Large Disk Research Articles

Trapped Field Properties of Large Disk MgB$_{2}$ Bulks Fabricated by an In-situ Infiltration and Reaction Method Using an Amorphous B Preform Containing Dilute Mg

An in-situ infiltration and reaction (IR) method is one of the most promising methods for the mass production of dense MgB <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> with a filling factor of over 90%. This is because it does not require an apparatus that applies physical pressure during synthesis, in contrast to the hot isostatic pressing, hot pressing, and spark plasma sintering methods. To promote the infiltration of Mg melt into the B preform, a low-reactivity crystalline B has usually been used to create MgB <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> bulks with centimetric dimensions. In this paper, we attempted to fabricate large MgB <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> bulks by the IR method using highly reactive amorphous B, which should result in a high critical current, as reported in the literature. To promote the intrusion of Mg melt, we mixed a small amount of Mg into the amorphous B preform, which is expected to give a similar effect to the socalled premix method. We successfully produced IR-processed MgB <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> disk bulks, of 20 mm diameter and 5 mm thickness, at a reaction temperature of 700°C with a holding time of 9 or 24 h. A trapped field BT of 1.85 T at 20 K was obtained at the surface centers of the MgB <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> bulks, which is comparable with the <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">B</i> <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">T</sub> values of dense MgB <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> bulks prepared by the hot isostatic pressing, hot pressing, and spark plasma sintering methods. Therefore, we can conclude that the Mg premixing method is an effective way of preparing dense MgB <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> bulks with a high <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">B</i> <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">T</sub> by the IR process using amorphous B.

Substructures in Compact Disks of the Taurus Star-forming Region

Observations of substructure in protoplanetary disks have largely been limited to the brightest and largest disks, excluding the abundant population of compact disks, which are likely sites of planet formation. Here, we reanalyze ∼0.″1, 1.33 mm Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) continuum observations of 12 compact protoplanetary disks in the Taurus star-forming region. By fitting visibilities directly, we identify substructures in six of the 12 compact disks. We then compare the substructures identified in the full Taurus sample of 24 disks in single-star systems and the ALMA DSHARP survey, differentiating between compact (R eff,90% < 50 au) and extended (R eff,90% ≥50 au) disk sources. We find that substructures are detected at nearly all radii in both small and large disks. Tentatively, we find fewer wide gaps in intermediate-sized disks with R eff,90% between 30 and 90 au. We perform a series of planet–disk interaction simulations to constrain the sensitivity of our visibility-fitting approach. Under the assumption of planet–disk interaction, we use the gap widths and common disk parameters to calculate potential planet masses within the Taurus sample. We find that the young planet occurrence rate peaks near Neptune masses, similar to the DSHARP sample. For 0.01 M J/M ⊙ ≲M p/M * ≲0.1 M J/M ⊙, the rate is 17.4% ± 8.3%; for 0.1 M J/M ⊙ ≲M p/M * ≲1 M J/M ⊙, it is 27.8% ± 8.3%. Both of them are consistent with microlensing surveys. For gas giants more massive than 5 M J, the occurrence rate is 4.2% ± 4.2%, consistent with direct imaging surveys.

Perspective Study of Spontaneous Resorption of Lumbar Disc Herniation in Female Population of Telangana State, India

Background: Herniation of the disc is the one of the disadvantages human population is facing due to the erect posture. Herniation is the abnormal protrusion of nucleus pulposus from weak site in the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc. It impairs the locomotion of the patients affected with herniation of the disc until the resorption occurs.Method: 30 females aged between 35 to 55 years treated with conservative treatment for low back pain were included in the study. MRI was done to confirm diagnosis and to know the degree of herniation. Routine blood investigations were done to rule out any associated diseases.Results: Out of 30 (12 (40%) were normal, 10 (33.3%) had type-II DM and 8 (26.6%) had HTN. Comparison of spontaneous resorption (in months) 7.5 (±2.4) mean value in large disc, 12.2 (±2.6) in small disc and p value was highly significant (p&lt;0.001).Conclusion:Spontaneous resorption of herniated disc can occur by different mechanisms(retraction, dehydration, and inflammatory mediated mechanism). Early clinical recovery is usually associated with quick resorption of herniated disc.

Longitudinal Assessment of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer and Ganglion Cell Complex Thicknesses in Patients With Large Optic Disc Cups and Normal Intraocular Pressure and Visual Fields.

