Adjacent Zones Research Articles

Raman micro-spectroscopic map estimating in vivo precision of tumor ablative effect achieved by photothermal therapy procedure

Photothermal-therapy (PTT) inculcates near-infrared laser guided local heating effect, where high degree of precision is expected, but not well proven to-date. An ex vivo tissue biochemical map with molecular/biochemical response showing the coverage area out of an optimized PTT procedure can reveal precision information. In this work, Raman-microscopic mapping and linear discriminant analysis of spectra of PTT treated and surrounding tissue areas ex vivo are done, revealing three distinct spectral clusters/zones, with minimal overlap between the core treated and adjacent untreated zone. The core treated zone showed intense nucleic-acid, cytochrome/mitochondria and protein damage, an adjacent zone showed lesser degree of damages and far zone showed minimal/no damage. Immunohistochemistry for γH2AX (DNA damage marker protein) in PTT exposed tissue also revealed similar results. Altogether, this study reveals the utility of Raman-microspectroscopy for fine-tuning safety parameters and precision that can be achieved from PTT mediated tumor ablation in preclinical/clinical application.

FRONTIER PHENOMENON IN A SOCIOCULTURAL CONTEXT

Vitalij V. Otroschenko made a great contribution to the study of Copper and Bronze Age cultures in Ukraine. His researches of absolute and relative chronology, cultural changes and cultural coexistence have particular interest in the context of this article. They allow a reader to focus more reasonably on cultural and historical processes of North-Western Black Sea and Balkan-Carpathian regions staying within the frame of the frontier theory.
 Most of researchers on the topic consider the «frontier» as a special zone of interference of different cultures. The frontier is also meant a special area where several cultures meet, shaping new socio-cultural relations. The frontier differs from deeper territory in higher mobility, where movement of large groups of people create new forms of cultural and social contacts. The system of intercultural communication depends on many factors, including the history of formation of the cultural landscape of the territory where intercultural communication is taking place.
 Originally, the concept of «frontier» was applied exclusively to American history, but now we meet it in works related to the history of Ukraine. The situation of the frontier zone has begun to attract archeologists though in a rather narrow area concerning social changes (in the context of anthropological archeology).
 The special nature of the source base of history and archaeology, especially in the preliterate period, determines similarities and differences of frontier problems studying by these sciences. The specificity of archaeological artefacts, on which the study of archaeological cultures relies to a large extent, must also be taken into account: they can spread over quite long distances in the means of exchange, without people movement.
 In archaeological research of European Bronze Age, the Pit Grave (Yamnaya) culture is in the great importance; interest towards it has been reinforced by the latest genetic research. The mobility of society, innovation in the material culture of its western range allowed us to consider the Pit Grave cultural and historical community within the frontier theory.
 At the same time, the comparison of two adjacent frontier zones (North-Western Black Sea Coast and Balkan-Carpathian area) made it possible to compare their common and special traits, in the context of their interconnection and mutual influences, taking into account the aspect of social identification.

Long-Term Effects of the Harvesting of Trapa natans on Local Water Quality and Aquatic Macrophyte Community in Lake Erhai, China

Trapanatansis one of the main species causing the swamping in the littoral zones of Erhai Lake. It commonly forms a dense canopy on the water surface in the growing season (June–September), which hampers the local water quality and habitat of submerged macrophytes, and releases nutrients to the water after death in autumn and winter, resulting in the deterioration of local water quality. At present, there are many and positive research studies on the short-term effects of harvesting water chestnut on water quality and aquatic plants, but long-term observation results are lacking. In response to the above problems, we studied responses of water quality and aquatic plant community to the removal ofTrapain littoral zone of a northern bay in Erhai from August 2014 to January 2017. This could be the first attempt to discover the long-term effects of floating-leaved vegetation management in the freshwater ecosystem. The results showed that the artificial removal ofTrapasignificantly improved the local water quality in the growing season, for example, the concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), dissolved nitrogen (DN), total phosphorus (TP), and dissolved phosphorus (DP) in the non-Trapazone (NTZ) were much lower than the concentrations of those in the adjacentTrapazone (TZ). And the biomass of aquatic macrophyte community (BAMC) was significantly increased in the NTZ, up to the maximum value of about 21 kg/m2in fresh weight. However, the diversity indexes of the community in the NTZ declined. Therefore, we suggested that although the removal ofTrapaimproved the water quality and increased the productivity of the submerged aquatic plant community, it reduced the species diversity of the aquatic plant community in the long run. This is another issue that we need to pay attention to in the later management in Erhai Lake.

