Effect of slope angle on fractured rock masses under combined influence of variable rainfall infiltration and excavation unloading

Intense precipitation infiltration and intricate excavation processes are crucial factors that impact the stability and security of towering and steep rock slopes within mining sites.The primary aim of this research was to investigate the progression of cumulative failure within a cracked rock formation,considering the combined effects of precipitation and excavation activities.The study was conducted in the Huangniuqian eastern mining area of the Dexing Copper Mine in Jiangxi Province,China.An engineering geological investigation was conducted,a physical model experiment was performed,numerical calculations and theoretical analysis were conducted using the matrix discrete element method(Mat-DEM),and the deformation characteristics and the effect of the slope angle of a fractured rock mass under different scenarios were examined.The failure and instability mechanisms of the fractured rock mass under three slope angle models were analyzed.The experimental results indicate that as the slope angle increases,the combined effect of rainfall infiltration and excavation unloading is reduced.A novel approach to simulating unsaturated seepage in a rock mass,based on the van Genuchten model(VGM),has been developed.Compared to the vertical displacement observed in a similar physical experiment,the average relative errors associated with the slope angles of 45,50,and 55were 2.094%,1.916%,and 2.328%,respectively.Accordingly,the combined effect of rainfall and excavation was determined using the proposed method.Moreover,the accuracy of the numerical simulation was validated.The findings contribute to the seepage field in a meaningful way,offering insight that can inform and enhance existing methods and theories for research on the underlying mechanism of ultra-high and steep rock slope instability,which can inform the development of more effective risk management strategies.

Fermions: Spin, Hidden Variables, Violation of Bell’s Inequality and Quantum Entanglement

Using real fields instead of complex ones, it was recently claimed, that all fermions are made of pairs of coupled fields (strings) with an internal tension related to mutual attraction forces, related to Planck’s constant. Quantum mechanics is described with real fields and real operators. Schrodinger and Dirac equations then are solved. The solution to Dirac equation gives four, real, 2-vectors solutions ψ1=(U1D1)ψ2=(U2D2)ψ3=(U3D3)ψ4=(U4D4)where (ψ1,ψ4) are coupled via linear combinations to yield spin-up and spin-down fermions. Likewise, (ψ2,ψ3) are coupled via linear combinations to represent spin-up and spin-down anti-fermions. For an incoming entangled pair of fermions, the combined solution is Ψin=c1ψ1+c4ψ4where c1and c4are some hidden variables. By applying a magnetic field in +Z and +x the theoretical results of a triple Stern-Gerlach experiment are predicted correctly. Then, by repeating Bell’s and Mermin Gedanken experiment with three magnetic filters σθ, at three different inclination angles θ, the violation of Bell’s inequality is proven. It is shown that all fermions are in a mixed state of spins and the ratio between spin-up to spin-down depends on the hidden variables.

Optimizing Designed Variable Speed Control Moment Gyroscopes with Variable Skew Angle

Large torque can be output by the single gimbal control momentum gyroscope (SGCMG) based on the principle of the gyroscopic precession. However, the singularity is a major obstacle to successfully implement the task of the attitude control. The singularity can be avoided by the additional variable flywheel speed of variable speed control moment gyroscopes (VSCMG). Unfortunately, some kind of singularity cannot be effectively avoided. Consequently, the output toque can be only supported by the reaction torque of the flywheel when the singularity is encountered, and the consume power that is determined by the flywheel speed and reaction torque can be greatly increased when the flywheel spin rate over one thousand revolutions per minute. In this paper, the pyramid configuration with variable skew angle of the VSCMG is considered. A new steering law for the VSCMG with variable skew angle is proposed. The singularity that cannot be avoided by the varying flywheel speed can be effectively avoided with assisting of varying the skew angle. Consequently, the requirement of flywheel torque can be reduced. At last, the optimizing VSCMG with variable skew angle can be cast as a multi-objective function with multi-constraints. The particle swarm optimization method is used to solve the optimizing problem. In summary, the VSCMG with variable skew angle can be redesigned with considering of the singularity avoidance and minimizing system power.

