bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular docking and multi-spectroscopic approaches to unravel the mechanism of the interaction between thiocolchicoside and bovine serum albumin
Authors: Singh Anju , Sood Kavi , Thakur Kamal Kishor
Published: April 2024

A popular muscle relaxant for the treatment of severe, painful muscular spasms is thiocolchicoside (TCS). Although the precise mechanism underlying its ability to relax muscles is unknown, it demonstrates a specific affinity for the inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid and glycinergic receptors. This study used a variety of spectroscopic methods and molecular docking to examine the interaction of TCS with bovine serum albumin (BSA). UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic titration analysis supported the conclusion that TCS suppressed BSA's fluorescence through a blend of static and dynamic mechanisms. The thermodynamical constraints revealed that the interaction between BSA and TCS is spontaneous and that van der Waals and hydrogen bonding forces play key roles in stabilising the complex. TCS binds to the site III on BSA, as demonstrated by competitive binding assays utilising site-specific markers and molecular docking studies. By binding TCS, BSA exhibits minor microenvironmental modifications near the tryptophan amino acid residue, according to a structural study employing synchronous fluorescent.
A comparative study by mechanical activation and conventional processes of BaTi0.95W0.05O3 ferroelectric ceramic
Authors: Tyagi Anushka , Chaudhary Shristi , Devi Sheela , Jindal Shilpi
Published: April 2024

BaTi0.95W0.05O3 is synthesized by both mechanical activation process and conventional solid-state reaction technique for comparative study. The prepared sample is characterized by XRD and SEM. There is proper formation of perovskite structure in BTW from both of the methods confirmed by XRD. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) depicts that the micro-grains obtained by the mechanical activation method had comparatively fine structure compared to that of the conventional solid-state process. The mechanically activated samples display enhanced electrical properties showing a high value of the dielectric constant and a low value of the dielectric loss. The remnant polarization (Pr) value and d33 values were also high in samples synthesized by the mechanical method.
Exploring the Potential of Cobalt ferrites in the Supercapacitors Applications
Authors: Rana Rahul , Kaur Ranjeet , Raja Vaseem , Kumar Ajay
Published: April 2024

Supercapacitors have emerged as efficient energy storage devices for future autonomous gadgets due to their exorbitant power density, quick charging/discharging abilities, with prolonged cycle life. However, to meet demands such as high energy density and superior electrochemical performance, it is imperative to investigate different electrode materials. Primarily, electrode materials with a catholic potential range, low cost, and high specific capacitance are highly sought-after for supercapacitor applications. The cobalt ferrites (CoFe2O4) have emerged as materials with extraordinary specific capacitance, admirable redox response, are cost-effective, and are also environmentally friendly. In the present review article, we have discussed past reports where cobalt ferrites have been explored as potential candidates for supercapacitor applications.
An Experimental and Comparative Analysis of Glass Fibre Reinforced with Mobile Phone Display (Powder) with Epoxy Resin
Authors: Maxraj J. , Suyamburajan Vijay Ananth
Published: April 2024

The impact of the widespread use of electronic products in the information technology era is known as e-waste. Electronic waste increased as a result of the rising use of electronic products. These wastes polluting the environment leads to degradation of soil and water. By converting electronic waste into useful materials will reduce the electronics wastes. In this research work the composite materials were prepared with the mobile phone display powder mixed with 5% and 10 % to the epoxy resin act as matrix material glass fibers as reinforcement. The mechanical properties of the composites were tested, the tensile strength has been improved more than 10% and compressive strength has been improved more than 35%. Regarding the application of powdered particles to enhance the resistance to delamination initiation and propagation of fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials.
Influence of magnesium treatment on inclusions and primary carbides in As-cast H13 die steel
Authors: Ji Dengping , Wang Zifei , Zhu Haoran , Shao Xingzhou , Xu Xiangyu , Fu Jianxun
Published: April 2024

In this study, the inclusions and primary carbides in H13 hot-work tool steel were investigated, both with and without magnesium treatment, utilizing various analytical techniques such as optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and quantitative analysis methods. Furthermore, the experimental results were compared with the calculations obtained from Thermo-Calc software. The results revealed that as we move from the edge to the center of the steel, the equivalent diame-ter of inclusions increased. However, upon adding magnesium to the steel, the size of inclusions decreased, while the number of inclusions per unit area increased. The primary carbides found in H13 steel consisted of vanadium-rich MC carbides and molybdenum-chromium-rich M2C carbides. The addition of magnesium had a significant impact on the size of these primary carbides. The presence of MgAl2O4 particles acted as heterogeneous nuclei, providing nucleation sites that induced smaller sizes and more uniform distribution of primary carbides. Furthermore, it was observed that the banded segregation in the annealed microstructure became more uniform after magnesium treatment, leading to an improvement in the banded segregation.
Les risques environnementaux en 2020 : une feuille de route pour INRAE
Authors: Eckert Nicolas , Rigolot Éric , Caquet Thierry , Naaim Mohamed , Allard Denis , Erdlenbruch Katrin , Garric Jeanne , Gohin Alexandre , Giacona Florie , Lang Michel , Marette Stephan , Membré Jeanne-Marie , Mougin Christian , Reynaud Arnaud , Sabatier Rodolphe
Published: April 2024

