Strong Function Research Articles

Data driven population health management: first steps to an integrated approach in Leuven Cares (Zorgzaam Leuven)

In 2018 we started the Leuven Cares project in the city of Leuven. The aim of this project is to develop, implement and evaluate the necessary changes to enable integrated care.
 We installed a proactive approach to manage the health and wellbeing of the population of Leuven, to move away from the provision of reactive, demand-led care.
 All inhabitants of Leuven are targeted, 102000 people. All relevant healthcare organizations participate in the project, which is financially supported by the federal government and by 60 local organizations.
 We use a data driven population health management approach based on 4 building blocks:
 1.Know your population health’s needs: obtaining data from the population for constant re-evaluation of the interventions at as many levels as possible. Define clearly for every action the type and subgroup of patients.
 2.Engage with your population: collaboration in integrated neighborhood teams at a local level of 5000 to 10000 inhabitants. Map clearly local level interventions (5000 to 10000 inhabitants) versus meso level (100000 inhabitants) using natural existing networks, functional collaborations and structures.
 3.Manage your population: different interventions or different types of patients starting with the correct stratification. Every intervention and intermediate evaluation is based as much as possible on data, existing or collected data.
 4.Provide support from an integration management team: a so called integrator structure as a backoffice to permanently catalyze the transition towards population based integrated care. 
 Our results (September 2022):
 -50%-60 % of primary caregivers participated in at least one Leuven Cares action.
 -for the various Leuven Cares actions, a total of 6500 patients were included on an individual basis and stratified within the ‘Leuven cares stratification map’.
 -the stakeholder consortium consists of more than 73 partners and is still augmenting. This consortium consists of partners representing health care organizations, social welfare organizations, academic partners, local health insurance partners and other broadly oriented local partners.
 -the “integrator” function was constructed as a complex conceptual entity inside the global governance arrangement. It consists in total of more than 40 individuals and a small coordination team of 3 FTE functions.
 Lessons learned and next steps: At a micro level, a key facilitator for a population health management approach is to install integrated neighborhood teams of primary care professionals, to manage the population. At the meso level, create a strong integrator function with a diversity of liaison arms in the different partner organizations. The integrator needs support of a central backoffice team with visionary leadership and management skills to facilitate a population-oriented approach.
 The effects on the entire population of this project and the various subactions of this project will be studied in the coming years. The ongoing process shows good participation of professional caregivers and their organizations, a need for leadership, a collaborative attitude, a data- and evidence-based approach and a strong local integrator supporting the transition towards integrated care. In a next step, we want to measure the long-term impact of this project on relevant quintuple aim parameters.

Hydromagnetic radial stagnation-point flow of Casson fluid through a twisted cylinder: A computational investigation

A cylinder that performs linear torsional motion with an applied magnetic field and heat transfer is the basic aim of our computational research which is associated with the impact of radial stagnation-point flow. This improves earlier research on the motion around a cylinder experiencing linear torsional motion without heat transfer. By transforming partial differential equations to ordinary differential equations, a nonlinear and coupled system of governing equations is created under the effect of many dimensionless variables. The Bvp4c method in MATLAB is used to numerically solve these equations. The nondimensional scale variable η=r*a2 plays an important role in finding the convergent solution, especially for the velocity components. The influence of different parameters on the axial velocity f′, azimuthal velocity g and temperature profile θ are illustrated graphically. Additionally, it also shows how the diverse character of physical parameters affects the azimuthal, and axial shear stresses, as well as the heat transport rates. The key findings of the study state that the f′′1 and g′1 wall stress are the strong function of R. Further f′′1 ids a weak function of σ whereas g′1 is a strong function of σ.