ZmbZIP27 regulates nitrogen-mediated leaf angle by modulating lignin deposition in maize

In grain crops such as maize(Zea mays),leaf angle(LA)is a key agronomic trait affecting light interception and thus planting density and yield.Nitrogen(N)affects LA in plants,but we lack a good understanding of how N regulates LA.Here,we report that N deficiency enhanced lignin deposition in the ligular region of maize seedlings.In situ hybridization showed that the bZIP transcription factor gene ZmbZIP27 is mainly expressed in the phloem of maize vascular bundles.Under N-sufficient conditions,transgenic maize overexpressing ZmbZIP27 showed significantly smaller LA compared with wild type(WT).By contrast,zmbzip27_(ems)mutant showed larger LA under both N-deficient and N-sufficient conditions compared with WT.Overexpression of ZmbZIP27 enhanced lignin deposition in the ligular region of maize in the field.We further demonstrated that ZmbZIP27 could directly bind the promoters of the microRNA genes ZmMIR528a and ZmMIR528b and negatively regulate the expression levels of ZmmiR528.ZmmiR528 knockdown transgenic maize displayed erect architecture in the field by increasing lignin content in the ligular region of maize.Taken together,these results indicate that ZmbZIP27 regulates N-mediated LA size by regulating the expression of ZmmiR528 and modulating lignin deposition in maize.

The influence of resistance exercise training prescription variables on skeletal muscle mass,strength,and physical function in healthy adults:An umbrella review

Purpose:The aim of this umbrella review was to determine the impact of resistance training(RT)and individual RT prescription variables on muscle mass,strength,and physical function in healthy adults.Methods:Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA)guidelines,we systematically searched and screened eligible systematic reviews reporting the effects of differing RT prescription variables on muscle mass(or its proxies),strength,and/or physical function in healthy adults aged>18 years.Results:We identified 44 systematic reviews that met our inclusion criteria.The methodological quality of these reviews was assessed using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews;standardized effectiveness statements were generated.We found that RT was consistently a potent stimulus for increasing skeletal muscle mass(4/4 reviews provide some or sufficient evidence),strength(4/6 reviews provided some or sufficient evidence),and physical function(1/1 review provided some evidence).RT load(6/8 reviews provided some or sufficient evidence),weekly frequency(2/4 reviews provided some or sufficient evidence),volume(3/7 reviews provided some or sufficient evidence),and exercise order(1/1 review provided some evidence)impacted RT-induced increases in muscular strength.We discovered that 2/3 reviews provided some or sufficient evidence that RT volume and contraction velocity influenced skeletal muscle mass,while 4/7 reviews provided insufficient evidence in favor of RT load impacting skeletal muscle mass.There was insufficient evidence to conclude that time of day,periodization,inter-set rest,set configuration,set end point,contraction velocity/time under tension,or exercise order(only pertaining to hypertrophy)influenced skeletal muscle adaptations.A paucity of data limited insights into the impact of RT prescription variables on physical function.Conclusion:Overall,RT increased muscle mass,strength,and physical function compared to no exercise.RT intensity(load)and weekly frequency impacted RT-induced increases in muscular strength but not muscle hypertrophy.RT volume(number of sets)influenced muscular strength and hypertrophy.

Predicting the friction angle of clays using a multi-layer perceptron neural network enhanced by yeo-johnson transformation and coral reefs optimization

The accurate prediction of the friction angle of clays is crucial for assessing slope stability in engineering applications.This study addresses the importance of estimating the friction angle and presents the development of four soft computing models:YJ-FPA-MLPnet,YJ-CRO-MLPnet,YJ-ACOC-MLPnet,and YJCSA-MLPnet.First of all,the Yeo-Johnson(YJ)transformation technique was used to stabilize the variance of data and make it more suitable for parametric statistical models that assume normality and equal variances.This technique is expected to improve the accuracy of friction angle prediction models.The friction angle prediction models then utilized multi-layer perceptron neural networks(MLPnet)and metaheuristic optimization algorithms to further enhance performance,including flower pollination algorithm(FPA),coral reefs optimization(CRO),ant colony optimization continuous(ACOC),and cuckoo search algorithm(CSA).The prediction models without the YJ technique,i.e.FPA-MLPnet,CRO-MLPnet,ACOC-MLPnet,and CSA-MLPnet,were then compared to those with the YJ technique,i.e.YJ-FPA-MLPnet,YJ-CRO-MLPnet,YJ-ACOC-MLPnet,and YJ-CSA-MLPnet.Among these,the YJ-CRO-MLPnet model demonstrated superior reliability,achieving an accuracy of up to 83%in predicting the friction angle of clay in practical engineering scenarios.This improvement is significant,as it represents an increase from 1.3%to approximately 20%compared to the models that did not utilize the YJ transformation technique.

