bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sandwich-structured BOPET films with high energy density and low loss for high temperature film capacitors
Authors: Zheng Ming-Sheng , Wang Xinmo , Wan Baoquan , Xiao Mengyu , Cheng Meng , Zhang Yiyi , Zha Jun-Wei
Published: October 2023

Film capacitors have widely been used in modern electrical/electronic equipment because of their high insulation property and high-power density. However, the traditional dielectric films suffered a high conduction loss under high temperature and electric field conditions, which leads to the depression of high temperature energy storage properties. Herein, sandwich-structured composite films using biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET) as the outer layers were prepared to construct the interfacial barrier, which was beneficial for hindering the propagation of breakdown path. In addition, epoxy resin was applied as the adhesive inner layer to bind the outer layers up tightly, while the boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) in the inner layer further improved the breakdown strength of the film and inhibited the conduction loss, especially under high temperature and electric field conditions. The composite film with optimized BNNSs content had a high discharged energy density of 9.11 J/cm3 and a ultrahigh charge–discharge efficiency of 95% at 25 °C, while the values were 6.45 J/cm3 and 70% at 150 °C, respectively, of which both were much higher than those of pure BOPET. Thus, the sandwich-structure method points out a promising way of preparing dielectric films with excellent energy storage performances.
Oxygen-vacancy defect in 4H-SiC as a near-infrared emitter: An ab initio study
Authors: Kobayashi Takuma , Shimura Takayoshi , Watanabe Heiji
Published: October 2023

Optically active spin defects in semiconductors can serve as spin-to-photon interfaces, key components in quantum technologies. Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising host of spin defects thanks to its wide bandgap and well-established crystal growth and device technologies. In this study, we investigated the oxygen-vacancy complexes as potential spin defects in SiC by means of ab initio calculations. We found that the OCVSi defect has a substantially low formation energy compared with its counterpart, OSiVC, regardless of the Fermi level position. The OCVSi defect is stable in its neutral charge state with a high-spin ground state (S = 1) within a wide energy range near the midgap energy. The zero-phonon line (ZPL) of the OCVSi0 defect lies in the near-infrared regime, 1.11–1.24 eV (1004–1117 nm). The radiative lifetime for the ZPL transition of the defect in kk configuration is fairly short (12.5 ns). Furthermore, the estimated Debye–Waller factor for the optical transition is 13.4%, indicating a large weight of ZPL in the photoluminescence spectrum. All together, we conclude that the OCVSi0 defect possesses desirable spin and optical properties and thus is potentially attractive as a quantum bit.
Numerical investigation on the interaction between internal solitary wave and self-propelled submersible
Authors: Wang Junrong , He Zhenyang , Xie Botao , Zhuang Chen , Wu Wenbin
Published: October 2023

Internal solitary waves (ISWs) often seriously threaten the survivability of the underwater submersible. Most of the existing investigations focus on the interaction between ISWs and fixed or suspended submersibles. However, the investigation on the interaction between ISWs and self-propelled submersibles is still scarce, which is a more realistic case in the marine engineering. In this paper, a three-dimensional numerical model for the interaction between ISW and self-propelled submersible is developed. Based on the extended Korteweg–de Vries (eKdV) theory, the ISW is generated in a two-layer fluid numerical wave tank by solving the Navier–Stokes (N–S) equation. By introducing the hydrodynamic loadings provided by the ISW environment into the standard operation equation of the submersible, the six degrees-of-freedom motions of the submersible can be obtained. The dynamic overset mesh technology is adopted to simulate the motions of the self-propelled submersible in the ISW fluid field. The present numerical model is validated by comparing with the experiment on a submerged cylinder in the ISW environment. Using this numerical model, we compare the interaction effects of the fixed, suspended, or the self-propelled submersible in ISW and discuss the influences of propulsive forces of the self-propelled submersible on ISW–structure interaction effects. The numerical results show that the loadings and movements of the submersible change remarkably in the surge, heave, and pitch direction. Especially, the submersible with high propulsive forces can pierce the wave surface and reach a large pitch angle with the amplitude of 36°, which further results in a 35% motion speed decrease in the initial propulsion direction.
Interface deciphering for highly interfacial adhesion and efficient heat energy transfer
Authors: Wang Shuting , Jiang Zhenghong , Ren Linlin , Zeng Xiaoliang , Sun Rong
Published: October 2023

Interfacial adhesion and interfacial thermal resistance (ITR) are two critical factors in the interfacial force and energy transfer, but it is difficult to simultaneously achieve the desirable interfacial adhesion and ITR. Here, we overcome this challenge by fabricating an elastomer composite consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and micro-scale spherical aluminum (Al) fillers, which offers the high adhesion strength (1.28 MPa), high interfacial adhesion energy (528.4 J/m2), and low ITR (0.028 mm2·K/W) between the PDMS/Al elastomer composite and substrates. We further propose a quantified physical model to establish the relationship between interfacial adhesion and ITR for low phonon mismatch interfaces. This work will contribute to the development of interface science and guide the regulation of force and energy transfer at interface for wide range applications, such as electronic packaging, thermal storage, sensors, and medicine.
On the impacting dynamics of ferrofluid droplets on porous substrates in the presence of magnetic field
Authors: Zeng Kang-Yang , Wang Ya-Ping , He Tian-Pei , Cai Zi-Yi , Wang Zhi-Hui , Li Jia-Qing , Niu Xiao-Dong , Wen Ming-Fu , Chen Mu-Feng , Li De-Cai , Yamaguchi Hiroshi
Published: October 2023

