Average Discharge Rate Research Articles

Systematic review and meta-analysis of workload among medical records coders in China.

The homepage of medical records holds significant importance for national performance assessments, DIP settlement lists, and DRG payments. Coders, as auditors of the codes, wield a crucial influence on the quality of the medical records' homepage. To analyze the general situation of the allocation of medical record full-time coders in China. CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, PubMed and other databases were searched from database inception to November 31, 2023. The primary outcome was the allocation of medical records to full-time coders, with the workload of the coders being the primary focus. Secondary outcomes encompassed the professional background of the coders, including their academic qualifications, professional titles, possession of medical coding certificates, and years of experience in coding. Eleven studies, comprising data from 1783 hospitals and 4448 coders, were analyzed. Among the coders, 61% had a medical-related professional background, 62% held a bachelor's degree or higher, 54% possessed an intermediate title or higher, 61% had coding certificates, and 51% had less than 5 years of work experience. The summary findings regarding the number of coders and coded medical records in secondary and tertiary hospitals indicated an average discharge rate of 22,704.0 per hospital in China. The number of coded cases averaged around 11,300. Specifically, coders in tertiary hospitals coded approximately 12,049 medical records on average, while those in secondary hospitals coded around 7,399 medical records. Our study highlights the shortage of medical record coding personnel in the majority of hospitals, coupled with a significant coding workload, low educational qualifications among staff, short working hours, and an imbalanced title structure. Given these findings, hospitals and relevant management authorities should prioritize the recruitment of highly educated professionals, streamline the assessment process for professional titles, alleviate the coding workload, and enhance coding quality.

Inventorization of Spring Water Resources in Mid Hills of Himachal Pradesh, India

The study on spring inventory was conducted in the mid hills of Himachal Pradesh, India where 43 springs were inventoried in the Beas catchment area. Hydrogeological characteristics, such as geology, slope, aspect, elevation, rock and soil distribution, landuse, geomorphology, and spring discharge were utilized to access the condition of springs in the study area. The study showed that 40.12% of the springs have seen a drop in water flow and compared to the previous times, the water flow has increased in 4.85% of the springs. A total of 56% of spring is located in the forest, 32% in Agriculture land, 3% in grassland, 6% in Shrubland, 2% in built up area, 1% in barren land. 65% are depression springs, 28% are fracture springs, and 7% are contact springs. 2.32% of the spring sources had discharge rate <0.05 Lmin-1. 79.06% of the springs have average discharge rate of 1-10 Lmin-1. Rest of the 11.60% of the springs have discharge rate ranged from 10-25 Lmin-1. Most of the springs are fed by annual precipitation and those located near the Beas valley are supported by river water course.

Is the impact of groundwater on lake greenhouse gas dynamics underestimated? A comparative analysis of subsurface and ecological factors

Lakes are recognized as important sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions to the atmosphere, influenced by various ecological processes. Groundwater discharge into lakes, despite its small volume, has high concentrations of dissolved carbon and nitrogen that significantly affect the production and emission of GHGs from lakes. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation of the mechanisms behind lake GHGs emissions under the influence of groundwater discharge and ecological processes, holds substantial scientific importance. However, due to uncertainties and quantification challenges associated with groundwater discharge, related research is currently limited. Here, we conducted year-round field observations on Honghu Lake, a large shallow eutrophic lake in Hubei Province, China. We analyzed the seasonal variation of GHGs emissions and quantified the groundwater discharge flux using radon (222Rn). The fluxes of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O) at the water–air interface were estimated to be 31.1 ± 4.88 mg m−2 d−1, 386 ± 90.7 mg m−2 d−1, and 0.327 ± 0.072 mg m−2 d−1, respectively. CH4 is the primary greenhouse gas in Honghu Lake, contributing to 82.2 % and 62.2 % of the lake’s total emissions over 20-year and 100-year frames. The average rate of groundwater discharge was 8.19 ± 0.471 mm d−1, with the highest discharge rate in winter and the lowest in spring. The daily groundwater discharge volume accounts for 0.649 % of the lake’s total water volume. The daily contributions of groundwater discharge to the lake’s total emissions of CH4, CO2, and N2O were 0.318 %, 12.1 %, and 2.59 %, respectively. The facilitative role of groundwater discharge in CO2 emissions primarily manifests through the transport of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and high concentrations of CO2 into the lake. Meanwhile, CH4 emissions depend on the activity of methanogenic bacteria, substrate availability, and anaerobic conditions, whereas N2O emissions are influenced by temperature and nutrient levels. Our study reveals that in the short term, the effect of groundwater on lakes is relatively minimal. Yet, its long-term role as a steady supplier of carbon and nutrients to lakes should not be overlooked. This study reveals the ways in which groundwater discharge and internal lake dynamics collectively fuel GHGs emissions. Our findings offer a new perspective and critical theoretical support for the assessment of lake greenhouse gas emissions.

