Numerical Study on Reduction in Aerodynamic Drag and Noise of High-Speed Pantograph

Reducing the aerodynamic drag and noise levels of high-speed pantographs is important for promoting environmentally friendly,energy efficient and rapid advances in train technology.Using computational fluid dynamics theory and the K-FWH acoustic equation,a numerical simulation is conducted to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of high-speed pantographs.A component optimization method is proposed as a possible solution to the problemof aerodynamic drag and noise in high-speed pantographs.The results of the study indicate that the panhead,base and insulator are the main contributors to aerodynamic drag and noise in high-speed pantographs.Therefore,a gradual optimization process is implemented to improve the most significant components that cause aerodynamic drag and noise.By optimizing the cross-sectional shape of the strips and insulators,the drag and noise caused by airflow separation and vortex shedding can be reduced.The aerodynamic drag of insulator with circular cross section and strips with rectangular cross section is the largest.Ellipsifying insulators and optimizing the chamfer angle and height of the windward surface of the strips can improve the aerodynamic performance of the pantograph.In addition,the streamlined fairing attached to the base can eliminate the complex flow and shield the radiated noise.In contrast to the original pantograph design,the improved pantograph shows a 21.1%reduction in aerodynamic drag and a 1.65 dBA reduction in aerodynamic noise.

Mechanical Performance of Bio-inspired Bidirectional Corrugated Sandwich Pressure Shell Under External Hydrostatic Pressure

This paper aims to enhance the compression capacity of underwater cylindrical shells by adopting the corrugated sandwich structure of cuttlebone.The cuttlebone suffers uniaxial external compression,while underwater cylindrical shells are in a biaxial compressive stress state.To suit the biaxial compressive stress state,a novel bidirectional corrugated sandwich structure is proposed to improve the bearing capacity of cylindrical shells.The static and buckling analysis for the sandwich shell and the unstiffened cylindrical shell with the same volume-weight ratio are studied by numerical simulation.It is indicated that the proposed sandwich shell can effectively reduce the ratio between circumferential and axial stress from 2 to 1.25 and improve the critical buckling load by about 1.63 times.Numerical simulation shows that optimizing and adjusting the structural parameters could significantly improve the advantage of the sandwich shell.Then,the hydrostatic pressure tests for shell models fabricated by 3D printing are carried out.According to the experimental results,the overall failure position of the sandwich shell is at the center part of the sandwich shell.It has been found the average critical load of the proposed sandwich shell models exceeds two times that of the unstiffened shell models.Hence,the proposed bio-inspired bidirectional corrugated sandwich structure can significantly enhance the pressure resistance capability of cylindrical shells.

Effects of seepage pressure on the mechanical behaviors and microstructure of sandstone

Surrounding rocks of underground engineering are subjected to long-term seepage pressure,which can deteriorate the mechanical properties and cause serious disasters.In order to understand the impact of seepage pressure on the mechanical property of sandstone,uniaxial compression tests,P-wave velocity measurements,and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)tests were conducted on saturated sandstone samples with varied seepage pressures(i.e.0 MPa,3 MPa,4 MPa,5 MPa,6 MPa,7 MPa).The results demonstrate that the mechanical parameters(uniaxial compressive strength,peak strain,elastic modulus,and brittleness index),total energy,elastic strain energy,as well as elastic strain energy ratio,decrease with increasing seepage pressure,while the dissipation energy and dissipation energy ratio increase.Moreover,as seepage pressure increases,the micro-pores gradually transform into meso-pores and macro-pores.This increases the cumulative porosity of sandstone and decreases P-wave velocity.The numerical results indicate that as seepage pressure rises,the number of tensile cracks increases progressively,the angle range of microcracks is basically from 50-120to 80-100,and as a result,the failure mode transforms to the tensile-shear mixed failure mode.Finally,the effects of seepage pressure on mechanical properties were discussed.The results show that decrease in the effective stress and cohesion under the action of seepage pressure could lead to deterioration of strength behaviors of sandstone.

