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To improve the performance of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film photovoltaic devices, a robust understanding of the dominant diffusion pathways of the alloy species In and Ga is needed. Here, the most probable defect complexes and mechanisms for In and Ga diffusion are identified with the aid of density functional theory. The binding energies and migration barriers for these complexes are calculated in bulk CuInSe2 and CuGaSe2. Analytic models and kinetic lattice Monte Carlo simulations are employed to predict the diffusivity of In and Ga under variations in composition and temperature. We find that a model based on coulombic interactions between group III antisites and vacancies on the Cu-sublattice produces results that match well with experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the optimization of the surface roughness of hybrid additive manufactured Ni superalloys, combining a conventional laser powder bed fusion process with in situ high-speed milling. This remarkable hybrid approach has only recently been applied to different steel types and barely to Ni superalloys which opposite to steel appear to be challenging for milling processes, particularly within the powderbed of laser powder bed fusion. Different influencing factors on the surface roughness are varied in this study, following the Taguchi method. Their effect is evaluated with respect to the average surface roughness and the maximum surface roughness. The signal-to-noise ratio for the varied parameters infeed, z-pitch, feed rate, and spindle speed is calculated, determining their relevance on the surface roughness, and defining an optimal parameter combination. As the surface quality is optimized to R a = 0.47 μ m , the definition of the optimal parameter combination is of the highest relevance for the application of this novel manufacturing approach for Inconel. Using linear regression, the resulting surface roughness of these parameters is predicted, getting validated by the experimental evaluation. Due to a further analysis, including EDX analysis and a quantitative element analysis at different positions of the flank of the milling cutter, wear characteristics as well as the dissipation of the coating of the milling cutter are detected. The flank wear and the resulting breakage of the cutting edge are defined as the main reasons of a rising surface roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a comprehensive study of the mechanical properties of selective laser sintered polyamide components is presented, for various different process parameters as well as environmental testing conditions. For the optimization of the static and dynamic mechanical load behavior, different process parameters, e.g., laser power, scan speed, and build temperature, were varied, defining an optimal parameter combination. First, the influence of the different process parameters was tested, leading to a constant energy density for different combinations. Due to similarities in mechanical load behavior, the energy density was identified as a decisive factor, mostly independent of the input parameters. Thus, secondly, the energy density was varied by the different parameters, exhibiting large differences for all levels of fatigue behavior. An optimal parameter combination of 18 W for the laser power and a scan speed of 2666 mm/s was determined, as a higher energy density led to the best results in static and dynamic testing. According to this, the variation in build temperature was investigated, leading to improvements in tensile strength and fatigue strength at higher build temperatures. Furthermore, different ambient temperatures during testing were evaluated, as the temperature-dependent behavior of polymers is of high importance for industrial applications. An increased ambient temperature as well as active cooling during testing was examined, having a significant impact on the high cycle fatigue regime and on the endurance limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the diffusion of copper in CuInSe 2 using thermodynamic and kinetic models based on density functional theory calculations, attempting to reconcile large differences in reported experimental diffusivities. We find that observations of rapid chemical diffusion can be explained by large thermodynamic factors, which we calculate using a compositionally constrained model of intrinsic point defect formation. We further characterize how copper diffusion coefficients depend on material synthesis conditions and exhibit their variation across the CuInSe 2 secondary phase diagram. In doing so, we identify stable off-stoichiometries that are dominated by either vacancy- or interstitial-mediated diffusion mechanisms. These results are employed in the development of a continuum reaction–diffusion model, which we use to simulate experimental depth profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter examines the role of humour in §54 of Kant's Critique of the Power of Judgment in relation to reconstructive readings provided by Kantian scholars. While Kant claims that humour is primarily an irrational, corporeal phenomenon, these scholars have argued that his discussion of humour suggests otherwise and they have proposed readings according to which humour constitutes a pure aesthetic judgement akin to those of beauty and the sublime. This issue is investigated over