This article presents experimental and theoretical studies of the impacting behavior of ferrofluid droplets on porous substrates under the influence of magnetic fields. The effects of magnetic field strength and porous substrates on the falling, impacting, and spreading of the droplets are investigated. Theoretical models are successfully derived to predict the droplet impacting velocity in the presence of the magnetic field and the maximum spreading factor of the droplets on the porous substrates without considering magnetic field effects, respectively. Moreover, a universal scaling law is constructed for the maximum spreading factor of the ferrofluid droplets on both of the porous and smooth substrates in the presence of the magnetic field. The findings of this study can provide a foundation for understanding the impacting dynamics of ferrofluid droplets on the substrates and optimizing their applications in various fields, such as three-dimensional printing and microfluidic technology.
Spin exchange dynamics in 4H SiC monocrystals with different nitrogen donor concentrations
Authors: Holiatkina M. , Pöppl A. , Kalabukhova E. , Lančok J. , Savchenko D.
Published: October 2023

4H silicon carbide (SiC) polytype is preferred over other SiC polytypes for high-power, high-voltage, and high-frequency applications due to its superior electrical, thermal, and structural characteristics. In this manuscript, we provide a comprehensive study of the spin coupling dynamics between conduction electrons and nitrogen (N) donors in monocrystalline 4H SiC with various concentrations of uncompensated N donors from 1017 to 5 × 1019 cm−3 by continuous wave, pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and microwave perturbation techniques at T = 4.2–300 K. At low temperatures, two triplets due to N donors in cubic (Nk) hexagonal (Nh) positions and triplet arisen from spin-interaction between Nh and Nk were observed in 4H SiC having Nd − Na ≈ 1017 cm−3. A single S-line (S = 1/2) dominates the EPR spectra in all investigated 4H SiC monocrystals at high temperatures. It was established that this line occurs due to the exchange coupling of localized electrons (dominate at low temperatures) and non-localized electrons (dominate at high temperatures). The localized electrons were attributed to Nh for Nd − Na ≈ 1017 cm−3 and Nk donors for Nd − Na ≥ 5 × 1018 cm−3. We have concluded that the conduction electrons in 4H SiC monocrystals are characterized by g|| = 2.0053(3) and g⊥ = 2.0011(3) for Nd − Na ≤ 5 × 1018 cm−3 and g|| = 2.0057(3) and g⊥ = 2.0019(3) for Nd – Na ≈ 5 × 1019 cm−3. Using the theoretical fitting of the temperature variation of S-line EPR linewidth in 4H SiC having Nd – Na ≤ 5 × 1018 cm−3, the energy levels of 57–65 meV that correlate with the valley-orbit splitting values for Nk donors in 4H SiC monocrystals were obtained.
Numerical study of wind loads on the streamlined bridge deck in the translating tornado-like vortex
Authors: Zhang Han , Wang Hao , Xu Zidong
Published: October 2023

Wind load is one of the key factors affecting the structural safety of long-span bridges. However, the tornado-induced load on the streamlined bridge deck is rarely studied and the influence of the translation of tornado vortices has not been considered. This study develops a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method to simulate the translating tornado-like vortex (TLV) to investigate the tornado-induced load on the streamlined bridge deck. First, the numerical method for simulating a translating TLV is introduced and the model of the streamlined bridge deck of a kilometer-level bridge is constructed and verified. The characteristics of the flow field around the bridge deck are then analyzed. Finally, the lift force, drag force, and torsional force on the bridge deck in the translating TLV are investigated and compared with those in the straight-line wind field and the stationary TLV. The non-dimensional forces obtained in the translating TLV are provided as a reference for calculating the tornado-induced load on a streamlined bridge deck. The result shows that the wind load on the bridge deck in the TLV changes along the spanwise direction, which is significantly different from that in the straight-line wind field. In the translating TLV, the bridge deck sustains the lift force induced by the updraft and the drag force induced by the translating velocity. The load on the bridge deck in the translating TLV is significantly larger than that in the straight-line wind and the stationary TLV, which indicates that the translation effects of tornadoes should not be ignored.
Classical half-adder using trapped-ion quantum bits: Toward energy-efficient computation
Authors: Silva Pratapsi Sagar , Huber Patrick H. , Barthel Patrick , Bose Sougato , Wunderlich Christof , Omar Yasser
Published: October 2023

