bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stable antiferromagnetic property and tunable electronic structure of two-dimensional MnPX3 (X = S and Se) from pristine structure to Janus phase
Authors: Yang Jun-Tao , Xu Chang-Ju , Wang Hong-Ji , Min Qing , Luo Shi-Jun , Xiong Yong-Chen , Ren Wei , Jing Chao
Published: June 2023

Transition-metal phosphorus trichalcogenides have been considered as very promising two-dimensional (2D) magnetic candidates up-to-date. We performed a systematical first-principles study on the electronic structures and magnetic properties of pristine MnPX3 (X = S and Se) and Janus Mn2P2S3Se3 monolayers. All monolayers behave as a direct-band-gap semiconductor in antiferromagnetic ground state which is caused by strong direct and indirect exchange interactions. It is found that the electronic structures and magnetic properties can be manipulated by Janus phase. The calculated band gap is 2.44 eV, 1.80 eV and 1.86 eV for MnPS3, MnPSe3 and Mn2P2S3Se3 with a valley polarization with consideration of spin–orbital coupling (SOC), respectively. In particular, significant energy-splittings emerge in the SOC-band structures of Janus Mn2P2S3Se3 due to its broken-inversion-symmetry. Estimated by Monte Carlo simulations, the Néel temperature is 96 K, 71 K and 79 K based on Ising model while halved down to 41 K, 33 K and 36 K on the basis of XY model for MnPS3, MnPSe3 and Mn2P2S3Se3, respectively, indicating the XY model should be more reliable to describe the spin dynamics. Our research offers an insight into the magnetic mechanism and paves a feasible path to modulate the magnetism for 2D magnets in realistic applications on spintronics.
Characteristic enhancement of RV reducer under non-stationary condition based on WDT-IF-SS-VMD
Authors: Xie Wensong , Zhou Jun , Liu Tao , Wu Xing
Published: June 2023

Because the working conditions of the rotate vector (RV) reducer are often reciprocating at variable speeds and the working environment is relatively complex, so the vibration signals collected have non-stationary vibration and complex environmental noise. A fault diagnosis method for RV reducer (WDT-IF-SS-VMD) is proposed, which combines instantaneous frequency (IF) trend graph based on current signal and the parameter adaptive variational mode decomposition (VMD) algorithm. Firstly, the current signal and vibration signal are collected synchronously, and the steady-state phase of vibration signal is intercepted according to the IF trend diagram obtained by wavelet decomposition transform (WDT) of the current signal. Secondly, the intercepted vibration signals are transformed into scale space, and the parameters of VMD are selected adaptively based on fuzzy C-means clustering. Then, the maximum kurtosis criterion is used to complete the extraction of sensitive components. Finally, the envelope analysis is carried out to complete the fault diagnosis. The measured signal analysis results show that this method can effectively separate and extract fault features of the RV reducer.
A deep learning based health indicator construction and fault prognosis with uncertainty quantification for rolling bearings
Authors: Wang Zhiyuan , Guo Junyu , Wang Jiang , Yang Yulai , Dai Le , Huang Cheng-Geng , Wan Jia-Lun
Published: June 2023

In this paper, a hybrid convolutional neural network (CNN)-bidirectional gated recurrent unit (BiGRU) model is integrated with the bootstrap method to endow the deep learning (DL) based prognostic method with the quantification capability of the prognostic intervals. The proposed hybrid method contains three parts: (I) The complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise and principal component analysis and the CNN-BiGRU are utilized to automatically construct the health indicator (HI). (II) 3σ criterion is employed to detect the first predicting time based on the HIs of rolling bearings. (III) The bootstrap method is imposed to endow the proposed DL method with the quantification capability of the prognostic intervals. The experimental validation is carried out on the XJTU-SY bearing dataset and the proposed method outperforms the other four methods in the majority of cases. In addition, the proposed method not only comprehensively considers the fault prognosis error caused by model parameters and noise, but also considers the prediction error caused by different combinations of features on the model.
MEMS-based electronic nose system for measurement of industrial gases with drift correction methodology
Authors: Gawande Tushar , Deshmukh Raghavendra , Deshmukh Sharvari
Published: June 2023

This work explores the use of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors in electronic nose systems for the measurement of prominent industrial pollutants and proposes a methodology for the correction of drift induced in sensors during prolonged use for measurement of corrosive compounds. MEMS sensors have the advantages of low recovery and response time, lower power consumption and improved sensitivity. An electronic nose system is developed to quantify the four major pollutants emitted from various process industries, i.e. hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), ammonia (NH3) and ethanol (C2H5OH). All four pollutants represent major environmental and human health hazards and rapid quantification is vital. A drift correction algorithm was developed using experimental design and robust regression to correct the drift induced in the sensors. The experiments consisted of eight experimental sets with mixtures of H2S, CO, NH3 and C2H5OH measured on the same sensor array at the start and after a gap of 1 year. The methodology consisted of mapping the response of sensors after 1 year compared with that observed at the very start (day 1) of the experiment. The results showed successful implementation of the methodology, with the root mean square error values being significantly reduced at 0.235, 0.354, 0.145 and 0.651, respectively, for the four studied odorants (H2S, NH3, CO, and C2H5OH).
Optical flow for particle images with optimization based on a priori knowledge of the flow
Authors: Benkovic Théo , Krawczynski Jean-François , Druault Philippe
Published: June 2023