the course of four sections. First, I briefly sketch Kant's two types of pure aesthetic judgement. Second, I summarize Kant's discussion of laughter in §54. Third, I debate some of the reconstructions that have been given in the scholarship that attempt to accord a more important role to humour within Kant's project: John Marmysz' interpretation of the funny as an unthreatening form of the sublime; Annie Hounsokou's interpretation of the funny as a species of both the beautiful and the sublime; Peter T. Giamaro's claim that the funny is the most basic aesthetic judgement; and James Creed Meredith's suggestion that the funny should be seen as a third and distinct type of aesthetic judgement. I conclude by proposing a reconstructive reading that draws on Meredith's and Giamaro's accounts while avoiding the problems highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a comprehensive study of the mechanical properties of maraging steel body-centred cubic lattice structures fabricated by a hybrid additive manufacturing technology that combines laser powder bed fusion with in situ high-speed milling. As the mechanical properties of additive manufactured components are inferior to, e.g., cast components, surface modifications can improve the mechanical behaviour. Different hybrid additive manufacturing technologies have been designed using additive and subtractive processes, improving process quality. Following this, mechanical testing is performed with respect to static tensile properties and dynamic stress, hardness, and porosity, comparing specimens manufactured by laser powder bed fusion only to those manufactured by the hybrid approach. In addition, the influence of different heat-treatment techniques on the mechanical behaviour of the lattice structures is investigated, namely solution and aging treatment as well as hot isostatic pressing. Thus, the influence of the superior surface quality due to the hybrid approach is evaluated, leading to, e.g., an offset of about 14–16% for the static testing of HIP lattice structures. Furthermore, the dynamic load behaviour can be improved with a finished surface, heading to a shift of the different zones of fatigue behaviour in the testing of hybrid-built specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three pedestrian bridges for China China's most published bridges usually feature breathtaking size, symbolic design concepts or daring tourist attraction purposes. Bridges with glass floors over deep gorges or skybridges spanning in between high‐rise towers are attractions for mass tourist movements unknown to us in Europe. In addition to these prestigious projects, the bridge construction in China, as an important part of a huge infrastructure system, has many less known but nevertheless interesting and innovative bridges. This article presents three pedestrian bridges that were designed and built by schlaich bergermann partner in and for China within recent years and describes the special experiences and observations made during the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of compressed M[Li313Ti2] (M = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) and expanded helicates M4[13Ti2] has been obtained. The helicates Li3[M13Ti2] or M4[13Ti2] with M = Na+, K+, Rb+, or Cs+ adopt the expanded structure in solution. By crystallization the compressed structures M[Li313Ti2] (M = Na, Rb) are obtained. This represents an example of cation-translocation based isomerism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensemble methods have become ubiquitous for the solution of Bayesian inference problems. State-of-the-art Langevin samplers such as the ensemble Kalman sampler (EKS) or the affine invariant Langevin dynamics (ALDI) rely on successive evaluations of the forward model or its gradient. A main drawback of these methods hence is their vast number of required forward calls as well as their possible lack of convergence in the case of more involved posterior measures such as multimodal distributions. The goal of this paper is to address these challenges to some extent. First, several possible adaptive ensemble enrichment strategies that successively enlarge the number of particles in the underlying Langevin dynamics are discussed that in turn lead to a significant reduction of the total number of forward calls. Second, analytical consistency guarantees of the ensemble enrichment method are provided for linear forward models. Third, to address more involved target distributions, the method is extended by applying adapted Langevin dynamics based on a homotopy formalism for which convergence is proved. Finally, numerical investigations of several benchmark problems illustrate the possible gain of the proposed method, comparing it to state-of-the-art Langevin samplers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • CSTR model used to map MIEC membrane reactor performance. • CFD model with detailed chemistry developed and validated for membrane reactor. • C2 yield affected by post reaction residence time and flow configuration. • Reversing flow in conventional button reactor increases C2 yield. Abstract Mixed ionic-electronic conducting (MIEC) membrane reactors are attractive for partial oxidation and oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) because of their ability to separate oxygen from air with a low energetic penalty, and introduce the oxygen into a reaction zone with spatial and temporal