INRAE a mené une réflexion prospective collective sur les risques environnementaux dans une perspective inter- et transdisciplinaire inscrite dans le cadre des sciences de la durabilité. Les risques pour les sociétés, les écosystèmes et les milieux ont été considérés conjointement et de façon holistique. Cet article résume les quatre priorités scientifiques identifiées, exprimées de manière transverse. Une feuille de route pour atteindre ces objectifs est également proposée, incluant les ressources humaines, les infrastructures, l’animation scientifique et les partenariats. Ces conclusions devraient participer à la structuration de la recherche française et internationale, et constituer ainsi une contribution significative à l’effort requis par l’urgence environnementale actuelle.
Endoscopic characteristics to differentiate SSLs and microvesicular hyperplastic polyps from goblet cell-rich hyperplastic polyps
Authors: Toyoshima Osamu , Nishizawa Toshihiro , Watanabe Hidenobu , Matsuno Tatsuya , Yoshida Shuntaro , Takahashi Yoshiyuki , Mizutani Hiroya , Ebinuma Hirotoshi , Fujishiro Mitsuhiro , Saito Yutaka
Published: April 2024

Background and study aims Among colorectal serrated polyps (SPs), sessile serrated lesions (SSLs) and hyperplastic polyps (HPs) have a similar endoscopic appearance. However, the endoscopic distinctions between those two categories, microvesicular HPs (MVHPs) and goblet cell-rich HPs (GCHPs), are not well understood. Therefore, we compared the endoscopic features of SSLs, MVHPs, and GCHPs.

Methods This retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Toyoshima Endoscopy Clinic. We examined polyp size, location, Paris classification type, mucus cap, indistinct border, expanded crypt opening, varicose microvascular vessels, and JNET classification type. Multivariable analysis of each endoscopic finding using a binomial logistic regression model determined the factors that predicted SP histology.

Results A total of 670 SPs were enrolled in this study, comprising 159 SSLs, 361 MVHPs, and 150 GCHPs. On comparing the SSL + MVHP group and the GCHP group, a mucus cap (partial regression coefficient 1.705), expanded crypt opening (1.828), and varicose microvascular vessels (1.270) were more often observed in the SSL + MVHP group compared with the GCHP group. In the comparison between MVHPs and GCHPs, a mucus cap (1.564), expanded crypt opening (1.802), and varicose microvascular vessels (1.288) were more often found in MVHPs in contrast to GCHPs. When comparing SSLs and MVHPs, SSLs were more likely to be in the proximal colon (0.662) and were larger (0.198) than the MVHPs. No significant differences were observed in other endoscopic findings.

Conclusions SSLs and MVHPs have endoscopic appearances that differ from those of GCHPs. Considering MVHPs and GCHPs as distinct entities may aid in endoscopic diagnosis of SPs.
Assessing the decarbonization roadmap of a RoPax ferry
Authors: Mayanti Bening , Hellström Magnus , Katumwesigye Anthony
Published: April 2024

The reduction of emissions from shipping is necessary to combat climate change. One viable option is to change the fuels utilized. In this study, we investigate the environmental and economic performance of marine diesel oil (MDO), liquified natural gas (LNG), liquified biogas (LBG), and a mixture of LNG and LBG. We study a real case of a roll-on/roll-off passenger ship (RoPax) in Finland. Life cycle thinking is applied to assess the environmental impact, covering emissions from well to propeller (raw material extraction, fuel production, transportation, storage, and combustion), while the economic implications are estimated through future fuel prices and carbon pricing from 2023 to 2050. The carbon pricing covers different carbon tax schemes, namely stated policies scenario (STEPS), sustainable development scenarios (SDS), and net-zero emissions (NZE). STEPS reflects the existing measures and policies under development; SDS pursues to meet the goal of Paris Agreement, while NZE aims to reach net zero. Adopting LNG would improve carbon dioxide emissions, but the overall climate change impact was not significantly lower than MDO. It is also found that the biggest environmental improvement can be obtained by switching to LBG, although future availability can be an issue. The economic assessment shows that LBG has the highest fuel price uncertainties, although its carbon cost will be the lowest. Alternatively, using LNG & LBG mixture can serve as a transition path to contain climate change while dealing with its price uncertainty and availability.
The impact of boundary spanning activities and resource orchestration in improving performance of Indonesian state-owned bank branches
Authors: Ariwibowo Aziz , Afiff Adi , Rachmawati Riani , Kusumastuti Ratih
Published: April 2024

State-owned enterprises have responsibilities to conduct head office’s strategies to make profits, to execute public programs and obligations, to maintain their viabilities, to serve customers, and to manage employees. Those prompt their branch managers not only to explore their environment but also to face a goal conflict situation. This study is to investigate the effects of branch managers’ boundary spanning activities and resource orchestration on the performance of branch offices in the dynamics of environmental uncertainty and goal conflict. This study employs structural equation modeling on one of the most prominent state-owned banks in Indonesia, with 201 branch offices as the unit of analysis, and 186 branch managers as respondents. The results of this study show that boundary spanning activities have a positive and significant relationship with resource orchestration. Meanwhile, both boundary spanning activities and resource orchestration are to influence the performance of branch offices. However, the influence varies widely, depending on environmental uncertainty and goal conflict experienced by branch managers. Furthermore, this study delves into an interesting phenomenon, that goal conflict situation, instead of reducing boundary spanning activities, it increases them but has no impact on resource orchestration. This closely relates to the culture of Indonesia as a nation with high power distance, low individualism, low masculinity, and low indulgence which represent preferences to prioritize workplace harmony, obey supervisors, and be loyal to the workplace.
Using social network analysis to investigate mathematical connections in U.S. and Chinese textbook problems
Authors: Li Shuhui , Fan Lianghuo
Published: April 2024

