bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Process-cost analysis of productivity and wages in agro-industrial processing organizations
Authors: Pirogova Oksana , Nuzhdin Roman , Kondrashova Nadezhda , Lukina Oksana
Published: December 2020

Process-cost analysis involves the implementation of appraisal procedures at each stage of adding value, which is considered as the main source of achieving the interests of personnel, owners and the state. The main goal of this study is to verify the existing methodological approaches to assessing the labor productivity of personnel in processing organizations of the agro-industrial complex, to assess the dynamic ratio of productivity and wages, based on methodologically justified assessment procedures that ensure the implementation of the advantages of process-cost analysis and eliminate the disadvantages of traditional methods. In order to improve the analytical suitability of the results of the process-cost analysis of labor results, three areas of key stakeholders’ interest are identified, for each of which corrective operations are provided that provide not only the possibility of a retrospective analysis, but also predicting the possibility of parity of interests. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that the share of value added in total revenues is low, the level of wages is unreasonable and, consequently, significant disparities in the distribution of value added. The inconsistency of the criterial assessment of the dynamic ratio of labor productivity and its payment in modern conditions has been proved.
Commodity lending in the region agriculture
Authors: Zhichkin Kirill , Nosov Vladimir , Zhichkina Lyudmila , Badanin Eduard , Voloshchuk Liudmila , Kotar Olga
Published: December 2020

The article examined the existing experience of using commodity lending. The work purpose is to identify the features of commodity lending as an element of the state support system for agricultural production. Within the framework of this goal, the following tasks were solved: - theoretical aspects of commodity lending were studied; - the american experience of using commodity lending within the framework of the Commodity Credit Corporation was reviewed; - proposed commodity lending classification in agriculture; - the Samara region experience was studied and promising directions for the development of commodity lending in the region were proposed. In the Samara region, the state support operator in the form of commodity lending is the SUE “Veles”, which has been operating since 2010. Thanks to the activities of the SUE “Veles” from 2011 to 2016 it was possible to change the livestock reduction negative trend in the region and ensure its growth.
New technological concept of utilization animal and poultry waste
Authors: Mamas Natalia , Verbitsky Artem , Verbitsky Vladislav
Published: December 2020

Methods of disposal of manure / litter. There is a large amount of biological waste as a source of organic nitrogen in humus-forming fertilizer. The solution to this situation is the use of a new technological process - blending manure / litter with slaughter waste, as well as subsequent autoclave treatment and drying of the mixture. Equipment for manure / litter drying can be installed on the territory of the livestock / poultry complex in a convenient location. Installation options will be different, depending on the type of manure / litter, the presence / absence of slaughter production, the type of animals or birds, but only slightly. The set of equipment will be almost the same in all cases. As a fundamental decision on the use of new technology at the state level would be the following. Logistical, technological and territorial unification of two major tasks: disposal of solid waste with obtaining huge amounts of thermal energy and simultaneous disposal of manure / litter to produce humus- forming fertilizer. The economic efficiency of the proposed technology is determined by the cost of drying. The production of dried fertilizer is very energy intensive, since have to evaporate huge amounts of water.
Algorithm for recognizing and measuring parameters of biological objects in agriculture based on deep learning convolutional neural networks
Authors: Kurbanov Rashid , Bugaev Nazhmudin , Meshkov Alexandr , Krivko Stanislav
Published: December 2020

As of today existing techniques and tools for measuring leaf area involve the detachment of leaves for further scanning and calculations to determine leaf area. The disadvantages of existing solutions for determining the area of the sheet surface are labor intensity, the duration of these studies, the relatively low accuracy of measurements. Due to these facts this study is an important work aimed to simplifying the process of analyzing biological parameters and other important characteristics of plants, as well as increasing the efficiency of this agrotechnical task. This work aims developing a set of software tools with trained neural networks to determine whether a photographed leaf belongs to the leaves of a soybean crop, assess the health of soybean plants and determine the surface area of a soybean leaf with geotagging.
Changes in the composition and properties of biochar after one-year application
Authors: Bovsun Marya , Nesterova Оlga , Semal Viktoriia , Khokhlova Аlexandra , Sakara Nikolay
Published: December 2020

The study examines the change in the properties of biochar obtained from Betula alba tree residues after its application in a field growing experiment for two growing periods in the areas with different water-air conditions (both with and without drainage). The results obtained after the first growing period showed a noticeable change in the indicators. The pH values in the biochar sample after the first growing period decreased sharply by 1.3 and 0.7 units in the areas with and without drainage, respectively, compared to the initial pH value of 8.09. After the second growing period, the change in pH value was not significant. The values of ash elements increased sharply, the content of volatile compounds decreased slightly. Water retention capacity improved. After the first growing period, water retention capacity almost doubled and it changed slightly in the sample with the biochar after its application in the second growing period.
Ecological globalistics and the paradigm of world civilization development
Authors: Suzdaleva Antonina
Published: December 2020