control. To facilitate design and optimization of such reactors, two numerical models for MIEC membrane reactors for methane reforming are introduced: a computationally inexpensive, coupled, two-chamber CSTR model, and a CFD model for reacting flow. The CFD model considers diffusive transport with a mixture averaged model, and was shown to agree well with previous experimental and modelling works. Both models utilize a detailed gas-phase chemical kinetic mechanism and a membrane oxygen permeation model that considers the local oxygen concentration. It is demonstrated that the CSTR model can be used to evaluate a large number of reactor parameters efficiently to identify optimal conditions for OCM. The most promising reactor operating points identified using the CSTR for a particular reactor size are further considered with spatial detail using the CFD model. It is shown that the coupling between oxygen permeation, gas phase chemical kinetics, and flow field can have a significant impact on the reactor performance. Here the flow direction in a typical button reactor was reversed, which resulted in a 40% increase in predicted C 2 yield. The increase is attributed to the shorter post-reaction residence time of the C 2 products in the reactor, thereby inhibiting deeper oxidation. This significant impact on the reactor performance can be utilized to improve the yield of partially oxidized products from membrane reactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key pointsDiscoverability is no longer just about technology.There is a shift towards a culture of discovery.Coordinated efforts successfully create impact resonance.The author is the conductor of impact.Today, everybody needs to take responsibility for creating impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We construct an analytic model for the composition dependence of the vacancy-mediated Cu diffusion coefficient in undoped CuInSe2 using parameters from density functional theory. The applicability of this model is supported numerically with kinetic lattice Monte Carlo and Onsager transport tensors. We discuss how this model relates to experimental measurements of Cu diffusion, arguing that our results can account for significant contributions to the bulk diffusion of Cu tracers in non-stoichiometric CuInSe2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being an indispensable tool for both researchers and clinicians, traditional endoscopic imaging of the human vocal folds is limited in that it cannot capture their inferior-superior motion. A three-dimensional reconstruction technique using high-speed video imaging of the vocal folds in stereo is explored in an effort to estimate the inferior-superior motion of the medial-most edge of the vocal folds under normal muscle activation in vivo. Traditional stereo-matching algorithms from the field of computer vision are considered and modified to suit the specific challenges of the in vivo application. Inferior-superior motion of the medial vocal fold surface of three healthy speakers is reconstructed over one glottal cycle. The inferior-superior amplitude of the mucosal wave is found to be approximately 13 mm for normal modal voice, reducing to approximately 3 mm for strained falsetto voice, with uncertainty estimated at σ ≈ 2 mm and σ ≈ 1 mm, respectively. Sources of error, and their relative effects on the estimation of the inferior-superior motion, are considered and recommendations are made to improve the technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Block-type lumped-element models of the vocal folds are widely used for speech investigations due in part to the rich dynamics exhibited over a range of input parameters, particularly for asymmetric tissue properties. While self-consistent in derivation and application, block-type models of the vocal fold masses are inherently susceptible to non-physical aerodynamic loading conditions when vocal fold motion is highly asymmetric. A standard block-type model is compared against two modified models that disallow the non-physiological loading condition. These minor modifications toward a more physiologically relevant aerodynamic model alter the specific vibration regimes and prevalence of chaos, though bifurcations still exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphinate and phosphane substituted hierarchical helicates have been prepared, and the phosphinate derivatives could be characterized in the crystal. The helicate with phosphane substituents was submitted to an orientating study on catalysis, showing its potential to act as chelating ligand for the generation of active rhodium‐based hydrogenation catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simplified two-mass model of human vocal folds, proposed by Steinecke and Herzel [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 97(3), 1874-1884 (1995)], has seen widespread use throughout the speech community. Herein, an error is corrected in the contact loadings on colliding vocal folds with asymmetric tissue properties, as arises clinically in cases of unilateral paralysis. A revised contact model is proposed that remediates the erroneous asymmetric contact forces. The vibration regime map presented in Steinecke and Herzel illustrating the dynamical behavior of the system is revised using the corrected collision model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on milling and tool wear characteristics of hybrid