Textbooks, as potentially implemented curricula, play an important role in supporting classroom teaching and learning. Mathematical connections, one of the essential and hot topics advocated in mathematics education, have been emphasized in national curriculum reforms in various countries. However, little is known about the connection networks represented in school textbooks; even less has been done to compare textbooks from different countries. In this study, we propose an innovative method for examining how connections are represented in two popular U.S. (the UCSMP series) and Chinese (the PEP-A series) high school textbook problems involving quadratic relations. By using social network analysis, we identified 1129 connections, characterized connection networks into dense, moderate, and sparse digraphs, identified influential, prominent, and dual concepts and representations, and evaluated the strength between typical and reverse connections. The results revealed that the Chinese series presented a denser network of balanced between-concept connections but limited within-concept connections. The U.S. series exhibited more within-concept connections but emphasized typical connections, thus validating the potential of this innovative method. From this study, we suggest that our novel method provides a theoretical contribution to textbook analysis and connection analysis, which has rich implications for practice, for example, examining the network of connections students construct as a way to assess and to promote their conceptual understanding, and our approach opens the possibility of adopting new and efficient analytical tools from social network analysis in mathematics education research.
Introducing homocrystal seeds to supercooled liquid metal for stiffness-tunable properties
Authors: Thompson Avery
Published: April 2024

A multi-layer system featuring supercooled gallium can adjust its stiffness without bulky magnetic or refrigeration equipment.
Watching a signaling protein function: What has been learned over four decades of time-resolved studies of photoactive yellow protein
Authors: Schotte Friedrich , Cho Hyun Sun , Dyda Fred , Anfinrud Philip
Published: April 2024

Photoactive yellow protein (PYP) is a signaling protein whose internal p-coumaric acid chromophore undergoes reversible, light-induced trans-to-cis isomerization, which triggers a sequence of structural changes that ultimately lead to a signaling state. Since its discovery nearly 40 years ago, PYP has attracted much interest and has become one of the most extensively studied proteins found in nature. The method of time-resolved crystallography, pioneered by Keith Moffat, has successfully characterized intermediates in the PYP photocycle at near atomic resolution over 12 decades of time down to the sub-picosecond time scale, allowing one to stitch together a movie and literally watch a protein as it functions. But how close to reality is this movie? To address this question, results from numerous complementary time-resolved techniques including x-ray crystallography, x-ray scattering, and spectroscopy are discussed. Emerging from spectroscopic studies is a general consensus that three time constants are required to model the excited state relaxation, with a highly strained ground-state cis intermediate formed in less than 2.4 ps. Persistent strain drives the sequence of structural transitions that ultimately produce the signaling state. Crystal packing forces produce a restoring force that slows somewhat the rates of interconversion between the intermediates. Moreover, the solvent composition surrounding PYP can influence the number and structures of intermediates as well as the rates at which they interconvert. When chloride is present, the PYP photocycle in a crystal closely tracks that in solution, which suggests the epic movie of the PYP photocycle is indeed based in reality.
Solar cell parameter extraction, with less than 10% percentage error, integrating the Co-Content function, using up to order 6 Simpson integration method, and 51 measured points per volt or less, in the case of a percentage noise of the maximum current
Authors: Rangel-Kuoppa Victor-Tapio
Published: April 2024

In this article, the solar cell parameters (within the one-diode solar cell model) are obtained with less than 10% error, integrating the Co-Content function using up to order 6 Simpson integration method, and as a function of the number of measured points per volt and a percentage noise of the maximum current. It is shown, that less than 10% error (in some cases around 1%) can be obtained, in case the percentage noise is as larger as 0.1%, using higher order Simpson integration than 1, the usually used trapezoidal integration method.
Phylogeny of the cestode family Escherbothriidae (Cestoda: Rhinebothriidea) reveals unexpected patterns of association with skate hosts
Authors: Bueno V. M. , Trevisan B. , Caira J. N.
Published: April 2024