The thicknesses of the circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) did not change during 5 years in physiological large disc cupping. We evaluated longitudinal changes in the thicknesses of the cpRNFL and GCC in large disc cupping with a normal intraocular pressure (IOP) (<21mmHg) and visual field. This retrospective, consecutive case series study included 269 eyes of 269 patients with large disc cupping and normal IOP. We analyzed patient demographics, IOP, central corneal thickness, vertical cup-to-disc ratios using color fundus photography, the thicknesses of the cpRNFL and GCC using RTVue-100, and mean deviation using visual field examinations. The differences in IOP, vertical cup-to-disc ratios, and mean deviation between the baseline and each follow-up visit were not statistically significant. The baseline average and mean average at 60 months follow-up of the cpRNFL thickness were 106.5±8.5 and 105.1±9.3μm, respectively; differences between the baseline and each follow-up visit were not statistically significant. The baseline average and mean average at 60 months follow-up of the GCC thickness were 82.8±9. and 81.5±9.2μm, respectively; differences between baseline and each follow-up visit were not statistically significant. The thicknesses of the cpRNFL and GCC did not change in well-maintained optic nerve head findings with normal IOP and visual field during a 5-year follow-up period. Optical coherence tomography evaluations of the thicknesses of the cpRNFL and GCC help accurately diagnose physiological optic disc cupping.

Population study on MHD wind-driven disc evolution

Context. Current research has established magnetised disc winds as a promising way of driving accretion in protoplanetary discs. Aims. We investigate the evolution of large protoplanetary disc populations under the influence of magnetically driven disc winds as well as internal and external photoevaporation. We aim to constrain magnetic disc wind models through comparisons with observations. Methods. We ran 1D vertically integrated evolutionary simulations for low-viscosity discs, including magnetic braking and various outflows. The initial conditions were varied and chosen to produce populations that are representative of actual disc populations inferred from observations. We then compared the observables from the simulations (e.g. stellar accretion rate, disc mass evolution, disc lifetime, etc.) with observational data. Results. Our simulations show that to reach stellar accretion rates comparable to those found by observations (~10−8 M⊙ yr−1), it is necessary to have access not only to strong magnetic torques, but weak magnetic winds as well. The presence of a strong magnetic disc wind, in combination with internal photoevaporation, leads to the rapid opening of an inner cavity early on, allowing the stellar accretion rate to drop while the disc is still massive. Furthermore, our model supports the notion that external photoevaporation via the ambient far-ultraviolet radiation of surrounding stars is a driving force in disc evolution and could potentially exert a strong influence on planetary formation. Conclusions. Our disc population syntheses show that for a subset of magnetohydrodynamic wind models (weak disc wind, strong torque), it is possible to reproduce important statistical observational constraints. The magnetic disc wind paradigm thus represents a novel and appealing alternative to the classical α-viscosity scenario.

ID: 216055 Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Shoulder Pain: Suprascapular Versus Axillary Nerve

A 59-year-old woman presented with severely debilitating right shoulder pain. Her MRI C-spine showed large right paracentral disc extrusion at C5-C6 mildly compressing on the cervical cord. MRI of her right shoulder was significant for a full-thickness tear of her supraspinatus-infraspinatus with moderate muscle atrophy and fatty degeneration. The patient worked on an assembly line where she had to perform a consistent overhead motion which exacerbated her shoulder pain.

PO-03-192 INTRA-DEVICE LEAKS ON POST LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE OCCLUDER FOLLOW UP TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING – TRUE LEAK OR MERE INCOMPLETE ENDOTHELIALIZATION

