Side Surface Research Articles

The Significance of Genetically Determined Methylation and Folate Metabolism Disorders in the Pathogenesis of Coronary Artery Disease: A Target for New Therapies?

Methylation is a biochemical process involving the addition of a methyl group (-CH3) to various chemical compounds. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of the endothelium, which lines the interior surface of blood vessels, and has been linked, among other conditions, to coronary artery disease (CAD). Despite significant progress in CAD diagnosis and treatment, intensive research continues into genotypic and phenotypic CAD biomarkers. This review explores the significance of the methylation pathway and folate metabolism in CAD pathogenesis, with a focus on endothelial dysfunction resulting from deficiency in the active form of folate (5-MTHF). We discuss emerging areas of research into CAD biomarkers and factors influencing the methylation process. By highlighting genetically determined methylation disorders, particularly the MTHFR polymorphism, we propose the potential use of the active form of folate (5-MTHF) as a novel CAD biomarker and personalized pharmaceutical for selected patient groups. Our aim is to improve the identification of individuals at high risk of CAD and enhance their prognosis.

Blast resistant performance and damage mechanism of steel reinforced concrete beams under contact explosion

To investigate the blast resistance of steel reinforced concrete (SRC) beams under contact explosion, contact explosion tests on four SRC beams were carried out. The damage modes and dynamic response of SRC beams and the effect of structural steel and studs were analyzed. Finite element models of SRC beams and the corresponding RC beams were established to compare and analyze the different stress wave propagation in the middle-span cross-section and stress-time history curves of critical nodes in the section to reveal the damage mechanism of SRC beams. The results show that under contact explosion, U-shaped craters were formed on the blasting surface of the SRC beams, and the depth of the crater center was the distance from the top surface of the beam to the top surface of structural steel. The cover concrete on upper half side surfaces and bottom surface was spalled off. However, the concrete protected by structural steel flanges was not damaged, and comparing with RC beams, the setting of structural steel reduced the compressive stress in concrete protected or shielded by structural steel flanges and tension stress waves in concrete near the side and bottom surfaces of SRC beams. So, the concrete spalling on the side and bottom surfaces suffered less severe damage, and concrete protected by structural steel flanges was not damaged for SRC beams. Besides, when larger structural steel was used, the effects were more significant.

Fabrication of a durable omniphobic thin film and its application in precision nozzles

The ultrafine nozzles used in micropatterning processes easily encounter pollution on the nozzle surfaces, such as clogging, liquid clumping, and bond tailing. In this study, an omniphobic functional film was developed by an initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) method and used to fabricate an antifouling nozzle. In the iCVD process, polymeric fluorine films were grown under optimized conditions, and their durability was analyzed through abrasion and nanoscale cutting tests to evaluate the surface wear resistance and adhesion strength, respectively. Two omniphobic films, prepared using homopolymer p(C6FMA) and copolymer p(C6FMA-co-DVB), were compared; the p(C6FMA-co-DVB) film was determined to have a superior durability than the p(C6FMA) film. Consequently, the p(C6FMA-co-DVB) film was deposited on both the inside and outside surface of a nozzle of diameter 0.3 mm. The oleophobicity was examined by comparing the discharge rates of a high-viscosity epoxy paste containing metal powders in coated and bare nozzles. The bare nozzle exhibited significant variations in discharge volume and frequently experienced clogging, while coated nozzles demonstrated consistent discharge rates and remained unclogged. These findings suggest that the proposed thin film coating has the potential to increase the lifespan and efficiency of ultra-fine nozzles in the automated micro-patterning industry.