The rhinebothriidean tapeworm family Escherbothriidae has recently been expanded to include the genus Ivanovcestus, species of which parasitise arhynchobatid skates. Similarities in morphology and host associations between Ivanovcestus and Semiorbiseptum – a genus yet to be assigned to one of the families in the order Rhinebothriidea – led us to explore the possibility that Semiorbiseptum might also belong in the Escherbothriidae. Morphological similarities with Scalithrium ivanovae, Scalithrium kirchneri and Rhinebothrium scobinae, all of which also parasitise arhynchobatid skates, raised questions regarding the generic placements of these species. In addition, new collections from the skate Sympterygia brevicaudata revealed two new species that morphologically resemble species of Ivanovcestus. A combination of morphological and molecular data were used to assess the generic placement of the newly discovered species and refine our understanding of the membership of the family Escherbothriidae. Sequence data for the D1–D3 region of the 28S rDNA gene were generated de novo for 14 specimens of 7 rhinebothriidean species and combined with comparable published data to represent all 6 families in the Rhinebothriidea in the analysis. The phylogenetic tree resulting from maximum likelihood analysis strongly supports the inclusion of the genus Semiorbiseptum in the family Escherbothriidae. Our work also suggests that the skate-hosted species previously assigned to Scalithrium and Rhinebothrium are also members of Semiorbiseptum and that Ivanovcestus is a junior synonym of Semiorbiseptum. Six species are transferred to Semiorbiseptum, bringing the total number of species in the genus to ten. The diagnosis of Semiorbiseptum is amended to accommodate the additional species. A second species in the previously monotypic type genus of the family, Escherbothrium, is described. The diagnosis of the Escherbothriidae is amended to include the new and transferred species. This study underscores the importance of integrating morphological and molecular data in bringing resolution to cestode systematics. We believe our findings provide a robust foundation for future research into the evolutionary history and host associations of cestodes within the order Rhinebothriidea and beyond. These also highlight the importance of expanding our understanding of skate-hosted cestodes. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8052AFCA-5FBD-4430-95F4-0E5E368DEA3D
Ion transport in muscle acetylcholine receptor maintained by conserved salt bridges between the pore and lipid membrane
Authors: Alhalhooly Lina , Sine Steven M.
Published: April 2024

Pores through ion channels rapidly transport small inorganic ions along their electrochemical gradients. Here, applying single-channel electrophysiology and mutagenesis to the archetypal muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) channel, we show that a conserved pore-peripheral salt bridge partners with those in the other subunits to regulate ion transport. Disrupting the salt bridges in all five receptor subunits greatly decreases the amplitude of the unitary current and increases its fluctuations. However, disrupting individual salt bridges has unequal effects that depend on the structural status of the other salt bridges. The AChR ε- and δ-subunits are structurally unique in harboring a putative palmitoylation site near each salt bridge and bordering the lipid membrane. The effects of disrupting the palmitoylation sites mirror those of disrupting the salt bridges, but the effect of disrupting either of these structures depends on the structural status of the other. Thus, rapid ion transport through the AChR channel is maintained by functionally interdependent salt bridges linking the pore to the lipid membrane.
Dynamic brain communication underwriting face pareidolia
Authors: Romagnano Valentina , Kubon Julian , Sokolov Alexander N. , Fallgatter Andreas J. , Braun Christoph , Pavlova Marina A.
Published: April 2024

Face pareidolia is a tendency to seeing faces in nonface images that reflects high tuning to a face scheme. Yet, studies of the brain networks underwriting face pareidolia are scarce. Here, we examined the time course and dynamic topography of gamma oscillatory neuromagnetic activity while administering a task with nonface images resembling a face. Images were presented either with canonical orientation or with display inversion that heavily impedes face pareidolia. At early processing stages, the peaks in gamma activity (40 to 45 Hz) to images either triggering or not face pareidolia originate mainly from the right medioventral and lateral occipital cortices, rostral and caudal cuneus gyri, and medial superior occipital gyrus. Yet, the difference occurred at later processing stages in the high-frequency range of 80 to 85 Hz over a set of the areas constituting the social brain. The findings speak rather for a relatively late neural network playing a key role in face pareidolia. Strikingly, a cutting-edge analysis of brain connectivity unfolding over time reveals mutual feedforward and feedback intra- and interhemispheric communication not only within the social brain but also within the extended large-scale network of down- and upstream regions. In particular, the superior temporal sulcus and insula strongly engage in communication with other brain regions either as signal transmitters or recipients throughout the whole processing of face-pareidolia images.
Phyllosticta citricarpa (McAlpine) Aa
Authors: CABI  , EPPO
Published: April 2024

A new distribution map is provided for Phyllosticta citricarpa (McAlpine) Aa Dothideomycetes: Botryosphaeriales: Phyllostictaceae Hosts: Citrus spp.
Diplocarpon coronariae (Ellis & Davis) Wöhner & Rossman
Authors: CABI  , EPPO
Published: April 2024

A new distribution map is provided for Diplocarpon coronariae (Ellis & Davis) Wöhner & Rossman Leotiomycetes: Helotiales: Drepanopezizaceae Host: apple (
Malus spp
.)
Phyllachora maydis Maublanc
Authors: CABI  , EPPO
Published: April 2024

A new distribution map is provided for Phyllachora maydis Maublanc Sordariomycetes: Phyllachorales: Phyllachoraceae Host: maize (
Zea mays
).
Neopestalotiopsis rosae Maharachch., Hyde & Crous
Authors: CABI  , EPPO
Published: April 2024

A new distribution map is provided for Neopestalotiopsis rosae Maharachch., Hyde & Crous Sordariomycetes: Amphisphaeriales: Pestalotiopsidaceae Hosts: many, including strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa), pecan (Caryaillinoinensis), blueberry (
Vaccinium corymbosum
)
Unveiling the cation ratio mediated structural modifications in TiO2:GeO2 mixtures for gravitational-wave detectors
Authors: Bhowmick Sangita , Osovsky Ruth , Davenport Aaron , Schiettekatte François , Chicoine Martin , Menoni Carmen S
Published: April 2024