additive manufacturing comprising laser powder bed fusion and in situ high-speed milling, a particular process in which the cutter mills inside the powder bed without any cooling lubricant being applicable. Flank wear is found to be the dominant wear characteristic with its temporal evolution over utilization period revealing the typical s-shaped dependence. The flank wear land width is measured by microscopy and correlated to the achievable surface roughness of milled 3D-printed parts, showing that for flank wear levels up to 100 μ m a superior surface roughness below 3 μ m is accessible for hybrid additive manufacturing. Further, based on this correlation recommended tool, life scenarios can be deduced. In addition, by optimizing the finishing tool start position and the number of afore-built layers, the milling process is improved with respect to the maximum millable angle for undercut surfaces of 3D-printed parts to 30° for the roughing process and to 40° for the entire machining process including finishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel method to approximate optimal feedback laws for nonlinear optimal control based on low‐rank tensor train (TT) decompositions. The approach is based on the Dirac–Frenkel variational principle with the modification that the optimization uses an empirical risk. Compared to current state‐of‐the‐art TT methods, our approach exhibits a greatly reduced computational burden while achieving comparable results. A rigorous description of the numerical scheme and demonstrations of its performance are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a comprehensive study to evaluate fundamental properties of a hybrid manufacturing approach, combining selective laser melting and high speed milling, and to characterize typical geometrical features and conclude on a catalogue of design rules. As for any additive manufacturing approach, the understanding of the machine properties and the process behaviour as well as such a selection guide is of upmost importance to foster the implementation of new machining concepts and support design engineers. Geometrical accuracy between digitally designed and physically realized parts made of maraging steel and dimensional limits are analyzed by stripe line projection. In particular, we identify design rules for numerous basic geometric elements like walls, cylinders, angles, inclinations, overhangs, notches, inner and outer radii of spheres, chamfers in build direction, and holes of different shape, respectively, as being manufactured by the hybrid approach and compare them to sole selective laser melting. While the cutting tool defines the manufacturability of, e.g., edges and corners, the milling itself improves the surface roughness to Ra < 2 μ m. Thus, the given advantages of this hybrid process, e.g., space-resolved and custom-designed roughness and the superior geometrical accuracy are evaluated. Finally, we exemplify the potential of this particular promising hybrid approach by demonstrating an injection mold with a conformal cooling for a charge socket for an electro mobile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operation of industrial supply technology is a broad field for optimization. Industrial cooling plants are often (a) composed of several components, (b) linked using network technology, (c) physically interconnected, and (d) complex regarding the effect of set-points and operating points in every entity. This leads to the possibility of overall optimization. An example containing a cooling tower, water circulations, and chillers entails a non-linear optimization problem with five dimensions. The decomposition of such a system allows the modeling of separate subsystems which can be structured according to the physical topology. An established method for energy performance indicators (EnPI) helps to formulate an optimization problem in a coherent way. The novel optimization algorithm OptTopo strives for efficient set-points by traversing a graph representation of the overall system. The advantages are (a) the ability to combine models of several types (e.g., neural networks and polynomials) and (b) an constant runtime independent from the number of operation points requested because new optimization needs just to be performed in case of plant model changes. An experimental implementation of the algorithm is validated using a simscape simulation. For a batch of five requests, OptTopo needs 61 min while the solvers Cobyla, SDPEN, and COUENNE need 0.3 min, 1.4 min, and 3.1 min, respectively. OptTopo achieves an efficiency improvement similar to that of established solvers. This paper demonstrates the general feasibility of the concept and fortifies further improvements to reduce computing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entyposis frici Bezděk & Sehnal, sp. nov., from Somaliland is described and relevant diagnostic characters are illustrated. The new species is compared with the morphologically closely similar Entyposis Kolbe, 1894 species. An updated checklist and an identification key to northeastern African Entyposis species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on decomposer communities has traditionally focused on plant litter or deadwood. Even though carrion forms highly nutrient-rich necromass that enhance ecosystem heterogeneity, the factors influencing saprophytic communities remain largely unknown. For deadwood, experiments have