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ТЕПЛООБМЕНА АГРЕГАТОВ ТРАНСМИССИИ И ДВИГАТЕЛЯ ГРУЗОВОГО АВТОМОБИЛЯ

A significant share of goods in agriculture are transported by road at low ambient temperatures. Changing the properties of oils in these conditions significantly reduces the efficiency of the machines and requires additional measures for the thermal preparation of the units. (Research purpose) The research purpose is identifying heat flows between the engine and the transmission units of a truck and their effect on the thermal mode of the middle and rear axles. (Materials and methods) We performed experimental studies on a KamAZ 65115 car. Convective heat flows and heat transfer through thermal conductivity in the "engine-transmission units" system, as well as their effect on the thermal mode of transmission gearboxes, were studied. (Results and discussion) The effect of the engine on the thermal mode of the gearbox was established: the oil temperature rise was five degrees; the oil temperature stabilization time was 70-74 minutes. The effect of the engine on the thermal mode of the middle and rear axles was not revealed. It was shown that the main heat flows causing the gearbox to heat up are the air flows washing the block and crankcase of the engine. An increase in the air flow velocity to 25 meters per second leads to a decrease in temperature near the engine block by 2.5 percent to 278 kelvin, and near the crankcase by 3 percent to 253 kelvin. (Conclusions) Engine temperature has a significant effect only on the temperature of the gearbox. At air speeds above 10 meters per second, stabilization of transmission temperature is observed. Heat flows that cause additional heating of the gearbox are formed on the side surfaces of the cylinder block and the engine oil sump.

Compact and Stable Diamond Quantum Sensors for Wide Applications

AbstractThis study proposes compact, highly sensitive, and stable diamond quantum sensors for a wide range of applications, including biomedical and energy electronics. For enhanced sensitivity and alignment precision within the objective field, a high‐quality, (111)‐oriented 12C‐enriched chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond, featuring a nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) axis in the (111) direction, is employed as the sensor. To increase the fluorescence collection efficiency, the laser beam is irradiated from the side surface of the CVD diamond, and fluorescence is detected using a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) lens. The floor noise level of the magnetic field signal is 44 pT/Hz0.5. An Allan deviation of 1.2 pT over 1000 s of averaging demonstrates stability. This is attributable to the integration of a balancing circuit to cancel out laser noise, alongside mechanisms to compensate for temperature fluctuations and a copper housing to shield against electromagnetic field noise.

Experimental study on the dynamic characteristics of bi-block ballastless track under the combined action of vehicle load and temperature gradient

The unit ballastless track structure, persistently exposed to environmental conditions, experiences significant vertical temperature gradients, leading to warping deformation of the track bed and impacting track smoothness. This study investigates the relationship between temperature gradients and warping deformation of the track bed through the analysis of on-site measurement data combined with a dynamic simulation model. It also examines how temperature gradients influence the dynamic response and the interlayer contact area of the ballastless track. Findings reveal that vertical displacement of the track bed follows a diurnal cycle and shows a positive correlation with temperature gradients, with pronounced differences between the slab's corners and center. Under a positive temperature gradient, the vertical displacement of the track bed is high in the middle and low at the ends, with the vehicle load causing longitudinal tensile strain in the slab’s side surface center. Conversely, under a negative temperature gradient, the vertical displacement is low in the middle and high at the ends, with the vehicle load inducing longitudinal compressive strain in the slab’s side surface center. Additionally, warping deformation of the track bed leads to incomplete contact with the base plate, creating a local support state and reducing interlayer contact area as the gradient increases. Positive temperature gradients result in an "oval" distribution of interlayer delamination areas, while negative gradients mainly affect the sides and ends. Dynamic loads from trains temporarily counteract warping deformation, briefly increasing the interlayer contact area, but their effectiveness diminishes as temperature gradients rise.

Development of core support barrel installation tool for a bypass flow reduction in nuclear reactor core

Reactor internals are installed in the reactor vessel and are subsequently removed during periodic inspections. To facilitate this process, a gap is maintained between the outlet of the Core Support Barrel (CSB) and the hot-leg nozzle of the Reactor Vessel (RV). However, this gap causes considerable bypass flow, leading to wasted coolant and pump power. This paper presents an improved design of reactor internals to prevent bypass flow and introduces a tool for handling the internals. Advanced computational simulations were used to investigate the tool’s viability. The tool was designed using advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) techniques, and its operation was simulated and evaluated with ANSYS Rigid Body Dynamics. The results showed that the CSB can be installed using the insertion tool in a manner that ensures contact with the RV’s interior surface, thereby decreasing the gap and lessening the bypass flow, as well as increasing the structural stiffness of CSB under seismic loads.