Influence of variable viscosity and double diffusion on the convective stability of a nanofluid flow in an inclined porous channel

The influence of variable viscosity and double diffusion on the convective stability of a nanofluid flow in an inclined porous channel is investigated.The DarcyBrinkman model is used to characterize the fluid flow dynamics in porous materials.The analytical solutions are obtained for the unidirectional and completely developed flow.Based on a normal mode analysis,the generalized eigenvalue problem under a perturbed state is solved.The eigenvalue problem is then solved by the spectral method.Finally,the critical Rayleigh number with the corresponding wavenumber is evaluated at the assigned values of the other flow-governing parameters.The results show that increasing the Darcy number,the Lewis number,the Dufour parameter,or the Soret parameter increases the stability of the system,whereas increasing the inclination angle of the channel destabilizes the flow.Besides,the flow is the most unstable when the channel is vertically oriented.

Incorporating empirical knowledge into data-driven variable selection for quantitative analysis of coal ash content by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS)has become a widely used atomic spectroscopic technique for rapid coal analysis.However,the vast amount of spectral information in LIBS contains signal uncertainty,which can affect its quantification performance.In this work,we propose a hybrid variable selection method to improve the performance of LIBS quantification.Important variables are first identified using Pearson's correlation coefficient,mutual information,least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)and random forest,and then filtered and combined with empirical variables related to fingerprint elements of coal ash content.Subsequently,these variables are fed into a partial least squares regression(PLSR).Additionally,in some models,certain variables unrelated to ash content are removed manually to study the impact of variable deselection on model performance.The proposed hybrid strategy was tested on three LIBS datasets for quantitative analysis of coal ash content and compared with the corresponding data-driven baseline method.It is significantly better than the variable selection only method based on empirical knowledge and in most cases outperforms the baseline method.The results showed that on all three datasets the hybrid strategy for variable selection combining empirical knowledge and data-driven algorithms achieved the lowest root mean square error of prediction(RMSEP)values of 1.605,3.478 and 1.647,respectively,which were significantly lower than those obtained from multiple linear regression using only 12 empirical variables,which are 1.959,3.718 and 2.181,respectively.The LASSO-PLSR model with empirical support and 20 selected variables exhibited a significantly improved performance after variable deselection,with RMSEP values dropping from 1.635,3.962 and 1.647 to 1.483,3.086 and 1.567,respectively.Such results demonstrate that using empirical knowledge as a support for datadriven variable selection can be a viable approach to improve the accuracy and reliability of LIBS quantification.

Influence of Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Phase Angle Values of People Living with HIV/AIDS with Lipodystrophy Secondary to Antiretroviral Therapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective: The measurement of phase angles is an important monitoring parameter and supplementation with omega-3 could promote benefits by modulating the electrical potential of membranes and increasing body cell mass. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the phase angle of people living with HIV/AIDS. Methods: In this study, 63 individuals of all genders who were undergoing outpatient follow-up and showed lipodystrophy due to highly active antiretroviral therapy were analyzed. Our sample consisted of two groups, one that received supplementation containing 2550 mg of omega-3/day (1080 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 720 mg of docosahexaenoic acid) for three months (n = 32) and another that underwent nutrition guidance (n = 31). Phase angle and body cell mass were assessed for both groups and compared at the beginning of research (T0) and after our intervention (T1) for each group separately. Results: Phase angle averaged 6.45° ± 1.06 SD. The comparison between T0 and T1 showed a significant increase in phase angle and body cell mass, whereas the guidance group showed a decrease in body cell mass at T1 in relation to T0, with a significant p-value. Variance in phase angle between moments showed significant values between T0 and T1 in the supplementation group for all genders. Conclusion: Omega-3 positively modulated patients phase angle and body cell mass, but we emphasize the need for other studies that can solidify knowledge about supplementation dosage and intervention time.