Nanoreactors Encapsulating Built‐in Electric Field as a “Bridge” for Li–S Batteries: Directional Migration and Rapid Conversion of Polysulfides

AbstractLithium–sulfur batteries (Li–S) are recognized as the next generation of secondary batteries due to their satisfactory theoretical specific capacity and energy density. However, a series of problems such as disordered migration behavior, sluggish redox kinetics, and serious shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) greatly limit the commercial application. Herein, nanoreactors encapsulate heterostructure to guarantee sulfur conversion in the hosts where the heterostructure consists of FeP with moderate adsorption ability, excellent catalytic active and low work function, and Fe3O4 with strong adsorption ability and high work function. This rational configuration of heterostructure controls the direction of the interface built‐in electric field (BIEF) between catalyst and adsorbent, realizing the successive “trapping‐directional migration‐conversion” reaction mechanism to sulfur species. Thanks to BIEF as a bridge to connect the trapping site and catalytic site, Fe3O4/FeP@C─S cathode delivers an ultrahigh initial specific capacity of 1402 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and remains more than 450 mAh g−1 at 5 C after 350 cycles. Even with a sulfur loading of 5.20 mg cm−2, it displayed the initial specific capacity of 970 mAh g−1. This work provided an effective strategy to design high‐performance electrocatalysts for commercial Li–S batteries.

Determining the streamer velocity in an atmospheric pressure plasma jet from the target substrate current

Plasma jets are an atmospheric pressure plasma source that projects streamers outside the bounds of the plasma device. The electric field produced by these streamers can generate a current in the substrate before the streamer contacts the substrate. This displacement current is a strong function of the proximity of the streamer to the surface. We develop a basic model of the streamer traveling towards the substrate that can determine the streamer location and velocity from the measured displacement current. This simple approach shows good agreement with optical imaging equipment and can provide a means to rapidly quantify the streamer velocity.

Experimental Campaign on PEMFC Catalyst Degradation: Enlightening the Impact of Automotive Operational Cycles Combined with Short-Stops

Meeting long-term durability targets is still a significant challenge to achieve a wide-scale commercialization of PEM fuel cells in the transportation sector, for which the cathode catalyst layer is one of the most critical components1. Specifically, high potentials and potential cycling have been identified at the origin of its degradation. Indeed, they are responsible for platinum dissolution under the combined electrochemically oxidizing and acidic environment of catalyst layers. To limit ageing, vehicle systems adopt operating strategies that limit the operating voltage range, as well as they accurately control the start/stop procedures, avoiding both the open circuit voltage (OCV) and frequent air leaks into the anode compartment. In this perspective, passengers vehicles, that introduce frequent switching offs called short-stops2, exploit a procedure based on removing the air at the cathode side whilst supplying hydrogen at the anode.At a laboratory scale, accelerated ageing protocols (AST) are usually utilized for rapidly evaluating the degradation of materials, alternated with periodic performance testing and diagnostics. The conditions that promote Pt nanoparticle degradation have been studied over the past years3,4 mainly starting, and suitably modifying, the protocol proposed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) in hydrogen/nitrogen. In this work, it was instead developed a complimentary approach in order to contribute to the study of the effect of the voltage cycles in a range relevant for the application. Different protocols in hydrogen/air or hydrogen/diluted air atmosphere were applied on a zero gradient cell, emulating the conditions of real operations5. The potential profiles under investigation were restricted to the voltage window accessible in real systems (i.e. ≤ 0.90 V), using commercial Catalyst Coated Membranes (CCM). The role both of the voltage range and of voltage transitions was clarified for a total of 40 tested Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) samples. Starting from the reference cycle included in Figure 1A, it was analyzed the influence of: (i) the upper potential limit (UPL); (ii) the lower potential limit (LPL), (iii) the impact of holding times, (iv) the role of short stops, (v) the short stop voltage, (vi) the short stop duration, (vii) scan rates during voltage transitions, (viii) the cathode gas feeding composition, (ix) the relative humidity during the short stop transient. Operando performance information indicates a clear recovery and boosting whenever the voltage was progressively reduced in the range 0.7 V–0 V. The irreversible performance decay recorded through polarization curves and impedance spectra (EIS) appeared dominated by the loss of the electrochemically active surface area (ECSA). The decay of this parameter was strictly connected to the Ostwald ripening mechanism, as corroborated by post mortem images obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), while no Pt precipitation into the ionomer was observed. The average Pt nanoparticle diameter increased from 4.4 nm to 6.5 nm, at which value it almost stabilized. All the voltage profiles studied induced an ageing that was interpreted through the development of a newly formulated semi-empirical ECSA degradation model, which accounts for the role of the different stressors. The available data suggest that the Pt catalyst degradation is a strong function not only of UPL but also of LPL. Quite a large degradation was indeed observed in presence of short stops even in the typical system operational range (i.e. keeping UPL between 0.70 V and 0.90 V, Figures 1 B-D). It is suspected that the Pt nanoparticles are fully reduced at potentials significantly lower than 0.6 V and that their de-passivation enhances their growth. The work proves that attention must be paid on the transitions to low cell voltage (0÷0.4 V) in order to decelerate the catalyst ageing. The results are useful to orientate the selection of the PEMFC operational constraints for reaching the durability targets of the automotive sector (8’000 hours), but they can be also extended for matching the struggling requirements of heavy-duty transportation, namely 25’000 operating hours. This work received support from the Italian government (Progetto PERMANENT - BANDO MITE PNRR Missione 2 Investimento 3.5 A - RSH2A_0O0012). Borup, R. L. et al. Curr. Opin. Electrochem. 21, 192–200 (2020).Takahashi, T. et al. J. Electrochem. Soc. 169, 044523 (2022).Ahluwalia, R. K. et al. J. Electrochem. Soc. 168, 044518 (2021).Kneer, A. et al. J. Electrochem. Soc. 165, 805–812 (2018).Colombo, E. et al. J. Power Sources 553, 232246 (2023). Figure 1

