bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimization of the 3D multi-level SOT-MRAMs
Authors: Lin Hui , Jiang Yanfeng
Published: February 2024

With the development of electronic technology, semiconductor memory is gradually shifting toward smaller area with less power consumption. SOT-MRAM is one of the competitive substitutes for DRAM and SRAM due to its superior endurance and switching speed. In contrast to STT-MRAM, the separation of read and write routes allows SOT-MRAM to have a lower error rate and higher lifetime, but this comes at the expense of the memory density. In recent years, vertical integrated circuits have relied on TSV to complete 3D stacking to ease the pressure of Moore's Law on scaling circuits. SOT-MRAM can take advantage of 3D stacking to reduce power and latency. More importantly, the density of SOT-MRAM can be improved at the same time. In the paper, simulation is conducted based on DESTINY, with the TSV model supplemented to NVSIM to evaluate the performance of MRAM 3D structures. The 3D SOT-MRAM structure in DESTINY can be implemented with a bus layer and interconnect structure between layers, which greatly reduces the expense of area. However, the 3D structure requires a more complex interconnect structure to truly meet the requirements of high density. For this reason, 3D model of unit interconnection using TSV is presented in the paper. Memory has several components, of which the memory array is the one with the largest area share. This paper explores the spatial structure of the array and proposes a new model which allows more complex interconnect structures to be accomplished on the same area.
Suppression of in-plane (001) texture component in FePt-oxide granular films by adding a carbon buffer layer
Authors: Tham Kim Kong , Kushibiki Ryosuke , Saito Shin
Published: February 2024

Investigation of magnetic properties and nanostructure of FePt-B2O3 granular film with carbon buffer layer (BL) of various thicknesses is reported. When the thickness of carbon BL is varied from 0 to 0.6 nm, saturation magnetization (Msfilm) is almost constant at around 750 emu/cm3 and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (Ku⊥film) changes from around 1.0×107 to 2.0×107 erg/cm3. For the granular film with the carbon BL thicker than 0.6 nm, both Msfilm and Ku⊥film decrease. The reduction of Msfilm for the granular film by adding a carbon BL may be due to the alloying of carbon into the FePt magnetic grains. The enhancement of Ku⊥film for the film with a 0.6 nm carbon BL is considered due to the reduction of the in-plane texture component which is supported by the in-plane XRD. The reduction of Ku⊥film for the film with a carbon BL thicker than 0.6 nm is considered due to random growth of magnetic grains on a continuous carbon BL which is supported by the TEM cross-section images. According to these results, the employment of an un-continuous thin carbon BL is a promising method to enhance c-axis texture orientation of the FePt-oxide granular films.
Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of rare earth intermetallic compound Gd3Co4Ge13
Authors: Morozkin A. V. , Garshev A. V. , Yapaskurt V. O. , Quezado S. , Malik S. K. , Nirmala R.
Published: February 2024

Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of polycrystalline Gd3Co4Ge13 (Cubic, Yb3Rh4Sn13-type, Space group Pm-3n, No. 223, cP40) have been studied by carrying out dc magnetization measurements in applied magnetic fields up to 140 kOe. The compound Gd3Co4Ge13 orders antiferromagnetically at 9 K (TN). The antiferromagnetism appears to be weak and with increasing applied magnetic fields, ferromagnetic interactions become dominant. This field-induced antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic state that is marked as a change from inverse to normal magnetocaloric effect in the isothermal magnetic entropy change vs temperature plot around TN. At 2 K, the magnetization shows a tendency toward saturation in applied magnetic field and a magnetic moment of 5.3 µB per Gd3+ is obtained in 140 kOe field.
A novel hybrid magnetic material based on three-phase saturated core fault current limiter
Authors: Yuan Jiaxin , Sun Yudong , Zhang Wanting , Liu Yu , Zhou Hang , Zhong Hao
Published: February 2024

Installing a three-phase saturated core fault current limiter (TSFCL) is an effective method to limit the increasing short-circuit current in high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) systems. However, the traditional TSFCL uses silicon steels as its working material for the iron core, resulting in poor current-limiting effects, requiring a large DC excitation current, and having a slow response speed. Nanocrystalline alloys have advantages such as a lower saturation point, higher permeability in the unsaturated zone, and a steep B–H curve, making them highly suitable for TSFCL’s applications. However, their poor capability which withstands fault hindered their large-scale commercialization. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel hybrid magnetic material based on TSFCL (HMTFCL), where the materials of the working limbs are replaced by nanocrystalline alloys. Compared to TSFCL, the DC excitation current of HMTFCL decreases by 60.5%. And, the HMTFCL reduces the peak short-circuit current by 23%. Last, the magnetic flux intensity inside the working limb of HMTFCL is reduced to zero more quickly.
Learning the shape of protein microenvironments with a holographic convolutional neural network
Authors: Pun Michael N. , Ivanov Andrew , Bellamy Quinn , Montague Zachary , LaMont Colin , Bradley Philip , Otwinowski Jakub , Nourmohammad Armita
Published: February 2024