Hybrid Dynamic Variables-Dependent Event-Triggered Fuzzy Model Predictive Control

This article focuses on dynamic event-triggered mechanism(DETM)-based model predictive control(MPC) for T-S fuzzy systems.A hybrid dynamic variables-dependent DETM is carefully devised,which includes a multiplicative dynamic variable and an additive dynamic variable.The addressed DETM-based fuzzy MPC issue is described as a “min-max” optimization problem(OP).To facilitate the co-design of the MPC controller and the weighting matrix of the DETM,an auxiliary OP is proposed based on a new Lyapunov function and a new robust positive invariant(RPI) set that contain the membership functions and the hybrid dynamic variables.A dynamic event-triggered fuzzy MPC algorithm is developed accordingly,whose recursive feasibility is analysed by employing the RPI set.With the designed controller,the involved fuzzy system is ensured to be asymptotically stable.Two examples show that the new DETM and DETM-based MPC algorithm have the advantages of reducing resource consumption while yielding the anticipated performance.

Identification of the BTA8 gene reveals the contribution of natural variation to tiller angle in rice

Plant architecture is a collection of major agronomic traits that determines rice grain production,and it is mainly influenced by tillering,tiller angle,plant height and panicle morphology(Wang and Li 2006).Tiller angle is one of the critical components that determines rice plant architecture,which in turn influences grain yield mainly due to its large impact on plant density(Wang et al.2022).

A Stroke-Limitation AMD Control System with Variable Gain and Limited Area for High-Rise Buildings

Collisions between a moving mass and an anti-collision device increase structural responses and threaten structural safety.An active mass damper(AMD)with stroke limitations is often used to avoid collisions.However,a strokelimited AMD control system with a fixed limited area shortens the available AMD stroke and leads to significant control power.To solve this problem,the design approach with variable gain and limited area(VGLA)is proposed in this study.First,the boundary of variable-limited areas is calculated based on the real-time status of the moving mass.The variable gain(VG)expression at the variable limited area is deduced by considering the saturation of AMD stroke.Then,numerical simulations of a stroke-limited AMD control system with VGLA are conducted on a high-rise building structure.These numerical simulations show that the proposed approach has superior strokelimitation performance compared with a stroke-limited AMD control system with a fixed limited area.Finally,the proposed approach is validated through experiments on a four-story steel frame.

Mid-infrared Period-Luminosity Relations of Gaia DR3 Long Period Variables

Long period variable(LPV)stars are very promising distance indicators in the infrared bands.We selected asymptotic giant branch(AGB)stars in the Large and Small Magellanic Cloud(LMC and SMC)from the Gaia Data Release 3 LPV catalog,and classified them into oxygen-rich(O-rich)and carbon-rich(C-rich)AGB stars.Using the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer database,we determined the W1-and W2-band period-luminosity relations(PLRs)for each pulsation-mode sequence of AGB stars.The dispersion of the PLRs of O-rich AGB stars in sequences C'and C is relatively small,around 0.14 mag.The PLRs of LMC and SMC are consistent in each sequence.In the W2 band,the PLR of large-amplitude C-rich AGB stars is steeper than that of small-amplitude C-rich AGB stars,due to their more circumstellar dust.By two methods,we find that some PLR sequences of O-rich AGB stars in the LMC are dependent on metallicity.The coefficients of the metallicity effect areβ=-0.533±0.213 mag dex~1andβ=-0.767±0.158 mag dex~1for sequence C in W1 and W2 bands,respectively.The significance of the metallicity effect in W1 band for the four sequences is 2.2-3.5σ.Both of these imply that distance measurements using O-rich Mira may need to take the metallicity effect into account.