Mechanisms of Stabilization and Degradation of Transition Metal Oxygen Electroreduction Catalysts with in-Situ Electrochemical Flow Cell ICP-MS

Proton exchange membrane hydrogen fuel cell (PEMFC) deployment is presently limited by the high material cost of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts at the cathode. Developing low-cost, earth-abundant alternatives for use in acidic environments presents a material stability challenge, especially for long-term device operation. Platinum (Pt)-based materials are used in typical commercial PEMFC cathode formulations due to their simultaneous high performance and long-term stability despite the prohibitively high material cost. Developing lower-cost, longer-life catalyst materials based on earth abundant transition metals can accelerate the adoption of PEMFC technology. The impact of potential, current density, and local microenvironment has been shown to cause degradation of non-Pt materials but standard ex situ measurements can only probe surface restructuring and cumulative dissolution after operation. Material-specific degradation mechanisms that are strong functions of the operating conditions cannot be ascertained without in situ quantification of material degradation under PEMFC-relevant conditions. Information about the degradation pathways of these non-precious catalysts can assist with material design for devices; however, most efforts towards developing an in-situ understanding of PEMFC cathode catalyst degradation under operating conditions are generally limited to Pt-based materials. Extensive in situ characterization has revealed Pt-specific mechanistic information about corrosion pathways as well as conditions that exacerbate Pt alloy leaching. It has been hypothesized that the Pt degradation processes are related to oxide formation under potential cycling. With this critical in-situ information, Pt conditioning protocols have been developed to enhance material lifetime; however, investigations on non-precious materials are less common. Insights into non-precious catalyst degradation in PEMFC operating conditions are not as well-established but could be essential in enabling low-cost materials for commercial use. There is a need for more insights into a vast array of materials which necessitates the development of faster, preferably benchtop techniques for degradation analysis.In this work, we use an in situ electrochemical flow cell assembly and coupled it with an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) to quantify the loss of material in real time for several non-Pt materials under reaction conditions. The flow cell is fed by a peristaltic pump at 2.5 mL/min of gas-saturated acidic electrolyte for optimal mass transport. The cell has a three-electrode configuration with a compression-mounted metal foil working electrode, silver/silver chloride reference electrode, and Pt counter electrode downstream of other components. We evaluate a variety of transition metals across the spectrum of ORR activity: palladium, silver, nickel, copper, manganese, and cobalt. Each metal is tested under oxygen and nitrogen saturation in five electrolytes of identical pH: perchloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, and hydrobromic acid. This setup allows for nearly real time measurement of ORR kinetics and in situ element-specific dissolution rates as a function of time. With careful design of experimental conditions and controlled variables, we are able to suggest mechanisms of degradation with specific reference to conditions under which material loss occurred such as high/low potential, oxygen-saturated/nitrogen-saturated electrolyte, or faradaic/non-faradaic current. We find some metals are stable under nitrogen-saturated electrolyte but corrode more under oxygen-saturated electrolyte only while ORR active. Furthermore, other metals are stable in nitrogen saturated electrolyte at all tested electrochemical conditions but unstable under oxygen saturated electrolyte but only outside the ORR range, implying that cathodic faradaic processes might be stabilizing the surface at low potentials. This stabilization where a thermodynamically unstable material (based on its Pourbaix diagram) exhibits greater immunity while performing ORR in certain electrolytes could inform the development stability mechanisms that direct the design of next generation, non-precious PEMFC cathode catalyst materials. With combined in situ catalyst stability analysis in five pH 1 electrolytes, we can recommend specific conditions for optimizing activity and stability based on the potential range of operation and the electrolyte composition/saturation. We can also distill mechanistic insights from these experiments by creating models that validate causes of catalyst degradation. These models are built using “graphical causal modeling”, which is a mathematical field that goes beyond correlative predictions by venturing into causal inference. We hope to expand this framework into other electrocatalytic reactions of interest. The in-situ ICP-MS electrochemical flow cell setup exhibits promise for accelerating materials stability analysis for enabling next generation Pt-free ORR electrocatalysts through practical experiments and direct comparability to established electrochemical techniques.