The nature of public perception of global environmental problems and ways to solve them becomes a paradigm for the development of civilization. The lack of resources necessary for the normal life of people has caused the development of a complex of catastrophic processes. Among them, the most important are: water, food and demographic crises, as well as the crisis of biodiversity, which consists in the widespread destruction of areas of the environment suitable for habitat of plants and animals. The real solution to these problems requires two conditions to be met. First, it is the creation of a scientific basis for the development of a global strategy for the preservation of conditions on the planet suitable for the existence of humans and other organisms. Secondly, it is the need to change the paradigm of environmental perception. The global technogenesis of the biosphere inevitably leads to a widespread transformation of natural conditions. All ecosystems are being transformed into natural and technical systems. The preservation of conditions favorable for human life and other biological species in them is possible only on the basis of the creation and inclusion in these systems of technical means that perform regulatory functions. This approach contradicts traditional ecological thinking and requires a transition to a new paradigm, which can be designated as creative.
Quantifying the closeness to a set of random curvesviathe mean marginal likelihood
Authors: Rommel Cédric , Frédéric Bonnans J. , Gregorutti Baptiste , Martinon Pierre
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we tackle the problem of quantifying the closeness of a newly observed curve to a given sample of random functions, supposed to have been sampled from the same distribution. We define a probabilistic criterion for such a purpose, based on the marginal density functions of an underlying random process. For practical applications, a class of estimators based on the aggregation of multivariate density estimators is introduced and proved to be consistent. We illustrate the effectiveness of our estimators, as well as the practical usefulness of the proposed criterion, by applying our method to a dataset of real aircraft trajectories.
Formulation and a heuristic approach for the orienteering location-routing problem
Authors: Nadizadeh Ali
Published: December 2020

In this paper, a new version of the location-routing problem (LRP), named orienteering location-routing problem (OLRP) is investigated. The problem is composed of two-well known problems: team orienteering problem (TOP) and LRP. There are some challenging practical applications in logistics, tourism, military operations, and other fields, which can be modeled by OLRP. The problem is to consider the location and routing with a special objective function. In the OLRP, a set of nodes with specific scores is given, and some stations among candidate stations should be established. Moreover, there are some routes limited in length, which start from a station, visit some nodes and then return to the same station. Maximizing the sum of the collected scores is the goal of OLRP. To model the problem, an integer linear programming model is proposed. Against a commercial solver, a heuristic GRASP is developed for solving the standard test problems. Most test problems are found difficult to solve optimally with commercial software while the GRASP can find the best known or close to the best-known solution in a short time.
Sustainable clustering of customers using capacitive artificial neural networks: a case study in Pegah Distribution Company
Authors: Yousefi Saeed , Shabanpour Hadi , Farzipoor Saen Reza
Published: December 2020

To survive, organizations should inevitably work based on sustainability principles in an ever-increasing changes of markets. Appropriate flexibility and responsiveness are particularly important when considering sustainability issue and market changes in clustering problem. One of the uses of clustering can be allocation of resources and equipment for providing the highest level of customer service which has been a matter of concern for decision makers in distributive companies. Capacitive clustering is a common method for solving allocation and distribution problems. However, traditional clustering models ignore sustainability criteria in defining clusters’ capacity. The objective of this study, therefore, is to propose a novel method for optimizing resource allocation for customers given the sustainability criteria. Capacitive clustering is a technique that has a widespread application in data mining. This approach has been used for equipment distribution, sales targeting, market segmentation, etc. One prevalent clustering method is growing neural gas network (GNGN) technique. GNGN is a neural network with uncontrolled learning. In this paper, for the first time, we utilize GNGN to cluster customers given sustainability criteria. Here, the clusters’ centers are determined and allocated with regard to capacity constraints of the clusters. The obtained results in general can be regarded as an optimized sustainable distribution system in which the number of trucks, distribution routes as well as fuel consumptions and environmental pollutions are minimized. We can also refer to reductions in urban traffic, maintenance costs, staff costs, and decreases in the fatigue of drivers and distributers due to the proximity of supermarkets. An illustrative case study is done to indicate the applicability and remarkable contributions of the suggested clustering approach.
Martha Ulrich und Toni Schmidt-Kraepelin
Authors: Prokop Jana , Karenberg Axel
Published: December 2020

Gegenstand und Ziel Mithilfe von 2 exemplarischen Biografien sollen die berufliche Laufbahn und Lebensumstände von Nervenärztinnen zwischen 1900 und 1950 beleuchtet werden. Dabei stehen Hochschulzugang, Medizinstudium, Forschung sowie Tätigkeit in Klinik und Praxis vom Kaiserreich bis zur Bundesrepublik im Mittelpunkt.

Material und Methoden Schlüssige Kriterien führten zu einer klaren Definition des Begriffs „Pionierin“. Die Rekonstruktion der Lebensläufe gelang durch die Analyse von umfangreichem Archivmaterial und Originalpublikationen. Mittels Auswertung relevanter Sekundärliteratur konnten die bioergografischen Vignetten in den Kontext der Zeit eingeordnet werden.

