This usually requires a mixture of extensive site-specific data collection and the use of geospatial datasets and remote sensing techniques. To date, no study has succeeded in identifying different types of GDEs in parallel worldwide. The main objective of this work is to perform a global screening analysis to identify GDE potentials rather than GDE locations. In addition, potential risks to GDEs from groundwater abstraction shall be identified. We defined nine key indicators that capture GDE potentials and associated risks on a global grid of 0.5° spatial resolution. Groundwater-dependent streams, wetlands and vegetation were covered, and a GDE index was formulated incorporating the following three aspects: the extent of groundwater use per GDE type, GDE diversity and GDE presence by land cover. The results show that GDE potentials are widely distributed across the globe, but with different distribution patterns depending on the type of ecosystem. The highest overall potential for GDEs is found in tropical regions, followed by arid and temperate climates. The GDE potentials were validated against regional studies, which showed a trend of increasing matching characteristics towards higher GDE potentials, but also inconsistencies upon closer analysis. Thus, the results can be used as first-order estimates only, which would need to be explored in the context of more site-specific analyses. Identified risks to GDEs from groundwater abstraction are more geographically limited and concentrated in the US and Mexico, the Iberian Peninsula and the Maghreb, as well as Central, South and East Asia. The derived findings on GDEs and associated risks can be useful for prioritising future research and can be integrated into sustainability-related tools such as the water footprint.
Lagrangian reduction of forced discrete mechanical systems
Authors: Caruso Matías I , Fernández Javier , Tori Cora , Zuccalli Marcela
Published: July 2023

In this paper we propose a process of Lagrangian reduction and reconstruction for symmetric discrete-time mechanical systems acted on by external forces, where the symmetry group action on the configuration manifold turns it into a principal bundle. We analyze the evolution of momentum maps and Poisson structures under different conditions.
Overgroups of subsystem subgroups in exceptional groups: inside a sandwich
Authors: Gvozdevsky P.
Published: July 2023

This paper supplements a previous paper by the author (Overgroups of subsystem subgroups in exceptional groups: a

2

A
1

2A_1

-proof, (2020)), where the overgroup lattice of the elementary subsystem subgroup

E
(
Δ
,
R
)

E(\Delta ,R)

of the Chevalley group

G
(
Φ
,
R
)

G(\Phi ,R)

for a sufficiently large root subsystem

Δ
\Delta

was studied. Currently, the subject-matter is the relationship between the elementary subgroup

E
^

(
σ
)

\widehat {E}(\sigma )

given by a net of ideals 

σ
\sigma

of the ring 

R
R

, and the stabilizer

S
(
σ
)

S(\sigma )

of the corresponding Lie subalgebra of the Chevalley algebra. In particular, it is proved that under a certain condition the subgroup

E
^

(
σ
)

\widehat {E}(\sigma )

is normal in

S
(
σ
)

S(\sigma )

, and some properties of the corresponding quotient group are established.
Improved resolvent 𝐿²-approximations in homogenization of fourth order operators
Authors: Pastukhova S.
Published: July 2023

A divergent elliptic operator

A
ε

A_\varepsilon

of the fourth order with

ε
\varepsilon

-periodic coefficients acting in the space

R

d

\mathbb {R}^d

is treated, where

ε
\varepsilon

is a small parameter. For the resolvent

(

A
ε

+
1

)

−
1

(A_\varepsilon +1)^{-1}

, approximations are constructed in the operator

(

L
2

→

L
2

)

{(L^2\to L^2)}

-norm with remainder of order

ε
3

\varepsilon ^3

. The method of two-scale expansions with the use of smoothing is employed.
Symbol length of classes in Milnor 𝐾-groups
Authors: Chapman A.
Published: July 2023

Given a field

F
F

, a positive integer

m
m

and an integer

n
≥
2

n\geq 2

, it is proved that the symbol length of classes in Milnor’s

K
K

-groups

K
n

F

/

2
m

K
n

F

K_n F/2^m K_n F

that are equivalent to single symbols under the embedding into

K
n

F

/

2

m
+
1

K
n

F

K_n F/2^{m+1} K_n F

is at most

2

n
−
1

2^{n-1}

under the assumption that

F
⊇

μ

2

m
+
1

F \supseteq \mu _{2^{m+1}}

. Since

K
2

F

/

2
m

K
2

F
≅

2
m

B
r
(
F
)

K_2 F/2^m K_2 F \cong {_{2^m}Br(F)}

for

n
=
2

n=2

, this coincides with the upper bound of

2
2

(proved by Tignol in 1983) for the symbol length of central simple algebras of exponent 

2
m

2^m

that are Brauer equivalent to a single symbol algebra of degree 

2

m
+
1

2^{m+1}

. The cases where the embedding into

K
n

F

/

2

m
+
1

K
n

F

K_n F/2^{m+1} K_n F

is of symbol length

2
2

,

3
3

, and

4
4

(the last when

n
=
2

n=2

) are also considered. The paper finishes with the study of the symbol length for classes in