Achieving ultralow friction under high pressure through operando formation of PbS QDs/graphene heterojunction with 0D/1D nanostructure

It is a great challenge to utilize graphene for practical applications in moving parts, which meet high contact pressure and atmosphere environments. In this work, ultralow friction (0.054) of graphene was achieved under high contact pressure (1.03 GPa) and atmosphere environment via the operando formation of PbS quantum dots (QDs)/graphene heterojunction at the frictional interface. It is found that PbS QDs are trapped in graphene nanosheets via shear-induced rearrangement for obtaining the PbS QDs/graphene heterojunctions, which provide an excellent rolling effect to lower friction. It is also found that the heterogeneous PbS QDs/graphene tribofilms have a strong Pb-enriched function and heterojunction nanorod phase. Our objective is to uncover the physical and chemical mechanisms governing the friction of 0D/1D nanostructures within PbS QDs/graphene heterostructures through our studies. This research will enhance our comprehension of nanomaterials' frictional behavior while offering valuable guidance and optimization strategies for their application in mechanical engineering and functional nanomaterials. Consequently, our efforts aim to foster the advancement of nanoscience and technology, leading to additional scientific and technological breakthroughs.

The frequency and sizes of inner bars and nuclear rings in barred galaxies and their dependence on galaxy properties

ABSTRACT Using a volume- and mass-limited (D < 30 Mpc, $\log \, (M_{\star }/M_{\odot })\ge 9.75$) sample of 155 barred S0–Sd galaxies, I determine the fraction with secondary structures within their bars. Some 20 ± 3 per cent have a separate inner bar, making them double-barred; an identical fraction have nuclear rings, with $11^{+3}_{-2}$ per cent hosting both. The inner-bar frequency is a strong, monotonic function of stellar mass: only $4^{+3}_{-2}$ per cent of barred galaxies with $\log \, (M_{\star }/M_{\odot })= 9.75$–10.25 are double-barred, while 47 ± 8 per cent of those with $\log \, (M_{\star }/M_{\odot })\gt 10.5$ are. The nuclear-ring frequency is a strong function of absolute bar size: only $1^{+2}_{-1}$ per cent of bars with semimajor axes <2 kpc have nuclear rings, while $39^{+6}_{-5}$ per cent of larger bars do. Both inner bars and nuclear rings are absent in very late-type (Scd–Sd) galaxies. Inner bar size correlates with galaxy stellar mass, but is clearly offset to smaller sizes from the main population of bars. This makes it possible to define ‘nuclear bars’ in a consistent fashion, based on stellar mass. There are eight single-barred galaxies where the bars are nuclear-bar-sized; some of these may be systems where an outer bar failed to form, or previously double-barred galaxies where the outer bar has dissolved. Inner bar size is even more tightly correlated with host bar size, which is likely the primary driver. In contrast, nuclear ring size is only weakly correlated with galaxy mass or bar size, with more scatter in size than is true of inner bars.