Timescales and rates of intrusive and metamorphic processes determined from zircon and garnet in migmatitic granulite, Fiordland, New Zealand

Abstract Zircon U-Pb, and garnet Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf dates provide important constraints on local and orogenic scale processes in lower-crustal rocks. However, in high-temperature metamorphic rocks these isotopic systems typically yield significant ranges reflecting both igneous and metamorphic processes. Therefore, linking dates to specific aspects of rock history can be problematic. In Fiordland, New Zealand, granulite-facies orthogneiss is cut by leucosomes that are bordered by garnet clinopyroxene reaction zones (garnet reaction zones). In both host orthogneiss and garnet reaction zones, zircon are typically anhedral with U-Pb dates ranging from 118.30 ± 0.13 to 115.70 ± 0.18 Ma (CA-ID-TIMS) and 121.4 ± 2.0 to 109.8 ± 1.8 Ma (SHRIMP-RG). Zircon dates in host and garnet reaction zone do not define distinct populations. In addition, the dates cannot be readily grouped based on external morphology or internal CL zoning. Zircon trace-element concentrations indicate two distinct crystallization trends, clearly seen in Th and U. Garnet occurs in selvages to the leucosome veins and in the adjacent garnet reaction zones. In selvages and host orthogneiss, garnet is generally 0.5 to 1 cm diameter and euhedral and is 0.1 to 0.5 cm diameter and subhedral in garnet reaction zones. Garnet Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf dates range from ca. 115 to 101 Ma (including uncertainties) and correlate with grain size. We interpret the CA-ID-TIMS zircon dates to record the age of magma emplacement and the SHRIMP-RG dates to record a range from igneous crystallization to metamorphic dissolution and reprecipitation and/or local Pb loss. Zircon compositional trends within the garnet reaction zone and host are compatible with locally isolated melt and/or separate intrusive magma batches for the two samples described here. Dates for the largest, ~1 cm, garnet of ~113 Ma record growth during metamorphism, while the smaller grains with younger dates reflect high-temperature intracrystalline diffusion and isotopic closure during cooling. The comprehensive geochronological data set for a single location in the Malaspina Pluton illustrates a complex and protracted geologic history common in granulite facies rocks, estimates lower crustal cooling rates of ~20 °C/m.y., and underlines the importance of multiple chronometers and careful textural characterization for assigning meaningful ages to lower-crustal rocks. Numerous data sets from single locations, like the one described here, are needed to evaluate the spatial extent and variation of cooling rates for Fiordland and other lower crustal exposures.

Visualization of immature brain lesions: MR patterns of long-term outcomes. Case reports

The periventricular and deep white matter of the immature brain of premature infants has an increased vulnerability to various, primarily ischemic injuries. The leading mechanism of selective vulnerability of the white matter of the large hemispheres in children with a low gestation period is the lack of formation of adjacent blood circulation zones between the main arteries of the developing brain. Magnetic resonance imaging has a high sensitivity to detect damage to the brain substance, both in the acute period and in the period of long-term outcomes. Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is one of the variants of brain damage in premature infants and the most common term in the conclusions of diagnostic doctors (ultrasound, CT, MRI). Considering the pathomorphological criteria, not always detected changes in the white matter of the large hemispheres are PVL. Diffuse (telencephalic) gliosis and diffuse leukomalacia are ordinary and typical variants of damage to the white matter of the large hemispheres in extremely premature infants, with a gestation period of up to 30-32 weeks. In the first variant, atrophic changes predominate with a pronounced decrease in the volume of white matter and a secondary expansion of the lateral ventricles. Diffuse leukomalacia is most often mistaken for PVL, but the localization of the white matter lesion of the large hemispheres is extensive and extends beyond the peri- and paraventricular region. Clinical examples show various variants of primary non-hemorrhagic brain lesions in prematurely born children in the long-term period. The analysis of the revealed changes is carried out, taking into account current data on developing the brain and pathomorphological criteria.