Proteins play a central role in biology from immune recognition to brain activity. While major advances in machine learning have improved our ability to predict protein structure from sequence, determining protein function from its sequence or structure remains a major challenge. Here, we introduce holographic convolutional neural network (H-CNN) for proteins, which is a physically motivated machine learning approach to model amino acid preferences in protein structures. H-CNN reflects physical interactions in a protein structure and recapitulates the functional information stored in evolutionary data. H-CNN accurately predicts the impact of mutations on protein stability and binding of protein complexes. Our interpretable computational model for protein structure–function maps could guide design of novel proteins with desired function.
Self-organization as a mechanism of resilience in dryland ecosystems
Authors: Kéfi Sonia , Génin Alexandre , Garcia-Mayor Angeles , Guirado Emilio , Cabral Juliano S. , Berdugo Miguel , Guerber Josquin , Solé Ricard , Maestre Fernando T.
Published: February 2024

Self-organized spatial patterns are a common feature of complex systems, ranging from microbial communities to mussel beds and drylands. While the theoretical implications of these patterns for ecosystem-level processes, such as functioning and resilience, have been extensively studied, empirical evidence remains scarce. To address this gap, we analyzed global drylands along an aridity gradient using remote sensing, field data, and modeling. We found that the spatial structure of the vegetation strengthens as aridity increases, which is associated with the maintenance of a high level of soil multifunctionality, even as aridity levels rise up to a certain threshold. The combination of these results with those of two individual-based models indicate that self-organized vegetation patterns not only form in response to stressful environmental conditions but also provide drylands with the ability to adapt to changing conditions while maintaining their functioning, an adaptive capacity which is lost in degraded ecosystems. Self-organization thereby plays a vital role in enhancing the resilience of drylands. Overall, our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between spatial vegetation patterns and dryland resilience. They also represent a significant step forward in the development of indicators for ecosystem resilience, which are critical tools for managing and preserving these valuable ecosystems in a warmer and more arid world.
Streamlined identification of clinically and functionally relevant genetic regulators of lower-tract urogenital development
Authors: Haller Meade , Yin Yan , Haller Gabe , Li Tian , Li Qiufang , Lamb Laura E. , Ma Liang
Published: February 2024

Congenital anomalies of the lower genitourinary (LGU) tract are frequently comorbid due to genetically linked developmental pathways, and are among the most common yet most socially stigmatized congenital phenotypes. Genes involved in sexual differentiation are prime candidates for developmental anomalies of multiple LGU organs, but insufficient prospective screening tools have prevented the rapid identification of causative genes. Androgen signaling is among the most influential modulators of LGU development. The present study uses SpDamID technology in vivo to generate a comprehensive map of the pathways actively regulated by the androgen receptor (AR) in the genitalia in the presence of the p300 coactivator, identifying wingless/integrated (WNT) signaling as a highly enriched AR-regulated pathway in the genitalia. Transcription factor (TF) hits were then assayed for sexually dimorphic expression at two critical time points and also cross-referenced to a database of clinically relevant copy number variations to identify 252 TFs exhibiting copy variation in patients with LGU phenotypes. A subset of 54 TFs was identified for which LGU phenotypes are statistically overrepresented as a proportion of total observed phenotypes. The 252 TF hitlist was then subjected to a functional screen to identify hits whose silencing affects genital mesenchymal growth rates. Overlap of these datasets results in a refined list of 133 TFs of both functional and clinical relevance to LGU development, 31 of which are top priority candidates, including the well-documented renal progenitor regulator, Sall1. Loss of Sall1 was examined in vivo and confirmed to be a powerful regulator of LGU development.
Excess natural-cause mortality in US counties and its association with reported COVID-19 deaths
Authors: Paglino Eugenio , Lundberg Dielle J. , Wrigley-Field Elizabeth , Zhou Zhenwei , Wasserman Joe A. , Raquib Rafeya , Chen Yea-Hung , Hempstead Katherine , Preston Samuel H. , Elo Irma T. , Glymour M. Maria , Stokes Andrew C.
Published: February 2024

In the United States, estimates of excess deaths attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic have consistently surpassed reported COVID-19 death counts. Excess deaths reported to non-COVID-19 natural causes may represent unrecognized COVID-19 deaths, deaths caused by pandemic health care interruptions, and/or deaths from the pandemic’s socioeconomic impacts. The geographic and temporal distribution of these deaths may help to evaluate which explanation is most plausible. We developed a Bayesian hierarchical model to produce monthly estimates of excess natural-cause mortality for US counties over the first 30 mo of the pandemic. From March 2020 through August 2022, 1,194,610 excess natural-cause deaths occurred nationally [90% PI (Posterior Interval): 1,046,000 to 1,340,204]. A total of 162,886 of these excess natural-cause deaths (90% PI: 14,276 to 308,480) were not reported to COVID-19. Overall, 15.8 excess deaths were reported to non-COVID-19 natural causes for every 100 reported COVID-19 deaths. This number was greater in nonmetropolitan counties (36.0 deaths), the West (Rocky Mountain states: 31.6 deaths; Pacific states: 25.5 deaths), and the South (East South Central states: 26.0 deaths; South Atlantic states: 25.0 deaths; West South Central states: 24.2 deaths). In contrast, reported COVID-19 death counts surpassed estimates of excess natural-cause deaths in metropolitan counties in the New England and Middle Atlantic states. Increases in reported COVID-19 deaths correlated temporally with increases in excess deaths reported to non-COVID-19 natural causes in the same and/or prior month. This suggests that many excess deaths reported to non-COVID-19 natural causes during the first 30 mo of the pandemic in the United States were unrecognized COVID-19 deaths.
Humanitarian discourse as racism disclaimer
Authors: Breazu Petre , Machin David
Published: February 2024