OTK-based PUF CRP obfuscation for IoT device authentication

The use of a strong physical unclonable function (PUF) for device authentication in resource-limited settings is promising but susceptible to machine learning (ML) attacks. Several defenses have been suggested, but they often have drawbacks such as increased hardware requirements, compromised reliability, and limited effectiveness against sophisticated ML attacks. To overcome these challenges, a one-time key-based (OTK) obfuscation approach has been proposed aiming to bolster the security of robust PUFs when facing machine learning-based attacks. The main concept involves obtaining multiple stable responses from the PUF and selecting one as the initial key for challenge obfuscation. However, only the challenge input for the selected key is stored on the device side. The server stores all the stable challenge-response pairs and uses this selected key for the first authentication only. After every authentication, the input to the key is updated on both sides. For response obfuscation random number generated by the server is used. Our proposed method can effectively prevent ML attacks with minimal hardware requirements. Arbiter-PUF and Rely-PUF as case studies are analyzed. Experimental findings indicate that when applied to 64 × 64 Arbiter and Rely PUF, our method significantly reduces the effectiveness of various machine learning attacks, resulting in a prediction accuracy of approximately 50.6% and 50.96% respectively. This level of accuracy is comparable to random guessing. The 64-bit OTK-PUF boasts an impressively compact storage footprint, comprising merely 164 Look-Up Tables (LUTs), 276 flip-flops, and a 512-bit of read-only memory (ROM). The execution of the protocol on the Vitis platform takes a mere 0.02 s on the device side.

A strong physical unclonable function with machine learning immunity for Internet of Things application

A strong physical unclonable function with machine learning immunity for Internet of Things application

Effects of Dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DAC) micelle’s shape transition on chemical enhanced oil recovery; experimental & mathematical modeling study

Surfactants are widely used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) purposes by reducing interfacial tension (IFT) of oil–water phases and wettability alteration. Some surfactants with viscoelastic properties can be used as mobility control agents due to enhanced viscosity resulting from the spherical-to-cylindrical shape transition of micelles. Dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DAC) shows viscoelastic behavior coupled with dominantly cylindrical shape of the micelle in ambient conditions. Nevertheless, using DAC as an IFT reduction and mobility control agent needs to be industrialized for actual operating conditions. In this study, DAC, as a cationic surfactant, was experimentally studied in reservoir conditions considering dominantly cylindrical micelles for the first time. Results showed that the viscosity of DAC solution is a strong function of DAC concentration, especially at high temperature and high salinity conditions, while it does not depend on pressure significantly. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images were taken for a better understanding of DAC micellar structures. Analysis of the TEM results indicated the shape transition of the micelles from small spherical to large cylindrical at higher concentrations of DAC. IFT of DAC microemulsion was studied for wide ranges of temperature and DAC concentration, ruling out any significant effect of the temperature on the IFT trend line. A general mathematical model for predicting the viscosity of surfactant solution was developed and evaluated for real reservoir conditions by including all effective terms. Results showed a very good agreement with experimental data of DAC and Cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB, as per previous studies), justifying the applicability of the developed model for predicting the viscosity wherever experimental data is unavailable. Core flood tests were performed with saltwater (SW) and DAC solutions with spherical (SS) and cylindrical (SC) micelles as injecting phases for evaluation of IFT reduction and mobility control effects. Results showed an additional recovery factor of 13 % for SS and 23 % for SC in comparison with SW injection.

