Low Depth Research Articles

Abstract Su402: Comprehensive Assessment of Chest Compression Quality Across All Phases of Prehospital Care Using a Manikin

Background: High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is crucial for improving the prognosis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. The quality of chest compressions may vary during different phases of prehospital care. Objectives: To investigate changes in chest compression quality during prehospital activities and identify the causes. Methods: Eleven emergency medical teams of three members each participated. Using a manikin (Laerdal QCPR), we measured achievement rates of compression depth (≥5 cm) and recoil, compression rate, and chest compression fraction (CCF). The process from the scene to the hospital bed was divided into four phases: 1) on-site, 2) transport from the scene to the ambulance (canvas stretcher), 3) in the ambulance, 4) transport from the ambulance to the hospital bed (wheeled stretcher). We analyzed the quality changes in chest compressions and the causes of degradation or interruptions. Each team performed both manual CPR (Man-CPR) and mechanical CPR (Mech-CPR) using the LUCAS3 device. The scenario assumed cardiac arrest on the second floor, transport down stairs to the ambulance, and a 15-minute drive to the hospital. ACLS was established in Phase 1 and continued until hospital arrival. In Mech-CPR, a mechanical CPR device was applied in Phase 1 and used throughout all phases. Results: Man-CPR showed lower compression depth achievement in Phases 2 and 4 compared to Phases 1 and 3, mainly due to transport transitions (Fig. 1). CCF was high in Phases 1 and 3 but decreased in Phases 2 and 4 due to these transitions. Interruptions in Phases 1 and 3 were due to checking ECG rhythm, securing an airway, and confirming ventilation. Recoil achievement was low across all phases. Mech-CPR showed high achievement rates for compression depth and recoil across all phases and maintained high CCF. However, Man-CPR had a higher CCF in Phase 1 than Mech-CPR due to interruptions for device application. Mech-CPR had no degradation due to dual work, but improper application caused long degradations and interruptions. The longest interruption times were 69 seconds (transport) for Man-CPR and 25 seconds (device application) for Mech-CPR. Both Man-CPR and Mech-CPR maintained compression rates within the guideline range of 100-120/min, with Man-CPR tending to be faster. Conclusion: Chest compression quality varies from the scene to hospital arrival. Man-CPR and Mech-CPR have different causes of quality changes and interruptions.

QLTI-06. NEXT GENERATION SEQUENCING SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES THE DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY IN GLIOBLASTOMAS

Abstract The 2021 WHO Classification of CNS Tumours recognizes the presence of TERT promoter (pTERT) mutations, combined +7/-10 chromosome copy-number alterations, or EGFR amplification as a defining molecular feature(s) of glioblastoma, independent of histology. We evaluated these biomarkers in a cohort of Indian patients using a single-run next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform at a relatively low depth of 100. Seventy-four adult diffuse gliomas were selected from the Exsegen Genomics Research Pvt Ltd Biobank established during the trial CTRI/2021/09/036861 after reviewing their clinical and pathological data. Paired surgical tissue and blood samples underwent whole-exome sequencing on an Illumina NovaSeq-6000 (Illumina, San Diego, USA). Single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) were processed using the DRAGEN pipeline to generate Mutation Annotation Format (MAF) files. Copy number variations (CNVs) analysis was performed using GATK and GISTIC2.0. Thirty-nine glioma samples with IDH1R132H mutations were excluded. A total of 32/35 (91.4%) IDH-wildtype tumours met the 2021 WHO criteria for glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype and were included. Twenty-four glioblastomas also underwent whole-transcriptome analysis. Microvascular proliferation (n=24, 75%) and necrosis (n=30, 93.9%) were present in the majority. pTERT mutations were identified in 23 (71.9%) samples, with C228T mutations (n=15/23, 65.2%) being more common than C250T mutations (n=8/23, 34.8%). EGFR amplification, defined as ≥5 copies by NGS CNV, was seen in 15 (46.9%) samples, with a strong correlation between EGFR CNV and logEGFR expression (r=0.79; p=0.017). Whole-arm +7/-10 genotype was evident in 17 (53.1%) tumours, and another 5 (15.6%) showed partial copy-number alterations. Notably, two gliomas without necrosis and proliferation initially diagnosed as oligodendrogliomas due to misinterpretation of the IDH immunostain, were reclassified as glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype. The data was validated using Sanger Sequencing and targeted panel sequencing to a depth of 500. Even low depth NGS sequencing, that is cost effective and time efficient offers significant improvements in diagnostic molecular neuropathology.

Reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of Acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the Florida Keys

AbstractThe success of coral restoration for the critically endangered Acropora palmata is understudied. Here, we examined how habitat and coral microbiomes influenced survivorship in four genets of A. palmata outplanted in three reefs. A. palmata microbiomes were correlated to reef and habitat and minimally to coral genet. Carysfort Reef exhibited the lowest survivorship which correlated to lower current velocity and a higher relative abundance of Rhodobacterales in A. palmata. Higher survivorship was present at Pickles Reef which correlated to the highest current velocity, and at North Dry Rocks with the shallowest outplant depth. Habitat factors driven by time of year such as higher levels of nitrate, nitrite, and temperature also correlated with a relative increase in a putative pathogen, Alteromonadales, and a decrease in an uncharacterized core bacteria. We suggest outplanting at sites with high currents, lower depths, and at lower concentrations of nitrate/nitrite to increase A. palmata survivorship.

Monitoring groundwater vulnerability for sustainable water resource management: A DRASTIC-based comparative assessment in a newly township area of Bangladesh

Groundwater is a vital source of freshwater in our daily lives. Global and local groundwater quality are degrading due to rapid urbanization, human interference, and policy variations, which is prominent in developing nations like Bangladesh. The major purpose of this research is to analyze aquifer vulnerability in Bangladesh's north-central area (Mymensingh) using conventional and modified DRASTIC modeling. Seven influencing hydrogeological factors were employed to develop and integrate conventional DRASTIC modeling: soil media, net recharge, aquifer depth, aquifer media, topography, hydraulic conductivity, and influence of vadose zone, while land use and lineament density were used with them for modified DRASTIC modeling. The findings from four vulnerability analysis detected 29.56% (93.35 sq.km), 22.24% (83.12 sq. km), 28.52 (106.93 sq. km), and 37.6% (140.55 sq.km) of the study area as high to very high vulnerable zones for groundwater pollution. Lower groundwater depth, higher hydraulic conductivity, moderate to high groundwater recharge, dense lineaments, dense settlement, agricultural land, and inland waterbodies together might indicate a high vulnerability in the research area. The validation results based on EC and nitrate levels show that conventional (r = 0.884, p ≤ 0.01; r = 0.951, p ≤ 0.01) and modified DRASTIC models (r = 0.868, p ≤ 0.01; r = 0.840, p ≤ 0.01) have a stronger association with unconfined aquifers, than confined aquifers. Modification with both additional parameters showed more accuracy compared to the conventional one. Frequent monitoring of groundwater quality in high and moderately vulnerable zones is recommended for earlier detection and prevention of potential aquifer degradation.

Detectability of runs of homozygosity is influenced by analysis parameters and population-specific demographic history.

Wild populations are increasingly threatened by human-mediated climate change and land use changes. As populations decline, the probability of inbreeding increases, along with the potential for negative effects on individual fitness. Detecting and characterizing runs of homozygosity (ROHs) is a popular strategy for assessing the extent of individual inbreeding present in a population and can also shed light on the genetic mechanisms contributing to inbreeding depression. Here, we analyze simulated and empirical datasets to demonstrate the downstream effects of program selection and long-term demographic history on ROH inference, leading to context-dependent biases in the results. Through a sensitivity analysis we evaluate how various parameter values impact on ROH-calling results, highlighting its utility as a tool for parameter exploration. Our results indicate that ROH inferences are sensitive to factors such as sequencing depth and ROH length distribution, and with bias direction and magnitude varying with demographic history and the programs used. Estimation biases are particularly pronounced at lower sequencing depths, potentially leading to either underestimation or overestimation of inbreeding. These results are particularly important for the management of endangered species, as underestimating inbreeding signals in the genome can substantially undermine conservation initiatives. We also found that small true ROHs can be incorrectly lumped together and called as longer ROHs, leading to erroneous inference of recent inbreeding. To address these challenges, we suggest using a combination of ROH detection tools and ROH length-specific inferences, along with sensitivity analysis, to generate robust and context-appropriate population inferences regarding inbreeding history. We outline these recommendations for ROH estimation at multiple levels of sequencing effort, which are typical of conservation genomics studies.