Roma communities remain Europe’s most marginalized and disadvantaged population, facing increasing discrimination,
especially after the 2015 refugee crisis. European media often portrays them as criminals or anti-social, furthering
misunderstanding and social exclusion. This article examines Swedish news media’s representation of Roma, which, at a surface
level, appears much less negative. Using Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis, we analyze two Swedish newspapers’ coverage of
the controversial law which sought to criminalize begging, which targeted Eastern European Roma migrants. Our findings reveal that
‘Swedish exceptionalism’–a discourse of human rights, equality, colorblindness, characterized by limited racial literacy–serves to
obscure and act as a disclaimer for anti-Roma sentiment and government actions which in fact resemble those criticized in other EU
countries.
Analysing the structure of Kazakhstan university undergraduate students’ knowledge about the force concept: findings from a three-tier FCI survey
Authors: Japashov Nursultan , Abdikadyr Bagdat , Balta Nuri , Maxutov Samat , Postiglione Adriana , Tzafilkou Katerina
Published: February 2024

This mixed method research (quantitative and qualitative) is dedicated to analyse the Structure of Kazakhstani University Students’ knowledge about the force concept. For this purpose we extend the existing, well known instrument Force Concept Inventory (FCI), applying a three-tier test approach, by asking students to write an explanation of scientific reasons for choosing a certain answer of FCI in the second tier and checking their confidence level in the third tier. Also, the survey was translated into Kazakh language and validated for the Kazakhstan population. The results showed the test has high content and construct validity and high reliability. When analysing the results of the survey, it was found that considering the FCI as the three-tier test significantly affected the number of identified misconceptions and the assessment of scientific knowledge, which implied higher reliability in the results obtained. The obtained data suggest that some incorrect answers should be specified as a lack of knowledge rather than misconceptions, and some correct answers should be considered as a lucky guess rather than scientific knowledge. In the study, we showed the most common misconceptions of the Kazakhstani University students population and detected a gender gap in conceptual understanding of Mechanics, which attracts the attention of researchers for their future studies.
Probing the peripheral self-generated magnetic field distribution in laser-plasma magnetic reconnection with Martin–Puplett interferometer polarimeter
Authors: Zhang 张 Ya-Peng 雅芃 , Yao 姚 Jia-Wen 嘉文 , Liu 刘 Zheng-Dong 正东 , Ma 马 Zuo-Lin 作霖 , Zhong 仲 Jia-Yong 佳勇
Published: February 2024

Magnetic reconnection of the self-generated magnetic fields in laser-plasma interaction is an important laboratory method for modeling high-energy density astronomical and astrophysical phenomena. We use the Martin–Puplett interferometer (MPI) polarimeter to probe the peripheral magnetic fields generated in the common magnetic reconnection configuration, two separated coplanar plane targets, in laser-target interaction. We introduce a new method that can obtain polarization information from the interference pattern instead of the sinusoidal function fitting of the intensity. A bidirectional magnetic field is observed from the side view, which is consistent with the magneto-hydro-dynamical (MHD) simulation results of self-generated magnetic field reconnection. We find that the cancellation of reverse magnetic fields after averaging and integration along the observing direction could reduce the magnetic field strength by one to two orders of magnitude. It indicates that imaging resolution can significantly affect the accuracy of measured magnetic field strength.
Development of a Front End Array for Broadband Phased Array Receiver
Authors: Wang Kai , Cao Liang , Ma Jun , Duan Xue-Feng , Yan Hao , Chen Mao-Zheng , Ning Yun-Wei
Published: February 2024

The receiver is a signal receiving device placed at the focus of the telescope. In order to improve the observation efficiency, the concept of phased array receiver has been proposed in recent years, which places a small phased array at the focal plane of the reflector, and flexible pattern and beam scanning functions can be achieved through a beamforming network. If combined with the element multiplexing, all beams within the entire field of view can be observed simultaneously to achieve continuous sky coverage. This article focuses on the front-end array of phased array receiver at 0.7–1.8 GHz for QiTai Telescope, and designs a Vivaldi antenna array of PCB structure with dual line polarization. Each polarization antenna is designed to arrange in a rectangle manner by 11 × 10. Based on the simulation results of the focal field, 32, 18, and eight elements were selected to form one beam at 0.7, 1.25, and 1.8 GHz. An analog beamforming network was constructed, and the measured gains of axial beam under uniform weighting were 19.32, 13.72, and 15.22 dBi. Combining the beam scanning method of reflector antenna, the pattern test of different position element sets required for PAF beam scanning was carried out under independent array. The pattern optimization at 1.25 GHz was carried out by weighting method of conjugate field matching. Compared with uniform weighting, the gain, sidelobe level, and main beam direction under conjugate field matching have been improved. Although the above test and simulation results are slightly different, which is related to the passive array and laboratory testing condition, the relevant work has accumulated experience in the development of the front-end array for the phased array receiver, and has good guiding significance for future performance verification after the array is installed on the telescope.
Accuracy in evaluating convective heat transfer coefficient by RANS CFD simulations in a rectangular channel with high aspect ratio and 60° tilted staggered ribs
Authors: Corti M , Gramazio P , Fustinoni D , Niro A
Published: February 2024