Research on features and localization of AE signals from the mechanical body of industrial robots based on WD-EMD

Abstract In order to reveal the propagation characteristics of acoustic emission (AE) signals in the body of industrial machinery, the characteristic frequencies and wave speeds of AE signals propagated on the interior and exterior surfaces (IS and ES) of the body were extracted. Subsequently, an algorithm utilizing characteristic frequency and time difference of arrival (TDOA) is proposed for the identification and localization of AE sources. Initially, an AE source is induced on the IS and ES of the body using the pencil-lead break method in accordance to ASTM standards, and the AE signal is captured by two piezoelectric sensors at a sampling frequency of 3 MHz. Then, to avoid the limitations of wavelet decomposition using self-selected wavelet scale and the problem that a single indicator cannot properly evaluate the correlation between independent mode functions (IMFs) with the original signal, this paper will conduct 4-layer wavelet decomposition of the original signal according to the response frequency range of the sensor, and select the wavelet details within the stable range of the response frequency of the sensor for preliminary reconstruction,and then the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method is used to decompose the de-noised AE signal into 7 IMFs, and the AE waveform is reconstructed by the combined information of correlation coefficient and variance accounted for. Secondly, the reconstruction method combined with EMD analysis and a single index is compared with the proposed method in this paper to verify the reliability of the proposed method. In addition, the frequency domain characteristics of AE signal propagation process on the IS and ES of the body are extracted. Finally, based on the TDOA principle, the propagation speed of AE signal on the IS and ES of the body is calculated. Based on the geometric relationship between the AE source and two sensors, an algorithm for the location of the AE source is proposed. The results show that the proposed signal reconstruction method can effectively extract the features of AE signals, and the average positioning accuracy of the localization algorithm based on characteristic frequency and TDOA reaches 0.86%.

Inside-out templating: A strategy to decorate helical carbon nanotubes and 2D MoS2 on ethyl cellulose sponge for enhanced oil adsorption and oil/water separation

Ethyl cellulose (EC)-based composite sponges were developed for oil spillage treatment. The EC sponge surface was decorated with helical carbon nanotubes (HCNTs) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) (1 phr) using the inside-out sugar templating method. The inside surface of a sugar cube was coated with HCNTs and MoS2. After filling the sugar cube pores with EC and the subsequent sugar leaching, the decorating materials presented on the sponge surface. The EC/HCNT/MoS2 sponge had a high level of oil removal based on its adsorption capacity (41.68 g/g), cycled adsorption (∼75–79 %), separation flux efficiency (∼85–95 %), and efficiency in oil/water emulsion separation (92–94 %). The sponge maintained adsorption capacity in acidic, basic, and salty conditions, adsorbed oil under water, and functioned as an oil/water separator in a continuous pump-assisted system. The compressive stress and Young's modulus of the EC sponge increased following its decoration using HCNTs and MoS2. The composite sponge was robust based on cycled compression and was thermally stable up to ∼120 οC. Based on the eco-friendliness of EC, the low loading of HCNTs and MoS2, and sponge versatility, the developed EC/HCNT/MoS2 sponge should be good candidate for use in sustainable oil adsorption and separation applications.