Amorphous thin films of Ti doped GeO2 are of interest for coatings of the mirrors in gravitational wave detectors (GWDs) due to their low internal friction (Vajente et al 2021 Phys. Rev. Lett.
127 071101). The addition of Ti to amorphous GeO2 (a-GeO2) enables tailoring of the optical and structural properties of the mixtures. However, the specific modifications that occur in the amorphous network with the addition of Ti are not known. In this work, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to identify modifications to the bonding of Ge and Ti atoms in mixtures of Ti doped a-GeO2 with different Ti cation content. The formation of (Ti–O–Ge) bonds is evidenced from: (1) the presence of a peak which intensity increases with Ti content and causes a shift to lower binding energy (BE) of the core level O 1s peak; (2) the shift to higher BE of the Ti 2p
3/2 peak and a decrease in the energy split; and (3) the shift to lower BE of the Ge 3d
5/2 peak and increase in the energy split. These changes reflect modifications to the bonding when Ge replaces Ti in Ti–O–Ti bonds and Ti replaces Ge in Ge–O–Ge bonds due to their difference in electronegativity. A decrease in the O–O nearest-neighbour distance due to the incorporation of Ti atom is also observed from the broadening of the valence band spectra. The results show the 0.44 Ti doped a-GeO2 mixture has a balance between the (Ti–O–Ge) and the (Ge–O–Ge) networks, not observed in Ti poor and Ti rich mixtures. This finding could have important consequences in the optimisation of amorphous Ti doped a-GeO2 mixtures for low internal friction coatings of GWDs.
DFT studies of the structural and electronic properties of PdGe
n
(n = 1–11) clusters and adsorption capacity for some gas molecules
Authors: Wu Mei , Wu Shao-Yi , Zhong Si-Ying , Lei Xin-Yi , Kuang Min-Quan
Published: April 2024

Density functional theory calculations have been employed for the theoretical studies of the geometric structures and electronic characteristics of PdGe
n
(n = 1−11) clusters. An analysis of the second- order energy differences indicates that PdGe7 and PdGe10 clusters possess superior thermodynamic stability. PdGe10 displays the highest chemical stability and the lowest chemical activity, due to its largest energy gap value (E
g). Vertical ionization potential and vertical electron affinity exhibit the decreasing and increasing trends, respectively, with the increase of the number n of Ge atoms. PdGe10 presents the highest electronegativity among these clusters. The analysis on the adsorption properties of PdGe
n
(n = 7,10) clusters for gas molecules (e.g. CO, NO, NO2, NH3, SO2 and H2S) yields the adsorption structures, adsorption energies, Mulliken charge transfer and the changes in the electronic properties. All the listed gas molecules chemically adsorb onto PdGe7. PdGe10 has a better adsorption performance for NO2, while its adsorption ability for CO is poorer. The potentiality of PdGe
n
(n = 7, 10) clusters as gas sensors is also evaluated and reveals that NO adsorption significantly affects the electronic properties, especially conductivity, of the systems. PdGe10 has an appropriate NO adsorption capacity and significant charge transfer, with the adsorption energy of −0.278 eV and the recovery time of about 10−9s, indicating its fast response and hence good potentiality as the NO sensor. In contrast, PdGe7 has a higher adsorption capability towards NO with a lower adsorption energy of −1.16 eV, leading to the difficulty in desorption and a longer recovery time of over 12 h.
Cold atmospheric pressure plasma assisted rapid assembly of peptide-based structures: a molecular scaffold to form supramolecular architectures
Authors: Basumatary Deepjyoti , Gaikhe Arya , Radhakrishnanand P , Sankaranarayanan Kamatchi
Published: April 2024

The use of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) technology in the production of peptide-based materials has shown great potential in modern technology. Herein, two aggregation-prone oligopeptides, GNNQQNY and KLVFFA, were subjected to CAPP treatment to form supramolecular assemblies/aggregates. Through peptide engineering and biophysical techniques, the effect of CAPP-generated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species on the oligopeptides were investigated for different treatment times revealing that the formation of these aggregates were primarily driven by electrostatic interactions without any chemical modifications. Field emission-scanning electron microscopy and Thioflavin T (ThT) binding assay confirmed the presence of distinct β-strands, particularly in the aggregates of the KLVFFA peptide upon CAPP irradiation. The combination of CAPP technology with peptide self-assembly process and the characterization techniques employed in this study holds promise for the development of such peptide supramolecular structures based on the specific amino acid sequences.
Charge-ordering breakdown dynamics and ferromagnetic resonance studies of B-site Cu diluted Pr1‒x
Sr
x
MnO3
Authors: Bordoloi A , Jena S K , Tiwari P , Datta A , Weise B , Medwal R , Rawat R S , Thota S
Published: April 2024