A numerical analysis of heat transfer characteristics of an air flow through a narrow rectangular channel of 1:10 aspect ratio with ribbed surfaces has been carried out, by means of a CFD commercial code, exploiting Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The channel is 120 mm wide, 840 mm long, with 60° tilted staggered ribs. Ribs have a square cross section with two different side heights (2 mm and 4 mm) and three different values of dimensionless pitch (10, 20 and 40). The numerical results have been compared with experimental data obtained by the authors inside a ribbed channel both with same geometry and operating conditions as one numerically modelled. Agreement between numerical and experimental data on convective global heat transfer coefficient, i.e., averaged over the whole channel, is discussed for the six different configurations considered. Moreover, performances are presented by considering at the same time both heat transfer enhancement and pressure-drop penalization, highlighting strengths and weaknesses per each configuration. This work is aimed at finding a suitable configuration of a CFD model with RANS that will allow authors to apply it to the range of dimensionless pitches and side heights during early design-phases of parametric studies.
Experimental data analysis and dimensionless exergy levels in a commercial stratified thermal storage
Authors: Anacreonte AV. , Musto M. , Bianco N. , Vitobello R. , Russo R.
Published: February 2024

The continuously rising demand for renewable energy sources within the energy system has highlighted the need for technologies capable of mitigating the impact of renewable energy intermittency and addressing the generation-demand mismatch in the system. Thermal energy storage (TES) emerges as a versatile storage medium with a wide range of applications, spanning from solar energy utilization and power peak shaving to the storage of industrial waste heat. In this study, data collected from an operating commercial stratified tank are used to validate a 2-D axisymmetric CFD model. Temperature profiles are collected throughout one month with a one-minute refresh rate. The model replicating the tank is generated in COMSOL Multiphysics® and validated by emulating the registered charging phases of the real storage. The model is then employed to optimize the stratification capability of the tank, by varying the logics applied to pinpoint optimal values of both inlet water temperature and velocity. The study aims to maximize the exergetic efficiency of the system using dimensionless exergy, a parameter often utilized in literature to identify the ability of the storage to generate and preserve optimal temperature stratification. Finally, the experimental dimensionless exergy has been evaluated for the aforementioned temperature profiles.
Numerical analysis of the binder angle effect on convective heat transfer and pressure drop in drilled-hollow sphere architected foams
Authors: Iasiello M , Mauro G M , Bianco N , Andreozzi A , Chiu W K S , Naso V
Published: February 2024

Due to their capability of generating customized microstructures, additive manufactured cellular materials are promising to being employed in heat transfer devices. To this aim, among printable cellular materials Drilled-Hollow Spheres Architected (DHSA) foams are investigated. However, at the present status, limited data on pressure drop and heat transfer in DHSAs are available. Starting from hollow spheres, a metal DHSA foam is generated with CAD software in this study. Forced air convective heat transfer in the foam is investigated numerically, under the assumptions of air incompressible laminar flow and uniform wall heat flux from the solid to the fluid phase. Mass, momentum and energy equations in the fluid region are written and solved numerically, for various values of the foam binder angle and the velocity of the inlet air. The convective heat transfer coefficients, the pressure drop and the friction factor are predicted. The effects of the binder angle and the air inlet velocity on heat transfer and pressure drop are highlighted.
Numerical validation of ice formation on a lattice structure evaporator
Authors: Bernardini L , Garivalis A I , Marangolo B , Rezaei E , Di Marco P
Published: February 2024

This paper presents a comparative analysis between experimental and numerical results of the ice formation process on the surface of the evaporator in a Sparkling Water Dispenser. The experimental setup comprises an R290 refrigeration cycle that is fully equipped with thermocouples, pressure transducers, a wattmeter, and a Coriolis-meter. The evaporator, which is specifically designed to enhance the ice formation speed, is situated within a water-filled tank, where the ice formation process takes place. Due to the phase change phenomenon, which involves the interface between two phases moving, solving transient heat transfer problems involving solidifications can be inherently challenging. Analytical solutions are only possible under certain simplified circumstances. In cases where exact solutions are not available, semi-analytic, approximate, and numerical methods can be utilized to address phase-change problems. A numerical model of the solidification process based on the energy equation and conjugate heat transfer was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics. The software was found to be effective in simulating the physical processes associated with heat transfer through conduction and convection, as well as the behaviour of phase change. The results showed a very good agreement between experimental and numerical results.
A New Concept of Direct Oil Cooling System for AFPM Machines, Numerical Analysis and Optimization
Authors: Pirillo L. , Nardecchia F. , Bisegna F.
Published: February 2024

