Force Profiles Research Articles

On the interdependence of insertion forces, insertion speed, and lubrication: Aspects to consider when testing cochlear implant electrodes.

During the insertion of cochlear implant (CI) electrode arrays, forces occur which may cause trauma and poorer hearing outcomes. Unfortunately, research groups investigating factors influencing insertion forces come to contradicting results, especially regarding insertion speed. This study was conducted to investigate the origin of these contradicting results and to determine how different testing conditions influence experimental findings. Repeated, automated insertions with three different FLEX28 CI electrode arrays (MED-EL, Innsbruck, Austria) were performed into a newly developed, anatomically correct and 3D-printed mean scala tympani phantom. The testing protocol for each electrode included variations in insertion speed (v = 0.1-2.0 mm/s) and lubrication (90%, 50%, and 10% liquid soap), resulting in 51 insertions per electrode array and a total of 153 insertions. The test setup and protocol allowed for repeatable insertions with only minimal change in the morphology of the insertion force profiles per testing condition. Strong but varying dependencies of the maximal insertion forces and work were found regarding both lubrication and speed: work-speed dependency is constant for the 10% lubricant, negative for the 50% lubricant and positive for the 90% lubricant. Our results can explain part of the contradicting results found within previous studies by translating interrelations known from lubricated rubber friction to the field of CI electrode array insertion. We show that the main driver behind measured bulk forces are most likely the generated friction forces, which are strongly dependent on insertion speed and lubrication. The employed test setup allows for conducting repeatable and comparable insertion studies, which can be recapitulated by other centers due to the detailed explanation of the test setup as well as the developed and freely available insertion phantom. This study hence represents another important step toward standardizing CI array insertion testing.

A pilot study: effect of somatosensory loss on motor corrections in response to unknown loads in a reaching task by chronic stroke survivors.

Despite recent studies indicating a significant correlation between somatosensory deficits and rehabilitation outcomes, how prevailing somatosensory deficits affect stroke survivors' ability to correct their movements and recover overall remains unclear. To explore how major deficits in somatosensory systems impede stroke survivors' motor correction to various external loads, we conducted a study with 13 chronic stroke survivors who had hemiparesis. An inertial, elastic, or viscous load, which was designed to impose perturbing forces with various force profiles, was introduced unexpectedly during the reaching task using a programmable haptic robot. Participants' proprioception and cutaneous sensation were also assessed using passive movement detection, finger-to-nose, mirror, repositioning, and Weinstein pressure tests. These measures were then analyzed to determine whether the somatosensory measures significantly correlated with the estimated reaching performance parameters, such as initial directional error, positional deviation, velocity deviations, and speed of motor correction were measured.Of 13 participants, 5 had impaired proprioception, as they could not recognize the passive movement of their elbow joint, and they kept showing larger initial directional errors even after the familiarization block. Such continuously found inaccurate initial movement direction might be correlated with the inability to develop the spatial body map especially for calculating the initial joint torques when starting the reaching movement. Regardless of whether proprioception was impaired or not, all participants could show the stabilized, constant reaching movement trajectories. This highlights the role of proprioception especially in the execution of a planned movement at the early stage of reaching movement.

Comparison of force profiles from two musculoskeletal palpation methods: A methodological study.

The Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) protocol recommends a 5 s and 1 kg force dynamic palpation around the lateral condylar pole of the temporomandibular joint. However, the accuracy and precision of the generated force are not known. To assess and compare the force profiles generated from dynamic palpation manually and using a palpometer, based on the forces and time recommendations suggested by the DC/TMD protocol. Nineteen healthy adults applied forces of 0.5 kg, 1.0 kg and 2.0 kg on a calibrated force sensor in a circular motion within target times of 2 s and 5 s. Participants used their right index finger for manual palpation and a calibrated palpometer for device-assisted palpation. Ten repetitions of each target force at both target times were applied. Time taken to complete each application was recorded. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used for analysis of accuracy measured as the relative difference between targeted force and actual force values and precision measured as the coefficient of variation (CV) within the 10 repeated measurements. Accuracy was significantly lower (better) and precision higher (lower CV) with the palpometer than with manual palpation (p < .001). There were significant differences in accuracy and precision between the different forces but not palpation times. Most participants could not achieve the target times and tended to be faster, irrespective of the palpation method (p > .063). A palpometer is a more accurate and precise palpation method for dynamic force assessment compared to manual palpation; however, it remains difficult to standardize the palpation duration.

