Smoke Signals Research Articles

Six-month-old infants use cross-modal synchrony to identify novel communicative signals

Humans adopt non-linguistic signals, from smoke signals to Morse code, to communicate. This communicative flexibility emerges early: embedding novel sine-wave tones in a social, communicative exchange permits 6-month-olds to imbue them with communicative status, and to use them in subsequent learning. Here, to specify the mechanism(s) that undergird this capacity, we introduced infants to a novel signal—sine-wave tone sequences—in brief videotaped vignettes with non-human agents, systematically manipulating the socio-communicative cues in each vignette. Next, we asked whether infants interpreted new tone sequences as communicative in a fundamental cognitive task: object categorization. Infants successfully interpreted tones as communicative if they were produced in dialogues with one agent speaking (Study 1) or both agents producing tones (Study 2), or in monologues involving only a single agent (Study 3). What was essential was cross-modal temporal synchrony between an agent’s movements and the tones: when this synchrony was disrupted (Study 4), infants failed in the subsequent task. This synchrony, we propose, licensed an inference that the tones, generated by an agent, were candidate communicative signals. Infants’ early capacity to use synchrony to identify new communicative signals and recruit them in subsequent learning has implications for theory and for interventions to support infants facing communicative challenges.

Application of Mixture Design for Optimization of Smoke Signal Formulation: A Comparative Study of KClO3 and KNO3 as Oxidizers

Smoke signals are traditionally used in military contexts, but in recent times, they have gained popularity among civilians. The M18 smoke grenade was designed with a highly reactive oxidizer, KClO3, and substituting it with a safer oxidizer, notably KNO3, is one way that helps provide a safer choice for civilian use. However, providing optimal formulations for both formulations helps in deciding whether KNO3 can be substituted for the traditional KClO3 oxidizer. One of the techniques for enhancing smoke formulation is the Design of Experiments (DOE). Many researchers these days are focusing on substituting the smoke chemicals for a safer option using a trial-and-error process. However, from the standpoint of environmental contamination, numerical testing to identify the most significant output causes air pollution and chemical waste, which is not only costly but also endangers sea life if not properly disposed of. Therefore, it is crucial to optimize the smoke formulation in order to decrease waste and air pollution as well as enable future mass production of the product for both military and civilian use. The purpose of this paper is to implement the mixture design tool of the DOE approach to determine the optimal formulation of smoke signals using KClO3-based formulations, as well as to provide a comparative analysis of substituting KNO3 to optimize KClO3-based formulations in terms of time and smoke emission. From the KClO3-based formulation (28.68 wt.% KClO3, 23.47 wt.% C12H22O11, 34.39 wt.% dye, and 13.46 wt.% MgCO3) with an average time of 73.43 seconds, an acceptable formulation with a data means of 73.43, substituting with KNO3 oxidizer gave an average of 80.18 seconds, in which the smoke emission was slightly thinner compared to KClO3. As a result, KNO3 can be used as an alternative oxidizer to KClO3, and the KClO3-optimized formulation can be considered a baseline for smoke formulation for future research.

Mefloquine-induced conformational shift in Cx36 N-terminal helix leading to channel closure mediated by lipid bilayer

Connexin 36 (Cx36) forms interneuronal gap junctions, establishing electrical synapses for rapid synaptic transmission. In disease conditions, inhibiting Cx36 gap junction channels (GJCs) is beneficial, as it prevents abnormal synchronous neuronal firing and apoptotic signal propagation, mitigating seizures and progressive cell death. Here, we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of human Cx36 GJC in complex with known channel inhibitors, such as mefloquine, arachidonic acid, and 1-hexanol. Notably, these inhibitors competitively bind to the binding pocket of the N-terminal helices (NTH), inducing a conformational shift from the pore-lining NTH (PLN) state to the flexible NTH (FN) state. This leads to the obstruction of the channel pore by flat double-layer densities of lipids. These studies elucidate the molecular mechanisms of how Cx36 GJC can be modulated by inhibitors, providing valuable insights into potential therapeutic applications.