Protective effect of San Huang Pill and its bioactive compounds against ulcerative colitis in Drosophila via modulation of JAK/STAT, apoptosis, Toll, and Nrf2/Keap1 pathways

Ethnopharmacological relevanceSan Huang Pill (SHP) is a prescription in Dunhuang Ancient Medical Prescription, which has the efficacy of heat-clearing and dampness-drying, and is a traditional formula for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. However, its efficacy and mechanism in treating ulcerative colitis (UC) are still unclear. Aim of the studyTo investigate the protective effects of SHP and its bioactive compounds against Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced intestinal damage using the Drosophila melanogaster model, and to detect the molecular mechanism of SHP in the treatment of UC. MethodsSurvival rate, locomotion, feeding, and excretion were used to explore the anti-inflammatory effects of SHP. The pharmacotoxicity of SHP was measured using developmental analysis. Intestinal integrity, intestinal length, intestinal acid-base homeostasis, and Tepan blue assay were used to analyze the protective effect of SHP against DSS-induced intestinal damage. The molecular mechanism of SHP was detected using DHE staining, immunofluorescence, real-time PCR, 16 S rRNA gene sequencing, and network pharmacology analysis. Survival rate, intestinal length, and integrity analysis were used to detect the protective effect of bioactive compounds of SHP against intestinal damage. ResultsSHP supplementation significantly increased the survival rate, restored locomotion, increased metabolic rate, maintained intestinal morphological integrity and intestinal homeostasis, protected intestinal epithelial cells, and alleviated intestinal oxidative damage in adult flies under DSS stimulation. Besides, administration of SHP had no toxic effect on flies. Moreover, SHP supplementation remarkably decreased the expression levels of genes related to JAK/STAT, apoptosis, and Toll signaling pathways, increased the gene expressions of the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, and also reduced the relative abundance of harmful bacteria in DSS-treated flies. Additionally, the ingredients in SHP (palmatine, berberine, baicalein, wogonin, rhein, and aloeemodin) had protection against DSS-induced intestinal injury, such as prolonging survival rate, increasing intestinal length, and maintaining intestinal barrier integrity. ConclusionSHP had a strong anti-inflammatory function, and remarkably alleviated DSS-induced intestinal morphological damage and intestinal homeostatic imbalance in adult flies by regulating JAK/STAT, apoptosis, Toll and Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathways, and also gut microbial homeostasis. This suggests that SHP may be a potential complementary and alternative medicine herb therapy for UC, which provides a basis for modern pharmacodynamic evaluation of other prescriptions in Dunhuang ancient medical prescription.

Do trade barriers have the same effect on SMEs in a country under sanctions? The case study of Iran

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the difference between the impacts of indicators of trade barriers (TBs) on bankrupt enterprises (BEs), new enterprises (NEs) and other enterprises (OEs).Design/methodology/approachThe paper has used a multiple-step approach. At the first stage, the initial data has been collected from interviews with 164 top managers of SMEs in West Azerbaijan in Iran during two periods of 2013–2015 and 2017–2019. At the second step, multiple correspondence analysis has been used to summarize the relationships between variables and construct indices for different groups of TBs. Finally, the generalized structural equation model method was used to examine the impact of export barriers.FindingsThe results showed that the political legal index is the main TBs for BEs and NEs, but it had a more significant impact on BEs; the financial index was the second major TBs factor for BEs, while OEs did not have a problem in performance index, and the financial index was classified as a minor obstacle for them. All indicators of marketing barriers (except production index) had a negative and significant effect on all enterprises; the most important TBs for NEs was the information index.Originality/valueThe results indicated that if enterprises have a strong financial system and function, they can lessen the impact of sanctions and keep themselves in the market.