Patient undergoing Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) needs to be kept on oral anticoagulant (OAC) or dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) because of the time required for endothelialization of the LAAC device. Post LAAC follow-up usually is usually performed with either a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) or cardiac computed tomography (CCTA) at 45 days, 6 months and 12 months to ensure complete closure and endothelialization of the LAA. Contrast flow (CF) behind the LAAC device on CCTA could be indicative of either a peri-device leak (PDL) or intra-device leak due to incomplete endothelialization. Often the contrast flow into the LAA is described as a leak with implications to continued OAC. This study aims to evaluate the utility of LAA-CF on CCTA scan to predict lack of endothelialization after endocardial LAA closure and its association with peri-device leaks (PDLs). Consecutive patients who underwent LAAC at our center from June 2021 to September 2021 and had follow up CCTA at 45 days, 6 months and 12 months were included in the study. Patients who were follow up with TEE were excluded. Rate of LAA-CF was calculated. LAA-CF was defined as radiodensity > 100 HU (Hounsfield units) of the LAA separated from the device, or contrast opacification ≥ 25% of the left atrium with the presence of any LAA opacification compared with the pre-LAAC cardiac CT. Of 45 patients, 62% had Watchman FLX (n= 28) and 38% had Amplatzer Amulet (n=17) implantation. Mean age of the cohort was 74.6 + 9.3 years and 72% were males. At 45 day follow up CCTA, 40% (n=18) had LAA-CF of which 56% (n=10) had PDL whereas 44% (n=8) had no PDL. On 6 month follow up LAA-CF persisted in 44% (n=8/18) with 62.5% (n=5/8) having PDL. However, at 12 months LAA-CF persisted in only one patient who had a leak of 7 mm (Table). There were no systemic thromboembolic events. Although numbers were small Amulet had higher LAA-CF than Watchman FLX probably related to large outer disc surface area. Delayed LAA-CF is common after LAAO and is a reflection of poor endothelialization than a true PDL. It has no real long term clinical implications.

Massive pre-stellar cores in radiation-magneto-turbulent simulations of molecular clouds

ABSTRACT We simulate the formation and collapse of pre-stellar cores at few-au resolution in a set of radiation-magnetohydrodynamic simulations of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) using the grid-based code RAMSES-RT. We adopt, for the first time to our best knowledge, realistic initial/boundary conditions by zooming in on to individual massive pre-stellar cores within the GMC. We identify two distinct modes of fragmentation: ‘quasi-spherical’ and ‘filamentary’. In both modes, the fragments eventually become embedded in a quasi-steady accretion disc or toroid with radii ∼500–5000 au and opening angles H/R ∼ 0.5 − 1. The discs/toroids are Toomre stable but the accreted pre-existing fragments are found orbiting the outer disc, appearing as disc fragmentation. Each core converts nearly 100 per cent of the gas mass into a few massive stars forming near the disc centre. Large and massive discs around high-mass stars are supported by magnetic pressure in the outer disc, at radii &amp;gt;200–1000 au, and turbulent pressure in the inner disc. The most massive core accretes several times more mass than its initial mass, forming a cluster of 8 massive (proto)stars enshrouded by a toroid, suggesting a competitive accretion scenario for the formation of stars above ∼30 M⊙. We also find that the H ii regions produced by a single massive star remain trapped in the dense circumstellar discs for a few hundred kiloyears, while the dynamic motions of massive stars in wide binaries or multiple systems displace the stars from the densest parts of the disc, allowing UV radiation to escape producing steady or pulsating bipolar H ii regions.

Thin disks falling in air

We experimentally investigate the settling of millimetre-sized thin disks in quiescent air. The range of physical parameters is chosen to be relevant to plate crystals settling in the atmosphere: the diameter-to-thickness aspect ratio is$\chi =25\unicode{x2013}60$, the Reynolds numbers based on the disk diameter and fall speed are$Re=O(10^2)$and the inertia ratio is$I^*=O(1)$. Thousands of trajectories are reconstructed for each disk type by planar high-speed imaging, using the method developed by Baker &amp; Coletti (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 943, 2022, A27). Most disks either fall straight vertically with their maximum projected area normal to gravity or tumble while drifting laterally at an angle$&lt;20^\circ$. Two of the three disk sizes considered exhibit bimodal behaviour, with both non-tumbling and tumbling modes occurring with significant probabilities, which stresses the need for a statistical characterization of the process. The smaller disks (1 mm in diameter,$Re=96$) have a stronger tendency to tumble than the larger disks (3 mm in diameter,$Re=360$), at odds with the diffused notion that$Re=100$is a threshold below which falling disks remain horizontal. Larger fall speeds (and, thus, smaller drag coefficients) are found with respect to existing correlations based on experiments in liquids, demonstrating the role of the density ratio in setting the vertical velocity. The data supports a simple scaling of the rotational frequency based on the equilibrium between drag and gravity, which remains to be tested in further studies where disk thickness and density ratio are varied.

Evaluation of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer and Macular Ganglion Cell Layer Thickness in Relation to Optic Disc Size.