This paper proposes a new optical flow (OF) method for particle image velocimetry applications. The proposed method is based on the use of an a priori sparse knowledge of the flow. A particular insight is given to the optimization derivation based on an image-independent method. Two alternatives are introduced. The first one uses particle-tracking velocimetry estimates as subpixel information to describe the finest velocity scales. The expected true displacements related to the motion of the individual particles are used as anchors for the optimization procedure when the density of the particles is large enough. Alternatively, the second method solves the well-known median problem based on new image-independent functions in areas of low particle density. Studies have been carried out on synthetic images to characterize the error and analyze the impact of image parameters (particle density, particle size, or noise) on the methods. The new methods are compared with a reference method against synthetic data: two Lamb-Oseen vortex rings and a 3D Turbulent Homogeneous and Isotropic flow. The results show that the performances of the new method exceed those of the reference method in almost all tested cases, except for images with particles of relatively small size. It is notably shown that the new method is less dependent on the particle density and the noise embedded in the images than other OF estimators.
A two-stage data-model driven pancreas segmentation strategy embedding directional information of the boundary intensity gradient and deep adaptive pointwise parameters
Authors: Tian Lu , Zou Liwen , Yang Xiaoping
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we propose a two-stage data-model driven pancreas segmentation method that combines a 3D convolution neural network with adaptive pointwise parametric hybrid variational model embedding the directional and magnitude information of the boundary intensity gradient. Firstly, nnU-net is used to segment the entire abdominal CT image with the aim of obtaining the region of the interest of pancreas. Secondly, an adaptive pointwise parametric variational model with a new edge term containing the directional and magnitude information of the boundary intensity gradient is used to refine the predicted results from CNN. Although CNN is good at extracting texture information, it does not capture weak boundary information very well. In order to well acquire more weak boundary information of the pancreas, we utilize not only the magnitude of the gradient, but also the directional information of the boundary intensity gradient to obtain more accurate results in the new edge term. In addition, the probability value for each pixel obtained by calculating the softmax function is exploited twice. Actually, it is applied firstly to generate the binary map as the initial contour of the variational model and then to design the adaptive pointwise weight parameters of internal and external area terms of the variational model rather than constants. It not only eliminates the trouble of manual parameter adjustment, but also, most importantly, provides a more accurate pointwise evolutionary trend of the level set contour, i.e. determine the tendency of the level set contour to pointwisely contract inward or expand outward. Our method is evaluated on three public datasets and outperformed the state-of-the-art pancreas segmentation methods. Accurate pancreatic segmentation allows for more reliable quantitative analysis of local morphological changes in the pancreas, which can assist in early diagnosis and treatment planning.
Impact of a novel multilayer imager on metal artifacts in MV-CBCT
Authors: Harris T C , Jacobson M , Myronakis M , Lehmann M , Huber P , Morf D , Ozoemelam I , Hu Y H , Ferguson D , Fueglistaller R , Corral Arroyo P , Berbeco RI
Published: June 2023

Objective. Megavoltage cone-beam computed tomography (MV-CBCT) imaging offers several advantages including reduced metal artifacts and accurate electron density mapping for adaptive or emergent situations. However, MV-CBCT imaging is limited by the poor efficiency of current detectors. Here we examine a new MV imager and compare CBCT reconstructions under clinically relevant scenarios. Approach. A multilayer imager (MLI), consisting of four vertically stacked standard flat-panel imagers, was mounted to a clinical linear accelerator. A custom anthropomorphic pelvis phantom with replaceable femoral heads was imaged using MV-CBCT and kilovoltage CBCT (kV-CBCT). Bone, aluminum, and titanium were used as femoral head inserts. 8 MU 2.5 MV scans were acquired for all four layers and (as reference) the top layer. Prostate and bladder were contoured on a reference CT and transferred to the other scans after rigid registration, from which the structural similarity index measure (SSIM) was calculated. Prostate and bladder were also contoured on CBCT scans without guidance, and Dice coefficients were compared to CT contours. Main results. kV-CBCT demonstrated the highest SSIMs with bone inserts (prostate: 0.86, bladder: 0.94) and lowest with titanium inserts (0.32, 0.37). Four-layer MV-CBCT SSIMs were preserved with bone (0.75, 0.80) as compared to titanium (0.67, 0.74), outperforming kV-CBCT when metal is present. One-layer MV-CBCT consistently underperformed four-layer results across all phantom configurations. Unilateral titanium inserts and bilateral aluminum insert results fell between the bone and bilateral titanium results. Dice coefficients trended similarly, with four-layer MV-CBCT reducing metal artifact impact relative to KV-CBCT to provide better soft-tissue identification. Significance. MV-CBCT with a four-layer MLI showed improvement over single-layer MV scans, approaching kV-CBCT quality for soft-tissue contrast. In the presence of artifact-producing metal implants, four-layer MV-CBCT scans outperformed kV-CBCT by eliminating artifacts and single-layer MV-CBCT by reducing noise. MV-CBCT with a novel multi-layer imager may be a valuable alternative to kV-CBCT, particularly in the presence of metal.
The application of a wavelet filtering method in magneto-acousto-electrical tomography
Authors: Jin Yuzhang , Zhao Hongliang , Liu Guoqiang , Xia Hui , Li Yuanyuan
Published: June 2023