Thermosensitive double-membrane neurons and their network dynamics

Abstract Cell membrane of biological neurons has distinct geometric structure, and involvement of diffusive term is suitable to estimate the spatial effect of cell membrane on neural activities. The gradient field diversity between two sides of the cell membrane can be approached by using a double-layer membrane model for the neuron. Therefore, two capacitive variables and diffusive terms are used to investigate the neural activities of cell membrane, and the local kinetics is described by a functional circuit composed of two capacitors. The voltages for the two parallel capacitors describe the inner and outer membrane potentials, and the diffusive effect of ions is considered on the membrane surface. The results reveal that neural activities are relative to the capacitance ratio between the inside and outside of the membrane and diffusive coefficient. High-energy periodic external stimulation induces the target waves to spread uniformly, while low-energy chaotic stimulation results in wave fragmentation. Furthermore, when the capacitance ratio exhibits exponential growth under an adaptive control law, the resulting energy gradient within the network induces stable target waves. That is, energy distribution affects the wave propagation and pattern formation in the neuron. The result indicates that the spatial diffusive effect and capacitance diversity between outer and inner cell membranes are important for selection of firing patterns and signal processing during neural activities. This model is more suitable to estimate neural activities than using generic oscillator-like or map neurons without considering the spatial diffusive effect.

The Impact of Zodiac Signs on Sales Performance and Turnover Rates: A Case Study of Kinlong Hardware in China

As a senior executive at a Chinese company included in the MSCI Index, the author considered the personality mix of marketing personnel when recruiting, aiming to balance performance and stability. In practice, I found that the performance of marketing personnel is closely related to their zodiac signs, although biases from senior management, particularly in HR, had to be carefully mitigated to ensure objective results. Salespeople with fire signs and other extroverted signs often perform better but are also more impulsive, easily influenced by external environments, and more likely to leave. We collected sales personnel data from the company’s Oracle database from 2014 to 2023, with a valid sample size of 9,291 people, using the logit model and OLS model to explore the performance and stability of employees with different zodiac signs. Results show that, holding other factors constant, extroverted signs have a 2.37% higher probability of turnover and an 8.00% higher average performance than introverted signs. This data, while novel, is framed within the limitations of using zodiac signs as a proxy for personality traits, a subject where more established scientific literature is lacking. We recommend that companies configure their sales teams with 60% extroverted personnel to drive innovation and 40% introverted personnel to ensure team stability.

Evolution of Communication: A Comparative Study from Cave Paintings to Emojies

Communication has always been an essential part of human existence, which makes us different from other creatures. This research paper explores the evolution of communication from its primitive forms in ancient times with a comparative analysis of communication in the modern age. The researcher traced the evolution of communication, starting from cave paintings and smoke signals and moving to advanced tools such as writing systems, printing, and communication in the digital era. This study highlights the significant milestones in the history of human communication and its evolution. In the ancient era, when communication was static, the method of giving messages and information that people used changed the passage of time and the con conversion. The paper focuses not only on evolution but also on the comparison of old and new methods and how these are similar in the modern age. It underlines the transition of communication from the static form, localized methods, to the dynamic and globalized forms of communication, advancing to the pervasive use of emojis. The analysis in this paper draws a comparison between communication in the ancient era and the techniques used for different messages and communication in modern times, such as digital expressions, focusing on the continuous expedition for effective and efficient ways to share information and emotions.

Advanced flame-retardant melamine foam with ultra-sensitivity and prolonged fire warning, featuring smart device-integrated graphene oxide/attapulgite nano-coating

Enhancing flame retardancy and fire-warning capabilities of thermal insulation materials used in building external walls is crucial for ensuring fire safety as well as guarding people's lives and assets. Herein, we have developed an environmentally friendly nano-coating that possesses flame-retardant and early-warning properties by integrating graphene oxide (GO) and attapulgite (ATP) onto melamine foam (MF) through a layer-by-layer self-assembly method (LBL). The GO-ATP-MF composite demonstrates a rapid response to flame (<1 s) due to GO's thermally induced reduction. Additionally, ATP's synergistic flame-retardant effects on both gas and condensed phases contribute to outstanding flame retardancy, enabling an enduring fire alarm duration (>1330 s). The warning duration time of this composite surpasses the majority of GO-based fire-warning nano-coatings reported to date. Moreover, incorporating a Bluetooth wireless transmission system facilitates real-time fire information sharing among smart devices, thereby optimizing fire signal transmission efficiency. Thus, this study advances GO-based flame-retardant nano-coatings and devices with high sensitivity and prolonged fire-warning capabilities, providing an innovative idea to enhance the fire safety of MF as a thermal insulation material.