Reversible computation has been proposed as a future paradigm for energy efficient computation, but so far few implementations have been realized in practice. Quantum circuits, running on quantum computers, are one construct known to be reversible. In this work, we provide a proof-of-principle of classical logical gates running on quantum technologies. In particular, we propose and realize experimentally, Toffoli and Half-Adder circuits suitable for classical computation, using radio frequency-controlled 171Yb+ ions in a macroscopic linear Paul-trap as qubits. We analyze the energy required to operate the logic gates, both theoretically and experimentally, with a focus on the control energy. We identify bottlenecks and possible improvements in future platforms for energetically efficient computation, e.g., trap chips with integrated antennas and cavity qed. Our experimentally verified energetic model also fills a gap in the literature of the energetics of quantum information and outlines the path for its detailed study, as well as its potential applications to classical computing.
Systematic revision of the Ogyris idmo (Hewitson, 1862) species group (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): implications for the conservation management of Australia’s most threatened butterflies
Authors: Beaver Ethan P. , Braby Michael F. , Glatz Richard V. , Young D. Andy
Published: October 2023

Lycaenid butterflies of the Ogyris idmo species group are endemic to Australia and obligatorily associated with Camponotus ants. Several species are threatened with extinction, but there are considerable uncertainties with the present classification. Here, the taxonomy of the species group is revised based on molecular and morphological data. Mitochondrial sequence data were obtained from GenBank for Ogyris Angas, 1847, from cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and cytochrome b (cytb) (total of 1203 bp), and a phylogeny of the genus was reconstructed using Maximum Likelihood methods. Based on these molecular data, adult morphology and other evidence, the following eight taxa are recognised in this species group: Ogyris otanes (C. & R. Felder, 1865), Ogyris arcana M.R. Williams & Hay, 2001 stat. rev., Ogyris arcana arcana M.R. Williams & Hay, 2001 comb. nov., Ogyris arcana sublustris M.R. Williams & Hay, 2001 comb. nov., Ogyris halmaturia (Tepper, 1890), Ogyris halmaturia halmaturia (Tepper, 1890), Ogyris halmaturia waterhouseri (Bethune-Baker, 1905) stat. rev., Ogyris idmo (Hewitson, 1862), Ogyris subterrestris Field, 1999 and Ogyris petrina Field, 1999 stat. rev. The female of Ogyris halmaturia halmaturia is described for the first time. Phylogenetic relationships among the six species are as follows: (O. otanes + O. arcana) + (O. halmaturia + (O. idmo + (O. subterrestris + O. petrina))). The life history switch from phytophagy (O. otanes and O. arcana) to entomophagy (suspected myrmecophagy) within this species group has led to diversification of four species, a most unusual evolutionary pattern within the Lycaenidae globally. The taxonomic changes proposed herein affect some of the most threatened Australian butterflies and their conservation status is discussed. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B9A6F558-DD47-47DF-AC9C-A71270B6EE09
Signatures of cross-modal alignment in children’s early concepts
Authors: Aho Kaarina , Roads Brett D. , Love Bradley C.
Published: October 2023

Whether supervised or unsupervised, human and machine learning is usually characterized as event-based. However, learning may also proceed by systems alignment in which mappings are inferred between entire systems, such as visual and linguistic systems. Systems alignment is possible because items that share similar visual contexts, such as a car and a truck, will also tend to share similar linguistic contexts. Because of the mirrored similarity relationships across systems, the visual and linguistic systems can be aligned at some later time absent either input. In a series of simulation studies, we considered whether children’s early concepts support systems alignment. We found that children’s early concepts are close to optimal for inferring novel concepts through systems alignment, enabling agents to correctly infer more than 85% of visual–word mappings absent supervision. One possible explanation for why children’s early concepts support systems alignment is that they are distinguished structurally by their dense semantic neighborhoods. Artificial agents using these structural features to select concepts proved highly effective, both in environments mirroring children’s conceptual world and those that exclude the concepts that children commonly acquire. For children, systems alignment and event-based learning likely complement one another. Likewise, artificial systems can benefit from incorporating these developmental principles.
A sliding sequence importance resample filtering method for rolling bearings remaining useful life prediction based on two Wiener-process models
Authors: Song Youshuo , Xu Shaoqiang , Lu Xi
Published: October 2023

The remaining useful life (RUL) prediction of rolling bearings is an important part of prognostic and health management of mechanical systems. The model based on Wiener process can describe the time variability in the degradation process of bearings. However, in practical engineering, the degradation trends of bearings are often inconsistent, and it is difficult to fit the actual degradation trends of bearings with a single Wiener process model-based filtering method. Therefore, to improve the generalization ability, this paper uses linear model and exponential model based on Wiener process to predict bearing RUL. A sliding sequence importance resample filtering algorithm is proposed to track the degradation state of the bearing and reduce the prediction error by combining the two degradation models. Last, the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed method are illustrated by comparing with other commonly used RUL prediction methods on the basis of PRONOSTIA dataset.
A thin-film polymer heating element with a continuous silver nanowires network embedded inside
Authors: Kozhina Elizaveta , Panov Dmitry , Kovalets Nataliya , Apel Pavel , Bedin Sergey
Published: October 2023