Determining the stressed-strained state of concrete in the zone of exposure to local laser radiation

This paper reports the results of the physical and numerical experiments on determining the stressed-strained state of concrete in protective structures in the region of the effect of local point laser radiation. The software package LIRA10.8 (release 3.4) was used to build a computer model in the statement of a stationary thermal conductivity problem. To this end, the findings from the experimental studies were applied – the resulting temperature distribution and changes in the structure of concrete on the surface and deep into concrete cubes for more than 120 samples of concrete with three levels of moisture content: dried, natural humidity, and water-saturated. This paper gives the parameters of the simulation, the results of a numerical experiment, their analysis, and comparison with the results of a physical experiment. The temperature fields when establishing the dynamic temperature equilibrium, the level of stresses in concrete, derived from the physical experiments, correlate well with the results of the numerical experiment. The maximum temperature determined by the optical method at the surface of concrete was 1,350+50 °С. Deviations at control points do not exceed 12–70 °С in the temperature effect zone and 18–176 °С (1–11 %). At the rated radiation power of 30 W, the second stage of interaction was achieved; at 100 W – the fourth stage for concrete with a moisture content of 0–2.5 %; and, for water-saturated concrete, the fifth stage of interaction with the laser beam. A significant decrease in the thresholds between the stages of interaction between laser radiation and concrete was revealed, especially water-saturated concrete, compared to the thresholds for metals (the thresholds between the third and fifth stages were reduced by 103–104 times). The destruction of the walls of water-saturated pores in concrete occurred under the pressure of water vapor. The tangent stresses, in this case, were 1.7 MPa, and the values for the coefficient Kр, determined by the method of acoustic emission, were in the range of 4‒6. Such results explain the absence of normal microcracks due to the hoop effect. It was established that in the contact zone between a laser beam and concrete, about 90 % of the radiation energy dissipates, and in the adjacent heating zone ‒ up to 77 %. The optimal speed of beam movement when cleaning the concrete surface from organic, paint, and other types of contamination of 0.5–2 mm/s (surface temperature, 100–300 °С) has been proposed

Relationship between Designed Fire and Performance of Smoke-Control System in a Living Room

The effects of the size of a designed fire on the ventilation system of an adjacent zone is estimated in this study based on a visibility requirement of 5 m in a non-fire zone at 600 s after ignition. To verify the adequacy of the fire dynamics simulator (FDS) input file, smoke movement and ceiling temperature under the hot smoke test conditions of AS4391-1999 were compared with those from the FDS results. The average temperatures measured at 12 locations were within the range of ± 2σ, with the exception of one point, and predicted smoke movement adequately. The size of the designed fire was analyzed in terms of the air volume conditions of the NFSC 501 for a heat release rate (HRR) of 1650 kW (air supply and exhaust at 45,000 cubic meters per hour (CMH)) as well as air volume conditions for a HRR of 1100 kW (air supply at 35,606 CMH and exhaust at 32,506 CMH). It was determined that one of the major factors influencing the required safety egress time was the mixture of downdraft airflow from the diffusers and smoke layer crossing the ventilation boundary.

The Evolution of Central Volcanoes in Ultraslow Rift Systems: Constraints From D. João de Castro Seamount, Azores

AbstractThe Dom João de Castro seamount in the Hirondelle Basin (Azores) is a central volcano on the ultraslow diverging Terceira Rift axis. The combination of structural and geochemical data provides insights into the evolution of central volcanoes in oceanic rift systems above the Azores melting anomaly. The orientation of fault scarps and volcanic structures at D. João de Castro and the adjacent Castro fissure zone indicate that the regional SW‐NE extending stress field dominates the morphology of the NW Hirondelle Basin. The regional tectonic stress field controls the crustal melt pathways and leads to dike emplacement along fissure zones and the prevalent eruption of mafic lavas. The occurrence of mafic to felsic lavas at D. João de Castro gives evidence for both a deep and a shallow crustal melt reservoir generating a subordinate local stress field at the seamount. New Sr‐Nd‐Pb isotope data along with incompatible trace element ratios indicate that D. João de Castro and the Castro Ridges originated from similarly heterogeneous mantle source but did not form simultaneously. Our new model implies that central volcanoes along the Terceira Rift form by the growth of volcanic ridges and transitioned into circular edifices after magmatic systems generate local changes in the regional lithospheric stress field. The geometry of D. João de Castro and other magmatic systems along the Terceira Rift combined with the alkaline nature of the erupted lavas, and the large lithosphere thickness indicates that young oceanic rifts are more similar to continental rifts rather than mid‐ocean ridges.