Characterisation of discharge and flow rate predictions for asymmetric wedge-shaped hoppers

It is important to understand the flow behaviour inside wedge-shaped hoppers and accurately predict the discharge rate for the processing and handling of granular materials, regardless of whether the wedge hopper is symmetric or asymmetric. In this paper, the discrete element method (DEM) was used to reveal the flow behaviour of pellet feed in an asymmetric wedge-shaped hopper from the discharge rate, flow pattern, velocity distribution, normal contact force between particles and free-fall arch. The results showed that, with the hopper angle decreasing, the area of the active region of the particles increased, the stagnation zone decreased, and the free-fall arch became unstable. When the unilateral hopper angle was less than 45°, the discharge rate of the wedge-shaped hopper increased, and the average discharge rate reached the maximum value of 1.070 kg s−1 when the left and right hopper angles were equal to 15°. In addition, using the discharging mass proportion coefficient to represent the size of the region in which the unilateral hopper angle affected the flow of particles in the hopper, the hopper angle term in the Brown and Sellers model was corrected. The predictive errors of the corrected discharge rate model were less than 7.6% and 3.3% in the simulated and actual discharging tests respectively, which was better than that of the Brown and Sellers model. The results of the study could provide a theoretical basis for the intelligent upgrading of feed accurate handling equipment, and provide a reference basis for the design of asymmetric wedge-shaped hopper.

Sulfate runoff processes during rainfall events in a small forested catchment on the sea of Japan side recovering from acidification under climate change

AbstractChanges in rainfall patterns due to climate change may accelerate the runoff of sulfate (SO42−), which is anthropogenically emitted and deposited as an air pollutant, cycled in forest ecosystems, and partly accumulated in forest soils. A forested catchment on the Sea of Japan side in central Japan is significantly affected by transboundary air pollution from the Asian continent due to northwesterly seasonal winds in winter. In this study, intensive 24‐h observations were conducted every hour eight times from 2019 to 2020 to clarify changes in stream water quality and runoff processes during rainfall events. The pH, electrical conductivity, and SO42− concentration in stream water decreased with increasing hourly average discharge rate (L sec−1). The SO42− concentration was negatively correlated with discharge rate. Hydrograph separations using the water isotopic parameter (deuterium excess, d‐excess = δ2H – 8 × δ18O) showed that most of the stream flow during the rain events was derived from pre‐storm water. A significant negative correlation between the d‐excess and stream water discharge was found for all six events where the water isotope analysis was applied. However, the S isotope ratio (δ34S) in stream water was not correlated with discharge rate during rainfall events and was obviously different (>1.5‰) from rainwater δ34S in the same month. This suggests that rainwater SO42− during rainfall events did not directly flow to the stream but was retained in the forest ecosystem. The isotopically well homogenized internal SO42− appeared to be mainly released into the stream during rainfall events. Future climate change may further accelerate SO42− runoff from forest catchments and disrupt material cycles in the ecosystem if warming causes more intense rainfall.