Sustained Limb-Level Loading: A Ground Reaction Force Phenotype Common to Individuals at High Risk for and Those With Knee Osteoarthritis.

The objective of this study was to compare the vertical (vGRF), anterior-posterior (apGRF), and medial-lateral (mlGRF) ground reaction force (GRF) profiles throughout the stance phase of gait (1) between individuals 6 to 12 months post-anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and uninjured matched controls and (2) between ACLR and individuals with differing radiographic severities of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), defined as Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grades KL2, KL3, and KL4. A total of 196 participants were included in this retrospective cross-sectional analysis. Gait biomechanics were collected from individuals 6 to 12 months post-ACLR (n=36), uninjured controls matched to the ACLR group (n=36), and individuals with KL2 (n=31), KL3 (n=67), and KL4 osteoarthritis (OA) (n=26). Between-group differences in vGRF, apGRF, and mlGRF were assessed in reference to the ACLR group throughout each percentage of stance phase using a functional linear model. The ACLR group demonstrated lower vGRF and apGRF in early and late stance compared to the uninjured controls, with large effects (Cohen's d range: 1.35-1.66). Conversely, the ACLR group exhibited greater vGRF (87%-90%; 4.88% body weight [BW]; d = 0.75) and apGRF (84%-94%; 2.41% BW; d = 0.79) than the KL2 group in a small portion of late stance. No differences in mlGRF profiles were observed between the ACLR and either the uninjured controls or the KL2 group. The magnitude of difference in GRF profiles between the ACLR and OA groups increased with OA disease severity. Individuals 6 to 12 months post-ACLR exhibit strikingly similar GRF profiles as individuals with KL2 KOA, suggesting both patient groups may benefit from targeted interventions to address aberrant GRF profiles.

Scaling laws of low-velocity impact response for RC beams: Impact force and reaction force

Predicting the low-velocity impact response of the prototype based on the scaled test results is one of the significant topics in structural design and protection. Thus, reliable similarity laws are required to bridge the dynamic similarity between models and prototypes. In this study, numerical modeling was carried out by considering plastic damage and strain rate effects. Then, the impact responses of four series reinforced concrete beams satisfying traditional similarity laws were analyzed. The largest beam section size reached 600 mm × 1000 mm. The scaling effects on the impact force profiles (comprising three Types) and reaction force profiles of the beam were investigated. Several characteristic points were defined for the available simplified profiles of impact and reaction forces. It is shown that the scaling effects on each characteristic are not consistent. As the theoretical scale factor increases, the characteristics such as the peak impact force, the positive peak of the reaction force, and its plateau satisfy the traditional similarity law, whereas the characteristics such as the impact force duration and the negative peak of the reaction force do not. Therefore, modified dynamic scale factors for the characteristics of impact and reaction force profiles from models to prototypes were proposed. Based on the suggested scaling laws, the simplified profiles of impact and support reaction forces of the prototype can be predicted. It is expected that it will help researchers to conduct experimental studies and optimized designs on structural impact resistance.

Muscle, season, sex, and carcass weight affected pork texture, collagen characteristics, and intramuscular fat content.

In this study, pigs from 3 supply chains were slaughtered in an Australian summer and winter (n = 20 for each supply chain). The pigs were from 2 sexes (female and castrated male) and 2 carcass weight groups (high: 95.0 to 100.0kg and low: 75.0 to 80.0kg). From each carcass, the Biceps femoris (BF), Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL), and Triceps brachii (TB) were excised at 24h postmortem, vacuum packed, frozen at 24-48h and transported to the lab. Cooking loss, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and texture profile analysis (adhesiveness, chewiness, cohesiveness, hardness, resilience, and springiness) were measured in LTL and BF. pH, collagen content, and solubility and intramuscular fat (IMF) content were determined for all muscles. Results showed that BF was tougher than LTL, and winter samples were tougher than summer ones (P < 0.05). The TB had higher pH, collagen, and IMF content than BF and LTL (P < 0.05). Collagen solubility was higher in castrated male and winter samples. pH, collagen solubility, and IMF content were significantly (P < 0.05) related to chewiness and hardness in pork BF and LTL. pH and IMF were also related to cooking loss, while collagen solubility and IMF were related to WBSF (P < 0.05). The relationships of pH and IMF with pork texture were predominantly driven by the LTL, while the relationships between collagen solubility and texture were predominantly driven by the BF. Collagen solubility and IMF of pork BF and TB were related to those of LTL, but the correlations were not strong enough for prediction. Pork texture and chemical components were affected by muscle, seasons, sex and carcass weight. pH, collagen solubility, and IMF-affected pork texture.