Burning effects on the soils of the Mexican Maya Lowlands: Current evidence for understanding past events

The slash-and-burn cultivation system is a millenarian practice still used in many countries today, with significant environmental impacts. However, identifying evidence of this agricultural method in soil records is challenging due to natural and human factors that can obscure or alter fire signals. This challenge is particularly evident in the Yucatán Peninsula, where the ancient Maya practiced slash-and-burn agriculture in a dynamic tropical karst environment, making it difficult to pinpoint the origins and consequences of this practice. In this study, we use a recent agricultural burning in a karstic landscape in Chiapas as a model to understand alterations in soil properties. We then apply these insights to identify similar features at a Maya site on the Yucatán Peninsula, specifically at Coyote Quarry. For both cases, we conducted micromorphological analysis, soil physical-chemical characterization, thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry analysis, and radiocarbon dating of mollusk shells, soil organic carbon, and charcoal fragments (the latter exclusively at Coyote Quarry). Our findings reveal significant effects on the soils from the Chiapas site post-burning, including changes in grain size distribution, pH, and total organic and inorganic carbon. These results were compared to those obtained from the Coyote Quarry soils and pedosediments. Key findings include micromorphological features, the presence of charcoal and other burned materials, and pyrogenic carbon identified through thermal analyses. The preservation of these burned features was facilitated by the typical karstic vertical soil erosion and redeposition as pedosediments in karstic depressions. The intrinsic association of the fire signals found in these karstic sinkholes and their radiocarbon dates enables us to link this evidence to the initiation of slash-and-burn agriculture by the Maya in the Yucatán Peninsula during the transition between the Archaic and Early Pre-Classic periods.

Prototype smart integrated fire detection based on deep learning YOLO v8 and IoT (internet of things) to improve early fire detection

The high incidence of fires in Indonesia in 2018-2023 is 5,336 fire incidents have caused many deaths and enormous material losses. This system is designed to identify early signs of fire through object detection and sensor technology, which is integrated with the Blynk IoT platform for real-time sensor monitoring and Telegram for instant notifications to users. The waterfall prototype method was designed through observation, system design, program code creation, tool testing, and tool implementation. This research uses Deep Learning YOLOv8 technology and IoT using ESP 32 as a microcontroller. Based on the training datasets, it produces precision=0.95872; recall=0.91; mAP50=0.97; mAP50-95 =0.66. The system uses the integration of a multisensor KY-026 flame sensor, DHT 22 temperature and humidity sensor, and MQ-2 sensors can detect CO, LPG, and smoke gas. All these multisensors can be monitored on Blynk IoT and Telegrambot in real time.

Review: The Smoke Signal, edited by Michael M. Brescia

Review: <i>The Smoke Signal</i>, edited by Michael M. Brescia

Fire alarm nano-coating with the controlled release of phosphorus-containing free radical for considerable flame retardant performance

The colloidal properties and surface charge characteristics of graphene oxide (GO) often lead to flocculation during the layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly. Innovatively, the charged flame retardant molecule, amino-tris(methylene phosphonic acid) (ATMP), is encapsulated within the inner cavity of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). This integration exploits the unique structural features of HNT's inner cavity and outer wall. A composite nano-coating is constructed on the three-dimensional skeletal structure of melamine foam (MF) by assemblying GO with HNT-ATMP. This composite nano-coating exhibits both condensed-phase and gas-phase flame retardant functions. During the thermal decomposition process, phosphorus-containing radicals released from the HNTs' inner cavities enhance the flame retardancy. Moreover, the composite nano-coating demonstrates sensitive fire warning performance. A composite MF coated with 10 layers of this nano-coating emits a warning signal within 8 s fire exposure and maintains this signal without circuit failure. This study elucidates the mechanisms of flame retardancy and fire warning based on the thermal decomposition process and char layer analysis. By addressing the issue of GO flocculation during the assembly process, this research not only clarifies the underlying flame retardant and fire warning mechanisms of composite nano-coating but also proposes solutions for prolonging the duration of fire warning signals in advanced materials.