Non-adhesive and adhesive contacts of an elastic quarter-or eighth-space with freely sliding sides

The contact of an elastic quarter- or eighth-space is studied under the condition that the movement of the side surface of the quarter-space is constrained: It can slide freely along the plane of the side surface but its normal movement is blocked (for example, by a rigid wall). The solution of this contact problem can be easily achieved by additionally applying a mirrored load to an elastic half-space. Non-adhesive contact and the Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR)-type adhesive contact between a rigid sphere and an elastic quarter-space under such a boundary condition is numerically simulated using the fast Fourier transform (FFT)-assisted boundary element method (BEM). Contacts of an elastic eighth-space are investigated using the same idea. Depending on the position of the sphere relative to the side edge, different contact behavior is observed. In the case of adhesive contact, the force of adhesion first increases with increasing the distance from the edge of the quarter-space, achieves a maximum, and decreases further to the JKR-value in large distance from the edge. The enhancement of the force of adhesion compared to the half-space-contact is associated with the pinning of the contact area at the edge. We provide the maps of the force of adhesion and their analytical approximations, as well as pressure distributions in the contact plane and inside the quarter-/eighth-space.

Experimental investigations on the effect of upstream-edge rounding on the BARC configuration

We experimentally investigate the influence of upstream-edge roundness on the flow around a 5:1 rectangular cylinder. We examine various values of edge curvature radius, ranging from nearly sharp edges to r/D=0.1104 at Reynolds number Re=40000, based on the freestream velocity and the crossflow dimension of the cylinder. Additionally, we explore the combined effects of edge roundness and (i) Reynolds number (Re=20000−80000) and (ii) angle of attack (|α|≤2deg). For all examined Re and α, limited sensitivity to upstream-edge rounding is observed up to r/D=0.0360, with results close to those obtained for nominally sharp edges. For r/D≥0.0781, and fixed Re and α=0deg, a noticeable decrease in the size of the mean recirculation region alongside the rectangular cylinder, lr, is observed with increasing r/D. For r/D≥0.0781, the flow features are also sensitive to Re, with a reduction in the length of the mean recirculation with increasing Re. The reduction of lr with increasing r/D and Re is due to the detached shear layer becoming more tilted towards the cylinder. Finally, for r/D≥0.0781, the effect of α, that is the increase of lr on the leeward side surface and the opposite on the windward side, is more important than for small r/D values.

Assessment of the impact of interior insulation on exterior walls in three Swedish buildings – based on validated models

This project evaluates the impact of interior insulation on external walls in three Swedish heritage buildings. Field measurements and hygrothermal simulations were conducted to assess available solutions. Measurements of temperature and relative humidity were taken both indoors and outdoors, as well as on the exterior and interior surfaces of the walls. The accuracy of simulation standards for indoor air temperature and relative humidity was evaluated, and the findings indicate that current simulation standards can serve as reliable alternatives when on-site measurements are not feasible. Validated models were used to analyze the impact of 13 different interior insulation solutions, including vapor-tight and open options, some of which were capillary active. The results highlight that the risk of moisture damage depends on the design of the existing external wall and indicate the importance of hydrophobic treatment in mitigating risks. Thinner amounts of interior insulation can significantly reduce transmission losses without compromising moisture performance. Overall, all the assessed external walls can be safely insulated from the interior, although hydrophobic treatment is recommended for optimal results. This research provides practical insights for decision-making in simulation approaches and optimizing insulation strategies to enhance the performance and durability of external walls in building projects.

Novel electric arc-based surface smoothening for wire arc additively manufactured components

The components fabricated through the wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) process exhibit poor surface topology and often require post-processing steps like milling, shot-peening, and laser remelting. The current study investigates a technique to enhance the surface topology of WAAM components by employing the same WAAM setup. The electric arc, generated by the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) setup, is selectively scanned over the fabricated WAAM component. The surface, under the influence of the electric arc, melts the material and redistributes it, eliminating excessive peaks and valleys. This surface smoothening operation produces a surface typically with a ∼45 % reduction in the average roughness (Sa) of the top surface and a ∼70 % reduction in Sa for the side surface of the WAAM component.