Impact of wettability on capillary phase trapping using pore-network modeling

The impact of rock wettability on phase mobility and capillary trapping is significant in the valuation of geologic carbon sequestration scenarios. Wetting conditions of CO2/brine/rock systems can vary from site to site and over time due to changes in temperature, pressure, salinity, mineral composition and surface roughness. Therefore, effective predictability of CO2 mobility and trapping in underground formations requires a thorough exploration of the relationship between wetting conditions and phase saturation over a wide range of contact angles. In this paper, we use pore-network modeling to investigate the effect of wettability on phase mobility and capillary trapping. We simulate different wetting and nonwetting conditions during secondary flooding cycles where the initial phase saturations are varied significantly. Characteristic initial-residual (IR) saturation curves and the locus of residual phase connectivity and saturation are determined for each wettability condition.Simulations show that when the receding phase is the wetting phase, there is reduced trapping of that phase owing to piston-like advance by the nonwetting phase and sustained layer flow of the wetting phase. Such flow regimes cause nonlinearity in the characteristic initial-residual (IR) saturation curve, which is not captured by traditional trapping models. A proposed extended Land-based model matches the IR trends for all wettabilities. Simulations also show that the loci of residual phase saturation and phase connectivity are a strong function of wettability. When the receding phase is strongly nonwetting, the locus remains nearly constant in phase connectivity, while at increasingly wetting conditions, the locus forms a closed-loop in the saturation-connectivity space, where the endpoint of the locus is constrained by pore topology as residual saturations approach low values.

Strong and Weak Leonov Functions for Global Boundedness of State Periodic Systems

We present new results for the analysis of global boundedness of state periodic systems. Thereby, we address both the case of systems, whose dynamics is periodic with respect to a <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">part</i> of the state vector and the case of systems, whose dynamics is periodic with respect to <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">all</i> state variables. To derive the results the notion of <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">strong</i> Leonov functions is introduced. The main results are complemented by a number of relaxations based on the concept of <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">weak</i> Leonov functions.

Numerical Investigation of Flow Hydrodynamics in a Flow Field and Porous Substrate Configuration for Redox Flow Battery Application

In the recent past, most of the literature reported that the electrolyte circulations in parallel flow field configurations exhibit severe non-uniformity with higher Pressure Drop (Δp). The present work proposes a three-dimensional computational design of flow field configurations to achieve a single-phase uniform flow with minimal pump power and flow dispersion over an active cell area of 131cm2 for All Iron Redox Flow Battery (AIRFB). Computational investigation of the Pressure Drop (Δp), electrolyte flow velocity and uniform flow distribution in the channels and through the graphite felt electrode under various flow conditions was conducted using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool. It is observed from the results that the Multi-Channel Serpentine Flow Field (MCSFF) has the least pressure drop among the other flow fields. However, the Cross-Split Serpentine Flow Field (CSSFF) resulted in better flow circulation and dispersion over the entire active cell area with a high uniformity index, operating at a wide range of flow rates with a reasonable Pressure Drop (Δp). The porous media permeability and a strong function of Compression Ratio (CR) were numerically validated from the well-known correlation existing in the literature. At CR 50% it was observed that the volume uniformity index of the felt was 69%, which would correspondingly enhance the rate of mass transfer and electro-kinetics at electrode felt and ion conductivity across the membrane. The CSSFF configuration is predominant in terms of uniform flow distribution and wettability at the defined operating conditions resulting in enhanced cell performance.

Planning and Design of Modern Agricultural Industrial Park Based on Rural Revitalization Strategy -A Case Study of Fenghuang, Mingshan, Ya'an, Sichuan Province

To develop the countryside, the industry must be revitalized. Modern agricultural industrial park, as an important content of implementing the rural revitalization strategy and deepening the agricultural supply-side reform during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, requires high attention to the multi-functionality of rural agriculture, organically combining the multi-functionality of agriculture with the improvement of rural infrastructure, the soundness of rural functions, and the industrialization of rural agriculture, avoiding the weak functionality of traditional agriculture, strengthening the strong functionality of smart agriculture and functional agriculture, realizing the organic integration of urban and rural elements, and making rural development comparable to urban development. Taking the planning and design of the modern agricultural industrial park in Fenghuang, Mingshan, Ya'an, Sichuan Province as an example, this paper starts from the current situation of the development of modern agricultural industrial parks in China, explores the existing resources of Fenghuang Village, analyzes its industrial development trend, and then plans and designs the planning and operation strategy, planning positioning, spatial layout and other aspects, in order to provide reference for the local government and the innovative development of modern agricultural industrial parks.