Magneto-acousto-electrical tomography (MAET), which couples ultrasound imaging with electrical impedance tomography, is an electrical property imaging method which is expected to have a wide range of clinical applications, including the early detection of breast and liver cancers. Obviously, as a coupled imaging method, how to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is a key issue in the imaging process. In this paper, a wavelet filtering method is introduced into MAET, which includes the filtering effect of the db6 wavelet, and its filtering effect at different decomposition levels. At the same time, based on the Lorentz reciprocity theorem, the wave equation satisfied by the detected voltage obtained by electrode was deduced. We also built an experimental platform to acquire signals by keeping the position of the target unchanged and moving the ultrasound transducer along the trajectory of a circular arc. The experimental results show that the wavelet filtering scheme proposed in this paper improves the SNR of the detected signal of 15.1 dB, and the images of electrical properties of the phantom and pork from isolated tissues were realized by the filtered signal of the db6 wavelet and time reversal method, which reflects the interface of electrical conductivity change of tissues. This scanning method, of fixing the target body and rotating the transducer, can effectively reduce the error and noise caused by the movement of the detection electrodes in the experiment. The filtering technique and imaging algorithm proposed in this paper have improved the SNR and contrast of the images. Thus, the images of the low conductivity phantom with 0.2 S m−1 and isolated tissue were obtained, which indicates that the MAET has good prospects in clinical applications.
Automated VMAT treatment planning using sequential convex programming: algorithm development and clinical implementation
Authors: Dursun Pınar , Hong Linda , Jhanwar Gourav , Huang Qijie , Zhou Ying , Yang Jie , Pham Hai , Cervino Laura , Moran Jean M , Deasy Joseph O , Zarepisheh Masoud
Published: June 2023

Objective. To develop and clinically implement a fully automated treatment planning system (TPS) for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Approach. We solve two constrained optimization problems sequentially. The tumor coverage is maximized at the first step while respecting all maximum/mean dose clinical criteria. The second step further reduces the dose at the surrounding organs-at-risk as much as possible. Our algorithm optimizes the machine parameters (leaf positions and monitor units) directly and the resulting mathematical non-convexity is handled using the sequential convex programming by solving a series of convex approximation problems. We directly integrate two novel convex surrogate metrics to improve plan delivery efficiency and reduce plan complexity by promoting aperture shape regularity and neighboring aperture similarity. The entire workflow is automated using the Eclipse TPS application program interface scripting and provided to users as a plug-in, requiring the users to solely provide the contours and their preferred arcs. Our program provides the optimal machine parameters and does not utilize the Eclipse optimization engine, however, it utilizes the Eclipse final dose calculation engine. We have tested our program on 60 patients of different disease sites and prescriptions for stereotactic body radiotherapy (paraspinal (24 Gy × 1, 9 Gy × 3), oligometastis (9 Gy × 3), lung (18 Gy × 3, 12 Gy × 4)) and retrospectively compared the automated plans with the manual plans used for treatment. The program is currently deployed in our clinic and being used in our daily clinical routine to treat patients. Main results. The automated plans found dosimetrically comparable or superior to the manual plans. For paraspinal (24 Gy × 1), the automated plans especially improved tumor coverage (the average PTV (Planning Target Volume) 95% from 96% to 98% and CTV100% from 95% to 97%) and homogeneity (the average PTV maximum dose from 120% to 116%). For other sites/prescriptions, the automated plans especially improved the duty cycle (23%–39.4%). Significance. This work proposes a fully automated approach to the mathematically challenging VMAT problem. It also shows how the capabilities of the existing (Food and Drug Administration)FDA-approved commercial TPS can be enhanced using an in-house developed optimization algorithm that completely replaces the TPS optimization engine. The code and pertained models along with a sample dataset will be released on our ECHO-VMAT GitHub (https://github.com/PortPy-Project/ECHO-VMAT).
Mechanical metamaterials
Authors: Craster Richard , Guenneau Sébastien , Kadic Muamer , Wegener Martin
Published: June 2023