Given the strong growth of the electric drive industry, the automotive sector needs to increase the power density of its motors, leading to a size decrease and, consequently, to economic savings. The increase in power density brings with itself the consequence of increasing the Joule effect losses in the active conductors of the machine. For this reason, the problem of cooling turns out to be of utmost importance precisely because of its direct coupling with mechanical and electromagnetic design. This paper has the aim to perform a CFD analysis concerning the cooling system of a permanent magnet axial flux electric machine. The innovative cooling system studied is a direct one which takes advantage of oil to cool down the DC powered coils. The innovation brought by the present research lays in both the direct axial ejection and the use of oil as coolant. At the current state of art, the coolant flows tangentially and, moreover, water is usually employed instead of oil. The main aim of this analysis will be, after a validation of the numerical code by comparison of the literature data, to minimize the maximum temperature of the coil by means of the proper positioning of the nozzle.
Experimental investigation of moisture influence on biochar and biochar-soil blends thermophysical properties
Authors: Morselli N , Puglia M , Ottani F , Pedrazzi S , Allesina G , Muscio A , Tartarini P
Published: February 2024

Biochar is a carbonaceous and porous material obtained through pyrolysis or gasification. It can be extremely valuable as soil amendment since it increases the organic matter content and fertility, the microbial activity, the water retention, and the crop yields. Moreover, biochar soil application has the potential for long-term carbon sequestration which makes its application to soil interesting even outside agricultural crops. In recent years, the study of the variation of the thermophysical properties of the soil induced by mixing with biochar has attracted interest.

In this work, the effect of the water content on thermal conductivity of biochar was investigated by means of the guarded hot plate apparatus λ-Meter EP500e. The same procedure was applied to various mixtures of biochar and soil. Furthermore, the specific heat was measured in order to obtain the thermal diffusivity in the various conditions through a calorimeter. Solar reflectance was also measured following the ASTM C1549 using a solar spectrum reflectometer SSR-ER. The obtained thermophysical properties can be used for the evaluation of the temperature trend of soil at different depths during the seasonal variations.
Energy comparison analysis between direct and indirect dry saturated steam generation, thermally powered by EFPCs’ solar fields
Authors: Levrano A , Anacreonte A V , Gaudino E , Vitobello R , Sparano S , Russo R , Musto M
Published: February 2024

Steam is a key energy vector in the industrial sector and each application requires it at a specific pressure and temperature. In this paper the production of low pressure dry saturated steam for industrial use through high-vacuum flat plate solar collectors (HVFPCs) is discussed. This technology can produce steam from solar energy, hybridizing it with existing fossil powered steam generators to obtain significant energy savings and reduce CO
2 emissions. An energy comparison using the 0-D TRNSYS® software between numerical results of different plant configurations is made, which differ in the type of dry saturated steam production device. These devices are necessary as it is not possible to produce steam directly inside collectors. Two possible steam generation methods were analysed: direct steam production, using a Flash vessel, and indirect steam production, using a Kettle reboiler. Finally, each configuration was simulated by imposing a solar field ΔT of 10 °C and 20 °C. Dynamic results show that flash vessel configurations are generally the most efficient, with the same operating parameters, compared to the configurations with Kettle reboiler. Furthermore, configurations with certain ΔT, such as to determine lower operational solar field temperatures, lead to the best results due to the higher HVFPCs’ efficiency.
Permeability measurement of a 3D-printed AlSi10Mg porous medium: comparisons between first results with different experimental and numerical techniques
Authors: Vitali L , Brambati G , Caruana R , Foletti S , Guilizzoni M , Niro A
Published: February 2024

In this work, the permeability of a 3D-printed, AlSi10Mg porous medium, with porosity ε = 0.3 and an effective pore radius of 48 μm, developed to operate as wick in a sinter-like heat pipe, has been investigated by means of two different experimental approaches, and of two different numerical methods. The two experimental methods are the capillary rise tests, from which permeability was estimated by fitting the theoretical capillary rise curve to the experimental data, and the direct measurement of the the mass flow rate across the porous sample at an imposed pressure difference. The numerical simulations were performed too using two different approaches and software tools, namely, Lattice-Boltzmann with Palabos, and Finite-Volumes with OpenFOAM. In both cases, the simulation domain was reconstructed from a micro-computer aided tomographic scan of a porous medium sample. Preliminary simulations were run on a simple configuration, both to check simulation setup and validate results, and mesh independence was assessed. Then, pressure-driven and velocity-driven simulations of an incompressible fluid flow across the domain were performed, from which the permeability was estimated using Darcy and Darcy-Forchheimer equations. The results show that the methods, while not in complete agreement, provide a useful estimate. The numerical methods also complement the information given by the experimental techniques by highlighting the flow paths, and allow to analyze scenarios of increased and decreased porosity.
The impact of the distribution of the condensation energy adsorbed in the water pool on the DCC efficiency at sub-atmospheric pressure
Authors: Aquaro D , Berti L , Lo Frano R , Cancemi S A , d’Errico F , Sarkar B
Published: February 2024

The safety of a fusion reactor like ITER relies on the reliability of the pressure suppression system (for keeping pressure below 0.15 MPa during accidental scenarios), and, in turn, on the efficiency of Direct Contact Condensation (DCC).

In this study, the role played by the distribution of the condensation energy in the water is analysed considering the experimental results of temperature and pressure recorded during steam condensation tests in a closed volume at sub-atmospheric conditions.