Study accretion and ejection using a new GPU-accelerated GRMHD code

AbstractWe study disks and jets in various accretion states (SANE and MAD) using novel, GPU-accelerated general-relativistic magneto-hydrodynamic (GR-MHD) code which we developed, based on HARM. This code, written in CUDA-c and uses OpenMP to parallelize multi-GPU setups, allows high resolution simulations of accretion disks and the formation and structure of jets without the need of multi-node supercomputer infrastructure. A 2563 simulation is well within the reach of an Nvidia DGX-V100 server, with the computation being a factor about 100 times faster if only the CPU was used.We use this code to examine several disk structures, wind and jet properties in the MAD and SANE states. In the MAD state, we find that the magnetic flux threading the horizon mostly depends on the spin of the BH. This implies that the jet structure and power are strong functions of the spin, with non-spinning BHs have the widest jets.

Activation of endogenous glucocorticoids by HSD11B1 inhibits the antitumor immune response in renal cancer

ABSTRACT Although immune-based therapies have revolutionized the management of cancer, novel approaches are urgently needed to improve their outcome. We investigated the role of endogenous steroids in the resistance to cancer immunotherapy, as these have strong immunomodulatory functions. Using a publicly available database, we found that the intratumoral expression of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1), which regenerates inactive glucocorticoids into active glucocorticoids, was associated with poor clinical outcome and correlated with immunosuppressive gene signatures in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). HSD11B1 was mainly expressed in tumor-infiltrating immune myeloid cells as seen by immunohistochemistry in RCC patient samples. Using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors or immune cells isolated from the tumor of RCC patients, we showed that the pharmacological inhibition of HSD11B1 improved the response to the immune checkpoint inhibitor anti-PD-1. In a subcutaneous mouse model of renal cancer, the combination of an HSD11B1 inhibitor with anti-PD-1 treatment increased the proportion of tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells. In an intrarenal mouse tumor model, HSD11B1 inhibition increased the survival of mice treated with anti-PD-1. In addition, inhibition of HSD11B1 sensitized renal tumors in mice to immunotherapy with resiquimod, a Toll-like receptor 7 agonist. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that HSD11B1 inhibition combined with resiquimod increased T cell-mediated cytotoxicity to tumor cells by stimulating the antigen-presenting capacity of dendritic cells. In conclusion, these results support the use of HSD11B1 inhibitors to improve the outcome of immunotherapy in renal cancer and highlight the role of the endogenous glucocorticoid metabolism in the efficacy of immunotherapy.

Novel antibacterial titanium implant healing abutment with dimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate to combat implant-related infections

ObjectiveImplant-related infections from the adhesion and proliferation of dental plaque are a major challenge for dental implants. The objectives of this study were to: (1) develop novel antibacterial titanium (Ti) healing abutment; (2) investigate the inhibition of implant infection-related pathogenic bacteria and saliva-derived biofilm, and evaluate the biocompatibility of the new material for the first time. MethodsDimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM) and hydroxyapatite (HAP) were polymerized via polydopamine (PDA) on Ti. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Streptococcus sanguinis (S. sanguinis) and human saliva-derived biofilms were tested. After 4 weeks of DMAHDM release, the antibacterial efficacy of the DMAHDM remaining on Ti surface and the DMADHM in medium was tested. Biocompatibility was determined using human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) and periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). ResultsThe DMAHDM-loaded coating filled into the nano-voids in Ti surfaces. The modified Ti showed potent antibacterial activity, reducing the CFU of S. aureus, S. sanguinis and saliva-derived biofilms by 8, 7 and 4 log, respectively (P < 0.05). After 4 weeks of release, the modified Ti was still able to reduce S. aureus and S. sanguinis biofilm CFU by 1–3 log (P < 0.05). This provided strong antibacterial function for more than 4 weeks, which were the high-risk period for implant infections. The new material showed excellent biocompatibility when compared to control (P > 0.05). ConclusionNovel DMAHDM-loaded Ti healing abutment had strong antibacterial effects, reducing biofilm CFUs by orders of magnitude, and lasting for over four weeks to cover the high-risk period for implant infections. The novel antibacterial Ti is promising to combat implant-related infections in dental, craniofacial and orthopedic applications.