Mechanical metamaterials, also known as architected materials, are rationally designed composites, aiming at elastic behaviors and effective mechanical properties beyond (‘meta’) those of their individual ingredients—qualitatively and/or quantitatively. Due to advances in computational science and manufacturing, this field has progressed considerably throughout the last decade. Here, we review its mathematical basis in the spirit of a tutorial, and summarize the conceptual as well as experimental state-of-the-art. This summary comprises disordered, periodic, quasi-periodic, and graded anisotropic functional architectures, in one, two, and three dimensions, covering length scales ranging from below one micrometer to tens of meters. Examples include extreme ordinary linear elastic behavior from artificial crystals, e.g. auxetics and pentamodes, ‘negative’ effective properties, behavior beyond classical linear elasticity, e.g. arising from local resonances, chirality, beyond-nearest-neighbor interactions, quasi-crystalline mechanical metamaterials, topological band gaps, cloaking based on coordinate transformations and on scattering cancelation, seismic protection, nonlinear and programmable metamaterials, as well as space-time-periodic architectures.
Thermally activated delayed fluorescence materials for organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Li Xiaoning , Fu Shiyao , Xie Yujun , Li Zhen
Published: June 2023

Recently, the remarkable advances in thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials have attracted much attention due to their 100% exciton utilization efficiency in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Although the commercialization of TADF materials is at an early stage, they exhibit enormous potential for next-generation OLEDs due to the comparable electroluminescence performance to metal of their phosphorescent complex counterparts, but without the presence of precious metal elements. This review summarizes the different types of TADF small molecules with various photophysical properties and the state-of-the-art molecular design strategies. Furthermore, the device engineering is discussed, and emerging optoelectronic applications, such as organic light-emitting electrochemical cells, organic lasing, and organic scintillators, are introduced. It is anticipated that this review can clarify the design of efficient TADF emitters and point out the direction of future development.
Pressure-induced superconductivity in Bi4(I1−x
Br
x
)4 crystals grown by chemical vapor transport and flux methods
Authors: Feng J J , Chen Z C , Fan Y J , Yang M , Zhuang J C , Liu J Y , Wang M H , He Z , Guo H T , Qian B , Shi Z X , Zhou W
Published: June 2023

Achieving superconductivity in topological materials is thought as a promising route for realizing topological superconductivity, which may provide potential applications to quantum computation. Previously, rich superconducting phases have been reported in the pressurized Bi4I4 and Bi4Br4 crystals which belong to an interesting quasi-one-dimensional topological system. In this work, we have performed a high-pressure study on some Bi4(I1−x
Br
x
)4 crystals grown by two different methods. Remarkably, crystals grown by the chemical vapor transport (CVT) method and the self-flux method show clearly different pressure effects. In the CVT-grown crystals, only one superconducting transition is observed, while three superconducting transitions can be detected in crystals grown by the flux method. Through comparisons of the pressure-dependent phase diagrams and the upper critical field behaviors in the two kinds of crystals, the higher superconducting transition (>6 K) in the flux-grown crystals is suggested to come from the residual Bi. High-pressure Raman spectroscopy measurements on both kinds of crystals have confirmed the occurrence of a similar structural transition around 10 GPa in Br-doped samples. Overall, our data could be helpful for identifying the intrinsic pressure-induced superconductivity in various Bi-based materials.
Gyrokinetic simulation of short wavelength ion temperature gradient instabilities in the ADITYA-U tokamak
Authors: Singh Amit K. , Mahapatra J. , Chowdhury J. , Aggarwal D. , Hayward-Schneider T. , Ganesh R. , Lanti E. , Villard L.
Published: June 2023

In this work, linear and nonlinear collisionless electrostatic simulation studies of the standard and short wavelength ion temperature gradient mode (SWITG) for experimental profiles and parameters of ADITYA-U tokamak are performed using the linear global eigenvalue gyrokinetic code GLOGYSTO and the nonlinear global gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code ORB5. All simulations are carried out with non-adiabatic ions and adiabatic electrons. The ADITYA-U tokamak which has recently been upgraded to divertor configuration, is small in size and well suited for investigation of micro-instabilities in the presence of density and temperature gradients. Due to steep density and temperature gradients, simulation shows that the SWITG mode naturally exists along with the standard ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode in ADITYA-U. In this work, the experimental shot# 33536 of the ADITYA-U tokamak is considered as a reference. There is good agreement in the growth rate and the real frequency values between GLOGYSTO and ORB5 with variations of less than

25
%

. Two maxima of growth rate versus mode number are obtained, the first around

k

θ

ρ

s

≃
0.4

is the standard ITG, the second around

k

θ

ρ

s

≃
1.2

is the SWITG. Additionally, using linear stability analysis, it is observed that the SWITGs are suppressed for low values of

R
0

/

L
T

i.e. only the standard ITG mode remains unstable. For the ADITYA-U tokamak, nonlinear global simulations with ORB5 are also carried out. Nonlinearly, SWITG dominating case results are compared with the conventional ITG case, where SWITG is relatively suppressed. The nonlinear contribution of the SWITG mode to the total thermal ion heat transport is found to be minimal due to an increased zonal flow shearing effect on the SWITG mode suppression, even though it may be linearly more unstable than the conventional long wavelength (

k

θ

ρ

s

<
1

) ITG mode.
Effect of fiber content on mechanical parameters and crack development of two kinds of reinforced cement soil
Authors: Zhang Jingshuang , Shu Yonghua
Published: June 2023