Ergebnisse Beide Nervenärztinnen begannen ihr Studium in den 1900er-Jahren, traten zur Weiterbildung in Universitäts- kliniken ein und waren viele Jahre als „Specialisten“ bzw.niedergelassene Fachärztinnen gemäß der Bremer Richtlinie von 1924 tätig. Beide publizierten wissenschaftliche Arbeiten, ohne aufgrund zeitgenössischer Hürden die Chance einer akademischen Karriere zu haben. Während Ulrich unverheiratet und kinderlos blieb, lebte Schmidt-Kraepelin die gesellschaftlich neue Doppelrolle von Hausfrau/Mutter und berufstätiger Medizinerin. Letztere war zudem als Assistenzärztin einer „Sammelanstalt“ in die NS-„Euthanasie“ involviert und wurde nach 1945 mit Vorwürfen konfrontiert.

Schlussfolgerungen Anschaulich dargestellte Lebensgeschichten bilden einen hervorragenden Zugang, um historische Sachverhalte wie Anfänge des Frauenstudiums, berufliche (Nicht-)Optionen von Nervenärztinnen und deren moralische Herausforderungen in der ersten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts nachvollziehbar zu machen. Weitere Fallstudien sind wünschenswert, um aktuelle Kontroversen in den Fächern Neurologie/Psychiatrie um eine historische Tiefendimension zu erweitern.
Utility and Safety of Repeat Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor Performed at a Tertiary Center
Authors: Raja Anand , Malik Kanuj , Arunandhichelvan Arulmolichelvan , Kathiresan N. , Ravishankar L. S.
Published: December 2020

Introduction Repeat transurethral resection of bladder tumor (ReTURBT) has become an integral part of the management of superficial bladder cancers at various urological centers around the world. Early detection of residual disease, leading to upstaging in some cases, leads to decrease in recurrence rates. Our study aimed to analyze the impact of ReTURBT in detecting residual tumor and tumor recurrences, hence validating the benefits of procedure as a routine.

Materials and Methods A total of 152 patients with superficial bladder cancer who were treated at Cancer Institute (WIA) between January 2005 and December 2013 were analyzed and followed up for 3 years.

Results Of the 152 cases who underwent ReTURBT, 47 patients had residue in the final histopathology of the resected specimen (31%). The overall rate of upstaging to muscle-invasive disease following ReTURBT was 3.3%. The mean follow-up period was 47.13 months, during which 25 (17%) out of 147 patients who underwent ReTURBT had disease recurrence. There was no additional morbidity due to ReTURBT as compared with the primary procedure.

Conclusion ReTURBT is an effective procedure in treating recurrent tumors also as long as they remain superficial. The procedure when performed with utmost care in experienced hands remains a very safe procedure to be followed as a routine and standard.
On the market for “Lemons”: quality provision in markets with asymmetric information
Authors: Giannakas Konstantinos , Fulton Murray
Published: December 2020

Akerlof’s “Lemons” paper provides a seminal economic result suggesting that, in markets with asymmetric information where product quality is unobservable by consumers prior to purchase and use, the introduction of a low-quality product will drive its higher quality counterpart(s) out of the market. In this paper we identify some empirically relevant cases/conditions under which the introduction of a low-quality product does not drive its higher quality substitutes out of the market but, instead, ends-up coexisting with them.
Inexpensive microfluidic device enables the imaging of cells one-by-one
Authors: McConnon Aili
Published: December 2020

The device prototype allows researchers to rapidly image individual red blood cells by controlling the fluid flow within the device.
Thermoelectric properties of MoC monolayers from first-principles calculations
Authors: Wang Yan , Zhou Yu , Liu Xiao-Ping , Zeng Zhao-Yi , Hu Cui-E. , Chen Xiang-Rong
Published: December 2020

The thermoelectric properties of molybdenum monocarbide (MoC) monolayers, a new 2D material, are calculated from first-principles calculations using Boltzmann transport theory. The indirect bandgap of this monolayer semiconductor is 0.51 eV, and the calculated lattice thermal conductivity is 7.7 W/mK. The high Seebeck coefficient, indicating high thermoelectricity, is found in both p-type and n-type MoC monolayers. This coefficient increases with temperature. The electronic conductivity for the p-type is higher than for the n-type one because the valance band is much more delocalized than the conduction band around the Fermi level. However, the calculated electronic thermal conductivity is essentially independent of temperature. The thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) value of the n-type doped 2D-MoC is smaller than that of the p-type; thus, the thermoelectric properties are dominated by the p-type.
FitzHugh–Nagumo oscillators on complex networks mimic epileptic-seizure-related synchronization phenomena
Authors: Gerster Moritz , Berner Rico , Sawicki Jakub , Zakharova Anna , Škoch Antonín , Hlinka Jaroslav , Lehnertz Klaus , Schöll Eckehard
Published: December 2020