The regulation of ferrocene-based catalysts on heat transfer in highpressure combustion of ammonium perchlorate/hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene/aluminum composite propellants

The regulation of the burning rate pressure exponent for the ammonium perchlorate/hydroxylterminated polybutadiene/aluminum(AP/HTPB/Al)composite propellants under high pressures is a crucial step for its application in high-pressure solid rocket motors.In this work,the combustion characteristics of AP/HTPB/Al composite propellants containing ferrocene-based catalysts were investigated,including the burning rate,thermal behavior,the local heat transfer,and temperature profile in the range of 7-28 MPa.The results showed that the exponent breaks were still observed in the propellants after the addition of positive catalysts(Ce-Fc-MOF),the burning rate inhibitor((Ferrocenylmethyl)trimethylammonium bromide,Fc Br)and the mixture of Fc Br/catocene(GFP).However,the characteristic pressure has increased,and the exponent decreased from 1.14 to 0.66,0.55,and 0.48 when the addition of Ce-FcMOF,Fc Br and Fc Br/GFP in the propellants.In addition,the temperature in the first decomposition stage was increased by 7.50℃ and 11.40℃ for the AP/Fc Br mixture and the AP/Fc Br/GFP mixture,respectively,compared to the pure AP.On the other hand,the temperature in the second decomposition stage decreased by 48.30℃ and 81.70℃ for AP/Fc Br and AP/Fc Br/GFP mixtures,respectively.It was also found that Fc Br might generate ammonia to cover the AP surface.In this case,a reaction between the methyl in Fc Br and perchloric acid caused more ammonia to appear at the AP surface,resulting in the suppression of ammonia desorption.In addition,the coarse AP particles on the quenched surface were of a concave shape relative to the binder matrix under low and high pressures when the catalysts were added.In the process,the decline at the AP/HTPB interface was only exhibited in the propellant with the addition of Ce-Fc-MOF.The ratio of the gas-phase temperature gradient of the propellants containing catalysts was reduced significantly below and above the characteristic pressure,rather than 3.6 times of the difference in the blank propellant.Overall,the obtained results demonstrated that the pressure exponent could be effectively regulated and controlled by adjusting the propellant local heat and mass transfer under high and low pressures.

Lateral earth pressure of granular backfills on retaining walls with expanded polystyrene geofoam inclusions under limited surcharge loading

Existing studies have focused on the behavior of the retaining wall equipped with expanded polystyrene(EPS)geofoam inclusions under semi-infinite surcharge loading rather than limited surcharge loading.In this paper,the failure mode and the earth pressure acting on the rigid retaining wall with EPS geofoam inclusions and granular backfills(henceforth referred to as EPS-wall),under limited surcharge loading are investigated through two-and three-dimensional model tests.The testing results show that different from the sliding of almost all the backfill in the EPS-wall under semi-infinite surcharge loading,only an approximately triangular backfill slides in the wall under limited surcharge loading.The distribution of the lateral earth pressure on the EPS-wall under limited surcharge loading is non-linear,and the distribution changes from the increase of the wall depth to the decrease with the increase of the limited surcharge loading.An approach based on the force equilibrium of a differential element is developed to predict the lateral earth pressure behind the EPS-wall subjected to limited surcharge loading,and its performance was fully validated by the three-dimensional model tests.

Preparation and performance evaluation of the slickwater using novel polymeric drag reducing agent with high temperature and shear resistance ability

Slickwater fracturing fluids are widely used in the development of unconventional oil and gas resources due to the advantages of low cost,low formation damage and high drag reduction performance.However,their performance is severely affected at high temperatures.Drag reducing agent is the key to determine the drag reducing performance of slickwater.In this work,in order to further improve the temperature resistance of slickwater,a temperature-resistant polymeric drag reducing agent(PDRA)was synthesized and used as the basis for preparing the temperature-resistant slickwater.The slickwater system was prepared with the compositions of 0.2 wt%PDRA,0.05 wt%drainage aid nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether phosphate(NPEP)and 0.5 wt%anti-expansion agent polyepichlorohydrindimethylamine(PDM).The drag reduction ability,rheology properties,temperature and shear resistance ability,and core damage property of slickwater were systematically studied and evaluated.In contrast to on-site drag reducing agent(DRA)and HPAM,the temperature-resistant slickwater demonstrates enhanced drag reduction efficacy at 90℃,exhibiting superior temperature and shear resistance ability.Notably,the drag reduction retention rate for the slickwater achieved an impressive 90.52%after a 30-min shearing period.Additionally,the core damage is only 5.53%.We expect that this study can broaden the application of slickwater in high-temperature reservoirs and provide a theoretical basis for field applications.