Experimental and numerical study of the post-impact behavior of a water droplet impacting on a hydrophilic surface with a cylindrical cavity

In this study, we couple a laboratory experiment with numerical simulations to investigate the post-impact behavior of a water droplet impacting a hydrophilic surface with a cylindrical cavity. In the experiment, we observe that either an increase in the depth of the cavity or a decrease in its diameter will promote crown formation, and the crown will be higher but narrower on a deeper or narrower cavity. Moreover, a higher impact speed leads to a larger crown. The numerical simulations of post-impact droplet behavior are in good agreement with the experimental results. More importantly, they shed light on the physics underlying the formation and development of the crown by computing the forces induced on the bottom, vertical wall, and surrounding wall of the cavity as the droplet impacts there. The simulations suggest that the cavity size and the impact speed play significant roles in determining the force profiles and thus whether a crown forms and, if so, how large it is. On the basis of the experimental and numerical results, we construct regime diagrams for the crown formation by considering the critical values of cavity size and impact speed.

Origami-Based Haptic Syringe for Local Anesthesia Simulator.

Although medical simulators have benefited from the use of haptics and virtual reality (VR) for decades, the former has become the bottleneck in producing a low-cost, compact, and accurate training experience. This is particularly the case for the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) procedure in dentistry, which is one of the most difficult motor skills to acquire. As existing works are still oversimplified or overcomplicated for practical deployment, we introduce an origami-based haptic syringe interface for IANB local anesthesia training. By harnessing the versatile mechanical tunability of the Kresling origami pattern, our interface simulated the tactile experience of the plunger while injecting the anesthetic solution. We present the design, development, and characterization process, as well as a preliminary usability study. The force profile generated by the syringe interface is perceptually similar with that of the Carpule syringe. The usability study suggests that the haptic syringe significantly improves the IANB training simulation and its potential to be utilized in several other medical training/simulation applications.

Effect of ion to ligand ratio on the aqueous to organic relative solubility of a lanthanide-ligand complex.

In the solvent extraction of rare earth elements, mechanistic aspects remain unclear regarding where and how extractant molecules coordinate metal ions and transport them from the aqueous phase into the organic phase. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to examine how unprotonated di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (DEHP-) ligands that coordinate the Gd3+ ion can transfer the ion across the water-organic interface. Using the umbrella sampling technique, potential of mean force profiles were constructed to quantify the relative solubility of the Gd3+ ion coordinated to 0-3 DEHP- ligands in either water, 1-octanol, or hexane solvents and at the water-organic interfaces. The simulations show the Gd-DEHP- complexes, at varying Ln-ligand ratios, preferentially solvate on water-organic interfaces. While the Gd(DEHP-)3 complex will diffuse past the aqueous-organic interface into the octanol solvent, it is thermodynamically preferred for the Gd(DEHP-)3 complex to remain in the water-hexane interface when there is no amphiphilic layer of excess ligand.

An Instrumented Glove for Restoring Sensorimotor Function of the Hand Through Augmented Sensory Feedback.

The loss of sensitivity of the upper limb due to neurological injuries severely limits the ability to manipulate objects, hindering personal independence. Non-invasive augmented sensory feedback techniques are used to promote neural plasticity hence to restore the grasping function. This work presents a wearable device for restoring sensorimotor hand functions based on Discrete Event-driven Sensory Control policy. It consists of an instrumented glove that, relying on piezoelectric sensors, delivers short-lasting vibrotactile stimuli synchronously with the relevant mechanical events (i.e., contact and release) of the manipulation. We first performed a feasibility study on healthy participants (20) that showed overall good performances of the device, with touch-event detection accuracy of 96.2% and a response delay of 22 ms. Later, we pilot tested it on two participants with limited sensorimotor functions. When using the device, they improved their hand motor coordination while performing tests for hand motor coordination assessment (i.e., pick and place test, pick and lift test). In particular, they exhibited more coordinated temporal correlations between grip force and load force profiles and enhanced performances when transferring objects, quantitatively proving the effectiveness of the device.

Prediction of Achilles Tendon Force During Common Motor Tasks From Markerless Video.