PVA fiber and basalt fiber are two kinds of common fibers used to reinforce cementitious materials and are widely used in engineering, therefore it is of great interest to study the effect of the content of the two kinds of fibers on the strength change of the cementitious materials. In this study, the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test and digital image correlation (DIC) test of cement soil with different contents (0,0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1%) were carried out. The following conclusions were drawn: in the process of uniaxial compression, the curve of specimens can be roughly divided into five stages: compaction, elasticity, plastic yield, failure and residual stage; the UCS of the soil specimens increased with the increase with the content of the two kinds of fibers, the UCS of 1% PVA fiber can be increased to 179.32% of the control group, but when the content is greater than 0.75%, the development of strength was limited by fiber aggregation; The modulus of deformation and the compressive toughness index of the soil specimen are linearly related to the compressive strength; DIC technology can simply and efficiently monitor the horizontal strain field changes and crack development of specimens in several stages, which can be extended to the actual project.
Preparation and characterization of lanthanum-based perovskite oxides LaMO3 (M=Fe, Cr, Mn) thin films by electrophoretic deposition
Authors: Aljurays Raghad K , Loucif Aicha , Amer Mabrook S , AlMayouf Abdullah M
Published: June 2023

In this study, we report the fabrication and characterization of

LaM

O

3

(
M
=
Fe
,
Cr
,
Mn
)

perovskite thin films deposited on FTO substrates via electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed the formation of the orthorhombic structure for

LaFe

O

3

and

LaCr

O

3

films and the trigonal structure for the

LaMn

O

3

film. The field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) micrographs revealed nano-spherical particles with an average grain size of about 50 nm covering the

LaMn

O

3

surface with fewer porosities compared to the other films. Moreover, the

LaMn

O

3

film exhibited a higher transparency in the visible region (∼84%). The estimated bandgaps of

LaFe

O

3

,

LaCr

O

3

,

and

LaMn

O

3

perovskite films were found to be 2.17, 3.18, and 2.92 eV, respectively. In addition, the refractive indices of all deposited films were calculated using five empirical models that relate the refractive index to the bandgap, which consistently revealed a decrease in refractive index with an increase of bandgap energy This study holds significant implications for the field of perovskite thin films as we contribute new insights into the fabrication of lanthanum-based perovskite thin films using the EPD technique. The comprehensive characterization of microstructural, morphological, and optical properties provides valuable information for understanding the structure-property relationship in these materials. Furthermore, the determination of bandgaps and refractive indices enhances our understanding of the optical properties of perovskite films. The findings from this study pave the way for potential applications in optoelectronic devices, where fine-tuning of material properties is critical for optimal device performance.
Study on the mechanism of water-induced degradation of slip zone soils and FDEM coupled simulation of slopes based on multi-scale characteristic
Authors: Fan Ruan , Xudong He , Taihong He , Wenjia Tang
Published: June 2023

The evolution of the mechanical properties of slip zone soils had a greater impact on the structure of soil slopes with large upper porosity and excellent infiltration conditions. Especially under the rainfall effect, it was easy to be affected by the infiltration effect of internal injury, which will lay a ‘hidden danger’ for the slope body to trigger sliding in the secondary transformation process. In this paper, based on Haijiao ping landslide in Guizhou, SEM image recognition techniques were used to reveal the water-induced degradation mechanism of the sliding zone soil from multiple scales and the damage parameters were obtained. Meanwhile, the FDEM numerical model was established to simulate the stability of the slope coupled with indoor TCT test results. The results proved that the angle of internal friction decreased linearly with the increase of water content on the macroscopic scale, but the cohesive force showed an increase and then a significant decrease. The effect of matrix suction in the microscopic scale was significant at lower water content, the internal cohesion formed a large number of agglomerate structures to resist external deformation, but the microstructure was loose and porous after sufficient water immersion. The pore space spreads directionally and the area increases by 2.66 times. The cross-scale discrete-finite element coupled simulation method based on image recognition can visually respond to the macroscopic mechanical properties and stability change response of the slope body caused by microscopic damage. The water-induced degradation effect of rainfall on slip zone soils was the inherent factors for the initiation deformation of landslide. The artificial excavation was the external factor that triggered the slope to slide. This type of landslide was more concealed in its natural state and prone to deformation when excavated after long-term rainfall.
Explaining the decline of US wind output power density
Authors: Regner Peter , Gruber Katharina , Wehrle Sebastian , Schmidt Johannes
Published: June 2023

US wind power generation has grown significantly over the last decades, in line with the number and average size of operating turbines. However, wind power density has declined, both measured in terms of wind power output per rotor swept area as well as per spacing area. To study this effect, we present a decomposition of US wind power generation data for the period 2001–2021 and examine how changes in input power density and system efficiency affected output power density. Here, input power density refers to the amount of wind available to turbines, system efficiency refers to the share of power in the wind flowing through rotor swept areas which is converted to electricity and output power density refers to the amount of wind power generated per rotor swept area. We show that, while power input available to turbines has increased in the period 2001–2021, system efficiency has decreased. In total, this has caused a decline in output power density in the last 10 years, explaining higher land-use requirements. The decrease in system efficiency is linked to the decrease in specific power, i.e. the ratio between the nameplate capacity of a turbine and its rotor swept area. Furthermore, we show that the wind available to turbines has increased substantially due to increases in the average hub height of turbines since 2001. However, site quality has slightly decreased in this period.
Photocatalytic and thermoelectric performance of asymmetrical two-dimensional Janus aluminum chalcogenides
Authors: Haman Zakaryae , Kibbou Moussa , Khossossi Nabil , Bahti Soukaina , Dey Poulumi , Essaoudi Ismail , Ahuja Rajeev , Ainane Abdelmajid
Published: June 2023

