Temperature-dependent evolutions of excitonic superfluid plasma frequency in a srong excitonic insulator candidate, Ta2_2NiSe5_5

We investigate an interesting anisotropic van der Waals material, Ta$_{2}$NiSe$_{5}$, using optical spectroscopy. Ta$_{2}$NiSe$_{5}$ has been known as one of the few excitonic insulators proposed over 50 years ago. Ta$_{2}$NiSe$_{5}$ has quasi-one dimensional chains along the $a$-axis. We have obtained anisotropic optical properties of a single crystal Ta$_{2}$NiSe$_{5}$ along the $a$- and $c$-axes. The measured $a$- and $c$-axis optical conductivities exhibit large anisotropic electronic and phononic properties. With regard to the $a$-axis optical conductivity, a sharp peak near 3050 cm$^{-1}$ at 9 K, with a well-defined optical gap ($\Delta^{EI} \simeq$ 1800 cm$^{-1}$) and a strong temperature-dependence, is observed. With an increase in temperature, this peak broadens and the optical energy gap closes around $\sim$325 K($T_c^{EI}$). The spectral weight redistribution with respect to the frequency and temperature indicates that the normalized optical energy gap ($\Delta^{EI}(T)/\Delta^{EI}(0)$) is $1-(T/T_c^{EI})^2$. The temperature-dependent superfluid plasma frequency of the excitonic condensation in Ta$_{2}$NiSe$_{5}$ has been determined from measured optical data. Our findings may be useful for future research on excitonic insulators.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Cellular Stress-Modulating Drugs Can Potentially Be Identified by in Silico Screening with Connectivity Map (CMap)

Accompanied by increased life span, aging-associated diseases, such as metabolic diseases and cancers, have become serious health threats. Recent studies have documented that aging-associated diseases are caused by prolonged cellular stresses such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, mitochondrial stress, and oxidative stress. Thus, ameliorating cellular stresses could be an effective approach to treat aging-associated diseases and, more importantly, to prevent such diseases from happening. However, cellular stresses and their molecular responses within the cell are typically mediated by a variety of factors encompassing different signaling pathways. Therefore, a target-based drug discovery method currently being used widely (reverse pharmacology) may not be adequate to uncover novel drugs targeting cellular stresses and related diseases. The connectivity map (CMap) is an online pharmacogenomic database cataloging gene expression data from cultured cells treated individually with various chemicals, including a variety of phytochemicals. Moreover, by querying through CMap, researchers may screen registered chemicals in silico and obtain the likelihood of drugs showing a similar gene expression profile with desired and chemopreventive conditions. Thus, CMap is an effective genome-based tool to discover novel chemopreventive drugs. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.1

Comparison of different machine learning algorithms to estimate liquid level for bioreactor management

Estimating the liquid level in an anaerobic digester can be disturbed by its closedness, bubbles and scum formation, and the inhomogeneity of the digestate. In our previous study, a soft-sensor approach using seven pressure meters has been proposed as an alternative for real-time liquid level estimation. Here, machine learning techniques were used to improve the estimation accuracy and optimize the number of sensors required in this approach. Four algorithms, multiple linear regression (MLR), artificial neural network (ANN), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) with radial basis function kernel were compared for this purpose. All models outperformed the cubic model developed in the previous study, among which the ANN and RF models performed the best. Variable importance analysis suggested that the pressure readings from the top (in the headspace) were the most significant, while the other pressure meters showed varying significance levels depending on the model type. The sensor that experienced both headspace and liquid phases depending on the level variation incurred a higher error than other sensors. The results showed that the ML techniques can provide an effective tool to estimate digester liquid levels by optimizing the number of sensors and reducing the error rate

Nasal Hemangiopericytoma Causing Oncogenic Osteomalacia

Oncogenic osteomalacia is a rare cause that makes abnormalities of bone metabolism. Our case arose in a 47-year-old woman presenting a nasal mass associated with osteomalacia. We excised the mass carefully. After surgery, it was diagnosed as hemangiopericytoma and her symptoms related with osteomalacia were relieved and biochemical abnormalities were restored to normal range. We report and review a rare case of nasal hemangiopericytoma that caused osteomalacia

Drying characteristics of wastewater sludge according to outside air inflow conditions

[EN] The purpose of this study is to analyze the changes of drying efficiency according to the inflow conditions of outside air into the drying equipment during the drying process in order to reduce the energy used in the drying process of sludge. We conducted the experiment using a vertical thin film dryer. Materials used for the experiment are sewage sludge. As a result of the study, higher drying efficiency was obtained in the case of outside air inflow than in the case of no outside air inflow. In addition, optimum condition of outside air inflow was derived.This work was supported by the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning(KETEP) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy(MOTIE) of the Republic of Korea (No. 201820101066550).Oh, SH.; Park, KH.; Yu, BH.; Kim, SI. (2018). Drying characteristics of wastewater sludge according to outside air inflow conditions. En IDS 2018. 21st International Drying Symposium Proceedings. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1815-1821. https://doi.org/10.4995/IDS2018.2018.7790OCS1815182

Two cases of female hydrocele of the canal of nuck

The processus vaginalis within the inguinal canal forms the canal of Nuck, which is a homolog of the processus vaginalis in women. Incomplete obliteration of the processus vaginalis causes indirect inguinal hernia or hydrocele of the canal of Nuck, a very rare condition in women. Here, we report 2 cases of hydrocele of the canal of Nuck that were diagnosed with ultrasonography in both cases and magnetic resonance imaging in 1 case to confirm the sonographic diagnosis. High ligation and hydrocelectomy were conducted in both patients. In 1 patient, 14 months later, the occurrence of contralateral inguinal hernia was suspected, but did not require surgery. The other patient had a history of surgery for left inguinal hernia 11 months before the occurrence of right hydrocele of the canal of Nuck. In both cases, the occurrence of an inguinal hernia on the contralateral side was noted

Hybrid cylinder dryer for the drying of sheet-form materials with hot air

[EN] In this paper, we introduce a novel energy-efficient dryer that uses hot air as a combined heating method of heat conduction and convection heat transfer. The dryer consisting of rotary cylinders and arched jackets is structurally different from conventional dryers. We designed and built a hybrid 4-cylinder dryer for sheet-form materials. The energy consumption to evaporate unit water is about 930 kcal/kg moisture from the experimental results of a hybrid 4-cylinder dryer. The hybrid 4-cylinders dryer has a compact structure with about 1/3 of the size of a conventional dryer for the drying of sheet-form materials.This work was supported by the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning(KETEP) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy(MOTIE) of the Republic of Korea (No. 20172010105940)Kim, SI.; Oh, SH.; Chun, WP.; Park, KH.; Yu, BH. (2018). Hybrid cylinder dryer for the drying of sheet-form materials with hot air. En IDS 2018. 21st International Drying Symposium Proceedings. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 443-448. https://doi.org/10.4995/IDS2018.2018.7682OCS44344