Here, we report the influence of Jahn–Teller active Cu substitution on the charge-ordering (CO) characteristics of one of the well-known manganite Pr0.45Sr0.55MnO3 (S55) with a distorted tetragonal structure. Magnetization studies unveil a complex magnetic phase diagram for S55, showing distinct temperature ranges corresponding to various magnetic phases: a ferromagnetic phase dominated by the Double Exchange interaction with T
C ∼ 220.5 K, an antiferromagnetic phase below T
N ∼ 207.6 K induced by CO with a transition temperature of T
CO ∼ 210 K consistent with the specific heat C
P(T) data, and a mixed phase in the range T
N < T < T
CO due to the competitive interplay of these two interactions. Dilute substitution of Cu at the Mn B-sites disrupts the robust charge-ordered state, leading to enhanced ferrimagnetic order with T
FN ∼273 K and significant magnetocrystalline anisotropy as confirmed by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) studies. The Cu-substituted system displays a distinct cationic distribution compared to the pristine S55, contributing to its diverse magnetic structure. Our findings also reveal the irreversible metamagnetic transition (H
T-Max ∼ 8.85 kOe at 180 K) associated with the CO phenomena in S55 and the first-order nature of the phase transition across T
CO. The magnetic heat capacity critical analysis (C
Mag
=
A (T − T
N)−α
) yields the exponent, α
= 0.097 (0.154) in the region T > T
N (T < T
N) consistent with the magnetic structure. The temperature dependence of FMR resonance field ΔH
Res(T), peak-to-peak width H
PP(T), and Gilbert damping factor α
G(T) show clear anomalies across the magnetic transitions signifying the important role of admixtured (3+/4+) electronic state of Mn. Additionally, a strong correlation between the FMR α
G(T) and switchable magnetic entropy change (ΔS
Max
∼ −8/+ 3 J kg−1 K−1 for ΔH
= 90 kOe) has also been established in S55.
Interlayer coupling modulated for thermoelectric transport characterization of black arsenic nanoscale devices
Authors: Shi Yuechao , Xu Jintao , Qiu Yifeng , Peng Xiaoge , Liu Ye , Liu Shuaixian , Zhang Bei , Long Mengqiu
Published: April 2024

Modulating interlayer coupling modes can effectively enhance the thermoelectric properties of nanomaterials or nanoscale devices. By using density functional theory combined with non-equilibrium Green’s function method, we investigate the thermoelectric properties of zigzag-type black arsenic nanoscale devices with varying interlayer coupling modes. Our results show that altering the interlayer coupling mode significantly modulates the thermoelectric properties of the system. Specifically, we consider four coupling modes with different strengths, by modulating different interlayer overlap patterns. Notably, in the weaker interlayer coupling mode, the system exhibits enhanced thermoelectric properties due to increased interface phonon scattering, for example, the M4 reaching a peak value of 2.23 at μ = −0.73 eV. Furthermore, we explore the temperature-dependent behavior of each coupling model. The results suggest that the thermoelectric characteristics are more sensitive to temperature variations in the weaker coupling modes. These insights provide valuable guidance for enhancing the thermoelectric performance of nanoscale devices through precise interlayer coupling modulation.
Investigation of membrane stress continuously adjustable fiber optic acoustic sensor based on inverse piezoelectric effect
Authors: Luo Xiang , Ding Keqin , Sun An
Published: April 2024

In this paper, a fiber optic acoustic sensor with continuously adjustable membrane stress technology is proposed, in which the stress exerted on the membrane can be flexibly adjusted by employing the inverse piezoelectric effect of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) tubular pedestal. First, the response mechanism of stress on the membrane is investigated theoretically. Based on this principle, the effect of adjustable stress on the flat response region and sensitivity of a single mode-multimode-single mode (SMS) fiber optic acoustic sensor are studied experimentally. The experimental results reveal that the flat response region of the sensor extends from 250 Hz to 450 Hz following the continuous increase in the membrane stress by changing the positive direct current voltage applied on PZT from 0 V to 100 V; meanwhile, the sensitivity decreases gradually from 336.5 mV Pa−1 to 162.7 mV Pa−1. The results also verify that the average minimum detectable pressure of the sensor is maintained at 0.54 mPa Hz−1/2 with a fluctuation of 0.08 mPa Hz−1/2 during the tuning process of membrane stress, which provides a flexible method for performance and applicability improvement of membrane-based fiber optic acoustic sensors.
Intelligent fault diagnosis of photovoltaic systems based on deep digital twin
Authors: Liu Sizhe , Qi Yongsheng , Ma Ran , Liu Liqiang , Li Yongting
Published: April 2024

The energy loss and substantial costs associated with faults in photovoltaic (PV) systems impose significant limitations on their efficiency and reliability. Addressing current issues in PV fault diagnosis such as the lack of typical fault data, imbalanced data distribution, and poor diagnostic performance, this paper proposes an intelligent fault diagnosis method for PV systems, deep digital twins (DDT) with information gain stacking sparse autoencoders (IGSSAEs). Initially, the method designs a novel DDT modeling framework tailored to actual PV system specifications. This framework utilizes a mechanism simulation model to generate typical data under various states. Simultaneously, a deep data model is constructed to learn the distribution characteristics of the mechanism model and complete data diversification, achieving the fusion and complementation of data from both models. Subsequently, a diagnostic network using IGSSAE is introduced. This network utilizes information gain ratio to assess feature classification contributions, enabling automatic feature selection. Based on the input features, a stacked sparse autoencoder fault classification network is designed, incorporating multi-level feature compression to enhance the model’s stability and diagnostic accuracy. Finally, a case study is conducted using a 250 kW grid-connected PV system, thoroughly validating the method’s effectiveness with a diagnostic accuracy of 98.4%.
A validation study of citizen science-based rainfall observation
Authors: Wang Xing , Zhao Jiuwei , He Yufeng
Published: April 2024