We study patterns of partial synchronization in a network of FitzHugh–Nagumo oscillators with empirical structural connectivity measured in human subjects. We report the spontaneous occurrence of synchronization phenomena that closely resemble the ones seen during epileptic seizures in humans. In order to obtain deeper insights into the interplay between dynamics and network topology, we perform long-term simulations of oscillatory dynamics on different paradigmatic network structures: random networks, regular nonlocally coupled ring networks, ring networks with fractal connectivities, and small-world networks with various rewiring probability. Among these networks, a small-world network with intermediate rewiring probability best mimics the findings achieved with the simulations using the empirical structural connectivity. For the other network topologies, either no spontaneously occurring epileptic-seizure-related synchronization phenomena can be observed in the simulated dynamics, or the overall degree of synchronization remains high throughout the simulation. This indicates that a topology with some balance between regularity and randomness favors the self-initiation and self-termination of episodes of seizure-like strong synchronization.
Optical trapping using all silicon nanoantennas with ultra-high electric field enhancement
Authors: Zhan Wei , Gao Kui , Zhu Chenjun , Song Wuzhou
Published: December 2020

We design three all silicon nanoantenna structures with ultra-high electric field enhancement, namely, a multi-ring structure, a nanolight-motor-structure, and an array-capture-structure. The structures ensure high-peak intensity enhancement and have the ability to realize multi-functional nanoparticle capture. The power dissipations produced by our all-dielectric structures are several orders of magnitude lower than those produced by the metallic counterparts. There are modest local joule heating and negligible fluidic convection flow. It is noted that we employ the plane wave light instead of the laser source to simulate the 20 nm polystyrene particle capture process. Therefore, such structures simplify the optical equipment and are expected applying onto labs-on-chips.
Thermal and solutal non-equilibrium fluctuations in a polymer solution
Authors: Zapf D. , Köhler W.
Published: December 2020

We have performed shadowgraphy experiments on a dilute polymer solution subjected to a temperature gradient in order to investigate simultaneous thermal and solutal non-equilibrium fluctuations (NEFs). The gravitational quenching of the NEFs at small q-vectors defines the thermal and solutal roll-off wavevectors, which can be extracted from both the static structure function and the time correlation functions. Both methods yield good agreement, and the ∼10% larger static solutal roll-off wavevector coincides with a similar observation reported in the literature. The thermal diffusivity of the solution and the diffusion, thermodiffusion, and Soret coefficients of the polymer can be obtained from the q-dependence of the relaxation times and from the thermal and solutal roll-off wavevectors without explicit knowledge of the optical contrast factors. This provides an alternative route for the measurement of diffusive transport coefficients, albeit with an unfavorable error propagation.
On the generation of electronic ring currents under vibronic coupling effects
Authors: Nandipati Krishna Reddy , Vendrell Oriol
Published: December 2020

We study the generation of electronic ring currents in the presence of nonadiabatic coupling using circularly polarized light. For this, we introduce a solvable model consisting of an electron and a nucleus rotating around a common center and subject to their mutual Coulomb interaction. The simplicity of the model brings to the forefront the non-trivial properties of electronic ring currents in the presence of coupling to the nuclear coordinates and enables the characterization of various limiting situations transparently. Employing this model, we show that vibronic coupling effects play a crucial role even when a single E degenerate eigenstate of the system supports the current. The maximum current of a degenerate eigenstate depends on the strength of the nonadiabatic interactions. In the limit of large nuclear to electronic masses, in which the Born–Oppenheimer approximation becomes exact, constant ring currents and time-averaged oscillatory currents necessarily vanish.
Cross-sectional Kelvin probe force microscopy on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells: Influence of RbF and KF post-deposition treatment on the surface potential of the absorber layer
Authors: Seeger Jasmin , Wilhelmi Florian , Schundelmeier Jonas , Zahedi-Azad Setareh , Scheer Roland , Schmidt Kerstin , Kalt Heinz , Hetterich Michael
Published: December 2020

Post-deposition treatment (PDT) of the absorber layer with alkali fluorides has led to a significant increase in the efficiency of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin-film solar cells. In this contribution, we investigate the influence of alkali PDTs on the absorber's surface potential by means of Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). To this end, we perform KPFM on cross sections of complete CIGS solar cells. To improve the reliability of the measurement procedure, we deposit a gold layer on top of the solar cell as a reference layer. Using this approach, we study the influence of RbF and KF PDT on the absorber's surface potential for CIGS solar cells with different absorber and buffer compositions. In all cases, an increased surface potential of the cross section of the absorber layer is measured for the cells with PDT.
Effect of trehalose on protein cryoprotection: Insights into the mechanism of slowing down of hydration water
Authors: Camisasca Gaia , De Marzio Margherita , Gallo Paola
Published: December 2020

We study, with molecular dynamics simulations, a lysozyme protein immersed in a water–trehalose solution upon cooling. The aim is to understand the cryoprotectant role played by this disaccharide through the modifications that it induces on the slow dynamics of protein hydration water with its presence. The α-relaxation shows a fragile to strong crossover about 20° higher than that in the bulk water phase and 15° higher than that in lysozyme hydration water without trehalose. The protein hydration water without trehalose was found to show a second slower relaxation exhibiting a strong to strong crossover coupled with the protein dynamical transition. This slower relaxation time importantly appears enormously slowed down in our cryoprotectant solution. On the other hand, this long-relaxation in the presence of trehalose is also connected with a stronger damping of the protein structural fluctuations than that found when the protein is in contact with the pure hydration water. Therefore, this appears to be the mechanism through which trehalose manifests its cryoprotecting function.
Effects of Drive Train Model Parameters
Authors: Okedu Kenneth
Published: December 2020