Remodeling of the Achilles tendon (AT) is partly driven by its mechanical environment. AT force can be estimated with neuromusculoskeletal (NMSK) modeling; however, the complex experimental setup required to perform the analyses confines use to the laboratory. We developed task-specific long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks that employ markerless video data to predict the AT force during walking, running, countermovement jump, single-leg landing, and single-leg heel rise. The task-specific LSTM models were trained on pose estimation keypoints and corresponding AT force data from 16 subjects, calculated via an established NMSK modeling pipeline, and cross-validated using a leave-one-subject-out approach. As proof-of-concept, new motion data of one participant was collected with two smartphones and used to predict AT forces. The task-specific LSTM models predicted the time-series AT force using synthesized pose estimation data with root mean square error (RMSE) ≤ 526 N, normalized RMSE (nRMSE) ≤ 0.21 , R 2 ≥ 0.81 . Walking task resulted the most accurate with RMSE = 189±62 N; nRMSE = 0.11±0.03 , R 2 = 0.92±0.04 . AT force predicted with smartphones video data was physiologically plausible, agreeing in timing and magnitude with established force profiles. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using low-cost solutions to deploy complex biomechanical analyses outside the laboratory.

In silico validation of allosteric inhibitors targeting Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease.

The Zika virus (ZIKV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, poses a major threat to human health because of the lack of effective antiviral drugs. Although the NS2B-NS3 protease of ZIKV (NS2B-NS3pro) is regarded as a major target for antiviral inhibitors, viral mutations can lead to ineffective competitive inhibitors. Allosteric inhibitors bind to highly conserved nonprotease active sites, induce conformational changes in the protease active site, and prevent substrate binding. Currently, no molecular simulation techniques are available for accurately predicting and analysing conformational changes in the protease catalytic domain. In this study, we developed a combined approach that involves blind docking, Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics, two-dimensional potential of mean force profiling, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and interaction region indicator (IRI) analysis and employed it to examine the allosteric inhibitor-01 molecule and its interaction with ZIKV NS2B-NS3pro. Our results indicated that the binding of inhibitor-01 to NS2B-NS3pro resulted in two major conformational states, state I and state II, which in turn changed the volume of the protease active site from 1014 Å3 to 710 and 820 Å3, respectively. These two states had an inactive catalytic domain (residues His116, Asp140, and Ser200). DFT and IRI analyses revealed that, in state I, Lys138 and Gln139 formed hydrogen bonds with inhibitor-01, whereas Lys138, Leu214, Asn217, Val220, and Ile221 engaged in van der Waals interactions with inhibitor-01. Advancements in computational techniques and power are expected to facilitate further progress in overcoming challenges associated with designing allosteric inhibitors for viral proteases.

A Hydraulic Haptic Actuator for Simulation of Cardiac Catheters.

This article presents a haptic actuator made of silicone rubber to provide both passive and active haptic forces for catheter simulations. The haptic actuator has a torus outer shape with an ellipse-shaped inside chamber which is actuated by hydraulic pressure. Expansion of the chamber by providing positive pressure can squeeze the inside passage to resist the catheter traveling through. Further expansion can hold and push back the catheter in the axial direction to render active haptic forces. The size of the catheter passage is increased by providing negative pressure to the chamber, allowing various diameters of the actual medical catheters to be used and exchanged during the simulation. The diameter of the catheter passage can be enlarged up to 1.6 times to allow 5 to 7 Fr (1 Fr = 1/3 mm) medical catheters to pass through. Experiment results show that the proposed haptic actuator can render 0 to 2.0 N passive feedback force, and a maximum of 2.0 N active feedback force, sufficient for the cardiac catheter simulation. The haptic actuator can render the commanded force profile with 0.10 N RMS (root-mean-squares) and 10.51% L2-norm relative errors.

Flow tweezing of anisotropic magnetic microrobots in a dynamic magnetic trap for active retention and localized flow sensing.

Controlled manipulation of microscale robotic devices in complex fluidic networks is critical for various applications in biomedical endovascular sensing, lab-on-chip biochemical assays, and environmental monitoring. However, achieving controlled transport and active retention of microscale robots with flow sensing capability has proven to be challenging. Here, we report the dynamic tweezing of an anisotropic magnetic microrobot in a rotating magnetic trap for active retention and localized flow sensing under confined fluidic conditions. We reveal a series of unconventional motion modes and the dynamics of the microrobot transporting in a confined fluidic flow, which manifest themselves as transitions from on-trap centre rolling to large-area revolution and off-trap centre rolling with varying rotating frequencies. By retaining the robot within the magnetic trap and its motion modulated by the field frequency, the off-centre rolling of the microrobot endows it with crucial localized flow sensing capabilities, including flow rate and flow direction determination. The magnetic microrobot serves as a mobile platform for measuring the flow profile along a curved channel, mimicking a blood vessel. Our findings unlock a new strategy to determine the local magnetic tweezing force profile and flow conditions in arbitrary flow channels, revealing strong potential for microfluidics, chemical reactors, and in vivo endovascular flow measurement.