Research on Spatial Morphological Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Industrial Heritage: A Case Study of Nine Industrial Heritages in Guizhou Province

Industrial heritage, recognized as a significant aspect of historical and cultural heritage, has garnered considerable attention from scholars globally. To elucidate the spatial morphological characteristics and the underlying influencing factors of industrial heritage within karst regions, this study employs methods such as the interstice index, fractal dimension analysis, and spatial syntax. It conducts research on the spatial morphological characteristics of nine typical industrial heritages in Guizhou Province. The primary factors contributing to the variations in layout forms are the intricate karst topography and the functional requirements of production. The functional zoning of industrial heritage aligns with its layout, characterized by straightforward functional zones that have not developed into composite spaces. The overall connectivity of industrial heritage is relatively low, exhibiting weak integration, significant disparities in control values, low average depth values, and a deficiency in comprehensibility and diversity of options. This indicates that the internal connectivity of industrial heritage spaces is generally inadequate, with low accessibility, strong interrelations, average convenience, limited connectivity, and generally acceptable passage. The overall spatial, architectural, and roadway configurations of industrial heritage predominantly exhibit a uniform pattern. Importantly, industrial heritage reveals a highly variable overall spatial form, with an average fractal dimension of 1.57, complex architectural layouts (average fractal dimension of 1.50), and simplistic road network designs (average fractal dimension of 1.43), which collectively suggest high spatial complexity and irregular characteristics. This study can provide a reference for the analysis of spatial characteristics and influencing factors of other material cultural heritages, and it is of great significance for the systematic protection and revitalization of industrial heritage.

Key effects on the structural behavior of fiber-reinforced lightweight concrete-ribbed slabs: A review

Abstract A concrete slab is one of the chief structural members in buildings, considered the most prominent member consuming concrete. Structural engineers are challenged to work on the new trend introduced using different slabs. One-way ribbed slabs are commonly used in construction due to their efficiency in spanning long distances while maintaining a low overall depth and giving the least possible number of columns. The main limitation of slab design in the construction of a reinforced concrete structure is the span between columns; a greater span between columns necessitates more supported beams or increased slab thickness; these requirements lead to an increase in the structure weight due to other concrete and steel which make the structure more costly. On the other hand, any increase in the structure’s self-weight limits the horizontal slab’s span, increases the structure’s stress, and raises the inertia forces that must be resisted. Lightweight aggregate concrete has been effectively utilized for structural applications for a long time. The density of lightweight concrete (LWC) is sometimes more essential than its strength in structural applications. The dead load is reduced for structural design and foundations when the density is lower for the same strength level. Reinforced concrete ribbed slabs have become increasingly popular in industry construction as an alternative to solid slabs in building structures. The incorporation of steel fibers facilitates flexural softening, which takes longer than sudden brittle failure, indicating its ability to increase energy absorption and improve crack behavior. Designing structures requires materials with higher strength-to-weight ratios. Ribs and LWCs are two leading sustainable assets. The world is moving toward sustainability by reducing the amount of concrete used and the overall weight of the unit. Studies have shown that the drop in compressive strength was about 4.85–65.55%. The structural performance of lightweight fiber-reinforced concrete slabs is influenced by the concrete mix ratio, fiber type and content, reinforcement detail, and rib geometry. The study provides valuable insights into the properties and performance of key effects on the structural behavior of fiber-reinforced LWC-ribbed slabs. It provides recommendations for future research and advancement of sustainable building methods.

High-speed turning of AISI 4340 alloy steel using carbide tools in a sustainable minimum quantity lubrication environment