To investigate whether optic nerve ganglion cell amount is dependent on optic disc size, this trial analyzes the correlation between Bruch's membrane opening area (BMOA) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness as well as macular ganglion cell layer thickness (mGCLT). Additionally, differences in RNFL and mGCLT regarding various optic disc cohorts are evaluated. This retrospective, monocentric study included 501 healthy eyes of 287 patients from the University Hospital Münster, Germany, who received macular and optic disc optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans. Rank correlation coefficients for clustered data were calculated to investigate the relationship between BMOA and thickness values of respective retinal layers. Furthermore, these values were compared between different optic disc groups based on BMOA. Statistical analysis did not reveal a significant correlation between BMOA and RNFL thickness, nor between BMOA and mGCLT. However, groupwise analysis showed global RNFL to be significantly decreased in small and large discs in comparison to medium discs. This was not observed for global mGCLT. This study extends existing normative data for mGCLT taking optic disc size into account. While the ganglion cell amount represented by the RNFL and mGCLT seemed independent of BMOA, mGCLT was superior to global RNFL in displaying optic nerve integrity in very small and very large optic discs.

Rejuvenating infall: a crucial yet overlooked source of mass and angular momentum

MHD models and the observation of accretion streamers confirmed that protostars can undergo late accretion events after the initial collapse phase. To provide better constraints, we study the evolution of stellar masses in MHD simulations of a 4 pc^{3} molecular cloud. Tracer particles allow us to accurately follow the trajectory of accreting material for all protostars and thereby constrain the accretion reservoir of the stars. The diversity of the accretion process implies that stars in the solar mass regime can have vastly different accretion histories. Some stars accrete most of their mass during the initial collapse phase, while others gain >50 % of their final mass from late infall. The angular momentum budget of stars that experience substantial late infall, so-called late accretors, is significantly higher than for stars without or with only little late accretion. As the probability of late infall increases with increasing final stellar mass, the specific angular momentum budget of higher mass stars is on average higher. The hypothetical centrifugal radius computed from the accreting particles at the time of formation is orders of magnitude higher than observed disk sizes, which emphasizes the importance of angular momentum transport during disk formation. Nevertheless, we find a correlation that the centrifugal radius is highest for stars with substantial infall, which suggests that very large disks are the result of recent infall events. There are also indications for a subtle trend of increasing centrifugal radius with increasing final stellar mass, which is in agreement with an observed marginal correlation of disk size and stellar mass. Finally, we show that late accretors become more embedded again during late infall. As a consequence, late accretors are (apparently) rejuvenated and would be classified as Class 0 objects according to their bolometric temperature despite being sim 1 Myr old.

Axicon metalens for broadband light harvesting

Abstract In this study, an axicon metalens comprising a large central disc surrounded by nanoposts for energy harvesting in composite metal-oxide semiconductor sensors was designed, fabricated, and experimentally characterized. The main role of the central disc is focusing light; the nanoposts of various diameters deflect light to form a Bessel-like beam. The spatial distribution of the optical transmission was measured using micro-hyperspectral imaging. The axicon metalens concentrates the light to the sensitive area of the sensor and also harvests light from adjacent pixels. After adding an axicon metalens, the normalized peak transmission is up to 250% at λ = 700 nm as compared to a blank TiO2 film. The experimental results had fair agreement with the finite-difference-time-domain simulation. The ultra-broadband energy-harvesting performance of the sensor suggests that it could be applied in surveillance and Internet of Things applications.

On the influence of elasticity on propeller performance: a parametric study

The aerodynamic performance of propellers strongly depends on their geometry and, consequently, on aeroelastic deformations. Knowledge of the extent of the impact is crucial for overall aircraft performance. An integrated simulation environment for steady aeroelastic propeller simulations is presented. The simulation environment is applied to determine the impact of elastic deformations on the aerodynamic propeller performance. The aerodynamic module includes a blade element momentum approach to calculate aerodynamic loads. The structural module is based on finite beam elements, according to Timoshenko theory, including moderate deflections. Several fixed-pitch propellers with thin-walled cross sections made of both isotropic and non-isotropic materials are investigated. The essential parameters are varied: diameter, disc loading, sweep, material, rotational, and flight velocity. The relative change of thrust between rigid and elastic blades quantifies the impact of propeller elasticity. Swept propellers of large diameters or low disc loadings can decrease the thrust significantly. High flight velocities and low material stiffness amplify this tendency. Performance calculations without consideration of propeller elasticity can lead to decreased efficiency. To avoid cost- and time-intense redesigns, propeller elasticity should be considered for swept planforms and low disc loadings.