Citizen science-based data collection approaches offer new opportunities to produce high-quality rainfall products. One of the most promising options, personal rain gauges (PRGs), allows for high spatial and temporal resolution rainfall observation and has received much attention in recent years. Doubts about the accuracy and stability of PRGs, however, have led many researchers to remain hesitant about using PRG-based rainfall datasets. It is, therefore, of great importance to investigate the effectiveness of the PRG rainfall observation network. In this paper, 294 daily (24 hr) rainfall data between June 2022 and June 2023 was collected in the Netherlands using the PRG network and compared with ground rain gauge and radar estimations. The experimental results indicate that: (1) during the large-scale rainfall events, PRG achieved a Pearson correlation performance of 0.498, 0.488, and 0.324 compared to the corrected/uncorrected rain gauge network and radar observations, respectively, which decreased to 0.11, 0.101, and 0.108 for small-scale rainfall. It can be concluded that the PRG network shows a certain degree of agreement with ground rainfall gauges and radar measurements and is more suitable for large-scale rainfall observation tasks; (2) the relative errors between the PRGs and compared rainfall products indicate that the accuracy of the PRG network still needs to be improved. This study could offer a useful complement to the existing rainfall observation system while providing a helpful supplement to the development of citizen science.
Multiscale and multiperception feature learning for pancreatic lesion detection based on noncontrast CT
Authors: Yan Tian , Tang Geye , Zhang Haojie , Liang Lidu , Ma Jianhua , Gao Yi , Zhou Chenjie , Li Shulong
Published: April 2024

Background. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant tumours, demonstrating a poor prognosis and nearly identically high mortality and morbidity, mainly because of the difficulty of early diagnosis and timely treatment for localized stages. Objective. To develop a noncontrast CT (NCCT)-based pancreatic lesion detection model that could serve as an intelligent tool for diagnosing pancreatic cancer early, overcoming the challenges associated with low contrast intensities and complex anatomical structures present in NCCT images. Approach. We design a multiscale and multiperception (MSMP) feature learning network with ResNet50 coupled with a feature pyramid network as the backbone for strengthening feature expressions. We added multiscale atrous convolutions to expand different receptive fields, contextual attention to perceive contextual information, and channel and spatial attention to focus on important channels and spatial regions, respectively. The MSMP network then acts as a feature extractor for proposing an NCCT-based pancreatic lesion detection model with image patches covering the pancreas as its input; Faster R-CNN is employed as the detection method for accurately detecting pancreatic lesions.
Main results. By using the new MSMP network as a feature extractor, our model outperforms the conventional object detection algorithms in terms of the recall (75.40% and 90.95%), precision (40.84% and 68.21%), F1 score (52.98% and 77.96%), F2 score (64.48% and 85.26%) and Ap50 metrics (53.53% and 70.14%) at the image and patient levels, respectively. Significance.The good performance of our new model implies that MSMP can mine NCCT imaging features for detecting pancreatic lesions from complex backgrounds well. The proposed detection model is expected to be further developed as an intelligent method for the early detection of pancreatic cancer.
Radial drift of plasma blobs in a toroidal magnetic field with fully kinetic and reduced fluid models
Authors: Mackey Nathan , Blinov Sergey , Stanier Adam , Le Ari
Published: April 2024

In curved magnetic geometries, field-aligned regions of enhanced plasma pressure and density, termed ‘blobs,’ move as coherent filaments across the magnetic field lines. Coherent blobs account for a significant fraction of transport at the edges of magnetic fusion experiments and arise in naturally-occurring space plasmas. This work examines the dynamics of blobs with a fully kinetic electromagnetic particle-in-cell code and with a drift-reduced fluid code. In low-beta regimes with moderate blob speeds, good agreement is found in the maximum blob velocity between the two simulation schemes and simple analytical estimates. The fully kinetic code demonstrates that blob speeds saturate near the initial sound speed, which is a regime outside the validity of the reduced fluid model.
Effects of cavity resonance and antenna resonance on mode transitions in helicon plasma
Authors: Zhang Tianliang , Cui Ying , Xia Zhangyu , Zheng Bocong , He Feng , Ouyang Jiting
Published: April 2024

