Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Yudi Xing, Weijie Chen, Xingyu Wang, Fan Tong, Weiyang Qiao
Summary: This paper presents a numerical study on controlling trailing-edge bluntness noise using bio-inspired wavy leading edges. The results show that the wavy leading edges can significantly reduce the noise level, with a maximum reduction of 35 dB.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Andres Cabrera, David Romero, Jose Carlos Guerrero, Mario Clara, Adriana Delfraro
Summary: In Uruguay, the yellow pygmy rice rat is the primary reservoir host for hantavirus, with high humidity in human-disturbed rural environments being a favorable condition for infected rodents. The innovative methodologies used in this study allowed for the assessment of the current risk territory for HPS in Uruguay.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yohann Chauvier, Patrice Descombes, Maya Gueguen, Louise Boulangeat, Wilfried Thuiller, Niklaus E. Zimmermann
Summary: Species distribution models (SDMs) are statistical tools used to predict the geographic distribution of species. The resolution of predictors plays a significant role in model performance and diversity. Previous studies have shown that higher resolution predictors can improve model performance. Our study found that multifaceted diversity, especially relative phylogenetic diversity (rPD), is strongly affected by predictor resolution. Therefore, it is necessary to use higher resolution predictors to explain and predict the distribution of sessile species, particularly in mountain environments. Assessing species diversity is crucial for biodiversity management and conservation.
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Ruochen Wang, Xiaoping Ma, Guoxin Zhang, Pei Ying, Xiangyu Wang
Summary: The aerodynamic performance of a morphing airfoil and wing with leading edge (LE) and trailing edge (TE) parabolic flaps is numerically investigated using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations coupled with the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. The study proposes a parameterization method for the morphing airfoil and explores the effects of different design parameters on airfoil aerodynamics. Simulation results show that the parabolic flaps outperform the articulated flaps in lift generation, drag reduction, and aerodynamic efficiency enhancement.
JOURNAL OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Laura Botero-Bolivar, Fernanda L. dos Santos, Cornelis H. Venner, Leandro D. de Santana
Summary: Incorporating the effect of airfoil geometry is crucial for predicting airfoil noise and designing silent wind turbines. This study investigates the impact of airfoil geometry on leading- and trailing-edge noise using a phased microphone array. Experimental results show that leading-edge noise decreases with leading-edge radius and maximum thickness, while scaling laws are proposed. Trailing-edge noise is compared at different velocities and Reynolds numbers, with scaling laws suggested for each case. The study also assesses the competition between leading- and trailing-edge noise mechanisms under inflow turbulence, finding that the dominant noise source varies with airfoil geometry and frequency.
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Shuai Shao, Gaowei Jia, Peng Yin, Zhongxi Hou, Laiping Zhang, Zheng Guo
Summary: This study investigates the use of trailing-edge jets to control a flying-wing UCAV over a wide speed range and evaluates their flight control capability, impact on engine performance, and stealth improvement. The results show that the TE jets are effective in pitch and roll control, have minimal impact on engine performance, and can significantly reduce the radar cross section.
AEROSPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Zheng-Qing Zhu, Zhi-Tong Chen, Yun Zhang
Summary: Blade, as a crucial part of an aero-engine, significantly impacts its manufacturing level. A novel polishing technology using a flexible polishing wheel for leading and trailing edges has been proposed in this paper, which can improve the machining efficiency of blade edges.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Ziyang Li, Lijun Hang, Yuanbin He, Zhen He, Anping Tong, Dongliang Liu, Pingliang Zeng
Summary: This article proposes a new equivalent circuit and its small-signal model for a buck converter, which can accurately predict the converter's nonlinear behavior and magnitude-phase response. The model simplifies the conventional sampled-data model and can predict the converter's operating waveform and stability boundaries. A controller is designed to verify its stability.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
R. Carneiro, P. P. B. Araujo, G. S. Marinho, J. F. A. Martos, A. Passaro, P. G. P. Toro
Summary: Supersonic combustion technology based on a scramjet enables aerospace vehicles to fly at hypersonic speeds. This technology requires a highly integrated system without moving parts, making the propulsion system indistinguishable from the vehicle shape. The temperature and velocity at the combustion chamber are crucial parameters for the preliminary design.