K
3

/

3
m

K
3

F

K_3/3^m K_3 F

whose embedding into

K
3

F

/

3

m
+
1

K
3

F

K_3 F/3^{m+1} K_3 F

is one symbol when

F
⊇

μ

3

m
+
1

F \supseteq \mu _{3^{m+1}}

.
Optimization of an Information Leaflet to Influence Medication Beliefs in Women With Breast Cancer: A Randomized Factorial Experiment
Authors: Green Sophie M C , Hall Louise H , French David P , Rousseau Nikki , Parbutt Catherine , Walwyn Rebecca , Smith Samuel G
Published: July 2023

Background

Adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) is low in women with breast cancer. Negative beliefs about the necessity of AET and high concerns are barriers to adherence.

Purpose

To use the multiphase optimization strategy to optimize the content of an information leaflet intervention, to change AET beliefs.

Methods

We conducted an online screening experiment using a 25 factorial design to optimize the leaflet. The leaflet had five components, each with two levels: (i) diagrams about AET mechanisms (on/off); (ii) infographics displaying AET benefits (enhanced/basic); (iii) AET side effects (enhanced/basic); (iv) answers to AET concerns (on/off); (v) breast cancer survivor (patient) input: quotes and photographs (on/off). Healthy adult women (n = 1,604), recruited via a market research company, were randomized to 1 of 32 experimental conditions, which determined the levels of components received. Participants completed the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire before and after viewing the leaflet.

Results

There was a significant main effect of patient input on beliefs about medication (β = 0.063, p < .001). There was one significant synergistic two-way interaction between diagrams and benefits (β = 0.047, p = .006), and one antagonistic two-way interaction between diagrams and side effects (β = −0.029, p = .093). There was a synergistic three-way interaction between diagrams, concerns, and patient input (β = 0.029, p = .085), and an antagonistic four-way interaction between diagrams, benefits, side effects, and concerns (β = −0.038, p = .024). In a stepped approach, we screened in four components and screened out the side effects component.

Conclusions

The optimized leaflet did not contain enhanced AET side effect information. Factorial experiments are efficient and effective for refining the content of information leaflet interventions.
CAMEL NANOBODY-BASED B7-H3 CAR-T CELLS WITH HIGH EFFICACY AGAINST SOLID TUMORS
Authors: Li Dan , Wang Ruixue , Liang Tianyuzhou , Ren Hua , Park Chaelee , Tai Chin-Hsien , Ni Weiming , Zhou Jing , Mackay Sean , Edmondson Elijah , Khan Javed , Croix Brad St , Ho Mitchell
Published: July 2023

Background and significance

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy shows promising potency for treating patients with hematological malignancies. However, follow-up data indicate that only 30% to 50% of these patients experience long-term disease control. In solid tumors, the B7-H3 transmembrane protein is an emerging target that harbors in its ectodomain two distinct epitope motifs - IgC and IgV. Here, we developed nanobody-based CAR-T cell strategy targeting B7-H3 and investigated its anti-tumor efficacy in xenograft mouse models.

Methods

We isolated anti-B7-H3 VHHs from our large dromedary camel VHH nanobody libraries with great diversity (> 1012 total) by phage display technology. The binding of isolated VHHs was validated by ELISA, flow cytometry, and Octet. A B7-H3 peptide library was synthesized to predict the epitope of select VHHs. Anti-tumor effect of B7-H3 CAR-T cells was determined via cell luciferase-based cell killing assay as well as xenograft mouse models. Two tumor models, human neuroblastoma and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, were used in the present study. Single-cell transcriptome RNA sequencing coupled with single T-cell functional proteomics analysis was used to analyze the functionality of nanobody-based B7-H3 CAR-T cells.

Results

We analyzed the isoforms of B7-H3 at the RNA and protein levels and validated that only 4IgB7-H3 is a therapeutic target as the dominant isoform in tumors. Targeting 4Ig isoform, we obtained a panel of high-affinity nanobodies cross-reactive to human, mouse, rat, and monkey. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CAR-T cells based on the nanobodies had potent antitumor activity against tumors with rigorous T cell signaling and significant tumor infiltration. Mechanistically, we uncovered the top-upregulated genes that might be critical for the persistence of polyfunctional CAR-T cells in the tumor microenvironment.

Conclusions

Our results provide a novel nanobody-based B7-H3 CAR-T product for use in solid tumor therapy.
OVERCOMING TECHNICAL CHALLENGES OF BISPECIFIC AND MULTI-SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES USING NOVEL TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS
Authors: Xu Jianqing , Wang Shuang , Fan Xinzhao , Wang George , Gu Jijie , Nie Siwei
Published: July 2023

Background

Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) and multispecific antibodies (msAbs) are a growing class of next generation biotherapeutics. However, multiple challenges, such as chain mispairing and developability issues are often associated with these complex modalities.