Mechanisms of cavity resonance and antenna resonance and their coupling effects on mode transitions in argon helicon plasma excited by a half-helical antenna (14 cm in length) were investigated in this paper. Cavity length was changed to distinguish the effects of cavity and antenna resonances in experiments. Plasma parameters under various discharge conditions, such as input power (0–2500 W), magnetic field (0–1000 G) and cavity length (10–42 cm) were measured. Characteristics of helicon discharges and mode transitions in cases of fixed and continuously changing cavity lengths were compared. The results show that multiple axial eigenmodes (at least five in the present work) were observed in both cases. In fixed-length cavities, the helicon discharge changes abruptly during mode transitions, while in changeable-length cavities, discharge features can change continuously (e.g. in a large range of density from 1.7 × 1012 to 1.3 × 1013 cm−3) without mode transition. Mode transitions also occur as the cavity length increases at fixed input power and magnetic field with periodical variations of plasma parameters. Cavity resonance plays a dominant role in the formation of standing helicon waves of eigenmodes and mode transitions, while antenna resonance significantly affects the transition from inductively coupled modes to helicon wave modes. Enhanced inter-coupling of cavity resonance and antenna resonance appears at specific axial wavelengths of eigenmodes. The threshold conditions for mode transitions were deduced and the overall transition path of wave modes and the corresponding density were predicted quantitatively, which shows that cavity resonance determines the transition path of wave modes, while antenna resonance gives the lower limit of the transition path. Characteristics of helicon discharge and mode transition are closely related to the axial wavenumber. Cavity and antenna resonances influence the helicon discharge and mode transition by determining the axial wavenumber of eigenmodes.
Hybrid triboelectric-piezoelectric nanogenerator for long-term load monitoring in total knee replacements
Authors: Chahari Mahmood , Salman Emre , Stanacevic Milutin , Willing Ryan , Towfighian Shahrzad
Published: April 2024

A self-powered and durable pressure sensor for large-scale pressure detection on the knee implant would be highly advantageous for designing long-lasting and reliable knee implants as well as obtaining information about knee function after the operation. The purpose of this study is to develop a robust energy harvester that can convert wide ranges of pressure to electricity to power a load sensor inside the knee implant. To efficiently convert loads to electricity, we design a cuboid-array-structured tribo-pizoelectric nanogenerator (TPENG) in vertical contact mode inside a knee implant package. The proposed TPENG is fabricated with aluminum and cuboid-patterned silicone rubber layers. Using the cuboid-patterned silicone rubber as a dielectric and aluminum as electrodes improves performance compared with previously reported self-powered sensors. The combination of 10

w
t
%

dopamine-modified BaTiO3 piezoelectric nanoparticles in the silicone rubber enhanced electrical stability and mechanical durability of the silicone rubber. To examine the output, the package-harvester assemblies are loaded into an MTS machine under different periodic loading. Under different cyclic loading, frequencies, and resistance loads, the harvester’s output performance is also theoretically studied and experimentally verified. The proposed cuboid-array-structured TPENG integrated into the knee implant package can generate approximately 15

μ

W of apparent power under dynamic compressive loading of 2200 N magnitude. In addition, as a result of the TPENG’s materials being effectively optimized, it possesses remarkable mechanical durability and signal stability, functioning after more than 30 000 cycles under 2200 N load and producing about 300 V peak to peak. We have also presented a mathematical model and numerical results that closely capture experimental results. We have reported how the TPENG charge density varies with force. This study represents a significant advancement in a better understanding of harvesting mechanical energy for instrumented knee implants to detect a load imbalance or abnormal gait patterns.
Effect of vertical electric field components on the local arc development along contaminated surfaces
Authors: Wen Lu , Cao Bin , Wang Liming
Published: April 2024

During operation, a vertical-component electric field emerges on the surface of high-voltage AC bushings. This unique electric field structure renders the bushing more susceptible to discharge and flashover. However, limited attention has been paid to studying the flashover characteristics resulting from surface pollution in such electric fields. This investigation, involving four differently structured bushings as well as post insulators, delves into the impact of pollution, creepage distance, and electric field structure on bushing flashover characteristics. The study reveals that increasing the creepage length of heavily polluted bushings does not significantly enhance their flashover voltage. Moreover, the role of the vertical electric field in the local arc development was analysed. This research could provide valuable references for future bushing design in polluted areas.
Medical image encryption system based on a simultaneous permutation and diffusion framework utilizing a new chaotic map
Authors: Le Zhen , Li Quanjun , Chen Huang , Cai Shuting , Xiong Xiaoming , Huang Linqing
Published: April 2024

In telemedicine, diverse medical images transmitted between doctors and patients contain sensitive personal information. Thus, there is an urgent need for reliable and efficient medical image encryption to protect these medical images during transmission. In this paper, a simultaneous permutation and diffusion framework (SPDF) is introduced for medical image encryption based on a new chaotic map. Firstly, combining the Chebyshev map and the iterative chaotic map with infinite collapse (ICMIC), we propose a one-dimensional chaotic system (1D-CICMIC) which exhibits higher ergodicity and unpredictability compared to other 1D chaotic maps through comprehensive analyses. Secondly, in order to enhance permutation effect, we modify traditional Josephus traversing with a dynamic scrambling method where the scrambling scheme of the current pixel depends on the value of the previous diffused pixel. Thirdly, we develop a simultaneous permutation and diffusion framework, wherein the diffusion is embedded into the modified Josephus traversing to prevent attackers from targeting the scrambling and diffusion phases separately. Finally, based on 1D-CICMIC and SPDF, an encryption system is proposed. It adopts plaintext correlation in the diffusion operation, which strikes a balance between ciphertext sensitivity and plaintext sensitivity, offering resistance against chosen-plaintext attack (CPA), noise attack and data loss. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has high encryption efficiency and can withstand various common attacks.