This study presents a method for fabricating a film-based heating element using a polymer material with an array of intersecting conductive elements embedded within it. Track-etched membranes (TM) with a thickness of 10 μm were used as the template, and their pores were filled with metal, forming a three-dimensional grid. Due to the unique manufacturing process of TM, the pores inside intersect with each other, allowing for contacts between individual nanowires (NWs) when filled with metal. Experimental results demonstrated that filling the TM pores with silver allows for heating temperatures up to 78 degrees without deformation or damage to the heating element. The resulting flexible heating element can be utilized in medical devices for heating purposes or as a thermal barrier coating.
Deep learning based uncertainty prediction of deformable image registration for contour propagation and dose accumulation in online adaptive radiotherapy
Authors: Smolders A , Lomax A , Weber D C , Albertini F
Published: October 2023

Objective. Online adaptive radiotherapy aims to fully leverage the advantages of highly conformal therapy by reducing anatomical and set-up uncertainty, thereby alleviating the need for robust treatments. This requires extensive automation, among which is the use of deformable image registration (DIR) for contour propagation and dose accumulation. However, inconsistencies in DIR solutions between different algorithms have caused distrust, hampering its direct clinical use. This work aims to enable the clinical use of DIR by developing deep learning methods to predict DIR uncertainty and propagating it into clinically usable metrics. Approach. Supervised and unsupervised neural networks were trained to predict the Gaussian uncertainty of a given deformable vector field (DVF). Since both methods rely on different assumptions, their predictions differ and were further merged into a combined model. The resulting normally distributed DVFs can be directly sampled to propagate the uncertainty into contour and accumulated dose uncertainty. Main results. The unsupervised and combined models can accurately predict the uncertainty in the manually annotated landmarks on the DIRLAB dataset. Furthermore, for 5 patients with lung cancer, the propagation of the predicted DVF uncertainty into contour uncertainty yielded for both methods an expected calibration error of less than 3%. Additionally, the probabilisticly accumulated dose volume histograms (DVH) encompass well the accumulated proton therapy doses using 5 different DIR algorithms. It was additionally shown that the unsupervised model can be used for different DIR algorithms without the need for retraining. Significance. Our work presents first-of-a-kind deep learning methods to predict the uncertainty of the DIR process. The methods are fast, yield high-quality uncertainty estimates and are useable for different algorithms and applications. This allows clinics to use DIR uncertainty in their workflows without the need to change their DIR implementation.
Unified Bayesian network for uncertainty quantification of physiological parameters in dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI of the liver
Authors: Dejene Edengenet M , Brenner Winfried , Makowski Marcus R , Kolbitsch Christoph
Published: October 2023

Objective. Physiological parameter estimation is affected by intrinsic ambiguity in the data such as noise and model inaccuracies. The aim of this work is to provide a deep learning framework for accurate parameter and uncertainty estimates for DCE-MRI in the liver. Approach. Concentration time curves are simulated to train a Bayesian neural network (BNN). Training of the BNN involves minimization of a loss function that jointly minimizes the aleatoric and epistemic uncertainties. Uncertainty estimation is evaluated for different noise levels and for different out of distribution (OD) cases, i.e. where the data during inference differs strongly to the data during training. The accuracy of parameter estimates are compared to a nonlinear least squares (NLLS) fitting in numerical simulations and in vivo data of a patient suffering from hepatic tumor lesions. Main results. BNN achieved lower root-mean-squared-errors (RMSE) than the NLLS for the simulated data. RMSE of BNN was on overage of all noise levels lower by 33% ± 1.9% for k
trans, 22% ± 6% for v

e
and 89% ± 5% for v

p
than the NLLS. The aleatoric uncertainties of the parameters increased with increasing noise level, whereas the epistemic uncertainty increased when a BNN was evaluated with OD data. For the in vivo data, more robust parameter estimations were obtained by the BNN than the NLLS fit. In addition, the differences between estimated parameters for healthy and tumor regions-of-interest were significant (p < 0.0001). Significance. The proposed framework allowed for accurate parameter estimates for quantitative DCE-MRI. In addition, the BNN provided uncertainty estimates which highlighted cases of high noise and in which the training data did not match the data during inference. This is important for clinical application because it would indicate cases in which the trained model is inadequate and additional training with an adapted training data set is required.
Effect of Cu, Co, and Pb doping on physical properties of ZnO Zinc Blende and Hexagonal mixed phases thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis
Authors: Aboud Ahmed A , El-Dosari M , EL-Gawaad N S Abd , Yong Wang
Published: October 2023

Here we report the preparation of the Zinc Blende ZnO phase mixed with a small ratio of the Wurtzite phase. The spray pyrolysis technique has been employed for all films deposited onto amorphous glass substrates. The XRD results revealed the formation of mixed ZnO Zinc Blende (ZB) and Wurtzite (WU) phases with the ZB phase as the predominant phase. The crystallite size of both phases had estimated using Scherer’s equation and both phases were found to have the same crystallite size. The FE-SEM images show the formation of grain sizes bigger than those recorded from Scherer’s equation. XPS results confirm the existence of doped elements in the deposited films with different ratios. The optical band gap of the pure film was estimated and found to be 3.24 eV. Upon doping the band gap optical has been decreasing to 3.2 eV for Cu-doped ZnO and 3.22 and 3.24 eV for Pb and Co-doped films. The refractive index dispersion was found to change from normal to anomalous behavior for a pure film as the wavelength increases. Cu and Pb-doped films show dispersion relation and Co-doped film shows normal behavior. Also, the high-frequency dielectric constant has been determined and found to decrease upon all doping elements as compared to pure film.
Finite-time synchronization of fractional multi-wing chaotic system
Authors: Wang Shaofu
Published: October 2023