THE PROBLEM OF REDISTRIBUTION OF RADIO FREQUENCY USED IN THE ORGANIZATION DIVISIONS

The problem of radio frequency distribution is considered in the article, taking into account the regulations and geographical location of the operating units. The problem of assigning radio frequencies from among those assigned for corporate use is studied. Using conformal mapping, it was substantiated that any territory can be divided into zones, each of which will have a border with only three other zones. In this case, in each zone, you can assign frequencies in the amount of one quarter of the total number of available frequencies that do not overlap with frequencies assigned to adjacent zones. A mathematical model of the problem of radio frequency redistribution has been built, taking into account the regulations and the geographical location of the units. The implementation of algorithm allows taking into account the history of frequency distribution by zones, which allows you to completely update the used radio frequencies for a new period of operation. A software module has been compiled that generates frequencies at random from those available for assigning corporate use for each zone. The software module allows fast and frequent reallocation of frequencies by zones, thereby ensuring the safety, reliability and stability of communication between organizational units.

A Coupling Framework for Multi-Domain Modelling and Multi-Physics Simulations.

This paper describes a coupling framework for parallel execution of different solvers for multi-physics and multi-domain simulations with an arbitrary number of adjacent zones connected by different physical or overlapping interfaces. The coupling architecture is based on the execution of several instances of the same coupling code and relies on the use of smart edges (i.e., separate processes) dedicated to managing the exchange of information between two adjacent regions. The collection of solvers and coupling sessions forms a flexible and modular system, where the data exchange is handled by independent servers that are dedicated to a single interface connecting two solvers’ sessions. Accuracy and performance of the strategy is considered for turbomachinery applications involving Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) analysis and Sliding Plane (SP) interfaces.

Оценка структурно-фазового и напряженного состояния диффузионных боридных слоев, полученных химико-термической обработкой на поверхности штамповой стали 3Х2В8Ф

Introduction. Control and management of technological residual stresses (TRS) are among the most critical mechanical engineering technology tasks. Boriding can provide high physical and mechanical properties of machine parts and tools with minimal impact on the stress state in the surface layers. The purpose of this work is to determine the temperature modes of diffusion boriding, contributing to a favorable distribution of TRS in the surface layer of die steel 3Kh2V8F. The paper considers the results of studies on the TRS determination by the experimental method on the UDION-2 installation in diffusion layers on the studied steel surface. Boriding was carried out in containers with a powder mixture of boron carbide and sodium fluoride as an activator at a temperature of 950 °C and 1050 °C for 2 hours. The obtained samples of steels with a diffusion layer were examined using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM); determined the layers' microhardness, elemental, and phase composition. The experiments resulted in the following findings: as the boriding temperature rose from 950 °C to 1050 °C, the diffusion layer's thickness increased from 20 to 105 μm. The low-temperature mode of thermal-chemical treatment (TCT) led to the formation of iron boride Fe2B with a maximum boron content of 6 % and a microhardness up to 1250 HV. A high-temperature mode resulted in FeB formation with a top boron content of 11 % and a microhardness up to 1880 HV. Results and Discussions. It is found that boriding at 950 °C led to a more favorable distribution of compression TRS in the diffusion layer. However, significant TRS fluctuations in the diffusion layer and the adjacent (transitional) zone could affect the operational properties after TCT at a given temperature. An increase in the TCT temperature led to tensile TRS's appearance in the layer's upper zone at a depth of up to 50 μm from the surface. Despite tensile stresses on the diffusion layer surface after high-temperature TCT, the distribution of TCT is smoother than low-temperature boriding.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ СТРУКТУРЫ И ДИНАМИКИ ЗООПЛАНКТОНА ОЗЕРА НЕРО (ЯРОСЛАВСКАЯ ОБЛАСТЬ) В ПЕРИОД ПОТЕПЛЕНИЯ КЛИМАТА