At-rest lateral earth pressure of compacted expansive soils:Experimental investigations and prediction approach

This paper presents experimental studies on a compacted expansive soil,from Nanyang,China for investigating the at-rest lateral earth pressureσL of expansive soils.The key studies include(i)relationships between theσL and the vertical stressσV during soaking and consolidation,(ii)the influences of initial dry densityρd0 and moisture content w 0 on the vertical and lateral swelling pressures at no swelling strain(i.e.σV0 andσL0),and(iii)evolution of theσL during five long-term wetting-drying cycles.Experimental results demonstrated that the post-soakingσL-σV relationships are piecewise linear and their slopes in the passive state(σL>σV)and active state(σL<σV)are similar to that of the consolidationσL-σV relationships in the normal-and over-consolidated states,respectively.The soakingσL-σV relationships converge to the consolidationσL-σV relationships at a thresholdσV where the interparticle swelling is restrained.TheσL0 andσV0 increase monotonically withρd0;however,they show increasing-then-decreasing trends with the w 0.The extent of compaction-induced swelling anisotropy,which is evaluated byσL0/σV0,reduces with an increase in the compaction energy and molding water content.TheσL reduces over moisture cycles and the stress relaxation in theσL during soaking is observed.An approach was developed to predict the at-rest soakingσL-σV relationships,which requires conventional consolidation and shear strength properties and one measurement of theσL-σV relationships during soaking.The proposed approach was validated using the results of three different expansive soils available in the literature.

The effectiveness of physical activity interventions on blood pressure in children and adolescents:A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background:High blood pressure(BP)is a major contributor to mortality and cardiovascular diseases.Despite the known benefits of exercise for reducing BP,it is crucial to identify the most effective physical activity(PA)intervention.This systematic review and network meta-analysis(NMA)aimed to evaluate the available evidence on the effectiveness of various PA interventions for reducing BP and to determine their hierarchy based on their impact on BP.Methods:A search of PubMed,SPORTDiscus,PsycINFO,Web of Science,CINAHL,Cochrane,and Eric databases was conducted up to December 2022 for this systematic review and NMA.Randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies targeting healthy children and adolescents aged 6-12 years old were included in this study.Only studies that compared controlled and intervention groups using PA or exercise as the major influence were included.We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA)guidelines.Three independent investigators performed the literature screening,data extraction,and risk of bias assessment.We used Bayesian arm-based NMA to synthesize the data.The primary outcomes were systolic BP and diastolic BP.We calculated the mean differences(MDs)in systolic BP and diastolic BP before and after treatment.Mean treatment differences were estimated using NMA and random-effect models.Results:We synthesized 27 studies involving 15,220 children and adolescents.PA combined with nutrition and behavior change was the most effective intervention for reducing both systolic BP and diastolic BP(MD=-8.64,95%credible interval(95%CI):-11.44 to-5.84;MD=-6.75,95%CI:-10.44 to-3.11),followed by interventions with multiple components(MD=-1.39,95%CI:-1.94 to-0.84;MD=-2.54,95%CI:-4.89 to-0.29).Conclusion:Our findings suggest that PA interventions incorporating nutrition and behavior change,followed by interventions with multiple components,are most effective for reducing both systolic BP and diastolic BP in children and adolescents.