Status and Prospects for the Use of Remote Sensing Data for the Detection of Wildfires

The article discusses the problem of fires as a serious threat to life, economy and ecosystems, highlighting the need for early detection and suppression of fires. The potential of the combination of Earth remote sensing and neural networks for rapid and accurate detection of natural fires is studied. The significance of applying artificial intelligence, the development of deep learning methods for neural network models, to analyze space images and detect early signs of fires is emphasized. The article also provides examples of successful projects and research in the field of wildfire detection. The final part of the paper emphasizes the need for further research and development of neural network training methods, expansion of training datasets and improvement of space imagery acquisition technologies for effective control and prevention of fires, in order to protect the environment and minimize damage to people.

Imaging sensor band comparison for situational awareness in wildfires

In recent decades, wildfires have become increasingly widespread and hazardous. Dryer, hotter weather combined with more frequent heat waves leave forest areas susceptible to sudden, intense, and fast-growing forest fires. To protect private property and mitigate the damage, Hotshot firefighters are deployed into these dangerous situations. Extensive satellite and aerial platforms possess optical techniques for monitoring wildfire risks and boundary tracking. Small unmanned aerial system (sUAS)-based EO/IR systems provide a solution for real-time, high resolution, targeted response to acquire information critical to the safety and efficacy of wildfire mitigation. Real-time imagery from a sUAS of the position of Hotshots and the progression of the fire boundary would be easily obtained and offer a method of ensuring safe deployment. An ideal sensor system for situational awareness in this environment would be able to image the ambient terrain and firefighters with good contrast while also detecting fire signatures and imaging through the smoke. Longer wavelength infrared bands have demonstrated imaging through the smoke of forest fires. However, near the wildfire where the Hotshots work, they also receive strong radiometric signals from the temperature of the smoke. The emitted signal of the smoke can obscure the line of sight similarly to the scattering effect of wildfire smoke in the visible spectrum. The reflective and emissive components of a wildfire scene are studied and compared in the visible (VIS, 0.4–0.7 µm), shortwave infrared (SWIR, 1.0–1.7 µm), extended SWIR (eSWIR, 2.0–2.5 µm), and longwave infrared (LWIR, 8–14 µm). Both a radiometric model and calibrated field measurements find a band that has the highest, to our knowledge, probability for a continuous line of sight for terrain, firefighters, and fire signatures in a wildfire scene.

Multi-Height and Heterogeneous Sensor Fusion Discriminant with LSTM for Weak Fire Signal Detection in Large Spaces with High Ceilings

Fire is a significant cause of fatalities and property loss. In tall spaces, early smoke dispersion is hindered by thermal barriers, and initial flames with limited smoke production may be obscured by ground-level structures. Consequently, smoke, temperature, and other fire sensor signals are weakened, leading to delays in fire detection by sensor networks. This paper proposes a multi-height and heterogeneous fusion discriminant model with a multilayered LSTM structure for the robust detection of weak fire signals in such challenging situations. The model employs three LSTM structures with cross inputs in the first layer and an input-weighted LSTM structure in the second layer to capture the temporal and cross-correlation features of smoke concentration, temperature, and plume velocity sensor data. The third LSTM layer further aggregates these features to extract the spatial correlation patterns among different heights. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can effectively expedite alarm response during sparse smoke conditions and mitigate false alarms caused by weak signals.