The objective of this article is to obtain multi-wing chaotic attractors of fractional chaotic systems through computerized symbolic computation. By applying the Julia fractal technique, the different number wing attractors are constructed for proposed equations. Moreover, the dynamics of the multi-wing system are analyzed by phase diagram, Poincare mapping, etc Consequently, the system exhibits complex dynamics, and the motion states at different order can be known from the bifurcation diagram with the change of order. Additionally, aiming at multi- wing fractional chaotic system, the controllers are designed, and the finite time synchronization control of the proposed system is performed. The results prove that the proposed finite-time synchronization method has important research value in the field of engineering.
A novel color image encryption scheme using elliptic curve cryptography and hyperchaotic system
Authors: Fang Jie , Zhao Kaihui , Liang Wanyong
Published: October 2023

This paper develops an asymmetric color image encryption algorithm based on elliptic curve cryptography(ECC), five dimensions(5D) hyperchaotic system, and DNA dynamic coding. To embed the characteristics of original image in the image encryption algorithm, this algorithm builds a mathematical model to strengthen the connection between the original image, elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman(ECDH) algorithm and hyperchaotic system. The red, green and blue(RGB) channels of encrypted image is reshaped into a three dimensions(3D) matrix. Grouping and scrambling of 3D matrix is accomplished at pixel level, bit level and DNA level based on a 5D hyperchaotic system, which effectively enhances the cross-layer variation of images. Then, improved ECC is performed on the scrambled image where multiple elliptic curves and dynamic shared private keys can guarantee the forward secrecy of the image encryption algorithm. At last, the image is performed diffusion to obtain the final encrypted image. Simulation results and security analysis both indicate the image encryption algorithm has better performances in terms of key space, Shannon entropy, clipping attack resistance, etc.
Thin-shell wormholes and modified Chaplygin gas with relativistic corrections
Authors: Bhatti M Z , Yousaf Z , Yousaf M
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we analyze thin-shell wormholes from two identical copies of charged static cylindrically symmetric spacetimes using Visser’s ‘cut and paste’ approach under the influence of f(R, T) gravity Harko, Lobo, Nojiri, and Odintsov (2011, Phys. Rev. D
84, 024020). In this scenario, the modified Chaplygin gas supports the exotic matter in the shell which allows, one to examine the dynamics of constructed wormholes. We utilize the junction condition to connect the interior and exterior geometries across the hypersurface and calculate different components of the Lanczos equation recently computed by Roza in Rosa (2021, Phy. Rev. D
103, 104069). We analyze the stability of the thin-shell wormhole models under linear perturbations while keeping the cylindrical symmetry and also examine the influence of charge on their stability. The positive quantity of the second derivative of potential at the throat radius might be interpreted as the stability criterion. We find both unstable and stable wormhole solutions for different parameters included in the equation of state and specific forms of considered gravity and illustrate them theoretically as well as graphically. We examine the impact of electric charge on the stability region of a constructed wormhole, which suggests that a wormhole model with a charge may exhibit more stable behavior compared to an uncharged system.
Update of Bragg edge analysis software “GUI-RITS”
Authors: Oikawa K , Sato H , Watanabe K , Su Y H , Shinohara T , Kai T , Kiyanagi Y , Hasemi H
Published: October 2023

The energy-resolved neutron imaging system, RADEN at J-PARC, has been providing to users a Rietveld-type analysis code, RITS, for pulsed neutron Bragg-edge transmission (BET) imaging with a graphical user interface (GUI) version, for fitting spectral data obtained with this instrument. In the last year, we updated the computational platform of GUI-RITS software from Scientific Linux 6 (SL6) and Python 2 to Windows 10 and Python 3, and added some functions to improve usability. The license agreement for this updated software is the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) 2-Clause License (non-copyleft) and is currently available for download from the RADEN website.
A freely distributable professional computed tomography system using NICOS
Authors: Schillinger B , Krüger J
Published: October 2023

Based on the control system of the ANTARES neutron imaging system at FRM II, we have designed a portable, but professional neutron computed tomography system using the same TANGO device servers and the instrument control system NICOS. We have created a minimalistic setup to control a computed tomography setup using a single control computer that directly connects to a camera detector and interfaces a Raspberry Pi computer with motor control board via a local network. The setup has the full capability of a large instrument controller and can control arbitrary hardware (like professional motor controllers) for which hundreds of free drivers are available. Full schematics for the controller as well as print files for 3D printers for the detector housing and disk or virtual machine images are available for free to allow for the quick implementation of a low-cost, but professional neutron CT system even at very low power research reactors.
Tomographic reconstruction with Mantid Imaging
Authors: Tygier S , Akello-Egwel D , Allen J , Baust R , Bradley J , Burca G , Fedrigo A , Gigg M , Jones S , Kockelmann W , Nixon D , Pooley D E , Tasev D
Published: October 2023

Mantid Imaging has been developed to provide a graphical reconstruction process for users of neutron imaging instruments to eliminate the need to fall back on commercial software. Mantid Imaging builds on algorithms provided by libraries including Astra Toolbox and Tomopy to offer noise reduction, artifact removal, alignment, filtered back projection and iterative reconstruction methods. Extra functionality was added by using algorithms from ALGOTOM for ring removal and from the Core Imaging Library (CIL) for regularised 3D reconstruction.