The wind turbine generator system is the only generator unit in utility network where mechanical stiffness is lower than electrical stiffness or synchronizing torque coefficient. The inertia constants of the wind turbine and generator system have significant effects on the transient stability of the wind generators and the wind farm. This book investigates the effects of two-mass drive train parameters in a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) variable speed wind turbine (VSWT). Extensive simulations were carried out using PSCAD/EMTDC considering two strategies. In the first strategy, different values of the wind turbine and generator inertia parameters were investigated. The wind turbine and generator inertia parameters that give best response during transient in the first strategy were used to determine the best shaft stiffness in the second strategy. The simulation results show that high values of the wind turbine and generator inertia parameters could lead to more oscillations, hence takes longer time for the VSWT to become stable during and after the transient. However, from the simulation results, the larger the shaft stiffness parameter of the two-mass drive train system for VSWT, the better the response of the VWST and the wind farm system during transient.
Provision of urea–molasses blocks to improve smallholder cattle weight gain during the late dry season in tropical developing countries: studies from Lao PDR
Authors: Windsor P. A. , Nampanya S. , Olmo L. , Khounsy S. , Phengsavanh P. , Bush R. D.
Published: December 2020

Context
Large-ruminant production in developing countries is inefficient with low growth rates and declining weights, particularly in the dry season.

Aims
The impact of ad libitum supplementation of cattle with high-quality molasses blocks (20 kg) containing either 8% urea (UMB) or nil urea (MB), was examined.

Methods
Field trials on smallholder farms compared weight changes and average daily gains (ADG = g/day) data of young calves <8 months of age (n = 25); growing calves 8–24 months (n = 35) and lactating cows (n = 46), of the indigenous breed when accessing either UMB or MB, with data being collected at Weeks 1, 4, 8 and 12. A pen study was also conducted at a research station involving mature, lactating crossbred cows (n = 37). Surveys of farming families experiencing use of the blocks was conducted (n = 20).

Key results
On smallholder farms, animals accessing UMBs were heavier than those accessing MBs at every collection day and in young calves these differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). ADGs were higher in cattle accessing UMB than in those accessing MBs. Young calves had the highest ADG (251–265 g/day), followed by growing calves (198–237 g/day) and lactating cows (187–190 g/day), although differences in ADG between UMB and MB cohorts were not considered significant (young calves P = 0.562; growing calves P = 0.509; and lactating cows P = 0.993). Results from the pen study identified that ADGs were not significantly different (P = 0.933) between crossbred cows accessing MBs (236 g/day) and cows accessing UMBs (229 g/day). Surveys of farmers using blocks confirmed that their animals were calmer and healthier, and had better coat condition with minimal external parasites; these farmers wished to purchase the blocks and were willing to pay a mean up to US$6.5 ± 2.3 per block.

Conclusions
Provision of UMBs and MBs in Laos in the late dry season improved cattle growth rates, which is consistent with previous studies and far superior to the base-line data from Laos demonstrating declining ADGs. Farmers considered that the blocks contributed greatly to herd management and improved sale-ability of their cattle.

Implications
Provision of molasses blocks on low-input smallholder farms in developing countries significantly improves production efficiency, offering an ‘entry point’ intervention while forages are becoming established.
Residual strain–stress in manganese steel railway crossing determined by synchrotron and laboratory X-rays
Authors: Dhar Somrita , Danielsen Hilmar K. , Xu Ruqing , Zhang Yubin , Grumsen Flemming Bjerg , Rasmussen Carsten , Juul Jensen Dorte
Published: December 2020

The residual stress within the nose of a worn manganese steel railway crossing was investigated. The macroscopic residual stress at the running surface was determined in areas with and without visual faults by laboratory X-rays. To get information about the penetration depth of the residual stress, synchrotron X-ray diffraction was used to map the distribution of local (within grain) residual strains below the running surface. The laboratory X-ray measurements revealed significant compressive stress on the rail running surface. The synchrotron measurements documented that local strains exist through the entire depth investigated. Relations between residual stress, plastic deformation, and crack formation are analysed, leading to a discussion on potentials/limitations of the two experimental methods for investigations of residual stress in large engineering components.
Processing, microstructure, properties and fracture behaviour of Ti–6Al–4V manufactured from pre-alloyed powder
Authors: Singh Ajit Pal , Gabbitas Brian , Brown Ian W. M. , Mukhtar Aamir
Published: December 2020

This study investigates the consolidation of pre-alloyed Ti–6Al–4V powder through thermomechanical processing that involves cold isostatic pressing, sintering, hot pressing and extrusion. The microstructural evolution, oxygen pick-up and tensile properties attained after each major consolidation step reveal that there was a significant oxygen pick-up during de-binding/sintering, hot pressing had improved strength/ductility by eliminating porosity and extrusion resulted in a relatively fine lamellar structure. Overall, as-extruded material had an oxygen content of 0.22 wt-%, impact toughness of 21 J, yield strength of 971 MPa, ultimate strength of 1124 MPa and ductility of 9–11% which is comparable to corresponding values reported in the literature. An investigation of fracture surfaces along with crack propagation behaviour highlights that ductile fracture was the predominant mode of failure.
Tissue flossing of the thigh increases isometric strength acutely but has no effects on flexibility or jump height
Authors: Konrad Andreas , Bernsteiner Daniel , Budini Francesco , Reiner Marina Maren , Glashüttner Christoph , Berger Christian , Tilp Markus
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a single floss band treatment of the thigh on hip and knee range of motion (ROM), knee extensor passive resistive torque (PRT), knee extensor maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) torque, and countermovement jump (CMJ) height.

