Dearth of information on extent of genetic variability in cassava limits the genetic improvement of cassava in Sierra Leone. This study aimed at assessing the genetic variability and relationships within 103 cassava genotypes using agro-morphological and culinary markers. A field trial was conducted in the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences research site. The experiment was laid in an augmented randomized block design. Morphological classification based on qualitative and quantitative traits categorized the germplasm into three different groups. A total of ten principal components (PCs) in the qualitative and six PCs in the quantitative trait sets accounted for 66.74% and 67.27% of the total genetic variation, respectively. Traits with significantly strong and positive correlations included presence of fruit (PFRT) and presence of seed (PSE)(r = 0.86***),root yield per plant (RYPP) and number of storage root (NSR) (r = 0.76***), RYPP and number of commercial root (NCR) (r = 0.68***), length of leaf lobe (LLL) and width of leaf lobe (WLL) (r = 0.66***),and between NSR and NCR (0.84***). Cooking time, cooking percentage, texture, mealiness, taste and aroma varied widely among the accessions. Findings established that the cassava germplasm possess useful genetic variability that could be exploited through selection for short term release programme, genetic conservation of valuable germplasm and genetic improvement of the crop.

The study investigated farmers’ perception on pests and diseases management strategies, agricultural practices, production constraints and selection criteria of elite varieties using a survey research design. A total of 700 questionnaires were administered to smallholder farmers who were farming for household consumption, those producing for sale and household consumption and those who were mainly producing for sale because their primary goal was to produce for the market. Findings revealed that the most prevalent pests identified were whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci), grasshoppers (Zonocerus variegatus), aphids (Aphis gossypii), mealybugs (Phenacoccus manihoti), termites (Isoptera), and grasscutters (Thryonomys swinderianus). The three most common diseases of cassava limiting growth and yield with mixed infection include viral, bacterial, and fungal. The study also revealed that only 12.5% of farmers cultivated improved cassava varieties. The management practices implemented encompassed field sanitation and the application of pesticides. Lack of capital and no availability of market were the most important production and marketing constraints faced by farmers in the study area, whereas poundability and high storage root yield are the most preferred traits farmers consider in selecting a new variety. Results suggest that smallholder farmers should endeavor to undergo various developmental programs to develop themselves to increase their competitive advantage in their locality and in the local and global agricultural sectors. In addition, governments and other policy makers should strategize plans and programs that would contribute to smallholder farmers’ agriculture, community and national development.

Genetic diversity is very important in crop improvement. This study was carried out to assess the genetic diversity and the number of unique multilocus genotypes (MLGs) in cassava collection in Burkina Faso. To achieve this objective 130 cassava accessions were genotyped using 32 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The results revealed that among these markers, twelve (12) were highly informative, with the PIC values greater than 0.50, twelve (12) were moderately informative, with the PIC values ranged between 0.25 and 0.50, and eight (8) were not very informative, with the PIC values lower than 0.25. A moderate level of genetic diversity was found for the population, indicated by the average expected heterozygosity (0.45) and the observed heterozygosity (0.48). About 83.8% of unique multilocus genotypes were found in the cassava collection indicating that SSR markers seem to be most appropriate for MLGs identification. Population structure analysis based on hierarchical clustering identified two subpopulations and Bayesian approach suggested five clusters. Additionally, DAPC analysis separated the cassava accessions into 13 subpopulations. The comparison of these results and the previous study using SNP, suggest that each type of markers can be used to assessment the genetic structure of cassava grown in Burkina Faso.

The statistical analysis of impact of the top 50 solar flares of X-class (1997-2023) on the global seismic activity, as well as on the earthquake preparation zones located in illuminated part of the globe and in the area of 5000 km radius around the subsolar point was carried out. It is shown by a method of epoch superposition that for all cases the increase of seismicity is observed, especially in the region around the subsolar point (up to 38%) during 10 days after the solar flare in comparison with preceding 10 days. The case study of aftershock sequence of strong M=9.1 earthquake (Su-matra-Andaman Islands, 26.12.2004) after the solar flare of X7.2 class (20.01.2005) demonstrated that the number of aftershocks with magnitude M≥2.5 increases more than 20 times after the solar flare with a delay of 7 days. For the case of the Darfield earthquake (M=7.1, 04.09.2010, New Zealand) it was shown that strong solar flares of class X and M probably triggered two strong aftershocks (M>6) with the same delay of 6 days on the Port Hills fault, which is the most sensitive to external electromagnetic impact from point of view of the fault electrical conductivity and orientation. Based on the obtained results the possible application of natural electromagnetic triggering of earthquakes is discussed for a short-term earthquake prediction using confidently recorded strong external electromagnetic triggering impacts on the specific earthquake preparation zones, as well as ionospheric perturbations due to aerosol emission from the earthquake sources recorded by satellites.

We propose a wave-like design on the surface of cathode channels (wave form cathode channels) to improve oxidant delivery to gas diffusion layers (GDLs) [1-2]. We performed experiments using PEMFCs combined with wave form surface design on cathodes. We varied the factors of the distance between wave-bumps (the Adhesive distance, AD), and the size of the wave-bumps (the Expansion ratio, ER). The ADs are 3, 4, and 5 times the size of the half-circle bump’s radius, and the ERs are 1/1.5, 1/2, and 1/3 times the channel’s height. We evaluated the performances of the fuel cells, and compared the current-voltage (I-V) relations. For comparison, we prepared PEMFCs with conventional flat-surfaced oxygen channels. Our aim in this work is to identify fuel cell operation by modifying the surface design of channels, and ultimately to find the optimal design of cathode channels that will maximize fuel cell performance.

Brillouin-Enhanced Four-Wave-Mixing techniques, which couple four optical beams through Brillouin nonlinearity, have gained popularity in the 1980's largely owing to their phase conjugation properties. Experiments were mainly conducted in liquid cells. The interest in Brillouin-Enhanced Four-Wave-Mixing has reawakened in the 2000's, following the quest for dynamically reconfigurable gratings in optical fibers. Termed Brillouin Dynamic Grating this time around, it is, in fact, an acoustic wave, optically generated by stimulated Brillouin scattering process between two pump waves. The acoustic wave either carries the coherent information encoded by the pump beams, or in the case of sensing applications, its properties are determined by the environmental parameters. This information, in turn, is imparted to the third phase-matched optical probe wave through the elasto-optic effect. Over the last decade, this mechanism allowed for the realization of many all-optical signal processing functions and has proven instrumental in distributed sensing applications. This paper describes the basics, as well as the state of the art, of BDG-based applications in optical fibers. It also surveys the efforts being done to carry over these concepts to the photonic chip level.

In this paper, we studied the problem of early detection of natural phenomena associated with the formation of severe floods and the possibility of constant monitoring of their occurrence. The test object for the study was severe floods on the Crimean Peninsula, which occurred due to heavy rainfall in the summer of 2021. Based on the selected satellite and other data related to this period, an analysis carried out and key atmospheric objects identified, according to the proposed algorithm for their identification and grouping. Based on the results of the work, a positive conclusion made on the issue of their use to identify the likelihood of natural disasters that could lead to floods. In addition, the authors proposed to develop a portal for collecting and processing a large amount of satellite data related to flood prevention and monitoring the development of such processes, and stressed the need to create it.

This paper analyses the application of deep learning techniques for predicting wave overtopping events in port environments using sea state and weather forecasts as inputs. The study was conducted in the outer port of Punta Langosteira, A Coruña, Spain. A video recording infrastructure was installed to monitor overtopping events from 2015 to 2022, identifying 3709 overtopping events. The data collected was merged with actual and predicted data for the sea state and weather conditions during the overtopping events, creating three datasets. We used these datasets to create several machine learning models to predict whether an overtopping event would occur based on sea state and weather conditions. The final models achieved a high accuracy level during the training and testing stages: 0.81, 0.73, and 0.84 average accuracy during training and 0.67, 0.48, and 0.86 average accuracy during testing, respectively. The results of this study have significant implications for port safety and efficiency, as wave overtopping events can cause disruptions and potential damage. Using deep learning techniques for overtopping prediction can help port managers take preventative measures and optimize operations, ultimately improving safety and helping to minimize the economic impact that overtopping events have on the port's activities.

This work discusses seismic isolation technologies and analyses the concept of geotechnical seismic isolation (GSI) system, which is characterized by new principles of operation, using geomaterial with modified properties to reduce inertial seismic loads on buildings and structures. The aim of the study is to develop a geotechnical seismic isolation system in the form of vertical barriers, with different geometrical characteristics, using rubber-soil mixture (RSM). The novelty of the work consists in determination of effective constructive and technical solutions of vertical seismic barriers from RSM, which are characterized by reliability in providing seismic isolation of construction objects. Soil and superstructure interactions are modeled in Plaxis software, using the Northridge earthquake accelerogram. The results confirm the positive impact of using RSM as an effective material for GSI vertical barriers. The present numerical and experimental results show that the GSI system using RSM can significantly reduce the seismic hazard. The results of computational-experimental modeling will become a research, analytical and design basis for the development of new ways to ensure earthquake resistance of construction objects.

One mechanism by which fructose could exert deleterious effect in metabolism and inflammation is via its potency vis-à-vis de Maillard reaction. We employed simulated stomach and duodenum digestion of ovalbumin to test the hypothesis that indeed AGEs are formed by fructose during simulated digestion of an ubiquitous food protein with intrinsic allergenic potential and under model physiological conditions. Methods: OVA was subjected to simulated gastric and intestinal digestion using standard models, in presence of fructose or glucose (0-100 mM). Peptide fractions were analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy and intensity at Excitation: λ370 nm, Emission: λ 440nm. Results: AGE adducts form between fructose and OVA which can be found in peptide fractions (< 5 kDa) at times (30 min) and concentration ranges (10 mM) plausibly found in the intestines, whereas no reaction occurs with glucose. The reaction is inhibited by chlorogenic acid at concentrations compatible with those found in the gut. The reaction is inhibited by AG, a specific antiglycation agent. Conclusion: Our proof of principle study shows that fructose-AGE formation on an ubiquitous allergenic protein indeed occurs in one hour and thereby may pave the way for the study of yet another mechanism by which the excess fructose in our Western diets is contributing to disease: intestinal AGE formation, absorption and RAGE engagement.

This paper, based on the "Unified Theory of Forces," rigorously proves the formula of de Broglie's wave function. This helps us better understand the following important issues: 1) Theoretically prove and understand the essence of de Broglie's wave function; 2) Prove that when the particle's momentum P is determined, the greater the mass of the particle, the more concentrated its wave function distribution, and the weaker the interference effect; 3) Correct the spatial distribution of the wave function of free particles, proving that the wave function of free particles is strictly constrained within a finite spatial range, which is consistent with the facts we observe.