Airfoil friction drag reduction based on grid-type and super-dense array plasma actuators

To improve the cruise flight performance of aircraft, two new configurations of plasma actuators(grid-type and super-dense array) were investigated to reduce the turbulent skin friction drag of a low-speed airfoil. The induced jet characteristics of the two actuators in quiescent air were diagnosed with high-speed particle image velocimetry(PIV), and their drag reduction efficiencies were examined under different operating conditions in a wind tunnel. The results showed that the grid-type plasma actuator was capable of producing a wall-normal jet array(peak magnitude: 1.07 m/s) similar to that generated in a micro-blowing technique, while the superdense array plasma actuator created a wavy wall-parallel jet(magnitude: 0.94 m/s) due to the discrete spanwise electrostatic forces. Under a comparable electrical power consumption level,the super-dense array plasma actuator array significantly outperformed the grid-type configuration,reducing the total airfoil friction drag by approximately 22% at a free-stream velocity of 20 m/s.The magnitude of drag reduction was proportional to the dimensionless jet velocity ratio(r), and a threshold r = 0.014 existed under which little impact on airfoil drag could be discerned.

Effects of confining pressure and pore pressure on multipole borehole acoustic field in fluid-saturated porous media

In-situ stress is a common stress in the exploration and development of oil reservoirs. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the propagation characteristics of borehole acoustic waves in fluid-saturated porous media under stress.Based on the acoustoelastic theory of fluid-saturated porous media, the field equation of fluid-saturated porous media under the conditions of confining pressure and pore pressure and the acoustic field formula of multipole source excitation in open hole are given. The influences of pore pressure and confining pressure on guided waves of multipole borehole acoustic field in fluid-saturated porous media are investigated. The numerical results show that the phase velocity and excitation intensity of guided wave increase significantly under the confining pressure. For a given confining pressure, the phase velocity of the guided wave decreases with pore pressure increasing. The excitation intensity of guided wave increases at low frequency and then decreases at high frequency with pore pressure increasing, except for that of Stoneley wave which decreases in the whole frequency range. These results will help us get an insight into the influences of confining pressure and pore pressure on the acoustic field of multipole source in borehole around fluid-saturated porous media.

Numerical Study on the Effect of Vortex Generators on the Aerodynamic Drag of a High-Speed Train

A relatively high aerodynamic drag is an important factor that hinders the further acceleration of high-speed trains.Using the shear stress transport(SST)k-ωturbulence model,the effect of various vortex generator types on the aerodynamic characteristics of an ICE2(Inter-city Electricity)train has been investigated.The results indi-cate that the vortex generators with wider triangle,trapezoid,and micro-ramp arranged on the surface of the tail car can significantly change the distribution of surface pressure and affect the vorticity intensity in the wake.This alteration effectively reduces the resistance of the tail car.Meanwhile,the micro-ramp vortex generator with its convergent structure at the rear exhibits enhancedflow-guiding capabilities,resulting in a 15.4%reduction in the drag of the tail car.

Parametric Optimization of Wheel Spoke Structure for Drag Reduction of an Ahmed Body

The wheels have a considerable influence on the aerodynamic properties and can contribute up to 25%of the total drag on modern vehicles.In this study,the effect of the wheel spoke structure on the aerodynamic performance of the isolated wheel is investigated.Subsequently,the 35°Ahmed body with an optimized spoke structure is used to analyze the flow behavior and the mechanism of drag reduction.The Fluent software is employed for this investigation,with an inlet velocity of 40 m/s.The accuracy of the numerical study is validated by comparing it with experimental results obtained from the classical Ahmed model.To gain a clearer understanding of the effects of the wheel spoke parameters on the aerodynamics of both the wheel and Ahmedmodel,and five design variables are proposed:the fillet angleα,the inside arc radius R1,the outside radius R2,and the same length of the chord L1 and L2.These variables characterize the wheel spoke structure.The Optimal Latin Hypercube designmethod is utilized to conduct the experimental design.Based on the simulation results of various wheel spoke designs,the Kriging model and the adaptive simulated annealing algorithm is selected to optimize the design parameters.The objective is to achieve the best combination for maximum drag reduction.It is indicated that the optimized spoke structure resulted in amaximum drag reduction of 5.7%and 4.7%for the drag coefficient of the isolated wheel and Ahmed body,respectively.The drag reduction is primarily attributed to changes in the flow state around the wheel,which suppressed separation bubbles.Additionally,it influenced the boundary layer thickness around the car body and reduced the turbulent kinetic energy in the wake flow.These effects collectively contributed to the observed drag reduction.