The investigation of the mechanisms involved in the condensation at the water-steam interface is fundamental to verify that the subcooled water mass fully participates into the steam condensation for all the foreseen condensation regimes. Particularly, the paper analyses the distribution of the condensation energy in a water pool for different test conditions and with reference to the large-scale facility under operation at the DICI-University of Pisa.

The subcooled water volume of the condensation tank in this system was assumed subdivided in 104 annular discrete volumes corresponding to the location of temperature and pressure sensors (testing monitoring points). Moreover, this discretization was used to implement a model to visualize the experimental data and in particular the accumulation of the condensation energy in the different part of the water pool and of the vacuum space.

The experimental results showed that most of the tests had a participating fraction of water mass greater than 50%. Nevertheless, the non-uniformity and stratification of the temperature in the water pool requires a greater water mass for condensing a given steam mass. The analyses of steady state pure steam condensation tests determined that it needs to increase 1.39 times the water mass respect to the case of full participation of the water at the steam condensation.
Gravity induced shape effects on the time-dependent evaporation of pendant drops
Authors: Tonini S , Cossali G E
Published: February 2024

The paper presents a method to model the time-dependent evaporation of pendant drops taking into account the effect of drop deformation induced by gravity. The model is based on the solution to the time-dependent drop mass and energy conservation equations, where the mass and energy fluxes through the gas mixture are numerically evaluated for a range of Bond numbers and contact angles. The evaporation characteristics of pendant and sessile drops on hydrophobic and hydrophilic substrates are compared in terms of evaporation times and evaporative cooling, for both constant contact angle and constant contact radius modes.
First results of the upgraded ALICE Inner Tracking System in LHC Run 3
Authors: Liu J. ,   the ALICE collaboration
Published: February 2024

Major upgrades of the ALICE experiment at CERN were completed during the LHC Long Shutdown 2 (2019–2021). The ALICE detector is currently taking data and has been doing so from the start of the third period of operation of the LHC (Run 3) on July 5th, 2022. One key part of these upgrades is the new Inner Tracking System (ITS2), a full silicon-pixel vertexing and tracking detector constructed entirely with CMOS monolithic active pixel sensors (ALPIDE). The ITS2 consists of three inner layers (50 μm thick sensors) and four outer layers (100 μm thick sensors) covering 10 m2 and containing 12.5 billion pixels with a pixel pitch of 27 μ m × 29 μm. It offers a significant improvement in impact-parameter resolution and tracking efficiency, thanks to the increased granularity, the very low material budget (0.35% X0 /layer in the inner barrel) as well as a smaller beam pipe radius.
The ITS2 was successfully installed in the ALICE experiment in May 2021, followed by a period of comprehensive on-site commissioning, before starting data taking in July 2022. In this paper, the detector construction and commissioning will be introduced briefly. The performance results from the first phase of proton-proton collisions recorded to date in LHC Run 3 will be discussed in detail, which include detector calibration, long-term evolution of the ALPIDE sensor threshold and noise, and the first measurement of the impact parameter.
HGTD DC/DC converter in low temperature and magnetic field operation
Authors: Zhai Mingjie , Zhang Jie , Xu Da , Ge Zhenwu , Guimaraes da Costa Joao , Zhuang Xuai ,   the ATLAS HGTD collaboration
Published: February 2024

The BPOL12V is a DC/DC converter designed to supply power to the High Granularity Timing Detector (HGTD) as part of the ATLAS Phase II upgrade project. The HGTD operates in an environment characterized by low temperatures and a magnetic field. Ensuring the reliable functionality of the BPOL12V under such conditions is of utmost importance. This paper outlines a series of functionality tests for the BPOL12V, including efficiency, ripple, and rise/fall edge assessments across various operational scenarios. The performance of the BPOL12V consistently meets the requirements of the HGTD, whether it operates in low temperatures down to -30 °C or in the presence of a 0.4 T magnetic field.
The tri-band high spectral resolution spectrometer with gratings in tandem for the charge-exchange recombination spectroscopy diagnostic system on HL-2A tokamak
Authors: LIU 刘 Liang 亮 , YU 余 Deliang 德良 , MA 马 Qian 倩 , HE 何 Xiaofei 小斐 , BOCK Maarten DE , HELLERMANN Manfred von , WALSH Michael , CHEN 陈 Wenjin 文锦 , HE 何 Xiaoxue 小雪 , WEI 魏 Yanling 彦玲 , ZHANG 张 Neng 能 , LI 李 Dong 栋 , WEI 魏 Huiling 会领 , Team the HL-2A
Published: February 2024