Experimental Study of Local Scour Around Four Piles Under Different Attack Angles and Gap Ratios

In an effort to investigate and quantify the patterns of local scour,researchers embarked on an in-depth study using a systematic experimental approach.The research focused on the effects of local scour around a set of four piles,each subjected to different hydromechanical conditions.In particular,this study aimed to determine how different attack angles—the angles at which the water flow impinges on the piles,and gap ratios—the ratios of the spacing between the piles to their diameters,influence the extent and nature of scour.A comprehensive series of 35 carefully designed experiments were orchestrated,each designed to dissect the nuances in how the gap ratio and attack angle might contribute to changes in the local scour observed at the base of pile groups.During these experimental trials,a wealth of local scour data were collected to support the analysis.These data included precise topographic profiles of the sediment bed around the pile groups,as well as detailed scour time histories showing the evolution of scour at strategic feature points throughout the test procedure.The analysis of the experimental data provided interesting insights.The study revealed that the interplay between the gap ratio and the attack angle had a pronounced influence on the scouring dynamics of the pile groups.One of the key observations was that the initial phases of scour,particularly within the first hour of water flow exposure,were characterized by a sharp increase in the scour depth occurring immediately in front of the piles.After this initial rapid development,the scour depth transitioned to a more gradual change rate.In contrast,the scour topography around the piles continuously evolved.This suggests that sediment displacement and the associated sculpting of the seabed around pile foundations are sustained and progressive processes,altering the underwater landscape over time.The results of this empirical investigation have significant implications for the design and construction of offshore multi-pile foundations,providing a critical reference for engineers and designers to estimate the expected scour depth around such structures,which is an integral part of decisions regarding foundation design,selection of structural materials,and implementation of scour protection measures.

Visualizing the Local Twist Angle Variation within and between Domains of Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Moirésuperlattices in twisted two-dimensional materials have emerged as ideal platforms for engineering quantum phenomena,which are highly sensitive to twist angles,including both the global value and the spatial inhomogeneity.However,only a few methods provide spatial-resolved information for characterizing local twist angle distribution.

In situ calibrated angle between the quantization axis and the propagating direction of the light field for trapping neutral atoms

The recently developed magic-intensity trapping technique of neutral atoms efficiently mitigates the detrimental effect of light shifts on atomic qubits and substantially enhances the coherence time. This technique relies on applying a bias magnetic field precisely parallel to the wave vector of a circularly polarized trapping laser field. However, due to the presence of the vector light shift experienced by the trapped atoms, it is challenging to precisely define a parallel magnetic field, especially at a low bias magnetic field strength, for the magic-intensity trapping of85Rb qubits. In this work, we present a method to calibrate the angle between the bias magnetic field and the trapping laser field with the compensating magnetic fields in the other two directions orthogonal to the bias magnetic field direction. Experimentally, with a constantdepth trap and a fixed bias magnetic field, we measure the respective resonant frequencies of the atomic qubits in a linearly polarized trap and a circularly polarized one via the conventional microwave Rabi spectra with different compensating magnetic fields and obtain the corresponding total magnetic fields via the respective resonant frequencies using the Breit–Rabi formula. With known total magnetic fields, the angle is a function of the other two compensating magnetic fields.Finally, the projection value of the angle on either of the directions orthogonal to the bias magnetic field direction can be reduced to 0(4)° by applying specific compensating magnetic fields. The measurement error is mainly attributed to the fluctuation of atomic temperature. Moreover, it also demonstrates that, even for a small angle, the effect is strong enough to cause large decoherence of Rabi oscillation in a magic-intensity trap. Although the compensation method demonstrated here is explored for the magic-intensity trapping technique, it can be applied to a variety of similar precision measurements with trapped neutral atoms.

Suppression of Vortex-Induced Vibration Caused by A Terebridae-Inspired Cylinder with Different Helical Angles