Estimation of Displacement and Extension due to Reverse Drag of Normal Faults: Forward Method

In the case of reverse drag of normal faulting, the displacement and horizontal extension are determined based on the established equations for the three mechanisms: rigid body, vertical shear and inclined shear. There are three sub-cases of basal detachment for the rigid body model: horizontal detachment, antithetic detachment and synthetic detachment. For the rigid body model, the established equations indicate that the total displacement on the synthetic base (Dt2) is the largest, that on the horizontal base (Dt1) is moderate, and that on the antithetic base (Dt3) is the smallest. On the other hand, the value of (Dt1) is larger than the displacement for the vertical shear (Dt4). The value of (Dt1) is larger than or less than the displacement for the inclined shear (Dt5) depending on the original fault dip δ0, bedding angle θ, and the angle of shear direction β. For all original parameters, the value of Dt5 is less than the value of Dt4. Also, by comparing three rotation mechanisms, we find that the inclined shear produces largest extension, the rigid body model with horizontal detachment produces the smallest extension, and the vertical shear model produces moderate extension.

Do changes in intracoronary pressure aid coronary spasm diagnosis using the spasm provocation test?

BACKGROUND Although the spasm provocation test(SPT)can diagnose coronary spasms,it would be helpful if it could also predict their occurrence.AIM To investigate whether coronary spasms can be predicted using changes in intracoronary artery pressure measured using a pressure wire during the SPT.METHODS Seventy patients underwent SPTs with pressure-wire measurement of intracoronary artery pressure.During each SPT,the pressure wire was advanced into the distal portion of the right coronary artery(RCA)and left anterior descending coronary artery,and the ratio of intracoronary pressure to aortic pressure(Pd/Pa)was monitored.Coronary spasm was defined as an arterial narrowing of>90%in response to the administration of acetylcholine(ACh),with chest symptoms and/or ischemic electrocardiographic changes.ACh was administered to the RCA at low,moderate,or high doses of 20,50,or 80μg,respectively,and to the left coronary artery(LCA)at low,moderate,or high doses of 50,100,or 200μg,respectively.Coronary arteries with coronary spasms at low doses of ACh were defined as group L,and those with coronary spasms at moderate or high doses were defined as group MH.Those who did not occur coronary spasms at any ACh dose were designated as group N.RESULTS Among the 132 coronary arteries assessed using a pressure wire,there were 49 in group N,25 in group L,and 58 in group MH.Baseline Pd/Pa was the lowest in group L(P=0.001).The decrease in the Pd/Pa between baseline to low doses of ACh was lower in group MH than in group N(P<0.001).A receiver-operating characteristics analysis showed that the cutoff baseline Pd/Pa value for predicting group L was 0.95,with a sensitivity of 0.600(15/25)and a specificity of 0.713(76/107)and that the cutoff value of Pd/Pa from baseline to low doses of ACh for predicting group MH was−0.04,with a sensitivity of 0.741(43/58)and a specificity of 0.694(34/49).CONCLUSION These findings suggest that indices of intracoronary pressure during SPT may be useful means for predicting the occurrence of coronary spasms.

Pressure-induced magnetic phase and structural transition in SmSb_(2)

Motivated by the recent discovery of unconventional superconductivity around a magnetic quantum critical point in pressurized CeSb_(2),here we present a high-pressure study of an isostructural antiferromagnetic(AFM) SmSb_(2) through electrical transport and synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements.At P_(C)~2.5 GPa,we found a pressure-induced magnetic phase transition accompanied by a Cmca→P4/nmm structural phase transition.In the pristine AFM phase below P_(C),the AFM transition temperature of SmSb_(2) is insensitive to pressure;in the emergent magnetic phase above P_(C),however,the magnetic critical temperature increases rapidly with increasing pressure.In addition,at ambient pressure,the magnetoresistivity(MR) of SmSb_(2) increases suddenly upon cooling below the AFM transition temperature and presents linear nonsaturating behavior under high field at 2 K.With increasing pressure above P_(C),the MR behavior remains similar to that observed at ambient pressure,both in terms of temperature-and field-dependent MR.This leads us to argue an AFM-like state for SmSb_(2) above P_(C).Within the investigated pressure of up to 45.3 GPa and the temperature of down to 1.8 K,we found no signature of superconductivity in SmSb_(2).