Through a density functional theory-driven survey, a comprehensive investigation of two-dimensional (2D) Janus aluminum-based monochalcogenides (Al2XY with X/Y = S, Se, and Te) has been performed within this study. To begin with, it is established that the examined phase, in which the Al-atoms are located at the two inner planes while the (S, Se, and Te)-atoms occupy the two outer planes in the unit cell, are energetically, mechanically, dynamically, and thermally stable. To address the electronic and optical properties, the hybrid function HSE06 has been employed. It is at first revealed that all three monolayers display a semiconducting nature with an indirect band gap ranging from 1.82 to 2.79 eV with a refractive index greater than 1.5, which implies that they would be transparent materials. Furthermore, the monolayers feature strong absorption spectra of around 105 cm−1 within the visible and ultraviolet regions, suggesting their potential use in optoelectronic devices. Concerning the photocatalytic performance, the conduction band-edge positions straddle the hydrogen evolution reaction redox level. Also, it is observed that the computed Gibbs free energy is around 1.15 eV, which is lower and comparable to some recently reported 2D-based Janus monolayers. Additionally, the thermoelectric properties are further investigated and found to offer a large thermal power as well as a high figure of merit (ZT) around 1.03. The aforementioned results strongly suggest that the 2D Janus Al-based monochalcogenide exhibits suitable characteristics as a potential material for high-performance optoelectronic and thermoelectric applications.
Epidemiological evidence on drinking water salinity and blood pressure: a scoping review
Authors: Xeni Christina , Oliva Raymond , Jahan Farjana , Romaina Iqbal , Naser Abu Mohd , Rahman Mahbubur , Fleming Lora E , O Gribble Matthew , Makris Konstantinos C
Published: June 2023

In addition to diet, drinking water can be an important contributor to the total body burden of salts. Water salinity (defined as the amount of dissolved salts in a body of water) has been associated with adverse health effects. We mapped the current research on drinking water salinity and its effects on blood pressure (BP). We aimed to identify knowledge gaps in the methodology and tools used in the epidemiological literature to address water salinity effects on BP. We performed a scoping review of epidemiological studies by searching PubMed and Web of Science databases from 1980 to 2022. Reviews, study comparisons, meta-analyses, commentaries, viewpoints, correspondence, protocols, studies in clinical settings, animal or in vitro studies, or not in English, were excluded. Epidemiologic studies including systolic/diastolic BP and/or the risk of hypertension as the main health outcome and drinking water salts (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, including electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids) as the main exposures were included. After screening 246 articles, 29 articles were retained. Most studies were conducted in Bangladesh and USA (n = 9 and n = 9, respectively). The majority of studies were cross-sectional (n = 18; 62%). The study populations were adults (55%) or children (35%) or both (10%). Only eight (28%) studies did not collect urine samples and only three studies (10%) did not record participant BP. About half of the studies (n = 15, 52%) reported a positive significant (p < 0.05) association between salts in drinking water and higher BP and/or risk of hypertension; while 24% and 24% reported non-significant (p > 0.05) and significant (p < 0.05) negative associations (with lower BP mainly attributed to higher Mg, Ca, and K (rather than Na) levels in drinking water). More longitudinal studies are warranted to investigate the impact of drinking water salinization on cardiovascular health and risk of hypertension. Under a changing climate, this may be particularly important for coastal populations, as sea level rise in combination with the overexploitation of groundwater would differentially perturb the salinity of their drinking water supplies.
Prediction of postoperative complications after oesophagectomy using machine-learning methods
Authors: Jung Jin-On , Pisula Juan I , Bozek Kasia , Popp Felix , Fuchs Hans F , Schröder Wolfgang , Bruns Christiane J , Schmidt Thomas
Published: June 2023

Background

Oesophagectomy is an operation with a high risk of postoperative complications. The aim of this single-centre retrospective study was to apply machine-learning methods to predict complications (Clavien–Dindo grade IIIa or higher) and specific adverse events.

Methods

Patients with resectable adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus and gastro-oesophageal junction who underwent Ivor Lewis oesophagectomy between 2016 and 2021 were included. The tested algorithms were logistic regression after recursive feature elimination, random forest, k-nearest neighbour, support vector machine, and neural network. The algorithms were also compared with a current risk score (the Cologne risk score).