Estimating the Oblateness of Dark Matter Halos Using Neutral Hydrogen Velocity Dispersion

We derive the oblateness parameter q of the dark matter halo of a sample of gas-rich, face-on disk galaxies. We have assumed that the halos are triaxial in shape but their axes in the disk plane (a and b) are equal, so that q = c/a measures the halo flattening. We have used the H i velocity dispersion, derived from the stacked H i emission lines and the disk surface density, determined from the H i flux distribution, to determine the disk potential and the halo shape at the R 25 and 1.5R 25 radii. We have applied our model to 20 nearby galaxies, of which six are large disk galaxies with M(stellar) > 1010, eight have moderate stellar masses, and six are low-surface-brightness dwarf galaxies. Our most important result is that gas-rich galaxies that have M(gas)/M(baryons) > 0.5 have oblate halos (q < 0.55), whereas stellar-dominated galaxies have a range of q values from 0.21 ± 0.07 in NGC4190 to 1.27 ± 0.61 in NGC5194. Our results also suggest a positive correlation between the stellar mass and the halo oblateness q, which indicates that galaxies with massive stellar disks have a higher probability of having halos that are spherical or slightly prolate, whereas low-mass galaxies have oblate halos (q < 0.55).

An Experimental Facility with the High-Speed Moving Endwall for Axial Compressor Leakage Flow Research

The moving endwall has a great influence on the development and stability of axial compressor leakage flow. This paper presents a novel experimental facility with a high-speed moving endwall for studying axial compressor leakage flow. The uniqueness of the design concept is that using a large disk simulates the high-speed moving endwall. When R/Cx = 16, theoretical analysis shows that the maximum linear velocity difference is about 2.5% while the maximum axial velocity difference of the mid-three passages is less than 5%. Single-passage simulations show that the disk radius of R/Cx = 16 can achieve an acceptable accuracy in terms of static pressure, total pressure, and density flow. Seven-passage simulations confirm that the mid-three passages have small errors from the axial velocity difference. Subsequently, preliminary experimental results obtained from the experimental facility are presented. The results reveal that the moving endwall significantly changes the distributions of the total pressure loss and static pressure coefficient. The relative difference in the averaged total pressure loss between the experiment and CFD is 11.33% and 7.69% for the static and moving endwall, respectively. It is expected that the experimental facility will make more useful contributions to the understanding of axial compressor leakage flow in the future.

Lumbar arthroplasty for treatment of primary or recurrent lumbar disc herniation.

Microdiscectomy is the current gold standard surgical treatment for primary lumbar disc herniations that fail non-surgical measures. Herniated nucleus pulposus is the manifestation of underlying discopathy that remains unaddressed with microdiscectomy. Therefore, risk remains of recurrent disc herniation, progression of the degenerative cascade, and on-going discogenic pain. Lumbar arthroplasty allows for complete discectomy, complete direct and indirect decompression of neural elements, restoration of alignment, restoration of foraminal height, and preservation of motion. In addition, arthroplasty avoids disruption of posterior elements and musculoligamentous stabilizers. The purpose of this study is to describe the feasibility of the use of lumbar arthroplasty in the treatment of patients with primary or recurrent disc herniations. In addition, we describe the clinical and peri-operative outcomes associated with this technique. All patients that underwent lumbar arthroplasty by a single surgeon at a single institution from 2015 to 2020 were reviewed. All patients with radiculopathy and pre-operative imaging demonstrating disc herniation that received lumbar arthroplasty were included in the study. In general, these patients were those with large disc herniations, advanced degenerative disc disease, and a clinical component of axial back pain. Patient-reported outcomes of VAS back, VAS leg, and ODI pre-operatively, at threemonths, oneyear, and at last follow-up were collected. Reoperation rate, patient satisfaction, and return to work were documented at last follow-up. Twenty-four patients underwent lumbar arthroplasty during the study period. Twenty-two (91.6%) patients underwent lumbar total disc replacement (LTDR) for a primary disc herniation. Two patients (8.3%) underwent LTDR for a recurrent disc herniation after prior microdiscectomy. The mean age was 40years. The mean pre-operative VAS leg and back pain were 9.2 and 8.9, respectively. The mean pre-operative ODI was 22.3. Mean VAS back and leg pain was 1.2 and 0.5 at threemonths post-operative. The mean VAS back and leg pain was 1.3 and 0.6 at oneyear post-operative. The mean ODI was 3.0 at oneyear post-operative. One patient (4.2%) underwent re-operation for migrated arthroplasty device which required repositioning. At last follow-up, 92% of patients were satisfied with their outcome and would undergo the same treatment again. The mean time for return-to-work was 4.8weeks. After returning to work, 89% of patients required no further leave of absence for recurrent back or leg pain at last follow-up. Forty-four percent of patients were pain free at last follow-up. Most patients with lumbar disc herniations can avoid surgical intervention altogether. Of those that require surgical treatment, microdiscectomy may be appropriate for certain patients with preserved disc height and extruded fragments. In a subset of patients with lumbar disc herniation that require surgical treatment, lumbar total disc replacement is an effective option by performing complete discectomy, restoring disc height, restoring alignment, and preserving motion. The restoration of physiologic alignment and motion may result in durable outcomes for these patients. Longer follow-up and comparative and prospective trials are needed to determine how the outcomes of microdiscectomy may differ from lumbar total disc replacement in the treatment of primary or recurrent disc herniation.