The Sustainable Development Center of the University of Brasilia is one of the modernist buildings that make up the Darcy Ribeiro campus. The architectural project contains several recommendations for the execution of the flat roof waterproofing system, as well as details for rainwater runoff and drainage, which reveals a certain concern with watertightness. The research seeks to identify the relationship between the pathological manifestations recognized on the roof and the semicircular shape of the building, assessing the state of conservation through the use of damage maps as an analysis tool. The article is based on a field survey using aerophotogrammetry with a drone, the application of vector drawing software for graphic representation and discussion of the possible causes, agents and mechanisms of degradation at work. The results show the importance of mechanical protection for the good performance of the waterproofing system, as well as the need for correct sizing of expansion joints in order to absorb and relieve the stresses caused by hygrothermal variations. The methodology incorporated proved to be effective and economical in diagnosing and monitoring pathological manifestations, making it possible to plan maintenance actions that extend the useful life and preserve the intrinsic characteristics of building systems.

The increasing demand for higher power in rocket launchers is driving the development of higher power nozzles, achieved essentially by increasing the expansion ratio. However, this can lead to flow separation and resulting unsteady, asymmetrical forces, called side loads, which can limit the life of both the nozzle itself and other engine components. If this problem can be overcome, engine performance can be significantly increased. Therefore, various separation control methods have been proposed, but none have been fully implemented to date due to the uncertainties associated with modeling and predicting the flow phenomena. A numerical study of high area ratio rocket engine is presented to analyze the aeroelastic performance of the structure under the condition of flow separation. The finite volume method, the 2nd order upwind scheme and the extended wall function are used to analyze the flow inside the rocket nozzle and the transition of the Free Shock Separation (FSS) to Restricted Shock Separation (RSS) separation pattern ) to be discussed in detail. Since the location of the flow separation point depends heavily on the flow.

In this work, we consider a one-dimensional laminated beam in the case of non-equal wave speeds with only one infinite memory on the effective rotation angle. In this case, we establish the general decay result for the energy of solution without any kind of internal or boundary control. The main result is obtained by applying the method used in Guesmia et al. (Electron. J. Differential Equations 193: 1-45, 2012) and the second-order energy.

The efficient preparation of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) rings, as a macromolecular construction approach with topological features, has aroused much interest due to their numerous applications in biotechnology and DNA nanotechnology. However, an extra splint is essential for enzymatic circularization, and by-products of multimers are usually present at high concentrations. Here, we proposed a simple and robust strategy of using permuted precursor (linear ssDNA) for circularization by forming an intramolecular dynamic nick using a part of the linear ssDNA substrate itself as the template. After the simulation of the secondary structure for desired circular ssDNA, the linear ssDNA substrate is designed to have its ends on the duplex part (≥5 bp). By using this permuted substrate with 5'-phosphate, the splint-free circularization is simply carried out by T4 DNA ligase. Very interestingly, formation of only several base pairs (2–4) flanking the nick is enough for ligation, although they form only instantaneously under ligation conditions. More significantly, the 5 bp intramolecular duplex part commonly exists in genomes or functional DNA, demonstrating the high generality of our approach. Our findings are helpful for understanding the mechanism of enzymatic DNA ligation from the viewpoint of substrate binding.

The effect of wave forces on the structural safety of fixed oscillating water-column (OWC) devices is critical. In this study, a three-dimensional numerical model of an oscillating water column (OWC) device is constructed using the computational fluid dynamics software OpenFOAM. Subsequently, the hydrodynamic performance of the numerical model is comprehensively validated. Finally, the hydrodynamic performance data are analyzed in detail to obtain meaningful conclusions. The results indicate that the horizontal wave force on the OWC device is approximately 6.6 to 7.9 times greater than the vertical wave force, whereas the lateral wave force is relatively small. Both the horizontal and vertical wave forces decrease as the relative water depth increases under a constant wave period and height. The horizontal wave force increases linearly with the wave height, whereas the vertical wave force increases with the square of the wave height. In addition, the highest dynamic water pressure is observed at the interface between the water surface and device, both within and outside the front wall of the gas chamber. The dynamic water pressure at different locations on the front chamber increases and subsequently decreases as the wave frequency increases.

A novel nano-laminated GdB2C2 material was successfully synthesized using GdH2, B4C, and C via an in-situ solid state reaction approach for the first time. The formation mechanism of GdB2C2 was revealed based on the microstructure and phase evolution investigation. A purity of 96.4 wt. % GdB2C2 was obtained at a low temperature of 1500 ℃, while a near full pure GdB2C2 can be obtained at a temperature over 1700 ℃. The as-obtained GdB2C2 presented excellent thermal stability at high temperature of 2100 ℃ in Ar atmosphere due to the stable frame work formed by the high covalent four-members and eight-members B-C rings in GdB2C2. The minimum reflection loss value (RLmin) of -47.01 dB with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 1.76 GHz at a thickness of 3.44 mm was obtained for the GdB2C2 synthesized at 1500 ℃. The possible EMWA mechanism could be ascribed to the nano-laminated structure and appropriate electrical conductivity, which facilitated to the good impedance matching, remarkable conduction loss, interfacial polarization as well as multiple interface reflection and scattering. The as-obtained GdB2C2, with excellent EMWA performance as well as remarkable ultra-high temperature thermal stability, could be a promising candidate for the EMWA materials applications in extreme ultra-high temperatures.

In this paper, a semi-empirical model of air waves induced by falling rock is described. The model is composed of a uniform motion phase (velocity close to 0 m·s^-1) and an acceleration movement phase. The uniform motion phase was determined based on experimentally and the acceleration movement phase was derived by theoretical analysis. A series of experiments were performed to verify the semi-empirical model and elucidated the law of the uniform motion phase. The acceleration movement phase accounted for a larger portion with a greater height of the falling rock. Experimental results of different falling heights of the goaf showed close agreement with theoretical analysis values. The semi-empirical model could accurately and conveniently estimate the velocity of air wave induced by falling rock. Thus, the semi-empirical model can provide a reference and basis for estimating the speed of air waves and designing protective measures in mines.

This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on form and typology in architectural publications, spanning from 1999 to 2024. Utilizing the Web of Science database and the bibliometrix package in R, the study examines trends, influential works, and thematic evolution in the field. The findings reveal a progression from foundational themes such as "architecture," "culture," and "planning" to more specialized and diverse topics, including "sustainability," "parametric design," and "digital fabrication." Key influential works by authors like Jane Jacobs, Kevin Lynch, and Bill Hillier are highlighted. The study also underscores the collaborative nature of contemporary architectural research, with significant international co-authorship. While providing valuable insights into the research landscape, the study acknowledges limitations, such as database reliance and the need for qualitative analysis. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research, emphasizing the exploration of emerging technologies, interdisciplinary collaborations, and regional research dynamics.

In this article, we describe a simple procedure for evaluating the sterility of nutrient media using a shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave (SH-SAW) biosensor. We used the SH-SAW biosensor platform to monitor the time-dependent phase responses of the material for the media that binds to a monolayer of 3-mercaptopropanyl-N-hydroxy succinimide on the biosensor surface. Increases in the phase shift less than 50% of the starting phase shift recorded 180 minutes after the sterilization indicate a successful sterility test of the media. Our devices were then applied to sterility testing using a viable Escherichia coli (E. coli) K-12 solution to confirm our hypothesis. Filtered LB Broth was the negative control, and a 24-hour culture of E. coli was the positive control. Before testing, the cell solution was pelleted, the media decanted, and then replaced with a 1x phosphate-buffered saline solution (1x PBS). Since we know that the N-hydroxysuccinimide residues will bind to amine groups, only in cases where microbial species are present will the surface binding increase greater than 50%. We confirmed our hypothesis using SH-SAW biosensors and overnight E. coli cultures. The sensitivity for our 250 MHz quartz SH-SAW sensors was calculated based on the response from the E. coli K-12 solution over the linear dynamic range, which appears to be 2x10^4 – 2x10^7 CFU per ml and has a sensitivity of S = 1.655x10^5 o m2 Kg-1. The limit of detection (LOD) for these sensors was calculated to be approximately 2x10^-9 grams (g), which is estimated to be approximately 2,000 Escherichia coli (E. coli) K-12 cells. However, the sensitivity and insertion loss remained approximately unchanged before and after coating the sensor with 3,3'-Dithiobis(succinimidyl) Propionate (DSP).

Wave steepness is presented as an extension and a valuable add-on to the conventional set of sea state parameters retrieved from satellite altimetry data. Following physical model based on recent advances of weak turbulence theory wave steepness is estimated from directly measured spatial gradient of wave height. In this way the method works with altimetry trajectories rather than with point-wise data. Moreover, in contrast to widely used parametric models this approach provides us with instantaneous values of wave steepness and period. Relevance of single-track estimates of wave steepness (period) is shown for wave climate studies and confirmed by a simple probabilistic model. The approach is verified via comparison against buoy and satellite data including crossover points for standard 1 second data of Ku-band altimeters. High quality of the physical model and robustness of the parametric ones are examined in terms of global wave statistics. Prospects and relevance of both approaches in the ocean wave climate studies are discussed.

Fire detection from satellite sensors relies on an accurate estimation of the unperturbed state of a target pixel, from which an anomaly can be isolated. Methods for estimating the radiation budget of a pixel without fire depend upon training data derived from the location's recent history of brightness temperature variation over the diurnal cycle, which can be vulnerable to cloud contamination and the effects of weather. This study proposes a new method that utilises the common solar budget found at a given latitude in conjunction with an area's local solar time to aggregate a broad-area training dataset, which can be used to model the expected diurnal temperature cycle of a location. This training data is then used in a temperature fitting process with the measured brightness temperatures in a pixel, and compared to pixel-derived training data and contextual methods of background temperature determination. Results of this study show similar accuracy between clear-sky medium wave infrared upwelling radiation and the diurnal temperature cycle estimation compared to previous methods, with demonstrable improvements in processing time and training data availability. This method can be used in conjunction with brightness temperature thresholds to provide a baseline for upwelling radiation, from which positive thermal anomalies such as fire can be isolated.

Two distinct measures of information, connected respectively to the amplitude and phase of the wave function of a particle, are proposed. There are relations between the time derivatives of these two measures and their gradients on the configuration space, which are equivalent to the wave equation. The information related to the amplitude measures the strength of the potential coupling of the particle (which is itself aspatial) with each volume of its configuration space, i.e. its tendency to participate in an interaction localized in a region of ordinary physical space corresponding to that volume. The information connected to the phase is that required to obtain the time evolution of the particle as a persistent entity starting from a random succession of bits. It can be considered as the information provided by conservation principles. The meaning of the so-called "quantum potential" in this context is briefly discussed.