Purpose This study aims to investigate the machining performance of CVD-coated carbide tools by considering most crucial machinability aspects: cutting force, tool life, surface roughness and chip morphology in high-speed hard turning of AISI 4340 alloy steel under a sustainable minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) environment. Design/methodology/approach The purpose of this study is to analyze the performance of coated carbide tools under MQL environment therefore, machining tests were performed in accordance with the Taguchi L9 orthogonal array, accommodating the three crucial machining parameters such as cutting speed (V = 300–400 m/min), feed rate (F = 0.1–0.2 mm/rev) and depth of cut (DOC = 0.2–0.4 mm). The measured or calculated values obtained in each experimental run were validated for normality assumptions before drawing any statistical inferences. Taguchi signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and analysis of variance methodologies were used to examine the effect of machining variables on the performance outcomes. Findings The quantitative analysis revealed that the depth of cut exerted the most significant influence on cutting force, with a contributing rate of 60.72%. Cutting speed was identified as the primary variable affecting the tool life, exhibiting a 47.58% contribution, while feed rate had the most dominating impact on surface roughness, with an overall contributing rate of 89.95%. The lowest cutting force (184.55 N) and the longest tool life (7.10 min) were achieved with low machining parameters at V = 300 m/min, F = 0.1 mm/rev, DOC = 0.2 mm. Conversely, the lowest surface roughness (496 nm) was achieved with high cutting speed, low feed rate and moderate depth of cut at V = 400 m/min, F = 0.1 mm/rev and DOC = 0.3 mm. Moreover, the microscopic examination of the chips revealed a serrated shape formation under all machining conditions. However, the degree of serration increased with an incremental raise with cutting speed and feed rate. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to study the effect of machining parameters within the stated range of cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut as well as other parameters. Practical implications Practitioners may consider to adopt this machining technique to create more sustainable working environment as well as eliminate the disposal cost of the used metal cutting fluid. Social implications By applying this machining technique, diseases caused by metal cutting fluid to the mechanist will be significantly reduced, therefore creating better lifestyles. Originality/value Hard turning is commonly carried out with advanced cutting tools such as ceramics, cubic boron nitride and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride to attain exceptional surface finish. However, the high cost of these tools necessitates exploration of alternative approaches. Therefore, this study investigates the potential of using cost-effective, multilayer-coated carbide tools under MQL conditions to achieve comparable surface quality. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-01-2024-0013/

The spatiotemporal and dependency analysis of selected meteorological parameters and normalized difference vegetation index with aerosol optical depth over east Africa

The unprecedented rise in atmospheric aerosols, coupled with their intricate interactions with the environment through a wide array of physical, chemical, and biological processes, has profoundly impacted global climate. Their presence in the atmosphere scatters and absorbs solar radiation, thus altering the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth's surface. These direct effects, along with the indirect effects of aerosols, have significantly altered atmospheric temperatures, land surface processes, global surface temperature, hydrological cycle, and ecosystems. Understanding the complex interplay between aerosols and climatic variables necessitates a multidisciplinary approach, such as dependency modeling. Addressing these challenges, the current study conducts a spatiotemporal correlational analysis of selected key meteorological parameters with aerosol optical depth over East Africa (EA) using multisensory data from Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Application (MERRA-2) model, and Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM). Employing a weighted least squares regression (WLS) model, the study quantifies trends in the time series of climatic variables and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), further utilizing a statistical dependency modeling technique for correlational analysis. The trend analysis reveals a significant decreasing trend in surface wind speed (SWS) in most months, with sporadic positive trends attributed to anthropogenic activities, notably biomass burning, observed in January. Spatial trend analysis of Precipitation Rate (PR) displays heterogeneity, with significant negative trends in January and March, and positive trends in February, April, November, and December. Negative trends during May to August are attributed to increased anthropogenic activities, while enhanced positive trends in May correlate with low aerosol optical depth (AOD) during this period. Surface air temperature (SAT) exhibits diverse variations across the region, with dry months recording higher averages and trends than wet months. The study notes heterogeneous correlations in NDVI over the study area, with positive and negative correlations observed in different regions. Specifically, positive correlations are noted along the coastal and Lake Victoria regions, attributed to improved PR enhancing vegetation cover in these areas.

Experimental and numerical evaluation of soil water and salt dynamics in a corn field with shallow saline groundwater and crop-season drip and autumn post-harvest irrigations

In areas with shallow saline groundwater, soil salts inevitably accumulate in the root zone during the growth period due to irrigation and upward movement of salts from the groundwater. In Northern China, autumn irrigation (AIR) with large amounts of water is commonly employed post-harvest to mitigate soil salt stress on crop growth in the subsequent year. Optimizing the total irrigation depth during both crop-growth and non-growth periods is challenging because of the movement of soil salts, which is influenced by their two-dimensional distribution around drippers and the impact of the winter freeze-thaw cycles, significantly affecting water flow and solute transport during winter. In this study, the HYDRUS-1D and HYDRUS-2D models were integrated and calibrated using experimental data collected from 2021 to 2023 in China's Ordos south bank irrigation area. This model integration was conducted to assess soil water and salt dynamics during the non-growth and corn-growth periods under different irrigation strategies: a) AIR with high (AH) and low (AL) irrigation depths, and b) drip irrigation (DIR) with high (DH), medium (DM), and low (DL) irrigation depths. The results indicated that HYDRUS effectively modeled the electrical conductivity of the saturation paste extract (ECe) across different irrigation strategies, yielding an average coefficient of determination (R2) and the root mean square errors (RMSE) of 0.87 and 0.53 dS m−1, respectively. Generally, ECe increased during the growth period with DIR and decreased during the non-growth period with AIR. For the 0–40 cm soil layer, ECe decreased by 5.7 % and 12 % for every 100 mm increase in the AIR and DIR depths, respectively. Compared with the AHDM and AHDL treatments, reducing an AIR depth and increasing a DIR depth resulted in lower ECe in the 0–40 cm layer during the growth period and higher crop yield (CY) and irrigation water productivity (WPI). Specifically, the average ECe in the 0–40 cm layer decreased by 4.8 % during the growth period in the ALDH treatment compared to the AHDM treatment, and CY and WPI increased by 7.2 % and 10.3 %, respectively. Additionally, the irrigation strategy was the most effective in reducing ECe when AIR accounted for 35 % of the total irrigation. This study suggested that combining low AIR and high DIR could enhance water and field productivity.

Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Boreholes Data to Investigate the Near-Surface Structure under the Campus Area of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey (Türkiye)

We study the soil foundation underneath the Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMU) campus, Çanakkale, Türkiye by employing the electrical resistivity tomography – ERT supported by 27 boreholes data. The studied area taking place in southwest Marmara region was historically affected by large earthquakes () created by the North Anatolian Fault system. The boreholes data show that the near surface structure beneath the ÇOMU campus is made of mostly silty sands and marls. A high sensitivity resistivity instrument is used to collect the field data in which nine ERT profiles reaching lengths as long as 315 m are utilized. The current geoelectrical measurements are simulated by using two numerical models to estimate the inversion depth sensitivity from which it is found satisfactory in the depth range 0-30 m and then somewhat decreasing. The observed electrical resistivity values are in the range 2-160 W m. The geoelectrical structure corresponding to the silty sands are represented by low resistivities (<20 W m) while the high resistivity (>40 W m) depth sections are associated with the marl units. The resistivity structure beneath the ÇOMU campus is complex where both low and high resistivity depth sections reside side by side. The groundwater and clay mineralogy contribute to the broad changes in the subsurface resistivities. The groundwater flow below the steep terrain of the ÇOMU campus causes low resistivities (<10 W m) deeper than 10-m depth. The boreholes data superimposed on the two-dimensional (2-D) ERT profiles show consistency with the resistivity-depth distributions at corresponding depths.

Hydraulic traits exert greater limitations on tree-level maximum sap flux density than photosynthetic ability: Global evidence

Transpiration is a key process that couples the land-atmosphere exchange of water and carbon, and its maximum water transport ability affects plant productivity. Functional traits significantly influence the maximum transpiration rate; however, which factor plays the dominant role remains unknown. SAPFLUXNET dataset, which includes sap flux density of diverse species worldwide, provides fundamental data to test the importance of photosynthetic and hydraulic traits on maximum tree-level sap flux density (Js_max). Here, we investigated variations in Js_max of 2194 trees across 129 species using data from the SAPFLUXNET dataset, and analysed the relationship of Js_max with photosynthetic and hydraulic traits. Our results indicated that Js_max was positively correlated with photosynthetic traits at both leaf and tree level. Regarding hydraulic traits, Js_max was positively related to xylem hydraulic conductivity (Ks), leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity (Kl), xylem pressure inducing 50 % loss of hydraulic conductivity (P50), xylem vessel diameter (Vdia), and leaf-to-sapwood area ratio (AlAs). Random forest model showed that 87 % of the variability in Js_max can be explained by functional traits, and hydraulic traits (e.g., P50 and sapwood area, As) exerted larger effects on Js_max than photosynthetic traits. Moreover, trees with a lower sapwood area or depth could increase their sap flux density to compensate for the reduced whole-tree transpiration. Js_max of the angiosperms was significantly higher than that of the gymnosperms. Mean annual total precipitation (MAP) were positively related to Js_max with a weak correlation coefficient. Furthermore, Js_max showed a significant phylogenetic signal with Blomberg's K below 0.2. Overall, tree species with acquisitive resource economics or more efficient hydraulic systems show higher water transport capacity, and the efficiency of xylem hydraulic system rather than the demand for carbon uptake predominantly determines water transport capacity.

Non-volatile and Secure Optical Storage Medium with Multilevel Information Encryption.