Personalized Alpha-Motoneuron Pool Models Driven by Neural Data Encode the Mechanisms Controlling Rate of Force Development.

The central nervous system employs distinct motor control strategies depending on task demands. Accordingly, the activity of alpha-motoneuron (MN) pools innervating skeletal muscle fibers is modulated based on muscle force and rate of force development (RFD). In human subjects, biophysical MN models enable inferring in vivo the neural processes (e.g., synaptic input, activity of the entire MN pool, etc.) underlying this modulation, which are otherwise challenging to measure experimentally. Due to unique neurophysiological characteristics of individuals, personalizing these models is essential to study motor control in humans. Therefore, this work studied the mechanisms involved in the modulation of RFD using person-specific MN pool models driven by in vivo common synaptic input estimates (i.e., derived from surface high-density electromyography). Specifically, we assessed how in vivo MN activity changed across RFD and muscle force. This included modulation of recruitment and rate coding in the complete MN pool, as well as model-based estimates of excitatory synaptic gains ( ∆ IF). We found RFD-specific changes in MN activity associated to changes in ∆ IF. Moreover, we showed that MN pool models driven by RFD-specific ∆ IFs reproduced in vivo MN firing features and associated force profiles at different RFDs. Altogether, this work represents a step towards modelling the mechanisms of force generation in humans and creating person-specific models of the spinal circuitry. This will open a window for studying in vivo human neuromechanics and motor restoring interventions.

Sustainable, aqueous exfoliation of MoS2via bio-inspired avenues.

Two dimensional (2D) nanosheets of MoS2 were succesfully produced by an exfoliation process in aqueous media with the support from peptides and sonication. The exfoliation process assisted by uncapped MoSBP1 peptides was found to have enhanced efficiency in comparison to the capped counterpart. MoS2 nanosheets obtained using uncapped MoSBP1 have thinner structures containing one layer of MoS2, while in capped version of peptides, MoS2 nanosheets tend to form multilayer (up to 4) structures of exfoliated sheets. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that inter-sheet gaps generated by sonication in MoS2 nanostacks cannot be maintained by water only; the gaps closed after ∼11 ns. Both capped CMoSBP1 and uncapped MoSBP1 were seen to spontaneously insert into the gap in nanostacks of MoS2 and they can ultimately maintain the inter-sheet gap for longer (≥20 ns). Potential of mean force profiles for the association of two MoS2 nanosheets decorated with CMoSBP1 and MoSBP1 versions of peptides revealed that uncapped MoSBP1 peptides provide good protection from MoS2 nanosheet re-unification. Such protection can prevent the nanosheets from reassociation and subsequent aggregation, whereas the capped CMoSBP1 peptides can offer protection, but over a shorter range. These simulation results could explain the experimental observation of greater efficiency of exfoliation in uncapped MoSBP1 peptides.

Enhancing Driver Comfort and Control: A Proposal for Customizable Gas and Brake Pedal Sensitivity

Despite spectacular advancements in automotive industry, a significant gap exists within the domain of driver-vehicle interaction like the fixed response force of the accelerator and brake pedals. Nowadays, although there are studies on safety especially for pedals, the issue of customizing the pedal hardness has not become widespread. In this study, a method for customizing the accelerator and brake pedals is suggested. The proposed system improves driving comfort and experience by allowing drivers to customize their preferred pedal level. Utilizing an accessible tuner for stepwise adjustments, drivers can fine-tune the pedal response force until it matches their comfort and driving style. Moreover, our system includes numbered preset buttons, which enable drivers to save their preferred force profiles. This feature not only accommodates the unique preferences of individual drivers but also eases transitions between different drivers sharing the same vehicle. By just a push of a button, drivers can recall their saved profiles, ensuring consistent comfort and control across different driving sessions. By incorporating this system to the car, we aim to revolutionize driver-vehicle interactions, moving away from the traditional standardized approach towards a personalized driving experience. This novel solution holds promise in expanding driving comfort, improving vehicle control, and potentially enhancing driving safety. Furthermore, it creates new avenues for research into the effects of tailored pedal forces on driving efficiency and fatigue, thus shaping the future trajectory of automotive design.