Results

457 patients had Clavien–Dindo grade IIIa or higher complications (52.9 per cent) versus 407 patients with Clavien–Dindo grade 0, I, or II complications (47.1 per cent). After 3-fold imputation and 3-fold cross-validation, the overall accuracies were: logistic regression after recursive feature elimination, 0.528; random forest, 0.535; k-nearest neighbour, 0.491; support vector machine, 0.511; neural network, 0.688; and Cologne risk score, 0.510. For medical complications, the results were: logistic regression after recursive feature elimination, 0.688; random forest, 0.664; k-nearest neighbour, 0.673; support vector machine, 0.681; neural network, 0.692; and Cologne risk score, 0.650. For surgical complications, the results were: logistic regression after recursive feature elimination, 0.621; random forest, 0.617; k-nearest neighbour, 0.620; support vector machine, 0.634; neural network, 0.667; and Cologne risk score, 0.624. The calculated area under the curve of the neural network was 0.672 for Clavien–Dindo grade IIIa or higher, 0.695 for medical complications, and 0.653 for surgical complications.

Conclusion

The neural network scored the highest accuracies compared with all of the other models for the prediction of postoperative complications after oesophagectomy.
Prevalence of NUDT15 Genetic Variants and Incidence of Thiopurine-induced Leukopenia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Yu Natalie , Sriranganathan Danujan , Walker Gareth J , Sazonovs Aleksejs , Wilding Helen , Roberts Christopher , Kennedy Nicholas A , Ahmad Tariq , Boyapati Ray K , Ding Nik S , Segal Jonathan P
Published: June 2023

Background and Aims

Nudix hydrolase 15 [NUDT15] genetic variants confer an increased risk of thiopurine-induced leukopenia [TIL]; however, their global prevalence in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] patients is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the global prevalence of NUDT15 variants in IBD patients and incidence of TIL in these patients.

Methods

Six databases were searched from inception until July 2022. Studies reporting the frequency of any NUDT15 variant and/or frequency of leukopenia in adult IBD patients with these variants were included. A random effects model was performed to estimate the pooled prevalence of variants, incidence of early [≤8 weeks] and late [>8 weeks] leukopenia, and relative risk of developing leukopenia.

Results

Twenty studies comprising 5232 patients were included. The pooled prevalence of the *1/*3 c.415C > T C/T diplotype was 13% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10–18%), *3/*3 c.415C > T T/T diplotype was 2% [95% CI: 1–2%], *1/*5 c.52G > A G/A diplotype was 2% [95% CI: 1–3%], and *1/*6 c.36_37insGGAGTC ins/- diplotype was 7% [95% CI: 4–12%]. The pooled prevalence of *1/*3 was high in Japanese [20%, 95% CI: 16–24%] and Chinese patients [18%, 95% CI: 12–27%]. The incidence of early leukopenia was 20% [95% CI: 16–26%] in *1/*3 patients, 99% [95% CI: 7–100%] in *3/*3 patients, and 49% [95% CI: 29–69%] in *1/*6 patients. The incidence of late leukopenia was 36% [95% CI: 26–49%] in *1/*3 patients.

Conclusions

NUDT15 variants are common and strongly predict TIL in IBD patients. Pre-treatment NUDT15 genotyping should be considered particularly in Asian populations, to guide thiopurine dosing and prevent myelotoxicity.
Safety and efficacy of colchicine for the prevention of post-operative atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Agarwal Siddharth , Beard Christopher W , Khosla Jagjit , Clifton Shari , Anwaar Muhammad Faraz , Ghani Asad , Farhat Kassem , Pyrpyris Nikolaos , Momani Joud , Munir Muhammad Bilal , DeSimone Christopher V , Deshmukh Abhishek , Stavrakis Stavros , Jackman Warren M , Po Sunny , Asad Zain Ul Abideen
Published: June 2023

Background and Aims

Colchicine is an anti-inflammatory drug that may prevent post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF). The effect of this drug has been inconsistently shown in previous clinical trials. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of colchicine vs. placebo to prevent POAF in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods and results

A systematic search of EMBASE, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted from inception till April 2023. The primary outcome was the incidence of POAF after any cardiac surgery. The secondary outcome was the rate of drug discontinuation due to adverse events and adverse gastrointestinal events. Risk ratios (RR) were reported using the Mantel Haenszel method. A total of eight RCTs comprising 1885 patients were included. There was a statistically significant lower risk of developing POAF with colchicine vs. placebo (RR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.59–0.82; P < 0.01, I2 = 0%), and this effect persisted across different subgroups. There was a significantly higher risk of adverse gastrointestinal events (RR: 2.20; 95% CI: 1.38–3.51; P < 0.01, I2 = 55%) with no difference in the risk of drug discontinuation in patients receiving colchicine vs. placebo (RR: 1.33; 95% CI: 0.93–1.89; P = 0.11, I2 = 0%).

