Changes In Depth Research Articles

Experiment of droplet anisotropic wetting behavior on micro-grooved PDMS membranes.

Wetting behavior of droplets on a substrate with micro-grooves plays a key role in super-hydrophobicity. This paper aims to study the influence of groove width, droplet size, and surface tension on the anisotropic wetting behavior of droplets on micro-grooved PDMS membranes. Three types of PDMS membranes are made by mold replication. Profiles of droplets along the circumferential direction are observed by HD camera, and the 3D model of the droplet is reconstructed. Capillary forces at the three-phase contact line are obtained using the surface tension integration method. Additionally, liquid's wetting depth within the micro-grooves is calculated using an interfacial free energy equilibrium approach. The experiment shows that the micro-grooved PDMS membrane has anisotropic constrain to droplets due to wetting depth change in micro-grooves. Meta-equilibrium states at the three-phase contact line are influenced not only by substrate free energy, but also by wetting depth, interface pressure, and substrate structure.

Systemic antimicrobials as an adjunct in the management of periodontitis - which drug is best?

This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis that assesses systemic antimicrobials: azithromycin (AZT) and amoxicillin/metronidazole (AMX/MTZ), as adjuvants to subgingival instrumentation in the treatment of periodontitis. The aim is to establish if one antimicrobial is superior as an adjuvant therapy in the management of periodontal disease. This systematic review and meta-analysis included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials, and prospective and retrospective human studies. Participants had to be adults (≥18 years of age) with a diagnosis of periodontitis in the categories: chronic/aggressive, stages II/III, grades B/C. All participants completed full mouth subgingival instrumentation (SI) with the use of adjunct systemic antimicrobial therapy: the intervention group: AZT and the control group: AMX/MTZ. A total of 779 studies were retrieved from the data search; following the application of selection criteria and independent review duplicated by two authors, seven studies were eligible for review. Two studies were subsequently excluded due to insufficient information. Therefore five studies were included in the review, all were self-funded and four were conducted in recognised universities. The primary outcome measure was probing pocket depth changes at 1-12 months. Secondary outcome measures were: the number of residual sites with pocket depths ≥5 mm, clinical attachment levels, bleeding on probing, plaque indices (at 1-12 months), and occurrence of adverse events. Review Manager Software (The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark) was used to conduct meta-analysis. Heterogeneity between studies was expected, therefore the random-effects model was utilised to pool results from multiple studies. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed by I2 and Cochrane's test for heterogeneity. The certainty of evidence was assessed and a summary of GRADE criteria: risk of bias, inconsistency, imprecision, indirectness and publication bias. Bias was graded for the five studies included in this meta-analysis and systematic review. Two studies were low risk, two were moderate risk and one was high risk. The study rated high for risk of bias was due to an incomplete description of blinding. Three of the studies were rated low bias for outcome measurement as they reported blinding of data assessors. No studies had deviations from the intended interventions and all outcomes were detected; therefore, all studies were rated as low bias for these domains. All five of the studies demonstrated changing in probing pocket depths at 1-3 months, however, the intervention and control cohorts showed no significant difference. One study showed a statistically significant difference in probing pocket depths at 12 months, in favour of AZT. This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrates no statistically significant difference between the two cohorts: AZT and AMX/MTZ for mean changes in clinical attachment level, probing pocket depths or bleeding on probing at 1-3 months; when used as an adjunct to mechanical intervention in the treatment of periodontitis. It was recorded, evidence of low to moderate certainty, that for the AZT cohort: fewer adverse events were evident and fewer sites with residual probing pocket depths of ≥5 mm at 1-3 months were recorded. Based on this systematic review and meta-analysis, there is no statistically significant superior drug therapy, comparing the use of AZT versus AMX/MTZ as an adjunct in the treatment of periodontists. However, evidence of low to moderate certainty demonstrates fewer adverse events and fewer sites with residual pocket depths ≥5 mm at 1-3 months in the AZT cohort, compared to the AMX/MTZ cohort. A greater number of clinical trials and a stronger evidence base in the future will allow for authentication of current findings.