Clinical, pathological, and imaging evidence in multiple sclerosis (MS) shows that inflammation starts early and progresses with age. B cells play a central role in this process, contributing to cytokine production, defective regulatory functions, and abnormal immunoglobulin production, even in the central nervous system. Anti-CD20 (aCD20) therapies, which deplete CD20+ B cells, are effective for both relapsing-remitting (RR) and progressive-relapsing (PR) MS. While effective against MS symptoms and lesions detectable by magnetic resonance imaging, aCD20 therapies can reduce the immune response to COVID-19 vaccination. By using high-parameter flow cytometry, we examined the antigen-specific (Ag+) immune response six months post-third COVID-19 mRNA-vaccination in MS patients with RR and PR forms on aCD20 therapy. Despite lower Ag+ B cell responses and lower levels of anti-SARS-CoV2, both total and neutralizing antibodies, RR and PR patients developed strong Ag+ T cell responses. We observed similar percentages and numbers of Ag+ CD4+ T cells and high proportion of Ag+ CD8+ T cells, with slight differences in T cell phenotype and functionality, that however suggested the presence of differences in immune responses driven by age and disease severity.

By using Modified simple equation method, we study the Cahn Allen equation which arises in many scientific applications such as mathematical biology, quantum mechanics and plasma physics. As a result, the existence of solitary wave solutions of the Cahn Allen equation is obtained. Exact explicit solutions interms of hyperbolic solutions of the associated Cahn Allen equation are characterized with some free parameters. Finally, the variety of structure and graphical representation make the dynamics of the equations visible and provides the mathematical foundation in mathematical biology, quantum mechanics and plasma physics.

In the paper, by virtue of the Faá di Bruno formula and two identities for the Bell polynomial of the second kind, the authors find a closed form for the Stirling polynomials in terms of the Stirling numbers of the first and second kinds.

We describe a family of paraxial and quasi-monochromatic optical wave packets with finite energy and smoothly shaped amplitude in space and time that develops a singularity in the intensity when spatiotemporally focused by imparting a converging spherical wave front and a negative temporal chirp. This singular behavior upon ideal focusing is manifested in actual focusing with finite apertures and in media with high-order dispersion in an "exploding" behavior featuring indefinitely increasing concentration of the energy when opening the aperture radius, thus exercising a continuous control on the focal intensity and spatial and temporal resolution. These wave packets offer a new way of focusing that outperforms what can be achieved with standard Gaussian wave packets in terms of focal intensity and resolution, and new possibilities in applications where energy concentration and its control are crucial.

Recent advancements in semiconductor photonic and electronic devices such as Uni-travelling-carrier photodiodes (UTC-PDs), have played a significant role in the development of Terahertz communication technology. However, a major challenge that still persists is the limited output power from a single UTC-PD required for practical transmission distances. To enhance the output power, we propose and demonstrate a novel Terahertz wave power combining technique using a photomixer device that comprises of two arrayed UTC-PDs monolithically integrated with a microstrip line-based 2 × 1 Wilkinson power combiner and a rectangular patch antenna on a Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrate at 300 GHz. At photocurrents of 8 mA and 10 mA from the two UTC-PDs, the device experimentally exhibited a 7.3 dB increase in power relative to the power obtained with 8 mA UTC-PD and a 4.4 dB increase in power relative to the power obtained with 10 mA UTC-PD, when both UTC-PDs were irradiated. This implies that power can be enhanced by a factor of N2 if the photocurrent is multiplied by a factor of N. This technology presents a holistic and cutting edge platform for further power multiplication by further increasing the number of arrayed UTC-PDs.

We review time expansion wave theory and refine our model showing it to accurately match observed cosmological luminosity data. The theory augments general relativity to create a container within which quantum effects can be explained by treating time as an artefact of a fourth spatial dimension that we observe as the expansion of the universe. This leads us to explain mass creation, the speed of light limit, gravity, black holes without singularities and other macroscopic effects. Our model leads to an expansion velocity of 6.87 0.36 × 106 ms-1, which results in a Hubble expansion rate constant of 71.3 3.7 km/s/Mpc. Because of the finite window of time in which we exist, an extra a degree of freedom is available leading to interesting interpretations at the subatomic level. At this size range, then a spin is allowed within the time dimension explaining why wave particle duality occurs and explains the electromagnetic force and other quantum mechanical properties. It provides a solution to the double slit conundrum and can explain how quantum entangled partners can behave in a quantum way and pass seemingly time-defying information. The potential quantitative origin of the fine structure constant which governs the size of the electromagnetic force is also strongly indicated by this theory.

Cardiac dynamics are traditionally linked to a left ventricle, right ventricle and septum morphology, a topography that differs from the heart’s 5-century-old anatomic description of containing a helix and circumferential wrap architectural configuration. Torrent Guasp’s helical ventricular myocardial band (HVMB) defines this anatomy and its structure, explains why the heart’s 6 dynamic actions of narrowing, shortening, lengthening, widening, twisting and uncoiling happen. This database raises questions about deductions behind “accepted cardiac mechanics”, and its functional aspects will challenge and overturn them. These suppositions include the LV, RV, and septum description, timing of mitral valve opening, isovolumic relaxation period, reasons for torsion/twisting, untwisting, reasons for longitudinal and circumferential strain, echocardiographic sub segmentation, resynchronization, RV function dynamics, and diastolic dysfunction’s cause and unrecognized septum impairment. Torrent Guasp’s revolutionary contributions may alter future understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease.

In this paper, an analytical form of Rump Function is presented. This seminal function constitutes a fundamental concept of digital signal processing theory and is also involved in many other areas of applied mathematics. In particular, Rump Function is performed in a simple manner as the limit of a sequence of real functions letting ? tend to infinity. This limit is zero for strictly negative values of the real variable ? whereas it coincides with the independent variable ? for strictly positive values of the variable ?. The novelty of this work compared to other research studies concerning analytical expressions of the Ramp Function, is that the proposed formula is not exhibited in terms of miscellaneous special functions, e.g. Gamma Function, Biexponential Function or any other special functions such as Error Function, Hyperbolic Function, Orthogonal polynomials etc. Hence, this formula may be much more practical, flexible and useful in the computational procedures which are inserted into digital signal processing techniques and other engineering practices.

Significant Wave Height(SWH) is a crucial parameter in oceanographic research, essential for understanding various marine and atmospheric processes. Traditional methods for obtaining SWH, such as ship-based and buoy measurements, face limitations like limited spatial coverage and high operational costs. With the advancement of Global Navigation Satellite Systems reflectometry(GNSS-R) technology, a new method for retrieving SWH has emerged, demonstrating promising results. This study utilizes Radio occultation sounder(GNOS) data from the FY-3E satellite and incorporates the latest Vision Transformer(ViT) technology to investigate GNSS-R-based SWH retrieval. We designed and evaluated various deep learning models, including ANN-Wave, CNN-Wave, Hybrid-Wave, Trans-Wave, and ViT-Wave. Through comparative training using ERA5 data, the ViT-Wave model was identified as the optimal retrieval model. The ViT-Wave model achieved an Root Mean Square Error(RMSE) accuracy of 0.4052 meters and Mean Absolute Error(MAE) accuracy of 0.2700 meters, significantly outperforming both traditional methods and newer deep learning approaches utilizing Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite Systems(CYGNSS) data. These results underscore the potential of integrating GNSS-R technology with advanced deep learning models to enhance SWH retrieval accuracy and reliability in oceanographic research.

Portal myofibroblasts (PMF) are known to be critical in bile duct injury, but their role in liver fibrogenesis remains underexplored. Thy-1, an adhesion molecule integral to fibroblasts, relevant in fibrogenesis and detectable in serum as soluble Thy-1 (sThy-1), is expressed by PMF but not hepatic stellate cells in vitro. This study aimed to elucidate the correlation between Thy-1 expression in liver histology and sThy-1 levels in serum with the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Liver histology samples were stained for Thy-1 and sThy-1 was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In patients with PBC and MASLD, portal Thy-1 expression significantly correlated with increased fibrosis. The sinusoidal Thy-1 expression also significantly correlated with increased fibrosis in patients with PBC (p

Colombia is the world's leading producer of mild washed arabica coffee and produces 12.6 million bags of green coffee, but at the same time 784,000 tons of waste biomass are dumped in open fields, of which only 5% is recovered or used. The objective of this project was to evaluate the production of platform chemicals from these coffee wastes. To achieve this, biomass characterization was carried out using proximate analysis, ultimate analysis and structural analysis. Hydrothermal valorization was carried out at a temperature range of 120-180 °C (LHW) and 180-260 °C (HTC) for one hour, the platform chemicals obtained were quantified by HPLC-IR, monitored by pH and conductivity, and the solid fraction was characterized by monitoring the functional groups in IR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Hydrolysis processes were obtained from 150 °C, production of platform chemicals from 180 °C and maximum concentration at 180 °C-4h, over 200 °C degradation of the products in the liquid fraction starts to take place. Homogeneous basic and acid catalysts were used to improve the yields of the reaction. The kinetics of the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic structures to sugars were also analyzed and described, and reaction orders of 1 (LHW), 3 (HTC) and their respective reaction rate equations were reported.

Planetary waves in the mesosphere are studied using observational data and models to establish their origin, as there are indications of their generation independently of waves in the stratosphere. The quantitative relationships between zonal wave numbers m = 1 (wave 1) and m = 2 (wave 2) were studied with a focus on the mid-latitude mesosphere at 50N latitude. Aura Microwave Limb Sounder measurements were used to estimate wave amplitudes in geopotential height during the 2020–2021 winter major sudden stratospheric warming. The moving correlation between the wave amplitudes shows that, in comparison with the anticorrelation in the stratosphere, wave 2 positively correlates with wave 1 and propagates ahead of it in the mesosphere. A positive correlation r = 0.5–0.6, statistically significant at the 95% confidence level, is observed at 1–5-day time lag and in the 75–91 km altitude range, which is the upper mesosphere–mesopause region. Wavelet analysis shows a clear 8-day period in waves 1 and 2 in the mesosphere at 0.01 hPa (80 km), while in the stratosphere–lower mesosphere the period is twice as long at 16-days; this is statistically significant only in wave 2. Possible sources of mesospheric planetary waves are discussed.