Sixteen healthy male volunteers were tested before and after both the flossing treatment and the control condition, in random order. For the flossing treatment, the floss band was wound around both thighs for 120 s, and the subject was then asked to perform 20 squats. During the control treatment, only the 20 squats were performed. Before and after the treatments, knee and hip ROM were assessed using a Thomas test with 3D motion caption. The PRT and MVC of the knee extensors were measured with a dynamometer, and the electromyographic (EMG) signal was collected from the vastus lateralis. CMJs were performed on a force plate.

Compared to the control condition, the flossing treatment showed a positive effect on the MVC of the knee extensors (P = 0.01); however, no effects on hip ROM (P = 0.58), knee ROM (P = 0.37), CMJ height (P = 0.75), or PRT (P = 0.22) were observed. Correlation analyses revealed that the increase in MVC was not significantly related to changes in the tension of the muscle‐tendon unit (rP = −0.13; P = 0.64) or vastus lateralis EMG (rS = 0.44; P = 0.10). Since the increase in MVC cannot be explained by changes of the mechanical (PRT) or neuromuscular (EMG) properties, we speculate that an enhancement of growth hormone and norepinephrine levels following the compression release is instead responsible for the increase in MVC.
Nuclear lipid droplets form in the inner nuclear membrane in a seipin-independent manner
Authors: Sołtysik Kamil , Ohsaki Yuki , Tatematsu Tsuyako , Cheng Jinglei , Maeda Asami , Morita Shin-ya , Fujimoto Toyoshi
Published: December 2020

Nuclear lipid droplets (LDs) in hepatocytes are derived from precursors of very-low-density lipoprotein in the ER lumen, but it is not known how cells lacking the lipoprotein secretory function form nuclear LDs. Here, we show that the inner nuclear membrane (INM) of U2OS cells harbors triglyceride synthesis enzymes, including ACSL3, AGPAT2, GPAT3/GPAT4, and DGAT1/DGAT2, and generates nuclear LDs in situ. mTOR inhibition increases nuclear LDs by inducing the nuclear translocation of lipin-1 phosphatidic acid (PA) phosphatase. Seipin, a protein essential for normal cytoplasmic LD formation in the ER, is absent in the INM. Knockdown of seipin increases nuclear LDs and PA in the nucleus, whereas seipin overexpression decreases these. Seipin knockdown also up-regulates lipin-1β expression, and lipin-1 knockdown decreases the effect of seipin knockdown on nuclear LDs without affecting PA redistribution. These results indicate that seipin is not directly involved in nuclear LD formation but instead restrains it by affecting lipin-1 expression and intracellular PA distribution.
Unique determination for an inverse problem from the vortex dynamics
Authors: Lai Ru-Yu , Zhou Hanming
Published: December 2020

We consider the problem of reconstructing a background potential from the dynamical behavior of vortex dipole. We prove that under suitable conditions, one can uniquely reconstruct a real-analytic potential by measuring the entrance and exit positions as well as travel times between boundary points. In particular, the work removes the flatness assumption on the potential from the earlier result. A key step of our method is a constructional procedure of recovering the boundary jet of the potential.
The 2021 battery technology roadmap
Authors: Ma Jianmin , Li Yutao , Grundish Nicholas S , Goodenough John B , Chen Yuhui , Guo Limin , Peng Zhangquan , Qi Xiaoqun , Yang Fengyi , Qie Long , Wang Chang-An , Huang Bing , Huang Zeya , Chen Linhui , Su Dawei , Wang Guoxiu , Peng Xinwen , Chen Zehong , Yang Junliang , He Shiman , Zhang Xu , Yu Haijun , Fu Chaopeng , Jiang Min , Deng Wenzhuo , Sun Chuan-Fu , Pan Qingguang , Tang Yongbing , Li Xianfeng , Ji Xiulei , Wan Fang , Niu Zhiqiang , Lian Fang , Wang Caiyun , Wallace Gordon G , Fan Min , Meng Qinghai , Xin Sen , Guo Yu-Guo , Wan Li-Jun
Published: December 2020