Preferable effect of CTLA4-Ig on both bone erosion and bone microarchitecture in rheumatoid arthritis revealed by HR-pQCT.

This exploratory study aimed to examine the impact of abatacept treatment on bone structure in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). RA patients initiating either abatacept or newly introduced csDMARDs were enrolled in this prospective, non-randomized, two-group study. Bone structure in the 2nd and 3rd metacarpal heads was assessed using HR-pQCT at 0, 6, and 12months after enrollment. Synovitis was evaluated using musculoskeletal ultrasound and MRI. The adjusted mean between-group differences (abatacept-csDMARDs group) were estimated using a mixed-effect model. Thirty-five patients (abatacept group: n = 15; csDMARDs group: n = 20) were analyzed. Changes in erosion volume, depth and width were numerically smaller in the abatacept group compared to the csDMARDs group (adjusted mean between-group differences: - 1.86 mm3, - 0.02mm, and - 0.09mm, respectively). Over a 12-month period, 5 erosions emerged in the csDMARDs group, while only 1 erosion appeared in the abatacept group. Compared to csDMARDs, abatacept better preserved bone microarchitecture; several components of bone microarchitecture were significantly worsened at 6months in the csDMARDs group, but were not deteriorated at 6months in the abatacept group. Changes in synovitis scores were similar between the two treatment groups. Our results indicate that abatacept prevented the progression of bone erosion including new occurrence, and also prevented worsening of bone strength independently with synovitis compared to csDMARDs including MTX. Thus, abatacept treatment may provide benefits not only in inhibiting the progress of bone erosion but also in preventing bone microarchitectural deterioration.

Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Pulsed and Continuous 450 nm Laser Radiation on Tissue for Layered Removal of Pigmented Nevi

Benign pigmented skin lesions, including congenital giant pigmented nevi (CGPN), are pathological formations located in various skin layers and consisting of melanocyte clusters. CGPN represent a serious psychological and medical problem associated with extensive unaesthetic changes in the patient’s skin appearance. These lesions are currently treated by various methods, including laser radiation. However, such methods often render ineffective and lead to unsatisfactory clinical and aesthetic results, with the incidence of complications in the form of scarring and recurrence sometimes reaching 41%. Therefore, the problem of effective and appropriate treatment of this pathology is relevant, deserving further research. In this work, we conduct an experimental biomedical study into the effect of blue laser radiation with a wavelength (λ) of 450 nm on the tissues of laboratory animals in order to determine its prospects in the treatment of pigmented nevi, including CGPN. Blue laser radiation (λ — 450 nm) was generated by an Lasermed 10-03 device (Russian Engineering Club, LLC, Tula, Russia). An experimental biomedical in vitro research was performed on chilled samples of the liver and muscles of mini-pigs and in vivo on the pigmented skin of live laboratory rats. The dynamics of the regenerative wound process in the exposure areas was studied at different periods, i.e., immediately after exposure and following up to 90 days. A morphometric assessment of the exposure areas was carried out in terms of penetration depth and coagulation changes. The results obtained allowed determination of optimal parameters of 450 nm blue laser radiation for a precision removal of various pigmented skin formations. Laser radiation with a wavelength of 450 nm is a promising treatment approach for pigmented skin lesions, including CGPN.

Effect of Rolling Process Parameters on Transverse Cracks on the Surface of Q345 Steel