Article
Ecology
William B. Lewis, Robert J. Cooper, Richard B. Chandler, Ryan W. Chitwood, Mason H. Cline, Michael T. Hallworth, Joanna L. Hatt, Jeff Hepinstall-Cymerman, Sara A. Kaiser, Nicholas L. Rodenhouse, T. Scott Sillett, Kirk W. Stodola, Michael S. Webster, Richard T. Holmes
Summary: Understanding the demographic drivers of range contractions is crucial for predicting species' responses to climate change. This study focuses on the effects of climate change on the black-throated blue warbler and reveals that climate change can drive trailing edge range contractions through impacts on survival and recruitment. Results show local extirpations and declines in populations at the trailing edge, indicating vulnerability to warming temperatures. Overall, this research highlights the complexities of demographic responses to climate change and the importance of local conditions in determining population declines and range shifts.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Jorge Luis Montero-Munoz, Carmen Urena, Diego Navarro, Valentin Herrera, Pilar Alonso-Rojo, Hector Hernandez-Alonso, Maria Fernanda Cepeda-Gonzalez, Luis Carlos Jovellar, Belen Fernandez-Santos, Fernando Silla
Summary: The presence of tree remnants in abandoned old fields can accelerate forest recovery and play a fundamental role in the recruitment and growth of Quercus species. Factors such as tree cover, soil parameters, and precipitation affect the regeneration dynamics and growth of trees in cold and dry environments.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jan Smycka, Anna Toszogyova, David Storch
Summary: Range size is a universal characteristic of every biological species, and there are theoretical arguments that large-ranged species should have higher diversification rates. However, observation suggests that small-ranged species are often phylogenetically clustered, indicating higher diversification. This study on mammals using a diversification model shows that range size changes during speciation are common and small-ranged species indeed diversify slower. However, both range size and diversification are strongly influenced by idiosyncratic and spatially localized events, which can override the general pattern of range size evolution.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Julie A. Lee-Yaw, Jenny L. McCune, Samuel Pironon, Seema N. Sheth
Summary: Species distribution models (SDMs) are widely used in ecology to infer habitat suitability for species of interest; however, studies show a decline in predictive performance from occurrence to genetic diversity, with higher success rates in single species evaluations. The limited accuracy of SDMs reported may reflect the best-case scenario, emphasizing the need for independent data validation when using these models in conservation decisions.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Charalampos Themistokleous, Nikolaos-Grigorios Markatos, John Prospathopoulos, Vasilis Riziotis, Giorgos Sieros, George Papadakis
Summary: This study optimized the morphed shapes of a NACA 64A010 airfoil using morphing technology, which can significantly improve lift characteristics, with a potential increase of around 100% by combining leading and trailing edge morphing. Among the various optimization algorithms tested, the Particle Swarm Optimizer performed the best, producing maximum lift increase designs with the lowest computational cost.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Babacar Ndao, Louise Leroux, Aboubacar Hema, Abdoul Aziz Diouf, Agnes Begue, Bienvenu Sambou
Summary: SDMs have been widely used for forest management planning and biodiversity conservation globally. This study used SDMs to analyze the spatial distribution of tree species diversity in Faidherbia albida parkland in Central Senegal. The results showed that different tree species have different adaptability to SDM algorithms, and using multiple modeling techniques can improve SDM performance. The study also found that tree species diversity is related to landscape characteristics and human impact.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Helena Martinez-Gil, Fernando Martinez-Freiria, Ana Perera, Urtzi Enriquez-Urzelai, Inigo Martinez-Solano, Guillermo Velo-Anton, Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou
Summary: The study found that there is higher morphological differentiation within Hyla and Alytes compared to Discoglossus, with body size and limb morphology playing key roles. Additionally, a significant association between morphology and climatic descriptors was identified, supporting the hypothesis that morphological differences between species result from adaptive evolution.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Adam Joseph Doncheff Marques, Jeffrey Owen Hanson, Miguel Camacho-Sanchez, Inigo Martinez-Solano, Craig Moritz, Pedro Tarroso, Guillermo Velo-Anton, Ana Verissimo, Silvia Benoliel Carvalho
Summary: Adaptive genetic diversity is crucial for conservation planning. In this study, we applied six selection tests to an Iberian amphibian to identify adaptive markers. Our results showed that the coastal Atlantic localities of the Iberian amphibian exhibited non-neutral patterns of genetic variation.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Hector Tejero-Cicuendez, Pedro Tarroso, Salvador Carranza, Daniel L. Rabosky