Early multi-parameter detection study of lithium-ion batteries based on the ratio of blue to infrared light and gas concentration

As the use of lithium-ion batteries in energy storage and transportation grows, the number of fires and explosions caused by battery thermal runaway increases, emphasizing the vital need for enhanced early detection technology. Existing research does not clarify the effect of airflow environment and detection location on battery smoke flow and detection effectiveness. The purpose of this study is to illuminate the environmental effects on battery smoke diffusion, allowing for the selection of more appropriate detection parameters while also improving detection sensitivity and robustness. Here, the investigation focuses on the smoke characteristics of 18650 LiFePO4 (LFP) batteries, using the ratio of blue to infrared light and concentrations of CO and H2. Additionally, a detrending algorithm was developed to interpret smoke signals, and the smoke characteristics of batteries in different states of diffusion after thermal runaway occurred at different states of charge (SOC) were further investigated. It is shown that the smoke signal values processed by the detrending algorithm are more suitable for smoke detection in thermal runaway batteries. Using smoke and fugitive gas growth rate parameters, the results show that airflow interference is important in promoting smoke diffusion. Notably, the ambient state and the SOC of the battery have a greater influence on the maximum concentration of CO compared to H2. The linear equations and the addition of the environmental influence parameter DR imply that H2 is a better choice as the primary gas parameter for identifying battery runaway. The airflow disruption reduced the smoke response time by around 40 % while having minimal influence on gas diffusion. This study establishes a theoretical foundation for optimizing battery operating environments and gives practical guidelines for the use of multi-parameter monitoring and early detection of lithium-ion batteries. Furthermore, this study improves the safe management and protection of lithium batteries in their application.

Проектирование интеллектуальной противопожарной системы

Fire protection systems utilize detectors that process signals from fire sensors using threshold-based methods and gen-erate a fire signal based on a logical function. Artificial neural networks can enhance these detectors by processing in-formation from a network of sensors after being trained. To train these neural networks, extensive data sets are neces-sary, which can be obtained through fire simulations on a supercomputer. Field tests are costly, subject to random fac-tors, limited to one or two rooms, and do not provide a comprehensive picture of fire development. Thus, designing intelligent fire systems falls under model-based design. Through modeling, large data sets were generated for training fire system algorithms, expanding the range of tasks they can address. A group of neural networks is proposed for op-timizing the placement of multi-parameter sensors, identifying the type of burning material, detecting fires at early stages, and localizing the fire zone to select appropriate extinguishing agents. Artificial neural networks enable the pre-diction of fire development, mapping hazardous factors' distribution to find optimal evacuation routes. An example of model-based design for a ship fire protection system is provided.

Digital smoke signals: Event-driven online search trends in Heated Tobacco Products in Poland.

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) have emerged as a prominent category in the tobacco market, particularly within European countries such as Poland. The introduction of HTPs has been met with increasing public interest, reflected in online search behavior. However, the public health implications of this new form of tobacco consumption remain a concern due to the lack of comprehensive research on its long-term effects. This study aimed to track the trends in online searches related to HTPs in Poland between 2016 and 2022, and to assess the impact of significant events on these trends in order to provide insights into public awareness of HTPs. Utilizing Google Trends, a free source tool, this study analyzed relative search volume (RSV) for HTP-related keywords in Poland. Key events were identified and mapped against the fluctuations in RSV to understand their impact on search behavior. The analysis was confined to specific HTP-related keywords, excluding broader tobacco-related terms. A notable increase in HTP-related search queries was observed, particularly around the time of product launches and legislative changes. The largest increases occurred during the introduction of HTPs to the Polish market and during major events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The study demonstrates a market interest in HTPs among Polish internet users, with search trends influenced by product launches and policy changes. The findings highlight the importance of monitoring online behaviors to inform public health efforts, despite limitations such as the lack of demographic data. Further research is needed to deepen the understanding of how these online trends correlate with actual consumer behavior and product sales.