This article examines the evolutionary behavior of transverse surface cracks in Q345 steel during the hot‐rolling process under various rolling conditions. “V”‐shaped cracks are prefabricated on the billet surface for laboratory hot‐rolling tests, and a corresponding rolling model is developed to validate its accuracy. The slab rolling model is established based on actual onsite rolling process parameters. The aim is to analyze the effects of different rolling conditions on the surface crack morphology and aspect ratio. The results indicate that variations in roll diameter (1400, 1300, and 1200 mm) influence crack propagation, with cracks unfolding earlier when the roll diameter is 1400 mm. At varying initial rolling temperatures (1300, 1200, and 1100 °C), cracks begin to unfold earlier at the highest temperature of 1300 °C. When examining different friction coefficients (0.4, 0.5, and 0.6), cracks unfold earlier at the highest coefficient of 0.6. Similarly, at different rolling speeds (3, 4, and 5 m s−1), cracks unfolded earlier at the highest speed of 5 m s−1. Analysis of changes in crack depth and aspect ratio during rolling shows that the initial few passes have a greater influence on crack depth and unfolding. In the later stages of rolling, cracks continue to unfold, though the depth shows minimal variation, and the aspect ratio tends to approach zero.

Analysis of lake level fluctuations in the Early Cretaceous Songliao Basin supports aquifer eustacy

Clear geochronology and precise interpretation of sequence stratigraphy enhance our understanding of continental lake-level evolution. The Songliao Basin features well-preserved Cretaceous continental strata. Nevertheless, the correlation between lake-level fluctuations and global sea-level changes remains ambiguous. High-resolution gamma ray logging data were used to analyze the cyclical stratigraphy of the lower member of the Early Cretaceous Shahezi Formation in the Songliao Basin. X-ray fluorescence experiments characterized the sedimentary environment of this formation. Lake-level variations in the lower part of the Early Cretaceous Shahezi Formation were reconstructed using sedimentary noise modeling based on finely tuned gamma ray logging data. Time series analysis using the tuned gamma ray data established an astronomical timescale of approximately 2.4 Myr within the lower section of the early Cretaceous Shahezi Formation in the Songliao Basin. A volcanic ash layer dating (118.20 ± 1.5) Ma from the base of the Shahezi Formation served as an anchor point, providing an absolute astronomical timescale ranging from 115.80 to 118.20 Ma for the study region. The sedimentary model indicates that variations in paleowater depth within the lower section of the Shahezi Formation closely match fluctuations observed in the Fe/Mn index, which reflects paleowater depth changes. This introduces a novel approach to assess changes in continental lake levels. The sedimentary noise model revealed a notable obliquity cycle of about 1.2 million years, strongly associated with fluctuations in lake levels. This indicates that prolonged obliquity periods affect lake level variations. Intriguingly, when lake levels rise, global sea levels concurrently decline, highlighting an inverse relationship between these phenomena. This observation offers insights into how long-term obliquity-driven climate changes regulate sea and lake levels.

Compound spatial extremes of heatwaves and downstream air pollution events in East Asia

In light of increasing climate hazards globally that pose risk to public health, the compounded effects of two major hazards, heatwaves and air pollution, have become a focal point for environmental and health research. This study explores the intricate relationship between extreme temperature events in North China (NC) and South China (SC) – two prominent areas of aerosol exposure in East Asia – and the associated changes in aerosol optical depth (AOD) across the region. The heatwave events and regional AOD distribution revealed distinct patterns in their respective regions from June to September. Both NC and SC showed reduced AOD during heatwave events, while downstream regions experienced increased AOD levels. From the perspective of heatwaves in NC and SC, we present a more holistic picture of how large-scale modulators contribute to inducing air pollution hazards across East Asia. The analysis revealed a link between blocking high-pressure system and heatwave occurrences in NC, while a dominant Rossby wave train, influenced by the South China Sea, was identified as a major modulator in SC. Additionally, other large-scale circulatory systems, such as the Western Pacific Subtropical High, the East Asian jet stream, and the South Asian High, also play crucial roles in shaping these events. This suggests the potential for predicting downstream AOD events. The study underscores the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of meteorological and air quality phenomena to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts in East Asia.