shown that different drivers determine beetles (i.e., decay stage, microclimate, and space), fungi (i.e., decay stage and tree species) and bacteria (decay stage only) assemblages. To test the hypothesis that similar factors also structure carrion communities, we sampled 29 carcasses exposed for 30 days that included Cervus elaphus (N = 6), Capreolus capreolus (N = 18), and Vulpes vulpes (N = 5) in a mountain forest throughout decomposition. Beetles were collected with pitfall traps, while microbial communities were characterized using amplicon sequencing. Assemblages were determined with a focus from rare to dominant species using Hill numbers. With increasing focus on dominant species, the relative importance of carcass identity on beetles and space on bacteria increased, while only succession and microclimate remained relevant for fungi. For beetle and bacteria with focus on dominant species, host identity was more important than microclimate, which is in marked contrast to deadwood. We conclude that factors influencing carrion saprophytic assemblages show some consistency, but also differences from those of deadwood assemblages, suggesting that short-lived carrion and long-lasting deadwood both provide a resource pulse with different adaptions in insects and microbes. As with deadwood, a high diversity of carcass species under multiple decay stages and different microclimates support a diverse decomposer community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In animal phobia research, one of the most attractive topics has been arachnophobia—the specific phobia of spiders. In this study, we explore the apparent paradox of mostly harmless spiders being the object of one of the most common animal fears. Recently, it has been suggested that negative emotions associated with spiders could be triggered by a more generalized fear of chelicerates, where scorpions are the primordial model that one should be afraid of. This hypothesis anticipates that deep fear of scorpions was present in human ancestors and that nowadays it is still generally shared among cultures. To test this assumption, we recruited participants from the Republic of Somaliland and the Czech Republic for an eye-tracking experiment. We found a very strong attentional bias for scorpions as opposed to spiders in Somalis and a similar albeit smaller bias in Czechs. The study deals with possible evolutionary origins of the fear of spiders and arachnophobia, one of the most common specific animal phobias. Moreover, it adds to a very limited number of studies focusing on people's perception of animals in Sub-Saharan Africa. Deep fear of spiders is common in many countries, yet its origin remains unexplained. In this study, we tested a hypothesis based on recent studies suggesting that fear of spiders might stem from a generalized fear of chelicerates or fear of scorpions. To this end, we conducted an eye tracking experiment using a spontaneous gaze preference paradigm, with spiders and scorpions (previously neglected but crucial stimuli) as threatening stimuli and grasshoppers as control stimuli. In total, 67 participants from Somaliland and 67 participants from the Czech Republic were recruited and presented with a sequence of paired images. Both Somali and Czech people looked longer (total duration of the gaze) and more often (number of fixations) on the threatening stimuli (spiders and scorpions) when presented with a control (grasshopper). When both threatening stimuli were presented together, Somali participants focused significantly more on the scorpion, whereas in Czech participants, the effect was less pronounced, and in Czech women it was not significant. This supports the hypothesis that fear of spiders originated as a generalized fear of scorpions. Moreover, the importance of spiders as fear-eliciting stimuli may be enhanced in the absence of scorpions in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dung beetles are important actors in the self‐regulation of ecosystems by driving nutrient cycling, bioturbation, and pest suppression. Urbanization and the sprawl of agricultural areas, however, destroy natural habitats and may threaten dung beetle diversity. In addition, climate change may cause shifts in geographical distribution and community composition. We used a space‐for‐time approach to test the effects of land use and climate on α‐diversity, local community specialization (H2′) on dung resources, and γ‐diversity of dung‐visiting beetles. For this, we used pitfall traps baited with four different dung types at 115 study sites, distributed over a spatial extent of 300 km × 300 km and 1000 m in elevation. Study sites were established in four local land‐use types: forests, grasslands, arable sites, and settlements, embedded in near‐natural, agricultural, or urban landscapes. Our results show that abundance and species density of dung‐visiting beetles were negatively affected by agricultural land use at both spatial scales, whereas γ‐diversity at the local scale was negatively affected by settlements and on a landscape scale equally by agricultural and urban land use. Increasing precipitation diminished dung‐visiting beetle abundance, and higher temperatures reduced community specialization on dung types and γ‐diversity. These results indicate that intensive land use and high temperatures may cause a loss in dung‐visiting beetle diversity and alter community networks. A decrease in dung‐visiting