Surface Roughness Effects on Confined Nanoscale Transport of Ions and Biomolecules.

Biological channels, especially membrane proteins, play a crucial role in metabolism, facilitating the transport of nutrients and other materials across cell membranes in a bio-electrolyte environment. Artificial nanopores are employed to study ion and biomolecule transport behavior inside. While the non-specific interaction between the nanopore surface and transport targets has garnered significant attention, the impact of surface roughness is overlooked. In this study, Nanopores with different levels of inner surface roughness is created by adjusting the FIB (Focus Ion Beam) fabrication parameters. Experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are employed to demonstrate that greater roughness results from larger FIB beam currents and shorter processing times. Lower roughness increases the capture rate of biomolecules, while greater roughness enhances the normalized blockade current (ΔI/I0 ). The phenomenon of rougher nanopores are attributed to a barrier-dominated capture mechanism and more likely to induce DNA folding. This transport barrier exists in rough nanopores by utilizing steer molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations to investigate the force profile of a dA10 DNA molecule during translocation is demonstrated. This work illustrates how surface roughness influences the ionic current features and the translocation of biomolecules, paving a new way for tunning the molecule transport in nanopores.

MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC TERNARY HYBRID NANOFLUID FLOW OVER A STRETCHING SURFACE SUBJECT TO THERMAL CONVECTIVE AND ZERO MASS FLUX CONDITIONS

Nanoparticles have the capability to augment the thermal conductivity of nanofluids. For the transmission of heat, the material’s low thermal conductivity is the key problem. Therefore, to increase the thermal conductivity, researchers mixed different nanoparticles in the base fluids. In this field of study, utilizing three different particles is the most recent strategy to form a ternary hybrid nanofluid that gives us better results in terms of heat transfer. The interaction of three different kinds of nanoparticles, i.e. copper, alumina and silver, is considered with water serving as the base fluid to form a ternary hybrid nanofluid. The paper explores the behavior of ternary hybrid nanofluids on heat and mass transportation phenomena of the two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) micropolar flow across a porous extending surface with zero mass flux and convective conditions. The Brownian motion, thermal radiation, heat source and sink, and joule heating are taken into consideration in the temperature equation. The chemical reaction is incorporated into the concentration equation. Appropriate similarity transformations are used to transform the system of partial differential equations (PDEs) to a coupled system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The homotopy analysis method (HAM) is used to solve the system of the flow equations. The effects of the nanoparticle’s volume fractions and other different physical parameters on the surface drag force, Nusselt number, velocities, microrotation, temperature and concentration profiles are scrutinized through figures and tables. The outcomes of the present investigation show that the heat transfer rate is augmented with the increasing value of thermophoresis parameter. The magnetic field has augmented temperature while the opposite result is seen in velocity and microrotation profiles. With the escalating values of thermophoresis parameter, the concentration and temperature of ternary hybrid nanofluids are boosted while the increasing Brownian and chemical reaction parameters have decreased the concentration profile. The surface friction coefficient exhibited by the ternary hybrid nanofluid is higher than hybrid and conventional nanofluids.

Assessing biases in atmospheric parameters for radiative effects estimation in tropical regions

Many studies highlight the importance of water vapor in tropical atmospheric radiative transfer calculations. However, limited research focuses on understanding the effects of biases in different atmospheric factors, such as pressure, temperature, water vapor, and ozone densities. These biases stem from various sources, including satellites, reanalysis data, and the standard TROPICAL atmosphere. This study explores how these biases influence estimates of two key things: atmospheric radiative forcing (ARF) and heating rate (HR) profiles over the tropical region. The study is undertaken at Gadanki, a rural background site in the tropics. It considers different situations - clear skies and those with aerosols - across different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum and throughout the seasons. Additionally, this study investigates how sensitive ARF and HR profiles are to biases in each of these atmospheric factors within specific spectral ranges. The study results show that the standard TROPICAL atmosphere often differs significantly from real-time measurements, leading to varied effects on radiation. Among the various factors, biases in water vapor density have the most substantial impact on ARF and HR, followed by biases in temperature. Moreover, longwave radiation is more sensitive to water vapor and temperature changes. This study emphasizes the importance of considering the exact state of the atmosphere, especially in tropical regions, when estimating ARF and HR. To improve estimates when real-time data isn't available, the study suggests combining data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), and using reanalysis data for broader assessments. It's also important to be cautious when using the TROPICAL atmosphere to analyze the radiative effects of aerosols.