Modeling Operations in System-Level Real-Time Control for Urban Flooding Reduction and Water Quality Improvement—An Open-Source Benchmarked Case

Advancements in smart sensing and control technologies enable urban drainage engineers to retrofit stormwater storage facilities with real-time control devices for mitigating stormwater in-site overflow, downstream flooding, and overloaded total suspended solids (TSS) in drainage pipes. While the smart technology can improve the performance of the static drainage systems, coordinatively controlling multiple valve and gate operations poses a significant challenge, especially at a large-scale watershed. Using a benchmark stormwater model located at Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, we assessed the impact of different real-time control strategies (local individual downstream control and system-level multiple control) on balancing flooding mitigation at downstream outlets and TSS reduction at upstream storage units, such as detention ponds. We examined changes in peak water depth, outflow, and TSS as indicators to assess changes in water quantity and quality. The results indicate that system-level control can reduce peak water depth by up to 7.3%, reduce flood duration by up to 34%, and remove up to 67% of total suspended solids compared with a baseline uncontrolled system, with the outflow from upstream detention ponds being the most important hydraulic indicator for control strategy rule set-up. We find that system-level control does not always outperform the individual downstream controls, particularly in alleviating flooding duration at some downstream outlets. With urban growth and a changing climate, this research provides a foundation for quantifying the benefits of real-time control methods as an adaptive stormwater management solution that addresses both water quantity and quality challenges.

Response of the photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidant system of Suaeda salsa to the changes of underground brine depth.

Water and salt conditions are key factors influencing vegetation growth on shell island in the Yellow River Delta. However, the effects of the depth of underground brine on the photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidant system of halophytes remain unclear. The laboratory simulation experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of the changes of underground brine depth on Suaeda salsa using four levels of groundwater: 0 cm, 15 cm, 30 cm and 45 cm. The results showed that different underground brine depths had significant impacts on the photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidant system of S. salsa, and 0-30 cm underground brine depth was suitable for S. salsa growth. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (Gs), light utilization efficiency (LUE) and carboxylation efficiency (CE) of S. salsa increased first and then decreased with increasing depth of underground brine. The stomatal limitation value (Ls) and WUE of S. salsa reached the peak value at the groundwater depth of 0 cm, and water use efficiency was reduced by 19.4%, 8.0% and 8.6% at 15 cm, 30 cm, and 45 cm, respectively, compared to the 0 cm treatment. With the deepening of underground brine depth, the value of LUE and CE firstly increased and then decreased, and reached the peak value when the depth was 30 cm. The antioxidant enzyme (SOD, POD and CAT) activities of S. salsa decreased and then increased with the increase of underground brine depth. The enzyme activities were the lowest when the underground brine depth was 30 cm. As the groundwater depth increased, MDA content decreased and then increased. The highest degree of membrane peroxidation in S. salsa leaves was observed at the depth of 45 cm. Our study reveals that the antioxidant capacity of S. salsa was weakened at the underground brine depth of 45 cm and the growth of S. salsa was inhibited.

For a clinical application of optical triangulation to assess respiratory rate using an RGB camera and a line laser

This paper presents a non-contact and unrestrained respiration monitoring system based on the optical triangulation technique. The proposed system consists of a red-green-blue (RGB) camera and a line laser installed to face the frontal thorax of a human body. The underlying idea of the work is that the camera and line laser are mounted in opposite directions, unlike other research. By applying the proposed image processing algorithm to the camera image, laser coordinates are extracted and converted to world coordinates using the optical triangulation method. These converted world coordinates represent the height of the thorax of a person. The respiratory rate is measured by analyzing changes of the thorax surface depth. To verify system performance, the camera and the line laser are installed on the head and foot sides of a bed, respectively, facing toward the center of the bed. Twenty healthy volunteers were enrolled and underwent measurement for 100s. Evaluation results show that the optical triangulation-based image processing method demonstrates non-inferior performance to a commercial patient monitoring system with a root-mean-squared error of 0.30rpm and a maximum error of 1rpm (p>0.05\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$p > 0.05$$\\end{document}), which implies the proposed non-contact system can be a useful alternative to the conventional healthcare method.