Data on the abundance, biomass, and composition of the dominant complex of zooplankton in the shallow hypertrophic lake Nero (Yaroslavl region) from 2007 to 2017 are present. The spatiotemporal distribution of zooplankton is analyze. The high zooplankton species richness is characteristic of Lake Nero (>100 species in the general list and up to 22–27 species in the sample). 2007 to 2011, a low amount of zooplankton was noted (<37.9 thous. ind./m3 and 0.15 g/m3), with a relatively high proportion of copepods (up to 83%). Since 2012, the abundance of planktonic animals has increased (313 thous. ind./m3 and 1.20 g/m3). In 2007–2017 the composition of dominants remained close to that in previous years; small crustaceans (Bosmina longirostris, Chydorus sphaericus, Mesocyclops leuckarti), rotifers (genera Asplanchna, Brachionus, Keratella, Trichocerca and Anuraeopsis) dominated the zooplankton community. Rotifer-dominated communities (with a high abundance of thermophilic Brachionus diversicornis) formed during abnormally warm summers. Two species groups are determined: the first dominates in spring, early summer, and autumn, and the second in the second half of summer. The high abundance of zooplankton (>5 mil. ind./m3 and 10 g/m3) is in the thickets of macrophytes, which is 8–9 times higher than in the open littoral and pelagic zones. In the western littoral zone, the low abundance of zooplankton (<1 g/m3) may be associated with local pollution, high concentration of chlorophyll a, high phytoplankton biomass, represented by low food cyanobacteria. The center part and the adjacent open littoral zone differed in composition and abundance of dominant species from the southern bays occupied by macrophytes. The trophic status of the lake ecosystem in terms of zooplankton is hypertrophic since the 1980s. The abundance, composition and structure of the community in the long-term aspect are stable with interannual fluctuations common for a high-trophic shallow lake.

Timor Collision Front Segmentation Reveals Potential for Great Earthquakes in the Western Outer Banda Arc, Eastern Indonesia

In Eastern Indonesia, the western Outer Banda arc accommodates a part of the oblique Australian margin collision with Eurasia along the Timor Trough. Yet, unlike the Wetar and Alor thrusts of the Inner Banda arc in the north and the adjacent Java subduction zone in the west, both recent and historical seismicity along the Timor Trough are extremely low. This long-term seismic quiescence questions whether the Banda Arc collision front along the Timor Trough is actually fully locked or simply aseismic and raises major concerns on the possible occurrence of large magnitude and tsunamigenic earthquakes in this vulnerable and densely populated region. Here, we jointly analyze multibeam bathymetry and 2D seismic reflection data acquired along the Timor Trough to characterize the location, nature, and geometry of active faults. Discontinuous narrow folds forming a young accretionary prism at the base of the Timor wedge and spatially correlated outcropping normal faults on the bending northwest Australian shelf reveal two concurrent contrasting styles of deformation: underthrusting and frontal accretion. We find that those tectonic regimes and their associated seismic behaviors depend on 1) the thickness of the incoming and underthrusting Cenozoic sedimentary sequence, 2) the vergence of inherited normal faults developed within the continental shelf, and 3) the depth of the décollement beneath the Timor wedge. Based on the along-strike, interchanging distinct deformation style, we identify the mechanical and seismic segmentation along the Banda arc collision front and discuss the implications for earthquake and tsunami hazards along the western Outer Banda arc region.

Persistence of Enterobacteriaceae Drawn into a Marine Saltern (Saline di Tarquinia, Italy) from the Adjacent Coastal Zone

Enterobacteriaceae is present in various niches worldwide (i.e., the gastrointestinal tracts of animals, clinical specimens, and diverse environments) and hosts some well-known pathogens (i.e., salmonellas, shigellas and pathogenic coliforms). No investigation has focused on its occurrence in marine salterns, and it is not clear if these hypersaline environments could be a reservoir for these bacteria including some potentially harmful members. In this study, a two-year metabarcoding survey was carried out on samples collected from different ponds of the “Saline di Tarquinia” salterns and the nearby coastal waters. Enterobacteriaceae was recorded almost constantly in the seawaters feeding the saltern. Its abundance was generally higher in the sea than in the ponds, probably due to the higher anthropic impact. The same trend was evidenced for the key genus (Escherichia/Shigella) and OTU (OTU 5) of the Enterobacteriaceae community. Various parameters affected taxon/OTU abundance: Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia/Shigella and OTU5 decreased with increasing salinity and rains; moreover, Escherichia/Shigella and OTU 5 were higher in autumn than in spring. Although Enterobacteriaceae did not seem to find the most favourable conditions for a high-abundance persistence in the saltern environment, it did not disappear. These observations suggested this environment as a potential reservoir for bacteria with possible important health implications.