Eco-friendly guar gum composites as solid-state electrolytes

Solid-state Guar gum electrolytes were prepared through the solution casting technique, employing a composition of 70 % Guar gum and 30 % ZnSO4·7H2O(GZ3). Different weight concentrations of nano ZrO2 (2.5 %, 5 %, 7.5 %, and 10 %) were introduced into the present Guar gum electrolytes. As prepared ZrO2 nanofiller substituted Guar gum electrolytes were examined by XRD, FTIR, DSC, and SEM to evaluate the amorphous characteristics, complexation, glass transition temperature, and surface morphology, respectively. Electrochemical impedance was utilized to examine the frequency-dependent ionic conductivity and dielectric properties of prepared ZrO2 nanofiller-substituted Guar gum electrolytes. At a temperature of 100 °C, the Guar gum electrolyte with10 % Nano ZrO2 exhibited an ionic conductivity of 3.19 × 10−3 S/cm, whereas, at room temperature (RT), it recorded a value of 1.09 × 10−3 S/cm. The activation energy for these electrolytes varied within the range of 0.26 eV–0.39 eV. Furthermore, an investigation of the frequency-dependent dielectric properties revealed a significant tail in the low-frequency region and the presence of space charge polarization within the electrolyte. The study also explored the relaxation time and hopping mechanism through dielectric modulus parameters. Moreover, a flexible Zn-based electrochemical cell was fabricated using a formulation comprising 70 % Guar gum, 30 % Zinc salt, and 10 % Nano ZrO2. The outcomes revealed an open circuit voltage of 0.82V, a discharge rate of 0.04C sustained over 25 h, with an average current discharge rate of approximately 1.4 mA per hour, resulting in an electrochemical-specific capacity of around 45mAh/g. Additionally, a solar cell device was fabricated using Guar gum electrolytes, and the photovoltaic parameters were computed. The maximum overall power conversion efficiency (ƞ) reached 4.79, with short-circuit photocurrent density (Jsc) at 9.66 mA/cm2, open-circuit voltage (Voc) at 725 mV, and fill factor (FF) at 0.65.

A mathematical model describing an unsteady leak of compressed air from an open underwater storage tank

A new mathematical model is developed here to predict the discharge dynamics of compressed air from a massive leak occurring at the top of a submerged storage tank with an original bottom opening. The model represents a transient leak due to variations in the air volume and air pressure remaining inside the tank using a mass balance equation and the compressible Bernoulli equation. A first-order-non-linear ordinary differential equation is solved in terms of the air height inside the reservoir for different tank geometries: a right circular cylinder and a remaining combined with a hemisphere of the same radius to form a bell. The total discharge time is obtained by analytical integration. The model is then applied to a case study in which the amount of air is fixed, and the investigated parameters are the immersion depth (ranging from 75 to 200 m) and the radius of the storage tanks (5 or 7.5 m) on the discharge time. Finally, a representative steady rate is given based on the average discharge rate in order to rapidly estimate the discharge time without further knowledge of the storage tank configuration. The immersion depth has no influence in the discharge time of a cylindrical tank, and a wide tank causes a longer discharge than a narrow one. It has also been shown that, in the range of initial air height considered (close to ten meters), the variation of density can be neglected in the model for the cylindrical geometry, and for the bell geometry provided that the ratio radius-to-initial height remains low.

SO2 emissions from the Timanfaya eruption (1730–36 CE), Lanzarote, Canary Islands