Tropospheric amplification of stratosphere–troposphere coupling

AbstractDuring northern winter the stratospheric polar vortex is highly variable — even breaking down completely during sudden stratospheric warmings. The strength of the stratospheric polar vortex is observed to be coupled to surface weather, primarily through swings in the phase of the Northern Annular Mode — which is nearly uuivalent to polar‐cap sea‐level pressure. Pressure changes (as a function of height) are largest at the surface, which is difficult to reconcile with the remote effects of stratospheric variability. This conundrum requires some mechanism(s) to amplify the polar sea‐level pressure anomalies. A simple, intuitive explanation has remained elusive. We use Japanese 55‐year Reanalysis (JRA‐55) reanalyses to investigate the reason that stratospheric variability causes large polar sea‐level pressure changes. The main result of this paper is that vertical movement of the polar tropopause is essential in understanding how surface pressure changes are generated. The strength of the polar vortex is strongly coupled to the height of the polar tropopause, resulting in stretching/compression of the polar tropospheric air column. This causes pressure changes that are largest at the surface. For example, the lowering of the polar tropopause during a sudden stratospheric warming leads to a compression and spin down of the tropospheric column and is therefore associated with higher polar sea‐level pressure. This mechanism can be compared to the textbook example of conservation of potential vorticity as an air column moves over a mountain range — except in this case the column depth changes because the stratosphere is changing the height of the tropopause. The observed vertical profile of pressure changes matches closely what would be expected from the stretching/compression mechanism. The higher polar sea‐level pressure associated with a sudden stratospheric warming is due mainly to mass moving into the polar cap within the troposphere, rather than rearranged mass in the stratosphere.

A Comparative Study of Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) and Titanium-Prepared Platelet-Rich Fibrin (T-PRF) in Management of Endo-Perio Lesion

ABSTRACT Introduction: Association between pulp and periodontal lesion is termed as endo-perio lesion. Treatment of intra-bony defect can be done by GTR. Methodology: The present study was conducted on 180 patients suffering from endo-perio lesion. They were divided into two groups namely the ones treated by PRF and the other one treated with T-PRF. Follow-up was taken at 3 and 6 months interval. The results thus obtained were analyzed statistically using SPSS version 21.0 (IBM. Chicago, USA) and unpaired t test. The level of implication was set less than 0.05. Results: Mean change in probing depth at period of 3 months in group 1 is 2-15 while after 6 months is 2.74. P value is 0.91 which is highly insignificant. Similarly relative attachment level at 3 months is 1.96 and at 6 months is 2.63. P value is 0.73. Conclusion: No statistically significant results were observed in term of baseline attachment measurements.

Experimental study on rock drilling vibration of PDC bit in interbedded formations

Mastering the vibration characteristics of PDC bit, especially in interbedded formations, can help to explore reasonable bit failure control measures, achieve bit optimization and drilling optimization. This work used single rocks to construct different types of vertical and horizontal interbedded rocks with different interbedded properties, the experimental study obtained the bit vibration characteristics under single rock, sudden-changed rock, and alternating rock conditions. The vibration acceleration of a single rock is consistent with the rock strength. The acceleration increases with the increase of weight-on-bit and rotary speed, the influence of weight-on-bit is greater than that of rotary speed. The maximum amplitude of accelerations always occurs in the low frequency range of 0∼300 Hz, the difference between rocks is mainly reflected in the high frequency range greater than 400 Hz. When the drill bit suddenly crosses from soft rock to hard rock in the vertical interbedded formation, the acceleration increases rapidly, causing direct impact. When the drill bit suddenly crosses from hard rock to soft rock, the impact and acceleration attenuates slowly, which could cause fatigue damage to the drill bit and induce high-frequency vibration. The rapid and significant change in depth-of-cut is the fundamental reason for the impact generated when the bit crosses through the interlayer, and both the maximum and minimum depth-of-cut occur in the transition region. PDC bit alternately encountered soft and hard rocks in the horizontal interbedded formation, causing intensified vibration. The acceleration is consistent with rock difference. The influence of weight-on-bit on acceleration increases with the increase of rotary speed for horizontal interbedded formation with small rock differences. However, with the increase of weight-on-bit, the influence trend and degree of rotary speed on acceleration remain basically unchanged. The increase in weight-on-bit /rotary speed weakens the effect of rotary speed/ weight-on-bit on acceleration in horizontal interbedded formations with significant rock differences. The research results illustrate that the reason for the abnormal bit failure in interbedded formations is the frequent changes in depth of cut caused by rock mutation and alternation, and the resulting impact. This provides theoretical guidance for the implementation of effective measures such as reasonable cutter arrangement design, pertinent setting of auxiliary structures, and appropriate adjustment of drilling parameters.