First Report of Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, Infecting Buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum, in State of São Paulo, Brazil.

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) belongs to the Polygonaceae family and has been widely cultivated due to its high nutritional, nutraceutical, and medicinal properties. Brazil ranks seventh-largest producer, with 66,000 tons produced in 2018. Buckwheat is also valued for its adaptability as a cover crop, in grain fields of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr., maize (Zea mays L.), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) (Görgen et al. 2016, Babu et al. 2018) especially in fields highly infested with plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN). PPN cause severe root damage, suppressing plant development and yield production. In October 2018, six samples of roots and soil were collected in symptomatic patches of buckwheat, in Guaíra SP (20° 19' 32"S 48° 13' 15.4"W). Samples were analyzed in the Nematology Laboratory (LabNema), UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, BR. Plants presented symptoms of yellow leaves and galled and volume-reduced roots. Meloidogyne sp. was found, comprising 6,320 eggs and second-stage juveniles (J2s) from 10 g of root and 1,628 J2s in 100 cm³ of soil. Adult morphological characteristics, isoenzyme phenotype of esterase, and molecular analysis were performed to identify the Meloidogyne species. The perineal patterns presented high and trapezoidal dorsal arch (n=15), and the males showed a trapezoidal labial region, including a high head cap formed by a large round labial disc that is raised above the medial lips and centrally concave (n=15) (Eisenback and Hirscmann 1981). These characteristics are typical in Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White, 1912) Chitwood, 1949 (Nascimento et al., 2020; Eisenback and Hirschmann 1981; Netscher and Taylor 1974). The enzymatic phenotype was performed with females (n=8), and the phenotype I1 was verified, described by Esbenshade and Triantaphyllou (1985) as typical for M. incognita. To confirm the species DNA samples were extracted from individual females (n=6) and PCR with specific primers for M. incognita (Mi-F 5'- GTGAGGATTCAGCTCCCCAG-3' and Mi-R 5'-ACGAGGAA CATACTTCTCCGTCC-3') and M. javanica (Treub) Chitwood 1949 (Fjav 5'-GGTGCGCGATTGAACTGAGC-3' and Rjav 5'-CAG GCCCTTCAGTGGAACTATAC-3') that amplify SCAR markers described by Meng et al. (2004) and Zijlstra et al. (2000), respectively, and specific primers for M. enterolobii Yang & Eisenback 1983 that amplify rDNA-IGS2 region (Me-F 5'-AACTTTTG TGAAAGTGCCGCTG-3' and Me-R 5'-TCAGTTCAGGCAGG ATCAACC-3') described by Long et al. (2006) were tested. A fragment of 955 pb DNA size was amplified in Mi-F/R primer, which confirmed the M. incognita identification (Meng et. al., 2004). The original population was used to execute pathogenicity test. In a greenhouse, single buckwheat seeds (cv. IPR 91 Baili) were sown in six 5L pots filled with autoclaved-soil and inoculated with 3,000 eggs and J2s per pot (n=6) and control (n=6). After 60 days, the nematodes were extracted from roots and the M. incognita was confirmed. An average of 15,738 eggs and J2s were recovered, (reproductive factor = 5.24), which confirmed buckwheat as a host to M. incognita. The inoculated plants showed symptoms as those observed in the field. No symptom or nematode was noted on the control. Meloidogyne incognita has been reported causing high damage to the F. esculentum in California (Gardner and Caswell-Chen 1994) plus several crops in Brazil (Nascimento et al., 2020). However, this is the first report of this nematode infecting buckwheat in Brazil. Given the importance of buckwheat in Brazil, with extensive use as forage, cover crop, and its nutritional properties, this report is essential to specific management measures are adopted to avoid further losses.