Superior stable high‐voltage LiCoO2 enabled by modification with a layer of lithiated polyvinylidene fluoride‐derived LiF

AbstractHigh‐voltage LiCoO2 (LCO) can deliver a high capacity and therefore significantly boost the energy density of Li‐ion batteries (LIBs). However, its cyclability is still a major problem in terms of commercial applications. Herein, we propose a simple but effective method to greatly improve the high‐voltage cyclability of an LCO cathode by constructing a surface LiF modification layer via pyrolysis of the lithiated polyvinylidene fluoride (Li‐PVDF) coating under air atmosphere. Benefitting from the good film‐forming and strong adhesion ability of Li‐PVDF, the thus‐obtained LiF layer is uniform, dense, and conformal; therefore, it is capable of acting as a barrier layer to effectively protect the LCO surface from direct exposure to the electrolyte, thus suppressing the interfacial side reactions and surface structure deterioration. Consequently, the high‐voltage stability of the LCO electrode is significantly enhanced. Under a high charge cutoff voltage of 4.6 V, the LiF‐modified LCO (LiF@LCO) cathode demonstrates a high capacity of 201 mA h g−1 at 0.1 C and a stable cycling performance at 0.5 C with 80.5% capacity retention after 700 cycles, outperforming the vast majority of high‐voltage LCO cathodes reported so far.

The effects of deposited layer thickness on the material and geometrical properties of L-DED processed AISI D2 tool steel

ABSTRACT This research focuses on the influences of the deposited layer thickness upon the material characteristics, dimensional accuracy, and also the surface roughness of AISI D2 tool steel processed by laser directed energy deposition (L-DED); while layer thickness was varied, the remaining L-DED system parameters were retained at fixed values. After laser deposition, the D2 specimens were assessed without applying any subsequent machining steps. Sample dimensional accuracy was assessed through both manual measurement and computational methods, with the latter using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). It was shown that increasing the layer thickness decreases the extent of sample overbuilding. The use of lower layer thicknesses reduced the top surface roughness. However, a monotonic effect was not observed for side surface roughness in relation to the deposited layer thickness. In addition, the microstructures of the L-DED samples were evaluated using a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with associated energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It is shown that a dendritic morphology is formed for the L-DED processed samples, with a columnar grain structure. Furthermore, the primary crystalline phase generated with the dendritic structure was found to be austenite. The indentation hardness values for the L-DED fabricated parts were noted to be larger for thinner deposited layer thicknesses.

Low-defect and stress-free AlN(0001) nanoprisms and microrods selectively grown on micro-patterned c-sapphire substrate by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

This paper describes different growth modes of AlN layers on micro-cone patterned c-sapphire substrates (μ-PSSs) using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Ordered arrays of AlN nanoprisms and microrods were selectively grown on the tips of μ-PSS's microcones according to a bottom-up formation mechanism using sequential migration enhanced and metal-modulated epitaxy (MME) under metal-rich growth conditions at 820 °C. Transmission electron microscopy revealed structurally perfect AlN regions above the tips of the μ-PSSs, which initiate as inverted nanopyramids with {1011¯} side faces, evolving into hexagonal nanoprisms with orientations of {11¯00} and (0001) for side and top surfaces, respectively. The diameter and height of these ordered hexagonal nanoprisms, which have a 60% probability of nucleating, were about 1 μm. Long-term MME growth of these nanoprisms in both vertical and lateral directions led to the formation of AlN(0001) microrods with a maximum possible diameter of two micrometers and a height of up to 6 μm. Atomic force microscopy revealed a mixed step-flow and 2D nucleation growth mechanism for the flat tops of these AlN nanoprisms and microrods with an average surface roughness of 1–2 monolayers. Micro-Raman spectroscopy demonstrated narrow E2 (high) linewidths of 3.8 and 4.2 cm−1 for essentially stress-free AlN nanoprisms and microrods, respectively.