beetle diversity may disturb decomposition processes at both local and landscape scales and alter ecosystem functioning, which may lead to drastic ecological and economic damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Comparing different novel feature sets and classifiers for speech processing based fatigue detection is the primary aim of this study. Thus, we conducted a within-subject partial sleep deprivation design (20.00–04.00h, N=77 participants) and recorded 372 speech samples of sustained vowel phonation. The self-report on the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) and an observer report on the KSS, the KSS Observer Scale were applied to determine sleepiness reference values. Feature extraction methods of non-linear dynamics (NLD) provide additional information regarding the dynamics and structure of sleepiness speech. In all, 395 NLD features and the 170 phonetic features, which have been computed partially, represent so far unknown auditive-perceptual concepts. Several NLD and phonetic features show significant correlations to KSS ratings, e.g., from the NLD features for male speakers the skewness of vector length within reconstructed phase space (r=.56), and for female speaker the mean of Cao''s minimum embedding dimensions (r=−.39). After a correlation-filter feature subset selection different classification models and ensemble classifiers (by AdaBoost, Bagging) were trained. Bagging procedures turned out to achieve best performance for male and female speakers on the phonetic and the NLD feature set. The best models for the phonetic feature set achieved 78.3% (NaïveBayes) for male and 68.5% (Bagging Bayes Net) for female speaker classification accuracy in detecting sleepiness. The best model for the NLD feature set achieved 77.2% (Bagging Bayes Net) for male and 76.8% (Bagging Bayes Net) for female speakers. Nevertheless, employing the combined phonetic and NLD feature sets provided additional information and thus resulted in an improved highest UA of 79.6% for male (Bayes Net) and 77.1% for female (AdaBoost Nearest Neighbor) speakers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome (GTS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that often presents with a complex array of motor and phonic tics that persist over the majority of a person's life. GTS often presents with comorbidities such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and mood disorders. Psychosocial sequelae are also common among this population. We present the case of a 49-year-old woman with severe, lifelong GTS complicated by OCD, inattention, impulsivity, disinhibition, mood disturbances, generalized anxiety, and pain secondary to motor tics. Habit reversal therapy (HRT) is used with full body relaxation conditioned as a competitive response to target her tics, anxiety, and pain simultaneously. The patient demonstrates significant reduction of symptoms and improvement in psychosocial status within four sessions. She is able to maintain this status at a 3-month follow-up session. Aspects of case conceptualization and therapeutic technique are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome (GTS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that often presents with a complex array of motor and phonic tics that persist over the majority of a person's life. GTS often presents with comorbidities such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and mood disorders. Psychosocial sequelae are also common among this population. We present the case of a 49-year-old female with severe, lifelong GTS complicated by OCD, inattention, impulsivity, disinhibition, mood disturbances, generalized anxiety, and pain secondary to motor tics. Habit reversal therapy (HRT) was used with full body relaxation conditioned as a competitive response to target her tics, anxiety, and pain simultaneously. The patient demonstrated significant reduction of symptoms and improvement in psychosocial status within four sessions. She was able to maintain this status at a 3 month follow-up session. Aspects of case conceptualization and therapeutic technique are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Whereas vertebrate scavengers have a higher diversity reported at randomly placed carcasses, the drivers of insect diversity on carrion, such as the exposure type (fixed versus random) or the carrion species, are still incompletely understood. We analyzed beetle diversity at differently exposed carcasses in the low-range mountain forest of the Bavarian Forest National Park in Germany. We tested if scavenging beetles, similarly to vertebrate scavengers, show a higher diversity at randomly placed carcasses compared to easily manageable fixed places. Ninety-two beetle species at 29 exposed wildlife carcasses (roe, red deer, and red foxes) were detected. Beetle diversity was higher at fixed locations possessing extended highly nutrient-rich cadaver decomposition islands as important refuges for threatened red-listed species, such as Necrobia violacea (Coleoptera: Cleridae). Particularly noticeable in our insect traps were the following two rare species, the "primitive" carrion beetle Necrophilus subterraneus (Coleoptera: Agyrtidae) and the false clown beetle Sphaerites glabratus (Coleoptera: Sphaeritidae). In Europe, only the species S. glabratus out of the genus Sphaerites is present. This emphasizes the importance of carrion for biodiversity conservation. We