Screening, Treatment and Control of High Blood Pressure on Five Sites in Mali

Introduction: High blood pressure is defined as blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg for systolic and or 90 mm Hg for diastolic. It constitutes a major public health problem, the leading chronic disease in the world. The objective was to determine the prevalence, treatment rate and control of hypertension. Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study which took place over a period of 6 months in a hospital environment and in the general population. Results: Of the 1000 participants, 637 had hypertension, giving a prevalence of 63.70% with a female predominance. Thirty-three percent (33%) were unaware of their high blood pressure. The age group 60 and more was the most represented (44%). A proportion of 33 and 23.20 were overweight and obese participants, respectively. Male subjects were more overweight than female, unlike obesity which was more common among female subjects. Sixty-two percent (62%) of hypertensives were treated, of whom 44% were non-compliant. The excessively high cost and consumption of medications as needed were the main factors in therapeutic non-compliance. Twenty-two percent (22%) of all hypertensive patients and 35% of treated hypertensive patients were controlled. Women were more treated but less observant and less controlled than men. Therapeutic coverage and combination therapy rates were lower in rural areas. Hypertensives who had a high level of education were better treated and controlled than those who had no level. Conclusion: High blood pressure remains a real public health problem in Mali. It is more common in people aged 60 and over and in females. One in three hypertensives were unaware of their hypertension. The majority received antihypertensive treatments, but only a minority of them had their hypertension controlled.

Economic Stress, Precariousness and Risk of High Blood Pressure: A Descriptive Survey of Life Models within Households of the Central Region of Cameroon

Context/Objective: High blood pressure (HBP) currently represents the most widespread chronic non-communicable disease in Cameroon. The increase in its prevalence in the country is the result of multiple factors including economic stress imposed by precariousness, poor living conditions, sources of anxiety, anguish, depression and other behavioral disorders. Economic stress is a globalizing concept that integrates into a purely hermeneutic approach, a particular functioning of the nervous system of an individual who faces employment problems and precarious remuneration conditions. The non-satisfaction by an individual of his basic needs due to insufficient financial means can cause him to become irritable, aggressive, and socially and symbolically isolated, thereby increasing the desire to resort to morbid life models such as excessive consumption of narcotics and other psychoactive substances often associated with high blood pressure. The fight against the emergence of BPH is a complex, multifaceted and multifactorial reality that requires taking into account economic stress. The main objective of this survey is to describe the situation of economic stress within the Cameroonian population, which imposes precariousness and life models at risk of high blood pressure. Specifically, we determined the level of household income and the sources of income. Methods: A cross-sectional survey with a descriptive aim among five hundred households in the Central Region of Cameroon was conducted. A probabilistic technique called simple randomness was used. The number of households to be surveyed was determined indirectly using the Cochrane formula. Data collection in face-to-face mode using a physical questionnaire took place from July 1 to August 31, 2023, after obtaining ethical clearance from the Regional Health Research Ethics Committee, Human from the Center and an administrative authorization for data collection. Regarding their processing, the data was grouped during processing in Excel sheets. Normality and reliability tests of the collected data were carried out. For this, the Chi-square test was used for data with a qualitative value and that of Kolmogorov-Sminorf for data with a quantitative value. Descriptive analysis was possible using R software version 3.2, SPSS version 25.0, XLSTAT 2016, PAST and EXCEL programs from Microsoft Office 2013. Results: The main results highlight economic stress, with 45.60% of households surveyed earning less than US$154 per month;55% of household heads were women in single-parent families;14% of household heads were unemployed, 22% worked in the private sector and 19% were self-employed. This general economic situation leads to precarious living conditions, thereby increasing the risk of high blood pressure among the Cameroonian population.