Methods

WuXi Biologics has established bsAb and msAb engineering and development platforms. By replacing CH1/CL domains of one antibody Fab by corresponding T cell receptor (TCR) Cβ/Cα domains, WuXiBody® bsAb technology can ensure the correct heavy-light chain pairing. WuXi Biologics has developed the SDArBody™ platform, which utilizes single domain antibodies (VHH) as building blocks to facilitate the exploration of more complex biologics, such as msAbs.

Results

as shown in case studies, the WuXiBody® technology is able to assemble regular mAbs in a ‘plug-and-play’ manner, and that the SDArBody® can be utilized to identify VHH leads and then assemble into msAbs. Both platforms can generate highly functional bsAb and msAb with good developability.

Conclusions

The establishment of WuXiBody® and SDArBody® platforms could greatly meet the needs of biologics developers in pursuit of different biology and therapeutic approaches through bsAbs and msAbs.
A NOVEL IMMUNOSTIMULATORY PD-L1/OX40 TETRAVALENT BISPECIFIC ANTIBODY FOR CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY
Authors: Li Baocun , Wu Xuan , Gong Shiyong , Lv Zhou , Zhang Nianying , Zhang Yu , Naren Gaowa , Wu Danqing , Wu Jianfu , Liu Fan , Zhang Rui , Wu Chengbin
Published: July 2023

Single agent immune checkpoint therapy has shown substantial and durable clinical activity in many tumor types; however, only a fraction of the patients could benefit from this approach. To improve beyond the anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment options, bispecific antibodies (BsAb) that combines PD-L1 blockade and conditional co-stimulatory receptor activation simultaneously in one molecule have been developed and demonstrated superior anti-tumor activity in pre-clinical models. However, many of these PD-L1 based BsAb faced challenge in clinical development due to insufficient activity or unexpected toxicity. Here, we demonstrated that OX40 might be a more suitable partner for PD-L1 based BsAb design than other agonistic targets (CD27 and 4-1BB, etc.) currently in clinical studies. A novel Fc silenced tetravalent PD-L1/OX40 (EMB-09) BsAb targeting optimal OX40 binding epitope has been developed based on EpimAb’s proprietary FIT-Ig® technology. Results showed that EMB-09 maintained the parental mAb binding characteristic and retained the functional properties of each parental mAb including OX40 agonistic as well as PD-L1/PD1 inhibitory pathways. In addition, EMB-09 induced OX40 activation only in the context of PD-L1 engagement. Concurrent PD-L1/PD-1 blockade and OX40 co-stimulation by EMB-09 led to synergistic activation of T cell in vitro and exerted superior anti-tumor activity in mouse tumor models compared to anti-PD-L1 mAb. The underlining mechanism was extensively analyzed, which indicated an increased CD8+ tumor-infiltrating T-cells (TIL) as well as enhanced CD8 TIL activation status upon EMB-09 treatment. Additionally, EMB-09 was well tolerated in cynomolgus monkeys at high dose levels with a favorable safety and PK profile in a GLP-TOX study. In conclusion, as a PD-L1/OX40 BsAb with a novel biology mechanism, EMB-09 demonstrated a markedly improved anti-tumor activity compared to anti-PD-L1 mAb. The first-in-human clinal study of EMB-09 has been initiated (NCT05263180).
DISCOVERY OF NOVEL ANTI-SERUM ALBUMIN VHH AS A BUILDING BLOCK FOR PK PROLONGATION
Authors: Chen Yunying , Lin Xin , Qin Yi , Wu Donghui , Gu Jijie , Nie Siwei
Published: July 2023

Background

The serum half-life of endogenous albumin is approximately 19 days in humans and 1.5-2.5 days in rodents. This extended half-life in vivo is primarily due to effective recycling upon internalization mediated by the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). Many protein therapeutics smaller than 60 kD have short serum half-life, which can be extended by fusing the proteins of interest with an anti-albumin antibody. The fusion proteins then take advantage of FcRn-mediated recycling.

Single domain antibody (VHH) molecules (around 15 kD), derived from camelid heavy-chain-only IgG, are attracting increased attention globally in the field of antibody-based therapies due to several features including small size, high stability, low immunogenicity, good tissue penetration and cost effectiveness in manufacturing.

Methods

an anti-human/cynomolgus monkey/murine/canine/feline serum albumin VHH lead was discovered from a proprietary, large native phage-displayed VHH library, which was then humanized, and affinity matured. The optimized VHH was fused to bispecific and trispecific antibodies for in vivo PK studies.

Results

An anti-human serum albumin VHH Ab was discovered, and it also bound to cyno and mouse serum albumin with high affinity without affecting the interaction of HSA with FcRn. The VHH showed good developability and, once fused to protein therapeutics, long half-life and anti-tumor activity in rodents.

Conclusions

a novel VHH against serum albumin of different species was discovered from native VHH libraries, and it can be easily assembled into bispecific Abs and multispecific Abs to prolong the molecules’ PK profile.