Automatic preform design and optimization for aeroengine disk forgings

To ensure a more uniform forging distribution microstructure and improve the service performance of aeroengine disk parts, an automated preform design method is proposed for integrated preform shape design and optimization based on the non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) curve, finite element method, and genetic algorithm (GA). First, the random preform shape graph is automatically constructed by the NURBS curve design criterion. The volume and shape complexity are used as the constraints of the preform. Second, the ratio of the mesh area within the set strain range to the total mesh area is used as the fitness function for the uniformity of deformation, and the GA is used for optimization. Finally, a large disk forging is an example of its optimal design. Results show that the deformation uniformity of the forgings is excellent, its fitness value is as high as 99.59%, and problems, such as folding, underfilling, and limited distribution of flash, do not exist, thereby verifying the effectiveness of the method. In addition, the method has the advantage of strong universality, that is, it can find the preform shape with good deformation uniformity for any shape forgings.

Screening fundus photography predicts and reveals risk factors for glaucoma conversion in eyes with large optic disc cupping

This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for glaucoma conversion and progression in eyes with large optic disc cupping without retinal nerve fiber layer defect (RNFLD). Five hundred forty-two eyes of 271 subjects who had a vertical cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) ≥ 0.6 without RNFLD were enrolled. Characteristics for optic disc configuration (including CDR, vertical cupping, ISNT rule, disc ovality, peripapillary atrophy [PPA]-to-disc area [DA] ratio, and lamina cribrosa pore visibility) and blood vessels (including central retinal vessel trunk [CRVT] nasalization, bayoneting of vessels, baring of circumlinear vessels, history of disc hemorrhage [DH] and vessel narrowing/sclerotic change) were evaluated. From a median follow-up of 11.3 years, 26.6% of eyes (n = 144) developed RNFLD within a median of 5.1 years. Baseline factors, including vertical CDR ≥ 0.7 (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.12), vertical cupping (HR = 1.93), ISNT rule violation (HR = 2.84), disc ovality ≥ 1.2 (HR = 1.61), PPA-to-DA ratio ≥ 0.4 (HR = 1.77), CRVT nasalization ≥ 60% (HR = 1.77), vessel narrowing/sclerotic change (HR = 2.13), DH history (HR = 5.60), and baseline intraocular pressure ≥ 14 mmHg (HR = 1.70) were significantly associated with glaucoma conversion (all Ps < 0.05). An HR-matched scoring system based on initial fundus photography predicted glaucoma conversion with specificity of 90.4%. Careful examination of the optic nerve head and vascular structures can help to predict the risk of glaucoma conversion in eyes with large optic disc cupping.

JWST’s PEARLS: A JWST/NIRCam View of ALMA Sources

We report the results of James Webb Space Telescope/NIRCam observations of 19 (sub)millimeter sources detected by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). The accurate ALMA positions allowed unambiguous identifications of their NIRCam counterparts. Taking gravitational lensing into account, these represent 16 distinct galaxies in three fields and constitute the largest sample of its kind to date. The counterparts’ spectral energy distributions cover from rest-frame ultraviolet to near-IR and provide photometric redshifts (1 < z < 4.5) and stellar masses (M * > 1010.5 M ⊙), which are similar to submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) studied previously. However, our sample is fainter in (sub)millimeter than the classic SMG samples are, and our sources exhibit a wider range of properties. They have dust-embedded star formation rates as low as 10 M ⊙ yr−1, and the sources populate both the star-forming main sequence and the quiescent categories. The deep NIRCam data allow us to study the rest-frame near-IR morphologies. Excluding two multiply imaged systems and one quasar, the majority of the remaining sources are disk-like and show either little or no disturbance. This suggests that secular growth is a potential route for the assembly of high-mass disk galaxies. While a few objects have large disks, the majority have small disks (median half-mass radius of 1.6 kpc). At this time, it is unclear whether this is due to the prevalence of small disks at these redshifts or some unknown selection effects of deep ALMA observations. A larger sample of ALMA sources with NIRCam observations will be able to address this question.