Mantid Imaging 2.4 has recently been released. It is an open source Python GUI, runs under Linux and Windows and can easily be installed on end user systems. Mantid Imaging is aimed at users with no programming background and with little image processing experience. At ISIS Mantid Imaging runs on the ISIS-Data-Analysis-as-a-Service (IDAaaS) platform, which is remotely accessible with any modern web browser and gives users access to sufficient hardware resources to handle large datasets. Extensions of Mantid Imaging for energy-resolved neutron imaging are planned for the future.
How can Neutron Imaging contribute to Heritage Science? An overview at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source
Authors: Fedrigo Anna , Grazzi Francesco , O’Flynn Daniel , Kockelmann Winfried , Cantini Francesco , Scherillo Antonella
Published: October 2023

Heritage Science HS spans a large variety of objects and materials, as well as anything that has historic, artistic, anthropological, and natural significance. This paper aims to bridge the gap between the physical and natural sciences and the humanities, and divulge neutron imaging techniques to a wider community. Here we give an introduction of the neutron imaging capabilities at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (UK), and a brief overview of some research activities in HS carried out at the facility in recent years, from neutron tomography to elemental imaging.
The INCHAMEL facility – a new device for in-situ neutron investigations under defined temperatures with applicable mechanical load
Authors: Weick S , Grosse M , Steinbrueck M
Published: October 2023

In order to in-situ quantify the hydrogen diffusion in metals or more precisely in zircaloy cladding tubes with the influence of an applied stress field, a new device was constructed in cooperation with the company ZwickRoell - the transportable INCHAMEL facility. It is a modification of ZwickRoell’s Kappa Mini 1 kN tensile testing machine. The facility is equipped with all features of a tensile testing machine, additionally a defined temperature can be applied. The machine’s design was dedicated in detail to fulfil the requirements for the usage in facilities with neutron radiation. In this manner, neutron radiography investigations can be performed in-situ with the neutron beam passing through the sample without any disturbances by installations like beam windows, thermo-couples, furnace tubes, heater wires, clamps for strain measurements, etc.
Design and application testing of imaging probe for strain measurement
Authors: Yu Peifeng , Cheng Jie , Tang Minwen , lin Feng , Zhang Zezhan , Gao Shan , Niu Yi , Wang Chao , Jiang Jing
Published: October 2023

To address the challenge of obtaining key device strain
parameters within narrow spaces, this paper presents the design of a
small-sized optical imaging probe with an independent optical system
based on the basic principle of digital image correlation (DIC). To
validate the strain measurement accuracy of the probe, a
high-temperature heating system was built under in a laboratory
setting, and experimental tests involving room temperature strain
measurement and high temperature thermal expansion coefficient
measurement were conducted. The findings demonstrate the potential
of the developed probe for strain measurement in critical components
situated in restricted spaces.
Increased extreme humid heat hazard faced by agricultural workers
Authors: Diaz Connor D , Ting Mingfang , Horton Radley , Singh Deepti , Rogers Cassandra D W , Coffel Ethan
Published: October 2023

Increases in population exposure to humid heat extremes in agriculturally-dependent areas of the world highlights the importance of understanding how the location and timing of humid heat extremes intersects with labor-intensive agricultural activities. Agricultural workers are acutely vulnerable to heat-related health and productivity impacts as a result of the outdoor and physical nature of their work and by compounding socio-economic factors. Here, we identify the regions, crops, and seasons when agricultural workers experience the highest hazard from extreme humid heat. Using daily maximum wet-bulb temperature data, and region-specific agricultural calendars and cropland area for 12 crops, we quantify the number of extreme humid heat days during the planting and harvesting seasons for each crop between 1979–2019. We find that rice, an extremely labor-intensive crop, and maize croplands experienced the greatest exposure to dangerous humid heat (integrating cropland area exposed to >27 °C wet-bulb temperatures), with 2001–2019 mean rice and maize cropland exposure increasing 1.8 and 1.9 times the 1979–2000 mean exposure, respectively. Crops in socio-economically vulnerable regions, including Southeast Asia, equatorial South America, the Indo-Gangetic Basin, coastal Mexico, and the northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea, experience the most frequent exposure to these extremes, in certain areas exceeding 60 extreme humid heat days per year when crops are being cultivated. They also experience higher trends relative to other world regions, with certain areas exceeding a 15 day per decade increase in extreme humid heat days. Our crop and location-specific analysis of extreme humid heat hazards during labor-intensive agricultural seasons can inform the design of policies and efforts to reduce the adverse health and productivity impacts on this vulnerable population that is crucial to the global food system.
Undergraduate teaching of surgical skills in the UK: systematic review
Authors: Glossop Sean C , Bhachoo Hari , Murray Thomas M , Cherif Rayan A , Helo John Y , Morgan Evie , Poacher Arwel T
Published: October 2023