Non-volatile photomemory based on photomodulated luminescent materials offers unique advantages over voltage-driven memory, including low residual crosstalk and high storage speed. However, conventional materials have thus far been volatile and insecure for data storage because of low trap depth and single-level storage channels. Therefore, the development of a novel non-volatile multilevel storage medium for data encryption remains a challenge. Herein, a robust, non-volatile, multilevel optical storage medium is reported, based on a photomodulated Ba3MgSi2O8:Eu3+, which combined the merits of light-induced valence (Eu3+ → Eu2+) and photochromic phenomena using optical stimulation effects, accompanied by larger luminescent and color contrasts (>90%). These two unique features provided dual-level storage channels in a single host, significantly improving the data storage security. Notably, dual-level optical signals could be written and erased simultaneously by alternating 265 and 365 nm light stimuli. Theoretical calculations indicated that robust color centers induced by intrinsic interstitial Mg and vacancy defects with suitable trap depths enable excellent reversibility and long-term storage capability. By relying on different luminescent readout mechanisms, the encrypted dual-level information can be accurately decrypted by separately probing the Eu2+ and Eu3+ signals, thus ensuring information security. This study proposes a novel approach for constructing multilevel information storage channels for information security.

Assembly of Mitochondrial Genomes Using Nanopore Long-Read Technology in Three Sea Chubs (Teleostei: Kyphosidae).

Complete mitochondrial genomes have become markers of choice to explore phylogenetic relationships at multiple taxonomic levels and they are often assembled using whole genome short-read sequencing. Herein, using three species of sea chubs as an example, we explored the accuracy of mitochondrial chromosomes assembled using Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) Kit 14 R10.4.1 long reads at different sequencing depths (high, low and very low or genome skimming) by comparing them to 'gold' standard reference mitochondrial genomes assembled using Illumina NovaSeq short reads. In two species of sea chubs, Girella nigricans and Kyphosus azureus, ONT long-read assembled mitochondrial genomes at high sequencing depths (> 25× whole [nuclear] genome) were identical to their respective short-read assembled mitochondrial genomes. Not a single 'homopolymer insertion', 'homopolymer deletion', 'simple substitution', 'single insertion', 'short insertion', 'single deletion' or 'short deletion' were detected in the long-read assembled mitochondrial genomes after aligning each one of them to their short-read counterparts. In turn, in a third species, Medialuna californiensis, a 25× sequencing depth long-read assembled mitochondrial genome was 14 nucleotides longer than its short-read counterpart. The difference in total length between the latter two assemblies was due to the presence of a short motif 14 bp long that was repeated (twice) in the long read but not in the short-read assembly. Read subsampling at a sequencing depth of 1× resulted in the assembly of partial or complete mitochondrial genomes with numerous errors, including, among others, simple indels, and indels at homopolymer regions. At 3× and 5× subsampling, genomes were identical (perfect) or almost identical (quasiperfect, 99.5% over 16,500 bp) to their respective Illumina assemblies. The newly assembled mitochondrial genomes exhibit identical gene composition and organisation compared with cofamilial species and a phylomitogenomic analysis based on translated protein-coding genes suggested that the family Kyphosidae is not monophyletic. The same analysis detected possible cases of misidentification of mitochondrial genomes deposited in GenBank. This study demonstrates that perfect (complete and fully accurate) or quasiperfect (complete but with a single or a very few errors) mitochondrial genomes can be assembled at high (> 25×) and low (3-5×) but not very low (1×, genome skimming) sequencing depths using ONT long reads and the latest ONT chemistries (Kit 14 and R10.4.1 flowcells with SUP basecalling). The newly assembled and annotated mitochondrial genomes can be used as a reference in environmental DNA studies focusing on bioprospecting and biomonitoring of these and other coastal species experiencing environmental insult. Given the small size of the sequencing device and low cost, we argue that ONT technology has the potential to improve access to high-throughput sequencing technologies in low- and moderate-income countries.