The 1730–36 CE eruption of Lanzarote (Canary Islands) is the third largest basaltic fissure eruption known to have occurred in the last 1000 years, after the Icelandic events of Laki (1783–84 CE) and Eldgja (939 CE). Approximately 5.2 km3 (1.1 × 1012 kg) of alkalic basalt (sensu lato) lava and pyroclastic rocks were emplaced on land, with a further unknown amount entering the sea, The activity occurred in five eruptive phases from vents situated along a 15-km long, E-W trending fissure. Each phase began with Strombolian fire fountain activity, building large spatter and scoria cones, accompanied and followed by effusive ‘a'ā and pāhoehoe lava flow emplacement. Phases I and II were the most explosive and occurred between 1st September 1730 and June 1731. Samples of scoria and lava surfaces were collected from all phases and the major elements, S, Cl and F contents of matrix glasses and glass inclusions in olivine (the dominant phenocryst phase) were analysed by electron microprobe. Water contents of selected glasses were measured on polished wafers by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. Glass compositions mimic the range of published whole rock compositions, with Phase I being predominantly basanitic and later phases alkali basalt. Whole rock variations in incompatible trace element ratios are mimicked by ratios involving TiO2, K2O and P2O5 in glass. Matrix and glass inclusion analyses in a given sample are similar, indicating that the inclusions formed synchronously with eruption and that most phenocryst crystallization occurred during earlier evolution of the magmas. Matrix glasses in scoria and surface lava samples have 80–300 ppm S and 260–750 ppm H2O, whereas glass inclusions in olivine have 420–2650 ppm S and 0.1 to 0.5 wt% H2O. Glass inclusions with low sulfur contents were trapped during degassing-induced crystallization as the magma approached the surface. The inclusions with the highest sulfur contents, at given P2O5/TiO2 ratio, are inferred to represent un-degassed melt, and their S content and S/K2O ratios correlate very strongly with incompatible element concentrations and P2O5/TiO2 ratios. The original S contents of 131 matrix glasses were calculated from their P2O5/TiO2 ratios and compared to their measured degassed S contents. The mass of S released per unit mass of magma ranged from about 0.25% in Phase I Episode 1to 0.17% in later phases, with propagated uncertainties of about 2 to 5%. About 40 Mt. of SO2 was released overall, with ca. 25 Mt. being released during the first 5 months of the eruption (Phase I). Estimates of average magma discharge rates imply that plumes remained in the troposphere, with the possible exception of those associated with extreme peak discharge rates during Phase I Episode 1 which may have just reached the upper troposphere – lower stratosphere. Lower eruption rates during the later phases would have confined SO2 emissions to the troposphere. Although acid and sulfate peaks dated to 1730 and 1731 have been reported from some Greenland ice cores, the evidence for stratospheric impact, such as cooling at the Earth's surface and increased stratospheric turbidity, is minimal.

Impact of Water Level Fluctuation on Microplastic Transportation and Redistribution in a Floodplain Lake System

Microplastic contamination is a challenge in aquatic systems. Among these, floodplains exhibit their cyclical hydrological patterns with substantial fluctuations in water levels caused by annual floods or discharges from rivers into lakes. The influence of water level fluctuation on microplastics within complex floodplain systems has received limited attention in existing studies. This study employs hydrological data and a physics-based hydrodynamic model to assess the effects of water level fluctuations on the transport and redistribution of microplastics within Poyang Lake from 2018 to 2025. High spatiotemporal distribution variability in microplastic concentrations was found within the flood and drought periods. Furthermore, the residence rate of microplastics was assessed based on the microplastic concentration variations in the computational time. A gradual drop in the average discharge rate of microplastics was assessed at the outlet of Poyang Lake. The microplastics are more likely to drain into the Yangtze River in the high water-level period. Meanwhile, under the influence of hydrodynamics, local topography, and water level fluctuation, an accumulation of microplastics appears on the shallow shoals of the western and eastern regions of Poyang Lake, especially in the Gan River. Overall, by means of numerical simulation, the aim of our study is to serve as a reference and advance our understanding of the transportation patterns of microplastics at the aquatic–terrestrial interface.

Experimental study of dynamic melting process in an ice-on-coil storage system

Ice storage air conditioners in the field of refrigeration and air conditioning have the ability to effectively regulate the power load curve by mitigating the occurrence of high peaks and filling in the low troughs in power consumption. In order to enhance the applicability of the ice-storage air conditioner, a method of experimental analysis was utilized to incorporate a dynamic circulation system into the specially designed ice-melting ice storage tank. The system consists predominantly of circulation pumps, transportation tubes, and sprinkler nozzles. The study examined the effects of several parameters, including the arrangement of sprinkler nozzles, the flow rate of the sprinkler nozzles, the temperature of the brine at the inlet, and the flow rate of the brine, on the performance of the system. The assessment of the performance was conducted by considering the average discharge rate, total discharge capacity, duration of melting, discharge rate, and the distribution of temperature within the phase change material (PCM) tank. Based on the empirical findings, the dynamic ice melting system exhibited a notable increase in the average discharge rate, ranging from 60.7 % to 89.2 %, as compared to the static ice melting system. The duration of ice melting experienced a decrease ranging from 45.3 % to 54.3 %, while the distribution of temperature in the tank containing PCM exhibited a greater level of uniformity in comparison to the process of static ice melting. The staggered arrangement of nozzles has demonstrated superior effectiveness in terms of parameter impacts. The study revealed a positive correlation between the rate at which ice melts and the flow rate of the sprinkler, the temperature at which brine enters the system, and the rate at which brine flows.