Blood Pressure Estimation with Phonocardiogram on CNN-Based Approach

Monitoring blood pressure is a critical aspect of safeguarding an individual’s health,as early detection of abnormal blood pressure levels facilitates timely medical intervention,ultimately leading to a reduction in mortality rates associated with cardiovascular diseases.Consequently,the development of a robust and continuous blood pressure monitoring system holds paramount significance.In the context of this research paper,we introduce an innovative deep learning regression model that harnesses phonocardiogram(PCG)data to achieve precise blood pressure estimation.Our novel approach incorporates a convolutional neural network(CNN)-based regression model,which not only enhances its adaptability to spatial variations but also empowers it to capture intricate patterns within the PCG signals.These advancements contribute significantly to the overall accuracy of blood pressure estimation.To substantiate the effectiveness of our proposed method,we meticulously gathered PCG signal data from 78 volunteers,adhering to the ethical guidelines of Suranaree University of Technology(Human Research Ethics number EC-65-78).Subsequently,we rigorously preprocessed the dataset to ensure its integrity.We further employed a K-fold cross-validation procedure for data division and alignment,combining the resulting datasets with a CNNfor blood pressure estimation.The experimental results are highly promising,yielding aMeanAbsolute Error(MAE)and standard deviation(STD)of approximately 10.69±7.23 mmHg for systolic pressure and 6.89±5.22 mmHg for diastolic pressure.Our study underscores the potential for precise blood pressure estimation,particularly using PCG signals,paving the way for a practical,non-invasive method with broad applicability in the healthcare domain.Early detection of abnormal blood pressure levels can facilitate timely medical interventions,ultimately reducing cardiovascular disease-related mortality rates.

A personalized electronic textile for ultrasensitive pressure sensing enabled by biocompatible MXene/ PEDOT:PSS composite

Flexible,breathable,and highly sensitive pressure sensors have increasingly become a focal point of interest due to their pivotal role in healthcare monitoring,advanced electronic skin applications,and disease diagnosis.However,traditional methods,involving elastomer film-based substrates or encapsulation techniques,often fall short due to mechanical mismatches,discomfort,lack of breathability,and limitations in sensing abilities.Consequently,there is a pressing need,yet it remains a significant challenge to create pressure sensors that are not only highly breathable,flexible,and comfortable but also sensitive,durable,and biocompatible.Herein,we present a biocompatible and breathable fabric-based pressure sensor,using nonwoven fabrics as both the sensing electrode(coated with MXene/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate[PEDOT:PSS])and the interdigitated electrode(printed with MXene pattern)via a scalable spray-coating and screen-coating technique.The resultant device exhibits commendable air permeability,biocompatibility,and pressure sensing performance,including a remarkable sensitivity(754.5 kPa^(−1)),rapid response/recovery time(180/110 ms),and robust cycling stability.Furthermore,the integration of PEDOT:PSS plays a crucial role in protecting the MXene nanosheets from oxidation,significantly enhancing the device's long-term durability.These outstanding features make this sensor highly suitable for applications in fullrange human activities detection and disease diagnosis.Our study underscores the promising future of flexible pressure sensors in the realm of intelligent wearable electronics,setting a new benchmark for the industry.

First-principles study of structural and electronic properties of multiferroic oxide Mn_(3)TeO_(6) under high pressure

Mn_(3)TeO_(6)(MTO) has been experimentally found to adopt a P2_(1)/In structure under high pressure,which exhibits a significantly smaller band gap compared to the atmospheric R3 phase.In this study,we systematically investigate the magnetism,structural phase transition,and electronic properties of MTO under high pressure through first-principles calculations.Both R3 and P2_(1)/n phases of MTO are antiferromagnetic at zero temperature.The R3 phase transforms to the P2_(1)/n phase at 7.5 8 GPa,accompanied by a considerable volume collapse of about 6.47%.Employing the accurate method that combines DFT+U/and GW,the calculated band gap of R3 phase at zero pressure is very close to the experimental values,while that of the P2_(1)/n phase is significantly overestimated.The main reason for this difference is that the experimental study incorrectly used the Kubelka-Munk plot for the indirect band gap to obtain the band gap of the P2_(1)/n phase instead of the Kubelka-Munk plot for the direct band gap.Furthermore,our study reveals that the transition from the R3 phase to the P2_(1)/n phase is accompanied by a slight reduction in the band gap.