Using a scaling symmetry, it is shown how to compute polynomial conservation laws, generalized symmetries, recursion operators, Lax pairs, and bilinear forms of polynomial nonlinear partial differential equations thereby establishing their complete integrability. The Gardner equation is chosen as the key example for it comprises both the Korteweg-de Vries and modified Korteweg de Vries (mKdV) equations. The Gardner and Miura transformations which connect these equations are also computed using the concept of scaling homogeneity. Exact solitary wave solutions and solitons of the Gardner equation are derived using Hirota’s method and other direct methods. The nature of these solutions depends on the sign of the cubic term in the Gardner equation and the underlying mKdV equation. It is shown that flat (table-top) waves of large amplitude only occur when the sign of the cubic nonlinearity is negative (defocusing case) whereas the focusing Gardner equation has the standard elastically colliding solitons. The paper’s aim is to provide a review of integrability properties and solutions of the Gardner equation and illustrate the applicability of the scaling symmetry approach. The methods and algorithms used in this paper have been implemented in Mathematica but can be adapted for major computer algebra systems.

The main goal of the paper is to compare the effects of the wave spectrum, computed using the Discrete Interaction Approximation (DIA) and the Webb–Resio–Tracy (WRT) methods, on statistical wave properties such as skewness and kurtosis. The statistical properties are obtained by integrating the three-dimensional free-surface Euler equations with a high-order spectral method combined with a phenomenological filter to account for the energy dissipation due to breaking waves. In addition, we investigate the minimum spatial domain size required to obtain meaningful statistical wave properties. The numerical simulations are performed over a physical domain of size 4.13 km × 4.13 km. The results indicate that statistical properties must be computed over an area of at least 4 km2. The results also suggest that selecting a more computationally expensive WRT method does not affect the statistical values to a great extent. The most noticeable effect is due to the energy dissipation filter that is applied. It is concluded that selecting the WRT or the DIA algorithm for computing the wave spectrum needed for the numerical simulations does not lead to major differences in the statistical wave properties. However, more accurate energy dissipation mechanisms due to wave breaking are needed.

The rational design of magnetic carbon composites, encompassing both composition and microstructure, holds significant potential for achieving exceptional electromagnetic wave absorbing materials (EAMs). In this study, FeCo@CM composites was efficiently fabricated through an advanced microwave plasma assisted reduction chemical vapor deposition (MPARCVD) technique, offering high efficiency, low cost, and energy-saving benefits. By depositing graphitized carbon microspheres, the dielectric properties were significantly enhanced, resulting in improved electromagnetic wave absorption performances through optimized impedance matching and a synergistic effect with magnetic loss. A systematic investigation revealed that the laminar-stacked structure of FeCo exhibited superior properties compared to its spherical counterpart, supplying a higher number of exposed edges and enhanced catalytic activity, which facilitated the deposition of uniform and low-defect graphitized carbon microspheres. Consequently, the dielectric loss performance of the FeCo@CM composites was dramatically improved due to increased electrical conductivity and the formation of abundant heterogeneous interfaces. At a 40 wt% filling amount and a frequency of 7.84 GHz, the FeCo@CM composites achieved a minimum reflection loss value of -58.2 dB with an effective absorption bandwidth (fE) of 5.13 GHz. This study presents an effective strategy for developing high-performance EAMs.

A millimeter-wave microstrip leaky-wave antenna array based on the substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) and the complementary split-ring resonator (CSRR) is proposed in this paper. The slow wave characteristics of the SIW are enhanced by etching two rows of symmetrical CSRR-type slots on the surface of the SIW layer. The magnetic coupling between the CSRR-SIW layer and equally spaced circular patches array on the upper layer realizes the radiation of electromagnetic energy. In the 23~30 GHz (relative bandwidth 26.4%) operating frequency band, the horizontal polarization radiation beam scanning from -62° to -2° is realized, with a peak gain of 9.6~11.7 dBi, and the cross-polarization ratio is more than 43.8 dB.

In this paper, the author derives an explicit form of Heaviside Step Function, which evidently constitutes a fundamental concept of Operational Calculus and is also involved in many other fields of applied and engineering mathematics.In particular, this special function is exhibited in a very simple manner as a summation of four inverse tangent functions. The novelty of this work is that the proposed exact formulae are not performed in terms of miscellaneous special functions, e.g. Bessel functions, Error function, Beta function etc and also are neither the limit of a function, nor the limit of a sequence of functions with point – wise or uniform convergence.Hence, this formula may be much more appropriate and useful in the computational procedures which are inserted into Operational Calculus techniques and other engineering practices.

Scientific progress is increasingly dependent on knowledge in computation-ready forms. In the life sciences, among others, many scientists carefully extract and structure knowledge from the scientific literature. In a process called manual curation, they enter knowledge into spreadsheets, or into databases where it serves their and many others' research. Valuable as these curation efforts are, the range and detail of what can practically be captured and shared remains limited, because of the constraints of current curation tools. Many important contextual aspects of observations described in literature simply do not fit in the form defined by these tools, and thus cannot be captured. Here we present the design of an easy-to-use, general-purpose method and interface, that enables the precise semantic capture of virtually unlimited types of information and details, using only a minimal set of building blocks. Scientists from any discipline can use this to convert any complex knowledge into a form that is easily readable and meaningful for both humans and computers. The method VSM forms a universal and high-level language for encoding ideas, and for interacting with digital knowledge.

In this paper, the author obtains an analytic exact form of Heaviside function, which is also known as Unit Step function and constitutes a fundamental concept of the Operational Calculus.In particulat, this function is explicitly expressed in a very simple manner by the aid of purely algebraic representations. The novelty of this work is that the proposed explicit formula is not performed in terms of non – elementary special functions, e.g. Dirac delta function or Error function and also is neither the limit of a function, nor the limit of a sequence of functions with point wise or uniform convergence. Hence, it may be much more appropriate and useful in the computational procedures which are inserted into Operational Calculus techniques and other engineering practices.

Background: Injury of the spinal cord causes motor and sensory dysfunction, and pathological reflexes, leading to paraplegia or tetraplegia. The sequelae of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a significant burden and impact on healthcare systems. Despite constant progress in medicine, traumatic SCI still remains irreversible. Till now, no satisfying treatment that can enable neuronal regeneration and recovery of function at the damaged level has been found. Hundreds of experiments have been conducted on various possibilities of influencing spinal regeneration, some of them have yielded promising results, but unfortunately, the successes obtained in experimental animals have not translated into humans. Methods: This narrative review article presents the application of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (eSWT) in Spinal Cord Injury. The article has been divided into parts: 1. Use of extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for regeneration of the spinal cord after traumatic Spinal Cord Injury. 2. Application of extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in spasticity after Spinal Cord Injury. In both cases, the hypotheses of possible mechanisms of action will be described. Results and conclusions: A small number of clinical trials have demonstrated the potential of eSWT to influence the regeneration of the spine, as an innovative, safe, and cost-effective treatment option for patients with SCI. Some reports have shown that eSWT can improve spasticity, walking ability, urological function, quality of life, and independence in daily life.

Wind energy is a kind of renewable energy with great potential for development. This study mainly investigated the application of shock waves generated by high-pressure gases (wind energy) for generating energy. In this study, we designed a new supersonic shock wave generator that can be reused without disassembling and assembling bolts and developed a supersonic shock wave monitoring system. This system monitored the velocity of the generated shock waves, which was Mach 3-5, and the output pressure was more than 100 times higher than the input pressure of the shock wave generator tank.Then, we developed a power generation system driven by supersonic shock waves based on the characteristics of the new shock wave generator, which can generate high-pressure and high-speed blast waves and can be reused. The shock wave generator can repeatedly generate high-pressure waves to drive the Tesla turbine and then the magnetic energy generator for power generation. We established a complete control process for power generation driven by shock waves by controlling the valve stem. The system can detect the tank pressure, output pressure, gas flow, rotation speed, voltage, and current during the control process for the performance analysis of power generation.

An HFMD outbreak spread over the city of Hải Phòng from Summer 2011 to Autumn 2012. This epidemic was chosen because it was the very first HFMD epidemic in North Vietnam, eliminating thus interferences with previous outbreaks. This epidemic displayed 3 separate waves. A complete dataset was collected for more than 9500 patients during this period, which enabled us to analyze this epidemic at different scales. Access to the healthcare system was crucial during this period, with a reorganization of the system in February-March 2012. An analysis at commune level enables us to track the epidemic along certain communication routes. The three-waves structure reveals a wide disparity at district level. We develop a mathematical model showing high accuracy at the adjustment of data for both the total number of cases and for the number of cases per week. As a consequence, the model was able to accurately determine the dates of beginning and end of each wave and to show that they overlapped. Using mathematical functions associated with this model, it was possible to calculate the probability for a patient to belong to a specific wave.

In this paper, we study nonlocal problems for a fractional diffusion equation and a degenerate hyperbolic equation with singular coefficients in the lower terms. The uniqueness of the solution to the problem is proved by the method of energy integrals. The existence of a solution is equivalently reduced to the question of the solvability of Volterra integral equations of the second kind and a fractional differential equation. For a particular solution of the proposed problem, its visualization is carried out for various values of the order of the fractional derivative. It is shown that the order of the derivative affects the intensity of the diffusion process (subdiffusion), as well as the shape of the wave front.

A multiscale model that enables quantitative understanding and prediction of the size effect on scattering properties of micro- and nanostructures is crucial for the design of LED surface textures optimized for high light extraction efficiency (LEE). In this paper, a hybrid process for combining full-wave finite-difference time-domain simulation and a ray-tracing technique based on a bidirectional scattering distribution function model is proposed. We apply this method to study the influence of different pattern sizes of a patterned sapphire substrate on GaN-based LED light extraction from the microscale to the nanoscale. The results show that near-wavelength–scaled patterns with strong diffraction are not expected to enhance LEE. By contrast, microscaled patterns with optical diffusion behavior have the highest LEE at a specific aspect ratio, and subwavelength-scaled patterns that have antireflection properties show marked enhancement of LEE for a wide range of aspect ratios.

JmjC-family of lysine demethylases (JMJC-KDMs) plays an essential role controlling gene expression and chromatin structure. In most cases, their function has been attributed to the demethylase activity. However, accumulating evidence demonstrates that these proteins play roles distinct from histone demethylation. This raises the possibility that they might share domains that contribute to their functional outcome. Here, we show that the JMJC-KDMs contain low complexity domains as well as intrinsically disordered regions, which in some cases reached 70% of the protein. Our data revealed that PHF2, KDM2A and KDM4B cluster by phase-separation in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, our molecular analysis demonstrated that these domains are important to regulate transcription, suggesting that clustering via phase -separation is a common feature that JMJC-KDMs utilize, in addition to their catalytic activity, to facilitate their functional responses. Our study uncovers a novel potential function for the JMJC-KDM family that sheds light on the mechanisms to achieve the competent concentration of molecules in time and space within the cell nucleus.