Charge-exchange (CX) recombination spectroscopy is a powerful tool monitoring ion temperature and plasma rotation with good temporal and spatial resolutions. A compact, new design for a high-throughput, tri-band high spectral resolution spectrometer has been developed for the charge-exchange recombination spectroscopy measurement on the HL-2A tokamak. The simultaneous measurements of He II (468.57 nm), C VI (529.1 nm), and Dα (656.1 nm accompanied by beam emission spectra) with an acquisition frequency up to 400 Hz are achieved by vertically binning the spectrum from each fiber in experiments. Initial results indicate that the system can provide radial profiles of not only ion temperature and rotation velocity, but also concentration of carbon. For the case of helium, the measurements for the ion temperature and rotation velocity are straightforward but the apparent concentration associated with the observed CX intensity is obviously too high. Modeling of the active He II CX feature including plume contributions needs to be carried out to extract the true helium concentration. The spectrometer could become a prototype for the ITER charge-exchange recombination spectroscopy diagnostic and the pilot experiments, as presented here, demonstrate the possibility of impurity concentrations measurements based on the combined measurement of local beam emission and charge-exchange recombination spectroscopy spectra.
Patterns of publicly funded naltrexone use among patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder in Ontario
Authors: Tourchian Nima , McCormack Daniel , Leece Pamela , Tadrous Mina , Gomes Tara
Published: February 2024

Aims

Naltrexone is recommended first-line to manage alcohol use disorder (AUD). With previous studies indicating poor retention on naltrexone, we determined duration of naltrexone use and assessed the association between prescription setting and time to discontinuation in Ontario.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study among Ontario public drug beneficiaries diagnosed with AUD who initiated publicly funded naltrexone from June 2018 to September 2019. The primary outcome was time to naltrexone discontinuation, with a secondary analysis assessing receipt of at least one prescription refill. We used Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression to test the association between prescription setting and each medication persistence outcome.

Results

Among 2531 new naltrexone patients with AUD, the median duration of naltrexone use was 31 days and 394 (15.6%) continued naltrexone for 6 months or longer. There was no association between setting of initiation and duration of naltrexone use; however, those initiating naltrexone following an acute inpatient hospital stay were more likely to fill a second prescription (aOR 1.43, 95% CI 0.96–2.14), while those initiating after an ED visit were less likely to be dispensed a second prescription (aOR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.52–0.90) compared to those starting in a physician’s office.

Conclusion

Persistence on naltrexone to treat an AUD is low, regardless of the setting of initiation. Further research is needed to elucidate the barriers encountered by patients with AUD that lead to poor treatment persistence in order to develop interventions that facilitate patient-centered access to evidence-based treatment for AUD in the province.
Sensory trap leads to reliable communication without a shift in nonsexual responses to the model cue
Authors: Fissette Skye D , Buchinger Tyler J , Tamrakar Sonam , Scott Anne M , Li Weiming
Published: February 2024

The sensory trap model of signal evolution suggests that males manipulate females into mating using traits that mimic cues used in a nonsexual context. Despite much empirical support for sensory traps, little is known about how females evolve in response to these deceptive signals. Female sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) evolved to discriminate a male sex pheromone from the larval odor it mimics and orient only toward males during mate search. Larvae and males release the attractant 3-keto petromyzonol sulfate (3kPZS), but spawning females avoid larval odor using the pheromone antagonist, petromyzonol sulfate (PZS), which larvae but not males, release at higher rates than 3kPZS. We tested the hypothesis that migratory females also discriminate between larval odor and the male pheromone and orient only to larval odor during anadromous migration, when they navigate within spawning streams using larval odor before they begin mate search. In-stream behavioral assays revealed that, unlike spawning females, migratory females do not discriminate between mixtures of 3kPZS and PZS applied at ratios typical of larval versus male odorants. Our results indicate females discriminate between the sexual and nonsexual sources of 3kPZS during but not outside of mating and show sensory traps can lead to reliable sexual communication without females shifting their responses in the original context.
scMMT: a multi-use deep learning approach for cell annotation, protein prediction and embedding in single-cell RNA-seq data
Authors: Zhou Songqi , Li Yang , Wu Wenyuan , Li Li
Published: February 2024

Accurate cell type annotation in single-cell RNA-sequencing data is essential for advancing biological and medical research, particularly in understanding disease progression and tumor microenvironments. However, existing methods are constrained by single feature extraction approaches, lack of adaptability to immune cell types with similar molecular profiles but distinct functions and a failure to account for the impact of cell label noise on model accuracy, all of which compromise the precision of annotation. To address these challenges, we developed a supervised approach called scMMT. We proposed a novel feature extraction technique to uncover more valuable information. Additionally, we constructed a multi-task learning framework based on the GradNorm method to enhance the recognition of challenging immune cells and reduce the impact of label noise by facilitating mutual reinforcement between cell type annotation and protein prediction tasks. Furthermore, we introduced logarithmic weighting and label smoothing mechanisms to enhance the recognition ability of rare cell types and prevent model overconfidence. Through comprehensive evaluations on multiple public datasets, scMMT has demonstrated state-of-the-art performance in various aspects including cell type annotation, rare cell identification, dropout and label noise resistance, protein expression prediction and low-dimensional embedding representation.
Elongation of intercostal nerve cutaneous branches for breast and nipple neurotization during breast reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer: case–control study
Authors: Chang Tommy Nai-Jen , Lu Johnny Chuieng-Yi , Sung Cheyenne Wei-Hsuan , Illias Amina M , Cheong David Chon-Fok , Kao Shu-Wei , Kuo Wen-Ling , Pindur Lukas , Chen Lisa Wen-Yu , Lin Jennifer An-Jou , Chuang David Chwei-Chin , Huang Jung-Ju
Published: February 2024

Background

To restore sensation after breast reconstruction, a modified surgical approach was employed by identifying the cut fourth intercostal lateral cutaneous branch, elongating it with intercostal nerve grafts, and coapting it to the innervating nerve of the flap or by using direct neurotization of the spared nipple/skin.