A Holocene history of climate, fire, landscape evolution, and human activity in northeastern Iceland

Abstract. Paleoclimate reconstructions across Iceland provide a template for past changes in climate across the northern North Atlantic, a crucial region due to its position relative to the global northward heat transport system and its vulnerability to climate change. The roles of orbitally driven summer cooling, volcanism, and human impact as triggers of local environmental changes in the Holocene of Iceland remain debated. While there are indications that human impact may have reduced environmental resilience during late Holocene summer cooling, it is still difficult to resolve to what extent human and natural factors affected Iceland's late Holocene landscape instability. Here, we present a continuous Holocene fire record of northeastern Iceland from proxies archived in Stóra Viðarvatn sediment. We use pyrogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pyroPAHs) to trace shifts in fire regimes, paired with continuous biomarker and bulk geochemical records of soil erosion, lake productivity, and human presence. The molecular composition of pyroPAHs and a wind pattern reconstruction indicate a naturally driven fire signal that is mostly regional. Generally low fire frequency during most of the Holocene significantly increased at 3 ka and again after 1.5 ka BP before known human settlement in Iceland. We propose that shifts in vegetation type caused by cooling summers over the past 3 kyr, in addition to changes in atmospheric circulation, such as shifts in North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) regime, led to increased aridity and biomass flammability. Our results show no evidence of faecal biomarkers associated with human activity during or after human colonisation in the 9th century CE. Instead, faecal biomarkers follow the pattern described by erosional proxies, pointing toward a negligible human presence and/or a diluted signal in the lake's catchment. However, low post-colonisation levels of pyroPAHs, in contrast to an increasing flux of erosional bulk proxies, suggest that farming and animal husbandry may have suppressed fire frequency by reducing the spread and flammability of fire-prone vegetation (e.g. heathlands). Overall, our results describe a fire frequency heavily influenced by long-term changes in climate through the Holocene. They also suggest that human colonisation had contrasting effects on the local environment by lowering its resilience to soil erosion while increasing its resilience to fire.

Effects of interior doors on the audibility of fire alarms

One of the most important purposes of installing fire alarm systems is to provide an alarm signal in the protected building in the event of a fire. Fire alarms are most often provided by networked audible warning devices. The signal must be easily and quickly detectable and identifiable so that the occupants inside can start to escape after the alarm has been sounded. This is apparently a simple expectation, but if you look at the efficiency of fire alarms as a whole, and the effects that determine whether an evacuation will occur in response to an alarm during an actual fire, the question is not so simple anymore. In this article, we will examine the circumstances that may affect the alarm signal. Among these aspects, we will focus on the soundproofing properties of building structures, including interior doors, and their effect on sound propagation. By carrying out on-site measurements, we verify the design principles used in engineering practice, looking for the factors that may influence efficiency of the fire alarms in today’s construction environment. We hypothesise that the increase in sound insulation of certain building materials and structures has an increasingly negative effect on the audibility of fire alarm signals.

Australian Black summer smoke signal on Antarctic aerosol collected between New Zealand and the Ross sea

Open biomass burning (BB) events are a well-known primary aerosol source, resulting in the emission of significant amount of gaseous and particulate matter and affecting Earth's radiation budget. The 2019–2020 summer, known as “Australian Black Summer”, showed exceptional duration and intensity of seasonal wildfires, triggered by high temperatures and severe droughts. Since increasing megafires are predicted due to expected climate changes, it is critical to study the impact of BB aerosol on a large scale and evaluate related transport processes. In this study, five aerosol samples (total suspended particles with a diameter >1 μm) were collected during the XXXV Italian Expedition in Antarctica on board of the R/V Laura Bassi from 6th of January to February 16, 2020, along the sailing route from Lyttelton harbor (New Zealand) to Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica). Levoglucosan and its isomers have been analyzed as markers of BB, together with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), sucrose and alcohol sugars. Ionic species and carboxylic acids have been analyzed to support the identification of aerosol sources and its aging. Results showed high levoglucosan concentrations (325–1266 pg m−3) during the campaign, suggesting the widespread presence of smoke in the region, because of huge wildfire releases. Backward trajectories indicated the presence of long-range atmospheric transport from South America, probably carrying wildfires plume, in agreement with literature. Regional sources have been suggested for PAHs, particularly for 3–4 rings' compounds; monosaccharides, sucrose, arabitol, and mannitol were related to marine and biogenic contributions. In a warming climate scenario, more frequent and extensive wildfire episodes are expected in Australia, potentially altering albedo, aerosol radiative properties, and cloud interactions. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthens the investigations on the regional climatic effects of these events in Antarctica.