The wave energy converter (WEC) technology constantly develops new designs and models. To encourage its development within the energy sector, research is required to improve current designs and create durable and effective devices. However, it is also crucial to investigate the suitability of a WEC to a site-specific sea condition as this can impact its optimal power absorption and constructability. This study evaluates and compares the efficiency of a heaving buoy with varied geometries in one of the most energetic places along the Mexican coast. A statistical analysis of the wave climate on the coast of Ensenada during the last 42 years is performed to define the conditions to which the device is subjected. The location of the WEC in shallow waters is chosen using a computational model which solves the modified mild slope equation in its elliptic shape. The heaving buoy floater is studied using three distinct geometries: a semi-sphere, a cylinder, and a proposed rounded semi-rectangle. The hydrodynamic response of the three geometries is then analysed in the frequency and time domain using ANSYS AQWA. The hydrodynamic study involves the assessment of the floating body dynamics, exerted forces, the power absorbed as well as the suitability of the proposed power take-off (PTO) system. Findings reveal that the proposed geometry absorbs the most energy, with an annual power of 135.11 MW, and that the transmission PTO design is appropriate for this type of technology.

Shell-like, double curved and thus above-average performance structures, are usually produced monolithically on site. For industrial advancement, however, they must be divided into transportable modules which can be assembled on the construction site (design for assembly). Models are lattice shells made of steel and glass, in which predominantly flat sub-surfaces (modules) are used. Therefore, the main question is: Which modularizations are suitable for flow production with mineral building materials? In this paper designed free-form surface is going to be discretized as PQ circular mesh system, suitable modules for 3D concrete printing. Moreover, the multi-criteria optimization is done with Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in order to get optimal final shape. The goal is to start from the arbitrary shape, that can be generated from two curves, with possible two-way division into modules and compare it with the resulted discretized PQ circular mesh system, realized with new algorithm. The comparison can be defined through two main criteria: geometrical and structural.

We investigate regular damped oscillatory structures appearing in the "effective" form factor of various hadrons. The behavior of this form factor can be extracted from the experimental information on total cross sections, the processes $\sigma_{tot}(e^+e^- \to h \bar h)$, $h=\pi^{\pm}, K^{\pm}, K^0, p, n $ are examined. The apparent oscillations have been observed for the first time for the proton and we show, taking also other hadrons into the consideration, that they are an arbitrary artifact resulting from a very simplistic theoretical description based on an elementary three-parametric model. If the data are described by a more appropriate and well physically funded U\&A model, then the oscillations disappear. In addition, if the simple model is used to describe the data, one observes that the oscillations are opposite for particles which form an isospin dublet. We show, by using the U\&A model, that this feature is explained by the transformation properties of the corresponding states in the isotopic space.

We introduce optically clear and resilient free-form micro-optical of pure (non-photosensitized) organic-inorganic SZ2080 material made by femtosecond 3D laser lithography (3DLL). This is advantageous for rapid printing of 3D micro-/nanooptics, including their integration directly onto optical fibers. A systematic study on the fabrication peculiarities and quality of resultant structures is performed. Comparison of microlenses’ resiliency to CW and femtosecond pulsed exposure is determined. Experimental results prove that pure SZ2080 is ∼3 fold more resistant to high irradiance as compared with a standard photo-sensitized material and can sustain up to 1.91 GW/cm² intensity. 3DLL is a promising manufacturing approach for high-intensity micro-optics for emerging fields in astro-photonics and atto-second pulse generation. Additionally, pyrolysis is employed to shrink structures up to 40% by removing organic SZ2080 constituents. This opens a promising route towards downscaling photonic lattices and creation of mechanically robust glass-ceramic structures.

It has been more than a century since Erlang published his paper in 1909. The classical queueing system for the M/D/c queue has been investigated by many authors. The key is to find the roots of an equation using explicit or numerical methods. We present an alternate form of explicit solution(s) of this/these root(s) using the Lambert-W function in this paper. In addition, the unsaturated probabilities of the number of customers in the system is derived explicitly in terms of this/these root(s). Finally, the mean number of customers in the system and the mean queueing delay are obtained from these probabilities. The exact queueing delay formula for the M/D/c queue is expressed in closed-form in terms of the root(s). Numerical results show that they are in excellent agreement with the numerical results published by Seelen, Tijms and Van Hoorn.

In this paper, an analytical form of the Unit Step Function (or Heaviside Step function) is presented. This important function constitutes a fundamental concept of Operational Calculus and is also involved in many other fields of applied and engineering mathematics. In particular, Heaviside Step Function is performed in a very simple manner by the use of a finite number of standard operations, as the summation of six inverse tangent functions. The novelty of this work when compared with other analytical expressions, is that the proposed exact formula contains two arbitrary single - valued continuous functions which satisfy only one restriction. In addition, the proposed representation is not exhibited in terms of miscellaneous special functions, e.g. Bessel functions, Beta function, Logistic function. Besides, it is neither the limit of a function, nor the limit of a sequence of functions with point – wise or uniform convergence. Hence, this formula may be much more practical, flexible and useful in the computational procedures which are inserted into Operational Calculus techniques and other engineering practices.

A pilot study on laser 3D printing of inorganic free-form micro-optics is experimentally validated. Ultrafast laser nanolithography is employed for structuring hybrid organic-inorganic material SZ2080TM followed by high-temperature calcination post-processing. The combination allows production of 3D architectures and the heat-treatment results in converting the material to inorganic substance. The produced miniature optical elements are characterized and their optical performance demonstrated. Finally, the concept is validated for manufacturing compound optical components such as stacked lenses. This is opening for new directions and applications of laser made microoptics under harsh conditions such as high intensity radiation, temperature, acidic environment, pressure variations, which include open space, astrophotonics, and remote sensing.

New class of conserved quantities is constructed. These quantities find direct application in mechanics of dissipative (generally non-conservative) dynamical systems. Approach demands formulation in the language of geometric mechanics, providing theoretical framework for situations with energy flow in and out of the system. As a by product, we suggest possibility of existence of Hamiltonian form for every autonomous ODE system, evolution of which is governed by non-potential generator of motion. Various examples are provided, ranging from physics and mathematics, to chemical kinetics and population dynamics in biology. Applications of these ideas in geometric integration techniques (GNI) of numerical analysis are discussed, and as an example of such, new discrete gradient-based numerical method is introduced.

The constraint equations in Maxwell theory are investigated. In analogy with some recent results on the constraints of general relativity it is shown, regardless of the signature and dimension of the ambient space, that the "divergence of a vector field" type constraints can always be put into linear first order hyperbolic form for which global existence and uniqueness of solutions to an initial-boundary value problem is guaranteed.

The scattering eigenstates of any Hamiltonian of electrons, coupled through a two-body force and moving on a one-dimensional lattice, are shown to be Bethe's wave-functions. The energy of the groundstate is compared with values, obtained previously for the Hubbard Hamiltonian by means of Bethe's wave-function and within the framework of the correlated Fermi gas. The same analysis is applied to electrons, interacting on neighbouring sites. The significance of those various groundstates is assessed with help of thermodynamics.

The wave packet consisting of two harmonic plane waves with the same frequencies, but with different wave vectors is considered. The dispersion relation of a packet is structurally similar to the dispersion relation of a relativistic particle with a nonzero rest mass. The possibility of controlling the group velocity of a quasi-monochromatic wave packet by varying the angle between the wave vectors of its constituent waves is discussed.

The Wave Mode (WM) is a unique imaging mode of spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which is dedicatedly designed for global ocean surface wave observations. Since it was firstly achieved in the ERS-1/SAR satellite starting from 1991, the WM data over global oceans have been continuously acquired by the ESA’s SAR instruments onboard the satellites of ERS-2 (1997 – 2011), ENVISAT (2002 – 2012), Sentinel-1A(2014--)/1B(2016--) and the Chinese GaoFen-3 SAR (2016--), for nearly 30 years. Therefore, spaceborne SAR WM data have been a ‘big data’, which however, has not been widely exploited for global ocean wave measurements. In this study, we demonstrate its application on global ocean wave measurements based on the ten-year Advanced SAR (ASAR) WM data.

The present study aims to develop an efficient numerical method for computing the diffraction and radiation of water waves with horizontal long cylindrical structures, such as floating breakwaters. A higher-order scheme is used to discretize geometry of the structure as well as the relevant physical quantities. As the kernel of this method, Wehausen’s free-surface Green function is calculated by a newly-developed Gauss-Kronrod adaptive quadrature algorithm after elimination of its Cauchy-type singularities. To improve computational efficiency, a Chebyshev approximation approach is applied to a fast calculation of the Green function that needs evaluation thousands of times. In addition, OpenMP parallel technique is used to the formation of influence coefficient matrix, which significantly reduces CPU time. Finally, computations are performed on wave exciting forces and hydrodynamic coefficients for the long cylindrical structures, either floating or submerged. Comparison with other numerical and analytical methods demonstrates good performance of the present method.

This paper investigates the influence of magnetic field for a two dimensional deformations on a two temperature problem at the free surface of a semi-infinite semiconducting medium under the effect of mechanical force during a photothermal theory and the effect of hydrostatic initial stress on the medium. The Harmonic Wave Method (Normal Mode Analysis) has been used to obtain the equations of elastic waves, heat conduction equation, quasi-static electric field, carrier density, two temperature coefficient, ratios, and constitutive relationships for the thermo-magnetic-electric medium. The effects of several parameters as thermoelastic and thermoelectric coupling parameters and two temperature parameter of this force on the displacement component, force stress, carrier density and temperature distribution has been depicted graphically.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic challenged people with spinal cord injury (SCI) regarding a variety of mental and physical issues. New challenges may arise as the effects of the pandemic continue. The objective of the present study was to explore the social participation of Canadians with SCI during the second wave of COVID-19. Methods: Participants with SCI from two Canadian provinces (Quebec and British Columbia) were interviewed. Results: Eighteen participants completed interviews. Facilitators of social participation remain similar since the first wave of COVID-19, such as the use of technology, help received by relatives and the use of delivery services to obtain groceries and other essentials. Obstacles to mobility due to winter conditions and lack of considerations related to COVID-19 public health measures specific to wheelchair users were also discussed by participants. Conclusions: People with SCI perceived participation restrictions, little changes in life habits, and uncertainty about the future during the second wave of COVID-19. The unique living conditions of people with SCI, ability to adapt life habits, and the lived experiences of people with SCI may have contributed to an overall resilience during the pandemic. Adaptive families, social contacts and technology made a difference during the pandemic.