Background

Students must be proficient in surgical skills according to General Medical Council and Royal College of Surgeons of England guidelines. If these skills are not appropriately taught, there is a risk of an incoming junior workforce with inadequate surgical skills. This paper aimed to review the literature relating to undergraduate teaching of surgical skills in the UK and summarize future suggested training methods.

Methods

The databases MEDLINE, Embase and SCOPUS were searched, and the existing literature relating to methodology of undergraduate teaching of surgical skills in the UK over the past 10 years was summarized. The Medical Education Research Quality Instrument was used to assess research quality.

Results

A total of 19 papers were included. Cross-sectional evaluations and survey-based studies highlight a clear deficit in surgical skills teaching in the UK. Medical students are currently unable to fulfil their own learning needs and meet requirements set out by the General Medical Council. This lack of surgical teaching appears to negatively affect student desire to pursue a surgical career. The three main themes for improvement are extracurricular surgical skills days, near-peer teaching and simulation. Each method appeared to improve learning, although no studies utilized medium- to long-term follow-up to demonstrate efficacy and there lacks a clear consensus as to the ‘standard’ of undergraduate surgical skill education. There was also potential for selection bias and response shift bias in many of the studies assessing pre- and postintervention confidence and opinions.

Conclusion

There is a concerning lack of surgical skills teaching that has resulted in medical students and junior doctors not having the necessary surgical skills as per General Medical Council guidance and students feel that their own learning needs are not met. This failure to address the learning deficit may be responsible for the fall in surgical competition ratios. While surgical skills teaching must be improved urgently, more robust evidence is required to evaluate the optimal ways of approaching this issue.
Depicting the anatomy of the gyral white matter: ubi sumus? quo vadimus?
Authors: Dannhoff Guillaume , Poudel Phanindra P , Bhattarai Chacchu , Kalthur Sneha Guruprasad , Maldonado Igor L
Published: October 2023

A cerebral gyrus is made up of an external layer of folded cortex and an inner core of white matter. The architecture of the core has specific features that make it distinct from the white matter of the deep brain regions. Limited externally by the grey matter that covers the top of the gyrus and the neighbouring sulci, this gyral white matter is made up of a mix of fibre populations with multiple directions and destinations. The presence of densely packed fibres with multiple crossings, the proximity to the cortex and the existence of inter-regional and inter-individual variations make the task of depicting this microanatomy extremely challenging. The topic is, however, of paramount relevance for both fundamental and applied neurosciences. This fibre colocalization is crucial for the functional role of each cerebral region and is key to clinical manifestations in cases of parenchymal damage. As track tracing, imaging and dissection are based on different biological or physical principles, it is natural for their results to sometimes be different, but they are often complementary. As the amount of available information increases, it becomes fragmented due to the multiplicity of methods, target phenomena and studied species. In this scoping review, we present the key concepts and map the primary sources of evidence regarding identifying the fibre pathways that compose the gyral white matter, enabling the discussion of avenues for future research. The general pattern in which these pathways are distributed in the gyral white matter was detailed, and the main variations as a function of brain topography were explained and illustrated with typical examples.
Percutaneous closure of giant saphenous vein graft aneurysm
Authors: Loh Shu Xian , McQuillan Conor , Sharabi Alaa H , Egred Mohaned
Published: October 2023

Background

Aneurysmal dilatation of saphenous vein grafts used for coronary artery bypass grafting is a rare complication. These aneurysms are often large in calibre and pose a risk of rupture with significant haemorrhage.

Case summary

We describe a case whereby a large saphenous vein graft aneurysm is closed percutaneously using a vascular plug to cease flow and promote thrombosis of the aneurysm whilst reconstructing the occluded native artery to negate ischaemia.

Conclusion

Saphenous vein graft aneurysms following coronary artery bypass graft are rare and late complications. The preferred modality of closure is via percutaneous approach that requires meticulous planning to achieve a good outcome.
A case report of virtual reality-guided percutaneous coronary intervention for anomalous origin of right coronary artery chronic total occlusion
Authors: Higami Hirooki , Saito Hiroki , Endo Hideaki , Matsuo Hitoshi , Tsuchikane Etsuo
Published: October 2023

Background

Engagement of the guiding catheter (GC) for the coronary artery is sometimes difficult, depending on the patient’s anatomy. The most suitable GC before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in individual cases has not been determined yet.

Case summary

An 81-year-old woman who had a right coronary artery chronic total occlusion had difficulty to engage the catheter for the right coronary artery in the first examination. Virtual reality (VR)-guided GC simulation before PCI using cardiac computed tomography (CT) could overcome the difficulty of GC engagement for the coronary artery and achieve procedure success.