Sun, wind and tides have huge potential in providing us electricity in an environmental-friendly way. However, its intermittency and non-dispatchability are major reasons preventing full-scale adoption of renewable energy generation. Energy storage will enable this adoption by enabling a constant and high-quality electricity supply from these systems. But which storage technology should be considered is one of important issues. Nowadays, great effort has been focused on various kinds of batteries to store energy, lithium-related batteries, sodium-related batteries, zinc-related batteries, aluminum-related batteries and so on. Some cathodes can be used for these batteries, such as sulfur, oxygen, layered compounds. In addition, the construction of these batteries can be changed into flexible, flow or solid-state types. There are many challenges in electrode materials, electrolytes and construction of these batteries and research related to the battery systems for energy storage is extremely active. With the myriad of technologies and their associated technological challenges, we were motivated to assemble this 2020 battery technology roadmap.
A performance degradation prediction approach for turbo-generator bearing considering complex working conditions based on clustering indicator and self-optimized deep learning model
Authors: Duan Ran , Zhou Jianzhong , Liu Jie , Xu Yanhe
Published: December 2020

The reliability of turbo-generator bearings affects the stability and safety of power plants. To detect early symptoms of failure, prediction of the performance degradation of turbo-generator bearings is particularly important. At present, most related research relies on accelerated degradation test platforms; however, the industrial field environment and complex working conditions may affect practical application. In this study, a performance degradation prediction approach for turbo-generator bearings considering complex working conditions based on a clustering indicator and a self-optimized deep learning model (SODLM) is proposed. First, the Dirichlet process-Gaussian mixture clustering model is introduced to construct the performance degradation indicator (PDI) of the turbo-generator. Then through introducing the hyper-parameter constraint, the hyper-parameter influence significance comparison mechanism, and the minimum training epoch, an improved hyperband (IH) is established to realize the automatic tuning of the hyper-parameters in the prediction model. Furthermore, the SODLM is constructed based on the IH and a stacked one-dimensional convolutional neural network. Finally, the performance degradation trend of a turbo-generator bearing in a practical industrial field is successfully predicted through the proposed approach. The experimental analysis demonstrates that the proposed PDI avoids the influence of sampling frequency and complex working conditions. Compared with traditional optimization algorithms and prediction models, the proposed performance degradation prediction approach demonstrates better accuracy and stability.
Design of n+-base width of two-terminal-electrode vertical thyristor for cross-point memory cell without selector
Authors: Lee Byoung-Seok , Kim Min-Won , Kim Ji-Hun , Yoo Sang-Dong , Shim Tae-Hun , Park Jea-Gun
Published: December 2020

The n+-base width of a two-terminal vertical thyristor fabricated with n++(top-emitter)-p+(base)-n+(base)-p++(bottom-emitter) epitaxial Si layers was designed to produce a cross-point memory cell without a selector. Both the latch-up and latch-down voltages increased linearly with the n+-base width, but the voltage increase slope of the latch-up was 2.6 times higher than that of the latch-down, and the memory window increased linearly with the n+-base width. There was an optimal n+-base width that satisfied cross-point memory cell operation; i.e. ∼180 nm, determined by confirming that the memory window principally determined the condition of operation as a cross-point memory cell (i.e. one half of the latch-up voltage being less than the latch-down voltage and a sufficient voltage difference existing between the latch-up and latch-down voltages). The vertical thyristor designed with the optimal n+-base width produced write/erase endurance cycles of ∼109 by sustaining a memory margin (I

on

/I

off
) of 102, and the cross-point memory cell array size of 1024 K sustained a sensing margin of 99 %, which is comparable with that of current dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). In addition, in the cross-point memory cell array, a ½ bias scheme (i.e. a memory array size of 1024 K for 0.02 W of power consumption) resulted in lower power consumption than a

1
/
3

bias scheme (i.e. a memory array size of 256 K for 0.02 W of power consumption).
Laser photonic nanojets triggered thermoplasmonic micro/nanofabrication of polymer materials for enhanced resolution
Authors: Elkarkri Yahya , Li Xiaolai , Zeng Binglin , Lian Zhaoxin , Zhou Ji , Wang Yuliang
Published: December 2020

Micro/nanofabrication of polymer materials is of interest for micro/nanofluidic systems. Due to the optical diffraction limit, it remains a challenge to achieve nanoscale resolution fabrication using an ordinary continuous-wave laser system. In this study, we therefore propose a laser photonic nanojet-based micro/nanofabrication method for polymer materials using a low-power and low-cost continuous-wave laser. The photonic nanojets were produced using glass microspheres. Moreover, a thermoplasmonic effect was employed by depositing a gold layer beneath the polymer films. By applying the photonic nanojet triggered thermoplasmonics, sub-micrometer surface structures, as well as their arrays, were fabricated with a laser power threshold value down to 10 mW. The influences of the microsphere diameters, and thicknesses of gold layers and polymer films on the fabricated microstructures were systematically investigated, which aligns well with the finite-difference time-domain simulation results.
Systematic simulation studies on the penetration of resonant magnetic perturbations in an Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak
Authors: Zhang H W , Lin X , Ma Z W , Zhang W , Bagwell T E
Published: December 2020