A new type of artificial block is proposed by modifying the traditional block. Based on the physical model experiment, the wave reflection and run-up characteristics of the new ecological blocks under regular waves were examined, and the influence of the height of the "planting trough" border on the hydrodynamic properties was analyzed. The results indicate that the wave reflection and run-up would decrease with a decrease in the breakwater slope. As wave height increases, wave run-up increases, and the reflection coefficient falls. Wave reflection and run-up increase with an increasing wave period. The relative depth of the water has a smaller impact on the wave reflection than the wave run-up. The reflection coefficient of the new ecological blocks is consistently lower than that of the conventional and continues to decrease as the border of the "planting trough" is raised. The raised borders prevent water loss in the trough, resulting in no significant improvement in the wave run-up performance of the new blocks. The reflection coefficient and the relative run-up R/H gradually increase with the average wave breaking parameter ξ increase. The crude permeability coefficients for the new blocks, New Heights 1 and New Heights 2, are 0.53, 0.53, and 0.54, respectively.

The research paper provides a mathematical framework for understanding phase shift in wave phenomena, bridging theoretical foundations with real-world applications. It emphasizes the importance of phase shift in physics and engineering, particularly in fields like telecommunications and acoustics. Key equations are introduced to explain phase angle, time delay, frequency, and wavelength relationships. The study also introduces the concept of time distortion due to a 1° phase shift, crucial for precise time measurements in precision instruments. The research also addresses infinitesimal wave energy loss related to phase shift, enriching our understanding of wave behavior, and impacting scientific and engineering disciplines.

Maxwell equations governing electromagnetic effects are being shown to be equivalent to the compressible inviscid Navier-Stokes equations applicable in fluid dynamics and representing conservation of mass and linear momentum. The latter applies subject to a generalized Beltrami condition to be satisfied by the magnetic field. This equivalence indicates that the compressible inviscid Navier-Stokes equations are Lorentz invariant as they derive directly from the Lorentz invariant Maxwell equations subject to the same Beltrami condition. In addition, the derivation results provide support for the claim that electromagnetic potentials have physical significance as demonstrated by Aharonov-Bohm effect, and are not only a convenient mathematical formulation.

Intracellular lipid droplets (LDs) can occur in response to inflammation, metabolic stresses, and other physiological/pathological processes. Herein, we investigated whether spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 induce LDs in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMEC). PBMCs or HPMEC were incubated alone or with endotoxin-free recombinant variants of trimeric spike glycoproteins (Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron, 12 µg/ml). Afterwards, cells were stained with Oil Red O for LDs, cytokine release was determined by ELISA, and the gene expression was analyzed by real-time PCR using TaqMan assays. Our data show that spikes induce LDs in PBMCs but not in HPMEC. In line, in PBMCs spike proteins lower expression of genes involving lipid metabolism and LDs formation, such as SREBF1, HMGCS1, LDLR, and CD36. On the other hand, PBMCs exposed to spikes for 6 or 18 h did not increase in IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and TNFα release or expression as compared to non-treated controls. Thus, spike-induced LDs formation in PBMCs seems to be not related to cell inflammatory activation. Further detailed studies are warranted to investigate in which specific immune cells spikes induce LDs, and what are pathophysiological mechanisms and consequences of this induction in vivo.

This article derives the closed form solution to finding the roots of a quadratic equation in SU3.

The measurements of the proton electromagnetic form factors in the time-like region using the initial state radiation technique are reviewed. Recent experimental studies have shown that initial state radiation processes at high luminosity electron-positron colliders can be effectively used to probe the electromagnetic structure of hadrons. The BABAR experiment at the B-factory PEP-II in Stanford and the BESIII experiment at the $\tau$-charm factory BEPC-II in Beijing have measured the time-like form factors of the proton using the initial state radiation process $e^{+}e^{-}\to pbar{p}\gamma$. The two kinematical regions where the photon is emitted from the initial state at small and large polar angles have been investigated. In the first case the photon is in the region not covered by the detector acceptance and is not detected. The Born cross section and the proton effective form factor have been measured over a wide and continuous range of the the momentum transfer squared $q^2$ from threshold up to ~42 (GeV/c)$^2$. The ratio of electric and magnetic form factors of the proton has been also determined. In this report, the theoretical aspect and the experimental studies of the initial state radiation process $e^{+}e^{-}\to p\bar{p}\gamma$ are described. The measurements of the Born cross section and the proton form factors obtained in these analyses near the threshold region and in the relatively large $q^2$ region are examined. The experimental results are compared to the predictions from theory and models. Their impact on our understanding of the nucleon structure is discussed.

In this short note we present a technique using which one attributes frequency and wavevector to (almost) arbitrary scalar fields. Our proposed definition is then applied to the classical wave equation to yield a novel nonlinear PDE.

Time is a component quantity of various measurements and is also used on its own to sequence events, to compare the duration of events or the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change of quantities in material reality or in the conscious experience [1]. The measuring equipment well might happen to be a clock. By making a presupposition that clock is Time, it is perceived experimentally that “Time exhibits wave-like properties”

Wave overtopping, i.e., excess of water over the crest of a coastal protection infrastructure due to wave run-up, of a smooth slope can be reduced by introducing slope roughness. A stepped revetment ideally constitutes a slope with uniform roughness. Apart from reducing overtopping, a stepped revetment provides safer access to a beach compared to conventional rubble. In recent years, research studies on stepped revetments have provided valuable findings regarding the performance and design optimization of stepped revetments as a typical mean of coastal protection. A stepped revetment can reduce overtopping volumes of breaking waves up to compared to a smooth slope. The effectiveness of the overtopping reduction decreases with increasing Iribarren number. However, up to date a unique approach applicable for a wide range of boundary conditions is still missing. The present paper critically reviews previous findings, gathers and analyzes data from previous studies and proposes a new formula for robust prediction of overtopping of stepped revetments. By means of this approach a critical assessment based on beforehand disclosed parameter ranges between a smooth slope on the one hand and a plain vertical wall on the other are contrasted. By analysis of a new data set compounded from different original studies a novel empirical formulation is derived to predict the roughness reduction coefficient of a stepped revetment for breaking and non-breaking waves. This coefficient is developed and adjusted for a direct incorporation into the present design guidelines. Underlying uncertainties are clearly addressed and quantified. Scale effects are highlighted.

Flapping wing aircraft represents a new frontier in biomimetic aviation. Researchers have developed various flapping wing aircraft intending to harness their high aerodynamic efficiency to enhance flight performance. However, current flapping wing designs still have differences in morphology and structure forms compared to real bird wings. These differences may contribute to the key problem of low lift generation in flapping wing aircraft while hovering. Hence, this paper aims to find the influence of morphology and to overcome the aerodynamic efficiency problems. By using fluid-structure interaction analysis, this study investigates the influence of variation in wing area, and aspect ratio. The results show that increasing the wing area will promote the flexible deformation and passive twist of the flapping wing, resulting in a 173.7% increase in lift coefficient. However, this also leads to increased structural stress that must be taken into consideration. Additionally, as the aspect ratio increases, total deformation and tip deformation also increase; lower aspect ratios result in a more pronounced passive twist on the wing surface (84.4% higher). Moreover, this study has designed different wing structure layouts. With different rib distributions, the passive twist, stress concentration between ribs and at rib joints, maximum stress values at the root of the wing spar, and fluctuations in stress curves are influenced. Based on the result of wing parameters and structure layout, this study proposed a flapping wing structure design with efficient aerodynamic performance. The results highlight the influence of the key parameters of wing design and lay the theoretical groundwork for future research endeavors.

Here I describe an overlooked form of non-biological paralife (i.e., near-life) that has been evolving on Earth for millions of years, and is currently in the final stages of transitioning into a new form of life. Any consideration of non-biological life or paralife is complicated by the fact that there is no consensus among biologists for the definition of life. This ambiguity has caused disagreement about whether subcellular reproduction systems like viruses are a form of life, despite having genomes, mutations, heritable phenotypes and system-improving evolution. To resolve this problem, I develop a definition of life that is entirely functional and independent of any of the structural idiosyncrasies of biological life on Earth: an order-generating system controlled by internally-encoded information that perpetuates itself by functioning to counteract its entropic decay. Using this definition, subcellular transposons, plasmids, and viruses are paralife because they match the definition of life in all ways except that they induce their order-generating functioning by a living host rather through their own self-sustaining production system. Using this functional definition of life, I show that utility- products (UPs) like fabricated hand tools are part of induced-reproduction systems that have features equivalent to biological genomes, mutations, heritable phenotypes, and a process of system-improving evolution. The perceived benefit of utility-products causes them to induce their reproduction by a biological life-form (humans). For these reasons, human utility products are functionally just as close to being a form of life as subcellular transposons, plasmids, and viruses, i.e., they are Utility-Product paralife (UP-parlife). I also show that some forms of UP-paralife are currently evolving into mechanical life that is capable of both self- sustaining reproduction and system-improving evolution without outside assistance. This transition requires the development of a high level of factory and/or UP automation and artificial intelligence (AI) that is capable of complex reasoning, imagination and creativity. Finally, I consider the influence of UP-life and UP-paralife on the development of the level of structural complexity in the universe, and I briefly speculate about how these non-biological forms of life and paralife will influence the expansion of scientific knowledge about the universe.

Pure-compression shells have been the central topic in the form-finding of shells. This paper studies tension-compression mixed type shells by utilizing a NURBS-based isogeometric form-finding approach that analyzes Airy stress functions to expand the possible plan geometry. A complete set of smooth version graphic statics tools is provided to support the analyses. The method is validated using examples with known solutions, and a further example demonstrates the possible forms of shells that the proposed method permits. Additionally, a guideline to configure a proper set of boundary conditions is presented through the lens of asymptotic lines of the stress functions.

In the study of materials and macromolecules by first-principle methods, the bond order is a useful tool to represent molecules, bulk materials and interfaces in terms of simple chemical concepts. Despite the availability of several methods to compute the bond order, most applications have been limited to small systems because a high spatial resolution of the wave function and an all-electron representation of the electron density are typically required. Both limitations are critical for large-scale atomistic calculations, even within approximate density-functional theory (DFT) approaches. In this work we describe our methodology to quickly compute delocalization indices for all atomic pairs, while keeping the same representation of the wave function used in most compute-intensive DFT calculations on high-performance computing equipments. We describe our implementation into a post-processing tool, designed to work with Quantum ESPRESSO, a popular open-source DFT package. In this way we recover a description in terms of covalent bonds from a representation of wave function containing no explicit information about atomic types and positions.

Textile heaters are made of knitted conductive yarns integrated into the fabric, making them stretchable, washable, breathable, and suitable for close-to-skin wear. The non-zero resistance in the lead wires, however, causes non-uniform power distribution, presenting a design challenge. To address this, the electrical performance of the heaters is modelled as an n-ladder resistor network. Using the finite difference method, simple, closed-form expressions are derived for networks with the power source connected to input terminals A1B1 and A1Bn, respectively. The results are exact and are used to derive approximations and design criteria. Solutions for ladder networks as presented in this paper apply to a wider class of physical problems, such as irrigation systems, transformer windings, and cooling fins.