Methods

This was a retrospective case–control study including 56 patients who underwent breast neurotization surgery. Breast operations included immediate reconstruction after nipple-sparing mastectomy (36 patients), skin-sparing mastectomy (8 patients), and delayed reconstruction with nipple preservation (7 patients) or without nipple preservation (5 patients). Patients who underwent breast reconstruction without neurotization were included as the non-neurotization negative control group. The contralateral normal breasts were included as positive controls.

Results

The mean(s.d.) monofilament test values were 0.07(0.10) g for the positive control breasts and 179.13(143.31) g for the breasts operated on in the non-neurotization group. Breasts that underwent neurotization had significantly better sensation after surgery, with a mean(s.d.) value of 35.61(92.63) g (P < 0.001). The mean(s.d.) sensory return after neurotization was gradual; 138.17(143.65) g in the first 6 months, 59.55(116.46) g at 7–12 months, 14.54(62.27) g at 13–18 months, and 0.37(0.50) g at 19–24 months after surgery. Two patients had accidental rupture of the pleura, which was repaired uneventfully. One patient underwent re-exploration due to a lack of improvement 1.5 years after neurotization.

Conclusion

Using the lateral cutaneous branch of the intercostal nerve as the innervating stump and elongating it with intercostal nerve grafts is a suitable technique to restore sensation after mastectomy. This method effectively innervates reconstructed breasts and spares the nipple/skin with minimal morbidity.
EEG evidence for racial ingroup bias in collective empathy for pain
Authors: Mei Shuting , Weiß Martin , Hein Grit , Han Shihui
Published: February 2024

Previous research on racial ingroup bias in empathy for pain focused on neural responses to a single person’s suffering. It is unclear whether empathy for simultaneously perceived multiple individuals’ pain (denoted as collective empathy in this study) is also sensitive to perceived racial identities of empathy targets. We addressed this issue by recording electroencephalography from Chinese adults who responded to racial identities of 2 × 2 arrays of Asian or White faces in which 4 faces, 1 face, or no face showed painful expressions. Participants reported greater feelings of others’ pain and their own unpleasantness when viewing 4 compared to 1 (or no) painful faces. Behavioral responses to racial identities of faces revealed decreased speeds of information acquisition when responding to the face arrays with 4 (vs. 1 or no) painful expressions of Asian (but not White) faces. Moreover, Asian compared to White face arrays with 4 (vs. 1 or no) painful expressions elicited a larger positive neural response at 160–190 ms (P2) at the frontal/central electrodes and enhanced alpha synchronizations at 288–1,000 ms at the central electrodes. Our findings provide evidence for racial ingroup biases in collective empathy for pain and unravel its relevant neural underpinnings.
Circulating Cell-Free SHOX2 DNA Methylation Is a Predictive, Prognostic, and Monitoring Biomarker in Adjuvant and Palliative Anti-PD-1-Treated Melanoma
Authors: Fietz Simon , Diekmann Eric , de Vos Luka , Zarbl Romina , Hunecke Alina , Glosch Ann-Kathrin , Färber Moritz , Sirokay Judith , Hoffmann Friederike , Fröhlich Anne , Franzen Alina , Strieth Sebastian , Landsberg Jennifer , Dietrich Dimo
Published: February 2024

Background

The majority of metastatic melanoma patients initially do not respond or acquire resistance to anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) immunotherapy. Liquid biopsy biomarkers might provide useful early response information and allow for personalized treatment decisions.

Methods

We prospectively assessed circulating cell-free SHOX2 DNA methylation (SHOX2 ccfDNAm) levels and their dynamic changes in blood plasma of melanoma patients by quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Patients were treated with either palliative (n = 42) or adjuvant (n = 55) anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Moreover, we included n = 126 control patients without evidence of malignant disease. We analyzed SHOX2 ccfDNAm status prior to and 4 weeks after palliative treatment initiation with regard to outcome [objective response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS)]. In the adjuvant setting, we associated longitudinal SHOX2 ccfDNAm status with disease recurrence.

Results

Sensitivity was 60% with 25/42 melanoma patients showing increased SHOX2 ccfDNAm levels, whereas specificity was 98% with 123/126 (P < 0.001) control patients having SHOX2 ccfDNAm levels below cut-off. Pretreatment SHOX2 ccfDNAm status did not correlate with outcome; however, SHOX2 ccfDNAm negativity 4 weeks after palliative treatment initiation was strongly associated with improved survival [PFS: hazard ratio (HR) = 0.25, P = 0.002; OS: HR = 0.12, P = 0.007]. Pretreatment positive patients who reached SHOX2 ccfDNAm clearance after 4 weeks of immunotherapy showed an exceptionally beneficial outcome. SHOX2 ccfDNAm testing allowed for an early detection of distant metastases in adjuvant-treated melanoma patients.

Conclusions

Our study suggests SHOX2 ccfDNAm to be an early predictor of outcome in anti-PD-1 treated melanoma patients. SHOX2 ccfDNAm testing may aid individualized treatment decision-making.