Discussion

VR-guided GC simulation has the potential to solve the catheter approach difficulty for any cardiovascular intervention.
Adverse Events and Compliance Among Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients Treated With Home- vs Office-Based Biologic Infusions
Authors: Schmoyer Christopher J , Sun Kelly , Zack Jeremy , Kumar Priyanka , Shivashankar Raina
Published: October 2023

Background

Biologic medications are a common therapy for those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There are limited data on the outcomes of home-based biologic infusions for patients with IBD. The aim of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of biologic infusions for IBD patients who receive either home- or office-based administration.

Methods

Patients receiving infliximab or vedolizumab were analyzed retrospectively over a period of 152 weeks. Survival free of major adverse events including delayed infusion reaction, steroid initiation, drug discontinuation, or IBD-related emergency department visits, admission, and surgery were compared using a Kaplan-Meier curve. Individual adverse events, infusion-.related quality measures, and markers of patient adherence were analyzed.

Results

Adverse event–free survival was greater among those receiving home-based infusion (n = 154) compared with office-based infusion (n = 133). The office infusion cohort had higher rates of delayed infusion reactions (4 vs 0), IBD-related surgery (6 vs 0), and drug discontinuation (44 vs 35); this was a sicker cohort of patients compared with those in the home infusion group. Home infusion patients were less likely to receive correct weight-based dosing for infliximab (71.7% vs 89.3%), obtain labs for drug monitoring (53.2% vs 71.4%), and adhere to routine clinic visits (37.9% vs 58.1%).

Conclusions

The home-based infusion of biologics for IBD appears safe with lower rates of major adverse events compared with office-based infusions. However, those receiving home infusion were less likely to receive correct weight-based dosing for infliximab and were poorly adherent to routine follow-up.
Organic orchard floor management in peach: effects on arthropods and associated fruit injury in the Intermountain West
Authors: Freundlich Grace E , Schaeffer Robert N , Tebeau Andrew S , Black Brent L , Ransom Corey V , Reeve Jennifer R , Alston Diane G
Published: October 2023

Understanding orchard floor management is critical to organic tree-fruit production systems given its impact on weeds, soil fertility, tree health, and crop yield. Several viable options are available to producers for weed management and promotion of organic fertility, including use of turf and broadleaf alleyway covers and living and nonliving tree-row mulches. While these measures can be effective, little is known about how these strategies influence arthropod pests, which cause fruit injury. Here, we assessed 6 organic orchard floor management strategies for their impact on arthropod abundance and diversity in an organic peach production system in northern Utah from 2010 to 2014, using sweep netting and pitfall collections along with observed peach fruit damage. Generally, we found that alleyway and tree-row treatments had no impact on total arthropod diversity, species richness, or community diversity. However, earwig (Forficula auricularia) abundance was significantly impacted by alleyway and tree-row treatments that resulted in increased fruit injury. Trefoil alleyway treatments consistently increased earwig abundance across life-history stages, while mulch or Alyssum (straw) tree-row treatments harbored more earwigs and, as a result, increased earwig fruit injury. Since earwigs are especially prone to damaging young, developing fruits, it is imperative that more work is done to assess earwig abundances and life-history traits. Our results demonstrate that detrimental arthropods are sensitive to orchard floor management and can further inform integrated pest management approaches that complement sustainability goals.
Rapid assay using recombinase polymerase amplification and lateral flow dipstick for identifying Agrilus mali (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), a serious wood-boring beetle of the western Tianshan Mountains in China
Authors: Li Cheng-Jin , Sun Hui-Quan , Zhao Wen-Xia , Wang Xiao-Yi , Lin Ruo-Zhu , Yao Yan-Xia
Published: October 2023

Agrilus mali stands as a significant wood-boring pest prevalent in Northeast Asia. Identifying this pest beetle is often hindered by insufficient efficient, rapid, on-site discrimination methods beyond examining adult morphological features. As a result, an urgent need arises for developing and implementing a rapid and accurate molecular technique to distinguish and manage the beetle. This study presents a straightforward, swift, highly specific, and sensitive method built upon recombinase polymerase amplification combined with a lateral flow dipstick (RPA-LFD). This method demonstrates the capability to promptly identify the beetle, even during its larval stage. RPA primers and probes were designed using the internal transcribed spacer 1 region. Through probe optimization, false-positive signals were successfully eliminated, with an accompanying discussion on the underlying causes of such signals. The RPA-LFD assays exhibited remarkable specificity and sensitivity, requiring as little as 10−3 ng of purified DNA. Furthermore, the extraction of crude DNA was achieved through immersion in sterile distilled water, thus streamlining the assay process. Achievable at temperatures ranging from 30 to 50 °C, the RPA-LFD assay can be executed manually without specialized equipment. By merging the RPA-LFD assay with DNA coarse extraction, A. mali can be detected within just 30 min. This current study effectively demonstrates the immense potential of RPA-LFD in quarantine and pest management. Additionally, it presents a universal technique for the rapid on-site diagnosis of insects, showcasing the wide applicability of this method.