Conclusion

This meta-analysis of eight RCTs shows that colchicine is effective at preventing POAF, with a significantly higher risk of adverse gastrointestinal events but no difference in the rate of drug discontinuation. Future studies are required to define the optimal duration and dose of colchicine for the prevention of POAF.
Ribosomal Intergenic Spacers Are Filled with Transposon Remnants
Authors: Bendich Arnold J , Rogers Scott O
Published: June 2023

Eukaryotic ribosomal DNA (rDNA) comprises tandem units of highly conserved coding genes separated by rapidly evolving spacer DNA. The spacers of all 12 species examined were filled with short direct repeats (DRs) and multiple long tandem repeats (TRs), completing the rDNA maps that previously contained unannotated and inadequately studied sequences. The external transcribed spacers also were filled with DRs and some contained TRs. We infer that the spacers arose from transposon insertion, followed by their imprecise excision, leaving short DRs characteristic of transposon visitation. The spacers provided a favored location for transposon insertion because they occupy loci containing hundreds to thousands of gene repeats. The spacers’ primary cellular function may be to link one ribosomal RNA transcription unit to the next, whereas transposons flourish here because they have colonized the most frequently used part of the genome.
RNA-Sequencing Analysis Identification of Potential Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Sarcopenia
Authors: Furutani Motoki , Suganuma Mutsumi , Akiyama Shintaro , Mitsumori Risa , Takemura Marie , Matsui Yasumoto , Satake Shosuke , Nakano Yukiko , Niida Shumpei , Ozaki Kouichi , Hosoyama Tohru , Shigemizu Daichi
Published: June 2023

Sarcopenia is a geriatric disease associated with increased mortality and disability. Early diagnosis and intervention are required to prevent it. This study investigated biomarkers for sarcopenia by using a combination of comprehensive clinical data and messenger RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We enrolled a total of 114 older adults aged 66–94 years (52 sarcopenia diagnosed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 consensus and 62 normal older people). We used clinical data which were not included diagnosis criteria of sarcopenia, and stride length showed significance by logistic regression analysis (Bonferroni corrected p = .012, odds ratio = 0.14, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05–0.40). RNA-seq analysis detected 6 differential expressed genes (FAR1, GNL2, HERC5, MRPL47, NUBP2, and S100A11). We also performed gene-set enrichment analysis and detected 2 functional modules (ie, hub genes, MYH9, and FLNA). By using any combination of the 9 candidates and basic information (age and sex), risk-prediction models were constructed. The best model by using a combination of stride length, HERC5, S100A11, and FLNA, achieved a high area under the curve (AUC) of 0.91 in a validation cohort (95% CI: 0.78–0.95). The quantitative PCR results of the 3 genes were consistent with the trend observed in the RNA-seq results. When BMI was added, the model achieved a high AUC of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.84–0.99). We have discovered potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of sarcopenia. Further refinement may lead to their future practical use in clinical use.
P-699 A clinical predictive model for live birth in women of advanced age undergoing PGT cycles
Authors: Bercovich O , Klar G , Shaulov T , Almog B , Kalma Y , Rahav R , Azem F , Malcov M , Cohen Y
Published: June 2023

Study question

In 37–45-year-old women undergoing preimplantation genetic testing, who will benefit from repeated cycles until birth?

Summary answer

The chance of delivering after repeated cycles is higher in those with at least one top-quality unaffected embryo in their first preimplantation genetic testing cycle.

What is known already

PGT for monogenic disease or structural chromosomal rearrangement (PGT-M and PGT-SR) is offered to couples when one or both carry a monogenic mutation or chromosomal rearrangement that put their future offspring at risk of having a genetic disorder so they can select an unaffected embryo for uterine transfer.

The tendency to delay childbirth has led to an increase in advanced-aged women seeking PGT treatments. This poses a major challenge to PGT treatments.

Study design, size, duration

A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a university hospital reproductive center. The computerized database of 158 women aged 37–45 undergoing 753 PGT-M/SR cycles between 2010 and 2021 was analyzed.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

The reproductive outcomes of women who were 37–45 years of age, starting a PGT-M/SR cycle, were analyzed until the first live birth or until the patient reached the age of 45.

Data were analyzed using univariate analysis, multivariable stepwise logistic regression, Kaplan–Meier method, and decision tree analysis. The cumulative live birth rate was calculated in a conservative manner because the assumption that patients who did not return for subsequent cycles had negative results was made.

Main results and the role of chance

The analysis included 158 women undergoing 753 preimplantation genetic testing cycles. The cumulative live birth rate was 37.342% (59/158). Decision tree analysis revealed that women aged ≤ 40.1 or women > 40.1 with one or more top-quality embryos in their first cycle had the best chance for a live baby (41% and 56%, respectively). Those older than 40.1 without top-quality embryos and seven or fewer dominant follicles had no live births. A Kaplan–Meier curve showed that for autosomal dominant diseases, there was a negligible increase in live birth rate after three cycles, compared to six cycles in autosomal recessive inheritance.

Limitations, reasons for caution

This study is limited by its retrospective design and the low birth rate in this age group, which reduces its power to detect differences in birth rates between different modes of inheritance.

Wider implications of the findings

The predictive model for live births in women aged 37-45 developed in this study can be used for clinical decision making and patient consultation.

Additional PGT cycles after three in carriers of an autosomal dominant disorder and six in those with an autosomal recessive disorder should be considered prudently.

Trial registration number

Not applicable