Summary: This study investigates the evolutionary and ecological drivers of large-scale variation in desert lizard diversity using distributional and phylogenetic data. The results show that diversity patterns are not explained by differences in evolutionary time or regional variation in speciation rate and geographic area. The effects of environmental variables on lizard richness are inconsistent across deserts.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Rita Gomes Rocha, Joao Goncalves, Pedro Tarroso, Pedro Monterroso, Raquel Godinho
Summary: Genomic tools have helped in discovering gene flow between African wild dogs and dholes, despite their currently disjunct distributions. By reconstructing their distributions in the past, validating paleoclimatic reconstructions, quantifying niche overlap, and assessing compatibility, researchers identified the Levant region as the most suitable spatio-ecological context for their co-occurrence. The results suggest multiple contacts between the species during periods resembling the Last Interglacial, eventually facilitating gene flow.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Andre Vicente Liz, Dennis Roedder, Duarte Vasconcelos Goncalves, Guillermo Velo-Anton, Pedro Tarroso, Philippe Geniez, Pierre-Andre Crochet, Silvia B. Carvalho, Jose Carlos Brito
Summary: This study reveals a high and widespread diversity of lizards in the arid regions of the Sahara Desert, with their history linked to climate change. Northern Sahara acts as a unique hotspot for diversity, while the southern regions connect wide-ranging lineages from the Red Sea to the Atlantic coast. Terrain and land cover influence genetic diversity and geographic structure.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Erica S. Nielsen, Jeffrey O. Hanson, Silvia B. Carvalho, Maria Beger, Romina Henriques, Francine Kershaw, Sophie von der Heyden
Summary: Integrative and proactive conservation approaches are essential for the long-term survival of biodiversity. Molecular data, although rarely used, can provide valuable insights for conserving biodiversity at different levels. This article bridges the gap between molecular ecology and systematic conservation planning, providing a practical guide for incorporating molecular data into spatial conservation planning tools. The proposed framework enhances interdisciplinary collaboration, which is key to achieving ambitious global conservation goals in the coming decade.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Maria Joao Paul, Dan Rosauer, Pedro Tarroso, Guillermo Velo-Anton, Silvia B. Carvalho
Summary: Understanding the drivers of biodiversity patterns is crucial, and this study aims to identify if global-scale drivers of phylogenetic diversity and endemism are also predictive at regional scales using Iberian amphibians as a case study. The results show that water-energy availability and historical climate instability are important drivers of amphibian diversity in Iberia, but the strength of these predictors is weaker at the regional scale compared to the global scale.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Gal Chaim Nuta, Yuval Gilad, Nadav Goldberg, Sara Meril, Marcela Bahlsen, Silvia Carvalho, Noga Kozer, Haim Barr, Yael Fridmann Sirkis, Kamil Hercik, Petra Brehova, Radim Nencka, Shani Bialik, Miriam Eisenstein, Adi Kimchi
Summary: Autophagy is a process of cellular content degradation and recycling, which has been found to play a crucial role in advanced stages of cancer by maintaining tumor cell homeostasis and promoting continuous growth under hypoxic or nutrient-starved conditions. Autophagy also supports alternative cellular trafficking pathways and provides a mechanism for the non-canonical secretion of inflammatory cytokines. This opens up potential therapeutic opportunities for using autophagy inhibitors in cancer treatment and acute inflammatory responses.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nuno Monteiro, Sara Pinheiro, Susana Magalhaes, Pedro Tarroso, Amanda Vincent
Summary: Due to climate change, there is evidence of range shifts in European seas, with expansions in northern boundaries and contractions in southern boundaries. Predicting changes in species' geographic ranges is important to prevent biodiversity losses. A study on syngnathids in Europe shows that their distribution will shift poleward over the next century, with distinct effects in different regions. The current marine protected areas in Europe are not effective in safeguarding syngnathid diversity or preventing species disappearance, especially in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Luis Albero, Inigo Martinez-Solano, Miguel Hermida, Manuel Vera, Pedro Tarroso, Eloy Becares
Summary: This study assessed the functional connectivity of the sharp ribbed newt populations in an agricultural landscape in NW Spain. The results showed that open areas, such as rainfed crops and grasslands, play an important role in promoting gene flow and functional connectivity between amphibian populations. Conservation policies should adopt a functional network strategy to protect interconnected temporary ponds across the traditional agricultural matrix.
Article
Zoology
Lucia Alarcon-Rios, Guillermo Velo-Anton
Summary: Multiple paternity is common in nature and has benefits such as increased genetic diversity and fertilization success. Urodele species, like the salamander Salamandra algira, with different reproductive modes provide a suitable system to study the relationship between reproductive modes and polygamous mating.