The discovery of solitonlike coherent structure (SCS) in boundary layer flows is crucial for understanding turbulence origins and in particular for laminar-turbulence transition. However, the task of finding solutions for solitonlike coherent structure from the Navier-Stokes equations poses a significant challenge. In this paper, based on the author's previous work [B.H. Sun, Exact similarity solutions of unsteady laminar boundary layer flows, Preprints 2023, 2023092117], we are able to study convergent flow boundary layers, whose solution encompasses both shock wave and solitary wave solutions, and their superposition gives rise to solitary-like waves, namely solitonlike coherent structure. It is found that the solitonlike coherent structure can only be obtained by combining the Navier-Stokes equations and mass conservation, since the combined equations will have the third order derivatives respect to coordinate $x$, in other words, without the mass conservation condition, the Navier-Stokes equations does not contain solitonlike coherent structure by itself. Finally proved solitonlike coherent structure is a universal motion form of viscous fluid.

In an $m$-person symmetric game, all players are identical and indistinguishable. In this paper, we find that the payoff tensor of the player $k$ in an $m$-person symmetric game is $k$-mode symmetric, and the payoff tensors of two different individuals are the transpose of each other. Furthermore, we reformulate the $m$-person symmetric game as a tensor complementary problem and demonstrate that locating a symmetric Nash equilibrium is equivalent to finding a solution to the resulting tensor complementary problem. Finally, we use the hyperplane projection algorithm to solve the resulting tensor complementary problem, and we present some numerical results to find the symmetric Nash equilibrium.

An iconic feature of insects is the apparent lack of legs on the abdomen, which is believed to be due to the repression of the leg-patterning gene Distalless (Dll) by abdominal Hox genes. However, in contrast to these molecular observations, it is not widely appreciated that the embryos of most insect groups do in fact form paired protrusions on most abdominal segments, which degenerate to form the abdominal exoskeleton. These embryonic abdominal legs appear to be homologous to the thoracic legs. To resolve this discordance between molecular and morphological observations, the expression patterns of pannier and araucan, genes known to distinguish proximal leg segments in all arthropods, are examined in embryos of the flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. In Tribolium embryos, paired protrusions are observed on most abdominal segments and the stripes of pnr and ara expression that delineate the proximal leg segments of the thorax are seen to continue unabated through all abdominal segments. Thus, insects retain abdominal legs in a truncated form that were inherited from their crustacean ancestors. These cryptic, truncated abdominal legs appear to serve as an important wellspring of new structures and functions in insects, such as caterpillar prolegs, gills, and leaf-like camouflage structures.

The detection of temporary color steel buildings and the analysis of their spatiotemporal patterns and characteristics are of great importance in many developing cities, because areas densely distributed with color steel buildings are usually problematic regions with high population density, sustainable development and risk level, which are challenging for local governments. Using the high-resolution satellite images of the Anning District, Lanzhou City, China as the case study, this paper first extracts the information of the color steel buildings for two different periods. Then the spatiotemporal distributional characteristics of the color steel buildings are analyzed, both at small scale (temporary buildings) and large scale (planthouses, warehouses, etc.). Finally, this paper utilizes kernel density estimation, Delaunay triangulation and Voronoi diagrams to examine the spatial distribution, aggregation and proximity characteristics of the color steel buildings. Our experiments show that the temporal and spatial differences of urban development, the phased characteristics and urban space are represented by various types of color steel buildings. Thus, there are some robust coupling relationship between color steel buildings, urban spatial form and urban development.

Linear regression is a basic tool in mobile robotics, since it enables accurate estimation of straight lines from range-bearing scans or in digital images, which is a prerequisite for reliable data association and sensor fusing in the context of feature-based SLAM. This paper discusses, extends and compares existing algorithms for line fitting applicable also in case of strong covariances between the coordinates at each single data point, which must not be neglected if range-bearing sensors are used. Besides, particularly the determination of the covariance matrix is considered, which is required for stochastic modeling. The main contribution is a new error model of straight lines in closed form for calculating fast and reliably the covariance matrix dependent on just a few comprehensible and easily obtainable parameters. The model can be applied widely in any case when a line is fitted from a number of distinct points also without a-priori knowledge of the specific measurement noise. By means of extensive simulations the performance and robustness of the new model in comparison to existing approaches is shown.

Diabetic patients need long-term and frequent glucose monitoring to assist in insulin intake. The current finger-prick devices are painful and costly which make noninvasive glucose sensors highly demanded. In this review paper, we discuss several advanced electromagnetic (EM) wave based technologies for noninvasive glucose measurement, including infrared (IR) spectroscopy, photoacoustic (PA) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence, optical coherent tomography (OCT) and microwave sensing. Development and progress of each method are discussed regarding fundamental principle, system setup and experimental results. Despite the promising achievements reported previously, there is no established product to obtain FDA approval or survive marketing test. Limitations and prospects of these techniques are discussed at the end of this review.

Millimeter wave antennas have significance for high-speed, high-capacity wireless communication, delivering substantial advantages and an array of applications. This literature review analyzes the historical development, assessment of performance, difficulties with design, and contemporary applications in telecommunications, radar systems, and imaging. It covers the development of technology, especially within the context of 5G and beyond, and focuses at several antenna designs that deal with technical issues including reduction and impedance matching. The review also studies the effect of design on efficiency and bandwidth, identifying research gaps and potential futures, notably in terms of 5G technology. The commitment to develop millimeter wave antenna technology for next-generation wireless networks is evident, underlining the need of continued research and development.

Alternative splicing is an essential regulatory mechanism for gene expression in mammalian cells contributing to protein, cellular, and species diversity. Isoform switching, the process where cells alter the expression of various splice forms (isoforms) of a gene, plays a critical role in cellular function and adaptation. Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of splice forms prevailing across ten of the most studied human cell lines using public RNAseq data. We analyzed the occurrence of splice forms and found substantial justification for revising the canonical sequences for 56 genes, suggesting that these alternative splice forms should be recognized as canonical. Additionally, distinct profiles of splice form prevalence across these cell lines offer new insights into their specific biological roles. Our findings reinforce and expand upon previous insights into the link between isoform expression and oncological processes. Notably, we identified three genes exhibiting statistically significant changes between cancerous and normal tissues. Moreover, a comparative analysis of prevailing isoforms across diverse cell lines with prior research unveiled 140 common splice variants associated with cancer, highlighting their importance for prognostication and understanding oncogenesis. We revealed unique patterns and variations in isoform switching of these lines that provide new insights into the importance of selecting specific ones for research.

This article studies a class of pursuit problems admitting both a simple geometric solution as well as a more general analytic treatment. The results are specialized to demonstrate solutions to certain elementary problems typically posed to high schoolers, although a full analytic treatment, requiring some more comfort with geometry and calculus, is typically avoided at that stage.

For adolescents, high aggression is often associated with suicide, physical injury, worse academic performance, and crime. Therefore, there is a need for early identification and intervention for highly aggressive adolescents. The Buss-Warren Aggression Questionnaire (BWAQ) consists of 34 items, and the longer the scale, the more likely participants are to make an insufficient effort response (IER), which reduces the credibility of the results and increases the cost of implementation. The study aimed to develop a shorter BWAQ using machine learning (ML) techniques to reduce the frequency of IER and decrease implementation costs meantime. First, an initial version of the short-form questionnaire was determined using Stepwise Regression and ANOVA F-test. Then, a machine learning algorithm determined the optimal short-form questionnaire (BWAQ-ML). Finally, the reliability and validity of the optimal short-form questionnaire were tested using independent samples. The BWAQ-ML has 88% fewer items than the BWAQ. It has AUC, accuracy, recall, precision, and F1 scores of 0.85, 0.85, 0.89, 0.83, and 0.86, respectively, and good psychometric properties. The BWAQ-ML can effectively measure individual aggression and can be used as a simplified version of BWAQ.

Opera and oratorio overtures exist in an indeterminate state between purely symphonic and dramatic music. While they can be and often are extracted for symphonic programs, they are ultimately tied to the story to which they grant the audience a preview of the story and music yet to come. Those that are easily extracted are so independent due to their structure, one well known to the symphony: the sonata form. In studying overtures from the 19^th century, however, one can trace a decline of the sonata form overture for one that is more subservient to the dramatic story soon to follow it. In this paper, three representatives of the early, mid and late period of the highlight this steady shift away from sonata form. Using Hepokoski and Darcy’s Elements of Sonata Theory: Norms, Types, and Deformations in the Late-Eighteenth-Century Sonata, I will categorize these overtures into one of the five sonata types listed therein. The increasing number of deformations as one moves through the overtures chronologically will illustrate the deliberate decline of use of the sonata form for the overture in favor of a clearer reflection of the upcoming story.

The dynamics of a low-energy charged particle in an axis-symmetric magnetic field is known to be a regular superposition of periodic–although possibly incommensurate–motions. The projection of the particle orbit along the two non-ignorable coordinates (x,y) may be expressed in terms of each other: y=y(x), yet–to our knowledge–such a functional relation has never been directly produced in literature, but only by way of a detour: first, equations of motion are solved, yielding x=x(t),y=y(t), and then one of the two relations is inverted, x(t)→t(x). In this paper we present a closed-form functional relation which allows to express coordinates of the particle’ orbit without the need to pass through the hourly law of motion.

This research aims to introduce a new technique, off-site and self-form segmental concrete masonry arches fabrication, without the need of construction formwork or centering. The innovative construction method in the current study encompasses two construction materials forms the self-form masonry arches, wedge-shape plain concrete voussoirs, and Carbon Fibers Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) composites. The employment of CFRP fabrics was for two main reasons; bond the voussoirs and forming the masonry arches. However, CFRP proved to be efficient for strengthening the extrados of the arch rings under service loadings. An experimental test conducted on four sophisticated masonry arch specimens. Research parameters were using thicker keystone as well as the partial strengthening of the self-form arch ring at the intrados. Major test finding was the use of thicker Keystone, alter the behavior of the self-form arch, considerably increased the load carrying capacity by 79%. Partial strengthening of the intrados with CFRP fabrics of typical arch ring Keystone resulted considerable increased the debonding load of fabrication CFRP sheets by 81%, increase the localized crushing load by 13%, and considerably increase voussoir sliding load by 107%.