An optical field regulation method for waterjet-guided laser: Reducing taper and improving deep-processing capability

Waterjet-guided laser (WGL) processing technology has the advantages of low thermal damage, no contact stress and ultra-fine processing. However, the energy distribution of the existing technology in the laminar flow water column is still characterized by Gaussian distribution, which leads to taper effect in the processing of thick plate materials and affects the deep-processing capability. To address these shortcomings, a novel waterjet laser-field regulation (WLR) method is proposed in this paper. Optical simulation and coupling experiments confirm the method's ability to modulate the energy within the waterjet into a circular distribution, which solves the problem of low power density near the surface of the waterjet. Waterjet-guided laser cutting experiments were conducted based on the WLR method, and the taper was significantly reduced compared to the conventional WGL. At a power of 12 W, the taper was reduced from 5.85° to 2.28°, a reduction of 61 %. In terms of processing depth, the WLR method cuts slightly lower groove depths with a low number of cuts, but as the number of cuts increases, the groove depth steadily increases and exceeds that of the conventional WGL. At 500 cuts with a laser power of 20 W, the groove depths obtained by the WLR method increased by 115 % compared to that of the conventional WGL. This study has important implications for the processing of thick materials by waterjet-guided laser.

ОНИМ «ГОРЬКИЙ» И РИТОРИКА ПЬЕСЫ «НА ДНЕ» В СОВРЕМЕННОЙ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОЙ МЕТАФОРЕ

The article examines metaphors from M. Gorky’s play “The Lower Depths” in the printed and electronic media texts of the last decade. In the contemporaty political discourse they are represented in a wide range of structural and functional vatiations: exact quotation; truncated quotation; quotation with the replacement of one part or the introduction of an additional component into the construction; cognitive function, clarifying the nature of a particular social phenomenon or object; emotive-evaluative and modeling functions, clarifying the meaning of a certain social phenomenon or aiming at its discrediting; hypothetical and polemical functions, characterizing civilizational processes. The article reveals that the onym «Gorky» is less spread than Gorkian metaphors in the contemporary as well as in the entire post-Soviet media. In the early Soviet journalism the situation was the opposite. It is noted that in the 1920s Gorkian metaphors were negatively applied to the personality of the writer himself; the 1930s were characterized by the unprecedented frequency of the usage of the onym in order to glorify the writer, while his creative work was quite neglected. Meanwhile, elements of direct and implicit polemics with the author of «The Lower Depths» in contemporary media, and the «Gorky.media» Internet project reveal certain convergence of the onym with the metaphor. The article states that the attention to Gorky’s rhetoric in the media environment is mostly related to the peculiarities of the writer’s creative personality (artist and public figure in one person) as well as to his genre and style preferences (maxims, aphorisms, allegory, symbol, journalistic techniques).

Hidden species diversity in the Enteromius Cope, 1867 (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the Aruwimi basin (Middle Congo) in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Two new African minnow species, Enteromius cerinus sp. nov. and Enteromius ruforum sp. nov., are described for science from the Angadiko River, a left-bank sub-affluent of first order of the Nepoko River, draining the north-eastern part of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR). Both new species belong to the group of Enteromius for which the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray is flexible and underrated. Within this morphological group, both are most similar to Enteromius kamolondoensis, especially in life colour pattern characteristics. However, Enteromius cerinus sp. nov. differs from E. kamolondoensis by its low number of circumpeduncular scales, 10-11 (vs. 12), low maximum body depth, 22.8%-25.7% standard length (Ls) (vs. 26.1%-30.0%), and long anterior and posterior barbel lengths, 32.6%-35.3% head length (LH) (vs. 23.6%-27.2%) and 41.6%-43.9% LH (vs. 30.3%-34.9%), respectively. Further, E. ruforum sp. nov. is also easily distinguished from E. kamolondoensis by its high maximum body depth, 30.6%-33.3% Ls (vs. 26.1%-30.0%), and small, isometric, eye diameter, 26.2%-28.0% LH (vs. 29.1%-31.9%). A barcoding study (mtDNA, cytochrome oxidase subunit I [COI]) revealed that specimens of both new species form lineages well differentiated from those of other available species. As such, (i) E. cerinus sp. nov. diverges from E. kamolondoensis by a K2P genetic distance (GD) of 10.3% and (ii) E. ruforum sp. nov. by a K2P GD of 11.2%. To the present day, the fish fauna of the left-bank sub-affluents of the Nepoko River, in general, remains poorly known or undocumented. Unfortunately, at the same time, multiple anthropogenic impacts are affecting this fauna, such as (i) the destruction of habitats along the river banks for agriculture and fishing and (ii) the use of illegal fishing practices, such as fishing with plant-based ichthyotoxins during ecopage, which is combined with dam building. As a result of the demographic growth, this ecopage results in overfishing and thus is threatening both new species in particular, but all other co-occurring fish species as well. Both new species, E. cerinus sp. nov. and E. ruforum sp. nov., should thus be considered Vulnerable (VU) according to IUCN criterion D2. It is therefore hoped that their discovery highlights the urgent need for a better protection and further in situ exploration of the reserve's freshwater (fish) biodiversity, in general, and that of those small sub-affluents, in particular.