Discharge Characteristics of Needle Plate Electrode in Transformer Oil Under Low-frequency AC Voltage

Low-frequency transformer is the key equipment of flexible low-frequency AC transmission systems for offshore wind power. As the low-frequency voltage is applied, the transformer has significantly different insulation characteristics from those of the conventional transformer, it is necessary to study the typical characteristics of partial discharge of oil-paper insulation under such voltage. In this dissertation, the characteristics of discharge of needle plate electrodes in transformer oil under power frequency to low-frequency voltage are experimentally researched by adopting the pulse current method, and the discharge statistics, discharge atlas as well as feature parameters are analysed. With the decreasing of voltage frequency, the inception voltage (IV) value of partial discharge slightly increases, the extinction voltage (EV) phases of positive half-cycle (PHC) voltage waveform, as well as negative half-cycle (NHC) voltage waveform appear earlier, and the maximum discharge (MD), average discharge (AD), and pulse repetition rate (PRR) all show a downward trend.

A dynamic model for predicting the absorption and desorption behaviors of metal hydride systems and its implementation for screening of alloys for metal hydride hydrogen compressor

The goal of the current study is to develop a dynamic model for forecasting the absorption and desorption behavior of metal hydride hydrogen system. The accuracy of the developed dynamic model is verified with the actual model. The effect of reactor diameter (10–25 mm), hydrogen supply pressure (5–20 bar) and desorption temperature (40–70 °C) on the accuracy of the temperature profile predicted by the dynamic model as compared to the actual model is investigated. The results showed that the percentage deviation of the dynamic model with actual model increase with the reactor diameter. The dynamic model predicted the average bed temperature during absorption with a maximum deviation of 4.32% (14 K) for a reactor of 25 mm diameter compared to the actual model. A maximum deviation of only 2.11% (6.32 K) was observed for the same reactor during desorption at 323 K. Further, the percentage deviation increases with the supply pressure and desorption temperature. Overall, it is observed that the slower the absorption/desorption, the better is the prediction accuracy of the dynamic model. On the other hand, the dynamic model is over 300 times faster than the actual, which saves computational time and cost. Furthermore, the dynamic model is extended for studying the coupled reactor system of a dual-stage metal hydride hydrogen compressor. Four alloy pairs are compared in terms of compression ratio, the amount of energy lost due to hysteresis, average hydrogen discharge rate, and isentropic efficiency. The comparison results suggested that an appropriate combination of AB5-AB2 type alloy is suitable for higher delivery plateau pressure, lower energy loss due to hysteresis, and a reasonable compression ratio.

Study on the performance enhancement of ice storage and melting processes in an ice-on-coil thermal energy storage system

Air conditioners equipped with an ice storage system store a large amount of latent heat during the off-peak period at night, and use the stored cold energy for the air conditioner during the peak period of the day, thereby greatly reducing peak power consumption. In this study, an experimental analysis was conducted to evaluate the cold storage and cooling characteristics of an ice-on-coil storage system. Firstly, the influence of the inlet brine temperature, flowrate, and concentration on the discharge rate was studied. It was observed that all parameters were directly proportional to the discharge rate, and the effect of brine inlet temperature was more pronounced. Secondly, the alumina nanofluid as a phase change material was employed in the system for enhancing the thermal performance. The experimental results showed that using nanofluid shortened the freezing time, while it had a negative impact on the thermal behavior during the ice melting. Thirdly, the ice storage coils with spiral fins were used. It was concluded that the employment of finned coils reduced the melting time by 24.0 %, increased the average discharge rate by 74.4 %, and raised the cumulative discharge capacity by 63.5 % compared with original bare coil design.