We present an exact expression for the upscaled dynamic dispersion coefficient (D) for one-dimensional transport by Hagen-Poiseuille flow which is the basis for modeling transport in porous media idealized as capillary tubes. The theoretical model is validated by comparing the breakthrough curves (BTCs) from a 1D advection-dispersion model with dynamic D to that from direct numerical solutions utilizing a 2D advection-diffusion model. Both Taylor dispersion theory and our new theory are good predictors of D at lower Peclet Number (Pe) regime, but gradually fail to capture most parts of BTCs as Pe increases. However, our model generally predicts the mixing and spreading of solutes better than Taylor’s theory since it covers all transport regimes from molecular diffusion, through anomalous transport, and to Taylor dispersion. The model accurately predicts D based on the early part of BTCs even at relatively high Pe regime (~62) where the Taylor’s theory fails. Furthermore, the model allows for calculation of the time scale that separates Fickian from non-Fickian transport. Therefore, our model can readily be used to calculate dispersion through short tubes of arbitrary radii such as the pore throats in a pore network model.

The (benzylthio)acetic acid (HBTA) and some aminopyrimidines, namely 2-aminopyrimidine (2-AP), 5-aminopyrimidine (5-AP), 2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyrimidine (2-A-4,6-DMP) and 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine (2,4,6-TAP), were successfully embodied as structural units into the construction of a total of four novel supramolecular organic frameworks. The received crystalline solids were inspected by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SC XRD) in order to obtain insight into the structural and supramolecular facets. The SOFs deriving from 2-AP, 5-AP as well as 2-A-4,6-DMP crystallize in the form of true co-crystals (1-3), while the one originating from 2,4,6-TAP crystallizes as salt solvate (4). The SC XRD results indicated the different contents of structural residues present in the asymmetric units of the crystals 1-4 despite the using the same molar ratio of molecular co-formers in each case. The molecular structures of co-crystals 1-3 consist of either one neutral residue of each starting components (1 and 3) or a half nonionized residue of aminopyrimidine ingredient and one neutral residue of acidic specie (2). The asymmetric unit of salt solvate 4 is composed of two ionized residues of each co-former (two 2,4,6-TAP+ cations and two BTA- anions) and one MeOH solvent molecule. The most extensive H-bonding network is observed in the crystal structure of salt solvate 4. The relevant molecular ingredients in co-crystals 1-3 are mainly hold together by the neutral Ocarboxylic–H···Npyrimidine and Namine–H···Ocarboxylic H-bonds. In the case of aggregate 4, the corresponding ionic residues are predominantly sustained by the charged-assisted Npyrimidinium–H···Ocarboxylate and Namine–H···Ocarboxylate hydrogen interactions. The MeOH solvent incorporated into the crystal lattice of adduct 4 is also involved in H-bonding by simultaneously serving as the single donor in OMeOH–H···S and the single acceptor in Namine–H···OMeOH H-bonds afforded the structural diversity within the 2,4,6-TAP+ cations and BTA- anions. Other weaker sets of additional non-covalent contacts existing in the crystal structures of analyzed conglomerates are involved in the self-assembly, stabilization and expansion of total supramolecular organic frameworks. The fact of the formation of non-covalent bonded supramolecular organic frameworks in question is also reflected in corresponding results obtained through elemental analysis (EA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT−IR) and thermal analysis (TG/DSC).

The PII protein is an evolutionary highly conserved regulatory protein from bacteria to higher plants. In bacteria it modulates the activity of several enzymes, transporters and regulatory factors by interacting with them and thereby regulating important metabolic hubs like carbon/nitrogen homeostasis. More than two decades ago the PII protein was characterized for the first time in plants, but its physiological role is still not sufficiently resolved. To gain more insights into the function of this protein, we investigated the interaction behaviour of AtPII with candidate proteins by BiFC and FRET/FLIM in planta and with GFP/RFP traps in vitro. In the course of these studies we found that AtPII interacts in chloroplasts with itself as well as with known interactors like NAGK in dot-like aggregates, which we named PII foci. In these novel protein aggregates AtPII interacts also with yet unknown partners, which are known to be involved in plastidic protein degradation. Further studies revealed that the C-terminal part of AtPII is crucial for the formation of PII foci. Altogether, the presented results indicate a novel mode of interaction for PII proteins with other proteins in plants, which may be a new starting point for the elucidation of physiological functions of PII proteins in plants.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the SF-36 health survey (SF-36) in a sample of subjects with physical disabilities. Material and Methods: 305 patients recruited using the convenient sampling method from September 2019 to March 2020 in Kermanshah, Iran. Another similar 300 patients were selected to assess the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: The Cronbach’s α ranged from 0.70 to 0.93, and intra-class correlation coefficients from 0.71 to 0.88; and with the no ceiling and floor effect for two main subscales. Convergent validity was supported by moderate to good correlation between SF-36 subscales and Moorong self-efficacy subscales (r= 0.25- 0.53). The SF-36 divergently validated with HADS total score and subscales (r= -0.24- -0.65), concurrently validated with its subscales (r=0.49- 0.88), and physically discriminated between persons with different level of disability (t-test: p<0.001). Factorial analysis identified seven factors, confirmed with second-order in another 300 samples (chi-square (χ2/df) = 2.61(p < .001); RMSEA = 0.07 (90% CI = 0.07–0.08); AGFI=0.75; GFI = 0.78; CFI= 0.85; and NFI = 0.78). Conclusions: the SF-36 is a reliable and valid tool in physical disables. However, SF-36 shows insufficient eight-factor validity. Future studies should focus on evaluating other psychometric properties, such as sensitivity to change in subjects with physical disabilities.

In general sound waves propagate radially outwards from a point source. These waves will continue in the same direction, decreasing in intensity, unless a boundary condition is met. To arrive at a universal understanding of the relation between frequency and wave propagation within spatial boundaries, an analysis and comparison is made between the results of Chladni plate experiments and Chladni plate simulations. We consider a finite range of frequencies and plate geometries and present a model that has been shown to successfully recreate the nodal line patterns to a first approximation. We discuss the benefits of such a model and the future work necessary to develop the model to its full predictive capacity.

The double nature, wave and corpuscular, of the material particles is usually considered incomprehensible as it cannot be represented visually. It is proposed to the student, in the introductory courses, as a fact justified by quantum interference experiments of which, however, no further analysis is possible. In this note we propose a description of the wave function in terms of a simple electrical analogy, which reproduces at least some of its essential properties. The aim we propose is to provide a cognitive representation of an analogical type: starting from a classical context (electrical circuits) and introducing in an appropriate way the notions of "wave" and "particle", we show how typically quantum properties such as delocalization and entanglement emerge in a natural, understandable and intuitive way.

Gravitational waves have been detected in the past few years from several transient events such as merging stellar mass black holes, binary neutron stars, etc. These waves have frequencies in a band ranging from a few hundred hertz to around a kilohertz to which LIGO type instruments are sensitive. LISA would be sensitive to much lower range of frequencies from SMBH mergers. Apart from these cataclysmic burst events, there are innumerable sources of radiation which are continuously emitting gravitational waves of all frequencies. These include a whole mass range of compact binary and isolated compact objects as well as close planetary stellar entities. In this work, quantitative estimates are made of the gravitational wave background produced in typical frequency ranges from such sources emitting over a Hubble time and the fluctuations in the h values measured in the usual devices. Also estimates are made of the high frequency thermal background gravitational radiation from hot stellar interiors and newly formed compact objects.

Coastal wave modeling and forecasting are essential in oceanography, sustainable marine energy, and ocean engineering. Precise forecasting of wave speed and direction are crucial for offshore operations, marine energy, risk management, environmental management, coastal and sustainable maritime management. The coastline of Brunei Darussalam can generate between 15 and 126 Giga Watt of wave energy. In this experimental research, we used two numerical approaches, the finite difference, and spectral element methods, to model and simulate wave speed and direction. We calculated the mean error between numerical and analytical solutions. We proposed a novel, promising, univariate time series forecasting model by combining the Long Short-Term (LSTM) with KerasTuner hyperparameters tuning and optimization techniques. This method helps us to improve the accuracy and efficiency of time-series forecasting.. The experimental data was computed from high-precision Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) sensor data. This research is part of the preliminary feasibility analysis of wave energy production in Brunei Darussalam and net zero commitment for a sustainable environment. Seven independent forecast experiments were performed for wave speed and direction in degree and radian units for 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 hours. Mean squared error (MSE) was adopted as a metric for both training and testing. The experimental results reveal that the wave speed forecast has the lowest MSE compared to direction, regardless of the unit of measure, but has a longer duration. In addition, the direction forecast in the degree unit has the lowest errors compared to the unit of radians; the latter has a longer running time than the former. The model has delivered optimal results throughout the experiments with minor training and test errors. We conducted a thorough evaluations on two benchmark time series datasets, which include the study dataset and air quality index dataset, to validate the performance of the proposed model with other models. The proposed model outperforms cutting-edge forecasting models, such as the conventional LSTM, ARIMA, and Prophet. The model has the slightest forecast error compared to the existing literature’s result.

Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) are endemic threats to cassava production. To fill the existing gaps in the understanding of the epidemiology of these diseases in Côte d’Ivoire, nationwide field surveys were conducted in 2016, 2017 and 2020. The leaf samples collected were analysed by PCR. CBSD was not detected in all fields visited. However, an increase of CMD incidence was observed from 45.95% in 2016 to 51.37% in 2020 while CMD severity remained moderate over the years with a mean value of 2.29. Low whiteflies number was observed in field and decreasing over the years. Molecular analysis allowed detection of East African cassava mosaic Cameroon virus (EACMCMV) in single as well as in mixed infection with African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV). Single EACMCMV infection, which was detected only in three agroecological zones of the eastern Côte d’Ivoire in 2016, spread throughout the country in 2017 and became more widespread in 2020 with a preponderance in the central and southern zones, whereas the ACMV+EACMCMV coinfection has spread to the entire zones studied. Knowing the dynamics of the evolution of these viruses across the country, better disease management strategies could be adopted to control the disease.

The ordinary 3D wave equation for nondissipative, homogeneous, isotropic media admits solutions where the point sources are permitted to move, but it does not admit solutions where the receiver is allowed to move. To overcome this limitation, the new wave equation is derived, permitting both the receiver and the source to move. This new wave equation is a generalization of the standard wave equation, and it reduces to the standard wave equation when the receiver is at rest. To derive this new wave equation, we first mathematically define a diverging spherical wave caused by the stationary point source. From this purely mathematical definition, the wave equation for the stationary source and the moving receiver is derived together with the corresponding free-space Green's function. Utilizing the derived Green's function, it was shown that this new wave equation also permits the solutions where both the receiver and the source are permitted to move. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that, instead of an ordinary wave equation, the wave equation for the moving source and the moving receiver governs the waves emitted by the moving point sources and received by the moving receivers.