Participatory mapping and fishers’ knowledge about fish and shrimp migration in a subtropical coastal ecosystem

Fishers’ ecological knowledge (FEK) has contributed to studies on the reproduction and migration of fish and marine invertebrates. With increasing accessibility to information technologies, several surveys have begun to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to access FEK through participatory mapping. Scientific knowledge on migration of fishery resources is fundamental to properly support initiatives for fisheries management. However, the technologies available to study migration are usually expensive and require several years of sampling. Our objective was to use GIS to access FEK and to identify the migration patterns of five fishery resources in a subtropical coastal ecosystem of the Southern Atlantic Ocean: the white catfish - Genidens barbus, the fat snook - Centropomus parallelus, the common snook - Centropomus undecimalis, the Atlantic spadefish - Chaetodipterus faber and the white shrimp - Litopenaeus schmitti. We interviewed 132 fishers in the Paranaguá estuarine complex and its adjacent coastal zone, Brazil. Of these fishers, 39 participated in the participatory mapping process. Our results based on FEK indicated that the migration of fishery resources is reproductive and occurs mainly in the later spring and summer when the species enter or exit the estuarine complex from coastal zone. The participatory mapping results indicated that G. barbus and C. faber migrate from the coastal zone to the estuary, while Centropomus species and the shrimp L. schmitti exit the estuary towards the coastal zone. The information generated by FEK and the methods used should be considered in future studies on ethno ecological research and to understand reproductive migration of these species. Furthermore, these observations could support fisheries management and environmental impact assessment of infrastructure projects.

Hierarchical identification of solar radiation zones in China

Solar radiation zones serve as guidelines for the assessment, investment, and policymaking for solar energy utilization. Most zoning methods of cluster analysis depend on discrete measurements at solar and meteorological stations (usually sparsely and unevenly distributed); thus, the zone boundaries are empirically determined by artificial delineation, leading to misclassifications at the junction of adjacent zones. In this study, we propose a solar zoning algorithm that combines the station measurements of monthly global solar radiation (GSR) with spatially continuous satellite estimates to identify the definite solar radiation zones in China. To avoid the overfitting effect resulting from a fixed cluster number, this algorithm uses the Gaussian mixture model with the Dirichlet process to automatically infer the appropriate cluster number from the training data in a fully Bayesian manner. Unlike the traditional five-zone opinion, our experiments indicate that the number of reasonable solar radiation zones in China can range from five to ten, thus forming a hierarchical system. The five primary zones reflect the disparity of the annual total GSR caused by dominant climates, while the ten fine zones reveal the differences in the seasonal GSR variations associated with the local topography, altitude, and latitude. The comparative results demonstrate that the identified zone boundaries are accurate and reliable and are in agreement with the natural geographical dividing lines. The statistical analysis of the Chinese-installed photovoltaic capacity suggests that the proposed hierarchical system conforms to the multi-level needs of diverse applications.

Temperature patterns along an arid coastline experiencing extreme and rapid urbanization, case study: Dubai

Today more than one billion people are living in coastal regions, and coastal urbanization is rapidly growing worldwide. Here, we explore the impact of an extreme and rapid coastal urbanization on temperature patterns, based on MODIS data. We study Dubai, one of the fastest growing cities in the world over the last two decades. Dubai's urbanization centers along its coastline – in land, massive skyscrapers and infrastructure have been built, while in sea, just nearby, unique artificial islands have been constructed. Studying the coastline during the years of intense urbanization, we show that the coastline exhibits surface urban heat island characteristics, where the urban center experiences higher temperatures, by as much as 2.5 °C and more, compared to the adjacent less urbanized zones. During development, the coastal surface urban heat island has nearly doubled its size, expanding towards the newly developed areas. This newly developed zone also exhibits the largest temperature trend along the coast of over 0.1 °C/year on average. In addition, an opposite linear relation was found between the surface temperature and albedo trends. In sea, temperature decreases were observed, particularly over the artificial islands, exceeding −0.1 °C/year, in one of them. The positive trends in land along with the negative trends in sea decreased the coastal sea-land temperature gradient by up to about −30% in only 12 years, which also decreased the land breeze intensity. The findings shown here directly affect the local coastal population and ecosystem, exacerbate the thermal comfort, and add additional burden to this area, which is already considered as one of the warmest in the world.