Compressible ocean waves generated by sudden seabed rise near a step-type topography

A typical tsunami generation occurs through submarine earthquakes leading to large volume displacement. The corresponding mathematical problem involves modeling surface water waves generated by an arbitrary temporal motion of the ocean floor. The propagation of tsunami wave and the subsequent scattering from a sudden drop in bathymetry away from the ground motion is studied following linearized water wave theory and a weakly compressible ocean, including static oceanic background compression. The Fourier transformation and eigenfunction expansion techniques are employed to find the surface displacement and pressure profiles by leveraging appropriate matching conditions between regions of different depths. A novel energy balance relationship is derived by considering both the pure-gravity and acoustic-gravity modes. The model is validated in the limit that the depth difference approaches zero, showing a vanishing reflection contribution from the depth change. An efficient numerical code is developed that accurately captures the contribution of the cutoff frequencies of acoustic-gravity modes. Apart from the time-domain propagation of tsunami waves away from the origin, standing wave formations are observed within the shallow region, supported by significantly large pressure fluctuations in time. These standing waves or, equivalently, the pressure fluctuations sustain longer for larger ocean depth. The increase in tsunami speed in the deeper region is readily visible in the time-domain simulations. A three-dimensional axisymmetric solution is also developed, and results show a more gradual sloping tsunami wavefront compared to the equivalent two-dimensional solution for shallower depths. Animation movies corresponding to the two- and three-dimensional surface profiles are provided for better visualization.

A Convolutional Neural Network-Weighted Cellular Automaton Model for the Fast Prediction of Urban Pluvial Flooding Processes

Abstract Deep learning models demonstrate impressive performance in rapidly predicting urban floods, but there are still limitations in enhancing physical connectivity and interpretability. This study proposed an innovative modeling approach that integrates convolutional neural networks with weighted cellular automaton (CNN-WCA) to achieve the precise and rapid prediction of urban pluvial flooding processes and enhance the physical connectivity and reliability of modeling results. The study began by generating a rainfall-inundation dataset using WCA and LISFLOOD-FP, and the CNN-WCA model was trained using outputs from LISFLOOD-FP and WCA. Subsequently, the pre-trained model was applied to simulate the flood caused by the 20 July 2021 rainstorm in Zhengzhou City. The predicted inundation spatial distribution and depth by CNN-WCA closely aligned with those of LISFLOOD-FP, with the mean absolute error concentrated within 5 mm, and the prediction time of CNN-WCA was only 0.8% that of LISFLOOD-FP. The CNN-WCA model displays a strong capacity for accurately predicting changes in inundation depths within the study area and at susceptible points for urban flooding, with the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency values of most flood-prone points exceeding 0.97. Furthermore, the physical connectivity of the inundation distribution predicted by CNN-WCA is better than that of the distribution obtained with a CNN. The CNN-WCA model with additional physical constraints exhibits a reduction of around 34% in instances of physical discontinuity compared to CNN. Our results prove that the CNN model with multiple physical constraints has significant potential to rapidly and accurately simulate urban flooding processes and improve the reliability of prediction.