SPECIFIC FEATURES OF TIDAL EXCHANGE IN THE KURIL STRAITS ACCORDING TO MODELING DATA

Specific features of tidal fluctuations of sea level and tidal currents in the straits of the Kuril Islands are studied using numerical modeling. Two-time intervals, i. e. 02.06.1977-03.06.1977 and 11.10.1977-12.10.1977, were taken to compare the parameters of tropical and equatorial tides. The simulation results were verified with the field data. It was found that the straits of the northeastern part of the Kuril Ridge have a mixed type of tides with a predominance of the diurnal course, and in the southwestern part a semi-diurnal course prevails. The highest tides (up to 2,5-3 m) in the study period were observed on 02.06.1977 near the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Hokkaido Island, as well as large islands of the Kuril Ridge. Four main oscillation periods of 12, 12,4, 24 and 25,8 hours were identified, which corresponds to the S2, M2, K1 and O1 harmonics. Analysis of the data obtained showed that the maximum velocities of the depthaveraged currents reach 4,5 m/s. The highest speeds were recorded in the Kruzenshtern, Frieze and Sredny Straits. Estimates of the tidal flow have shown that semi-daily fluctuations are more pronounced in the straits with lower average depths during a tropical tide. In deeper straits, semi-daily fluctuations at tropical tides are very weak or absent at all, an example is the Boussol Strait. It is calculated that when using a two-dimensional model, the maximum values of the tidal flow are observed in the Boussol Strait, reaching ~40 Sverdrups (Sv).

Local H i absorption towards the magellanic cloud foreground using ASKAP

ABSTRACT We present the largest Galactic neutral hydrogen H i absorption survey to date, utilizing the Australian SKA Pathfinder Telescope at an unprecedented spatial resolution of 30 arcsec. This survey, GASKAP-H i, unbiasedly targets 2714 continuum background sources over 250 square degrees in the direction of the Magellanic Clouds, a significant increase compared to a total of 373 sources observed by previous Galactic absorption surveys across the entire Milky Way. We aim to investigate the physical properties of cold (CNM) and warm (WNM) neutral atomic gas in the Milky Way foreground, characterized by two prominent filaments at high Galactic latitudes (between $-45^{\circ }$ and $-25^{\circ }$). We detected strong H i absorption along 462 lines of sight above the 3$\sigma$ threshold, achieving an absorption detection rate of 17 per cent. GASKAP-H i’s unprecedented angular resolution allows for simultaneous absorption and emission measurements to sample almost the same gas clouds along a line of sight. A joint Gaussian decomposition is then applied to absorption-emission spectra to provide direct estimates of H i optical depths, temperatures, and column densities for the CNM and WNM components. The thermal properties of CNM components are consistent with those previously observed along a wide range of Solar neighbourhood environments, indicating that cold H i properties are widely prevalent throughout the local interstellar medium. Across our region of interest, CNM accounts for $\sim$30 per cent of the total H i gas, with the CNM fraction increasing with column density towards the two filaments. Our analysis reveals an anticorrelation between CNM temperature and its optical depth, which implies that CNM with lower optical depth leads to a higher temperature.

Design and Experiment of Compound Transplanter for Sweet Potato Seedling Belt

To address the issues of high labor intensity, excessive manpower requirements, low planting spacing qualification rates, low planting depth qualification rates, and low operational efficiency associated with sweet potato transplanting, a sweet potato seedling belt transplanter has been designed. This machine can perform multiple processes: precision tillage and ridge shaping, orderly seedling feeding from rolls, the efficient separation of seedlings from the belt, flexible gripping and shaping, precise soil covering and the mechanism of exposing seedling tips. A three-factor, three-level orthogonal test was carried out using the forward speed of the machine, the pitch of the screw belt and the rotational speed of the screw as the influencing factors of the performance test, and the qualified rate of planting spacing and the qualified rate of planting depth as the evaluation indexes. The test results indicated that the significance order of the factors affecting the qualification rate for planting spacing with the optimal combination of factors was as follows: a forward speed of 0.3 m·s−1, a ribbon spacing of 60 mm, and a screw speed of 160 rpm. Field trials confirmed that under optimal conditions, the average qualification rate for planting spacing was 90.37%, meeting relevant technical standards and agronomic requirements.