The penetration properties of the n = 1 resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) with toroidal rotation are systematically studied by the upgraded three-dimensional toroidal magnetohydrodynamic code CLTx, through both linear and nonlinear simulations. It is found that in the presence of toroidal plasma rotation, the saturation state for high resonant harmonics is obtained in linear simulations due to the mode becoming unlocked from the internal magnetic islands. In nonlinear simulations, nonlinear effects become important when the toroidal plasma rotation is not included. The zonal component resulting from the nonlinear mode coupling is necessary for the saturation of the whole system including the internal kink mode and the m /n = 2/1 tearing mode. The simulations of RMP penetration demonstrate that the mode coupling is associated with the toroidal effect rather than nonlinear effects. With a low resistivity

η
0

=

10

−
9

∼

10

−
8

close to the experimental value, the single-harmonic-RMP is hard to penetrate the mode-rational surface because of the plasma screening effects, resulting in a truncation of the radial mode structure. On the other hand, the non-resonant components in the multiple-harmonic-RMP could largely reduce the effect of the plasma shielding, which leads to that the RMP is able to penetrate deeply into the central plasma region through the poloidal harmonic coupling.
Review and current status: E ⇌ H mode transition in low-temperature ICP and related electron dynamics
Authors: Mitsui Yu , Makabe Toshiaki
Published: December 2020

It is essential to investigate the electron dynamics, particularly electron heating mechanisms in order to elucidate the bidirectional E ⇌ H transition in a low-temperature inductively coupled plasma (ICP), sustained by a radiofrequency (RF) power. E ⇌ H transitions are fully 2D or 3D phenomena, and non-invasive optical spectroscopy is appropriate for such studies. One example is a 1D-t image during one RF period. Another example is a 2D or 3D snapshot at each phase of the transition, captured using in computerized emission tomography. Most studies have been performed in argon, oxygen, or their mixture in an ICP driven at 13.56 MHz. In the present paper we review and explore the past three decades of research into the electron dynamics related to plasma sustenance at each phase of the E–H and H–E transitions, including our new results. The hysteresis of the internal plasma parameters as a function of external parameter is discussed in terms of a change of species density, particularly long-lived metastables in plasma in the bidirectional E–H transition.
Flow control and separation delay in morphing wing aircraft using traveling wave actuation
Authors: Olivett Anthony , Corrao Peter , Karami M Amin
Published: December 2020

This study examines the biomimicry of wave propagation, a mode of locomotion in aquatic life for the use-case of morphing aircraft surfaces for boundary layer control. Such motion is theorized to inject momentum into the flow on the upper surface of airfoils, and as a consequence, creates a forcible pressure gradient thereby increasing lift. It is proposed that this method can be used to control flow separation and reduce the likelihood of stall at high angles of attack. The motivation for such a mechanism is especially relevant for aircraft requiring abrupt maneuvers, and especially at high angles of attack as a safety measure against stalling. The actuation mechanism consists of lightweight piezoelectric ceramic transducers placed beneath the upper surface of an airfoil. An open-loop system controls surface morphing. A two-dimensional Fourier Transform technique is used to estimate traveling to standing wave ratio, which is verified analytically using Euler Bernoulli beam theory, and experimentally using a prototype wing. Propagating wave control is tuned and verified using a series of scanning laser vibrometry tests. A custom two-dimensional NACA 0018 airfoil tests the concept in a low-speed wind tunnel with an approximate Reynolds Number of 50 000. Both traveling waves and the changes in lift and drag will be experimentally characterized.
A conceptual study of a high gradient trapped field magnet (HG-TFM) toward providing a quasi-zero gravity space on Earth
Authors: Takahashi Keita , Fujishiro Hiroyuki , Ainslie Mark D
Published: December 2020

In this work, we propose a new concept of a high gradient trapped field magnet (HG-TFM). The HG-TFM is made from (RE)BaCuO bulk superconductors, in which slit ring bulks (slit-TFMs) are tightly stacked with TFM cylinders (full-TFMs), and state-of-the-art numerical simulations were used to investigate the magnetic and mechanical properties in detail during and after magnetization. A maximum value of the magnetic field gradient product of

B
z

⋅

d

B
z

/

d

z

= 6040 T2 m−1 was obtained after conventional field cooled magnetization (FCM) with an applied field, B
app, of 10 T of the HG-TFM with 60 mm in outer diameter and 10 mm in inner diameter. This value may be the highest value ever reported compared to any other magnetic sources. The

B
z

⋅

d

B
z

/

d

z

value increased with decreasing inner diameter of the HG-TFM and with increasing B
app during FCM. The electromagnetic stress in the HG-TFM during the FCM process mainly results from the hoop stress along the circumferential direction. The simulations suggested that there is no fracture risk of the bulk components during FCM from 10 T in a proposed realistic configuration of the HG-TFM where both TFM parts are mounted in Al-alloy rings and the whole HG-TFM is encapsulated in a steel capsule. A quasi-zero gravity space can be realized in the HG-TFM with a high

B
z

⋅

d

B
z

/

d

z

value in an open space outside the vacuum chamber. The HG-TFM device can act as a compact and cryogen-free desktop-type magnetic source to provide a large magnetic force and could be useful in a number of life/medical science applications, such as protein crystallization and cell culture.