Assessment of skeletal muscle dynamics and milk production across a 300-day lactation in multiparous dairy cattle

The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in longissimus dorsi muscle depth (LDD) across lactation (0 to 300 DIM) and identify the impact of low versus high muscle reserves immediately after parturition on body weight and body reserve changes as well as production variables across a 300-d lactation. Forty multiparous cows were classified as high muscle (HM; LDD > 5.0 cm; n = 18) or low muscle (LM; LDD ≤ 5.0 cm; n = 22) based on LDD measurements collected within 24 h of parturition. Body weights (BW) and ultrasound scans to assess LDD and back fat depth (BFD) were collected monthly from parturition until 300 DIM. Ultrasound scans captured and measured using available software. Blood samples were taken at 7, 150 and 300 DIM, and plasma was analyzed for markers of metabolic status by measuring insulin, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), creatinine, and 3-methylhistidine (3-MH). Milk yield was recorded daily and milk components were analyzed monthly. Data analysis was performed and the statistical models included the fixed effect of muscle group, time, their interaction, and the random effect of cow nested within muscle group with repeated measures using a first-order autoregressive covariance structure. Muscle group was not related with BW or BFD for any of the time points measured. Cows lost BW from 0 to 60 DIM and gained weight from 60 to 300 DIM. Similarly, BFD decreased between 0 to 90 DIM and increased BFD after 90 DIM until 300 DIM. A muscle group by time interaction was observed for LDD. The HM cows had more muscle at 0 DIM, indicative of treatment assignment (1.34 cm more), and 300 DIM (0.78 cm more) and tended to have more muscle at 60 DIM (0.66 cm more) compared with LM. After 240 DIM, both muscle groups began net accretion of muscle reserves until 300 DIM. No differences were observed for blood metabolites measured based on muscle group. However, there were significant time effects for creatinine, 3-MH, and NEFA concentrations, which reflected the observed changes in BFD and LDD measured in ultrasound scans. For statistical analysis of daily milk production, observations were grouped into 3 stages of lactation, early (0-60 DIM), mid (60-240 DIM), and late lactation (240-300 DIM). There was a muscle group by stage of lactation interaction, where in early and mid-lactation, HM cows produced, on average, 1.9 kg more milk/d; however, in late lactation, LM cows produced 1.8 kg more milk/d. Our results indicate that muscle reserves are depleted in early lactation, and accreted in late lactation, whereas BW and BFD started to increase by 90 DIM. Data also supports that cows with more extensive muscle depletion in early lactation had greater milk production, however, substantial muscle accretion in late lactation may result in reduced milk production.

Volcanic tremor associated with successive gas emission activity at a boiling pool: Analyses of seismic array and visible image data recorded at Iwo-Yama in Kirishima Volcanic complex, Japan

Volcanic tremors are often observed during volcanic activity and volcanic eruptions, and their generation processes provide clues for understanding volcanic fluid activity underground and eruption dynamics. However, tremors are characterized by continuous oscillations that mask P- and S-waves; hence few studies have precisely located the source, which is the most fundamental information for understanding the generation mechanism. In this study, we focus on volcanic tremors excited by continuous gas emissions occurring at a vent called Y2a in Iwo-Yama, the Kirishima Volcanic Complex, Japan, to clarify the source process of the tremor as well as gas emission activity. We simultaneously observed the volcanic tremor by deploying a small aperture array consisting of six seismometers and the gas emission activity by using a newly developed visual IoT system that can be operated without commercial electricity. MUSIC analysis locates the tremor at depths ranging from the ground surface to approximately 200 m beneath the Y2a and Y2b vents, which are approximately 30 m apart, for approximately four months from November 2021 to February 2022. The source locations of the tremors in the 2 Hz (1.2–2.6 Hz), 4 Hz (3–4 Hz), and 5 Hz (4–5.5 Hz) ranges show some differences and changes with time. The source location tends to become deeper when the 2 Hz amplitude is large. The infrasound generated by gas emission activity is dominant in the tremor signals, which are recognized in the wave propagation velocity with an acoustic velocity of 330 m/s when the 2 Hz amplitude is small. The visual IoT system succeeded in detecting long-term changes in the gas emission activity, and we found that the 2 Hz amplitude of tremor was well correlated with the amount of hot water in the boiling pool of Y2a, which was controlled by precipitation and evaporation during non-rainy days. From these observations, we infer that the volcanic tremor is generated by resonance of volcanic gas and hot water in a crack-like structure beneath Y2a. The resonance was triggered by the counterforces of the gas emissions in the boiling pool, and the infrasound was dominant during periods of hot water depletion in the boiling pool. Temporal changes in the source depths may be caused by changes in the fluid properties, configuration of the resonator and/or the strengths of the underground sources and infrasound. Our simultaneous observations of seismic array and visual IoT system clarify that even the continuous gas emission activity that looks stable is controlled by external sources such as precipitation.