Eddy Detection Inverted from Argo Profiles to Surface Altimetry

Abstract Argo floats are widely used to characterize vertical structures of ocean eddies, yet their capability to invert sea surface features of eddies, especially those overlooked by available altimeters, has not been explored. In this paper, we propose an “interior-to-surface” inversion algorithm to effectively expand the capacity of eddy detection by estimating altimeter-missed eddies’ surface attributes from their Argo-derived potential density anomaly profiles, given that the interior property and surface signature of eddies are highly correlated. An altimeter-calibrated machine learning ensemble is employed for the inversion training based on the joint altimeter–Argo eddy data and shows promising performance with mean absolute errors of 5.4 km, 0.5 cm, and 14.3 cm2 s−2 for eddy radius, amplitude, and kinetic energy, respectively. Then, the trained ensemble model is applied to independently invert the properties of eddies captured by an Argo-alone detection scheme, which yields high spatiotemporal consistency with their altimeter-captured counterparts. In particular, a portion of Argo-alone eddies is ∼25% smaller than altimeter-derived ones, indicating Argo’s unique capability of profiling weaker submesoscale eddies. Sea surface temperature and chlorophyll data are further applied to validate the reliability of eddies identified and characterized by the Argo-only algorithm. This new methodology effectively complements that of altimetry in eddy detection and can be expanded to estimate other physical/biochemical eddy variables from a variety of in situ observations. Significance Statement Despite thousands of eddies being routinely identified on a daily basis, it has been recognized that a substantial portion of eddies may still be missed due to inadequate sampling of altimeter constellations. Taking advantage of eddy’s correlation between surface and interior, a considerable number of eddies are discovered for the first time through an Argo-based eddy identification scheme. Here, we propose a new methodology to independently infer these recaptured eddies’ surface properties from their vertical signals through an “interior-to-surface” inversion process. The inferred eddy properties are verified by the spatiotemporal consistency with those derived from altimetry. Since Argo is capable of profiling smaller and weaker eddies, the proposed methodology significantly complements and expands that of altimetry in eddy observation.

17‐1: Cylindrical Fiber‐based Oxide TFTs with a 2T1C Pixel Circuit for Wearable Textile Displays

This study introduces a simplified fabrication method for implementing a TFT array on a cylindrical fiber, using only four masks and a low‐temperature process below 120 ℃. To overcome the limitations of the one‐dimensional cylindrical fiber structure, the study emphasizes the design and implementation of a three‐dimensional backplane, utilizing the side or bottom surfaces of the fiber to address patterning and shadowing challenges. The proposed TFTs, part of the 2T1C pixel circuit within the fiber, exhibit electrical properties suitable for driving OLEDs.

The effect of islamic ornament as secondary skin on daylight quality

Abstract Islamic ornaments are used extensively in different types of buildings, serving both aesthetic and functional purposes. They are used in mosques, offices and other buildings, serving as both interior and exterior elements. One application is their use as secondary skins to cover window openings. This research investigates the effect of Islamic ornaments as secondary skins on interior lighting. The main question addressed is how Islamic ornaments affect the quality of natural lighting. Using computer simulations, scenarios with clear glass and varying ornament distance from the window were assessed under clear sky conditions at different times of the day. The results show that the presence of Islamic ornaments significantly reduces the average daylighting level on interior surfaces compared to scenarios without ornaments. Visual representations using ray diagrams and computer-generated images illustrate the effects of varying ornamental conditions. This research highlights the potential of Islamic ornaments to improve the quality of daylighting in architecture. The findings emphasise their role in optimising daylight indoors, and encourage careful consideration of the impact of spacing on window openings. In particular, the distribution of daylight varies between rooms orientated to the north and west.

P‐65: A Novel Free‐Form, High Contrast Emissive Projection Display and Vehicle Applications

A novel high contrast emissive projection display (EPD) on black screen is developed, using a set of RGB emissive nanomaterials that can be selectively excited by digital projection of 3 violet‐blue wavebands. The new photoluminescent display enables a scalable and freeform emissive display onto any vehicle interior surface, without covering or hiding the original surface. For example, the set of RGB emissive materials can be applied as clear topcoat onto pitch‐black foil or substrate on vehicle dashboard or center console, showing superior image contrast in bright ambient light under lower power projection. Such high contrast free‐form emissive projection will be discussed with demos for many new vehicle interior display applications.