Feasibility Study of the Implementation of a Wastewater Treatment Plant in the City of Tulear Madagascar 2018

The city of Tulear is undergoing environmental degradation. The wastewater is heavily polluted, the average values observed for biological oxygen demand (282,347 ± 76,907 mg.L-1), chemical oxygen demand (579,302 ± 161,102 mg.L-1), and suspended solids (859,114 ± 816,707 mg.L-1) are above the standard discharge values. This study allowed us to design a treatment system and to make a technical, economic, environmental and social assessment of the treatment plant. Thus, the treatment method chosen is the physico-chemical process of coagulation – flocculation –filtration. Indeed, for a population of 368,020 inhabitants, the average hourly discharge rate is estimated at 662.436 m3/d. In addition, the number of bars for grids n°1 and n°2 are respectively 34 and 140, the surface of the sedimentation basin is estimated at 204,5m2, the optimal dose of coagulant (Al2(SO4)3) and flocculant (polyacrylamide) for the coagulation-flocculation basin are respectively 300 mg.L-1and 2 mg.L-1and this gives a considerable drop in suspended solids of the order of 15,22 mg.L-1after treatment. For the settling basin, the volume of clarifier is estimated at 306,68m3, finally the sludge produced is estimated at 1613,66 m3.

The magmatic evolution of South-East Crater (Mt. Etna) during the February–April 2021 sequence of lava fountains from a mineral chemistry perspective

The South-East Crater (SEC) at Mt. Etna started a period of lava fountaining in December 2020, producing over 60 paroxysms until February 2022. The activity had an intense sequence from February 16 to April 1, 2021, totaling 17 paroxysmal events separated by repose times varying from 1 to 7 days. The eruptive sequence was extensively monitored, providing a unique opportunity to relate the chemistry and texture of the erupted products to eruption dynamics. We investigate the temporal evolution of the magmatic system through this eruptive sequence by quantifying variations in the composition and texture of clinopyroxene. Clinopyroxene major element transects across crystals from five representative lava fountains allow us to determine the relative proportions of deep versus shallow-stored magmas that fed these events. We use hierarchical clustering (HC), an unsupervised machine learning technique, to objectively identify clinopyroxene compositional clusters and their variations during this intense eruptive phase. Our results show that variations of monitoring parameters and eruption intensity are expressed in the mineral record both as changes in cluster proportions and the chemical complexity of single crystals. We also apply random forest thermobarometry to relate each cluster to P-T conditions of formation. We suggest that the February–April 2021 eruptive sequence was sustained by the injection of a hotter and deeper magma into a storage area at 1–3 kbar, where it mixed with a slightly more evolved magma. The February 28 episode emitted the most mafic magma, in association with the highest mean lava fountain height and highest time–averaged discharge rate, which make it the peak of the analyzed eruptive interval. Our results show that after this episode, the deep magma supply decreased and the erupted magma become gradually more chemically evolved, with a lower time–average discharge rate and fountain height. We propose this approach as a means to rapidly, objectively, and effectively link petrological and geophysical/geochemical monitoring during ongoing eruptions. We anticipate that the systematic application of this approach will serve to shed light on the magmatic processes controlling the evolution of ongoing eruptions.

Minimum Instream Environmental Flow in Shatt Al-Hillah River

To maintain river flows necessary to meet social and ecological objectives, instream environmental flows are frequently used as a strategy. The capability of three alternative historical flow approaches to protect against low flows is shown in this study using gage stations in the Shatt Al-Hillah River in Iraq. The extension of the Shatt al-Hillah River is the focus of this research discussion on environmental flow assessment. The available data on discharge in this research were adopted for ten years from 2012-2021. Different flow methods were adopted to establish a minimum environmental flow in the Shatt Al-Hillah River. Three hydrological-based approaches: Tennant, modified Tennant, and low-flow metrics like 7Q10, were used to compare the results of the methods with the provision of a minimal environmental flow. The Tennant method relies on 30 % of the annual discharge rate as the minimum environmental instream flow. The modified Tennant method is based on 30% of the monthly average discharge rate as a minimum environmental instream flow. The 7Q10 method is based on the lowest daily discharge rate in 7 consecutive days for ten years. The results showed that the minimum instream environmental flow given by the Tennant method is 42.26 m3/s while the lowest value of the minimum instream environmental flow obtained from modified Tennant was 37.2 m3/s in January, and the largest value was 47.22 m3/s in August. The one obtained by the 7Q10 method was 50 m3/s in this research.

Mathematical derivation and mechanism analysis of beta oscillations in a cortex-pallidum model.