clearly show the relevance of leaving and additional providing wildlife carcasses in a dedicated place in protected forests for preserving very rare and threatened beetle species as essential members of the decomposing community. In contrast to other necromass, such as leaves, deadwood, or dung, the drivers of insect biodiversity on carcasses are still incompletely understood. For vertebrate scavengers, a richer community was shown for randomly placed carcasses, due to lower competition. Here we tested if scavenging beetles similarly show a higher diversity at randomly placed carcasses compared to easily manageable fixed places. We sampled 12,879 individuals and 92 species of scavenging beetles attracted to 17 randomly and 12 at fixed places exposed and decomposing carcasses of red deer, roe deer, and red foxes compared to control sites in a low range mountain forest. We used rarefaction-extrapolation curves along the Hill-series to weight diversity from rare to dominant species and indicator species analysis to identify differences between placement types, the decay stage, and carrion species. Beetle diversity decreased from fixed to random locations, becoming increasingly pronounced with weighting of dominant species. In addition, we found only two indicator species for exposure location type, both representative of fixed placement locations and both red listed species, namely Omosita depressa and Necrobia violacea. Furthermore, we identified three indicator species of Staphylinidae (Philonthus marginatus and Oxytelus laqueatus) and Scarabaeidae (Melinopterus prodromus) for larger carrion and one geotrupid species Anoplotrupes stercorosus for advanced decomposition stages. Our study shows that necrophilous insect diversity patterns on carcasses over decomposition follow different mechanisms than those of vertebrate scavengers with permanently established carrion islands as important habitats for a diverse and threatened insect fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Voiced speech is a highly complex process involving coupled interactions between the vocal fold structure, aerodynamics, and acoustic field. Reduced-order lumped-element models of the vocal fold structure, coupled with various aerodynamic and acoustic models, have proven useful in a wide array of speech investigations. These simplified models of speech, in which the vocal folds are approximated as arrays of lumped masses connected to one another via springs and dampers to simulate the viscoelastic tissue properties, have been used to study phenomena ranging from sustained vowels and pitch glides to polyps and vocal fold paralysis. Over the past several decades a variety of structural, aerodynamic, and acoustic models have been developed and deployed into the lumped-element modeling framework. This paper aims to provide an overview of advances in lumped-element models and their constituents, with particular emphasis on their physical foundations and limitations. Examples of the application of lumped-element models to speech studies will also be addressed, as well as an outlook on the direction and future of these models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is becoming increasingly popular as a marine fuel as emission regulations become more stringent. However, very little data are available on the particulate matter (PM) emissions of modern marine natural gas engines. In this study, we present a first detailed characterization of the composition of the PM emitted by a modern, in-use, natural-gas-powered vessel. The vessel engines use compression-ignition and only a small amount of diesel fuel as pilot. These engines drive electrical generators, providing propulsion as well as auxiliary power for the vessel. Our emissions characterization includes six different techniques to measure black carbon (BC), including all methods determined as appropriate for measuring BC emissions from ships by the International Maritime Organization, as well as particle size distributions, metal concentrations, and organic particulate emissions. PM emissions differed significantly between idle and at-sea operating conditions. At idle, PM emission factors were primarily organic (approximately 1500 mg / kWh) , with BC emission factors over two orders of magnitude lower (5.6 ± 0.4 mg / kWh). At engine loads above 25%, all emissions were independent of load and substantially lower than at idle, at 4.4 ± 1.7 mg / kWh for organics and 0.8 ± 0.2 mg / kWh for black carbon. When operated only on diesel fuel, this engine emitted 8-fold more organic PM (38 ± 15 mg / kWh) and 37-fold more BC (30 ± 11 mg / kWh) at loads above 25%. At idle loads, the diesel-fuel emissions were comparable to the natural-gas emissions. In addition to organics and BC, a third category of non-volatile sub-10-nm particles was identified. A detailed consideration of our measurements indicated that the sources of the organic, BC, and sub-10-nm particles were lubrication oil, diesel pilot fuel, and lubrication-oil metals, respectively. Future studies should seek to quantify the emissions of other dual-fuel engines that will be entering the market. Image 1 • Detailed characterization of PM emissions from natural-gas-powered marine vessel. • PM was primarily volatile organics, which may originate from lubrication oil. • BC emissions were 37x higher when switching from liquid natural gas to diesel fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]