Biomimetic design has recently received widespread attention.Inspired by the Terebridae structure,this paper provides a structural form for suppressing vortex-induced vibration(VIV)response.Four different structural forms are shown,including the traditional smooth cylinder(P0),and the Terebridae-inspired cylinder with the helical angle of 30°(P_(30)),60°(P_(60)),and 90°(P_(90)).Computational fluid dynamics(CFD)method is adopted to solve the flow pass the Terebridae-inspired structures,and the vibration equation is solved using the Newmark-βmethod.The results show that for P_(30),P_(60) and P_(90),the VIV responses are effectively suppressed in the lock-in region,and P_(60) showed the best VIV suppression performance.The transverse amplitude and the downstream amplitude can be reduced by 82.67%and 91.43%respectively for P_(60) compared with that for P0,and the peak of the mean-drag coefficient is suppressed by 53.33%.The Q-criterion vortices of P_(30),P_(60),and P_(90) are destroyed,with irregular vortices shedding.It is also found that the boundary layer separation is located on the Terebridae-inspired ribs.The twisted ribs cause the separation point to constantly change along the spanwise direction,resulting in the development of the boundary layer separation being completely destroyed.The strength of the wake flow is significantly weakened for the Terebridae-inspired cylinder.

A novel variable-order fractional chaotic map and its dynamics

In recent years,fractional-order chaotic maps have been paid more attention in publications because of the memory effect.This paper presents a novel variable-order fractional sine map(VFSM)based on the discrete fractional calculus.Specially,the order is defined as an iterative function that incorporates the current state of the system.By analyzing phase diagrams,time sequences,bifurcations,Lyapunov exponents and fuzzy entropy complexity,the dynamics of the proposed map are investigated comparing with the constant-order fractional sine map.The results reveal that the variable order has a good effect on improving the chaotic performance,and it enlarges the range of available parameter values as well as reduces non-chaotic windows.Multiple coexisting attractors also enrich the dynamics of VFSM and prove its sensitivity to initial values.Moreover,the sequence generated by the proposed map passes the statistical test for pseudorandom number and shows strong robustness to parameter estimation,which proves the potential applications in the field of information security.

Closed-form guidance law for velocity maximization with impact angle constraint

Final velocity and impact angle are critical to missile guidance.Computationally efficient guidance law with compre-hensive consideration of the two performance merits is challeng-ing yet remains less addressed.Therefore,this paper seeks to solve a type of optimal control problem that maximizes final velocity subject to equality point constraint of impact angle con-straint.It is proved that the crude problem of maximizing final velocity is equivalent to minimizing a quadratic-form cost of cur-vature.The closed-form guidance law is henceforth derived using optimal control theory.The derived analytical guidance law coincides with the widely-used optimal guidance law with impact angle constraint(OGL-IAC)with a set of navigation parameters of two and six.On this basis,the optimal emission angle is determined to further increase the final velocity.The derived optimal value depends solely on the initial line-of-sight angle and impact angle constraint,and thus practical for real-world appli-cations.The proposed guidance law is validated by numerical simulation.The results show that the OGL-IAC is superior to the benchmark guidance laws both in terms of final velocity and missing distance.

Suicide risk in juvenile open angle glaucoma patients

AIM:To investigate the association between juvenile open angle glaucoma(JOAG)and mental health among Koreans.METHODS:This study used nationally representative data from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES)2021.Glaucoma diagnosis followed the International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology criteria based on glaucomatous structural defects,visual field defects,corrected vision,and intraocular pressure.As outcomes,suicidal behaviors,psychiatric counseling,and depression were evaluated through mental health questionnaires.Odds ratios(ORs)with 95%confidence intervals(CIs)were estimated using logistic regression models,adjusting for covariates.RESULTS:Among 7090 participants,3446 met the inclusion criteria for analysis,and 88(2.6%)were diagnosed with open angle glaucoma(OAG).After adjusting for age,sex,and best-corrected visual acuity(VA),participants with OAG were revealed to have significantly higher odds of suicidal behaviors(i.e.,ideation,planning,or attempts)compared with those without OAG(OR:2.70;95%CI:1.12-6.54;P=0.028).This association remained significant after further adjustments for socioeconomic status,lifestyle factors,and presence of chronic conditions(P=0.031 and 0.035,respectively).However,there was no significant difference for the other two outcomes,psychiatric counseling and depression.An age-stratified analysis revealed a stronger association between OAG and suicidal behaviors in younger JOAG participants(<40y)than in older OAG participants(≥40y;OR:3.80 vs 2.22;95%CI:0.79-18.22 vs 0.56-8.80,respectively).CONCLUSION:OAG patients show a higher risk of suicidal behaviors than those without glaucoma particularly in JOAG patients.