In this paper, we develop a new cortex-pallidum model to study the origin mechanism of Parkinson's oscillations in the cortex. In contrast to many previous models, the globus pallidus internal (GPi) and externa (GPe) both exert direct inhibitory feedback to the cortex. Using Hopf bifurcation analysis, two new critical conditions for oscillations, which can include the self-feedback projection of GPe, are obtained. In this paper, we find that the average discharge rate (ADR) is an important marker of oscillations, which can divide Hopf bifurcations into two types that can uniformly be used to explain the oscillation mechanism. Interestingly, the ADR of the cortex first increases and then decreases with increasing coupling weights that are projected to the GPe. Regarding the Hopf bifurcation critical conditions, the quantitative relationship between the inhibitory projection and excitatory projection to the GPe is monotonically increasing; in contrast, the relationship between different coupling weights in the cortex is monotonically decreasing. In general, the oscillation amplitude is the lowest near the bifurcation points and reaches the maximum value with the evolution of oscillations. The GPe is an effective target for deep brain stimulation to alleviate oscillations in the cortex.

Profile analysis and neural fluctuations: New perspectives on a classic stimulus

Profile analysis tests the ability to discriminate sounds based on patterns in amplitude spectra. Prior work has largely interpreted profile-analysis data using the power-spectrum model of masking. Under this model, performance relies on analyzing the output of a peripheral bandpass filterbank, and thresholds reflect limits on performance due to frequency selectivity and neural noise. Although this model successfully captures some basic trends in profile-analysis data, it has difficulty explaining others, such as poorer performance at high frequencies. We hypothesize that these trends can instead be explained by midbrain sensitivity to neural fluctuations. Profile-analysis stimuli contain rich temporal modulations, which elicit fluctuations in neural responses that are shaped by the auditory periphery and encoded by average discharge rates in the midbrain. We used physiologically realistic models to simulate midbrain responses to profile-analysis stimuli over a wide range of frequencies, sound levels, and component numbers/spacing. Some features of profile analysis that are difficult to explain with the power-spectrum model, such as frequency dependence and the effects of hearing loss, were readily accounted for by midbrain tuning to neural fluctuations. These results inform the role of fluctuations and effects of hearing loss on discrimination of complex sounds. [Work supported by NIH R01 DC010813.]

Physicochemical coastal groundwater dynamics between Kauhakō Crater lake and Kalaupapa settlement, Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i

Land-based sources of groundwater pollution can be a critical threat to coral reefs, and a better understanding of “ridge-to-reef” water movement is required to advance management and coral survival in the Anthropocene. In this study a more complete understanding of the geological, atmospheric, and oceanic drivers behind coastal groundwater exchange on the Kalaupapa peninsula, on Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i, is obtained by analyzing high resolution geochemical and geophysical time-series data. In concert with multiyear water level analyses, a tidally and precipitation-driven groundwater connection between Kauhakō Crater lake and submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) fluxes are demonstrated. Results include an average discharge rate of 190 cm d−1 and the detection of water-flow pathways past cesspools that likely contribute to higher nutrient loading near the SGD sites. This underlines the importance of managing anthropogenic nutrients that enter the shallow freshwater lens such as through cesspools and are consequently discharged via SGD onto coral reef habitats.

New operation method of a membrane capacitive deionization system with a dual-solution mode for improving the desorption rate

A new operation method of a membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) system with a dual-solution mode was proposed. In this method, the concentration of the solution supplied to the cell was different during the adsorption and desorption processes. After adsorption was performed for the adsorption solution (AS) of 10 mM NaCl, desorption was performed while changing the concentration of the desorption solution (DS) to 10–70 mM. As the DS concentration increased, the discharge rate (desorption rate) linearly increased. The average discharge rates at DSs of 10 and 70 mM are 0.187 and 0.278C/g·s, respectively, which increases by approximately 1.5 times. As the DS concentration increases, the time constant (product of the electrical resistance and capacitance) of the cell decreases, resulting in an increase in the desorption rate. At the end of the desorption process, some DS remained inside the cell, reducing the charge efficiency of the subsequent adsorption process. By changing the flushing time, it was possible to control the charge efficiency and the water recovery.