How Does Organized Convection Impact Explicitly Resolved Cloud Feedbacks in the Radiative‐Convective Equilibrium Model Intercomparison Project?

AbstractIn simulations of radiative‐convective equilibrium (RCE), and with sufficiently large domains, organized convection enhances top of atmosphere outgoing longwave radiation due to the reduced cloud coverage and drying of the mean climate state. As a consequence, estimates of climate sensitivity and cloud feedbacks may be affected. Here, we use a multi‐model ensemble configured in RCE to study the dependence of explicitly calculated cloud feedbacks on the existence of organized convection, the degree to which convection within a domain organizes, and the change in organized convection with warming sea surface temperature. We find that, when RCE simulations with organized convection are compared to RCE simulations without organized convection, the propensity for convection to organize in RCE causes cloud feedbacks to have larger magnitudes due to the inclusion of low clouds, accompanied by a much larger inter‐model spread. While we find no dependence of the cloud feedback on changes in organization with warming, models that are, on average, more organized have less positive, or even negative, cloud feedbacks. This is primarily due to changes in cloud optical depth in the shortwave, specifically high clouds thickening with warming in strongly organized domains. The shortwave cloud optical depth feedback also plays an important role in causing the tropical anvil cloud area feedback to be positive which is directly opposed to the expected negative or near zero cloud feedback found in prior work.

Reduction in wave shoaling over a linear transition bottom using a porous medium

Wave shoaling, which involves an increase in wave amplitude due to changes in water depth, can damage shorelines. To mitigate this damage, we propose using porous structures such as mangrove forests. In this study, we use a mathematical model to examine how mangroves, acting as a porous breakwater, can reduce wave shoaling amplitude. Shallow water equations are used as the governing equations and are modified to account for the presence of porous media. To measure the wave reduction generated by the porous media, the wave transmission coefficient is estimated using analytical and numerical approaches. The separation of variables method and the staggered finite volume method are utilized for each approach, respectively. The numerical results are then validated against the previously obtained analytical solutions. We then vary the friction and porosity parameters, influenced by the presence and extent of porous media, to evaluate their effectiveness in reducing wave shoaling.

Study on the Characteristics of Tidal Current Velocity in Estuarine and Bay Areas

Abstract In estuarine and bay regions, reciprocating tidal currents frequently constitute the predominant hydrodynamic forces. Nonetheless, there exists a paucity of research concerning the hydrodynamic characteristics under intricate tidal conditions. This study employs tidal current data collected from nine sites within the Yellow River Estuary and Hangzhou Bay to examine the periodic characteristics of tidal currents, the vertical velocity distribution, and the attributes of ebb and flood peak velocities. The study revealed that the Yellow River Estuary and Hangzhou Bay predominantly exhibit nearly symmetrical reciprocating tidal currents. Nevertheless, certain regions within Hangzhou Bay also demonstrate asymmetrical tidal currents. The vertical velocity distribution throughout various phases of a single tidal cycle generally adheres to the characteristics described by the SOULSBY distribution. The peak velocities of ebb and flood tides are correlated with the rate of change in water depth (hm/tm), and an equation for calculating these peak velocities has been derived through fitting data.