Zoning strategy of zonal modeling for thermally stratified large spaces

Large space buildings play a significant role in modern society because of their environmental advantages and market value. While the zonal model is promising for the efficient and rapid evaluation of the stratified thermal environment, there is a lack of a reasonable and convenient zoning strategy with the advent of modern computing. This paper presents a universal and practical zonal model, in which a simplified momentum equation is applied to consider air momentum preservation, transformation, and dissipation. Hence, the zoning structure is generalized and flexible. Moreover, limiting the dimensionless temperature constraint between adjacent zones establishes the connection between thermal nonuniformity and zoning results automatically. Simultaneously, the dimension and number of zones should be restricted within reasonable ranges to satisfy the characteristics of zonal simulation and reach the criteria of convergence. To further explore and validate the zonal model, a reduced-scale experimental model was constructed to replicate the thermal stratification in a mechanically ventilated large space by considering many crucial realistic factors. A particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurement was then conducted to visualize the airflow pattern and support the partition of zones. The results showed that the zonal simulation with adaptive zoning method can realize a similar accuracy with fewer zones and exhibit a better tolerance for zoning results compared to the conventional empirical zoning method. Furthermore, a case study of an atrium was performed to demonstrate the practicality and efficiency of the method for long-term dynamic simulations of complex thermal environments and building energy use.

Influence of differential reduction rate in adjacent roll reduction zone on internal cracks of high carbon bloom induced by mechanical soft reduction

To comprehensively investigate and alleviate internal cracks in high carbon bloom induced by mechanical soft reduction (MSR), a 3D thermal-mechanical coupled model, containing two adjacent pairs of reduction rolls, was developed to investigate the influence of differential reduction rate on evolution of stress concentration and displacement in as-cast bloom. In order to effectively provide theoretical basis for actual production, the reduction rate was calculated according to the appropriate reduction amount of each pair of reduction rolls, which can be adopted in the MSR to determinate the appropriate roll reduction amount in adjacent roll reduction zone. With the differential reduction rate of MSR increasing from −2.67 mm/m to 5.33 mm/m, the maximum equivalent stress of cracking area in as-cast bloom significantly decreased under first roll reduction position, the maximal displacement along the bloom width direction is significantly decreased with increasing of the differential reduction rate of MSR under end roll reduction position. According to the results of industrial experiment, the internal cracks were effectively alleviated and center shrinkage cavities were nearly eliminated by optimum designed experiments.

Edge/direct-lit hybrid mini-LED backlight with U-grooved light guiding plates for local dimming.

Current mini-LED backlights improve high-dynamic-range liquid crystal displays (LCDs) by using tens of thousands of direct-lit sources for local dimming. However, relative thick profile and high power consumption are the inherent limitations while compared with edge-lit backlights. By synthesizing edge- and direct-lit advantages, we propose a novel hybrid mini-LED backlight equipped with a specially designed integrated light guiding plate (LGP) for large-area displays. This LGP is seamlessly spliced by multiple physically segmented sub-LGPs with a scattering dot array on the bottom and U-shaped grooves at the corners. Each sub-LGP is a single local dimming zone that can be independently controlled. Scattering dot distribution can be numerically calculated even from multiple edge-lit sources. High optical performance and satisfactory local dimming effect are verified and analyzed via both simulation and experiment. The experimental spatial illuminance uniformity and the light extraction efficiency reach 81% and 83% while the crosstalk can be well suppressed below 0.2% between adjacent local dimming zones. The significant advantages of our design towards state-of-the-art mini-LED backlights include the zero optical distance for an ultra-thin profile, low mini-LED amount for local dimming, high optical efficiency, and infinite extension of zone number, which is expected to have a broad application prospect in the near future.